Critical Exponent

This morning, I was witness to a crime. As they were getting off, two punks swiped the iPod of a guy sitting next to the rear door of the bus. The victim gave chase but couldn’t catch them. The bus driver called the police and several passengers provided helpful details on the perpetrators.

I felt horrible that this crime happened. We’re hearing of more frequent crimes in the neighborhood (residential burglaries) and I wonder how much worse things will get with the economic downturn.

I’m encouraging everyone to use preventive measures: security systems, lighted driveways, pockets that fasten shut, and wrist straps on small, valuable belongings.

It takes a lot of effort to fix what is broken—the more complex the system, the greater the effort. Blame entropy.

I was reminded of this truism today when we went to the Salmon Days celebration in Issaquah. That we need fish hatcheries and salmon ladders speaks to the fact that we have overfarmed this fish. I am just as guilty as anyone, of course. Perhaps this is another instance of the free market failing to account for externalities. I dunno.

At any rate, it was fun being at the fair. I enjoyed seeing salmon still swimming upstream in a creek that must once have been teeming with fish.

It was also quite interesting to see so many flesh-and-blood Republicans walking around, carrying their McCain-Palin signs. I don’t get what they think that ticket will accomplish, but they’re the reason Washington state, overall, leans only slightly Democratic.

A great transcript-linked video of the debate, with a timeline, is available courtesy of the New York Times.

My impressions:

• Gov. Palin rose from seeming completely out of her element to acting like the typical politician who sticks to the talking points and tries to spin/avoid facts.

• Both of them seemed more articulate and fluid than their respective principals.

• Gay rights: Biden seemed to issue a strong statement on gay rights, though he did not support same-sex civil marriage. It seemed to me he left the door open, though, by saying there should not be a constitutional distinction. If they make all the federal benefits available to same-sex couples, then they’re effectively creating a civil marriage institution (and I don’t care what they call it, as long as it’s the same for everyone!).

City workers on the Fremont bridge, cans of solvent at their side, steadily scrubbing off the graffiti.