Making Things Too Easy

Well, they are updating the interface on the old Blogger system. The upshoot of it seems to be that it will be even easier to throw random thoughts down on the world wide web (as if it was a real trek through the Sahara before.) But...when you get out of the habit of doing something, little things can entice you back in. It hasn't helped that there has been a positive dearth of interesting things to talk about....or the interesting thing to talk about have already been talked about ad nausem. Elections are usually good fodder, but the '06 vote was so obviously over before it started it gets nothing but a yawn from yours truly. (In fact I called the '06 election correctly on the night of the '04 election. If you knew my wife she would verify that fact. You probably don't know her, so just take my word for it.)

On the other hand my life as a sports fan has had the thrill of victory (bless you Tony LaRussa), and the utter ignominy of wretched defeat.......(I'm a Blues fan. Sadly.) However, this wasn't meant to be a "sports blog." The occasional post on the subject will have to suffice.

I've no idea if this post marks the beginning of a more active blog or not. For me, inspiration striking is not the lead pipe cinch that the Dems were in '06.

Ambulance Chasing (Fox News Style)

The other day while watching a FNC story about (then tropical storm, now) hurricane Ernesto they showed a graphic of the "predicted storm track." However, I really dont believe it COULD have been a real hurricane forecast. Basically all they did was draw a straight line to New Orleans and call that a forecast. This is moronic on many levels. For starters, the storm was so poorly organized at that point there was little way to know where the center of circulation would develop. This matters because there could have been a difference of 80 to 100 miles in its position. As it developed it organized on a more northerly track giving it less chance of even making it into the Gulf of Mexico. Secondly, these storms move so unpredictably that while a 24-36 hour forecast might be reasonably accurate (to within 100 miles or so), anything more than that is a crap shoot. But this graphic was claiming to show us 72+ hours into the future! It was simply preposterous.

What really bothered me, however, is just how ghoulish the whole thing was. It was as if they were wishing the storm would hit New Orleans. There was no scientific, or logical or common sense reason to forecast this storm hitting New Orleans, so why do it? Because it would make a great story if it did? People down in N.O. have enough to worry about without this garbage.

Love Those Predictive Models!

Well, how have folks been enjoying the 2006 hurricane season so far? For those keeping track at home, according to the experts we should have been enjoying 15-17 named storms and 7-9 hurricanes. Hell, even in the downward revised forecast we were supposed to get 6.1 hurricanes in August alone. (For those who care about such things, as of the 23rd of August we have had zero. Next week should be a doozey!)

I can almost hear someone saying "Blimey! This whole forecasting the weather and climate is trickier than we thought."

At least they would be saying it if they had a shred of intellectual honesty.

The Definition Of Busy

People still look around on here. (Bless your little hearts.) I should let folks know that one reason I have been so quiet is that I've moved AND gotten married this summer. (Which takes it out of you I can tell you...)

Things may start to quiet down soon...and then I might just start spouting off again. (Alert the media...)

NEW REVELATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

BREAKING NEWS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It turns out the government's ability to look at your phone records without a court order has only been a settled point of law since 1979! (see Smith v. Maryland) In an opinion written by conservative firebrand Harry "Hang 'em High" Blackmun and joined by such dangerous reactionaries as Warren "Shoot First" Burger & John "Rights Schmights" Stevens, the court held:

(a) Application of the Fourth Amendment depends on whether the person invoking its protection can claim a "legitimate expectation of privacy" that has been invaded by government action. This inquiry normally embraces two questions: first, whether the individual has exhibited an actual (subjective) expectation of privacy; and second, whether his expectation is one that society is prepared to recognize as "reasonable."

(b) Petitioner in all probability entertained no actual expectation of privacy in the phone numbers he dialed, and even if he did, his expectation was not "legitimate." First, it is doubtful that telephone users in general have any expectation of privacy regarding the numbers they dial, since they typically know that they must convey phone numbers to the telephone company and that the company has facilities for recording this information and does in fact record it for various legitimate business purposes. And petitioner did not demonstrate an expectation of privacy merely by using his home phone rather than some other phone, since his conduct, although perhaps calculated to keep the contents of his conversation private, was not calculated to preserve the privacy of the number he dialed. Second, even if petitioner did harbor some subjective expectation of privacy, this expectation was not one that society is prepared to recognize as "reasonable." When petitioner voluntarily conveyed numerical information to the phone company and "exposed" that information to its equipment in the normal course of business, he assumed the risk that the company would reveal the information to the police.

It goes without saying that it would be unreasonable to expect reporters or lawmakers to be "up on" a legal precedent that has only been on the books for 27 years.

Non-Story Of The Week

Try as I might I can see no reason to take the latest NSA story seriously. When the previous stories arose about the "warrentless eavesdropping" I could at least see two sides to the issue. I just didn't think it was all that important. Look, when one side advocates doing thing "X" and the other side pushes "Y" I really want "Y" to be something more than "X with extra paperwork." At least if you want me to think it is something vitally important.

In this case however I can't see another side that isn't downright stupid. Nobody's conversations are being listened to. Nobody's "privacy rights" are being infringed, because you don't have any privacy when it comes to what phone number you call or call you. Agents of the government (police and district attorneys for example) look at this type of information every day without the need for warrants, or probable cause, or even your permission. (Don't members of Congress ever watch "Law & Order"?) I can't even think of a way in which this type of data mining activity could be abused. Can anyone else?

Unfortunately, this is the sort of crap you have to deal with every election year. December can't come soon enough.

Do Old Blogs Just Fade Away?

It amazes me to see so many people check out this blog on a semi-regular basis, or that so many stumble across it by accident. Lord knows it hasn't been a going concern for quite some time. For any of those who really enjoyed my writing, I'm sorry about that.

The main trouble I have with blogging in general is that after awhile you feel like you are having the same arguments over and over. It can get a little tedious. I suppose this is why newspaper columnists can become so mind numbingly boring.

Oh, dont get me wrong. I can still get worked up over things...I just can't get that worked up about writing about them. I will keep the blog alive until the day comes and I do get fired up about my writing. That could happen next week or even tomorrow.

Anybody want to place a bet on when I come back full time?

Sharia Harvard Style?

From the BBC: Beleaguered Harvard head to quit

The president of Harvard University has announced his resignation after a turbulent five years and a week ahead of a second no-confidence vote.
Lawrence Summers lost the first vote in March last year after suggesting women had less "intrinsic aptitude" than men for science.

The ex-Treasury secretary, whose tenure is the briefest in 140 years, will leave at the end of this academic year.

He said the rift with some staff made his agenda of renewal "infeasible".

Dr Summers' controversial leadership style has divided opinion at the Ivy League university.

His comments on gender, for which he repeatedly apologised, led the Faculty of Arts and Sciences to pass the no-confidence vote last March.

There are those in some departments of American collegiate Arts & Sciences that seem to know as little of free speech as any anti-Danish rampaging horde.

Happenstances

I am finding it very odd that the whole Danish cartoon business is coming to a head at the exact moment I happen to be reading Laurence Lampert's "Nietzsche & Leo Strauss." What is the connection? Well, a prominent theme in the book is Strauss' contention that if you, as a philosopher, want to espouse something which would be viewed as impious by the orthodoxy of the day, you shouldn't come right out and say it. It is better, claims Strauss, to speak and write esoterically in such a way that you will be understood only by a few who might be open to what you have to say. This approach allows the philosopher to avoid the fate of Socrates, who was impolitic in his pursuit of truth, ran afoul of the ruling orthodoxy, and paid for it with his life. Eventually, teaches Strauss, the philosopher (or maybe a successive generation of students of the philosopher) can gradually change the orthodoxy to allow a safe space for philosophy to exist and prosper.

It is most ironic that Strauss claims to have learned this "method" largely from the work of the Islamic philosopher Al Farabi. It is ironic because Al Farabi's attempt to alter the orthodoxy of Islam in ANY way conducive for philosophy can only be viewed as a utter failure. Islamic orthodoxy seems to be as medieval as it ever has been. Indeed, there doesn't seem to be a level of barbarism the orthodoxy can descend to that the greatest mass of Muslims won't embrace or acquiesce to. As an historical "movement," there can be fewer things LESS effectual than the ideas of Al Farabi in the Islamic world. With this as a backdrop Strauss' adoption of the "technique" seems more an act of desperation than anything else.

Also, it isn't as if open defiance of ruling orthodoxies hasn't worked. Algernon Sidney may have lost his head, but it was his ideas that eventually won the day, not Filmer's. Locke may have had to flee the country during his lifetime, but we still read him 300+ years later. Who reads Hooker but a specialist?

We have already fought our battles so we don't have to live with the dehumanizing orthodoxies Islamic societies wish to impose in their own countries. That strikes me as something we would want to shout from the rooftops not whisper in the shadows. If we start whispering about the right of free human expression the shadows will do nothing but increase.

Kill Two Birds With One Stone

Support Denmark: Buy and drink Danish beer. LOTS of it.

Either you are for free speech or you ain't. Muslims who really want to live in free societies are gonna have to learn how to cope. There isn't any other alternative.






Big time kudos to Michelle Malkin for pushing this hard.

Looking For Love...

...in all the wrong places.

Worse Than Denkinger

This is saying a lot coming from the kind of Cards fan I am, but the call in the 9th inning of tonights Angels/White Sox game is the worst I have ever seen in a Major League Baseball game. It was as if the umps were bound and determined to see the White Sox win. It was completely baffling and totally inexcusable. I blame not only the Home Plate umpire for making the bonehead call in the first place, but I also blame every other ump on the field for being more interested in covering the ass of the Home Plate ump than they were in getting the call right.

The Angels mean nothing to me, I dislike American League baseball as a matter of course, but I can see when someone was robbed. The Angels were robbed.

It is enough to make one wonder if anyone is keeping track of the umpires bank accounts. Maybe they ought to be.

First Step: Admitting It

Alright, alright....I have a problem. I'm suffering from something that might be called "Competition Stress Disorder." It is all the St. Louis Cardinals fault. The thing is, when they get themselves into the post-season I go nuts. On game days I get very extremely gut-wrenchingly nervous, which makes it difficult to read, write, talk, eat, sleep, breathe, etc. If they win that day's game I get a short respite, from the time the game ends until the time I wake up on the next game day. If they lose that day's game I simply remain in a state of high anxiety and misery until they win again.

When you think about it, it is all rather miserable. If you have ever seen the movie Fever Pitch you can get a good idea of what I'm talking about. (I'm talking about the proper English version here, and not the truly horrific and abysmal Americanized one.) There can be moments of unreserved joy, but the vast majority of the time you are faced with uncertainty, anxiety, anger, heartbreak and misery. Sounds like fun, right?

Part of me would really like to jump off of this rollercoaster, but I know I never will. It would be nice to avoid the depressions that descend upon me whenever the season ends in failure (as it has in every baseball season of my life except one.) But the truth is I'm hooked. The depressions are really of a minor variety, and they are easily dispelled after a few weeks by the knowledge that Spring Training is only a winter away, and the promise of victory is just too sweet to pass up.

Such are my thoughts at Noon on game day.

Maybe I should go out and get some Rolaids.

The No-Brainer Of All No-Brainers

You can consider this "home cooking" if you want, but I think Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch has the National League MVP "race" nailed. It's Albert Pujols in a land-slide.

Pujols was honored Saturday as the first baseman on the all-time Busch Stadium team. With this final-weekend blast of offense, Pujols seems determined to strike the first wrecking-ball blow to the old ballpark.

Perhaps this late explosion will be noticed by the MVP voters, who must submit their ballots by late Sunday. Remarkably, Pujols may be denied the MVP again if voters transfix on Atlanta's Andruw Jones and his 51 homers and league-leading RBI total while ignoring his mediocre overall batting average (.262) and his comically inferior .207 average with runners in scoring position.

If Jones receives the MVP, it'll be with the lowest batting average in the history of the award. And Jones' batting average with runners in scoring position ranks 64th in the National League.

"Albert is the MVP, and with no disrespect to Andruw Jones, it's by a healthy margin," Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said. "Just put together everything he does: the hitting, the leadership, the defense, the way he runs the bases. The whole game."

Of course Pujols lacks that one thing needed for true baseball greatness: An East coast or West coast address.

Fashion Fascists

Thinking of painting that spare bedroom? Well you might want to first run your color scheme by the self appointed Gestapo of Interior Design, Jill Gaulding and Erin Buzuvis to make sure you don't run afoul of any politically correct standards.

The pink visitors' locker room at the University of Iowa's stadium is making some people see red.

Several professors and students joined the call Tuesday for the athletic department to do away with the pink showers, carpeting and lockers, a decades-long Hawkeye football tradition.

Critics say the use of pink demeans women, perpetuates offensive stereotypes about women and homosexuality, and puts the university in the uncomfortable position of tacitly supporting those messages.

"I want the locker room gone," law school professor Jill Gaulding told a university committee studying the athletic department's compliance with NCAA standards, including gender equity.

For decades, visiting football teams playing at Kinnick Stadium have dressed and showered in the pink locker room. The tradition was started by former Iowa coach Hayden Fry, a psychology major who said pink had a calming and passive effect on people.

I'll admit, it's a silly little story, but it does prove a point: There is no aspect of your life that these people do not want to control. The entire world must be changed to suit their sensibilities and their sensibilities alone. These are the same people who complain all the time about religious folks trying to "impose their beliefs on the rest of us." That's fine. Just look in the mirror the next time you utter that phrase. It applies equally well, sister.