Another Bath Time Photo

The kid loves his baths.

Irrational Dislike of Handicap Door Abuse

Nearly everyone hates the abuse of handicap parking spaces, right? People shoot eye daggers at the healthy, slippery bastard that illegally parks in a handicap spot.

Well, it seems as if people blithely and indifferently abuse another device designed to facilitate the differently-abled: the automatic handicap door.

My wife and I were talking in the entryway to her building today. Wishing to be out of traffic flow, we stood near the side of the portico, next to and - for certain tennants of the building - uncomfortably close to the Handicap Button (see photo).

If your'e not familiar with these accessible features, if you're handicapped differently-abled, you press this button and both the outer door and the inner door open for you.

So as I was standing there trying to have a conversation with my lovely bride, but I was being constantly distracted by a stream of fully capable people pressing the button to walk in. Clearly I am in the minority opinion on this because almost every single person entering the building was aiming to hit the button. I mean, seriously, how hard is it to open two doors? People would take 5 or 6 extra steps to cross the portico to push the button! Really! They could have been inside by the time they hit it.

This button has seen so much wear that the painted handicap logo - you know, the stick figure in the WHEEL CHAIR- had worn off. In the photo, you can barely see the indent where the logo formerly was, however it is clearly FOR THE HANDICAPPED, er, differently-abled.

It became comical, because, as I mentioned I was standing close to the button. I would watch people momentarily agonize whether they should broach my personal space or - GASP - open the door with their own strength! I watched the mini-mind-machinations work over and over as people sought ingress. I enjoyed watching them squirm.

Sure, some people had their hands full and it was just easier to push the button, but those people were few. As I stood there, I could feel a rant coming on with each and every person who pressed the button, but what really put me over the edge was this: a woman with a rolly bag who pressed the button! Oh the agony.

The Navy Does Good Work.

Two pieces of media have me thinking very highly of the US Navy recently. Generally speaking, I am not a pro-military person. It's not that I am anti-military, but I typically thought of the military as necessary, but expensive and often clumsy. My thinking is slowly changing as a result of these two pieces of media.

If you haven't seen the mini-series Carrier on PBS, it is excellent. Having heard the stories from my dad, who served on a carrier, I always wondered what folks on an aircraft carrier did on a day-in day-out basis. This series, about a six month deployment aboard the USS Nimitz, isn't some propaganda to make you feel good about your tax bill. They show the ugly side of the carrier business as well as the great visuals of fighter jets launching and landing. Overall, what I took away from the series was a complex and nuanced view of those who serve in the Navy. It gave me a deeper appreciation for the whole staff - from the teenagers who sign up unaware of what they were in for, to the pilots, to the military brass. I could write a long entry on this series alone, but it is worth the watch.

USS Essex. Photo copyright Wall Street Journal.

The other item is a Journal article about the USS Essex. It is anchored off the coast of Myanmar, just waiting for the ruling junta to allow them ashore to help the survivors. I like the fact that they are unhappy just waiting. The article makes it appear they are chomping at the bit to go ashore and help the typhoon victims.

In a period when the United States is facing severe criticism in international arenas, it is great to hear stories that give the US reason to hold its collective head high. We're one of the first to the scene to help in an international disaster and our guys are anxious to help. I appreciate it.

Those two stories combined are reason to be proud of the Navy. I am sure there are similar stories from the other service braches, but the Navy has been getting some good ink.

WSJ Likes the Open Water

The Wall Street Journal has another article on open water swimming.

Available here

I like it when my favorite newspaper writes about an under-followed sport. Especially when the sport is one of my favorites.

It's Getting Hot!

We're experiencing a bit of a heat wave out here. Georgie likes to strip down in the heat.

Pet Peeves. Starting the List.

I don't want to dwell on the negative, frankly. But ranting about the Rolly bags was fun so I will continue.

On the train yesterday, I noticed I was constantly switching my eyes back and forth among three of my pet peeves. The first was, naturally, some Rolly bag and its owner. (He was an average dude. What was HE doing with a Rolly bag?)

But the other two will kick of my list of Peeves.

• Grown men riding scooters. I wonder if they feel their testosterone level dropping as they ride them? You're an adult with testicles! Find worthy transportation!
  
• Short Sleeve button down work shirts. Short sleeves are fine on bowling shirts and Polos, but Oxfords? Come on. LL Bean and Lands End (which has 18 -EIGHTEEN! - models of short sleeve oxford shirts) should be ashamed of themselves. If you have one, go home and burn it. Now. And don't admit to anyone that you ever owned one.

Gratuitous Baby Photo

Bath Time last night was fun. Georgie is really starting to like the water...

Getting Pinched

My grandfather used to have an expression: getting pinched. It meant that the cops busted you. My family has a long history of getting pinched for speeding, and yours truly is keeping the family tradition alive, Hank Williams Jr. style.

On my way to the train station on Friday morning, Officer Hardass was standing in the middle of the 2 lane road, pointing me to the curb.

I pulled over, and he told me I was doing "over 40 in a 25 zone," but when he showed me the radar gun in his hand, it showed 36. He asked to see my driver's license, insurance and registration. While the latter two are all paid up, all I had on me were expired versions.

When The Fuzz came back, he told me he was going to do me a favor. Instead of a speeding ticket, he was going to issue me two tickets, but the favor was that there would be no points on my license. The first ticket was a "Fix-It" ticket, where I have to show updated paperwork.

The second ticket? Failure to obey a sign, ostensibly the 25 MPH sign. Something is fishy. Why did he tell me I was doing over 40, but only clock me at 36? Why not issue me a ticket for 36?

Is it because Oakland has much bigger problems than someone doing 36 in a 25, and that if I chose to go to court, the cop's appearance would be compromised for such a petty violation?

I don't feel like protesting and investigating, and more pertinently, I was speeding. Was I doing 40? No. 36? More likely, but it was early, and I wasn't focused on it. No points, who cares. I am just going to pay the fine and be done with it.

I am suspicious of Oakland cops, but at least they were doing something.

Irrational Dislike for Rolling Bags

For a while, I've harbored a secret dislike, bordering on hatred, for rolly bags. Not the suitcases, those are fine. But the backpacks and briefcases that are for daily use. Well, yesterday on the train, I was surrounded by them, and I felt myself passing judgment on the rolly owners.

Have a look:

These were just the two right adjacent to me! There were more, I just didn't want to get up and conspicuously take photos of them. I was already working myself into a froth.

These things bother me, and while I haven't examined exactly why I despise them, I've noted a few things about them:

• More often than not, the owner is...how do I put this nicely?...not exactly a specimen of health. For the Rolly owner, if it is too much work to carry a bag, it is probably also too much work to get to the gym.
  
• If you can't carry, with your own strength, the items you need on a daily basis, perhaps you need to re-evaluate what you "need" on a daily basis.
• Rollys ALWAYS sit in the aisle. Get that damn thing out of the aisle, please. Fercryingoutloud the aisle is for walking, not your bag storage. Exhibits A and B above.
• They take a longer than normal time, and more than normal space, to exit the train or ascend the escalators. They simply gum-up the commute works.
• They represent the downfall of civilization.
  

There are of course exceptions to my notes. But they're the exception. And maybe the last bullet point is an exaggeration.

Mint Julep Lessons

You know, I was only partially joking about the animal cruelty bit in my prior post, but wouldn't you know it, they had to euthanize a horse at the end of the race. What a buzz kill. Maybe they could find another event to preserve the Mint Julep.

In any event, I didn't let a little horse death interfere with the drinking of the tasty Mint Julep.

I experimented. Makers Mark warns against using too much mint, but I threw caution to the wind and used a copious amount. Other than that, I pretty much followed the Maker's recipe.

I minted the bourbon and made a minted simple syrup. I didn't have an ice shaver, so I used an ice crusher, which worked well.

If I were to do it again, I would make the minted simple syrup and skip the minting of the bourbon. Minted simple syrup is also good for Mojitos, as I figured and tried on Friday evening as I was preparing stuff.

Make the minted simple syrup by bringing to boil a couple cups of water and then adding a bunch of mint leaves. I probably used 40-45 leaves. I let it simmer for a few minutes, until the water was a light green color. I ran the leaves and water through a cheese cloth, and returned the leaf-free water to the pan and added a cup and a half of sugar, and heated it back up until the sugar dissolved.

A few tid-bits on the drink:

• Pack the glass with crushed ice. I would also put the glasses in the freezer prior to use.
  
• Make 'em strong. The first sip should be strong, because as the ice melts, the drink gets sweeter (maybe some chemist could tell me why this is the case).
  

Also made short ribs and corn bread. Weber's Big Book of Grilling has an excellent recipe for a rub and home made BBQ sauce. I put the ribs in the oven for several hours, then finished them off on the grill.

Bourbon and ribs on a Saturday afternoon.

Mint Julep and Animal Cruelty

Some say the Kentucky Derby is nothing but animal cruelty, pumping horses full of drugs like the Tour de France peloton. But the race does serve to fulfill one very important social function: keeping the Mint Julep alive.

What's the best way to make one? I am investigating:
Do I make minted simple syrup? Make a mint infused bourbon? And what's the deal with the ice? Where can I get shaved ice? Am I supposed to get an old-timey straight blade and a block of ice and shave away like some 1880's barber?

I am investigating. See Drinkboy's mint julep article

I may try Maker's Mark's "Perfect" Mint Julep recipe:

1 liter Maker’s Mark
Lots of fresh spearmint leaves
1 cup Distilled water
1 cup Granulated sugar
Powdered sugar for garnish
Mint sprigs for garnish

1. To prepare the mint extract, remove about 40 small mint leaves – wash and place in a small mixing bowl. Cover with 3 ounces of Maker’s Mark. Allow the leaves to soak for 15 minutes. Then gather the leaves in a clean, soap-free piece of cotton cloth and vigorously wring the mint bundle over the bowl of whisky. Dip the bundle again and repeat the process several times. Then set aside.
2. To prepare the simple syrup, mix 1 cup of granulated sugar and one cup of water in a cooking pot. Heat to dissolve the sugar. Stir constantly so the sugar does not burn. Set aside to cool.
3. To prepare the mint julep mixture, pour 3 1/2 cups of Maker’s Mark into a large glass bowl or glass pitcher. (Pour the remaining whisky from the liter bottle into another container and save it for another purpose). Add 1 cup of the simple syrup to the Maker’s Mark.
4. Now, begin adding the mint extract 1 tablespoon at a time to the julep mixture. Each batch of mint extract is different, so you must taste and smell after each tablespoon is added. You may have to leave the room a time or two to clear your nose. The tendency is to use too much mint. You are looking for a soft mint aroma and taste – generally about 3 tablespoons.
5. When you think it’s right, pour the whole mixture back into the empty liter bottle and refrigerate it for at least 24 hours to "marry" the flavors.
6. To serve the mint julep, fill each glass (preferably a silver mint julep cup) half full with shaved ice. Insert a sprig of mint and then pack in more ice to about an inch over the top of the cup. Then, insert a straw that has been cut to one inch above the top of the cup so the nose is forced close to the mint when sipping the julep.
7. When frost forms on the cup, pour the refrigerated julep mixture over the ice and add a sprinkle of powdered sugar to the top of the ice. Then serve.

Exxon, Profits, Corporate Responsibility and Free Markets

Exxon reported $10.9 billion in profit in the first quarter...that's Billion with a B. The Street was expecting more because last quarter they made $11.7 billion. That's still a lot of dough.

The Rockefeller family is calling on Exxon to use some of that cash to research and develop renewable energy sources.

The Questions are:

• What level of responsibility (ethical or otherwise) does Exxon have to do this?
  
• Shouldn't free markets take care of it?
  
• Could investing in renewable energy be good business?
• Would it be better for the shareholders to focus on traditional energy to maximize profit?

I don't have all the answers, clearly. No one does. Investors can make the argument that Exxon should focus on maximizing profit, and avoid investing in unproven technology that could amount to nothing. There's been a lot of money thrown at cold fusion with zero return to date. Their argument would encompass that Exxon's business is to get fossil fuels out of the ground, and they'd be right.

On the other hand, at some point, those fossil fuels will run out. Then what becomes of the company? To be fair, I really don't know what Exxon spending on R&D for renewable energy, but to the Rockefellers, it's not enough.

What's clear is that Exxon has the capability to have a meaningful impact to the renewable energy field, with their $40 billion in profits per year. By way of comparison, the Department of Energy's spend on renewable energy was planned to be $1.5 B in fiscal year 2007. Who knows what they actually spent, but that's another blog entry.

Is spending, say 10% of profits, or $4 billion per year, in renewable energy research good business for Exxon? I would argue that it couldn't hurt, outside of the impact on the income statement. If for nothing else than to have some proof point that Exxon actually cares. To date, it's public attitude toward global warming has seemingly been something out of Mad Magazine, "What? Me worry?"

To answer the question of free markets taking care of it. Sure, if the price of traditional energy gets high enough, it will spur investment in alternative energy. But, as the classic tragedy of the commons example indicates, free markets can, and often do, fail. Sometimes governmental intervention is necessary to push the country in the right direction.