Mumbo. Jumbo. I am hungry. Go get me some eggs or something.

So I stopped by Target to look at two possibilities for Halloween: the makings of a Ken (Street Fighter) costume or any mask. I was thinking about how on Halloween it doesn't matter what you look like so you can simply just wear a mask and walk around. The other weekend at Universal Studios I was wondering what the expression was on individual's faces who were scaring guests. I mean, were they laughing undernearth (probably what I would do) or were they enjoying it, in a sinister way? Nonetheless after looking at some of the gory masks at Party City I could not see myself enjoying wearing such a costume.

I was hopeful that the Blazers would be good this season, but they looked pretty pathetic last night against the Lakers. Granted the Lakers are certainly stacked and the Blazers are very young, but they did look terrible. I need the Ducks to regain our state pride by crushing the Cal Bears on Saturday.

Unfortunately I am not able to take a position on Prop 2. And when in doubt, I suppose the rule is either to vote no or to abstain. The proponents of Prop 2 are seeking to improve the treatment of farm animals, specifically chickens. The proposition would require farm animals to not be kept in confinement (cages) where they cannot turn around or sit down. This certainly appeals to those concerned with being humane to animals. Those against the proposition argue that it will increase costs of farm products (eggs) or in the alternative suppliers will resort to distribution from Mexico. Notable here is the fact that California receives less than half of its eggs from within the state. Furthermore, I suppose it is not fair for me to voice an opinion, as we all know that I do not like eggs. Like Fox News, I report, you decide.

Links of the Day:
Relationship Sex
Failed Attempts to Kill the President(s)

Mawage. Mawage is wot bwings us togeder tooday.

I'm not sure what it is like in the womens' bathrooms at finer evening venues, but in the mens' room there usually is a towel-hander-outer. This is always a great discussion piece, as people have various opinions on how to react to such a person. Many people feel like they are providing a service and thus they should tip them. In fact, the venues believe that they are offering customers a luxury. For me, I never tip - unless I take some gum or get cologne or have exceptional service. I just feel that I didn't really ask for a person to hand me a paper towel and in fact, in such a personal place as the bathroom, I would prefer to do it myself. There are probably a lot of suckers out there who always tip or do so when drunk and thus the business will stay alive. Otherwise I don't feel awkward not dropping any bills in their jars while their boomboxes pump out the jams in the watering hole.

Moving from a non-partisan proposition to a completely conflicted one, I think it is time to discuss Prop 8. Prop 8 is a California constitutional amendment that would limit the definition of marriage to only that between one man and one woman. Obviously this could be one of the longest discussions ever, so I will attempt to keep this as concise and succint as possible. On legal grounds I suppose you could argue that marriage is a state-defined right and that due to separation of church and state, no religious or moral considerations should be considered. However, the proponents of the proposition have been clever enough to phrase it as "traditional marriage." Nonetheless, have we not moved past previous 'traditions' in our nations history. Proponents also argue that it will somehow be taught in school. The ridiculous commercial states that it was somehow 'taught' in the second grade. I'm sure this is an exaggeration. My response is what actually is the harm in promoting same-sex couples? Our society would become more tolerant and so many people would not have to live in fear of being who they really are.

Some people say that the institution of marriage will be undermined if we let same-sex couples marry. My response is that since when has marriage been about an external definition and not an internal one. Are we getting married to show the world or are we doing it to commit ourselves deeply to someone else? Why should we deprive anyone of this right if it is so, well, personal? Religious and moral definitions may continue on, but the state should not limit the right for individuals to marry.

Vote No.

Links of the Day:
Quack. Quack, Quack
Guantanamo

Props, Bro

In my neighborhood, parking is tight during the evening-dining hours. Thus, when I get home between 4 and 5 I can usually find a spot. We have two parking spots at our house but there are four of us. I presumed that the implicit rule was "try to get a spot on the street first and if no success, then park in the garage or driveway." However, I am finding this more and more dubious. I have noticed that my roommates just go straight for the garage or the driveway. I know this because when I leave shortly after they arrive, I notice the presence of available parking spots. I suppose this could be classified as selfishness or laziness. I know sometimes when I'm tired that I would rather just pull in and pack up. Yet the choice to be selfish has other practical effects. First, it makes the others feel like the only way they will ever get to park there is if they act the same way. This is a vicious cycle. Second, this creates a hostile mindset for those who later struggle to find parking (as I found myself last night). It is easy to become upset when you see someone take a garage/driveway spot when a street spot is open - and then you later cannot find any spot. 

As I have promised several people to comment about ballot measures/propositions I must begin today with a non-partisan one: Prop D. Although this is only a San Diego measure, anyone who ever comes to San Diego will be affected by it. This proposition is to continue the ban on alcohol at the beach. After the one-year provisional ban, it is now up to the people to vote to either keep the ban or lift it. I am probably preaching to the choir in asking you to vote No on this, but I thought I would mention it, at least to get a non-partisan proposition on the table. 

Links of the Day:

The Muslim Next Door

Economics

Providence or Coincidence?

Alright so the bluetooth was actually user error. I apparently had accidentally unpaired the headset from the phone. Unfortunately, my phone is pretty much dead - permanently. Using both a wall plug-in and a car charger, I could not get my phone to charge up. Luckily Tim has offered me an old Nokia to keep me alive (wow) until December 4, when my contract is up.

Well I had a blast this weekend. Although the golfing endeavor on Saturday was a complete disaster, I still had a lot of fun. Brief description of Meadow Lark or something like that golf course: 90-minute tee time delay, 4-hours for nine holes (apparently just a slow course) and the course itself was in terrible condition.

Universal Studios at night was also great. The back lot tour was the weakest point while the rides and the Halloween mazes were very good. The format for theme parks at Halloween is often the same: fog/smoke, clowns with chainsaws, dead people sliding, dead people with blades, and everyone jumping out at you. I always wonder if those people are laughing under their masks (after all it is fun to scare people) or if they are actually morbid and somehow get off on it. Scariest of all was the live-actor Chucky character. Probably followed by the crazy pig-men with chainsaws.

What exactly is the point of fingernails? I mean, do they really need to grow out? I am also interested in what makes them grow faster or slower.

Links of the Day:
Airport Security
Fareed (warning: Obama endorsement)

Spaghetti on the Wall

Something I notice on the drive today - and I may be totally off on this - is that more liberals than conservatives actually put stickers on their car. This has two aspects: the actual presence of stickers and actually putting stickers on the outside of vehicles. Firstly, for a conservative area such as San Diego I expected to see more McCain stickers. I know that this is a bad time for Republicans due to W, but the election is still close. Secondly, today I saw a McCain sticker on the inside of a car window. Then I remember that my parents do the same exact thing. Does this have to do with 'preserving' the vehicle for resale, thus a conservative idealogue. I mean, the sticker could leave residue on the car. Liberals in contrast are more easy going, not caring about their belongings? However, as my father knows, there is goo-be-gone cleaners that gets rid of that stuff. I know from experience.

I keep hearing - at least from Fox News - that the media is 'biased' because they don't treat the two political parties the same. In particular they point out to a survey comparing jokes about the GOP to those about the Democrats. However, that fails to consider that this isn't an area that can be treated equally. That would entail both parties to each have equally funny/make funable policies, statements, characters, etc. I'm sure during the Clinton presidency that the Media had way more jokes about the Dems than the Repubs. It's just the ebb and flow of politics.

Well my new bluetooth headset has stopped working. I lost my old Motorola one at Pizza Port maybe a month ago so I decided to buy a $20 at Staples. The brand is Jabra - so you are forewarned. However, the headset has stopped working - at least properly. Hopefully I can exchange it at Staples because the documents that came with the headset - along with the website - are not helpful.


Links of the Day:

Warren Buffet

Dog Thoughts

Islam & Christianity

Killer

As I search for a parking spot on campus, I realized that there really isn't a universal sign to tell someone you're not leaving. While looking for a parking space, people who are leaving normally signal for someone to follow them. But the inverse is not true - there is not such an easy symbol. I normally do the quick hand across throat - kind of a throat slitting but with my fingers instead of my thumb - to let them know that I am not leaving. Perhaps if we start using the same sign, it will become the universal symbol. 

Last night Al invited me to tag along for the Taste of La Jolla. The admission ticket got us a 'taste' of a bunch of the venues in the La Jolla area. As I have never been to any venue in La Jolla, I was eager to see them all in one sitting (or walking) I understand that there are similar events in Little Italy as well as downtown. If those are as enjoyable as this one, then I recommend attending. My only complaint was that the time (2.5 hours) was really not long enough to get to over 20 venues. 

Review

The Cottage: This is where it started. Simple appetizers and wine for purchase. 

Extreme Pizza: Had several pizzas out for sampling. Pretty much what I expected from a pizza place. 

Zenbu: I have heard that their sushi is very good, but unfortunately when we arrived all they had was tuna - which I do not care for. 

Tapenade: My apologies to Jordon, but I was very disappointed in his place of employment. The venue looked beautiful but there was no one there. And we were quickly shuffled to a single employee scooping cups of soup. While the soup was good, I felt shafted on any authentic experience. 

Ja Jolla Brew House: They were greedy. They tried to participate in the Taste of La Jolla and still have the venue open for Cleveland Browns fans. While I could tell the Brew House would be enjoyable, I thought they overreached. 

Bull & Bear: This tiny bar and grille had appetizers and pasta ready for 'tasters.' The football game was on but the set up still provided for an enjoyable experience. Unfortunately the bar did not have much as far as draft beer. 

Azul La Jolla: I thought this set up felt a little forced - kind of like a food court. The mini-burgers looked gourmet and tasty, but of course they forgot to prepare any sans cheese. 

La Valencia: Winner of the night. Set-up, atmosphere and food were amazing. The line to get the amazing seafood paella was short while a nearby refreshment line was readily available. The atmosphere felt warm and the staff was friendly. This is what I would expect of such an event.

Gelateria Frizzante: The rumors had been that the owner was reminiscent of the soup Nazi on Seinfeld. And indeed he seemed to be concerned mostly with customers not touching the glass. Unfortunately the options of gelato were limited to six, and the staff seemed to only be interested in getting us in and out. 

Sushi on the Rocks: No one was even out to manage the samplings. 

Sweet Shoppe: Very friendly staff and let us sample all of the gelato. The gelato was much better than the Gelateria - or maybe because we had a choice in what flavor we wanted. The grab bag they handed out was mediocre, but I realize that they couldn't give out their best candy. 

Nine-Ten: With five minutes left, we were denied entrance to Nine-Ten, a previous employer of Jordon. Poor form. If you agree to participate in a fundraiser, don't cut the already short time even shorter. 

Cold Stone: Although not unique to La Jolla (or even California) I wanted to point out the exceptional service I received. The options of ice cream were limited to only one - oatmeal cookie batter. However, the single employee's hard work and attitude were a huge plus. I presume that someone probably called in sick because they knew they wouldn't receive many tips for all the work. 

Links of the Day:

The Future

Star Trek

Jimmy Eat World

Just stopped by CVS Drugstore to load up on meds. I'm pretty sure I have a sinus infection so I bought some Airbone, Zicam and Dayquil/Nyquil. I've always been a fan of Nyquil, but that is for red-eye flights. Likewise Airbone I have always been a fan of. Damn. I forgot how good grapefruit flavor is. I just went with the original, which is still not bad. As for Zicam I have just recently been introduced to it by my mom. I didn't realize that there is a multitude of forms it can be taken in. I have had the nasal swabs and went with the nasal spray this time. They seem like they would be the most efficient, in comparison to the chewables or lozenges.

I always find it amusing when people start their day off with a 44oz fountain drink. I presume this is their substitute for coffee but doesn't that seem completely unhealthy to start your day off with that much carbonated water?

While I am talking about healthcare, I had a thought about Obama's 'universal' or 'socialized' or whatever you want to call it plan. Particularly in the area of ambulances. To my understandings the ambulance industry is completely laissez faire. Thus, the current market price for anytime you call on an ambulance is $_____ (too much). I'm wondering with the healthcare industry (including insurance and pharmaceuticals) gradually become more regulated ('socialized' for those fearing change) how the ambulance industry will come out. Thoughts?

Links of the Day:
Education of Elites
Nobel Prize

Audacity

I always find it interesting when students walk in late to class. Sometimes they will be a few minutes late, while other times they walk in significantly late. For a 75-minute class, I'm not sure the point of coming to class after the 30-minute mark. Likewise, when I went to see Burn After Reading, a 90-minute flick, a couple walked in 40 minutes late. What are these people thinking? Is parking really that bad? Was there actually a traffic accident? At what point is it OK to walk in late versus when a person should decide just to accept the facts and miss the event? Maybe for me, when I am significantly late, I simply accept that perhaps it was not meant to be.


Today I forgot my cell phone at home. So I won't see it until 8:30 tonight. I've been pondering a lot about whether I should get an iPhone. You see, I do need a new phone. My current razor is from the Cingular days and has been passing out on me (versus actually dying). The problem with an iPhone is that it, like the Blackberry, is really only useful if you use the Internet. I'm sure I would find it useful, but I already think that I am on the Internet too much each day. I mean, how much of our lives needs to revolve around (almost supported by) technology? In Europe I rarely used my phone, and carried it with me only for emergency purposes. It is days like today, when I don't have my phone, that I get to see the true necessity of these technologies.

Links of the Day:
Bill Gates
U.S. News Rankings

Harvey Danger

Last night I watched  a special on the CW (I think) that was entitled, "Greatest Magic Secrets - Finally Revealed" or something to that extent. The show did reveal a lot of magic tricks. I'm still not sure how Criss Angel does all of his stuff though. David Blaine likewise. This show was a little weird though, as the 'magician' wore a full head mask, like a scary Halloween costume. I don't know if that was for his protection, as he was revealing many a magician's core tricks. At the same time I was flipping back to a Paper Rock Scissors (PRS) tournament televised on FoxSports. Last summer I learned of the sport while I was in DC. Apparently now the bigger tournaments are televised and there is even a world championship. The winner of this particular tournament won $50,000. I'm sure there is some science to the sport, although with only three possibilities - the science cannot be that deep. Nonetheless I recommend watching the broadcast, as the commentators are quite entertaining. 

The 60 Minutes episode this week was good, with segments on the shadow market (default swaps), the Delta Force squad sent to kill bin Laden and the electric car. The final segment got me thinking about other ways to encourage fuel efficiency and discourage the opposite. I came up with the idea of smaller parking spaces. Every once in a while you will see a 'compact' parking space. I think there needs to be more of them. Along with this, there needs to be stricter enforcement. No more letting people park in two spots or create spots. You see, if big SUVs and trucks want to park at the store, they should have to park in the back of the lot. Of course, this would hurt large families - but population control should also be in mind. It is another utilitarian theory. 

Links of the Day:

Supreme Court

The Center

Flashes Before Your Eyes

I notice that a guy on top of the new UC building at USD is welding, which reminds me of my deteriorating eyesight. You see, I have done two things that probably have severely damaged my eyes. First, and I will admit it, when my good friend was dating a girl who worked at a tanning salon, she let us try out the tanning booths. I asked her if I needed goggles or anything and she said no. She didn't inform me that she meant to keep your eyes shut. So for the few minutes that I was in the booth I stared at my reflection in the glass. I guess that is very bad to do. Secondly, when I was in Guatemala we built a new school in San Antonio Aguas Caliente. There I learned, after several minutes of staring at the welding sparks, that you are not supposed to look at the light without eye protection. Well at least I didn't stare at the sun with binoculars (while wearing baby oil). 

I think tonight will be a make or break for the McCain-Palin ticket, unless they have some October surprise. There is so much build up to this debate and it will probably have more viewership than the McCain-Obama debate. Palin still appears to hold some rock stock popularity, although perhaps because people find her recent media appearances as entertaining rather than politically informative. I think on her own she could do fine, but she has had so much jammed into her head that she is thinking too much about what she is supposed to say. One thing that I like about Obama is also that he thinks about what to say before he says it. The difference in intellect between the two though is at least evidenced by their academic credentials. 

Links of the Day:

Warren Buffet (my theory of conscientious cyclical capitalism in action - social contract)

WNBA

Culture Wars

I just had a great conversation with one of the firm managers during my lunch break. She invited my response on the current financial situation of the nation.

We got to the point of discussing personal responsibility. And not just the executives, but all the way down to the mortgagees or the insurance agents. Personal responsibility is a staple of most conservative fiscal policies. I then branched off to show how the U.S. compares to cultures abroad. It appears our society has become so caught up in the rat race that we only think about getting ahead. People think that they deserve the American dream and often work hard to achieve it. If it is slightly out of reach they, well, often overreach.

The international perspective I like to use is that Americans live to work while the rest of the world works to live. At least from my international experience, I have found this to be true. People are satisfied with having just enough, but are also satisfied with familial and social relationships. Americans define themselves so much on their career and home that they often forget the satisfaction of being blessed with family and friends. The perfect example is the annual winner of the happiest nation survey: Denmark. The surveyors found out that the people of Denmark are happiest because they set moderate standards. Not low or high, but reasonably attainable. That is why I think it is so important for people to travel abroad: to be able to compare our view of life to the rest of the worlds. If we don't envy theirs, then we will often appreciate what we do have.

She also made a point about the solution of tapping into our oil reserves here at home. She said that is like when you max out a credit card, the solution being to open another one. I agree that our domestic oil supply will not be the solution. But I do think that our modern day technology will not have a significant adverse effect on the environment. What is most important here is her point - to get out of this situation we can't keep consuming (at least not oil). Otherwise our finite supply will firstly become even more expensive (less supply more demand) and then be completely gone. Better travel now!

Links of the Day:
Awesome Video
Addicted to Debt