Over on Hit & Run, they're discussing in the comments the comparative merits of Survivor, The Sopranos, and Six Feet Under. Which of these will future art historians most admire? Which of these television shows will future historians look back on as our Madame Bovary, as our Moby Dick? I say none of them. A hundred years from now, historians will describe this as the … [Read more...] about The Greatest Art Of Our Time
Fighting High Prices With Scarcity
The government of Hawaii just made a terrible mistake: In an effort to gain some control over what motorists pay at the pump, Hawaii on Wednesday became the first state in the U.S. to set caps on the wholesale price of gasoline. Economists have observed that setting below-market price caps on a good causes that good to become scarce. It has nothing to do with producers being … [Read more...] about Fighting High Prices With Scarcity
“It’s Called Courage”
Glenn Reynolds has already linked to this, but it's an amazing story. Independent journalist Steven Vincent was killed in Basra a few weeks ago. Professor Juan Cole at the University of Michigan (who had previously been the subject of criticism by Vincent) looked into rumors that Vincent was having an affair with his female Iraqi translator, Nour Weidi, and suggested strongly … [Read more...] about “It’s Called Courage”
Fast Food Predation
Here's an unusual way to demonize fast food: In the battle against childhood obesity, well-intentioned government policies that encourage healthy eating face a daunting challenge from the proliferation of fast-food establishments right outside the schoolhouse door, a new Chicago-based study shows. The median distance from any Chicago school to the nearest fast-food … [Read more...] about Fast Food Predation
Rave Police
Police in Utah raided a rave attended by about 400 people. According to the Salt Lake Tribune, the rave was illegal and the police broke it up with little violence. On the other hand, Daily Kos has a different story, claiming that the police used paramilitary tactics to shut down a legal concert, complete with permits and security guards. This is consistent with accounts by … [Read more...] about Rave Police