The Daily Brief

If you haven’t seen it yet, you simply must check out the National Geographic Channel’s Tycoon Toys:

This gift-giving season the National Geographic Channel (NGC) gives you a chance to experience the adrenaline-rushing, testosterone-pounding items on the wish lists of men with money to burn and a hunger to own some of the finest ex-military hardware in the world. On December 15 from 9-11 p.m. ET/PT join NGC as it premieres Tycoon Toys, two one-hour specials that put viewers in the driver’s seat next to millionaires as they play with some of history’s deadliest tanks and military aircraft — some literally in their backyards!

[…]

In Tycoon Toys: “Tanks,” airing at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT, viewers will go for a ride in some of the most remarkable ground fighting vehicles ever built and visit with their new owners — some of the world’s most renowned tank collectors — as they demonstrate the awesome capabilities of their prized machines. See what makes these high spenders’ engines run and why owning killing machines like the Sherman Tank, German Panzer, British Scorpion and M18 Hellcat fighting vehicle is just half the fun.

For some collectors, their ultimate hobby reaches its peak during an annual weekend of war games. Jon Shoop is a member of the 14th Armored Division World War II reenactment group and owns two of the platoon’s M5A1 Stuart tanks. National Geographic Channel follows him and his friends as they take their tanks to a reenactment event at Fort Knox where they put on a stunning battle scenario, pushing their tanks to the limits.

[…]

Tycoon Toys: “Fighter Jets,” airing at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT, features men who prefer to put some of the world’s most renowned fighter planes through their paces — extraordinary aircraft like the Electric Lightning, MiG fighting jet, “Widow Maker” Starfighter, F15 fighter and the Cobra Attack Helicopter. Once flown by ace military pilots, these former war birds are now somebody’s passionate and very expensive hobby. With 4,000 pounds of thrust and top speeds twice the speed of sound, it’s a hobby that attracts a certain kind of individual — men who have both the money and the guts to take the ultimate risk.

Who are these men and why do they collect and fly these exceptional machines? Most are high achievers like Bob Lutz, Chairman of General Motors North America, one of the most powerful men in the car industry, who says that flying fighter jets reminds him of his youth and keeps him young.

Businessman Mike Beachy Head has created his own private museum of fully operational military jets. His squadron consists of 14 of some of the most awesome aircraft ever built, including classics like the English Electric Lightning, which can travel over twice the speed of sound. Says Head, “I remember once going vertical in a Lightning at sunset, just the only man in the sky and this incredible golden light and then I arced the airplane over hanging weightless at 20,000 feet looking at the most remarkable sunset.”

As they say, check your local listings. 🙂

Certainly, it is no problem for Christians to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ: the Redeemer, the Great Physician, the Baptizer with the Holy Spirit, and the Coming King. The exact date may have been conveniently chosen by the Roman Church to aid in the assimilation of the Pagans. But what the heck, we Americans celebrate the birth of two of our most prominent Presidents on some convenient Monday in February. So, I don’t see that as more than a red herring. You Pagans should just remember that the Christmas tree was your idea in the first place, and deck the halls.

And, of course, Jesus was a great Jewish Rabbi. In fact, one sect, the Yeshua Jews, reveres him as the Messiah. Muslims should celebrate the birth of one of their five major prophets.

Even I, a Skeptic, hold in great stead Jesus the Philosopher, even if I descent with most church’s interpretation and practice of His Word.

Aside from members of Eastern Religions, who largely hold a tradition of respect for those of other beliefs, that leaves only a handful of Grinchy “Atheists”, “Agnostics”, and others of no great faith, who seem to hold a disproportionate sway of late, both in the public square, and the marketplace. For them, I suggest they heed the words of Charles Krauthammer:

Some Americans get angry at parents who want to ban carols. I feel pity. What kind of fragile religious identity have they bequeathed their children that it should be threatened by exposure to carols? I’m struck by the fact that you almost never find Orthodox Jews complaining about a Christmas creche in the public square. That is because their children, steeped in their own tradition, are not threatened by Christians celebrating their religion in public. They are enlarged by it.

It is the more deracinated members of religious minorities, brought up largely ignorant of their own traditions, whose religious identity is so tenuous that they feel the need to be on guard constantly and who think the solution is to prevent the other guy from displaying his religion, rather than learning a bit about their own.

Or, perhaps if someone like Krauthammer makes them feel too threatened, they might connect with Scott LaFee.

I’m currently watching an episode of Discovery Channel’s Monster Garage, from last season. Jesse and his crew are building a Christmas float which spins 360s, while a drunken, skull-faced Santa arises, and fountains of candy gush from his outstretched hands – wicked. 🙂

But they just said that, while the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is second only to the US government in consumption of helium, experts predict the wold’s helium supply will be depleted by 2010. I knew this couldn’t be so, as their are currently many projects going on to create a new generation of high-tech LTA craft – principally for heavy-lift applications.



Well, as it turns out, only the private supply of helium is expected to dry up by 2010. There is still another 10 years worth in the Federal Helium Reserve. And, as you exploit more natural gas reserves, you find more helium.

One of the comforts in being well past one’s mid-thirties, and the simplicity of college “kegger” parties, is the steadfast knowledge of what wine to pair with what cuisine. But now it seems that the modern metrosexual must also know the correct “soft” beverage:

At the French Laundry in Yountville, Calif., the perfect beverage matters as much as the food. Thomas Keller, the chef, insists on it. Paul Roberts, his wine and beverage director, makes it happen.

For the pasta, Mr. Roberts’s usual arsenal of aged white Burgundy or pinot noir wouldn’t do. The diner didn’t drink. Instead Mr. Roberts measured out a small, perfect glass of Clover Stornetta whole milk, shaken until it was good and frothy.

That’s right. Milk.

The drink’s cold foam proved a perfect textural contrast to the hot pasta, its dairy fat conspiring with the butter to carry the flavor of the truffles.

Throughout a succession of dishes during a fall meal at the French Laundry, Mr. Roberts poured the unexpected. Lobster fricassee needed the tart effervescence of Meyer lemon Gus soda pop. Coho salmon roe sprinkled over a buttery porridge called for a wineglass filled with chilled chamomile tea. Foie gras took well to Boylan root beer. “The root beer has a wonderful herb cream thing that’s going on but with a little bitterness to keep the palate clean,” Mr. Roberts said.

The diner who chooses not to drink is often left out during a multicourse meal, resigned to ponder the merits of an expensive bottle of water. No one wants to say, “I’m Bill W., I’m an alcoholic, and I’ll have the tasting menu.” Neither does a pregnant woman want to sit by nursing a seltzer while her husband sips his way through the Napa Valley.

Should I insist on sniffing the milk bottle’s cap, to assure it’s not spoiled?

These gadgets are just too cool. I wonder if the mouse-driven Etch-A-Sketch will draw a smooth curve?

…Has to go to Juan Williams. On todays episode of Fox News’ The Beltway Boys, he claimed that Christmas was “the highest [Christian] holy day.”

No Juan. I’m not even a Christian. But I know, as I would assume any practicing Christian does, that Christmas is trivial relative to Easter.

Pepperdine Economics professor Gary Galles comments in today’s Orange County Register on the fact that, if we are ever to regain superior performance in mathematics education, we must first change our attitude about mathematical figures:

A major international comparison using 2003 data is the latest in a long line to conclude that Americans’ mathematics mastery is inadequate. The Program for International Student Assessment found that for 15- year-olds, “U.S. performance in mathematics literacy and problem solving was lower than the average performance in most (Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development) countries. The United States also performed below the OECD average on each mathematics literacy subscale representing a specific content area.”

If form holds, this report will divide students, parents, teachers and administrators into camps who blame each other.

However, what is unclear is whether all the finger-pointing indicates a real desire to overcome our innumeracy. The fact that we frequently use mathematics to intentionally fool ourselves (and other facts as well) argues against that conclusion. When we systematically abuse numbers to distort reality, it is no surprise that we handle mathematics poorly.

This goes hand-in-hand with this report from today’s NYTimes:

WASHINGTON, Dec. 15 – A federal Education Department analysis of test scores from 2003 shows that children in charter schools generally did not perform as well on exams as those in regular public schools. The analysis, released Wednesday, largely confirms an earlier report on the same statistics by the American Federation of Teachers.

The department, analyzing the results of the National Assessment of Educational Progress test for fourth graders, found charter students scoring significantly lower than regular public school students in math, even when the results are broken down for low-income children and those in cities.

I will have to keep an eye open for commentary on this Education Department “analysis”. I know the American Federation of Teachers report was roundly criticized for massaging the numbers. I know both of these organizations have a vested interest in maintaining the status quo, and see the rise of charter schools as a threat.

I haven’t been to an air show in almost 20 years. While watching the History Channel’s Modern Marvels episode on the subject, I was fascinated to see the Navy’s Blue Angels team has incorporated their “Fat Albert” C-130 Hercules transport into the show. Great for them. The Herk is an amazing plane. I used to marvel at the reservists practice their “hot zone” landings at Keesler – basically dropping the planes onto to runway from several thousand feet.

I have not seen a single episode of this series; and I could be wrong. But it seems to me that this is an Aussie outback version of Sex In The City. Am I wrong?

If you are fascinated by the NASA/North American XB-70 program from the ’60s, as I am, you might enjoy these QuickTime movies.