A song of ice and sparks -- Creamy Middles Sports Podcast, Episode 201

With the Los Angeles Sparks suddenly shutting down business operations, Jay and David talk about if anything can be done to support women's involvement in professional sports. Plus: climate change and the NFL.



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It's not directly sports-related, but NPR aired a summary of a scientific dispute from the 1960s, 70s, and 80s in which a biologist bet an economist over the issue of rapidly growing population. The economist won out, largely because the biologist underestimated humanity's ability to adapt to changing conditions. It says here that if the NFL has more than one truly dangerous cold-weather games in the next couple years, it will adjust its scheduling practices.

Along with the Packers-49ers game this weekend, the other coldest games in the NFL's history include the Ice Bowl:



and the Freezer Bowl:



Here's a rundown of what happened with the Los Angeles Sparks, and what could be next for the franchise. (Disclosure: David works for BizJournals.com, where that story is published.)

Deadspin posted the Andrew Luck nude picture.

The Creamy Middles Podcast is a weekly discussion attacking the belly issues of sports -- ideas that go beyond wins and losses. Jay Cowit usually produces it, though David may occasionally step in. Music is either royalty-free, by J. Cowit and the Ruthless Orchestra, or 29 Sunset. Subscribe in iTunes or in another podcatcher with this RSS feed.

Climate change herp derp on NPR

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Post by David A. Arnott.

Marketplace: California institutes carbon cap-and-trade

Link: Marketplace: California institutes carbon cap-and-trade

This is a big deal that, because it’s not concrete and is instead a process that’s starting*, isn’t getting nearly the attention it deserves. As with school textbooks and car fuel efficiency standards, when California sets a regulation, the rest of the country must adapt. Larger industries can, more or less, ignore smaller states like, to choose one, Vermont, but very few industries can ignore California. That, in turn, makes it easier for other states to pass their own cap-and-trade rules because, again, if Vermont did this, affected industries could simply shift resources to New Hampshire.

Oh, and there’s that little thing about enshrining further state influence over how much pollution companies may produce.

*And because of East Coast Dismissiveness, best exemplified by SNL’s “Californians” sketch. California is the single most important state in the Union. Deal with it.