Obamacare

The WSJ has a pretty good op-ed piece today that breaks down the real motivation behind the many arguments related to universal health care. I personally support universal health care, but not the socialistic model proposed by our current leaders. The difference between the two lies with control of the system.

The concept of modern insurance has its roots with the first life insurance program invented by Benjamin Franklin. FDR expanded the concept with his new deal, and the US economy furthered it as employers competed for workers after WWII. The resulting sense of entitlement to free health care has created misplaced expectations for funding health care. We all need to eat better, exercise more, and become prudent consumers of health care. We should expect our health insurance to behave similar to home or auto insurance: it covers catastrophic expenses but not every nickel and dime.

Two comments from the op-ed that I really like:

1) health care inflation results more from r&d funding and technological advancements than it does from simple cost of living increases. Comparing the cost of health care today to the cost of health care in, say, 1960, is like comparing the cost of a big screen HD TV to a black and white model.

2) What is your first impression to the phrase "public housing?" You're likely to react the same to public health insurance. I don't look forward to governmental bureaucrats determining what treatments and costs are fair and what aren't. How far would they go? Is steak more egregious than hamburger? Is McDonald's OK but Applebee's not?

If we want to be France, let's just say so. But, don't tell me we will be the capitalistic leader of the free world and turn our lifestyle into Poland.

Hoto Toto Haiku

Eric Berger, the Chronicle Sci-Guy, posts on his blog about the benefits of probiotics for overall digestive health. Maybe taking a cue from those crafty San Antonians, he asks his readers to submit haiku on the poo/loo in order win a free sample of probiotics.

He also discusses the projected shuttle launch schedule, which may be delayed due to the "beta blockout". During the winter and summer soltice, the International Space Station is at its closest to the sun due to the obliquity of the eclipitic (my favorite new term of the day), which is the 23 degree tilt of the earth. Due to the alignment required to get proper benefit of the ISS's solar power panels, the shuttle would be docked to the ISS such that max temperatures reach unacceptable levels.

Angle of attack

Is difficult to manage

Space and loo alike.

The mural of the story

It is said that a picture paints a thousand words. Eric Berger has a link to this website that offers a range of short surveys that evaluate perspective on a variety of topics: religion, politics,disgustedness, and nature. It also offers a personality inventory. The site collects data from survey results in order to correlate political persuasion (conservative, liberal, etc.) with various other perspectives.

The lesson today in the high school Sunday School class in which I participate covered 1 Corinthians 8. Paul is addressing the concern in the church he founded in Corinth regarding eating sacrificial meat. Christianity hasn't observed sacrificial offerings for centuries, so it's difficult in the 21st century to understand the context of Paul's comments.

I apply Paul's lesson as a reminder of how to win friends and influence people. We are today blasted by more attempts at influence from more varied sources than any time in history. Few of us (at least in the US of A) make it through a day without seeing a billboard, a TV ad, or some other media attempting to convince us how to spend our time and money. We all influence and are influenced in ever increasing and creative forms.

As disciples, Christians are asked to set a good example, to be penitent and forgiving, and to love God and their neighbor. To do so requires honest self awareness. Below is my personality assessment. The green bars are me, the purple bars are all other respondents. So, I am pretty much middle of the road compared to the others who completed the survey. Since I don't know who completed it, I don't know if this is a good picture of me and society or not. Comments?

Whistling Straight

Bill Simmons, the Sports Guy on ESPN, has a brilliant piece today on the state of officiating in the NBA. He rails about the generally poor and inconsistent quality in the playoffs this year. 

He also provides some interesting history, such as why the NBA shot clock is 24 seconds. The reason: the NBA owner who thought of it in the 50's (partially as a result of a game in which 80 free throws were shot and another game in which the final score was 19-18) watched a lot of games and concluded that the most entertaining ones included 60 shots by each team. 120 shots spread over 48 minutes results in 1 shot every 24 seconds.

Now, if only I could find out who decided that the two slots in electrical plugs should be 5/8" apart, or why there are 26 letters in the English alphabet, or why pretty much the whole world, despite the many cultural and language differences, agrees that each minute should have 60 seconds and each hour 60 minutes.

That's all I have to contribute to today's mental flatulence.

Daily Pursuit

Pursuit is a pretty common word. Its origins trace back to the French words porsuite and porsivre and is the noun form of the verb pursue.

It is used in modern society in many contexts: police, literary, trivial, occupational. But today's context of choice is the pursuit of happiness. The Happy Guy has a lot of opinions about being happy, including quotes from a lot of famous people. Happy is just not easy to define. 

It is easy to be happy for an instant and then be not happy. It even easier to be happy with anticipation of being happy in the future, but then not be happy when the future arrives. Most of us like to believe that we want to be happy. But, most of us also don't really know how to. 

A founding principle of the US of A is the self-evident truth "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." We are not guaranteed happiness, but we are in America guaranteed the right to pursue it.

For me, happiness and the pursuit of it are not only intertwined, but are often the unintentional result of trying each day to love God and my neighbor as myself. But, this is so hard to do! Happiness is pursued and found in unexpected places and the harder I try to find it, the more it eludes me. There is no list of things to acquire or to do which would result in happiness from now on. 

There are days when I am not happy. My family, my friends, my neighbors don't always behave as I wish they did. Sometimes I get sick or injured or just don't feel any passion for the day. But, I am trying to learn to respond to the events of each day and not to react. By pursuing response and not reaction, I sometimes find myself happy without even knowing how I got there. 

So, I must remind myself each day to choose to be happy, to be thankful for the many opportunities with which I can pursue happiness, and to recognize that fortune has not let me go free.

Uncle O Wants You!

Random but Equal

Words of the day:

ecdysiast: stripper

eleemosynary: charitable

ebenezer: stone of hope; from 1  Samuel 4

sycophant: toadie; as in limey lover Taras

omphaloskepsis: contemplation of one's navel

Ariadne's thread: solving a problem through exhaustive application of logic

Occam's razor: parsimonious logic; solving a problem through gut instinct

Astrology: hopeless devotion to losing baseball teams

Fore Hawk

Who is the greatest golfer of all time? How do we define greatness?

I suggest that the list of qualities that determines golf greatness includes not only athleticism and record, but also humility, focus, determination, and guts.  Tiger is maybe the only current player on the short list. Nelson, Nicklaus, and Jones also make the cut. Watson, Trevino, Palmer, Player, Snead, and Sarazen miss the cut by a stroke.

My vote for the champion golfer is Ben Hogan. In this video, his pride, devotion, honesty and work ethic are palpable. The audio is out of sync with the video, but it's still a compelling piece that I could watch many times over. He was not a Hollywood pretty boy like Jimmy Demaret, did not have the charm of Palmer or Nelson, nor the pure athletic ability of Snead. But he had more of everything than all the others. 

Nelson's 11 straight and 18 total victories in 1945 receive more homage. But after a near fatal auto accident in 1948 in which his legs were crushed, Mr. Hogan won all 5 of the tournaments he entered in 1953, including the Masters, the US Open and the British Open. He didn't play in the PGA because it was held immediately after the British Open. Plus, the PGA ended in those days with 36 holes of match play on the final day; Mr. Hogan's brittle legs could not survive such punishment.

Bobby Jones was more admired, Nelson more liked, Nicklaus more accomplished. But none were more respected than Mr. Hogan. None ever will be.

Late and Soon

I have had a complicated couple of days and for some unknown reason have sought solace in 19th century poetry. That I would do so probably reveals layers upon layers of latent psychoses. Every form of refuge has its price.

I had an English Lit professor in college who was a huge fan of Wordsworth. I've ever since liked the phrase "The World is too much with us, here and now." Except when I look up the text of the poem, I discover it is "The World is too much with us, late and soon." So, for 30+ years, I have misremembered the key phrase of a classic poem. 

I digress. Another worthy turn of words: "So might I, standing on this pleasant lea, Have glimpses that would make me less forlorn."  When depressed by shadows, one must seek all available sources of light.

Final romantic era poetry, by Longfellow:

In the great field of battle,

In the bivouac of life,

Be not like dumb driven cattle

Be a hero in the strife.

The complications of the weekend? 3 inches of rain (needed but accompanied by storms), caulked 2 bathtubs, painted 4 of 88 stair railings, quit painting when I realized I spent 30 minutes on just 4 of 88, spent a total of about 8 hours installing a new hard drive in a 4 year old computer, cleaned the gutters, spent $1,200 getting the 2 lights in our pool and spa repaired, delayed spending another $700 getting the heater repaired, realized I entered an online payment to my dad's insurance company of $24.83 as $2,483.00, left my Ipod touch and Klipsch headphones in the seatback cushion for seat 18D, flight 1905 on April 30 on American Airlines.

Right here, right now, the world is too much with me. The bright side? I read a great book which espoused 7 decisions each of us must make in order to achieve our potential:

1) The buck stops here.

2) Seek wisdom.

3) I am a person of action.

4) I have a decided heart.

5) Today I will choose to be happy.

6) I will greet this day with a forgiving spirit.

7) I will persist without exception.

The concepts inspire the best of intentions. Attitudinal execution will take some work.

Motivation to do so in 20th Century Poetry:

Time passes and you must move on

Half the distance takes you twice as long

So you keep on singing for the sake of the song.

Art is Long, Time is Bleeting

My birthday is in September and the state in which I grew up allowed kids with this birth month to begin school the year of the 5th birthday. So, I started kindergarten when I was 4. I was always one of the youngest in my grade.

I was also the 3rd of 3 boys, with the next younger 10 years older than me. My oldest brother is 16 years older than me. So, after about 3rd grade, I was basically an only child. And, my parents moved to a new state after I graduated from high school, having lived in the same house for 18 years.

I grew up somewhat as the spoiled baby of the family. Although my parents were always fairly stoic (both with depression-era resiliency), becoming empty-nesters after 25 years of raising kids added to living in a new place must have been traumatic.

They never showed even momentary angst to me. They always had my (and my brothers') best interest at heart. I will always remember my Mom telling me when I left for college to enjoy the experience, that it would be the best of my life. I did enjoy my college years. I met some great friends, matured immensely, and maybe learned a few new things along the way.

As you move through life, you realize the significance of how you choose to spend your time. I have no regrets about how I spent my college years. I was not a star student. I was far from the most popular BMOC. But, I don't think there's anything I would want deleted from my college years (well, maybe one night of altered consciousness early on; a tale for another day).

I would, however, add some things to those years based on having experienced more trials of life war. I think I would have a different perspective and appreciation for some of the classes that seemed then a waste of time. English Lit is one, Sociology and Poli Sci are others.

I don't think anything I could have added to my college experience would have prepared me to appreciate a cultured town such as San Antonio trying to intimidate a Dallas Mavericks basketball player through haiku.

The Alamo's home.
Roosevelt's Rough Riders base,
Slinging Haiku Smack.

What's next in the wide, wide world of sports?

Tiger made me do it

I am discovering that the definition of middle and old age is much more relative that I used to think. When you're 15, anything over about 21 is old. Anyone 50+ is clueless, infirm, and requires fairly constant supervision.

But, your perspective at 50 is different. It didn't result for me from a sudden revelation, it evolved over the long heartbeat of time. I now understand and even appreciate why my parents did some things that seemed idiotic at the time. I also try to learn from things they did then that don't seem wise even now.

One glaring error of omission for both of my parents: no exercise. Nothing. Ever. I try to get a decent workout at least 3 times per week. Per the good doctors at the Cooper Aerobics Center, the cardiovascular benefit of exercise is measured in 3 dimensions: duration, frequency, and intensity. A minimally beneficial regimen requires 30 minutes at least 3 times per week with a heart rate (for me) of 140-150. Adding a fourth workout plus a few more minutes to each is good, but the majority of the cardiovascular benefit is achieved with just this. Working at a higher intensity (meaning higher heart rate) moves me in to the anaerobic zone, which has benefits, but probably does not add any cardiovascular improvement.

So, I know I need to do this. Every week. But I still struggle many weeks to get my butt to the gym. I am continually seeking new ways to work out, new variety, new challenges to maintain motivation. Endorphin highs help. So also does feedback from a product developed jointly by Nike and Apple called the Nike+ SportKit. I insert a mercury-based potientiometer into or onto my shoe (Nike+ shoes have a built-in slot to house the device, but I despise Nike shoes) and a receiver into my Ipod Nano. The system then tracks my mileage, pace, and time. As I listen to my power tunes playlist, verbal status updates are offered throughout the workout. And, the final encouragement comes directly from a few famous (and Nike endorsing) athletes.

Last week, I ran about 4 miles in a little under 45 minutes. At the completion of the workout, Tiger Woods says to me: "Congratulations! You have just set a new personal best by running the fastest 1 mile you have run. Keep it up!"

For a 50+ year old, this is one more arrow in the quiver of motivation. I need all the help I can get.

Framed Tomato Aspective

Today's stream of consciousness:

1: I don't really like raw tomatoes. I eat them occasionally because doctors say that they promote overall prostate health. A favorite (but dearly departed) aunt once served me and my bride a heaping of tomato aspic. We were polite.

2: Standard definition television screens are slightly wider than they are tall. The ratio of width to height is 4:3 (this is called the aspect ratio). High definition televisions have an aspect ratio of 16:9, which is why most of us need new cabinets to house them. Blu-Ray DVD's mostly have an aspect ratio of 2.4:1 in order to match the ratio in which most modern film is recorded. This means frequent surprise when owners of new equipment see the black bands at the top and bottom of the screen when watching Blu-Ray technology. Film purists insist this allows us to view the film as the artist/director/cinematographer intended. Technical purists insist also that this reduces artificial compression of the source material thereby providing sharper resolution of the images.

3: I have performed a fair amount of amateur video editing, mostly for my church. I use computer software to "capture" video shot on a digital camcorder, rearrange it, add music and scene transitions, and print to tape or dvd. Hollywood film is shot at a frame rate of 24 feet per second (fps). Broadcast television is at 30 fps. But, digital video is 29.97 fps. Most major Hollywood productions today (excluding works such as Blair Witch Project) are shot on film at 24 fps but edited on a computer at 29.97 fps. Thus, the computer software is capable of syncing the data even though it exists in two different mediums. Using this software exponentially reduces production costs because it allows the director and editor to work non-linear: they can drag and drop scenes on the computer and then allow the software to produce the film based on the time-code sync of the two formats. In the good old days, editors would literally cut and splice film. Inefficient directors often shoot 3 or 4 times the footage that ends up in the final production, so the ability to edit using non linear software technology (plus the ability to easily add computer generated animation or CGI) greatly reduces production costs. That's why you see some independent productions that match the quality of big budget Hollywood.

4: I have seen 2 state fairs, both US Disney wonderlands, the Empire State Building, the Sears tower, NASA, Cape Canaveral, the Liberty Bell, the White House, the Grand Canyon, Fenway Park, the Rose Bowl and Augusta National Golf Club. I have personally met two US Presidents, several Fortune 500 CEO's, notable celebrities and sports stars. I have travelled a fair amount outside the US. In short, life is pretty good. I have experienced a quality of life unfathomable by my grandparents. I believe there are a lot of Americans who feel as fortunate as I and refuse to let the portrayal of current world events, howsoever dire they seem, belie my belief in truth, justice, and the American Way.

Thank you.

Patient Expectations

The WSJ online column called the couch has a pretty incisive view today of the sports world's tendency towards extended seasons. Do the NBA and NHL really need to play 80 or so games to eliminate less than half of their fields for postseason play? When should we start to pay attention? The article says not yet.

The article also includes vitriol for the Yankees:

"What can you do in 37 minutes? If you're reasonably fit, you can run roughly four miles. If you're not, you can watch about an episode and a half of Seinfeld on DVD. And if you're the Cleveland Indians, you can score 14 runs in one inning against the New York Yankees."

Our society created the professional sports monster. It's starting to trickle down even to the high school level, with ESPNU televising 15 prep games, with UCLA and UK offering scholarships to eighth graders (although coach Gillespie no longer can fulfill his offer), with full coverage of 13 year old phenoms.

How do we define success for our kids? Hopefully with a measure of reason and not based on the lofty and mostly unreachable expectations of main stream media.

Revelation

The Book of Revelation has always been a mystery for me, given its metaphorical but less than intuitively obvious phrasing. In his April 19 study notes, Scott Engle (St. Andrew UMC, Plano TX) provides a pretty good explanation of the four horsemen of the apocalypse verses in chapter 6:

The book of Revelation has much to say about so many people’s willingness to place their ultimate trust any place other than in God. The four horsemen is one of the most dramatic images in Scripture about such futility. It is important to see that there is a pattern to these four horsemen. The first rider comes out on a white horse, carrying a bow, a weapon of war, and sets about conquering. It isn’t hard to imagine the threat posed by this first rider. The second rider is on a bright red horse and carries a mighty sword. This rider goes across the planet setting people against one another (as if we needed help with that one!). The third rider, on a black horse, seems a bit more obscure. This rider carries a set of scales that would be used in commerce. The prices quoted by the rider for the basics of life, like wheat, are astronomically high. This rider brings famine and economic hardship. The final rider is on a pale green horse and bears the name, Death. Conquest, violence, famine, and death. They are dressed up in
dramatic imagery but they are certainly not new to us. Furthermore, though John’s visions depict these as being inflicted by the heavens, we know that these are all self-inflicted, when we stop and think of humanity as one. It is we who make war on one another. It is we who take the peace away and stand by while others starve. Going back to the Garden of Eden, even death is the result of humanity’s choice. The riders bring nothing that we haven’t already brought on ourselves. Still, there is the clear sense in this vision that God is a threat.

So what’s the point? Craig Koester suggests that this vision sets the stage for what follows, in that the riders are a call to repentance and faith. Repentance: Will we turn 180° and walk toward God not away from him? Faith: Will we trust God in all things and above all else? Look again at each of the four riders. Can we build armies powerful enough to keep away all foreign conquerors? September 11 shattered that illusion for any who still held it. Can we build a large enough police force to stop all violence and return the peace? The proliferation of both prisons and crime answers that one for us. Can we have bank accounts large enough to shield us from any economic hardship? The depth of this latest recession is shattering many illusions about the inevitability of economic security. How about death? Do any of us know a doctor who can make us immortal. My doctor has gotten me this far in life, but he is only going to take me so far.

Stark images, such as these horsemen, are meant to be that proverbial wakeup call, the 2x4 upside the head. It’s a bit like an “intervention,” where loved ones gather to confront someone with the truth, to shock them into seeing that their life is a wreck and they need help.

Shrimply Not True

One of my long time pals rates cocktail parties based on the quantity and quality of shrimp offered on the h'ors deourve table. He is a tee totaler and generally loathes pointless chit chat (I find no fault with his view on this) and so is understandably biased towards the food component of such parties.


He would be aghast at the behavior of this Ft. Worth restaurant patron. Crank-yankin with 911 seems a tad irresponsible.

My Conservative Palate

By American standards, I am right of center in politics, religion, and choice of cuisine. Growing up the son of a southern belle who loved to cook, I like almost all vegetables and fruit. Turnip greens, asparagus, cabbage, spinach, lima beans, brussels sprouts: you bet. No beets or eggplant . I could probably subsist for an extended period on black-eyed peas and corn alone. Add cornbread and I might consider vegetarianism.

When it comes to meat, I rarely venture away from beef, mainstream pork, chicken, or white fish. I tried duck for the first time a few months ago and liked it, but would never prepare it at home. The day-in day-out meat staples for me are burgers, grilled chicken, and an every week or so fish or steak.

The NY Times is proclaiming goat as the latest taste sensation. The article says that more goat meat is consumed throughout the world than any other meat. Surely in the wild, wild west I could find a recommendation for a good cabrito taco. Any offers?

Men's Journal

I read very few magazines these days. I used to read a lot: Reader's Digest, Golf, Golf Digest, the random male entertainment rag (note that I read them). The only magazine which consistently captures my interest these days is Men's Journal. The publisher is Jann Wenner, who made his mark at Rolling Stone (and was portrayed by Eion Bailey in Almost Famous, which was basically an homage film to the mag).

The current issue has a usual assortment of intriguing articles. In particular, Matt Taibbi writes about the greatness of the ugly athlete, saying that most high paid, high powered athletes are too pretty to be truly effective at their craft. He points out several examples of ugly beasts (as my 15 year old would say) in notable divisions (Swamp Thing Division: Tayshaun Prince; Area 51 Division: Sam Cassell). The hero of the article, though is a baseball player:

"Then there’s Kevin Youkilis. Youk has only three body parts, all hideously oversized: an enormous set of gnomish, bushy forearms; a massive, casaba melon–size white head; and a cauldronlike belly. He has a truly awesome bristle of thick red chin hair that makes his face look like a cross between a vagina and something out of The Hobbit. At the plate he disgustingly gushes sweat by some means previously unknown to science in which the moisture travels upward along his body, racing in a cascade from his balls and armpits up his neck, over his head, and back down over the bill of his helmet to shower the plate. Whereas a guy like Teixeira was born with a swing so gorgeous you want to paint it, Youkilis fighting a middle reliever to a nine-pitch walk looks like a rhinoceros trying to fuck a washing machine. "

There's also an noteworthy column about the impact of the lowly emerald ash borer on our nation's pastime. The wood of choice for major league bats is ash. This insect is infesting all the major ash growing regions of the US. In a few years, we will likely have to import the wood or switch to maple, which tends to explode more forcefully than ash when subtle cracks are hit by 90 mph fastballs.

Finally, the issue has an article about building the perfect workshop and the power tools needed to stock it. I like the 18 volt Makita drill with the litium ion battery. You just can't have too many $200 drills.

For Taras

Scott Engle of St. Andrew UMC in Plano, TX posts many of his sermons and classes on the web at http://www.thebibleacademy.com/. He is teaching a series now about the dramatic license often employed when Hollywood portrays biblical history. This last Sunday, he talked about his perspective on the work of Bart Ehrmann. He also discussed why he believes the current translations of the Bible are more accurate than previous versions. In fact, he said that no one today should use either the King James Version or the New King James Version. Both are based on a Greek manuscript translated by Erasmus from Hebrew in the early 1500's. At the time, only a handful of original Hebrew manuscripts were known to exist. Today, we have over 5,000 which have been used to update the English translations.

Scott sounds a little like Gomer Pyle. If you can get past that, he presents logical, scholar based arguments about how our current Bible came to be and why we should trust its message.

So What?

As we are in the Easter season, it is fitting and proper to reflect on the true meaning of Christianity. I believe that there is progress, that today is better than yesterday, that there is one far off divine event to which the whole creation moves. I believe in the resurrection of the body, my body, as a result of the sacrifice of Jesus. His resurrection eliminates our death, our separation from God.

In his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul speaks at length about belief in the resurrection of Jesus as the core of Christianity. Scott Engle (St. Andrew UMC, Plano, TX) discusses why this is important:


'You’d think that after Paul brings his argument to its grand climax in v. 54-57, he would go on to talk about our glorious future with God in the restored and renewed cosmos, the new heavens and earth, but he does not. Instead, with the chorus, “Where, O death, is your victory?” still ringing in our ears, Paul writes, “Therefore . . . your labor is not in vain.” My work for Jesus is not a waste of time? That’s the big “so what” of Easter and resurrection?

In a word, yes. Too many Christians have this idea that we get through this life so we can get on to the next life, where we can leave all this behind and enjoy some sort of eternal, disembodied bliss. However, the biblical story is not about a world left behind, but a world put right. Easter doesn’t point us toward some faraway place we imagine to be “heaven,” but to the marriage
of heaven and earth in this place.'

The message from Paul is as relevant today as it was when he wrote it 2,000 years ago. The far off divine event is, in my view, spiritual peace here and now. It's closer than we think.

Domino Ipso Corona

2:27 to You, Man.

Economical History

This article by Scott Reynolds Nelson, a history professor at William & Mary, compares the economic crisis of today with the crisis of the Long Depression, which began in 1873 and lasted 7 years. He attributes the cause of the depression to lax mortgage lending in Europe which resulted in inflated real estate prices plus easy credit offered to the various industries involved in building the transcontinental railroad in the US. He also says that the Industrial Age had its roots in this depression by allowing those with capital (Rockefeller, Carnegie et al) to buy their competitors at rock bottom prices.

"In the end, the Panic of 1873 demonstrated that the center of gravity for the world’s credit had shifted west — from Central Europe toward the United States. The current panic suggests a further shift — from the United States to China and India."

The Wikipedia article about the Long Depression attributes the cause to inept politics in the US and abroad. Both sources are probably somewhat correct.

So, what's the crystal ball show for us hard working Americans here in the US of A? Probably several years of lackluster economic growth, if not economic decline. In a capitalistic system, markets continually seek to minimize cost for commodity functions. This ultimately results in asymmetric distribution of wealth. As we see more job functions outsourced to lower cost locations, there will be fewer high paying jobs in the US until the market creates the need for new job functions. In the meantime, the global market will begin to force to live within our means by restricting the amount of investment in the US. We won't be able to continue to spend at the same pace. As our consumption wanes, less developed countries will also cut back because they will sell less to us.

What will break this model? Siphoning off non performing assets (ie over valued mortgages and the related derivatives) so that our financial intermediaries can resume normal operations. The current environment proves that we don't study history as we seem to endlessly repeat it.

Let's hope that those in Washington remain distracted with corporate bonuses to the extent that they let the free market fix this problem. Maybe we will then survive to witness the next round of Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness Of Crowds.

Simply Knot True

I have been incorrectly tying my shoes my whole life. Most of us, especially those who were scouts, learned in our youth a couple of basic knots, the granny and the square. We learned that the square knot generally holds stronger and longer than the granny knot.

After reading this article, I realized that I have been tying my shoe laces with a granny knot pretty much ever since I learned to tie. Was probably taught to do so by my mother (was once accused of also being taught by my mother the art of hygienic cleansing at the completion of the defecation cycle; that's a story for another time).

In order to tie laces in a square knot, I first cross the laces by looping the right lace over the left. I then make a loop with the right side, then cross the left side over it, I then poke the looped-over left side up through the resulting hole and pull it through to the right.

Dress laces in particular have been a problem in the past. For some shoes, I have tied a double knot just to keep my shoes tied. I am finally freed from the inconvenient nuisance of the double knot.

Is this a great country, or what?

Blue Star for blue collars

All of us have on occasion felt the discomfort of chapped, inflamed epidermis. Blue Star ointment is a topical treatment that relieves some of this discomfort. At the local Ace Hardware store today, I discovered a new and inexpensive preventative remedy.

By absorbing excess moisture and gently lubricating sensitive areas, Anti Monkey Butt Powder fosters nearly chap-free skin on skin contact. No longer will we suffer through the humiliation of the bow-legged, simian stride that results from excessive sweat and friction induced chafing.

It boggles the mind to think how different history might have been had such a product been available in yesteryear, before modern hygiene techniques were commonly employed. With a generally less irritable population, the Civil War might have been reduced to the Civil Squabble. the Burr/Hamilton duel might been merely an arm wrestle, the Gunfight at the OK Corral might been the Adjudicated Debate of Tombstone, Arizona.

As I continue to wonder why fortune smiles on some but lets the rest go free, please pause for a moment of silent thanks that we live in America in a time when ingenuity and opportunity know no bounds.

The Brilliance of Character Comedy

As previously posted, I really enjoy the Andy Griffith Show. I believe it is the best comedic series show ever produced. Unlike most current day shows, its comedy is based on the plausible situations in which the characters find themselves. It was filmed on location or on a set with one camera, not in front of an audience and with multiple cameras. This added complexity to the production, but with the happy result of drawing the viewer in as a vicarious participant.

Richard Kelly elaborates on the involvement of all of the cast, Andy in particular, in avoiding any comedy based on snappy, forgettable one liners. The crew recognized that any show so produced is doomed to failure; it's just impossible for any writer to continually churn out pithy, timely punch lines. The human condition, conversely, provides unlimited material.

The series clearly evolved over time. The first episode set the stage by explaining how Aunt Bee came to live with Andy and Opie. The absence of Opie's mother was never explained, in fact the mother wasn't even mentioned the first couple of seasons. The second episode aired tonight on TV Land. "Manhunt" developed the characters by showing the practical wisdom of the small town sheriff. Despite extreme condescension by the state police, Andy traps an escaped convict into using his boat, knowing that the boat has a leak. When the boat sinks, Andy and the state police capture the convict without firing a shot. This episode includes two outstanding character actors, Ken Lynch and Cheerio Meredith.

Andy thus becomes a real person, unlike the lead characters on Green Acres, The Beverly Hillbillies, The Adams Family, The Munsters, or Jerry Seinfeld.

My favorite episodes: Dogs, Dogs, Dogs; Man in a Hurry; Opie the Birdman. More on these later.

A Natural Buzz

According to the ubiquitous and irrefutable Wikipedia, endorphins are "endogenous opioid polypeptide compounds. They are produced by the pituitary gland and the hypothalamus invertebrates during strenuous exercise, excitement, pain, and orgasm, and they resemble the opiates in their abilities to produce analgesia and a sense of well-being. Endorphins work as "natural pain relievers", whose effects may be enhanced by other medications."

The New York Times cites research by some crafty German scientists who found a way to measure endorphin levels before and after strenuous exercise. The study asserts to prove the existence of runner's high, even claiming that some athletes become addicted to the high.

Seems logical to assume a statistically valid counter correlation between frequent, intense, lengthy exercise and sex. Maybe the crafty scientists could survey marathon runners and fat guys: anyone have a hypothesis on who gets more?

The Joy of Listening

I own 4 Ipods, mostly due to being suckered into buying the latest technology when available. I listen to them mostly when working out or when on an airplane. Will post later about what I listen to, but the music ranges from rap to rock to country to spiritual. Podcasts range from sports to news to health to sermons. And, on my Ipod touch, I watch movies and a few select TV shows (Saving Grace, set in my birthplace, Oklahoma City).

I have tried a variety of headphones. I use only the earbud style. I find the over ear style to be too large to carry around and not really comfortable when working out.

My current favorites are Klipsch. I have 3 models: Custom 1, Custom 3, and X-5. All can be purchased on Amazon or EBay for less than $200. The Custom 3, with multiple drivers and the best response across the spectrum, are awesome. Highly recommend.

For cheap sets, I recommend either the Skull Kandy Ink'd Buds (Target) or the VModa Bass Frequency (Best Buy or Amazon). Both are less than $30. They both provide good bass, but are a little tinny on the higher frequencies. For use while exercising, though, they sound great. The VModa's in particular sound much better to me than the better known and pricier ($100) VModa Vibes.

All of the above buds include flexible tips in several sizes. The buds are designed to insert part way into the ear and thus provide "noise isolation", not "noise cancellation" as with the over the ear styles. In order to get the best sound, you have to experiment with the various sizes of tips and use a set that seals as tight as possible to your ear.

I have tried the Bose in-ear buds. They sound awesome, but are not designed to provide a seal to keep out ambient noise. So, for the cost of $100, I prefer the Klipsch Custom 1's.

I have also tried the low end Shures (Ec3) and Etymotics (ER6). The Shures never felt comfortable; during extending listening they just plain hurt. I bought the Etymotics at B&H in NY for $90, intending to then take them to an audiologist for custom fit Sensaphonics ear molds. But, the ER6's sounded awful; very thin and tinny on the highs and very flat on the lows.

Comply Foam sells soft, pliable ear tips that are designed to be compressed by rolling between your fingers before insertion. They then expand to fill the space. Very comfortable and pretty cheap ($12 or so for a set of 3). Have used with a set of Apple in-ear phones (not the standard ones that come with an IPod) and the JBuds J2. They improved comfort and sound quality immensely.

It's not easy to find the perfect headphones. Fit and sound quality are highly individualistic, so ordering online is alway somewhat of a crap shoot. Buying in a store isn't much better since retailers rarely allow you to try before you buy.

Many airports have a store called Airport Wireless. They have demos of most of the high-end buds; I have idled away excess wait time on several occasions in their store in Newark. Have never felt ostrasized for trying and not buying. The Bose company stores also will demo all of their products, including the in-ear model.

Semper Fi

Peggy Noonan writes today about the example set by the USMC for taking responsibility. They investigated the December F-14 crash in San Diego and concluded that several avoidable process failures contributed to the crash and the resulting loss of 4 civilian lives. She rightly can't recall the last time an elected federal official who similarly acknowledged responsibility for wrong behavior.

Maybe we need more Marines in Congress . . .

Today's economic reading

Mark Cuban has offered on his blog to fund small companies seeking help getting started. Out of almost 2,000 applications, he is pursuing 4. I guess there is a certain element of luck in becoming a billionaire, but Mark is clearly no dummy. His blog consistently provides excellent insight into how a really rich, really smart guy chooses to spend his time and money; he will never have enough of the former, and his grand kids' grand kids won't be able to spend all of the latter.

Walter Williams is an economist and columnist. He writes here about the fallacies of President Obama's economic recovery plan. Mr. Obama has admirably avoided Jesse Jackson-esque race card plays, but nonetheless it wouldn't work here. Mr. Williams is African American.

Victor Davis Hanson is a military historian, professor at Stanford, author, and columnist. He asserts here that things aren't as bad as they seem. "In relative terms, it is no longer 2005, but that does not mean it is 1932 either."

Who the heck in Mayberry has wisdom?

I created this blog yesterday on the spur of the moment to learn to paste links. My friend Taras Bulba asked for help and I tried to oblige.

So, why the title? I am a lifelong fan of the Andy Griffith Show. Watched it as a kid with my dad and still watch the reruns regularly, although I often hate the way that TV Land edits. Other stations used to just delete the "tag" scene at the end of the show. TV Land keeps the tag, but deletes random scenes which I'm sure they believe are inconsequential to the plot line. But they often delete key memorable phrases. Last night, I watched an episode about a cow thief. Andy suspects that a near sighted vagrant was putting shoes on the cows to disguise his tracks. The mayor insists that Barney leave Andy and help him patrol the city even though Andy set a trap for the vagrant with a local bull. Barney decides to stay with Andy, despite Andy's suggestion that his suspicion might indeed be hair brained. The memorable line: Barney says "I got to thinking that a previous mayor accused you of having a hair brained idea once before. Remember? When you hired me?" This is a moment that makes the character of Barney real notwithstanding his frequent displays of idiocy. In my view, it is the pivotal moment in the episode.

Another key moment usually deleted: Barney's rationalization (brilliantly portrayed by Don Knotts) that giraffes are selfish in the episode titled "Dogs, Dogs, Dogs." 

Will post more comments over time regarding my view that this show is the best conceived, produced, directed, and acted series that commercial TV has ever provided.

President Obama delivers on his campaign promises

Lest you had any doubt, Pete Dupont explains our new president's priorities and the breadth of their impact on our country. Eliminating NAFTA and all coal and nuclear power generation, while simultaneously increasing federal government involvement (oversight?) in all phases of our existence.

Mr. Bush is not looking so dumb anymore. Alas, aujour d'hui roi, demain rein.

Ok, this is a first post. My favorite bloggers:

Taras Bulba

SciGuy

GruntDoc

Mark Cuban

Fingers and Tubes in Every Orifice (no longer maintained consistently, but nonetheless brilli