The American Friends Service Committee’s Eyes Wide Open exhibit stopped in the gardens near the State Capital in Sacramento today. The exhibition presents rows and rows of empty army boots, each with a name tag representing one U. S. soldier fallen in the Iraq war. Next to the empty boots is a large labyrinth laid out with thousands of men’s, women’s, and children’s shoes and slippers representing a small portion of the thousands of Iraqis killed. Several of the combat boots are decorated with photos and other personal items friends and relatives of the dead have added as the exhibit has traveled around the country. You can see more about the exhibit and a short film about the exhibit at http://www.afsc.org/eyes/ . The website has an electronic petition asking the president to remove U. S. forces from Iraq.
The exhibit is very moving, the precisely arrayed army boots and the more casually arranged civilian shoes. Children’s shoes and baby shoes, old lady shoes. Standing and walking amidst thousands of empty shoes really drives home the enormity of this waste of human life. Shoes filled no more, visiting friends and family no more, They will age no more, breath no more.
It’s about time to say, “No More”.
That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.
Wednesday, March 30, 2005
Tuesday, March 29, 2005
Packing 9 Inches
I just gave in to a weird impulse. I measured my scar’s length. 9 inches baby! That’s what this boy is packing. What’s more disturbing is that my abdominal muscle tone has disappeared. I wonder if I could get a tattoo to integrate the scar into a landscape scene or something. Maybe an island sunset with the scar making the horizon over the Island's volcano.
Saturday, March 26, 2005
Hey ho, Let's Go
After last week’s posting, I thought I better be able to report that I actually did something. Well, I did. Using my internet wiles, I found the direct phone number for the Dean of Mathematics at a local community College. She was willing to talk with me, she even returned calls. She asked me to complete a faculty application and personally deliver it to her. That’s great, since one of my goals is to navigate around personnel departments by recruiting a “coach” at the start. I guess I got some amount of sales know-how from all those years in the insurance industry. So, there. I have completed everything for the unbelievably lengthy application except recommendation letters, but I made some calls on Friday. At least I’m doing something. Next stop is to call two “boutique” type risk management consulting forms in town. And maybe the bossman actuary at CalPERS.
While I am typing this am listening to my ABBA greatest hits CD. ,There was something in the air that night. I don’t know why I love their music. Guess I am a child of the ‘70s, live with it. I figured for affirmative action purposes, they need at least one straight fan. Their tunes are so lively and happy, kind of like a polka with a disco beat. Don’t worry, rockin’ teens, I still like Sabbath and the Ramones. Some days you just feel like a little “dancin’ queen”.
That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it.
While I am typing this am listening to my ABBA greatest hits CD. ,There was something in the air that night. I don’t know why I love their music. Guess I am a child of the ‘70s, live with it. I figured for affirmative action purposes, they need at least one straight fan. Their tunes are so lively and happy, kind of like a polka with a disco beat. Don’t worry, rockin’ teens, I still like Sabbath and the Ramones. Some days you just feel like a little “dancin’ queen”.
That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it.
Wednesday, March 23, 2005
My Apologies to Mr Lear
These days it seems that compassion
Has fallen out of fashion.
But wouldn’t it be dandy
To elect leaders like Ghandi
And stop all this of killin an smashin.
That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.
Has fallen out of fashion.
But wouldn’t it be dandy
To elect leaders like Ghandi
And stop all this of killin an smashin.
That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.
Monday, March 21, 2005
Quotation of the Day
Wolfowitz, the World Bank?, Oy Vey, I wouldn’t let him run a sperm bank! – Al Franken as the oy yoy yoy man.
Saturday, March 19, 2005
Movie Reviews: Saved and Shawn of the Dead
I’ve been dealing with a cold and laryngitis this week, so I rented a couple of movies for last night. Light entertainment that doesn’t require moving or saying anything.
Saved is a pleasant teen comedy set in a “Christian” school and community. The main character in the movie is a senior appropriately named Mary who always wanted to be the perfect disciple of Jesus, but ends up pregnant with a gay boyfriend. The cast is rounded out by several amusing characters; the goody-goody and sanctimonious Hillary Fay, who always takes care of her wheelchair bound brother Roland (played by Mackauley Caulkin), who is a teen with the mind of a dirty old man. Mary’s mom is having an affair with the married minister, and Roland falls in love with a Jewish bad girl sent to the School for reasons never completely explained.
The story line is simple but appealing. Mary is able to conceal her pregnancy until prom, when everything comes to a conflict at once.
I liked the portrayal of the teen characters, they were really true to what my students are like, except, of course, there’s a lot less acne in the movie. The movie was fun to watch with the exception of a very self-righteous few moments near the end, when good triumphed over evil, and everything turned out happy.
Overall, I give the film three stars (***) for its brutally honest portrail of teenage insanity.
Shawn of the Dead is a must-see horror/comedy for anyone who wasted Saturday afternoons or late nights watching old zombie-filled horror movies. Shawn lives the life of a suburban London slacker, he goes to work and drinks at the pub. His roommate never leaves the couch. As zombies start appearing, an aura of uncertainty arises, since the zombies’ behavior isn’t really that different from their behavior when they were alive. Shawn finds greatness within himself when he must defend his local pub from the zombies. This movie made me laugh several times.
I give Shawn three stars (***)
One disturbing trend I noticed in both movies is the repeated lines and images about smoking. Especially disturbing in a teen comedy where all the cool kids smoke. I suspect Phillip Morris is continuing its Sub Rosa marketing to kids.
That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.
Saved is a pleasant teen comedy set in a “Christian” school and community. The main character in the movie is a senior appropriately named Mary who always wanted to be the perfect disciple of Jesus, but ends up pregnant with a gay boyfriend. The cast is rounded out by several amusing characters; the goody-goody and sanctimonious Hillary Fay, who always takes care of her wheelchair bound brother Roland (played by Mackauley Caulkin), who is a teen with the mind of a dirty old man. Mary’s mom is having an affair with the married minister, and Roland falls in love with a Jewish bad girl sent to the School for reasons never completely explained.
The story line is simple but appealing. Mary is able to conceal her pregnancy until prom, when everything comes to a conflict at once.
I liked the portrayal of the teen characters, they were really true to what my students are like, except, of course, there’s a lot less acne in the movie. The movie was fun to watch with the exception of a very self-righteous few moments near the end, when good triumphed over evil, and everything turned out happy.
Overall, I give the film three stars (***) for its brutally honest portrail of teenage insanity.
Shawn of the Dead is a must-see horror/comedy for anyone who wasted Saturday afternoons or late nights watching old zombie-filled horror movies. Shawn lives the life of a suburban London slacker, he goes to work and drinks at the pub. His roommate never leaves the couch. As zombies start appearing, an aura of uncertainty arises, since the zombies’ behavior isn’t really that different from their behavior when they were alive. Shawn finds greatness within himself when he must defend his local pub from the zombies. This movie made me laugh several times.
I give Shawn three stars (***)
One disturbing trend I noticed in both movies is the repeated lines and images about smoking. Especially disturbing in a teen comedy where all the cool kids smoke. I suspect Phillip Morris is continuing its Sub Rosa marketing to kids.
That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.
Thursday, March 17, 2005
Our Trip to Seattle
Kathleen and I spent the last long weekend visiting friends in Seattle. We had a great time. The weather was sunny and warm, and our friends were great hosts. We spent most of our time eating and walking around. Our hosts had a dinner party that was great. Our flight was fine, but I didn’t get a good view of Mt St Helens. On the way back, we flew pretty close to Mt Rainier, which was very cool. We visited Archie MacPhee’s store, which was an incredible big room full of kitch and schlock. It was fun. Somehow, in person, the stuff doesn’t look as cool as it does in the catalogue. Archie’s is brilliant at promotion.
Moby Slacker
“I would prefer not to” These are the words of Herman Melville’s Bartleby the scrivener, written in 1853. Bartleby was a scrivener, a creator of copies of complex legal documents. Although he was an industrious worker, when asked by his employer to assist in checking copies, he responded, “I would prefer not to”. These words are a personal declaration of independence in an industrial or postindustrial workplace.
The domination of masses by elites requires that we never speak these simple words. No excuses, no whining, just an honest statement of a personal preference. Uttering these simple words breaks the chains of peonage, freedom starts in your own mind. The difference between slave and free mentality lies in the ability to say these words unapologetically.
In my own life, I have used this affirmation and its liberating power several times. The most notable related to a client I once had whose business and financial practices did not appear to be “on the level” to me. I called the company president to inform him that I would no longer provide actuarial services. Typical for an arrogant executive, the president demanded to know why I had made this decision. I told him that a free man holds the right to refuse work that he prefers not to do. This was a liberating moment in my life.
That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
The domination of masses by elites requires that we never speak these simple words. No excuses, no whining, just an honest statement of a personal preference. Uttering these simple words breaks the chains of peonage, freedom starts in your own mind. The difference between slave and free mentality lies in the ability to say these words unapologetically.
In my own life, I have used this affirmation and its liberating power several times. The most notable related to a client I once had whose business and financial practices did not appear to be “on the level” to me. I called the company president to inform him that I would no longer provide actuarial services. Typical for an arrogant executive, the president demanded to know why I had made this decision. I told him that a free man holds the right to refuse work that he prefers not to do. This was a liberating moment in my life.
That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
Thursday, March 10, 2005
Home Schooling Hills & Billies
You can take the billy out of the hill, but you can’t take the hill out of the billy.
I have learned this lesson through experiences with home-schooled kids. I have two home-schooled students. One student with an educated and dedicated mother is doing just fine. My other student, a sixteen year old girl, tells a different story. This kid’s mom introduced herself to me by explaining that they hadn’t done any math work for a few years because of, “oh y’know”.
For our first session I gave the student a basic skills evaluation to test her skills ranging from addition to fractions and percents. She cannot subtract numbers over 10, cannot add, subtract or multiply fractions, and did not recognize the percent sign (%). That puts her at a level near fifth or sixth grade. I have arranged for her to see an elementary ed person, since she is about two or three years away from algebra readiness. Her math deficiency came to light when mom finally faced up to the mandatory algebra testing the State requires for home school kids to get a graduation certificate. I wish them the best of luck.
The moral of the story: Don’t even think of home schooling unless you can look at yourself in your mirror and be 100% sure that (1) You are willing to devote several concentrated hours per day to your student, and more time for studying the material to keep ahead of the syllabus. (2) You have excellent knowledge of the syllabus. Hint – if you don’t remember how to solve systems of multivariate linear equations, you have some homework to do. (3) You will be willing to stick to the subject material that is the most difficult to learn.
In short, unless you feel you have the abilities and personal resources to expertly teach the high school syllabus, please keep your kids in school. If you can’t picture yourself as a teacher, don’t teach your kids.
That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
I have learned this lesson through experiences with home-schooled kids. I have two home-schooled students. One student with an educated and dedicated mother is doing just fine. My other student, a sixteen year old girl, tells a different story. This kid’s mom introduced herself to me by explaining that they hadn’t done any math work for a few years because of, “oh y’know”.
For our first session I gave the student a basic skills evaluation to test her skills ranging from addition to fractions and percents. She cannot subtract numbers over 10, cannot add, subtract or multiply fractions, and did not recognize the percent sign (%). That puts her at a level near fifth or sixth grade. I have arranged for her to see an elementary ed person, since she is about two or three years away from algebra readiness. Her math deficiency came to light when mom finally faced up to the mandatory algebra testing the State requires for home school kids to get a graduation certificate. I wish them the best of luck.
The moral of the story: Don’t even think of home schooling unless you can look at yourself in your mirror and be 100% sure that (1) You are willing to devote several concentrated hours per day to your student, and more time for studying the material to keep ahead of the syllabus. (2) You have excellent knowledge of the syllabus. Hint – if you don’t remember how to solve systems of multivariate linear equations, you have some homework to do. (3) You will be willing to stick to the subject material that is the most difficult to learn.
In short, unless you feel you have the abilities and personal resources to expertly teach the high school syllabus, please keep your kids in school. If you can’t picture yourself as a teacher, don’t teach your kids.
That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
Wednesday, March 02, 2005
Land of the Pharisees, Home of the Violent
http://www.axisoflogic.com/artman/publish/article_15979.shtml
Fr John Dear, a Jesuit priest, wrote this excellent column examining some moral implication of our good old American hegemony.
To make a long sermon shorter, he defines contemporary American culture as a culture of Pharisees. He sees a collective culture that is self-righteous, arrogant, powerful and murderous wrapped in a mantle of so-called Christian spirituality. He uses the Sermon on the Mount to illustrate Christian values of compassion, nonviolence, justice and peace.
Our culture resembles that of the Pharisees in our siding with the wealthy, the rulers, and the bankers and corporations, in order to comfort ourselves in our exploitive ways.
He describes contemporary “Christian” spirituality as the spirituality of empire, emphasizing that this spirituality teaches;
Violence saves lives
War is justified
Might makes right
Bombing is blessed, and
The good news is found in the death of our enemies.
That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.
Fr John Dear, a Jesuit priest, wrote this excellent column examining some moral implication of our good old American hegemony.
To make a long sermon shorter, he defines contemporary American culture as a culture of Pharisees. He sees a collective culture that is self-righteous, arrogant, powerful and murderous wrapped in a mantle of so-called Christian spirituality. He uses the Sermon on the Mount to illustrate Christian values of compassion, nonviolence, justice and peace.
Our culture resembles that of the Pharisees in our siding with the wealthy, the rulers, and the bankers and corporations, in order to comfort ourselves in our exploitive ways.
He describes contemporary “Christian” spirituality as the spirituality of empire, emphasizing that this spirituality teaches;
Violence saves lives
War is justified
Might makes right
Bombing is blessed, and
The good news is found in the death of our enemies.
That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.
Friday, February 25, 2005
Spring, when young minds turn to. . .
Spring comes early to the Sacramento region, and with it a change in young men’s and women’s focus of attention. This becomes comically evident if you try to teach them math. The last two weeks have been a festival of hormone-induced hilarity.
Two junior high kids melt down to giggling and throwing things at each other whenever they make eye contact. This is accompanied by cries of “He’s looking at me. . . But she looked first”. I suggested they sit side by side, so eye contact wouldn’t be a problem and so they could “discreetly hold hands under the table.” The girls responded with a loud “eeeuuuuwwww”, followed by the boy throwing his pencil at her. The boy came to class yesterday with a stunt carefully engineered to win the heart of his beloved: he had tucked a cardboard box of french fries in the back of his pants, so he could casually pull fries out of the back of his pants and eat them as he talked with the object of his affection. I thought this was a pretty good gag, but the young lady’s heart was not won over. I guess she’s just not into the copraphile scene. Bless her heart.
Aaaahhhh, young love. From now on, these lovebirds will sit at separate tables facing opposite walls, because I say so.
I saw the smoothest pick-up move I have ever seen in my admittedly somewhat dorky experience! While a very polite and quiet boy had his head buried in his homework (trust me that adolescent boys have the worst posture in the universe), an outgoing and pleasant girl seated next to him quietly grabbed his appointment book and wrote with a red pen and “femmy” handwriting, “call Jane at xxx-xxxx and ask her out”. Minutes later she politely asked “Can I look at your notebook?”
“Uh, sure”, responded the unsuspecting quarry. The shuffling of pages, and “Look, some girl wrote in your book! see?”
“Huh? let me look”, followed by increased male slouching and progressive reddening of the poor boy’s ears. His nose could not have been more than two inches above his papers. This shy boy had met more than his match. Every couple of minutes, when he would dare to look up, his suitor would turn and look at him, causing an immediate meltdown and redder ears. I was impressed. It’s sobering seeing a teenager come up with a ploy far beyond anything I could have dreamt up. This kid will go far.
Note - names have been changed to protect the innocent.
That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.
Two junior high kids melt down to giggling and throwing things at each other whenever they make eye contact. This is accompanied by cries of “He’s looking at me. . . But she looked first”. I suggested they sit side by side, so eye contact wouldn’t be a problem and so they could “discreetly hold hands under the table.” The girls responded with a loud “eeeuuuuwwww”, followed by the boy throwing his pencil at her. The boy came to class yesterday with a stunt carefully engineered to win the heart of his beloved: he had tucked a cardboard box of french fries in the back of his pants, so he could casually pull fries out of the back of his pants and eat them as he talked with the object of his affection. I thought this was a pretty good gag, but the young lady’s heart was not won over. I guess she’s just not into the copraphile scene. Bless her heart.
Aaaahhhh, young love. From now on, these lovebirds will sit at separate tables facing opposite walls, because I say so.
I saw the smoothest pick-up move I have ever seen in my admittedly somewhat dorky experience! While a very polite and quiet boy had his head buried in his homework (trust me that adolescent boys have the worst posture in the universe), an outgoing and pleasant girl seated next to him quietly grabbed his appointment book and wrote with a red pen and “femmy” handwriting, “call Jane at xxx-xxxx and ask her out”. Minutes later she politely asked “Can I look at your notebook?”
“Uh, sure”, responded the unsuspecting quarry. The shuffling of pages, and “Look, some girl wrote in your book! see?”
“Huh? let me look”, followed by increased male slouching and progressive reddening of the poor boy’s ears. His nose could not have been more than two inches above his papers. This shy boy had met more than his match. Every couple of minutes, when he would dare to look up, his suitor would turn and look at him, causing an immediate meltdown and redder ears. I was impressed. It’s sobering seeing a teenager come up with a ploy far beyond anything I could have dreamt up. This kid will go far.
Note - names have been changed to protect the innocent.
That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.
Tuesday, February 22, 2005
The Writing is on the Natomas Subdivision
Newswire: A tornado strikes Sacramento on Presidents’ Day! Not much damage, but who has ever heard of a tornado in Northern California?
This strange happening requires some deeper examination, which your favorite blog will provide.
I have used the most advanced U S government approved faith based research to help my readers better understand this event.
Further research into the pattern the funnel cloud etched on the ground provided an amazing message. The experts missed this subtle meaning, because, unlike yours truly, they did not recognize the message etched into the Natomas plain is written in a rare variation of ancient Babylonian secretarial shorthand. God must have given me this unique knowledge during one of our many friendly one-on-one chats over coffee.
The writing was thus:
“I apologize for my tardiness. I meant to get this writing done for the wall of the great banquet for thousands called the inauguration. I had a little writer’s block, so sue me. Here’s my point: Your father, GeorgeHWchudnezzar, had the greatest glory and majesty bestowed upon him. But when he grew haughty and willful, speaking of a new world order, the Billandhillary arose from the realm of Arkansas to take from him his white abode and glory. He was banished to celebrity tennis tournaments for eight years, until he saw that truth and justice is most high and sovereign over the realm of men.
But you, GeorgeWshazzar, are likened to a pompous ass even though you know all this. You exalted yourself against the electorate of the people, scourged the sacred polls in the realm with the curse of Diebald, and spilled blood in the land of Babylon. You worshiped the idols of oil, profit and empire, and the perversion of torture. Justice you did not glorify. This is the prophecy that is inscribed: MORON, MORON, TUCHUS, UPYOURSW. Here is their meaning in the common tongue: MORON The days of your regime are numbered and will be brought to an end. TUCHUS You have been weighed and found to be a lightweight and a dumbass. UPYOURSW Your regime has been dissolved and will be given to those likened unto the liberal Obamites.
Yeah, Verily. The word of the blog.
If you buy this, I’ve got a great Social Security reform I’d like to show you.
That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.
This strange happening requires some deeper examination, which your favorite blog will provide.
I have used the most advanced U S government approved faith based research to help my readers better understand this event.
Further research into the pattern the funnel cloud etched on the ground provided an amazing message. The experts missed this subtle meaning, because, unlike yours truly, they did not recognize the message etched into the Natomas plain is written in a rare variation of ancient Babylonian secretarial shorthand. God must have given me this unique knowledge during one of our many friendly one-on-one chats over coffee.
The writing was thus:
“I apologize for my tardiness. I meant to get this writing done for the wall of the great banquet for thousands called the inauguration. I had a little writer’s block, so sue me. Here’s my point: Your father, GeorgeHWchudnezzar, had the greatest glory and majesty bestowed upon him. But when he grew haughty and willful, speaking of a new world order, the Billandhillary arose from the realm of Arkansas to take from him his white abode and glory. He was banished to celebrity tennis tournaments for eight years, until he saw that truth and justice is most high and sovereign over the realm of men.
But you, GeorgeWshazzar, are likened to a pompous ass even though you know all this. You exalted yourself against the electorate of the people, scourged the sacred polls in the realm with the curse of Diebald, and spilled blood in the land of Babylon. You worshiped the idols of oil, profit and empire, and the perversion of torture. Justice you did not glorify. This is the prophecy that is inscribed: MORON, MORON, TUCHUS, UPYOURSW. Here is their meaning in the common tongue: MORON The days of your regime are numbered and will be brought to an end. TUCHUS You have been weighed and found to be a lightweight and a dumbass. UPYOURSW Your regime has been dissolved and will be given to those likened unto the liberal Obamites.
Yeah, Verily. The word of the blog.
If you buy this, I’ve got a great Social Security reform I’d like to show you.
That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.
Saturday, February 19, 2005
Dinner at our House!
Dinner at our house. I love saying these words. Especially for an informal get-together and friendly dinner. In addition to using guests as an excuse for having wine and dessert, I really get something out of having someone over for dinner. This is one of the few things I do in life where I enjoy what I am doing, feel like a socially functional person, and we are giving someone something they like – almost everyone likes home cooked food, especially relatively simple food. I get great jot from very informal entertaining.
We had a friend over on Friday and the MIL over tonight. I made hot winter borsht and mix brownies last night, enough for both nights, and bought a loaf of French sourdough bread from Whole Foods. Great sour dough bread is one advantage of living in Northern California. It almost balances the disadvantage of having to share our state with Southern California, well maybe sourdough and the Sierras together make a fair trade. The redwoods and north coast are a bonus.
It’s pretty easy for us to have small informal dinners, possibly because I’m around the house a lot during the days and I love to cook, especially soup. I tend to grill the summer, since it’s too hot to enjoy cooking indoors in these parts. Sacramento definitely has a short soup and baking season. We are already getting showered with azalea and camellia blooms, just as oranges and lemons are disappearing from trees.
I love making dinner for guests. I think that’s the only area where I reach true total woman/Betty Crocker status.
That’s the truth and I’m sticking to it.
We had a friend over on Friday and the MIL over tonight. I made hot winter borsht and mix brownies last night, enough for both nights, and bought a loaf of French sourdough bread from Whole Foods. Great sour dough bread is one advantage of living in Northern California. It almost balances the disadvantage of having to share our state with Southern California, well maybe sourdough and the Sierras together make a fair trade. The redwoods and north coast are a bonus.
It’s pretty easy for us to have small informal dinners, possibly because I’m around the house a lot during the days and I love to cook, especially soup. I tend to grill the summer, since it’s too hot to enjoy cooking indoors in these parts. Sacramento definitely has a short soup and baking season. We are already getting showered with azalea and camellia blooms, just as oranges and lemons are disappearing from trees.
I love making dinner for guests. I think that’s the only area where I reach true total woman/Betty Crocker status.
That’s the truth and I’m sticking to it.
Friday, February 18, 2005
Streetcorner Sermon
Today’s Bible quotation is Matt 19:24. For those of you who don’t carry bibles along at all times (i. e., the soon to be left behind) I’ll give you the verse, straight from Jesus’s mouth to my blog, thanks to the King James Bible. It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. The word of the lord, Thanks be to God. Jesus said this, when he was angry at a rich guy who wouldn’t become poor and join with the disciples. Having been Jewish all my life, I had never imagined Jesus to be such an angry grouch! Amazing what you can learn by looking at the bible. I wonder why self-identified fundamentalists don’t do this more often. I guess the fact that the word “rapture” never shows up would prove disappointing. What really scares me about rapture is the fate of us unbelievers – a bunch of naked fat Midwesterners will float in the sky for many days and (ghasp) we’ll have to see them. Maybe that’s not so bad; I went to the coast to see whales float around and enjoyed it. Rapture aside, what was I talking about?
Oh, yeah, the Bible quote. I think it is pretty self-explanatory, as rare as that is in scriptures. You can’t get salvation by gathering enough stuff. Enough will never be enough. You’ll have to get enough stuff and then find something else to gain your salvation. I strongly suggest you begin this mystical journey by donating all your worldly possessions to this blog.
Getting back to the mundane, winter weather is back, I am making borscht for dinner. Soup season has returned. The big news on the radio is about the FDA’s review of Vioxx and its class of pain relievers. The special committee reviewed the dangers of these drugs to the public against the profitability of these drugs for the pharmaceutical industry. Guess what they decided?
That’s the truth, and I’m sticking to it.
Oh, yeah, the Bible quote. I think it is pretty self-explanatory, as rare as that is in scriptures. You can’t get salvation by gathering enough stuff. Enough will never be enough. You’ll have to get enough stuff and then find something else to gain your salvation. I strongly suggest you begin this mystical journey by donating all your worldly possessions to this blog.
Getting back to the mundane, winter weather is back, I am making borscht for dinner. Soup season has returned. The big news on the radio is about the FDA’s review of Vioxx and its class of pain relievers. The special committee reviewed the dangers of these drugs to the public against the profitability of these drugs for the pharmaceutical industry. Guess what they decided?
That’s the truth, and I’m sticking to it.
Monday, February 14, 2005
Ayatollah Not to Come
Ayatollah not to come, uh-uh. . .
That ain’t the way to have fun
(sung to the tune of mama tol’ me not to come)
Sometimes, in this confusing modern world in which we live, we can take comfort and direction from our traditional values. Ever wonder WWMD (what would Mohammed do?)
Well, blog readers, click your mouse on this, http://www.islamweb.net/ver2/Istisharat/index.php?lang=E, for a clear Islamic answer to any of your life’s troubling questions, courtesy of Islamweb. Remember, Allah knows best. I particularly am taking life-changing guidance form the marriage-related fatwas about dealing with a willful and disobedient wife. Sorry, Kathleen.
That ain’t the way to have fun
(sung to the tune of mama tol’ me not to come)
Sometimes, in this confusing modern world in which we live, we can take comfort and direction from our traditional values. Ever wonder WWMD (what would Mohammed do?)
Well, blog readers, click your mouse on this, http://www.islamweb.net/ver2/Istisharat/index.php?lang=E, for a clear Islamic answer to any of your life’s troubling questions, courtesy of Islamweb. Remember, Allah knows best. I particularly am taking life-changing guidance form the marriage-related fatwas about dealing with a willful and disobedient wife. Sorry, Kathleen.
Wednesday, February 09, 2005
Diary of a Weekend Hippy
I briefly attended open juggling at the Damento festival in Sacramento last week. I was not able to stay for the stage show, which got good reviews (see http://groups-beta.google.com/group/rec.juggling).
It was a great festival, and I had a great time. Oddly enough, I hardly juggled at all. I spent the better part of an afternoon in excellent workshops on twirling staffs and poi. Sometimes doing non-toss props is a lot more fun. It can be a drag to spend a half hour struggling with five balls while some teenager across the gym is effortlessly juggling seven balls with occasional trick throws.
I got a lot of good pointers from a couple of twins from Reno named Cory and Cody. These guys in their early twenties look a lot like Barbie’s new surfer-dude boyfriend. They spoke enthusiastically about fire camp at Burning Man, and suggested I should attend this year. The gag is you set your staffs’ ends and poi balls on fire, and apparently they spend a lot of time “putting out” other fire twirlers. I suspect these guys take the role of responsible adults at fire camp. In any event, Burning Man doesn’t sound like my cup of tea. Something about hundreds of hippies, no showers in the desert heat, and public sex just doesn’t do it for me. Call me an old fart.
It was a great festival, and I had a great time. Oddly enough, I hardly juggled at all. I spent the better part of an afternoon in excellent workshops on twirling staffs and poi. Sometimes doing non-toss props is a lot more fun. It can be a drag to spend a half hour struggling with five balls while some teenager across the gym is effortlessly juggling seven balls with occasional trick throws.
I got a lot of good pointers from a couple of twins from Reno named Cory and Cody. These guys in their early twenties look a lot like Barbie’s new surfer-dude boyfriend. They spoke enthusiastically about fire camp at Burning Man, and suggested I should attend this year. The gag is you set your staffs’ ends and poi balls on fire, and apparently they spend a lot of time “putting out” other fire twirlers. I suspect these guys take the role of responsible adults at fire camp. In any event, Burning Man doesn’t sound like my cup of tea. Something about hundreds of hippies, no showers in the desert heat, and public sex just doesn’t do it for me. Call me an old fart.
Open Letter to Bill Gates
Dear Bill,
I just completed the most recent update to windows today. I complicate the easy-to-use Microsoft Security website, however, Sometimes I dream of an operating system that doesn’t require numerous major updates. How many more critical flaws will arise in Windows over the next few months, or few years. It’s getting to the point where running windows on one computer is a part-time job.
Here’s a modest proposal; how about fixing the bugs in the next version of windows prior to release. This is a crazy concept called quality. A guy named Deming wrote a book about it. If you wish, I can lend you his book.
I just completed the most recent update to windows today. I complicate the easy-to-use Microsoft Security website, however, Sometimes I dream of an operating system that doesn’t require numerous major updates. How many more critical flaws will arise in Windows over the next few months, or few years. It’s getting to the point where running windows on one computer is a part-time job.
Here’s a modest proposal; how about fixing the bugs in the next version of windows prior to release. This is a crazy concept called quality. A guy named Deming wrote a book about it. If you wish, I can lend you his book.
Wednesday, February 02, 2005
End the Occupation, or the Action Figure Gets It!
Newspapers report the recently kidnapped U. S. soldier has a strange resemblance to an action figure sold in Kuwait. I guess that explains the soldier’s stony visage in the photo. How can things get any weirder than this? I have a feeling we’ll probably find out, whether you wanted to or not.
Press release. . . Speaking at the Hasbro Corporation, after a fine color guard reception from the American Legion G I Joe brigade, the Secretary of Defense (but, can he type) was asked to explain if putting action figures in dangerous positions is a new policy. Further, the Secretary was asked whether other types of dolls are likely to be called back.
His response was, “in a war, you play with the dolls you have, not the dolls you want. Further, given that dolls have no major organs to fail, we don’t have to worry about torture at the hands of their captors.” He later added, “Our brave action figures are fighting the terrorists in Iraq, so we won’t have to fight them in your local WalMart.”
On the homeland front, our Federal Government is not taking this threat to America’s action figures lightly. By executive order, the previously secret PATRIOT III (protect all toys responsibly in our territory) act is being implemented. Starting today, all U. S. military toys are activated and should report for duty. Further, all Barbie owners are required to report to Toys R Us for issue of Government supplied burkahs. No Barbie is allowed to leave her place of residence without an armed action figure escort. The Department of Homeland Security has asked all citizens be on the lookout for the fugitive Malibu Abdul. They have a broomstick that would like to have a talk with Abdul.
That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.
Press release. . . Speaking at the Hasbro Corporation, after a fine color guard reception from the American Legion G I Joe brigade, the Secretary of Defense (but, can he type) was asked to explain if putting action figures in dangerous positions is a new policy. Further, the Secretary was asked whether other types of dolls are likely to be called back.
His response was, “in a war, you play with the dolls you have, not the dolls you want. Further, given that dolls have no major organs to fail, we don’t have to worry about torture at the hands of their captors.” He later added, “Our brave action figures are fighting the terrorists in Iraq, so we won’t have to fight them in your local WalMart.”
On the homeland front, our Federal Government is not taking this threat to America’s action figures lightly. By executive order, the previously secret PATRIOT III (protect all toys responsibly in our territory) act is being implemented. Starting today, all U. S. military toys are activated and should report for duty. Further, all Barbie owners are required to report to Toys R Us for issue of Government supplied burkahs. No Barbie is allowed to leave her place of residence without an armed action figure escort. The Department of Homeland Security has asked all citizens be on the lookout for the fugitive Malibu Abdul. They have a broomstick that would like to have a talk with Abdul.
That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.
Sunday, January 30, 2005
And Now, for Something Completely Different
Q: How many Bush Administration officials does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A: None. There is nothing wrong with the light bulb; its conditions are improving every day. Any reports of its lack of incandescence are a delusional spin from the liberal media. That light bulb has served honorably, and anything you say undermines the lighting effect. Why do you hate freedom?
That's my (Plagarized) story, and I'm sticking to it. Stolen from: http://radioactivequill.blogspot.com
A: None. There is nothing wrong with the light bulb; its conditions are improving every day. Any reports of its lack of incandescence are a delusional spin from the liberal media. That light bulb has served honorably, and anything you say undermines the lighting effect. Why do you hate freedom?
That's my (Plagarized) story, and I'm sticking to it. Stolen from: http://radioactivequill.blogspot.com
Saturday, January 29, 2005
Nearly Bored of the Rings
The Return of The King computer game is now available at used game stores. The $10 price sucked me in. The game is very cool looking, with lots of clips from the movie. The game itself is pretty much about sword fighting with orcs, running around, and killing more orcs. I got through the first level pretty easily, but can’t seem to pass another level. Time to face the facts; I suck at gaming. I bet this would be a great game if I could play through a level in a couple or three attempts. Maybe I’ll try it a couple of more times before I give up completely. I know the problem isn’t the PC keyboard controls, because I have tried to play games with controllers, and I stink at that too. A really frustrating aspect of the game is that you can save your progress only at the end of a pretty long segment (the entire game consists of about 15 segments). How many fictional characters will die needlessly before I figure out it is hopeless?
I watched the World Juggling Federation competitions on ESPN yesterday. These guys (they were all guys) want to do a sports competition with juggling. What a bunch of highly talented idiots! They had a scoring system as complex as gymnastics, Pen Gillette (from Penn & Teller) as the sports announcer, and no sponsor except Jason Garfield’s “how to be a great juggler” videos. Jason is the producer of the event. Jason wasn’t selling his previous video, “Juggling Kung Fu Master”, which I thought was at least entertaining. Juggling as competition in really dull, even though it is amazing to see guys doing tricks with seven balls or eight rings. However, with their emphasis on athletic prowess over entertainment and showmanship, it looks like a guy throwing and catching a bunch of stuff really fast. Ho hum. Note, please do not expect me to juggle more than four of anything.
Went to MIL’s house to watch Monk last night. I really love that show. 4 stars. However sometimes it is disturbing that Monk’s obsessive compulsive behavior reminds me of so many people I know.
A sunny day in Sacramento! Sunny days in winter here are perfect, except the ground feels like a sponge. I sink in if I step on the lawn. We had lunch at Plaza Hoffbrau (the Hoffbrau formerly known as Sam’s). I love that place, and their famous roast beef “samwiches”. It feels like someone took a small piece of Milwaukee and dropped it in Sacramento. That place is such an institution that people in Sacramento call cafeteria style service Hoffbrau service. The walls are covered with old photos. I found a photo of a men’s brunch group in the early 1960s including the then mayor, several county supervisors, and the old patriarch of one of the MIL’s long-time neighbors. Although it looks like LA now, Sacramento was a small town in recent memory.
I am still enjoying work. Every day, I am more and more amazed, entertained and baffled by the weirdness of teenagers. Had one girl last week who sat down and commenced to honest to goodness crying out loud bawling. We couldn’t do anything to help her, so we sent her home to return for a make-up session. The latest fashion appears to be wearing black hooded sweatshirts indoors, with the hood pulled up over the head. Several of the kids don’t say anything, and several never shut up. Earrings are about equally divided among boys and girls. Last week, I commented that someone’s earrings looked like corkscrews. She came in this week without earrings. I was surprised that she would care what I think, however maybe she just forgot to put on earrings. I guess since I am not a parent, they might occasionally listen.
That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.
I watched the World Juggling Federation competitions on ESPN yesterday. These guys (they were all guys) want to do a sports competition with juggling. What a bunch of highly talented idiots! They had a scoring system as complex as gymnastics, Pen Gillette (from Penn & Teller) as the sports announcer, and no sponsor except Jason Garfield’s “how to be a great juggler” videos. Jason is the producer of the event. Jason wasn’t selling his previous video, “Juggling Kung Fu Master”, which I thought was at least entertaining. Juggling as competition in really dull, even though it is amazing to see guys doing tricks with seven balls or eight rings. However, with their emphasis on athletic prowess over entertainment and showmanship, it looks like a guy throwing and catching a bunch of stuff really fast. Ho hum. Note, please do not expect me to juggle more than four of anything.
Went to MIL’s house to watch Monk last night. I really love that show. 4 stars. However sometimes it is disturbing that Monk’s obsessive compulsive behavior reminds me of so many people I know.
A sunny day in Sacramento! Sunny days in winter here are perfect, except the ground feels like a sponge. I sink in if I step on the lawn. We had lunch at Plaza Hoffbrau (the Hoffbrau formerly known as Sam’s). I love that place, and their famous roast beef “samwiches”. It feels like someone took a small piece of Milwaukee and dropped it in Sacramento. That place is such an institution that people in Sacramento call cafeteria style service Hoffbrau service. The walls are covered with old photos. I found a photo of a men’s brunch group in the early 1960s including the then mayor, several county supervisors, and the old patriarch of one of the MIL’s long-time neighbors. Although it looks like LA now, Sacramento was a small town in recent memory.
I am still enjoying work. Every day, I am more and more amazed, entertained and baffled by the weirdness of teenagers. Had one girl last week who sat down and commenced to honest to goodness crying out loud bawling. We couldn’t do anything to help her, so we sent her home to return for a make-up session. The latest fashion appears to be wearing black hooded sweatshirts indoors, with the hood pulled up over the head. Several of the kids don’t say anything, and several never shut up. Earrings are about equally divided among boys and girls. Last week, I commented that someone’s earrings looked like corkscrews. She came in this week without earrings. I was surprised that she would care what I think, however maybe she just forgot to put on earrings. I guess since I am not a parent, they might occasionally listen.
That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.
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About Me
- Steve
- I must enjoy shouting into a vacuum, but I think about getting my act together one of these days. My mom says I am very handsome and intelligent.
