Sports "Analytics" and the Misuse of Math

After Golden State's 15 point victory over the Cavaliers in game 1 of the NBA Finals, all the "numbers crunchers" are off the formerly red hot Cavs and onto the Warriors' bandwagon.

Yes, that first game, in which Golden State won despite getting only 20 points combined from its all time backcourt duo of Curry and Thompson, was impressive, but the same "analytics" gave the Warriors virtually no chance of coming back from the 3 - 1 deficit they found themselves in against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

In short, the "analytics" seem to fuel the "prisoner of the moment" vantage of the most fickle fans.

The problem here is that today's numbers don't tell tomorrow's story, because today's numbers are not related to the next game's numbers, or the next, or the next. Cleveland's strengths remain and they remain formidable. Golden State CAN actually play better, but should Stephon Curry and Klay Thompson get hot, expect the Warrior's bench to get a lot fewer looks.

At this level teams make adjustments game to game. Some of the best make big time in-game adjustments. Despite the "analytics," I'd expect the coming games to be a little closer, barring any unforeseen injuries on either side.

The Golden State Warriors are an awesome team, probably the most complete TEAM since those vintage Knicks teams of the late 60s and early 70s, albeit with even better shooters. The ball moves faster than the players can and they DON'T miss many open shots.

BUT LeBron James IS still the best player in the NBA right now. I fully expect the Cavs to make some major adjustments...in game 2 and for both teams to continue to do that in all the subsequent games as well.

Right now, all the Warriors have done is "hold serve" through game 1. They NEED to win game 2 just to keep their homecourt advantage. Cleveland is playing for chips right now. The Warriors are NOT.

Should the Warriors win game 2, THEN they'll be playing for chips on Cleveland's home court.

In either case, I fully expect "the analytics" to continue reinforcing whatever the current "prisoner of the moment" vantage is.

IF Cleveland should take game 2, just watch them go crazy over the Warriors losing homecourt and heading into Cleveland with no momentum.

Sad!

The series doesn't change just like that.

These are two extremely talented teams, with perhaps a slight advantage to Golden State (but I'm probably biased in saying that). I wouldn't be surprised if Cleveland went out and won game 2. I wouldn't be surprised if both teams split the first two games in each other's buildings....BUT "the analytics" would have you believe "It's all over" after each and every game, often switching teams in the process.

This misuse of math ("analytics") just serves to feed into the hype of the moment.

It's NOT Just Trump...

France's Marine LePen

Across the West multiculturalism's failure has led to a rise of "the Right." What some might call a "Demand for a return to normalcy."

Right now, France has a better chance of electing a woman leader (Marine LePen) than the United States does (http://www.breitbart.com/…/marine-le-pen-surges-french-pol…/).

In the Netherlands, Geert Wilders is leading all national polls by a wide margin with his calls for ending the EU and closing Netherland's borders. (http://www.bloomberg.com/…/dutch-populist-wilders-says-eu-f…)

In Germany an anti-immigration Party has already gained seats in that country's government and looks toward more gains in the upcoming elections; "A far right-wing party in Germany won enough votes Sunday to gain seats in three regional elections, a result seen as a major rebuke to Chancellor Angela Merkel’s open immigration policy.

"The 3-year-old Alternative for Deutschland Party, or AfD, won representation in the states of Baden-Wuerttemberg and Rhineland-Palatinate in prosperous southwestern Germany and in Saxony-Anhalt, an economically disadvantaged area in the eastern part of the country, according to results and exit polls broadcast on German state TV." (http://www.usatoday.com/…/far-right-german-region…/81725556/)

Despite USA Today's clumsy editorializing, the AfD is no more "Far Right" than Merkel's alleged "Center-Right" Christian Democratic Union is "Far Left."

And in Italy, Matteo Salvini leads the resurgent Lega Nord (the Northern League) and he holds an extremely negative view of the European Union (EU), especially of the Euro, which he once called a "crime against mankind". Salvini also opposes illegal immigration, which, since 2012, has emerged as a serious problem in Italy.

On economic issues, he supports the flat tax, tax cuts, fiscal federalism and Fair Trade (equitable tariffs with trading partners). On social issues, Salvini is opposed to same-sex marriage and the EU's management of immigration, while his Party supports family values and the legalization of brothels.

On foreign policy he opposes the international embargo against Russia of 2014 and supports an economic opening to Eastern Europe and Russia. Matteo has recently endorsed Donald Trump, whom he met in Philadelphia this past April.

The world is changing and changing fast.

Multiculturalism has failed. It was a wonderful, albeit a naive dream.

But the West and most of the rest of the world are sick of what's amounted to this "Globalized forced busing," in an apparent attempt to remake the peoples of the world over in the image of some corporate bankers.

So, WHO in the HELL is David French?!

David French

So, after all the bluster over the weekend, the “strong, independent candidate” that William Kristol comes up with is...David French?

Seriously?!

Just who the f*ck is David French?

For a brief moment I was worried that Bill Kristol had tabbed Danny French one of the first “white rappers,” back in the early 1980s. Danny French, who “rapped” under the name “Master Blaster” says, “I was into that game way before Everlast, Eminem, Necro, Vanilla Ice, the Beastie Boys or any of them.”

OK, but Caucasian rap is still C-Rap or “CRAP!”

Worse still, Mel Gibson’s Beyond Thunderdome kind of ruined that stage name after he cast a midget as “Master Blaster.”

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFCdvc9smT0). I mean that scene where Tina Turner makes poor little Master Blaster cry...well, it just tears your heart out.

But no, it wasn't Dan French, instead William Kristol came up with this guy (http://www.nbcnews.com/…/2016-elec…/who-david-french-n583886) a guy who has virtually everyone asking, “David WHO?”

What I don't get is WHY the “NeverTrump” crowd just doesn't get behind the LP’s Gary Johnson (the former Republican Governor of New Mexico) and call it a day?

Oh wait, the Neocons AREN’T all that Libertarian...too much of that “freedom” stuff, I guess.

OK, I guess that makes some sense, after all.

STILL, at least Johnson and the Libertarian Party are on the ballot in every state!

WoW! THIS really is embarrassing!

Yesterday, Mitt Romney tweeted, "I know David French to be an honorable, intelligent and patriotic person. I look forward to following what he has to say."

Doesn't that sound a lot like Mother Theresa trying to eulogize Josef Stalin, "I knew Joe to be a good and decent, yes, even a very pious man. I look forward to meeting him one day at the right side of our father."

And that silly tag line, "...I look forward to following what he has to say."

Yeah, me too Mitt...me too!

THANK YOU Lama!

The Dalai Lama

A lot of people may not know that I, like the Bill Murray character in Caddyshack once caddied for the Dalai Lama...and he IS a "BIG hitter," although I did not have to retrieve a ball down a 10,000 foot crevice, nor was I promised eternal cosmic consciousness on my deathbed." (Bummer) BUT I've known for a really long time that the Dalai Lama is, like myself, possessed of many strong opinions.

As an example of that, the Dalai Lama has recently condemned the Islamization of Europe. According to news reports, "The Dalai Lama has said there are too many migrants pouring into Europe, warning against the continent becoming Arabised, and claiming the solution is the eventual repatriation of migrants.

Agence France-Presse has reported that the leader of Tibetan Buddhism said: “When we look at the face of each refugee, but especially those of the children and women, we feel their suffering, and a human being who has a better situation in life has the responsibility to help them.

“But on the other hand, there are too many at the moment...Europe, Germany in particular, cannot become an Arab country, Germany is Germany”.

“There are so many that in practice it becomes difficult.”

His comments are almost the same as those made by Europe’s anti-Islamisation PEGIDA movement, and similar to comments made by groups like France’s Front National, Germany’s Alternative Fur Deutschland, and to a lesser extent, Britain’s UK Independence Party.

Speaking to Germany’s Frankfurter Allegemier Zeitung newspaper, the Dalai Lama, who is perhaps the world’s most famous refugee himself said this weekend: “The goal should be to return [them] and [have them] help rebuild their own countries”. (http://www.breitbart.com/london/2016/05/31/dalai-lama-eu-taking-many-migrants-germany-cannot-become-arab-country/)

I got your back Lama! Anyone looking to take you to task just lemme know. I have the program needed to look'em up, track'em down and make'em disappear. If you'd want, we could tag team them...I'll even bring'em to YOU!...AND even though I don't caddy any more, I'd carry your golf bag any day, and yeah, I can STILL beat you at golf....and ping pong too, just like the old days

Trump’s Combative Approach Baffles Some and Appeals to Others

Donald J. Trump

Donald J. Trump is no politician. For many, that’s refreshing, for others it’s frightening. I’m among the latter on that score.

BUT both supporters and opponents alike often wonder how his naturally combative style will work long term.

Two recent spats have made clear how that could prove problematic.

Trump’s ongoing feuds with Jeff Bezos of Amazon and New Mexico’s Republican Governor, Susana Martinez have even Trump supporters worried about his chances going forward.

Jeff Bezos and Donald Trump seem to be on opposite sides of two major issues, online taxation and whether law enforcement has the right to compromise corporate encryption technologies.

On the one hand, Jeff Bezos has said that his company is wholly aligned with Apple in its fight against government investigators, who asked Apple to break its own encryption programs so they could gain access the iPhone used by one of the San Bernardino, Calif., terrorists.

While Trump hasn’t addressed Amazon’s position on encryption, he has openly criticized Apple’s policy of non-cooperation. On February 17, 2015 Trump said, “Who do they think they are?” adding, “We should use common sense...we should open it up.”

Ultimately the FBI made that issue moot when it cracked Apple’s encryption codes without Apple’s assistance.

The other major point of contention is taxes. The record suggests that Amazon pays just a tiny fraction of the statutory corporate tax rate of 35 percent - according to The New York Times, Amazon pays just six percent (these data are from 2007 to 2012) although it seems unlikely that Amazon’s tax rate has gone up since.

Despite the fact that Donald Trump has called for a dramatic cut in the US corporate tax rate, which is the highest in the world, down to a more competitive 15 percent. Yet even a Corporate tax rate of 15 percent, if collected, would wind up being a huge tax increase for Amazon, as well as many other global tech giants, such as Google and Facebook.

THAT seems to be the crux of Jeff Bezos’ issue with Donald Trump. I like Amazon and greatly admire Jeff Bezos and what he’s done with the world’s largest online retailer, however, on this score, Amazon and other global tech giants HAVE NOT been responsible American corporate citizens. They SHOULD BE paying more of their fair share.

It should also be troubling that today the Washington Post (now owned by Jeff Bezos) has become a corporate mouthpiece for Amazon. Sure, ALL of America’s media is compromised in exactly that SAME way...all of it owned and controlled by various corporate conglomerates.

His more recent feud with New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez is seen as more troubling, given Trump’s problems polling with women and Hispanics.

It’s important to note that their “feud” began in mid-April, when the New Mexico governor Martinez issued a strongly worded rebuke to Trump, when Governor Martinez spoke at a GOP fundraiser in the home of David Koch in Palm Beach, Florida. Governor Martinez, according to the Washington Post, "did not mince words. She told the crowd of about 60 wealthy GOP backers that, as a Latina, she was offended by Trump's language about immigrants. Noting her years working as a prosecutor on the Mexican border and now as a border-state governor, Martinez said Trump's plan to build a wall and force Mexico to pay for it was unrealistic and irresponsible, according to multiple people in attendance."

Trump’s response was, "The governor has to do a better job. She's not doing the job"

Something to keep in mind is that Governor Martinez’ views on immigration are opposed by a large majority of Hispanics. According to National Review, “A majority of Hispanic voters think legal status to illegal immigrants should be granted only after a goal of stopping 90 percent of future illegal immigration has been achieved, according to a new survey by GOP pollster John McLaughlin. By a margin of 60 percent to 34 percent, registered Hispanic voters said they supported granting legal status to illegal immigrants “only when the 90% goal is reached.” Hispanic adults backed the proposal by a nearly identical margin — 60 percent to 32 percent.” (http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/352903/poll-60-percent-hispanics-back-enforcement-first-approach-immigration-reform-andrew)

The idea that Hispanic-Americans support illegal immigration, or even increases in illegal immigration seems to be a myth. The primary supporters of increased migration are multi-national corporations who want cheaper labor.

Last September (2015) showed that only 34 percent of U.S.-born Hispanics, and 33 percent of foreign-born Hispanics, want an increase in the amount of legal immigration, said the Gallup report. (http://www.breitbart.com/immigration/2015/09/10/two-out-of-three-hispanics-oppose-immigration-increase/)

Sixty-four percent of each group of Hispanics want migration to be reduced or leveled, said Gallup, which released the report under a misleading headline, “U.S. Support for Increased Immigration Up to 25%.” (http://www.gallup.com/poll/184529/support-increased-immigration.aspx)

Twenty-six percent of self-identified Hispanics born in the United States, all of whom can vote, want legal migration to be reduced. However, the percentage of Hispanics opposing increases may be much higher, partly because a growing number of Hispanics now identify themselves as core white Americans.

Yet ANOTHER New York City OUTRAGE

Mamadou Diallo's arrest

WHY is this man being charged with ANY crime?

Mamadou Diallo was called to his apartment at 10PM this Sunday night over an attack upon his wife.

Earl Nash, a career felon was beating and attempting to rape Mr. Diallo's wife.

Mamadou grabbed a tire iron and...."went to work."

By the time he was done, the "unarmed" perpetrator (the lifelong thug Earl Nash) was bloodied and unconscious. He was later pronounced dead at nearby Lincoln Hospital.

Violent self-defense is a bedrock principle of BOTH Natural Law and English Common Law (the basis of all Western Law).

Mamadou Diallo SHOULD BE honored for saving his wife's life and protecting the family honour.

NO juror should find Mr. Diallo guilty of ANY crime! Initially both Thomas Jefferson and Ben Franklin wrote that, "No individual while in the commission of a felony is to be counted as "person," nor accorded any recognizable, even basic rights, while in the commission of such acts."

That SHOULD HAVE and STILL CAN BE codified into our laws. It's never too late to do what's right.

THIS is HOW Iran Punishes Child Killers....Compared to How We Deal With Them...

The execution of Mohammed Bijeh

In March of 2005, Iran executed the Mohammed Bijeh, "the desert vampire," BUT they didn't just execute this monster, first they scourged him at the pillar until he collapsed, then allowed family members to spit and hit the ghoul, before finally hanging Bijeh from an industrial crane with a slip knot. (http://www.executedtoday.com/2009/03/16/2005-mohammed-bijeh-the-desert-vampire/)

It can take up to 45 minutes for a person to die from a slip knot hanging, as it DOES NOT break the condemned's neck.

After that ordeal was over, they crucified Bijeh's lifeless body as a warning to others.

Here in the USA, THIS is how child murderers are treated (http://fox4kc.com/2016/05/26/man-who-kidnapped-and-killed-5-year-old-atchison-girl-going-to-prison-for-life/)

Last month (May 26th) Marcas McGowan, of Atchison, KS (outside of Kansas City) pleaded guilty to federal charges of kidnapping and killing a 5-year-old girl (Cady Harris). Marcas McGowan, 32, pleaded guilty to one count of kidnapping resulting in death, and one count of discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. In his plea, he admitted that on July 18, 2014, he shot and killed the girl after he kidnapped her and exchanged gunfire with police.

For his troubles, Mr. McGowan will get a lifetime of free food, free room and board and extensive and expensive therapy.

I've never understood our collective sympathy with predators as "tortured souls."

Let's say, for the sake of argument, that Marcas McGowan had a "rough upbringing," perhaps he was physically abused and psychologically damaged. ALL of that is pitiable, BUT NONE of it negates the necessity for Mr. McGowan to be held accountable for his crimes.

YES, I've always preferred the Iranian method. I'm none too fond of our own.