October 2010 – Page 2 – William M. Briggs

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…

Statistics

Why So Many (Medical) Studies Based On Statistics Are Wrong

This was inspired by the (unfortunately titled) article Lies, Damned Lies, and Medical Science, publishing in this month's Atlantic (thanks A&LD!). The article profiles the work of John Ioannidis, who…

Uncle Mike on The Triumph Of The FeminineOctober 22, 2025
I've always been appalled by the Lesbians for Abortion lobby. These "gals" don't produce babies (biological truth, Ketanji). So none…
Milton Hathaway on The Triumph Of The FeminineOctober 22, 2025
I felt an intense stab of searing phantom pain at first sight of the cover photo. I've heard that women…
Cary Cotterman on The Triumph Of The FeminineOctober 22, 2025
I think there should be extra credit for dotting I's with tiny circles, flowers, or hearts. Not knowing when you…
CorkyAgain on The Triumph Of The FeminineOctober 22, 2025
I've been trying to find a way to work in a reference to Ringo's "I've Got Blisters on My Fingers"…
Sid Porter on The Triumph Of The FeminineOctober 22, 2025
Briggs, can I suggest a volume for the reading list? Retitle copies of The Book of Italian War Heroes with…