Still Here »

By Michael

Just wanted to make sure everyone knew we’re all still here at the Nappy Cat.

Things out there seem to be mostly the same. People still have problems getting work and Ron Paul seems to be the only candidate so far who even attempts to answer questions and topics posed to him in a debate.

In a sad note, it seems who is IOZ has gone off the blogging grid permanently. While I’d like to think we could full that void (Will certainly could), he was definitely my better.

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You Hate Yourself »

By Michael

A few words on the pull back of funding to PBS member stations.

I am in no way, shape, or form, amazed at the agreement many viewers have regarding the take away of funding towards public broadcasting. In fact, if America is amazing at anything, it’s the ability to make the smallest, most insignificant sacrifice such a dire cause to the march of freedom that is our nation’s narrative. Oh, you don’t believe me? Then why do we order diet coke when we get the number 4 at McDonalds?

And then there’s the hatred from whoever wrote into Michael Getler. In between Getler’s weekly “I’m-an-ombudsman-I-can’t-have-an-opinion-or-I’ll-lose-the-integrity-that-no-one-notices-or-cares-about” high school paper article, viewers shared with him their frustrations that PBS would stoop to the level of advocating funding for itself, as opposed to allowing others to simply say they suck and accept such critique as fact. You know, the way NPR does it.

But once again, the entertainment of these consequences is too much to withhold me from writing such a wondrous review of the saga. A man, alone, willingly watches programming, and when reminded that the provider of such programming is losing funding and would need their viewer’s support, gets angry at the prospect that the thing he consumes for free is not, in fact, free. It’s as if I’m reading some real life version of The Machinist.

And all of this, for programming that simply legitimizes the narrow ideology between the two parties. No Republican hates a Democrat for a position being held, or vice versa. They hate each other because they are on differing teams, while their positions are fundamentally identical.

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Back on Twitter »

By Michael

I’m just going to say that I’ve started using Twitter again. In terms of responding to comments, or asking other authors/experts (most are users) questions, this seems to be the easiest way to go. Also, I figure that Twitter is another way for users who don’t use RSS feeds to follow us wonderful beings on the Nappy Cat.

I’m still unsure if I’ll start plugging links to things I write from the Nappy Cat, or just keep forcing people to the RSS feed. I’m thinking of using TwitterFeed to have Twitter automatically post things from the blog. If you have any other suggestions, let me know.

You can follow me on twitter @MikeKatsimbris. Also, while I’m not sure I have access to do so, Will might be able to make a “latest Tweets” box somewhere on our web page so that you (for those of you who don’t care for RSS or Twitter) can just come to our site and see what he (I’m not sure if he still uses his Twitter account) and I have been linking to lately.

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One more thing regarding the last post I wrote about Twitter. I still stand by the RSS feed problems it has (all the replies to fans/friends and retweets of content). I will say this however. Subscribing to a user’s RSS feeds allows you to see if they’re answering their fans, and even give you an idea of just how much self promoting goes on. Remember how I singled out Tim Harford last time? Well, not only has he actually toned it down (not by my accord, I assure you), but he really is an answer-centric user. A lot more Neil deGrasse Tyson than Sara Benincassa. By the way, that’s not a shot at Sara because she actually does have some great content.

Oh, and let me ask anyone reading this: If there is a worry that Facebook has reached its MySpace moment, not only do I want to ask what would replace Facebook, but more relevantly, what would replace Twitter when it reaches that point? Or, will Twitter not reach that point? And if not, why not?

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Eminent Columns »

By Michael

Out of all the columnists that I read, I like picking on George Will because he so specifically takes a position, citing countless examples over and over that when he misses an obvious example, it makes me oh so very happy.

One of my favorite George Will themes is his railing against government’s use of eminent domain. (A cause that I am sympathetic to myself.) What does it say of George Will though that he misses an example so glaring that even The Daily Show picked up on it?

This small town’s citizens in Mississippi have been saved not by legal action from eminent domain, but by an organization that has birds as a priority. The only reason why George Will may have missed this story is because his head exploded. Let’s look at the ingredients as to why this is what I would call “George Will Bait.”

First, we have the main topic, which is a town’s citizens fighting to protect their interests from the encroaching eminent domain claims from their local government. Second, their grievances (as I’m sure George Will would put it) have been ruled against and been saved by a loophole in the bureaucracy that Will makes a living railing against. And if you’ve seen George Will write about the court system (9th circuit anybody?) then you’ve probably read him at least once this year. Finally, of all the organizations to help these citizens, it’s the Audobon society, which went to Mississippi after Hurricane Katrina to help birds in the first place.

So, George Will missed the boat on this one. Or, he just hates poor people. What? I didn’t say he did, I’m just saying that it is within the realm of possibility, by 100%.

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Fascinating Indeed »

By Michael

From whoisioz:

I think this is a fascinating position. Foreigners are exempt from our legal protections but subject to our legal punishments, and if those punishments don’t yet exist, then by god and by the way, we’re gonna create ‘em.

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That Just Happened »

By Michael

In my college days, I remember a girl whom with I was so enamored.  As things never came to pass (literally, nothing ever happened; not even a walk in the park, let alone getting on base), and I let go of the situation, after a few months I was told by her, “I was so surprised it took you as little time as it did to start seeing someone after me.”

When she told me this, I felt bad.  Maybe if I had persisted longer, things would have been different and we would have actually gone out on a proper date.  Then I remembered why I let go of the situation and stopped trying to go on a date with her.  She slept with one of my friends.

And you wonder why Fox News is so successful.

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Congratulations »

By Michael

Congratulations to my friend, Joe Neutzling, for passing the BAR exam.  By the way, accomplished on his first try.

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Wait, It Gets Worse »

By Michael

Good news, I’ve been able to add to my list of horrific things that will scare me if I ever get married.

Via Jena Pincott, here is what Rachel Write says:

When Karen decided to go off the pill, her relationship wasn’t going well. She had a husband whose depression hung heavy, dampening the air. Karen began noticing a putrid smell, emanating from her husband. “I couldn’t stand to be close to him because he smelled so bad, it wasn’t what we call body odor, it smelled like a soured clothes…so naturally that is what I thought it was.”

But after digging through his laundry, she had a dizzying realization… the smell suffocating her space was her husband.

Karen could no longer muster a simple attraction. Warmth began to dissipate. A divorce ensued. Later, stumbling across research about pheromones and birth control, it clicked.

In Clause Wedekind’s study, women were given t-shirts that had been worn by men. They were asked to smell the shirts to report attraction. They found women were attracted to men with a different MHC level than their own, and repulsed by one too similar. The theory is this delicate difference of pheromones makes the healthiest offspring.

But, oddly women taking oral contraceptives lost this sense of attraction. Not only could she no longer sniff out her best match, she became actively attracted to men with a similar MHC level, closer to her own genes.

When Karen let a male friend vent about a recent break-up, it sounded familiar. “Had she recently gone off the pill?” She asked. When the answer was yes– she was convinced. “That is when I started calling it the divorce pill” Karen says.

So, it turns that if I ever am able to convince a female that I’m worth spending waking and sleeping hours with, there is an infinitesimally small chance she could actually end up not standing me anyway for purely physiologically chemical reasons.

This is akin to the old Brian Regan joke where he explains that while being examined, Regan’s optometrist notifies him that, “You know, your one eye is just slightly lower than the other.  This doesn’t affect your vision or anything; I just wanted you to be self-conscious for the rest of your life.”  Science FTMFW.

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Guest Post: Excuses for Excuses Sake »

By Michael

My friend Bryan writes:

Excuses for Excuses Sake

After reading an article by Scott Moritz earlier this morning, I came to the conclusion that people/reporters try to make a story out of anything.  I honestly have no idea how an article that doesn’t really make much sense makes it to the front page of Yahoo. In the article Mr. Moritz states 5 reasons NOT to buy the new iPhone 4. There very well may be 20 reasons not to buy the new smart phone, but these 5 reasons just don’t seem like a deal breaker.

Scott’s first point is regarding the camera. He states, “HTC, Motorola and Nokia embrace the megapixel race with 8-megapixel and 12-megapixel cameras, Apple’s new iPhone keeps it cheap with a 5-megapixel model.” Is he stating that the quality of the camera is only based on the megapixels? Being a photographer, this is probably the comment that irks me the most. So using his logic, the cameras that are included in the HTC, Motorola, and Nokia phones are better than an entry-level DSLR camera (ex. Nikon D40)? Just because they have more megapixels? This is so far from the truth it’s not even funny.

Mr. Moritz’s second point of not having the “Swype” feature does not hold water in my opinion either. First of all, is this really a reason not to buy a superior phone? I say no, but that is for the consumer to decide. Plus, in all honesty, there will probably be an app for that. Along with this he makes his third point, regarding the video-calling feature. Yes, the feature limits you to only other iPhone 4 users, but that is what it is meant to do. He comments “not exactly an application of global Skype-like proportions.” Yes, he is correct, but the Skype app, will be available for those who want it. So, I don’t understand what he is complaining about.

Scott’s final two points are that there will be phone shortages, and that the iPhone is not available for Verizon. If a customer is loyal to Verizon’s service, that is their choice, but I still don’t understand all the complaints with AT&T network. Finally he states that the phone being in short supply is a blemish for the phone. Last time I checked, Americans, or people in general love rare things. Why do people buy Ferraris, Rolex, and special editions of things? They do this because they are rare, and to most, rare is sexy, and it means you’r important if you have one. Also, a couple months down the road, there won’t be a wait anymore either. So there goes that argument.

All in all there are definitely reasons not to get the new iPhone 4, however I don’t think this article show any of them.

I’m not sure that Moritz was giving five reasons not to buy the iPhone, but I certainly know that he wrote an article of complaints because complaining about the new iPhone is a great to get your story put up on digg and reddit.  One thing I want to comment on that I found puzzling when I read the article was his bizarre logic on how 1 million iPhones per month is something to complain about.  If anything, the great demand that will shorten supply only signals that this phone is worth getting.

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Oh Please »

By Michael

From Grand Prix.com:

While driving on the street at 9:15pm, close to the Albert Park circuit, Hamilton was spotted by the police deliberately losing traction in his 2010 Mercedes C63. Melbourne police booked him under what are know as “anti-hoon” laws, in which – often young – motorists spin their wheels, fishtail or perform doughnuts on public roads.

The police impounded his car, and he was then driven back to his hotel.

I’m sorry, but if anyone in THE WORLD is qualified to have a bit of leeway on the road with their car control, it is Lewis Hamilton.  To the point, if anyone were to be pulled over for such an offense, the proper thing for an officer to say is, “I’m sorry, but are YOU Lewis Hamilton?  No, then you’ll have to come with me.”

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