This was our experience driving in New Jersey

Would "Universal Circumcision" fight the spread of AIDS?

I honestly do not get the anti-circumcision crowd who fights to end the practice altogether. It is an ancient part of the Jewish and Muslim religions, and a practice that most doctors believe is essentially harmless to babies. But I also have to wonder when doctors begin proposing to make circumcision universal. Their reason? To combat the spread of AIDS.

The move comes after officials analyzed the results of several studies that show in African countries hit hard by HIV, men who were circumcised reduced their infection risk by half, the New York Times reported. However, those studies focused on heterosexual men who are at risk of getting HIV from infected female partners. The main issue in the U.S. is men who have sex with men.

Of course, the best preventative measure for HIV is to have intercourse only in marriage, and to marry someone who has been previously tested and found to be HIV-free. But I guess that recommendation would be too radical for medical professionals and politicians.

Apple to Release Snow Leopard Early

Apple announced today that they will release Snow Leopard (the newest operating system) on Friday. Previously, Apple had announced a September release date. The upgrade is $29.

Banking Evolution

When I began working for a bank, I did some research into the history of banking and money. It surprised me to learn that banking goes back to the Roman empire, where blacksmiths would store gold in their vaults and offer documents to their depositors attesting to how much value they had available. Eventually, this evolved to the point where people simply carried the documents, which other blacksmiths would accept in lieu of real gold, and the "checking account" was born.

Many would argue that banking has not changed significantly since the Middle Ages, but I find it interesting to see that some banks are still trying to transform the experience for customers. It is proof that even ancient professions have a lot to learn and a long ways to go to be the best that they can be.

The ultimate escape artist

I believe the comic originated here, but am not 100% sure.

Outrage is too mild a term

Biking Update - August 22, 2009

Another uneventful and bike-free week, due to horrible air quality in the area and the remnants of last week's flu. So, I'll keep this one short and sweet. No biking, but also no major weight gain. I seem to be holding steady between 206 and 208 lbs. I still hope to reach 205 lbs some day - sustainably - but have not arrived there yet. I am hoping to return to two wheels this weekend.

Why was Death Counselling a bad idea in Health Reform?

Sarah Palin struck a nerve by claiming that the Democratic Health Reform bills contained provision for (or would inevitably lead to) "Death Panels" deciding who would live and who would die? After much back and forth, it was revealed that it was the "death counseling" portion of the bill that triggered this accusation. Many advocates claim such end-of-life planning is critical, while others claim it is merely an excuse to end the lives of the helpless.

Charles Krauthammer has posted one of the more reasoned and thoughtful pieces on the subject. It reminds us that health care decisions are NOT private things, but rather collective decisions made by both us and those who love us.

My own living will, which I have always considered more a literary than legal document, basically says: "I've had some good innings, thank you. If I have anything so much as a hangnail, pull the plug." I've never taken it terribly seriously because unless I'm comatose or demented, they're going to ask me at the time whether or not I want to be resuscitated if I go into cardiac arrest. The paper I signed years ago will mean nothing.

And if I'm totally out of it, my family will decide, with little or no reference to my living will. Why? I'll give you an example. When my father was dying, my mother and brother and I had to decide how much treatment to pursue. What was a better way to ascertain my father's wishes: What he checked off on a form one fine summer's day years before being stricken; or what we, who had known him intimately for decades, thought he would want? The answer is obvious.

Except for the demented orphan, the living will is quite beside the point.

Dilbert on "Financial Services"

Some days, you can't win

These days, a bank can't afford to have a bad day. The Mortgage Meltdown was the fault of bad banking policies and poor oversight, and it has lead to an economic downturn that is now being called "The Great Recession" by many. Many of the largest U.S. banks of 2008 don't even exist anymore in 2009.

So, one can't help being amazed by stories like this one, where a bank sold a house out from under a woman whose mortgage was in excellent standing. It took a Miami judge to set things right, after police officers forcibly evicted her family and locked them out of their own house for 3 days.

The eviction came after Ramirez’s home was mistakenly auctioned off to the highest bidder by her bank, Washington Mutual (yes, we know WaMu is now Chase, but we're in denial). Usually, you get a warning before you get the boot. A foreclosure letter. Maybe a sign saying your house is up for sale. Not Ramirez, who found her belongings bashed and battered in the street...The man who bought the house told Ramirez he paid $87,000 for it, which shocked Ramirez, who bought the house for $260,000.

This is a good reminder to keep a close eye on your creditors in these dark economic days. Just because you are playing by the rules, that does not mean some lazy bureaucrat can't harm you.

Gas prices

Gas prices
Originally uploaded by nomad7674.

From my iPhone 3GS

Rest In Peace, Bob Novak

This is a significant loss to reporting and political discourse in this country.

http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=33189

Example of Impact of Tax Increases on the Rich

Neal Boortz has up a good fictional story that explains how tax increases on the rich inevitably hurt mall businesses and more specifically, those working for small businesses. It is a little long, but is a quick read.

Happy Birthday, Ron!

All of us here at Mod-blog with semi-frequent commenter and all-around great friend "Ron" a VERY happy birthday! May today be a day of joy and peace, and may this upcoming year be one of accomplishment and deepening wisdom.

Gas Prices

Gas Prices
Originally uploaded by nomad7674.

from my iPhone 3GS

Programmer Jokes

I am technically a Systems Analyst, but I work with programmers and consider myself to be somewhat of one (if only as a hobby at home). So I found this thread of programmer jokes to be hilarious. Warning, there are some off-color jokes at the link, so the faint-of-heart may wish to abstain.

A physicist, an engineer and a programmer were in a car driving over a steep alpine pass when the brakes failed. The car was getting faster and faster, they were struggling to get round the corners and once or twice only the feeble crash barrier saved them from crashing down the side of the mountain. They were sure they were all going to die, when suddenly they spotted an escape lane. They pulled into the escape lane, and came safely to a halt.

The physicist said "We need to model the friction in the brake pads and the resultant temperature rise, see if we can work out why they failed".

The engineer said "I think I've got a few spanners in the back. I'll take a look and see if I can work out what's wrong".

The programmer said "Why don't we get going again and see if it's reproducible?"

There are days I'd really support a law like this

Biking Update - August 15, 2009

Not much to report this week in terms of weight-loss, as I caught a nasty flu and was in bed pretty much from Monday night until Friday morning. No real exercise, other than a bike ride last Saturday. Rather than belabor the point, I'll just post my weight-graph for this week. Hopefully, next week will be much better.

Jail time for a prayer?

I never thought I'd read an article about an American being threatened with Jail Time for praying. This is the kind of stuff that can spawn whole movements.

In January, the Santa Rosa County School District settled out of court with the ACLU, agreeing to several things, including a provision to bar all school employees from promoting or sponsoring prayers during school-sponsored events; holding school events at church venues when a secular alternative was available; or promoting their religious beliefs or attempting to convert students in class or during school-sponsored events...The criminal charges, which carry up to a $5,000 fine and a six-month jail term, originated with a Jan. 28 incident in which Mr. Lay, a deacon at a local Baptist church, asked Mr. Freeman to offer mealtime prayers at a lunch for school employees and booster-club members who had helped with a school field-house project.

Mr. Staver said no students were present at the event, which was held on school property but after school hours.

Jail time?! Are you serious?! I can see why the ACLU is upset, but this kind of thing at most should result in dismissal of the guilty party. The fact that this incident has been allowed to escalate to this point shows a system out of control, without any sense of proportion or common sense.

Happy Birthday, Shadowmom!

Happy birthday, Shadowmom! May today be a day of joy and contentment, and may this upcoming year be one of comfort and achievement. I am so thankful I have you for a mother.

Recession Ends... in France and Germany

It won't really affect the day-to-day lives of people yet, but it may begin the important psychological changes needed to lift the world economy. Germany and France have reported their first quarter of growth which technically ends the Recession in those countries. Of course, there is no telling if this is a false start - the bump is credited to policies where the governments propped up auto makers and paid company to keep workers on at reduced hours which are due to expire. But so much of the economy is mass psychology, that this may provide many positive changes going forward.

Muppet Diplomacy

CNN has up a good story on how Muppets are being used to teach children around the world about peace and understanding. The article focuses on Seasame Street that is produced for Palastineans. The Muppets don't teach politics, but do teach basic moral principles.

Palm Pre Phone Home?

There has been a lot of scrutiny of Apple's iPhone because of its so-called "monopoly status", but it is important to keep your eyes on the smaller guys as well. A hacker, going thru the Palm Pre SDK has determined that the Palm Pre regularly calls home and sends your current location to Palm, Inc. They claim that the privacy policy protects customers, but such a setup could easily allow the company to insert location-targeted ads into their apps to generate extra profit.

Do as I SAY not as I do!

A major disconnect between the Right and Left on the issue of Health Care Reform is our relative trust of government. The Left tends to see government as made up of well-intentioned activists, looking to do what is right without regard to personal profit. The Right tends to see government as a necessary evil, run by people who ultimately do what we all do - look for ways to make their own jobs easier, even at the expense of others. This is, in my opinion, the source of the "Death Panel" quote that has been attributed to Sarah Palin. She is not talking about what has been proposed, but the logical extension of many of the proposals, once bureaucracy has gotten ahold of them.

For those on the Left who do not understand this attitude, consider this story about the State of California. The State, in the middle of a financial crisis of historical proportions, had put off its debt holders with IOUs which promise payment at a future date. This allows the state government to spread out payments to manage its cash flow. Seems reasonable, right? The problem is, they have one set of rules for themselves and another for the People. If you have been paid with an IOU, you are expected to pay Income Tax on the IOU. But the State won't take their own IOUs as payment!

Consider if you are a company whose only customer is the State of California. You may now be shut down for non-payment of taxes because the government won't pay you!

These are the kinds of "Hypocrisy Overload" scenarios that create nightmares in the minds of Health Care Reform opponents.

Microsoft banned from selling Word!

The great Empire of Microsoft stands on two pillars: Windows Operating System and Microsoft Office. These are the two products which enable them to produce everything else - often at a loss. Some might argue that the XBox has become a third pillar, but most consoles are still sold at a loss.

Now, the Empire is threatened as a Texas judge has ordered Microsoft to stop selling Microsoft Word - an essential part of Microsoft Office - within 60 days over an alleged patent infringement in the handling of XML-based files. This is akin to Ford being banned from selling trucks or Sony from selling CDs and DVDs.

Most commentators believe Microsoft will be able to appeal and overturn the order before it becomes effective. But this may be the most direct threat to the software giant since the European anti-trust cases.

Make Your Own Muppet

Miss the Muppets? Now you can put on your own Muppet Show by making your own Muppet style puppet.

Chevy Volt Gets Impressive MPG Rating

GM announced today that they hope to get a government mileage rating of 230 miles per gallon for the new Chevy Volt. If this comes to be, it will be a public relations bonanza for GM. That rating would blow away the competition and give GM the first triple digit MPG car in mass production.

2010 Census counting non-citizens for Representation?

The Wall Street Journal has up a provocative article that claims the 2010 census has been set up to explicitly omit any questions of citizenship, and thus inflate census totals for those States with large populations of illegal immigrants. In one example given, California would gain around 10 new Representatives just at the time that citizens are fleeing the State because of economics.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204908604574332950796281832.html

If this is true, quick action is needed to correct the plans for the census. The Constitution is fairly clear that citizenship is a critical factor in calculating representation in Congress, and even small changes in how we count citizens could have significant effect on both the laws we pass and how we select the President.

"Un-American" is a Phrase that Should be Used Sparingly

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Majority Leader Stan Hoyer have penned an Op-Ed piece for USA Today that explains their feelings on the current debate on Health Care Reform. Actually, it could more accurately be described as their frustrations. The phrase that is sure to make the most noise is.

"These disruptions are occurring because opponents are afraid not just of differing views — but of the facts themselves. Drowning out opposing views is simply un-American. Drowning out the facts is how we failed at this task for decades."

While I agree that shouting down a person who is not involved in hate speech is wrong, these comments go too far and show that Pelosi and Hoyer just don't get it. The people doing the shouting for the most part are just as frustrated as Pelosi and Hoyer. They are just on the opposite side of the issue. Pelosi and Hoyer give the impression that anyone who is not for their legislation is not just misinformed or wrong, but has evil intentions. This attitude will not help them to sway many hearts or minds.

Biking Update - August 8, 2009

This post is a bit late, because I was out of the habit of the weekly biking updates. Last week was vacation, and I chose to include the weekly update in my "things to skip while away". But the accountability of this is very important to my weight-loss and fitness plan. It is easy to lie to yourself. It is hard to lie to a blog audience to whom you have to show your weight-loss graph every week.

It was a great week for biking, while down in New Jersey. I biked every day that we were not traveling (traveling days generally were impractical for biking, because of early wake-ups and early check-outs or late check-ins). I racked up 107.55 miles on the bicycle while we were away! (Plus, 43 miles on the boardwalk walked in Wildwood.) That was between 10 and 18 miles a day, every day. And it was worth it on multiple levels. First, the exploration was great - I saw a lot of wildlife (rabbits, terns, geese, herons, etc.), learned new things about places we had been visiting for years (Wildwood Crest has a wildlife preserve!), and felt the freedom of the road every day (stress melted away). Second, because I was burning so many extra calories while away, I saw very little jump in my weight, despite having pretty much whatever I wanted to eat. I started the vacation at 208 lbs, and ended it at 209.8 lbs. After french fries, motz sticks, and cheese steaks all week! I never did indulge in sugar, though, as it appears my body doesn't crave it the way it used to. I was going to have ice cream while on the boardwalk, but was never in the mood.

Of course, there were costs of going from 20 miles biked per week to 150 miles biked and walked. My knee has been very sore since I got back, and I have small blisters in a number of places on my feet. So, I have been taking it fairly easy on the exercise this week to let the body heal and my diet return to "normal." Because of that, I saw a slight bump up in weight over the course of this week, but it all came back down to lighter than when I left on Friday (207.2 lbs). I am still chasing the elusive 205 lbs, and we'll see how that works out in the coming months.

This next week should be interesting as I get back into the swing of exercising every day. Hoping to have a bike ride today with CRChair, and then ride to church tomorrow on my own. And who knows what the upcoming evenings will offer in terms of weather and conditions. But it was a wonderful vacation, and I feel truly ready to return to "normality", refreshed and raring to go. (Actually, went back to work last week to an incredibly tense week, but still feel refreshed even today.)

Depositing a check via the iPhone's camera

It is not widely known amongst consumers, but a law called "Check 21" went into effect October 28, 2004. This law essentially eliminates the use of paper checks between banking institutions - all checks are now scanned and turned into images which allow faster processing and exchange of checking info. It also means that consumers can now scan their own checks and upload them for processing, assuming your bank supports the feature.

Hat tip to @RobFay for discovering an article about a bank taking Check 21 to its next logical step. They are allowing customers to upload checks by taking a picture with their iPhone camera! This was impractical with the camera on the original iPhone, but the iPhone 3GS's 3.2 megapixel camera is more than up for the task! And supposedly a Blackberry app is on the way, as well.

Keep an eye out. Mobile technology like this will be transforming the way you bank before you know it!

The Waitress Index

I struggled with whether this fit the "family-friendly" nature of Mod-Blog, but finally decided it was permissible and too funny not to post. One reporter has a theory about a way to track the health of the economy - the beauty of waitresses.

The indicator I prefer is the Hot Waitress Index: The hotter the waitresses, the weaker the economy. In flush times, there is a robust market for hotness. Selling everything from condos to premium vodka is enhanced by proximity to pretty young people (of both sexes) who get paid for providing this service. That leaves more-punishing work, like waiting tables, to those with less striking genetic gifts. But not anymore.

A waitress at one Lower East Side club described to me what happened there: “They slowly let the boys go, then the less attractive girls, and then these hot girls appeared out of nowhere. All in the hope of bringing in more business. The managers even admitted it.

We had an alternate "index" while down in Wildwood - the "local employment indicator". Normally, shore towns can not get enough locals to fill open positions, so they recruit from overseas - Russians, Irish, Australians, etc. looking for a fun summer in America. But this year, there were very few accents to be heard on the boardwalk, indicating Americans were looking for even the long, hot hours of hawking water gun races on the boardwalk.

Gas Prices

Gas Prices
Originally uploaded by nomad7674.

Relativity, Here We Come!

Happy Birthday Mr. President

Happy birthday President Obama. I may not always agree with your policies, but I do hope you have a happy and healthy year.

Google CEO Steps Down from Apple Board of Directors

Google CEO Eric Schmidt has stepped down from the board of directors at Apple. The basic reason being given is that as Google begins to compete more and more with Apple, Schmidt will be forced to recuse himself from more and more meetings of the board at Apple. So it is now practical to have him on the board anymore. It never seemed to make sense to have him on the board, so this is probably a good choice for everyone.

Resetting your Sleep Clock

While our vacation this year stayed exclusively in Eastern Standard Time, I know that a number of Mod-Bloggers have to switch between time zones as they visit friends and family. So, they may be interested to learn about a new study which claims it is possible to reset your sleep clock in a single night. What is the secret? Fasting!

Simply stop eating during the 12-16 hour period before you want to be awake. Once you start eating again, your internal clock will be reset as though it is the start of a new day. Your body will consider the time you break your fast as your new "morning."

For example, if you want to start waking up at 2:00 am, you should start fasting between 10:00 am or 2:00 pm the previous day, and don't break your fast until you wake up at 2:00 am. Make sure you eat a nice healthy meal to jumpstart your system.

This could be invaluable to frequent travelers, and infrequent travelers with a desperate need to stay awake at a wedding. :-)

Irony vs Critics of Universal Health Care

While I tend to lean Right, we here at Mod-Blog try to show both sides of the argument. So, I was glad to find this comic which I think does a pretty good job of using humor (irony) to show the fallacies of some of the knee-jerk arguments from the right wing. That is not say I agree with it, of course. :-)

The Nomad's Wanderings

The Nomad has been wandering in southern New Jersey for the last week, but returns to his home tent today. If you'd like to browse some of the photos from his travels, click on the image below.

The Electron has been Split!

If you ask a modern quantum physicist, he or she will tell you that there are two indivisible kinds of particles - quarks and electrons. Get anywhere smaller than these two particles and you're into a energy soup defined by E=mC^2 that Einstein talked about. An electron, we were always taught, is a "fundamental" particle.

Turns out, it is not so fundamental.

A team from the Universities of Cambridge and Birmingham have successfully split the electron into two separate particles - one which holds the electron's charge and one which holds its magnetic spin. They have been named holons and spinons. The split only occurs when electrons are forced into tight proximity that overcomes their natural electromagnetic repulsion.

This has the potential to transform how we see the world around us, and could have huge implications for quantum computing and nanoscale technologies.

Nomad Does His Best on Friday

Eating comfortably for $36 a Month

Nick and I have been having a little debate over whether it is hard to eat healthy when one is poor. I say that the poor have a hard time eating well, because they have to shop sales, eat at fast food, and are dependent oftentimes on the corner store instead of a farmer's market. Nick says it is merely a matter of priorities, and it is possible to eat well on little money if you make it a priority. So, I found this article to be an interesting addition to the debate. It discusses how to eat for about $0.33 per meal, by shopping smartly and choosing your foods carefully.

My own experience, and those of my family, still indicate it is hard for the average person of low means to eat well. But this article certainly makes the argument that it is possible, if you have the time and energy.

CRChair is mighty!

CRChair is mighty!
Originally uploaded by nomad7674

The Return of Soda Milk?

When I was growing up, I went through a few phases where I didn't want to drink ANYTHING but soda ("pop" to you midwesterners). My parents were understandably upset about this, since they wanted me drinking healthy juices and milk so that my little body didn't wither away for lack of vitamins and calcium. Rather than set up a direct battle of wills - my family is renowned for our stubbornness - Mom came up with a novel plan of attack. She invented "soda milk", a drink made from lots of milk and just a little bit of cola or root beer. It gave the milk a slightly sweet and fizzy texture, but made sure that most of what I was getting was the healthy stuff. Brilliant!

It now appears that Coca Cola's industrial espionage people have been listening in on my childhood stories, as they have now released Vio, a fizzy milk alternative drink. With no artificial flavors or sweeteners, it might not even be too bad for you. Although, I think I'll stick to the real stuff - juice and milk - now that I am a grown-up.

Treat Fatty Foods like Tobacco?

Hat tip to Mod-blog reader Nick for this one.

Regular readers know that I have been fighting my own "battle of the bulge" for a over a year now, and have lost 75 lbs through a combination of diet changes (portion control, no sugar, few carbs) and focused exercise (bicycling). It was hard work, and I am not sure if I would have had time or the extra energy/money to pursue all of this if I had been married or had children. (Although, hopefully now that the habits are established, it won't be a problem to take into a marriage, if I should be so fortunate.)

But policy-makers right now don't see obesity as a personal challenge for individuals. They see it as a monetary black hole sucking up health care dollars, just as the President is trying to pass health care reform. "Obesity-related diseases" (mostly heart disease and diabetes) are on the rise, and lawmakers are looking for any way to cut cost and raise money to pay for their proposed health care plans. Now, they are turning to the model of the wars on tobacco, and are considering taxing fatty or sugar-laden foods in order to pay for universal health care. The idea is if you make it expensive to buy sugar, either people will stop eating it or they will be paying for their own health care thru taxation.

It is an interesting idea, but we also need to look at the other lessons from the tobacco wars. To this day, the government both taxes tobacco products AND subsidizes the growth of tobacco in America. Government is fundamentally two-faced, and we need to be ready to face this fact as we look to increase health.

Two Different Kinds of Schedules

I've known for sometime that an ill-timed meeting or interruption could throw my schedule off for an hour or more. As a programmer, I tend to work in blocks of time. It seemed that short of turning off e-mail and IM and hoping for no phone calls, I didn't have a good solution. Enter a great article about the difference between a "Maker's Schedule" and a "Manager's Schedule". A manager's schedule is broken into 1 hour segments. Meeting with someone is just a matter of finding a free spot. A maker's schedule is broken into tasks that can talk half a day or even a day. The solution? Plan meetings at the end of work day.

First win of vacation

First win of vacation
Originally uploaded by crchair

A Thirteen Year Old Reviews a Walkman

The Walkman reached its 30th birthday this year. I remember really enjoying my Walkman as a kid. In an article that is sure to make those who remember having a Walkman feel old, the BBC has a review of the Walkman by an iPod-toting thirteen year old as he trades in his iPod for a week.

A sandwich at a real Jewish Deli

A sandwich at a real Jewish Deli
Originally uploaded by crchair

Human Nature

Genius Bear in the ADK?

While my idea of "roughing it" is to stay in a hotel without internet access, Mod-Blog friend Bowhunter often regales us with tales of his hikes and explorations in the Adirondaks. One of his favorite things to talk about is the ever-present danger of bears amongst the many peaks. It is not that the bears themselves are often dangerous to people - they usually tend to be shy and dislike the smell and sounds that humans make. But they are dangerous to a hiker's food supplies, as they can smell food from miles away and can easily tear thru most of the standard coolers and backpacks in seconds. So-called "Bear Canisters" are now required gear for all hikers. These canisters are made to be very tough, and have complex locking mechanisms to make it nigh-impossible for a bear to break into. But apparently hikers are now reporting a genius bear who breaks into canisters that even humans have a hard time getting open. It's like the old Information Technology saying, "If you make your system idiot-proof, they'll simple make better idiots."

Solar Powered Trash Cans in Philly

The City of Philadelphia has chosen a novel new way to reduce man hours spent on trash pick up. They have installed 700 solar powered trash cans/compactors in the city where regular trash cans used to be. The new combo cans are solar powered and will need to be emptied only 25% as often as the normal cans. This will save the city $845,000 a year.

Biking Update - July 25, 2009

A very good week for bike riding, but a very poor week for weight loss. Started off last weekend with a long ride along the Stratford Shoreline with CRChair. It was a gorgeous day after several days of rain, with blue skies and high clouds. Then, on Sunday, I did my first "real" ride from my home in Shelton, CT to church in Trumbull, CT. ("Real" because I actually attended church after riding down, then rode back home. Thanks to pastors for helping arrange a shower before services.) If you are from the midwest, a ride of about 8 miles each way might not seem like much. But that is with SIGNIFICANT hills every mile or so the whole way there, and long (but more gentle) uphills all the way back. Then, on Wednesday, we had a good ride up to Captains for Guys Night Out - which may be Bowhunter's last regular GNO with us, as he is moving in August and we are away on vacation next week. Sigh.

The weight-loss front was not good this week, however. After the Sunday ride, I spiked up almost back up to 210 lbs, and never got much farther down over the course of this week, despite eating almost perfectly. Not sure if the extra weight is muscle building (which would be good) or if my body is "off", but it was discouraging. Especially in light of the fact that this next week is a "free week" where I eat what I want, which means guaranteed weight-gain. Still, I am not in this for a sprint, but a marathon, and these setbacks will occur. As Bowhunter reminded me and Nick seconded, it can be dangerous to focus on a single number as a guide for your life. Weight gain is not always fat-gain, and you want to watch your overall health.

This next week will be one of vacation. I plan to ride the bike every day, but also eat pretty much what I want. Don't plan to gorge on sugar or anything, but I do plan to leave my worries behind for a bit. We'll see how it all goes, and I will keep weighing every day. Be watching Mod-Blog for photos of the trip!

Minimum Wage Increases Today

The federal minimum wage increases to $7.25 today. Many champion minimum wage increases a a way to help the poor. Unfortunately, some get helped while others may lose their job. In the current economic situation, companies are unlikely to raise prices to cover this increase, so they will have to cut costs instead which probably means layoffs. Here is true example of how this worked for Neal Bortz when he was in high school.

"When I was in high school I got a job bagging groceries at the A&P on 9th Ave. in Pensacola, Florida. I was being paid the minimum wage. After a few months on the job the minimum wage went up by 25 cents. The manager of the store fired me. He said that the increase in the minimum wage increased his bag boy budget over the limit, and since I was the last hired I would be the one who had to go."

Yeah, this is me

Whither the Nomad?

Hmmmm... Perhaps clicking the image will give a clue as to his whereabouts... If not today, perhaps on Tuesday...

Manliness

From The Doghouse Diaries.

Some churches changing the Eucharist for Swine Flu

You know that people are really getting worried about H1N1 (a.k.a. Swine) flu when churches begin changing their practice of Communion and putting into place rules first enacted during the Black Plague.

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/67c135fc-7630-11de-9e59-00144feabdc0.html

Somehow I think this is an overreaction, but then Christ merely said to share the bread and the wine. There is already a diversity over how the sharing is done - for example, my church uses grape juice instead of wine - so these changed practices are well within the established practices of the Church. Still it is interesting to see how we are adapting to this new disease.

Wildwood, NJ: #30 of Time's "Authentic American Experiences"

We love Wildwood, NJ. My parents vacationed there before I was born. My first visit was somewhere around my second or third birthday, and one of my favorite memories is my older cousins coming down while we were on vacation and taking me out for a long walk on the boardwalk with "the big kids". I love the long boardwalk, I love the deep beaches, and I love the smell of the salt air. So, it is nice to see the Wildwoods getting some love as #30 on Times 50 "Authentic American Experiences".

Surgeon General challenged for her Weight?!

Apparently, a large number of critics have come out against the president's pick for surgeon general, because she appears to be overweight. They content that in a nation of the obese, the surgeon general should be an example of excellent health.

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/story?id=8129947&page=1

This seems to me like insisting that the president be a great political philosopher or that the Secretary of Defense be able to beat any soldier in hand-to-hand combat. The surgeon general is supposed to be an expert on health issues, able to guide policy and advise the president effectively on health-related issues. They are NOT supposed to be the healthiest person in the land.

Here is hoping this particular issue blows over quickly, and we can get back to debating her qualifications and political positions.

Gas prices

Gas prices
Originally uploaded by nomad7674.

We all need affirmation from time to time

What's Good for the Team, Can be Bad for the Sport

Sometimes, being a good teammate can be bad for your sport. Take the current situation at he Tour De France. Lance Armstrong, who is in second place, has basically decided to give up trying to win the race because his teammate Alberto Contador is in first. Here is the Quote from Armstrong:

"This is a team sport," Armstrong said. "I think now is the time for me to put my chances aside, and focus on the team."

Contador and Armstrong both ride on the same team for the same major sponsor. So his decision makes sense from a team standpoint, but it is bad for the sport of cycling as you have the sports biggest name now saying that he is not trying to win. Sports thrive when they have drama and good rivalries. The current situation at the Tour De France now will have neither.

The Amazon Kindle & Big Brother

On Friday, some strange news broke: all copies of George Orwell's 1984 and Animal Farm were being remotely deleted by Amazon from customer's Kindles. This seemed like a huge invasion of privacy - revoking already-completed sales just because they could due to the digital existence of eBooks. And it was made even more troubling by the choice of books being revoked - classic books about abuse of power and control of thought.

In the meantime, CNET has put up an explanation of the situation that is more balanced. Essentially, the books were being sold thru Amazon illegally. The publisher was claiming the books were in the public domain, when they were not. Thus, when the legitimate publisher found out, they objected and demanded all existing copies be repossessed.

While I agree with CNET that this puts Amazon in a slightly better light, it still leaves open the question, "Who is protecting the customer?" A more customer-sensitive decision would have been for Amazon to compensate the true publisher, punish the fraudsters, and allow customers to keep what they paid for.

Amazon has pledged to do better in the future. Here's hoping they do. Otherwise the Kindle may very well go from trailblazer to footnote.

Time for the Megapixel Wars to End?

I have owned a large number of digital cameras, all the way from when 640 x 480 was state of the art to a new 12 megapixel Canon camera that I picked up to shoot a wedding in the Spring. And something has become obvious as megapixels have multiplied like rabbits - the number of megapixels in a camera has very little to do with the quality of pictures you get. It is not just that we've exceeded the human eye, but rather that after a point the expanding number of megapixels simply shows up the flaws in the lens. Consumer Reports has noticed the same thing and is finally calling for an end to the magapixel race.

The problem isn't the sensor. It's the glass. Writer Ray Maxwell points out that lenses will at some point reach a limit and that simply adding more pixels to a sensor will not result in more detail or better images. So, while and laptop and desktop computers may continue to follow Moore's Law, cameras with glass lenses will not. And that limitation is why the writer ends the article with "If someone produces a 35mm full frame camera with 100 Megapixels, beware. Given the limitations of the wavelength of light, no lens can live up to that resolution."

We're already seeing this transformation in the computer industry, which used to focus on CPU speed. Now, they are shifting to multiple threads, power efficiency, and other measures of excellence.

Gas prices

Gas prices
Originally uploaded by nomad7674.

BJs in Derby, CT

Biking Update - July 18, 2009

Bad week for weight loss, but great week for biking this week. I started off last weekend by riding all the way from my home in Shelton, CT to my church in Trumbull, CT. The ride there and back took up 20.1 miles, which is definitely not my longest ride as far as distance goes. But unlike riding by the shore, I was working up and down significant hills the whole time. Some were mild, but many were good old New England roadways which are crumpled like a pair of pant thrown on the floor. It was a good ride, but exhausting. But it has cured me, for now, of most of my road fear. If I can ride that distance on real roads, I can certainly go farther and have little fear of what the local roads can offer. Later in the week for Guys Night Out, we rode up to and back from Captains Pizza (5+ miles accrued) and then on Thursday night, CRChair and I rode 12.1 miles along the Stratford Shoreline at sunset, which was a gorgeous ride. Perfect weather and glorious skies with the run setting behind the storm clouds from earlier in the day.

The weight story was less good and somewhat inexplicable. Despite the extra riding, I was actually on an upward trend all week until Friday morning when I was back down to where I ended out last week - about 206 lbs. I was not eating differently, except for a new brand of sugar-free candy that I bought last week. Looks like I won't be picking up any more of those, and we'll see if that helps. Or it is possibly just a burst of muscle-building after the long rides.

Not sure what the next week will bring. I am inspired to try and bike outside every day, since the weather is beautiful and a vacation is coming up where I plan to bike every day. But I also just got a new exercise bike, which I will probably set up tonight, so it would not be a bad thing to spend some time on that to break it in. We shall see. And we shall see if I bike to church again on Sunday. If I can work out a way to clean up after the ride, and before walking into church, it may be the beginning of a new tradition!

A Milestone in the Nuclear Age - A Cure for Radiation Sickness

If you have done any reading on the Manhattan Project, then you have read countless stories about the horror experience by the scientists there as they began to understand the phenomenon of radiation sickness. The atom bomb was originally engineered to simply be a VERY LARGE conventional explosive, but the radioactive fallout from the bombs caused unexpected side-effects. Days or weeks after the bomb, survivors began seeing hair falling out, teeth and fingernails rotting away, sores and burns appearing spontaneously, etc. Some believe more died from radiation poisoning after Hiroshima than were killed directly by the explosion. Scenes from these events have become emblematic of the nuclear age, and movies such as THE DAY AFTER have burned images like this into the collective consciousness.

But now, faced with a future nuclear Iran, scientists in Israel have developed a cure for radiation sickness!!! Using a protein found in human gut bacteria, they found a medication that could be ingested anywhere from 24 hours before exposure to 72 hours after. Animals treated with the medication showed an almost 100% survival rate, and in many cases showed no evidence of radiation sickness at all.

This is a game changer. Here is hoping that in the Age of Terrorism government will be loading up stockpiles ASAP.

Sigh. My childhood is weeping.

From ExtraLife.Com. You know, some of us did enjoy these things as MORE than a toy commercial.

Obama Plan would outlaw "New" Private Insurance?!

Thanks to @AaronKlein for pointing out this article. This is outrageous and unmasks the true intend of the Obama plan. Hopefully, this will kill it as dead as HillaryCare.

It turns out we were right: The provision would indeed outlaw individual private coverage. Under the Orwellian header of "Protecting The Choice To Keep Current Coverage," the "Limitation On New Enrollment" section of the bill clearly states:

"Except as provided in this paragraph, the individual health insurance issuer offering such coverage does not enroll any individual in such coverage if the first effective date of coverage is on or after the first day" of the year the legislation becomes law.

So we can all keep our coverage, just as promised — with, of course, exceptions: Those who currently have private individual coverage won't be able to change it. Nor will those who leave a company to work for themselves be free to buy individual plans from private carriers...

What wasn't known until now is that the bill itself will kill the market for private individual coverage by not letting any new policies be written after the public option becomes law.

The legislation is also likely to finish off health savings accounts, a goal that Democrats have had for years. They want to crush that alternative because nothing gives individuals more control over their medical care, and the government less, than HSAs.

Who Chooses the Church?

The news about the Episcopal Church formally lifting the ban on ordaining practicing homosexuals as bishops makes me wonder if Americans are losing their ability to sense hypocrisy. Americans demand the right to customize everything to our tastes. Don't like a black or white iPhone? We can recolor it. Don't like the standard burger? Have it your way! Don't like the way your house looks? We can match any color you do like! But when God makes a claim about how He wants His Church to work, we feel a right to contradict Him and decide He can't have it the way He wants.

I am sick of debating the biological/psychological origins of homosexuality, the political implications of it, and the comparative studies of homosexuality in ancient Israel versus today. They are beside the point. The Bible is quite clear on how God wants the Church to work.

Here is a trustworthy saying: If anyone sets his heart on being am overseer [a pastor or elder], he desires a noble task. Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him with proper respect. (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God's church?) He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil. He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil's trap.
1Timothy 3:1-7

Please note, heterosexuality is not the only qualification in this list. A pastor must also be shown to be gentle, not a big drinker, a good father, a long-time believer, and must have a good reputation (which even disqualifies anyone who has a bad reputation that is NOT EARNED). But heterosexuality and monogamy are clearly qualifications. Ordaining practicing homosexuals is ignoring this prescription (as would ordaining an alcoholic or someone with a child who is a criminal or even someone unwilling to entertain in their home).

But does God really care about this "fringe issue"? Doesn't He give people a lot of latitude in their styles of worship? The Bible shows Him giving latitude to the masses, and not to those who would be leaders. Consider the death of Aaron's sons who God killed for worshiping Him in a way other than He had prescribed. It was not that they were being disrespectful, not that they were worshiping other gods, not that they were even coming with some unconfessed sin. They simply worshiped in a way other than God required. Or in the New Testament consider Ananias and Sapphira who were killed for lying about the offering they gave to God. It was not that the offering was insufficient, it was not that the money offered was in any way "bad", it was not even that there was some other defect in them. They simply lied about the offering, presenting it in a way that was other than God required.

The ordination of bishops is the selection of leaders for God's church. Doesn't He have the right to decide who gets to serve and who does not?

Heads I Win, Tails You Lose

Honestly, I have been having this same thought. From here.

World's Oldest Mother Dies. (I'm Shocked!)

A Spanish women who lied to doctors to get an in vitro fertilization procedure done has died 2 years after giving birth to her twin boys. She was 69 when she died. Every few years we have someone break this record of "Oldest Mother". When will people stop being selfish. Even if these boys have a loving extended family to raise them, they will miss their mother. Some of us lost a parent who died at a "young " age. That is hard enough.

From the department of "Who would EVER want this?"

Windows 95 running on an iPhone via emulator. It is an "interesting" proof-of-concept in the same way that putting the engine to a Toyota Prius into a Forumula 1 race is "interesting".

"Unstoppable?"

I am used to the word "unstoppable" being used in comic books or science fiction films to describe the "big bad" in a story. I am NOT used to seeing it applied to anything in real life. But now the WHO has declared the swine flu/H1N1 virus "unstoppable" and is calling upon countries to quickly produce and stockpile vaccines in anticipation of a global pandemic.

http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSTRE56C60820090713?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews

While I am glad that health authorities are taking this seriously, I hope they can find a way to temper the rhetoric and have some level of optimism. I also hope that when President Obama is working on his health care reform, he doesn't try to use the H1N1 virus as a political weapon to force it thru. But somehow, I think that move is inevitable.

It's all in how you say it.

Gas prices

Gas prices
Originally uploaded by nomad7674.

Just one more tweet! Please!!!

It was not long ago that I valued the complete escape that a vacation offered. The office couldn't reach me by hook or by crook. I was completely free from anyone I did not choose to contact in some way. Nowadays, I find myself seeking out hotels with internet - wired or wireless. And add to this an iPhone that connects to 3G 24/7, and a Skype connection that I can check from any network-connected computer.

Is this a network or connection addiction? I am not the only one I know who is this way. I am not even the most prolific tweeter I know. Is this a sickness, or just the usual human proclivity to overdo everything?

Trumbull, CT makes 100 best small towns

I went to school and still go to church in Trumbull, CT. It is a great town to raise a family, and I am happy to see that CNN has recognized its excellence. I am nearby in Shelton, CT these days, but still think of Trumbull warmly.

http://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/bplive/2009/snapshots/PL0977270.html

Congratulations to Trumbullites everywhere!

Our Last Dog

This comic could have been written after knowing our last dog Biscuit.

It's a Brave New World

From here.

Gas at BJs Stratford

Gas at BJs Stratford
Originally uploaded by crchair

Invasion of the Lady Bugs?

Kiteboarders at Long Beach

I had no idea, but apparently there is a whole club in Stratford, CT that meets at Long Beach pretty much every week. I shot this on my iPhone 3GS.