17 January 2008

It is time for a new series. Shit that is stupid.

I was reading my daily environmental news letter from Grist, when I came across an article saying that Mitt Romney's win in Michigan was assisted by an anti climate change group American Environmental Coalition. Their home page has children frolicking (no one has told them about global warming yet) in a field. Apparently they have close ties with his campaign. Well I decided to see for myself what rhetoric this anti-climate change organization was pushing. I scanned their articles and came across one that seemed the most absurd, "Scientist Warn Against Religious Belief in Global Warming". First the title makes you think they are scientist are against religious people believing in global warming, that doesn't make any sense. Second they did not write any of the article, the web site just copy and pasted from cnsnews.com , not to be mistaken with CNN it is the cybercast news service, they slyly stick that S in there. A little digging showed that this used to be the conservitive news service but they changed their name, not only that but they are an arm of the conservative think tank Media Research Center (MRC). The MRC also puts out a video blog called NewsBusters, a conservative answer to the Daily Show and Colbert Report, it is painfully not funny but every one should check it out. Let me digress back to the article. The article is about a report put out by the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. First of all the report came out December 6th 2006, I don't know about you guys but that seems a little out dated and the CNSN article does not mention this fact. Second the head of the Committee is Sen James Inhofe (R-Okla) is on record saying that "global warming is a hoax". So already this hearing is biased and the facts are outdated. Just to add insult to injury the quotes are taken out of context and it is the whole article is misrepresenting of the whole committee report. The report is a warning of reporters not doing a good job of covering the issue, having too much alarmist coverage and climate change skeptics whining that they don't get a fair share of the new coverage. Here is a quote from a paper by the Institute for Public policy Research Describing four kinds of misguided thoughts on climate change that are seen.

Alarmism, characterised by images and words of catastrophe Settlerdom, in which "common sense" is used to argue against the scientific consensus Rhetorical scepticism, which argues the science is bad and the dangers hyped Techno-optimism, the argument that technology can solve the problem

The article from CNSN also fails to mention that not all of the four hundred scientists mentions in the first paragraph are climate skeptics. Some of the climate skeptics in the report like Dr. Robert Carter work for conservative think tanks funded by guess who, oil companies and other big business. People what is the harm in preparing for catastrophe. What is the worst outcome, we are wrong and the planet is cleaner. If we don't do anything and the world goes to hell in a hand basket what are the skeptics going to apologize, it would be to late for that. I am not trying to teach blind faith here. There is of course a possibility the science could be wrong. As a scientist myself I understand that scientist can be wrong, they are only human.

15 January 2008

Results-Divisional Playoff Weekend


Ok. let's go over the weekend games. 

Unprediction of the WEEK: My record : 1-0. The Giants did cover the spread, in fact they beat Dallas. Eli Manning didn't go to Mexico last weekend with Jessica Simpson, like Dallas QB Tony "Yet to Win a Playoff Game" Romo.  Though, a parental authority figure of mine clearly pointed out that the Giants won the game by playing better, Dallas didn't lose it. 

Congratulations to the Giants and Eli Manning. Lucky you. You get to play football next week (in 4 degree weather), while the Nation roots for you to lose. Sports fans across the country are hoping that Packers QB, "The Great",  Bret Favre (pictured above) can get back to the Super Bowl at least once more before he retires. 

Other Unpredictions: My record: 0-2. Seattle did get creamed and therefore didn't cover and favorite Indianapolis didn't even win, getting upset by the "Super" Chargers of San Diego.

Recommendations: My results: 3-0. Green Bay won in a landslide as predicted. Jacksonville did cover and NY Giants won straight up. Of course, I didn't make any bets last week.

My thinking is that Green Bay is going to blow the Giants out. So, whatever the spread, Green Bay to cover. And it's only (-7)   

UNPREDICTION of the WEEK: Green Bay to beat the Giants by more than 7.

The smart money says that New England will blow out San Diego. They beat them handily in week 2 and San Diego is banged up. The spread is (-14). 

My Unprediction : San Diego to cover the spread. They will be pumped up. A score like the Jacksonville game, where the Pats win by two scores, is likely.

I'm not betting this week either.  So with my track record, this is a good week to follow my Unpredictions. 

A public service reminder: only wager what you can afford to lose or at the very least, don't wager loved ones or priceless family heirlooms.




11 January 2008

Picks for Sunday's game


Before I go into my unpredictions for Sunday... I was driving through my old neighborhood and thinking about where I went wrong, no I was not lost, with my life.

I thought about how in the eighth grade, a large, overweight noncaucasian kept hitting me in the same spot on my left shoulder in Spanish class. I was afraid to hit back, besides thinking that my punches would be ineffective, because I knew the Spanish teacher would notice me, and then I thought about how the Spanish teacher had in for me. Ok, he might have been waiting for me to prove my manhood, or he didn't notice, even though it happened everyday, multiple times, or maybe he didn't want the class to focus on it and get distracted from the incredibly important Spanish lesson.

And then it hit me, he (the Spanish Teacher) did have it in for me. I realized where I went wrong. No, it was not in hitting back. It was in my decision to not take the 8th grade yearbook class.  I was going to be the only boy in the class. It was a select group. I chickened out. It would have changed my whole adolescence. That Spanish teacher was also the Year-Book teacher.

I would have been in a class with all girls. Probably would have speeded up my whole introduction to tasting a female's saliva by five or ten years. (Around this time: junior high, some older male, probably from my boy scout troop, spit in my mouth, forcing it open by pinching my nose. So I already knew what (other) male's saliva tasted like. )

Of course had I chosen Year Book, I wouldn't have the deer-shaped planter, the Regulator clock or the Jaguar inscripted mirror, which I made in shop. But who wouldn't salivate with opportunity to be the only boy in a class, and I would have gotten to taken pictures of all the hot girls at my school. Lafayette has some lookers, and my year was definitely a very high-quality year. I think the correct term is, it was a vintage year. 

Now on to my (un) picks of Sunday.

San Diego at INDY(-9)

Now on to my unpredictions: Colts will cream San Diego. The Colts hate being over looked. They lost to the Chargers earlier this year, when Peyton Manning threw SIX interceptions and Viniteria missed two Field Goals, including a game-winning FG from point blank range. The Chargers are missing one of their best players Antonio Gates. LT is good, but Indy will force SD to throw and I don't think Philip Rivers has it in him, at least not yet. If Philip Rivers, pulls out a great game, it will be close, but Indy will still win.

UNPREDICTION: INDY to cover (-9) Spread

NYGIANTS (+ 8) at Dallas

It's hard to beat a team three times in one season. Dallas won both regular season meetings. The reason Dallas won was among other things TO. With Terrell Owens in, Dallas is unbeatable by any NFC team, without TO, the Giants will give Dallas  a game. Jacobs has emerged as a power back. Dallas has a good ground game of its own, but their QB, Tony Romo, went to Mexico last weekend, with Jessica Simpson. He may be distracted.  He has yet to win a Playoff game in his brief career. I think this game will be close. If Eli Manning brings his A game, watch out. The other GIANT factor will be whether the Giant's pass rush can get to Romo, who is known for his elusability.

UNPREDICTION of the WEEK: NY GIANTS to cover spread (+8).

A possible upset, if you have a little extra dough to gamble. This is probably the only game this week, to take the odds and pick the underdog to win straight up.

10 January 2008

World War Z a Book Review


Let me start by saying this book is off the hook. "World War Z: an Oral History of the Zombie War" written by Max Brooks is one of the best books I have picked up in a while. Some of you may know his first book "Zombie Survival Guide" and are thinking, that does not give him much writing cred. But this book like his first is unconventional an entertaining. I can't put this book down, I just picked it up yesterday and already I have torn through the first 120 pages. The premise of the book if you cant tell by the title is about a global war with zombies. The book follows a reporter as he goes around the world interviewing people about their stories. Never is the focus on the interviewer. At each new destination a brief history of that counties modern issues is brought up and shows how different countries and cultures would deal with an apocalyptic crisis. The zombies could be exchanged with other disasters because the Mr Brooks uses the undead as a canvas to express human natures reactions to times of stress and disaster, need we remember how people started to behave in New Orleans, post Katrina. Mr Brooks presents this on a global scale. He leads us to the depths of evil that humans and governments are willing to perform in order to survive. I will give this a Rick James review. I wish I had two extra arms so I could give this book four thumbs up, Bitches. Needless to say my thoughts before sleep wandered into the realm of trying to figure out many zombies could the back gate of my apartment withstand. The answer, not enough.

09 January 2008

My betting luck-Unpredictions of the week


A friend suggested that since I did well at my pick 'em NFL football leagues (I'm in two and near the top of both: 3rd in one, in the 75% percentile in the other, this season, always near the top, but never the winner, so far), I should start betting on football, so I opened an account at an offshore casino. My cousin saw my league rankings and said I should blog about my picks. I am supposed to be Dr. G. The only problem with this is I suck at betting. What I mean by suck, such a generic unspecific word (unless it's used in a sexual setting or with a baby). Is that I haven't won a single bet. In fact I'm 0 for 10. if I have a 50-50 chance of winning a bet that adds up to a (1/2)^10... probability of being wrong on ten straight bets.... .00097 one in 1000 chance of that happening if my bets were just random. of course I was trying to win. which means I really, well, suck. Maybe I am just self-sabotaging myself, either that or there is someone upstairs who wants me to know that if I want to make money, I'm going to have to work for it. Of course this makes me the perfect person to tell you how to bet, just do the opposite of what I say and you'll rake in the money.

Matt Hasselback (pictured above) will determine whether Seattle can upset Green Bay. Every time I watch Seattle, he throws a few picks, starting when he guaranteed a victory in overtime in a 2004 playoff game at Lambeau field (Green Bay, Wisc.) and then threw the game-winning INTERCEPTION, can he change? evolve? It's the question we all want answered.

The NFL Playoffs (ok, just warning you, so far I've been right about them, but still managed to lose my money. the whole spread thing often throws me)... also I'm copying King Kaufman with his whole capitalizing the winner thing. check out his column at Salon.com, for professional opinions.

(note: I'm always betting against the point spread unless otherwise stated).

SEATTLE at Green Bay (13-3) (-8)... Green Bay is rested, Favre is in maybe his last year. Green Bay has finally found a good running game. They are a young team. We saw last weekend how Seattle has lock-down corners. Shaun Alexander seemed to be playing as well as he has in years. Matt Hasselback, made some characteristic bad decisions (throwing a couple of picks that didn't affect the outcome of the game, Washington folded after they recovered a kickoff after finally coming back to take the lead. They failed to scoring after starting at Seattle's 9, that was the game. Washington's offense went to the tank after that Seattle used a short field to go ahead and then scored on two interception returns to ice the game. The question: How will this game be decided? How will the QB's do against the opposing defense. Both teams have solid running games. The difference will be how Favre and Hasselback handle the playoff pressure. I think Hasselback will choke more than Favre. but it isn't really choking if he always does it (throws picks). I definitely think at least one interception will be returned for a touchdown. bet on that! my UNPREDICTION: I pick Seattle to cover the spread.

Which means Green Bay will win in a Landslide. My recommendation: take the safe bet, Green Bay to win straight up.

Game Time temperature is in the upper 20s.

JACKSONVILLE (12-5) @ New England (16-0) (-13.5)

Ok, my pick is Jacksonville to cover, ok against the Steelers they didn't look so good. Jackonsville's QB, David Gerrard didn't really look good at all throwing the ball, but he did win the game for them, with his feet. I'm definitely not sold on the Pat's defense. I don't think teams will lose games before they have even started in the postseason, which is want happened to a few teams in the regular season. Jacksonville's running game, especially De La Salle (Concord, CA) grad Maurice Jones-Drew will give the Patriots all kinds of trouble. The Patriots, can't play better than they have all season. The Jaguars are fierce. A safe bet would be that Jacksonville will cover. This is definitely a game to watch, let's see how good the Pats are.

Game time temperature: the 30s, possibly snow.

My recommendation: Jacksonville to cover. this is something I think I'm going to bet on. No unprediction: It's the playoffs, New England can't possibly blow them out.

If you lose money on this one, I'll come over and clean your bathroom (but only if you live in Narberth or Bloomington).

02 January 2008

My Own Reality Show...


After envying both Tila Tequila and Brett Michaels...

I'll star in my own show:

"a balding, short, athletic, former high school math whiz and varsity wrestler, underemployed, 31 year old Yale reject with aspirations for the White House looking for a Lady"

I would have some Hill staffers, Grammar School Teachers, and other hot, smart women, aged 26-31 who wouldn't mind being the First Lady... (in twenty five or thirty years). ok, having a reality dating show and looking for a lady, might not be a good idea. Given how much action I hope to get by having a reality show, it would give my opponents too much ammo to smear me in the eventual campaign, that, or I don't get any action, then I'm sure my show won't make it to the air.

Either way, I'd still do it. It's probably even better than being Prez.

If you are a reality show producer... MM (well formerly MM, she got married), that's you. give me a call, maybe we can make some sort of deal. (my friend's sister, MM, actually works on these things.)

unfortunately, she doesn't read this blog. My next posting, my presidential platform.

Tila Tequila Dumps Bobby Banhart


Ms. Tequila pumps booby...I mean dumps Bobby

Tila "Tequila" Nguyen has cut loose her painstakingly and publicly vetted beau. Did she end the affair so that she could do another season of (sur?)reality tv show Shot At Love? Shockingly Brett Michael's reality-TV-based relationship has suffered a similar fate. Brett and Tila don't have a good business model... they have the perfect one. If you are a promiscious star, with no real desire to settle down then this is the best thing since ruffies. Get yourself a reality dating show. The worst case scenario is you actually fall in love, get married and don't do a season two.

It's a serious consideration: keep the significant other or do it all over again on season two (or three). Apparently a Season Two beat out poor Bobby for Tila's heart. The same goes for the pink haired hottie, Jes Rickleff, formerly with Brett. She totally loved Brett and was definitely the best girl on the show, personality-wise and looks-wise.
I guess no one can leave so much potential lovin' on the table. These aren't A-list stars, so maybe the money and the continued lime-light are factors too, but I'm sure they are not complaining about the copious ass either. Bret Michaels slept with maybe every woman on his show. I think they started with 16 contestants. And Tila (whose show I didn't watch until the end) probably did the same, but with men and women.

The only issue is STDs. I guess they either test for STDs before the show, they have some vaccines that are kept from the public per Jesus' instructions or maybe they already have cirrhosis and warts and they just don't sweat it.

The whole American sexual marketplace is so laissez-unfair. Maybe the market needs to be regulated by some sort of central beaurocracy: sex-politburo, or maybe just a safety-net of sex-food stamps, or boudiour-unemployment insurance. I guess that is just not how it works in the US. Everyone wants certain people so bad, they get all the lovin' they want, while the rest of us settle for monogamy and sex toys.

happy new year...


My only New Years resolution is to take things day by day and not waste days as I sometimes do...

and blog more. 
hope you all had a good new year... my two friends got lucky with girls last night... ok. I think one of them had four kids. saying got lucky with some women, is something I'm going to have to get use to saying. 
even I got a new years kiss. alright, it was really a New Year's peck. but definitely better than I expected.  
where did we get all this action?  at the Barefoot Bogey New Years Celebration, in the most liberal city in the country (at least the city that has the most liberal reputation.). And it's not SF, even though that's what the pic says.

In this existential post-post-modern world isn't reputation, not reality, reality? 

i danced until my feet hurt and then I slow danced to keep myself preoccupied and distracted.
It was a nice time... 

oh, i have a funny George Costanza story.... I'm reminded why I named my blog GCNOF. when I went cell phone shopping with my parents. I felt like George listening to his parents bickering. You would think after oh 30 years of being with your parents you would know when and where your parents might, be a little incompetent, like when making a new purchase. 
You would realize it would be really nice to take charge, because you know if you don't, you will spend two hours buying a cell phone, and still might have to go back and pick a new one.  you definitely know you will get ripped off, because you will be talked into buying extras you will never use. 

If there was someone there to share this experience with, I would have been laughing and not crying.