| And the lawsuits start to fly in the Governor race .... |
[Nov. 21st, 2004|06:47 pm] |
I wish I could say that I was surpised. Here comes the GOP saying that votes (in the county their candidate is doing worst in) shouldn't count even though the county election officials are following the letter of law. Note that they are only complaining about King County even though all other counties are doing it - they just so happen to lead those counties.
GOP Files suit to limit King County recount
Ah, and as I type this I noticed an update to the story. A federal judge has wisely told them that their lawsuit is premature and denied their injunction.
Federal judge denies GOP injunction |
|
|
| Basketbrawl thoughts ... |
[Nov. 21st, 2004|01:50 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| |  irritated | ] |
As an ardent fan of the NBA (well, the Sonics anyway) the incident in Detroit sickened me. How long must it go before someone gets killed or seriously injured. There is a lot of fault to go around here. And as I see it, here's how I'd dish it out (in order of egregiousness):
1. Ron Artest - Never, ever is there a justifiable reason to go into the stands to take matters into your own hand. I've watched about every piece of raw footage I could find on this incident. You were hit with a plastic cup filled with some liquid (probably beer) in the chest. The right thing to do was to walk to the other side of the floor and let stadium security handle the issue. I've seen a similar event happen at GM Place during a hockey game and the security quickly identified the culprit and the Vancouver police arrested the person on the spot and ejected them from the stadium. Had you done that - nothing would have happened further. I agree with the article I blogged below. You deserve the same punishment that the soccer leagues would give out. Season long ban. Period. I personally think you should be kicked out of the league. I also think you should face criminal charges - felony charges would seem appropriate.
2. Jermaine O'Neal and Co. From the Pacers - You just made it worse going up there and throwing punches. If you had entered the stands to bring Artest back I would have understood, but instead you start throwing punches. Did you think this was going to help? All you did was get in the way of the police and stadium security that were trying to get these people apart. You should be suspended for 1/2 the season at least. Criminal charges would be in order as well. (lesser than Artest - probably gross misdemeanor)
3. Detroit fans who threw things - what were you thinking? Are you people idiots? I said the same thing in Vancouver when fans starting throwing stuff at McSorely after the stick swinging incident. The kids and other people in the stands don't need to be swept up into a near riot and be pelted with stuff because they happen to be in the line of fire between you and a pacer player. The person who threw something at Artest should be arrested and prosecuted and given a minimum 1-year ban from any sporting event.
4. The NBA - you are encouraging a thug mentality in your players. This was a foreseeable outcome. I wish I could punish the NBA somehow, but I can't.
5. Stadium Security - Not enough and not close to the floor. At Key Arena there is are two
officers at each ramp between the player benches and the stands, plus several ushers. I doubt Artest would have gotten past them. The NBA should fine you the proceeds from that gave for failure to provide adequate security.
Someone is going to get killed or maimed (player or fan) if someone doesn't step up and crack down.
ESPN.com - Stein: Fever pitch |
|
|
| Washington State Governor's Race |
[Nov. 18th, 2004|12:32 am] |
| [ | mood |
| |  contemplative | ] |
As of when I made this post, the current count was:
1371153 for Gregoire (D) and 1371414 for Rossi (R). That's a difference of 261 votes out of over 2.7 MILLION. Anyone still want to say their vote doesn't count? Now we just have to wait and see if Washington turns into the next Florida. I'm hoping that the sanity of Washington rules the day here regardless of who wins.
Note to both parties: Please keep this out of the courts! Let the officials do their jobs. You've got people watching as do the press and everyone else. Unless you have 100% proof that someone is doing something illegal with the ballots, just accept the results, PLEASE? |
|
|
| Let's go again, shall we? |
[Nov. 18th, 2004|12:18 am] |
I've been neglecting this for too long. Why? Because I've been in kick myself mode for way too damn long. I was doing better and then I just started down the path of kicking myself because I've gotten out of shape, I can't control my stress, I'm traveling too much. Whatever. It's too much and I need to knock it off. I think the stress of work, combined with not enough exercise, combined with too much travel, combined with my lack of confidence in myself (at times) just built up to a really nasty stage this past summer.
However, I'm going to fix this.
Step 1: Relax about work. (Yeah, this will be easy)
Step 2: Contact the team-in-training folks. See if I can still get in on the Hawaii program. Not only will it give me motivation and structure, but I love the cause.
Step 3: Keep looking at the medication. Screw worrying about the flight physicals for now. Get better, then get off the scrips, then worry about it.
Step 4: Start doing the things I love again. Climbing, photography - I still haven't downloaded the pictures from the Grand Canyon, all that stuff.
Enough about this. Off to bed to get some sleep. (Something I need to get more of anyway) |
|
|
| Picked my first triathlon of the season ... |
[Feb. 24th, 2004|09:28 pm] |
About bloody time too!
6/5/2004 - Issaquah Triathlon
http://www.issaquahtri.com/issaquahtri/DesktopDefault.aspx
I'm going to pick 4 more triathlons for this summer as well as a smattering of 5k, one 10k, and 1 half marathon road race. I know it is very ambitious, but I need solid goals and I need solid details on when and where to move me back into shape.
This will do a lot for me and I'm looking forward to it.
Anyone know of a good online training log / calendar? (Besides live journal? ;) ) |
|
|
| Much better day... |
[Feb. 24th, 2004|08:59 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| |  productive | ] |
A little sleep, some food, and a new day proves to be a much better improvement on everything. While I didn't sleep all that great - after all I didn't have my wife next to me. As corny as it sounds, it is actually very true. She is incredibly special and I do sleep so much better next to her than when I do on the road. Regardless of the fact that this is probably the best hotel bed I've slept in.
Busy, busy day at the meetings. I'm hosting this plenary so there has been a LOT to do. I did get my proposal through but it was quite the discussion and close vote. Needless to say, I'm glad that is done. There is still a lot of work to do ahead of us on this proposal, but we're headed in the right direction.
Incredibly wacky weather here in the bay today - extremely windy and heavy rain. Don't see that too often when I come down to SJC.
Off to bed after I wrap up more e-mail. |
|
|
| Airport security + lines + rental cars + delays = travel hell |
[Feb. 23rd, 2004|02:48 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| |  exhausted | ] |
/begin grumble
Ah, the joys of business travel.
Let's recap my day so far:
0445: Wake up
0545: Leave to go to work to pick up supplies for trip
0645: Arrive at airport after usual nasty Seattle traffic jam
0700: Arrive at security checkpoint to find the Disneyland style maze full and the line extending all the way down to the B concourse. (I'm travelling from the D concourse)
0805: Exit security - find out flight is delayed for 1 hour
0930: Finally get in the air
1130: Arrive in SJC
1135: Find line to get rental car shuttle goes all the way down past baggage claim - gripe here - rental cars used to be right in the terminal and I now get to pay the city of San Jose $10.00 for the privilege of standing in line and riding their shuttle bus less than a mile to a giant parking lot (while still on airport grounds)
1230: Finally get to the office for a full 8 hour day.
Any wonder I have a headache?
And to boot, I already miss my beautiful wife.
/end grumble
Work is going fine now that I'm here. Can't wait to hit the hotel tonight and just be able to relax! |
|
|
| (no subject) |
[Feb. 11th, 2004|02:57 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| |  sick | ] |
Sick again. I think this time I managed to pick up whatever Juanita had. Luckily I don't seem to have gotten it as bad as she did, but I'm rapidly running out of steam.
Quite the busy day at work (like that is anything new). |
|
|
| Finally.... |
[Feb. 10th, 2004|12:10 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| |  relieved | ] |
The letter ballot was submitted 10 minutes ago. Finally I can stop worrying and reading page after page of the draft standard. Feels good. Our letter ballot had 60+ comments in it (some important, some not so important), but at least I feel like I gave it a good once over.
Now I can concentrate on other things. |
|
|
| (no subject) |
[Feb. 9th, 2004|11:23 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| |  accomplished | ] |
Don't have a lot of time tonight to write because, well, I'm typing on the laptop in bed and I'll keep my wife up.
Got a lot done tonight with work related stuff. I'm busy as always, but at least I can say I'm finally checking things off of the lists.
On the triathlon related front, I've settled on a workout plan. 16 weeks from now, I should be ready. And hopefully, quite a few pounds lighter. Well, we can hope on that. Next step, pick a triathlon.
This weekend, I hope to be skiing with the wife in Idaho for Valentine's day and also for a much needed break for us.
Enough "clickity click" from the keyboard.
Good night all. |
|
|
| (no subject) |
[Feb. 8th, 2004|01:01 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| | sick | ] |
Is it my imagination, or have the virii and bacteria this winter been worse than normal? I haven't gotten anything serious, such as the flu, that would keep me in bed for days on end. Instead I just get a headache with a sinus infection or minor cold. You know the stuff that annoys you.
*shrug*
Oh, well.
Good news is that my ass-kicking of myself yesterday seems to still be holding. I'm eating better and I have a better outlook on things. Think that's all it took (for now). Just a bad day probably. No worries.
No skiing today it would appear as my beautiful wife is ill as well. Probably all the dust we created yesterday cleaning up around here. Interesting thought there - should we not have cleaned? Of course, I'm just kidding. |
|
|
| Enough! |
[Feb. 7th, 2004|02:41 pm] |
I have decided that I've had quite enough of my lack of motivation (outside work) and general blah. Now, the question roils - what exactly to do about it. I'm always better with motivation, interest, a plan, and a deadline. (Procrastination should have been my middle name)
- Stop eating crap
- Train for a early summer sprint distance triathlon
- Get into the gym for cardio on a regular basis
- Start making more lists like this about the things I need to do
I know, I probably put the hardest one at the top. However, the more that I think about it - it is the root of most of the other frustrations in my life right now. I'm not nearly in the shape that I was 12 months ago and it bothers me greatly. I wasted all of the effort that I put in the 12 months before that.
I enjoyed the last triathlon that I did and I want to do another. That, and frankly it is one of the best ways possible to really whip myself into shape. It's hard and it takes a lot of work. But I need to do it (and I want to do it).
So - today:
- Clean the house up
- Get to the health food store and buy protein powder
- Clean out the fridge and the freezer of crap
No more of this crap. I will make progress. |
|
|
| (no subject) |
[Feb. 6th, 2004|02:00 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| |  stressed | ] |
Just a quick note.
Juanita's birthday seemed to go really well. I, of course, wanted to do more for her than I did - but she was very pleased with everything. |
|
|
| (no subject) |
[Feb. 2nd, 2004|01:23 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| | melancholy | ] |
Not feeling so hot today... (unfortunately)
I don't know what is up with me today. I'm just feeling overwhelmed at times today. I just feel like I can't get my head above water. I'm trying to be organized at home and I just feel so wasted when I get home from work and on the weekends I just want to sit around. I know I need to get moving again if I want to hit my goals, but I just can't seem to do it.
Maybe it is time for a medication change.
That and I wish I could talk to my wife right now, she always makes me feel better - but she got off work early and I can't get her on the cell. |
|
|
| Having fun and doing my part for the economy... |
[Jan. 31st, 2004|11:58 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| | good | ] |
Tomorrow is my wife's birthday. (NB: Juanita - if you're reading this - Happy Birthday! (for the probably 500th time)) So, I was out doing my part for the local business and buying her several birthday presents. I'm so happy to be doing this sort of thing! I love the feeling it gives me to brighten her life with material as well as non-material items. I know that I often go on about how much she means to me and how much that she brings to my life, but it is all true. Knowing that I give some little bit back to her means an incredible amount to me.
I love her so much.
*/endsappy*
Look out below on the weather around here recently ... poured rain so hard that I couldn't see more than about 30 feet in front of me on I-405. And with the way people drive around here, that can be a scary proposition!
Doesn't seem like I have a lot to say tonight, so I'll sign off. |
|
|
| My favorite Sinatra |
[Jan. 29th, 2004|02:04 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| | thoughtful | ] |
| [ | music |
| | Frank Sinatra: "My Way" | ] |
"...
Yes, there were times, I'm sure you knew
When I bit off more than I could chew.
But through it all, when there was doubt,
I ate it up and spit it out.
I faced it all and I stood tall;
And did it my way.
..." |
|
|
| (no subject) |
[Jan. 29th, 2004|12:40 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| |  frustrated | ] |
| [ | music |
| | James Darren: Here's To the Losers | ] |
Frustrating day at work... blech. Just when you think you have agreement between people, they go off and start something totally different creating conflict where there shouldn't be. Blah. Oh, well - such is the life in hardware / software architecture some times.
But onto a different thing that popped into mind ... James Darren - classic, classy singer. Most of you who have ever seen late season Star Trek: Deep Space Nine know him as the singer in the holosuite bar at Quarks. He has two albums out and I'd call him the modern day Frank Sinatra. He sings a lot of classic tunes from the Sinatra era, but he does it very well. Just the kind of music that I like to listen to sometimes at work...
Enough blather - back to work. |
|
|
| Les Miserables |
[Jan. 28th, 2004|02:53 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| | thoughtful | ] |
| [ | music |
| | Les Miserables: "Who am I?" | ] |
Yet another classic piece of literature that has been turned into a fine piece of art. The story of a man wrongly convicted, had his life destroyed, yet refuses to let it destroy him. A man who takes what was given to him and turns it on his ear to still help his fellow man and do what is right, regardless of the potential consequences.
If you haven't read Hugo's Les Miserables or see the musical, I strongly recommend it. The musical is sort of the abridged version, but still a fine piece of art! |
|
|
| Interesting ... |
[Jan. 28th, 2004|01:45 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| | impressed | ] |
I'm ok with this
|
|
|
| navigation |
| [ |
viewing |
| |
most recent entries |
] |
| [ |
go |
| |
earlier |
] |
| |
|
|
![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small}
ils_approach's journal
