whaletail

I've not been a track fan for that long, and have been so spoiled by runners like Ingebritsen, Faith Kipyegon, Yomif Kejelcha and Beatrice Chebet, et al. taking it out quick, setting WRs etc., that I haven't learned to love tactical races yet. I'm also not a huge Hocker fan. I was rooting for Graham Blanks to make the 5000 team, and as a huge Grant Fisher fan, I was already annoyed he was outkicked in the 10K. When Hocker outkicked him in the 5, and Blanks had obviously been dropped, I was like wait, wait, how's Hocker the only race winner to hold a lead this weekend? After Nuguse and Hoey had already blown up after leading their respective races, I figured Hocker would be next, but no, he drops to P7 only to storm back like Kejelcha on EPO and win the damn thing. As an aside, a tactical race I did enjoy was the women's 5K, as I've always thought there was a good chance Shelby was innocent, and to see her lose 4 years, come back coaching herself, and still pullout the W was validating. They're surely testing her constantly now, so I think it's fair to assume she's at least clean these days. That she lost 4 of her prime years, is now in her early 30s, without even a coach, yet still performs at nearly the same level she was at when suspended suggests that either PEDs weren't helping her the way they usually do, or she wasn't on them. Between her current performance, her background as a small town Iowa girl made good, and the fact that she apparently wouldn't even wear super shoes prior to being banned (she supposedly viewed them as cheating), it's hard to imagine her searching out PEDs by herself, then being comfortable injecting them. It sucks we'll probably never know the truth. /soapbox As for swimming, I never even though about pool lane dividers being an odd addition to competitive swimming, but maybe they're a safety issue? Or maybe they're more meant to orient swimmers, and help them traverse the pool efficiently. Without them, it'd be a lot easier to accidentally swim at an angle (especially when back stroking), which would look unprofessional at best. Then again, when runners get bunched up, some have to run outside lane 1, and we consider being able to avoid that a valuable skill. Why should it be any different for swimmers?

I've never seen anything like it! Last year's Olympic 1500m final wasn't even as special, to me, as seeing Brazier comeback to win yesterday, and look like he'd never been away. I was almost in tears. I assumed he was done with the sport, and athletes rarely make it back from that sort of irrelevance. Mind, the 800m has also evolved mightily since 2019, when he set the American, and WC record, in the World final. From 2022, when no one broke 1:44 until late summer, to last year, when Bryce Hoppel broke Brazier's American record, running 1:41.6 in the Olympic final (and only finishing 4th). Now you have to be near WR pace to win Diamond Leagues, let alone World Championships. Not only did Brazier it back (and in three godd@mn months), he set a new PB and won the damn race. Whether he medals at Worlds or not, he'll be relevant in Tokyo. And a 16 year old kid, who only began running in middle school, somehow finishes a tenth back. Even crazier, the kid's final lap was fastest in the field by a full second, and his final 200 would have placed in the Texas state meet! This kid may have the fastest kick in the world, and that means a world record in the near future isn't hyperbolic thinking! As you mention, Lutkenhaus may well have run even faster in a faster race. His kick was there when he was running 1:50 last year, and it was still there when he ran 1:47. He still had it when he ran 1:45 in June, and somehow, he still had it yesterday, when he ran 1:42.27! At Worlds, Emanual Wanyoni (Kenya) and Marco Arop (Canada) will almost certainly run a similar first lap to yesterday (49 low), on their way to 1:41 low (or maybe even 1:40 high). If Lutkenhaus' legs can handle a slightly faster third 200m (the first half of the final lap), and he closes as he has been, he'll be with them at the end. Not that much different than Jax and PJ looking like the class of their age groups last year, then suddenly beating NCAA champs a few months ago, and finally beating World Champs a few weeks ago. Viewed from a practical perspective after-the-fact, these performances surely reflect the world class coaching and training environments now available to young athletic prodigies, but seeing them happen in real time is still absolutely mind boggling!

After my parents decided I was too small to play football anymore, I 'ran' cross country to get in shape for wrestling. For obvious reasons, here was some overlap at the top of both sports, but something like pole vault would have been better. I'm not sure I was ever athletic enough to safely compete in something like that (unless I'd been doing it since I was a toddler), but the body control alone would be really helpful for wrestling. You can always run on your own.

At the US Track & Field National Championships (World Team Trials), Cooper Lutkenhaus, a 16 year old sophomore finished 2nd in the men's 800m final, and will compete at the World Championships in Tokyo next month. He'll apparently be the youngest Team USA world teamer in history, and may be the most talented American middle distance runner since the great Jim Ryun 60 years ago. Incredibly, he ran a 1:42.27, knocking 3s off his own U18 and U20 World Record (set last month at the Texas state meet). He's now the third fastest American ever, and only 1.4s off the world record (David Rudisha - Kenya - 1:40.9, set in the 2012 Olympic final). Mind, a few months ago, his personal best was a 1:47.x. Blisteringly fast for a high schooler, for sure, especially one who only started running competitively in 7th grade, but not world class. 1:42.27 would have won every World Championship final to date, as well as every Olympic final until last year. As an aside, he even managed to make Donovan Brazier's incredible comeback victory a sidestory. Brazier, the 2019 World Champion and one-time American record holder, only returned to racing in June, after injuring his achilles tendon at the 2021 Tokyo Olympic Trials. Injured until earlier this year, he was widely believed to be essentially retired until suddenly returning this summer.

I'll read the article when I have a minute. But whether he was warned about a coming ice age in high school (is he serious?), or not, the science surrounding climate change is consistent. Antarctic ice melt and ice core sample data (not to mention 100+ years of temperature records) illustrate our climate has been warming since the mid 17th century. So far at least, the author agrees. Although correlation doesn't indicate causation, it's certainly interesting that the warming timeline begins with the Industrial Revolution and accelerates in lockstep with our fossil fuel consumption. Science has also consistently demonstrated the mechanism by which fossil fuel burning might heat up a planet with our atmosphere (through the depletion of atmospheric ozone, increased carbon dioxide production, and subsequent greenhouse effect). A mechanism that matches our own atmospheric observations. But frankly, who cares whether we're wholly responsible, merely a contributor, or somehow, completely innocent? Certainly not the consequences, which we're only just beginning to experience (e.g. wildfires and hurricanes are suddenly becoming much more common, and much more destructive). And the author's 'gotcha' comments about incorrect predictions? Early predictions about Antarctic ice melt and ozone depletion were wrong. What he neglects to mention? That the predictions were actually way too optimistic.

World Athletics (T&F governing body) does allow DSD women this opportunity. Semenya argues that HRT has too many side effects (psychological and physical), hasn't been proven safe for DSD women, and finally, that she should be able to compete as she was born. Although I still support the WA policy (at least tentatively), it's worth noting that DSD women have female genitalia, are raised as female, and unless they happen to show world class running ability, may never even know they're biologically different. They can't have children, and might learn about their condition as a result, but I suspect very few East African villagers seek western medical treatment because they can't conceive (I'm pretty sure DSD has never been documented outside of Kenya, Namibia and Botswana). So the idea that DSD athletes are either pretending to be women, or cheating in some fashion is absurd.

My ambivalence regarding whether DSD athletes should be allowed to participate in women's sports reflects my own ignorance as well. Although I constantly read that they are 'biologically male', I've not seen that phrase defined with precision, let alone the assertion substantiated. Nor have I seen any research documenting their testosterone levels, and how they compare vs. elite female athletes. The intersection of biology and our cultural perspectives regarding "level playing fields" and allowable advantages etc. is also relevant to the DSD athlete debate. Finally, as an odd aside, these debates always leave me thinking about Spencer Lee vs. Anthony Robles, and the nature of disability/advantage. Specifically, why it seems taboo to even consider Robles' potential advantage(s) (and to a much lesser extent, Spencer's) and what that says about our obsession with level playing fields.

Never heard of Richard Posner? Chicago's law school and econ department aren't left leaning at all.

Rebut my argument

Just because he hasn't managed to criminalize dissent yet, doesn't mean we needn't worry. Honestly, if I hadn't been born here, I wouldn't even feel comfortable commenting as I have. If I were a legal immigrant, with a green card or a visa, I would be trying my absolute best to remain as under the radar as possible. I'd be terrified of being reported to ICE etc. as a malcontent. And that is already so far beyond acceptable that I'm gobsmacked every time someone minimizes/dismisses the idea that America's sliding into fascism. Our government is already kidnapping legal immigrants off the street - in terrifying fashion, and often enough, illegally deporting them, sometimes to godda^n prison. That they'll also knowingly, shamelessly, and repeatedly lie about these kidnappings is pretty scary as well. Moreover, given the administration's willingness to ignore the judiciary when displeased with rulings, and the fact that every one of them is an unqualified sycophantic lapdog, we have no idea what insane executive order the next 30 days will bring, and any confidence that we're safe from persecution is honestly poor judgment. And we haven't even begun to discuss how modern surveillance tech like Palantir and Clearview etc. immeasurably assist in monitoring populations, searching for dissent, finding anyone they'd like, and incredibly quickly. Finally, I doubt I'm the only one who already censors themselves on here. I very much hope I have nothing to worry about, but I'd be stupid to believe so.

Unfortunately, it seems Biden's utterly abysmal judgment, may well provide significant cover for Trump's obvious cognitive issues (which themselves pale in comparison to so many of his other issues). Although Biden was a milk toast centrist most of his career, and occasionally pretty scummy (see his treatment of Anita Hill during Clarence "Uncle Tom" Thomas' confirmation hearings), he appears to have been an excellent president. But to insist on running for re-election when he knew he was fading fast borders on the unforgivable. Whether it was delusion, conceit or simply bad judgment borne from incompetence, the decision to run was bad enough. But to actively hide your infirmity, and ask your closest supporters to assist in the cover-up - when the country you claim to "love" is facing an existential crisis - is absolutely mindblowing (and embarrassing). And for so many high-ranking dems to willingly assist in such a charade - whether out of loyalty, sense of obligation, or whatever, is even crazier.

That you're probably right is one of the fundamental reasons he - and his administration - are unfit for office.

Although I'm not an expert, I'd certainly imagine that our social welfare programs have added plenty of fraud. I suspect a lot less than many conservatives believe, but still a substantial amount. To me, however, the existence of fraud doesn't diminish the needs of the powerless and those suffering, or the value associated with programs that combat such suffering. In my opinion, it's a cost of doing business, much like a certain percentage of gross retail revenue is consistently offset by shoplifting. Retailers hire security etc. to minimize shoplifting losses, and raise prices to compensate for the unpreventable losses. Completely eliminating shoplifting, much like govt fraud, is either impossible or so expensive it might as well be.

I'm neither fiscally, nor socially conservative because: 1. I think the world is fundamentally unfair, and some groups obviously suffer disproportionally, and in myriad ways, as a result. Although I have enough trouble worrying about myself and those I love, government can certainly alleviate at least some of that suffering. Therefore, I think government should function to improve the lives of its entire citizenry, but especially those with the greatest need. 2. Therefore I think governments, especially those of the wealthiest nations, should spend money toward that end, providing services like universal health care (both mental and physical), universal access to shelter, clean water, food and other utilities, and try to alleviate as much poverty as possible. I also think it should patronize the arts and science as it did prior to Trump. As this is off the top of my head, I suspect I'm missing a number of other important areas where I think government spending is appropriate. 3. Although I'm not against government spending at all, I think it needs to recoup what it spends (and not pass debt down to later generations). Thankfully, we can easily pay for such services through increased taxes on large corporations and our wealthiest citizens. They've benefited tremendously from this country, both tangibly and intangibly, and can absorb such taxes without the suffering. 4. I also believe in an immutable separation of church and state, as well as a fundamental right to privacy and free thought. Although I view our Constitution as an incredible innovation, it must be a "living, evolving document". Our founding fathers were as human as anyone else, and the notion that 250 year old mandates must be followed as if sacrosanct is utterly absurd. Thus, I don't think government should legislate morality, save where safety and/or security are necessarily implicated. So, abortion would be universally legal prior to the approximate time when a fetus can survive outside the womb (~23 weeks IIRC), while assault and murder, etc. would remain illegal. That's my general ideology, its justification, and practical application via government.

Why? And what role do you think government should serve in society? Finally, as such a fiscal conservative, how can you possibly stand Trump? Not only will his Big Beautiful Bill balloon the national debt, it'll likely include more pork barrel spending than any previous bill in history. Moreover, he's probably been associated with as much fraud as any other elected official in modern history. From his real estate days, to his association with Trump University, and on to his various, current pay-for-access schemes, Trump's not just an ethics dumpster fire, he's a monumentally expensive dumpster fire. If you want the receipts with respect to the above allegations, and much, much more, read Lucky Loser. The authors spent two years forensically analyzing Trump's tax returns for the NYT (IIRC, obtained from Mary Trump, who received them as part of the discovery phase in Trump's lawsuit against her), and despite suing anyone and everyone for defamation, he won't sue these authors.