Favorites April 11th 2022

Vincent Pons @VinPons

Our event study shows a sharp change in voter turnout after the move. Using a value-added model including voter, state, and election fixed effects, we find that state characteristics explain about 37% of the cross-state variation in turnout (5/9).

They have other graphs of ways voters change when they move. Further, they don't generally start changing till they move, which seems to indicate that they changed because they moved, rather than moving because they changed.

zeldman @zeldman

Sometimes we get the website we deserve.

pronouncegif.comPronounce GIF · The Correct Way, Without QuestionInternet users have fought vigorously for years over this one beloved file format known as .gif. Is it a ‘hard g’ or a ‘soft g’ pronunciation?

Look, I'm not saying that this article finally convinced me to use a soft g, but it's by far the most effective argument I've ever read. It should be noted, however, that language changes over time, and trying to insist on a specific pronunciation is probably futile.

Heather Long @byHeatherLong

Crude oil prices have fallen a lot in the past month, but the average gas price is still above $4 a gallon. Why? Here's the best explanation: Gas stations make most of their profits when oil prices fall washingtonpost.com/business/2022/… via @andrewvandam

I had never heard of this concept of "Rockets and Feathers", but I suppose it would be expected that it takes a while for competition between gas stations to bring down the consumer price of gasoline.

Noah Smith 🐇🇺🇦 @Noahpinion

Russia uses the old Mongol tactic of using conquered people as cannon fodder in their armies.

Konrad Muzyka - Rochan Consulting @konrad_muzyka

Moscow’s approached the mobilization issue in two ways. At home, they are mostly encouraging people to join, nothing (generally) forceful. In captured territories, DPR and LPR, they are doing mobilisation round-ups. This is one example, but there’ve been many more and much worse. https://t.co/yNe5qGe9pt

Tactic also used by the Germans during WWII. Once again it seems like trying to get these guys to defect could be effective.

Toby Muresianu 🇺🇦 @tobyhardtospell

People want to live in cities, believe it or not. Even "crowded" ones. That's why they're crowded!

Richard Florida @Richard_Florida

"In June 2020, Zillow Group ... announced that employees could move anywhere in the country & never return to an office. The company now has more than 300 employees living in New York City, a 15% increase compared with two years earlier." https://t.co/Pb5YX2qoex

Allowing people to live where they want will mean they move towards the best ratio of cost vs amenities, and in some cases, that means cities. Not understanding the agglomeration effect is a big part of NIMBY politics.

Matthew Yglesias @mattyglesias

https://t.co/tqC1g8LF0t

NYC EMS Watch @NYCEMSwatch

Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, signed into law legislation this past weekend as part of the New York state budget, that allows nurse practitioners to practice independently, no longer requiring supervision by a physician. https://t.co/3xkRxboXfg

This seems really good, now maybe they can do the same thing so that dental assistants can do cleanings without working for a dentist.

Matthew Yglesias @mattyglesias

Insane that we are not funding this — a vaccine that actually blocks transmission would be very useful!

washingtonpost.comThe next leap in coronavirus vaccine development could be a nasal spraySobered by the way the omicron variant tore through the population -- including the vaccinated -- some scientists think the next coronavirus vaccine should be a spray up the nose.

If I'm gonna need a booster every three months, I'd definitely prefer a nose spray. If it's more likely to block infection, all the better!

Threads

• Yet another thread about how big a mistake it is for Germany to close its remaining nuclear plants. There are a lot of graphs in this one.

Istanbul, August 2019

One thing the Russian war against Ukraine has shown about US Foreign policy is that it turns out Turkey is America’s top ally in the middle east, not Israel, not the Saudis, Turkey.