This finally occurred to me on the road today, and I don't know why it didn't make sense earlier. Normally, in baseball, all nine players in the field have to take a turn hitting as well. The designated hitter (or "DH") rule allows a team to have an extra player hit for the pitcher - usually, pitchers are the weakest hitters on the team. The pitcher gets to pitch, but doesn't have to bat; the DH gets to hit, but doesn't have to play the field when the other team is batting.
When there is no DH rule, managers of baseball teams commonly encounter this dilemma: the game is close, the pitcher has pitched well but it's not clear how much longer he can pitch, and the pitcher's spot in the batting order comes up in a crucial situation. Do you let the offensive opportunity pass by to keep the good pitcher in the game? Or do you take the pitcher out for a pinch-hitter to improve the chances of scoring and then take your chances with a relief pitcher?
And here's the problem in a nutshell - the DH rules says "you don't have to choose". You can choose what to do with your pitcher without any consequence for your offence; you never need to worry about the pitcher's spot in the batting order coming up at a critical time.
What I hate about this is that it's a symptom of a serious problem, which is the belief that we never have to make choices between two good alternatives, or two bad alternatives, or that we can always avoid consequences from the decisions that we make.
Cases in point:
- we think it's important that city workers have the right to strike to support their negotiating position, but when they don't pick up the garbage we don't want it dumped in areas the public accesses;
- once there are dumps in public areas, we don't want rats and vermin, but we don't want chemicals sprayed that will keep them away either;
- we don't show any signs of using less electric power, but we sure don't want nuclear, either because (geez!) it's nuclear or because we can't afford it (even after three years of study and a lot of public subsidy to the only qualified bidder); and we don't want power stations based on any other kind of fuel either, because they'll add incrementally to air pollution even though they're radically more efficient than what they replace. Nonetheless, we'll all be surprised when, mysteriously, there isn't enough power.
Sometimes, you have to accept that letting that pitcher go to the seventh inning will mean you forego an offensive opportunity in the sixth. You can't always just change the rules of the game to avoid the choice, or its consequences.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Blogging light
Chaos reigns. But Joey Votto's back with the Reds, and Doc Halladay is about to come off the DL, so there's always hope.
Friday, March 20, 2009
Quote of the day
The Toronto Star has a story today about the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation's head, Kelly McDougald. One of the vignettes is about a gentleman who won the jackpot on a slot machine that was clearly advertised as having a maximum payout of $9,025, but the machine told him he had won $42.9 million. Of course, he's suing. But leaving the dubious merits of the lawsuit aside, I love the following statement by Ms. McDougald as reported by the Star:
Wait a minute - nobody controls technology? Good heavens! I thought the coffee maker was looking at me funny lately, and that explains a lot about Vista.
"We did offer him prior to going to the media a settlement of around $10,000 in
recognition of the inconvenience and frustration that he felt as well as,
obviously, the dinner (for four) that was publicized," said McDougald. "It's
very clear in the rules and in the signage that we do not pay on malfunctions.
It could have easily said – because nobody controls technology – `you've won $42
billion.'"
Wait a minute - nobody controls technology? Good heavens! I thought the coffee maker was looking at me funny lately, and that explains a lot about Vista.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Michael Jackson thought
I rarely have those, I must admit. However, if you're going to call your tour a "final curtain call" isn't it tradition that someone should actually be calling you to the curtain? Maybe I missed that. Or maybe he should just beat it?
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Poor Obama
OK, so all of the nominees for Commerce, Health and "Chief Performance Officer" for the US government have tax problems, severe enough to cause two of the three to withdraw (so far). As Oscar Wilde's line about lost parents goes, one is unfortunate but two shows carelessness. It would seem to be impossible (i) to get to Washington DC without being pretty darn well-off and (ii) to actually pay all your taxes once you're pretty darn well-off. Is this a problem with a highly-complex tax system or a more basic issue of greed?
Friday, January 16, 2009
I Have Nothing Else to Think of on the Bus
Question:
Why does the word rueful have the same root as the french word for street? The origin is apparently middle-english for the former, or so-I-have-read.
I am not sure about the rest of you HU-mans but streets and experiencing a variant on the emotion sadness do not necessarily go together for me.
Anywho, I'd just like the public to know that I have been rickrolled not once, but twice today. That's right, twice in one day. AND the blog in question specifically promised that 99% of its links were not rickrolls. I like the idea of having rickroll disclaimers, even if they do turn out to be false.
As well, I just want to let anyone who may happen across this post know about Kate Beaton. She does probably some of the funniest comics on the inter-wubbz. She should also be given credit because half the time I go and look up the figures she satirizes. As a result I know a lot about random historical figures. Case and point, Charles Babbage. I think the more I know about the figure, the funnier the comic was. Or perhaps it's an inverse relationship?
Also, she is Canadian! Score one for us!
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Hazel thanks you for your confidence
- which, by the way, is well placed.
And, I am sure, if asked, would respond: "Prorogue THIS!"
And, I am sure, if asked, would respond: "Prorogue THIS!"
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Idle thought while vacuuming
OK all you finance and legal professionals who read this (you know who you are):
Listening to an interesting piece on credit derivatives from The Economist. The suggestion, which I think I agree with, is that there's nothing inherently wrong with credit default swaps and other forms of derivatives, but that people have radically underestimated the counterparty risk (a la AIG) and that causes the dangers that we're experiencing now. The fix is to require a central clearing house, similar to a stock market, which spreads that risk - this all makes sense to me.
But if that works, why do we not extend that concept to every form of contract? That is, if there's an inherent problem with bilateral or multilateral risks arising from contracts, then why don't we force all contracts to be pooled? Examples: if I'm afraid to buy a GM car because I don't think GM's going to be around to honour the warranty, isn't the answer that warranty contracts only be issued through a central clearing house of all automobile suppliers and spread that risk? Similar arguments could be made for things like multi-year cellphone contracts. Why do we think credit derivatives (or securities generally) are special in this regard?
Listening to an interesting piece on credit derivatives from The Economist. The suggestion, which I think I agree with, is that there's nothing inherently wrong with credit default swaps and other forms of derivatives, but that people have radically underestimated the counterparty risk (a la AIG) and that causes the dangers that we're experiencing now. The fix is to require a central clearing house, similar to a stock market, which spreads that risk - this all makes sense to me.
But if that works, why do we not extend that concept to every form of contract? That is, if there's an inherent problem with bilateral or multilateral risks arising from contracts, then why don't we force all contracts to be pooled? Examples: if I'm afraid to buy a GM car because I don't think GM's going to be around to honour the warranty, isn't the answer that warranty contracts only be issued through a central clearing house of all automobile suppliers and spread that risk? Similar arguments could be made for things like multi-year cellphone contracts. Why do we think credit derivatives (or securities generally) are special in this regard?
Friday, November 14, 2008
Juxtaposition
Just sayin'.
Case 1:
Justice Harry LaForme broke his silence on Thursday over his sudden resignation last month from the commission into Indian Residential School abuse, saying his "moral code" gave him no choice but to leave after his authority was undermined.
LaForme, who is aboriginal, resigned as the chairman of the Indian Residential School Truth and Reconciliation Commission on Oct. 20 in a letter to Indian Affairs Minister Chuck Strahl, less than six months into his mandate.
The Ontario Court of Appeal judge has not granted any interviews since his resignation, but he spoke about the decision for the first time in a speech that was part of a series of ethics lectures in Toronto's Ryerson University.
In his resignation letter, LaForme said the commission was on the verge of paralysis and doomed to failure. He cited an "incurable problem" with the other two commissioners, Claudette Dumont-Smith and Jane Brewin Morley, whom he said refused to accept his authority as chair and were disrespectful.
Speaking Thursday, LaForme said:
"I could not abdicate or surrender my dreams and visions about the truth and reconciliation commission to the two others — indeed, to two others who are relative strangers to me and to the historical and complex relationship that exists between aboriginal people and other peoples of Canada."
LaForme outlined how he and the two commissioners were given a framework for the commission that detailed their mandates.
"Assurances were given to me that it would be me and my vision that would chart, lead and direct the course of this very important and much-needed commission," he said.
"Thus, everyone knew, or certainly ought to have known, what the respective roles were to be."
Other commissioners disagreed
Laforme said that within months, however, that understanding changed. The two other commissioners felt that Laforme should not be above them and that all three should have equal authority. Laforme said Phil Fontaine, the national chief of the Assembly of First Nations, also shared that view.
"Indeed, the two commissioners believed this with such sincerity that they retained a lawyer, who, in turn, presumably on their instructions, wanted me to execute a document that acknowledged my agreement with their position," he said. "My moral code dictated that I could not agree."
His voice often breaking, LaForme then spent the next half hour describing his moral code. He talked about tough times as a youngster on an Ontario reserve, overcoming violence and his father's alcoholism.
LaForme went on to complete an engineering degree and finish law school. He was appointed to the bench in 1994, but even there, he said, he faced racism and allegations that his was a token appointment.
"My moral code includes that I must be always mindful of what it means to be marginalized and ignored, to have despair and no hope," he said.
"I must remember how deafening the forced silence by another on another can be."
He left the stage with tears in his eyes and was embraced by his wife, who was crying.
Case 2:
Let me tell ya something. Nowadays, everybody's gotta go to shrinks, and counselors, and go on "Sally Jessy Raphael" and talk about their problems. What happened to Gary Cooper? The strong, silent type. That was an American. He wasn't in touch with his feelings. He just did what he had to do. See, what they didn't know was once they got Gary Cooper in touch with his feelings that they wouldn't be able to shut him up! And then it's dysfunction this, and dysfunction that, and dysfunction ma fangul!
Case 1:
Justice Harry LaForme broke his silence on Thursday over his sudden resignation last month from the commission into Indian Residential School abuse, saying his "moral code" gave him no choice but to leave after his authority was undermined.
LaForme, who is aboriginal, resigned as the chairman of the Indian Residential School Truth and Reconciliation Commission on Oct. 20 in a letter to Indian Affairs Minister Chuck Strahl, less than six months into his mandate.
The Ontario Court of Appeal judge has not granted any interviews since his resignation, but he spoke about the decision for the first time in a speech that was part of a series of ethics lectures in Toronto's Ryerson University.
In his resignation letter, LaForme said the commission was on the verge of paralysis and doomed to failure. He cited an "incurable problem" with the other two commissioners, Claudette Dumont-Smith and Jane Brewin Morley, whom he said refused to accept his authority as chair and were disrespectful.
Speaking Thursday, LaForme said:
"I could not abdicate or surrender my dreams and visions about the truth and reconciliation commission to the two others — indeed, to two others who are relative strangers to me and to the historical and complex relationship that exists between aboriginal people and other peoples of Canada."
LaForme outlined how he and the two commissioners were given a framework for the commission that detailed their mandates.
"Assurances were given to me that it would be me and my vision that would chart, lead and direct the course of this very important and much-needed commission," he said.
"Thus, everyone knew, or certainly ought to have known, what the respective roles were to be."
Other commissioners disagreed
Laforme said that within months, however, that understanding changed. The two other commissioners felt that Laforme should not be above them and that all three should have equal authority. Laforme said Phil Fontaine, the national chief of the Assembly of First Nations, also shared that view.
"Indeed, the two commissioners believed this with such sincerity that they retained a lawyer, who, in turn, presumably on their instructions, wanted me to execute a document that acknowledged my agreement with their position," he said. "My moral code dictated that I could not agree."
His voice often breaking, LaForme then spent the next half hour describing his moral code. He talked about tough times as a youngster on an Ontario reserve, overcoming violence and his father's alcoholism.
LaForme went on to complete an engineering degree and finish law school. He was appointed to the bench in 1994, but even there, he said, he faced racism and allegations that his was a token appointment.
"My moral code includes that I must be always mindful of what it means to be marginalized and ignored, to have despair and no hope," he said.
"I must remember how deafening the forced silence by another on another can be."
He left the stage with tears in his eyes and was embraced by his wife, who was crying.
Case 2:
Let me tell ya something. Nowadays, everybody's gotta go to shrinks, and counselors, and go on "Sally Jessy Raphael" and talk about their problems. What happened to Gary Cooper? The strong, silent type. That was an American. He wasn't in touch with his feelings. He just did what he had to do. See, what they didn't know was once they got Gary Cooper in touch with his feelings that they wouldn't be able to shut him up! And then it's dysfunction this, and dysfunction that, and dysfunction ma fangul!
Thursday, October 30, 2008
More band names that ought to be
Hey everybody it's time for the newest addition of Band Names! As always they are strange and our family came up with them. So here they are without further adieu Band Names. First up Everlasting Flush, next up is Everyone Seems American, thirdly is Rhymes with Feces. The next ones are 4on (fouron), Ants on the Phone, Cake in a Biblical Sense, Methamphetadad, Puffy Unders, Ashley+the LB's, Pukin' Banana Bread, Squeetastic Funk Band and last but not least is the Big Black Underwear. Hope you like these band names, 'cause there's more to come soon so don't go away!
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Scientific Breakthrough
This humble blog has the honour to introduce an entirely new unit of measure - the Jeffrey.
The Jeffrey is defined as the distance one is at any given time from a Jeffrey-Tambor-in-"And Justice For All"-style meltdown in which one shaves one's head and becomes a saffron-robed Hare Krishna, with one Jeffery being defined as the equilibrium position in the normal population, so that one is twice as far from that meltdown at two Jefferys.
It is great fun to place people into this system. Of course, each of us may be at a different place on this scale on any given day. But a list of the rating in Jeffreys of selected persons will appear (for a while at least) over there on the right side of this page. Feel free, by comment, to suggest others and their Jeffrey ratings or to take issue with the ratings given. Decisions of the judges are final, and manifestly right.
The Jeffrey is defined as the distance one is at any given time from a Jeffrey-Tambor-in-"And Justice For All"-style meltdown in which one shaves one's head and becomes a saffron-robed Hare Krishna, with one Jeffery being defined as the equilibrium position in the normal population, so that one is twice as far from that meltdown at two Jefferys.
It is great fun to place people into this system. Of course, each of us may be at a different place on this scale on any given day. But a list of the rating in Jeffreys of selected persons will appear (for a while at least) over there on the right side of this page. Feel free, by comment, to suggest others and their Jeffrey ratings or to take issue with the ratings given. Decisions of the judges are final, and manifestly right.
Oh, and by the way - the Jeffrey is copyright of this author, and may only be reproduced with reference to this page. Keep your mitts off, SI!
Saturday, September 20, 2008
No, it is not cliched to blog about your cats. It's Blog Classic.
I have to take a small break from the politics of Canada's health care system (don't ask) to comment on another small outbreak here. I'm talking Desk Cats. I have a plague of 'em. It all started with this one, who lives on my desk. Why, one might ask, does a cat live on my desk? 
Well, this is our little Special Needs Kitty. Her meow sounds like something between a throaty goat and Silence of the Lambs. She once typed "67ukill" when left alone with my keyboard. We think she's secretly operating a telemarketing business and shuffling her money around various off-shore accounts. She launches Windows Media Player at every opportunity. She requires me to complete the same feeding routine in the same order every day in order to be able to eat. She is roundly thrashed by all other cats in the house. No wonder we called her Sybil. Actually, she was named for this Sybil instead.
Nevertheless, attracted by the bowl of cat food constantly on display, I have inherited a variety of other feline disasters. This one is famous for constantly walking across my keyboard. He once typed "loki", causing us to momentarily consider re-naming. However, he remains Otto.
Well, this is our little Special Needs Kitty. Her meow sounds like something between a throaty goat and Silence of the Lambs. She once typed "67ukill" when left alone with my keyboard. We think she's secretly operating a telemarketing business and shuffling her money around various off-shore accounts. She launches Windows Media Player at every opportunity. She requires me to complete the same feeding routine in the same order every day in order to be able to eat. She is roundly thrashed by all other cats in the house. No wonder we called her Sybil. Actually, she was named for this Sybil instead.
Nevertheless, attracted by the bowl of cat food constantly on display, I have inherited a variety of other feline disasters. This one is famous for constantly walking across my keyboard. He once typed "loki", causing us to momentarily consider re-naming. However, he remains Otto. This one is a cat version of Miss Piggy. She flirts outrageously, especially with men, but has a hair trigger and a wicked right hook. Here's a picture of her engaging in her favourite activity. 
Finally, the Big Orange Man - aka Franktastic Wonkylegs. He's tall enough and demanding 
enough to stand on his hind legs and tap my shoulder while I'm working on the computer. Most of the time, though, he prefers to sleep. Needing a little stint in boxhab perhaps... Well, at least they don't spend hours on personal calls at the office....LAWL
enough to stand on his hind legs and tap my shoulder while I'm working on the computer. Most of the time, though, he prefers to sleep. Needing a little stint in boxhab perhaps... Well, at least they don't spend hours on personal calls at the office....LAWLMonday, September 8, 2008
Congrats to Nephew/Cousin Michael
OK, I couldn't wait for the official game report so I went here to see the 0-1 result for Ontario Power Generation. While you'd always rather win, that's a great result against a team that was 10-0 with 58 goals for and 7 against! You guys should be very proud! As are the Red Boys, whose league clearly uses the same ISP...
One question for coach/guest blogger Darren. Why are the scores so low in that league? I'm really struck by the fact that OPG's average game score was a 2-1 win, while the Red Boys on average won their games 5-4 or maybe even 6-5 (we don't post as many stats for some reason). Shorter games? Better defence? Or do they make you guys play on skates?
Vote for Tom Cheek
You should vote for long-time Blue Jay broadcaster Tom Cheek for the Ford Frick award. You can do so here. More info about Tom is available through that link or here.
This will be annoying in a couple of ways. First, the Baseball Hall of Fame requires an insane amount of information to let you vote, so uncheck all the follow-up spam that you don't want. Second, this is not a direct election but rather a pre-screen - the top candidates in the online voting are assured only of being in the group of ten that get final consideration by a 20-person committee, mostly made up of past winners.
The award is to recognize service by baseball broadcasters (it's not to actually put them "in the Hall of Fame" - though since they do get a display area of their own it's kind of a moot point). However, it's hard to think of anyone more deserving and Tom's been a finalist four straight years now and should finally win. Current broadcaster Mike Wilner has reasons why here.
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Honey, let's order dinner tonight....
On the other hand though, fast food isn't all that healthy for you and the portions are getting so big....
Friday, September 5, 2008
Got a hoard of small change?
If so, you might want to check out this site. It's quite fascinating. (Note that the link is for Canadian coins, but the site covers coins of the United States too.)
** Disclaimer: I don't think it's legal to melt Her Majesty's coinage. Obtain competent legal advice before proceeding. **
Credit for the link to Francois Velde's page, which proves again that "economist" need not be a synonym for "boring". Another proof is here.
** Disclaimer: I don't think it's legal to melt Her Majesty's coinage. Obtain competent legal advice before proceeding. **
Credit for the link to Francois Velde's page, which proves again that "economist" need not be a synonym for "boring". Another proof is here.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Baseball updates
Further updates to this post:
- no, they weren't for real;
- Burnett and Halladay (and almost all the other pitchers) continue to be great;
- the DPs continued to abate in the Cito Restoration: 127 after 136 games, a full-season rate of a mere 151;
- Roy Halladay as of today: 17-9, 2.69 ERA, average run support 4.37 runs/game
- Matt Cain as of today: 8-11, 3.69 ERA, average run support 3.26 runs/game.
- no, they weren't for real;
- Burnett and Halladay (and almost all the other pitchers) continue to be great;
- the DPs continued to abate in the Cito Restoration: 127 after 136 games, a full-season rate of a mere 151;
- Roy Halladay as of today: 17-9, 2.69 ERA, average run support 4.37 runs/game
- Matt Cain as of today: 8-11, 3.69 ERA, average run support 3.26 runs/game.
Monday, September 1, 2008
Before the Big Game
On Saturday September 6th the U9 Boys North Bay Soccer Youth Soccer League will hold its final game. My team, Ontario Power Generation (and yes, we've got the power), will play the undefeated Kia of North Bay.
Our season was great...we ended the season in second place. While I have had many chances in front of the net, I have been only been able to score once. However, in the final game I am looking for a hat-trick.
Our season was great...we ended the season in second place. While I have had many chances in front of the net, I have been only been able to score once. However, in the final game I am looking for a hat-trick.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
The worst word in the world
Strong title, I know, but this word deserves it.
It may be an occupational thing, but this word manages to be insulting, misdescriptive, and misused by most people who employ it, all at the same time.
The word in question is "verbiage". If you mean to be dismissive or disparaging of somebody's prose style, by all means use it. It's pejorative, and that's what it's for. But for heaven's sake, don't use "verbiage" as an equivalent to "language" or "words". I even take issue with Merriam-Webster's definition to an extent - the first definition is fine, but contrary to the second definition "verbiage" shouldn't be just a synonym for "diction", as the etymology makes clear. It's not just expression, it's "chattering" or "trilling" pointlessly or confusingly.
As usual, Bryan Garner's book (the only reference book I use regularly) gets this right. The M-W second definition apparently also shows up in the Shorter OED but Garner calls it an "unneeded sense" (page 676 for those of you who want to look stuff like this up). So if you mean to criticize writing, or speech, that is prolix or redundant, use the word in good health. (Don't say "verbage", though. Geez.)
On the other hand, if you mean to dismiss something in writing because you don't think it's important, or you can't be bothered to read it, or you don't understand it and think it's irrelevant whether or not you do, then say those things and leave this word alone. In particular, if you want to apply it to some or all of a legal document, don't! If it's poorly written, opaque, redundant or jargon-filled, say so - you've got an excellent chance of being right. But dismissing large blocks of text because you've decided only lawyers would care about them just means the lawyers continue to win. Mwah hah hah hah!
It may be an occupational thing, but this word manages to be insulting, misdescriptive, and misused by most people who employ it, all at the same time.
The word in question is "verbiage". If you mean to be dismissive or disparaging of somebody's prose style, by all means use it. It's pejorative, and that's what it's for. But for heaven's sake, don't use "verbiage" as an equivalent to "language" or "words". I even take issue with Merriam-Webster's definition to an extent - the first definition is fine, but contrary to the second definition "verbiage" shouldn't be just a synonym for "diction", as the etymology makes clear. It's not just expression, it's "chattering" or "trilling" pointlessly or confusingly.
As usual, Bryan Garner's book (the only reference book I use regularly) gets this right. The M-W second definition apparently also shows up in the Shorter OED but Garner calls it an "unneeded sense" (page 676 for those of you who want to look stuff like this up). So if you mean to criticize writing, or speech, that is prolix or redundant, use the word in good health. (Don't say "verbage", though. Geez.)
On the other hand, if you mean to dismiss something in writing because you don't think it's important, or you can't be bothered to read it, or you don't understand it and think it's irrelevant whether or not you do, then say those things and leave this word alone. In particular, if you want to apply it to some or all of a legal document, don't! If it's poorly written, opaque, redundant or jargon-filled, say so - you've got an excellent chance of being right. But dismissing large blocks of text because you've decided only lawyers would care about them just means the lawyers continue to win. Mwah hah hah hah!
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