tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-109534312012-02-16T22:07:00.812-05:00see RSS feed below, or visit the <a href="http://wildekarrde.mee.nu">other location</a>karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.comBlogger3231100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-13072932444685068732007-10-29T23:42:00.000-04:002007-10-29T22:51:51.735-04:00

I will soon be blogging (as regularly as time allows and inclination occurs) at the new blog address:http://wildekarrde.mee.nu

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-89847250897060336122007-10-17T01:18:00.000-04:002007-10-17T01:39:48.073-04:00

It is one thing to blog about a heavy work schedule.It is another thing to be on the road, working the same heavy schedule, trying to prep a project for a demonstration.Ideally, all the work being done this week should have been done the week before the demonstration occurred. However, scheduling has been tight for the past month.It is discouraging to know that every problem that surfaces will

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-11104552145235638022007-10-12T01:16:00.000-04:002007-10-12T01:22:21.795-04:00

If work had not kept me busy this week, hunting would have.As it stands, I have put in 40 hours of work since Monday, and am on track to put in 55 hours before the end of the day Saturday. There's a big delivery of software and hardware next week, and everyone in the company is pulling overtime to make sure the product is ready.Hunting weather came into town on Tuesday. I was able to spend two

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-17765591136865389242007-10-07T22:31:00.000-04:002007-10-07T22:53:53.378-04:00

This week, an attempt was made to take part in hunting.Again, white-tail deer is my target. This time, I'm taking part in the archery-based deer-hunting season, which begins (in Michigan) in October and runs until the firearm deer season starts in mid-November.Sadly, the weather has conspired against me.An unseasonably warm October--which feels much more like August--has made hunting nearly

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-74631636946280326002007-10-04T23:08:00.000-04:002007-10-04T23:38:01.284-04:00

This post at the Belmont Club almost brought tears to my eyes.The post was occasioned by a letter from Burma about the world response to the problem of the Burmese people with their decades-old military junta. (The junta took to calling their country Myanmar, and were accepted in the UN--hence, around the globe--by that name.)Now the military junta feels a need to kill a great many of its

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-3913796074677158182007-10-04T22:47:00.000-04:002007-10-04T23:08:31.671-04:00

Last night an automated script updated part of my computer software. Before shutting it down, I noted that something had gone wrong with the core of the Graphical User Interface. It simply failed to re-load the login screen in the way that it should have when I logged out.I was unable to explore further until tonight. I have discovered that the update failed in one small way--it didn't provide

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-78887467567535096532007-10-03T07:45:00.000-04:002007-10-03T07:53:35.935-04:00

The surprise isn't that the events happened, but that they were reported in such a straightforward way.From the weekend newspaper: Gun Law helping victims of crimes (a tip of the hat to Clayton Cramer for pointing it out).

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-66672302994637720782007-10-01T23:02:00.000-04:002007-10-01T23:05:53.992-04:00

In the newsFor the past 8 months, the legislators and governor of Michigan have been arguing over the state government's budget. (I am slightly distressed by those who use the phrase The State Budget to denote the budget of the State Government. The State itself is a combination of citizens, land, cities, lakes, culture, rivers, government agencies, and forests abstracted into a single entity.

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-31801074072293501732007-10-01T22:53:00.000-04:002007-10-01T23:01:55.805-04:00

The hiatus has stretched into a month. Several emergencies have come and gone on the job; there are still several pressing this that will occur within the month.Several problems collided to begin the hiatus. One was a sense of focus in blogging material. I felt as if I did not know what I wished to write about.Another was an imbalance in time. I have recently devoted a great deal of time to

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-38762606116439659912007-08-30T23:38:00.000-04:002007-08-30T23:40:00.578-04:00

A confluence of job problems and outside-of-blogging interests will take me away from the blog for an unforeseeable time.It's been a pleasure, and will likely be a pleasure again...when things settle down at work.

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-68652443744102996632007-08-29T22:05:00.000-04:002007-08-29T22:19:31.063-04:00

A study of worldwide prevalence of firearms found that the average American owns 0.9 guns.As legal owner of 2 pistols, I am happy to be above average. (Actually, any owner of a firearm is above average, according to this measure.)According to this gentleman, I'm not as well-armed as I should be, since I don't have any long-arms...yet.Before the year is gone, that problem should be rectified,

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-15919912228767121882007-08-28T00:48:00.000-04:002007-08-28T01:28:06.722-04:00

This night, I spent several hours at a contentious City Council meeting.An empty building on the edge of the city had been proposed as the new site for a gun store, training center, and range. This had excited disapproval from many residents of this suburban community, while also bringing approval from some quarters.A minor zoning variance (an extension of a pre-existing variance that had been

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-34937406453672821042007-08-21T01:41:00.000-04:002007-08-21T01:51:21.754-04:00

It takes but one foe to breed a war, not two...Those who have not swords can still die upon them.--Eowyn of Rohan in The Return of the King.I am now at least one month into my concealed-carry project. It has possibly gone on for two months; I honestly can't remember the date when I first began to carry a concealed weapon.In that time, my own perception of this practice has changed significantly.

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-23205891367369269192007-08-14T00:55:00.000-04:002007-08-14T00:56:34.853-04:00

Among the many things which differentiate bridges from electrical-power grids and regional water systems, there is one thing that all three have in common.The typical user doesn't notice the water system, power grid, or bridge until it fails.It is almost a truism that such things cannot be built to last forever. It should also go without saying that even when the system is inspected regularly,

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-48919776146875385892007-08-06T22:39:00.000-04:002007-08-14T00:59:19.676-04:00

Civil Engineering is a field which influences the life of every man, woman, and child that is currently alive.Civil Engineering has left a large mark on history. Temples, pyramids, ziggurats, palaces, city walls, irrigation canals, aqueducts, even the stadion and circus--each of these has played a role in the history of the ancient world. Each was designed, and had its construction overseen, by

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-2606152409216494862007-08-03T23:17:00.000-04:002007-08-04T00:28:28.723-04:00

Some time ago, an old acquaintance introduced me to the First Things journal. He hinted that the journal would provide a well-thought-out look at the intersection of religious life and the public square.An early discovery on my part was that First Things caters to a Catholic-oriented perspective. This perspective seemed strange at first; a realization slowly dawned that this perspective depended

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-7148730697538379102007-07-31T23:51:00.000-04:002007-08-03T23:17:16.789-04:00

A surprising story, told in three parts by a policeman, an EMT, and a nurse. I still can't make out whether the narrated set of events all happened on one night, or represents several different cases pooled together for maximum effect.At minimum, the three authors kept good notes. Their collaboration produced (almost inadvertently, it seems) a strikingly graphic picture of the hazards of driving

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-54133300694885029592007-07-30T00:04:00.000-04:002007-08-06T22:22:01.333-04:00

[UPDATE: The best words yet penned about Pvt. Beauchamp and his writings.]The episode of Pvt. Scott Thomas Beauchamp originally spawned claims that he was most likely a poseur. The examples given by the student of writing were all of Fine Arts students who falsely claimed to have previous experience in a dangerous job--whether police, fireman, or military.The label of poseur was given to such

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-48700562562951149712007-07-24T23:43:00.000-04:002007-07-27T01:22:13.001-04:00

UPDATE: It appears that this young man is actually Pvt. Scott Thomas Beauchamp. He may have a BFA degree. At the very least, he was submitting attempts at poetry to student-arts journals when he was in college. (However, in defense of John Barnes, most MFA students were once BFA students. Every case he has seen previously was an MFA student; probably because BFA-holders who display this pattern

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-67783098572390444742007-07-22T23:58:00.000-04:002007-07-23T01:56:58.179-04:00

Two separate stories came to my attention late last week.One was of riots that rocked the city of Detroit in 1967. My current abode is in the Detroit Metro region; I could not avoid the news, the recollections, and the public speeches about this event.The other was of riots that shook Los Angeles in 1991. This event was one that also shocked the nation.The Detroit Riots had a significant effect

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-38101221706738512172007-07-18T23:40:00.000-04:002007-07-19T19:05:46.235-04:00

This afternoon, I read that a high-ranking Iraqi in the leadership of Al-Qaeda-in-Iraq had been captured.Information that was given by the captured man showed that one of the (ostensibly) Iraqi terrorist organizations which cooperated with Al-Qaeda-in-Iraq was a sock-puppet. An actor (controlled and given scripts by the director of AQI) played the role of Omar al-Baghdadi, head of the Islamic

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-45803939989456025602007-07-18T22:24:00.000-04:002007-07-19T00:10:48.414-04:00

Over the past 5 days, a considerable amount of time has been spent with visiting family. (These are the family members who have spent the last two years living on another continent; I missed a chance to visit them over Christmas. For several reasons, they are taking an extended summer vacation here in the States before another 2-year stint in the same location.)One of the surprising aspects of

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-20435071444940637672007-07-12T22:11:00.000-04:002007-07-18T22:05:12.469-04:00

Last week, I began betting on something.It could be argued that I gambled with someone else's money, or in collusion with them.But this gamble is related to the terms of my employment, and the money that the company sets aside is money that is effectively part of my salary (from the company's perspective). It is one of the costs associated with my hiring.The gamble is a method of arranging

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-12126136377329848572007-07-09T23:40:00.000-04:002007-07-10T00:01:23.147-04:00

A couple of posts above, I noted the passing of a lady. Said lady originally manifested as an automobile, and gradually grew into her role before bowing out of service.She has been replaced with a vehicle much closer to my ideal--a used (good condition) Jeep Cherokee.The new lady (whom I feel tempted to name chérie, giving her a French title that is reminiscent of the American Indian name) has

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-61086331140300897992007-07-02T23:13:00.000-04:002007-07-03T00:12:01.681-04:00

It ought to be no secret that a significant disconect now exists between America's governing class (the policymakers, staffers, executive officials, and legislators) and the general populace.At least, this disconnect is very evident over the policies surrounding immigration.The breadth and depth of this disconnect has been growing for some time. Perhaps there is significant spillover from other

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-22046615602214552792007-06-29T00:08:00.000-04:002007-07-02T23:09:27.786-04:00

But that's only the beginning.The death is the unlamented passing of a secretively-written, poorly-thought-out, and little-understood comprehensive immigration reform package.It appears that the American people view the standard political theory about illegal immigration as if it had been drawn from a poisoned well.Now that the Congress has been convinced not to try their method, how do we find a

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-2428923215148879292007-06-26T22:37:00.000-04:002007-06-26T23:56:03.780-04:00

A bicycle is a wonderful thing. When time allows, it can make travel in a metro region very exciting--or at the least, a source of great exercise.It can also make the travel much cheaper.The excitement of bicycle travel is partly in the physical exercise, partly in maneuvering in/around automobile traffic, and partly in discovering the ways in which geography interacts with road layout and

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-14450097887347557892007-06-20T00:02:00.000-04:002007-06-20T00:30:02.263-04:00

Four years ago, a purchase was made.The purchase was an automobile; the seller a friend who was willing to part with the vehicle for much less than its market value.Over time, the vehicle required some attention. The attention varied from a fan for the vent system to a new water-pump; from a new set of power-lock actuators to a replaced oil pan. More routine maintenance included oil changes,

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-46458270948026452732007-06-16T13:44:00.000-04:002007-07-02T23:11:57.134-04:00

In the wild surge of opposition, commentary, and debate over immigration in America, it is necessary to begin thinking about what is desired, and why it is desired.In my own ranting on the subject, I noted that the modern event that is often called immigration is very different from the immigration events that was common before the middle of the 20th Century. I am still not clear on whether the

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-23242458129693869112007-06-16T13:10:00.000-04:002007-06-16T13:44:18.091-04:00

Perhaps there is...though if it were so, blogging about it would be somewhat beside the point.It's not as if the events of the blogosphere have passed me by. Today, I'm responding to this call with a message of encouragement to the Marine Corps.

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-84346152772611392822007-06-11T23:39:00.000-04:002007-06-12T00:44:52.364-04:00

The past week has been busy. A combination of work-projects, outside-of-work projects, late hours, and a weekend afternoon of fishing kept blogging to a minimum. (Strangely, a surfeit of possible blogging subjects has met with a small amount of blogging-time to produce an inability to blog...)A significant change also fell during the past week; this change has been in the works for some time.

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-44687319520619473632007-05-31T22:47:00.000-04:002007-07-02T23:13:25.558-04:00

[UPDATE: Some very incisive comments about laws, symbolic laws, and immigration available here, courtesy of Cap'n Ed.]One argument that has been getting a lot of attention in the blogosphere is over the recent attempt by Congress to reform immigration law. (I wonder why they took up immigration right now...perhaps to draw attention away from a sudden change of mind about military funding and

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-16969786048899941932007-05-28T01:36:00.000-04:002007-05-28T09:04:32.440-04:00

Two songs about soldiers and sacrifice, both published on an album inspired by the film We Were Soldiers. For You (performed by Johnny Cash and Dave Matthews)I will drink the cup, the poison overflowingI will lift you up, watch over where you're goingThe first one in The last one goneI'll be the rock to stand uponFor you, for youMy spirit aches and I can't stop this river flowingIn fear I take,

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-53448798602587767522007-05-21T22:46:00.001-04:002007-05-21T23:01:46.969-04:00

Distractions from blogging come in many forms.During the past few months, one large distraction has been a construction project.The project is of the type which cannot be entered lightly--an unfinished section of a house's basement is being turned into a finished section. The goal is to have an enclosed room where previously there had been open space with cement floor and walls. Along the way, I

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-78605945035830293282007-05-16T22:02:00.000-04:002007-05-16T22:56:39.040-04:00

One of the celebratory events at a Mothers' Day weekend family gathering was viewing a movie.The movie of choice was The Queen. During the viewing, the youngest person present suddenly asked, "Who's Princess Diana?"(Everyone else present had to stifle laughter while a short explanation was attempted. The person who was mystified about Diana, Princess of Wales was born the year before Diana passed

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-35160361734172723842007-05-14T23:55:00.000-04:002007-05-15T00:55:55.164-04:00

There's a long (and thoughtful) post about International Law up at First Things.I don't know if I agree with the author, even partly, because I am not certain that international law is well-codified.The central argument of the essay is that the structure of the International Criminal Court is keeping it from producing optimal (least-bloodshed) solutions to problems which it ought to be able to

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-42036447283443500622007-05-13T16:44:00.000-04:002007-05-13T17:10:31.954-04:00

This day, a few personal reflections are offered.There's a wonderful woman in my life. She's taken good care of me (and her other three boys, as well as her little girl) since before my birth. She goes by the title "Mother".Mother had a great deal of experience as a nurse, and could have made a career of that. For part of my childhood, she worked weekends at a local hospital.Shortly after the

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-19169919257639626672007-05-10T21:27:00.000-04:002007-05-10T23:12:25.183-04:00

With a start of surprise, the realization dawns that blogging has been suspended for more than a week.It has been a busy week (for those who haven't guessed). The last week of classes at the University coincided with a ramp-up of a project at the other job; both were overshadowed by another personal project.In short, blogging fell off of the bottom of the priority-queue.Hopefully, a return to

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-50575777879827564392007-04-29T23:24:00.000-04:002007-04-30T00:29:19.724-04:00

Several things have kept me away from the blog. One of them was the combination of a job and several non-internet projects. (When computer #2 out of my set of 3 died due to a mechanical error on a hard-disk drive, that made things even more interesting.)One things which proved very enjoyable was the primary entertainment for the weekend. A friend of mine took me to an outdoor shooting area, and

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-89104419453580848762007-04-20T08:01:00.000-04:002007-04-27T00:58:21.870-04:00

[UPDATE: additional thoughts at bottom]One of the noticeable results of the media circus surrounding the recent murder of 32 people is the focus on the weapon used.Another noticeable result is that the villain who committed the crime made a video about it, and released the video to a news organization. (It is becoming hard to distinguish a psychotic domestic murder from terrorist kingpins who

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-15251167650063206372007-04-18T08:10:00.000-04:002007-04-18T12:18:43.750-04:00

Let me tell you how it will beThere's one for you, nineteen for me'Cause I'm the taxmanYeah, I'm the taxmanShould five percent appear too smallBe thankful I don't take it all'Cause I'm the taxmanYeah, I'm the taxman(If you drive a car car) I'll tax the street(If you try to sit sit) I'll tax your seat(If you get too cold cold) I'll tax the heat(If you take a walk walk) I'll tax your feetTaxman!'

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-36997229758538384492007-04-16T21:14:00.000-04:002007-04-18T08:20:07.396-04:00

[UPDATE: a much better discussion of this subject, from the perspective of an armed man, is here.]A disturbing news story out of Virginia today: at least one unknown malefactor goes on a murderous rampage across a University campus. The number of the dead is at least 30.His tool of choice is reputedly a 9mm handgun or two, with dozens of pre-loaded magazines.Due to the inaction of Virginia

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-74053281681747009282007-04-15T02:26:00.000-04:002007-04-15T02:28:11.926-04:00

A post on heroes and their press agents, at Grim's Hall.

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-47735061291519198482007-04-10T23:59:00.000-04:002007-04-11T00:00:32.233-04:00

Jeff Soyer at Alphecca tells us what blogging is all about.

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-16709559836687596692007-04-06T08:06:00.000-04:002007-04-06T08:27:54.257-04:00

This year, the season of Lent hasn't gotten much blogging attention.I notice that this guy--atheist that he is--is quite willing to acknowledge the deep religious mystery celebrated this weekend.Captain Ed, a believer, is celebrating also.Another believer posts his thoughts this day.Perhaps the best reflections this Good Friday are found by Father Richard John Neuhaus. Neuhas has years of

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-32649118425054622892007-04-03T23:54:00.000-04:002007-04-04T00:57:36.346-04:00

Word on the 'web is that a certain African-born American is publishing a book about the experience of moving from Africa to America.He's just published a rough draft of one section, titled Word of Honor.The story he tells is one from another world. It reflects a cultural attitude which is still within living memory in America. It also reflects a setting which has always been rare in America--a

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-20606473630758494952007-03-31T11:51:00.000-04:002007-03-31T12:55:02.608-04:00

A man named Evan Sayet gave a long speech to the Heritage Foundation. Said speech has been recorded and preserved for the Internet-browsing public at YouTube. (For those who like to download videos found on YouTube, locations like KeepVid have some tips on that subject.)The speech is about 45 minutes long. In the speech, Mr. Sayet gives a diagnosis of the modern (and in his own words, illiberal)

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-17298718191333911592007-03-28T07:52:00.000-04:002007-03-28T08:48:28.527-04:00

Wretchard at Belmont Club posts a story about an unofficial recycling program in the Third World.Except that he begins with another subject: a disaster in a sewage system. There's also mention of a punctured gasoline pipeline near a refinery and a landslide in a garbage dump.The stories are all stories about structures or systems which we in the First World (or at least, in the West) are

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-34463966705880018262007-03-25T18:45:00.000-04:002007-03-25T19:41:03.713-04:00

Have you ever wondered what would happen if you compared the Gross Domestic Product of the individual Stats in the U.S. to various nations of the world?The results show that Michigan is roughly equivalent to the nation of Argentina. (They have 4 times the population, and probably more arable land. According to the CIA world factbook, Argentina's GDP is slightly lower than the State of Michigan

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-9262978068559254352007-03-17T00:33:00.000-04:002007-03-17T00:41:06.124-04:00

My apologies to my audience; blogging will be exceptionally light in the near future.In the mean time, thoughts expressed here about the level of scholarly research done in the Jesus Tomb film can be compared to other pieces of scholarly opinion on the subject.(Links courtesy of Rev. Donald Sensing, whose research and posting on the subject far excels my own.)

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-77536594905151409302007-03-13T22:44:00.000-04:002007-03-13T23:29:28.188-04:00

Less than a week ago, a newspaper in Virginia discovered that it could find--and publish--a listing of people in the state who had received a CCW permit. (As of Monday, that listing was taken down by the newspaper--ostensibly for questions of accuracy. However, reviewing the comment thread attached to the linked editorial can lead to the conclusion that other factors were involved in the decision

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-1147813086353585752007-03-10T20:59:00.000-05:002007-03-10T21:08:10.650-05:00

In the aftermath of a pair of job interviews, a job offer was received.The offer was reasonable, considering the job climate in the region. It is also reasonable, in the sense that it won't require a relocation.The new employer is a small corporation which works under the aegis of this DARPA program.Best of all, after three conversations with the program director/company owner, he openly said

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-56992315321540582062007-03-05T23:37:00.000-05:002007-03-06T00:51:41.143-05:00

The Rev. Donald Sensing has watched the Jesus Tomb film.His comments on the film are scathing. If Sensing is accurate in his diagnosis of the (lack of) scholarship in the study, then it is no surprise that this has not been submitted to any professional journal in the field of archeology.There is little to add to Sensing's analysis.Without the benefit of seeing the film, the ability to draw a

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-33625673510811152192007-03-01T23:25:00.000-05:002007-03-02T00:45:38.755-05:00

Surprise, surprise...But to tell the surprise properly, perhaps some preparatory comments are in order.The transition away from a position as full-time student was less smooth than had been hoped. Employment as an adjunct instructor (the academic world's version of contracted temporary work) has been challenging.However, a review of goals, objectives, and skills produces a desire to leave the

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-72744073078146822032007-02-26T18:50:00.000-05:002007-02-26T19:21:49.956-05:00

Curious.There's a new film out, claiming to tell of a shocking new discovery. It's one of those discoveries that, in the breathless words of the news-reporters, could change 2000 years of religious history.There's a totally unrelated story from another part of the ancient world. The king of Persia sent a messenger to the leaders of a league of Greek cities. That messenger said, "Our king is

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-7168168284434145872007-02-25T17:59:00.000-05:002007-02-25T18:47:30.281-05:00

In one of my rambles across the Internet, I ran across a math-oriented website called Project Euler.Named after the most prolific mathematician in the 18th Century, Project Euler challenges people with programming skill to tackle mathematical problems. Among the ones that I have attempted are these:Find the 10001st prime numberAdd all natural numbers below 1000 that are nultiples of both 3 and

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-90036787497994832892007-02-22T23:08:00.000-05:002007-02-22T23:59:23.680-05:00

Despite my distaste for entertainment-driven news media, I cannot quite escape its influence.One side-effect of the influence of TV news is that I will occasionally see a person who becomes the subject of a news blitz, and suddenly realized that I've met the archetype for this person before--in some piece of literature that I've read.The effect can produce strange parallels. A couple of summers

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-44275728180043737312007-02-20T21:23:00.000-05:002007-02-20T23:03:05.672-05:00

Two weeks ago, the governor of the State of Michigan gave the annual State of the State address.While possibly not of interest to many outside the State, it does provide a snapshot of a rare situation among the States in the Union. That is, the economy of Michigan has been coasting downhill for some time. The State budget is facing serious shortfalls, and the Governor is caught between her desire

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-9820515701338692822007-02-19T23:22:00.000-05:002007-02-20T00:19:28.738-05:00

Apropos of...being a week and a half late in blogging about this...to my own credit (or shame), I had very little idea who this woman was before she died.Those who wish to find a fulmination against the shallow-mindedness of the modern age can probably find it easily--elsewhere. This death is a sad event.Every death is sad event.This one is being trumpeted across the airwaves and news channels as

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-16184761637701484282007-02-16T19:30:00.000-05:002007-02-16T19:42:28.872-05:00

A little while ago, I did some blogging on a subject I know a lot about: math-driven computer modeling. I also did some blogging about something I know very little about: climate change.One of my assertions was that the science of global climate isn't well-understood enough to know whether a computer model is producing valid results for the future.Come to find out, someone else who's been

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-66533417383661488052007-02-14T16:44:00.000-05:002007-02-14T16:57:22.554-05:00

For the mathematically astute: Happy Cardioid Day!For the rest of the readers, a small riddle is posed: how did the Roman Catholic holiday in honor of three different martyrs who shared a name become a secular celebration of romance?

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-82223782000752743292007-02-13T23:59:00.000-05:002007-02-14T01:46:40.407-05:00

My recent reading has allowed me to compare two very different authors. These two authors each had (still have, to my knowledge) a distinct following.Both Robert Heinlein and Philip K. Dick wrote in the genre of science-fiction. Both men were craftsmen; their ability to construct written art made their work stand out from shills writing in the same field.One story idea which both men used was the

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-77757754889997064942007-02-06T22:54:00.000-05:002007-02-06T22:56:04.990-05:00

Blogging will be interrupted for the rest of this week: outside events will keep me far away from blogging time (and internet connections).

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-39059424184432550782007-02-06T22:41:00.000-05:002007-02-06T22:54:08.370-05:00

Quick note: quite apart from any mathematical or computer models of global climate change, there could be problems with the assertion that the temperature rise is entirely caused by greenhouse gases.That large nuclear fusion furnace which provides energy to the Earth might be burning a little hot.This isn't reported as settled science or as new scientific consensus. It's broadening research in

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-87933889871637981632007-02-05T22:28:00.000-05:002007-02-05T23:40:09.224-05:00

In my previous post, I mentioned computer models and their uses and limitations.Here, I would like to look at a well-known use of computer models.In the wake of the recent report by the International Panel on Climate Change, I am reminded once again that mathematically-based models are powerful, but imperfect, tools.Far too often, when a news reporter (or a publicity agent) says that they are

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-19392039776919221892007-02-03T22:47:00.000-05:002007-02-04T00:15:01.784-05:00

Next weekend, groups of college students from around the world will take part in a large (but rarely publicized) competition.These students typically are in mathematical, engineering, or hard-sciences curricula at their school. They attempt to work in teams to analyze, model, and solve complex problems drawn from the real world.The problems range from efficient construction of stunt sets in

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-39823808528115910962007-01-31T16:59:00.000-05:002007-01-31T18:23:20.638-05:00

Most of the time, I get my local news on the radio.However, I was sad to realize that this story was in the local press, but hasn't been mentioned on the air--or at least, not while I've been listening. It's a simple story of the type often encountered at GunWatch. A homeowner defends himself and his home with a firearm; a would-be-intruder ends up hospitalized or dead. The homeowner is usually

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-75824736168954754812007-01-30T20:52:00.000-05:002007-01-30T23:22:29.963-05:00

[NOTE: the following mathematics discussion should be accessible to people who have mastered algebra. It should provide a good example of using mathematical thinking to simplify a stated problem.]Recently, in preparing to explain the Pythagorean Theorem to some students, I wondered how hard it would be to find a set of three whole numbers that satisfied the theorem. I was especially curious about

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-47825493040253670562007-01-25T23:48:00.000-05:002007-01-26T00:18:18.312-05:00

This week, I finally had a chance to try out a new toy that I purchased for myself over Christmas.It would be equally true to say that I was putting a new tool through its paces. The toy/tool in question is a Smith & Wesson Model 60 revolver (chambered for 0.357 Magnum/0.38 Special).One thing that I like about revolvers in general is that the design and operation of the mechanism is simple. Also,

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-15285842381976850562007-01-23T22:49:00.000-05:002007-01-23T23:57:05.391-05:00

The President of the United States gave a speech tonight. Overall, the speech was not bad.My snap responses: good line about balancing the Federal budget. If you can get Congress to put all earmarks on the public record, on the floor of Congress, that'll be nearly-miraculous. Not that it is a bad thing to mention; I just doubt that Congress can be convinced that it is in their interest to put

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-10306584760265993812007-01-20T12:04:00.000-05:002007-01-20T12:10:33.657-05:00

After the first week of classes, I suddenly wonder whether I dislike the job of teaching as much as I did right before classes started.Of course, my attitude towards this class is different. It is different because I decided that I could teach, but that the students would have to educate themselves. I have to supply the raw material (instruction on the concepts involved), but the students have to

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-42119997675342369832007-01-15T21:22:00.000-05:002007-01-15T21:48:37.931-05:00

...or, the University classrooms.Teaching is a draining experience. It is also a rewarding experience.When students want to learn, teaching is quite fun. When students are willing to put some effort into learning, teaching can be enjoyable. When students expect me to explain everything to them so that they don't have to put any effort into learning, teaching can be very frustrating.Teaching is

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-27301759468229504042007-01-11T08:20:00.000-05:002007-01-11T08:35:49.590-05:00

Some reading for the day: columnist Thomas Sowell has been publishing his "Random Thoughts on the Passing Scene" articles for many years now.His most recent article of that type is now available. Choice quotes:Some people seem to think that we live in more "liberated" times, when all that has happened is that one set of taboos has been replaced by another and more intolerantly enforced set of

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-82940083613489622542007-01-08T23:56:00.000-05:002007-01-09T01:13:03.819-05:00

Recently, an atheist author (and an old-school geek) compared Operating System usage to religious structures in the Western world. His essay was insightful about the User Interface aspect of belief, and made for a handy comparison to the User Interface of a computer Operating System.In response, a believer (and geek) decided to write an article about religious structures, using computer

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-44222808888073535042007-01-04T11:29:00.000-05:002007-01-04T14:51:32.905-05:00

Some time ago, I heard about a curious dystopian novel titled The Children of Men. At the time, I knew nothing about the author of this novel, but was told that the novel was an intriguing look at a strange possibility--a science-fiction scenario in which all the human males on Planet Earth have suddenly gone sterile.I later learned that Phyllis Dorothy James was an established British novelist

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-36549640282036920992006-12-31T23:27:00.000-05:002007-01-01T00:31:02.493-05:00

According to several sources, the Romans numbered their days from the beginning of the month (kalends), originally conceived of as corresponding to the beginning of a lunar cycle. (They also used the ides, the day of the full moon, and the nona, the day of the end of the cycle.)Also, the Romans had a simple naming system for months. However, their calender was poorly-documented (and

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-46786415949327704882006-12-29T23:24:00.000-05:002006-12-29T23:56:22.842-05:00

So this is what I missed by not paying attention to the news over the past day and a half. The former dictator(or President-for-life) of Iraq will not be celebrating the New Year with the rest of us. To quote the Bard, Saddam Hussein has gone to That undiscovered country from whose bourn/No traveler returns. It was a fair question, after the court convicted Hussein of the first atrocity, whether

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-91659913163076142412006-12-27T11:22:00.000-05:002006-12-27T12:57:05.345-05:00

There's an old joke in certain circles. The University of Michigan is such a good school, that even their football players can become President of the United States.I am reminded of this with the news of the passing of Gerald R. Ford, Jr.Interestingly, Ford never thought of his college-sports career as his best achievement. Nor did he think that winning a seat in Congress (or taking up the office

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-12212426367200674392006-12-25T09:49:00.000-05:002006-12-25T09:53:58.991-05:00

May everyone have a blessed celebration of Christmas this day.

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-5903427837718280722006-12-22T10:15:00.000-05:002006-12-22T10:40:20.624-05:00

After two grueling days of trying to decipher mathematical scribblings and assign a numerical value (related to the mathematical acumen of the scribbler) to said writings, I am done.According to my students, I have (finally!) gotten around to grading the final.Of course, I could have provided grades much more quickly, by the old "stairstep" method of grading. (It is listed as option number 14 in

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-17753782966137953002006-12-20T16:29:00.000-05:002006-12-25T09:54:15.263-05:00

Sanity (and spare time) seem to be at a premium right now.Two significant events during the past week have taken up most of my time. First, my parents and siblings are all traveling overseas for the holidays. For various reasons, I am unable to join them.However, I wasn't immune from the frenzy of preparations for 3 weeks on a distant continent.This frenzy coincided with the last week of the

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-1166300763473365632006-12-16T15:22:00.000-05:002006-12-16T15:26:03.486-05:00

I urge you to listen to this fine lady and this gentleman.The unexpected blogging down-time should end within the week. Until then, I must give my adieu and my best wishes.

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-1165642422397394562006-12-08T23:36:00.000-05:002006-12-09T00:33:44.380-05:00

Hearing the news about James Kim makes me think again about emergencies and preparation.His quest was as noble as any I can think of--life for himself and his family. His death is sad. Through the vagaries of fate--or perhaps the inscrutability of Providence--his wife and children were rescued sometime after he left to search for help. His remains were found in a river-bed. The search teams

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-1165382167532282422006-12-05T23:51:00.000-05:002006-12-06T00:16:07.626-05:00

I've been missing something in the past few months.Time spent in the outdoors, time spent away from the office, time spent walking and bicycling.My transition from grad school (small town in a remote, wooded region) back to the big city (familiarly boring) has removed many opportunities from my life. One of the more mundane is the feel of walking a mile across town because I can spare the time

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-1165213958250163622006-12-03T23:12:00.000-05:002006-12-04T01:32:38.376-05:00

Sometime ago, I tried to use an episode of a TV show as an example for some of my musings about religion and religious thought.More recently, I was able to see the episode again. I now see the artistry used in the show, and how the point of the show is subtly made.The show in question is the episode "Jaynestown" of the short-lived TV show Firefly.It purports to be a show about the unexpected. If

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-1165040731918787632006-12-02T00:39:00.000-05:002006-12-02T01:25:32.483-05:00

Just yesterday, I heard a story about racial profiling.No, not that one. This story was much smaller; it hardly merited a mention in any newspaper.The setting for the story is in a predominantly-white suburb of a significant metropolis. The area has many suburbs which can be classified by the dominant race in each suburb.A police officer pulls a man over for a trivial driving offense in the

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-1164861732119895742006-11-29T22:41:00.000-05:002006-11-30T17:17:47.336-05:00

Today I received the certified copy of a state Concealed Weapons Permit.The obvious upside to this is that I can lawfully carry a concealed firearm. Another upside is that I won't have to jump through the hoop of obtaining a license to purchase a firearm. (After my first firearm purchase, I said something about the process seeming innocuous. I am now convinced that it is good for first-time

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-1164657586667808782006-11-27T14:52:00.000-05:002006-11-27T15:02:17.666-05:00

It is entirely possible that I have read too many detective stories recently. (Strangely, I don't often blog about reading detective stories...)Or I could be too fond of asking questions.When I find a claim that seems outrageous, I often examine the situation to see if the claim fits other things that I know about all the subject of the claim. Especially claims of cooperation between nations who

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-1164265257297113772006-11-23T00:51:00.000-05:002006-11-27T14:42:01.716-05:00

The story starts with a small band of misfits. They disagreed with the religious authorities in England at the time. An attempt at forming a new life was made in Amsterdam, but the community felt the new environment too disruptive towards their families. What they really wanted was a place of their own.So they dreamed up a ridiculous idea of forming a company, and setting off on an adventure to

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-1164084806416090272006-11-20T23:40:00.000-05:002006-11-20T23:54:18.416-05:00

It's been a week since I've had time to blog.Tests, quizzes, homework, schedules, non-academic projects...all these have swamped my time.My thoughts are partly about my future (indeterminate, but probably academic) and partly about my success at expressing my thoughts clearly.I am surprised at the combination of anonymity and intimacy that occurs in the classroom. My students show me their best

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-1163439019714419742006-11-13T12:12:00.000-05:002006-11-13T12:30:19.943-05:00

Someone said something very humorous last Friday.Perhaps the stage needs to be set for the humor. The event happened in a common-room for adjunct faculty at the University I teach at.This common room is used by people who have specialties from a wide variety of the Arts and Sciences--from literature and philosophy to mathematics and computer science.These specialties provide fodder for numerous

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-1163224747990759412006-11-11T00:27:00.000-05:002006-11-11T00:59:08.650-05:00

I notice that the elections (which I took such a personal part in) didn't go the way I had intended.Much could be said. Much has been said.When I first heard the news late on Tuesday night, many thoughts collided in my head. The resolving thought was, surprisingly, the following:One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever.The sun also ariseth, and

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-1163048452706599962006-11-08T23:28:00.000-05:002006-11-09T00:00:52.796-05:00

After 18 hours of working, talking, waiting, filling out forms, double-checking names, discussing legalities, and trying to make things run smoothly, I finished the work of an Election Inspector. The psychological crash that followed included many hours of restful sleep.I knew that in my precinct (a predominantly-Democrat, predominantly-Black suburb of Detroit) my votes were probably lost in the

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-1162872911402684882006-11-06T22:54:00.000-05:002006-11-06T23:15:14.496-05:00

For those in America who have not seen this article yet--please, read it before you vote. Orson Scott Card is a very intelligent man. I suspect that I disagree with him occasionally, agree with him slightly more often, and should read his website more. The article is worth a read, especially if you've only seen selected quotes from it.(If you only know Card from novels like Ender's Game, you

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-1162871679555685342006-11-06T22:42:00.000-05:002006-11-06T22:54:39.663-05:00

Following up on the previous post, I have come to realize that it's been far too long since I last visited a gun-range.However, I had a chance to do so this past weekend.The chance was part of a required before application for a Concealed Pistol License from the State of Michigan. The instructor in the class oversaw shooting in a pistol-range for about 2 hours.During that time, I became

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-1162491326803023362006-11-02T13:02:00.000-05:002006-11-02T13:15:26.946-05:00

I was reminded this week of something happening in my old home (and location of study). Specifically, the Pistol Club that I used to shoot with is having its annual Ladies' Night. The surprise is that someone from the club managed to tell Kim du Toit about it, and he likes the idea.Among the top three things that I miss now that I've moved out of Houghton is the Pistol Club. Last time the Club

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-1162357425234422412006-10-31T22:37:00.000-05:002006-11-01T00:03:45.380-05:00

(Plus commentary on religion in political campaigns...)Exit strategy for being swamped by workload and personal projects: continue one step at a time, and ruthlessly cull scheduled events that don't contribute to the mission at hand. Categorize priorities in order of due dates, wash, rinse, repeat.Another interesting event cropped up in the blogosphere.It seems that certain parties (and possibly

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-1162014224393434702006-10-28T00:58:00.000-04:002006-10-28T01:43:44.496-04:00

While I'm slogging through a sudden load of teaching-related work, I offer this link:Psychologist and blogger neo-neocon has taken a trip to Paris. While there, she is watching a trial associated with the case of the France2 television station's reports about the firefight at Al Dura in 2000. The France2 videotapes showed a young boy apparently murdered by Israeli fire. However, the situation

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-1161745304018883042006-10-24T22:23:00.000-04:002006-10-28T00:57:34.380-04:00

Wretchard at Belmont Club has posted pieces of an interview with one of the doctors who published the second Lancet report on casualties in Iraq. Wretchard then follows it up with some careful analysis.The long and short of his analysis is that the sampling method used looks faulty. He also faults the scientists for what appears to be a very low baseline value for deaths before the Coalition

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10953431.post-1161620170097974462006-10-23T11:55:00.000-04:002006-10-24T00:31:44.370-04:00

I discovered (to my amusement) that several bloggers were ruminating about Star Trek this weekend.I will confess to a short stint as a Trekkie as a teenager, when I discovered a few good novels in the City Library based on the Star Trek world. (Novels by guys like...well, Daffyd ab Hugh is probably the most memorable of them.) My interest in that world waned somewhat, as I broadened both my

karrdehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00205160745963596856noreply@blogger.com0