Fight the Amoral Fight

The wind finally showed up. They put up a new advisory late last night (or, I saw it very late last night), and they were correct. I've already had a plant dumped (it was too late to bring it in - and it has withstood winds before, anyway) so that's sad. Also, work, LOL
By the way, it got crazy cold last night, too. The low was 35 degrees down below (and showing wind gusts to 35mph – coincidence? I think … so) and it looks like there were frost and freeze warnings in the area.

Else, sunny! Falling under the category of “count your blessings”, I suppose :)

It's windy. Windier than Saturday. Also, cold. Either I'm imagining things or the ranchers have had the wind machines going the last three nights to protect the trees from the cold, though we haven't been under freeze watch (Ojai is). Better safe than sorry with temps to 35 degrees down below. Brrr.

.....

Karen - it looks like you are getting some wind today, as well. Hope it isn't too bad and the sun and pool are pleasant.
I responded to your comment in my last blog but I don't know if you saw it since you had such a busy weekend :)
I'll be over to your blog - I've been lurking and reading the wonderful stories from everyone!

calpoppy - I am rarely up early enough to enjoy the sunrise, but, that does sound heavenly!
Your Winter blog is lovely. I was looking at wuphotos this morning, all of winter scenes, and when I stop shivering I'll be over to read your words again ;)

Bogon - oh, a break from Christmas, just once, would be fantastic! Hard to come by, though.
Indonesia, maybe? Thailand? That would be nice this time of year. *sigh*
I think there is just too much money to be made so pretty much everyone finds a way to join in, at this point.
Let me know if you find a spot!

gg - snow! It always surprises me to hear of snow in Texas, even though I've seen it, myself. In Dallas, no less.
Be safe!

.....

Speaking of Texas, there has been a big blowup in parts of the blogosphere about a cancer center in Texas that charges hundreds of thousands of dollars for a "treatment" that is actually a "trial" that has been going on for 30 years without any success. Still, they remain in business, bilking desperate patients and families out of everything they own, literally.
Hmm. I wrote a bunch about that but have deleted it. You get the gist, and it turned into quite a show - with threats of lawsuits and implied physical threats, even, from a PR guy associated with the center.

What is it about Texas, though? This is only one of many totally bogus "treatment centers" for a variety of illnesses, real and imaginary, that are located in that state. People go to Texas to die, penniless, in droves. Is there a problem with the law? Enforcement? Public apathy? I don't know. Asking. It's sad.
California has its own issues in this regard, I should note, but nothing compared to Texas.

.....

On a brighter note, and in an effort to de-scroogify, I have had reason to drive around SP after dark the last few days and have seen many houses all festively sparkly and colorful. This town seems to exist for holidays and so many folks participate that it's hard not to enjoy that part of it, at least. Hard, but, not impossible, LOL

.....

Another comment left sitting for a few hours, requiring me to alter some text to make temporal sense :-P

Must be - Happy Monday!

Hi gg - thought that nerve might twang a bit, for you, and didn't post much about that particular clinic for that reason. You're tough, though, as we know :)
Thanks for your input - unfortunately, nobody knows better what's wrong with health care than those experiencing treatment. I'm so glad you found a good doc!

My experience of the last several years suggests that many doctors are not all that interested in their jobs. They have the most intellectually challenging job I can imagine, yet, they seem singularly uninterested and incurious. I don't get it. Technicians and nurses seem far more involved in finding things out. Doctors go to a book and prescribe pills or order tests according to what the "manual" says, without thought. Wait. Stop. I'm ranting. Twanging my own nerves, LOL

Let me reiterate, gg - I'm so glad you found a good doc! :)

.....

Weather - windy all night, calm now. Temp never fell below 50 degrees last night but there was a low of 16 degrees in Lancaster! Wowza.
I haven't checked the low in Ojai but they were under a freeze warning - would be a little odd for it to stay so warm here and freeze there.

.....

Today's tech rant - a few days ago I got kicked out of youtube and could not access my google account and they asked for my phone number to verify my identity. Nuh-uh. Not gonna happen. I had all but resolved to give up google services but, today, decided to give resetting my password a shot. Seems to have worked, and without typing in my number. What's that about, anyway? I answered security questions - with a ton of personal info, btw - when I set up the account. Why not just ask me one of those? Well, that's what happened when I reset the password. So, why ask for a phone number at all?
I don't like it >:(

.....

In Karen's blog I left a very non-scroogey traditions story. There. Now can I go to Fiji?

.....

Happy Tuesday, what's left of it :)

Just checked - east Ojai weather station recorded 24.7 degrees for the low last night. So, there you go. Weird.

No rant today. The weather was fine! High temp of 71 degrees, light breeze, and plenty of sunshine :)
The perfect day for beginning the process of getting a crown for a busted tooth.
Or, anything, really.

Just popping in to note the weather - and now off to find something mushy to eat, lol

Another nice winter day, here. High 60's, mild breezes, sunshine. Typical, finally.
Last night I was going to write that I thought we had a chance of rain in a few days. I didn't. Now it's in the forecast. D'oh! I coulda been famous!!! LOL

.....

Regarding the Texas cancer quack noted in previous comments, I had some time to follow a few links and thought I'd drop one here -
The cruelty of the Burzynski Clinic must be stopped - because it is comprehensive in its coverage and links, for those interested in following along, and has been updated since it all started.

From there and elsewhere, a newsletter from NCAHF in 1997 that commented on the Burzynski trial (and suggests that some kind of apathy is one answer to my question) had other interesting stuff in it about "alternative medicine".
This idea doesn't get expressed enough, imo (emphasis mine):
"
Alt-care may be mystical or low tech, but it is not as natural as science-based medicine.

Acupuncture, chiropractic, homeopathy, naturopathy, and some types of massage therapy are rooted in vitalism, "the theory that biological activities are directed by a supernatural force; opposed to mechanism." [13] Supernaturalism is the opposite of the concept of naturalism upon which the basic sciences undergirding evidence-based medicine are based. Although most of the alt-care systems named claim to be "holistic," vitalism represents dualism, not holism. Vitalists believe in a Life Force that can exist apart from the physical body. Acupuncturists call the force chi, chiropractors The Innate, homeopaths vital energy, and naturopaths the vis medicatrix naturae. Many vitalists go so far as to interpret herb-induced hallucinations as "out of body" experiences. Some have said that the failure of a patient to respond to treatment meant that "the spirit has decided it is time to leave the body." Modern science is truly holistic because it holds that the "mind" is a functioning brain that is inseparable from its anatomy.
"

.....

I see we've lost a wublogger. How sad. I didn't know him, or interact with him, but had seen him on Masters' blog. Anyone know what happened?

.....

I took most of yesterday off for the dental adventure so, despite distractions, trying to catch up today. seewu :)

Nice warm day today and I was home for awhile with the windows open. Smells good in here :)

Still rain in the forecast with pops to 80% Monday, running from Sunday night to Tuesday, with amounts at half-inch to 2 inches, depending on the usual geographic enhancements/obstructions and on the final track of the storm. Also, humidity is still low so it'll have to wet the air, first. Well, there's time.
Looks like calpoppy has a good chance at snow :)
And WTS has rain forecast, as well! Won't that be nice? :)

.....

I'll be spending my Friday night frogging a beanie - which, if you don't know what it means, sounds pretty kinky, but, isn't - and contemplating a weekend shopping trip with mom. hurray.
May need brownies to get me through ... ;)

Happy weekend, wu!

Hi calpoppy! I got lazy about the brownies and ate store-bought crap instead, LOL
I know there has been a lot of dental work on WU! Some kind of curse? LOL My tooth will be fine. The temporary crown is annoying but doesn't hurt or anything.

I bet those coyotes are fun to watch - and your dogs are smart to give mama space :)
My cat gets the weirdest look on his face when the coyotes howl at night. Really intent and curious instead of alarmed as he is when we hear dogs.

I've only seen a few minutes of the CG show but will try to catch it this week, just in case! From what I saw, it's very well done.

Hope your owies are healing well and you are enjoying the sunshine while it lasts - and get ready for snoooooooooow :)

.....

I should be shopping right now. I don't wanna :( but the call keeps coming anyway, lol

Couple of random things - correlation is not causation graphics is funny. Swiped from Scalzi this morning.

And, of course,

GO NAVY! BEAT ARMY!

Someone find me a goat picture - sans inflammation, please - I got no time.

seewu

Oh it's Bill!!! That's one mean looking goat! LOL
And Navy won, again. That makes 6 classes of cadets who never saw Army beat Navy. Awwwww ... teehee ;)
GO NAVY! BEAT ARMY!
[sorry, that's a Rule]
[I'm done now 'til next year]

Thanks, LC! :)

Glad you liked the graphs - cracked me up.

That is some world-class ranting! Sounds like he has a couple of ideas tucked in there, too. Nothing new but maybe if folks keep talking we'll all get a clue.

Think you'll see much rain tomorrow? I don't know that it looks all that exciting. Hoping calpoppy gets her snow, at least, and it would be great if it fizzled out in the SG valley. They need a little more cleanup time, it seems.

.....

I finally made time to make cookies with the new mixer, lol. New recipe and they are too sweet, despite using less sugar than called for (plus extra chocolate chips but that can't be it), but that's just me. Others think they're great.
More importantly, the mixer bogged down on the last of the dry ingredients, and it isn't even a dry dough. Oh, well. It still worked to save my shoulders from the worst of it. It will be useful.

.....

Have a Happy Monday, wu!
And enjoy Our Lady of Guadalupe day celebrations and memorials, if you are so disposed. It's a big deal around these parts.

LC - yep but they got one thing right - most of the rain fell/is falling in LA county. We only have .14" here, so far, though we, too, can hope for more as the spinner spins.
That's some hard rain for dogs to not know it's time to go out! :)

WTS - good to see busy you!
Too bad they don't take better care of those mosaics. I guess some have been removed (stolen) in the past and put in museums and if the folks there want to keep the rest, they ought to cover them up! Your pics were great and really did remind me that that's one area of the world I'd very much like to investigate in person.
I'm reading The Odyssey right now for further inspiration.

Glad you are seeing some rain! And didn't see frost. Not sure about calpoppy's snow - the weather station on her blog read 40 degrees last I checked so we'll have to wait for her report.

Don't mention dentists! LOL

.....

In addition to the little rain we had, it is now really windy, and that's coming from the ENE. Cloudy, of course, but had some sun this morning. The rgb loop is fun to watch - there's that big cloud mass moving east but below that you can see the east-moving lower clouds, indicative of the wind. Lots of confusion up there.
Hoping for t-storms, as usual.

.....

The random stuff I have today is so depressing that I thought I'd share just this -


[click image for website]
[is that image too big?]

- found at the blog of a professor who says his salary has not risen commensurably, nor have they hired new faculty, nor increased other benefits to students.
I watched some of the protests at the UC campuses and wondered why the kids don't just walk out. Like, stop paying more for less service.
Anyway, this is part of the much larger issue, and another example of us shooting ourselves in our collective foot.
There, that was cheery, wasn't it?

I'm going to go eat a cookie and watch the wind blow :)

Messed up the link - here it is!
I hope.

note, ftr: I do know the difference between Greece and Italy ;)

Weather is fine today. Wintery normal. How wonderfully dull.
That spinner was quite the dancer, and still is. I'm hoping it spins itself out in the next day or two as I have folks traveling right into it this week.

.....

WTS - sometimes cookies are the only viable coping mechanism. I'd be happy to share :)

bf - catching up on the blogs around here can take a body to such a wide range of subjects in such a short time that it can cause heads to spin. Well, mine, anyway, lol
Part of the joy of WU :)

I've only scanned an article regarding today's announcement and the Higgs Boson remains elusive, it seems, yet they've come a bit closer. Science is cool :)

.....

If you haven't seen GardenGrrl's happy hopeful news in her blog - go see! :)

.....

For random enjoyment - a former candidate for Governor of Alabama, who ran on a platform stridently against gay marriage, has been donating sperm to lesbian couples in New Zealand, and without telling his wife back home. How's that for weird? And ohsotypical.
Found at Scalzi's blog, again.

And there's your cookie, LOL

.....

On the dental front - a friend of mine lost a tooth on Saturday. She was eating and it popped right out! She says it didn't hurt and hadn't been hurting. I saw the tooth and the new gap and it's pretty clear that a filling on the back of the tooth had been 'leaking' for a long time, causing decay, and the tooth was just sheared off at the gumline, black on both surfaces, but the tooth looked just fine from the front. A dentist would have seen that well in advance but she kept putting off getting a checkup. Let that be a lesson to you - regular checkups can save your teeth!
I'm driving her to the root canal doctor this afternoon. Better her than me, I say, LOL

seewu :)

Christopher Hitchens, April 13, 1949-December 15, 2011.




Let the conversation continue.



[bbl]

It was warming up nicely this morning until the clouds came in. Possible showers in the forecast and continued winds. It may turn into a Pooh day.

.....

BC - thank you for the lovely picture - and the reminder that we're almost there!
A couple decades ago I was at Stonehenge a week or so before the summer solstice. It was mid-morning and cloudy, as I recall, so no great photos, but very quiet and a profound experience.

Bogon - I keep trying to keep up with your blog but the music distracts me and I never get around to commenting. Not that I'd say too much, except to thank you for the tunes, but I was going to tell a fellow Scrooge that I started reading Lewis Black's book from last year, I'm Dreaming of a Black Christmas, and it's pretty funny. If you like his humor, and haven't read it, and don't mind the profanity, it might cheer you up. Or, not, LOL

.....

In the last 25 years Congress has seen 18 salary increases totaling 277%. While the lowest paid American Workers have only seen 5 wage increases in 25 years totaling a mere 166%. In the last 25 years the cost of living has increased 251%. The Minimum Wage has not been increased since 1997. While Congressmen's pay has increased 8 out of the last 10 years. To see what Minimum Wage would be, if Congress had given American Workers the same amount of increases they took, click here.

Note: I can't say that I like that site, overall, but found this piece interesting.

.....

This, I think, is not an original idea, but, it's funny (also a commercial, of sorts):



Only 9 more days!

Happy Saturday :)

Now Vaclav Havel has died, at age 75. I don't have much to say about him but I remember really paying attention at that time, maybe for the first time, to the people involved, rather than just the politics in that area of the world. His movement and its methods and successes (and failures) helped shape my worldview.

.....

Bogon - thanks so much for bringing that link by. Because you did, I watched it again yesterday, myself.
I was less annoyed by the guy on the end, lol, and more impressed with Harris, than the first time through.
Harris' eulogy for Hitchens is up, if you are (or anyone is) interested. I haven't read it, yet (nor Dawkins').
I did read a selection of Hitchens quotes on abcnews. It is fascinating to read the remembrances from around the world and see that in the US most focus on his being an atheist, while in Europe and elsewhere they focus on his work as a war correspondent and political essayist.
btw, those obits, etc., are a great way to get a list of his writings together - it is daunting!

On the Black book, yes, do get it from the library. I doubt it will be read more than once, lol. I agree he'd make a terrific Scrooge but, alas, he does not think so.

calpoppy - I think I'm going to read Hitchens' book on Jefferson next. I've heard him speak about our founding fathers with great admiration and think his take will make good reading.
Honestly, I would rather listen to him than read him. Not only is he a great orator (in my opinion) but he tends to "dumb down" a bit when he's speaking, while his essays are so full of references I will never know that I often can't follow. Of course, that's fun of its own sort :)

Good for you, avoiding the mall!
Hope your wintery weather showed up and you are enjoying the weekend :)

mush! Santa Bunny is suitably adorable, and brought a smile to my face despite my best efforts to remain scroogified :)

gg - Okay, Syd is now my official mascot for December! He looks exactly as I feel when I think of Christmas Day, even though I am essentially done with preparations. It just goes with the season, I guess.
Food, laughter, and lights - the only parts that matter :) Thanks for the reminder!

.....

"Tomorrow will be 0m 9s shorter."
But just a few more days ... HANG ON!!!
;-)

out to choresville ...

It's cold and damp and cloudy. Boooooooo!

.....

Last thing, I think, on Hitchens - since most eulogists have been either overly generous in their praise, or ignorant in their condemnation, it's good to read one who actually knew the man and his work and doesn't think too much of him. Though the picture painted is still not complicated enough, imo, this writer definitely sees his 'bad' side.

.....



As I was watching this the main thought in my mind was, "We are so dull here", LOL
There's probably more to get from the video.

.....

Would like to get around to others' blogs but will probably just lurk. I have an annoying (to me) tendency to leave a comment and not be able to get back to participate in conversation. It's a bummer :(

Happy Monday/night :)

I feel better already :)

Didn't have time to find anything new and this one I always enjoy -



Hi Karen!
Hi calpoppy and BriarCraft!
Love the pretty graphics :)

Thanks, gams! So nice that the Grinch was able to figure it out, in the end :)

gg - yes he is! LOL
Good advice, too, but what did he put in that stuff?!
I'll be driving - a lot - so no nog for me. 'sokay. I don't eat eggs any more ;)
I made eggnog one year - the real deal - and it was soooooo good! You couldn't even taste the alcohol. Which, as it turns out, isn't always such a good thing! Nobody was hurt but oh, my, there was tipping going on ;)

.....

Crazy windy, again. Almost seems to go without saying this winter. Again.
This, by my own faulty memory, makes three years out of the last four that have been extremely windy and dry an uncommon number of days.
Glad I hedged on my rain prediction this year ;)

.....

Remember the rant up there about the SA bellringer? Haven't seen one since. Hmmm...

.....

Go give toddluck some good words and encouragement, if you can. Scary.

.....

I've done all the putting-off that I can do today. Out into the gale ...

Wow! Pretty greetings :)

WTS – I got grapple before! Way cool experience – highly recommended, lol.
Thanks for the good wishes :)

gg – so, if I'm following properly, we are not to confuse Corgi with courgette … but, corduroy is okay?!?!
That really is too cute for words. “Hair Fairy”, honestly :)

While I do love your critters, and your pictures of your critters, you gave all of wu the best present ever with the news of your good health. May it continue into the New Year, and many many more.

Karen – that is a perfect Christmas card! I find the picture quite striking, actually. Thanks so much :)
I don't know if I'll brave the crowds at the beach – let me get through today and tomorrow and see how I feel, lol

juslivn – that's a lot of stockings! Thank you for bringing such a joyous, festive image to my blog :)
I hope every stocking is filled with its owners' favorite things. Merry Christmas!

BC – coffee filters, check! LOL I'm glad you liked the story. Perhaps I'll discuss the concept of confirmation bias another time but, for now, I'm just enjoying it. I find that I'm still being affected by that conversation with the stranger :)

…..

barefootontherocks has her blog closed, so, Merry Christmas, bf!

…..

Today is Big-Driving-Day Eve and I'm spending it baking a few things for dessert tomorrow which is a good thing to do. I have been working hard at de-scroogifying, making a point of driving different routes through town when out at night in order to see the lights, among other things.
Maybe I'm just getting old. I know I'll enjoy being with the family (and the food!) once I'm there :)

…..

Randomly -

….. What 3000 years of framing will get you ;) -

For example, the designation “atheist” is stigmatized in many societies; even when people directly
claim to not believe in God, they still eschew the self-designation of “atheist.”
Greeley (2003) found that 41% of Norwegians, 48% of the French, and 54% of
Czechs claimed to not believe in God, but only 10%, 19%, and 20% of those
respondents self-identified as “atheist,” respectively.

http://www.pitzer.edu/academics/faculty/zuckerman /Ath-Chap-under-7000.pdf

….. What hypocrisy will get you -

The gay and lesbian community of Minnesota has issued a letter of apology to recently resigned Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch for ruining the institution of marriage and causing her to stray from her husband and engage in an "inappropriate relationship."
http://blogs.citypages.com/blotter/2011/12/gay_ma rriage_amy_koch_michael_brodkorb.php

…..

Don't think I'll get around wu anymore today or tomorrow so …
Everyone have a safe, sane (except where appropriate and there is no conflict with “safe”), and joyous holiday season, however and wherever and whatever you celebrate, or don't, as the case may be.
Oh, reminder – tomorrow is a holiday all over the place, so if you need milk (or coffee filters), get it today! ;)
Another reminder – it's only one day, then it's over, and we can get on with our lives ;)

Merry Christmas!
No, I mean it! :)

Hurray!
On the drive home last night, the announcer on a radio station said (iirc), "Cheer up! It's almost over. And you have a gift receipt."
LOL

Weather was perfect. Drive out to Beaumont was a dream, family was in good spirits, food was great, drive back was okay, home in time to eat some goodies brought home and play video games before bed. Not a bad day :)

.....

LC - Santa Bender and his little elves ... that's what the season is all about! LOL

Bogon - well, that about sums up the problem, lol.
Atheism is a statement of belief regarding the existence of god(s). You can call yourself anything you like, of course, but your assertion that you do not believe in God means that you are an atheist by definition.
Agnosticism is a statement of knowledge, ultimate knowledge of the existence of god(s). Most atheists are agnostic. So are most theists.

The reason I used "framing" in the intro to that bit of randomness is because the word "atheist" has been used as a pejorative by those with religious authority in order to discourage public discussion of god-belief. Very effectively, I might add. It really isn't that big a deal, though.

Until I was about six years old I believed in the tooth fairy. Not only was I told that the tooth fairy existed by people I trusted, but I had evidence to support this belief, so I knew that the tooth fairy existed.
I was a toothfairyist with certain knowledge.

Later, I found a simpler and more reasonable explanation for the phenomenon of money-for-teeth, and for my parents' telling me the little lie, and I became an atoothfairyist. Do I know that the tooth fairy does not exist? Technically, I am agnostic in this regard. Perhaps the tooth fairy really does exist. I cannot prove the non-existence of the toothfairy. But, I do not believe in the tooth fairy anymore, and live my life accordingly. Well, not really. I did perpetuate the lie with nieces and nephews when they happened to lose a tooth while visiting with me. Hedging my bets? ;)

One of the ways that the word "atheist" has been abused, even by some atheists themselves, is by associating it with other forms of skepticism, which not an appropriate use of the term. Atheists are not necessarily skeptics as regards supernatural claims other than deities. There are atheists who believe in ghosts, ESP, alien visitation, Big Foot, past lives, and many other unsubstantiated oddities. There was even one prominent atheist who believed strongly, until the day he died, that the invasion of Iraq was necessary and good (one of my several disagreements with the man). Go figure.

It's a fun topic and I appreciate the spark :) and welcome others to continue the conversation - but I guess I'll stop now. It was a long day yesterday and I'm sleepy.

And I need to go get milk :-/