To slag

Had a good laugh at lunch today when I attempted to use UK slang, and did it wrong.

I knew I'd probably screw up the syntax, so before saying it, acknowledged that I wasn't sure of proper way to say it.

I spoke of the chat boards where moronic masses were "slagging on" our webstie. Thinking of "ripping on" in American slang. I was wrong.

slag (v): British slang. To criticize or tear down harshly.

But it seems I didn't get the adverb right. Proper usage is "slag off". As in "They were slagging off our site."

Probably as funny as flipping similar adverbs in colloquial English for jerk- get- put- brush- etc.

Upon returning to the office:

Ken: Miyagi: Slag on; slag off.

My chat lingo dates me

I was informed today by my young apprentice here in the London office, who is about 24, than my use of "tyvm" in chat flags me as a long time internet user. The tone she used to inform me of this was tinged with tragedy and astonishment. The tone said, "Wow, you're really old."

My IM style dates me. I didn't know this was possible, of course I also just started to use Facebook in the last 2 months, so I know I'm behind the curve.

And this bitch is PISSED

I think she's got some ass kicking to do. Gonna do some work with that sword.

A New Hope

I'm so thrilled to be ringing in Obama tomorrow. We're going out to celebrate at our favorite brew pub in our favorite Marin hippy town.

Just re-watched MLK jr's "I Have a Dream" speech, and took away his encouragement not to become bitter and angry towards the opposition in the civil rights struggle. A good reminder to me that I need to remember there are some "people of faith" who were against prop 8 here in CA, and that not all are opponents. One must leave the door open for people to change their minds. Polarization is anithetical to persusaion.

So nice to be proud of the country again.

Time to roll up our selves and do some work.

This is awesome

I so wish this existed on my campus. Article is from a few years ago, but still awesome.

Well worth it

I helped sponsor this. And this:

"I am sure that Stephen Green really does think there is a great deal of evidence for a God (though presumably only the one that he believes in) but I pity the ASA if they are going to be expected to rule on the probability of god’s existence."

Makes it all worth while. The advertising standards body forced to apply the truth in advertising standard to an articulation of rational skepticism. That'd be awesome.

Oregon remains economically retarded

Not only are they socialists about gasoline dispensation, but it seems Oregonians are similarly dumb about gasoline taxation.

I can appreciate the problem that Oregonians have: Folks are driving less, and driving more fuel efficient vehicles, so they consume less gasoline, which means gas tax revenues decline. And gas tax revenues are used to keep the roads up. So the roads are getting similar wear, but the state lacks the similar funds to care for them. And while taxing the road usage seems reasonable, in that heavy users ought to be heavy payers, does it not make more sense to just, you know, raise gas taxes?

Yes, electric vehicles won't use gas, but will use roads. So the state will have an expense without offsetting revenue. But kicking in a mileage tax just gives people less motive to drive anything fuel efficient. High gas taxes provide heavy commuters incentive not to be heavy polluters. But if it's the mileage that gets taxed, then one might as well ride in style and comfort in a giant inefficient vehicle.

If Oregon is really worried about high mileage, low fuel tax revenue vehicles, they should adopt a tax scheme that considers the weight of the vehicle. Driving a Hummer 50,000 miles does more damage to roads than driving a Prius 50,000 miles. If one assumes a car's lifetime is a fixed number of miles (maybe 100,000?), one need not even track the mileage, since each vehicle will do its (weight x mileage) damage over its lifetime, where weight is the primary determinant of damage.

So just do a vehicle weight-based tax when a new vehicle is registered in OR, where new = less than 10,000 miles on it. Of course, this will drive people to try to register vehicles out of state, and provide a disincentive to buy newer (possibly more fuel efficient) cars at a time when the auto industry is dying for customers. Which is why simply raising the gas tax makes infinitely more sense. And why Oregonians are terrible economists.

*UPDATE*

Seems Mankiw agrees.