Backlash Now Playing: Eastwick Topic: Politics
I've avoided the Fort Hood debacle but found this interesting from Jules Crittenden on phony “backlash” fears. The fact that the powers-that-be are so afraid that ordinary Americans will suddenly form a mindless angry mob tells you more about powers-that-be, and what they fear, than about ordinary Americans . . ..
College Football Now Playing: FlashForward Topic: Football
WJ lost to WLS 3-0 .... inside the red zone 4 times and inside the 5 yard line thrice. WR's couldn't hold on to the ball, and a few coaching errors (play selection the final 2 minutes and "why did the LB's keep dropping too deep in coverage?)
OSU was a big (pleasant) surprise. And the SEC officials came through again, pulling out a win for the Crimson Tide.
I'm still taking Alabam over Florida but won't be surprised if it swings the other way. Winner to the title game to face Texas.
the best of the rest? Florida, TCU, Ohio State (Homer!) Boise State.
How do the Bowls shape up? Alabama vs Texas in the title game. Horns take the tainted title.
Rose: Oregon vs Ohio State. Ducks get the win.
if we assume Alabama is the top seed, Sugar Bowl gets the next pick. Florida vs USC for another Gator cakewalk.
Fiesta picks next. Cincinatti vs TCU!
that leaves the Orange with Georgia Tech and the final selection, Boise State.
Go read it. Seriously. It's EXACTLY what it's like dealing with my owners in my fantasy football league. Pass a rule and if you aren't careful all KINDS of bizarre things might result. Like with Congress. Or toilet training children. The comparisons are frightening.
Here's the weird thing about this one: the trainers set out to get the dolphins to "help" keep their pool clean. Instead they've tought the dolphins to kill birds. Sick!
So why am I so fascinated by these? It's a widely known (but little repeated) fact that when you tax something you get less of it, when you subsidize it you get more of it, whether its "evidence of clean diapers or dead birds. Congress seemingly hasn't figured this out yet.
A few observations Now Playing: Poker After Dark Topic: misc
following election day and other events:
from Jon Henke:
The bottom line on NY-23:
Doug Hoffman just won the Republican Primary. The general election is next year.
There are two broken, corrupt, arrogant political parties we need to defeat. We beat the Republican establishment in 2009. We'll beat the Democratic Party in 2010.
NY-23 is not really about Conservatives VS Moderates. It is about the Establishment VS the Movement.
FLUNKING THE CONSTITUTIONAL TEST: “When asked by CNSNews.com what specific part of the Constitution authorizes Congress to mandate that individuals must purchase health insurance, Sen. Roland Burris (D-Ill.) pointed to the part of the Constitution that he says authorizes the federal government ‘to provide for the health, welfare and the defense of the country.’ In fact, the word ‘health’ appears nowhere in the Constitution.” Hey, these clowns don’t read the bills they vote on, so why expect them to have read the Constitution?
Predictions Now Playing: Poker After Dark Topic: Football
Week one of the playoffs. WJHS faces a team we beat post season two years ago - West Liberty Salem. WJ has allowed less than 10 ppg. WLS has allowed 7. WJ played three tough games and two cupcakes, WLS played two tough games and one cupcake. One common opponenet: Mechanicsburg. WJ beat them by 14 AT M'cburg week one....WLS beat them by 22 week 9 at WLS. McBurgs coach sez we're equal. Here's my scoop: VERY close game. IF WJ week 1 was equal to QLS week 9, we win by 7 or less. Probably a figgie.
Penn State is a 3+ home favorite. Two common opponents, Buckeye's bea them both worse than PSU but HFA had an impact, as did the spot on the schedule. Sadly I think Joe Pa U wins this one but not by more than 4.
I'd like to make a prediction on the LSU/Bama game but its a done deal of course. Bama by a TD.
I'm done with the survivor pool but here's a couple "out on a limb" just for giggles. Saints host Carolina and the line's running from 13 to 14+. Saint's might just double that. Sunday night: Dallas @ Philly 2 to 3 points. Philly's beat up, the OL ain't up to par, and Romo to Williams HAS to click eventually. Take Dallas straight up. Monday night: Steelers @ Denver 2+ to 3. Danver will be clikcing again. They top the Steelers by 8 or more.
Clever Sillies Now Playing: Out of Sight Topic: Economics
Amidst some interesting observations of the coming SECOND housing bubble burst over at Villanous Company, I find this titled The Clever Sillies Strike Again
In a sane world, the experience of just having watched "the smart people" nearly bring the global economy to its knees might have induced the more reflective among us to revisit the wisdom of giving them license to redesign the American economy along more "intelligent" and "equitable" lines:
... I have written about the absent-minded and socially-inept ‘nutty professor’ stereotype in science, and the phenomenon of ‘psychological neoteny’ whereby intelligent modern people (including scientists) decline to grow-up and instead remain in a state of perpetual novelty-seeking adolescence. These can be seen as specific examples of the general phenomenon of ‘clever sillies’ whereby intelligent people with high levels of technical ability are seen (by the majority of the rest of the population) as having foolish ideas and behaviours outside the realm of their professional expertise. In short, it has often been observed that high IQ types are lacking in ‘common sense’ – and especially when it comes to dealing with other human beings. General intelligence is not just a cognitive ability; it is also a cognitive disposition. So, the greater cognitive abilities of higher IQ tend also to be accompanied by a distinctive high IQ personality type including the trait of ‘Openness to experience’, ‘enlightened’ or progressive left-wing political values, and atheism. Drawing on the ideas of Kanazawa, my suggested explanation for this association between intelligence and personality is that an increasing relative level of IQ brings with it a tendency differentially to over-use general intelligence in problem-solving, and to over-ride those instinctive and spontaneous forms of evolved behaviour which could be termed common sense. Preferential use of abstract analysis is often useful when dealing with the many evolutionary novelties to be found in modernizing societies; but is not usually useful for dealing with social and psychological problems for which humans have evolved ‘domain-specific’ adaptive behaviours. And since evolved common sense usually produces the right answers in the social domain; this implies that, when it comes to solving social problems, the most intelligent people are more likely than those of average intelligence to have novel but silly ideas, and therefore to believe and behave maladaptively.
Sadly, I believe the clever sillies are about to strike again. No good can come from this. But as we survey the wreckage of a once robust economy, it will no doubt come as a great comfort that we were led over the cliff by the very best minds.
Vote early and Vote often Now Playing: Rush Topic: Politics
...it's the Chicago way!
with thanks to the Confederate Yankee:
No Obligation to Indecency
As human beings living in tribes and later large social structures of cities, states, and nations, we agree (implicitly or expressly) to abide by rules and laws. These agreements are meant to establish order and security in what otherwise would be a chaotic and dangerous world.
As part of the social contract of our democratic Republic, we follow the laws set down to us by the House of Representatives and the Senate, deliberative bodies elected from and by the people.
But laws and social contracts are not immutable or ironclad, especially when they invalidate liberty and justice, and infringe upon the inalienable rights of man.
When the elected become corrupt, and instead focus on using their offices to build more power for themselves instead of working for the betterment of the society, then they have violated the sacred trust of population.
There are various articles of legislation currently being manipulated by the Democratic Partyin the House of Representatives, Senate, and White House, intolerable acts that are an affront to the ideals this nation was founded upon.
It was during such a previous failure of the social contract between our people and their distant government that these enduring words were authored:
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.
