Monthly Archives: February 2012

In Search of Dinner and Happiness

Posted on February 23, 2012 by Lex

I saw the photograph on the left in Reuters (taken by Michael Buholzer) of a sheep herder leading a flock of 500 sheep in search of food. Click on it for a bigger version. It gave me a nice reminder, of the … Continue reading →

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Top 5 Entertaining Politicians

Posted on February 17, 2012 by Lex

These days I have a lot of trouble taking politics seriously. I do take policy debates seriously, but those usually take place outside of Washington, among academics, and usually with a strong emphasis on a historical perspective. What goes on … Continue reading →

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Instant-Runoff Voting: Giving the Underdog a Chance

Posted on February 13, 2012 by Lex

Many folks complain about the rigidity and sameness of the two-party system American system of government. Unfortunately, it’s damn hard for a third party candidate to win, because most people feel like they’re throwing their vote away when they vote … Continue reading →

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The Mind is Not a Boomerang

Posted on February 10, 2012 by Lex

“The mind is not a boomerang, if you throw it too far it may not come back.” I’m not sure where I heard his quote or who it’s from, but there it is, simple and honest. It’s a nice way … Continue reading →

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When Being Gay Was Illegal

Posted on February 9, 2012 by Lex

The mathematician I admire more than any other in the 20th century is Alan Turing. He is widely considered to be the father of computer science. I’ve studied his work and the consequences of his work for the last 10 … Continue reading →

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