Let's play two!

It's opening day.  Please see blog post:  The Case for Optimism.  Let's go Flubbies!

Weekendlings

• Jilly came home with another outstanding report card yesterday and declared, "I get to choose the dinner."  Apparently, we work on the bribery system around here.  So, despite her "listens attentively" grade declining, she managed to talk us into a Chinese foood dinner.   Meanwhile, her big brother was enjoying a late afternoon Skurfing (launching a skim board while on a surfboard) at Calafia.
• After shopping for the least outlandish quotes, we are having the trees trimmed today.  It's been two years since the last lacing, and these trees grow like weeds.  But seriously, I had to come to California for pine trees and not palms?
• Cleaned the garage and behind the bed today.
• The wifey took the money-hoarder to open her first bank account today.  She's really got a sense for the currency, saving for the pink Beetle that she wants someday.  Actually, she wasn't too happy about handing her money over to the bank, as she distrusts them.  
• Her brother, on the other hand, can't spend it fast enough.  Luckily for him, an unexpected residual check came this week.  Thanks Modern Family reruns.  
• Dog beach tomorrow, weather permitting.
• And then a brother from the same mother arrives...along with said mother, father, sister-in-law and niece.  Fun times.

Miss Moneypenny, I presume

Does a Triton weigh 6,000 lbs?

No little mermaid!

As mentioned, Josh will soon become a Triton - a significant step up from a mako shark.  It got me mistakenly thinking why a school would name it's mascot after Neptune's scepter.  But, it turns out the 3-tyned pitchfork is actually a Trident and the fishy dude is Triton and not even Roman.

So, I did a little research - thanks again Wiki.  Triton is the son of Poseidon and Amphitrite.  He's actually a merman (no relation to Ethel - upper body human, lower body fish).  His cool, aquaman-like superpower is his ability to blow a conch shell to either raise or calm the waves.  He'd be great to have around while skimming.  He is also known to be a killer and a Libyan (but not the Back to the Future kind).  And that's no fish tale - not even half a fish tail.

An aside:   one famous Triton alumni - Jorge Garcia, who played Hurley on Lost.

Let's go Tritons

"A lot of people, especially this one psychoanalyst guy they have here, keeps asking me if I'm going to apply myself when I go back to school next September. It's such a stupid question, in my opinion. I mean how do you know what you're going to do till you do it?" - Holden in The Catcher in the Rye

Just attended High School orientation for the number 1 son.  Seriously, I look way too young to have a kid entering the 9th grade.  We met the principal.  Examined some clubs.  And heard the pep band (and also a Pirates of Penzance preview-the spring musical).  Look out freshman year; here comes Josh and the rest of his Mango Mafia.  A communal dinner at Chipotle followed with the kids chowing down and the parents commiserating.

Meanwhile, the boy child is so over middle school...where he feels he has learned all that they can offer him.  Looks like he'll be on the accelerated track and has chosen espanol as his foreign language of choice.  He's a little stressed about the transition and the amount of homework to be anticipated.  He's wondering how to get involved, contemplating forming a cinematography and/or skimming club.  But his biggest concern that is freaking him out now is: which period he'll be taking surfing.  I don't remember having such worries as I schlepped my surfboard through the snow, barefoot, uphill...both ways.

Donuts around the world

"The earliest occurrence of the word (doughnut) is in the "History of New York" by Washington Irving (1809). He had to define the word, so we can assume that it was not a widely known dish at the time, at least to his audience. And, interestingly, he defines doughnuts as "balls of sweetened dough, fried in hog's fat". This suggests that doughnuts were not named after knots or nuts and bolts, but instead after nuts like walnuts or pecans. They were balls of dough that, when fried to a deep golden brown, resembled nuts. Doughnuts only took their torus shape to overcome a problem inherent in balls of dough - uncooked centers. Removing the centers ensured that the doughnuts would be cooked throughout."

So, as mentioned, Yiddish words for penis continues to be my most viewed blog entry.  I was going to do a follow up:  Penises (or is it Penii?) aroung the world. But, that seemed a bit too....phallic.  I tried to come up with something more universal.  Dumplings came to mind.  You know:  knishes, perogi, kreplach, potstickers, raviolis, etc. But that was too obvious.  I though deeper, more fried...and came up with donuts.  Here are some highlights from Wiki:

• Bolivia - Buñuelos are a round fry bread.
• Brazil - Doughnuts are referred to as Sonho, meaning dream.
• Cameroon - Puffpuff.
• Canada - Canadian doughnuts are usually similar to those in the United States. Other Canadian variants include the BeaverTail, Cruller,Dutchie, Timbits, Potato flour doughnuts and Newfoundland's Toutin. Maple bars - bar doughnuts with maple-syrup-flavored icing—are also occasionally found in the US, especially in neighboring states, such as Ohio, Wisconsin and Michigan.
• Denmark - The "Berliner" without a hole is available in bakeries across the country and are called Berliner like in Germany. Surprisingly, not "Danish"
• Finland - Munkki (without a hole), Donitsi (with a hole)
• France - Beignets 
• Ghana - Bofrot
• Greece - Loukoumathes. Sounds like math and comes in two types, a crispy one shaped like the number 8, and a larger, softer one shaped like the number 0.
• Iceland - Kleinuhringir,
• Indonesia - Donat Kentang is known as an Indonesian style fried mashed potato doughnut; a fritter that comes in ring shape and is made from combination of flour and mashed potatoes, coated in powder sugar or icing sugar.
• Ireland - Taoschno.
• Israel - Sufganiyah (סופגניה, plural Sufganyot), like the German Berliner, jelly doughnuts, Boston cream doughnut, the Polish pączki, or the Russian ponchik, are fried, pierced and injected with jelly or custard, and then topped with powdered sugar or frosting. They have become a traditional Hanukkah food in recent decades. Traditionally they are filled with red jelly and topped with sugar icing. However, many other varieties exist, the more expensive ones being filled with dulce de leche.
• Italy - Struffoli, Pignolata, Guanti, (Assisi) Bastoncello, (Calabria) Scaddateddi, Zeppole Spignesi, Chiacchiere, Lattughe (this may not be classifiable as doughnut, but it is fried pastry, in a Lettuce" style) Cenci, Donzelle, Frappe, Sfrappole, Bugie, Crostoli, Frittelle, Ciambelli (Cocullo, Abruzzi) and Bomboloni.
• Mexico - Buñuelo, Churro, Sopapilla. The Mexican Donas are very similar to doughnuts including in the name; the dona is a fried-dough pastry-based snack, commonly coated withcinnamon sugar or granulated sugar, or dipped in chocolate.
• New Zealand - Cream-filled doughnut.
• Nigeria - Puffpuff, Chin chin.
• Norway - Hjorte Bakkels, Futimonbuckles, Fattigmann Bakkels, Smultring.
• Poland - Pączki, round jam-filled doughnuts. 
• Portugal - Filhós, Malasadas.
• Puerto Rico - Quesitos (filled with sweet cheese).
• Spain - Churros, Porras, Chimeneas, Orange Roscos, Wine Roscos, Roscos de anis, Rosquillas de Ledesma, buñuelos, bimuelos, birmuelos, bermuelos, burmuelos, bunyols,Rosquillas listas de san Isidro, rosquito tonto, rosquilla tonta.
• UK - Similar to North American doughnuts, but traditionally topped with granulated sugar rather than powdered sugar or glaze. In some parts of Scotland, ring doughnuts are referred to as Doughrings, with the doughnut moniker being reserved exclusively for the nut-shaped variety. Glazed, twisted rope-shaped doughnuts are known as "Yum-yums". It is also possible to buy fudge doughnuts in certain regions of Scotland. In some parts of Northern Ireland, ring doughnuts are referred to as "gravy rings" due to their being cooked in oil, itself colloquially known as "gravy". Jam doughnuts are round in shape, coated in granulated sugar and have a filling of strawberry or raspberry jam.
• United States of America - In the US, doughnuts exist in cake, raised and piped varieties and in many different shapes, including Crullers (twisted piped bars), Vanities, Comfits, Fritters(irregularly shaped "dropped" doughnuts), Long Johns (bars with or without filling), Boston cream doughnuts, Potato doughnuts, Sour cream doughnuts, Cider doughnuts, Simball,Olicook, Olykoecks, Bear claws (although many varieties are fruit-filled cake rather than doughnut), Elephant Ears, Yum yums, Fasnachts, Frying Saucers, Bear sign (cowboy slang for ring doughnuts), Brown Bobby (a significant contingent in the 'doughnut shape debate' because this variety is (uniquely?) a 'triangular toroid'). Native Americans have been known to lay claim to the invention of the doughnut with Johnnycakes, though many varieties of Johnnycake are neither sweet nor doughnut-shaped. Bar-shaped doughnuts are known as "bars" or Long Johns, particularly maple bars with maple-flavored icing that sometimes incorporate caramelized bacon.

3rd Interview with Jillian

What is your name? How old are you?

   Jillian. Um, 6.  Seven  10

Where do you live?  What is your home like?

   Saint Clemently.  It's good.  17 XX XXX.   Good.On the moon.  Glowing and dusty.

What are your favorite things to do?   Do you do them alone or with others?

   Play on computer and watch tv.  Alone. Go on computer.  BothPlay on phone.  Alone

What do you like to eat?  What do you dislike eating?

   That's tough, cause I like to eat everything.  Fish. Chicken noodle soup.  Fish.Ramen/crockpot dinner.

What do you think you will do when you grow up?

   Invent the flying car of the future (with help from Daddy).  Be a famous artist.Zoologist.

What does your family celebrate?  How do they celebrate?

   Hanukah.  Opening presents and lighting the Menorah.  Channukah.  Sit in the family room and open presents.Channukah with lots of blue stuff.

What do you do on your birthday?

   Have a party.  Get out of school.Celebrate one step closer to death.

What is your favorite color?  Why?

   Purple because I'm purple in Club Penguin.  Purple, because it's the color of royalty.  Red:  it's pretty.

Do you have things to do every day that you don’t like doing?  What are they?

   Yes, school....it wastes my playtime.  Going to school, cause it's sort of boring.No.

What is your favorite thing to wear?  Why?

   Cool T-shirts and pants because I look sparky.  Tops and leggings because it's casual.Hats because they keep my head warm.

What would be the best thing someone could give you?

   All the webkinz in the world.  Superpowers (flying).Nintendo 3DS

What questions do you have for children in other countries?

   Why do you speak different languages?  Are there lots of animals.Nothing.

Who is your best friend? (and why)

  Katie M because she always plays with me on the playground.  Paige because we were once lunch basket buddies.  Also, Katie M.The doggies because they're fluffy.

Do you think girls/boys have cooties?

   What are cooties?   Yes, especially one person (Ryan).No.

Do you have a boy/girlfriend? 

   NoYes (none of your business) Not really.

What do you think about your brother/sister?

   eh.  Really funny.  He's mean.Still mean.

Who is your meanest friend?

   Dominick because he's surprisingly mean.  Patrick - he is loud and makes faces.Sophia - like me but a punk.

Do any of your friends tell you secrets? (what secrets?)

   Not really.No

Which friend do you think you would marry?

   Some other guy.  No one.That's private.

Who is your prettiest friend?
   Myself.  Me Eve

Favorite Book/Movie/TV
   Diary of a Wimpy Kid/Harry Potter/Tom & Jerry or Fairly Oddparents   ?/they're all good/Phineas & Ferb none/princess and the frog/Steven universe

Sneetch results

Josh competed in his 2nd Green Eggs & Am amateur skim boarding competition this past saturday.  Though he didn't wind up placing very well, I couldn't be more proud of the skimmer dude.  It wasn't but a year ago that Josh and his best bud, Heath, entered a similar contest and were mostly afraid to charge the waves.  They couldn't even go the mandatory left (frontside) rides.  What kooks!

Now the grooms were charging like pros.  The conditions were not optimal, with flat mushy waves that make it hard to get nice "wrap to barrels".  Plus, I felt the judging was a bit subjective and Josh might have been robbed of a few points in his second round.

Not only did their year-over-year performance impress me, but Josh's overall attitude.  He just wanted to have fun, do his best, and enjoy the camaraderie of the other skimmers.  It's quite an impressive community of impassioned schwakkers.

At least Heath, representing the SC Mango Mafia crew, came in 3rd overall in their division and took home some nice swag.  He probably couldn't of done it without Josh getting him out to the skim spots several times a week so that they could both practice and challenge each other.  Keep on skimming Mangos!

Today, I am a fountain pen

Josh trimming the peach fuzz.  Our little boy is a man. 

Search for the Holy Grail...

...and by Holy Grail, I mean doughnuts.  I think we set a new personal record today.  Drove 65 miles in search of donuts.  Not any nuts of dough, but those of San Diego's Donut Bar (soon to open a location in the OC).  Made the drive in less than hour!

Had to get up and go early.  Their hours state that the shop (no "pe" - felt like we were cheating on Leucadia Donut Shoppe) is open from 8 am until they sell out.  So, we had to make sure we got their right after it opened.  And then, we found out that today was their 1 year anniversary...which meant a free donut.  Plus when you buy 12, you get (you guessed it) a free donut.

We arrived to a long, but swift line down the pretty, tree-lined San Diego St.  B Street, that is.  'B' for bountiful. Thankfully, there were plenty of 'nuts left.  Stephy did almost duke it out with the people in front of us over the last strawberry shortcake (which as Jilly stated, was more like a sandwich than a pastry), but they relented.  We wound up giving them one of our free donut credits.

So, half a tank of gas and $29 later, we gorged on 13 delectable donuts:  Reeses peanut butter cup, cronut, root beer float, birthday cake, blueberry cheesecake, maple bacon, salted caramel, lemon pistachio, etc.  But my favorite by far, was the maple bourbon (no wonder it's called a donut bar).  Could quite possibly be the holy grail of donuts.  Now, I need a cigar!  But, off to the gym for some exercise.  Exercise in futility!

World Champions

Lady Aztecs trophy ceremony.  Finished undefeated! Champions of the world!  Well, of the Boys and girls Club.  And of their league and gender.  Go Jilly!

Green Eggs and Am

I am Josh

I am Josh 
Josh, by gosh

That Josh, by gosh 
That Josh, by gosh! 
I do like 
that Josh, by gosh 

Do you skim
green eggs and am

I do not skim them, 
Josh, by gosh. 
I do not skim
green eggs and am. 

Would you skim them 
by the pier? 

I would not skim them 
by the pier. 
I would not skim them 
anywhere. 
I do not skim 
green eggs and am. 
I do not skim them, 
Josh, by gosh 

Would you skim them 
with Heath? 
Would you skim them 
when underneath? 

I do not skim them 
with Heath. 
I do not skim them 
when underneath. 
I do not skim them 
by the pier. 
I do not skim them 
anywhere. 
I do not skim green eggs and am. 
I do not skim them, Josh, by gosh. 

Would you skim them 
by the docks? 
Would you skim them 
near the rocks? 

Not by the docks. 
Not near the rocks. 
Not with Heath. 
Not when underneath. 
I would not skim them  by the pier. 
I would not skim them anywhere. 
I would not skim green eggs and am. 
I do not skim them, Josh, by gosh. 

Would you? Could you? 
on a sandbar? 
Skim them! Skim them! 
Here they are. 

I would not , 
could not, 
on a sandbar. 

You may skim them. 
You will see. 
You may skim them 
on the sea? 
I would not, could not on the sea. 
Not on a sandbar! You let me be. 

I do not skim them by the docks. 
I do not skim them near the rocks. 
I do not skim them with Heath .
I do not skim them when underneath.
I do not skim them by the pier. 
I do not skim them anywhere. 
I do not skim green eggs and am. 
I do not skim them, Josh, by gosh. 

A wave! A wave! 
A wave! A wave! 
Could you, would you 
on a wave? 

Not on a wave! Not on the sea! 
Not on a sandbar! Josh! Let me be! 
I would not, could not, by the docks. 
I could not, would not, near some rocks. 
I will not skim them when pulled beneath. 
I will not skim them with Heath. 
I will not skim them by the pier. 
I will not skim them anywhere. 
I do not skim them, Josh-by-gosh. 


Say! 
With a shark? 
Here with a shark! 
Would you, could you, with a shark? 

I would not, could not, 
with a shark. 

Would you, could you, 
as a fav? 

I would not, could not, as a fav. 
Not with a shark. Not on a wave, 
Not on a sandbar, Not on the sea. 
I do not skim them, Joshy, you see. 
Not with Heath. Not by the docks. 
Not from underneath. Not near some rocks. 
I will not skim them by the pier. 
I do not skim them anywhere! 

You do not skim
green eggs and am? 

I do not 
skim them, 
Josh the slosh. 

Could you, would you, 
with a floatie? 

I would not, 
could not,
with a floatie! 

Would you, could you, 
on a boatie? 

I could not, would not, on a boatie. 
I will not, will not, with a floatie. 
I will not skim them as a fav. 
I will not skim them on a wave. 
Not with a shark! Not on the sea! 
Not on a sandbar! You let me be! 
I do not skim them by the docks. 
I do not skim them near some rocks. 
I will not skim them with Heath. 
I do not skim them with false teeth. 
I do not skim them by the pier. 
I do not skim them ANYWHERE! 

I do not skim
green eggs 
and am! 

I do not skim them, 
Josh, by gosh. 

You do not skim them. 
SO you say. 
Try them! Try them! 
And you may. 
Try them and you may I say. 

Josh! 
If you will let me be, 
I will try them. 
You will see. 

Say! 
I skim green eggs and am! 
I do!! I skim them, Josh by gosh! 
And I would skim them in a boatie! 
And I would skim them with a floatie. 
And I will skim them on a wave. 
And with a shark. And as a fav. 
And along a sandbar. And out to sea. 
They are so good, so good you see! 

So I will skim them by the docks. 
And I will skim them near the rocks. 
And I will skim them with Heath. 
And I will skim them from underneath. 
And I will skim them by Balboa pier. 
Say! I will skim them ANYWHERE! 

I do so like to skim
green eggs and aam! 
Thank you! 
Thank you, 
Josh the skimmer dude!

Ablogalypse Redux or The Case for Optimism

Saw something on Instagram:  a sign that read "Smile, tomorrow will be worse."

I even read an article about how civilization as we know it may coming to a crashing end in the next couple of decades.  A perfect storm of food scarcity, water shortage, fossil fuel depletion, population explosion, class warfare and climate change may cause "the sudden destruction of complicated societal structures."  Or basically, the end of the world as we know it.  Wasn't it supposed to end in 2012?

Finally, another stat I learned today:  every 8 years your chance of dying doubles.

Now all this can be depressing.  But wait, science will save us.  That same article, however, disputes this claim stating that gains in technology only reinforces current strained conditions and dooms us further.  Sounds bearish.  But the bears would be gone as well.

But I don't buy into the doom and gloom.  Ignore the naysayers.  Financier J.P. Morgan, once when giving a tour of the city to a friend, stated, "Funny thing about these skyscrapers...not a single one was built by a bear."  

Now, as a trader, I buy and sell.  I can be long or short - even though some say its unAmerican to short a company.  I'm just trading intraday.  Over the long run, buy and hold still wins out.  (As long as you are diversified and have a low cost fund.)  If you stand alone and buy the market when the rest of the world is selling, you'd do ok.  Ask Warren Buffet.  Read The Tontine (one of my fav's - both volumes).  Peter Lynch said of a market correction, "Sensible professionals wondered if they should take up hunting and fishing, because soon we’d all be living in the woods, gathering acorns. Then the moment of greatest pessimism, when 8 out of 10 swore we where heading into the 1930s the stock market rebounded with a vengeance and suddenly all was right with the world.”

Here's the kicker.  When I speak with my two darling children, I notice the way their minds work - with inquisitiveness and incite.  And though I tend to worry a lot (a coping mechanism that I inherited - the more I worry about something, the more likely it will work itself out), they give me great hope.

So, science alone may not be enough.  With science and human nature together, I like our chances.  Given the choice I choose optimism.  As Woody said (about old age), "It beats the alternative."  Off to the gym I go. 

Bracket Season

JIlly-dilly's Google Doodle Contest entry (renewable energy theme)

Beware Simon & Garfunkel

Lookout Englebert & Humperdink

Ladies and gentlemen:  The Screaming Bananas

Happy St. Porties Day

Beware the Ides of Happy St. Pi Day

Some randomlings:

• Celebrated Pi Day in style, with 3.14 pie options.  Started with some good ol' cheese pizza from the local Pizza Port, and then we had a choice of 2.14 pies:  apple streusel, regular apple and my fav, cherry.  The streusel was already mostly eaten, thus the .14
• Someone from Huntington Station, my old stomping grounds, visited this blog - even if it was for Yiddish words for Penis.  How weird is that?
• Josh discovered Rocky and is marathoning through the first 5 movies.
• Jilly had career day at school yesterday, and despite wanting to sing, went as a zoologist.

Digital art by Josh

Investigators focus on foul play behind missing plane-sources

KUALA LUMPUR (not Reuters) - An investigation into the disappearance of a Malaysia Airlines jetliner is focusing more on a suspicion of foul play, as evidence suggests it was diverted hundreds of miles off course, sources familiar with the Malaysian probe said.  Those familiar with Malaysian probes, however, can only be trusted so far.  So, basically, they were looking in the wrong place for 4 days and for a "Bowing" (see picture, below).

Radar signals recorded by the Malaysian military appear to show the missing airliner climbing to 45,000 feet, above the approved altitude limit for a Boeing 777-200, soon after it disappeared from civilian radar and made a sharp turn to the west, according to a data analyst from the Dharma Initiative.  It then appeared to drop to 23,000 feet, below normal cruising levels, in under a second.  It then made a right turn, paused - in mid air mind you - made another left turn, and barreled rolled.  That's one magic jetliner.

The radar track, which the Malaise-ian "government" has not released, but says it has provided to the U.S. and China, then shows the plane approaching the island of Penang, one of the country's largest.  After requesting a "fly by," a short man in a white dinner jacket was spotted yelling, "Ze plane, ze plane!" 

There, the plane turned from a Southwest course (but not like any Southwest flight that I have ever been on), climbed and flew northwest over the Strait of Malacca (known for their Muchacha)  towards the Indian Ocean, a course similar to that of Oceanic Airlines flight 815.

One theory being explored was the plane running out of fuel and crashing along one of hundreds of remote islands, consisting of dense jungles teeming with venomous creatures, which might engulf the wreckage.  Such a scenario raised additional concerns for search and rescuers.  Said one respondent, "Enough is enough! I have had it with these motherf@#king snakes on this motherf@#king plane!"

Malaysian and international investigators have said in recent days that the plane may have departed from its northerly flight route toward Beijing and headed west across the Malaysian peninsula just after it disappeared from civilian radar, its pilots stopped communicating with ground controllers and its transponders stopped transponding.  The plane is also now thought to have continued flying for more than four hours, possibly utilizing the auto pilot "Otto", based on automated “pings” sent by onboard systems seeking to connect with satellites.  Surely, the "pings" can help locate the plane.  Replied one searcher, "You try looking for a "ping," and stop calling me Shirley!"

At least he has impeccable taste

Hi

Today in class Josh and a friend sang a pretty good rendition of a Frank Sinatra song. Unfortunately, it was unsolicited and at an inappropriate time. I have enjoyed Josh's sense of humor and he has been charming and eager to participate thus far. He seems to be receptive to the recent change in teachers, too. After getting to know him, I do not find this behavior disrespectful nor malicious, just ill-timed. He did stop when I asked him to, which is good. If he continues to make these kind of choices, then he will earn a "U" in citizenship. I don't want to see that happen. He is bright and capable and I would like to see him putting his efforts into contributing positively to the classroom environment. I hope you can speak with him about doing his best in English for as long as he is in my class.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Sincerely,
Josh's teacher

Spring cleaning

Just finished cleaning out my closet.  Purged approximately 2 tons of clothes and shoes that scientists have carbon tested back to approximately 1991.  Some from stores that don't even exist any longer, e.g. Structure?  Some nice shoes (ciao Monks) and some of my old fav's (Burma Bibas shirt that is almost in a photo from every single vacation over the past score)--but time to let them go quietly into retirement.  Or at least, to a nice donation pile.  Although, I am not sure that they're going to want my gently used underwear.

Flashback

Aztecs tame Wildcats

Last night, the Lady Aztecs of the Boys and Girls Club league, trounced the Wildcats to win their first game of the playoff tournament.  Leading only 14 - 12 at the half, a clutch basket and several rebounds by center Jillian Greene helped lead the team to a 41 - 21 victory.  The 8 - 0 Aztecs will play for the league championship this Friday night.  Go Aztecs!