Why I am not an expert

Over at Ask The Oracle Expert: Questions & Answers comes this.

Notice how TableB occurs twice in the query. This means we must use an alias for each occurrence, and also use the appropriate alias to qualify the columns in the SELECT clause. And since the columns from the two instances of TableB have the same name, it is also common—but not required—to assign column aliases in the SELECT clause.

I obviously don't have the patience to be an Oracle expert because I would have been tempted to tell the person that elicited that response to RTFM.

Remedial English

Daily Kos: Vocabulary Lesson for Republicans

Over the past few weeks, republicans have thrown all sorts of labels at Barack Obama:

"Muslim socialist"
"Nazi communist"
"Terrorist"
"Arab"
"Elitist"

The GOP leaders have also used several words to describe themselves that further exemplify their poor vocabulary skills:

"Maverick"
"Small business owner"
"Reformer"

Interviews with Sarah Palin, in particular, make it even clearer that the GOP needs remedial help with vocabulary and a few pointers on political doctrine and history. I am therefore assembling a small collection of terms with which the GOP and its supporters should become better acquainted.

I very much enjoyed this post and think that every voter should read it. Unfortunately since the only one's reading this are my cats and since neither they nor I am allowed to vote in this country it is unlikely.

Really Geeky Humour

The thing that kind of scares me a little is that I laughed out loud at this post from the Quantum Pontiff.

A new way to get out of the financial crisis: invest in the quantum computing! (joke about a superposition of rich and poor deleted for sanity's sake.)

Confederate States of America

Currently watching this movie. Is a very strange experience but I am quite enjoying it.
Alternate reality movies always seem to appeal to me.

Why math is necessary

From Blake Stacey comes a nice essay on math and physics and all sorts of neat things.

Personally, I am a geek and I love math. Lots of people don't however.

Interesting Maps

As my cats know (they are my only regular readers after all) I am a business intelligence analyst by profession. A part of the job that I find especially fun is coming up with effective ways to visualize numbers.

This is really nice map. Even if the subject matter isn't that pleasant.

Imagine that ...

Group News Blog: Bloomberg and City Council Overturn the Decision of NY Voters

In spite of the fact that the last two times the term limit issue was voted on in NYC the voters decided IN FAVOR of a 2 term limit-- Mayor Bloomberg and members of the city council voted to waive the rule this cycle so that he could run for a 3rd term as mayor.

In general, I think that term limits are a stupid idea but it seems slightly odd to me to change the rules in the middle of the game. Of course this is Bloomberg, who has been both a Republican and a Democrat, depending on which would be more advantageous to him at the time.

What an asshole

From the evil Greenwald

Via Ed Brayton comes this bit of brilliance about the idea of a Palin/Bachmann ticket in 2012. Thoroughly Impressive

To which i can only say. Yes, Please

Value Investing

Calculated Risk: PNC to Acquire National City

The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. and National City Corporation today announced that they have signed a definitive agreement for PNC to acquire National City for $2.23 per share, or an aggregate fixed amount of approximately $5.2 billion in PNC stock. Additionally $384 million of cash is payable to certain warrant holders. ...

One year ago NatCity shares were going for about $25.

Help one of the good ones

Daily Kos: WA-08: Help Darcy close strong

Darcy Burner is being hit by third-party groups, is one of the few races left in which the NRCC is playing, has the local media elites gunning for her defeat (for her sin of crashing the gates without their permission), while Reichert funds his final ad blitz with an illegal $500,000 loan. She needs $350,000 to keep pace with all the crap being thrown at her.

I love Darcy Burner and can't wait until she is in Congress.
Go give her some money.

What do these two endorsements have in common

Scott McClellan endorses Obama

Meet The Press: Colin Powell Endorses Barack Obama

Both are endorsements of the person that is clearly going to win by two people that, if they had any fucking backbone at all, might have saved us all a lot of misery over the last few years.

Sorry guys ... you arent forgiven.

That explains that

NO, really it does

I like Karen Tumulty a lot

Swampland - TIME.com » Blog Archive We’re Back in Business, Baby! «

And we've changed the combination to the lock on the High Sheriff's liquor cabinet, though things might look a teensy bit funky for a while until we get everything back to normal.

Swampland had a few hmmmm technical issues...

This does my heart good

Talking Points Memo | First Base

If Republicans had to pick for 2012 today, it'd be: Romney 35%, Huckabee 26%, Palin 20%.

Who would have imagined that even Republicans were smart enough to see through her.

I am still hoping for a McCain vote of less than 40%

TBogg on My Senator

TBogg has this about right

Fuck off Joe.