The Sagamore Journal

From our early childhood we are taught that the key to being a good person and living a happy life is compromise.  We are told that everything someone believes is partly right, nothing anyone believes is entirely right and therefore the only way to get the truth is to take a little bit from all parties and try to fuse them into a disgusting amalgamation with no unifying principles.  This should make everyone content enough not to fight it.

The effect of such thinking is a nation of people who don’t believe in anything.  What I mean more specifically is that the things we believe in we are willing to give away a little at a time in the name of compromise until there is nothing left.  If you don’t believe me turn on any cable news program and watch a “conservative” politician comment on the recent government bailouts.  Almost certainly you will hear the following words: “I believe in the free market but…” followed by all the ways they intend to restrain the free market in pursuit of the outcomes they think would be desirable.  Here is one example from a somewhat prominent republican.

Skeletor offered the use of his Havoc Staff before realizing the Fed had one of its own

You either believe in the free market or you don’t.  Anyone who says “I believe in _______ but…” or “I’m a ______ man until…” doesn’t believe in ______!  What would you think of a man who said “I believe in the bible except for the gospel of Luke and psalms 8, 10, and 51?  Would you listen to a scientist who said “the theory of gravity is correct except that it doesn’t apply to airplanes, birds, hot air balloons, rocket ships, or any other object which may come along in the future and appear to defy it.”  Why do we put up with this nonsense from our politicians?

We are currently experiencing one of the biggest steps toward socialization that this country has ever taken and everyone is going along with it.  What’s more, they’re tricking the public (including conservatives) into demanding it.  Consider this: The government bails out financial institutions which makes conservatives angry.  Since conservatives don’t like the bailout, they start looking for reasons to get the public outraged about it.  They point out that there is no government “oversight” so nobody knows what “our money” is being spent on.  Isn’t this outrageous? 

“If you will not fight for the right when you can easily win without bloodshed, if you will not fight when victory will be sure and not so costly, you may come to the moment when you will have to fight with all the odds against you and only a precarious chance of survival. There may be a worse case. You may have to fight when there is no chance of victory, because it is better to perish than to live as slaves.” — Winston Churchill

..New Yorkers will have it, one way or another.

The debate over Hillary Clinton’s senate replacement echos so closely the sort of foolish icon-worship that plagued Rome’s ailing republic some 2,100 years ago, that one can feasibly predict the coming course of events based on that ancient history.

Nevermind that the squeakiest wheel has no practical business on Capitol Hill outside of a guided tour. Caroline Kennedy finally broke her interview boycott only to bumble through one with no less than a dozen unnecessary valley-girl interjections, according to New York’s Daily News.

That’s not so good for someone who wants a job speaking on behalf of millions. But to hear her tell it, you know, everyone is – you know – begging her to run for office.

Either New Yorkers like being told what they know or they just want their own long-haired John Kerry (amirite?!)

AM DIGEST | The Sagamore Journal

• Current Affairs: Prayers for peace in the Middle East go unanswered >> Reuters
  • Believers urge patience as atheists say ‘itoldjaso’
• Religion: Recession’s on but who’s at fault? >> BusinessMirror & Xinhuanet
  • Religious and secular spheres lob blame
• Politics: Marines deploy precious resources for Commiefornia DUI checks >> KESQ
  • Jefferson rolls

Yum.

Beer goggles last longer for women »Telegraph

New research brings hope for unattractive males as the ‘beer goggle’ effect, known to cause poor judgement when assessing physical attractiveness in a smoke filled bar, appears to last longer on women then on men. The benefits for men are two fold – one, a woman who consumes alcohol will find you attractive longer and two, you needn’t spend as much on beer.

Despite a surprising effort by congress to resist it, the auto bailout seems more and more like an unstoppable force every day (especially today).  The new plan put forward by the Bush administration includes some interesting language that offers us an opportunity to ponder what we’re really on the brink of doing here.  The stated goal of this bailout is to make American auto manufacturers “financially viable” which the government defines as “having a positive net present value.”  Net present value is the market’s assessment of the value of all the profits generated by an asset (such as a company) over it’s lifetime.  Profits are a representation of how much the produce of a company is worth in excess of the costs of producing it.  In other words the net present value is a measurement of what the company is expected to contribute to the economy in its lifetime.

Merry Christmas, Detroit.

Now we have to give the government credit for one thing.  At least they have identified the appropriate benchmark for financial viability.  But by stating their goal as achieving a positive net present value they are essentially conceding that right now the best guess that the markets can make about the total value of these companies for the rest of eternity is negative! (recall that earlier this year Deutsche Bank estimated the value of GM stock at $0.00).  Now the government wants to put $17.4 billion dollars on the line (and this is really just to buy time for the government to put a real bailout plan together) to preserve a company that nobody believes will ever produce more than it uses up and the goal of this investment  is to get a company with a positive net present value.  So after throwing billions of dollars down the proverbial “money hole” if we end up with an auto industry valued at $1 they will declare it a rousing success.

In light of this I would like to throw my hat into the ring for the job of car czar.  If I am appointed I will achieve this goal and then some before the end of the year.  How could this be you ask?  Simple, I will make all the car companies go into bankruptcy, shut down all of their operations, and take the 17.4 billion dollars and put it in the bank (but not government bonds). Just like that would have a company with a net present value of, drum roll please…..17.4 billion dollars!  How’s that for positive?

First Commercial Spaceport Gets Green Light »Discovery News

Exciting developments in the world of space commerce as the United States’ first commercial spaceport gets the green light from the FAA. Mark my words, mankind’s path to the stars will be paved by private firms, not governments. Ah, capitalism.

As part of my contribution to the success of The Sagamore Journal, I’d like to offer readers and comrades a selection of prose which has been influential in molding my thoughts. This first submission is in tribute to the late Michael Crichton - a master of writing and an analytic thinker who could seamlessly mold science with fiction to compose literary works that bordered unbelievability. Mr. Crichton was also one of the few scientists who was asked several times to appear before congress and offer his views on the state of our world. The following link is perhaps his most famous speech.

http://www.michaelcrichton.net/speech-alienscauseglobalwarming.html

Memorable quotes:

There is no such thing as consensus science. If it’s consensus, it isn’t science. If it’s science, it isn’t consensus. Period.

Seriously though, this is really helpful and makes life way easier.

Who wants to do math at 3 AM? Not I.

AM Digest | The Sagamore Journal

• Current Affairs | Geithner is spelled P-a-u-l-s-o-n »The Examiner
  • Perfect.
• Politics | With economy in shambles, Congress gets a raise »TheHill
  • Way to go!
• The Strenuous Life | Fat fingers no problem with ’see-through’ touchscreen »NewScientist
  • Science caters to a growing demographic.

If ye love wealth greater than liberty, the tranquility of servitude greater than the animating contest for freedom, go home from us in peace. We seek not your counsel, nor your arms. Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you; May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen.

-Samuel Adams

You said it, Sam. I’m so stirred by that verse that I offer up a humorous bonus. In the Andes they call this a yapa.

As TSJ enthusiasts are well aware, Obesity is a major problem in the United States and abroad. While many fat folks choose to hold off dieting until the new year, oil has been losing weight for some time. Luckily, concerned by crude oil’s anorexic state, OPEC has intervened on its behalf.

“It’s less than meets the eye,” says Lawrence Eagles, JPMorgan Chase & Co’s global head of commodities research. Previous attempts by OPEC to curtail crude’s dwindling fatness, have have had virtually no effect and this latest move by oil producers may be similarly ineffective.

Experts say crude oil’s underweight issues may continue to influence its close friend, gasoline.

“When this baby hits rock bottom, she’s going to breakdown all over the Gasolines,”  remarked one commentator, “I’m talkin’ French model, skin n’ bones, $1.00/gallon gasoline here!”

Energy prices continue to set new records.

AM  Digest | The Sagamore Journal

• Current Affairs | Russia ‘to give’ Lebanon war jets »BBC News
  • Aw, how sweet, a charity case.

• Politics | Nepotism Nation: Dems embrace dynasty politics »Politico
  • Perhaps it’s only natural that the Senate evolves into our very own House of Lords.

• The Strenuous Life | Trend: Dead Take Cell Phones With »LiveScience
  • C’mon, folks get a clue – you can’t take it with you.