Friday, December 31. 2021
SAT exams are a good measure of preparedness for higher education.
(They also seem to be a pretty good proxy for IQ, but of course not always. If raised illiterate in the Guatemala jungle, speaking only Mam, probably not.)
I do not know to what extent various talents of interest correlate with IQ. I'd be interested, because some people have areas of extraordinary talent, and areas with none so an LA higher ed might not be right for them.
Still, in an America in which some are obsessed with racial measures, the SATs, statistically, seem to favor Asians first, Ashkenazi Jews second, non-Jewish Europeans third, and American Blacks and Hispanics last.
Regardless of that, I feel it makes sense to try to discern what kids are prepared for a rigorous plan for advanced education. Admittedly, much of higher ed these days is an industry seeking customers, but that is another topic.
Via Bari Weiss' selections, You Aren't Actually Mad at the SATs - you're mad at what they reveal.
I want to add that many of the best people I have known would have been terrible with SATs, and could never have done college physics or ever aspired to read the Iliad in Greek.
Thursday, December 30. 2021
 Patients with depression show increases in neuroplasticity and fewer clinical symptoms after a physical activity intervention
West Coast Sees Record Snow, Climate Cult Does Their Normal Blame Game
Re Didion: Right At the Beginning. Joan Didion’s obituarists largely ignore her early journalism for National Review under the stewardship of Frank Meyer.
Campus cancel culture: Here are 135 higher education cancelations in 2021
How We Changed Our Minds in 2021 - Enes Kanter Freedom on his name. Ayaan Hirsi Ali on liberalism. Tim Urban on religion. Plus: Nellie Bowles, Ross Douthat, Chloé Valdary, Karol Markowicz, and Balaji Srinivasan.
Never say die: Trump-Russia collusion theorists strike again
U.S. shatters daily record for COVID cases, but...
Traders Start Freaking Out Over Fresh Supply Chain Collapse As Covid Sweeps Across China
Dalrymple: The Unavoidable Necessity to Make Judgments
Axelrod: Can't anyone in this party do math?
Erik Prince calls for upgrade of US hybrid conflict capabilities. Blackwater founder argues for the primacy of low-visibility, localized, deniable forces, backed by private sector efficiencies
State Department ‘Actively Impeding’ Rescue Efforts as Afghanistan Fades from Spotlight, Vets Say
Wednesday, December 29. 2021
January 1 is when people decide to get back into shape. It is wonderful for the income of gyms, because people pay up and last a few months.
All the same, my general advice to those over 35 or 40 is to start slowly. If overweight, tiny meals. If underweight, eat food of any sort. Begin with 3 hrs/wk at the gym for a month to get going.
Best way to do it is with a trainer.
I suggest two half-hours of light cardio, 2 half-hours of light weights/machines, and 2 half-hours of calisthenics. After that, a more demanding program.
Most people can use a guide through the journey of physical fitness. It is a lifetime journey to try to avoid eventual decrepitude.
Tuesday, December 28. 2021
This is the best week of the year to phone the IRS and the DMV to deal with nagging issues. Also, best week of the year to sort out insurance issues.
Why? Nobody else is.
Monday, December 27. 2021
A semi-long read by an expert on disgust: How Disgust Explains Everything
Sunday, December 26. 2021
Are CDs obsolete? Are books obsolete?
I use both. I also have a turntable for old vinyl records.
Luke 2:41-52
2:41 Now every year his parents went to Jerusalem for the festival of the Passover.
2:42 And when he was twelve years old, they went up as usual for the festival.
2:43 When the festival was ended and they started to return, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it.
2:44 Assuming that he was in the group of travelers, they went a day's journey. Then they started to look for him among their relatives and friends.
2:45 When they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem to search for him.
2:46 After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.
2:47 And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.
2:48 When his parents saw him they were astonished; and his mother said to him, "Child, why have you treated us like this? Look, your father and I have been searching for you in great anxiety."
2:49 He said to them, "Why were you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?"
2:50 But they did not understand what he said to them.
2:51 Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them. His mother treasured all these things in her heart.
2:52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and in years, and in divine and human favor.
Saturday, December 25. 2021
I went today with my son to see the remake of West Side Story. I'd read several reviews, positive and critical. The show on which the 1961 movie was based was a BIG hit as was the movie. For a decade, high school students performed it. I grew up in those rough New York City streets in the 1950s, in Flatbush, and poor, and tribalism was the norm, including street fights even when not as violent as in the poorest sections of the city.
The remake is almost completely true to the original. The original being drawn from the stage had less production values than the remake, and the remake's set had authenticity, right down to the type of bedspreads that were common in the 1950's.
The original seemed to have some more energy, perhaps because of the more compact limited sets. And the actors seemed younger in the remake, but maybe that's because I'm much older now.
Some of the critics felt that there is some insertions of wokeism in the remake. But, the original had that basic message too: get over being hostile and fighting over racism born out of grappling for a piece of the American pie. Instead striving to raise out of poverty is the positive side of the message, contrary to the socialist denigrating of opportunity.
It's up to you what you see. My high school son liked it, and he is not a musical movie type but a Marvel action type.
I'll give it an 8 1/2 Vs the 10 of the original. That's a lot better than the drivel Hollywood usually spews today.
The Advent of Christ Changed the World Forever
His story continues to change it. Over 2 billion Christians in the world today partaking of the Message of truth and grace.
A Merry Christmas and a happy holiday season to all of our readers and to all of our contributors, with thanks for being part of our humble Yankee enterprise
(No innocent trees were murdered for this card to compensate for murdering our Christmas tree)
I've been to a bunch of parties and some fancy parties this season, and heard some great music too, but the best was a neighborhood caroling get-together Friday night - adults and kids. Good food and drinks with around an hour of singing practice around the piano (divvying up the voices of the wise men, the soloist for O Holy Night, etc), then out tramping around and driving around in the dark to our target audiences. Shut-ins, an old friend and WW 2 Navy vet with Alzheimer's, guys on the job, friendly families. Mrs. BD feels that this neighborhood event is the most Christmassy thing we ever do.
I can guarantee that none of the kids who participate will ever forget it. Maybe they will pass it on when they grow up. Hope so. Fine traditions of family, friends, community, and faith do matter because they become embedded in our souls like little candlelights, lighting our dark corners through our entire lives.
O holy Child of Bethlehem
Descend to us, we pray.
Cast out our sin and enter in
Be born in us today.
We hear the Christmas angels
The great glad tidings tell,
O come to us, abide with us
Our Lord Emmanuel.
And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.
And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
Friday, December 24. 2021
And what are "natural rights"?
From The fallacies of the common good by Kim R. Holmes:
Put simply, the more successful the current common-good movement is, the more it will erode one of the key pillars of American conservative thought: the idea of liberty. The biggest danger is not that America will evolve into national or imperial socialism, but that statist arguments from conservatives will end up reinforcing similar arguments made by progressives. Politics would devolve into a bidding war on which side, the Right or the Left, can buy the most votes with government handouts, win the most battles in the courts over defending “their” version of free speech, control the courts and administrative elites, or get to define what industrial and administrative policies mean. In that battle, I would put my money on the political masters of collectivism, the progressives, because that is their raison d’être.
 Millipedes Have Been Living a Lie. No known creature actually had 1,000 legs—until now.
Lady is ashamed she caught COVID
Omicron Accounts for 90 Percent of COVID-19 Cases in Some Parts of US
Everybody will get it
Green energy firms the biggest corporate welfare recipients ever. No other industry in American history has ever received this lucrative a paycheck
More Than $100 Billion Was Stolen From Pandemic Relief Funds, Secret Service Says
Hinderaker on the Kim Potter verdict:
The first degree manslaughter count requires that Potter caused another’s death “in committing or attempting to commit a misdemeanor or gross misdemeanor offense with such force and violence that death of or great bodily harm to any person was reasonably foreseeable…” But Potter was not committing or attempting to commit a misdemeanor or gross misdemeanor, she was executing a lawful arrest of a criminal.
Illinois state senator supports defund the police efforts, then karma struck
I've Worked with People Like Bette Midler... Yes, They Think You're Stupid
The Biden White House’s Energy Incompetence
VP Harris complains that her job is too hard
Sheesh. Not a good thing to say
A Rift in the Conservative Foreign-Policy World
Israel’s Christian community is growing, 84% satisfied with life here – report
Statement on Improving the Potential for a Diplomatic Resolution to the Iran Nuclear Challenge
Should the US defend Taiwan?
Of course not
Wall Street and Silicon Valley must stop bankrolling communist China. We need a regulatory framework to protect our nation and its people from China’s ambitions
Two more Tiananmen monuments removed from Hong Kong university campuses
Thursday, December 23. 2021
I enjoy a nice party despite my natural shyness. The festivities began this week in my neck of the woods. I was at a fairly good one Friday night, and two last night. Some nights one has to party-hop, which I think is rude to do but also rude not to show up when invited. Not my fault that I am so popular... Yes, they had the traditional soft-boiled quail eggs on toasts with caviar on top. Dynamite.
I got this snapshot last night at a hot party before I was overwhelmed by lonely, hot, nubile females. Saturnalia, Bacchanalia, Holiday Season - whatever you call it. A good female/satyr ratio as you can see.
Christmastime is as secular or religious as one chooses. Seems quite secular to many. For me, both.
One mistake can destroy a useful and happy life.
But how does one plan a life which is free of mistakes? The more responsibility one takes on, the more likelihood for mistakes.
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Be careful driving around tonight. Lots of idiots out there
Photo stolen from Ace 
