If you’re faced with undeniable evidence that Shakespeare was a racist, would you change your opinion about the play Othello? I’m in the habit of asking myself such hypotheticals; it helps me clothe my opinions in reason. Here's another one. If you learn that one of the greatest mathematicians in history was prone to conspiracy … Continue reading An Epiphany induced by reading Journey to the Edge of Reason
Author: John Baker
Professional curmudgeon and relentless skeptic. "Belief" is a bullshit word. You know or you don't know!
Joe Biden = Intelligence Failure
Joe Biden, the demented imbecile in the White House, recently had his, “it will go away like a miracle” (Trump) moment. His, “the rise of the oceans began to slow” (Obama) moment. His, “mission accomplished” (Bush) moment. His, “I did not have sex with that woman” (Clinton) moment. His, “I’m not a crook” (Nixon) moment, … Continue reading Joe Biden = Intelligence Failure
Public School Teachers Should Wear Body Cameras
One of the many positive things to emerge from the Coronavirus pandemic is the renewed interest of parents in just what the fuck is going on in their children’s schools. Like many pandemic perks this wasn’t planned, but when kids were expelled from their classrooms and parents were sent home from their jobs, both ended … Continue reading Public School Teachers Should Wear Body Cameras
JETL – J Extract Transform and Load
I have been surreptitiously using the J programming language on the job for many years. With rare exceptions, I haven't advertised my clandestine use of J simply because it's strange and scary and nonstandard, and IT departments are filled with cowardly little bedwetters that run away like Brave Sir Robin when confronted with something really … Continue reading JETL – J Extract Transform and Load
Buy My Daughter Helen’s Art!
Dear readers, as most of you know, this blog does not promote anything except the fevered ravings of its somewhat deranged author. But today, in a wild break with tradition, I'm promoting my daughter's art. Some of us put Winnie the Wuhan Kung Flu1 lockdowns to good use. I finished my JOD book, and my … Continue reading Buy My Daughter Helen’s Art!
The Zero Bullshit Sport Olympics
We can thank the perpetually aggrieved and ever-complaining “transgender community” for the Zero Bullshit Sport Olympics. The ridiculous spectacle of huge male weightlifters, that conveniently identified and competed as women, crushing smaller and weaker female competitors on live global TV forced many to ask forbidden questions. “Why are Olympic sports sexually segregated?” “Does it really … Continue reading The Zero Bullshit Sport Olympics
Offensive Team Names and GUIDs
Not long ago while driving with my NPR loving wife I was accidentally exposed to a radio panel “conversation”1 about offensive team names. Unless you've been off-planet for the last few decades you're probably aware that it's no longer acceptable to name teams after BIPOC’ky2 people. To do so is to commit the heinous crime … Continue reading Offensive Team Names and GUIDs
Running SSIS Packages with Python
Microsoft's SSIS (SQL Server Integration Services) is a ubiquitous ETL (Extract Transform and Load) tool. Despite its widespread use, SSIS is not loved! At best, it's tolerated for its undeniable utility, but SSIS's “utility” comes with a host of hideous warts with the ugliest being its file handling. You would think that an ETL tool … Continue reading Running SSIS Packages with Python
A Brighter Bluer World
Yesterday I had cataract surgery, My cataract-infused left eye lens was removed and replaced with a plastic mono-focal lens. I’m still recovering from the procedure but I can already see that it’s going to be a brighter and bluer world, My cataracts were literally casting a yellowish pall on everything. I knew my color sense … Continue reading A Brighter Bluer World
My Father’s Obituary
The following is an obituary I wrote for my recently deceased father. The original was posted the on the Franzen Davis Funeral Home website. This version incorporates some minor adjustments and corrections that were noted by my brother. Franklin Burdick Baker, age 87, of Las Vegas formerly of Bozeman, died on Tuesday morning February 9th, … Continue reading My Father’s Obituary
Analyze the Data not the Drivel 