Briggs

Too Many Kids Go To College: A Third Conversation With Myself

Links to the first and second conversation with myself about teaching. I am away from the computer until Monday, 25 October. William Wasn't this your week for midterms? How'd they…

Philosophy Statistics

Utilitarianism, Halloween, and Phantasm

Jeremy Benthem The Tall Man Halloween is coming, and that means it's time to consider frightening things. And what over the past two centuries has been more horrific than the…

Culture

The Corporatization of the University: Part III — Guest Post By Agnes Larson

Agnes Larson is a long-time university insider. This article is Part III of a three-part series. Read Part I, Part II. Prevalence of Differential Wage Corporations are frequently under fire…

Culture

The Corporatization of the University: Part II — Guest Post By Agnes Larson

Agnes Larson is a long-time university insider. This article is Part II of a three-part series. Read Part I, Part III Layoffs and Workforce Planning A time-honored corporate method of…

Culture

The Corporatization of the University: Part I — Guest Post By Agnes Larson

Agnes Larson is a long-time university insider. This article is Part I of a three-part series. Read Part II, Part III Background As early as 1918 Thorstein Veblen bemoaned the…

Statistics

How To Cheat With Graphics: Paul Krugman Style

Thanks to reader Doug Magowan for bringing this to our attention. In his New York Times blog "The Conscience of a Liberal", the far-left economist Paul Krugman presented these graphs…

Philosophy Statistics

The Dismal Economics of Utopia: Lesson One

This originally appeared in Pajamas Media. I thought it was a natural follow-up to yesterday's post about the odd economic situation in France. The content below has been edited, but…

Culture Statistics

France Strikes Over Increasing Retirement Age: The Meta-Economics of Success

France is into its third or fourth day of striking over President Nicolas Sarkozy's bold plan to increase the retirement age from 60 to a whopping 62. Of course, striking…

Tars Tarkas on Why The Drake Equation FailsDecember 30, 2025
"The Drake and Fermi are not flawed logically: one can put probabilities to any question." The Drake equation always struck…
NLR on Why The Drake Equation FailsDecember 30, 2025
There may or may not be extraterrestrial life, but if we ever see some, I suspect there will be surprises.…
Douglas Skinner on Why The Drake Equation FailsDecember 30, 2025
The other bookend paired with the Drake/Fermi speculations is Evolution. In this January's edition of First Things Magazine comes a…
C-Marie on Canada Invents New Euphemism For Doctor KillingsDecember 29, 2025
God loves you. Let Him take you home when it is time. In the mean time, give to our Father…
C. P. Benischek on Merry Christmas!December 29, 2025
God Rest Ye Merry, Gentle Briggs! Don’t dismay, Christmas isn’t yet over, but rather just warming up. A Child is…