Our foray into vegetarianism — or more accurately, “pescevegetarianism” — is progressing better than I had expected when we began the trek almost three months ago. Dawn and I have successfully eliminated meat, egg, dairy and animal byproducts from our diets and replaced them with increased amounts of fresh vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts and soy. We’re still enjoying the experience, feeling good and, yes, still talking to each other.

I’ll remind everyone that we’re also eating some fish and shrimp, hence the “pesce” prefix to our form of vegetarianism. But as I’ve explained before, we didn’t begin the journey to conform to any particular definition, make a social or environmental statement or join a club. We simply decided to adopt a healthier diet and our research pointed in this direction.

How’s it been? Well, in a word, enlightening. And fun. We’ve made a few exceptions during our transition but have remained pretty steadily on course. As I’ve mentioned in earlier posts, we’ve tried unusual recipes, experienced new foods, met some interesting people and, for the most part, we’re enjoying the ride! But it was a personal decision and neither of us is pushing anyone else to “switch”.

That said, some of you have asked us to share a recipe or two and Dawn has agreed to do so when she gets a little free time. Look for one in the next week or two… (No pressure, Dawn!)

Bill Clinton blames “slanted press coverage” for Obama’s delegate lead. Is that possible? I mean, could the Clinton’s really be complaining about their press coverage after so many years of the msm refusing to rain on their parade? Apparently, according to CBS News’ Ryan Corsaro who says the strategy is working in some areas. …Article

Personally, I don’t like the Clintons. But I don’t care much for Obama either, and McCain, well, don’t get me started…

As locals know, Caltrans has been gearing up to repair the “Boat Section” of Interstate 5 that runs through downtown Sacramento. The project begins today and will last about seven weeks. The aggressive schedule, aimed at completing the project months sooner than would normally be the case, involves closing lanes so that repairs can be performed around the clock, seven days a week. That means traffic snarls for commuters as they struggle to get to and from downtown Sacramento during construction.

The California Trucking Association created a helpful construction calendar to help motorists plan their movements through this essential corridor and my good friend, Michael, was kind enough to offer it to IM readers that may be impacted. (Download a pdf copy.) For more information about construction, lane closures and commute alternatives visit fixI-5.com. Visitors can register for email alerts, view live camera images, link to commute alternatives and monitor the up-to-date project schedule.

This is a Patriot’s Journey post. Remember to check out the other Patriotic Journeyers: Drumwaster, The Bastage and the folks at The Line Is Here…

Throughout history, patriotism and the fulfillment of duty have been considered among the highest virtues. Perhaps the highest virtues.

In the Iliad, Achilles was angry at Agamemnon and thought that the war wasn’t worth his effort. However, in the end, he completed his duty, rising to the call and going into battle for Greece.

The central theme of the Aeneid was Aeneas’s sacrifice for duty. He abandoned all of his personal desires to fulfill his duty to his country, to establish a new empire.

The civilizations to which we owe our modern thought, to which we owe our own civilization, all praised patriotism and fulfillment of duty. Yet today, some say that dissent is patriotic, that duty should not be required, that when duty interferes with personal interests or beliefs, it should be ignored.

I’ll agree that dissent is required in some cases, but too often it walks a fine line with treason. I’m instead aligned with the seers of old, with Homer and Virgil, with the civilizations that generated our modern society. I’m a patriot and try to be a responsible citizen.

Click to read more ...

Thanks Margaret!

My wife, Dawn, sometimes clips or forwards things of interest for me to peruse at my leisure. Here’s one example taken from The Joy of Working by consultants Dennis Waitley and Reni Witt, reminding us that not even the most successful people succeed every time:

• The greatest quarterbacks complete only six out of ten passes.

• The best basketball players make only half their shots.

• Major league baseball players reach first base only about forty percent of the time—and that includes walks.

• Top oil companies, even with the consultation of expert geologists, find oil in only one in ten wells.

• A successful TV actor is turned down twenty-nine out of thirty times after auditioning for roles.

• Winners in the stock market make money on only two out of five investments.

So the next time you’re passed over for that big promotion or your great idea falls on deaf ears, remember that even Babe Ruth struck out far more often than he hit home runs. Keep swinging!

Today is Memorial Day, first observed on May 30, 1868, declared a national holiday by Congress and, since 1971, celebrated on the last Monday in May. It also marks the unofficial beginning of summer when families enjoy a long weekend of outdoor activities. In the process, I hope you’ll all remember what it commemorates by remembering and honoring those who gave their lives defending our freedoms in the service of country.

While preparing this post, I thought about the 272 words so eloquently delivered by President Abraham Lincoln at Gettysburg when he paid tribute to the honored dead who had made the ultimate sacrifice for their country. In that memorable address, he summarized what we today celebrate as Memorial Day.

I thought, too, about my family’s long history in this country. Our ancestors arrived in the Massachusetts colony around 1630. That an ancestor of ours has fought in nearly every conflict in which this country has engaged is highly probable. It is documented that one ancestor fell at Gettysburg, so Lincoln’s words hold special meaning for our family.

I thought of my father who, though still with us, served proudly as a B-29 pilot during WWII. It was my pride in him and his service to country that made me want to follow in his footsteps. I thought of my brother, Ken, and my daughter, Shannon, who served in the U.S. Navy, and how proud I am of them both. I thought of all my ancestors, known and unknown, who have served in the fight for freedom…

Click to read more ...

Kelvin sent this photo taken September 17 at a political event in Indianola, Iowa, during [according to the photo caption in Time] the National Anthem. Governor Bill Richardson, Senator Hillary Clinton and Ruth Harkin have their hands on their hearts. But not Obama. Does he perhaps believe that, like wearing the flag lapel pin, the hand on the heart isn’t “true patriotism”?

Covering one’s heart during our National Anthem is a sign of respect for flag and country. Conversely, deliberately not doing so conveys, I believe, an utter lack of respect. I think the message from Obama is abundantly clear.

Dawn sent this Dave Coverly ‘toon she’d seen in Parade. Struck me funny…

Cousin Mike sent this a couple weeks ago, along with what I think is someone’s incorrect mathematical explanation, under the title, “How You Can Tell You’ve Ticked Off an Engineer”. It works as a pretty good joke on its own but, to bring it full circle, you need to know a little history.

Seems engineer George Vaccaro took issue with Verizon for quoting him “.002 cents per kilobyte” for air time prior to his visit to Canada but billing him “.002 dollars per kilobyte” upon his return. After several unsuccessful attempts to explain the hundred-fold difference to Verizon, he recorded a twenty-six minute conversation with a Verizon manager which became famous on YouTube with more than a million hits. YouTube has since taken it down, but you can still listen to the original recorded exchange on Putfile or read the transcript on Verizonmath.

Enter my favorite physicist/cartoonist, Randall Munroe, who wrote the above check to satirize the whole comical issue. It’s funny all right, especially in view of its genesis, but for how much was the check actually written? Well, based on my very rusty high school calculus, and meaning no disrespect to whomever produced the above explanation, I think it’s a check for essentially “nothing”:

Click to read more ...

One of East Sacramento’s most desirable neighborhoods — affectionately dubbed the “Fabulous Forties” by locals because of its location, stately homes and wide, tree lined streets — lies nestled between Folsom Boulevard and “J” Street from (depending on who you ask) about 41st to 46th Streets. Some of the homes even have nicknames like “The Castle” and “The Turret House”.

A family neighborhood, it boasts the longest continually running annual 4th of July parade (photos) west of the Mississippi and epitomizes the well worn real estate phrase, “location, location, location.” If Norman Rockwell still painted covers for The Saturday Evening Post, the Fab 40’s would offer a deserving modern day backdrop.

Like a lot of folks, Dawn and I occasionally enjoy a leisurely Sunday drive through the 40’s to admire the majestic homes. On one recent drive, we’d decided to check out a smaller home on a nearby street that had been featured in the Sacramento Bee because of its unusual new paint scheme; a particularly bright orange. It was bright, all right. Not unattractive, mind you, but, well, quite a bold statement. I snapped this photo (click to enlarge) with Dawn’s iPhone. What do you think? A little over the top?

Dawn and I are back from our anniversary vacation in southern California. We had a wonderful time and took lots of photos. I hope to process them this weekend and post some for your perusal next week. Meanwhile, regular postings resume today. And hey! What’s with the early summer temps?

Thanks to those of you that sent your well wishes for our anniversary. Your kind thoughts were deeply appreciated!

Dawn and I are heading south to celebrate our 7th anniversary. We plan to visit some old haunts, see some old friends, relax and enjoy ourselves! I doubt we’ll even look at a computer while we’re gone, so posting will resume after we return and have time to process photos. Comments will be reviewed/approved then, as well.

Meanwhile, why not take this opportunity to check out the “archives” or “photo albums” and catch up on posts you might have missed!?

Probably not the best banner for advocating English be our national language, ya’ think? A May 1 immigration reform story carried in the online Houston Chronicle featured this photo:

You have to love the irony!

Here’s an interesting story from Ananova that should come as no surprise to many of you:

“Some computer keyboards carry more harmful bacteria than a toilet seat, according to new research. Consumer group Which? said tests at its London offices found equipment carrying bugs that could cause food poisoning.

Out of 33 keyboards swabbed, four were regarded as a potential health hazard and one harbored five times more germs than one of the office’s toilet seats. A microbiologist ordered the worst keyboards to be so dirty he ordered it to be removed, quarantined and cleaned. It had 150 times the recommended limit for bacteria - five times as filthy as a lavatory seat tested at the same time, the research found.

Dr. Wilson, a consultant microbiologist at University College London Hospital, said sharing a keyboard could be passing on illnesses among office workers. ‘If you look at what grows on computer keyboards, and hospitals are worse, believe it or not, it’s more or less a reflection of what’s in your nose and in your gut,’ he said. ‘Should somebody have a cold in your office, or even have gastroenteritis, you’re very likely to pick it up from a keyboard.’

Which? computing editor Sarah Kidner advised users to give their computer ‘a spring clean’.

‘It’s quite simple to do and could prevent your computer from becoming a health hazard,’ she said.”

I have nothing to add to the story; I just wanted an excuse to use this Melissa McEwan graphic of a keyboard that reads “POOP.” BTW, I swam in Miami canals when I was a kid and played with every stray or wild animal that came near me. Dirty keyboards don’t scare me.