On Language

When I watched the VP debate, Palin's idiocy was overwhelming. Her use of the word 'attribute' in its verb form stuck out to me. I was so confused by it that I had to look up the definition on dictionary.com to make sure that I actually knew what it meant. Sure enough, I did, and she is just as dumb as I thought she was.

Definition from dictionary.com:

Attribute: to regard as resulting from a specified cause; consider as caused by something indicated (usually fol. by to): She attributed his bad temper to ill health.

Palin's Uses:

#1: "I'm not one to attribute every man -- activity of man to the changes in the climate."
Climate changes are attributed to man, not the other way around.

#2: "And it is my executive experience that is partly to be attributed to my pick as V.P. with McCain, not only as a governor, but earlier on as a mayor, as an oil and gas regulator, as a business owner."
Her being picked is attributed to her experience, not the other way around.

Of course she could mean that climate change causes the activity of man and that her being picked has given her executive experience. I have been looking through the internet for other bloggers to pick up on this, but nobody has. This worries me that maybe I am the one who somehow does not understand the meaning of the word.

Saw Religulous

On Saturday night I went to Bill Maher's new movie Religulous; I was sorely disappointed. This movie could have been great had it dealt with the use of religion in the United States (and in the world) in politics and culture. Bill Maher could have pointed out how all presidential candidates, Obama included, feel it necessary to constantly point out that they are religious. He could have talked about the lack of separation between church and state, creationism being taught in school, or the catholic church's systematic concealing of priests molesting children.

Instead Maher decided to attack the notion of the existence of a god. He did this mostly by debating with people that were less intelligent and prepared than he was and pointing out ridiculous parts about the bible and faith. The only halfway intelligent people that he talked (except for one scientist) already largely agreed with him. It reminded me of an asshole with slicked back hair trying to convince a mentally challenged child that santa clause was not real.

Calling a Bottom

Yesterday I made a statement heard by just one other person that we were seeing the bottom for the S&P. Though valuations remain high (The S&P has a trailing P/E of 20), yesterdays strong surge in the second half of the day gave me hope that we were seeing the end of some of the mayhem. Yesterday the low on the S&P was 1008. I believe that to be the lowest that we will see going forward.