Thursday, October 20. 2005
What were the Irish Sweepstakes? I know they were a big deal in NY through the 50s - illegal gambling but fully tolerated by the mainly Irish law enforcement of NYC. Answer here.
Gun Control: Truth and Myth The Gun Protection Bill will pass. By Stossel, a fine piece: "I wanted to know why the laws weren't working, so I asked the experts. "I'm not going in the store to buy no gun," said one maximum-security inmate in New Jersey. "So, I could care less if they had a background check or not." "There's guns everywhere," said another inmate. "If you got money, you can get a gun." Talking to prisoners about guns emphasizes a few key lessons. First, criminals don't obey the law. (That's why we call them "criminals.") Second, no law can repeal the law of supply and demand. If there's money to be made selling something, someone will sell it." Read entire.
Wednesday, October 19. 2005
Something Sweet from Africa The music of Youssou N'Dour. I own some and highly recommend. Review here.
I found some interesting statistics: 25% of search engine requests are for porn.
12% of websites are porn sites.
8% of all emails are porn-related (2.5 billion/day)
Number of websites offering illegal child porn: 116,000
Adults admitting to an internet sexual addiction: 10%
Male/female breakdown of porn site visitors: 72%/28%
People admitting to visiting porn sites at work: 20% Alas, no blogger can compete with the power of raw animal instinct, can they? One can only envy their website traffic. More numbers and stats here. Interesting numbers, accurate or not, but can anything be said about them, other than that there are lots of people who are looking to have their sexual imaginations stimulated in a fairly effortless way? Which is a true "Duh." Depending on one's degree of mental inhibition (which is highly variable from person to person), people commonly and routinely experience every sort of sexual fantasy, including the bizarre, deviant, uncomfortable, and immoral, so, in a sense, the brain is the ultimate porn site as decreed by the amoral laws of biology. (As the old joke goes: What is the dirtiest part of a person? The brain. Or the modern version: The brain is the primary erogenous zone.) Is inhibition of sexual thoughts and fantasy good or bad, healthy or unhealthy? Neither - these are just personality differences and differences of choice (in the sense of choice of what thoughts one is willing to welcome and to entertain), generally speaking. There is a lot to be said for "thought control," but only when it is self-administered. Mind you, we are talking about fantasy here - not action. Turning fantasy into action is an entirely different subject, because many, if not most, ideas and images are best left in the mental realm where consequences are few (other than shame or guilt about one's wicked or wierd thoughts, which is also normal), assuming that one has a modicum of post-adolescent judgement, maturity, and self-control. After all, we aren't ordinary animals and we can make choices. But enjoying porn isn't action, really. Do sexual thoughts occupy and distract people's minds more than they like to admit in "studies"? For sure. Is it "sick" to use porn sites as a fantasy aid? No, not intrinsically, but if any human behavior is compulsive, including golf or chess, it could be a problem or a symptom. Can it be a poor substitute for real human interaction? Sure, but not everyone is a South Beach party-gal or -guy - thank God. Is it harmless fun? Probably, except when it's predatory, of course, which is not only evil but can be illegal... and that last group of 20% had better watch out - they could lose their jobs if Big Brother is watching. Is porn a little sad and lonely? Sure. Does it feel a little sleazy? Sure - it feels like slumming to most people. Is porn morally and spiritually pure from a Christian standpoint? Well, that's outside my jurisdiction today, but it's not an unreasonable subject for a lively discussion. (Photo: If I could remember where I found that photo, I'd credit the clever person. All that the keyboard lacks is a Maggie's Farm button.)
Tuesday, October 18. 2005
Hey, Bird Dog, You must think you have some fancy intellectual blog for the elite and deep thinkers, etc., but let me tell you that you are just dreaming. The oppressed, victimized masses of America don't care about E.H. Gombrich or fly fishing or Iraq or chain saws or birds or the Constitution. They just want some free health care and some financial security and some retirement and gay marriage and free organic government food supplies and free gas and electric and cable, while you go on and on about freedom and the wonders of life and creation, in your biased and undemocratic and wacko Christian way. People like you are the problem with this country and the reason America is such a mess while your "evil Cuba" continues to be a wonderful place to live in from what I hear, and it's what we are trying to re-create here in Vermont. When we Dems take over from you Nazis we will tax your types into the stone age, and that will put an end to your enjoyment of "God's creation." You Maggie's Farmers are just a bunch of self-satisfied oil-intoxicated Jesus-loving war-mongering fast-living capitalist pigs. Anonymous, in Burlington, VT Dear Anonymous, Ouch. You got me where it hurts. Give me a few minutes to re-think all of my beliefs and opinions. But, while I am doing so, why don't you get a job? You emailed me at 10:23 this morning...did you just wake up? Sincerely, Bird Dog (Editor Dog-in-Chief)
Bad Calls in baseball, and in life From Cafe Hayek: Perfect justice means an infinite number of cameras with an infinite number of umpires conferring for an infinite amount of time to get it right. And you would have to examine every play not just dramatic ones. That is not an ideal, it's a curse. It is the same force that partly explains our litigiousness and regulatory zeal. Every inequality must be redressed. Taken to an extreme, such a worldview inevitably puts more power in the hands of the arbiters (lawyers and politicians and umpires) at the expense of the other participants, including the fans. It also changes the incentives. It encourages participants to put in effort at pleasing or avoiding the arbiters in ways that are unhealthy.
Read entire. He is right, of course, but do not ever discount the enjoyable righteous indignation in booing a bad call. That's part of the fun of the game.
Monday, October 17. 2005
A Dumb Old Canada Joke In the midst of trying to decide what to name Canada, at the time of nationhood - well, commonwealth-hood, no consensus could be reached. New England? New France? Quipihana? The Nice Country? Ducksville? Dullsville? Al Sharaaf? People's Republic of Nouveau England? So the decision was reached to draw letters from Dick's hat. Here's how it went: C, eh? N, eh? D, eh?, etc. And speaking of Canada, and not joking, did you know that all of Canada has gone to bilingual - except - guess where?
Quebec. Seulement Francais.
To you PC guilty and feckless Canadian liberals: Bienvenu a Canada. You got rolled again, suckers.
 The Connetquot River
See photo of a stretch of the river posted yesterday. Had a fine introduction to the famed Connetquot River on Long Island, NY, by my dear pal N on Sunday, at an outing with the extraordinary but very low-profile Anglers' Club of New York. This unique stream, about one hour from downtown Manhattan, is an oasis of peace in the middle of development-run-amuck suburban Long Island, and runs from the relatively stream-less central part of the island down to Great South Bay and the Atlantic Ocean through a splendid and wild 3400-acre park, It is known for its sea-run Brown and Rainbow trout which can achieve impressive size. But it is also stocked, of course, as is every trout stream in the Northeast, by necessity. The fishing is organized along English-style beats to which you are assigned, by reservation. High waders are essential. Fly-fishing only, barbless hooks only, and mostly catch-and-release. We did bring dinner home, though - the big Brown, in photo, who barely fit in a net. As a truly casual fly-fisherman, with borrowed gear, seven hours of casting of all varieties raised my level of technique quite a bit, which isn't saying much. Is it wrist, or arm, or just "feel"? Well, in the end, everything is just "feel", I guess. The wine at lunch seemed to help, but the week of heavy rain in New England did not, as the river was overflowing its banks, and the color of strong English tea from the tannin so that when you were almost up to your armpits in the water, you had to watch your step by feeling your way with your feet through the October-cold water so as not to trip over a submerged log, and thus end your day - or your life. But challenging is always a good thing. Too much easiness not good for Indian brave. We did catch and release quite a few nice fish, despite the challenges. And how wonderful it is to spend a day literally immersed in God's creation. Baptism by trout.
Sunday, October 16. 2005
 A Manitoba country church, up Rte. 6 quite a piece from Winnipeg (SUV in motion - or hand in motion, maybe).
Saturday, October 15. 2005
Michael Yon We, like most of the blogosphere, are impressed by Michael Yon. His latest post is about how one becomes an "embed" in Iraq, and what his life in Iraq is like, as an independent reporter who is willing to approach danger. Here.
Friday, October 14. 2005
Stock Tip Many are giving the same advice: Buy Walmart. It will not be this cheap in five years. Went into my first Walmart last week, in Winnipeg, of all places. Jammed with people. Shelves full of cheap but useful crap from China. Tons of cheerful employees. Not my cup of tea, but the concept obviously works. Yes, I am adding to my ownership of Walmart, based on the lengths of the check-out lines. Gas and oil will peak and settle - not to worry. Markets do work, in time.
How many times? How many times have I done our readers a great favor and saved them tons of hard-earned money by letting them know about Sierra Trading Post, a wonderful deep-discount source for high-quality outdoor, outdoor sports, and hunting gear, plus clothing, winter underwear, gloves, boots, and shoes, and everything else? When the bug for gear and for stuff hits you, this is where to go for a healthy release which will not break the budget. Heck, what is more American than shopping for good cheap stuff when that mean old spiritual emptiness comes to call? Go ahead, give in to the impulse, and keep the economy running strong. (This is not an advt., and I am not an investor.)
George Carlin on New Orleans:
"Been sitting here with my ass in a wad, wanting to speak out about the
bullshit going on in New Orleans. For the people of New Orleans... First
we would like to say, Sorry for your loss. With that said, Let' s go
through a few hurricane rules: (Unlike an earthquake, we know it's coming)
#1. A mandatory evacuation means just that...Get the hell out. Don't blame
the Government after they tell you to go. If they hadn't said anything, I
can see the argument. But they said get out... so if you didn't, it's your
fault, not theirs. (We don't want to hear it, even if you don't have a car,
you can get out.)
#2. If there is an impending emergency, stock up on water and
non-perishables. If you didn't do this, it's not the Government's fault
you're unprepared and starving.
#2a. If you run out of food and water, find a store that has some.
(Remember, shoes, TV's, DVD's and CD's are not edible. Leave them alone.)
#2b. If the local store has been looted of food and water, leave your
neighbor's TV and stereo alone. (See #2a) They worked hard to get their
stuff. Just because they were smart enough to leave during a mandatory
evacuation doesn't give you the right to take their stuff...it's theirs, not
yours.
#3. If someone comes in to help you, don't shoot at them and then complain
no one is helping you. I'm not getting shot to help save some dumbass that
didn't leave when told to do so.
#4. If you are in your house that is completely under water, your belongings
are probably too far gone for anyone to want. If someone does want them,
let them have them and hopefully they'll die in the filth. Just leave!
It's New Orleans, for crying out loud - so find a voodoo warrior and put a
curse on them.)
#5. My tax money should not pay to rebuild a 2 million dollar house, a
sports stadium or a floating casino. Also, my tax money shouldn't go to
rebuild a city that was built below sea level. You wouldn't build your
house on quicksand would you? If you want to live below sea-level, do your
country some good and join the Navy's submarine force.
#6. Regardless of what the Poverty Pimps Jessie Jackson and Al Sharpton want
you to believe, The US Government didn't create the Hurricane as a way to
eradicate the black people of New Orleans; (Neither did Russia as a way to
destroy America). The US Government didn't cause the global warming that
allegedly caused the hurricane (We've been coming out of an ice age for over
a million years).
#7. The government isn't responsible for giving you anything. This is the
land of the free and the home of the brave, but you gotta work for what you
want. McDonalds and Wal-Mart are always hiring, so get a damn job and stop
spooning off the people who are actually working for a living. President
Kennedy said it best..."Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what
you can do for your country."
 E. H. Gombrich
The great Austrian art historian-theoretician who died in 2001 also wrote, in six weeks, a Little History of the World for children which has just been translated into English. I have read The Story of Art and Meditations on a Hobby Horse, but never knew he wrote a history. No surprise though - he knew everything. Reminiscences of Gombrich and thoughts about the new book, here. His books on art here.
The "Trolley Problems," and other Moral Dilemmas The field of Cognitive Psychology has shown a recent interest in the psychology of morality. Can psychology tell us what is moral? Definitely not. Can psychology help us understand how we approach moral issues in our lives? Maybe. Is there a common "moral instinct" which most humans share? Quite possibly. Can looking at difficult moral dilemmas illuminate what keeps people on the right track most of the time? Doubt it. Still interesting, though. Rebecca Saxe sums up current thinking in the psychology of morality: "Do the Right Thing."
Thursday, October 13. 2005
Is the Army broken? A sad tale. Piece here.
 How did Shakespeare become Shakespeare?
One of those eternally fascinating questions. Heberle reviews "Will in the World", which, by coincidence, happens to be on my bedside mountain of things I am reading right now: "A young man from a small provincial town—a man without independent wealth, without powerful family connections, and without a university education—moves to London in the late 1580s and, in a remarkably short time, becomes the greatest playwright not of his age alone but of all time…. How is an achievement of this magnitude to be explained? How did Shakespeare become Shakespeare?"
Read entire extremely interesting review, and you will want to read the book.
 Robo-Duck
Duck hunters love robo-ducks, and even the most traditional are becoming converts. Robo-ducks draw ducks to your decoy spread, presumably by imitating the appearance of a landing duck. Are they sporting? That's a fair question. Do they work? Definitely. Lucky Duck is said to be the best. They also make a wind-powered version.
Wednesday, October 12. 2005
Thanksgiving Planning A tradition in the south - the Turducken. Aren't you bored with turkey? And they will do a shrimp and crawfish stuffing for you.
Tuesday, October 11. 2005
Robert Samuelson considers the Wealth Effect Another must-read by the Newsweek columnist: Ours is a wealth-driven era, when huge increases in home values and (before that) stock prices make people feel richer and cause them to buy more. They spend more of their regular incomes, borrow more or sell something, most likely stocks. You can imagine this "wealth effect" as a powerful afterburner that's boosted the economy for roughly 20 years.
Read entire.
"Beyond Parody at the Times" "The truth is, deterioration at the Times is a rich subject, full of cautionary tales about how a great liberal institution can go rancid by making a caricature of its principles and adulterating its work. When a great newspaper’s front page is indistinguishable from its editorial page, and its editorial page is indistinguishable from a transcript of a Democratic Party rally, journalistic decay is a certainty. But if what’s happened to the Times’s news reporting and opinion pages is an outrage—think only of the repulsive way in which the paper attempted to generate anti-Bush capital from the Katrina disaster—its coverage of culture is somehow more depressing than infuriating. Here, too, one finds the triumph of ideology over principle and an unseemly race to the lowest common denominator. Yet in matters of culture and the arts, the Times adds another dimension of depredation—we mean the element, half preposterous, half nauseating—of unthinking modishness."
Read entire at New Criterion
Cold Weather The human body was not made for cold and wet. Winter fishing and duck hunting are dangerous hobbies. A scary piece on the subject of Off-Season Boating. Now for a tip on gloves: A fellow hunter was using Maine lobsterman insulated PVC gloves for his decoy work, and they seem like a good idea for any cold wet work. They sell them at New England Marine. Also here. The neoprene uninsulated gloves sold in outfitter catalogues are useless and extremely cold. I am throwing mine away.
Monday, October 10. 2005
Harold Pinter is 75 Piece here.
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