Monday, January 08, 2018
What We Need, Charlie, Is A Party Of The Radical Center
I'm not sure of the precise timing, but I figure sometime soon..either before the 2018 midterms or soon after... the regular drumbeat for a "populist" party whose appeal is limited to Tom Friedman and Matthew Dowd and maybe Chuck Lane will begin. A reasonable amount of money will be spent on laughing consultants, a disproportionate amount of media attention will be paid, and then little things like "ballot access" and "nobody likes us" will become apparent and the whole thing will collapse. Just like it does every election.
Cool Let Me See The Car
Oh it doesn't exist. Right.
I really don't know how these people think they're going to solve "the last 100 feet problem" even if they work reasonably well otherwise (which I don't think they will, but...).
At its CES event, Nvidia unveiled a new self-driving platform called the Drive Pegasus. Powered by two of the company's powerful Drive Xavier chips, CEO Jensen Huang described the Pegasus as a "Level 5 self-driving car." A Level 5 car is generally thought to be a car that can drive in all driving situations, negating the need for a human driver — or even a steering wheel — entirely.
I really don't know how these people think they're going to solve "the last 100 feet problem" even if they work reasonably well otherwise (which I don't think they will, but...).
I Did It
He'll admit to every unsolved crime you can think of if he's with Mueller's people.
WASHINGTON — Anticipating that Special Counsel Robert Mueller will ask to interview President Donald Trump, the president’s legal team is discussing a range of potential options for the format, including written responses to questions in lieu of a formal sit-down, according to three people familiar with the matter.
Cucked
Mystery that these people don't understand Trump at all.
One he turns on you, you're done. Sure there are some senators who have re-ingratiated themselves but it takes extreme sucking up measures.
Steve Bannon’s apology for his comments trashing President Trump’s family did little to tamp down the president’s anger at his former chief strategist, as aides describe the president demanding a stark choice from supporters of both men: you’re either with Bannon, or with me.
One he turns on you, you're done. Sure there are some senators who have re-ingratiated themselves but it takes extreme sucking up measures.
Sunday, January 07, 2018
Stare Into The Abyss
Fox is launching g a new show tonight called “The Wise Guys”. It’s @AlanDersh, @OliverNorthFNC, Steve Wynn and me, hosted by @WilliamJBennett. Focus on the biggest issues. Future of USA, the workforce, technology, military. I hope you watch - it’s good! https://t.co/oM0UUlSn96
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) January 7, 2018
Everybody Is Corrupt But Me
When I reflect upon my past life in academia, one thing which amuses me is how strong the idea that people in academia... no, not just academia... people in *economics*... were not corrupt was. Everybody in economics was pure. I think this kind of bias is prevalent in a lot of professions, but it's especially funny in economics, which is entirely (supposedly) about how people behave in response to incentives. But, yes, I think journalists do it too, which might be even more ridiculous.
I think one of my Ph.D advisers (he didn't really have anything to do with my dissertation) tried to poke holes in this, but he did it very subtly. He probably gave me my first media criticism lesson which involved "According to a source close to Professor X [who is obviously Professor X], Professor X has been offered an obscene amount of money to take a job at School Y." I didn't get what he was doing when I was I grad student. His later work involved thinking about economics when a lot of people were thieves. I assumed he meant, you know, scary black people stealing your car (I was a dumb 23 year old). Later I realized this wasn't what he meant.
I think one of my Ph.D advisers (he didn't really have anything to do with my dissertation) tried to poke holes in this, but he did it very subtly. He probably gave me my first media criticism lesson which involved "According to a source close to Professor X [who is obviously Professor X], Professor X has been offered an obscene amount of money to take a job at School Y." I didn't get what he was doing when I was I grad student. His later work involved thinking about economics when a lot of people were thieves. I assumed he meant, you know, scary black people stealing your car (I was a dumb 23 year old). Later I realized this wasn't what he meant.
Saturday, January 06, 2018
The Best People
Heckuva job.
White House officials believe that chief of staff John Kelly’s personal cellphone was compromised, potentially as long ago as December, according to three U.S. government officials.
Not Me
It isn't something that can be judged from one piece or column, but I try to pay attention to whether pundits write about politics as if it affects them or if it just affects other people. Of course not everything affects me! I'm a US citizen. I'm not poor at the moment. I have health insurance through Mrs. A. Etc. And I take a broad view here. People can write with empathy even if it doesn't impact them personally. The point is not that people need to write "oh crap I might lose my health insurance." The point is they have to have some awareness of the consequences of the impact of policy beyond the morality play in their heads.
Ross Douthat is probably the worst pundit I can think of based on this. Even when he's playing "reasonable conservative" it's all about how the world should work, and not about how people might be starving and dying. Liberal pundits are guilty, too.
Anyway, when you're thinking about posting your sober technocratic treatise on whether SSDI eligibility requirements should be tightened up, consider what that means in practice. Those moochers and their $1100/month probably aren't really a problem.
Ross Douthat is probably the worst pundit I can think of based on this. Even when he's playing "reasonable conservative" it's all about how the world should work, and not about how people might be starving and dying. Liberal pundits are guilty, too.
Anyway, when you're thinking about posting your sober technocratic treatise on whether SSDI eligibility requirements should be tightened up, consider what that means in practice. Those moochers and their $1100/month probably aren't really a problem.
And He Just Published It
It's petty, but watching Maggie Haberman and her NYT fellow travelers turn their brand to shit has been fun.
Friday, January 05, 2018
Overnight
Rock like you have never rocked before.
Hate all the music I like, but give this one a chance. It's a good song, Brent.
Hate all the music I like, but give this one a chance. It's a good song, Brent.
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