Tragedy of the Commons

As all thoughts lead to Bankers these days I thought this article about the 'Tragedy of the Commons' explained (in part) why bankers, builders, politicians destroyed the country. Basically, the benefited enormously but only have to pay a fraction of the cost.

The tragedy of the commons develops in this way. Picture a pasture open to all. It is to be expected that each herdsman will try to keep as many cattle as possible on the commons. Such an arrangement may work reasonably satisfactorily for centuries because tribal wars, poaching, and disease keep the numbers of both man and beast well below the carrying capacity of the land. Finally, however, comes the day of reckoning, that is, the day when the long-desired goal of social stability becomes a reality. At this point, the inherent logic of the commons remorselessly generates tragedy.

As a rational being, each herdsman seeks to maximize his gain. Explicitly or implicitly, more or less consciously, he asks, "What is the utility to me of adding one more animal to my herd?" This utility has one negative and one positive component.

1) The positive component is a function of the increment of one animal. Since the herdsman receives all the proceeds from the sale of the additional animal, the positive utility is nearly +1.

2) The negative component is a function of the additional overgrazing created by one more animal. Since, however, the effects of overgrazing are shared by all the herdsmen, the negative utility for any particular decision-making herdsman is only a fraction of -1.

Adding together the component partial utilities, the rational herdsman concludes that the only sensible course for him to pursue is to add another animal to his herd. And another; and another.... But this is the conclusion reached by each and every rational herdsman sharing a commons. Therein is the tragedy. Each man is locked into a system that compels him to increase his herd without limit--in a world that is limited. Ruin is the destination toward which all men rush, each pursuing his own best interest in a society that believes in the freedom of the commons. Freedom in a commons brings ruin to all.

Prisoners are not 'Persons'

how fucked up is this?

A Court of Appeals for the Washington, D.C. Circuit ruled Friday that detainees at the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, are not "persons" according to it's interpretation of a statute involving religious freedom.

1984 is coming closer all the time;

link

Tabloid Fever Strikes New Scientist Magazine

Pharynula has some good comments about this disgraceful cover from New Scientist;

No more than "The Selfish Gene" many lunatics won't read past the cover, so well done New Scientist for aiding the medieval hordes.

The fear of strangers

We have it ass-backwards apparently..

What do Bruce Pardo and Atif Irfan have in common?

In case you’re not familiar with their names, let me rephrase:

What do the white guy who dressed up as Santa and killed his ex-wife and her family (and then committed suicide) and the Muslim guy who got thrown off a recent AirTran flight on suspicion of terrorism have in common?

so

As we wrote in Freakonomics, most people are pretty terrible at risk assessment. They tend to overstate the risk of dramatic and unlikely events at the expense of more common and boring (if equally devastating) events. A given person might fear a terrorist attack and mad cow disease more than anything in the world, whereas in fact she’d be better off fearing a heart attack (and therefore taking care of herself) or salmonella (and therefore washing her cutting board thoroughly).

The bush Legacy

Too good not to repost;



thanks to SeeingTheForest for the link

Liberalism

It's a constant source of amazement to me that to be 'liberal' is a bad thing - especially in the U.S. Instead, to be a good person, you must be conservative (especially in matters of sex), rabidly capitalist, religious, form opinions early and never change them and preferably be ignorant. Bob Herbert has some things to say about being liberal;

Liberals have been so cowed by the pummeling they’ve taken from the right that they’ve tried to shed their own identity, calling themselves everything but liberal and hoping to pass conservative muster by presenting themselves as hyper-religious and lifelong lovers of rifles, handguns, whatever.

Geogia V Russia

I feel sorry for Georgia, they've got an idiot leader who thought starting a war with Russia would be a good idea and now they have to borrow IMF loans to rebuild their country. It's a real pity their leaders didn't realise they where just pawns in a much bigger game.

The real surprise for me has been the vitriol of the British (both political and media) in condemning Russia - lots of talk suggesting "we" should not stand for it etc etc. I'm used to rank hypocrisy from the western media but this time it really took the biscuit especially when Russia recognised South Ossetia. It really didn't take long for the Kosovan cat to create mayhem.

Over Population

I had 'a discussion about this kind of thing with my wife a few weeks back, the outcome of which was she decided I was 'a little bit evil'.

The Opposite

Here's a clip from one of the best Seinfeld episodes that ties in nicely with this article about America's energy policy of over the past 30 years

Characteristics Of Fascism

Fourteen Defining
Characteristics Of Fascism
By Dr. Lawrence Britt
Source Free Inquiry.co
5-28-3

Dr. Lawrence Britt has examined the fascist regimes of Hitler (Germany), Mussolini (Italy), Franco (Spain), Suharto (Indonesia) and several Latin American regimes. Britt found 14 defining characteristics common to each:

1. Powerful and Continuing Nationalism - Fascist regimes tend to make constant use of patriotic mottoes, slogans, symbols, songs, and other paraphernalia. Flags are seen everywhere, as are flag symbols on clothing and in public displays.

2. Disdain for the Recognition of Human Rights - Because of fear of enemies and the need for security, the people in fascist regimes are persuaded that human rights can be ignored in certain cases because of “need.” The people tend to look the other way or even approve of torture, summary executions, assassinations, long incarcerations of prisoners, etc.

3. Identification of Enemies/Scapegoats as a Unifying Cause - The people are rallied into a unifying patriotic frenzy over the need to eliminate a perceived common threat or foe: racial , ethnic or religious minorities; liberals; communists; socialists, terrorists, etc.

4. Supremacy of the Military - Even when there are widespread domestic problems, the military is given a disproportionate amount of government funding, and the domestic agenda is neglected. Soldiers and military service are glamorized.

5. Rampant Sexism - The governments of fascist nations tend to be almost exclusively male-dominated. Under fascist regimes, traditional gender roles are made more rigid. Divorce, abortion and homosexuality are suppressed and the state is represented as the ultimate guardian of the family institution.

6. Controlled Mass Media - Sometimes to media is directly controlled by the government, but in other cases, the media is indirectly controlled by government regulation, or sympathetic media spokespeople and executives. Censorship, especially in war time, is very common.

7. Obsession with National Security - Fear is used as a motivational tool by the government over the masses.

8. Religion and Government are Intertwined - Governments in fascist nations tend to use the most common religion in the nation as a tool to manipulate public opinion. Religious rhetoric and terminology is common from government leaders, even when the major tenets of the religion are diametrically opposed to the government’s policies or actions.

9. Corporate Power is Protected - The industrial and business aristocracy of a fascist nation often are the ones who put the government leaders into power, creating a mutually beneficial business/government relationship and power elite.

10. Labor Power is Suppressed - Because the organizing power of labor is the only real threat to a fascist government, labor unions are either eliminated entirely, or are severely suppressed.

11. Disdain for Intellectuals and the Arts - Fascist nations tend to promote and tolerate open hostility to higher education, and academia. It is not uncommon for professors and other academics to be censored or even arrested. Free expression in the arts and letters is openly attacked.

12. Obsession with Crime and Punishment - Under fascist regimes, the police are given almost limitless power to enforce laws. The people are often willing to overlook police abuses and even forego civil liberties in the name of patriotism. There is often a national police force with virtually unlimited power in fascist nations.

13. Rampant Cronyism and Corruption - Fascist regimes almost always are governed by groups of friends and associates who appoint each other to government positions and use governmental power and authority to protect their friends from accountability. It is not uncommon in fascist regimes for national resources and even treasures to be appropriated or even outright stolen by government leaders.

14. Fraudulent Elections - Sometimes elections in fascist nations are a complete sham. Other times elections are manipulated by smear campaigns against or even assassination of opposition candidates, use of legislation to control voting numbers or political district boundaries, and manipulation of the media. Fascist nations also typically use their judiciaries to manipulate or control elections.

from http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2008/04/15/8315/

What makes us happy?

When you think about it, it's not surprising that the answer is "We don't know", Secular Philosophy illustrates ...

Common sense says that we are happier when we get more money to spend on ourselves. At least, that’s what passes for commonsense in modern capitalistic societies, from the United States to China. Indeed, when Elizabeth Dunn and colleagues at the University of British Columbia and at Harvard Business School asked a bunch of their students (the usual subjects in social science studies), that’s exactly what they found: students thought they would be happier getting $20 than $5, and that they would be happier spending the money on themselves than on others. Turns out, the students were spectacularly wrong.

FLOW: For Love Of Water

some clips here for an upcoming documentary about water that looks interesting. Water is not yet regarded as a human right mainly because some people would like to sell it to you, more information on the film is here.

Stuff White People Like

I know its long after St. Patricks day but this entry from StuffWhitePeopleLike is so good I couldn't help myself. The other entires on the site are very funny.

Normally if someone were to wake up at 7:00 in the morning, take the day off work, and get drunk at a bar before 10:00 a.m., they would be called an alcoholic, and not in the artistic, edgy way that white people are so fond of.

On March 17th, however, this exact same activity is called celebrating St. Patrick’s day. This very special white holiday recognizes Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland who helped to bring Catholicism to the Emerald Isle. His ascetic life is celebrated every year by white people drinking large amounts of Irish-themed alcohol and listening to the Dropkick Murphys.

It is also the day of the year when you can make the most gains in your social and professional relationship with white people.

Most of the time, white people consider celebrations of European heritage to be racist unless they omit large swathes of the 16th through 20th centuries. But since the Irish never engaged in colonialism and were actually oppressed it is considered acceptable and encouraged to celebrate their ancestry. For this reason, 100% of white people are proud to claim that they are somewhat Irish.

A big part of St. Patrick’s Day is having white people feel particularly upset at the oppression of their ancestors that has in no way trickled down to them. If you find yourself talking with a white person who tells you about how their great grandfather was oppressed by both the English and the Americans, it is strongly recommended that you lend a sympathetic ear and shake your head in disbelief. It is never considered acceptable to say: “but you’re white now, so what’s the problem?”

It is also worth noting that on this day, there is always one trump card that never fails to gain respect and acclaim. When you are sitting at an Irish bar and someone orders a round of Guinness, you must take a single sip and while the other white people are savoring their drink, you say: “mmmm, I know it sounds cliche, but it really is true. Guinness just tastes better in Ireland.”

This comment will elicit an immediate and powerful response of people agreeing with your valuable insight. This statement also has the additional benefit of humiliating the members of your party who have not been to Ireland (and thus cannot confirm this proclamation). Having not traveled to Ireland and consumed a beer that is widely available in their hometown and throughout the world, they will immediately be perceived as provincial, uncultured, and inferior to you.

It is also strongly encouraged that you memorize the lyrics to “Jump Around.” It will come in handy.

Game Theory

A very clear explanation of Game Theory from Good Math, Bad Math.

A classic example of this is the prisoner's dilemma. In the prisoners dilemma, you have two criminals who've been arrested for a murder. The two criminals (now prisoners) are the agents. The police know that they did it; but they don't have enough evidence to convict them of murder, only of a lesser charge. So the police want to get the prisoners to rat on each other. You end up with the following situation:

1. If neither prisoner rats on the other, they'll both get off with a very light sentence of 6 months in jail.

2. If one prisoners rats on the other, that prisoner goes free, and the other one gets a life sentence.

3. If both prisoners rat on each other, they each get 10 years in jail.

Tom Crean: Artic Explorer

Went to see Tom Crean: Artic Explorer last night at the Olympia and it was alright. Not as good as the reviews let me to believe, nor as funny (waaaay too much Oirsh humour for me) but still enjoyable and it effectively tells the story of this remarkable man.

I’m sorry to say however my overriding impression of the night was just how uncomfortable the seats are at the Olympia. Whoever runs the theatre should be ashamed of themselves! No wait, they should be made sit in the seats for 24 hours and if they can still walk afterwards made drink two litres of water and then forced to sit in them a further 24 hours. In a place where the tickets are priced at €35 the least I would expect are seats that are not falling apart and not so closely packed together that anyone over 5.2 is cramped in them. Note to self: avoid the Olympia.

Atomic TV

Amazing this.

Seven Czech artists who faked a nuclear explosion in a stunt broadcast live on national television were acquitted yesterday of spreading false information, escaping a potential prison term of up to three years.

The Ztohoven group of young artists admitted hacking into a live panoramic broadcast of the Krkonose Mountains in the north of the country on June 17 last year, after climbing a television tower to attach a computer.

I have to admit it would have fooled and frightened me, fair play to the lads

Advertising V Reality

from boingboing.

What food actually looks like compared to the marketing image.

Some of the stuff looks disgusting.

Bush: ‘Fairness Doctrine’ unfair

Fully irony overload here, Bush thinks a bill requiring Broadcasters to be fair would be (guess what?) unfair! I really should quote the whole thing as nearly every sentence contains a 24 caret Orwellian gem (he even uses the term for chrissake!) my head nearly exploded.

In Nashville today, during a speech to the National Religious Broadcasters Convention, President Bush said there’s nothing fair about the so-called “Fairness Doctrine” that once required broadcasters to offer air time for competing ideologies.

The FCC got rid of it about 20 years ago. Now, some Democrats in Congress - long the target of popular conservative radio talk-show hosts - think it’s time to bring it back.

Perish the thought, Bush told the religious broadcasters in the following passage that ends with a veto promise.

“This organization has had many important missions, but none more important than ensuring our airways - America’s airways - stay open to those who preach the ‘Good News.’ The very first amendment to our Constitution includes the freedom of speech and the freedom of religion. Founders believed these unalienable rights were endowed to us by our Creator. They are vital to a healthy democracy, and we must never let anyone take those freedoms away.”

Tip to SeeingTheForest for the link.

Journalism in the U.S.A.

It was initially the picture that drew me to this post on godis4suckers which in turn links to this Salon article about the state of journalism in America. Guess what? Its not good news. On the other hand it's not surprising either so I suppose if it where good news you wouldn't believe it.

In one of the ultimate paradoxes, for American journalists -- whose role in theory is to expose the secrets of the powerful -- secrecy is actually their central religious tenet, especially when it comes to dealing with the most powerful. Protecting, rather than exposing, the secrets of the powerful is the fuel of American journalism. That's how they maintain their access to and good relations with those in power.

It seems to me that this is also how journalism works in Ireland. See the HSEs' criminal response to newstalk106 airing criticism of their disastrous policies.

Propaganda

Hour long montage documentary, includes Noam Chomsky, John Pilger, Amy Goodman and more



(via Informationclearinghouse)