Wednesday, May 08, 2013

A point, a point, our victory lost by a point

So it was the once monthly trivia night in Santa Ana.  Once again, British-centric trivia sank us.  The first round was nicknames of football teams.  Five U.S. football teams and five British soccer teams.  We got all 5 of the U.S. teams and 1 of the British teams with a lucky guess.  We also missed what is produced in a ginnery.  A minority of us wanted to go with cotton and we went with gin.  Then again, a minority of us wanted to go with 14 times for the question, how many times does the phrase "Hey Jude" get repeated in the song of that title" and the answer was 24.  So the minority was 50/50.  But we had a good time.

Second place got us a $25 gift card (split 8 ways, we'll each get $3 next trip) and a bottle of 1800 coconut flavored tequila.  Even if I did drink alcohol (which I don't), the thought of that taste combination is truly frightening.

Today is the last day of work.  I have a meeting from 8 to 10, in the office from when I get back until 2 (2:30 if this one client shows up) and then I'm off to a doctor's appointment.  But when I walk out the door from the office, I'm "free" until July 10th.  I have appointments on the calendar already for July, but I'm looking forward to trying to catch up on rest.  And on watching all the great summer television.  "Suits" and "Royal Pains" return soon.  Love both of those shows.

This water weight thing is annoying.  They've boosted the dosage of a "water pill" I take twice now and I've immediately lost four or five pounds in 72 hours.  Then the dosage is reduced to normal and the weight is back in 24 hours.  I suspect that I need the higher dose on a regular basis, to get the level of fluid that is making it harder to breathe down significantly, not just yo-yoing with four or five pounds over and over.

The L.A. County Sheriff's department is trying to say that letting an accused murderer be mistakenly released from the County Jail should be viewed in light of the fact that in 2012, over 142,000 inmates were released from the facililty and there were only seven instances of mistaken release; and that so far this year only four such mistakes were made with only one being a "high-risk" inmate. 

That's fine.  The problem is, you kept the news about this high-risk inmate's accidental release remain hidden from public view for nearly a month.  That smacks of cover-up.  That is putting the public at risk.  If you can recapture him right away, fine.  But if 48 or 72 hours pass without his being picked up, you need to let the public know.  Air your mistake in public.  We can forgive the very rare mistaken, even with a high risk inmate, if you let the public know and don't try to hide the error.  Yes, you need to work harder to prevent this from happening again.  But keeping the bad news hidden doesn't help.  As retired General Colin Powell wrote "bad news, unlike fine wine, does not improve with age."

This Date in History:

On this date in 1541, Hernando de Soto reaches the Mississippi river.
On this date in 1846, General Zachary Taylor leads his troops to victory in the Battle of Palo Alto, first major battle of the Mexican-American war.
On this date in 1877, the first Westminster Kennel Club dog show opens.
On this date in 1886, John Pemberton first sells something called "Coca-Cola" as a patent medicine.
On this date in 1912, Paramount Pictures is founded.  (A talent agency named "Dewey Cheatem and Howe" opened the same day in an office across the street from the studio).
On this date in 1933, Mohandas Ghandi begins a 33 day hunger strike.
On this date in 1942, the U.S. Navy's aircraft carrier USS Lexington is attacked and sinks at the Battle of the Coral Sea.
On this date in 1972, President Nixon announces plans to mine major harbors of North Vietnam.
On this date in 1972, Black September hijacks Sabena Flight 571.  Israeli Special Forces commandos recapture the plane the following day.
On this date in 1973, the stand-off between federal agents and the American Indian Movement at Wounded Knee ends.
On this date in 1976, Revolution, the first roller-coaster with a vertical loop, opens at Magic Mountain.  IIRC that was a Saturday and we didn't go up to ride it until the following day.
On this date in 1984, the Soviet Union announced they would boycott the 1984 Summer Games in Los Angeles.

Famous Folk Born on This Date:

William Henry Vanderbilt
Oscar Hammerstein
Harry S. Truman
Bob Clampett
Don Rickles (yeah, it's my birthday, so what do you care, you hockey puck?)
Phyllida Law
Mike Cuellar
Ricky Nelson
Toni Tenille (same year as Ricky Nelson)
Gary Glitter
Mike D'Antoni
Alex Van Halen
Ronnie Lott
Janet McTeer
Melissa Gilbert
Enrique Iglesias
Adrian Gonzalez

Movie Quote of the Day comes from the brilliant "Caddyshack":

Al Czervik: What're we, waiting for these guys? Hey Whitey, where's your hat?
Judge Smails: Do you mind, sir. I'm trying to tee off.
Al Czervik: I'll bet you a hundred bucks you slice it into the woods.
Judge Smails: Gambling is illegal at Bushwood sir, and I never slice.
[Swings club, slices ball into woods]
Judge Smails: *Damn*.
Al Czervik: OK, you can owe me.
Judge Smails: I owe you nothing.

Tax Tip of the Day:

If you need a chunk of cash for a short period (less than 60 days) and you know you can pay it back before the end of that 60 day period, don't go to a payday lender, or one of those overly expensive loan companies advertising on television.  Pull the money out of your IRA.  As long as you put it back before 60 days have passed, the withdrawal is not taxable and not subject to any penalty.  Make sure to put back as much as you took out, dollar for dollar.