5 Lbs in 5 Days: Part 2

5 days ago I posted my plan to lose 5 lbs in 5 days. When I started the post, I was joking. By the time I finished it I actually convinced myself I might be able to do it.


And I did.Kinda.
When I stepped on the scale a second time, just a few minutes later, I weighed in between 181 and 182.

(I had to shift my weight around to get this to show 180 lbs.)

Which makes sense, because I only executed half my plan (the dieting part). I didn't do an ounce of exercise.

In the end I lost more weight than I expected but can't decide whether or not I look any thinner. I just might keep this up another couple days.

Is Bandwidth Inversely Proportional to Age?

Why is it that the older people are, the slower their Internet is? I seriously think that there are service providers out there that have a secret "Over 50" package they sell to retirees. It costs more than normal high speed Internet, but goes way, way slower. "Heck, they'll never know the difference."

So, if you think your Internet speed is too slow for what you're paying, you should look into it. Especially if you have DSL. Just click on the link below and follow the instructions to find out whether you're getting the service you paid for.

http://reviews.cnet.com/internet-speed-test/

If you are little confused on whether or not you have DSL or Cable, just check where it comes out of the wall. If it looks like cable, it's cable. If it's a phone line with some funky attachment, it's DSL. We have DSL and when I run the test I normally get between 750 and 850 kbps. Here's what mine read tonight.



Every once in a while AT&T must mistake me for my 60 year old neighbors, because our Internet connection suddenly goes very slow and stays that way until we call AT&T. And when we finally get them on the line, they apologize and fix it "remotely" within just a few minutes.

Getting Older

Something about this video makes me wish I was 14 again. I can't wait for Charlie and Max to get a little older. But I never want them to grow up.

5 Lbs in 5 Days

Ashley goes to Utah tomorrow and I will meet her there 5 days later. So I got to thinking, why not surprise her with a new me for Christmas? I figure it would take 5 lbs to really make a splash.

I've seen people lose more in less time on The Biggest Loser, so I know it's possible. But they're also HUGE and have all day to work out (not to mention $250,000 to motivate them to eat right).

That begs the question, could I lose 5 lbs in 5 days...without cutting off an arm, visiting the hospital or dying due to dehydration or starvation?

I think it's a question of math and physical stamina. I'd have to deprive myself of 3500 calories per day. The problem is that I normally consume less than 2500 calories per day (which means I also only burn 2500 calories per day). Even if I starved myself for 5 days straight and maintained my normal calorie expenditure I'd only lose 3.5 lbs. That means I need to work out too.

At a bare minimum I'd need to work off another 1.5 lbs, or 5250 calories, in addition to the calories I lose not eating. I can burn about 150 calories in 10 minutes on a treadmill, so that's only 5 hours and 50 minutes (just over an hour a day) of running to make up the difference.

Unfortunately, I'm left with the whole living until Christmas issue. To fix that, let's say I dropped my caloric intake to 1500 calories per day instead of all the way down to zero. If I maintained my current daily activities, I'd expect to shed 1000 calories per day, leaving me with another 2500 per day that I would have to exercise my way out of. In other words, to reach my goal of 5 lbs in 5 days, I would have add 2 hrs 45 min on the treadmill (or its equivalent) each day to the 1000 calories I avoid by dieting. That's starting to sound more feasible, especially if I broke up my exercise routine into a morning and evening workout.

I may just have to try it.

100% Cotton

I prefer my cotton blended with a good portion of Polyester. Even better with a touch of Rayon. Just please don't try to tell me that 100% cotton is anything better than just a clever marketing ploy.
Like many of you, I grew up believing that cotton really was the fabric of our lives. When I looked at a shirt label and saw "100% Cotton" I was relieved because I thought I had a quality garment in my hand. Unfortunately I was simply the victim of shrewd and very effective marketing.

How can a fabric that shrinks up to 10% when washed for the first time even be acceptable, let alone be promoted as a wonder textile? And what about the fact that your 100% cotton clothing will fade almost twice as fast as anything else you own?

And did you ever stop to think about how ridiculous the concept of "Shrink to Fit" was? You have to hand it to Levi's for trying to market the unpredictable nature of cotton. But did they really expect me to take home a pair of 501 jeans, wash them in warm water and just hope that they turn out to be the right size when the jeans dried?

The fabric of our lives? I think not. Cotton is simply a natural and very affordable commodity with a whole lot of marketing dollars behind it. I'm not quite ready to boycott the stuff. Just don't make me buy it in its pure form. Do me a favor and dilute it with something like Polyester so I can have a t-shirt that will keep its shape and color.

What I Don't Want for Christmas

Ashley's been bugging me for my Birthday/Christmas wish list for a couple weeks now. It's been strangly difficult to come up with one. Normally I'd be asking for a new sand wedge, a wool sweater or something similar. But this year I'm at a total loss for good ideas. So here are my bad ones.

Something I don't need and don't want for Christmas, but would love to get some time soon:

• A round of golf at Pasatiempo.

What I need, but isn't the stuff Christmas is made of:

• A new engine and new brakes for my Karmann Ghia.

Obviously I could use some help with this list. Any suggestions?

Nick Faldo, You're Wise Beyond My Years

"Golf is not about the quality of your good shots, it is about the quality of your bad shots." - Nick Faldo

(I gotta get me some of those pants.)

Favorite Shots: Ridgemark GC. Gabilan 10th

The 10th hole at Ridgemark's Gabilan course is easily the most difficult hole on the course. It scares the crap out of me. In the tiny picture below you can see that the hole has an out of bounds fence on the left and and yellow hazard stakes to the right. A wayward tee shot can put you in either so you have to play it safe. Unfortately it's not a short hole so playing it safe can leave you an uncomfortable distance from the green. A green that is even more protected than the fairway.

The same out of bounds and hardard areas narrow just before the green leaving no more than a few yards to the right or left of the green. If you don't thread the needle on your approach it's going to cost you a couple strokes. Scoring an eight on this hole is very easy.

Earlier this year when playing the hole I pushed a very conservative tee shot into the right rough which was much deeper than I expected. I was left with a 185 yard blind approach shot out of very thick rough. From there I should hav taken my medicine and punched out with a wedge or a 7 iron and hope to get up and down. But that day I had a little Phil in me so I decided to go for it.

I hit it flush. I didn't see it come down because I couldn't see the green, but I was sure it was close. Turns out the ball landed just a few feet from the cup and rolled another seven or eight feet. I sunk the birdie put coming back.

Favorite Shots: Spyglass Hill 4th

I've played Spyglass Hill once and it was an experience I'll be telling my grandchildren about when I'm old and gray. It was the second half of a two day regional NCGA tournament that my dad and I were playing in. Unlike the first day of the tournament at Poppy Hills where we had beatiful weather with almost no wind, the second round at Spyglass was played during gail-force winds coming off the Pacific Ocean.

Nowhere on the course was the wind more treacherous than on the already difficult par-4 fourth hole where the fairway runs along the coastline perpendicular to the 40 mph gusts coming off the ocean.
I hit a low tee shot to try and keep the ball out of the wind. It leaked a little right with the wind and just barely stayed in playable terrain. I found my ball in the right hand rough on a severe downslope. I had a clear line to the narrowest green I had ever seen. But from playing this course on my computer (the only affordable way I could prepare for playing) I knew the green was sloped away from me. So even if I got the ball there I knew that coming out of the rough, from a downhill slope, through the wind there was almost no way I could stop the ball on the green.

I had only about 150 yards to the pin, but decided to play my 5 iron and punch it low into the wind. I took a 3/4 swing and struck the ball cleanly. Watching it roll to the green I was sure the ball would either stop short of the green leaving me a horrible down hill chip or would roll through the green off the back side. However, it appeared to stop somewhere on the green.

The ball ended up about 10 feet below the cup, a perfect spot for putting. A tournament volunteer assigned to that hole said it was easily the best shot he had seen all day. I agreed.

Of course I three putted from 10 feet which took a bit of glory out of the shot, but that 5 iron is still one of my favorite shots to date.

Note: I hit 11 of 14 fairways that day (not including the 4rth hole) and most of the greens in regulation, but had one of the ugliest putting days ever. We didn't win the tournament.

Favorite Shots: Poppy Hills 18th

A couple years ago my dad and I were lucky enough to win a local two man best-ball tournament and qualify for a regional NCGA event at Poppy Hills and Spyglass Hill. The first day of the tournament was played at Poppy Hills where we were wrapping up a decent, but not spectacular, round of golf.

I had been pushing the ball right all day long so I set up left for my tee shot on the 18th. Unfortunately I hit it dead left too. The ball sailed deep into what looked like Mirkwood Forest.

(Looking back from the 18th green: If you click to enlarge the photo you can actually see a tiny opening in the trees on the right side of this picture where I had to hit from.)

When I found the ball it was sitting on a perfectly clean lie on an even cover of pine needles in the throat of a narrow, but beautifully straight corridor of evergreens that opened to the left side of the fairway. Unfortunately the opening at the end of the corridor was only a few yards across and nearly 50 yards away. I had to hit the ball perfectly straight and relatively low due to have any chance of getting the ball back in the fairway. But since I had no other alternatives I pulled out my 3-wood and said, "Why not?"

I couldn't believe it when I hit a crisp, low-driving 3 wood that split the row of trees perfectly. The shot was nothing short of a miracle, leaving me with a simple 40 yard pitch to the flag on the far side of the 18th green. I hit a decent wedge to the green and followed it up by sinking a curling 12-foot putt to birdie the hole and finish the round on an unexpectedly high note.

Favorite Shots: San Juan Oaks 16th

I have a bad memory. No, a horrible memory. I can't remember names, facts or dates to save my life. Yet I can usually recall every single stroke played during a round of golf for months, sometimes years, afterward. Ashley suggests that I don't have a bad memory, just a selective one for things I really care about. She may be right. For some reason whacking a little golf ball down the fairway leaves a lasting impression. So I've decided to write some of them down.

San Juan Oaks is one of my favorite courses. It's located in San Juan Bautista, just outside Hollister, which is just south of Gilroy, which is about 30 minutes south of San Jose, CA. I've played the course a few dozen times since it was built back in the mid-90s, so most of my memories from this course blend together. But there is one particular pitching wedge that I'll never forget.

(San Juan Oaks 16th - the flag was just behind the right edge of the sand trap when I played it)

One of the easiest holes is the par three 16th. Like most of the holes on the back nine, it was carved into the natural landscape of San Juan's rolling foothills. Most of the holes look like they've just always been there. This particular par three is just over 100 yards from elevated tees that look down to a small green across a narrow canyon. By the time we got to the 16th we (me, my dad, my friend Brian and his dad) were playing in the shadows since the sun was already setting below the hills to our backs.

When it was my turn to hit I felt like I was going to hit a good shot. And I did. I hit the ball clean, high and straight at the flag. On its way up, just before the ball crested, it broke through the shade cover and was lighted by the suns setting rays. It was beautiful. The ball clipped the flagstick on its way down landing just four inches behind the cup, and checked up leaving the easiest birdie putt I have ever had. It's still the closest I've come to a hole-in-one. I could play that hole a hundred more times and not have a prettier ball flight and result.

Things I Will Miss About Ashley

Sometimes when I'm giving Ashley a hard time for squeezing the toothpaste from the middle of the tube or for closing the shampoo cap before letting the air back in she turns to me and says, "Those are the little things that you'll miss about me when I get hit by a bus."

It's true. I think I really would miss most of those things. At least I'd miss her when I saw things like a shampoo bottle with all the air sucked out. Here are a few other things that will remind me of Ashley when she kicks the bucket.

• Dresser drawers - Ashley is always in a hurry...and that's why her dresser drawers are always open. At least that's what she says. Seriously, they are NEVER closed. Her reason (and the shampoo and toothpaste) is that it takes too long to close them all the way. So the drawers remain open, each one between 2 and 8 inches depending on how hard a shove she gave each before she rushed out the door. Each time I stop to think about it, it makes me chuckle.

• Diet Coke cans - Ashley is very good about ridding the house of her Diet Coke cans at night during her clean-up routine. But those shiny silver cans will forever remind me of Ashley.


• Car seats - We've all got things we hate doing. For me its paying the bills. There are very few things I hate doing more than checking the mail and pay the bills. For Ashley, the thing she has nightmares about is having to remove or install a car seat. Never mind that it only takes 2-3 minutes to do either. I think she'd rather rent a car if we needed a vehicle sans car seats.


• Seasonal decorations (the day the season begins) - Ashley has boxes of decorations for each season and holiday. She's got spring stuff, summer stuff, fall stuff, stuff for Valentines Day, Easter, Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas. I'm sure we have stuff for the 4rth of July, St. Patrick's Day and Columbus Day too and I just haven't seen them yet. But the fun thing about Ashley is that she can't wait to get the old stuff out and the new season in. I know for a fact that while everyone else is out shopping on Black Friday, Ashley will be putting the final touches on our Christmas decor. And you can better believe that we'll have our Christmas tree up the day after Thanksgiving (if not before). It's a tradition that's fun (until she asks me to help).

• The HIGH setting - There are two HIGH settings that Ashley punishes me with. The first is the HIGH heater setting in the car. If the temperature is anywhere around or below 70 degrees Ashley cranks the temperature up to HIGH (90 degrees) and then sets the fan at full force too. It usually gets hot enough that I have to hang my head out the window in order to breath. The other HIGH setting is on the stove. It is my lifelong mission to convince Ashley that when it comes to the range, the HIGH setting is only for boiling water. It's not a setting you use when you want things to cook faster. I know she gets it. She's a smart woman. But I don't know that her impatience will ever let her cook things on medium. Ashley's abuse of the HIGH settings used to make me mad. Now it kinda makes me chuckle. Kinda.


• This box - Last night Ashley spent 45 minutes getting ready for a seminary pancake breakfast. When she explained what she was doing I thought, "Pancakes only take 5 minutes to prepare, so why are you spending 45 minutes getting ready?" It was to avoid having to prep and clean at the church. I gave her a hard time about it because I would have done no preparation whatsoever and would have just lugged the ingredients down to the church and hoped that the right pans and utensils were available. But that's not Ashley. She's a planner. Not only did she mix the batter last night so she wouldn't have to carry the ingredients to the church, she also built a custom pancake batter container holder out of a Cherrios box. That way nothing would spill in the car and she wouldn't have to do any clean-up in the church. I was impressed with the box design. The rest of the plan?
  

She's Kinda Neat

This afternoon while Ashley and I were driving to the mall to get her birthday present she did something that reminded me why I love her so much (Note to self: When she makes a list of things she wants for her birthday, don't surprise her with something that's not on the list).


Ashley was telling me about the incentive/rewards system she has with her seminary students. Her students can earn points (tickets) that will go towards Operation Smile, a program that helps pay for cleft palette surgeries for children in a 3rd world countries. The fact that she gets involved in just about every charity that comes her way says so much about who she is.

But what got to me today was when she broke down crying while reading a letter from the Operation Smile asking her to donate more to the cause. Of course when she read the letter about those kids whose lives were changed with a simple surgery, she was so choked up with emotion that she had trouble finishing it. It reminded me of one of our first dates when she bawled uncontrollably during a movie about whales. Movies aren't the only thing she cries over. She's always imagining horrible scenarios where one of us gets hit by a bus or ends up in some similar tragedy and often ends up in tears because of it.

Ashley certainly isn't the first girl to get emotional during a chick-flick, but she is so caring and loving that I am constantly amazed. I'm so glad that she spends her days, nights and weekends caring for and teaching our two boys how to be thoughtful, decent little boys. I can't imagine anyone else raising Max and Charlie. I'm glad that she is so strong and firm about what she believes in, yet so tender deep down. I'm also grateful that she chose me for a husband. I can't imagine my life without her and would be devastated if she were ever hit by a bus.

STOMPER 4x4s

A little over a week before Charlie's birthday party I stumbled across a couple of old Stompers on Ebay. I was 4 years old in 1980 when these first came out and hadn't seen them since.



They're super simple motorize trucks and tons of fun. So I bought 'em for Charlie.


These two particular trucks were made in the 90's (not the originals from the 80's). When they arrived I ripped them out of their packages and neither truck worked. I was crushed - especially since this was Charlie's only gift from us. I took them both apart (something I had hoped I'd have to do) and realized that one needed some new wiring and the other just needed to be rolled around a bit to unstick its very old motor and gears.

It took me about an hour to get both trucks running.

(My best attempt at an action shot)

(Real, working headlights)

Now that Charlie has them, I'm sure they'll be broken within two or three days.

We Live in a Society

When I came home from work tonight I found Ashley on her cell phone making call after call for the Yes on Prop 8 campaign. To my surprise she said that one of the most pleasant conversations she had was with a man who disagreed with her. "He was nice and respectful, and we pleasantly agreed to disagree," she said. I think it stuck out to her because many people find it difficult act with civility when disagreeing on an issue as important as Prop 8. I was appreciative that the man on the other line chose to treat my wife with respect.
Similarly I can't stand it when people think they are justified in being rude to telemarketers, door to door salespeople or any other human being for that matter. As if the poor sap on the other end of the line wants to be on that phone call any more than you do. They're on that phone or on your door step because A) they are trying to earn a living or B) they are working for something they believe in. Either one deserves a little respect and courtesy in my opinion.

Madness

I still plan to vote for John McCain, having been left with no better alternative, but his latest proposal to buy back mortgages is madness. This whole bailout is madness.

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hfHkP_o1JurPm5e9mEZEFMFKaJwgD93MGJPG2

When is someone going to have the guts to tell the American people that this is a mess that we can't buy our way out of? I've not heard a single public figure admit that the average American shares some responsibility for the current financial crisis. Here's what I WANTED to hear during last night's presidential debate:

Question: "What would you say to those Americans who are faced with losing there homes amidst this financial crisis?"

Answer: "If you are an American that currently has a mortgage which you cannot afford, we are sorry. We are sorry that low interest rates have led to over-inflated home values. We are sorry that lending companies enticed you with aggressive and risky mortgages making you think you could afford a home that was too expensive. We are also sorry that you chose to get yourself into a financial commitment that you knew was going to be difficult to honor. We are so sorry that we're all in this mess, but we may not be able to help you."

"If you are a home-owner and can't afford your mortgage payments, we recommend you sell the home immediately, because this situation may get much worse before it gets better. If you have to sell the home for less than you owe, you should continue to make payments after the home is sold until you have fulfilled your contract."

"If you own a home and can just barely make payments, please do everything in your power to keep from defaulting on that loan. If it means selling your car, cancelling cable TV and Internet, or making sack lunches, do it. We can't afford unnecessary foreclosures."

"We can get through this, but it is going to take some sacrifice."

I Think I've Found My Opinion on the Bail Out

After watching a few of these clips from earlier this year, I'm willing to do whatever Schiff says.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drJ6QxSO5gw&feature=related

Nostradamus?

At least one person is out there saying "I told you so." Who would you have believed if you had seen this clip in '06?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfascZSTU4o

You Do the Math

Have you calculated your personal contribution to the proposed $700,000,000,000 bailout? Here's a starting point: 2007 federal tax revenues were approximately $2,500,000,000,000.

Ashley, now that you're back...post already!

I'm linking all my readers to your blog to put some pressure on you. Hope you can handle the heat!

http://itsgoodtobeashleycarter.blogspot.com/

Photo Finish, 8 Golds, Ho Hum

I still think the Lezak relay finish was better, but Michael Phelp's photo finish in the 100-meter butterfly should have been the end of the Olympics. End the games on a high note. Speaking of, was anyone let down last night when NBC decided to show an entire Women's Marathon? The worst part? I watched the whole thing.



http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/multimedia/photo_gallery/0808/oly.phelps.sequence/content.1.html

The Olympic Games Climax on Day Two

Best Olympic moment I've ever seen (sorry Mary Lou, it's true).

A Load of Croc?

Best thing since sliced bread? Or physical manifestation of all that is wrong with American fashion?

http://www.newsweek.com/id/150240/&GT1=43002

Pennies: Who Needs 'Em?

The penny is completely useless and it costs more to produce than it's worth (1.3 cents per penny). If it were up to me, not only would I immediately stop the circulation of pennies, but I would can nickels and dimes too. I would prefer it if every cash transaction were rounded up to the nearest quarter. Just please don't make me carry around a pocketfull of useless change.
http://www.boston.com/business/articles/2008/05/09/the_price_of_a_penny_stirs_calls_for_steel/

Fruit Kick

I'm on a pear kick right now.
Last year it was apples. I've been trying to get more into oranges, but I haven't been able to make it stick.

Yes, TexasTwinsTwice, It Does Happen.

Just yesterday TexasTwinsTwice wrote the following comment on my Taxes: Round 3 post:


Texastwinstwice:
"I put my comments in 'Taxes Round 1' as to how my family has worked 'hard' to earn our income. In addition, my husband worked 40 hrs a week as a ditch digger & dishwasher while he took a full course load of college classes (which he paid for himself). I admit--he was crazy, but DEFINITELY a hard worker. Now if a lettuce picker spends the day working & the evenings in night school, he/she won't be picking lettuce for long..."

My response...

Tyler:
"...in theory I'd like to subscribe to your view of "all it takes is hard work." Practically however, I believe there will always be a segment of society that doesn't view opportunity the same way you do.

...if the "lettuce picker" went to night school it wouldn't be the same one your husband went to. I presume your husband went to night courses in college, am I correct? Or was he learning english at night?"



Well, it looks as though one field worker did just that. Worked hard, got an education and is now a world class brain surgeon.

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/25802159/&GT1=43001

Great story. Would that there were many more of these. However, things like this are still rare enough that the story made national news.

Note: If you read the article carefully you will also see that he had a college education (at the age of 18) before he ever illegally immigrated. Not your typical immigrant.

Holy Cow...Charlie Counts!

I'm so proud, I can't stand it. Just a few minutes ago Ashley sat down with Charlie to try to get him back to bed (he'd been crying in his crib for the past 15 minutes). While sitting in the chair she held up her index finger and said, "What's this?"

"One." He said. I had never heard him say "one" before. I was impressed.



Then she held out two fingers. "What's this?"

"Two."


I stopped checking my email and focused all my attention on Charlie. Just counting to "two" was much more than I thought he was capable of.


Three fingers. "What's this?"


"Three."


My jaw was on the floor. With each additional finger came the right answer.


"Four."


"Five."


"Six."

Then he skipped seven.

"Eight."


"Nine."


I was on the edge of my seat by the time we got to Ashley's pinky finger.

"Ten."


Linda (his grandmother) is always swearing up and down that Charlie is "sooo smart." I wasn't ready to put him up at the top of the class just yet. Dude can't speak worth a nickel. Now? I've got no choice. He got a 9/10 on his first math test. Now if he could only learn to say his name.

Ashley: My Tree-hugging Sister

Meet Ashley, my tree-hugging, animal loving, gingerbread house building, liberal sister. Here she is with Jose, her vegan boyfriend.

Like Jose, Ashley is also a vegan. And she's one of the nicest people you'll ever meet...especially if your a tomato, a kitty-cat or poultry.

• She loves to cook. Check out her blog about vegan recipes for disasters to see just how much she likes to cook and bake. Note: I think you can use these recipes during periods of calm too.
• She loves to garden. A couple months ago when Ashley (my wife) started a garden, Ashley (my sister) brought over a few tomato plants and a pumpkin plant, which survived this summer's heat wave (unlike some of our store bought plants). She has also been known to drop off potted plants or flowers just because she's nice. Thanks Ashley.
• She loves animals. From the time she was young she loved all types of animals, especially horses and dogs. She was always bringing home pets (birds, rats, dogs, cats, turtles, fish, etc.) but unlike most kids who quickly lost interest in pets, Ashley did a great job of caring for them. (Ashley, there was nothing you could have done for that parakeet.)
• She loves school. She must because she's been going to college for over 10 years. In those ten years she's studied everything from horticulture to other stuff.
• She loves nature and the environment. She's always respected living creatures and the environment. I once squashed a spider just to make her mad and I still feel bad about it. I think she probably does too. I don't think she prays much, but if she did I'm sure she would pray for all the creepy crawly creatures along with the cute kitty-cats, tomatos and poultry.

We don't always share the same political or religious views, but I've definitely learned a thing or two from her about animals, trees and even people.

Plastic or Styrofoam?

I just went into the office breakroom to get a bottle of water. As I reached for the 1/2 liter plastic bottle I could almost hear my sister Ashley saying "you shouldn't drink bottled water when you've got perfectly good tap water just a few feet away." So I deciced to get it from the tap today.

But as I reached for the styrofoam cups we have stocked next to the sink another voice popped into my head. This time it was a co-worker who had recently lectured me about how using styrofoam cups was environmentally irresponsible.

So which is worse, plastic or styrofoam?

Taxes: Round 4

I finally got around to looking for government budget breakdowns. Here's a pretty detailed pie-chart on the 2008 federal budget. Just follow the labels around clockwise starting with the biggest one, Social Security.

source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_federal_budget,_2008


I also looked into the California state budget (below). As expected, it is much more relevant to what I'm concerned with day-t0-day. So if we're going to raise taxes at any level, it should be the local state level, not federal.

source: http://www.ebudget.ca.gov/BudgetSummary/SUM/1249561.html

Taxes: Round 3

What if we lowered taxes? Wouldn't we all benefit from giving less to the government and spending our money on what we need most?

For example, what would happen if we lowered taxes across the entire socio-economic spectrum, say by $4000 per household? If this were 2004 (see the chart below), that would mean that the average household in the bottom 20% wouldn't pay taxes at all. Wouldn't those poor folk suddenly be able to pay for health care? Wouldn't the middle-class be able to put a little more money towards their mortgage or retirement? Wouldn't the rich be able to buy that much needed new wardrobe (which in turn helps a bunch of poor people who work for the clothing manufacturer)?
However, if this hypothetical scenario actually took effect, I wonder if each group would use the additional money for what they needed most (like health care and a mortgage payment)? Or would most of the money go to waste? And if that money did go to waste, should the rest of society have to bear the financial burden for those that squandered their govenment bonus so everyone could have health care and college tuition?

Taxes: Round 2

This is a continuation of my thoughts on taxes from the last post. Take a look at the chart below from a 2007 report from the Tax Foundation. It highlights a Robin Hood type effect of the rich giving to the poor we have built into our system of taxation and spending in the U.S.
This chart shows that the top 20 percent (the rich) pay way more in taxes than they ever receive in government services/spending. On the other hand, the bottom 20 percent (the poor) get way more benefit from govenment spending than they pay for. Is that fair? Not for the rich. But that's the way it should be. I think most would agree. The rich have more so they give, the poor have less, so they get. It's not fair. It's right. Robin Hood knows it and so does the U.S Government (that's us).

Taxes: Round 1

Does Warren Buffett really pay lower tax rates than his secretary? According to him, absolutely.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/money/tax/article1996735.ece

According to the numbers, maybe not.
http://www.texasstartupblog.com/2008/01/23/warren-buffett-cheap-skate/

Whatever the case, one should be careful in applying Warren Buffett's logic to areas (or individuals) that don't apply.

He is not talking about personal income taxes here, he is talking about "the rate of tax that private equity and hedge fund staff pay on their share of the profits" (which for them might as well be the same as personal income). Would it be fair to adjust these rates so those wealthy hedge fund owners are taxed appropriately? Sure. It might be fair. However, please don't throw all CEOs, corporate executives and well-to-do individuals into Warren's bucket. They work hard for their money just like you and I do, and they get taxed even harder.

The top 1% of U.S. income earners pay almost 40% of all the federal taxes collected in this country. (Source: My friend Kyle, who said he got his numbers from 2005 IRS numbers)

We should be thanking the wealthy for all they do for us and our government, not accusing them of being villains and thiefs. Thanks rich guys.

My Artificially Flavored Beverage of Choice

I don't think I've ever purchased a Diet Dr. Pepper...in my entire life. Yet, it is my favorite diet drink.

The end.

Lazy Sundays

For about five minutes (literally) this afternoon both Charlie and Max were asleep.  The house was perfectly peaceful and I thought I might have some time to myself.  So I pulled out "The Complete Calivin and Hobbess" a collection of all Bill Waterson's Calvin and Hobbes work.

Ashley got this set for me over a year ago and I've only cracked the books open twice.  Regardless this set of books remain one of my prized possessions.  They remind me of lazy afternoons growing up when I would sit on my bed for hours reading through all the Calvin and Hobbes books I owned.  (I don't think I ever told Ashley that I own almost all the individual books where they still sit at my parents house.  She probably wouldn't have given this current set to me if I had.)

I still laugh out loud at many of the cartoons.  This one above was always my favorite, and may still be.  I've also decided that if I were to ever own any artwork it would be an original Bill Watterson piece.

A "Whole-nother" Topic

I've never heard of a "half-nother" so why do so many people think it is okay to talk about a "whole-nother?"

Speaking of Water

I love bottled water like Diet Coke addicts love gettin' it from the fountain. I recommend the following brands:

1. Dasani - We took a load of this stuff up to Tahoe this weekend. It impressed me enough to add it to my list of approved waters.
2. Nestle Pure Life - They've got cases of Nestle at work sitting in all the rooms. Not a bad bottle of water. Keeps me hydrated whilst I toil and sweat to earn a living.
3. Kirkland - Not sure who the supplier is, but Costco's water delivers. This is a staple for me. Some might be quick to point out that Costco's water, like many others, is nothing more than tap water run through a filter with minerals added back in for flavor. More power to them.

There are other brands I don't much care for:

1. Perrier - Water shouldn't come in glass bottles. Every time I drink water (carbonated or not) from a glass bottle I'm let down that its just water.
2. VOSS - Have you ever had this stuff? Artesian water from Norway? "One of the purest waters on the market." Give me a break. Putting water in a fancy bottle doesn't make it taste any better. If you ask me, the Kirkland water I get from Costco beats the pants off VOSS. Bring it Norway!
3. Arrowhead Water - I loathe Arrowhead Water. Apparently it comes from a spring somewhere in the mountains. Someone tapped the wrong spring, cause this stuff tastes like chalk.

"Flesh Out" vs. "Flush Out"

Do you"flush" out your details or do you "flesh " them out?

Dad, Golf and Hobble Creek

Last week I took a golfing trip to Utah with my dad under the guise of going to my brother-in-law's wedding. Our last day there we played Hobble Creek Golf Course. It's a beautiful course tucked into a narrow valley in Hobble Creek Canyon above Springville, Utah. It's also tight enough to be challenging and fun making it one of my top 3 favorites and probably the best value I have ever seen in terms of golf.

The Best Father's Day Ever

I married a woman I don't deserve. Seriously. She is so good to me. Last night Ashley announced that we would be celebrating Father's Day one week early since I would be out of town next week. She started with a little Cordon Bleu she had whipped up earlier in the day. Then she gave me a hand-made card (as in Charlie's first hand-print) from her and Charlie telling me that I could sleep all night (no Charlie duty) and sleep in as long as I wanted Sunday morning as part of my Father's Day celebration. I was thrilled and thought I had hit Father's Day paydirt.


At 10:30 this morning I woke up to a fresh batch of blueberry muffins. Hot diggitty! After polishing off 5 muffins Charlie walked over and delivered two little plaid-printed gift wrapped packages neatly tied together with blue ribbon. The first small little package was an iPod Nano. My old iPod recently burned out and Ashley obviously took note of it. I was stoked to say the least.

Then I opened the second gift and I cried. It was a picture book of me and my two boys, Charlie and Max. She must have put the book together over the last few weeks in between caring for the boys and me. I love it! It was a little more thoughtful than the handful of gift cards I bought her for Mother's Day at 11 pm the night before. I normally wouldn't admit the crying bit, but once in a blue moon Ashley (and the rest of the world) deserves to know how much I appreciate her. Thanks Ashley.

Fat Free Dessert?

Ashley has an "I have an opinions" series on her blog. She believes that "if it ain't chocolate, it ain't dessert."I've got a motto too: "If it's fat free or low calorie, it doesn't belong in a dessert." Save artificial sweeteners for soda and low fat dairy for yogurt.

Home Schooling Should be Illegal

Parents please don't home school your children. You are not helping them by cutting them off from the rest of the world. We have all known a few families that have pulled off the home schooling act, raising wonderful kids that are also socially capable. However, I believe that home schooling successes are few and far between. If you are a young parent who thinks you have great teaching skills, go out and get a teaching job. Don't experiment on your kids.

This Blog is My Own

Ashley just made a great comment. She said, "You know what I like about our blogs? I like that we each have our own." I couldn't agree more. This is my domain and I can do whatever I want with it. For example I choose not to post pictures when I'm lazy. As you can see from my past 5 posts, I'm lazy a lot. I can do this, because this blog is my own.

Live and Let Live

I grew up with parents that were anything but overprotective. I'm not sure whether it was because they just trusted me that much or that they just didn't have the energy. Either way I had a wonderful childhood with relatively few safeguards. I hope I can be half as trusting(naive) with my kids as my parents were with me.

• (Age 6) I walked a mile (0.9 miles) to school and back from the time I was in the first grade, without adult supervision. I still remember stopping with my friend Jared on the way home from school to play in the basement of an abandoned house. Good times.
• (Age 6-7) We had a great big field behind our first house. We used to spend hours in that field making forts and playing games. One of our favorite activities was to go back in the field with our bow and arrows and shoot them straight up in the air to see how close we could get to the arrows when they came down. Of course my parents never knew that, but it certainly made for some fun summer days.
• (Age 8) By the time I was eight we had moved into a house my dad built. One thing I loved about this house was that it was never locked. There was no need to ever knock or search for a key hidden under the mat. Our door was always open, literally...for nearly 10 years. I still miss the open door policy.
• (Age 11) Part of the joy of growing up was having an older brother that taught me things I wouldn't learn from school or my parents. Like the fact that some run-of-the-mill fireworks can be turned into some serious explosives if you squeeze them in a vice hard enough. Warning: don't ignite them while still in the vice.
• (Age 12) I was a skater in the 6th and 7th grades and that meant building ramps and modifying accessories for our boards. I loved that our garage had more tools than I knew what to do with. Skill saws, radial arm saws, grinders, etc. I think I enjoyed building as much as I did riding. I also enjoyed the fact that my parents trusted me with tools.
• (Age 14) My dad used to let me drive the truck in the back yard and sometimes down the road to grandma's house. It was a thrill. Not to be outdone, my brother put me behind the wheel of his manual transmission Nissan Sentra, cold turkey, and had me drive him and my sisters home from church. That was a tradition that I think we all passed down to each successive sibling.
• (Age 16) My parents had good reason to trust me. I was a good kid. They even trusted me enough to let me drive a van full of my friends 4 1/2 hours to the Sierras in the middle of winter to go snowboarding. Of course I got my first speeding ticket during one of those trips, but I still appreciate that my parents gave me that much responsibility and feedom.
• (Age 17) By the time I was a senior in high school I think I had gained the trust of my parents. As a result they never really held me to any type of curfew. All I had to do was call to let them know where I was and when I would be home and they would let me stay out as late as I wanted. I respected their trust and I never lied to them about where I was or what I was doing. It was a system that worked.

Aluminum Bats

A couple weeks ago I was walking through Walmart when I spotted an aluminum t-ball bat that would be perfect for Charlie when he is 4. So I bought it. I don't think he would even be able to swing it yet.

Then I read this article just now. It's about aluminum bats and the fact that many want to ban them because you can hit a ball 10% harder with an aluminum bat than with a wooden bat. That makes life as a pitcher 10% scarier than it would be with wooden bats. I don't have to worry about things like this with Charlie or Max for at least another 9 or 10 years. But when it comes time, will I be a parent lobbying for wooden bats? I don't think so. I see a couple of problems with banning aluminum bats.

1. As a hitter it is so much more fun to hit a ball with an aluminum bat. I loved the sound and the extra distance when I was younger.
2. There's not much evidence that it would dramatically reduce injuries. It's actually not that often that a pitcher takes a line drive in the head, and even less frequent that it does lasting damage. Can we be sure that a wooden bat wouldn't also do damage? I suppose it would do 10% less damage than the aluminum bat, but that doesn't seem very compelling.
3. If you were to ban aluminum bats you would stiffle a pretty stable aluminum bat making industry. I suppose it would likewise revive an all but lost wooden bat making industry, so maybe the net effect would be positive. But I'm not a huge fan of disrupting an entire industry for changes that probably wouldn't amount to much at all.
4. The most compelling reason I can think of however to avoid banning aluminum bats is that it is completely unecessary. Why don't you just start making light-weight helmets for pitchers? If the parents or the pitchers are concered with safety, have the pitcher wear a helmet. Case closed. And if they started doing that we wouldn't be disrupting the bat making market, we would be creating a new market for pitchers helmets. It would be a win, win situation.

Side note: I was beaned in the face by a 12 year pitcher when I was in Little League. The fastball broke my nose. I was back playing again the next week with a helmet and face mask.

Living as a Minority

I went to the dentist the other day and in between fillings she asked me if I supported Obama or Clinton. I said, "Neither. I'm a Republican." Then she confessed, "Me too, but since I moved to the Bay Area I don't dare tell anyone that."

Tip Talk

I think I'm a generous tipper, but I hate feeling pressured into tipping when I don't feel like it's deserved. I have to imagine that at some point in time tips were conditional on the service rendered. Today, gratuities seem like they are simply service charges.

• The server tip: Everyone knows that paying less than 15% to your server in a restaurant is cheep and that 20% is the generally accepted decent tip. I don't mind this so much since I don't eat out too often and I feel that anyone working in a restaurant needs some extra cash.
• Taxi rides: I take taxis when I'm traveling and I always tip. However, I usually keep it between 10-15%. I've never been in a cab where I felt the service was spectactular, so I wonder why I tip at all for simply getting from point A to point B.
• House keeping: When traveling I never resent leaving 5 bucks for the cleaning lady after I leave my hotel room. Of all service people, someone who cleans up after you definitely deserves a little extra cash. Unfortunately, this is one area where people probably under-tip since you don't have to look the person in the eye if you stiff them.
• Bell hop: I rarely have a hotel bell hop carry or check my bags, but when they do I'm always uncomfortable with the sitation. What's the going rate for someone fetching your bags? If it's all the same, I'll just carry my own.
• Bathroom attendant: I'm not even sure what to call these people, but occassionally I'll visit a fancy place where the restrooms are staffed with someone ready to hand you a dry towel after you wash your hands. And then, as if it weren't already too obvious, there's a tip jar besides the sink. Do you really expect me to tip someone for handing me a towel that was already within my reach? I refuse to tip in rediculous situations like these.

What are your thoughts on tipping?

Like Kings

Last year I blogged about how I disliked Vegas. Then a couple weeks ago I blogged about how thoroughly unenjoyable work travel was. This week I am on a work trip to Vegas and enjoying it. What's gives?

• I'm with friends. Usually I travel alone to some distant land to meet with strangers. This week I get to spend the entire week with coworkers whom I consider close friends.
• I live like a king when I travel to Vegas. My room at the newly opend Palazzo has three flat screen TVs (one in the bathroom, one in the bedroom and one in the lounge). Enough said.
• Then there's the food. I've been here less than 12 hours and have had two phenomenal meals. Tonight's meal was at Bartolotta Ristorante di Mare at the Wynn Hotel. I couldn't bring myself to order the more expensive "main course" items on the menu (even though work was paying for it). Still, I'm pretty sure my portion of the bill totalled over $100.

My meal:

cappesante dorate con porcini (seared sea scallops with imported porcini mushrooms) - 24.00
These were the best part of the meal. These two juicy scallops were even better than they look in the picture.

coniglio con carciofini all’aceto balsamico tradizionale (loin of rabbit with crispy artichokes and balsamic vinegar from Reggio-Emilia) - 21.00

I've only had rabbit a couple of times in my life, but I don't imagine there are many hares that taste as good as the one I had tonight.

lasagnette con ragu di crostacei (“rags” of pasta, lobster, shrimp, langoustines, crab, white wine, tomato) - 26.00
Fabulous. Although I was still dreaming about my two starter scallops late in the meal, so this course wasn't as memorable.

Chocolate mousse - ????
Who doesn't love chocolate mousse? Not me.

Click here for a full copy of the menu.

The bill for 6 people approached $1000. The excess of Vegas always makes me uncomfortable, but I have to admit I enjoy the high life when it's a part of the job.

Men: Good for Something

Just visited a blog written by women, for women. The post I read was essentially a celebration of women's ability to do twice as much as a man around the home and with the family. Should I be offended? Not really. We all know women are better at running a tight ship than men are.

Disclaimer for feminists: I know that last statement about women was a broad generalization and not necessarily representative of all women. I understand there are many women completely capable of being just as unhelpful as men are when it comes to tidying the home, paying bills, getting kids to practice, etc.

Instead of refuting what we all know to be true (at least in the general sense), I thought I would offer up a few generalizations regarding what men are good for.

Men:

• Good for getting the toothpaste back to the top of the tube
• Good for pointing out that Star Wars and Star Trek are not the same thing
• Good for knowing how to hook the DVD player to the satellite receiver to the T.V.
• Good for getting twice as far as you thought they could after the "Fuel" light went on
• Good for conserving dish soap, laundry soap and bath soap
• Good for plunging the toilet
• Good for tossing children
• Good for getting things on the top shelf
  Good for opening stuff
• Good at winging things (Like sunday school lessons & church talks)
• Good at tossing dirty socks into the hamper
• Good at getting ready in less than five minutes
• Good at conserving cell phone minutes
• Good at making funny noises

The list goes on and on, but after a while you really start to see how the men add some real value around the home.

Finding Friends

There's something great about growing up in a small town. By the time I reached the third grade I had already met all of my closest friends. Sure I gained a few more good ones over the years, but from junior high to high school and then to college it was basically the same group. The one drawback? I've never really had to make new friends. I like making new friends, but I've never had to. Even today two of my closest friends live within 15 minutes of me. What happens when they move? That's gonna be wierd.

Gotta Go?

I find it fascinating that some people refuse to use public restrooms. I understand passing up the occasional Port-A-Potty, but I know a number of people (mostly women) who are willing to "hold it" for hours rather than use a restroom at work or even a friends house. I'm all for playing it safe when it comes to sanitation, but the cost vs. benefit of waiting is just not compelling enough for me. What about you?

On the Road Again

Occasionally I get to travel for work. And by "get to travel" I mean I would rather work a fifteen hour day with no breaks than have to travel to New York for a business meeting.

What I did on my trip:

• Spent $1100 on a last minute airline ticket to attend last minute meeting
• Spent six hours on a plane from SFO to JFK
• Spent four hours looking for a hotel room (not a single room available in Manhattan)
• Spent two of those four hours in the lobby of a Holiday Inn Express (until 2 a.m.) in a last ditch attempt to put a roof over my head for the night
• Spent $250 on cab fare over two days
• Spent $40 on fancy schmancy sushi & sashimi (a $3 In-N-Out Burger would have been just as nice)
• Spent two full days on the east coast for two 30 minute presentations
• Spent 8 hours flying home from NJ to SFO

I'm so glad to be back home with Ashley, Charlie and Max now. I missed them.

Hate to Love Him

I've always been a Phil fan, not a Tiger fan, when it comes to golf personalities. That makes days like today difficult, because I really enjoyed watching Tiger win the Arnold Palmer Invitational. In one of the most dramatic finishes you will see in golf, Tiger shows the world how unhuman he is. Unfortunately, this clip just shows 1 putt. It doesn't show the 269 shots that got him there. It also doesn't show the 1600 (or so) shots that have won him 6 tournaments in a row. Who does that? Tiger Woods does that. Unbelievable.

Pain in the Neck...and Back

I had horrible posture in high school and college. The years slouching over text books or slumping into a sofa took their toll on my neck and back. When I finished grad school my neck and upper back pain was almost unbearable at times. It's gotten much better since then, and I'd like to tell you how I did it.

Note: I have mostly upper back and neck problems. My lower back has never really been an issue. I'm not sure the following applies to lower back pain.

Over the year's I have searched high and low for a solution to my neck/back pains. I visited back doctors, physical therapists and massage therapists; bought a back book, a buckwheat pillow and a personal traction device; used posture aids, stretching routines and even put tape on my back to remind me to sit up straight. None of them offered much relief.

However, my life changed 4 years ago, when I got a real job. One of the best things that happened was that I started working at a computer, at a desk, instead of hunched over a textbook. However, that was just the begining. After reading a Wall Street Journal article that suggested that almost all back problems could be traced to bad posture, I changed the focus of my corrective efforts to my posture. It worked.

Here's what did:

1. 3 1/2 years ago Ashley and I bought new pillows. Apparently spine alignment is important even when you're sleeping. I got one of those memory foam pillows (It's actually half memory foam and half fluff). Surprisingly I it helped keep my neck in place at night and I slept a little better. I have since added a pillow between my knees and another between my elbows. Yes, I use three pillows when I sleep. Effectiveness rating: 3/5
2. 3 years ago I started sitting on an excercise ball at work. It helped me sit up straighter than all the fancy ergo-chairs my work had to offer. It wasn't perfect, but was perhaps the most significant thing I had done for my back to date. It took most of the stress off my upper back and neck, but I noticed it put more strain on my lower back. For two years I sat on that ball and my neck felt better than it had since my sophomore year in college. Effectiveness rating: 3/5
3. 2 1/2 years ago I switched up my workout routine at the gym to focus on my back. I had been working out (off and on) for 10 years and had never given any thought to strengthening my back. I started each workout with rowing type excercises and a cantelever back excercise (where your head and torso hang down and you have to straighten up using your back). I've since worked in lat pull-downs, abdominal excercises and dips because a back doctor once said those were all good for my back. When I'm doing these exercises regularly I feel as close to 100% as I think I can feel. Effectiveness rating: 5/5
4. 2 years ago I ditched the excercise ball I was using as a chair and swapped in a stool that pivots at the base. Functionally it acts much like the ball, which is to say it gives me support for my bum but nothing else, so my back, stomach and legs have to do the rest of the stabalization work. I think it works great. Unfortunately I've learned to slouch sitting on a stool too, but it has been far better for me than any chair. Effectiveness rating 4/5

My neck feels 10 times better now than it did when I graduated from college, but it still bugs me constantly. My next project is to try and fix my posture at home. Until I do this, I don't believe I will be rid of my pains. All my good posture habits stay at work when I come home. Got to do something about that.

Big Time

Two days ago my blog got the D-dawg bump. Traffic shot up from a lowly 30 visitors per day to almost 200 visitors per day. How will I possibly entertain and retain these new fans? Answer: I won't. I have no delusions of grandeur. I am a one hit wonder. I got lucky and a blogging superstar like Denae happened to give my post the nod of approval.

I admit it felt great. I loved the attention will always think back to March 10, 2008 as the day I hit blogging pay dirt. But I am no superstar. In fact, I don't even want to be a blogging superstar. Yeah, that's it. I'd rather be a blogging nobody who blogs for me than a sell-out with hundreds of loyal readers.

With that in mind, I must ask you newcomers to leave now and never come back. It is my only hope for keeping this blog true to its roots. If you stay, I will only let you down later, and that fall will be hard for both of us. Get off this band-wagon while you and I still have our dignity.

No Makeup?

I'm a fan of makeup on women. Moderate amounts of makeup applied correctly can do wonders for ones appearance. So why are there so many women out there who don't use it?

My Boys

Charlie

Max

I love 'em.

Reason Enough

Ashley and I talked about our future this afternoon. Something we haven't done in years. Seriously. Life's just easier when we don't have to talke about stuff like whether or not we think we can afford a home in the Bay Area or when we are going to move to Utah.

But today we did, and it reminded me why I love my wife. She's so easy to reason with (meaning she's rational, not a push-over). She's tough, which means she'll stand her ground any time she thinks her argument holds water (almost always). And she never manipulates, guilts or sulks her way into getting anything. It's very refreshing.

It doesn't change the fact that she sees us moving to Utah within two years and I would prefer something like 10 (or longer), but I think we handle our differing opinions very well. I owe that to her.

Zicam's Jared

If ever there was a success story for Zicam, it's me.
For years I would get a handful of colds per season and would almost die with each one. Each cold would linger for weeks. That's until I started using Zicam and taking daily Flinstone's vitamins. It's now been two years and I haven't had a cold that has affected me for more than a couple days. Every time I feel a cold coming on, I snort this Zicam stuff and the cold never really sets in. This stuff is so choice. If you have the means I highly recommend picking some up.