April 18, 2017

At the Springtime Café...

P1130262

... you can jump right in.

Talk about whatever you want, and take a moment to think about doing your Amazon shopping through The Althouse Portal.

41 comments:

Original Mike said...

Trimed the hemlocks the last two days. Annual ritual in which I risk breaking my neck. One of these days....

Lewis Wetzel said...

Harvard Business Review:
Received wisdom is that the more diverse the teams in terms of age, ethnicity, and gender, the more creative and productive they are likely to be. But having run the execution exercise around the world more than 100 times over the last 12 years, we have found no correlation between this type of diversity and performance. With an average group size of 16, comprising senior executives, MBA students, general managers, scientists, teachers, and teenagers, our observations have been consistent. Some groups have fared exceptionally well and others incredibly badly, irrespective of diversity in gender, ethnicity, and age.
https://hbr.org/2017/03/teams-solve-problems-faster-when-theyre-more-cognitively-diverse

Diversity = good is dogma. If you are an undergrad in the liberal arts, this message is shouted at you from the pages of every textbook: textbooks on communication, sociology, economics. Usually the claim is made with enthusiasm "Research has shown that groups with more gender and ethnic diversity are more productive!" If there is a cite, and you follow it up, you find the source is a decades old study with a carefully hedged conclusion.

Fernandinande said...

Lewis Wetzel said...
Harvard Business Review:


The also say:
Having run the strategic execution exercise over 100 times and observed such big differences in the performance of teams, we decided to use the AEM cube to measure the level of cognitive diversity in groups undertaking the exercise.

And it turns out that "cognitive diversity" means having some smart people.

Note that "IQ" and "intelligence" are not mentioned in this article about solving problems, even though they can almost be defined as "problem solving ability".

A bogus little article.

Lewis Wetzel said...

Note that "IQ" and "intelligence" are not mentioned in this article about solving problems, even though they can almost be defined as "problem solving ability".

A bogus little article.


Your comment is bogus, fernandinande:

We worked with a startup biotechnology company. When its R&D team members tried our strategy execution task, they performed terribly. The team, mixed in terms of gender, age, and ethnicity, was homogeneous in how it preferred to engage with and think about change. These were PhD scientists who had been attracted to biotech to explore their specialties. But, with little cognitive diversity, they had no versatility in how to approach the task. They never finished.

On another occasion, we worked with a group of IT consultants on the same exercise. If we had not called a halt, we would have had to cancel dinner. All activity ceased, as each individual tried to work out a solution in their own head.


"Cognitive diversity," as described in the article, is diversity in problem-solving approaches.

BarrySanders20 said...

Would Althouse be upset if her Amazon portal was used to order men's shorts? 70% off men's shorts at Amazon, with some of the worst offenders included.

David Baker said...

Concerning Bill O'Reilly:

"He would never talk to her, not even hello, except to grunt at her like a wild boar," Bloom tells The Hollywood Reporter. "He would leer at her. He would always do this when no one else was around and she was scared."

Great line, as in foreplay; "... grunt at her like a wild boar."

Also, he called her "Hot Chocolate," according to this latest accuser.

But what if Bill O'Reilly was instead the FedEx driver? Would Hot Chocolate have not responded by enticing him into the nearest closet?

roesch/voltaire said...

Looks like tweeter Trump has turned into wrong way Trump-- in another false narrative or another example of the slippery truth in post-modern times?

dreams said...

Well, I guess this guy is going to burn in hell thanks to his ex-wife.

"Oregon Man Dies Peacefully After Being Falsely Told "Donald Trump Has Been Impeached""

http://ijr.com/2017/04/850392-oregon-man-dies-peacefully-falsely-told-donald-trump-impeached/?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=Owned&utm_term=ijamerica&utm_campaign=ods&utm_content=Politics

Chuck said...

Holy wrong hemisphere, Mr. President; remember that strike force featuring the USS Carl Vinson, one of our nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, that you said was part of an "armada" steaming toward the Sea of Japan to send a message to the Norks?

It was in Indonesia, and headed south...

http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/04/18/524560773/that-armada-heading-to-north-korea-actually-it-sailed-south

In order for the President to not look quite so idiotic, they are now changing course and heading for the Sea of Japan.

You can't make this stuff up.

Lewis Wetzel said...

"You can't make this stuff up."
You seem to have made it up, Chuck.

Lewis Wetzel said...

The NPR story was based on this from Defensenews, which does not so much as mention the name "Trump."
http://www.defensenews.com/articles/us-carrier-still-thousands-of-miles-from-korea

The Vinson’s return to Korea was ordered on April 8 by Adm. Harry Harris, commander of U.S. Pacific Command. On April 11, Defense Secretary James Mattis – having just met with Harris in Washington – noted that no specific incident prompted the order to curtail the exercise program and head north.

“She's stationed there in the western Pacific for a reason,” Mattis told reporters at the Pentagon. “She operates freely up and down the Pacific, and she's just on her way up there because that's where we thought it was most prudent to have her at this time. There's not a specific demand signal or specific reason why we're sending her up there.”

I'm Full of Soup said...

David Baker: Fedex drivers wears shorts right? So it would be impossible, in Althouse's mind, for him to entice a woman into a closet.

I'm Full of Soup said...

Lewis: there is no convincing Lifelong Repub Chuck that Trump is not consistently dumb and outrageously wrong.

peacelovewoodstock said...

Why are my federal income tax dollars going to NPR? Seriously, why?

Lewis Wetzel said...

Since Chuck and Roesch/voltaire both mentioned the same story within minutes of each other and just after the story went up on fake news site Huffington Post, I'm guessing that they both got the story from HuffPo and then ran over here to snark w/o first confirming the story that appeared on the aforementioned fake news site.
That's just sad.

Lewis Wetzel said...

FYI, from published data it looks like the Vinson does 30 knots, so it can travel 3,000 miles in a little over four days.
I wonder if the Huffpo "journalists" are aware of that? Do they understand that the Vinson is a nuclear powered warship? Do they think it runs on coal-fired steam engines? Sails, maybe?

Michael K said...

I'm keeping my resolution, no matter the incentive.

Yancey Ward said...

Michael K,

Doing so is harder than kicking booze.

Yancey Ward said...

Was it in Indonesia, Chuck? Or did you mean in the ocean near Indonesia?

Kevin said...

"Do they think it runs on coal-fired steam engines? Sails, maybe?"

I doubt most journalists have any idea what powers an aircraft carrier. But their preferred answer would be "diversity".

Solar panels would run a distant second.

Rusty said...

Out of surgery.
Thanks for all the kind thoughts.

Rusty said...

Chuck
Google "carrier task force"it is when you consider the amount of firepower it an unleash, quite an armada

Chuck said...

Lewis Wetzel said...
Since Chuck and Roesch/voltaire both mentioned the same story within minutes of each other and just after the story went up on fake news site Huffington Post, I'm guessing that they both got the story from HuffPo and then ran over here to snark w/o first confirming the story that appeared on the aforementioned fake news site.
That's just sad.

No; I'm so happy to say that you're wrong.

I saw the story on CNN; I had just changed the channel, when Eric Bolling's moronic face appeared on the Fox News Channel (which I had on previously).

I then went online to search it. The NPR story was the third on the list of Google-searched stories. And since it was a short, fresh, clearly-reported story, that's the one I posted.

And since I bothered to reply to your mistaken garbage, I'd like to close the post with a firm "Fuck you!" to you.

Chuck said...

And back in the news... It's my old friend Greta van Sustern!

The Gritter just had Prof. Alan Dershowitz on her MSNBC program, to discuss the recently-filed lawsuit against Donald Trump a couple of known Trump supporters and one unknown Trump supporter. The basis for the original complaint was that three people who were voicing protest at a Louisville Trump rally were assaulted and physically forced out of the rally, with Trump inciting the violence as he stood before a microphone on stage.

One of the defendants in that lawsuit has filed an Answer and a Counterclaim (perhaps a Cross-claim; I need to review the pleadings some more), saying that whatever he physically did to the protestors, he did it with the more or less explicit support and urging from The Donald himself.

You'll hear more about this story as it unfolds; I didn't post just to laugh about Trump getting sued. Again.

Rather, I was posting because I just heard Greta -- now getting paid by anti-Trump MSNBC -- saying that it was clear that an assault had occurred on the floor of the Lousiville because it "involved an unwanted touching, and somebody getting moved out of the way."

LMFAO! That is EXACTLY what happened in the case of Michelle Fields, when she was grabbed and pulled away from Candidate Trump by Corey Lewandowski in West Palm Beach during the campaign. And pronounced, from her perch at the Fox News Channel, that no one could rightly consider that contact to have been any sort of criminal assault.

You see, it all depends on who the Gritter is whoring for. When she was Fox's prostitute, she was a pro-trump mouthpiece. Now that MSNBC is paying for her "services," she's an anti-trump mouthpiece.

Now, I officially can't touch her anymore. She's changed her mind (properly, I might add) and decided that what could rightly constitute an assault really does count, as an assault. So you're safe, Greta! No more worries about my grabbing you! The only problem for you now is that you are exposed as a shameless media whore.

Lewis Wetzel said...

So, Chuck, you rely on CNN and NPR when you "report" on Trump?
That's crazy, man. Both of those outfits are unhinged anti-Trump fake new sources. They both have been wrong about Trump, again and again.
Proverbs 26:11.

Lewis Wetzel said...

When I'm looking for a balanced opinion re: Trump, I usually head to National Review Online. There are a lot of Trump haters over there. This is a classic of the genre by Kevin Williamson: http://www.nationalreview.com/article/419853/witless-ape-rides-escalator-kevin-d-williamson.
There are a few Trump lovers as well. But no one at NRO takes "reporting" on Trump by CNN, MSNBC, or HuffPo seriously. You can actually criticize Trump for his policies or whatever, without stooping to report that Trump hired Russian hookers to piss on a bed used by the Obamas. CNN still stands by its decision to report that story.

Chuck said...

Lewis Wetzel said...
So, Chuck, you rely on CNN and NPR when you "report" on Trump?
That's crazy, man. Both of those outfits are unhinged anti-Trump fake new sources. They both have been wrong about Trump, again and again.


I wasn't "reporting" anything; and so I wasn't "relying" on anything else. I posted the NPR link, so that people could copy the .url and see the story for themselves.

You seem to think that the NPR report was wildly incorrect; so do tell, what did they get wrong? Be specific.

I get my news from lots of places, and some of those sources are highly imperfect. NPR is very good, but certainly not perfect. The New York Times is highly imperfect, as Althouse proves almost daily. The Wall Street Journal is very, very good. I'm online, as you clearly are, and there are hundreds of interesting news sites, some of them extremely partisan (and probably more suspect as a result) and some less so. I read the New Yorker, the Weekly Standard, the National Review, the Federalist, and lots of others.

If your position is that 'nothing that is ever reported, by CNN or NPR can ever be taken seriously,' then it is you who I'd never take seriously.

Lewis Wetzel said...

What can I say, Chuck? You took this NPR report to mean that Trump didn't know where the Vinson was. That's odd, because if you read it, the problem seems to be that NPR was reporting on the location of the Vinson when they had no idea where it was:

News organizations around the world, including NPR, covered the statements by Trump and other officials in Washington about the Carl Vinson's deployment as though the ships were bearing down on North Korea.

This is what is known as "fake news."
There was no attempt to hide the location of the Vinson, as the Defensenews.com confirms:
"U.S. Navy officials in Pearl Harbor and Washington declined to comment on the ship’s movements, other than to confirm the April 15 movement through the Sunda Strait. Off the record, several officials expressed wonderment at the persistent reports that the Vinson was already nearing Korea. “We’ve made no such statement,” said one official."
http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/04/18/524560773/that-armada-heading-to-north-korea-actually-it-sailed-south

This is NPR being confused, not Trump.

Lewis Wetzel said...

Wrong link on my 7:35. Should be:

http://www.defensenews.com/articles/us-carrier-still-thousands-of-miles-from-korea

Michael K said...

Blogger Yancey Ward said...
Michael K,

Doing so is harder than kicking booze.


I know. I'm trying.

Chuck said...

Lewis, I don't know what Trump knew. Gives me a headache, just trying to think about what might be in that orange-coiffed head. What I do know is that there was a "miscommunication" on this one. Trump was talking about an "armada" heading to North Korea. Meanwhile, the Vinson was on its way to participate in regular exercises -- in the opposite direction.

http://www.cnn.com/2017/04/18/politics/carl-vinson-korea-trump/index.html

FullMoon said...

Misogynist titty twister checkin' up on Greta every single day, hopin' to catch her saying something he can use to prove his oft belabored point. Finally finds a nugget, immediately calls her a whore, and immediately comments with masturbatory delight. Better than viagra for Chuckie. SAD!

David Baker said...

They're talking about a replacement for O'Reilly at FOX.

Can't imagine a replacement, he's one-of-a-kind.

Chuck said...

Yancey Ward said...
Was it in Indonesia, Chuck? Or did you mean in the ocean near Indonesia?

No, you wanker, I think I meant "The aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson transits the Sunda Strait in Indonesia in a US Navy photo dated April 15, 2017." (Quoting CNN's caption of a US Navy-released photo.)

http://www.cnn.com/2017/04/18/politics/aircraft-carrier-vinson-location-korea-indonesia/

Do the Trumpkins need specification that aircraft carriers are in the water? And that when they are "in Indonesia," that they'd pretty naturally be in the territorial waters of Indonesia?

readering said...

Not too significant how fast Vinson goes or what fuels the carrier. It travels with escorts.

readering said...

Now Murdoch's rag WSJ reporting Bill a goner.

Lewis Wetzel said...

Indonesia? Thank god! That means that our armada is safely beyond the reach of North Korean shore batteries!

You can go to the Vinson's web page and it tells you that it arrived in Singapore of the 4th of April, and was still there on the 13th. The only people who thought it was off of North Korea were CNN. And NPR. Jesus, the data is right there!

http://www.navy.mil/local/cvn70/

The page also includes this:

USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70)
54 mins
CSG-1 Families and Loved Ones,
“I promised to keep you apprised of changes as soon as we knew and when we are authorized to communicate them. Our deployment has been extended 30 days to provide a persistent presence in the Waters off the Korean Peninsula.
While all of us look forward to being connected with our friends and families, our nation requires us to be its flexible force, the away team, and as we have done time and time again through history, we won’t let her down now.
Our mission is to reassure allies and our partners of our steadfast commitment to the Indo-Asia-Pacific region. We will continue to be the centerpiece of visible maritime deterrence, providing our national command authority with flexible deterrent options, all domain access, and a visible forward presence.
I cannot emphasize enough that while our Strike Group’s focus is on our mission, the safety and security of my command, your Sailors, continues to be at the forefront of my thoughts and actions. The training leading up to deployment and on deployment has prepared us to be ready to respond to the call - we are ready.
The Family Readiness Groups and Ombudsman Groups of CSG-1, CVN-70, CVW-2, CDS-1 (DDG-108 and DDG-112),CG-57, and all subordinate commands are an ever-present resource. I encourage you to reach out to them as you have questions.
Thank you for you continued sacrifice, your consummate understanding and your unwavering support.”
Rear Admiral Jim Kilby
Commander, Carrier Strike Group One


So, in the last two weeks, you could go to the USS Vinson's web page and learn that it and its strike force was in Singapore, or you could go to CNN and learn that it was actually off of North Korea.

WTF, CNN?

Lewis Wetzel said...

CNN, April 13th:
(CNN)North Korea has issued a forceful response to the deployment of a US naval strike group to the region, saying it would counter "reckless acts of aggression" with "whatever methods the US wants to take."

In a statement provided to CNN by officials in North Korea, Pyongyang said the "current grim situation" justified its "self-defensive and pre-emptive strike capabilities with the nuclear force at the core."
"We will make the US fully accountable for the catastrophic consequences that may be brought about by its high-handed and outrageous acts," the statement said.
The Pentagon sent the 97,000-ton USS Carl Vinson with an escort of a guided-missile cruiser and two destroyers after the latest missile test by North Korea last week.

http://www.cnn.com/2017/04/10/politics/us-aircraft-carrier-carl-vinson-north-korea-strike-capabilities/


From the USS Vinson's web page on April 13
:
Carl Vinson Strike Group Sailors Volunteer in Singapore
Story Number: NNS170413-02Release Date: 4/13/2017 8:14:00 AM A A A Email this story to a friend Print this story
By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Devin Monroe, USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) Public Affairs
SOUTH CHINA SEA (NNS) -- Sailors assigned to the Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group took part in community service events during a recent port visit to Singapore.

Sailors joined the Singapore community in donating their time at Child at 11th Street, Willing Hearts Food Kitchen and a food bank.

Events like these, which call upon Sailors to interact with members of the local community, sort pallets of food, do general chores, and serve food to the less fortunate are examples of how Team Vinson Sailors are helping strengthen the relationships with partner and ally nations while visiting foreign ports.

http://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=99881

Fernandinande said...

Lewis Wetzel said...
Your comment is bogus, fernandinande:


An article about solving problems which doesn't mention IQ is bogus. An article about solving problems which doesn't define the problems they solved is bogus.

On another occasion, we worked with a group of IT consultants on the same exercise.

Anecdotes are not data. Sociology and fads at play.

Lewis Wetzel said...

Anecdotes are not data. Sociology and fads at play.
Then who gives a crap?
Anecdotes are not data.

Our analysis across six teams who recently undertook the exercise shows a significant correlation between high cognitive diversity and high performance, as shown in the table below:

https://hbr.org/resources/images/article_assets/2017/03/W170320_REYNOLDS_HIGHERCOGNITIVE-700x464.png

Is there anybody here who knows how to play this game?

Yancey Ward said...

Well, Chuck, you are stickler for details here, not me. If the shoe were on the other foot, you would be drilling down on all the semantic details with an Asperger sufferer's relentlessness, just like you did with your first comment. I hope I have made my point, even if you don't get it.