NYC Marathon

So, they are reporting that an American man won the New York City marathon this year. Now, I know what you’re thinking: How come a Kenyan or Ethiopian man did not win? Sure, that’s what we normally would expect, regardless of the city or venue. For example, twenty of the last twenty-two winners of the Boston Marathon have hailed from those two nations. Eight of the last thirteen winners of the New York Marathon have hailed from those two nations. Thirteen of the last sixteen Amsterdam Marathons, including the last eight in a row, went to guys from those two nations. Eight of the last nine Chicago marathons were won by Kenyans. So, I suppose Americans far and wide are proud that this guy won as an American. The problem, of course, is that he’s only been an American for a decade or so. He’s actually from Eritrea. Guess where that’s at? Yeah, it borders Ethiopia, which borders Kenya. So, basically, we had to import the talent to win one of our own marathons. Shameful. I wonder, though, if Somalia were not such a quagmire (let’s be polite and limit the commentary to that gentle term…), would they be giving these other three nations a run for their money?

Paranormal success

Either this movie is just the bee’s knees or, like the Blair Witch Project, moviegoers are lured in to see a pile of crap. Regardless of that, clearly the movie is making some serious cash. Since it cost so little to make, they should charge less to see it at the theater. Given that my local small city theater (of which there is just one) charges $7.25 for a matinee showing these days, I’ve been seeing very few movies compared to the old days. Hell, I paid less than that at three of the four theaters in Pasadena throughout my five years there. However, that’s off the subject. With luck, the success of this movie might be getting some of the studio heads to look into new filmmakers so that we won’t keep getting the same old unwatchable crap. While this year I have seen more movies than in the past two or three combined, I don’t see any of them winning Oscars. At least I did not feel ripped off at any of them like I have in the past.

Health care numbers

There’s a lot of politicians quoting a lot of numbers about how many Americans lack health insurance and how many of them die each year. Let’s check some of these out.

People keep quoting that 90 million people are without health insurance and ~45000 of them die each year. That is about 0.05% of the people without health insurance who die each year.

There are about 300 million people in the US , which means that 210 million people have insurance (using the above number quoted for uninsured). There are roughly 2.4 millions deaths in the US each year. Subtracting the 45000 who die without insurance leaves us with ~2.36 million who die each year with insurance. That means that 1.12% of people die each year who have insurance. Hell, 700,000 people die each year from procedures, some 0.3% of total US deaths, STILL more than the total who die that lack insurance and way more than the number of uninsured who die each year.

Ain’t it interesting that a greater percentage of people who have insurance die each year than people who do not have insurance?

And yet no one in the government talks about these numbers. So we see that being insured does pretty much nothing to make people live longer, else we would see something in the same sets of numbers to show that being insured gets you to live longer. Of course, some of these numbers may have underlying assumptions like excluding people over 65 (who are on medicare), but I think overall these numbers are on target. I am of course limited by my source material (internet search-located) and lack of motivation to search longer than my first dozen or so hits. Take from this what you will, but it sure seems like being uninsured results in a lower incidence of death than being insured. Since these are the same numbers that the politicians claim to support their drive to screw the economy and everyone’s financial freedom and lives, they really should check the rest of the numbers and maybe save us all the time and trouble.

Duhhh, could you please forgive our corporate bloat?

This has to be one of the lamest excuses in recent history. So, let’s get this straight: they received it, did not address it properly, want to blame being too busy as for why they did not address it, then want it tossed out (for what seem like actually realistic legal reasons)?

My opinion? The dudes should get the cash. Incompetence, which this surely is, is not a legitimate excuse for failure to appear, as far as I know. Wonder how fast they’re gonna fire that secretary? I bet the heads of about ten people will whirl from the wake of ushering that one out the door.

Always the last to hear…

Some time ago, I took part in developing a proposal for some DOE money through the Stimulus package. While there has been no announcement from anyone in the company, my google alert brought me to this article. Looks like we got serious cash coming in. As I recall, this is more than we sought, so it might be for a much longer time period. Oy. See, most of you folks out there might think this is some great thing. But those who have participated in grant research before know that you have to produce actual results, and on a regular schedule, to report to the funders. This could be a serious challenge to succeed. While I think we can do it, it ain’t gonna be easy. Note that I may just be the only guy actually working on this whom I trust to get anything done. Not sure when the money will actually show up for us, but I have a feeling I may not be working on my own projects for the duration of this one…

Diplomacy unplugged

OK, this article is just a great read. I wonder what might have been written about other stereotyped countries around the world. Imagine what would have been written about Americans!

Bad Science Alert!

Groan

OK, the article, for the most part, is just fine. However, it does have one of the least accurate statements ever. Parenthetically mentioned near the end of the article is this gem:

Metals are any element heavier than hydrogen and helium, the main components of stars.

Groan. I do have to say, though, that I am so very disappointed in my vaunted Caltech education for failing to elucidate to me that argon, nitrogen, oxygen, bromine, chlorine, fluorine, iodine, krypton, neon, radon, and xenon.

On the other hand, this is the greatest coffee table of all time. There’s no way, though, that the precious elements in there could possibly justify the cost of the table.

Interrelatedness…

I am utterly convinced that these three stories can be tied together into one big lesson on how to deal with kids. First, not giving kids sweets? That’s sure to result in even more violent tendencies as an adult. I ate sugar like it was a breakfast food, and I am quite tame. Imagine me without the assuaging goodness of sweets? Better not to tread that path. I imagine that a lack of sweet would only give us violent children, perhaps like this brat. So it seems to boil down to when we want our kids to be violent. Personally, I should think that a good ass-whipping would straighten out these kids, as I have previously advocated. But don’t try that in Sweden! Now, obviously there are true assholes out there who abuse their children and do more than administer simple spankings. But this policy in Sweden is simply taking things way too far. It’s bad enough that they took away corporal punishment in schools. I shudder at the thought of kids never receiving their due punishment. And kudos to those Swedish parents who say damn the law and spank their brats.

Awesomeness

There are pranks you read about sometimes that really make you ackowledge the existence of genius. This is one such prank.

First, the mere leaving of a dead deer on someone’s porch is dramatic enough and more than sufficient for a prank of legendary stature. But this artist went beyond the pale, folks. Having the wherewithal to dress a dead deer in a clown suit? That is unique, and unabashedly brilliant. I would hug this guy.

Even better? That the cops would dispose of the dead deer properly. Grillin’ time, anyone?

Fret

That was fast. By many accounts, the company was sold last week. There are unsubstantiated reports of who the new owners are, but nothing certain. Rumor also conveys that some 20% (up to 80) salary employees will be cut loose. Most likely, this would occur just before the holiday shutdown, as they would then avoid having to pay everyone’s vacation for 2010. Potentially, this is a horrible and shitty development. If there are so many layoffs, almost wherever they occur, it will have to be on arbitrary bases, which means that some quality people will be let go basically just for its own sake. Not only will that damage the new acquisition’s quality, it will only add to the employment funk in MO and the nation. Wonderful.