Friday, December 19, 2008

Slingshot Mastery

It’s been some time since I’ve had a slingshot in my hand, and the last time I did have a slingshot in my hand it was a wrist rocket.  Thought I was a pretty good shot with the thing, too.  But, check out this video, linked below.  The gentleman in the video, Rufus Hussey (sp?), is an unparalleled bean shooter, and he does not use a wrist rocket, but simply dogwood in a natural Y shape, with rubber straps to perform his dead eye dick routine.  His expertise makes my past sling shot shooting simply farcical.

You simply have to check out this video.  Video runs 4:07 and was posted at YouTube.

Carolina Camera: The Sling Shot Man.

Posted by John Venlet on 12/19 at 09:58 AM
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Oil is Not the Black Gold It Was Only Months Ago

At the New Paltz Journal, under a post titled What the hell?, Vandam points to a New York Times article titled Oil Producers, Users Call For Oil Price Stability, and in response to the NYT article states, among other statements,

British PM Gordon Brown comes along and wants to stabilize prices and forge a new “partnership” between the oil-consuming and oil-producing countries.

Would someone please tell that blinking idiot that price itself is the bloody partnership. That it regulates both consumption and production. And that high prices contain within themselves the seeds of lower prices, and vice versa. That oil prices are historically cyclical. That they rise and fall. And that consumption is a function of production and price; production a function of consumption and price. Price is the damn market. Even when someone is trying to fix it at one end or tax it at another. Price is what makes or breaks a market, increases or decreases demand. It is what the parties to the sale of a thing agree upon.

Vandam is correct, of course, and any arguments or whinings put forth or heard in rebuttal to Vandam’s statement that “price itself is the bloody partnership” are simply wrong.  Period.

Posted by John Venlet on 12/19 at 09:15 AM
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I Have to Get Outside and Shovel Some Arrogance

It started snowing after midnight, here in Western Michigan, and I have to get outside and shovel six (6) inches of fresh snow, and it is still coming down, so for now I will simply provide a link to the following story.

CNN Meteorologist: Manmade Global Warming Theory ‘Arrogant’

Posted by John Venlet on 12/19 at 07:15 AM
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Thursday, December 18, 2008

Run, Cliff Young, Run

I’ve previously read the story of Cliff Young, who in 1983, at the age of 61, ran in the 543.7 mile race from Melbourne to Sydney, and won, but I’ve never posted anything on the story, until now.  It’s an amazing story of individual achievement, and I highly recommend you read the story of his amazing feat.  From the story, which I link below.

Every year, Australia hosts 543.7-mile (875-kilometer) endurance racing from Sydney to Melbourne. It is considered among the world’s most grueling ultra-marathons. The race takes five days to complete and is normally only attempted by world-class athletes who train specially for the event. These athletes are typically less than 30 years old and backed by large companies such as Nike.

In 1983, a man named Cliff Young showed up at the start of this race. Cliff was 61 years old and wore overalls and work boots. To everyone’s shock, Cliff wasn’t a spectator. He picked up his race number and joined the other runners.

The Legend of Cliff Young: The 61 Year Old Farmer Who Won the World’s Toughest Race

Posted by John Venlet on 12/18 at 06:56 PM
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Maybe He’s Confused

From a Los Angeles Times article headlined Military to be on high alert for inauguration, wherein Air Force Gen. Victor E. Renuart Jr., head of the military command that oversees security for North American, is reported as stating,

Renuart said the military’s preparations were meant to support civilian-led efforts.

And here I’ve been under the impression, based on all the efforts by professional jobholders of all stripes to remove weapons from the hands of us lowly civilians, that the state had everything under control should matters get out of hand.

Posted by John Venlet on 12/18 at 02:22 PM
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So What

Drudge has a headline link, in fearmongering red letters, regarding the shutdown of Chrysler production for one month, which reads “Chrysler to shut all factories for at least a month.”  The story can be read here.

I say so what.  In the automotive production industry, it is normal for production plants to shutdown during a portion of the holiday season for at least one (1) week to ten (10) days, as is noted in this article at Cincinnati.com.

Toyota announced last week that it is extending by 11 days its normal (bold by ed.) holiday production shutdown at its Georgetown plant,...

What’s more appalling about this shutdown information is the fact that the Big 3 CEOs, and the professional jobholders lobbying for a taxpayer funded ride, are wielding this extension of normal shutdown operating procedures as a large stick to beat funds free from the cannibal pot.

Posted by John Venlet on 12/18 at 09:34 AM
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Whitewashing the Travesty Which is Stalin

Arts & Letters Daily provides a link to a story in the Chicago Tribune titled Russia rewriting Josef Stalin’s legacy.

The main gist of the story concerns archives documenting Stalin’s atrocious and murderous crushing of Russia and the Russian people to further the evils of communism.  The archives had been gathered together by a Russian group called Memorial, in an attempt to ensure that Russians, and individuals throughout the world, can be fully cognizant of just how evil Stalin, and all he represents, was during his time in complete power.

These archives have been seized by the Russian police, allegedly to assist them in investigating some newspaper story which had been published by the newspaper Novy Peterburg.

But even more disturbing than the seizure of these archives is the following information which is contained within the article noting the seizure of the archives.

In Russian classrooms, history teachers are guided by a new, government-approved textbook, Alexander Filippov’s “Modern History of Russia: 1945-2006,” which hails Stalin as an efficient manager who had to resort to extreme measures to modernize the lumbering Soviet agrarian economy.

There were, writes Filippov, “rational reasons behind the use of violence in order to ensure maximum efficiency.”

A museum commemorating Stalin as a national hero opened in 2006 in the southern city of Volgograd. The following year, a 40-episode television drama broadcast on a state-controlled network whitewashed Stalin’s crimes and portrayed him as Russia’s savior.

Stalin, and all he represents, should be consigned to the cess pools of history.  As for the current Russian leaders attempting to rehabilitate the travesty which is Stalin, and those who curry their favor, such as Alexander Filippov who is creating fairy tales out of history, they should be driven forth from the halls of power like the swine they are.

One last note.  In Russia, if a Russian individual wrote what I have just written, they stand a very good chance of being harrassed/persecuted by the Russian state, and quite possibly being charged with treason.

UPDATE (08.30.2011): Repaired defunct links.

Posted by John Venlet on 12/18 at 08:29 AM
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Wednesday, December 17, 2008

I’m Tired of Pagan Rites of Sacrifice

I’m tired of pagan rites of sacrifice.  Sacrificing in order to appease the global economy gods, of which there are none, is primitive, a waste, simply wishful thinking, and given up as futile appeal by men of reason centuries ago.  Let the market work, FREELY!

U.S. President George Bush said in an interview Tuesday he was forced to sacrifice free market principles to save the economy from “collapse.”
“I’ve abandoned free-market principles to save the free-market system,” Bush told CNN television, saying he had made the decision “to make sure the economy doesn’t collapse.”

Bush says sacrificed free-market principles to save economy

Posted by John Venlet on 12/17 at 07:52 PM
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Rahm It In

Michael Sneed, of the Chicago Sun-Times posts,

Sneed hears rumbles President-elect Barack Obama’s chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel, is reportedly on 21 different taped conversations by the feds—dealing with his boss’ vacant Senate seat!

Also from the Chicago Sun-Times Natasha Korecki and Fran Spielman report,

President-elect Barack Obama’s incoming chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel, was pushing for Obama’s successor just days after the Nov. 4 election, sources told the Chicago Sun-Times.

Emanuel privately urged Gov. Blagojevich’s administration to appoint Obama confidante Valerie Jarrett, and the Sun-Times learned Tuesday that he also pressed that it be done by a certain deadline.

I say, always Rahm it in before the deadline expires.

Posted by John Venlet on 12/17 at 12:35 PM
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Just a Whim, I Guess

The most recent news regarding the bank that was bombed in Oregon, killing two police officers, which I mentioned initially under the heading Harbinger?, and then updated here, only provides us with the information that a father and son, Bruce Turnidge (father) and Joshua Turnidge, have been arrested and charged with “murder, attempted murder, assault and the manufacture and possession of a destructive device.”  Hardly earth shattering news.

What is interesting, about this incident, is that Courtland Geyer, the deputy district attorney in Marion County who has filed the charges, provides no information as to motive, because he either has no clue, which is entirely possible, or the “authorities” have charged the wrong men, also entirely possible.

Geyer declined to reveal what authorities think motivated the men to allegedly build a bomb and place it outside a branch of West Coast Bank. Documents released Tuesday as part of Joshua Turnidge’s arraignment described what happened, but not why.

Just a whim, I guess, if indeed the father/son duo are actually guilty of the charges as filed.

Posted by John Venlet on 12/17 at 12:17 PM
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Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Suck It Up, People (Sheesh)

Some world’s smallest violin playing my heart bleeds for you stories and crybaby quotes from people who have to tighten their belts because they are not making as much money as they used to make, from a CNBC piece titled Downturn Spurs ‘Survival Panic’ for Some in the US.

A paralegal, recently laid off, wanted to get back at the “establishment” that he felt was to blame for his lost job. So when he craved an expensive new tie, he went out and stole one.

For those who need to abruptly curtail spending, that leaves a major void, said James Gottfurcht, clinical psychologist and president of “Psychology of Money Consultants,” which coaches clients on money issues.

“People that have been ... identifying with and defining themselves by their material objects and expenditures are losing a definite piece of their identity and themselves,” he said. “They have to learn how to replace that.”

Beth Rosenberg, a New York freelance educator and self-professed bargain hunter, said she stopped shopping for herself after her husband lost his publishing job in June.

She is now buying her son toys from the popular movie Madagascar for $2 at McDonald’s, and is wearing clothes that have hung untouched in her closet for years.

She said it has been stressful to stick to an austere budget after she used to easily splurge on $100 boots. “I miss it,” she said of shopping.

Judas, frickin’ priest, people, get a life.

Posted by John Venlet on 12/16 at 02:43 PM
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Social Determinism Drivel

In today’s edition of The New York Times there is an opinion piece written by David Brooks titled Lost in the Crowd.  The piece is somewhat of a review and criticism of Malcolm Gladwell’s new book Outliers: The Story of Success.  In the book, Gladwell argues that social determinism in fact does determine individual success to a larger extent than individual initiative, utilizing as examples for his argument the birthdates of exceptional hockey players, the “culture of honor” prevalent in individuals in the South versus Northerner individuals, and the brevity of speaking numbers in the Chinese language versus the English language, amongest other allegedly supporting examples.

Social determinism, as defined by Wikipedia, “...is the hypothesis that social interactions and constructs alone determine individual behavior (as opposed to biological or objective factors).”  A hypothesis which I think is just a heaping helping of buncombe.

Surprisingly, Mr. Brooks is skeptical of Gladwell’s claims also, stating at the end of his piece,

If Gladwell can reduce William Shakespeare to a mere product of social forces, I’ll buy 25 more copies of “Outliers” and give them away in Times Square.

though he does give a gracious nod to Gladwell when he states,

Gladwell’s social determinism is a useful corrective to the Homo economicus view of human nature.

which I think Mr. Brooks is wrong to do.

But the more pressing reason why I post regarding this social determinism drivel is because of the following statement from Brooks’ piece in regards to Gladwell’s book.

His book is being received by reviewers as a call to action for the Obama age. It could lead policy makers to finally reject policies built on the assumption that people are coldly rational utility-maximizing individuals. It could cause them to focus more on policies that foster relationships, social bonds and cultures of achievement.

In our world today we need less of this feel good nonsense, such as social determinism, and more objective and reasoned analysis.  And if Obama and his minions indeed take heed of this book as a guide to policy making, this country will end up ruined far sooner than its current trajectory points to.

As for the unnamed reviewers drooling that the book is a “call to action for the Obama age,” to be utilized by policy makers to interfere even more in individuals lives, they exhibit nothing more than the possibility that the infinite monkey theorom may indeed be fact, rather than theory.

Some excerpts from Gladwell’s drivel can be read here and at the link, above, of the book’s title, which will take you to Amazon.com.

UPDATE: For a more indepth treatment into why social determinism is just so much drivel please see The “Ism” That Isn’t (Why Social Determinism Cannot Mean What it Says), written by Allan Levite and published by The Independent Institute.

UPDATE II:  Writing at The Smart Set, Morgan Meis also casts his eye at Malcom Gladwell’s book Outliers: The Story of Success.  Meis’ piece is titled Success Story Dissecting Malcolm Gladwell’s Outliers.

Posted by John Venlet on 12/16 at 01:07 PM
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Monday, December 15, 2008

Needless Norovirus Frenzy

Evidently our British friends, across the pond, are dealing with a norovirus outbreak, though one could be led to believe, based on the headline of the Daily Express; KILLER VIRUS GRIPS BRITAIN; that hordes of the Brits are dying.  Where’s that good ol’ stiff upper British lip?

Granted, contracting the norovirus is not a pleasant matter.  I’ve been hammered, and I mean absolutely hammered, by the norovirus myself, and it was not an enjoyable thirty-six (36) hour experience.  And a stiff upper lip is difficult to maintain while you’re alternately puking your guts out or hurriedly dropping your drawers so as not to soil yourself, or a dealing with a combination of both at the same time.

So, in the spirit of friendship, and to calm one Geoff Martin, of some British agency called “Health Emergency,” who is plaintively crying out,

“If the Secretary of State for Health does not do something about this, there could be a complete meltdown and a full-blown crisis.

“It would be the worst I have seen in five or six years.”

I provide a link to the CDC’s page on the norovirus, because the Brit’s Secretary of State for Health will not be able to do a damn thing about the norovirus spreading except to mumble a few words, wash his hands, and steer clear of those who may be infected.

If any of you Brits are currently infected with the norovirus, you have my sympathies, but chin up, in 36 to 48 hours you’ll be feeling right as rain.

Posted by John Venlet on 12/15 at 02:05 PM
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Blagojevich Run Around Follies

The Blagojevich run around follies, over the selling of Obama’s vacated senate seat, continue unabated, today, with nothing new being said about who said what to whom and when it may or may not have been said, as the muzzles put in place have not been removed by the powers that be and the muzzled, like well trained dogs, are in an extended “sit, stay” position.  Good doggies.

The most recent article I’ve read regarding this, from the Wall Street Journal, Emanuel, Blagojevich Aides Discussed Senate Seat, with an subsidary headline of After Election, Obama Team Relayed List of Acceptable Candidates; No Evidence There Was Any Illegal Quid Pro Quo, for legal purposes I’m certain, does have one rather humorous quote embedded within, though, uttered by Republican Congressman-elect Aaron Schock, which is as follows.

“You can’t put a price tag on good government.”

Well, I don’t know about that, Schock, Obama put a price tag on “good government,” and it was around $1 billion dollars.  How much did it cost you, Schock, for your seat in congress, and are you, Schock, representative of “good government”?

Posted by John Venlet on 12/15 at 09:46 AM
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Oregon Bank Bombing Update

On Saturday, I mentioned that a bomb had been found outside a bank in Oregon, and, that said bomb had exploded killing a police officer.  In actuality, the bomb ended up killing two individuals.  The initial report which I linked to in my post regarding this event provided little detail, other than the fact that a police officer had been killed, and that a call had been received warning of the bomb.

This morning, the AP is reporting that an arrest has been made in the Oregon bank bomb incident, but their report also provides little detail; no suspect name, no motive named, etcetera; except that the arrest was made in Salem, Oregon, and, allegedly, further details will be released later today.  So we wait.

Suspect arrested in Oregon bank bombing

Posted by John Venlet on 12/15 at 06:57 AM
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