Disqus - Latest Comments for bellisaurius

Re: Sonia Sotomayor & Ethnic Identification

bellisaurius — Wed, 27 May 2009 09:22:01 -0000

This is why I've always liked the extended family model of ethnicity. People have no problem identifying each other as being the direct product of two families (more really, but most interactions tend to involve two to four), and may even use the last names interchangeably. The one drop thing never really seems to be an issue (at least in understanding). If one thinks about race and ethnicity in the same way, a lot of stuff is much clearer.

Re: WHY ARE AMERICANS OBSESSED WITH THE FEMALE NIPPLE?

bellisaurius — Fri, 15 May 2009 12:56:05 -0000

People are often arbitrary about what their cultural taboos are.

Example:

Most people would probably be a bit upset about someone lounging around naked on their couch. They may argue the point of this is that "They're going to leave butt stuff on it." OK, so hygeine and sanitation. Seems non-arbitrary. Well, not so fast. Hand that person a sterilized cockroach, see if they take it. I doubt they would because it's the concept of "dirty" (which so often get's translated to immoral) is an imaginary one (arguments about bacteria being more of an excuse in most situations), or at least a cultutrally defined one.

Now, what I imagine actually happens in a lot of cases of modesty isn't so much that nudity bugs the person (there is a much smaller subset of folks ofended by bitticelli nowadays, for example), but rather the feeling that other people will be bugged by the nudity (our sense of empathy, in a way, or at least our abiklity to put ourselves in other's shoes).

Re: The art of war and of coaching girls basketball

bellisaurius — Fri, 08 May 2009 03:29:42 -0000

Thanks for the great article. Of course, it should be noted that a full court press has disadvantages as well. If I was more even in strength with a team, would I get enough steals to make up for the easy layups they'll get when the court isn't defended as well near the other basket? And of course, as was pointed out at the end, the referee may not be as kind to all the hand play involved with really strong defense.

Also, the real indictment here, for the Turks, as well as the 30% of goliaths who lose, is that they lacked the adaptability to change strategy when an opponent did so. When they do change, or decide to stick it out, they are much tougher to beat.

Re: Some Compelling Math For Republicans

bellisaurius — Fri, 01 May 2009 15:07:22 -0000

Given that political parties are composed of people, who are capable of feedback, why would the republican party vanish when it can simply reinvent itself around a new set of issues, or at least a suite of problems that it feels it can solve better than the other guy.

Individuals may be hardline, but given time, groups of people can change their opinions.

Re: Market Nuttiness Gets Nuttier

bellisaurius — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 15:41:26 -0000

I think the expectations model isn't that bad of an explanation. Remembering that prices went to the possibility of the second coming of the great depression in american markets (I haven't been tracking international markets enough here to make a decent statement on them), a little rise (we are still something 40% below the peak) when the title becomes "the great recession" isn't completely bonkers.

Re: Miss California: Champion of federalism on gay marriage?

bellisaurius — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 23:34:59 -0000

I have to admit that the benefits given to married folk make gay unions inevitable as an act of fairness, bemused, but something bothers me about mentioning the 14th amendment, in that we don't pay equal taxes, due to our progressive tax system.

Re: Sending Grace to Wall Street

bellisaurius — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 06:30:28 -0000

If the acted unethically, ala ken lay, then justice would be perfectly served as you suggest. If, however, they played ethically within the range of rules given to them, then I can't see how justice is served by punishing them in a more legal sense, as the economic punishment is more fitting to their transgression,

Re: Obama & McCain: Now Global Electoral College

bellisaurius — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 06:24:01 -0000

I don't know ginchin. I think there's some kind of unwritten rule in world politics that the more you appeal overseas, the less you appeal at home, and vice versa. I think it comes from the "special dispensation" most nations feel, or perhaps some inherent tribalism in the species.

Re: Sending Grace to Wall Street

bellisaurius — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 05:05:37 -0000

I remember after Katrina and 9/11 people were looking for folks to blame. I always thought that sort of thinking was silly. The main thing was to learn lessons and try to apply them.

Another thing to mention is that the prodigal son really didn't need to be punished, he knew he screwed up, and much like the parable of the laborers (where the workers who worked the whole day were payed the same as those who were picked up later), it's the master/father/god's role to dish out things as he considers fair.

Re: Obama & McCain: Now Global Electoral College

bellisaurius — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 04:56:08 -0000

Demagogues look good to everyone. That's part of the appeal.

Just kidding.

I think it's hard for people in other countries to understand why McCain appeals to some americans. I do wonder how he'd do if he ran as a Democrat with most of his his current policy and personality (for those who say he's changed, picture the blue-doggish 2000 McCain). I'd imagine people worldwide would love him as a "respected man who suffered from his country's mistakes in vietnam" of somesuch.

Re: Lehman Brothers To File Bankruptcy, BOA Buys Merill Lynch, Washington Mutual and AIG Uncertain

bellisaurius — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 09:02:13 -0000

Ml, there are, of course,mny reasons why oil is falling at the moment (although gas will rise for a while until we see how the refineries have done post Ike), but the fact a proper recession is probably coming upon us is a major driver too.

Funny, but I was just debating with someone the other day about whether the economy is the worst it's ever been since the depression (activated more by the term "the worst", which always gets my devil's advocate going. Plus, anyone who talks about the economy as a whole and doesn;t know what terms like GDP means kinda get me started too), and then I read this today:

Greenspan says US in a once in a century financial crisis http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=0809141...

Well, I guess we'll know most of the fallout over the next week or so.

Re: Sarah Palin and the full “Dairygate” Timeline

bellisaurius — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 08:53:38 -0000

First rule of scandals: If it takes more than a sound bite to explain, it won't go too far with voters.

I can see various issues in there, but nothing that leaps out at me, given a good size portion of the country seems to accept things like bailouts and agricultural subsidies. He sweetheart deals are of note, but in and of themselves, I don;t know.

Re: "Is Sarah Palin Politicizing Son's Military Service?"

bellisaurius — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 10:35:18 -0000

Mr Smith Goes to Washington.

That's what this kind of strikes me as. An outsider bringing a "common sense" variety of morals, but without worldliness (arguably wisom as well). I don;t necessarilly go for it, but I'm more cynical than I probably need to be.

Re: “You can’t put lipstick on a pig” CRAZINESS!

bellisaurius — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 22:13:09 -0000

I actually sort of like the play on the lipstick comment. I'd think in routine banter between friends this would qualify the person under the "humor exemption" of sexist/racist comments, ie the funnier it is, the more you get away with.

On another level, I'm a bit bothered by both sides. One side often espouses the position that even moderately benign comments such as "niggardly" qualify as something that needs to be censured. Another side often takes the position that PC speech, and it's authorities attack freedom of expression. Personally, I see the points both sides make, but I dislike the inconsitency in the one side arguing that we shouldn;t joke about these things, and the other side whining when it should just laugh.

Oh well, the important thing to both sides is getting elected, not having principles. Mea culpa.

Re: Remember The Indianapolis

bellisaurius — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 08:10:17 -0000

I met one of the survivors from her once at the local Jewel (he actually passed recently: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/obituaries/c...). It was one of those occasions where you're really not sure what to talk about.

I also knew an engineer off the Forrestal from my Navy days too (the one with the big fire from vietnam) . Both those fellows had some awful stories to tell.

Re: Tasers and power in a corrupt small town

bellisaurius — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 18:42:32 -0000

I agree about the tool thing. This guy probably would have used a billy club back in the old days. In a weird way, this is almost less the lesser sin, since the club seems more brutal.

Re: Terror Watch List Fails… Again

bellisaurius — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 19:45:32 -0000

Republicans making the list must not be news, as Ted Stevens and Don Young (both alaskans... hmmmm...) have said thay've popped up. (see wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_Fly_List)

It sounds like the false positives get a worse grilling than they need to (The Ted Kennedy one explained that terrorists will sometimes use names as a cover. Kind of silly, I know). All one should have to do is give something like a passport number, or have some other identity differentiating measure and be let on their way. I know it will still be longer for theose unfortunate folks who have names that won;t be removed (like osama bin laden or somesuch), but I don;t think would be too much if the added security is what I mentioned above.

Re: Bringing The Surge Home

bellisaurius — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 18:56:05 -0000

I actually kind of like the ideas. There's a certain acknowledgment of on the ground realities of how things work in the inner city.

The only problem is that we already do some of them. Companies hire a lot of private security, and many prisons are already privatized. Programs like Cease Fire intermediate with gangs and use financial incentives when possible.

Re: Study: there aren’t many blog readers in the ideological center

bellisaurius — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 09:49:18 -0000

I guess that makes us a niche read here at TMV!

One could hope so, but unfortunately, the tone of a lot of articles here gets pretty harsh. One might even say, immoderate. It seems infrequent that a problem is taken from a couple of viewpoints, or even examined through in a pro/con sort of way. I'd go so far as to say the tone of a FOX or NY Times piece is more centrist.

This is still a portal site for me because of the blogroll, but at times, some headlines and articles feel like teeth pulls. Even Joe seems to have started to drift off into a bit of anger.

Although, in the bigger picture, perhaps it is impossible to have a blog without some vitrol in it since a certain amount of what makes a blogger keep on blogging is their passion. I'd wish it weren;t so, but I guess that may be a fact of it.

Re: On Guns and on Votes

bellisaurius — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 20:57:29 -0000

As a result, I'm sceptical about the 'principles involved. It just looks like a power play by one group wanting to impose their will on every other group

Run, the first couple of paragraphs in your comment brings memories of my early days on the net, when an old timer told me that arguing facts and such were kind of pointless since any data was interpreted through their viewpoint; real attempts to change minds had to be done by going for the heart.

Back to the main topic though. I just I don't see specific instances where the citizens of DC are being denied the benefits of the federal government because of their lack of representation. They do have a civic governement, and while Congress could change some of their laws, I can;t think of an instance where they have.

While DC does have a population comparable to Wyoming's (which does get a representative and two senators. Some would probably consider this unfair, I kinda do, but it's the rules at the federal level, so I defer), including DC would affect the rest of our voice in the federal government in an unfair way as well. I'd be more of the opinion to give them a representative proportional to their population via one of the surrounding states than to go ahead and make them a new state.

Re: On Guns and on Votes

bellisaurius — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 17:31:41 -0000

I've generally disagreed on the whole DC voting thing. The constitution seems pretty explicit on the topic (which includes the twenty third amendment, where they got to vote for president).

DC is basically a free city, to give it representatives removes it's special status as the seat of federal government. Also, federalist 43 points out how the gov't shouldn't have to depend on a particular state for what it needs. I think that's a pretty good argument.

Re: The “Gun Nut” Gap

bellisaurius — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 11:51:12 -0000

run, it would be a false argument if I was looking at the issue of how the gun affects things, but I was rather looking at people's perceptions of risk, and how, if they have some illusion of control or lack there of, they tend to assume some things are less safe than they are, and some things are more safe than they are.

Re: The “Gun Nut” Gap

bellisaurius — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 20:42:56 -0000

How do we reconcile the apparent contradiction that many of those who believe in preserving the life of fetuses are just as passionate about the right to own weapons that kill human beings after birth?

The same could be asked of those who believe it's OK to kill a fetus, but not OK to kill a person who murdered someone. People are pretty good at holding many seemingly contradictory beliefs based on their personal narrative.

A person who grew up with guns may see a gun being used against them as less likely than they themselves using the gun to defend their home (see also the risk analysis of flying vs driving, and people's perception of the risks).

On the other hand, a person who's against a gun in their house because a kid may accidentally fire it may also have a swimming pool in their backyard (200 times more likely to drown than to accidentally shoot themselves).

Re: GOP To The Rescue: Republicans Block Extra Tax On Oil Companies

bellisaurius — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 09:46:25 -0000

I'll agree to a windfall tax on oil, if you agree to a windfall tax on farmers. Oil prices come and go. It's not like anyone was shedding tears for them when prices fell a couple years age. Long term prices are going to be high, no way around that.

The main goal of legislation would be, I hope, to help americans out. Increasing the tax on oil companies probably isn;t going to bring prices down. Reducing the gas tax doesn't add to much. If you really want to help people, you could always subsidize oil (not likely), or drill more (which doesn't help today. Oh, and no extra money for oil shale, a hydrocarbon we have in abundance. Crap, that's not good).

I'm personally a fan of "The man on the moon" project for alternative energy. Even if it's just spinning our wheels, at least it will make the time go by, with a couple of positive stories now and then (peak oil isn;t exactly going to have a lot of good stories, the occasional sizable well not withstanding).

Re: Iraq Status-Of-Forces Agreement: It’s A Really Bad Deal No Matter How You Look At It

bellisaurius — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 09:27:28 -0000

For the sake of comparison:

http://www.mofa.go.jp/mofaj/area/usa/sfa/pdfs/f...

and

http://www.nato.int/docu/basictxt/b510619a.htm

The first one is Japan's SOFA, the second is Nato's. The bases, immunity (not so much immunity, but rather the ability to try people in american court, under the foreign law), and the contractual monopoly are part of japan's. The immunity and bases, with some contractual elements, in Nato's.

The Iraqi don;t have to sign it, in fact, I think they would be putting on quite the display of independence if they don't. Both sides have a good chunk of leverage, so I'm pretty sure we'll get a SOFA, and probably one of the things on that list (outside of the stuff in japan's sofa), most likely the part about determining for ourselves what a threat is.