Some good health news

Posted on April 29, 2013 by Steve

Not everything involving my personal health in 2013 has been negative or miserable. I wasn’t too thrilled to do the math with my boss on missing about 17.5% of possible working hours for the fiscal year (I didn’t press to count overtime to compensate the loss). It’ll come out in the wash as they say.

April was off to a strong start because I had my annual physical and the numbers were much better than last year.  Well, they were about the same as the end of last Summer when I made the biggest strides. The great part was how I maintained it. HDL was off by one point, total CL staying under 200 was awesome but there were two ugly blips…

  • Some protein thing
  • Glucose…again

I can’t seem to get a break on the latter. It was not just bad, it was atrocious. Even after an evening of fasting I scored a 127. So the D word (diabetes) got brought up. The doctor chose to re-test. Thankfully the protein thing got sorted out or else it could be a warning of kidney failure. The diabetes testing remained lousy. I’ll have to wait for 90 days until I can be re-tested. By then I should have my running back to speed (no pun intended) and I’ll bet you dollars to donuts that the glucose will be in spec.

One thing I didn’t get to avoid, having to meet with the dietitian. My eating isn’t perfect yet it has come a long way. Less sugar, a lot less snacking at night, unsweet tea to drink over diet soda and more fruit consumption. I hate super strict specifications. Weight loss should be enough.

I know I will feel great about my health…once I shake this damnable cold.

Up next, what the cool gadget the dietitian gave me.

Posted in News | Leave a comment

Belated iTunes Store anniversary piece

Posted on April 29, 2013 by Steve

I knew there was something I forgot to blather about last night! When we were driving home Friday night, Market Place mentioned this but I got distracted by many other things over the weekend.

It’s 10 years later and much has changed, especially in Austin. Tower Records on 24th and Guadalupe closed (no one shed a tear), several other stores shuttered too (Jupiter, Cheapo, ABCD, Neptune off the top of my head), the big box retailers have scaled back if they remain and the survivors are selling vinyl. New competitors jumped in when Apple proved the waters were safe to try: Wal-Mart, Amazon.

The iTunes Store definitely did fill a void on provided content. A decade ago, people still owned a couple hundred CDs (on average) to put into their iPods. Then people started buying fewer along with the newer, younger participants joining the fray. Thus, Apple has stopped/slowed the bleeding the music industry was suffering from, much of it was self-inflicted.

However, Metallica and the industry’s fears have proven to be untrue in the long run. Diehard music fans such as myself still buy entire albums (about half of the sales are); still go to the record store because we read the liner notes and/or like the tactile part; and the rebound can be attributed to regaining casual fans. These were the customers that were leaving in droves.

I hope in time, copyright law finally gets the long overdue overhaul it needs and/or variety (aka, out-of-print material) work its way into the system. One victory at a time though, remember the ongoing debate involving DRM.

Posted in Music | Leave a comment

Mostly fattening

Posted on April 29, 2013 by Steve

dontpaniccake

A birthday cake for someone who really enjoys the Douglas Adams novels.

Posted in Somara's Cakes | Leave a comment

Two new designs from Pinballz

Posted on April 27, 2013 by Steve
A little rhyme

A little rhyme for the retro look

A little pinball humor based upon that Bond villain.

A little pinball humor based upon that Bond villain.

Posted in Cool, Funny Ones, Shirts | Leave a comment

The Canadians have a clever rebuttal

Posted on April 26, 2013 by Steve

This hilarious public service announcement produced by the Canadian Ministry of Health seems to be derived from an old Steve Martin joke:

Smoker: Do you mind if I smoke?
Steve Martin: No. Do you mind if I fart?

I know I have ripped a few at concerts whenever smoking douchebags are violating the city ordinance. I should also demand fart breaks to counter all the smokers at work who get to not follow their schedule. The e-smokers aren’t much better when they do it in their cubes, thinking the rest of us don’t notice. They need to go outside because they’re still getting residue on everything.

Anyway, with all the cold medicine I’ve been taking, I could probably rival my ex-roommate Paul for being the life of the party. Paul’s ability was legendary for its comic timing in college. Hopefully this youtube movie will bring him a smile.

This would never fly in America due to the tobacco industry still having pull and how some smokers (and oddly non-) I’ve known trying to drag civil liberties into the issue, namely the Paultards.

Posted in Factoids | Leave a comment

RIP Chrissy Amphlett

Posted on April 25, 2013 by Steve

Best known as the lead singer of the DiVinyls and their biggest American hit, “I Touch Myself,” but I had heard of the Aussie act when I was in high school during MTV’s salad days. Chrissy came off like a female version of AC/DC’s Angus Young because she wore a schoolgirl’s uniform in the video. The howling was a bit comical.

I gained a better appreciation for the DiVinyls’ sound in college with the single “Back to the Wall.” When the infamous song came about in 1990-91, I was a bit bummed because they would now be suffering from a rule the Onion AV Club coined, “live by the novelty song, die by the novelty song.” Other victims: Nada Surf’s “Popular,” Berlin’s “Take My Breath Away” and “Barely Breathing” by Duncan Sheik.

Chrissy will be missed since she demonstrated that Australia had female vocalists who weren’t always Olivia Newton-John or Natalia Imbruglia clones.

Posted in Music | Leave a comment

My overdue rejoicing about Google Fibre coming to Austin

Posted on April 25, 2013 by Steve

Maybe it’s karmic payback for those shittalkers saying Austin is a pretentious city but I was thrilled about us being the second destination for Google’s high-speed Internet access. I didn’t know they offered television channels. I can live without them since Netflix Streaming and our vast DVD collection has everything covered.

Then, boom, out of the woodwork, AT&T says they will do the same. Time Warner blew it off. It’s amazing what happens when corporations face actual competition. They always talk a good game in front of Congress and their ad blitzes. In reality, monopoly is the preferred strategy.

My experience with AT&T’s Uverse is mixed. Its reliability and operation has been excellent. AT&T’s price hikes every year along with forcing me to use inferior equipment is the bone of contention. I have a suggestion for them. They could lower my monthly bill by not wasting money on stadium naming rights. Getting them to scale back on advertising is a pipe dream, never mind the number of competitors who’ve disappeared or were gobbled up, making ads less necessary.

If Google can offer me a no frills connection with a decent up-/downstream setup and allows me to provide my on gear, then AT&T can kiss it. Provided where I live will be in Google’s range. Unincorporated Pflugerville isn’t Austin, yet.

The naysayers have made a couple statements worth exploring but not entertaining too much. Why Austin, Kansas City and Provo? Why do they ignore their own backyard in Silicon Valley? I should ask friends who live in California for theories. There was another point about advertising, Google’s primary revenue. Not sure what drives such a complaint unless they think Google will force pop-up ads into everything you’re doing, like a 21st Century Net-Zero.

The real solution would get me labelled a Communist by the vast idiot population around Texas. It entails cities and municipalities to own the lines like other public utilities. Then they’re open to Comcast, Time Warner, Cox, Dish, DirecTV, Uverse, Grande and Google to compete on a level playing field. With them removed from the technical part (really the excuse for jacking prices on deprecated technology), they would have to focus on getting us better deals on access or channels.

We’ll see how it works next year. Google has billboards posted already.

Posted in Austintatious | Leave a comment

Jabba’s Palace = Hagia Sophia?

Posted on April 24, 2013 by Steve

starwarsmosque1

Thankfully Lego didn’t capitulate to any group (depending upon which account you read) and withdrew this playset. However, I can see the resemblance…

Here's the Gamorrean in the minaret doing the call to prayer.

Here’s the Gamorrean in the minaret doing the call to prayer.

Jabba is the leader waiting for the congregation to take of its shoes.

Jabba is the leader waiting for the congregation to take off its shoes.

The resemblance is uncanny!

The resemblance is uncanny! NOT!

Posted in Diversions | Leave a comment

Let’s hope this relapse is it for a long time

Posted on April 23, 2013 by Steve

Just when I thought I could manage or finish off my recent cold (the one contracted right on my 14th anniversary), I went to bed Sunday night with serious chills. I had to crank the heater in the car because I was freezing.

Monday morning resulted in the sweats, countered by chills again and a nice dose of aching joints. Plus the congestion made a serious comeback. I cannot get a break in 2013. My recent condition certainly counters the anti-exercise crowd I interact with. I’m not giving up though. I have another 20 pounds to lose and I want to make it to my brother’s house well before my birthday.

Tonight, I’m feeling quite better. I think I may have finally licked it. A recent issue of Consumer Reports gave a helpful comparison on colds v. flus which was rather inconclusive to me. Colds are gradual. Flus are sudden. Score one for flu on this fact. Symptoms match the flu description. Fever goes to the cold. Score 2-1. Severity. No idea, make that a tie so no points. Duration: seven to 10 days with a lingering cough goes to the cold; the flu says weakness and fatigue carry on. Great, it’s a tie 2-2 but I’m leaning toward the cold theory thanks to the cold I’ve had for practically a year.

Let’s see what tomorrow morning presents. I’m mentally itching to return to my daily run. Contrary to the sporadic illness, I am 22% ahead of last year’s total!

Posted in News | Leave a comment

Futurama‘s cancellation was inevitable to me

Posted on April 23, 2013 by Steve

Personally I figured that this upcoming season would be the end because Comedy Central’s five-year contract for rebroadcasting rights to show the first four seasons was ending. I’m not an expert on what the ratings were but basic cable channels don’t have deep budgets and Futurama wasn’t cheap to make. Comedy Central seems to prefer mediocre, cheap crap (The insert comedian’s name here show) or movies we’ve already seen a dozen times; The Daily Show, Colbert Report and South Park (now reduced to fewer new episodes) being the exception. Someone expressed fear about the show going to SyFy. Not a chance. SyFy is more interested in promoting non-science: psychics, ghosts and wrestling; plus they’ve blown their budget on Defiance, yet another post-apocalypitc brouhaha using Vancouver for the scenery. It looks like a knockoff of Revolution with forehead-based aliens.

I’m glad Groening and Cohen’s creation was given another chance. Maybe they’ll have the opportunity to wrap up all the loose ends, namely Leela and Frye’s relationship.

There will be ongoing adventures via Bongo Comics which always make me laugh.

Posted in Diversions | Leave a comment

Another NFL inaction figure

Posted on April 23, 2013 by Steve

tebowfigureEven the Star Wars line has characters that act as bench-warmers (Bespin Guard #2, Death Star Protocol Droid) and this thing spews 12 different “Christian” cliches to politicize football even more unnecessarily.

Posted in Diversions, Pictures | Leave a comment

You might want to double check this handyman’s toolbox…

Posted on April 22, 2013 by Steve

orgasmdonor…as this was found on the back of his truck’s bumper. Knowing the neighbor he was visiting, I highly doubt things started out like those movies.

Posted in Pictures | Leave a comment

Farewell Porkchop

Posted on April 21, 2013 by Steve

With all the hubbub in my life and around my house (Princess gave birth to her third known batch), I have procrastinated my tribute to a sweet cat who recently passed away.

Porkchop was one of Kristin’s cats. By the time I met him, he was pretty old (for a cat). The poor fellow was deaf, skinny and boney (cats’ kidneys gradually fail as they get to the upper teens, lower twenties). However, Porkchop was friendly and all cat. He liked me because I got to pet him with little struggling. All cat I said? Yes, despite being the equivalent of a 100+ year old human, I saw him successfully get into Jeremy’s dinner on the couch. I can’t imagine my grandparents pulling off such a stunt when they were mobile and in their eighties.

With his health continuing to decline, Kristin and Jeremy were scheduling to euthanize Porkchop to end his suffering. Thankfully it wasn’t necessary, Porkchop died peacefully in his sleep, the way all animals should.

I miss the sneaky little guy. He certainly shares a kinship with Miette and I’m confident there’s a new Porkchop being nursed in the bushes by Princess.

Posted in Cats | Leave a comment

Updates a comin’ plus transitions due

Posted on April 21, 2013 by Steve

Thanks to 2013 being the worst year for my personal health since 1999 when my immune system collapsed for two weeks; yet I doubt I could convince a doctor to just give me a shot to boost my system. So what does this really mean? Well, besides the usual backlog of stories from 2012 I promised to complete, you can tell others from this year are falling behind. Some I’m willing throw by the wayside but the ones you may see which are several months old were too important, cool or worth sharing. Eventually, I will be dug out! Looks like I won’t be attending any of the Moontower stuff since half of what I want to see will require a badge, smooth move Paramount; and hockey is in the air given the Stars may choke in the first round.

Yesterday I did successfully the overdue upgrade to 3.5.1 of WordPress. I was having issues with the widgets, upgrading got them operating again. I doubt you can tell from your interaction reading this.

I also received my new MacBook Pro which was a 14th anniversary gift to myself. Making the shift from Snow Leopard to Mountain Lion will be bumpy. At work, it went smoothly. It’s a different story when you’ve paid for the software the OS can knock out. Since upgrading can be a tedious, time-consuming affair, I have scheduled some throwaway, filler stories to post every day around 8:30 AM CDT. The same time my shift at work begins. Gets my little musings out of the way, frees me up to bang out the more substantive pieces.

What else…

I’m past 3000 posts. The word count has a ways to go before 1,000,000. The same goes for decent comments hitting 500. Keep an eye out though.

Thanks for enduring. I promise some interesting stuff. Really.

Posted in News | Leave a comment

Stuffed & Unstrung

Posted on April 21, 2013 by Steve

Those are the 80 or more puppets used for the tour

Disney may own the Muppets and the technical name but the Henson family got to retain the other, more daring properties (The Dark Crystal, Labyrinth) and this adult-based entertainment troop we saw a couple weeks ago. It wasn’t for children because they’re allowed to use profanity. Somara is the biggest fan I know so I could’ve sleeping on the couch for a month if I didn’t alert her.

How was it? Overall I liked it and I laughed. My big peeve was most of the show being improvisational with the audience shouting out suggestions. Maybe if they had a series of choices for us to vote on, fine. Improv is fantastic at demonstrating the puppeteers’ acting skills while they successfully manipulate the puppet. The problem is the audience’s crappy, blurted-out ideas. There’s a reason why I paid to see these people and how they earned their careers. Crowdsourcing doesn’t always work, especially with comedy.

Enough editorializing, it was a great time.

Besides the improv bits, there were rehearsed, “fixed” pieces they did. Jane and Jim Henson’s “I’ve Grown Accustomed to Your Face,” Frank Oz’s “Java,” and my personal favorite, “Windy.” The troop also showed how the Henson company has implemented high-tech into their act with a computer-generated/manipulated character (more in a moment) and video looping during a tap-dancing skit. The computer puppet was only visible on the big screens since it was super-imposed over a person’s head.

Our third-row seats made matters pretty interesting. We saw what they were doing on the stage while simultaneously watching the big screens showing the end result. I was amazed by how little they flicked their wrists compared to the movement’s cameras see.

Should this come back through Austin, I would attend again. These puppeteers are professionals, they often converted sow’s ears into decent purses. Next time, I hope they have a shirt in my size.

Here I am with three cast members in the lobby.

Here I am with three cast members in the lobby.

Posted in Brushes with Greatness, Diversions | Leave a comment