Modern Musings and Toys

11.3%

2009-11-10T23:44:00.005-05:00

That's today's unemployment number for Philadelphia. Unfortunately for me, not only is that the closest major city to me, but I am one of the many that comprise that statistic.

But I'm not bitter....much. Okay, a bit, maybe. Seriously, the company was not doing well at all (maybe it still isn't) and I was simply one of the many fingers it elected to sever in order to save its dying hand. A hand that I prehensiley thumbed for a decade, I might add.

And I don't consider myself "funemployed". I had never even heard of that until long after it would have been applicable. Admittedly, July and August were great. I made it a point to do absolutely nothing that could be mistaken for job hunting. It's been seven years since I took off two weeks in a row. This was something to be carefully savored as long as, well, as long as is appropriate...however long that is.

Loving life and living large, I lazed through the rest of the Summer, dipping into the severance package like a bag of chips -- you know, the ones you just can't stop munching because each one tastes like more.

So now that the party is over and the bag of chips is considerably lighter -- and the damn dip has gone sour -- I've begun the great machine that will propel me back into my chosen profession.

Unless, of course, I finally get the call that they really need me to play drums for the Led Zeppelin reunion tour.

Adam's World

2009-04-08T22:19:00.006-04:00

If you missed Adam Lambert performing Gary Jules' version of the Tears For Fears song "Mad World", you missed a musical moment. It was haunting and brilliant, and he made it look easy.

Unfortunately, it seems Freemantle Media is being very selfish with their Idols this year and removed all video clips of the performance from YouTube. However, a few enterprising music lovers have posted the audio portion with a still of Adam in place of the video.

Enjoy while it lasts.

STAR TREK WIDGET

2009-03-09T16:27:00.001-04:00

No School

2009-03-02T11:47:00.006-05:00

The Northeast is blanketed in snow today. How refreshing that my company, in its wisdom, has been declared closed due to the worsening conditions.

Not that it made a big difference to me, the official status of the office. It isn't worth risking life and limb to get to work through the teeth of inclimate weather.

Gympanzee

2009-02-22T10:49:00.016-05:00

I've never liked the label "gym rat". It just seems a bit distasteful to be associated with some kind of rodentia because one spends a lot of time pumping iron.

I'm a primate, after all, and if I'm going to have a label applied to me for my exercise activity proclivities, I'd prefer something a bit more simian -- like "Gympanzee". I like the sound of that, although I'm not sure I'd actually say it out loud to describe myself.

So I've finally started back into a workout routine after taking an embarrassingly long break. I'm convinced health clubs love people like me -- the ones who pay their monthly dues but don't show up to put wear and tear on the equipment.

And they knew I wasn't going to cancel my membership. That would have been admitting that I wasn't going back (which wasn't the case). I wouldn't put out hundreds of dollars a year for nothing, now would I?

But it was worth it to be able to jump back into the routine as soon as I decided it was time. Now I just have to stick to it -- and I can be pretty sticky when I want to.

Farewell, Number Six

2009-01-13T23:33:00.004-05:00

In Memoriam: Patrick Joseph McGoohan (March 19, 1928 - January 13, 2009)

Perhaps best known for his role as the nameless secret agent in the British series "The Prisoner" (in which he wrote, directed, and starred), Patrick McGoohan was a familiar face in film and television for five decades. One of his recent film credits include the role of King Edward Longshanks in 1995's "Braveheart".

He will be sorely missed. I leave you with the iconic opening sequence from "The Prisoner", which also stars one of my favorite automobiles, the Lotus Super Seven.

New Year's Day

2009-01-01T00:01:00.004-05:00

Out With The Old

2008-12-31T10:10:00.006-05:00

I don't like going so long without posting, but I've been going through a major upheaval at work and it has all but consumed me over the last two months. In short: Business has fallen off, my friend and boss was let go along with several others, and our entire office was moved across town to integrate with one of our sister companies.

Amazing that something so agonizing and painful could be summed up in so few phrases.

In any case, I'm ending the year in a new office (with a window -- something I haven't had in nine years) and beginning the new year as a smaller cog in a larger machine.

A New Year's Prayer

2008-11-14T14:25:00.001-05:00

Quotable

2008-11-10T14:55:00.002-05:00

"A government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you have." -- Thomas Jefferson

A More Perfect Union

2008-11-05T09:58:00.004-05:00

VOTE

2008-11-04T09:39:00.003-05:00

Phabulous

2008-10-29T13:17:00.005-04:00

10,235 days.

That's how long it's been since I watched the Phillies win their last -- and first -- World Series. I was living in Ohio at the time. It was tough being a Philadelphia fan in the midst of Indian territory.

I'm looking forward to the parade. Too bad I probably won't be there. My company just isn't quite hip enough to save us all the trouble of catching the "Red Flu" and close for the afternoon. No, it's month end -- when all the groups must lay their numbers at Accounting's altar so the books can be closed on schedule.

Any deviation and, well, mayhem would ensue it seems....the Sun rising in the West, cats and dogs sleeping together. And we wouldn't want that.

I'll just have to attend the parade the next time they are World Champions. They can wheel me to the curb for a better view after they wipe the drool from my chin after I have my Metamucil.

Pants On Fire

2008-10-23T09:47:00.016-04:00

I haven't been posting a lot recently. And to that a friend asked, "What's the matter? Politics not pissing you off?"

It is, actually. And as such, I offer the following rant:

I hate that political campaigning -- especially the race for the Oval Office -- is a business of lies and deceit, fear mongering, and the deployment of weapons of mass distraction. No matter what a candidate says, their opponent will accuse them of lying, even if they aren't, and even if their accusations are lies themselves -- as if saying the same thing over and over again will make it the truth.

To wit: Obama has repeatedly described his tax plan that will give relief to 95% of Americans -- the middle class ($200K per year and under). The only ones to see a tax increase would be those earning over $250,000. Yet a current attack ad by the GOP has several people saying that "I'm Joe the plumber", and "Obama wants more taxes from me to pay for his spending?". Summing up with "Higher Taxes and Trillion Dollar Spending".

What? Is no one listening or does no one care? Are there really that many middle class Americans who are peeved that they might not be able to buy a $250,000 business because of Obama's proposed tax plan? Frankly, I wish I were one of them.

But I'm not, and neither are most voters. The unfortunate thing is that the sheep will buy into the GOP bullshit that Democrats will just tax and spend. Well, guess what? The policies of the last eight years have screwed this economy and this nation, especially the middle class, and now someone has got to pay. Period.

Who's it going to be? The middle class? Again? Still? Haven't the rich been getting richer long enough? We are in serious debt. Only taxes and thoughtful governmental spending will get us out of it.

McCain says he won't raise taxes on anyone. It's the typical GOP battle cry. Well, thanks....the rich and the corporations love that, while the middle class continue to get socked with the lion's share of the bill with no relief in sight in a McCain administration.

It's all part of the American Illusion that the Republicans are constantly selling. You know the one -- We could all be rich some day in this great nation, so don't you dare raise taxes on anybody, especially the rich, because you won't want those taxes on your wealth once you've ascended to the Inner Circle".

Wake up call. Most of us will never realize that part of the American Dream and earn hundreds of thousands a year. But enough of us buy into this fallacy to keep the rich laughing all the way to the bank while our economy flounders, our currency retreats, our armed forces bogged down in a seemingly endless exercise in the cradle of civilization, and our standing and respect in the eyes of the world shrivels.

And speaking of respect, I lost quite a bit of what I had for John McCain when he pulled his hat trick and decided on Sarah Palin as his running mate. Even the Europeans are mocking her. She is, without a doubt, the most frighteningly ignorant and unqualified candidate ever to be involved in a Presidential race since Warren G. Harding. And she scares the shit out of me. That she should be allowed anywhere near the Oval Office for any reason is unconscionable. God forbid. And yes, that is an impassioned plea to the Almighty for His divine intervention.

I shudder to think of what this nation could achieve if every voter were actually informed and cast their ballot based on the real issues and what was best for everyone -- not just believing the lies and giving in to baseless fears.

Which brings me to another point about the Republicans vilifying Democrats as being elitist and intellectuals -- like that's a bad thing. I mean, really....let's not do anything rash like put someone intelligent, educated, and well-spoken in the highest office in the land.

And what's wrong with being elite? We want our elite pilots to fly our fighter jets and our elite athletes to compete in the Olympics. I'd like an elite politician to lead this country. I don't want someone I can share a beer with. I happen to be an intellectual (sorry, but it's true) and I want the leader of the free world to be in a league far over my head, thank you very much.

Unfortunately, too many voters will just take the shortcut to thinking and cast a vote based on fantasy and misinformation while believing that they will just let the system "work things out" and everything will be fine.

Guess again. We ARE the system. And if we don't make thoughtful, informed choices to put people in place that will represent our interests and further the greater good for the greatest number, then the system doesn't work. Or it works against us, and we'll soon be griping all over again about how bad is the economy, the healthcare system, the housing market, the foreign policy, gas prices, ad nauseum....

I'm looking forward to this election being over. Although I'm a registered Republican, I consider myself an Independent or Centrist and am voting Democrat. The GOP hasn't been doing a very good job representing me or my interests lately.

Contrary to the abject horror the Republicans are anticipating if Obama is elected, it should be a tremendous benefit to have a Democratic President backed by a fully Democratic Congress. It might actually be possible to get this country back on track quickly and decisively. Granted, the possibility also exists that we could just as quickly make monumental blunders, but I'm counting on the former rather than the latter.

So, get thee hence and read -- a lot. Go to the candidates' websites and inform yourself on their issues; their foreign policies, their healthcare plans, and their economic goals. Then temper that information with some reliable third party data (preferably non-partisan).

And vote! In the words of Bob Schieffer's mother, "It will make you feel big and strong".

Quotable

2008-10-10T00:30:00.002-04:00

They always say time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself. -- Andy Warhol

Behind Blue Eyes

2008-09-27T13:23:00.015-04:00

In Memoriam

Paul Leonard Newman 1/26/1925 - 9/26/2008

It seems I had just lamented the loss of a gifted musician only to follow it up with the loss of one of the finest actors of our time. Paul Newman was not only an Oscar winning and seven time Oscar nominated actor; he was also a great humanitarian, entrepreneur, director, and racing enthusiast.

I've enjoyed his films ever since his debut in 1954's "The Silver Chalice". It seemed that, no matter what character he portrayed, I believed him.

There are thousands of tributes to him on the Internet and I've poured through a few hundred of them. Of those, I've selected three. The first is a scene from "Hud" - An Unprincipled Man

The second, a photographic tribute set to a remake of one of my favorite songs.

And finally, I couldn't resist this tribute to Paul that includes two more of my favorite screen legends -- Marlon Brando and James Dean.

Thanks for the memories, Paul. You are sorely missed.

Quotable

2008-09-26T09:37:00.010-04:00

"Blessed are the young, for they shall inherit the national debt."

Herbert Hoover

31st President of the United States (1929 - 1933)

Declination Zero

2008-09-22T11:44:00.001-04:00

Well, it's here. Fall has arrived as of 11:44:18 EDT this morning. At that moment, the sun was directly over the equator -- crossing into the Southern hemisphere -- at the equinoctial point on the celestial sphere where the celestial equator and the ecliptic intersect.

Suffice to say that if I were a Druid, I'd be planning a party -- just not the no-holds-barred debauchery that goes on for the Solstice.

The Great Gig In The Sky

2008-09-15T12:00:00.013-04:00

In Memoriam

Richard William Wright 7/28/1943 - 9/15/2008

Today we bid a sad farewell to one of Pink Floyd's founding members, Rick Wright. Not only did Rick's musicianship contribute enormously to Pink Floyd's sound, he also wrote, among other things, two commercially popular tracks from Dark Side Of The Moon; Us And Them and The Great Gig In The Sky (his current gig, presumably).

So in his honor I post this, his greatest gig, for your listening pleasure.

When Falls The Coliseum

2008-09-09T11:29:00.008-04:00

Rome shall fall.

My wife was reading aloud to me snippets from a disturbing article she came across online. It was reporting on ten large US corporations (huge might be a better word) that are in trouble and will be laying off staff to stay competitive, cut costs, regain profitability, and basically hold on to their reason for existence.

The corporations in focus are set to lay off tens of thousands of employees -- some numbers nearing hundreds of thousands. I don't remember all of them, but I remember a few; RiteAid, Blockbuster, Merck, IBM, Ford Motor Company.... The list goes on.

IBM? Ford Motor Company? These long-standing pillars of American business are institutions in their own right. And they're crumbling. Case in point: Ford sold only 155,000 units last year. Back in the day, 155,000 units was what they might sell of only one particular model -- out of many. Now it's their total sales.

And what's happening to the combined several hundred thousand jobs that Americans are losing? Well, some are being eliminated completely. Others -- and you knew this was coming -- are being out-sourced to India and Asia.

I have no qualms with anyone, no matter who and where they are, earning a living. But I take the greatest possible exception to big corporations putting countless Americans out of work just so the bean counters can avoid any red ink on the bottom line.

At the risk of sounding nationalistic, I'm a firm believer that American corporations, based in the US, employ Americans. Cheaper labor overseas? Maybe so, but I happen to believe that many Americans would spend a little more for a high quality product made in the USA - and if everyone's working, instead of looking for work, they would be able to afford it.

This is one of the political issues I'm keeping an eye on. At the moment, I'm officially a Swing Voter, but the candidate that can really bring jobs back to this country may just win my vote -- one way is to remove the tax incentives for companies that ship jobs overseas.

There is no Coliseum in the United States, but some of its metaphorical pillars that have stood for a hundred years are toppling and all we seem to be able to do is cover our ears so we don't hear the crash. It's as if the warning flags have been waving for so long that they've become tattered and unrecognizable.

It's time to reclaim our standing in the world before it really is too late. We've been resting on our laurels and now we can no longer see past them. Will we literally out-source ourselves into destitution to the point that we no longer produce anything in this country except overpaid executives? And what about the farther reaching effects of our imploding economy? It's time to take our fingers out of our ears.

And when Rome falls -- the World.

Oh, By The Way....Which One's Pink?

2008-08-22T13:18:00.007-04:00

I've been listening to a lot of Pink Floyd lately. It seems to have a soothing effect that I can't get any other way. I don't have a lot of opportunity to listen at home, but my vehicle has a six CD changer and my drive to work averages forty minutes.

Perfect.

One way to or from is sufficient to listen to an entire album. Of course, it will require a round trip to complete The Wall, which is what I listened to on the way in today. The remaining four slots are populated by Meddle, Dark Side Of The Moon, Wish You Were Here, and Animals.

I'm not sure what dug this hole that can only be filled with Floyd -- maybe the barely organized chaos of my day to day needs to be countered by steady rhythms, haunting lyrics, and timeless guitar as only Pink can provide.

The Wizard of Speed and Time

2008-08-18T12:07:00.001-04:00

This always made me smile. Back in my college days, this film short was a huge cult classic -- stop-motion animation at its best. At least, for a low budget 1979 film it was at its best. I found this on YouTube. There are a couple versions -- slightly longer and updated -- but this is the original. Hope you enjoy.

OBX Haiku

2008-08-12T20:52:00.004-04:00

Sand between my treads

Atlantic in my rear view

Off-road on the beach

Check Engine

2008-08-07T10:16:00.006-04:00

I hate idiot lights. It's like your car's way of saying, "Excuse me, but I've got an issue here that you couldn't possibly understand. How about taking me to someone who has a clue?"

I actually have a clue, but that's about all. One time, the light came on the morning after I got gas at a station I had never patronized. "Bad gas!" Maybe not -- it went out half a tank later, only to return after the next fill-up at my normal place.

Today its illumination mocks me with its silent, ominous mystery. I'm taking it to a mechanic before the light just changes into what it really signifies -- $$$ -- the Check Wallet light.

Summer's Almost Over!

2008-08-01T21:31:00.008-04:00

How many times have you heard that? I've been hearing it for weeks -- usually from the sun worshippers who have been waiting all year for summer to arrive. It seems that they're no sooner showing off their base tan before launching into woeful lamentations about Summer's end.

These doomsayers need to be bludgeoned with the large, desktop version of the Audubon calendar in my humble opinion.

Maybe I'm old fashioned, but I'm still referencing the Gregorian calendar. It looks like roughly thirteen weeks between the Summer Solstice and the Autumnal Equinox and that means that Summer is barely half over -- or half begun.

So how about a little optimism? Another seven plus weeks of calendar Summer, followed by nice weather and, if we're lucky here in the Northeast, an Indian Summer to bring us well into the Fall.

There we are. It's mid-Summer. Buy more sunscreen because it's not nearly over yet.

Missed Memory Minutes

2008-07-23T10:56:00.008-04:00

I can be an insufferable purist about a few things -- especially movies and television shows. Show me the message that "this program has been formatted to fit your screen and edited to run in the time allotted" and I'll be excusing myself to another room to catch up on my reading.

To me, that message means that the entire program will not be shown as it was originally intended. I grumbled somewhat about this in a previous post. Pan&Scan will literally cut out a third of what the director wanted me to see while advertising quotas eat up time that used to be the now missing moments of the story.

I experienced this empty frustration anew last night when I decided to back up from my computer screen and passively enjoy a trip down Amnesia Lane with the crew of the Enterprise.

"The Trouble With Tribbles", written by David Gerrold, is among my top ten or so ST:TOS episodes. It's light, humorous, clever, and fun. And fortunately doesn't take itself too seriously.

Unfortunately, I know the episode so well that I was aware - and irritated - every time a scene was clipped short or a sentence or two missing from the dialog in order to allow for the requisite advertising minutes. As we already know, nothing is sacred -- least of all forty-something year old TV shows.

Go figure -- in 1967 there weren't as many things to cram down our throats as there are today, so twelve minutes out of the hour was sufficient to inundate us with those "must have" products. Now we need about twenty minutes an hour to pay the piper on network TV.

This is why I'm happy to pay for HBO and Showtime. Maybe I can start a letter writing campaign to get them to show old TV shows in their original format. I'll bet they'd be surprised just how many people would go for it.

Beach Bound

2008-07-11T13:00:00.003-04:00

We're headed for the First Town in the First State -- Lewes, Delaware. I took the picture above at one of my favorite spots on the planet, Cape Henlopen, Delaware, shortly before sunset near the inner Harbor of Refuge lighthouse.

It will only be a long weekend, so it will doubtless be as unsatisfying as it is wonderful.

Hiatus Terminus

2008-07-10T11:04:00.006-04:00

A fortnight later and everything is pretty much how I left it. I won't call it writer's block because that's lame, but as soon as I think of a term considerably less lame, I'll apply it.

We're celebrating four years of marital bliss today -- albeit with minimal fanfare. She's taking a pilates class after work and I'm getting my hair cut. We're headed to the beach for a long weekend, however, and will do the majority of the celebrating between re-applying sunscreen.

It's been a busy couple weeks that just ended with our finding out that our cat is diabetic. Poor little guy. At least we know not to blame him for his *ahem* inappropriate behavior. He'll need to be on insulin, which means two injections per day for the rest of his life. If he lives another ten years, that's 7300 injections, $6000 for insulin, and about $2000 for needles....plus the additional visits to the vet.

We had been considering pet health insurance. Don't think we aren't kicking ourselves for not acting a bit quicker on that.

And he has a mild urinary tract infection that we're treating with antibiotics every day. Oh, the many faceted joys of pet ownership.

I plan on posting more regularly again. Of course, I'll have to be careful that the wind doesn't kick up and get sand in my keyboard.

The Price Of Speed

2008-06-26T11:28:00.002-04:00

I heard a rumor. I don't usually comment on rumors, but the source is pretty informed and reliable and has no history of relaying bad information.

It seems that some ISPs are going to start identifying "bandwidth hogs" (users who do a lot of downloading, uploading, streaming of video and audio, etc...), throttle their available bandwidth, and then inform them that they can reclaim their original performance for an additional premium.

Say what? For example -- If I pay WhizBag Cable $40 a month, I get about 1 MB per second download speed no matter what I do or how much I use the service. I'm a higher end user, so I stream video (think CNN, YouTube...) and download music. A lower level user is paying the same $40 a month, but only uses email and occasionally surfs the web.

Of course the price that the lower end user pays will not go down, but in order to continue using the bandwidth that I've been paying for, I now have to pay a premium as the penalty for making full use of what was available to me. Apparently my usage has been subsidised by the folks who don't use the Internet as much.

The argument was made that it's going to be like the Turnpike -- the more you drive, the more you pay. That analogy doesn't work for me -- even if it's applicable from a certain point of view. I just see this as yet another way to be nickel and dimed to death by the service providers (any service). I realize this is all an intrinsic part of free market capitalism, but it doesn't mean it's right.

Tell Me A Story

2008-06-25T14:03:00.014-04:00

A friend and blogger bud recently posted about the thief who lives in all of our homes and steals our time -- that thief being the television. I must confess a mild addiction to the damn thing, but in all honesty I enjoy a good, well-told story. And since I don't know any real storytellers of the oral tradition, I read, watch TV, and go to the movies.

Whether many of the stories being told deserve our time and attention, let alone airtime, is another matter completely.

But a thief? You cannot, sir, take anything from me that I will more willingly part withal...except my life... - Hamlet Act II, Scene ii

In my case it's my time and attention, not my life -- even though I'm willingly parting with little slices of my life to sit sedentarily and tan my retinas in the glow of the television's CRT. How many hours? It depends on the time of year and what's on. Summertime is great because I don't have to schedule my life around a half a dozen (or more) shows that I want to see -- although TiVo lets me watch the shows when I want, I still need to carve out the time.

I sometimes deliberately avoid what looks like good quality programming so I won't get roped into yet another good story. At least I know myself. If I see the pilot episode and enjoy it, I'm probably hooked. If I make it a point to miss the pilot, then I can rationalize not ever watching it again.

It's kind of like my mindset about going to the movies. Get me to a movie after its already started, even just five minutes, and you won't get me into the theater. I want the full experience or none at all. And yes, I'm one of those people that watches the credits -- all of them. And no, it's not because I'm looking for my second cousin's name who's a Key Grip.

Matt Who?

2008-06-24T14:30:00.004-04:00

A friend sent me this link to the website Where The Hell Is...Matt?
I confess that I'm not exactly sure what this project is all about other than maybe that dancing guy on the Internet.

But I guarantee it will bring a smile -- and who can't use more of those?

No Punch Line

2008-06-23T09:30:00.004-04:00

I love to laugh, but the world has just gotten a little less funny. So it is with great sadness that I lament the death of one of the greatest comedic geniuses of our time, George Carlin.

The Media is filled with the reports as well as snippets of his humor and insights. I won't redirect to every last one of them, but I will post one of his recent bits about the things that bring us together. Of course, in typical Carlin fashion, the language is not suitable for Sunday Brunch with the family. You've been warned.

Clean Freak

2008-06-19T19:54:00.003-04:00

My wife and I were fired today -- not from our jobs; by our cleaning woman. Why? Apparently we were just too much trouble to please. We had the audacity to ask for certain things to be addressed -- specifically the blinds and ceiling fans -- that she wasn't willing to do, despite her initially agreeing to do them.

But that wasn't the impression we got when we hired her. Actually, the first impression we got was that we returned home after the initial cleaning to find that she had broken our house. Okay....just the bathroom. The door to the powder room has an extremely tight tolerence (like the thickness of a dollar bill) between it and the sink. She somehow managed to inadvertantly body-slam the sink and pull it out of its mounting that held it flush with the wall.

So now the door hits the sink every time it's opened. She denied it at first, but then admitted it. Don't worry, I'm bonded. Fine. We agreed that we'd try to take care of it, but let her know if we weren't successful -- at which time her bonding would come into play.

In any case, she told us at the outset of our brief relationship, Just let me clean the way I clean. I promise you'll be happy. Well...she continued to do things that we felt were unnecessary while leaving incomplete the couple things that were important to us. Were we out of line? It's not like she was doing us any favors. We were paying for this service. Shouldn't we feel free to slightly tailor the service to our situation?

"No", it seems, is the answer. Although she had asked us to leave notes with any special requests, those notes -- although, I presume, read and understood -- were never acted upon. So when she called to change the cleaning day from Thursday to Friday for this week, my wife called her back and left a message that we needed to discuss the items that weren't being addressed.

That's when Tina's sister (yes, the Putzfrau's real name is Tina) called my wife and informed her -- rudely -- that our business relationship had reached an end. Though she didn't say in so many words, the jist was that we're too much trouble and we make unreasonable requests. Say what? "Is this how you want to handle this?", my wife asked Donna (Tina's sister who we didn't even know existed before she made the phone call that Tina wouldn't).

And now we're Putzfraulos. It's likely we would have released her anyway since we were paying for service that didn't satisfy us, but the fact that she left us in a lurch the day before she was to clean for us compelled me to take up the mantle of Instant Karma.

I called Tina and left her a message (she rarely answers her phone) that we would now like her to take care of the bathroom sink that she savaged. She's bonded, she broke it, she admitted it, and now she needs to make it right. I'm not sure just how far I'm willing to take this. I know a couple guys that could probably fix my sink in an hour and charge me nothing but dinner, but I feel like rattling her cage a bit for the crime of child-like behaviour and unprofessionalism.

Whether she steps up and does the right thing or plays duck and cover remains to be seen. In either case, we'll be screening a bit more carefully the next cleaning service we let into our home.

Drilling Bits

2008-06-18T12:33:00.007-04:00

At the behest of our President, it is now before Congress to decide whether or not to lift the ban on offshore drilling -- so that we can take the befouling of our aquatic ecosystems to a whole new level in the name of reducing Americans' pain at the pumps. So what if we'd be eroding wetlands, contaminating the water with chemicals, polluting the air, killing fish, and dumping waste, right?

We want cheap gas, dammit! And as Americans, isn't it our birthright to have every convenience, no matter the cost? "There's no excuse for delay", our GOP President has said (Is GOP the acronym for the Gas and Oil Party?).

Well....have you got three to five years? That's the realistic delay between the start of offshore drilling and the actual delivery of that fuel to the gas pumps. Where are gas prices going to be then? How about spending the next three to five years ramping up the development of alternative fuels? Improving and expanding our public transportation? Anyone?

I've previously made references to Europe on this subject because they're paying more than twice what we are to fill up. In all fairness, however, they were forward-thinking enough to lay the groundwork years ago with more fuel efficient vehicles and better public transportation. We're playing catch-up and we don't like it. We want quick convenient fixes and we expect our government to wave its magic sceptre and make the bad things go away.

It's time to wake up and smell what we're trying to scrape off the bottom of our shoes. The demand for oil will only increase -- especially in the BRIC nations [Brazil, Russia, India, China] -- so we need to decrease our demand as soon as possible. Putting a short to mid-term band aid on the problem that could decrease the urgency to develop alternative fuel sources isn't the answer.

Six dollars a gallon? Bring it on. I'll pay it. I won't like it, but if I know it's temporary and there's an end in sight I'll manage. I'll also be more likely to drive less often, carpool if possible, ride public transportation, walk, and conserve in general.

I'm hoping Congress does the right thing and leaves the ban in place. Our planet shouldn't have to suffer further to pay for our impatience and lack of vision.

Down (and Out) Sizing

2008-06-16T21:19:00.003-04:00

Today was a Dark Monday -- not because of weather or any celestial event. The company let three people go today. One of our sister companies -- owned by the same conglomerate -- laid off a half a dozen good employees.

Apparently the new term is "rightsizing". I'm certain it was anything but right for the folks who were shown the door after ten plus years of service. They did nothing wrong, but in today's environment that's immaterial since there is no longer any such thing as "job security". In fact, that quaint old notion should probably be removed from the American lexicon. It disappeared by the end of the 70s if I'm not mistaken.

Unfortunately, the corporations have to bend in order to avoid being broken by the current economic landscape. In the case of my employer, it means cutting off fingers to save the hand. In my case, I'm holding out hope that I may be one of the prehensile thumbs that they just can't grasp the business without.

Third Sunday In June

2008-06-15T12:40:00.002-04:00

Friday The 13th

2008-06-13T09:57:00.003-04:00

Oooooohh....Friday the 13th.

I don't know how many of you are paraskevidekatriaphobic, but if it makes you feel any better, Friday the 13th isn't -- and hasn't been -- any more unlucky than any other day of the year unless you happened to be a Templar Knight in 1307 when Philip IV of France had most of them killed.

There now, don't you feel better? -- a service I am only too happy to provide.

Nature Flexed

2008-06-11T13:32:00.009-04:00

Did you get those bad storms and wind last night? Here in parts of the Northeast, around 8 o'clock, we had 60 to 80 mph gusts that pushed our neighbor's birch tree over and onto our roof and new fence.

So I took the day to deal with the neighbor, the insurance company, the fence people, and the tree removal service. It's going pretty well. The owner (next door) called a tree service and they were here at 7:30 this morning with a cherry picker. By 8:30 they were gone and so was the birch tree. An hour ago, a different crew showed up and ground the stump. Twenty minutes later, all that remained of the thirty foot birch was a large divot-shaped scar in the neighbor's yard.

A bit sad, really. I know for a fact that the winged residents of the property had a fondness for that tree. And it was a nice part of the view from the deck.

The roof is fine. The fence isn't destroyed -- and the damage is relatively minor. We'll want the panel replaced that was bent, but I can do that myself since the posts don't need to be re-sunk and we can pick up a replacement panel inexpensively. It could be worse (can't it always?).

This all made for a very exciting dining experience last night since I was in the middle of grilling salmon on the deck right next to where the tree leaned over. We then laughed in the face of death by eating dinner as usual as the fallen tree loomed menacingly outside the dining room window. My rationalization was that we'd hear the fence breaking if the tree were going to come down any further and thusly have time to get out of the way with the dinner service intact.

I'm thrilled that my theory wasn't put to the test.

Quotable

2008-06-10T17:27:00.005-04:00

"The United States economy is like a poker game where the chips have become concentrated in fewer and fewer hands, and where the other fellows can stay in the game only by borrowing. When their credit runs out, the game will stop."

-Marriner Eccles
Chairman, Federal Reserve
1931 - 1934

Mercury

2008-06-09T20:21:00.004-04:00

The temperature at 5PM today as reported by my vehicle. Ouch.

More Racing Kudos

2008-06-09T10:36:00.004-04:00

This post comes courtesy of a fellow racing fan and reader, KaiserMichi:

BMW won their first ever Formula One Grand Prix yesterday - their first ever as a stand-alone team, that is. Nevertheless, it was won by Robert Kubica, a young man from Poland who is one helluva driver. So yesterday´s Grand Prix not only saw the first win by BMW, but also added the twentieth national anthem, the Polish anthem, to their repertoire. By the way, Kubica is also leading the driver´s standings. Ferrari leads the Constructeurs table, but only by two or three points.

As I had said in my post about the Indianapolis 500, I love auto racing but rarely can make the time to enjoy it. I still occasionally daydream about piloting a Ferrari around the circuit at Monaco, but for now, I'll have to make due with an AWD Mercedes driven barely within the boundries of legality.

Maybe in another life.

Red Shirt

2008-06-08T19:03:00.002-04:00

Cringeworthy Credit

2008-06-06T10:53:00.002-04:00

We only have a couple credit cards and we like it that way. Years ago, I almost got into trouble with several cards of my own and it was a couple years paying them off and reducing the number of accounts. Now I have one plus my bank card and my wife has two. One of her cards -- an old one she's had for years -- only has a $300 limit. We almost never use it, so we figured it was time to increase the credit limit or close the account.

We can sneeze $300. That's not meant as a conceit or to sound like I'm gloating (I'm not). We're not rich -- we're middle class. It's just that $300 is really not a useful amount of money to us when we could pull the same from our checking or savings and not owe the interest. In the event of an "emergency", it would have to be a modest one to be handled by a mere $300 in today's world. A $1000 limit seemed like a fair increase request based on her standing as a long-time good customer.

So we called customer service to put in the request. Not surprisingly, the toll free number we dialed connected us to the Philippines. The exchange was difficult, to say the least. Our representative, Mai, certainly spoke much better English than our Filipino, but the frustration wasn't because of the language barrier.

We were informed that they could approve a $100 increase "at this time", but we were welcome to call back and request additional increases. I tried to explain that throwing us a bone in the form of such a small increase was practically a waste of time. Couldn't we talk to anyone who could approve a larger increase all at once? No.

Maybe I'm not as clear on all this credit crap as I think I am. Don't they want to extend people credit? Isn't that how they make money? Or are we now what Big Credit considers "deadbeats" (customers who don't make Big Credit money on late and over-limit charges) because we pay in a timely fashion and don't draw out modest purchases with minimum payments for several years?

Then the other penny dropped. We had agreed to the increase thinking that we'd call back later and try to get someone else or a supervisor to assist us. ...And there will be a $25 charge for your increase and you'll see that on your next bill. Exqueeze me? Baking powder? We have to pay $25 to get a $100 increase and we haven't even used the card? Do the math. We could conceivably run up $175 in charges by calling back for enough $100 increases to get to our $1000 limit.

Thanks, but no thanks. My wife's other card gives her regular credit increases just for being a good customer -- at no charge. Maybe Big Credit isn't inherently evil across the board, but I could see where this particular minion was going to get their two cents whether we used the card or not.

We left the card alone for now -- no credit increase and no cancellation. We'd had all the customer service we could handle. It wasn't Mai's fault. She's working and doing her job and in all likelyhood, reading from a script. A script whose plot favors either the rich or the poor, in my opinion.

The rich get the best offers because Big Credit desperately wants them to use their money for the bigger things in life and the poor are goldmines because they're a good bet to get behind and over their limit (fees and more fees) and end up paying many times the value of small purchases by dragging them out for years with minimum payments.

Here I am, stuck in the middle with you. It's okay though, saving for a few months and paying cash the old fashioned way makes for a better night's sleep.

One A Day

2008-06-05T10:16:00.005-04:00

I'm a Scotch drinker. I'm not certain exactly how that came about, but I think I got there by way of a friend who first introduced me to Cognac -- the better varieties of which aren't too different from single malt scotch...at least as far as my palette is concerned (doubtless to the horror of true scotch purists).

An interesting bit of trivia: If it's from Scotland, it's Scotch (but people from there are Scots). The Irish make Whiskey and in America it's called Bourbon. It's basically the same drink made in different places.

My first taste of Scotch was probably when I was in my late teens or early twenties. It was a blend. I was certain I would never drink it again after it went down like paint thinner. People enjoy this? My throat felt like I had been gargling with drain cleaner.

The Cognac was a very different experience. It had a bite, but not the angry claws of the blended liquors. Remy Martin XO and Louis XIII emerged as two of my favorites.

Years later at a band practice, our bassists father offered us drinks and opened up his Scotch cabinet. I cringed. I didn't want to be rude or prude, but I could feel my throat constricting as he poured us all a glass. That which does not kill us, makes us strong. -- Nietzsche

I took a sip and... <insert Beethoven's "Ode to Joy" here>

Um....what kind of Scotch is this? I don't remember what he said other than "single malt". Ahh...vive la difference. I had no idea there was Scotch that was this....well....good. The next time I found myself in a bar, I ordered one for myself. Sure, Pal...what kind?

Oops. I new nothing about Scotch other than I liked it. My mind raced. All I could think of was the scene in Highlander where Christopher Lambert orders a drink. Glenmorangie, please.

I had chosen wisely. It was smooth with earthy aromas and a nice finish. Since then, I've experimented with several others -- The Glenlivet (at least the 15 year old, if you please), The Macallan, The Dalmore.... Glenmorangie has a cool motto: Crafted by the 16 Men of Tain. I have no idea what that means, but I like it.

So I've taken to having a glass (two if I'm being indulgent) every day. If I had to justify it, I'd say that it's been shown that a drink or two a day for men over 40 helps reduce the risk of heart attack -- along with other benefits. But that's not why I drink it.

It's been my experience that folks who have no vices have very few virtues. - Abraham Lincoln

Historic

2008-06-04T13:53:00.003-04:00

He made history last night.

Will he make it again in November?

My crystal ball is still in Beta testing, but I'm thinking Yes. If it were to come down to the strength of his oratory, he should just be sworn in immediately.

My feelings are mixed. I believe the country is just as ready for a black president as it is for a woman. I think Hillary's would have been a remarkable presidency. Think about it -- The President and the First Gentleman, who would also rightly be addressed as "Mister President".

Frankly, in the state that the country is in now, it may have been a huge advantage to have two presidents in the White House. Maybe that would help get things done in half the time. Regardless of anyone's opinions of the Clintons, they are very good at the business of government and getting things done.

But the fat lady is only warming up. Will Hillary be asked to serve as Vice President? If so, then she's almost a shoe-in in 2016 if Obama has a popular presidency. If not, she could still conceivably run again. Why not? Nixon did it. After losing to Kennedy in 1960, he came back to get elected to our highest office in 1968.

Time will tell. Until then, I'll look forward to casting my vote and watching history unfold.

Going Back For Seconds: Part 2 - The Answer

2008-06-03T14:36:00.003-04:00

So the question of the $50 and $75 fuel-up cut-off has been de-mystified.

It seems that the $50/75 limit is imposed because that's what Visa and Mastercard (and other credit card issuers) will reimburse gas stations for fraudulent gasoline purchases. My fictitious scenario of a stolen card fueling up an entire convoy wasn't as far from the mark as I thought.

This really isn't all that surprising. Of course Big Credit will protect itself at all costs. If it inconveniences the rest of us in the least, well -- they could care less. And I'm confident that Big Oil would back them on this even though they are in a win/win situation regardless of gas purchases being legit or fraudulent.

The bar needs to be raised. Actually, the bar needs to be razed, but that's definitely not going to happen. The $100 fill-up is now a reality for a lot of vehicles and I can't imagine that the risk to Big Credit would be more than negligible to at least lessen our time at the pump if not our pain.

Twins

2008-06-02T10:34:00.002-04:00

I'm a Gemini. We're flighty. So today I'm taking off. I'll leave you the video of my favorite song from the most brilliant concept album ever made. From 1979, this is the video of Pink Floyd's Comfortably Numb from "The Wall".

Going Back For Seconds

2008-05-31T11:08:00.006-04:00

I couldn't resist the graphic even though this post isn't exactly about the price of gas.

Does anyone know the real story behind why some gas pumps will cut you off at $50 or $75 when you swipe a card? This little phenomena was only an occasional irritant a few years ago when filling my truck with a 35 gallon tank. At $2 per gallon or so with a nearly empty tank, it was easy to hit either of those limits.

I had asked at a few of the gas stations as well as contacting my credit card companies -- both pointed the finger of doom at the other. I find it hard to believe that I can order $10,000.00 of computers on my Corporate Amex, but they cut me off at $50 of gasoline.

Currently if I want to fill my tank at $4 a gallon, I have to do the whole dance twice because I'm getting cut off nearly every time -- and my gas tank in the new vehicle is only about half the size of the old truck's.

Add to this the doomsayers' (read - experts') predictions of $5 to $6 per gallon if we have a hurricane this season that knocks out some of our refining capacity (like Katrina) and there will be a lot of people spending even more time at the pumps swiping their cards twice just to fill up their tanks.

I'm sure that at one time....long ago....somebody, somewhere thought that it was a good idea to put a limit on gas credit purchases. For example: If someone stole my credit card and attempted to fuel up an entire convoy of trucks to the tune of several thousand gallons, I would be singing the praises of the genius whose software feature thwarted their dastardly plans.

But as that is unlikely to happen, I think it's not too much to ask that the pumps get an upgrade. When swiping the credit card to fill up is like opening a vein, must we really be forced to do it twice?

This Just In

2008-05-30T11:48:00.007-04:00

The following was forwarded to me as a joke. I didn't laugh out loud, but as with a lot of humor, there's just enough truth in it to make it both funny and a little bit depressing.

Important Info About Your Tax Stimulus Money

The Federal Government is sending each and every one of us a $600 rebate. If we spend it at Walmart, the money will go to China. If we spend it on gasoline, the money will go to the Arabs. If we purchase a computer it will go to India. If we purchase fruit and vegetables it will go to Mexico, Honduras, and Guatemala. If we purchase a good car, it will go to Japan. If we purchase useless crap it will go to Taiwan and none of it will help the American economy.

The only way to keep the money here at home is to spend it on prostitutes, weed, beer, and tattoos since these are the only products still produced in the USA.

Thank you for your help and please support the USA.

The Tribe Has Spoken

2008-05-29T12:22:00.007-04:00

A couple news stories had me wondering if maybe we're not screening teachers closely enough. This story from South Florida tells of a 5 year old autistic boy who was "voted out of his kindergarten" after the teacher, Wendy Portillo, first asked the children to discuss what they didn't like about him, then had them vote on whether he should be kicked out of the class.

And this story from Mississippi is about a twelve year old honor student who was voted by her class as the most likely to be pregnant by age 19. Another was voted most likely to contract HIV and another most likely to get murdered.

These "assignments" came from teachers; adults who should know better, or at least adults who should have a clue how hard it is being a kid without an authority figure stepping in and deliberately making it worse.

To the credit of the 12 year olds, they didn't want to participate at first. The students initially refused to vote, but the teacher overruled them. The 6th-graders then were horrified to see their names listed on the chalkboard, ranked in lists for everyone to see.

It's sad that our educational system is in such a state that we allow teachers like this access to our youth. Do they just slip through the cracks? Are they generally good teachers until they just snap one day and make such a bad judgement call that we're all left scratching our heads?

Of course, in some of these instances, the school systems circle the wagons and protect their own, shutting out the parents and insisting that they have their own internal processes that will resolve the situation.

It's exactly then that I think the parents should assume the role of Tribal Council and vote these teachers out of their children's lives.

Vicarious

2008-05-28T17:53:00.006-04:00

I'm compelled to share yet another wondrous Tool video. Vicarious is track 1 from their latest disc 10,000 Days and has been getting some pretty heavy rotation since its release. As usual, the animation and graphics are an amazingly bizarre, science-fiction, alternate-reality-nightmare hallucination kind of thing. Or maybe not at all like that, but it's something you don't see every day.

I could climb on a soap box and wax philosophical about the lyrics which speak to the Internet and reality television fueled voyeuristic society we've become, but maybe that's a rant for another time.

In Memoriam

2008-05-27T13:51:00.004-04:00

Sydney Irwin Pollack 7/1/34 - 5/26/08

He will be sorely missed. A brilliant director and a fine actor -- here's a scene with Dustin Hoffman in "Tootsie", in which he directed and co-starred.

I remember always at least enjoying -- and some times loving -- any film that had his name attached to it. Sydney made the world a little better.... - George Clooney

And the final clip I'll post may be a bit dry for some, but as a film buff it's a subject close to my heart -- Sydney discusses Pan & Scan verses Widescreen.

Denied

2008-05-26T13:03:00.001-04:00

First of all, congratulations to Scott Dixon on his trip to Victory Lane at the Brickyard on Sunday. He's the first Kiwi to ever win the Indy 500.

Regrettably, Danica was taken out of the race with 29 laps remaining after she was hit in pit lane by rookie Ryan Briscoe. After exiting her car, she went looking for Briscoe -- and a fight -- but was stopped by track officials. She later said that it was probably better that she didn't make it down there.

Gentlemen (and Ladies), Start Your Engines

2008-05-25T06:00:00.006-04:00

Any racing fans looking forward to the Indianapolis 500 today? As much as I enjoy auto and motorcycle racing, I can rarely make the time to watch it.

But I can't resist the yearly Memorial Day weekend showdown at the Brickyard. I love the fanfare, the back stories, the drama, and of course the two and a half hours of adreneline-fueled, open wheeled excitement.

I'll be cheering for my favorite Fast Woman, Danica Patrick. After finally winning at Twin Ring Motegi in Japan, it's time for her to capture a victory at a major American race.

And let's give a brief nod to Janet Guthrie -- the first woman to qualify for both the Indianapolis 500 and the Daytona 500 back in 1977. Without her, there would be no Danica (as we know her).

Driven To Drink: Part 4 -- 1 In 6

2008-05-24T00:01:00.001-04:00

I just read a report based on a study conducted by GMAC Insurance which found that 16.4% of, or about 33 million, drivers don't know the rules of the road.

That figure somehow sounds a bit generous to me. Based on what I see every day during my commute, I would have thought that it's one in six drivers who do know the rules of the road. Or maybe many of those 33 million flunkies live in my area. The Northeast scored pretty badly overall with the Midwest faring much better.

Or maybe even worse is the possibility that there are a lot of competent drivers on the road who know the rules, but don't care enough to bother. That jives pretty much with the general attitude of Screw you and get out of my way that a lot of drivers seem to have.

Take the GMAC Insurance National Driver Test. It's fun. At least, it was fun for me because I scored 100% (La-de-freakin'-da....right?). Yes, I'm gloating. It may be a conceit, but on the other hand it will not be me tailgating, failing to signal, keeping an unsafe distance, or turning into the wrong lane. I haven't had any points on my license for over eleven years and I (and my insurance premiums) like it that way.

So until the scores come up and the majority who passed the test actually drive like they did, buckle up and drive defensively. Drive a tank. But it had better be a hybrid tank with today's petrol prices or you'll only be driving to the poorhouse.

In The Name Of Humor

2008-05-23T10:00:00.005-04:00

I listen to a local radio show on the way to work. They have a nice blend of witty banter, traffic and weather, interesting guests, creative (and sometimes bizarre) contests, a good music format, and intelligent as well as infantile, bathroom humor.

This morning they kicked off the holiday weekend by broadcasting their show from a bar at the beach. The place was packed and they chose fans from the crowd for the latest contest, Shock and Paw (or something very much like that). The hosts would ask multiple choice questions of two contestants who would "buzz in" their answers by pressing a button on remote controls for electric dog training collars that were fitted around the necks of two of the station's interns.

I always feel bad for the interns. The pay sucks, for one. Also, their internship -- whether it's a year or several -- is replete with enduring the obligatory hazing at the hands of the hosts. Any outlandish schtick that the morning crew thinks up is usually dumped onto the interns for everyone's entertainment. In their defense, no one is ever hurt -- well, not seriously or permanently -- and I've never heard the interns bitter at all. Maybe that's just the way the radio industry works.

Anyway, at the first Yelp from the interns after both contestants responded to the first question, I vacillated between laughing out loud and being disgusted and (mildly) horrified. One of the girls, after seeing her effect on the intern, said Dude, I'm so sorry! She didn't realize how the game worked. And the show's producer made sure to mention that both collars had been turned up to their maximum setting -- like for a St. Bernard sized dog.

I don't like the whole idea behind those collars. I think there are better ways to train pets without using pain and torture -- it's called conditioning using positive and negative reinforcement. And at hearing the way the interns screeched every time the button was pressed, it made me think of the poor animals that are subjected to this without any clue as to what's going on.

But the interns did have a clue and they put these ghoulish devices around their necks willingly in the name of humor. So with that in mind, I decided that it was more fun to be amused at today's idiocy rather than offended.

And as Steve Martin once said, "Comedy is not pretty".

And The Winner Is....

2008-05-22T00:01:00.002-04:00

David Cook

I'm pleasantly surprised. After DC seemingly coming up second after the final round -- in addition to the judges' somewhat lukewarm praise -- I expected Archuletta, the tween heart-throb with the angelic pipes, to run away with the title.

But large and loyal fanbases don't abandon their champions for a single less-than-perfect evening.

And with that I'll share one of my favorite performances from this season -- David Cook's version of Dolly Parton's "Little Sparrow". It's Classic Cook. He stays true to the original while making the song his own. As with "Billie Jean", I've never liked this song as much until his version.

Up, Up, And Away

2008-05-21T12:29:00.007-04:00

I've been trying to stay away from blogging about anything to do with the rising cost of oil, but my track record shows that I just can't help myself from time to time. Once again, the Oil Execs are being called front and center before a Congressional committee. How many different ways does Congress need to hear the same story before they stop wasting everyone's time trying to vilify the oil companies?

Could Big Oil be doing things differently, like reinvesting those mind-numbing profits on R&D instead of simply fattening the accounts of its shareholders? Of course, but this is capitalism. What is right and what is easy are usually two very different things.

Nothing that the oil execs can say will change the reality of the World economic situation -- especially the weakening US dollar and the emerging industrial (read - fuel) needs of the BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, China) nations.

I'm sure I've said it before, but at least we're not paying European prices for gas -- which are two to three times more than we're spending now. Of course, if we were, we'd hopefully be driving European standard cars that get, on the average, 50% better mileage than the tanks we drive over here.

So if you're upset over the cost of filling up, do something about it. Conserve. And I don't just mean behind the wheel. Crude oil is refined into a lot of different fuels and products other than gasoline. Turn back your heat (or air conditioning, depending on the location and time of year), turn off lights in rooms you're not in, carpool, avoid the commute and work from home as often as possible (if you're with a company that offers it), walk, take the stairs.... The list is potentially endless.

I've heard it said that this problem is beyond the ability of any one person to do anything. But We can solve it together if we try. So let's do something about this and quit pointing the finger of doom while complaining that no one is doing something about this.

So, kwityerbitchin. In the big picture, we've made our own beds by allowing this to happen, so we might as well lay down and get comfortable until we figure out how to change the sheets.

One Hundred Years

2008-05-20T00:01:00.001-04:00

Today is May 20th -- the one hundredth anniversary of the birth of one of my favorite actors (and possibly one of the finest actors of all time), Jimmy Stewart. As you can imagine, I've been sifting through the Internet in search of a fitting tribute -- and there are several. But I didn't want a bunch of movie stills set to random music. He was an actor and should be shown -- and remembered -- acting.

So instead of trying to throw something together myself or just picking one specific scene, I've decided to post a tribute by his friend, George Kennedy, that was broadcast on Turner Classic Movies over a decade ago before Jimmy's passing.

Sixteen

2008-05-19T09:15:00.009-04:00

Photo Four Squared by Elan Photography

Okay, Juls -- I'm game. This post is a response to a blogger bud's post entitled Four Squared. We've all gotten those chain emails with interesting or amusing facts, questions, etc.... And they make us crazy. Well, they make me crazy -- especially the ones with the attached moral imperitives (e.g. forward to ten people within five minutes or your dog will run away....).

The sole redeeming feature of these emails is that receiving one usually means that I am in (or was briefly in) someone's thoughts -- so the forwarding of a joke, a quiz, a cause, or a fact acts as a shortcut to real communication. On the other hand, when I see that I'm part of an enormous distribution list, I suspect that I'm not as special as I'd like to believe and I'm simply in the blast radius of someone's email salvo.

That being said, here are the questions with my answers:

1.) Four places I go to over and over: Work, Home, Ohio, the Beach

2.) Four people who email me regularly: Dena, Michael, Jackie, John

3.) Four of my favorite places to eat: Home, Mom's, Minado's, Eden

4.) Four places I'd rather be right now: The beach, the beach, the beach, the beach

5.) Four people I think will blog about this: Only Juls, but that's because she already has

6.) Four TV shows I watch all the time: LOST, The Tudors, Battlestar Galactica, Torchwood

So there are two dozen answers for a mindless Monday. And now I try to move on to something really interesting -- some new questions....

Barefoot Science: Part 2 -- The Reality

2008-05-18T13:50:00.003-04:00

In a recent post, Barefoot Science, I sung the praises of going barefoot thanks to an article on the New York Magazine site entitled You Walk Wrong. The author laments our deteriorating podiatric health as a result of being swaddled in shoes since infancy. The solution? Go barefoot, of course.

So I've taken the cure, but I can't take it very often. As healthy and Bohemian as going barefoot may be, it's more difficult than one might imagine to spend any length of time barefoot if you're anywhere but at home, the beach, or a park. That's because there's a lot of Barefoot Bashing ingrained into our society.

With the exception of Summertime at a resort town near the beach, most businesses -- especially restaurants -- don't want your patronage if you're barefoot, even though the health codes regarding footwear generally refer to the employees of a given establishment, not the customers.

So I've begun an evening ritual of taking a mile or so walk -- yes, barefoot -- around the neighborhood. It actually began as therapy. I managed to injure myself a few weeks ago stepping on a pernicious pine cone in a dark driveway. I twisted my ankle, but injured my foot -- if that makes any sense. If I were to guess, I'd suspect a stress fracture in the fourth or fifth tarsal of my left foot. I say suspect because I haven't been to the doctor. It's sore....a bit, but it didn't swell and I can walk on it. If I sit for any length of time, I'm hobbling the first dozen steps or so before it feels okay again.

Amazingly, it feels the best during and after a barefoot walk. It's also a great way to see the neighborhood and meet some of the neighbors. They all wave and smile, but I notice some of them give me sideways looks -- like, What's with this lunatic wandering through the streets in his bare feet? It makes me wonder if they're polite just because they're afraid that some unknown shoeless freak might just wig out on them if they piss him off.

I've had several people feel it their duty to point out the "Ick" factor regarding the plethora of unmentionable things it's possible to step in whilst shoeless. Fair enough, but I have the utmost faith in my own skin's ability to protect me from nearly anything other than glass and rusty nails. Really, unless there's an open wound, the skin keeps out just about everything nasty whether it's on your head or the soles of your feet.

So I will continue to push the boundaries of barefootism despite being treated almost like a streaker from the 70s. Remember them? They'd duck into a secluded spot to disrobe, then explode into the public view to the shock and amusement of all before disappearing to re-dress themselves and then blend back in as if nothing had happened -- pretty much the story of my barefoot life, except I don't think I'll incur a citation for public indecency (unless I happen to be sporting a nasty hangnail).

Through The Nose

2008-05-17T13:07:00.002-04:00

I ran across the new, official Universal Gas Sign recently. They should be going up across the country as soon as the relevant measures get through both houses of Congress. Actually, it's already through the House -- it's being held up in the Senate thanks to the lobbyists. Go figure.

I don't even write about the price of gas anymore. It's not news and there's nothing in the near future that looks to significantly change the status quo. There seems to be no short term solution, the mid-term solution is to produce and refine more oil in this country, and the best long-term solution is, of course, to get off our addiction to fossil fuels.

In that vein, there's a school in Tennessee that's putting up makeshift stables so some of the students can ride their horses to school. Funny how the classics always come back into style -- like the new Mustang looking just like the '69 model (it must be another "horse" thing).

And Then There Were Two

2008-05-16T11:42:00.006-04:00

American Idol is winding down and we're left with a pair of Davids in the finals -- David Cook and David Archuletta. They're both great singers, but I've been a David Cook fan since the beginning. His maturity, stage presence, and the risks he's willing to take with his songs make him the front-runner in my opinion. Please enjoy his fine (if abbreviated) version of Roberta Flack's hit The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face - chosen for him by the sometimes ascerbic judge, Simon Cowell.

A Bitter Pill

2008-05-14T16:34:00.006-04:00

A study (as reported on Time.com) done by Medco Health Solutions, Inc. now shows that more than half of all insured Americans are regularly taking prescription medications for chronic health problems. Read the article. It's actually a bit disturbing.

Here are a few of the statistics listed in the short article: The most widely used drugs are those for high blood pressure and cholesterol -- problems often linked to heart disease, obesity and diabetes. Medication use for chronic problems was seen in almost 2/3 of women 20 or older; one in four children and teenagers; 52% of adult men; and three out of four people 65 and older.

The president of the American Heart Association said that more people are taking blood pressure and cholesterol-lowering medications because they need them.

Okay....has anyone bothered to ask why they need them? The answer is yes. In short, we eat poorly (read -- unhealthily), don't exercise enough, and our air, water, and food are filled with all manner of things that shouldn't be there.

I'm sure Big Pharma couldn't be happier. Well, they wouldn't be happy with me. I'm not taking anything, nor do I intend to. I'm not one of their customers. And a nation of sickly couch potatoes who are hooked on their drugs to alleviate symptoms (instead of providing a cure) is just the kind of steady income that fattens their coffers year to year.

In a warped way, it reminds me of some inside dirt I've heard about the credit card industry. To them, the deadbeats are the ones who stay within their credit limits, pay on time, and rarely maintain a balance. Why are they the deadbeats? Duh! Because they're not making the credit card companies any money.

The unfortunate folks with financial problems, late fees, and over-limit fees are really the preferred customers -- even though they're treated like criminals. When a $2000 balance can be dragged out for thirty years with only the minimum payments, it's a steady stream of income disguised as legalized extortion. And Dubya is certainly their patron saint since he signed a bill into law last year that makes it even easier for them to screw the rest of us.

But that's a rant for another time. I could go on for a week about the credit industry. The sad fact is that there are grim similarities between Big Pharma and Big Credit -- they both want all of us hooked on what they're selling whether we need it or not.

Little Green Men

2008-05-14T14:23:00.006-04:00

As reported by the Associated Press -- The Vatican's chief astronomer says that believing in aliens does not contradict faith in God. How refreshing that the Faithful (as well as the rest of us non-Catholics, presumably) are free to enjoy Star Trek reruns without the need to self-flagellate as penance for heresy.

And who knew that the Vatican had a chief astronomer with so many Earthly concerns occupying the papacy?

The seed of my belief -- or suspicion -- regarding the existence of aliens was planted quite early. I was watching Star Trek at two years old when it premiered on NBC. My opinion is not so much Prove that there are extra-terrestrials, but more like Prove that there aren't.

Of course, it's impossible to prove that there aren't -- which is why it is perfectly fitting what Carl Sagan wrote in his novel "Contact": If it is only us in the universe, it seems like an awful waste of space.

A Mile In My Shoes

2008-05-13T10:27:00.010-04:00

It doesn't seem like three years since my first and only (so far) trip to China. I spent a week in Beijing working sixteen hour days for the first half of the trip while the remaining three days were crammed with the mandatory sight-seeing -- the Summer Palace, Temple of Heaven, Pearl Market, Silk Market, Tiananmen Square, and of course, the Great Wall.

The picture above was taken by my personal tour guide, Maggie, after walking a mile or so on the Badaling section. Our chauffeur for those few days was Maggie's father, Mr. Ma -- a retired general in the Communist Party. The company I was working for hired him on occasion to drive clients around Beijing.

You may notice that I'm dressed in the customary tourist garb -- shorts, T-shirt, sneakers -- while every other native is all but bundled up in long pants, long sleeve shirts, and jackets. It wouldn't be a stretch to convince you that my layer of winter fat was keeping me warm, but the day was a hazy 83 degrees. As it turns out, I was told that the Chinese are terrified of the sun and try to subject themselves to it as little as possible. Also, many of them retain the notion that anyone with a tan is a farmer or some other outdoor laborer.

For those who have never been or even considered a trip to Asia, my advice is to go. Admittedly, it wasn't on my bucket list and I may have never gone if not for the opportunity afforded by my job. I was dreading the long flight, the language barrier, and the enormous jet-lag.

But that changed soon after I arrived. I was met at the airport by Mr. Ma and shuttled to the Zhao Long (Great Dragon) Hotel. The people were friendly despite very few of them speaking a word of English. Some in the hospitality industry speak it out of necessity, but most everyone else speaks none at all and they have no intention of learning. For this reason it's good to have a liaison for the duration of your visit or getting around will prove quite a challenge.

The food is to die for. If you like Chinese food here in the States, rest assured you've probably never had real Chinese food. I don't blame the Chinese restaurants here. They're probably doing the best they can with local ingredients and have to adjust to suit Americans' tastes. For my part, I've been hopelessly spoiled and have a hard with what many pass off as Chinese cuisine over here.

So I hope to return someday. The food and shopping alone would be worth the trip to say nothing of the sightseeing and cultural treasures. My wife wasn't able to come with me, but that's only because we couldn't justify the $7000 for a seat with me up in Business Class. For one tenth of that price, a ticket back in steerage was no problem, but I couldn't have stood the guilt.

But the world is big, life is short, and there is a lot of this planet I have yet to see. Whether or not I get to cross off everything on my own bucket list unfortunately depends on two things that very few people have in excess -- money and time. But I'm working on it.

Awesome

2008-05-12T16:01:00.003-04:00

This needs no commentary from me whatsoever. I'm a die-hard Trekkie and this was just too priceless not to post. Captain Kirk rocks -- and he knows it.

Tomorrow Is Yesterday

2008-05-11T21:46:00.009-04:00

The above picture is the aftermath of Ben Roethlisberger's (of the Pittsburgh Steelers) motorcycle accident in which he was severely injured as a result of not wearing a helmet.

Tomorrow is the Twelfth of May. On that date fifteen years ago, Death smiled at me while I was tumbling several hundred meters down the crowded Autobahn as a result of being thrown off my motorcycle after being cut off by an oblivious German driver. I could only smile back.

You can see here a related post, Old Toys, with a picture of that bike. The picture above is roughly how my machine looked after the crash -- actually, my bike looked worse. I was travelling 120MPH at the time, but as opposed to Ben Roethlisberger I was wearing a $600 racing helmet -- which is why I was able to jump up and run (okay, hobble) to the side of the road after the ordeal.

Granted -- compared to how I dress today for a ride, I was not well protected. I had on Rebock high-tops instead of steel-toed boots; a LLBean bomber jacket instead of heavily armored riding leathers; and Levis instead of padded riding pants.

But the helmet was non-negotiable. When I purchased the bike, my friend insisted I have the best brain bucket money could buy. The Shoei X-8 retailed for about $600. If you have a $50 head, wear a $50 helmet. I spent the money without blinking -- I have a somewhat high opinion of my head and had no qualms paying for the best. My current helmet, a Shoei X-11, still retails for over $500.

Call it brand loyalty, but it was earned. When I would look at the helmet that saved my life and the scrapes and chips it suffered pounding the pavement repeatedly during my somersaults down the A7, I can imagine the same damage to my skull -- in which case the ambulance that came to pick me up would have been doing duty as my hearse.

And bikers refuse to wear helmets why? Freedom of choice? Freedom to act irresponsibly? Unfortunately, I think that people must sometimes be protected from themselves -- like with the seatbelt laws. In many States, an experienced rider can make the decision to go without a helmet, yet an experienced driver can not elect to go without a seatbelt. A bit of inconsistency there, don't you think?

I don't for a moment believe drivers (and passengers) should be given the choice as to whether or not to buckle up. Besides, if I'm unfortunate enough to be in a head-on collision with an unbelted driver, I don't want my car, my self, or any passengers to be injured by the dangerous flying object that will be the other driver's body that, despite the staunch belief on their part, is not immuned to the laws of inertia.

So tomorrow will come and go without fanfare. I don't raise the proverbial glass in remembrance of my brush with death, light a scented candle, or twist my wrist until I'm rocketing down the highway at triple digit speeds just to remind myself of just how low I can fly.

I do, however, look forward to the next ride while holding out hope that those who are too cool to wear helmets will come to their senses before learning the hard way just how unforgiving the pavement really is. After all, it's said that there are two types of riders -- those who have dropped their bikes and those who will.

National Train Day

2008-05-10T12:37:00.003-04:00

Today is the first annual National Train Day -- created to raise awareness of the benefits of rail travel. This date, May 10th, was chosen because of the anniversary of the driving of the "Golden Spike" that joined the Union Pacific and the Central Pacific railroads on May 10th, 1869, at Promontory Summit, Utah.

Driven to Drink: Part 3 -- Rain

2008-05-09T11:54:00.011-04:00

I hate driving in the rain -- not just because it means I'm being denied sunshine; or because braking, cornering, acceleration and visibility are adversely affected. It's about my fellow commuters who seem to be more than ill at ease with anything but dry pavement. Is it just me, or does it seem like some drivers commit more random acts of idiocy when the weather is worse? I guess they think it's okay because everyone else is being more careful?

After ten years of driving a truck (no way to sugarcoat it - it was not an SUV), I had a certain amount of anxiety every time I twisted the key in inclimate weather. The 4100 pound Dodge behaved itself well enough on dry roads, but water brought out the worst in it. One wheel on its open differential would spin wildly from a standstill at the slightest application of the throttle, one or both of the front tires would lock up and skid far too easily even with judicious pressure on the brakes, and massive understeer was the rule with cornering.

I hope it doesn't come across as gloating when I say that the Benz with its AWD is infinitely superior in every measurable way. It's sure-footed, stable, and never feels like it's even close to coming unglued from the road regardless of conditions.

So today's water-logged commute actually held a splash of fahrvergnuegen. One of the two-lane back roads a mile or so from the office widens to two lanes on the Eastbound side to provide a passing lane up a long, straight hill (well, not that long -- about a 1/2 to 3/4 of a mile). I had been trapped behind two obviously nervous drivers who were unwilling to risk barely 20mph in the 35mph zone. Painful. I have a life to lead and it doesn't involve wasting the day behind slow moving vehicles.

As soon as the left passing lane opened up, I pulled out and mashed the accellerator to the floor with all the finesse of squashing a cockroach. Despite the wet surface the car down-shifted two gears and leapt forward, launched as if assisted by afterburners -- no wheelspin, no torquesteer, no instability whatsoever, just a seemingly endless supply of power that propelled me past both cars in half the distance I'd anticipated. The performance was so surprising I laughed out loud....really.

I'm not sure I remember the last time I was exhilarated by a vehicle -- not one of mine, anyway. It's probably been twenty years. And that car -- the Nissan 240SX -- was cousin to the Porsche 944 as far as dry road handling goes, but a virtual death trap in the rain. It's nice to have finally graduated to something that's equally at home in any weather that allows me to relax and enjoy the ride to work instead of dread it.

Sixty Years....

2008-05-08T11:29:00.000-04:00

....Since the birth of the beautiful and troubled State of Israel. I offer here what I hope is the appropriate blessing -- Shehecheyanu.

בָּרוּךְ אַתָה יהוה
אֶלוֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הַעוֹלָם
שֵהֵחְיָנוּ וְקִיְימָנוּ
וְהִגִעָנוּ לַזְמַן הַזֶה

Blessed are You
Lord our God, King of the universe
Who has kept us in life, sustained us,
and brought us to this moment.

And with hopes for peace in the region, a quote from the Iron Lady of Israeli politics:

The Arabs will stop fighting us when they love their children more than they hate Jews - Golda Meir

1.26 Cents For Your Thoughts

2008-05-07T12:22:00.005-04:00

It was bound to happen. Prices are going up on...well, everything actually. The cost of some of the metals used to make our coins has tripled since 2003, so the U.S. Treasury is actually putting Americans in debt to the tune of $100 Million a year just to mint pennies and nickels that cost more to produce than they're worth. A penny costs 1.26 cents and a nickel costs nearly a dime.

I found it interesting that the "copper" Penny is really 97.5% Zinc and only 2.5% copper while the Nickel is 75% copper and only 25% nickel. There's been talk of striking both of these denominations using steel. I'm not old enough to remember the series of 1943 steel pennies, but I have a few in an inherited coin collection. Of course back then it was because copper was needed for the war effort to make bullets.

Are we short on bullets? Considering the scope and cost of the Iraq War, it wouldn't surprise me. And we certainly can't leave our foot soldiers armed with nothing but harsh language and low-yield tactical nukes.

For my money, I say give the commodities markets an unceremonious kick in the crotch and start making the coins out of steel. What's the difference? It's not like the good old days when the coins actually had a measurable, intrinsic value based on their composition. They're only worth what the government says they're worth. The U.S. Treasury could start issuing wampum at this point and we'd have no choice but to accept it for the sake of our national debt.

But that is an issue unlikely to be addressed, let alone resolved, this year. Until it is -- you knew this was coming -- don't take any wooden nickels.

Don't Go Killing All The Bees

2008-05-06T10:31:00.004-04:00

And the grim news continues.... A survey of bee health released on Tuesday has revealed that we've lost 36.1% of the nation's commercially managed hives since last year. You can read the AP story on CNN.com here.

Is anyone concerned about this? Everyone should be concerned about this. Imagine if one out of three cows suddenly died in this country -- there would be panic.

Bill Maher had something to say about this last year right before Earth Day. I reprint here because I can only say it differently that him, not better. It's punctuated with his own brand of humor, but the message is serious:

So, here's a quote from Albert Einstein. He said, if the bee disappeared off the surface of the globe, then man would only have four years of life left. No more bees, no more pollination. No more plants. No more animals. No more man. Well, guess what? The bees are disappearing in massive numbers all around the world. And if you think I'm being alarmist, and that, "Oh, they'll figure out some way to pollinate the plants." No, they've tried.

For a lot of what we eat, only bees work. And they're not working. They're gone. It's called "colony collapse disorder," when the hive's inhabitants suddenly disappear and all that's left are a few queens and some immature workers. Like when a party winds down at Elton John's house.

But, I think we are the ones suffering from colony collapse disorder. Because, although nobody really knows for sure what's killing the bees, it's not Al Qaeda, and it's not God doing some of his Old Testament shtick. And it's not Winnie the Pooh. It's us. It could be from pesticides or genetically-modified food or global warming, or the high fructose corn syrup we started to feed them.

Recently, it was discovered that bees won't fly near cell phones. The electromagnetic signals they emit might screw up the bees' navigation system, knocking them out of the sky. So, thanks, big mouth guy in line at Starbucks. You just killed us.

It's nature's way of saying, "Can you hear me now?"

Last week, I asked, if it solved global warming, would you give up the TV remote and go back to carting your fat a$$ over to the television set every time you wanted to change the channel. If it comes down to the cell phone versus the bee, will we choose to literally blather ourselves to death? Will we continue to tell ourselves that we don't have to solve environmental problems, we can just adapt? Build sea walls instead of stopping the ice caps from melting. Don't save the creatures of the earth in the oceans; just learn to eat the slime and the jellyfish that nothing can kill; like Chinese restaurants are already doing.

You know what? Maybe you don't need to talk on your cell phone all the time. Maybe you don't need a bag when you buy a keychain. Americans throw out 100 billion plastic bags a year, and they all take 1,000 years to decompose. Your children's children's children will never know you, but they'll know you once bought batteries at the 99-cents Store because the bag will still be caught in a tree. Except there won't be any trees.

Sunday is Earth Day. Please educate someone about the birds and the bees. Because, without bees, humans become the canary in the coal mine. And we make bad canaries, because we're already such sheep.

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

2008-05-05T21:12:00.003-04:00

Thirteen Seconds in Ohio

2008-05-04T14:35:00.009-04:00

On May 4th, 1970, Ohio National Guardsman sent in by then Governor Jim Rhodes continued to pull the trigger for thirteen seconds while firing sixty-seven bullets into a crowd of students. Nine were injured and another four were killed.

We remember those fallen students:
Allison Krause
Jeffrey Miller
Sandra Scheuer
William Knox Schroeder

Moved by the incident, Neil Young wrote this song the very same day and, after David Crosby convinced him that they had to record it immediately, flew to Los Angeles and went into the studio. The song was finished the next day and was on the charts within a week.

Saturday

2008-05-03T13:01:00.002-04:00

It's Saturday, I'm on vacation, and I deliberately haven't seen or heard any news of the world today -- because most of it is usually bad -- so I'm simply going to post some entertainment. Have a great rest of the weekend and maybe someday you too can be Saturday Night.

Favorite Family Toys

2008-05-02T13:34:00.011-04:00

Dad and I like Camaros -- the more vintage models if you please. Pictured above is his current indulgence, a '77 Camaro LT with a built 350 and a 4-speed. I learned to drive in his '73 Camaro 3-speed and soon after sadly became the car's undoing after losing control through a S-turn a few weeks after acquiring my license. Ouch.

Dad replaced that with an '80 model that I was, for some reason, also permitted to drive. I later acquired my very own Camaros; a '70 RallySport followed by a '70 Z28 with a close-ratio 4-speed.

So we attended "Cruise night" last night in the '77. There was actually very little cruising going on -- not in the cars, anyway. Scores of autophiles gather at the local Whataburger with their restored and in-process vehicles, wander from car to car, and hob-knob about chrome and carburation. I saw nearly everything from a rusting Packard wrecker from the Twenties to a new BMW M5 sporting a vicious looking V-10.

And a good time was had by all. I know those cruise nights go on in other parts of the country, but it gets to be more of a challenge up in the Rust Belt to keep the cars pristine -- not that a lot of these vehicles are used as grocery-getters, but there is an element of risk for nearly half the year if they're driven at all.

I'll have another Camaro -- a SS model next time. Whether it will be the latest and greatest example of Chevy ingenuity or a late Sixties to early Seventies big block has yet to be determined. After all, we just bought vehicles and there's only so much room in the driveway.

Gone To Texas

2008-05-01T06:08:00.000-04:00

I'll be out of town the next few days as we visit relatives in the great state of Texas. I'll post when and if I can -- otherwise I'll catch up when I'm back in town.

And for those who know that the book "Gone to Texas" was made into Clint Eastwood's 1976 Oscar nominated film The Outlaw Josey Wales, I've posted the TV spot you'll never see on television.

WARNING: Contains one F-bomb. So please don't click if your sensibilities can't be overcome by your curiosity. Otherwise -- Enjoy.

R.I.P. Albert Hofmann

2008-04-30T13:09:00.004-04:00

In Memorium -- Swiss chemist Albert Hofmann, whose Problem Child changed the perspective of an entire generation, passed away Tuesday at his home in Burg im Leimental, Switzerland, at 102 years old.

Gas Tax Holiday?

2008-04-29T13:54:00.005-04:00

Apparently we need a holiday. No, not from work, although very few American workers get half the vacation they deserve. The proposed holiday is a holiday from the gas tax. Both John McCain and Hillary Clinton are proposing their own versions of this Gas Tax Holiday which would last through the summer vacation months and save us all a hefty 18.4 cents per gallon (24.4 cents for diesel).

They can keep it. After a bit of math, I'd be keeping an "extra" $30 in my pocket over the course of the entire summer. Wow. Somehow, I just don't think that's going to impact anyone's travel plans one way or the other. I have to side with Senator Obama on this one who says that this is basically a short term, quick fix that doesn't solve anything.

Doesn't the government have enough money problems without depriving itself of a key source of revenue for three months of the year? If Americans were suddenly thrust into the European arena they would quickly be taking advantage of their right to bear arms and go postal over their petrol prices. A reader in Germany, KaiserMichi, informed me that he recently paid $9.70 for a gallon of gas.

And it's even more expensive in Italy. In fact, a half to two-thirds of the price of the gas in Europe is tax -- up to $5 or more. Yes, they are paying way more in tax on a gallon of gas than we pay for a gallon of gas. The positive results of this are that the auto manufacturers are thusly encouraged to develop more fuel efficient cars and the people drive less and use public transportation more.

So do us all a favor -- Big Government -- and don't give a starving dog a rubber bone. Save the weak and pointless gestures and do something that will really help. I'm all about paying through the nose for my fossil fuel addiction if the tax I pay on it is used to get me clean.

And I want to be clean....and green.

Historical Mutiny

2008-04-28T09:36:00.001-04:00

Just a bit of naval history today.... On this date in 1789, Captain William Bligh and eighteen sailors are set adrift by the rebel crew led by Fletcher Christian in the most famous maritime mutiny in history -- Mutiny on the Bounty.

$6 Per Gallon?

2008-04-27T10:28:00.003-04:00

This article on Newsweek.com -- "Should You Pay $6 Per Gallon?" -- had me thinking hard about the price of gasoline as well as my recent automotive upgrade. After a few fill-ups and doing the math, my new light truck is getting 14mpg city and 19mpg highway -- losing a few mpg from the "new" rating (it's a 2000) of 17city/21highway in the last eight years and 80,000 miles of its life.

And in a previous post, "Fossil Eyes", I had talked about what it would take for me to change my driving habits. A European reader, KaiserMichi, commented that they weren't impressed (in Europe) with our gas price woes as they pay more than double our prices at the pump on a daily basis and have been for years.

The article makes some excellent points. I must admit that although $4 a gallon is inconvenient, it's really not the hardship that some make it out to be. I'm sure I'd feel differently if I drove a hundred miles a day or more, but I don't. And at present, I'm now spending the same as I have in the past for fuel to get to and from work. I'm using less gas, but the prices have gone up.

In short, I'd gladly pay $6 a gallon or more if it meant that a large portion of the tax went towards developing alternative fuel sources. It would also have more of an impact on my wallet and therefore my driving habits.

It's folly to continue to cry about high prices at the pump as long as, instead of fixing this problem ourselves with alternative energy, we are dependent for our crude on countries that hate us. Those countries must feed their own needs first and we are stuck paying the price for being last in line.

We've got to wake up and accept that gas prices aren't going down. And if we want to continue to drive our land barges that keep getting bigger, heavier, and more powerful despite the world's oil issues, we'll need to find cheaper, friendlier sources of crude oil or altogether alternative (read: oil-less) methods to power us from place to place.

A Date With Frida

2008-04-26T22:55:00.015-04:00

We visited the Frida Kahlo exhibition at the art museum today. Fabulous. I love surrealism and Frida is one of my favorites. Her unique vision isn't for everyone. I find her work beautiful, shocking, sensual, vivid, and disturbing.

Health Careless

2008-04-25T16:23:00.009-04:00

This story "Dying for lack of insurance" on CNN Health makes me ashamed of the money-hungry healthcare system we have in this country. You can read the story, but it's not a unique one. There are fifty million Americans without healthcare insurance and this could be any one of them.

But since many people maintain their healthcare through their jobs and there is no job security anymore, this could be anyone at all. There but for the grace of God go I.

In short, if you're poor, uninsured, or under-insured, and have a chronic or terminal illness, you might as well spend the little money you have on your funeral arrangements because those who can treat you and make you well won't do it if they can't be paid. It's beyond criminal. There are exceptions of course, but those are few.

How we as a leading industrialized nation are still managing to turn our backs on universal health care is a mystery to me. It's been endlessly debated for years and nothing happens -- meanwhile people die every day because they literally can't afford to live. This needs to be figured out and put it into place. If there are problems, we figure them out as we go -- not "do nothing" because we haven't ironed out the details yet.

Until the government finally does its part, I'll just have to keep doing mine -- staying healthy and employed.

Thursday's Child

2008-04-24T12:51:00.002-04:00

I'm still having one of those weeks today. Can't quite get out of first gear. With that in mind, I'm turning over the ether to David Bowie.

Barefoot Science

2008-04-23T00:06:00.001-04:00

Science has finally vindicated me for years of bohemian attitudes. The results are in. Wearing shoes is -- in general -- bad for you. This article on NPR led me to this one on the New York Magazine site entitled, appropriately, You Walk Wrong.

In effect, four million years of evolution perfecting the human foot is at war with the last thousand years or so of injurious footwear.

For me, any day without shoes is a good day -- and not just because it means that I wasn't at work. Sure, barefoot is the best with sand between my toes, but barefoot anywhere is somehow more relaxed and comfortable. Sometimes just having to wear shoes at all is like wearing an ill-fitting tuxedo over a cheap, over-starched shirt with a collar that's too small.

I had heard that it's illegal to drive barefoot, but fortunately that has been debunked as an urban legend (since I couldn't imagine any sane person having a compelling argument to substantiate the rationale behind such a law). That would be a bit like making it illegal to drive unless wearing mittens.

So do yourself -- and your feet -- a favor. Kick back and take your shoes off -- as often as possible. In fact, this new-found celebration of sub-ankular nudity is yet another good reason to sign on to one of those Barefoot Cruises I've always wanted to take. But that's a subject for another post.

Happy Earth Day

2008-04-22T10:18:00.004-04:00

Today is Earth Day. How will you observe it? Save some energy? Recycle? Take the stairs?

I think every day should be Earth Day. If I were the Earth, I'd feel a little put out that I'm only thought of one day a year. Granted, Earth Day's purpose is to raise awareness of the environmental issues of the planet for those with, well....low awareness of our planet's plight. The rest of us tree-huggers already have our finger on the pulse of just how grim parts of the picture really are.

So do your part make every day Earth Day.
And if you're in Pennsylvania, remember to vote -- and vote often.

Monday Monday

2008-04-21T09:23:00.004-04:00

I'm a bit off today.
And I hate Mondays.
I don't know why.

But I'm trying to be optimistic. It can't last forever.
Every other day of the week is fine.
Maybe if I were in LA....

Kudos....

2008-04-20T19:41:00.002-04:00

....To Danica Patrick for not being the Anna Kournikova of the Indy Racing League. Finally, after her 50th IndyCar start, she won the Indy Japan 300 at Twin Ring Motegi in Motegi, Japan -- the first woman to ever win an IndyCar race.

Meet Billie Jean

2008-04-19T20:44:00.007-04:00

I try to resist the rare urge to comment on pop culture because a lot of it is like bubble gum for the mind.

But I'm a musician and when I hear something special I feel compelled to share it. I've mentioned before that we watch American Idol. In my opinion, this year has a far greater percentage of really great talent than a few previous years combined.

One of the favorites who consistently turns in superior and original performances is David Cook. He knows his instrument and how to use it beautifully no matter what the theme of the week (two weeks were Beatles tunes, a recent week was Mariah Carey, etc...). One of the themes was to choose a song from the year of the contestant's birth.

David chose a Chris Cornell (of Soundgarden and Audioslave) arrangement of 1983's Billie Jean by Michael Jackson. Thriller was a great album, but I didn't love Billie Jean until I heard this version -- which I think David sings better than Chris Cornell, by the way.

Birthday Party Overkill

2008-04-18T14:17:00.006-04:00

This article about extravagant children's birthday parties had my head spinning. Seemingly sane parents actually spend upwards of thousands -- tens of thousands -- of dollars for kids' parties.

The first part of the story is about a mother who dropped $5000 on a party for her three year old. Please....who are we trying to impress here? The other toddlers at the party? And she's small potatoes. Others are spending ten and twenty thousand. I don't get it.

It's like we're seeing a whole culture of what can only be called Child Worship empowered by these doting diaper-sniffers that have small children with busier social obligations than they do. So naturally, when Junior turns two, nothing short of the fanfare worthy of a Royal Wedding will suffice.

The jaw dropper is the bat mitzvah for the daughter of a former defense contractor that cost ten million -- yes, that's $10,000,000. Hey, you only turn thirteen once, right? I'm sure that father was also a philanthropist, donated to the poor, funded educational programs, and had hospital wings named after him.

No? Well, at least his little princess will always cherish the memory of Aerosmith playing at her party -- assuming she even knows who they are. Let's call a spade a spade -- this was about bragging rights and Dad inviting all of his friends.

By all means, let's add to the attitude of entitlement that a lot of kids have already. Are kids getting the wrong message? Umm...Duh! Of course, it's "all about the kids having a good time", right? I seem to remember having a good time at home with family, my favorite cake baked by my mother and the latest cool toy that I just had to have.

For me, the punch line to this article is the end. It not only provides some tips for giving a party inexpensively, but also several websites for added reference. Apparently, we've been so brainwashed with the necessity of extravagant soirees we've forgotten how to simply buy a present, bake a cake, and sing Happy Birthday.

Our Slice Of Shangri-La

2008-04-17T09:33:00.007-04:00

At the risk of prattling on about hearth and home, I have to mention that we've taken yet another step in the completion of the homestead.

Our castle sits on a modest piece of land with a commanding view of the neighborhood. However, some of the homes -- ours among them -- are close enough that we feel somewhat "on display" when relaxing on the deck. The solution?-- a privacy barrier.

We had tried the subtle shrubbery route, but it would have been years before being enough so a handsome fence was chosen in their stead. I really don't like the idea that we need walls and fences to separate us from our neighbors. On the other hand, we all need our space and privacy, and we actually did the neighbors a favor. Our fence affords them the same privacy that it does for us.

If I could only figure out how to add on a garage to safely store the Harley-Davidson I don't have yet, this place would be perfect.

Paying It Forward

2008-04-16T20:45:00.008-04:00

We gave away our lawnmower today. It felt good to let it go without a second thought as to its value or any attachment to it. It ran well, but probably wasn't worth much anyway -- except to me when I was cutting the grass last season.

This season we have a couple local guys taking care of our lawn so it seemed like a good time to clear out some space in the shed and pat ourselves on the back for our charitable nature.

Yeah, right.... I belong to a Yahoo group called Freecycle. It's for people like me who don't want to wastefully discard useful items, but also don't want to go through the hassle of trying to sell them. I posted a description -- not like this machine was any kind of treasure -- and waited to see if I'd get a response.

Who knew that a free lawnmower would be so popular? I got two dozen responses. There is no set rule as to how to choose whom to give your treasures to. Subsequently, I had guilt because there were several almost impassioned pleas from people that needed it for one reason or another.

In the end, the lucky winners were a young couple that just moved into a home and hadn't any of the standard "home-owner" stuff to take care of their yard -- kind of like we were when we moved into the house after eight years of apartment living. We had lamented our lack of lawn care products upon buying our house and the seller offered us his lawn mower since he'd be buying a tractor to mow his new acre of land.

So it was good Karma and it had a certain symmetry that we pass on what we were given for free to those in the same situation. Now if there were only someone in need of a Karmic boost who needed to pass on a good used Harley....

Tax Day, Schmax Day

2008-04-15T16:12:00.010-04:00

Here's a good article by Glenn Beck about taxes here in the US. He says that tax day is the only bipartisan day of the year -- everyone hates it.

With that in mind, here's a little something in keeping with the situation. These guys always put me in a better mood -- despite the taxman.

CaffeiNation

2008-04-14T13:06:00.006-04:00

I read recently that there will be a bill introduced in New Jersey that would prohibit youth from buying super-caffeinated drinks and supplements. While I whole-heartedly applaud this move -- especially on a health conscious level -- it doesn't bode well that the same bill failed after its introduction in Maine.

But in a way it seems a bit un-American. How will we continue as a nation of speed freaks if we don't indoctrinate our children? Let's face it -- if you're into speed, this is the country for you. You can't go a mile in any direction without running into a Starbuck's. I think this country would threaten grinding to a halt if we didn't have our daily fix.

I can't pretend to be holier-than-thou. I've taken to having a couple cups of java after I get to work. In small doses, caffeine is beneficial to mental acuity. As opposed to the serious addicts that drink a pot a day or more, I have no problem cutting myself off at a cup or two -- probably because the sludge available in the office is at best a barely palatable caffeine delivery system.

A word or three about the picture at the top of this post. The names given to these energy drinks run the gamut from humorous to frightening. The pictured drink's logo is a direct reference to Nitrous Oxide Systems -- a company that has been around since the 80s (at least, I'm pretty sure they're still around). I wonder if anyone but a gearhead would know the reference to drag racing and horsepower boosting.

There are many more -- Jolt, Hype, Awake, Red Bull, Cocaine.... Let's stop there. Cocaine? Yes, some marketing genius decided that an energy drink should be called Cocaine. Is this really a word that we want to have more than one meaning or reference? I think the one is quite enough. The drink's inventor, James Kirby, said, "It's an energy drink and it's a fun name. As soon as people look at the can, they smile." I think these are smiling people I don't want to meet.

We have enough problems with real drugs in this country -- cocaine from South America and opiates from the Middle East, to say nothing of the widespread abuse of prescription drugs -- without marketing speed to our youth. They have more than enough energy, in my experience. If they don't, what they need is more sleep, better nutrition, and a higher level of activity -- or a trip to the doctor -- not a canned, temporary boost that gives them high blood pressure and a sugar crash.

Thought Food

2008-04-13T15:16:00.004-04:00

"I can tell you this: The Stone Age didn't end because we ran out of stones. The Oil Age won't end because we run out of oil." -- Sheikh Yamani

I, Borg

2008-04-12T23:49:00.008-04:00

I endured the better part of this afternoon inundated by technology whilst battling one of the many demons of Microsoft mail services. The server at my fingertips was fifteen miles away. I connected to my Blackberry with a Bluetooth earpiece and spoke to tech support in Texas and then....India? I never found out. After I gave up my vital statistics and was put in the queue, I waited nearly two hours without connecting to a technician.

But that turned out to be a good thing. The same ghastly loop of bad jazz that sounded as if it were coming straight out of Satan's bottom repeated over and over on the music-on-hold -- between the occasional assurance that my call would be answered in the order received -- until some primal survival instinct took over to keep me sane.

I entered a state of complete clarity as if both hemispheres of my brain had synchronized to a common cause. Every thought wave resonated with the goal of tearing apart my problem until I had a solution so I could end the call and make the ruthlessly tortuous music stop.

It worked. Within a few minutes I formulated what had to be done, implemented the solution, rebooted the server, and confirmed functionality. Uncanny. I wouldn't be surprised if the Bad Jazz on Hold had been carefully chosen to encourage people to either give up waiting or trigger their critical thinking into overdrive.

Brilliance or happenstance? I hope the opportunity for a repeat experiment is indefinitely postponed.

Encore

2008-04-11T13:36:00.005-04:00

Before it becomes old news, I'd like to tip my hat once again to one of my favorite actors of the Twentieth century with a clip that not only shows his acting chops, but his great sense of humor.

This scene with Mike Myers is Chuck's cameo in Wayne's World:

How To Design A Logo

2008-04-10T09:45:00.003-04:00

A friend sent me this last week. It needs no further commentary from me. It's chilling and brilliant.

Hump Day Tool

2008-04-09T12:00:00.004-04:00

I'm taking the day off from life slices and strong opinions to share a video from the band Tool. It's not for everyone. Not like it's rated "R" or anything, but some of the imagery might border on disturbing -- in a twisted, science fiction quasi-nightmare kind of way -- to those with more delicate sensibilities.

On the other hand the bizarre graphics are amazing and the music and musicianship are excellent as always. The song is Parabola.