Category: Personal

Greenbeanz: Dr Atkins Diet & Low Carb Specialists. Two stores, in Fremont and San Ramon, with a third coming in a few months in San Jose. Did some serious shopping at this place, they have an excellent selection and good prices, also available online, plus the occasional class from one of the owners. Very helpful staff who know the products because they eat them.

garret linked articles on Rwanda and Afghanistan today that provoked a similar reaction in me: WTF, is everything everywhere our business (as a nation, not individuals)? Seriously, people elsewhere in the world (Rwanda) kill each other and because the US government didn’t speak out or intervene, the mess is our fault?

Same with the Afghans, no one is forcing them to live in a place with such few natural resources and harsh living conditions, or to fight each other. Okay, the Russians did start things up (and we saw some advantage in getting involved in a small way) but that’s still not on us.

Sure as individuals we might want to do our best to help our fellow human beings but that doesn’t give a nation, even one as powerful as America, the requirement to act. And therefore, cannot be blamed for not acting.

Mike Tarsala, CBS Marketwatch: Sun Micro’s secret dot-comeback plan

“Give me your phone,” Jamie said. “I need to get going and this will give me a way to stay in touch. What’s the speed dial for your boss? What’s his name, anyway?”

Lara looked over at him and he could tell that the blood loss was finally getting to her. That 15 minutes was feeling like a lot longer. “Alright but once you turn over the package you better destroy this. You don’t want to have this phone tomorrow.” She let out a short gasp and he could see the pain in her eyes. “My boss is name…his codename for this job is Stefan. Press Star One Send to get him. But only call him in an emergency, even our cellular connections aren’t as secure as we’d like, and be brief.”

He looked up, away from her for the first time in what seemed like ages but was only a few minutes. “Is there anything in your car I can get you, or a towel or shirt to put on the wound? I’ve never been up close and personal with anyone who was shot before, I don’t know what to do for you.”

“Just get going. The ambulance will be here in almost no time, they’ll take care of me, and you want to be gone before then.”

“Okay. Villa St. Roasting Company, Mountain View, man with a Toshiba laptop, browser open to the Times, Thai coffee, not white. Noon.” She shook her head yes, with effort, and he could see in her eyes that the med techs better arrive soon. This was so not what he expected when he accidentally spilled her coffee, what, 45 minutes earlier. To almost be shot at and then get asked to play spy! He got up, looked around to see that there was, well, nothing special to see. Jamie looked back down at Lara.

“Alright then, I’m gone.”

I haven’t been to the movies in a couple of weeks and I’d avoided this movie based on the terrible reviews in the newspapers. But there wasn’t anything else playing at the Dollar Movie night over in Milpitas (or Tiny Penis as the less than reverant locals like to say) that could be agreed upon. So we saw Sum of All Fears, the Ben Affleck re-imagining of Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan character.

Ryan’s books are huge bestsellers and yet the series hasn’t done so well on the big screen. Alec Baldwin didn’t work out and Harrison Ford was just too old when he made his first appearance–sometimes the Hollywood studios get caught up far to much in star power. So Clancy and fellow producer Mace Neufeld decided that, with so many more Ryan novels yet to be filmed, they needed a fresh start with a younger actor and got the 30 year old Affleck, who will be thrilled to have the $15-20 million dollar paychecks these films are sure to bring him. The creative types also needed to revise the Ryan character, who is in his late 30s and at a more advanced stage in his CIA career in the novel, and so they made him just one of the analysts in the CIA’s Russia section. John Clark (played by Liev Schreiber in place of Clear and Present Danger’s Willem Dafoe) is another major character in the Ryan world and the script has him younger than the novel, though just as weary of fieldwork and just as efficient and deadly. They also changed the villains from Muslim terrorists to neo-Nazis although this was a pre-9/11 decision, but that was probably a wise choice.

Overall, I have to disagree with the critics. There were parts of the plot that got compressed too much and not everything made enough sense–girlfriend Dr. Muller is standing in front of big glass windows as the bomb goes off, the glass is blown in towards her and the pressure wave throws her 10 feet or so, but she is essentially unharmed and doesn’t get enough radiation exposure to do any damage. John Clark is almost as good at slipping in and out of personas as Jarrod from The Pretender but with a better travel budget and superior tools. The film moves so fast that it doesn’t always take the time to make sure we know who a particular character is.

But Affleck was strong as Ryan, Morgan Freeman puts just the right amount of wry in his delivery, Alan Bates delivers the leader of the neo-Nazis as someone who really believes in his own psychotic vision, and the remainder of the cast does well, especially the US Cabinet members and Michael Byrne as Russian spymaster Anatoli Grushkov. Phil Alden Robinson keeps his finger on the action button, with minimal stops at the exposition station, and the way he handled the big explosion was difficult to watch because of how real it seemed.

Recommended

As I was leaving this morning, another member of the self-inflicted pain brigade held the door open for me and said “This is my favorite exercise, pushing the door open to leave.” I think he held the door open for me just so he could have an audience for his quip.

Still, this was my fifth workout since starting last Thursday and no matter how boring, tiring, painful, or whatever, I am not quitting. You hear that, Mr. Fate?

The NFL is back. Watched the Jets squeeze past the Bills, when their defense barely made it possible, and fellow USC alum Chad Morton did the impossible, running back two kick returns for touchdowns, including the winner.

Also, set up a blog for a friend who shall remain nameless (at least for the time being).

Will be watching the season finales of Sex and the City and The Wire later.

This was Britney making men all over the planet drool again at the MTV Video Music Awards:

After the recent rumors about her hooking up with porn Jenna Jameson to watch hot girl-girl action, one wonders if the singer is looking to move her audience beyond young girls.

This morning’s SJ Mercury News editorial page published a My View column by State Senator John Dutra (D-Freemont) explaining his vote on SB773, legislation that would have given Californians some privacy from the companies with which they do business. The bill was defeated by a very small number of votes, including Dutra’s. I’m sure you’ll find his posturing ridiculous and a blatant attempt to cover his ass from allegations the financial industry bought his vote; I know I did. I wrote the following letter to the editor:

State Senator John Dutra, explaining his vote on the SB773 privacy bill, gives us a pretty good example of why so many people distrust politicians and feel they have no voice against the huge dollars corporations spend on lobbying and campaign donations. Given the recent changes in how the Mercury News reports on Wall St. and other market analysts, by giving a brief statement of their interest, I expected to see something similar accompanying Dutra’s essay. A listing of companies (and their executives) affected by SB773 who’ve donated to his campaign efforts in recent years and perhaps other similar information would be nice.

Specifically, of the three “central problems” Dutra cites with this legislation, I am referring to his second and third items. Some high-tech companies would be adversely affected? Some financial companies would certainly consider the effects adverse, otherwise why lobby against it, but in his first item he points to the unfairness of treating companies differently–surprised me how quickly he lost that thread of logic.

To lose some chances to be marketed at by companies I already do other business with? You mean that steady flow of junk mail might find some gaps on the occasional day? I’m sure my postal carrier would be as happy as me if that might happen. Seriously, the companies can still save their customers money but it might take a little more effort on the part of consumers. Taking some time to educate themselves on what they’re purchasing might end up with more people making more intelligent choices. Even if it cost me a few dollars here or there, though, this is still a small price to pay for keeping some of my vanishing privacy to myself.

I hope that MN columnist Dan Gilmour is right and that we get a real privacy initiative on the ballot soon. As the voters in North Dakota showed, that’s the only way consumers will get any measure of privacy in our current political atmosphere.

Culminating a Summer of increasingly difficult hiking, Byron and his buddy Rob took on Mt. Whitney and beat it like a silly snow toy. Mt Whitney, for those of you unfamiliar with your American geography, is the tallest mountain in the lower 48 states and is a part of the Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. If you think you’re up to the challenge, check out this good informational site: The Mt. Whitney Day Hike Page, and then think again.

This photo was taken at the summit, which is (drum roll please) 14,436 feet above sea level:

On the other hand, there are friends like Roger, who had the following response to the picture: “Will those guys who did all those fake Apollo/Man-on-the-Moon pix ever quit?”

Weren’t you waiting (perhaps with bated breath) for The Doors to reunite? Well, at least the living members who aren’t sidelined by ear disease? I know I was! Screw Jim Morrison! Well, your wait is ending. Ray Manzarek, the keyboardist who wouldn’t shut up, and Robby Krieger, the quiet one with the funny hair, have decided the world has waited long enough and are now touring as The Doors and plan to record and release an album next Spring.

Since John Densmore is sidelined with the hearing disorder tinnitus, Stewart Copeland will be sitting in on drums. You remember him, from the Police, and I suppose since he hasn’t had a hit in all the years since that group broke up he needs to put a few dollars in the bank. The singer will be Ian Astbury of The Cult and, for the first time, a bassist (some unknown guy from Krieger’s band). Astley’s former group never really settled on what they were about but they seemed to move from one commercial vein to another before sputtering out.

This move is somewhat surprising. Only two months ago Densmore published a screed in The Nation decrying the increasing sale of classic rock songs for use in commercials; he didn’t just criticize the concept, he named names. If Manzarek and Krieger want to play together again, fine. Without Morrison to sing and write, just don’t call it The Doors. Admit that its all about the money because if it was just about the music, they would have chosen a different name.

Apparently, this is not such new news but have you heard about it? I hadn’t. ChartAttack.com claims in that article that The Doors were {“desperate to do a reunion tour since they saw old buddies like The Who and the dudes from Led Zeppelin raking in the cash.”

Some months ago, pseudo-President Bush nominated Priscilla Owens to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Fortunately for you, me, and the rest of America, the Senate Judiciary committee today defeated her nomination by voting along strict party lines not to send her name on to the full Senate for consideration. Ms. Owens is currently a Texas Supreme Court Justice, put there by Bush when he pretended to be governor, and a ridiculously (perhaps to the point of subconcious self-hatred) conservative person. Phew!

I made my first visit to a periodontist today for a consultation after a recent series of visits to the dentist. A new dentist, here in Mountain View, very good, with good office support staff (if you want a referral just ask), who did a serious deep cleaning and other work. She got me to floss for the first time in my life by showing me x-rays of my mouth and after six weeks I can see real improvement in most of my gum so I’m converted.

Two things made this visit no very funny. First, there was a family with the appointment ahead of mine and the father was going over and over about the treatment plan and then about the payment plan. I can understand that people want to know what’s going on in their (spouse’s) mouth and pay the least amount possible but not when you’re costing me upwards of half an hour. Second, after looking at my mouth and poking me with a sharp probe, the good doctor says I need some hard work on my lower gum. Then I can only eat soft and not too hot food for two weeks. I can put it off for a few months, to get a good start on the diet, but then it’s novocaine and the knife.

Ex-WorldCom Execs Plead Not Guilty: Former Chief Financial Officer Scott Sullivan and former director of general accounting Buford Yates are going to have to come up with one hell of a good story. Maybe this, given Worldcom’s location: “Ya see, judge, we was just holding on to the money for safekeeping, we didn’t want it to get lost in the Mississippi.”

the first post on today’s entry (g, we need the per item permalinks!):

grab my coffee, first email i see: “let’s talk dirty stools.” colon-cleansing via spam email. wish i could send a post back: “let’s not, and say we did.” yuck-o.

spam sucks!

Vladimir Smicer takes Riise’s midfield spot and Heskey gets El Hadhi Diouf’s striker place in the starting 11 today but Abel Xavier kept his defensive spot. This was an aggressive game right from the start and Liverpool had the edge but were unable to net the ball in the first half despite many chances (a 10-2 lead in shots). Just prior to the half, Stephen Gerrard went down hard; at first his hurt looked like a dislocated shoulder but turned out to be just a mild ankle pain and he did not leave the game.

Hamann finally got the first score of the match in the 54th minute with a nice dispossession, a few dribbles and then a left leg blast. Newcastle manager Bobby Robson took a risk and used all three substitutions in the 63rd minute; his team was surely on the short end of the referee’s whistle this day, taking many more fouls than LFC. This paid off when Michael Owen put a penalty in the right side of the net after much frustration on his part for missing so many good opportunities. Heskey also had a poor showing after missing a couple of kicks but especially two close range headers that went out of bounds instead of in the net. Diouf took Smicer’s spot but was not able to get any offense going.

Late on, Gary Speed took a nice centering feed from Bellamy and put it in for a Newcastle tally. Gerrard went off for Cheyrou at four minutes later and I expect England coach Eriksson was relieved. But Liverpool got anxious about their narrowed lead and started playing very poorly, which paid off for the visitors who got an equalizer in the 89th minute from veteran Alan Shearer.

What a huge disappointment! The Reds had a 2-0 lead as late as the 80th minute and ended with a second consecutive draw when the three points were their’s for the taking. They would have had the top spot in the league table on goal difference over Tottenham but instead remain tied with Arsenal for second. I hope Houllier takes the long break to work with his defenders, especially Xavier, on remaining aware at game’s end; perhaps we can even look for the first defensive lineup change of the season.

Four LFC players were named to the England team (of 20 players) which will face Portugal on Saturday in a friendly, a warm-up for the Euro 2004 qualifying round: Danny Murphy, Stephen Gerrard, Emile Heskey, and Michael Owen. Given Heskey’s in and out status in the first three Premiership matches, this is somewhat surprising but national team coach Sven Goran Eriksson was somewhat limited in his choice of strikers due to various injuries. I’m looking forward to today’s match against Newcastle in a couple of hours and then the rest of the Reds are off for nine days as this weekend is devoted to international play.

“That’s… a good question. They should have stopped to finish the job and get this chip.” She poked at the box. Her hand shook. “I can’t worry about that now. I need to tell you what you need to know.”

Jamie looked at her. “I’m a computer programmer, I don’t know shit about your business. How can I help?”

“Don’t worry, you only need to be involved for two hours, to get this to a contact in the South Bay. You just need to drive your car and meet someone.” He looked at her skeptically but she must have mistook his silence for agreement because she went on. “This chip is, well, it’s something special, don’t worry just what. I work for a division of the CIA and that guy on the phone was my boss back in DC. I need to get this back to him but I’m out of the game now.”

“What about the men your boss said would be here in 15 minutes? Can’t one of them do this?”

“He’s sending medical help. The people that are coming aren’t Agency, just a medical techs on contract. We don’t have anyone working in this region right now.” A car drove past and Jamie turned his head away, as if he could hide, but the car didn’t even slow down. Just another geek looking for his morning java. Just like Jamie thought he was when he left the house an hour before.

“Who would shoot a CIA agent in plain site like this Lara? Do you have any ideas?”

“Don’t be naive. There are people willing to do anything for a few dollars and plenty of people willing to pay them to do it. If I had any thoughts that I’d be shot after stopping for coffee, I’d never have stopped, much less walked out with some guy I never met before. Listen, there isn’t much time left–are you gonna help me? What should I tell my boss?”

Jamie looked at her face, at the box in her hand, at the blood still seeping from her side. He looked away, back at the coffee shop. He thought about how different this was from the clowns he worked with, had worked with for so many years, so different from punching at the keys on his computer. He looked back at her and nodded.

“Good. The meeting is at noon at Villa St. Roasting Company in Mountain View, right off Castro. The person to meet will be sitting there by himself with a Thai coffee and a Toshiba laptop, with a web browser open to the New York Times. The only thing I know about him is he isn’t white.”

I’ve really enjoyed the time off from work, especially the last 10 months with the Sweet One, but now the good times are starting to show a little to much around the midsection. So as of this morning I’m back on the Atkins Diet. This controversial though proven diet helped me lose 39 pounds a couple of years ago and I expect to do even better this time. I don’t expect to say too much about specifics here too often but I am looking forward to fitting into the shirts and pants right now sitting unwearable in my closet.