Idiots, Doing Idiot Things, Because They're Idiots

There's been an uproar about the U.S. Olympic team wearing uniforms that are made in China. While the idea of always "buying American" is counter-productive and, well, stupid in a free market, I would agree that the Olympics are probably one time where we should throw counter-productivity to the wind, embrace stupidity, and put our athletes in uniforms made in the U.S. Having said that, I have to take issue with this quote from the article.

"There is no compelling reason why all of the uniforms cannot be made here on U.S. soil at the same price, at better quality."

Democratic Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, of New York - she of increasingly liberal tendencies and subsequent decreasing intelligence - is responsible for the above quote. 


(Side note: I Googled Kirsten Gillibrand to get a little information on her. She's married to a British chap, who I have no problems with aside from the fact that he's a dirty redcoat. But he looks like a Brit. A week ago, I sat in a restaurant at a table next to a very British-looking family. Lo and behold, when they placed their orders, their accents confirmed my suspicions. And it has got me to thinking - why do British people always look British? Among Caucasians, I don't know that you could find one nationality that is easier to pick out than British. "Pale skin, bad teeth, weird hair - must be a Brit.")


Back to the quote at hand. She is absolutely right, you know. There is no compelling reason. There are actually 2 compelling reasons why all of the uniforms cannot be made in the U.S. at the same price and better quality.

1. Better quality always comes at a better price. This isn't ground breaking. Anyone who has compared a Mercedes to a Geo Metro knows why the Mercedes costs more. You pay for quality. So right off the bat, if all other factors were equal, the uniforms would cost more if they were made of higher quality. 
2. All other factors are not equal, however. Things made in the U.S. cost more than things from China. Mrs. Gillibrand is likely the only person in the free world not to know this fact. Part of it has to do with stupid liberal policies that drive up the cost of labor (minimum wage being one of them), part of it has to do with stupid groups supported by liberals that drive up wages to a ridiculous level (unions), and part of it has to do with the fact that American businesses don't treat their employees like animals. The point is, we pay more for things made in the United States, because it costs more to make things in the United States.

It doesn't take any amount of intelligence to figure this out. Say I offer you two t-shirts and tell you to pick out which one will cost less. The first one, I explain, was made by someone making very little money and is made with cheap material. The second one was made by a well-paid employee and is made from high-quality material. Would you say the second one is cheaper? If you answered yes, you're an idiot. 

I suppose that's the point of this post. We've got a bunch of people running this country who, under the criteria outlined in the last sentence of the previous paragraph, are idiots. These idiots are doing idiot things. Why? Because they're idiots. 

Winners and Not-winners from the NBA Draft

Previously, I posted my mock draft of picks 1-5 in the 2012 NBA draft. I meant to do more picks before the draft, but never got around to it. It's difficult to tell who the losers are in a draft, considering that not one of these players have played a single NBA game. Sure things turn out to be busts. Bad picks turn into All-Stars. This is the NBA. Having said that, let's take a look at the "Winners" and "Not-Winners" of this year's draft. 

The Winners

1. New Orleans Hornets

The Hornets needed a break and they got it in the form of Anthony Davis. He has all the makings of a franchise player. If there is a sure thing in this draft, he's it. His defensive-minded, high energy approach should give the Hornets an identity as they now try to find the right pieces to put around him. I'm not sold on the Austin Rivers pick, but he has potential to make this a HUGE WIN for the Hornets.

2. Sacramento Kings

Thomas Robinson was supposed to go to the Bobcats at No. 2. He was exactly what they needed. He filled a need and supplied the talent. Didn't happen. The Bobcats went with the second best player in the draft, MKG, and Robinson fell another two spots down to the Kings. This pick is a win in a couple ways. First, he's a huge talent. Two things translate extremely well from college to the pros: athleticism and rebounding. Robinson has two elite skills: athleticism and rebounding. Second, he's a perfect fit. The Kings needed a wing, to be sure, but as big men go, he's a great fit. It's no secret that the Kings had been looking for an athletic, high energy power forward to put next to Cousins. They no longer need to look. Lastly, he's a great influence. A team that was too often lackadaisical or lethargic just got a guy who doesn't quit. Huge pick for the Kings, huge break for a franchise in turmoil. 

3. Golden State Warriors

When I saw Harrison Barnes fall to No. 7, I couldn't believe it. This guy was a sure fire top 5 pick, one of the best players in the draft. Then he fell a little bit and was a top 5 pick, but probably fourth or fifth. Suddenly, on draft night he falls to seven. This is a guy who was the top ranked high school player in his class. He had a great college career (although he didn't and couldn't live up to the hype from high school). He fills a need, gives the Warriors a huge talent, and should fit perfectly with the starting lineup. The Warriors may not play much defense this year, but I have a feeling they're going to score some points. 

4. Boston Celtics

Jared Sullinger has plenty of red-flags. He's got a bad back. He's undersized. Not a great athlete. He plays below the rim in an increasingly above the rim league. However, he also has a big strength: he's the best low-post scorer in the draft. And we've seen below the rim bigs do well in the NBA before, plenty of times. He was a top 5 pick (possibly No. 1) in a weak draft last year. To get him at No. 21 this year? Winner. They also got a project in Fab Melo who was worth the risk at No. 22. I like it.

5. Oklahoma City Thunder

I love this pick. Perry Jones III is a huge, huge talent. He has the talent, size, and athleticism to be the number one pick, even in a draft this strong. The only questions are about his motor and how bad he wants to be great. I don't see motivation being a problem on OKC. Aside from having a great coach, they also have great players (see Durant, Kevin) who know how close they are to a championship and won't let one underachieving rookie keep them from it. I think they'll push him to be better. He could be incredible. He could turn into a Lamar Odom-type player (a 6-11 ball-handling, shooting forward? Yes, please.). But I have to admit, I'm most excited about the Zombie Sonics playing this lineup: PG: Russell Westbrook, SG: James Harden, SF: Kevin Durant, PF: Perry Jones, C: Serge Ibaka. The would be the running-gunningest, lengthy-defendingest, funnest to watchest lineup ever. So awesome that I just had to make up words. Win win win.

Honorable Winner Mentions: Toronto Raptors (Terrence Ross), Charlotte Bobcats (Michael Kidd-Gilchrist), Chicago Bulls (Marquis Teague), Denver Nuggets (Quincy Miller)

The Not-Winners

1. Cleveland Cavaliers

Dion Waiters is probably going to be a fine player. Unfortunately, in a draft this deep and this strong, you don't take a "fine" player at No. 4. Not with Harrison Barnes, Thomas Robinson, and Andre Drummond on the board. If Waiters is your guy, you trade down a couple spots to get him. On paper, he looks like Dwayne Wade: undersized SG, scoring machine, makes his living going to the basket with power, poor shooter. But how many Dwayne Wades are there? How many guys coming out of college fit the above profile? Tons. How many of them become All-NBA caliber players? Few. I'm a fan of the philosophy that you draft talent and trade for need. Even if you're trading the player you just drafted, the talent is worth more! This pick could haunt Cleveland for years. This draft was their golden opportunity to find that sidekick to play next to Kyrie Irving for the next...well, let's not start counting years until they take their talents elsewhere. The point is, this was their chance to get that guy. I don't think the sixth man from Syracuse is going to be that guy.

2. Phoenix Suns

I can't help but feel that drafting Kendall Marshall at 13 was a reach. In a draft this deep, if you're going to reach and draft a player higher than projected, it's gotta be a guy with potential. Like Perry Jones or John Henson or Terrence Jones (all of who were available). Not Kendall Marshall. He'll be a fine passer and a mediocre to poor scorer and defender in the NBA. That's not what I would be looking for at 13. 

3. Miami Heat

Arnett Moultrie seemed like a great fit on the Heat - long, athletic, good shooter for a big man. He led the SEC in rebounding and was second in scoring (that's right, he played in the same league as No. 1 pick Anthony Davis and still led the league in rebounding). To trade him for a second round pick and a future first round pick? The Sixers aren't headed for the lottery for a while, and I don't see another draft coming up where you could get a talent like Moultrie this far down in the draft. Bad call for the defending champs. 

4. Los Angeles Lakers

Wait, the Lakers didn't have a pick! Exactly. To not have a first round pick in the 2012 draft is a huge mistake. Their only pick was 60th. On a team needing to begin to stack up young assets (either to rebuild post-Kobe or trade for another superstar to avoid the previously mentioned post-Kobe rebuild), they missed out on a giant opportunity. 

5. Indiana Pacers

I don't care if he eats a magical jelly bean and turns into Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 2.0, I will never believe that taking Miles Plumlee when Arnett Moultrie, Perry Jones, and Marquis Teague are available is a good idea. 

Honorable Not-Winner Mentions: Philadelphia 76ers (Maurice Harkless and Arnett Moultrie), Houston Rockets (Terrence Jones and Royce White), Atlanta Hawks (John Jenkins)

TDT's 2012 NBA Mock Draft: Picks 1-5

I love basketball and, as much as it pains me to say it, I love the NBA. Inflated egos, criminals, overpaid crybabies - it all makes for entertainment and great storylines to go along with great games. With the NBA draft drawing near and my favorite team (the Sacramento Kings - for now) set to have yet another high pick, my mind turns toward draft night. Without further ado, here's my 2012 mock draft:

1. New Orleans Hornets - Anthony Davis, Kentucky

Take my word for it, his game is prettier than his face.

The easiest pick in the draft. If you can look past the oddities of David Stern's intervention in the Chris Paul trade and the Hornets' subsequent luck in the draft lottery, this is a great thing for New Orleans. Davis is a sure thing, the kind of player that you can build a franchise around. Reminds me (and everyone) of Kevin Garnett. Tall, long, athletic and a great motor. He's raw offensively, but he's going to be an impact defender from day one. If he only develops an average offensive game and fulfills his defensive potential, he'll still be worth the No. 1 pick. He'll have the meanest/best/craziest/worst eyebrows in the league and should be a perennial Defensive Player of the Year candidate.

2. Charlotte Bobcats - Bradley Beal, Florida

Assuming the 'Cats don't trade down, I can see them taking Beal. They need talent just about everywhere, and Beal should have the scoring ability to help out right away. He might not be a franchise cornerstone, but he's a step in the right direction. 

Kidd-Gilchrist is a popular choice here, but I don't see him being a player that can carry a team on offense, at least not in the near future. Thomas Robinson would be my second choice, but he seems to have the same questions as their first-round pick last year (Kemba Walker): does he have the size for his position and is he going to be a big-time contributor at the next level? Bradley Beal is the safest bet.

3. Washington Wizards - Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Kentucky

Kidd-Gilchrist will fit in perfect next to another Kentucky product, John Wall, in D.C. He doesn't need the ball to be effective and will bring toughness, defense, and rebounding to a team that desperately needs it. Like I said earlier, K-G doesn't look like a player who's going to carry a team offensively (a-la Kevin Durant or Derrick Rose) but as John Wall's sidekick? Seems like a good start for the Wiz.

4. Cleveland Cavaliers - Harrison Barnes, North Carolina

As much as I'd like to see Barnes go to my Kings at No. 5, I don't see that happening. The Cavs took a big step in the right direction last year after drafting Kyrie Irving, and Barnes is a safe bet in this year's draft. Thomas Robinson isn't really a good fit since they drafted another power forward last year, and while Barnes doesn't have the ceiling that Andre Drummond has, he's a safer pick. There's a lot of questions as to whether Barnes will be a star in the NBA. We won't know the answer to that for a while, but he looks like he'll definitely be a good, if not great, player. 

5. Sacramento Kings - Thomas Robinson, Kansas

Robinson is a nice consolation prize for the Kings if they miss out on K-G or Barnes. While there is a hole at the SF slot, there's also a lot of room for improvement at PF and Robinson should help immediately. Robinson would bring the athleticism, energy, and winning pedigree that the Kings desperately need. If he starts, the Kings could bring Jason Thompson off the bench, which is probably the perfect role for him. If Thompson starts, a Marcus Thornton-Thomas Robinson bench combo would do well for the Kings. I don't see them taking Drummond here - they need more reward, less risk.

The Reality of Sin

I can't speak for all Christians, but in my life it seems there are times when I have a greater realization of my sin. I'm in such a time right now.

It's so easy to look at my sin and try to play it off as small. I mean, I lie but at least they're small and inconsequential. I lust, but at least I'm not out committing adultery. I make coarse jokes, but they're just in fun.

As a country we've grown quite skilled at finding less offensive terms for sin. "It was a mistake." "I screwed up." "I'm a broken person." The latter sounds the most genuine but actually puts the blame on the Creator, as if our sin is due to a weak or imperfect design.

R.C. Sproul gives a more realistic view of sin:

Sin is cosmic treason. Sin is treason against a perfectly pure Sovereign. It is an act of supreme ingratitude toward the One to whom we owe everything, to the One who has given us life itself...The slightest sin is an act of defiance against cosmic authority. It is a revolutionary act, a rebellious act in which we are setting ourselves in opposition to the One to whom we owe everything. It is an insult to His holiness. We become false witnesses to God.

Treason. An insult to the holiness of God. 

Yet I stay bogged down in sin. I look at the pattern of Israel in the Old Testament - sin, punishment, repentance, restoration - and wonder how they could be so foolish to keep rebelling over and over again. Did I say "they"? I meant "I".

I frequently get told by women (100% of whom are old enough that I should be dating their daughters or granddaughters), "You're such a good young man. Why don't you have a girlfriend?" A good young man? I'll end this post by leaving it to Martin Lloyd Jones to describe how I feel when someone says something like this:

They see only what which is good in me; they see me only at my best. I shudder when I realize how unworthy I am and how ignorant they are of the dark and hidden recesses of my soul where all that is devilish and hideous reigns supreme, at times breaking through onto the surface and causing a turmoil that God and I alone know of.

Guess Who's Back....

Seems like just last year I was writing on this very blog. After a brief (and by brief, I mean lengthy) hiatus, I have returned.

I'm at a drastically different place in life. Not literally. I still live in the same house and work in the same city as I did last year. But career-wise, spiritually, and physically, things have changed. I'll write an update on these things in the near future.

There are a few changes to the blog. I simplified it. Got rid of a bunch of stuff. No more Twitter. No more clutter. Just blog posts. Whenever I feel like it.

Some of the stuff before was a bit forced. I want my future posts to be more from the heart. Some will still be political. Some will still be sports. I really want to incorporate some theology and Christianity.

Looking back over the blogging that I did last year, "Confessions of a Wannabe Libertarian" really stands out as my best writing. I re-read it and I still feel 100% the same. Probably won't be doing a Top 5 or any regular features, as I don't want to be on any sort of schedule.

So here's to whatever the future of this blog holds, whether it's just this post or a thousand more.

Friday Top 5 - Favorite Mutants

So, watching the newest installment of the X-Men movies, X-Men: First Class, resulted in me watching all the other X-Men films over the course of the past two weeks. I really liked the trilogy and have enjoyed the latest two movies even more. That said, this week's Top 5 is my Top 3 Favorite X-Men mutants. Yes, Top 3. After I got past 3, I couldn't really think of any that were totally, completely awesome. Charles Xavier? Sorry, being in a wheel chair is not a good trade-off for being telepathic. Jean Gray? She was so powerful, she basically killed herself. No thanks. Storm? I don't think so. If I'm in an emergency and need some super powers fast, I don't want to wait around for a weather system to blow through. And for you comic book nerds (I don't think I've ever read a comic book before), I'm going off the movies, so don't get all bent out of shape if I skip someone who wasn't in the movies.

They Never Even Gave Him a Chance

Smile while you can, Brett.

Brett Pill started off his Major League baseball career with a bang, homering in his first at-bat on Tuesday and then homering again on Wednesday. The big first baseman's career appeared to be off to a bright start until ESPN took it upon themselves to curse him. Their recap of today's Giants-Padres game included this little gem:

"Pill joined John Bowker as the only two players in franchise history to homer in their first two major league games."