馬庭正

This weekend's hare-brained scheme.

Mon, 19 May 2008 04:01:59 GMT

cmeckhardt and I were talking Friday night about the Institute For Figuring's Hyperbolic Crochet Coral Reef and how one of the exhibit locations in New York, the one at the Broadway Windows at NYU, was going away on Sunday (today).

"Wanna go?" she said.
"Sure."

So we went.

I'll post pictures later.

In honor of Walter Gropius' 125th birthday...

Mon, 19 May 2008 03:23:16 GMT

...Google put this image up on its homepage:

which inspired bedfull_o_books to go to the house he designed in 1937 and had built in Lincoln:

We went on the hour guided tour. The house is kept as it was, furnished with some of the family's belongings, and you get to see nearly all of it.

Sat, 17 May 2008 03:47:48 GMT

From http://theamericanscene.com/2008/05/12/is-harvard-just-a-tax-free-hedge-fund:

"Viewed purely in terms of economics, Harvard is really a $40 billion tax-free hedge fund with a very large marketing and PR arm called Harvard University that has the job of raising the investment capital and protecting the fund’s preferential tax treatment."

(via Matthew Yglesias)

The incentives still favor driving, even at $4/gallon. (kind of a personal rant)

Fri, 16 May 2008 22:31:56 GMT

I drive a lot. Most of it is highway driving from Massachusetts to Connecticut. It's about 300 miles, round-trip. In my old Corolla, that's about 10 gallons, or at today's Massachusetts prices, around $36. (It's a couple of bucks more at Connecticut prices, which is an incentive to buy fuel in Massachusetts.)

My car is nearly 20 years old, with 300,000+ miles on it. Thus, minimal depreciation. The largest remaining expense is oil and oil changes, and the occasional repair. My insurance is also minimal. Moreover, there's no marginal cost to it; I'm paying my insurance regardless of whether the car sits or I drive it constantly.

Let's say that all adds up to another $4 on each trip, on average.

If I'm cheap, I drive down I-95 through Providence, and avoid all the Pike tolls.

So it costs me about $40 to do the round-trip by car. And it's usually under 3 hours.

Amtrak, Boston to New Haven, is $43, purchased in advance, on one of the non-Acela services. Add another $1.70 for the T and another $2.50 for Shore Line East. So that's nearly $50, each way, or $100 round-trip.

Greyhound to New Haven is $31 with a seven-day advance purchase. So that makes the bus alternative around $35 each way, or $70 round-trip.

I could, were I insane, take the Chinatown bus to Manhattan, then take Metro-North back from Manhattan to New Haven, then Shore Line East to my parents. That's probably the cheapest possible way. Occasionally, between Bolt and the Chinatown buses, you can get to NYC for a buck. But Metro-North is still $14, even off-peak, and there's still the $2.50 for Shore Line East, and $2 on the subway to get from Chinatown to Grand Central, and the $1.70 to take the T. Add it all up and it's more expensive than my drive and takes more than twice as long, because I'm travelling about double the distance, with multiple changes and 75 miles of backtracking. Sorry, that's nuts. My time is worth something, after all.

(I'll add here that Shore Line East leaves me a couple of miles walk from my parents', and the sidewalks end about a half mile before their place. I've walked it. The car dodging is merely annoying, not suicidal.)

In order for me to break even on the trip, taking Greyhound to New Haven, my fuel costs would have to rise to around $60. That's around $6/gallon in my car. And for my taking Amtrak to make economic sense, it would need to go to above $9/gallon. I mean, it might happen, but it hasn't yet.

The point is that it costs me money to take public transit on the long-distance trip I do most often. I want to do it. I'm a transit buff, so I even have non-economic incentives to take transit. But given the price difference, of course I'm going to save the money and drive; on average I do this trip weekly. And I need a car once I get to my parents'. It's suburban Connecticut, after all.

This is all quite broken if we want to encourage people to get out of their cars.

Is this an exceptional case? Sure. I'm going from an urban area to a suburban one, but I'm doing it in the Northeast Corridor. That's a part of the U. S. that actually has some usable public transportation. In a lot of the rest of the country, the comparison's even worse. (San Fernando Valley to Las Vegas springs to mind, from recent experience.)

But it's the case that makes the most difference to me.

The Great Big Chart of Fetishes

Thu, 15 May 2008 21:24:03 GMT

This was big, but cute:

From http://www.bentblog.com/art41782126.htm:

My flist just exploded with the news of the California Supreme Court ruling on gay marriage.

Thu, 15 May 2008 19:35:32 GMT

I'd just like to add this from the San Jose Mercury News website:

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is vowing to uphold the California Supreme Court's ruling striking down a state ban on gay marriage.

The Republican governor issued a brief statement shortly after the court announced its decision Thursday.

The governor said, "I respect the court's decision and as governor, I will uphold its ruling."

He also reiterated his previously stated opposition to an anti-gay marriage initiative proposed for the November ballot. That initiative would write a ban on same-sex unions into California's constitution.

Last month, Schwarzenegger told a gathering of gay Republicans that he would fight the initiative.

This American Life piece on the housing crisis.

Thu, 15 May 2008 17:59:35 GMT

Episode 355, The Giant Pool of Money, is a nice piece explaining the crisis and how it happened. Friends have commented on how it's worth listening to, and signsoflife just let me know that it's probably only around for free download for another day or so, as they only make it available for a week after broadcast.

So check it out. I played it for bedfull_o_books last night.

Pandora update.

Thu, 15 May 2008 00:44:22 GMT

So it seems from that unscientific query of my friends list that the targeting of ads on Pandora Radio really is extremely gendered. Men get liquor and cars, women get chick shows and lip gloss.

I guess I'm not surprised but I was hoping for something slightly less crudely directed. And I haven't gotten lip gloss ads...yet.

2007 Mortgage Fraud Report from the FBI.

Thu, 15 May 2008 00:35:53 GMT

From http://www.fbi.gov/publications/fraud/mortgage_fraud07.htm:

'The above photos are from condos that were involved in a mortgage fraud. The appraisal described “recently renovated condominiums” to include Brazilian hardwood, granite countertops, and a value of $275,000.'

According to Tanta at http://calculatedrisk.blogspot.com/2008/05/fbi-2007-mortgage-fraud-report.html:

Back when Tanta was young and dinosaurs ruled the earth, if you wanted to refi based on "as improved" value of the property, you coughed up contractor invoices, materials receipts, etc., and you let the appraiser in to photograph all the claimed "improvements." It was, of course, a big "hassle." And we're so committed to fantastic customer service that we of course eliminated such unnecessary "hassle."

It does make you wonder whether some of these reports of pre-foreclosure "trash outs" don't involve a few properties that were trashed from the get-go.

Thanks to http://calculatedrisk.blogspot.com/ for the pointer.

Anyone else using Pandora Radio?

Wed, 14 May 2008 01:54:58 GMT

When I signed up, I told them I was a 25 year old female whose zip code was Yale Station.

Now, I'm getting what look like very directed ads for TV shows like "Samantha Who?" and "The Bachelorette".

If you're using it too, what ads are you getting?

The Hill asked the 97 senators not running for president...

Wed, 14 May 2008 01:52:01 GMT

...whether they'd accept the VP spot.

Here are some of the answers:

Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.)
“We already have a vice president from Wyoming. So we’ll have to see if Sen. McCain asks me to chair his selection committee. That seems to work well. It certainly seemed to work well for the last guy from Wyoming.”

Sen. Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.)
“No, I can already preside over the Senate, and I do not enjoy spending a lot of time at ‘undisclosed locations.’ ”

Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.)
“Yes. Sign me up. I’ve been kidding people for years: The hours are better, the wages are just as good — whoever heard of a vice president getting shot at? — and it’s a great opportunity to travel. And actually since time has gone by, the job is robust … So sure. Anybody here would, if they’re going to be honest. The chances are slim to none. But I promise you, I would deliver all three of Delaware’s electoral votes.”

Sen. Larry Craig (R-Idaho)
“I would say ‘No, Hillary.’ ”

Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa)
“No, I’d have Jon Stewart stand in for me. Jon Stewart. That’s my guy.”

Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.)
“I plan to stick with my current job until I get the hang of it.”

Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.)
“No, and in my case it’s obvious: There’s not going to be two candidates from Arizona.”

Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.)
“Once is enough. I already have the T-shirt and I’m proud of it. I yield to my colleagues.”

Sen. Mel Martinez (R-Fla.)
“I’d say, ‘Please read the Constitution.’ I wasn’t born in America; I can’t be VP.”

Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.)
“Absolutely. Absolutely. I think I would be great. First of all, I know how to behave at weddings and funerals. And I know how to be commander in chief. I’d bring a lot of fun to the job. We would rock the Naval Observatory.”

Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.)
“The chances of that are so remote that I’m more likely to be hit by an asteroid.”

The noteworthy thing here is that in general, the ones who have a serious chance give nuanced answers.

Hat tip: tenzil.

TV pundits have no more clue than bloggers.

Wed, 14 May 2008 01:22:59 GMT

At least with some bloggers you can comment and tell them how full of crap they are.

(And yet these talking heads get paid big bucks for their blather.)

Okay, now I've gotten the same survey twice.

Tue, 13 May 2008 18:34:09 GMT

I'm on a bunch of survey mailing lists, but this is the first time I've had a detailed survey repeat itself. I'm not complaining, as they appear to have paid me each time.

Nonetheless, it is rather amusing to figure out what it is they're trying to learn by the questions they ask.

Also, the euphemisms they use when asking about sex really make me giggle.

Tue, 13 May 2008 18:30:26 GMT

(I meant to post this two weeks ago, when it would actually have been timely.)

(Go West) Life is peaceful there
(Go West) In the open air
(Go West) Where the skies are blue
(Go West) This is what we're gonna do

(Go West) Sun in wintertime
(Go West) We will feel just fine
(Go West) Where the skies are blue
(Go West) This is what we're gonna do
(1979/1993)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K22ZD1HUV4g (Красная площадь)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39KZ2afBtLU

What I was thinking of doing with that $600:

Mon, 12 May 2008 22:10:26 GMT

As a personal vote of confidence in the strength and soundness of the American economy in general, and of the dollar in particular, I was going to buy about 2/3 of an ounce of gold.

But given my belief that some of the current price of gold is probably commodity bubble froth, I decided being that much of a smartass was going to end up costing me money.

(If I'd had the foresight to buy gold in '01 at $275/oz., well...but then again, with that kind of foresight, I'd have been flipping houses in '03 and '04.)

Here's a question for American taxpayers:

Mon, 12 May 2008 09:01:45 GMT

What will you be doing with your economic stimulus check? Mine arrived on Saturday, and I just deposited it.

(Please answer in the comments.)

Gas Prices Send Surge of Riders to Mass Transit

Sun, 11 May 2008 07:54:46 GMT

From http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/10/business/10transit.html:

With the price of gas approaching $4 a gallon, more commuters are abandoning their cars and taking the train or bus instead.

“In almost every transit system I talk to, we’re seeing very high rates of growth the last few months,” said William W. Millar, president of the American Public Transportation Association.

“It’s very clear that a significant portion of the increase in transit use is directly caused by people who are looking for alternatives to paying $3.50 a gallon for gas."

Some cities with long-established public transit systems, like New York and Boston, have seen increases in ridership of 5 percent or more so far this year. But the biggest surges — of 10 to 15 percent or more over last year — are occurring in many metropolitan areas in the South and West where the driving culture is strongest and bus and rail lines are more limited.

[I]n Denver, for example, ridership was up 8 percent in the first three months of the year compared with last year, despite a fare increase in January and a slowing economy, which usually means fewer commuters. Several routes on the system have reached capacity, particularly at rush hour, for the first time.

Transit systems in metropolitan areas like Minneapolis, Seattle, Dallas-Fort Worth and San Francisco reported similar jumps. In cities like Houston, Nashville, Salt Lake City, and Charlotte, N.C., commuters in growing numbers are taking advantage of new bus and train lines built or expanded in the last few years. The American Public Transportation Association reports that localities with fewer than 100,000 people have also experienced large increases in bus ridership.

The South Florida Regional Transportation Authority, which operates a commuter rail system from Miami to Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach, posted a rise of more than 20 percent in rider numbers this March and April as monthly ridership climbed to 350,000.

“Nobody believed that people would actually give up their cars to ride public transportation,” said Joseph J. Giulietti, executive director of the authority. “But in the last year, and last several months in particular, we have seen exactly that.”

Free market in action...free market in identity theft, that is.

Sat, 10 May 2008 00:26:08 GMT

From http://ftalphaville.ft.com/blog/2008/05/09/12928/stolen-financial-data-doesnt-cost-much-these-days/:

(Stolen) financial data doesn’t cost much these days

Psst. Are you in the market for a social security number or three, by any chance? How about access to a compromised bank account? It will cost you - about 6 to 11 cents on the dollar.

At least, that is what the creators of this recently-discovered price list were demanding, according to researchers at McAfee Avert Labs. Access to a Washington Mutual bank account with a $14,000 balance would set you back a mere €500 - or around $771. Or, if you preferred an European account, you could score a BNP Paribas joint worth €30,792 for €2,200.

Prices vary depending on the available balance, bank organization and country, according to McAfee’s Francois Paget. And some sellers even offer guarantees - if, for example, you are unable to log in to your chosen account within 24 hours, you will be given a replacement. Some sites also offer free data to establish that they are - er - legit.

In some cases, batches of 500 credit card numbers were selling for $200 a pop, or just 40 cents each, in the second half of last year. Six months earlier, such data would have cost around 50 per cent more, and would only have been available in batches of 100, according to the report.

Thu, 08 May 2008 19:50:06 GMT

Plans which depend on narrativium really belong in fiction. Don't depend on them coming true in real life.

Thanks to applejack_12 and bluenoteboogy!

Thu, 08 May 2008 00:05:24 GMT

I stopped over in LA for the night, and applejack_12 made a wonderful salmon dinner! They invited over the neighbors, so we had a real party of it all. At one point bluenoteboogy noted that it really was a company town, as we had people from many different parts of the business sitting right around the dinner table.

bluenoteboogy invited me to come by the CBS studio lot and have a look around with him. A personally guided tour of a studio lot? I didn't need to be asked twice.

The things which struck me immediately were the number of crew involved in shooting, and the size of the sets, which need to be large enough to accomodate a moving camera crew. Beyond that, what really struck me was the careful attention to detail--including the masking-out of logos which aren't licensed--and the degree to which there's an abrupt change between on- and off-screen. The detail really makes that more striking, because on-screen looks so real and the backstage side is so, well, backstage.

bluenoteboogy says he sometimes gets that "half-step to the right" feeling because of that sudden transition, and I can really see why.

Anyway, it was totally cool of you both for feeding me, putting me up, and showing me around! Thanks again!

I understand about making the number big for the vision-impaired.

Mon, 05 May 2008 01:17:35 GMT

But the big purple "5" on the back of the new $5 bill is taking things a bit far, don't you think?

http://www.moneyfactory.gov/newmoney/main.cfm/currency/new5

This isn't actually a review of GTA IV, but it's still worth reading.

Sun, 04 May 2008 07:32:13 GMT

From http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/04/nyregion/thecity/04gran.html:

The game makes no attempt to disguise the fact that it is designed to look, sound and feel like the city I have lived in for nearly all 32 years of my life.

This game is hardly the first to try to replicate some portion of the New York experience — programmers have been trying to do this for decades. But Grand Theft Auto IV is the most contemporary attempt at this experiment, and may be the most realistic made available to a mass audience.

For a native New Yorker, the game is both comfortingly routine and eerily disorienting; you find yourself playing because it is a limitless escape and a consequence-free confinement. Liberty City is like nowhere I’ve ever visited, even as it tries with all its heart and soul to remind me of a place with which I’m already intimately acquainted.

It’s not the game’s fault that it can’t perfectly replicate the infinite variety of New York. But it sometimes comes so close to pulling off the illusion that it invites you to look for the imperfections.

When my two hours of game time were over, I left the Rockstar Games offices and stepped out into SoHo at midafternoon on one of warmest spring days of the year. The sun worshipers were out in full force, each of them as distinct as snowflakes: guys wearing oversized earphones and baseball caps tilted at every angle, women wearing minimalist skirts and shorts that gave them only the illusion of being clothed. An amorous couple making their way north hardly noticed me as they nearly crosschecked me into a streetside table of $6 sunglasses.

There was so much uniqueness and so much variety that there was no room to move, and I knew I was home.

I'm sad about coinless slot machines.

Sat, 03 May 2008 21:14:20 GMT

Really, the appealing thing about slot machines for me was that they disgorged piles of change. Now, that's gone. There really is no point if they're just going to spit a ticket out. I understand it's cheaper for the casinos not to have to do all that coin handling, but I'm still sad about it.

Guess I'll actually have to go to the bank to get quarters now.

This may be a statement of the obvious...

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 06:25:21 GMT

...but I'm finding Las Vegas to be ground zero for the glorification of money and the objectification of women.

Lotus of Siam

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 04:33:34 GMT

I was surfing around looking for a place to have lunch. It seemed like everyone though Lotus of Siam was a must. And it was nearby, and off the strip. Sure.

Lotus of Siam
953 E. Sahara Ave.
Las Vegas, NV 89104
tel: +1.702.735.3033
http://www.saipinchutima.com/
M-Th: 1130-1430 lunch; 1730-2130 dinner
F: 1130-1430 lunch; 1730-2200 dinner
Sa-Su: 1730-2200 dinner only
Reservations recommended one day in advance for dinner.

Lotus of Siam is one of those Asian strip mall restaurants that looks very unassuming from the outside. In fact, the strip mail is set up with its back to the road, so until you actually drive in, you can't even see it. It's there. Look for the mall sign saying 953, pull in, turn right and drive along the strip mall. It'll be about halfway down.

I went for lunch, when their $8.99 buffet is featured, so I can't say whether it's "the single best Thai restaurant in North America", as Jonathan Gold of Gourmet magazine claimed. The steam-table isn't kind to food, so I'm sure I didn't sample Lotus of Siam's dishes at their best. Despite this handicap, they managed serve rather good food.

Highlights included the Spicy Chili Mint Chicken, with basil, green peppers, broccoli, onion, cucumber, and ground chicken. It did have quite a bit of heat, but it wasn't an overwhelmingly spicy dish. The spice was one constituent of a very complex and delicious taste. The Pad Thai was also notable, sweet with a noticeable but not overwhelming bite.

I also enjoyed the Tom Kah (sic) Vegetable soup, with cabbage and baby corn. It had the kind of spiciness that creates a warm glow, which went well with the creaminess of the soup.

The overall impression I had of these dishes was of tastes in balance: not too much pepper, not too much basil, even not too much cilantro for me as a soap taster.

Lotus of Siam managed to deliver a good meal via steam table. I can only imagine what they're like when you actually order dishes from the menu.