NRU - more mish mash

As I sit and read books based on qualitative/historical studies, I reflect on how easy it is to note how data is presented through the filter of the author's interpretation.  Then I read this article on older dads and biological/behavioral disorders in their offspring.  Ostensibly this is a quantitative/scientific study claiming that older sperm, like older eggs, has the potential (and according to this article, substantial potential) to create progeny that have autism, ADHD and bipolar disorder.  I was struck by the final piece:

"Although the authors of the study acknowledge their findings do not establish a causal link between a father's age and a child's emotional and academic vulnerability, they conclude that their findings are consistent with the hypothesis that more frequent mutations in the sperm of older men is "causally related" to their childrens' higher risk of poor outcomes."

Turns out quantitative/scientific studies are interpretations as well.

Seems as though Arizona's governor may have learned her lesson when it comes to setting her state up to lose a lot of revenue.  She vetoed the gay hate/religious freedom bill.  So no law in AZ that says you can decide what to do with your business based on your hate.  As Jon Stewart said, I am glad she vetoed it, but it would be better if they could figure out that there is more at stake than revenue.

I truly enjoyed this piece on folks chasing a higher minimum wage across state lines.  I think it does an excellent job of exposing the fallacies being discussed by talking heads that haven't earned anything close to minimum wage since they were teenagers.  There is much to be said for getting closer to the actual issue before making pronouncements about it.

When academia seems to be the pit of snakes I tried to avoid for so many years, I wonder if I could get a job like this.  It sounds like fun!

I am not sure what peace in gentrification looks like but I wonder if this might be the start of detente.  Or there are some folks who might feel like it is just Novocaine.