Matt's Meanderings

It’s a baby.

2009-12-18T20:36:00.001-08:00

So, I haven’t been exactly present in the last while. While I totally don’t have any excuse for being gone as long as I have been gone (other than it being busy season and I really have been pretty exhausted every day when I get home), I will provide an incredible post for those of you who haven’t seen our the Facebook update from me or my wifey, I’ll show you a picture:

Meet the peach. The peach growing inside of my wife’s uterus. That’s right, I’m going to be a father. Some little baby is going to have to think I know what the heck I’m talking about and is going to listen to me (for awhile, at least.). We are incredibly excited/nervous/thrilled/frightened/joyous to have this great blessing come into our lives. We aren’t sure what the gender is yet (That’s for January) but we do know that he’ll be joining the Gamblin clan around the month of June in the year 2010.

Obviously, there will be plenty of updates regarding our ever-growing peach in the near future. For the meantime, here’s a few more morsels of information:

We’re moving tomorrow. We’ll be moving to a new apartment here in San Jose, just a little further south. It’s a much larger 2-bedroom home that will help us get ready for the little one.
I’ve been working a lot recently, but things are going well. I’m excited to see that busy season is going to be over in a few days.
I’ll be heading to Christmas vacation on Wednesday of next week, and I’ll get to escape until January 4th. It’ll be a great break.
We recently travelled to SF for a great meal at Scoma’s and to celebrate my wife’s grandparents’ 50th anniversary. It was nifty. And Lindsay made the most amazing German Chocolate cake with a custom magnolia flower. Hopefully she’ll blog it soon. It was delicious and beautiful.
We also celebrated our anniversary with a fantastic trip to the Sonoma coast. We got some gorgeous pictures. I’ll show a few here. It’s been an amazing year, and I have to say that I picked the perfect person to share my life with!

We are seriously blessed and I’m so excited to be a daddy. Look for more continuous updates here soon.

Leave your message after the break.

Guest Post ... Starring The Trophy Wife!

2009-11-20T10:06:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone. I know I took about a month off. Bad choice. My mom recently was telling me that she needed me to post. Therefore, she offered to do a guest post. As most of you know, my mom has her own personal blog where she shares her unique perspective on everything in the world. Seriously, it's a good blog. She posts daily and it's a very recommended read.

I promise I'll come back ... I promise. In the meantime, however, enjoy the mind of my mom. And please, continue to read her blog. I promise you won't regret it. Here goes!

So, here’s the deal. Matthew Gamblin thinks his life is boring. That’s probably true, but that is no excuse for his lack of posts as of late. Matt needs to understand that blogging is not about excitement. No. Blogging is a state of mind.

My mind, usually.

Hence, the guest post idea is born.

As Matt’s mother, I have some unique and most importantly, correct, insights into how Matt Gamblin became the man he is today. I would like to share some of those early occasions when, I knew without a doubt, that this child was destined for great things. In no particular order, let us begin:

Matt was thrown from a horse when he was two, requiring a visit to the emergency room. Never mind that the horse in question was red and required a quarter to be placed in its slot before the incident occurred. Those details don’t really matter. The point is: Matt handled it well. Actually, he had to be sedated and placed in a papoose-straightjacket-thingy.

Note: Okay, that wasn’t the best example. Let us continue.

One beautiful summer day at Lake Shasta, the family boat exploded. Seriously. The engine starts, sputtering noises are made, flames roar and dudes in fancy noisy ski boats skid around the now-sad family boat, dousing the flames with their hot-dogging. Matt remembers every moment of this frightening day. He swears he remembers. Except, however, for the small fact that it happened before he was born. The point is: I apologize. There is no point.

I went to the Homecoming Dance with Matt. Now, before you get all weirded out, I wasn’t his date, thank you very much. I was his State-of-California-Can’t-Drive-Without-An-Adult in the car Whatnot. Fear not, however. I was discreet. I lay down on the backseat floor of the Firebird (which, I believe, was still purple at the time) and he picked up his date and drove to the dance. Quiet as a little mouse, I was. Then I drove home and returned later, parking the car in the same spot and hiding on the floorboard. Discreetly. Again.

Note: I admit that I may have peeked out the window when he walked his date to the front door. Maybe.

But that’s not the point. The point is: Best obey the law, Dude.

Matt loved the A’s, back in the powerhouse, juiced-up Bash Brother good-old-days. It is 1989. Matt sits through a four-hour game and the A’s are throttling whomever and it’s like 27-5. Or something. Seriously. The game is rebroadcast two hours later. Matt watches it again, doing a play-by-play. Matt, it’s time for dinner, I say. Not now, Mom, he answers, Walt Weiss is going to hit a homerun in a minute! The point: You may choose the point. Either a) Matt is a genius with an amazing memory or b) Matt is a little on the obsessive side.

There are many more instances to share. Oh yes. It takes decades to produce a twenty-six year old. Two and half, to be exact. And as The Mother, I can assure you that the point is: Sons don’t get any better than this one.

Note: But then again, I only have one son, so it’s hard to be sure.

Time for some fun!

2009-10-09T18:44:00.001-07:00

So, my life isn’t all that incredibly fascinating. Aside from the work, my wife’s amazing treats; doing some graphic design for my wife’s site; planning stuff for my mom’s site, which will hopefully soon be launching completely on diannegamblin.com (more on that to come in the future); going out shopping with my wife; and taking pictures with my brand new camera my life has been pretty chock full of entertainment. So I just want to provide a little insight into my life:

I went to the emergency room at the Kaiser Santa Clara Homestead facility in Santa Clara, CA on Wednesday morning at 3 a.m. I woke up to an extreme pain in my lower right side of my abdomen, and finally went to the ER at about 3. It turned out to be my 3rd kidney stone in the last few years. I got some wonderful pain killers, a CT scan, an EKG and 2.5 hours in the ER. I got pain killers very quickly (from what my wife told me) and was treated right away. All this for a small co pay. I do love my health insurance. Note: I am now the number one producer of kidney stones in my complete extended family. I have another 3 in there, according to my CT scan. So get ready for some more kidney-related fun!
I will be going to Salt Lake City, Utah on Monday for an engagement for work. I’ll be there for 4 days and get to spend some time with my sister and possibly catch a haunted forest or house or something fun like that. My sister and I are the only ones willing to go check those out these days.
We love our camera. Check out some pictures.

I do love picture taking. I found this quote from Elliott Erwin on a website:

“To me, photography is an art of observation. It's about finding something interesting in an ordinary place... I've found it has little to do with the things you see and everything to do with the way you see them.”

You can also check out my wife’s blog for some more pictures. I do all of her food pics!

I hope everyone is doing wonderfully out in the blog world. Remember to leave me a comment and let me know you were here! Until next time.

I Finally Got It!

2009-09-30T18:03:00.001-07:00

What is it? It is the Canon Rebel T1i, or 500D for those in the UK (though I don’t have any readers across the pond). It’s my birthday present, and something I’ve been waiting on for some time. I’m so excited to have the camera and look forward to using it to take many different pictures. I also got the Canon EF-S 55-200 mm IS telephoto zoom lens to go with it. I additionally got a great camera bag to go with it. Both the lens and the bag came from my parents. It’s so exciting to me to have the camera and be able to take some great pictures. I’m a nerd, as those who read this site are fully aware, and that extends to things beyond just computers. I really do enjoy photography, as some might have noticed, and I am so grateful to have something that can grow with me and help to take even more fantastic photos. It’s amazing. I’ll share some examples here, but first let me give you a quick review of the camera.

Note: All photos of the body and buttons are from DPReview. It’s the BEST camera review site. However, all sample photos were taken by me!

Handling

The camera is a large camera, as most are aware. The dSLR systems are typically larger, and feature large screens on the back and weight significantly more than any point and shoot that you can purchase. That’s why the gadget bag was so important for me.

However, handling is about how it feels in the hands, and how the buttons are laid out. The camera has a fantastic screen on the back which is where you primarily find the details of the settings and the potential to review your photos after being taken. The buttons are satisfying, and within reach. Also, my hands aren’t huge and therefore it fits nicely in my hands.

Features

Getting top billing on this camera is the inclusion of a HD video mode. It includes 720p video capture at 30fps, or frames per second, (which is about half of what the human eye sees, but what a smooth video typically will run at) and 1080p video at 24fps. It makes the 1080p video mode a little less attractive, as some choppiness is evident. Also, the autofocus in the video mode is slow. Therefore, it’s not quite as amazing as it sounds. However, it looks FANTASTIC when shooting video. You you just have to focus before you start taking the video, pan slowly, and not have something moving back and forth toward the camera. Otherwise it’s great.

Additionally, it features 3.5 frames per second shooting with unlimited frames shooting in jpg mode, great color reproduction, 15.1 megapixels, RAW capable, DIGIC 4 processor, and support for high capacity SD cards. It’s really a wonderful feature set, and more than worth the entry cost.

Picture Quality

After all, it’s all about the pictures in the end. The picture quality is seriously amazing. Stepping up from a point-and-shoot camera, the detail and color reproduction is outstanding. Being able to focus close in, blur backgrounds, open my shutter speed and do all kinds of other amazing things that simply can’t be done with other cameras blows my mind. If you don’t believe me, check out the photos:

There are plenty more photos coming later, but that’s just a smattering of some of my favorites. Check out my Facebook page or a new page that I’ll be making on Flickr. I’ll update that later.

Conclusion: An AMAZING camera for an entry level photographer. It’s expensive, but ever so worth it. If you love photography and want to step up, it’s a great value proposition and won’t let you down.

What do you guys think? Know of any good photography spots around San Jose? And hey, I’m willing to take pictures for anyone that would like some pictures!

Birthday Commentary

2009-09-12T10:39:00.000-07:00

Hello out there.

Sorry I've been neglecting the blog recently. I've been in Austin, TX For the last three weeks. That's right, almost a month sitting out there in Texas for an audit. It was a good experience. Worked with a lot of great people, learned a lot about the audit process, and feel better. However, after a 3.5 hour wait sitting on the plane which was sitting on the tarmac, a sprint to make my connection, and a 3 hour flight home, I now can blog from the comfort of my living room and sleep in my own bed. It's so nice to be home, and I'm glad that I have the chance to be in California. Texas was not a bad place, but it just isn't for me. Crazy thunderstorms including rain out of nowhere; 70 days over 100 degrees with 75% humidity and plenty of more features make me happy to be in San Jose, CA.

Anyway, it's been a good day so far. I woke up early (I'm still on Texas time) and turned on the A's game. It's been good. I know my wife has plenty more planned for the rest of the day, and I'm looking forward to it. I don't know what's going on, but that makes it all the more exciting.

I know that my birthday present is the Canon T1i. I don't know how many of you know, but I'm an avid photographer. I love taking pictures. It's really just a good outlet for the creativity that I have flowing through my blood. I'm not an artsy person, but I have a prett good eye for photos. So, I'm super excited to get my DSLR and learn how to take even better pictures. I can't wait to take food pictures for my wife, who has a new blog, and help to make her a famous goody-making woman. Trust me, her treats are well worth it. And I look forward to taking pictures of people, scenery, and all kinds of other things. It's exciting to me to be able to afford something like the camera and enjoy it. I can't wait ... but I have to wait a few more days.

Other than that, I don't know much, but I'm excited to find out.

Anyway, I'll leave you all with some fantastic photos of my trip to Austin, and hope that everyone is doing well. I have some tech news to run over soon. Lots of stuff has been happening, and I'd like to opine. So, sorry, but you get some tech posts coming soon!

Here are some pics:

Lindsay's b-day dinner at The Melting Pot in Austin, TX.

Our dessert at The Melting Pot.
My wife at the Lyndon B. Johnson Memorial Museum at the University of Texas. We had lots of fun.
Museum Again. Just taking a pic together.

A picture my wife took at the Texas State Capital.

My wife amazed at the huge McKinney Falls at McKinney State Park. Yes, that's supposed to be a waterfall. I guess there's a drought. Sad.

Just about to drop my wife off at the airport so she can head home. Yes, I do look terrible.

Drop me a line and let me know you were here. See you all soon.

WE'RE GOING TO WICKED TOMORROW!

2009-08-14T23:18:00.000-07:00

We're super, super excited.

That is all.

Children ...

2009-08-08T19:44:00.000-07:00

Hello fond blogging world.

I know that I have launched a particularly long absence on my poor reading public recently. While that may be a very small minority of individuals in this world, I have been getting a few requests to get something out there to provide a few minutes of entertainment to those who happen to occupy some work moments with reading my little blog. So, here I am. Saturday night. Looking over some stuff on my wife's computer and looking at the house. The house has three little specialty beds set up in various parts of the living room. We have cupcakes in the oven. I'm a touch sunburned from being outside at the park today. I'm exhausted, but not because I've been doing anything particularly strenuous. Nope. I'm just babysitting. Now, some of you may not take pity on my lovely wife and me for a simple matter like babysitting. Some may scoff and think that it can't possibly be that tiring. You, my dear reader, would be wrong. Going from no children to 3 overnight is nothing to laugh at. Obtaining children that are 8, 7 and 5 overnight ... that is a lot harder than it might sound.

So we've spent the day at the park, trying to pick out a game at Target, and watching more episodes of The Legend of Zelda TV show than I ever thought I would see in my life. I ate frozen french fries and chicken nuggets last night, something I haven't done since my days as a college bachelor. Our life has been flipped on its head, as we go to bed at 9:00, beat from the day of keeping siblings from attacking and punishing each other for being on their side of the seat in the car. We've averted near disastrous cheating at hide-and-go-seek, and managed to entertain and impress with our small, but useful 1-bedroom living space.

It's been a crazy weekend so far, and there are still two more days to go.

I think we might have found the best form of birth control.

Opportunities

2009-07-07T20:14:00.000-07:00

#1: Yesterday, I received a phone call from a co worker and friend that I worked with for the first 2 months of my job. She called me to ask if I wanted to come back and work on a client with her in San Francisco. The opportunity would actually be to come work with her on a lot of her clients as the advisory staff who work on those clients all tend to move between them. They are a lot of advisory clients within the SF bay area. I was surprised to hear from her. It was really a fantastic opportunity and one that took a lot of thought and analysis. The clients that she has provide the opportunity for potential international travel to Germany, England, France and other countries. It is the opportunity to do real advisory work, including internal audit and data analytics opportunities that are potentially in the pipeline. It's exciting. I decided to take advantage of it, and will be moving most of my time to work exclusively for this partner and the team. It's very exciting and I'm looking forward to being able to work with this team. It'll mean more responsibility and potentialy some demanding projects. But that, my friends, is what I need out of my work.

#2: I recently had the opportunity to drive into San Francisco again. It reminds me of how beautiful and fantastic it is to live in the SF bay area. Living just 45 minutes south of a famous city, having a job, and being able to call this fantastic weather my home is yet another wonderful thing.

#3: I recently had the opportunity to apend the weekend with my wife at my parent's house. We were actually alone, as my parents had taken residence at the Venetian hotel in Las Vegas (in a 1400 sq. ft. suite, but that's another story) so we adopted their home and took care of Rubi for a couple days. We heated up the pool, went for a swim, laid out (Lindsay has the burns to prove it), ate at Tex Wasabi's. I got the smoked pork ribs, and Linds got the "hulk" sushi roll. Yup. Southern barbeque and sushi. It's Guy Fieri's restaurant, and it's wonderful. If you find yourself in Santa Rosa, check it out.

Just remember, if you have opportunities in this life, no matter how small (#2), how large (#1), or how fun (#3), take advantage of all of them. Life's wonderful. It's hard sometimes, but it will all make sense in the end.

Transformers 2: Revenge of the "Not-so-Lame"

2009-07-02T10:14:00.000-07:00

Time for a movie review. And this is one that I've been looking forward to all summer. Well, even all year: Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen. That's right. The blockbuster sequel to one of the more fun movies of a couple years ago has arrived and it stormed into theaters. It's riding very low on Rotten Tomatoes right now (20% Fresh), but what do the laymen think of the movie? Being one of those every day people, I'd like to throw in my two cents. I'm going to try to stay as spoiler free as possible.

The movie opens with a great battle, and then starts the plot forward with a few uttered words near the end of the battle. We find out that man and machine have a tenuous alliance but that not everyone is happy about that. The story then focuses on everyone's favorite fast-talking dude Sam Witwicky (Shia LeBeouf) and his trip out to college. Of course, his college is full of basically the most beautiful people ever in the world, but that is short lived as he loses his mind during one of the classes. That truly sets the story in motion as he charges across the world trying to figure out what the symbols in his head mean and why Megatron wants them. That's about as close to the plot as I can come. It's not overly complicated, but it does violate the "show not tell" policy that movies should adhere to during a lengthy exposition of what's going on. I'll break it down:

Plot: While not the movie's strong point, the plot is serviceable. We are talking about alien robots that come from a planet full of alien robots, after all. The plot serves to get the characters where they need to be, although I wish that the final action scene had taken place somewhere more impressive than where it was staged. I was a little sad about that. Likewise, I wish that they had spent just a touch more time to develop the story and why it's so important rather than wasting time on some lame jokes that were present all throughout the movie. Unfortunately, the comedy seems to be aimed at 13 year-olds. It's very juvenile, but I did find myself laughing at times. I'm afraid of what that says about me. Overall, The plot is definitely a weak point, so I say 5/10.

Acting: I don't think anyone is going to be blown away by the acting. They are playing exactly the roles that you expect them to play, and they are exactly the roles from the first one as well. Sam is the same fast-talking charmer, Mikaela Banes (Megan Fox) is quite literally just there to be exploited. She runs a lot in slow motion, and her lips have to be fake. Agent Simmons (John Turturro) makes his return as Agent Simmons. I do wish that he wasn't played strictly for jokes. I think that he could be a reasonable character if he wasn't just there to take off his pants once or do some other ridiculous stuff. There's another guy, Sam's roommate, who played another annoying character just there for laughs, but honestly, I never expected Oscar-worth performances here. Overall, a 6/10 for acting because everyone does their job.

Action: There is some amazing action in this movie. There's a fight in the forest that everyone is talking about, and for good reason. The end action scene is good, if a bit incomprehensible. The opening act is pretty awesome as well. Seriously. Just remember the phrase "air drop". That moment is so incredibly cool. But I did find myself missing some action in the middle. After the fight scene in the forest, the action dies out for awhile. If there was a better developed plot, this wouldn't have been much of an issue. However, as discussed, that's a problem, so I did get bored for a bit in the middle. Overall, however, the action and special effects are to notch, 8/10.

Overall: This is far from a movie that I hated. While I won't laud over it because it has too many weak points, and about 40 minutes could have (and should have) been eliminated from the middle, I found it to be great escapist, summer entertainment. Things blew up. Characters were in peril. And ultimately, I really enjoy the action of the Transformers. I'm going to give it a final of 7/10 and tell you to go and see it, as long as you do it in a nice theater to take advantage of the good projection equipment and the large screen. I don't think you'll regret it.

Side Note: There are some kind of crazy stereotypes in this movie. And there's a lot of robo-leg humping. You've been warned.

What did you guys think?

A Little Change

2009-06-18T22:26:00.000-07:00

Hello world of bloggers.

As you may have noticed, I made some small changes here to my blog. I decided that a new color scheme was in order, and a new, faster loading picture above. So, I hope that you all enjoy that. Other than the cosmetic changes here on the site, I plan on being the same old Matthew, and filling your mind with more and more information that may be useless in your daily lives.

Recently, me and my wife have been enjoying each other's company. We've been going back and forth a lot to the Central Valley in California, and the weather is finally starting to turn around here. San Jose has been pretty cold, but today we finally got back up over 80 degrees and things are only supposed to get better. I guess that summer really will start. So, that's exciting to hear.

We moved a 55 inch TV (thanks mom and pop!) into our just-under-800 square foot apartment. I think that's a pretty good square foot to TV size ratio. It's a lot of fun. We got the HD tuner from Comcast, and now enjoy the extra clarity. At least, I think it's fun.

Recently I've had some severe gadget envy. With the release of the Palm Pre and te new iPhone 3GS and some brand new MacBook Pros and the like having been unleashed on the world, I find myself wanting something fun and shiny to play with. However, it's not in the cards. And that's perfectly all right. I just hope that someone around me will pick something up so that I can play with it and satisfy that internal desire for some shiny geek gadgetry. It's all fascinating and wonderful. Reading about it is one thing; maybe one day I'll get to play with all of the fun gadgets.

To give an A's update: They started winning some games, and then decided that wasn't fun anymore. So they've dropped most of the their last 8 games. It's been sad to watch. For some reason our bullpen just can't seem to hold it down. Our offense has been sputtering, but far more effective than earlier in the season. It's sad to watch, but I will be an A's fan through thick or thin. If you are in the East Bay, I suggest a game. They are fun, and baseball is a wonderful night to get away from everything else. Linds and I are going to the game on Friday (June 26th) with my parents. It's a fireworks game, and we'll be in the 2nd row by the opposing bullpen. It should be a TON of fun. Look for some pictures soon.

I have so much more to say regarding politics, technology, movies, and so many other things. But I think that I should just keep those inside for right now. I find that updates about hanging out with my wife gets the best traffic anyway. :)

Look forward to some more commentary from me soon.

I Have to Say It

2009-06-03T18:09:00.001-07:00

So, this is going to be another political post. I just have it on my mind, and I need to vent slightly. I'd like to add as a disclaimer that I have not done significant research into this subject. I read the US News and Business news a few times a day on my Blackberry (using a fantastic program called Viigo, which I highly recommend for all blackberry users out there) and glean most of my information from the articles that appear from Reuters. I may be wrong on a few points, but I just have to talk about it because it's driving me nuts.

Quite some time ago, I wrote a post about the health care problem in the US. It was an interesting one for me to write, as it's a situation I'm close to having a father who has worked for Kaiser Permanente his entire life. However, as Obama is in office, he has made it clear that next few months are "crucial" for his healthcare reform plans. He wants to push some things through Congress before their recess for summer that happens in August. Part of this is to push through plans for health care which could include, among other things, taxing employer provided health care. True, he has said that he doesn't want to do that, however an article that I read recently remarked that the Senator writing the bill has said that it was likely to happen to help to cover the costs of the health care reform.

I ask this question earnestly: Why do we believe, when we already have a broken Medicare and Medicaid system, when our economy is in the pits and our government has already spent trillions of nonexistent money to help it to recover, and that they are already taking so many taxes from us, that we should allow the government to have more money to run a health care system? Is our system perfect? No. Is it expensive? Yes. But is the solution for our bureaucratic and compartmentalized government to take more money from us to provide an undoubtedly complex and expensive system of health care? I do not believe so.

I am genuinely confused at our belief that our government, who has made a debacle of health care in the small programs that they have, can run a full fledged health care system in the United States. Some argue that they are the only ones who could take a loss on health care and keep it running, but for how long? Eventually, they will take more money from us to fund more programs. Eventually, they will need to make money somewhere. Will they be able to buy the latest and greatest technology without it? It will cost us breakthroughs, and probably lives. The reality is that we need a program that encourages health. A program that encourages you to be healthy and not abuse the system. Something that can reinvest profits and keep themselves afloat. We don't need more bloated government programs. We need ideas that will truly work.

I'm just confused as to why we believe that this is a good idea at this point. Insight?

Memorial Day and Sister-in-Law’s Graduation

2009-05-28T19:19:00.001-07:00

Hello the whole entire world. So, I’ve been the worst blogger as of late. It’s been supremely busy, and I’ve been quite exhausted doing all of the different things that we’ve had going on in our lives. While it might not seem like much from the pictures that are about to get posted, it’s been busy. But enjoy the pictures anyway:

Me and Linds at her parent’s house before the graduation.

Me and Linds’ cousin at the graduation.

Sun setting over the graduation during the ceremony.

Chelsea was happy to be done. Can you tell?

Chase, Lindsay and Chelsea.

We went up to my grandpa’s house. He’s 89, and looking good!

Lindsay’s latest cake. She’s really quite amazing.

Anyway, these are just some of the adventures. I don’t really have too much else to say these days. However, I love my life, and so does my wife. It’s really been a lot of fun and we’ve been really enjoying our lives together. We have been married for more than 6 months now, and things just keep getting better. I don’t think I could have been more lucky.

That's all for now. You know where to leave the comments. And please do. I'd like to know that you are visiting.

Mother's Day

2009-05-09T10:41:00.000-07:00

Hey guys.

I've been trying to think of some things that need to get posted, and couple things did come to mind. Most importantly, seeing as Sunday is Mother's day, I decided that I would get my wife some stuff that she would need as she continues to develop her talents as a cake decorator. She is very naturally talented, so we went out and bought her a nice cake turntable for her (future) Mother's day present. It's going to help her become an even more amazing cake decorator.

As for the rest of what's been going on, I'll include some more pictures. Check out the life.

The cake that Lindsay made as practice. I told you she was good.

Me and Linds at her Grandparent's house for Easter.

The kids doing some Easter egg hunting. She found one hiding in the old stove outside.

My beautiful wife. I absolutely love this picture.

Me and my dad at the A's game. I got a nice sunburn. But the A's won. And we saw Giambi's first (and only, so far) homer of the year. The A's have been down for a little bit right now, however, don't sleep on them in the end.

That's all for now. You know where to comment.

Fun Life

2009-04-30T16:43:00.001-07:00

So, I've been meaning to get up here and post some stuff on my blog. So let me give you a couple quick bursts of information, with more detail to come in later posts (I'll get back to regular posting, I promise):

My wife and mother got together and did some extremely high qualilty catering for a wedding. They made petit fors, strawberry flowers and some other goodies. The food was amazing, and the lady was very impressed. My mom hopes to spend more time in catering, so please let us know if you'd like to talk to her about potential work for any event that you may be having soon. We have the pictures and recommendations to prove it. Not only that, but the prices are reasonable. Seriously.
Lindsay and I have a wonderful Friday night activity: Willow Glen Frozen Yogurt Company. It's down the street from our home, and it's amazing and cheap. It only takes cash, but if you live in San Jose, you owe it to yourself. Their wow cow (one different flavor a day) has only 9 calories per ounce. Love.
A project that I was working on at work was extremely well received and the CFO of the company is excited about what I produced. No more details than that, but I was/am well pleased.
I recently went on a diet, the flat belly diet. I did it before, during the summer last year, and lost 22 pounds in a mere 6 weeks. It was very effective, and I went down by 6 inches on my pants and stomach. Since I've gone back up in weight, I need to take care of myself. So I am.
Matt Holliday hit a towering home run today. Bout time. His first of the year, and I'm sure first of many to come. My dad and I went to a game on this past Saturday, got Holliday jerseys, and sat fifth row on the ground from right field. It was an awesome game. Giambi hit his first homer of the year and the A's stomped all over the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. It was so, so much fun. Baseball season is in full swing, and while the A's haven't been the best so far, things are starting to look up for them.
We want a dog. But still don't know if that'll happen. But we'll keep you guys informed.

Much love to everyone. Leave me a comment to let me know you are reading. I'd love to hear from you.

I'm going to be posting more.

Till next time.

Roku Netflix Player and Life with Pictures

2009-04-05T21:37:00.002-07:00

I LOVE my Roku Netflix Player. It's the coolest device that I've ever spent a hundred bucks on. Let me run this down for you.

Dead simple to use. Seriously. You plug it in to the wall, the router, and the TV. Enter a code on your netflix account (that has unlimited streaming) and Wham! It syncs up and downloads all of the movies that you currently have on your "Watch Instantly" queue.
You scroll through the movies by picture, select it, and then you simply press play. I've never had to wait longer than 15 or 20 seconds for a movie to load (6-12 Mbps Comcast cable internet) and the resolution has been great. I haven't had a chance to put it on a huge HDTV yet, but the picture quality is certainly close to, if not on par with, DVD.
The selection is actually quite impressive. Over 12,000 titles are available through Netflix. And a whole bunch more content can be rented or purchased through Amazon Video on Demand. While I don't use Amazon, I currently have over 60 movies and full seasons of TV on my "Watch Instantly" queue.

This device has met all of my requirements to be a great edition to my AV setup. I'm planning on upgrading to an HDTV relatively soon, so I'll let you know what I think of it after that. Meanwhile, let me tell you this much: buy it. It's a hundred bucks. If you have a Netflix account with unlimited streaming, it allows you to get so much more for your money. I've watched 2 full seasons of 30 Rock (I can't recommend this show highly enough. One of the only shows that me and my wife actually laugh OUT LOUD at while we are watching it. The writing is sharp, witty, and current.), numerous hours of Law & Order SVU, and tons of movies that I can just turn on at the press of a button. As the selection continues to expand, this is only going to get better and better for the mere 100 bucks that it costs.

On another note, I bought it on a Saturday, and received it on Tuesday. It shipped late Monday night and was at my door on Tuesday (Shipped from 40 miles way in CA. :) ).

Ultimately, buy yourself one. You owe it to yourself. Expand your horizons, and enjoy your Netflix account again.

Life update: Things are very well in the Gamblin House. We spend time watching movies, going out to shop, and finding wonderful new places to eat and enjoy our time together in wonderful San Jose. We travelled out to Santa Cruz a week ago for a FANTASTIC Saturday date. It was seriously so fun. We were able to hang out and get some cotton candy and salt water taffy. The weather was perfect. Today was even better. 75 degrees, not a cloud in the sky. I love living in this state, as it provides the greatest summer weather you could ask for.

I start playing EY basketball on Tuesday. I'm so out of shape, but can't wait to get involved playing ball again. Friday I'll be at the in laws, and then the week after that my wife and I will head up to my parents to help my mom cater a wedding. My wife can't wait! I'll include some pictures here. They are from my phone, so please excuse the poor resolution!

My wife made this cake. It's a bust of my dad's head. She's amazing. And for hire! Call us. Serious. :)

About to ride the Cave Train Adventure. So lame. But so fun.

Anyone want one? Yuck.

This ride is fun, but headache inducing.

This was in MARCH.

We love our state.

Leave any comments. We love them. Comment for the sake of it. So I know you are alive. And if you have a blog, and I haven't linked you, give me the link. I'd love to add you to the blogroll!

Science and Religion: Not Mutually Exclusive

2009-03-16T19:12:00.002-07:00

So, I read some internet forums. While I realize that the anonymity and assurance of “privacy” encourage relatively abnormal behavior, I am always impressed by the hatred of religion that they tend to express in some internet forums. They blame and yell at the “religious-conservative-fear-mongers” for most of the woes and problems of the world. It always confuses me. I only read them to try to get more of an understanding for why there is such a disgust of religion and people who believe in God. They choose to say that they are uneducated and foolish, people who choose the “easy way out”, believing that there is a God and trying to find a meaning in this life. They frequently say that religious people do not believe in science, do not understand politics, and are pretty much just ignorant people. I have never understood this, and I want to attempt to talk briefly about it in the post.

First of all, science and religion do not hate each other. While some people would have you believe that religion and science do not get a long that is simply not a fact. In fact, I find that science actually confirms and supports my faith and helps me to know more and feel better about the beliefs that I have. Science, by discovering these new innovations, these new inventions, and new theories that are espoused every day help to confirm and grow my faith. From the discovery of the atom, to the foundations of, gasp, evolution, I feel that lots of these discoveries have helped me to confirm my faith and reaffirm to me that there is a pattern in the world and in life. My faith does not force me to believe that everything about evolution is a lie. We have seen evolution. It acts on this world. Don’t get me wrong, in no way to I think that I evolved from a monkey. However, I have no doubt that humans have evolved to be better humans, and that many other creatures have likewise done so.

Other complaints I hear are involved with miracles. While some would purport that miracles do not exist because science cannot explain them, I would simply counter that we do not have the science to explain them. Our science has not reached its pinnacle. We do not know everything about the interaction of certain elements of our universe. What if miracles were simply operating on scientific principles which we do not yet understand? Is that so out of the question? Have we grown so arrogant as to assume that we have discovered all that there is to discover?

Second of all, science is never “sure” about anything. That is the whole principle behind a theory. The definition of theory is “a well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world; an organized system of accepted knowledge that applies in a variety of circumstances to explain a specific set of phenomena” (http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=theory ). I think the key is that it is “well substantiated”. Theories have been shown to be true, using the limited knowledge and resources that we might have available to us. However, theories are being changed and disproven every day in our new scientific reality. Not too long ago, we were sure that the atom was the smallest particle. Hundreds of years ago, scientists were sure that the world was flat. These were accepted scientific facts. Yet, look what we know today. Imagine, just imagine, what we’ll know tomorrow. (UPDATED: When I wrote this line, I remembered that it was from something that I had read or seen. Bryan reminded me that I adapted this last sentence or two from Men in Black.)

Third, and finally, I really detest the claims that those who are religious simply “take the easy way out”. There seems to be this thought that by being religious, and believing in God, that we (those who have faith) just take the easy way out justify it with God or the devil. I do not know a single religious person who does this. I do not discourage scientific exploration, nor dissuade them from trying to understand our natural world. I would argue, actually, that the reverse is true of those who “take the easy way out”. I would argue that it is 10x easier to only believe in that which you can see. To believe that nothing governs our behavior. To believe that you can do whatever you want and there is nothing else to worry about. In my estimation, believing in a God, pushing to do what is good in His sight, and believing not only in that which can be seen, but in that which cannot be seen is much more challenging than the opposite.

I am not trying to position myself as elitist, or correct. I’m just trying to explain some of my feelings on this issue. Being religious is not easy. It’s hard. Some may find that it is not for them and I will not begrudge them this. Everyone is free to make their own choices. I would just ask that before they choose to bash my choices and my opinions, that they make sure that they understand my side of the argument.

Science and religion do not hate each other. Those who would have you believe this are either as uneducated as they claim the others to be, or simply do not understand.

Leave your message after the break.

Quis Custodiet Ipsos Custodes - Watchmen

2009-03-02T20:58:00.001-08:00

Quis Custodiet Ipsos Custodes (Who Watches the Watchmen?) is the final closing quote in the massive 12-issue compendium that is Watchmen. Since so much has been written regarding this graphic novel on the intrawebz already, I'll just quote a quick synopsis:

It tells the story of a group of past and presentsuperheroes and the events surrounding the mysterious murder of one of their own. Watchmen depicts superheroes as real people who must confront ethical and personal issues, who struggle with neuroses and failings, and who - with one notable exception - lack anything recognizable as super powers. Watchmen's deconstruction of the conventional superhero archetype, combined with its innovative adaptation of cinematic techniques and heavy use of symbolism, multi-layered dialogue, and metafiction, has influenced both comics and film.

So much has been written about the novel that is Watchmen that I feel that I can probably contribute very little in way of insight into the novel that has not been presented before. Any quick google search with the phrase "watchmen" will provide millions of hits deconstructing the themes and import of the novel over the course of the last 20 years. So, I think I will just offer some of my thoughts regarding the novel and what I gleaned from its pages. I will open myself up to many SPOILERS over the next few paragraphs. So, if you intend on seeing the movie, or reading the novel and don't want to know anything about it right now, please stop reading. I'll blog again soon something that you can enjoy.

Watchmen focuses on real people. Real fictional people. Let me explain. After WW2, there began a fad of "vigilante" heroes that cropped up in America. These people didn't have any special powers, but referred to themselves as heroes. They fought crime, dressed up in strange costumes, and did those things that we are familiar with in the typical "superhero" role. The one exception is Dr. Manhattan, who had his "intrinsic field" removed and is now an all powerful being. He is the lynch pin of American society, and due to this knowledge, they live in an alternate world where all cars are electric, and many other technologies exist that we don't even have in our wondrous age of 2009. It's interesting. It's world that is wholy wrong, and wholy challenging. While the world is far from our own, it's a world that seems plausible. Yes, I'm aware it's not real and never could be. But the way that the novel presents the world, it just feels like it could have happened that way had a few other things fallen differently.

Dr. Manhattan makes for the most interesting study for me. He can deconstruct objects with his mind, and remove the field from each object htat he comes in contact with. Another fascinating thing about him is his ability to see time as one. He sees no past, no future, no present ... he just perceives time. It is a complicated part of the world that Alan Moore has created. Manhattan tells people what they will be doing in hours, days, years from now. He perceives it all. He explains in one moment that it's not that he's taking choice away, he just sees the outcomes of the decisions, of the choices that we will make. It's not about control for Manhattan. It's about being able to see the results before they occur. In one particularly poignant moment, he travels to Mars to contemplate his own disconnect from humanity. He tells his entire history, bringing together every moment from his life as they overlap in time. He perceives the events as if they are occurring at the same moment, events which ultimately come together to lead him to where he is. Now, this may sound complicated, and it is, however, it is handled with a superb grace and subtlety as to make it seem to make sense. Hard to believe, I know.

Rorschach is the other character that I'd like to touch on. He's an absolutist. Absolutely believes in wrong versus right. When presented with the amazing acts of Adrian Veidt (the man who orchestrates the deaths of millions of New Yorkers in order to unite the world against a common enemy), he sees not the benefit that will come from this action. He doesn't comprehend that this will unite the world and prevent nuclear war with the Soviets (who are the major threat due to the lack of the Cold War). He sees only the right and the wrong. There is no utilitarianism in Rorschach's mind ... only good and evil. Ultimately, his end is fascinating in contrast with the world that has been created.

There are so many other things involved in this novel that I could talk about. From the iconoclastic Comedian, to the subtle undertones of powerlessness and fear that are involved in why these people step out to become "heroes".

Overall, just a fascinating analysis of the psyche of these so-called heroes.

Let's Get Political ... Political

2009-02-25T21:03:00.005-08:00

Hey everyone. I know you missed my incessant political rants. Well, here comes a new one. I promise not to be too mean.

Note: My vote breakdown comes from the following site. If my numbers are incorrect, it's because the numbers from the article are incorrect.

Remember when Barack Obama was running for president of the USA? He talked about bipartisanship, and bridging the gap between the two political parties that dominate our current political landscape. Basically, for those who know nothing, Democrats and Republicans disagree on many key points. These aren't necessarily the most important things, but they tend to be opposite on certain key issues. The economy is one of them. While I really am a moderate with a conservative leaning, I find myself much m ore aligned with conservative economics. This does color my current article. However, this is not the point I've come for.

Obama talked bipartisanship more than any previous presidential candidate that has ever been around. Most talk it, but don't really believe it. One reason that I was appreciative of Obama is that he seemed genuinely interested in working with the Republicans. Call it however you see it, but there hasn't been any more conversation or agreement ever since he came into office. Place the blame where you will, there doesn't seem to be much of a move from EITHER side to work together.

Perfect example is the recent stimulus bill that was passed. It passed the House with ZERO, YES ZERO, votes from Republicans. Now that's bipartisanship. In a previous post I talked about how I was afraid of any political party having unchecked power in the government. We've reached that point where the Democrats have this. They have control of the Judicial, Legislative and Executive branch. This essentially means that they can pass what they want. While many might be excited about that, the reality is that I think that too much of either side will ultimately hurt us. Our government was designed with these checks in mind. Can I just say that it scares me that only one political party carries power in the government?

As a side note, I find it very interesting that Obama preaches about cutting the deficit and spending more, and creating a bigger government. That just doesn't seem to quite add up.

I'm glad, however, that he didn't go for a "new deal" type stimulus package. The reality is that at it's peak, that legislation had a top income tax bracket of 94% (see 1944 and 1945 on that page). And the cutoff was $200,000. I don't care that I don't make that much (or do I ... hahahahaha) I think that the government taking that much from anyone is absolutely out of line.

But I digress. I just wish that checks and balances were alive in our government today.

I Did Something I've Been Wanting to do ...

2009-02-18T22:19:00.001-08:00

I bought a car. That's right. I bought a car. And I do appreciate all the input on the car decision. I just had to go with my gut, and the car that I felt best represented me and Lindsay, as well as provided us with the benefits that we will need. So we did it!

I am so excited about it. Let me tell you: I bought a 2009 Mazda 6. It's gorgeous. Now, here's the best part: I got it for probably $8,000 less than it would have been completely new. How, you ask? Well, I found a used one with 9,000 miles on it. That's right. 9,000 miles. That's it. For that reason, I got the car for about $8,000 less than the retail would have been on it were I have to purchased it with 250 miles on it. I can't tell you how excited we are about this car. It's white with black interior. And it has some cool features:

Push button ignition.
Mazda "Advanced Key" -- Basically, you never have to take the key out of your pocket.
A CAVERNOUS trunk. Seriously.
8-speaker sound system with Aux hook up
Steering wheel cruise and audio controls
And more!

I really love my car guys. I'm really excited to be driving it. And the best part is that it gets fantastic gas mileage, and will likely pay for itself with my mileage reimbursements in the long run. That's just so thrilling. I do have to admit that I was sad to see my beloved Firebird have to go. I miss it. But it's ok, as it will serve it's purpose for someone else. I know that the Firebird will live on. I'll post some pictures of my car later.

Work is good. I have been working on a custom data analytics assignment for one of our clients out of San Francisco. I have been working from the office, analyzing the data and verifying integrity and other items. It's been a fun project so far, and I'm learning a lot about how electronic accounting information systems work and process data. It's been an interesting ride. I enjoy some business intelligence work, so it's been a fun release for me.

Lindsay had an interview last week, and applied for a few more jobs this week. She taught the lesson on Sunday in primary and did a wonderful job (did I mention that we teach the valiant 9 in primary?)! We went up to my parent's house on Sunday for my mom's traditional pink dinner. Yes, everything was pink: chicken, rolls, pears, sweet potatoes, everything. It was all dyed up, and it was very delish. I helped my dad move the old TV and we set up the new one in it's "spot". It looks great.

What can I say? Things are wonderful. I can't complain for a minute.

And the Cat Came Back, the Very Next Day

2009-02-12T20:03:00.002-08:00

That title makes no sense, just so you all know. I mean, I guess I'm the cat, but it's totally not the very next day. But that's ok.

Hi! I just thought I'd check in while I was hanging out at home today. I'm really excited to watch The Office tonight, and find out what's going to happen in the 2nd part of last week's episode. I love that show. Seriously. It's way awesome.

Let's talk Taken. Now that was a very fun movie and I'm really excited that my wife was willing to go and see it with me. I'm telling you, nothing better than my wonderful, beautiful wife who can cook and loves action movies.

For those of you who don't watch TV, Taken is a movie starring Liam Neeson, who is playing Jack Bauer in this movie. Essentially, he's a former "preventer" who worked for the CIA. He was very good, apparently, at what he did and uses those skills to their fullest when his daughter is taken on her visit to France. He goes out there, kills a bunch of people, and hunts down his daughter. I don't wanna spoil it too much for those that plan on seeing it, but it's a FUN movie. Not the greatest acting ever (Maggie Grace, who plays the daughter, is pretty lame) but Neeson has to be one of my favorite actors in Hollywood. Watching him play a bad-a secret agent was absolutely fun. He plays it completely and totally, dedicating himself to the role. He is amazing, and sells the movie by himself.

He's impressive in this movie. The action is virtually non-stop after the first 30 minutes or so, and it is brutal and quick. I'm glad that Luc Besson decided not to use the "quick-cuts" that have become so popular after the Bourne films. He films it pretty straight, and that really benefits the style. You need to know what's going on during the fight and action scenes, and therefore the movie carries itself well with the slower cuts that Besson uses.

Overall, my point is that I recommend this movie highly to everyone who loves a good actioner. It's intense, and there is material about sex trafficking and other very thematic elements. Don't take your 10 year-old to the movie. But please, go and see it if you enjoy a good action movie.

Next up on the queue to see: Probably He's Just Not That Into You. Valentine's day, guys.

Apart from the movies, everything is great. My wife and I are as happy as can be and looking forward to the next little while.

You know where the comments go.

Poll

2009-02-08T20:52:00.001-08:00

As a side note, you'll notice that I put up a poll. I'm interested to see what people may think. If you choose another auto, please make note in the comments section of THIS post what other car you would suggest that I purchase.

Thanks guys!

I've done way too much research, but now I totally need some opinions.

I'm Not That Interesting

2009-02-08T20:47:00.001-08:00

I made a discovery about myself the other day: I'm just not really all that interesting. I have lots of opinions, and things to say, and all that different stuff. But I realized that nobody really probably wants to know what I have to say. I have been meaning to be here on my blog, updating things, and letting people know more about what's going on in my life, and all that. But, every time I sit down to do it, I just realized that I don't really have anything all that interesting to write about.

I have an amazing wife, and I feel so lucky for that. But life is good for us. We have our struggles, with moving 800 miles and costing a fortune being a big part of it, there hasn't been a lot going on that I really feel needs to be shared. Most of the people who read this know most of what's going on anyway ... although I suppose to owe it to the others (Aubrey, I'm talking about you! :) ).

Overall, this is my daily life: Leave for work, work 9 - 10 hours, get home, relax, go to sleep about 9:30 or 10:00, and then do it all again the next day.

It's crazy, I know

Anyway, I promise that I will write more out of pure desire to write about my life.

I do like my job. I LOVE MY WIFE. She's the reason I do everything.

My ward is good. My life is good. I look forward to moving forward.

All my love people.

Star Wars: As Told by the Non-Watched-It Person

2009-01-28T12:48:00.001-08:00

Haha. Greatest title ever.

Basically, this video showcases a girl who is retelling the entire star wars trilogy, except that she has never seen it.

It's great, because she really isn't all that far off.

Enjoy.

Star Wars: Retold (by someone who hasn't seen it) from Joe Nicolosi on Vimeo.

I'm Nuts

2009-01-09T22:36:00.001-08:00

To those of you who know me, this may not come as a surprise. I'm nuts. I'm a little looney. I have some strange tendencies, and sometimes my thought processes only seem to make sense to me. It's weird. And a touch hard. But hey, that's how I am. Something's gotta keep me conscious.

Therefore, when I sit in my audit staff 101 training (NO, I am not audit staff. I'm advisory staff. But as advisory, I'll be doing some auditing, so it is invaluable to speak the lingo and know at least the theory behind an audit) that all I can think about when I am sitting there are control weaknesses. They present a business process, a software suite, an account, a flowchart, anything, and I can think only of the ways to break it. The ways to find exceptions. The ways to circumvent. That's my mindset when it comes to these things. That's how I know I'm in the right place: I think like an auditor. I think like a security guy. I think like the person who is trying o break the controls. Therefore, being able to audit and check them is a very valuable part of my job.

I think I'm good at business process redesign as well. Why would I say that? I like it. Is that weird? I like looking at an overall process and finding the problems with it. I like analyzing them, comparing them to best practices, and redesigning them to be more efficient. Adding in technology, teaming, and all the other considerations only heightens my excitement. I'm weird. I really am.

The other thing I think about: Diet Coke. Hey, a guy has got to stay up, right?

So, it would appear that I'm in the right profession. Congrats to me.

My bachelor's degree posted today. Hopefully my Master's will post tomorrow.

I have a great life.

OH YEA! And I have a new couch. It's awesome.

Until next time.

It's Been too Long ...

2009-01-04T21:45:00.001-08:00

So much has been going on in my life over the last 6 weeks or so, and I've been so limited on my time to get online and write some good posts. So, I'm back, and better than ever.

I'm broadcasting from a new home now, and find myself located in the wonderful Silicon Valley in California. I live just a little south of downtown San Jose, and find myself in an excellent location for my future job and the traveling that I will have to do with my new job. My wife and i moved in officially on the 20th of December, but have been all around the bay area and central valley since we moved in. We came back for good as of January 2nd. I need to run down some of the activities that we did.

December 19 -- The movers arrived at our apartment in Provo, UT and moved us out. As the movers arrived, the snow did as well. It snowed like crazy, and resulted in "white-out" (meaning that visibility is essentially zero) for a while.We planned to move out to California that day, however, we just knew that we couldn't. It was weird though, because the people moving into our apartment after us arrived as our movers were finishing up, and were going to stay. We had paid up through January, and needed one more night. They were nice -- they said we could all stay there together. (/sarcasm) Not a good situation. The landlady was behind us, but the new tenants couldn't really take a hint. So we slept with my sister and brother-in-law that night and then moved out to California on the 20th.

December 21 -- Checked into our new apartment. Beautiful, close, and fun. We were really excited about it.

December 24-25 -- Christmas with the Ozbirns. That's my wife's family. It was a lot of fun spending time with them. Her brother, who recently joined the army rangers, was home for the break, and it was nice to finally meet him. That's right, I hadn't met him until then. But we all had a wonderful time, and we really enjoyed waking up in the morning and spending some great time with the family. I really do love my in-laws, and am truly enjoying spending time with them. It was very much fun.

December 25-28 -- With my parent in Santa Rosa. We had a fun time on Saturday for McKenna's baptism as a member of the church, and then we also had an "open house", more of a holiday party that people could drop in and see us. it was a lot of fun, and we had a good time meeting people and learning more about those people that truly love us. It's really thrilling and we are glad that we can be there and have these people that really care about us.

December 28 - Jan 2 -- Honeymoon in the Napa Valley. My parents kindly lent us their timeshare in the napa valley, a 850 square foot 1 bedroom suite with two televisions, and a two person in-room whirlpool. Oh yea, the showerhead had 5 heads. It was seriously amazing. Helped me design my future shower in my home. On Tuesday, we drove into the city and had a wonderful dinner at Scoma's in San Francisco. Believe me, it's as good as it sounds. We then went to the Orpheum Theater on Market Street, and watched an incredible rendition of Phantom of the Opera from the second row. Lindsay even saw the tag on the Phantom's cape. It was really fun. On Thursday, we went to dinner at the Celadon restaurant, where I got the "kobe flat iron steak with yukon gold potato gratin, broccoli rabe and blackberry sauce". IT WAS AMAZING! I loved it. I recommend this restaurant to anyone, just remember to call for a reservation first.

Anyway, that's the last couple weeks in a nutshell.

We are almost moved in completely, and we just bought a new couch. Photos will be coming your way soon.

I'll be back frequently now.

P.S. I start work tomorrow. Work at 8 a.m. Sigh. More news later!

A Couple Rants

2008-11-20T09:40:00.001-08:00

BYU Students who wear University of Utah hoodies to school. Ok, let's get something straight: I'm not talking about generic red shirts, or anything like that (although, those are pretty unacceptable during a big sport rivalry week like this one). I'm talking about those BYU students who feel it's ok to wear their U hoodies on campus. It's not. I don't care if you grew up three steps from the stadium and went to every game growing up and your family has 300 years of tradition in the school. You now go to BYU. Put the hoodie away for a few years, and pull it out again later. I don't care if you are a fan of the U, but they are the rival school. Imagine going to Ohio State and wearing a Michigan sweatshirt. They might kill you. These things matter, people!
Twilight: The WB Movie. I am not going to hate on the phenomenon, or anything like that. In fact, I think that Roger Ebert summed it up best in his review of the movie (here): "But I understand who "Twilight" appeals to, and it sure will." That's not an attack on the film. I think it will do very well, and that it won't be THAT bad. However, it wasn't made for me. So I can accept that. What I can't stand is the shoddy production values of the movie. Have you seen some of the special effects? They look attached to a harness. That's not ok. The action sequences that I have seen (admittedly few) seem to come straight from an episode of Charmed. Sigh. The acting -- well, judge for yourself by watching the trailer at apple.com.
Quantum of Solace disrespect. Disclaimer: I MAY SPILL A SPOILER. I really enjoyed the movie on its merits. I understand that Casino Royale was a great movie that set up expectations really high for Daniel Craig's next entry (arguable, the best Bond ever). And this movie probably doesn't live up to the character development expectations. However, the movie is perfect in what it is: an emotional outrage against the organization that killed the love of Bond's life. He's mad. He's upset. He just wants to kill people. And he does. I'm glad he doesn't fall in love during this movie. He was in REAL love last movie. That's not the point of this one. He's motivated to get revenge. To get those people back who killed Vesper. And in that anger and grittiness, it's believable. I like that they didn't delve too deep. It was a continuation of his anger over the death of his love. It felt right. However, the next one should continue with a new story, and some great villians. I would argue this is a good middle entry, but the next one needs to push forward in the story and create more atmosphere like Casino Royale. I'm excited, however, because I think Craig is perfect in this gritty reimagining of the Bond franchise.

I'm done. I just wanted to get that stuff out.

ONE MORE THING: I got married. It was amazing. We were sealed, had a fantastic luncheon with great food and atmosphere (Mom, you did wonderfully!0, and moved to a wonderful reception. The reception was outdoors, and GORGEOUS. The location was perfect, and the food was wonderful as well. Then the perfect quick weekend at The Rose Hotel in Pleasanton, CA. Thanks to all that were there. I appreciate the love and respect! Lindsay and I are so happy to be together, and I'm blessed to have a wonderful, beautiful, amazing, and talented wife.

Until next time.

Our Times

2008-11-04T16:47:00.002-08:00

My mom read me this quote the other day, and I thought it so very applicable:

"Make no mistake about it, brothers, and sisters, in the months and years ahead, events are likely to require each member to decide whether or not he will follow the First Presidency. In short brothers and sisters, not being ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ includes not being ashamed of the prophets of Jesus Christ. Your discipleship may see the time when such religious convictions are discounted. Let us leave a record so that the choices are clear, letting others do as they will in the face of prophetic counsel."

Neal A. Maxwell, President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints said this in 1978. 1978. Never is it more applicable than presently. The prophet of this dispensation, Thomas S. Monson, recently asked membership of the church to support and vote yes on the proposition 8 movement in California. Let me rephrase: he announced that the church supports proposition 8 and asked the membership to cast a "yes" vote and work to obtain the necessary votes to pass this ballot measure. It's important.

I guess I should just say, as trite as it may be: "As for me and my house ..."

Not to mention the logical arguments that can be made to pass such a measure.

You know what to do now.

P.S. I thought this article by Orson Scott Card, an LDS democrat and journalist was a fascinating view of the current economic crisis, http://www.meridianmagazine.com/ideas/081017light.html

Don't hate me for my opinion, but I just needed to say that.

P.P.S. VOTE!!!!!

Mission Video

2008-10-31T09:29:00.001-07:00

So, this mission video was made by one of the missionaries that served with me, Elizabeth Clark. If you wanna see me, forward to 30:20.

I'm warning you now, IT'S REALLY LONG. REALLY LONG. LIKE 40 MINUTES LONG. But it's cool.

Enjoy.

Comment as usual.

My Personal Opinions

2008-10-31T09:00:00.001-07:00

Well, today I've decided to fill a post with my opinions. I'm going to write about politics, civil rights, and other things. Here goes:

Proposition 8: I support proposition 8. And no, that doesn't make me a bigot, nor a hater or anything of the sort. It simply makes me someone who supports the definition of traditional marriage. I get so sick of hearing that this argument is all about "civil rights" and hatred and bigotry. The reality is that it has nothing to do with civil rights. I think that those who were involved in the civil rights movements of the 20's and 60's should almost be offended that this is being compared to those. Homosexuals have the right to vote and participate in the political process. They have the right to receive the benefits that straight married couples receive. There's no comparison. They simply want to apply the term marriage to their civil unions. I do not support this. I agree that homosexual couples deserve certain rights and that they should have the opportunity to receive the same benefits as married straight couples, however, they don't need to call this marriage. This push has been talked about as "equality". It has nothing to do with equality at this point. They'd have you believe that you are intolerant if you support proposition 8. When did the definition of tolerate (according to the interwebz: To allow (something that one dislikes or disagrees with) to exist or occur without interference) to embrace? Why do I have to love and support and accept and embrace homosexuality to tolerate it? The reality is that I am not going to stop you living in your lives until you try to interfere with mine. So please, don't accuse me of bigotry and hatred. It's merely an argument against the redefinition of marriage. Gay couples already have civil unions. As far as I'm concerned, that's good.
Democratic Leadership: I'm scared. And that's not because Barack Obama is likely to be our next president. He's not a bad person, and in fact, he has some policies that I agree with and support (gun control, net neutrality, part of his economic policies) and I won't be angry when he (most likely) wins the next election. That's not the problem. The problem is the unchecked ownership of the democratic party in the government. With almost the 60 votes needed in the senate to push bills straight to vote and a majority in both the house and senate, it would seem that there will be a lot of unchecked power in the government for at least the next couple years. It's a problem. Some would argue that Bush has overused the power of the executive branch -- however, everything he did was within the power of the executive branch during war time or with the support of the house and senate. However, with unchecked power in the government, the whole liberal agenda could be pushed through quickly. Extremely left-wing people will be happy with this, but the majority of the US should be worried. Our government has always been about checks and balances. This year, we are potentially removing every one of them (the judicial branch is also very liberal). This is worrisome. I don't like that picture. Especially when Obama originally began his campaign talking about cooperation and support of both parties, and has now moved to the extreme. I don't worry about Obama being president: I worry about the entire liberal agenda being moved through in 4 years. Be careful America. There are a lot of conservatives out there.
"Stupid Conservatives": I get so sick of listening to highly liberal people talk about how conservative are stupid. Some say "Religion is just a crutch for the weak". (Yes, I've heard it plenty of times) It's interesting stuff. And I would like to refute it: I'm a very religious person. As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I'm one of the more religious people that you might now. And I do not believe that my religion is a crutch. I enjoy having my faith in the Lord and Savior, and in God. He is powerful, and provides a lot of support and strength in this world. Religion has not made me blind. The reality is that I choose to be who I am and to do the things that I do. I choose to obey God's commandments and to follow His path. This does not make me weak. I would argue it makes me stronger. But that's a useless argument to those who don't understand the nature of God. I only ask that you stop useless attacks on religion itself.
TV: There are great shows I recommend: The Office, Heroes, 24 (January), Eleventh Hour, Chuck, Terminator: The Sarah Conner Chronicles, The Simpsons, Family Guy, Seinfeld, House and Fringe. Watch them.
Politicians: I love that supporters of Obama would refer to McCain as a politician. He's not really a "true" politician. If he was, he wouldn't say things that he says. He'd be more "polished" and ambiguous and less argumentative and crochety. Those are all qualities that a certain "true" politician has: Obama. If there is one thing Obama is, it's a career politician. He speaks well, presents himself in a political manner and uses the word "change" a lot. If there is one person in this election that's a true politician, it's Barack Obama.
Obama's Health Plan: Social security is a mess. NASA is a mess. Medicare is a mess. Our country is deeply in debt. And Obama's going to cut taxes on the "middle class", skyrocket taxes on the rich and then use government money to create a goverment organization to provide socialized healthcare? Why would we want that. The government has failed in providing us with social security and medicare already. Why would we believe that the government can run our healthcare better than it already is? Taxes will be lower, and we'll find money to pay down our debt and create new, HUGE government programs? Does anyone else see the problem here?

Ok. I think I'm done. I know that I don't know everything. My opinions are just that: opinions. But I honestly hope that people will think during this election about what will be best for not only our country, but every country. The world benefits from democracy and freedom. Get out and vote. No matter who you are voting for, VOTE! Don't let people decide for you. Make your own decisions. But think through it and remember that not everything that is said is true. Don't get caught up in "change" or "hope". These are great things, but remember, without action, hope and change are just wishy washy concepts. Be careful and think before you vote.

Comment away.

24!!!!!!!!!!!!

2008-10-29T19:51:00.002-07:00

I can't wait. Amazing.

Enjoy.

Shortness

2008-10-21T13:40:00.001-07:00

Short sweet and to the point: 18 days and I get married.

Check her out:

I am so lucky. And she decided to make me dinner last night and tonight! Dang, she is ONE GOOD COOK, AND ONE AMAZING LADY.

Lucky = me

New Technology

2008-10-16T12:21:00.001-07:00

Click the pictures to read about the most recent technology that makes me drool:

All of these links are to Engadget, which I love. LOVE.

Seriously. Go read.

My Mom is Great

2008-10-16T08:52:00.001-07:00

A list of the names I either called my mom or she called herself in the last 24 hours:

Doodles McDoodles-a-lot
Dude
McGillicutty
Twinkie
Butthead
Popsicle
Mr. Roboto
Moms
Mom
Mommy
Dianne
SkankFace
Trophy Wife
Super Dude
Loser
Super Mom

Geez, it may sound like my mom and I are at each other's throats -- but we're not. We love each other tons. She's really cool. We just happen to call each other lots of different names. I could put up the list of names she has called me, and it would look pretty darn similar.

Check out my mom's rantings at her blog.

Have a good one.

BYU

2008-10-13T14:50:00.001-07:00

Who hasn't heard about BYU's football program this year? Ranked #9 in the AP Poll, and higher in other polls, they are one of the best teams in college football. They are led by their excellent junior quarterback Max Hall, who has a passer rating of better than 170 on the year so far. He has been dominating in his appearances, and has been the heart of the offense. Harvey Unga, their sophomore running back, has been excellent this year. He has been pounding it on the ground when given the opportunity and making plenty of different receptions to help out the offense. It's amazing. They have been dominating their opponents, with the only exception coming at Washington. Yes, that was an interesting game, and the ending was quite interesting. However, the rules were followed as they are outlined in the book, and the call was made. Do I agree that it should be the call, not necessarily. However, it is how the rule is written. We've all gotten past it at this point, as BYU shut out it's next 2 opponents, and smashed through the two following ( Utah State, and New Mexico).

I think the most interesting thing about what happened at the Utah State game was when their fans starting cheering "overrated" while their team was down by 20. That, in any other location, is a blowout. And they were just happy that they scored on us. I find that utterly entertaining. I hope that Utah State can pick it up after that game, however, and that they might be a little more effective in the future against foes that are a little more on their level.

I think the part of BYU that has most impressed me this year has been their defense. Anchored by their line, they have been shutting out opponents and otherwise dominating everyone. The most given up all year was to Washington, at 27, and the least came from two shutouts to UCLA and Wyoming. If you don't think that defense is for real, just remember how hard it is to actually shut out an opponent when your starters are taken out at the beginning of the 3rd quarter.

Anyway: don't sleep on BYU. TCU on Thursday, and then Utah in November.

We're coming for you BCS.

Give me more POWER!

2008-10-08T11:22:00.001-07:00

How many out there watch Heroes? How many are following the current season? Ok, so, I'm going to do a lame crossover. You know how Peter and Sylar just keep acquiring more and more powers? I'd like more power too. But I don't necessarily need more power, like superpowers (although I would really enjoy having some), I just need more power in my computer life. And that's why someone invented POWERSHELL.

I know. I'm a nerd. I'm ok with that.

Onto other subjects.

So, I'm taking a financial planning class this semester. It's giving me lots more power. How do I mean? I mean it's giving me power over my finances instead of letting my finances have power over me. It's amazing how, when you simply take control of your money, rather than letting your money control you, how much better you feel about everything. Creating budgets and trying to stick by them is fun. Plus, it's teaching me how to get my credit score, how to obtain my credit report, and also know more about what to do with these things. And that's been really nifty.

We recently had a class about home buying. I think that this is a class, or at least a section of the class, that everyone needs to focus on by visiting the website for personal finance that I linked above. It provides tons of information about how to compute your effective interest rate for your mortgage, and other information about affordability and what you can take into consideration before you head off to buy a home. I think it especially important to know during this time of financial meltdown.

But I digress. Windows Powershell is really cool.

But I keep digressing. Financial planning is crucial. Especially now that I am getting married, it's important to talk things over with my (future) wife and make sure that we are on the same page. In fact, this class has even helped to design a savings plan that should allow us to by a townhouse or condominium within the next 3-5 years while the market is recovering. It should be a great time to buy.

My brain's confused. It doesn't know what it wants to talk about. Heroes, Powershell, financial planning, Chuck, power, sleep, glasses, contacts. The list goes on. So let me conclude like this: I can't wait to watch The Office tomorrow.

Sigh.

Run, Fat Employee of the Month, Run

2008-10-06T12:22:00.001-07:00

Run, Fat Boy, Run: This was actually a pretty entertaining movie. The plot was full of contrivances and small plot problems. But that doesn't take away from the appeal of the movie itself. The premise is simple: A dude runs out on his pregnant fiancee on their wedding day. Years later, he decides he wants her back when she surprisingly meets someone who wants to sweep her off her feet. To show that he's changed and willing to dedicate himself and go the distance, he pledges to run a marathon. Mix in some hilarity and some clever acting by Simon Pegg, and you've got a fun movie. At least one that enjoyed.

While the movie is not a cinematic masterpiece, Simon Pegg is likeable in the main role. He shines through and gets the laughs where he needs to. He does spend a needless amount of time in small shorts, but that's part of the British culture, it would appear. Anyway, the supporting cast is great as his trainers and friends. They almost steal the screen when they are on it, and they provide some very interesting commentary in the background. But the reality is that Pegg is a likeable protagonist and Thandie Newton does enough to avoid being irritating. His will to overcome is well shown, and I appreciate the end ***SPOILER*** where they just don't magically get back together. I like that he just asks her on a date, and they keep the mystery involved. It made it a little less contrived.

Employee of the Month: Dane Cook can't act. When he does succeed, he is merely playing himself on screen. And that's where Employee of the Month succeeds. Because it is just Dane Cook acting like Dane Cook. It helps that Jessica Simpson looks very attractive in the picture, but could she have less lines? She is clearly there to just pout every once in a while and provide the contrivance through which Cook decides to become the Employee of the Month. Gay jokes abound -- not very clever.

Let me temper this, however: IF YOU HAVE EVER WORKED AT COSTCO, IT IS FUNNY. I laughed because I recognize the employees from my local Costco. I remember every one of those types of people. That makes this movie worth suffering through: It does have some relevance for those that have worked in a retail warehouse before. You will find the same pressure when the big-wigs come in, and competitions to be the fastest cashier. As is typical in movies, it's all pushed to the brink, but it's at least entertaining if you can connect to it.

I recommend Run, Fat Boy, Run. I reservedly recommend Employee of the Month to anyone who has worked at Costco, otherwise, please ignore it.

You know what to do with the comments.

Financial Crises

2008-10-01T12:59:00.001-07:00

The world is collapsing! The sky is falling! These seem to be relatively familiar to anyone who spends time reading the business or money sections of your local newspaper. The current financial crisis is terrible and unexpected. It's awful to see what's happening around us, and watching the stock market crash over 780 points in ONE day was not very nice. However, there are several comments about this current situation that really bug me.

"Predatory Lenders"
Resistance to the rescue plan
"It's Bush's fault!"

Let me attempt to explain myself one by one.

First of all, let me clarify that I am not claiming that the lenders are completely without fault in this current situation. They should have been looking at front and back end ratios. They should have been considering that people shouldn't be buying more house than they could afford by only qualifying them at the lower rates involved with interest only options. They shouldn't have been expecting the housing market to continue to grow at the ridiculous pace it had been. They should have been more cautious. But to call them predatory? I think that's a little overboard. These lenders didn't go out to people and tell them to buy more house than they should. They simply helped people to afford it. Was that a precisely good idea? No. But can you blame these people for wanting to make money? That's at the heart of everything we do for work. We work to make money. Sometimes that means that we offer credit to those who may not be as worthy. Look at all the people with credit cards, who have no idea how to use them. I'm not saying that lenders are without fault, but I do think it's crazy to refer to them as predatory and therefore make value judgements on them. They made some mistakes that cost a lot of people a lot of money. But every indication was that the market would continue its rise. Can you blame them for saying that you could refinance after 5 years?

But I also don't want to take all the blame away from the lendees. Why are they buying so much more house than they can afford? I mean, I understand that everyone wants to "keep up with the joneses", but it was clearly a terrible idea. At some point, didn't they think that the potential huge payment waiting for them at the end of 5 years was a bad sign. That they couldn't qualify for a fixed rate mortgage. That should have said something to the people. So let's not put all the blame on the lenders. The American people should know better. We must be educated to use these blessings.

Why is there so much resistance to rescue? The 700 billion is a lot, however it is to be placed out in different phases. 150 billion immediately, 250 billion in a couple years, and then discretionary use of the rest. Why can't we do this? The housing market WILL recover. It has to. Eventually these mortgages will be worth money again. The government is the only organization in our economy that can wait the inevitable time that it will take for the investment to pay itself back. Don't we understand that it's not tax payers dollars that will be used to pay this back? Only making 1.5% on these investments will provide extra money to eventually pay down our national deficit. But, despite that, realize that our national deficit is above trillions of dollars. We're never paying that back. So, what will it hurt? Ok, so that's not the best argument, but we need to recover our economy and the housing market. I'd definitely prefer that to a horrible depression that will rival that of the 30's and cause a need for another "deal" that will end up taxing me at 94%. Ugly.

Lastly: It's not Bush's fault. Unless you believe that the government should be involved of every aspect of the free market, you can't possibly think that this is a result of Bush's administration. Many of these loans have 10 years options. Most of these people have done this before, "flipping" houses. This didn't start with Bush, and it won't end with Bush. He only has so much power to save the economy, and when our president suggests a possible solution, he gets shot down in congress. It's hard, but it isn't Bush's fault people. The economy is a living, breathing organism. Personally, I'd prefer that the free market roams and we have the possibility of problems, than have the government run our market and create a socialistic environment. It's never worked before, and it won't work in the US. Educate yourselves, people. Bush couldn't have prevented this any more than he could have prevented Hurricane Katrina. While many would criticize Bush for his reaction following Katrina, we can't do the same here. He tried. Congress has stopped him. A plan backed by Bernake and many other economists.

What do we do now? I don't know. But I hope we figure it out soon.

You know where the comments go.

Tires Explode When You Least Expect It

2008-09-29T12:16:00.001-07:00

Do you think you are safe from exploding tires? I used to think I was as well. But then, I found out that no one is safe. Let me elaborate.

Last night, as I was driving my future spouse home form the airport, we were along I-215. A little thing popped out in front of me, and I was unable to get out of the way without causing a problem. I went over it, and everything seemed fine. When I shortly thereafter merged onto I-15 towards Provo, we suddenly noticed a very loud sound coming from the front left side of the car. It was odd.

The car started pulling, and I began to make my move to get off of the freeway. I succeeded, and then got to a parking lot. Turned out that the front left tire had completely shred, and it was smoking. It smelled awful. I got out, and changed the tire. My fiancee did find it sexy that I knew how to change a tire. We were joined by a peace officer who drove by and wanted to check on us and make sure that all was ok. Anyway, I got the tire changed, and we drove home. Slowly. It was a long drive.

On another note. I was picking my fiancee up from the airport after her trip home to CA for two, yes 2 bridal showers this weekend. We racked up the gear, and I'm pretty stoked about that.

Check out my favorite three ladies in the world.

Sleep, sleep the magical fruit

2008-09-24T13:42:00.001-07:00

So, I love to sleep. I don't think I'm in the minority on this one. But sleeping is a wonderful thing. I mean, just look at some benefits (from http://longevity.about.com/od/lifelongenergy/tp/healthy_sleep.htm):

Keeps your heart healthy
May prevent cancer
Reduces stress
Reduces inflammation
Makes you more alert (duh)
Bolsters your memory
May help lose weight
Naps make you smarter
Reduce risk of depression
Helps the body repair

No joking here. Sleep is like the best thing ever. I love to go to bed at night and just fall asleep to a good episode of Family Guy. You may ask yourself why I am writing about sleep -- I'm TIRED RIGHT NOW! That's why. I'm sitting here at work and I can barely keep my darn eyes open. I am writing this blog entry to keep me functioning for the next 10 minutes until I can head home and take a nap.

So there.

Go sleep people!

BASIC

2008-09-19T09:30:00.001-07:00

So, how many of you out there have actually written program code in BASIC? I know it's pretty much a dead language, but there are many different types of microprocessors out there that actually eat the stuff for lunch. I'm taking an Enterprise Infrastructure course in this, my last semester of college. It's pretty fun so far. Our first assignment involved writing a couple very simple programs in BASIC, compiling them to assembly and then running them through a microprocessor simulation. It's interesting. Here's a code snippet:

So, this program very simply creates a counter variable which increments and outputs to a port. The final variable outputs alternating 1's and 0's to a port upon completion of the counter. Obviously, the counter is designed to count up to 9, and then kick to the end of the if statement and loop.

Here's a slightly more complex program:

This program starts with a word variable (2 byte variable) which responds to the input from port d. If port d is lit up, meaning it returns a value of 1 from the bit in the zeroth location, it will increment the counter by three and output the high bits to port c and the low bits to port b. Meaning that port c doesn't light up until the value is at least 256, or beyond the storage capacity of one byte.

It's interesting to look at this. It may as well be sudocode. I mean, I barely had to think too much about the complication of the code, and realize that BASIC was a simple program to write in. It is not object oriented like Java or C++ or even VB, however, it is a simple language. As I write more in BASIC, I will have to deal with such things as memory deletion, clean up, and memory buffering. That's the ugly part of simple languages.

I'll post more as I learn more.

/coding

Add: By the way, if you want to play with some BASIC programming, you can check out www.oshonsoft.com for a pic simulator (pic is a microprocessor for many different industrial uses). It's fun!

What to do in these times

2008-09-18T10:27:00.001-07:00

This is a just a quick post to point out a wonderful article:

http://consumerist.com/5051714/what-to-do-in-these-uncertain-financial-times

This is courtesy of consumerist.com, and is a fantastic way to prepare for the financial problems of today.

I add -- Pulling all your money out of the stock market won't help it. You are going to make money, the market will recover. Selling all of your stock when it is worth almost nothing will not be any better. Weather the storm. Don't run and hide. There's no where to go. If we all pull our money out, the economy WILL collapse.

Just weather the storm.

A Wonderful Birthday and my Presents

2008-09-18T10:23:00.001-07:00

So, this last Friday was my birthday. It was a great day. I'd like to thank, first of all, my future wife. She's amazing. Wanna know how well she knows me? She got me a Garmin Nuvi 250. It's awesome. It's already been super useful, seeing as I had to go somewhere yesterday that I had never been to, in an area I was unfamiliar with. I plugged in the address, and said "Go!" And there was no problem getting there. Fast drawing, accurate maps, and spoken directions are fantastic. I really do recommend it.

My parents decided that I deserved a new iPod after all. My first generation iPod nano was finally starting to die. The battery didn't last long enough, and it was only a 2 gig. I had almost 10 gigs worth of stuff, and so it just wasn't enough space anymore. So, I bought a 16 gig iPod Touch (first generation) and software upgraded it to 2.1. That means lots of app store fun for me, and it's been incredible. I have to say, the capabilities of the iPod Touch is great. It's like a mini computer. I can check my email when I wake up in the morning by turning over and looking at my iPod. I check the weather, sports, and anything else that I want. It's a great invention. The touchscreen is as nice as anything I've seen in my life, and it has a great resolution. I HIGHLY recommend it.

I also got some great itunes gift cards from my future in laws, and my sister. And I've used the money to load up my iPod just a touch more. :)

Also, my (future) wife made a great cheesecake for dinner, and also did a great belgian waffle bar with apple juice, orange juice, real maple syrup, fruit, eggs and bacon. My sister and brother-in-law joined us for dinner and the white chocolate cheesecake. It was a wonderful meal. Afterwards, we watched Son of Rambow (which I really should review). As a precursor, it was a pretty entertaining movie. I do suggest that you add it to your netflix account.

Overall, it was a wonderful day, and I'm super grateful to everyone that had a part in it. As a side note, I turned 25. Yes, I feel old.

I've included some of the engagement pictures of me and my future wife. I truly love her.

All photos are copyright Jon Tehero Photography (www.jontehero.com)

My Rant on Hypocrisy

2008-09-18T08:08:00.001-07:00

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/09/17/palins-email-account-hack_n_127184.html

So, recently I've been doing a lot of reading online. Granted, online may not be the best location to get honest and good opinions from either democratic or republican points of view, however, it's been a hot bed recently for political news. Now, I'd like to state for the record that I have both republican and democratic leanings, but I will focus here on some blatant problems I have encountered on the internet.

The internet provides an anonymity that is not available in real life. So, perhaps the commentary that I read online is not representative of how the majority of democrats feel about the republican party -- however, it's definitely swayed me in my opinion of the entire party itself. Allow me to explain.

The article above is from the Huffington Post, known to be a notoriously liberal news site. The article talks about how a hacker named Anonymous, who previously took on Scientology, recently took it upon himself to hack Palin's email address and post the contents of her email online. The accounts have since been deleted, however, the damage has been done. Now, this could be bad enough itself. Imagine the uproar if someone hacked Biden's or Obama's email address. The whole nation would be up in arms, democrats and republicans a like. It's not ok to violate someone's privacy in this way and then use it against them. The problem with this is the legal ramifications. Obviously, we don't know if it was her real email, or if it was planted now. None of this evidence is viable in a court of law because it was obtained illegally. Some may argue, "what about Bush's illegal wiretaps?" Oh, I'm not supporting those (although he does have the Patriot Act on his side, but we'll leave the legality and constitutionality of that for another post), however I am saying that this is ludicrous. And what have the reactions been online? Just a sampling:

since the email has been hacked, the account has been deleted. which means that the GOP was prob behind this as an attempt to destroy evidence and blame "liberals"
Why should she complain? Bush reads everyone's email -- if she's done nothing wrong she has nothing to worry about.
Just downloaded the contents. very interesting.

There are plenty of others who decry the action, but a great majority blame her for being an "idiot" and other things of the like. It's frustrating to see that something like this is ok because it is Sarah Palin. I state again: imagine if this was Obama's email.

Anyway, let me come back to another point. The sheer superiority of the democratic party has recently turned me off to their politics and their followers. Now, this does not apply to everyone, and I'm aware of that. However, the vocal minority has truly begun to affect my feelings and political leanings. At every turn it seems to be that someone decries the morality of being a republican. No longer is it a choice what they are going to support -- it's become a matter of intelligence. According to many internet commentaries, no one can understand how any intelligent person can truly support the republican cause. While I do not agree with everything that has happened in either party, I feel it is a little dramatic to claim that any person who supports a republican viewpoint is an idiot. The facts exist: no one could foresee the complete collapse of our economy. No one could have predicted the outcome of the Iraq war. Just like no one could possibly predict the storms years ahead of time when they ravaged the gulf coast. Everything we have to do is reactionary at this point. Let's not fool ourselves: having someone else in the presidency could not have stopped the collapse of the mortgage industry nor the credit industry. Don't be fools.

It's scary to see the division being preached by the democratic party. I understand that their ultimate goal is to destroy the republican campaign, but a divided US is not better than a united country. They would preach tolerance and understanding for those that agree with them: That's the beauty of the US. Not everyone has to agree. And that's what keeps this country from utter chaos. Let's be a little more careful with how we choose to approach commentary and subjects, and decry all that is illegal. If you want to preach acceptance of all, accept all, whether or not their opinion differs from you.

I know, people will disagree with me, and I'm ok with that. My experience has lead me to this point. It's frustrating, but it's what drives this country. It's ok for people to have differing opinions on things. But let's remember: that doesn't mean that anyone is smarter or dumber. Most of the time it just means the opinion is different. There are exceptions to the rule, however, it's a good one to live by.

/rant.

The Manchurian Candidate: Wow.

2008-09-10T12:53:00.001-07:00

So, I've been thinking about what my next post could entail. Should I write more on the yucky mess of politics? Should I write about the new iPods and the like that Apple, Inc. officially announced yesterday? Should I do some random writings about weddings? How about write about my wonderful fiancee? There are a million subjects that I could knock out today. But I think I'm going to be simple and talk a touch about a movie called The Manchurian Candidate.

For those of you that are unaware, I have a Netflix membership. It's one of the great choices that I have made, seeing as I am a major movie buff. I love to watch them, review them, talk about them, and be entertained by them. However, I've never been much into classic movies. I think it has something to do with the audio. The audio just never seems quite right -- it just appears to make the actors very rigid and boring. It's a factor that has kept me from renting and/or enjoying many of the classic movies that make up American cinema. That's not to say that I don't love the stories or don't appreciate the actors of the bygone eras, however the rigidity and audio quality is a major barrier to getting my attention and keeping me involved in the movie. That being said, I'd like to tackle some of the messages from The Manchurian Candidate, however, I just want you to remember that my impressions may not be wholly accurate.

The Manchurian Candidate (wikipedia) is a disturbing story about Raymond Shaw (played by Laurence Harvey), a military man captured during the Korean War. He is captured and brainwashed to be an assassin sleeper agent for the communist party. His trigger is the queen of diamonds playing card, after which he can be given assignments to carry out. The original 1962 film was directed by John Frankenheimer and opened to critical acclaim. In fact, it's one of few movies to have received a 98% rating on RottenTomatoes. The man who unravels the mystery and eventually saves the day is Bennett Marco (played by Frank Sinatra). You see, Raymond's mother is behind much of the conspiracy, and is attempting to place her husband into the presidency (he is the manchurian candidate). The hopes of the communist regime is that he will be a puppet to their wishes and they will control the US presidency. However, Raymond's mother (a creepy part played by Angela Lansbury, who looks EXACTLY the same) plans revenge after the presidency has been obtained because they used her son as the assassin. Anyway, as convoluted as the plot may seem, this plays out in utter perfection under his direction. Now, let me make one qualifying statement: this is a LONG movie. It could have used some editing during some of the slower sections. It is deliberately paced, and can drag at certain parts. For example, as Captain Marco discovers the secret behind the trigger, this is played out in a scene that occupies far more screen time than it truly needs. Therefore, to truly enjoy the picture, one should go in aware that the film will move forward, however, it will drag at many moments.

Now, this is considered a masterpiece of American cinema, and I completely understand why. The implications of what this says about our society and our strengths have never been more true today. Our fight may no longer be against communists, but we have new enemies. And the scary part is that this is an effective and scary method for them to gain access to our political system. As the Manchurian Candidate, Raymond's step father does not know that he is being controlled and propelled into the presidency. This is certainly not his goal, but much more placed upon him by his controlling and manipulative wife. While the parallels my not be so direct, it is quite a timely commentary on our current political machine. Often, we grabbed people and thrust them into the spotlight and the presidency perhaps before they are ready. They aren't necessarily evil people, nor even aware that they have been thrust in such a manner, however, our system is providing for them to become candidates for the US presidency and inviting them to promise things that may be far out control of the presidency. This is a strange thing that has not been popularized only recently. In fact, many presidential candidates make sweeping promises and fail to deliver on 90% of them during their actual presidency, when they discover that many of their promises were out of the reach of the presidency.

It's not that I don't believe in the reach of "change", however, I do believe that their are limits. And I think it's important to realize that change requires concrete plans, not aloof promises. While we all may be searching for that, it's something that must be obtained with plans, not merely wishes.

But I digress. The Manchurian Candidate is disturbing on another level based on the motivations of the mother. Someone who is willing to allow her son to be brainwashed and murder people for her own political aspirations is scary. Some will do anything to reach that pinnacle of power; it's important to be aware of the internal motivations and the reasons behind the search for power. When we can realize why someone aspires to such a position, we can truly find someone who is worthy to receive such power.

Anyway, if you want an intense thriller, I invite you to see the 1962 version of The Manchurian Candidate. It's slow, deliberate, and brutally honest.

Let's be careful.

P.S. I have the best fiancee ever. She's beautiful, smart, alluring, wonderful, and motivated. And she's great! :)

Commentary follows.

The Week Long Wrap Up

2008-09-05T08:34:00.001-07:00

This has been an entertaining week. I've gotten a lot done in the last seven days, and learned even more about random things. First of all, attending my first week of classes is always an enlightening experience. Finding out that I will be working with XLMiner (data mining and business intelligence software), Windows PowerShell (powerful scripting software for the Windows environment) and even Quicken Deluxe 2008 is exciting for me. Discussions on personal finance (personalfinance.byu.edu), change management in organizations and enterprise infrastructure creation and management were insightful and engaging. It's interesting the types of things that interest me. Most people I know would fall asleep quickly if they were subjected to such abject "torture" as this. However, I find myself intrigued -- quite a relief when I think that this is what I have selected as my future career.

My wife-to-be's birthday was on Monday. We had an exciting day of laying around, watching Just Married (an entertaining honeymoon movie) and many episodes of Friends on DVD (she LOVES it). We ate chocolate cake from Costco, proscuito, swiss cheese, and sourdough bread. It was a fun day, and one that was desperately needed by both of us. A little relaxation before the start of school is always a good benefit. It also allowed us to experience an entire day just being with each other and we loved it! That makes the wedding even more thrilling for me as we come closer to November 8. She's an amazing woman, and I feel more and more lucky every day to truly be able to call her mine. That's the thrill of a lifetime. And yes, I'm 24 (25 on the 12th), but I've never been more sure of anything in my life. It's great!

I came back to work at the lab this week. It's been entertaining. It's very crazy though. I went from making REAL money at Ernst & Young during the summer to my pittance that I receive for working at the lab. Granted, it's an easy job that allows me the freedom to do my homework and add to my blog here on the internet, however, it would still be nice to make more money and prepare to be better suited to support my future wife. It's all good still -- I'll be making real money soon. January and I get to be back in California and working at a real job and putting actual money in my bank account!

Next week is exciting. Check it:

Tuesday, September 9th: Apple has a new product announcement at an event called "Let's Rock". Check it out here: Engadget Blog
Friday, September 12th: I turn 25, officially. That's a crazy day.

Ok, so only two things may not qualify it as the most exciting of weeks, but I'm certainly looking forward to it.

I love technology. I just had to say that.

I can't wait for some more fun next week!

The Complications of American Politics

2008-09-04T10:23:00.001-07:00

Recently, I've taken a turn of interest in American politics. That would seem to make sense, seeing as this is an election year, and the election has never been more in the media and on the minds of the American people. However, my interest has developed for a reason separate from the actual candidates. My interest has been piqued more by the reaction of the American public to the candidates running this year. Allow me to elaborate.

Barack Obama is the democratic choice for president. I have no problem with him in a general sense of the word. I do find some of his claims interesting (wanting to downsize the government, but increasing taxes and providing for universal health care would seem to be at odds with this, among other things) but it is not this I would like to focus on. It is more that he is being praised so greatly in all media publications. He is looked at almost like a Savior, someone who will bring us back from the brink and save us all. It is a well known fact that a president only has so much power to influence the economy and political opinion during his first term. Normally, the effects of a presidency aren't seen for around 4 - 8 years. Some could argue then that the economic results we are currently experiencing are a result of President Clinton's decisions while in office. However, this is not the argument I wish to make.

Obama, while a worthwhile candidate for the presidency, is not a "savior" of the American people. He is a good man, and will probably be a worthwhile president -- however, he is not without his faults. Much has already been said about his mysteriously absent flag pin, the flags in his campaign office, the pastor to which he listens. I'm not about to talk about these subjects, as they have been covered. However, it would seem in the media that Obama can do no wrong and that McCain can do no right. Obama is praised for his VP; McCain is made fun of. Lack of experience of the McCain's VP candidate? What about lack of experience of Obama?

Obama's speech was watched by more people than the Olympics. Why is there such an intense interest in this? The American people have been truly polarized by George W. Bush, however, does this mean that Obama will be THAT much better as a president? Let me say: the economic prosperity of the US is much more influenced by the secretary of the treasury than by the president. In the same breath, bring back Greenspan! But that's for another day.

I agree that Obama is a good man. But he's not the only hope for the American people. I think that we need to be careful in our lauding of everything that he does. I encourage people to analyze the issues and make sense of them. Don't vote for Obama just because you don't want another republican. Let's not forget that not every republican agrees with everything that Bush has done while in office. While there are certainly polarizing issues, Obama is not perfect either. It would seem that he can do no wrong, but I would contend that both candidates are human beings and are perfectly capable of making mistakes. Please, don't get caught up in the hype, and remember to evaluate the issues individually to determine what is best for you.

In the same breath, I want to state that I have not yet decided who will receive my vote. I am just disturbed that it seems that Obama can do no wrong.

You know where the comments go.

I'm BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!

2008-09-02T09:13:00.002-07:00

And better than ever!

I'm engaged, starting my last semester, applying for graduation, not super poor, and ready for everything that life can throw. It's going to be a fun one.

Just as an update:

November 8, 2008 -- My wedding day, in Oakland, CA
August 17, 2008 -- The day I proposed to Lindsay
August 17, 2008 -- The day Lindsay said yes :)
September 2, 2008 -- My last semester starts
September 12, 2008 -- I'll be 25
December 19, 2008 -- I have my Master's degree
December 27, 2008 - January 3, 2009 -- My official honeymoon
January 5, 2009 -- Official start date at EY

Any questions?

More soon.

A Sweet Bedtime Story

2008-07-30T18:36:00.001-07:00

So, I've been really busy, and thinking about what my next blog post should entail. There's lots I could tell about my life right now, including stories about my wonderful girlfriend, my stoic mother, my lost contacts, my meanderings with BYU financial aid, my experience in data analytics, SAP implementations, and plenty of other things. But instead, a short story.

A man once thought that things couldn't get better. He believed that he'd reached all that he could. He couldn't stand anymore. He couldn't stand the thought of trying again -- of attempting to make something work yet again. He had struggled through many a relationship, trying to find something, anything, that could potentially make the whole thing worthwhile.

In all his travellings, he had met many people, learned many things, and experienced many a heartache. But that's the beauty of the design of this life: you never know what's coming next. Proddings, pressings, and designs from the people that love him the most finally placed him in the right place at the right time. It may have not been the first attempt, however, it was the real attempt.

And life became more or less a fairy tale. Things fell into place. Things made sense. Suddenly, life came into a sharp focus. Everything that had been experienced made sense. Life, love, happiness -- it all the sudden became one large round where everything that had happened came together and brought happiness to his heart. And he knew that it was all worthwhile and that he would never have to search again.

Fear not -- for He knows and He is planning. Press forward, because soon all will make sense.

Checking In

2008-07-17T20:49:00.001-07:00

So, It's been little while since I had a chance to write up here on the blog. I've had so much going on. Here's the quick updates:

Moved to Santa Clara and started work at Ernst and Young.
Assigned to the IMAS team in Palo Alto, and worked on some big and small accounts doing data analytics and journal entries tie outs.
Experienced three full weeks of training, including the last week of RAS (Risk Advisory Services) or now known as AS (Advisory Services) training.
Taught about business and community at a local elementary school (2nd graders).
Spent time learning about myself and what I am truly capable of.

Overall, it's been a wonderful few weeks. I've been having a lot of fun and learning more and more about myself. That's the best part. EY has turned out to be a great fit for me so far, and I've actually enjoyed all the people and work that I've been doing. That's the most exciting part, considering that I've committed to them full time after graduation.

I've also been looking at apartments here in Santa Clara, including some called Orchard Glen (Orchard Glen Website). I really liked them. They are great apartments, and include washer/dryer, laminate hardwood, granite, and new appliances. They run about $1600/month, which is my reality here in San Jose. But it's beautiful. However, if anyone has any knowledge of something else available for January here, let me know!

I have a friend coming in this weekend, and I'm heading to see The Dark Night on Saturday night. I saw Wanted, which was a great movie, and have also seen Get Smart and Hancock. I really need to get my reviews of those up.

Anyway, thanks to all that read. I'm going to get more ritualistic about this again. So expect more soon.

The Wonderful World of Santa Clara

2008-06-24T19:48:00.001-07:00

So, I moved to the south bay today. I'm going to be spending the last bit of my summer here, working for Ernst and Young's Risk Advisory Services here in the tech center of the universe. I'm pretty excited about it. I don't know if I should be, but I am. I'm looking forward to learning, and growing, but most of all -- looking forward to a REAL paycheck. I know it doesn't come for a couple weeks, but it will. And I'm looking forward to that.

You know how you can tell? I left this:

Any questions?

Oh California, why did I ever leave?

Triviality and the Link to Joy

2008-06-11T10:15:00.001-07:00

Joy: the emotion of great happiness (wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn)

Triviality: something of small importance (wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn)

I was thinking the other day that it's the small things that get you down. Everyone tells you not to sweat the small things. It's the little things that kill. Let the small things go. The trivial things are the least important. I agree with those sentiments, but what about the other link? What about the link between trivial things and extreme joy? Don't see the link? Let me flesh it out for you.

Small thing: The way a girl looks at you just tells you that she thinks you are fun and funny, despite your retardness. Result: Joy. Pretty girls thinking you are nifty and amazing provides a sense of adventure and happiness that is hard to find in many other places.

Small thing: Inventing a word like hi-larry-ass with your mother. Result: So much laughter that it can severely inhibit your functioning for a brief period of time. As a bonus, even better relationship with your mother and the strength to help out the rest of your day.

Small thing: Watching a plant that you have cared for grow up and become a full fledged bush. Result: Just ask my mom. There's no greater feeling for her than seeing her plants grow to maturity and basking in the glow of their beautiful and ornate flowers.

While I talk to my mother a lot on the phone, I can't remember the last time that we had a "serious" conversation. The reality is that we enjoy talking about the trivial. The small things bring us so much joy. Watching how these things can truly bring us closer together, and happier in a moment of weakness is one of the true joys of my life. That's right -- little trivial conversations bring me joy. How can that be? Isn't it supposed to be the small things that we ignore?

I think the reality of happiness comes from every aspect. The small things that happen to us every day make up a beautiful tapestry that becomes our every day lives. And that's the beauty behind it. We have to remember that everything occurring around us will, in some way, influence our lives and become a part of us as we move forward. These good things that happen, the trivial small things, can often be the greatest patches that you will ever sew into the quilt of your life. Don't overlook the joy of triviality, because then you might miss something?

Something trivial to say? The comments section follows. :)

The Intricacies of the Mind

2008-06-09T13:58:00.001-07:00

Anyone who reads this (which according to google analytics isn't a lot of you yet) probably doesn't know that I started as a neuroscience major at BYU. My plans were to graduate, go to medical school, and pursue a medical speciality in Neurology. It's an interesting thought to me now. to think that I was very involved in that for a long time. I still have a desperate fascination with the mind and how it functions so clearly differently in so many different people. That's the interesting part for me. Maybe my future lies in neural network programming, HCI (human-computer interaction), UI design or other things along those lines. However, for right now I'll have to settle for postulating.

As many would know, I'm an avid technology geek. So, of course, I was watching the WWDC Keynote with keen interest, hoping to find out more about the imminent revamp of the iPhone. It happened, and we now have a new iPhone 3G releasing in 70 countries, with GPS and a lower price point of $199 for the entry level phone (8 Gig). 22 countries will have availability on July 11th, the US amongst them. I like the iPhone. I've used one sparingly, but I find its simplicity, capability and future extensibility to be unlike most other phones currently on the market.

You may be wondering what this has to do with the mind. Let me explain: the beauty of the iPhone has always been in the spectacular engineering involved with the UI, HCI and underlying stability. Let's be honest: simply pushing an icon on a screen is an ideal way to launch an application and find information. Could there be a more simple interaction when it comes to the factors in human-computer interaction? It isn't necessary to create coordination to run your muscles and control a mouse to find an icon and double click it. You merely use your fingertip and press it. Instant activity, and instant gratification. That's the beauty of such simplified programming: ANYONE CAN USE IT! Who out there has ever picked up a WinMo device? You have to go through menu after menu to find the program you may be looking for. You have to adjust through many panes to find simple sets for brightness, and many other factors. Granted, some compete very literally with the iPhone (the HTC Touch and Touch Diamond come to mind, along with the new Samsung Instinct and various phones from LG), however apple created this simple interface. Why does the demand exist for something so complex yet simple in its creation? Because humans enjoy interacting with things that are logical.

Many humans have been blessed with an incredible spatial capacity. They can visualize and create complex maps of things in their minds. Their creativity is limitless -- they can create music, artwork, and many other things. I'm not amongst these people. While i have a great facility for creativity, I find it particularly hard in those arenas. I am very logical and procedural. And that's the beauty of the iPhone. Pretty icons indicate the programs. Logical steps are taken to facilitate the use of advanced features. It's an idea blending of the creative and logical minds, which allows it to find a position amongst the most spatial and the most logical in this world.

Whether or not you like Apple, their engineering teams are second to none. To find this lack of blending in the real world, and create a device so well suited to satisfy the needs of the procedural computer geeks and the creative art kid is from where their true strength is derived. Focus group testing, product iterations, design implications -- everything must be considered when creating such an advanced device that is designed to cater to so many people.

Anyway, that's my diatribe on the creativity and eccentricity in Cupertino, CA. Congratulations Apple on creating a convergence device that not only converges email, iPod, cell phone and internet but that also converges the minds of so many different people.

Sing your song after the break.

Tag Goes to the Runner

2008-06-05T16:31:00.001-07:00

So, my roommate JR tagged me on his blog to do something inventive like this, and write down three things within three separate categories of my life. So here goes:

3 Joys: Searching endlessly for cars online. Calling my mom after a long day of work and having random conversations which generally don't have anything to do with anything. The fact that I am moving back to California for a couple months in a couple weeks! w00t!
3 Fears: Failure. Hating my job and missing my potential. Being unable to find that one special lady.
3 Goals: Buy a new car in January. Successfully navigate my last few classes and graduate with my master's degree in December. Pay down all my credit card debt by the time I move out (or at least a VERY healthy portion of it).
3 Obsessions/Projects: ONLINE CAR SHOPPING. ONLINE CAR SHOPPING. Did I mention online car shopping?
3 Random Facts: I'm an undercover nerd (as I've stated on this blog previously). I LOVE 24. I'm pretty much a random person, providing stranger and stranger things to talk about every single day.

That's the end of my tagging. I don't really have any blogging friends, and I have no idea who will read this, but I'll tag three:

Amanda Parker, Dianne G, and Doug G.

That's right. All family.

I'm still here world, and I'm going to take it over soon enough.

You know where the comments go.

Your Friendly Neighborhood ChaCha Guide

2008-06-04T16:04:00.001-07:00

So, while I might not be quite as cool as Spiderman, I still have some good powers that I am now granting to the world.

I am an internet nerd. I love it. I search it. I even know advanced search operators for Google, and that makes me an efficient searcher. The fun part is that I can now get paid for it! For those of you (most of you) that haven't heard of ChaCha, let me introduce you. It is a human powered search engine that allows you to text any question you may have to ChaCha (242242) and get an answer from someone on the other side. Most of the guides take less than 3 minutes to find the answer to any inquiry. While things like directory listings are still faster from google, it's hard for Google to answer "What's the closest Mexican restaurant to the paradise hills golf course?" However, as a ChaCha guide, that's what I do. Find answers to ridiculous questions!

It's fun. I stay logged on and at $0.20 per answer, I'm making some money in doing this. And it's fun. You learn plenty of things. For example:

The symptoms to syphilis
The distance from LA Art Institute to FIDU
Numbers for various people in Utah

And many other things.

If you spend as much time on the internet at work as I do, I recommend giving it a whirl. Check out their website.

Comments go where they go.

The Rolling Stone

2008-06-02T15:58:00.002-07:00

So, I have a stone rolling in my kidney. Yup, that's right, a kidney stone. Those are scary things. Well, ok, so they aren't all that scary. They are exactly what they are: stones forming in your kidneys. There are several types of kidney stones, but "calcium in combination with either oxalate or phosphate. These chemicals are part of a person's normal diet and make up important parts of the body, such as bones and muscles." (WebMD) They occur naturally, and they aren't necessarily a bad thing. They just occur. Doctors don't know for sure why it happens, and there is much disagreement about them. All I know is that they hurt.

The story: last night, going to bed and all of the sudden the pain hits. 11:30. Hurts, and hurts. Gets worse. 12:30: I call my parents, get some advice. 12:45: Pain leaves, I fall asleep. 7:30 a.m.: Wake up to more pain. 8:00 - 12:00: Still hurting, worse and worse. Finally, I get to the doctor's office, and get diagnosed. X-Rays, urine test, and shots later, I'm feeling better. And I get vicodin. The wonders of narcotics.

So, these things hurt. They hurt a lot. Turns out that the best way of making sure to pass them fast is removing the pain. The reality is that your muscles respond to the pain by cramping and inhibiting the movement. While you eliminate the pain, the stone will move easier. So, the best way to get better is to simply OD on narcotics.

That's right. That's what I said.

So, what do I have to say to my stone? Keep on rolling. Find my bladder, and stop freaking hurting me!

You know where comments go.

Digsby -- The Ultimate Windows Chat Program?

2008-05-30T10:26:00.002-07:00

I feel bad. I've been using a program called Digsby (site) for a few weeks now, and haven't had a chance to to through a review here on my site. So, I dedicate this blog to Digsby, and hope that all will benefit. Unless otherwise noted, all pictures are from the official Digsby site.

What is Digsby?

Digsby is a multiprotocol chat client developed for Windows. It integrates all of your chat and email addresses into one simple-to-use program that allows you to chat with whomever on a variety of chat protocols. These include Gmail chat (my favorite), MSN, Yahoo, AIM, ICQ, Jabber, and even Facebook Chat (this is not perfected yet. Facebook's chat protocol is ever changing, and so updates are necessary continuously. It still works. Although I hate facebook's chat.). In addition, you can add email addresses to your account that are constantly updated through your "buddy list". It includes support for Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, and any other service that provides POP or IMAP access. It also includes support for social networking, including facebook, myspace, and twitter.

How does it work?

Digsby puts this all together in a customizable, skinnable buddy list. Alerts by default pop up in the lower left hand corner of your monitor, and include friend updates from your social network, emails, and messages. The chat protocol is rock solid, and even supports things like pictures, file transfer, voice chat, and other important protocols. It doesn't support hand writing for MSN Messenger and probably misses a few other features that the full-fledged versions might have. However, this is far from a deal breaker for me. I never use those features and find that the simplified version of chatting that Digsby provides is better and more suited to my chatting preferences.

What does the chat window look like?

The chat window in Digsby can also be skinned and changed. The beautiful thing for me is the ability to TAB conversations. That's right: no matter how many chats you having at the same time, you can open them all in one window, tabbing them for convenience. This is a life saver for anyone on the job, or anyone looking for more screen real estate. This is invaluable for people like me who hate having 400 windows open at the same time and just find it better to keep one program window open and tab the different things that you might be working on (think Firefox, or Notepad++).

Why use it?

There are a multitude of reasons to use it. My primary reason is the ability to stay on top of all things at once, without having to have separate browsers for all my different email addresses, avoiding unnecessary resource usage through multiple chat programs, or simply consolidating my online usage and tracking everything more effectively. There is a very robust preferences pane which allows you to customize the look, sound, and performance of Digsby. Want more alerts? Easy. Want less alerts? Easy as well. Adding protocols is a snap, and signing up for a Digsby profile is simple.

Are their drawbacks?

Sure. Signing up for a Digsby profile stores some information on the Digsby servers. You can use this program between computers without having to add all the different protocols again. This means that some sort of information is stored by Digsby regarding your sign in usernames and passwords. However, this information is stored and protected by the company. Also, as I said earlier, some more advanced features are not supported, and if you are avid user of handwriting, or of gaming with Yahoo messenger, this isn't for you.

Overall: Download the program. Seriously. I love it. It has changed the way I chat and the way that I interact with the web. It's free, fast, dead simple, and super effective. I would recommend this whole-heartedly to everybody on my contact list and everybody who glances at this blog.

Link: http://www.digsby.com/. Just click download now, and select the platform you'd like it for! That simple!

Leave any and all comments in the appropriate and designated location. :)

The Lifestyle of the Poor and Geeky

2008-05-29T12:24:00.002-07:00

Little known fact by just looking at me: I'm a geek. I'm someone who absolutely loves to research, to learn, and spend time with the internet and computers. This leads me down many paths, and leads me into true geekdom. What do I mean?

Well, many people, when they buy something, decide that some research should be involved. Geeks, however, raise this research to another level entirely. A wonderful example: I am going to buy a car when I graduate from college. That's a pretty typical thing, and most people would start investigating this a month or two ahead of time, look at a couple cars, decide what they like, and head off to buy. When I decided that I was going to do this, back in February or March of this year, I began researching. I went through list after list, looking at used Pontiac G6's, G5's, BMW's, Mazda3's and 6's, MazdaSpeed3's and 6's, and even Lexus'. I had decided, about 2 months ago, that I was leaning toward a Pontiac G6, due to their styling and their prices used from '06 and '07. Of course, being a geek, this was not the end of my searching. And now, I've decided on one important factor I hadn't been entirely considering yet: Gas mileage. This has made me reconsider my choices, and I am now squarely focused on either the Honda Fit, Scion xD, or the Suzuki SX4 Crossover. And that means that I have spent hours perusing the internet, reading multiple websites with consumer and professional reviews. And I'm not even going to buy for another 6 months or more. Yea, that's how a geek operates.

You see, a geek isn't only about computers. Geeks research and consider EVERYTHING before they buy it. We research endlessly, and attempt to verify our decisions and continuously look for better deals. You'd think that would lead to us never buying anything -- but the reality is that it makes us buy more things. Because, in the course of our research, we often discover other things that we "need" or simply want. It's pretty fun. But it's not a bad thing, it's simply how we work.

The other weird thing about geeks is that we aren't made to be poor. And that's my main problem. I have no money. But I have lots of wants. And that makes the internet evil. Cause, you know what? You can find ANYTHING! It can be stressful.

Besides that, I research plenty of other things before buying. You ever need advice about a computer? MP3 Player? GPS unit? Pistol? Car? Find a geek researching to buy the same thing, and trust me, he'll fill your ears with plenty of information. Maybe too much.

I love being a geek.

Comments? As a geek, I'll read and listen to every single one. ;)

What Happened to Free Speech?

2008-05-28T11:03:00.001-07:00

Let me preface my remarks with a quick statement: I do not endorse hate-filled rhetoric of any kind be it anti-religious, racist, overly religious, or any other form of hate. However, I have seen a strange trend recently in the treatment of "free" speech and the different definitions that we tend to employ of it.

First of all, there are the highly liberal people who decry all things contrary to their opinions. This includes opinions on gay marriage, government, health care, and other things. Anything against their opinion is called "uneducated", "stupid", "bigoted", or anything else. Mind you, most of this experience comes from the highly liberal internet message boards, where most things are decried as foul and wrong. I will never understand why people must decide that other people have no idea what they are talking about, especially when we are talking about opinions. Don't call someone intolerant who simply does not want other people's lives to interfere with theirs. Tolerance is exactly that: live and let live. It's not acceptance of everyone else's ideals or opinions. Its not even agreeing with others -- its more of an allowance of opinion.

Internet flamewars are all too common. So many people call religious people "stupid" or "blind", not understanding how they can believe in something that cannot be seen. The reality is that there is nothing wrong with religion, in any form. Taken to the extreme, it can be very detrimental and cause many problems. However, for the most part, it just involves people living and being happy, finding their own way to express themselves and obtain happiness. Is that so bad?

I've noticed a disturbing trend that decries all conservative talk as hateful or uneducated. People seem to think that to have a real opinion, it has to be against the political mold or against mainstream society. Anything that expresses an opinion contrary to gay marriage, or to socialized healthcare is often referred to as stupid, or simply intolerant. The reality is that they have their opinions. They are well entitled to write and express what they feel. Does this mean that I agree? No. Does this mean that I am entitled to rip them apart and call them stupid? No. Once again, when it becomes hate-filled and violent, that is terrible and inappropriate. However, conservatives are just as entitled as anyone to their opinions on government, political candidates, mainstream society and economics. Everyone, on both sides of the political spectrum, has messed up thousands of time.

It is my sincere hope that we can allow everyone to have their opinion. Free speech is not speech without consequences, but we should all be willing to allow others to have their opinions stated without flaming or attacking. If someone thinks differently than you, take their opinion into consideration and evaluate it for its merits. Sometimes you'll find that they make more sense than you do. Let me offer 3 suggestions:

Research. When someone expresses something you don't agree with, don't jump on the flamewar bandwagon. Research the opinion. Look at the author's resources. Read through point and counterpoint. Evaluate the argument objectively, finding the strengths and weaknesses.
Think before you comment. When we read something that we disagree with, our natural reaction is to immediately comment. However, I think it is good to let it marinate. Sit back, relax, research (see step 1), think, ponder, meditate -- don't just flame. Find a way to contribute to the conversation. Don't just hate.
Write clearly and contribute healthily. When you write a counterpoint, don't call the other person out by swearing, or by calling them an idiot. Write legibly, and consistently. Find a way to express yourself without hate, without inflammatory phrases. Countering hateful rhetoric with more hateful rhetoric is not a solution and does not help -- it tends to prove the author's point. If you really want to counter an argument, make sure that you know what you are talking about and express it clearly enough that people can see your logic. Then leave it up to others to decide. Don't argue more by responding to inflammatory posts, it will just make you angry.

I think if we can use some of these plans, we'll see more productive comment sections, and find more value in the internet forums we participate in.

Leave comments in the designated area.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Really-Out-There Skull

2008-05-27T08:22:00.003-07:00

The fourth Indiana Jones was released last week to mediocre reviews by both critics and fans alike. A classic "professor/action hero" story led to the success of the original franchise, leading to movies like Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and others. After a 19 year hiatus, Henry Jones, Jr. makes his return to theaters. Is it a bust? Read on to find out my impressions. SPOILER WARNING: There may be small spoilers included in the rest of this review.

Story: This is one crazy story. Basically, it hinges around Indiana, who gets in trouble with the FBI for "helping" Russians gain access to an artifact of significant import. He is then harassed by them and given a "leave of absence" from the University. He then gets a message from Mutt that one of his good friends has gone missing. This sends him on a quest to find the crystal skull, and return it. The story is all well and good until we get closer to the end, where it becomes uniquely convoluted and complicated. While Indiana Jones has never been one to dabble in the ordinary, this story one ups all of the other ones in the odd section. Let's just put it this way: aliens. I don't want to spoil it, because the movie is perfectly enjoyable as is -- it just has a very strange story line that I still don't know if I love.

Acting: This is Harrison Ford (Indiana Jones) back in the old, comfortable pair of shoes. He plays Indy with aplomb, enjoying and relishing on screen moments. You can tell he's having fun with the story, and enjoying putting on the old Indiana Jones costume once more. Shia LeBeouf does an admirable job as Mutt, a cantankerous kid always rushing impetuously into new dangers. Cate Blanchett, as the evil Russian seems a little empty for most of the movie. She seems to have one face, permanently held with a sneer and a snide little stare. However, she does come into her own late in the movie and makes for an enjoyable, if not strange, bad guy -- er, girl.

Action: Indy is in top form for his action scenes. They play a much larger role in this movie than in the previous. The mindless action fun is there, and it is truly a sight to behold. It is nice to see that Ford and LeBeouf did almost all their own stunts, and allowed for close ups on their faces during intense moments. I enjoyed the scenes very much, although the middle chase scene through the Amazon seems to get a little too long. I wish they had cut just a bit of that out.

Overall: A good movie, but not a great movie. I enjoyed it, and recommend it for anyone looking for a good escapist movie. However, the story is a little excessive and sometimes the action can get a little repetitive. Overall, I do recommend it.

Story: 7.8/10
Acting: 9/10
Action: 8.8/10
Overall (not an average): 8.4/10

Comments? You know the drill.

GTA IV: Glorious Mayhem

2008-05-22T08:34:00.001-07:00

Grand Theft Auto 4 has been released to major critical acclaim. All of the major gaming review outlets have praised the game as simply marvelous, heaping on it the first 10/10 ratings given in the last 10 years (interestingly enough, the last game to receive such high marks was The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time for the Nintendo 64). As a gamer and with a roommate who owns a PS3, we picked up a copy of the game the day that it came out. Having played through about 40% of the actual storyline to this point, I think I can sum it up and provide an accurate picture of just why this games has been so praised by reviewers and gamers alike.

Anyone who knows about video games has heard of the mountains of controversy surrounding the GTA franchise. Purported as a game that supports and even glorifies murder, mayhem, robbery, mobs, gangs, drugs, sex and a partridge in a pear tree, the game is subjected to hours of news coverage whenever it is released and subject to heavy criticism as it breaks every sales record ever established (first week sales totaled over $500 million, which is a certified world record for the largest entertainment launch in history). Why does such a horrid bane on our society sell so well? Why is it received so well critically? Has our society collapsed to the point where this is what people want?

After spending time with the game, I can fully understand the reviews and the criticisms levied for and against the game. Yes, it has more f bombs than any movie ever made. Yes, it is violent. Yes, you can kill civilians and cops. Yes, you work for the mob. Yes, you steal lots of cars. But the reality of the game is that so much care and thought has been put into every detail that it is impossible to hate the game. The first time I rode around listening to the radio, dialed up my cell phone to identify the song, careened through traffic at high speeds, shooting out the window and some thug who I was supposed to chase down, running from the cops with a three-star rating, I was hooked. I know, it sounds ridiculous, but let me sum it up.

Graphics: Impressive for a game of this scale. The game has a HUGE map, and plenty of areas to explore. You can climb to the tops of many buildings, set up vantage points, travel through the water or in the air. Call a cab and watch the city go by you. It's amazing. While there are texture issues, and some pop ins, the reality is that for a game designed with so much detail and on such a massive scale, it sure is beautiful.

Sound: The voice acting is terrific. The characters all have depth and emotion built into everything that they are talking about. The soundtrack, as per typical Rockstar style, is magnificent.

Controls: Car physics are loose. Very loose. It allows you to pull full 360's almost on command and spin out whenever and wherever you want. But EVERY car handles differently. I'm not kidding. Get in a "coquette" (GTA's Corvette) and you can fly around, speeding and taking turns with aplomb. Get in a Hummer-like vehicle, and the car is noticeably more sturdy and can take way more hits. It's still relatively quick, but won't keep up with a sports car in a race. The other buttons are well mapped and thoughtfully placed. I have no complaints, except for the half pull on the free aim. I tend to pull to far. :(

Gameplay: This game was designed with so much detail. Like I said, each car is different. You can surf the internet, have relationships with women and men, discover the "statue of happiness" and so many other aspects of the game. You can identify songs by a built-in system that you can call and it will text you the name and artist of the song. You can go to comedy clubs, cabaret shows, play pool, play darts, go drinking, and a myriad of other activities. It's incredible.

Morality: The game is, of course, of very questionable morality. But I've noticed some interesting things: Civilians and cops typically don't die when you shoot them. They fall, and get disarmed. But normally will stand back up and limp off the scene if you let them. You are encouraged to steal cars, heck, required to steal cars, but frequently listen to Niko (your character) apologize after doing it. It's this kind of action that condemns this game in many eyes. However, if playing a video game causes you to go out and commit these heinous acts, you need more help than you are letting on.

Overall, the game really is a masterpiece. Every set piece works together flawlessly, and the game really does draw you in. If you are a gamer, you really owe it to yourself to pick up this game. It is a fun time, and allows you to truly experience a video game, rather than just sit in front of it.

However, if you are offended by language and other questionable acts, I'd recommend foregoing it.

Comments on the game? That's what the "comments" section is for!

Is the American Dream Dead?

2008-05-21T09:28:00.001-07:00

It would seem that in our current world, many people would have you believe that the "American dream" no longer applies. In other words, many would tell you that it is no longer possible to arrive in the US, find work, work hard, be successful and overcome the difficulties that were once present in your family or your life. It would seem that with the advent of more and more welfare, the cries for universal health care and more governmental control than ever, more and more people no longer believe that the United States provides the opportunity to improve yourself and grow and better your personal circumstances. I find this to be a HUGE fallacy.

First of all, I understand that my experiences may differ from many others, but the fact still remains that hundreds of millions of dollars of scholarships go unclaimed every year. The government provides so many gifts to people willing to work and study and learn. Those people, more than ever, have the opportunity to attend junior colleges, community colleges, trade schools, vocational institutes, or many other places that they wouldn't have had years ago. I fully believe that anyone willing to put in the work and the effort can succeed in today's society. If you are willing to find something that you are good at and work to improve your skills, you can prove invaluable at anything and everything that you might be able to do.

Second, don't doubt the power of the internet. Have a desire to learn how to create web pages? Thousands of pages are available that cover very basic to very advanced topics. Want to develop other skills that are hard to find in your area? I'm willing to bet that hundreds, if not thousands of pages are available to help you learn more about the skill, find schools that are willing to help train you, connect with people that can put you in the right place at the right time. Don't doubt that you can find pretty much anything you need to find on the internet.

Third, people aren't willing to work anymore. It would seem that everyone is in such a rush to get rich, that they simply aren't willing to spend years as grunts. Before you can make $100,000 a year, you might have to make $15,000 a year. And when you have no experience or training, the sad truth is that you are only worth that much. It's not settling -- it's knowing that with experience comes money. Be prepared to scrape things together for years while you work your way up the ladder. If you have a dead end job, the experience that you have working will definitely facilitate the search for the next step.

Fourth, It is expensive to live in California. It is expensive in Utah. It's expensive in New York, Florida, or along either coast. If you can't afford it, why not move somewhere more affordable? Find a job in a place that you can afford, that you can make ends meet, and you will more likely be happy and willing to work to improve yourself. Why is it the responsibility of those who have worked hard, learned, excelled, and received promotions to pay for those who don't want to work for themselves? I understand that some people can't find jobs: that's a different story. But it would seem that too many people are content to blame contemporary American society for their problems. Racism exists, problems exist, the economy is experiencing yet another downturn -- but this doesn't mean that you can't work to improve yourself. Instead of calling for more taxes or government programs, let's work toward overcoming ourselves and being the best we can.

I know this sounds like a terrible judgement on the people that live on welfare and can't find adequate employment or a way to support their families. It is not meant to offend, nor meant to accuse anyone of not doing what they can. But the reality is that the American dream is only dead in the heads of those who refuse to believe in it. American still provides endless opportunities for those willing to start at the bottom and work their way up the ladder. Success comes with time -- it's not something that we find hidden under a rock in our backyard. I suggest three things:

Find something you love and discover a way to make it your life. Everyone has a passion. Some love to build things with their hands. Others love to code for computers. Still others love to play with numbers. Don't be afraid to look for jobs in these areas, even if they mean that your paycheck might be miserable as you work your way up the ladder, or create notoriety.
Trade schools are great, low-cost alternatives that provide you with real world work experience and skills. If you don't like the formal educational system, don't let that stop you. Get out there and find a vocational school that trains in your passion. Learn to do construction management. Learn to program. Learn to arrange music. Network and socialize with people. You'll find that your classmates are often the best sources of new jobs and pertinent information.
Don't blame outside forces. The only person responsible for your success is you. If you really want something, get out there and work for it. I've known many people in my college experience that are not blessed with the greatest natural intelligence -- but they make up for it with sheer determination and work ethic. They are willing to try, willing to fail, and willing to rework themselves. They often find the most successes. Remember, even Michael Jordan, arguably the greatest basketball player who ever lived, was cut from his high school varsity basketball team. If you are willing to work, you really can make anything happen.

Some might argue that my view is simplistic, and shaped by what I have seen around me in school and in my life. I won't disagree with that statement. Who I am is definitely a mixture of experiences, visions, emotions, hopes and dreams that have been with me for years. But, without those things I would never be where I am today. I could have given up long ago when I decided that Neuroscience was not my favored direction. When I lost my scholarship because I struggled through a few semesters in college. There were many opportunities to quit. But I know that my success is determined by myself. I am responsible for being who I am and for becoming the greatest that I can become.

I challenge everyone to recognize their own strengths. Find something you love and pursue it. Don't let others keep you down. Don't stop working. Don't overestimate the value of hard work. You won't start at the top. Precious few do. But the reality is that with enough work, love, devotion and dedication to something you do, you can succeed. I believe in everyone's ability. Let's work towards recreating the American dream and establishing ourselves in this magnificent generation filled with possibilities and imaginations. As my mom put it, "Just my thoughts, but I agree that the American dream is still out there. Sometimes as we grow and change, our dreams modify. But the truth is, once you stop dreaming, life loses its delight. And then you die."

Comments? You know what to do.

My Rant Against Socialized Healthcare

2008-05-19T10:11:00.000-07:00

Disclaimer: I am not a health care professional, nor a politician. While I am not a leading expert in this field, this post reflects my research and experiences on the subject of the government and the free economy. In no way do I represent myself as an authority, and I encourage all to do their research and determine what they feel is the best outcome for the United States. Enjoy.

This election seems to be a highly charged one. Information flows freely from each side, and can be disseminated in many different forms. This means that the voting population is largely alone in trying to determine which is the best course of action, and sifting through the information can become a challenge. One of the hot topics of the upcoming election is the revamping of the health care system of the United States. While there are many arguments, two primary forms of "revised" health care are generally supported. These two are socialized healthcare, and single-payer insurance. First, let me define the two for my readers:

Socialized Healthcare: Some say the literal meaning is confined to systems in which the government operates health care facilities and employs health care professionals. (Narrowly defined to distinguish from single-payer health insurance, otherwise the definitions can intertwine). (Reference)
Single Payer Insurance: American term describing the payment for doctors, hospitals and other providers of health care from a single fund. (Reference2)

While not everyone will agree with these general definitions of the terms, these are the definitions that I will use during my discussion of socialized health care. Single-Payer insurance is a separate entity, and will be discussed in a later post. For now, let me focus on socialized health care.

Americans who support socialized healthcare cite the millions of uninsured Americans as the case to support a universal health care system. While I do not debate the benefits of supplying the US population with health care, I do question the creation of this system through taxation and government administration. The current law of the United States requires that an ER admit any person regardless of their ability to pay.(Reference3) This law requires that emergency service be provided to all. This has resulted in increased cost pressures on hospitals and has caused large cost deficits and frequently overruns in unpaid-for health care. Ultimately the taxpayer is responsible for these payments through either higher insurance premiums or directly out of governmental expense accounts.

I do not support the notion that these people are not entitled to health care -- actually much the opposite. I believe that access to health care is an important part of society and should be available to all. However, legislating health care as a provision to all of the citizens of the United States (or, even more difficultly, to all RESIDENTS (including non-citizens) of the United States) would require enormous expense. Many of the supporters of socialized health care cite the statistics showing the spending of the government on health care exceeds that of countries that currently employ socialized or single-payer insurance plans. This logic seems counterintuitive. Expanding a governmental entity that is already spending more on health care than any other industrialized nation doesn't seem to be the way to decrease governmental spending. Many governmental projects are rife with cost overruns and budget problems. Why, exactly, do we believe that socializing health care as a provision to every citizen will suddenly lower these costs?

Another issue I have with socializing health care is the potential conflict that it will create for doctors. Almost all of the best doctors in the world practice in the United States. And, to be frank, this is directly related to income. Practicing in the United States earns a doctor significantly more than in these socialized countries. Government is notorious for underpaying employees and doctors would become part of the problem. I would argue that most students pursuing a medical degree do so for two reasons: 1) To help mankind and make the world a healthier place, and 2) To make lots of money. Let's be honest, doctors deserve to be paid well for what they do. If we hand over the industry to the government, what happens to the drive to become a doctor? The second reason could very well be eliminated. What then? Doctors on welfare? I know, the idea sound ludicrous, but if we implement a system designed to reduce their salaries to keep down overall expenses, this is an inevitable result.

I fully support the notion that all employers should provide some kind of insurance or health care coverage for their employees. This is a cost of business. If you choose to run your own business, you should provide coverage for the people that work for you. This, however, is an entirely separate argument. I do believe that all should have health insurance.

While I support the notion that everyone should have health insurance, as I have stated, I do not precisely believe that a government-run health care system is the solution that the country is looking for. It requires careful study and creation -- it is not something that can simply be created from nothing.

So, what can we do about it?

I fully recognize that the health care system in the United States is not ideal. It is messed up in many significant ways. If socializing health care is not the solution, what is?

To find this solution, we can analyze one company that I believe is approaching it properly. For profit health care is a dangerous venture. It results in people searching to maximize profits for stockholders, and this causes an inherent conflict of interest. Maximizing profits and providing low-cost health care are inherently counter. However, there is one company that I have seen maximize these ideals: Kaiser Permanente. (Full Disclosure: I am a member of Kaiser, and my father works for the company.) This is in no way a cry of support for Kaiser, nor an advertisement for them, but more an analysis of how they approach business.

First of all, Kaiser is a non-profit organization. It is not a publicly traded company, nor ever will be. All profits made by the organization are placed back into the company to acquire the best doctors, equipment and technologies to help advance health care. Their insurance is not based on profit gaining ventures, and has been set up to provide for anyone willing to pay the premiums. Yes, you have to go to Kaiser to see your doctor. Yes, you have to see your primary care physician before being sent to a specialist. But this is not a hindrance. My mother recently required a specially crafted wrist brace to help problems she has been having with her thumb joint. She made an appointment with her primary care physician, saw her for about 30 minutes, and headed home with her recommendation. When she got home, she had a message on her answering machine from the specialist, already requesting an appointment. She made one for two days later, and was sent to the brace designer early the next week (her appt was on a Thursday). Her brace was finished 1 week later and provided to her at no cost, fully covered through the insurance. Many of you may argue that this is an isolated experience. However, growing up with Kaiser, I have always had these types of experience. Granted, others may argue that it is a result of my father working for the company. This is also not the case. There is no way to tell who works for Kaiser by viewing my medical record. This information is not provided, and those doctors do not know this information. My father isn't even a doctor, and rarely interfaces with them.

Is Kaiser perfect? No. There are many arguments that it isn't, and that the system is inherently flawed. I won't disagree. There are flaws in the system. There are flaws in every system. Proposing a fix like socialized health care provides more problems than it solves. Do we want higher taxes to support yet another government agency? I don't. I think taxes are high enough!

Do I have a solution? No. But I think the model of a potential solution can be found in our economy. Let's determine if that will work before we fund yet another governmental bureaucracy.

Updated: I found out that Kaiser does allow self referral for certain specialities.

Comments? You know where to leave 'em.

Sage (First Impressions)

2008-05-14T10:43:00.005-07:00

So, I just downloaded and installed Sage, a feed aggregator designed to work within Firefox. I have some quick first impressions to share:

Well Designed: The aggregator is simple and its use is very intuitive. I had it installed, and got feeds added to it quickly. Just click the feed tag on the bar and off you go!
Quick: It is a simplified reader, and runs very quickly. It loads feeds fast, and organizes them simply as well.
Opens feed in browser: This is a little different. When you click a feed, it opens it in your browser window in squares all over. The unread ones appear first. Alternatively, you can view them in the sidebar, below the feed itself, but that provides no real summary.
Exactly what it should be: It appears that Sage is no more or less than what it should be: a simple, no-frills feed reader extension for Firefox. It really allows me to see my feeds quickly.

I am satisfied with Sage to this point. After a few more hours of use, I'll update my impressions.

Updated (11:50 a.m.): I found how to turn off the rendering in the "content pane". It makes Sage even that much more enjoyable. It only opens them in the sidebar, and you can hover over those and it will describe more of the post for you. Then, by right clicking, you can open in a new tab or whatever fits your fancy. You can mark all as read at a time and even mark all as unread. that's a nifty little benefit that you can get in the program itself. I like that.

Here's the download link (in case you wanna give it a run): Sage Download Page

Updated (5/15/08: 12:16): I just noticed Lifehacker's post on the 5 best RSS readers that went up today. Sage is amongst them. I've actually used them all, except the MacOS one, and find that Sage is by far my favorite for its ability to run from right within Firefox and the small memory imprint. It's beautiful. Check it out their post here.

Any tips? Leave them in the comments.

The Benefits of Doing Nothing

2008-05-14T08:49:00.003-07:00

I have a job where I work at a computer lab on BYU campus. It's a challenge, really. I don't mean that in the I-don't-know-what-I'm-doing-what-a-hard-job type of way but more in the I-have-nothing-to-do-and-I'm-here-for-10-hours kind of way. Yea, that's right, this is my long, 10-hour day working at the computer lab. I'll tell you, spring/summer is not my favorite time of year here in the lab. You may think that it is nice to do very little, surf the web, and look outside. Well, I'm in a basement. No windows. The computer gives you a headache after you look around for too long. And I have very little cell phone service. I'm telling you -- 10 hours can seem like forever when you are stuck in the basement of the JKB on BYU campus.

Luckily,I'm a clever computer nerd, and I have an assortment of websites that I frequent during these times. Examples include:

And plenty of others. However, just refreshing these sites all day long can get repetitive. So, I do my best to entertain myself by reading. I've been working 40 hours a week for the last two weeks, with 4 10-hour shifts so far; I've read 5 books. And not some 100 page nothing novels, but 600-800 page novels covering many different topics. So, I am averaging about 1400 pages a week. I don't have the money to support that habit. So, what can I really do? Not much. but that's why my blog will be getting more attention!

Any ideas or websites you'd have me scan? Let me know in the comments!

Ironman -- A True Hero?

2008-05-13T09:47:00.004-07:00

So, I went and saw Ironman (like 100.7 million dollars worth of people!) last week. I loved it. Here's my concise review:

Acting: Robert Downey Jr. (Tony Stark) was pitch perfect in this role. He provided just enough machismo to pull off the overconfident, savvy billionaire but pulled it back enough to allow us to realize that he really could be that smart and creative in his weapons development. Jeff Bridges (Obadiah Stone) was fun and unexpected. Gwyneth Paltrow (Pepper Potts) and Terrence Howard (Rhodes) provided solid performances that really added to the effect of the movie.

Action: Wow. While the action was not the central part of the story for a good 2/3 of the film, the parts that followed later were impressive. They truly captured Ironman for what he really is. The special effects were great, and the sound and post editing were well done. I left satisfied, quite drawn in.

Story: I love the backstory to Ironman. He is such a cold, calculating villian when you first meet him, but as he learns what his business and arms have done to himself and the world, he has a true change of heart. It is here that Ironman shines: instead of focusing on special effects to move the story, we have an incredible story only to be bolstered by state of the art special effects and fun.

Bottom Line: A great way to start the summer. One of the best superhero movies I've ever seen. Go and see it!

Acting: 9/10
Action: 10/10
Story: 10/10
Overall (not an average): 9.3/10

The Course of My Blogging

2008-05-13T09:22:00.006-07:00

So, I've always managed to have a problem managing to consistently post things to a blog. I seem to get distracted, forget about it, or just basically forget to post things that I find interesting and/or fascinating. I'm hoping that I can finally shake that problem and get down to posting.

To start with, let me tell you who I am: I'm a 24 year old Master's student at BYU. I'm studying for my Information Systems Management degree and am signed to work with Ernst and Young doing IT Audit both this summer and after I graduate in December. I love technology; I seriously spend 12 hours a day researching it, reading about it, and finding out all I can about what may be coming next. However, I'm an unusual nerd: I love sports, exercising, lifting weights, basketball, baseball, football and plenty of other outdoor activities. I'm learning ASP.NET 3.5 for a website I'm designing for my mom (http://www.diannegamblin.com) and every once in awhile I really enjoy a good coding session.

It's odd that I am such a technology geek and have such a hard time keeping up with my blog postings. I know that it's hard, but I plan to keep this one up and running as long as I physically can.

Check back here often and I'll share some valuable insights from my life and teach you what I can about who I am and what I think.

See you soon!