I am what I eat....

Are you? Or, I should say, I smell like what I eat... :p What I am getting at is are there certain foods that you eat that offer certain physiological responses more so than other people? Example 1: You've heard the story of eating asparagus and if you urinate soon (from 1 to 24hrs) after, that it has a really awful scent. Well, I am here to say that I LOVE asparagus, but avoid a bathroom after me at all costs if I consume several spears. It's bad, but it's my biology; I blame my genes. :p Example 2: Garlic. Sheesh....I realy love garlic and eat it weekly, but eating some Lebanese food with garlic paste will immediately begin diffusing from my skin. It's crazy...especially so, since I can actually smell it. It matters not if the garlic is cooked, sliced, minced or pressed, my biology reacts with it and the olfactory sense is stimulated beyond "normal". Example 3: Onions....Ok, you get the point.

Am I an anomaly or as common as the next cat?

In the spirit of Baby Posts....

I bring to you the Sculpted Baby Cake....Actually,The Making of....

This is both disturbing and fascinating to me at the same time.....WHY...just WHY?

I wish all of you a great Friday and I will proably have nightmares tonight thanks to this vid... :p

The Miracle of Birth...

I'm sure you may have heard about this story.

Amillia Taylor was born as the world's youngest surviving premature baby. Amillia was born at a Miami hospital after less than 22 weeks of development. Since then she's been incubating and is expected to go home soon.

Those tiny translucent feet are amazing. Hold your own hand out in front of you, and imagine those feet poking through your fingers. She was 10 OUNCES when born (280 grams), and 9.5 inches (240 cm). That's just longer than the length of your hand.

I think the science behind keeping this baby alive and soon to go home is amazing.

Oh, and the picture below is a peek into the labyrinth that is my mind in that sometimes I do a picture association with certain images....

Obesity, Fake nails and Tattoos

So, we have all seen these people of the female variety that seem to focus their attention from the forearm to the fingers and cankles to the toes. What I mean is why is it that these women don't save the cash on getting their nails done on a weekly basis or the tats on their cankles or wrists and mix in a workout or two to work on the more global issue of their heart-taxing weight? Really. I remember as a young lad of 12 or 13, my mom (as many moms do) would be describing someone by saying, "She has a pretty face." Translation: Not too easy on the eyes and a nice person. Ok, I am not trying to come across as a complete superficial idiot, but that just makes me laugh. I'm certainly not the authority on looks, but I'm just pointing out the greater good for a society of people laying off the vanity in ONE area and focus on FULL vanity. LOL! Bump up that heart rate honey so that my insurance premiums don't keep sky rocketing because you love cupcakes and drive and not walk a city block on a consistent basis.

Anyway, obesity is just one aspect. I truly HATE fake nails. This post was inspired by a trip to the grocery store when my eyes played witness to this oBEAST young women with horrible fake nails and a rose on her wrist, but in the past I have noticed a disproportionate number of obese women who seem to think that getting their nails did and tats on wrists and ankles makes them hot. Not hot at all.....and that's all for now.

Inside the Actors Studio

The Bravo cable channel is no secret to anyone, right? I don't usually make time to watch Bravo on a regular basis, but have been drawn to certain shows in the past as short-lived as it may have been. I had a break in my daily routine today and happen to be channel surfing and caught James Lipton and he had Dave Chappelle on the show. Talk about pure comedy....both Lipton and Chappelle had me cracking up. Seriously, you have to see that.

I'd love to see James Lipton pissed off. LOL! The guy is high drama anyway.


Bonus:
For all the Transformers fanboys out there, peep the Soundwave Interview, Part I.

Party Product-O-The Day?

Then: great naval tragedy. Now: an adventures slide for your kids!

Buy it here.

Super Bowl Impressions

Did your team win?

Oso,
No need to answer that one. :p Nice implosion Monsters of the Midway....Seriously though, that game was a waste of time. The commercials sucked (other than ONE from Doritos and ONE from Bud Light) majorly.

The first few min of the SB were decent, but it just went down hill from there....I think multiple turnovers is just sloppy play.

Was the weather a factor? Yes, but still. I expect minimal mistakes and a close game; that did not happen. Sometimes it ends up that way, sometimes it does not. This was pretty much a disappointment.

The halftime show was OK. I like Prince, but I just think the league went for a "safe act" and wanted no wardrobe malfunctions. Well, I don't recall seeing Prince's breast. Crisis averted. :p

I just kept thinking after each horrid commercial, "Wow, there goes ANOTHER 2.6million".....what a joke.

Now, I can just focus on the NBA and keep an eye on the off-season moves by my Lions.

Top 3 at this moment...

My top three Hip-Hop singles are:

Make It Rain (the remix)--Fat Joe
Throw Some D's--Rich Boy
This Why I'm Hot--Mims

The Omnivore's Dilemma

I recently finished this book from Michael Pollan and all I can say is the daily question of "What should I eat today?" has taken on a new meaning for me. I THOUGHT I was a conscious and concerned consumer when it comes to selecting the food I buy for myself or my family, but this book really shed some light on things in this country that I did not consider in the past to the extent that was discussed in the author’s research.

A few things:
Take corn (which is subsidized by the gov.) out of the US economy and a collapse will soon follow OR at least a radical shift in eating habits. Case in point, HFCS (High Fructose Corn Syrup) is derived from corn. Take a look at most of the processed snacks, drinks and even bread that you eat and you will most likely find HFCS as a main ingredient. HFCS are man made; they are derived from corn through chemistry in a lab. Think CHEAP. At even half a penny cheaper than sugar or any other sweetener occurring in nature (like agave nectar, for example), you are talking about billions of dollars in savings for the huge food and drink companies that can then get dumped into marketing budgets. HFCS were not even a reality until the 70's and used commercially in the mid-eighties. If you look at the ingredients in a Coke in the early 80's, sugar was used to sweeten it. Check that now and you will find HFCS and possibly sugar as well, but HFCS will be more of primary ingredient. Again, COST.
The book also reminded me of how the USDA and FDA are just big business vehicles with "standards" and certainly not enough inspectors to truly screen a disgusting and horribly "grown" product (meat and poultry). I knew this already, but the author pointed out a story in which he spent time on a farm with a farmer who was getting so many roadblocks in front of him for having a meat processing operation because the USDA would certainly not want to be exposed with so many dirty secrets in how the US consumer's meat is processed. The bureaucracy that this farmer has to slowly go through is just ridiculous. For example, he has an open area and/or glass paned-viewing area where any visitor can see the processing (slaughter) of animals. That is UNHEARD OF for a big industrial meat processing operation since again, secrets of how the food supply is just not very sanitary or the well-being of the animals is not considered.
This book is not a PETA, tree-hugging love fest in any stretch of the imagination, but it is essentially the story of a writer who spent time with a few small scale farmers and was let in on the realities of how the USDA wants to choke out anyone not on a factory farm with animals that have never seen the light of day or the conditions of workers (mostly immigrant or illegal) is absolutely horrible. We all ask ourselves, "What am I going to eat today?" Do we care HOW our food was derived? Do we care if what we eat was created in a lab? Do we only concern ourselves with COST above any other variable? These questions are deep and the answers shed light on many of the issues in this country from a socio-economic, political, health and cultural perspective.
The book also shed light on how HUGE of a business ORGANIC has become and will continue to be. With some estimates saying growth is at 20% a year, you have the developings of a major player in the food business. Organic food producers need to make money though, so you have many companies who follow the lazy and insulting "guidelines" of the USDA to get that ORGANIC designation.
The book was nice a read with subtle transitions through its 20 chapters and I highly recommend it. Also, keep in mind this order for healthy produce and meat options: Local organic --> local conventional --> regional organic --> regional conventional --> country organic --> country conventional......you see where I am going? The further you go out, the more negative impact it can have on your health and the health of the environment.

People should think about these things.

Sprats in Oil

So, the maintenance guy at my work is Russian. SUPER-RUSSIAN, even. This guy was an engineer back in his motherland and has done general maintenance jobs since he has been in the US. He is an absolute trip! His Russian accent is "POOOOR-FICT" (as he would say) and we talk about various subjects every few days. The other day, he is flipping out in his work area and calls me to help him with some "email problems". Well, I had a few min to spare and went into his area. First, his area. Man, the guy has been relegated to the bowels of our building. I mean, this area is like an oversized janitor closet-shipping/receiving area-nutty professor lab all in one. But, he has a desk and PC in it. Anyway, I go into his area and he is trippin' because his folder view has disappeared in Outlook due to some inadvertent key stroke. He dares not check any of the toolbar options to swiftly get it back as it was because he has some odd techno-phobia; well, dude is in his mid-sixties so I cut him full slack. I quickly get to the bottom of how insists on having his inbox sorted and all of his folders visible and he's happier than ish....Well, he wants to repay me for helping him. I refuse, but he insists he is going to bring me "special fish"..Hmmmmmm. Special fish, you say? My mind is racing down way too many mental highways beyond the scope of this post.....Well, we do talk food pretty frequently and today he actually brings me a can of Riga Smoked Sprats in Oil. To make a long explanation short, Riga = the largest city in the Baltic States and serves as a major cultural, educational, political, financial, commercial and industrial center in the Baltics. Sprats = small herring found in European waters. It is served smoked but can be eaten fresh, grilled or fried. He said Russians are crazy about this fish. So, I am hyped because I seriously love fish and have not had Sprat...knowingly, at least. I do think the whole Outlook fixing thing was just a coincidence because I brought him a can of smoked Trout in oil a few weeks ago and he told me he was going to bring me some Russian fish soon...I look forward to eating these Sprats (what a funny name) and if they rival the sardines I recently ate from Spain, my Russian friend may need to be the middle man for my newest addiction...We'll see.

Dog people

It is a well known fact that I am NOT a dog person in any way, shape or form. It's not like I don't like dogs. It's more of the situation that I refuse to walk a dog with a bag and a scoop and pick up its waste. Are you kidding me? Since that would be the reality since I do not live in the sprawling country and could allow the dog to fertilize the earth, a pooper scooper would be a must in the burbs or a city setting. Plus, I just do not have the time to commit to a dog for its exercise when my own exercise is much more important and would not try to ever compromise my or my family life with a dog. I laugh when people work and go out 12-16hrs a day and leave their dog at home to experience mental and physical decline. It's pretty sad, actually. Anyway, I titled this post "dog people" since I don't understand you people. I was driving this morning and saw TWO people with dogs on their laps interfering with their arms as they were driving. These stupid people were letting the dog climb on them and I would just look over and have a look of utter disbelief? Where are the Five0 when you need them? Is that even illegal? It should be! Sheesh, they pull someone over for having a stupid air freshener hanging too low on their rearview mirror, but some moron can have a dog jumping on them like it's playtime and that's ok? Dog people, wake up!

Business Dress

As someone who has worked in environments where business dress is mandatory and business casual was optional, I can say with absolute conviction that Western society is pretty much a collective group of Lemmings that embrace "dressing the part" as being something that by default makes people work harder or "appear" smarter. What a bunch of absolute horse caca! Are we that influenced by the fashion industry that the idea of dressing up makes one seem so much more "professional" and gets business deals done any more effectively?

Certainly, dressing within the fashion industry makes sense since the goal is to sell clothes and display what will be purchased by consumers, but any other industry? I think not. Wearing business attire does not translate into good hygiene or improved idea creation.

Does not actually DOING the work within an organization mean much more? Does taking ideas and delivering new products lose its luster if said ideas do not stem from someone with a suit on? Uh....no. Can a person wearing business dress still do sloppy work and not deliver intended results? Of course.

I happen to be thinking about this concept recently, when the EXACT idea was discussed by a very interesting person that some of you may know as the current owner of the Dallas Mavericks and billionaire, Mark Cuban. This guy is brilliant in so many ways. I knew of him before he became an NBA owner back when he sold broadcast.com. He's an extremely savvy business person and because of many of his efforts and by "efforts", I mean obnoxious press conferences and ways to annoy David Stern, the NBA has instituted many improvements to their product. Anyway, he posted about this very subject and I like the angle he decided to go with.

I have well rounded interests and many aspects of the fashion industry fall in to what I decide to research and spend my time learning about and I really think business dress is such an overrated concept in industries outside of fashion that it's just archaic and really short-minded.

The sound from under the hood...

Oh man, the Contour is in need...in need of a belt change. The noise it makes is pretty embarrassing on the rare occasions it decides to do its thing. Mix in some cold temps and you have a red-faced Rican with no place to hide. LOL! I am most sure that it is the serpentine belt that needs to be changed. The car is seven years old and it has not been changed before. The belt is in pretty decent condition though, therefore, I tend to just absorb the embarrassing sound and act like I just don't hear it when other drivers stare at me....LOL! Soon enough, it will get changed...soon enough.

Confessions on a Treadmill

So, I have been the proud owner of a treadmill for just over two years. I have learned about different aspects of my training during that time and I am still learning each week that passes. I started off really hyped about finally having the means to run regardless of rain, snow or shine. In fact, too hyped was I. I would run everyday. The one thing I did know was to not try and become a marathon runner quickly. I knew it would take time. You see, I purposely don't have a gym membership because I just think I could be more efficient with my time at home with my own equipment. Obviously there are certain advantages to a gym, but that's another post; I REALLY miss cables though :(! Anyway, I still think I probably over trained at first when I first got my mill. I diagnosed myself with a bakers cyst on the back of one knee a few months in to running consistently. Sounds much worse than it is. All it required to heal was rest and rest I gave it and it disappeared and I felt much better. I just dropped the number of miles I would run and started to just run every other day and mix in other cross-training on the days I would not run. To some degree, I was doing that (the cross-training) anyway even though I was running more at first. The other thing I noticed was that I was dropping weight like crazy! My clothes were getting much more loose on me. To some people, that may be a good thing, but for me it was like I was back in high school again with my quest to gain weight rather than look like a bird cage from the waist up. :p Well, I found my healthy balance of running and I am ALMOST getting to the point were I am pretty comfortable with how my body will react to certain distances, time and calories burned. My LOOOOOOOOOONG term goal would certainly be a marathon. Come on. If Oprah ran one, I certainly can do it. I have to get a few 5Ks and half-marathons under my belt before going all out for 26miles though....The other reality is that runners tend to be pretty trim and not in possession of very defined muscle tone. I don't want to be a skeleton. I still would like to maintain an athletic physique, but I have noticed that my strength involved in free weight exercises has not improved. Could be a temporary plateau, but it has been like this for a few months. My max bench was 255 3yrs ago. I know I cannot get that up now. I know, I know. It truly is the tradeoff of running and I suppose I have accepted that and am fine with it, but it is a machismo thing that lingers from undergrad when I would be in the fitness center at WSU talking trash to friends hitting the weights like crazy. Running was NOT in the mix at all. 10min warm up jog was about it for me back in those days. Anyway, I am happy where my fitness level is at this point. It has shifted and I really wish I could mix in two workouts a day, but that would probably lead to me running away from the whole idea of having a job and a family...Uh, not good. :)

Blogger Beta

Have all of you upgraded your accounts to it?

If so, do you like the changes?

If not, why not?

Holla!

Stupid Concept Vehicle of the Day

Where do I even begin to dissect this trash?! What an insult to airstream. Ford wonders why they have tanked in market share? This ish is bound to cause accidents all over any place the sun decides to warm the earth. The hideous reflective paint is so progressive not really. This thing looks like part airplane, part piece of dung. The only redeeming qualities lie under the hood; it's powered by a plug-in hydrogen hybrid fuel cell — named HySeries Drive — that operates under electric power and delivers the fuel economy equivalent to 41mpg.

I suppose that can make up for the sins of it's exoskeleton....no it can't. Who am I kidding...Man, if I make it to the auto show this year, I am going to laugh at that trash and head over to Toyota to see how real progressive designers operate.

Oprah's School

I am sure all of you have heard about the school for girls in South Africa that Oprah opened. What's a billionaire to do when the criticisms start falling from the sky? I mean, is a school with great intentions anywhere on earth a bad thing? Mix in extremely disadvantaged (monetarily) kids and we still have a problem? People in that country were complaining because the school's campus is said to resemble a luxury hotel rather than the rundown schools most of the girls know. It contains state-of-the-art classrooms, computer and science labs, a library and theater as well as a wellness center. Grant it, a "wellness center" may be a bit much, but again, when a billionaire like Oprah puts her stamp on something, I am sure she is trying to do it real big. I don't see the problem with this at all....I also read that people in the US were pissed because she did not open something like that school in a hood in Chicago, New York or Detroit. Well, Oprah said that she visited several middle schools in the US and when she asked the kids what they really wanted in life, answers like iPod, Wii, Xbox kind of rubbed her the wrong way. When she asked the same kids in South Africa, they mentioned uniforms and supplies to go to school. I am really disturbed at the mentality of the spoiled and distracted American youth. Consumerism is in full force in this country. Poor people here are rich compared to many parts of the world. Education is but a bother for many children due to a crumbling family structure and "parents" who are more concerned with what they drive and what clothes they have on then if little Juan or Maria has extra homework on the weekend. It's absolute BS. This post is not about me actually agreeing with Oprah's talk show because I think she is all about appealing to middle-aged white women and is not well-respected in the African-American community. I don't care about her show...I just wanted to post about the importance of a school that will impact young lives and don't see the problem in her country of choice and hope the girls who earned their way into this opportunity will make the most of it and make positive contributions to this world and possibly create an opportunity for a future young person.

Empty promises to oneself....

Ah...the start of a new year...In my eyes, the major difference is simply a new paper or virtual calendar. I have been laughing in my mind recently as I have been overhearing conversations at work about the various New Years Resolutions that people have been spewing out of their mouths. "Getting in shape" or "working out more" tend to always come up. Such a tired and abused concept. Really. I was also laughing today as I quickly ran into WF on my lunch hour to buy a few sale items. I drove past two separate gyms and the parking lots were jammed and I am sure were 2X as jammed after work hours. Gyms love a sucker. Several dozen suckers keep the gym lights on and pay for new equipment.

Don't get me wrong, I certainly think the world is a better place with fit and health conscious people, but fast forward to March of this year and I can assure you that the gym parking lots will not look as they look in January. Motivation dwindles. Bad habits die hard. People don't change.

Props to anyone who makes a resolution and keeps it. The way I look at it is that I don't need a New Year to trigger the start of something beneficial in my life that I can make happen. I believe in constant evaluation and immediate change or at least an attempt at anytime throughout the year...Not a complete lowering of your defenses to sit and wait for January 1st. Please!

So, did any of you fall into the New Year Resolution trap?

Bricks and Mortar sucks!

Today was a case of those who would rather buy online, like me and those who have friends or family who would rather drag me to BB and deal with temporary holiday help who just talk out of both sides of their mouths...Sheesh, it was UNBELIEVABLE the number of contradictions uttered by those fools. And of course, we had to go there for the hot ticket category of HDTV. Outside of the Computers area, I am sure HD is the next big thing if not THE biggest area there. I understand the HD technology very well and was in the store for ONE cable..........ONE! Of course, my compatriot opens his mouth to confirm if his setup is correct like I already told him it was before we left his house, but for some reason he asks one of the clowns in the accessories area about how we have things...Blah, blah, blah, I walk over after checking prices on some other items and he says, "Explain the setup to the guy." I tell the story and after it's all said and done, when I had already spotted the 25ft cable we came there for as I walked up to both of them, the BB guy says, "You'll need Monster cable this and that." Correction sir. I would need a loan from my credit union to follow your advice...Idiot. I won't drown you with details on my verbal sparring session with this guy....So, we bounce over to the speakers section and listen to a pretty nice Klipsch set that was purchased soon thereafter. I confirm with the next blue shirt what he has pumping into those things and ask to see all wires so as to not have a secret amp out of sight that makes them sound better than what they are. Fine. This guy was much better than the two tools in the HD area. He pulled the receiver out of the cabinet and showed me everything and we followed the cables to the two speakers. Fine. Well, guess who decides to ask THIS guy about our setup? You guessed it...I finished explaining ish and the guy says, "Oh yeah, I would keep the setup you have." I said, "How interesting that you would contradict the guys in the HD area." He tells me in a low voice, "Those guys are morons. They think everyone comes in with absolutely zero knowledge of technology." Anyway, then it was a nice 35min wait in the line with only 5 people ahead of us when we got there....5 people!! Two did returns and the other three finalized their financing...Man, I wanted to pull my hair out. The only time I can say I ever go into BB is if I get a gift card, I get asked to go or I want to peep something I am going to just get online for much cheaper anyway...Thank God for the Internet! I have a few friends who have been in retail hell before and have told me some stories of the inner workings...BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY comes to mind. It's nice to actually deal with someone who is not a drone when you go to a bricks and mortar store....It's rare, but nice....Customer Service is dead Damas y Caballeros...

Sweet Product-O-The-Day

If you were unlucky enough to snag a Wii this holiday season, how about one of the best boardgames of all time, Monopoly + Nintendo? The game features characters such as Mario, Donkey Kong, Zelda, Metroid, Kirby, Star Fox, and Wario, and the specialized pewter game pieces include a Donkey Kong barrel, Link's boots, a Hylian Shield, a NES controller, Mario's hat, and a Koopa shell.

This has to be one of the coolest editions I have seen.

It's Merry Christmas to you buddy!

Oh brother......One of those moments in my life that I wish could have just been a blip on the screen...Last week sometime, I was walking down a hallway at work and someone said a few words to strike up some conversation and points and counter-points were made and blah-blah-blah...At the end of our quick conversation, the person says, "If I don't see you, have a Merry Christmas....Oops, I mean Happy Holidays." I said, "Why did you say that?" The person says, "Merry Christmas is not the PC thing to say these days." I said, "I'm not offended by you saying Merry Christmas to me." The person says, "Oh, ok. I just know there are people who work here that don't celebrate Christmas." I said, "Right, but do you really think someone is going to file a complaint against you or something?" The person says, "You never know."

Moron.

I guess that person should have wished me a happy Festivus instead. :p

"Dr. Death"

I forgot to blog about this story last week, but since this picture is absolute money, I decided to post today about the story and the man. You could not believe the airtime that Dr. Jack Kevorkian received locally when he was helping people die in MI. Sheesh. The story obviously grew wings for a national spotlight, but as every story that gains national attention, it's MUCH worse for the citizens near it. Mix in Geoffrey Fieger and you have serious drama. Anyway, I laugh at these fundamentalists who are trying to get their grills in front of the cameras to pop off about how Dr. Death is going to get back into the killing game the second he gets released from jail. The guy's own health is deteriorating rapidly; he's frail and has fallen a few times adding further injury to his person and yet people want to keep him in jail to rot.
Personally, I don't see the issue with Dr. Kevorkian as being a danger to society. People ASKED for his help and if someone was unable to request his help, then those who had legal say in a person's healthcare asked for the help. Explain to me how that is wrong? People say that Kevorkian was sick and twisted and LIKED to kill people. Are those same people saying anything about the hundreds (probably thousands) of doctors who are vacuuming kids out of the uteri of women across the US on a daily basis? Probably not, but when an ADULT asked someone to inject them with a compound that causes them to stop breathing, the person (Kevorkian) pressing the syringe is crazy? I'm not here to say that Assisted Suicide is right or wrong, but I am also not someone who lives every second of their life in excruciating pain and have been unable to get any relief through conventional or homeopathic options.

Let the guy out of jail and worry about bigger issues like a war, education, rising healthcare costs or the US economy. Some people just amaze me.

Carrots+Roids+Botox = Yuck!

Unconditional Love?

Ok. Here's the situation. I recently overheard a conversation when I was somewhere about a person talking about how much they loved pets. The two people talking were fans of dogs very much UNLIKE myself. One person said, "I just love the unconditional love that my dog gives me." The other person says, "I know exactly what you mean. When I come home from work, it's so nice to have my dog get sooo excited to see me." You idiots!! You interpret THAT as love?! Pavlov, anyone? Sheesh, the dog does not "love" you. The dog just knows that you are the person who will feed it, let it outside to fertilize your grass, and walk it whenever you do that sort of thing. Unconditional love with pets and people is a human construct that just sounds nice, but means nothing. Swing for the fences with a golf club on that dogs hind parts or scream at it X number of times and see how its "unconditional love" just happens to change. Many people say babies and children show unconditional love, but again, not true. They lack the understanding on what love is. They just mimic what adults do as far as kissing other people and hugging and things like that.

People claim that caring for a sick loved one is a form of unconditional love, but that's not true. It's most likely the reciprocation of the care and support given by that person before they were sick.

My point is that there are ALWAYS conditions to love. Every time. No question. Thinking otherwise is just avoiding reality or seeing things for truly what they are. Any thoughts?

Top 3

Luxury SUVs.

I am NOT an SUV person at all, BUT if I were, my Top 3 would be the following:

Land Rover Sport ($57,950US)
BMW X5 4.8i ($54,500US)
Porsche Cayenne Turbo S ($111,600US)

Stupid Toys & RUNAWAY

So, on one of my recent travels on the Information Super Highway, I spot one of 2006's featured Christmas toys for the tots out there. I'm not sure if your mind works like mine in that there can be certain triggers (a sight, sound, smell, taste, or phrase) that immediately triggers memories. When I saw this toy, I began to think about the cinematic greatness that was one of the best and by best, I mean worst 80's sci-fi films ever--RUNAWAY. Tom Selleck & Gene Simmons on screen is a dream come true for any self-respecting sci-fi fan!I went to school for and I work in IT and this movie captures the essence of programming like no other film shown to the civilized world. How genius are programmed robots that kill? Deep. I know. Simmons is so evil. Selleck is so frustrated.
The 80's 'stache of Selleck was the great equalizer and made many women's knees quiver....so, I'm told. I never had a 'stache in the 80's....I don't even think I had hair on my legs in the 80's. When this film came out, I was 8. The only reason I happen to see it was either I snuck into the room when my parents were away and switched on HBO or my dad rented the VHS tape and somehow I was able to peep the film; I don't recall my exact method. Either way, you should see this film to see when Hollywood made great and ultra-predictablefilms on a shoe string budget.

In addition to Malta India, Pasta de Guayaba and the One to Grow On PSAs, RUNAWAY made me the man who I am today...........

Corporate Hypocrisy

I've worked at a few places in my life on this earth. I am in no way a "job-jumper" by any stretch of the imagination; not my style. In fact, outside of several jobs I held while an undergrad, I have only been with two companies post BS and MS. Different positions, of course, but two companies and several different management styles and teams. Anyway, today was pretty interesting...Well, not really; it was a typical day in the rat race with a bunch of frightened rats scurrying about as the big cat one of the BIG, BIG bosses came into town. If there is one thing I cannot stand is a person or persons who are scared of another human being for some baseless reason(s). Seriously, I would not care if the CEO of my company came through the door any given day to observe me or talk with me. I have absolutely nothing to hide and treat everyday as IF the big man or woman were going to come in and ask me to justify my paycheck. I mean, come on! There were people today giving an approximation of when this Big Boss was going to arrive and to have everything "looking just right" so as to not piss the Big Boss off. What idiots! Again, if there is nothing to hide, what have you to fear? If you act in a professional manner to your own boss, fellow co-workers or even the janitor, there should be no fear. It was no different when I was at my previous company. A big account manager would come in from out of state to join us for a meeting and everyone was in a moronic frenzy....Unbelievable. There are so many people who take their jobs for granted and cannot justify what they actually do most times that they live in fear. Amazing! My conscious is clear and I welcome the opportunity to talk with anyone of a "position of power" because I operate in a deliberate manner. I wonder if this is just a US thing......

Caption This image of the Day

Land's End

I have an affinity for fashion. Be it the fashion on my person or other persons. It’s certainly not a status thing with me. I could care less if I have an Armani suit on or an outfit from Target; if it looks good, it just looks good. I don't necessarily have an allegiance to certain brands either, but I do have certain expectations if I buy a KCole shirt that it will hold up in terms of quality longer than 2-3 washes or dry cleanings. I like certain places for shoes unless I need sneaks or some other form of workout shoe, but I digress.

A guy at work was telling me about Land's End today. As I said earlier, I have no allegiance to a brand or store. I am pretty confident that I can find at least one item in pretty much any clothing or shoe store and make it work with whatever particular style/look I had in mind. I don't own anything from Land's End. No reason; I just don't. Most clothes and shoes have a really weak guarantee / return policy. Check out the guarantee policy from the Land's End site that this guy told me about:
The world is full of guarantees, no two alike. As a rule, the more words they contain, the more their protection is limited. The Lands' End guarantee has always been an unconditional one. It reads: "If you’re not satisfied with any item, simply return it to us at any time for an exchange or refund of its purchase price."
We mean every word of it. Whatever. Whenever. Always. But to make sure this is perfectly clear, we've decided to simplify it further.
GUARANTEED. PERIOD.®

That is just crazy! I may have to add some Land's End to my fashion options. That guarantee is just too good to pass up.

My Top 3

I will do my best to keep up with this feature on my blog once every two weeks. We'll see how it goes. The premise is that I will provide a list (in no particular order) of My Top 3 anything. By 'anything' I could mean favorite vehicles, food item, shoes, exercises, etc. Essentially, it's the respective category of something that interests me and what I feel to be my top three favorite items at that moment. You can agree or disagree with me or provide your Top 3 or do whatever you see fit. Get it? Got it. Good.

Without further ado, the first entry for my Top 3 will be my Top 3 Reggaeton artists:

1. Daddy Yankee
2. Wisin y Yandel
3. Calle 13

Armed and Disgusting

Thoughts on the Slingbox

If you have not heard of the Slingbox, then you might want to crawl out from under the rock you are living under. From a business perspective, this is true genius. From my own affliction of pragmatism, it's a nicely designed paperweight. I mean, give me a break, am I that hooked on my cable that I essentially need a huge extension of AV to my home? Please. The funny thing is that many consumers have gone away from the wired model for their home networks and into wireless. I have both....on purpose, but not for the Slingbox.

The funny thing is that if you are a business traveler, the locales in which you would log in would most likely have a firewall that would kill your dreams of remotely viewing your cable/sat provider channels. So, is the thinking that I would hit up the nearest free WiFi spot and log in to my home cable to watch that must see episode of House? Uh.........lame. Or would I just impress my friends by logging in from their house and pat myself on the back? Again, from a business perspective, this capitalizes on the perception that people NEED to view a particular show at a particular time. DVR anyone? Sheesh. Hats off to the boys from San Mateo, CA who thought of this concept two years ago and are marketing the F out of it and moving product.

It's Friday....and it's Black?

...but many people are more in the Red at this moment than they were last night...

No one likes to get a good deal more than me. I live for paying less. Seriously though, it is truly a struggle at times for me to give my cash out for some consumer goods or services that I have not either exhaustively researched or have been given a thorough recommendation from a trusted source. The reason? I absolutely hate getting ripped off! I find there is a delicate balance of need-price-quality-want factors. I don't impulse buy. That lesson was learned many years ago. It's crazy, but even after an extensive research to lend support to an eventual purchase, I still feel sick to my stomach for a least a day and then I'm over it, but it's just some sort of innate reflex that I feel probably just grounds me and makes me not get so comfortable with spending money on a whim. As some have said, "You cannot take it with you" and I am well aware of that, but to purchase a "must have" item for a quick and temporary fix is not too smart and I just hate to think of myself as someone who gets consumed with consumerism. I find it to be pretty morally reprehensible when people are out there camping out to save 40% on a stupid electronic device or some item that will be in a garage sale in the summer months when they are one paycheck away from being evicted or are in such debt with frivolous use of their credit cards for mostly "lifestyle" purchases. How interesting that bankruptcy fillings increase each year. I know that not all bankruptcy can be attributed to morons who overspend on Black Friday, but it would be naive to think that several thousand fillings could not be attributed to that.

Bottom line: I saw no deals today worth throwing cash at...We'll see what the deals look like on "Cyber Monday" which is another stupid media label.

You gonna eat that......?

I was reminded of a somewhat interesting phenomenon that some of you may not have experienced yet in your life. We had a meeting at work today and food was brought in. Nothing too gourmet, but some edible deli sandwiches, a monster Greek salad and a dessert tray. Well, as I was filling my plate with some of the Greek salad, I thought about how as a child I seemed to avoid certain foods for silly reasons or I just legitimately did not find the taste of these foods to be worthwhile. The beets in the salad are what triggered my thoughts. I NEVER ate beets as a child; I really like them now. I suppose I can understand if one was sheltered from certain foods that may contribute to not being able to really determine if one liked or disliked a particular food, but I had a pretty assorted diet in terms of fruits and vegetables. Another food I did not like as a child was Pecans. I love them now. I'm not talking super sweet Pecan pie because I'm not a fan of that, but shelled Pecans are excellent and I was reminded of this recently when a friend of mine gave me a bag that his family from Georgia sent up from a farm they own. Man, those MFs were excellent! Lima beans would be the next food item I did not care for as a kid. I could eat a bowl of those any day.

Anyway, you get the point. Has this happened to any of you?

Who's your Lima?

In honor of my Tigers and the silly marketing campaign they used this year which was entitled, "Who's Your Tiger?", I ask the readers, Who's your Lima?

#1 Lima, Peru

#2 Adriana Lima

#3 Jose "Lima Time" Lima

They all just get along.....

I have to laugh at people who make the DISCUSSION or usually just a one-sided, ignorant rant of politics a huge deal in every conversation that they have in the belief that they think they can actually impact what happens on The Hill. It's usually just some moron who wants to sound clever, but it is just empty banter.....The politicians are laughing at us unless "us" happen to be in the circle of politics as well since they are the ones who get the social/professional/financial connections that many of us could never dream of being a part of. For anyone who thinks that politicians don't take each other to lunch on the tax payers dime and enjoy the excesses of life and then flip the script when the cameras are on are just really blind to the reality.

Come on, these people make more money "retired" than many of us will ever see in our lifetimes. And, you have these people outside of the political elite who insist on protesting certain issues thinking that getting dragged away in handcuffs is some badge of honor or some form of martyrdom...Wake up! My main reason for this post is to just point out that politicians know how to spin the public for their own personal gain...It's just the American Dream baby! Now where do I sign up?! :p

The immortalization of Halo's Master Chief

I submit to those of you who read this post that the piece to the left of stained glass art work is the freakin' coolest and I would love to have one, but not for $500. It was created by someone who is pretty obsessed with Halo. I do think Halo is one of the best games of all time...concept, graphic and sound-wise....and seems to offer interesting enhancements with each version that comes out. Agree?

There's a new Chef (or Sheff) in town

My Tigers have made a good move and signed Gary Sheffield for three pitching prospects. EXCELLENT move! The lack of power in the lineup is what contributed to the World Series slipping through our fingers...Sheff is a much needed addition. I know the guy is going to be 38 years old, but he can still contribute immediately. I know if Jim Leyland were not here, Sheff would not have signed with the Tigers. No way! It's nice to actually be discussing the Tigers in a positive light....It's been too long. I am already looking forward to next season.

Midterm Election Day

Let's hope the clowns we voted for bring us as much fun as sitting in the audience of the circus does....Such a shame how few US citizens vote....

Corporate Brainwashing

I was reminded of the reality I live in whilst reading a yahoo article discussing A Guide to the Latest Batch of Corporate Buzzwords and it is just amazing to me how these words evolve through the years. I have worked in the IT, Business and Education worlds and am never at a loss for a list of BS words and other terminology used in those fields. Seriously, it's as though you are just a Lemming and are almost looked at as being an outsider if you don't pepper your speech with some of these lame terms. Geez....it really drives me crazy! The funny thing is that these buzzwords or figures of speech tend to be initially uttered by some big wig, high-rank manager that people think if they sneeze around this person will impede their ascension in the company..Oh brother....I worked at a place where I must have heard "Here's a head's up..." and "An addendum to the last email.." about 10,000x!! I can agree with the yahoo article regarding the term "network optimization" and that just annoys me because I get calls on a weekly basis or spam at my work email about exploring the possibility of undergoing a network analysis for eventual network optimization....Sheesh! Will it ever end?!

The art of penmanship..

..is one "skill" I lack COMPLETELY. I wonder where I would be if I did not have a keyboard in my life the last 10-12 years. Sheesh...I was reminded of my cruel reality recently at work where I decided to write up something only about the total length of one page. Man, it was a mess and even a 5year old would have laughed. I felt like a complete amateur. I keep looking for words to show me a red, squiggly line underneath when I was sure that the word was misspelled...Microsoft owns my mind as far as word processing goes; we all know that OSX is the best OS out right now! You see, I seldom write on paper. Even in undergrad and grad school and the sporadic class/training I take these days is a chore when I don't bring a laptop to class and actually write using a pen or pencil. The funny thing is that I am not crazy about taking notes on my laptop. They just don't feel like they sink in as well as written notes do, but then my notes are a train wreck...Technology has spoiled me. I don't mind because my job rarely involves situations where I am actually forced to write on paper. It's primarily the use of a keyboard in the form of emails, reports or other respective memos. That works fine with me.

If I ever get a job with the absence of technology, I might starve. :p

Attack of the Clones!

Hide all babies and small dogs.....

P_I_M_P_O_L_O_G_Y 101

It was a funny instance at work that lends itself to the inspiration for this post...A coworker of mine asked me about another coworker's name plate and how someone had written "The Pimp" next to the person's name on the name plate with a dry erase marker. I knew who wrote it on there only because the person who wrote it on there is very close in age to the person who's name plate had "The Pimp" written on it and has a desk near this person as well. The coworker who asked me about this is not very close to the age of the two coworkers involved in the name plate incident. This coworker was very close to being offended by such an act almost to the point of informing upper management and was visibly shaken at the idea of anyone being called a pimp. I told the person that I also wondered who would have wrote such a derogatory thing about someone as I was yawning in my mind and wondering how lame this whole conversation was.

It's just kind of a funny example of generations not being aligned in terms of vernacular and slang that is harmless amongst people within the same generation. One could think of so many words that have changed (in terms of context) over the years and how generations disagree about the use and become offended. I understand the language of academia and business and calling someone “The Pimp” in a professional setting is probably not the best move, but a casual setting is a much different situation in terms of verbiage used amongst those “in the know.”

Where I COULD have been earlier tonight.....

, but lady luck did not whisper in my ear...

As some of you may know, the World Series began earlier tonight. I have a friend who knows somebody who knows somebody who has their hands into many prominent events in the city. Well, my friend calls me this morning to let me know that we could possibly be on the field tonight for the opening act (Bob Seger) since several dozen extras were needed to hold a giant American flag for the aerial shots and related situations during the singing of America the Beautiful. So, at first this situation is sounding like it's a sure thing and I was hyped about the prospect of being out there in front of 50K people in the stadium and millions of TV and Internet users, but then my friend gets a callback that makes it sound as though it's now more of a 50/50 shot because there seemed to be enough people confirmed and we may have not been needed. Anyway, when I heard that it was not a sure thing and I would have rearranged some things I planned to do for today just to go in the first place, I did not want to set myself up for the letdown if the whole thing fell through and we went down there and wasted our time, therefore, I told my friend he should go w/o me if he wanted to test his luck...Well, my friend was on the field and I was watching the game at home....Better luck next time, hopefully.

Just because....

This mechanical tiger in Brugge, Belgium is the wackiest thing that you have seen in your life today...Tell me otherwise and I shall call you a liar! :p

The land of Hugo Chavez produces great beisbol players...

Who said Maggs was overpaid?!

The Venezulano was clutch!

The brooms were out in full force over the weekend..

Well, well, well...The unthinkable has occurred in the world of US sport. My Detroit Tigers swept the mighty not really Oakland Athletics and are on their way to the World Series. Anyone inluding myself who thought this would be the destiny for this team in 2006 is crazy or on some interesting chemical influences. The best I was hoping for was just above 500 for the year. Man, was I wrong, but man, am I super-happy about the team this year. I was nervous when they choked out the end of the season to the Royals and did not secure the Central Division title, but I'll trade that in for a World Series victory appearance any day.

Contrary to popular just El Oso belief, I have been down with the Tigers since the days of Magnum P.I. in the 1980s when I was a wee lad playing T-ball and then to Little League...

The NLCS is tied right now and I am pulling for the Mets to win ONLY because I would love for the Tigers to KO another squad from the NY. That would be excellent.

Dave, it looks as though you should be pulling for the Mets also since they have the most Ricans on their team amongst the active teams at this time. Even though he's not a Boricua, I love to watch Julio Franco play. Man, that guy is a friggin dinosaur at 48years old. Amazing! Of course, if they do play the Tigers, I expect our pitching to remind him that he should have retired long ago. :p

World Series bound after today?

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm. We have the brooms out and we are ready to destroy the city & make national headlines party it up like it's 1984.....The door is closing fast on those A's.

I respect the A's and like many of their players, but the Tigers look like they belong on that grand stage that is the World Series.

And the winner is....?

Ms. Minogue....

After


Before

In the Zone...

..as in have you ever had one of those days where things just go your way and you have no real explanation for it, but you accept...you embrace it. For those who play or are fans of sport, you understand me when I say that you can actually be "IN THE ZONE" for a period of time in which the opposition can do absolutely NOTHING to stop you. Of course this does not limit itself to the world of sport...let's say you nail a presentation or a major deliverable for a project at work or school. Or you cook something that is just absolutely money and your peoples are impressed by the feat. Or in a budding relationship when you are at that crossroad in which you decide is it time to change directions or move on in a common direction. Get my point? Those days occur to some more than others, but relish those days when they fall in your lap.

Who JUST advanced to the ALCS?

The Detroit Tigers.

Let me say that again....THE D-E-T-R-O-I-T TIGERS!

Who did my squad beat? The Yankees.

Let me say that again.. The freakin' highest payroll in MLB NewYork Yankees.

Many of you can NEVER understand what it is like to have one of your beloved sports teams have a losing season for the past 19yrs and then advance in the playoffs. It is freakin' crazy in the D right now!!!

Man, this is amazing and when you have been no where but bottom feeding in a league for so long, you can do nothing but improve...My boys are hungry and I have a good feeling about the next round.

Restore the ROAR baby!!!

Disgusting product of the day

Is it really such a surprise that so many Americans are unhealthy, obese and pretty much cesspools internally?

I hate certain technologies....

..and the one I would like to mention would be the somewhat recent (last 2yrs) inclusion of hearing music or a comedian or a line from a movie rather than the generic "ring-ring" when you dial someone's cell number...MAN, I HATE THAT!!!!!!!!!!!! I called someone today and had to sit through Steve Harvey trying to be funny...To think, these idiots actually PAY for that option because they are so clever and progressive...Actually, the cell companies thank these idiots for falling prey to the idea of THINKING they need such a moronic "enhancement" for the entire call experience because no one in their right mind should buy a cell phone w/o fully customizing (NOT FREE) it with custom ring tones, ring music as someone waits, wallpapers, etc. because that is SO PERSONAL and you/they would be SO UNIQUE and not unlike anyone else except the thousands of other people who keep making T-Mobile, Cingular, Sprint, etc. rich off of complete BS ad-ons.Serioulsy, if anyone reading this has that stupid music or anything outside of a normal ring, you should find the nearest mirror and slowly mouth the following words in affirmation: "I am a loser. I have misused my disposable income on something that will not help people like me in any way."

Of course, from a business perspective, this makes perfect sense. Give the people what they THINK they need and make money off their stupidity. More power to big business if they create something that generates rev, but consumers should be smarter to cause further improvements in call quality and equipment.....Cell service is such a commodity these days that telecoms need to reinvent themselves since the consumer has several options now, but sheesh, people really believe that they NEED such things to be happy?

Resemblance...?

The pic was taken during shooting of El Cantante. I wonder if Ren was sent a royalty cheque or if there is some sort of hidden track on Marc's next disc. :p

Nude/Naked/Nekked

What's the big deal, you may be asking yourself. I was having a conversation with someone (an XX in genetic terms) recently and this person was describing a dinner engagement at a restaurant that I have been to before, but the person never had. Anyway, there is some wall decor that displays a nude in the female form (MUCH more detailed than the Picasso image I used for this post). This person lowered her voice when describing this to me like this, "...and on the wall above the bar was a naked women.." Her voice deliberately lowered when she said 'naked' and I replied with, "Uh...ok." She said, "Can you believe that?" And I said, "What's the big deal?" It's not like she was in a seedy adult bookstore or some nonsense like that. CONTEXT-CONTEXT-CONTEXT. I don't think her reaction would have been the same had she been walking through the halls of the DIA where there resides numerous nude paintings and sculptures. I'm not sure about what anyone else thinks, but I happen to appreciate the human body and find no problem with a nude painting or statue in a restaurant, city street or obviously an art museum. It's a celebration of the human form. We're not talking Cheetahs TaTa Bar or something like that. I know this is a facet of American culture where there is an aversion to the celebration of the body. I’m not saying I’m for nudist colonies and porn ads on TV, but I am saying that something like a nude body is to be appreciated and seen as homage to such a beautiful creation. I love the way in which the human form is celebrated in Puerto Rico, throughout the Carribean and in many parts of Europe. There is a much more comfortable acceptance.
There certainly is a difference between art and porn and my argument is that art taken out of context (from a museum to a restaurant or a statute on a city street) scares some people because there is just an overall uncomfortable-ness about talking about naked bodies outside of an object of sexual fulfillment and desire. I recommend everyone take a Human Sexuality class and then an Art History class and learn to appreciate the human form and stop being so prudish...

You know what an Earworm is even if you don't......

*For the uninitiated, here is the definition for you. Now you feel my pain because anyone who likes music tends to occasionally get an earworm...*

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!! It will not flee from my mind...Currently, ok, the WHOLE day has been nothing but...
"We show stoppin
We show show stoppin
We show stoppin
We show show stoppin
That's how we keep it poppin (hey!)
Make sure the bass knockin (hey!)"

That ridiculous Danity Kane keeps resonating in my brain....Someone please make it stop!!

Don't get it twisted...It certainly is not a guilty pleasure to listen to them. I will keep my guilty pleasure music to myself, but it seems as though the infrequent times in which I actually listen to the FM, that stupid Show Stopper song is on....Diddy, how could you do this to me?!!!

Sloppy 22nds anyone?

Ok, this happens everywhere, but it still troubles me to witness it. A department at work had an early morning celebration of sorts. No big deal. On occasion, things can be festive. That's fine. Nothing like a horrid work environment where everyone just grunts and every second of the day that passes is the longest of your life. Good thing I don't work in a situation like that....Anyway, this particular department had a pretty legit cake. It was large enough for like 30 people. It was a double layer, chocolate mousse cake. Well, as I said before, the celebration was in the morning and after the department did their thing, they left the uneaten portion in the general break room for the frenzy to begin. It usually does not take long for any leftover food to get eaten/taken. Well, this cake sat, sat and sat...Every few hours, I would walk into the break room to see more of the cake gone. To make a long story short, the last piece was devoured just before I left for the day. NINE HOURS this cake was sitting out and what is so great is that in bold letters on the side of the cake box was two bold words that read PLEASE REFRIGERATE. I am not ashamed to accept free goods, but when it comes to unrefrigerated food that has been passed around in another department, I’ll take a pass....I expect a spike in toilet paper consumption in the next several hours.... :p

See what I'm talkin' about......?

Eye see the point....
He's just a Brazilian with a vision...

How....

...does she cover her mouth/nose when she sneezes, shower, take an eyelash out of her eye, scratch her hamstring, roll two yin/yang exercise balls in her hand, give someone the thumbs up, brush her teeth, tie her shoes, get her mail, change a light bulb, eat a piece of pizza.....and thousands of other things the rest of us do.......?