tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76974936985061892492024-03-23T06:44:08.205-07:00The World According to PedroMax Sartinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271198231897203659noreply@blogger.comBlogger220125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7697493698506189249.post-57814634761176240302012-12-16T15:29:00.001-08:002012-12-16T15:29:46.947-08:00What the Hell?It has been a long time since I took up this blog. My last post was more than a year ago. I have been busy and I haven't felt the need to say anything profound or meaningful. Even through the elections I held my literary tongue. I don't expect this post to be profound, it's just that I am pissed.<br />
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This past week the Democrats and the Republicans in Congress continue to badger each other about how poorly the other side is handling the run up to the "Fiscal Cliff". In the meantime the time they have yet to do anything meaningful to correct the situation as our financial future barrels toward oblivian.<br />
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Friday morning I woke up, just like you, to another senseless act of violence perpetrated by a loner who took the lives of innocent children so he could feel vindicated. <br />
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Saturday I went to see the movie "Chasing Ice". This is a documentary about the retreating of glaciers around the world. The pictures are phenomenal in their ability to portray the dire consequences of our actions.<br />
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Are we all really this unconcerned about our future? Are we really all this insensitive to our impact on others? I don't think so. I think those who are in control are not getting the message from the people they are supposed to represent. <br />
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We can't wait for others to solve these problems for us. We have to take on these social issues ourselves. Here are three different causes you can get passionate about. <br />
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It is time we all do something. We don't have to sell everything and wait for the end of the world (unless you are Mayan). All you have to do is something. Write a letter to the editor, email your representative or join a club. Find out about your cause and then tell others. Ask them to do something. <br />
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No one else is going to do it for us. Things will get worse before they get better but if we do nothing the better will be after we are gone. In the meantime we can influence our quality of life. We deserve a safe, clean, financially secure life. We can't expect others to provide this for us, we need to get involved.<br />
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Also continue to pray for those who represent us to have the courage to follow their convictions no matter the political cost, for the victims of violence and those contemplating violence that there is hope and for us all to do something to heal the earth. Pedrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09999471768729734815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7697493698506189249.post-34473421276870077272011-11-10T13:26:00.001-08:002011-11-10T13:26:35.120-08:00Engineering FlowchartMaybe it's because I'm a guy and I like to tinker with things, but I found this simple description of what to do when you are faced with a problem in the shop, very funny.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-au5ZHXI4kCw/TqnzOGdWxgI/AAAAAAAAAKc/7b7KM1emwww/s1600/011+Pro+Car+Engine+Aug+15+10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-au5ZHXI4kCw/TqnzOGdWxgI/AAAAAAAAAKc/7b7KM1emwww/s320/011+Pro+Car+Engine+Aug+15+10.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Here is a picture I took at Speed Week last year. For those who don't know, Speed Week is the annual event held on the Bonneville Salt Flats where people try to go as fast as they can in all sorts of vehicles. This is the engine to one of the faster ones. It is essentially an engine encased in a kids swing set with a seat on it. It goes really fast but it is a bitch when you roll.Pedrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09999471768729734815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7697493698506189249.post-35723619675945834322011-10-22T00:53:00.000-07:002011-10-22T00:53:58.122-07:00Food Tokyo StyleOn my recent trip to Thailand we had a layover in Tokyo - at the airport. I don't usually recommend food at the airport but I was in Tokyo and I do like Sushi. Here is what we were served. It was some of the best Sushi and airport food I've had.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_8ZLGMuO1OM/TqJ2Wlv1LUI/AAAAAAAAAKE/mf2aaEv-Y0c/s1600/Tokyo+Sushi+Sep+18+11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_8ZLGMuO1OM/TqJ2Wlv1LUI/AAAAAAAAAKE/mf2aaEv-Y0c/s320/Tokyo+Sushi+Sep+18+11.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zH5YbGPUrNg/TqJ2aGCQVgI/AAAAAAAAAKM/GNysPrrEWUk/s1600/Tokyo+Sushi+II+Sep+18+11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zH5YbGPUrNg/TqJ2aGCQVgI/AAAAAAAAAKM/GNysPrrEWUk/s320/Tokyo+Sushi+II+Sep+18+11.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8NreX8RqYQw/TqJ2dLPZvLI/AAAAAAAAAKU/UqMXGBOcKD8/s1600/Tokyo+Sushi+III+Sep+18+11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8NreX8RqYQw/TqJ2dLPZvLI/AAAAAAAAAKU/UqMXGBOcKD8/s320/Tokyo+Sushi+III+Sep+18+11.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Pedrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09999471768729734815noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7697493698506189249.post-64664231256316821252011-10-20T04:08:00.000-07:002011-10-20T04:08:48.058-07:00Food Glorious FoodSo I have been following Max's Thematic Photography Week posts and thought I would join this week since the topic is food.<br />
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I am a fan of food. I like to cook, I like to eat and I like to drink. All good past times to keep oneself healthy and pass the time.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tzIXCFpnnPk/TqAA3AqHMWI/AAAAAAAAAJs/kQR6cTDQnyk/s1600/Food+Dragon+Fruit+Sep+15+11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tzIXCFpnnPk/TqAA3AqHMWI/AAAAAAAAAJs/kQR6cTDQnyk/s320/Food+Dragon+Fruit+Sep+15+11.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6YGlVFz3T8g/TqAA7M-7rVI/AAAAAAAAAJ0/E12n6L9Lu-Y/s1600/Food+Pad+Thai+Sep+16+11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6YGlVFz3T8g/TqAA7M-7rVI/AAAAAAAAAJ0/E12n6L9Lu-Y/s320/Food+Pad+Thai+Sep+16+11.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZiWhxK6fPJE/TqAA-aaM2nI/AAAAAAAAAJ8/8ZMX768666s/s1600/Food+Green+Curry+Sep+17+11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZiWhxK6fPJE/TqAA-aaM2nI/AAAAAAAAAJ8/8ZMX768666s/s320/Food+Green+Curry+Sep+17+11.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
Here is some food from a recent trip to Thailand. The first is Dragon Fruit, the second is Pad Thai and the third si Green Curry with Chicken. All delicious.<br />Pedrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09999471768729734815noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7697493698506189249.post-73932782926434876582011-09-28T12:53:00.000-07:002011-09-28T12:56:37.470-07:00Hell of a Question<div align="center" class="ecxyiv1459498652ecxMsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><u><span style="color: black;">HELL EXPLAINED BY</span></u></i></b><b><i><span style="color: black;"> </span></i></b><b><i><span style="color: black;"> </span></i></b><b><i><span style="color: black;"> </span></i></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b><i><u><span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">A CHEMISTRY STUDENT</span></u></i></b></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Bradley Hand ITC";">The following is an actual question given on University of Arizona chemistry mid term. </span></b><span style="color: black;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The answer by one student was so 'profound' that the professor shared it with colleagues, via the Internet, which is, of course, why we now have the pleasure of enjoying it as well: </span></span></b><span style="color: #000040; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"> </span></div>
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<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Bradley Hand ITC";">Bonus Question: Is Hell exothermic (gives off heat) or endothermic (absorbs heat)? </span></b><span style="color: #000040; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"> </span></div>
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<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Bradley Hand ITC";">Most of the students wrote proofs of their beliefs using Boyle's Law (gas cools when it expands and heats when it is compressed) or some variant. </span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b><span style="color: black;"> </span></b><b><span style="color: black;">One student, however, wrote the following: </span></b></span><span style="color: #000040; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"> </span></div>
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<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Bradley Hand ITC";">First, we need to know how the mass of Hell is changing in time. So we need to know the rate at which souls are moving into Hell and the rate at which they are leaving. I think that we can safely assume that once a soul gets to Hell, it will not leave. There fore, no souls are leaving. As for how many souls are entering Hell, let's look at the different religions that exist in the world today. </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Bradley Hand ITC";">Most of these religions state that if you are not a member of their religion, you will go to Hell. Since there is more than one of these religions and since people do not belong to more than one religion, we can project that all souls go to Hell. With birth and death rates as they are, we can expect the number of souls in Hell to increase exponentially. Now, we look at the rate of change of the volume in Hell because Boyle's Law states that in order for the temperature and pressure in Hell to stay the same, the volume of Hell has to expand proportionately as souls are added.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Bradley Hand ITC";">This gives two possibilities: </span></b><b><span style="color: #000040; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"> </span></b></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Bradley Hand ITC";">1. If Hell is expanding at a slower rate than the rate at which souls enter Hell, then the temperature and pressure in Hell will increase until all Hell breaks loose. </span></b><b><span style="color: #000040; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"> </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Bradley Hand ITC";">2. If Hell is expanding at a rate faster than the increase of souls in Hell, then the temperature and pressure will drop until Hell freezes over. </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Bradley Hand ITC";">So which is it? </span></b><b><span style="color: #000040; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"> </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Bradley Hand ITC";">If we accept the postulate given to me by Teresa during my Freshman year that, 'It will be a cold day in Hell before I sleep with you,' and take into account the fact that I slept with her last night, then number two must be true, and thus I am sure that Hell is exothermic and has already frozen over. The corollary of this theory is that since Hell has frozen over, it follows that it is not accepting any more souls and is therefore, extinct..... ...leaving only Heaven, thereby proving the existence of a divine being which explains why, last night, Teresa kept shouting</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Bradley Hand ITC";">'Oh my God.' </span></b></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><b><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">THIS STUDENT RECEIVED AN A+.</span></span></b></div>
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Pedrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09999471768729734815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7697493698506189249.post-90582119312740769232011-09-22T08:05:00.000-07:002011-09-22T08:05:34.949-07:00Ikea's ManlandIt's true. Guys now have a place to go when our wives ask us to go shopping.<br />
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Typically when my wife asks me to go shopping I feign a burst appendix or try to think of something I have to do around the house. <br />
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My wife loves to shop. She is good at it. She will spend hours wandering and looking. She gets good deals. <br />
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I like to commando shop. No - that's not shopping without underpants. It is knowing what single item you want before you go into the store, heading right to it without distraction, taking less than a minute to grab it and heading directly to the check out. The mission is complete in 3 minutes and 15 seconds if the check out line is short. If I am in the store for more than 5 minutes I expect my unit to come in on a rescue mission. <br />
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Ikea, the Swedish furniture giant, has come up with a great idea. They have a room for guys to play foosball or watch football. Sort of like a daddy day care, only it is dad who is being watched. <br />
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I can't wait for this to come to the US. I will actually want to go to Ikea. My wife can browse to her heart's content while I catch up on ESPN. I wonder if I can show up in my pajamas?<br />
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<img alt="Two dudes play a game of foosball in IKEA's Manland, an adult play area for those bored husbands and boyfriends." src="http://1.images.theweek.com/img/dir_0066/33080_article_main/two-dudes-play-a-game-of-foosball-in-ikeas-manland-an-adult-play-area-for-those-bored-husbands-and.jpg" /><br />
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Two dudes play a game of foosball in IKEA's Manland, an adult play area for those bored husbands and boyfriends. <span class="photoCredit"><em><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo: YouTube</span></em></span></div>
<strong></strong>Pedrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09999471768729734815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7697493698506189249.post-73234491179202624082011-08-04T09:45:00.000-07:002011-08-04T09:45:00.872-07:00Father of the YearLate one night a truck was pulled over on the interstate outside Baton Rouge, LA. The driver was 8 years old. His very intoxicated dad was in the passenger seat along with his 4 year old sister. <br />
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It seems dad had too much to drink and had instructed his 8 year old son to drive him home. After all, dad shouldn't be driving, for safety reasons as well as the possiblity of getting a DUI ticket. <br />
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My question is how does an 8 year old reach the pedals? Did he tie bricks to his feet? <br />
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You know, if you take the fact that the kid was 8 out of the equasion, the guy wasn't as dumb as you may think. He didn't get behind the wheel himself, and he did get a designated driver. I think kids should get special dispensation if they get caught driving underage when they are bringing their alcoholic parents home. Pedrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09999471768729734815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7697493698506189249.post-16344465537197395892011-08-03T09:37:00.000-07:002011-08-03T09:38:00.491-07:00Happy AnniversaryI was having a bad day. I had this tussle at work last night and woke up to a crappy email. I am still recovering from jet lag so I got up at 5:00 am this morning and I couldn't get back to sleep and I lost my prescription glasses. <br />
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I got to work and closed my door. Everyone knows this is code for leave me alone. I took my pharmacy reading glasses and began researching who I needed to go to for replacement glasses. The choices were meager and I had to make an appointment. <br />
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I decided to look at my brother's websiteand there was a banner announcement for my anniversary. I totally forgot it was today. I immediately called my wife and wished her a happy anniversary and luckly she had missed it too.<br />
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My wife and I have been married for 35 wonderful years. We have grown up together, raised 4 kids together and battled against the evil forces in the universe together. She truly is my soul mate. A few years ago we mutually agreed that we wouldn't make a big deal about our anniversary. We don't have big parties, we don't do lavish gifts or trips and we don't expect each other to do anything secret. It is just another reminder that we are both very lucky to have found each other so early in our lives.<br />
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So here is my best wishes to my other half - May you continue to enjoy my company as much as I do yours in the coming years, may you always feel safe in telling me anything and may you know that I am always thinking about you and your well being. This is my commitment to you. I love you.Pedrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09999471768729734815noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7697493698506189249.post-59295734667204218602011-07-27T15:07:00.000-07:002011-07-27T15:07:59.928-07:00Round and Round We GoI'm here in England and finally I have a few minutes to myself. I set off on Saturday to get to England on Sunday (they are 7 hours ahead of SLC time and it takes more than one day to get there for those who haven't done this). I wanted to be ready to go on Monday for our meetings.<br />
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I got on the plane from JFK to Manchester on Saturday night. About a half an hour into the flight there was this loud rushing noise. The pilot put down the landing gear. It turned out the landing gear wasn't going up properly and they had to return to JFK to fix it. We circled for 2 hours to lighten the load, they couldn't just dump fuel over Long Island - or could they?<br />
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We landed and they said they would book us into a hotel and get us on the next flight out. This was 10:30 in the evening. <br />
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That's when the fun started. They had one gate agent doing the rebooking for all 250 of us. We finally got through with the ticketing about 12:30 in the morning.<br />
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I went down to the taxi stand to get a taxi to the hotel. In most airports taxi stands are orderly and move along relatively quickly, time is money. Not at JFK. The airline had booked us with a certain car service so we couldn't give our vouchers to anyone else. There wasn't a line so every time a car arrived impatient passengers waiting for a ride jumped at the driver before he got out of the car. Rather than taking the first ones in line, since there was no line, the cabbies took the shortest routes, time is money. Of course I was at one of the farthest hotels. This was about 1:00 am.<br />
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I finally got a taxi by getting 4 other people who were going to the same hotel together and we attacked a cabbie in unison and brought him to his knees. We climbed into the cab before he could say no and we locked ourselves in. He had no choice. This was about 1:30 am.<br />
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As we were careening along the Long Island Expressway toward Brooklyn the cabbie missed a turn and tried to cut across the merge area, the right front tire blew. This was 2:00 am. <br />
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It was amazing how many people were up blasting along the L.I.E. at this time of night. I don't think we see that much traffic on Friday afternoon in Salt Lake. <br />
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The cabbie got the spare out and proceeded to demonstate why he was a cabbie. He knew nothing about changing the tire. After a half an hour of this I jumped in and essentially changed the tire. He cranked on the jack while I took the tire off and put the spare on (I know, there is a joke in there but I am trying to keep this clean). This was about 2:30 am.<br />
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We finally got to the hotel and I got checked in and to my room after 3:00 am. What a blast.<br />
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Pedrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09999471768729734815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7697493698506189249.post-19671838088123414522011-07-16T12:22:00.000-07:002011-07-16T13:36:46.719-07:00Down and OutToday I went out for a bike ride. I was coming along a street waiting for the red light to turn green. I wanted to go straight and there was a right turn lane. I was slowing to get behind the car in the straight lane when a tow truck driver came along side me to turn right.<br />
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The driver didn't see me and since I was between lanes he pulled up to the cross street and waited to turn left. The only trouble was I was attached to the side of his truck. Since he didn't see me when he pulled up, he took me with him. I couldn't get away so I fell against the truck and down to the ground. He was pulling a Subaru on a dolly so I fell between the truck and the car. The truck didn't stop - although it was going slow.<br />
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I was yelling to stop but he kept moving up to the cross street. I tried to push away from the car since the wheels of the dolly were coming up. I got away just in time but the dolly wheels ran over my bike seat and my back tire doing significant damage to the bike.<br />
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At this point my wife, who was behind me, was yelling also, so the truck driver stopped. The police came and interviewed us. The tow truck driver wasn't at fault since I was in-between lanes. I got a lecture from the cops about following the rules of the road. I should have been squarely in the straight lane and taking up a space like a car. <br />
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I am physically OK but I have my ego bruised. Yeah, I could have done things better but the driver of the tow truck could have cared less that he ran over a bicyclist. He yelled at me when I got up off the ground and he kept yelling at the cops about the accident until one cop had to tell him to shut up. I even went over after the accident to tell him I had no hard feelings but he continued to chastise me for being in the wrong place. <br />
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I feel run over, not physically, but like I was just in everyone's way. I know I need to take personal responsiblity for things and we are so litigious as a society that no one wants to say anything for fear of being sued later, but as soon as the cops and the guy saw that I wasn't bleeding internally, the whole experience was so blazee. Write up the report, file this, etc. <br />
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I feel like a big dork. If I had just followed the rules of the road and taken up a space in the line going straight this probably wouldn't have happened. My wife and I were both scraped up, she fell too. No one was injured, but I could have been killed. <br />
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My scrapes will heal and my bike can be fixed I think. I hope the frame is OK. Everyone else can feel good about not doing anything wrong. I guess the moral of this story for me is respect the car. I would also ask that drivers double and triple check when bikes are traffic. Pedrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09999471768729734815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7697493698506189249.post-70585684866604213702011-06-28T13:19:00.000-07:002011-06-28T13:19:49.089-07:00Violent Video Games - I Can Die NowI appear to have committed the ultimate liberal sin. My brothers are going to disown me. I agree with something Gayle Ruzika said.<br />
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Gayle Ruzika is the neo-nazi, ultra right wing liberal bashing fundamentalist at the center of the Eagle Forum here in Utah. If it involves guns, freedom and liberty for all (those who are entitled to it) she is for it.<br />
<br />
Given my natural tendancy toward a more liberal and/or moderate view of life it would seem that Ms. Ruzika and I would never see eye to eye on anything. It appears that I should never say never.<br />
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Yesterday the US Supreme Court struck down a California law prohibiting violent video game sales to minors. The Court said that this was an infringement of the rights of minors. Aside from the fact that minors really don't have rights, it would seem in contrast to their views on obscenity. You are a criminal if you sell a kid a nudie magazine (I'm not advocating this) but it is their constitutional right to buy a game that shows rape, torture and exploding body parts. <br />
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I usually side with the US Supreme Court and most of the time I can see their reasoning. I haven't read the decision but I would assume there is more to it than we are getting on Fox News.<br />
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Here is the part about Ms. Ruzika. She said that the US Supreme Court was wrong (no suprise) and that we needed to protect our children from these sorts of violent games. I couldn't believe that she was saying what I was thinking. I can die now!Pedrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09999471768729734815noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7697493698506189249.post-59639553696242419092011-06-21T09:18:00.000-07:002011-06-21T09:18:00.376-07:00Where is it?I guess I am starting my own theme of photos - where is it? This is in the United States and is from a city I visited a few weeks ago. It is a famous building of historical sigmificance. I guess a better question would be what is the historical significance?<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pvxIP9NKCnE/TfsOTX3Aq_I/AAAAAAAAAJg/4uWghkHuzRw/s1600/002+Ford%2527s+Theatre+II+May+16+11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" i$="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pvxIP9NKCnE/TfsOTX3Aq_I/AAAAAAAAAJg/4uWghkHuzRw/s320/002+Ford%2527s+Theatre+II+May+16+11.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>If you zoom in on the wall sign it will give you a clue. The plaque below was on the house across the street. It also contains a clue.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RRhZnbJSK4w/TfsOlg8itVI/AAAAAAAAAJk/ufceQC7ao0c/s1600/003+Plaque+May+16+11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" i$="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RRhZnbJSK4w/TfsOlg8itVI/AAAAAAAAAJk/ufceQC7ao0c/s320/003+Plaque+May+16+11.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>Pedrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09999471768729734815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7697493698506189249.post-74656136879853508342011-06-19T09:16:00.000-07:002011-06-19T09:16:01.823-07:00They're Roos<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-azyfpLI-SOU/TfsNtjTJBZI/AAAAAAAAAJc/tTHjwA9Y_Os/s1600/008+Roos+II+May+10+11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" i$="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-azyfpLI-SOU/TfsNtjTJBZI/AAAAAAAAAJc/tTHjwA9Y_Os/s320/008+Roos+II+May+10+11.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>If anyone guessed Australia on the Hungry Jack photo you are right. To prove that I was there, here is a photo of Kangaroos on a golf course. Pedrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09999471768729734815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7697493698506189249.post-7981604333076792632011-06-17T01:10:00.001-07:002011-06-17T01:16:06.449-07:00What is it?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Zc44s5qFPb0/TfsMhOhcW_I/AAAAAAAAAJY/QZ0Ue3DVimw/s1600/009+Hungry+Jack%2527s+May+12+11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" i$="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Zc44s5qFPb0/TfsMhOhcW_I/AAAAAAAAAJY/QZ0Ue3DVimw/s320/009+Hungry+Jack%2527s+May+12+11.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>I'm going with the Thematic Photograpic theme this week of “signs that make us wonder”. . I took this on one of my travels last month. It is a real sign for a fast food place. If it looks familiar with another name that is because they are related but due to some long lost dispute this is how this brand appears. Can anyone tell me where?Pedrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09999471768729734815noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7697493698506189249.post-30320098062908892492011-06-14T01:19:00.000-07:002011-06-14T01:19:14.540-07:00Quote of the DayThis morning I was watching TV and saw a story on the You Tube movie "A Life in a Day". <br />
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You Tube asked for submissions of video from all over the world from one day in March and then they compiled the best into a single 90 day movie. There are a lot of mundane scenes and some very clever and dramatic. One shows a lady skydiving. The cameraman goes out of the plane first and then catches up to her and films her as the camer passes her. It is beautiful film. <br />
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The producer said in summing up the experience "All around the world our differences are superficial, our similarities are more profound". I thought that was very moving.Pedrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09999471768729734815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7697493698506189249.post-67440146688239963352011-05-03T08:28:00.000-07:002011-05-03T08:28:00.454-07:00Diversity in UtahYesterday morning I opened the sports page of the Salt Lake Tribune and on the front was an article about a U of U women's basketball player. The article focuses on the fact that she is only the second African American to complete 4 years in the U of U basketball program. Do we really have to make this point?<br />
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I know my roots run deep into the progressive, hippie, liberal Northeast but I thought we left this sort of racism behind several decades ago. I also know that African Americans are not a large part of the cultural makeup here in Utah, but we do live in the 21st century at least 50 years removed from the days when that's all we saw of people, the color of their skin.<br />
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I would have hoped for better, even in Utah. I would have hoped that her individual accomplishments would have meant more than her ethnicity. <br />
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Racism comes in many forms, blatant and subtle. If we are to truly grow beyond our forefathers and not discriminate against someone because of their race, creed, color or religious, or other, preferences, we need to stop pointing these differences out. She is a star athlete and an academic success, nothing more, nothing less.Pedrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09999471768729734815noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7697493698506189249.post-19594571940479739862011-05-02T08:39:00.000-07:002011-05-02T08:39:46.979-07:00More Snow in UtahIts spring in Utah. This is April 30th in Utah. One minute it is snowing, the next it is 60 degrees. This is what we woke up to Saturday morning. This afternoon the high will top 60 degrees.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3EFHP_eYGqA/Tb7QL1lG5yI/AAAAAAAAAJU/SE2-j7k7To8/s1600/Snow+Apr+30+11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" j8="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3EFHP_eYGqA/Tb7QL1lG5yI/AAAAAAAAAJU/SE2-j7k7To8/s320/Snow+Apr+30+11.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Pedrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09999471768729734815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7697493698506189249.post-54638495264916038362011-04-29T08:41:00.000-07:002011-04-29T08:41:00.221-07:00An Open Letter to Utah DriversThis is a letter I wrote to the UHP:<br />
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Dear Utah Highway Patrol,<br />
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I am writing to express my displeasure with the drivers in Utah. I know this is a generalization and not all Utah drivers are like this but I have spent 30+ years driving in Utah and I have detected a pattern. <br />
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This morning two incidences on my 5 mile trip to work again reminded me of this pattern. The first involves getting on the freeway. I was behind several cars entering the freeway at 40 mph. I signed left to enter and sped up. The middle lane was clear for a while and no one was in the left lane. The driver in the right lane sped up to try and prevent me from entering (he or she was at least 3 car lengths away from me). When they got up to me they hit their horn. They could have easily moved left to avoid the whole mess.<br />
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The second incident involved merging from one freeway to another. The car ahead of me was in the far left lane. He or she was travelling in the left lane for about a mile. I was behind them in order to pass another car in the middle lane. I had to merge right after I passed the car ahead to get to the other freeway on ramp. I signaled. As I entered the center lane the car in front of me put on their signal and tried to merge right. I was less than a car length from them. They kept coming until they realized I wasn’t going to let them in and after I passed them they got behind me and put on their high beams. <br />
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Both of these incidences should not have happened if the other drivers were used to driving in traffic and could anticipate other car’s movements. <br />
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I call this “self-involved” driving. I believe the driver is only thinking about their needs on the road and either doesn’t see the other drivers, doesn’t consider them when moving from lane to lane or doesn’t care. They are where they are and they have a right to be there. <br />
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It is just common courtesy to try and make the flow of traffic as reasonable as possible for as many people as possible. We all have to share the road and we can do a lot to improve safety if we would just think about someone other than ourselves. With increased traffic in our area this will only get worse.<br />
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I find myself so frustrated by this “self-involved” driving that I take on the same attitude just so I can get where I am going. This is counter-productive and sometimes dangerous. I am also concerned it will be seen as “aggressive” driving, the target of a recent UHP campaign, when I am just trying to get away from poor driving habits. <br />
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I encourage UHP to put more emphasis into your “share the road” campaign with respect to other drivers. Train people to look out for others, anticipate their moves and work with them rather than against them. UHP should also have an enforcement campaign to ticket those drivers who make unsafe maneuvers in order to maintain their place or not yield the road. I think UHP was successful with this in part with the “move left” campaign for stopped patrol cars on the right side of the road.<br />
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UHP officers have a very dangerous and thankless job. I appreciate your work every day. I offer this insight to help, not to complain.Pedrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09999471768729734815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7697493698506189249.post-58475639904100336352011-04-27T08:40:00.000-07:002011-04-27T08:40:45.536-07:00Mineral Bottom Road RevisitedOn our trip to save a German (see my last post) we rode down the Mineral Bottom Road. It is completely repaired and as good as it was before the washout, if not better.<br />
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Grand County has done a wonderful job of getting this road back up and operational in time for the spring tourist season. They have also put in diversion canals at the top of the canyon and cement pads along the road where they believe water could run in heavy rains. <br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aQC18C18tuY/Tbg39RRqYyI/AAAAAAAAAJI/TKD5Rb_ncFU/s1600/012+Trench+at+Mineral+Bottom+Apr+10+11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" i8="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aQC18C18tuY/Tbg39RRqYyI/AAAAAAAAAJI/TKD5Rb_ncFU/s320/012+Trench+at+Mineral+Bottom+Apr+10+11.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-W025YxSkdm8/Tbg4CYGjzdI/AAAAAAAAAJM/Vq-sRRMKXFM/s1600/013+Trench+at+Mineral+Bottom+II+Apr+10+11.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="240" i8="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-W025YxSkdm8/Tbg4CYGjzdI/AAAAAAAAAJM/Vq-sRRMKXFM/s320/013+Trench+at+Mineral+Bottom+II+Apr+10+11.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">It is possible to get a 2 wheel drive car down the road but I wouldn't advise it. You can't go any further than the bottom of the switchbacks in a 2WD and in anything but ideal conditions this road will still provide challenges to the un-initiated. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-W025YxSkdm8/Tbg4CYGjzdI/AAAAAAAAAJM/Vq-sRRMKXFM/s1600/013+Trench+at+Mineral+Bottom+II+Apr+10+11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AfusJI8D1MI/Tbg4F988-aI/AAAAAAAAAJQ/HeDK_wzNhL4/s1600/015+New+Mineral+Bottom+Road+Apr+10+11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" i8="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AfusJI8D1MI/Tbg4F988-aI/AAAAAAAAAJQ/HeDK_wzNhL4/s320/015+New+Mineral+Bottom+Road+Apr+10+11.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Pedrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09999471768729734815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7697493698506189249.post-52005253820344781222011-04-19T10:53:00.000-07:002011-04-19T10:53:28.668-07:00Saving a GermanLast weekend we were in Canyonlands. We had a permit to camp at one of the campsites along the White Rim trail. The White Rim is a 100 mile long 4x4 road isloated from civilization that is popular with mountain bikers. Once in you are on your own.<br />
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We camped at Murphy Hogback. That is 50 miles in, just halfway. At 8:00 pm, just as we are about to retire, we hear a voice. "Can you help me?".<br />
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Usually this area has some traffic at this time of year. The weather is typically spectacular, not to hot, not too cold and usually sunny. This weekend it was forcast for a rainy, dreary onslaught of several storms. In addition the US government threatened to close the Park on Friday night - budget cuts.<br />
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Friday's weather turned out a lot better than we expected. The storms went north and we didn't get much rain, just a sprinkle or so. On our way in on the White Rim we commented on how few people we saw. At our camp area there were 3 other sites, all empty. There was no one else around for at least 20 or 30 miles, most likely 50 or so.<br />
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The voice belonged to a German tourist who rented a mountain bike in Moab and wanted to bike the White Rim. He was alone, out of water and very lightly clothed. The temperature was predicted to be 27 degrees F that night. He wanted to know the fastest way to get out of the White Rim. We told him it was the way he came in, 50 miles of rough road. <br />
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You know that look you see in people's eyes when they realize they are in much deeper than they expected? He had that exact look. We didn't have spare sleeping provisions but we did have some food, water and a blanket we shared with him. He slept in the outhouse - his name was Klaus so we called it the Klaus house. It wasn't very pleasent but it kept him warm. In the morning we fed him a hot breakfast and sent him back on his way. He was very greatful to find us.<br />
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The trouble with the vast country that is Canyonlands National Park is that first time visitors can't appreciate it's enormity. It is the wild. It will swallow you up if you aren't prepared. I guess that is part of the reason I like going there. Pedrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09999471768729734815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7697493698506189249.post-9760318745739645692011-04-05T08:43:00.000-07:002011-04-05T08:43:00.561-07:00Unlimited Runs UpdateMy Dad had a great response to the "unlimited runs" comments last weekend.<br />
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We were coaching kids baseball (7 and 8 year olds) and the other coaches were assertive. The league rule is each team can score only 5 runs each inning even if the other team doesn't have 3 runs. This team was up 20 to nothing. Before the last inning the other coach announces "remember, we get unlimited runs in the last inning".<br />
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Dad said I should have responded "How about I give you 100 runs now and we go home?". No wonder I have such a sarcastic sense of humor.Pedrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09999471768729734815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7697493698506189249.post-67218424851033131642011-04-04T08:42:00.000-07:002011-04-04T08:42:59.650-07:00Snow in AprilIt snowed yesterday. We got about 6 inches. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nZQFMgrKQWo/TZnld-hMMdI/AAAAAAAAAJE/Z1eNsWfeEvc/s1600/Snow+II+Apr+3+11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" r6="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nZQFMgrKQWo/TZnld-hMMdI/AAAAAAAAAJE/Z1eNsWfeEvc/s320/Snow+II+Apr+3+11.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mgE6zJfUetk/TZnlbRO10WI/AAAAAAAAAJA/lafaC9z3lt4/s1600/Snow+Apr+3+11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" r6="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mgE6zJfUetk/TZnlbRO10WI/AAAAAAAAAJA/lafaC9z3lt4/s320/Snow+Apr+3+11.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>The strange thing was that the power was out for more than 12 hours. At first it was cool. I liked the quiet without the heater blasting. We snuggled under the covers and didn't get up until about 11 am. <br />
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Then it got weird. We didn't know what to do. I kept looking for things to do without power. I finally ended up reading the whole Sunday paper. <br />
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We kept calling RMP. They kept saying, in a recorded message, that they knew about the outage and we would have our power on in a couple of hours. Finally I went through to the complaint voice message and inserted our address. They recorded it and said they were working on it. I was uncharacteristically patient with the person less voice on the other end. After all, it was Sunday and we had nowhere we needed to be.<br />
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Just as we decided to leave for dinner out, after I had struggled getting the garage door open and closed manually, we noticed the outside lights were on. The power had finally been restored. Of course I attribute the ultimate power restoration to my persistent phone calls. Pedrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09999471768729734815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7697493698506189249.post-18055202914075314442011-04-01T10:10:00.000-07:002011-04-01T10:10:36.705-07:00Unlimited RunsI help my son coach my grandson's baseball team. These kids are 7-8 years old and they are just learning the game of baseball. This is the first year they are hitting a ball pitched to them and they are still figuring out what to do once they hit the ball. Its a lot of fun to coach them and watch them learn baseball.<br />
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Yesterday we had our second game. The first game was an exercise in learning the rules and having fun. The kids cheered each other on and there was a lot of forgiveness when the kids on either team didn't know the rules.<br />
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The second game was totally different. The coach on the opposing team was yelling at the kids. He was a stickler for the rules (only three strikes and you are out - most of our kids went out on strikes) and he played a very aggressive brand of baseball, teaching his kids to run until they either reached home plate or had to stop because our kids had run in the ball. <br />
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One of the rules is that the inning ends if one team scores 5 runs in that inning. This is to prevent a coach running up the score on kids who are just learning. <br />
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We were behind about 20 to nothing as the last inning approached. Their kids hit well and took advantage of every opportunity to score. Our kids hung in there as Jeff and I kept encouraging them to have fun and not worry about the score. <br />
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As the other team got ready to bat for the last inning their coach announced "remember, we get unlimited runs in the last inning". Like they needed it. What a tool. <br />
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We found out that the other team was made up of 10 all-stars from last year. I guess they needed to play some beginners to get their confidence up before they faced someone who would not be so easy on them. The players weren't mean spirited, they were just 8 year olds having fun. It was the Douche Lord (that's Maddy's word) coaches who took the game way too seriously. <br />
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After the game Jeff went to put the equipment back and he talked to the opposing team's coach. Jeff was being positive and said something like "it's all in fun". The coach shot back "you need to push them, they like it". It's tough when your ego is wrapped up in an event so much that you loose sight of the real purpose - the kids. <br />
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I want to take on the saying "remember we get unlimited runs in the last inning" as my mantra. Not in the way their coach meant it, but as a reminder that we shouldn't take life too seriously and that we should focus on what matters. Pedrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09999471768729734815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7697493698506189249.post-29234907814977245102011-03-31T07:58:00.000-07:002011-03-31T07:58:11.262-07:00Back to Normal - AlmostI am back from the UK. I am almost recovered from jet lag and I am mostly sleeping through the night.<br />
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I still get the sweats and that ringing in my ears and I am tired by 3 pm. They say it takes a day for every hour time change you go through. The UK is 7 hours ahead of Utah so I should be coming around about Saturday.<br />
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Last Saturday we rode motorcycles in the UK. It was a grueling day of pounding up and down a closed course. The track was slippery and I kept loosing control until I figured out that my tires (tyers in the UK) were inflated too much. I lowered the air pressure and it was much better.<br />
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Due to the punishment I suffered on Saturday, Sunday was a bit rough sitting for up to 8 hours in a cramped plane. I'm not complaining. I was on my way home and the ride was a blast. Just informing.Pedrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09999471768729734815noreply@blogger.com0