Adding a few links

Hi all,
You may remember a few weeks ago I got into a rather heated discussion with my friend Black Cross. I have added a link to his blog to my links section. Some good reading. I'm strangely amazed at the similarities in our meandering minds and stong opinions. It's very much like looking in a mirror, reflecting back an image, but reversed. I guess that's why I consider him a friend. We could have been each other easily, if we had been raised in each others shoes and had different experiences. It's an odd though... but I'm known for having those ;)

I'm chatty today

I will add my voice to this...
http://wilwheaton.typepad.com/wwdnbackup/2006/09/a_statement_of_.html

This action does not speak for me either. I've said it before, and I'll say it again. What our government is doing here is flat out wrong.

this kicks ASS

Anyone who is into food knows that "all-natural" is just a buzzword in advertising. I mean, cyanide and rat droppings are "all natural" but who would want to eat them.

However, this is cool. http://www.slashfood.com/2006/09/28/rosemary-enhanced-packaging-keeps-meat-fresh/

This is what the term is supposed to mean. I've never thought treating meat with carbon dioxide was a good idea. (not even allowed in Europe). I have no issue eating rosemary though!

This is like the cereal Honeycomb, the BEST part about that cereal was that it USED to be colored not with dye, but the mild spice tumeric. I don't know when it happened, but they went to a yellow dye some time ago. However... most generic brands STILL use tumeric for color, so that's what I buy. While some will argue that this is a minor point, I think I'm allowed to quibble as I'm the one putting it into my body.

Peace.

Poker Report

I have not been able to play in any poker tournaments lately. I'm still a little swamped with work, but that DOES seem to be fading. This weekend is a little tough, but after that I should be able to play in the D & B tourney again. They are also firing up the Avanade poker tournament again. That will be Wensday. I'll post info about where on Full Tilt it will be in case anyone wants to watch / join in.

My knee is still healing most slowly. However, it no longer hurts to walk on it. (Unless I walk all night) so I've lost the cane. I still have to gingerly take stairs and I can't crouch down. My guess is that I'll be taking the ibuprofen for another 2 weeks. That's a little depressing as I'm trying to get into shape and I can't work out in the way I want. I want to work a heavy bag, lift weights, and I'll get a bike if it will help heal my knee.

Peace.

To everyone waiting at the State office of the DOR

I appologize. I was running a very innocuous script last night that was pretty important given the direction from DOR management. I made a mistake on the script and it ate a great deal of temporary space on the server. This eating of resources sadly slowed down our data architecture and is causing the performance issues from this morning.

I'm often amazed how I can go from feeling brilliant to feeling like an idiot so fast.

Hell yeah

If you've got 4 minutes, watch this vid on the gambling bans that are popping up.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-UpI1Ct-dg

Swallowing my pride.

I tell you what. Appologizing when I'm wrong is not that difficult. I'm very willing to admit when I've screwed up, it comes from a lot of practice. However, appologizing when I'm RIGHT and the appology is politically required to put out a fire REALLY upsets me.

I won't post any details, but I did it and I'm not happy about it.

Several Points and Thoughts

1) My 2007 Prius will be arriving between Oct 11th and Oct 22nd. GLEEEE. The more I read about this thing the more I REALLY want to get my hands on it. I've ordered a fuly loaded touring edition (new to '07... little sleeker look due to the longer spoiler) with option package C.

2) My knee is slowly healing. Yesterday SUCKED. I went to a friends new child party on Sat and had a great time. It's such a great group of people that it's hard to not enjoy yourself. I love them all so much. However, I walked too much. I woke up Sunday with my knee already hurting. So I spent the day laying on the couch splitting evenly between painkillers and genmai tea (my new addiction). It feels better this morning, but I HAVE to stop overestimating my abbilities.

3) I had a thought as I woke up this morning. The thought that it's not possible to defend YOUR contitutional rights. You can only defend the rights the constitution. So when ANY persons rights are violated, all of our are. You can't violate the fourth amendment for one person. You either violate the fourth amendment or you don't. If you stand to defend the constitution, you do not have to be personally affected to do so.
* I'm not happy with the way the above is worded, but I think I get my point across.

4) One week without televisions in the house. I've already finished 2 magazines, put together a recipie book, and burned through 3/4 of a book on the modern authoritarian mindset ("Conservatives Without Conscience" by John W Dean.). I've eaten out ZERO times since I did this. I'm able to keep up on my podcasts and current events EASIER without the constant babble of TV. I'm really enjoying this.

5) I feel TERRIBLE and need to make up for my transgressions. I woke up this morning and looked around not able to find my kitties (which is odd 'cause they are VERY snuggly kitties). I went downstairs to get my ibuprofen and saw that the guest bedroom door was closed. I opened the door and two furry missiles come flying out mrrowwing the whole way. One went bolting to the litter box and the other to the water dish. I felt SO bad. I have to stop at petsmart on the way home and get them some catnip mice to make it up to them.

Been a while since I posted

Couple of things to mention. First, good comic. http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/uclickcomics/20060919/cx_bs_uc/bs20060919 . If you take offence, meh.

Second, I got the call yesterday from Mountain States. I have had a 2007 Prius ordered in my name. It should get here within a month. I won't have to rush on this one as it is in my name, so the people that will have to rush will be the ones to buy it if I turn it down... which I won't.

Anyhow. Up unitl 3:30 last night working. A little tired, I hope things are going to calm down.

Report from the Doc

Just got back.
The doc manipulated my knee and poked around after I desribed my symptoms and went with the classig, good news and bad news routine.

Good news, the condition is not bad enough that it requires any form of surgery. (yet) .
Bad News, it IS a degenerative condition where the bursa has become enflamed or irritated and is causing the trouble. I'm to take high doses of anti-enflamatories (800mg of Ibuprofen 3 times a day) for two weeks and he was very insistant that I STAY OFF IT. Not crouching, no kneeling, no working out. He even told me to plan my day around using the stairs as little as possible.

If this clears it up, great, if if doesn't I'm to go another two weeks if it did help. Once I'm clear, I need to start working my quads again. (I guess fencing caused and helped a lot of the issues). He recommended bicycling with resistance... I HATE biking. I'll find some other quad exersizes.

So, that the story of my knee.

More on Torture

An article on CNN.com today (http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/09/14/congress.tribunals/index.html) talks about the split between Congress and the white house over the white houses proposed reinterpretation of article III. The major issues they are at odds over are two fold. First, Congress' bill says that a suspect of a terror tribunal should allowed to view evidence used against them. This seems like simple due process of law. These people are in custody and aren't going to be communicating any classified information to anyone. Letting them know what's being used against them only allows them to have a legal defense and prevent this from being a kangaroo court. I like Congress' thoughts on this.
The second part is the portions about Article III and the administrations attempts to onve again re-interpret the Geneva Convention. No surprise I support Congress' views that this is unacceptable. As I tried to iterate to my friend Black Cross in an earlier post. The Genevea Conventions DO apply to terror suspects, per the Supreme Court, and now Congress is agreeing. But more important is the reason they apply. The reason is that it is the behaviour that we as a nation agreed to behave by. It really doesn't matter from a philisophical point of view WHO we are treating that way. We've agreed to treat our prisoners humanely, to do otherwise would stain the honour that we as Americans are supposed to hold. It would be a insult to all the people who support and believe in what makes this country truly great.
I am greatly pleased to see the authoritarian regime of president Bush meeting resistance from his own party. We need this form of internal conflict to make our system of government work. Both inter and intra party. For one small group of people to hold all the power is a an ouligarchy, not a republic. I'm not optimistic, we've got a long way to go... but I AM pleased.

Doctor's appointment on Friday

Well, I'm finally seeing someone about this left knee. I've come to the conclusion that it's not getting better, it's getting worse. When I stand, it makes this grinding cartlidge (sp?) noise. And any time I put any strain on it in even the slightest twisting motion (say, getting out of the car, bed, chair) it produces a sharp pain rather than the usual dull arthritic ache I always have. It also feels tight when it doesn't hurt. Something clearly isn't right.

My guess is that there is either a partial tear or some loose matter in there that needs to be scoped. Probably the latter. I'll keep you posted.

The fifth anniversary of 9-11

Five years ago, the US was attacked by Saudi Islamic Extremists, sponsored by Al Qaida and Afghanistan. This is the worst incident that has ever happened in the history of the US in my opinion. Not becuase of the almost 2700 people who died in the attack, which was a terrible tragedy. Rather, it was the worst thing because of how we reacted to it as a nation.

As a nation, we have become xenophobic, terrified, and isolationist. We have attacked a nation that had nothing to do with the attack and continue to strip away civil liberties in the name of being safer because we are scared. We've all heard the classic quote of "They who would give up an essential liberty for temporary security, deserve neither liberty or security" - Benjamin Franklin. We have taken a long step backwards because of this attack. And in doing so, accomplishing the goals of the attackers, who strive to alter the world into the image of an authoritarian Islamic regime.

In a previous post, I pointed out just how few people percentage wise terrorism vs other manners of dying. To be this terrified is unhealthy and irrational. And frankly, I think what we have become as a nation is a disrespect to those who died in the attack and the soldiers who have given their life since that time.

Some may view this post as disrespectful. This post is intended to be a long hard look in the mirror and honestly pondering what we see. The kind of thing that most of us do on special dates througout our lives. We reflect, and if we are smart, we adjust our lives and thinking to correct what we do not like and strive to re-enforce the things that we do.

*Edit: See the following speech from Ron Paul, a republican congressman from TX. I like the comments that he makes from the top to the bottom. I disagree on a few very minor ones, but cannot refute the logic or wisdom in his words.
http://www.house.gov/paul/congrec/congrec2006/cr062906.htm
End Edit *

Two unrelated items.

First, I have to congratulate the president for finally coming out and admitting that there were secret prisons. I know most of the readers of my blog know where I stand on the humane treatment of prisoners. While I do believe that the action of admitting this is politically motivated (esp. after the supreme court ruling of a few weeks ago), but one must aknowledge good things when you see them.

On the same note, I did find an article from June that Bush also said that the Geneva conventions WILL be followed for suspected terrorists. I also commend this action. I do not believe it is enough to make Bush a good pressident in my eyes, but again... small steps. Lenno humourously put this announcement as the administration saying "We don't torture, we have never tortured, and we will stop torturing."

The unrelated note from the title, in my constant assesment of where I am at in my life, I have found a major time waster. As much as I enjoy it, I have to quit World of Warcraft. I am trying to focus on my runic studies, my reading, and general keeping my life in order. I find myself turning on Wow when I wake up, when I get home and generally at any time. I find myself resenting the control it has taken over me and am killing it (much like I did with cable television.) So here's to staying focused.

Bummer.

Well, I got a call at noon today from Mountain States Toyota. They had an '06 Prius come avaiable.

I got down there as quickly as I could, but was 3 minutes late and got beaten to the paperwork by another buyer. However, with the fact that I won't have to pay the IRS next month, I went ahead and put the $500 deposit down so that the next one that comes avail is mine.

I've been shopping these for a while and am finally decided that this is the car I want. Due to the popularity of the car, I'm not being choosy about the color (they all look just fine, there's no bannanna yellow or anything stupid like that), so it'll be fun to see what color I end up with.

Time for a small celebration

I just put my final payment to the IRS in the mail. I'm finally clear from the "mistake" they found that cost me over $2000 from the 2004 return.

So... that's a thing. I'd say we should all go out, but I just paid off my taxes and am broke :) But at least big brother ain't going to come after my ass.

got good sleep last night.

Feeling almost frisky.

We went live on Tuesday at the state. That night there were a few hang ups with an extract process, which had me up at 3:30am (after not getting to sleep till midnight). I was a physical mess on Wednsday morning, to the point where I had to sleep from 9:30 to 11:30. Then I finished the day off from home.

Last night, I managed to wrap up at 10pm, but expected a call over night to solve additional problems. So I crashed out at 10:30, and did NOT get called. So I got over 8 hours last night and feel pretty damn good.

It's a good day to die... Ship It!!!

We are live!!!

The State of Colorado is now using the database that I have been working on for over the last year and a half of my life. We are finally the official system of record.

It's hectic, as there are tons of research tasks to explain what is being seen. so far there have been two defects found in my area that will take up my evening to launch. But it's good validation for a long hard road. Lets see how things continue over the next few days.

I will be in the Pierce office for the next couple of days I think. Just as a measure of customer support. It is a basement office in which no cell phone can escape. So if you want to get in touch with me it'll have to be e-mail or MSN. (AIM and Yahoo don't work here either. c'est la vie)

2 things.

First. Rest in Peace Steve 'Croc Hunter' Irwin. You were a crazy man, but a good man. I have been entertained by you and you will be missed.

Second. And totally unrelated. I was looking up the calorie contents of the tea I've been drinking lately (nothing - what I expected), but wanted to look at the contents of the sugar.

http://www.calorie-count.com/calories/item.php?item_id=19335&size=2

I know it's an automated page... but does it REALLY have to list "high in SUGAR" under the bad points? This is the page ABOUT sugar... of course its high in sugar.

Poker Report

I have been playing a little more regularly lately in the DPT. I've been playing Tuesday and Thursdays at Dave and Busters.

I have to say, the play is inconsistant and there are a lot of truly wild players.

That being said. I have been VERY pleased with my improvement. The first game I busted out way early, the next I managed to make it into the middle round before my top pair got smoked by an overpair. (I know... DON'T GO BROKE ON ONE PAIR!). But last night I played much better. I managed to make the final table and busted out in 6th place. The good part was WHY I busted out. I was intentionally trying to gain chips by busting out short stacked players. I ended up loosing ALL three of those attempts. Had I won even a single one (and I wasn't far behind on any of them) I'd have had a great stack to make a run at taking down the monster stack at the final table.

Strategically, it was a decision to go for the win and not the "cash." I'll never fault anyone for that strategy.

Oh and a side note. Due to some constructive feedback, I will be responding to comments on my blog in other comments and not future entries. This will allow for an easier read.