CDC takedown

Forbes provides a most excellent take-down of the CDC's input into the campaign to privatize alcohol sales in Pennsylvania.

The only thing missing is a mention of the fact that even if privatization does increase the negative consequences associated with excessive alcohol use, it might still (and perhaps easily) pass a social cost-benefit test. Increased consumption means more utils that have to be weighed against any bad consequences that do emerge.

The public health profession needs to get better at separating science from Sunday school.

Assorted links

1. DEA sadism.

2. A time series of satellite maps of Ann Arbor via Google.

3. Electronic coaching for students at Michigan.

4. The McDonald's of the future.

5. Did Notre Dame "chicken out" of its football series with Michigan?

Beer league hockey without the beer?

Sad days in Canada, eh.

Hat tip: Charlie Brown

Book: The End of Eternity by Isaac Asimov

I picked The End of Eternity up at the bookstore at Boston Logan Airport last week. It turns out that if you get past all the rubbish at the front of the store, there is actually some pretty good stuff in the back. And the ladies who were running it last Sunday were eager to talk about books.

As one might expect given the author and an original publication date of 1955, this is classic science fiction. There is an intricate plot, big ideas, time travel paradoxes (paradoxii?) and all the rest. It is, as one would expect from the genre, a bit short on beautiful prose and rich, multidimensional characters. Because it is old, and you can almost feel yourself brushing the dust off as you read, you get the added fun of seeing what Asimov gets right and gets wrong in his implicit predictions about technological progress. 

Overall, great fun if you are into this sort of thing. There is a reason they are reprinting this in 2013.

Recommend for science fiction sorts.

Frank and Ernest on the difficulty of insuring against aggregate shocks

Audi and Spock

The ending is perfect.

Hat tip: ASAK (I think)

A comic about fathers in honor of mother's day

Hat tip: Charlie Brown