I'm not sure why the Mac beanie key (the one with the Apple logo on it) was put where it is on my keyboard. It doesn't seem to do anything unless I use it with another key (like "Command" "C" to cut a selected block of text). It's not well placed to be able to use one hand to make multiple keystrokes. It would have been better placed elsewhere so that I could get my pinky to it.
Also, the battery in my Mac does not last six hours. I got to the fifth inning of last night's Dodger-Cubs game, watching the play by play on MLB and ESPN, went to get a beer and cam back and the thing was dead. Without warning too.
Why this is I do not know. Why did I buy a Mac?
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Friday, October 3, 2008
Sarah Palin Love Smacks
Have to give this broad her due. She did not tank last night, which is what I tuned in to watch. What a tough babe. What a dame. She has no brains and much confidence; she is as dangerous as remarkable.
Some highlights (Quotes from the NYTimes):
On the Financial Debacle: "One thing that Americans do at this time, also, though, is let's commit ourselves just every day American people, Joe Six Pack, hockey moms across the nation, I think we need to band together and say never again. Never will we be exploited and taken advantage of again by those who are managing our money and loaning us these dollars. We need to make sure that we demand from the federal government strict oversight of those entities in charge of our investments and our savings and we need also to not get ourselves in debt. Let's do what our parents told us before we probably even got that first credit card. Don't live outside of our means. We need to make sure that as individuals we're taking personal responsibility through all of this. It's not the American peoples fault that the economy is hurting like it is, but we have an opportunity to learn a heck of a lot of good lessons through this and say never again will we be taken advantage of."
That's right - it was Wall Street's fault. But what are ya gonna do? Let's just chalk it up to experience.
On her party's stance on taxes:"And I may not answer the questions that either the moderator or you want to hear, but I'm going to talk straight to the American people and let them know my track record also."
Also this one: "But when you talk about Barack's plan to tax increase affecting only those making $250,000 a year or more, you're forgetting millions of small businesses that are going to fit into that category." Right, the way to equitable taxation is to reduce the incidence of tax on small businesses. Some taxes are bad, so let's get rid of all taxes.
Aside: taxes aren't imposed on income, they are imposed on net income: income less deductions. There isn't a problem with taxing small businesses - a well run small business net's its taxable income to zero. And most small businesses are formed pass-through entities. If the tax paid by a small business is net of deductions - essentially on the taxable income of the owner - aren't you just giving a break to some forms of income at the expense of others? Lets jump-start the economy by eliminating employees in favor of creating owners of small business. You gotta have faith. Why should we drive the economy by favoring small business with tax breaks? Doesn't that just misallocate resources?
Another one for Ms. Palin: "Now you said recently that higher taxes or asking for higher taxes or paying higher taxes is patriotic. In the middle class of America which is where Todd and I have been all of our lives, that's not patriotic. Patriotic is saying, government, you know, you're not always the solution. In fact, too often you're the problem so, government, lessen the tax burden and on our families and get out of the way and let the private sector and our families grow and thrive and prosper."
Straight Reagan - love it. We're gonna dump this tea!! At least she recognizes that government is sometimes the solution. Like in the next sentence: the government's gonna give tax breaks to spur health care: "He's proposing a $5,000 tax credit for families so that they can get out there and they can purchase their own health care coverage. That's a smart thing to do. That's budget neutral. That doesn't cost the government anything as opposed to Barack Obama's plan to mandate health care coverage and have universal government run program and unless you're pleased with the way the federal government has been running anything lately, I don't think that it's going to be real pleasing for Americans to consider health care being taken over by the feds. But a $5,000 health care credit through our income tax that's budget neutral. That's going to help."
"Gwen, I don't know where to start." Well, we could start with wondering why it's revenue neutral. Note that John McCain is gonna raise taxes by taxing our employer paid heath care premiums. I guess if JM does it, it's not so bad for the economy.
But she says it with such certainty and folksy charm ...
But we do need government help: "And the rescue plan has got to include that massive oversight that Americans are expecting and deserving."
Another does not compute gem: "We're circulating about $700 billion a year into foreign countries, some who do not like America -- they certainly don't have our best interests at heart -- instead of those dollars circulating here, creating tens of thousands of jobs and allowing domestic supplies of energy to be tapped into and start flowing into these very, very hungry markets. Energy independence is the key to this nation's future, to our economic future, and to our national security. So when we talk about energy plans, it's not just about who got a tax break and who didn't. And we're not giving oil companies tax breaks, but it's about a heck of a lot more than that. Energy independence is the key to America's future."
If we drill here- there is only enough proven oil in the US to buy us about one year at our current consumption rate. How much could we possibly extend that with new drilling?
Also: we need energy independence because that will support a greener earth: "We've got to become energy independent for that reason. Also as we rely more and more on other countries that don't care as much about the climate as we do, we're allowing them to produce and to emit and even pollute more than America would ever stand for." Right China's oil production forces them to emit more greenhouse gasses. If we drill for oil, it is certain to reduce Chinese consumption.
Palin on the Bush Administration: "There have been huge blunders in the war. There have been huge blunders throughout this administration, as there are with every administration."
Regardless though, "Positive change is coming, though. Reform of government is coming. We'll learn from the past mistakes in this administration and other administrations. And we're going to forge ahead with putting government back on the side of the people and making sure that our country comes first, putting obsessive partisanship aside. That's what John McCain has been known for in all these years. He has been the maverick. He has ruffled feathers. But I know, Senator Biden, you have respected for them that, and I respect you for acknowledging that. But change is coming." Ahhh... hockey mom and maverick will ride into town and set things straight.
"The past is the prologue."
Thankfully, an M-P presidency wouldn't look back: "I'm thankful the Constitution would allow a bit more authority given to the vice president if that vice president so chose to exert it in working with the Senate and making sure that we are supportive of the president's policies and making sure too that our president understands what our strengths are." The Fourth Branch.
"Well, our founding fathers were very wise there in allowing through the Constitution much flexibility there in the office of the vice president. And we will do what is best for the American people in tapping into that position and ushering in an agenda that is supportive and cooperative with the president's agenda in that position." Right, the founders left the VP slot an open question for future generations. This seems a pretty close reading of the C.
Another charmer: "You do that [create jobs] by lowering taxes on American workers and on our businesses. And you build up infrastructure, and you rein in government spending, and you make our -- our nation energy independent." The free market will work if we just let it.
Word stats: Maverick: 15 times
Main Street: 4
It's all coming into focus.
She is pretty hot though.
Some highlights (Quotes from the NYTimes):
On the Financial Debacle: "One thing that Americans do at this time, also, though, is let's commit ourselves just every day American people, Joe Six Pack, hockey moms across the nation, I think we need to band together and say never again. Never will we be exploited and taken advantage of again by those who are managing our money and loaning us these dollars. We need to make sure that we demand from the federal government strict oversight of those entities in charge of our investments and our savings and we need also to not get ourselves in debt. Let's do what our parents told us before we probably even got that first credit card. Don't live outside of our means. We need to make sure that as individuals we're taking personal responsibility through all of this. It's not the American peoples fault that the economy is hurting like it is, but we have an opportunity to learn a heck of a lot of good lessons through this and say never again will we be taken advantage of."
That's right - it was Wall Street's fault. But what are ya gonna do? Let's just chalk it up to experience.
On her party's stance on taxes:"And I may not answer the questions that either the moderator or you want to hear, but I'm going to talk straight to the American people and let them know my track record also."
Also this one: "But when you talk about Barack's plan to tax increase affecting only those making $250,000 a year or more, you're forgetting millions of small businesses that are going to fit into that category." Right, the way to equitable taxation is to reduce the incidence of tax on small businesses. Some taxes are bad, so let's get rid of all taxes.
Aside: taxes aren't imposed on income, they are imposed on net income: income less deductions. There isn't a problem with taxing small businesses - a well run small business net's its taxable income to zero. And most small businesses are formed pass-through entities. If the tax paid by a small business is net of deductions - essentially on the taxable income of the owner - aren't you just giving a break to some forms of income at the expense of others? Lets jump-start the economy by eliminating employees in favor of creating owners of small business. You gotta have faith. Why should we drive the economy by favoring small business with tax breaks? Doesn't that just misallocate resources?
Another one for Ms. Palin: "Now you said recently that higher taxes or asking for higher taxes or paying higher taxes is patriotic. In the middle class of America which is where Todd and I have been all of our lives, that's not patriotic. Patriotic is saying, government, you know, you're not always the solution. In fact, too often you're the problem so, government, lessen the tax burden and on our families and get out of the way and let the private sector and our families grow and thrive and prosper."
Straight Reagan - love it. We're gonna dump this tea!! At least she recognizes that government is sometimes the solution. Like in the next sentence: the government's gonna give tax breaks to spur health care: "He's proposing a $5,000 tax credit for families so that they can get out there and they can purchase their own health care coverage. That's a smart thing to do. That's budget neutral. That doesn't cost the government anything as opposed to Barack Obama's plan to mandate health care coverage and have universal government run program and unless you're pleased with the way the federal government has been running anything lately, I don't think that it's going to be real pleasing for Americans to consider health care being taken over by the feds. But a $5,000 health care credit through our income tax that's budget neutral. That's going to help."
"Gwen, I don't know where to start." Well, we could start with wondering why it's revenue neutral. Note that John McCain is gonna raise taxes by taxing our employer paid heath care premiums. I guess if JM does it, it's not so bad for the economy.
But she says it with such certainty and folksy charm ...
But we do need government help: "And the rescue plan has got to include that massive oversight that Americans are expecting and deserving."
Another does not compute gem: "We're circulating about $700 billion a year into foreign countries, some who do not like America -- they certainly don't have our best interests at heart -- instead of those dollars circulating here, creating tens of thousands of jobs and allowing domestic supplies of energy to be tapped into and start flowing into these very, very hungry markets. Energy independence is the key to this nation's future, to our economic future, and to our national security. So when we talk about energy plans, it's not just about who got a tax break and who didn't. And we're not giving oil companies tax breaks, but it's about a heck of a lot more than that. Energy independence is the key to America's future."
If we drill here- there is only enough proven oil in the US to buy us about one year at our current consumption rate. How much could we possibly extend that with new drilling?
Also: we need energy independence because that will support a greener earth: "We've got to become energy independent for that reason. Also as we rely more and more on other countries that don't care as much about the climate as we do, we're allowing them to produce and to emit and even pollute more than America would ever stand for." Right China's oil production forces them to emit more greenhouse gasses. If we drill for oil, it is certain to reduce Chinese consumption.
Palin on the Bush Administration: "There have been huge blunders in the war. There have been huge blunders throughout this administration, as there are with every administration."
Regardless though, "Positive change is coming, though. Reform of government is coming. We'll learn from the past mistakes in this administration and other administrations. And we're going to forge ahead with putting government back on the side of the people and making sure that our country comes first, putting obsessive partisanship aside. That's what John McCain has been known for in all these years. He has been the maverick. He has ruffled feathers. But I know, Senator Biden, you have respected for them that, and I respect you for acknowledging that. But change is coming." Ahhh... hockey mom and maverick will ride into town and set things straight.
"The past is the prologue."
Thankfully, an M-P presidency wouldn't look back: "I'm thankful the Constitution would allow a bit more authority given to the vice president if that vice president so chose to exert it in working with the Senate and making sure that we are supportive of the president's policies and making sure too that our president understands what our strengths are." The Fourth Branch.
"Well, our founding fathers were very wise there in allowing through the Constitution much flexibility there in the office of the vice president. And we will do what is best for the American people in tapping into that position and ushering in an agenda that is supportive and cooperative with the president's agenda in that position." Right, the founders left the VP slot an open question for future generations. This seems a pretty close reading of the C.
Another charmer: "You do that [create jobs] by lowering taxes on American workers and on our businesses. And you build up infrastructure, and you rein in government spending, and you make our -- our nation energy independent." The free market will work if we just let it.
Word stats: Maverick: 15 times
Main Street: 4
It's all coming into focus.
She is pretty hot though.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
The End of Summer
Summer. This one has been full of hustle and bustle. I've completely fallen off my summer plans to blog about swimming, politics, policy and the Dodgers. The Dodgers. I've followed them diligently - watched them fall farther and farther out of contention, then take on Manny and begin to, almost, not, but yes it is so, climb to the top of the NL West.
And now it is almost October, but for last stretch of the pennant races.
And now it is almost October, but for last stretch of the pennant races.
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Open Water Swim Season
I declared to my wife that I had officially opened it today in Los Angeles, but the truth is it never really ended in Southern California and I also have no leg to stand on since this was my first time back in the ocean, probably since the La Jolla Roughwater last September.
That said, pool closures this morning prompted me to do what I had been talking about doing all month long: get an early start on the open water season and see how acclimated I could get to the cold.
Note 1: The water does get cold here in in the winter in Southern California. I have the utmost respect for the La Jolla swimmers who do it all year round. Then there is the crew in Santa Cruz and those in San Francisco who I think are simply super human.
Note 2: Thanksgiving weekend, 2006, I tried a swim in La Jolla and got seriously cold - two hours to warm up cold. The water temp that day (it's posted at the lifeguard tower for those generally familiar) was around 56 degrees.
Note 3: I hadn't worn a cap that day. I do recall swimming with my mom as a kid in cold water in northern latitudes, and figured I had a natural ability to stay warm. Maybe not so much. Regardless, I like cold water (and I generally don't think we really need wet suits down here - not really).
At any rate, anyone will tell you that the main thing to do in cold water is to keep your head warm. See note 3 above. To that end, today's swim was something of a vindication with the water temperature coming in at a steamy 57 degrees. Today's plan was (a) to get in a good swim early in spite of pool closures, and (b) test my new head warmer, that's right - a bubble cap under my swim cap.
I know I could have been a little more high tech and gotten a "barracuda", but I think the chin strap looks silly and the name is silly regardless. Barracuda, an ugly oily fish, you can keep it. Who thought that name has anything to do with cold water swimming? Sheer corporate branding pablum - leave me out of it. And the price of a bubble cap is right at $8.99. SO what if its a woman's cap, it's time tested by the best.
Note 4: apparently the barracuda "hot head" can't be used on the English Channel swim. Nuff said.
At any rate, today was a beautiful morning to start the swim season. I got to MB late, around 8:30, and the tower North of the pier was surrounded by swim bags, I think, from the LA Tri Club. The tower south of the pier, where (again) I think the UCLA Masters put their gear, was empty. So I got the singular pleasure of setting my bag down amongst the tri guys and headed down the beach, sans wetsuit.
The water is definitely cold. I could feel a stress in my chest and a familiar chill along my sides as I got in. But, as others have noted, it's a matter of acclimating, which happens surprisingly fast. I'd say after a couple of short minutes in the water, I was planty warm. The bubble cap works. Hooray for the crepe bubble cap (I love a good simple deal - and Speedo, if you are listening, make a men's style as cold water/open water swimming needs more alternatives).
I'd started an easy distance as I was not sure what I could do. At first I walked about 15 minutes south and swam back up around the MB pier in about 15 more minutes. So I got out, walked past the lingering tri-swimmers (& sensing their shame) and wended my way back down the beach about 1/3 of the way to the HB pier and swam back again. And I caught a good wave into the beach to boot.
Yes, summer and open water swim season is here.
That said, pool closures this morning prompted me to do what I had been talking about doing all month long: get an early start on the open water season and see how acclimated I could get to the cold.
Note 1: The water does get cold here in in the winter in Southern California. I have the utmost respect for the La Jolla swimmers who do it all year round. Then there is the crew in Santa Cruz and those in San Francisco who I think are simply super human.
Note 2: Thanksgiving weekend, 2006, I tried a swim in La Jolla and got seriously cold - two hours to warm up cold. The water temp that day (it's posted at the lifeguard tower for those generally familiar) was around 56 degrees.
Note 3: I hadn't worn a cap that day. I do recall swimming with my mom as a kid in cold water in northern latitudes, and figured I had a natural ability to stay warm. Maybe not so much. Regardless, I like cold water (and I generally don't think we really need wet suits down here - not really).
At any rate, anyone will tell you that the main thing to do in cold water is to keep your head warm. See note 3 above. To that end, today's swim was something of a vindication with the water temperature coming in at a steamy 57 degrees. Today's plan was (a) to get in a good swim early in spite of pool closures, and (b) test my new head warmer, that's right - a bubble cap under my swim cap.
I know I could have been a little more high tech and gotten a "barracuda", but I think the chin strap looks silly and the name is silly regardless. Barracuda, an ugly oily fish, you can keep it. Who thought that name has anything to do with cold water swimming? Sheer corporate branding pablum - leave me out of it. And the price of a bubble cap is right at $8.99. SO what if its a woman's cap, it's time tested by the best.
Note 4: apparently the barracuda "hot head" can't be used on the English Channel swim. Nuff said.
At any rate, today was a beautiful morning to start the swim season. I got to MB late, around 8:30, and the tower North of the pier was surrounded by swim bags, I think, from the LA Tri Club. The tower south of the pier, where (again) I think the UCLA Masters put their gear, was empty. So I got the singular pleasure of setting my bag down amongst the tri guys and headed down the beach, sans wetsuit.
The water is definitely cold. I could feel a stress in my chest and a familiar chill along my sides as I got in. But, as others have noted, it's a matter of acclimating, which happens surprisingly fast. I'd say after a couple of short minutes in the water, I was planty warm. The bubble cap works. Hooray for the crepe bubble cap (I love a good simple deal - and Speedo, if you are listening, make a men's style as cold water/open water swimming needs more alternatives).
I'd started an easy distance as I was not sure what I could do. At first I walked about 15 minutes south and swam back up around the MB pier in about 15 more minutes. So I got out, walked past the lingering tri-swimmers (& sensing their shame) and wended my way back down the beach about 1/3 of the way to the HB pier and swam back again. And I caught a good wave into the beach to boot.
Yes, summer and open water swim season is here.
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Short Book Review
It was not that it was short so much that it seemed odd that, upon finishing it, one was surprised it was not contained in a taller book.
Shirley Povich "All Those Mornings at the Post". From his final column, a trace of what seems like, today, innocence.
"McGuire weighs 245 pounds, stands 6 foot 5, and bulked up by strength coaches and Nautilus weightlifts, plus the new diet of "nutrition shakes" popular in the clubhouses, may well hit the ball farther than the 215-pound Ruth, although there are stubborn non-believers."
Bulked up by "nutrition shakes". Damn. Or did Shirley think something else was going on? Was he a stubborn non-believer? Maybe he just thought Ruth the better man, one for whom whiskey with a beer chaser and a cigar with John Sullivan was all the nutrition needed.
Its a shame. We don't need another Bonds or McGuire. We need another Sullivan or Ruth. At best we have Bill James. In other words we don't have great players, so much as great managers and analysts. Which is better than nothing.
Politically, we may be at a crossing point. But I can't think that any of the candidates are particularly well suited to the current crisis or the ones that will follow.
Maybe part of the problem is the focus. We want a John Sullivan who will bash all comers into submission. Problem is, even the great Sullivan couldn't last forever. People generally aren't cooperative with grand schemes, especially when they don't make sense (at least to one side or the other). We need a Sullivan with substance and style and also a little backbone. I don't see it yet in any of the current crop.
One thing's for sure, when things really begin to break, the solutions will begin to suggest themselves and at that point, we'll come to a consensus, or not.
Shirley Povich "All Those Mornings at the Post". From his final column, a trace of what seems like, today, innocence.
"McGuire weighs 245 pounds, stands 6 foot 5, and bulked up by strength coaches and Nautilus weightlifts, plus the new diet of "nutrition shakes" popular in the clubhouses, may well hit the ball farther than the 215-pound Ruth, although there are stubborn non-believers."
Bulked up by "nutrition shakes". Damn. Or did Shirley think something else was going on? Was he a stubborn non-believer? Maybe he just thought Ruth the better man, one for whom whiskey with a beer chaser and a cigar with John Sullivan was all the nutrition needed.
Its a shame. We don't need another Bonds or McGuire. We need another Sullivan or Ruth. At best we have Bill James. In other words we don't have great players, so much as great managers and analysts. Which is better than nothing.
Politically, we may be at a crossing point. But I can't think that any of the candidates are particularly well suited to the current crisis or the ones that will follow.
Maybe part of the problem is the focus. We want a John Sullivan who will bash all comers into submission. Problem is, even the great Sullivan couldn't last forever. People generally aren't cooperative with grand schemes, especially when they don't make sense (at least to one side or the other). We need a Sullivan with substance and style and also a little backbone. I don't see it yet in any of the current crop.
One thing's for sure, when things really begin to break, the solutions will begin to suggest themselves and at that point, we'll come to a consensus, or not.
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Raining
It's raining tonight. It's a hard rain, the kind that scrubs the grime off this city and makes the blacktop sparkle with the glare of the streetlights. It reminds me of the nighttime view of the south basin off Mulholland drive. Driving in the city now makes me wonder what the world must look like from the inside of a diamond. When it's like this I think how, dare I say it, lovely this town truly is.
Kinda makes up for the Dodgers. Too bad it means I can't go surfing tomorrow.
Kinda makes up for the Dodgers. Too bad it means I can't go surfing tomorrow.
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