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Showing posts from November, 2012

An Unconvincing Case for the DC Height Limit

Over at the Atlantic Cities, Kaid Benfield has an "urbanist" case for the DC height limit, which might really be an elaborate plot to get Ryan Avent and Matt Yglesias prescriptions for blood pressure medication. But let's assume not. First, let me clear away one small annoyance before getting to the meat of the case: Banfield's repeated implication (which is common in this type of argument) that everyone who disagrees with him is a whinging carpetbagger who hasn't earned the right to opine on his favorite city: That said, I can’t sit on this any longer: the law that restricts the height of buildings in D.C. is under attack from all sorts of sources (many of them out-of-towners or relative newcomers to the city, probably not a coincidence). Now, maybe I'm just a whinging carpetbagger who hasn't earned the right to opine on such things, but this is bogus (I do live in DC, for the record). We don't say that political reporters have to live in Ohio f

Happy Thanksgiving!

I'm spending today in St. George, Utah with long-lost relatives some of whom I haven't seen in many years. I hope your holiday is full of joy and plenty

Game Review Roundup

This is just some notes on games I've been playing recently. To start, Steam has crazy bargains on a regular basis, so much so that it can be a bit dangerous if you're not careful. They're mostly games at least a couple years old, but still, I got Limbo for $2.50, Braid for $5, Grand Theft Auto 4 for $5, and Bioshock for $5. Easy to go overboard, but that's a lot of game for $17.50. Anyway— Torchlight 2 : This is an exceptionally well-executed Diablo clone. Everything about it drips Blizzard influence, from the art design to the quests to the loot to the generic fantasy story. Luckily it also has Blizzard's trademark perfectionist execution as well, and the result is clean, well-designed and very fun to play. It's not surprising or innovative really anywhere, but it is highly polished. I did regret though that there wasn't more than a halfhearted, generic story. For a game with such a high level of execution, it's a shame to have such an afterthoug

Programming Note

Pardon the lack of posting of late. I've been transitioning into my new job at the Monthly, which requires quite a bit more work than the piecemeal stuff I've been doing previously, so I've had less time. I'm trying to get a dedicated place of my own on the Monthly site, so things may become sparser yet here. Also, I must admit, I've been on a bit of a bender catching up on the three years of video games I've missed. On further reflection though, I've decided to make a daily post part of my morning routine, even if it's just a simple video or quick thought. Again, this may move over to a new work blog, but I'll keep you posted if that does happen.

The Deficit Scolds Revealed as Obvious Frauds

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news , world news , and news about the economy I was watching some Up with Chris this morning (update: posted above) and Hayes about came unglued making the point that few in Washington seems to get—that the problem with the fiscal slope (the set of tax increases and spending cuts set to take effect automatically next year) is that it will make the federal deficit too small . And yet we have the same parade of rattling deficit scolds who have been gravely intoning about how immoral it is to leave such a debt load to our children suddenly up in arms about this fiscal slope. Consider this throwaway line from Andrew Sullivan: We are facing automatic massive tax hikes and huge, crude spending cuts starting January 1 if we cannot get a bipartisan deal on Bowles-Simpson lines (of course there is room for tweaking and bargaining). A failure to get that kind of deal would tip the US and the world into a new global depression. Every single thing about thi

Time for Puerto Rico to Become the 51st State

In a little-noticed vote last night, after many failed attempts, Puerto Rico voted to officially join the United States as a full state: The two-part referendum asked whether the island wanted to change its 114-year relationship with the United States. Nearly 54 percent, or 922,374 people, sought to change it, while 46 percent, or 786,749 people, favored the status quo. Ninety-six percent of 1,643 precincts were reporting as of early Wednesday. The second question asked voters to choose from three options, with statehood by far the favorite, garnering 61 percent. Sovereign free association, which would have allowed for more autonomy, received 33 percent, while independence got 5 percent. The issue now moves to Congress. President Obama has promised to respect the wishes of such a vote, and both party platforms for this year agree. Gerald Ford , George Bush I , and even Reagan supported statehood. The trouble in Congress could come if some troglodyte adds an amendment forcing

The Ultimate Time Lapse

4.6 billion years in 90 seconds:

How to Put Climate in a Disaster Story

Bloomberg Businessweek shows how it's done: The story is also great : Yes, yes, it’s unsophisticated to blame any given storm on climate change. Men and women in white lab coats tell us—and they’re right—that many factors contribute to each severe weather episode. Climate deniers exploit scientific complexity to avoid any discussion at all. Clarity, however, is not beyond reach. Hurricane Sandy demands it: At least 40 U.S. deaths. Economic losses expected to climb as high as $50 billion. Eight million homes without power. Hundreds of thousands of people evacuated. More than 15,000 flights grounded. Factories, stores, and hospitals shut. Lower Manhattan dark, silent, and underwater.