While Watching W

We were watching the film “W”. But I made the mistake of watching the film with two women; there have been three phone delays.

So here are some posts:

In Florida:

I’d take it a bit further: in some ways, at times, it can make it easier to be a bad person.

(hat tip to Friendly Atheist)

Politics This must drive the conservatives nuts. Yes, President Obama’s approval ratings are over 50 percent in many “red” states too.

Bad Statistics: Nate Silver provides an interesting example concerning the elections in Iran.

Roughly speaking, some regressions purport to show that the Iranian election is rigged. Don’t misunderstand: he isn’t claiming that the election is fair but rather the circulating statistical analysis doesn’t prove anything.

The title of this blog post is priceless

Our education departments strike again: let’s bring Twitter and Facebook into the classroom!

Rate Your Students Responds Appropriately

Just read the title.

PSST: part of the educational experience is to change the way that the students think. Trust me: these pre-flakes won’t be able to either read nor digest a book or any substantive written material.

Health Care Column

Nicholas Kristof via the New York Times:

Diane Tucker, 59, is an American lawyer who moved to Vancouver, Canada, in 2006. Like everyone else there, she now pays the equivalent of just $49 a month for health care.

Then one day two years ago, Ms. Tucker was working on her office computer when she noticed that she was having trouble typing with her right hand.

“I realized my hand was numb, so I tried to stand up to shake it out,” she remembered. “But I had trouble standing.”

A colleague called 911, and an ambulance rushed her to the nearest hospital.

“An emergency room doctor met me at the door, and they took me straight upstairs to the CT scan,” she recalled. A neurologist explained that she had suffered a stroke.

Ms. Tucker spent a week at the hospital. “The doctors were great, although there were also a couple of jerks,” she said. “The nursing staff was wonderful.”

Still, there were two patients to a room, and conditions weren’t as opulent as at some American hospitals. “The food was horrible,” she said.

Then again, the price was right. “They never spoke to me about money,” she said. “Not when I checked in, and not when I left.” [...]

Then, last year, Ms. Tucker fainted while on a visit to San Francisco, and an ambulance rushed her to the nearest hospital. But this was in the United States, so the person meeting her at the emergency room door wasn’t a doctor.

“The first person I saw was a lady with a computer,” she said, “asking me how I intended to pay the bill.” Ms. Tucker did, in fact, have insurance, but she was told she would have to pay herself and seek reimbursement.

Nothing was seriously wrong, and the hospital discharged her after five hours. The bill came to $8,789.29.

So what do Republicans think?

13 June 09

Workout notes slept in; got to the Travis High School track at 8:10, warmed up with 1 walking mile (drills); 14′ish, then 8 x (400 technique, 200 off) + 200 on to get 36:37 for 5000 meters. Then I walked one easy mile (14′ish).

I focused on the push off phase of the walking gait. Then I did some yoga and push-ups; I got the feeling that I did a training session. The total time for the walking session was 5 miles in 1:06.

One key note: NOTHING hurt; no piriformis pain, no hip pain, no behind the knee pain. If I want to walk pain free, I had better keep up the drills.

Going to Travis to workout brought back memories: 33 years ago! During high school, I’d go there every morning to train for football season; I’d run, run hills, run sprints, and then lift weights. Come football season: I still sucked.

But I built up endurance which still helps me to this day.

Ultras: Ulli Kamm’s advice page for ultra walkers (100 milers).

Posts:

NBA: Evidently, Science Avenger is exasperated on the Magic’s finishing strategy. I am disgusted at their free throw shooting, though the big guys (Chamberlain, O’Neil) sometimes have trouble with this. He recommends that they hire a mathematician (sort of tongue in cheek, I think)

Politics

Right Wing Wackos (no, mainstream Republicans, I am NOT talking about you). These morons are deadly.

TUCSON, AZ – Three people have been arrested in connection with last months deadly double homicide in Arivaca that left a nine-year-old and her father dead. One of the people arrested for the homicide is the National Executive Director of the Minuteman American Defense group (M.A.D.), a group known for patrolling the border, and is dedicated to “Defending America’s Borders” according to their website – http://minutemenamericandefense.org/

Jason Eugene Bush, 38, Shawna Forde, 42 and Albert Robert Gaxiola, 43, were all taken into custody and charged in connection with the murders of 29-year-old Raul Flores and 8-year-old Brisenia Flores. Both were killed during an alleged home invasion.

According to authorities, Bush, Forde, and Gaxiola broke into the home of the Flores family just after midnight on May 30th. At the time, the mother, father and daughter were home. The invaders reportedly shot the three members of the Flores family, killing the father, Raul, and the daughter, Brisenia. The invaders then left the scene.

The mother survived the shooting, called police, and found a gun. Sheriff Dupnik says the three returned moments later to make sure everyone was dead. At that point, the mother shot and injured Bush, and the three fled the scene.

The trio has been charged with two counts of First Degree Murder, one count of First Degree Burglary, and one count of Aggravated Assault.

Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik says, “Jason Bush was in fact the shooter of all three of these people under orders from Ms. Forde.”

Dupnik says, “The husband who was murdered has a history in being involved in narcotics and there was an anticipation that there would be a considerable amount of cash at this location, as well as the possiblity of drugs.”[...]

Commentary: From the Good Kentuckian:

Clearly, this woman was acting like an idiot; sometimes people think that they somehow have a pass to do whatever they like (because others are watching, because they are female, old, etc.)

But how much force this officer should have used is really tough to judge; clearly he can’t let her go but one wonders if he could have overpowered her in an easier manner? I don’t know; officers do have to worry about a suspect getting to their weapon, etc.

Note: I used to live in this area (1990-1991).

12 June 09 Link Dump

Ahh, I love to blog.

Two more notes about my trip:

1. This morning, I tried to watch cable news instead of reading newspapers or reading internet news. It sucks unless you care about Madonna’s attempts to adopt.

2. I finished One God, Three Faiths and started to listen to Evolution and its Discontents once again. I can recommend either.

Blog Roll

I’ve started to follow the blog Liberalland (Alan Colmes); I have to admit that there was a time when I didn’t take Mr. Colmes seriously. But then I read his book Red, White and Liberal and really liked it.

Here is one of his recent posts:

Right Wing Site is selling a “liberal hunting sticker”.

He has also embedded a couple of videos:

President George W. Bush was “God’s instrument” (this was intended to be a compliment).

He also shows a video of a right wing nut job (and a candidate for Governor of Georgia) singing about the recent murder.

Speaking of the far right: a Fox News journalist notes that the incoming e-mail about President Obama has gone scary.

(hat tip: The Invisible Pink Unicorn)

Health Care

Robert Reich shows what to watch for in the upcoming health care debate. Remember that the public option is mostly valuable because it allows for a large group to negotiate good prices; anything that breaks up the large group hurts the negotiating power.

Now Dr. Reich notes that the war is on; can President Obama measure up to President Johnson in this area?

Science and Religion:
Here is a collection (blow by blow) of the relevant posts on accommodationism and science.

Here is a nice youtube video which takes apart a creationist.

Humor Click on this image to see a funny chart on the “browser wars”; this is an internet humor sort of thing.

(from Evolved Rational)

In Austin, 12 June 09

Workout notes I ran 4 miles yesterday morning and did some yoga; this morning I did 20 more minutes. This weekend: probably a swim and a run, also a walk. I might go to the track and do some technique work.

Driving Notes

Missouri new Route 66 Rest Stop (off of I-44): like it! See the full spread here.

Texas Rest Stop (Highway 69/75, Near the Oklahoma border, near Dennison)

Very nice.

Confederate Memorial Museum and Rest Area, Atoka, Oklahoma (Highway 69). Its a rest area and has some exhibits as well.

I-35E, I-35 from south of Dallas to north Austin: sucks. Yes, the road itself is partly under construction and much of it is in good physical shape, but it is basically bumper to bumper for almost 200 miles. For my Illinois friends: think I-55 from I-80 into Chicago. You have that kind of traffic for almost 200 miles. I can’t wait until I never have to do this drive again; there was a time when some of it was actually pleasant.

Please get those bullet trains going!