Category: Insaneness

I heard about this on the news this morning.  Sky even showed some video.  From what I saw, the match was really really bad (and it looked like they were trying to be the worst).  Why?  To mess with the rankings in the final.  

My question…does it happen in other events?  Is it as obvious in other events?  What about the swimmer who only needs to finish in the top 5 to move on in one event but they have another event in short order?  How could you tell if they only put out enough effort to be 3rd?  Or what about the weightlifter who could lift more but doesn’t because they don’t want to get hurt?

Sure, it is probably against the spirit of the olympics, but wouldn’t a world class athlete look at all possibilities?

Now, I don’t really have an opinion on this.  The match would have been terribly boring to watch, sure.  I’m sure it went against the spirit of the olympics of giving it you all.  I just wanted to write about something and this seemed interesting enough to spark a conversation.

[Update 2012-08-01 11:56:20] It turns out that the organizers changed how the matches were played this year.  Instead of a single-elimination system, it was moved to this group playoff.  See this article in the telegraph.

[Update 2012-08-01 14:38:58] They just got expelled.

[Update 2012-12-26 09:55:58] The telegraph link needed updating

Image from lovette<3 via flickr

First off, I want to say that the shootings in Colorado were horrible things.  For those who lost family or friends, my prayers go out to you.  In a post-fall world though, people do terrible horrible things.

On to the subject of this blog though.  Take a look at this screenshot:

This is a snippet of today’s frontpage at the UK Telegraph.  Look at the top “The Dark Knight can’t be Blamed” and bottom “Shooting raises questions about US gun Laws.”  I don’t see how those things are consistent.  Of couse they are going to say the film can’t be blamed (I agree).  But that doesn’t jive with blaming guns.  I personally don’t think guns (or the availability of guns) has any bearing on things like this.

I live in the UK, at the moment.  The gun laws here are horrible if you want to own guns, hunt, target shoot, or even be an olympic shooter (they can’t practise here because the gun laws prohibit it).  But people still get shot.  Even the Duke of Edinburgh “If a cricketer, for instance, suddenly decided to go into a school and batter a lot of people to death with a cricket bat, which he could do very easily, I mean, are you going to ban cricket bats?”  Everyone sees that isn’t going to happen…so why do people think firearms are different.

I’ve written about this before, after the VT shootings, guns aren’t the problem…criminals are.  I also stick by my position that the solution is more guns in the hands of law-abiding citizens (in the form of CCW permits).  Why do I say this?  Take a look at the following video where an armed citizen, legally carrying a concealed firearm thwarts the nefarious plans of two skumbags:

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[Update 2012-07-20 17:41:17] I added the link to the video.

[Update 21 Dec 2012 21:32] Updated link

Ok, below are two pictures based on how I try to walk given the traffic direction.  If you walk this way, the inside person (closest to traffic) is always walking into traffic.  This lets them avoid any oncoming cars that are too close.  But it never seems to work out this nice.  My question is….which side of the sidewalk (or pavement) do you walk on and why?

does a light pole need planted to live and grow?  Will this one grow?

The TSA has released their top 10 confiscations of 2011.  Have a look at them:

10) Snakes, turtles, and birds
9) A science project
8) An artfully concealed non-metallic martial arts weapon called a “Tactical Spike”
7) Inert landmines
6) A stun gun disguised as a smart phone
5) A flare gun with seven flares
4) Two throwing knives  
3) Over 1,200 firearms
2) A loaded .380 pistol  
1) Small chunks of C4 explosives

I agree with Bruce Schneier….this just proves how worthless the TSA is.  Take a look at what he says:

That’s right; not a single terrorist on the list. Mostly forgetful, and entirely innocent, people. Note that they fail to point out that the firearms and knives would have been just as easily caught by pre-9/11 screening procedures. And that the C4 — their #1 “good catch” — was on the return flight; they missed it the first time. So only 1 for 2 on that one.

Boy I sure feel safer when I fly.  How about you?!

Image from stuben via flickr

I’ve just started watching Gold Rush Alaska.  They just mentioned those guys planned to use 7 generators to power their camp.  HOLY COW!  I can’t believe how much gasoline that must take.  I also can’t believe they can’t make do with less electric….  For example, it showed them using an electric pump to pump water out of a spring into their water tanks….they could have put the pipe up a bit and let gravity fill it up.

I’ll probably keep watching, but these guys won’t get gold unless they get lucky.  They don’t have a clue.  It makes me think of this.

I wish I could watch more Gold Fever.  Sure, the theme song is over the top, but it is an awesome show.

[Update 2012-01-14 10:46:35] The seven generators were just for their camp.  They had a large 300kw generator to power their wash plant.

Image from endora57 via flickr

To these people at OSU (sorry…THE Ohio State University) I want to say….

…discrimination and racism are wrong; however, your campaign is also wrong (read more in this article).  Why did you only pick those few people or groups?  How many of you will laugh at the guy who dresses up in a hillbilly costume (yep…that is what I thought…everyone loves to make fun of West Virginia)?

To that, all I have to say is be consistent.  It is a culture not a costume.  See how this works?  This campaign is simply political correctness gone awry.

Image from glennsden28 via flickr

Today, I returned from a trip to Prague, Czech Republic.  After we got home, Cyndi and the kids laid down to take a nap…I didn’t have anything else to do so I was randomly reading Fox News sorry…the BBC…when I came across this article about a semi truck accident in Salt Lake City.  A truck carrying bees to California crashed and a bunch of the bees died.  I was going to blog about how important bees are and how they are trucked around.

However, while trying to find some interesting links, I came across this page about Asian Giant Hornets (that is a picture on the left).  If you follow-through the link though, you will see one of these things on a person’s hand.  They are HUGE….it almost covers the person’s palm.  I can’t imagine what it must feel like to get stung by one.  The stinger alone (the part that gets injected) is .25 inches long.  HOLY COW!

I read that the sting, 

can be lethal even to people who are not allergic if the dose is sufficient. Each year in Japan, the human death toll caused by Asian giant hornet stings exceeds that of all other venomous and non-venomous wild animals combined, including wild bears and venomous snakes

That is almost like some of the snakes they have in Australia  🙂

Image from motnworb via flickr

…one had better go before getting on a short distance sprinter train in the Netherlands.  They were designed without toilets because of their short runs.  But, the railways has begun positioning pee bags on the trains for emergency use.  Is it wise?  I’m sure.  Is it bad to not have toilets?  Perhaps.  As a parent, it is a horrible idea.  As an adult, I can go before I go and should be fine.  But was it really that hard to find room for 1 toilet per train?

Image from katchoo via flickr

What part of there is no money don’t these people understand?!?!  I tell you what the problem is:  credit card debt.  With the average American being $51,000 in debt (look at the personal debt stats here).  People spend money they don’t have so they don’t see why the government can do the same thing.

What would I do?  It is really pretty easy…..make spending = income.  WOW!  What a novel idea!  How?  What would I cut?  Here is a post where I talk about it.

Image from jollyuk via flickr

[Update 2011-03-30 06:08:52] I forgot to add the link to the article.  It is done now.