Walk and Talk

First off: I'm still reading the Steve Jobs biography by Walter Isaacson, and it led to this blog post.

Second off: I don't care much for Isaacson's writing "style", if you can call it that.  This book should have been written by someone else.  The phrasing is awkward and sophmorish, and it just seems creepy-weird for someone to refer to their "friend" by their last name at every turn.  And not only that, but within each paragraph, instead of using standard MLA form, and using the real name once and then "he" and "him" for the remainder, he used "Jobs" throughout.  Yes, I know.  I thought it was written by Nancy Pelosi (i.e. "Jobs. Jobs. Jobs...")

Don't get me wrong.  The core information is fantastic.  The quotes.  The stories.  The references.  They are all great stuff.  Just worded poorly by a hack of a writer cashing in on a no-lose deal.  If I could have picked anyone to write his biography it would have been Anthony Bourdain.  That's just me.

But one thing stuck out that grabbed my attention right off the bat:  Steve's preference for walking whenever conducting a discussion or meeting.  I've always liked that.  It's perfect.  The movement, fresh air, and sunshine (even when cloudy) stimulate the brain and help you focus.  The trick is to do it where there's not so much distraction that it interferes with the discussion.  It doesn't matter if you're in a wheelchair, get out and move when you're having a discussion.  It's the best way to do it.  Steve was known for a lot of innovative and inventive things, but this is one that will be overlooked by most, but not by me.  I hope it instigates others to follow his habit.  Namaste.

Holy Cow! Strep and Couch Fatigue

I've been quiet lately because I've been getting punched out cold by a combination Strep infection + chest cough, so I've been spending more time on the couch watching Regis & Kelly, Rachel Ray and other daytime horrors that destroy the human mind.  There's lots going on, but unfortunately I'm too worn out to type a lot just yet.

But on a really cool note, two of my books are in the top 10 of Amazon's Best Sellers in the "AutoCAD" category!  Holy cow (times a hundred)!  The latest book (AutoCAD Network Administrator's Bible, 2012 Edition) is at #7.  The previous edition (2011 Edition) is at #9.  I don't know what to say.  I'm really surprised and I appreciate every copy purchased.  See the list at http://www.amazon.com/gp/bestsellers/books/3483

Inverted Values

Flipping channels tonight, I ran across PBS and a local interview show with a doctor from the Children's Hospital.  The topic of the show is pretty simply and direct: In America today, we are facing the first generation of children who's life expectancy will be shorter than their parents.

That's pretty easy to grasp.  Difficult to believe, but easy to grasp.

It's true.  But most people are watching America's Funniest Home Videos.  Because they just don't care.

Obesity is increasing due to fucked up diets. Obesity overwhelmingly leads to Diabetes.  The rates of Diabetes are increasing at an increasing rate. That's bad.  Anytime something "bad" is increasing at an increasing rate, that's worse than bad.  That's criminal.  Parents that shove fried shit in their kids' mouths should be fined.  Parents that stuff the cabinets with Twinkees, Pop Tarts, and sugar-bloated colored water drinks, should be chained to a wheel that powers a generator.  Parents that fill the refrigerator with Hot Pockets and Marie Calendar's fat-filled meals should be beaten in public.

Was I a bit over the top?  Sorry.  No, actually I'm not sorry.  It's time for parents to do their job and stop blaming everyone else.  If you're fat, that's one thing.  But don't pass your failed self-control disaster onto your poor kids.  That's no different than holding them down and blowing cigarette smoke in their face.  It's a slow death sentence.  But it doesn't just impact them, or their families, it impacts society.  The more people who require medical help for issues that are caused by obesity drive up health care costs and that drives up insurance rates for all of the rest of us who eat right, get out and walk and at least TRY to keep our bodies healthy.

Shoving crap into their mouths is killing them.  It's breaking our society.  It's putting us behind other countries.  It's wasting all of the hard work our great grandparents suffered through to make this a better place for their grandchildren's grandchildren.  Shoving six hot pockets in your mouth isn't cute and it isn't macho.  It's stupid as shit.

Nobody is asking you or anyone to live in a monestary or become a Vegan.  Just use some common sense.  Cut down the fat calories.  Increase the better foods and drink better liquids.  Red Bull, Mountain Dew, Monster, and Four Loco aren't worth a shit.  If you need that you have more serious problems to look into.  Same with 5 hour energy bullshit.  If you need that you have an addiction and you need help.  Eat right.  Drink right.  Exercise.  And get more sleep.  It's not rocket science.  It's dirt simple.  If you can't do that you're a fucking idiot.  Maybe that's the real problem: too many fucking idiots.

Wake up. Look around.  Look at what your kids are eating.  Look at what they're surrounded by at school, at shopping centers, at parks, at friends houses, at the Laser tag place, and in your own home.  It's as simple as this: If you really love your children, you'll do this.  If you don't bother, you don't love your children.  Period.  End of story.

A Few Words About Joggers

WARNING: There may be some strong language used in this article.

I used to like to run (ok, jog), but my knees and hip joints don't like it anymore, so I bicycle.  I usually make two or three rides per week, depending on circumstances, weather, etc.  One of my favorite rides is the Cape Henry Trail.  A roughly six-mile trek which consists of a mile of asphalt pathway going through a nice neighborhood, followed by a mile of asphalt through woods near a campground, followed by dirt through heavy tree cover.  I usually get on the trail at Great Neck Rd and arrive at the end by 64th Street and Atlantic Ave a short time later (i haul ass usually in top gear the whole way).

Today however was different.  The trail was loaded with joggers.  Groups.  Singles.  Pairs.  Whatever.  As I approach them from behind, I always call out "passing left!" and say "thank you!" when they move over as I pass.  Some behavioral patterns I noticed today:

• Women share the path and are usually very courteous
• Older men are usually courteous and share the path also
• Younger guys jogging alone move over (no courtesy)
• Younger guys in groups are dickheads and don't move, so I help them move over (I'm six feet tall and 200 lbs.  Most joggers are barely 140 lbs and 5ft 7in or so.  Do the math, and do it fast cuz I'm approach very fast)

Here's a few observations with comments as well:

• Most joggers are white.  Almost all of them.
• Most of them spend a significant amount of money on special jogger clothing, and jogger shoes.
• Most of them look other joggers up and down to assess their jogger clothing and shoes.
• Most of them jog to be seen, not to really boost their health.
• Most of them spend too much time worrying about their diet

I hate to bust your bubble but…

• Not too many white folks win the Boston marathon, the NYC marathon, the SF marathon, the Chicago marathon, the, well, ANY marathon
• It's usually some guys from Kenya, Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, or Morocco
• Those guys don't spend shit on jogger clothing
• Those guys don't spend shit on jogger shoes.  In fact, some of them run ALL DAY EVERY FUCKING DAY BAREFOOT
• They don't pause to look other joggers up and down to judge their clothing.  They only look to see if you're in their way, which you are only possibly in their way at the very start of the race.  After that you're a distant memory.
• Most of them only care about one dietary aspect: IS THERE ANY FOOD.

The jogger clothing doesn't do shit.  The jogger shoes don't do shit.  The energy bar and vitamin pills don't do shit.  The special drinks don't do shit.  It's YOU that has to take the blame for doing shit.

Health Care Reform and, whatever

Quick, without looking this up (i.e. cheating): what are H.R. 3590 and H.R. 4872 in reference to?  See how good your governmental knowledge is.

Give up?

Let me ask you this: Have you at any time in the past year spoken up, either in favor of, or opposed to, the proposed Health Care Reform efforts being battled over in the House and Senate?

Did you know what those two numbers in the first paragraph are about?

Have you read them?

Have you read EVERY SINGLE WORD in BOTH of them?

Do you make it a habit to form opinions of things you are not completely and directly informed about?  Do you make it a habit of forming your opinions based on what you absorb from TV, radio, the Internet, your co-workers, friends, family, neighbors, teammates, and roadside signage?

When you say “I have an open mind” and “I listen to the other side”, do you REALLY do that?  No, seriously.  Do you shut up and actually listen to every word the “other side” says?  Or do you listen to a few words and then start commenting over top of the rest of what they’re saying?

When someone disagrees with your views, do you internally shake your head in frustration over their inferior intellectual grasp of the situation?  Do you feel superior?

When was the last time you spent a Saturday or Sunday morning watching an entire opposing political interview, without interruption or distraction?

When was the last time you had a friendly conversation with someone you know is diametrically opposed to your political views, without it devolving into anger or resentment?  When was the last time you attempted to find a common ground?

I say this, because I have yet to meet ANYONE on this planet, even in my narrow travels, that truly exhibits what even they believe is having an “open mind”.

For example: I have yet to find anyone who has expressed either strong support for, or vehement rejection of, the Health Care Reform effort, who has actually read ANY PORTION of ANY of the bills being batted around.  I certainly have not met anyone that has honestly claimed to have read all of them (yes, it’s not in one cohesive piece).

I have personally (and painfully) read all of one of them, which is H.R. 3590.  When I first read it, it was around 1980 some-odd pages.  As of March 2010, it stands at roughly 2409 pages.  I have read portions of 4872 as well, which as of March 2010, it stands at around 153 pages.

Here they are.  If you have a brain, and prefer to use it, you might consider reading these documents with your very own God-given eyeballs.  Then again, maybe you prefer to be told what to think.  I’d bet that if you were “for” this effort beforehand, you’ll be “against” at least part of it after reading ALL of it.  And I’d bet if you were “against” it beforehand, you’d be “for” at least part of it, after reading ALL of it.  It is a mixed bag after all.

H.R. 4872 – PDF Document

H.R. 3590 – PDF Document

If you choose not to read these documents, and still intend to speak out in favor or rejection of them, I will simply remind you to simply STFU.  I get more intelligent information from a good bowel movement than from your speaking.

Conclusion

Because the first phase of this “bill” has passed, it now undergoes “reconciliation” to get it through the second approval phase.  That’s where the GOP will force it to be watered down and diluted into a meaningless shell of its original goal.  It will pass because the Dems will do anything to avoid it getting sent back to step 1, so they’ll cave into GOP pressures for revising it, and continue the “save face” appearance that it is unstoppable.

That’s about as much as I really care about this whole f-d up subject.

Pictures from my, uhhhh, Vacation

So my family and friends have been sending photos around of their recent voyages to places cold and warm.  Snow.  Dusty trails. More snow.  Somewhere in the tropics.  And so on.  Well, I was busy myself with a Flu.  It was a whammy too. 

It started off as a nice enjoyable stomach virus and then decided to pack up the trailer and move south and stake out turf in my lower intestine.  It was less than amazing, but impressive to say the least.  It never ceases to amaze me how semi-living entities barely large enough to capture under a Scanning-Tunneling Electronic Microscope can knock the living shit out of a human being.

So, back to my “vacation”.  I took some photos to help me remember it by.

This was the first stop on my iteniary.  It was roomy enough, but the atmosphere was less than 5-stars.

Next up was the living quarters.  A comfy sofa, readily outfitted with blankets. No basket of fruit or swans made of napkins, but it was indeed comfortable.  I actually stayed on this for several days without even sitting upright.  I believe the word is “comatose”.

The ammenities were outstanding.  This place has everything I could’ve hope for.

Man vs Wild has nothing on this supply arsenal.

 

Finally, another trip back to “la toilet”, the porcelain home away from home.  I actually loved it so much, I went back again and again.  I have become extremely familiar with this place.

I look back fondly of my exciting days and action-packed evenings here.  Of course, I can barely remember any of it since the medication kept me in a drunken stupor during the 4th day when I was actually able to stand up and walk (leaning on the walls all the way).  I give this vacation a 4 out of 5 stars.  Highly un-recommended.

Question: Where are you Safer?

At least within the confines of the year 2006, where do you think you were safer:

1. Driving on a U.S. highway
2. Staying in a U.S. hospital

Answer?

Driving on a U.S. highway.

That’s right.  According to the U.S. Dept of Transportation a total of 43,300 people died in highway related incidents.  During that same year, 48,000 people died of “pneumonia and blood borne diseases” which were “caught in U.S. hospitals”.

Sources:

http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2007/05/30/80203.htm

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35526643/ns/health-infectious_diseases/

Real World Flu Recommendations

I got a chuckle out of the latest re-hash of the PSA’s for fighting off the Flu with good hygene.  The latest one has Sen. Mark Warner telling us to sneeze in our sleeves, etc. etc.  Here’s my advice…

Sneeze or Cough into the face of the most annoying co-worker.

You’ll be the hero of your office.

Freezing Drizzle Fo-Shizzle

I just got home from a five-mile fast walk around Mount Trashmore park.  It's 38 degrees and drizzly.  I can't think of a crappier day t0 do that, but it was fun anyway.  I'm thawing out.  I listened to No Agenda podcast the whole way around and still have more to go before it's over.  Episode Jan 24 is as always good.  With enough layers of clothing I can walk five miles almost anywhere.  

A Death Map Makes a Great Holiday Gift

I'm sorry if that upset you.  I couldn't resist.  Oh well.  MSNBC posted this article about statistical probabilities of mortality in the U.S.  Basically, comparing environmental causes against (human) accidental causes, as well as health-related stats.  Ah, yes, statistics.  I got a perfect 4.0 in my stats courses in college.  Talk about a bizarre subject.  Most people don't realize just how goofy it really is.  An exact science built on inexact data.  A brick house floating on mud.

Anyhow, you're far more likely to die of excessive heat and dehydration than any other environmental cause.  This includes hurricanes, lightning, tornadoes, floods, fires and Earthquakes.  Close behind that is extreme cold.  What's weird to me is how the health-related causes are listed by volume/numbers, rather than percentage probabilities.  Hmmm.  A heat-related heart attack in Arizona sounds one of the top-rated items to me.

Confusing News: Too Fat or Hungry?

What's going on in America?  Discovery Channel has spent two days on stories about people who are "super morbid obese", complete with testimonials from doctors, therapists, family and friends, all droning on about how fat we're getting.  Obese kids with aged arteries.  Then the West Virginia story comes out, and another guy drops weight to enlist in the Marine Corpse.   I mean, seriously, Yahoo News has a whole section dedicated exclusively to "Weight Loss" ?

But then today there's news that "More kids went hungry in 2007" than in previous years.  WTF?

I'm confused.  Which is it?  Are we obese or starving?  Too much food or too little?  We have a nutritional imbalance and something needs to be done about it.  Forget the economy.  Forget terrorism.  Forget bailing out little car factories and airlines.  The time has come to start up the trucks and start moving the food from where there's too much, to where there's not enough.   Change we can believe in:  Changing the location of food.  We obviously have enough for everyone.  The problem is distribution and allocation.  Logistics is the answer.

Yes, I'm poking fun.  Relax.