Administration secrecy is the subject of a five-page story in the NYT today; it’s interesting, although there’s nothing I can see which hasn’t been reported before. This passion for secrecy has a major impact on many things, including basic research. Universities are turning down Fed funds because of the Administration’s strings; this isn’t in the public interest.

There has been a push out here for years to legalize some form of gambling; the argument from those in favor is always the same: lots of revenue for the state to tax! Yippee! The arguments against are always the same, too: the social costs are too high, and besides, we don’t need gambling (or gaming, as those in the industry prefer) to draw people to Hawai’i. Today’s lead editorial in the NYT has a nice turn of phrase regarding the subject: “…by the gambling lobby’s alluring “something-for-nothing” sales pitch, the fiscal equivalent of a comped buffet.” I’m anti-gambling as an industry, although I’ve put my $10 into NCAA pools for years (shh…that’s technically illegal, so don’t tell). Time had a series a few weeks ago about what has happened (and not happened) on Indian reservations after the industry was permitted to locate there; it’s pretty astonishing.