Category Archives: politics

precision ≠ accuracy

Posted on Wednesday, 2002 February 27 by Anton

Go get ’em! The LP responds to the notorious infamous “if you buy dope you’re supporting terrorism” spot with this newspaper advertisement. (Thanks to Ananda, who credits Declan McCullagh.) Pet peeve nº 17000: false precision. When you write “boosts . . . … Continue reading →

Posted in drugwar, mathematics | 1 Comment

Mr Lincoln’s war

Posted on Wednesday, 2002 February 27 by Anton

What made 1861 such a hot topic in the blogs of late? Douglas Turnbull wrote: So yes, there may be a Constitutional case for a state’s right to secede from the Union, but the Southern states did not secede just … Continue reading →

Posted in history, politics | Leave a comment

there’s always been a lottery

Posted on Wednesday, 2002 February 27 by Anton

Office lottery in ancient Athens. In short, the lottery – and the great Iron Age pachinko machine that was its finest expression and most powerful tool – made the first democracy what it was. Together, the system and its technology … Continue reading →

Posted in constitution, history | Leave a comment

Obie was making sure

Posted on Monday, 2002 February 25 by Anton

A week or two ago I wrote to a friend in jail. Uncertain what resources might be available to him, I enclosed a stamped return envelope. The letter came back, marked “RETURN TO SENDER / UNAUTHORIZED MAIL”; it had been … Continue reading →

Posted in security theater | Leave a comment

potential terrorist thwarted!

Posted on Monday, 2002 February 25 by Anton

As a favor to my dearest friend, I went today to the Federal Building in San Francisco to drop off a piece of paper. I cleverly left my pocket-knife behind (and missed it twice) but, addled by a lifetime of … Continue reading →

Posted in security theater | 1 Comment

the Senator from Low Earth Orbit

Posted on Friday, 2002 February 22 by Anton

People say a lot of unkind things about John Glenn, and I won’t rule out the possibility that there might be good reasons for that. But I’d like to record that he did one good thing that I’ll never forget. … Continue reading →

Posted in constitution | Leave a comment

disclaimer

Posted on Friday, 2002 February 22 by Anton

Last night I mentioned linguists and misguided egalitarians in the same breath, and it occurs to me that some might take that somehow as a swipe at a certain public figure. Let me assure both my readers that I was … Continue reading →

Posted in language, politics | Leave a comment