Google is committing $50M to conquering it. Considering how much it costs (as the article points out), this is chump change.
Mocking Concerns Over Syrian Refugees
When Kevin Drum says it makes leftists look out of touch with normal Americans, you should listen.
Given its history of incompetence and ideology, concerns about this administration properly vetting refugees are totally legitimate.
— Rand Simberg (@Rand_Simberg) November 17, 2015
Peer Review
Is it time to end it?
Yes. It’s as worse-than-worthless as the climate models, in that it provides far too many false positives. And as we saw with Climategate, it’s too easy for it to become “pal review.”
Coddling The Snowflakes
An interesting interview with Jonathan Haidt on the victims and crybullies on campus. With a bonus Mars reference.
And “Microaggression, meet Ralph Waldo Emerson.” Yes, the modern progressives are the lineal ideological descendants of the Puritans. It’s the reason Massachusetts is so blue.
Also, the seductions of safety. [Via Glenn]
George Will weighs in: On campus, freedom from speech. And Ross Douthat says it’s a crisis our campuses deserve. Yes, they created this monster.
Ed Driscoll has more, related links.
Climate Science
Thoughts from Bob Zimmerman on the tremendous uncertainty.
The models are worse than worthless as a guide to policy.
A Rewriting Of Space-Policy History
Over at Space News, from the usual suspect.
And then there’s this: SLS rocket could help scientists answer big questions.
Big questions like "Why is this monstrosity chewing up so much budget we can't afford to do any actual science?" https://t.co/q4VgWDs9lo
— Rand Simberg (@Rand_Simberg) November 16, 2015
#ProTip To space-telescope aficionados. SLS is the most expensive possible way to put up a space telescope. https://t.co/q4VgWDs9lo
— Rand Simberg (@Rand_Simberg) November 16, 2015
The Martian As A Comedy
I didn’t think of the movie as one, but I did almost laugh out loud at parts of the book.
In The Wake Of Paris
Look for these nine aftershocks.
Listening to Obama right now is nauseating. I love how he continues to babble and repeat the same nonsense in response to incredulous questions from the press as though they’re the idiots.
“ISIS isn’t a state, they’re killers.”
I know it’s hard for such a dyed–in-the-wool statist as Obama to imagine, but it’s entirely possible for an entity to be both a state and “killer.” Just ask Hitler. Or Stalin. Or Mao. Or Pol Pot. In fact, historically, the most efficient human abattoirs have been states.
Seriously, what is it that makes ISIS not a state? It controls territory, it has a government, it has resources, it has an army. All it lacks is UN recognition and only fools think that’s of any consequence. It wants to be treated like a state, fine. If Westphalia still means anything, declare war on it in response to these ongoing acts of war, and don’t stop until it unconditionally surrenders.
David Brooks
Ann Althouse is less than impressed.
Too Young To Vote
Instapundit says that what’s happening at Yale and in Columbia shows that we need to raise the voting age.
Age is a very arbitrary criterion for the franchise. Some 16YOs would be good voters, some 40YOs shouldn't vote. https://t.co/MwuGpR9zIr
— Rand Simberg (@Rand_Simberg) November 12, 2015
[Monday-morning update]
Glenn has changed his mind. It’s not the under-25s that are the problem. It’s the over-25s.
[Bumped]