He used the graph in a talk at University of Oregon Monday night.
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
We're Number One! [In Low Wage Jobs]
Here's an interesting and discouraging graph, courtesy of economist Mark Thoma.
He used the graph in a talk at University of Oregon Monday night.
![Low+wage+2[1]](http://economistsview.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83451b33869e20168e9f3787c970c-800wi)
He used the graph in a talk at University of Oregon Monday night.
Figures Don't Lie - But Liars Figure
At the Pentagon about budget time, cynical staff officers often observed, "figures don't lie, but liars figure."
We see the same phenomenon at election time, but it seems more and more that liars continue to figure, day in and day out, year in and year out.
Tony Tharp has posted on his web site a helpful antidote to at least some of the lying figures. He also provides a link to his source, here.
We see the same phenomenon at election time, but it seems more and more that liars continue to figure, day in and day out, year in and year out.
Tony Tharp has posted on his web site a helpful antidote to at least some of the lying figures. He also provides a link to his source, here.
Monday, April 9, 2012
Titanic
A hundred years ago, April 10, 1912, RMS Titanic departed from Southampton, England, stopping first at Cherbourg, France, then at Queenstown, Ireland, on her maiden voyage to New York.
She never made it.
She never made it.
Election Preparations
Voters don't need to know how much work goes into preparing for an election. They just need to show up and vote. It should be comforting, though, to know that great effort goes into insuring that their votes are accurately recorded and counted.
Today, and for several more days, the Pamlico County Board of Elections is conducting logic and accuracy testing of our voting machines. The state requires us to test 10% of our machines. In Pamlico County, we test every machine used in the election.
Testing pays off. We have never had a calibration problem with any of our voting machines on election day.
Today, and for several more days, the Pamlico County Board of Elections is conducting logic and accuracy testing of our voting machines. The state requires us to test 10% of our machines. In Pamlico County, we test every machine used in the election.
Testing pays off. We have never had a calibration problem with any of our voting machines on election day.
Sunday, April 8, 2012
Pacific War - April 8, 1942
On this day seventy years ago, American and Filipino forces defending the Bataan peninsula on the Philippine island of Luzon surrendered to the invading Japanese forces. Within days, the 70,000 surviving prisoners would be subjected to the Bataan "death march."
At Pearl Harbor, the US carrier Enterprise, escorted by two cruisers and four destroyers and accompanied by a fleet oiler, steamed past Ford Island and into the Pacific. Vice Admiral William F. Halsey was embarked and commanded the task force. The ships set battle readiness condition three, with guns manned and most watertight doors and hatches either closed or ready to close at a moment's notice. Lookouts scanned the water for hostile periscopes and the sky for enemy aircraft. Enterprises fighters were spotted on the flight deck, ready for quick takeoff if needed.
The crews shared rumors (scuttlebutt) about their destination, but no one seemed to have a definitive answer.
Enterprise hadn't been exactly quiescent up until this point. On December 7, Enterprise, then located about 215 miles west of Pearl Harbor, had launched eighteen aircraft at dawn to run a scouting patrol to the east and northeast and then recover at Ford Island landing field. The commanding officer of the Enterprise air group flew into the attacking Japanese aircraft. Thirteen of the planes landed safely, despite Japanese air attacks and friendly anti-aircraft fire. Nine planes were sent out to search 30 degrees either side of north, out to a distance of 175 miles. Had Admiral Nagumo decided to launch a third attack wave, it is possible that the Enterprise air group might have located the Japanese force. But he had already decided to leave the area.
Weeks later, on January 23, 1942, Enterprise provided air support for a landing of about 5,000 marines at Pago Pago in Samoa, then proceeded to the first US attack on Japanese-held territory. On February 1, Enterprise and her embarked air group attacked Japanese bases in the Northern Marianas, including Kwajalein. Meantime, Yorktown struck targets in the Southern Marianas and Gilberts. It had not quite been two months since Pearl Harbor.
Three weeks later, Enterprise attacked Japanese fortifications and the airfield on Wake Island. It had been two and a half months since Pearl Harbor. On the 4th of March, Enterprise attacked Japanese forces on Marcus Island. It was three months since Pearl Harbor and Enterprise had four times engaged Japanese military forces in hostile action.
On the 8th of April, 1942, when Bataan fell, the outgunned American and Filipino defenders had held out against an experienced Japanese Army for four months. Enterprise was on her way to another attack on Japanese forces. This would make five times in four months.
At Pearl Harbor, the US carrier Enterprise, escorted by two cruisers and four destroyers and accompanied by a fleet oiler, steamed past Ford Island and into the Pacific. Vice Admiral William F. Halsey was embarked and commanded the task force. The ships set battle readiness condition three, with guns manned and most watertight doors and hatches either closed or ready to close at a moment's notice. Lookouts scanned the water for hostile periscopes and the sky for enemy aircraft. Enterprises fighters were spotted on the flight deck, ready for quick takeoff if needed.
The crews shared rumors (scuttlebutt) about their destination, but no one seemed to have a definitive answer.
Enterprise hadn't been exactly quiescent up until this point. On December 7, Enterprise, then located about 215 miles west of Pearl Harbor, had launched eighteen aircraft at dawn to run a scouting patrol to the east and northeast and then recover at Ford Island landing field. The commanding officer of the Enterprise air group flew into the attacking Japanese aircraft. Thirteen of the planes landed safely, despite Japanese air attacks and friendly anti-aircraft fire. Nine planes were sent out to search 30 degrees either side of north, out to a distance of 175 miles. Had Admiral Nagumo decided to launch a third attack wave, it is possible that the Enterprise air group might have located the Japanese force. But he had already decided to leave the area.
Weeks later, on January 23, 1942, Enterprise provided air support for a landing of about 5,000 marines at Pago Pago in Samoa, then proceeded to the first US attack on Japanese-held territory. On February 1, Enterprise and her embarked air group attacked Japanese bases in the Northern Marianas, including Kwajalein. Meantime, Yorktown struck targets in the Southern Marianas and Gilberts. It had not quite been two months since Pearl Harbor.
Three weeks later, Enterprise attacked Japanese fortifications and the airfield on Wake Island. It had been two and a half months since Pearl Harbor. On the 4th of March, Enterprise attacked Japanese forces on Marcus Island. It was three months since Pearl Harbor and Enterprise had four times engaged Japanese military forces in hostile action.
On the 8th of April, 1942, when Bataan fell, the outgunned American and Filipino defenders had held out against an experienced Japanese Army for four months. Enterprise was on her way to another attack on Japanese forces. This would make five times in four months.
Saturday, April 7, 2012
Get Out And Register - Then Get Out And Vote
Is voting a right or a privilege?
By law, it is a right. Every American citizen has the right to vote. One can also view it as a privilege, but it is a privilege that belongs to every citizen.
More importantly, it is a duty. In a democracy, if you don't take the trouble to vote, you are arguably a freeloader.
Don't be a freeloader. Do your duty and vote.
The first step in voting is to make sure you are registered and that the information is up to date.
How to register? You can do it when you get a driver's license or at any public service agency. But in Pamlico County, it is most convenient to drop by the Board of Elections office the next time you are in Bayboro.
The next election is the May 8 primary. Voter registration for that election closes at 5:00 PM April 13. If you miss that deadline, you can still vote using same-day registration during one-stop, but you can't change any previous party registration after April 13.
If you have questions, call the Board of Elections and ask our Elections Director, Ms. Lisa Bennett. She'll walk you through it.
By law, it is a right. Every American citizen has the right to vote. One can also view it as a privilege, but it is a privilege that belongs to every citizen.
More importantly, it is a duty. In a democracy, if you don't take the trouble to vote, you are arguably a freeloader.
Don't be a freeloader. Do your duty and vote.
The first step in voting is to make sure you are registered and that the information is up to date.
How to register? You can do it when you get a driver's license or at any public service agency. But in Pamlico County, it is most convenient to drop by the Board of Elections office the next time you are in Bayboro.
The next election is the May 8 primary. Voter registration for that election closes at 5:00 PM April 13. If you miss that deadline, you can still vote using same-day registration during one-stop, but you can't change any previous party registration after April 13.
If you have questions, call the Board of Elections and ask our Elections Director, Ms. Lisa Bennett. She'll walk you through it.
Friday, April 6, 2012
Seventy Years Ago - Army And Navy In Phillipines
While US Army pilots were training at Eglin Field in Florida for the Doolittle raid, US Army and Navy units were fighting a rear guard action in the Phillipines. On March 11, US Navy motor Torpedo Boat (MTB) Squadron 3, commanded by the Navy Lieutenant J.D. Bulkeley, transported General Douglas MacArthur from the island of Corregidor to Mindanao in the southern Phillipines.
The MTB squadron remained in the Phillipines after MacArthur went on to establish his headquarters in Australia. The squadron's exploits were described in a book and film by the title of They Were Expendable.
The film, directed by John Ford, is one of my favorite WWII movies. Ford, who served in the navy during the war, captured the feel of military service with a high degree of technical and dramatic accuracy (though with some embellishment). Robert Montgomery, who played the Lieutenant Bulkeley figure in the movie, had commanded a PT boat during the war. Three other actors playing MTB squadron personnel also had served in the war (Marion Morrison -AKA John Wayne- not among them. He never wore his country's uniform except in make-believe.)
Another WWII movie among my favorites is Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo. Both movies were based on actual events and depicted with a high degree of accuracy.
The MTB squadron remained in the Phillipines after MacArthur went on to establish his headquarters in Australia. The squadron's exploits were described in a book and film by the title of They Were Expendable.
The film, directed by John Ford, is one of my favorite WWII movies. Ford, who served in the navy during the war, captured the feel of military service with a high degree of technical and dramatic accuracy (though with some embellishment). Robert Montgomery, who played the Lieutenant Bulkeley figure in the movie, had commanded a PT boat during the war. Three other actors playing MTB squadron personnel also had served in the war (Marion Morrison -AKA John Wayne- not among them. He never wore his country's uniform except in make-believe.)
Another WWII movie among my favorites is Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo. Both movies were based on actual events and depicted with a high degree of accuracy.
Rights And Obligations
Our public discourse might be greatly improved if each of us were to give greater effort and support to the rights of others than to our own. And if we were to give greater emphasis to our own duties and obligations than to those of others; that would also be a good thing.
Just a thought.
Just a thought.
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