Big Brother is a Moron

Here's a real shocker: the RFID chips in California state legislature IDs are apparently not so secure.

This is quite a comfort, considering that the U.S. government recently started issuing e-passports with RFID technology on-board. So if you're in the market for a new passport or passport renewal, you might want to invest in some protection.

(PS - if I mysteriously disappear after this post, it's probably because BB - aka Dick Cheney - was probably not pleased about the title; see you in Room 101...)

Annapolis Ten-Miler, Year Three

I was actually about a minute slower last year than the year before (1:29:41), I think that's because my pace on the first two to three miles, before the course gets tough, was simply too slow. It was also as warm as humid as ever during race time (mid-eighties, temperature and humidity), and for some reason it really got to me mid-way through the race. All in all though, pretty happy with the time, considering I've been running less this summer with how hot it's been. I just need to continue to work on my pacing.

And here's where I have a complaint of this year's race that hasn't been a problem in previous years (this is an extremely well-organized event, for the most part): it would certainly help runners to monitor and adjust their pace if the mile markers were clearly visible throughout the course. I still don't know where mile one was, none of the mile markers were more than a few feet off the ground (several were at ground level), some were in the middle of water stations, not a good spot for them, IMO, and one was in the wrong spot by a healthy margin - I know that I didn't run mile 5 in 10:30 and mile 6 in 7:30.

They Cause Scenes

Improv Everywhere. Cool idea.

Today's Amazing & Amusing Links

An Irish company is wondering if it has a perpetual motion machine on it hands. And it's not beer/whiskey powered - suspicious.

This guy is enjoying the Washington, D.C. Mall way more than most tourists.

And finally, a World Cup-related link; the super-authentic Cristiano Ronaldo action figure!

Western Excursion

This past weekend, Jenny and I were in Florissant, Colorado for a family reunion of her mom's side of the family. Not what I would call a relaxing trip - our bed in the lodge that we stayed as was less than comfortable, plus we were hanging out with seven kids, all under the age of twelve, and most under the age of six, so that can certainly wear one down after a while - but a good time nonetheless, with gorgeous weather most of the time too. I'll have to post or link to the photos from our Sunday hike at a later date (still need to download and sort through the pics).

Amongst the plethora of entertainment options at this place - pool table, ping pong, foosball, air hockey, swimming pool - was something I had never seen before. An outdoor horseshoes-like game, we didn't even know what it was called, but Jenny's cousin Rob had played it before so at least we knew how to play. Turns out it goes by several different names (at least according to this morning's web search) - Monkey Bar Golf, Ladder Golf, and Bolo Ball are three names that I found. Bolo Ball seems to make the most sense, because this game's sole relation to golf is that golf balls are used to construct the bolos; you could easily use another type of ball.

The Candidate

(WARNING!!! Long-winded politics post below, proceed at your own peril)

In light of Dick's latest fear mongering, it got me thinking about the ideal 2006/2008 candidate - for any office - and what I really wish somebody would say (out loud!) in response to the current political climate. In a perfect world, that candidate would be a progressive Democrat, but I won't be picky; if he or she actually existed, then I could care less about party affliation. Somehow I always picture a John Edwards type, but maybe that's because he's so good in front of a crowd - Bill Clinton, but without all the baggage. Maybe it's Russ Feingold instead, maybe it's Chuck Hagel. Anyway, here's what that person's national security portion of a stump speech would sound like (bear with me, I'm not a speechwriter):

Many of you may have heard Dick Cheney's comments the other day, equating Ned Lamont's primary victory over Joe Lieberman in Connecticut last week with a victory for terrorists. I think that's it's a sad day in this country when the vice president suggests that a fair exercise in democracy is somehow aiding al Queda. Isn't this the same administration that claims that terrorists attacked this nation because they hate our freedom? The White House is going to have to make up its mind on this one, because it seems to me that they're trying to have it both ways.

This election can help put an end to this Bush administration tactic - using Fear as an instrument to scare the public into supporting a failed war, and a failed foreign policy in general. Using that Fear to bludgeon its critics, to brand them as unpatriotic. Citizens of this country don't trust their government simply because their government isn't honest with them! I hate to break it to them, but we're spending billions fighting a war that produces more terrorists, and billions more to prevent toothpaste from being brought onto an airplane. Why are we allowing this administration to force us to live in fear? Nobody's talking about this, not them, and not anyone in my party either, but all the Homeland Security funding in the world isn't going to stop another terrorist attack. All the billions spent on a pre-emptive war aren't going to guarantee a democratic Middle East.

They will no doubt use this speech to brand me as soft on security, or as giving "aid and comfort" to the enemy. But I'm just embracing a reality that they're not willing to accept - we won't ever be completely safe from determined terrorists, so let's take reasonable steps to protect our country, while still ensuring that people's rights are preserved! Reasonable steps like removing ourselves from the mess in Iraq, where every incident of torture, prisoner abuse, and stray bombs that blow up Iraqi civilians, just serves to create more terrorists. Steps like using our diplomatic muscle to bring together Israel and its neighbors for contructive negoitations, not the blind support for Israel practiced by this administration that often does more harm than good.

And what can we do with all that money that's currently going to military-industrial spending? Well, last time I checked, killers such as heart disease, cancer, even drunk drivers, have a much better success rate than terrorists. We could use some of that money to increase research into renewable energy, and the search for a technology-based solution to global warming. All real concerns and real threats, all just as worthy of our efforts, our considerable talents, and our tax money, as terrorism. That old line about "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness"? I sure don't recall any mention about pursuing that happiness under a cloud of irrational fear. This world can be a frightening place, but we can't afford to let a relatively small source of danger paralyze our lives and undermine the spirit of this country, not when there's so much else to be done.

One Beard to Rule Them All

Some clever YouTube contributor figured out why those Lord of the Rings movies were so commercially and critically successfuly.

Patio: The Saga Ends

After jackhammering, sledgehammering, hauling 6+ tons of concrete, close-quarters stone delivery, tamping, leveing, stone cutting, and more leveling, it's finally finished. Thanks once again to Barry (aka Dad) for all his help - honestly this would have happened in this calendar year without him - and to Jenny, for her moral and logistic support. Now all we need is some patio furniture and we'll be all set. Not sure if I'm that patient though; eventually we may just have a BYOC (bringyourownchair) cookout with what we have now, and worry about a table-and-chairs set, and finished flowerbeds, later. Before and after pics are below.

The Next Joker!

The rumors have been confirmed, and it's now official, from the director's mouth! Heath Ledger is certainly an interesting casting choice as the Joker in the next Nolan/Bale Batman film, The Dark Knight. I've been a fan of his ever since I first saw A Knight's Tale; hopefully he'll do the character proud. With this casting choice, Nolan continues to distance his Batman movies from the Burton films (and the tripe that followed when crap director extraordinaire, Joel Schumacher, took over).

Lingering thoughts and curiosities:

• Will the Dark Knight story borrow from existing writers the way Batman Begins borrowed from Year One? A Killing Joke story would be neat, especially since the origin of the Joker is so different than in Burton's film, and Gordon figures prominently in the plot (and when you've got Gary Oldman as Gordon, more screen time would be nice).
  
• How many films will Nolan and Bale do before calling it quits? Nolan has already hinted that he won't be around to bring Robin into the picture, so that rules out a Death in the Family storyline. That's probably just as well; in order to do that properly, it might necessitate an 'R' rating, which I don't see happening. Besides, Batman Begins was already dark enough.
• Speaking of 'dark' - when Nolan calls it quits, how about the Sin City team of Rodriguez and Frank Miller to pick up the franchise and take it in yet another direction? Based on how Sin City looked, that would be a Batman unlike anything seen before. Plus with Miller involved, it would increase the likelihood of The Dark Knight Returns coming to the big screen, which would of course be super-sweet.
  

Hottest Show on TV, Netvibes

Anyone else out there a regular Hell's Kitchen viewer? What a fantastic "reality" show, and it's all thanks to the star, Scottish celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay. He exhibits the perfect blend of cruely, profanity, and condescension. His tirades are just incredible to behold, they seem so very sincere (and terrifying).

Netvibes is a web-based aggregator that lets users subscribe to RSS feeds, mail accounts, links, photo pages, even podcasts - although I'm still sticking with iTunes, for now - all on a single web page (with multiple tabs). I've been using it for about a week now, and I like it a lot; one tab for gmail, del.icio.us links, news links and weather, one tab for all my friends' blogs, another tab for other blogs I try to keep up with, and a fourth tab for flickr pages and video links. Check it out, and please let me know if you use something similar that you really like.

Oil Safari

I've had the opportunity to read only the first chapter - yes, I actually work at the office - but this Chicago Tribune story about our oil supply is fascinating (and sobering) so far. It was reprinted in the Sun today, which led me to look for the original site (the Sun is owned by the Tribune Company).

Patio, Heat Wave, & (scumbag) John Bolton

After six or seven hours Saturday, and another five yesterday, I'm almost done with our new stone patio. I probably need another half a day though, and with the latest heat wave hitting this week, it probably won't be finished until next weekend.

Speaking of heat, it's reaching the ludicrous level this summer. Highs of 102 on Tuesday and Wednesday? If we wanted summers as shitty as this, we'd move to Vegas or Phoenix. So what's it all mean; is a heat wave really a sign of global warming? Well, not one individual incident. But collectively - yes, and get used to it (but be glad you don't live in Southern California).

Finally: the more I read/see/hear about John Bolton, the more I'm convinced that he's not only a terrible diplomat, but also probably needs to work on becoming a likable human being. His latest thoughts on the Israel-Lebanon mess deny moral equivalence to Israeli and Lebanese civilian deaths, giving more weight to the Israeli deaths. This guy is our U.N. ambassador? How the hell did that happen, that the one person in the entire executive branch who should not be chosen for that post is the guy who holds the job?

Fire Island NY

We just took a few days off to extend the (otherwise always-too-short) weekend, and drove up to our friend Tammie's family vacation house on the eastern portion of Fire Island, a barrier island just south of Long Island. Well, we didn't really drive all the way out there, because there are no roads to speak of on Fire Island - hell, the "fire department" is a fire hose and pump mounted to the back of one of those golf cart sized John Deere wagons. The weather was kinda blah for most of the stay (we have our theories about that), but still an enjoyable and relaxing trip. Nice beaches, no commerical development at all, and there are even deer running around the island, fully acclimated to people. We had plenty of food at the house, and more importantly, plenty of alcohol, including a Piña Colada concoction that included ice cream and donut holes.

On Monday we drove into Manhattan to have lunch with Ben, Jenny's brother. I've only driven in NYC once before, but that was on a weekend - midday on a weekday is a whole different experience, almost non-stop thrills! We had lunch in Harlem, which isn't too far from Ben's apartment on the Upper West Side, at a cool little soul food place. Then, after less than two hours in the city, we hit the road again. You know, I dig New York a lot and like visiting, but after every trip up there, I still come home thinking that a small big city like Baltimore is still more my speed.

Happy Planet Index

I try to catch the Wired News column by The Luddite whenever I can, and his latest column refers to an index created by the UK-based New Economics Foundation called the Happy Planet Index. For those skeptics who will look at the list and wonder how developed countries do so poorly, the description of the index is that it measures "the ecological efficiency with which human well-being is delivered around the world". Of course, like most studies of this type, there's bound to be an agenda, right? Right - the NEF discloses the sponsor, Friends of the Earth, right up front.

So is this index worth anything? I guess that depends on whether you buy into the idea that a population's well-being should be measured against consumption of resources. It's interesting that the countries most similar to the U.S. in terms of ecological footprint, according to this study, aren't Western European nations like I would have guessed, but several of the smaller Persian Gulf nations. Also somewhat surprising: Scandinavian countries aren't too far behind us in this category.

Comments at Lay's Funeral: Please Don't Go There

But alas, they did go there. You know, I'm not going to begrudge anyone having kind words being spoken at his or her own funeral; it's certainly not a forum during which equal time should be given to supporters and detractors. But these are kind words for a convicted criminal who helped bring about the economic ruin of many former employees, and then died while awaiting sentencing, vacationing in Aspen (it's a tough life for white-collar criminals!) - not exactly the answer to "What Would Jesus Do?":

The Rev. Bill Lawson, pastor of Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church, likened Lay to James Byrd, an African-American man who was dragged to death in a racially motivated murder near Jasper eight years ago.

"Ken Lay was neither black nor poor as James Byrd was," Lawson said. "But I'm angry because he was the victim of a lynching." Lawson, who also spoke at Lay's Colorado memorial service, likened the businessman to President John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King Jr., and Jesus — all of whom, the minister said, were wrongly victimized.

Super-Reality TV

Finally, a cool premise for a reality TV show. WIRED News has a brief write-up of this Stan Lee production, and here's the official website for the show. I wonder if it can join The Amazing Race and Hell's Kitchen as a reality show worthy of regular viewing. It debuts on July 27 on the Sci-Fi channel.

Last Football Post for a While

I promise, this is the last one. After this, I'm back to full-time blogging about the trite & inane, and other stuff besides politics, too!

Germany coach Klinsmann is stepping down - somewhat surprising after the love-fest between him and Germany's players and fans, but he wants to spend more time with his family in Collyfornia. Does this mean the U.S. has a shot at him? We shall see. This guy was a first-time head coach; for his next gig he could be even better, having learned from his mistakes with Germany (if, in fact, he made any).

Over on the winning side, Italy coach Lippi is also resigning. No surprise there, he did his job, and is going out on top. Now that he's set the bar as high as possible, there's no reason to stick around and potentially fail to live up to those expectations.

Zidane: The French Word for 'Thug'?

If Zidane's career indeed ended with this final, then he got exactly what he deserved. His head-butt had to have been one of the ugliest scenes in this tournament, and he managed to sabotage his team's chances of winning a second World Cup. An utterly disgraceful end for a talented and accomplished player.

It's a shame that an otherwise solid, if unspectacular match, came down to penalty kicks. But Italy is certainly a worthy champion; just enough offense throughout the Cup, and a defense that was far superior to any other team's. They now join the very top tier of world football powers, just one title below Brazil.

Third Place for Germany

Germany takes care of business in the third place game, vanquishing the side nobody seems to like, Portugal, by a final of 3-1. An exciting second half, with Bastian Scweinsteiger accounting for the first and third goals, and having a hand in the second, an own-goal off of his free kick. Both of Schweinsteiger's goals, from just outside the 18', were rockets. Kim Jung Il wished his missiles worked half as well.

Not the game Germany wanted to be in at the conclusion of the Cup, but a solid finish nonetheless. This is a young squad that's should be dangerous in South Africa (or Australia?) in 2010.

7/7/77: Happy Birthday to Jenny!

The celebration actually started eight days ago, when Em and Dave were in town and we went to an O's-Phillies game. I had called the O's a day before, and gotten Jenny's name - and upcoming age - up on the scoreboard with the other birthdays! She was (probably?) happy that her name was up there, but less than thrilled about her age being displayed, since she still had eight more days of her twenty-eighth year to enjoy.

Little-known fact: Jenny shares a birthday with fashion icon Pierre Cardin! (same day, but back in 1922)