AMBER ALERT

San Diego, CA
1991 Chevrolet Beretta - Black - CA 4LYN138
Child: 3 month old hispanic male, brown hair
Suspect: 20 year old hispanic male, 5'7", 150 pounds, brown hair
Call 619-531-5000

Important Rumor - Gas

This is third-hand, but I've been told that gas prices are going to go up about 70 cents tomorrow (9/1) morning.

Floodlands

The pictures and video coming out of the Gulf Coast States are amazing, and sad. It really ticks me off, though, how many people are having to be rescued from the roofs of their homes in areas where they ignored mandatory evacuation notices. I think when the lift is lowered down from the helicopter, there should be a ticket from the police department attached to it, fining them for wasting taxpayer's money and the time of volunteers that could otherwise be helping where needed, instead of helping people too stupid to do the right thing in the first place.

Man Surrenders in Ala. Gas-Theft Death

WIRED.COM -- The loser who drove off without paying for his gas said he knew the man fell, but he didn't realize he had killed him. So he turned himself in after it started to bother him really bad.

Should Doctors Lie?

MSNBC.COM -- Some doctor is in trouble because he told some fat lardo in New Hampshire that she needed to lose weight. Since when does anyone go to the doctor for good news? What a stupid, stupid woman. Boo hoo moo.

Rising gasoline prices spur thefts, violence

MSNBC.COM -- I know I've thought of how gratifying it would be to throw a brick through the window of a gas station in the neighborhood charging over $2.80 a gallon, but now I feel really bad that it even entered my mind (anyone who knows me knows I'd never actually throw a brick through a window because I'd overanalyze my escape route and planning until it required at least three cars, two wigs and was completely unworkable).

Some guy in Alabama filled his tank and then decided not to pay. The gas station owner tried to chase the driver down and ended up getting run over and killed. Apparently profits to station owners can be as little as a penny a gallon. I'm predicting that we will see more stations close as prices rise and that in turn will lead to the remaining stations taking advantange and raising prices even more.

Dude, Where's My House?

MSNBC.COM -- Nearly 50% of all home purchases in California in the past year have been interest-only loans. That does not bode well. We know there's a lot of flipping going on, but statistically, we have to know quite a few people who have purchased using interest-only. One of them is Lori's dad who plans to sell in a few years and use the appreciation to retire somewhere cheaper. Sadly, he's in one of the six metropolitan areas identified as having a 50-50 chance of enduring a drop in home prices in the next two years. But others who may have done this could be our age, which is kind of scary. Thankfully, most of our house-debt is in a 30-year fixed so every month $20 or $30 of that payment is coming right back to us. Woo.

Hey Bush, Don't Screw This One Up (Too)

MSNBC.COM -- I am a real fan Fareed Zakaria. He's so brilliant. He's not someone I'd ever want to have lunch with, though, because I'd feel like a real idiot. Anyhow, in his latest column, he cautions the U.S. against hollow threats against Iran. It looks like Iran is going to be a nuclear country, but to what degree, or in what capacity remains to be seen. It sounds like the U.S. will help shape that future, but will we force them into a position neither of us really wants, or will we invite them into a new era to everyone's benefit? I'm guessing the latter, which is kind of sad.

Not Rocking the Boat

Sadly, the wind seems to have died down slightly. I don't know what that means.

But one of my colleagues today told me something that someone once told him, and I'm going to paraphrase because I like how my paraphrase sounds. But, basically:

Never make a hasty move in the middle of chaos or uncertainty.

We were talking about colleagues who are damaging our ability to do our jobs and, in our opinion, preventing changes that need to be made from actually occuring. While I can only fanatacize about them actually making the right decision for the good of the institution, it was a really interesting thought.

If I were to be patient, instead of desperately yearning for the breeze to begin blowing again, could a different wind push me in a different direction? It's all very hard to say, very hard to understand. But I'm still left with a different problem, and that's one of a larger need for change, one that goes beyond unhappiness at work. In the bluntest of terms, I need cash. I need lots and lots of cash. Lori is convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt that God is calling her to stay home with Rachel. That's not going to happen without some unexpected influx of cash. Ideally, some people who quit and I'd get bounced way up the food chain. Granted, I would have no right to be there and the people I passed over would resent me and probably not respect me, but I can do the job.

Someone needs to mind the store.

Disengage, final part.

Final thoughts from Israel, because now that it's actually underway, the news media is starting to get it right. Heard again from the Israel's Ministry of Foriegn affairs who said that the bulldozed rubble will be used as part of a new port that the Palestinians plan to create. I don't know what that means... do they intend to throw it in the sea to raise up the level of the sea bed? Additional reporting from MSNBC.com also note that the razing of the settlements will provide space for high-rise housing to help some of the dire overcrowding in the Gaza Strip. Here's hoping that this does lead to a slightly more stable Middle East.

Who moved my internet?

I remember the early days of the internet. There was always stuff to look at. Nowadays, the internet is so boring that you're actually reading **this**. Seriously, where did the internet go? Or is it still there and I just can't find it? Feel free to post your favorites (and why) below.

Butt Out

MSNBC.com -- KFC and Pizza Hut begin banning smoking in its restaurants nationwide. Living here in California, I forgot that there are still places where you can smoke while you eat. I'm grateful not to live in those areas, because that's kind of miserable. I think it's telling that (a) they didn't say anything about their international stores and (b) you can still die from eating their food. More...

I work with a bunch of monkeys

Sure, they've given me dual flat screens on which to work, but they've also made it pretty darn clear that they don't want (or care) about my opinion. They want my skills, but not my brain.

Instead, they are pretty happy with the mediocrity they insulated themselves with and are happy to wear blinders that keeps them from seeing their true potential.

Freaking ironic for someone who consistently received "Fails to live up to potential" during the years where teachers actually wrote out report cards by hand (or were able to select pre-determined phrases from a list) to go along with the grades themselves.

But now, they'd rather weigh down this 109-year-old institution and keep it from being anything awesome, because they're so misguided they think they're "all that" when they're really not.

Why do I call them monkeys? Because monkeys are happy to do the same thing every day. They don't improvise, they don't innovate, they don't challenge, they don't show brilliance or ingenuity unless forced to. And when you can continue to collect a paycheck for blindly proceeding without actually thinking, why trouble yourself to think?

Which is why I've adopted a new motto for work. I DON'T CARE. I am not on leadership. I do not possess independent thought. I am a robot. I will do as i'm told, to the letter of the law. There is no spirit, there is no correction, this is no other possible way that could possibly be better, because if there was, someone else would have thought of it and told me to do it. I will not think for myself. It is a hard pill to swallow, and I'm finding it actually takes more work on my part to disengage my brain when I arrive at work. But I'm trying.

It's a sad, frustrating world I'm trapped in.

ABC News anchor Peter Jennings dies at 67

MSNBC.com -- I grew up watching this guy pretty regularly as a kid, before eventually abandoning national nightly network news for apathy and later the internet when my interest returned. So this is kinda sad news for me. More...

Follow up: Israel and the bulldozers

Received this back in an e-mail from Israel's Ministry of Foriegn Affairs: "The Palestinians want the settlers' homes in the Gaza Strip to be razed. The question of the fate of the homes in the four settlements to be evacuated in northern Samarian is still open."

It's a shame that the news media doesn't report the whole story but leaves us to jump to incorrect conclusions. (The article spoke at length about the value of what had been built and the history and legacy.)

Democrats push for age limit on Web porn

This seemed like an interesting article, based on the title. But then you click on the article and you learn that they're not trying to prevent old people from posing nude on the internet but instead trying to prevent young people from seeing naked people on the internet. I'm sorry, but why is there a recent date on the byline of this article? Hasn't that been the goal of politicians since Adam and Eve first put on the fig leaves?

TV said that? Now I don't know what to think.

MSNBC.COM -- Reality TV gives Arabs a taste of democracy and shows that dissent isn't necessarily bad. Critics say it distracts from real changes. More...

My Stupid Mouth

Exchange the "date" for "any day at work" and, well, there you have it. (By the way, the a sweet smelling breeze picked up around 3:30 yesterday afternoon. The winds may be blowing in my direction and it's a little exciting, and also a little scary.)

My stupid mouth has got me in trouble
I said too much again
To a date over dinner yesterday
And I could see she was offended
She said "well anyway"
Just dying for a subject change

oh the way she feels about me has changed,
thanks for playing try again
How could I forget
Mama said "Think before speaking"
No filter in my head
Oh, what's a boy to do?
I guess he better find one soon

We bit our lips
She looked out the window
Rolling tiny balls of napkin paper
I played a quick game of chess
With the salt and pepper shaker
And I could see clearly
An indelible line was drawn
Between what was good, what just slipped out
And what went wrong

Oh, another social casualty
Score one more for me
How could I forget
Mama said "Think before speaking"
No filter in my head
Oh, what's a boy to do?
I guess he better find one soon

I'm never speaking up again
It only hurts me
I'd rather be a mystery than she desert me
Oh, I'm never speaking up again
Starting now

One more thing
Why is it my fault?
So maybe I try too hard
But it's all because of this desire
I just want to be liked; I just want to be funny
Look like the joke's on me
So call me Captain Backfire

Oh, another social casualty
Score one more for me
How could I forget
Mama said "Think before speaking"
No filter in my head
Oh, what's a boy to do?
I guess he better find one soon

I'm never speaking up again
It only hurts me
I'd rather be a mystery than she desert me
Oh, I'm never speaking up again
I'm never speaking up again
I'm never speaking up again
Starting now

(John Mayer)

Heh

Dear Ma and Pa:

I am well. Hope you are. Tell Brother Walt and Brother Elmer that the Marine Corps beats working for old man Minch by a mile. Tell them to join up quick before maybe all of the places are filled. I was restless at first because you got to stay in bed till nearly 6 am, but am getting so I like to sleep late. Tell Walt and Elmer all you do before breakfast is smooth your cot and shine some things. No hogs to slop, feed to pitch, mash to mix, wood to split, fire to lay. Practically nothing. Men got to shave but it is not so bad, there's warm water.

Breakfast is strong on trimmings like fruit juice, cereal, eggs, bacon, etc., but kind of weak on chops, potatoes, ham, steak, fried eggplant, pie and other regular food, but tell Walt and Elmer you can always sit by the two city boys that live on coffee. Their food plus yours holds you till noon when you get fed again. It's no wonder these city boys can't walk much.

We go on "route marches", which the platoon sergeant says are long walks to harden us. If he thinks so, it's not my place to tell him different. A "route march" is about as far as to our mailbox at home. Then the city guys get sore feet and we all ride back in trucks.

The country is nice but awful flat. The sergeant is like a school teacher. He nags a lot. The Captain is like the school board. Majors and Colonels just ride around and frown. They don't bother you none.

This next will kill Walt and Elmer with laughing. I keep getting medals for shooting. I don't know why. The bulls-eye is near as big as a chipmunk head and don't move, and it ain't shooting at you like the Higgett boys at home. All you got to do is lie there all comfortable and hit it. You don't even load your own cartridges. They come in boxes.

Then we have what they call hand-to-hand combat training. You get to wrestle with them city boys. I have to be real careful though, they break real easy. It ain't like fighting with that ole bull at home. I'm about the best they got in this except for that Tug Jordan from over in Silver Lake. I only beat him once. He joined up the same time as me, but I'm only 5'6" and 130 pounds, and he's 6'8" and weighs near 300 pounds dry.

Be sure to tell Walt and Elmer to hurry and join before other fellers get onto this setup and come stampeding in.

Your loving daughter,
Gail

"Street Pastors" reduce crime

TIMESONLINE.CO.UK -- Christians banding together in small groups to walk the streets late at night are changing lives and reducing crimes in Britain, and now have the backing of Scotland Yard. More...

Desperately Seeking Susan

Actually, I'm not, she's (formerly known as Susan Cabrillo) in San Francisco, happily married, running her own headhunter business for the medical industry and apparently very successful.

But so many others I've wondered about, I don't know where they are.

I dreamt about Holly again last night. We were sitting in a classroom openly talking about what we thought was the field arrangement of some sport. There was a computer nearby that I could have leaned over and typed in the sport's name and found out exactly what the position was, but we were already openly talking and I thought that would have pushed us over the limit with the teacher who was currently ignoring our disrespect. Now, having awoken, I'm convinced the sport doesn't exist, that it was just made up in my head.

Holly shows up in a dream of mine every six to twelve months. Never sexual, never physical, never romantic. We just hang out and talk, or sometimes we just briefly pass in the dream and she gets maybe only a few seconds screen time.

She wasn't the one that got away, in fact I can't even remember if we actually ever went on a date. But, for me, she's come to symbolize nostalgia. Every time she pops up, I go to Google and start looking for all kinds of people from years' past. Last time I did that, I learned of Josey Peterson's death, so I really don't feel like searching for people. Plus, by now I've realized that a lot of these people live their lives off the grid, out of the spotlight because they're not involved in activities that end up publicized on the web, or aren't using the internet as a vanity pool for self-promotion.

So, this time around, I'm just going to list people I'd like to hear from. Maybe they'll search for their own name and come across this list. I intend to repost it frequently so that it's always fresh on this blog. In some cases, I could find these people by calling their parents back home, or by calling my parents, but (a) what's the fun in that, (b) I'm too lazy, (c) that's too weird and (d) maybe they don't want to hear from me.. that's fine. Plus, I could also check my colleges' alumni website, but that's not entirely acurate... for instance, according to them, I am a Dr. and an Esq. and I hold a PhD in Microrobotics from MIT.

I have but a few brief moments today, so the list will have people missing and very little info about why I'm hoping to make contact with them.

And here's some search words for Google, to get us started... Washington, Bremerton and Port Orchard and Silverdale. Tracyton Elementary School and then Fairview Jr. High School and then Olympic High School and finally Pacific Lutheran University. Oh, and Little Caesar's Pizza! Pizza! I guess I'd be remiss if I didn't also mention South Kitsap High School, Central Kitsap High School, Bethel Lutheran Church and Warner Bros. Online. And for search purposes, James Lamb. Oh, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Ultimate TV, UltimateTV, TV Net, UTV and the WB Network.

In no particular order...

1. Eric McGraw - last seen probably on graduation day from high school.
2. Glenn Krauss - El Camino
3. Holly Grellier - San Francisco
4. Jamey Peterson
5. Wendy Ehrlich
6. Becki Brunelli
7. Shannon Carvey
8. Tighe and Susan Carvey
9. Marshall B. "M.B." Miller IV
10. Robin something who liked cows
11. Chris Wilkinson
12. Doug Hahn
13. Andrew Alexander - Washington, D.C.
14. Adam Bargmeyer - Microsoft or Boeing ?
15. Darice Good - thespian ?
16. Paul Bates
17. Deryk Stilwell
18. Andrew Eichner
19. Patty Armstrong / Patty Hoem / Patty and Hayden
20. Richard Mar
21. Jamie Anderson
22. Kathleen or Susan Jacot
23. Joe Pennington ha ha just kidding. you suck, dude.
24. Scott Kim
25. Brian Fischer. Duh. Sorry, you should be right up there at the top with Glenn and Eric.
26. Eric Funk
27. Carol Maakestad - another duh, you should be at the top of the list
28. Pastor Robert Hoem

This is an incomplete list.

Can you hear it?

The winds of change. I think at the moment it could be barely classified as a breeze, but I think it's starting to blow in a new direction.