The Great American Earthquake

The earth is starting to move in America. Can you feel it? Republican congressional candidates can, and they're scrambling to move to the center away from George W. and his failed leadership.

Do you feel, as I do, that Washington DC has packed up our kids, and money, and shipped them all off to Iraq? Even our senators and governors are in Iraq, or maybe it just seems like it. Because every time I watch the evening news, its very likely that I'll see a clip of politicians in flack jackets, standing in some desert in Iraq or Afghanistan. Here's an idea: let's leave the politicians in Iraq (the Iraqi's supposedly want a democracy, right? Let's give 'em some of our politicians) and bring the troops home to their moms, wifes and kids.

Have you noticed the shift in America, though? I certainly have. When I first wrote about fueling our family truckster with E85 ethanol, that was sort of an "out there" kind of article. Less than a year later, with gas at $2.50 a gallon, I'm jockeying in line with Soccer Mom's for the town's lone E85 pump.

Suddenly E85 is cool. Even Goerge W. finally had to learn to pronounce "Ethanol" for his state of the union address. Politicians are talking about bio-diesel, solar and windpower. Suddenly they're talking about "energy independence" and citing Brazil as a model for the U.S.

As I go about my every day life, I sense the growing dissatisfaction with the President's leadership, and a longing for change. REAL change, not just political-speak change. The kind of change that moves America away from the poison and pollution of oil, and towards a sustainable cleaner, more independent future.

Go, Big Baby

Have you been following the college hoops? If you're planning to watch tonight's "elite eight" between LSU-Texas, you owe it to yourself to read John Lopez's article about Glen "Big Baby" Davis.

Lopez's piece is about the human spirit, standing up for yourself, seeing the humor in any situation (no matter how bad), and overcoming adversity. Sounds cliche, I know, but give it a chance anyway. In a sports world full of Barry Bond's, Lopez and Big Baby remind us why the NCAA still matters.

No matter the outcome tonight, this Baby's already the Big Winner.

The Big Squeeze: Is China Elbowing U.S. out of Russian oil?

Will the U.S. be the odd man out when it comes to Russian Oil?

Russian President Vladimir Putin today inked a deal with China's Hu Jintao to supply oil to China's exploding economy. The pair also agreed to build a new pipeline branch to move oil from Siberia directly to China's thirsty mouth.

A deal between Russia and China simply continues a thawing of relations. With so much in common geographically, increasing trade between Russia and China makes sense. Russia has clearly been searching for a way to improve their stature and influence in the world. What better way than to cozy up with China, conencting Russian energy with China's economy. I wouldn't be surprised down the road to see a Russian/China trading block to counter the economic and political influence of the U.S. and E.U.

Click here to read more about what China's growing energy consumption means to the U.S.

The signs are everywhere: the U.S. needs to quickly move away from an oil based economy, and embrace renewable sources to sustain its growth.






http://mymountain.blogspot.com/2006/01/giant-slurping-sound-that-bush-cant.html

Word of the Day: Ransomware

I learned a new word today: Ransomeware.

A new trojan called Cryzip was recently identified by a virus tracking company. Cryzip will hold your computer files "hostage" and then then demand a $300 ransom. You can read about it here.

Sigh.

For virus programmers (you know who you are, and there seem to be a helluva lot of you these days) here's an idea. You guys are always trying to stand out in a crowded field, right? Always trying to build a name or a reputation for yourselves?

Here's how to do it.

Turn your genius to producing viruses that actually do some good.

For example, produce a virus that will fix a few of PC Magazine's top 50 PC peeves. I especially hate the one when I right click on a file and select "send by email," only to find that Windows has decided to name my email, and then write my email message for me. Some genius thought it would be helpful if they always named the subject of my email for me, and then always inserted, "The message is ready to be sent with the following file or link attachments" directly into the message.

If your "right click file" virus some how slipped past my anti-virus filter and andI awoke one morning to that this nuisance had somehow been fixed on my PC, guess how upset I'd be? Not very upset. I'd be grateful. I may even voluntarily file a "friend of the court" brief at your eventual trial, to tell the judge just how much I appreciated your kind work.

The best way to show up Bill Gates isn't by poking holes into his holy operating system. The best way to tweak Big Bill would be to plug his holes for him, to fix what he couldn't fix, or wasn't willing to fix.

The first virus that does good will probably get a lot of publicity. Think about it. You'll be famous, instead of infamous.

And don't forget to send me the "right click file" virus.

More thoughts on Bonds and sports heros

Scott over at Scott's Spot blog answered my March 8 2006 essay, "There are no more sports heros." If you haven't already had enough of this topic, I recommend this entry to your reading list.

http://scottro.blogspot.com/2006/03/where-have-you-gone-joe-dimaggio.html


Here's my recommended thought for the day for Daunte Culpepper:

Fame is a vapor, popularity an accident, and riches take wings.
Only one thing endures and that is character.
-Horace Greeley

SI Lament: There are no more heros.

Is the sports hero dead? Sports Illustrated writer Phil Taylor apparently thinks so. Lamenting the fall from grace of San Francisco big bat Barry Bonds, Taylor said that the Bonds steroid scandal made him sad (poor, sad Phil Taylor!). Then Taylor put forth some provocative, questions to readers of his recent SI column. These questions were as tough as any question that a serious sports writer can ever ask:

"Giving our allegiance, our affection, to a sports star is a riskier proposition than ever," wrote Taylor. "Is there anyone safe to root for? Is there an athlete out there who won't make us eventually feel like a fool for holding him in high esteem?"

Taylor makes the failure of the sports hero appear to be some kind of recent phenom. His list of failed figures only went as far back as Pete Rose and OJ Simpson. Such short memories we have. In fact, sports hero's have been failing their worshippers for as long as they have been human, which is to say, they have always failed us. If we stretch our memories a little, we can recall the Black Sox scandal of 87 years ago. Think a little harder and you can go back thousands of years and recall how Goliath let down the Philistine's by failing to defeat a boy with a rock.

Taylor is right in his conclusion: living vicariously through the achievements of our sports hereos is a risky proposition.

But then he asks, "is there anyone safe to root for?"

To that question I can only answer, go down to your local homeless shelter and root for the people who show up there each day to make a difference. Go to your kid's school and root for his teacher and principal. Go out to this website and root for our troops in Iraq. Go out to ChristopherReeve.org and root for this organization to continue building on the legacy of Chris and Dana Reeve.

The secret is, Mr. Taylor, to root for something that matters. I hate to break it to you, and it may take you awhile to comprehend what I am about to say.

Professional sports doesn't matter.

Read it over and over again if it didn't make sense the first time.

Don't get me wrong -- participating in sports offers plenty of good lessons in cooperation, teamwork, striving, personal best, and healthy active lifestyle.

But at the professional level, it should be seen only as entertainment. Sports figures will always fail us when they are elevated to level of gods, because they're not gods. They're just people with a little bit of talent, nice cars, good lawyers and a lot of money.

And it seems mighty hypocritical of you Mr. Taylor, as a representative of Sports Illustrated, to be lamenting the fall of the sports hero. After all, SI has had as pivotal a role in building up Barry Bonds and other hero's as any media outlet. Build 'em up, then tear them down, eh Mr. Taylor? SI will make a profit either way.

But if you must root, and you are serious about your hero-quest, then my constructive advice to you is to root for real people, who are doing real work, that really matters.

They're out there, and a kind word from you would really make their day.

Kirby Puckett's Legacy

Baseball fans everywhere are mourning the sudden loss of hall of famer Kirby Puckett, who died yesterday of a stroke at the age of 45.

I'll never forget watching Puck play in the Metrodome. He was a delight to watch, because he always gave 110%, always had a smile, and always seemed to be enjoying being on the field.

Sure, Kirby had his troubles just like the rest of us. Thank goodness most of us don't have to live out our shortcomings on a major league stage. But thankfully, the bright light of the good works Kirby did during his short life will surely fill in the shadows.

Here's a good piece about Kirby written by Jim Reeves. Jim waxes quite eloquently about Kirby's appeal. It's an honest essay.

Kirby once said, "I love the game. This is fun for me. It was fun when I was a kid. It is now. I didn't play baseball so I could get out of the ghetto. I played because I enjoyed baseball."

"And now look, I'm in the big leagues!"

You certiainly are, Kirby. We'll miss you.