Idiots

Think America has a health insurance problem? McCain's Health Advisor would like you to think differently:

But the numbers are misleading, said John Goodman, president of the National Center for Policy Analysis, a right-leaning Dallas-based think tank. Mr. Goodman, who helped craft Sen. John McCain's health care policy, said anyone with access to an emergency room effectively has insurance, albeit the government acts as the payer of last resort. (Hospital emergency rooms by law cannot turn away a patient in need of immediate care.)

"So I have a solution. And it will cost not one thin dime," Mr. Goodman said. "The next president of the United States should sign an executive order requiring the Census Bureau to cease and desist from describing any American – even illegal aliens – as uninsured. Instead, the bureau should categorize people according to the likely source of payment should they need care.

"So, there you have it. Voila! Problem solved."

Only an asshole whose never been uninsured would think that provides adequate health care.

Jerk.

On the Road Again

On Friday Kim and I went to Barrie with the boys to visit our old friends there for the weekend. Its a long drive, about 5 hours, and we were very nervous taking the boys so far as its a long time for them to be cooped up in the back of the van.

The first leg of the trip we stopped in Marmora and had lunch in the park there. The boys slept from home til then and we were pleased so far. Then on the road again they slept for another hour or so to Peterborough and then were awake from there to Orillia but yet happy, or at least not upset. Then from Orillia to Barrie Lukas got hungry and let us know about it.

While in Barrie the boys were pretty good. A little grumpy Friday evening and much happier on Saturday since we didn't go anywhere. They took turns swimming with me and playing in the water, and later on I spent some time with our hosts trying out some multiplayer Warcraft II and III. I was also introduced to Blokus (pronouced BLOCK-US no BLOH-KUS!) which I have to say was a lot of fun and definitely added to my wish list.

On Sunday we headed home, stopping for lunch in Peterborough and getting back to Carleton Place around 5. This time the boys slept the entire way which was surprising. And then they didn't even stay up very late.

No more long trips for us for the foreseeable future. Now we are ready for the fall.

Jiu Jitsu Update

I think its been a while since my last martial arts update so I figure its time for one.

The weight gain of the past year coupled with stretches of time off due to the pregnancy and then the boys has been telling especially in class. Warm ups that were mildly tiring became huffing and puffing extravaganzas and they were what prompted me to get really concerned with the weight. I knew I was getting out of shape and I knew I needed to be in far better shape to continue progression.

I got up to my second stripe in Blue but it took a long time. Now that work, life, and everything else is settling down I'm getting more classes in. Coupled with lowering weight (currently 223.5, down 4.5 so far) and more effort at conditioning and already the past week of classes have been easier and less stressful.

Regardless of the weight and shape, I am finding that my skills have been improving and are getting to the point where I don't feel totally uncoordinated all the time any more. My kicks are improving in height and speed, punches are easier, and throws and breakfalls are more natural. I'm actually starting to feel like an advanced belt.

Its a good thing too. I should be going for my purple belt in September or October, and getting my brown belt next spring. Then it will be more intensive training for my black belt which I should have in later 2009 or early 2010. Black belt. Me. Wow, its starting to feel real.

Just gotta lose this weight first!

The Chef

Somewhere along the line, I became the BBQ Chef at family dinners in the summer.

It all started a few years ago when I was at home cooking for Kim's parents on the BBQ. Kim's mom loved the chicken I did up and next time at her place she had me cook on their BBQ. My confidence grew and last year we were at the farm during haying season and it was time to cook the burgers and chicken and such. Since the rest of the men were finishing haying I stepped up and cooked the dinner. It worked out well and since then I've decided that would be my thing.

At Seely's Bay at a family dinner I helped my cousin on the BBQ cooking the steak. I don't have a lot of experience with steak so it was more him than me, but I'm learning. At the dedication I cooked the burgers and wieners for everyone despite nearly searing off my eyebrows. And on this past weekend I was called upon again even though everyone else was there and no haying was going on.

I credit my cooking skill on the grill to Kim's insistent paranoia about pink meat in chicken and beef while I complain bitterly when the meat is overcooked to a dry mass. Somewhere in the middle is perfection.

Ah, its good to be the chef.

Weight Loss Update

Well, I mentioned ten days ago how I was trying to lose weight again and I'm happy to report that progress has been made. The pound-a-week goal is being met and I'm down about 4-5 pounds since the start. Shirts and pants are noticeably looser, but there is still a long way to go.

My current strategy is using the Weight Watchers point system I learned from last time I lost weight but with the strategy of saving up all my extra weekly points for the weekend where I typically have the hardest time maintaining good eating habits. It seems to be working although some weekdays are tough going.

Last night an aunt of Kim's was by who had visited three weeks ago and she asked if I had lost weight in the interim. "Why yes, I have indeed." She says it was noticeable in the face which boggles my mind because I think my face looks as chubby as ever. Ah well.

Medals

The national obsession over Olympic Medals is in full swing these days. I imagine there is quite a bit of hand wringing over the fact that a few days in and we still have zero.

My disdain for the Olympics has not diminished over the years and I find the hand-wringing over which athletes to sponsor and which to cut loose very distasteful. The news media and public don't care about the people trying their hardest to win (for the most part), they care about when the next medal is coming so we can collectively stroke our national pride and pretend that we matter on the national stage, and that winning at the Olympics means something tangible.

And once this two week event is over 99% of those Canadian athletes that bled and sweat and strained for our patriotism orgasm will go back to being nameless and faceless in whatever town they came from, used and forgotten by the national psyche.

Disgusting really.

Whoops!

I meant to post last Friday about Lukas' trip to the hospital to check out his wheezing (family doctor was away) and how he is on a puffer now, but forgot in the excitement of the upcoming weekend.

On the weekend we went to Kim's cousin's wedding in Trenton, and on Sunday to see the Kids and celebrate Holden's 9th birthday. Busy weekend and we got home Sunday evening exhausted; fortunately both of the boys were tired out and went to bed early and Kim and I followed suit.

There, now you are up to date. Regular posting to resume tomorrow.

The Dark Knight Review

I admit more than a little excitement about going to see the new Batman move called The Dark Knight on Monday. Batman is, after all, my absolute favourite super hero. The last movie Batman Begins was very good so I was hopeful that this one would continue the trend of more realistic and reality based super hero fare.

I went into the movie trying to ignore all the hype surrounding it about Heath Ledger's performance as the Joker and the high ratings people were giving it. I wanted to experience the movie as if I knew nothing which is impossible, but I tried. So, on to the review.

Almost perfect.

Yep, I loved it. I loved the length which made the movie feel like a story rather than a quick collection of action scenes intersped with plot exposition. Christian Bale was letter perfect as Bruce Wayne in a way that previous actors completely failed to encompass. Gary Oldman as Jim Gordon captured the good cop in a bad place vibe., and Aaron Eckhart portrayed Harvey Dent's descent into the madness of Two-Face with scenery chewing enthusiam that still did not feel out of place.

And yes, Heath Ledger as the Joker was amazingly believable. He emanated malevolence like nothing I have seen in a long time. It was believable that 1) this guy was crazy, 2) people would follow him willingly or not, and 3) he could run rings around the police and Batman with his schemes, not with his physical prowress (side note: the latest Batman series protrays the Joker as a brawler and not as much as a schemer; needless to say I don't approve).

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD

Things I really liked:
- Rachel Dawes dies! AWESOME. It not only lends a motivional credence to Harvey Dent's fall from grace, it breaks the super-hero-gets-the-girl mold that is som cliche in modern movies. Loved it.
- The prisioners and civilians on the booby trapped ferries don't blow each other up despite the urge to in order to save their own lives.
- Batman's fighting abilities were realistic and conventional (for a movie).
- Joker was captured, not killed.

Things I didn't like so much:
- The super-cell-phone-sonar device? Totally over the top, and was used to find the Joker at the end where I felt Batman's Detective skills should have come into play. Didn't like it.
- Harvey Dent appears to have died. So sad.
- The Bat Bike erupts from the damaged Batmobile? Pu-leeze!
- They never showed Barbara Gordon's face (the daughter, not the mother). Obviously they wanted to leave it open to a future entry in the franchise about Batgirl without casting the part in such a bit role so soon. While not bad per say, it was distracting for me.

Overall I loved this movie and will be buying it on DVD (Bluray?) when it comes out. 5 out of 5 Bill Thumbs Up.

Getting Serious About Weight Loss... Again

Well, its time to fess up: the summer plan to lose weight failed. In fact this entire year as been a failure in terms of getting my weight back under control.

The problem has not been lack of exercise with tennis and Jiu Jitsu two or three times a week. The issue is with my eating habits, I've just not been dedicated enough to eating properly 7 days a week. Too many snacks, too many unaccountable weekends, and in the end too much weight.

So the week before last as I realized I didn't fit into my suit jacket properly anymore at my grandfather's funeral and then sweating profusely and embarassingly at Andrew's wedding, the growing realization had come to a head: I either got serious about losing weight again or I faced another slow climb into the grossly obese and unhealthy zone.

The latter was not an option and my growing weight was already making tennis and Jiu Jitsu harder than it should be, so as I drove home from Toronto last week I made my decision.

The first few days of last week were the hardest. The cravings were fierce and frequent which only highlighted how much I spoiled myself with bad snacking habits for the past year. A couple nights I got home famished and raided the fridge for dill pickles (low calorie and filling snacks). I finally faced my demons and weighed myself for the first time since November on Tuesday night and I was relieved to see it was "only" 228 pounds. Then I made the resolution to lose at least a pound a week to Christmas which should put me back in the lower 200s.

Once I'm back in that area, then we'll see about finally busting the 200 lb mark and heading towards the lofty goal of 180 before next tennis season starts.

As of yesterday morning, the scale read 225. Of course, morning weights are always lower than evening weights so don't read too much into that. Next Monday's weight will be the real deal.

Let's Not Be Stupid

Most of you have heard about the poor guy who was attacked and killed on a Greyhound bus in Manitoba yesterda y. Tragic. Yes the killing was senseless as far as we can tell. And yes its terrifying to consider it happening to ourselves or someone we love.

But I hear rumblings about "what can we do to improve bus security" and "should buses have check ins like airports", etc.

Whoa. Stop right there. Let's not be stupid. Metal detectors? Security guards? Whatever the hell for?!

Violence on buses, especially long distance buses, is extremely rare. Its almost unheard of up until yesterday. All these added security measures would increase the safety of the passengers and drivers by an imperceptible amount yet cost the bus companies, already struggling with rising diesel costs, bogs of money.

Think about it and don't let one anomalous event dictate all policy, regardless of the horridness.