Kieran Healy’s Weblog Sociology and other distractions

The Invention of Tradition

Compare and contrast this:

With this:

Looks like everything in rugby has gotten more professional over the past 25 years. Bonus haka (vs Ireland) below the fold.

You Know, Like Squirrels

Back during the Katrina Disaster, we learned that whereas black people loot things from grocery stores, white people find things in grocery stores. Now that a container ship has foundered off the English coast we can see what it is the English do under similar circumstances. Not looting, obviously (perish the thought). But not […]

Weather Report

It’s snowing. Here, in downtown Tucson, Arizona. Just wanted to let you all know.

Oatmeal Prospect Theory

On the side of this box of McCann’s Oatmeal here it says: “Tip: Add liquid to oatmeal a few minutes before cooking. It will cook faster.” Now, I can see the benefits of doing this in terms of energy conservation. But the fact is, I’m not going to get my oatmeal any faster, am I? […]

Blogging avant la lettre

Analysis publishes a lot of relatively short papers, but this one—by G.E.M. Anscombe—from 1966 seems close to the limiting case. The link goes to the JSTOR copy, which requires a subscription. No matter. I shall reproduce the paper in full here, including notes:
A Note on Mr Bennett By G.E.M. Anscombe

The nerve of Mr Bennett’s argument […]

Paging all Mac Nerds

This thing just arrived from the future.What can I say? if this is the RDF, sign me up.