Lose a house, lose a pet?

This is a sad little consequence of the housing bubble, one I had not considered.

Was pet relinquishment related to foreclosure?: A spatial research note from California during the height of foreclosure

Gregory Morris & Jennifer Steffler, Social Science Journal, forthcoming

Abstract: Media reports asserted that the 2008 foreclosure crisis unleashed a rash of pet relinquishments, especially in California's central valley, an area that had the highest U.S. foreclosure rates that year. However, reports on the foreclosure/ relinquishment association relied on anecdotal evidence provided by animal shelters, which is known to be flawed since many people do not give a reason for relinquishment, or give a false reason. This study compares separate data sources for the central valley city of Turlock, 2008: foreclosure data from the Stanislaus County Recorder's Office (N = 235) and relinquishment data from the Turlock Animal Shelter (N = 248). Contrary to shelter driven data, these separate data sources reported only one shared address. However, spatial analyses show that foreclosures and relinquishments were concentrated in similar areas. Analyses also show that unaltered (non-spayed/neutered) dogs are more likely to be concentrated in lower socioeconomic (SES) areas. While our initial finding contradicts recent media reports, spatial analyses verify other research on the social problems associated with concentrated foreclosures, and lend support for policies designed to reduce breeding during heighted periods of foreclosure and other economic crises.

A Little Bit Softer Now....

Not sure why I think this is desperately cute. But I do.

Great Thread on PSJR

A great thread about "should you take a dog to your office?" for academics.

The Coase theorem, manners, and a variety of madcap exchanges like this:

A: I never liked having to maneuver around strange large dogs in tight offices in my suit

B: what was a dog doing in your suit?

I liked the whole thing. It's ALL good. Yes, I cheated to spend so much time on the computer. But I couldn't help it. I often took "Louis, King of Dogs" to the office in grad school. And Angus would get in some pretty good basketball-doghead-dribbling. Louie had a pretty solid upward head bounce, and was not smart enough to walk away.

Pirate To-Do List

Pirate to-do list:

1. Remember to get parrot and AK-47, and other "effects"
2. Make sure that ship you attack at night is not extremely heavily armed US warship

They forgot #2, it appears.

Here is what USS Nicholas was packin':

One OTO Melara Mk 75 76 mm naval gun
two Mk 32 triple-tube (324 mm) launchers for Mark 46 torpedoes
one Vulcan Phalanx CIWS
four .50-cal (12.7 mm) machine guns.
SM-1MR Standard anti-ship/air missiles (40 round magazine)

What is a Phalanx? It's a 20mm Gatling gun, which fires 4,000 high explosive/incendiary rounds per minute. That is putting quite a bit of lead downrange in a hurry.

Furthermore, the main gun, the Melara Mk 76 mm, gun....it can fire more than 80 rounds per minute, with each shell carrying 15 pounds of high explosive. (Yes, 80 rounds per minute, and that's limited only by the loading device. The rate of fire on the gun is actually more than 100 rounds per minute. So a three second burst is 5 or 6 massive shells.)

I am not alone

KPC readers know that I cannot abide Novak Djokovic, the Serbian clown. Apparently it's not just me. Here is the beginning of Jo-Willie Tsonga's press conference after he beat Djokovic in the Aussie open quarters:

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Novak talked about his problems. He had some problems during the match. When did you first notice that he was having problems?

JO‑WILFRIED TSONGA: Five years ago


Ummm, oh snap??? Jo Willie, you have a new fan even though Federer beat you down in the semis 3,2 and 3 in 88 minutes.

A journey to the past

My favorite things Canadian are arctic foxes, Neil Young, polar bears, Daniel Negraneau, and sled dogs! Here is a shot of a very cosmopolitan sled dog we met outside of Churchill last week:

Bringing their A game

Loyal KPC readers know that when it comes to the annual "running of the bulls" in Pamplona, I am totally rooting for the bulls (see here and here).

Well this year the bulls are not fooling around, as they claimed their 15th victim since the "festival" started keeping records in the early 1900s.

According to the NY daily news:

"The San Fermin festival Web site said the unidentified man was gored in the neck and lung during a run in which a rogue bull named Cappuccino separated from the pack, which is among the worst things that can happen at Spain's most popular fiesta."

"Rogue"? Really? Why not "Rational" or "Unhappy to be stampeded through the streets only to be ritually slaughtered later in front of a cheering crowd"

Spain is a beautiful country that I greatly enjoyed visiting but there is something deeply F-d up about a place where this is the "most popular fiesta" in the country.

Linksmanship

1. I was sure this was a hoax. But....

2. Dick Cheney gets it right.

A. Marriage not up to fed government
B. Freedom means freedom

Wow. Ol' Dick is really a Libertarian, after all. Or, not.

3. This is....wow.