Happy New Year, Mod-Blog!

From all of us, to all of you. May 2009 be year of hope, of joy, and of peace.

All 30 GB Zunes Froze Today?

This seems unbelievable, but I am reading about it everywhere from multiple sources. But to be fair, I have not confirmed it with anyone I know who owns a Zune (Yes, I do know one guy). It is being reported that this morning, all 30 GB Zunes froze up and will not reboot or reset. There are isolated reports of successful unfreeze after letting the battery drain completely. Microsoft has yet to post anything about it on their own pages.

Wow, I can only imagine the apocalypse if this happened with the iPod or iPhone. How many people will be sitting in Times Square grumbling because their Zune won't play? Does this mean the end for Microsoft's attempt to invade the musical marketplace?

Year-End Weigh-In

It has been a long road in 2008. I started with a weigh-in of 285 lbs - a number which made me wince and want to crawl under the rug in embarrassment. But it served as the motivation I needed to finally get up off my behind, stop ordering in pizza and french fries for every meal, and start getting serious about my weight/health. I swore off sugar, drastically reduced the carbs I was eating, became extremely strict about my portions, and began an exercise program that included daily biking, either on a stationary bike in the attic or on a new outdoors bike around town. It has been a bumpy road. Some days, I had no problem eating less and avoiding sweets. Other days, it felt like I was digging out my own heart with a dull spoon to avoid a calorie-rich meal. I gave myself a few "free days" here and there to take some pressure off (birthday, Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc.) and was relentless about measuring my weight every day, and writing it down where I had to look at it. I combined that with a weekly posting of the weight graph here on Mod-Blog, so that I could not delude myself about my progress. If I did well, everyone would know. If I did poorly, everyone would know.

Well, while the last week did not lose me as much weight as I had hoped, I think I did well in 2008. I lost over 60 lbs, gained considerable strength and endurance, and am actually able to outdo some of my athletic friends... at least when we are all on bikes. It feels good to have accomplished so much. Please be praying that I can keep it up in 2009. My goal for 2009 is to maintain what I have lose and to stay below the "obese" line on the BMI graph. The only hard number I have in mind is to hit 200 lbs by December 31, 2009. We'll see how it goes, one day at a time.

Mmm... Counter-intuitive...

Talk about Bad Timing!

This last week, the local high school in Shelton, CT was upbraided by the CT state Fire Marshall for not complying with the fire code. The local Fire Marshall had been dismissive of the non-compliance, first claiming they had a waiver and then saying that no waiver was needed. Overall, the state felt the school was out of compliance because of lack of sprinklers and external exits for many classrooms. The state is expected to order soon that the school be brought into compliance.

Well, before such an order can be given, an explosion and fire has been reported at the high school during a Freshman girl's basketball game.

Updated 9:01 PM: Here is the video of the story.

Too Much Truth is Painful

Text Messages are expensive because...

...uh... well... It must be because of the scarcity of bandwidth, right? After all, more cell phones means less lines available, right? Right?

But text messages are not just tiny; they are also free riders, tucked into what’s called a control channel, space reserved for operation of the wireless network.

That’s why a message is so limited in length: it must not exceed the length of the message used for internal communication between tower and handset to set up a call. The channel uses space whether or not a text message is inserted.

Professor Keshav said that once a carrier invests in the centralized storage equipment — storing a terabyte now costs only $100 and is dropping — and the staff to maintain it, its costs are basically covered. “Operating costs are relatively insensitive to volume,” he said. “It doesn’t cost the carrier much more to transmit a hundred million messages than a million.”

It is bad news for cell phone companies that the NYTimes has up an exposé on text messaging and the unreasonable rates that most cell carriers are charging. Is this perhaps why Apple has resisted advertising much about its own text messaging plans for the iPhone, and instead focusses on e-mail?

Note to Self: Use Snowblower, NOT Flamethrower

More proof that no bad idea is too dumb to be tried by someone in the real world. The downside to a free society is the freedom to do things that everyone agrees is stupid... even yourself in retrospect.

Fire officials in New Bedford, Mass., said a man using a blowtorch to melt ice on his back porch ended up setting his house on fire, causing up to $30,000 in damage...

Kruger said the man was using a torch hooked up to a 20-pound propane cylinder. He got too close to the building's wood frame and ignited the vinyl siding. The fire quickly spread into the building's second- and third-floor apartments.

The scariest part for me is knowing just how many geeks will read this story and think "I have GOT to try that!"

Did Calvin and Hobbes foresee the Auto Bailout?

Judge for yourself. But it seems eerily prescient to me.

I saw UPS drivers do this multiple times over the Christmas season this year

Luckily, everything I ordered was well-packaged and/or non-breakable.

UPS Man Throws Package - Watch more Free Videos

Israel bids goodbye to the Cease Fire

Allegedly in response to repeated rocket attacks from Gaza - though I wonder if it has more to do with the election battle with Netanyahu - Prime Minster Ehud Olmert ordered massive air strikes in the Gaza Strip. The attacks were on Hamas, and included a number of quite specific targets.

Black smoke billowed over Gaza City, where the dead and wounded lay scattered on the ground after more than 30 air strikes destroyed several security compounds, including two where Hamas was hosting graduation ceremonies for new recruits.

Among the dead were the Hamas-appointed police chief, Tawfiq Jabber, the head of Hamas's security and protection unit, and the governor of central Gaza, according to medical workers.

If anyone thought President-Elect Obama would be entering office able to focus on a single crisis, it is time to revise that opinion. Here is hoping Obama's team can handle both a sagging economy, a war in Iraq, and a near-war in Israel all at the same time.

Biking Update - December 27, 2008

This week was notable for two things. First, for the first time in many, many, many years, I crossed a line in the BMI (Body Mass Index) graph from "Obese" to "Overweight." This is a huge deal for me, as even when I was not too much overweight in the past (in my own mind at least) the BMI always said I was "obese". This is first time since I tried Atkins that I have been simply "overweight." Or as Mom calls it "normal." The Wii Fit indicates that my "ideal weight" is 162 lbs, which is less than I weighed in high school, when I was pretty much skin, bones, and muscle, so I doubt I will ever (or would want to) reach there. But being here is a big accomplishment and a huge encouragement. (And I was able to wear my "skinny suit" to the Christmas Eve service!) Second, Christmas hit. I was pretty good overall - still avoided sugar - but Christmastime in American means lots of food whose choice you have limited control and late nights (and thus little sleep). So, you can see on the graph, after a new low last Saturday I had a jump in weight and held pretty steady until yesterday when Christmas lunch and dinner pushed me up again. But Christmas is now over and it is likely I will be able to return to eating strictly, at least until New Years.

Oh, and again this week the only biking I was able to do was on the stationary bike. Early sunsets, frigid weather, and rain meant there was little chance to go outside without threatening my health. Today is supposed to be (relatively) warm, but possibly very rainy. So we may be able to get out and exercise a bit in the great outdoors. And now that the Solstice is past, the days should be getting longer.

This is the last Saturday "Biking Update" post of 2008, so it seemed worth noting a few accomplishments biking-wise in the last year.
- Bike first purchased: June 7, 2008
- First Bike Ride: June 8, 2008 - By the River in Shelton with CRChair and Bowhunter
- First Biking Trail Ride: June 14. 2008 - On the Larkin Bridle Trail with Nick & Nora
- First 100 miles ridden: August 3, 2008
- Second 100 miles ridden: September 20, 2008
- Total Miles Ridden in 2008: 267.38 miles
- Total Pounds Lost in 2008: 63.2 lbs

Overall, I think 2008 was a success. Not only did I lose a significant amount of weight, but I kept it off as well. I can now climb the stairs at work without breathing hard, I have little to no back pain on a regular basis (since my surgery until I started this program I literally hurt every day), I am very "regular" now, and I actually get some good looks from the single ladies here and there. For 2009, I plan more of the same, with a few moderate goals. First, I want to try and hit 200 lbs by the end of next year. That is only another 20 lbs in 12 months, but I like achievable goals. Second, I want to take part in a number of charity races, including the short (20 miles) form of the Ididaride. (Bowhunter did the long - 75 miles - form in 2008, and I doubt I will be up to that quite yet.) Third, I want to maintain this weight loss all the way thru to the end of 2009. They always say the hard part of dieting is not losing weight, but keeping it off. I want the new lifestyle to be one that I can do long-term and maintain.

Wish me luck and God's blessings health-wise and weight-wise in 2009. And maybe a chance to find that special lady, now that I have a shape that is sometimes worth looking at.

Gas Price in Shelton , CT

Gas Price in Shelton , CT
Originally uploaded by crchair

Thoughts on Same-Sex Marriage

One issue which was already red-hot in 2008 - and is sure to get even more explosive with a Democratic majority at the Federal level in 2009 - is Same-Sex Marriage. While most advocates would call 2008 a bad year, because of the loss in California, the fact is that significant progress was made toward remaking the political landscape in favor of legal recognition of same-sex unions. More state courts have mandated recognition, there is a greater awareness of the challenges faced by same-sex couples, and the opposition is growing tired of the fight.

Personally, I have opposed the recognition of same-sex unions as "marriage" for some time, but have been sympathetic to the problems of loving couples without the protection of "marriage." I was saddened when same-sex partners had no rights to information about their loved ones who may have been hurt or killed in the attacks on 9/11/01. I was angered by stories about same-sex couples crossing state lines and suddenly losing medical coverage or inheritance rights that they depended on.

For a while, I pushed the idea of a "next of kin" rights package, which would allow the designation of an arbitrary person for hospital visitation, inheritance, etc. rights. But no one seemed interested in following that particular idea set. My impression is that advocates want nothing less than the full social and civil recognition implied by the word "marriage", and opponents don't want to offer any compromise. President-Elect Barack Obama is on record as supporting "civil unions" but opposing "marriage for same-sex couples."

What I wonder at this point is whether we have moved beyond the area where compromise is possible? The logic compromise is "civil unions", where traditional couples keep the name "marriage" and same-sex couples do not, but where the word is equivalent from a legal standpoint. But this moderate course more and more is anathema to both sides, because the wrestling has ceased to be over the rights and conditions of the couples and has become about the social acceptance and normalization of same-same lifestyles.

What do Mod-Bloggers think? Is there still a reasonable middle road here, or are we heading toward an abortion-style reckoning where a winner-takes-all solution is imposed from above?

Mmm... Snow...

One more Merry, Merry to all Mod-Bloggers

Merry Christmas from the Nomad

Candlelight Service

Candlelight Service
Originally uploaded by nomad7674.

Not yet candlelit.

Merry Christmas Eve

No, this is NOT the bell choir that CRChair and I take part in, but I appreciate the skill and arrangement here.

This is for CRChair - Mixing two of his favorite things

I needed a dog fix today

Do banks understand this is how they are viewed?

My sense is no. Bankers are like anyone else, and think they are the victims and innocent in the current economic slump. From here.

Double Standards

GWB Sends Thank Yous to Every Soldier Killed in Iraq and Afghanistan

There is plenty to fault President George W. Bush for. The handling of Katrina, the War in Iraq, the economic collapse, the flawed bailouts... the list goes on. But it is important to remember that even in the depth of ones popularity, no president is all wrong. Consider the latest news that the president personally wrote letters to the families of every soldier who died in Iraq and Afghanistan to thank them for their sacrifice.

"I do get a little emotional because it's - I'm genuine when I say I'll miss being the commander in chief," the president told The Times. "I am in awe of our military. And I hold these folks in great respect. And I also sincerely appreciate the sacrifices that their families make."

Whether you agree with the War or not, we need to honor military families who have given the ultimate sacrifice in serving their country. And those who were willing, but did not have to give it. It is impossible to overestimate how much we owe the men and women who have served the country under all manners of commanders and chief.

Banks Refuse to Detail Bailout Money Useage

There is an old saying, "A fish stinks from the head," which means that corruption (in both the moral and physical sense) begins with those in leadership. A few weeks back, the Treasury Department began refusing to disclose how the TARP bailout money was being used. Other than theatrical cries of outrage, no one did anything about it. No lawsuits, no independent investigations, no press outlet pledging to track the money to the ends of the earth. (Please correct me in the comments, if I am wrong and just missed it.) Is it any surprise therefore that apparently banks are following the leader and refusing to account for how bailout money is being used? Why potentially compromise competitive disadvantage when it appears that no one is going to make you play by the rules of the game?

This "secrecy" needs to be broken ASAP. I understand the attitude of banks - they are not used to publicly accounting for where the money raised from stock sales are used and such an accounting could well inadvertently disclose information that could be used by a competitor. (For example, if a big bank were about to roll out an innovative new lending product that they expect to capture a good deal of the market.) But the fact is that he who pays the piper, gets to choose the tune. The cost of taking this money was to be held accountable for its use. And every day that the money's use is "kept secret" is undermining trust in banks and the economy, and simply making things worse.

Mr. President, Give the order. Force banks to disclose the use of bailout funds before the inauguration of Barack Obama. Otherwise, there is little hope for a restoration of trust in the drivers of the American economic system. "Trust me," only works BEFORE the Fall.

Mac vs PC: Transformers-Style

This is more than a little creepy, but has some of the higher production values that I have seen in a YouTube parody. Some language at the start is not entirely family-friendly, but not profane.

Mod-Blog Reunion

Every person in this photo is either a Mod-Blog poster or regular commenter. Can you identify them all? (Screen names only, please.)

Santa bailout

Christmas Bells

Christmas Bells
Originally uploaded by nomad7674.

Is Congress becoming irrelevant?

When George W Bush announced loans to automakers from the TARP program, after Congress failed to pass a bailout, I asked the question why Congresspeople were praising the move. If the President can bypass Congress in something like this, why not bypass them altogether? Now, George Will is asking whether Congress has essentially become irrelevant for the foreseeable future of government.

Congress' marginalization was brutally underscored when, after Congress did not authorize $14 billion for General Motors and Chrysler, the executive branch said, in effect: Congress' opinions are mildly interesting, so we will listen very nicely -- then go out and do precisely what we want.

Friday the president gave the two automakers access to money Congress explicitly did not authorize. More money -- up to $17.4 billion -- than had been debated, thereby calling to mind Winston Churchill on naval appropriations: "The Admiralty had demanded six ships: the economists offered four: and we finally compromised on eight."

If the use of TARP funds is not challenged in the Supreme Court, then Congress will simply have given up and we may well be on our way to a dictatorship. Or at least an Empire.

Gotta admit, I had not seen it this way

From Townhall.Com

This is for Bowhunter, i.e. Cat Owner Man

Biking Update - December 20, 2008

Not a great week for biking, as it turned out. Saturday was too cold for me to induce anyone else to bike with me, and all those I asked told me if *I* biked alone that I was crazy. I dithered about it until it was too late. Then a busy Sunday and early sunsets the rest of the week meant that the only bike-riding I did this week was on the stationary bike in the attic. I did work on my new Dahon Matrix a bit, though. The bike has been seriously scratched during storage and shipping, so Dahon shipped me some touch-up paint for free. So, I have put several coats onto the scratched areas. I am not so worried about aesthetics - it is not so bad for a bike intended for off-road to look like it has seen some action - but to ensure that the bike is protected from the elements. I'll probably work at it a bit more this weekend, as there are a few scratches that really need the bike upside down to treat.

Weight-wise, however, the news has been all good. I started the 100 Push-up Challenge this week, and many friends warned me that it might cause me to gain some weight, in muscle mass. If so, it was offset by large losses in weight as I hit a new low this week of 220.8 lbs! (Yes, you can see I did bounce back up by about a lb the next day, such is life with a metastable system.) My new goal is to reach 220 lbs by February (I am sure Christmas dinner will set me back a bit) so this means I may reach the goal a couple of months early. I have lost enough weight that I want to ensure new losses are maintained, and that I am not losing faster than is healthy. But it sure feels good to see the line continue to trend downward on the graph. Thanks also to everyone else who is doing the 100 push-up challenge with me, and reporting in on Twitter. It is a lot easier to keep this kind of thing up with friends to hold you accountable.

Next week will likely be more of the same, plus the aforementioned Christmas dinner. Christmas will be a free day, when I'll let myself eat what I want. Then back to the normal slog. Have not decided how I am handling New Years, yet, but we may be traveling down to see some Delawarian Mod-Bloggers, so that may present new opportunities for exercise and for challenging the plan.

Church Threatens to Make Sins Public

A Floridian is claiming that the church that she used to attend is threatening to talk publicly in their church about her "sins" as she is currently in a sexual relationship with her boy friend. She was recently divorced and her husband and children still attend the church, but she now attends a different church. The Church doesn't want to comment on the issue, but recently sent her a letter laying out that they are moving to the final step in church discipline of bringing an unrepentant sinners sins in front of the congregation. They base this on their reading of Matthew chapter 18.

The Way We Were?

Newsweek has up a series of pieces detailing what cultural works their editors have concluded defined America in the Bush years. The piece on BSG mirrors my own thoughts very well and it's why I'm convinced that the show is still the best thing on TV. I'm so very sad that it will be ending after only eight more episodes. I've never watched 24 so I can't say much about that one.

But what really caught me was a rather lengthy critique that makes some really valid points. I don't agree with everything that the author says, but I do agree with his primary point, that the Bush years have been a series of wasted opportunities for America. I highly recommend reading the piece even though it will take a few moments. The writer has come really good insights and echoes what I have said for several years, that the consumerism mentality of America in this decade is little more than a morphine drip to help us do anything necessary to avoid dealing with the reality of our current situation. And both the Right and the Left are guilty of allowing our nation to chose the cheap route time and time again.

As the curtain closes on the Bush presidency (and on the same day when he yet again trumps common sense and free market principles by bailing out the automakers) this president's ultimate failure will not be the invasion of two Middle-Eastern nations, it will not be the promotion of torture, it will not even be a faltering economy. All those things will stand as a mark on his terms, yes. I believe that history will redeem him on the wars, but I pray that it never will redeem him in allowing torture to become associated with America, and with socializing our economy.

But beneath it all, I believe history will judge Bush most harshly for his failure to challenge our nation in the days after 9/11. Yes, he lead us in some important ways. But the President failed to call America to something better. He encouraged us to go and shop, to act like everything was okay, to trust that the government would take care of everything. Instead, he should have called on us to pay down our debt for the sake of an economy we all knew was heading for trouble, to drive less, to pressure companies to move forward with alternative fuels sooner, to learn more about our world rather than shrinking more from it, to demand more from our government in transparency and competency and demand less from it in the form of handouts. But he did not. And in choosing the path that he did, this President ultimately failed to truly take grasp of the destiny that was within his reach.

Had the President stepped up, I still believe that Bush would now be preparing to leave the White House as a hero. Instead, he's barely going to scrape by with any reputation left. And he has damaged the entire party and our chances in the eyes of the American people.

Bush bails out the Automakers

You know the Auto Bailout. You know, the one that Congress - the only body entrusted with the power to make law and spend money - turned down a week or so go? Well, the Executive Branch - you know the body entrusted to enforce law and protect the citizenry from foreign threats but NOT make law - has put it into practice by tapping the Wall Street Bailout fund. Anyone want to speculate now as to why the Treasury Department refuses to say who got loans from this fun? My guess: it was used to bail out only a few banks, but make loans to all other parts of the economy that taxpayers would be furious about.

Here's hoping SOMEONE in the next 4 to 8 years can restore a Constitutional government in the USA. Because the way things are being run right now, the cart is definitely before the horse.

Auto industry gets their bailout

As has been expected since the failure of the plan in the Senate, President Bush today unveiled his auto industry bailout.  To the untrained eye it seems like the plan the Republicans were willing to vote for but couldn't get the UAW to agree to. Bonus is that in its initial stage the money is less than the original plan and there are supposedly restructuring requirements.  I hope this actually helps them, though being the skeptic that I am, I highly doubt it will. 

All the Physics and Math Nerds will get this

Irony, Thy Name is Human Nature

Quote of the Day

A Great Quote on Neal Bortz' Blog today. This is by Neal himself in response to a sign a listener saw hanging in a public school.

"The rich keep getting richer because they keep doing what it was that made them rich ... ditto for the poor." - Neal Bortz

Obama asks Evangelical to give Invocation at Inaugural

In yet another outreach to "values voters" and "social conservatives", President-elect Barack Obama has asked Pastor Rick Warren - pastor of Saddleback Church where the infamous "above my pay grade" response was given during the campaign - to give the invocation at the inauguration. This prayer at the start of the event asks God's blessing upon it and upon the man being sworn in as President of the United States.

According to reports, gay rights groups are furious over the perceived betrayal, especially in light of the referendum in California.

Mmm... Snow biking...

HIV does not need a break to enter the body

For years, conservatives has been ridiculed for claiming the only sure way to prevent AIDS was to abstain from sex outside of marriage or at least outside of a committed relationship with a tested, monogamous partner. We have been told over and over that there are plenty of effective alternative methods to prevent HIV transmission. But again, we are learning HIV is wily and extremely flexible in its infection strategy.

Instead of infiltrating breaks in the skin, HIV appears to attack normal, healthy genital tissue, U.S. researchers said on Tuesday in a study that offers new insight into how the AIDS virus spreads.

They said researchers had assumed the human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV, sought out beaks in the skin, such as a herpes sore, in order to gain access to immune system cells deeper in the tissue...

He said until now, scientists had little understanding of the details of how HIV is transmitted sexually in women.

But fear not. I am sure the leaders in our public schools will never allow abstinence to be taught.

NY Introduces "iPod Tax"

Proving yet again the problems with trusting un-elected officials in office, NY Governor David Patterson has introduced a huge set of new taxes in his 2009 budget, including a so-called iPod tax.

Trying to close a $15.4 billion budget gap, Paterson called for 88 new fees and a host of other taxes, including an "iPod tax" that taxes the sale of downloaded music and other "digitally delivered entertainment services."

One can only assume the Governor has not been paying attention to Apple's stance on such taxation in the past. If the governor expects Apple to collect this tax, he may be surprised and simply see Apple stop doing business with all IP addresses in the State. We'll see if New Yorkers stand for this first-of-its-kind special tax on their music.

Critical Internet Explorer Flaw Discovered

There are many reasons why I recommend that friends switch from Internet Explorer to an alternative browsers like Safari, Firefox, or Chrome. But the most prominent has to be the ongoing litany of security failures seen in Microsoft's flagship internet product. Consider this new vulnerability reported yesterday, which allows an attacker to run arbitrary code on the target system. (i.e. An attacker can download a program to your computer and run it.) That such a vulnerability exists is not itself noteworthy. What is unique is this blurb from the alert.

The vulnerability is confirmed in Internet Explorer 7 on a fully patched Windows XP SP3 and in Internet Explorer 6 on a fully patched Windows XP SP2, and reported in Internet Explorer 5.01 SP4. Other versions may also be affected.

This means the vulnerability is in every supported version of Internet Explorer including the most recent builds running on Vista. Most flaws of this type are specific to a given version, introduced by some well-meaning developer. This one was missed back since at least Exporer 5.

For your own safety, please choose an alternative browser today.

Update 3:05 PM EST: Microsoft has apparently issued a patch to address the vulnerability. I'm staying on Firefox and Chrome for a while myself. Safari on my Mac.

This hit me just right today

Mod-Blog by Wordle

If you ever wondered what Mod-Blog looked like as a Word Cloud, wonder no further. This is based on articles posted in December only.

Soothing Nerves

Yesterday's post appears to have frazzled some nerves. Here is a more calming post from this past weekend's Christma concert at our church. Thanks to CRChair for acting as videographer.

Gas prices

Gas prices
Originally uploaded by nomad7674.

What the "Shoe Throwing Incident" really means

Much is being made of an incident over the weekend where an Iraqi journalist threw his shoes at President George W. Bush. The touching of the soles of ones shoes to a person is considered a great insult in the Iraqi culture, and the journalist intended to condemn the poor job Bush has done in the war and the suggestion that Americans could be in the country for many years to come.'

The incident is being viewed by many as a repudiation of Bush and a major international incident. But it should be seen as what it truly is. A sign of a slowly maturing democracy, where people are confident enough in the protection of their freedom that they can protest without fear of reprisal. Do we think in the culture of Sadaam Hussein's Iraq that such a thing could happen without someone dying? Do we think it is even possible today in nearby friendly countries like Saudi Arabia? Nope. This is a sign that Iraqis - while upset at the situation in many ways - are confident that they have freedoms and that they will be protected. This is a good thing.

Diamond in the Rough, Or Just Shiny, Shiny Coal?

From Townhall.Com.

The "Reality-Based" Community

I really, really want to join the Reality-based community. It seems like the rules are awesome. Say whatever you want, regardless of facts, and you've created a new reality. I mean really, how awesome is that? Take this example from DU.

As a lifelong Democrat I have watched in despair as the Republicans turned working Americans to their side with twisted "values" issues, convincing blue-collar workers and the suburban middle class to vote Republican on the basis of guns, God, and gays. W the loser was a "nice guy you want to have a beer with" and Ronald Reagan was a saint.

It seemed like nothing the Democrats said made any difference. We were "elitist." We fussed about unimportant things like the economy using big words and "lying with statistics." We "didn't care about the little guy."

Recent events have finally opened the eyes of the people. Multi-billionaire Wall Street hedge fund operators get a no-strings-attached bail-out and keep their bonuses and luxury junkets, but Detroit gets nothing unless the skilled workers who build the cars agree to slash their wages and benefits. The real Republican family values are now exposed for all to see.

Am I on crazy pills? The Democrats were the party that pushed the bailout for Wall Street. Bush and McCain were among the only Republicans to actually support the legislation. Sadly, the leadership in Congress wussed out and went along with it, but it was kicking and screaming. The Wall Street bailout was a liberal plan from start to finish.

How on earth can anyone look at that and rewrite history so easily? And now those mean Republicans don't want to give the big 3 everything they want on a silver platter and have actually grown a backbone enough to stand up to the President. Ironically enough, supporting the wishes of the considerable majority of this nation while they do it. I don't know what reality liberals live in, but it might be nice to vacation there on occasion, if only I could find a map to la-la-land.

Explanation of the Mortgage Meltdown

Biking Update - December 13, 2008

This is one of those fun weeks where I have a lot to talk about both in terms of weight loss and biking. First, this was one of those rare winter weeks where I did get to bike. Last Saturday, CRChair and I took a long COLD ride along the beach in Stratford. I had been wanting to bike for several weeks, but the weather had not cooperated. Finally, we had a sunny, dry day. We brought out Trek (i.e. non-folding) bikes and by the time we were able to bike (more on why it was so late, later) we realized sunset was pending and most of the biking trails would be closing. So we went to the beach instead, because the roads never close. We got there with temperatures around 35 - the coldest we had ever ridden in - but were dressed up in our "winter biking clothes". Multiple layers, long sleeves, long-fingered gloves, etc. It was a great ride, but much colder than I had expected. The layering worked, but was not entirely effective until we had been moving hard for a while and were generating internal heat. We went about 8 miles in the end, took a lot of really nice sunset photos, and confirmed that humans lose a LOT of heat out of the top of their heads... especially when wearing helmets with wind holes in them.

The other biking story of the week concerns my new folding bike - a Dahon Matrix. I reported the purchase last week, and that we had brought it to a local bike shop, Amity Bikes in Woodbridge, CT. What I did not know at the last report, was that I was in for a LONG day when I came to pick up the bike. We got there about 11:30 AM and found that a squirrel-related emergency had stopped them from working on my bike Friday, so they had only just started on it when we arrived. They asked us to give them an hour, so we went to lunch. When we got back, the owner had a worried look on his face. "Uh, did you buy this in a scratch-and-dent, as-is sale?" Nope. "Um... You'd better come in back with me." He showed me a number of scratches that I had failed to notice the first time, informed me that the front wheel was unusable, one of the shifters was completely useless, that the stem was broken and unsafe, that the clamp that held the seat in place had been stripped, and... well, you get the picture. Apparently, when I got my great deal on this bike, the online bike store sent me the worst one in their inventory. They were able to replace all of the components, and most of them actually got upgraded in the process. But I wound up spending $150 on a bike that I have saved a little over $300 on. I have contacted the bike shop that sold this to me to see what we can work out. So far, they have opened a ticket for me, and are researching my case. I'll let you know how it goes. Dahon, on the other hand, has been great to work with and sent me a bottle of touch-up paint for the scratches free of charge. And the bike itself rides beautifully. If the weather agrees, I hope to do my first real ride on the Matrix tomorrow.

Weight-wise this has been a good week, too, as I finally fell below 225 and stayed below it for at least 3 days. You may recall that 230 was my goal weight, and now I am seeing how low I can go. After thanksgiving, I saw a spike in weight and then a quick return to nominal. But it was struggle for a bit afterwards to begin losing again. Now that I am eating on plan again, every day, and exercising regularly, I appear to be losing regularly again. I am hoping to reach 220 lbs by February - giving me time for Christmas to cause food issues - but at this rate I might reach that by the end of the year. Either way, I have now lost over 60 lbs since I started back in June. This is amazingly encouraging to me, and hopefully means good things for my health in the long-term.

The Ghost of HUAC Haunts Michigan

I can't believe anyone would use this kind of language in a time of turmoil and trouble in the economy. If she were my governor, I'd be talking Recall.

"It is unacceptable for this un-American, frankly, behavior of these U.S. senators to cause this country to go from a recession into a depression," Granholm said during a radio interview Friday morning.

Negotiations over an agreement to assist Michigan's Big Three stalled last night in a 52-35 vote on a procedural motion to bring up the package for a vote. Republicans largely opposed the bill after it failed to win concessions from the United Automotive Workers union on wages and benefits.

“It is such an unbelievable stab at workers across the country,” Granholm added. “You give this big bailout to these financial institutions–don’t ask a single question, they can do what they want–and then you lay the blame for the auto industry, which is a victim of this financial meltdown, on the backs of the people who are working on the line.”

Let me be clear. "Un-American" is putting your own interests ahead of the Constitution. Let's see, who is doing that in this situation? Senators who are trying to avoid a deficit that we may not be able to afford, and avoid throwing good (taxpayer) money after bad? Or a governor whose political future is tied to getting a bailout, whether her constituents really deserve it or not? Hmmm...

Sorry, governor. The senators are rubber and you are glue...

Auto Bailout dies in Senate... for now

Union bosses refused to consider wage cuts before at least 2011, so the Senate tabled the discussion until January. The auto bailout is dead... for the moment. Democrats and the Bush administration are already hinting that they may simply give the money anyway, from the bank bailout fund.

If Congress is actively asking the President to bypass Congress, what is our legislature for again?

Brilliant and simple critique of the bailout

A particularly pessimistic investor has up a simple and brilliant critique of the banking bailout this morning. One should note it would apply equally well to the coming auto-maker bailout, and is a reminder of why, perhaps, the Republican party deserved to lose power in the 2008 elections.

"What is outrageous economically and is outrageous morally is that normally in times like this, people who are competent and who saw it coming and who kept their powder dry go and take over the assets from the incompetent," he said. "What's happening this time is that the government is taking the assets from the competent people and giving them to the incompetent people and saying, now you can compete with the competent people. It is horrible economics."

Isn't it time to realize that we can't resolve the economy with wishful thinking? It isn't enough to WISH that companies had managed their balance sheets better. It is better to reward those who did, and allow them to become the success stories.

George Bush Doesn't believe Bible is Literally True

In an interview Monday, President George Bush said that he doesn't believe that the Bible is literally true. He then goes on to say some things that would also be rough for evangelicals who voted for him to swallow. This includes saying he believes he prays to the same God as people in other religions. I'm not saying the President Bush is not "Born Again", but he is definitely not as much part of the Christian Right as we thought. This begs the questions. If President Bush is not a Christian Conservative and is not a Fiscal Conservative, then what is he?

Iranian Students Demonstrate for Democracy

I am not a believer in George W. Bush's contention that it is America's duty to "export Democracy" around the world, the most visible expression of which is the War in Iraq. But I am a believer that people in all nations thirst for liberty and freedom. It is reassuring that at the same time Iran is flirting with nuclear oblivion to see students demonstrating against the dictatorship and for democracy. It is a reminder that even in nations held in bondage by a strong hand and a philosophy that supports tyranny, the light of freedom burns still.

Hundreds of students from different colleges gathered Sunday at Tehran University to protest against injustice and the dictatorship which runs their country and their lives.

The gathering marked "Students' Day," a commemoration of the day about 50 years ago when the Shah's police attacked students.

Iranian students inside the Islamic Republic and abroad have long used the occasion to call for political freedom and voice their struggle against dictators - first the Western-backed Shah, and now the hard-line Islamic regime led by Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

I pray that in time these students can bring about transformation in their country. I am not naive enough to think it will be soon or easy, but I am hopeful that it may come in time.

"Hussein" Disparagng During Elections, No Big Deal Now

Barack Obama will use his middle name when being sworn in as president. He will say "I Barack Hussein Obama do solemnly swear...". I have no real problem with this, but think it is ironic that his middle name was so off limits during the elections and now is considered not a big deal now. He says that he is making no statement of any kind by using his middle name. He says he is just following tradition.

When comics save the REAL world

With the rise of comic book movies, more and more we are being reminded just how fantastic and anti-realistic comics have always been. But MentalFloss has up an interesting article that details times when comic book characters changed the real world for the better. Did you know the Superman radio drama caused the downfall of the real KKK? Did you know why Popeye eats spinach? Click on thru for the full story.

Stay Out of the Doghouse

Got a link to this funny JC Penny Ad from a friend. Warning: There is one "tv friendly" bad word in the video that I heard.

USPS Servers Going Up In Smoke

As of yesterday, it appears that the U.S. Post Office is having trouble with their servers that allow programs to get a real time shipping quote. Developers of e-commerce solutions are having to find backup solutions such as estimating shipping costs or building current shipping costs into their program as the USPS. As of 9:20 AM PST, they were still down. Here's hoping that no Mod-Blog readers are affected by this.

Illinois Governor Arrested

Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich was arrested today on charges of soliciting bribes, and conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud. This charges are in relation to his search to name a replacement for Barak Obama's Senate seat and other things he has done as Governor. The federal government has wire taps which seem to be pretty damning of the Governor.

Yes, I know this has been done to death...

...but we still need to be reminded.

Gas prices

Gas prices
Originally uploaded by nomad7674.

Auto Bailout is Pending

More than anything else, what doomed John McCain's run for the presidency? No, not David Letterman. It was the bailout legislation which bailed out banks with no real accountability for the companies or the regulators. So, what is Congress's first priority after the election? A nearly identical bailout for the auto makers. Despite earlier claims that no bailout would be offered without a clear plan from all automakers.

The amounts under discussion are less than half the $34 billion that the automakers asked Congress for last week. Some economists believe they may need $75 billion to $125 billion to survive in the longer term.

Nevertheless, lawmakers fear a recession will deepen if any of the three giants -- GM, Ford and Chrysler -- collapses soon. But some from Bush's Republican party don't want another rescue plan after a $700 billion Wall Street rescue package that triggered voter backlash in the November 4 congressional elections.

Critics also say market forces, not state intervention, ought to determine the fate of the auto industry.

There is nothing like throwing gasoline on a fire to end a crisis and restore calm.

Trumbull Marching Band to march in Obama's Inaugural Parade

In high school, I was a member of the marching band (one of the few oboes). One of the highlights of my experience there was playing for President George H. W. Bush during his first run for the presidency. It was not that I was a big supporter, but it was great being part of history. Now, the marching band is being honored again by a chance to play in Barack Obama's inaugural parade.

Band members learned late Friday they have been selected from a field of 1,300 organizations to represent Connecticut in Barack Obama's presidential inaugural parade Jan. 20. The marching band is made up of 105 members and 25 color guard performers.
"We got a call from the inaugural committee yesterday saying we had made it. It was real exciting," Band Director Peter Horton said today.
Dan Connolly, a senior at the high school and the band's lone drum major, said "It seemed like a long shot, but we made it. It was kind of a shock, I'm still a little in disbelief."

Congratulations, band members. May you remember this all of your lives as a moment of greatness.

Biking Update - December 6, 2008

Last week, I did not post an update because I was away for a little Thanksgiving vacation in Bath, NY and its surroundings. While away on that trip, I declared a "free day" where I could eat what I wanted. These "free days" are important to a diet plan, because it allows me to be able to say when I am tempted, "I won't have that today. The free day is coming in X days, and I can have it then." It is amazing how much pressure that takes off when I see someone else having a piece of cake, eating potato chips, or wolfing down mozzarella sticks. And you can see on the graph this week that the "free days" really show how easy it would be to put back on the pounds I have lost. That extreme spike is Thanksgiving Day, Black Friday, and that weekend. I gained almost 10 lbs over those 4 days! Luckily, when I came back to the plan on Monday, most of the pounds came right off as well. Proof that weight quickly gained, can be quickly lost... but weight left on over time, takes time to take off. I ended off this week at the low I had achieved just before Thanksgiving.

I also learned something else on this vacation. My family has a history of diabetes. I myself have never been diagnosed with even a pre-diabetic condition, but the doctor is watching me closely. Everyone who has diabetes has also had a weight problem, so we were never sure what was the cause and what was the effect. I learned this time around that my body reacts STRONGLY to sugar - as opposed to other fattening ingredients like carbs and fats. On Thanksgiving Day, I had 4 chocolate chip cookies - not large ones, normal sized - as my only sugar intake. (I have been pretty much sugar-free on the plan since July.) When I was done, my body began to shake and would not stop. After simply being uncomfortable for a bit, I got up and took a long walk around downtown Bath which burned off the excess energy. The same thing happened the next night when I had a piece of chocolate cake. (Photo to the right is from one of those walks.) Apparently, my body reacts STRONGLY to sugar and especially strongly processed sugars. It appears I might do well to avoid refined sugar in the future, even on my "free days".

But, finally, I *DO* have some biking news for my "biking update." When I was first exploring getting a bike in the late Spring, I became enamored of folding bikes because of the ease of storage and transport. And because they seemed like something a super-spy would use. While looking, the best option seemed to be the Dahon Matrix because it provided a full-sized bike (with suspension to protect my back) with no folding-bike compromises. But at the time, I decided it was impractical because folding bikes were - in general - much more expensive than standard bikes. Plus, most of them had a maximum rider weight of 230 lbs, and at the time I was MUCH more than that (see graph). But since then, I have melted off the weight and kept it off for a few months. And while up in Bath, it became evident that it would have been VERY nice to have a bike along on a trip where it was impractical to bring along the standard bikes (because of added weight and uncertainty of weather). Well, on Thanksgiving Day Performance Bike had a 20% off of everything in the store sale. They had already discounted the bike for the winter season by 15% and thrown in a free storage bag. After struggling with the decision all day, I finally decided this was my ONLY chance to get this folder for a price I was willing to pay, so I went ahead and purchased it. The bike came Wednesday and I put it together (with some difficulty) and brought it over to the bike shop to be trued up yesterday. It is a beautiful machine, and I look forward to using it on many trips and situations.

Things we take for granted

This observation is profound, and reminds us of some unique strengths of America.

...The colleague had been touring the young democracies of Eastern Europe during the American election, and he found it wasn't so much Barack Obama that immediately knocked out observers but Mr. McCain's concession speech. This is the first American transfer of power they'd seen in eight years, and they couldn't get over the peacefulness and grace with which Mr. McCain accepted the people's verdict...

Perspective on the Iraqi Withdrawal Date

One of the most under-reported stories of the Thanksgiving season was the Iraqi and American governments signing a treaty to authorize American troops in Iraq thru 2009 and setting a withdrawal date in 2010. Charles Krauthammer has up a good analysis of the deal achieved, and what it means for Iraq's government and people. The short version: It shows a much more mature parliament than we expected to ever see in Iraq only a year ago.

Canada suspends Parliament

For the last 8 years, it has been common for internet posters living in Canada to make fun of Americans unmercifully for the election of 2000 (hanging chads, etc.) and various other peculiarities of the American system of government. It appears the old saying is true, "Those in glass houses should not throw stones." Now, the Canadian government is in upheaval as for the first time ever, Canada's Prime Minister has suspended parliament by order of the Queen.

Governor General Michaelle Jean -- the representative of Queen Elizabeth, Canada's head of state -- agreed to Harper's request to shut down Parliament until Jan 26. Parliament was reconvened just weeks ago after the October 14 election.

Harper's request for suspension was unprecedented. No prime minister had asked for Parliament to be suspended to avoid a confidence vote in the House of Commons.

Such a vote had been set for Monday and the Conservatives almost certainly would have lost it, and faced the possibility of being replaced by a coalition of opposition parties.

I had no idea the crown still had so much power over our neighbor to the north. Here's hoping when Parliament reconvenes in January, they are able to govern effectively and not shown to be a paper tiger.

We miss you, Charles Shultz!

$99 iPhones at Wal-Mart?

As a power user of the iPhone, I found my 1st generation device with 8GB of memory was quickly filled to capacity with songs and videos. I still struggle sometimes to manage the content on my iPhone 3G with its relatively robust 16 GB of memory. But I know a few people who bought 4 GB iPhone when they were out there, and are plenty happy with their devices to this day.

Now, rumors are out there that Wal-Mart is preparing to sell 4 GB iPhone 3G devices starting December 28. As an Apple shareholder, this gets me very excited as it brings the iPhone into the range of a whole new class of buyer, who may be flush with store credit from returning presents. This may be Apple's attempt toward an "iPhone Nano" or "iPhone Shuffle".

The question is, would a shopper who balks at a $199 iPhone, be willing to commit to $80 a month for data and voice? Or will this phone also be on a pay-as-you-go or cheaper voice-only plan?

I just needed a laugh today

The Value of Life In a "Me First" Society

I was disturbed over the report of a temporary worker, Jdimytai Damour, at Wal-Mart who was trampled to death on Black Friday. I did not get a chance to blog about it at the time, but with more stories coming out, it appears to be even worse than I imagined. For anyone who has not heard about the incident, a temporary worker at Wal-Mart who was posted at the front door was trampled to death by a crowd that broke down the doors in order to get into the store for the Black Friday bargains.

So, Damour must have been older and smaller for this to happen, right? In fact, he was 34 years old, 6'5", weighing 270 pounds. Quoting Nassau County Police Commissioner Lawrence Mulvey, "Literally anyone, those hundreds of people who did make their way into the store, literally had to step over or around him or unfortunately on him to get into the Wal-Mart store." Estimates were that the crowd was about 2,000 people. [see Wal-Mart Worker Trampled to Death Lacked Training, Attorney Says] Now, when a crowd of 2,000 people is all pushing in the same direction it is very hard to stop or you risk getting trampled yourself. If this had been 2,000 people running out of the store for their life, I would understand. Two thousand people pushing and shoving to get into a store? That's evidence of a "Me First" society and it cost a man his life.

Damour's coworker, Jimmy Overby, describes the account first hand. "They took the doors off the hinges. He was trampled and killed in front of me. They took me down too ... I literally had to fight people off my back." [See Wal-Mart Worker Dies When Shoppers Break Down Doors]

And if that's not enough of, "Other workers were trampled as they tried to rescue the man, and customers stepped over him and became irate when officials said the store was closing because of the death, police and witnesses said." [See Police Reviewing Video to Identify Shoppers in Wal-Mart Stampede That Killed Worker] So let me get this straight, a man is TRAMPLED TO DEATH and you're upset because you're not getting your bargain?

While police are trying to review any video surveillance, it is difficult to not only identify people, but also figure out who is liable. [See Police Try to ID Shoppers in Wal-Mart Trampling Death Surveillance Tape]

Damour's biggest crime? "[He was] trying to shield a pregnant shopper from the throngs of bargain hunters pushing their way in." [See Lawyer: Family of Trampled Worker Sues Wal-Mart Over Death] That's right, Jdimytai Damour a 34 year old, 6'5", 270 pound man was crushed to death because he was trying to protect a pregnant woman from a crowd who had to have their bargain no matter what the cost.

Damour's siblings are suing different groups that they feel were responsible including Wal-Mart (Damour had no crowd control training). Sadly, the people who are really responsible will probably not even get caught.

To the family of Jdimytai Damour, we offer our condolences. The greed and "Me First" attitude that has taken over our culture is appalling.

I hope that this incident will serve as a wake-up to our society; however, I fear that stories like this will only become more and more common.

The New American Business Plan

Apple pulls antivirus tech note

Oops. Apparently, undercutting one of your major selling points during the Christmas season is not the best way to shore up your stock price. To be fair, further research showed the doc was actually from 2007 - i.e. it was nothing new - and merely caught the attention of bloggers when the version numbers were updated on the "recommended software." My guess is this page will mysteriously return around January 1, to cover Apple from frivolous lawsuits.

Georgia ensures no filibuster-proof majority for the Democrats

Losing the presidency was like a nightmare for the Republican Party. Losing both houses of Congress was like their worst nightmare. The prospect of the Democrats also having a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate - effectively denying the minority party ANY vote - would have been the end of their world. But it had seemed possible with Georgia and Minnesota in the midst of runoffs and recounts respectively. But the win of Republican Saxby Chambliss has ensured that the GOP can still have a voice in the upcoming Congress. A small tiny, whiny voice. But a voice nonetheless

n the end, Martin, a 63-year-old former state lawmaker from Atlanta, wasn't able to get Obama voters back to the polls in large enough numbers to overcome the Republican advantage in Georgia, which has become an increasingly a reliable red state since 2002.
Turnout was light throughout the state Tuesday. A spokesman for Secretary of State Karen Handel predicted between 18 and 20 percent of the state's 5.75 million registered voters would cast ballots - far less than the 65 percent who voted in last month's general election.
The runoff between the former University of Georgia fraternity brothers was necessary after a three-way general election prevented any of the candidates from getting the necessary 50 percent.

Apple now suggests "multiple" Antivirus programs

After years of bragging about MacOS X's invulnerability to computer virii (there has never been a virus for MacOS X seen in the wild), they are now changing their tune. Not only are they recommending antivirus software, but actually recommending multiple, overlapping software so that hackers can not target only a single algorithm. This leads to the obvious question: "What do they know that we do not?" Is this simply a move to insulate them against potential future lawsuits, or is there a MacOS X virus out there that we just don't know about yet?

Acorns MIA?

This is first I am hearing of it, but apparently some parts of the USA are seeing no acorns this year. How is the crop in your area of the country? Are the squirrels looking thinner this year?

How involved was Pakistan in the Mumbai attacks?

While Americans were busy eating turkey and shopping for Black Friday deals, India was busy dealing with their own equivilent of 9/11, as 10 gunmen invaded railway stations, hotels, and shopping areas killing hundreds before all but one were killed by Indian commandos. The question now is how complicit was Pakistan in the attacks? The answer could decide whether two nuclear-armed countries go to war int he next few weeks.

The announcement blaming militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba, threatened to escalate tensions between India and Pakistan. However, Indian officials have been cautious about accusing Pakistan's government of complicity.
A U.S. counterterrorism official had said some "signatures of the attack" were consistent with Lashkar and Jaish-e-Mohammed, another group that has operated in Kashmir. Both are reported to be linked to al-Qaida.

(AP) Mourners gather for a memorial to pay tribute to Mumbai police officers who lost their lives in the...
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Lashkar, long seen as a creation of the Pakistani intelligence service to help fight India in disputed Kashmir, was banned in Pakistan in 2002 under pressure from the U.S., a year after Washington and Britain listed it a terrorist group. It is since believed to have emerged under another name, Jamaat-ud-Dawa, though that group has denied links to the Mumbai attack.

My own impression is that it is unlikely that Pakistan incited these attacks, but that it is very likely one or more Pakistani officials looked the other way to allow them to happen. Pakistan is in the midst of a transition from one government to another, and in that time there is a power vacuum. Who knows who may have stepped in?