Author Archives: Michael Froomkin

The Basement Is Safe

Posted on July 6, 2014 by Michael Froomkin

The Misguided Freakout About Basement-Dwelling Millennials

More than 15.3 million twentysomethings—and half of young people under 25—live “in their parents’ home,” according to official Census statistics.

There’s just one problem with those official statistics. They’re criminally misleading. When you read the full Census reports, you often come upon this crucial sentence:

It is important to note that the Current Population Survey counts students living in dormitories as living in their parents’ home

Spotted via Calculated RISK.

Of course, living in South Florida, we don’t even have a basement…

Posted in Econ & Money | 1 Comment

I’m Back

Posted on July 6, 2014 by Michael Froomkin

I’ve been away for a couple of weeks, but now I’m back–and even over jet lag.

I used to announce when and where I was going before I left, but a commentator here once chastised me for inviting burglars to the house. Despite my doubt that any readers of this blog are potential burglars or that burglars clever enough to do searches on blogs looking for ‘away’ type posts would bother burglarizing me, I’ve been shy about announcing everyone-in-the family departures ever since. Watch what you say in the comments – I’m paying attention.

Caroline and I had planned to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary by going to Paris, but life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans, and just before we would have gone, her father, who had suffered a long illness, died. There was a lovely service in a (partly) 13th-century edifice.

We will figure out some way to celebrate our whatever-you-call-it in due course. (She still got her present.)

Posted in Personal | Comments Off on I’m Back

Guess the Country

Posted on June 29, 2014 by Michael Froomkin

Rations Reduced as Demand Grows for Soup Kitchens.

You only get one guess.

Posted in Econ & Money | 2 Comments

Judge Holds No-Fly List Violates Due Process and APA

Posted on June 24, 2014 by Michael Froomkin

Took a long time, but the courts are coming around. Here’s a major decision from Judge Anna Brown in the Latif v. Holder case. (Via Just Security Blog.)

Posted in Law: Right to Travel | Comments Off on Judge Holds No-Fly List Violates Due Process and APA

MDPLS Search Plugin Restored

Posted on June 24, 2014 by Michael Froomkin

Seems like every time the Miami-Dade Public Library system has a computer upgrade, their nifty search plugin gets lost in the shuffle. The MDPLS website recently had a major face-lift, with equivocal results on the desktop, but a much better look on my cell phone. And yes, again, the link to the search plugin vanished. And again I wrote in to complain. And again they were very very courteous in replying — I got three emails in less than two weeks, each apologizing for the delay in resolving the issue.

And now there is a new Library Tools page, with a link to install the MDPLS Quick Search browser plug‑in.

This is the same library system whose budget the Mayor keeps slashing by the way. The library is one of the rare cultural successes of Miami-Dade county — and if you live here MDPLS deserves your support.

Previously:

Posted in Internet | 1 Comment

Strong Candidate for Worst Political Video of the Year

Posted on June 16, 2014 by Michael Froomkin

As far as I can tell, this nutty video is a genuine product of the Republican Party.

Perhaps they have so much money now after Citizens United that they don’t care how they spend it? And, yes, the “HRC Squirrel” seems to be something they plan to run with.

Posted in 2016 Election | 1 Comment