williamt blog

Bronie

2012-01-31T07:25:00.003-06:00

1. A hundred free throws in a row

Blake Ahearn of the NBA development league has hit 100 consecutive free throws, and running. In this worthy video he breaks the all-time NBA record.

Blake Ahearn sets new consecutive free-throw record

QOTD

He [Blake Ahearn] told us in the pregame show that he makes 102 free throws every day. I asked him why 102, he said, well, the first hundred are my practice. The other two I think of as the last two of the game.
- Announcer

2. Bronie

Speaking of basketball, driveway basketball at The Castle means smack talk. I think I compared Ty's low post game to Carlos Boozer's when Ty raised the taunting to a new level, calling me a "bronie".

What's a bronie?

bronie - A male fan of the series, "My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic." (link)

He he. Good one!
It's tough to fashion a comeback when your kid says that you're an avid fan of My Little Pony.

3. Freaks lite
This is a cool blog. Fun stats. Nerdy but a a little lighter than the Freaks:

www.bakadesuyo.com

Of course, the best posts are about sex:

Ten things you need to know about sex - I'm now on the lookout for "greater pelvic and vertebral rotation and stride length". Snort.

Things you don't know about sex - Money! Weird money. But money!

What's the chance you will have sex or have a relationship with someone from a speed-dating event? - Search on his "Books on sex" that he recommends at the bottom of a few of the sex posts. I haven't gotten them yet, but...

And so on...

4. Greatest books

At a glance, this list looks a little stodgy, but I'm tucking it away for future amazoning.

The greatest books of all time, as voted by 125 famous authors

Google is a verb. Example: I googled it, and found that you were wrong wrong wrong. (he)
Amazon should be a verb too.

amazon
verb

the process of easily purchasing an item and then having it quickly delivered directly to your home.
an enjoyable, satisfying experience.

Like this:

- Hey Bill, did you ever get that book we talked about?
- Yeah, I amazoned it last week.

5. Happily Excellent

The WSJ (happily) details governor Bobby Jindal's (excellent) school choice plans in Louisiana.

Jindal's education moon shot

Jindal would make vouchers available to about half of Louisiana's students, those who attend a school that gets a C, D or F grade.

The cynical, self-serving response from the teacher's union is a caricature.

QOTD

If I'm a parent in poverty I have no clue because I'm trying to struggle and live day to day
- Teacher's union nabob

So, for poor parents, this nabob knows better how to raise their children and get paid really well to do it.
No he doesn't.
I think Mr. Teacher's Union Man is a bronie, actually. He he.

Good luck to Jindal and the parents in Louisiana!
yow, bill

(No) Crime in NYNY

2012-01-29T07:16:00.000-06:00

"Camo frog"

1. Limitless

Movie: Limitless
Review: 3 bill-stars (out of 5)... barely OK

The notion of a pill that makes you a lot, lot smarter is pretty cool, and that's the premise of Limitless. Alas, the movie is pretty dumb. It's funny. During the movie, I sometimes got confused between the dumb plot and the dumb character. "That's so dumb. Nobody would do that. Oh wait, this guy is supposed to be really dumb."

It was just a light, very average, mildly entertaining 90 minutes. Barely worthy.

2. (No) Crime in NYNY

Here's the bogey: How to stop urban crime without jail time

The reduction in crime in NYNY is simply remarkable. Since 1990:

The homicide rate in the city dropped 80%.
The robbery rate fell 83%, and the burglary rate was down by 86%.
Auto theft has a current rate of about 6% of the 1990 level.
While the rest of the nation increased its rate of incarceration by 65%, New York City decreased its prison and jail rates by 28%

Another fun stat. What's changed in the last 40 years?

Since 1971, the U.S. prison population has grown from just over 200,000 to 1.5 million. When adjusted for population growth, the rate of imprisonment has increased 400%.

How did NYNY do it? The author of the story cites three tactics:

They use computers and crime stats to target crime "hot spots".
Police hours were shifted so that more officers were working at night.
Open-air drug markets were shut down.

Excellent!
yow, bill

Bored blobs and cui bono

2012-01-28T09:26:00.000-06:00

"Jet Trail"

Jesu Cristo. The WSJ hit the ball a long, long way this morning.
See zee ball. Hit zee ball. - Freddie Sanchez

1. Bored blobs

I heart Lenore Skenazy and her Free Range Kids blog.

QOTD

Researchers found that kids spend an average of only 2% to 3% of their day in "vigorous activities."
- Lenore, wsj - The importance of child's play

Even better. He he.

QOTD2

In striving to make our kids super safe and super smart we have turned them into bored blobs.
- Lenore

2. Cui bono

Who are these fucking losers? Idiots all.

Claude Allegre, former director of the Institute for the Study of the Earth, University of Paris
J. Scott Armstrong, cofounder of the Journal of Forecasting and the International Journal of Forecasting
Jan Breslow, head of the Laboratory of Biochemical Genetics and Metabolism, Rockefeller University
Roger Cohen, fellow, American Physical Society
Edward David, member, National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Sciences
William Happer, professor of physics, Princeton
Michael Kelly, professor of technology, University of Cambridge, U.K.
William Kininmonth, former head of climate research at the Australian Bureau of Meteorology
Richard Lindzen, professor of atmospheric sciences, MIT
James McGrath, professor of chemistry, Virginia Technical University
Rodney Nichols, former president and CEO of the New York Academy of Sciences
Burt Rutan, aerospace engineer, designer of Voyager and SpaceShipOne
Harrison H. Schmitt, Apollo 17 astronaut and former U.S. senator
Nir Shaviv, professor of astrophysics, Hebrew University, Jerusalem
Henk Tennekes, former director, Royal Dutch Meteorological Service
Antonio Zichichi, president of the World Federation of Scientists, Geneva

These 16 asswipes are climate deniers. Fools. Partisan hacks. They're all thoughtless, uncaring idiots who are a threat our planet and putting out children (the children!) at risk.

In today's WSJ, 16 scientists wrote a direct rebuke of global warming. Every word of this is spot on:

16 concerned scientists:

No need to panic about global warming

OK. Go:

"CO2 is not a pollutant"
"Perhaps the most inconvenient fact is the lack of global warming for well over 10 years now."
"Alarmism over climate is of great benefit to many, providing government funding for academic research and a reason for government bureaucracies to grow."
"The highest benefit-to-cost ratio is achieved for a policy that allows 50 more years of economic growth unimpeded by greenhouse gas controls"
"Much of the huge private and government investment in climate is badly in need of critical review"

More important than 16 hotshot scientists is a simple point: what they are saying makes common sense. Simple common sense.

Finally, why has all this global warming nonsense been stirred up in the first place?
Cui bono.
Follow the money.
yow, bill

Sad Presidency

2012-01-26T14:25:00.003-06:00

1. Cameron Cameron
Cam Cameron is the offensive coordinator of the Baltimore Raven. Ty and I were laughing at somebody who has the same first and last name. I guess we were off a little bit.

QOTD

Malcolm "Cam" Cameron
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cam_Cameron

Mal-cam?

2. Last SOTU
Following President Obama's (hopefully last) State of the Union address.

QOTD2

No feature of the Obama Presidency has been sadder than its constant efforts to divide us, to curry favor with some Americans by castigating others.
- Mitch Daniels repub response to Obama address, link

Daniels is right. Obamacare. Trillions in debt. Sky high unemployment. Yet, the worst of Obama is his explicit strategy to divide America, to pit one group of Americans against another. For this unprecedented cynical tactic, President Obama is the worst president in my lifetime.

Hey, glass half full. America gets her second chance. We have seen those opposed to our freedoms. It is now our job to remove them, and I think America is up to the task. America can only be beaten from within.

QOTD3

In word and deed, the President and his allies tell us that we just cannot handle ourselves in this complex, perilous world without their benevolent protection. Left to ourselves, we might pick the wrong health insurance, the wrong mortgage, the wrong school for our kids; why, unless they stop us, we might pick the wrong light bulb!
- Mitch Daniels again

3. Artiste!

Movie: The Artist
Review: 4 bill-stars (out of 5)... excellent!

Different and good. That's the bogey. The Artist achieves this goal. It's a black and white silent movie that is very entertaining and positive. The adjective "sentimental" came to mind after I saw it... romantic, old-fashioned, positive, fun. Also, I was glad to see the movie in the theater. As I said, it's a silent movie, so there's no spoken dialogue, but there is a wonderful score playing the whole time. It was interesting to react as part of a crowd to a movie without dialogue.

Jiminy, the girl in The Artist is about as attractive as they come. Bérénice Bejo is Argentinian and was wonderful in the movie. Ditto for the rest of the regular-looking cast as well, including Uggie the dog.

4. 258 pounds

The Naperville Fire Department is having a wellness challenge. Well, isn't that special.

QOTD3

Weighing in collectively at 2,840 pounds, the group [of 11]... began the wellness challenge.
- Weight-loss challenge by 11 Naperville "Fire Department administration employees", patch story

OK, let's see here. Let me put that fancy advanced degree to work. 2,840 pounds divided by 11 employees... carry the one. Jesu Cristo, that's an average of 258 pounds per person?!?!?!

The average admin employee in the Fire Dept weighs 258 pounds!
For real? And that list of 11 employees includes 3 women! WTF!
At least it's the admin employees and not the firemen themselves.

Speaking of firemen. Now, this is a real blog post:

Top Ten 2012 Female Firefighter Calendars

he he... yow, bill

Foot in the grave

2012-01-25T19:54:00.001-06:00

1. iGood iOne
Good one!

QOTD

Tickled that my iPhone autocorrected "Motörhead" by adding the umlauts
- Rachel Barton Pine, her Facebook page

2. Education gap
Equal opportunity... not outcome. Through school choice:

ibd - Education gap, not income gap, is our No. 1 problem

QOTD

We are challenging the soft bigotry of low expectations.
- W on education in 2004, newsmax story

3. How Java was named

I didn't know this story. Here's an email from Java poobah James Gosling on how they came up with the name "Java".

How was Java named?

4. One foot in the grave

Got this today. He he.

I've actually been getting Gram's AARP crap in the mail for years (after her death), and F AARP. They specifically lobby against individual choice in both retirement and health care, so bugger off. Maybe AMAC will send me a geezer card. Or maybe I can skip the whole dang thing altogether.
cha... yow, bill

Max Money

2012-01-24T17:03:00.002-06:00

1. Maximize the money

Jeff Van Gundy is the color guy for NBA basketball... and he's not supposed to say this:

QOTD

Player health and the quality of play was put on the back burner for the only reason that really both sides [NBA players and owners] could come together about, which is maximize money.
- Jeff Van Gundy, latimes post

Van Gundy better shut his fat mouth and maximize his own money. David Stern ain't putting up with nonsense like this for very long.

Of course, Van Gundy is right. Like a lot of teams, the Bull are getting pounded by injuries, but kudos to the players and Coach Thibs... they play really well together. The Bull play hard. The quality of play I've seen from the Bulls' opponents, however, is worse than shoddy.

Luol!

2. Ugh
Book: The Curfew by Jesse Ball
Review: 1 bill-star (out of 5)... ugh
Goodreads link: www.goodreads.com/review/show/267220096

"The Curfew" is different, but not good. I like different, and I admire authors (any artists) that take chances. But in Curfew, the plot and characters are maudlin. Seriously, when your main characters are an ex-violin master, his mute daughter, and their kindly neighbor, the puppeteer... well, it just came off as rather silly and unmoving to me.

Also, the length, richness and depth of this book makes it a novella really, not a novel.
yow, bill

My Best Movies List

2012-01-23T21:34:00.000-06:00

QOTD

Please remember, I still want you
And in case, you wonder why
Well, just wake up
Kiss that good life... goodbye.
- Frank, The Good Life

1. Barf chart

This is one of those vomit-in-your-mouth charts.

Source: www.ritholtz.com/blog/2012/01/monday-am-reads-9

So, should the stock market be equal to its average of 70% of GDP? Well, I dunno. But it sure is uncomfortable to argue that "this time is different". Barf!

2. Weird 8 minutes

Got 8 minutes?
This Polish short film is different and good. Worthy.

Tango: The First Polish Short Film to Win an Oscar, 1980

Didn't get your attention, eh. I guess I forgot to mention the hot chick that comes out naked and gets dressed over and over again. He he.

3. Best movie of 2011

On the less-short movie front... the best movies of 2011?

Ebert's list -Hugo, Descendants, Midnight in Paris? Fail, fail, fail.
Rotten tomato list - Totally bogus. I haven't even heard of most of the top 10.
The Trib's list - Fail.

Even the lists of 2011 movies stinks, if that makes any sense. OK, 2011 was not a banner year for movies, but two movies stood out for me in 2011.

Mission Impossible Ghost Protocol at the Imax is my runner-up. It got 4 bill-stars (williamt review) and was action-packed and chockful 'o hot chicks as well!

Arthur Christmas is my 2011 fave. This also got 4 bill-stars (williamt review), but I liked it better than MIGP. AC was almost a 5 bill-star affair... fun, positive, smart and entertaining from start to finish. It's very "Bugs Bunny does Christmas" kind of animation. When it comes out on DVD, I'm in.

Arthur Christmas. Two thumbs up.
he he... yow, bill

Best snowstorm joke ever

2012-01-22T08:23:00.002-06:00

1. Joke
I heard this on the radio after doing a little snow-shoveling myself.

How do you turn your dishwasher into a snow blower?

Give her a shovel.

Sigh. Smile. Snort.

2. Zone One-Star
Book: Zone One by Colson Whitehead
Review: 1 bill-star (out of 5)... really bad
Goodreads review: www.goodreads.com/review/show/265945213

Zone One is a story about the apocalypse and zombies and senseless violence and gore... wow, sounds perfect Bill, you say. Nope. It stinks. I gave up after 170 pages, with about a hundo to go. I really hardly ever do that. How is such a thing possible?

The apocalypse in Zone One is some unidentified plague. Most everyone gets the plague and turns into a flesh-eating zombie of some flavor. Pretty standard stuff. And honestly, a very nice backdrop for some good "guy reading".

So, what's the problem? The author uses this post-apocalyptic opportunity to whine and complain. Incessantly. About everything. Well, Bill, it is the end of the human race and civilization as we know it... so maybe a little complaining is in order. Hey, I'm with you. But the author, using flashbacks, bitches and moans even more about the world before the plague than after. Blech.

There is very little plot in Zone One. There are very few characters. The book has almost no humor or even smart, biting satire or sarcasm to its credit. The writing style is stilted, self-aware.

This was my favorite little bit from the book... the lead character complains of PASD, which is Post-Apocalyptic Stress Disorder. That's cute. It's also funny that he describes the symptoms (nervous, nightmares, paranoia, etc) and notes that nearly everyone has the symptoms, even before the plague hit.

And this is a fun one...

QOTD

They had become a backward people, stunted and medieval: the world is flat, the Sun revolves around the Earth, everything is better in Canada.
- Zone One

While reading, I kept comparing Zone One to another post-apocalyptic book: The Road by Cormac McCarthy (williamt review). It's not fair to hold anyone to the Cormac standard, but they are both books dealing with life after the apocalypse. The Road doesn't contain a single whine. The Road is a punch in the mouth that dares you to complain.

3. Cultural divide
I don't know if I agree with this, but here's an interesting (long) WSJ story about what's different in America now... the cultural divide:

wsj - The new American divide

Here's the money chart from that story...

This is stuff that is so fun to think about... what has REALLY changed over the last 50 years, over your lifetime. For sure, people are getting married less. Way less. Organized religion is down. I certainly didn't know that affluence and education were such a big part of the equation though. Interesting.

The author makes broad, sweeping conclusions about this cultural divide. It's a long walk, and I'm not signing up to a lot of it. But perhaps the foundation is worthy... In a high-tech world, the difference those who are educated and those who are not is going to get more and more acute.
yow, bill

WI role model

2012-01-20T15:23:00.003-06:00

1. Ch-Ch-Ch-Chia
Cool. The "Chia Pet" garage in Miami.

2. Shutterfly!

Hey, huzzah to Shutterfly!
They sent me a tasty $20 coupon via email because I bought stuff there before.
Not $20 if I buy $100 worth of stuff.
Not $20 off on some spa or cooking utensils.
No, just go buy something and take $20 off. Sweet.

Even before the 20 bucks, Shutterfly was the best in the business for photo stuff online.
So, thanks for the free photo coffee cups, Shutterfly. Excellent.

3. IL v. WI

Wisconsin is beating the stuffing out of Illinois these days. Sigh.

The Packer routinely crush the Bear.
The Brewer are a playoff team; the Cub are scrubs.
Miss Wisconsin/America is hotter than Miss Illinois (williamt post)

Most importantly (I guess), Wisconsin is fiscally sound, whereas Illinois is a hot mess:

wsj - The Greece next door

While Gov Quinn raised taxes in IL 67%, IL has the worst credit rating in the nation.
Gov Walker took on the public service unions, cut spending, and WI is thriving.

Funny (weird, not ha ha) how President Obama is (sort of) from Illinois. In his 3 years, President Obama has led the country down the Illinois path with trillions of $$$ thrown into the bonfire and America's first credit downgrade in forever. President Obama's solution, like our Gov Quinn's... raise taxes and spend more.

Who'd a-thunk just a short few years ago that I'd be hoping that the country would follow Wisconsin's as a positive role model? Talk about upside down.
Oh well... cheese and porn for everyone!
yow, bill

Hot cheesehead

2012-01-17T16:18:00.002-06:00

1. Wisconsin women
Miss America is from Wisconsin. He he.

QOTD1

The only attractive woman in Wisconsin won the Miss America pageant last night.
- Chicago sports radio girl

Well, Wisconsin definitely wins over Miss Illinois below.

2. Austerity
This should be pounded home every day of this election cycle. But it won't be.

QOTD2

In the world of government, living within your means is called austerity.
- John Mauldin, The End of Europe?

You could put "Only" in front of that quote. Only in the world of government...

3. Alone Together
This is the "Alone Together Effect". (williamt review of Alone Together)

QOTD3

When I started covering presidential primaries, the best part was getting to know the candidates. We journalists would ride around in vans and buses with them and get an intimate look at what it’s like to endure this soul-destroying process. But the ubiquity of Web cams and tweets has ended that off-the-record culture. As the technology gets more open, the lines of political communications become more closed.
- David Brooks, NY Times nabob, freak post

This phenomenon is analogous to people texting more and talking on the phone less. Texting is great, but it has come at the cost of a better (more expensive?) form of communication.

4. Negativity
This is a good example of why the Bill bubble exists. This crappy snark snuck through.

QOTD4

"You can see this video at wlsam.com"
- Radio news touting a video to all its listeners... of a gang beating some poor Asian kid

How many people took WLS's advice and watched a heinous thing like this?
What does this kind of negativity do to people?

Journalism... the lowest of all professions. The news (radio, TV, Internet) always reminds me of the Moz quote: "They'd sell cancer if someone paid them."

5. Positivity

End on a fun, positive note. Here's a fantasy baseball blog discussion on snake drafts v. straight drafts v. auctions. I added my two cents... search for williamt.

www.hardballtimes.com/main/fantasy/article/the-verdict-snake-versus-auction-draft/

We're switching to straight drafts in both baseball and football leagues in 2012.

It's dreamy. Like Salma.
he he... yow, bill

Macaroni, partying, and a nap

2012-01-14T08:03:00.001-06:00

1. A billion users

I can't quite wrap my nerdy little head around this one.

Facebook will have one billion users by Sep 2012

Billion with a B.
And... "Facebook says more than 50% of its users log in every day."
Jiminy.

2. Naperville crime spree

I added this Naperville Patch blog to my Reader for local news. It's intense!

A 43-year-old woman in the 2900 block of Bartlett Court, reported that the faceplate from her in dash Kenwood CD player was stolen from her unlocked 1999 Ford Contour, police said.
- Naperville patch post

He he.

3. Trekkies 2

Movie: Trekkies 2
Review: 3 bill-stars (out of 5)... OK

The first Trekkies was beautiful 5-star experience (williamt review) marked by its innocence and purity. It was a glimpse of hardcore nerds in their native habitat. Not just nerds, but uber-nerds. They were weird, kind, downtrodden, quirky, unaware. It was great!

In Trekkies 2, the innocence is gone. Everyone in #2 has either seen the original Trekkies or was a part of it. So, #2 doesn't have much of the magic that #1 had. I peeked at the IMDB page for Trekkies 2 and someone there pegged it. Trekkies 2 was unnecessary. Agreed.

One of my favorite parts of #2 is their re-interviewing one of the teenage kids from the original named Gabriel Köerner. He stood out because he was so young, smart, nerdy and completely absorbed by the Star Trek thing. Now, he's actually got a girl (married, and she's not bad-looking) and a job (graphic design) and is still his nerdy self, and doing well.

QOTD

"Feel the power. Yeah!"
- Trekkies nerd on him actually getting a girl, marrying her and having sex

4. Jack Reacher

Book: Killing Floor by Lee Child
Review: 3 bill-stars (out of 5)... just OK
Goodreads link: www.goodreads.com/review/show/261694993

I got this book in search of another Mitch Rapp. Dop.

This is the first book in the Jack Reacher series. My Mitch Rapp expectations were way too high. Jack Reacher is no Mitch Rapp. Lee Child is no Vince Flynn. In Killing Floor, everything was just OK: plot, characters, writing style, everything. Jack Reacher is a 6 and a half foot tall brute who, when he gets into trouble, just beats the crap out of people. OK. Killing Floor is written in first person, which is fine. But Jack Reacher really didn't have much to say or think that was really all that interesting.

And weird. I was reading along and then it struck me how little profanity was used in the book. Jack Reacher is in prison. He's beating guys up. He's surrounded by violent murderers and criminals in the deep south. And not a single F bomb in the whole book. I wonder if the author did this on purpose.

... [hold on a sec, okay?] ...

Ah, here it is: Lee Child's take on Profanity in his novels. He does exclude profanity on purpose, even though he uses "industrial language" all the time in his own life. Hmm.

QOTD

"Christ," he said again. "You killed five men. That's a hell of a thing, Reacher. How do you feel about that?"
"How do you feel when you put roach powder down?" I asked him.
- Jack Reacher, pummeling people

So, Jack Reacher was OK. He didn't quite work out, but it did make me pause and appreciate my shelf of Mitch Rapp books and Vince Flynn all the more. Finally, they're making a Jack Reacher movie, I guess. Who's playing the part of the towering Jack Reacher? Tom Cruise. Snort.

5. Aw snap

Aw snap.
Aw snap.
Come to our macaroni party then we'll take a nap.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dS5FjsC930

I find that 12 yo Ty often values entertainment based on its randomness.
Yes, this is a fun, disturbing phase.
he he... yow, bill

PS - The Patties tonight. Go Tebow!

Sushi and donuts

2012-01-12T08:52:00.002-06:00

1. The Sushi Report

Sushi at Walgreens? Count me out, eh.

QOTD

The store at State and Randolph will offer manicures and eyebrow shaping, made-to-order sushi, a juice and smoothie bar, self-serve frozen yogurt and even a humidor.
- High-end Walgreen's grand opening on State Street

Perhaps I'm a big faker though. I have bought sushi at the Jew-el, and it was great.

I wonder if they have a sushi bar at the Kum & Go: www.kumandgo.com

2. Fave brands

Ten strongest brands in the US: Subway, Amazon, History Channel, Google, Cheerios, Lowe's, Ford, Discovery Channel, Target, Apple. (yahoo link)

Ford?
And hey, where's McDonalds?

3. The running donut
The Krispy Kreme Challenge. He he.

To complete the Krispy Kreme Challenge competitors begin at the NC State Belltower, run 2.5 miles to the Krispy Kreme store on Peace Street, eat 1 dozen doughnuts, and run 2.5 miles back to the Belltower-all in under an hour.
- www.krispykremechallenge.com/press/krispy-kreme-challenge-2012-media-packet

How the heck do you down a dozen donuts in one sitting? Got me.

I love the running donut mascot (below). See the rubber band around his left knee and his running gloves. He he. But guys, lose the headband.

4. School choice

CA parents are working hard to counter the grotesque leviathan that is the teacher's union.

wsj - Parents rebel against California school

QOTD

"Our concern with the Parent Trigger law is it assumes that the problem at these schools is the teaching staff or the leadership"
- Teacher's union nabob

Well, I certainly believe this nabob. The school leaders don't feel responsible for failing schools. And the teacher's union will say anything to anyone to deflect the issue.

QOTD2

"They told us that if they agreed to all our demands, they'd be hurting the other schools"
- Parent

Here in Illinois, Zion teachers went on strike and then reached an agreement with the school board. There the link: trib - Zion-Benton teachers head back to school after strike.

The interesting side note in the article:

Median income in Zion: $47,607
Average Zion teacher salary: $69,100

I'll be a nabob myself and remind you that these Zion teachers pull in $70K for 10 months of work and that the $70K salary doesn't include the most boffo pension and health care benefits in the land. Ridiculous!

school choice... yow, bill

Succulent and nutritious flesh

2012-01-11T08:25:00.002-06:00

Nature QOTD

Inside... the defenseless young are butchered.
The succulent and nutritious flesh will be a massive boost to the hornets' own larvae, and their queen's fortunes.
- (Hot British) narrator, youtube - 30 Japanese giant hornets kill 30,000 honey bees

That video really is amazing and brutal. Excellent. He he.

1. My All-time NBA team

I'm working on it.
Go:

PG - Magic
SG - Michael
SF - Larry Bird
PF - T Duncan
C - Kareem

2nd team:

PG - Oscar Robertson
SG - Kobe
SF - ???
PF - K Malone
C - Shaq or Hakeem

I picked Tim Duncan over Karl Malone because of all the rings. I prefer The Mailman's angry style, but Duncan's got the rings.

It's interesting how easy the choices are for guard and center. How completely dominant these players were. Power forward is tougher, and small forward is the toughest of all.

This is a great site on career leaders in all manner of stats: www.basketball-reference.com/leaders

2. Girlie book

Book: True Things About Me by Deborah Kay Davies
Review: 3 bill-stars (out of 5)... OK
Goodreads link: www.goodreads.com/review/show/260098700

First, that's the author over there to the right. Very Welsh'y attractive.

It's appropriate that this book has "Me" in the title. It's primarily a first-person introspective of a young woman going through an existential crisis of confidence. It was interesting, almost like reading a personal journal.

This is true girlie stuff: insecurity, hating your appearance, self-loathing, consumed by the opinions of others. The author did a great job of putting you in the shoes of a girl going through these difficult emotions. You feel the lead character buckling because of her lack of self-confidence, lack of a foundation. It's fascinating to me on two accounts: 1) how nearly universal it seems for women, and 2) how different guys are.

The girl in True Things is always looking in the mirror and either degrading herself or not connecting with the person she sees. The male perspective is the opposite. You better connect with that guy in the mirror and act in a way that makes you proud of yourself, or else all is guy-lost. It reminded me of a poem that Da Coach Mike Ditka often quotes called the Man in the Mirror.

For it isn't your Father, or Mother, or Wife,
Who judgement upon you must pass.
The feller whose verdict counts most in your life
Is the guy staring back from the glass.
- www.theguyintheglass.com/gig.htm

Well, that diary of the female experience is the first 2/3 of the book, and it's pretty riveting. But dop... the last 1/3 of the book kind of collapses into a more plot-oriented story and loses its way. It was a disappointing ending, but it's tough to write a good ending, eh.

Regardless, True Things was a worthwhile read.
yow, bill

Green Rage

2012-01-08T11:28:00.003-06:00

1. Green Rage

This is fun... reminds me of my ole Marching Illini days. The George Mason band playing some Rage.

Green Rage - practice

Green Rage - live

I think that's the same piccolo player rocking out in each video. He he. Just get rid of the unnecessary vocals, and you're set Greenies.

2. Wind rage
A little science (Science!) from those noted global warming deniers (and racists), the Dutch... here's a study badmouthing wind power.

Wind power is expensive and ineffective at cutting CO2

The study makes note of the extra expense and extra CO2 of turning regular gas power on and off to backup when windmills do not work. Duh.

QOTD

The report concludes: “The most cost-effective technologies are nuclear and gas-fired. Onshore, and especially offshore, wind technologies are inordinately expensive.”
- Dutch study, link

3. Math = repetition
Good math site: www.ixl.com

This IXL site is good because it's just problems: graded, timed, and repeated. Also, really good: the problems are ordered by grade/difficulty and topic. So, I go to 7th grade for Ty, select "Greatest Common Factor", and off we go.

4. Tebow!

Gol dang jiminy! Tebow win!

I hopped in the car to pickup Ty from school and head to sax lessons. Turn on the radio. Click.

- Tebow and the Bronco have absolutely no chance in New England next weekend.
Click.

- It's like no one remembers how Tebow sucked the last 3 weeks of the regular season?
Click.

- I don't like Tebow because he says God wants him and the Bronco to win.
Click.

Well, first off, I've heard Tebow say the exact opposite about God's concern with the outcome of football games. But this crap is a replay of last week's "reporting" on how Tebow and the Bronco would be crushed by the Steeler. Tebow had no chance. He was an embarrassment. The Steeler had (genius) D-coordinator Dick LeBeau were waiting to feast on hapless Tebow. The Bronco had (scary talent) Brady Quinn waiting in the wings to replace Tebow. Blah blah blah.

Not only did Tebow win. He picked up his teammates: McGahee fumble late in the 4th quarter and Champ Bailey dropped interception in the 4th as well. The Tebow option play punished the Steeler and forced them to bring their safeties up to play against the run. In response, Tebow threw for over 300 yards and the game-winning TD in OT.

So, why the media vitriol? Ya got me. The only difference between Tebow and Michael Vick two years into his career is that Tebow's white and religious and not an asshole. Michael Vick was a running QB who couldn't throw worth a lick early (and not so early) in his career, yet he was universally heralded.

It does seem that the fans get it. Tebow is electric. He's a winner. And yes, it's pretty cool to see a seemingly genuine nice guy in the spotlight. So, I heart Tom Brady and the Pattie, but go Tebow!
yow, bill

PS - And yeah team!

Tax the blind

2012-01-05T07:28:00.006-06:00

1. The Silly Report
My fave silly blather.

Silly QOTD

"He even raised taxes on people who were blind."
- Newt campaigning against Romney, reuters story

And are you following this national tragedy?
We (Americans) aren't paying for Palestinian Sesame Street any more.

Stupid QOTD2

Kuttab said production takes months. At the beginning of each season, Palestinian educators and child psychologists work with the Education Ministry to craft themes and curriculum. Then writers draft the episodes, with occasional review from New York. Filmed in Ramallah and airing on Palestinian national television, each 20-minute episode is half Palestinian content and half American footage.
- Palestinian Sesame Street, ap story

We paid for this crap. It's not exactly clear, but I think we were paying $2.5M for Palestinian Sesame Street. Which is sillier: Newt or this? Well. At least Newt didn't cost me any money.

2. Wings of Dawn

Book: Wings of Dawn by Sigmund Brouwer
Review: 3 bill-stars (out of 5)... good
Goodreads link: www.goodreads.com/review/show/258016506

Wow, the first 300 pages of Wings of Dawn are a fun 4-star romp. The book is set in medieval England. There's tons of action with heroes and villains and peasants and knights and the whole deal. It's very fast-paced, chockful 'o action. This is not detailed historical fiction that places you in the time period with elaborate narration or anything. It's meat and potatoes, baby. Which is good. Count me in!

Alas, the book dies a pretty horrible, twisted (and disappointing) death over the last 150 pages or so. The lead character leaves England for the Middle East (WTF?), and the whole thing gets completely bogged down. Each plot device seemed to get used twice or more. For example, on multiple occasions people fake imprisonment to spy on someone else. Or someone's escape is faked, so that they can be followed. It got really silly by the end. Also, when he left England, Brouwer had to dump in a whole new lot of characters just to keep the thing churning, but it crossed the finish line as flat as a pancake.

Oh well. It was a fun read and worth it. So close to more than that though. He he.

3. Penn Stater

The cover of the Penn State alumni magazine, the Penn Stater, reflects the disarray at the college due to the child abuse scandal from last year. Good one. (um, the artwork, not the abuse)

yow, bill

3D this

2012-01-03T09:18:00.002-06:00

Excellent Ty gift this year... Converse sneakers with the most awesome Superman on the side:

"Super shoes"

1. US as Europe
Are we America or are we Europe? Is it small, decentralized government or the Obama way?

2012: A US referendum on Europe

Fuck it. You know my vote.
Jeez, Romney. Do you flipping get it?

2. We are stupid

Speaking of Europe.

We fucking paid for this stupidity... a new law in IL requiring backseat passenger wear seatbelts.

IL passes new car safety law

Illinois is stupid. Billions and billions of dollars in the hole. Taxes up 70%. Tolls up 100%.
And the dolts in Springfield are passing laws about seat belts.

3. (Not Rin) Tintin
Movie: The Adventures of Tintin
Review: 3 bill-stars (out of 5)... worth it

OK, I've got it now. Rin Tin Tin is a dog. Tintin is an animated guy. Check.

Tintin was a fun, action-packed movie. Tintin is basically an animated Indiana Jones. It was weird seeing a cartoon character pickup a handgun and plug some bad guys. Excellent. Other than the action and beautiful animation, there isn't much there, but it was enough.

Ty and I saw the 3D flavor of Tintin. It was my first 3D movie that I can recall. 3D sucks. The glasses made the movie a little darker. The effects were just a boring novelty. I took the glasses off to try and just watch the movie. Nope. It's a little fuzzy without the 3D glasses. And of course, I paid extra for the privilege of all this suckage.

Call me a geezer, I don't care. 3D. Count me out.

4. Draft Vernon Wells
Note to self: Grab Vernon Wells in the late, late rounds of our fantasy baseball draft in March.

Vernon Wells led the league last year in being unlucky. If he fell out of boat, he would’ve missed the water and hit the jetty. He hit a whammy every time he pressed his luck. His BABIP of .214 would have actually led the major leagues six of the past seven years in unluckiness
- The Razzball guy, post

hmm... yow, bill

Purulent

2012-01-02T09:52:00.001-06:00

1. A great 2012 start
A wonderful start to the new year... Kim39, my Scrabble puzzle calendar, orange juice and champagne.
My calendar offered some nice, basic trivia... The Scrabble board has 225 squares (15x15) and 100 tiles to be played.
And my favorite bingo completing the puzzles so far is "purulent".

purulent - consisting of, containing, or discharging pus

This QOTD was uttered shortly after my purulent coup.

QOTD

"Dude. We are getting smarter. A LOT smarter."
- williamt, an enthusiastic celebration of my Scrabble calendar puzzle and a (few) mimosa(s)

2. Infatuation, actually
Movie: Love, Actually
Review: 3 bill-stars (out of 5)

Love, Actually (LA) is a girlie movie with enough light laughter to barely nudge over the 3 bill-star threshold.

Lord help me for over-analyzing this tripe, but...

All the "love" was actually (ha, get it?) infatuation... or merely physical attraction.
There were consistent themes of a) infidelity, b) hot young chicks running around all over the place, and c) old men chasing young girls (and vise versa) in the movie. You'd think this would turn women away from the movie, but I presume that the over-the-top romantic stuff won out.

3. Productivity

Writing prose is pretty similar to writing code, I reckon. Here's an interesting productivity notion:

I wrote without interruptions for three 90 minute periods, and took a break between each one. I had breakfast after the first session, went for a run after the second, and had lunch after the third. I wrote no more than 4 1/2 hours a day
- writer, Big Picture post

Especially interesting given my gammy thyroid.
yow, bill

Nongo

2011-12-30T09:08:00.001-06:00

Fly me to the moon
Let me play among the stars
Let me see what spring is like
On Jupiter and Mars
In other words
Hold my hand
In other words
Baby, kiss me
- Frank, Fly Me to the Moon

QOTD

In the realm of ideas, everything depends on enthusiasm.
In the real world, all rests on perseverance.
- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, German poet

1. Christmas trio

I "played with" 3 great Christmas presents last night.

Deluxe Punkins - I listened to my remastered deeee-luxe Punkins Gish and Siamese Dreams CD's (amazon). The timbers of The Castle were rattling last night, eh.

I haven't gotten through half the stuff, and it's outstanding! I read all Billy Corgan's liner notes where he comments on each song and what it means to him. It all seemed incredibly personal, and I have a lot more respect for Billy's crankiness than before.

I haven't even gotten to the concert DVD's from 20 years ago. Excellent.

The song that changed my life more than any other. The ultimate in irony: a chirpy song about my near-suicide that all the kids can sing along to.
- Billy Corgan, on his song "Today"

7 letter heaven/hell - I parried with my Scrabble calendar, trying to create 7 letter bingo after 7 letter bingo. I suck. (he he) I'm getting most of them, but it takes me a while.

Q: What is the SCRABBLE term for a "bingo" on your rack that won't play on the board?
A: Nongo

Frenchie brandy - I was enjoy my Christmas toys, when I thought of a gift from Christmas past... my Armagnac, which is a Frenchie brandy (link). A couple sips and a pleasant cloud engulfed me... "I wonder what Martini puts in these drinks"... he he!

2. 2012

The theme for 2012.

QOTD

The fight for economic rationality goes on.
- WSJ

Huzzah to 2012!

peace... yow, bill

Usain's 2nd 100 meters

2011-12-29T09:02:00.001-06:00

"Lyam Bow"

1. Timeline example

From my previous post on Facebook's blog-like transformation, I got a couple emails on this... what the heck is Facebook Timeline? Well, here's an example for you... Drew is a cousin of mine: www.facebook.com/drew.barnes

2. Usain question

Q: When elite athletes run 200 meters, which is faster... their first 100m or their second 100m?
A: Their first 100m is faster.

Usain Bolt holds the world record in both the 100 meter and 200 meter dash. Here you go:

100m - 9.58 seconds
200m - 19.19 seconds

So, Bolt's 100m time is 9.58 seconds. If he ran the next 100m in 9.58 seconds, then his 200m time would be 19.16. Since Bolt's 200m time is 19.19 seconds, it makes sense that, even with a running start, Bolt's second 100m is slower than his first.

I think this is pretty surprising. It means that peak speed performance for the human body breaks down in about 10 seconds. And it really must break down quite a bit. Pretend that Bolt is racing himself. Bolt #1 will run a 200m and Bolt #2 a 100m race. The first Bolt starts his 200m run and cruises past the 100m mark in full stride (presumably it takes him 9.58 seconds to run the first 100). Now, exactly when he passes himself, the 2nd Bolt starts his 100m run from the blocks. Even with a running start, Bolt #2 will win that last 100m with a 9.58, faster than the 2nd Bolt who, I assume, is tiring. Weird.

3. "Denier" explanation

Here's a (kind of smarmy) pro-global warming article:

How can climate change denialism be explained?

Well, that was silly. And he's working too hard. I can give you a quick 5 reasons why I don't buy global warming:

Fraud - There has been plenty 'o fraud in global warming science from the bogus hockey stick to the ClimateGate emails. And it's not just the science. The general media, seemingly on impulse, attributes everything and anything to global warming... from Hurricane Katrina to the Japanese tsunamis.
Science - The science is in doubt. There was just an article in Science magazine proposing that the impact of CO2 is dramatically less than that used in global warming models. And of course, there are sun spot guys, and more.
Do as I say - Global warming nabobs don't walk the walk. First, everybody is making money, and lots of it. Second, methane from meat consumption is as big a global warming factor as cars and trucks, but as Al Gore says, "I ain't giving up my meat." It's odd as well to note that so many of the global warming luminaries have second houses and log extensive travel miles.
Solution - Let's say tomorrow somebody could metaphysically prove that global warming was happening. The solution still would not be rolling back progress or a massive tax increase. The solution is not telling 2 billion Chinese and Indian people to F off. The solution would be to engineer a way to mitigate the warming or roll-back the CO2 increases, ala the Freakonomics boys.
Shut up - In general, any time somebody tells you that you better shut the fuck up... they're full of crap.

done... yow, bill

Tynasty (tm)

2011-12-28T07:36:00.000-06:00

Q: What rhymes with Acapulco Bay?
A: Cuckoo day
- Frank, "Come fly with me"

QOTD

You think you've flown before
but baby, you ain't left the ground
- Frank, "The best is yet to come"

1. I'm right

Blogging is better than Facebook. Correct!

Facebook is becoming, for all intent, a blog. The new Facebook Timeline stores Facebook posts chronologically and provides search of posts, etc. just like a blog. Labeling of posts? I don't know. Will the character limit will be scrapped? Hold on a sec. Yup. Link.

Facebook was a napkin, a bunch of transient scribbles. That stinks. Of course, the other 800 million people using Facebook might have a different opinion. Cha! But now, Facebook will be, it seems, turning into an easier-to-use blog.

2. I'm wrong

The 2012 elections will be really important. Wrong!

I sure have the impression, the feeling, that the 2012 elections will be important. I have the feeling that it's vital that President Obama be defeated and that the new guy (Romney) will actually do something to undo Obamacare and control federal spending/control.

Yet, I know that I'm almost certainly wrong. Is it just optimism on my part? Or is it just that the Obama presidency has been such a disastrous leap in the wrong direction, that I can only see us correcting it. I don't want to see the alternative.

3. Mr. Potter
Movie: The last Harry Potter
Review: 3 bill-stars (out of 5)... OK

Forget the last movie. I'll go 3 bill-stars for the whole Harry Potter she-bang... the movies, the books, the fans, etc. It's super light fun. No more, no less. It's OK.

4. Tynasty (tm)

TyPad. Tyger. Tynasty.

QOTD

Well done. A juggernaut, an immovable force...a "Tynasty"
- Rob T, Facebook post on Ty's fantasy football victory

Tynasty. He he. Good one!

Ty won fantasy football this year in a wonderful, crazy end-of-the-year run marshaled by uber-rookie Cam Newton: Payton34 2011 Season. Huzzah!

peace... yow, bill

Voluptuousness

2011-12-21T10:27:00.000-06:00

QOTD

Regrets
I've had a few
But too few
To mention
- Frank, My Way

1. Best story of the year

The best news story of 2011?

Italian airport police eyeing up a busty Spanish model's curves made a startling discovery on Wednesday -- 2.5 kilograms (5.5 pounds) of pure cocaine stashed as implants in her bust and backside.

The 33-year-old woman arriving in Rome from Sao Paulo in Brazil was wearing tight-fitting clothes to enhance her voluptuousness, hoping that her looks might distract the attention of border police, ANSA news agency reported.
- yahoo story

2. MIGP

Movie: Mission Impossible Ghost Protocol (MIGP)
Review: 4 bill-stars (out of 5)... awesome action!

This is an Imax review. Forget the plot and characters and acting and all, MIGP is as dense an action flick as I can recall. Tom Cruise hanging off an Imax skyscraper in Dubai was sublime. There was so many actions scenes, we were exhausted after the movie.

In the MI series, I still give the nod to the first movie for having both action, great characters, and an interesting plot. But MIGP is a close second.

I won a dollar. The hot chick in MIGP is a halfsie. Paula Patton is half black, half white. Super race!

Two previews of note before the movie:

The GI Joe preview rocked! I am still dubious, but that was an outstanding trailer.
The Dark Knight 2 preview, however, was a total bust. They already have my money for this one, but I sure hope it's better than the trailer.

And to top it off, mini-burgers after the movie. Mission Kimpossible!
ha... yow, bill

Prime Rib Special

2011-12-21T09:54:00.002-06:00

"Cool Night Tree"

1. Movie

Movie: Good Hair
Review: 4 bill-stars (out of 5)... very good

This is a Chris Rock movie, a documentary. Its really funny, sharp, original and good-hearted. This is probably a 3-star movie bumped up to 4 stars because I learned so much about the totally whacked-out world of black women and their hair. Really, with the weaves and the relaxer and all, this movie could be documenting an alien culture on Mars as far as I knew. Ha!

The most important, poignant scene is a group of black high school girls talking about their hair. They expressed that they couldn't just leave their hair in natural/afro form because then it would be hard to get a job. I don't think this is the case, but who knows. I have a sneaking suspicion it's more about attracting guys, and conforming, but again, don't know.

Something's goofy though. For all the time and money and emotional energy that black women put into changing their hair... it just seems, um, misplaced. Dang good movie though.

2. Book

Book: Divergent by Veronica Roth
Review: 3 bill-stars (out of 5)... just (barely) ok
Goodreads link: www.goodreads.com/review/show/249658813

This book is very similar to Hunger Games (HG). I mean it was a fun, light read and all, but it wasn't terribly original in the light of how popular HG is. I think HG is a better book and concept as well. Divergent was barely worth it, barely earning its 3 stars.

So it's cool, but the burr in my saddle is that Divergent was chosen by Goodreads members as the best book of 2011: www.goodreads.com/award/choice/2011. Snort. I'm going to guess that the age of the goodreads voters on these things must be extremely young, definitely under 20. Fool me once.

Bah. Maybe I'm just a little cranky because I got caught. I was sitting at a bar having dinner (the prime rib special... mmm) reading Divergent when a nice, cute-as-a-button 20-something couple said "Hi!" and asked what I was reading. Um. Er. Uh. Pause. I showed them Divergent, and to my horror the girl announced that she knew this book because worked at a bookstore. "Yeah, it's a lot like Hunger Games," I rationalized. I then nervously broke bad on goodreads and the whole "best of 2011" blah blah.

Anyway, the 20-somethings didn't care. I found out that their keen interest in (old) me was just nervous avoidance of their company Christmas party that was going on somewhere else in the restaurant. Before returning to their party, Mrs. 20-something recommended some book about Abe Lincoln being a vampire or hunting vampires or something... I don't think so. Vampires, schmampires. Enough already.

After the 20-somethings left, I drank a little extra dinner and kept reading Divergent. Like I said, it was worth it.
once bitten... yow, bill

Ready Player One

2011-12-20T09:12:00.001-06:00

1. Dynamic
The American economy isn't static, my leftie friends. There is no permanent upper or under class.

QOTD

"A November Federal Reserve study, meanwhile, found that a third of the people in the top 1% in 2007, as measured by wealth, were no longer in the top 1% in 2009."
- wsj - The Truth About Wealth

2. Metallic

Book: Ready Player One
Review: 3 bill-stars (out of 5)... good
Goodreads link: www.goodreads.com/review/show/249297315

Hey, this is a fun read. It's a celebration of video games and pop culture from the 80's. The setting is 2045, where most people spend their post-apocalyptic time in a virtual reality called "The Oasis", aka the Facebook of the future (he he). In this future/virtual world, the 1980's are recreated in great detail for the virtual inhabitants and us readers.

If you're under 40, I imagine this book would be complete gibberish. For me (old-timer), I smiled with dreamy glee when the author described playing Joust and storing his Trash-80 programs on a cassette recorder. Sigh.

Obviously, this is very light reading. I enjoyed it, though the virtual world stuff got kind of repetitive and tiresome by the middle of the book. Ironically, the story picks up once the lead character leaves "The Oasis" for some time in real reality. The ending was a lot of fun.

This is my very favorite passage from the big virtual battle near the end.

QOTD

Then he produced an item from his inventory and placed it on the ground in front of him. I zoomed in for a closer look and felt the muscles in my jaw tighten. It was a toy robot. A bipedal dinosaur with armor-plated skin and a pair of large cannons mounted on its shoulder blades. I recognized it immediately, from several turn-of-the-century Japanese monster flicks.

It was Mechagodzilla.
- fun virtual battles from Ready Player One

Yup. Laughed out loud reading that one. So? What are you looking at?
Mecha-Godzilla.
snort... yow, bill

Goodpleebs

2011-12-13T09:21:00.000-06:00

"Night Tree"

1. Goodpleebs
This is pretty cool. Goodreads lists its best books of 2011 as voted on by goodreads pleebs (goodpleebs?).

www.goodreads.com/award/choice/2011

The top top book is Divergent, which looks sufficiently immature for me to try out. The other nice thing about Goodreads' effort is that they list "best of" books by category.

2. Nerdy
nerdgasm - (slang, neologism) A feeling of great excitement in a nerd or geek, as for example when hearing about a new scientific discovery or video game console. (wiktionary link)

The Flynn Effect - a substantial and long-sustained increase in intelligence test scores measured in many parts of the world. (wikipedia link)

3. Grinchy
The grinchiest country: Holland, freaks - Christmas spending by country

Mr. Met isn't a Grinch. He's a goof.

4. Problem solved
The feds want to ban cell phones in cars (story). I could bitch and moan, but no... I'm all about solving problems.
Solution: The next president should announce a new rule. Any fed regulatory agency that "makes news" (on TV, radio, newspaper, etc) on any action they take, then 1) the head of that agency gets fired, and 2) the agency's funding gets cut in half.

I done this QOTD.

QOTD

"Either you're uninsured or you're a nutcase."
- Steve Forbes, what they think when you ask the doctor what something is going to cost

Or both.
yow, bill

PS - These (below) are virtual bikinis some store came up with... computer-generated girls wearing computer-modeled bikinis. Meh. The store got in trouble because some nabobs deemed these virtual girls to be too skinny. It might have been the feds for all I know. What fed agency is securing us from the evils and dire peril of virtual bikini models. Hmm.

Armani Underwear

2011-12-08T09:53:00.001-06:00

1. How Doctors Die
Excellent article.

How Doctors Die

So how do doctors die? I guessed the answer. Without intervention. Without extraordinary, "heroic" measures. Without all the nonsense.

What does it mean that doctors don't choose the care that they give others? I don't have an answer to that one.

2. Do NOT use Proflowers
Do NOT use Proflowers. They are a jerky ripoff.
Go:

I got Proflowers spam about some $20 Christmas thingie, free shipping, blah blah
OK, that sounds fun. Go there and order it up.
Submit the order and, like magic, there it is... $15 charge for the vase and $3 for care and handling. He he. So, my $20 item with free shipping magically transformed into nearly $40.
Five minutes later, I called them up to change the order or cancel it. "Sorry, it's already in the shipping process and your order can't be changed."

I hung up the phone and smiled. You got me, boys. Good one.
Enjoy this one, but never again.

Do NOT use ProFlowers

They are a jerky ripoff

3. Nerdvana
Best Dilbert ever.

Source: search.dilbert.com/comic/Nerdvana

4. You're a-peein'
President Obama wants to send everyone in the US to college. Hey, on this one... I'm going European!

QOTD

"...take a look at students in Finland, Sweden, or Germany. In these countries, more than half the students enter apprenticeship programs instead of going to college, but these students are very well-educated and well-rounded."
- some nabob, wsj notable quotable

I'll guess 25%... the number of kids in college who shouldn't be. Some because of ability. Most because of apathy, lack of motivation.
yow, bill

Everyoldlady

2011-12-06T11:35:00.001-06:00

1. Yo yo Mah-ket
I heart this one. The market over the last 4 months or so: bespoke post.

That's 16 moves up and down greater than 5% in the last 4 months.
All resulting in a market that's basically flat (down just 2%) over that time period.
Jiminy Christmas.

2. Emily, Alone
Book: Emily, Alone by Stewart O'Nan
Review: 3 bill-stars (out of 5)... OK
Goodreads link: www.goodreads.com/review/show/243848045

About 200 pages in, I realized that nothing was actually going to happen in Emily, Alone. Meh. It was okay, so I kept on reading. I enjoyed the portrait of a senior citizen living alone enough to give it 3 stars and a thumbs up.

Emily, Alone is just a character study of an old, retired widow living in Pittsburgh. Now, you might think that the life of a retired widow in Pittsburgh might not be that exciting, and you'd be correct. O'Nan goes into great detail about the very mundane activities of Emily's everyday life. For example, there's a chapter on Emily resetting her clocks for daylight savings time. No, I'm not kidding. In addition, the author decided to tell Emily's story in the third person. I guess this was to remove any possible hint of excitement from the book (he he).

Well, the point here is that while the plot may be very mundane, it is also very realistic. Emily is every-old-lady ("everyman", get it?). She's a nice enough old lady, but she's paranoid and whiny about practically everything, especially her family. She misses her deceased husband. She dislikes breaking her routine. She talks to her dog a lot. She's frightened of falling. Etc. You get the idea.

Importantly, Emily, Alone accomplishes its (limited) mission. It's a borderline 3-star effort, but I enjoyed it's honesty.

3. Five things
Great list from the Freaks:

Five Habits of Successful Charter Schools

What works... the list!

Frequent teacher feedback
Data driven instruction
High-dosage tutoring
Increased instructional time
Relentless focus on academic achievement

What doesn't work... traditional (union) solutions "are not correlated with effectiveness"

class size
per-pupil expenditure
the number of teachers with advanced degrees

And “resource-based solutions” actually lowered school effectiveness.

Excellent!
yow, bill

Boffinry

2011-12-06T08:31:00.000-06:00

"Yellow flower"

1. More denier nonsense

This is certainly getting troublesome. More denier nonsense is finding its way into Science magazine. I think President Obama should do something about this!

Antarctic ice formed at CO2 levels much higher than today's

Global warming. Nuts to that. Definition of the day!

boffin - (noun, British Slang) a scientist or technical expert, link

So, is boffin is British for nerd? Sounds like it to me.

QOTD

The new research is published in premier boffinry mag Science.
- theregister link

And it's not like global warming has cornered the market on ridiculous nonsense...

Forecast Predicts Horrible Winter With Heavy Snow, Brutal Cold - the weatherman (snort) predicts (snort snort) that Chicago will have twice the snow and significantly colder temps this winter. Betcha a dollar we don't. “People in Chicago are going to want to move after this winter,” weather nabob. No we won't, poindexter.

Heading a soccer ball 'could lead to brain damage' - centuries of playing soccer and now we discover all the killer concussion that its causing. I recommend that all soccer players wear helmets.

People getting paid. You don't get paid if its just another winter or soccer balls just bounce off your noggin. And that's that.

2. The Chart

The chart again. Courtesy the boys at The Morning News.
All together now...
We do not have a tax/revenue problem. We have a spending problem.
We do not have a tax/revenue problem. We have a spending problem.
We do not have a tax/revenue problem. We have a spending problem.

Source: heritage post

I don't know if this is real or not, but is it possible that the Post Office gets it.

Facing bankruptcy, US Postal Service plans unprecedented cuts to first-class mail next spring

And these guys are the problem. They don't get it. At this site, science and math graduate students sponsor "A Call to Congress to Protect Science Funding".

www.standwithscience.org

Interpretation: Don't touch our shit! Just like everybody and their mother, these young nerds (MIT and beyond) warn of the dire consequences if we dare restrict their access to the teet. Imagine that.
Whatever.
yow, bill

Ron Santo HOF

2011-12-05T11:28:00.001-06:00

Excellent.
Better late than never. I guess.

Ron Santo elected to Hall of Fame

I wonder if the these HOF voters ever pause and think, "Jeez, maybe we should have done this while Santo was alive. Maybe Santo deserved that."
yow, bill

(Merry) Arthur Christmas

2011-12-03T08:30:00.001-06:00

Movie: Arthur Christmas
Review: 4 bill-stars (out of 5)... great!

I took the kids (Big Ty, Lil Kim39) to Arthur Christmas. It's is a fast, fun, light Christmas movie. The movie is incredibly dense with action and jokes. And fortunately, many of the jokes are directed at you and me.

It's the time-tested Loony Tunes formula, ya know:

animation, fast pace, simple plot for the kids
fun, fast pace, and slip in some grown-up jokes for the adults

After Hugo and then Descendants, it was great to see a really good, fun movie. When Arthur comes out next year on DVD, count me in.

Two side notes.

1. Location, location, location - The Woodridge theater laughs at your location theory. The place is like a secret CIA base or something. They are hidden in an industrial park, nestled right next to a residential area. And yes, the place was dead on a Friday night. Dop.

2. Mini-burgers - We went to Ted's for mini-burgers after the movie. There was a wait, so I checked us in under the name "Arthur Christmas" (he he). Ted's is a classic faux green place. The straws are made out of paper. Ty's to-go plastic cup said it was made out of 100% plants. And oddly, the toilet had instructions to flush one way for #1 and another for #2. Look at me... I'm saving the Earf... flush!

Bah to that. Ted's mini-burgers are sublime.
ho ho ho... yow, bill

Great Jobs QOTD

2011-12-01T12:28:00.001-06:00

"Sailing sunset"

Some wonderful Steve Jobs positivity.

QOTD

When you grow up, you tend to get told that the world is the way it is and your life is just to live your life inside the world, try not to bash into the walls too much, try to have a nice family life, have fun, save a little money.
That’s a very limited life.

Life can be much broader, once you discover one simple fact. And that is, that everything around you that you call life was made up by people that were no smarter than you. And you can change it, you can influence it, you can build your own things that other people can use.
Once you learn that, you’ll never be the same again.
- Steve Jobs, brain pickings post

And Steve Jobs' practical application of this philosophy: "Most people never pick up the phone, most people never ask. And that’s what separates, sometimes, the people that do things from the people that just dream about them. You gotta act. And you gotta be willing to fail… if you’re afraid of failing, you won’t get very far."

Huzzah!
positivity... yow, bill

Ukelele yodeling

2011-12-01T07:40:00.001-06:00

"Castle Christmas lights"

1. Two in a row

Movie: The Descendants
Review: 2 bill-stars (out of 5)... sigh

Hugo. Now, Descendants. That's two in a row!

These are highly touted movies involving people I really like. They both have boffo reviews. Shit, Descendants is a 91%-er at rotten tomatoes (link). And... wait for it... both movies are boring and flat. Uninspired yawners.

Well, I wanted to love Descendants because George Clooney is in it. Also, hey, it's the holidays. Who doesn't love a good holiday movie... especially with your favorite tulip. But this torpid production has virtually nothing going for it. Except Clooney, of course. There are boring characters... boring, dumb plot... and boring direction.

Two things were especially tiresome:

There aren't any likeable, interesting characters. It's tough to watch a feel-good movie (and yes, I presume this was their goal) without any good/interesting characters.
The worst part of Descendants is the music. Jesu Cristo! It's a boring movie, and the whole time we're treated to trance-inducing Hawaiian music laden with ukeleles and native folk mumbling. Argh! This somnolent combination was deadly to those of us misguided souls hoping to stay awake during The Descendants. The low point: a song that featured a guy playing ukelele while yodeling. I wish I were kidding.

I gotta throw my Up In the Air DVD in the machine and rejuvenate. Chop chop.

Actually, before that, I gotta head to my Sooby dealer. Pre-movie, some lame Chicagoan smashed a window in my Sooby. A native city dweller (and tulip) figgered that the ne'er-do-well saw my backpack in the back seat and went sooby-fishing for a laptop. I figger it was just shenaniganry. Whatever.
yow, bill

I crave constant approval

2011-11-29T11:15:00.001-06:00

1. Nut. Not a Nut.
I am not a nut. He he.
But I ain't getting a flu shot. My kid neither.

abcnews - Flu Shots May Build Fewer Antibodies in Kids

"Annual vaccination against influenza is effective but may have potential drawbacks that have previously been under-appreciated and that are also a matter of debate."

"Potential drawbacks". "Under-appreciated". Nice.

So, I'm a nut. Not really. All I'm saying... if you're elderly or sick, then go get a flu shot. If you're not, then why in the world would you? It's pretty simple. Without getting a flu shot, I don't have to worry about any risk of anything. I'll trade maybe some sick days for not getting a flu shot every year, side effects or no.

Of course, this is from someone who has never had the flu, so please disregard all this and continue on to the boffo book review.

2. Rules of Civility

Book: Rules of Civility by Amor Towles
Review: 5 bill-stars (out of 5)... wonderful!
Goodreads link: www.goodreads.com/review/show/241367905

This book is like a great lobster bisque: rich and light. This is one of my (new) favorite books.

The setting is NYNY in 1938. The plot and atmosphere and characters are all very compelling. I felt immersed in a tall tale with real people riding the wave of times that are simultaneously tough and great.

The writing style was truly special. Towles is so witty without seeming to try hard. Maybe it's me, but Towles seems to be a bit of a goof. I just imagine him cracking up at a lot of the fun stuff as he writes it. There's a very positive feeling throughout the book.

QOTD

I turned to find a woman in her midforties in a skirt suit and glasses standing at a respectful distance. She had lovely red hair tied back in a ponytail. It gave her the appearance of a starlet playing the part of a spinster.
- Rules of Civility, Amor Towles

The female lead has a great name: Katie Kontent. Not Kontent. That's Kontent... "like the state of being" (he he). It's interesting to have a female first person narrator with a male writer.

QOTD

It goes to show that even a man who craves constant approval can attain self-assurance through a little hanky-panky.
- Rules of Civility, Amor Towles

This is the author's first novel: www.amortowles.com. His day job. He's a hedge fund guy. Ha! Towles had a great way of avoiding quotation marks. He begins dialog with a dash. Excellent! It's simple and easy on the eyes.

For the hell of it, here's the book's namesake... George Washington's rules of civility: www.history.org/almanack/life/manners/rules2.cfm

Ya know, 5 bill-stars to Anderson's Bookstore as well. Anderson's has hand-written employee recommendations posted by a lot of books, which is how I found this one. I can't understand why more places don't do this. It's powerful magic to get someone's real opinion and feelings written down on a little index card about a book they enjoyed. For some reason, the impact of these tiny cards is much greater than the zillions of reviews online. Anderson's is a good source of new books for me that I would never have found otherwise, and I'm willing to pay them the extra $$$ for the pleasure.

peace... yow, bill

Drinkin again

2011-11-28T10:14:00.001-06:00

"Christmas cookie by Ty"

Grab some Frank Sinatra... the CD is called Nothing But the Best.

QOTD

Yeah, I'm drinkin again
And thinking of when
When you loved me

I'm havin a few
And wishing that you
were here
- Frank, Drinking Again

1. Te-bow!
I caught my first snootful o Tim Tebow action this weekend.
The network nabobs switched to the Denver game in the 4th quarter, and we got to see (yet another) Tebow 4th quarter comeback victory.

It's not worthy to talk about the media and other NFL lunkheads. The bad apples out there are a given. FWIW, Tebow seems to be the real deal, both as a football player and as a human being. And he is a joy to watch... in the 4th quarter. Ha!

Note: Tebow easily broke free of this tackle attempt.

2. Land grab

The EU is "staring into the abyss". There are big, big problems with the EU. Fortunately, the NY Times has the answer... more EU.

nytimes - Euro Zone Leaders may have to accept tighter union

Forget about more EU being the answer for the current EU problems. Forget about people's motivation for a second.

Who benefits if a bigger, badder EU is created from this crisis?

The pols that are creating it, of course. Our pols benefited from our financial crises (TARP, bailouts, etc) to increase their power and broadly expand the federal budget with a snap of their fingers. Even the repubs are no longer talking about returning the fed budget to 2008 levels.

Speaking of Europe, Cramer went berserk last night. It's not that he's going to be right or wrong. It's that he can portend Armageddon on CNBC, and nobody says he's crazy.

QOTD2

We are in DEFCON 3, two stages from a financial collapse so huge it's hard to get your mind around.
- Jim Cramer, on the European debt crisis, foxnews link

And perhaps Cramer isn't crazy. We shall see.
And now for something completely different... pickup truck in the Jew-el parking lot this weekend:

QOTD3

If Mary was pro-choice,
then there would be NO Christmas
- bumper sticker

he he... yow, bill

Deliberate practice

2011-11-26T12:32:00.001-06:00

1. Thanksgiving movie
Q: The only good Thanksgiving movie?

A: Planes, Trains and Automobiles (rotten)

2. Hugo, the (disappointing) movie

Movie: Hugo
Review: 2 bill-stars (out of 5)... not good

Oh well, he said...

I liked the book, 3 bill-stars: williamt review
97 flippin percent on rotten tomato: www.rottentomatoes.com/m/hugo/
Ebert gave it 4 stars: ebert review
And it's Martin Scorcese, for jiminy sake

Hugo was a dud. It wasn't just me. The credits rolled, the lights came up, and the bored Saturday night crowd walked out of the theater without any buzz or laughter or even discussion. Like I said, oh well.

3. YAGWOOPS

Yet another global warming oops.
Climate models have overstated the impact of CO2in warming the Earf (as Ty would say). Oops.

bbc - CO2 climate sensitivity overestimated

Absorb this nonsense, back to back...

"The effect of CO2 on climate is less than previously thought"

"The authors stress the results do not mean threat from human-induced climate change should be treated any less seriously"

4. Deliberate practice
The Freaks talk about (freaks - Motivation is necessary, but insufficient) learning through what they call, deliberate practice:

We must somehow think deeply about the problems and reflect on what did and did not work

Deliberate practice requires sustained concentration, and the rewards are subtle and apparent only in the long term.

Thus, one needs motivation in order to enter into and sustain the hard work of deliberate practice.

Excellent!

5. One more Ted RIP

QOTD

They print the money. When they print too much, it goes into activities that aren’t economic. When the interest rate is too low, people aren’t careful. Borrowers can pay back in depreciated dollars. They barely need to put any of their own money into a project. If interest rates are 7%, they need to calculate its potential profitability.
- Ted Fortsmann, on the Federal Reserve, big picture post

Is this a fundamental notion? Not a symptom. Cheap dollars have floated around for more than a decade sending our economic system whirring in the wrong direction, uncorrected by market discipline. It certainly sounds good and reasonable. You can apply this principle to the feds as well... cranking out $10 trillion in deficit spending since 2000 on all manner of nonsense.
yow, bill

Hugo, the book

2011-11-23T13:16:00.001-06:00

"I wonder what Martini put in those drinks"

2. Hugo review
Book: The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick
Review: 3 bill-stars (out of 5)... good
Goodreads link: www.goodreads.com/review/show/239481817

Hugo is good. It's a young adult book with the same half-story, half-drawing format as Selznick's Wonderstruck (williamt review), but it's not nearly as good. It was a fun, light 2-3 hour read, and now I'm ready for the movie this weekend. Yow!

Some tasty synchronicity... Selznick mentions the automaton at the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia as an inspiration to his Hugo book. Ty and I saw that guy last summer during our baseball trip. Excellent.

Maillardet's Automaton at the Franklin Institute

Hugo movie review coming soon.
hopefully... yow, bill

Why turkeys are so expensive this year

2011-11-22T09:39:00.001-06:00

"Mothra"

1. Turkey $$$

I glorped when I bought my little turkey this week. So... zee question.

Q: Why are turkey prices so high?

A: Turkey farmers were crushed in the 2008 crash/crisis, so now they are more cautious now about how many turkeys they raise. Less supply, same demand, prices go up. Banks are also cautious giving out loans to turkey farmers since the crash. Thank you WSJ: Turkey prices are taking flight.

Postscript: I saw CNBC last night, and they said that turkey prices were higher because grain prices were higher. Hmm, I said. Let's check that out. Here's a chart of the price of corn over the past couple years. That looks like a pretty hefty increase to me. So, we'll add the price of feed as another reason for expensive turkeys.

2. My fave people

Golly. Lots of my fave public figures are popping up in the news.

Theodore Forstmann - passed away at age 71. He is the co-founder of school choice trailblazer, the Children's Scholarship Fund. My brother Brad mentioned the Children's Scholarship Fund to me years ago, and that led me to find the Big Shoulders Fund here in Chicago.

You don’t see his name on buildings around town like so many other financiers’, but Teddy gave away hundreds of millions for scholarships, schools and other projects. If he ever bragged to me, it was over his early and strong support of school choice, and his love for the two children he adopted from Africa.
- Charlie Gasparino, Teddy Forstmann - Capitalist saint

And a wonderful QOTD from his WSJ obit...

"The entrepreneur, as a creator of the new and a destroyer of the old, is constantly in conflict with convention. He inhabits a world where belief precedes results, and where the best possibilities are usually invisible to others. His world is dominated by denial, rejection, difficulty, and doubt. And although as an innovator, he is unceasingly imitated when successful, he always remains an outsider to the 'establishment.'"
- WSJ obit

And if Teddy isn't your hero yet... it looks like he was dating uber-hotter-than-hot Padma Whatshername. Jiminy.

Lenore Skenazy - runs www.freerangekids.com and has a wonderful article about leaving your gol darn kids be kids in today's WSJ: The war on childhood.

Paul Ryan - (wisely) voted against the Balanced Budget Amendment bill this week.

Spending is the problem, yet this version of the BBA makes it more likely taxes will be raised, government will grow, and economic freedom will be diminished. Without a limit on government spending, I cannot support this Amendment.
- Paul Ryan, abcnews link

Michelle Rhee - no big news, she is still awesome and still running Students First, a lobbying group for school choice. And Michelle Rhee... looking awfully good these days. Yow!

The common thread between these fab 4... freedom, choice, individual liberty and responsibility. Excellent!
yow, bill

PS - Bonus coverage!

QOTD Bonus

"When a true genius appears in this world, you may know him by this sign, that the dunces are all in confederacy against him."
- J Swift, link

PPS - (from Ty) Bonus video!

youtube - Ninja squirrel vs. Stoners

Beermosa

2011-11-20T18:27:00.001-06:00

QOTD

Some day I hope to meet you. When that happens you'll need a new nose, a lot of beefsteak for black eyes, and perhaps a supporter below!
- Harry Truman, to a critic who panned his Truman's daughter's singing (wikipedia)

Give em hell, Harry. Ah, the manly life before birth control pills. Sorry, inside joke.

1. Beermosa

Jeez, try this. You know a mimosa is champagne + orange juice. Switch that to half beer, half OJ... and you have a tasty beermosa. Beauty!

I'm a bumpkin, so a beermosa qualifies as "exotic booze" in my book.

QOTD

Come fly with me, let's fly, let's fly away
If you can use some exotic booze
There's a bar in far Bombay
Come fly with me, let's fly, let's fly away
- Sinatra

2. Field this
Book: The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach
Review: 2 bill-stars (out of 5)... meh
Goodreads link: www.goodreads.com/review/show/238496948

This is a plot book... one that relies mostly on an intricate story, which isn't really my thing. The plot is OK, and hey, I finished the book. But shit just sort of happens, and I never felt really a part of it. The plot feels like a made up story, rather than us peeking into a real situation of real people. The characters in the plot are flat. Worst of the troika, the writing style is, oof, pragmatic. It's linear and style free. It's all 3rd person, "here's what happened", plop.

Here's an example. One of the main characters is a 60 year-old academic phenom who is now president of a university. He is portrayed as a towering figure and a renowned lady-killer. So, at 60 years-old, blammo... he has an affair with a 20 year-old male student... his first gay experience, risking his entire professional life. Can this happen? Sure. And hey, I'm pro-gay. I totally gay. I'm so gay, I'm straight. But was this at all convincing in the book? No. This was true with many of the plot twists throughout the book. The baseball details seemed contrived too.

Also pretty annoying... the author is co-founder of ultra-leftie magazine, n+1: www.nplusonemag.com. So, leftie dogma is liberally (he he) littered throughout the book. Reading this emotional plea about the ethics of solar panels and houses painted white (to reflect the sun's heat, sigh), I couldn't tell if the character (or the author) was serious or not. In an incredible act of politically correct gymnastics, "freshmen" are called "freshpersons" by the author. Snort.

If you have leftie characters in your novel... that's cool. You want to write a leftie morality tale... I think that's cool too. But political peddling by the author during a novel is really unappealing.Whether you're a leftie or a rightie.

3. Fido the Fox

This 50 year Russian experiment to domesticate foxes is incredible... this 10 minute video is worthy:

The Silver Fox Experiment: How dogs became dogs

The idea: grab a bunch of silver foxes from the wild, breed only the most docile, and just 8 generations later you get tame foxes that behave like dogs. Also, the change is genetic (nature), not behavioral (nurture). Wow.
yow, bill

Photo for sale

2011-11-17T11:36:00.001-06:00

1. Big photo $$$

Ty cracked up at a photograph selling for millions of dollars. It was this one:

Here's the story: freaks - The world's most expensive photograph
And to answer Ty: Why is Andreas Gursky's Rhine II the most expensive photograph?

Here's the 2nd most expensive photograph. It's Untitled #97 by Cindy Sherman (link)... but of course.

Other than being expensive, both photos are also pretty big. Rhein II is 6x11 feet. And #97 is about 4x2.5 feet. The whole notion seems a bit of a head-scratcher, but whatever.

Now, here's a photograph that is far more affordable. I call it "Washed up bobble #5".

2. Design by (not) committee
You ask user focus groups whether they want a disk drive in their PC laptop, and they answer "Yes!". This impulse has probably kept disk drives alive in laptops longer than they should have. Apple doesn't design by committee and doesn't have this problem.

QOTD

"Apple is different. The Apple of Steve Jobs held focus groups in contempt. In essence, Jobs believed consumers don't know what they want until you give it to them."
- cnet article

huzzah... yow, bill

Positivity - young and green

2011-11-16T07:30:00.001-06:00

"Orchard"

1. Jr. High Apps

Here's a wonderful, young guy writing apps for iOs in Junior High.

yahoo - Junior high app developer

QOTD

"These days, students know, usually know, a little bit more than teachers... with the technology... [pause]... so... [long pause]... sorry."
- Thomas Suarez, 6th grader and app writer (about 3:30 in the video above)

2. Not my cow!

Al Gore had this problem too. The planet is burning up, and cows are as bad for global warming as SUV's, but the green guys ain't giving up their burgers and bacon...

freaks - Agnostic Carnivores and Global Warming

"I don't have a cow in this fight."
Snort.

3 . No scissors!

This is some stupid protest in Europe.
I just like these "No scissors" protest signs.

Source: wsj - Turmoil spreads in Europe

excellent... yow, bill

The real use of power

2011-11-14T22:14:00.001-06:00

1. NBA

The NBA players gave the owners the finger today.
The mouth of Sauron speaks.

QOTD

"We’re about to go into the nuclear winter of the NBA."
- David Stern, link

It's weird when synapses just fire. Things remotely related in some obscure way. Who knows why. The real use of power, maybe?

QOTD2

"Due to the Nakatomi corporation's legacy of greed around the globe, they're about to be taught a lesson in the real use of power...you will be witnesses"
- Hans Gruber, link

2. Orabrush

Great, American story: inventor, entrepreneur, marketing, the internet, Walmart, working hard, college kids, blah blah blah. All over a toothbrush for your tongue. Ha!

The Orabrush Story

In that last video, I love their Facebook ad to recruit Walmart. They placed an ad in Facebook saying that Walmart employees had bad breath and needed the Orabrush in their stores. It worked like a charm.

QOTD

"OK, we saw your ad. Very funny. You can stop running your ad now."
- Walmart, to the Orabrush guys

excellent... yow, bill

Busy, busy, busy

2011-11-12T12:53:00.001-06:00

"Lisle tree"

1. Night of the Hunter

Movie: Night of the Hunter
Review: 2 bill-stars (out of 5)... not worth it

This movie's draw was Robert Mitchum being all crazy and menacing, trying to get his hands around the necks of a couple of kids. Mitchum plays essentially the same role as in Cape Fear. There are two other superstars in this tiny movie:

Shelley Winters - She's hardly in there at all... just a few minutes.
Lillian Gish - She wraps the movie up and is very strong and interesting to watch.

All these actors were pretty much wasted on an production that is amateurish in every aspect. This surprised me a bit, so I dug a little into IMDB.

The director is Charles Laughton of Mutiny on the Bounty fame. It looks like this is his only effort as a director. Smart move, Captain Bligh.
The screenplay was written by a guy named James Agee. He did some writing, but this is his only screenplay.

So, my amateur hour reaction to the whole thing was right on the mark.

2. Cat's Cradle
Book: "Cat's Cradle" by Vonnegut
Review: 5 bill-stars (out of 5)... easy 5 stars
Goodreads link: www.goodreads.com/review/show/234616059

Cmon. This is Vonnegut's best. It's one of my favorite books. Original and great. Ice nine, and Newt the midget, and Lionel Boyd Johnson, I mean, Bokonon (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bokononism), and Mona Aamons Monzano, and the end of the world and... A wonderful read!

busy, busy, busy... yow, bill

Roll the crap

2011-11-11T20:57:00.001-06:00

I'm not sure why the macro button on my camera doesn't work better. Hmm.

"Missing puzzle piece"

Dick Durbin got the crap rolling yesterday. I heard Durbin on the radio yesterday, harumphing about Penn State and how the feds might have to take over pedophile cases because the states weren't up to it. I smiled, thinking of Durbin and remembering a bit from the Vonnegut I had just read.

"I could carve a better man from a banana."

1. Roll the crap

Herman Cain
Woah. It's a Herman Cain hit piece. This is some repellant, ugly crap: Herman Cain caught on camera joking about Anita Hill. Zero ethics. Zero standards. Lowest common denominator. Right there for ya. Hey, it was a special news bulletin thingie at the very top on Yahoo. Bonus coverage: this POS non-story comes complete with snarky cropped picture... Herman Cain with white women. Oh my!

TSA scanners
Those TSA full-body scanners are absolutely, 100% safe. They guaran-damn-tee it.
Oops. Maybe not.

U.S. Government Glossed Over Cancer Concerns As It Rolled Out Airport X-Ray Scanners

"I am concerned that there’s a perception that they’re not as safe as they could be"
- TSA nabob, business week story

Nabob doctors
He he. This report was issued by some committee of nabob doctors: Children 9 to 11 should have cholesterol tested, report says People getting paid, baby. Every visit to the doctor's office has one constant: a solicitation to get a flu shot. Pay the man!

Obamacare
On its way to the Supreme Court, the Obamacare mandate was upheld by some lower court. My leftie brothers and sisters are all abuzz because one of the judges was a Reagan-appointed conservative. Now, you could put what I know about the law in a shot glass with tequila and still get a good buzz. But read the reasoning behind this decision.

"It [the Obamacare mandate] certainly is an encroachment on individual liberty, but it is no more so than a command that restaurants or hotels are obliged to serve all customers regardless of race"
- Judge ruling, link

So, restricting freedom in health care is like not allowing racism in restaurants... huh? And next up... there is no activity too small or passive that it can't be regulated and controlled by the feds.

"The right to be free from federal regulation is not absolute, and yields to the imperative that Congress be free to forge national solutions to national problems, no matter how local–or seemingly passive–their individual origins."
- Judge ruling, cont.

2. Positivity

Sorry for the negativity. Look, in the end, the Obamacare stuff is a godsend. It's all out in the open now. In your face. Americans will get their chance to vote in 2012 on staying American or going European.

Here's a incredible contrast to the bloated feds. In the midst of all the blather, Google is working hard to stay lean an mean.

Google’s Chief Works to Trim a Bloated Ship

That's true across the board isn't it? People are hunkering down. Working harder. Spending less. Saving more. More serious. Lean and mean.
Everyone but the feds.

And excellent. Hawk win last night. Cha!

yow, bill

Wonderstruck

2011-11-09T10:38:00.004-06:00

1. Wonderstruck

Book: "Wonderstruck" by Brian Selznick
Review: 4 bill-stars (out of 5)... wonderful!
Goodreads link: www.goodreads.com/review/show/233749803

This is a wonderful book. It's a kid's book (well, pre-teen-ish), but it's a great read for adults as well. Wonderstruck achieves the creative two-fer: different and good.

Wonderstruck tells two stories simultaneously. One is a regular, old prose. The other story is told in pictures. The kicker is, of course, the two stories are intertwined in fun and interesting ways.

Part of Wonderstruck takes place in NYNY. The book discusses something called the New York Panorama, which is a huge model of New York City built for the 1964 World's Fair. I'd never heard of it before, and (google google) the panorama is a real thing. It's on display at Queen's Museum (www.queensmuseum.org/exhibitions/visitpanorama), and it looks absolutely amazing:

"The Panorama is the jewel in the crown of the collection of the Queens Museum of Art. Built by Robert Moses for the 1964 World’s Fair, in part as a celebration of the City’s municipal infrastructure, this 9,335 square foot architectural model includes every single building constructed before 1992 in all five boroughs; that is a total of 895,000 individual structures."

I read Wonderstruck before Ty did, so we'll see if he likes it as much as I did.

2. School choice

Here's a great story on Ted Forstmann, the founder of the Children's Scholarship Fund, which provides scholarships for kids to attend private or parochial school:

wsj - Forstmann's Not So Little Idea

QOTD

For years, no more frustrating belief has existed in American domestic politics than the possibility of giving inner-city children a better education. Against the public-school monopoly, sustained forward movement has seemed impossible. That may be changing. This year at least 13 states passed some form of school-choice legislation. Notably, Indiana's new voucher program is letting parents use public funds this fall to send their children to private, mostly religious, schools.
- Daniel Henninger, wsj - Forstmann's Not So Little Idea

Huzzah to Ted Forstmann and school choice!
yow, bill

Are you choking?!?

2011-11-09T09:09:00.002-06:00

1. CPR class

Ty and I took the Naperville CPR class. It was OK. It was taught by Naperville firefighters.

naperville.il.us/cpraed.aspx

Here's the #1 thing I learned.

If there's an AED around.

Use it.

Prior to taking this class, I wouldn't have touched one of those little defrib boxes on a dare. No way.
Turns out, they're built for dummies. The box talks and tells you what to do at each step. It's that easy. AED steps:

Turn it on
Do what it tells you to

That's right. You turn the AED on and it talks to you. Do this. Do that. For each step.

The overall CPR steps:

Make sure the scene is safe
Are you OK?
Get help (911, AED)
Do 30 compressions, 2 breaths... rinse and repeat

They tossed an interesting stat at us:

CPR works about 10% of the time to save the guy
Using an Automated external defibrillator (AED) works 50% of the time

Also, they told us that the Naperville Fire Department's goal is to be anywhere in the city in 6 minutes or less once they are called. Cool.

2. The Bill of Rights

Cornell Law School has a nice, tidy Bill of Rights online.

www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/billofrights

Or, if you want the whole magilla, here's the Constitution:

www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/

I reckon the founding fathers didn't figure on Fannie and Freddie in The Constitution. Dop.

QOTD

"Fannie Mae is relentless in their ability to suck. They have managed to tarnish the word ‘failure’."
- Howard Lindzon, post

And the easy punch line...

Freddie, Fannie executives snag millions in bonuses

good one... yow, bill

Apple bees

2011-11-08T13:59:00.000-06:00

"Apple bees"

QOTD

"If you project forward 10 years, each person will share about 1,000 times more things per day than they are now."
- Mark Zuckerberg, reuters story

Blech. Good Lord. Count me out Mr. Facebook Guy.

1. Bukowski blah
Book: "Ham on Rye" by Charles Bukowski
Review: 1 bill-star (out of 5)... not good
Goodreads link: www.goodreads.com/review/show/232896144

Bukowksi's "Post Office" is one of my all-time favorite books (williamt review). He deals with the drudgery and shenanigans of working at the post office and being a knucklehead drunk with incredible wit and humor. I've read "Post Office" many times, especially on vacation because it is such a good vibe.

Alas "Ham on Rye" lacks any of these qualities. In "Ham on Rye", Bukowksi deals with his crappy childhood, and dang, it ain't funny at all. It's not witty either. It's just, pretty much, negative drudgery. Very disappointing.

Of course, the cherry on top: "Ham on Rye" is rated 4+ stars on both Amazon and goodreads. I don't get it, and it's okay. Vive la difference!
yow, bill

Unlocked vehicle

2011-11-07T16:03:00.001-06:00

QOTD

"Police report: Golf clubs stolen from vehicle"
- Naperville police report on "golf clubs and equipment taken from unlocked vehicle", link

1. Fed spending is now 26% of GDP!
We do not have a tax problem. We have a spending problem.

Source: blog.heritage.org/2011/11/04/infographic-why-spending-is-the-problem/

It's easy... cut fed spending back to its 50 year average of 20% or lower.
Thank you to the boys at the Morning News for the link. The Morning News... the hardest working news men in Lisle, IL.

2. Huzzah to The Ville
"The termination of the [red light camera] contract will ultimately cost the city $261,000 in projected revenue in the current and next fiscal years."

Gol dang. Kudos to Naperville. They're pulling traffic light cameras even though they make the city a ton of dough.

Naperville will abandon red-light cameras

Good for us!

3. Nuanced
I googled the guy who wrote this article. I can't find that he has an axe to grind either way. It's a more nuanced (blech) look at the recent global warming data from some Berkeley dude.

wsj - Global temperatures: All over the map

I like these best:

The planet hasn't been warming for more than a decade... "fluctuations in the land temperature for the past 13 years make it extremely difficult to say whether the Earth has been continuing to warm during that time"
The US, Europe and many other places have no warming over 70 years... "Much of the U.S. and Northern Europe has cooled in the last 70 years, Berkeley Earth found. So did one-third of all weather stations world-wide, while two-thirds warmed"

The guy who ran the temperature study proclaimed, "you should not be a skeptic, at least not any longer." OK. Any other advice, poindexter?
the ville... yow, bill

Will run for chocolate

2011-11-06T07:36:00.002-06:00

1. Hot Chocolate 15K

I ran the Hot Chocolate 15K yesterday. My time was 1:17.40. That's an 8:20 pace... slower than my goal of 1:15 and an 8 min/mile pace.

It was so crowded I couldn't even get an 8 minute pace going most of the times. I ran 9 miles like a Chicago cabbie. Accelerate. Stand on the brake. Curse. Accelerate. And so on. We were barely jogging at the start line, and I think that almost all of my 2-3 minutes overtime was due to a 10-11 minute first mile. I don't quite "get" why it was so crowded because I've run the Chicago Half Marathon with a million people in it, and it was fine.

Bah. Other than the shoulder-to-shoulder running, it was a wonderful day!

We had absolutely gorgeous November weather!
I had brunch with Molly and my tulips after the race. Ty's nickname is now "Sweets". Punkin beer after running 9 miles. Yum!
Under my breath, I muttered ill will at the "losers" in line at the port-a-potty at mile 1. Mile 1, for jiminy sake!
I took my port-a-potty negativity back at mile 5 when I saw a girl swerve off the course, find a little notch in the buildings, pull her shorts down and pee. OK, maybe standing in line at the potty isn't so bad.
Speaking of girls. You take the incredibly attractive collection of women that make of the city girls in Chicago. Take that group and filter it by those who can run 9 miles. Yow!
Quote of the Race While Running: "So. I'm sexting my ex again."
Best race sign (people rooting by the side of the street): "Keep running, total stranger!"
This was a wonderful highlight too. After the race:

[Tired, slumping runner approaches]
Little girl: Daddy!
[hug]
Little girl: Did you win!
Dad: Sure.
Little girl: YEAH!!!

Here's a Ty pic. I'm playing Frisbee with a statue after the run. Huzzah!

2. Book review

Book: "By Nightfall" by Michael Cunninngham
Review: 2 bill-stars (out of 5)... not worth it
Goodreads link: www.goodreads.com/review/show/231850511

This is a story about malaise. And whining. It's the malaise that accompanies privilege and success and middle age too, I guess. It's a very whiny story about a whiny guy. The main character is a successful art dealer in Manhattan. He's middle age and yet still brimming with teen angst. Most of the characters in the book are completely self-absorbed. Blech.

I thought Cunningham's writing style was OK. The book was a light and fast read, and the ending was not bad. But it's a tough slog when you have virtually no likeable characters and the focus of the story is a constant blizzard of complaining. Silly example: the art dealer has an stomach ache, so he worries that maybe he has stomach cancer. Jeez.

While I was reading "By Nightfall", I thought of Woody Allen. He covers all this stuff: city angst, middle age whining, the malaise of success, etc. But Woody does it with humor and sarcasm. It felt like Cunningham meant for us to take all this stuff very seriously and to extract some life lesson from it all: rich, successful and attractive people complaining about everything and anything. Cmon!
yow, bill

Cancer blizzard

2011-11-04T15:21:00.001-05:00

"Yellow apple(s)"

1. Cancer schmancer

There's been an odd blizzard of "this causes cancer" articles lately. Maybe it's global warming?

Drinking Wine
One glass of wine a day increases risk of breast cancer: research - "women who drink just four small glasses of wine a week increase their risk of developing breast cancer by 15 per cent"

Sitting
Prolonged sitting linked to breast cancer, colon cancer - "If you've sat for an hour, you've probably sat too long"

Eating Meat
New cancer risk linked to overcooked meat - "eating overcooked meat is twice as likely to cause cancer than previously thought, especially when it is grilled or fried"

These are all the same guys, the same process, who trumpet the risk of second-hand smoke.

www.webmd.com/smoking-cessation/effects-of-secondhand-smoke - "Nonsmokers increase their risk of developing lung cancer by 20% to 30% and heart disease by 25% to 30% when they are exposed to secondhand smoke."

What percentage of non-smokers get lung cancer? Teeny tiny, right? What's 20% more than that?

So, what's the fucking deal then? Well, Michael Crichton had it in his book "State of Fear" (amazon). "State of Fear" is about the science of global warming, but it works for medical science, too. Science that sells fear or calamity gets published and gets more $$$. Super simple.

2. Worse than cancer
Of course, there are worse ways to go than cancer:

You could die in the back of the Gwar tour bus (link)
You could be a HOF football player and OD on phen-phen, aka diet pills (link)
Or you could be overcome by toxic fumes working in a sewer (link)

Good lord.

3. Occupy williamt.com

Ack. What a negative post. This sucks.
Let's try this out... too long, but too dang funny:

Triumph Visits Occupy Wall Street

QOTD

"OK. I realize this is an important thing, and I want you to have your say.
So, go ahead. What's your cause besides wanting more M&M's in trail mix?"
- Triumph, question for one of Occupy Wall Street's heftier protestors

Also positive. I don't hear comparisons between Occupy and the Tea Party any more. Politics aside, the Tea Party guys did it right. Political. Non-violent. Clear message of personal freedom and small government.
I hope we see a repeat in 2012.
yow, bill

PS - Sorry. Couldn't resist. Gwar. He he.

PPS - Sorry again. Triumph the Insult Comic dog. Ha!

Ray, Watson, Paul, Graham

2011-11-03T19:34:00.005-05:00

1. Ray and Watson

I heart Ray Kurzweil. His site is great: www.kurzweilai.net.

Ray likes Watson. He says computers will compete with human brains by 2030... 20 years from now. Yow!

QOTD

It is true that Watson is not quite at human levels in its ability to understand human language (if it were, we would be at the Turing test level now), yet it was able to defeat the best humans. This is because of the inherent speed and reliability of memory that computers have. So when a computer does reach human levels, which I believe will happen by the end of the 2020s, it will be able to go out on the Web and read billions of pages as well as have experiences in online virtual worlds. Combining human-level pattern recognition with the inherent speed and accuracy of computers will be very powerful. But this is not an alien invasion of intelligence machines—we create these tools to make ourselves smarter. I think Allen will agree with me that this is what is unique about the human species: we build these tools to extend our own reach.
- Ray Kurzweil, his blog

2. Paul and Graham
Great nerd site: www.paulgraham.com.
He has an excellent quotes list.

QOTD

"The less confident you are, the more serious you have to act."
- Tara Ploughman, www.paulgraham.com/quo.html

Graham runs Ycombinator: www.ycombinator.com.
Ycombinator is a high-tech startup incubator, school and playground. Their average investment in their tiny startups, they say, is $18K. Amazing!

According to the Chart of the Day guys, Ycombinator is have a large impact:

www.businessinsider.com/chart-of-the-day-y-combinators-2011-11

Ycombinator. Startups. Good.

3. Investment opportunity 2

Or, you can invest in PBS. They are starting to broad cast shows in the UK.
Let's see what the CEO has to say on the prospects of their venture.

QOTD

"If we can break even, if we can do better than break even, I'll be happy."
- P Kerger, PBS chief, PBS starts UK channel

Since we (the feds) give dough to PBS, I guess we are invested in PBS' UK venture.
Not so good.

I wish we were invested in Ycombinator instead.
Ack! I take it back. I take it back!
We (and the feds) would just ruin it.
yow, bill

Erat, Legwand, Tootoo

2011-11-01T13:55:00.001-05:00

1. Shoot the puck!

Erat, Legwand, Tootoo.
My favorite Nashville Predators: Martin Erat, David Legwand, and Jordin Tootoo.

Hawk win last night over the Pred in OT. Stahlberg!

2. Huh.

QOTD

Obesity is a disease.
Not a decision.
- billboard on the way to IN, some doctor or clinic

Two questions:

If obesity is a disease, what isn't?
Who stands to make $$$ is obesity is classified as a disease?

I don't have any answer to #1 there. Isn't smoking a disease then too?

Answering #2 is pretty easy. If obesity is a disease, then the obese make money from the feds and insurance companies for their disease... because they're not responsible for their behavior. Also, doctors and shrinks and therapists make money treating their patients afflicted with the disease.

Here's an example sales pitch from someone making $$$ on this deal.

As any patient knows, obesity is a complex chronic disease. It is not simply a condition caused by overeating. The obese often experience a wide variety of other health conditions (co-morbid conditions) including diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, heart disease, sleep apnea and cancer, which are serious medical risks. Adding to the challenge, patients are often denied access to needed medical treatment (medical weight management and/or bariatric surgery) as some payors (insurance companies, etc.) and employers do not recognize obesity as a disease.
- Obesity Action Coalition, link

And safe to say... you and I don't make any money. We the ones who pay, eh.
Even worse if you're obese though. When you're not responsible for your behavior, then someone else can tell you how to behave. Eh?

3. Math book

Book: The Housekeeper and the Professor by Ogawa
Review: 3 bill-stars (out of 5)... OK
Goodreads link: www.goodreads.com/review/show/229717812

This book is a nice, light read. It's almost a "young adult" level of reading.

"Housekeeper" tells a very positive story. It's about a housekeeper and an elderly math professor who, years ago, lost his memory in a car accident. She is (predictably) hard-working and nurturing. He is (predictably) a nutty professor type who is, however, very endearing because of his disability. The whole thing is pretty (predictably) predictable.

There is some real math stuff thrown in there that kept things a little more interesting:

amicable number - two numbers whose sum of the divisors equals the other; example = 220, 284
perfect number - a number that is equal to the sum of its divisors; example = 6
abundant number - a number whose sum of its divisors is greater than itself; example = 18
deficient number - a number whose sum of its divisors is less than itself; example = 14
And I guess I'd forgotten this one: "If n is a natural number, then any prime can be expressed as either 4n + 1, or 4n - 1."
Finally, perfect numbers can be expressed as the sum of consecutive natural numbers. Like 6 = 1+ 2 + 3. Pretty fun.

I also enjoyed the Japanese baseball items in the book. Like, the Hanshin Tigers and Japanese pitcher Yutaka Enatsu.

I'm just grateful that I wasn't unduly punished for buying this book because the guy was a math professor. It was worth the read.
yow, bill

Nice fans

2011-10-30T12:57:00.000-05:00

1. Punkin results

Sycamore Punkin 10K run this morning... 47:40, that's a 7:41/mile pace (results link).
My goal was 8 minute miles, so I'll take it.
Go:

I was aerobic the whole way. No huffing and puffing. Just cruising.
Free beer at the finish line. Leiny's OctoberFest, yum. God bless rural America!

QOTD

[Imagine the most enthusiastic, over the top girl ever. Like the girl handing out the Kool-aid in Jonestown telling people they were about to board the spaceship back to the mother planet or something]
Girl: We're going green this year [loud, breathless, huge bug-eyed smile]... and posting the race results online!!!
Bill: Good. I thought you were going to say that I couldn't drive here to get to the race or something.
- Registration for the Sycamore Punkin Run

Funny thing. I had to backdoor my way to find the Punkin results because their site crashed and burned. He he.

2. Johnny Pax

Surfed past NBA Classic on the tube. Then back. "Wait a minute. That's the 1993 Bull title game against the Suns."

With 40 seconds left, the Sun had a 4 point lead and the ball. Jordan sprinted the floor for a layup. The defense clamped down, and that left Johnny Pax for the three-pointer and the title.

Basketball-reference boxscore - The Bull only scored 12 points in the 4th quarter. It was brutal.

Johnny Pax winning shot - Pippen to Horace, back out to Johnny Pax at the 3-point line. Ka-boom! Three-peat!

Remember it like it was yesterday. Sigh. I had definitely given up in the 4th quarter. "Oh well, we'll get them in game 7." The Bull were brutal. We scored 12 points in the 4th quarter... 9 by Michael and Pax's title-winner. Sigh again.

3. F'n F

We took this pic on our baseball trip last year. It's Busch Stadium in St. Louis. It's already out of date.

Cardinal win. Oh well. F'n F.
But hey, shit... Game 6 was one of the greatest ballgames that I've ever seen.
And Tony Larussa is a fucking winner. I don't know what he does or how he does it, but the guy is the best manager in my lifetime. I don't have a 2nd best manager.

So... what's better than 11 titles? Incredible game 6? And best manager ever?
The St. Louis fans. Here's a wonderful SI story on how the Cardinal fans are nice, positive, polite, and non-violent: si - Where's the boo in booster?

Huzzah to the St. Louis fans! Why the heck would you pay good $$ to go to a sporting event to be a miserable bastard? (yes Philly, Boston and NY... I'm talking to you)
see bill run... yow, bill

PS - Also from SI. The best iPod of all time:
sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/gallery/featured/GAL1157160/9/25/index.htm

The American Idea

2011-10-29T12:19:00.000-05:00

"Autumn Americana"

1. Shift-Delete

After reading some deal about a guy's gmail getting hacked (williamt - Pappy), I hardened all my passwords this week. Then, doofus, I typed my one of my new cool passwords into the user name slot. So, now it's stuck in the auto-fill for Firefox. Dop.

Huzzah! In Firefox, the solution to this is Shift-Delete. If you select an auto-fill choice in Firefox and then hit Shift-Delete, it goes away.

2. The American Idea

The WSJ this morning and google news is a blizzard of negativity. Europe. Unemployment. Deficits. Nabob Obama jabbering. Leftie racism directed at Herman Cain. St. Louis winning the World Series (he he). And probably my favorite: Occupy Naperville protests. Snort.

Paul Ryan is a sliver of light in this silly gloom. This is long, but worthy:

Rep. Paul Ryan on Saving the American Idea

The whole thing is goob, but these few paragraphs really resonated with me:

Telling Americans they are stuck in their current station in life, that they are victims of circumstances beyond their control, and that government’s role is to help them cope with it – well, that’s not who we are. That’s not what we do.

Our Founding Fathers rejected this mentality. In societies marked by class structure, an elite class made up of rich and powerful patrons supplies the needs of a large client underclass that toils, but cannot own. The unfairness of closed societies is the kindling for class warfare, where the interests of “capital” and “labor” are perpetually in conflict. What one class wins, the other loses.

The legacy of this tradition can still be seen in Europe today: Top-heavy welfare states have replaced the traditional aristocracies, and masses of the long-term unemployed are locked into the new lower class.

The United States was destined to break out of this bleak history. Our future would not be staked on traditional class structures, but on civic solidarity. Gone would be the struggle of class against class.

Instead, Americans would work, compete, and co-operate in an open market, climb the ladder of opportunity, and keep the fruits of their efforts.

Self-government and the rule of law would secure our equal, God-given rights. Our political and economic systems – rooted in freedom and responsibility – would reward, and thus cultivate, traditional virtues.

Given that the President’s policies have moved us closer to the European model, I suppose we shouldn’t be surprised that his class-based rhetoric has followed suit.

- Paul Ryan, The American Idea

Contrast Ryan's "American Idea" with President Obama's nincompoopery: "You got their [repub's] plan, which is let's have dirtier air, dirtier water, (and) less people with health insurance." (usatoday story)

So, put your money on the table: President Obama and Occupy Naperville or Paul Ryan's American Idea. Cha!
yow, bill

Apple trees

2011-10-28T07:59:00.001-05:00

"Apple trees"

1. The Top .0004%
Forbes sent a billionaire to visit the Occupy Wall Street protest. Very interesting.

forbes - Billionaire visits Occupy Wall Street

QOTD

I was once part of the 99%. I never thought I’d ever be part of the 1% but just the fact that I could try to achieve that was motivating. That’s what this country is about.
- Jeff Greene, billionaire

"That's what this country is about".
Huzzah to that!

2. World Series

The Wikipedia World Series page is really nice:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_World_Series_baseball_champions

Game 6 last night was about as good as it gets.
Game 7 tonight. Huzzah!

QOTD

What's going on here?
- Tim McCarver, on guys dropping the ball (6 errors) in World Series game 6

yow, bill

Fed $$$

2011-10-27T09:27:00.002-05:00

Man oh man, the feds gots the $$$.
Fed $$$ for Naperville, college kids, obesity, hunger. Go!

1. Fed $$$ to Naperville
Naperville is a wealthy community. Huzzah to that! Rich or no, we are survivors. Yup. We survived a federal emergency disaster thingie in the blizzard last winter. I know this because Naperville just got $500K from the feds (FEMA) for snow removal costs:

Naperville snow refund on its way

Rumor on the grapevine is that Naperville will be spending the $500K on two things: 1) a champagne and caviar party for everyone in Naperville at the mayor's castle (not mine), and 2) hiring more people to fill in federal grant applications.

2. Fed $$$ to college kids
The feds have money for college kids too. The leftie reporter here complains that the feds aren't giving away very much money to college kids.

White House help on college loans isn't so much

Fortunately, the president reports that lowering college borrowing costs will not cost the feds any $$$. I believe the logic here is similar to the Obamacare math.

The reporter-ette slips in this seemingly innocuous factoid.

QOTD

"Around the same time the College Board was releasing a report showing that the average tuition at a four-year public college rose 8.3 percent last year"
- sfgate story

Cheap $$$ from the feds leads directly to the high, increasing cost of college. This connection never seems to get much of a mention though.

3. Fed $$$ to fight obesity
Alas, Naperville is jealous of Salem, VA. The good people of Salem got $800K from the feds for PE equipment to "fight obesity".

Salem wins federal grant to fight obesity

Bah. Salem, VA isn't so special. "Salem was one of 76 school systems in the country to receive these federal funds."

4. Fed $$$ to fight hunger
While the feds are steadfastly battling obesity, they are also heroically fighting hunger. PBS pulls out their heavy-hitting Sesame Street franchise to get this important message out.

QOTD

"Elmo didn't know there are so many people who don't have the food they need."
- Sesame Street fighting hunger, npr story

There is only one way to stop this stuff. Cut fed $$$.

5. Smoke em if you got em boys
I heart this Herman Cain pol ad where the guy smokes a butt at the end:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhm-22Q0PuM

Excellent.
yow, bill

Reverse Cowgirl

2011-10-25T11:36:00.001-05:00

QOTD

"Have your guy lie on his back and, facing his feet, straddle him with your knees on either side of his hips. Or, if it's more comfortable, squat over him with your feet flat on the bed."

- The Reverse Cowgirl

1. Cormac. Dop.

Book: "Blood Meridian" by Cormac McCarthy
Review: 2 bill-stars (out of 5)... not good
Good reads link: www.goodreads.com/review/show/227341416

Well, "Blood Meridian" is a recent classic. Written in 1985, it's on all manner of "best books ever" lists and such. It's got a 4+ rating on goodreads and Amazon. I guess it's "literature"... chockful of allusions and metaphor. You know... "horrors of war" and "true nature of man" blah blah.

Whatever. It sucked pretty hard. Sure, you get the rugged and wild west and Cormac McCarthy's smooth-as-butter style, but the rest is a write-off. There are no real characters, per se. Everyone's just a caricature. The plot is just 350 pages of random, rambling violence. It wasn't worth it.

You're going to think I'm making this one up, but I'm not. Page 200. The book's bad guy named "the judge" buys two puppies from a kid in Mexico, throws them in the river, and then another guy shoots them. That's it. No connection to anything really. Just a couple pages of nothing. I almost quit the book then, but kept on going through the last 150 pages.

My favorite thing from the book is so small. But it's my favorite because I just imagine Cormac-baby laughing out loud while he wrote it. I know I laughed when I read it.

QOTD

[the protagonist, "the kid", encounters a hermit in the middle of the desert... Cormac spends a couple-a pages describing the barren wasteland in which this filthy, lonely hermit lives all alone... and then the kid asks the hermit...]

How long you out here?
Out where?
- Cormac, Blood Meridian

He he. Never mind. That one's for me.
giddy... yow, bill

Quails

2011-10-23T08:12:00.000-05:00

QOTD

"quails"
- winning Scrabble word yesterday, www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/quail

...

...

1. Immature
Who's more immature (less mature?), the headline guys are Yahoo or me?

QOTD

"Mariah Carey reveals twins"
- Yahoo headline

2. Pro-Obama
The decision to completely leave Iraq seemed a little funny (funny weird, not funny ha-ha) at first. Lots of reasons to keep at least a small force there. But then I read this, and I'm pro-Obama on leaving Iraq.

QOTD

"...the Iraqi side was told that the American side won't leave a single soldier without full immunity and the Iraqi answer was that it's impossible to grant immunity to a single American soldier"
- Iraq leader Maliki, wsj story

Yeah. We're going to have soldiers in Iraq that are arrested and then tried and jailed under Iraqi law. I don't think so. See ya.

3. Nerds, public schools
Bill Gates is in the WSJ today, writing about fixing public education. His approach is to work with the teacher's unions. It hasn't worked thus far.

QOTD - Gates

"98% of our school teachers are rated "satisfactory.""
- Bill Gates, how a nerd says you're a fraud, wsj - Grading the Teachers

Steve Jobs (RIP) didn't exactly work with anyone on education that I can tell. He was a bit more direct on solving the problem.

QOTD - Jobs

Jobs also criticized America’s education system, saying it was “crippled by union work rules,” noted Isaacson. “Until the teachers’ unions were broken, there was almost no hope for education reform.” Jobs proposed allowing principals to hire and fire teachers based on merit, that schools stay open until 6 p.m. and that they be open 11 months a year.

- Steve Jobs talks teachers unions and education reform

It's ownership.
Does the principal of your public school feel like he/she owns the joint? Probably not.
Do the teachers feel like they own the classroom? Some, but not enough.
Do parents and students feel like customers of the public school system? No chance.

I have more of a feeling of ownership with my (crappy) fantasy football team.
yow, bill

Crunchy Creamy Cookie Candy Cupcake

2011-10-20T20:24:00.000-05:00

1. Crunchy Creamy Cookie Candy Cupcake
I'm not quite sure what's wrong with me... but I think this 18 seconds of video cost me $10:

youtube - Rango

Ring me up for 10 ebay-bucks today for the Rango DVD. Free shipping. Mmmm-mha!

2. Bring out your dead

Sort of like Sarah Palin's "stunning the halibut", I reckon. "Died after capture"... good one.

QOTD

"Qaddafi Died After Capture, Misrata Military Council Says"
- goodbye Mo-Mo, yahoo link

3. Knight battle

I got spam for the Army v. Rutgers game because it's being held at Yankee Stadium. I didn't know that both teams were "knights". Which is cooler?

Army Black Knights:

Or, Rutgers Scarlet Knights:

Go Army!
yow, bill

I'm open, comrade!

2011-10-20T07:11:00.001-05:00

1. Facade

The facade seems to be cracking. And still more than a year to the election.

QOTD1

"Murder will continue to rise. Rape will continue to rise. All crime will continue to rise."
- Joe Biden, describing the impact if repubs don't pass Obama's job bill, link

QOTD2

"I believe all the choices we've made have been the right ones."
- President Obama, on his first 3 years, link

This facade is such a weird part of this whole deal, this Great Recession. The weird, surreal facade of blaming people for not paying their "fair share", "green jobs", student loan debt is greater than all credit card debt, governments spending while the rest of the population saves, and you sneak socialized medicine in there for the cherry on top.

The (positive) portrayal of the "Occupy" protests in the media is as irrelevant as the (negative) portrayal of the Tea Party. It won't be reported, but people won't vote for "Occupy". The closer the link between President Obama and the "Occupy" protests, then the greater his chance of getting the boot next year.

2. I'm open, comrade!
This is surreal. Adam Morrison is dominating in the Serbia basketball league:

usatoday video - Adam Morrison is playing some good ball in Serbia

yahoo video - Adam Morrison doesn't have to take your elbows, dude

I like the Jesus look. If you watch that "elbow" video, it's disappointing that Russian basketball players faux fight, just like they do in America. When Morrison stuck his mug in that Russian guy's face, I thought the comrade would at least take a swipe at him. Oh well.

3. Reverse psychology

The worst team to ever win a World Series was the 2006 St. Louis Cardinal.
Their regular season record was 83-78.
Worse than that, look at these dogs... the lineup, the pitching staff. Woof!

baseball-reference - 2006 St. Louis Cardinal

BTW, the worst record of any team to make the MLB playoffs was the 2005 Padre at 82-80 (yahoo link).

And one more on this theme: forbes - 10 worst World Series Champions

So, the 2011 World Series is Ranger v. Cardinal. The Ranger are better at every position, save 1B. They have better starting pitching and a better bullpen.

World Series prediction: St. Louis Cardinal win

The Cardinal have one lone advantage: the manager.
Tony LaRussa and Dave Duncan ain't losing to Texas. I don't know how they do it, but they do it.
blech... yow, bill

The Conversation

2011-10-18T09:31:00.000-05:00

1. Movie review

Movie: "The Conversation"
Review: 3 bill-stars (out of 5)... worth it

"The Conversation" is billed as the movie Coppola made after "The Godfather". Wow, talk about your 180 change in direction. "The Conversation" is incredibly tiny and slow. Today, I think we'd consider it an art film or something.

It was pretty interesting though. It was a long walk, but it had a good ending. Made in 1974, the movie is chockful 'o stars: Gene Hackman, Harrison Ford (32 yo below), Teri Garr, Fredo, Shirley from Laverne and Shirley, and Robert Duvall briefly.

Since the movie is about a surveillance guy, there's tons of fun 70's stuff in the movie:

rotary phones
reel-to-reel recorders
rusty cars
most shocking, people walking their dogs without leashes or little plastic baggies full of poop

2. Spending

State governments and the feds have grown dramatically in the last 10 years or so. A double in 10 years is a 7% compound growth rate.

Source: ibd - The Austerity Myth

And, in roughly 10 years, the feds have added $10T to the debt.

10 years. That's a pretty quick sprint to screw the pooch. It seems that way at least.
yow, bill

Pappy!

2011-10-17T08:43:00.001-05:00

I met Pappy in Vegas. He he.

"Pappy - Fortune Teller"

1. All in
Ala Texas Hold Em, the media is "all in" on these Occupy protestors. Story after story after story is penetrating Bill's Media Bubble (TM). the Occupy protests are big and important... the protestors are serious and righteous and true.

Here's an example... a blog post that explicitly lays out the "This the Tea Party, but better" argument:

Occupy Wall Street must occupy Congress, AG offices

The Tea Party was a media exercise (anti, rather than pro), until 2010. At this point, the Occupy protests are a media exercise (pro, rather than anti) that will either fizzle or pay off in 2012. Occupy reminds me of the Wisconsin teacher protests/siege earlier this year, not the Tea Party.

Speaking of teachers, public service unions in Ohio are spending $20M to try and roll back changes that the Gov made last year. In Ohio, this "Senate Bill 5" reduces the bargaining rights of public employees in an attempt to keep costs under control, ala Wisconsin. When your stuff is on the line... say anything, baby. ANYTHING! Below, getting paid less makes it harder for this guy to be a teacher.

QOTD

"Hi, Teresa. I’m voting no on Senate Bill 5 because it can make my class size larger and can make it harder for me to be a teacher."
- some Ohio teacher, lying on the blower, nytimes story

2. Scared the bejesus

This is a long article, but worthy. It finally did it. Scared the bejesus out of me. Scared enough so that I hardened my gmail password. And others too.

atlantic - Hacked!

yow, bill

Spewie and the Punkins

2011-10-16T08:01:00.000-05:00

1. The Punkins Concert

Concert: Punkins at The Riv
Review: 3 bill-stars (out of 5)... goob

It was a good show. The Riv is a great venue. The Punkins have about as good a song catalog as anyone still touring who doesn't have a foot in the grave. And man, Billy Corgan can play that gee-tar, and they sounded great.

I feel a concert like this is just opportunity lost though. It's the gol dang Smashing Punkins, for jiminy sake, playing in their home town. It could-a, should-a been a special event. Alas, Billy Corgan is one cranky dude. Home town, schome town. There was little/no (gay) banter with the crowd or recognition that he was home. The crowd reflected Corgan's antipathy and was just not that into the whole deal. I'm not sure that a lot of the younger concert-goers even knew (or liked) the Punkin's songs.

Of course, Billy Corgan has long since jettisoned all the other members of the Punkins because they are all incompetent boobs. OK. But now it's just Billy and some zombies with zero stage presence or contribution to the event other than playing the notes.

The set list was about 50/50 new and old songs. That's way too many new, completely unknown songs. There were at least half a dozen songs I thought we'd hear that we didn't.

FWIW... here are a couple of reviews in the local rags: Trib review, Sun Times review.

It's always the stories though, right. Some fun, memorable side moments for me:

Tall - What is the deal with tall people at concerts? I'm talking giants. There were dozens of guys at least a head taller than me at the show. It was funny because these super tall guys left crowd shadows because no one would stand behind them.
iPhones - I was equally amazed at the number of (young) people who just stood there holding their iPhones up to video the show. Can you enjoy a show standing still holding your arm up the whole time? Scratch. Scratch. I don't think so.
Peeing - I was, um, next to a guy drinking a beer while he was peeing. I smiled, disbelieving. He he.
Spewie - And my fave... heading home on the red line with my nubile, young date, we noticed a drunk young guy propped up near the door of the train. The barely conscious lad's friend, an Aussie, talked to us. "He's been throwing up all night. I call him Spewie." Well, the train was packed. If Spewie, um, spewed, it would have been total chaos. Fortunately, Spewie and his buddy got off on the first stop, without incident.

Source: Trib review

The highlight of the concert was easy. Final song... Billy Corgan craning over the microphone... "The world is a vampire"...
cha... yow, bill

Chicken Lady

2011-10-14T08:33:00.002-05:00

1. Chicken Lady on a date

He he:

youtube - Chicken Lady on a date

QOTD

Of course it's good.
Cause they're fresh.
Straight out of my body and on to your plate.
- Chicken Lady, omelette for dinner

2. Contrary

This is goob.

When the news and talking heads report that cutting government spending/control will bring Armageddon, then you know things are going well. Things are on track. The debt ceiling was a good example of this.

Here's some British media nabob arguing that the Tea Party brought the world to "the edge of Armageddon" during the debt crisis and beyond:

U.S. Politics Took the World to Edge of Armageddon: Martin Wolf

And, this is bad.

The news coverage of Mitt Romney is overwhelming positive. Currently, Intrade gives Romney a 67% chance of winning the nomination as we speak (Romney nom on Intrade).

Romney is not a reformer, especially in the area of health care. We will not see Obamacare overturned if Romney is the repub nominee. We will not see entitlement reform with Romney. And so on.
blah blah blah... yow, bill

PS - Bonus video!

QOTD

Hey everybody.
Don't panic.
I mean I'm only CRUSHING YOUR HEAD!
- Kids in the Hall, youtube video

Neuromancer

2011-10-12T06:25:00.001-05:00

1. Neuromancer

Book: "Neuromancer" by William Gibson
Review: 3 bill-stars (out of 5)... OK.
Goodreads link: www.goodreads.com/review/show/222333770

Ah, the opening... "The sky above the port was the color of television, tuned to a dead channel."

Sometimes you watch some old movie, and you remember that, in the context of of the day, this movie was edgy or important. Perhaps, it's not quite as cutting edge or interesting now, but back in the day...

Neuromancer is sort of like this. I think that Neuromancer is an important sci-fi book, historically speaking. It won the sci-fi triple crown of awards; that's why I bought it. It has it's own Wikipedia page explaining all the terms and such: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neuromancer. It coined terms/ideas like "cyberspace" and "cyberpunk" and "the matrix". There are anti-virus programs called ICE for Intrusion Countermeasures Electronics. In the book, the main character is dealing with breaking ICE. Cool. The world is a dystopian place, very reminiscent of Blade Runner.

But as for just sitting down and reading... it was OK. It had some cool parts and action. Neuromancer had the vanilla sci-fi weakness of 2-D characters and flat dialog. The hot, anime girl, Molly, was pretty silly and totally stereotypical. Whatever. There are enough interesting things going on to make it worth reading.

Neuromancer is part of a trilogy, I guess. I liked the book, but I won't be moving on to the other two guys in the series.

2. The 1%
He he. Good one here from the boys at the Chicago Board Of Trade, having a little fun with the unwashed 99% protestors below.

Source: WBEZ post

yow, bill

Death by cantaloupe or running

2011-10-10T15:50:00.000-05:00

1. Tea Party kudos

The Tea Party hillbillies and huckleberries stormed this country in the 2010 election. After losing in 2010, President Obama coined the Tea Party triumph a "shellacking".

All this was done without violence or the threat of violence. The media hype against the Tea Party was simultaneously withering and ridiculous and just wrong. Go ahead and convince yourself... google up some "tea party violence", "tea party threats", "tea party arrests", "tea party pepper spray". Nuttin.

Yet, in just a few short weeks, the leftie Occupy Wall Street protestors have turned violent.

Violence - protestors swarmed the Smithsonian, because of an exhibit that featured a military drone. When the protestors went to march through the museum, security guards used pepper spray to repel them. bloomberg - Smithsonian closed after scuffle with protestors

Threats - Occupy "hactivists" proclaiming "a new civil rights movement has begun", threatened a cyber-attack on the NYSE today: Anonymous threaten to take down NYSE

So, this is an easy one. Kudos to the Tea Party knuckleheads for changing things the right (rightie) way. I hope for an encore in 2012. It seems like there's even more money on the table than there was in 2010.

2. 500 yards

I read that 21 people have died in the US from bad cantaloupes: Death toll from tainted cantaloupes rises to 21

Bad: Man, dying from bad fruit. Shit, that's brutal. "I remember Bill. He was pretty funny. Too bad about that cantaloupe though." Jeez.

Some dude died running the marathon yesterday: Runner collapses at Chicago Marathon, dies

Bad: Dying at 35 years-old. That's tough.

Good: But OK, if you're gonna go... then, for my money, you can't do much better than gacking while you're running a marathon. Pretty cool. "Bill keeled over running the marathon. Cool."

Bad: But don't die 500 yards from the finish line. Argh. Man, that's harsh.

Good: Still, it's not as bad as death by cantaloupe. Major bummer, but still...

I'm going running. Right. Now.
So, if this is my last post.
he he... yow, bill

School choice in New Orleans

2011-10-09T20:09:00.001-05:00

1. Some beverages

Welcome to beverage talk, what's your question?

Please get your ass to a bar this October for some Southern Tier PumKing. Damn, that's candy goodness! I got mine at that German joint... the Bavarian Lodge in Lisle.

As I previously posted... fuck Starbucks with their MSNBC charity and their tiny leftie weenies (williamt post). My SBUX saga continued this afternoon.

So, I visited my local Caribou coffee. It seems that Caribou's charity choice is a little more substantial and heartfelt than SBUX.

Amy Erickson, our beloved Roastmaster, loved life, laughter, tulips and, of course, coffee.... In 1995, at just 33 years of age, Amy lost her battle with breast cancer. Amy’s Blend is our tribute to her—and our hope for finding a cure.
www.cariboucoffee.com/page/1/amys-story.jsp

So, count me in, Caribou.
I just hope this Caribou tastes alright. He he.

2. School choice

Ah, unintended consequences. New Orleans had one of these epically bad public school systems. Katrina wiped that crappy school system out. The forced restart is based on entrepreneurial charter schools, and it is improving the education and lives of students.

wsj - The Big Easy's School Revolution

QOTD

"We have tended as a country to solve problems like this more through generating energy by way of our entrepreneurs. The approach [in New Orleans] is just government facilitating an entrepreneurial solution to this inequity."
- John White, superintendent of NO schools

3. Challenge

It's as obvious as the blue sky this morning: emphasis on effort and process over result.
This is a short, wonderful post (with a bad title).

relstr - Fail Better

Did you catch that? “You must have worked really hard.”
Tell your kid that he/she worked hard, and they'll worker harder. They'll value hard work. They'll worry less about result and the risk of failure. They'll worry less about their inherent gifts or lack thereof.

Freedom of choice. Hard work. Self-confidence.
And in memory of Amy at Caribou Coffee.
Positivity!
yow, bill

PSA test

2011-10-09T08:20:00.000-05:00

1. Today is the greatest

OK, well, yesterday was the greatest... frisbee on Montrose Harbor Beach with my tulips.
Dive!

2. PSA test
The PSA test is a blood test to detect prostate cancer (webmd). There is confusion over: a) whether you should get a PSA test, b) how often, c) what you should do with the results of a PSA test, etc.

From the good folks at RUN... Renal and Urology News:

PSA testing: why the US and Europe differ

And from my driveway this morning:

wsj - Panel faults widely used prostate cancer test

This confusion about medical policy isn't uncommon. You have very similar situations with mammograms and hormone replacement therapy for women. Medicine/science is confused for two reasons:

Medical policy statements seem to be made for groups, rather than individuals. Also, it is assumed that these groups of people won't be paying for these services.
Policy is made in an environment where doctors are sued arbitrarily. For example, if a doctor doesn't recommend a PSA test to someone who gets cancer, then he/she gets sued.

3. Quick and dirty
Oh, for Christ's sake... go!

OutOfMoneyBall
Michael Lewis WSJ interview - Michael "Moneyball" Lewis' new book predicts the end of the world. Well, sort of. This is an interesting 10 minute interview.

Drones
American drones are infected with a computer virus - No, I don't "get" this one. How can the army guys let this happen? And not get rid of it? Weird. Are their systems that out of control? too complex.

FEPO

Howard Lindzon - Like TV, investment blogging isn't news or information... it's for entertainment purposes only (FEPO). This guy, Howard Lindzon, is a great example of this. The formula is clear: 1) Write BIG headlines. Be outlandish. 2) Sound like and expert, an insider. 3) Always hedge. Never actually say anything. This "might" happen or that "may" be the case". Two examples:

What does a market bottom look like... today! - the end of one day's trading makes Lindzon feel like the market is done falling, maybe
The Steve Jobs market bottom - here Steve Jobs dying means that the stock market might be ready to stop going down

Killer quotes are (not) important too:

"Today was the first day it felt like people were tired of selling"
"I doubt today was a long-term stock market bottom. I hope it is. I don’t have any money pinned on hope though."
"We need to stop going down first."
"It makes sense that we have a Steve Jobs bottom."
- Howard Lindzon, www.howardlindzon.com

Fruit
www.glitterlimes.com - jewelry made out of fruit and candy. Ha!

Al Davis
Nobody cares - I didn't know that Al Davis was a mentor to Bill Parcells. Here's a great, short Al Davis story:

Bill Parcells: “Al, I am just not sure how we can win without so many of our best players. What should I do?”
Al Davis: “Bill, nobody cares, just coach your team.”

yow, bill

13 1/2 years in 45 minutes

2011-10-06T08:55:00.003-05:00

"Red flower"

1. The Post Office plan

The Post Office is broke and losing more money each day. They have way too many employees. They have pension woes up the wazoo. The Post Office hasn't adapted or modernized over the years, and now they're in big trouble.

No matter. The Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe (huzzah!) has a 21st century fix for these woes... more junk mail!

QOTD

"What we want to do is to make standard mail more interesting for customers so we can grow the total volume."
- Postmaster General, wsj - Post Office Rescue Plan: More junk mail

LOL.

2. Market gains in the last 13 1/2 years

The market was down (again) and then popped up about 4% (crazy) in the last hour of trading yesterday.

QOTD

"Since March 17, 1998, the S&P 500 has gained 4.02% (excluding dividends).
That entire gain came during the last 45 minutes of trading today."
- crossing wall street guy

You follow that one? At 3:00, the value of the S&P 500 (excluding dividends) was the same as it was March 17, 1998... 13 1/2 years ago.
Surreal.

3. 101 years old

This lady is the same age as Gram.

video - Two Classics, One Car

QOTD

"People always say to me, 'Have you lived in Plymouth your whole life?'
And I say, 'Not yet' "
- Margaret Dunning, 101 years old

3 baseball playoff game 5's tonight. Excellent.
yow, bill

I heart Dr. Bryan Smith

2011-10-05T08:34:00.002-05:00

I cede all control to my extreme Ikea Syndrome. I heart this photo... for no apparent reason.

"Old Style"

1. Embarrassing laziness

I heart this guy. This Dr. Bryan Smith of Naperville. It seems that Dr. Bryan Smith of Naperville couldn't figure it out, couldn't wrap his head around it.
Why the heck couldn't his kid bring tests that he took home from school?!?

naperville sun - Resident says parents should be able to see children's tests

“It’s my understanding that rewriting tests is a standard practice.”
[annoying buzzzzz]
Incorrect.
Hey, I'm a faux teacher. I know.

The teachers at Naperville North are too (fucking) lazy to create a new test each year for their students, so they can't have the old tests floating around.
Snort.

Look, the education in Naperville is top notch. But lazy is lazy, man. It's great to see it sitting laziness documented right out there for you. These teacher should be embarrassed. But what are the odds of that?
Kudos to Dr. Bryan Smith and the Naperville Sun.

QOTD

"I don't feel tardy."
- Van Halen

2. Who's on first

C: When you pay off the first baseman every month, who gets the money?
A: Every dollar of it. And why not, the man's entitled to it.
C: Who is?
A: Yes.
C: So who gets it?
A: Why shouldn't he! Sometimes his wife comes down and collects it.
C: Who's wife?
A: Yes. After all the man earns it.
C: Who does?
A: Absolutely.
- youtube - Who's on first

who's wife... yow, bill

1099.23

2011-10-04T14:25:00.000-05:00

1. A blast from the past
Today's Secretary of State... chatting up world affairs 7 years ago when she was the junior Senator from New York.

QOTD

"Obviously, I've thought about that a lot in the months since. No, I don't regret giving the president authority because at the time it was in the context of weapons of mass destruction, grave threats to the United States, and clearly, Saddam Hussein had been a real problem for the international community for more than a decade."

"The consensus [on WMD's in Iraq] was the same, from the Clinton administration to the Bush administration. It was the same intelligence belief that our allies and friends around the world shared."
- Hillary Clinton in 2004, on voting for the Iraq War in 2002, cnn link

2. A broken clock
Forget leftie, rightie, whatever... IL Senator Dick Durbin is the symbol of all that's wrong in our politics. The worst of the worst. The bottom of the barrel. He's a lifelong pol. Pompous. Completely self-serving. Weasel.
As Moz would say, Durbin would sell cancer if they paid him.

That said, on this debit card fee thing, Durbin is right.

QOTD

"Get the heck out of that bank.
Find yourself a bank or credit union that won’t gouge you for $5 a month."
- Dick Durbin, on Bank America raising debit card fees, trib story

Blech. Patooey.
We can debate this regulation or that, but I sure ain't paying 60 bucks a year for a debit card.

3. Market co-inky dink
Some fun stock market coincidence:

Yesterday, Oct 3 2011... the S&P 500 closed at 1099.23
Three years ago, Oct 3, 2008... the S&P 500 closed at 1099.23

www.businessinsider.com/chart-of-the-day-october-3-2011-vs-october-3-2008-2011-10

sell... yow, bill

Happy lunch!

2011-10-03T13:14:00.001-05:00

1. First sentence
How's this for the first sentence of a new book. Huzzah!

"The sky above the port was the color of television, tuned to a dead channel."

Fun! We'll see how accurate the first sentence indicator ends up being in the next 250 pages.

2. QOTD x n

Get the gloom (and barf bag) out of the way first.

QOTD1

"You know that 80 billion euros that you loaned us to cover our banks, you need to move that from the loan side of your books to the capital side. Here’s the key to your bank. By the way, what are you going to do with your bank, we’re just curious."
- doomy gloomy John Mauldin, on what Ireland is going to tell the Euro Central Bank

Prediction: my "like new" Punkins CD will (happily and quickly) find its way to the floor in the backseat of my Subaru.

QOTD2

"Item is stored in non-smoking dark room and has been cleaned of any fingerprints (if applicable). Outer case has been cleaned and buffed (if applicable). I handle all my CD's with micro fiber cloth gloves. I try to sell "as new or mint conditioned" cd's. I guarantee a terrific experience with me."
- Guy on ebay selling CD's

He's way out there, but I heart Papa Grande.

QOTD3

“It’s over for the Yankees. No more. One hundred percent. I want it over, because I want my team in the second round.” … ”Is this a prediction, or your hope?” Valverde was asked by a reporter. Valverde reached out and good-naturedly put his hand on the shoulder of the reporter and said, “What do you think?”
- Papa Grande, talking that shit, nbc sports story

QOTD4

"That shit wasn't about race. That shit was about fame...
If OJ drove a bus, he wouldn't even be OJ. He'd be Orenthal the bus-driving murderer."
- Chris Rock, "Roll with the new"

BTW, that Chris Rock CD... 5 bill-stars. If there's a better comedy CD, I ain't heard it.

We had a KFC close right across the street from the Jew-el. I ain't never heard of a KFC closing, so what does that mean? I dunno.

QOTD5

"The new KFC Double Down sandwich is real! This one-of-a-kind sandwich features two thick and juicy boneless white meat chicken filets (Original Recipe®), two pieces of bacon, two melted slices of Monterey Jack and pepper jack cheese and Colonel's Sauce. This product is so meaty, there’s no room for a bun!"
- KFC bomb, link

Double down!
Lordy.
he he... yow, bill

Moviegoer

2011-10-01T11:21:00.001-05:00

"Blizzard deer"

1. USPS ad

So funny. This made me tinkle.
It's the US Post Office's new ad campaign to convince people to use email less and snail mail more.

wapo - Postal service launches new ad campaign

Who's paying these guys? Oops.

2. NBK

QOTD1

Woman: But that's a priceless Steinway!
Clouseau: Not any more.
- One of the Pink Panther movies, youtube

Our robots blew up this Awlaki terrorist guy. I guess he was an American citizen. As Inspector Clouseau would say, "Not any more".

QOTD2

The killing of Anwar al-Awlaki in an American missile strike on Friday cements President Obama’s record as a relentless hunter of Al Qaeda terrorists.
- weasel, ny times story

You gotta love the NY Times. "Relentless hunter". Snort.
Shit, man. President Obama's a natural born killer.

QOTD3

Mickey: I realized my true calling in life.
Wayne Gale: What's that?
Mickey: Shit, man. I'm a natural born killer.
- Natural Born Killers, link

3. Moviegoer
Book: The Moviegoer by Walker Percy
Review: 1 bill-star (out of 5)... whew, awful
Goodreads link: www.goodreads.com/review/show/217586286

The Moviegoer has lots of nice reviews on the cover. This one's funny: "A brilliant novel... Percy touches the rim of so many human mysteries." Touches the rim? And Moviegoer won some awards too, like The National Book Award.

So, I didn't finish this book... gave up about halfway through. Here's a nice plot summary if you're interested: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Moviegoer. I usually skip the bill-star rating if I don't finish a book. I gave Moviegoer the benefit of the doubt here though. I will assume that the last half of the book would garner it 1 bill-star, in compensation for the 0-star beginning that I suffered through.

The narrator/protagonist is in some undefined existential crisis. This leads to his constant whining about nothing and his negative, condescending critique of everyone and everything around him. Nihilist. Narcissist. Complainer. Pampered boy. A less appealing character, it is difficult to conjure.

Here's a quick example. Here, Binx the narrator, (yes, Binx... sigh) considers all the mundane people around him to be dead.

QOTD

"For some time now the impression has been growing upon me that everyone is dead.

It happens when I speak to people. In the middle of a sentence it will come over me: yes, beyond a doubt this is death. This is little to do but groan and make an excuse and slip away as quickly as one can."
- Walker Percy, The Moviegoer

So, I guess I didn't "get it". Maybe this book would appeal to an angst-ridden teenager or some depressed city-dweller. I don't know. But it's upward and onward to better things for this little reader. Huzzah!
yow, bill

Undy Sunday

2011-09-30T08:20:00.001-05:00

QOTD

"New homely doll to improve self-image of young girls"
- The Onion, huzzah! (link)

1. The key word: NEW!

I saw this driving by St. Elizabeth Seton church.

www.sesnaperville.org/sesmain/?p=3021

QOTD

"[St. Elizabeth Seton will be] collecting NEW underwear, undershirts, and socks for children and adults."
- Undy Sunday web page

2. Human drama

Excellent human drama last night in baseball... Boston, Tampa, Atlanta.
Better than words:

Source: www.cardboardgods.net/2011/09/29/5618/

Just like little league... Carl Crawford looked like a guy who didn't want the ball hit his way.

3. Euro drama

I just post this, here, on Sep 29 as an oddity.

This has to be bogus. Stupid internet rumor. It has to be.

Insider Reports Germany Printing Up Marks will Abandon Euro

but still... yow, bill

Ryan. Repeal. Replace. Resplendent.

2011-09-28T12:20:00.002-05:00

So rare and positive when a politician advocates increasing our freedoms and choices.... transferring power from Washington DC to the citizenry.
Paul Ryan's speech on health care is just such advocacy:

Paul Ryan's Repeal and Replace speech

Cha cha cha. One two three. All quotes are from Ryan's speech.

One: Repeal
"The first step toward true, patient-centered health care reform must be a full repeal of the President’s disastrous new law."
Cha!

Two: Why
"The health care sector lacks most of the basic building blocks of a functioning market."

Non-transparent prices
Consumers are insulated from costs

"The system that shields us from the cost of services, has actually left us paying much more."
That statement is both perfectly logical and ironic at the same time.

Three: Replace
"Choice and competition are critical to controlling costs throughout the health-care system, while improving quality for patients."

"By putting the power into the hands of individuals, we can let competition work in health care just as it does everywhere else."

Three reforms:

premium support for Medicare... subsidize old folks buying health insurance
block grants for Medicaid... subsidize health programs for the poor run by the states, not the feds
tax reform... replace employer deduction for health insurance costs with individual tax credits.

These fundamentals are wrapped in a guarantee of continuing the current system for people 55 and over. It also presumes further competitive reforms like malpractice reform and insurance competition across state lines.

Ryan's wrap

But the point is that we should not fear false attacks again in 2012. Fear and demagoguery are the last refuges of an intellectually bankrupt party – and the moment calls for leaders who are not afraid to be honest with people about how they would solve the problems we face.

In health care, we owe the American people a defining choice, and that choice is: Who is in charge: The government or the patient?
- Paul Ryan

Resplendent!
yow, bill

PS - President Obama is a postscript by reason of incompetence and absurdity. Part of President Obama's jobs bill calls for new legislation to give unemployed people the right to sue a business if they feel discriminated against, ala race, religion, etc. We need this because... "White House officials see discrimination against the unemployed as a serious problem."

atlantic - Obama Proposes Letting Unemployed Sue for Discrimination

QOTD2

"That would put joblessness on par with race, color, religion, sex, and national origin, meaning job applicants who think they were shot down because they haven't had a job would be able to sue."
- nabob, atlantic story

Test of faith

2011-09-27T07:41:00.001-05:00

1. Class

I'm blown away. What a wonderful (love) letter to the fans by the SF Giant and their manager Bruce Bochy.
Read this:

From the desk of Bruce Bochy - To our fans

Class act. 100%.
No QOTD snippets. I'm saving this one... copy-paste at the bottom.

BTW, the marketing boys in SFO work overtime too. Nice graphic and slogan:

2. Border Trilogy #3
Book: "Cities of the Plain" by Cormac McCarthy
Review: 2 bill-stars (out of 5)... not worth it
Goodreads link: www.goodreads.com/review/show/215840873

This book is the third in Cormac's Border Trilogy about cowboys and Mexico and the old west and such:

All the Pretty Horses (1992) - 4 bill-stars, williamt review
The Crossing (1994) - 4 bill-stars, williamt review
Cities of the Plain (1998) - 2 bill-stars

The first two books of the trilogy were really, really great. This 3rd book is not strong. The beautiful writing style is there, but the plot is glacial and ultimately uninteresting. Cormac borrowed the two lead characters from the first two books (John Grady Cole and Billy Parham) for this book. It reminds me a little of a rock band reunion where the songs are slower and have less energy than the younger, original version.

"Cities" reminded me more of Cormac's rambling "No Country for Old Men" (williamt review). The end of "Cities" is brutal with a long dream within a dream dialogue between two old homeless guys under a bridge. Blap.

QOTD

I mean if you were lookin for somebody to give a shit I can tell you right now it sure as hell wasnt Gene. He didnt care if syrup went to thirty cents a sop.

- "Cities of the Plain", Cormac McCarthy

Some Cormac links du jour:

Cormac on wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cormac_McCarthy
And this is a (kind of dormant) fan site, I think: www.cormacmccarthy.com
"All the Pretty Horses" was a movie: www.imdb.com/title/tt0149624/. That's the good news. The bad news: it stars Matt Damon and Penelope Cruz and totally bombed.

Next up. Cormac's "Blood Meridian" is highly-acclaimed and click click click... added to my Amazon cart.

3. Portillos. Religion.

I've been going to Portillo's for 20 years now, ever since I moved back to Illinois.
It's an amazing place. The food is always good. The people who work there are always positive and courteous. And I don't care how crowded it is... they always get my order right, whatever it may be.

Until today.

There were peppers on my beef with mozzarella, no peppers.
What to do?
What does it mean?
Is my devotion to Portillo's misguided?
What other basic, foundational assumptions about life to I have completely wrong?

I got up to return the sandwich. Then, I stopped, sat down and smiled. I took the peppers off and took a big bite. Hey, I figgered, a religion doesn't have to be right every time. All's right with the world because being right nearly every time is OK by me.

I enjoyed a couple more bites of delicious beef sammich and took a sip of my lemonade.
It was warm and didn't have any ice in it.

I laughed and took it up front for some ice. The girl pulled me a new lemonade, chockful 'o ice. She smiled and said, "Here you go sir".
Thanks!
he he... yow, bill

PS - Copy-paste of Bruce Bochy's letter:

To Our Fans,

The best part of every road trip is the moment I sink into my seat on the team plane and say to myself, "We're going home." I know what's waiting for us at AT&T Park: Our reinforcements. Our fans.
I look up at that sea of orange-and-black -- at the Panda and Baby Giraffe hats, the beards, the Timmy wigs, the scarves and towels, the poster board signs that say "Believe!" - and feel as if no one can beat us. The incredible energy generated from 41,000 stomping, cheering, passionate Giants fans is like having a tenth man on the field.

Tonight, the Giants will set a record for the highest single-season attendance in the franchise's 128-year history -- 3,303,000 surpassing the 3,277,244 set in 2001. Tonight also marks the 79th consecutive sell-out of the 2011 season. These attendance milestones simply demonstrate what our players, coaches and front office already know: We have the best and most devoted fans in baseball.

On behalf of everyone at the Giants, thank you.

I am writing not only to thank you, but also to make sure you know that your support makes a difference. Your thunderous cheers for Romo or Wilson or Casilla to get the third out late in a game - they matter. Your rally caps, your "Beat LA" chants, your "Get Well" signs for Buster, your willingness to weather cold nights on Orange Fridays - they all matter. You could have given up on us this season. Wracked by injuries, we've struggled to score runs. But just as you were there during last year's magical World Series season, you're with us still - a show of loyalty that continues to inspire us as coaches and players.

In baseball, the difference between winning and losing can be as slight as a bunt that stays fair instead of rolling foul. A team is always looking for an edge. Opposing players and coaches tell us all the time that AT&T Park gives us an edge. They're right but not completely. It's the not park. It's the people in it. I look forward to seeing you over these last few days of 2011 and for seasons to come. Thank you for helping us draw out the best in ourselves.

Sincerely,

Bruce Bochy
San Francisco Giants Manager

The $100 undershirt

2011-09-26T18:19:00.003-05:00

"Faded Flower 7"

1. This Gilt thing

I signed up for this Gilt thing. It's supposed to be snooty retailers at a discount.
The spam is hysterical, and the companies and products are a little, um, unconventional.

Blinde eyewear - blind the "e" is silent eyewear. Cmon. You can't be serious. I think I read somewhere that Blinde is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Paraplegic Running Shoes, Inc.
Equmen underwear - the home of the $100 undershirt. $109, actually. See?

Well, the undershirt makes Blinde's $200 glasses look the Walmart of snooty fashion.
I don't think I'm Gilt's target audience. Ha!

2. Global REALLY warming

President Obama, through his own extensive scientific research, has concluded that wildfires in Texas are being caused by global warming.

QOTD

"You've got a governor whose state is on fire denying climate change. It's true."
- President Obama, gov directed at repub gov of TX, usatoday link

Jeez, it ain't easy being a global warming dude these days. I mean you gotta be pretty worried by now, right? Al Gore. Global warming causing wildfires. And tsunamis. And East Coast tropical storms. And earthquakes. And cold winters. It's a bad joke at this point. A punch line.

Speaking of bad jokes.

Dear President Obama,
This news blurb today for you.

Home-buying season the worst in at least 50 years

yow, bill

200 hits

2011-09-25T07:56:00.001-05:00

1. 200 hits - the present
Starlin Castro has more than 200 hits this season. Really goob.

Here's: Starlin Castro at Yahoo... Starlin Castro at Baseball reference.
Go:

54 of Castor's 201 hits (right now) are extra-base hits, including 10 home run.
Castro has reached base in 35 consecutive games.
Starlin Castro is only 21 flippin' years-old (see QOTD below). This is just his 2nd year in the big leagues.
I'll always remember (sure, Bill) that Castro was the first player to make it to the bigs who was born in the 1990's (wiki).

How rare is a 200 hit season? Somebody does it each year, but not many guys:

It looks like 5 guys in all MLB will get 200 hits this year: Starlin, A-Gonz, M Young, J Ellsbury, and Milky Cabrera (huh?).
2010 (2 guys): Ichiro 214, R Cano 200
2009 (3 guys): Ichiro 225, Jeter 212, R Cano 204, Ry Braun 203
2008 (3 guys): Ichiro 213, D Pedroia 213, J Reyes 204

QOTD

"Since the modern era began 111 years ago in 1900, Castro is the 10th player to reach 200 hits in a season 21 years old or younger. He joins Alex Rodriguez (1995), Garry Templeton (1977), Vada Pinson (1959), Al Kaline (1955), Buddy Lewis (1937), Joe DiMaggio (1936), Hal Trosky (1934), Lloyd Waner (1927) and Ty Cobb (1907). Kaline and Cobb were both 20 when they reached the milestone; the others were 21."
- mlb story

Lot of nice names on that there list.

2. 200 hits - the past

For the first time in his career, Ichiro won't have 200 hits this season. It sucks even harder because this is also the only year he has batted under .300. For 10 years in a row (2001 - 2010) Ichiro collected at least 200 hits in each season and had a career batting average around .330.
But Father Time, he don't negotiate... 37 yo is 37 yo.

Here's: Ichiro on Yahoo... Ichiro on Baseball Reference.

If I may regress back to junior high for just a second, back to when ballplayers were heroes... Ichiro is the coolest player in the league over the last decade. He has his own style and is supremely confident. Ichiro's speed to first base is unmatched. His fielding and his arm in right field are amazing.

Ichiro is a first ballot HOF'er.

That said, remember up there... out of Starlin Castro's 200 hits, 54 were for extra bases.
Ichiro never did that.

3. 200 hits - the future

Prediction: You won't see Starlin Castro get 200 hits very often in the future.
He'll start swinging for the fences more.
It just makes sense.

Only 21, he's going to get a lot bigger and stronger.
The Cub will move him from SS to 3B, which is a more bopping position.
And they will move him down in the lineup to an RBI slot, 3rd or cleanup.
And for Castro, all this will mean more home run and more $$$.

You'll see Castro put up more than 54 extra base hits, but his average will decline and the 200 hits thing will fade away.

4. Moneyball

Movie: Moneyball
Review: 3 bill-stars (out of 5)... OK

How the heck do you get people to go to a movie about baseball statistics and the Oakland A's not winning the World Series? Well, you get Brad Pitt signed up and then market the hell out of it.

The movie was OK. The best scenes were when Billy Beane interacted with the old baseball scouts. Man, that rang true. That's also what I remember most from the book.

Brad Pitt is seriously miscast as Billy Beane. In the book, Beane is a ferocious and intimidating ex-jock. Brad Pitt ain't intimidating anyone. But no one cares... it's Brad Pitt.

Other than the marketing barrage, I have a hard time understanding the glowing reviews for MoneyBall the movie. If you don't like baseball, then you'll be bored to tears.

Here's a guy who says that Billy Beane will be hired to run the Cub: Billy Beane and the Cub. Hey, he can't do any worse.
yow, bill

Marilyn Manson and Mr. Krabs

2011-09-23T07:54:00.002-05:00

QOTD

[Marilyn CD blaring in the Sooby... "I wanna be your little girl"...]
Bill: Marilyn is just making fun of his fans.
Ty: That's not very nice.
Bill: Well, Marilyn doesn't like all the fan adulation. He just needs their money.
Ty: Just like Mr. Krabs.

1. F SBUX

QOTD

"I can quit any time you know."
- williamt, my running joke whenever I go to Starbucks and bought (past tense) Starbucks Gold coffee

I heart my SBUX Gold Coast coffee. I buy it by the pound and then cook it up here at The Castle. Well, I went a couple weeks ago and couldn't find it. The caffeinated lad behind the counter told me that its name had been changed to "Morning Joe", but it was the same coffee.

OK. That name doesn't sound like an upgrade to me, but what do I care.

Yesterday, I went to SBUX to resupply and found out why the name had been changed. My SBUX coffee is now named after a MSNBC show.

Starbucks and MSNBC join forces

So, well, SBUX... F you. I don't care about your politics. Shit, I had lunch yesterday at Ted Turner's dump. I ignore the silliness of planet-saving paper straws and enjoy the mini-burgers. I buy Dawn soap with a stupid, fucking baby seal on the label. Repeat: I don't care about your gol dang politics.

But when you slap an MSNBC label and name on your coffee, you can count me out. I'll find some leftie (or rightie) company who doesn't have quite the hard-on about their own political beliefs and cares more about selling their shit. Cha.

So, I have my two pounds of Morning Joe to swill down over the next few weeks, and then the search begins. Caribou Coffee anyone? Dunkin Donuts?

2. Yuck

We're down down a quick 6% in the two days since The Bernank said "There are significant downside risks to the economic outlook". He's not the only one saying that:

Fedex (and UPS) say that slow growth is likely to continue: wsj link
Toys R Us plans to hire fewer holiday workers: reuters link

And two stock market quickies:

It's amazing that more than half the stocks in the S&P 500 have a higher yield than the 10-year treasury: bespoke link.
Another bespoke link, the Bloomberg World Index of stocks entered bear market territory today... down 21% from its recent high.

People ask: Why aren't companies hiring? Or spending their cash? Why are treasury rates at an all-time low? Why won't banks lend money?
Cmon, the answer is obvious. Fear. There is a fear that we are in a modern-day depression (video). Everyone is hunkering down.
yow, bill

Wargames, 2001, and Failsafe in a blender

2011-09-22T08:46:00.000-05:00

1. Collosus

QOTD

"We can coexist... but only on my terms.

You will say you lose your freedom.
Freedom is an illusion.
All you lose is the emotion of pride.

To be dominated by me is not as bad for humankind as to be dominated by others of your species."
- Collosus!

Movie: Collosus: The Forbin Project (imdb)
Review: 3 bill-stars (out of 5)... lots of fun

A friend recommended this movie, and it was a lot of fun. It was a total 60's and 70's fest with the clothes, the hair, smoking everywhere, big old computers with lights flashing everywhere, cheesy graphics, etc. Excellent.

This movie is Wargames, 2001, and Failsafe in a blender. It's not as good as any of those movies, but it is a lot of fun.

I can't beat this nice IMDB summary: "Forbin is the designer of an incredibly sophisticated computer that will run all of America's nuclear defenses. Shortly after being turned on, it detects the existence of Guardian, the Soviet counterpart, previously unknown to US Planners." And then, of course, Collosus and Guardian work together to take over the planet. Cha!

My favorite plot twist: Collosus demands that Forbin the scientist be under constant surveillance, so computer-controlled cameras are setup everywhere. But Forbin needs to communicate with the other scientists on disabling Collosus, so Forbin devises a plan: he'll select the hottest lady scientist and tell Collosus he needs private time alone with her because she's his "mistress". That way, he can communicate with the outside world without Collosus peeping. So, his hot colleague (Susan Clark below) comes over every night, and they, um, talk. Genius! He he.

I won't give it away, but the ending rocks!
Oh, and huzzah to Netflix for their treasure trove of old movies.

2. Brad Pitt, my hero
Baby, baby, baby... you know I can't marry you with all the inequity and suffering out there in the world. Baby, you KNOW this. Snort.

QOTD2

"I've said that we would not be getting married until everyone in this county has the right to get married"
- Brad Pitt, on why he's not married to Angelina Jolie... one of the greatest line of all time (stupid link)

my hero... yow, bill

Captain Kirk, HP CEO

2011-09-21T19:22:00.001-05:00

1. Thanks for the walls
Naperville, IL (a wealthy community) got $11M from President Obama's stimulus bill to replace all our existing power meters with fancy wireless meters.

www.naperville.il.us/smartgrid.aspx

It's not just that Naperville is a wealthy community. It's also how stupidly the money is spent... on smart power meters. OK, so what's the punch line? The reason Naperville wants smart power meters is so that Naperville can, some day, charge residents for their power based on when they use it. Peak energy use doesn't fit the model of green energy sources like wind and solar. So, you hit consumers harder in the wallet during peak usage times. The double $$ hit here is that green energy costs more at any time, so consumers will pay more across the board.

Another more visible infrastructure project in Naperville (a wealthy community) is our new walls. Yeah, we now have nifty walls that now surround various streets and freeways. Naperville calls them soundwalls. Really nifty!

Well, of course, people have been living next to these streets for decades. This is the definition of do-nothing make-work projects. Federal stimulus money isn't well-spent, and the infrastructure in the US isn't crumbling. It's just more nonsense, but wait!

2. FEMA saves the world
We are just lucky that just enough funds are left for FEMA (the feds) to maintain their vigilance and ability to save the citizenry. Huzzah!

FEMA prepared for satellite's plunge to Earth this week

One, two:

"Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is laying the groundwork for a fast response in case the 6 1/2-ton spacecraft falls over American soil."
"NASA experts forecasting a remote 1-in-3,200 chance of a possible injury from the satellite's debris."

Naperville's smart meters cost $11M. Did FEMA's preparation for satellite falling on someone's head cost $11M? One fed agency researches ($$$) and decides it's a 1 in 3,200 chance that a satellite is going to fall on somebody's head. And another fed agency researches ($$$) how to save the populace from this imminent threat. Sigh.

Now, President Obama is pounding the table for his Stimulus 2 bill.
Maybe Naperville can build some more walls.
Maybe FEMA can prepare for alien attack.
And maybe all this stuff will revive the economy, but I doubt it.
yow bill

PS - Almost forgot... a shout out to the citizen group (presumably idiots and racists) who are fighting the smart meter nonsense being doled out in Naperville:

www.napervillesmartmeterawareness.org/

PPS - Late, breaking news. HP is considering replacing their current CEO:

with a better, more aggressive candidate:

I'm tall!

2011-09-20T20:16:00.001-05:00

1. Taller than average
So happy this morning. The WSJ has gleefully proclaimed me TALL!
Well, taller than average.
From wsj - Yes, you are getting shorter:

The average US male is 5' 9.5" tall... I'm 5' 10" (woot!)
The average US female is 5' 4" tall... hrmph, girls seem bigger than that.
The article is about people shrinking over time... I'll skip that bit. Ha!
1 in 4 men over the age of 70 will have fractures due to osteoporosis... WTF?!?! It's 50% for women. Jeez.

"Pool ball"

2. Quickies

Go!

a) Similarity between US and Greece:

"In these 12 months it has not fired even one civil servant. The only thing it is doing is trying to tax the private sector out of existence." -Greek response to their debt crisis. wsj - Why Greece won't reform

Look, I know we're not Greece, but... fucking hot damn tamale, this sounds familiar. Eurozone creditors are faced with "the unwillingness of the Greek government to fire civil servants, to stop subsidizing the unions and to close defunct state bodies." President Obama will say and/or do anything to preserve the size and specter of the federal government.

b) Fantasy health care:

"Fantasy baseball managers have far more data to evaluate players for their teams than patients and referring doctors have in matters affecting life, death and disability." - wsj article

Yeah, but fantasy baseball is life or death. He he. And for sure, Yahoo's fantasy baseball site is better run than any health care system.

c) The Netflix of books:

"We're thrilled to announce that Goodreads now offers personalized book recommendations. Tell us what you like and don't like to read, and we'll tell you what to read next! It's the Netflix of book recommendations." -spam from Goodreads

I have to do 2 more reviews to qualify. Should be interesting. Actually, maybe not. I don't recall the Netflix recs being all that insightful. There are way more books than movies though, so maybe Goodreads recs will be cool.

d) The Netflix of DVD's:

"Many members love our DVD service, as I do, because nearly every movie ever made is published on DVD. DVD is a great option for those who want the huge and comprehensive selection of movies." - Reed Hastings, Netflix founder

In his infamous mea culpa, Hastings announced that Netflix DVD service would now be called Qwixster or something. I don't know, and I don't care... as long as I get my 2 DVD's a month for $5. It's awesome, and the selection is amazing, and I'll never watch more than 2 DVD's a month anyway.

En route to The Castle as we speak: "Colossus: The Forbin Project", made in 1970. Stay tuned!

tall... yow, bill