Tour de France

It's anyone's game - I am really enjoying the Tour this year. Without Lance it could be anybody.. ahh, but it won't be Bernard Hinault or Greg LeMond; I just liked this picture :-)

test

will this make it?

Mexican Elections

I am really heartened by the goings-on in Latin America. The recent Mexican elections are a good example - populism is alive and being respected, regardless of who the ultimate winner is. Venezuela, Bolivia, Chile - all moving moderate, or leftist, but all I think from a core of "the people". Poor and lower-class people pushing/pulling their governments away from the exogenous military/industrial/congessional complex. I can't help but wonder if the popular movements in Latin America are benefiting from our misguided sinkholes in Iraq and Afghanistan. With our military muscle being exhausted on other continents, the US maybe doesn't have the horsepower to prop up the reactionary military juntas any longer.

Immigration Debate

Who gives a shit other than politicians? Building a wall in the name of national security? How goddamned stupid do these politicians take us for? No illegal immigrant is hurting me or my family - Should I turn my back on someone who has the initiative to improve his or her life? It is not one whit about "National Security" -- it has everything to do with maintaining power. I'm with Neil Young, "Looking for a Leader" and with every breath I take I am more convinced it isn't going to emerge from this wellspring of "plurality" - Democrats vs. Republicans. My forebears didn't have to wind their way through bullshit bureaucracy in order to become citizens, yes, its true that some social services are strained in trying to deal in particular with the Mexican influx in particular, but the positive economic affect of these immigrants must dwarf the negative cost.

The "Slack Water" Mountain Range of the Pacific Northwest

I love the Pacific Northwest and, although born and residing now in California, I really feel like Oregon is my home. I was cruising through Wikipedia a few days ago looking at pictures of the mountains familiar to me (the Sisters are above) when I came across a reference to how the Cascade Range got its name. Apparently, a doctor on Vancouver's ship noted the proximity of the rushing cascades of the Columbia River to St. Helens, Hood and Adams and began to call them the "Cascades". The name stuck. Now to the irony. Today the cascades of the Columbia are nothing more than slack water behind the Bonneville Dam. I guess the only thing to do is rename the range ......

Vahik's Cafe

It is not really a cafe and I don't have any pictures. Vahik has a coffee stand in the parking lot on the corner of Nautilus and La Jolla Blvd. It is shaped like a Volkswagen bug chopped off at the top and it has 38 coffee beans painted on it. I know this because my son once counted them all in exchange for Vahik giving him a biscotti. I talk to Vahik everyday on my way into work and there are always a gaggle of neighborhood characters there. Anyway, several days ago Vahik was sporting a new hat. It was a camouflage baseball hat with a Wind'n Sea sort of logo on a shield in the front of it. This hat represents some kind of fraternity of beach rats from the area a group of which (Vahik among them) had also gone to France for a foosball tourney and had a wonderful time getting their asses kicked. Even amongst this group these hats are apparently valuable because Vahik was only allowed to have one when he agreed to post a large picture of the original owner's parents; this was a black-and-white from what looked like the late '40s or early '50s. I found the story kind of funny (you really have to see the picture) and showed up the next day with a small black-and-white of my parents holding me in probably 1955, with some unknown women standing next to us. Vahik thought that was funny and so started a "gallery" on his volkswagen coffee stand. Today, while I was at the volkswagen recovering from riding to Swamis (see below), some other customers were looking at the pictures and wondered where the "extra hands" on the original picture. Somehow there was another person hiding in the picture or some speculation that perhaps a mannequin was somehow involved. This discovery immediately cheapened my picture -- there were no curious appendages or inexplicable digits anywhere. Vahik wondered if I might have something that would work. As it sits now, my little picture is still there .. but far outclassed - I will have to find something.

Swamis

I rode out this morning up the coast to North County. I am learning this area but I know I passed through Del Mar, Solana Beach and Cardiff by the Sea. My goal was to get to the "Self Realization Center", or what people hear tell me is called Swamis. There is supposed to be a great surf break just off of where this place is but I didn't go down to check it out. I thought I was spoiled riding in the Bay Area Peninsula with the multiplicity of good rides, but this is better. The route along the coast is the perfect mix of rolling elevation and the surf views and bike lanes are great.Maybe somewhere in Europe might be better but I don'tknow where it would be. Even the south of France between Cannes and Nice probably isn't so good (I have just driven it in a car). Southern Spain or Portugal, I can imagine .. or maybe Australia ???

Apple

A little over a year ago I left the Windows world and bought a Powerbook. I got the same machine for my wife and for my daughter a mac mini. This was before the intel world and so, in order to run quickbooks seamlessly I also got a little VAIO notebook (I have been using SONY laptops for the past 5 years or so after using Thinkpads forever). We also got the assortment of iPods. I should say here that I was a lucky dog when Marco sold Verdisoft to Yahoo and I was able to do this - its kind of a once in every ten years kind of thing. Anyway, my point is that now everybody in the house is doing something creative on their machines. Making movies, watching movies, playing songs, shooting video and editing -- you name it. Microsoft can't come close and I don't think ever will be able to (even with more money than God). And I spend a lot of time cussing out the little VAIO because of the clunky WIndows environment. Vista? How many gigs is it? Can't wait for it to be released and start blowing up machines.....

YouTube video - easier than Ourmedia?

This is a test to see if YouTube is easier than Ourmedia ..... Yes, it is a lot easier, but you get all of the YouTube interface and advertising and stuff. Still, it is so fast that I think I prefer it to OurMedia. Click on the picture to run the video of Pacific beach at the foot of Chalcedony Street. J

The army's payroll system

Today in the NYT is an article about the antiquated armed forces payroll system. In particular it mentions that there have been material overpayments to certain soldiers' families; those who have been wounded or killed in action. If the soldier lost his or her life, the army is forgiving any erroneous overpayment. If only wounded, the military is sending debt collectors to collect for their own errors.

So you go to Iraq, get your foot blown off, come home to a job given to someone else, your wife leaves with the kids and you have the government chasing you becaused they mistakenly paid you money that you desperately need.

We bought into it

An appropriate quote from Voltaire: "Those who can make you believe absurdities, can make you commit atrocities." So, I guess Bagdhad is just suffering from the early throes of democracy, not unbelievable Islamic sectarian violence driven by what we have done. George says we've only killed 30,000; its probably closer to 130,000. I don't figure they're happy we dropped-in. What can we do ...............

Sports that make sense

In my years on the planet there are certain sports I love to do and others that make squat-sense to me. The reasons are consistent. - I like solitary aerobic sports where you don't have to schedule places or other people. - I like sports that once you have your basic equipment, you have what you need. You don't have to buy new stuff, once you've got what you need then, except for maintenance and supplies, you're done. - Also, sports that require that you pay money each time seem stupid - downhill skiing and golf come to mind (although I do have a semi-life rule that says when I can no longer physically do anything else, I will play golf). - So, my favorites are: ROAD BIKING BODY SURFING CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING RUNNING I may find some more but these keep me going right now.

This is a good one - George W trying to speak the language he demands Immigrants' speak

This is from Mr. Bush's February 4, 2005 explanation of how he will "save" our Social Security system. Take notes, class, there will be a test: Ladies and Gentlemen, The President of the United States: "Because the -- all which is on the table begins to address the big cost drivers. For example, how benefits are calculate, for example, is on the table; whether or not benefits rise based upon wage increases or price increases. There's a series of parts of the formula that are being considered. And when you couple that, those different cost drivers, affecting those -- changing those with personal accounts, the idea is to get what has been promised more likely to be -- or closer delivered to what has been promised. DOES THAT MAKE ANY SENSE TO YOU? IT'S KIND OF MUDDLED. Look, there's a series of things that cause the -- like, for example, benefits are calculated based upon inflation, as opposed to wage increases. This is a reform that would help solve the red if that were put into effect. In other words, how fast benefits grow, how fast the promised benefits grow, if those -- that that growth is affect, it will help on the red." Got that? [Taken from Palast-05/7/06 ZNET Commentaries]

Richard Thompson

Spent the morning rolling around in the surf. There is a real connection for me there. Now listening to Richard Thompson - I had to go dig up this quote and slap it on the blog .... "Personally, being somewhat envious of Richard's songwriting and guitar playing, it's somewhat satisfying he's not yet achieved household-name status. It serves him right for being so good." David Byrne By the way... any of you five people who read this, David Byrne's blog is really good and all over the place. A couple of days ago he was talking about the simplicity of human genes and how sets of rules can determine how cells turn into whatever they decide to turn into when we (and everything else) are zygotes; to the morality/legality of using peoples' images when taken in public places. He is all over the map, but one of the most consistently interesting sites I go to. [journal.davidbyrne.com]

The Streets of San Diego

I ride a bike a lot around San Diego and the streets and pavement surfaces are, for the most part, a joke. Potholes filled with water (I assume coming from somewhere below), asphalt seams everywhere, holes appearing randomly, etc. My favorite, aside from the mammoth hole that was dug and just filled on Grand Ave. in Pacific Beach, was the entire repaving of La Jolla Blvd. in Bird Rock. The entire main drag was completely redone in front of a ritzy new housing development called SeaHaus. These are upscale condo homes with ocean views if you have a top unit blah, blah. Anyway the work was done last August and the street is already falling apart. There are potholes and the fancy crosswalks are simply crumbling away -- I have never quite seen anything like it. Now I know that this is a sandy foundation kind-of-environment but don't professional road contractors know how to deal with this? I remember nothing like this in San Francisco.

I am the ...........

The DECIDER!, no wait, er, the WAR PRESIDENT!, er wait. A man leading the most powerful country in the world with no clue.

Pay Attention

Here are some links to issues related to the political effort to restrict open web access. From what I can tell this is basically a move by the large bitpipe operators to make more money on their networks. I think the result would be to squeeze non-commercial content (commentary, opinions, individually created media, etc.) off of the web. Anyway - here are a bunch of links (Sorry, I guess I'm not smart enough to make the links live - but you can copy them to your browser): Key links: * MoveOn petition (please include prominently) - every person who signs will get future actions they can take to keep the heat on Congress: http://civic.moveon.org/save_the_internet/ * Call Congress today: http://www.moveon.org/r?r=1670 * Original MoveOn email describing the issue: http://civic.moveon.org/alerts/savetheinternet.html * How gutting Net Neutrality affects regular people (Ipod users, Google users), and proof that telecom companies abuse their power: http://www.savetheinternet.com/=threat * Our coalition MySpace profile – including a video explaining this issue (please include): http://www.myspace.com/savetheinternet * Coalition website (please include – mentioning our partners Gun Owners of America and Craig from Craigslist): www.savetheinternet.com * Coalition blog – good recent developments: http://www.savetheinternet.com/blog/ * A key committee is voting this week. Click here to see if your Representative is on this committee: http://www.moveon.org/r?r=1672 * Find out where your Member stands: http://www.savetheinternet.com/=map * Good articles on coalition kick-off: "Gun Owners, Librarians Unite Against Bells," Telephony Online, April 24, 2006 http://www.freepress.net/news/15113

Something Worth Stopping

Department of Offense

We should just rename the Department of Defense and call it what it is and what it has been. We invaded Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Central America, Grenada, Afghanistan, Iraq and who knows where else via proxy (Indonesia, Bosnia and Palestine come to mind). But enough of that. Now the government is talking about the judicious use of a pre-emptive strike anywhere in the world (Iran comes to mind). The Department of Defense isn't "Defending" us from anyone; It is proactively decimating the parts of the world that have economic or bullshit anticommunist/leftist governments that we can propogandize as "them" and crank up the industrial machine to destroy. It is a wonder that 9/11 only happened once. This insanity has to change. We have the wherewithal (wealth) and institutions to be the shining light to the world and this (and a long line of) adminstration(s) will succeed in squandering it all. Throw them all out.

Disconnection of the Heart

If you're expecting something poetic here, forget it. Ever since the replacement of my natural-born aortic valve with a pig-one, the electrical connection between my brain and my heart is just gone. This is the strangest thing in the world. I can feel like my heart is going to blow out of my chest when I walk upstairs for a glass of water or I can blast up the coast hills on my bike 30 miles into a ride and believe I could pull the world to the moon -- go figure. When the "specialists" mess with you, that's exactly what they're doing - they don't know.

Iraq/Afganistan and Vietnam

I am reading, "Manufacturing Consent" by Herman and Chomsky and while the media coverage parallels are striking, the political/war management similarities are frightening. Iraq and Afganistan are lost and we, the American People need to accept this, force triage and replace the idiot politicians who did this to our country. I am just really becoming politically aware, perhaps it comes with age and experience, and this is really the second major war of my lifetime (Grenada and Gulf #1 don't count). In that vein, and despite the fact that W had some trouble articulating the following - "fool me once, shame on you" - "fool me twice, shame on me". I won't sit still for these assholes to continue this or do it again and I don't think I am alone.

Crashing the Gate

I read Kos' book last weekend. It was a fun read hitting a midpoint somewhere between Michael Moore and Noam Chomsky. Definitely a book written in the blogging style. The great thing is the concepts can probably be outlined in 2 pages of bullet points for a new Democratic playbook. I still remain unconvinced that either of the established political parties can get anything meaningful done. My personal (who the F*** asked me?) opinion is that real change will only be driven by a populist progressive ("netroots"?) movement. Read A NEW THIRD PARTY which can "embrace, assimilate and extend" probably the "Democratic Wing" of the Democratic party. This is nothing more than applying Bill Gate's business philosophy to politics -- except that we wouldn't start out with an operating system monopoly.

UN Human Rights Council

Today in the NYT an article about how the US is bowing out of running for inclusion in the new US Human Rights Council preferring instead to "run for a seat next year". The masterful John Bolton opines that "our leverage in terms of the new council is greater by the US not running ..". This, as opposed to the fact that we might not be elected to the Council given our appalling human rights record. Christ, we even voted (along with political heavyweights Palau and the Marshall Islands) not to establish the new council. It probably would have been better to just keep the former Human Rights Commission - perhaps HRC members Sudan and Zimbabwe could teach the US a thing or two about human rights.

The Bug with Personality

The other day, very early in the morning, a storm blew in and was really knocking stuff outside around. About 3 AM I woke up and I walked around to make sure everything seemed to be where it was supposed to be (the garbage cans had wandered out into the yard). As I went through a downstairs hallway I could see a black beetle, maybe the size of a nickel, motoring away from the front door towards me (no doubt after having the crap scared out of himself outside). I ducked into the kitchen and grabbed a paper towel to pick the bug up and take it outside. As I came back into the hallway this little guy saw me and jumped up like a little person and made this comical beeline back to the front door. I just started laughing - it was like the "keystone cops beetle" or something. I got him - and took him out the back. These things are smarter than we give them credit -- but Insecta with personality??

Close to drifting off completely .......

Marian shoots a sunset off the deck

William being a monster

From Another Time

Woke this morning to an email from an old friend who I had wondered about but never really knew where he was. Richard Bass pinged me with a recollection and it was wonderful to remember again the times we had and the people we know. Hopefully I can keep up the connection. A very good man -- too good to lose track of ......

Sick, but with a cool device

Lost weekend, having finally succumbed to whatever the kids brought home. At least I can moblog on my new TMobile MDA. Finally, the US gets a device I've had to get from europe before now. Keyboard is good, device a little slow but am getting the hang of it. It's Invade Iraq Third Anniversary Eve! I smell democracy or maybe civil war or maybe puppet regime or maybe operation "Swarmer" (who the hell thought that name up?).

Grey and Fire Silver

Watching the light blast the ocean amid swirling clouds. Like a quicksilver paintbrush moving super-fast, but still 10 miles or more away. Lazy and cold. Listening to Jerry Garcia and Merle Saunders at the Keystone. I remember going there to listen to them -- just awhile ago. Great combination.

I have figured it out

Hibernation

Moblog from bed. Will built this last night. It's kind of a ferris wheel for mice or something. Talked to Balch and reconnected with some early U of O people and memories. Coffee now..

Caffeine

I've now culled and honed down the acceptable drugs to caffeine and a small amount of chewing tobacco. Completely smitten by espresso and, no, I don't ever see giving it up. If anything I'll increase the intake. I am really finding it almost sublime to quaff a doppio with a little sugar, hop on my bike, and slice down the road. Find it intriguing that the things I end up enjoying seem to be Italian. My road bike, espresso, design and view of life. Then the quirkiness of a Ferrari spinning donuts in a cloud of exhaust at the opening of the Turin Olympics just makes me laugh.

Dr. Dorst

"Bend over and I'll say when ...."

Bicycles and Treadmills to Nowhere .....

We have a very nice work-out facility in the building where I work. Many of the machines I can't even understand but I don't use them anyway. I find it curious and a little disturbing that people seem to prefer riding a stationary bicycle or "running' on an endless rubber loop to nowhere. I just don't get it. It isn't the weather or the difficult terrain because here in Pacific Beach it is always sunny and the office is only a few hundred yards from Mission Bay. I think it must have something to do with people feeling safer (see my risk blog below) inside. The temperature is predictable... the terrain never varies .... you don't have to worry about actually looking at anyone else or interacting with the real environment and there are no forks in the road. You can go from your rubber road to your insulated car to your cookie-cutter clubs and listen to prescribed music and go home to your new condo and .................................

Risk

People have been scared into not taking risks. If you can't already tell, I ride my bike a lot. I commute every day that I can (which fortunately, is most days). This time of year I always ride home in the dark and when many people see me leave or I explain what I do each day they make some remark that they can't believe I would do such a thing and that it is right up there with drunken hang-gliding. I am careful. I ride with lights. I watch for morons (and find them all the time). I live my life.

It's Been 60 Years - His Time was Then and His Time is Now

FDR, I think was arguably our best president. Compare his "Second Bill of Rights" to what the Bush/Cheney idiots are doing now. Among the rights he articulated were: "The right to a useful and remunerative job in the industries or shops or farms or mines of the nation." "The right to earn enough to provide adequate food and clothing and recreation." "The right of every farmer to raise and sell his products at a return which will give him and his family a decent living." "The right of every businessman, large and small, to trade in an atmosphere of freedom from unfair competition and domination by monopolies at home or abroad." "The right of every family to a decent home." "The right to adequate medical care and the opportunity to achieve and enjoy good health." "The right to adequate protection from the economic fears of old age, sickness, accident and unemployment." "The right to a good education." Is this too much to ask of the most powerful nation on earth?

Democracy? Oil? It's bigger than that ....

Why we are in Iraq? There's damn good money in it. Dwight Eisenhower nailed it in his farewell to the nation in 1961: "In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist. We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes. We should take nothing for granted. Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals so that security and liberty may prosper together". Eisenhower had originally called it the military-industrial-CONGRESSIONAL complex (really what it was and is) so as not to offend.