Abu Yahya's definitions
(JOURNALISM) using flattery to gain access to sources. The phrase is usually used in the context of White House or Congressional press corps, who use fulsome praise of high-ranking officials whose favor they need. Usually, officials like to be publicly represented as magnificent, selfless, tireless public servants; in exchange for such blurbs, they may invite specific reporters to exclusive events, thereby boosting the reporter's status.
It's actually been a feature of the business press for ages.
It's actually been a feature of the business press for ages.
Since the financial crisis of 2008, business reporters have tended to write dismissively of bank executives. Six years ago they were likely to have written a beat sweetener about some CEO who was now shithead-of-the week.
by Abu Yahya April 9, 2010
Get the beat sweetener mug.The belief efforts to protect people from calamity will only lead to them being more careless, and bringing on more calamity.
This is a fallacy because it (a) assumes people can adjust personal risk to replicate an incomparable situation, and (b) it confusing risk-taking and risky behavior. "Risk-taking" is a neutral term that includes anything that increases risk in some way, such as operating a machine at a higher speed. This usually is done to get some other benefit. "Risky behavior" is foolish, feckless, or sloppy behavior that has no intrinsic utility to the person engaging in it.
This is a fallacy because it (a) assumes people can adjust personal risk to replicate an incomparable situation, and (b) it confusing risk-taking and risky behavior. "Risk-taking" is a neutral term that includes anything that increases risk in some way, such as operating a machine at a higher speed. This usually is done to get some other benefit. "Risky behavior" is foolish, feckless, or sloppy behavior that has no intrinsic utility to the person engaging in it.
An example of the curmudgeon's fallacy is the erroneous claim that safer cars make for careless drivers.
by Abu Yahya October 19, 2008
Get the curmudgeon's fallacy mug.(SOCIOLOGY) merchant class in a colony; usually dependent on exports of raw material from the colony (or former colony) in exchange for overpriced imports from the former colonial power.
As a class, the compradors are usually nationalistic--they usually want the trappings of independence. However, they are totally dependent on the global economy and its structure of hegemony. The rich nations benefit from excellent terms of trade, specialization in manufactured goods or intellectual property, etc.
After nominal independence, the comprador class usually become very powerful in the former colony; major powers like the USA or the EU ensure the comprador remain the de facto leaders of the colony. Anti-US rhetoric is usually just political theater or may reflect petty rivalry on the part of the compradors with their foreign masters.
As a class, the compradors are usually nationalistic--they usually want the trappings of independence. However, they are totally dependent on the global economy and its structure of hegemony. The rich nations benefit from excellent terms of trade, specialization in manufactured goods or intellectual property, etc.
After nominal independence, the comprador class usually become very powerful in the former colony; major powers like the USA or the EU ensure the comprador remain the de facto leaders of the colony. Anti-US rhetoric is usually just political theater or may reflect petty rivalry on the part of the compradors with their foreign masters.
Eventually, the terms of trade become so bad that the relationship breaks down and the country suffers a sovereign debt default, revolution, or permanent FUBAR status. At this point the comprador class has to share power with the local Junker class.
by Abu Yahya May 18, 2010
Get the comprador mug.(FINANCE) the rate at which Federal Reserve System member banks lend reserves to each other. It is the one interest rate actually set by the Federal Reserve Board. The other rates, such for treasury securities, are set by auction.
Bank reserves are a fixed percentage of deposits held in reserve against sudden demand by the depositor. In some cases bank reserves take the form of deposits with a Federal Reserve Bank, like the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.* Such deposits do not earn interest for the member bank, unless they are re-lent out at the federal funds rate.
"Federal funds" refers to emergency lending (overnight) among member banks so that the borrower can meet its reserve requirements. Reserves may include deposits with a Federal Reserve Bank which can be loaned by the member bank to another member bank (thereby earning interest).
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* Member banks in the FRS are regular national/state chartered banks, or investment banks. The FRS itself includes 12 Federal Reserve Banks, which actually do the financial work of the FRS.
Bank reserves are a fixed percentage of deposits held in reserve against sudden demand by the depositor. In some cases bank reserves take the form of deposits with a Federal Reserve Bank, like the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.* Such deposits do not earn interest for the member bank, unless they are re-lent out at the federal funds rate.
"Federal funds" refers to emergency lending (overnight) among member banks so that the borrower can meet its reserve requirements. Reserves may include deposits with a Federal Reserve Bank which can be loaned by the member bank to another member bank (thereby earning interest).
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* Member banks in the FRS are regular national/state chartered banks, or investment banks. The FRS itself includes 12 Federal Reserve Banks, which actually do the financial work of the FRS.
by Abu Yahya September 4, 2010
Get the federal funds rate mug.(US HISTORY) National Labor Relations Act (Wagner Act); 1935 law that permitted most US workers to form labor unions. It created the National Labor Relations Board to enforce this right. Named for Sen. Robert F. Wagner (D-NY).
The NLRB conducts secret-ballot elections to determine whether employees want union representation and also investigates unlawful labor practices by employers and unions. The act guarantees employees the right to organize, choose representatives, and bargain collectively. The NLRB regulates all employers involved in interstate commerce other than transport, agriculture, and government.
The NLRB conducts secret-ballot elections to determine whether employees want union representation and also investigates unlawful labor practices by employers and unions. The act guarantees employees the right to organize, choose representatives, and bargain collectively. The NLRB regulates all employers involved in interstate commerce other than transport, agriculture, and government.
by Abu Yahya April 5, 2010
Get the NLRA mug.A sexual relationship involving three partners, all of whom have sexual contacts with each other. C.f. an open triangle, in which two of the members do NOT have sexual relations with each other.
An obvious attribute of a closed triangle is that at least two of the members must be bisexual or homosexual.
An obvious attribute of a closed triangle is that at least two of the members must be bisexual or homosexual.
A common sexual fantasy for both men and women is the "closed triangle"; it's appeared as a theme in several novels, including Ernest Hemingway's _The Garden of Eden_. As a literary theme, however, it nearly always ends sadly, perhaps because even in their fantasies writers are bound by plausible expectations.
by Abu Yahya March 21, 2010
Get the closed triangle mug.The idea that, if you mitigate the consequences of a particular type of accident, then that type of accident will necessarily occur much more frequently, more than negating the initial benefit.
The CF assumes that human nature is perverse and seeks to equalize consequences. Hence, improved automotive technologies such as air bags, ABS, space frames, etc. will be offset (or more than offset) by careless driving, leading to increased highway fatalities.
FALSIFICATION: Empirical evidence shows that, while reducing consequences increases risky behavior, overall safety/health outcomes are better. Insurance companies with a stake in reducing claims verify this.
More generally, the CF confuses all forms of risk-taking, such as faster highway speeds, with fecklessness. Increased speed and convenience (for motorists) has utility; and there is no principle in welfare economics that says risk-taking will increase by an amount sufficient to offset the safety measures.
The CF assumes that human nature is perverse and seeks to equalize consequences. Hence, improved automotive technologies such as air bags, ABS, space frames, etc. will be offset (or more than offset) by careless driving, leading to increased highway fatalities.
FALSIFICATION: Empirical evidence shows that, while reducing consequences increases risky behavior, overall safety/health outcomes are better. Insurance companies with a stake in reducing claims verify this.
More generally, the CF confuses all forms of risk-taking, such as faster highway speeds, with fecklessness. Increased speed and convenience (for motorists) has utility; and there is no principle in welfare economics that says risk-taking will increase by an amount sufficient to offset the safety measures.
The massively overrated book *Freakanomics* (Dubner & Leavitt) includes many examples of the curmudgeon's fallacy.
by Abu Yahya October 16, 2008
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