And what does this say about Bush & the US?

Men hate those to whom they have to lie. -Victor Hugo, poet, novelist, and
dramatist (1802-1885)

The Man From SPAM!

            Besides sounding like a silly sitcom “The Man From SPAM” is a crazy idea for a novel by me or someone.  [Not sure how to make “SPAM” work for this, but someone will.]  –  We all know and love spam.  Besides carrying all sorts of thingies [Tech Speak] to screw up your computer, spam is also used by various unsavory types as well.  –  They my idea is that SPAM is a very, very secret unit under TLA or belike a stand alone unit.  All the players are paid by the government in untraceable funds.  This, I assume, is old hat.  Their job it to trace down and convince spammers that they need a new profession.  They only say this once.  Of course, this is after taking all the CDs, DVDs, hard drives, etc. they find lying around the place.  The idea here is that this is an educational outfit.  They attempt to educate the spammers, because, if they stay uneducated, it becomes such a “waste” when they return a second and last time.  Hey, we gotta have fireworks and a reasonable body count.  –  If I were to write it, I have a couple friends in mind who have spent time in the military and with TLAs.  They would keep me straight on details and be role models for some of the characters.  I, of course, would be the Administrator.  Hmm, my name could be “A” to rip off another book series.  Geeks in the “building” and tech savvy field workers draw from various very combat units.  –  The field units would have interesting, dangerous and fun to read adventures all over the world.  Unfortunately, some would have to go to Nigeria, but I digress.  –  As I doubt if I’ll write this, anyone reading this is welcome to give it a go as a novel.  You can always have me as the “A” for the unit.  –  If one of the TLAs is interested, I should be able to get any level of clearance needed to run said unit.  And I do have some friends who held really high clearances as well.  –  Another thought, this could make a kick-ass film if done well.

And I Am Ashamed

Every decent man is ashamed of the government he lives under. -H.L.
Mencken, writer, editor, and critic (1880-1956)

The Bogusity of “Pre-Med.”

            I was just chatting with a 1^st year med student.  She reminded me of the bogusity of “Pre-Med.”  –  If you want to go to med school, you have to take “pre-med” right?  WRONG!

There is no such thing as “pre-med.”  –  If one takes the effort to check out a medical school catalog, they will find that in order to enter said med school, they will have to take, in addition to that 3.75 GPA & a high score on their MCATs, 1 year of English Composition, 2 years of Chemistry [General Chem & Organic], one year of Physics, 1 year of Biology and Math thru 1^st semester of Calculus.  That is it.  They can get their baccalaureate in any department in the undergraduate catalog.  I highly recommend “Underwater Basket Weaving” or “Lunar Technology” myself.  –  In order not to get screwed over by colleges the student needs to take some responsibility on themselves and read the bloody catalogs.  Find out exactly what is required.  Don’t rely on someone else.  This means taking my suggestions and checking them out to see if I have it correct.

The End of Summer

            On Saturday, 6 October 2007  the end of summer arrived with a crash and a bang!  Today was another midsummer day with lots of sun and a high temp of about 83F/28C.   After driving a friend around I returned to my hobbit hole, my computer is in the basement, and watched Tristam Shandy.  A strange, but most enjoyable film.  As I was about to begin some other work, I heard the end of summer.  A thunderstorm announced its presence.  It knocked down the temp as well.  The forecast for tomorrow was cooler, and the cool down would continue for several says until the temps were at or below normal, which is the low 60’sf/15-16c.  It is likely that Albany will not see the 80’s again until next April or May.  Oh well, I did get a taste of reasonable summer.  On my trip it was generally in the 90’s & 100’sF/35 to 45C and often humid to boot.  The bloody lightening also knocked out my internet connection.  I wonder just how long it will be out. 

Coda!

            Wednesday to Saturday, 26 – 29 September.  Coda!  –  The hassles and delays on the trip finally got to me.  I decided to call it “a trip” and head on home.  My bed and shower were calling to me.  –  After speaking with my cuz in San Diego on Tuesday I decided to forego the trip down there.  She was quite busy.  –  I got to bed early and headed out at a fairly early hour.  –  I listened to most of the unabridged version of TLOTR on CDs as I headed east.  While it was a drive on the Interstate, I did enjoy the passing scenery and the passing story.  It was long drives and good night sleeps.  I normally don’t sleep all that well.  However, I did need some good hours sleeping if I were to be able to drive for as long each day.  Thank you Ambien for some good sleep.  About 2030 on Saturday I pulled into my parking spot in front of my unit.  As Sam said, “Well, I’m back!”  –  My neighbor heard my car pull up or at least Java, her chocolate lab, did.  Uncle Wombat was home and she wanted to come and visit.  My neighbor brought over a couple days mail and I was able to pull Java’s ears once more.  She is a sweetie.  –  Got the hot water cooking, the fridge freezing and then went out to get some groceries for the next morning.  –  Life was back to normal, I guess.  It had been one hell of a trip.  Now to begin sorting my mail and pay some unpaid bills.  –  Until the next trip!

Tasty Mongols’ Horde eat!

            Monday, 24 September.  Goofed off for most of the day.  That evening Kim and I headed off for a meeting of The Tasty Mongols’ Horde over at Caesar’s Mongolian Barbeque.  The Horde is composed of friends mainly, but not exclusively, from the universe of SF.  –  Whenever I get to LA for non-SF con reasons I try and get together with a number of friends over dinner.  Several years ago while staying at a friend’s place in Cerritos, she suggested the restaurant as a spot as convenient as one might get in LA.  Harry Turtledove made the comment that Mongols were exceedingly tasty up to the age of 12 months.  More insanity was born.  The number of attendees varies.  The most was either 12 or 13.  –  This time there were 7:  Kate, Bob, & Miriam Wadey, Harry & Laura Turtledove, plus Kim & myself.  We got together about 7 and closed the place about 9:30.  It was a marvelous evening of good food & great conversation.  I must get out to LA more often.  Hmm, I’ll be there for this year’s LOSCON.  Maybe we can do an early dinner on Sunday evening.  I’ll be hanging around for a while.  I’m taking the Red Eye back that evening.  –  The “meetings” are an open affair.  If any reader of this from the LA area wishes indulge themselves in “tasty Mongols” please let me know, and I’ll add you to the mailing list.

Hobbits and Elves and Wizards, oh my!

              Saturday, 22 September.  Up early today.  Sleep?  I don’t need no stinkin’ sleep!  Today is Frodo’s & Bilbo’s Birthday.  Today I celebrate by watching the entire extended version of TLOTR.  The Tuckborough Cinema began showing the 1^st portion of the film at 0900.  I really like the film, especially the extended version as it includes several things left out of the theatrical version, which is still a good film.  Yes, the film is different from the book.  However, I think PJ did a few things better than Tolkien. Heretical, yes, but also true.  –  Watching the film was enhanced by my friend, Kim,  & his fiancée, Susan, watching with me from time to time.  They had never seen the extended version of the film previously.  Kim was very happy to see several scenes which had been left out of the theatrical version.  –  As is the rule for watching the entire film on one day, junk food & pizza were “back on the menu, boys!”  –  We finished up about 2100.  Yes, sad as usual, and happy as well.  –  I still have a hope of either seeing the entire extended version in a real cinema or on someone 60 inch HD TV.  –  Earlier in my stay I had shown them RINGERS in which I get mentioned in the credits for the material from the 60’s I gave the film makers.  –  In the doco the oft the comment that the ACE edition had been pirated or illegal is mentioned.  Apparently in 1993, only 28 years later, was this position upheld.  In 1968 I spoke with the person who was responsible for the Tolkien books at Houghton-Mifflin.  When asked about the ACE edition she said, “We blew it!”  At least at that time, even Houghton-Mifflin believed the ACE edition was legal.  In any case the expression “all publicity is good, even the bad” comes to mind.

To Santa Monica!

            Sunday, 23 September.  Up early, for me, and off to do the last bit of 66.  My friend lives in Mira Loma adjacent to I-15, which I took up to Foothill Blvd.  –  The interesting thing about 66 from here to the end, both of them, was that it was at least 2 lanes in each direction, if not 3.  The several 2-lanes segments were limited to downtown LA and the earlier routes, sometimes, which were then replaced.  –  The drive along Foothills was interesting for it resemblance to a miles long strip mall.  The speed limit slowly dropped from 55 mph to 45 mph.  There were several businesses which noted Rt. 66 in their signs.  –  The first interesting diversion was circling back to take Foothill Blvd in Glendora.  The main route runs along Alosta, which is also named Route 66.  The drive is thru a residential area.  One cuts back to the newer route on Amelia which is quite pretty.  It is my guess, that as soon as residents along 66 could do it, they got the route moved to a commercial route set aside for it.  –  A similar circular routing took me thru Monrovia with similar changes in the route.  [Aside: I recently did a review of a biography Upton Sinclair.  He spent his later years in Monrovia with his 3^rd wife.  If interested, the book is excellent: Radical Innocent by Anthony Arthur.]   Moving the original route out of residential areas to a more commercial zone.  At least that is how it appears today.  –  By now, even tho it was a Sunday or because of it, traffic was beginning to get heavy.  In Pasadena I made the choice to drive the old, 1926-1931 alignment: Fair Oaks, Huntington, Mission, Broadway.  I  found it interesting that this route goes thru the heart of Chinatown.  Eventually, I arrived at 7^th & Broadway, the 1926-1932 end of Route 66.  I, of course, got a few photos.  –  From here I backtracked to Cesaer Chavez Ave.  I took this west until it became Sunset Blvd.  I navigated the tricksy handoff to Santa Monica Blvd. and took the road to it Official End at Lincoln & Olympic Blvd.  Got some photos here.  –  I then headed over to Santa Monica & Ocean Ave to the Unofficial End and took some photos of the plaque there commemorating the end of the Will Rogers Highway/Route 66.  –  If not all of 66, I did a goodly portion and, I hope, they may well be another day for me to do the eastern portion of CA.  –  As long as I was as far as Santa Monica I headed north to Simi Valley to join a friend, Mary Satlin, for dinner.  We had a delight couple of hours of catching up.  Not wasting my location I met up with another friend living in the area, Laura Freas, for a cuppa before I headed back to Mira Loma.  This is LA I only drove about 200 miles in my trek around the area.  –  The trip has been grand.  It has also been a little bit bizarre even for me.  I’m so glad I did it.  Thank You! To all of you who have dropped by the blog for coming with.  I may not be adding to this category for a while, but there are a few others you might like to visit.  I’ll be glad to have you drop by.

So I’m a pessimist.

I’m including this under SF as the thought of the Cubs winning a World Series is classic fantasy.  –  Okay, I haven’t looked at the score from last night’s game.  My prediction, and I hope, I’m worng, is the Cubs will lose the first two games, win the 3rd and lose the 4th and the playoff series.  –  Now to go and look [a slight cringe here].  –  Oh yes, I’ve been a suffering Cubs fan forever.  I did, in fact, attend one of the World Series games in 1945!  –  Sigh!  I was correct.  They did lose.