Monthly Archives: June 2009

The Illusion of Government Competence

Posted on Wed, 24 Jun, 2009 by pmjones

What do these stories all have in common? They all demonstrate that government organizations do not systematically make better decisions in the same circumstance than do private organizations. Leftists like to argue that, by some magical mechanism, real-world politicians make … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Emergence, Government | Leave a comment

Bush & Cheney Questions Staged and Pre-Arranged

Posted on Wed, 24 Jun, 2009 by pmjones

Oh, sorry, I meant “Obama”, not Bush & Cheney. After the obligatory first question from the Associated Press, Obama treated the overflowing White House briefing room to a surprise. “I know Nico Pitney is here from the Huffington Post,” he … Continue reading →

Posted in Government, Politics | Leave a comment

Insurance as a Prisoners’ Dilemma, Bryan Caplan | EconLog | Library of Economics and Liberty

Posted on Mon, 22 Jun, 2009 by pmjones

When the secretary informed me that, “Insurance doesn't cover this treatment,” I was positively delighted. Why, you ask? It's not envy – I don't mind if other people have better insurance than I do. The reason for my delight: As … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Government, Health Care | Leave a comment

No Such Thing As Multitasking (Redux)

Posted on Mon, 22 Jun, 2009 by pmjones

In most jobs, one needs to be able to switch quickly between tasks, but this is easier said than done. Thought processes from the first task are hard to shut off – “attention residue,” in the words of the author … Continue reading →

Posted in Management | Leave a comment

Watch The Iranian Police Run Away

Posted on Mon, 22 Jun, 2009 by pmjones

Battle w/ Police – Tehran, Iran – June 20th 2009by mightier-than via On Iran | Democracy in America | Economist.com to http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2009/06/the-moment-they-ran.html Update: Narrative and more links here: http://pajamasmedia.com/instapundit/80591/.

Posted in Civil Rights, World War IV | Leave a comment

Canadian Kangroo Courts

Posted on Sun, 21 Jun, 2009 by pmjones

Indeed, we have always held it to be a peculiar pathology that Canada, though reflexively rejecting a two-tier health system, would tolerate a two-tier justice system. That is, as an alternative to judgment by the standards of the Canadian Criminal … Continue reading →

Posted in Civil Rights, Government | Leave a comment

First They Came For The Private Pilots?

Posted on Sun, 21 Jun, 2009 by pmjones

Utilizing their seemingly unfettered authority to do anything that strikes their fancy without oversight by anyone, Homeland Security has instituted a requirement that private aircraft operators seek government permission each time we propose to take off if we are planning … Continue reading →

Posted in Civil Rights, Government, World War IV | 1 Comment

Iranian Protestors Shot As Obama Goes for Ice Cream

Posted on Sat, 20 Jun, 2009 by pmjones

A Twitter-based retrospective: Patterico’s Pontifications » Contrast: Iranian Protestors Shot As Obama Goes for Ice Cream.

Posted in Civil Rights, Politics, World War IV | Leave a comment

Cheney More Progressive Than Obama?

Posted on Sat, 20 Jun, 2009 by pmjones

Dick Cheney rarely takes a position that places him at a more progressive tilt than President Obama. But … the former vice president did just that, saying that he supports gay marriage as long as it is deemed legal by … Continue reading →

Posted in Civil Rights, Politics | 1 Comment

Risk Assessment in Software … and Terrorism Threats

Posted on Fri, 19 Jun, 2009 by pmjones

This is the kind of article I love: it integrates software development, economics, cognitive bias, risk assessment, and security planning. Read the whole thing for links. More imagination leads to more movie-plot threats — which contributes to overall fear and … Continue reading →

Posted in Defense, Economics, PHP, Security, World War IV | Leave a comment