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NFL 2010 Season Prediction

This is the result of predicting every NFL regular season and playoff game for the 2010 season. I haven’t done this since the 1990 season, where i came very close, as I predicted Buffalo would win the AFC and that the Giants would lose to the 49ers in the NFC championship, and the Niners would take the Super Bowl. I was off a bit, as the Giants won (by two points!) and went on to win the Super Bowl (by one!). Here’s the way it will wrap up, if my prediction holds:

Division Champions
AFC East: New England Patriots
AFC North: Cincinnati Bengals
AFC South: Indianapolis Colts
AFC West: San Diego Chargers
Wild Card: Houston Texans
Wild Card: Pittsburgh Steelers

NFC East: Dallas Cowboys
NFC North: Green Bay Packers
NFC South: New Orleans Saints
NFC West: San Francisco 49ers
Wild Card: Carolina Panthers
Wild Card: Minnesota Vikings

Wild Card Playoffs
Houston d. Cincinnati
Pittsburgh d. San Diego
Minnesota d. San Francisco
Dallas d. Carolina

Division Playoffs
New England d. Houston
Indianapolis d. Pittsburgh
New Orleans d. Minnesota
Green Bay d. Dallas

Conference Championships
Indianapolis d. New England
Green Bay d. New Orleans

Super Bowl
Indianapolis Colts d. Green Bay Packers

Why I Am an Atheist

This isn’t mine (and I would refine it a bit, to be honest), but I like it and will post it here for posterity:

I AM AN ATHEIST.
I’m not an atheist because it’s cool.
I’m not an atheist because of religious extremism or oppression in some depraved corners of the world.
I’m not an atheist because I don’t think evil can exist in world with a god.
I’m not an atheist because I think science can disprove god.

I’m an atheist because of one simple fact:

THE BURDEN OF PROOF LIES ON RELIGION.

If you propose the existence of something, you must follow the scientific method in your defense of its existence. Otherwise, I have no reason to listen to you.

Failing: “Socialism” or *Actual* Socialism?

In response to someone who claims that the possible dismantling of the NHS is proof that “socialism always fails”:

First, you have to define socialism. Most likely the response will be something along the lines of “no private property” or something resembling communism, both of which are incorrect. Then you have to see if the UK even practices socialism (they do not; they are a social democracy, which is significantly different), and whether the disassembling of a medical system backed by the government by Conservatives who just got into power after more than a decade is the same thing as ‘socialism failing.” Then you’d need to define “fail”: fail entirely? Leading tot eh deaths of thousands? Or simply losing popularity? Finally you have to prove that socialism, in any practical form has “failed”.

If citizens in the UK oppose the dismantling of the NHS, then socialism hasn’t failed; the Conservatives’ chances of maintaining power has.

Who Plays John Galt?

Many actors and producers have talked about adapting Ayn Rand’s classic Atlas Shrugged for the big screen, but 53 years after its publication no one has dared tackle the ambitious project—until now.

No-one has dared to successfully mate a human with a water buffalo, but that doesn’t mean it’s a cutting-edge ingenious idea.

With apologies to Mr Herbert

I must not fear.

Fear is the mind-killer.

Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration.

I will face my fear.

I will permit it to pass over me and through me.

Which reminds me: I will need an umbrella.

Answers to Questions About Atheism

The original remarks I’m responding to in this post come from a discussion on Metafilter.

Science can never offer any meaning or purpose to our lives.

So make your own meaning. If you need invisible sky wizards to make your life worth something, the fault lies with you, not science.

the only people who think science is the opposite of religion are religious fundamentalists.

If you believe in something in your religion that is contradicted by facts and evidence, basically provable science, then yes, indeed, science is the opposite of religion. Continue reading…

Ampersand: The Movie

Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice & Milo & Otis & Harold & Maude & Fanny & Alexander & Batman & Robin & Tenspeed & Brownshoe & Sid & Nancy & Henry & June & Benny & Joon & Bonnie & Clyde & Jeckyll & Hyde & Thelma & Louise & Starsky & Hutch & Tuner & Hooch & Tango & Cash & Stanley & Iris & Romeo + Juliet & Wallace & Gromit & Beavis & Butt-Head & Fat Man & Little Boy & Melinda & Melinda & Akeelah & the Bee & Harold & Lucinda & Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid & Marley & Me

The Nerd Handbook

This is, for reference’s sake, a tidy list summary of the brilliant classic blog post “The Nerd Handbook” written by Rands a few years ago. It still stands as true, and thus it ever shall be:

The Nerd Handbook
Understand your nerd’s relation to the computer. (“He sees the world as a system which, given enough time and effort, is completely knowable.”)
Your nerd has control issues. (“These control issues mean your nerd is sensitive to drastic changes in his environment.”)
Your nerd has built himself a cave. (“Each object in the Cave has a particular place and purpose. Even the clutter is well designed.”)
Your nerd loves toys and puzzles. (“The joy your nerd finds in his project is one of problem solving and discovery.”)
Nerds are fucking funny. (“Humor is an intellectual puzzle, ‘How can this particular set of esoteric trivia be constructed to maximize hilarity as quickly as possible?’”)
Your nerd has an amazing appetite for information. (“Your nerd knows very little about a lot. For many topics, his knowledge is an inch deep and four miles wide.”)
Your nerd has built an annoyingly efficient relevancy engine in his head. (“For any given piece of incoming information, your nerd is making a lightning fast assessment: relevant or not relevant?”)
Your nerd might come off as not liking people. (“The skills to interact with other people are there. They just lack a well-defined system.”)

Advanced Nerd Tweakage
Map the things he’s bad at to the things he loves. (“You need to appeal to his deep love of discovering new content…”)
Make it a project. (“Significant nerd behavioral change is only going to happen if your nerd engages in the project heart and soul, otherwise it’s just another thought for the irrelevant bucket.”)
People are the most interesting content out there. (“You need to find one common thread of interest between your nerd and your friend and then he’ll engage because he will have found relevance.”)

The reason I posted this here is to remind myself (and others like me) that we are not complicated monsters of geekdom; we are creatures of systems, values, and rules. Once you understand those, then you understand us. I doubt I could put it as eloquently or as tidily as Rands did, so I won’t try. A few things he mentions are completely accurate to myself, but those are mere details. The overall point applies: we’re interested in systems, order, logic and connecting that to the rest of the world is the key to making us a little more normal. Give his post a view; it’s a longer read, but worth it.

Rands on Rules

I’m a nerd and I’m predisposed to fucking love rules because a logical and well-followed rule keeps the well-defined system functioning smoothly. It keeps us on the same page, it sets expectations, and it makes the world a more predictable place.

Hm. I smile, knowing he’s right.

How to choose a watermelon

Thump.

If it sounds too hollow or too solid, you don’t want it. You have to thump several to get the comparison. Too hollow usually means there’s less dense material (mealy meat) and too solid means it’s too watery (which is to say so diluted that it’s not sweet enough). And almost never use the outer rind to determine the quality. Great melons sometimes look ugly.

The Wife just remarked last night that I’m in charge of picking out watermelons because I am consistent in my selection of tasty melons. Last night’s was deep red and had a thinner white line. Sweet, juicy, and naturally delicious.

I also see no point to salting or peppering the melon. The melon, if sufficiently good, needs no embellishment or seasoning (much like a quality steak — if you put A1 on that quality steak, I will thump you like a watermelon!). And I tend to eat mine in very large slices, ice cold, with a large spoon.



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