Comments for Urbane Sprawl http://www.ryderkessler.com/blog Wed, 18 Jan 2012 20:27:44 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Comment on Organ Donation Rates and Population Density by Urbane Sprawl » Blog Archive » Organ Donation and Population Density II: The Data! http://www.ryderkessler.com/blog/2012/01/organ-donation-rates-and-population-density/#comment-29935 Urbane Sprawl » Blog Archive » Organ Donation and Population Density II: The Data! Wed, 18 Jan 2012 20:27:44 +0000 http://www.ryderkessler.com/blog/?p=241#comment-29935 [...] [...] [...] [...]

]]> Comment on The Upshot of the SAT by Joan Harvard http://www.ryderkessler.com/blog/2012/01/the-upshot-of-the-sat/#comment-29496 Joan Harvard Sat, 07 Jan 2012 21:54:38 +0000 http://www.ryderkessler.com/blog/?p=223#comment-29496 This was true for me, although I never articulated it as well as you do here. Not everyone is grows up feeling entitled to take their shot at a dream college. Ideally, parents, teachers, and academic history would provide that foundation and courage, but if they don't, a great score on a test that "levels the playing field" can offer that lightbulb moment. Of course, that's why it's so important that standardized tests really do provide a level field, so evaluating and reevaluating the SAT's is important. But to do away with them all together? I agree, that would be a loss to many students. This was true for me, although I never articulated it as well as you do here. Not everyone is grows up feeling entitled to take their shot at a dream college. Ideally, parents, teachers, and academic history would provide that foundation and courage, but if they don’t, a great score on a test that “levels the playing field” can offer that lightbulb moment. Of course, that’s why it’s so important that standardized tests really do provide a level field, so evaluating and reevaluating the SAT’s is important. But to do away with them all together? I agree, that would be a loss to many students.

]]> Comment on What Ever Happened to Ostracism? by Francesca http://www.ryderkessler.com/blog/2009/10/what-ever-happened-to-ostracism/#comment-4869 Francesca Mon, 02 Nov 2009 23:37:30 +0000 http://www.ryderkessler.com/blog/?p=183#comment-4869 This is my favorite post yet. You are absolutely right - it's already awkward the way the the Times Wedding section selects the "winning" couples (is Ivy League love more profound than the love of state school grads?), but certainly, love born from adultery does not need to be celebrated in such a public forum. Do you think it would be better if they had profiled that couple but left out the fact that they met while she was still married? If that detail had just been omitted, I guess it would be less of a tacit approval, but I suppose it would also be misleading reporting. Ugh, I feel so bad for the jilted first husband reading it. Just leave them out! Also, I think Michael Vick is different from these examples because he committed an actual crime, not just a societal or ethical blunder. Also, I really really love dogs, and I miss enjoying the Eagles. This is my favorite post yet. You are absolutely right – it’s already awkward the way the the Times Wedding section selects the “winning” couples (is Ivy League love more profound than the love of state school grads?), but certainly, love born from adultery does not need to be celebrated in such a public forum. Do you think it would be better if they had profiled that couple but left out the fact that they met while she was still married? If that detail had just been omitted, I guess it would be less of a tacit approval, but I suppose it would also be misleading reporting. Ugh, I feel so bad for the jilted first husband reading it. Just leave them out!

Also, I think Michael Vick is different from these examples because he committed an actual crime, not just a societal or ethical blunder. Also, I really really love dogs, and I miss enjoying the Eagles.

]]> Comment on Repeal the Twelfth Amendment by Steve http://www.ryderkessler.com/blog/2008/10/repeal-the-twelfth-amendment/#comment-25 Steve Wed, 22 Oct 2008 11:46:57 +0000 http://www.ryderkessler.com/blog/?p=108#comment-25 ...and take all the fun out of the race? Remember "potatoE" man Quayle? Come on, the fun part is waiting for the next dopey statement to drop, like the one yesterday. Palin thinks as Vice Pres she gets to run the Senate. I have a response to her: Ms. Palin, I know Dick Cheney and madam, you are no Dick Cheney. …and take all the fun out of the race? Remember “potatoE” man Quayle? Come on, the fun part is waiting for the next dopey statement to drop, like the one yesterday. Palin thinks as Vice Pres she gets to run the Senate. I have a response to her: Ms. Palin, I know Dick Cheney and madam, you are no Dick Cheney.

]]> Comment on Repeal the Twelfth Amendment by Ryder Kessler http://www.ryderkessler.com/blog/2008/10/repeal-the-twelfth-amendment/#comment-15 Ryder Kessler Thu, 09 Oct 2008 01:54:23 +0000 http://www.ryderkessler.com/blog/?p=108#comment-15 It's EXACTLY like that. It’s EXACTLY like that.

]]> Comment on Repeal the Twelfth Amendment by Rebecca http://www.ryderkessler.com/blog/2008/10/repeal-the-twelfth-amendment/#comment-14 Rebecca Thu, 09 Oct 2008 00:11:19 +0000 http://www.ryderkessler.com/blog/?p=108#comment-14 Isn't that a little bit like Autumn as the understudy for Bailey in Legally Blonde the musical? **legitimacy** Isn’t that a little bit like Autumn as the understudy for Bailey in Legally Blonde the musical? **legitimacy**

]]> Comment on An Open Letter to The New York Times by Catherine http://www.ryderkessler.com/blog/2008/09/an-open-letter-to-the-new-york-times/#comment-10 Catherine Wed, 01 Oct 2008 17:06:30 +0000 http://www.ryderkessler.com/blog/?p=94#comment-10 Brilliant idea. And I love the Fran Drescher reference. Brilliant idea. And I love the Fran Drescher reference.

]]> Comment on The Too Many Suitors Problem by Ryder Kessler http://www.ryderkessler.com/blog/2008/09/the-too-many-suitors-problem/#comment-6 Ryder Kessler Fri, 26 Sep 2008 17:53:59 +0000 http://www.ryderkessler.com/blog/?p=46#comment-6 You're absolutely right: it's a big jump from the proposition that increased labor supply in print is leading to a less-than-optimal bundle of incoming workers to the assertion that undoing this problem would save the industry. But I do think the original proposition is right, and still provocative: in general, if a pool from which you're choosing workers increases — assuming that as it increases it equally adds good and bad people in the same distribution — the quality of workers you choose should go up, since the top X you're looking for will be better as the pool increases. BUT, if the mechanisms for choosing those X people become necessarily more crude, then the resulting group could actually get worse as the pool increases in size. You're right, though, that even if this is happening in the print world, the effect on the industry might be negligible or non-existent. You’re absolutely right: it’s a big jump from the proposition that increased labor supply in print is leading to a less-than-optimal bundle of incoming workers to the assertion that undoing this problem would save the industry. But I do think the original proposition is right, and still provocative: in general, if a pool from which you’re choosing workers increases — assuming that as it increases it equally adds good and bad people in the same distribution — the quality of workers you choose should go up, since the top X you’re looking for will be better as the pool increases. BUT, if the mechanisms for choosing those X people become necessarily more crude, then the resulting group could actually get worse as the pool increases in size. You’re right, though, that even if this is happening in the print world, the effect on the industry might be negligible or non-existent.

]]> Comment on The Too Many Suitors Problem by sach http://www.ryderkessler.com/blog/2008/09/the-too-many-suitors-problem/#comment-5 sach Fri, 26 Sep 2008 14:25:32 +0000 http://www.ryderkessler.com/blog/?p=46#comment-5 Agree but disagree. It seems idealistic to assume that newbs in publishing would "fortify the industry's walls." Mostly they need cheap labor to copy-edit who can be easily replaced. Once those people get bored of their mindless labor and mediocre paycheck, they move out replaced by more new graduates. True, these graduates may not be chosen based on an intensive meritocratic system, but they don't need to be. Anyone can do the job they do for a couple of years. Then, over the course of the years of lame work, those who do a phenomenal job, put in the legwork, and take the initiative to go above and beyond stand out. I'm sure you know more about the publishing world than I do. But an intensive and rigorous recruiting process for people who are basically proof readers, fact checkers, and coffee getters seems like a waste of time and money. Unless they're REALLY good coffee getters. Agree but disagree.

It seems idealistic to assume that newbs in publishing would “fortify the industry’s walls.” Mostly they need cheap labor to copy-edit who can be easily replaced. Once those people get bored of their mindless labor and mediocre paycheck, they move out replaced by more new graduates. True, these graduates may not be chosen based on an intensive meritocratic system, but they don’t need to be. Anyone can do the job they do for a couple of years. Then, over the course of the years of lame work, those who do a phenomenal job, put in the legwork, and take the initiative to go above and beyond stand out. I’m sure you know more about the publishing world than I do. But an intensive and rigorous recruiting process for people who are basically proof readers, fact checkers, and coffee getters seems like a waste of time and money. Unless they’re REALLY good coffee getters.

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