Observations 12 MAY 2013

I'm back. And, I got outside, today. I've lost touch with the outside world, in more ways than one. It's been a strange year. The weather has not co-operated, leaving me with mot much to do but sit inside, and save cash. I have successfully EBayed off a fair amount of my stuff, but more remains. Today, I took the remains of a table, and dead lamps, etc. to the curb for collection. Still employed. Feeling a little down, as the Great Recession is still exerting itself on the job market. As part of the involuntary austerity program, I'm not traveling out of the house much, and it takes an effort just to do ordinary grocery shopping. I should have got out on the bike this weekend, but did not. I'm starting to take the stairs down at work. Seven floors is a reasonable distance, and getting crushed by the stampede floors 5&6 at the end of the day is no fun. I have also discovered that they tend to throw themselves down the out-ramp of the garage, in minivans and SUV's, in kamikaze waves. The garage elevators open onto traffic lanes as well, very dangerous. Never seen a garage like it. Madness. It can take twenty minutes to exit. Stadium East Garage was paradise, compared to this. Classical music is back on the air at 107.3 FM. The Radio Arts Foundation, risen from the ashes of Classic 99, has a 250 watt signal coming off the Maplewood tower. I'm one of the rare listeners with HD in the car, so 96.3-2 FM carrying the same stream is also available. Life got so much better. Traveling in dead silence, had been the somber norm for too long. The BBC just announced a six part Poldark remake, nearly a year after Angharad Rees died. Symbolic? The ISS is in trouble. Politics is a mess. Taking a nap has been a too-attractive alternative. Must get out more.

Internet Political Board Poster Meets Real Life

http://www.strangebeaver.com/2012/09/smart-ass-learns-not-to-run-his-mouth-at-the-court-house/

http://video.kxly.com/watch.php?id=31357

Snark Can Kill

http://lifehacker.com/5921655/the-snarky-voice-in-your-head-is-killing-your-productivity-heres-how-to-stop-it

"Snark/sarcasm/contempt is always an indicator that something else is going on in a given situation. When it's appropriate, it tells people that you're not going to let others push you around. When it's inappropriate it shows that you feel the need to make yourself "bigger" than others. That need to put one's self above others can be a symptom of depression or some personality disorders (of course, there would have to be other symptoms present to justify a diagnosis). That being said, perpetually putting others down can be indicative of insecurity, narcissism, negative thought patterns, or jealousy. If those things are present, then you definitely want to address it because it's likely to affect your relationships negatively."

The Old Neighborhood Is Getting Worse.

Just had a lurk at the old political board. Some of the posters over there are threatening to "out" opposing poster's personal information. That pretty much cools any nostalgia for said board. The mods have not acted. I, however, remain the banned Anti-Christ.

Thank you, God, for keeping me out of there.

Odds And Ends

Labrooke's has Obama at 4/11 (73%, 11 chances to win out of 15), Romney at 2/1 (33%, one chance to win out of three) odds. These are winner take all for the final win.

Here in MO they have McCaskill at 4/7, Akin at 5/4

Intrade: Obama 56.8%/Romney 43.2%, McCaskill 63.3%/Akin 36.7%

Iowa Electronic Markets (winner-take-all, raw popular votes): Obama 64.4%, Romney 35.6%

Literally putting your money where your mouth is. Personally, I think outstate MO *is* crazy enough to put Akin into the Senate.

Observations Friday 24 AUG 2012

Busy, busy, busy.

More tubs have gone out to recycle or donations. More interviews.

With Todd Akin and Hurricane Isaac, late August is just a little bit less boring. Most amusing, in fact.

Eating fruit, now, for snacking. Drinking fruit juices and water. The End Is Nigh.

Geese Heading South- In August

In the last week I noted geese headed south, a month or so early.

The critters know more than we do about the weather...

Generational Marker?

http://www.politico.com/blogs/politico-live/2012/08/sandra-day-oconnor-bushgore-decision-may-have-sparked-131128.html?hp=l7

Sandra Day O'Connor: Bush-Gore decision may have sparked declining approval of SCOTUS

Former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor suggests that declining public approval of the court dates back to the controversial Bush v. Gore decision, which decided the 2000 presidential race.

"That was one that was widely talked about at the time, as you know, and involved the public in a presidential election," O'Connor said in an interview aired Sunday on CBS's "Face the Nation." "And that could be something that triggered public reexamination."

She said she wasn't sure if people thought the court had become too political.

"But I suppose that's part of it, yes," she said. "And of course, anytime you're deciding a case involving a presidential election, it's awfully close to politics."

She cast the deciding vote in the case, but she demurred on taking responsibility.

"I don't see how you can say anybody was the deciding vote," she said. "They all counted."

O'Connor said she has no regrets about her vote.

"No, I mean it was a tough deal; i[t] was a closely fought election; and it's no fun to be part of a group of decision makers that has to decide which side the ball is going to fall on," she said.

Ache And Pain Day.

My body is paying the price for all that moving. My left shoulder, in particular, hurts. My back is stiff and sore. Good thing I bought the big generic Aleve bottle from Walgreens. I stood down the planned lifting of heavy stuff, and travel ideas beyond *very* local are cancelled. It is a good time to just do things sitting down, and not feel guilty about it. Better than an accident brought on by weakness/strain.The hands are a bit klutzy as well; I would give myself a -2 to dexterity due to strain.

Lots of time on the computer coming up for career searching.

I Love My Back Yard

Big, flashy storms moved through last night. I got to watch them come in from the Doghouse's back yard. It has a much better view of the sky than the undisclosed location, which was in a valley, with a street alignment that was off 45 degrees from the grid. Magnificent view of the storm here from my small ridgelet. The night sky is better here.

It felt good.

The Runs Of August

Apologies to Professor Tuchman. :)

The move back from the undisclosed location is virtually complete. All the tubs are back, and filling the living room. This beats having to haul them upstairs from the basement for sorting. All other items seem accounted for (but the CD collection will need to be inventoried). Total costs for transport and storage, round-trip, approach $2,000, about $50.00/mile. Approximately 10,000 miles were driven between 15 FEB and 3 AUG 2012. The car had been averaging 7,500 miles a *year*, previously. I'll leave the other costs out.

I cleaned out the refrigerator, today. Shop and Save is discontinuing their Marie Callendar chicken pot pies, so I am filling the freezer with them (at a 23% discount). They have these things called "vegetables" in them, so, it's a step up from my nearly 67% fast food diet for the last few months. Over the last six months, I've gained about 12-15 pounds. Not good. The heavy exercise seems to have helped a bit, but it will be a long time going. Now, every time I get a fast-food urge, I go to the store with a $10.00 budget (the usual expenditure). Soup is an amazing value, and makes for a disaster precaution as well. 2 liters of root beer are eighty-nine cents! This is a big change from the $1.50+ soda's I had been buying on the run. Water is now being introduced as a drink! Mon Dieu!

I will miss the Hostess goodies I had been snacking on, but I think my weight and health won't. Rats!

Time to head back to the store- I've got space in my freezer, still.

What Mitt Romney Is Hiding In His Tax Returns

He paid all his income taxes to Israel. :)