Monday, November 13, 2006

News of the Day 11-13-06

Really good series going at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel regarding gun violence and its victims. Third part will be tomorrow, but you shouldn't wait. . . . Here's an interesting summary of research being done on "bad habits" and why knowledge of their harmful effects doesn't seem to help us stop them very much. Substitute "criminal behavior" for "bad habits" and you won't see much change in the story. Need to sit every economist who talks about the "cost-benefit" calculations of offenders down and force them to read this. Unfortunately, the researchers haven't found the cure for "bad habits" or "criminal behavior" yet. . . . Another piece of research perhaps applicable outside its sphere to ours. This work finds that, from two very simple behavioral rules, sort of coin tosses, you can get to either compromise or authority in groups. The application to gangs, riots, etc., is very clear. Again, no cure, though, but the fact people are getting a better understanding may work for us someday. . . . And maybe this will get Grits for Breakfast give me a point on the negatives of meth. It's eating up the currency in Europe. Seriously. And what's left apparently could give you a pretty decent high. The world just seems to get weirder and weirder to a child of the 50s.

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