Right As Usual

I read this piece in Assistant Village Idiot (great title, don't you think?), and decided to excerpt it: Through the years a couple of things have struck me. That not only do academics get angry that they aren’t running things, this includes a lot of the Bell Labs guys, but that a lot of the problem lies in definitions. As a recovering operations research junkie, one of the most important lessons I ever learned was problem definition. In many ways, it has been critical to my success. How to correctly define the problem, in most cases when it presents itself as something else, is key to a successful outcome. In any event, what I have noticed is that they lack a couple of key concepts- the first is that simple understanding of a concept does not mean that you can do it. While this is clear and obvious in the realm of sports and entertainment, it is not obvious in business. And that leads me to the other point. Really successful business executives are rarely, if ever, one trick p...

  That is my driveway, in Rock Hill, SC, and, yes, that is that white stuff we Yankees commonly call "SNOW"!  Everyone was freaked out yesterday at the possibility; I can't wait to see how they handle the actuality.  Share

Nothing major wrong - just tired, a little overwhelmed at work, and not as much energy as I'd like. I will have to do a lot of work this weekend on school stuff - lesson planning, organizing, getting up to speed on Chemistry, and, alas, grading (my least favorite thing to do).  I also want to spend some time on the Rock Hill home, as well as catch up on online pursuits - my web pages, setting up a schedule for posting, etc. Here I am at work - obviously, I must have been having a good time.  Well, I probably was, but I don't remember the exact circumstances of the photo. Life's not bad - I have the usual worries about the well-being of various family members, occasional moments of minor disaster (like the plumbing emergency that pretty much wiped out our emergency fund), and the normal ups and downs of life. I've enjoyed watching the Brown election - I really like the fact that the electorate delivered a long-needed message to Washington - maybe they'll st...

I am up late - TV wasn't showing anything (literally - our new digs don't have cable or dish, so we were dependent on airwaves, which didn't cooperate).  Just checked into the MA election. Yippee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Share

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Swear to God - here's the network video commenting on it. Share

Update:  I finally found a reference to the Rahm Emmanuel quote: 35) Never let a serious crisis go to waste. What I mean by that is it's an opportunity to do things you couldn't do before. -- Rahm Emanuel I had to play this video of Obama's speech in support of Martha Coakley in MA several times before I caught the breathtaking comment he made on "those" who would take advantage of a crisis - it starts just after 22.15. At 24.25, Obama finally gets the audience a little excited, when he urges them to send someone "who represents the best progressive values" - yeah, that's what the voters are afraid of.  These "progressive values" are killing the economy, imposing huge tax increases on the nation, and inhibiting job growth. Altogether, a lack-luster, stumbling performance.  I give it a C-. Share

I know we in the US need to send aid, short-term, just to get the country's dead buried, and the survivors basic needs covered. However, I'm fearful of having the US essentially taking over, and becoming embroiled with the ruling elite's corruption.  The country had a disaster hit it, but disasters occur in many countries, while not turning them into a basketcase.  Haiti was a failed country long before the earthquake caused this immediate problem. I'm in favor of aid, with strings.  Any money has to be controlled by the aiding agency; local politicians shouldn't use the crisis as a way of enriching themselves. Haiti needs to be flooded with LOTS of people with video cameras; Big Government is one that should send in a team.  We know from experience in Ethiopia that there are always those who will take our natural impulse to offer help, and cynically use it to further their own ends.  We can't depend on the international media to report such events fairly;...

The National Review has an editorial about the Coakley statement that's caused such a buzz: In an radio interview on Thursday, Coakley explained that although “y ou can have religious freedom,” she said, “you probably shoul dn ’ t work in an emergency room” if you are someone who would not want to participate in such things as providing emergency contraception (EC) to rape victims. So, I'm guessing that Coakley would force Catholic hospitals to either provide EC, or close down?  This is the sticking point of the "Health Care" bill: Martha Coakley is effectively saying that faithful Catholics can ’ t work   in emergency rooms, whether in public or Catholic hospitals. She is saying that faithful Catholics cannot be p h armacists. And it is, of course, not just Catholics this thinking affects. She is saying that “do no harm” is out the window in the age of Roe v. Wade . She is saying w hat the U.S. Senate just said: t hat an American should not have the freedo...

I had a little trouble accessing the account associated with this account (it's a long story, but I tried to get Google Adsense added to the blog - hey, everybody's in favor of money, aren't we?).  Tried a fix this morning, and it finally worked. A good thing to do is to add another author - a fictional one - to your blog.  That is, get access through another email account, just in case the first one screws up.  That's what I did as soon as I was able to access the blog. However, I also now have another blog , and may use it as an occasional posting site.  Always helps to have a back-up. Share

I found this article on The American Thinker , and thought it pertinent to the discussion of lowering health care costs: The relevance of Bastiat to the health care debate struck me when reading a quote from Nancy Pelosi in which she said that she wants whatever compromise health care bill emerges from their closed-door negotiations to "lower costs at every stage" of our health care system. As someone who thinks carefully about word choices, I found her statement troubling not only because I know she's lying about what she wants. It took me a few minutes, but then it hit me. The Bastiat fallacy lies in the word "costs." What Pelosi really means is that she wants to lower prices paid by end-user consumers of health care. She wants it to appear that costs have gone down, but in fact the bill will exacerbate the single greatest existing flaw in our health care system: the insulation of consumers of health care from the costs of what...

Saw this post about the winter the Northern Hemisphere is having on Powerline, and immediately thought of this movie - what do ya' want to be that it will start being scheduled frequently, as soon as the AGW - Agony, Greed, and Worry climate change people fully embrace their changed tactics.  They can't keep talking about Global Warming, so let's repeat the Next Ice Age stuff that went around in the 1970s - for those who weren't alive then, an uncommonly cold time. Remember, folks, it's all about the scare and hype - that money doesn't flow in unless you buy into the Bull$&&&. Share

Boy, oh, boy, this post is pure gold.   There is a huge cult following of the Lead Liberals - people hang on their every pronouncement, echo it immediately, and indulge in derisive laughter at the "dummies" that don't instantly grasp the - well - INTELLIGENCE of those LLs and every pearl that drops from their LLs (Liberal Lips). It reminds me of middle school - you remember middle school, don't you?  There were the LLs of that time period (Lead Ladies), and - OOOOH, if you happened to get on their wrong side - well, lemme just say, life suddenly became Not Worth Living. They couldn't just let you disagree with them - no, they had to annihilate you, drive you to your knees in worship of them, then direct their minions to kick you to death.  They wouldn't rest until you were a bleeding, quivering, snotty-nosed little pulp.  At which time, they would graciously let you live, but never pass you without delivering a squelching remark, which their GGs (Gutless ...

...and why it's needed. TANSTAAFL That abbreviation comes from the Robert Heinlein book "The Moon is a Harsh Mistress". It stands for: T here A in't N o S uch T hing A s A F ree L unch Such a saying may seem self-evident, but unnecessary for the young people reading this.  I must explain - back in the day (as they say in the South), there were bars that advertised a FREE LUNCH.  When the working man stepped into the establishment, he would behold an array of cold cuts and such laid out on a table.  Naturally, he'd order a beer, and set to eatin'. Well, it did seem like a good deal to the workers - free food, and for just the cost of one beer. Right. What happened was predictable: Seldom did a man buy just one drink.  He was with his friends, and one man would order a round, then someone else, and then, it was his turn to buy for the group. Even the frugal have a conscience - either they would order another drink for themselves, or do th...

Found out about this through Ace of Spades: First page there is something that concerns me: The unauthorized disclosure of foreign government information is presumed to cause damage to the national security. Does that mean that if we happen to find out about another government's actions, and post/talk about it, we can be held guilty of a criminal offense?  'Cause I worry that this may affect those who are fighting against the crimes of countries such as, Oh, I dunno, Iran, There's more Exceptional cases.  When an employee, government contractor, licensee, certificate holder, or grantee of an agency who does not have original classification authority originates information believed by that person to require classification, the information shall be protected in a manner consistent with this order and its implementing directives. In other words, all Obama's couldn't-get-a-clearance buddies will be able to classify stuff, even though they can't legally. ...

New Decade, Same As the Old Decade. Let's see, what hasn't changed: Muslims still blowing themselves up/trying to blow themselve up? Check Muslims still playing Car-B-Que in France? Check This isn't clear from the story, but, yep, it's "youths of undetermined ethnicity" Christians in Africa and Asia still dying? Check , check, and check Christian women world-wide still being targeted by Muslims for kidnapping/marriage/forced conversion? Check Government still not understanding that it's not THEIR money to spend? Check , and, whoo, boy, check US leftists still pussy-footing about calling this war a war? Check, straight from the horse's mouth No relationship between spending priorities and needs/wants of the average US citizen? Check Still a crime to call a spade a spade? Check Same old, same old. Share

Mind you, I've been reading other people's blogs. No sense in being TOO busy for the really important things. But, I have been: Cleaning - we've been sorting, organizing, and throwing away stuff (yes, kids, I mean your father is actually throwing away - try not to faint) Preparing for a cooking/baking orgy.  Once about every 2-3 years, I get enthused about baking bread - today is that time.  Once I get part of my desk area cleared off, I plan to get started with the bread thingy.  I've also get the ingredients in for some Weight Watchers recipes - yes, I definitely weigh too much. Getting ahead on the tax prep - receipts don't organize themselves.  Pulling together my physics stuff - I'll be teaching a class about a week from now. Finishing off another of those online classes - I think I have only about 3 more classes, and I'll be able to get paid for Master's plus 30. Share

I really enjoyed this post about who is REALLY in charge! Share

In addition to the other stories in this list , there is a priceless quote from Gene Simmons, the Kiss member. Share

So far, it's OK. The plumbing problem has been fixed - although it cost a lot of money. I'm healthy. I'm caught up on my online course. With luck, I can finish it without further problems. I'm near the end of the semester - only a few days more. The Christmas bombing failed; it did, however, raise awareness of the danger we face if we don't start taking terrorists seriously (I do, but it's apparent that the current administration doesn't). The economy still sucks, but it's not swan-diving into absolute catastrophe. And, as of my latest statements, a few of my investments are even experiencing a modest recovery. Altogether, not dreadful. Share