Apparently some Finnish scientists have nothing better to do than teach lab rats how to play basketball. The process begins at birth and is fairly interesting.
First, the rat kitten is taught to grab the ball and to find it on the court. The next phase involves coaxing the rat to travel with the ball in its mouth. At first, the distances are only a few steps in length, but slowly they increase. The rat is guided by hand to travel to a particular end of the court, because each rat must learn to recognise their own hoop. The basketball rat teams are established by teaching half of the rats to put the ball in the basket on the right side and half on the left side of the court. How does the rat learn to score? Scoring a basket is not taught to the rat kittens until the very end of their training period. To start, a platform is used to enable the rat to simply drop the ball down through the hoop. Gradually the platform is lowered and the rat learns to lift the ball up and into the basket. Finally, the rat kitten begins to be ready for an actual game with another rat.
So apparently Glenn Beck is moving his TV show from CNN Headline News to the Fox News Channel.
Bad choice, Glenn. I've been searching for Glenn's thoughts on the move, but haven't found anything yet.
Bottom line, Glenn's credibility as a conservative talk-show host goes up dramatically because he's on CNN. People who normally hate conservative talk (Limbaugh, Hannity) are more likely to give him a chance if he's on a network not known for pushing a conservative agenda.
If it turns out Glenn is going to Fox for more money, boooo. He'll soon be lumped together with Hannity, Limbaugh and O'Reilly as just another right-wing kook who hates minorities and is in bed with Bush. Is that worth some extra cash?
I'm not saying these perceptions are true, but that's the perception for a lot of people.
Despite this blog being politics-heavy, I am apparently an idiot when it comes to the nuts and bolts of government.
Exhibit A: I confused members of Congress and Senators while texting with a friend yesterday. (Note: Senators represent the entire state, members of Congress a district within it.)
Exhibit B: I'd been meaning to register to vote for a few months now, but hadn't gotten around to it. Somewhere in the recesses of my mind I was under the impression that the general election was held on November 27 or so. Thanksgiving? Anyway, yesterday Mandi and I went to the county administration building (which is conveniently located about four blocks away) to register.
On arrival, we were informed that the deadline to pre-register had been over two weeks ago, and that in reality, the general election will be on November 4.
"Oh, that's right," I thought.
But the nice lady at the courthouse went on to explain that we could register and vote on election day, or even register and vote that very second if we wanted. There were booths set up in the administration building and everything.
Mandi decided she'd take a voter registration card and vote at a later time, while I decided, "What the heck, I'll get it done right now."
Despite my appalling lack of knowledge about the specifics the democratic process, I had been researching the candidates for several months. The most helpful information regarding local political races came from my daily reading of the Idaho Falls Post Register, and I'd been spending at least an hour a day online reading articles and message board postings about the presidential race.
Without boring you with the intricacies of local Idaho politics (trust me, they are boring), I will tell you I voted for Bob Barr, or the Libertarian party, for president.
Why?
1. Economics. Obama's economic plans is thinly (if at all) disguised socialism and wealth redistribution. McCain isn't too far behind, in my opinion. Barr's stance is:
"Every area of federal spending can and should be cut. Entitlements must be reformed and welfare should be cut, including subsidies for business sometimes called corporate welfare. Military outlays should be reduced and pork barrel spending eliminated. Needless, duplicative, and wasteful programs, most of which have no constitutional basis, should be terminated."
That's the libertarian way. Government should fund roads, courts, police and the army. That's about it. As I blogged about Sunday, I believe private enterprise is far more efficient than the government when it comes to taking care of people in all but a few instances.
2. Energy. Barr is for domestic drilling and nuclear energy.
3. Barr is for major tax reform. I agree that the tax code is far too complicated (almost comically so), and we should seriously consider a flat income tax.
There is no perfect immigration reform. The government must balance security and sovereignty concerns, which necessitate controlling the border, with the economic benefits of immigration. The best policy would be to stop illegal immigrant flows while accepting more of the world’s economically productive who want to come to America.
Very well stated, in my opinion. Meanwhile, neither McCain nor Obama are interested in doing anything with the border, perhaps because they fear losing the Hispanic vote.
5. And then we have the mustache. Way to rock it, Bob.
Now, I disagree with Barr about Iraq and privacy/government surveillance issues, though I can see where he's coming from and don't really begrudge him his positions on these points.\
As I live in Idaho, I realize the state will go to McCain no matter what. Idaho and Utah would vote Republican if Satan were running with an R next to his name. But maybe if McCain gets less of the supermajority he believes he is entitled to from these reddest-of-the-red states, it will send a message to Washington that they should consider nominating an actual conservative next time around.
In my discussions with Obama supporters, one common belief they share is that the government can right the wrongs of civilization: poverty, inequality, racism, etc.
For an example of how government solving problems works in the real world, see New Orleans.
Katrina happened three years ago. The city was ravaged, and many died. But for New Orleans to still be plodding along in its recovery efforts is almost unfathomable.
Here's a report ABC did about what's working and what isn't down there. This quote pretty much sums it up:
"Brad Pitt has done more for this community than anyone," Rahim said.
Brad Pitt is doing more than the government of the United States?
"I would say 10 times more than the government," Rahim said.
Pitt founded non-profit group called Make it Right, which aims to build new, energy-efficient homes in the Ninth Ward. Some people doubted that Pitt would follow through, but with few delays, homes started going up. The first homes were finished this summer.
If Brad Pitt and Harry Connick, Jr. can work to build dozens of new homes, why does it take government so long to follow through on its plans?
Call me crazy, but if I find myself in trouble, I'll choose the help of private companies and non-profit organizations over assistance from federal government any day.
1. I blogged that this game was on Max Hall's shoulders. "If he takes what the defense gives him and doesn't force anything..." Well, he didn't take what the defense gave him and forced a lot by repeatedly staring down Collie and Pitta and not looking to anyone else. Two seasons ago, Curtis Brown led the team in receptions out of the backfield. Unga's not a factor in the passing game, and the way Anae runs things, he should be. Hall overthrew, underthrew, and behindthrew receivers all night. It was the ugliest game I've seen from a BYU quarterback since Beck, the early early years.
2. The defense was bad, but what did we expect? They've given up huge chunks of yards all season, and the only reason they haven't given up many points is because they've been helped by fortuitous turnovers. We as fans can't rely on that forever, and tonight we saw what happens when those turnovers don't come.
3. When your defensive backs line up 15 yards off the line and still get burned long for touchdowns, you have really, really bad defensive backs. In my opinion, BYU might as well line the DB's up in bump-and-run coverage. It looked like that adjustment was made in the fourth quarter and the defense looked a bit better. Of course, TCU was in grind-out-the-clock mode, but it's worth a shot.
4. BYU circled the UCLA game on their game schedules last January. TCU circled BYU. The results are evident.
That's about it. TCU did exactly what I would have done to the Cougars if I were gameplanning for them: throw deep, take advantage of the 10-yard sideline pattern, and hurry and harrass Max. The offensive line was really bad, giving up seven sacks. BYU's middle linebackers are bad, bad, bad against the run and not that great against the pass.
In short, no one looked good. Thanks heavens we have UNLV at home next week.
Wow, I've been very inconsistent in my posting lately. I blame the low-quality, knock-off power adapters I've recently bought to replace the one for my laptop that broke after three years. I've had two break on me in about as many months, leaving me without a computer at home while I wait for a replacement to arrive in the mail.
But on to what's important: big-time game tonight. Win at TCU, and it's another step towards the Cougars getting a BCS berth at the end of the year. Lose, and BYU will find themselves playing a mid-level PAC-10 team in the Vegas Bowl again. Ugh.
The last time BYU won at TCU, John Beck had his breakout game as a college quarterback. He was laser-accurate with his passing, and without that, BYU would have lost, IMO.
I think the Horned Frogs are going to stack the box and force Max Hall to beat them. I'm not sold on Hall's arm (especially his long ball), but he can make good decisions. If he takes what the defense gives him and doesn't force anything, BYU has a great shot to win.
One more thing, BYU receivers need to run past the first-down marker on third down. Way too often last week the WR's would go four yards on third-and-six or five yards on third-and-eight. Utterly frustrating. It's a very simple thing that has to be fixed.
The big story from the Jazz's perspective was Andrei Kirilenko's play off the bench. Even with Carlos Boozer back, Jazz coach Jerry Sloan opted to start C.J. Miles and have Kirilenko serve as the team's sixth man.
I wouldn't read too much into plus/minus in the preseason, when the lineups on the floor are unconventional to say the least, but Kirilenko's numbers were darn impressive.The Jazz outscored Portland 52-39 in the 24:31 Kirilenko played Sunday. They were especially strong when it came to closing out quarters.
The Jazz outscored Portland 10-6 to end the first after Kirilenko checked in with 4:34 left and 10-2 in the third quarter after Kirilenko checked in with 1:52 remaining.
Kirilenko was all the difference in the first quarter - - he factored into all five of the Jazz's scoring possessions - - and came along for the ride in the third - - when Kyle Korver's three-pointer and Deron Williams three-point play drove the Jazz.
The biggest thing that can be said about Kirilenko was he even made Kyrylo Fesenko look good. Fesenko and Kirilenko have lockers next to each other and Kirilenko made a point of looking for Fesenko whenever he drove the lane.
Fesenko had a 10-point, 10-rebound performance, which Sloan said afterward was the game of his life. Another interesting thing was how much Kirilenko's postgame comments suggested that he was truly thinking about the game as he sat on the bench.
Kirilenko said he wanted to spark the Jazz in the first quarter by getting inside and trying to throw some quick passes around the basket. He also talked to Brevin Knight about taking advantage of the Blazers' overplaying defense and got two backdoor alley-oop dunks.
There's still four preseason games left, but I think Kirilenko is destined to start the season as the Jazz's sixth man.
I love this idea. If we've learned anything about Andrei during his career in Utah, it's that he loves being important to the offense, and when he is, he plays better on the defensive side of the floor as well.
See the 2004-2005 season. Andrei was the man for the Jazz, and he put up great numbers: 15 ppg, 6 rpg, 1.6 spg, 3.3 bpg and 49% shooting from the field.
Since that season, he's tailed off every year, it seems. What changed? Deron was drafted in 2005, and starting then, the Jazz slowly became his team. And with the additions of Boozer and Okur, AK was asked to do it all on the defensive end and mostly keep out of the way on offense.
This makes Andrei feel unwanted and unmotivated. I don't believe he's lost any of the ability he showed in 2004; he always plays very well for the Russian national team... which is a situation where he feels important.
Andrei started every game last season, and while he played pretty well, he's still not an important part of the offense.
But this season, if we give him the keys to the second offense, I can see good things happening. Last season, I always worried when Deron came out, because it seemed that that was when opposing teams made their run.
So instead of running the offense through Ronnie Price or Brevin Knight (though my judgment on Knight is pending), run it through Andrei. Let him bring the ball up the floor. Give it to him in the post. Tell him its his responsibility to get the team performing at a high level whenever he's on the court.
That'd get his competitive spirit up, and I think we'd see Andrei of old return to the offensive and defensive ends of the floor, getting involved on seemingly every play, making opposing players fear him on defense.
I'm a graduate from BYU-Idaho with a degree in Communications with a print journalism emphasis. I currently work as a test engineer for a software company. I've been married for seven years and have three kids.
