Got up bright and early this morning for my flight to Chicago- but, instead of having a nice and direct flight to Chicago, I have to go to LAX first, then onto Chicago. 3 fun events with children occurred on a 50 minute flight from SFO to LAX.
1) Row behind me, son threw up on himself, and mother had to get new pants. This was the same kid that the minute we took off, he said he had to go to the bathroom. I guess something was gonna come out one way or another.
2) Two rows in front of me, daughter threw up on herself and needed a new shirt. After we landed, she yelled back towards her mother and brother and said "I throwed up on myself!" She was very proud of it.
3) As we were beginning on descent into LAX, we had just passed over the L.A. Coliseum, a boy a few rows back (could have been #2's brother) started yelling "I can't hear!!!" He seemed very upset about it.
Predictably, my connection from LAX to Chicago is delayed due to weather, both here in L.A. (although it's currently only overcast) and in Chicago. Basically, the plane we are supposed to be on isn't here yet because of delays somewhere else. Even better, my flight is delayed 2 hours, but other flights to Chicago are only delayed 35 minutes; in fact, my flight will leave 1 hour after a flight that was originally scheduled for an hour after mine. Wrap that around your head for a second.
But, I'm not here to complain about the airlines.....children throwing up is much more interesting.
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Merry Christmas
I know, it's a few days early, but I'm leaving for Chicago tomorrow morning, provided the weather doesn't wreak havoc with those plans. Just wanted to tell everyone that I hope they have a very Merry Christmas.
I'll leave it to Linus to explain.....
I'll leave it to Linus to explain.....
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Peterson out
Finally. Carl Peterson is finally out as General Manager of the Kansas City Chiefs. I think that Peterson earned the 20 years as GM of the Chiefs, but these past 3-4 years have not been good- almost to the point that it appeared that the game had moved past him. While there were no Super Bowl appearances in that time, what Peterson (and owner Lamar Hunt) did during these 20 years of re-building the franchise was a task to which he should be satisfied and quite proud of.
For my wife's sake, I can only hope that Jerry Angelo is next- I mean, he took a lucky 13-3 season from Dick Jauron and turned it into a contract that he didn't deserve. Then fired Jauron the next season, brought in Lovie Smith, and still hasn't drafted a quality quarterback, a position that everyone in Chicago knows they need. Instead, he insisted that QB's like Jonathan Quinn, Cade McNown and Rex Grossman were sufficient. A trip to the Super Bowl, on the back of the defense, seemed to only blind him further. Finally, the best of what the Bears have, Kyle Orton, was allowed to start. And I haven't even gotten into the failures of their wide receivers. So, the Bears have a middling quarterback and no wide receivers.
Yet, the Bears are 8-6 and the Chiefs are 2-12. I should note that it is entirely plausible that the Chiefs could be 5-9, and be 5-1 in its division. Since Divison records don't count, except for tie-breaking purposes, how amazing would that have been to have a team only lose one division game, but not win any of their other games.
For my wife's sake, I can only hope that Jerry Angelo is next- I mean, he took a lucky 13-3 season from Dick Jauron and turned it into a contract that he didn't deserve. Then fired Jauron the next season, brought in Lovie Smith, and still hasn't drafted a quality quarterback, a position that everyone in Chicago knows they need. Instead, he insisted that QB's like Jonathan Quinn, Cade McNown and Rex Grossman were sufficient. A trip to the Super Bowl, on the back of the defense, seemed to only blind him further. Finally, the best of what the Bears have, Kyle Orton, was allowed to start. And I haven't even gotten into the failures of their wide receivers. So, the Bears have a middling quarterback and no wide receivers.
Yet, the Bears are 8-6 and the Chiefs are 2-12. I should note that it is entirely plausible that the Chiefs could be 5-9, and be 5-1 in its division. Since Divison records don't count, except for tie-breaking purposes, how amazing would that have been to have a team only lose one division game, but not win any of their other games.
Laughing all the way
From gas2.org:
Meanwhile, Michael Barone has an excellent article about how the U.S auto industry and unions have a failing relationship based on an out-dated labor relationship.
Meanwhile, Michael Barone has an excellent article about how the U.S auto industry and unions have a failing relationship based on an out-dated labor relationship.
"Look at General Motors," Mickey Kaus writes, "and tell me that strong unions are good for the economy." But the Democratic Party is determined to shell out money to maintain Wagnerism in the U.S. auto companies and is committed to promoting Wagnerism by passing the card check bill, which will abolish secret-ballot unionization elections. They want to impose adversarial labor-management relations in large swathes of the private-sector economy that are, currently, in healthier condition than the Detroit Three. Does that sound like a good idea?
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Look what I missed
A flamethrower in my neighborhood:
Wish I could have seen that. . .
And speaking of you have to wonder what some people are thinking, Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich was arrested today for, amongst other things, trying to sell the Senate seat that belonged to Barack Obama and trying to get various members of the Chicago Tribune editorial board fired in exchange for access to state money in the sale of Wrigley Field (the Tribune Co. owns the Cubs and Wrigley Field). One can only hope that Charlie Rangel is next.
And finally, apparently three minors that were convicted of a home invasion and beating an elderly woman will be attending Obama's inaguration. So, three minors found guilty of beating an old lady and entering her home and were sent to a youth rehabilitation camp are now being fitted for tuxedo's and will be flown to D.C. to attend the inaguration. That's a great use of tax payer funds, not to mention an excellent opportunity to showcase that California does not really care about punishing criminals, instead, they send them off to D.C. to party. That'll learn 'em!
Man wielding homemade flamethrower arrested
By Will Reisman
Examiner Staff Writer 12/9/08
SAN FRANCISCO – An amateur pyrotechnician was arrested by police last weekend after staging an impromptu fire show in the Sunset District during the early morning hours.
At 3 a.m. on Saturday at the 800 block of Judah Street, police found a 31-year-old man standing on the top of a pickup truck while wielding a homemade flamethrower that was shooting balls of fire four feet into the air, according to Capt. Paul Chignell of the Taraval Police Station.
The man had obtained a couple of cylindrical tanks, possibly containing propane, and connected them with hoses to a metal outlet that directed the flames, Chignell said. Each time the man pulled the device’s trigger, a spout of fire would erupt.
“This guy had a yellow fireman’s jacket on and was just randomly shooting flames into the air,” Chignell said.
Neighbors frightened by the display called the police, who arrested the man on counts of wielding an explosive device on a public street and possessing a flammable device with intent to maliciously use it, Chignell said.
The man offered up no explanation for what he was doing, said Chignell. No one was injured in the incident, but Chignell said the suspect’s bizarre behavior put a lot of nearby residents at risk.
“Obviously, the potential for damage is pretty incredible with a rigging like this,” said Chignell. “Sometimes you just have to wonder what some people are thinking.”
Wish I could have seen that. . .
And speaking of you have to wonder what some people are thinking, Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich was arrested today for, amongst other things, trying to sell the Senate seat that belonged to Barack Obama and trying to get various members of the Chicago Tribune editorial board fired in exchange for access to state money in the sale of Wrigley Field (the Tribune Co. owns the Cubs and Wrigley Field). One can only hope that Charlie Rangel is next.
And finally, apparently three minors that were convicted of a home invasion and beating an elderly woman will be attending Obama's inaguration. So, three minors found guilty of beating an old lady and entering her home and were sent to a youth rehabilitation camp are now being fitted for tuxedo's and will be flown to D.C. to attend the inaguration. That's a great use of tax payer funds, not to mention an excellent opportunity to showcase that California does not really care about punishing criminals, instead, they send them off to D.C. to party. That'll learn 'em!
Monday, December 8, 2008
Philly
Had an overall enjoyable time in Philly. And was greeted with snow on Saturday. One day on the East Coast, one day with snow, which was nice.
The old gang, plus spouses (except for me, mine stayed back home since she's about the embark on a month-long tour of duty in Illinois- the plus for her is that she gets to stay with her family the entire time) got together for dinner at Marrakesh, in an alley just off of South Street. The food was really good. . .It's a 7 course meal and you use your hands to eat. We were running a bit late, so we started getting two courses at a time, which was a treat for me- lamb and cumin-spiced chicken? Yes please!
After dinner, we then headed for the Trocadero to see Dean and Britta and Mercury Rev. We got there just as Dean and Britta were setting up and had our pick of the floor, since the place was pretty empty. They played 7 songs, including Galaxie 500's "Snowstorm" and a cover of New Order's "Ceremony." Alas, it was only 7 songs. I've listened to their cd's, and they sound very little like Luna, but live, it sounded alot like Luna. They got really going after a song or two. I asked Dean afterwards when they would be coming back to San Francisco, and he said sometime in February. We missed them when they came through earlier this year, and I don't intend to miss them this next time for a full set.
Mercury Rev came on next. I've seen them twice before, but I don't recall the shows being so loud. And I mean loud. My left ear is still suffering the effects of it. Jonathan, the lead singer, came out with a dazed look on his face, from which I can only assume is the product of some under-the-counter medication, as we called it in high school. What struck me was that the live version of the songs really were nothing like the cd version, for at least the new stuff. The new cd's are very trancy and electronic, but live they were all loud and bombastic. The songs off of Deserters' Songs, however, retained the original feel- less bombast, more drone and very pretty. Unfortunately, they did not play anything off the first album; I was secretly hoping for "Car Wash Hair" with Dean playing guitar (Dean's credited with guitar on the album liner).
I won't say it was a bad show. . .it just wasn't what I had been expecting. And if I had seen that show 6 years ago, I would have loved it. To me, however, it seemed like Mercury Rev realized that they somehow missed the Flaming Lips/Radiohead love fest. They are that band in between the two- building noise soundscapes, but just missing something that would have put them alongside the other two. I love Deserter's Songs, and think it can sit comfortably next to "The Soft Bulletin," yet somehow, The Soft Bulletin got everyone's attention. Deserter's Songs ranked 76 in Pitchfork's Top 100 albums of the 1990s, where OK Computer was 1, The Soft Bulletin was 3, and Spiritualized's "Ladies and Gentleman We Are Floating in Space" was 55.
Anyway. . .the next day went to cheesesteak central, and decided to go with Geno's. It was good. . .got it "wit Whiz", which means with onions and cheese whiz. Yeah, cheese whiz. That's definitely the way to go. My wife will no doubtedly note that avoided the whiz option a number of occasions, but once I went whiz, I couldn't go back. Geno's is across the street from Pat's, and they have a friendly rivalry. Geno's is also famous for having signs asking people to order in english. And their don't see french fries, they still came them Freedom Fries. Anyway, the steak was delicious- the whiz gives it just enough salty goodness to match the onions and fattiness from the steak. As I told my friend, "This is a perfect hang-over meal."
We next headed to the Reading Terminal Market which is an indoor farmer's market/public market that's been around since 1892. Being a Sunday, not every counter and stall was open (I particularly missed not being able to check out the Pennsylvania Dutch section), but we got a good enough sampling of the products to know that if I lived in Philly, I would be there alot. There are several cheese counters, meat counters, fish counters, a beer garden, cook book stalls and dessert counters. After that, my friend dropped me off at the airport, and I waited for my flight back home.
All in all, even though we only got 40 minutes of Dean and Britta, it was definitely worth the effort to fly out and see old friends. Moving to San Francisco now requires an effort for us to see old friends who are still back on the East Coast, and know that we have real friends when that effort is reciprocated. Maybe I was a bit too nostaligic with my earlier post, but it really did have that feel, coupled with an acceptance that we have all moved on with our lives. It wasn't sad by any means, just a knowing that we all have a bond, and even though we are progressing with our lives, we still have the bond and those memories.
I started and finished Malcolm Gladwell's "Outliers" on the flight, and I plan to have a posting about it soon.
The old gang, plus spouses (except for me, mine stayed back home since she's about the embark on a month-long tour of duty in Illinois- the plus for her is that she gets to stay with her family the entire time) got together for dinner at Marrakesh, in an alley just off of South Street. The food was really good. . .It's a 7 course meal and you use your hands to eat. We were running a bit late, so we started getting two courses at a time, which was a treat for me- lamb and cumin-spiced chicken? Yes please!
After dinner, we then headed for the Trocadero to see Dean and Britta and Mercury Rev. We got there just as Dean and Britta were setting up and had our pick of the floor, since the place was pretty empty. They played 7 songs, including Galaxie 500's "Snowstorm" and a cover of New Order's "Ceremony." Alas, it was only 7 songs. I've listened to their cd's, and they sound very little like Luna, but live, it sounded alot like Luna. They got really going after a song or two. I asked Dean afterwards when they would be coming back to San Francisco, and he said sometime in February. We missed them when they came through earlier this year, and I don't intend to miss them this next time for a full set.
Mercury Rev came on next. I've seen them twice before, but I don't recall the shows being so loud. And I mean loud. My left ear is still suffering the effects of it. Jonathan, the lead singer, came out with a dazed look on his face, from which I can only assume is the product of some under-the-counter medication, as we called it in high school. What struck me was that the live version of the songs really were nothing like the cd version, for at least the new stuff. The new cd's are very trancy and electronic, but live they were all loud and bombastic. The songs off of Deserters' Songs, however, retained the original feel- less bombast, more drone and very pretty. Unfortunately, they did not play anything off the first album; I was secretly hoping for "Car Wash Hair" with Dean playing guitar (Dean's credited with guitar on the album liner).
I won't say it was a bad show. . .it just wasn't what I had been expecting. And if I had seen that show 6 years ago, I would have loved it. To me, however, it seemed like Mercury Rev realized that they somehow missed the Flaming Lips/Radiohead love fest. They are that band in between the two- building noise soundscapes, but just missing something that would have put them alongside the other two. I love Deserter's Songs, and think it can sit comfortably next to "The Soft Bulletin," yet somehow, The Soft Bulletin got everyone's attention. Deserter's Songs ranked 76 in Pitchfork's Top 100 albums of the 1990s, where OK Computer was 1, The Soft Bulletin was 3, and Spiritualized's "Ladies and Gentleman We Are Floating in Space" was 55.
Anyway. . .the next day went to cheesesteak central, and decided to go with Geno's. It was good. . .got it "wit Whiz", which means with onions and cheese whiz. Yeah, cheese whiz. That's definitely the way to go. My wife will no doubtedly note that avoided the whiz option a number of occasions, but once I went whiz, I couldn't go back. Geno's is across the street from Pat's, and they have a friendly rivalry. Geno's is also famous for having signs asking people to order in english. And their don't see french fries, they still came them Freedom Fries. Anyway, the steak was delicious- the whiz gives it just enough salty goodness to match the onions and fattiness from the steak. As I told my friend, "This is a perfect hang-over meal."
We next headed to the Reading Terminal Market which is an indoor farmer's market/public market that's been around since 1892. Being a Sunday, not every counter and stall was open (I particularly missed not being able to check out the Pennsylvania Dutch section), but we got a good enough sampling of the products to know that if I lived in Philly, I would be there alot. There are several cheese counters, meat counters, fish counters, a beer garden, cook book stalls and dessert counters. After that, my friend dropped me off at the airport, and I waited for my flight back home.
All in all, even though we only got 40 minutes of Dean and Britta, it was definitely worth the effort to fly out and see old friends. Moving to San Francisco now requires an effort for us to see old friends who are still back on the East Coast, and know that we have real friends when that effort is reciprocated. Maybe I was a bit too nostaligic with my earlier post, but it really did have that feel, coupled with an acceptance that we have all moved on with our lives. It wasn't sad by any means, just a knowing that we all have a bond, and even though we are progressing with our lives, we still have the bond and those memories.
I started and finished Malcolm Gladwell's "Outliers" on the flight, and I plan to have a posting about it soon.
Backlash
No Mob Veto
This is an interfaith organization put together by the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty that "defend[s] the right of religious people and organizations to speak out on the issue—whatever their viewpoint—without fear of intimidation or violent retribution."
This is an interfaith organization put together by the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty that "defend[s] the right of religious people and organizations to speak out on the issue—whatever their viewpoint—without fear of intimidation or violent retribution."
Friday, December 5, 2008
The First
I'm in Philadelphia this weekend, hanging out with some old D.C. friends going to see what's left of a band we used to see at least 3 times a year back then: Dean and Britta. Dean and Britta were the guitarist and bassist for the band Luna- well, Britta was the second bassist. The first bassist, Justin, left after Pup Tent came out because he wanted to move back to his native New Zealand. Anyway, Luna broke up several years ago, but Dean and Britta, now married, have continued on as duo. They are opening up for Mercury Rev here on the East Coast. So, a group of us are meeting this weekend in Philly to go to the show. I would have been alright but for on the flight from Dallas to Philly, we flew right over D.C. There in the night, I could see D.C. all lit up- I could trace the outline of Haines Point, follow the Potomac up and see where the Anacostia splits, and I could make out the Mall. At that point, something stirred in me- something I was hoping to keep down: nostalgia.
Nostalgia is a cruel feeling. It's a feeling of knowing how something used to be, and, no matter how good things are going now, feeling that if you hadn't made a certain choice, it would be better. In my case, my wife and I left D.C. for San Francisco. We left our friends, our jobs, and our old lives. I lived in D.C. for 8 1/2 years, from 22 through 30- and I had a great time. But, I'm always the first to leave. In college, I was the first of my friends to finally leave Waco, and everyone knew it was going to be me. The first year in D.C., I knew, really, really knew, that I should have stayed in Waco. There was no real reason why I felt like that, it's just something that I did. That's nostalgia. The sepia toned memories of days gone past- sitting on the front porch with friends drinking; going to concerts every night, and knowing one of the bartenders who gives you free drinks; just living the day. It's always easier to live in the past; the present is full of so many things- money, jobs, real relationships. Nostalgia just glosses over those things, and focuses on the good times.
I got in my friends' car at the airport, and one of the first things I said was "Are we in the city yet"? It's a meaningless statement, but there's an association to it. Was in Philly many years ago, with most of the same people this weekend, and one of the running jokes was this line- Are we in the city yet. It was funny the first time it was said, but we just kept saying it. Now, I just say it both to annoy and to be funny. It's just what we say. But none of us are where we used to be. We are all older, married, and either pregnant or soon to be pregnant. We can't go back. Instead, we try to relive the good times- driving to Philly for a Luna show (or Flaming Lips or Guided by Voices), say the same funny lines, and do the same stupid stuff. We are supposed to be wiser, yet, we do our best to recreate those times.
Living in California these past almost 3 years, and coming back to the east coast in December, we had to pull out the pea coat, and dig around for the hat and gloves. Landed and it was 30 degrees- a far cry from the 62 in San Francisco. I miss the cold. I always liked the cold, and winter cold is different than San Francisco cold. Winter cold is dry and hits you deep- you take a breath, and you can feel it in your lungs, and it shivers you from within. San Francisco cold is a humid, wet and windy cold- like walking into a 60 degree sauna, then someone turning on the fan. The moisture on your skin is cold, then it hits you with a wind that moves through you and seeps through your clothes. When I lived in D.C., I would live for the cold mornings, walking from my apartment to the Metro station. Pea coat, gloves, hat and scarf; I walk outside, take a deep breath and slowly exhale. I always knew that I was never meant to stay in D.C., I always knew that I should enjoy and live each moment in D.C. I'd walk to Union Station and run my fingers along the walls, hoping that I would be able to remember the rough texture of the walls and columns. I would walk and always try to see the Capitol, even though we had a view of the Capitol from our apartment. Heck, sometimes in our apartment, I'd just stare out the window, amazed that I had a view of the Capitol, amazed that I could just look out the window and see it; see something that millions of people everyday visit, there it was, right out my window.
I live with nostalgia. Every so often, I ride the 21 bus from the Richmond to work, and it goes right past Alamo Square. It's a tremendous view of the city. When I ride the 5, there's an ever so quick glimpse of the city with Marin in the background. Sometimes, and I can do this because I have a monthly Muni pass, I just ride the cable cars because I can; I listen to the ringing of the bell, the shuddering up or down a hill, the creaking of the wood, and the views of the city.
We all associate things, people, places and events with our past. Once it's gone, we try to relive it. I know that I live with this, and I plan for nostalgia before it even happens. When I left Waco for D.C., I had been planning what song to play as I drove out of town (REM- Nightswimming). I was already nostalgic for leaving a place I hadn't left yet. I did that with college and I did that with D.C. And I'm doing that with San Francisco, even though I grew up in the Bay Area.
So, this weekend will be full of nostalgia. Seeing concert going friends, going to a concert for a members of band we would travel far and wide to go see (and we did), and moving on. Nostalgia is a funny thing. It tricks you, but you don't want to leave it. It brings on memories of supreme contentment and joy. Maybe I've been lucky, maybe it's just me.
Maybe I need to watch Noah Baumbach's Kicking and Screaming again. Max, played by Christopher Eigeman has a line- "I'm nostalgic for conversations I had yesterday. I've begun reminiscing events before they even occur." I think my college friends always associated me with another character in that movie, but for some reason, I've always associated myself with Max. Maybe I'm just nostalgic about watching that movie, and how it just fit perfectly with my friends and our "what do we do when we graduate" feelings. Whatever it was, it's still with me. It's the same way how certain songs we associate with certain people, events or times in our lives. I'm comfortable with my nostalgia. . .I want to remember events and places, but I do not let it define me.
Nostalgia. . .here I come. I must keep my nostalgia before it turns into a simple remembrance.
Nostalgia is a cruel feeling. It's a feeling of knowing how something used to be, and, no matter how good things are going now, feeling that if you hadn't made a certain choice, it would be better. In my case, my wife and I left D.C. for San Francisco. We left our friends, our jobs, and our old lives. I lived in D.C. for 8 1/2 years, from 22 through 30- and I had a great time. But, I'm always the first to leave. In college, I was the first of my friends to finally leave Waco, and everyone knew it was going to be me. The first year in D.C., I knew, really, really knew, that I should have stayed in Waco. There was no real reason why I felt like that, it's just something that I did. That's nostalgia. The sepia toned memories of days gone past- sitting on the front porch with friends drinking; going to concerts every night, and knowing one of the bartenders who gives you free drinks; just living the day. It's always easier to live in the past; the present is full of so many things- money, jobs, real relationships. Nostalgia just glosses over those things, and focuses on the good times.
I got in my friends' car at the airport, and one of the first things I said was "Are we in the city yet"? It's a meaningless statement, but there's an association to it. Was in Philly many years ago, with most of the same people this weekend, and one of the running jokes was this line- Are we in the city yet. It was funny the first time it was said, but we just kept saying it. Now, I just say it both to annoy and to be funny. It's just what we say. But none of us are where we used to be. We are all older, married, and either pregnant or soon to be pregnant. We can't go back. Instead, we try to relive the good times- driving to Philly for a Luna show (or Flaming Lips or Guided by Voices), say the same funny lines, and do the same stupid stuff. We are supposed to be wiser, yet, we do our best to recreate those times.
Living in California these past almost 3 years, and coming back to the east coast in December, we had to pull out the pea coat, and dig around for the hat and gloves. Landed and it was 30 degrees- a far cry from the 62 in San Francisco. I miss the cold. I always liked the cold, and winter cold is different than San Francisco cold. Winter cold is dry and hits you deep- you take a breath, and you can feel it in your lungs, and it shivers you from within. San Francisco cold is a humid, wet and windy cold- like walking into a 60 degree sauna, then someone turning on the fan. The moisture on your skin is cold, then it hits you with a wind that moves through you and seeps through your clothes. When I lived in D.C., I would live for the cold mornings, walking from my apartment to the Metro station. Pea coat, gloves, hat and scarf; I walk outside, take a deep breath and slowly exhale. I always knew that I was never meant to stay in D.C., I always knew that I should enjoy and live each moment in D.C. I'd walk to Union Station and run my fingers along the walls, hoping that I would be able to remember the rough texture of the walls and columns. I would walk and always try to see the Capitol, even though we had a view of the Capitol from our apartment. Heck, sometimes in our apartment, I'd just stare out the window, amazed that I had a view of the Capitol, amazed that I could just look out the window and see it; see something that millions of people everyday visit, there it was, right out my window.
I live with nostalgia. Every so often, I ride the 21 bus from the Richmond to work, and it goes right past Alamo Square. It's a tremendous view of the city. When I ride the 5, there's an ever so quick glimpse of the city with Marin in the background. Sometimes, and I can do this because I have a monthly Muni pass, I just ride the cable cars because I can; I listen to the ringing of the bell, the shuddering up or down a hill, the creaking of the wood, and the views of the city.
We all associate things, people, places and events with our past. Once it's gone, we try to relive it. I know that I live with this, and I plan for nostalgia before it even happens. When I left Waco for D.C., I had been planning what song to play as I drove out of town (REM- Nightswimming). I was already nostalgic for leaving a place I hadn't left yet. I did that with college and I did that with D.C. And I'm doing that with San Francisco, even though I grew up in the Bay Area.
So, this weekend will be full of nostalgia. Seeing concert going friends, going to a concert for a members of band we would travel far and wide to go see (and we did), and moving on. Nostalgia is a funny thing. It tricks you, but you don't want to leave it. It brings on memories of supreme contentment and joy. Maybe I've been lucky, maybe it's just me.
Maybe I need to watch Noah Baumbach's Kicking and Screaming again. Max, played by Christopher Eigeman has a line- "I'm nostalgic for conversations I had yesterday. I've begun reminiscing events before they even occur." I think my college friends always associated me with another character in that movie, but for some reason, I've always associated myself with Max. Maybe I'm just nostalgic about watching that movie, and how it just fit perfectly with my friends and our "what do we do when we graduate" feelings. Whatever it was, it's still with me. It's the same way how certain songs we associate with certain people, events or times in our lives. I'm comfortable with my nostalgia. . .I want to remember events and places, but I do not let it define me.
Nostalgia. . .here I come. I must keep my nostalgia before it turns into a simple remembrance.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Random sighting from Black Friday
My mom, sister and niece were in town for Thanksgiving, but my sister and niece were with my dad in San Jose from Thursday night through Saturday morning, leaving me, wife and my mom to go out shopping on Black Friday. I won't regale you with what we bought, but just wanted to share one random and thoroughly inexplicable price we saw.
We stopped at Babies R Us on Friday to show my mom what we had registered for our baby. As we were walking around, we came across the high chairs. There was one high chair with a red clearance sign on the price. The clearance price was $299.98; the regular price was $299.99. The clearance price was only 1 cent less than the regular price. I don't think that price is what many people would consider a clearance price.
Otherwise, shopping on Friday was fine. The only problem was with Best Buy who re-arranged their store in such a way as to make it nearly impossible to navigate around. Came out of the day with a few purchases that basically served as our Christmas presents. As the Target lady would say: SUCCESS!
We stopped at Babies R Us on Friday to show my mom what we had registered for our baby. As we were walking around, we came across the high chairs. There was one high chair with a red clearance sign on the price. The clearance price was $299.98; the regular price was $299.99. The clearance price was only 1 cent less than the regular price. I don't think that price is what many people would consider a clearance price.
Otherwise, shopping on Friday was fine. The only problem was with Best Buy who re-arranged their store in such a way as to make it nearly impossible to navigate around. Came out of the day with a few purchases that basically served as our Christmas presents. As the Target lady would say: SUCCESS!
Milk
In one of my previous postings, I went on and on about government stepping in and doing things about food and schools. Last Sunday, the Chicago Tribune had an article about what schools are doing in regards to milk. Yeah, milk. Basically, various schools throughout the Chicagoland area are doing different things to milk- some are adding flavors that contain nutrients, others are banning those same enhancers. The concern surrounding these two views boil down to obesity. Adding flavor enhancers, such as chocolate, vanilla and strawberry, come with a certain amount of increased fat and sugar, compared with non-flavored low-fat or skim milk otherwise being offered. So, the question becomes- to what extent do we want children to drink milk?
"We would prefer children drink unflavored milk, but it's better for them to drink flavored milk than no milk at all," said spokeswoman Jean Daniel of the federal Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services agency."
The second part of the article is also interesting, but for different reasons. I just finished reading Michael Pollan's "In Defense of Food" and in it he makes two points about milk:
1) To make low fat dairy products, producers remove the fat, but then add powdered milk to bring back the texture of milk. However, powdered milk contains oxidized cholesterol, possibly worse than regular cholesterol.
2) "Removing the fat in milk makes it that much harder for your body to absorb the fat-soluble vitamins that are one of the reasons to drink milk in the first place."
The Chicago Tribune article notes that schools are moving towards only selling skim milk, again, the idea being the fat in whole milk may lead to increased obesity rates, just like having chocolate milk or other flavored milks. It notes that the Chicago Public Schools "stopped offering whole milk out of concern for the added calories and fat." The other reasoning behind moving to skim, according to the article, is that skim costs less than whole. So, even though skim milk has less fat content than whole milk, thereby "fighting obesity," children lose valuable other naturally-occurring vitamins and nutrients that instead must be added in at a later point, at a potential higher-risk then if you had just left the milk alone in the first place. This does not really seem to me to be a positive step forward in improving school nutrition.
The fat argument, which Pollan devotes some significant attention to, is very interesting, and shows just how far the belief that fat is a negative for the body, despite recent evidence to the contrary. Pollan quotes from a 2001 Harvard School of Public Health study that concludes:
"It is now increasingly recognized that the low-fat campaign has been based on little scientific evidence and may have caused unintended health consequences."
Strong stuff, no? But I bet most people have never heard of these findings. Pollan goes on to point out that due to the limitations in scientific research, we are unable to pin-point the exact chemical processes that our body does when digesting food. Science wants to know the effect of one nutrient at the time and is unable to take the whole into account, so, we end up with low-fat statements that aren't based on any scientific reasoning, not to mention that our body does need fat. Do we need an 18 oz porterhouse steak worth of it, maybe not, although it does taste good.
Anyway, I have an idea for schools to combat obesity. . .recess. Let children run around and play, fall down, scratch their knees, play games, have winners and losers; in other words, let them be children. In the Fifth Grade, my elementary school prohibited running during recess for fear that one child would knock down another one. If you were seen running, you were marked down and would not be allowed the one extra recess period a month; instead, you had to stay in class and be quiet. That doesn't seem very wise, especially for that age group.
I have no doubt that I will be an annoyance at PTA meetings and parent/teacher conferences. I'll be the parent that sends my child to school with cupcakes and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and a box of whole milk to wash it all down with.
"We would prefer children drink unflavored milk, but it's better for them to drink flavored milk than no milk at all," said spokeswoman Jean Daniel of the federal Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services agency."
The second part of the article is also interesting, but for different reasons. I just finished reading Michael Pollan's "In Defense of Food" and in it he makes two points about milk:
1) To make low fat dairy products, producers remove the fat, but then add powdered milk to bring back the texture of milk. However, powdered milk contains oxidized cholesterol, possibly worse than regular cholesterol.
2) "Removing the fat in milk makes it that much harder for your body to absorb the fat-soluble vitamins that are one of the reasons to drink milk in the first place."
The Chicago Tribune article notes that schools are moving towards only selling skim milk, again, the idea being the fat in whole milk may lead to increased obesity rates, just like having chocolate milk or other flavored milks. It notes that the Chicago Public Schools "stopped offering whole milk out of concern for the added calories and fat." The other reasoning behind moving to skim, according to the article, is that skim costs less than whole. So, even though skim milk has less fat content than whole milk, thereby "fighting obesity," children lose valuable other naturally-occurring vitamins and nutrients that instead must be added in at a later point, at a potential higher-risk then if you had just left the milk alone in the first place. This does not really seem to me to be a positive step forward in improving school nutrition.
The fat argument, which Pollan devotes some significant attention to, is very interesting, and shows just how far the belief that fat is a negative for the body, despite recent evidence to the contrary. Pollan quotes from a 2001 Harvard School of Public Health study that concludes:
"It is now increasingly recognized that the low-fat campaign has been based on little scientific evidence and may have caused unintended health consequences."
Strong stuff, no? But I bet most people have never heard of these findings. Pollan goes on to point out that due to the limitations in scientific research, we are unable to pin-point the exact chemical processes that our body does when digesting food. Science wants to know the effect of one nutrient at the time and is unable to take the whole into account, so, we end up with low-fat statements that aren't based on any scientific reasoning, not to mention that our body does need fat. Do we need an 18 oz porterhouse steak worth of it, maybe not, although it does taste good.
Anyway, I have an idea for schools to combat obesity. . .recess. Let children run around and play, fall down, scratch their knees, play games, have winners and losers; in other words, let them be children. In the Fifth Grade, my elementary school prohibited running during recess for fear that one child would knock down another one. If you were seen running, you were marked down and would not be allowed the one extra recess period a month; instead, you had to stay in class and be quiet. That doesn't seem very wise, especially for that age group.
I have no doubt that I will be an annoyance at PTA meetings and parent/teacher conferences. I'll be the parent that sends my child to school with cupcakes and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and a box of whole milk to wash it all down with.
South Park
I've been thinking a lot about South Park recently, specifically, their most recent election episode. In it, the people of South Park have split between Obama supporters and McCain supporters, and when Obama wins, the Obama supporters go wild, turning over police cars, drinking heavily in the streets, and simply riot throughout the town. The McCain supporters, on the other hand, stay in their houses and bring out their guns to defend themselves. As the episode progresses, McCain supporters flee for their "Arc"
which is cave in the mountain where they can wait out the night. One of the Obama supporters is Stan's dad, Randy. Overcome with joy about Obama winning, he goes on a bender yelling "woooo, change!" He gets so drunk, he confronts his boss, also an Obama supporter, and yells profanities at him and other abusive comments, all the while interspersing, "wooo, change!"
The next morning, the McCain supporters come out of their hiding place and find the world is still there, and nothing much has changed. They then wonder, hmmm, the world is still here, maybe it won't be so bad after all. Randy wakes up the next morning with no pants. His wife hands him the phone and tells him his boss is on the line- his boss fires him. Randy doesn't understand because Obama was supposed to bring change. So he goes crazy because he got fired (wooo, change!!!) and can't find his pants. He then says "I should have voted for McCain."
I bring this up because the residents' reaction is almost exactly what's happened since November 4. Republicans have found that Obama's selections are exceedingly reasonable. In her Chronicle column today, Debra Saunders compares Obama's picks to the difference between Star Trek and Star Trek: The Next Generation, with Obama being Capt. Picard. On the war issue, Saunders notes that "Obama understands that if Iraq collapses after U.S. troops are withdrawn, then it won't matter who started the war. America loses, and he loses." The one nominee that is bugging the right is Eric Holder, primarily because of his role in the Marc Rich pardon.
Even moreso is today's Michael Gerson column in the Washington Post. While Gerson does play down these appointments: "It is tempting for conservatives to crow -- or liberals to lament -- that Barack Obama's victory has somehow produced John McCain's administration. But this partisan reaction trivializes some developments that, while early and tentative, are significant." As well as the threat of Congress flexing its muscles and trying to pull Obama to the far left. But what I want to point out about the Gerson column is the following:
So, while those in the middle and to the right get to breathe a sigh of relief, so far, with Obama's cabinet picks, although I'm not a Tom Daschle fan, the left gets its apologists. Gerson points out that Obama cannot simply wave a wand and undo what Clinton and Bush have done with foreign policy, taxes and trade. In order to lead like he claims he wants to, from the middle, Obama had to find those people, and they are old Clinton hands. He had to realize that he simply couldn't put progressives into high ranking places, or else risk having a Republican revolt in Congress, especially now that Democrats can't reach 60 in the Senate to cut off a filibuster. So, we get Obama the moderate, and progressives must put their faith in Congress leaders like Harry Reid, who is thankful for the new Capitol Visitors Center so that he will no longer have to smell them coming his way.
In a column yesterday, David Sirota wrote to calm down progressives who don't see much if any progressives in Obama's picks. Sirota notes that
He then concludes with "Sure, we should be thankful when Dear Leader's whims serve the people — but also unsurprised when they don't."
That is all to say, "Hey, our man is in the White House, and of course you shouldn't expect change from day one." Or, as Glenn Greenwald put it- "So many progressives were misled about what Obama is and what he believes. But it wasn't Obama who misled them. It was their own desires, their eagerness to see what they wanted to see rather than what reality offered."
I have been very relieved by who Obama has put around his, especially on spending, trade and taxes (although, this report about Rep. Xavier Becerra being offered the job of U.S. Trade Representative does offer some initial concerns). Obama increasingly appears to understand that increasing taxes during difficult economic times is a bad idea. For example, today comes word that his transition web page no longer calls for a windfall tax on oil profits, despite his pledge during the campaign to institute one; my how things change so quickly. So, he's already sliding back on removing troops from Iraq, he's removed the mandatory volunteer program, he's keeping both Petraeus and Gates, and now he's removed instituting a windfall taxon oil profits. As my co-worker noted: And people thought they were voting against a third Bush term.
which is cave in the mountain where they can wait out the night. One of the Obama supporters is Stan's dad, Randy. Overcome with joy about Obama winning, he goes on a bender yelling "woooo, change!" He gets so drunk, he confronts his boss, also an Obama supporter, and yells profanities at him and other abusive comments, all the while interspersing, "wooo, change!"
The next morning, the McCain supporters come out of their hiding place and find the world is still there, and nothing much has changed. They then wonder, hmmm, the world is still here, maybe it won't be so bad after all. Randy wakes up the next morning with no pants. His wife hands him the phone and tells him his boss is on the line- his boss fires him. Randy doesn't understand because Obama was supposed to bring change. So he goes crazy because he got fired (wooo, change!!!) and can't find his pants. He then says "I should have voted for McCain."
I bring this up because the residents' reaction is almost exactly what's happened since November 4. Republicans have found that Obama's selections are exceedingly reasonable. In her Chronicle column today, Debra Saunders compares Obama's picks to the difference between Star Trek and Star Trek: The Next Generation, with Obama being Capt. Picard. On the war issue, Saunders notes that "Obama understands that if Iraq collapses after U.S. troops are withdrawn, then it won't matter who started the war. America loses, and he loses." The one nominee that is bugging the right is Eric Holder, primarily because of his role in the Marc Rich pardon.
Even moreso is today's Michael Gerson column in the Washington Post. While Gerson does play down these appointments: "It is tempting for conservatives to crow -- or liberals to lament -- that Barack Obama's victory has somehow produced John McCain's administration. But this partisan reaction trivializes some developments that, while early and tentative, are significant." As well as the threat of Congress flexing its muscles and trying to pull Obama to the far left. But what I want to point out about the Gerson column is the following:
Obama's appointments reveal something important about current Bush policies. Though Obama's campaign savaged the administration as incompetent and radical, Obama's personnel decisions have effectively ratified Bush's defense and economic approaches during the past few years. At the Pentagon, Obama rehired the architects of President Bush's current military strategy -- Gates, Gen. David Petraeus and Gen. Raymond Odierno. At the Treasury Department, Obama has hired one of the main architects of Bush's current economic approach.
This continuity does not make Obama an ideological traitor. It indicates that Bush has been pursuing centrist, bipartisan policies -- without getting much bipartisan support. The transition between Bush and Obama is smoother than some expected, not merely because Obama has moderate instincts but because Bush does as well. Particularly on the economy, Bush has never been a libertarian; he has always matched a commitment to free markets with a willingness to intervene when markets stumble.
The candidate of "change" is discovering what many presidents before him have found: On numerous issues, the range of responsible policy options is narrow. And the closer you come to the Oval Office, the wiser your predecessors appear.
Third, Obama is finding the limits of leading a "movement" that never had much ideological content.
His transition has seen the return of a pack of Clintonistas -- Lawrence Summers, Eric Holder, Rahm Emanuel -- prompting talk of Bill Clinton's third term. Some of this is unavoidable. Governing experience generally gathers in the stagnant pools of past administrations.
But the resurrection of Clintonism is more pronounced because Obamaism is so wispy and indistinct. Obama brings no cadre of passionate reformers with him to Washington -- no ideological vision cultivated in think tanks for decades. Instead, he has turned to experience and competence in his appointments -- which often means returning to the Clinton era. Experience is vital, especially in avoiding rookie mistakes.
So, while those in the middle and to the right get to breathe a sigh of relief, so far, with Obama's cabinet picks, although I'm not a Tom Daschle fan, the left gets its apologists. Gerson points out that Obama cannot simply wave a wand and undo what Clinton and Bush have done with foreign policy, taxes and trade. In order to lead like he claims he wants to, from the middle, Obama had to find those people, and they are old Clinton hands. He had to realize that he simply couldn't put progressives into high ranking places, or else risk having a Republican revolt in Congress, especially now that Democrats can't reach 60 in the Senate to cut off a filibuster. So, we get Obama the moderate, and progressives must put their faith in Congress leaders like Harry Reid, who is thankful for the new Capitol Visitors Center so that he will no longer have to smell them coming his way.
In a column yesterday, David Sirota wrote to calm down progressives who don't see much if any progressives in Obama's picks. Sirota notes that
"[Obama] figured out that because many "progressive" institutions are merely Democratic Party appendages and not ideological movement forces, he could build his own movement. He succeeded in that endeavor thanks to the nation's Bush-inspired desire for change, his own skills and a celebrity-obsessed culture.
Though many Obama supporters feel strongly about particular issues, and though polling shows the country moving left, the Obama movement undeniably revolves around the president-elect's individual stardom — and specifically, the faith that he will make good decisions, whatever those decisions are."
He then concludes with "Sure, we should be thankful when Dear Leader's whims serve the people — but also unsurprised when they don't."
That is all to say, "Hey, our man is in the White House, and of course you shouldn't expect change from day one." Or, as Glenn Greenwald put it- "So many progressives were misled about what Obama is and what he believes. But it wasn't Obama who misled them. It was their own desires, their eagerness to see what they wanted to see rather than what reality offered."
I have been very relieved by who Obama has put around his, especially on spending, trade and taxes (although, this report about Rep. Xavier Becerra being offered the job of U.S. Trade Representative does offer some initial concerns). Obama increasingly appears to understand that increasing taxes during difficult economic times is a bad idea. For example, today comes word that his transition web page no longer calls for a windfall tax on oil profits, despite his pledge during the campaign to institute one; my how things change so quickly. So, he's already sliding back on removing troops from Iraq, he's removed the mandatory volunteer program, he's keeping both Petraeus and Gates, and now he's removed instituting a windfall taxon oil profits. As my co-worker noted: And people thought they were voting against a third Bush term.
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