May 31, 2007

A little math goes a long way!




The guy who owns the Shell that was famous for selling gas over $4/gallon (often times well over 50c higher than the guy across the street) to protest Shell Corporate "celebrated" his last day before giving the station to Shell by selling all the gas he had for $2.99/gallon, a veritable bargain these days.

"Earlier, customers like Avon Curtis said it was well worth it for her to wait for 90 minutes to save $4 to fill up her Ford Focus."

$4 divided by an hour and a half works out to an hourly rate of $2.67/hr, well under minimum wage. That idiot doesn't value her time much at all! Also, figure out how much gas she wasted idling, waiting for the pumps. Some people came over from the East Bay...did they pay a $4 toll to wait an hour and a half (or more!) to save $4 at the pump? The station at University and 6th in Berkeley, right off 80, is $3.31...not that much more!

Another reason not to vote Democrat

My State Senator, Don Perata, also the is a crapweasel. In fact, he's a crapweasel's butt.

And, if you ever drive a freeway or a major thoroughfare in the East Bay these days, you're reminded of his pork by big, ugly billboards. Not to mention the electronic billboards that he negotiated for his supporters at the Coliseum.

Ya crapweasel.

Hallelujah!!!

Top spammer arrested in Seattle. Apparently this Robert Soloway was a huge player in the spam world, and it was lucrative for him. Sending out ads for fake viagra, penis enlargement, and mortgages must pay off!

Seriously, he's facing some big charges, related to his hijacking of other people's computers and domains (clients he signed up for his fake internet promotion business)to send out the spam. Identity theft, mail fraud, email fraud.

No word which brand of herbal viagra he takes.

May 25, 2007

May 24, 2007

Chutzpah

Chutzpah is defined as a man who kills his parents and begs mercy on the court because he is an orphan.

With Bush, I think we can modify it to a man who obstructs an investigation and complains that it takes a long time. When you do not allow people in your organization to testify publically and when requested emails are "missing" you can't complain that it takes a long time.

Thanks to www.tpmmuckraker.com for the video.

May 23, 2007

To the guy who lives on Roosevelt near Allston:

Just a hint. If you're going to fire dance, let the neighbors know before you light your things on fire. Alternatively, turn down the volume on your headphones so you can hear the worried calls over the fence. Because, you almost had fire trucks racing up to your house!

May 22, 2007

Bottled water

First, Chez Panisse, Nopa, and others give up serving bottled water because "Shipping bottles of water from Italy doesn't make sense." Now, SFist is interviewing a connoisseur of fine waters who takes himself way too seriously. The world needs a Watermollier like I need another hole in my butt. I think SFist should find a real interview -- like someone who's compared the product at all the medical marijuana sites in the City. For glaucoma patients, yeah.

Great news!!!

Macarthur Maze going to reopen in mere days! Read all about it!

May 21, 2007

And I thought I was a sound sleeper!

I have slept through a major earthquake, falling from the top bunk at camp to a concrete floor, and who knows what else, but I've never slept through a bullet to the head.

Incredible!

Andy Dick for President!



A great takedown of Bush's speaking style by Andy Dick. Dick always spins things in an unexpected direction -- when he's not totally coked out, he's funny. When he is totally coked out, he's downright hilarious!

May 19, 2007

I'VE GOT IT!

A wedding at Fenton's Creamery. Ice cream wedding reception. Perfect!

May 17, 2007

Torture

I really couldn't have said it better. Not only is torture morally indefensible, it is counterproductive.

The authors, Ret. Gen. Krulak and Ret. Gen. Hoar rose through the ranks of the military, they know what they're talking about.

I wish those in charge got it.

May 16, 2007

Evening Update

1) Long's Drugs has tiki torches on sale, 10 for $10! SCORE! I am so there!

2) When I order coffee for here or para aqui, it means I want it in a mug or a glass. Paper cups are good for to go, or para llevar. And then, only in a pinch if I don't have a travel mug. I like you People's Cafe, but you hit my pet peeve. I'll still come back though.

3) The front table at People's is a good spot to watch the flash from the red light camera at Shattuck and University go off every 3rd or fourth cycle. Nab those red light runners!

Surprise surprise

Iraq is too dangerous for Prince Harry.

Really? Who would have thought. Send some more cannon fodder, I guess.

Woohoo!

Score one for civil rights, privacy, and marijuana trafficking!

Woot!

Unintentional Humor

The best humor is unintentional, especially when it's on NPR's news shows, not normally a fount of laughter. During an interview of the dean of Regent University's Law School (the Christian school founded by Pat Robertson and attended by Monica Goodling and many other Bush Toadies), the interviewer asked how civil rights law is taught with respect to gay rights. The response talked about how they teach the Constitution, yada yada, and the cases as they stand, including Lawrence v. Texas, the sodomy case recently decided. The interviewer thought there might be a bit more to the story and responded "Is there a but at the end?"

Very unfortunate choice of words!

There goes my dream

Sergey Brin got hitched. How sad. I totally thought I could turn him gay. I know I'd have turned gay for him.

Well, it never would have worked out, if he would have wanted me to move to Palo Alto. I'm just not a Peninsula type of guy. Is Larry Page still single?

Credit where credit is due

Christopher Hitchens isn't always an idiot. Check out Chris talking about Jerry Fallwell's death. Hitchens definately doesn't pull any punches, calling out the religious right and their cynical quest for power. Maybe I should check out his book God is not Great.

My former company

I'm not really sure what it all spells out other than Impax doesn't have its shit together.

May 14, 2007

Incredible!



Click on the picture to see the story behind the crushed bike helmet! That's one lucky guy.

New article

The stock market has topped out.

Of course, it took so long to publish, that it's already dated. But, the sentiment is the same even if I did pick the top a few days early (I picked it at 13284, and the intra-day high today was 13383, just a smidgen higher). I got arrogant and made a concrete prediction that didn't last until publication. I should be more fuzzy.

Anyways, check it out!

May 11, 2007

An era has ended

Yes, it's true. A significant part of my life, and my relationship, is no more.

The "Cal 2000" coffee mug that my sister bought me, and that I was holding when I first met the Best Girl in the World, came crashing to the floor today and smashed into little pieces. Let's all have a moment of silence for good ol' Muggy.

The Oakland A's

So, the A's go for a month and a half when they struggle to put up a two-spot in support of the best starting pitching on the planet. Poor Dan Haren is leading the league in ERA, but is only 3-2 to show for it. Then, they go and score 17 in one game! They should be able to keep a few of those homers in the bank. So, for instance, they're playing the hated Angels late in the season, bottom of the 9th, down by 1 and a runner on first. K-Rod peers through those dorky goggles at Jason Kendall, and Bob Geren runs out of the dugout. "Ump, remember that homer that Jack Cust hit back in May against KC? Well, we're ready to use it." Bang, count the homer, A's win!

If only....
If the movie industry is going to a pull a what-about-the-children? (and don't even get me started on that type of thinking), why don't they start with the gratuitous violence that takes place on screen?

It's not the job of the arts to self-censor. It's the job of viewers to think for themselves.

May 10, 2007

What an asshole!

Asshole alert.

You don't have a million dollars, so we don't care about you. That might as well be the Republican motto!

It's amazing that this was neither my Dad nor me!

Be careful when doing home repair projects!

Especially Mr. Outwater who as had an amputated arm from a chainsaw and a hunk of metal two inches into his brain. Time for him to sit at a desk job!

The joke when I was growing up was that, whenever my dad was doing work around the house, it was my job to sit there with the cordless phone with "9" and "1" already pressed, and my hand hovering over the "1".

But, when we bought a chainsaw for pruning the trees, it did come at the end of a ten foot pole (literally!).

Berkeley Convocation

For the second year in a row, Chancellor Robert Birgenaeu subbed in for a cancelled speaker at the Berkeley Commencement ceremony. It's a hard situation. I fully back unions, and am very hesitant to cross picket lines. I commend Danny Glover and Fabian Núñez for following their beliefs and sticking with the union.

I hope the union soon gets a satisfactory deal. It's gone on long enough, with too many workers suffering low wages and graduates having a special day ruined.

Is this the same American Enterprise Institute?

Did a guy at the AEI really say what he was quoted in the Chronicle???

The AEI never says nice things about Democrats or bad about Republicans. Did they turn over a new leaf???

May 09, 2007

Sopranos intro spoof



I definately recognized a few shots here. My favorite shot is the Piedmont Boutique on Haight -- that's the one with the stockinged legs sticking out of the building!

Millions of cats and dogs

Millions of cats and dogs are breathing a sigh of relief at the retirement of this guy

May 07, 2007

Christopher Hitchens

As his latest article in Slate proves, Christopher Hitchens is a moron, even when he's smart. With the benefit of hindsight, he rightly castigates Nixon and Kissinger for some of their willfully evil acts. Yet, he is blind and self-righteous in his criticism of those who likewise castigate him for his writings supporting the evils performed by Bush and his sidekick, underling, henchman (Hitchens' words describing Kissinger) Karl Rove.

I hope that there are enough records left in emails and the like to show the evils that Bush committed in the name of re-election, just like Nixon did. It is my fear that, like Reagan, Bush learned the lesson from Nixon that any records you have can be used against you. Just as we may never know the full story of the "October Surprise" or the Iran-Contra dealings, we may never know the full story behind Iraq, the prosecutor purge, and any number of scandals out of the White House. And, Chris Hitchens better hope it stays that way or he'll end up with serious egg on his face.

May 05, 2007

My great idea!

Porno based on children's TV shows (no, not with children in it. Sicko!)

Like Reading Rainblow.

May 04, 2007

Muir Woods Tourist Club

Check out my review of the Tourist Club in Muir Woods!

May 03, 2007

The child thing....

I've never seen it written out so viscerally

One last Macarthur Mess post!

And yes, I did invent that term. I'm so proud :)

Your wonderful ANG newspapers bring the story about how the worst effects of the extra traffic are the news helicopters hovering all day long. Bonus for noticing that city officials are measuring to see if the helicopters violate the "nose ordinance." I guess they smell bad?

Anyways, here's what the toll plaza looked like about the time I would have gone through had I driven Monday (7:50AM)

More Macarthur Mess

First they announce that the 880 ramp will take a week to ten days, now it's 2 months for 580, give or take. Traffic jams, we hardly knew ye. This may affect life less than the Labor Day weekend bridge closure! No, we haven't forgotten about that!

Hey! Cool!

I'm now know as "A reader." Yup! That was my email!

I feel famous! But seriously...Mark Kleiman is a smart smart guy who I read when I remember to. I heartily recommend him. He's like a professor and stuff.

The Macarthur Mess

So the expected mess after the collapse of the bridge connector hasn't materialized. My carpool cancelled Monday -- it worked out, we all made it where we were going for free. Since then, carpool has been returning to normal with the exception that traffic has largely been absent.

If all it takes to knock down traffic is a falling freeway ramp, where can I find myself a tanker truck? I can think of some freeways to take out!!!

May 01, 2007