Rolando Peñate

Root for the home team

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 12:17:28 -0500

Controlling for location and time fixed effects, weather factors, the pre-game point spread, and the size of the local viewing audience, we find that upset losses by the home team (losses in…

The Basics

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 12:17:28 -0500

The Basics:

Mike Konczal and Mary Kane ask why financial literacy isn’t being taught to the public:

As Calculated Risk has repeatedly asked, why aren’t consumers being educated on the perils of not paying…

“A cautionary tale of what happens to [whistle-blowers] on conditions for military personnel...

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 11:56:21 -0500

“A cautionary tale of what happens to [whistle-blowers] on conditions for military personnel with mental problems.” http://bit.ly/4bH3zH

A Nose Never Forgets

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 08:05:35 -0500

A Nose Never Forgets:

Jonah Lehrer connects smell and memory:

Why is smell so sentimental? One possibility, which is supported by this recent experiment, is that the olfactory cortex has a direct neural link to the…

How The Blind See

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 08:05:35 -0500

How The Blind See:

Mary Bates explains:

In essence, when blind people hear the actions of others, they use the same network of cortical brain areas that sighted people use when they observe such actions. This fits…

When URL shorteners fail

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 12:00:38 -0500

When URL shorteners fail:

URL shorteners still suck, but several URL shortening services have agreed to hand over the keys to 301Works in the event that a URL shortening company goes under. 301Works will be administered…

Why Do We Buy Homes?

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 12:00:38 -0500

Why Do We Buy Homes?:

Modeled Behavior doesn’t understand why we don’t just sign longer leases:

I suspect that people want the collateral value of the home. That is, they want a large piece of property that they can…

“The four-year residential program leading to a B.A. is the wrong model for a large majority...

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 12:02:55 -0500

“The four-year residential program leading to a B.A. is the wrong model for a large majority of young people.” http://bit.ly/1EOmtN

"A Fundamental Disconnect"

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 11:39:06 -0500

"A Fundamental Disconnect":

The CBO tells us what we already knew:

I concluded the talk by emphasizing that fiscal policy is on an unsustainable path to an extent that cannot be solved by minor tinkering. The country faces…

Detainees to get "the-state-always-wins" system of "justice"

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 11:39:06 -0500

Detainees to get "the-state-always-wins" system of "justice":

According to The Associated Press, Eric Holder will announce later today that Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four other 9/11 defendants will be brought from Guantanamo to New York to stand trial, in…

Are Too Many Students Going To College?

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 11:39:05 -0500

Are Too Many Students Going To College?:

The Chronicle hosts a debate. As usual, Charles Murray bucks the conventional wisdom:

It has been empirically demonstrated that doing well (B average or better) in a traditional college major in…

A $100 Million Conflict Of Interest

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 23:29:09 -0500

A $100 Million Conflict Of Interest:

Greenwald trains his fire on Peter Galbraith:

What Galbraith kept completely concealed all these years — as he traipsed around advocating for Kurdish autonomy — was that a company he formed…

Which is more useful? Google's links or the actual home page?

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 23:29:09 -0500

Which is more useful? Google's links or the actual home page?:

It’s interesting how many of Google’s expanded listings have become even more useful than the home page behind the link.

For example, take these two examples. One is the Google listing for Grub &…

From Wassap! to Obama, a decade in review

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 23:29:09 -0500

From Wassap! to Obama, a decade in review:

As part of Newsweek’s extensive 2010 project (more on that next week), they’ve produced a 7-minute video showing the highlights from the past decade.

Wassup! Wassup! What a…

William Lind, a conservative voice for transit: http://bit.ly/Ed2rA (via @streetfilms)

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 18:33:27 -0500

William Lind, a conservative voice for transit: http://bit.ly/Ed2rA (via @streetfilms)

Reefer Sanity

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 15:39:26 -0500

Reefer Sanity:

The AMA is asking the federal government to reclassify marijuana:

The American Medical Assn. on Tuesday urged the federal government to reconsider its classification of marijuana as a dangerous…

Harry Beck's US Interstate map

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 11:47:05 -0500

Harry Beck's US Interstate map:

Map of the US Interstate system in the style of the London Tube map.

Go large for detail. (via coudal)

Tags: London Underground maps remix subway USA

Providence removes freeway, gains 20 acres for development: http://bit.ly/3fOjm3 (RT...

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 10:50:19 -0500

Providence removes freeway, gains 20 acres for development: http://bit.ly/3fOjm3 (RT @Richard_Florida via @byoungsmith)

Muslims In The Military

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 23:55:43 -0500

Muslims In The Military:

Goldblog writes that “the military has a real and abiding need to recruit more Muslims, and not fewer, to its ranks, for all the obvious reasons — language skills and cultural knowledge, for…

Polish Space Stamps 1963

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:43:47 -0500

Polish Space Stamps 1963:

Polish Space Stamps 1963