A Solution to the NFL Referee Dilemma

The hysteria in the sports world surrounding the NFL replacement referees leaves little room for reason. After all, nothing sells advertising quite like the seemingly endless parade of coaches, players, fans, and “experts” blathering about how terrible the replacement refs are, how The Integrity Of The Game is being compromised, and on and on... So, why let something as inconvenient as, you know, THE FACTS, get in the way of such good ratings?

This whole matter can be put into its proper context and perspective if only somebody, perhaps the NFL itself or a media outlet, would hire an independent panel of NFL rules experts to review the first three weeks of the past 10 NFL seasons, including the current one with the replacement refs. They would collect and classify data on all blown calls. Then, they would compare the blown call data of regular refs in the past NFL seasons with the blown call data of the replacement refs in the current season.

They may well find that despite all the hoopla surrounding the mistakes the replacement refs have made in the early part of the season, the replacements may well be within a range comparable to that of the regular refs when it comes to blown calls. Of course, this may not be the case at all, and the outrage might well be perfectly justified. But it could not hurt the NFL’s case if they came out with evidence showing that the proportion of blown calls by the replacement refs is, say, within 15% of the average for the past 10 seasons. Likewise, if the blown call discrepancy between the replacement refs and the regular refs is found to be significant, then that would provide the windbags with a factual foundation from which to make their argument in favor of bringing back the regular refs as soon as possible... not that they need something as inconvenient as, you know, THE FACTS, to back up any of their arguments!

UPDATE: It appears things in the NFL will get back to normal now that the regular officials are back on the job. Still, the blown call review outlined above would be a good way to get a real idea of the kind of job the replacement refs did backed up by actual data and not obscured by all the hysteria of the first three weeks of the season.

Yet Another Facebook Privacy Issue!

Facebook is involved in yet another alleged violation of users' privacy. ValueWalk's Aman Jain (http://www.valuewalk.com/2012/09/facebook-inc-fb-denies-that-private-messages-were-displayed-publicly/) describes how ever since Facebook force-fed the Timeline Page down everybody's throats, old wall posts that were believed to be private are now displayed publicly.

Is anybody really surprised at this? Facebook has demonstrated repeatedly how respecting users' privacy has been, at the very least, a challenge for them. Yet, while the company's stock (NASDAQ: FB) has taken a beating since its IPO earlier this year, people and businesses seem to be using the social network more than ever.

So, what's the end result? Pretty much the same as in the NFL with the replacement referees: people can complain all they want, but as long as they keep using the product... well, you know the rest.

Here's a novel idea: anyone who is truly concerned about maintaining the privacy of their communication with friends should try meeting with them face to face every once in a while. They'll find it's a much more enjoyable experience than Facebook!

On Pets and Animals

This entry is inspired by a recent exchange I had on Facebook. One of my friends posted about needing to find a home for two adult male cats. I commented with the following: Are they neutered? If they are, set 'em loose. Despite popular belief, animals can survive quite well without us, unless they've been bred into helplessness like the chihuahua. Naturally, it didn't take long for one of her friends to jump on me about my comment, which I admit was meant to stir things up (I enjoy stirring things up from time to time).

I truly think animals are wonderful creatures. My sister has a dog, Bear, that I care for dearly. I am not in favor of animal cruelty, although being a meat eater and occasional leather wearer, I realize that animals had to die for me to enjoy those things, and I have no qualms about that.

On to my thoughts about keeping pets. My feelings for Bear notwithstanding, I feel that unless you are a strict vegan, your ownership of pets is tinged with hypocrisy and a double standard. After all, what's the difference between the animal that you decide to feed and the animal that you decide to eat? The distinction is completely arbitrary.

Also, what about all the ignorant and misinformed people who own exotic pets? Thanks to them, the Everglades now has a serious python problem, and the native mammal population within the park has diminished in large part due to the introduction of these exotic predators.

What about the "companionship" argument? You consider an animal that you can't really even communicate with as your companion? The only type of "communication" pets learn with their owners is which behaviors lead to getting food and which behaviors don't. You want companionship? Try a fellow human being. There are plenty of people in nursing homes and hospitals who don't even get visited by family members. They could sure use some companionship. And most of them will talk back to you even if you don't feed them! 

Overall, my opinion is that animals do not need human help to survive. To believe otherwise is the height of arrogance. As a matter of fact, animals were doing quite well until we started destroying and polluting their habitats. So, if you truly love animals, don't demonstrate it by owning a pet. Rather, demonstrate it by supporting efforts to preserve all animals' natural environments as much as possible and promote a harmonious co-existence with the entire animal kingdom!

Commentary on Chicago Teachers Strike

The Chicago teachers strike is not just a local issue. It's an issue about the future of education and even the future of our society. Teachers should be paid for doing their job, which is to provide instruction, to the best of their ability. Why should teachers be penalized based on factors which they cannot control?

Do doctors get penalized if their obese patients refuse to eat healthy and exercise? Do police officers get penalized if the criminals they arrest go out and commit more crimes? Why should teachers get penalized when they have no control over whether their students study? Why should teachers pay the price for so many parents who let their children play with video games and smartphones rather than do their homework?

I see teachers doing an excellent job all the time. I see them constantly striving to engage and motivate students. I am one of those teachers. Regardless of how hard we try, some students simply respond and some do not. That is because each student's academic success is based mainly on factors that are not in the teacher's hands. It is based on each student's natural ability. It is also based on the student's home environment and how conducive it is to the child's education.

Some patients listen to their doctor's advice and make healthier choices. Some do not. Some criminals reform after an arrest and leave their life of crime behind. Some do not. Still, doctors and police officers get paid for doing their job to the best of their ability. So should teachers.