The Blog

The locale: Oakland, Ca at the Oakland Colosseum watching an A’s game.
The date: Tuesday, August 4th 2009
The game: Texas Rangers vs. Oakland A’s
The players involved: The cops, the sober fans, the drunken fan (singular)
Perspectives:
The sober fans - So you decide to take the family to an A’s game. Baseball has long been an acceptable venue for a “family” outing, I mean, it is America’s Pastime after all!! You know what to expect when you go to a bar - rowdy intoxicated obnoxious people. Hence, not the ideal place for the kids and in-laws. Not to mention, when you take the family to any MLB game, your making a financial “investment” with hopes that the returns are a great day of fun, good baseball, and lots of memories. The average cost for a family of four to attend a major league game is ~$200 (Oakland A’s = $187.23) and in places like NY, a Yankees game will run you $410.88…that’s some serious cash to drop on a single 3-5 hour event!! The last thing you want is some drunken fans to turn your family experience into something that reminds you of Coyote Ugly at happy hour!!

The drunken fan: It’s a sporting event, NOT Disneyland!! Sports are what they are because people (for whatever reason) take pride in their favorite teams , they are passionate and have a sense of ownership, and when you get 15,000 of them together you create an energy that just can’t be matched anywhere else. As long as there has been sporting events, there has been alcohol, and as long as there has been alcohol there has been drunks. Point being, getting drunk at a sporting event is nothing new.  In fact, like a bar, it is the one place where a group of passionate people can come together, let their guard down, and rally behind their favorite sports team. People who choose to take their families should, at the very least, be aware that potential “hecklers” might be sitting nearby. As long as the person is not physically assaulting anyone or causing damage shouldn’t they be allowed to display their excitement however they choose? And we can’t forget to mention here as well that it is quite expensive to see one of these sporting events - yup, drunks have to pay too!!!!

The cops: Over the past several months, police officers have taken quite a barrage of criticism, thanks largely in part to the media (that’s a whole other discussion). But regardless of who is, has, or will be at fault, the fact remains that cops are given instruments to use in order to protect themselves and the rest of us. To claim it is used excessively or without regard probably depends on who you ask…but take a look at this situation in particular. You have an older man, presumably in his 60’s, who is obviously drunk. But he’s not just a little old drunk guy, he is 6′2 and nearly 300lbs. After repeatedly refusing to leave, the man becomes combative. There are 2-3 officers on the scene and it’s pretty obvious that simple small talk is not going to do the trick. After attempting to forcefully remove him one of the officers tase him, bringing 6′2″ 300 sitting defiantly down to 2′1″ 300 flopping on the ground. Once it was apparent that this individual was not only going to be defiant, but also combative, the officer had every right to use whatever means necessary to subdue the individual. Why should they stand toe to toe (even 3:1) with anyone? This wasn’t a street fight? They shouldn’t have to be worried about being called punks for backing off and using a weapon - they put their lives on the line everyday, and everyday I am sure it is their intent on going home to see their families.
You be the judge:

In an attempt to transfer all my information from “Patillac” the MBP to the new iMac I suddenly realize that the trusty ol’ FireWire that I have been using as a lifeline for the MBP doesn’t have the lock ‘n’ load port I’m used to. I see the little triangular Target Mode icon I am oh so familiar with, but for some reason the FW400 male end is not fitting. Hmmm, strange!! And after a little surfing the net, I learn the truth. Apple has done away with the FW400 ports and replaced them with the FW800 ports. I guess this is a good thing. Faster is always better right? Bitter sweet would be appropriate at this point…I became so dependent on that FW400:FW400 cable that I just figured it would transition on over to the “new kid on the block.” But as I guess we move Patillac into retirement, so goes the FW400 cable…

The day has finally arrived. After years of hard work, heartache, and new beginnings, I can finally retire “Patillac” the MacBook Pro. Arriving today was the 24″ iMac, complete with 4GB memory, 640 GB HD and a screen so magnificent it rivaled the plasma in the living room (okay, okay…I may be exaggerating on this one a bit, but hey this has been a long time in the making). Actually, now that I think of it, I first made the decision to switch over to the iMac in October/November. I did my homework and committing to the desktop was pretty easy. But I decided I would wait until after MacWorld 2009, thinking there would be a huge modification to the iMac. That came and went, and not much was done…but I continued to hold off. There were some financial commitments that came up in-between MacWorld (January ‘09) and the summer (however, during that time the iMac’s were given an “upgrade”), but WWDC ‘09 and the announcement of Snow Leopard really got me excited. Here we are today (July ‘09) and Bonster comes down and tells me it is time for me to get a new computer…that’s music to my ears!! I’m so lucky!! But looking back, from October/November ‘08 until July ‘09 is ~9 months. LOL see where I’m going with this. Damn, I feel like a mother who spent 9 months anticipating the birth of new life, and now that its here I just want to spend every waking minute with it, coddle with it, and I can’t wait to watch it “grow up” and take on a life of its own!! Okay, don’t worry, I haven’t lost my mind…but I’m a huge “MacHead” so this is pretty damn special, so let me be!! Can’t say thanks enough to Bon for making it happen!! You rock!!

Enjoy retirement Patillac
Welcome, iMac (Name TBD)

The below quote was in response to a news article on CNN.com titled “Life inside a North Korean prison.” It is detailing what life could be like for jailed US reporters Euna Lee and Laura Ling, who were sentenced to 12 years of hard labor in a N. Korean prison camp.

Mark Primavera June 9th, 2009 12:59 pm ET

You play with fire you get burnt, North Korea is not like the US. You just cant sneak under a fence, or swim across a stream and cut grass for a living. You want to sneak into someone else’s country you pay the price. Too bad we don’t do the same with all the garbage from Mexico and Guatemala.

It is so tough to draw a line between ignorance, racism, and opinion. Unfortunately, decades ago, the three were tossed into a blender, pulse’d for generations, and now we all get to sip on the product - hate! Seriously, there are bad seeds in any race, religion, or creed… and to continue to label an entire group based on those bad seeds is, in my opinion, irresponsible. Before you can call someone, or some group, garbage, take a long look in the mirror and realize that the your disdain for “Mexicans and Guatemalans” or anyone for that matter who come here illegally is as shameful as the act of them getting here. So, as your taking the “garbage” out, realize your current way of thinking is merely a contribution to the pollution that is influencing the next generation. Hatred and ignorance are viral, they are contagious, and honestly I would much rather live a life with “garbage” than a virus. Garbage can always be recycled and turned into something useful, a virus destroys life.

The last couple days I have been in Los Angeles at The California Wellness Foundation’s Champions of Health Professions Diversity conference, and wow what an amazing experience it has been!! I really can’t describe the level of motivation and inspiration that comes out of this type of conference. The stories of the three awardees were absolutely phenomenal. For a long time I have been debating what career chice I want to pursue and where I want to obtain it… Well I can now say I have an answer and it feels great!! It feels natural. It feels right. It feels amazing. Can’t wait to see what the future has in store!!

I heard a discussion this morning about the new rule that requires high school basketball players to spend at least one year in college before they enter the NBA draft. Stars like Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard, and Lebron James skipped college and went straight to the pro’s right out of high school. I think it’s safe to say they are doing “okay.” Anyways, this issue is subject to debate for it’s own reasons…

What caught my attention was the piece where allegations and corruption were brought into the discussion (if you have ever heard a talk on college athletics, 9 times out of 10 there is SOME discussion of corruption). Essentially, the commentator made this point: People constantly blame the “NCAA” for being corrupt. They blame the “NCAA” for making decisions based on financial gain, not the student-athletes best interest or what will appeal to the fans. So, who is the NCAA? The executive director is Myles Brand. Their headquarters are located in Indianapolis, Indiana. They have an annual budget of ~$5.64 billion (yes, billion, with a BEE)!!!!!! But that is not who or what defines the NCAA. Rather, the NCAA is an association, as it’s name implies. As an association, there is a governing body that dictates the direction of the organization. The management team handles the day to day operations and have the authority to make decisions as long as they are parallel with the governing bodies agenda. If a decision needs to be made that will affect the direction of the association, or will divert funding or leverage from the constituents of the association, than the governing body will be called in to make that decision. The governing body represents the group of individuals or organizations (the constituents) that make up the association. In the case of the NCAA, the constituents are ~1,200 colleges and universities who have college sports at their institutions. The governing body, therefore, are elected university presidents and athletic director’s. They are charged with making decisions that are in the best interest of the universities, student-athlete’s, and fans. In my opinion, they do so in that particular order!!

What does all this mean? It means take a long look at what the association represents. Of course financial gain is going to of top priority. One of the longest running debates is whether or not the NCAA should do away with the BCS and move over to a playoff format for determining the national champion in college football. The BCS generates millions for the schools who participate in the bowl games. Yet, every year there are legitimate contenders who get left out because the algorithm the BCS uses to determine who plays for the national championship determines so. Forget the expression “Any given sunday…!!” I honestly believe if the financial gain were less, you would

NCAA Headquarter's in Indianapolis, IN

Apple’s World Wide Developer’s Conference kicks off this morning. The keynote begins in ~15 minutes….

What’s gonna be announced? New iPhone? Snow Leopard? Who’s going to do the keynote? Phil Schiller? Steve Jobs?

Can’t wait!!!!!!! I soooo want to make one of these conferences!!!

WWDC 2009 - Make Your Mark Here

Damn, ever have one of those “regrettable” weekends. I’m not talking about the “oops, I drank too much and have to blame it on the ah ahl alchohol” type weekends. I’m talking about a weekend where after weeks of discipline - eating healthy and working out - I go and eat things I know I’m going to pay for. The culprets? Pizza & Nachos. The reason? I’d love to say it was because I was out numbered so because that was the food of choice by the majority, I was left with no choice but to eat. BUT, accountability means accepting and dealing with your choices so I have to take the fall and pay for my actions. I easily could have just resisted the temptation and made my own dinner, eaten somewhere else, or eaten two  slices instead of four - but I didn’t. Only person I can blame is myself. Damn.

But oh did it taste so good
No more though!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dear Patillac,

Your a 1st gen MacBook Pro and I think it’s time we accept the truth. Your currently on life support and the prognosis isn’t looking good. You’ve been a dear friend, always there for me when I needed you. We learned things together, had many “firsts” together, and learned each other’s quirky habits so well that we are practically one and the same. In a sense, you have defined me. When your mouse pad starting showing symptoms of uncontrollable shakes, I said, hey I’m going to stick by your side. We’ll just get a peripheral and disable the mouse pad. It’s been ~9 months since we parted w/the mouse pad. And yes, the constant need of the peripheral mouse is quite an inconvenience, but the sacrifices we make for true love are well worth it. Then the fevers got really bad. Your bottom side was burning up like a fire side grill. I couldn’t sit you on my lap like I used to in the good old days when you were younger. The thought and smell of burning flesh were enough to make you desk-ridden for the rest of your life. No worries. Nothing a nice desk and small fan mounted right behind you can’t take care of!! At least we still had each other, right. However, your first stroke really scared me. I trusted that reliable brain of yours so much I never thought of backing you up. External Hard-drive? For what? I have a Mac Book Pro named Patillac that was as reliable as a Cadillac (that’s where you got your name - Me=Pat, You=Cadillac Quality). I was using nearly all 80 GB of your storage capacity…not a byte of which was anywhere else. Some might say that was careless, I just called it trust. But oh that fateful December day was a tough one.

I booted you up like I had everyday for the past few years. I saw the same grey screen I saw thousands of times before. But this time you were showing it to me for longer than you usually had. After about 10 minutes I became a little worried. I did what I thought was the obvious thing to do and forced you back to bed. After giving you a few more hours alone I came back in the room with uber-confidence and pushed the circle of life. Except you were paralyzed again. Something about that grey screen was haunting. It was like a block in the road that we have never encountered before. I hadn’t yet learned of your uncanny ability to share the contents of your brain with another Mac via Target Mode - silly you, that was such a brilliant option you should have told me about that when I first got you. Nonetheless, I spend ~12-15 hours operating on your software and trying everything I could think of. Because we had you at so much capacity the restore option wasn’t an option at all. Sad. So after alot of deliberating I did it. Erase & Install. I lost everything, but the good news was I still had you. You came back to life like a true champ!! I lost alot of important documents, and some photos I’ll never get back. But it’s okay. Memories can be remade and documents rewritten. But I did have to invest in hard drive. The “all my eggs in one basket” approach stung a little. It’s okay, you got along well with the WD 1TB Drive!! I also did a little homework and learned of the Target Mode option to recover all the goodies before giving you the fresh start. FireWire Cable was now on the shopping list!!

Life was normal again, at least for a couple months. One February day you started acting sick. You couldn’t do some of the things we commonly did. Playing with iTunes, Safari, and Mail seemed to exhaust you. No way could we play with all three at the same time. Over the next few days the symptoms got worse. I was usng the right click, force quit medicine many times AN HOUR!!! You used to just let me quit whatever we were playing with. But then it was as if you wouldn’t let me just quit those things we were doing, if one of them wouldn’t respond to me, none of you would. After one of the many forced shut downs you gave me the dreaded gray screen. I knew what it meant. Just to be safe I used the life support cable (FireWire) and saved everything on ur brain. I labeled the folder: Patillac’s Brain - Feb 2009. Like a true companion I walked you through the rescesitation process and brought you back to life. You were a trooper and came back like a star.

Unfortunately, I have four files on that Western Digital that start out “Patillac’s Brain…”. Just a couple days ago you started making a sound I haven’t heard before. Like a purring of sorts. I’ve read about this sound. I don’t want to think about what the next gray screen may bring (you started showing me a “file” with a question mark in it) but I’m afraid the next time you may not come back. I’m okay with the inconveniences. Traveling with a mouse is easy: stuff it in the side of the back pack. The life support cable is small and can fit in my pocket,  but making sure we have access to another Mac is sometimes challenging. The fan is a bit cumbersome and inappropriate for some places, but we find ways to make this one work (I’ve learned that propping your backside up with something keeps you cool a BIT longer…). The western digital isn’t so bad…kind of bulky but knowing you’ll always have a second storage (backup) is reassuring. And the fact that because of the mouse/fan/etc. you’ve essentially become a desktop computer just means no more watching TV and playing with you at the same time - maybe this was a deliberate move on your part!! You were getting jealous huh!! I thought so!! It’s okay, we learned about the wonders of fancast.com so we could do EVERYTHING together!!

But it’s time. It’s time I accept the fact that your on your last leg. The purring noise may be a signal that the time is near. Your successor will have big shoes to fill. I’ve started looking into it and I think the new iMac 24″ will be the one. But I hope you can hang in there a bit longer. Money is a bit tight and I can’t afford to go pick up the newbie for a while. It’s been a blast and I wouldn’t have wanted it to happen any other way!! If I can get the newbie in here before you check-out for good, I promise to not get rid of you. You’ll just be officially “retired.” Limited use only!! Who knows, I may get brave and open you up and see what kind of surgery we can do…maybe replace some of the problems and get you healthy again!! Time will tell. Until then, hang tough and keep doin ur thang!!

Okay so I can’t be having my favorite jamba juice orange dream machine after my workouts. Apparently they have 120+ grams of sugar. Thats an absurd amount, even following an intense workout. I need to find an alternative post-workout drink/meal. This is what I had tonight and it wasn’t bad. Wasn’t exactly “filling” but held me over!! I’ll keep looking into some healthier alternatives, at the moment I’m thinking a protein shake wouldn’t be bad. Will probably save on the $$ too, those ODM’s add up!!

We’ll see!!