Megan got the Strep Throat

Thursday night, Megan started saying that her head hurt. She said that it felt like her brain was pushing on her cranium. She woke up very early Friday morning and felt horrible. I stayed home from work with her and took her to the doctor. The nurse gave her a rapid throat culture which was negative. We called on Saturday morning and it was confirmed that she has Strep Throat.

It was very tough seeing her suffer all weekend. She had a fever. She was hot, then cold. She had a headache. It was hard for me to watch, but she was very sweet. Children's Motrin really helped her a lot. Meg wAs very upset that she had to miss soccer practice on Friday and her first game on Saturday.

She felt a lot better today and had no problems at school.

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The Summer of Death Update

Senator Ted Kennedy passed away on August 25. The Summer of Death just keeps rolling along.

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Solar and Wind Power

As a complement to my post from yesterday, I want to talk about solar and wind power today. Both technologies have come a long way. They are both reliable and with government subsidies are becoming more affordable every day. Traditional electric power is getting more expensive every year, so the time seems good to make the switch.

Like with hybrid vehicles, solar and wind power demand must be increased by government requirements. Every existing government building should be required to have solar panels or wind turbines providing the majority of the power. This would increase the demand for the technology which would bring the prices down. Every new government building that is constructed should meet LEED Gold certification standards by using passive solar technology and active solar and/or wind technology.

The government needs to take a leadership role in establishing alternative power sources. Their development and use of these sources would help to advance the technology and bring prices down to encourage consumers to use them. Every new home subdivision that is built should meet a certain LEED certification level or at the very least should get a certain amount of their power from alternative technologies.

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Hybrid Vehicles

I am about to enter the market for a new car after driving my Honda Accord for 14 years. It has required very little maintenance so I have been very happy with the car. It is just time to buy a new car.

I am only considering one car at this point, a Toyota Prius. I drove one last year and was pleasantly surprised by the power and spacious interior. On my last trip to San Francisco, we caught a ride in a Prius taxi and it handled the hills very well. I also love the fact that the new Prius has the option of a solar panel on the roof to power the A/C when the car is off. That is a great feature when you live in the valley. My mind is made up.

Before making my decision I did a pretty thourough search. I know that I want to purchase a hybrid car because I believe that is the right thing to do both financially and for the environment. The only problem is that there are not enough hybrid models on the market to choose from. The Honda Insight entered the market this year, but it is smaller than the Prius. If you are looking for a hybrid SUV you have even fewer choices. You either have to buy a small one or buy a very expensive larger model. There is nothing in between.

At this point, why aren't all cars hybrid? The technology has existed for long enough that Toyota is able to build very reliable hybrid cars and SUVs. Obviously Honda has also been able to build an attractive model as well. So, why aren't all of the other car makers jumping on the bandwagon? It sure seems like the right thing to do. We are running out of oil, the price of gas continues to rise and we are witnessing global climate change.

It is my opinion that all government vehicles should be hybrid models. If every government agency, including police departments, were required to buy hybrids the auto makers would be forced to build them or lose valuable market share.

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What to Write About?

I am finding that it is very difficult to find a subject to write about every single day. The easy thing to do is just write a reaction piece to what is happening that day in politics. That would be easy, except for the fact that all of the politicians including Obama are now on vacation. So what am I left to write about?

It has been a difficult summer for me. I have found it hard to get motivated to do much of anything. I like to blame the heat, but is there something else to be blamed? I seem to just be floating through life at the moment, which can be very scary once you realize that fact. How can I change this attitude?

I have stopped reading my latest book choice and have thought about it many times. It seems that I am looking for a reason not to read it to the point that I have thought I should start reading a different book. Maybe I just need to force myself to get back to reading.

The girls are back in school and The Queen is back at work so there is an adjustment period for me. I have to remember to look at the lunch calendar and make Cheeseball lunch if she doesn't like the school lunch. I need to remember to leave lunch money for Chachi. I have to pick Cheeseball up from ASA when I get off work and help her with her homework. I need to remember what days Chachi has volleyball games and wear a blue shirt that day. I have to remember what days Cheeseball has soccer practice and what time her game is on Saturday. I have to juggle all of these things while trying to keep up with my own interests as well. This is a big change from my carefree summer.

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The Valley of Shadows

Newsweek has done an interesting article about the San Joaquin Valley. It is a five-part story on their website which you can read here. The article deals with climate change, the economy and the battle over water to help support agriculture and population growth. Even though people love to blame the environmentalists for reducing the amount of water being funneled to the valley, the real problem is the lack of conservation by those who are placing the blame.

The article points out that some water districts are, even today, receiving their full water allotment while others are getting merely 10%. Those that are receiving the full allotment are then selling their unneeded water for large profits. The system is flawed and we need to stop blaming and start putting together a solution or the valley will soon revert back to the desert like area it was before we started pumping water in.

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Company Picnic Observations

Just got back from my company picnic, Tahitian Lu'au, in Arroyo Grande. The weather was a nice change as it was overcast and a little rainy later in the day. It is interested what can be observed when you get such a diverse group of people together. No matter how hard you try, they will separate into groups or cliques. It takes you back to the old days of high school.

As I looked around, there were the drinkers hanging out in the parking lot by the kegs that were not company sanctioned. There were the loners who either stuck together if they were unmarried or stayed with their families. There were the social butterflies who just wondered around and spoke to everyone. There were even the jocks, who played volleyball, horse shoes or jousted. As soon as the picnic was over, it seems like most people went their own way.

When we got back to our hotel, there were already a few groups scattered around the parking lot having some nice refreshing beers. There were the people who just wanted to relax in the hot tub and then a few groups of more serious drinkers just standing in the rain drinking beers. People wandered off to Old Juan's for dinner or ordered in a pizza before coming together at the end of the day for the bonfire.

The bonfire on the beach was not a company sanctioned event, so almost everyone there brought their own adult beverages. The cliques were still in effect, but there was more socialization because the adult beverages were flowing.

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High School Sports

Volleyball season has started for Chachi. Tonight we attended their first scrimmage of the year. Since Chachi is still recovering from her broken leg, her coach is slowly working her into the lineup. She played for a few minutes and looked pretty rusty, but not bad since she just started running recently.

High school sports have changed a lot in the last 25 years. The programs are very political now with most coaches also coaching club teams. The coaches love to select their club players for the high school teams and give them the most playing time whether they deserve it or not. Back in the old days, it was easier to get some playing time based on your ability. Not to say that things were not political then. It was just easier to rely on your ability without having to jump through the political hoops. I feel sorry for kids today.

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Michael Vick is Back!?

So, Michael Vick played QB for the Atlanta Falcons until he was charged with a felony for operating an unlawful six-year long interstate dog fighting venture known as "Bad Newz Kennels" at a house he owned in Virginia. He was sentenced to 23 months in prison. He served 18 months of his sentence before being released from prison.

On August 13, Vick signed a 1-year contract with the Philadelphia Eagles that will pay him $1.6 million this year with an option for the 2010 season worth $5 million. This past Sunday, sportscaster James Brown interviewed Vick for 60 Minutes. In the interview Vick stated that he was sorry that he did not step up as a leader and put a stop to the dog fighting, torture and killing. He said he was sorry for how it impacted his family, friends and team. He seemed very concerned with how it affected his life, but not really genuinely remorseful for what he did to the animals and for breaking the law. The excuse is that this was the life he was surrounded by growing up, so we need to give him a break.

If I was the one who was convicted of a felony charge and served time in prison, I would not be able to come back and get the same or similar job that I had before serving prison time. Does he deserve to make $1.6 million this year just because he is talented on the football field? Why then should I not be able to get a similar paying job after serving time for a felony conviction? Does this mean that he is better or more valuable than me, or any other regular working person? I don't think so and am ashamed that the NFL let him back into the league so soon.

Everybody has a right to resume their life after serving the required time for their crime. The problem is that regular people do not get that luxury. Only celebrities and wealthy people do. This is just not right!

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Republicans Oppose Health Care Reform but Support Petcare Tax Deduction

I can understand why Republicans may oppose Obama's Health Care Plan. They are conservative and fear government involvement in their daily lives. They don't want the government to ruin their current medical care system, because the government does ruin a lot of what they touch.

I am scratching my head over a bill that was introduced to the U.S. House by Rep. Thaddeus McCotter, R-Mich. The bill is a tax deduction for "Qualified pet expenses." Now this is something that I can get behind, especially since I don't own a pet. Why use government funds for human health care when we can just use if for our pets. The goal of the bill is to "Make it more affordable for people to provide the care their pets need and to make it less likely that pet owners who are suffering during the recession will abandon their pets." Noble goals, but is this really necessary? Why don't we just fund the cost to spay or neuter our pets?

You can read an article about the bill here. Why are Republican politicians bad? This is one of my favorite quotes from the article, "How about this idea? If you can't afford the real cost of pet ownership, don't get one."

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Communication is Essential

I don't believe that the need for communication can be stressed enough. When I got to work today, I had an email from someone saying that someone else in my office had contacted them regarding a project I am working on. Then a coworker walked in and mentioned that he had taken the liberty to get a sample of something that should be handled by me. Finally, another coworker cracked a joke about me being in charge of all the communication in the company. I lost it at that point and let him have it.

Communication must start at the top of an organization. If a company is getting poor communication leadership from the top, you cannot expect every other employee to communicate well. How does a company get beyond that? Well hopefully there is someone just below the top level that is an effective communicator and demands such from everyone in the company. If that is not the case, as in my company, then improving communication can be an exercise in futility.

In the case of my company, there are too many people who want to do whatever they want to do without regard for how those actions affect everyone else. This can lead to quality problems, service problems and even lower morale. There is no teamwork at all. And when you have a CEO who is missing in action, you just muddle through like we are doing now. This is a bad start to a week for sure.

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Seven Falsehoods About Health Care

Please go back and read the links in my post a few days ago about the "Seven Falsehoods About Health Care." I really think they will open your eyes.

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Mowing the Lawn

As I was mowing my front lawn this morning, I started to think about paying someone to mow the lawns for me. This would be much easier and free me up for more lounging time, but is it worth the money. After thinking about it for a while, I realized that at this point it is not for me. For the time being I will continue to mow my own lawns.

I think this thought process was good. I try to teach my children the difference between wants and needs. Having someone mow my lawns for me is not a need, it is merely a want. Do I really need more lounging time? I don't think so. Now if I was going to do something worthwhile with that time that would be another story.

People today really do get wants and needs confused. "I need a new car." "I need a new cell phone." "I need to buy those pants." "I need..." Most of the things that we say we need are not really needs at all. The word "need" has lost its meaning because we use it incorrectly and way too often. I for one would like to see more people use the word "want" correctly instead of the word "need."

We need food. We need water. We need shelter. And maybe for society today we need clothing. Occasionally we even need medical care. But everything else is just something we want. I, for example, do not even need this blog but I do want it very much.

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No Government-Run Insurance

It looks like Obama is ready to drop the public option from his health care plan. Maybe I can get behind his plan now. I have to do more research to make sure.

The insurance co-op plan seems to be a good alternative to a public option. Boy, I just seemed to lose interest as I started writing this post.

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Seven Falsehoods About Health Care

I stumbled across this article on the Newsweek website. It seems to be pretty neutral in tone and may open some eyes on the health care subject. Check it out!


Here is another interesting article on the origin of the "death panel" argument. Enjoy!

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I Hate Politics

I am so tired of all of this health care reform politics...and yet I continue to watch the coverage every chance I get. Go figure.

What I am tired of is all of the made up facts, intimidation and fear that are being spread by both parties. When will we get to the point that politicians won't use fear as a tactic? Can we ever get there? All these political shenanigans brings to mind a quote by a famous American, "Why can't we all just get along?" Maybe you don't remember who cried out those famous words. It was none other than Rodney King.

I personally don't want my health care system reformed. I like that I can choose my own doctor and usually get an appointment in a reasonable amount of time. What I do want reformed, or regulated, is the health care insurance industry. I don't like the fact that every year our health insurance premiums go up. It seems like very year either my copay increases or fewer items are covered. Why do health care expenses go up even in a bad economy? I can't give you a reason, but I know it must change.

As far as the uninsured go, give them a system which allows them to get health care from specified providers. Just don't crowd the doctors that paying Americans use. Some may say that this is discrimination, but I disagree. If I am paying for my medical care out of my own pocket, I should be able to choose my doctor. If someone is on the government system, they get to go to the doctors that are chosen for them. Its as easy as that.

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The Summer of Death Revisited

The Summer of Death hit close to home for me. I attended the funeral of my Wife's great uncle this past Saturday. I did not know him as well as I would have wished, but I am glad I did get to know him. He was a busy man. He had a successful ranch and had several hobbies. He also really loved to spend time with his family. He raced Jeeps, built Jeep trails in the mountains, used his Jeep for rescue and recovery in the mountains and built and flew RC airplanes to name just a few of his hobbies. He was described as being 'elegantly casual' at his funeral. He will be missed.

Two more famous people also died in the last week. Eunice Kennedy Shriver was the founder of the Special Olympics, the sister of JFK and the mother of Maria Shriver. In addition, Les Paul died today. Many consider him the 'father of modern music.' It sure seems like the Summer of Death will never end.

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Football Season is Upon Us.

As the oft quoted Hank Williams Jr. might ask, "are you ready for some football?" I sure am. It has been a long off season. I even watched parts of the Hall of Fame Game on Sunday even though I had just a little interest in the teams playing. I had no interest in watching T.O. play for his new team, Buffalo. When it comes the NFL, I follow players rather than teams. I must confess that I do have some interest in the Tennessee Titans because both Jeff Fisher and LenDale White are Trojans. It was great to see a slimmed down LenDale and the Titans pick up where they left off last season and I loved the fake punt run for a touchdown.

I really want to make it to a few USC games this year if I can. I have not been to a game in over 10 years and I am really starting to miss the game day atmosphere. I have been to both college and pro games and I just love the college game and fans much more than the No Fun League. The Coliseum also got a cardinal and gold update to the exterior rim and some other updates this summer that were long overdue.

I made it to a spring practice last year and cannot believe the size of the players that Pete Carroll is getting to play for USC now. The players were big when I was there in 1989-1993, but now safeties and receivers like Taylor Mays and David Ausberry are as big as some of the linemen back then. It is just amazing!

FIGHT ON!

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Politics and Terrorism

Birthers, Tax Day Tea Party, American Liberty Alliance and the Republican Party. What do all of these groups have in common? They are all playing on the fear of the voters to try to influence them on topics of the day, such as health care reform. They are also all connected with former Republican Party officials pulling the puppet strings in the other three groups. And these movements they are calling "grassroots" are sponsored by corporate America through lobbying groups.

I don't want to appear to be against the Republican Party as that is not completely the case. I am just tired of politicians hiding in the shadows and running these groups all the while denying any connection in public. That is the way the entire Bush presidency was run and what did that get us but big messes in Iraq, Afghanistan and other areas.

I am tired of the lies that are being told to influence people who are either too old and easily swayed or people that are just to dumb and gullible to find the facts for themselves. For example, here is a quote from Sarah Palin, "The America I know and love is not one in which my parents or my baby with Down Syndrome will have to stand in front of Obama's 'death panel' so his bureaucrats can decide, based on a subjective judgment of their 'level of productivity in society,' whether they are worthy of health care. Such a system is downright evil." That system would be EVIL, fortunately Sarah Palin is just propagating a lie.

Do you really think that our inefficient government can coordinate a death panel that would judge every citizen? That is a logistical nightmare. Do Medicare and Medicaid currently have these so called death panels? They are government run health care plans. Besides, the bureaucrats in the insurance companies are currently doing just this. They decide if a medical treatment is necessary or even if it is experimental and will not be covered. So should we call our insurance companies death panels?

Stop the lies!

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Who's to Blame?

I read today that there was a police chase in Dinuba. There was a family of seven in a pickup driving through an intersection when the Dodge Neon that the police were chasing collided with it. Five children in the pickup and the three people in the Neon were killed. The parents from the truck are still in the hospital. Did you catch that?

My first thought when I started reading the story was, why are there seven people riding in a pickup? I don't think there are seat belts for seven people. And later my thoughts were confirmed. Nobody in either vehicle was wearing seat belts. And my initial instincts were confirmed as well. Family members are considering suing the Dinuba Police Department. What!? Now I have been living in this area long enough to know the first think people around here think about when the police are involved. Show me the money!

It doesn't matter if the people the police are involved with are committing a crime or not. There first thought is that they can sue the police department and city. If you truly care about correcting the problem, shouldn't you first be demanding and investigation into the actions of the officers? Is this about caring or just about the money?

I hate to say this so soon after a family lost all five of their children, but since none of the children were wearing seat belts, aren't the parents more responsible for their deaths than the police department? I think they are! I am not an expert on the law, but I believe that any deaths that occur during the commission of a crime are attributed to the person committing the crime. I am not a diehard supporter of police, but I think this one is obvious who is at fault. If, after an investigation it is learned that the police officers acted improperly in the chase, I will change my thoughts. But until that time, I blame the criminals in the Neon and the parents of the children. I guess we are still in an era when nobody wants to take responsibility for their own actions.

Here is a link to the story.

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Self-Assessment

From the Dimostrazione chapter in How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci. I am supposed to review this list and reflect on them honestly...so here goes. Dimostrazione is a commitment to test knowledge through experience, persistence and a willingness to learn from mistakes.

1. I am willing to acknowledge my mistakes. This is something that is very difficult for me to do. I hold myself to a very high standard and really hate to be wrong. I think it really depends on the situation and who is around me that influences if I admit my mistakes.

2. My closest friends would agree that I am willing to acknowledge my mistakes. I really don't think they would.

3. I learn from my mistakes and rarely make the same one twice. I really do try to learn from my mistakes. I dwell on them for a long, long time and really do think about them. I think I can say that I rarely make the same mistake twice.

4. I question "conventional wisdom" and authority. I believe I do this on a daily basis. I think my previous blog posts illustrate this.

5. When a celebrity I admire endorses a product, I am more likely to buy it. I believe this is true, however I think my definition of celebrity is different than most people. I really look up to people who are not just celebrities, but great people who are doing great things.

6. I can articulate my most fundamental beliefs and the reasons I hold them. I don't think I can at this point. I would love to get to the point where I can.

7. I have changed a deeply held belief because of practical experience. This is a difficult one to answer. My initial thought is that I have not. I was thinking that the change had to be almost overnight, but after more thought I believe I have changed several deeply held beliefs over time...which would be based on experience.

8. I persevere in the face of obstacles. I want to believe that I do, however I have not really had many obstacles in my life.

9. I view adversity as an opportunity for growth. I truly believe this. I look for every opportunity to grow and really don't understand why everyone does not.

10. I am sometimes susceptible to superstition. I think that I am.

11. In considering new ideas my friends and associates would say that I am
a) gullible and "New Agey,"
b) a closed-minded cynic, or
c) an open-minded skeptic.
I would hope people view me as an open-minded skeptic, but I think I sometimes come off as a closed-minded cynic. This is something I need to work on.

I believe that my answers to these questions are pretty honest. I think this assessment shows me that I have a lot of growth that still needs to happen. I need to invest time in these areas in order to become the person I want to be.

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The Summer of Death

Kevin and Bean have been calling this summer the Summer of Death. David Carradine, Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett, Michael Jackson, Billy Mays, Fred Travelena, Karl Malden, Steve McNair, Walter Cronkite, Gidget (Taco Bell dog), Corazon Aquino and now John Hughes. I thought this was going to be a long, hot summer. I had no idea it was going to be the Summer of Death. Here is a link to a slide show of all the people who have died this year.

John Hughes made some of the most iconic movies of my lifetime; The Breakfast Club, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Sixteen Candles and Pretty in Pink to name just a few. I think most people my age can quote lines from some if not all of these movies. Here is a link to some of them.

I thought celebrities died in groups of three. This would be four groups of three. Maybe that old adage still holds true. Anyway, this has been a really sad summer.

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Am I Negative?

My wife made me think last night. She said that everything I talk about is negative. My response was that I cannot help if negative things are happening and I am making observations about them. Maybe that was just an excuse.

I know that I am very judgemental, but am I a negative person? I guess when I really stand back and take a look at the things I think and say, I am a little negative. Am I more negative than the average person? I don't know the answer to that question, but I don't think I should be comparing myself to the average person anyway. I hold myself to a higher standard, but maybe that is me being judgemental and negative though. Am I negative? How can I really even judge myself?

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TV Viewing Habits

I find myself watching more news and documentary programs on TV. I made the switch to talk radio many years ago and find that my TV viewing habits are following suit. Does this mean that I am getting old? Or, does it mean that I am trying to be more educated? I don't know for sure, but it is interesting none the less.

The news shows I find myself watching tend to be those that take a sarcastic look at what is going on. I guess I watch them because they are entertaining. The local news programs tend to only report on the negative things that are happening like murders and other crimes whereas these national programs report on negative things that are happening in politics. National politics is easier to watch than all of the doom and gloom on local news reports.

Maybe this just means that I am maturing and am tired of hearing about all of the crime that is happening in the world. Or maybe it just means that I am more concerned about what is going on in this country today.

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Politicians are Funny

I was watching MSNBC tonight and I was laughing more than I do when I watch a sitcom. Our politicians today are desperate and resort to scare tactics and organized chaos. If you just watched the news and removed all references to the United States, you might think that all of this was going on in a third world country.

There are lobbying companies that are sending out letters to Republicans giving them step-by-step instructions on how to disrupt any town hall type events that are showcasing Democrat politicians. The news footage clearly shows these people threatening speakers in the crowd and harrassing the politicians to the point where they can't even get a word out of their mouth. This is funny, but it is also very scary.

On another note, a program host was going down the list of several politicians that are against Obama's healthcare plan. Every one of them has received campaign funds from the pharmaceutical/healthcare industries. And the host was not biased either. He pointed out both Republicans and Democrats that are voting based on the money they have received. This is no laughing matter. Our elected officials are being bought by large companies who have something to lose based on the healthcare plan. I know that this is nothing new, but it is scary to see it happening to such an extent.

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Biking the Golden Gate Bridge

I took my family to San Francisco for a little vacation before school starts. In doing my research for the trip (I always do research before a trip), I came across a bicycle rental company that mentioned riding a bike across the Golden Gate Bridge. That sounded intriguing to me. I mentioned it to my wife and kids and they seemed to be game. I mentioned it again this morning and my 7 year old daughter Megan was very excited, so we decided to do it.

We rented the bikes at Fisherman's Wharf. They did not have a bike for my youngest daughter, so I decided to rent a tandem bike and ride it with her. We got all of the instructions, map and were off. It was a long ride to the bridge with three rather steep uphill climbs. We had to walk our bikes on each of them, as did most of the other riders. Once we got to the bridge, the biggest obstacle was all of the people walking the bridge. The ride over the bridge was pretty and fairly easy.

We rode all the way to Sausilito and to the wharf there. We then waited in line for about 45 minutes in order to catch the ferry back to Fisherman's Wharf. The ride was very nice and well worth the money spent. It was an experience that I am sure we will all be talking about for some time. I can't wait for Megan to go back to school and tell her teacher that she rode a bike across the Golden Gate Bridge on vacation.

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