Zeitgeist of Caleb

File under things that kill a small piece of my soul until I realize that I don't care so I laugh.

2009-02-12T15:45:00.002-06:00

Just read; it's great I promise.

Humans are awful

Hmm, something I just read...

2009-02-12T15:32:00.003-06:00

So came across this article through Gawker earlier and it made me think...

The Observer article is wholely from the women's perspective and as a dude... I wonder if this is really true or maybe these women are just victims of bad timimg and are kinda just bitchy. So thinking of my experiences, while I've always had a positive change after breaking up or getting dumped. However, I know that this really has nothing to do with them. It's because when they knew me I was still on a path of maturity (and still am, in all honesty). This leads me to think that these women are kinda self-absorbed and just don't get it. And it makes me happy that I'm free of being in a relationship with someone like these women. I mean, life's a journey and either you're on the same tour bus or not. If you don't like something major in my life then you need to switch busses and not try to change the itinerary mid journey. And quit your bitching.

Also, thinking of such things so close to a certain single awareness holiday, makes me think of things to do like this list. I especially love the third one. I mean, doesn't this sound like the best way to spend valentine's day in your (my) single glory:

After some time has passed, press your greasy wine-stained face close to the cute bartender, flutter your eyelashes, and say seductively "Next I'll have the chocolate exploding cake." Then fart and fall off your stool and sleep, sweet viking. Sleep.

Along the lines of WTF... An Opera?

2009-02-03T10:08:00.002-06:00

Ok, so this be whack! Al Gore, settle down! Your powerpoint turned documentary turned Nobel prize does not need to be an Opera.

Inconvenient Truth as an opera???

More crappy tv, but some good tv too...

2009-01-27T15:45:00.002-06:00

Thank you gawker. People with more time than myself say what I'd like to say. Ugh makes me jealous. Whatever, I still love watching The City, no matter how awful it is. Although, Trust Me's first epipsode was good...

I watch bad tv and follow fashion too closely

2009-01-26T13:01:00.002-06:00

So I haven't posted in ages (thank you thesis writing...) but here's something to keep you up to date (well, in terms of nearly everything excepting the work on my thesis, which would bore everyone but me). Nevertheless, I've been watching MTV's The City for a bit now... and well, can't stop watching it despite it being a load of crap. Here's a take on it that mirrors my sentiments exactly:

WELCOME BACK, READERS! I hope you all had a delightful New Year's Eve and that 2009 is treating you right thus far. We are happy indeed to be back in our bitch pants, and boy, have we got a lot to cover. This, for example, was from last week, but I couldn't let it pass without comment:

Behold, Whitney Port making an appearance on The Hills Aftershow (aka My Secret Shameful Pleasure). Now, I learned many things whilst watching The City this week: (a) Whitney Port is truly best as a secondary character who counsels more troubled girls on their personal problems, because she is not a particularly dramatic person on her own, which is great for HER but boring for TV, (b) Olivia Palermo has great hair/will probably prove to be the result of a fling between one of the Heathers and the devil, (c) I have terrible taste in TV, (d) models wore this headdress on the runway of most recent DVF fashion show, and (e) if you're not a model on the DVF runway, wearing this headdress makes you look a bit as though you just fell out of a VW bus on the way to the Renaissance Faire. The models looked lovely, sure, but if there is anything anyone has learned from Project Runway, fashion magazines, Top Model and Fashion Week coverage, I would hope that it would be that runway models are often styled in headgear that is AWESOME for the runway and SERIOUSLY RIDICULOUS for the rest of us fools.

For example, would you wear these in real life?

Let me just say that I would love to see you try it. That means you, Whitney. I long for an episode of The City where Lauren comes to visit and you pick her up at the airport wearing a stuffed animal as a hoodie, or where you go on a date with that Australian dude wearing a Native American headdress and your vague, pause-filled non-conversation is intermittently interrupted by moments where we viewers can tell he is struggling not to ask you what the hell you're doing in it, or one where you go to the office in a tremendous straw hat and accidentally run into a phone pole right outside the front door and knock yourself out. No, seriously. That would be awesome. I dare you.

So, anyways, Thanks to Go Fug Yourself for saying what I've been feeling before I could say it for myself.

Yes, Go Fug Yourself is still relevant, if only somewhat.

A morning laugh

2008-09-23T10:06:00.001-05:00

http://www.buymyshitpile.com/

This is really, really, really funny. So read it and laugh and then let the adults talk.

I don't know whether to be envious or awe struck

2008-09-22T23:13:00.002-05:00

My friend sent this to me this evening:

Nytimes

here's the full text:

December 12, 2006
Scientist at Work | Nick Patterson
A Cryptologist Takes a Crack at Deciphering DNA’s Deep Secrets
By INGFEI CHEN

Thirty years ago, Nick Patterson worked in the secret halls of the Government Communications Headquarters, the code-breaking British agency that unscrambles intercepted messages and encrypts clandestine communications. He applied his brain to “the hardest problems the British had,” said Dr. Patterson, a mathematician.

Today, at 59, he is tackling perhaps the toughest code of all — the human genome. Five years ago, Dr. Patterson joined the Broad Institute, a joint research center of Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His dexterity with numbers has already helped uncover startling information about ancient human origins.

In a study released in May, scientists at the Broad Institute scanned 20 million “letters” of genetic sequence from each of the human, chimpanzee, gorilla and macaque monkey genomes. Based on DNA differences, the researchers speculated that millions of years after an initial evolutionary split between human ancestors and chimp ancestors, the two lineages might have interbred again before diverging for good.

The controversial theory was built on the strength of rigorous statistical and mathematical modeling calculations on computers running complex algorithms. That is where Dr. Patterson contributed, working with the study’s leader, David Reich, who is a population geneticist, and others. Their findings were published in Nature.

Genomics is a third career for Dr. Patterson, who confesses he used to find biology articles in Nature “largely impenetrable.” After 20 years in cryptography, he was lured to Wall Street to help build mathematical models for predicting the markets. His professional zigzags have a unifying thread, however: “I’m a data guy,” Dr. Patterson said. “What I know about is how to analyze big, complicated data sets.”

In 2000, he pondered who had the most interesting, most complex data sets and decided “it had to be the biology people.”

Biologists are awash in DNA code. Last year alone, the Broad Institute sequenced nearly 70 billion bases of DNA, or 23 human genomes’ worth. Researchers are mining that trove to learn how humans evolved, which mutations cause cancer, and which genes respond to a given drug. Since biology has become an information science, said Eric S. Lander, a mathematician-turned-geneticist who directs the Broad Institute, “the premium now is on being able to interpret the data.” That is why quantitative-minded geeks from mathematics, physics and computer science have flocked to biology.

Scientists who write powerful DNA-sifting algorithms are the engine driving the genomics field, said Edward M. Rubin, a geneticist and director of the federal Joint Genome Institute in Walnut Creek, Calif. Like the Broad, the genome institute is packed with computational people, including “a bunch of astrophysicists who somehow wandered in and never left,” said Dr. Rubin, originally a physics major himself. Most have never touched a Petri dish.

Dr. Patterson belongs to this new breed of biologist. The shelves of his office in Cambridge, Mass., carry arcane math titles, yet he can converse just as deeply about Buddhism or Thucydides, whose writings he has studied in ancient Greek. He is prone to outbursts of boisterous laughter.

He was born in London in 1947. When he was 2 his Irish parents learned that he had a congenital bone disease that distorted the left side of his skull; his left eye is blind. He became a child chess prodigy who earned top scores on math exams, and later attended Cambridge, completing a math doctorate in finite group theory. In 1969, he won the Irish chess championship.

In 1972, Dr. Patterson began working at the Government Communications Headquarters, where his research remains classified. He absorbed through his mentors the mathematical philosophy of Alan Turing, the genius whose crew at Bletchley Park — the headquarters’ predecessor — broke Germany’s encryption codes during World War II. The biggest lesson he learned from Dr. Turing’s work, he said, was “an attitude of how you look at data and do statistics.”

In particular, Dr. Turing was an innovator in Bayesian statistics, which regard probability as dependent upon one’s opinion about the odds of something occurring, and which allows for updating that opinion with new data. In the 1970s, cryptographers at the communications headquarters were harnessing this approach, Dr. Patterson said, even while academics considered flexible Bayesian rules heretical.

In 1980, Dr. Patterson moved with his wife and children to Princeton, N.J., to join the Center for Communications Research, the cryptography branch of the Institute for Defense Analyses, a nonprofit research center financed by the Department of Defense. His work earned him a name in the cryptography circle. “You can probably pick out two or three people who’ve really stood out, and he’s one of them,” said Alan Richter, a longtime scientist at the defense institute.

In 1993 Dr. Patterson moved to Renaissance Technologies, a $200 million hedge fund, at the invitation of its founder, James H. Simons, a mathematician and former cryptographer at the institute. The fund made trades based on a mathematical model. Dr. Patterson knew little about money, but the statistical methods matched those used in code breaking, Dr. Simons said: analyzing a series of data — in this case daily stock price changes — and predicting the next number. Their methods apparently worked. In Dr. Patterson’s time with the hedge fund, its assets reached $4 billion.

By 2000, Dr. Patterson was restless. One day, he ran into Jill P. Mesirov, another former defense institute cryptographer, and mentioned his interest in biology. Dr. Mesirov, then director of computational biology at the Whitehead/M.I.T. Center for Genome Research, which later became the Broad Institute, hired him.

“Really, what we do for a living is to decrypt genomes,” Dr. Mesirov said. Cryptographers look at messages encoded as binary strings of zeros and ones, then extract underlying signals they can interpret, Dr. Mesirov said. The job calls for pattern recognition and mathematical modeling to explain the data. The same applies for analyzing DNA sequences, she said.

One common genomic analysis tool — the Hidden Markov Model — was invented for pattern recognition by defense institute code breakers in the 1960s, and Dr. Patterson is an expert in that technique. It can be used to predict the next letter in a sequence of English text garbled over a communications line, or to predict DNA regions that code for genes, and those that do not.

Dr. Patterson said he also has a well-honed instinct about which data is important, after seeing “a lot of surprising stuff that turned out to be complete nonsense.” Dr. Lander of the Broad Institute describes him as a great skeptic, with the statistical insight to tell whether a signal is “simply random fluctuation or whether it’s a smoking gun.”

Making that distinction is one of the great difficulties of interpreting DNA. In studying the human-chimp species split, the genomics researchers strove to rule out possible errors and biases in the data.

Dr. Reich, with Dr. Patterson and Dr. Lander, and two other colleagues, used computer algorithms to compare the primate genomes and count DNA bases that did not match, like the C base in gorillas that had become an A in humans. Because such mutations naturally arise at a set rate, the researchers could estimate how long ago the human and chimp lineages separated from an ancient common ancestor.

A DNA base can mutate more than once, however. To correct for that, Dr. Patterson worked out equations estimating how often it occurred; Dr. Reich revised their computer algorithms accordingly. Two strange patterns emerged. Some human DNA regions trace back to a much older common ancestor of humans and chimps than other regions do, with the ages varying by up to four million years. But on the X chromosome, people and chimps share a far younger common ancestor than on other chromosomes.

After the researchers tested various evolutionary models, the data appeared best explained if the human and chimp lineages split but later began mating again, producing a hybrid that could be a forebear of humans. The final breakup came as late as 5.4 million years ago, the team calculated.

The project was “our hobby” Dr. Reich said of himself and Dr. Patterson said. Their main work, in medical genetics, includes devising a shortcut to scan the genome for prostate cancer genes.

Whether studying disease or evolution, Dr. Patterson noted, genomics differs from code breaking in one key respect: no adversary is deliberately masking DNA’s meaning. Still, given its complexity, the code of life is the most open-ended of cryptographic challenges, Dr. Patterson said. “It’s a very big message.”

Questions...

2008-09-17T13:08:00.002-05:00

Found this on the Foreign Policy site:

The 20 questions we would ask Sarah Palin
Tue, 09/09/2008 - 12:50pm

Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Though Republican campaign handlers have resisted the clamoring of "elitist," mud-slinging reporters for a press conference with Sarah Palin, the VP nominee will sit down for her first campaign-trail interview with ABC's Charlie Gibson at some point later this week. While campaign advisor Rick Davis says she's not scared to answer questions, Palin is said to be enduring some intense cram sessions with foreign policy tutors like Joe Lieberman.

Her passport stamps may be few, but Palin and her supporters remain adamant that the barracuda has what it takes to roll with the world's most formidable leaders and even its heavy-hitting bullies. Among the list of credentials cited are Palin's role as commander of Alaska's National Guard, her stint as mayor, and, infamously, Alaska's close proximity to Russia.

We've put together a list of suggested questions for Gibson that we think will reveal how aware Palin is of the issues awaiting her in Washington as well as offer a glimpse of the potential world leader that lies beneath the lipstick-wearing hockey mom. Feel free to suggest some of your own.

1. In a broad and long-term sense, would you have responded differently to the attacks of 9/11?
2. Is Iraq a democracy?
3. What’s the difference between a Sunni and a Shiite?
4. What is your preferred plan for peace between Israel and Palestine? A two state solution? What about Jerusalem?
5. How do you feel about French President Nicolas Sarkozy's recent visit to Syria? Do you believe the United States should negotiate with leaders like President Bashar al-Assad?
6. Nearly 40 percent of the world's population lives in China and India. Who are those countries' leaders?
7. Do you support the U.S.-India Civil Nuclear Agreement, which would lift restrictions on sales of nuclear technology and fuel to India, a country which hasn’t signed the Non-Proliferation Treaty?
8. Other than more drilling, what steps do you suggest the U.S. take in order to move toward energy independence? Do you believe more investment is needed in alternative energy research? If so, how would you recommend this funding be allocated?
9. How would you balance concerns over human rights and freedom in China with the United States' growing economic interdependence with that country?
10. What's more important: securing Russia's cooperation on nuclear proliferation and Iran, or supporting Georgia's NATO bid? If Vladimir Putin called you on the phone and said, "It's one or the other," what would you tell him?
11. Critique the foreign policy of the last administration. Name its single greatest success, and its most critical failure.
12. What do you think will be the most defining foreign-policy issue in the next five years?
13. What role should the United States play in the global effort to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS? Should it support contraception, or abstinence only?
14. You've said that the federal government spends too much money. What, in your view, is the appropriate level of spending as a percentage of GDP?
15. You're an advocate of reducing environmental restrictions on drilling. How much oil needs to be found in the United States before the country achieves energy independence?
16. What are your picks for the three most enlightening books written on foreign policy in the last five years?
17. Who among the world's leaders can be listed as the top three friends of the United States and why?
18. In your opinion, which U.S. president was the most successful world leader and why?
19. Which U.S. political thinkers, writers, and politicians would you enlist to advise you on matters of foreign policy and why?
20. Who is the first world leader you'd like to meet with and why?

Sarah Palin Rumours.... lets take a look

2008-09-08T17:12:00.002-05:00

Here's a Gawker post taking a look at the Sarah Palin rumours. Muy intresante.

Full text:

Sarah Palin Conspiracy Theories: The Ultimate Guide

Previewscreensnapz001-12Oh man, remember when right-wing nutcases used the dark corners of the internet (and also Fox News Channel) to spread all kinds of insane conspiracy theories about Barack Obama being a secret Muslim and Michelle Obama hating white people? Well, now a new collection of email chain letters, online comments and blog posts is springing up around Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, whose entire family seems to provoke endless gossip and scandal. We thought the Palin rumors might dry up at some point, but they just keep coming! In fact, there have been tons of new ones since we last did a comprehensive factsheet. Some of them might even be true! Let's trudge through the thickening swamp of Palin mud, one rumor at a time, after the jump!

Safariscreensnapz003-11Track Palin joined the Army to avoid jail time for drugs or vandalism.
True? Unsubstantiated. Pops up without corroboration on message boards and in email chains.
Notable: The Palin hometown of Wasilla is considered the "meth capital of Alaska." There are rumors Track was one of three unnamed teenagers charged with vandalizing 44 school buses while drunk. None of this proves anything, but it makes it much more fun to speculate!
Why someone would make this up: Sarah Palin made Track's military service a key part of her address at the Republican National convention. If he's a delinquent, those comments were disingenuous, and some conservatives would wonder about Palin's parenting, particularly amid the simultaneous SCANDALOUS pregnancy of Palin's 17-year-old unwed daughter Bristol.

Levi2Levi Johnston was in court-ordered rehab.
True? Almost certainly false, considering someone enthusiastically emailed us this rumor — and swore up and down to its authenticity — just one day before Johnston appeared at the Republican National Convention.
Notable: Citing courtroom sources, our tipster said the rehab would immediately be followed by a shotgun wedding. A dash of truth makes any smear more believable!
Why someone would make this up: Would make Johnston's engagement to pregnant Bristol Palin seem seriously nutty and Sarah Palin foolish to allow it.

82711521Todd Palin had affairs.
True? There is zero evidence for this. It's pure assertion.
Notable: A Wonkette tipster phrased it as "the first dude has a John Edwards problem times ten zillion."
Why someone would make this up: Because if Todd Palin is having affairs, it means his wife must be doing something wrong. If you're a conservative, you might argue she works too much and isn't performing her wifely duties or whatever. If you're a liberal, you might argue Todd Palin cheats because his wife shuts him out of sex because she doesn't use birth control (even though she probably DOES use birth control since, according to Time, she supports the use of birth control generally and belongs to a anti-abortion, pro-birth-control group).

Nationalenquirersarahpalinstorycoverawardsmarkpasetskydavidperel-TmSarah Palin had an affair.
True? If you unquestioningly believe the National Enquirer, which alleged Sarah Palin had an affair with an unnamed business partner of her husband. Palin vigorously denied the report, and the Enquirer offered only a tepid backing of its story.
Notable: The tabloid promised more details, but hasn't yet delivered. Bloggers went after the divorce court records of one of Todd Palin's business associates, thinking maybe he was the guy the Enquirer was talking about, but the records proved barren.
Why someone would make this up: To trash Sarah Palin's judgement and character, obviously.

Sarah Palin had a different affair
True? Even less likely than the other alleged affair.
Notable: This rumor started when liberal bloggers noticed that the McCain campaign denied the one specific affair alleged by the Enquirer with one specific person. What if Sarah Palin was sleeping with someone else? Her denial doesn't apply to that! She could be sleeping with tons of people and having affairs left and right and we'd NEVER KNOW!!
Why someone would make this up: Because he is 1> bored and 2> still traumatized by Bill Clinton's narrowly-crafted denials of his hanky-panky 10 years ago.

2008-09-01-Ktvas-ThumbSarah Palin faked her pregnancy to cover up for her daughter having a love child
True? Still hotly contested. But the Times weighed in today with a story quoting witnesses in and adjacent to the delivery room, as well as state governors who were with Palin when she began leaking amniotic fluid at an event in Texas. Pretty strong case! Skeptics still wondered if this reporting could be trusted, noting how the Washington Post made a big error in a prior story like this. The doubters also still wonder how Palin hiked briskly around Juneau in high heels while seven months pregnant and how she was back at work three days after giving birth (see Times story).
Notable: Officially, Bristol Palin is five months pregnant, which would have to be a lie if she secretly gave birth in May and had the baby passed off as her mother's.
Why someone would make this up: Because it would show that Sarah Palin was secretly ashamed of her daughter's out-of-wedlock child before she decided she had to embrace it publicly. Also, TWO out-of-wedlock babies are maybe twice as bad as one?

82704592Sarah Palin is racist! She said "Sambo beat the bitch!" when Barack Obama defeated Hillary Clinton.
True? The source on this is a supposed Aboriginal Alaskan waitress named "Lucille" interviewed by the LA Progressive, which also asserted Palin refers to Aboriginal people as "Arctic Arabs" and "fucking Eskimos."
Notable: No one else has interviewed this "Lucille."
Why someone would make this up: The vast majority of Americans have never met or even SEEN an Alaskan up close. They only know these strange pseudo-Americans live in a remote, desolate land and make their money fishing, working with oil and collecting checks from the federal government. In other words, they're rednecks. So what else are they going to do, as far as the elite lower 48 states are concerned, but sit around and be racist all the time?? We're READY to believe Sarah Palin is a big secret racist. So this might seem like an effective and cheap way to smear her. But many of her supporters might also be wary of politically-correct super-elites from the coasts falsely throwing around accusations of racism.

82669355Sarah Palin is a rude, conniving bitch.
True? Well, a blog tipster tried to ask Sarah Palin whether she was supporting corrupt Republican Sen. Ted Stevens, and she totally dodged the question, like some kind of politician or something! Also, a widely-circulated letter from someone identifying herself as Anne Kilkenny of Wasilla, Alaska says Palin "has bitten the hand of every person who extended theirs to her in help" and is known as "Sarah Barracuda." Juicy!
Notable: Ken Layne at Wonkette said Palin is like the "snarling evil god-obsessed nut who punished you constantly" in junior high but "your parents would never quite believe it because she 'seemed like a nice lady,' from a distance, with her squeaky voice."
Why someone would make this up: Because while Tina Fey will totally vote for a bitch, many voters find bitches threatening. Plus "evil bitch" is way different from "bitch on the side of angels."

Safariscreensnapz004-10Levi Johnston will not go through with his announced wedding to Bristol Palin.
True? This is from our tipster's friend's employee in Alaska, so it's airtight.
Notable: We were told Levi "is not marrying Bristol. He does not want to move to Washington. Sarah is going to abandon her daughter in Alaska... They tried to force a 18-year-old kid to marry. His parents balked. Then they said they are going to sue for child support... This is extortion."
Why someone would make this up: To make Sarah Palin look like a manipulative liar who created a sham marriage to shore up her political future.

82631224Todd Palin is the new Hillary Clinton, wielding undue influence through his spouse.
True? Palin has been accused in a whisper campaign and even in the Times of London of lobbying on behalf of the oil industry, but his work is officially confined to a non-management role as a oil production operator and no reports provide specific information contradicting this. More troubling and substantiated are his ties to the investigation of a state trooper he and his wife wanted punished more severely than had originally been decided by the appropriate state authorities.
Notable: Todd Palin has already, perhaps inevitably, been compared to Hillary Clinton.
Why someone would make this up: Not clear, really. Vice presidents are usually pretty powerless, and it would be surprising if inexperienced Palin was an exception. The amount of damage Palin's husband could do, in turn, through inappropriate influence is miniscule.

Sarah Palin burns books.
She tried to get some books banned, but it didn't work. See our last roundup.

Sarah Palin has a crazy preacher!
He said John Kerry voters would go to hell, LOL. See our last roundup.

Sarah Palin wants Alaska to secede from the union!
See our last roundup.

A very good point that everyone is over looking....

2008-09-04T18:19:00.002-05:00

So... here I am in class whatevs....

Nevertheless, here's something I completely agree with. And I really did find Obama's speech highly moving... but I feel that most people aren't really thinking with their heads but with their hearts & emotions. In fact, nearly every argument against either candidate I've heard thus far have been emotionally based. So here, read this: Econ Browser's take on Obama's speech

And here's the text, if you're lazy:

August 30, 2008
Obama's acceptance speech

Barack Obama gave a fine speech at the Democratic National Convention on Thursday. But I'm troubled by what I see as its underlying economic philosophy.

As I listened to the speech by Barack Obama accepting the nomination of the Democratic Party for the U.S. presidency, I felt I was listening to a very gifted orator. I also thought I heard a cash register go ca-ching every time he finished a sentence.

I will eliminate capital gains taxes for the small businesses and the start-ups that will create the high-wage, high-tech jobs of tomorrow.

I will cut taxes-- cut taxes-- for 95% of all working families. Because in an economy like this, the last thing we should do is raise taxes on the middle-class....

I'll help our auto companies re-tool, so that the fuel-efficient cars of the future are built right here in America.

I'll make it easier for the American people to afford these new cars.

And I'll invest 150 billion dollars over the next decade in affordable, renewable sources of energy-- wind power and solar power and the next generation of biofuels....

I'll invest in early childhood education.

I'll recruit an army of new teachers, and pay them higher salaries and give them more support....

Now is the time to finally keep the promise of affordable, accessible health care for every single American. If you have health care, my plan will lower your premiums. If you don't, you'll be able to get the same kind of coverage that members of Congress give themselves....

Now is the time to help families with paid sick days and better family leave....

As the list of things Obama promised to do grew ever longer, I found myself increasingly wondering, What is the underlying understanding of how the economy works that would motivate such a list? All these steps require a commitment of resources. If we are to have more of these things, we must be planning to divert the resources to pay for them from somewhere else. Evidently there is a notion of some kind of existing inefficiency or misallocation of resources-- money is currently being spent on things it shouldn't be, and should instead be devoted to objectives on the above list. But how is the bill for all these nice things supposed to be paid?

Fortunately, in his speech Obama anticipated this natural question, and provided the following answer:

Now, many of these plans will cost money, which is why I've laid out how I'll pay for every dime-- by closing corporate loopholes and tax havens that don't help America grow. But I will also go through the federal budget, line by line, eliminating programs that no longer work and making the ones we do need work better and cost less-- because we cannot meet twenty-first century challenges with a twentieth century bureaucracy.

I'll discuss that second point about government waste in a moment. But here's my understanding of Obama's central thesis-- if funds could be diverted from corporate profits into the above wish list, then America would be better off.

According to Table F.102 in the Federal Reserve's Flow of Funds Accounts, domestic nonfarm, nonfinancial corporate profits amounted to $1,037 billion in 2007. A third of that ($310 billion) is currently being paid as corporate profits taxes, and $487 billion is devoted to dividends, which are taxed directly as income of the shareholders. But doesn't that leave $240 billion sitting around doing nothing worthwhile?

Not exactly. Those same institutions also spent $460 billion on net fixed investment in 2007 ($1045 in gross investment minus $585 billion capital consumption allowance), which was financed by a combination of the $240 billion in retained earnings and corporate borrowing. If after-tax corporate profits were lower, the only way to have the same level of investment is with greater corporate borrowing. Recalling Menzie's recent picture on the empirical relation between the growth rates of corporate profits and investment, it seems unlikely that investment spending would remain the same if corporate profits were lower. And if it somehow did happen, I doubt that increased corporate indebtedness is a wise outcome to insist upon.

I raise this issue because I regard nonresidential fixed investment as the single most important economic variable that will influence America's future prosperity.

As for the second part of the paragraph above indicating Obama's plans to pay for his proposals, I agree with the senator that there is some waste in the federal budget. However, I'd caution against overstating the magnitude of what we should expect to achieve, and I would urge that any dollars saved be used to reduce the deficit before beginning any new programs.

At the top of my personal list of current expenditures that could be cut would be ethanol and agricultural subsidies.

What's on your list, senator?

It's the same thing just rearranged...

2008-08-18T13:43:00.002-05:00

This is something that I've felt for a long time regarding people on the right and the left. And it's the reason why I truly believe we need a paradigm shift in the way we think about the issues we're facing and how we execute policies and create policies. It's also part of the reason I probably won't vote this time around. The debates we have are ridiculous because we're not really trying to resolve any issues, just trying to take care of a couple symptoms.

From Stumbling & Mumbling:

Polly & the right: a common cause
Polly Toynbee and the right have more in common than either would admit. What makes me say this is Jackart’s post here. In criticizing Harpymarx for pointing out that benefit cuts don’t force people into work, he says we should blame the poor for being feckless and workshy.
There’s a close similarity here with Polly’s attack upon the rich for their “jaw dropping arrogance” and lack of empathy.
In both cases, what we’re seeing are moral judgments upon the enemy - the only difference being who the enemy is.
In both cases, the question of sampling bias is unaddressed. Is Polly’s sample of the rich really representative of the rich generally? What proportion of the jobless really are “workshy”? We’re none the wiser.
And in both cases, the question of the relevance of moral judgments goes unanswered. It’s a commonplace that in our MacIntyrean world in which coherent moral narratives have broken down, moral judgments are mere expressions of emotion. I’d add that they are also expressions of ego, motivated by the utterer’s desire to seem superior to the judged. There’s also the question: does morality matter in politics? Social structures don’t cease because they are “immoral”; apartheid, communism, feudalism, and Nazism did not collapse merely because they were morally wrong. But Jackart and Polly ignore these issues.
So, the two have much in common. And there is an alternative - social science. So, for example, rather than whine about the rich, we can ask: would it really be feasible to tax them more heavily? Or would Laffer curve effects cause them to cut their labour supply? And if they do, what would we lose; do the rich (bosses, hedge fund managers, lawyers) really do fulfil useful functions?
And rather than whine about the workshy poor, we can ask: are they really more workshy than us? If so, why? And are there any feasible policies that might change their behaviour?
In eschewing these questions, and thinking their morality matters, Polly and the right have a lot in common.

Outta Control, but kinda spot on

2008-08-14T13:56:00.001-05:00

SATC will make you a communist. Crazy. Read it!

More Reasons why Europe is in Jeopardy!

2008-08-12T00:02:00.002-05:00

So given that we don't get that much oil or nat gas from Russia (despite having major ventures there) who is hurt the most by this current invasion (excluding the Georgians)? It's Europe. Time to be worried. It's also prob time for Nato to keep those Ruskies in check, and from spreading their neo-fascist, state run "capitalist", semi-totalitarian form of governing. I mean, these countries are democracies, just trying to get by.

Here's an interesting piece: an interesting piece on the Russian invasion into Georgia

Short the Euro.... Finally (Updated)

2008-08-11T13:30:00.003-05:00

So finally the Euro zone is slowing down (well it has been ever since people have been talking shit about the Dollar) and people in the markets are finally realizing that the Euro zone isn't all that as an economic power house with out America. We both face the same issues, but our domestic situation is better poised for a recovery given our penchant to be entrepreneurial (well that and our greed, I guess). This being said, the Dollar Index has already gained 6% on the Euro; also the Pound sterling has dropped 2.9% to the Dollar. Europe is facing a major slow down in its biggest economy, Germany and the UK is facing a bigger housing price collapse than we've had (as a percentage of total housing, that is). Also, we both import nearly all of our oil energy, but the majority of imported oil is from Canada and Mexico unlike Europe. So here's a thesis, short the Euro and the Pound (hoping for a strong Dollar) and because of crazy events in Iran and Georgia most definitely buy some put options, preferably at a couple different levels for added protections. And thank you Bernanke for doing what you knew to be best during the last year, despite what people wanted you to do. Yay econ PhD's!

Dollar at crossroads amid talk of sunnier outlook for US economy, from the FT

UPDATE:

So more interesting arguments-

Oil & the Dollar, from Econ Browser

Oh Noes! It's Happened!

2008-08-11T00:09:00.001-05:00

Crap this is A) so true and B) I know what a Levy skew alpha distribution is. What's next?

Yes!

2008-08-10T21:00:00.000-05:00

What is left to say?

Been too long...

2008-08-10T20:30:00.001-05:00

So it's been days since my last post... but this sums up a lot of what's been going on... well that and figuring out this 24 hours of LeMons event stuff....

Ah so true...

2008-08-06T11:53:00.001-05:00

My sentiments exactly. College is a very unique place.

OK > NJ?

2008-08-02T14:45:00.002-05:00

This is the main reason that I am very glad that I am not from New Jersey.

But then in Oklahoma we have this:

What happened to the recession?

2008-08-01T09:53:00.003-05:00

So, last quarter's growth was 1.9% and so we grew. OK, well I just wanted to say that. I have a whole bunch of other things to add to that, but I'm really hungry, so I'm stopping here to eat.

Good morning

2008-08-01T09:32:00.002-05:00

For the first time in ages I've woken up before 9 am on a weekday. Wait, I know that sounds backwards. However being a grad student and working in a restaurant can lead to a skewed schedule. Nevertheless, it feels to be able to pick up my Financial Times off the driveway and have it still be news. Now where's my coffee?

Fooled By Randomness

2008-07-30T11:31:00.002-05:00

I'm a huge fan of Taleb, and in his book, Fooled By Randomness, he asks the question (which he later answers very thoroughly), "if you are so successful, why aren't you smarter?" And this is something that has stuck with me in a profound way. The latest evidence was last night playing poker. If you're playing a limited number of hands the proportion of luck (randomness) determining the winner is much greater than one's skill or strategy of risk management. Because of this I find it truly amusing when people play a few hands and make one large win and think they are awesome. I guess this is where modesty is a very important virtue. You got lucky. This is something I know when it happens, and well, as I've been told, "sometimes it's better to be lucky than to be good."

The Medias

2008-07-29T15:19:00.002-05:00

This gawker post is very intriguing take on the coverage of Barack Obama. But then it's written by one of my favorite political bloggers/writers, Michael Weiss, who's snark smith is one of the last places to find actually intelligent writing covering politics and culture.

Gawker

Live blogging the morning's rises and declines

2008-07-29T09:05:00.002-05:00

Stronger Dollar and weaker WTI crude prices. That's the news as of right now. What I'm wondering is why the stronger Dollar? Well, the decline from 145$ was driven by the global economic slow down of demand. Ok makes sense, everywhere is seeing some slow down. Germany is seeing a fall in exports. With the rest of the world also slowing, of course the Dollar will rise there by lowing oil prices, but this information is not new, nor has the Dollar appreciated all that much. OK, so if we already know about the slow down, then the 16% decline from 145$ was due to the traders fearing the slow down. Fine, but then it should be already baked into the price. BTW at this second right now is 121.54.... Really the question is why is the fall is continuing because I'm pretty convinced that it'll be higher rather than lower over the rest of the summer... but how temporary will this pull back be? That's the question I've been pondering. Also, what does this mean for the XLF? Will this cause the current correlation between WTI crude and the XLF begin to unwind? I think it may.

Bloomberg

International Trade Data

EIA Petro Inventories

Funny, very funny

2008-07-28T21:16:00.002-05:00

This has to be one of the funniest things in ages. Disagree and I'll fight you.

Hedging

2008-07-28T17:14:00.002-05:00

From past job searches I get regular emails from several different sites like energy central. They send emails with job listings around once a week. Most of the time I just glance at them and swiftly hit the delete key. This is because I am on my grad school path and really don't want a real job. However, every now and then I get an email with a posting that perks my interest and after I read the post I think should I apply? Is this wasting their time, and my time? Usually the answer is, yes I am wasting everyone's time. Well, and it's a little like women. I have the story, the love that I want. However, I've never come across it, much like my goal for a phd. It's something I'm working towards. It'll happen eventually, when the right ingredients mix in the proper method. Nevertheless, I find that when certain sub-optimal opportunities are in front of you it's easy to find yourself distracted by them and maybe indulging and entertaining them. This can be bad cause then you've run the risk of never allowing that mix of ingredients come together. Or am I just hedging? While possible in markets, maybe the rest of life is too complicated to hedge. Maybe we just need to assume all the risk and consequences. I'm not sure about this yet.... but then it's a journey or some cliched saying about life. I think I'll apply for the jobs anyway.

Mad Men

2008-07-28T13:02:00.002-05:00

I find AMC's show Mad Men trite and dull. But I've felt this way half-way through the first season. But here I am watching it again. Why? well the only thing going for the show is that it's stylish as hell. I really like that. Style, that is, amongst other things.

The Film I'm Looking Forward to

2008-07-26T15:02:00.002-05:00

Dark Knight, blah, blah, blah... that's what I'm going to see. Enough already! I'll see, and I actually want to see it, but I am so over people talking about it.

The film I've been looking forward to is Brideshead Revisited. It's one of my favorite books (well, it's Evelyn Waugh's prose), and I love the story. From the trailer it looks like they may have done it right. But it comes out Friday... so the truth shall be known.

How is this not going to be great!?

I can't stop laughing

2008-07-25T16:14:00.000-05:00

Ideas

2008-07-25T15:39:00.000-05:00

Chris: oh
my
god
dude
dude
DUDE
i just had the greatest idea ever
We gotta do this
me: oh?
ok
Chris: omg
ok
so
me: ok?
Chris: we launch a giant mylar balloon into geostaionary orbit above Texas
that has a picture of the Goatse guy on it
me: um, ok
and?
Chris: The end!
me: hahahahahahahahahha

OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG!

2008-07-25T15:09:00.002-05:00

Best site ever!!!!

Barack Obama is your new bicycle

Continuation...

2008-07-25T14:37:00.002-05:00

So I'm an ENTP as posted earlier.... and as it turns out, it is a really, really good description of myself.

More ENTP info

Hottness

2008-07-25T12:46:00.003-05:00

I spend a lot of my day with CNBC on and blasting the latest news. Being a news show the presenters showcase various "experts" from various places in the Finance industry, but you watch the news and know how this all works (ask the expert for their opinion then analyze, discuss or debase their thesis while the camera shows the person against a background of people in cubicals or the like). Nevertheless, every now and then the experts are prime examples of hottness. But not just your plain vanilla hot; you know, looks good but there's nothing else adding to it, so it's in many ways just kinda vapid (pic related).

Well, on fast money the more complex form of hottness graced my teevee. Please tell me more about break out points and resistance levels, even if I disagree with 90% of technical analysis. Katie on Fast Money

So you win this week's hottness award.

The Hills

2008-07-25T12:10:00.003-05:00

Best line ever to describe the shit show The Hills: "Watching The Hills at its prime was somewhere between having a handbag full of pudding repeatedly smacked in your face and finding a dead cheerleader in the trunk of your husband's car."

Ugh, that shit is funny! Now time for some pop culture video mash-up. It's pretty brilliant.

Thanks Gawker

The Conversation & Late nights

2008-07-25T11:37:00.002-05:00

Some are about the "love" or the "thrill" or whatever. One of the things that I'm about is conversation. Conversations that begin with, "Well what have you been up to the last couple days?" And continue into the wee hours of the morning. And covering topics like someone's parents' new house that is, so she said, the perfect house out of Great Expectations. Or topics like relationships, love, why we're single but our friends are married and what it is that we want (it's a story and chasing that crazy feeling). Or discussing religion: where everyone is coming from and our very different paths and histories. Then the next thing you know it's five in the morning, and the last time you've looked at your watch it was when you'd arrived at 10:15.

It's also nice when people you know, and know are smart, well read and well spoken can inspire you. And informs you that let go of whatever it is that is preventing you from doing whatever because they know that you could do whatever it is, just as long as you actually do it.

Silly time wasters...

2008-07-24T15:07:00.002-05:00

I spend nearly everyday with my computer open reading sites and emails instead of being 100% productive.... Nevertheless, I do find some interesting nuggets from time to time. Also, do you like quizzes? I love them. I dunno why. They're always completely off base and pointless. Yet, I always do them, and now I'm suggesting that you take this one. Well, that's my results page, but it's kinda fun:

Life as an ENTP
(Extravert, Intuitive, Thinker, Perceiver)

People of this type tend to be friendly, charming and outgoing; quick-witted, energetic and irreverent; ingenious, imaginative and creative; curious, flexible and unpredictable; logical and analytical.

The most important thing to ENTPs is being creative, seeing possibilities and always having new challenges.

Great careers for ENTPs

Here are just a few popular and often satisfying careers for people whose Personality Type is ENTP:

* Investment banker
* Management / marketing consultant
* Copywriter
* Radio / TV talk show host
* Real estate developer
* Strategic planner
* Internet marketer
* Advertising creative director

whatevs, have a happy Thursday!

Tumblr

2008-07-23T11:50:00.003-05:00

So everyone seems to have a tumblr. How do people wax prose so often? I bare make it with this lame site.

On the up side there's always more to read.

Here are some fun sites about sex:
Boinkology
debauchette

Oh snap! More reasons to hate Rupert Murdoch..

2008-07-22T11:04:00.002-05:00

So here's another reason to hate News Corp head man Rupert Murdoch, besides ruining The Wall Street Journal or Fox News.....

Murdoch hates black people:

From Gawker.com

blogging Julia Allison

2008-07-22T10:58:00.001-05:00

me: ok...
http://julia.nonsociety.com/
Chris: ??
Sent at 10:53 AM on Tuesday
me: http://www.wired.com/culture/lifestyle/magazine/16-08/howto_allison?currentPage=all
become a famous blogger
Chris: what a stupid cnt
me: yeah, i know
well....
not that stupid
cause she's famous and we're not

Live Blogging 'bout gas early in the morning

2008-07-22T10:29:00.002-05:00

So I have been waking up around 930 this summer.... but my friends who have jobs wake around 6 or 7... Nevertheless, when I do wake before 930/10 we can chat. This morning it was gas prices:

Chris: http://gasbuddy.com/
we're no. 1!we're no. 1!
wooo
me: http://wonkette.com/401308/more-funny-comments-from-that-boycott-mcdonalds-site
Chris: heterosexul folks such as i are not welcome in your resturants any longer
lulz
me: hahaha i know
cause McDonalds = buttsecs
wait is this like a posting of gas prices?
Chris: “I recently saw two young teenagers making out. I figure McDonalds is no longer my kind of place. I think the sixteen year old worked there.”
me: lulz
Chris: ya
Chris: shit
in san fran diesel is $5.39 a gal
me: ha
but in a car that leads to like 45 city and 55 hwy
vs 22 city to 27 hwy for many cars
Chris: uhhh
dude....
fail
me: oh?
like jettas are that way
Chris: most diesels are like
trucks and shit
yeah
the jetta is like literally the ONLY car
me: srsly?
thought there were more
i know that semi's get like 8 mpg
Chris: nope
me: but then they're like semis
Chris: the jetta sportwagen and mercedes E320
are the ONLY cars
that use diesel
me: that's crazy
Chris: and the mercedes gets 23/32
me: wtf?
my gti gets that
in europe they have so many large volume diesels that get close to 50 hwy mpg
Chris: the only jetta you can get new with diesel is the TDI
me: yeah
Chris: and its a hatchy
so the only car
new
you can buy
in america
is the E320
from mercedes
me: it's a good engine
crazy man
Chris: know what i think is funny
you have toyota and honda cranking out 40+mpg hybrids
in two models
like thats it
civic, prius
oh and they have camry which is like 34
ok
and then you have like
the american automakers
with like
10 models
the only one over 30mpg is the ford escape hybrid
Chris: all the rest are like 26-27
and i'm like wtf detroit
you fail at engineering
me: shit i step away and then there's like a million lines of text...
oh shit remember that buick ad? comparing it to the chrystler 300?
and the only dif was 25 vs 24 mpg?
and we were all like wtf? how the fuck is 25 mpg good gas milage?
Sent at 10:12 AM on Tuesday
me: ha, watching CNBC and the ad for the pickens plan is on
Sent at 10:13 AM on Tuesday
Chris: yeah
yknow i read some interesting figures recently
there are 537 elected officials in washington
and 42,000 special interest lobby groups
Sent at 10:17 AM on Tuesday
me: well, that kinda makes sense
cause what, each rep in the house represents like what 30,000 people?
it's in the constitution
so think of all the businesses, non-profits, etc
Sent at 10:19 AM on Tuesday
Chris: i hate new facebook

There are other crazy people

2008-07-21T16:46:00.002-05:00

So it's very reassuring that not all of the wacked out politicians have been regulated to Oklahoma. Other crazy politicians live in other places! woot woot!

Case in point:

Who are these people? Oh wells.

Ha, too bad some people are funnier than I am on a regular basis.

2008-07-18T13:19:00.001-05:00

I love this. I hate freelance writers with more time to find funny things on the internets. Radosh.net.

Something Interesting...

2008-07-18T12:33:00.003-05:00

I had no idea this channel existed, but it's really cool. Like most sites there are lots of videos and blogs etc. One that I found really interesting is the show Rabbis' Roundtable. Ah how I love debate and discussion.

And then there are films like this one:

Jerking my gas nozzel

2008-07-17T23:20:00.002-05:00

Oh Larry Craig, please, please, please. I really don't want to hear you talk about jerking america by the gas nozzel. Ok, so I really do for the lulz.

Awesomeness

2008-07-17T22:47:00.002-05:00

and now for some more ridiculousness.

Now, wasn't that terribly fun? Thought so. Although I'm pretty sure that I'm a little dumber now.

Yays! Links!

2008-07-17T22:39:00.001-05:00

Hears the links for the Brent Rinehardt's comics: Brent Rinehardt's Comix

Yay! Happy to hail from the 405

2008-07-17T22:05:00.002-05:00

So I first heard this story on KGOU, this afternoon I believe. Craziness. And actually I find it all amusing because how can anyone ever take this seriously? It's like Representative James Traficant.

OKC's Brent Rienhardt's reelection comic, from Reason Magazine

Creep-er

2008-07-16T13:02:00.002-05:00

So Andy Dick is a creeper, but we all knew that already. Nevertheless, this foto is amazingly creepy. Enjoy! From Gawker

So not cool....

2008-07-15T12:02:00.002-05:00

For grad school and in general I needed a new computer and so I got a MacBook Air. I love it. Only thing is, is that there's the new get an ipod with your comp. And now I happen to just have been too early. I'm so not happy. What gives? Good thing that this is not representative of the rest of my life.

Food Porn

2008-07-15T11:43:00.002-05:00

As I normally am, I am behind the curve here.... Food Porn. on Flickr there's a group pool labeled Food Porn and it very much is. Although it makes me salivate, it doesn't turn me on. Anyways, check it out.

Flickr's disgusting Food Porn; you'll like it so check it out

Maybe It's About Time

2008-07-15T11:38:00.002-05:00

As one can see it's been ages since I've written anything. Mainly I just read nowadays. However, I think it's time to force myself out of the lull and get to putting something out there. Mainly I'll just bitch that there's no one to vote for blah blah blah, and crap like that. Nevertheless, I plan to stay far away from that weak jaded shite. More likely I will comment on things like people's hair and shoe choices. That's more fun.

Drink to Prevent Death

2006-12-13T10:03:00.000-06:00

Yesterday in Reuters you may have seen an article discussing the benefits of booze to one's health (4 drinks per day for men and 2 per day for women). This only supports what I have felt for a long time.

Reuters Health

So here's what I'm proposing:

lunch - 1 beer
before dinner - 1 martini
dinner - 1 glass of wine w/meal
after dinner - 1 scotch

and that's pretty close to perfection....

Nothing like denial...

2006-12-12T15:34:00.000-06:00

So I know that my posting here has been very sparse, and that most read this on my facebook profile... nevertheless, this is insanity.

Reuters- Iranian Holocaust Conference

They talk about education... this is not education. Fundamentalism is not education. This does not promote peace in the mid-east. Why are certain groups all about causing trouble? Why do people need to fill this world with hate?

Accents....

2006-11-16T14:03:00.000-06:00

I like my accent, but whatever... this is just a dumb quizy thing. Stoooopid I know, but a fun five minutes.

What American accent do you have? Your Result: The Inland North You may think you speak "Standard English straight out of the dictionary" but when you step away from the Great Lakes you get asked annoying questions like "Are you from Wisconsin?" or "Are you from Chicago?" Chances are you call carbonated drinks "pop."
The Northeast
Philadelphia
The South
North Central
The Midland
Boston
The West
What American accent do you have? Take More Quizzes

So, since it's pretty accurate, give it a try... or just call me lame.

Oh the hillarity

2006-10-31T15:39:00.000-06:00

Ok, so I know that my sense of humour isn't quite on the same plane as most. However, today I read some of the funniest pieces of my life...

If, at this point, you haven't heard of the "over heard..." site series then you're missing so much funny (please don't point out the poor use of the helpless english language). You're not reading things like:

Crazy drunk guy on elevator (points to people in order): "I respect you! And I respect you! And I respect you!"

Young guy: "Uh, thanks man."

Crazy drunk guy: "I'm gonna have a press conference someday! I don't care if it takes a week or my whole life! Cause I don't do drugs!!"

Young guy: "Oh, OK, that's good. Uh, anyway, have a nice day..."

Crazy drunk guy: "I don't need your good wishes, faggoty ass motherfucker!!!!"

1201 Chestnut Street elevator

But yeah, it's some good laughs. enjoy.

Over Heard in NYC

Over Heard in Philly

Over Heard in The Office

One Week Away...

2006-10-31T09:10:00.000-06:00

Yeah, you're probably inundated with all this Mid-term election crap, and if you're like me you're angry cause no one is representing your views and no one will for a long time...

Nevertheless, I came across something totally awesome. I'm just pissed that I did know about this months ago... But yeah, so the University of Iowa has established a futures exchange for the mid-term elections. How sweet is this?!?! I can now speculate on the election! and make money! It's an interesting way to see where people think the election will go...(not that it's a good random sampling or anything).

University of Iowa

It's been a while...

2006-10-11T08:55:00.000-05:00

So yeah it's been a while since my last post over here at http://midwestern-memorandum.blogspot.com and well, that's cause I'm ~~lazy~~ busy with many things going on (interviews etc). Nevertheless here I am.

While I am back for this stop-and-chat and really don't care to talk about things like terrorism, Dubya, or 9/11, this is a mildly interesting article: http://www.geocities.com/eroston/winking.htm

So enjoy. This is really just a stop-and-chat so I'll call you sometime or we'll hang again - soon.

Late Spetember Happenings...

2006-09-25T14:37:00.000-05:00

Shanah Tovah!

and well I went to my first OU game instead of maariv, but it was my first game. After not attending a game in my five years at OU I'm sure that God will forgive me. Anyway, it was great despite Owen Field not serving any beer. Hence, I'm going again! Boomer Sooner!!

Ok, so something more generally entertaining.....

A dude in NYC leaves his apt. in the hands of his realtor for a weekend so she can conduct an open house... and what does he come back to find? Crap in his closet, urine on his mattress, his belonging rearranged to form a satanic alter and the realtor naked in his closet chanting. This is entertainment that I can live with out, thank you very much. Otherwise really don't have anything witty or generally entertaining to say about this piece as it pretty much speaks for itself.

NY Post - The Devil's Apt Broker

Gawker Coverage

Sick of unfunny assholes

2006-09-19T10:45:00.000-05:00

So apparently it's talk like a pirate day. Lame. Pirates are lame. People need to just stop not being funny. Keep it to yourself and your lame ass friends.

Really the issue is that people need to act like adults. Pirates stopped being cool around the age of 12. Much like comics. Fantasy worlds are great when you're a kid. In fact it's essential. But as an adult, if you are still living in a fantasy world you are wasting your time. Why fantasize when you can actually just make it happen? Are you too afraid of failing in your attempt to acheive your dreams? Well, you're deffinitely not going to acheive anything if you dick around in your pretend world.

And since when did pirates become cool? Do I really need to suffer through my coworkers saying lame jokes like, "what's a pirate's favorite type of sock? Arrrrggyle!" Just give and just move to indoneisa if you love pirates so much.

Pirate Day, click my link!

Well Now... Where Do I Go From Here?

2006-09-12T15:59:00.000-05:00

This photo is either extremely disturbing or it's doctored...

Wonkette cause I'm too Lazy to google stuff...

Hooray Beer!

2006-09-12T15:53:00.000-05:00

Apparently you can still get a DUI while legal.... that is if you are Marion Barry, my favorite mayor. But then, when has Marion Barry ever been sober? I <3 you. You are an insane crack head. DC represent!

And how can you not love this pic of the former mayor of the world's capitol? -----^

Wonkette Coverage

NBC 4 News

6 Degrees of Maybe

2006-09-12T15:41:00.000-05:00

Hmm... with everyone on either friendster, myspace, facebook, yelp, etc... we know ho w interconnected our social webs are. It seemed to proove the idea of six degrees of separation. Or did it? Maybe, maybe not... it appears.

BBC 6 Degrees: A second look?

Could it be true?

2006-09-06T15:40:00.000-05:00

Telephone telapathy? I think I've had it happen to me... but I'd like to get a hold of the peer-review journal article for this study to see the methodology and statistical analysis.

If it is true, fuck me man. I might have to break down and accept some other paranormal stuff to be true....

Rueters: The study in question

The works of the scientist

Business/Politics Round-up

2006-09-06T10:59:00.000-05:00

So a lot is happening....

Huge recoverable reserves found.... Independent Online

Boeing Exec to replace Bill Ford at FoMoCo.... Financial Times

Apparently everyone but me hates Tony Blair.... Financial Times

Anyone else weirded out by Floridians? Katherine Harris? Seriously.... Wonkette

I like using four dots instead of just the three....

Priorities....

2006-09-06T09:01:00.000-05:00

So the last post garnered me a posting on my facebook wall and here's an excerpt: "...you are funny, superficial asshole, butt funny. youre lucky that i wasnt one of those hags in boyd street. i overheard kids at OU media talking about your post... i talked to your mom today, shes so fabulous!"

First thing that struck me is that people at OU's student media read my blog. Heyyyyyy that's cool. I mean who knew.

What bothers me is that, at first, I was more interested in this previous fact, and not that I'm a superficial ass, or how a friend was pointing out that I made a dick of a comment in the last post. But she does like my mom....

Well, I'm no asshole...and the people in that issue of Boyd Street were really ugly. If you're 22 there is no good reason why you should look like a used 48 year old hooker. Stop tanning! Stop using hair dye! Well, I guess it is Oklahoma....

Realization

2006-09-05T10:30:00.000-05:00

I just realized that everyone in a local Norman scene mag "Boyd Street" is fucking ugly. As I was browsing through it, the pictures of people at the 5 bars in Norman are ugly died blond hags. They all look like fucking jerri blank.

Oy Vey. I feel sorry for my single friends... this is what they have to choose from?

Thank God

2006-09-05T10:05:00.000-05:00

Holy fucking shit batman! It's september! Now that I'm no longer in college I am losing track of time. All I know is that like five days ago the weather was close to hell. It was high 90's. I considered moving just to get away, but then I realized that it was just hot everywhere. Then I wake up this weekend and it's overecast and not hot - meaning it's like in the 70's or the 60's. OU Weather Where does time go? Maybe I'll just end up dead (poor croc hunter) RIP Croc Hunter (corporate casual) Ok, so I probably won't anytime soon (or else god and I will have to fight). Nevertheless... I fear that me and my friends are becoming boring. Last night my friend and I were chilling and decided to hit the glorious shithole (aka OKC's Bricktown) since the shitty wine bar was closed for labour day. (What's with places being closed? How are you supposed to celebrate? - don't point out the illogic of that question) So anyway... no one was out... and well so we just sat and talked to the bartender about time travel.... (Sci-Fi people need to learn that it's still fiction).... smoked a cigar drank a bottle of some weak, over-priced shiraz (and what's with Oklahoma City places charging near NYC prices? It's fucking Oklahoma City! It's supposed to be cheap!).... then we drove home. Exciting? Why is that now I'm boring? What did I lose when I crossed that platform back in May in my cap & gown?

I don't care!

2006-08-30T10:36:00.000-05:00

Alright, I love facebook as the next guy. I'm still addicted- even though I'm out of college. I use to keep in contact with all my college friends... those who have moved on and those that are still working it. I'm also all up for people finding modes of self expression. That's what this is, in some small way. You want to paint, write or anything else, that's great and I encourage you to keep it up. Just don't make me read your fucking shitty fiction.

But wait, where do these two things interconnect? Facebook Notes my friends. Yes, so now I can read whatever people care to plaster on their profiles. I don't care to read your short stories!

Facebook Notes aka Annoying waste of Caleb's time

But I dunno what to make of this: Daily Puppy

My friend reads this every day. I see it and think I'm growing a vagina.... but they are cute.....

Can you argue with this fellow?

This is your fried egg on mary jane

2006-08-30T10:08:00.000-05:00

Some old news... well, I've heard it before.... I mean I think I've heard it previously, but then I could be having halucinations. Nevertheless, so recall when you were five or eleven (everything past 21 is a blur to me nowadays) and you were watching your afternoon/saturday morning cartoons? Yeah, ok, so now remember the ads that were like this egg is your brain and then they cracked it and fried it and then said that the fried egg is your brain on drugs?

Yeah, good. so we all laughed. Everyone was laughing apparently... so much so that we all got high and laughed. The irony is nice. I just wish they actually used the money for those spots for somehting that would be benefitial... like school lunches. Damnit, I want some white castle.

The Anti Drug is my gateway... Reason Magazine

Unknown

2006-08-10T16:08:00.000-05:00

This afternoon I'm at work and well, working. Now reception in my building is pretty bad except in certain locations, so for a mixture of privacy and the ability to actually hear the person on the other end I either go to the one confrence room or outside. And if I can't do either then I don't answer. I also don't answer calls from most numbers I don't recognize. Especially if the ID says "Unknown". Well, for a while that meant it was some credit card company calling for their money. Whatever, doesn't happen anymore.

So I'm working in the cube and I get an "unknown" call. I answer. The first time this happens I just sit there going "hello? hello?" And there's nothing. Then 10 minutes later "unknown" calls back. However, this time it actually picks up the call.

Turns out that "unkown" is some random hold music. It played for over 2 and a half minutes. Um, ok. Thanks cingular.

Everything moves so much faster....

2006-08-08T13:41:00.000-05:00

So it's been only like what? Two days and now we have this. But I'm ok with it. Smear them. They should have known better.

Inheritance

2006-08-08T11:13:00.000-05:00

While it'd be nice to know that I'll inherit something of value, I'm ok with knowing that I really won't be seeing much. Although what I will inherit is the love from my parents; because of which I have been blessed. I think that we all have something to inherit that's good from our parents and previous generations. Maybe we just have to look in the right places or something. But whatever. We're all going to die so why not leave a little something for your survivors to remember you and help them?

Inheritance...the times

Seriously

2006-08-08T10:42:00.000-05:00

Oh My God, who cares?!?! But whatever... i guess we'll always have celebs of some form.. I should sit back and enjoy the show.

NY Times...I'm Striaght

Someone Did Do It

2006-08-08T10:05:00.000-05:00

I know when I was 12/13 or whatever, this is what I wanted to do with my time. Well... besides ride my bike and look at girls, there were army men and legos.

This has inspired me to post my lego films on YouTube.... But check this out...

World War II.59362(8)

Kids... via Preworn

Pandas & Heat

2006-08-08T08:43:00.000-05:00

I wake up, shower and leave for work. Today I said to myself, screw it, I'm wearing shorts. Shorts But no one seems to care.... I dunno I don't get it.

Right right... pandas.... But it's sooo hot here in OK. Although, I'm not going to be another bum going on about the weather or gas prices etc. There's enough out there. But so I get to work and my friend who ditched me last night at our local pub (aptly named the Library, as it is near the University of Oklahoma library, and by near I mean within a block or so) with some nug im's me with this.

Oh, and all he said was "precious". What does this cryptic message mean?

Why I can't back down...

2006-08-07T09:04:00.000-05:00

So I keep hearing and seeing bits in the media claiming some atrocity made by the Israelis in the West Bank ( remember Jenin?) or in Lebanon, etc. etc. But while I know that the Israelis aren't perfect, they're not out to commit genocide and spread their "fascist" state. To think they would, would mean that you don't realize that Israel is a democracy. But whatever....

Sometimes the falsification of the these "atrocities" (that are always false), while so common place, can be pretty weak. Just look here: Bad Photoshop & Bad Photoshop 2

I mean, come on. If you're falsifiy it, then do it right. Or maybe you figure your audience is so uneducated that they'll believe anything you tell them - because you have a divine connection. That must be it........

Hence, I'm a skeptic. I refuse to believe that Israel is this mean Goliath. The evidence isn't there.

I like online shopping too

2006-08-01T09:49:00.000-05:00

So yeah, I dunno if this is real or not (and I really just don't care to investigate), but an inflatable bed shampooer is kinda awesome...

...and by awesome I mean, great for old blue hairs then yes, it is awesome.

Fauxy Dot Net

Lay Vs Elvis

2006-07-07T10:55:00.000-05:00

While no one views this page, I do at least. Whatever, that makes no sense. But here's the deal, I haven't updated in over a month - sorry. OK not really. I really don't care. Why are you even reading this? I just repost stuff I find.

Nevertheless, we've all know that Ken Lay is now dead. Dead before he got to pay for his sins or whatever. But this fact seems to beg the question: is he really dead?

Now hear me! I'm predicting the rise of conspiracy theories surrounding this Ken Lay. It'll be like Elvis! Ken Lay isn't dead. He just got some plastic surgery and moved out of the country, moving his money around and around. He's laundering it through small island countries. I know it!

Ok so I really don't know anything about this... but I suspect that other people will make this leap. Although I told this to a friend last night in a semi-drunken stupor. Al he could say was, "Lie! he's dead! I saw him die!" So one can't really argue with that.

SHOW YOURSELF!
Ken Lay is Dead

Is This a Good Thing?

2006-06-01T08:36:00.000-05:00

SO, under the arctic, there could be ginormous oil deposits.... hmm.. with oil at like what? $74 a barrel - I know I'm jumping on who ever starts exploring first. And while this may not be so good.... more CO2 and SO2 emissions, destruction of fragile arctic eco systems and etc., we'll always use the cheapest resources first. So maybe this is the last frontier for oil exploration? Then we'll be forced to look seriously at alternatives. I mean, for alternatives to become viable the public has to embrace them. This will only happen when it hurts too much to use oil.

Ny Y Times - Oil Under the Arctic?

Something Scary

2006-05-12T12:43:00.000-05:00

Here's something scary... 1 in 7 East Asian immigrants are infected with hepatitis B and don't realize it. Why not? No insurance... so, we're going to save some tax money only to pay more when they are dying in the hospital and have infected more people... that makes sense. How bout this: spending a little extra now to keep hospital costs down for everyone, and not having to waste tax money on hospitalizing and treating the severely affected (not to mention, preventing some sort of pandemic). But whatever. This is still a bit crazy.

NY Times - Hepatitis

Copyright?

2006-04-26T15:26:00.000-05:00

In chick-lit most of the book follow the same formula. They're all pretty much the same - change a few character names, locations, change a mother to an aunt or grandmother, etc. When you've read one you've read them all. Overall it's pretty banal. So who cares if someone plagiarizes another chick-lit author? The stories are already the same.

Nevertheless, I think I'll develop my plug and chug chick-lit generator, that by utilizing the power of the almighty internet will allow authors to create their own chick-lit novels online!

More seriously, I think there is a reason why plagiarists are limited to genres that suck. That suck hard - i.e. memoirs & chick-lit. Has any work of classical literature ever fit into either of these genres? (excepting Jane Austen, but no one besides the readers of chick-lit really take her seriously anyway.)

Ooo! How 'bout this: an online memoir creator! Write your own fictitious memoir!

Harvard Novelist & Plagiarist - NY Times

More Plagiarists! - Gawker

Worshipping at the Throne of the Chef Gods

2006-04-25T14:23:00.000-05:00

Hmm, to me, it appears that chefs are now seeking, not to make great food and experiences but to have their patrons worship their celebrity status. As if chefs say, "humble patrons, you are lucky to be eating in my bastion of culinary genius."

It's one thing to be successful, but another to charge $60 for a risotto. Or to serve duck testicles just for the shock and awe.

Or maybe it's not a gimick. I don't know for sure.

I'm going to do everything I can to create an egaltarian dinning experience when I have the chance to have my own place. I've decided that haute cusine really isn't for me. Although, I love how it has elevated food to almost the place as art - while I do realize it will never be.... I enjoy seeing the ceativity of it - which was the original draw.

Super Mario

Lost Innocence

2006-04-25T14:05:00.000-05:00

A women posing as a pregnant mother is really a suicide bomber? How low can humans go? Preying on the sympathies of society for murderous political gains? Is it worth it to go so low?

This is sick. It's wrong! People should be outraged! Are you outraged? I am. Let's speak up.

I guess the times when women and children were to be spared from conflict is long gone it seems. Maybe that's a good thing since it aknowledges the support role played by these "innocencents". Or maybe it only serves to militarize everyone and subjecting everyone to an earlier loss of innoncence. My idea is that it is some sort of combination of the two.

Fake Pregnant Bomber - ABC News

OY!

2006-04-22T16:53:00.000-05:00

OK, so I know I haven't updated in ages.... But those in or have been in college understand what senior year is like... Right, so anyway.

There'll be more to come........

Oh My!

2006-01-31T09:55:00.000-06:00

So I came across these pics like years ago and forgot about them until today. While definitely edgy, it may be too graphic? Whatever, I think it was blown way out of proportion. Puma Blow Job Campaign

More to the point...

2006-01-27T14:26:00.000-06:00

Real dialogue has been slowly replaced with comedy, because real news is too boring or biased. And so the switch to getting news from the Daily Show makes sense how?

Cobert Report

Nuclear Beef

Pew Research

More and more people are getting "news" from comedy shows.

What next?

2006-01-27T14:17:00.000-06:00

Has Washington become a parody of itself? Apparently so. While I love the Cobert Report, it's a comedic television show. It's not real news. But real people know this... What's scary is that it's slowly becoming accepted as a legitimate news source. And while I really don't like journalists, I don't like the fact that people are taking comedy as seriousness. Cobert Report

Comrade!

2006-01-19T17:59:00.000-06:00

Finally, just as music reviews, and well pretty much all forms of critism, things with wine writing has gotten out of hand, and here's someone on my side! NY Times

Madonna. Wine. Madonna & Wine?

2006-01-17T17:00:00.000-06:00

So, it appears that as wine becomes less snobby it's also becoming more flippant and subject to trends. I guess along with democratization comes the potential for things to fall to the lowest common denominator. Nothing's perfect i guess. I just hope the benefits of this trend of wine becoming more accessable will ultimately improve wine around the world. But who knows? What we do now will determine where we head right? And as long as producers focus on quality and taste and not on things like trendiness, bodegas will be a lasting enterprise providing enjoyment to many, many people. Madonna & Wine

Heros

2006-01-11T15:58:00.000-06:00

Politicians should never be anyone's heros. In fact I'm dubious of all "heros". Think of it, we're all people. We all fuck up. Deal! There are no heros, only myths. Marion Barry

Finally

2006-01-10T14:16:00.000-06:00

Finally something that makes sense. My only fear is that some people will ruin this, when it could be the first step towards changing the attitudes Americans have towards drinking. Rhode Island

Sharon

2006-01-10T11:34:00.000-06:00

Intriguing observation: crime more than halved in Israel. What does this mean? It means that even though there are a plethora of opinions of where Israel should or shouldn't be going, that it's really a family of sorts. And that's what's important- not if you're frum or not. timesonline.co.uk

Just What We Need

2006-01-10T10:59:00.000-06:00

Yeah, this is just what the US needs. The leader of the freeworld is running secret prisons in Eastern Europe. Nothing like setting us up to look like some sort of fascists. The point of having laws is that people are protected... next thing you know we'll have a religious police that has secret operatives in various places of worship - spying on various worshipers. Oh snap!! That's right it's already happened. Anyway, Americans really only have two choices here- fight this trend to becoming some sort of a police state or accept it and learn to live and exist within it's confines (this could work if you were in with those ruling). CIA Secret Prisons

Ugh

2006-01-10T10:09:00.000-06:00

What ever happened to the flamming bag of poo? Or just using a mouse trap? Worker #3116

Jesus...

2006-01-10T10:00:00.000-06:00

So while i'm down with the Jesus (this is not a religious diatribe... I'm not a christian, but I'm cool with most of the 1.5 billion who are) and mean no disrespect, what would he have on his itunes? Gawker

Bio Ethics...

2006-01-04T14:17:00.000-06:00

I've never found any ethical argument against cloning or other growing of tissues outside the body to hit home with me. Everything seems to be set in "this is unatural" and it's the same arguments that are used against homosexuality. But anyway- while I wouldn't want this, it's extremely intriguing. In Britain people are making wedding rings out of their own bone cells... Bio Rings

More Crappy Journalists...

2006-01-04T10:06:00.000-06:00

Maybe because of my being an engineer and spending time with too many journalism majors in college, I really don't respect journalist... and do they really need to give me (or us) any more reasons? NY Times

Journalists = whiny babies

2006-01-03T16:48:00.000-06:00

Yeah, so I encountered this during my three and a half years of writing for SIN. Journalists whine. They go on about their calling, their duty to the political process, their duty to greater society.... when really all they do is make money by spreading the happenings of certain people's lives... Journalists aren't heros.. they're writers. But here's more evidence, people whining about people not reading.. blah blah maybe because what you are covering is lame? Thought of that? Yeah, we read, just not your crap. Wonkette
Rambling Rhodes

Bah! Spy Kids

2006-01-03T10:05:00.000-06:00

Hmm, isn't this already a movie?

Reuters
Spy Kids!
Life, the Movie

What's wrong with Medicine today

2006-01-03T09:20:00.000-06:00

Need one say more?