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Sunday, April 11, 2004

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How I spent the last four days

I was in Washington, DC for the last four days at a Liberty Fund conference organized by Tyler Cowen that included several bloggers -- Marginal Revolution's Alex Tabarrok, Asymmetrical Information's Megan McArdle, FuturePundit's Randall Parker, and Cronaca's David Nishimura. A fine time was had by all the bloggers -- although those participants who had no friggin' idea what a blog was before they arrived probably heard more than they cared to hear about the blogosphere.

Among the more memorable moments:

1) The opening night of the conference, I'm riding down to the lobby when the elevator doors open and a statuesque Megan McArdle walks into the elevator, looks at me, smiles, and says, "You're Daniel Drezner!"

2) The debate over whether sex with dead chickens is morally or legally defensible (see chapter fifteen of Steven Pinker's The Blank Slate to understand why that question came up).

3) Having Tyler and Megan urge me to change the picture on my front page -- for diametrically opposing reasons. (Tyler though the picture made me look like a weightlifter; Megan thought it made me look stringier than I actually am.)

4) Speculating with Megan over our ideal group blog participants. Consensus picks included James Joyner, Jacob Levy, and Virginia Postrel.

5) Coming to the delightful realization that my fellow bloggers were just as charming, witty, and sharp in real life as they are on their blogs.

UPDATE: Jeez, I go away for two weeks and Glenn Reynolds redesigns his site.

posted by Dan on 04.11.04 at 06:29 PM

Comments:

“The debate over whether sex with dead chickens is morally or legally defensible (see chapter fifteen of Steven Pinker's The Blank Slate to understand why that question came up).”

Sex with dead chickens? You can buy a four pounder at Wal-Mart’s for less than $3.00. I guess it would be a cheap date. My lips are sealed. Just don’t ask me to watch.

posted by: David Thomson on 04.11.04 at 06:29 PM [permalink]

Any invitation to group blog with the statuesque Megan would be favorably received. You're invited, too, of course.

posted by: James Joyner on 04.11.04 at 06:29 PM [permalink]

Group blogging?
Will the police approve, I wonder?

:B-D=

posted by: Bithead on 04.11.04 at 06:29 PM [permalink]

I agree with Tyler & Megan--you're more than capable of a photo that conveys, say, affable & cherubic rather than stringy weightlifter. And be sure to tap Jacob for styling advice.

posted by: elizp on 04.11.04 at 06:29 PM [permalink]

After having our way with the family dog, my sister and I had sex; and subsequently eat the family dog. I'm not too partial to the sex with dead chickens, but their meat is not too unlike a dog's savory stomach.

posted by: S.Pinker on 04.11.04 at 06:29 PM [permalink]

James Joyner, of course, but the other two? Neither posts often enough, and many of Jacob's posts are about (IMHO) trivia. Glenn Reynolds? Michael Totten? Roger Simon?

posted by: Jim on 04.11.04 at 06:29 PM [permalink]

Darn that Joyner, stealing my line...

Besides which, I'm pretty sure group blogging is illegal in Mississippi, as are virtually all activities that are any fun in this state. :-)

However, having Ms. McArdle involved might make it slightly more legal than the almost exclusively male group action at Volokh and Crooked Timber.

posted by: Chris Lawrence on 04.11.04 at 06:29 PM [permalink]

The ideal group blog already exists. Its called crookedtimber.org

posted by: PEmberton on 04.11.04 at 06:29 PM [permalink]