The Weather Today

   For those wondering what the Valley weather is like:

Post Game Recap

        I was going to write something after the Giants game, but they went into extra innings and lost. Really don’t feel like writing anything, except to reiterate how much I am NOT impressed with Brandon Belt. Yeah, I know he has power and can go on an extra base hitting streak, but he also can have a multi-K day just as easily. And those streaks really kill you.

        I know, I couldn’t do anything close to what he does; I don’t think I could stand in the batter’s box as a 90 mile an hour fastball shoots past me, let alone make contact. Professional athletes are on a whole different level (I’ll save the golf debate for later). But I think it is fair to offer my criticism as a fan, for after all, the product is for us. If we aren’t happy about a particular player or team, that is part of the fun of following sports, to bitch when things or players tick us off.

        Disappointment is a major component of the sports fan experience. After all, there is only one overall winner of each league. Everyone else, and their fans, are ultimately losers. And the thrill of being THE champion only lasts until the next season, and with ESPN covering pre-season training camps, drafts days, and general managers’ bowel movements, seems to start earlier and earlier each year.

        The internet has certainly intensified this effect in fans. Now every bar discussion about season stats, lifetime starts, and historical records can immediately have supporting evidence presented through the smart phone. The time of winning a bar bet on obscure trivia has gone out with the pay phone and collecting numbers on bev napkins.

        It also has taken the vitriol to a wider and more public audience than ever before. The anonymity offered by the internet has made the discourse more vicious and personal than before. If you are going to say Brady is a smug, punk ass, cheating prick, shouldn’t your name be attached to it? (My name is at the bottom, and if you’re reading this Tom, man has your life taken a dive.)

        I think it’s OK to ride the pros a little. Their compensation is certainly worth enough to cover a few comments by working stiffs that their swing has a hole that a watermelon would get through. Right, Brandon?

Chess

        I’ve started to play chess again. It had been years since I last played any serious games and I’m making an effort to get back into playing form. I one point in time, I was an active member in the US Chess Federation and actually attended several tournaments. Though, those 12 year olds can be tough.

        I am making stupid, stupid mistakes. I’m playing mostly blitz chess to feed the habit, which really doesn’t lend itself to proper study or practice. But I have noticed some changes in my play.

        Just as I’ve lost a step or two to age, the same on the chessboard. I’ve lost several won positions on time, just because I wasn’t processing the info as quick. And in these quick games, the clock is part of the strategy. It can be used as a weapon as much as a knight or a rook.

        In other games, luck can be a major or minor factor. From dice games that are almost all luck to board games that encourage strategy, but still have a random element such as drawing cards, most have a beginner’s luck factor in which even a novice player can get lucky and beat an experienced player. Not so in chess.

        When you lose in chess, YOU lose in chess. Not the roll of the dice, not drawing bad cards, and not some random factor that didn’t go your way. In chess, YOU make the decisions and YOU move the pieces. When you get beat, the other player was simply better than you. Period.

        There are different ways to lose, too. I mentioned losing on time. Sometimes it feels like a cheap way to lose, “man, I HAD him, I just needed more time.” Well sport, that IS the part of the game and you just got outplayed.

        There are silly, stupid beginner traps that can catch you. Most experienced players know the opening ones by heart and do not fall for them. I’ve forgotten several and I am now taking a refresher course at the expense of my ego. As you play more, you recognize them being set-up and learn how to counteract them and put yourself in a better position. When an opponent catches me with one, I feel like I just took a hot sheet pan out of the oven with an oven mitt, took the mitt off, and then touched the tray. IDIOT!

        In the endgame, when there are only kings, pawns, and a minor piece or two left on the board, the player with a better grasp of endgame theory can often beat the opponent with a material advantage but lessor endgame skill. That hurts too. You look at the board and wonder how the fuck you lost. It’s like losing a close scoring game, I’d rather get blown out than know one slightly better move on my part and I could have won it.

        But when you win… What a great feeling. You BEAT him. Especially when they are higher ranked than yourself. There is no bad bounce, no favorable call by the referee, just out and out better playing on your part and you took them downtown! Maybe they made a mistake or you made a brilliant sacrifice, in either case, for a moment you were in one on one combat and came out on top. For a moment, you are top dog. Then the next game comes and you lose your rook to a bishop pin you forgot about and you’re right back to thinking a chimpanzee could beat you.

        I’m off to seek that euphoria of victory. I hope the chimps are asleep. 

Last Minute Homework

        Unfortunately, this entry will be little more than a stream of conscience piece of shit. It is late and I don’t feel like writing anything, let alone a coherent essay. But I am committed to keeping the everyday factor and there is no reason to throw in the towel with 50 minutes left.

        Why didn’t I use some of my time more productively and write something worth reading earlier in the day? Great question. A personal disclosure is that I have a slight problem with procrastination. And I was playing Sid Meier’s Civilization V for far too long.

        I did make time to spend most of the day with two friends. One, I’ve known for 30 years and the other almost just as long. One is doing quite well and the other is at the other end of the spectrum.  It was important to see both and I hope I enriched both of their days.

        Chocolate chip cookies might be one of the best treats ever created. And the ones we had were not even scratch baked, but pre-made dough. At least we get credit for baking them. I like them slightly underdone, so they are even chewier; warm, right off the cooling tray is definitely how the devil bribes some for their souls. (Those how like really dry and crisp chocolate chip cookies, well, you’re communists.)

I thought I had enough words, but I then realized that I was just typing after a previous draft and the word count was actually a combination of the two. Not that quantity should matter over quality, but since you’re not getting the latter, I was hoping to provide the former. I looks like a daily double of losing. I’m off to play Civ V.

My Response

       “Well, what’s your solution?”

        That would be a fair response to Thursday’s post. In it, I criticized the left and the right for their predictable response to the Charleston shooting and lamented that no solution would be found in time to prevent another tragedy we’ve seen far too often.

        What would I do? First, we have to look at the mental health angle of gun violence and count suicides by guns in our discussions. So many of the mass shooting gunmen take their own lives, we should recognize the thought of taking many lives often starts with the thought of taking one.

        So part of my solution would be a heavy investment and destigmatizing of mental health care. But that is really part of the general health which leads to healthcare which leads to how individuals pay and have access to it and now suddenly the issue of gun deaths now includes health care and public expenditure.

        That’s why so little progress is made, because once you get past the sound bites into real causation and prevention, it suddenly is linked to issues that were beyond the scope of the initial problem.

        My semi-original thought is to stop trying to limit the guns themselves and start licensing people for different levels of gun ownership, like driver’s licenses. A license for a single shotgun would be simpler to obtain that a license for a machine gun. The applicants would have to demonstrate responsibility, security, and sanity as they progressed in the quantity and quality of gun ownership.

        I can hear some percolating at the mere mention of paperwork. But every “Freedom of” has and exception. There is the high school social studies chestnut of yelling “Fire” in a crowded theater exception to Freedom of Speech. Libel, though often difficult to prove, prevents some excess of the tabloids, despite their cry of Freedom of the Press.

        I think even the most vocal opponent of gun control would have no problem denying someone convicted of murder from owning a gun, but that IS gun control. We just need to find a middle, rational ground. 

       Will emotions fueled by the Charleston tragedy and long held fear of losing one’s firearms be able to come together to find a solution that just slows down these tragedies? Unfortunately, we already know the answer.

Why Girls Need a Puppy

        Ladies, do you have problems with men? Did you raise and care for a puppy when you were a pre-teen? Very few women will answer yes to both questions for a simple reason; all men are dogs. Now this isn’t groundbreaking news and many will substitute another word that starts with a “D” for dogs, but the dog analogy is more accurate. It will also explain the imperative that all young girls be given a puppy, if they are to develop a healthy relationship with a man.

First, let me solidify the dog analogy. Just like dogs, we men all have different physical appearances. Some are tall, some are short, some are hairy, others have less of a coat. Just like dogs, men are genetically predisposed to sleep, eat, play, and procreate. Now I can hear some women saying, “Oh no, my man is different, he isn’t like that.” Yes, yes, he is. He is a dog. You are confusing a different breed for a different species.

        Different breeds have different traits or instincts. For example, Labrador Retrievers love the water. Border Collies love to herd grazing animals. Some guys love to work on cars and others love to hunt. Just as you can’t be angry at a Lab (who loves the water) for making muddy paw prints on your brand new eggshell, cut and loop carpet, you can’t be angry at man (who loves fishing) for taking his bass boat out on the sixth month anniversary of the first time he said “I love you”.

        Using positive and negative reinforcement, you can train a puppy not to pee inside; the same goes for a man. An unacceptable behavior can be corrected, but it must start at the first occurrence. If you expect your man to open the door for you, the first time he fails to do so, you should stand and wait for him. Some verbal clues might be needed. But, when he does catch the clue and opens the door, some positive reinforcement is required- “Oh, thank you. You are such a gentleman.” Perhaps with a slight brush on the hand, too. Repeat each and every time and soon the unwanted behavior will be modified.

        Just like dogs, we’ll eat strange things (deep fried pork rinds?) and drink from strange places (have you seen some of the bars in the daylight?) So, some care in feeding is necessary. We can be content to go play on our own, but some of your attention is required during play time, especially in the early years. In later years, a little will go a long way. As for procreation, when the urge is present, dogs/men will try to hump anything, so vigilance is required (Hugh Grant and the Hollywood hooker, with Liz Hurley at home, need I say more?)

        So, you can see the great value in giving a girl a puppy to raise. She’ll learn to watch what she feeds it, give it attention, but let it play on its own while keeping an eye on it. She’ll learn how to correct inappropriate behavior and to appreciate the different traits each one has and pick out a breed that best suits her. In short, she’ll gain all the skills necessary to be happy with a man. Or, she’ll get a cat.

Another

     

        Another mass shooting that makes no sense. Except, this one might, if it turns out that the shooter was actually motivated by hate. In the era of a black president, can Americans still be motivated to kill each other based upon skin color? Apparently, one can.

        Some previous shooters have had a greater link to mental illness. But is racism a mental disease? Should it be? Certainly, the desire to kill someone because they look different has no logical rationale. Certainly, there were participants of past racial violence that shared the same fear, distrust, hate as yesterday’s shooter. And certainly, no one of that era would have suggested that they weren’t mentally ill, just good ol’ boys that went too far. Were they mentally ill then?

        With each mass shooting (how depressing to acknowledge more than one and suggest their regular occurrence), calls for a more universally armed public are heard.

“If only someone had a gun, he couldn’t have killed as many,” they’ll state with certainly. And, certainly, there have been people, mostly law enforcement officers, who have stopped a deadly encounter from expanding.

I believe that those on the left must agree to the possibility that this could happen. If everyone were armed, it would be very unlikely that one person could kill as many as they often (there again, how awful to write the plural) do. But the right has to agree that mass shootings would be replaced by many, many, smaller incidents of gun violence as angry individual have immediate access to a deadly weapon. Imagine every angry driver with the ability to express his anger with a gun and not just the car.

Another depressing thought about this terrible tragedy is the realization that there will be not solution devised in time to prevent the next one. One side wants more guns in more hands and the other side wants fewer guns in fewer hands. The other unanswered question is how many more will die? The number is unknown but not that fact that it will be a number. A large one.

Is the US Post Office still needed?

Absolutely.

The United States Post Office is a favorite target of some. Long lines, confusing rules, inefficiency, debt, costs are several criticisms as well as the challenges of being relevant in the internet age.  The Pony Express was once a symbol of the Post Office’s innovation. Now the saying, “gone the way of the Pony Express,” is a colorful way of saying “outdated and obsolete.”

But everyone loves to find a personal letter in the mailbox. There is no denying that opening an envelope that’s been mailed with a stamp is a more pleasurable experience than clicking a line in your inbox. Partly the tactile sensation, partly now a modern rarity, getting a letter in the mail is often a highlight of the day.

Is the temporary joy of a letter enough justification to keep open an operation that burns through money? Of course not. Though, one aspect of the Post Office’s debt is a mandated pre-funding of retirement benefits that competitors and almost all business don’t have. Eliminating this requirement would go a long way to balancing the Post Office’s books.

The Post Office is often maligned for having poor service, but I had a recent experience is the complete opposite of that.

I had sent three packages to the same address in Northern California and the shipping clerk in Fresno transposed two digits of the Zip Code. One of the packages was shipped to the wrong destination post office. Now before anyone goes pointing fingers and saying “aha, that’s a perfect example,” we are all human and I quite as easily could have done the same thing.

I knew this because I had the tracking numbers and was following the route of the packages. (You can now get free tracking on you items. They weren’t the first, but better late than never.) I was able to call the customer service line and the rep was very helpful. He started an inquiry and gave me a number to directly call the post office that had the wrong package. I called that post office, explained the problem, they immediately searched for the package while I was on the phone and shipped it on to the correct. The final destination post office called to double check everything. Yes they initially screwed up, but rapidly fixed the problem. I once spent three days trying to get AA&T to flip one switch to fix a problem they created.

I think one of the most important reasons that the Post Office is still relevant and needed is the democratic aspect of it. It’s tasked with giving Americans the ability to send material and contact each other throughout the nation. Not only those in large urban areas, or those with internet, but all across this large, diverse country. And at the same price. It costs the same for someone in rural Nebraska to mail a letter as someone in New York City. That’s democracy in action.

In an age where the economic gap between classes is widening and you can buy your way out of the indignities of TSA searches, isn’t a service that everyone can use, guarantees accessibility from all parts of the country and is affordable priced for everyone still needed? I think so. If you disagree, please send me a letter.

A Good Excuse

Ok, I’ve got a really good excuse, this time. My battery ran out in my cell phone and I had to get it changed. Except, it wasn’t just the battery and it wasn’t just a cell phone. It was an ICD or an Implanted Cardiac Defibrillator.

        Most known is a pace maker, but mine is actually a combo unit that also acts as an internal defibrillator. (Twice the bang for the buck!) I won’t go into my exact need for it, partly out not wanting to bore you with technical and medical details and partly because I don’t want to, but I had one, battery 

eventually runs out, have to replace it, which means a new unit.

        At some point down the line, they will have the ability to transfer energy wirelessly and eliminate the need for periodic replacement. The data and settings are currently down and up loaded wirelessly; an ICD check-up is done by a someone with a laptop and wifi, just like your iPhone, but instead of downloading songs and uploading pics, they are downloading how many times my heart missed a beat and uploading how beats per minute I must have before it shocks me.

        Since this was a replacement, I was prepared for the pain involved. The first one involved putting something the size of a small cell phone (pre-smart phone small) into the body where it had not existed before. (Please, no foreign object/Richard Gere jokes.) Even with the drugs, the body doesn’t like it and lets you know.

        So, I was mentally prepared this time, even though the doctor said this procedure would be easier. Frankly, I thought he was blowing smoke up my ass (see previous joke ban) just to ensure that I would show up. I really tried not to think too much about the procedure, realizing that I was only stressing out about something that I had to do and why ruin the days before when they could be pleasant. I was actually relaxed when I went to the hospital.

        Hospitals are most people’s least favorite place. You don’t go there to hang out, spend the day off there, or make plans for a family vacation. You are at a hospital because you or a loved one is sick, really sick. And sometimes they don’t come out.

        So, I think it really is natural that people dislike them, even though they are placings of healing and a vital necessity for society. One only has to live in the absence of one to long for its presence, but just never wanting to go there, like a married man needing to know he can still get a number at a bar without the desire to ever use it.

        The staff at my hospital (I won’t mention the name, not out of sense of objectivity, but I want my ad money before I give them a plug) was first class. Every step of the way, they were professional, courteous, and kind. My trepidation level remained low and I was surprised myself with how calm I was. The room didn’t even fell freezing like it normal does.

        I started to become worried when the first dose of the sedative didn’t really take the edge off. I’d felt more numbed by a couple of shots of Jägermeister, than what they initially gave me. The doctor came in and started giving the area some shots of a local anesthetic. I felt the first two shots. A lot. Then I was given some more of what I had (or a different drug), in any case, it kicked in, and hello Mr. Happy time.

        Obviously, the doctor knew what he was talking about. The replacement procedure wasn’t as invasive and painful as the first one because most of the hard work was already done. He used the same leads (some no messing around the heart) and the space needed in the chest for the unit was already created. In and out of the hospital (they did the procedure on an out-patient basis) was only slightly longer than the doctor’s visit when he is running late.

        So, I’ve used the procedure to get out of a lot of things. A memorial day weekend where I didn’t have to do any trash duty, skipping a couple of meetings that are almost as strong of sedative as what I was given, and this blog. Except, I really could’ve written something during that time. I could have pecked something out one-handed. (OK, put your one-handed act jokes here.)

        The staples are out, the steri-strips are off, and I can type. Let’s get a good streak of posts going.  

The Perfect Bar Snack cont.

Again, this will be short, but have to keep the streak alive. Finishing...

You have to love a munchie that comes with its own eating utensil. The leg part is a perfect mini little drumstick. While devouring a plate of wings, one can imagine feasting as a medieval lord, throwing the bones of the meal to your pure bred hunting hounds.

"Ah serving wench, bring me more meat and another tankard of yon mead!" (Depending on the bar, this attitude today will ensure your order takes forever or you will be wearing your order.)

But there are also wing snobs that only want one joint, usually the drumstick. Now most places will try to offer an equal amount of each joint. Since the wing has two edible, we really can't the inedible tip (apologies to anyone grinding the tip and using as powered chicken flavoring), restaurants must try to sell equal numbers of the joints, so they are not stuck with inventory. At T. Applechiligan's, we had to give up portion the wing orders in bags and just have two inserts of each joint.

I don't mind the second joint (it's actually the middle one if we want to get technical, but we already stated the tip is worthless [no—That's what she said—comments]). The wing snobs will complain that it's too much work for not enough meat (none of the above comments!) but I find the extra work slows me down enough so I can enjoy the wings. Otherwise, I'm inhaling them like a car wash vacuum going after loose change.

Making the perfect wing requires a deep fryer. All the healthy alternatives you can do at home don't cut it. They can come close, grilling produces a nice texture, but the fryer gets all crevices of the skin nice and crispy. So you are really forced to go out, if you want a really great wing. On the up side, any place selling wings will also have the adult beverage of your choice available. Now the perfect drink...

The Perfect Bar Snack

Chicken wings are the perfect bar food. I had an order for an early dinner and it's 9pm (going to get this posted by midnight, so it will count!) and I could down another right now. Especially watching the Giants.

The wing has always been my favorite part of the chicken. When, as an adult, I discovered that one could order a whole plate JUST of the wings AND get a beer, I was in heaven, well, actually a bar. But a bar and chicken wings make the perfect appetizer.

First, the traditional hot wings require something to wash them down, most will prefer a cold beer. But being a bar, allows more variation in the adult beverage choices. But you don't have to coat them in hot sauce, any flavored sauce works, hell, even plain they're little bits of fired chicken bliss.

You have to love a munchie that comes with its own little eating utensil...

I'm about to lose power, so I'm posting this incomplete entry to make the midnight deadline.  

M-254725-P.H. RICHERT

OK, two in a row! This probably won’t be too long (though I’ve been known to ramble, once I get going.) I will also use a visual aid, a jpeg of the letter that is the inspiration for the post.

This letter is from the Richert Family Collection, a fancy name for all the correspondence that was never thrown out, just passed on to surviving relatives. Most families might have a piece of furniture or another tangible item from previous generations, but we are lucky to have a substantial amount of family correspondence. Unfortunately, the 19th century stuff is mostly in handwritten Old German script and might as well be a CIA code.

But this letter is later and type written. Really just an average day piece of mail answering a query by my great-grandfather. But, it is 85 years old and answers a question that would be asked today. Why did you raise my rates?

Business being business, the answer was simple. You made a claim against the policy. Something you would hear today. Change the date and the amount and this letter could have been sent yesterday. And those are two of the aspects of the letter that I find so fascinating.

The age of the letter is really nothing special. Obviously, many business models that exist today, have their roots going back centuries. Finding a letter less than a hundred years old duplicating a modern practice (rather, proving that what they do today, they did years ago) shouldn’t be a surprise.

But I think it is a great reminder, especially when there is a familial connection. This a snapshot into history, made more real because the players are related and you can put yourself in their place ─ my grandfather wrecked the family car and my great-grandfather’s insurance went up.

The amount is humorous and also a great lesson in inflation. I can’t think of anyone today filing a claim for $21.75, no matter WHAT their deductible policy. Hell, that’s not even enough to cover dinner at T. Applechiligan’s.

Clearly, in 1931, it was enough to make a claim and have the insurance company raise your rates as a result. We often hear about the cost of an apple or what one made in a day. Expenses, and unplanned expenses are also a great insight into inflation and the cost of living in past years.

The letter also shows how we’ve been complaining about our insurance rates for years.

Let's get my ass back on the wagon!

I am really furious at myself. I was going strong and totally fell off the blog writing wagon in February. I had some many "perfect" days to restart and I managed to talk myself out of each one. Today will be short and far more self-flagellating than I originally intended.

I deserve to be beat up for any short little bit would have sufficed to keep positive momentum. How does every streak every start?  By two and more in a row. But first, you have to have to complete the FIRST one.

And just posting SOMETHING counts. Anything. Just keep the streak going. Hell a picture and a freaking caption are better than nothing. In fact, some visuals wouldn't hurt things in general.

First step—consistent posts. Then, some thoughtful, insight, humorous, but above all, readable posts.

See? Short and sweet.

Time Wasting Crap

This is just a little free form post. I tried to get a post or two ahead, but it just didn't work out. 50~50 if I produce something of quality for tomorrow. Today, I will settle for this piece of crap to just to maintain the everyday status. 

I have been using the "schedule" function of posting to keep on track for a different project (I have a goal to reach before I open those nuggets to the public.) it works great, but I didn't get any done for this post, so you will have to suffer.

But, perhaps I shouldn't be so hard on myself. It could be worse. I fact, it was so at lunch. I will not name him for it could just be my perception that he was a total waste of time  but I know I'm right. My time is valuable (so, thanks for reading this) and it took all that I had not to walk out and put 35 minutes of my life to a better use, like solving string theory.

Imagine the worst SNL skit about a motivational speaker and add 50 minutes to it. Then add jokes that Carl Reiner lampooned over 50 years ago. You now have a more interesting presentation that what I suffered through. But I was able to get seconds on churros, so at least I gained some weight.

A Great Rail Day Trip pt.2

This post continues the Great Rail Day Trip that we started yesterday. To recap, we take the northbound San Joaquin, train # 711. It is the first one of the day, so don’t oversleep! We stay on the train until the end of the line at Oakland. If you didn’t follow my advice and took advantage of “one for the road” at last call, you probably fell asleep on the trip. Since it is the terminus, the crew wants you off the train to make the turnaround and will wake your ass up.

The next part of our trip involves taking catching the ferry to the ballpark. And I do mean TO the ballpark. There are many great elements to the Giants home field, one of which is that it is right on the water and the ferry will dock right next to the park. Your walk to the upper deck inside the park will be longer than your walk from the ferry to the ballpark gate.

But first you have to catch the ferry. It is an easy walk from the train station to the dock for the ferry. The train will get into Oakland around 11 am and the ferry departs the Oakland dock at 11:30; plenty of time to walk at a leisurely pace, but you shouldn’t plan on stopping for a double chi triple pump caramel low fat soy decaf mocha.

Now the ferry dock is much more than a floating walkway and there really are no facilities to speak of. You can’t miss it, though, there’ll be a line already formed. These are the people who didn’t buy a pre-paid ticket and lined up before the first ball player got dressed to make sure they get a seat. But you were smart and bought a ticket online weeks ago.

Again, you were smart and bought a round-trip ticket for the ferry a month ago when planning to do this day trip. My last call advice is somewhat tongue in cheek, but please follow this tip, you don’t want to be part of the mass that gets turned away.

As you’re getting on the ferry, think about where you want to sit. If it is summer, it could be absolutely stunning out in the open. The sun is shining, the view of the city from the water is incredible, and just when you’re getting a little too hot, you catch a breeze or a gentle spay of water to cool you off. But don’t be a rookie, pack a light windbreaker, for we are talking about San Francisco where the first aid stations treat tourists for hypothermia.

The lack of a scenic view in the valley is completely forgotten once you’re on the ferry. First you will see the giant cranes at the port of Oakland and the vacated Alameda Naval Air station. But the magic really starts as the estuary opens to the Bay proper and you get incredible views of the Bay Bridge looking up from the water. As you near San Francisco and the ballpark, even the locals are turning the heads, taking in the sight of their beloved city from a different angle.

As mentioned, the ferry will dock right next to the stadium, so you merely have to walk down the gangway and get in line for the gate. Usually, there is another ferry arriving around the same time and, combined with the mass of others entering the park and a more thorough security check, you will have a wait to get in.

If you haven’t seen a Giants home game, you really should, no matter how you get there. The physical structure is very impressive and it’s fun just to walk around, feel the excitement of the fans, and see the variety of vendors. (But be prepared to take out a second mortgage for that large beer.)

For those who’ve only watched baseball on TV, it really is a different game live, in person. It is a different, more enjoyable experience. And the AT&T Park has the added bonus of the best view of any sports venue in the country. So even if the action on the field doesn’t hold you attention, looking out into the Bay will. Don’t worry, you won’t be the only one memorized by the view and missing the 5-4-3 double play.

Now there is a timing issue involved in this trip and that is catching the last southbound San Joaquin leaving Oakland at 5:00 PM. The ferry will leave a half hour after the last out of the game. A couple of extra innings won’t kill you, but if the game starts hitting the four hour mark, you have to make a call to get back to Jack London Square and the train station or getting a room in SF and watching the end of the game.

After the game the process is repeated; get on the ferry to Oakland and then get on the train home. Sometimes there is enough time after landing in Oakland to get something to eat or drink in Jack London Square in case you ran out of kidneys to sell at the game for a hamburger. But again, you can buy something in the café car for dinner on the train.

If you like the views on the ride up, make sure to sit on the opposite side of the train going south. Some people will just be snoozing after getting up early and being in the sun all day, others will enjoy a couple of cocktails on the way home.

A word of caution here, if you’re not going all the way to Bakersfield (props to anyone being a Giants fan AND living in Bakersfield) it is important to get off at your stop; the train doesn’t back up for you and as it is the last train of the day, you might have to spend the night in Wasco. The conductor will wake you up when they pick up the seat check for your stop, but it can be far enough before the stop, for those so inclined, to fall back asleep and miss their station. I’ve seen it happen.

This is a great day trip, especially for those in the valley. It is a fun ride and feels fantastic to beat the Valley heat for a day. It is doable in a day and, without the driving, it is very relaxing. Worth skipping last call and getting up early.

A Great Rail Day Trip

Yesterday, I was writing about my preference for taking the train and promised a great day trip. This also includes seeing the Giants at AT&T (or whatever telecommunications conglomerate it is this year) Park. It is doable from any city on the San Joaquin route, but the Bay Area communities will probably take a BART option.

It should be noted that BART is also a passenger rail system that does have a strong commuter element to it. It ranges far enough where it really isn’t considered a metro, it is definitely inter-city (please don’t read it as “inner-city”, that will contradict my point) and used heavily outside commute hours.

But my day trip also uses a uniquely Bay Area public system, the ferry. In the past, crossing any body of water required a ferry. But as bridges became ubiquitous, ferry companies died out like video stores. Large metropolitan areas situated in a bay or deep water, such as New York or Seattle, still have ferry systems. (This scarcity really only applies to the US. Other countries invest in their public transportation systems and all sorts of modes are thriving.)

You start your morning getting to the train station for the 711 the northbound San Joaquin. For Fresno, it means getting up in time for the 6:50 am departure. A little earlier than you might awake if you were driving, but not too heinous, unless your last call last night was a Jäger Bomb and a shot of tequila.

Cities north of Fresno will have a later departure, certainly in the range of most people’s normal waking time. Cities south of Fresno will have to get up earlier, so they should lay off the late night beer pong. This is especially sage advice for the train that leaves Bakersfield at a very early 4:50 am. (But that far south, they are Dodger fans and their interest in going to a Giants game is somewhere between being sued and attending a time-share sales pitch.)

As previously mentioned, the train is a very comfortable trip. You can grab some grub in the café car (The breakfast burrito is tasty!) or bring your own breakfast and just buy hot coffee. Now, you ARE in the valley, so if you’ve driven 99, you know it’s not the most scenic trip. But the springtime offers some great sights of orchards in bloom and there are a couple of interesting spots from the train.

Going north, just after the Merced stop, the train will travel next to the former Castle Air Force base. You can catch a quick view of the static display of planes that now are part of a public museum. (This is a great collection and worthy of a trip in and of itself.)

Another military historical sight is Port Chicago and the Concord Naval Weapons Station. The train bisects the base and you start having a great view of as the Sacramento River turns into the SF Bay. On the landward side of the train, you can see the bunkers were nuclear weapons were kept during the Cold War. During WWII, there was an ammunition explosion here that killed many servicemen, civilians, and is a chapter in the Civil Rights story. 

The train follows the water’s edge for about 30 minutes. It moves it slowest here. The water is just feet away and the speed reduction helps maintain track integrity. But the outstanding side effect is the extra time you get to enjoy some of the best views of the Bay.

Most of the remaining passengers will get off at Emeryville, which is the bus connection to San Francisco. In the early days of the Bay Bridge, the lower level had train tracks and you could ride all the way into SF. If you are going into the city, this is the transfer station for the Amtrak connection, but you can also get off at Richmond and catch BART. The BART station is adjacent to the Amtrak station and you just walk down one flight of stairs and climb another to reach the BART platform. If my lazy ass can do it, then it’s an option for you, too.

You will stay on the train and get off at the end of the line-Oakland (I’m tempted to make a snarky comment about Oakland and the end of the line, but I live in Fresno and sometimes the pot should just shut the hell up.)

 Jack London Square is just a few feet from the Oakland station and our next step/stop is at the other end of this area. Since the post is getting long and I still have a couple of things to do today (I know, I know, nothing is more important than reading my ramblings), I will stop here and continue on tomorrow’s post.

To be continued…

Up next, the ferry, the game, and the return.

Taking the Train

I was trying to think of a blog post for today and drawing a blank. Naturally, the perfect solution was to procrastinate even more by playing a game on the computer. I’m old and prefer board games over modern video games.

The modern advantage is the ability to find on opponent online instead of bribing someone in the house to play a game they really don’t want to play. So, I tell myself, “one game and then time to write”; it usually is a lie and the next thing you know 90 minutes have passed. But this time, my choice of game (Ticket to Ride, a board game involving trains) suggested the topic for today, trains.

I love trains. Now, my level of enthusiasm doesn’t reach the level of radio scanners, taking videos of trains, or memorizing engine numbers (Google ‘railfan’). But the train is my preferred method of travel. If I’m going anywhere in California by myself, I will look at the Amtrak schedule and try to plan around it.

 San Francisco and Sacramento are two of my most common trips and the San Joaquin route from Fresno offers great options. There is a certain distance in which the passenger train can be competitive with the airplane and even the personal car.

Commuter trains are still viable with high employment densities, such as New York and DC. In fact, those areas often have the density to support an independent intra-city light rail in additional to larger commuter trains to the burbs. But inter-city trains for non-commuter purposes and be successful, too.

With a higher train speed, the competitive radius can include air travel. In California, LA and SF are the perfect distance for a high speed train to directly compete with the airlines. Limited landing/takeoff slots, operational issues, and congested terminals add to the actual time needed for air travel and increase the distance in which the slower moving passenger train trips end up taking a similar amount of time.

What about comfort? Unless you are suckering your company for business class or selling a kidney for first class, there is absolutely no comparison between the cattle class of the airline and a standard seat on a passenger train. On a train, you can actually get up from the window seat and stand in the aisle without feeling that you and your seatmate are part of a circus contortionist act like on a plane.

The train is more relaxing. This is bonus for rail passengers. When an airplane passenger gets off the plane, there is stress to be out of that damn tinned can and get a breath of fresh air. As they approach the station, rail passengers are not anxious about escaping, but excited about arriving.

Now, the passenger train in the United States faces some problems. No question. Sharing tracks with freight trains, city planning that encourages automobile ownership, lack of governmental support given to other forms of transportation. Sometimes there are delays on the train, but cars do break down and flights also do get cancelled.

I will stay a train supporter. The San Joaquin is a good choice out of Fresno and tomorrow I will write of a great day trip that is doable on the train.

Fresno Bucket List continued

This post continues the listing of things to experience in Fresno, let’s not say before you die (that’s so, negative), but “at least once”. The ground rules are it still must exist and be available (no riding a street car to the river), within an hour’s drive of Fresno (three hours to Santa Cruz Boardwalk is not a Fresno activity), and a third generation should be discovering it (a movie at Edward’s doesn’t count).

A recap of what I suggested yesterday (for those unfamiliar with the scroll down feature of modern computers).

Eat a chicken pot pie at the Chicken Pot Pie Shop

See a movie at the Tower Theater

Take a walk on the Fulton Mall

Play at Blackbeard’s

Following on the play theme of Blackbeard’s, the only discussion about putting Roeding Park on this list is should there be individual credit for the zoo, Playland, and Storyland. I think each is a great experience and worthy as a unique listing themselves. But I would add that for Roeding Park to count, you have to feed the ducks, play on a jungle gym, or have a picnic. Driving through the park to get to one of the above doesn’t count for out purposes here. Get out of the car.

One item that DOES count when just “driving through” is Christmas Tree Lane. This is a no-brainer for a Fresno list of things to do. For anyone who has lived a year or more in Fresno, there is no need to recount the history of Christmas Tree Lane. Walking it (on or off designated days), doing Huntington Boulevard’s version, or seeing the luminaria of the Bullard area county island counts as extra points towards being a Fresnan.

I’ve bagged on Fresno not being close enough to the coast to count, but there is a water’s edge that counts and that is Millerton Lake. This fits all our criteria to a tee, half hour outside of Fresno, past and current generations are using. Though, if drought conditions worsen, it might not be available, but then we’ll have worse problems than were to play. Camping, fishing, water skiing, most outdoor activities take place here and doing any at Millerton count towards experiencing it.

A very unique Fresno experience is the Forestiere Underground Gardens. For those unfamiliar with the story Baldassare Forestiere came to Fresno and built an incredible network of underground passages, rooms, courtyards with skylights (by hand!) to help escape the Fresno heat. While it may seem crazy to do so, one only has to spend one Fresno summer day with no AC to realize he was on to something.

This is just a sampling of what the list could contain. Perhaps we need to break it into categories like food, events, day to day experiences. I would also have some little things like buying fruit from a street-side stall. Not unique to Fresno, but often grown within eyesight. Buying something from the Central Fish Market. Sure, other places have bigger, more impressive Chinatowns and fish markets, but that one is ours and a Fresnan should say they have been there.

Those are just a few of my items for a Fresno Bucket List. What are yours? Leave a comment and perhaps we’ll start an official list or website. That sounds like a good project. I’ll add it to my list.

Fresno Bucket List

I think everyone is familiar with the bucket list concept, things to accomplish before you die. This post will put a twist on it and a local focus. What are some local things that every Fresnan should do or have done. I don’t want to put a “before death” element on it, per se, but just a kind of checklist that cannot be completed elsewhere.

Unfortunately, some things will be impossible for younger generations to complete, such as having a draught beer from an ice cold goblet at the Hofbrau (Old Fresno and now the Silver Dollar, too), having lunch at the Farmer’s Market (OK, showing my age on that one), or bowling a game at Cedar Lanes. But there are some things, quite a few things, which can still be experienced. My intention is to not only suggest my own, but gather some from readers, both local and visitors.

I think a certain distance radius needs to be in play. I think everyone should visit one of the nearby National Parks and/or Forests, but we can’t really claim them to be part of the Fresno psyche as many people will see them without stepping foot in Fresno (sorry FYI, the airport is not really close to Yosemite and not very international). The same is true of the beaches of the central coast. Sure, it’s great that they are close enough for a long day trip, but Fresnans can’t really claim them as our own.

Obviously, to have import to several generations, we’re not talking about a T.Applechiligan’s that opened on a stand alone pad in front of Target three years ago. But it doesn’t have to be on the Historical Registry, either.

Let’s make the parameters still open or accessible, within an hour’s drive of Fresno and at least the second generation of Fresnans is introducing the experience to their offspring or younger generation.

I will start with one that I haven’t done; eat a chicken pot pie at The Chicken Pot Pie shop in the Tower district. (This is on the top of my mind. As I write this, it is close to midnight and I’m hungry). I have eaten there, but haven’t had a pot pie, so I’m making that a condition.

While we’re in the Tower District, let’s throw in a movie at the Tower Theater; live shows don’t count, movies only. (Why? First time there was a move.) Extra credit for sitting in the balcony.

Walking on the Fulton Mall. This is a big one for me. I will spare you too much personal reflection and current political status. I will use the topic more in future posts. Let’s just say it is threatened and you’ve been warned that you might lose the opportunity to experience it.

Play at Blackbeard’s. Over the years, they have added rides to the facility, so we’ll count doing anything at Blackbeard’s. It isn’t the oldest amusement park (small scale, of course) in Fresno and is actually recent when compared others in Fresno history, Zapp’s Park, i.e., photographed in the Pop Laval collection. But it still exists, thus meeting the availability requirement.

To be continued tomorrow…

Upgrade Rant

I'm not writing anything about Valentine's Day for several good reasons: by the time I get this posted, the day/night will almost be over; people WITH a Valentine have better things to do than read this; people WITHOUT a Valentine do not want to hear another single mention of the day. Instead, I will rant about upgrades, specifically software upgrades.

I'm not going even to pick on some small independent operation, or someone coding by themselves. You could see how they might have to make a change with an upgrade to better fit a new version of the operating system or even just a mistake. Bigger shit can happen in a smaller company. But how the hell does Microsoft and Facebook fuck up things when they upgrade? Because they can.

It really is the same theory as the banks getting to big to fail. Microsoft and Facebook have become so ingrained in our computer lives, it is too much of a hassle to switch to other alternatives.

My frustration with Facebook was exasperated today when I was accessing my friends list. In previous versions, the friends list was alphabetized. Now, the put all the names in a bucket and pull them out one at a time and make a list. Seriously, there is no identifiable method to

explain how they organize it; number of comments made? vowels in names? sexual partners? (Everything else is on the internet, they probably have an algorithm for that, too.)

Microsoft is infamous for doing the same thing. Several years ago, they did a major "upgrade" in Word and Excel and changed the basic tabs were functions are found. A function found in "File" might now be found in "Insert." For those of us who became users under the old format, this changed the familiar to the foreign.

Also, Windows 8.

This really is nothing but the electronic version of planned obsolescence. These companies have a problem when they create a program that fills a particular human need; the program must help the human in 95% of the time or more to be successful, but then there aren't enough people who help for the other 5% for it to be profitable. So they mess with the program that works.

The vast number of people who use a word processing program probably haven't even touched the functions that have been added in the last ten years. Cut, paste, save, spell chek, open, close, just the basics, ma'am.

Well that's enough of my rant. I might change the font and size, maybe even the color and spacing now. What do you think about a right justified circular table with alternating border thickness? 

Angel From Montgomery

I'm inserting a little multi-media today by linking and talking about a video. It is Jill Hennessy's cover of Angel From Montgomery by John Prine. Bonnie Raitt recorded it on her Streetlights album, an album that should be in anyone's collection who enjoys Raitt's songs. But Jill (she's responded to one of my tweets, so I am allowed to use her first name) certainly makes it her own.

I actually heard Angel From Montgomery years ago on a rafting trip run by a local company. The company operates an exciting, fantastically fun trip (screw it, I'll give 'em a plug: Kings River Expeditions) and has a campfire show after the evening meal. It features the guides and anyone who wants to do something is free to join it. I read a humorous, at least to me, poem I wrote. But the absolute highlight was a guide singing this song.

She was accompanied by a quite competent guitar player (buff river guide AND guitar player, yeah, he bought condoms by the pallet). Even discounting my infatuation with her, she did have a fabulous voice and sang an incredible version of the song.

I did a little research to find out more about the song. I was unfamiliar with Bonnie Raitt, but soon became a huge fan. Her bluesy, folk, rock elements means she is a joy to listen to in almost any mood.

I had just joined Twitter and was watching an old Law & Order episode (the original is still the best). It was one with McCoy and Kincaid, my favorite combo, and I was pleased with how well the 20 year episode held up. I saw Jill (again, she tweeted me, we're good) was on Tweeter and followed her to say so.

Now in her Twitter bio, she mentions being an actress, for the people that don't have a TV, and being a singer/songwriter. I chuckled to myself, here's one of those self-absorbed actors that thinks they can do anything. I mean, who doesn't hear "actor-songwriter/singer" and automatically think of William Shatner's Rocket Man?

I had to listen to one of her songs. I'll admit I was hoping for a dash of schadenfreude. I wanted to hear a train wreck, but as the song started, I had to admit it wasn't the auditory torture I expected. In fact, she was quite good. Whereas I had just clicked to sample a song, I bought the album (hell, while I'm giving out plugs: Ghost in My Head).

I tweeted her that I really enjoyed her music and compared her to Bonnie Raitt. She tweeted back a thanks (see, I said we're tight). She later posted this video and, damn, she cranks out a great version.

I've enjoyed this song over many years and have never heard a bad version. Now, if you've read this before listening, click the link and reward yourself. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do