Monday, November 18, 2013
Hah!
A permanent slump?
A permanent slump? So speculates Paul Krugman, the barking mad Nobel Prize-winning former economist who now shills writes for the New York Times. But upon reading his piece, I'm struck by the fact that what he's actually doing is blaming the non-recovery on anything and everything except the obvious things to point at: socialism, over-taxation, over-regulation, and deficit spending.
Mr. Krugman would find it educational to pay a visit to North Dakota, where they seem to have successfully recovered. He might want to think about why...
Mr. Krugman would find it educational to pay a visit to North Dakota, where they seem to have successfully recovered. He might want to think about why...
What political disaster looks like...
And it's devastating, from a political perspective. Combine this with the ObamaCare polls I'll be writing about shortly, and the picture looks very grim if your last name is Obama, or if you have a “D” after your name...
Today's gonna be a good day...
“It’s always good to see you, Dad.”
“It’s always good to see you, Dad.” This beautiful story had me in tears, partly because of its resonance with my last visit with my dad, just a couple months ago. I do, however, want you all to know: I did not visit Taco Bell...
Jarrett leading secret negotiations with Iran?
Jarrett leading secret negotiations with Iran? If this report is true, it is very disturbing – such a negotiation is far outside her brief, and we have zero reason to believe that she is in any way qualified to do this. The administration very quickly issued a categorical denial. If this were any other administration, I'd immediately dismiss this report on the basis of that denial. But it is The One's administration, and their denial actually makes me even more suspicious...
Bitcoin mining, for fun and loss...
Bitcoin mining, for fun and loss... Warren Meyer, writing at Forbes, on the dodgy economics of bitcoin mining. One little tidbit of technical awesomeness (in an article that's not really about the technology): devices are just coming onto the market that can execute 3 trillion cryptographic hashes per second...
Israel and Saudi Arabia, new BFFs?
Israel and Saudi Arabia, new BFFs? I never thought I'd see anything like this outside of The Onion:
Israel is working on coordinating plans for a possible military strike with Saudi Arabia, with Riyadh prepared to provide tactical support to Jerusalem, a British newspaper reported early Sunday.From a purely pragmatic military perspective, this makes perfectly good sense. But from any other perspective, it looks absolutely impossible!
The two countries have both united in worry that the West may come to terms with Iran, easing sanctions and allowing the Islamic Republic to continue its nuclear program.
According to the Sunday Times, Riyadh has agreed to let Israel use its airspace in a military strike on Iran and cooperate over the use of rescue helicopters, tanker planes and drones.
A damned fine question, Mr. Sullum!
A damned fine question, Mr. Sullum! Jacob Sullum, writing at Reason, asks:
Was the Dog-Authorized Exploration of David Eckert's Guts Legal?It's a must-read, and yet another reason for us to put an end to the moronic “war on drugs”...
A bizarre search illustrates how the war on drugs has undermined our civil liberties.
How is it possible that a motorist pulled over for a rolling stop could end up being forcibly subjected to two X-rays, two digital probes of his anus, three enemas, and a colonoscopy, none of which discovered the slightest trace of the drugs that police claim to have thought he was hiding inside himself? That is the question raised by a federal lawsuit that recently received wide attention after it was highlighted by KOB, the NBC affiliate in Albuquerque.
The answer says a lot about the outrageous indignities we have come to tolerate in the name of the war on drugs, which has undermined our civil liberties to the point that what happened to David Eckert after he was stopped in Deming, New Mexico, seemed perfectly justified to the cops who detained him, the prosecutor who approved their application for a search warrant, the judge who granted it, and the doctors who helped execute it. Even in retrospect, Deming Police Chief Brandon Gigante insists that "we follow the law in every aspect." The really horrifying thing about Eckert's ordeal is that the courts might agree with Gigante.
The mask slips for just a moment...
ObamaCare debacle update...
ObamaCare debacle update... Because there's nothing like the smell of ObamaCare decomposing on a sunny Monday morning...
Legalize real health insurance. Dr. Paul Hsieh, writing in Forbes, is singing my song...
ObamaCare's union favor. Are you surprised by this? I'm certainly not – with The One's administration, it's Chicago-style cronyism right down the line...
Insurance industry readied while Obama slept. Well, of course the insurance company “readied” – they are businesses, and they had to follow the law. Unlike, say, The One. Here's the kicker, though: this is in USA Today, heretofore (so far as I know) an unapologetic ObamaCare booster. Oops!
Heads are going to roll. It's not good to screw up The One's “signature legislation”...
Handy list of more ObamaCare shoes left to drop. A half-dozen more shoes, and they're all big, heavy shoes. Staffers working on ObamaCare must be cowering in the basement, knowing (and they do know) what's coming shortly...
The most shocking ObamaCare revelation: The One's towering incompetence. I'm going to have to differ with the author (Walter Russell Mead) on this one, as Obama's incompetence has been on display for five years now. But welcome to reality, Walter...
HealthCare.gov gets a new spokesman. Yeah, that ought to help!
Obama to rally supporters for ObamaCare. Smells a little of desperation, doesn't it?
Pelosi vs. Gregory. Incompetence and incoherence raised to new levels. It continues to astonish me that (a) voters keep electing Pelosi, and (b) viewers keep watching intellectual zeroes like Gregory. Ugh...
The One is nominating a new surgeon-general. Is anyone surprised that he turns out to be a political hack, employed by a progressive hackery factory?
ObamaCare is derailing president's credibility. Ya think?
American healthcare is all over but the screaming. An industry insider's view of the impact of ObamaCare (and regulation in general) on hospitals. Chilling stuff...
Legalize real health insurance. Dr. Paul Hsieh, writing in Forbes, is singing my song...
ObamaCare's union favor. Are you surprised by this? I'm certainly not – with The One's administration, it's Chicago-style cronyism right down the line...
Insurance industry readied while Obama slept. Well, of course the insurance company “readied” – they are businesses, and they had to follow the law. Unlike, say, The One. Here's the kicker, though: this is in USA Today, heretofore (so far as I know) an unapologetic ObamaCare booster. Oops!
Handy list of more ObamaCare shoes left to drop. A half-dozen more shoes, and they're all big, heavy shoes. Staffers working on ObamaCare must be cowering in the basement, knowing (and they do know) what's coming shortly...
The most shocking ObamaCare revelation: The One's towering incompetence. I'm going to have to differ with the author (Walter Russell Mead) on this one, as Obama's incompetence has been on display for five years now. But welcome to reality, Walter...
HealthCare.gov gets a new spokesman. Yeah, that ought to help!
Obama to rally supporters for ObamaCare. Smells a little of desperation, doesn't it?
The One is nominating a new surgeon-general. Is anyone surprised that he turns out to be a political hack, employed by a progressive hackery factory?
ObamaCare is derailing president's credibility. Ya think?
American healthcare is all over but the screaming. An industry insider's view of the impact of ObamaCare (and regulation in general) on hospitals. Chilling stuff...
The backstory...
Rates of technology adoption...
“Skilled dispatcher”...
Back in the '70s, when I was in the U.S. Navy, my ship (USS Long Beach CGN-9) visited Singapore. Together with 20 or so other sailors, I visited a Chinese restaurant there. One of the sailors ordered a roast chicken, and to his surprise – and discomfort – the waiter hauled him over to a pen to choose which chicken he wanted to eat. Despite having suffered weeks of awful Navy-at-sea food, he didn't enjoy his meal at all. The Chinese staff had seen this American reaction before, and they were quite amused. As, I think, they should be – for what a silly pretension we Americans have, that our meat all comes from some factory, wrapped in plastic, and not directly from the flesh of some animal...
ObamaCare – a personal report...
ObamaCare – a personal report... Well, I was finally able to make it all the way through the process on the Covered California site, right up to the point where I'd actually buy a policy (which I did not do). Here's a summary of the results, in terms of costs, for a policy covering Debbie and I:
The ObamaCare policy's out-of-pocket caps are quite complicated, as they vary for the type of care offered. It wouldn't surprise me a bit to discover that they're actually higher than what I listed above.
In terms of coverage, the ObamaCare policy overlaps our current policy, but there are notable differences. The biggest difference I see is that our current policy has much better coverage out-of-network, and gives us complete freedom to choose the specialists we want. The ObamaCare policy is severely restricted in those terms. On the other hand, the ObamaCare policy covers some things our current policy doesn't: birth control, maternity care, podiatrists, and much more mental health coverage. We don't care about any of those things.
So, on balance: the ObamaCare policy is much more expensive (especially when you consider those out-of-pocket caps) and is lower quality (for the things that we care about) than our current policy.
Thanks a bunch, ObamaCare...
| Current policy | ObamaCare policy | |
| Monthly premium: | $1,272 | $2,012 |
| Out-of-pocket cap: | $3,500 | $7,800 |
| Max annual cost: | $18,764 | $31,944 |
The ObamaCare policy's out-of-pocket caps are quite complicated, as they vary for the type of care offered. It wouldn't surprise me a bit to discover that they're actually higher than what I listed above.
In terms of coverage, the ObamaCare policy overlaps our current policy, but there are notable differences. The biggest difference I see is that our current policy has much better coverage out-of-network, and gives us complete freedom to choose the specialists we want. The ObamaCare policy is severely restricted in those terms. On the other hand, the ObamaCare policy covers some things our current policy doesn't: birth control, maternity care, podiatrists, and much more mental health coverage. We don't care about any of those things.
So, on balance: the ObamaCare policy is much more expensive (especially when you consider those out-of-pocket caps) and is lower quality (for the things that we care about) than our current policy.
Thanks a bunch, ObamaCare...
Sunday, November 17, 2013
See SPOT fail. Fail, SPOT, fail...
The GSA study referred to can be found here; it's an interesting read. Here's it's conclusion (in its entirety):
TSA has taken several positive steps to validate the scientific basis and strengthen program management of BDA and the SPOT program, which has been in place for over 6 years at a total cost of approximately $900 million since 2007. Nevertheless, TSA has not demonstrated that BDOs can consistently interpret the SPOT behavioral indicators, a fact that may contribute to varying passenger referral rates for additional screening. The subjectivity of the SPOT behavioral indicators and variation in BDO referral rates raise questions about the continued use of behavior indicators for detecting passengers who might pose a risk to aviation security. Furthermore, decades of peer-reviewed, published research on the complexities associated with detecting deception through human observation also draw into question the scientific underpinnings of TSA's behavior detection activities. While DHS commissioned a 2011 study to help demonstrate the validity of its approach, the study's findings cannot be used to demonstrate the effectiveness of SPOT because of methodological limitations in the study’s design and data collection.Ouch...
While TSA has several efforts under way to assess the behavioral indicators and expand its collection of data to develop performance metrics for its behavioral detection activities, these efforts are not expected to be completed for several years, and TSA has indicated that additional resources are needed to complete them. Consequently, after 10 years of implementing and testing the SPOT program, TSA cannot demonstrate that the agency's behavior detection activities can reliably an d effectively identify high-risk passengers who may pose a threat to the U.S. aviation system.
ObamaCare debacle update...
ObamaCare debacle update... Because just once a day isn't enough to keep up with the churning cascade of debacle debullition...
The three burials of ObamaCare. Twice before we've tried to kill it. This time, let's use a silver bullet!
ObamaCare costs more if you're married. Oh, isn't this just lovely! Now we've got the bureaucrats providing incentives for people to get divorced...
ObamaCare, deconstructed (video at right). And a fine job they did, too!
Oops, there goes another ObamaCare promise... Dave Carter at Ricochet speaks to the Obama voter. His lede:
ObamaCare may wreak havoc on liberal agenda: Shields and Brooks. Oh, dang, I'm completely out of popcorn!
Toe the line, you shlubs! The Washington, D.C. insurance commissioner questioned the viability of Obama's proposed “fix”. One day later, he's out of a job. Don't you dare question The One!
“We all knew.” Those are the words of Senator Gillibrand, D NY (at right), upon being asked if she was misled by Obama's “If you likeyour plan...” promise. We all knew.
Rope.
Tree.
Congresscritter.
Some assembly required.
The three burials of ObamaCare. Twice before we've tried to kill it. This time, let's use a silver bullet!
ObamaCare costs more if you're married. Oh, isn't this just lovely! Now we've got the bureaucrats providing incentives for people to get divorced...
Oops, there goes another ObamaCare promise... Dave Carter at Ricochet speaks to the Obama voter. His lede:
By chance, have you had enough yet? Many of you have either lost your jobs or you've had your hours reduced. Millions of you are seeing your insurance policies go up in a fireball before your very eyes, like a KISS concert only instead of singing, "I Stole Your Love," the front man now sings, "I Stole Your Heath Care."If you set the bar low enough ... even the government can make it over. We find out now that the administration's goal for healthcare.gov is for 80% of people attempting to buy insurance to actually make it through. Worse, we find out that this goal has just been set – before that, there were no goals. As I read this piece, I was trying to imagine Jeff Bezos' reaction upon discovering that someone working at Amazon had set the bar that low...
But I don't want you to feel gullible. I think, under the circumstances, something approaching totally bamboozled would be understandable, ... or snookered, or hoodwinked, or hornswoggled, swindled, fleeced, scammed, deluded, stung, bent, folded, spindled and mutilated perhaps, broken into tiny dehumanized pieces to be redesigned into an academic's experimental idea of a perfect society certainly, … but not gullible.
In what became the longest instance of political foreplay in contemporary American history, the President whispered utopian nothings in your ear, caressing your hopes while dreamily promising that millions of people would get something for nothing and you wouldn't have to pay for it. You could say he was being coy, but that would be on the order of saying that the Titanic took on just a little added moisture.
Toe the line, you shlubs! The Washington, D.C. insurance commissioner questioned the viability of Obama's proposed “fix”. One day later, he's out of a job. Don't you dare question The One!
Rope.
Tree.
Congresscritter.
Some assembly required.
ObamaCare debacle update...
ObamaCare debacle update... Because Sunday morning just wouldn't be the same without it...
“Modified rapture” is how Neo-Neocon describes her reaction to recent events in ObamaCare-land. She makes some interesting, and sobering, points...
Will Liberalism implode? I don't know, but the simple fact that someone is asking that question out loud puts a big grin on my face!
Game over? So asks Dana Milbank, ordinarily a reliable lefty writer. It's clear from the piece that he believes the answer is “yes, game over”. If this is actually all a dream I'm having, then please let me sleep some more...
Stop digging. Start over. That's the headline on an unsigned editorial by The Chicago Tribune. Yes, that newspaper – the Obama hometown that has previously worshiped every single move of The One, and defended him from all comers. That newspaper. Here's there conclusion:
Hold them accountable. That's the theme of yesterday's weekly Republican radio address (video at right). Obviously the Republicans see political advantage for themselves in this mess, and of course they're going to exploit it. My problem with the Republicans is that I've only heard a few of them propose healthcare reform that I could support, so I'm not sure that what they come up with would be substantially better than ObamaCare. But if repealing ObamaCare is the first step, then I'm all for it! The conclusion of their address:
“Modified rapture” is how Neo-Neocon describes her reaction to recent events in ObamaCare-land. She makes some interesting, and sobering, points...
Will Liberalism implode? I don't know, but the simple fact that someone is asking that question out loud puts a big grin on my face!
Game over? So asks Dana Milbank, ordinarily a reliable lefty writer. It's clear from the piece that he believes the answer is “yes, game over”. If this is actually all a dream I'm having, then please let me sleep some more...
Stop digging. Start over. That's the headline on an unsigned editorial by The Chicago Tribune. Yes, that newspaper – the Obama hometown that has previously worshiped every single move of The One, and defended him from all comers. That newspaper. Here's there conclusion:
But in this country we don't change bad laws by presidential fiat. We change them by having Congress rewrite them or by starting from scratch. Obama doesn't want to reopen this law for fear that Republicans and some Democrats will substantially rewrite it. But that's what has to happen.Wow. Just wow!
We understand why the president and leaders of his party want to rescue whatever they can of Obamacare. On their watch, official Washington has blown the launch of a new entitlement program ... under the schedule they alone set in early 2010.
What we don't understand is their reluctance to give that failure more than lip service. Many of the Americans who heard their president say Thursday that "we fumbled the rollout of this health care law" would have been pleased to hear him add: So we're admitting it. This law is a bust. We're starting over.
Throughout the health care debate, Republicans have proposed dozens of solutions designed to help control costs and improve quality – without surrendering control of your personal health care decisions to nameless bureaucrats in Washington. Now is the time to enact those common sense ideas.
But none of this will occur unless the American people hold those who supported ObamaCare accountable – and do so with a very loud voice. Democrat Senators must help Republicans pass legislation to limit the damage of ObamaCare. If not, those who choose to ignore the plight of millions of Americans should be replaced next November by those who will act.
It's amazing what a little prosperity can do!
It's amazing what a little prosperity can do! Somehow the progressives always miss this solution to the ills they purport to want to cure...
Pahoehoe...
Pahoehoe... The Hawaiians call this slow, thick, viscous form of lava “pahoehoe”. It leaves a characteristic pattern of “feet and toes” that are very easy to walk on – after the lava has cooled, of course!
You'll want to watch this one full screen...
You'll want to watch this one full screen...
Big ball of mud...
Big ball of mud... What's the most common, most successful software architecture in the world? Why, it's the big ball of mud (also known by many other less polite names)! Every experienced software engineer knows the truth of this. It is the de facto standard of software architecture. Every single commercially successful software product I've ever had the privilege to look closely at is, under the covers, one gigantic ball of mud. It's as if you looked under a bridge and found that it was held up by enormous piles of twigs tied together with shoelaces, duct tape, and used chewing gum. Every such software product has dark corners in its code where people fear to change anything, because nobody knows how it works. Or areas where the complexity is so high that it would take days to acquire an understanding deep enough to successfully extend or repair it. Every one contains layers and layers of software that works around problems in other layers, or covers up the problems of a lower layer while making new problems of its own.
The one thing I have never seen is a commercially successful software product whose code is pristine and beautiful.
Why is this? Why are all these software products such a disaster under the covers, in their code? This fascinating and entertaining paper (at least, if you're a programmer) by Brian Foote and Joseph Yoder delves into exactly that question. It jibes nicely with my own experiences, where the big ball of mud emerges from the tension between the business need to make the software do something useful as quickly as possible, and the engineering need to make something beautiful, fast, and reliable. This tension leads to innumerable small decisions in favor of expediency and against the engineer's better judgment.
One of the reasons I'm enjoying the programming I'm doing now, in my retirement, is that this tension is completely removed. I am free to make the best code I know how to make, no matter how long it takes me. In my current project, for example, I've already spent a month on a problem that I don't imagine any company I've ever worked for would have allowed me more than a day or two – and I'm not nearly done! But I'm also not making a big ball of mud. I'm making something much more beautiful than that. At least to me :)
The one thing I have never seen is a commercially successful software product whose code is pristine and beautiful.
Why is this? Why are all these software products such a disaster under the covers, in their code? This fascinating and entertaining paper (at least, if you're a programmer) by Brian Foote and Joseph Yoder delves into exactly that question. It jibes nicely with my own experiences, where the big ball of mud emerges from the tension between the business need to make the software do something useful as quickly as possible, and the engineering need to make something beautiful, fast, and reliable. This tension leads to innumerable small decisions in favor of expediency and against the engineer's better judgment.
One of the reasons I'm enjoying the programming I'm doing now, in my retirement, is that this tension is completely removed. I am free to make the best code I know how to make, no matter how long it takes me. In my current project, for example, I've already spent a month on a problem that I don't imagine any company I've ever worked for would have allowed me more than a day or two – and I'm not nearly done! But I'm also not making a big ball of mud. I'm making something much more beautiful than that. At least to me :)
Saturday, November 16, 2013
But wait, there's more!
But wait, there's more! ObamaCare debacle, I mean:
The sinking ship of ObamaCare. Kathleen Parker in the Washington Post, piles on. I'm running out of popcorn, dammit!
If you like your monster, you can keep it. Rick Wilson is feeling the power:
It begins. Democratic politicians are feeling the heat, and are hitting the panic button. Senator Kay Hagan (D, North Carolina) has big problems. She's dropping in the polls like a GBU-43/B out of a C-130. Dana Milbank knows why:
The great prevaricator. Paul Rahe, writing at Ricochet, has a cheery conclusion:
If schadenfreude had calories, I'd weight 300 pounds. Hah!
The sinking ship of ObamaCare. Kathleen Parker in the Washington Post, piles on. I'm running out of popcorn, dammit!
If you like your monster, you can keep it. Rick Wilson is feeling the power:
Republicans should let the creature rage. Strategic patience takes discipline, because the natural instinct is to stop the monster from tearing down the village. I know you're repulsed by the idea of doing nothing. You feel for the millions of Americans losing their coverage. You want to do something, anything to put points on the board. Most of all, you all want repeal. You sense that it's close.Little Miss Out-of-touch. I speak of the Pelosi, of course.
But I want something else, and so should you. I'd like repeal served in the ruins of the Obama Administration and the Democrats' 2014 hopes. I'd like the Democrats and the media to be stuck talking about this disaster for a year, instead of being able to move on to immigration or ENDA or whatever is bugging Sandra Fluke this week.
It begins. Democratic politicians are feeling the heat, and are hitting the panic button. Senator Kay Hagan (D, North Carolina) has big problems. She's dropping in the polls like a GBU-43/B out of a C-130. Dana Milbank knows why:
Well, her problem begins with Obamacare, ends with Obamacare and has a whole lot of Obamacare in between.I don't know how much of this I can stand. But I'll try hard...
The great prevaricator. Paul Rahe, writing at Ricochet, has a cheery conclusion:
Obamacare may be remembered as a turning point in American history. It may be remembered as the time when Americans woke up, saw to the heart of the administrative entitlement state, and began the process of dismantling it and restoring limited government.What's this feeling I have? Could it be ... hope? That feels a little dangerous. But Richard Fernandez at The Belmont Club is having similar thoughts. Neo-Neocon, too, though with a bit less optimism. Must calm down...
If schadenfreude had calories, I'd weight 300 pounds. Hah!
Put a smile on your face!
Damn, dude...
ObamaCare debacle update...
Obama's creative, or illegal, rule-making. Megan McArdle finds a few problems with The One's assumptions of executive privilege. I love the smell of imminent lawsuits in the morning!
Thus spake Obama. Mark Steyn wades in, and once again makes me wish that American journalistic culture could give us a whole crop of wits like him:
On Thursday, he passed a new law at a press conference. George III never did that. But, having ordered America’s insurance companies to comply with Obamacare, the president announced that he is now ordering them not to comply with Obamacare. The legislative branch (as it’s still quaintly known) passed a law purporting to grandfather your existing health plan. The regulatory bureaucracy then interpreted the law so as to un-grandfather your health plan. So His Most Excellent Majesty has commanded that your health plan be de-un-grandfathered. That seems likely to work. The insurance industry had three years to prepare for the introduction of Obamacare. Now the King has given them six weeks to de-introduce Obamacare.
Obama's stumbling, bumbling, fumbling news conference. David Harsanyi was even less impressed than I was. His conclusion:
Finally, near the end of the news conference, the president made an interesting claim: Obamacare was really a choice driven by an incentive for stability, not disruption. "We chose a path that was the least disruptive," he said. Though pollsters rarely measure the importance of "stability" in American life, I think it's probably one of the most vital factors driving hostility toward Obamacare from independents and moderates. Everything about Obamacare implementation has created the perception of anarchy -- the arbitrary implementation of laws, people losing the plans they have, the way it was passed and the problems it has caused in Washington -- and this news conference only reinforced that perception.39 Democrats defy Obama. Democrat support of ObamaCare has been of crystalline purity for over three years. A defection like this was unthinkable just a couple of weeks ago ... and it could well be just the beginnings of a stampede. Oh, pass the popcorn, will ya?
Will tomorrow's medical innovations be there? Dr. Paul Hsieh is worried. So am I, because I can't think of a single government services organization that is any good at driving innovation. Post Office? Uh, no. DMV? Hell, no. How about Medicare? Not so much. But, the proponents say, DARPA brought us the Internet! Well, that's not really a good example - DARPA isn't a services organization, and it doesn't have a huge bureaucracy dedicated to keeping the status quo. Services organizations grow such bureaucracies intrinsically, and government bureaucracies end up running the joint (unlike private industry, where the shareholders always retain control)...
Now here's an unusual hobby!
Can common items sold in airports after the security screening be used to build lethal weapons?The answer, it turns out, is most emphatically “yes”. And Booth has the YouTube videos to prove it, like the one at right.
It's a little weird, perhaps, but it is an effective demonstration of the essential pointlessness of the TSA “security theater” style airport security...
Stratocaching...
Odds Lot: Statisticians Party Like It's 2.013 x 10 Cubed...
Odds Lot: Statisticians Party Like It's 2.013 x 10 Cubed... That's a headline in the Wall Street Journal, on today's front page no less. It's an interesting piece, too – basically saying that statisticians are more in demand now than ever, and that public awareness of statistics is growing...
Web image censorship in China...
Kudos to the folks at Pro Publica for shining a light on this affront to freedom...
How I felt after reading all the ObamaCare news yesterday...
Justice Clarence Thomas...
I've since read Thomas' book My Grandfather's Son, which I thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend...
Cat meets theremin...
I built a primitive theremin as one of my earliest electronics projects, back in the mid-'60s. I don't remember much about it, other than it used vacuum tubes for the oscillators and amplifiers. I do remember it's fate, however: while I was using it, perhaps 10 minutes after completing it and being delighted to find that it worked, an electrolytic capacitor suddenly swelled up and split open. It emitted a cloud of nasty-smelling smoke and a little blue flame. That theremin never worked again :)
Coming home from the ISS...
Climate science is settled?
Climate science is settled? Ronald Bailey takes a look at just how unsettled the science appears to be, in a post full of links to recent developments. Good stuff...
On the meaning of language...
On the meaning of language... Jeff Goldstein, writing at Protein Wisdom, has a ponder-worthy post about the importance of understanding an author's intentions when analyzing a piece of writing – and most especially, when judges are analyzing laws. It's a long post, but written in a way that anyone can understand – and full of interesting ideas and views...
Geek determination...
Geek determination... I was down at the Jamul Post Office yesterday, picking up a package, and overheard this:
I'm definitely a geek!
Irritated mom: “What is a geek, anyway? How do you know if someone's a geek?”Hah!
Calm mom: “If they think Dilbert is funny, they’re a geek.”
I'm definitely a geek!
Friday, November 15, 2013
Geek: the string “null” causes problems...
Geek: the string “null” causes problems... This StackOverflow post reminded me of a crazy problem we had at my last company (ServiceNow). I don't know if they ever fixed this...
The problem started with a special feature built into the database layer that the entire product is built upon. The database layer has a feature that allows the values of fields of any type to be set with a string value. Thus, the string “54” could be used to put the integer value 54 into a numeric field. The challenge came with the SQL value “null”. If you know anything at all about SQL, you know that value is rather important. But how do you square the database layer's “all values can be represented with a string” notion with the value “null”? The solution chosen was to make the string “NULL” special: if the database layer saw that string, it would translate it into a SQL “null”, and vice versa. This seemed to work quite well.
Now fast-forward a couple of years. I was working with a large financial customer, directly with their IT lead, Gary S., who called me one day to complain about a peculiar problem they were having. They had two employees who simply could not be entered into their system – they'd type the name in, click “Submit”, and the record never showed up in the database. Gary noted, however, that there was one interesting thing in common between these two employees: their last names were “Null”. I knew that Gary's company had an internal standard that called for all names to be entered in all upper-case, so they were entering those names as “NULL” – and of course, that would trigger the special behavior described above.
Gary “fixed” their problem by putting an asterisk after the employee's name, and distributing a note to the system's users to alert them to the problem. Over the years I worked there, I heard of several other customers who had the same exact problem. Changing that special behavior would be very difficult for ServiceNow at this point, as that special string (“NULL”) is buried in innumerable scripts, including many written by their customers...
The problem started with a special feature built into the database layer that the entire product is built upon. The database layer has a feature that allows the values of fields of any type to be set with a string value. Thus, the string “54” could be used to put the integer value 54 into a numeric field. The challenge came with the SQL value “null”. If you know anything at all about SQL, you know that value is rather important. But how do you square the database layer's “all values can be represented with a string” notion with the value “null”? The solution chosen was to make the string “NULL” special: if the database layer saw that string, it would translate it into a SQL “null”, and vice versa. This seemed to work quite well.
Now fast-forward a couple of years. I was working with a large financial customer, directly with their IT lead, Gary S., who called me one day to complain about a peculiar problem they were having. They had two employees who simply could not be entered into their system – they'd type the name in, click “Submit”, and the record never showed up in the database. Gary noted, however, that there was one interesting thing in common between these two employees: their last names were “Null”. I knew that Gary's company had an internal standard that called for all names to be entered in all upper-case, so they were entering those names as “NULL” – and of course, that would trigger the special behavior described above.
Gary “fixed” their problem by putting an asterisk after the employee's name, and distributing a note to the system's users to alert them to the problem. Over the years I worked there, I heard of several other customers who had the same exact problem. Changing that special behavior would be very difficult for ServiceNow at this point, as that special string (“NULL”) is buried in innumerable scripts, including many written by their customers...
What happens to Google maps when tectonic plates move?
What happens to Google maps when tectonic plates move? Fascinating article in Scientific American. Maps are way more complicated than most people are aware of...
See SPOT ... what, exactly?
See SPOT ... what, exactly? Screening of Passengers by Observation Techniques (SPOT) is the TSA's program that attempts to spot terrorists by observing people's behavior. They look for “tells” that a terrorist would unconsciously display. Anyone who's traveled to (especially) Israel or (to a lesser extent) the U.K. is familiar with how those countries have implemented this idea. They have a trained interrogator asking you questions like “Where are you staying?” and “What do you hope will happen when you meet with Mr. X?” The questions sound innocent enough, and generally are – the agents are watching how you react to them. The TSA's implementation is quite different – they just have passive observers who have been trained to spot alleged “tells”.
The GSA just completed a study of SPOT, and said: “TSA has not demonstrated that [behavior-detection officers] can consistently interpret the SPOT behavioral indicators. The subjectivity of the SPOT behavioral indicators and variation in BDO referral rates raise questions about the continued use of behavior indicators for detecting passengers who might pose a risk to aviation security.”
The TSA, naturally, defends SPOT. They've so far spent over $100 million taxpayer dollars on it, and it employs 2,800 people. The TSA refuses to day what the results from SPOT have been. We don't know if SPOT has ever identified even a single terrorist.
What to do about airport security? I have a plan, but I know it would never fly politically. I bet it would work, though :) My plan: fire everyone in the TSA, dismantle the agency completely, and outsource the whole thing to the Israelis. They have said, publicly, that the TSA costs more than 20 times what it would cost them to do it – and you'll note that even though El Al (the Israeli airline) is a highly desirable target of just about every terrorist group, they have an extremely good record of safety. Better than U.S. airlines, post 9/11...
The GSA just completed a study of SPOT, and said: “TSA has not demonstrated that [behavior-detection officers] can consistently interpret the SPOT behavioral indicators. The subjectivity of the SPOT behavioral indicators and variation in BDO referral rates raise questions about the continued use of behavior indicators for detecting passengers who might pose a risk to aviation security.”
The TSA, naturally, defends SPOT. They've so far spent over $100 million taxpayer dollars on it, and it employs 2,800 people. The TSA refuses to day what the results from SPOT have been. We don't know if SPOT has ever identified even a single terrorist.
What to do about airport security? I have a plan, but I know it would never fly politically. I bet it would work, though :) My plan: fire everyone in the TSA, dismantle the agency completely, and outsource the whole thing to the Israelis. They have said, publicly, that the TSA costs more than 20 times what it would cost them to do it – and you'll note that even though El Al (the Israeli airline) is a highly desirable target of just about every terrorist group, they have an extremely good record of safety. Better than U.S. airlines, post 9/11...
A sailor's dying wish...
Can you draw a map of the U.S. from memory?
I once asked a few friends and colleagues (all Americans) to try making a list of all 50 U.S. states. The results were better than I expected – the average was something like 40 states, and several people got them all. There was only one non-state listed amongst all the lists: one person (a San Diego resident!) listed Los Angeles as a state.
Another time, I did something quite close to the example. This was back in the mid-90s, at a time when I was working closely with a group of Estonians. I discovered that they had all learned a lot about U.S. history, and also about U.S. geography. So I challenged them to draw a map of the U.S. with political boundaries (states), large cities, and major natural features on it. I got about ten submissions from a room with 15 or so people in it; the others just gave up. The submissions had 6 or 7 maps that were actually quite impressive – better, I think, than anything I could have done. I noticed a pattern, too: they knew where the major natural features were (Great Lakes, Grand Canyon, Zion, Rainier, etc.) better than they knew the cities, and the cities better than they knew the states. But at least three of them got all 50 states with recognizable outlines and correct relative placement. And these were Estonians, educated under the old Soviet Union! I was, and remain, astonished at the difference in accomplishment between them and the average American of a similar age...
Steve McIntyre amuses himself...
Steve McIntyre amuses himself... And the rest of us. By grinding Lewandowsky into the dirt...
ObamaCare debacle update...
ObamaCare debacle update... Jonah Goldberg has today's intro. It's time to slurp from a great, overflowing stein of schadenfreude:
It's too late for Obama's “fix”, and he knows it.
ObamaCare is in much more trouble than it was just one week ago. Why isn't there dancing in the streets? There was dancing in my driveway this morning!!
Consumers discover yet another hidden tax funding ObamaCare. I think the progressives are honestly puzzled that people aren't cheering their new taxes...
'Fairy Tale' continues as Obama proposes extralegal ObamaCare fix. “Fairy tale” Doesn't that have a nice ring to it, when used in the same sentence with “ObamaCare”?
How to read the evasive ObamaCare enrollment numbers. It's actually quite easy – just assume they're lying.
ObamaCare is generational theft. The old folks hired Obama to steal all the monies from the youngsters...
Insurance industry: the 'fix' is not workable. Why would you expect a fix designed by a man with zero business (or real job) experience to actually work? I don't think that's the point, anyway - it was really designed to feel good, not to actually accomplish anything. Accomplishment is for the little people...
A dissenting view: Here comes the real government takeover of health care. Oh, noz! This is a real downer swimming in the schadenfreude sea...
Obama admits: ObamaCare isn't working. Did you see that speech yesterday? I think the poor fellow is coming off the rails...
Megan McArdle: there's no sign of ObamaCare Plan B, and that's not good. I understand her point, and on some level, I agree with it. But I also think that if the cost of destroying (or at least significantly dinging) progressivism is some transient national pain on healthcare, it's worth it.
New York Times: parallels between ObamaCare rollout and G. W. Bush. Oh, the schadenfreude is strong with this one!
ObamaCare's approval ratings slump. Ya think?
Bipartisan agreement: Obama's 'fix' isn't legal. Surely The One, being the great Constitutional scholar he claims to be, would, like, know this?
DNC chairwoman repeats, with emphasis: We're running on ObamaCare in 2014! Ya know, she may well be right – it may be completely impossible for any Democrat to ignore ObamaCare in next year's elections...
You know who predicted exactly how ObamaCare would fail? Mitt Romney. We could have had a good man at the helm, instead of a schmuck...
Insurers furious about the ObamaCare fix. Did someone actually expect them to like a plan that was going to cost them a whole lot of money, and throw away all the work they did in the past three years getting ready for ObamaCare?
Some thoughts on those substandard plans that had to be canceled. My translation: ObamaCare infringes on our freedoms. But do read this, it's an excellent piece...
Obama lied. Now what do we do? Should libertarians and conservatives let the ObamaCare crisis go to waste? Hell, no!
Progressives face a crisis of faith. “The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the tears of progressives.” Awesome!
Washington state on Obama's 'fix': No way, dude! Just a week ago, support for ObamaCare amongst Democrats was reflexive; today it's fading fast – and the rate of erosion seems to be accelerating. We're watching a political cascade in progress, almost in real time...
Five big questions about Obama's health law tweak. A fine summary of things to focus on watching for the next few days (at least)...
It isn't pretty when a progressive starts backtracking on ObamaCare. But it sure is fun to watch!
Some alternatives to ObamaCare. Oh, yes, please – let's start having a serious conversation about these!
“This is a new insanity.” The NJ Association of Underwriter's thoughts on Obama's 'fix'. Right away you can tell they're really impressed with his leadership...
Why does anyone thing Obama is good at politics? I never did. He's good at celebrity, which is quite a bit different. For one thing, politics has more actual content...
The lawlessness of ObamaCare. If you read any history, this is very reminiscent of FDR's sweeping power grabs...
Megan McArdle: ObamaCare is ... whatever Obama says it is. Her final question: “How many acts does this play have left?” At the rate things are proceeding, we may not have long to wait. Which will make me very happy, except for the sudden drought of schadenfreude that will ensue...
The day the Obama magic died:
If you can’t take some joy, some modicum of relief and mirth, in the unprecedentedly spectacular beclowning of the president, his administration, its enablers, and, to no small degree, liberalism itself, then you need to ask yourself why you’re following politics in the first place. Because, frankly, this has been one of the most enjoyable political moments of my lifetime. I wake up in the morning and rush to find my just-delivered newspaper with a joyful expectation of worsening news so intense, I feel like Morgan Freeman should be narrating my trek to the front lawn. Indeed, not since Dan Rather handcuffed himself to a fraudulent typewriter, hurled it into the abyss, and saw his career plummet like Ted Kennedy was behind the wheel have I enjoyed a story more.I know I'm enjoying mine, and it looks like there's at least a couple of barrels to go around!
Alas, the English language is not well equipped to capture the sensation I’m describing, which is why we must all thank the Germans for giving us the term “schadenfreude” — the joy one feels at the misfortune or failure of others. The primary wellspring of schadenfreude can be attributed to Barack Obama’s hubris — another immigrant word, which means a sinful pride or arrogance that causes someone to believe he has a godlike immunity to the rules of life.
It's too late for Obama's “fix”, and he knows it.
ObamaCare is in much more trouble than it was just one week ago. Why isn't there dancing in the streets? There was dancing in my driveway this morning!!
Consumers discover yet another hidden tax funding ObamaCare. I think the progressives are honestly puzzled that people aren't cheering their new taxes...
'Fairy Tale' continues as Obama proposes extralegal ObamaCare fix. “Fairy tale” Doesn't that have a nice ring to it, when used in the same sentence with “ObamaCare”?
How to read the evasive ObamaCare enrollment numbers. It's actually quite easy – just assume they're lying.
ObamaCare is generational theft. The old folks hired Obama to steal all the monies from the youngsters...
Insurance industry: the 'fix' is not workable. Why would you expect a fix designed by a man with zero business (or real job) experience to actually work? I don't think that's the point, anyway - it was really designed to feel good, not to actually accomplish anything. Accomplishment is for the little people...
A dissenting view: Here comes the real government takeover of health care. Oh, noz! This is a real downer swimming in the schadenfreude sea...
Obama admits: ObamaCare isn't working. Did you see that speech yesterday? I think the poor fellow is coming off the rails...
Megan McArdle: there's no sign of ObamaCare Plan B, and that's not good. I understand her point, and on some level, I agree with it. But I also think that if the cost of destroying (or at least significantly dinging) progressivism is some transient national pain on healthcare, it's worth it.
New York Times: parallels between ObamaCare rollout and G. W. Bush. Oh, the schadenfreude is strong with this one!
ObamaCare's approval ratings slump. Ya think?
Bipartisan agreement: Obama's 'fix' isn't legal. Surely The One, being the great Constitutional scholar he claims to be, would, like, know this?
DNC chairwoman repeats, with emphasis: We're running on ObamaCare in 2014! Ya know, she may well be right – it may be completely impossible for any Democrat to ignore ObamaCare in next year's elections...
You know who predicted exactly how ObamaCare would fail? Mitt Romney. We could have had a good man at the helm, instead of a schmuck...
Insurers furious about the ObamaCare fix. Did someone actually expect them to like a plan that was going to cost them a whole lot of money, and throw away all the work they did in the past three years getting ready for ObamaCare?
Some thoughts on those substandard plans that had to be canceled. My translation: ObamaCare infringes on our freedoms. But do read this, it's an excellent piece...
Obama lied. Now what do we do? Should libertarians and conservatives let the ObamaCare crisis go to waste? Hell, no!
Progressives face a crisis of faith. “The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the tears of progressives.” Awesome!
Washington state on Obama's 'fix': No way, dude! Just a week ago, support for ObamaCare amongst Democrats was reflexive; today it's fading fast – and the rate of erosion seems to be accelerating. We're watching a political cascade in progress, almost in real time...
Five big questions about Obama's health law tweak. A fine summary of things to focus on watching for the next few days (at least)...
It isn't pretty when a progressive starts backtracking on ObamaCare. But it sure is fun to watch!
Some alternatives to ObamaCare. Oh, yes, please – let's start having a serious conversation about these!
“This is a new insanity.” The NJ Association of Underwriter's thoughts on Obama's 'fix'. Right away you can tell they're really impressed with his leadership...
Why does anyone thing Obama is good at politics? I never did. He's good at celebrity, which is quite a bit different. For one thing, politics has more actual content...
The lawlessness of ObamaCare. If you read any history, this is very reminiscent of FDR's sweeping power grabs...
Megan McArdle: ObamaCare is ... whatever Obama says it is. Her final question: “How many acts does this play have left?” At the rate things are proceeding, we may not have long to wait. Which will make me very happy, except for the sudden drought of schadenfreude that will ensue...
The day the Obama magic died:
Rule by personal charisma has met its proper fate. The spell has been broken, and the magician stands exposed. We need no pollsters to tell us of the loss of faith in Mr. Obama's policies—and, more significantly, in the man himself. Charisma is like that. Crowds come together and they project their needs onto an imagined redeemer. The redeemer leaves the crowd to its imagination: For as long as the charismatic moment lasts—a year, an era—the redeemer is above and beyond judgment. He glides through crises, he knits together groups of varied, often clashing, interests. Always there is that magical moment, and its beauty, as a reference point.ObamaCare disaster recovery. Is it possible to overdose on schadenfreude? Nah...
Congress right now has a historic chance—really, it could wind up in the history books next to the stopping of FDR's court-packing scheme in 1937—to hold back ObamaCare. Congress can delay it, or pass a law mandating or allowing insurance companies to continue insuring everyone they just threw off coverage. Heck, they could try to vote now, under new conditions and with the American people behind them, to repeal the whole thing.And who knows, they just might.
ObamaCare's non-fix. It's all about the cover. Political cover. But it's not enough, not by a long shot...
Obama's insurance fix is unconstitutional. I suspect that doesn't enter into his calculus at all – he's The One!
Thursday, November 14, 2013
Mike's Metal Works is relocating to Jamul...
Mike's Metal Works is relocating to Jamul... The company is currently located in El Cajon, but according to this story in SD Metro they are planning to relocate into this facility in Jamul:
View Larger Map
I had no idea that such a site or building existed in Jamul, and I've driven on Fowler Canyon Road, so I've been quite close to it. You would think this would bring some jobs to Jamul, and perhaps even some new residents if some current employees want to relocate closer to work...
JAMUL — A 59.85-acre site at 3552 Fowler Canyon Road in Jamul, which includes a 38,000-square-foot industrial building where airplane parts were made during World War II, has been sold for $1.7 million. The buyer was Property Evolution LLC with Michael and Jacqueline Hancock of Jamul as managing partners. The Hancock family operates Mike’s Metal Works, a steel fabrication firm operating in El Cajon. The company plans to relocate to Jamul. The company specializes in stainless steel and aluminum fabrication, including structural steel architectural railings and stairs.Here's a map to the site, which is not far from the golf course:
The seller of the property was Fowler Canyon Limited Partnership, with James and Judith Asbury of El Cajon as managing partners. About 25.79 acres of the site will remain as open space.
Pacific Coast Commercial represented both the seller and buyer.
In the 1940s, the property was the site of airplane parts manufactured by the Fowler Aircraft Co., founded by Harlan D. Fowler (1895-1982). An adobe house where the Fowler family lived still stands on the property.
View Larger Map
I had no idea that such a site or building existed in Jamul, and I've driven on Fowler Canyon Road, so I've been quite close to it. You would think this would bring some jobs to Jamul, and perhaps even some new residents if some current employees want to relocate closer to work...
Why won't the State Department tell us who these hundred-or-so “special” people are?
Why won't the State Department tell us who these hundred-or-so “special” people are? After all, this is the most transparent administration evah! Why would they hide something so innocent? That might just make someone think there's something fishy or corrupt going on! Hmm....
Geek: the Josephus Problem...
Geek: the Josephus Problem... Nick Berry does his usual entertaining and accessible explanation, this time of the classic Josephus Problem. This time it involves a monster with a peculiar cooking ritual. I especially liked the little bit-twiddling hack at the end...
ObamaCare debacle update...
ObamaCare debacle update... You just can't make this stuff up...
The web site was the easy part. That doesn't bode well...
House Democrats in swing districts are furious - and panicking. They don't want to “own” ObamaCare any more...
No wonder they didn't want to release enrollment numbers! The ObamaCare implementers already looked like fools. Now they look worse.
The ObamaCare girl: not a citizen, didn't sign up for ObamaCare, and wasn't even paid. Sheesh...
Kristen Powers is really, really unhappy about losing her cheaper, better policy. Oh, it's so much fun when a progressive policy ends up biting a progressive in the butt!
There is the potential for amusement in ObamaCare. Taranto is most definitely amused...
A sober writer (Jacob Sullum) reminds us that there's no such thing as a free healthcare lunch. Not even if The One promised it. Make that especially if...
The Krauthammer thinks that the ObamaCare debacle could be the beginning of the oft-predicted collapse of American progressivism. Oh, please – pretty please with truffle sauce on it!
The most trusted source for information on ObamaCare amongst the American public is ... Fox News. Oh, my. That's gonna leave a mark...
“Pre-effectuated enrollment.” The Wall Street Journal's editorial board is not impressed. Nobody else is, either...
Some serious talk about conservative alternatives. Haven't seen much of this in the mainstream press, so it's nice to see something, even if there are many points I don't agree with. Face it – at this point, damn near anything would look a lot better than ObamaCare...
“The Affordable Care Act appears to be misfiring in every imaginable way, and Democrats are having second thoughts about serving as human shields for White House ineptitude.” Pass the popcorn, please...
The web site was the easy part. That doesn't bode well...
House Democrats in swing districts are furious - and panicking. They don't want to “own” ObamaCare any more...
No wonder they didn't want to release enrollment numbers! The ObamaCare implementers already looked like fools. Now they look worse.
The ObamaCare girl: not a citizen, didn't sign up for ObamaCare, and wasn't even paid. Sheesh...
Kristen Powers is really, really unhappy about losing her cheaper, better policy. Oh, it's so much fun when a progressive policy ends up biting a progressive in the butt!
There is the potential for amusement in ObamaCare. Taranto is most definitely amused...
A sober writer (Jacob Sullum) reminds us that there's no such thing as a free healthcare lunch. Not even if The One promised it. Make that especially if...
The Krauthammer thinks that the ObamaCare debacle could be the beginning of the oft-predicted collapse of American progressivism. Oh, please – pretty please with truffle sauce on it!
The most trusted source for information on ObamaCare amongst the American public is ... Fox News. Oh, my. That's gonna leave a mark...
“Pre-effectuated enrollment.” The Wall Street Journal's editorial board is not impressed. Nobody else is, either...
Some serious talk about conservative alternatives. Haven't seen much of this in the mainstream press, so it's nice to see something, even if there are many points I don't agree with. Face it – at this point, damn near anything would look a lot better than ObamaCare...
“The Affordable Care Act appears to be misfiring in every imaginable way, and Democrats are having second thoughts about serving as human shields for White House ineptitude.” Pass the popcorn, please...
An encounter of the elk kind...
Foreigners experiencing America...
Foreigners experiencing America... Here's another great collection of the impressions that foreigners have upon living in America. For some of them I have a personal flip side:
A Bangladeshi: “America is literally HUGE. My home country is roughly the size of Florida, one of the fifty states.” The flip side: sometimes I've been amazed just how small an entire country can be. One can drive across the entire country of Estonia – anywhere – in just a few hours, often on terrible roads.
A Russian: “President doesn’t automatically become the richest person in the country.” This is a great reflection of the assumption of corruption that every Russian I know has. Not just Russians, either – people from many countries are like this, because it's what they're used to: Indians, Mexicans, Saudis, and many more...
An American, on his South Pacific friends: “They also assumed that you could run into ultra famous people.” When I was first exploring Estonia, in the early 1990s, this happened to me repeatedly. The typical experience was that I'd walk into a small-town shop, the clerk would figure out I was American, and would immediately start asking questions about movie stars with the assumption being that I knew them personally. When I tried to make them understand that I couldn't possibly know them, the most common reaction was disbelief.
Nationality not identified, but Scottish name: “In Nordstrom, when a sales assistant says 'Can I help you?' s/he actually means 'Can I help you?' and not, say, 'You’re distracting me from my phone. Can you please leave?'” The flip side: as an American I've often been shocked at the poor service I've received in other countries when visiting shops and restaurants. My thoughts, upon being the victim of this, are always “How the heck do they stay in business, with help like this?” But it's so prevalent that you have to accept it's the norm...
A Swede: “Bank checks are still used and mailed in envelopes.” The flip side: I was astonished, when first doing business in Estonia, that our employees would actually travel to a bank with their bills in hand, and work face-to-face with a teller to transfer money (what we would call electronic funds transfer, or wiring) to pay them. Checks existed, but were something rare and completely inaccessible to ordinary people. There were many differences in how our financial systems worked – leases, rentals, checks, credit cards, consumer credit, etc., etc., to the point where I found it was safer to assume that nothing worked the same way there as in the U.S...
A Bangladeshi: “America is literally HUGE. My home country is roughly the size of Florida, one of the fifty states.” The flip side: sometimes I've been amazed just how small an entire country can be. One can drive across the entire country of Estonia – anywhere – in just a few hours, often on terrible roads.
A Russian: “President doesn’t automatically become the richest person in the country.” This is a great reflection of the assumption of corruption that every Russian I know has. Not just Russians, either – people from many countries are like this, because it's what they're used to: Indians, Mexicans, Saudis, and many more...
An American, on his South Pacific friends: “They also assumed that you could run into ultra famous people.” When I was first exploring Estonia, in the early 1990s, this happened to me repeatedly. The typical experience was that I'd walk into a small-town shop, the clerk would figure out I was American, and would immediately start asking questions about movie stars with the assumption being that I knew them personally. When I tried to make them understand that I couldn't possibly know them, the most common reaction was disbelief.
Nationality not identified, but Scottish name: “In Nordstrom, when a sales assistant says 'Can I help you?' s/he actually means 'Can I help you?' and not, say, 'You’re distracting me from my phone. Can you please leave?'” The flip side: as an American I've often been shocked at the poor service I've received in other countries when visiting shops and restaurants. My thoughts, upon being the victim of this, are always “How the heck do they stay in business, with help like this?” But it's so prevalent that you have to accept it's the norm...
A Swede: “Bank checks are still used and mailed in envelopes.” The flip side: I was astonished, when first doing business in Estonia, that our employees would actually travel to a bank with their bills in hand, and work face-to-face with a teller to transfer money (what we would call electronic funds transfer, or wiring) to pay them. Checks existed, but were something rare and completely inaccessible to ordinary people. There were many differences in how our financial systems worked – leases, rentals, checks, credit cards, consumer credit, etc., etc., to the point where I found it was safer to assume that nothing worked the same way there as in the U.S...
Three months of work went into this ...
Wednesday, November 13, 2013
To Breathe as One...
One of things about Estonia that I cherish is the key role that song – people singing – played in their most recent revolution, when they gained their freedom and independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.
Now there's a new film (To Breathe as One), about the song festival (the “Laulupidu”) held every 5 years since 1869 in Tallinn, Estonia. The most recent Laulupidu was in 2009, and included an American children's choir from San Francisco. The video at above and right is the official trailer. I ordered the DVD, and I can hardly wait to receive it...
ObamaCare debacle update...
ObamaCare debacle update... Now, don't worry. I didn't forget you! There's just a lot to talk about today:
ObamaCare website development manager clueless about security risks. Somebody is hiding something – but who and what is not so clear...
Introversion isn’t Obama’s problem, his inability to tell the truth is. Well, that's part of his problem, to be sure...
Project Veritas uncovers (in the video at right) corruption and fraud in the ObamaCare “Navigator” program. It ain't purty...
72 of the mandates that are key reasons why ObamaCare-compliant insurance policies are so much more expensive than those available previously...
ObamaCare's enrollment numbers aren't real enrollment numbers. Because honest, transparent reporting is for the little people, and certainly not for the most transparent administration evah...
Will shitty ObamaCare ads get young people to buy insurance? These are amongst the ads being discussed. Seriously. I'm not kidding...
California leads the way ... in policies being canceled due to ObamaCare. Awesome...
When you've lost Feinstein...
You think ObamaCare looks bad now? Just wait until you see what January brings...
ObamaCare website development manager clueless about security risks. Somebody is hiding something – but who and what is not so clear...
Introversion isn’t Obama’s problem, his inability to tell the truth is. Well, that's part of his problem, to be sure...
72 of the mandates that are key reasons why ObamaCare-compliant insurance policies are so much more expensive than those available previously...
ObamaCare's enrollment numbers aren't real enrollment numbers. Because honest, transparent reporting is for the little people, and certainly not for the most transparent administration evah...
Will shitty ObamaCare ads get young people to buy insurance? These are amongst the ads being discussed. Seriously. I'm not kidding...
When you've lost Feinstein...
You think ObamaCare looks bad now? Just wait until you see what January brings...
NSA blowback on NIST having an effect...
NSA blowback on NIST having an effect... One of the sideshows in the larger NSA scandal is the revelation that NIST (the National Institute of Standards and Technology) had apparently cooperated with NSA in deliberately weakening the cryptographic standards that NIST produced. This cooperation by NIST was quite shocking to many people, in many fields, myself included. NIST produces an amazing array of standards, in things from metrics (the measurement of things) to cryptography to railroad gauges. Until these recent revelations, most people I knew (including me) thought of NIST as an above-the-fray, apolitical, transparent, and honest institution.
Not so much any more. I've worked directly with NIST on two occasions during my career. One involved time standards supporting electronic trading applications, the other involved electronic metrics for calibrating instruments. I can't offhand think of any reason the NSA would be interested in perverting either of those things – but these days, I'd take the possibility of that into account. Others I know who work with NIST on a more frequent basis are feeling downright paranoid about them now. So this news is welcome, though NIST is going to have a difficult time recovering its reputation entirely, I think. But it's a start...
Not so much any more. I've worked directly with NIST on two occasions during my career. One involved time standards supporting electronic trading applications, the other involved electronic metrics for calibrating instruments. I can't offhand think of any reason the NSA would be interested in perverting either of those things – but these days, I'd take the possibility of that into account. Others I know who work with NIST on a more frequent basis are feeling downright paranoid about them now. So this news is welcome, though NIST is going to have a difficult time recovering its reputation entirely, I think. But it's a start...
The future USS Zumwalt, DDG 1000...
Contributing to the interest for me is that this ship is named after Admiral Elmo Zumwalt – who was the Chief of Naval Operations when I joined the Navy. He introduced all sorts of reforms that our local commanders hated. Most of these occurred while I was in training at Mare Island, in Vallejo, California. His “Z-grams” (memos) went out to all sailors, and rolled back restrictions on things like haircuts, beards, and the wearing of civilian clothes on base. That latter rollback destroyed an entire industry: the sailor's “clubs” that formerly could be found just outside the gates of any Navy base. Prior to Zumwalt's rollback, sailors were only allowed to wear uniforms on base – no civilian attire allowed. Worse, on some bases (including Mare Island), you could only leave or enter the base if you were wearing certain kinds of uniforms – and these never included ordinary working clothes. So to go on or off base, you had to change clothes, typically into “undress blues” or “undress whites” back in those days. It was a hassle, and unnecessarily so. Worse, in those days late in the Vietnam War, any sailor caught outside the base in uniform was sure to be harassed by anti-war civilians (the vast majority of them). The sailor's clubs were the solution. These clubs would rent you a tiny locker, and provided a place to change your clothes. Sometimes they had showers, too. So when you wanted to go somewhere for the weekend, you'd work all day Friday in your working uniform, then change into (say) undress whites, exit the base, go into the sailor's club, rent a locker, change into your civilian clothes, and go about your weekend. Jeez, what a pain in the neck! But when “Zoomie” rolled back those rules, all that disappeared, and virtually overnight. He was the enlisted guy's hero, for this reason, and many others. We expected bad things to happen when he left the role in 1974, but in fact, most of his reforms stayed in place...
Another power-grab by The One's administration...
Another power-grab by The One's administration... This time, through the EPA: all the waters are ours!
The curmudgeon's guide to The Sound of Music...
The curmudgeon's guide to The Sound of Music... Put your drink down first, then go read. A sample:
The "Lonely Goatherd" puppet show is all about coerced mountain marriages, including coerced goat marriages, which send a bad message to children and anthropomorphized goats.Ha! Even the folks at NPR can be funny sometimes...
Ranger 7 lunar impact crater...
The Ranger series were tremendously exciting for me as a kid. I knew enough science and math to understand what was being attempted and just how difficult it was. By today's standards, the technology employed in the Rangers was laughably primitive – but at that time, it was real bleeding-edge stuff. The very idea of getting something made by mankind to another world sounded to us like something straight out of science fiction, an impossible feat. Remember, this was less than 40 years after Lindbergh's pioneering trans-Atlantic flight!
California leads the way...
Settled science?
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