Hi everyone ... happy Pi day.  Did you compute some digits?  (NASA did...)

Weird: Mathematicians discover a conspiracy in prime numbers.  I'm not a number theorist, but it seems likely that this is a result of representing primes in base 10, and not actually a fundamental asymmetry. 

The trouble with TPP, the case against ratifying the Trans Pacific Partnership.  Doesn't surprise me at all to find there are tons of unwanted side affects when you try to manage economic relationships this closely.  Bah.  Let the markets decide... 

The new WASPs: it isn't a Rand vs Hobbes world, after all.  "One of the great fictions we've perpetrated on ourselves is the belief that we ultimately face a choice between Ayn Rand and Thomas Hobbes: an atomistic, individualistic, capitalistic ethic that rejects the philanthropic impulse categorically vs. Leviathan, an almighty potentate to which we owe allegiance because the alternative is bellum omnium contra omnes, a life that is solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short. In fact, the opposite is closer to the truth: When you have a thriving free-market economy throwing off great gushing rivers of profit, the most successful people begin to look for satisfaction in something other than 22-bedroom beachfront estates."  Yes. 

Should be required reading for all those considering a vote for Bernie Sanders.

I sometimes often like rereading old posts, and just came across this one, which seems particularly apt given current debates about Socialism and Obamacare: Universal Healthcare: 

"Health care in the U.S. is the best in the world, for those who can afford it. Better than the U.K., better than Canada, better than the Netherlands. In those countries there is no private profit motive for healthcare providers which drives them to be best. Good thing for them they have the U.S. market pushing technology of which they can then take advantage. ... What is also true is that health care in the U.S. is not as good as other countries for those who can't afford it. That's because good health care is too expensive. So the question is, how to make it more affordable. And the answer is, let the market figure it out." 

True as it ever was.

You know what's cool?  America's Cup racing.  These foiling cats are amazing.  I'm so glad they've gone to smaller boats, too; it makes the whole thing seem more accessible.  Would *love* to go for a sail on one of these! 

I was watching cycling on NBCSN the other night and boom there it was, America's Cup racing, on TV.  I've never seen that before.  Now that my Tivo knows this could happen, I'll see it a lot more :)

So, want to compute some digits? 
Just launch Mathematica, and here you go: