Scott examines San Francisco's apparent improvement in homelessness, finding the main effect was decreased tent encampments due to court rulings allowing easier clearing, not actual reduction in homeless population, revealing a basic tradeoff between visibility and homeless welfare. Longer summary

Scott investigates why San Francisco's homelessness crisis appears to have improved, finding that the main effect was a dramatic decrease in tent encampments (not overall homelessness) due to court rulings making it easier to clear them. He analyzes four potential explanations: encampment clearing after legal changes starting in 2023, a possible small decrease in actual homelessness due to falling rents and enforcement driving people to hide, Mayor Lurie's policies (which he finds mostly ineffective), and claims about cities shipping homeless people elsewhere (which he finds largely unsupported). Scott concludes this is a 'maximally boring story' about a basic tradeoff where cities made homelessness less visible at the cost of making homeless people's lives harder, challenging both his previous belief that nothing could improve the problem without mass incarceration and the opposing view that 'getting tough' would be compassionate. Shorter summary

The post argues against California's Proposition 36, claiming it will increase imprisonment without effectively reducing crime or drug use, and suggests alternative solutions. Longer summary

This post argues against California's Proposition 36, which aims to increase mandatory sentences for certain drug and theft crimes. The author contends that while Prop 36 will certainly imprison more people, it won't effectively combat crime. The post analyzes the proposition's impact on drug-related offenses and theft, using data to show that increased sentencing doesn't correlate with reduced drug use or crime rates. It also points out the lack of treatment resources required by the proposition and the potential negative impact on existing crime prevention programs. The author suggests that instead of longer sentences, California should focus on targeted interventions, increased police resources, and expanding treatment options for drug addiction. Shorter summary

A compilation of 50 diverse news items and links from September 2024, covering topics from politics and economics to science and technology. Longer summary

This post is a compilation of 50 diverse links and news items from September 2024. It covers a wide range of topics including politics, science, technology, economics, and social issues. Some notable items include discussions on kidney donation compensation, personality genetics, fertility rates in Israel, drug decriminalization in Oregon, AI regulation in California, and various political and economic analyses. The post also includes commentary on recent studies, books, and social phenomena. Shorter summary

A detailed review of Michael Shellenberger's 'San Fransicko', examining its critiques of San Francisco's progressive policies on homelessness, drugs, and crime. Longer summary

This post reviews Michael Shellenberger's book 'San Fransicko', which criticizes progressive policies on homelessness, drug addiction, and crime in San Francisco. The review examines key claims in the book, fact-checking statistics and comparing them to other sources. While finding some of Shellenberger's criticisms valid, the review also points out areas where the book presents a one-sided narrative or misrepresents data. Overall, the reviewer sees the book as a flawed but thought-provoking critique of San Francisco's approach to urban problems. Shorter summary

Scott updates his stance on marijuana legalization based on new data showing increased traffic accidents, but remains uncertain due to the complexity of the issue. Longer summary

Scott Alexander revisits his previous analysis of marijuana legalization, focusing on its effects on road traffic accidents. New studies show a 5-6% increase in car crashes and fatalities in states with legalized marijuana, contradicting his earlier prediction of a decrease. This shifts his assessment from slightly positive to slightly negative. However, he emphasizes the weakness of the math and the many assumptions involved. The post also considers other factors like people's enjoyment of marijuana, its comparison to alcohol and SSRIs, potential cancer risks, and tax implications. Scott concludes without a firm position, acknowledging the complexity of the issue. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander explores the concept of people 'nominating themselves for the short end of a tradeoff' through their actions, and how this relates to ideas of desert and justice, sometimes conflicting with utilitarian calculations. Longer summary

Scott Alexander discusses the concept of people 'nominating themselves for the short end of a tradeoff' through their actions, using three examples: an antidepressant with potential for abuse, a sexual harasser in a community, and basic income recipients who choose not to work. He explores how this concept relates to ideas of desert and justice, and how it sometimes conflicts with utilitarian calculations. The post grapples with the tension between utilitarian outcomes and the intuition that people who make bad choices should face the consequences, even if those consequences might be disproportionate to their actions. Scott considers various ways to reconcile or understand this tension, including viewing it as a misfiring heuristic, a revealed preference issue, or a necessary part of maintaining rule-based systems. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander shares a diverse collection of interesting links on topics ranging from geography and drug policy to technology and economics, with brief summaries and comments. Longer summary

This post is a collection of links to various interesting articles, studies, and news stories. It covers a wide range of topics including geography, drug policy, technology, history, economics, science, and politics. Scott Alexander provides brief summaries or comments on each link, often with a touch of humor or irony. The post doesn't have a central theme but rather serves as a curated list of diverse and intriguing information from various fields. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander examines the risks of Adderall use, analyzing medical, addiction, tolerance, and neurotoxicity concerns, concluding that the benefits outweigh the risks for well-informed patients. Longer summary

Scott Alexander explores the risks of Adderall use, examining medical risks, addiction potential, tolerance development, and possible neurotoxicity. He critically analyzes existing research and shares his clinical experience, ultimately concluding that while there are some concerning risks, they are not severe enough to stop prescribing stimulants to patients who might benefit from them, provided they are well-informed about the risks. Shorter summary

A collection of links covering topics from drug regulation and genetic testing to tax reform and AI developments, with Scott's commentary on each item. Longer summary

This is a wide-ranging links post covering various news items and studies. Topics include FDA regulations and drug pricing, genetic testing advances, Russian Facebook ads from the 2016 election, studies on education and intelligence, tax reform effects on graduate students, and various scientific developments. The post moves quickly between topics, providing brief commentary and often linking to additional sources. Several items focus on medical and healthcare issues, from insulin prices to studies on pain medication effectiveness. The post maintains Scott's characteristic mix of intellectual curiosity and light humor throughout. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander challenges the popular interpretation of the Rat Park study, arguing that addiction is not solely caused by poor environments and emphasizing genetic factors in addiction susceptibility. Longer summary

Scott Alexander critiques the 'Rat Park' study and its popularized interpretation that drug addiction is primarily caused by poor social environments. He presents historical examples of addiction in seemingly happy or fortunate individuals, such as Ogedei Khan and Native Americans, to challenge this view. The post then discusses the genetic factors in addiction, citing twin studies and known genetic markers. Scott acknowledges that unhappiness likely contributes to drug use but argues that the relationship between environment and addiction is more complex than the Rat Park model suggests. He proposes a toy model where other sources of reward can help resist drug addiction, but maintains that biological interventions like deregulating suboxone and researching psychedelic therapy are more immediately effective for helping addicts. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander explores why recreational drugs like ketamine and MDMA have shown more promise in treating mental health conditions than intentionally developed pharmaceuticals, suggesting a new direction for drug research. Longer summary

Scott Alexander discusses the surprising effectiveness of ketamine and MDMA in treating depression and PTSD respectively, noting that these recreational drugs have shown more promise than intentionally developed pharmaceuticals. He speculates on why this might be, suggesting that drugs with strong effects on the brain, even if originally used recreationally, might be more likely to have significant therapeutic benefits. Scott proposes that pharmaceutical research might be more productive if it focused on chemicals with powerful psychoactive effects, rather than prioritizing minimal side effects. He acknowledges potential counterarguments, including the possibility that ketamine's antidepressant effects may come from a non-psychoactive metabolite. Shorter summary

A links post featuring stories about AI research, scientific studies, historical oddities, and current events, ranging from antibacterials in soap to disco riots at baseball games. Longer summary

This is a links post collecting various interesting stories and studies. It covers topics ranging from AI research (including MIRI's new paper on Logical Induction and UC Berkeley's new AI safety center), scientific findings (about school entry age and journal quality), historical oddities (like Disco Demolition Night and pay toilets), and current events (like the kratom ban and Seattle's microhousing). The post demonstrates Scott's typical mix of academic research, policy analysis, and interesting historical anecdotes, all tied together with his characteristic dry humor. Shorter summary

A collection of interesting links spanning drug policy, scientific studies, historical oddities, and current events, with Scott's commentary on each. Longer summary

This is a links post collecting various interesting news and studies. It covers a wide range of topics including drug policy changes around suboxone, scientific studies about intelligence and inflammation, historical oddities like Japanese WWII plans, educational research, and current events. The post includes both serious academic content (like studies on behavioral therapy and economic effects of aging) and lighter items (like Pokemon Go at Holocaust museums). Scott provides brief commentary and context for each link, often connecting them to his previous writing or ongoing themes. Shorter summary

Scott shares and comments on various interesting links spanning history, science, economics, and current events, with topics ranging from ancient Greek snake warfare to modern AI development. Longer summary

A collection of diverse links covering various topics, from historical anecdotes about ancient Greek warfare with snakes to modern developments in CRISPR technology and urban policy. Scott presents interesting findings about bullying interventions, Vitamin D supplementation, and mental health in different societies. The post includes commentary on various current events, including Venezuela's economic situation, drug policy debates, and AI development at OpenAI. The post maintains Scott's characteristic mix of scholarly interest and humor throughout. Shorter summary

A diverse collection of links and studies covering education, race, healthcare, and various other topics, with Scott's commentary and analysis on each item. Longer summary

This is a link roundup post containing various news stories, studies, and interesting findings from different fields. The post covers topics ranging from education and healthcare to genetics and AI safety. Scott discusses several studies about racial achievement gaps, education outcomes, and healthcare system comparisons. He also shares interesting findings about animals, medical coding systems, and various social and economic issues. The post maintains a light tone while discussing serious topics, often adding humorous asides or personal observations. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander reviews and comments on passages from David Friedman's 'The Machinery of Freedom', discussing various libertarian ideas and their implications. Longer summary

Scott Alexander reviews and comments on various passages from David Friedman's book 'The Machinery of Freedom'. He highlights Friedman's arguments about love, trade, and force as means of cooperation; the historical development of regulation; healthcare costs for the poor; school vouchers; university reform; urban transit solutions; urban renewal; private space exploration; drug regulation; and workers buying out companies. Scott agrees with some points, critiques others, and adds his own insights and examples throughout. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander reviews an article on heroin addiction treatment, advocating for suboxone use while criticizing ineffective rehab programs and regulatory obstacles. Longer summary

Scott Alexander reviews a Huffington Post article on heroin addiction treatment, focusing on the effectiveness of suboxone (buprenorphine) compared to conventional rehab programs. He highlights the poor performance and sometimes abusive practices of many rehab centers, contrasting them with the proven success of suboxone treatment. The post then discusses two major obstacles to wider suboxone use: strict government regulations and resistance from the rehab industry. Alexander uses this discussion to reflect on broader themes such as the value of tight communities, the failures of both free market and government approaches in this area, and the superiority of biological solutions over social ones in addressing addiction. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander discusses the online forum Longecity, where users organize group buys of experimental chemicals, seeing it as a risky but intriguing counterbalance to slow drug approval processes. Longer summary

Scott Alexander expresses admiration for Longecity, an online forum where users organize group buys of experimental chemicals for self-experimentation. While acknowledging the dangers and irresponsibility of such practices, he finds a certain appeal in how it counteracts potential suppression of wonder drugs by slow-moving institutions. The post discusses examples of ongoing group buys, including attempts to replicate anti-aging experiments in rats. Scott concludes by suggesting that while this behavior is risky, it serves as a safeguard against dystopian scenarios where beneficial drugs are suppressed, reflecting a balance between institutional stupidity and population insanity in Western civilization. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander examines evidence on marijuana legalization's effects on usage, health, and drug war costs, finding uncertainties too large for firm conclusions but suggesting traffic accidents may be the key factor. Longer summary

Scott Alexander examines the evidence around marijuana legalization, looking at its effects on usage rates, health impacts, and costs of the drug war. He finds that decriminalization and medical marijuana don't seem to increase youth usage much, but full legalization might increase adult use by 25-50%. Health effects are unclear but may include IQ declines and slightly increased psychosis risk. The costs of the drug war are significant in terms of arrests and spending, but relatively few people are in prison solely for marijuana. Scott attempts a utilitarian analysis comparing costs and benefits of legalization, but finds the uncertainties too large to draw firm conclusions. He suggests the most important factor may be how legalization affects traffic accidents. Shorter summary