Archive for 2013
November 27, 2013
YEAH, I’D LISTEN TO HER ADVICE TO GROW THE ECONOMY: Silicon Valley Isn’t a Meritocracy. And It’s Dangerous to Hero-Worship Entrepreneurs.
In a cultural context where idealists have linked social media to democracy, egalitarianism, and participation, the tech scene in Silicon Valley considers itself to be exceptional. Supporters speak glowingly of a singularly meritocratic environment where innovative entrepreneurs disrupt fusty old industries and facilitate sweeping social change.
But if the tech scene is really a meritocracy, why are so many of its key players, from Mark Zuckerberg to Steve Jobs, white men?
Why, indeed? Maybe because they don’t write stuff like this:
For instance, in her study of entrepreneurs, Helene Ahl found that in business discourse 70 percent of words used to describe entrepreneurs were male-gendered — these included “self-reliant”, “assertive”, “forceful”, “risk-taking”, “self-sufficient”, “leader”, “competitive”, and “ambitious”.
If you think “self-reliant” or “ambitious” are “male-gendered” then your prospects are poor . . . .
CAMPUS LIFE: Monitoring Meningitis Outbreaks.
Facing a rare instance of simultaneous and growing meningococcal disease outbreaks on campuses – on opposite coasts, no less – college administrators are taking what may be unprecedented vaccination steps, issuing precautions and hoping this unusual situation doesn’t get much worse.
The meningococcal vaccines licensed in the U.S. do not fully protect against the potentially lethal serogroup B strain that’s infected nearly a dozen people on three campuses. But the unusual size and length of the outbreak at Princeton University, which confirmed its eighth case since March on Friday, has prompted federal approval to distribute a vaccine there called Bexsero that is imported from Europe.
“This is highly unusual – I’m not sure completely unprecedented,” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention doctor Amanda Cohn said in a call with reporters Monday. “We needed to do something to prevent additional cases.”
The CDC will recommend that all Princeton undergraduates, graduate students who live in the dorms, and any individuals with functional and anatomic asplenia (including sickle cell disease) or late complement component deficiencies receive the vaccine.
I am asplenic, the result of a youthful altercation, and have had the regular meningitis vaccine, so I follow this with some interest.
ANTHONY WEINER PARAMOUR SYDNEY LEATHERS selling her “excess labia.”
We live in classy times.
WHY SEAHORSES are shaped like horses.
SHOCKING DISCOVERY: Child custody rules limit women’s life choices as well as men’s. It’s been the case for years, of course, that a man can be forced to stay in a job he hates — or even be taxed with “imputed” income for child support if he’s unemployed. But it’s unthinkable that similarly inconvenient rules should apply to women. Because equality!
AT AMAZON, it’s the Amazon Christmas Store. Trees, decor, and more. Also, the Amazon Hanukkah store.
Plus, gifts under $50.
And as you do your shopping, a reminder: InstaPundit is an Amazon affiliate. When you do your Christmas/Hanukkah shopping — or any other shopping — through the Amazon links on this page, including the “Shop Amazon” tab at the top or the searchbox in the right sidebar, you support the blog at no cost to yourself. Just click on the Amazon link, then shop as usual. It’s much appreciated!
IT’S REASON TV’S NANNY OF THE MONTH FOR NOVEMBER, 2013: Banning Doorknobs, Frat Parties, and “God Bless America” Signs?!
PREFERENCE CASCADE: Obama Approval Falls to 50 Percent in Home State, Collapses in Ohio.
In Illinois, the Democratic firm Public Policy Polling found Obama’s approval rating falling to just 50–46 positive in a state he carried by 17 points just a year ago. His biggest drops in support came among women voters (only 50 percent positive) and Hispanics (only 51 percent positive). Without his overwhelming support among African-Americans (92 percent), his approval rating would easily be in the low 40s. The liberal website Daily Kos says all this represents “a very bad sign for Democrats heading into 2014.” . . .
In Ohio, a new Quinnipiac poll has Obama’s approval rating at 34 percent positive and 61 percent negative. Compare that to the president’s four-point win over Mitt Romney just a year ago. “This is a state considered to be a national bellwether,” said Peter Brown, assistant director of the poll. “Now Obama is approved by 30 percent of men, 38 percent of women, 27 percent of white voters, and 83% of black voters.”
If this kind of collapse is seen in other key large states, expect Democrats returning to Washington from the holidays to begin talking about open mutiny against the White House over Obamacare.
ObamaCare: America’s biggest Thanksgiving turkey!
HOW FDR boosted Christmas sales.
NEWS YOU CAN USE: The 1 Reason You Should Re-Think Eating Your Placenta. Er, wouldn’t that be it’s your freakin’ placenta!??
MEH. I THINK IT’S OVERHYPED: Are Electric Vehicles A Fire Hazard? “There are inherent risks when you store enough energy to propel a two-ton car at 75 miles an hour for hundreds of miles. After all, thousands of gasoline-powered cars catch fire in collisions each year.”
YESTERDAY’S POST ON THE LASERLYTE SYSTEM produced this email from Eric Burgess: “Just read your recent review on the Laserlyte Plinking Cans. The reason the solenoid kept cycling is because there is too much ambient light in the environment. All laser targets are somewhat sensitive to ambient light. The manufacturer says they should be used in average lighting. Somewhat vague, but overhead lights and direct sunlight will cause the condition.” Yeah, my kitchen didn’t seem that bright but I’ll give ’em a try in the basement. The target system worked just fine in the same lighting.
HMM: Lifesaving Flu Drugs Not Being Used As Often In Children. “Some doctors wait for a confirmation of influenza, which can take as long as a couple of days, before starting antivirals, Dr. Weintrub said. But speed matters: Treatment within 48 hours of the appearance of symptoms like fever, cough, sore throat and shortness of breath increased the odds of survival, the new study found.”
SPEAKING OF MILITARY HISTORY: The last installment of Victor Davis Hanson’s quiz.
RECIPE: CHICKEN THIGHS WITH CAPERS AND WHITE WINE. So I’ve been making this for a while, but last night my foodie sister-in-law was raving about it, so here’s a quick and healthy dish that, apparently, can still impress a foodie.
4-6 boneless skinless chicken thighs.
Olive Oil and olive oil spray.
Capers.
White wine.
Smoked paprika & tarragon. Salt & pepper.
Take a nonstick pan — I use the Orgreenic — and liberally coat with olive oil spray. Then add a small amount — 1/2 to 1 tablespoon — of olive oil. Also spray chicken thighs with olive oil spray, then put in pan.
Coat thighs with smoked paprika (I prefer Trader Joe’s, but any is fine) and tarragon. Salt and pepper to taste. Cook in pan over medium-high heat until nearly done. Add a liberal helping of capers and a spoonful or two of caper brine. Then add white wine (I usually use the dregs of a handy bottle, but about 2-4 ounces). Let the white wine cook down by about 50%. Serve and enjoy! The white wine reduction makes a savory sauce, and the whole thing is low calorie, low-fat, and very low carb. It’s also pretty low sodium unless you have a heavy hand with the salt. And it’s easy!
IF ANY INSTA-READERS ARE LOOKING TO GIVE ME A CHRISTMAS PRESENT, A NETJETS CARD WILL DO NICELY. The 5 Baddest Bizjets.
THAT’LL CHANGE ONCE MY PROPOSAL TO SHIFT ADMINISTRATION TO LOW-PAID CONTRACT-WORKER “ADJUNCT ADMINISTRATORS” CATCHES ON: Why Do Colleges Cut Academics First In A Budget Crisis. The “higher education bubble” exists in part because, as budget priorities show, education isn’t a top priority of those running things.
TAXPROF ROUNDUP: The IRS Scandal, Day 202.
REBOUND EFFECT: Rube Goldberg Legal System Derails CA Bullet Train.
California’s bullet train boondoggle was sucker punched yesterday, as a Sacramento Superior Court judge blocked $68 billion in bond funding. The same case saw a separate ruling allowing the state to spend $3.4 billion in federal cash for the project, while a second case (same judge) rejected the rail authority’s request to issue $8 billion in bonds that voters approved in 2008. The judge ruled the project would need to meet various mandates, compliances and environmental clearances before the funding stream can be allowed to flow.
The convoluted rulings are yet another sign that California’s toxic regulatory and legal environment makes any public works project slow, expensive and Pyrrhic. . . .
We’ve long argued that the train is an awful idea, but it looks like it’s starting to fail for all the wrong reasons. It would be good to see some common sense shape a consensus that the project’s exorbitant costs and marginal utility make it not worth the while. But no, the train is being derailed by red tape.
Big government self-derails. Opponents of big government should take a cue from environmentalists, and seize every available opportunity — and there will be many — for legal monkey-wrenching.