I like both of these photos. Wanna Make Something of it?

Workout notes I tried to run but my stomach rebelled at the jostling; I made it about 100 meters before having to stop. I walked a hilly 5+ mile course though. It was too pretty to not get at least a little exercise even if I am not fully recovered yet.

Posts
I have differential equations papers to grade and so I’ll leave it at this:

Yes, I like both photos; I think it was great that the current Commander in Chief attended the Army-Navy game and that the former one attended the Navy-SMU game. Period.

Week end odds and ends

Workout notes
I felt good enough to walk 4 miles (easily); the temperatures were chilly and the skys clear. I had started to do a 3 miler but extended it to 4; I saw Tracy in the bottom of the Cemetery.

Perhaps I’ll jog 3-4 miles and lift weights tomorrow.

Economy
What is the drag on our economy?
Fareed Zakaria argues that our crumbling infrastructure is a major factor.

Here is a link to an NPR article which points out that we have a demand problem. This makes sense to me for the following reason: companies are in business to make money; they want to get as high as revenue as possible for the least possible cost. Hence they have no incentive to hire even if they are doing very well in terms of profit…unless their demand makes it necessary.

Football: Tim Tebow and his Zombie
Yes, I watched today’s Bears-Chargers game, and yes, I think that Tim Tebow is a good player who really helps his team. But he is very outspoken about his personal superstitions and that has drawn attention from a variety of quarters, including those who really don’t follow football.

My take: on one level: who friggin cares? Really; Mr. Tebow is a football player and not a public intellectual and not a political leaders. Personally, I find what gets said in Congress and by our political leaders to be far more offensive and dangerous; examples:

Who cares what Mr. Tebow has to say on topics not related to athletics?

But on another level, this debate gets to the old “well, a person’s religious beliefs should always be respected” which, to me, is pure nonsense. Also, if someone puts an opinion out there, they should expect it to be critiqued.

This is a bit different than, say, someone asking, with pride, if their baby is cute. Religion involves ideas and publicly expressed ideas warrant a critique.

Of course, people should be respected (IMHO); it is one thing to say “that idea makes no sense” and it is another to say “you are an idiot for holding such an nonsensical idea”.

Getting back to the New York Times article that Dr. Coyne critiqued: I don’t agree with the assertion that Tewbo’s public actions should be off limits to critique. But I do agree that Tebow (and others) sometimes successfully use religion as a type of sports psychology.