Authors
Life, Liberty, & The Pursuit Of Happiness
Wednesday, July 7th, 2010Author Linda Brady Traynham
The idea behind the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights was to secure to citizens the blessings of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness by way of the sanctity of private property and the least possible foreign government. The same is true of the Constitutions of [...]
Return From The Darkside
Wednesday, July 7th, 2010Author Tex Norton
Yeah, I admit it. I made a mistake. I don’t even have an excuse. I thought I could work within the System and perhaps even make a difference. What a mistake!
It all started last Fall on a crisp soon-to-be-Winter day. Neighbors had seen a notice that the Census would be visiting our small, [...]
Nothing In Particular
Monday, July 5th, 2010Author Linda Brady Traynham
Question: “What does Independence Day mean in 2010?” Answer: “Nothing in particular.”
Oh, still barbecues, incredibly expensive fireworks, lots of politicians ducking their constituents, probably a few more deaths along the drug cartel corridor…but…nothing of any significance.
My most “patriotic” thought was that in a country where Thomas Jefferson and [...]
The Peter Principle Presidency
Sunday, July 4th, 2010Author James The Wanderer
From Wikipedia, “The Peter Principle is the principle that “in a hierarchy every employee tends to rise to his level of incompetence.” It was formulated by Dr. Laurence J. Peter and Raymond Hull in their 1969 book The Peter Principle”.
Viewed from this perspective, we now have an explanation for the current [...]
Probability and Percentage
Sunday, July 4th, 2010Author Tony Demaio
(You Fool Me Once…)
Leo Durocher once said, “Baseball is a game of percentages.” Leo was wrong. What he SHOULD have said was, “Baseball is a game of probabilities.” Of course, while somewhat correct, that is still insufficient. A correct statement is, “LIFE is a game of probabilities.”
Being a professional statistician, I often cringe [...]
Who Should Replace McChrystal?
Wednesday, June 30th, 2010Author Linda Brady Traynham
After due consideration, about two seconds’ worth, I have concluded that I am the best candidate to replace General McChrystal, and before you start patting my hand, making soothing noises, and wondering what the treatment for senile dementia is, consider my qualifications via the following imaginary interview.
“Mrs. Traynham, do you now, [...]
Lack
Wednesday, June 30th, 2010Author James The Wanderer
Nicholas Nassim Taleb (The Black Swan, Fooled by Randomness, several other great books) has generated several good ideas, among which are:
( 1 )Events will occur which are both unpredicted and unpredictable. These he calls Black Swan events, in honor of the utter amazement of European naturalists, who KNEW all swans were white, [...]
Wood You?
Wednesday, June 30th, 2010Author David W Franklin
Recently I met a lady who like I, labors to gather, cut and split fire wood for supplemental heat in the winter months. Mutual knowledge of this shared activity provided a common ground for further personal communications.
Just recently, she informed me “I did vote for Obama. I’m still in holding pattern as [...]
Something’s Changed
Thursday, June 24th, 2010Author Linda Brady Traynham
Analysis ranges from what to do when your chemistry professor hands you a beaker with instructions to tell him what is in it by Friday to the sudden feeling mothers get that “it’s too quiet,” meaning they had better go find out what their children are up to. I could say [...]
Skin In The Game
Thursday, June 24th, 2010Author Tony DeMaio
I have been reading about the number of folks that are walking away from “underwater” mortgages where they owe more than the house is worth, even though they can still make the payments. I believe it is called a “strategic” default.
I am somewhat puzzled by this. When I grew up, you gave your [...]