Saturday, October 31, 2020

Sean Connery RIP

Hollywood icon Sean Connery has passed aged 90. Sad but not unexpected news.

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

Why is it that the people who consider themselves the most ardent "environmentalists" seem to also have the most political signs on their lawns? Don't they see see the irony?... Heh Heh...  Why do people call cocaine "blow"? Shouldn't it be called "snort"? Blow is literally the opposite of how the drug is consumed (Stevie Nicks being the exception that proves the rule)... This is why Elon Musk is awesome... The name the Washington Football Team is growing on me to the point that I think the Washington Bullets Wizards and Washington Senators Nationals should also change their names to the Washington Basketball Team and Washington Baseball Team. The Capitals can stay with their same name... Just saying but when individually Jack Nicklaus and Bobby Orr endorsed Donald Trump many sportswriters were quick to bemoan that their heroes couldn't keep silent for just a few more days but when frequent ESPN contributor and well-known rapper Lil' Wayne made the same endorsement - the predominantly white sportswriter found themselves oddly silent. They won't see the irony either... 

Truth

 

Friday, October 30, 2020

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

Just a reminder - Joe Biden is an anagram for "I need job"...  The descent into our world of "fake news" really accelerated when The Daily Show with Jon Stewart became the defacto source of news for many young people. Snark became a replacement for facts... Who knew? In the early 1970's North Korea actually had a higher GDP than South Korea. Tell me again how socialism/communism is better than capitalism?...  Quote for the day: George Bernard Shaw when asked to name a deceased man he missed the most said, "The man I miss most is the man I could have been"... Just saying but if Trump wins re-election the folks who make Trumpy Bear are going to have a huge Christmas season... "If I had a nickel for every woman who finds me unattractive, they would eventually find me attractive." The author of that quote is unknown but I really want to attribute it to Hunter Biden... 

Gratitude

Thursday, October 29, 2020

Linky Links

 Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.

Starlink broadband pricing released.

Neil Gaiman's 8 rules for writing

May we never again take for granted:

As much an argument against Big Government as it is an argument against Big Tech

I might choose this as my "last meal"

- I support the Great Barrington Declaration. The author of this article does not. Some of the criticisms are valid but please note that through the criticisms, snark and what we should have dones - there doesn't seem to be any proposed solutions to the problem. Everybody's a fucking critic.

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

If you did a Venn Diagram of the people who thought Kamala Harris would be a good choice for VP and the people who thought a re-boot of Murphy Brown would be a hit - I'd bet you'd find a lot of overlap... "Coming of Age" stories are a little too spot on if you just reverse the order of those three words... Disappointed Joe Biden has called a lid on all press for the rest of the time until the election. Now no reporter will get to ask him if biological males can get their periods. I had money on him saying, "Come on man!"... If I owned a bar or restaurant I'd post pictures of Greta Thunberg scowling on the inside door of all bathroom stalls. Maybe that's just funny to me... You know what would be a real October surprise? A new tape from Osama bin Laden... The Muses were the daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne (Memory). They were born of Memory so their arts cause the soul to remember a higher plane of being. The Ancients seem to have had a better grasp of what the arts do than we moderns...  

MSM and Big Tech on Hunter Biden

 "No need to talk about Hunter Biden. Nothing to see there. Tony Bobulinski? Never heard of him!" 

Quotes for Today

Some quotes I hope may resonate with you.

"When you understand that you don't have to justify your dreams to anyone else for any reason, that's the day you truly begin to step into who you're meant to be." - Rachael Hollis

"Government's job is not to dictate your values but to protect them." - Yaron Brook

"There's no chance the iPhone is going to get significant market share. No chance." - Steve Ballmer Microsoft CEO 2007

"When buying and selling are controlled by legislation, the first things to be bought and sold are legislators." - P.J. O'Rourke

"My wife was afraid of the dark - then she saw me naked and now she's afraid of the light." - Rodney Dangerfield

"The best way to get a bad law repealed is to enforce it strictly." - Abraham Lincoln

Wednesday, October 28, 2020

You Got Lucky - Blackberry Smoke


Another excellent cover song.

Linky Links

Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.

- 11 trillion reasons to fear Joe Biden's Presidency. From the Libertarian Reason magazine. 

- UFC fighters' pay lawsuit nears class action stage.

- Scientists weigh in on the great trekking pole debate. I've been considering buying some trekking poles for sometime now. Think I'll take the plunge.

- The five biggest effects Trump has had on the US space program

- Joe Rogan rips social media on their handling of Hunter Biden laptop story. Wonder if Twitter or Facebook would allow you to post this story? 

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

Lost in the confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett is the fact that Joe Biden never released a list of the judges he'd support for the Supreme Court. This was a big deal for Donald Trump in 2016 because it assured voters he really wasn't a Democrat in disguise. Many Democrats feel that Biden may now be a Socialist in disguise and not releasing a list of judges doesn't allay those fears... Matt Taibbi on 10 ways to call something Russian disinformation without evidence. The press has not exactly covered themselves in glory on this... Political polls have been garbage for as long as I've been alive. Back in 1980 the polls had Ronald Reagan down to Jimmy Carter by double digits a month before the election. Reagan won that election hands down... One reason that doesn't get enough attention to the Patriots rough 2-4 start this season is the absence of Offensive Line Coach Dante Scarnecchia who retired prior to the season.He was also one of the bedrocks of their 6 Super Bowl winning teams...  

Truth

 

Tuesday, October 27, 2020

Linky Links

Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share. 

- Delete Facebook and your Oculus games will go with it. I guess I'll never use Oculus Quest 2 because I'm NEVER signing up for Facebook.

- Interesting - The erasure of Mesut Ozil. Sports figures are well known so the pressure from the Chinese is more obvious but you'd be naive to believe that same pressure doesn't exist on top employees of every corporation that does business with China. 

- The Economy Really is Worse in Blue States. But Why? From the Left leaning Slate - they see the problem (and they really could have stopped at explanation 1).

- Covid-19 death rates have fallen drastically among all age groups - even as cases spike. From the really Lefty Salon. The justifications for lockdowns are all but gone.

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

Wonder if anyone has asked NBA Commissioner Adam Silver or LeBron James what their preferred pronouns are in a live interview yet. Would love to see those reactions. Come on NBA - you can't go partially woke!... This was very sweet... Should be noted that when George W. Bush had the opportunity to nominate a woman for the Supreme Court he went with Harriet Meyers (perhaps the worst Supreme Court nominee of my lifetime). Meanwhile Donald Trump nominated and saw confirmed Amy Coney Barrett. These things matter... How many Gender Studies Professor jobs do you think there are in Venezuela? Or have those folks either starved to death or become stooges for the dictatorial government by now?... Also should be noted that all the Republican "Never-Trumpers" almost to a person loved John Roberts when he was a Supreme Court nominee. Maybe never admitting when they were wrong is a common factor here... 

Linky Links

Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.

- Disney+ really was a life-saver for the House of Mouse.

- Ray Dalio on China. I admit that China apologists get under my skin but Dalio's article is a good reminder not to underestimate the Chinese.

- Starlink to provide broadband service to rural Texas school district. The reported price-tag seems steep.

- Good advice from James Altucher

- MLB debt now stands at $8.3 billion with the league having $2.8 to $3 billion in operational losses this season.  MLB is not in a good spot right now.

- Heh Heh

Quotes for Today

Some quotes I hope may resonate with you.

"Tell me what you know. Tell me what you don't know. Only then can you tell me what you think. Always keep these three things separate." - Colin Powell

"What you owe yourself is to work for your living; what you owe your neighbor is not to interfere with his work." - Ayn Rand

"I decline utterly to be impartial as between the fire brigade and the fire." - Winston Churchill

"For us in Russia, communism is a dead dog, while, for many people in the West, it is still a living lion." - Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

"The main difference between working in journalism and working at Panda Express is you probably can get fired for masturbating at work at Panda Express." - David "Iowahawk" Burge

"He who knows, does not speak. He who speaks does not know." - Lao Tzu

Monday, October 26, 2020

No More Lockdown - Van Morrison

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

The bandwagon of people in New England clamoring for the Patriots to sign Cam Newton to a long-term deal is basically empty today after yesterday's awful performance. If Dallas or Washington offered anything in terms of a draft pick - I'd be fine with cutting bait and trading him.. Long been critical of the F-35 program. Recently though I'm starting to think the fighter may have turned a corner. If Trump is re-elected wouldn't be surprised if the cost overruns get under more control too... Had to mute Mark Teixeira on Twitter because of all the Depends ads. Normally I'm amused by Yankees' players pissing themselves but enough was enough... Can't wait until November 4th because then I'll finally be free of all the articles and posts about the importance of early voting... You could make the case that Khabib Nurmagomedov is the greatest MMA fighter of all-time.  I certainly would ague otherwise. Will be interesting to see of Khabib remains retired... 

Linky Links

Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.

- The hotel industry in NYC is in shambles

- Desperate CDC now just claiming wearing a mask will make you rich and famous beyond your wildest dreams.

- CNN misses revenue target by $100+ million. Friend asked me the other day, "Now that nobody is going to airports - who is watching CNN?"

- Matt Taibbi - With the Hunter Biden expose, suppression is a bigger scandal than the actual story. "The least curious people in the country right now appear to be the credentialed news media, a situation normally unique to tinpot authoritarian societies."

Quotes for Today

Some quotes that I hope may resonate with you.

"Only the guy who isn't rowing has time to rock the boat." - Jean Paul Sartre

"The end of law is not to abolish or restrain, but to preserve and enlarge freedom." - John Locke

"There is only one success - to be able to spend your life in your own way." - Christopher Morley

"Sir, there is nothing which has yet been contrived by man, by which so much happiness is produced as by a good tavern." - Samuel Johnson

"Reappraise the past, re-evaluate where we've been, clarify where we are, and predict or anticipate where we are headed." - Toni Cade Bambara

"Beware of his false knowledge: it is more dangerous than ignorance." - George Bernard Shaw

Sunday, October 25, 2020

Linky Links

Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.

- IRS doubles down on taxing FanDuel, DraftKings as gambling. I can see both sides. The DFS sites say it's a game of skill but so is poker and I would consider playing poker for money to be gambling.

- Revisiting the New Romantics. Interesting (but overblown) look lack at the music of the early 1980's. Know the article is Brit-centric but the ultimate art school band from this period was Talking Heads who literally formed at the Rhode Island School of Design.

If Trump is re-elected, could Oregon be headed for a crack-up? If Oregon breaks into two then California probably won't be far behind.  

- "Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?" - Matthew 6:27

- Trump issues sweeping order stripping job protections from policy effecting bureaucrats. Could be big! 

- Interesting - Antonio Brown signs with Tampa Bay

Farnam Street Knowledge

 
- What Sharks Can Teach Us About Survivorship Bias

- Opinions and Organizational Theory

- The Pygmalion Effect: Proving Them Right

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

It will be interesting to see if in many states other down-ticket Democrats get more votes than Biden/Harris. My gut tells me that there's many Democrats that will never vote for Trump but also find themselves unable, conscience wise, to vote for Biden... I'm amused by the thought that if you attributed some of Ayn Rand's quotes to Dan Aykroyd instead - many people would be willing to agree with the thoughts... Imperial Shag is the name of a bird but also would be a great name for a band... The original name to the play A Streetcar Named Desire was Poker Night. If they kept the original name I might have seen the play or the movie by now... This is amazing... "The visions we offer our children shape the future. It matters what those visions are. Often they become self-fulfilling prophesies. Dreams are maps." - Carl Sagan... 

Saturday, October 24, 2020

Linky Links

 Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.

- VDH with some thoughts on Thursday's debate

- Funny because it's kind of true

- A reminder of just how ridiculously talented Roy Clark was as a guitarist

- Also funny because it's kind of true

- BLM demands 15% (at least) cut from local Seattle Trader Joe's. The company should shut down these stores for good. 

Joe Biden

 "Labor disgraces no man; unfortunately, you can occasionally find men who disgrace labor." - Ulysses S. Grant

This recent article on Joe Biden about how crass he can be reminded me about the book I Heard You Paint Houses

In the book, Frank Sheeran confesses to killing his friend and mentor Jimmy Hoffa. The book was the basis for the Martin Scorcese movie The Irishman starring Robert DeNiro and Al Pachino. 

In the book Frank Sheeran, as a leader of the Teamsters in Delaware, also bragged about how he got Joe Biden elected to the Senate. If I recall correctly, Joe was running for Senate for the first time and it was a tight race against the incumbent. Joe had been making some accusations and saying some "untruths" and his opponent was about to set the record straight with a  scathing editorial in the biggest Delaware newspaper. On the day the editorial came out Frank Sheeran had the Teamsters go out on a one-day wildcat strike so no newspapers were delivered that day. The editorial setting the record straight on Joe Biden was suppressed and Biden won a very close election.

These days instead of Frank Sheeran and the Teamsters - it's Twitter and Facebook who are working for Biden to suppress the truth. The more things change...  

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

Not sure if there's any truth to the rumor that CNN has moved to using Chat Roulette as their internal video conference system of choice... Heh Heh... Recently re-watched Avengers: Endgame and now I can't stop wondering about how awesome Professor Hulk would be at golf. Bruce Banner would be able to instantly analyze the correct choice for the physics of any shot and the Hulk's strength would easily allow him to drive the green on any hole - even the longest of par five's. The PGA may have to make a ruling on this... No offense to soccer fans but I think the only way I'd find the sport interesting is if they used two balls at the same time... Think it would be cool if someone remade a video of the song What a Wonderful World  with images of the recent Middle East Peace deals...    

Dr. Suess

 

Friday, October 23, 2020

Dear Prudence - Siouxsie and the Banshees

 

 One of the better cover songs out there. Doesn't get enough play in my opinion.

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

Remember long, long ago in a galaxy far, far away when Michael Bloomberg was a media favorite to win the Democratic nomination and pouring millions into media buys? Yeah - that was just 7 months ago (though it seems like a lifetime ago)... Another Muslim country about to normalize relations with Israel. Peace is breaking out in the Middle East and it is literally getting less press attention than the new Borat movie... Tactical Empathy would be a good name for a band of divorced guys who do nothing but cover soft rock love songs while trying to meet women... OMG this is true!... You should treat your work email in-box like good forestry management. If you don't get rid of the deadwood emails that don't require your input or actions your in-box will get unruly to the point where just a small spark will make time management impossible because you'll always find yourself trying to put out wildfires...   

Worcester and Women's Rights

 On this date in 1850 Worcester, MA was host to the first National Women's Rights Convention. That put Worcester on the forefront of the woman's suffrage movement. 

Seeing how Worcester was also the birthplace of the birth control pill - it can be argued that Worcester was one of the most important cities in terms of woman's rights in the entire US.

Thursday, October 22, 2020

Reminder

 

Linky Links

Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.

- Like I said - predicting that this would be the least watched World Series in history was the easiest prediction I've ever made

- Tesla to wide-release Full Self-Driving "by the end of this year" (pending safety approvals)

- Still funny

- Another easy prediction was that Quibi would be an absolute failure. I know many of you are saying, "What the hell is Quibi?" To which I say, "Exactly!"

- Studies point to big drop in Covid-19 death rates. I find it significant that even NPR is admitting this. 

- Interesting - Microsoft's new data center in a box will use SpaceX Starlink broadband (and also SES medium orbit satellites)

- True

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

Tom Brady is on pace for 37 TD passes this season. The Tampa Bay season record is 33. He seems like a good pick-up for the Buccaneers... No matter how many times I see this it gets me every time. What a true hero looks like... At this point CNN is just a Benny Hill theme song away from being a satire sitcom... Disappointed that calling Ben Roethlisberger "fat Thor" hasn't caught on. With the beard and beer gut the nickname certainly fits... I'm an awful person for re-posting this... Still say that Memento Mori would be a great name for a life insurance company... Little known fact but Pittsburgh, PA is a "Sister City" to Wuhan China. Just another reason to dislike the Steelers... The Jeffrey Toobin defense... 

Quotes for Today

Some quotes that I hope may resonate with you.

"I became a journalist because I did not want to rely on newspapers for information." - Christopher Hitchens

"Listening to books instead of reading them is like drinking your vegetables instead of eating them." - Naval Ravikant

"There is no such thing as public money; there is only taxpayers' money." - Margaret Thatcher

"Obscurity is the refuge of the incompetent." - Robert Heinlein

"Mercy to the guilty is cruelty to the innocent." - Adam Smith

"It does not do to leave a live dragon out of your calculations, if you live near him." - The Hobbit

Wednesday, October 21, 2020

Linky Links

 Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.

- Steven Pressfield - Alexander the Great and the Two Levels

- Heh Heh 

- This is troubling. I guess the silver lining for many is at least YouPorn isn't also owned by Google.

- Sanctions have slashed Iran's war making capabilities. Good! 

- Heh Heh

Top 5 Reasons the NBA is in Trouble

Here's my Top 5 reasons I feel the NBA is in trouble. I did not number them because to me all these reasons are inter-related.

- The costs of attending an NBA game have gotten out of reach for the average family. This has bred some resentment that I think goes under the radar. With the kids never having the magic of attending their first NBA games the next generation of NBA fans has been eroding away for some time now. The experience of a kid just seeing the NBA through the prism of TV or a video game isn't the same. Too easy to change the channel or play a more interesting game instead.

- The domestic political stances taken by the league have driven away many fans. The attitude of "If you don't agree with our stances and vote Democrat then you are a racist" is basically the message many fans have taken away from the NBA's actions. And Adam Silver saying there will be no on court messaging next season is a tacit admission that this has hurt the NBA's bottom line. It may be too little to late for many fans though.

- Player movement has hurt many fans emotional attachment to players. Think of this as "the LeBron Effect." His "decision" to leave Cleveland for Miami caused great psychic harm to the fans in Cleveland that never truly healed and ushered in many NBA stars following suit. As great as Kevin Durant is as a player he will never get his historical due because no fan base ever became emotionally attached to his vagabond ways the way past generations fell in love with a Michael Jordan or a Larry Bird. And if the shutdown related revenue drops cause a work stoppage - look for fans to run away from the NBA in droves because for most that emotional attachment to the players has been severed or never developed in the first place.

- China: They choose blood money over the freedom of the people of Hong Kong and gave up the moral high ground basically for generations. Given the damage the Wuhan virus has caused to this country many will neither forget nor forgive the NBA for this huge moral shortcoming. No other professional sports league is saddled with this problem. The damage will be unique to the NBA.

- Commercials: This isn't just an issue for the NBA but it is exacerbated by the nature of their game. For as long as I've watched the NBA people have opined that you only need to watch the last few minutes (tough to argue against this idea). People in general have become more reluctant to sit through the commercials that permeate live TV sports which is one of the reasons sports TV ratings are down across the board. But given the nature of NBA play many people wonder why subject yourself to two hours of commercial ridden TV when you can just catch the highlights on YouTube? Some NBA owners highlight the uptick of NBA clips on digital platforms as a positive but it's really more of a symptom of a deep problem for the league.

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

If Hunter Biden gets subpoenaed prior to the election - what are the odds that he checks himself into a rehab facility to avoid testifying... "If you want something done right - do it yourself." - Jeffrey Toobin... Easiest prediction I've ever made - this will be the lowest rated World Series since TV ratings became commonplace... This has been going on at CNN for a long time... What if Andrew Cuomo was Fredo all along?... Phrase of the day, "Drinking with Godot" - adjective: drinking while waiting for friends who may or may not arrive... "Opulence - I has it." - Hunter Biden... I wonder if Trump wins re-election if both Twitter and Facebook stock plunge on November 4th... 

Can't Keep Johnny Down


They Might Be Giants video featuring an 80-year old Rip Torn (RIP).

Tuesday, October 20, 2020

Linky Links

Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.

- The dishonesty of this Biden ad really bugged me. I frequent a lot of live music venues and know that it's not Trump who the owners blame for the lockdowns.

- 9 roles of great leadership

- John Wooden's Pyramid of Success

- Not every maverick is a new Galileo. Currently reading this book. This is my first Matt Ridley book and it's made me want to read the rest of his works.

- Scots entrepreneur set to mine asteroids for Scotland!

- The Biden corruption scandal isn't about Hunter, it's about Joe. So true. Biden makes Spiro Agnew look like a piker.

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

Legendary hockey announcer Mike "Doc" Emrick announces his retirement. Be sure to watch the video in this tweet if you're a hockey fan. In my opinion the three greatest living sports announcers are Vin Scully, Al Michaels and Doc Emrick... Heh Heh... Churchill's Father After He Went Crazy From Syphilis would be a good name for a blog about crazy stories out of the British Isles (and there's plenty)... File under the more things change the more they stay the same; "The Democratic Party in power is a standing menace to the prosperity of the country." - Republican campaign motto from the 1888 election...An oldie but still funny - A Child's Prayer... Not sure what to make of this; despite Twitter blatantly censoring the NY Post and many outlets regarding stories of Hunter Biden's craven bribe seeking with the apparent knowledge and perhaps assistance of his dad - Twitter's stock seems unchanged by the tempest... And speaking of Hunter Biden - it can now be said with (almost) a straight face that the MSM is literally too busy masturbating to actually cover the story. This is CNN!...   

Cool Beer Commercial from a Few Years Ago

Monday, October 19, 2020

Quotes for Today

Some quotes that I hope may resonate with you.

"Freedom is nothing but a chance to be better." - Albert Camus

"It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer, or the baker, that we expect our dinner, but from their regard to their own interest." - Adam Smith

"Anarchy is the handmaiden to tyranny" - Alexander Hamilton

"The day a man becomes superior to pleasure, he will also be superior to pain." - Seneca

"He who lives in harmony with himself lives in harmony with the universe." - Marcus Aurelius

"Being the richest man in the cemetery doesn't matter to me. Going to bed saying we've done something wonderful... that matters to me." - Steve Jobs

The Dynasty by Jeff Benedict

Just finished The Dynasty by Jeff Benedict and I recommend the book to any Pats or NFL fans out there. 

The book is the retelling of the New England Patriots dynasty over the past 20-years and 6 Super Bowl victories. It focuses on Robert Kraft, Bill Belichick and Tom Brady and how they worked in concert to make the Pats the top dynasty in NFL history. And also how that triumvirate finally fell apart. 

Much of the tale is already known by any New England fan who was paying attention over the past 20-years but other information was new or untold. I found the background on how Robert Kraft came to own the team in the first place especially enlightening. 

One thing did bother me. Jeff Benedict did seem to go out of his way not to name shitbird John Tomase who fabricated a story about the Pats recording the Rams walk-throughs prior to the 2001 Super Bowl. This was Stephen Glass level make-believe that made it into print and unfairly labeled the franchise. The Boston Herald had to do a full page apology over this crap yet even though the episode is discussed in the book - Tomase is never named. It made me question what else Benedict was omitting from the narrative. 

As irony would have it I finished the book the same day the heavily favored Patriots lost to the Broncos 18-12. That loss seemed to put a pin on the end of "the Dynasty" just as I was finishing the book of the same name.

Linky Links

Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.

- Federal Judge allows lawsuit by 21 Seattle businesses against city to proceed. Good!

- Matt Taibbi - Facebook and Twitter's intervention highlights dangerous double standard.

- Peter Attia - Time Restricted Eating: efficacy vs effectiveness

- When a small town council and a Sci-Fi museum went to war over a Dalek

- Charlie Hebdo, NY Post, and Censorship

- China warns it may detain US citizens over "scholar" probes. The US State Department should issue a notice that any US company doing business in China is now doing so at their own risk. Use this threat to speed up the decoupling.

Sunday, October 18, 2020

My Sunday Morning Hangover as a 15th Century Tapestry

 

Farnam Street Knowledge

- The Myth of Multitasking: Why the Key to Better Work is Developing Forgotten Talents

- Why Read? Advice from Harold Bloom

- Iatrogenics: Why Intervention Often Leads to Worse Outcomes. We have to come up with a better word than "Iatrogenics" because this is a big problem. "Social Justice" is iatrogenics writ large.

Quotes for Today

Some quotes that I hope may resonate with you.

"Don't expect to help the weak by pulling down the strong." - Calvin Coolidge

"Science can amuse and fascinate us all, but it is engineering that changes the world." - Isaac Asimov

"People do not decide their future, they decide their habits and their habits decide their futures." - F. Matthias Alexander

"I think Hell's something you carry around with you. Not somewhere you go." - Neil Gaiman

"Don't explain your philosophy. Embody it." Epictetus

"Quiet people have the loudest minds." - Stephen Hawking

Saturday, October 17, 2020

How to Gird Your Loins

 

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

A Sequester in Ancient Rome was a man who held a bribe for a client until a politician delivered upon his promise. The more things change the more things remain the same. Hunter Biden was basically a professional sequester... "Political correctness is tyranny with manners." - Charlton Heston. Although the manners seem to be taken out of the equation lately... Block Me Amedaeus would be a great name for a fantasy football team... My Wu-Tang Clan name is Chris. Hi Chris!... VDH on the Left destroying the institutions we inherited. Hard to argue that the institutions VDH mentioned aren't tainted beyond redemption. Perhaps that's for the best...  

What Democrats Used to Stand For

 

Friday, October 16, 2020

Linky Links

 Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.

- Daryl Morey out as GM of the Houston Rockets. No doubt in my mind that his Tweet supporting Hong Kong was the prevailing reason for his exit.

- Bari Weiss sounds the alarm. Sadly it's too late for many who have already had their brains re-wired and can no longer think for themselves. 

- Higher ed will be among the hardest hit by the pandemic

- Wow - 80% of Saudis favor normalization with Israel. Compare this with the Bari Weiss post above. How messed up is it that the Arab world is becoming less anti-Semitic than US campuses? 

- Scary because its true!

- Prayers for Rabbi Lords Sacks. If you are not familiar with Rabbi Lord Sacks give a listen to this interview of him with Tim Ferris. Then give him your prayers.

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

I think a fair penalty for Twitter and Facebook for censoring the NY Post story on Hunter Biden would be to figure out what the daily revenue is for each company is and make that both a fine for each day the story is blocked and also charge them both with an "in-kind" donations to the Biden Campaign for the same amounts. These penalties would be the starting spot... Hanlon's Razor says, "Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity." However, sometimes malice and stupidity travel hand-in-hand. Twitter and Facebook censoring the Hunter Biden story is one such example in my opinion... The Casual Polymath would be a great name for a blog... Not for nothing but should anyone really be surprised at the NBA's political leanings? They literally named their championship trophy after a former chair of the Democratic National Committee... When I was a kid we were made afraid of quicksand and swarms of killer bees from South America. In 2020 murder hornets don't even rate a made-for-TV movie... Namaste y'all. Enjoy the day!...  

Die Hard Prequel - the Wrath of Bob

Here's the pitch!

There's only one main character that makes sense to focus on especially since Bruce Willis is too old and bald while Hans Gruber is now sadly passed away. The character I'm talking about? Nakatomi Tower itself - an unfinished skyscraper which would be easy to green screen recreate. Why was it unfinished at the time of the first Die Hard? Go into that backstory.

Enter Bob the builder (actually General Contractor). Bob's company is responsible for building Nakatomi Tower but due to a series of mishaps and permitting issues his company has fallen way behind schedule and seriously in the red on this project. His company is on the verge of bankruptcy and to top it off Bob is a single dad trying to raise a teenage daughter who has gone missing with her punk rock boyfriend on Christmas Eve. Bob is ready to put a gun muzzle in his mouth and pull the trigger.

Then miracle of miracles! Nakatomi Tower is blown up! BOOM! Just like that Bob's back in business! The insurance money floods into Bob's company. Clean up this mess! We don't care about overtime just fix it!  To top it off in a feel-good moment Bob's daughter returns home to declare that her boyfriend is a jerk and that not only did she really miss her dad - she wants to take that job with the construction company Bob has been trying to get her to take.

Fade to black. I might need to get an agent to market this pitch.

Thursday, October 15, 2020

Flotsam and Jetsam

 Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

Massachusetts Republican Governor Charlie Baker says he won't be voting for Trump. If Baker was up for re-election in November I can guarantee you he'd receive fewer votes than Trump in Mass. Nobody is happy with the way Baker has mishandled the lockdowns. Nobody...  My prediction that 2021 will be known as the Year of Small Government is starting to come true... "The happy man is one who is freed from both fear and desire because of the gift of reason." - Seneca... Scenic Route 108 between Stow Mountain and Smuggler's Notch in Vermont on a sunny day during peak foliage is one of the best drives in the country... Interesting long read about a man who called all the phone numbers in Jeffrey Epstein's black book. Thankfully the reporter purposefully didn't call any of his known victims or go into detail about Epstein's (who didn't kill himself) crimes. (HT to Execupundit for the link)... 

Teddy Roosevelt

 

On this day in history Teddy Roosevelt is shot in the chest by would-be assassin. He continues his speech and when asked about his health he responds that he's as healthy as a "Bull Moose" and thus the Bull Moose Party is born. In his honor - here's one of my favorite quotes from Teddy:

Far better is it to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure... than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much, because they live in a gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat. 

Wednesday, October 14, 2020

Linky Links

 Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.

- The case for making 9 Supreme Court Justices permanent with the 28th Amendment. Agree 100%.

- Heh Heh

- Physicists successfully carry out controlled transport of stored light. Not sure what this portends but Frozen Light would be a good name for a band.

Heh Heh.

Interesting look at the make-up of the Chinese Army. Two observations; conscripts make up half of their army but are only paid $30-40 per month! Good luck having them risk their lives in battle. The Chinese Army is about 900,000 so their "professionals" are about the same size as our active duty army but our National Guard and Army Reserves are also about half a million strong but those too are volunteers.

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

I do feel kind of bad for Mitt Romney. He's tried his best to position himself as a high profile never-Trumper but Joe Biden can't even remember his name. Sad... Wow is right!... Every high school student should have to demonstrate they know how to do a personal budget and that they can differentiate between the rewards given by a credit card and the interest charged by that credit card company before a diploma is granted... Heh Heh... Little revisionist history here but part of me wonders if Bill Belichick traded Jimmy Garappolo to the 49ers for "just" a second round draft pick because Belichick knew he really wasn't worth a first round pick and didn't want to later have it said he "cheated" San Fran... Don't care what your politics are - this was a great answer!...  

Filtering is a Superpower

 

Tuesday, October 13, 2020

Linky Links

Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.

- We need a Nuclear New Deal, not a Green New Deal. Agree 100%.

- Naval Ravikant - The Box

- Funny because it's kinda true!

- Best alternate universe ending to Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

- The Prescience of Shelby Steele. Interesting read - found myself fascinated by Steele's story.

- Heh Heh - Democrat proposing to girlfriend says he won't reveal his stance on adultery until after the wedding.

- Happy Rebirthday! And many happy returns.

Quotes for Today

Some quotes I hope may resonate with you.

"I like being alone. I have control over my own shit. Therefore to win me over, your presence has to feel better than my solitude. You're not competing with another person, you are competing with my comfort zone." - Horatio Jones

"If you're lonely when you're alone, you're in bad company." - Jean Paul Satre

"How easily someone is offended is in direct proportion to how stupid they are." - Ed Latimore

"The three big ones in life are wealth, health and happiness. We pursue them in that order, but their importance is reverse." - Naval Ravikant

"The more I study religions the more I am convinced that man never worshiped anything but himself." - Richard Francis Burton

"A stupid decision that works out well becomes a brilliant decision in hindsight." - Daniel Kahneman

"Kites rise highest against the wind, not with it." - Winston Churchill

Happy 245th Birthday!

 

Monday, October 12, 2020

Bowl of Oranges - Bright Eyes


Fun little song.

Flotsam and Jetsam

 Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

Like most Americans you are probably unaware that the Lakers won the NBA championship last night. I know - I forgot they were playing too... Urban Irish would be a good name for a band, a sports bar or a line of T-shirts and hats... You may also be unaware that MLB playoffs are going on as well. I'd guess that only 1 in 20 American adults could even name half of the teams that are left in the baseball playoffs. We aren't angry with the NBA or MLB. It's just that their antics have made us apathetic to their very existence... "Success is never final. Failure is never fatal. It is courage that counts." - John Wooden...  I can recall just a short time ago when historically FDR's two biggest sins were interning Japanese American citizens and trying to pack the Supreme Court. Now that packing the Supreme Court seems to be gaining Joementum momentum from the Left I have to wonder if they also support putting Americans who disagree with them into internment camps. Scarily I think we all know the answer to that one... 

Farnam Street Knowledge

- The Value of Grey Thinking

Survivorship Bias: The Tale of Forgotten Failures

- Your Response to Mistakes Defines You

Linky Links

 Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.

- 100 of the best leadership quotes of all-time.

- This is sportsmanship

- Now the World Health Origination says lockdowns are bad. They are useless.

- Scientific fraud in China

- Saudi's edge closer to historic peace deal with Israel

- No China did not win the trade war

Sunday, October 11, 2020

Flotsam and Jetsam

 Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

At almost any time while they were playing in the NFL if you offered almost any GM the choice of Eli Manning or Matt Ryan pretty much the consensus would have been Matt Ryan. Yet it is Eli Manning who has the better shot at the Hall of Fame... Maybe its just me but I consider the TV remote a much bigger innovation than sliced bread... If I were President - I would make Bill Belichick my Press Secretary. Those press briefings would be epic... Oral sex in the Bible... In my opinion it is criminal that Warren Zevon is not in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The irony is I doubt Zevon himself would give a damn about the honor. He'd just want you to appreciate your sandwich... If I were President I'd also make Bobby Orr my Ambassador to Canada. Not kidding. Who can you think of that would be better? And I don't care that Orr's not a US citizen... "Remember - with Great Pumpkin comes great responsibility." - Linus... 

Put Joe Biden in the Movie Title

 I amused myself by replacing part of some of the greatest movie titles of all-time with Joe Biden. Some of these movies actually should be made:

The Good, the Bad and the Joe Biden
The Silence of the Joe Biden
Forrest Gump
Joe Biden 2: Judgement Day
Joe Biden of Arabia
Eternal Sunshine of the Joe Biden
Joe Biden: A Space Odyssey
- Joe Biden Does Dallas
Inglorious Joe Bidens
Mr. Joe Biden Goes to Washington
Cool Hand Joe Biden

Saturday, October 10, 2020

Linky Links

 Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.

- The Slow Suicide of New York City. (HT Execupundit

- Wonder Woman director fears theater shutdown may kill the industry. And yet Hollywood refuses to criticize China which let this virus escape into the world.

- Funny because its true.

- Yelp to flag businesses accused of racism. So at a time when thousands of restaurants are permanently closing their doors a business that depends mostly on restaurant reviews decides drive away a good part of their user base because they refuse to participate in Woke Culture Will be interesting to watch how this effects Yelp stock.

- Heh Heh 

40 Irish Singers Cover Cranberries' Dreams

 

Very cool but also goes to show just how awesome Dolores O'Riordan's voice was. Gone way too soon.

Flotsam and Jetsam

 Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

One of the main reasons Joe Biden and the Democrats want to get rid of the Trump Tax Cuts is because the changes to the tax code included getting rid of the deduction for State taxes. This change hurt many Blue States like New York. And it made people more aware of just how high the taxes were in those states... ESPN may be looking at hundreds of layoffs in near future... Prediction - next year may become known as the Year of Small Government. Most states have seen their tax revenue cut by about 30% because of the pandemic and the closing of businesses. Unless there's a massive bailout from the Federal government states are going to lay off workers and cut services that are non-essential. Shrinking the size of state government is not necessarily a bad thing... The story behind Pink Floyd's Have a Cigar... At the local level one of the first things to be cut, or to be threatened to be cut, will be school sports. This will be less likely in states that reopened faster like Florida, Georgia and Texas. And more likely in states with tyrannical lockdow rules like New York, California, Michigan and Massachusetts. Look for SOS (Save our Sports) signs and bake sales to become the norm in those states.. 

Friday, October 09, 2020

Quotes for Today

Some quotes that I hope resonate with you.

"Get better daily. Don't try to get it all done in a day." - Shane Parrish

"We don't know a millionth of one percent about anything." - Thomas Edison

"I have never let my schooling interfere with my education." - Mark Twain

"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein

"Free education is abundant, all over the Internet. It's the desire to learn that's scarce." - Naval Ravikant

"Being nice counts the most when you are nice to people ignored by others." - Nassim Nicholas Taleb

So True

 

Thursday, October 08, 2020

NBA (Not So FAN-tastic)

Making a prediction that in three-years or less when the NBA renews their TV deals and it is for a lot less than the current NBA 9-year $24 billion TV deal with ESPN and Turner (deal expires in 2025). Many things will be blamed for the reduction in revenue but the "Social Messaging" political stances the league took this year won't be one of them.

Another prediction - when it is time for a new CBA (Collective Bargaining Agreement) between the owners and players - the players will not accept the reality of the new salary cap which will be much less than the current one. I'd look for a lockout by the owners or a strike by the players either of which will be the final nail in the coffin for the NBA.

Short-term if LeBron James wanted some good PR (to offset some of his blatant jock-sniffing of Communist China) I'd suggest he donate his entire NBA playoffs share to the management and housekeeping staff of the hotel the Lakers are staying at during the bubble in Orlando.

It's the least he could do.

Linky Links

 Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.

- 10 incredible travel experiences according to Lonely Planet

- Read and sign the Great Barrington Declaration. They call it Focused Protection - I call it common sense.

- Amazon thoroughly wrecks narrative about lockdowns being necessary.

- Steven Pressfield: The Unlived Life

- Matt Ridley: How Innovation Works for the Environment. Amen!

- Interesting history of the shirt loop

Flotsam and Jetsam

 Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

Law Enforcement Today endorses President Trump. America's largest police owned magazine has never endorsed a Presidential candidate before. Be sure to read the article to see why they felt it necessary.  I'm old enough to remember when the Democrats were the supporters of blue collar jobs like police men and women. Not any longer it seems... "Schtupping" is such a fun word. Fun to say, write and most importantly - do... Phrasing! Are we no longer doing phrasing?... If I were to make a carbonated alcohol drink I'd call it Helter Seltzer... File this under people finally seeing the light: Unfavorable views of China reach historic highs in many countries. I'd also add that the unfavorable opinions on how the US has handled the Wuhan virus are probably mainly due to how the MSM has handled the issue in an election year where they heavily have their thumbs on one side of the scale... One thing I really wanted Mike Pence to say in last night's VP Debate was, "I fully support law and order and I'm not an undercover cop." In some circles Kamala Harris has been nicknamed the "undercover cop."

Vladimir Putin Sings Blueberrry Hill

Wednesday, October 07, 2020

Mant!


Thanks to McChuck for letting me know this awesomeness existed! I would love to see this and also the sequel - An Inconvenient Mant! starring Al Gore. 

Farnam Street Knowledge

- Being Smart is Not Enough



Linky Links

 Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.

- NBA Commissioner Adam Silver: Social justice messaging will be largely left off the court next season. They know their political stances have driven away fans and its costing them money. 

- Tesla disbands US media relations team. Amazing - Tesla doesn't need to spend on advertising because word of mouth and demand are so strong and now they don't need a PR staff because no staff could compete with Elon Musk's Twitter account.

- More good news for Middle East Peace.

- Interesting - I knew an alliance existed but didn't know it was called "The Quad"

- I like this idea - Rural Post Offices could become Internet WiFi hotspots and 5G antenna locations

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

I wonder how much of Stamps.com's success is due to being an early supporter and advertiser on podcasts... I know it's a serious problem for many but I'm still amused by fact that Yankee "great" Mark Teixeira is the new spokesperson for Depends. Next up A-Rod as spokesperson for Valtrex? One can only hope... I would honestly like to see a Caddyshack III starring Amy Schumer (just so we can get the title of the worst movie of the decade out of the way early)... Why is it "happy as a clam?" Is it because clams don't have brains or feelings?... Whiskey Smoothie would be a good name for a band (or slang for hangover related diarrhea)... Eddie Van Halen has died. RIP to the best guitarist I ever saw in person... I like Dan Wetzel but his argument that it isn't necessarily politics that's causing low NBA ratings was disingenuous. The word China never appeared in the article nor did the fact the NBA will let you have jerseys that say "Black Lives Matter" but not "Blue Lives Matter" or "All Lives Matter." Politics is the number one reason NBA numbers are down and why they will not rebound... 

Quotes for Today

 Here are some quotes that I hope may resonate with you.

"Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much." - Oscar Wilde

"The best way, perhaps the only way, to change others is to become an example." - Naval Ravikant

"If it's not right, don't do it. If it's not true, don't say it." - Marcus Aurelius

"Judge a man by his questions rather than his answers." - Voltaire

"Action may not always bring happiness but there is no happiness without action." - Benjamin Disraeli

"What you learn from a life in science is the vastness of our ignorance." - David Eagleman

"Si, yo soy fiesta." - Rob Gronkowski

Tuesday, October 06, 2020

Back When We Were More United as a Nation

Linky Links

 Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.

- Fantastic Bob Gibson story

- What my sled dogs taught me about planning for the unknown

- Supreme Court allows Minor Leaguer's class-action lawsuit over pay

- Heh Heh

- Herd immunity is still the key in the fight against Covid-19. I pray that a common sense approach like this rules the day. 

- China is straight-up evil.

- Tesla posts record deliveries this quarter

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

I take away the 26-10 loss for the Patriots to the Chiefs last night as a moral victory. With Can Newton at QB for New England it would have been a much different game... Can you imagine if people who support Christmas adopted BLM-type tactics? If you wanted a picture with Santa at the mall the child would have to first say that they accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. If the child refuses both the parent and child become the objects of abuse from all those gathered around... Eskimos may have 100 words for snow but people in Massachusetts have at least 1,000 words and phrases for drunk... Christmas carolers would no longer be benign but instead shut down highways in mass protests... NBA ratings continue to fall off a cliff. And I think Jason Whitlock is right about LeBron James' legacy... Still think that one of the best ways to understand the mindset of the Chinese is by reading the book Noble House by James Clavell. Ian Dunross is the main character on the surface but the real main character of the book is Hong Kong itself... Or imagine if when you went to buy a Christmas tree you had to first kneel and say the Lord's Prayer. The popularity of Christmas would sink faster than the ratings of an NBA playoff game... 

Quotes for Today

 Some quotes that I hope may resonate with you.

"It is requisite for the relaxation of the mind that we make use, from time to time, of playful deeds and jokes." - Thomas Aquinas

"Fanaticism consists in redoubling your efforts when you have forgotten your aim." - George Santayana

"If you want to perform when the world is watching, you have to do the work when no one is watching." - Shane Parrish

"Dost thou love life? Then do not squander time; for that's the stuff life is made of." - Benjamin Franklin

You can't go back and change the beginning,but you can start where you are and change the ending." - C.S. Lewis

"The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge."- Stephen Hawking

"Don't eat a scorned woman's spaghetti." - Chris Lynch

"Eternity is a mere moment, just long enough for a joke." - Hermann Hesse

Monday, October 05, 2020

Linky Links

 Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.

- I did not know this. I'll have to try it.

- Going out with a bang: Janis Joplin's hard-partying wake.

- A common ant as seen through an electron microscope. Makes me think they should re-make the movie Them!

- University of Colorado's $1.625 million deal with a sports gambling company. College sports are so hypocritical.

- Lockdowns may have had little effect on spread of Covid-19. Sorry but anyone still advocating for lockdowns just isn't following the actual data.

- This thread looks at the year over year mortality in 30-countries. Pretty eye-opening.

Heh Heh

 

King of Spades

 

Did you know that the King of Spades on a playing card was originally supposedly designed to represent King David from the Bible? The sword he holds was supposed to be the sword used to cut off Goliath's head after young David killed him with a rock from his his sling.

During the early parts of the Civil War - Robert E Lee was given the nickname "King of Spades" because of his propensity to dig trenches as part of his strategy. At first the nickname was derisive because soldiers hate to dig. Later when the effectiveness of his tactics saved the lives of many of these same soldiers - the nickname became affectionate. Reportedly Lee always loathed the nickname.

And Robert E Lee didn't play cards.

Sunday, October 04, 2020

Linky Links

 Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.

- 5Dimes reaches $46.8 million agreement with Feds

- Suicide of the Liberals (1900-1917 Russia). History doesn't repeat but it does rhyme.

- This is cool

- This always makes me chuckle.

- All Regal Theaters in US to close for good. The costs of States and Nations staying closed keep mounting.

- This is also cool.

Flotsam and Jetsam

 Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

Recently the very talented Mac Davis passed away. I have been meaning for a while to post about how well the movie North Dallas Forty (1979) holds up. Davis plays QB Seth Maxwell. Worth a watch if you have a chance... Might be a character defect on my part but I have a strong dislike of anyone who has thousands of songs available to choose from on a jukebox but still plays Hotel California... Funny because its true... "Depend on nobody. Take pride in yourself. And fight for everything. That's the way it has to be." - Bob Gibson. Baseball lost one of its brightest stars and America lost one of its fiercest competitors. Rest in peace Mr.Gibson... Think both the songs Eve of Destruction and Ball of Confusion are ripe for a 2020-based cover with accompanying 2020-themed videos. It would be both entertaining but also pretty cool... 

Quotes for Today

 Here are some quotes that I hope may resonate with you.

"Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know." - Ernest Hemingway

"You will not be punished for your anger. You will be punished by your anger." - the Buddha

"The most contrarian thing of all is not to oppose the crowd but to think for yourself." - Peter Thiel

"The secret to being likable is to not care if people like you." - Ed Latimore

"You have to be odd to be number one." - Dr. Suess

"If you propose to speak, always ask yourself, is it true, is it necessary, is it kind." - the Buddha

"There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow men. True nobility lies in being superior to your former self." - Ernest Hemingway

Saturday, October 03, 2020

Language Thought for Today

 

A "rank amateur" is "a person who is completely inexperienced or inept at a particular activity." Basically a person who sucks at doing something.

However, a "ranked amateur" is considered a person just a step below being a professional at a particular activity. Boxing and golf are probably the best examples of ranked amateurs.

As an aside - Ranked Amateur would be a good name for a blog.