Based on having received numerous comments like this one over the years, I think a disclaimer for this blog would be a good idea. Here is Lex’s proposal:
A disclaimer for all humorless readers. The name of this blog is a joke. Some of us went to the U. of C. None of us have PhDs from the Econ Department. None of us even went to the Graduate School of Business. We have no connection, official or otherwise, with the “Chicago School of Economics”, other than agreeing with the policy positions associated with it as we understand them, and generally thinking that capitalism is good and groovy. No, we cannot understand all the math either. We assume no responsibly for the Chicago School of Economics, and it has no responsibility for us, which is how we both like it. We assume no duty to promote, support or agree with any position attributed to the Chicago School of Economics as interpreted by anybody. None of us will ever get a Nobel Prize in anything.
I think the line about Nobel Prizes is a bit harsh, since I am pretty sure that Shannon will eventually win one, but otherwise I like it.
Thoughts?
I don’t think we really need it. The “we claim no affiiation” would seem to cover things.
The problem is that this looks humorless. Of course, it is also unobjectionable, clear & honest. However, I don’t think people have to be responsible for their “admirers” – nor admirers for every position of their heroes.
You would think. And yet the nudniks keep coming.
(I was responding to David’s comment.)
Ginny doesn’t find my attempts at dry humor to be effective.
Get Dan on comment duty. He doesn’t f**k around. Just delete ’em until they stop coming back…
As Carl notes, I am probably more harsh than most on my blog, and if someone goes off topic I am pretty ruthless on deleting the comment with no apologies.
That said, I think the disclaimer at the top is fine. You will always get nudniks no matter what you do.
An acquaintance of mine, on Jim Watson: “He went to University very young, you know, although it was somewhere obscure that no-one has ever heard of”.
“No, we cannot understand all the math either.”
Speak for yourself, Luddite. ;-)
And I still cherish faint dreams of a Nobel. Hey, quit laughing!
What? Nothing regarding the allegedly malevolent Leo Strauss ? ;o)
Personally, as a 50 year or so resident/citizen of Illinois who now lives in Michigan, I’m glad to see the place is at least as messed up as Michigan, if not as bad as Detroit. I hope all of my former profs who prayed for Democratic control of state govt so ‘things’ could be ‘fixed’ are enjoying this as much as I.
And as one who studied under one of Leo Strauss’ last (maybe the last) grad assistant *and* worked alongside “Strauss’ Nun” I found little malevolent about his work at all, but did find his penchant for finding the important ‘hidden’ stuff in the middle to have rubbed off a bit much.
No Nobel Prize? Sheesh!
Helen, we will try to do better!
I will tell you now, Lex aint ever gettin’ no Nobel Prize.
The rest of you, OK, we can strike that language.
I think Shannon an I’d rather you strike the math language – some of us don’t understand all the math. We geeks are a bit defensive, you know. ;-)