tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-80382732011-07-07T20:39:28.986-05:00"You are who you think you ain't."Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.comBlogger15101100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-66603334278777137462007-08-31T14:01:00.000-05:002007-08-31T14:02:36.333-05:00

State Street has moved to WordPress. Please change your link to statestreet.wordpress.com.

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-20011597429551979812007-08-30T12:59:00.000-05:002007-08-30T13:13:11.094-05:00

It's the Dog Days. My mind is incapable of any sustained reading of a long book. So I picked up the second volume of Hunter S. Thompson's letters, Fear and Loathing in America, to go with my rereading of his articles in The Great Shark Hunt.(Note to self: learn to write better through close reading of Thompson.)

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-63431186954201317092007-08-29T22:02:00.000-05:002008-12-12T01:28:16.086-06:00

I'll interpret the scoreboard for you. The Cubs lost 6 - 1. Sometimes you're the windshield; sometimes you're the bug.

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-13000976065498664042007-08-29T21:33:00.001-05:002008-12-12T01:28:16.215-06:00

The Cubs are down 6 to 1 in the 8th, but all the bleacher bums are still here.

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-7646298942616700302007-08-29T19:21:00.000-05:002008-12-12T01:28:16.423-06:00

If heaven exists, it must look something like this.

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-11315378573533214692007-08-29T11:08:00.000-05:002007-08-29T11:12:58.950-05:00

I like this story from the NYT: U.S. Releases Group of Iranians Held in Baghdad.Members of an Iranian Energy Ministry delegation were arrested and held overnight by American troops in Baghdad for having unauthorized weapons, before being released this morning, American and Iraqi officials said in Baghdad.Seriously, would you hang out in Iraq without a weapon? Everybody else has one.

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-52077034270458649582007-08-29T10:12:00.000-05:002007-08-29T10:13:47.704-05:00

Dear Everybody,You can probably imagine where my head is at today. The Cubs are playing the Milwaukee Brewers for first place in the NL Central division. The Cubs won last night; I have a solo ticket for tonight’s game--so I’m totally stoked. As you read here earlier this year, I wrote the Cubs off in May. I forgot you don’t need to have a very good record to win the NL Central division.

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-82354952584908491182007-08-28T14:11:00.001-05:002007-08-28T14:11:37.322-05:00

On the train to Naperville. The city sweats beneath the summer sun. Inside the train, I'm way cool with Thompson's gonzo papers resting on my lap.

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-23368641079260440732007-08-28T09:57:00.000-05:002007-08-28T09:59:18.152-05:00

At some point feeling replaces certainty. I feel I get the gist of Riemann’s thoughts on the number of primes less than a given number. I feel I understand what Hegel is saying about sense certainty. I feel that Alberto Gonzales’s resignation is a good thing. But how do I know if my feelings are right? I could have the learned quiz me. But how do I know the learned really know?

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-30180489870885922762007-08-27T07:29:00.000-05:002007-08-27T07:47:24.074-05:00

The morning with its gray sky and sharp cool wind could be mistaken for an autumn dawn instead of one in the midst of the dogs days. Idly recalling my life while I drink coffee and smoke a cigarette is like writing--a central challenge is what to put in and what to leave out. My memory is a wild and untamed beast. I must discipline it.I'll be on the road soon. I must slap my memory around

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-86531420059719210012007-08-26T23:20:00.000-05:002007-08-26T23:31:03.917-05:00

A full moon, a cool breeze, the scent of freshly cut grass: an accumulation of failures gnaw at me. Yes, that is what has me feeling empty and lonely. What I wouldn't give for a touch, a kiss, and some assuring words.What else can I do but stand in the dark, smoke a cigarette, and try to imagine what will be rather than what was. Yet that seems as hollow as the moon.

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-16186986214678861182007-08-26T08:43:00.000-05:002007-08-26T09:07:48.292-05:00

I made an unexpected trip back to Iowa yesterday. I had no desire to go, but duty calls. However, this morning is cool and no clouds litter the sky, something I have not felt or seen for sometime. Our fates are never completely under our control. That’s easy to forget. That brings us to other things easy to forget, but that is too long a story to be typed on the iPhone.

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-8718274823758244662007-08-24T10:17:00.000-05:002007-08-24T10:56:52.188-05:00

The release of yesterday's intelligence assessment on the Iraq Occupation and Surge strategy does not give reason for hope about Iraq--no matter what your political persuasion. From NYT, Report Offers Grim View of Iraqi Leaders:A stark assessment released Thursday by the nation’s intelligence agencies depicts a paralyzed Iraqi government unable to take advantage of the security gains achieved by

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-86369856083259050802007-08-24T09:58:00.000-05:002007-08-24T10:06:23.704-05:00

More grim news coming from Iraq: More Iraqis Said to Flee Since Troop Increase (NYT).The number of Iraqis fleeing their homes has soared since the American troop increase began in February, according to data from two humanitarian groups, accelerating the partition of the country into sectarian enclaves.Despite some evidence that the troop buildup has improved security in certain areas, sectarian

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-9721198108952368142007-08-23T09:27:00.000-05:002007-08-23T09:36:08.119-05:00

I am sorry, at least for myself, that I have not been able to blog much. I have attempted several times during the past few days to blog from the iPhone, but ATT's terrible network failed each time. The iPhone is a great piece of technology connected to a horrible piece of technology. Until next week all blogging will be done from the iPhone if done at all--postcards kind of.

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-83440789822939938472007-08-20T06:35:00.000-05:002007-08-20T06:38:44.517-05:00

This from Reuters, US foreign policy experts oppose surge:More than half of top U.S. foreign policy experts oppose President George W. Bush's troop increase as a strategy for stabilizing Baghdad, saying the plan has harmed U.S. national security, according to a new survey.As Congress and the White House await the September release of a key progress report on Iraq, 53 percent of the experts polled

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-19985406238966269552007-08-18T23:16:00.000-05:002008-12-12T01:28:16.731-06:00

I have been looking for my copy of Howl for months. I found it today.Whew!

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-59794901214154412532007-08-17T21:52:00.001-05:002007-08-18T11:07:15.727-05:00

Drinking Maker's Mark whiskey is like a version of a mean valuetheorem. At first, you rise, then you reach a maximum, then youdecrease all the rest of the way in the closed interval, and neverachieve your maximum again. That means you get happier up to point, then less happy. What a pity. Wouldn't life be a whole lot better if you could just keep getting happier and happier from some magic

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-55746171447067714242007-08-17T04:32:00.001-05:002008-12-12T01:28:16.924-06:00

Tempo, Chicago, USAThe morning glory pancakes at Tempo on State Street.

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-37830767814323189762007-08-17T00:50:00.000-05:002008-12-12T01:28:17.316-06:00

Don't know who these folks are either, but they are mega-awesome!Damn, I think I'm slightly shit facedLater,Love,Lynn

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-27426938126456658842007-08-16T23:31:00.000-05:002008-12-12T01:28:17.469-06:00

My bad. Don't know the name of the band. I'll report back later. Quenchers, Chicago, USA

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-80435453761862378302007-08-16T22:46:00.000-05:002008-12-12T01:28:17.642-06:00

The Jagz, some of my good buds, rockin' at Quenchers, Chicago, USA.

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-52942457893588256452007-08-15T23:17:00.000-05:002008-12-12T01:28:17.846-06:00

Pink Taco playing at Mother's, Chicago, USA. I received an offer Icouldn't refuse.

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-35893742442384585462007-08-15T11:32:00.000-05:002007-08-15T11:34:59.359-05:00

The number e pops up all over the math world. It is the base of the natural logarithm, irrational, and transcendental.I spent a long time not caring much about e, but now I do. You better know as much as you can about e when you are meditating on the Riemann Hypothesis.e calculated to two decimal places is 2.71. The natural log of 10 is 2.3, of 100 is 4.6, and of 1,000 is 6.9. For each factor

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-84407730065577774902007-08-15T10:39:00.000-05:002007-08-15T10:50:13.090-05:00

It was 1992. I didn't have a computer. Why exactly I cannot say. I didn't know what the Internet was. My career had stalled even though I considered myself a star. I didn't even have a girlfriend, so I was a kind of hermit.I was reading the classics of literature, history, philosophy, and science at the University of Chicago. That seemed enough at the time.Then I met Jo, Dianne, Bonnie,

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-30799920023452991852007-08-14T19:06:00.000-05:002007-08-15T10:56:45.115-05:00

Maybe, I should move to Austin, TX. That would require getting my shit together. It could happen one of these days. But no matter where I go--no more crushes.

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-90703199151652828332007-08-14T11:33:00.000-05:002007-08-14T11:49:08.376-05:00

About noon. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is down a goodly sum again. Let's not think about it. Turn off CNBC. Log out of Ameritrade. As soon as you buy that put, the market will turn positive and you'll regret the purchase.Read a poem. Go for a walk. Do something spiritual such as factor a ten digit number chosen at random into its prime components.Where's the calculator?

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-55479761646297734362007-08-13T23:28:00.001-05:002007-08-14T11:52:37.242-05:00

I spent the day thinking about the Riemann Hypothesis. That's a sillything to do. Especially for me.Well. I thought about Riemann, himself, too. Two enigmas.Where would we be without enigmas?So much for iPhone blogging.

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-33299797229190248662007-08-12T17:49:00.001-05:002007-08-14T11:54:43.866-05:00

The higher arithmetc begins with some innocently simple questions about the natural numbers 1, 2, 3, etc. Then things become difficult in a hurry. Take the question about how many primes there are less than a given number. No one has answered it to everyone's satisfaction. Life would be much duller if it was not that way.

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-48087142031811795062007-08-11T10:07:00.000-05:002007-08-11T10:15:23.811-05:00

Since, then, this certainty will no longer come forth to us when we direct its attention to a Now that is night, or to an ‘I’ to whom it is night, we will approach it and let ourselves point to the Now that is asserted. We must let ourselves point to it; for the truth of this immediate relation is the truth of this ‘I’ which confines itself to one ‘Now’ or one ‘Here’. Were we to examine this

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-30663632641513027222007-08-11T09:38:00.001-05:002008-12-12T01:28:18.035-06:00

A lot of people write to me and say, “Hey! State Street! You are crazy for betting on sports.”To which I reply, “Hey! You can do crazier stuff--like betting on the stock market.”You might be walking around Chicago in February without your shirt.

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-91731248709506704302007-08-10T19:01:00.001-05:002008-12-12T01:28:18.245-06:00

This is the spot where Chicago's premier geezer is sitting. I'd take a picture of him, but he's busy signing autographs.

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-55248497895048117532007-08-10T08:23:00.000-05:002007-08-10T09:28:10.903-05:00

The financial and housing markets continue to get uglier. Nouriel Roubini's blog has a good summary of the situation. Worse than LTCM: Not Just a Liquidity Crisis; Rather a Credit Crisis and Crunch. I won't quote it.The markets opened over one percent lower this morning.Of course, economists and economy watchers predicted this state of affairs several years ago. It is errie though to watch

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-84591346573261534652007-08-09T10:44:00.000-05:002007-08-09T11:00:52.494-05:00

Some of you won't like this, but I sincerely believe it is the truth. Our intelligence consists of memory and imagination that arise from a thoroughly embodied mind. We remember things or make things up, then we utter something about it, or write it down, and then we call ourselves intelligent.Our thoughts depend upon our bodies. If intelligent life exists on some other planet, we would not

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-49607128100365272392007-08-09T10:08:00.000-05:002007-08-09T11:25:15.288-05:00

A lot of people write us and say, "hey, State Street, what's the scoop on you, dude? What kind of mood are you in?" Well our mood on this gray sultry summer day is captured in a poem from Sam Hamill's stunning and magnificent translation of ancient Chinese poetry contained in Crossing the Yellow River.Drinking All Night, Sleeping All DayRosy from wine, she risesas light rises in the east.Her

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-57406780233256221812007-08-09T09:20:00.000-05:002007-08-09T11:25:36.376-05:00

You have heard me extol the virtues of Sam Hamill's stunning and magnificent translation of ancient Chinese poetry, Crossing the Yellow River. And why not? It has things like this in it.Traveler's PavilionSunrise brightens my autumn window.Winds have once again stripped trees.The morning sun slips between cold mountains.The river runs through last night's mist.Our court makes use of everything

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-10879241683840420182007-08-08T18:53:00.000-05:002008-12-12T01:28:18.685-06:00

Me after I solved the free will problem. I still had a few moresteps to go on Riemann, but lost my train of thought. Hey, one out of two ain't bad, especially when you are shit-faced.A couple two three more shots and I would have nailed Riemann too.Wait! I did have a couple two three more shots. or maybe more.

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-22403445825045626662007-08-08T18:41:00.000-05:002008-12-12T01:28:18.795-06:00

Me working on the Riemann Hypothesis and the free will problem, while slightly shitfaced.

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-53553280239510271452007-08-08T14:48:00.000-05:002007-08-08T14:52:47.305-05:00

It was 1993. I had been without a home computer for four years. I have no idea how I survived. I walked to Marshal Fields at Water Tower Place and bought a Mac. They had a small electronics department on the top floor at the time.The Mac came with a 24K modem and a copy of AOL. I didn’t know what AOL was, but I tried it. I immediately became addicted. That was when you paid by the minute

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-29845049715370941902007-08-08T12:16:00.000-05:002008-12-12T01:28:18.964-06:00

Next month will be the third anniversary of State Street. I know what you're thinking, "State Street, who gives a shit?" That's what I'm thinking.But I've had a shit load of fun with this blog all the same. I plan on having even more fun too.

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-56815357118166461782007-08-08T11:32:00.000-05:002007-08-08T12:14:39.659-05:00

For quite a few months I typed my documents with the grammar checker turned on. Whenever grammar checker told me to change something, I did my darnedest to do it. Actually, grammar checkers can be down right tyrannical. Sometimes I would paste text from an acknowledged master of the English language into a document and the grammar checker would recommend butchering the sentences. That ought to

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-87641167748184843852007-08-07T11:44:00.001-05:002007-08-07T11:49:26.376-05:00

The volatility in the stock market is interesting to watch. It’s kind of scary too if you have some of your life savings invested in it. Of course, there is much white noise when the so called expert analysts explain what is driving the volatility. I like the softness in the housing market as an explanation best. My personal experience is that housing prices are not what they were two years

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-17939324856366387442007-08-05T08:38:00.000-05:002007-08-05T08:40:46.506-05:00

I have, naturally, been spending some time setting up my new computer the way I want it. Here's how it's going.I have been trying OpenOffice, a competitor against MS Office. It fits my simple needs nicely. Open Office is free; I won't buy the expensive MS Office.Connecting the Apple email client to Google mail and Google notifier was easy. In the past, I never was able to connect MS Outlook

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-46180089664366496812007-08-05T08:08:00.000-05:002007-08-05T08:19:30.280-05:00

The American and European football seasons are upon us. The baseball season is winding down. It is time to take stock of how I've done this past year in my sports wagering. I won some good money wagering on American football last year. Early in Premier League season, I hit some really nice 3, 4, and 5 team parlays and held my own the rest of the season. The football season was a definite

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-59552278066017835772007-08-05T01:55:00.000-05:002007-08-05T02:07:55.997-05:00

From VOANews:On Friday, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki welcomed Iraq's national team to celebrations in Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone.Most Baghdad residents were barred from the celebration because of security concerns.Iraq defeated Saudi Arabia 1-0 in the Asian Cup final, sparking a rare moment of national jubilation.

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-19440264060689737302007-08-05T01:21:00.000-05:002008-12-12T01:28:19.184-06:00

I spent Saturday night with the sexy MacBook Pro. What more can I say. I think I'm in love.

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-44442021711629545142007-08-03T12:01:00.000-05:002008-12-12T01:28:19.348-06:00

A hard drinkin' night the week I bought my new camera.

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-55037762745122137652007-08-03T07:44:00.000-05:002007-08-03T07:45:21.588-05:00

Moving to a new and different kind of computer is like moving into a new house. First, you must learn to navigate a different set of rooms. Second, you must get the basics you enjoy setup. In my case getting my new computer to work with gmail, installing Firefox, linking to my favorite websites, etc. Then I must decide about purchasing yet another copy of Microsoft Office. It’s so damned

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-11973995124254660042007-08-01T19:29:00.000-05:002007-08-02T07:29:59.739-05:00

I bought a MacBook Pro today. I took the money from my sports betting account. I have been more than lucky betting on baseball this summer.

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-3072559965797004032007-08-01T13:19:00.001-05:002007-08-01T13:19:51.644-05:00

I will be mobile blogging from my iPhone for awhile just to see if I can do it. It appears I won't have any problems with comments.

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-6147473312626935912007-08-01T13:09:00.001-05:002007-08-02T07:31:14.321-05:00

My computer keeps overheating and crashing. The fans are working fine, so I'm stumped. Could this be the excuse I need to buy a new one? After all it is over four years old.

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-91278424287726522942007-07-31T20:31:00.000-05:002008-12-12T01:28:19.585-06:00

One of these guys is me. Here's a hint. I'm the guy in the Cubs hat.

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-20365212222931095762007-07-31T14:16:00.001-05:002007-07-31T14:19:09.585-05:00

This post was sent via my new iPhone,which, by the way, is way cool! I will report more later when I figure out what I am doing. It is the toy I could not live without.

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-28897437703388241602007-07-29T10:21:00.000-05:002007-07-29T10:27:01.398-05:00

From Reuters:BERLIN (Reuters) - Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki has told a German magazine that the United States has too many problems in Iraq to become involved in armed conflict with Iran.Military action is sometimes discussed in Washington as an option in trying to derail what it sees as Iran's drive to develop nuclear weapons.The United States "is not in a position to get into a

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-66595957160054906972007-07-29T09:42:00.000-05:002007-07-29T09:44:11.939-05:00

Iraq won the Asian Cup football final. Good for them. Let's celebrate and hope nobody takes advantage of it.

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-20875269261524549512007-07-27T11:17:00.000-05:002007-07-27T11:19:47.890-05:00

Cult: 1. A system of worship or ritual, 2. A religion or sect considered as false, 3a. Obsessive devotion to a person or principle. 3b. The object of such devotion.American Heritage Dictionary fourth edition.Is there such a thing as the Bush Cult? Of course, there is. I would have thought it was obvious by now.Trust me; I once was religious and conservative a long time ago and far, far away.

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-43184119216541584832007-07-27T10:48:00.000-05:002007-07-27T10:56:28.157-05:00

Let’s not waste too many words on the patently obvious. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales is a liar. He’s part of the Bush Cult so we do not set high expectations for him when it comes to trivial matters such as the truth.Read F.B.I. Chief Gives Account at Odds With Gonzales’s (NYT).The director of the F.B.I. offered testimony Thursday that sharply conflicted with Attorney General Alberto R.

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-20104586622980802712007-07-26T00:00:00.000-05:002007-07-26T00:02:43.786-05:00

The Iraq football team stands one victory away from being the champions of Asia, not a small feat. At least 50 Iraqis are dead because they were celebrating that feat.They are not in heaven and they are not in hell. They are gone; they return to the dust from which they arose.We only have one life. Too bad more people do not embrace the idea.

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-82276273370038466872007-07-25T13:33:00.000-05:002007-07-25T13:39:45.472-05:00

From Reuters:BAGHDAD (Reuters) - The death toll from two car bombs in Baghdad that targeted Iraqis celebrating the national team's win in the Asian Cup semifinal on Wednesday has reached 50, police said.They said 135 people had been wounded in the two blasts.About the only thing to say is motherfucker.

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-43427367482253961712007-07-25T11:09:00.000-05:002007-07-25T11:12:56.247-05:00

The Iraq soccer team beat South Korea to make it into the Asia Cup championship game.Hook 'Em, Iraq!

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-31817829227795506362007-07-24T11:35:00.000-05:002007-07-24T11:36:29.230-05:00

At first public sentiment was for the Iraq War and Occupation; now it has soured on the endeavor. When public sentiment was for the war, the public got war. Now that public sentiment has soured, the public gets war too.It is strange how that works. Well, maybe, not so strange.

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-57800768633932449322007-07-24T10:55:00.000-05:002007-07-24T10:57:44.409-05:00

The generals have a new plan for Iraq: US is seen in Iraq until at least ’09 (NYT).The gist is that troops will remain in Iraq through 2009. The report does not guarantee success or troop withdrawals before that time. The basic assumption is that the warring factions in Iraq will accommodate a political solution during that time.This is no big surprise if that really is what is in the plan. It

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-47567329480776942042007-07-24T10:21:00.000-05:002007-07-24T11:23:32.099-05:00

Edwards’s Riemann’s Zeta Function, although over thirty years old, remains an indispensable guide to early work done on the open questions in Riemann’s 1859 paper and the Riemann Hypothesis in particular. The problem is that the mathematics in it makes my eyes glaze over. Each time I read it, I get frustrated.Maybe that is as it should be. Why study easy things? Are we learning anything when

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-60033496357577708602007-07-22T11:39:00.000-05:002007-07-22T11:44:33.807-05:00

During the past several years, I have grown fascinated by the Riemann Hypothesis. The real mathematics of the problem makes my eyes glaze over even though I have an undergraduate degree in mathematics. People have published several popular expositions on the problem over the past several years; I have read four of them. That helps in getting the gist of the work on the problem before and after

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-13706023594671191652007-07-21T09:59:00.000-05:002007-07-21T10:09:27.988-05:00

You don’t have to lift the sheets too far to see what is going on in bed. When it comes to the Iraq Occupation, a simple Reuters article will do.President Bush now wants to move his real assessment of the Iraq situation from September to November.The best part is that he wants a spending bill passed right away that gives US troops more equipment and a pay raise. Of course, this was never on the

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-77993009496744487122007-07-20T12:07:00.000-05:002007-07-20T12:13:17.430-05:00

I was sorting and filing some old papers yesterday when I came across a bunch to do with the Riemann Hypothesis. I read some of them again, for what reason I do not know. On the surface, it seemed like covering old ground for no purpose. I lost myself in them anyway.I noticed connections I had not seen before. I worked out a few equations with question marks beside them. Since last looking

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-67197243102080536332007-07-19T12:14:00.000-05:002007-07-19T12:17:29.205-05:00

I had every intention of getting a good night’s sleep the other night after having made yet another late night of it the day before. I made the mistake of tuning into the Republican filibuster debate in the Senate, which kept me up most of the night and held my attention in the morning.I particularly enjoyed Senator McCain’s candidness. He recognizes that the majority of the American people

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-83185044981595737732007-07-17T14:04:00.000-05:002007-07-17T14:10:44.354-05:00

I have been wagering on Cubs and White Sox baseball everyday, and I am doing well. I usually do not do well when it comes to betting on baseball. However, the Cubs are hot and the White Sox cannot hit and have a, sorry to say, terrible bullpen. The White Sox built an early 11-2 lead in last night’s game, and then held on to win 11-10. In a way, I am going with the momentum—parlay the Cubs to

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-86349353887713770592007-07-16T13:03:00.000-05:002007-07-16T13:05:07.925-05:00

I plucked On the Road from the book stacks just meaning to read a little during lunch since I was distracted and a little depressed from staring at a mostly blank computer screen all morning long. I never think I will like it as well as I have before, but each time I start reading it, I wind up reading the whole thing. I guess it’s the sheer exuberance of the writing that infects my

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-79325420246763549442007-07-14T11:13:00.000-05:002007-07-14T11:15:12.907-05:00

Dear Diary,Stayed out all night drinking with a friend. Returned home in the glow of the early morning light.Summer days, summer nights have bewitched me.Sincerely,Lynn

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-66502234199286645282007-07-13T10:55:00.000-05:002007-07-13T10:57:52.168-05:00

Dear Diary,Drank all night long until the sun came up. Drank about a half dozen body shots off a woman who has an admirable body.I know several women I would go down on in a heartbeat. They never ask even though I have hinted I would. They do not know what they are missing because it is a no strings attached deal. I can be good when I concentrate. All they have to do is lie back and enjoy.

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-62458375969085440922007-07-11T10:17:00.000-05:002007-07-11T10:20:43.630-05:00

I had an interesting discussion last night in the bar about the consequences of a US pullout in Iraq. A good friend, no admirer of the Bush Administration, said that it could lead to countries such as Turkey or Iran invading Iraq. My comment was so what. The great experiment in democracy building in the Middle East is a failure. The oil is the only thing left to defend.However, not too many

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-8900413623123917752007-07-11T09:24:00.000-05:002007-07-11T09:30:01.741-05:00

These kinds of testimonies before Congress come in waves. The NYT reports the Bush Administration blocked important public health reports for partisan political purposes.Former Surgeon General Richard H. Carmona told a Congressional panel Tuesday that top Bush administration officials repeatedly tried to weaken or suppress important public health reports because of political considerations.The

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-88594620122008877652007-07-09T10:11:00.000-05:002007-07-09T10:13:12.871-05:00

President Bush refuses to let his aides testify before Congress regarding the Justice Department firings. And why not? You know he has plenty to hide.Will Congress have the backbone to call him on it and throw down on him? Is there a shred of justice left in the American legal system?I would not bet too much on the President upholding any sort of virtue except to pay lip service to it through

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-35726371161497903632007-07-08T21:30:00.000-05:002007-07-08T21:32:27.948-05:00

It’s Sunday night in the big city. I’m home—bored. I think I’ll venture out just to see what is going on in this B-town. Who knows, maybe, I’ll meet the love of my life, although I don’t think I have enough energy for that tonight.Or maybe something will happen in between. Things tend to even out, you know.

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-6299278581526715582007-07-07T10:12:00.000-05:002007-07-07T10:15:47.074-05:00

And there’s winners, and there’s losersBut they ain’t no big dealcuz the simple man baby pays for the thrills,The bills and the pills that killLittle Pink Houses, John MellencampI usually do not wager on baseball games. However, with the football seasons over, I have been betting on the Chicago Cubs and White Sox everyday. It fits with the baseball fever from which I am suffering.I have no

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-8244372096657927232007-07-07T09:46:00.000-05:002007-07-07T09:48:04.673-05:00

The recent ruling by the Federal court on the case brought by the ACLU and others over domestic spying disappointed me. However, there was one dissenting vote. More importantly, the court did not rule on the Constitutionality of the program. And in case anyone somehow missed it, the furor is over the Constitutionality of the program.Those who lose track of their rights and freedoms are

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-59712001270125040642007-07-04T10:16:00.000-05:002007-07-04T10:17:37.087-05:00

I have been thinking about the perfect novel. It has 27 chapters about 12 pages each in length. Filling in the blank spots has been tough to figure out though. Thinking rather than counting or writing is always the hardest part.

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-67139894943934274972007-07-04T09:15:00.000-05:002007-07-04T09:17:49.199-05:00

I find it deplorable having nothing to write about except baseball. Nothing could be more insipid, boring, and banal. That’s where my mind’s at though. You are only fooling yourself if you think you can write about something that is not rolling around your conscious or unconscious mind.Geez, I’ve caught baseball fever about the worst I have ever had it. The Cubs are playing a lot better.

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-35146636149617434582007-07-03T07:56:00.000-05:002007-07-03T07:57:59.777-05:00

In a stunning injustice, President Bush has commuted the sentence of Scooter Libby. This is the President while serving as Governor of Texas had no qualms about sending people to their deaths no matter what the circumstances. The list goes on.This President, now unfettered by his desire for political office, feels he can be judge and jury of us all. The shame of it comes from the Bush Cult

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-18105551516949489622007-06-29T09:54:00.000-05:002007-06-29T09:56:53.986-05:00

I remain immersed in the world of baseball and fantasy baseball. Every morning begins with managing my five fantasy league teams and looking at the baseball results from the previous day. I suspect I am over doing it, but my results are good thus far.That leaves the question: should I be spending so much time with baseball this year? The fanatic will tell me that I am a lightweight; the

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-1362227196325584922007-06-26T08:25:00.000-05:002007-06-26T08:26:31.488-05:00

I have had trouble writing the past few days. Some events have distracted me. The least of which is baseball. However, the Cubs swept all three games from the White Sox this weekend, and came back in the bottom of the ninth to beat the Rockies last night after they blew a five-run lead in the top of the ninth. You have to enjoy baseball to the maximum while it is going on even when your team

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-69611558943942982922007-06-22T09:49:00.001-05:002008-12-12T01:28:20.016-06:00

You believe in god; I do not. I believe in mermaids; you do not. You tell me I must make a leap of faith then I will believe in god. I recommend the same strategy to you regarding your disbelief of mermaids.Now, I laugh, go to the fridge, grab a beer, and think about now. You have no now except as it relates to a highly speculative set of propositions about a future state after you die. You

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-54365656556857690192007-06-22T07:26:00.000-05:002007-06-22T07:28:07.989-05:00

The Cubs and White Sox play their second series against each other this year down at Sox park today. Let’s face it. Both teams suck. They are out of the running for a playoff spot. Neither team has shown they are capable of playing .500 ball.So, what does that mean? Not a goddamned thing to a baseball nut like me. I’m betting on the Cubs for no good reason other than they are my team.

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-26674531166019765732007-06-21T11:29:00.000-05:002007-06-21T11:30:31.412-05:00

It is the longest day of the year—my favorite day. My plan consists of watching the Cubs vs. Rangers game this afternoon and attending a benefit this evening for a friend who recently lost the lower part of one of his legs.Other than that, I will drift, dream, and try to be open to new events and personalities. If something interesting happens, I will write it down in my journal.OK, time to get

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-23576698135432849672007-06-21T10:54:00.000-05:002007-06-21T11:01:42.345-05:00

I have been reading my way through the new atheists: Harris, Dennett, Dawkins, and Hitchens. I have also been reading the writings of Hume on religion along with other classics. I do not know to what advantage the exercise might accrue, except maybe to become a little more informed about my convictions or lack there of.I am tempted to move on to other topics, but since I am well into reading a

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-53753539673146557982007-06-19T09:55:00.000-05:002007-06-19T10:00:23.105-05:00

I could not use my laptop while traveling last week. (Do not ask why!) Although I was sometimes frustrated, I did catch up on some movie viewing and reading with my extra time.So much am I dependent on the Internet as a news source, I did not learn that Richard Rorty died until I returned from the trip. I read many of his obituaries this morning. I have read Philosophy and the Mirror of

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-27292333539662911682007-06-18T12:06:00.000-05:002007-06-18T13:17:46.509-05:00

I don’t subscribe to the premium channels my cable provider offers. Traveling allows me to catch up on a few movies and shows running on premium cable channels offered by the hotels. This week I finally saw Munich and A History of Violence. Munich was OK. I was mesmerized from beginning to end by A History of Violence even though it did not start playing until 2:45 in the morning and I was

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-16208254310905186132007-06-18T10:24:00.000-05:002007-06-18T10:25:53.655-05:00

I returned from my baseball trip yesterday. The trip went well for me, but not so well for my friends as they are White Sox fans and the White Sox lost all four games that we saw them play.The weather was nice—no rainouts—and we did some sight seeing and our fair share of drinking.Whatever, it is back to State Street and posting on the blog. More later.

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-73191097559789435832007-06-09T11:41:00.000-05:002007-06-09T11:54:21.019-05:00

I am leaving today on a weeklong baseball trip. As you can easily imagine, I am excited. Something almost mystical arises from driving about the country and watching baseball.

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-64308913151490448192007-06-08T09:05:00.000-05:002007-06-08T09:10:35.447-05:00

I have changed my opinion about the US involving itself in the Israel/Palestine conflict, even the US as negotiator. Let’s face it, a significant part of the conflict arises from lethal religious extremism. Religious moderates cannot or will not reign in the excesses of their brethren. To the outsider, it seems as though the devout prefer violence and death rather than any critique of the

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-29115367148204249762007-06-08T05:19:00.000-05:002007-06-08T05:22:20.504-05:00

Every act of writing is an act of violence to the world. Should I write about how she still holds me in thrall? That would do violence to the momentous issues of the day. Should I blather on about the momentous issues of the day? That would do violence to her, whom for some odd inexplicable reason I feel I love.Why, oh why, oh why does writing have to be so damned difficult?

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-9387048458494115092007-06-07T13:31:00.000-05:002007-06-08T15:52:00.707-05:00

I once participated in a nine-month seminar dedicated to a close reading of the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament). The discussion was lively, interesting, and valuable. The seminar planted the seed that grew into my religious skepticism.The story of the fall of Jericho is particularly instructive. After Joshua has conquered the city, god commands him to kill all the civilians and animals in the

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-9376163861987017242007-06-07T09:15:00.000-05:002007-06-07T09:48:56.503-05:00

During the Republican Presidential debates, Senator Sam Brownback indicated he did not believe in evolution. Later, he wrote a letter to the NYT op-ed section expanding his views of science and faith, and evolution in particular.I will parse that letter if only for the fun of it by responding with a letter of my own.Dear Senator Brownback,You say:The heart of the issue is that we cannot drive a

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-58836833942180066672007-06-06T21:52:00.000-05:002007-06-06T21:53:36.106-05:00

Why say more than what I can say? I had lunch with the attractive woman I met last Thursday. I was completely smitten as I watched her walk down the street to meet me. She dazzled me during lunch. It was better than the first go round, which was very nice.I am traveling on a baseball trip next week so I cannot see her soon. Maybe it will happen when I get back. Yet it may not happen, much

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-18931921059371032782007-06-05T11:59:00.000-05:002007-06-05T12:02:17.150-05:00

Whatever one thinks of Hugo Chavez or how one feels about him, he knows how to keep himself in the news. The news media seldom situates him and his populist appeal in context. What gave rise to the Chavez phenomenon?An elite group ruled Venezuela. They siphoned off the oil wealth of the country. While they ruled the gap between rich and poor grew wider. Many people found this eminently

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-71112695665954532982007-06-04T08:37:00.000-05:002007-06-04T08:44:13.527-05:00

I want to spend the day reading Plato on laws or Hume on religion. Along with my writing, I consider reading philosophy central to the day. However, today, I will not do much writing or reading. Without those, what will I imagine, or rather how will I imagine?Maybe, in those moments when I can concentrate, I will imagine a different life. The new life will contain plenty of writing and

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-40778605602183523352007-06-03T14:11:00.000-05:002007-06-03T14:13:22.606-05:00

In the opening passages of Plato’s The Laws, the Athenian makes the case that a well run drinking party is educational and teaches virtue, including temperance. I knew if I kept reading Plato, I would find something with which to agree.I think I will go to the local bar this afternoon in pursuit of virtue. I’m hoisting the next one to you, Plato.

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-674039195496987272007-06-02T11:07:00.001-05:002007-06-02T17:56:44.871-05:00

Let us consider secularism as the belief in the separation of church and state. In that case, secularism and atheism are not the same things even though some would have us believe so. Secularism is the belief in the separation of church and state. Atheism is the belief there is no god. You can believe in one without believing in the other. Many, including religious leaders, would have you

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8038273.post-29642674899979090562007-06-01T22:03:00.000-05:002007-06-01T22:09:15.923-05:00

Hitchens’s God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything finally made it to the top of my reading list. Hitchens assaults every aspect of religion with erudition and wit. It is a wonderfully entertaining polemic, at least for the religious skeptic. The devout, I am sure, have other feelings about it.Some book reviewers have taken him to task for not consulting the relevant scholarship

Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12303928618967944030noreply@blogger.com0