Tea, Taxes, and the "Two Party" system.

Politically I lean conservative: Smaller government, less interference in our daily lives.  Sadly, in our two-party system, neither side represents this point of view.  Both parties use fear-mongering tactics in a power grab.

The Republicans use "the enemy without", Terrorists, Communists, people "out there" who aren't like us.  They want to grow the government, and reduce your rights, to protect you from external enemy.

The Democrats, on the other hand, employ "the enemy within" argument;  using class warfare to identify those "inside the country" who don't meet their societal ideal. They want to grow government and reduce your rights, in order to "right the wrongs" inflicted by the internal enemy.

Both parties are bankrolled by corporate and banking influences; their constituencies are not the American people they claim to represent. 

This is the theme of the Tea Party. They aren't first; there are also the Libertarians.

There are some who believe that the corporate backers are an international cabal, that controls not only the government but also our media and more essentially, our money supply; hence the Fed, the US Tax Code, and he national debt.

This is the theme of the Anonymous (Occupy) Movement.

I think it would be a mistake to ignore either point of view because it doesn't fit the two-party model.

What a long, strange week it's been...

It was supposed to be another typical Christmas weekend for us, which means:
Last minute shopping, and
A trip to PA to spend Christmas with Jill's family.

Instead, it featured:
Lower Gastro-intestinal infection (with all the major side effects)
A trip to the emergency room Christmas Eve,
Lots of chicken noodle soup (Progresso), a ten-day course of Flagyl, and gatorade. Lots of gatorade.

On the edge of complete recovery, a slightly tweaked ankle became incredibly painful and we wound up in the ER again, under premise of an ankle sprain. Ouch.
Except that the symptom of intense pains began to subside on its own, even before we got to my primary care doctor.

The G-I thing is basically over. I'm back to normal food, normal digestion, just finishing out the antibiotic. I have an apppointment scheduled with a gastroenterologist on Tuesday. A colonoscopy is in my future for 2012. Yay me.

The ankle thing is looking like gout I've had it in the big toe enough times to recognize it. But it may explain several less-painful stiff ankle situations I've had in the past.

I have an appointment with a podiatrist on Thursday. We will have a lot to talk about. Also scheduled Thursday is a screening for gout. I'm sure it's gonna come out positiive.

This was my Christmas. I guess I'm not as young as I used to be. There's always next year!

Cataclysmic converter.

I recently put my 2002 Toyota Corolla into the shop after literally driving the brakes off the car. Over $800 in brake repairs (rotors, calipers, pads up front, pads & adjustment rear), and $300 in other repairs. Mostly just daily driving and infrequent maintenance.

The check-engine light was on, giving a "failed catalytic converter" error code, according to Toyota. They estimated the replacement at about $2000. This is difficult to swallow for a 10 year old car...repair or replace time? The car uses oil. Might be as simple as replacing a pcv valve, or as expensive as rings. The model-year range had a reputation for too-small- pistons and it is not uncommon to hear of high oil use over 100K miles. Mine is up to about !85K.

Trouble is it still runs quite well, gives me 30mpg, and is reliable. I wouldn't mind holding on for another year and replacing it with a new car.

If we're talking engine repair, it gets worse. Evidently you can kill a toyota. They die a slow expensive death.
I might be shopping for a used replacement - soon.

Playoffs rant redux..

This was meant to be more insightful than just a casual sports-fan blog. But most of my posts thus far have revolved around the Redskins.
"No sir, I don't like it."
So here goes. To paraphrase Peter King, this is what I think I think this week: And none of this is brilliant (or even original) thought:

1) Let's get the Redskins out of the way first. During pre-season, Rex Grossman predicted an NFC East title. Now, we all understand the impact injuries have had, but seriously Rex. Playoffs?!? Cue Jim Mora in 3..2..

2) Tebow. Elway's drive without Elway's talent. Despite Tebow's attribution of his success to Christ, it has to be said that Denver's defense has stepped up and kept them in the game. Still, a 4-1 start is nothing to sneeze at. He is certainly blessed.

3) Penn State. It was tough to see JoePa kicked under the bus. Still, the University had to clean house in the wake of the scandal.
Sadly, this will play out as the corruption of power, on multiple levels. How much of that took place between the Head Coach, the AD, and the President will be the true tale. Sad times in Happy Valley.
Still, Paterno could have, and some might say should have, retired years ago. Certainly he didn't need the money. What would keep a man there at his advancing age? Who's the player, and who's being played?

4) The more the other Republicans talk, the better Gingrich sounds.

5) Talk radio is obnoxious.

6) Don't eat too much and sleep through the football on Thanksgiving. Important games. Whoda thunk?

7) Despite our economic troubles, we are truly blessed in this country, like no other society has ever seen. That said, the current attitude of "Just be thankful you have a job" to justify poorly conceived directives in the workplace is appalling. It wouldn't fly in better economic times.

8) Best quote about tarpon fishing: "Tarpon fight like your spouse" -- Mike Bundy, LTD

9) The extended-range electric concept (think Chevy Volt) needs a little more work. Once the engine switches on, you're getting 37mpg. Worth $45K?

10) I heard Pink Floyd "Run Like Hell" at McDonalds on Saturday morning. Just one more bullet point to prove The End is Near.

Have fun everyone. Happy Thanksgiving!

Redskins Zeitgeist

1) Zorn was a good guy, but in over his head.
2) Zorn took a lot of heat...and the paycheck...like a man.
3) Zorn showed class and dignity, in the most undignified of circumstances.

4) Allen is nothing more than a PR guy for Snyder.
5) Allen had no influence on the decision to go after Shanahan.

6) Maybe Snyder's learning to leave the game to the profrssionals.
7) Snyder's up to the same old game. Meet the new ex-head coach Shanahan.

8) Portis' true colors are coming out now. Not a team player. Trash Campbell in the press? Campbell may have his own set of problems, but he has dealt with everything - even his frustrations - without resorting to personal attacks.
9) Is there more of this on the "team"?

Why do I want to call him Mike Shenanig-han? :-)

It will be an interesting off-season.

Fail to the Redskins

Let's see:
O-Line injuries
Cooley out
Portis - concussion
Missed tackles
Stupid penalties
Dropped or mis-handled catches.
A terrible tackle leading to a 4th Q Atlanta TD
Fundamentals. Failure. Futility.
This is not looking good.

There is no i in "career path"...

I was informed this week of our company's intention to re-platform our corporate systems around a Windows-server based ERP system. That means we're moving away from IBM i (iSeries, AS/400, or just plain '400 to us).

I have mixed feelings about this. The bad is that it hastens the horizon of my career phase that was based around being an iSeries developer. The good is that it takes me out of a "comfort zone", and provides the opportunity to work productively in newer technologies. It also presents a welcome learning curve.

Welcome again to the new normal. How do you like the view?

Exit from Chapter 11

Thankful and relieved that my employer is emerging from chapter-eleven and that most of my cronies (and myself) are still on board.

There will be some transition work setting up the "new company", then we'll get down to the business of moving in a new direction.

It's been a trying time; listening to some paint a rosy scenario while others shout about the sky following and cheese being moved! I'm reminded of something I heard years ago: "There are only two rational fears: the first is that things will never get back to normal. The second is that maybe the already have!"

Welcome to the new normal.

All that being said, I still have to work out plan B. Networking, resume, other options.

Yeah, I'm looking at options. Are you?

I will gladly pay you next Tuesday...

for a double-bacon-cheeseburger today.

After packing lunches and limiting my fast food outings to chicken or fish during Lent & Holy Weeks, and after contemplation, confession and communion, I'm indulging myself in the Post-Lenten, Post-Easter, Post-Apocalyptic Solo Burger Bash. A (good) burger a day for seven days, with pictures to prove it.

McD's & BK need not apply.

For the record, Paul Hunter got me onto this idea, he was doing the same thing in the days around Easter. Paul, I have some catching-up to do.

He was going for size. I'm going for all the gooey goodness.

Day one was Five Guys Germantown. On the docket: Red Robin (maybe), Greene Turtle, Glory Days Grille, Clyde's, and the Germantown Inn - if they're not closed for the season - for a Roethlisburger.

Two that I long for...Hardee's thickburger (none near here), and In-n-Out (west coast).

So Long Classic Rock 94.7 - We Hardly Knew Ye.

I turned on the car radio (who listens to *that* anymore), and Albie & Cerphe were jammin' like they OWNED the place. Really a fun, interesting set, most days this week. Turns out the station is changing formats, to something called "Fresh fm" whatever that is.

At least 94.7 went down with a bang. Not the whimper that their boring, restrictive playlist had become. When they name artist X - say the Stones, and you know which one of the five songs on the Stones rotation they're going to play, it's death the the station.

Radio sucks in Washington. Now it just sucks harder.

Peace of Mind - 2009 reprise

So you fell down from the your perch on the Corporate Ladder
Hope you didn't hurt your bum!
But you didn't have to take down the economy with ya
Now don't you feel kinda dumb....yeah yeah yeah
I understand about Deregulation
The riches, the glory would you stand in line
Only to spend your day in consternation?
No thanks buddy, I'll have my peace of mind...

Too Busy for Words

Between the demands of the job situation and other life stressors, this has not been a good week for the blog. The most profound thought this week was "Honey, I'm home!" So I'll share a story:

Indian Chief 'Two Eagles' was asked by a white government official, 'You have observed the white man for 90 years. You've seen his wars and his technological advances. You've seen his progress, and the damage he's done.'

The Chief nodded in agreement.

The official continued, 'Considering all these events, in your opinion, where did the white man go wrong?'

The Chief stared at the government official for over a minute and then calmly replied. 'When white man find land, Indians running it, no taxes, no debt, plenty buffalo, plenty beaver, clean water.

Women did all the work, Medicine man free. Indian man spend all day hunting and fishing; all night having sex.'

Then the chief leaned back and smiled. 'Only white man dumb enough to think he could improve system like that.'

Chapter 11 -

For those of you who don't know, my employer is in chapter-11 procedings and our company is in the beginning stages of downsizing. It's an anxious time. I survived the first round of job cuts. Everything is put on hold to execute the C11 plan. The C11 plan involved selling off our marine division entirely, and closing about 400 camera stores.

I'm one of the IT guys, providing the backend support for the corporate database & business applications, which means essentially we have plenty of work ahead of us during C11.

I'm a builder, although the things I build are all software systems. It's difficult to resolve to the idea of dismantling my life's work for the last 12 years, but we soldier on. Meanwhile, I am left to consider options for plan b.

I'm a 49 y.o. techie who never aspired to management. I specialize on the platform of IBM i (formerly iSeries, AS/400) that is probably the most robust platform in the market. But it is expensive, and not marketed very well. Those of use who are well-versed in it are getting older, some retiring, some taking new careers.

Today's young pups are all about Windows and or Linux server farms, or virtualization on blade server racks. The up & coming MBA's and CIO's look at the i as a "legacy" system overdue for replacement that will most certainly save the company money - until that replacement system goes casters-up 6 months into production. So I have a built-in option as the go-to guy when the company returns to the IBM fold. As a consultant. Cha-Ching.

But I'm not bullish on the job prospects in the IBM i market right now. So I have to consider other options.

I have a working knowlege of linux. I haven't done any serious programming on either Lin or Win. There would be a learning curve. My skill set is probably adaptable to a mainframe envrionment, still alive & kicking for as long as the fortune 500 can hold its fortune.

Other options include:
Temp or fulltime at a VAR or consultant shop (if any are still around)
Independent contractor - kind of tough in this tight economy...contractors get fired before employees get laid off.
Employment at a temp firm may allow exposure to Windows or Linux key technologies during bench time.

Or the lowest-hanging fruit as a last resort...
tech support / call center, Geek Squad, paid blogger...uh..wait...

I haven't put myself through some of the "skill set" or other career-counseling exercises often touted to the newly unemployed, but it might be worth the effort while I'm sill employed.

Meanwhile, I need to examine where we can reduce expenses and fund the emergency fund.

So I have a few things to think about. Stay tuned.

Hasty Jugement on the Redskins?

I'm told by Jason that Vinny Cerrato wasn't interested in TO three years ago, and certainly was not interested last week, regarless of the press indications otherwise. So I'll try not to be so harsh this coming season.

TO shuffles off to Buffalo...to the offensive jugger-NOT called the Bills. It's over first week of october. You heard it here first.

T.O. To the Bills, and Hell No to the Redskins...almost!

When the story broke that the Redskins (my "nfc team" - you steelers fans don't get the concept ) were interested in Terrell Owens, who became available this week, I came this bloody close to renouncing my ever-dwindling faith in The Team the Dan Destroyed.

Yet, somehow, they earned a reprieve, by not stooping to the level I feared they would descend. Fight on, Sons of Washington!

To begin, one must start at the beginning.

A Journal begins. Not sure where it's going yet. Stay tuned.

The title pays homage to Frank Zappa, but you already knew that.

This will be, I suspect, an expansion of subject matter that is inappropriate for my facebook page. I intend to get deeper into the matter here, a treatise as it were, or maybe just spend a few more words practicing my writing skills.

I'm not pulling any punches here. Caveat emptor. No mea culpa. Unfair and completely imbalanced. I retort, you deride. Fasten you seatbelt, it's gonna be a bumpy ride.