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Today's realization
Game-able prediction markets can devolve into nearly the equivalent of completion bonds ( Read more... ) -
New job
I just turned in my notice at Symantec today. Got a new job in Richmond starting the 28th of this month. Look out, RVA, I'm back! -
Lies, damned lies and consumer reports
Big corporations love to lie to you. Car companies love to tell you how roomy their trunks are, but they don't tell you that they dismember bodies before putting them in the trunk to pack more in. Some unscrupulous car companies will even grind bodies to make them take up even less space. Will you have time to dismember or grind a body next time ( Read more... ) -
Happy Blasphemy Day!
Christianity: One woman's lie about having an affair that got seriously out of hand ( Read more... ) -
Happy New Yarr!
Shana Tova, me 'earties! Eat yer apples an' honey, an' drink yer grog! Yarrrrr! -
R'lyeh (Cthulhu, 'Tis of Thee)
Cthulhu, 'tis of thee ( Read more... ) -
Interesting example of how anarcho-capitalism works
This article about pirate-hunting cruises off the African coast is a perfect example of how an anarcho-capitalist level free market can provide disincentives for crime (in this case, piracy). These guys will reduce the number of pirates either by killing them off or by getting them to change professions by teaching them that messing with boats/ ( Read more... ) -
A note on Iran
I've been tweeting my ass off (including at work) about Iran these past couple of days, especially as the crackdown against the protesters has gotten more violent. There's a lot of good that can be done on Twitter and the web, including helping to disseminate information about where the Basiji are and link to first aid information to help victims ( Read more... ) -
Fractional-reserve banking isn't
I've been thinking. The problem with fractional-reserve banking is that it isn't really banking. It's investment.
Now investment is all well and good, when it's done in a transparent fashion. For example, peer-to-peer lending sites like Lending Club explicitly allow people to make the same kinds of investments that banks make: consumer and ( Read more... )