Comments on: The Sincerest Form of Flottery http://crookedtimber.org/2007/03/29/the-sincerest-form-of-flottery/ Out of the crooked timber of humanity, no straight thing was ever made Sun, 27 May 2012 00:43:58 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: F. Etus http://crookedtimber.org/2007/03/29/the-sincerest-form-of-flottery/comment-page-1/#comment-191909 F. Etus Fri, 30 Mar 2007 18:48:51 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2007/03/29/the-sincerest-form-of-flottery/#comment-191909 "most independent observers have concluded that Levitt wiped the floor with Lott’s ass in that debate" I'm not familiar with Lott, and I'm not Lott, but many independent observers have concluded Levitt was wrong: http://www.demog.berkeley.edu/~bryans/fert_abtn-crime.pdf http://www.bos.frb.org/economic/wp/wp2005/wp0515.pdf http://www.ssc.wisc.edu/jhr/2004ab/joyce1.htm Levitt hyped his nonsense into a big paycheck. I admire him for that. “most independent observers have concluded that Levitt wiped the floor with Lott’s ass in that debate”

I’m not familiar with Lott, and I’m not Lott, but many independent observers have concluded Levitt was wrong:

http://www.demog.berkeley.edu/~bryans/fert_abtn-crime.pdf

http://www.bos.frb.org/economic/wp/wp2005/wp0515.pdf

http://www.ssc.wisc.edu/jhr/2004ab/joyce1.htm

Levitt hyped his nonsense into a big paycheck. I admire him for that.

]]> By: Decnavda http://crookedtimber.org/2007/03/29/the-sincerest-form-of-flottery/comment-page-1/#comment-191908 Decnavda Fri, 30 Mar 2007 18:31:49 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2007/03/29/the-sincerest-form-of-flottery/#comment-191908 radek- Actually, Lott and Sailer played tag-team in getting whipped by Levitt. The comments to Lott's post on his blog here: http://johnrlott.tripod.com/2005/11/levitts-abortion-disappeared-when.html show them high-fiving each other in their delusion that they won the debate. radek-

Actually, Lott and Sailer played tag-team in getting whipped by Levitt. The comments to Lott’s post on his blog here:

http://johnrlott.tripod.com/2005/11/levitts-abortion-disappeared-when.html
show them high-fiving each other in their delusion that they won the debate.

]]> By: Barry http://crookedtimber.org/2007/03/29/the-sincerest-form-of-flottery/comment-page-1/#comment-191904 Barry Fri, 30 Mar 2007 17:42:05 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2007/03/29/the-sincerest-form-of-flottery/#comment-191904 On top of that, Lott is a pathologoical liar; any truth probably affects him like scratchy wool longjohns affect somebody allergic to wool. On top of that, Lott is a pathologoical liar; any truth probably affects him like scratchy wool longjohns affect somebody allergic to wool.

]]> By: Fixed Point - A weblog on economics and psychology » Friday fun with Freakonomics http://crookedtimber.org/2007/03/29/the-sincerest-form-of-flottery/comment-page-1/#comment-191863 Fixed Point - A weblog on economics and psychology » Friday fun with Freakonomics Fri, 30 Mar 2007 08:24:36 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2007/03/29/the-sincerest-form-of-flottery/#comment-191863 [...] But this made me laugh a lot this morning. The comments are particularly amusing. (HT CT. [...] [...] But this made me laugh a lot this morning. The comments are particularly amusing. (HT CT. [...]

]]> By: JuicyLurker http://crookedtimber.org/2007/03/29/the-sincerest-form-of-flottery/comment-page-1/#comment-191849 JuicyLurker Fri, 30 Mar 2007 02:13:37 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2007/03/29/the-sincerest-form-of-flottery/#comment-191849 Why does Lott hate Levitt and Dubner's book? Lott's defamation suite against the authors was <a href="http://scienceblogs.com/deltoid/2007/01/court_rules_that_lott_cherrypi.php" rel="nofollow"> recently thrown out of court</a>. Why does Lott hate Levitt and Dubner’s book? Lott’s defamation suite against the authors was recently thrown out of court.

]]> By: radek http://crookedtimber.org/2007/03/29/the-sincerest-form-of-flottery/comment-page-1/#comment-191848 radek Fri, 30 Mar 2007 01:50:25 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2007/03/29/the-sincerest-form-of-flottery/#comment-191848 decnavda, you're thinking of Steve Sailer. Lott's the gun guy. decnavda, you’re thinking of Steve Sailer. Lott’s the gun guy.

]]> By: Decnavda http://crookedtimber.org/2007/03/29/the-sincerest-form-of-flottery/comment-page-1/#comment-191834 Decnavda Thu, 29 Mar 2007 22:54:39 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2007/03/29/the-sincerest-form-of-flottery/#comment-191834 confused wrote: <i>I still don’t get it. The authors of Freakonomics are pro-market, and some have even considered them libertarian. Why would Lott have a beef with them? (I don’t know the whole story; could someone explain?) In particular, is there a reason he is copying their format? Is he parodying them, or basically saying that his book is the real deal and not theirs? Or is he just a lunatic?</i> I have 3 responses: 1. Lott & Levitt have an existing emnity because Lott challenged Levitt's conclusion that Roe v. Wade is partially responsible for the large drop in crime in the 1990's, Levitt responded, and most independent observers have concluded that Levitt wiped the floor with Lott's ass in that debate. Of course, that issue really has nothing to do with free markets, which leads to - 2. Yes, Lott is a lunatic. And - 3. Even if you come out on the side of free markets, you are an apostate to the right these days if you base your conclusions on mathmatical analyses of well-documented empirical data. As Colbert says, the very facts themselves have a liberal bias. confused wrote:
I still don’t get it. The authors of Freakonomics are pro-market, and some have even considered them libertarian. Why would Lott have a beef with them? (I don’t know the whole story; could someone explain?) In particular, is there a reason he is copying their format? Is he parodying them, or basically saying that his book is the real deal and not theirs? Or is he just a lunatic?

I have 3 responses:

1. Lott & Levitt have an existing emnity because Lott challenged Levitt’s conclusion that Roe v. Wade is partially responsible for the large drop in crime in the 1990’s, Levitt responded, and most independent observers have concluded that Levitt wiped the floor with Lott’s ass in that debate. Of course, that issue really has nothing to do with free markets, which leads to –
2. Yes, Lott is a lunatic. And –
3. Even if you come out on the side of free markets, you are an apostate to the right these days if you base your conclusions on mathmatical analyses of well-documented empirical data. As Colbert says, the very facts themselves have a liberal bias.

]]> By: Michael Bérubé http://crookedtimber.org/2007/03/29/the-sincerest-form-of-flottery/comment-page-1/#comment-191785 Michael Bérubé Thu, 29 Mar 2007 17:45:48 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2007/03/29/the-sincerest-form-of-flottery/#comment-191785 <i>First you try to go cold turkey but that doesn’t work as you are thinking just one little sip of blogging won’t hurt. Next thing you know you will be back to blogging 24/7 and your wife, kids and job are suffering. The next thing you know you will be homeless, sitting on a curb somewhere, unshaven, and a dirty laptop in your lap.</i> Actually, Dilbert, as <a href="http://crookedtimber.org/2007/03/29/discipline-and-puzzle/" rel="nofollow">today's post demonstrates</a>, I'm already well on the way to stage three. And I don't see what's the big deal about "shaving," anyway. Or "showering," either. But I assure you that I can quit anytime. I just don't feel like quitting right now. Or next week. First you try to go cold turkey but that doesn’t work as you are thinking just one little sip of blogging won’t hurt. Next thing you know you will be back to blogging 24/7 and your wife, kids and job are suffering. The next thing you know you will be homeless, sitting on a curb somewhere, unshaven, and a dirty laptop in your lap.

Actually, Dilbert, as today’s post demonstrates, I’m already well on the way to stage three. And I don’t see what’s the big deal about “shaving,” anyway. Or “showering,” either.

But I assure you that I can quit anytime. I just don’t feel like quitting right now. Or next week.

]]> By: Dæn http://crookedtimber.org/2007/03/29/the-sincerest-form-of-flottery/comment-page-1/#comment-191784 Dæn Thu, 29 Mar 2007 17:45:47 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2007/03/29/the-sincerest-form-of-flottery/#comment-191784 #13: <blockquote>I don’t remember if it was Kevin Drum, or someone else, who posted a map (this was about election 2004 time) of who reads what, linking to other books.</blockquote> See <a href="http://www.orgnet.com/divided2.html" rel="nofollow">here</a> and <a href="http://www.orgnet.com/divided.html" rel="nofollow">here</a> (the newest version). It seems you're right, so the question remains: what audience is Lott aiming at? #13:

I don’t remember if it was Kevin Drum, or someone else, who posted a map (this was about election 2004 time) of who reads what, linking to other books.

See here and here (the newest version). It seems you’re right, so the question remains: what audience is Lott aiming at?

]]> By: American Citizen http://crookedtimber.org/2007/03/29/the-sincerest-form-of-flottery/comment-page-1/#comment-191777 American Citizen Thu, 29 Mar 2007 17:17:45 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2007/03/29/the-sincerest-form-of-flottery/#comment-191777 Just to be positive here, "Freakonomics" led me to "Off The Books", which is a good book. Just to be positive here, “Freakonomics” led me to “Off The Books”, which is a good book.

]]> By: RWB http://crookedtimber.org/2007/03/29/the-sincerest-form-of-flottery/comment-page-1/#comment-191775 RWB Thu, 29 Mar 2007 16:58:34 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2007/03/29/the-sincerest-form-of-flottery/#comment-191775 These right-wing books that mimic the covers and titles of other books remind me of the way pron movies often base their titles on puns of non-porn movies. Fredomnomics is to Freakonomics what Edward Penishands is to Edward Scissorhands. And in both cases, the pastiches belong to specific narrow genres that appeal to the specific, snickering, shameful subcultures. These right-wing books that mimic the covers and titles of other books remind me of the way pron movies often base their titles on puns of non-porn movies. Fredomnomics is to Freakonomics what Edward Penishands is to Edward Scissorhands. And in both cases, the pastiches belong to specific narrow genres that appeal to the specific, snickering, shameful subcultures.

]]> By: Walt http://crookedtimber.org/2007/03/29/the-sincerest-form-of-flottery/comment-page-1/#comment-191771 Walt Thu, 29 Mar 2007 16:41:42 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2007/03/29/the-sincerest-form-of-flottery/#comment-191771 confused: Levitt failed to be sufficiently outraged by Chappaquiddick. confused: Levitt failed to be sufficiently outraged by Chappaquiddick.

]]> By: dilbert dogbert http://crookedtimber.org/2007/03/29/the-sincerest-form-of-flottery/comment-page-1/#comment-191765 dilbert dogbert Thu, 29 Mar 2007 15:54:51 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2007/03/29/the-sincerest-form-of-flottery/#comment-191765 Michael, Someone is going to have to hog tie you and take you down to a recovering blogger 12 step session. First you try to go cold turkey but that doesn't work as you are thinking just one little sip of blogging won't hurt. Next thing you know you will be back to blogging 24/7 and your wife, kids and job are suffering. The next thing you know you will be homeless, sitting on a curb somewhere, unshaven, and a dirty laptop in your lap. God I enjoy recovering bloggers! Wellcome back! Michael,
Someone is going to have to hog tie you and take you down to a recovering blogger 12 step session. First you try to go cold turkey but that doesn’t work as you are thinking just one little sip of blogging won’t hurt. Next thing you know you will be back to blogging 24/7 and your wife, kids and job are suffering. The next thing you know you will be homeless, sitting on a curb somewhere, unshaven, and a dirty laptop in your lap.
God I enjoy recovering bloggers! Wellcome back!

]]> By: BushYouth http://crookedtimber.org/2007/03/29/the-sincerest-form-of-flottery/comment-page-1/#comment-191756 BushYouth Thu, 29 Mar 2007 15:14:52 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2007/03/29/the-sincerest-form-of-flottery/#comment-191756 Cheetoh-nomics: 1) start blog 2) ?? 3) profit! Cheetoh-nomics:
1) start blog
2) ??
3) profit!

]]> By: confused http://crookedtimber.org/2007/03/29/the-sincerest-form-of-flottery/comment-page-1/#comment-191752 confused Thu, 29 Mar 2007 14:40:33 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2007/03/29/the-sincerest-form-of-flottery/#comment-191752 I still don't get it. The authors of Freakonomics are pro-market, and some have even considered them libertarian. Why would Lott have a beef with them? (I don't know the whole story; could someone explain?) In particular, is there a reason he is copying their format? Is he parodying them, or basically saying that his book is the real deal and not theirs? Or is he just a lunatic? I still don’t get it. The authors of Freakonomics are pro-market, and some have even considered them libertarian. Why would Lott have a beef with them? (I don’t know the whole story; could someone explain?) In particular, is there a reason he is copying their format? Is he parodying them, or basically saying that his book is the real deal and not theirs? Or is he just a lunatic?

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