Social psychologist Phil Zimbardo—the guy behind the (in)famous Stanford prison experiment—spoke at the Cato Institute yesterday, and Will Wilkinson and I offered up some brief commentary after his presentation. It’s a great short summary of the ideas in his book The Lucifer Effect, so if you’re interested in how social situations and roles can induce […]

[Read more →]

I want one of these.

[Read more →]

Unlike Yglesias, I (1) picked up the new Death Cab album right around when it came out and (2) found it pretty much intolerable. I retain a nostalgic affection for their first couple albums, and stuff as recent as Transatlanticism holds up well enough. But on these last two, I tend to find the music […]

[Read more →]

Most of the time, I think nothing short of a gun to my temple could induce me to vote Republican this cycle. Then I watch smug, shallow pap like this and find myself considering it.  Briefly.

[Read more →]

From the Hit and Run comments: Roberts: What is this? Obama: My copy of the Koran. You are going to hold it for me while giving me the Oath, infidel. [tear swelling from his eyes] Oh my fallen brothers, the Great Satan is now ours! or Roberts: huh? McCain: Hold it for me. Roberts: what […]

[Read more →]

So, at some point you’ve probably seen that absurd clip of Kirk Cameron and some Aussie preacher arguing that the banana is “the atheist’s nightmare,” because its perfect adaptation to human food needs implies a divine creator. This would be a hopeless argument under any circumstances, of course. (Obvious first question: Then why aren’t all […]

[Read more →]

John Holbo bristles at a paragraph from Stanley Fish on bias and balance in academia: Even in courses where the materials are politically and ideologically charged, the questions that arise are academic, not political. A classroom discussion of Herbert Marcuse and Leo Strauss, for example, does not (or at least should not) have the goal […]

[Read more →]

Via To the People, I find a Fox News “sexpert” detailing the signs your partner may have a porn problem. This bit seemed rather striking: Many people are completely in the dark that their partner likes porn, much less has a serious relationship with it. Ignorant as to any issue, they trust their lover unconditionally. […]

[Read more →]

Oh yeah.  WuChess.  The Times explains why RZA digs Réti.

[Read more →]

Instapundit: DAVE WEIGEL: “The ‘Michelle Obama tape’ rumor mill started churning a lot more slowly this weekend, a development that, I’m sure, had nothing to do with Hillary Clinton’s exit from the race. It would be odd if Clinton supporters were only spreading the rumor to keep superdelegates on the fence before it was too […]

[Read more →]