Not PC: Friday Morning Ramble: Stormy Weather

Friday 13 June 2014

Friday Morning Ramble: Stormy Weather

How have you enjoyed the storms? No damage, I hope?

What happened to those mayoral election promises?
Big rates rises tipped for Auckland – WIRELESS

We get light rail, and downtown rail tunnels, because Baptist-and-bootlegger coalitions are enabled by ignorant voters.
Baptists, Bootleggers, and Public Squalor: Light Rail Isn't a Good Public Investment – Art Carden, ECON LOG

Next target for public transport campaigners: Park-and-ride stations, which are “subverting the sustainability goal of transit.” And you thought public transport was about helping folk travel around the city?
The Case for Tearing Down Park-and-Ride Lots – CITY LAB

Do local scientists spend more time filling our grant forms than doing science?
Tragedy of the AntiCommons: reviewer veto edition – Eric Crampton, OFFSETTING BEHAVIOUR

The product of London planners: a Proverty Creation Programme. Here’s what you can rent in North London for just 737 pounds per month.
Studio flat 737 pounds per month – THE INDEPENDENT

Message for planners:
Shoe box apartments are no affordability cure – MACROBUSINESS AUSTRALIA

“Similarly, this wasn’t about any one issue, though Brat’s opposition to Cantor on immigration helped energize some fanatical supporters, which is important in a contest where the overall vote total is not very big. But this is less about two candidates with opposing principles than it is about candidates with opposing attitudes toward the very concept of ‘principle.’”
Why We Fired Eric Cantor – Robert Tracinski, THE FEDERALIST
The Ayn Rand Factor: Who is David Brat?- VOICES OF REASON

“Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott is seeking an alliance among "like-minded" nations to thwart efforts to introduce carbon pricing and American President Barack Obama's move to push climate change through global forums like G20.”
Tony Abbott to 'Forge Alliance' to Counter Obama's Efforts to Push Climate Change on Top – INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS TIMES

Well at least the CIA has a sense of humour.
The CIA has joined Twitter with the best first tweet possible – THE VERGE

“The fall of Mosul to the radical, extremist Islamic States of Iraq and Syria is a set of historical indictments.”
The Fall of Mosul and the False Promises of Modern History – Juan Cole, HISTORY NEWS NETWORK
It's Probably Nothing – SMALL DEAD ANIMALS

Fascinating new book by former Australian Prime Minister (and Ayn Rand admirer), in which he argues Australia’s alliance with the U.S. “is now a liability, and a potentially dangerous one at that… The net result, Fraser argues, is that: ‘We have significantly diminished our capacity to act as a separate sovereign nation.’”
Book review: Dangerous Allies by Malcolm Fraser – THE CONVERSATION

“I see the value of bearing and raising children within the stability and support of a family — particularly in less wealthy cultures where women don’t have the resources or capacity to raise and support a child on their own… [but this] — and the abuse, neglect, and ostracism suffered by these children detailed in the article — is a painful reminder of the evil of stigmatizing children born out of wedlock.”
The Sins of the Father? No Thanks! – Diana Hsieh, NOODLE FOOD

This should be self-explanatory to anyone interested.
ANNOUNCING STUDY GROUP ON INDUCTIVE METHOD OF THINKING, ITS FOUNDATION – Rohin Gupta, FACEBOOK

“Malt, sewage, pilau rice. The world's most exciting cities - by smell.”
Your favourite city smellscapes in pictures – NEW SCIENTIST

“Programming quality is inversely proportional to regulatory meddling.”
TV’s Third Golden Age – B.K. Marcus, THE FREEMAN

“Hipster tattoos as a form of socially legitimised self-harm." Discuss.
Sleeve tattoos are now a hipster habit – and the permanence of mine pains me – GUARDIAN

Don’t run. Life’s worth it.
Rik Mayall had heart attack after morning run, says wife – TELEGRAPH

Beer writer of the year hopeful shamelessly milks a fad. [WARNING: MAY CONTAIN BEER]
Darkest Days: Real Vampires Don’t Sparkle -

Impish brewer wonders why 2,750,400 people just drink cold beer?
Seven Reasons Most People Drink Beer – LUKE’S BEER

“From Ancient Greece to quantum mechanics, or what a Chinese room and a cat have to do with infinity.”
Six Famous Thought Experiments, Animated in 60 Seconds Each - BRAIN PICKINGS

“I don't like country music, but I don't mean to
denigrate those who do. And for the people who
like country music, denigrate means 'put down.’”
- Bob Newhart

The climatic lietmotif for the week…