29 November 09 - 23:45Jane the Ripper

I am watching CSI-Miami.  I am fairly reality based, so I ask myself.  How real is this show?

I cannot believe that the Miami police department has a laboratory that is painted and lighted in neon colors with an enormous amout of open space designed to give employees a feeling of an open and airy work environment.

I also have been noting on the current episode that a man (probably in his twenties) is having a drink with a co-worker and another woman buys him a drink.  The co-worker is surprised at the forwardness of the other woman and indicates no personal interest in her "date".  First, I would not have a drink with a co-worker without hoping that something would develop from the event.  Second, I have never had a woman buy me a drink anywhere, anytime that I can recall.  I have purchased a few for the women, however.

Although I am an ugly old cobb, aged 58, and I do not expect hot young women to try and attract me in a bar, I was an attractive young guy some years back, and never had this happen back then.

Of course, it would probably be unlikely that the script of the television show could even have been written if this was not possible.  That means that I should quit thinking that hot babes would even think to hit on me.  I probably don't want this to happen as the woman in the TV show seems to like killing the guys she picks up rather than pleasuring them.

Just my luck that this type of babe would try to find me and manage to lure me away from the lovely Marla.  That won't happen as Marla must endure me to the end.  So, no hot murdering babes need try to lure me, I won't be lured anyway.

I'll keep you posted.....

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29 November 09 - 02:10A lie in time saves nine

I keep seeing this or similar headlines and leads.

"...Hacked climate emails called a 'smear campaign'..."

In 1969 upon graduation from high school, I made a conscious decision to choose applied science over pure science.  My original intention was to obtain a degree in BS physics with minors in sociology and math, then work with the Peace Corps or obtain an advanced engineering degree which would allow me to get a position which would allow me to make life better for anyone who could be considered unfortunate.  I never got there.

I read books about "appropriate" application of technology, pondered how technology could make the lives in less developed areas a little sweeter for the locals, and tried to understand why life in the USA is supposedly the best in the world.

I took a 9 year detour into teaching in junior high and high school.  What a wonderful experience.  The only bad part was that it seperatred me from my plan.  After teaching, I became an industrial engineer and worked on manufacturing processes for various companies in the United States.  A very bad decision, because ecomomics, more specifically "bean counter" economics, got in the way.

Without wandering too far, back to the topic at hand.

Why is it when a person or group is discovered to be lieing do they blame the method of discovery rather than admit the lying?  The behavior of scientists for the last many years has been dispicable.  Here is how the pure science community is supposed to work:

A scientist (often a grad student with an original idea or expanding on the idea of another) develops an idea through scientific method and publishes the results.  The result is, then, studied by others and the experiments are repeated by others in a continuous process that allows verification and usually amplication of the original idea.  In science, the result of an experiment lends credence to a hypothesis or shows the way toward revised thinking.

Here is the problem.  We have scientists who are screwing with their data to "prove" their hypothesis whether the data proves it or not.  Statistical proof of hypothesis is particularly vulnerable to this sort of manipulation.

We have seen this issue arise lately in climatology.  Climate is something that happens over many, many, years.  Lately we have a group of Johnny come lately "scientists" who are not letting the data guide their thinking, but are letting their thinking guide their manipulation of the data.  This is apparent in medical research especially, and now climate research.  Statistics are meant to be a tool, not a weapon.  Lately this misuse of statistical methods has become just this.

More later.  In the mean time, remember your science teacher says to question everything.  Science is a search for the truth.  Lies should not be a part of science.  Even in soft sciences such as climatology, and the like.

Someone catching you in a lie is not a smear campaign.  It is an embarrassment.  Don't screw with the data and you won't have any reason to think you are being smeared.

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24 November 09 - 22:14Let them eat grass

THIS IS A JOKE, SON!!!!

One afternoon a lawyer was riding in his limousine when he saw two men along the roadside eating grass.        
The attorney ordered his driver to stop to allow him to investigate.
He asked one man, 'Why are you eating grass?'
'We don't have any money for food,' the poor man replied. 'We have to eat grass.'
'Well, then, you can come with me to my house and I'll feed you,' said the lawyer.
'But sir, I have a wife and two children with me. They are over there, under that tree.'        
'Bring them along ,' the lawyer replied.        
Turning to the other poor man the barrister called out, 'You come with us, as well!'
The second man, in a pitiful voice, then said, 'But sir, I also have a wife and SIX children with me!'
'Bring them all, as well,' the lawyer answered.          
They all entered the car, which was no easy task, even for a car as large as the limousine.        
Once underway, one of the poor fellows turned to the lawyer and said, 'Sir, you are too kind.'
'Thank you for taking all of us with you.'
The lawyer smiled kindly, 'Glad to do it.
You'll really love my place.        
The grass is almost a foot high!'

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16 November 09 - 21:56Call Centers

"I was so depressed last night thinking about the economy, government, healthcare, real estate prices, the stock market, the federal deficit, Iraq, Afghanistan, Global Warming, the Stock Market, my Savings, Social Security, credit card debt......

I called the Suicide Hotline. ...

I got a call center in Pakistan .....

I told them I was suicidal.

They got all excited ......

then they asked if I could drive a truck...!?"

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