The Mongrel Dogs Who Teach

Author: mongreldogs

  • Health Care Debate Quote of the Day

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    Ezra Klein writes what is fast becoming my favorite go-to blog regarding the health care debate (and politics at large), and he had a truly fantastic quote about the recent Michael Steele discovery of Medicare: “Still, what we’re seeing here is the GOP swearing that they will protect, defend and preserve a single-payer health-care system.…

  • Knowing is Half the Battle

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    I was cruising TechDirt and saw a neat post on “Is The Federal Government The Most Interesting Tech Startup For 2009?”  The idea is that the recent data.gov initiative has led to an outpouring of with-it and effective apps allowing anyone to get a handle on the vast trove of information compiled by the federal…

  • Week 34 in the Program

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    Weight this week | Change since last week | Total change 259.8 | ? | -113.2 OK, I should have posted this nearly a week ago.  But it’s been a whirlwind and I just couldn’t get to it.  Surprisingly still on track, despite my trip to California.  I had thought I’d gain some, since my…

  • Week 32 in the Program

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    Weight this week | Change since last week | Total change 260.8 | -4.0 | -112.2 I’m maintaining my 2 lb/wk rate, more or less, though it’s been a little erratic — for example, almost no loss last week, four pounds this one. That’s odd. The next month will be a challenge because I’ll be…

  • Media Idiocy

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    {Edited to spell Mr. Fineman’s name correctly.} Here’s one reason why political discourse in this country is so messed up. I watched the Presidential press conference on MSNBC. (Normally, I would not, but the remote wasn’t working and I hit MSNBC before any of the other news channels.) I found it to be above average,…

  • Annie-versary

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    This is the one-year mark for Annie and me — one year ago we started going out officially.  It’s been an adventure, one I wouldn’t have missed for the world.  I have never felt the kind of love I feel for her, and I have never received the love she gives to me.  I don’t…

  • Joking about Science

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    I regret the simple me-too-ism of just posting a link to an article, but this piece over at Project Syndicate is a nice, short reflection on how jokes scientists make (about their own profession) illuminate the two distinct views we hold of science (as relating to truth and utility).  Short, easy to read, and worth…

  • Online Obscenity

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    In this online review, Joe Brown of Wired waxes eloquent about the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport, a new ultra-high-end sports convertible.  The Grand Sport costs a cool 2.1 M$ and boosts appropriately over-the-top stats like a top speed of 217 mph and 1001 horsepower from a 16-cylinder engine.  It will come as no suprise…

  • “We are not a people who fear the future. We are a people who make it.”

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    In general, I’m not overly impressed with the Presidential Saturday radio address (now of course really a YouTube address).  But I liked today‘s, probably because it resonates with something I’ve said before (twice, even). Happy Birthday, America.

  • Week 29 in the Program

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    Weight this week | Change since last week | Total change 267.0 | -1.4 | -106.0 Not much of note here. I’ve really given up predicting the details of my weight change. I don’t know why it dropped off some, but that can apparently happen. Anyway, I’m still pretty happy with where I am.