Jon's Ramblin' Again

Jersey Quest

2010-12-08T03:29:00.001-08:00

My quest began quite innocently and with good intentions but isn’t there some saying about the road to hell beginning with good intentions or something like that? I’ve always been a big sports fan and wearing jerseys has always been my way to express that. Besides that I like the cut of most sports jerseys. I happen to think they look good on me.

My dad took me to my first A’s game when I was 4 years old. The first player I ever identified with was A’s right fielder Reggie Jackson. He threw and batted left-handed just like me. We were practically twins! Reggie has been my hero ever since and I always wanted a Reggie jersey but whenever I saw a nice Reggie jersey in a sports apparel store they always ran upwards of $100 so forget it.

A few months ago on a whim I checked eBay for some Reggie jerseys and I happened to find one that was on auction for just $20. I bid on it and eventually won it for 30. I had no idea I could get good quality jerseys that cheap. A new obsession was born.

Through eBay I was able to acquire quite a few more at some very reasonable prices. I won Latin legend and only instant Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente’s Pittsburgh Pirates jersey. Former National League MVP Albert Pujols. Former Yankees slugger Hideki Matsui (I love the guy because his nickname is “Godzilla”, another childhood obsession of mine. He actually had a cameo in a recent Godzilla movie. How cool is that?) Boston Red Sox pitched Daisuke Matsuzaka (who helped my fantasy baseball team tremendously one year). Two more A’s jerseys, one black and one green (with Barry Zito’s number on it. Don’t make fun. He was good when he played for the A’s). A road red Houston Rockets Yao Ming (Chinese guy, gotta represent). And a home blue Tennessee Titans Vince Young (can’t say I’m too proud of that one in hindsight).

Probably my best jersey conquest was finding the jersey of my all time favorite football player Ronnie Lott. I won the jersey for $5. Five bucks! I’m not kidding. It’s not perfect though. It’s not a 49ers jersey. It’s a Raiders jersey but for five bucks who cares? It was heavy and everything was stitched. I couldn’t believe my good fortune.

All these acquisitions have turned me into a bit of a jersey connoisseur, a snob if you will. Nowadays all my jerseys must be an exact replica of the players’ actual on-field garment. The logos, names, and numbers must be stitched on, not silk screened. And I have come to know knockoffs when I see them.

For example, New York Yankees jerseys should never have player names on the back, the Cardinals and A’s home white jerseys should have the player numbers on the front and back, and the baseball Giants should only have the player names on the back of their road greys and not on the home cream jerseys nor their Friday night orange jerseys.

This is not to say every jersey has been a triumph. I won a home white Seattle Mariners Ichiro Suzuki that was way too small, an orange Baltimore Orioles Brooks Robinson (the greatest third baseman of all time) that was too small as well. They went to my godson in Texas. My Albert Pujols jersey was inaccurate as the was no “5” on the front. My Warriors Stephen Curry has a blemish on the front.

I’ve also discovered that cheap jerseys can be had from the far east. I’m talking Singapore, the Philippines, and China. But that’s another story. More about that on my next post.

Why I Hate Meg Whitman

2010-10-21T19:57:00.001-07:00

Every time I see a commercial for Meg Whitman it just pisses me off. Her dishonesty and outright distortions of the truth have driven me to finally make a blog entry.

Let’s start with her lies about her maid, a woman she allegedly has known for 9 years yet claims she only discovered a few months ago she was here illegally at which point the maid was fired. Are we to believe Whitman knew this woman for over 8 years and was completely oblivious as to her citizenship status? Bullshit! She must think you and I are complete idiots. This woman claims to take a hard line on illegal aliens yet had one cleaning her house. What’s the word I’m looking for? Lair? Hypocrite? How about both?

She attacked Jerry Brown because Brown’s in favor of keeping the state’s capital gains tax. Who even benefits from capital gains? Poor people? No. It’s the rich. Meg just wants to protect her rich friends. She claims that money keeps businesses running and those businesses create jobs. Come on, Meg. Are you really using that old, tired “trickle down” Reaganomics bullshit. We’re smarter than that. The rich don’t trying to create jobs, they’re just want to create more profit. Are we to believe that the rich are interested in nobly sharing the wealth with the poor? Come on.

Then she claims that California is one of the least business-friendliest states in the country, 48th out of 50 allegedly. Gee, Meg, that must explain why Apple, Google, Yahoo!, Electronic Arts, HP and eBay (eBay, imagine that) are such miserable failures, aren’t they?

Her latest commercial offers the biggest insult of all. She claims Jerry Brown gave state employees collective bargaining power and “…the unions have just gotten stronger and stronger…No wonder why all the unions support him.” The last time I checked there was still such thing as “furlough Fridays” in California. If those unions are so powerful why can’t they stop state employees from having to take Fridays off without pay? She would have you believe all state employees have it made. If that’s the case I wonder why EVERY SINGLE STATE EMPLOYEE I SPEAK WITH talks about needing to get a second job to make ends meet? How dare you attack California’s civil servants that way, Meg Whitman.

Now she did say she’d protect the pensions of California’s safety workers. And for this all the cops are endorsing her. One of Jerry Brown’s staffers was caught on mike talking about this endorsement and calling Whitman a “whore” for which Brown apologized at the start of their final debate. But you know what? Even the president of California NOW agreed she’s a goddamn whore.

"Meg Whitman could be described as 'a political whore.' Yes, that's an accurate statement," [California NOW President Parry] Bellasalma said after a TPM blogger called to ask her about a story that appeared on the Daily Caller website. (http://tinyurl/22quou7 if you want to read it yourself)

While it is true that California did survive two terms under that horrible Pete Wilson why subject ourselves to this woman? Please vote for Jerry Brown next month.

And the Aquarist Returns, Too

2009-08-30T12:25:00.001-07:00

Two Christmases ago Karen got me a 55-gallon fish tank. This was the Christmas before we adopted Zoe. I’m sure what she had in mind was fulfilling my need for a pet. She was aware that I had kept fish for most of my life but hadn’t in a couple of years.

When I was really into it my favorite fish to keep were sailfin mollies. The males all have these long, tall dorsal fins that kind of look like sails. They come in gold, green, silver, and black strains, and I kept them all. They are Mexican in origin. In the wild they are found in limestone caves where the ocean meets the rivers. As such their ideal environment is slightly warmer than most tropical fish, hard, alkaline water that’s slightly salty. I catered to their needs. I added extra sea salt to their tank, kept the temperature up, and even threw in bags of crushed coral to maintain the alkalinity. Thankfully, most tap water here in the Bay Area is hard and alkaline anyway.

But this time around I just couldn’t get into it. Got myself a few guppies and platies. I didn’t pay any attention to them and naturally they died. I just didn’t care. I don’t know why. I just wasn’t into them.

The tank sat idle for months. I didn’t want to put that much work into fish keeping anymore. Then it hit me. Goldfish! I’ll just throw a few goldfish in there. No special requirements. No salt. Not even a heater is needed. They’re cold water fish. I refilled the tank. Let it cycle for weeks. Finally I went down to my local Petco and bought 4 fancy goldfish. Fantails to be exact. Two died within days.

A few days ago I went to PetSmart to pick up a few more. I didn’t want to put too many in. One rule I intended to follow about goldfish is not to keep too many together. They’re messy and produce too much ammonia. Also, colder water holds less oxygen. I also wanted to keep the tank fantails only. As you can see they’re not streamlined at all. The shape of their bodies and fins prevent them from being fast swimmers. Keeping a faster swimming fish with them would mean losing out on food.

I was helped by a very knowledgeable person named Tina. She told me a few things I was completely unaware of. As mid-water eaters it’s very important that they be fed that way. Eating flakes from the surface of the water is a particular danger for them. If they end up gulping any air it could lead to air bubbles in their swim bladders which is almost always fatal. If you look at their mouths you’ll see that it’s not upturned like a guppy or downturned like a catfish. Guppies mouths are made for eating from the surface of the water while a catfish’s mouth is made for bottom feeding. No, all goldfishes have mouths that are straight forward. Tina recommended soaking the flakes before introducing them to the fish.

Tina also stressed the importance of having animal and vegetable supplements. She recommended giving them peas once a week with the skin removed. Maybe a little sliver of cooked zucchini. She also recommended brine shrimp be rotated into their diet occasionally.

They must also not be overcrowded. As a rule of them they should be given about 10 gallons EACH. Therefore, I will not be adding any more to the five I now have. I might add a snail or two to consume the uneaten food on the floor of the tank.

If kept happy and healthy all goldfish can be very long lived. Fantails can live 15-20 years under the right conditions. There’s no way they’ll ever replace the love and affection my dogs give me, but there’s no denying the peace, calm, and serenity they bring just watching them swim happily in their decorated tank.

A Note on the Passing of Ted Kennedy

Senator Edward M. “Teddy” Kennedy died last week. For me, it was a sad occasion. Although many will choose to remember him for the Chappaquiddick incident I have chosen to remember the man for all the good work he has done in his service to this country as a US senator. He chose to represent the underrepresented. Over his career he had help to pass legislation that raised minimum wages, protected the rights of the mentally ill and the handicapped, migrant laborers and union labor, civil rights, was a key figure in ending the war in Northern Ireland, the list goes on.

He was the patriarch of the Kennedy clan and had that responsibility thrust upon him at the tender age of 36 when his brother Bobby was assassinated. I imagine that if a heaven exists and that his brothers Jack and Bobby are there they must have been very pleased with how he carried forth the Kennedy legacy.

Amongst his most famous quotes was, “For all those whose cares have been our concern, the work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives, and the dream shall never die.” Powerful words, indeed, but my favorite was the final lines of the eulogy he gave at his brother Bobby’s funeral, “Some men see things as they are and say why. I dream of things that never were and say why not.”

Farewell, Senator Kennedy. The world will miss you, America will miss you, and I will miss you.

Maria Shriver and Governor Schwarzenegger

This has been a particularly difficult time for California’s First Lady, Maria Shriver. Just two weeks prior to losing her Uncle Teddy her mother Eunice Kennedy Shriver died. My thoughts and sympathies go out to her, Governor Schwarzenegger, and their family.

And by the way, I must mention despite being a “lame duck” governor Governor Schwarzenegger hasn’t stopped trying to do the right thing for the state. Last week The Governator ordered state surpluses be sold off at auction. He had the foresight to autograph a few items. I have no doubt that those items were worth a great deal more. The auction raised more than a million dollars that will benefit state coffers.

On general principle I shouldn’t like Arnold because he’s a Republican, but I do. For the most part he has avoided partisan politics. He has put his film career aside, no small sacrifice. And he has always tried to do right by California. He may be “just an in-law” and he belongs to the wrong political party but his sacrifice and sense of duty to public service has made him a worthy member of the Kennedy legacy.

Return of the Sports Geek

2009-08-20T06:31:00.001-07:00

Anyone who’s known me for a while know that I have been a sports geek since I was a little kid, long, long before anyone had ever coined that term. When I first discovered baseball stats and understood what they were I was completely fascinated with those numbers.

Then my cousin Gary introduced me to the next element on the road to sports geekdomhood, sports gaming. This was ages before EA Sports, video games, or personal computers. No, these were board games. Basketball, baseball, football, golf, Gary had them all. And these weren’t the kind of games that had flippers, spinners, or balls that tested your reflexes. These were simulations that had player cards with dice, action cards, and result charts. These were the kind of games that were intended for people who took their sports gaming seriously.

My mom got me started with a few titles of my own. The first was Avalon Hill’s Statis-Pro Basketball. The game included player cards for every player of all 26 teams (yes, there were only 26 teams in the NBA at the time). I was in heaven. I played game after game. I wore those cards down to paper rags. Part of playing the game properly was having to record each players stats. You had to keep track to reasonably emulate each players’ playing time. A light went on. Stats! I had stats of my own now!

Of course, I couldn’t just throw my stat sheets in the trash. I had to keep them and tabulate them and record them. Ultimately, this is why I believe I’m good in math. I kept and calculated those numbers by hand. Before too long I could tell you things like 2/7=.286 off the top of my head without even thinking about it. It was tedious and time consuming but it was a labor of love, and boy, did I love it.

It turns out I wasn’t alone in my love of sports gaming. Avalon Hill (sadly, no longer in existence) had their own quarterly magazine devoted to their own line of sports games. I read an article written by someone who was reporting on his results from a league he had put together using one of their baseball titles. His league had six teams, all fictional, playing a 50 game season. The teams consisted of players he had drafted from a pool of all major leaguers. They were all-star teams playing against each other in an all-star league. I HAD to do something like this myself! And an obsession was born.

My own efforts included my NAFL football league, NABL baseball league, and the NABA, my basketball league. The “NA” always stood for “North American”. For some reason my leagues always have to include at least one Canadian team. However, as a young and foolish teenager I couldn’t fathom the work involved in keeping all those stats. I never completed any one season. All of my leagues ended up being abandoned no more than halfway completed.

At 19 I decided to give an all-star basketball league another try. The NABA consisted of exactly six teams playing a 30 game schedule playing each game on my old, tattered Statis-Pro Basketball board game, keeping all stats by hand. It was a lot of work and although it took over a year to finish, I actually completed my entire season, playoffs, finals, and all.

I was proud of my work but felt it would be more meaningful if I could establish continuity. I was able to complete a second season under the same parameters. I was satisfied with myself but was questioning the value of doing so much work.

By then I had my first IBM PC clone and discovered APBA computer basketball. The program was also a simulation, not an arcade game. I could still run my all-star league and best of all it kept stats. No more pencils with worn erasers for me. No more hours being bent over my coffee table with score sheets and cheap calculators. Running my league was now a breeze.

The NABA enjoyed a six-season run that ended about 15 years ago when I eventually grew bored and lost interest. In those six season the league enjoyed regular rookie drafts and expanded three times, eventually ending with 12 teams, double the number of its humble start.

I haven’t mentioned hockey yet. Yes, there was an NAHL, but about a third of the way through my inaugural season I came to the conclusion that the program I was using just wasn’t producing satisfactory results and called it to a halt.

Since then I haven’t bothered much with games like this but they’ve always held a special place in my heart. They’re a dying breed, too. With EA Sports offering video games with photorealistic graphics people just aren’t interested in text-based sports gaming any more. Games like the ones I enjoyed so much are few and far between.

Fortunately, there are a few old-school, hardcore lovers of text-based sports games like me out there. This one in particular has inspired me to revive my efforts and carry on once more.

Quest Hockey Simulation is the singular effort of Mr. Joe Gucciardo of Howard Beach, NY. As a rooter of underdogs I had to give this one-man endeavor a try. I downloaded the demo and found it very impressive. I’ve discovered that the program isn’t set up to do draft leagues but can be done with a little work.

What the hell? Why not give it a go? Joe’s only charging $17 for the full version of the game. Why not show an independent programmer and fellow sports geek a little support?

Preparations are now being made for the NAHL’s revival. This will be an eight team league with two four-team divisions playing a 40-game season. I’ll be creating a website where I’ll be posting the results of my nerdy efforts.

A Post Script to my July 4 ramble

2009-07-07T17:39:00.001-07:00

There is one more name to add my list of people that I feel embody the spirit of the American Dream. His recent death was overshadowed by the passing of Michael Jackson. It’s TV commercial spokesperson Billy Mays. You know who I’m talking about, “HI, THIS IS BILLY MAYS FOR OXY-CLEAN…”, the bearded guy with the blue shirt that always talked REALLY LOUD.

He had a TV show on the Discovery Channel called “Pitch Men”. On this program different inventors would bring their ideas to Billy and his partner. If they decided it was a product they’d believe in they’d produce the commercial themselves, usually with Billy as the spokesperson. In one episode I watched as they helped a man sell a bi-directional, hand-held circular saw. At the end of the episode they’d sold over one million units.

What embodies the American Spirit better than an inventor, a person that envisions a product or an idea that makes everyone’s life easier and makes themselves rich in the process? Billy Mays helped those people realize those dreams. That’s what made Billy Mays a great facilitator of the American Spirit, the American Dream.

There aren’t enough Americans like him. Billy Mays, you will be missed.

Happy Birthday, America!

2009-07-03T09:39:00.001-07:00

This weekend the United States of America turns 233 years old. On this occasion my thoughts turn to the ideal of the American Dream. To me, the definition of the American Dream is the idyllic image of a house with a white picket fence with a dog and raising 2.5 kids, and having the opportunity to be a success at anything you aspire to. There are many people that embody the spirit of the American Dream. These people come to mind.

Cesar Millan, otherwise known as The Nation Geographic Channel’s The Dog Whisperer, a Mexican immigrant who entered the United States as an illegal like many others with nothing. He found a passion, stuck with it, and grew his success to a point where he’s been a guest on Oprah, got his own TV show, has written many books, and now has his own signature line of dog supplies sold at what is probably the country’s biggest chain of pet stores, Petco.

The man that does yard work at my mom’s house, Martin. He is and will probably always be an illegal alien Mexican immigrant. Like many tens of thousands like him, he’ll stand on a corner at the crack of dawn waiting for someone to choose him as a day laborer. He hustles his butt off, doing any odd job that pays. He has to stash away a large reserve of cash because at any given moment he could be caught by immigration and be deported to Mexico. He has to pay thousands of dollars to the “coyotes” that smuggle him back to the States. Despite these obstacles he’s a co-owner of the house he lives in, is raising a family, and is undoubtedly making a better life for his children.

My late cousin, Tony. Tony was originally from Bolivia and was married to my cousin Yolanda. Tony returned to Bolivia to bring back his daughter Isabel. When she first got here as a little girl Isabel didn’t speak a word of English. Now, she’s grown woman, serves in the Navy, there’s not a trace of a Spanish accent when she speaks. Even years after his passing, Tony’s memory still represents the fulfillment of the American Dream.

Our governor, Arnold Schwarzeneggar, is himself an immigrant. Where else but in America can someone migrate here speaking barely comprehensible English, become a movie star, marry into a family that is almost American royalty, and be elected to the highest office in the most populous state in the union?

Our nation’s president, Barack Obama, is only one generation removed from a man that grew up in a small village in the African nation of Kenya. Imagine a man with that background having a son that would one day become the most powerful man in the free world. Where else on the entire planet could a dream like this be achieved? In the words of everyone’s favorite boxing promoter, Don King, “Only in America”.

I also think of the blue-coated militia that constituted America’s first army. They fought and died to protect America’s independence against the British Empire, the centuries long most powerful empire on Earth at the time.

Most Americans can recite the opening words to Declaration of Independence, “We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these rights are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” Those words speak of a promise, and it is thanks to people like the ones I have mentioned above that prove that America’s promise can and will be fulfilled.

God bless America. And happy birthday, too!

Father’s Day Thoughts

2009-06-23T20:13:00.001-07:00

Before I begin I’d like to regress to a story that actually relates to Mother’s Day. This is an excerpt from the article that was run on the June 18, 2009 edition of the Contra Costa Times:

Earlier this year, Alfred Rava and the Oakland Athletics came to a preliminary settlement concerning a three-year-old class-action suit over a Mother's Day weekend giveaway of free plaid reversible bucket hats. Rava accused the A's of sex discrimination after he did not receive a hat during a promotion at a game May 8, 2004.

Bob Rose, a spokesman for the A's, said the organization will no longer offer male- or female-only giveaways, in part due to the suit. As an example, Rose cited this year's Mother's Day giveaway. On May 10, the A's gave away tote bags to the first 10,000 fans.

With all due respect to my gay friends what kind of so-called man pulls a faggy move like suing someone over not receiving a free trinket on Mother’s Day? Mother’s Day, for Christ’s sake! I think even my gay friends would agree that was a faggy thing to do.

Mr. Alfred Rava, on behalf of all fans of all sports, you are no longer allowed in any venue, indoor or outdoor, that hosts any sporting event of any kind. I hope your kids (I assume you have kids since you claim to be a mother) are ashamed. I hope you were heckled, harassed, and teased.

In the words of Don Corleone to his godson Johnny, “You can act like a man!”

I had just one quick, funny story to share. Bryan and I took Dad and Betty to Skates in Berkeley for Father’s Day brunch. As we were leaving a man at an adjacent table asked Bryan, “Is that Senator Mike Honda?”, referring to Dad. (And he’s a congressman, not a senator, by the way) When we all got outside Bryan told Dad about it to which Dad replied, “It’s an easy mistake to make. After all, we all look alike don’t we?”

I wish I’d quit forgetting that.

Pedal to the Metal

2009-06-19T11:52:00.001-07:00

A few days ago an acquaintance of mine in North Carolina dodged a bullet, figuratively speaking. His 20-year old son was the passenger in a Mitsubishi Eclipse that was attempting to round a curve at 120 mph and wound up smashing into a tree. He broke one of his vertebrae, his collarbone, and an arm, but escaped any permanent damage.

It’s hardly surprising that in North Carolina, the heart of NASCAR country, you’ve got large proportion of the population that have been bitten by the speed bug. Racing is simply part of the culture. Unfortunately, a by-product of the need for speed is speeding under unsafe conditions. That’s what makes me so grateful that the Laguna Seca raceway in Monterey holds events like the ones they had yesterday.

Auto racing isn’t all about NASCAR and the Indy 500 and the 24 Hours of Daytona. Those are the high profile things that everyone knows. There’s racing at a grass roots level that exists as well, and in some ways they’re even more fun to attend because the drivers are ordinary everyday people that don’t race for that fame or the glamour or the money. They’re there for the love of the sport.

This club event featured mostly Mazda Miatas but there was a sprinkling of Honda S2000s, some BMWs, and a few others makes, including an Acura NSX, a Panoz, a Lotus, and assorted others. Bryan was there with his Miata to get in a few laps of his own.

If you’re unfamiliar with the track at the Laguna Seca raceway you should know that it’s world famous, one of the best race tracks in the US with one of the most famous turns in the world, a downhill left-right-left chicane simply known as “The Corkscrew”. When I had a Playstation 2, I had a game called “Gran Turismo”, a racing simulation that features Laguna Seca one of the tracks. It’s a pretty accurate recreation, and I must have run hundred of laps in the game. But I tell you, I was a passenger during one of Bryan’s sessions, and no matter how accurately a video game simulates the track there is nothing, and I mean nothing, that can simulate the true experience of actually being in a car, hitting 120 mph at the end of the start/finish straightaway, feeling the negative G-forces under heavy braking as you slow to enter the double-apex Andretti hairpin, feeling those same G’s pulling you sideways as you round the hairpin, and being pushed back in your set as you start heading toward turn 3 at full throttle. And taking my first on-track trip through The Corkscrew was a rollercoaster thrill.

The day almost ended disasterously after Bryan’s first session. He said he felt his brakes start to go after only a lap or two forcing him to go slower than he wanted to until the end of the session. Luckily, Bryan was able to find someone with an extra set of performance brake pads and the day was salvaged with Bryan only having to miss one session.

Bryan rounding turn 3

The one session I got to ride with Bryan was a lot of fun. It was my first time in a car being driven under racing conditions. I now have a greater appreciation of the physical pounding professional drivers take being pulled around by all those G-forces along with the heat under the helmet and the mental wear of having to have your wits about you at every moment.

I attended the drivers’ meeting beforehand and also now have a greater appreciation of the amount of work involved in keeping everyone safe. In fact, at the end of my first lap with Bryan spun exiting the final turn. He was signaled to go to pit road. Bryan later said he was fully expecting to get yelled at but the pit worker just wanted to check if everything was okay.

An element of the racing environment provided were the presence of the flag men and corner workers. I have to express how much I admire these guys. Nearly all volunteers, these guys are like guardian angels watching every car as they enter the corners making sure is driving safely, watching for signs of erratic driver behavior or car malfunction all day long in the hot sun with no shade. Many thanks to all these guys.

I was very impressed with the sense of community there. Everyone we encountered were friendly. We exchanged advice and ideas, looked over each others’ cars and gave setup opinions. Overall, it was a positive experience worth doing again.

June 4 Rants-Real Men and Compelling TV

2009-06-05T09:29:00.001-07:00

I’m watching President Obama’s address to the Muslim world from Cairo on Anderson Cooper 360 on CNN. His words are compelling. While I will never blindly follow anyone, President Obama included, I must say I am in total agreement with his position of conciliation between the US and the middle east. Apparently, he didn’t use the word “terrorism” at any point. This is reminiscent of his inaugural speech where he said that America would extend a hand if they would “unclench [their] fist”. I still have tremendous confidence that the president will ultimately remembered by history not as “the first Black president”, but as “the great uniter”.

Before AC360, I was watching the crew of the Steve Irwin being interviewed by Larry King. The Steve Irwin is featured in the popular Animal Planet series Whale Wars. They fight Japanese whaling vessels. God bless these people. We still don’t comprehend what intelligence these majestic creatures may possess. We do know that they have larger brains than our which suggests that may be as smart as humans, maybe smarter. I have no reservations in saying it is absolutely wrong to kill sentient beings for profit. When that sentience is in question the right thing to do is err on the side of caution and give them the benefit of the doubt.

I’ve found three shows on the History Channel I cannot stop watching. The first is Ice Road Truckers. These guys carry extremely heavy loads in their big rigs across the iced over arctic seas of winter. Talk about insanity, I watched one episode where this 25 year old kid carried this 95 ton oversized load to its destination. He had to fight keeping the load from tipping over, not going too fast yet going fast enough to have the momentum to make it up the hills, not to mention the weather and the delicacy of the ice road. This was an amazing feat of precision driving. You’ve gotta have balls of steel to do a job like this. There is no doubt in my mine guys like these are real men.

Ax Men is another great History Channel program. We follow the stories of loggers in the Pacific Northwest. I never had an appreciation of the difficult jobs these guys have. Aside from the obvious physical rigors I never realized how mentally sharp you’ve got to be. If those guys dislodge the wrong log they could start an avalanche or have a long branch snap up and hit them in the face. It is not a job for the timid.

Finally, I’m completely hooked on Warriors. This program profiles the elite soldiers of different civilizations throughout time. I’ve learned how truly tough King Leonidas’ Spartans were, the US Army’s Alamo Soldiers that rescued American POWs from Japanese prisoner camps in the Philippines that were the pre-cursors to today’s Special Forces, and the forces commanded by Hawaii’s Kamehameha, the man that would eventually conquer all of the Hawaiian islands and become Hawaii’s first king. The thing that impressed me most were the warriors of Shaka of the Zulus. Not only were the brutally fast and smart but when they came home from a battle the first thing their warriors would do is visit a shaman that would cure their souls. You see, when they first enter the village they came home as killers. The shaman would make them right again. I think that’s a brilliant idea that could help any soldier. Too bad this is seemingly a unique concept.

Today’s rants – Socialist America & Motorcyclists

2009-05-29T19:41:00.001-07:00

What is it with us Americans and fear of the word “socialist”? Any concept where we contribute to a pool and draw benefits from that pool Republicans just love pointing at it and love to scream, “Socialist! That’s socialism!”. They just love that word because they know it’s so inflammatory. I guess it’s supposed to evoke visions of Karl Marx and the Soviet Army stomping through Red Square or of a full-bearded Fidel Castro leading Communist, poverty-stricken Cuba.

Reality check time, folks. That ain’t us and never will be. So there are some concepts that you could put the alarmist tag of “socialistic” on. So what? Will it result in us being redefined as “Communists”? I don’t think so. Canadians have socialized medicine. So do Brits and the French. They also have higher taxes. Do they suffer a lower standard of living because of it? I don’t hear them complaining.

And guess what? We already have plenty of things that are “socialist” already. The public school system, for one. Oh, sure, you can decry public schooling all you want. Getting a good education in the public school system vs. private education still comes down to the basic concepts of a student willing to apply themselves and parents to enforce it.

Sure, it’s easy to complain about taxes being too high, but are you willing to pay the price for lowering them? Recently, the Contra Costa County District Attorney stated that because of reduced manpower the DA’s office they would not be prosecuting anything below violent felonies (or something to that effect). Just this morning BART announced they’d be raising parking fees and fares by as much as $2.50. There have been plenty of schools that are seriously considering shutting down their sports programs. There’ll be fewer public swimming pools open this summer. How do you like your lower taxes now?

And for Christ’s sake, all you anti-Obama people, the man’s been in office for five fucking months. He’s got eight years of George Bush’s mess to clean up. Give the man a chance. Shit.

That being said, President Obama’s decisions are not above being questioned on all matters. I’d like to know why he’s making it so hard for the auto manufacturers to get their bailout money while AIG and Bank of America practically had their bailout money thrown at them. Why are you giving such a hard time to companies that employ union labor? Union labor helped you get elected, sir. Please don’t forget about us. We’re not a special interest. We’re hard-working, tax-paying Americans that are a vital part of the backbone of this country, and we deserve consideration. Please don’t treat us with the same disdain that the last administration had.

On to my next subject, motorcyclists. You know how you can tell a veteran cyclist? They give you a thank you when you move aside to give them room. I can’t tell you how many times in traffic I’ll swerve to the shoulder to give cyclists room to pass and they don’t give you that courtesy thanks. Let me tell you something, you fucking guys that don’t do it, I’m gonna stop swerving over for ANY of you. This is common courtesy I’m giving you, and I’ll guarantee you I’m the one car out of fifty or more that does it. It’s called “being considerate”. And if you fuckers can’t give acknowledgement then I can be like every other asshole on the road and not give you any space to pass. And you veteran cyclist that do do it, you’d better teach these newcomers some manners.

Speaking of other assholes on the road these assholes that talk on their cell phones while driving are making me think I should keep a digital camera with me at all times so I can take your pictures. Hey! It’s against the fucking law for a reason. Yesterday, I saw this flower delivery guy with a phone up to his ear makes all kinds of last minute turns and generally drive poorly. I could have kicked this guy’s ass for all the lives he put in danger. He was driving a 1-800-Flowers truck that said “Bay Area Flower Exchange, Alameda, CA” on the side. Get off the goddamn phone and get a GPS before you kill someone, asshole.

Our Little Guest

2009-03-23T19:28:00.000-07:00

Sorry you haven't heard from me in so long. I've been wrapped up in a few things.

First, was LBD, Little Black Dog. The girls named him Kenny. In any case about two weeks ago Jeremy was out with Cricket walking the dogs when they noticed a little black Chihuahua had joined the pack.

All this is taking place while I'm at work, by the way. They see the little dog has no tags, no collar, and he looks a little thin. So Cricket decides that the little guy needs some rescuing and decides to leave him with us (thanks, Cricket).

When we got home there he was along with Zoe and Charlie. He was small, smaller than Zoe, and he barked a lot. It was fairly obvious he was scared. Of course, Zoe & Charlie greeted me with their usual exuberance and after a couple of hours if was obvious from his wagging tail and wanting look in his eyes that he wanted to be included with the fun and treats that were going around. By bedtime LBD was over his fear was soon competing for our attention.

My best guess was that he's around six months old. Veterinarians can tell a dog's age by looking at it's teeth. Comparing his teeth size to 11-month old Charlie's it was clear that LBD's was quite a bit smaller. He was unaltered, meaning he hadn't been fixed. I sure wish he was though, because he was marking like crazy! Charlie never did that.

He was completely jet black except for two tiny spots of white on the front of his throat and at the top of his sternum. He was collarless but there was an impression around his neck that looked like there had been one there. Karen and I had concluded that he must have been someone's pet that had gotten out of his collar and got loose. We put an ad up on Craig's List. We checked in with the shelter (more about that later). And we had him checked for a microchip (none found).

It was almost a mistake to check with the animal shelter. It was our first destination to have him checked for a chip. They informed us that if we ask the county, on the record, to check for the chip then we would have to surrender him after 24 hours if no owner was found. Only after a two week waiting period would we be allowed to adopt him out. The thought of having the little boy kept in a cage for that long was totally unacceptable. Why make him miserable and add to the shelter's burden at the same time? No. County ordinances sure didn't make it easy for well-meaning dog rescuers.

So we waited.
In the meanwhile we got to know him. He was a complete little lovebug. He thrived on affection and just ate up ear scratches and belly rubs. Although Karen and I had grown fond of him it was clear that we couldn't take on a third dog. Also, clear was that the little guy was the omega of the three. Zoe took great efforts to put him in his place. He needed to be the only dog in whatever household he ended up in.

Luckily, we were able to find a co-worker that we knew would be able to take him in and spoil him. We took him to his new San Francisco home on Saturday. I'm fairly confident he'll be happy in his new permanent home.

What else is going on? We're moving. Not very far. Closer to the high school actually. It's a nicer place, too, with bigger rooms for the kids, and most importantly, a fenced in yard for the dogs. Sure this place is bigger and the yard's bigger, too, but what's the use if it's not fenced in and we can't let the dogs out? I actually look forward to living there. I just HATE moving.

Beverly Hills Chihuahua

2009-03-03T18:45:00.000-08:00

Beverly Hills Chihuahua was released on DVD today. Of the things that drew me to this silly film was the resembleance between the hero "Papi" and my own Zoe. Look at them side-by-side. Pretty good likeness isn't it?

Check This Out

2009-02-25T04:26:00.000-08:00

I just couldn't resist. I HAD to share this with everyone:

Mother sets fire to her daughter's gloating rapist

By Peter Upton in Alicante
Last Updated: 11:48PM BST 25 Jun 2005

A Spanish mother has taken revenge on the man who raped her 13-year-old daughter at knifepoint by dousing him in petrol and setting him alight. He died of his injuries in hospital on Friday.

Antonio Cosme Velasco Soriano, 69, had been sent to jail for nine years in 1998, but was let out on a three-day pass and returned to his home town of Benejúzar, 30 miles south of Alicante, on the Costa Blanca.

While there, he passed his victim's mother in the street and allegedly taunted her about the attack. He is said to have called out "How's your daughter?", before heading into a crowded bar.

Shortly after, the woman walked into the bar, poured a bottle of petrol over Soriano and lit a match. She watched as the flames engulfed him, before walking out.

The woman fled to Alicante, where she was arrested the same evening. When she appeared in court the next day in the town of Orihuela, she was cheered and clapped by a crowd, who shouted "Bravo!" and "Well done!"

A judge ordered her to be held in prison and undergo psychiatric tests, provoking anger from friends and neighbours, who have set up a petition calling for her release.

Soriano suffered 60 per cent burns in the attack on June 13 and was airlifted to a specialist unit. He survived for 11 days before succumbing to his injuries.

It is understood that the woman, who cannot be named because of laws safeguarding the identity of rape victims, claims to have no recollection of the attack which took place in the Bar Mary, just 300 yards from the family home.

As decorators painted over the blackened walls of his bar last week, Antonio Ferrendez Lopez told how Soriano had walked in at lunchtime.

"The place was packed with people eating. I was sitting at a table and Soriano was standing at the bar very close to me when the woman walked in," he said. "She didn't acknowledge anyone but walked up to Soriano, who was drinking a coffee, put her hand on his shoulder and turned him round to face her.

"Then she pulled the bottle she was carrying from under her arm and began to tip it over him. At first I didn't realise what was happening, but then I smelt the petrol. I jumped up and tried to grab her, but when she struck a match I got clear.

"The petrol was in a pool around Soriano, and she threw the match into it. It ignited with a whoosh, and he screamed and staggered about covered in flames. As people rushed outside to escape the flames, she just looked at him, then turned and walked away."

Customers helped Mr Lopez put out the fire with extinguishers and doused Soriano with water until paramedics arrived.

Soriano's attack on the woman's teenage daughter took place in 1998. The girl was going to buy a loaf of bread when Soriano snatched her from the street, threatened her with a knife and raped her. Her mother is said to have suffered mental illness ever since.

Soriano was convicted of the rape and ordered to serve 13 years in jail. The sentence was later reduced to nine years on appeal.

The woman's lawyer, Joaquín Galant, told The Sunday Telegraph last night: "The family has suffered a double tragedy. First the attack on their daughter and now this. Both the father and his daughter would like to express their sadness at the death of Soriano."

Earlier, Mr Galant said that the woman did not deserve to be kept in prison. "For seven years she has been deeply affected by what was done to her daughter," he said. "This man, fresh from prison and asking how her daughter was, might be considered to have provoked her."

My Hawaiian Odessey (Day 4)

2009-02-18T17:42:00.000-08:00

Monday, February 9

Today would be our last full day in Hawaii. Whatever we didn't get done today wasn't going to get done. Thankfully, my foot was feeling much better and I felt I could handle a little walking.

First stop was Da Kine Bail Bonds. I wanted to make one last shot at meeting Dog Chapman. We went into the gift shop and spent way too much money on Dog the Bounty Hunter stuff. Alas, the Dog and family were still sleeping, the cashier told us. But at least I had plenty of mementos.

Next stop was Pearl City, where Pearl Harbor and the Arizona memorial are.

I really hate how 9/11 made us so paranoid. Because the museum and memorial are federally owned and run facilities they wouldn't allow ANY kind of bag to be brought in, not a purse, backpack, camera bag or even a bag from the gift shop from the military museum next door! What a pain in the ass.

Our short boat ride to the memorial itself was preceded by a film we watched in the museum theatre that gives some background on the attack on Pearl Harbor and the aftermath. It was very somber and emotional. One of the sad facts the film gave us was the 23 sets of brothers and a father and son had been killed that Sunday morning. It set the stage for the visiting the memorial which would follow shortly.

The museum and memorial are run by the National Parks Service but the little boat that runs you out to the memorial is actually a Navy operation. There were maybe 3 or 4 Navy servicemen in uniform that go out there with out. I must be getting old because those Navy guys looked like kids. Now THAT is the job I wish my cousin Isabel would have while she's on active duty. She'd still be serving her country. Tourists are important. They represent economic stimulus, don't they?

Standing aboard the memorial is a haunting experience. Over the little headset I rented Ernest Borgnine narrates that about two quarts of oil seep out of the hull of the Arizona every day. They form easily visible pools at the surface. He said they represent the tears of the servicemen that died that day and little oil slicks are left undisturbed out of respect for their memories. Finishing up the tour you get a better sense of the enormity of the event, and I got a comfort in knowing that the site is treated with the respect it deserves.

One of my goals for the trip was to discover some new Hawaiian music. I had a few minutes in the gift shop so I wandered over to where they had one of those racks that held some CDs and had one of those boxes where you touch on an artist's picture and they play a sample of their music. I pressed a few buttons and I figured out that my favorite kind of Hawaiian music is the kind where they kind of yodel and they're accompanied by a steel guitar in the background.

The one that fit the bill perfectly was someone named Raiatea. On the wrapper it said she had been nominated for a Grammy. I also liked an artist named Ke'alii Reichel. No yodeling. More Hawaiian traditional sounding with a very soothing voice. I was satisfied with those two and declared that goal accomplished.

We headed up the Pali Highway to the cemetery where my grandparents are buried. We stopped at a gas station where I picked up a pack of Pall Malls and a pack of violets, two things my grandpa was never without. The only thing missing that the gas station didn't have was a copy of the National Inquirer. I tried to think of something for my grandma but couldn't come up with anything.

It took a few minutes to find the plot but we did find it. I opened up the pack of Pall Malls, lit up one of the cigarettes and laid it on the headstone next to my grandpa's name along with the pack of violets. I saddened me a little that I couldn't find anything to leave on my grandma's side. I felt like I was somehow neglecting her.

Although my grandpa liked to joke that my grandma didn't work a day in her life nothing was further from the truth. She took her duties as a housewife very seriously. She'd get up before dawn every day, just like Grandpa did before he retired, and would cook, clean, mop, sweep, and do the laundry. My grandparents house stood near the top of a steep hill and the size and shape of the lawn was such that a lawnmower would never work. So Grandma would go outside on her hands and knees and trim the lawn WITH A PAIR OF SCISSORS. One thing I can say with absolute certainty is that, outside of my parents, my Grandma Chang is the person most responsible for giving me the work ethic I have today.

The thing most people would tell you about my grandmother is that she was very clean. Such a statement tends to give the impression that a "very clean" person was also a "very uptight" person. And that's the general impression I had of her before I Bryan and I started spending our summers with them in Hawaii. But after spending time with her and getting to know her I found myself liking her as a person. I don't miss her any less than I miss my other grandmother, my dad's mother, Grandma Low. And that's saying a lot, believe me.

During those summers in Hawaii Bryan mostly spent them with Aunty Brenda while I would stay with Grandma and Grandpa, so Bryan doesn't have the memories of Grandma that I do. Finding this out kinda made me sad.

I only wish I could think up something better than a broom to leave on her grave.

With my foot feeling better Karen and I finally got to walk the Waikiki strip together. There were too many high end stores but she found a few bargains and I finally found something that I had been looking for, some Barack Obama t-shirts that tied him to his Hawaiian roots. Finally, I had shirts to bring back to the girls that I knew they'd really like.

Our final activity for the evening was a family dinner at Uncle Wally's house. Uncle Wally is one of my grandpa's brothers. It wasn't something we were really looking forward to because, just like the wedding, we would be surrounded by people who were at the same time, loved ones and strangers.

We got a couple of pleasant surprises though. Our Uncle Tim and our new Uncle Tommy sat down with us (not in tandem, but separately) and we got to know them a little. Tim is my Aunty Sherry's husband. He's not Christy, Tracey, and Jerry's father. That was Uncle Jerry. I really didn't know anything about my Uncle Tim. Until he sat down with us and started talking.

He told us about how much he enjoys cigars. We talked about different kinds, the difficulty of trying to get your hands on a Cuban, so forth and so on. The details aren't terribly important. It was just nice to conversate and socialize with him.

A few minutes later Tommy came over and chatted with us. It's funny, it almost seems as if our Aunties gave them an assignment. But having just met him the day before I didn't know an awful lot about him, but from the short amount if time that I have spent with him my new uncle seems to be a genuinely nice person. In some ways I'm concerned more for him than I am with her. Aunty Bren treats shopping like Lance Armstrong treats cycling titles.

It had been a pretty long day and I think we were all pretty much exhausted by the time we got back to our hotel rooms, but I was happy to have done some reconnecting.

Hawaiian Odessey, day four

2009-02-17T19:43:00.000-08:00

Sunday, February 8 Sunday wasn't my best day. A couple of days earlier I had stubbed my toe and it was really giving me problems. It had become quite swollen and I could barely walk. But we had been in Hawaii for our fourth day already and hadn't gotten around to checking out the Waikiki strip, visited my grandparents' graves, or gone to Pearl Harbor yet. Plus, it was Pro Bowl Sunday and the night before Richard and Jerry told us that the Pro Bowl NEVER sells out and we could probably get tickets if we wanted to go. The thought of doing ANY of that with my foot hurting like it did just made me want to stay in my room.

We headed over to Ala Moana for a bite to eat. Bryan and Jenny went off to get their own breakfast, Karen went over to Zippy's to get herself a plate lunch, and as for me, it was a third straight day of Arby's. Mmmm. Those Arby Melts are sooo good. I could eat Arby's every day of my life and I'd never complain.

I met up with Karen at Zippy's. While I was in there a saw a guy wearing a t-shirt protesting a proposed BSL bill. BSL is short for Breed Specific Legislation. It basically refers to any law that targets specific dog breeds, Pit Bulls to be exact. As most of you know I have become a passionate defender of the much maligned Pit Bull. I had to have one of those shirts for myself. I walked up to the guy and asked him where he got it and he informed me that there was a protest across the street in Ala Moana park. I had to check this out.

As we entered the park we saw large groups of people wearing the same t-shirt. What a great opportunity to not just network with some Pit Bull defenders, but to actually meet some face-to-face. I noticed two groups of tents. I walked to the closer group. I talked to some people about the proposed BSL bill, signed a petition, looked at some homemade signs showing pictures of little kids smiling and playing with their Pit Bulls. No one had any t-shirts left, but I felt good having met with them.

That good feeling went away as I approached the second group. One of the tents had a banner that showed two large angry-looking Pit Bulls with a giant set of brass knuckles, another boasted "Power Pit Kennels". There was an event poster that looked more like a fight card than anything else. My heart began to sink. Reality was starting to dawn on me. They were, at the very least, breeders, if not worse.

Believe it or not, breeders do more harm than any other group of people, even dog fighters. While thousands of homeless dogs wait to be adopted in shelters these people choose to breed their dogs, adding to the already overinflated number of dogs in this country that have no permanent home of their own. Consider this, if you were looking to add a dog to your home and had a choice between some unwanted stray at the pound and an adorable little baby puppy from a breeder, who could resist the puppy? That poor shelter dog doesn't stand a chance. It's just not right.

I walked back to the first group of tents feeling a sense of outrage. I asked one of the nice ladies, "Are those BREEDERS over there?" Her answer floored me, "We're pretty much all breeders." I was stunned.

"But why breed when there are so many great dogs in shelters already?" I asked her.

"Well, people that buy from breeders are looking for certain qualities." Certain qualities. I couldn't go on any further but I would have loved to have heard what her answer would have been. What qualities? Like the ability to fight another dog? I walked away bewildered. Could I be fighting on the same side as dog fighters and breeders? It seemed like that could actually be the case. It was a very disappointing experience.

We parked at the other end of Waikiki and were finally going to explore the Waikiki strip. But now my foot was absolutely killing me. Bryan drove me back to the hotel while Karen and Jenny hit the strip. Karen's friend Dana who just came back from Hawaii herself had recommended a burger joint on Waikiki so she and Jenny had themselves a drink there. Karen said they'd had a good time there and they had gotten a little bonding session in, too.

We had planned to take Mom out to dinner that night, but it turned into a family get together at a Korean barbeque. It was one of those places I'd like to frequent more often if I knew where to find them. They put a hot plate in the center of the table. You go up to the buffet bar and get various kinds of raw meat and cook it yourself at the table. It was very good. It was filling. But probably the best part of the evening was that we got to spend some time with our cousins that we see far too little of.

Day 3 of my Hawaiian Trip (continued)

2009-02-15T17:14:00.000-08:00

Auntie Brenda's wedding reception was one of the more memorable ones I've attended. It was at...want to take a guess? Yes! A Chinese restaurant! How did you know? Want to take another guess where it was? Right again! Chinatown!

I don't have much prior recollection of Honolulu Chinatown. When I would spend summers in Hawaii as a kid Chinatown wasn't a place we visited very often. I was taken back a bit when we got there. What a dump Chinatown is! It's like the place becomes a ghost town at sunset. And all the homeless there. It was actually kind of gross. When we reached the restaurant I was more than a little disappointed. "Hey, this is a nice place" was NOT something that came to mind.

The banquet room was on the second floor. When we got off my cousin Jerry was sitting there with his wife Amy checking people in and giving guests their seating assignments. It was really good to see him. We talked a little about the possibility of taking a trip to spring training in Arizona next year. It would great if he can make it.

The first thing that hit me as we made our way to our table was how hot it was. There was no AC running. No air circulation whatsoever. It must have been 90 degrees. I couldn't stop myself from thinking, "Oh, shit, this is going to be a long night". On a good note there was a very good quartet playing Hawaiian music. They called themselves "Canoes for Rent". If you're ever in Hawaii and need to hire a live band look those guys up.

Bryan, Jenny, Karen and I were assigned a table with our cousins Christy and Garrison. Garrison is Auntie Brenda's son. Also at our table were a couple of unfamiliar faces. A big guy and his fiance. The big guy's name was Junior, a co-worker of Christy's at the Wal-Mart near Waikiki. He told us he would be the MC for the evening. MC? Now THAT was a good idea I hadn't considered. Maybe there was a glimmer of hope for this banquet after all.

Junior went to the podium and introduced himself. The same two young ladies basically gave a repeat performance of the songs followed by the Lord's Prayer hula. They were both so good at the wedding ceremony I didn't mind sitting through them again. Junior then introduced the lion dance. The two lions approached the bride and groom's table where Aunty Bren and Uncle Tommy offered them money. This is basically an offering to bring good luck. The lions then made a tour of the room stopping for others who had money to offer. Kinda like the way it is at a strip club.

Junior announced a slight twist to the tradition of clinking your glasses to signal to the bride and groom that they want them to kiss. He had a glass jar filled with slips of paper that had the names of the couples in attendance. Whenever the glasses would start clinking Junior would pull out a slip of paper. The couple on the slip would then demonstrate a kiss that Aunty Bren and Uncle Tommy had to emulate. Most of the kisses were pretty tame, but some were really funny. It was a fun twist I had never seen before.

Finally, some fans were brought out and the room temperature became tolerable. They began serving dinner. The food was okay. Nothing special.

A video collage was then played that had some terrific old family pictures of Aunty Bren, the family, and of Uncle Tommy's family. Richard put it together on his Mac. It was quite professional looking. He did a really good job.

Our cousin Lucille went up to the podium and had a large card for Tommy welcoming him to the Chang family. I thought it was a pretty sweet gesture. She then gave them symbolic joke gifts to both of them. Most were pretty funny but then she got rather raunchy. At one point she was giving Aunty Bren thong panties and KY jelly. You should have seen Garrison sitting next to us. He wanted to crawl under the table.

A few more games were played, there was a money dance, and, of course, toasts. I was exhausted at the end of the night but I must admit that it was a lot of fun. Junior did a great job hosting. It was an honest pleasure to have met him and his fiance. Oh, one other thing. Aunty Bren didn't throw out her bouquet. She gave it to Christy, saying to everyone that she really hopes Christy will meet someone she can settle down with sometime soon, or something like that. How embarrassing for Christy! Sometimes Aunty gets a little carried away!

Oh, by the way, something funny outside caught my eye. There was some sort of bank or savings and loan around the corner. In the window was a sign boasting some APR rate or something like that. In the adjacent window was another sign that read "Free Rice". Only in Chinatown, huh?

Day 3 of my Hawaiian Trip (part 1)

2009-02-13T10:35:00.000-08:00

Day Three, Saturday, Feb. 7:

This was the big day, the whole reason for this trip, Aunty Brenda's wedding. Karen couldn't find the pants she had packed for the wedding. Bryan also needed to get himself a pair of slacks so off we went back to Ala Moana.

Bryan and I wandered a bit in the mall marvelling at how much had changed. As a bi-level mall in my childhood Ala Moana was still a huge shopping plaza. In fact, at one point in time it was the largest in the world. It was a very local-friendly mall back then. There was a Woolworths, JC Penney, an arcade with a little pizza joint a few stores down. My, how things have changed. Ala Moana is now a tri-level, in some places a quad. And every single store is high end. And there are also short thrid and fourth wings as well. No more Woolworth. No more JC Penney. But hey, there's an Arby's on the bottom level next to Macy's! Woo hoo!

Bryan and I both had some apprehension going to this wedding. We were going to be seeing our cousins that we had been pretty tight with in our childhood but have had little contact since, not to mention numerous uncles and aunties. It's so awkward. They're our family but they're strangers at the same time. We got there a little early. It was a very nice little chapel just a couple short blocks from the Honolulu Zoo at the end of the Waikiki strip. Mom was Aunty Bren's matron of honor. She really looked great. I've got to give my mom credit. She looks far, far younger than her actual age. We said hi to our cousins Christy and Tracey and their kids. We probably had not seen them in literally 15 or 16 years. I walked up and hugged my Aunty Ann. I don't think she knew who I was.

It was actually a very enjoyable ceremony. It began with a few songs sung by one of the members of Aunty Bren's church. She surprised me. She had a beautiful voice and the girl could really sing. Next she sang the Lord's Prayer accompanied another young lady that did a quite lovely and tasteful hula. The rest was short and sweet. Instead of rice or bird seed Aunty had us blow bubbles as she and my new Uncle Tommy entered their limo.

We had a couple of hours to kill before the reception dinner in Chinatown so we decided to pay a visit to Da Kine Bail Bonds, the base of operations for Dog the Bounty Hunter. When we got there we found the door locked. Apparently, the Dog's house was vacant. There was a sign for the Dog the Bounty Hunter gift shop, but that was closed as well. But we did get a few good shots of the storefront.

This is getting a bit long. I'll continue with part two of day three tomorrow.

Hawaiian Odessey (Day Two)

2009-02-12T04:27:00.000-08:00

Day Two: Got some croissants and muffins from our hotel's continental breakfast. We went out on our sixth floor balcony and discovered the birds would gladly fly up and take the crumbs off our rails. We were visited mostly visited by finches, some garden variety sparrows, and a cardinal or two. This would become a daily ritual.

We set out to visit the graves of my grandparents and to drive the perimeter of the island. We didn't make it. We got to Kahala Mall and had lunch. Our next stop was Koko Marina, one of the places Bryan and I could recall where you could get genuine shave ice. At the shave ice place there was a picture of the owner and her daughter with President Obama holding a one of her icy creations.

Next stop was Hanauma Bay, a marine preserve and a great place to snorkel. Nothing much to report about it other than seeing a wild mongoose (!) in the parking lot.

My grandfather used to weld together the signposts of King Kamehameha that can be found at state historical landmarks. We passed one, the first on our trip. We pulled aside to take a picture when I realized we were at the Dole plantation. After taking the picture we had a fun time touring the gift shop, checking out the various types of pineapples in the garden, eating some pinapple flavored soft serve, and feeding the koi in their pond. It was a lot cooler than it sounds. Did you know that pineapples are not pulled out of the ground like potatoes? They're actually the fruit of the flower. They grow on top of the plant. It's perhaps a little more analogous to melons. Anyway, it was nice to have paid a visit to Dole as I also feel a slight connection to the place. Mom used to work at the Dole cannery as a teen.

We ended our day at the Pearlridge Shopping Center. I saw that at the Sanrio store there were special t-shirts, some with Hello Kitty, others with Chocobo that had the Hawaiian Humane Society logo on it. Proceeds of shirt sales benefit the Hawaiian Humane Society. I was torn as I couldn't find a shirt that would fit me until Bryan pointed out that we were in a Hello Kitty store. They don't carry shirts made to fit adult men. Oh. So I bought their calendar instead.

Another great treat was Arby's! There's probably not an Arby's within 30 miles of my house, so Arby's is a real treat. I rushed in and bought five Arby Melts.

It was getting pretty late and we decided Grandma and Grandpa would have to wait for later in the trip.

My Hawaiian Odessey (part 1)

2009-02-11T13:48:00.000-08:00

I have much to tell about my recent trip to Hawaii. To make it more palatable I'm going to break this down one day per post. Okay, everyone ready? Here we go.

Day One, Thursday, Feb. 5: We were running late as usual. We had to make it to my mom's house by 7am. We just barely made it there. We got to Oakland International Airport with just enough time to get a bottle of water when it was time to board our flight on Hawaiian Airlines. It was a long five hour flight. Even at relatively small 14 inches my laptop was still to big to open and operate comfortably. The changing pressure of the plane's cabin wreaked havoc on Karen's ears and was in much pain for most of the flight and even a couple of days following.

When we arrived in Honolulu we were surrounded by throngs of obvious Pro Bowl fans at the airport. It was a long, hot wait for our rental car but we survived it.

Our first night in Honolulu was spent with drinks out at (of all places) a Buca de Beppo at the Ward Center on Ala Moana. The bartender was terrific.

Already missing the dogs. There's no way to explain that we're on vacation and will be back. All they know is that we're gone.

Celebrations

2009-01-12T23:02:00.000-08:00

Thursday will be my dad’s 70th birthday. We’re going to Tommy Chow’s in the City on Saturday to celebrate. I’ve never been there before. Bryan says it’s a pretty high-end place. It’s going to be a big party there. Betty asked me to make a toast. I’ve never done anything like that before, but I guess I’m not like most people in that I have no particular fear public speaking. I looked up “toasting” on the internet, I watched a few instructional videos. I wrote up a rough draft. I read it to Karen and Bryan and they both said they liked it. I may end up going with it as is. I really can’t think of anything else to add or revise.

I’m kinda holding my breath right now. The BART administration office is in the Kaiser building about 2 minutes away. There have been so many protests over that shooting I’m hoping today’s meeting won’t draw a huge crowd and affect anything here at work. Those people have a right to be outraged, though. How in the hell can a cop pull out his pistol supposedly mistake it for his tazer and shoot someone in the back? I’ve tried to think of a reasonable argument for how that could happen but in the end it always comes out that that cop must have been a fucking idiot.

It’s almost over for Karen’s ex. Last week he pled guilty to two counts of forced rape. He’ll be sentenced to five years, with about a year and a half already having been served. This may seem a little light for all the horrible things he did but he’ll still have to serve the balance of his sentence doing hard time in a state pen, starting with San Quentin. But I don’t believe rapists have it easy in ANY state pen. Also, apparently the beginning of the year a new law went into effect where violent offenders like him will have to wear an ankle bracelet for the rest of his life even after he’s released. I also was told that his sister and mother attempted to start a brawl in the courtroom after the plea was entered. How pathetic. And if that’s not all I understand that his mother ended up amassing about $250,000 in legal fees. What a fucking cancer this guy is.

Fox ran back-to-back episodes of 24 on back-to-back nights. So after only two nights we’re already 4 episodes into it. God, I missed this show. I’m already hooked in. This show is 31 flavors of Hollywood bullshit but what great entertainment.

Rickey Henderson was voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame today and I couldn’t be happier. This was his first year of eligibility and while it’s an honor to be voted into The Hall it is a particular honor to make it in on your first attempt. Rickey Henderson was the greatest leadoff hitter of all time. He could single-handedly change the face of a game. He holds career records for stolen bases and leadoff home runs. He’s a former MVP, an All-Star, was the cornerstone of the 1989 A’s World Championship team, and is a member of the 3,000 hit club.

I was lucky enough to be there when Rickey broke Lou Brock’s stolen base record to become the all-time stolen base leader. I was with my dad. We were in a sky box that day on the third base side of the field. It was a steal of third that was the record breaker. It was against the Yankees. He held the base over his head and declared to me, my dad, and everyone there, “I am the greatest of all time.”

Sure, Rickey was arrogant and surly. He was never a poster boy for the game like a Derek Jeter or a Ken Griffey, Jr, but he never got into trouble off the field, was never mixed up in any scandals, and his name has never been mentioned as a potential steroid user. This is the end he deserves.

I watched the first few minutes of Bush’s final press conference as president, and God bless him, he left us with one final Bushism. He used the word “misunderestimated”.

It’s ironic that the weather’s turned warm. I haven’t been walking the dogs because it’s been so cold. On “Dogs 101” on Animal Planet they said Chihuahuas don’t do well in cold weather and Charlie definitely hates the cold. He loves to plop himself down in front of the heater. So we decided to get some fruity doggy sweaters for them. And the next day the weather turns warm enough to walk them again without sweaters.

Mid-week Rant

2009-01-07T09:33:00.000-08:00

Since moving in we’ve been Comcast subscribers for our TV service. We just get basic expanded cable. The channel selection isn’t as good as the Dish Network’s though. We gave up SciFi, Bravo, Speed. I’m sure there were more but those were the important ones for me. Losing SciFi meant giving up Battlestar Galactica. Giving up Speed meant giving up F1. And giving up Bravo meant giving up Top Chef.

About a year ago we got our big screen LCD and we upgraded our cable to HD. Little did I know that although I still couldn’t get Speed, Bravo and SciFi in standard def I could at least get Bravo in Hi def. And I only discovered this recently, thus reuniting me with Top Chef.

Top Chef is one of my favorite shows. I love the concept and presentation. The host is model Padma Lakshmi, who is absolutely gorgeous. It’s co-hosted by chef Tom Colicchio, who has at least two restaurants in the Las Vegas MGM Grand. I love his no-bullshit critiques of the chefs and their creations.

Funny story, on our last visit to Vegas together Karen and I were enjoying a meal at the MGM Grand’s buffet. BTW, the quality of the food at the buffet was second to none. I left to go to the restroom and apparently while I was gone Tom Colicchio showed up. A few people recognized him and got to take pictures with him, but, of course, by the time I got back he was gone.

On the home front, Imani has decided to leave as well. There’s a whole bunch I have to say about what Caprisha did to voice her displeasure with my parenting but I’ll keep those shitty things to myself. Fuck ‘em all, I say. This is the perfect excuse to cut ALL OF THEM off as far as I’m concerned, so I’m happy all this drama has happened.

On a happier note Karen and I will be headed to Hawaii next month to attend my Auntie Brenda’s wedding. This I’m really looking forward to. I’ll get to see cousins, uncles, and aunties I haven’t seen in over 20 years. One thing I definitely have to do there is visit the office of Dog the Bounty Hunter.

My 2008 Was Year of the Dog

2008-12-31T22:23:00.000-08:00

My 2008 was all about dogs.

In February, we adopted Zoe and I became a dog owner for the first time. Although she can be a pain sometimes, she has brought far more happiness.

I became engrossed by the National Geographic Channel show “The Dog Whisperer” and was inspired to learn more about dogs. I devoured everything I could read about the subject.

Our visits to various animal shelter in our search that led us to Zoe made me sympathetic to the plight of shelter dogs. I saw so many dogs available for adoption, so many I would have loved to have taken home. It was really sad. There were so many Pit Bulls, many of them very sweet and adorably cute. I would have loved to have rescued at least one of them.

I remember giving treats to two Pit Bulls at the Oakland SPCA, a little black female Chihuahua that we very nearly adopted from the Martinez Animal Shelter, a big blue-tongued Chow-German Shepherd mix at an adoption event in Pittsburg that had nothing but kisses for me, a tiny black long-haired baby Chihuahua at the Alameda County Animal Shelter in Dublin that we were seriously considering, and a big husky at the Martinez Animal Shelter that had apparently been there for months that the staff were practically begging someone to adopt.

I saw a program on Animal Planet about what had become of the Pit Bulls seized from Michael Vick’s property. A large segment of the program featured the efforts of a Bay Area Pit Bull advocacy organization called BAD RAP, Bay Area Dog owners Responsible About Pitbulls. I remembered that name from visiting the Oakland SPCA.

I became sympathetic to the plight of the American Pit Bull Terrier. They have largely been portrayed as menaces in the media. The truth is that they’re really victims of irresponsible owners. I began writing posts about them on this blog. Eventually, it led me to start a separate blog focused solely on dogs.

My blogging led me to another dog blogger, Jeni, who lives in South Dakota. Amongst the stories she shared was about a severely beaten dog named Charlie. She started a fund in Charlie’s name that ended up benefiting students of a grade school. I was proud to have contributed to the fund which provided these kids with a subscription to a publication produced by the Humane Society of the United States that teaches kids to be kind to animals.

Along the way we adopted a Charlie of our own. His mama was a tiny apple head Chihuahua, his daddy, well, we haven’t quite determined that yet. I say he’s a Papillon. Karen thinks he’s some kind of terrier. So now I have two dogs!

With Imani starting her freshman year at Alhambra High School it officially made both my girls Bulldogs.

And lastly, there was Dog the Bounty Hunter. He got caught in a firestorm making racist comments to his son that were revealed to mainstream media. A&E pulled his show. It looked like Dog was about to lose it all. Who knows what exactly led A&E to change their minds, but Dog is back and the new episodes are strong as ever.

That’s my year of the dog.

Valkyrie

2008-12-29T06:58:00.000-08:00

Last night I went to the movies to see the new Tom Cruise movie, "Valkyrie". This film is based upon actual historical events that took place in World War II Nazi Germany. Based upon the trailers and considering that the film's director, Bryan Singer, had previously directed X-Men and Superman Returns it appeared that I was going to be in for a great action movie. And if an action movie is what you want then this film is not for you. But if you enjoy tense political thrillers you'll find "Valkyrie" right up your alley.

Cruise portrays Nazi Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg. He was amongst many within the German military that realized Hitler was a madman and had to be stopped. Of course, their plan ultimately failed, but the film tells a brilliant tale of how this plan came about, and how close they were to succeeding.

Singer did an excellent job of maintaining the tension level throughout the film. The story moves along quite quickly, and you have to be paying close attention to the details to fully understand exactly what's going on. It's feels a bit strange seeing Nazis as good guys. I can only think of one other movie that had a Nazi protagonist, "Schindler's List", and even then Schindler was the lone good Nazi in the story.

The fact that this was based on actual historical events surprised me. I never knew that a German Resistance existed during Hitler's reign. It comes as a comfort and a relief to know that there were Germans, members of Hitler's military, and members of the Nazi party that were persons of conscience and acted upon that conscience. I can imagine the amount of courage it took these men and women to take action against Hitler. Hitler was a dynamic, charismatic leader. He led Germany from utter poverty to being a world power. Despite the horrible things Hitler did, I can understand how a German citizen could turn a blind eye to those things and go along with Hitler's agenda (I know that's horrible of me, I'm just trying to put myself in their shoes).

Tom Cruise doesn't disappoint in his performance. His portrayal as dedicated, resolute character with along with being a strong family man has you rooting for him from the first minute of the film. If you can appreciate this kind of movie genre then I highly recommend "Valkyrie".

By the way, I've been told that if you file for divorce and the other person doesn't respond then you are automatically granted the divorce (in California, that is). If anyone knows anything about this please let me know.

Teen Angst...Been There, Done That

2008-12-28T15:13:00.001-08:00

OK, nerd warning. Now that you have been warned…I am soooo juiced that Battlestar Galactica will be returning on January 16! Last season ended with them finally reaching Earth, but finding the planet in ruins. Of course, they can’t end the series on that note, and there are also a great many loose ends that need to be tied up so I am really looking forward to these final 11 episodes.

I need to document what’s been going on with me. About two weeks ago Asha declared that life here was unbearable and that she was moving in with her mother. I don’t blame her. It really is unreasonable of me to do things like ask her to do her chores before leaving the house. And the chores! Wash the dishes (actually just rinse the dishes and put them in the dishwasher), and clean all your messes off the tables and counter tops. I just treat her like a slave, don’t I? Someone should call Child Protective Services on me.

Caprisha tells me she was really wanted me to respond by telling her, “Please don’t go. I love you. I want you to stay with me.” Sorry. I don’t respond to drama like that. Then I hear she’s feeling suicidal. I don’t mean to sound callous, but I know what’s going on. She’s feeling sorry for herself. This is another attempt to get some attention. I know she’s not serious. I went through the same thing with my dad when I was her age. Isn’t that ironic? I think I have actually become my father. And I have to say, Dad, if you’re reading I feel your pain. Although, I have to add that our situations are slightly different in that if I had actually tried to pull that same bullshit with my dad I know my mom wouldn’t have indulged it like Caprisha has.

So Asha actually does live with Caprisha now, who lives in West Oakland, yet wants to keep going to school in Martinez. She is taking public transportation to make this happen. It’s an incredible inconvenience that I know is not going to last for long. ‘So I know she’ll be back, but when she does move back in I’m going to tell her that if she tries to pull this bullshit again she won’t be welcomed back here a second time.

Asha is going to be turning 17 in six weeks. She’s a heartbeat from legal adulthood. She has so much growing up to do. I’m really concerned about her. I remember my dad telling me as a teen to enjoy your high school years, that they were the best years of your life. And I remember thinking, “Are you kidding me? What, life gets worse after this?” And you know what? He was right.

At some level I think that both my parents must have realized I was going to turn out okay. They set good examples for me. They taught me manners. They instilled a work ethic in me. I wish I had that luxury. I am deathly afraid that Asha doesn’t have that work ethic in her.

Happy note. Starting in January a few bucks a payday will be steered to the East Bay SPCA. I am both pleased and proud to be an official supporter. Also, for my Kris Kringle at work I requested doggy treats. The same day we exchanged gifts I found out that Pet Food Express accepts donations that go to the East Bay SPCA and I was able to donate all the treats that same day.

I haven’t made an entry on my dog blog in quite a while. I really need to catch up on that.

My Christmas 2008

2008-12-26T22:04:00.001-08:00

Yesterday we went to see “Marley & Me”. I must now freely admit I’m a sucker for dog movies. I have been looking forward to this film for months. Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston were a great pick to play John and Jenny Grogan. I hope I’m giving away anything by saying that Marley does pass away in the movie. It was one of the saddest moments I’ve ever seen on the big screen. Everyone must have been crying around me from all the sniffles I heard coming from every direction, but I must say that I only heard them through my own sniffles.

I had read the book previously. That is to say, I didn’t actually “read” it. I listened to the audio book. It’s almost always better to see the movie first and read the book afterwards. Inevitably, there are elements from the book that aren’t translated to the big screen the way you’d like them to. One example I found was how in the audio book John made a point of saying Marley had never been told, “you’re a great dog” before John says it to Marley as he lay dying on his vet’s exam table. Although Owen Wilson does say it in the movie the same emphasis wasn’t there. I still loved the movie though.

I also saw “Seven Pounds” last week. I enjoyed it but it was also moved a little slow. I won’t give away the movie but when it is revealed why Will Smith is giving those people those extraordinary gifts it is heartbreaking.

We had a nice Thanksgiving-type dinner with my brined turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy, pumpkin pie, the whole nine yards. Instead of making a plate I have become accustomed to making my “Thanksgiving mush”. I put a slice or two of turkey along with some mashed potatoes, stuffing, and gravy, stirring them up into a mush, and eating it like that. It sounds good, looks gross, smells great, and tastes even better.

Hope you all enjoyed your Christmas as much as I enjoyed mine.

Nice Song

2008-12-12T16:43:00.000-08:00

This is from the movie, "The Fighting Temptations". It's probably my favorite all-time gospel song. Very moving.

Random musings

2008-12-06T15:22:00.000-08:00

First, I've gotta pimp my game again. This game is the primary reason I've let my blogs go. Dicing Dangers is a multi-player online role playing game. Lots of fun. It runs right in your browser. Absolutely no downloads required to play. It's free. It's very social. I've made friends with people all over the globe. Give it a try. http://www.dicingdangers.com/index.php?ref=6591

If you sign up look for me online. My new analogy for the clan I belong to is that we are the Jedi Knights of the game. My two character names are "Spiker" and "ZoeChihuahua" (yes, my freaking dog is one of my characters).

I guess what's got me so hooked is that there are so many international players. The person I'm most friendly with lives in Tasmania, Australia. Our clan leader lives in England. A couple of times all three of us would be chatting in Windows Messenger. The first time we did this it struck me. How cool is this? Between California, England, and Australia we are about as far apart as three people could be from each other yet there we were talking to each other like we were all next door neighbors.

Our clan has members in Lithuania, Singapore, England, Australia, and the Ukraine in addition to the US. Our American clan members are in New Mexico, Ohio, and South Carolina. I just find that so cool.

So if you sign up and don't see me look for members of my clan if you need help learning the game. Look for either [EGO] or [NEW] next to player names in the chat column.

I forgot to mention this in my last post. When Imani and I entered Fry's after having waited in line for about 45 minutes before the doors opened the whole Fry's staff were lined up inside applauding us as we entered the store. It wasn't clear why they were applauding but I got the feeling the sentiment was "thank you for waiting outside in the cold like an idiot". It was quite awkward and just a little embarrassing. It made me feel as if I should be raising my arms in victory like I had just won something.

On Monday's Howard Stern show one of the staff members announced that he was gay. Personally, I thought the guy, High Pitch Mike, was a real asshole. I now understand why. He said that he had been in the closet for so long because his mother once told him that she would disown him if she were ever to discover that he was gay. He has lived the balance of his life with the anguish of knowing he would lose his mother if he were ever truthful about his sexuality. He mentioned the special commentary Keith Olbermann had on Countdown following the passing of Prop 8. I thought the commentary was worth watching here if you're interested.

Also on that same show they reviewed the new Guns & Roses album, "Chinese Democracy". According to Howard this album's been 13 years in the making and Rolling Stone had given it four stars. I have never been much of a G&R fan but I decided to download it and give it a listen. It's actually quite good. The songs are very strong and the guitar player was surprisingly excellent. Slash isn't their guitar player anymore, but I think that's a good thing anyway. I definitely wasn't a fan of Slash. If you like heavy rock you'll like this album.

In my widget column on the left you'll see a new widget for Grand Central. If you click on it the program will call your phone then call mine to connect us. What I like so much about Grand Central is that they will provide you with a telephone number that you can keep for the rest of your life.

Most people become very attached to their phone numbers. Whenever I have to place an order for a phone customer that is moving I often encounter people that get quite upset when I tell them they can't keep the number. The reaction is natural. It is a hassle making sure that everyone has your new number and it's inevitable that there will be people that you end up forgetting.

What this service does is forward calls from the number they have provided you to another phone number that you can be reached at. This means that it will no longer matter if the phone company assigns you a new phone number. As long as you set Grand Central to call that new number you won't ever have to worry about making sure everyone has it. As long as people are calling your Grand Central phone number it will never be an issue.

The service is still in beta. There's no telling if you'll ever have to pay whenever it gets out of beta, but it's worth trying. It's a great way to manage your telephone services, at home and with your cell. Register for a number for life of your own at http://www.grandcentral.com

My Thanksgiving

2008-12-02T16:33:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving was one long weekend. Thursday was Thanksgiving with the girls here. Friday was shopping and preparation for Saturday. Saturday was an even bigger Thanksgiving meal. Sunday, we all went to see Brian Copeland’s “Not a Genuine Black Man” and had Rachel and her kids over for dinner.

Caprisha is currently about 3 days away from moving into her new place. She’s staying with her aunt in San Lorenzo for the time being. The aunt’s plan was to go over her mother-in-law’s place for Thanksgiving. Karen wanted a big Thanksgiving so we decided it would it be best to have Caprisha come over here on Thursday so she could have a Thanksgiving with the girls and me. Karen’s plan was to spend Thursday over Jessica’s with her mom and Jeremy.

Thursday Thanksgiving turned out pretty well. I, of course, was in charge of the turkey. We had a 17 lb. bird. As always, I put it in a nice roasting bag and made use of our newly bought electric thermometer. We also had a prime rib roast as well. The girls prepared salad, candied yams, and the dinner rolls. Imani made her world famous chocolate pudding pie. It’s a crushed Oreo cookie crust filled with chocolate pudding and topped with a thick layer of Cool Whip. It’s as rich and tasty as it sounds.

It was a very nice meal. Before sitting down to eat we all said what we were all thankful for. It was a first for us.

Friday was an adventure. Karen and I got up around 3:30am in hopes of snagging us a couple of nice Toshiba $300 laptops. After laying around for a good half hour saying to ourselves, “Oh, my God, do we really want to do this?” we finally got into gear and to Fry’s in Concord around 4:30am. The doors were to open at 5. The line of about 2,000 people as already extended to the backside of the building.

I can see why there are incidences of ugliness on these Black Fridays occur. When the doors open there is a mad scramble to the section that your object of desire resides in. People push and shove. I was hit by shopping carts by at least three people, none of whom held a hint of an “excuse me” or a “sorry”. When you factor in the irritability of having waited in the cold at an ungodly hour, the relative heat on the inside of the store, the frustration of the long lines, and the level of rudeness you would never find in any other circumstance, I now understand why the stress of it all ends up driving some to the point of violence.

After waiting in seemingly mile-long line, after being pushed, and working up a good sweat from the raised temperature from all the bodies crowded, at exactly 5:20am a Fry’s employee cupped his hands and proclaimed that all the $300 laptops had been sold out. So much for that bright idea.

Karen and I picked up a few things and headed for the register. We ended up at a register next to a person that had snagged himself one of those elusive $300 laptops. We asked how long he waited in line. He had been there since 7pm the night before. That’s 10 hours, folks. There is absolutely no friggin’ way I’m ever going to go to some store to wait in line for 10 hours after stuffing myself with Thanksgiving dinner. I’m guess I’m just not a hardcore shopper.

Afterwards, we decided to head over to Wal-Mart just to see what the madness looked like there. We had also heard rumors of a $300 laptop there as well. We saw no ad listing this but some were insisting that it was going to go on sale. We knew that if this turned out to be true we would have missed our opportunity, but we just had to know. What we found was even more of a zoo than Fry’s was. All aisles were packed. We could barely move. It was even hotter inside than Fry’s. And it turned out the rumored $300 laptop was just that. A rumor. There was no $300 laptop.

One thing I remembered that was said from a Fry’s employee was that there was going to be an eight page ad coming out on Saturday that would have different items on sale. I held on to that thought.

Friday was also Imani’s 14th birthday. A couple of hours after getting home from Wal-Mart Caprisha and I headed out to Sam’s Club where we picked up her birthday cake. One year Imani chose to have “Here’s Your Cake, Loser” written on Asha’s birthday cake, so this year’s cake for Imani would have Asha’s revenge written on it. In green icing Imani’s cake said, “Happy Birthday, Moronica”. They are my children, indeed.

Caprisha picked up a perfume sampler from Victoria’s Secret at the mall. That gift would be from her and Asha. I headed over to MetroPCS and picked up a nice new cell phone. This one had a nice slide-out QWERTY keyboard.

We got home and sang “Happy Birthday”, opened presents, and had some ice cream and cake. Imani wanted to do something, anything to get out of the house. We had to have a difficult talk with her. We had to get her to realize that on some years her birthday can fall on the day before a Thanksgiving dinner or even on Thanksgiving itself. This was one of those years. When such things occur she would have to understand that there will usually not enough time to do something just for her. It’s a terrible reality to face, but I know many people that have birthdays in late November. It’s just something you have to live with.

Saturday was a very busy day as well. I woke up and immediately rushed out to get the newspaper. Sure enough, Fry’s had all kinds of things on sale including a $300 laptop. It was about a quarter of eight. The store opened at 9. Karen had overdone it with all the cleaning and her back was killing her. No way she was going to be up to standing in any more lines. So I woke up Imani and dragged her out there.

We got there about 8:15am. I counted exactly 25 people in front of us. It was more madness as the doors opened, but we got to the computer section in one piece. A salesman named Sean took our order and handed us a sheet to be taken to the cash register. There the cashier would take the sheet and bring us back our laptops where she would ring them up. It turns out Sean wrote up a sheets for the wrong laptop. So we scrambled back to him. Luckily there was still some left and we finally got what we came for.

Saturday dinner was very nice. We had a very nice layout, adding stuffing and Karen’s great mashed potatoes to the mix. The mess was kept to a minimum. We had a pretty easy time of it overall. Asha had a friend over that I had never met before. I wanted to visit with them but I just had too much to do.

Sunday was an afternoon trip to the Lesher Center in Walnut Creek to see Brian Copeland’s one man show, “Not a Genuine Black Man”. It was his last show there. He’s moving it to the Marsh Theatre in The City. It was an entertaining show. He spent much time re-enacting his experience growing up in San Leandro. I never realized that in the early 70’s San Leandro was one of America’s most racist cities. He explored some race issues and stereotypes. It was very enlightening.

Not long after we got home Rachel and her kids arrived. It took longer than we had anticipated to get all our food ready. It was probably after 9 when we started eating. It was a nice visit, though. Rachel’s son, Elijah, was about Jeremy’s age, and her daughter, Veronica, is 15, right in between the girls. They had a great time together. We handed the T-Bird over to Rachel. They ended up staying until after 11pm. And on a school night, too!

I’d say going back to work was almost a relief, but that would be a lie.

Finally, An Update

2008-11-19T23:51:00.001-08:00

This has been quite a month of firsts for people of color. First, on November 2nd Englishman Lewis Hamilton became the youngest world driving champion with his fifth place finish in the F1 Grand Prix of Brazil, and even more notably, F1's first black world champion. On November 4th Barack Obama became America's first black presidentmat. And today, the Seattle Mariners announced they had poached A's bench coach Don Wakamatsu and named him their manager, making him Major League Baseball's first Asian to hold such a position.

Hamilton's got a terrific story. Generally, professional race car drivers come from rich families. It costs an awful lot of money to do it competetively, and it takes a sustained financial effort to keep it going long enough for a driver to reach a professional level. But this is not the case for young Lewis Hamilton. It has been reported that his father had to take multiple jobs to keep his young son's career going and had maxed out all of his credit cards when Lewis was finally picked up by the Mercedes McLaren team. Legend also has it that when Hamilton was ten years old he met F1 big shot Ron Dennis and said to him, "I'm going to drive for you one day". Thirteen years later he won the world championship for a team owned by whom? You guessed it. The same guy. Ron Dennis. Sadly, his story is somewhat marred by numerous reports of racial slurs used against him throughout the season.

The significance of Barack Obama being our first black president cannot be understated. It speaks volumes that maybe, just maybe we as Americans have grown past the point where a person's ethnicity is held against him. The day after election day Whoopi Goldberg said on The View that she had always felt she was American, but now she feels like she can finally set her suitcase down. When I heard that I damn near started to cry.

Personally, I think Obama's going to be a great president. He will bring the country together. He will end the war. He will return America to respectability in the eyes of the world. He has a sense of calm and authority that the office of presidency demands.

And he was born in Hawaii, too!

I don't really know much about Don Wakamatsu. He had an unremarkable minor league career and spend almost zero time in the majors. It's hard to say someone did a good job as bench coach. After all, who really knows what a bench coach does, and how do you measure his degree of success? But I do know that he's from Hayward, the town I grew up in. He was a great high school player. I remember always seeing his name in the prep section when he went to Hayward High. And for many, many years now, Wakamatsu's, a Japanese restaurant, has been a fixture on Foothill Boulevard in Hayward.

Speaking of great high school players, my dad recently gave me a folder with xeroxed copies of newspaper clippings from his high school baseball-playing days. I always knew my dad was a good baseball player in his day. It was quite a treat to read about some of his accomplishments in those clippings.

Over the last five years or so it has been a tradition in my office to adopt a needy family for Christmas. This year's family is very special. It's the family of our friend and former co-worker, Rachel.

Rachel was recently let go by our company. She had been out on disability for a while. Apparently, the company sent a "come back to work within five days or else" letter that she evidently didn't respond to and was subsequently let go. The letter is not a mean-spirited as it sounds. It's actually pretty common for those go out for long periods of disability, and it's very much a procedural thing.

Now, before you say to yourself, "Well, that's her own fault for not staying on top of things", you have to know the rest of it, and it's a lot. Rachel's ex-husband and father of her two kids, was shot and killed, allegedly by his current wife. She was out on disability because of a very painful condition she has in her neck, so she's frequently in pain. Her daughter is diabetic. And if that's not enough, she doesn't even have a car.

Karen and I, along with another co-worker, have been spearheading the effort at work to try and get everyone's donations together. We hope to give her the accumulated donations in time for her to have a reasonable amount of time to shop for Christmas gifts for the now-fatherless children. Our plan is to not tell her that her's is the adopted family and surprise her with the money.

We're having her over for Thanksgiving and what we'd like to do is hand over our spare car for her as a surprise as well. But the car's got bad tags and it's not smoggable yet. Why is it not smoggable? It's because (and what non-mechanic type would ever be expected to know this?) we recently changed the battery and the smog guy told us that when you change the battery it resets the computer and it takes driving it 50-60 miles before the smog computer will get a proper reading.

Karen and I had a plan where last Saturday we were going to go down to DMV, get some temporary tags, and drive the car around for a few days. After which, we'd be able to get our smog out of the way, get new tags, and then have a street legal car to give to her. We didn't count on the state cancelling all Saturdays for all DMV offices. So now I'll be taking my last vacation day tomorrow to get that smog and get down to DMV for those tags. This is probably our last chance to get it legal in time to give to her on Turkey Day. Wish us luck.

Mixed Feelings on Elections

2008-11-05T19:35:00.000-08:00

It’s the day after Election Day. My feelings are mixed. As an American I’m very proud, but as a Californian I’m sad. Yesterday, we, as Americans did something I never thought would happen in my lifetime. We elected a black man as president. Although he won as easily as was predicted there were many Obama supporters in my office that were biting their nails as the poll results began rolling in from East Coast late in the afternoon.

My joy of Obama’s easy win was tempered late in the evening as the anti-gay Proposition 8 was apparently victorious. Up until yesterday it was legal for gay couples to marry here in California. Proposition 8 takes that away. It was not just a setback for the LGBT community. It was a setback for civil rights.

I was disappointed to learn that two my co-workers, both black, supported the ban. They had a different perspective from the typical Prop 8 supporter. They felt that equal rights for gays should not be given priority over the rights of ethnic minorities. To paraphrase them, being gay is a choice, but being black isn’t, and you shouldn’t be given special treatment because you choose to belong to a group that’s subject to prejudice. I was saddened to hear that.

You see, that’s not a logical argument either because it is absolutely illegal to discriminate based upon one’s religious faith and that’s a choice, isn’t it? Although you can be born and raised as a Muslim, Christian, Jew or Hindu, you can always choose to convert. One’s religion is unquestionably a choice.

An important point about this proposition is that gays weren’t asking for the right to marry. They already had it. This takes it away from them. The fact that this proposition singles out one specific group of people, and takes away their right to do anything makes this wrong on GP (general principle) alone. Like the commercial said, just like it was wrong for America to intern Japanese Americans during World War II, prop 8 is unfair and just plain wrong.

We’re off work now and nearing Fry’s. I’m going to look at external hard drives. I’ll update you about the coming and going of my 41st birthday last week on my next post.

Prop 8 and Gay Bashers

2008-10-24T17:17:00.001-07:00

The start of a busy weekend is close at hand. Gotta get the house all spic & span for Karen's dad and grandma. Would like to do some clean up outside the house, too. We're going to put my old PC monitor, Jeremy's old TV, and the hutch that housed it all on Craig's List, but I want to clean them up and photograph them to put in the ad. They'll be free, too, if anyone wants them. It also looks like Karen's running around trying to do something for my birthday Sunday which I wish she wouldn't do. We may have as many as twelve (!) people for dinner at Chevy's on Saturday.

I bought some flea medication from this dude on eBay over a month ago. I even paid the dude. Nothing. I just sent him another email. I'm really thinking about not dealing with eBay at all anymore. There are just too many untrustworthy sellers. This is what I get for being cheap. The dogs have now gone a month without their flea medicine.

As I drive around town I will see the occasional sign for "McCain Palin" and "Yes on 8", but no "Obama" or "No on 8" sign. Perhaps Martinez is more of a right-wing hillbilly town than I thought. These homophobes that back Prop 8 are too much. OK, so you don't like gay people. How does it affect your life if gays have the right to marry? Does it somehow diminish the value of your heterosexual relationship? I just don't get it. The other day the girls and I drove past these people holding up some homemade "YES ON 8" signs. What kills me that almost all of them looked Hispanic. You'd think that people of color would have more sympathy for people being discriminated against. People at work think it's because many are so religious.

But don't get me started about religion. Now don't get me wrong. I'm a big fan of Joel Osteen's sermons. But there is so much hatred in the world that's based in religion if "devotion to God" means hating gays or Jews or just being intolerant then I don't want any part of it.

Acceptance doesn't mean endorsement. Just because I accept others' homosexuality that doesn't mean I wish more people were gay, too. I don't know of any gay person that feels they're gay by choice. Why would anyone CHOOSE to belong to a group of people that are hated by so many?

Enough with Prop 8 already. Leave gays alone. Let them live their lives. To paraphrase Howard Stern, "if gay people want to be as miserable as the rest of us heterosexuals then let them."

A Short Wednesday Update

2008-10-22T23:24:00.000-07:00

It's Tuesday night about 8:15. I'm on a hella hot BART car that has no air circulation.

I've fallen into the bad habit of starting a post and never finishing so whatever I'm able to tell you here on the train is all I'm gonna worry about writing.

I haven't been posting here or on my dog blog lately. I've just been insanely busy as of late.

They've been offering 4 1/2 hours of overtime almost every day and a full 8 hours OT every Saturday. There's going to be major changes at work starting December 1st. Who knows if overtime is going to be offered at all after that so I feel like I need to get in as much as I can while I can get it.

My birthday's Sunday so Karen's been running around like crazy. Her dad and grandma are coming to visit Saturday so we've been working really hard to get the house in order.

We had to do some major furniture moves. Bryan gave me his old Sony Vega Trinitron TV Monday. It's nine years old but it's still a pretty high end TV. We had to move it from his place in San Mateo over to our house. It's massive. It took quite a lot of effort to get it not only into the house but into its spot in our bedroom. It weighs 250 pounds and it's unbalanced so it took quite a bit of muscle and sweat to get it moved. We had to take out our old 27" and the entertainment center it sat in. They both now sit in Jeremy's room. Now we have to figure out what to do with Jeremy's old crappy TV and the shelf/hutch that it sat in.

I'm also still trying to work in time to walk the dogs. So I've been working 12 1/2 hours every day and when I get home I have to pitch in with the housework, move heavy furniture AND have time for the dogs. I'm so tired by the time I get done I'm too tired to write. I have neither the energy nor the motivation to update my blog. You understand, don't you?

I'm getting off at the next station so I'll have to end this here.

Short Post

2008-10-16T20:52:00.000-07:00

I think I forgot to mention on my last post what the doctor said about Imani's chest pain. But first I have to tell you how funny it always is whenever I have to take her to see her pediatrician. She really hates getting shots. Like really, really, REALLY hates them. So, of course, she always asks if she's going to get one. And, of course, I always tell her, "Yes, you're absolutely getting a shot, probably 2 or 3 at least." What makes it even better is that the pediatrics section is adjacent to the injection clinic. I really get her going sometimes. Yes, I know I'm a shitty parent. Thank you.

Her doctor diagnosed her as having something called "Costochondritis". Basically, it's inflammation of the cartilage that connects the rib cage to the sternum. No special treatment needed. Just over the counter anti-inflammatories like Tylenol and a heating pad for the pain. Because the pain occurs in the chest it's harder to take a deep breath which would explain her shortness of breath. I would guess that since she's never played tennis anywhere in the ballpark as much as she does now she's got what you could define as "tennis chest".

I had a long diatribe about the debate last night along with my soapbox statement about abortion that I typed but apparently failed to save it. My diatribe was not meant to be shared today. It was pretty long. Perhaps today's post was meant to be short. I'll try again tomorrow.

The Computer Genius Strikes Again

2008-10-15T17:21:00.000-07:00

Guess what the tech wizard did today? I read 3 or 4 different tech magazines every month, look at countless tech websites every day, and listen to some 6-10 hours worth of tech podcasts every week. So, it was I, creator of the Tech Slayer blog, that foolishly destroyed my desktop computer. Even better, I may not be done yet.

Earlier I mentioned having an overheating problem with my desktop PC. Well, I had a few hours to kill today so I had the bright idea of completely dismantling it, cleaning it super duper clean, and putting it back together in hopes of getting the damn thing to work properly again. I got careless trying to reseat the CPU and managed to bend connector pins. And not just one, dozens. Have you ever seen a CPU before? They've got dozens and dozens and dozens of teensy, weensy little pins on the bottom, each one having its own place in the slot. Unbending just ONE of those pins would have taken me forever, let alone the 40 or so I had managed to bend.

The CPU is the brain of any computer. So no brain. No computer. Thanks to me. I guess need to start looking for Uverse.

I wonder how much a new motherboard/CPU combo costs at Fry's

Thanks Mom!

2008-10-15T01:58:00.000-07:00

This is my first post typed into my NEW LAPTOP. Woo hoo! This is a birthday present from my mom. She got it for me on Saturday. It's very nice. It's a Toshiba, 14" screen. I wanted to go smaller than the one I had before, the STOLEN one. That one had a 17" screen. Although the big screen was nice it was a bit bulky and quite a bit heavier than smaller models. The processor is an AMD Turion duo-core RM-72. The RM-72 runs at 2.1 GHz vs. the stolen one that had a duo-core that ran at 1.6 GHz. It also has 4 GB of RAM, twice the memory of the stolen one. So it's quite an upgrade. I did have a problem with it though. On Monday while watching a DVD I got the dreaded Blue Screen of Death and the screen went blank. I've seen this problem before. It's a hardware failure. So I took it back to Circuit City and exchanged it for another one, same model. I'm quite pleased. THANKS MOM!

I was pondering getting another HP. Mom and Bryan both have HPs and they've served them faithfully. But I had a few problems with my stolen HP. Twice the motherboard failed and had to be sent back to the factory. Then last week on The Tech Guy, a caller was asking Leo, the host, about his opinions on laptops and Leo was adamant about dislike for HP laptops, especially the Pavilion line. One of the techie guys at work had a pretty low opinion of Pavilions, too, so I decided to stay away this time. Jess and Karen have had pretty good success with their Toshibas so that swayed me.

Although overtime has returned at work starting tomorrow I'm taking the day off. Imani has started complaining about having shortness of breath and tightness in her chest so I'm going to try to get Kaiser to squeeze her in tomorrow.

I haven't been blogging as much lately because I got hooked again on Dicing Dangers. DD is an online multi-player role-playing game, or MMORPG for short. The popular MMORPG these days is World of Warcraft. I think they charge $13-15 a month to play. A few years ago the hot MMORPG was Everquest. People would get so addicted to this game some referred to it as "Evercrack". DD is a little different than the latter two. It's almost all text with a few static pictures. It doesn't rely on quick reflexes or a powerful computer to run it. It can be played at a very leisurely pace. The game lets you set up a free account with two playable characters. Each character is given about 60-90 minutes of game play per day. For a small amount of money extra play time can be purchased.

Players can form clans. Both my characters belong to a clan known as the "Elite Gonrah Order". Gonrah is the name of the world this game is set in. We have actually become a pretty tight knight clan. There's perhaps 30 of us in the clan. I'm only one of perhaps two or three Americans in the group. Most of my other "clannies" are in Europe and Australia. It's pretty neat.

If you're interested go ahead and create a free account. Click on this link so the creator knows I referred you. And be sure to let me know. We always are very helpful to new players, or noobs. The only reason I'm blogging right now and not playing is because the game server's down.

By the way, my birthday's Sunday, the 26th. It's not too late to send me a present!

Sicko

2008-10-09T22:09:00.000-07:00

I believe this is my first blog post in a while. I have so much to talk about that I can never remember once I start typing. Am I the only one afflicted with this mental disease?

Karen and I took the dogs to the Solano Drive-In in Concord to see " Beverly Hills Chihuahua". It was both stupid and cute. It was the number one movie last weekend, and I have no doubt that within a few short months all the local animal shelters will begin to fill with unwanted Chihuahuas. Zoe and Charlie weren't very impressed. They were more interested in all the other people that had brought their Chihuahuas.

Neither one of us had been to a drive-in in many years. The last time I went to one it was in Union City where the overbuilt Union Landing now stands. I forgot how nice it was to just sit back in the comfort of your own vehicle while the movie plays, talk if you want to, light up a smoke, not have to sneak food in. We agreed we'd have to go back again sometime.

The Sharks begin their 2008-09 campaign tonight against Anaheim. What a breath of fresh air considering how bad the A's were over the summer, how bad the Raiders and 49ers are currently, and how bad the Warriors are going to be when the NBA season starts next month.

I was channel surfing last night and caught a portion of a Sharks playoff game against Calgary last season. Of course, I hadn't realized what it was for the first few minutes. I start getting all happy and everything because they're up 5-2, then I see the playoff logo on the ice. Oh, well.

I'm currently dealing with two separate PC headaches. First, my desktop is experiencing a shutdown problem I haven't been able to solve yet. It does a cold shutdown after a minute or two. This is overheating behavior. It's not the first time this has happened to me. In fact, that's how I recognize it as a behavior. So I did what I normally do when I see overheating behavior. I open up the case, clean all the dust out, and fire it back up. But that didn't work this time. So I was playing around with it and discovered that it will stay running in Safe Mode. A tech forum suggested that it could be a driver problem so I just said, "What the hell," and wiped my whole hard drive clean and reloaded a fresh copy of Windows. Usually, unsolvable software problems can be solved by a Windows reinstall, although this is a last resort type of solution. Well, even after doing that it still didn't help. So I'm kind of at wits end. I'm going to do another cleaning, this time much more thorough. I really can't think of anything else.

The other problem I'm dealing with is Asha's laptop. The pin had broken off on the AC adapter and the replacement one was just delivered yesterday. The problem is that I can't get it to boot. When I hit the power button some of the LEDs light up and you can see the backlight of the screen come on but the screen itself stays blank.

Went over Yolanda's last Sunday. Isabel was here on leave. It was nice to see everyone. Isabel seems to be enjoying Navy life. The only problem is that she's apparently committed to her ship for all four years of her term unless she can promote off of it. She's stationed on the USS Bataan. She tells us it's an amphibious ship (!!). It's home port is in Norfolk. And that ain't changing. She said she misses living in California so I hope she'll be able to complete her classes and do whatever she needs to do to get herself moved. She also mentioned wanting to go to Iraq. Yeah, that was a real "what the fuck" moment, but I guess being active military changes your perspective. Let's hope PRESIDENT OBAMA gets our troops the hell out of there before she gets the chance.

My Long, Unproductive Week

2008-10-03T16:09:00.000-07:00

I have been out sick since Tuesday night. I'm feeling much better now but I was in pretty bad shape for a while there. I actually threw up a couple of times, which is something I almost never do. Perhaps I am oversharing a bit.

We woke up this morning to the news that Contra Costa County deputy DA Michael Gressett has been arrested on a rape charge. A moment of panic washed over us when we heard the news. Gressett has been the prosecutor handling the case against Karen's ex. But after a moment of contemplation I realized that the case Gressett had put together is still solid. It will still be solid when the case is reassigned to another deputy DA. It's ironic that it was Gressett that handled the bulk of the sexual assault cases here in Contra Costa County. I understand he had a reputation of being a good prosecutor that pushed for harsher sentences for sex offenders. Of course, if he is guilty then he deserves to be punished to the full extent of the law, but for his own sake I hope he is innocent.

Imani's tennis team kinda got screwed. The school had arranged for a bus to take them to their away games but it turns out that it would cost the school more than they had anticipated so they had to cancel for the season meaning that the team will need rides to their away matches for the rest of the season. I'm not sure to what extent I'll be able to help. I actually had to bundle up and take Imani and two of her teammates to Campolindo High in Moraga to their match yesterday. To make matters worse for Imani yesterday they put her and her doubles partner against Campolindo's best doubles team and they got beat up pretty good. Dad suggested checking Big 5 for tennis rackets. I'll take her there Sunday.

I watched last night's Vice Presidential debate last night with great enthusiasm. After all those nonsensical answers Sarah Palin had given to Katie Couric I couldn't wait to see how she'd fare against a bulldog like Joe Biden. I now suspect that she may have given those ridiculous answers on purpose. She had effectively lowered the bar so much that they halfway decent performance she gave last night would seem brilliant in contrast.

On the other hand, Biden simply had a no-win situation. Everyone knows it wouldn't have taken much for Biden to smash her if he wanted to. The issue all week long leading up to the debate was how could he defeat her without embarrassing her. How much could Biden reel himself back? I think he did brilliantly well. He kept hammering the point that McCain hasn't made a convincing case that he's going to be any different than Dubya. It was clear that Palin had been trained to use certain catchphrases and responses. Near the end she actually tried stealing Reagan's famous "there you go again" line. It was so scripted. More than once she used a "that was in the past, let's look forward" response that was so weak. That whole "that was then and this is now" answer is the kind that wife beaters and adulterers use. I loved it when Biden shot back that "past is prologue" because it's really true. If you're unwilling to look at the past then you're destined to repeat it.

I thought it was a real telltale moment when Biden choked up for a moment and Palin simply kept rolling. I thought it said a lot about Biden's humanity, about his ability to empathize with the common man. In any case, I thought he hit it out of the park.

A quick word about Paul Newman who died Sunday. I wasn't much of a fan of his movies. The days of his prime were a little before my time so I never really go to know him as Paul Newman, Movie Star. The Paul Newman that I knew was the Paul Newman, the race car team owner, and Paul Newman, purveyor of salad dressing and microwave popcorn. As co-owner of the Newman-Haas IndyCar racing team, he was able to recruit big names like Mario Andretti, Nigel Mansell, and Michael Andretti. He owned more than one IndyCar championship team and always fielded a competative one. He was a passionate and dedicated auto racing owner, driver, and enthusiast. His name added legitimacy to auto racing and I will always respect him for that. As for the Paul Newman line of food products I know many people who are big fans of his salad dressings and salsas. The labels always said funny things like "fine foods since Februrary" and "so good you'll need a machete to hack off the arms of those that will try to steal this from you". The profits from the "Newman's Own" brand went straight to charity and according to his foundation over $200 million have been given over the years. How can you not respect that? And finally, I've heard that his favorite movie of all he starred in was "Slap Shot", the best hockey movie of all time. Wow. What an incredible person he was. The world was a better place with Paul Newman in it.

About Afghanistan

2008-09-26T22:04:00.000-07:00

One big issue impacting the upcoming presidential election and certainly is a major area of concern for we Americans is the war in Iraq. In my opinion we are concentrating too much on Iraq itself and are largely ignoring the importance of Afghanistan. According to what I could find on the internet there are currently some 165,000 soldiers in Iraq while there are approximately 27,000 in Afghanistan.

Afghanistan is where the Taliban and Al Qaeda based themselves grew in power before we invaded. They had pretty much run the country.

You see, when the Soviets had invaded Afghanistan in the 1980s the US sent tens of millions to aid the Afghan rebels which, unfortunately, also included the Taliban. Afghanistan more or less became the Soviets' own version of Vietnam and eventually left. But in the aftermath of the Soviet departure the Afghani people were left with a country with no money and no resources. It was ripe for the picking of anyone wanting to claim power there. The Taliban were the ones to fill that power void. The war weary Afghanis were not in any position to put up a fight and unfortunately the US, frankly, didn't care.

This is beginning to happen again. Al Qaeda seem to have regrouped and are growing in power.

I don't think anyone would dispute that there are no Weapons of Mass Destruction in Iraq. It does not appear that there was ever a tie-in between Saddam Hussein and Al Qaeda. We have put a democratic government in place there. Said government has told us they want our troops out. The Iraqi people don't want us there. Our presence in Iraq isn't serving to fight terrorism any longer. It's time to hand the country over to the Iraqi people and get the hell out.

Let us turn our attention to Afghanistan. An important thing to know about the Afghani people is that they don't hate us like the Iraqis do. They welcome our presence and protection. Afghanis are Muslims but largely do not hold an anti-American sentiment.

When I used to work for the County I worked with a lot of Afghanis, most of whom came here as refugees during their country's Soviet occupation. And at the risk of sounding racist, based upon my interaction with my Afghani co-workers, I have come to feel that Afghanis are good people, accepting of other views and religions, and just want to get along.

One co-worker I will never forget was an older man named Anwar Sultan. I don't ever remember Anwar getting upset about anything. He took everything in stride. He never had an unkind word to say about anyone. And although he was Muslim he always wished everyone a Merry Christmas during the holidays.

Stomach cancer took his life. I attended his funeral which was held just a day or two after his passing as is Muslim tradition. It was a Muslim ceremony. The men and the women were separated. At one point all the men lined up, took off their shoes, kneeled, put their hands together palms up and recited a Muslim prayer. I tried to follow suit to honor my friend but since I wasn't familiar with the traditions I quietly stepped away after a few short minutes.

I would later tell another Afghani co-worker that I felt a little uncomfortable because of my unfamiliarity, and didn't wish to be disrespectful and end up unwittingly commmit some sort of gaffe, so I thought it would be better if I simply not attempt it. He told me that the Muslims there understood that there were many non-Muslims in attendance and any mistake made during the prayer wouldn't have offended anyone. That said a lot to me about them as a people.

Afghanistan is also where the large portion of the world's poppy seeds are grown. The Taliban have those poppy seeds processed into opium and are able to fund themselves with the heroin that is produced from the opium. The poppy seed farmers have no interest in helping the Taliban but have little choice but to cooperate if no one is there to protect them.

If we fail to protect Afghanistan this time we may be destined to repeat 9/11 again. Barack Obama appears to fully understand this. John McCain does not.

Journey, Heart, and Cheap Trick at the Concord Pavilion

2008-09-25T00:36:00.001-07:00

Imani told me she tried out for a play earlier this week and says she missed the callback, which means she didn't make it. This is her first try at it. I'm really hoping she doesn't get discouraged and gives up.

Her drama teacher said she needs to attend at least one organized play per semester, be it a at a high school, amateur, or a big, professional production. I was thinking about "Spring Awakening" but I don't know if the girls would want to. I need to show them the commercial for it. I intended to go by the theatre downtown to see what they were performing while I was out walking the dogs, but it slipped my mind while I was down there. Last time I checked it was, "Evil Dead, the Musical". How bad could it be?

I don't know what I'm going to do tomorrow. I'm off at 5:30, the debate (if McCain doesn't manage to wiggle his way out of it) is at 6, and there's cake and ice cream for Jess tomorrow.

Okay, the Journey concert last night was great! I've gotta tell you about it.

Cheap Trick opened the show. It was great to see the classic lineup together. Robin Zander (vocals), Rick Nielsen (guitar), Bun E. Carlos (drums) and Tom Peterssen (bass). They played all their classics, bringing out Journey keyboardist Jonathan Cain to help out on "The Flame" and "Surrender" to end the set. When they came out for their encore they were also joined by Journey drummer Deen Castronovo to help out on vocals as they performed "Dream Police". Robin Zander's voice didn't disappoint. Rick Nielsen's guitar solos were kinda disappointing in that his playing was a little sloppy. I was really looking forward to seeing Nielsen's 5-neck guitar. He mostly played a Les Paul and didn't bring out the 5-neck until the end, but that was good enough for me.

The changeover between sets was much shorter than I had expected and missed the beginning of Heart's set. When I got back they were playing "Magic Man". They also did not disappoint. Ann Wilson is the truly great vocalists in rock history. She was every bit as good as live as she has been on all those classic albums. There aren't many singers I can think of that can sing "Barracuda" with so many high notes with so much power. Nancy Wilson hasn't lost it either. She's older, but still a hottie. Her high-note harmonies with Ann were spot on. She came out with a mandolin and started playing a somewhat muted version of "These Dreams" that slowly built its way up. I had forgotten how much I loved that song. They finished their set with a cover of the Who's "Reign Over Me" which launched into "Barracuda" to end it. For their encore they played a Zeppelin song whose title escapes me and finally ended with "Crazy on You". My only disappointment was that they didn't play "The Dog and the Butterfly".

One of my Facebook friends is my best friend Jennifer's niece, Joy. I saw this morning that she had updated her Facebook with "back from seeing Heart and Journey with Aunt Jena! All of the Philippines showed up, including grandma!" One of the things I can say about the Filipino community here in the Bay Area is that they definitely support their own. When Karen and I went to Las Vegas last year we saw The Society of Seven at Flamingo. They're a group from Hawaii that do a stage show with lots of very good cover songs. One of its new members was a stunningly talented singer named Lani Misalucha, who was born in the Philippines. When I mentioned her at work all my Filipino co-workers knew who she was.

In a similar vein, when I learned of Journey's new Filipino singer, Arnel Pineda, my co-workers knew who he was as well. And just like Joy said the Filipino community was there last night in force to show him support. I'm guessing the sold out crowd was a good 30-40% Filipinos.

Arnel's got a great rags-to-riches story that will bring a tear to your eye. CBS Sunday Morning had a great profile on him. You really find yourself rooting for him, but it isn't charity. He has earned every single word of praise.

Journey started their set with "Never Walk Away", my favorite song from their new album. They didn't miss any of their classic hits. "Stone in Love", "Separate Ways", "Wheel in the Sky", "Open Arms". The entire house sung along with "Don't Stop Believin'". It's corny, but you just couldn't help yourself. When Arnel begins "Lights" with those first few words, "When the lights go down in the City and the sun shines on the Bay," there was just no way you could stop yourself from raising a lighter.

Arnel has been the perfect replacement for Journey's original singer, Steve Perry. He really sounds just like the original. I swear if you close your eyes and just listened you wouldn't be able to tell them apart. It must have been great for Arnel the first time he said to the crowd that it was great to be back home. As far as Journey the band goes they are, of course, from San Francisco so this was a homecoming for them. But for Arnel, he must have known how many Filipinos were there in the crowd. He must have known how many of those cheers were for him and were genuine.

As for me, Journey's guitarist Neal Schon has been one of my all-time favorites. He's a real hero to me. Neal's career on the big stage began when he joined Santana when he was just fifteen years old. He can play blazingly fast and can keep up with any speed demon guitarist you can think of and yet have so much emotion in his phrasing on the slower songs. In my opinion he's one of the most underrated guitarists in rock and roll history. It was an absolute joy to see him play live and in person.

Near the end of your set Arnel introduced the band members one-by-one and they all got the big cheers they deserved but the biggest cheer went to Arnel. I was genuinely happy for him. His performance last night was brilliant. He earned those cheers.

Our age got the best of us and we left after they played "Any Way You Want It". We left as they were playing "Lovin' Touchin' Squeezin'". We never did get to see what they played for their encore. That was my only real regret of the evening. This was probably the best concert I've attended in 10 years.

Imagine how good it would make you feel to know that Michael Jordan could still split two defenders to make a lay-in, or that Magic Johnson could still deliver a no-look pass, or that Joe Montana could still hit a tight end on a tightrope sideline pass. That was how I felt seeing these three bands. After all these years they all looked and sounded just as good as they did in their prime.

Bill Clinton

2008-09-24T11:21:00.000-07:00

First off, I keep wanting to mention this but keep forgetting. Mom sent me something in the mail a couple of weeks ago and I noticed my miniature poodle owning-mom has a Pit Bull on her return label. Way to go, Mom!

Karen & I have the day off today. We're going to see Journey tonight at the Concord Pavilion. We really didn't need the whole day off, but it's a nice break and a chance to get a few things done. I'm going to walk the dogs in a little bit then give them both baths afterwards. They haven't been bathed in a couple of weeks. Zoe really needs it because I just reordered some more Advantage off of eBay and I expect to have it soon. And since you're not supposed to bathe a dogs 3 days before or after applying a treatment I should do it today.

I was watching the Daily Show with Jon Stewart last night and Bill Clinton came on as a guest. Jon was asking him about the $700 billion bailout and Clinton gave the most sensible, articulate responses. He also made a lot of sense with his opinions about the upcoming election. The whole segment really made me miss Clinton as president. I cannot fathom George Dubya Bush answering those same questions with anything in the ballpark of the logic of Clinton's last night. You can watch the segment below.

It is so critical to get Obama into the White House. We've just got to get the Republicans out of there. Remember how much better off the country was when Clinton was running the show? Think about this, what was the biggest controversy surrounding the President during the Clinton administration? Whether or not he got a blowjob from an intern! The economy was booming. There was a budget surplus. No war. The dot com boom.

Now think about what has happened during Dubya's watch. 9/11. War. Gas prices soaring. Unions weaker than ever. The inability to handle the Hurricane Katrina aftermath. Dubya apologists can say all they want about Dubya inheriting a mess from Clinton but you know that's all bullshit and so do they. It happened on his watch. And that's the bottom line. Does anyone excuse LBJ for Vietnam because he inherited it from JFK? No. Why? Because it happened on his watch.

Wouldn't it be great if the worst thing that happened during the Dubya years is that he got a goddamn blowjob? If that was the worst thing that happened on Dubya's watch I'd be signing petitions to have an amendment made to allow him a third term. But instead, we got what we got.

I discovered that speeches from this year's Democratic Convention were available on iTunes. I downloaded speeches from Obama, Biden, Clinton, Hillary, and Michelle Obama. I also found Obama's address to the 2004 Democratic Convention, from when no one knew who he was. It was absolutely inspiring. I actually found myself welling up during some of them.

I'm gonna go walk the dogs now.

Dog Walking

2008-09-22T21:59:00.000-07:00

Charlie got his first long walk today. Along with Zoe we only walked about a mile down Pacheco Boulevard and back. It's nothing special for Zoe. We've walked that route dozens of times before, but it was a brand new experience for Charlie. It was all new sights and sounds and smells for him and he met his new experiences like he meets everything else, with boundless, unafraid, not-a-care-in-the-world joy.

Most of Zoe's walks have just been the two of us. I have come to believe that our walks have really served as bonding experiences. I think that's why Zoe closest to me. I think the three of us walking together will be a really great chance to solidify our bonds.

I will always carry some measure of guilt for getting Charlie from a backyard breeder, something I now feel is borderline evil, I will never regret adopting him into our family. His pure innocence, his fearlessness, and his genuine zest for simply being alive served as a reservoir of renewed spirits for me. I sure hope that part of him never changes.

Saturday Night Ramble

2008-09-20T19:28:00.000-07:00

This post begins on BART, just out of the tunnel approaching the Orinda station. It’s been a long week. Today caps off a week’s worth of overtime.

There are a few people on the train wearing A’s gear. They played the Angels today. I have no idea who won, but willing to lay odds 2-to-1 that they lost. It’s been a long season for my beloved Athletics. I haven’t been to an A’s game in two seasons, none at all this year.
I suppose that in the eyes of some that would make me a fair weather fan. After all, a REAL fan would show up to support the team no matter how bad they are, right? Well, no. I’m sorry, I have to disagree.

More than all of the teams I love, including the 49ers, Sharks, and Warriors, it is the A’s I love the most. I love them so much that it hurts me deeply to see them lose. I know how bad the A’s are this year. I know how much I would be hurt to actually see them lose in person. I simply cannot subject myself to it. In fact, I say that the people who are showing up this year couldn’t love the A’s as much as I do because, obviously, it must not hurt them as much as it does me.

In my bag is a voter registration form all filled out. I just have to put it in the mailbox. So politicians take heed I will be A REGISTERED VOTER. I’m glad the kids care so much about the upcoming election. Imani’s been bugging me about getting myself registered. I don’t know if I’ve felt this passionate about the presidential election since the first one I was old enough to vote in. That was 1988, when Bush, Sr. beat out Michael Dukakis.

I still don’t regret voting for Dukakis. I thought he had the more thoughtful and logical answers during the debates. Jesus, this country cannot take another four years of a conservative in the White House, but can America really vote a black man into the presidency. Sadly, I don’t have that much faith in this country.

I’ve done a little networking through my dog blogging and Twitter. I’ve become friendly with this nice lady in South Dakota named Jennifer that volunteers at a local animal shelter, is a wife and mom, solely maintains her own very good-looking blog, and has shown me a thing or three about tech.
Last week she wrote a story about…hold on. Here’s my stop. I’ll pick this up when I get home.

Okay, I’m home now. I DID IT. I put my voter registration form in the mail.

Back to my story. Jennifer posted a story that’s really heartbreaking. It was about a Lab/Pit mix that had spent his entire life outside at the end of a short chain until some sick fucks decided to beat him down and leave him for dead. She posted a couple of videos on YouTube showing him with his front leg in a cast whimpering. AND HIS NAME IS CHARLIE, same as my adorable little pup.
She and others decided to turn his suffering into a rallying point for a great cause. They’re raising money in his name to provide subscriptions to local school kids for a youth-oriented periodical from the Humane Society (more about THEM later). I really love that idea the suffering that poor dog has suffered is going to serve a greater good.

On payday I decided to chip in a few bucks, but I didn’t want it to be from me. I wanted it to be from Zoe and Charlie so I wrote a silly note in their names and Jennifer decided to put it in her blog. Karen was so tickled with Jennifer’s post she’s talking about donating some more money.

Please take a look at her blog. It’s called “In the Shelter of Your Heart”. It’s very professional looking, complete with ads, nice looking layouts, the whole nine yards. This was also one of the blogs that inspired me to set higher goals for my own blogs. Although sometimes I feel like maybe I’ve bitten off a little more than I can chew.

I read a lot of dog abuse stories to comment about in my dog blog and I’ve gotta tell you, it gets depressing sometimes. There was a guy in Redwood City that kicked a Chihuahua to death, these asshole hunters that shot a little 4 month old Jack Russell puppy in the head, another woman being charged with throwing puppies down an outhouse. There are times that I just don’t want to hear about it, but now I feel this weight upon me. I just can’t read these horrible things without speaking out.
I’m gonna go work on my tech blog now. See ya.

Calgon Take Me Away

2008-09-18T23:09:00.000-07:00

Today was a trying day. Rude customers, inconsiderate co-workers, and kids with attitudes. I won't get into it.

Surprise, surprise, Imani had her first tennis match today. She lost but didn't get killed. She'll only get better. I noticed she was wearing her Pastry Kicks (the line of shoes put out by the nieces of mogul Russell Simmons). I need to get her shoes made for tennis.

Greg Kiyoi put up a video on YouTube of Arvie Carrington's performance of our Senior Show in 1985. I didn't even realize anyone was taping it. Thanks, Greg!

While a subject involving YouTube check out Tina Fey as Sara Palin on last Saturday's Saturday Night Live. Her performance speaks for itself.

I was at Wal-Mart today and saw something I couldn't resist. It was a paperback version of Barack Obama's "The Audacity of Hope" sitting next to "You Can Run But You Can't Hide" by "Dog the Bounty Hunter" Chapman. I bought them both.

Straining

2008-09-17T15:20:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a bad day for Karen and Imani.

Karen had to take her mom around to different doctors yesterday. Bernie's condition is worsening on a few different fronts. Karen says that sometimes Bernie is catatonic. Her mouth just hangs open and she has this blank stare. Also, Bernie has become very unstable on her feet. She falls frequently. The other night she fell and hit her head requiring six stitches. To make things worse she can only go to County General for emergency. She doesn't have any other option. And apparently the wait in the County emergency room is just as bad as it sounds.

Karen also has a hard time being around her mom a lot. The Alzheimer's combined with the dementia often times leaves her very spaced out. Sometimes it's like dealing with a small child. It really stresses her out. I don't know how I could ever deal with it if my mom had an illness like that.
Karen had to run Bernie around between appointments yesterday. It just so happened that she had enough time to pick up the girls from school before rushing off to another appointment.

On Sunday when I went to the movies with Imani I was asking about when her tennis matches would be scheduled. She told me she didn't know. As it turns out she was told during her last period in school that their first match would be that day. She needed to go home and get her uniform but Karen didn't have time to run her home and back to the school if she was going to make her appointment on time, an appointment that she wouldn't have a chance to reschedule for anytime soon.

So, in the end we've ended up with Imani missing her first match, and Karen feeling extra guilt about it on top of the stress of dealing with her mother. Just a no-win situation...

More Random Goodness

2008-09-16T21:17:00.000-07:00

Update on the dogs: Charlie was apparently given those kind of stitches that dissolve on their own. He was never told to come back to have them removed. I took him for his first walk this past Sunday. Imani and I went to go the "The House Bunny", which was pretty stupid. Karen picked us up with the dogs in tow. I had her drop us off about a mile from the house and Imani, Zoe, Charlie, and I walked the rest of the way. Charlie did pretty well. He doesn't copy this thing that Zoe does. If she's not ready to move on she digs in her feet. I won't have many opportunities to walk them this week. We've got overtime at work from 7a-8p. I plan to work as much of it as I can except for Thursday. The girls have Back-to-School night then.

My co-worker Elton has finally released his album. It's like dance club music. It's actually pretty good. He goes by the moniker L10 (get it? Elton, L10?). His single, "music's got u," is currently in rotation on Sirius (satellite radio) Channel 36, the beat. Look at his website. http://www.l10sworld.com/media

I was told that Imani tried out for the water polo team and didn't make the cut. But the truth is that the team had already been set by the time she looked into it. I told her that water polo was really hard. In addition to passing the ball around, trying to score goals, and defending, those guys have to wade the entire time they're playing. Their feef aren't allowed to touch the bottom of the pool. You have to be in very good shape just to be able to play. I think she's happier with tennis anyway. She tells me that she and Asha both plan on going out for the swim team.

Bryan left with Mom & Bob Saturday on a motorhoming road trip that will take them through Boise and Yellowstone Park ending at Mt. Rushmore. It's a two week trip. I wish I had the time to go myself. They plan on returning on the 25th. Karen & I were holding out an extra ticket for him for the Journey concert on the 24th at the Concord Pavilion.

Others were asking about that extra ticket but we both agreed Rob deserved it the most. He's the most familiar with all three bands playing that night. Heart and Cheap Trick are on the bill as well.

I'm in two fantasy football leagues. So far I'm 0-2 in both leagues. The league I consider more important is the CBS Sportsline league. Will helped me with all my picks. He had me pick up Braylon Edwards and Derek Anderson from the Browns. Will sold me on the fact that if Edwards has a good game then Anderson would have a good game, too, and that would be major points. Well the both burned me last Sunday. Anderson threw for only 166 yards, no TDs, and 2 picks. Edwards had 32 total receiving yards and no TDs. Ugh, it's going to be a long season.

Using Digg I discovered the "Kid Tech Guru". His real name is Xavier Lur. He's a 14-year old from Singapore. This kid has such a great techie website of his own I was inspired to start doing my own site again. I wasn't exactly unhappy with Jon's Tech Central but the way I was doing it was too much work. I am actually pleased with the work I did but there was so much that I was doing the wrong way I didn't want to resurrect it. I wanted to start over from scratch. Thus The Tech Slayer was born.

I try to inject a little humor in it. I take the persona of some kind of superhero of geekdom, very full of myself, speaking about myself in the third person. The premise is that the things that stump novice PC users are evil supervillians and I am the knowledgeable-about-PCs hero that saves these innocents like I'm frickin' Superman or something. This is on top of doing this blog and my spin-off dog blog. It's a lot of work but not as much as before. Not even close.

Gotta go now. I need to work on my dog blog.

Review of my week 9/7/08-9/12/08

2008-09-13T00:08:00.000-07:00

Imani has decided to join the tennis team. I’m concerned that this may be a distraction from her schoolwork, but I’m hopeful that this will help drive her school spirit. This kind of took me by surprise. She never really seemed to have an interest in tennis before. She doesn’t even have her own racket yet. Obviously, I’ll need to get her one soon. Tomorrow she and her teammates are having a car wash at Hagin’s Automotive on Alhambra in Martinez to raise money for uniforms. I wish I could help but I’ll be working overtime tomorrow.

Isabel is currently in Texas performing her duties as part of the Navy’s relief efforts in the wake of Hurricane Gustav and now Hurricane Ike. I’m very proud of her.

One week ago today Charlie got his little nuts removed. The vet put this plastic cone around his neck so he couldn’t mess with his stitches. He really hated it. He would just lay there on his side with his little forepaws pushing up against the cone and whimpering. I really felt bad for him. The cone’s off now and it doesn’t look like being nutless has lessened his spirit any. In fact, I caught him trying to hump Zoe earlier this week. That little guy’s got a really LONG penis! I know, eeeww! I am glad it’s done though. I’m glad that neither of my dogs are capable of breeding.

Matt Dorado got a real snowball started. He sent out an group email to all the Tennyson class of 1985. He said that he had heard that Arvie Carrington had died and did anyone know anything about it. I looked up Arvie’s name (her full first name was Arvanola) on Google and discovered a news report from May of last year that she did indeed die in a car crash.

I threw out a suggestion that perhaps we could pool some money and make a group donation to some charity in her name. The ensuing discussion then evolved into an idea of setting up a scholarship fund for a Tennyson student. It would be one hell of a big undertaking but it would be a great legacy to leave on behalf of our old classmates that have since passed away. Amber Love counted eight, eight of our class that have died.

It would have been a stretch to say Arvie and I were friends in high school, but I certainly don’t have any bad memories of her. In fact, as far as I can remember, she was always nice to me.

There’s one memory of Arvie from high school that I will never forget. It was toward the end of our Senior year. It was the Senior show. Arvie sang a solo, but I don’t remember what the song was. I was working the sound board with Shawn Forsythe. Halfway through the song her mike went out. Shawn and I tried our best to get everything working again, but Arvie could do is just stand there in the middle of the stage all by herself, basically stuck, more or less. People in the audience started to yell at her to just sing anyway, without any amplification. And so she did. She finished the song carried by the power of her voice alone. She got a really huge ovation when she was done. She was really wonderful. I didn’t even know she could sing.

It’s really sad knowing her life came to an end so soon. Tina (Snowden) Chaney also told me that another classmate, Regina Works, also had died in a car crash, and it happened in front of her kids, too. I’ll be glad when we’re able to do something nice to honor their memories.

I launched my dog website on Monday. So far, I’m satisfied with it. But I know it has potential to be much more. http://dogspeakup.blogspot.com

I also decided to start a new techie blog. I’ve just launched it already. It’s called The Tech Slayer. http://techslayer.blogspot.com

NRA: Nazi Right-Wing Assholes

2008-09-10T19:59:00.000-07:00

Here's that NRA asshole-ripping I promised.

These days it seems to be a badge of honor for a conservative to be a member of so-called National Rifle Association the same way a liberal badge of honor would be a card-carrying member of the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union).

We can argue all day about the merits of the Second Amendment, commonly known as 'the right to bear arms', but the fact of the matter is that we will never be rid of it. Guns will always be a part of American society. Personally, I think there are too many guns out there in the hands of too many irresponsible gun owners. I feel that tighter gun control laws are necessary.

The problem with the NRA is that I've never seen them support ANY new legislation that supports it. The NRA's website claims it's a myth that they oppose all reasonable gun control legislation, but show me one piece of legislation they have supported. Can anyone think of the last time this happened? I can't.

The problem is that the NRA doesn't support responsible gun owners. Responsible gun owners wouldn't object to things like the Jim Brady law. Responsible gun owners don't want guns in the hands of maniacs any more than anyone else. No, the NRA support GUN MANUFACTURERS. This organization is in the back pocket of gun manufacturers.

It's not in the best interests of GUN MANUFACTURERS to regulate firearms. Anything that represents a threat to their sales, their profits is a bad thing. Therefore, they oppose all firearm legislation, and in turn, the NRA.

The NRA would have you believe that any politician supporting tighter, more reasonable gun control "just want to take our guns away!!!" This is simply bullshit. Responsible gun owners should be allowed to have them, by all means, as long as you continue to be responsible. It's the maniacs that we're trying to keep the guns from. Get it?

I wish NRA members would consider their politics and their positions. Gun owners, the NRA is not looking out for your best interests, only theirs.

Lipstick on a Pig

2008-09-10T14:03:00.000-07:00

Uhhh, okay, folks let's listen to everything, not just a one-sentence soundbite. Those goose-stepping Republicans are crying "foul" over Barack Obama's statement, "You can put lipstick on a pig, it's still a pig", claiming he called Sarah Palin a pig!!!

Come on, are we really that stupid? Listen to the three sentences he said before that and the three after. He was talking about McCain's proposed policies, and McCain claiming that he was the real change candidate. McCain's proposals was the pig in question. He made no mention of Palin.

It's a phrase he used in the primaries about Hillary Clinton's health care proposals. The Republicans use that phrase all the time.

The Republicans want to fool you with cheap tricks like having Sarah Palin running as VP. This is just another one.

By the way, if you don't believe me, Google "lipstick on a pig".

Some Real Rants

2008-09-09T11:43:00.000-07:00

First, I want to tell you all that there was a triple murder near my house this weekend. That shootout where the cop was killed was about 1/2 mile from where I live. Get this for a Twilight Zone moment. Cricket was supposed to have her hair done that day right around the time the shooting took place. If she had kept her appointment who knows what could have happened? Scary.

Later that night Karen & I went to this Salsa (yes, Salsa) club in Concord called Sazon along with Cricket, Mark, Jess, and Steve. Our co-worker, Freddy, plays sax for the live band that was there that night. We ended up not staying very long, but I ended up liking it much better than I thought I would.

When we got there they were playing some music over the PA. I’ve never been much of a fan of Salsa music so I thought, “This is gonna suck.” But when Freddy’s band came out I found their live performance was much more entertaining than I had anticipated. I don’t know, it’s something about the dynamics of hearing a live band or something. I’d like to go and see the band again.

Last week Imani told me that at lunchtime some boy saw the Obama shirt she was wearing and started arguing with her about why McCain would win in November. She told me how she argued him down with facts and quotes from the two candidates, while the boy could only come back with things like, “McCain’s cool and Obama sucks” and “my dad says Obama’s going to take our guns away”. She didn’t even have to invoke the race card. I was very proud.

Speaking of McCain…please folks, whether you like Barack Obama or not, you can’t tell me that he isn’t the lesser of two evils at the very least. If nothing else, at least you know he wouldn’t continue another four years of the George Dubya Bush administration.

Look how this country’s gone downhill since Bill Clinton left office. Gas is $2 per gallon more than it was when Clinton left office. The economy was healthy. There was no war. The worst thing that happened under the Clinton administration, the biggest controversy was whether or not he got oral sex from an intern. If that had been the worst thing to happen under Bush I’d be overjoyed. I’d be a McCain supporter all the way. I’d be saying, “Change? Hell, no, Barack Obama. Who wants change? Everything’s great!”

Seriously, just look at all the bad things that happened on Dubya’s watch. Do you REALLY think his administration deserves an extension?

And look at McCain’s choice for Vice President. Sarah Palin. Governor of Alaska. Conservative, right-wing, NRA supporter, against a woman’s right to choose (I refuse to use the term ‘Pro Life’) despite the fact her newborn has Downs Syndrome so you’d think she’d have more sympathy, against teaching sex education in school despite having an unwed pregnant teenage daughter, and supposedly is a “maverick” because the turned on the Republican senator that was behind the bridge to nowhere (after public opinion made supporting it impossible). THIS is the woman that’s supposed to pick up the disillusioned Hillary Clinton supporters?

Weren’t you listening when Hilary asked at the Democratic Convention, “Were you doing it for me, or did you do it for the single mom working three jobs and has no health care…?” How about when she implored you that if you believe in fighting for the same issues she was fighting for then you should cast your vote for Obama? Hello?

If all these people support Palin just because she’s a woman, then they’re all idiots. How myopic can you be? I’m blaming them for every soldier that loses their life in Iraq past January if those clowns take office.

Tomorrow, I’m gonna rip a new asshole in the NRA and those that support them.

I'm Going to Hell

2008-09-08T22:34:00.001-07:00

It's a joke, okay? Just click on the link. It's pretty funny in a sick, Uncle Pervy kind of way.

Pedophile Nervous For First Day Of School | The Onion

August 31, 2008 | Issue 44•35

SEATTLE—Worried about meeting new children and making friends, area pedophile Howard Dengal admitted Monday that he was feeling "pretty nervous" for the first day of school.

"I hope the kids at Hampstead Elementary like me," said Dengal, who spent the summer reading comic books, watching early morning cartoons, and hanging around the entrance of a local swimming pool. "It'd be nice to have someone to play with during recess."

Again?

2008-09-08T14:17:00.001-07:00

Okay, this blog has now officially transitioned back over to being my own personal site again. Where is all the dog stuff going? Glad you asked, my friend. My doggy crusade has moved to a new site. It's now called "SPEAK! A Voice for Man's Best Friend". I launched it last night. Check it out.

Remember how I posted "Jon's Tech Central R.I.P"? Well, I'm not going back on my word or anything, but I have been inspired lately. There are better ways to run a website than the way I was operating before. So I will be resurrecting my tech site, but it will be something new. It's going to be called "Tech Slayer". Details to come later.

RANDOM RANTS

Charlie got his little doggy testicles hacked off on Friday. When I got home Friday he had a plastic cone around his neck so he couldn't lick the stitches. He was clearly uncomfortable with it. Much of the night was spent with him laying on his side, his little front paws pushing up against the cone, whimpering. It was so sad. Then we were afraid he was running and playing too much and would bust a stitch so we crated him. He whimpered and cried most of the night. Hearing a helpless little puppy crying like that was one of the saddest thing you'll never want to hear. I felt like I was being so cruel.

It turns out he could get to the stitch anyway so we removed the cone. He seems much better now.

The school year started much earlier than we realized. I'm taking the girls school clothes shopping tonight. They're in their third week already.

I have more to write but it'll have to be later.

Crusading Coming to a Close

2008-09-04T21:00:00.000-07:00

My little monsters. They play hard. They sleep hard.

I spent most of my Labor Day weekend updating files on all my social networking sites. My Bebo, MySpace, Facebook, and LinkedIn. I decided that networking with people, spreading the word, and raising awareness is the way I can help the most.

Inspired by blog sites like In the Shelter of Your Heart, The Happy Pit Bull Blog, and Blue Dog State I have decided that this URL will no longer be the destination of my dog-related posts. Instead, this will return to being a personal blog. You are still welcome to read.

On Monday, I will have a new website that I'll be using to carry my method forth. I'll tell more about it later. I have more work to do. This is exciting.

The Dog Whisperer's "Dueling Pit Bulls"

2008-09-04T19:01:00.001-07:00

The preview of this week's episode of "The Dog Whisperer" features a female Pit Bull named "Trinity" that apparently had aggression problems. The dog was taken to The Dog Whisperer's rehabilitation center. The owners, Monica and Justin, pull up to visit. They haven't seen Trinity in a month. Cesar a.k.a The Dog Whisperer greets them saying that he wanted them to see how well their girl was behaving off-leash in the company of numerous other dogs, the rest of Cesar's "pack".

We see her trotting happily with other pack members passing her by without notice.

As the owners slowly approach, their dog suddenly sees them. She runs up and happily begins trying to jump on them, switching between the man and the woman. Cesar has apparently told them in advance not to react, to ignore her until she is calm.

He explains that at that moment they represent excitement to Trinity, that even though he understands her excitement that she should not be greeting them this way. Her ideal state should always be calm submissive. The woman is clearly having a tougher time not reacting. At one point she takes a step back and turns away.

"No", Cesar tells to her, "don't back up." He explains that by backing up she is giving up her space to Trinity, allowing her to feel dominant. Monica's avoidance is giving Trinity power. Trinity has begun "claiming" her owners. Within seconds we see that Trinity is now standing defensively, guarding "her" property.

Cesar senses the dog's tension level go up. Pack members come over to investigate. One of them, another Pit Bull, gets too close for Trinity's liking and she attacks. Cesar, the owners, and film crew act quickly to separate the two. The excitement quickly becomes a feeding frenzy, and at least one other fight breaks out. Trinity and the other Pit Bull take a moment before releasing their jaws. It's now over.

Cesar has Trinity taken away from her owner's presence and into a pen. Moments later the dog she was fighting with is put in there with her. Both have drawn blood, but we see that there is no residual tension. They behave as if nothing has happened.

Trinity had spent a full month as part of Cesar's pack without incident. At least, until her owners showed up.

This was particularly jarring reminder of how we, as dog owners, must set a calm example. Our dogs feed off of the energy that we bring, good or bad. A responsible dog owner must provide more than food, shelter, and love. We must learn to communicate with them in a way that they will comprehend. We owe it to them.

Ode to my Little Mutt, Charlie

2008-09-04T12:46:00.000-07:00

Today my mind is mostly on my little baby boy, Charlie. He's growing up in a big way tomorrow. He will be earning his dogtags.

He will officially be able to accompany Zoe and me on walks and at the dog park. He will be receiving the last of his vaccinations. He's getting his microchip implanted. This will make him eligible to be registered with the County, and he will be. Finally, he will be neutered. As I write this Charlie is now spending the last 24 hours of his testicles being attached to his little body. I know this is a good thing (his little doggy penis has been coming out to say 'hello' far too often lately).
I know that what I am doing is all part of being a responsible dog owner. I know that it's only for his own good, and for the good of dogs in general. But I've never before had a dog I needed to have fixed. I didn't know that when he comes home he will have a cone around his neck. I know there will be some stiches and some residual pain, too. I don't like to think about my little boy being in discomfort like that.

I hope he won't be mad at me. I hope you won't be too upset that you can't play with your big sister as much for a little while. I hope you know your daddy loves you. And your momma. Even your big sister, Zoe.

I'll make it up to you. We'll go on your first walk soon.

Mischief

2008-09-03T22:43:00.001-07:00

CIMG6195,
originally uploaded by jon.low67.

Little Charlie, on top, is such a little Dennis the Menace. He gets neutered in two short days. I hope it doesn't affect his playful little spirit.

Reward Increased For Info On SF Puppy Stabbing

2008-09-03T14:38:00.001-07:00

How could anyone do this an innocent little puppy?

San Francisco -- City animal care officials increased their reward from $2,000 to nearly $15,000 today for information that would help them nab the killer of Pogo, the three-legged pit bull puppy that was stabbed to death in July.

The seven-month-old dog had come to San Francisco Animal Care and Control as a stray, with a back right leg that had to be amputated because it had two paws, a birth defect. The agency gave Pogo to Grateful Dogs Rescue, whose volunteers work with dogs from the city shelter and helped raise the money for the surgery.

Pogo was then placed in foster care and was walking at Ocean Beach with his temporary owner on the evening of July 22 when he disappeared behind a sand dune. His body was found a week later by a passer-by in the Bayview District.

Officials described Pogo as a friendly and trusting dog, weighing about 40 pounds, with white markings around his nose and on his chest. He was wearing a red collar when he disappeared.

The reward is for information leading to the arrest and conviction of his killer or killers. Anyone with information about this crime or other acts of animal cruelty can call Animal Care and Control at (415) 554-9400. Donors to the reward fund can call (415) 554-9413.

Please click on one of the links below. You have to see what this little guy looked like. It will melt your heart.

read more | digg story

BAD RAP Blog: Who gets left behind? Storm dogs at risk.

2008-09-01T12:12:00.000-07:00

Oh, no. Not again. Let's hope this time people do more to ensure the pets of the families affected by natural disasters like this are included in the rescue efforts.
BAD RAP Blog: Who gets left behind? Storm dogs at risk.

Jon's Tech Central, R.I.P

2008-09-01T11:48:00.001-07:00

I'll explain what "Jon's Tech Central, R.I.P" is about in a moment. This is entirely unrelated to dogs or animal rights issues, but I simply must share this.

This is the incredible journey of Roz Savage, a woman that has already crossed the Atlantic in a ROWBOAT. She is now attempting to conquer the Pacific in the same fashion. Roz has spent the summer rowing across the first leg of a three year journey across the pacific ocean in a campaign for marine conservation. In order to continue, she needs your help. Please check out the "Members Project" link on her page and vote . She needs to be in the top five to receive one of the awards. Help this great cause!

read more | digg story

The other outstanding person to share with you is a 14-year old from Singapore name Xavier Lur. He blogs on a site he calls "Kid Tech Guru". This incredibly well put together site features interesting tech-related stories, categorized, with feedback and links, sharing the kind of tips for beginners that I tried with my old site, "Jon's Tech Central". Only Xavier's done it about five hundred times better than I did.

Show this young man your support. He is a great reminder of what kids are capable of.

Family Seeks Justice for Slain Pit Bull

2008-09-01T09:56:00.001-07:00

Gage was more than a family pet. In their own words, Gage was like one of the kids to his owners, a brother to their children. He was described as part of "the foundation that the Burke family is built upon". Several testimonies attest to him having a sweet, even-tempered, benevolent nature. He was a poster child for dog lovers.

His life was taken by a neighbor who shot him through the neck for reasons that are never made entirely clear. Their website shows some extremely graphic photos of the wound. Not only had Gage not trespassed, he was on his own property. If that weren't enough he died slowly and in pain. Imagine the anguish his owner Shana felt as he died in her arms.

Local authorities decided to charge the neighbor with animal cruelty and was found guilty earlier this week. Shana says in a post on MySpace, "...they played the VIDEO that Ray Stanfill [the neighbor] brought of Gage barking at him...I listened for a moment to hear the growls that Mr. Stanfill said were on the tape. After a minute I didn’t hear growling; only the same smooth voice of my little boy. Then the memories of that same bark while Gage was chasing a squirrel up a tree, rushed thru my body, knowing that I will never hear my babies [sic] bark again. I broke down again. The DA told me the video that Stanfill brought to help his case only hurt him... The jury was out for about 1 ½ hr. Then we came back into the court room to hear the verdict, I wanted to threw up, pass out, ect.[sic]. When she read the verdict, and I heard her voice say GUILTY. I was overwhelmed with emotions, I was so relieved and happy, and tears flew out of my eyes. I ...fell into my husband’s chest and cried like I have never cried before. I think at that moment was the first time I got to put my boxing gloves down, and grieve for my little man, my angel, my best friend, my son."

If you haven't started crying yet, there's more. "P.S. After we left the court house we came home and sit at Gages gravesite and told him everthing that happened , told him how much we love him, and how many pittbulls have been saved in his name. And what we are planning for the future..."

The Burkes are raising money in Gage's memory to help fight animal cruelty. Some of the funds already raised will go to help save the pets of families affected by Hurricane Gustav.

read more | digg story

Watsonville Rejects BSL

2008-08-31T10:12:00.001-07:00

BSL is short for Breed Specific Legislation, the kind that make it result in laws making it illegal to own certain breeds of dogs. This almost always means...you guess it, Pit Bulls. The Watsonville City Council showed great wisdom in recognizing that no dog is inherently dangerous, that it is irresponsible, inadequate dog owners that make them that way. The story mentions that BAD RAP member Christine Allen was there to speak on behalf of the dogs. She tells her experience in the BAD RAP blog post below. Just follow the link.

read more | digg story

BAD RAP's Christine Allen Tells Her Story

2008-08-31T09:56:00.000-07:00

BAD RAP Blog: Thank you, Watsonville City Council!

San Bruno Couple Told To Get Rid Of 12 Chihuahuas

2008-08-31T09:39:00.001-07:00

I had feared that this couple were hoarders not unlike the cases seen on so many episodes of "Animal Cops". If you're able to see the video of the news report you'll see that this is clearly not the case. It appears that the house is clean. The representative from the Peninsula Humane Society didn't have a problem with them. If all the city needs is to have an inspector approve it then I hope he does so . Those Chihuahuas were very cute. One of them even looked like my Zoe! I totally sympathize with the couple saying they didn't want to part with even one of their dogs.

read more | digg story

Experiencing the Strength of the Mighty Chihuahua

2008-08-30T09:45:00.000-07:00

Owning Zoe and Charlie has been my first true experience being a dog owner. I've wanted a dog of my own since I was a little kid. I'd had these images of me throwing a tennis ball playing fetch, or hiking down a trail with a full backpack, hiking boots and a hiking stick with my dog at my side (never mind the fact that I've never gone hiking before), or on a road trip just the dog and me, like I was Han Solo and dog would be my Chewbacca. Of all the dogs I had dreamed would be my companion a Chihuahua was never one them.

I wanted a more macho kind of dog, one that was wolf-like in appearance, like a German Shepherd or an Alaskan Husky, one that would be a reflection of my masculinity. Funny, huh?

So instead of a big, rugged dog I ended up with two Chihuahuas that have a combined weight of no more than 13 pounds. And while neither one will ever fulfill my dreams of playing frisbee or will make me look like a tough guy walking down the street they have still fulfilled me in a way I hadn't expected.

I used to think that people that did things like taking their dogs with them everywhere they went, or had portraits taken with them, lavishing them with money and attention were absolutely nuts. What's wrong with these people? I understand you love your dog, but for Christ's sake they're DOGS, not people. You must have a mental condition. But now I think I understand.

I have learned so much from my dogs. Zoe and Charlie show me unconditional love. When I come home from work every day they are the ones that welcome me home, tails wagging, jumping up trying to lick my face. They live in the moment, not dwelling on past. They don't hold grudges. If they get mad, they don't stay mad. They forgive almost instantly. They give so much and ask for so little in return. Now I understand why people spoil their dogs. They're just trying to reciprocate.

I have also earned a greater appreciation of not just dogs, but of all animals. They have opened my eyes to rights of animals. I make sure that whenever I see a news item about animal abuse I make a point to put it on Digg and add a comment or two. I now have a greater sympathy for shelter animals and the situations that led them to being there. I have always felt that Pit Bulls have been victimized by ignorance and discrimination, but now the subject enrages me. Isn't that funny? Who would ever think that a Chihuahua could serve as a goodwill ambassador for a Pit Bull?

Without having Zoe and Charlie in my life I doubt I would have ever read Cesar Millan's "Be the Pack Leader". From that book I have learned how not only does the "pack leader" mindset help you with dogs, but how it can help you become a better human being. The calm assertiveness needed by an effective pack leader can also be applied in one's own person-to-person interactions as well. Learning to communicate calmly with your dog is great practice for communicating calmly with people. The principles and mental states are no different.

My dogs have had a powerful affect over me. They may look tiny, but they are strong in ways I never could have imagined.
By the way, you can see what I've "Digged" visiting http://digg.com/users/jonlow67

Dogs, the Perfect Companion...an essay

2008-08-29T05:19:00.000-07:00

I have always felt that every creature, every species we share the planet with was put here to serve a purpose. There is a balance that exists in nature. Every creature exists because it has its own role to play in maintaining that balance. What is the role of dogs in the natural order? I have come to believe that dogs are here to be with human beings, us, that nature has uniquely intended dogs to be our companions.

Evidence exists that would suggest that wolves, from which all dogs are descended, have accompanied man as many as 15,000 years ago. The first pet wolves probably assisted their human masters with hunting and defending. Man has made pets out of all sorts of animals besides dogs. Amongst them are cats, fishes, birds, reptiles, rodents, and horses to name a few. Some even make pets out of insects. But it is the dog that has just the right combination of attributes that fit us perfectly.

Dogs possess just enough intelligence to be teachable but not so much that its needs for mental stimulation are too burdensome to reasonably provide. Dogs have a pack mentality with the capacity to accept humans as pack members and are protected and defended as such. Big dogs are strong enough to adequately defend against attackers but not so big that they require any kind of special housing. Dogs do not have special dietary needs. Dogs are genetically easy enough to breed into variations that fulfill specific needs like pulling sleds, herding livestock, or hunting rats. Nowadays, if we need an animal to provide assistance to the blind, or assist the police in catching a criminal, or detect drugs, explosives, or survivors in pile of rubble that we might not otherwise be able to find it is the dog that we turn to.

Sure, a cat can keep you company but will never protect you against an attacker. You can't pet a fish. Reptiles and birds aren't capable of thinking of you as family. You can't take a hamster or a rabbit for a walk. Don't get me started on insects. And while a dog can't plow your field or give you a ride like a horse can, a dog can still herd the horse and keep watch over it.

Dogs have been called "man's best friend" with good reason. They've earned it.

Thank you, Cesar Millan, for providing me with the inspiration to write this.

Little Lance Making a Comeback

2008-08-29T04:14:00.000-07:00

Sometimes the worst things bring out the best in people. Perhaps something terrible happens to serve a greater good. As horrible as that whole Michael Vick thing was, perhaps now we are all more aware of the horrors of dog fighting and the plight of the Pit Bull.

In this case, Little Lance, the little mix-breed puppy that was shot in the street and thrown out a car in East Oakland a few weeks ago has had to go through this so that perhaps all could see that animal cruelty is alive and well in the East Bay. Conversely, what we also got to see was that there are also a lot of animal lovers out there as well. This was a call to arms for those who stand against animal abuse. Indeed, over 400 answered the call with monetary donations, and over 50 people stepped forward to offer their homes as fosters.

Code 597 also got it's moment to shine, coming forward with a large donation. Code 597 is an organization named after the California Penal Code for animal abuse and neglect. It was founded by Oakland Raider Jerrod Cooper. It is an organization dedicated to keeping animals out of shelters.

As for Little Lance, he's recovered enough from his surgery so that he's up and walking around, but he still has a long way to go. He's now in a foster home in Oakland. I hope he'll have a permanent one soon.

Code 597's website
Link to Little Lance's story in the San Jose Mercury News

The Way of the Dog Whisperer

2008-08-28T12:30:00.000-07:00

I just finished a great book, "Be the Pack Leader". It was written by Cesar Millan, known by many from his TV show, "The Dog Whisperer".

"The Dog Whisperer" is not a show where you'll find tips on potty training or teaching your dog commands or anything of that nature. Cesar will tell you himself he doesn't train dogs. He rehabilitates dogs, he trains people.

Cesar is more of a dog psychologist. He shows you how dog behavioral problems stem from being psychologically unbalanced and how those problems can be solved by attaining balance. His philosophies make a lot of sense to me, and that's why I'm such a big fan.

Cesar reminds us that dogs are not people, that dogs need to communicated with on their level, a dog level, not a human level. Spoken language does not exist amongst dogs. Their brains are not equipped to learn any language spoken by their human masters.

While TV commercials, TV shows, and Hollywood movies have done a great jobs of portraying dogs as smart, loyal, and funny companions, they've also given us unrealistic expectations for our own dogs to live up to. A scene from the movie "The Jerk" parodies this. Now, I don't remember word-for-word exactly how this scene plays out, but it goes something like this:

Navin (played by Steve Martin) is sleeping in his motel room along with his dog, a mutt, named Lucky. Suddenly, Lucky awakens, alert. He begins barking excitedly, waking Navin in the process.

"What's wrong, Lucky?"

"Ruff"

"Are we being robbed?"

"Ruff"

"Earthquake?"

"Ruff"

"Is the building on fire?"

"Ruff, ruff, ruff!"

"Oh, my God, the building's on fire!"

Navin and Lucky rush out the door. It's the middle of the night. He's in his pajamas pounding on everyone's door.

"Wake up! Wake up! You have to get out! The building's on fire!"

Cut to a shot with outside the motel parking lot. A large number of people are outside having exited their rooms, everyone in PJ's looking annoyed. Firefighters mill around but no actual firefighting taking place. No sign of smoke anywhere. Navin, hugging the dog, says, "Thank God for you, Lucky. You saved everyone's lives!"

A motel guest walking by says to him, "Lucky? You call him Lucky? There's no fire. You should call him Shithead."

From that point on until the end of the movie the dog's name is Shithead.

The sooner we accept the fact that our dogs, no matter much we love them, no matter how smart we think they are, will never learn to understand the English language the better off you all will be.

Dogs live their entire lives never having to speak to each other, yet it is clear that do communicate with one another. How could they, or any animal, survive as a species if not so? Elephants, packs of wolves and hyenas, and primates all live in structured social hierarchies with complex relationships. If they weren't able to communicate with one another to maintain structure there would be anarchy. How do they do it? Body language.

Because we humans rely on words we have come less attuned to body language, but it's not like we have completely lost the ability to do so. For example, if we see someone walking towards us dragging their feet, shoulders slumped, with a deflated look on their face, you'd be able to tell that they were feeling sad, wouldn't you?

Dogs are pack animals. Every dog pack has a leader. Dogs brains are hardwired to think in terms of packs, pack structure, and pack leaders. A dog's owner and the owner's family are all a part of the dog's pack in it's own mind. The dog looks for someone to step up and assume the role as pack leader. If no one demonstrates the leadership behavior that it expects and needs, the dog itself will assert itself as the leader. This manifests itself in the form of behaviors such as excessive barking or nipping, peeing all over the house, and other "bad dog" mannerisms.

What a good dog owner must do is establish and maintain the position of "pack leader". That is what Cesar's book is all about.

I've begun practicing some the things I've just learned from Cesar. For example, when Charlie and Zoe are playing a little too rough, instead of yelling, "Hey, cut it out, you two!", I mentally achieve a "calm-assertive" state, physically separate them with a firm but gentle hand, and look at each of them saying, "Cut it out", in my mind, but never verbalizing it. I try to express it with a look and with body language. And believe it or not, they actually seem to get it!

With continued practice I believe I will be able to master it.

Potty training begins again next week. I am hopeful that these things I have learned will help with that.

More on Michael Vick

2008-08-27T10:43:00.000-07:00

"The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong." ~Mahatma Gandhi

One of the most important elements of spiritual and emotional growths is the act of forgiveness. It allows us to shed the emotional bonds of anger and resentment that keeps us from growing, from achieving greater things.

Spider-Man 3 is one of my all-time favorite movies, not only because I was a huge Spider-Man fan as a kid, but also because the underlying theme of the movie was forgiveness. It's not until Harry forgives Peter do they find the strength to overcome the combined might of Sandman and Venom. Peter learns to forgive himself. Sandman asks for, and receives, forgiveness. Venom is the only one that cannot find the strength to forgive, and is ultimately destroyed.

I recently discovered BAD RAP's blog site and have really enjoyed reading and participating in the exchanges in the individual blog comments. The most heated discussions revolve around the Michael Vick case.

Some of the details of the case are pretty horrific. The dog fighting aspect, by itself, is bad enough. What really got everyone's attention were allegations that eight of the dogs were killed for failing "performance" tests. Methods used to kill these dogs were said to have included strangulation, hanging, electrocution, and having their bodies slammed to the ground.

Two others that were being charged reached plea agreements in exchange for their testimony against Vick. Vick's contract with the Atlanta Falcons was cancelled. Multi-million dollar endorsement deals were also cancelled. The NFL has suspended him indefinitely. Vick was convicted on Federal charges and was sentenced to 23 months in prison. He may still have to face state charges when he is released from Federal prison.

It has been estimated that between his NFL contract and many endorsements Vick has lost about $140 million in potential income.

Even if Vick manages to avoid state charges there is no guarantee that the NFL will grant his reinstatement, and even if he does manage to get reinstated there is no guarantee any NFL franchise will want him. Many NFL experts feel that Vick's playing career is over.

Michael Vick deserves to be punished, and, indeed, he is.

Last month the Washington Post's website ran a photo gallery of featuring the survivors of Vick's "Bad Newz Kennels" with accompanying audio clips from those involved in their welfare. Click here if you'd like to see it. The first soundbite is from a local animal shelter volunteer actually thanking Vick for putting dog fighting in the public spotlight.

Is it actually possible that something good can come from this tragedy? It made me think about what the possibilities could be. What would be gained if we could bring ourselves to forgive Michael Vick? I offered this comment on the BAD RAP blog site:

"I know there are those who will disagree with what I'm about to say but I feel it needs to be said. I'm rooting for Michael Vick. I feel the man should be given a chance to redeem himself like he said he would at that press conference. I want to believe that he really is sorry. I want to believe he really has seen the error of his ways. I hope that he leads a successful career when he is released from prison.

The dogs given to BAD RAP are the perfect analogy. These were animals that would have been put to death if it weren't for BAD RAP stepping in and saying, "Wait a minute. These dogs shouldn't summarily judged as being beyond help. Just give them a chance." (or words to that effect).

I'm sure that there are many who feel that Vick he is a horrible person that did horrible things and should be thoroughly punished and should not be allowed to play football ever again. And while that sentiment is understandable I believe it would be unfair to have given those dogs a chance at redemption but not extend that same chance at redemption to Vick as well.

Malcolm X is one of my heroes. He was a drug user, a drug dealer, a pimp, and a thief before he went to prison, turned his life around and became one of the greatest heroes of the civil rights movement. People CAN redeem themselves, but only if they're given the opportunity.

Here's my crazy wish for Michael Vick. My wish is that he really has seen the error of his ways, that decides to champion the fight against animal cruelty when he is released from prison, regains his superstardom in the NFL, and uses his fame to raise awareness for the cause.

I know it's nuts of me to hope for such a thing, but wouldn't it be great if it happened? I think it's worth giving it a chance."

I wasn't expecting anyone to agree with me, and no one did. Vick hasn't done yet to earn anyone's forgiveness, but I am eagerly waiting to see what he does when he is released from prison.

A Question of Fairness

2008-08-26T06:22:00.000-07:00

Since adopting our second dog, Charlie, Karen and I have tried to treat both of them in a manner we believed to be fair and equal. I have been thinking a lot about that lately and now I'm not so sure we have been.

I mentioned territorial behavior in a prior post. I've observed that it seems to be much more pronounced in females. Zoe is definitely territorial. I've come to the realization that bringing a new dog into her territory must be terribly stressful to her. She had mine and Karen's attention and affection all to herself, not to mention the bed, her toys, and her food. That is, until Charlie came along.

When it's snack time the dogs usually have to obey a command before they get their treat. Usually Zoe will obey right away, but with Charlie, well, he may take a moment to be his goofy self first before he follows suit. If I attempt to reward Zoe before Charlie has earned his reward Charlie will go after Zoe's treat. This generally leads to a wrestling match, but once ended in a fight. Now I wait until Charlie has obeyed, then they both get rewarded at the same time. I've come to realize that this isn't fair either. Before Charlie, Zoe got her reward immediately, as it should be. But now she must wait even though she has already complied.

Because of Charlie is so young and hasn't finished taking all his vaccinations he's still at risk of contracting Parvo. Karen had a dog that contracted Parvo as a puppy. His treatment was long, expensive, and painful for the dog. We're not taking our chances so Charlie can't go on walks or to the dog park until he's done with his shots. Thinking it would be "unfair" to take Zoe on walks while Charlie had to remain in the house I stopped walking Zoe altogether. I hadn't realized that this is really being unfair to Zoe. I'm going to figure out a way to start walking her again without it being so upsetting to Charlie (and he does whine and cry when he feels he's being left out).

Karen recently admitted that Charlie was her favorite. I don't blame her for feeling that way. Just look at him. He's an adorable little guy with a carefree spirit, a joyful exuberance you can't help smiling at. He gets into a lot of mischief, for sure, but there's not an ounce of malice in his little body. He's definitely Dennis the Menace, but not anywhere in the ballpark of being Bart Simpson. I feel a little guilty admitting this, but it's true, Charlie really is the cuter one.

It was actually a relief to hear Karen admit this because, in all honesty, Zoe is my favorite. We kind of balance out each other out. As the first dog I could ever say was "mine" she will always be special to me.

I feel badly for her, too. I've concluded that she must have been abandoned by her first owner. She was found wandering the streets of Martinez and was taken to the Martinez Animal Shelter. If she had simply been a runaway, then surely whoever owned her would have wanted to find her, and she was at the most obvious location a Martinez resident would think to look. No, she was wandering the streets because she was no longer wanted.

On the other hand, Charlie was adopted straight from the family that owned his mother and father. He had been with his mommy, his daddy,and all his siblings until the day we took him home. Charlie has never had deal with the hardship of being abandoned. In short, he's had it pretty good.

Charlie will soon be neutered. He will be getting the last of his vaccinations, and will be getting his microchip as well. At that point I'll be able to walk both of them. Hopefully, things will begin to even out.

The BAD RAP on Pit Bulls

2008-08-25T00:04:00.000-07:00

This is gonna seem strange when you step back and think about it. I'm a Chihuahua owner writing passionately in defense of Pit Bulls.

I have always liked Pit Bulls. I really love their smiles. Go look at some pictures of dogs. All different kinds, Labs, Poodles, German Shepherds, Chihuahuas, look at them all. There is not one breed that has a smile as big as a Pit Bull's.

I've always known that they're not the killing machines with locking jaws that many choose to believe about them. The truth about them is, like any other dog, they're only as mean as they have been raised to be. While there is some truth to the idea that they are genetically disposed to being fighting dogs, it is also true that they are also genetically disposed to being people pleasers. Given this genetic dispositon for fighting the reality is that they'd probably be better at fighting than other breeds, but with the same kind of training and socialization you'd give any other breed they'd be no more inclined to attack another dog than any other breed would be.

I could train my Chihuahuas to herd sheep but they wouldn't be as good at it as a Sheep Dog would. Conversely, if I had a Sheep Dog that had never seen a sheep before wouldn't it be unreasonable to expect him to automatically know what to do if he were suddenly thrust into the middle of a herd of sheep? I'm not automatically better at using chopsticks than anyone else just because I'm Chinese, right?

What has led me to think so much of Pit Bulls lately is the Michael Vick dog fighting case. There was an article in the August issue of Bark magazine and a program they just ran on Animal Planet. Apparently, it is a common procedure in most jurisdictions that any dog seized in a dog fighting operation be automatically be euthanized. It is given that these dogs are ruined, unworthy, and beyond rehabilitation.

Such was the case with dogs in the Vick trial. But in a way they were lucky. They probably would have been euthanized right away if not for the fact that it was such a high profile case. They had only been kept alive because they were evidence. This had bought enough time for organizations like BAD RAP to step in and save their lives.

Bay Area Doglovers Responsible About Pitbulls, or BAD RAP for short, has been providing support for Pit Bulls and their owners for over 10 years. They were brought in by authorities to provide an expert assessment of the dogs seized from the Vick property in Virginia. They discovered that while all of them suffered horribly, a good number of them were not beyond repair. They were able to get the court to release a dozen or so into their custody.

Once back home in the Bay Area they were able to successfully retrain and rehabilitate the Vick dogs. They were eventually adopted into new homes, many with families. One was even certified as a therapy dog.

Lately I've become hooked on these "Animal Cops" shows on Animal Planet. I'm fascinated by the cases of animal neglect and abuse. I really ought to cut back though, because after watching a case involved abused dogs it makes me want to spoil my own dogs, and I think I've spoiled them too much as it is. But anyway, on "Animal Cops Miami" there have been a couple of cases involving Pit Bulls. According to the show Pit Bulls are not allowed in Dade County, Florida. I found that a little disturbing.

I suppose one could conclude then that the lawmakers in Dade County have made the unilateral decision that all Pit Bulls to be unfit, unsafe, and unworthy. That this one breed, this one variation of all domestic canines in the world is somehow beneath all the others. This has a ring to it that sounds a lot like the old Jim Crow laws in the South.

Under those laws black people were automatically considered second class citizens. A black person didn't need to have done anything wrong to be considered wrong. Just being born black was wrong enough. A black person could be a doctor or lawyer that went to church every Sunday and gave half of his income to charity, and that still wouldn't be good enough to get him a better seat on the bus.

Isn't that same kind of unfair treatment being applied to Pit Bulls here? I feel so sorry for all those Pit Bulls I've seen in those animal shelters. Too many of them will end up being destroyed before they're even given a chance.

A couple of years ago I knew this lady that had a Pit Bull that desperately needed a new home. She was out shopping one afternoon and was returning to her car. When she opened the door this blue-gray Pit Bull rushed in from the street and into the car. The dog didn't mean her any harm, she just wanted to be in the car. The dog didn't have any identification so she decided to take her home.

The lady lived in an apartment where dogs were not allowed so she was on a mission to find the dog a new home. Karen and I got to meet her once. She was clearly an adolescent, no more than a few months old. Her ears had been cropped and she was quite well muscled leading me to wonder if this dog had been trained to fight. Meeting her face to face was a real treat. She raised up on her hind legs to greet me. She had such a sweet disposition I immediately started to think of adopting her myself. Karen felt the same way, too, but it would have been unrealistic to believe we could provide the dog with what she needed.

I asked the girls how they'd feel about welcoming a Pit Bull into our home, and I was surprised to discover that they held the same common misconceptions, that they were people killers that had locking jaws. I did my best to re-educate them.

The lady didn't want to surrender her to a shelter. She knew as well as I did that if that dog ended up at the local SPCA she'd just be another Pit Bull in a shelter full of Pit Bulls. She wouldn't stand a chance.

We lost touch with the lady so I never found out what became of that sweet dog. I hope she found a new home. I will probably never stop wondering.

To find out more about BAD RAP and the good work they do visit www.badrap.org.

The Dogs in My Life

2008-08-22T04:51:00.000-07:00

Because of extensive overtime at my job (7am-8pm all this week and a full 8 hours more on Saturday) my crate training and housebreaking activities have had to take a back burner. With no updates to share with you as of late I think this would be a good time to tell you more about the dogs themselves as individuals.

Zoe is our first dog. Karen and I adopted her from the Dublin SPCA in February on Super Bowl Sunday. They tell us that she had been picked up as a stray wandering the streets in Martinez. She spent some time at the County Animal Shelter in Martinez then was transferred to the Dublin SPCA. We kind of lucked out with her. She had just been put up for adoption that day. She had just gotten over a case of kennel cough and had been in quarantine for a few weeks.

As far as anyone can tell she's a purebreed Chihuahua. Her vet estimated that she was about 10 months old at the time which would mean she was born sometime in April 2007. The SPCA had all of her vet needs squared away. She had all her shots and vaccinations, and she had just been spayed.

Although there have been other dogs in my life Zoe was the first one that I could ever consider "my dog". The first dog I ever shared a bond with was my stepfather's little black Teacup Poodle, Spike. Whenever I'd come over my mom's to visit Spike was happy to see me. Whenever I'd sleep over she'd usually crawl into my sleeping bag with me. Although she would have occasional accidents in the house she was usually pretty good at signalling me when she needed to relieve herself.

Her time with us was long before good flea-killing medications like Advantage were available, and the most anyone could do to keep the fleas off of her was to rely on those horrible flea collars. On occasions when I would bathe her the number of fleas that came out in her rinse water never ceased to amaze me.

As she got on in years her body became arthritic. She could no longer jump up on the sofa without assistance. Eventually, she reached a point where she couldn't even step up or down from the porch when she had to go outside. She also developed some pretty severe cataracts in both eyes. She was probably pretty much blind when she passed away.

After a few dogless years, save for one false start with the Miniature Schnauzer puppy I mentioned a previous blog, my mom and Bob adopted a Miniature Poodle named Misty from an elderly lady that could no longer care for her. She was a very sweet dog that was always following Bob around the house wherever he went. She exhibited some territorial behavior. Whenever I would first enter the house for a visit she run up to me and bark at me like I was an intruder, but as soon as I say, "Hi, Misty!" to her she immediately rolled over for a belly rub. She apparently had a congential heart defect that took her life very suddenly. It was very sad when she died.

They now have another Miniature Poodle named Ginger. I mentioned her a week or so ago. She was a little shy when they first got her, but she's warmed up quite a bit since then.

For about a year my brother Bryan and I shared a place on Treasure Island. He already owned a cat named Bailey. I had never really cared for cats. I felt that cats were generally snooty and standoffish. But Bailey has changed my attitude. Bryan found her in the Mission District in San Francisco while he was working on a job there. She was just a kitten and when he ran across her she was playing by herself in the mud. She is what's known as a Flame Point, a mixed Siamese breed. She was and still is a runt. As a young little kitty her coat was almost all white. As cats go she's a pretty cute little feline.

What changed my attitude about cats was Bailey's demeanor. She's a people cat. Not aloof or standoffish in the least. Often times when I was alone in the house with her she'd scratch on my door until I let her in. It would never be because she was hungry or even necessarily be shown any attention. She'd be satisfied just to curl up at the foot of the bed. She just wanted to be in my presence.

A month or so after moving to The Island he found a dog on Craig's List that needed a new home. Kalli was a Rhodesian Ridgeback. They look a lot like Labradors, just leaner. If I remember correctly she was owned by a lesbian couple that had just broken up, were moving out of the place they had together and neither one of them were moving to a place that accepted dogs. The couple also had a cat so Kalli never had a problem with Bailey.

Bailey, of course, had never lived with a dog so she was quite frightened of Kalli at first. Fortunately, it didn't take long for Bailey to figure out that Kalli didn't pose a threat to her so they got along quite well.

Kalli was generally a happy, friendly dog, but had some territorial issues herself. There was a walking path that ran behind our back fence and Kalli did a lot of barking at those that walked by. At about 70 lbs. she was a fairly big dog was from a working breed to boot. She absolutely loved the water and never hesitated to leap into the freezing cold San Francisco Bay to chase after a tennis ball. She was housetrained well, too. As far as I can remember I can only recall her ever having one accident in the house.

One thing that impressed me about her was that when she was play-biting you could tell that she understood the concept of play and that she needed to bite lightly. In contrast, Bailey was also quite mouthy when played, but she never quite got the idea that she needed to hold back. I think that's a great example of how dogs are smarter than cats.

As a working breed of dog she needed lots of exercise and unfortunately Bryan would often be working on a job that required long hours of him, I'd be too lazy to walk her when I woud get home from work, so she never got the amount of exercise she truly needed. And although I did like her I never had shared the kind of bond that my brother had with her. After all, she was his dog and not mine.

I had never really cared for Chihuahuas in general. My perception of them was that Chihuahuas were high-strung, nervously shaking all the time, and given their small size just not very masculine. That perception changed when we started hanging out with our friend, Cricket. She has a Chihuahua named Buddy. Once I got to know him I began seeing Chihuahuas in a different light. He's a very smart little guy. He occasionally does the nervous shake thing, but not very often.

When Karen and I began visiting different animal shelters looking for a dog to adopt we weren't specifically looking for a Chihuahua but it had to be a small breed. As much as we all would like to have a big dog it was simply out of the question given our living situation. We knew from having Buddy around that it would have to be a small dog or no dog at all.

We came very close to adopting a female Chihuahua from the Martinez Animal Shelter. She looked a lot like Buddy. We had begun the adoption process but we had to leave to get some paperwork. By the time we returned later that day the dog was already gone. Someone else had beaten us to her.

Over the next few days we hit animal shelters all over the East Bay, the Pinole Animal Shelter, the Oakland SPCA, the Humane Society in Berkeley, A.R.F. in Walnut Creek, the Alameda County Shelters in San Leandro and Dublin. I was struck how many Pit Bulls were at each shelter.

Pit Bulls are probably the least adoptable of all breeds. They suffer from such a poor public image. They have such undeserved bad reputations. Most renters will almost never find a landlord that would allow them to have one. Homeowners usually don't have it any easier. It's a common provision in homeowner insurance policies that the presence of a Pit Bull in the household is cause for having either the policy cancelled or the insurance rates significantly increased.

It's really too bad, too. Pit Bulls have just as much potential for being a great family pet as any other breed. Yes, they are a fighting breed by nature, but only fighting other dogs, not people. In fact, by nature Pits like people. They generally make poor watchdogs because they like people too much.

At the Dublin SPCA we spotted a little tan Chihuahua that was getting it's picture taken presumably to put on the SPCA website. She seemed to be a very happy dog. Her name was Clover. We asked a volunteer if we could see her outside of her pen. Once in the visiting area with he we found her quite likeable.

Karen would have preferred to adopt a puppy but I felt the exact opposite way. My preference was to adopt a fully grown adult. Clover was estimated to be about ten months old. This seemed like just the right compromise between our preferences. She was older than a puppy but not yet an adult. We felt pretty good about her but we wanted to check out another couple of places first.

Across the street from the Dublin SPCA is the Alameda County Animal Shelter. We went in to check out the dogs there and immediately discovered a tiny long-haired Chihuahua pup. He was little more than a baby, really. We had him taken out of his kennel so we could meet him and found him almost completely irresistable. He was all tail wags and kisses. We were told that he wasn't yet ready for adoption but would be in a few days. They informed us that they don't hold animals for anyone. He would go to the first person that wanted him once he was declared adoptable. We'd have to be there when the doors open on that day, and given our schedules we figured that'd be nearly impossible.

We went back to the Dublin SPCA later that afternoon and adopted Clover. They let us take her home the same day. After stopping off at Pet Food Express for some necessary supplies we headed over to Cricket's to show her our new dog and to have her meet Buddy.

We got there just in time to see the Giants pull off that thrilling victory in the Super Bowl. We discussed names and found the name "Zoe" to be the most agreeable.

We found that self-confidence was not a problem with her. She loved playing with Buddy but it was clear that she was doing more than just playing. Even when she's playing she also clearly trying to establish herself as the dominant dog.

She carries herself with a measure of dignity. She has a walk that looks more like a prance. When she’s given the “down” command she goes prone very daintily. Her body language definitely speaks confidence.

Karen and I bonded with her very quickly. By Wednesday she had already begun giving me excited greetings at the door when I'd arrive home from work.

She also exhibits territorial behavior. We let her sleep in the bed with us and within a very short amount of time had pretty much claimed the bed as hers. Whenever anyone other than Karen or myself approaches the bed while Zoe's laying on it she jumps up and defends it very aggresively and will sometimes even nip the person, even the kids. I’ve noticed that females seem to be more territorial than males.

At the same time she can also be very sweet. She is quick to give kisses and frequently rolls over onto her back for belly rubs.

Our other dog, Charlie, is definitely a contrast to Zoe. He was born on April 16 of this year, almost exactly one year after Zoe, which makes him just a little over four months old now. Zoe wasn't exactly thrilled when we first brought Charlie home but I think she's adjusted fairly well.

Charlie's ears flop down slightly and has little tufts of hair around the ears. He looks like a mischievous little boy. And that’s what he actually is.

Like most little puppies he’s very active. He likes to chew, often things he shouldn’t. If Zoe has a treat he will run up to her, snatch it from her, and run off, even if he already has one of his own. Usually the only time you’ll hear him bark is when he’s barking at Zoe when he wants to play and she doesn’t. They play pretty rough. Often times Zoe will be physically dominating him and just when you think it’s over, that Zoe’s gotten the best of him, he’ll go right back at her. Their relationship is very much that of the older sister that very much feels she’s in charge and the annoying little brother that will take advantage of any opportunity to get under big sister's skin.

Zoe works hard to make sure Charlie knows that she's number one around here. Whenever Charlie is singled out for some affection Zoe will run over and push him out of the way to make sure she gets some first. When we get home from work she always tries to make sure that she's the one to get her kisses in first. Often times when she's laying down on the bed and Charlie approaches her she'll bark at him in a way that's quite hostile. But to Charlie's credit he never reacts. He doesn't cower from her. He doesn't answer with any hostility back towards her. He just keeps going about his business.

Charlie's also a pretty smart little guy. So far he has taken very well to the handful of commands we've taught him. He was also very quick to pick up things from Zoe, as well. For example, one of Zoe's moves when she would wrestle with Buddy was grabbing him by the collar to gain an advantage. Within a week Charlie had figured out that he could do it, too, and soon Zoe would find herself victim to her own tactics.

One thing in particular that he doesn't have in common Zoe is her grace. He's a rather clumsy little guy. He kind of lumbers when he walks. Recently I've noticed that his legs have gotten a little longer which makes him look even more awkward. And unlike Zoe's careful positioning when she follows the "down" command Charlie just kind of throw himself to the ground. Of course, this only makes him all that much cuter.

The only real bummer is that until all his vaccinations are complete he's not really safe to be outside of the house. Right now he be extremely susceptible to canine parvovirus, a potentially fatal disease. Not only can it be picked up from unknown dogs by direct contact, it can be picked up from simply walking where an infected dog had walked. His final vaccinations are in about three weeks. He'll be neutered at that time as well. I'm looking forward to taking him and Zoe on walks together.

It appears that our overtime at work will be over soon. Hopefully, I'll be able to pick up the crate training as well.