Sunday, May 2, 2010
Daydreams
Cycling through the city yesterday, I almost felt as if I was being shown one of those videos of "How Boston Could Be 5 Years from Now"... except it was real.
Passing through a stretch of the Charles River trail, it seemed that almost everyone sitting by the water had arrived there by bicycle. And the majority of the bikes looked to be personalised and well-ridden - rather than the sort of bicycle that is either a rental, or ridden once in a while on a sunny weekend. The velo-atmosphere is distinctly different from last summer.
Having crossed the BU Bridge, which is now under construction, I then looked at it from the trail and thought about the Charles River Bridge Campaign that I had mentioned in a previous post. This campaign aims to ensure that along with the scheduled repairs to the bridges, practical improvements will also be made that will make the bridges more walkable, more cyclable, and generally more enjoyable. The possibility of benches and shady promenades was mentioned.
Can the huge, dangerous bridges over the Charles really be made to resembles these lovely smaller ones? That would be utter Utopia.
And Utopia is not necessarily impossible.
At least the bicycles of Boston are hopeful.Quotable Quotes
We have a system that increasingly taxes work and subsidizes nonwork.
MILTON FRIEDMAN
The ideas which now pass for brilliant innovations and advances are in fact mere revivals of ancient errors, and a further proof of the dictum that those who are ignorant of the past are condemned to repeat it.
HENRY HAZLITT
It is in war that the State really comes into its own: swelling in power, in number, in pride, in absolute dominion over the economy and the society.
MURRAY ROTHBARD
Perhaps the fact that we have seen millions voting themselves into complete dependence on a tyrant has made our generation understand that to choose one's government is not necessarily to secure freedom.
FRIEDRICH HAYEK
If a woman has to choose between catching a fly ball and saving an infant’s life, she will choose to save the infant’s life without even considering if there are men on base.
DAVE BARRY
MILTON FRIEDMAN
The ideas which now pass for brilliant innovations and advances are in fact mere revivals of ancient errors, and a further proof of the dictum that those who are ignorant of the past are condemned to repeat it.
HENRY HAZLITT
It is in war that the State really comes into its own: swelling in power, in number, in pride, in absolute dominion over the economy and the society.
MURRAY ROTHBARD
Perhaps the fact that we have seen millions voting themselves into complete dependence on a tyrant has made our generation understand that to choose one's government is not necessarily to secure freedom.
FRIEDRICH HAYEK
If a woman has to choose between catching a fly ball and saving an infant’s life, she will choose to save the infant’s life without even considering if there are men on base.
DAVE BARRY
Training Biathlon
Oa swing + snatch 16kg: 10/10
Snatch 20kg: 5/5, 60/60
Oa jerk 24kg: 5/5
Oa lccj 28kg: 5/5
Oa clean 36kg: 2/2
Long pause, cleaning the dishes
Jerk 2x20kg: 5
With timer, 1min on/1min rest
Round 1-10: jerk 2x24kg: 8 rpm
Oa clean 36kg: 1/1
Lots of physical work helping my mom with the garden. Hands really fried. Still, happy with today's training - the jerks felt solid and first time I made 10x8reps this way.
Also remade an 8kg bell to a 36kg one - supposed to be 40kg but I miscalculated (calculated from a 12kg :-). I used a new method to achieve an even distribution of the weight inside. It feels like the balance is nice in rack. 36kg is heavy, though. Only cleaned it today.
I will make a post about 36kg making eventually.
Snatch 20kg: 5/5, 60/60
Oa jerk 24kg: 5/5
Oa lccj 28kg: 5/5
Oa clean 36kg: 2/2
Long pause, cleaning the dishes
Jerk 2x20kg: 5
With timer, 1min on/1min rest
Round 1-10: jerk 2x24kg: 8 rpm
Oa clean 36kg: 1/1
Lots of physical work helping my mom with the garden. Hands really fried. Still, happy with today's training - the jerks felt solid and first time I made 10x8reps this way.
Also remade an 8kg bell to a 36kg one - supposed to be 40kg but I miscalculated (calculated from a 12kg :-). I used a new method to achieve an even distribution of the weight inside. It feels like the balance is nice in rack. 36kg is heavy, though. Only cleaned it today.
I will make a post about 36kg making eventually.
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Fishing Expedition
The attorney general for the State of Virginia has sent a letter to the University of Virginia demanding a great many documents related to work done under several grants received by Michael Mann for research conducted while he was a professor at the University of Virgina (he is now at Penn State University). The letter basically asks for all of Mann's work-related files, emails, computer code and DNA starting from 1999 (that last bit was something I added). (Sources: here and here)The specific part of the statute that the attorney general has invoked as being potentially violated by Mann is the following:
1. Knowingly presents, or causes to be presented, to an officer or employee of the Commonwealth a false or fraudulent claim for payment or approval;
2. Knowingly makes, uses, or causes to be made or used, a false record or statement to get a false or fraudulent claim paid or approved by the Commonwealth;
3. Conspires to defraud the Commonwealth by getting a false or fraudulent claim allowed or paid;
I'm no lawyer, but the chances of Mann being found guilty of violating this statute are precisely zero. Mann's work has been pored over for years. The worst that can be said about Mann is that he may have done sloppy research using poor methods that won't stand the test of time, and when challenged he tends to act petulant and nasty. Let's just accept this as true for the purposes of discussion. OK, so what? None of this rises to scientific misconduct or fraud, not even close, and no one has even made such a case, despite the ample noise in the blogosphere.
The attorney general for the state of Virginia can get away with this harassment of an individual scientist because climate change is fully politicized as a wedge issue and Mann is unpopular, even among many climate scientists. The frothing hoards on the internet who rise to Mann's defense probably don't help his image among anyone undecided about the issues who decides to take a look at the online debates. But make no mistake, this is a fishing expedition pure and simple. The point of the "investigation" is not to recover Virginia funds that were misappropriated, as the law might suggest, but to go back the the Climategate well one more time to see if more embarrassing information or emails might be dredged up. And on this point, there are probably more embarrassing things in Mann's emails and files. But given the attention he has received and the information already found in the East Anglia emails, it'd be a shock to find anything indicating research misconduct.
The attorney general's "investigation" is a cheap publicity stunt hoping to uncover something of political value. It should serve as a warning to everyone in the academic community who works for state universities or receives public funding for their research (one of which most everyone in the academic community falls under) -- your entire life's work is subject to public scrutiny at any time. This is just a fact, no point in complaining about it. Academics should behave accordingly, because each of us has a chance to be in Mann's position. Mann's circumstances are pretty extreme, but even so.
What should Mann do? He should respond to the request for information as quickly as possible. Resisting or stonewalling is simply not an option and will fuel suspicion that something is being hidden. If, as I have surmised, there is nothing to be found in his files other than the occasional embarassing private correspondence and evidence of sloppy work, he should explore every opportunity to sue the state of Virginia to the extent possible by law. If he takes these actions, he'll have my full support.
Note: I am among those named in the attorney general's letter as a target of emails with Michael Mann.
Random Thoughts on Various Subjects
1. BEING MEXICAN IN ARIZONA
Arizona's decision to go after people who look brown has gotten to epic proportions. I am heartened by the reaction to Arizona's overreaction.
I believe in having an open border with Mexico in the same way we have an openj border with Canada. No one gets pissy when a Canuck crosses the border, and that includes when they smuggle in weed from British Columbia. The problem people have with ilegal immigration is that the illegal immigrants are brown and speak a different language.
The irony of this is how civil liberties are so easily sacrificed for the sake of a prejudice. You don't have to like Mexicans to realize that their ethnic group has the lowest crime rate even better than whites, and that most of them come here to work and better their lives and the lives of their families. Certainly, some of them are involved in the drug trade, but this is an argument for ending drug prohibition not immigration. The same goes for welfare. End the welfare state not immigration.
It remains to be seen how the courts will respond to this, but I hope they strike this foolish law down.
2. SERVE AND COLLECT
More and more, I see law enforcement as not being here to serve and protect the people but to serve and collect unofficial taxes through red light cameras, speed cameras, and asset forfeiture. Basically, they steal from us, so they can keep "protecting" us. Cops are just crooks with badges. They are a joke.
3. TEA PARTY SMEARS
Leftards can get traction with only one Tea Party criticism. Tea Party people are racist rednecks. The Left has no ideas. They do not address the central argument of Tea Party people which is our bloated government, the budget deficit, and the ballooning national debt. Assuming that all Tea Partiers are secretly KKK members, what about the out of control spending of our government? What about that?!
These smears are just a trick to change the topic. What is sad is that this issue is very important. Leftards should be just as concerned over fiscal issues as anyone else. But they aren't. They don't give a shit. They are deluded by their own arrogance and ignorance.
4. CHARLIE CRIST THE COCKSUCKER
Crist can't win the nomination, so he bolts the part. Good riddance. But now that he is going to run as an independent, his only goal is to be a spoiler. He would rather a Democrat win that see a real Republican make it. This is the essence of what a RINO is all about. I am also disgusted that Crist and I have the same first name. It could be worse. My name could be "Barack."
5. BUFFETT AND GOLDMAN
It is sickening to watch Warren Buffett come to Goldman's defense. Of course, I don't think Goldman did anything illegal. This SEC prosecution is more politically motivated than anything else. But Goldman is an ethical slime pit and should be known as one.
Buffett is a con artist. I admire his partner, Charlie Munger, but Buffett quit listening to Charlie a long time ago. Warren Buffett is no better than Goldman Sachs. He doesn't do anything illegal, but like Goldman, he doesn't deserve a good reputation. Buffett has gone off the reservation on this issue, and I hope it bites him in the ass.
6. APPLE VS. ADOBE
I have a hard time these days trying to decide if Steve Jobs belongs in my heroes category or my pricks category. The latest round has to do with Adobe and the use of Flash. Jobs contends that Flash is crap, and everyone should switch to HTML5. Jobs is most likely correct on this. But is Jobs concerned about what is best for his products or is he settling an old score?
It is apparent to everyone that Jobs engages in controlling behavior. He has flipped on Google for creating an open platform with Android. He has flipped on app developers. Steve Jobs is a tyrant.
People give Jobs the benefit of the doubt because Steve is always right. But he isn't. This is Microsoft behavior. Jobs is leveraging his platform to control the market, and I think it will backfire on him. Apple is walking a thin line here.
7. SANDRA BULLOCK
It is good to see Sandra Bullock move on with her life. Jesse James lost a good one there. His future will include more porn stars and tattoo freak artists.
I don't know why people get married. It is almost always a dumb idea.
8. OIL SPILL IN THE GULF
Obama decides to open up offshore drilling. BP has a disaster. Obama gets pilloried from the Left for the only good decision he has made so far in his administration.
Folks, wind and solar will do nothing for us. Global warming is looking more and more like a bunch of horseshit. Oil is where it is at until we get fusion. Drill baby drill.
9. TIMES SQUARE CAR BOMB
I don't have much of an opinion on this one, but it will be interesting to see who they nab for this one. For some reason, terrorists of late have been pretty clueless with their attempts. It is on par with dumb crook news.
10. TEN ITEMS
For some reason, I am expected to have ten items when I do a RTOVS. But I don't always have random thoughts on ten various subjects. Sometimes, it is only nine like today. Other days, it might be 12. People need to get off my ass on this.
