Police As Military in Post-Racial America

If a police officer sees himself as a soldier, does he start searching for his own personal enemy combatants, even if there aren't any to be found...in broad daylight....in the middle of the street?

Reading about the sad death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri leads to lots of other online destinations, but I found this tumblr especially poignant and depressing. David Simon's Two Baltimores, John Edwards' (can we still mention him?) Two Americas, Obama's post-racial USA; only one is a seemingly mythical destination. And despite progress, it could continue for quite some time. We seem caught at the intersection of our own (economic, racial, religious, pick one or more) self-segregation, our easy comfort with violence, and our baffling acquiescence to any and all authority.

World Cup 2014 Thoughts

• That Belgium match was one of the most entertaining of the tournament, right up there with Costa Rica-Uruguay, US-Portugal, Ghana-Germany, and most Colombia matches.
• The future looks kind of bright? I would think that the best indication of that would be the performance of the U-23 (aka Olympic) team in the next cycle - those guys have not been great recently - and of the U-20 team, which has had some mixed success in recent years. If those teams aren't getting into at least the quarterfinals of their tournaments, I'm not sure it's realistic to expect that the Senior MNT will do better in Russia. The potential young stars - Yedlin, Green, Brooks - are already here, but those junior teams will provide the depth that we simply don't have right now.
• I could have added Altidore to the list above - he can get better, and even though he's seemingly been around forever, he'll turn 25 in November. I didn't add Johannsson because he showed very little in Brazil. And I think Diskerud is still on the team, but can't be too sure.
• I would agree with Klinsmann, college soccer may be retarding development here in the States; I wonder if the NCAA's upcoming legal losses will change this. If they have to end up paying athletes, are these 'new' employees going to be allowed to "major" in their sports, such that the practice restrictions are done away with - or at the very least, loosened up quite a bit - and college programs become more like lower-level clubs or academies? One would think that this model could then filter down to the high school level (eventually).
• I'm pulling for Costa Rica (I've been there, it's beautiful and friendly, they're on the same continent, et cetera) and Germany (my mom's family heritage, plus they're very tall and fast) from here on out.
• I know it's a dry heat in Qatar, and they're planning on adding A/C to their stadiums; let's hope it works. I can't imagine that extra time will look pretty in 120F heat, if the A/C goes down. Then again, maybe it won't be an issue because the 2022 competition will be closer to home.

What the Birds really need to do to get back to October

I agree with pretty much everything in this Tom Verducci piece. But I was struck, while watching last night's game, by some numbers thrown out there by Gary Thorne: Baltimore is 20-7 in games that Chris Tillman starts. They're currently 71-61  on the season. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that they need better starters to complement Tillman. Or Buck and Dan need to figure out how to clone him and run four more copies of him out there. They'd be 98-34 right now if they had a whole year of an all-Tillman staff! That's how stats work, right?

Courage During Wartime

This is about a week or two late - all the discussion of illegal extralegal drone strikes that were prompted in part by the Brennan-for-CIA confirmation hearings occurred in that distant past (in journalism time) - but I saw too many great posts about drones, torture, and the all-encompassing war on terror in general. Here they are, with the money quotes:

• Conor Friedersdorf, The Atlantic, A Republic Demands Courage From Its Citizens. Conor quotes Jim Manzi of National Review, who calculates the risk of death to individuals should a 9/11 event occur annually at 0.001%: "To demand that the government "keep us safe" by doing things out of our sight that we have refused to do in much more serious situations so that we can avoid such a risk is weak and pathetic. It is the demand of spoiled children, or the cosseted residents of the imperial city. In the actual situation we face, to demand that our government waterboard detainees in dark cells is cowardice."

• Ta-Nahesi Coates, The Atlantic, The Art of Infinite War: "The president is anti-torture -- which is to say he thinks the water-boarding of actual confirmed terrorist Khalid Sheikh Mohammed was wrong. He thinks it was wrong, no matter the goal -- which is to say the president would not countenance the torture of an actual terrorist to foil a plot against the country he's sworn to protect. But the president would countenance the collateral killing of innocent men, women and children by drone in pursuit of an actual terrorist. What is the morality that holds the body of a captured enemy but not the body of those who happen to be in the way?"

• The always-excellent Matt Taibbi, Rolling Stone, At Least We're Not Measles: "Welcome to the honor of American citizenship. Should we replace E Pluribus Unum with We Don't Kill as Many Children as Measles?"

Destruction From Space

Since space rocks are in the news today - here's the best video I've seen so far of the Russian Meteor - the  site Killer Asteroids and its Impact Calculator app is getting a lot of (deserved) attention. You need a Google Earth plugin for your browser. Destruction has never been this entertaining!

By the way, if you're using Chrome, the Green GO button to the left of the address dialog (if you should choose to enter your own location) has a tendency to come and go.

Cloud Atlas on the Big Screen?

I was kind of blown away after finishing David Mitchell's Cloud Atlas last year; not only was it one of the best pieces of fiction I've ever read, it was also the most inventive, bizarre, and genre-distorting book that I've ever picked up. Long story short (and it is a long story, or rather group of stories), I highly recommend it.

So I was more than reticent when I just now discovered that it's going to be a fall film release. Not only is it the very definition of "challenging source material", but the choice of the Wachowski brothers as directors seems like a less-than-inspired choice. Sure, they knocked one out of the park with the Matrix, but that doesn't excuse the subsequent Matrix films. We'll see. I predict either disaster or Oscar nomination; I just can't imagine the middle ground with any interpretation of this book. Either way though, I doubt many people will see it.

Good Luck Charm

Two days later, that last post seems...poorly timed. A 14-3 loss on Monday, as the home team ran straight into the Rangers' offensive buzzsaw - no huge surprise, at least with Matusz pitching [I don't get it, they send Tommy Hunter down to Norfolk but Matusz is still with the club?!? I sure hope Zach Britton is a fast healer]. And last night Arrieta pitched OK, but to one or two batters. Unfortunately, one of those guys is the 21st century version of Mickey Mantle. 18 total bases, that's kind of ridiculous. That's an awesome week for any player.

It's only May, but...

After tuning into the O's-Boston game in the seventh yesterday, watching for another 3 hours until Baltimore's victory in 17 tidy innings was assured, I'm starting to wonder - is it possible? - that this team [best record in baseball, for today at least!] is actually pretty damn good? The division is a mess - NYY have a lot of injuries, Boston simply isn't very good (Boston fans have to be worried that a Baltimore farm system castoff is getting so many outfield starts), and Baltimore has gone 5-1 against Toronto thus far. Who knows? The next week, with 4 against Texas and a weekend series against the Rays, should be illuminating.

Tenth in MLB in runs, second in HR behind New York, second in ERA behind the Nats (O's were 30th, out of 30 teams, in ERA in 2011), third in run differential behind the Cards and Rangers, fielding...um, never mind fielding. Anyway, I'm certainly enjoying it while it lasts.

Not So Super

After that awful end to an otherwise very entertaining Ravens game yesterday, I'm thinking that this may be the first year since 2007 that I don't tune in for the Super Bowl (2007: we were in Zanzibar, and the game was actually on TV there - it IS a global phenomenon! - but kickoff was around 2 a.m., so I still haven't seen Peyton win a SB).

The Giants? Growing up a Washington fan and rooting for another NFC East team, especially a NY team? I don't think so. New England? Not because they beat Baltimore, but root for Belichick and Brady? No thank you. Best case? Maybe a sudden meteor shower in the Indy area. Or a Lucas Oil Stadium roof collapse. Well before the game, of course! I strongly dislike both teams, but not enough to wish death-from-above on them or their fans. In most cases.

When does spring training start? Oh wait, I'm an Orioles fan. Shit.

Taibbi's Take on UC Davis

The whole post is worth reading, but Matt is as succinct and as eloquent as ever:

These people are weak and pathetic, and they’re getting weaker. And boy, are they showing it. Way to gear up with combat helmets and the submachine guns, fellas, to take on a bunch of co-eds sitting Indian-style on a campus quad. Maybe after work you can go break up a game of duck-duck-goose at the local Chuck E Cheese. I’d bring the APC for that one.

I should know better by now, but it still surprises me that those who decried this during Bush/Cheney have been all too quiet about the continuation - even expansion - of these policies under Obama. A sign of the times. Politics(winning) at all costs. My guy can do no wrong, the other side's is evil incarnate.

Breakthrough Beer Technology!

No, it (probably) won't change the world, but what an awesome/crazy idea that's become reality: pouring draught beer from the bottom up!

http://www.grinonindustries.com/

http://www.thepostgame.com/features/201101/death-beer-line

Words of Wisdom from AZ Sheriff

Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik:

"The anger, the hatred, the bigotry that goes on this country is getting to be outrageous. The vitriolic rhetoric that we hear day in and day out from people in the radio business and some people in the TV business ... This has not become the nice United States that most of us grew up in. It's not unusual for all public officials to get threats constantly, myself included. That's the sad thing about what's going on in America: Pretty soon we're not going to be able to find reasonable decent people willing to subject themselves to serve in public office.''

This Year's Terps - A Cavalcade of Point Guards

I know it's only November, but after watching two out of Maryland's three wins so far, this looks like it could be a fun team this year. They've got inside scoring and rebounding from Jordan Williams, who looks to be in much better shape than he was last year, and could also be a year ahead of where Lonny Baxter was as a sophomore in terms of offensive skills. Cliff Tucker is probably their best defender not named Sean Mosley, and might also be the best outside shooter on the team. And then their are the point guards. Senior Adrian Bowie starts and has been solid thus far, but the freshmen behind him on the bench, Pe'Shon Howard (yes, that's actually his first name) and Terrell Stoglin, might both be better players. In fact, I'm betting that Howard starts over Bowie at some point this season. No matter who starts, ball handling shouldn't be the problem that it's been at times over the last few seasons.

Add what could be a deep but young (three more freshmen, one sophomore, one transfer) bench, and, well, we'll see what happens. Something else that's new for a Gary Williams team is its international flavor; one of the freshmen is from Iceland, and the transfer is a skinny Dutch guy. We'll know a lot more about this team once they face a top-five Pittsburgh team on Thursday night at MSG.

TSA Enters Fondling Business

The bad news is that if you don't want to be irradiated, or have your privacy invaded, by the TSA's new full-body scanners, soon you can get groped by a TSA "officer". The good news is, there aren't any additional fees or taxes associated with this! At least for now.

http://www.smartertravel.com/blogs/today-in-travel/tsa-experimenting-with-enhanced-patdowns.html?id=5396474&source=dealalert_test_b&value=2010-08-25+00:00:00&u=3E91EFB00D

I wonder whether the TSA will publish some guidance about how to tip your TSA officer for exceptional service. Slide the singles into his/her badge holder? The belt? In your belt or waistband (if they're any good at all, they'll find them!). And what happens if you opt for this perk in the middle of a raging erection? Will they wave you through the line, or would that provoke the Defenders Of Our Skies to take you into a back room and beat it out of you? Inquiring minds want to know!

The Wisdom of Buck

I know it's only three games into his tenure and they're still the worst team in MLB by a healthy margin, but so far I really dig Mr. Showalter's style, man. Not only are the O's 3-0, but we get post-game quotes like this:

"Part of playing, not only in the big leagues, but in the American League [is] big, strong, hairy guys here. They hit it where the grass doesn't grow. And that's part of playing in this division, this league. That's part of it. We've got some big guys, too. Maybe not as hairy."

More Guns? Great!

It seems that the group that's been knocking down gun regulations - first in D.C., then in Chicago, now has Maryland in its crosshairs (sorry, I couldn't resist). And so the literalism continues. Yes, the long-dead fellows who penned the Constitution were brilliant guys. But how did a "well-regulated militia", et cetera, morph into the right to head to the grocery store with a handgun on your hip? Yes, you can have the last Valu-Pack of strip steaks! No need to wave that thing around. By the way, you have some froth on the right corner of your mouth...there, got it. Good. By the way, I dig that American flag polo shirt.

If we want to be so damn literal, I have two proposals:

1. Continue to assume that Founders were infallible men - but not men who could see a future of semi-automatics and extended clips. That means no adapting the Second Amendment for modern times. Muskets for everyone! No complaining, especially from you right-wingers who are always whining about activist judges.

2. Find the nearest mad-scientist geneticist, and have him or her hook you up with the real deal. Who's gonna fuck with you once you're packing these babies?

Oil On Our Hands?

It's been broached many times since the beginning of the Deepwater disaster - how much culpability should we, the oil-drenched public, assume? I think that the answer is...some, but that the question misses the point. Why is any discussion of climate change coupled with a discussion of what kind of cars we should be driving? Most of our time is spent working in buildings with substantial energy costs, then we retreat to what are often energy-hog homes. The very practice of coal mining is an ecological disaster - not to mention the CO2 production - but makes for less compelling TV because nothing's on fire.

Standards for energy-efficient construction are improving for commercial buildings, meanwhile most of our homes are burning through coal using either old, inefficient appliances or newer, inefficient appliances chosen by a builder because they're the cheapest available.

Can we all stand to use less oil? Sure! But it's only a piece of a much bigger picture. I just don't see this particular catastrophe as the 'tipping point' that leads to real change, even if it does lead to more hybrids and EVs on our roads. Oil is a problem, sure - it's simply a smaller part of the overall problem than most people think.

The New Plutocracy: Now, With More Pluto!

I resolved to myself recently that I would try to limit new entries related to our beloved federal government & politics, and today's Supreme Court ruling that strikes down a lot of campaign finance limits, makes me feel so much better about that decision. I honestly don't know that it makes much sense to vote - in national/federal elections - anymore.

Not that corporations always have it wrong, or are inherently evil. Far from it. But once again, how is the Constitution interpreted so that corporation (legal entity) = citizen (human)? James Fallows is correct: our government, stagnated by corruption, dysfunctional as hell, is simply not keeping up with the rest of the nation. The only worthwhile national voting left is with our money - to appeal to those that really run the show, purchase (or abstain from purchasing) products and services that reflect the direction in which you'd like the country to go. Unfortunately, Congress & the Executive Branch are just middlemen now. You get the best deal by cutting out the middleman, right? Too bad that the private sector is really not that efficient/cost-effective/honest when it comes to providing some services (see: health care / military spending / Wall Street, respectively).

"Supporting" Actor?

I must say that I'm pleasantly surprised, but also baffled, at the Golden Globe nominations. Inglorious Basterds for Best Picture? Excellent. Christoph Walz nominated? Awesome. But nominated for Best Supporting Actor? What gives? Sure, in such an ensemble film, he didn't as much screen time as your typical Best Actor nominee might, but good luck trying to convince anyone who's seen the film that he wasn't the star. I assumed that he had a Best Actor (Golden Globes, Oscars, what have you) nomination wrapped up after the first scene.

Makes me wonder; if one of Tarantino's original choices for the role of the Colonel Landa, Leonardo DiCaprio, had been cast instead, would he have been bumped up to the big-boy's category?

The End of the NFL?

No, it's not very likely, at least in my lifetime, but who knows? I happened to catch some CNN on an airport TV while waiting for a delayed flight yesterday, and saw some coverage of (congressional?) hearings on concussions in football. CNN is a bit behind, as usual, because it ran this as 'breaking news' when these studies have been ongoing for a while, and Mr. Tipping Point wrote a very interesting article about it in the New Yorker recently.

Is watching tackle football really akin to dogfighting though? Not so sure about that conclusion. But I do know that while most societies consider themselves to be civilized, eventually some future culture looks back at certain aspects of said society and thinks, "those barbarians! how could they live in a world where _____ passed as entertainment! I'm glad we're more enlightened than they were back then." Is tackle football going to fill in that blank one day?