2005-02-28

The New Yorker: The Critics: Musical Events

The New Yorker: The Critics: Musical Events

Saw this in print. Then it was on /. with the link.

Humorous formal theory article

One of the readings for Guillermo's class this week is by some theorists who obviously have a sense of humor. I appreciate it.. Below, they talk about the median voter result (and its origins in Hotelling and Smithies.

The firms might be hot-dog vendors with wheeled carts selling identical hot-dogs at identical prices along a beach. In the case of two vendors, the predicction of Hotelling and Mithies was that the vendors locate cheek-by-jowl at the median sunbather. No other configuration can be an equilibrium.... To compare the situation being analyzed to political interaction we need to spell out the assumptions underlying the two-vendor hot-dog game. (1) Vendors, and hot-dogs, are identical save for their positions along the boardwalk. People choose by minimizing the walk from beach blanket to wiener wagon. (2) Movement is free, and it is clear what movement means: the physical location of the cart changes along the single dimension of the beach. No frauds, such as creating mirages to make one cart seem closer, are possible..... (3) The distribution of hungry sunbathers is exogenous, and does not change in response to movements or fixed locations of hot-dog vendors.. (One might easily imagine a situation where this is not the case: 'where will we put our beach blanket? Oh, let us go bover beside that wurst-monger!' the result might well be two vendors, separated by a very considerable distance, each surrounded by a cluster of obese but sated sunbathers on an otherwise empty beach.... The frankfurter purchase is a one-shot deal. Once we have recieved the hot-dog and examined it, we pay for it, assuming the vendor will not snatch the steaming tube steak and abscond. But all these problems of reneging and ex post recontracting exist for politicians.

Oh, and footnote 10: "This is not to say that some politicans are not hot dogs."

CoffeeGeek rant

CoffeeGeek - So what the heck is wrong...

Yeah it's from almost a month ago, but CG isn't updated enough to check more frequently.

I didn't watch the oscars,

Because I knew something like this article from salon would both fill me in and reaffirm my decision to do statistics instead.

2005-02-16

more on the animated gay-marriage role models

An excellent cartoon in the 14&21 Feb New Yorker (scan tomorrow hopefully) shows SpongeBob and his boyfriend (Patrick?) checking the mail: "It's a very sweet note from Batman and Robin"

BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | NZ unveils Stonehenge replica

BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | NZ unveils Stonehenge replica

6 May:

42.

2005-02-15

SuperMarriage

The New York Times > National > Trying to Strengthen an 'I Do' With a More Binding Legal Tie

Haha, I was going to blog this earlier, and then Jon Stewart made extra fun of it on the Daily Show too. Sooooo dumb.

Dumb dog names

The New York Times > Sports > Other Sports > Westminster Dog Show: Old Pros Rise to Top of Their Groups at Dog Show

Who names their dog "Wysiwyg's Hullabaloo" or "I'll Go On Lovin U"?! At least, according to the article, last year's winner was named a nice, normal Josh. Fame, Fortune, and Glory aren't too bad; and Coco is respectable. But who the fuck names their dog "Cin-Don Jan'l McShane"?

2005-02-14

I love Scott & Scott loves me

Tulips from Scott

just in case anyone was confused as to who was the better boyfriend... it's him.

Latest bin Laden videotape Wishes America 'A Crappy Valentine's Day'

from the Onion.

2005-02-07

Premier mariage gay dans la guerilla philippine

gay marriage in the phillipines
Some things just don't make the Times...

Salon.com | More gay cartoon characters revealed!

Salon.com | More gay cartoon characters revealed!

His sociability proved fortuitous. Snagglepuss and Huckleberry soon became confidants of other prominent cartoon characters struggling with their homosexuality. And what started as an informal support group slowly morphed into a political action network.

"During the mid-'70s, the public became more aware of just how many celebrities were gay," explains Snagglepuss, turning serious. "Well, that included us, and people began speculating about cartoons the same way they did about human actors."

"The ironic thing is, they were wrong about one of the first gay icons," he adds. "There was always a lot of talk about Velma, but she's strictly hetero."

fits like a...

not much wiggle room

9:53:30 Jon: Yeah I should probably just get another waterfield - how snug is the just regular sleevecase in the horizontal direction on the 15 PB?
9:53:47 Me: you can feel it slide in.
9:54:06 Jon: well that is a nice quality HAHA
9:54:54 wustlmike: figured you'd like that oblique description.
9:55:01 Jon: haha uh-huh
9:55:09 Jon: But i mean on top and bottom : P
9:57:09 wustlmike: I can take some pictures if you like..
9:57:18 Jon: Hmmm if you would
9:57:22 wustlmike: it's a very good fit. I mean it's designed to fit it exactly
9:57:26 Jon: Yeah
9:57:28 Jon: Well
9:57:34 wustlmike: alright in a little bit.
9:57:36 Jon: See on my vert there is some play in the top.
9:57:45 Jon: No big rush, I just need it to ship before nl
9:58:10 wustlmike: you could stick a finger in the top flap loop.. maybe two
9:58:55 Jon: But it stays at that does not try and accommodate anything bigger?
9:59:36 Jon: See mine is a little looser definitely two if not three.
9:59:42 Jon: and that is just sitting in there.

2005-02-06

valentine's weekend restaurant options

2005-02-04

Hmm!

Same-Sex Couples Must Be Allowed To Marry In New York, Court Rules

In today’s ruling, Justice Ling-Cohan said... “Similar to opposite-sex couples, same-sex couples are entitled to the same fundamental right to follow their hearts and publicly commit to a lifetime partnership with the person of their choosing. The recognition that this fundamental right applies equally to same-sex couples cannot legitimately be said to harm anyone.”

I think Lambda Legal is like Christy's arch-nemesis group.

NPR : An Argument Against Spokane's Planned Gay District

NPR : An Argument Against Spokane's Planned Gay District

2005-02-02

lentil soup

It's winter, which means time to explore the universe of soups.

  • 1-2 cups lentils (brown, green, french green, doesn't matter.. vary the texture and taste each time!)
  • onion
  • carrot
  • celery
  • sage and rosemary (fresh or dried)

Combine all ingredients (including herbs, if dried) and cover with about two inches of water. Simmer for an hour or so. Add sea salt and pepper to taste, and fresh herbs at this point. Serve with crusty bread and a drizzle of olive oil.

Optionally, throw in a rind of parmigiano reggiano while simmering.