catdynamics | December 4, 2008You think things are bad in California or Boston?
Hos plots his misery index - there are parts of the country that are really hurting.
I guess we have to infer that some things are not normally distributed.
Krugman also worries about stuff, arguably of comparable importance.
catdynamics | December 2, 2008700,000,000,000
6,850,000,000
The lower number is the requested NSF budget for 2009, which represents an inconceivably bold 14% increase over 2008, in an attempt to get the budget back on the widely agreed upon track called for by the American Competitiveness Initiative.
The actual 2009 budget will likely be a continuing resolution, with same dollar amount as 2008 and no increase for science. Which is of course a net cut after inflation.
The $800 million increase would pay for about 16,000 new graduate student years, or say 2-3,000 new PhDs in the sciences. In practise maybe only half…
catdynamics | December 2, 2008Gorgeous 3D gallery toy for Chandra images from ChandraBlog
Requires CoolIris plug-in.
catdynamics | December 2, 2008Eating Plasticized Piss is NOT A Good Idea
If I could think of it back then...
catdynamics | December 1, 2008At my advanced and cynical age, I have concluded some level of corruption in the political process is necessary.
And I say that despite the very nice "thank you" note that Mr and Mrs Obama sent my wife last month for the challenge donation.
They must have had to write a lot of thank you notes.
Anyway, when I was young and idealistic I was outraged, outraged I tell you, at the corruption I was dimly aware of in the political process. Particularly within Iceland, where everyone really did know everyone else, and the corruption was particularly local and petty.
But, while it was infuriating and…
catdynamics | December 1, 2008I had a really nice roast leg of lamb for dinner tonight, Icelandic free range, grazed on mountain grasses. Roasted pink, with a bit of garlic and light brushing of home made marinade.
Only $7.99 per pound at Whole Foods, picked it up on my last trip. We'll be eating lamb sandwiches all week.
Also picked up a bit more than a case of Skyr - mostly the proper plain stuff, but also a few pre-sweetened vanilla for the kids. They ate three the night I brought them back, now stretching the remainder to last a bit.
My skyr purchase is strictly limited by refrigerator space now, I get at least a…
catdynamics | December 1, 2008For posterity, a link to The Compleat ÜberNerd - Tanta's magnum opus on the mortgage industry.
It is a great example of how blogs can be used for outreach, and were of tremendous utility to the readers at the time they were written.
catdynamics | November 30, 2008Tanta, one of the co-bloggers on the extraordinarily good blog Calculated Risk has passed away.
She was infamous for her übernerd series of technical posts and analysis of micro and macro issues in the mortgage and finance industry.
She'll be missed.
catdynamics | November 29, 2008The Yorkshire Ranter suggests that the Dog's[sic] Dogs of War by Forsyth as the world's deadliest novel.
The plot of Dog's[at least I am consistent...] Dogs of War is a coup in an African country, and it seems likely the book has been used as a "how to" manual several times, possibly most recently in the Mumbai terrorist attacks.
But, is it really the world's deadliest novel? And if not, what is?
For example, a major plot element in Debt of Honor has a lot in common with the 9/11 attacks.
There is of course also the Satanic Verses, and the Turner Diaries.
But, is there a novel which started…
catdynamics | November 29, 2008'couple of good ones from the Yorkshire Ranter
Pakistan paranoia
and World's Deadliest Novel
catdynamics | November 28, 2008Yikes, it is friday already, again?
Ok, we only have a reduced travel set of iTunes, but here goes.
Oh, mighty iPod - jobs, astronomy jobs that is, gonna be any over the next year?
Whoosh goes the randomizer.
Whoosh.
The Covering: Twenty Four Hour Garage People - Half Man Half Biscuit
The Crossing: Letters Sent - Half Man Half Biscuit
The Crown: American Music - Violent Femmes
The Root: Gobbledigook - Sigur Rós
The Past: Buzz Buzz Buzz - Wee Hairy Beasties
The Future: Hey Nonny Nonny - Violent Femmes
The Questioner: The Light At The End Of The Tunnel Is The Light Of AN Oncoming Train -…
catdynamics | November 27, 2008First Krugman makes a snarky comment about the grownups coming (though I seem to have heard that one before, a few years ago, how did that work out?).
Then Greg Mankiw gets all in a snit about it.
So, Krugman has to apologise, sort of.
Ok, I start to see some of the disadvantages of non-pseudonymous blogging for academics.
But, that is now what is interesting about this.
What is interesting about this is that Greg Mankiw points to a standard ranking of economists' academic accomplisments, and compares positions.
'course Krugman outranks Mankiw... shouldn't it stop there?
But, we're not done…
catdynamics | November 24, 2008is, loosely translated, what the leader of the opposition "red-green alliance" said to a government member of Alþing in Iceland, who claimed the opposition had been procedurally delaying the setup and start of investigation into the Icelandic banking crisis.
This came during a vote of no confidence in the government.
The vote failed by a huge margin.
Surviving Iceland is a new and interesting blog - anecdotal and free associating news "as it happens" from Reykjavík.
I was somewhat flabbergasted to also hear that just now has someone put a motion to use emergency powers to freeze the assets…
catdynamics | November 24, 2008is how many people you could employ for a year for $306 billion, at a cost of $70 per hour, for 40 hour work week, 50 weeks per year.
Those people would then go out and spend the money, generating some velocity and additional jobs.
or at a mean hourly rate of only $15,000 - you could get 1,000 of the top financial executives in the USA, for a year.
That is, to be fair, taking the mean only for the top 20 or so CEOs.
So it'll buy you a bunch of COO and CFOs for matched sets.
catdynamics | November 24, 2008We need one of those.
"I say, hand over your money. All of it, if you'd be so good.
Awfully decent of you chaps. Thank you most kindly."
"If you securitize the leveraged derivatives you enhance alpha, and you know housing prices never go down."
"They don't make any more land, you know."
"Your money is safe with us."
"No sir, there are no hidden fees."
"Quantitative easing is needed. Don't worry, we have top experts working on it.
Top experts."
If September 19 is International Talk Like a Pirate Day, shouldn't we have a Banker's Day also?
December 15th seems both clear and appropriate, it…
catdynamics | November 21, 2008everyone does know that there is now an official
Monty Python channel
catdynamics | November 21, 2008It is snowing, and this time I am not pointing the wrong way on the I-271(N) staring at the headlights of 20,000 tired and grumpy Clevelanders who are late heading home (but who fortunately do know how to drive in snow, a trait I appear to have lost...).
So, Oh Mighty iPod: Hubble supplemental observing proposals - anything useful going to come out of it? Oh, and any hints on the near term economic situation would also be appreciated.
Whoosh goes the randomizer.
Whoosh.
The Covering: Krummi Krunkar Úti - trad.
The Crossing: Let It Snow - Dean Martin
The Crown: Between the Wars - Billy…
catdynamics | November 21, 2008triple witching hour
option expiry today, I gather
something has to give, way up or way way down