Hear no evil

You may have heard about the ringtone that is at a pitch that adults can't hear but kids can. Here's a recording of it. I guess I'm still only mostly an adult, since I can hear it, but just barely. I probably wouldn't notice it in a loud environment, or even a modestly noisy one.

It's like they're trying to make me mad

Restaurant owner only speaks English. Hangs sign up telling people this. Finds himself the target of legal action accusing him of discrimination based on national origin or ancestry. Gah. There are a few problems here. One, what does requiring patrons to speak English when ordering have to do with discrimination? Two, whatever happened to free association? Yes, he could have made the sign read a little more PC, but he is completely within his rights here. If you as an owner of a private business can't deny service on the basis of not being able to understand someone, I don't know what's next.

Quote of the Day

From the inimitable Stephon Marbury: The way the world is right now, we need more people like me.
Couldn't have said it better myself.

Fixed?

Mark Cuban apparently went off after Sunday's game, staring down David Stern, yelling about the league being fixed, etc (sorry I can't find a link to story where this was reported). Aside from the fact that he is being a jackass, he is also wrong about almost everything. About the timeout that was called at the wrong time, I think the Mavs have a point, it looks to me like Howard wasn't calling for one, but rather was asking his coach about it, so Salvatore should have rescinded the call. That may or may not have made a difference in the outcome, but certainly could have. The foul on DWade could have gone either way, but I agree with how it went. Then there's the backcourt violation non-call. Check the video here. It is very close, but it looks to me like Wade lifted his foot up before catching the ball, so he was in the air when he caught it and landed in the backcourt. Here is the relevant rule: Frontcourt/backcourt status is not attained until a player with the ball has established a positive position in either half during (1) a jump ball, (2) a steal by a defensive player, or (3) a throw-in in the last two minutes of the fourth period and/or any overtime period. I take that to mean that when you catch the ball isn't what is relevant, but rather where you are when you have full possession and both feet on the floor. So, Mavs, play like champions, no excuses, or you deserve to lose.

Best Memo Ever

Matt Stone wrote a memo during the making of the South Park movie. Not your normal business stuff....

Yuck

I just watched every transition opportunity that Miami had in game 3 using mysynergysports.com (great site, you should definitely try it out while the free trial period lasts). Terrible. Other than truly easy opps, the Heat should not try to push the pace. Hustling to get into their half-court offense to give them maximum time on the shot clock is probably a good idea, but they shouldn't run if there isn't a clear path to the bucket.

Unknown knowns

Or is it known unknowns? Anyway, I think that Kling comes very close to my position on global warming.
Also, read this speech. Yes, he's a sci-fi writer, but he's also right.

In a Handbasket?

People who look at the 2004 elections and the recent gay marriage amendment as proof of the country becoming more bigoted, please read this.

Who knew?

Patrick Stewart, giant goofball.

Why oh why

...is DeLong dishonest like this? I realize he quotes rather than commiting the dishonesty with his own words, but it's essentially the same thing here. One can argue that the minimum wage has "little, if any, effect on most people's lives" because....that's the truth. From the Economic Policy Institute:

• An estimated 7.3 million workers (5.8% of the workforce) would receive an increase in their hourly wage rate if the minimum wage were raised from $5.15 to $7.25 by June 2007.
  
• Due to "spillover effects," the 8.2 million workers (6.5% of the workforce) earning up to a dollar above the minimum would also be likely to benefit from an increase.

Now, that is a pretty decent number of people. It also means that 88% of the workforce is not directly affected.
Do people raise the issue honestly believing it is a good idea? Usually, I'd say yes. Do people sometimes raise it simply to try to paint opponents as anti-poor, or to help fundraising, or whatever else? Absolutely, which means that it sometimes has "a whiff of pandering, the flavour of insincerity, an aura of desperation" like DeLong's target of criticism says. I reiterate my charge of douchebaggery.

Shave, Sleep, Serve

Quick explanations of 20 things you should know.

Think before you Drink

The calculus of socially responsibility coffee.

Well, well

Joel Achenbach with a rare balanced piece on global warming. Some interesting stuff in there for everybody.
Update: Some people think the piece is actually a veiled swipe at skeptics. I think these people are confusing Achenbach's obvious skepticism regarding the skeptics with thinking they are full of it. But that's just me.