Duke Lacrosse

As most of you probably know the Duke lacrosse team has suspended play for the rest of its season following allegations that a dancer at a team party was beaten, choked, and raped.

I have had several conversations regarding this situation at Duke and have encountered a few different opinions. At least two people (ironically women) have remarked that the lesson of this is not to become a professional dancer. They argue that these women unnecessarily put themselves in danger by engaging in a less than safe profession where they tempt testosterone filled groups of excited males. In their opinion, a result like what happened at Duke is not surprising and perhaps even expected. The women got what they were asking for, so to speak.

I see the point, to a degree, but tend not to agree. I assert that the culpability lies squarely on the shoulders of the offending males. The relationship between dancer and client is clearly understood, and there are certain boundaries (such as physical contact) which are in place to protect the woman. Consequently, when a man, or group of men as the case may be, breeches the contract, no matter how tempted and excited, they are clearly the guilty party.

In any case, hopefully this sad drama in Durham can be wrapped up quickly, and without further racial strife, so that the school can get back to its normal pattern of educating bright students.

Workoholics Anonymous

Instead of AA, this is WA, and the focus is to get compulsive workers to chill out and take it easy. Apparently working long hours is now some kind of disease which requires a 12 step process to cure. In the 1800s, immigrants who worked incessantly were rewarded for their tireless work effort by moving up the socio-economic latter. Now, when people work incredibly hard, they are babied by support groups.

Can a Fat Person Be Pretty?

That is, are being fat and being physically attractive mutually exclusive? This is a question which I have been considering for a little while, and I am genuinely interested in whether an overweight individual can be aesthetically pleasing to the eye.

I assert that beauty begins in one's face. Whenever I look at an individual, I first notice their face, and use this as the first determinant of beauty. Closely following is the body type, shape, proportions, etc. So, using this methodology, it is conceivable that a fat person could have a pretty face...I think. But, perhaps their fatness would extend to their face, and that makes me wonder, can a fat face be pretty? I doubt it. But, assuming that the fatness does not extend to the face, then it is possible that a fat person could have a pretty face - nice eyes, lovely hair, etc. But, could the attractiveness of the face make up for the unattractiveness of the fat body? That is the main question that remains, and one I feel unable to answer.

I have tried very hard to think of fat people who are physically attractive, and have not yet been able to identify one. This leads me to conclude that fatness and physical beauty are not necessarily mutually exclusive; however, a pretty fat person certainly must be a rarity.

Guy Spends Spring Break in Wal-Mart

The title is slightly misleading. Skyler Bartels really only spent 41 hours of his break in a Wal-Mart in Des-Moines, Iowa. I don't get what his deal is...to prove you can live in a Wal-Mart. Its long been known that Wal-Marts sell everything that one needs to stay alive, and even more...but I guess this guy wanted to prove it. This behavior strikes me as something similar to what Morgan Spurlock did with Super Size Me. Obviously eating massive amounts of McDonalds is unhealthy, and equally obviously, people could live their whole lives in a Wal-Mart. I wish people would stop wasting their time doing ridiculous stunts that prove absolutely nothing.

UPDATE - Below is an excerpt from the Des Moines Register:

After Marc Hansen's Des Moines Register column turned up on the Drudge Report Web site Monday, Bartels was flooded with e-mail and phone calls. Some of the correspondence included requests for national media appearances and interviews.

First to get in touch was a representative from "The Late Show with David Letterman." If all went well in a half-hour phone interview Monday afternoon, Bartels was told, they'd fly him in this week to do the show.

Also trying to reach Bartels were producers from "Good Morning America," "Countdown with Keith Olbermann" on MSNBC, National Public Radio and a radio station in Ireland.

From WSJ's Daily Fix

Below is an excerpt from the Daily Fix, WSJ's daily sports column. The commentary on Nova guard Allan Ray's eye injury is at some points uncomfortable and at other points amusing...so enjoy. Also, this may be my last post for awhile. I am driving down to south Georgia tomorrow afternoon and will be there for a week and a half. I hope everyone enjoys March Madness, and whatever political controversies may come up while I am gone. And, if the notion strikes you, reread my last post - Will Percy's Mint Julep instructions, gather the necessary ingredients, and imbibe in that delicious concoction.

On Friday night Villanova's Allan Ray suffered a pretty terrifying injury: He got hit in the eye by Pittsburgh's Carl Krauser as the two scrambled for a loose ball, with Mr. Ray's eyeball winding up…well, the worry was that it had been dislodged.

Thankfully, Mr. Ray should be OK. In fact, he's been cleared to practice. (Though he should be forgiven if he'd prefer to spend the rest of his life hiding under a bed.) But his ordeal leads to a basic question, put rather bluntly by Slate's Daniel Engber: "My eyeball just fell out of its socket. What should I do?"

The Fix's reaction would be to immediately try to die, but failing that…well, if you're still around, here goes: "The treatment for globe luxation is pretty simple: Doctors apply some topical painkillers, hold back your lashes, and poke your eyeball into its socket by pressing on the white part with gloved fingers. (In some cases, they'll use a simple tool like a bent paperclip to shoehorn it back into place.)"

If you finished that quote without squealing in terror and drumming your heels on the floor, well, you are made of much tougher stuff than the Fix is.

- One more thing - The odds of Oral Roberts beating Memphis on Friday are 5 sextillion to 1. Gene Wojciechowski from ESPN shares some other incredibls odds.

The Mint Julep

William Alexander Percy gives this delicious description of how to make a Mint Julep, in his novel "Lanterns on the Levy." As March is passing us by, and Springtime appears to be nearly here, I found it appropriate to post this excerpt.

First, you needed excellent bourbon whiskey; rye or Scotch would not do at all. Then you put half an inch sugar in the bottom of the glass and merely dampened it with water. Next, very quickly-and here was the trick in the procedure-you crushed your ice, actually powdered it, preferably in a towel with a wooden mallet, so quickly that it remained dry, and, slipping two sprigs of fresh mint against the inside of the glass, you crammed the ice in right to the brim, packing it with your hand. Last, you filled the glass, which apparently had not room for anything else, with bourbon, the older the better, and grated a bit of nutmeg on the top. The glass immediately frosted and you settled back in your chair for half an hour of sedate cumulative bliss.

I have a rather large paper to write on this book, and after I complete it, I will be in the mood for perhaps several hours of "sedate cumulative bliss."

From the WSJ...

"The Simpsons" has introduced viewers young and old to political corruption, religious controversy and same-sex marriage debates. But it's safe to say that the Bill of Rights has had a greater impact on our history, if only because of its two-century head start. So it was troubling to learn last week of a survey that found 22% of Americans could name all five members of the Simpsons family, but just 0.1% were able to name all five freedoms granted under the First Amendment.

I'll be honest, I can name all the Simpsons and only could remember four of the five Amendments. If this were Sports Illustrated instead of the Wall Street Journal, the above stat would be placed under Signs of The Apocalypse.

Its...March!

And that means its time for some serious basketball. After a disapointing regular season, Kentucky is looking to set things right in the post-season. That began yesterday with a 71-57 victory over Ole Miss. In yesterday's New York Times, there was an article about Tubby Smith and the extraordinarily high expectations which come along with coaching at the University of Kentucky. Excerpt from the article, entitled, "For Kentucky's Smith, Good Just Isn't Good Enough" are below, as the NYT is a subscription site.

NASHVILLE, March 8 — Tubby Smith has been poked and ridiculed for the Kentucky men's basketball team's un-Kentucky-like performances this season. He has been called a subpar recruiter, and there have been suggestions throughout his state that he should start packing for a big payday as a head coach in the N.B.A.

But Smith, 54, has compiled a 238-69 record while winning a national championship and five Southeastern Conference titles as Kentucky's coach. His winning percentage in nine seasons (.775) is higher than the storied program's overall winning percentage (.766).

N.C.A.A. tournament bid, gauging the popularity of Smith among Kentucky's fans and fanatics can be difficult. A team with one of the most passionate fan bases in the country, Kentucky may be at a crossroads with Smith, the coach who brought a national title to Lexington in his first season, 1997-98. Smith has never received universal support among Kentucky's fans, despite his success. Many fans never reconciled the departure of Rick Pitino in 1997 and the notion that Smith, a disciple of Pitino's, would lead a program befitting a star.

Now the Wildcats (19-11) are playing in the opening round of the SEC tournament for the first time since 1979; they finished the regular season 9-7 and did not earn a first-round bye.

Kentucky is expected to make the N.C.A.A. tournament when the pairings are announced Sunday, but the fact that the Wildcats do not have a solid foothold in the field has prompted a storm of criticism of Smith on talk radio, blogs and chat rooms.

"None on me," Smith said when asked if the criticism had a wearing affect. "I have a lot of confidence in who I am and what I'm about."

UPDATE - Down 11 points with 6:15 to go in the game, Kentucky stage an incredible rally, going on a 21-3 run to end the game. Final score, UK 68 Alabama 61. The Cats face the Gamecocks of South Carolina at 1 eastern tomorrow.

Lent

Today is Fat Tuesday (Mardi Gras), meaning tomorrow is Ash Wednesday, and as a result, the time of year when people give things up for Lent. We're gonna play a little game where people tell me either what you're giving up, or give me a suggestion of what I should give up for the Lent.

Have a happy Mardi Gras, everyone.

EDIT - The things I am considering giving up include desserts, soft drinks, hard liquor, potatoes, and excessive foul language.

Something Weird

According to this article, the couple above conceived, and the woman gave birth to these two twins. Both father and mother are of mixed race; however, one of their children is clearly black and one of their children is clearly white (even blond hair blue eyes). I am no master geneticist, so I am not entirely sure how this works, but it is safe to say that this is a really freak occurrence. The article lists the chances as a million to one, but its discussion of the science behind this was fairly generic.

Also, the mother is 19 and the husband is 17 and they are not married.

More Teddy Kennedy

What would you rather do?

Asian Rap

I'm not getting into the Mid-East cartoons as was suggested by a reader; however, I will post something from Fox News about Thai rap which mocks the Koran and insults the Muslim faith. It is interesting how Sony is recalling the offensive CDs. I wonder if Sony would ever consider recalling the offensive CDs of such rappers as Ice-T, Snoop Dog, Dr. Dre, etc.

Political Barbershop

One day a florist goes to a barber for a haircut. After the cut he asked about his bill and the barber replies: "I'm sorry, I cannot accept money from you; I'm doing community service this week." The florist is pleased and leaves the shop. Next morning when the barber goes to open there is a thank you card and a dozen roses waiting for him at his door.

Later, a cop comes in for a haircut, and when he goes to pay his bill the barber again replies: "I'm sorry, I cannot accept money from you; I'm doing community service this week." The cop is happy and leaves the shop. Next morning when the barber goes to open up there is a thank you card and a dozen donuts waiting for him at his door.

Later, a Republican comes in for a haircut, and when he goes to pay his bill the barber again replies: "I'm sorry, I cannot accept money from you; I'm doing community service this week." The Republican is very happy and leaves the shop. The next morning when the barber goes to open, there is a thank you card and a dozen different books such as "How to Improve Your Business" and "Becoming More Successful."

Then a Democrat comes in for a haircut, and when he goes to pay his bill the barber again replies: "I'm sorry, I cannot accept money from you; I'm doing community service this week." The Democrat is very happy and leaves the shop. The next morning when the barber goes to open up, there are a dozen Democrats lined up waiting for a free haircut.

And that, my friends, illustrates the fundamental difference between the right and the left.

Boy, what ever you is
and where ever you is,
don't be what you ain't,
because when you is
what you ain't, you isn't.

Uncle Remus

Happy New Years

Here's wishing everyone a healthy, happy, and exciting 2006. May it be better in all ways than 2005.

Hogmanay \hog-muh-NAY; HOG-muh-nay\, noun:
The name, in Scotland, for New Year's Eve, on which children
go about singing and asking for gifts; also, a gift, cake, or
treat given on New Year's Eve.

Rowling Ponders Last Harry Potter

From the New York Times:

J. K. Rowling is facing 2006 with trepidation. It is "the year when I write the final book in the Harry Potter series," she said in a posting on her Web site, www.jkrowling.com. "I contemplate the task with mingled feelings of excitement and dread, because I can’t wait to get started, to tell the final part of the story and at last to answer all the questions (will I ever answer all of the questions? Let’s aim for most of the questions); and yet it will all be over at last and I can’t quite imagine life without Harry." She said, "I have been fine-tuning the fine-tuned plan of seven during the past few weeks so that I can really set to work in January." No title or date of publication was given for the final installment of the adventures of the boy wizard, whose six volumes have sold more than 300 million copies worldwide.

Good Words to Live By

Admit nothing, deny everything, and make counter accusations.

Taxes Taxes Taxes

Estate taxes. Wealthy people who care about their heirs literally don't want to get caught dead in 2005. The rewards for surviving until 2006 arrives are handsome. First, the basic exclusion from the federal estate tax jumps to $2 million from $1.5 million for 2005. Next, the top federal rate declines to 46% from 47%.

Gift tax. For the first time since 2002, the annual gift-tax exclusion will increase -- an important point for wealthy people to consider as part of their estate-planning strategy. The exclusion will rise to $12,000 for 2006 from $11,000 this year. That means you can give away as much as $12,000 next year to anyone you wish -- and to as many people you wish -- without having to report it to the Internal Revenue Service. There is no limit on the total amount you can distribute.

Evolution, Theories, Laws, and Terrorists

For some reason, a popular discussion has evolved under the WSJ post of several days ago. It is one that I find quite interesting and have enjoyed reading over the past several days. Because it is under a post that has little relevancy to its own subject matter, many readers may not have noticed it. So that everyone may be able to read this ongoing exchange, I am re-posting the discussion, in its entirety, below. Enjoy.

sbs-304 said...

here's a cool thing, because all i do is bitch and moan:

21 Ways To Be A Good Liberal

1. You have to be against capital punishment, but support
abortion on demand.

2. You have to believe that businesses create oppression and
governments create prosperity.

3. You have to believe that guns in the hands of law-abiding
Americans are more of a threat than U.S. nuclear weapons technology in the
hands of Chinese and North Korean communists.

4. You have to believe that there was no art before Federal
funding.

5. You have to believe that global temperatures are less affected
by cyclical documented changes in the earth's climate and more affected by soccer moms driving SUV's.

6. You have to believe that gender roles are artificial but being
homosexual is natural.

[...and so, on...all the way up to 21 - You get the point]

Anonymous said...

These are good points but just as many hypocritical things are wrong with the republican party.
PLus democrats acknowledge science which republicans dont. LIke evolution. It may be 'just a theory' but so is gravity. ITs a fact that it exists. Republicans are just too narrow minded to realize it.
Merry Christmas!!!

Anonymous said...

Evolution= Theory
Gravity= Law

Open a science book.

The term "theory" still indicates significant scientific support of the idea. Infact, most "conservatives" wouldn't argue the theory of evolution. Being a theory however, there should be more than one side presented.

Don't confuse the the LAW of gravity with the THEORY of evolution. One is undeniable, the other has not been significantly proven false.

Republicans don't deny science. We know that it is a scientific fact that when a bomb is dropped on terrorists, they cease to terrorize.

How's that for science?

Anonymous said...

Its a matter of symantics. Since it is impossible to prove that the entire universe is subjected to the same "Law of gravity" it is impossible to prove it is a universal law.
Secondly, the only reson evolution is 'only a theory' is because it cannot be reproduced in a labratory situation since it takes millions of years to take place. I like listening to people like you. I have a friend who told me one time, "You know, Christian science is making huge strides in proving evolution to be a faulted theory." He cited the bible a couple of times and even gave a me a christian science magazine with a cover article about evolution. Inside a scientist examined fossils (none of which are more then 4000 years old of course) and discuses how dinosaur fossils were placed there by God to fool 'unbeleivers' (like me i guess).
I, personally, just think thats absurd. Now this of course is coming from a non practicing christian. I have absolutely no problem with people beleiving in Intelligent Design. My problem is how people want science classes to teach it, not because i am fundementally against it, but because it is simply not science. You seem to know what you're talking about so you'd have to agree. There is absolutely no scientific proof of itelligent design. There is no observable evidence. Simply put, there is no scientific basis for intelligent design.

And lastly, those terrorists who are bombed cease to terrorize, i doubt anybody even a flaming liberal (Even guy who is from Massachussets and probably gay) wouldn't disagree with that. However the terrorists children won't.