Know Thy Spouse

In yesterday's post about how men and women view fighting differently, my wife was nice enough to give her thoughts. This was the GoogleChat conversation we had during it:

me: [link to my comment]
Traci: ew, i dont like the sweetie thing
me: haha, i was trying to think of a nice name what wasn't sexual
me:[link to my second comment]
Traci: im not responding
me: haha, i love you
Traci: your definition of fight is different than mine
me: say that then and explain it, because i disagree
Traci: nah
me: haha, then we will never improve!
Traci: you just want me to comment, you dont really want to improve
me: haha, i might post this chat on my blog
Traci: i was just typing that you weren't allowed to but then i erased it
me: now i have to

Views of conflict aside, nothing better for a marriage than knowing and accepting each other.

"Doctor and Writer Oliver Sacks"

This is SCIENCE IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English. I'm Barbara Klein. And I'm Bob Doughty. This week, we tell about the doctor and writer Oliver Sacks. He has spent most of his adult life treating patients in New York City. He also teaches neurology and psychiatry at Colombia University.

But Doctor Sacks is most famous for his books about people with disorders of the brain and nervous system. The stories he writes explore the science of the brain and the way it works. But they also tell a very human story about the experiences of real people struggling to live with unusual conditions.

(MUSIC)

Imagine a person who has no memory of the past twenty years of his life and still thinks he is a young man. The patient suffers from Korsakov's syndrome, a brain disorder that leads to memory loss. He remains trapped in a distant past because his memory of recent activities only lasts a few minutes.

Or imagine a man who learns to control the repeated movements and shouts that are signs of Tourette's syndrome. His doctor gives him medicine to take during the week to control the disorder. But on the weekends, the man decides to enjoy the signs of Tourette's because they are a part of his identity and personality.

These are examples of stories about patients as described in Oliver Sacks' book, "The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat." Published in nineteen eighty-five, the book became a huge success.

Doctor Sacks' earlier book, "Awakenings," told about his work with post-encephalitic patients at a hospital in New York City. Signs of this sickness include loss of speech and movement. In the nineteen sixties, Doctor Sacks gave the then-new drug L-Dopa to the patients. The drug gave them an explosive and sudden awakening to a temporary experience of active life.

When Oliver Sacks began treating patients, a traditional case history might be a detailed scientific description of a person's disorder. Doctor Sacks has expanded what he calls mechanical neurology to include the effects of the disorder on a patient's identity and personality.

In most cases, there is nothing Doctor Sacks can do to heal his patients. His aim is to help them find a way to live with and accept their conditions as well as is possible.

His stories describe a patient's disorders in detail. But more importantly, the stories express the patient's humanity as he or she struggles to survive in a world that has been changed by sickness.

(MUSIC)

Oliver Sacks was born in nineteen thirty-three in Britain to a family of doctors and scientists. His mother and father were doctors. His grandfather was an inventor. Doctor Sacks wrote a book, "Uncle Tungsten," about his uncle -- a scientist who made light bulbs with pieces of tungsten wire.

As a child, Oliver had a deep love of chemistry. His childhood heroes included the British chemist Humphry Davy and the French chemist Marie Curie. Oliver's questioning mind later led him to study medicine and neurology. Oliver Sacks moved to the United States in the early nineteen-sixties.

One expert who had a great influence on Doctor Sacks' work was the Soviet neuropsychologist Alexander Luria. Doctor Luria believed that the study of the brain and nervous system could not just be about facts and information. He urged neurologists to have a more "personalistic" method that included an understanding of the patient's self and identity. He also believed that patients could be taught to adapt, or get used to, their conditions as fully as possible even if they remained sick. Shortly before he died, Alexander Luria urged Oliver Sacks to combine scientific investigation with literary observation.

Oliver Sack's story "To See and Not See" gives a good example of his writing. This story is one of several in "An Anthropologist on Mars," a work published in nineteen ninety-five. It tells about Virgil, a fifty-year old man who had been blind since he was a child. Doctors believed that his blindness resulted from a genetic condition.

Virgil visits a doctor who believes he may not be permanently blind. The doctor successfully operates on one eye. But after the eye heals, Virgil has trouble seeing and understanding the light and images moving in front of him.

Doctor Sacks explains that people with eyesight have spent a lifetime learning how to see. So, they know how to judge distance and depth. He says they understand new experiences and sights based on similar, past experiences.

Virgil had an active, but partly damaged retina and optic nerve. Yet his brain did not know how to deal with the information coming from these areas of the eye.

As a blind man, Virgil had a rich life. He could enjoy great freedom because of his excellent sense of touch, hearing, and smell. But with sight, he was unable to understand the visual world around him.

Doctor Sacks explains that the brain's cortex in people like Virgil who become blind adapts to its new situation. By regaining sight, Virgil's nervous system had to undo its specialized adaptations.

Doctor Sacks also noted that such a big change made Virgil more fearful about his condition. The story Doctor Sacks tells is medically descriptive and informative. But it also remains personal and respectful of Virgil's special situation.

(MUSIC)

Doctor Sacks has written books on many subjects. In "Migraine", he explores severe head pain to further understand the way neurons in the brain operate.

In "The Island of the Colorblind," Doctor Sacks writes about a community living on an island in the Pacific Ocean. These islanders all suffer from colorblindness. They describe their world to Doctor Sacks in terms of lightness, darkness, and pattern.

In "Oaxaca Journal," Doctor Sacks explores his interest in pteridology, or the study of ferns. Ferns are some of the oldest plants on earth. They have not changed much over millions of years. In this book, he explores the ferns native to Oaxaca, Mexico and the cultural history of the area.

In his latest book, "Musicophilia," Oliver Sacks describes the effect music has on the brain by studying the experiences of many people with unusual conditions.

OLIVER SACKS:

" 'Musicophilia' means love of music. And this is a very general word. But I think this is almost universal among people. And the width of the title has really allowed me to embrace dozens and dozens of different musical experiences and sensations."

Music is an interesting subject for neurologists because many parts of the brain work together to listen to and make music. Music activates even more areas of the brain than language. And, music is very powerful. Even people with severe brain damage can still react to and even find healing in music.

For some people, music can actually change the structure of the brain. Researchers have found that an area of the brain called the corpus callosum is enlarged in professional musicians.

Another part of the brain is enlarged in musicians with absolute pitch. A person with absolute pitch can identify or recreate a musical note without the help of a musical instrument. Researchers also believe that the younger a musician begins training, the greater the changes in his or her brain.

One part of the book "Musicophilia" is about people with synesthesia.

OLIVER SACKS:

"The word 'synesthesia' has been around for a century, a little bit more. It was introduced in the eighteen nineties for people who would perhaps see colors when they heard music. Or in whom generally, one sensation would give rise to another sensation."

For example, one person Doctor Sacks writes about is a musician who experiences color with every musical note. The note G minor is a yellowish color, while D major is blue. Another person with synesthesia sees colors, shapes, and light when she listens to music.

Modern brain imaging has helped medical experts understand conditions like synesthesia. Brain images show that synesthetes have activity both in the area of the brain that sees and in another area that reacts to music.

OLIVER SACKS:

"I think of the book as sort of a treasury of stories and information which other people and in particular neuroscientists and others will be able to use and make sense of. But also, it's a fun book."

After the publication of "Musicophilia", Doctor Sacks received hundreds of messages from people with examples of the conditions he described.

A second version of the book includes information about their cases. Doctor Sacks has once again provided his readers with a rich exploration of the complex workings of the human mind.

(MUSIC)

This SCIENCE IN THE NEWS was written by Dana Demange, who was also our producer. I'm Barbara Klein. And I'm Bob Doughty. Listen again next week for more news about science, in Special English, on the Voice of America.

Applying Preference for Change in Marriage

In a recent post considering what core belief makes conservatives and liberals different, I argued that change is the best measure. Liberals embrace change and conservatives are weary of it. It resulted in a great discussion that ended with the question of whether this idea is practically helpful. Taking that as a challenge, I found a clear example of where the conservative/liberal views of change are both true and helpful, in marriage.

It is a fairly common understanding that women are more liberal than men, by a margin as wide as 12%. If we then apply the preferences for change, it helps explain common marital disagreements. Pop culture and my own marital experience confirm the idea that women are more satisfied in marriage when things are improving. For example, for my wife, our marriage is doing well if we are regularly dealing with our problems. If we aren't fighting, we probably aren't growing. For me, I feel like our marriage is doing well if we don't fight at all (my wife has taught me the folly of this idea, hence this earlier post).

Women, who are on average more liberal, are optimistic about the change the next fight will bring. Men, who are on average more conservative, are worried about the change the next fight might bring. I think both perspectives can be true. For many couples fighting leads to future baggage and more fights. For others fighting leads to dealing with past baggage and less (or at least healthier) fights. I'm curious, have other couples seen this to be true?

Red Hair - Paris Fashion Week

Bracelets X2 - Paris Fashion Week

Burqa Ban Limits Liberty

Spain is considering a ban on burqas, something France and Belgium have already done. There is distinction between freedom from influence and freedom from force. Understandably the veil is a representation of the barrier many women experience, it is still a choice. Like all choices there are repercussions. Liberty by definition is the power to do as one pleases and legal limits, no matter how good the intentions, don't expand liberty.

Smile - Rue de Turenne - Paris

Some pictures I made disappear in limbo
and one day they just pop up. I don't know why
That's the way it is ...

Fashion Design Business

Get a Job as a Fashion Designer or
Start Your Own
Fashion Design Business

As a fashion designer, you will have a creative and

exciting career that many people only dream about.

Design by Louis de Gama

There are many fashion design career paths for you to

choose from. Some fashion designers work for top

houses such as Tommy Hilfiger and Chanel. Others

are employed by mass-market manufacturers of men's,

women's and children's apparel. children's

Or you could start your own fashion design business,

establishing a distinctive style and overseeing fashion

creation from initial concept to manufacturing and distribution.

In this field, there is a long history of people rising from

humble beginnings to become fashion designer stars.

• Laura Ashley got her start as a secretary.
• Vera Wang began designing when she became engaged at age 39 and couldn't find a suitable wedding gown for the mature first bride.
• Ralph Lauren was born into a middle-class family who lived in the Bronx, and used to buy suits with his pocket money at age 12. He is now one of the richest and most famous fashion designers in the world.

Of course, it takes hard work, creativity, and a true passion for

fabulous designs to achieve success as a fashion designer,

but you can break into this career much more quickly and easily

Economics of Wedding Photography Startups

For my wedding anniversary last year good friend, Erin Scott, took some pictures of me and my bride around D.C. I like this one so much it made my Facebook profile:

You can see the rest here at ErinScottPhotography.com. Starting a small business is a tough task for anyone and photography startups are no different. You don't want to charge too much, you are relatively new after all. You don't want to charge too little, people will assume you're not very good. You can't shadow another local photographer without them worrying about competition. So here's a unique suggestion from economist Tim Harford:

You really have two options. One is to take photographs at friends’ weddings. You don’t need permission from a rival photographer, you just need permission from a friend.

But I have a more radical suggestion. To win business you need to demonstrate confidence in your expertise. Tell prospective clients that you will pay them for the privilege of taking photos at their wedding, and that you’re confident you’ll make money anyway because they will want to buy your prints. Not only does this scheme give them some compensation if you prove to be an amateurish snapper, but more importantly it sends a signal of your self-confidence. A true incompetent would never be able to afford such a deal. I only hope you are as good as you say you are.

And as you can tell, Erin is as good as I say. Thanks again Erin and happy anniversary Traci!

Gabriella - Rue Tiquetonne - Paris

Gabriella
"I am an Art Student
For me Fashion is dressing up each day and
make the place looks nice, rather than
wearing boring clothes. Today my look
is "Barbara Beehive in Paris" !
I love having good health and being able
to walk around. I hate having a bad head
day. My message to the world: enjoy each
day as if it was the last ..."



I am wearing a top by BLANC BLEU
Skirt by GIG SAW
Shoes by QUICK BROWN FOX
Bag by CRISTINA
Red ribbon of Barabara Behave

Not your typical Episcopal parish

I remember remarking to someone that S. Clement's in Philadelphia used to have a statement on their website that the Catechism of the Council of Trent was their doctrinal standard. That's not your typical Episcopal parish, of course, but it sounds fine to me. If you were looking for the proof, here it is, courtesy of the Wayback Machine.

Under item V. of the church's Mission Statement it states:
The final arbiter of doctrine is reckoned to be the Catechism of the Council of Trent. S. Clement’s rejects the errors of the Episcopal Church of the last thirty years; the so-called “ordination of women,” feminist theology, the new permissive marriage canons, the “revised liturgies,” and so on.

Why I'll Probably Never Vote for a Republican

Last year I explained why American liberal's fear of markets will probably keep me from voting for most Democrats. However, as Obama's approval rating is plummeting, I'm actually growing more frustrated with American conservatism. Though the words liberal and conservative have muddled definitions, there is a clear difference in my understanding of them, how they view change. Liberals embrace the hope of the future, expecting that there will be improvement. Conservatives, embrace the successes of the past, worried about the repercussions of that change*.

The situation in America is uniquely convoluted. If conservatives are afraid of change, then the Founding Fathers were liberals. However, they set up a conservative Constitution meant to keep national policy stable. Both ideologies are perfectly logical, but the pessimistic conservative worries me more. Though some change has been harmful, most of American history has been positive change. Conservatives are afraid to roll the dice, worried that the change will be harmful. But by attempting control and not allowing some risk, we miss out on the great things that change can bring. It is that control that worries me most about conservatives. Coercion of others is one of the great threats to our humanity.

Conservatives, because they fear change, are less likely to tolerate things they don't prefer (think immigration and drugs). They need more categories for things they dislike and things they find morally reprehensible. Sadly, this is also true for many American liberals (think environmental laws and gun restrictions). But it is the conservative distrust of the new and different that can lead to social division like nationalism and racism. Although conservatism is useful in dealing with situations we don't fully understand, it also limits growth by being afraid of new things. The liberal argument fails when things are fine the way they are. The conservative ideology fails when our current path continues to be beneficial. I believe both of those are true, so I'll continue to be weary of liberal Democrats and conservative Republicans.

*Economist F. A. Hayek's essay Why I Am Not a Conservative was helpful in the formation of several ideas articulated here.

Who Bought the Sewing Machine?

Five generations ago, my family purchased a new and modern Singer sewing machine. The machine still sits on its handsome table, fitted with skinny drawers. Some drawers contain parts, but no manual survived. In 2010, we weren't sure exactly how old it was or which great-great-great aunt had hemmed the most stitches from pumping its treadle powered base. So the search began.


Between 1887 and 1891, Singer improved and further refined their newest invention, calling it the No. 2 Vibrating Shuttle Sewing Machine. The vibrating bobbin was also known as a boat or bullet shuttle.

The style was altered slightly about 1891 to change out the fiddle base to a rectangular base. These models later came to be known as 27 and 28 after 1891 and in the 20th century they were put into production again as models 127 and 128.

The serial number gave us some clue, but several online resources for tracking serial numbers provided contradictory information. Back to the books again and comparison shopping of documented late 19th century machines.

The exciting results: our Singer was made in late 1891 and is in its original condition.
The best news: it still works.

Singer timeline
Dating sewing machines
Vibrating shuttle

Sunbeam - Rue St-Martin - Paris

Answering My Own Questions, Third Edition

Here's part one and two and here are some more interesting questions with interesting answers:

1) How many people have walked on the moon?
Twelve. All men, all Americans, all between 1969-1972.

2) How much can wrongly convicted criminal get?
Recently in NC a man received almost $1.5 million for being falsely imprisoned for 19 years.

3) Why do public restrooms have a gap in the front of the toilet seat?
Wikipedia suggests that it might has once been required by OSHA in the early 1970's. It could also be to prevent standing men from urinating "dribbles" on the seat. Another suggestion is that the gap prevents genitalia from touching the seat, which could spread disease.

4) How many presidents have served more than one term?
From Washington to Bush, 20 out of 43 served more than one term.

5) Which American owns the most land?
Ted Turner owns 2 million acres in 12 states. That's as big as Rhode Island and Delaware put together. He also created the show Captain Planet.

Alice - Rue Tiquetonne - Paris

Alice
"I am a Flamenco Dancer.
For me Fashion is 1 hour to prepare, so I am 1 hour
late ! Today, my look is Rock a little.
I love to dance. I hate oysters and coriander.
My message to the world: travel to open your mind".

I wear a T-Shirt "The Cure"
a vintage skirt
shoes by HOWS
belt I don't know
Bag from a creator of Australia

Boy meets Girl - Vendôme - Paris

Tight Leather - Paris Fashion Week

Linnea - Rue Tiquetonne - Paris

Linnea
"I am studying French.
For me Fashion is a way to express my creativity,
It depends in wich mood I am.
Today, my look is like tired-relaxed, a little
hang-over. I love to meet new people and experiment
news things. I dislike narrow-mind people that don't enjoy
life. My message to the world: Style is to know what you
are and what you want, and don't give a fuck about the rest !"



I wear vintage jeans shorts
White Top by H&M
Bohemian chic Boots by ?
Bag by CHANEL
Sunnies by RAYBAN
Perfume: "Angel" by T.MUGLER

Improv and Sightseeing in New York City

As I mentioned a while back, this weekend I head to NYC. I'll be performing in the 12th Annual Del Close Marathon. Marathon is not a exaggeration, it's a name. The festival runs from Friday to Sunday in three locations with shows day and night. Here are my performance slots:

The 708: Sat 12:00 pm at Hudson Guild Theatre
Mister Diplomat: Sun 2:30 pm at UCB Theatre

If you're in the area ticket information will be released soon on the website. Also, my wonderful wife has agreed to accompany me. Any non-improv touristy suggestions for us?

Emptying the Bottle: Late-July '10 Links

Here is a list of the worthwhile sites I've Bookmarked recently:

• Apple's control issues could hurt it in the long run, again.
• 151 positive traits of ADHD (earlier).
• Social benefit of the Sabbath (this is important).
• Ten ways movies get you into a fantasy world.
• Man chases disc golfers with a chainsaw at my alma mater.
• Watch this video of a Hallmark card, then watch the NAACP's reaction.
• Relationship between loving ourselves and loving others [graph].
• Number of birds killed by BP compared to cars, cats, and wind farms.
• When your opinion is not respected, focus on asking good questions.
• Feeling okay about being a consumer Christian, at least for now.
• Review of modern recession economics (highly recommended).

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"Pecos Bill, an American Folk Tale from VOA"

Pecos Bill had one of the strangest childhoods a boy ever had. It all started after his father decided that there was no longer enough room in east Texas for his family.

"Pack up, Ma!" he cried. "Neighbors movin' in fifty miles away! It's getting' too crowded!"

So they loaded up a wagon with all their things. Now some say they had fifteen children while others say eighteen. However many there were, the children were louder than thunder. And as they set off across the wild country of west Texas, their mother and father could hardly hear a thing.

Now, as they came to the Pecos River, the wagon hit a big rock. The force threw little Bill out of the wagon and he landed on the sandy ground. Mother did not know Bill was gone until she gathered the children for the midday meal. Mother set off with some of the children to look for Bill, but they could find no sign of him.

Well, some people say Bill was just a baby when his family lost him. Others say he was four years old. But all agree that a group of animals called coyotes found Bill and raised him. Bill did all the things those animals did, like chase lizards and howl at the moon. He became as good a coyote as any.

(SOUND)

Now, Bill spent seventeen years living like a coyote until one day a cowboy rode by on his horse. Some say the cowboy was one of Bill's brothers. Whoever he was, he took one look at Bill and asked, "What are you?"

Bill was not used to human language. At first, he could not say anything. The cowboy repeated his question. This time, Bill said, "varmint."

That is a word used for any kind of wild animal.

"No you aren't," said the cowboy.

"Yes, I am," said Bill. "I have fleas."

"Lots of people have fleas," said the cowboy. "You don't have a tail."

"Yes, I do," said Bill.

"Show it to me then," the cowboy said.

Bill looked at his backside and realized that he did not have a tail like the other coyotes. "Well, what am I then?" asked Bill.

"You're a cowboy! So start acting like one!" the cowboy cried out. Well that was all Bill needed to hear. He said goodbye to his coyote friends and left to join the world of humans.

(MUSIC)

Now, Pecos Bill was a good cowboy. Still, he hungered for adventure. One day he heard about a rough group of men. There is some debate over what the group was called. But one storyteller calls it the "Hell's Gate Gang."

So Bill set out across the rough country to find this gang of men. Well, Bill's horse soon was injured so Bill had to carry it for a hundred miles. Then Bill met a rattlesnake fifty feet long. The snake made a hissing noise and was not about to let Bill pass. But after a tense minute, Bill beat the snake until it surrendered. He felt sorry for the varmint, though, and wrapped it around his arm.

After Bill walked another hundred miles, he came across an angry mountain lion. There was a huge battle, but Bill took control of the big cat and put his saddle on it. He rode that mountain lion all the way to the camp of the Hell's Gate Gang.

Now, when Bill saw the gang he shouted out, "Who's the boss around here?"

A huge cowboy, nine feet tall, took one look at Bill and said in a shaky voice, "I was the boss. But you are the boss from here on in."

With his gang, Pecos Bill was able to create the biggest ranch in the Southwest. Bill and his men had so many cattle that they needed all of New Mexico to hold them. Arizona was the pasture where the cattle ate grass.

Pecos Bill invented the art of being a cowboy. He invented the skill of throwing a special rope called a lasso over a cow's head to catch wandering cattle.

Some say he used a rattlesnake for a lasso. Others say he made a lasso so big that it circled the whole Earth.

Bill invented the method of using a hot branding iron to permanently put the mark of a ranch on a cow's skin. That helped stop people from stealing cattle. Some say he invented cowboy songs to help calm the cattle and make the cowboy's life easier. But he is also said to have invented tarantulas and scorpions as jokes. Cowboys have had trouble with those poisonous creatures ever since.

Now, Pecos Bill could ride anything that ever was. So, as some tell the story, there came a storm bigger than any other. It all happened during the worst drought the West had ever seen. It was so dry that horses and cows started to dry up and blow away in the wind. So when Bill saw the windstorm, he got an idea. The huge tornado kicked across the land like a wild bronco. But Bill jumped on it without a thought.

He rode that tornado across Texas, New Mexico and Arizona, all the time squeezing the rain out of it to save the land from drought. When the storm was over, Bill fell off the tornado. He landed in California. He left a hole so deep that to this day it is known as Death Valley.

(MUSIC)

Now, Bill had a horse named Widow Maker. He got that name because any man who rode that horse would be thrown off and killed and his wife would become a widow. No one could ride that horse but Bill.

And Widow Maker, in the end, caused the biggest problem for Pecos Bill. You see, one day Bill saw a woman. Not just any woman, but a wild, red- haired woman, riding a giant catfish down the Rio Grande River.

Her name was Slue-foot Sue. And Bill fell in love with her at first sight. Well, Bill would not rest until he had asked for her hand in marriage. And Slue-foot Sue accepted.

On their wedding day, Pecos Bill dressed in his best buckskin suit. And Sue wore a beautiful white dress with a huge steel-spring bustle in the back. It was the kind of big dress that many women wore in those days — the bigger the better.

Now, after the marriage ceremony Slue-foot Sue got a really bad idea. She decided that she wanted to ride Widow Maker. Bill begged her not to try. But she had her mind made up.

Well, the second she jumped on the horse's back he began to kick and buck like nothing anyone had ever seen. He sent Sue flying so high that she sailed clear over the new moon.

She fell back to Earth, but the steel-spring bustle just bounced her back up as high as before.

Now, there are many different stories about what happened next. One story says Bill saw that Sue was in trouble. She would keep bouncing forever if nothing was done. So he took his rope out -- though some say it was a huge rattlesnake -- and lassoed Sue to catch her and bring her down to Earth. Only, she just bounced him back up with her.

Somehow the two came to rest on the moon. And that's where they stayed. Some people say they raised a family up there. Their children were as loud and wild as Bill and Sue were in their younger days. People say the sound of thunder that sometimes carries over the dry land around the Pecos River is nothing more than Pecos Bill's family laughing up a storm.

Karlie Kloss au naturel - Paris FW

Just Watt you need for summer

I was quite taken with this custom-designed green solemn vestment set (click image to enlarge) from Watts & Co in London. I say that if you are going to shell out the cash for Watts, you might as well get green, which will have the most face time during the liturgical year. This is the description:

Cut in the Spanish style from green Bellini Damask, this vestment set is richly hand embroidered with a design based on sixteenth century Spanish originals.

Don't Fear China, Celebrate with It

I've posted before on why trade deficits are actually investment surpluses and why Chinese government subsidies actually benefit us. However, after reading this mediocre argument for why we shouldn't fear China, I've decided eradicating fear isn't enough. America should not only not fear China, it should celebrate the amazing progress its made in the last decade. Here's Tyler Cowen first on how far China has to come:

CHINESE labour is still pretty cheap, at least by Western standards. To give an example, the minimum wage in Shenzen—a very active economic area—is still only $160 a month and in other parts of China it runs even lower. It’s not that all Chinese wages are so low but overall China is a much poorer country than most people think. It’s not even close to having the average wages of, say, Mexico.

And here he his again on why we should look forward to more gains:

If Chinese wages are rising, it is because Chinese workers have shown that they are more productive. All the capital investment in China is yielding dividends in terms of greater output per worker and that’s good for virtually everyone.

We benefit from increases in Chinese production in the same way they benefit from production in the US. China is now going through our Gilded Age. Huge national economic growth that will eventually bring up even the poorest citizens. Progress will happen faster for them thanks to the developed world leading way. As I've mentioned before, they are predicted to catch up around 2048. Good for them, good for us.

Uliana Sergienko - Paris Fashion Week

she is a russian socialite and photographer

Kevin - Rue St-Martin - Paris

Kevin
"I am a Fashion Magazine Editor.
Fashion is like Life-Style. It's everywhere.
Today, my look is lazy. I love adventurous
side of life. I don't like people losing
this adventurous side getting older.
My message to the world: Life is short !"
I wear a vintage sweater
Jeans by CHEAP MONDAY
Converse sneakers
Perfume: ARMANI

Kevin's Mag click

Moral Math

In yesterday's explanation for why I'm weary of corporate charity and how we can improve it, I hinted at something that has bothered me for a while. When people do one good thing, they often let themselves off the hook for other good things. Not until I came across this article did I have the vocabulary to articulate what I meant:

The academic name for such quizzical behavior is moral licensing. It seems that we have a good/bad balance sheet in our heads that we're probably not even aware of. For many people, doing good makes it easier -- and often more likely -- to do bad. It works in reverse, too: Do bad, then do good.

We see everyday when people pull up to their organic food store in a Hummer or when we feel better about leaving energy efficient light bulbs on longer. But it also has less innocent repercussions like:

a study showing that voters given an opportunity to endorse Barack Obama for president were more likely to later favor white people for job openings.

In another experiment shopper were give the option to shop at either:

online stores that carry mainly green products or mainly conventional products. Then they played a game that allowed them to cheat to make more money. The shoppers from the green store were more dishonest than those at the conventional store, which brought them higher earnings in the game.

This is connected to my skeptical attitude toward charitable giving in general. It seems the best way to avoid this mental trap is either to account for everything you do, so you can accurately weigh the costs and benefits, or simply make your kind acts second nature so they stop being accounted.

Where Charity Meets Profit

The Dirty South Improv Theater, where I perform and teach, is well known for supporting the local community of Carrboro-Chapel Hill. From the annual Y Laugh fundraising campaign to special shows for non-profits like a used-bicycle collective and a youth mentor-advocate program. For all of this month, 20% of the ticket sales will go to the local Boys and Girls Club. The reason behind any business doing this is two fold: 1) as a form of advertising and brand image, 2) support causes the boss feels are worthwhile.

I've always questioned both of those motivations. The first feels like a deceptive way to convince the public your product is valuable. For example BP recently announced it would donate any revenues from collected oil in the Gulf to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. Any energy spent making it seem like your company is good, is energy not spent actually making your company good. The second motivation also makes me uncomfortable because if the bosses want to donate money, they should pay themselves more and do it. Why involve the company, the employees, and the stock holders?

My question was recently answered when Tyler Cowen shared an interesting research finding. When customers at an amusement park were asked to buy pictures of themselves on a roller coaster only 0.5% paid the $12.95 asking price. Next they allowed customers to pay what they wanted. Sales went up to 8.4%, but the average payment was only $0.92. Later they were told that half of the $12.95 went to charity. This barely changed the amount of payers. Finally, the two ideas were put together. Customers could pay what they wanted, but half would go to charity. Suddenly, 4.5% of the customers bought a photo, nine times the original number, each paying an average of $5.33.

Charitable donations increased and so did profits. Not counting any loss due to consumer guilt, it was a net gain for all. Businesses made more and looked good doing it. Charities got more and people felt better giving it. This also allows the boss to give to his desired charity with a positive impact on his company. Until I can convince theater owner Zach Ward to change the pricing, you can still go see shows all this month and donate any extra at the door. This weekend marks the end of our two special sketch shows, Harvey Wallbanger and We Need A Hero.

Blond make-up - Paris FW

Jean-Paul Gaultier Show

I want my Baby B(l)ack - Paris FW

GI Sarah - Place Vendôme - Paris

Sarah
"I am just graduated of a Fashion School of Paris.
Fashion fills my life between work and pleasure.
My look is military vintage. I love People.
I hate custard tarts and people acting like
custard tarts. If I had 1000€ to spend in Fashion
stuff, I would buy CHANEL Shoes. My message to
the world: Take off your clothes !"



I wear vintage silk pyjamas
Vintage forage cap
Shoes by PURA LUMBA
Vintage clutch and sunnies

Busy Girl - Paris Fashion Week

Thoughts on the Gulf Oil Spill

I've talked before about the gulf oil disaster when answering a reader's question about boycotting BP. However, I decided to hold off on my full evaluation until the leak had been stopped (hopefully) and the situation could be measured. Let me first say I underestimated how big a deal the issue would be. When I first heard about it I filed it under "overblown scary news" category and moved on. Here we are 3 months and 2.5 million gallons of oil a day later and it has become the worst man made oil spill in American history. Like anything newsworthy, the disaster in the Gulf is not always correctly considered. So here are 4 things to consider: Perspective, Incentives, Accidents, and Options.

Perspective: There has been somewhere between 93-184 million gallons leaked from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. As breathtaking as that number is, the US pumps 2 billion (that's 2,000 million) barrels of oil off the coast per year. Though the costs of offshore drilling are now seen as enormous, they are only a small percentage of the benefits. This is a strong argument against Obama's struggle to put a moratorium on offshore drilling.

The other important fact to recognize is that oil naturally seeps into the ocean, although never in such large amounts at one time. The amount of the spill is less than the the amount naturally leaked all year. This does not mean the crisis isn't real, but it does mean zero contamination is not the goal.

Not only does oil naturally seep into the ocean, it also spills in other ways. Shipping oil from nation to nation ends in 4 times the amount leaked from drilling. Also, runoff from car and boats results in over 12 times more ocean oil than leaks in extraction. These numbers are different after such a large spill, but it's worth noting just how rare drilling spill like this are and what impact ending US drilling could have.

Incentives: The primary problem is not corporate or regulatory, but property. Everybody owns the ocean, so nobody owns the ocean. For this reason markets cannot be fully functional. The solution to this is messy and can't be fleshed by me and certainly not in one post. The good news is that there are some markets. For example BP has already been punished. Like I linked in June, it has lost 1/3 of it's value in the stock market, which is probably a farily good assessment of how much the crisis will cost them. It's a good reminder that we certainly don't want small businesses running oil drilling. We don't want companies without deep pockets causing big problems.

Accidents:  Sometimes incidents like this are just calculated accidents. No matter how much you want to blame someone, it may just be a risk we were willing to take. That is probably not the case here, because it seems obvious that BP did not correctly assess the cost and benefits of leaks and cleanup. The reason why is probably some combination of bad corporation and government incentives. This accident idea is shown nicely in this satirical Onion video entitled: Truck Accident That Killed Rafters in Canyon Sparks Truck-Canyon-Rafter Reform Debate

Options: More regulation from Congress won't solve the problem because the original laws weren't being enforced. Also, most oil in the world isn't produced by companies but by nations. For those two reasons, "green energy" isn't the solution. Solar, wind, etc are years from profitability and it's well known that biofuels are largely a disaster. Not only are the crop subsidies destructive to market allocation, they are extremely destructive of natural resources. The growing of sugar cane and corn encourages farmers to cut down valuable forests. It also adds to the Gulf's "dead zones" created by fertilizers washing into the ocean.

Oil, comparatively, has been one of the most important products in human history. It helped with deforestation when it replaced wood as the primary energy source. Despite oil's bad press this century, it was one of the most important resources two centuries ago. Fossil fuels powered the industrial revolution that brought humanity out of continual poverty. Though not as safe to produce as nuclear (earlier post), it is safer than coal. Speaking of nuclear power, my biggest fear is that the spill will become my generation's Three Mile Island resulting in heavy regulation that harms workers and consumers for decades.

Outrage like this can lead to bad ideas like the dispersant that has mostly been effective in getting the problem out of sight, while actually hindering real cleanup efforts. The solution is not easy and it is not complete. No matter what we do there will still be millions of oil in the water for a very long time. What I'd like to see is the US government enforce the legal obligations BP and it's affiliates have. Paying for the cleanup, lost wages, and other legal obligations. Then, and this is easier said then done, I want a simplification of the oil regulatory system. One less reliant on hard working and honest regulators. Although the public anger over the spill is appropriate, I'd like to see if harnessed correctly.

Ajak Deng - Paris Fashion Week

A black Panther

All my missals are aimed at you!

Takeaways from Madison's Montpelier, Part IV

This is the fourth and final post in a series about my experience at Montpelier, the home of President James Madison. These are in response to a week of tours, discussions, and lectures. Here are the first, second, and third posts transcribed from my personal and like this one are not necessarily ideas endorsed by the Center for the Constitution. Here is part four of my takeaways:


One of the primary purposes of an educator is to challenge student's upbringing. Show them what they cannot learn at home.

Madison put a large emphasis on prudence. Here's a humorous example of it in practice.

One of the professors asks his students on the first day: "what percentage of my job is to change you?" Most say very little. He then responds with: "what if you're a jerk?" That convinced me that even if students do not want me to change them, I should.

Educators often spend an exorbitant amount of energy on convincing their students they are knowledgeable. Does that teach our students that you can get to a level where you don't need to learn anymore? Perhaps we should teach them that adults don't know what they are doing most of the time, but that they still manage to function.

A lecturer pointed out that it is an American rarity that we fly our flag so much. This question from the UK seems to corroborate that.

One way to draw young students into the content of history is to start each day with "once upon a time".

In any social science (but economics specifically), teachers should give their students the vocabulary tools required to describe the world.

Every elementary school teacher has at one time felt like a babysitter. Every high school teacher has at one time felt like a prison guard.

James Madison's famous wife, Dolly, looks an awful like the woman from the cover of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.

Something I appreciated from the week's lecturers is they treated us like academic equals. I felt pulled up. I need to do that for my high school students.

In the long run, there are few jobs more influential than a very good public high school teacher. I see 150 students a year for 90 days for 90 minutes each day. That's is both encouraging and terrifying.

When you find a truth do you simply say "huh, interesting" and move on to your next task? Truth, because it is hard to find, should change our world view.

Many people are clever, but few are wise.

History remembers people in one sentence. Positive example: James Madison was the father of the Constitution. Negative example: John Payne Todd (Madison's step-son) was a drinker, a gambler, and one reason why Dolly Madison had to sell the family home.

America was founded on disagreement. The Constitution was built on conflict (internal and external).

One reason why this week had such a strong impact on me was the combination of fact and fiction. Hearing the content was helpful, but hearing the personal stories and seeing and standing where they happened made the ideas come to life.

When I say the word America, what does your mind's eye imagine? Mine is the eastern seaboard, public speakers, and the American military. Not sure how to interpret those three things together.

Something I did not fully grasp, or more accurately realized I did not fully grasp it, was citizenship. Americans have a looser understanding of that word than most of the world. I think I have an even looser definition.

Part of the experience of the week was meeting new people. More than race, age had a larger impact on who I was drawn to. All the people I met were fabulous, but I am naturally drawn to my generation. I am an agist.

If you can't govern yourself, you can't govern others. This is a problem for voters and politicians.

There is value in concern for your family. There is value in concern for your community. There is value in concern for your country. There is value in concern for your world. When the two conflict, who do you side with? It's either the first or the last. I think the difference in your decision is the difference between a liberal and a conservative.

The Leviathan, or a strong central government, used to be seen as the solution to man's troublesome nature. Today democracy, or the wisdom of the masses, is seen as the best tool. I think there is a third solution, with more of an emphasis on governmental competition and less on educated voters.

All teachers should find ways to get back behind a desk every so often. The National Endowment for the Humanities offers a wide range of options, but there are plenty out there.

And finally, I am very thankful for all of staff and participants who made the week so worthwhile I had to split it into four posts. I'm slowly being convinced we should use the blogosphere for our daily learning and trips like this to give us that regular push forward.

Benefit of Real Conversations

The research says you should skip the small talk:

The happiest subjects spent 70 percent more time talking than the unhappiest sub jects, which suggests that “the mere time a person spends in the presence of others is a good predictor of the person’s level of happi ness,” says co-author Matthias Mehl, a psy chologist at Arizona. The happiest subjects also participated in a third as much small talk and had twice as many in-depth conversations as the most unhappy participants.

Hopefully this blog helps with this.

Louboutined legs - Paris FW

Zone Expérimentale - Paris FW

Culture of the Industrial Revolution

A while back I posted Tyler Cowen's answer to my question about why the Industrial Revolution happened when it did. Although his list is exhaustive, he didn't mention this one:

the wide adoption of Bourgeois values was critical. By that, she means that once innovators and capitalists were looked up to or were considered gentlemen, an economic transformation towards industrialization could happen.

Not surprisingly, there is a correlation between the cultural appreciation for entrepreneurs and past economic growth. Now, what does the recent backlash against CEO's mean for future growth?

Francois - Place Vendôme - Paris

François
"I am a free artist
For me Fashion is an image
with symbolic influences in space
inscription. My look is quiet and transparent ...
I love classical poetry (Mallarmé & F. Villon).
I hate people who invest
in a look in an arrogant way. My message to the
world: Be simple and learn more how to make love !"



I wear a vintage jacket by CACHAREL
Basic Sailor top
Vintage LEVI'S pants
my belt is a vintage tie by HERMES
Black Mocassins
Bag by LONGCHAMPS
Perfume "Terre d'Hermès" on the neck
"Eau d'Hermès" on the body

Anna Wintour - Paris Fashion Week

Parfois, j'ai l'impression que les gens la confonde avec le personnage
du film " Le Diable s'habille en Prada" en permanence. Quel cinéma !

Military Jacket - Paris FW

Nude Dress - Paris Fashion Week

Reasonableness of God

Within the PCA, the denomination to which I am a member, Tim Keller is well known. He is a bestselling author and pastor at a large church in NYC. He was invited to speak at the Googleplex as part of the Talks@Google series. Though it is long (42 minutes), this talk is one of the best I've ever heard on the topic of logic and religion. Take it from someone who doesn't like to invest too much time into something, this is worth it:


I would love to hear responses from believers and non-believers.

Fashion jewelry collection

jewelry
wood fashion jewelry

Fashion Jewelry necklace design collection

Fashion Jewelry necklace and ear rings