Monthly Archives: January 2016

In Another Port – Day 2

Posted on by
Reply

The Van is docked for three days near san Antonio – south of San Antonio to be precise; a different biome from the one above San Antonio that shares weather with Dallas. Drop in latitude to Corpus Christi (Latitude 27.7°N) and one approaches the influence of the equatorial zone (Latitude 23.5°N). The Equatorial zone includes the Caribbean, Jamaica, Cancun, Mexico, and Costa Rica. When warm leaves Iowa, it turns up in the Equatorial zone similar to the monarch butterfly.

The mariner and his wife are resting under blue skies, temperatures near the seventies and a wafting breeze. The first mate was able to return to her tradition of walking while talking on her cell. The grounds at this Hyatt Residency encompass a golf course and 400 acres full of trails. The first mate was nearly bonked by a golf ball. It is as winter should be.

Tomorrow we weigh anchor and head to Greater Dallas (Latitude 33°N) to visit relatives. Sadly, this is the first leg of our journey back to the frozen north.

On to another subject, mariner is disturbed that the media cannot be sued for donating its air time to Donald’s campaign. Donald has a role, of course, and likely, it is a needed role if the US is to shed the remnants of a political culture incapable of leading the country forward. Nevertheless, the mentally retarded news media will take a nickel instead of a dime every time because a nickel is larger than a dime. In other words, the candidates, both republican and democrat, are virtually unknown as to what they stand for because Nazi campaigner Donald is entertaining – if not substantive. God forbid the news media would want to share substantive news.

Even so, Donald can brag that he doesn’t have to buy ads on TV. They already are paid for. The real cost is a public that remains confused about the real issues and how each politician will deal with them. Meanwhile, we watch a Donald event cheerfully abuse and throw out a Muslim. Now that is news – or it should be. Donald’s retort, dutifully reported by news media without noting underlying, serious consequences, is “They really hate us!”

REFERENCE SECTION

Mariner has a sweatshirt that says “eschew obfuscation.” He laments the demise of clarity and specific meaning in our English language. Every day words disappear that would have helped clarify. Mariner suggests that the reader reference the dictionary more often; the mariner double checks the nuance of words several times while writing a single post. Perhaps Donald has latched on to something: It isn’t content that matters – it’s just easier not to bother.

Buy a dictionary.

Ancient Mariner

Obama-Cruz and the Donald Interpretation

Posted on by
Reply

Listening to Donald (with only one ear, mariner promises), it seems he is using the original Constitutional language defining “natural born citizen” and disregarding centuries of footnotes attached to this language by Congress and the Supreme Court. Providing a very general interpretation of his own, the mariner finds that the mindset of the founding fathers – freshly independent of European and especially British oversight – wanted to assure that only an American born on American soil would be eligible to be President. Section 2, Article 1 states simply and directly:

“No Person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President; neither shall any person be eligible to that Office who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty five Years, and been fourteen Years a Resident within the United States.”

Strictly interpreted, Donald may have a slight chance at defending his opinions with a Supreme Court case on the subject. However, the Supreme Court (we hope) will take into account the subsequent “clarifications and exceptions” For example, from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:

“The Citizenship Clause of Section 1 in the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which states that “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.” This clause represented Congress‘s reversal of a portion of the Dred Scott v. Sandford decision which had declared that African Americans were not and could not become citizens of the United States or enjoy any of the privileges and immunities of citizenship.

The Civil Rights Act of 1866 had already granted U.S. citizenship to all persons born in the United States “not subject to any foreign power”. The 39th Congress proposed the principle underlying the Citizenship Clause due to concerns expressed about the constitutionality of the Civil Rights Act during floor debates in Congress. The framers of the Fourteenth Amendment sought to entrench the principle in the Constitution in order to prevent its being struck down by the Supreme Court or repealed by a future Congress.”

In the abstract, African American issues aside, the United States has been a magnet for waves of immigrants since the Puritans. Continuously, even today, citizenship continues to be an issue between liberals (Send me your poor…) and conservatives (Send your poor back where they came from). Modern commerce has a way of amalgamating necessary skills and education in the US regardless of citizenship via green cards and work permits – which is a different issue but still clouds citizenship for the likes of German scientists moved to the US at the end of the Second World War (only one of many obfuscating examples). Further examples are rampant in show business – Trevor Noah from South Africa, John Oliver from Britain, and Craig Ferguson from Scotland just to mention late show comedians.

Strictly speaking, one must be born in the US and its territories to be President. The point in all this is that citizenship in the US is a changing phenomenon as the nation has changing needs. For the moment, several significant world organizations have said that the West has aging populations to the point that economic futures will be affected (consider our concern about the solvency of Social Security). Perhaps the US should welcome as many immigrants as possible to protect the future economy of our nation. That’s one way to assure solvency in our Social Security system.

To wrap it up, Donald is wrong about Obama’s citizenship although one’s political party weighs in: A poll finds that 53 percent of Republicans still doubt Obama’s citizenship. At the same time, an overwhelming 70 percent don’t have any doubt Cruz is American and eligible to be president.

The Naturalization Act of 1790, which didn’t deal with presidential eligibility but provides that “the children of citizens of the United States, that may be born beyond sea, or out of the limits of the United States, shall be considered as natural born citizens.” They argue that Congress was clarifying what “natural born citizen” meant.

But University of San Diego School law professor Michael Ramsey says no one in Congress at the time said that the purpose of that statute was to define the term used in the Constitution.

“If children born abroad to American parents were natural born citizens, there would be no need for the 1790 statute,” Widener University law professor Mary Brigid McManamon, who agrees with Mr. Trump, told Law Blog. For a full accounting of the subject see:

http://blogs.wsj.com/law/2016/01/13/the-cruz-eligibility-question-legal-scholars-weigh-in/

Donald has raised a pesky legal issue for Cruz. Given the conservative nature of the Supreme Court, this case may never reach the Court or the Justices will patch-quilt a decision in Cruz’s favor based on the ever changing definition of “natural born citizen.”

Ancient Mariner

In Search of the Southwest Passage

Posted on by
Reply

 

Van dropped anchor in El Paso19:15 hours. Two reasons are behind this effort to sail the Southwest Deserts: Most important is gathering together a widely distributed set of our children. The long weekend has been an astounding success with good bonding and family renewal sure to provide confidence as all of us begin new adventures.

It has been a good shakedown cruise for Van and her crew. Van behaved remarkably well but the crew discovered it had a lot to learn about stowage.

The second reason, a very strong one albeit second to gathering the family, is the search for warmth. Mariner’s idea of warmth is Cancun, Mexico. In this respect, the cruise has been a dismal failure. Heavy snow, cold, sunless days overcast such that running lights were required. From Oklahoma to Flagstaff, the high was 34°F. Dropping down into the Phoenix basin did not improve things much with highs running 38° to a best of 50°F and a stiff cold wind to boot.

Arizona and New Mexico host three very large desserts; the flora and fauna is outstanding – the weather did not pass muster. Even as we steered Van into lower latitudes, El Paso offered 41°F with the coldest wind yet. Mariner is aware that San Antonio sits astride two biomes: to the north, one can expect weather very similar to our experience so far. To the south, there is a remarkable change in flora suggesting that it is virtually always warmer and does not experience hard frosts. It is in this more pleasant clime that the crew will dock Van for two days before we cruise to relatives and friends in Wylie, Texas and Havana, Arkansas – then back to home port for even colder weather.

Iowa caucuses grow near. Vote at any cost – but vote wisely. The US culture has come to a standstill that requires significant, visible commitment mostly from voters.

Ancient Mariner

 

Sailing On

Posted on by
Reply

The mariner disembarks for El Paso tomorrow. Bearing I-10 all the way.

Today, we visited a chocolate factory. It was difficult not to buy out their stock. Clemson lost. Phoenix provided a pleasant sunny day.

The January/February Atlantic is dedicated to the 2016 election. It provides a broad view of trends and discusses American shifts in culture regardless of the outcome of the election. Online, you can read the magazine at www.atlantic.com

Mariner often uses the phrase “old school” politician. The criminal abuse allowed by Michigan Governor Rick Snyder toward the city of Flint is an atrocity typical of old school politicians who protect status quo and destructively manipulate budgets to minimize budget overruns. In an article, CNN states “This had been the status quo for nearly two years and until September, city and state officials told worried residents that everything was fine. Former Flint Mayor Dayne Walling even drank it on local TV to make the point.

“When our team (Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, pediatrician) saw that it was getting into children and when we knew the consequences, that’s when I think we began not to sleep,” Hanna-Attisha said.

At first, the state publicly denounced her work, saying she was causing near hysteria. They spent a week attacking her before reversing their narrative and admitting she was right. See full article at:

http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/11/health/toxic-tap-water-flint-michigan/index.html

It is important to know your incumbent’s voting history as a guide. Use your search engine to retrieve specific information. For example, mariner typed “Steve King voting record gun legislation” and had King’s whole history regarding his votes on the gun issue. One can search several voting topics by changing the words behind ‘voting record.’

The reason this is unusually important is that you must vote for a cause of your choice and let that dictate whether you will vote for an incumbent. In the past, one would say “The Congress is terrible” but would reelect their own Congressman on very forgiving, general principles. Not so, this time. Vote for an issue, not a person.

Try to identify the candidate as ‘old school’ (stability and fiscal conservatism) versus ‘new school’ (identifying current and future issues with declared policies about the future).

Ancient mariner

In Port Day 2

Posted on by
Reply

It’s a lay about day; no events scheduled save a visit to a hamburger place to have lunch. Team members are spread about the house, each doing independent things.

Mariner watched TV. He watched CNN for twenty minutes with no gain in information except for the relative non-event about Chapo. Twenty minutes…..

The youngsters are preparing a delicious pulled pork supper. Outstanding.

Of course, the entertaining talk is about the lottery. The team is trying to work out compromises for how to split winnings. The mariner and his mate have read horror stories about how lottery winners aren’t happier. In fact, they are less happy, pursued endlessly by conmen and marketers like most are pursued by hornets, and often end up stone broke in a few years.

Mariner received two tickets as a birthday gift. We’ll see. He’s not holding his breath. Odds: 292,000,000/1. Rand Paul could win the Presidency 292 thousand times at these odds.

In a recent post, mariner offered an excellent book, How Not To Be Wrong, the Power of Mathematical Thinking by Jordon Ellenberg. Ellenberg’s book has a chapter called ‘What to expect when you expect to win the lottery.’

Two quotes, the first by Ellenberg, the second by Adam Smith, author of The Wealth of Nations:

“Should you play the lottery? It’s generally considered canny to say no. The old saying tells us lotteries are a “tax on the stupid” providing government revenue at the expense of people misguided enough to buy tickets.”

“…The world neither ever saw, nor will ever see, a perfectly fair lottery, or one in which the whole gain compensated the whole loss… [Meaning the amount played is always greater than the amount paid out]”

Lotteries, at least in the western world, began in Genoa during the seventeenth century as a method to determine which two of 120 lower house members would move to the upper chamber council for a year. It wasn’t long before gamblers started betting on which two would be selected. Eager for more betting than once each year, gamblers created an independent lottery very similar to today’s Powerball without lesser payoffs for nonwinners. Ellenberg covers other tales of government lotteries including the Michigan and Massachusetts “Cash Winfall” lotteries where unwon cash – millions of dollars – was rolled down to nonwinner pools to increase sales. Unbeknownst to the two states, on the occasion that cash was rolled down, three groups, MIT students, an Asian community, and a neighborhood group each pooled to buy 10,000 tickets or more. The enlarged cash pool made payoffs profitable, indeed guaranteed. More was won with one or two winners than the cost of all 10,000 tickets. Many in each group became independently wealthy by the time the government caught on and stopped Cash Winfall.

Is there a lesson to be learned by governments and Powerball players? Is there a more rational and predictive way to fund governments and healthy libidos? Of course, but neither will admit it. The truth is it takes stupid government officials who don’t know how to run government income and budgets properly to depend on lotteries as well as the stupid ticket buyers. Historical fact shows neither bode well in the long run.

Ancient Mariner

A Day in the Sonora Desert

Posted on by
Reply

The primary event today is to visit the renowned Phoenix Botanic Gardens – a first in every travel guide. Mariner has waited a long time to explore a desert biome. While not out in the wilderness, it is a rich accumulation of cactus and succulent of every variety. Watching carefully, one can glimpse the roadrunner of cartoon fame (Geococcyx), Gambels Quail, (Callipepla gambelii), and the Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura). Needless to say, mariner purchased many small samples of desert plants to start his own Sonora Desert.

It was promised that there would be an update of the ‘morning line,’ that is, today’s list of betting odds for the next President.

 

Two Weeks Ago 1-09-2016
Hillary Clinton 8/11 72% 8/11 72%
Marco Rubio 11/2 18% 11/2 18%
Donald Trump 8/1 12½% 6/1 16%
Ted Cruz 10/1 10% 10/1 10%
Bernie Sanders 20/1 5% 18/1 5½%
Jeb Bush 22/1 4½% 22/1 4½%
Chris Christie 33/1 3% 28/1 3½%
Ben Carson 200/1 ½% 200/1 ½%
John Kasich 250/1 2/5% 250/1 2/5%
Martin O’Malley 250/1 2/5% 250/1 2/5%
Mike Huckabee 500/1 1/5% 500/1 1/5%
Carley Fiorina 500/1 1/5% 500/1 1/5%
Rand Paul 200/1 ½% 999/1 1/100%

Everyone has held their position except Rand Paul, who fell to the bottom. Otherwise, bettors have seen nothing that would require hedging their bets.

Some readers asked the meaning of “hold the lay line.” There are times when sailing a line (direction) there is close clearance. The helmsman must assure that the boat does not fall to the close side. If that happens, the helmsman will be forced to tack away to be on the open side of the line. See diagram.

LAY LINE

Mariner uses this term to represent driving. The driver must be sure to be in the correct lane, take the correct exit, hold speed, and stay in a direction that will provide successful arrival.

Tomorrow has a trip to a special zoo displaying desert wildlife.

Ancient Mariner

In Port

Posted on by
Reply

The recently purchased van bids well on our journey. It is treated as any vessel of passage would be: as in traditional sailing, it is a she, and named for a notable. It is called “The Honorable Van Heflin” and we refer to her as ‘the Van.’

It is a wonderful event to have young, bright children and partners visit the Phoenix home rented for our reunion. They are full of energy, participating in life as each day comes to them, and brimming with the chutzpa necessary to succeed professionally and personally. We have the next three or four days together to create a permanent bond to hold us together until whenever.

Each couple is at a turning point in their lives; marriage, career and new home await their return to their homes. We will meet again in spring for a Hollywood style wedding and reception.

But other issues crowd in as the mariner enjoys his family. The news has bristled with many significant events that have occurred as mariner was in passage to Phoenix.

It is an unexpected abuse that recently accepted Middle East immigrants have generated a significant rash of sexual assaults in several European and Nordic countries. Strict, routine checks for terrorist associations cannot screen for intentional abuse of local women. Perhaps cultural behavior is more an issue than “terrorist incursions.”

Mariner spoke to his alter ego Guru to understand the Donald issue. It seems that the 2016 election will not be the pristine change of direction one imagined. Given that many cultural and political issues are in turmoil, and that there remains an intransigent resistance to future change, one must perceive that a step of cleansing must occur which may or may not extend beyond 2016 to 2024.

In his role, Donald may play a significant role as a reagent. A reagent is any chemical that loosens dirt and washes it away as soap may do to laundry. It may be a benefit for the extreme right to cast its votes for Donald only to see the votes emulsified and washed down the drain. Of course, as many reagents do, Donald could win the election and further scrub the old school politic away at the cost of four years and unnecessary conflict. However, whether or not Donald quickly performs his role as cultural reagent and loses in 2016, the paradigm shift in American politics will be well under way.

Mariner will produce the bettor’s sense of all this in the next post.

Ancient Mariner

 

Ship’s Log Day 3

Posted on by
Reply

Given the weather, one may as well be on the 40th parallel (every stop from Denver to Philadelphia). The temperature lingers between 30°F and 34°F. Rain is spotty, ranging from mist to deluge. As we gain altitude, the rain turns to heavy snow. Fortunately, we visited a chandlery before we left – a nice lunch is onboard as we hold the lay line.

Flagstaff AZ is a waypoint about midday. Flagstaff is buried under a foot of snow with another 8 inches predicted today. Fortunately, Flagstaff is our bearing to change our course to the southwest for the final leg to Phoenix.

The terrain is a series of mountain ridges slowly dropping in altitude. Eventually an occasional palm tree can be spotted and the landscape fills with Saguaro cactus and other interesting desert plants. Sailing into Phoenix, an overnight motel is welcome. Docked 18:00 hours local time.

Ship’s Log Day 4

A cold wind blows through Phoenix; the temperature hovers around 45°F with light rain. The mariner’s first thought is that Phoenix (a) is too far to travel for a temperature increase of 15°F above that in Iowa. (b) Phoenix is a large, overgrown city with poor commercial zoning and a monolithic housing architecture. It is not the warm idyllic retreat the mariner had in mind. However, he will refrain from final judgment; mariner and his wife look forward to greeting their children and their partners – Altogether, a rare event.
It is likely mariner will depart Phoenix following the Mexican border into Southern Texas in search of a bone warming retreat.

Ancient Mariner

 

 

Cruising the Southwest

Posted on by
Reply

The mariner and his first mate are cruising toward Albuquerque, our second port. We are passing through the Texas Panhandle. Hour after hour, there is no sign of human life, no notable elevations other than some that remind the mariner of ocean swells. There is nothing to do except hold the lay line. As time rolls by, one becomes aware that the Panhandle has permanence – a stillness. It is a forgotten land while the rest of the world sails into an unknown future.

Suddenly, a very tall structure looms on the horizon. Quickly, one discovers it is a giant Christian Cross. It stands easily 120 feet tall – a proselytizing presence by itself. Mariner has a new understanding for the gargantuan, hyperbolic nature of the divine symbols of kings and gods typical of the ancient Abyssinian, Babylonian and Egyptian religions. Perhaps that is a weakness in Islamic and Christian religions today: their God denies images – let alone 120-foot images.

We cruise into New Mexican waters. The deserts seem more amenable to sharing with humanity – though barely. Occasionally, there are signs of managed fields and abandoned wooden huts. A new phenomenon occurs called a mesa. The mesa fires the imagination of travelers, realizing that, at the top of these flat, seemingly displaced forms, was the bottom of a body of water large enough to be a small ocean.

Before that, though, it was a mountainous region that collapsed when tectonic activity drew away the deep magma. The land we cross today is older than the Rocky Mountains – 80 million years old. The mesas resist erosion longer than surrounding surfaces, sustaining a fascinating, somehow historically obligated role to remind humans that they are indeed a short term renter of Earth’s sphere.

The mariner sails into an expected front of rain and snow that will encompass us all the way to Albuquerque. Hold the lay line.

Ancient Mariner

 

Travel may be Broadening but it’s also Different

Posted on by
Reply

Ship’s Log Day 1

In his newly acquired vessel, a van of recent vintage, the mariner set sail for Phoenix, Arizona, USA. When his first mate took the helm, he decided to lounge luxuriously aft in the Captain’s quarters. Opening his laptop to write to his readers – note the mariner’s skill at hitting both the right key and only the right key is already challenged – typing while moving has a fail rate approaching 75%. It is wise that programmers have provided voice-driven software. Now, if the mariner can reduce road noise enough for the software to hear his voice, things will be fine. Another tip for typing while moving is to turn off the mouse and use the inboard pad; all the mouse wants to do is escape.

The first day’s course is set for Oklahoma City; it involves foregoing the fastest course, due south, to avoid rain and flooding. At Leon, IA, we changed bearing to southwest; without incident docked in Oklahoma City 20:30 hours. 

Ship’s log Day 2

In the morning, as we ate our free breakfast, we encountered the first sign that we were traveling in foreign waters: the restaurant TV is on FOX channel. Regular readers know the mariner, on occasion, is not wholly conservative. Nevertheless, he considers himself a tolerant soul. It’s simply that he is unaccustomed to traveling abroad. Things are different.

The first impression, as we sail further into Southwest waters, is the tone of the media – not just TV but newspapers and advertising. Conversation, too, is less tolerant – or perhaps more judgmental about unaccustomed topics. It makes mariner think about chicken and egg relationships: what came first, the media or the people? Thinking about it, the people came first but what sustains public opinion? Would folks anywhere have more thoughtful opinions if the media didn’t harp on headline grabbing interpretations that induce separatism as a way of life? The mariner decides the same undue influence is universal but different in each region.

Since communication corporations decided that news is also a profit center and not just a public service, the public has been abused in its desire to know just the facts, ma’am. News departments are now required to obtain market share; not only does the public not receive important but unentertaining news, it receives altered news focused on market share at the cost of encouraging close-mindedness. It is not hard to know why there will never be another Ed Murrow, Walter Cronkite or Huntley-Brinkley.

It is time for the mariner to take a turn at the helm. Today our course takes us to the port of Albuquerque.

Ancient Mariner