Thanksgiving well wishes to everyone

All day long we have watched the fog bank ebb and flow, never quite engulfing our house on the ridge. Now that the sun is setting the fog will be victorious and take the ridge for the night. The banquet of food has been decimated by fourteen hungry people and we are looking at slides from the 80's and some are groggily lounging on the couches. Soon, I'll be heading to Roseville for the second round and to help Scott and Donica move into their newly purchased home. So as I sneak away for a few minutes here and contemplate how much I have been blessed in my life, I also have to pay close attention to what is happening out there in the rest of the world. Two of the places I will be spending almost 5 months over the next two years are in turmoil.

Anti government protestors hoping for the ouster of the current Prime Minister in Thailand.

India's Muslims in Crisis: The Attacks in Mumbai

Even if the world is hemorrhaging towards an apocalypse, I still have VERY much to be thankful for and God continues to give me peace.

Americans Fail a Basic Test of Their History and Institutions presents the findings of a large scale study on civic literacy. The results are atrocious, but not surprising from a society that is entertaining itself to death. "Widespread ignorance of our nation’s history and institutions is a worrisome sign for our nation’s future. As we shall see, today’s Americans share the conviction of the Founding Fathers that civic education is important—and they are right in this conviction. Respondents who score in the top third in civic literacy, the survey shows, are more likely than those who score poorly on the test to participate in the civic life of their communities and country." The gap between the results of our elected officials and the general public is hard for me to believe. It is scary actually. A brief quiz variation of the study questions is here to see if you can do any better. I really hope so, because the bar is set very low. I was somewhat disappointed that I got 81.82% but it gave me an opportunity to brush up and get the correct answers to the ones I missed. And that lets me learn for the next time. After reading "The Dumbest Generation" and seeing items like this, I can only think that reading is the greatest skill we can pass on to others. Instilling a love of reading opens the doors to lifelong learning, promotes and expands the vocabulary, gives you insights into history and culture that even in today's 'small/flat world' most people will have no other opportunity to experience. Plus it is just so much fun. Really it is (I can not imagine a life without books).

Today I spoke with my boss and we set a final work day for me. I will continue working until the end of February, take a couple weeks off and then head out to Guam to start my world trek. That gives me time to make sure my dad's estate is in proper order, probate is closed, and my mom is taken care of before I leave. Hopefully, if things go well, Gabe will join me in New Zealand, I'm guessing in June now, but that has gotten more nebulous since he is twitterpated and his back issues have yet to be adequately addressed. Right now I'm planning like I'm going on my own and we will see how the rest of it works out. The airlines will only sell tickets out to 12 months from the current date, so I'm only able to get the first third of the trip covered right now. I guess that would give me an out in the case Gabe does not come at all and at least as far as China before I would have to make a definite decision.

Will you use your power for good or for awesome?

Two more articles on the auto industry bail out: An Op-Ed piece and a news piece on the current stalled situation.

Interestingly, despite the drastic problems rippling through the economy, the investment choices my dad had made prior to his death are paying off. We have lost nothing and actually made a decent return over the past 6 months all things considered. That is something I can thank God for.

On a more humorous note, Jacksonville, Florida's presidential write-in votes were released. A very broad and interesting range of vote getters. Cartoon characters, deities, actors, financial gurus, college football quarterbacks, etc. Even four misguided people who were apparently confused by the ballot itself and wrote in for Obama (this did occur in Florida). I'm sure most communities would be similarly funny if their write-ins were released to the public.

George Will commenting on the US auto maker bailout request. I actually favor letting them wither or at least consolidate, rather than throwing money at them.

And an interesting piece of background on Bretton Woods, in regard to the upcoming Bretton Woods II meetings scheduled for next month. Quite long, but important enough to be worth reading.

Why Obama and McCain Need Each Other is a brief article that to me marks a very good sign. The less partisan polarization the better and if these two can work together reasonably, I do believe it will set a good example for the rest of our elected officials.

I guess I'm missing out on the creation of 'Generation O', or as the headline says "Change you can conceive in". Not that it wasn't mentioned to me. I got a text the night of the election that put it rather bluntly: "Obama won, F@#$ a black chick to celebrate." It was offensive that this friend of mine would think that was acceptable or funny to me. It appears that Obama is the new Chuck Norris. Some of his feats I have been alerted to recently:
1)Obama can divide by zero
2)The science community is releasing an updated periodic table of elements. It will consist of only two elements: Baraktanium and Obamanesium.
3)Obama can believe its not butter.
4)Obama can build a snowman out of water.
4)There is no "Ctrl" button on Barack Obama's keyboard. Barack Obama is always in control.

This swoon is going to have unpleasant side-effects the moment he doesn't lead us all to Candy Mountain. But til then we can hope.

I'm sure most of you in the Angwin area are aware, but this story has actually gotten nationwide press. I do not know all the details, but from reading multiple articles and speaking with my aunt and uncle who teach at the school, I feel I have a pretty good idea and it is sad all around. ne thing that I have not heard mentioned much is that as bad as it is for the families of the four and the other drivers, it is also a scarring event for the emergency responders. I had a good friend in college who had worked as an EMT and never fully dealt with the trauma of responding to some accidents involving children. It ultimately resulted in his suicide.

Congratulations to Tim Lincecum! The second San Francisco Giants pitcher in history to take home a Cy Young. I knew he had a chance to win this based on the amazing year he had, but thought that because of the final standings, and the Giants overall subpar year, he would be penalized. There were some rather strong competitors for the prize, so the actual vote totals are impressive and confirm what a special year he did have. The more 'official' MLB article on this is here, but the humorously titled "San Francisco hobo accepts Cy Young award for Tim Lincecum" was worth linking to as well. I hope he has many more good years of pitching and that they are for the Giants.

Someone sent me a link to a game (which I could not get to work - maybe that is for the best while I'm at work, hmmmm), but the site had another game which did work and I liked. The tantalizingly named HDOS Databank Request is extremely simple in premise (horizontally switching positions between two adjacent cells to create consecutive strings of 3 or more similar blocks), but quite challenging due to the very limited number of switches you are permitted. I have only ventured through the first 17 levels (about halfway) and will continue through the rest as time permits.

Another game that was sent to me that I think some of you (Lisa) would like is essentially an anti Tetris, called 99-Bricks. Take 99 randomly ordered Tetris blocks and create the tallest tower you can. The trick comes from a slightly jelly-like, sponginess to the blocks that introduces all kinds of vibration and sway to your tower. Fun and addicting.

It is articles like this about a leading candidate for Attorney General in the new Obama presidential power structure that confirm my hesitancy to believe real change will ever come through a political environment where corruption and obfuscation seem to rule the day. It is not about parties, it is about rampant, unchecked, wholesale failures of the system in which the more things "change" the more they remain the same. It is endemic of politics and power. And it makes me sad for the future. Nice way to end this post, right? So, go play some 99-Bricks or HDOS...

I just finished reading this article and the chills (good ones BTW) are still running up and down my spine. You have to read the whole thing, but it is worth it.

Definitely helped equalize the facepalm stories I saw today of people who are stopping their mortgage payments, because Obama will take care of 'all that'.

I hope everyone has a great weekend. I'll be taking in a couple Adventist Forum lectures on "Theology and Theatre". Then working on Sunday.

Just a few quick links:

In quotes: US election reactions from around the world

The full text of McCain's concession speech.

The full text of Obama's victory speech.

Well the election results did not take long to confirm a change in direction and a historical presidential win for Barack Obama. I'm indifferent on the outcome, I was not particularly thrilled with either major party candidate and voted third party myself. I do not believe doing so is a wasted vote. It allows me to voice my dissatisfaction with the two party system. I thought Obama made a very good speech shortly after accepting McCain's concession. Earlier a couple commentators were talking about how different the role of president is from that of 100 years ago. There was no mass media, no constant focus on the president, no daily soundbites. He was a figurehead and administrator, but did not warrant the praise/scorn we heap on our leaders today. We do give the presidents now far too much credit for how the country is doing good or bad, for influencing the economy, etc. They are primarily puppets for the entities that really pull the strings. While I would like to believe, I'm pretty cynical about how much 'change' Obama can really bring, even with large Democrat majorities in the House and Senate, and really we shouldn't expect him to save us. He is Obama the man, not the Obamessiah. I was glad to hear that the voter turnout was so high because I do believe that an active, ongoing participation in the process, by as many people as possible, is the only way that some of the change that would benefit all of us will get accomplished. And there is a whole lot of work to be done before the ship is righted from its current conditions. I'll hope for the best and expect the worst because 'government is here to help' is rarely a good thing to hear in my experience.

Here is to change that is real and valuable, not just from the frying pan into the fire for change sake!!

I started this list of book blurbs back in June and instead of holding on to it any longer, I'll post these and do another with the more recent reviews.

Everything Is Illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer, is a debut work that has received enormous praise, been adapted to the silver screen, and I felt it actually lives up to its hype. The story follows two arcs: "hero" Jonathan writing a history of the Trachimbrod shtetl where his Jewish ancestors had their roots and Alex his Russian translator detailing the experience of the trip in his vivid broken English.

The Final Solution by Michael Chabon, is Mr. Chabon's tribute to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. His unnamed old detective could very well be a retired Sherlock himself, minus Watson. A possibly mute young German boy in possession of a numerical code spouting parrot provide the intrigue and the detective sets about solving the case of who stole the bird and killed a man in the process, much to the dismay of the eager, but bumbling local police force. An entertaining, if rather easy read.

Everyone Is Entitled To My Opinion by David Brinkley,is a collection of approx. 180 "Best of" commentaries used to close his long running "This Week With.." TV show. They serve as a reminder of the foibles of our elected officials and how common sense is fighting a losing battle with the world. Many of the issues he touches on are still unsolved today, while others serve more as a reminder of what was happening in the early 80's politically. Light reading that makes its points quickly and concisely.

Bodies In Motion And At Rest by Thomas Lynch, is apparently the second collection of essays on various aspects of mortality by Lynch, whose other career besides writing was in undertaking. The timing of my reading the bulk of this book prior to my dad dying probably made it that much more impactful to me.

Absurdistan by Gary Shteyngart has been one of the funnest/funniest reads I have had in a long time. The basic premise is that Misha AKA "Snack Daddy", our Russian Jewish hero, is the son of the recently assassinated 1287th richest man in Russia and cannot get back to the US (where he was educated and desperately wishes to return) because of his late father's "business connections". He also happens to be a a grossly overweight, partial to vintage Puma tracksuits, part of a rap duo with his ex-patriot American friend Alyosha-Bob, and a connoisseurs of all things edible (and many things inedible) that can pass through his lips. Nearly everything in Misha's world can be described in the language of food and he does so is a fantastically absurd way. I love the way that happens.

Coming soon:
The Amazing Adventures Of Kavalier And Clay by Michael Chabon
Ep;phany - Winter 2007/Spring 2008 collection
Fish Stories: Collection IV
The Revolution: A Manifesto by Ron Paul

I've been listening to D-Tek's Broken Disk album (sucker for Speak&Spell, DarkCity, sci fi samples in seriously groovy music) and Lifestyle's Build Your Own album (standout tracks are The Purist and Make My Day, on the whole nearly as good as Dejavoo's FutureShock album)while cleaning house today. I still love the psy sound even after close to 15 years. Sure it has evolved and gone through its iterations, but it still is the only music that consistently MAKES me move and resonates with my soul. And there is so much good stuff still coming out all the time.

Last night I was with George and Kendra at the Craneway Pavilion for Skills Fright party featuring JunkieXL, Paul Van Dyk, and Christopher Lawrence. It was the first time I've seen Junkie and he was good, not really electro but heavily influenced by it. PVD is PVD. Not much more you have to say about it. He did play an extended "For An Angel", a new version of Born Slippy by Underworld and a female vocalized cover of a Midnight Oil track that was cool and I doubt hardly anyone at this point even knows who Midnight Oil was. Excellent. I saw PVD the first time in 1996 in Switzerland and each time I've seen him it supports his reputation as a world class dj. BUT Christopher Lawrence stole the show last night. I saw Christopher first almost 11 years ago at one of the final Harmony events, a truly memorable event for me. He had a full set of dreads back then, now he is more clean cut. But the music was beautiful and driving, in a way that was missing from PVD's set. A few pictures of the festivities:




Here are pictures of the pumpkins I carved for the competition at work. Being a cheap SOB, I did these from a 1 inch square website image without stencils, since I was not going to pay for them. They turned out better than I expected and definitely looked better in the dark.



I mentioned last month that I picked up a couple vases from my friend Nikki at their open studios and that I would put up a picture, so here it finally is:

The central figurines are from my trip to South Africa and the koalas/bears are a few I made as an 11 year old.