tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58019553021078900252024-02-21T15:22:39.942+09:00Bag of HammersAnother sounding board in the echo chamber.Bag of Hammershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09145368593348588670noreply@blogger.comBlogger222125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801955302107890025.post-89329181473030440112011-08-17T09:08:00.000+09:002011-08-17T09:08:39.518+09:00Hiatus and food for thoughtGraduate school is about to begin, limiting the time I will have to spend on updating old ironsides here. I'll get to it when I may. In the interim, consider this:<br />
<br />
Finite infinity:<br />
A theoretical supernova will emit an infinite number of light rays upon its detonation, yet those light rays will reach a finite portion of the universe.Bag of Hammershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09145368593348588670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801955302107890025.post-72723290324007383552011-07-27T04:42:00.002+09:002011-07-27T04:49:08.435+09:00Japan, the West, and VideogamesFor roughly 5 years now, the Japanese gaming industry has been experiencing a decline in its overall share of the video games industry worldwide. Numerous developers, creators, and directors have weighed in on this trend, including <a href="http://www.destructoid.com/itagaki-japanese-devs-lack-knowledge-social-skills-207112.phtml">Tomonobu Itagaki</a> who laid the blame on Japan's 'humorlessness.'<br>
<br>
Bear in mind that the most iconic stars of the video game universe are still predominantly Japanese: Mario, Link, Sonic to name a few. But the last decade has seen a seismic shift in the buying patterns of consumers all over the globe. At the turn of the century, the pattern of demand was inverted, with Japanese games being highly demanded in the west, while western efforts, or gaika, went largely ignored in Japan. But much is being made today of Japan's shrinking presence in western consumption habits, even as the video game industry as a whole grows exponentially. And, while Mr. Itagaki is entitled to his opinion, it seems to me Japan has always been a niche market in the west.<br>
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<a href="http://bofham.blogspot.com/2011/07/futurism-japan-and-videogames.html#more">Read more »</a>Bag of Hammershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09145368593348588670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801955302107890025.post-23718301667497573232011-07-27T02:34:00.000+09:002011-07-27T02:34:50.685+09:00The Tyler Cowen<ol><li><a href="http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2011/07/25/the_super_lux_super_max">This is truly shocking</a>. Despite fully supporting a rehabilitation-focused reset of the American prison system, my monocle almost fell out when I read this article. And yet, <a href="http://statbank.ssb.no/statistikkbanken/?PLanguage=1">all statistics</a> indicate that the system works, at least better than in America.</li>
<li>Radiation 'weather' in Germany. Via <a href="http://www.infosthetics.com/">Infosthetics</a>.<br />
<iframe frameborder="0" height="225" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/26157684?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" width="400"></iframe></li>
<li><a href="http://www.russellbrand.tv/2011/07/for-amy/">A surprisingly poignant obituary for Amy Winehouse by Russell Brand</a>.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.newyorker.com/talk/financial/2011/08/01/110801ta_talk_surowiecki">It's looking increasingly grim</a> for the American economy.</li>
</ol>Bag of Hammershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09145368593348588670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801955302107890025.post-68713446971546310752011-07-26T03:54:00.000+09:002011-07-26T03:54:30.042+09:00The Tyler Cowen<ol><li>Understanding Breivik, <a href="http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2011/07/25/breivik_s_swamp?page=0,0">both as an individual</a> as well as a <a href="http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2011/07/25/rise_of_the_radical_right?page=0,0">member of a resurgent radical right that is growing in Europe</a>.</li>
<li><a href="http://visualization.geblogs.com/visualization/network/">Such beautiful presentation of such meaningless data</a>. <a href="http://www.informationisbeautiful.net/visualizations/the-hierarchy-of-digital-distractions/">This one too</a>.</li>
<li><a href="http://carenalpertfineart.com/gallery.html#0">Electron microscopic fine art of food</a>. Via <a href="http://www.theawesomer.com/">The Awesomer</a>.</li>
</ol>Bag of Hammershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09145368593348588670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801955302107890025.post-86451101690332083262011-07-25T04:58:00.000+09:002011-07-25T04:58:29.103+09:00The Tyler Cowen<ol><li><a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/8655106/Im-starting-to-think-that-the-Left-might-actually-be-right.html">A conservative changes sides</a>.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.wtfnoway.com/">US debt visualized</a>. Via <a href="http://www.gawker.com/">Gawker</a>.</li>
<li><a href="http://carnegie-mellon.academia.edu/KatjaGrace/Papers/465317/Anthropic_Reasoning_in_the_Great_Filter">Dense essay on how we under-expect our own extinction</a>. Via <a href="http://www.marginalrevolution.com/">Marginal Revolution</a>.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg21128191.600-specs-that-see-right-through-you.html?page=1">Emotional x-ray specs</a>.</li>
<li><a href="http://wtfismikewearing.tumblr.com/">I wish I had thought of this blog first</a>. Up there with <a href="http://kimjongillookingatthings.tumblr.com/">Kim Jong Il looking at things</a>.</li>
</ol>Bag of Hammershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09145368593348588670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801955302107890025.post-4942042182369038792011-07-23T04:05:00.000+09:002011-07-23T04:05:27.726+09:00The Tyler Cowen<ol><li><a href="http://www.economist.com/node/18986490">Great Bad Men</a>. Via <a href="http://www.thebrowser.com/">The Browser</a>.</li>
<li><a href="http://gawker.com/5823727/kim-jong+il-gets-big-macs-airlifted-into-north-korea">Kim Jong Il likes Big Macs</a>.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2011/07/21/in_defense_of_hacks">Should US journalism take a page from our British counterparts</a>?</li>
<li><a href="http://marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2011/07/give-directly.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+marginalrevolution%2Ffeed+%28Marginal+Revolution%29">Revolutionizing charities</a>.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/cyber-weapons-the-new-arms-race-07212011.html">Cyber warfare is more widespread and terrifying than we previously thought</a>.</li>
<li>Algorithms. Via <a href="http://www.theawesomer.com/">The Awesomer</a>.<br />
<object style="height: 335px; width: 550px;"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/TDaFwnOiKVE?version=3"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/TDaFwnOiKVE?version=3" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="550" height="335"></object></li>
</ol>Bag of Hammershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09145368593348588670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801955302107890025.post-77755299727452579592011-07-22T06:56:00.000+09:002011-07-22T06:56:54.369+09:00The Tyler Cowen<ol><li><a href="http://www.nkeconwatch.com/2011/07/20/dprk-defection-numbers-trends-update/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+NorthKoreanEconomyWatch+%28North+Korean+Economy+Watch%29">Datadatadata</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2011/07/20/cambodia_s_moment_of_truth">The Killing Fields, revisited</a>.</li>
<li><a href="http://michael-hudson.com/2011/07/the-euthanasia-of-industry/">An economist on the recovery</a>. He's not very happy. Via <a href="http://www.thebrowser.com/">The Browser</a>.</li>
<li><a href="http://gawker.com/5823305/stephen-colbert-rupert-murdoch-needs-to-be-hit-with-more-pies">Funny</a>...and <a href="http://gawker.com/5823298/jon-stewart-reviews-his-favorite-parts-of-the-murdoch-hacking-scandal">funny</a>.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.smbc-comics.com/index.php?db=comics&id=2305">Clever stuff about energy</a>. Via <a href="http://www.marginalrevolution.com/">Marginal Revolution</a>.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.nerve.com/entertainment/five-reasons-geek-culture-should-go-away">Extremely persuasive critique of geekdom</a>. Via...uh...<a href="http://www.facebook.com/turbomcphazer">Facebook</a>...I guess.</li>
</ol>Bag of Hammershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09145368593348588670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801955302107890025.post-78627737217098356312011-07-21T03:33:00.000+09:002011-07-21T03:33:44.349+09:00The Tyler Cowen<ol><li><a href="http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2011/07/19/worst_congress_ever">Our government is in shambles</a>...but thankfully (?) <a href="http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2011/07/20/parliamentary_funk">we're not alone</a>.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.howtobearetronaut.com/2011/07/new-york-panoramas-1902-1913/">Panoramas from New York at the turn of the century</a>. Via <a href="http://www.thebrowser.com/">The Browser</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.tnr.com/book/review/thomas-kinkade">Entertaining hatchet-job on Thomas Kinkade</a>. Also via <a href="http://www.thebrowser.com/">The Browser</a>.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-07-17/german-bomb-squads-fight-against-time-as-aged-world-war-ii-explosives-lurk.html">Unexploded bombs still litter Germany</a>. Via <a href="http://www.marginalrevolution.com/">Marginal Revolution</a>.</li>
</ol>Bag of Hammershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09145368593348588670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801955302107890025.post-28430980212627545452011-07-19T01:32:00.000+09:002011-07-19T01:32:56.038+09:00The Tyler Cowen<ol><li><a href="http://www.nkeconwatch.com/2011/07/15/dprk-defectors-headed-for-uk/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+NorthKoreanEconomyWatch+%28North+Korean+Economy+Watch%29">NK defectors heading for the UK</a>.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-07-18/michele-bachmann-s-hazardous-love-for-israel-jeffrey-goldberg.html">The American Conservative's obsession with Israel is pure fantasy</a>. </li>
<li><a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-07-18/michele-bachmann-s-hazardous-love-for-israel-jeffrey-goldberg.html">The American Conservative's obsession with gay marriage is un-American</a>. Via <a href="http://www.thebrowser.com/">The Browser</a>.</li>
<li><a href="http://kotaku.com/5822042/infamous-2-is-the-post+katrina-video-game-that-america-deserves">Video games helping society by providing valuable services as 'tragedy simulators.'</a></li>
</ol>Bag of Hammershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09145368593348588670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801955302107890025.post-53837744046216458352011-07-18T00:21:00.000+09:002011-07-18T00:21:33.497+09:00The Tyler Cowen<ol><li><a href="http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/when-did-girls-start-wearing-pink.html">Pink and Blue as gendered colors is more recent than you think</a>.</li>
<li><a href="http://lanekenworthy.net/2011/07/10/americas-inefficient-health-care-system-another-look/">We all know it's bad</a>. Still, the graph manages to shock. Via <a href="http://www.thebrowser.com/">The Browser</a>.</li>
<li><a href="http://gawker.com/5821930/bill-maher-targets-michele-bachmann-sarah-palin-in-on+air-tirade">Bill Maher not pulling any punches</a>. </li>
<li>Beautiful animation of one soccer player's recounting of New York's 1977 black out and attendant riots. Via <a href="http://www.gizmodo.com/">Gizmodo</a>.<br />
<iframe frameborder="0" height="225" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/26397024?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" width="400"></iframe><br />
</li>
</ol>Bag of Hammershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09145368593348588670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801955302107890025.post-71153701110472580642011-07-16T22:10:00.000+09:002011-07-16T22:10:39.382+09:00The Tyler Cowen<ol><li><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/blogpost/post/cinemagraphs-what-it-looks-like-when-a-photo-moves/2011/07/08/gIQAONez3H_blog.html">The future of photography</a>? They're going to need to be a little more intentioned I daresay.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/8637963/Dying-considered-as-one-of-the-fine-arts.html">Simple, beautiful post on the act of dying</a>. Via <a href="http://www.thebrowser.com/">The Browser</a>.</li>
<li><a href="http://ftalphaville.ft.com/blog/2011/07/15/623881/the-aaa-bubble/">Heaven help us</a>. If we're continuing to kick this ball down the road, I'm afraid the end to the Recession is not even in sight. Via <a href="http://ftalphaville.ft.com/blog/2011/07/15/623881/the-aaa-bubble/">Marginal Revolution</a>.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2011/07/15/the_enduring_power_of_nationalism">Nationalism as the most powerful force in the world</a>.</li>
<li><a href="http://naturayarte.blogspot.com/">Amazing, Goldsworthy-esque art</a>. Via <a href="http://www.theawesomer.com/">The Awesomer</a>.</li>
</ol>Bag of Hammershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09145368593348588670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801955302107890025.post-37804135534481370442011-07-16T00:20:00.000+09:002011-07-16T00:20:39.989+09:00The Tyler Cowen<ol><li><a href="http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2011/07/13/free-will-is-as-real-as-baseball/">Philosophy prioritized by usefulness</a>. Via <a href="http://www.thebrowser.com/">The Browser</a>.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2011/07/debt-ceiling-whats-the-end-game-for-republicans/241959/">Things are heating up</a>. Via <a href="http://www.marginalrevolution.com/">Marginal Revolution</a>.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2011/07/14/city_of_men?page=0,0">Gender imbalances in foreign policy</a>.</li>
<li>Mostly German volunteers but beautiful nonetheless. Via <a href="http://infosthetics.com/archives/2011/07/iphone_fireflies_mapping_the_movements_of_iphones_in_europe.html">Infosthetics</a>.<br />
<object style="height: 335px; width: 550px;"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/EI7yQnRy7QQ?version=3"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/EI7yQnRy7QQ?version=3" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="550" height="335"></object></li>
</ol>Bag of Hammershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09145368593348588670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801955302107890025.post-31455168088637867272011-07-14T23:37:00.000+09:002011-07-14T23:37:10.759+09:00The Tyler Cowen<ol><li><a href="http://flavorwire.com/193101/weird-writing-habits-of-famous-authors">Weird writing habits of famous authors</a>.</li>
<li><a href="http://38north.org/2011/07/rcohen071311/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+38North+%2838+North%3A+Informed+Analysis+of+North+Korea%29">The International Community is dragging its feet for food aid to North Korea</a>.</li>
<li>Star Trek, here we come. Via <a href="http://www.marginalrevolution.com/">Marginal Revolution</a>.<br />
<object style="height: 335px; width: 550px;"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ZboxMsSz5Aw?version=3"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ZboxMsSz5Aw?version=3" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="550" height="335"></object></li>
<li><a href="http://hbr.org/2011/07/the-unselfish-gene/ar/pr">Our innate cooperativeness</a>. Via <a href="http://www.thebrowser.com/">The Browser</a>.</li>
</ol>Bag of Hammershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09145368593348588670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801955302107890025.post-40831159347714151682011-07-14T03:48:00.001+09:002011-07-14T03:51:15.004+09:00WarIn Barbara Ehrenreich's <a href="http://www.tomdispatch.com/archive/175415/">new introduction</a> to her book, <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Blood-Rites-Origins-History-Passions/dp/B000SZVGCS?ie=UTF8&tag=bagofh-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Blood Rites</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=bagofh-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000SZVGCS" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1"></i>, she hints at a comprehensive understanding of human social organization based on the technologies we use for war. This piqued our interest here at BofHam so we decided to dig a little deeper by applying this theory to some case studies. What did we find? A sexy framework for social organization but, as with anything relating to human society and development, a few too many variables that we can't control. But sexy! We love us some sexy.<br>
<br>
<a href="http://bofham.blogspot.com/2011/07/war.html#more">Read more »</a>Bag of Hammershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09145368593348588670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801955302107890025.post-64412204072124182692011-07-14T02:42:00.000+09:002011-07-14T02:42:50.299+09:00The Tyler Cowen<ol><li><a href="http://nymag.com/print/?/news/features/bycatch-2011-7/">Producer surplus case study</a>.</li>
<li><a href="http://visual.ly/work-we-do-pay-taxes">Great infographic about the work we put in for taxes</a>. </li>
<li><a href="http://38north.org/2011/07/gford071211/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+38North+%2838+North%3A+Informed+Analysis+of+North+Korea%29">Food shortages in North Korea and the politics played with aid</a>.</li>
<li><a href="http://38north.org/2011/07/rcossa071211/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+38North+%2838+North%3A+Informed+Analysis+of+North+Korea%29">Forestalling 'harrassment' with nuclear weapons</a>.</li>
</ol>Bag of Hammershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09145368593348588670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801955302107890025.post-1988955596209424222011-07-13T06:51:00.000+09:002011-07-13T06:51:42.174+09:00The Tyler Cowen<ol><li><a href="http://www.nkeconwatch.com/2011/07/11/reuters-opens-pyongyang-office/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+NorthKoreanEconomyWatch+%28North+Korean+Economy+Watch%29">I can't imagine it will do much but surprising nonetheless</a>.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2011/07/11/the_south_china_seas_georgia_scenario">US-China relations taking a hit</a>.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.informationisbeautiful.net/2011/the-sunscreen-smokescreen/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+InformationIsBeautiful+%28Information+Is+Beautiful%29">Great infographic about how to use which type of sunscreen depending on your skin tone</a>.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.tomdispatch.com/archive/175415/">Fantastic essay by Barbara Ehrenreich</a> on the future of war with a subtle but convincing undercurrent of war, itself, as the catalyst for our evolving social structures. Via <a href="http://www.thebrowser.com/">The Browser</a>.</li>
<li><a href="http://io9.com/5820398/this-lost-continent-off-the-coast-of-scotland-disappeared-beneath-the-ocean-55-million-years-ago">Our Earth continues to terrify and amaze</a>. </li>
<li>...To say nothing of our universe...<br />
<object style="height: 335px; width: 550px;"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/5HVb4YRsDIg?version=3"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/5HVb4YRsDIg?version=3" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="550" height="335"></object></li>
</ol>Bag of Hammershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09145368593348588670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801955302107890025.post-78381166230376066632011-07-11T22:08:00.000+09:002011-07-11T22:08:14.194+09:00The Tyler Cowen<ol><li><a href="http://www.coolinfographics.com/blog/2011/7/11/client-infographic-facebook-privacy-and-health.html">Facebook privacy through the lens of health</a>.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/moslive/article-2011951/John-Le-Carre-In-day-MI6--I-called-Circus-books--stank-wartime-nostalgia.html">Spooks and John Le Carre</a>. Via <a href="http://www.thebrowser.com/">The Browser</a>.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.nkeconwatch.com/2011/07/07/dprk-unveils-2011-7-24-election-posters/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+NorthKoreanEconomyWatch+%28North+Korean+Economy+Watch%29">North Korean propaganda posters for the upcoming 'elections'</a>.</li>
</ol>Bag of Hammershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09145368593348588670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801955302107890025.post-66089549442427662392011-07-11T09:30:00.000+09:002011-07-11T09:30:37.156+09:00The Tyler Cowen<ol><li><a href="http://38north.org/2011/07/aidanfc070811/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+38North+%2838+North%3A+Informed+Analysis+of+North+Korea%29">Fantastic article about the history of secretive Korean diplomacy</a>.</li>
<li><a href="http://collusion.toolness.org/">We are never safe on the internet</a>. Via <a href="http://www.infosthetics.com/">Infosthetics</a>.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.newsweek.com/2011/07/10/murdoch-s-watergate.html">Insight on Murdoch's nightmare</a>. Via <a href="http://www.thebrowser.com/">The Browser</a>.</li>
<li>Also from The Browser, a <a href="http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2011/07/marshall-auerback-time-to-panic-ii.html">damning critique of America's economic situation</a>.</li>
</ol>Bag of Hammershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09145368593348588670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801955302107890025.post-83689901976256845972011-07-09T03:17:00.000+09:002011-07-09T03:17:54.351+09:00The Tyler Cowen<ol><li><a href="http://www.nkeconwatch.com/2011/07/05/pyongyang-architecture-digest/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+NorthKoreanEconomyWatch+%28North+Korean+Economy+Watch%29">NKEconWatch on North Korea's housing initiatives</a>. The degree of attention this blog lavishes on the details is astounding.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.nkeconwatch.com/2011/07/04/recent-defection-statistics-2011/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+NorthKoreanEconomyWatch+%28North+Korean+Economy+Watch%29">More people voting with their feet</a>. Times must be getting tough in the Hermit Kingdom.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2011/07/07/for_the_love_of_money">North Korea's entrepreneurship abroad</a>.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.peoplemov.in/">Beautiful, interactive infographic charting population movement around the world</a>. (Although their data shows no movement from North to South Korea.) Via <a href="http://www.infosthetics.com/">Infosthetics</a>.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.themillions.com/2011/07/the-year-of-wonders.html">The Year of Wonders</a>. Via <a href="http://www.thebrowser.com/">The Browser</a>.</li></ol><a href="http://bofham.blogspot.com/2011/07/tyler-cowen_09.html#more">Read more »</a>Bag of Hammershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09145368593348588670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801955302107890025.post-22542544745765261582011-07-04T16:59:00.002+09:002011-07-04T16:59:46.008+09:00MovingTime to return from whence we came. There will be a short hiatus in your regularly scheduled programming. Please check back in around July 7th.<br />
<br />
Love,<br />
BofHamBag of Hammershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09145368593348588670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801955302107890025.post-20349451701044879952011-07-01T16:23:00.000+09:002011-07-01T16:23:39.381+09:00The Tyler Cowen<ol><li><a href="http://www.coolinfographics.com/blog/2011/6/30/humor-corporate-organizational-charts.html">Funny organizational charts</a>. Makes me shudder at the memory of having to make these for my old employer. Nowhere is a company's self-deception more apparent than in their organizational charts.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2011/06/30/chairman_maos_technicolor_dream_world?page=0,0">Propaganda art is hilarious</a>. (Am I the only one who thinks so?)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2011/06/30/opposing_the_opposition">The circus of Russian politics</a>.</li>
<li>Google famously subscribes to it's "Don't be evil" mantra of its founder. <a href="http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2011/06/30/dont_be_evil?page=0,0">Where do our morals lie though, when it comes to a trade-off between privacy and evil</a>? </li>
<li>Painting with salt. Via <a href="http://www.theawesomer.com/">The Awesomer</a>.<br />
<object style="height: 335px; width: 550px;"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/RmxcYUs1ZEQ?version=3"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/RmxcYUs1ZEQ?version=3" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="550" height="335"></object></li>
<li><a href="http://www.villagevoice.com/2011-06-29/news/real-men-get-their-facts-straight-sex-trafficking-ashton-kutcher-demi-moore/">An excellent article describing the inescapable corruption that accompanies even the most well-intentioned designs</a>. Similar stuff to our previous link to over-counting graves. Whiiiiiiiich...I can't find. I think I should probably rethink my organization here. </li>
</ol>Bag of Hammershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09145368593348588670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801955302107890025.post-52429925995691555782011-07-01T13:39:00.003+09:002011-07-01T13:39:57.814+09:00The Tyler Cowen<ol><li><a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2011/06/pharma-spending-less-on-finding-new-drugs/241161/">Falling RD in the pharma sector</a>. Via <a href="http://www.marginalrevolution.com/">Marginal Revolution</a>.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.dailynk.com/english/read.php?cataId=nk01500&num=7893">Sexy revolutionary activity in North Korea</a>. Via <a href="http://www.gawker.com/">Gawker</a>.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.nkeconwatch.com/2011/06/29/aid-worker-claims-dprk-cuts-food-rations/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+NorthKoreanEconomyWatch+%28North+Korean+Economy+Watch%29">Scary portents of further famine in North Korea</a>.</li>
<li><a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20080213082423/http://www.marginalia.org/dfw_kenyon_commencement.html">Here's hoping this never leaves the internet</a>. It is too powerful, too right, too important to be consigned to a $12.95 book.</li>
<li>Here's one way to spice up baseball. Via <a href="http://www.theawesomer.com/">The Awesomer</a>.<br />
<object style="height: 335px; width: 550px;"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/E6qzfbKfiXM?version=3"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/E6qzfbKfiXM?version=3" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="550" height="335"></object></li>
</ol>Bag of Hammershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09145368593348588670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801955302107890025.post-26888210394072388982011-06-29T17:48:00.000+09:002011-06-29T17:48:55.646+09:00The Tyler Cowen<ol><li>Sad infographic about the state of the rhino. Although, it must be said, also not very clear. The static version (<a href="http://www.coolinfographics.com/blog/2011/6/28/rhinos-by-the-numbers.html">found here</a>) is no better. Why they're overlaying dark gray on light is beyond me. But still...stupid urban legend-driven prices for rhino horn are nothing short of tragic.<br />
<object style="height: 335px; width: 550px;"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/tIaM8dkns2E?version=3"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/tIaM8dkns2E?version=3" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="550" height="335"></object></li>
<li><a href="http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/articles/2011/06/26/how_china_sees_the_world/?page=full">Great summary of China's foreign policy and prospects</a>. Via <a href="http://www.thebrowser.com/">The Browser</a>.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.juancole.com/2011/06/rudolph-us-inequality-quiz.html">Oy</a>. Via <a href="http://wwwmarginalrevolution.com/">Marginal Revolution</a>.</li>
<li><a href="http://gawker.com/5816505/jon-stewart-introduces-the-daily-show-with-jon-stewart-to-fox-news">Daily Show making fun of itself</a>. </li>
<li><a href="http://io9.com/5816428/the-case-for-mars-the-plan-to-settle-the-red-planet-and-why-we-must">An extremely compelling argument to send a man to Mars</a>. I mean extremely compelling. Seriously.</li>
<li>Beautiful ad for Nokia from all over the interwebs today.<br />
<iframe frameborder="0" height="225" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/25451551?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" width="400"></iframe><a href="http://vimeo.com/25451551">Splitscreen: A Love Story</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/jwgriffiths">JW Griffiths</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.</li>
</ol>Bag of Hammershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09145368593348588670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801955302107890025.post-69507629114568856062011-06-28T19:36:00.000+09:002011-06-28T19:36:01.637+09:00The Tyler Cowen<ol><li>Good history of coffee and its effects. Via <a href="http://www.gizmodo.com/">Gizmodo</a>.<br />
<object style="height: 335px; width: 550px;"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/OTVE5iPMKLg?version=3"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/OTVE5iPMKLg?version=3" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="550" height="335"></object></li>
<li><a href="http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2011/06/27/where_have_all_the_girls_gone">Where HAVE all the girls gone?</a></li>
<li><a href="http://gizmodo.com/5815807/when-technology-fails-in-the-battlefield-the-only-thing-left-is-luck">Interesting read from one of the fathers of a Gizmodo editor of all people</a>. Goes to show that any life is interesting. (Or maybe...that our fathers had way more interesting lives than us.)</li>
</ol>Bag of Hammershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09145368593348588670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801955302107890025.post-15873185997109294912011-06-27T17:25:00.000+09:002011-06-27T17:25:19.977+09:00The Tyler Cowen<ol><li>Two wildly different but interesting articles on North Korea, both from 38 North. <a href="http://38north.org/2011/06/weingartner062411/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+38North+%2838+North%3A+Informed+Analysis+of+North+Korea%29">The first is written like a travelogue and features an impossibly articulate Bangladeshi interlocutor</a>. <a href="http://38north.org/2011/06/lee_shin062311/">The second is a drier academic tract on NGO collaboration between the US and the DPRK</a>.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2011/06/23/the_wikileaks_of_money?page=0,0">More on BitCoin</a>.</li></ol><a href="http://bofham.blogspot.com/2011/06/tyler-cowen_27.html#more">Read more »</a>Bag of Hammershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09145368593348588670noreply@blogger.com0