voluntaryXchange

A Local Case That’s Bugged Me for a While

I didn’t post about this when it happened … no use in throwing gas on the fire. Plus, a relative of a student was involved. So, I’ve been mulling this over for a few years.

Anyway, a similar situation has occurred after an arrest in Minnesota.

In the local case, one woman (a user) stole drugs from another woman (the dealer).

The thief then hid the drugs … where only a woman can.

The thief was caught by the dealer and her accomplices, who proceeded to retrieve the drugs.

All of them were later caught.

And here’s the thing that bugged me. The dealer was tried, and convicted, of “rape with an object”. News stories suggested the event was non-sexual, and that the object was a finger.

I simply have no idea what to make of this at all. I think what bothers me is that if the police did this, it would not be a crime, and it would only be considered an escalation of the search if there was probable cause. But if a dealer does this with probably cause, it is an escalation of the crime and associated penalty. Hmmm.

Technorati Tags: drugs,vagina,object,rape

Windows 7 Tip # 8: Audacity Won’t Record What U Hear?

Lots of you have been using Audacity to record whatever u hear and like off the internet.

Then you got Windows 7, and that didn’t work any more.

Turns out, the fix is easy, the feature is just turned off by default, just follow the directions at Awesome Toast!

Technorati Tags: audacity,what,u,hear,windows,7

A Good Use for Google Image Search

Google Image Search is an amazing tool … but I’ve been hard pressed to figure out what to use it for.

A very minor hobby of mine is collecting striking images from advertising.

Today I recalled this one from several years ago, and I was able to find it with Google Image Search.

What struck me about this ad was that the drawing is one of those things you do without raising your pen off the paper. Kinda’ cool, and more creative than I can manage.

Technorati Tags: cleveland,clinic,ad,drawing,woman

Barone On Obama’s Debate Performance

I had missed this. Here’s Michael Barone (perhaps the best combination of well-informed and non-judgemental in political coverage):

… I like to say, there is nothing free in politics, but there is some question about when you pay the price. In this first debate Obama paid the price for the hands-off treatment he has received from mainstream media. His talking points, advanced by his spokesmen in the confidence that they will not be seriously challenged, were refuted by an energized and articulated and well-informed Mitt Romney. He stood there petulantly and pathetically, nonplussed by the fact that his flimsy talking points were effectively challenged. [emphasis added]

* Thanks to Greader for keeping this unread Mike Munger post from Kid Prefer Cheese until I had time to read it.

Technorati Tags: barone,obama,debate,performance,quote,tanstaafl,free,lunch

Mine Should Arrive Any Day Now

Here in cowtown, August is fly season. Maybe it was their prevalence this year that got me to order a Bug-a-salt.

But, I’m not the only one … it made the front page of The Wall Street Journal.

… A plastic, pump-action shotgun that blasts pests with table salt—he calls it the Bug-a-Salt. While flies are his personal bugaboo, he says the weapon is lethal against mosquitoes, spiders and all sorts of irksome insects.

Read the whole thing.

Hat to to Carpe Diem, where I saw this product initially.

Technorati Tags: bug-a-salt

Rosy Memories

Channeling … me:

When I was kid back in the Paleolithic Age, we used to play sandlot football after school. My group of thug friends chose sides, and the mayhem began. We played tackle without equipment - accompanied by bloody noses, bruised knees, and bumps on the head. It was a blast.

Ummm … well … yeah … I don’t remember playing much after PB had to stop the game because he didn’t know where he was. But it was good while it lasted.

Don’t even get me started about what we called “The Game”. It was tackle football … without the ball … on a hillside steep enough to ride your target down like a toboggan.

The quote is from this Bill O’Reilly piece, although I’m not recommending you read the whole thing.

Technorati Tags: tackle,football,game

October 12 Update to the Intrade Map

Big changes since yesterday:

Florida and Virginia have joined Florida in turning towards Romney.

This puts the winner-take-all electoral vote forecast at 257-281.

Iowa is closest for Romney, but it won’t give him enough. He still needs Ohio.

The expected value is still holding steady at 53 votes from the swing states, and Romney totaling 244.

Technorati Tags: 2012,intrade,electoral,votes,romney,obama

We’re Still Prejudiced

Sellers who show black hands holding baseball cards for sale on eBay get lower prices. Sheesh.

Via Chris Blattman via Marginal Revolution.

Technorati Tags: prejudice

Update to the Intrade Map

Bettors at Intrade are now saying Florida will go for Romney.

Assuming that comes to pass, Romney still needs 35 electoral votes. The most likely places to get them are Virginia and Colorado, and those two won’t be enough. He’ll need Ohio too.

Since last spring the story has been that there are 9 tossup states, and Romney has to win a bunch of them. Here’s where they currently sit according to Intrade:

State	Votes	Romney Win Probability
North Carolina	15	74%
Florida	29	58%
Colorado	9	50%
Virginia	13	47%
Ohio	18	40%
Iowa	6	33%
New Hampshire	4	29%
Wisconsin	10	26%
Nevada	6	26%

Romney has 191 electoral votes locked up. These 9 states have 110 votes, and Romney needs 79 of them to win. The expected value from the bettors, a week after the first debate, is that he’ll get 53.

Technorati Tags: election,2012,intrade,romney,obama,debate

Don’t Believe the Polls

Romney is surging? Don’t believe it.

Here’s the current map of what the bettors are saying at Intrade. They still have Obama winning 332 to 206.

What has happened with the betting over the last few days is some weakening of Obama’s likelihood in Florida, Virginia, Iowa and Colorado. Even if Romney turns all 4 of those, he’ll still come up short, 263-275.

I also don’t expect Obama to continue to look like he spent Bill Maher’s million dollars on weed.

On the other hand, Biden vs. Ryan is up next, and Biden is going to come off looking very foolish.

Technorati Tags: election,2012,debate,romney,obama