The American Enterprise Institute has up a very interesting graph of the work experience of cabinet members in the Presidential administrations dating back to Teddy Roosevelt. Almost every President had cabinet members with 30% to 50% of their work experience being in the private sector. President Obama's cabinet has 8%.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Private Sector Experience of Cabinet Members
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Friday, November 27, 2009
CRChair's Squirrel Pics
CRChair got some nice Squirrel pics as well. Click on the image below to see them all.
The Squirrels of Olean, NY
For more information see Woodland in the City. Click on the image below to see the whole set.
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Happy Thanksgiving!
All of us here at Mod-Blog would like to wish our readers, authors, and commenters a VERY Happy Thanksgiving. We wish to thank God for our vibrant, fun community here on our little blog that makes it worth getting up each morning to see what thoughts and opinions are out there to share.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Video Games inform the Battlefield
I love shoot-em-ups, especially the ones where you have lots of armor and can really vent your frustrations without worrying too much about the enemies. But have you ever stopped to look at all the information your virtual warrior has at his disposal? Ammo remaining, armor remaining, life remaining. Wouldn't it be great if our soldiers on a real battlefield had access to that kind of life-saving data? The army is working on a way to make it happen!
"As a kid, everyone played those video games that showed you how much armor you had left as a percentage bar," said John Wray, a TARDEC contractor. "That's exactly what we're working on here and more."And, of course, if you add this to a wireless ad hoc network that is linked back to the commander, he can see which areas of the battlefield are in the most trouble, and send help. It may be another way to multiply the effectiveness of our soldiers, and save lives.
Intelligent armor is based on piezoelectrics, or materials that generate a small voltage when bent. The reverse is also true: Apply a small voltage, and a piezoelectric material will bend...By measuring just how much energy is lost, the TARDEC scientists can determine how damaged the armor is.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
On so-called "Climategate"
I know many of my more-conservative (or more-partisan) friends may disagree with me, but I do not think the leaked e-mails from major climate scientists tell us much about Global Warming or Climate Change or whatever you want to call it. Rather, I think it is reminder to us that you should NEVER say anything on e-mail (or Twitter or Facebook or AOLIM or...) that you don't want on the front page of the New York Times. Even "private" communications on the Web can be hacked and published.
For those who see this as a smoking gun, imagine how badly you would look if your private conversations with your buddies were published out of context for all to read. I am guessing you'd look more cutthroat than you want to be viewed, because your friends know when you are joking or exaggerating for effect.
"Real" Unemployment at 17.5%?
This is scary, but fits with what I am seeing in my church family. People who have been laid off are finding it increasingly difficult to find new jobs, even if those who have jobs feel more secure in them. Hopefully, as 2010 budgets are formally approved in December and January, the market will begin to grow the job pool again. But there are few signs for optimism at this point.
Cell Processor EOL'd
Do you remember the early days of the Playstation 3 hype? Central to that hype was IBM's new "Cell procesor" - a radical new design in CPUs which IBM and Sony promised would provide significantly higher performance than any normal design and would soon be the standard. Fast-forward to 2009, and Sony's Playstation 3 still has not shown a significant advantage to the XBox 360's more classical design, and the Cell processor is used in few applications other than the PS3. Finally, IBM is admitting the inevitable and has announced the end of the Cell processor.
It remains to be seen what CPU will drive the Playstation 4 (or whatever it is called in 2011).
Monday, November 23, 2009
Ultimate Nightmare: Paralyzed man misdiagnosed as "Coma"
I don't know for sure that this is a common nightmare, but I often have a dream that I am trapped in bed, unable to move, with sinister things going on around me. It is a terrifying experience to be so absolutely helpless, while conscious of what is going on around me. Luckily, it is just a dream. But it was no dream for one man.
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D9C5DTGO3&show_article=1
I can't imagine what kind of horror this was - 23 long years! It is a miracle that he is still sane.
Post Office continues to lose ground/profits to e-mail
Everyone knew that e-mail would have an impact on the Post Office, but after hundreds of years of adapting to technological change, it was hoped that the U.S. Mail would survive and thrive. Instead, it lost another $3.8 billion this year in addition to steady losses previous years.
The post office has been struggling to cope with a decline in mail volume caused by the shift to the Internet as well as the recession that resulted in a drop in advertising and other mail. Total mail volume was 177.1 billion pieces, compared to 202.7 billion pieces in 2008, a decline of almost 13 percent.The Postmaster General has a number of plans to reduce costs in 2010, including closing facilities and possibly reducing or eliminating Saturday delivery.
For the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30 the agency had income of $68.1 billion, $6.8 billion less than in 2008. Expenditures were down $5.9 billion to $71.8 billion.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Biking Update - November 21, 2009
This week I was finally over the infection and flu that has been knocking me back for several weeks now. Have not yet gotten back onto the bike, but it will happen shortly. And my weight has been maintaining at a reasonable level. Looking forward next week to a few Free Days around Thanksgiving however, which will likely have a negative impact on my weight. We shall see.
Happy Birthday, CRChair!
Happy birthday, CRChair! You're a great brother and an even better friend. May this upcoming year be one of great joy, and great achievement.
Friday, November 20, 2009
California Hurts Brick And Mortar TV Sellers
One great thing about living in California is that we're big enough to do our own thing. One not so great thing about living in California is that we're big enough to do our own thing. The California Energy Commission has passed (unanimously) new energy efficiency requirements on all televisions up to 58 inches that are sold in the state of California. This does not apply to companies such as Amazon shipping into California or prohibit consumers buying out of state. The effect they hope to have? Efficiency in what accounts for 2% of electricity use across the state. Combined with the highest sales tax rate, look to see more California retailers struggling and closing their doors as they have to sell more expensive televisions or have less selection to sell. The real kicker will be if 59 inch televisions become cheaper than their energy efficient counterparts.
Reid fails to thread the needle on Abortion
The Health Care Reform effort is again at risk due to the contentious abortion issue. Not satisfied with the House's ban on abortion coverage for any public option, Majority Leader Harry Reid has attempted to craft language that maintains the status quo on abortion (i.e. no Federal funds, but states can offer and individual premiums can cover). But Catholic Bishops view the bill as completely unacceptable to the Pro-Life side.
http://apnews.myway.com/article/20091120/D9C39JS81.html
This is only a minor preview to the next decade of morality debates as part of the Health Care debate. Once the government controls heath care - and individuals view it as a "right" rather than a product - everything becomes a moral/philosophical issue.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
T-Mobile staff sold customer data
Identity theft is a major problem of the modern age. We are all scared of the prospects of unknown criminals using our personal information to impersonate us. But what happens when the identity theft is done by the very people we trust to protect it? Watch for some serious repercussions here.
Staff at mobile phone company T-Mobile passed on millions of records from thousands of customers to third party brokers, the firm has confirmed...
Christopher Graham said brokers had sold the data to other phone firms, who then cold-called the customers as their contracts were due to expire.
Only single men buy underwear
There are some facts strange enough to be entirely unforeseen, but also seem obvious once stated. I think a new department store study of men falls into that category.
According to a department store, men buy pants for a mere 17 years of their lives, with the women in their life shopping for male underwear most of the time...Do my married friends find this to be one of the great advantages of wedded bliss? I will admit that it is not one of the aspects that makes me look forward to it for myself.
A survey of Debenham shoppers suggested that throughout their childhood and teenage years boys rely on their mothers to pick out their underwear. After a brief period of independence between the ages of 19 and 36 when men chose their own boxers or briefs, they then settle down and hand over the responsibilities to their girlfriends or wives.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
More on the Mysterious Ukraine Epidemic
For a few weeks now, news has been leaking out of the Ukraine about a mystery illness which has infected a million people, and killed 189 which was first diagnosed as "the Plague" (i.e. an airborne version of the Black Plague), then diagnosed as H1N1, and now has been diagnosed as a new mutation of influenza never seen before. The illness is ravaging the country and has put enough people out of work that there is speculation about postponing the January presidential elections.
Samples have allegedly been sent to the Bristish Institutes of Health and the CDC for analysis. Hopefully, this is not one more worry to add to the winter of 2010. I don't know about our readers' experiences, but my work has seen an almost-100% infection rate for various colds, flus, and infections over the last 3 weeks.
Guaranteed to Make You Smile (and maybe cry)
Want to see true unadulterated joy? Check out this site which has videos of soldiers coming home from war and see how happy their dogs are to see them. You'll be guaranteed to smile and you might even cry a little bit. The is a reason why dogs are called "Man's best friend". Here is a sample.
Conference Bike?!
This is amazing. Looks great for a business meeting, but can't imagine trying to ride a straight line on it.
Senate explores taxes, taxes, and more taxes to pay for Health Care Reform
The Obama administration keeps pledging that Health Care Reform will wind up saving Americans money. But every time we hear back from Congress, the tax bill for it keeps going up. Now, the Senate is exploring new and interesting ways to tax hiring in the middle of the Great Recession.
The versions leaked so far would add as much as 0.5% on workers who earn more than $200,000. If assessed on both the worker and employer, this would increase the Medicare tax rate to 3.9% from 2.9% today. It would also create the first progressive payroll tax in American history, with wealthier workers paying a higher Medicare payroll tax rate than lower income workers...For those keeping score at home, that includes both taxes that punish investing (which creates jobs) and hiring (which gets people into jobs). Anyone out there think that will have a positive effect on Unemployment?
In another trial balloon, Mr. Reid would impose the payroll tax on all income, not just wages and salaries. This means applying the tax to capital gains, dividends and other investment income. This would convert the Medicare levy into a de facto version of the income tax.
I am still amazed that the Democrats seem to think Unemployment is unimportant compared to all of their other priorities.
Monday, November 16, 2009
"Eye-Scorching" Winter Jersey
Biking in the summer is easy. There is plenty of light, the weather is forgiving, and most drivers on the roads are looking for people on the roads. Winter biking is a whole different thing. The days are short and clouds are plentiful, so you are likely to be riding in twilight or darkness. The weather tears at any exposed areas with harsh cold and snow/ice. And drivers are so encased into their vehicles that they have little awareness of anything but other automobiles. If you do plan to brave the winter months on two wheels, you may want to consider a jersey like this one which is thermally-lined, highly reflective, and colored in a way is impossible to ignore.
Government encourages donations to pay down National Debt
No, really. While many Americans are looking for more reasons to avoid paying taxes, the Treasury has set up a special fund to take donations to ease the National Debt. Of course, at $7.6 trillion, it will take more than a penny drive to make a difference.
The U.S. Treasury Department accepts gifts, payable to the Bureau of the Public Debt. Just mail them to the attention of Department G, Post Office Box 2188, Parkersburg, West Virginia, 26106-2188. Make a note in the memo section that it is a gift to reduce the debt held by the public...One wonders how long the donations will be truly voluntary.
According to Treasury spokesman Kim Treat, people do send checks. In the last fiscal year they added up to a little over $3 million, which was the highest total since at least 1996.
Some include notes. Common reasons for donating include a sense of patriotism and immigrants expressing their thanks to the United States for giving them an opportunity, he said.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Friday, November 13, 2009
Missed us by THIS much
Never assume a sick day means it is going to be an uneventful day. Construction next door and rain had undermined a large old pine tree - the wind today brought it down about lunch time. The good news is it missed the house - just appears to have taken out some railings on the fire stairs. Made for an interesting early afternoon. Very thankful to God that no one was hurt. Click on the photo for a full set of pictures.
Overdraft Policies Changing
Overdraft policies at banks are always a tricky subject. When a customer tries to cash a check and goes over their funds, what should a bank do? If the bank refuses to honor the check, they are within their rights but the customer may miss their mortgage payment, car payment, rent, etc. If the bank does pay the check and charges a fee to cover it, that could further overdraw the account and lead to more debt. Different banks handle it different ways. Which confuses customers trying to understand how to play by the rules.
Now, the Fed is looking to standardize overdraft policies by making Overdraft Fees an "opt in" proposition. This means it will be LESS likely that you'll see excessive fees when you try to buy a stick of gum, but it means you'll be MORE likely to see a rent or mortgage payment bounce without payment. The changes go into effect July 1, 2010. Be sure to contact your bank before then, to make an informed decision.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Senator Dodd trailing all Challengers
Oh, how the mighty are fallen! Chris Dodd was a serious presidential contender in the early days of the 2008 campaign. He may never have had a serious chance against power players like Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, but he was a respected elder statesman and was ready to step in if the A-list fell (as Rudy Giulinani & Mitt Romney did, leaving John McCain on the GOP side). Then came the banking crash - Chris Dodd was the chairman of the banking committee. Now, Chris Dodd is polling below of all of his potential Republican challengers for the next election.
A Quinnipiac University poll released Thursday shows that three of U.S. Sen. Chris Dodd’s five Republican challengers would beat him if the election were held today.Change is in the wind. And not the "change" that President Obama ran on.
Former U.S. Rep. Rob Simmons would beat Dodd 49 to 38 percent, while Linda McMahon, the former World Wrestling Entertainment executive who says she is willing to spend $30 to $50 million of her own money on the race, would beat Dodd 43 to 41 percent. Also former U.S. Ambassador to Ireland Tom Foley would beat Dodd 47 to 40 percent.
The poll also says 54 percent of voters surveyed last week disapprove of the job Dodd is doing, up from 49 percent in September. Even more bad news for Dodd is that voters say 53 to 39 percent that he does not deserve reelection.
Great Simpson's Quote of the Week
Homer: "Books are useless! I only ever read one book, To Kill A Mockingbird, and it gave me absolutely no insight on how to kill mockingbirds! Sure it taught me not to judge a man by the color of his skin... but what good does THAT do me?"
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Always Remember, and Never Forget
Veterans Day: Military Bicycles
Thanks to all of the brave men and women who have served in the military to defend our way of life. In honor of this day, let's consider the many uses of bicycles in World War II to serve the Allied Forces in their fight for freedom.
Nothing Ever Done with Land Confiscated in New London
Remember the landmark case that let the city of New London, Connecticut seize private property through eminent domain to sell to a private contractor for "economic development"? Well turns out nothing was ever done with this land other than tear down the houses. Pfizer was going to build a new facility there, but never could get their funding together before the economy went bad. So the Supreme Court decided in Kelo vs. New London that government can seize private property in order to get more tax revenue and the town that won the case, gets no benefit from it. Sounds like poetic irony to me.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
For the LAST TIME. The world will NOT end in 2012!
I have been extremely annoyed by the number of people on the web and twitter who are allowing themselves to become paranoid about the "2012 meme". The idea is that the Mayan calendar ended in 2012, indicating the end of the world, and it has been popularized by a new movie. Mayan experts have been out in force trying to remind the public that the Mayan religion was cyclical not apocalyptic (unlike Judaism, Christianity, and Islam) and posited a world without an end.
Now, NASA is taking on the myth head-on as well. Good for them! Y2K was a real threat. H1N1/Swine flu is a real threat. The "Great Recession" is a real threat. Even Climate Change is worth talking about. But 2012 hysteria is groundless, and just undermines good sense.
Great Idea for Parents who Shouldn't be Driving Anymore
This is from Dear Abby and was on her website on November 8th. It seems like a great solution for parents who shouldn't be driving any more or who live in an assisted living facility.
"DEAR ABBY: Several years ago, I realized that my mother's eyesight and reflexes weren't what they once were, but she insisted on remaining behind the wheel. She was afraid of losing her independence if she gave up driving. Then she had a traffic accident that shook her enough to make her finally relinquish her keys -- but she wasn't happy about it.
The solution I came up with was to sell her car, put the money in an interest-bearing account, and contract with a local cab company to have a taxi at Mom's assisted-living facility whenever she needed transportation. Instead of billing her, they would send me an itemized statement and add a 20 percent gratuity, so Mom wouldn't have to worry about tipping.
In addition, they also agreed to carry Mother's packages and groceries to her door, and if she'd be less than a half-hour at her destination, the cab would wait for her. The company even agreed to use only three drivers, so Mom could get to know them.
When I visited her for dinner soon after these arrangements were made, I learned she was the hit of her assisted-living facility! Other residents told me what a great idea the taxi service was. What I didn't realize at the time was that Mom was inviting everyone there to come with her -- her treat -- to department stores, the market, even the theater. Prior to this, few of them got out at night because of poor eyesight or fear of being alone.
Using the interest-earning account and realizing the savings of not having to pay car insurance, upkeep, gas, etc., nobody was out of pocket. Mother was safe, and she discovered many new friends where she lived.
Bicycle Bomb kills 8
Bike advocates try to get across the fact that a bicycle can go anywhere or do anything that a car can. Unfortunately, Iraq is learning just how true that is as two bicycle-mounted bombs went off Sunday, killing 8 in towns near Baghdad. The bombs were inside coolers mounted on the bikes.
Monday, November 09, 2009
Ancient Persian Army Found!
C.S. Lewis coined a term "chronological snobbery" to refer to moderns who laugh off most ancient historical records as "mythological" or "inventions of oral history". The fact is that more often than not ancient historians - whether Josephus, Herodatus, or Luke - tend to be remarkably accurate. We have a new example in Egypt where a Persian army who disappeared 2,500 years ago has been found.
According to Herodotus (484-425 B.C.), Cambyses, the son of Cyrus the Great, sent 50,000 soldiers from Thebes to attack the Oasis of Siwa and destroy the oracle at the Temple of Amun. Alexander the Great had famously sought legitimization of his rule from the oracle of Amun in 332 B.C., but according to legend, the oracle would have predicted the death of Cambyses...After walking for seven days in the desert, the army got to an "oasis," which historians believe was El-Kharga. After they left, they were never seen again.
"A wind arose from the south, strong and deadly, bringing with it vast columns of whirling sand, which entirely covered up the troops and caused them wholly to disappear," wrote Herodotus.
As no trace of the hapless warriors has ever be found, scholars began to dismiss the story as a fanciful tale...Now, two top Italian archaeologists claim to have found striking evidence that the Persian army was indeed swallowed in a sandstorm. Twin brothers Angelo and Alfredo Castiglioni are already famous for their discovery 20 years ago of the ancient Egyptian "city of gold" Berenike Panchrysos.
Underestimate ancient historians at your own risk!
Unintended Consequences - Bank Bonus Edition
The banking system is still in disarray after last year's crash. Propped up by government loans (i.e. taxation and national debt), we are looking at an uncertain future. One way that regulators sought to punish bank executives whose policies lead to the crash was to decrease mandated bonuses. One way to do this was to make the bonuses payable in depressed stock. Brilliant idea, right? After all this would encourage executives to take actions that would be in the long-term interests of the company.
Instead, the stock payments are liked to end up in huge windfalls as stock prices have risen from their original valuation, giving executives an excellent reason to sell and reap large cash payments.
Economics - the game whose rules you never really know until afterward.
Sunday, November 08, 2009
Remember, wear your helmet!
A good reminder to always wear your helmet when bicycling.
Marion County sheriff's deputies said 18-year-old Heather Wolff, of Scotts Mills, was trying to avoid hitting a car driven by 30-year-old Brandon Steinke, of Salem, when she was thrown over the handlebars of her bicycle. Her head was run over by a rear wheel of the car.
Deputies said the bike helmet was crushed but Wolff was released from Salem Hospital shortly after the Wednesday night accident.
It's not always the fall that gets you. It can be the actions that come afterwards.
Saturday, November 07, 2009
The Ultimate "Convertible" Bike?
I love my folding bike, as it can come with me whenever I travel and fits into the back of just about any car or truck without a rack. But what if you took the folding bike ethos further? What if you took your bike and make it convertible into a carrier bike and a stroller? Perfect for the mom-on-the-go? Turns out someone already did!
Weight Log for November 7, 2009
It has been a strange couple of weeks for weight-loss. Last week, I got quite sick with a high fever, and was not able to do pretty much any cycling. Just sleeping over and over. Then, we hit my lowest points of the year, the period from Halloween to November 2 (the anniversary of my father's death). With the health issues and the emotional issues, I decided to make the weekend into "free days" where I ate what I wanted. I spiked up quite a bit, but also came back down quickly. I am feeling better now, but am still easily tired so have not gotten back on the bike.
Hopefully, I can get back on two wheels shortly. I have Veterans Day off on Wednesday, so I may try to do a ride then. Here's hoping!
Friday, November 06, 2009
Mandatory 10-digit-dialing comes to CT on Nov 14
One week from tomorrow, all landline or wireless phone calls made in the Constitution State will require 10 digits (i.e. the area code plus the phone number). Until now, CT has survived without going to 10-digit-dialing, so a large number of local organizations do not include area codes in their advertising or business cards. Now is the time to update your address book and speed dialers!
http://www.courant.com/business/hc-10-digit-dialing-notice,0,6343485.story
Don't wait until next Saturday, or you may find yourself unable to make that important phone call!
Pelosi reneges on 72-hour Pledge... again
When Barack Obama campaigned, a major portion of his "change in Washington" rhetoric centered around the posting of Bills online prior to passage, to give Congress and citizens time to read and analyze it before a vote. It was a GREAT idea that was long overdue, especially in the Age of the Internet where distribution costs are nil. Speaker Pelosi went along with the idea, but has consistently gone back on it. Now, she has broken an EXPLICIT pledge to post the Health Care Bill for 24 hours before the vote.
http://www.weeklystandard.com/weblogs/TWSFP/2009/11/pelosi_breaks_pledge_to_put_he.asp
Let me be the first to say it. If there is a "Contract With America" document created for the 2012 election - a list of promises that Republican candidates will sign onto so voters KNOW what they are getting - number 1 on the list should be to make it LAW for bills to be posted for 24 to 72 hours before a vote (exceptions to be made for emergency measures like disaster relief and declaring war). It is sad that one of the few ideas I could support the president on has proven to be the same idea that has been cast aside most often.
Why are there "boy's bikes" and "girl's bikes"?
Ever since I was a child, I wondered why there were different bikes for boys versus girls. While the genders are certainly built differently, there didn't seem to be anything in our biologies that required a different design for pedal-powered transportation. Well, the Straight Dope has the answer! (Caution to those of a nervous disposition - since we are talking about gender differences, the article discusses specific anatomical differences that could be - ahem - "impacted" by the differing designs.)
Thursday, November 05, 2009
Gov't Health Care Option charges fee to ALL to pay for abortions?
This is insane and hopefully will torpedo the bill entirely. The Democratic leadership has put a section into their health care bill which requires ALL PUBLIC OPTION ENROLLEES TO BE CHARGED TO FUND ABORTIONS. This means even if you are anti-abortion and choose a plan which does not cover the procedure, your money is being used to abort the fetuses of others.
http://republicanleader.house.gov/blog/?p=666
If this passes it will require that I opt out of any government-run insurance option for the sake of my conscience. Thanks a lot. This kind of thing is what has made it more and more difficult for me to ever cross party lines to support any Democrat, even though in many ways I am a moderate.
Unemployment Benefits to be Extended 16-20 Weeks
The Senate has passed a bill that will extend jobless benefits for 16 weeks for those whose benefits run out by the end of 2009. For those in states with unemployment rates above 8.5%, those benefits would be extended to 20 weeks. The house has a similar bill that has already passed, so most experts agree that the bills will be reconciled quickly. In the same bill, the first time home buyer tax credit of $8000 was also extended to April 30th of 2010 as well as a new benefit that would give home buyers who have held their existing house for at least 5 years a tax credit of $6500 if they buy home.
Ned Runs for Governor
Millionaire businessman Ned Lamont will announce Thursday that he is running for Governor of Connecticut. Lamont is best known for wrestling the Democratic Senatorial nomination away from Joe Lieberman in 2006. Lieberman still went on to win as an Independent. If Connecticut trends like Tuesday's Governor races, then Lamont will be too Liberal to be elected.
Gotta love Shirt.Woot
Be sure to check out today's Shirt.Woot. Definitely a keeper for anyone who loves life on two wheels! (Remember, Woot Shirts are available for one day only. If you miss it on 11/5/2009, click on the image to below instead to see what all the excitement was about.)
Wednesday, November 04, 2009
When A Remake Already Seems as Tired as the 30 Year Old Original...
The rebooted V premiered last night to, frankly, astounding numbers. 14.3 million viewers, and a 5.2 rating in the demo were certainly beyond what anyone was expecting. Even ABC had not dared to dream that big. The marketing campaign was certainly huge, I haven't been able to read a magazine in the past month without ads on every few pages. There have even been multiple V adds on any given single website in the past week. The marketing was massive, and it brought out a lot of viewers.
I was looking forward to V, remembering the terrifying nature of the first mini-series as a kid. Muse had never seen the original and so had few preconceived notions but was willing to go along for the ride. Sadly, after an hour of the program, we both arrived at the same conclusion: boring, cliche, and tired. Oh so tired. There is nothing in this show that hasn't been done before. And no, I'm not referencing the original. I mean that there is not one idea in this new V that hasn't been done a thousand times in the past 30 years. It came across as if the writers are expecting people to enjoy it simply because it's a remake, and apparently therefore, does not need anything original.
We have pretty spaceships hovering over cities, terrorist cells that are really just Visitors planning our downfall, whiny way-too-pretty boy kids rebelling against their parents, aliens seeming oh-so-nice just to soften us up before they eat us, etc. Oh, and the priest is already making eyes at the FBI agent like he's ready to renounce his vows after knowing her for all of a half an hour. And the "best" bad line of the night goes to Scott Wolf who gets to ask Anna, the leader of the Visitors, "Are there any ugly Visitors? You're all so beautiful." Ack! I think I just lost my dinner. I get the meaning, but it was about as well executed as a George Lucas line.
Then add on that the whole hour seemed so rushed. I was astounded at how much they gave away already. So many devices that should have come into play later, and they're already revealed. Then of course, there is the closing "season preview" which totally destroyed any sense of mystery or suspense.
The rumors are that this show has been beset with production problems from the start. There are only four episodes ready to launch (there were unknown factors that shut filming down at least twice) and ABC has already announced that after those four, the show will be on hiatus for at least 4 months.
The show might maintain an audience, but sadly I expect to see a huge drop in the coming weeks. I'm as avid a sci-fi watcher as you can find, and even I have no excitement left in me to watch this show. Will I? For the time being, the recorded version so we can get through it faster without commercials. But this rebooting of V seems to be so much like the visitors. Something ugly and not at all good hiding just beneath a pretty exterior.
I'm curious if any of our readers/posters watched the premier and if so, what your thoughts were.
Dems: No Health Care Bill in 2009
In what is sure to be a surprise onto the White House, Democrats are now admitting that no Health Care Reform Bill will be passed or signed this year.
http://abcnews.go.com/m/screen?id=8987651&pid=4380645
While President Obama has been publicly confident about the bill, the myriad of problems to be worked through have been daunting for legislators and the public. The fact is that we are looking to overhaul a problem 50 years in the making, and it will take time to pick and choose which parts to keep and which to throw out, especially since the Democratic Leadership has made it clear they have no interest in smaller bills which address only select parts of the problem.
Tuesday, November 03, 2009
"Light exercise" reduces death risk by 60%
I took up the bicycle purely as a way to lose weight, when I realized it was out of control. But for many, there is not as obvious a trigger for action as the number on the scale. A new study gives us a really good number to get us onto a bike: 60% increased survival rate for those who do light exercise. The increase was seen by those who did only 50 minutes of walking or bicycling three-times-a-week, saw huge gains in their survival rate. This was especially pronounced for those under high stress from their jobs or other life circumstances.
If you ever needed a reason to get onto two wheels, this has got to be it!
Monday, November 02, 2009
Too Good Not to Post
Here is a true story posted by someone on Neal Bortz' website in a comment section of one of his posts.
"A few years ago, I pulled into a 7-11 and a car was running in the parking lot. A guy was getting into it and I told him that he was taking a big risk doing that. He said, "I hear ya" and drove off. I went in to get my caffeine jolt and a guy comes running in saying his car had been stolen. I'd been speaking to the car thief.
I live in MD and it is against the law to keep a car running unattended. The guy not only lost his car, but was cited by the responding officer."
Too Funny.
Bikes vs Cars on the Roads
A key problem facing cyclists as we try to expand our numbers is how to share the road with automobile-drivers. Communities around the country are struggling to determine the best way to encourage life on 2 wheels, without making it less safe for those involved. Some advocate dedicated bike paths and "bikeways" to keep confrontation between bikes and cars to a minimum, while others believe that "claiming the road" as equals is the best way to promote equal treatment. Studies show the more people biking, the safer the ride is, as motorists become used to dealing with cyclists and thus are more tolerant. Yet, cities seeing fewer accidents with a rising number of cyclists are also seeing a rising severity of injuries.
What do our readers think? What is the best way to encourage cycling, while keeping it safe?
Sunday, November 01, 2009
CIT Files for Bankruptcy
CIT picked Sunday afternoon to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. CIT had been considering bankruptcy for some time, but finally had to do it. The government had hoped to stave off the bankruptcy by lending CIT $2.3 Billion earlier this year.
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