Comments for Sufficient Scruples

Comment on Dating Your Doctor by Adriana Busl

Adriana Busl — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 14:17:21 +0000

Hi – It’s good to read such topical writing on the Web as I have been able to discover here. I agree with most of what is written here and I’ll be coming back to this site again. Thanks again for posting such great reading material!!

Comment on Drawing the Line on Sports Regulation by Feel-Live

Feel-Live — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 09:29:08 +0000

Taking any illegal or banned substance which alters the normal functioning of the mind or body for the purpose of enhancing athletic performance is a decision to cheat, endanger one’s health and encourages others to cheat.

Comment on “Love Them for Who They Are Now” by tgirsch

tgirsch — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 21:18:29 +0000

Good stuff. I’ve passed it on to some friends who just lost one parent and aren’t too far away from losing the other.

I still have a really hard time reconciling the “good Penn” (this one) with the “bad Penn” (the condescending, small-minded prick on Bullshit!).
tgirsch´s last blog ..Weather Is Not Climate, Humor Edition

Comment on Spittle-Flecked Rant, and Raving by JTRAMMELL

JTRAMMELL — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 21:46:44 +0000

or rather people who have gave up television, and mass mass consumerism.

Comment on Spittle-Flecked Rant, and Raving by JTRAMMELL

JTRAMMELL — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 21:40:05 +0000

I dont think its a metaphor for aids at all. AIDS doesnt make you crazy, and isnt passed on through spit. its a metaphor for hipster lifestyles.

Comment on How Can We Make It Clearer? When Will Anyone Notice? by Dan M.

Dan M. — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 08:44:33 +0000

That's a vast improvement,, so that the graph at least means something. But I think it still doesn't mean much at all. One of Nate's commenters covers at least the most obvious problems, but even that doesn't cover the much more problematic claim that there's "a strong correlation". First, Why are we even using a linear scale in dollars? Why are the dollars not adjusted for local buying power? Why is there no discussion of the fact that there clearly exists two separate populations in the graph (not counting the US), one for all the developed countries, which seeps to actually have a pretty weak correlation, and one for developing countries, which actually is much more obviously correlated? The new graph is a huge improvement. It's now only kinda crappy. But thanks much for the update.

Comment on How Can We Make It Clearer? When Will Anyone Notice? by Dan M.

Dan M. — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 05:52:21 +0000

So, given that sanitation and water quality are strong correlates with life expectancy, if we are actually above average on those (we are, right?), that means our mediocre life expectancy is actually craptacular.

However, I think “crude” is even too generous an assessment of life expectancy as a metric. It doesn’t account for things like lifestyle choices, genetic stock, immigration, emigration, or dietary preferences.

Arguably, our corn subsidies reduce our life expectancy more than or bad long-term care. (Yes, that’s a wild-ass guess with no stats, but it seems prima facie possible to me.) On the other hand, life expectancy does capture our shitty neo-natal care. On the grasping hand, it’s driven down by high-tech facilities that allow more would-be miscarriages to be brought to life birth.

Really, it’s a crappy, crappy stat. Oh, and that’s one of the most irritating formats for a graph I’ve seen. If the goal is to show how we fail to match some otherwise present correlation, then just use a freaking 2-D graph! In fact, graphing of that bad quality makes me suspicious of the intentions of the grapher.

(By the way, it’s a good thing you post so rarely, otherwise I’d have to install and learn to use one of those “rodents of substantial size” readers, and I fear and detest web technology.)

(No, wait, I’m lying. I’m just lazy.)

Comment on Sarah Palin: Not a Joke, but a Victim of . . . the Abortion Culture by Caramoan

Caramoan — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 13:00:28 +0000

There are critics of Sarah Palin but in my opinion she is also a very good politician and she also did some good projects in Alaska.
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Comment on You Are a Housing Project for Fetuses by Sufficient Scruples » Blog Archive » Fetus Christmas-Tree Ornaments . . . . (Oy vey! . . .)

Tue, 15 Dec 2009 01:51:35 +0000

[...] latest entry in the “creepy personified fetus” category: the “Feti” – weird/cutesy Christmas-tree [...]

Comment on “I’m Pregnant” by abend

abend — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 22:20:57 +0000

I can share a lot of these instances with you. People can be so rude, I just don�t think they get it.