All Things in Moderation

Happy Thanksgiving to All!

32 Responses

1. 

   Michigoose, on November 22, 2012 at 10:39 am said:

   I do find this report a little ironic.

   Injured patients were less likely to die in the hospital if they had alcohol in their blood, according to a study from the University of Illinois at Chicago School of Public Health — and the more alcohol, the more likely they were to survive.

   Cheers!

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2. 

   Dave!, on November 22, 2012 at 11:08 am said:

   That’s the thing with statistics, Michi. The article also says that people are more likely to end up in the hospital in the first place, proportionally to the amount of alcohol in them. I guess if I knew I was going to have an accident, then I would get hammered ahead of time!

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3. 

   Michigoose, on November 22, 2012 at 11:20 am said:

   I guess if I knew I was going to have an accident, then I would get hammered ahead of time!

   Oh, if only we were all clairvoyant! Or had precognition. 🙂

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4. 

   Dave!, on November 22, 2012 at 11:24 am said:

   Happy Thanksgiving to all. We started some new traditions this year at our house. The first is that we are staying home instead of travelling. Normally we go to Pittsburgh for my wife’s family but my mother-in-law passed away this year and we decided it would be best to stay home and invite some good friends over. The second is that each of my kids and I baked a pie. My daughter and I made a pumpkin pie (and will be making real whipped cream for it), my younger son and I made an apple pie (and we made home made ice cream for the a la mode) and my oldest and I made a Raspberry swirl cheesecake pie (we screwed up making the raspberry preserves and had to use a jar but it still looks good). Good bonding and family time – exactly what Thanksgiving should be about. And while shopping, the kids decided that a new Thanksgiving tradition would be to open a coconut. I’m sure that was on the pilgrims mind… In any case, we bought one. We got a turkey and are brining it for the first time this year…we will see how that goes. Since we typically travel, we have very little experience with turkeys. I am also doing some grilled smoked lamb chop appitizers… Something to get me out of the hot kitchen (and since it is sunny and in the mid-60s, it is hot). We are not real drinkers but I tried a pineapple upside down martini the other day at a restaurant and decided it was good, easy and good. So that, along with beer, is the alcoholic drink of choice. The Redskins play the Cowboys. Today, so far, all is right with the world.

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5. 

   Michigoose, on November 22, 2012 at 11:37 am said:

   That sounds like a wonderful Thanksgiving, Dave! I traveled for Thanksgiving last year for the first time in ages; it wasn’t too bad, but bad enough. This year it’s in town with friends. I’d love to see the recipe for the raspberry swirl cheesecake–I’m not a big dessert person, but cheesecake is a weakness of mine. . .

   I’ve been brining my turkey for years–I bet you’re going to love it. Cooking the turkey is actually my favorite part of Thanksgiving, so I’ve missed that these last couple of years. Enjoy!

   The Lions are handling the Texans nicely, so all is right in this part of the world, too.

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6. 

   Dave!, on November 22, 2012 at 1:31 pm said:

   So it is really a poor mans cheesecake…made as a pie. No springform pan…etc. But I had three pies to make with inexperienced kid bakers so a full blown cheescake was not in the timeframe. It is really easy. I’ll have to let you know how good it is…

   http://www.food.com/recipe/Raspberry-Swirl-Cheesecake-Pie-106850

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7. 

   Michigoose, on November 22, 2012 at 7:57 pm said:

   Easy is good–as both of my contributions to the Thanksgiving dinner went south on me. I almost never have that happen. . .

   And the Lions lost in OT.

   Bah, humbug! 🙂

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8. 

   jnc4p, on November 23, 2012 at 8:09 am said:

   Paul Krugman… sigh. Apparently he has “scientifically” proven that Republicans are authoritarian. Rather an odd conclusion since they tend to prefer gridlock to government actually doing anything.

   “What accounts for this pattern of denial? Earlier this year, the science writer Chris Mooney published “The Republican Brain,” which was not, as you might think, a partisan screed. It was, instead, a survey of the now-extensive research linking political views to personality types. As Mr. Mooney showed, modern American conservatism is highly correlated with authoritarian inclinations — and authoritarians are strongly inclined to reject any evidence contradicting their prior beliefs. ”

   http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/23/opinion/krugman-grand-old-planet.html?ref=opinion&_r=0

   The focus of his piece was Marco Rubio’s comments about the age of the planet. He leaves out any mention of Obama’s comments along the same vein that Slate dug up to demonstrate that religious pandering is alive and well in both parties.

   http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/science/2012/11/rubio_and_obama_and_the_age_of_earth_politicians_hedge_about_whether_universe.html

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9. 

   Brent Nyitray, on November 23, 2012 at 8:55 am said:

   And the Lions lost in OT

   Still seething about that blown call. Peter Kng tweeted that the rule will be changed. Always happens after the Lions get jobbed (CJ’s non-catch)

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10. 

    Brent Nyitray, on November 23, 2012 at 9:08 am said:

    Re Krugman and selectively ignoring inconvenent facts, all I can say is Krugman’s economic prescripton turns a blind eye to the fact that it hasn’t worked in Japan.

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11. 

    bsimon, on November 23, 2012 at 10:10 am said:

    WTF happened to the Lions? They were dominating Houston before I fell asleep.

    Not having read Krugman, there is a high correlation between repubs/conservatives & strict hierarchical organizations; like accepting strict religious doctrine; GOP congresscritters toeing the party line far more consistently than the Dems ever do, etc. Conservatives are more likely to find comfort in having stable societal structures, everyone knowing their place & the people at the bottom obeying those at the top. The military is a very authoritarian organization, for example. Libertarians are the slice of conservatives that fit this stereotype least. Social conservatives fit it the most.

    This should not be confused with authoritarianism as a form of government, which is not exactly the same thing.

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12. 

    bsimon1970, on November 23, 2012 at 10:18 am said:

    An author at the atlantic makes an effective rebuttal to the Rubio-Obama comparison:

    Obama and Rubio weren’t asked remotely the same question. GQ’s Mark Hainey asked Rubio point blank how old the earth is; he dodged. Obama also didn’t say how old he thinks the earth is, because no one asked him. If you instinctively grasped that difference on the first read, you might be too sensible to work at Slate. As Steve Benen notes, the settings and context for these questions are also completely different (secular for Rubio, religious for Obama).

    …

    [J]ust after the passage that Engber quotes, Obama went on to make the case, unprompted, for the compatibility of faith and science: “I do believe in evolution. I don’t think that is incompatible with Christian faith, just as I don’t think science is incomptabile with Christian faith.”

    http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2012/11/lets-not-pretend-obama-and-rubio-have-the-same-view-on-the-earths-age/265525/

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13. 

    bsimon1970, on November 23, 2012 at 10:19 am said:

    “Re Krugman and selectively ignoring inconvenent facts, all I can say is Krugman’s economic prescripton turns a blind eye to the fact that it hasn’t worked in Japan.”

    And austerity hasn’t worked in Greece. What do we do now?

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14. 

    Michigoose, on November 23, 2012 at 10:24 am said:

    I think bsimon hit the conservatives/authoritarian thing right on the head. It’s not about governing (although when they are in power they can pull some pretty bone-headed authoritarian moves–like VA’s famous trans-vaginal ultrasound one–which they have to walk back). Utah is obviously a hotbed of conservatism and I do have to say that, on the local level, it pretty much works. But that may be because SLC is such a hotbed of liberalism, so they balance out! 🙂

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15. 

    Michigoose, on November 23, 2012 at 10:26 am said:

    Still seething about that blown call

    Yes!!!!

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16. 

    markinaustin, on November 23, 2012 at 11:09 am said:

    It wasn’t, ultimately, a blown call. It was the result of a STUPID RULE.

    I doubt that NFL refs have the discretion to distinguish between the good rules and the stupid ones. Cops, on the other hand, do it all the time.

    That the call on the field was wrong is not unusual; that happens a couple of times a game, and thanks to replays is usually corrected.

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17. 

    Fairlington Blade, on November 23, 2012 at 11:47 am said:

    Watching Nebraska play the Schmuckeyes. Cyclones are a naturally resentful breed, mainly as Iowa gets a disproportionate share of attention from the Des Moines media, even though Ames is only 30 miles to the north.

    I’ve noticed the the ‘Huskers have started slowly, so I have hopes for this game. Still frustrated that KSU choked in a major way.

    BB

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18. 

    Michigoose, on November 23, 2012 at 12:25 pm said:

    Had forgotten about that game, Paul–thanks for the head’s up! Also had never heard the term “schmuckeyes”. . . too funny! 🙂

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19. 

    Fairlington Blade, on November 23, 2012 at 12:35 pm said:

    It’s looking good for Nebraska. I can’t watch right now as I’ve been booted off the TV in favor of Wii Fit Bicycling.

    BB

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20. 

    Michigoose, on November 23, 2012 at 2:31 pm said:

    Paul:

    Wiziwig Streams everything. Just don’t download any of the plug-ins!

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21. 

    Michigoose, on November 23, 2012 at 7:24 pm said:

    I actually didn’t know anything about any of this. That’s why I love science.

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    • 

      markinaustin, on November 23, 2012 at 10:51 pm said:

      Great NPR story. Thanx.

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22. 

    Michigoose, on November 23, 2012 at 8:52 pm said:

    jnc:

    I think, rather, this was the take-home for me from Krugman’s article:

    We are, after all, living in an era when science plays a crucial economic role. How are we going to search effectively for natural resources if schools trying to teach modern geology must give equal time to claims that the world is only 6.000 years old? How are we going to stay competitive in biotechnology if biology classes avoid any material that might offend creationists?

    And then there’s the matter of using evidence to shape economic policy. You may have read about the recent study from the Congressional Research Service finding no empirical support for the dogma that cutting taxes on the wealthy leads to higher economic growth. How did Republicans respond? By suppressing the report. On economics, as in hard science, modern conservatives don’t want to hear anything challenging their preconceptions — and they don’t want anyone else to hear about it, either.

    Like I said when I posted it originally, it drives me crazy when Republican politicians do that. Because it doesn’t help any of us.

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23. 

    Michigoose, on November 23, 2012 at 11:51 pm said:

    You’re welcome, Mark! Glad you enjoyed it.

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24. 

    Mike, on November 24, 2012 at 9:36 am said:

    Michi:

    I was reading that NPR story yesterday — it’s cool that Lenski is getting some love in the press. And of course, the NPR story focuses on a couple of MSU researchers.

    Lenski’s group just published a paper in Nature about the genetic basis of the citrate metabolism trait. I’ve been interested in viral evolution for a while, since my first postdoc at Scripps. The only problem with looking at evolution in microbes and viruses is that you can’t really look at sexual reproduction.

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25. 

    markinaustin, on November 24, 2012 at 2:28 pm said:

    “The only problem with looking at evolution in microbes and viruses is that you can’t really look at sexual reproduction.”

    I hadn’t thought of that as a comparative selling point for soft porn, but OK…

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26. 

    Brent Nyitray, on November 24, 2012 at 2:38 pm said:

    “And then there’s the matter of using evidence to shape economic policy. You may have read about the recent study from the Congressional Research Service finding no empirical support for the dogma that cutting taxes on the wealthy leads to higher economic growth.”

    Have we ever just cut taxes for the wealthy without cutting them on everyone else? I don’t think so. I don’t know how you would even test for this..

    In other words, it sounds like a loaded study where the conclusion came first.

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27. 

    okiegirl, on November 24, 2012 at 3:46 pm said:

    In other words, it sounds like a loaded study where the conclusion came first.

    It didn’t strike me that way at all because it seems to me the GOP has for some time emphasized tax cuts specifically for the wealthy as necessary for investment and job creation. So the question is whether or not there is empirical evidence for that connection independent of any other tax cuts. Why do you think it was a “loaded study”? I haven’t looked at the study itself (just the news about the report) so am interested in your critique of the methodology.

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28. 

    Brent Nyitray, on November 24, 2012 at 5:37 pm said:

    My point is that we have never just cut taxes for the wealthy. The wealthy have always rode along with a tax cut for everyone.

    So somehow the study purports to claim that cutting taxes on the wealthy doesn’t work. Since we have never simply cut taxes on the wealthy, while leaving everyone else the same, I wonder what it is looking at.

    If it is some model-driven simulation, then everything depends on the inputted assumptions. And if those are ideologially driven, then garbage in = garbage out.

    Take it from someone who is well-versed in how to make studies say what you want. I know all the tricks.

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29. 

    bsimon1970, on November 25, 2012 at 8:24 am said:

    The report looked at the top marginal rates, the lowering of which would not affect those who’s income is lower.

    The Congressional Research Service has withdrawn an economic report that found no correlation between top tax rates and economic growth, a central tenet of conservative economic theory, after Senate Republicans raised concerns about the paper’s findings and wording.

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30. 

    Dave!, on November 25, 2012 at 10:44 am said:

    Missed the blown call/bad rule but did get a chance to see the Redskins beat the Cowboys!!!!! The Raspberry Swirl Cheesecake Pie was really really good, considering how easy it was. My son topped it raspberries and it was a hit. The apple pie with the home made ice cream was also very good. The pumpkin pie did not last long – especially with the neon green real whipped cream topping that my daughter made. Yes, neon green. Our guests brought several different types of microbrewed beers, none of which I had tried before. The Pineapple Upside down martini was a hit (we were all well prepared in case we wound up in the hospital). In summary, for us, it was a fantastic Thanksgiving.

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31. 

    Michigoose, on November 25, 2012 at 5:51 pm said:

    In summary, for us, it was a fantastic Thanksgiving

    That’s awesome, Dave! So glad–and i’ll let you know if/when I try the cheesecake pie. And glad to know you were all prepared for any hospital visits. . . but neon green whipped cream?! Only a kid could come up with that (I imagine that she was thinking it would look like the stem on top–am I right?)!

    Good all around.

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