Letters to the Editor
Marcos22
Published Letters: 48 Editor's Choice: 11
-
Rockies keep balls in a humidor now.
[Read the article: King Kaufman's Sports Daily]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]The last time the Astros were in Colorado, the TV guys were talking about how the Rockies received permission somewhat recently to store the baseballs in a humidor at some constant humidity. Apparently, the balls were shrinking in the dry air, and becoming harder - something like that. They had done tests. So, now that they're experiencing some humidity, the balls aren't jumping as much perhaps. I would think this would be good for baseball there - the Rockies might actually be able to sign some pitchers.
It seems to be that if you're in a hitters park you should build a team around pitching, not hitting. I mean, the Astros play in a hitter's park, but they don't have a monster offense. And despite their problems, they did make it the World Series last year.
So, King do you think the Tigers will hold on or are they going to the Wild Card? All the guys on Baseball Tonight were picking the White Sox to win the Central. I wonder how Kenny Rogers is going to hold up.
As far as my Astros go, I think they have a good shot at either the WC or the Central division. They always have at least one hot streak in them. One 10 game winning streak and they'll be right in the thick of things. (I said that in 2004 and they went and did it, so I say it every year now.) Huff is a good acquisition, you have to think Pettitte will start pitching better, Clemens should have fresher legs, and the bullpen's volatility is bound to quiet down.
Also, Craig Biggio inches closer and closer to 3,000 hits. He should hit 2900 by early/mid August or so.
-
Streaks
[Read the article: King Kaufman's Sports Daily]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]The Astros won 15 out of 16 down the stretch in 2004. And 9 out of 10 to end the season. I don't know if that 15 out of 16 stretch is their best ever, but it must be close. They'll need similar runs to get back in the wild card race after today's pathetic effort in getting swept by the Cubs. (21 scoreless innings in a row now for the 'stros.)
I wonder how the frequency over 100 years of these runs increases with number, statistically. For example, how much more rare is winning 18 out of 19? Or how much less is 16 out of 17?
-
Belief and Unbelief
[Read the article: The joys of life without God]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]So many things to say about this. First, is it my imagination or does Salon interview a lot of non-Believers? I'd say they tend to be skewed towards the "religious people are so kooky and here is why" sort of write-ups.
First off, Shermer is rightfully dismissive of the whole intelligent design movement. I.D. is not science, and is being pushed by people with an agenda of putting religious ideas into schools. Similar with hostility towards evolution in general, from various religious fundamentalists.
Similarly, I share his skepticism towards astrology, psychics, and other pseudosciences.
But to conflate those things with people who are religious is absurd. People's faith comes in all shapes and sizes. Some people are literalist and fundamentalist. Some people are Christian and don't believe in either the virgin birth or a supernatural resurrection. You can't lump them all together.
Ultimately it comes down to this - Why do we exist? Why does the universe exist at all? That's the mystery of the universe - now how we got here but THAT we are here in the first place.
If God exists, than God is the ultimate reason for both the universe and our belief in reality. Belief in God is a decision we make. So is disbelief. Neither is provable or disprovable. God might exist, God might not exist. The decision to believe in God is rooted in looking at the world, the universe, and the whole of reality as something with purpose and that is worthwhile.
If Shermer finds that the evidence is unconvincing, that's his legitimate decision. I look at the splendor of the world and I find that I believe in a Creator and a purpose. I don't do this for irrational or superstitious reasons. I do this because it is how I've chosen to interpret the reality of my own existence. We are all free to make that choice. If everyone would tolerate each other's decisions on this admittedly unknowable question - I think we'd all be the better for it.