Journal Entries
What Happened to Debating Standards Around Here?
Posted May 15, 2003
Maybe it's a rose-colored view of the halcyon days of old, but it seems to me that the manner in which debates take place on this site has suffered over time. I remember when you were expected to post a reference for any point you made. When you were expected to talk about the topic, and not about the person you're arguing with. When people could respect each other, even when they didn't respect the other's position.
Sure, it wasn't always perfect. Personalities did clash. But those incidents were less common, and were resolved rather quickly, by and large.
Nowadays, it seems that trolling is a standard argument tactic. Posting nonsense without any sort of corroborating references is rather popular, too. And it can't just be blamed on newbies, either, because there are a lot of very experienced researchers doing this. And as long as this sort of thing is tolerated, it is going to become a larger problem... newbies will see this as a viable tactic, and reasonable, experienced researchers will lose their patience and engage in kind.
Do we really want this place to turn into Usenet?
I have had a handful of really outstanding debates since I've been back. I'd like to post an honor roll of those whom I have engaged in debates and, though I may not have agreed with them, I found their argument style to be exemplary. This list will probably not be all-inclusive, since I have to rely on memory...
A Called Ben
Pattern-chaser
Ste
Dogster
And the rest of the FFFF gang
cl zoomer
anhaga
Zagreb
Flake99
FiedlersFizzle
Blues Shark
deni
Two Bit Trigger Pumping Moron
Cheers, guys. You (and those others whom I have forgotten, or just not engaged) are what make this site something worth caring about.
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Latest reply: May 15, 2003
Can We Just Drop The Pretense?
Posted Mar 26, 2003
The terms 'college' and 'university' suggest centers of rational thought, debate, and education, with an emotional detachment from the subject matter. That would be nice, wouldn't it?
For a more accurate label, let's try 'Liberal Thought Indoctrination Camps.' It won't look as good on a sweater, though... too much print obscuring those pert young breasts.
Discuss this Journal entry [36]
Latest reply: Mar 26, 2003
Taking Vanity and Hubris to Heretofore Unparalled Heights...
Posted Mar 5, 2003
... I am awaiting notification of my appointment to see a plastic surgeon.
Is it a law of the universe that growing older means becoming everything you despised in youth?
Discuss this Journal entry [13]
Latest reply: Mar 5, 2003
I'm an idiot
Posted Jan 7, 2003
And I have the stitches to prove it.
Discuss this Journal entry [7]
Latest reply: Jan 7, 2003
It's been a year...
Posted Dec 2, 2002
... and a few things have happened to me since then. A few highlights, in no particular order:
1) I got married, twice. Both to the same woman, I'm happy to say. We did the quickie at the County Recorder's office in June, then had the full-blown version for the family in September. This is all very confusing, because now I'm not sure which anniversary I need to be celebrating. I'll probably do both, just in case. The formal wedding was quite nice, but I almost gave myself an ulcer during the preparation. I advise all you young couples to keep things simple and forego the formal one.
2) My wife endured two surgeries to attempt to correct her medical condition. The first was an abysmal failure. She's still recovering from the second. Incidentally, the first one was conducted at a government run hospital, and the second at a private HMO run hospital. The experiences were like night and day, or hell and purgatory, respectively.
3) The Anaheim Angels won the World Series. Are you f**king kidding me?? I didn't think this would ever happen in my lifetime. I hadn't gotten back into baseball since the strike in the early 90's, so I'd only been checking the box scores in the paper now and again. Until this year. I decided to try a fantasy baseball league as a way to get my interest going again. Not only did this help me pay attention to the success of my favorite team, but my favorite team also helped power my fantasy team to a third-place finish. Not too shabby for a rookie who was so out of touch with the sport he didn't even know some of the stars he'd accidentally drafted.
The Angels didn't just win, either. They abused the Bronx Bombers, ended the hopes of the journalist's favorite Cinderella team, then won an amazingly dramatic seven-game World Series. The seventh inning of Game 6 was just U-N-B-E-L-I-E-V-A-B-L-E, one of those sports moments our grandchildren will read about and/or see replayed on a classic sports channel. Down 5-0 in the game and 3-2 in the series, the Angels scored 3 runs in grand fashion. After that, it felt like a win was almost inevitable, and they put up another 3 in the 8th to force Game 7. The momentum carried right through to the next night and a 4-1 win to clinch the series. No team in World Series history had ever trailed 5 runs, facing elimination, and come back to win.
Nor was that the only record they set. The haloes had the first rookie pitcher to ever win his first 5 consecutive games in post-season play (Francisco Rodriguez). Another rookie was the first rookie pitcher to win a World Series Game 7 since 1909 (John Lackey). Their team batting average against the vaunted Yankees pitching staff was the best ever in a postseason series. They combined with their San Francisco foes to produce the highest scoring World Series ever, and the most home runs in a World Series. San Fran's Barry Bonds set a new postseason HR record with 8. Anaheim's Troy Glaus finished just behind him with 7.
4) I spent more time gloating about a sporting event in my journal than I did on my marriage, raising serious questions about my priorities in life.
Discuss this Journal entry [11]
Latest reply: Dec 2, 2002
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