January 2008 - Mostly Harmless

January 30, 2008

Andre’s trip to Disneyland

Disneyland, January 18 to 20

How we know each other

Rao and I worked together 10 years ago on an enormous Year 2000 computer project and have stayed in touch ever since. I attended his wedding in New Jersey many years ago and was unable to blend in to the crowd of hundreds because: (1) I’m white, (2) I’m over a foot taller than anyone else there. It was an amazing wedding and I still have fond memories of it. Our most recent get-together was during my divorce, where they took great care of me. Rao’s son, Mohan is Aaron’s age and he reminded me a lot of him. Indu is a warm and wonderful woman who took excellent care of me and shared some amazingly good recipes that look very easy to make when she does it. I have not had the same success.

Travel

Disneyland was someplace I had wanted to take Aaron when he was old enough to appreciate it, and now was an excellent time. He’ll be turning five in about two months. I had packed snack items to hold us through the travel. He favors hummus, rice crackers, grape tomatoes and cheese, but lately has also picked up a taste for the carrots that still have all the greens attached. He can pretend to be a rabbit that way. Read more

January 29, 2008

Will Rudy drop out?

NBC 4 is saying that Rudy has not said he is dropping out but apparently in his Florida concession speech he kept referring to his campaign in the past tense. Here’s hoping he pulls the plug.

January 29, 2008

Co-president?

I like Senator Hillary Clinton but President Clinton is selling himself as part of the package.

That’s not good. When he says “These are tough times. We can bring America back. We’ve done it before.” then he’s using the good will he built to get himself into office. I don’t like that; his time as president is over. He can do (and I assume does) meaningful work and change the world. Just ask President Carter.

Can’t we have a presidential candidate who actually represents something new and hopeful? If Senator Obama gets the nod then it maybe for this reason alone.

January 22, 2008

Shigofumi is one weird anime

I started watching Shigofumi. The idea here is that after people die they have an opportunity to write one letter to one person. Fumika’s job is to deliver that letter which she does dispassionately.

In the first episode Fumika was to deliver a letter from Ayase Asuna’s late father to her boyfriend. Fumika finds Shouta who is not Ayase’s boyfriend and the whole episode revolves around Shouta. He wants to receive the letter and become the boyfriend by completing a rocket he was working on for her.

Late in the episode it turns out the letter says Ayase killed her father. Shouta refuses to believe it and gets killed by her for discovering her secret. See picture above.

In episode 2 we find out that the father had really, really deserved to be killed. Now that Shouta is dead he sends her a letter in which he apologizes. He’s sorry he missed what was going on in her life and that he was not able to help her.

The animation is not bad and the episodes keep moving but the subject matter is odd. It’s like the show is trying to be cute with drama.

January 22, 2008

That’s the Rudy NYC remembers

The New York Times has a good article on Rudy Guiliani which highlights many of his bad temper abuses. It’s a little long but some of the examples I had forgotten about. I like the photo from the article, it shows a “lighter” side of the presidential candidate.

I think the Rudy 2008 campaign is beginning to realize that his tough guy 9/11 hero bit is not going to get him delegates. Lately his stumping in Florida is lacking his 9/11 rhetoric and his latest ad does not even use the word “terrorism”.

When Rudy was mayor he did improve things but he did so without any class. It was a “my way of the highway” but it was needlessly mean spirited and he became a real bully. From petty arguing with radio show callers to slandering a victim of a police shooting, he made it clear that he wanted to be a mean SOB.

Rudy was tolerated because he did get things done and the city was a mess. But previous mayors proved that you could work with people and still get work done. Ed Koch was quite a character but he was effective. David Dinkins made lots of mistakes but he did have class.

I can’t imagine Rudy as president. We’d have a bigger melt down than we have with President Bush. The Bush Cheney administration is petty, no-bid, ignores disagreement (on good days), and has a demonstrable contempt for the law. President Rudy would trump that; President Bush is sadly not too bright. But he’s not really mean or a bully.

What an image, the school yard bully having his finger on top of the button to launch the missiles.

January 17, 2008

DNA samples taken from anyone arrested?

In NYC for the state of the city address, Mayor Bloomberg apparently is proposing that DNA samples be taken from everyone arrested.

I think the idea is like the police running the ID of anyone who jumps a subway turnstile. If they’re naughty enough to jump a turnstile then they might have an outstanding warrant. Thus a ticket-able offense becomes a potential dragnet.

What could be the problem? Police already fingerprint people when they are arrested. And just like fingerprints, the DNA sample could finger the person being arrested for prior unsolved crimes. I think this idea should be expanded.

Let’s get samples of peoples DNA when they apply to any government program. Or even when people apply for a Social Security number. Get them when they are young. Think of the benefit, and best of all, if the person never commits a crime then they have nothing to be afraid of.

I guess even politicians get bad days. I don’t know why Mayor Bloomberg is channeling Rudy but that’s a dumb idea logistically as well as legally (maybe, IANAL).

January 17, 2008

They still have Blades of Glory

I loves parodies. This Youtube video sums up HD-DVD v Blu-ray nicely. Update: This link still works.

January 16, 2008

Is Rudy cured?

Wow. Miracles do happen.

After many attempts and interventions Rudy has been able to appear in public without having his 9/11 Tourette’s syndrome kicking in.

Every article I have read seems to concentrate on the fact that he left out the English only part of his talking points and how politically poisonous Katherine Harris still is. Not one mention of 9/11.

If this keeps up, people might start thinking that Rudy is more than a one-trick pony. He’s not, but people can be fooled.

January 13, 2008

HG Gundam Exia assembled

Just finished assembling the HG Gundam Exia. It’s good and when the weather is warmer I’ll probably paint it. Except for the shoulders, the whole thing breaks up for easy painting.