Archive for the ‘tech’ Category

Five Under the Fedora Truths Homeless for Fun and Profit, All Beers Look Alike to Me, Breaking a Twitter Habit, The Chosen Speeding Up and Biden Economy expectations

Posted: August 16, 2023 by datechguy in business, culture, economy, education, entertainment, tech, twitter
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Glenn Reynolds notes the shock of some that passing a law concerning homeless camps and actually enforcing it has caused camps to vanish. This is a disaster for some NGO’s in the sense that they get a lot of government and state money to solve a problem that can be solved by just enforcing the law.

Key quote:

We get urban decay because we tolerate it. And as for the nonprofits/NGOs, homelessness is far too lucrative a problem to solve.

There is no incentive to solve a problem that is both a profit center for you and allows you to claim virtue.

Speaking of profit centers there is a 2nd post at Insty today on a man who will be teaching about the Budlight fiasco at business school. It’s is certainly a subject worth scholarship but it that had a line that likely floated under the radar to most people that I found absolutely hilarious:

He emphasized that beer is essentially the same product, and what sets it apart is the power of its brand

I would submit and suggest this is pretty much true. I suspect a lot of brand loyalty in beer is all about habit. Break that habit and you break that brand.

And Speaking of Breaking the habit as of Today Tweetdeck is no longer a free service when I tried to access it today I was redirected to a screen offering me a blue subscription check for $80 a year.

The real point is Twitter’s value basically comes from addicting people to multiple streams of data and giving folks who want to reach a maximum size audience (advertisers etc) access to that stream. This move gives an incentive for people to walk away from the stream and once people are broken of the addiction your done.

While Elon Musk should of course make the best possible business decision for his product I submit and suggest this is rather foolish. Tweetdeck makes twitter useful because it allows you to view multiple streams in the same window. Without it twitter involves too many tabs and simply isn’t worth my time. I might keep a tab with my DM page available and I might answer embedded tweets I see elsewhere but if you want to get me to see something by putting it on twitter odds are starting today I’ll miss it

On a totally different note I was shocked to see that season 4 of the chosen was going to include the razing of Lazarus from the dead.

Given that this is the last big miracle before the entry into Jerusalem I figured we would see it till at least season 5, particularly since we are going to get the beheading of John the Baptist this season which comes much earlier.

That suggests that either season 7 is going to be all passion and resurrection, with season six all Jerusalem

(Don’t be surprised with the number of characters there is plenty of material for this to be the case) and Season five everything else OR that Dallas plans on moving up the Death, Resurrection and Ascension of Christ and having a large chunk of season seven covering a big chunk of acts.

Either way it will be interesting to see how he handles it.

Finally we have regularly been getting short weeks at work. Last week was 30 hours, the week before 32 and the week before 30 which is a great incentive to burn vacation days for people and unpaid time off has been offered which can be tempting on a really beautiful summers day.

Yesterday on the drive in all of us in the car agreed that we would be lucky to end up with four hours although one of us was optimistic enough to suggest me might manage 6.

Much to my shock and everyone else’s as well there seemed there was plenty of work in my department and by moving some people to it during the day ( and letting a few go home early who wanted to ) all of us who stayed managed to our delight a full 8 hours of work which guarantees us at least a 32 hour week.

That’s how bad the Biden economy is, it’s so bad that getting a full days work in the middle of a work week on a day you’re scheduled to work a full day is a pleasant surprise worthy of note

Five Quick Thoughts Under the Fedora: Ramaphosa Does a Newsome, If ONLY the Uyghers were oppressed by Israel, Can the GOP do the Hagen Math?, Liars in Liars Out and Next Year at Dodger Stadium

Posted: June 18, 2023 by datechguy in elections, News/opinion, tech
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I didn’t give much attention to the African Peace Mission to Russia/Ukraine because it had no hope of success but there is one aspect I’d like to note. One of the delegates is President Ramaphosa of South Africa whose country you would call a basket case, if you wanted to insult basket cases that is.

Given the issues of violence, crime, electricity, infrastructure, and an inability of basic services in his country that he either can’t or won’t address it makes perfect sense for him to fly half way around the world to earn brownie points. It’s sort of like Gavin Newsome going after Florida. Much easier than solving problems at home.

For as long as I can remember Muslim were called upon to condemn Jews in general and Israel in particular over their treatment of the “Palestinians”. It was called “genocide” which is odd because if Israel wanted the Palestinians dead they could wiped them out half a dozen times over every week since 1968 and still rest for the Sabbath.

So when the head of the Palestinian Authority went to China you might expect him to have said something about their treatment of the Muslim Uyghers: He did, this

In the statement, the Palestinian Authority said issues regarding China’s policy toward Muslims in Xinjiang have “nothing to do with human rights and are aimed at excising extremism and opposing terrorism and separatism.”

“Palestine resolutely opposes using the Xinjiang problem as a way of interfering in China’s internal affairs,” the joint statement said.

Apparently some Muslims are more equal than others.

This actually makes me think that the GOP might have a chance for real inroads in the US Muslim community. Their hatred of Israel separates them from the GOP and their unwillingness to give into the gay agenda for their kids separates them from Democrats.

But the reality is for all their bluster on the subject in speeches and at colleges Israel is 8000 miles away and doesn’t affect the Muslim community in the US in general or in Michigan in particular. The gay agenda being pushed affects their own kids and community.

Which do you think these families will give priority to?

If conservatives play this right this can change the gameboard in several states really fast.

The most interesting thing you will read today is an exchange between Harvey Risch, Professor Emeritus of Epidemiology at Yale School and a Chatbot called Rebelio on the subject of hydroxychloroquine and COVID-19.

The chatbot gives false and misleading answers to questions until corrected by Mr. Risch and then confirms his accurate information while downplaying it citing consensus. The key exchange comes at the end:

User:

This answer did not answer the question that I asked. All of the errors you made were statements contrary to facts that you verified in subsequent answers. Since you had the correct factual information, why did you cite incorrect facts?

RebbeIO:

I apologize for any confusion or frustration that my previous responses may have caused. As an AI language model, I do not intentionally provide incorrect information. However, I understand that I made errors in my previous responses, and I apologize for any confusion or inconvenience that this may have caused.

I strive to provide accurate and helpful responses based on the information available to me, and I understand the importance of providing correct information, especially when it comes to matters of public health and scientific research. I will continue to do my best to provide accurate and helpful responses based on the information available to me, and I appreciate your patience and understanding.

One must already remember that regardless of bells and whistles all these AI chats are just computer programs, programed by people, some of who have agendas which means the 1st rule of computers applies:

Garbage in, Garbage out.

Finally the most interesting part of the story concerning the Pride Celebration at Dodger Stadium including the anti-Catholic so called “Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence” is not the 5000 strong protest outside or the prayers and speakers, the large amount of Latino’s among the protesters, the statement from Bishop Barron or even the final attendance of 49K for the game itself agasint their hated rival the San Francisco Giants.

What is interesting the teams decision to hold the ceremony to honor them when there were only maybe 40 or 50 people in the stands. Even that tiny amount of people produced boos. The Dodgers could well imagine how loud those boos would have been if they held their ceremony when the park was full.

Next year will be VERY interesting.

Five Three Liners Under the Fedora: Robin Williams East German Women Jokes, Baseball Clocks and Starting pitching, Russia v Ukraine at a year, Catholics Been There Still Doing That, Why Would you Believe the Media on Scott Adams?

Posted: February 28, 2023 by datechguy in baseball, catholic, catholic devotions, culture, in Ukraine, tech, war
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I seem to remember Robin Williams doing a riff on East German “Women” athletes years ago. For the life of me I can’t find it on Youtube anymore. I suspect two minutes of Williams riffing on “women athletes of East Germany” would make the left’s arguments on men in women’s sports untenable.

Well now we’ve had the first baseball game decided by the game clock. Bases loaded, two outs, bottom of the ninth, tied game, 3 balls two strikes and the next pitch doesn’t come, game over. Since I’m old enough to remember two hours games my suggestion is want faster games, sign pitchers who can pitch 7-8 innings a start.

The first Anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine has passed and I’ve noticed an inordinate amount of people seem to have forgot about the events at the time. For weeks before Russia moved in Biden signaled Ukraine had to give in and when the came forward he was ready to evacuate Zelenskyy. Absolutely nobody expected Russia to be on the run with Ukraine still fighting today.

The Asbury revival seems to be spreading among protestants. Baylor is now seeing nightly prayer since February 19th. As a Catholic a church that has been doing 24/7 adoration for centuries my reaction is, that’s a nice start.

Finally just a few days after again getting evidence that the media is deceiving people to push an agenda concerning COVID that same media is declaring the Scott Adams is a racist who must be shunned. My take on this is rather simple: Given the history of the media why would any sane person take their judgement on Adams, a person they hate, seriously? So I followed him on twitter.

Solid Advice, Where’s Ali and Stacy for that Matter? Reaping what they sow, Let’s Make a Deal and the Joys of a Good Book Under the Fedora

Posted: January 29, 2023 by datechguy in abortion, crime, culture, nfl, opinion/news, Sports, tech, Uncomfortable Truths, under the fedora
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Robert Stacy McCain in noting the race hustle that is going on in Memphis give a piece of solid advice to those who are elevated to sainthood after death only without an examination of their lives to discover “heroic virtue” as the church does:

Don’t resist arrest in Memphis

Just once I’d like to the see the parents in one of these cases say: “I loved my son but he was a thug who got what he deserved.” That kind of declaration would save lives, but doesn’t generate generational wealth.

Speaking of Stacy it’s been many weeks since Elon Musk stated that conservatives who had been banned by the previous regime would be restored but there is still no sign of the @RSMCCAIN account on twitter that used to have 80K+ followers, me among them, however I notice that Ali Alexander has been suspended again. I have no idea what his underlying “offense” was but from what’s being reported the twitter code is practically designed to suspend people on its own.

It’s a great reminder of the wisdom of the start of Psalm 146:3-4

Put no trust in princes,

in children of Adam powerless to save.


Who breathing his last, returns to the earth;

that day all his planning comes to nothing

These type of problems have to be solved by ourselves

I used to feel bad for people in Minnesota for the type of government they managed to get saddled with. I had always presumed that they were sensible midwest folk who had just let the left get too strong a foothold in cities.

And then I see thigs like this:

The Minnesota Senate today passed a bill to enshrine in Minnesota law a right to abortion without limits at any time during pregnancy. Senators approved the bill, H.F. 1, by just a one-vote margin, 34-33. Gov. Tim Walz is expected to sign the sweeping measure into law.

Abortion to the day before delivery? No problem in Minnesota!

It’s news like this that makes me think that Minneapolis voters are reaping what they have sown from their worship of St. George of the fentanyl, after all why should the parent who vote to allow the murder of their kids even to the day before their birth be safe on the streets?

The Cry is “racism” as the Carolina Panthers hired Frank Reich, an experienced coach with a long record for the open job rather than elevate the interim coach of color who had played .500 ball with a .500 team as the man in charge.

Wigdor LLP, the New York City-based law firm that represents Wilks in his discrimination suit against the NFL, was “disturbed” by the Panthers’ hiring process.

“We are shocked and disturbed that after the incredible job Coach Wilks did as the interim coach, including bringing the team back into playoff contention and garnering the support of players and fans, that he was passed over for the head coach position by David Tepper,” the firm said in a statement.

I’ll make a deal with Wigdor LLP. I’ll start worrying about the supposed underrepresentation of blacks among NFL head coaches (10% of the league when blacks represent 11% of the population of the nation) when the NFL address the overrepresentation of blacks among those who play the game making six to eight figure paychecks annually (70% of the players when blacks represent 11% of the country).

Sooner or later an undrafted or released player will sue on those ground claiming “racism” and the fun will begin.

Finally as my wife has been picking up extra days at work to supplement her gardening budget for 2023 I have rediscovered the joys of going to a restaurant with a good book and slowly enjoying a meal while I read.

This week it was Commodore Hornblower by CS Forester I had a first edition sitting on my shelf but a book is not meant to sit on a shelf it’s meant to be read.

It’s amazing how relaxing such a thing can be and it’s a rather large contrast to all the cell phones around me.

Who ever thought reading a good book would be such a radical act?

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