For your reading pleasure...

My Uncle Don sent me this link:

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c111:H.R.3200:

It is the current form of the health care reform bill making its way through congress. Two important things to draw from this:

1) I didn't know that this resource existed for looking up Bills. Just go to THOMAS, the Library of Congress on-line resource. That knowledge alone is useful!

2) I've seen bills before, and I am always struck by how very long and bloated they are. I honestly wonder if our Congressmen read half the things they pass. My guess: at best there is some intern who has read and pulled the most important facts for said Congressman and his constituents.

Hooray?

What this article really shows is that, no matter the intentions, you just never quite care as much when you are spending someone else's money.

Wow...

Can anyone say, "Ponzi scheme". Just read the first sentence and you will know what I am talking about.

Washington Morality

All I say on this article is this: "With great power, comes great responsibility."

Funny how a comic book seems to know better than anyone, and I mean anyone, in Congress.

Another article. This time focusing on Obama. Not only is his perception of the health system frightening (we are in really bad shape if this is how Doctors treat their patients!), but it demonstrates the same simplicity of analysis and solution that plagues all of his other initiatives. And really, I don't have a problem with simple solutions. I often think those are best. The issue is when you have a simple analysis that leads to a simple solution, that is when you get into trouble. If only I could find an appropriate Dilbert cartoon to post right now...

Quick update

I tried to be clever and publish these separately, but it backfired a bit. Start at the bottom of the new material ("Only the best...") and work your way up today.

1 vs 100

I would have posted all these entries last night, but I was distracted by an engrossing new interactive experience. It is a game called 1 vs 100 that is currently in the beta stage on X-box Live.

From what I understand, 1 vs 100 is a game show in which a single contestant competes for prizes vs a "Mob" of 100 by answering trivia. If the contest answers correctly, they keep playing, with the prize increasing with each Mob member knocked out of the game. The Mob works together to fight the One, and also competes against each other. Every Mob member answers the trivia questions on their own, and each time a Mob member answers a question wrong, they are removed from the Mob, causing a dwindling number of people to go against the one, until either a) the one finally answers a question that eliminates all remaining Mob members, or b) the Mob is victorious by answering a question when the One misses it. The catch is that the Mob divides the prize that the One had earned up to that point when they are victorious, which means that if you are in the Mob, you ultimately would want to be the last man standing when the One fails.

Simple enough. Both have trivia, and both even have commercials. The real trick here, however, is how the Xbox version trumps the live TV version: Anyone can win prizes.

The X-box version sets up times which you visit on-line, complete with your own avatar, and join an honest-to-goodness Live episode of the game. Theoretically, every person on X-box live (all what, 4 or 5 million of them?) can join the live streams on Friday and Saturday nights. The game still features the 1 vs the 100 Mob members, but the rest of the people join the "The Crowd." The crowd participates in the game as well: answering questions, going for the high score (based on speed of responses, correct answers, etc.) and even providing a life-line to the One. With a live host providing comedic banter, the 1 and the 100 will be randomly chosen from the crowd, the game quickly hauls you in. Plus, you can increase your chances of being the 1 or the 100 by having a higher score in prior rounds. And since every member of the crowd has an X-box account, when you are selected to be the one or in the Mob, you do actually win prizes. Games, microsoft points (up to $125), etc. are all prizes that participants can win. And since games last anywhere from 5 to 10 minutes, there is a quick turnover in contestants. It really is a cleverly designed experience.

Even the scheduling for Friday and Saturday nights screams genius. Only on Friday and Saturday night are the live shows held with actual prizes. Every other day and time has additional trivia times where you can compete against people around the world and learn more trivia, with the idea, of course, to improve your chances when YOU are selected as the one.

The fact that being selected as the one is probably akin to winning the lotto (maybe slightly better), is glossed over a bit by the host.

It is a very addicting game. The trivia is fun, and competing for a high score alone is enjoyable (made better by not only seeing your score vs the world high scores, but by competing directly against three others players your are matched against). But with the potential to be selected as a real contestant, demonstrating your knowledge to all of the world and winning real prizes, the game transcends the normal experience.

Watch out. This is the type of meta-game that will eventually replace TV game shows, truly bringing the opiate of the masses (not religion, in this case) into your home.

The Nexus

So I'm going to Japan.

Yes, you read that right. I'm going to Japan.

But not anytime soon. I've decided to take a trip there, and starting with my next paycheck, I'm going to be saving the money. Now, there might be several things you could say to this proclamation. But I urge you to read on, because the real story is why I've decided to go:

First off, it's been brewing for a long time. I've always wanted to visit the far east. Partly because I've always found the culture fascinating there (part of the reason that I am taking Karate), and partly because I've always been a big nerd. Where else in the world other than Japan, do you celebrate the anniversary of a popular cartoon series by erecting a giant robot in the center of town?

Anyway, after years of seeing all the fascinating things that have come from the country, from the really amazing to the truly bizarre (I don't feel the need to link to any of those), I think it would be incredible to visit. And all the great things I've heard about the country from those have visited have only added to my desire.

But desire isn't everything, is it? I mean, I desire a bazillion dollars - that doesn't mean I'm going to get it. You have to have the will and the capability - which brings me to my second point:

Will. One of the great things I realized in college is that life doesn't come to you. It is the reason I have kept working on my book for five years, why I was able to drop about 50 pounds from high school, and why I'm taking martial arts now. If you really want something, if you want to experience life to the fullest, you have to FIND opportunities and seize them. This idea was recently reinforced by the spinning instructor Seth and I visit every Friday morning. She had just gotten back from France after watching the beginning of the Tour. I don't know if this was some long-held dream, or even if she organized it. That's not the point. The point is that she did, she had fun, and she didn't have any regrets (that I know of...it was France - apologies to my French friends; correction, minor apologies). So thus, if I want to go to Japan, I need to make it happen. Magical plane tickets are going to drop from the sky, and if they did, I would still need to get a hotel. Which brings me to my third point:

Money. As in, I now have a source for it. No longer am I living off my parents good graces (although admittedly, I'm still on their wireless plan). With a job and the proper motivation (say a trip to place I've always wanted to go), I have an incentive to tighten the belt a bit and save a little bit more. And now I won't feel guilty about spending the money (like I did when I went to Europe). There is a key difference between your appreciation for something when you pay for it yourself, through blood, sweat, or tears, and when someone just gives it to you. It can only enhance the enjoyment of the experience. And experience is key, especially when it comes to:

Language. Now you might say this is a deterrent, but for me, this only adds to the fire. You see, I've made a key realization. The language may be difficult, even insanely, absurdly so. But I relish challenges, and I don't like to fail at anything (nor does anyone, but most of my friends can attest to my, at times, hyper-competitiveness). But that wasn't the realization, I knew that before. My epiphany was that I despise French. Not the people, but the language. Why? Because after five years of study in high school, I still can't speak it fluently. Five years of not grasping the true culture of the language - because I wasn't interested, because I didn't connect with the teachers, because I never felt like I was improving or saw a reason to.

And I realized that at this point, I've failed to learn a language, in part, because now I am simply afraid of acknowledging that those five years were a failure. That I would have to confess that I, through my own stubbornness, I am unwilling to learn a language because I am afraid of failing at it, when I (not so modestly, I might add) am usually so good at things.

But now, I am once again presented with an opportunity: the chance to prove that I learned a language, or at the very least, that I gave it my all (which I cannot say for French). The chance to go to a country, a strange land, and be confident enough to, at the very least, survive (and not explode when I am unable to locate a bathroom!). Fortunately, for me, as is always the case when attempting any great challenge, I won't have to do it alone:

Janelle will be studying Japanese in college and studying abroad there (she's hell-bent on it). Apparently, she likes Japan even a tad more than I do, especially after visiting a few years ago. So, I will have my little sister (who will no doubt be an expert - no pressure, Janelle), to work and practice with over the next couple years (gives me an excuse to call her up and see how she is doing).

The final goal: to be moderately proficient in the language and visit Janelle when she studies abroad in two or three years. No need to be the best - just enough to feel comfortable. If I can order my meals, ask for directions, etc. on my own, without translator or tribulation, I will be happy.

Now you know why I go. The opportunity to create the experience of lifetime: through new knowledge, new adventure, and new memories.

And so, ladies and gentlemen,

I go to Japan.
Truly, my reason is grand:
Be a better man.

Only the best

In an effort to make this more like a blog, I'm going to separate my major stories into different posts. I realized that in many respects I will still following my old newsletter format, in which everything was grouped together as one. Now, each juicy tidbit will be carefully examined for its quality and presented a la carte, as opposed to buffet style. Enjoy!

WSJ Overload...

Can I help it if I like the WSJ?

This first article is about The Right Stuff, and how American culture is changed. Although I would like to think things are not as bad with today's culture as the author portrays, I think the author shows a lot of wisdom in his analysis of Neil Armstrong, on this day after the anniversary of the landing on the moon.

The second is, you guessed it, another discussion on the current hot-button topic, health-care reform. I'm sure all of you have figured out my stance from my postings, but this article explains about Erisa, a federal law of which I was completely unaware. It's interesting, I remember John McCain explaining how important this idea was, I didn't realize it was already partially in effect. I was wondering how my employee insurance plan could be based out of Arizona, but now it makes sense. It's also a real-life example of how important it is, as my company searched for a long-time to get a cost-effective plan, and now I have pretty solid insurance, which I otherwise would be completely unable to get. If only we could allow anyone to by insurance across state lines.

I'm going to have to look for some other articles from other sources; I don't like to be one-sided. That being said, I do read other news outlets; all the time really. Can I help it if I often feel nauseated when I do?

Protectionism

Another interesting WSJ article, this one dealing with trade protectionism. It's too true that protectionism, whatever its intentions, often does more harm than good to both nations and workers.

Bizarre...

It was pointed out to me that a couple sections repeated themselves in my blog. Some sort of bizarre posting error. I think it happened when I tried to edit the blog, as I caught another copy error at that time, too. It should be cleaned up, but if not, just let me know.

Life Imitating Art...

Sorry for the delay in the update - it's been a surprisingly busy week. I guess my prediction from last week has already been proven wrong - oh well, at least it means interesting postings!

Anyway, I've been rushing all over St. Pete and Tampa this week: seeing my old friends Brian and Jesse from my MBA program, working on my novel, helping others edit their own novels, AND learning Kyokushin Karate.

I've been wanting to take up martial arts for a while now. For strength and flexibility, discipline, and frankly, just to look cool. So a few weeks ago, I started doing research into local dojos. The are literally dozens of them in the area, and it seems overwhelming at first, especially when trying to factor in quality of the dojo, as well as distance and likelihood of attendance.

To narrow my search down, I started by looking only at dojos with websites. I figured that a dojo with a website could signify both a greater commitment to success in the area as well as provide me with greater knowledge that just a yellow pages listing. With that new criteria, my list shrunk dramatically, and I started going through the websites one-by-one. A few, I quickly realized, were nowhere near me, and thus removed immediately, but the defining characteristic of most of sites seemed to be a prominent picture of two twenty year-old guys beating the living $&#* (insert profanity of your choice) out of each other. Although this idea did have a certain amount of appeal, it conflicted slightly with my impression of true martial arts, namely restraint and discipline.

And then I happened upon a site for the Meigetsu Dojo and "Sensei Joe". He discussed discipline, setting a good example, and the importance of his family. And the only picture was of some old Japanese guy! So I decided to give it a shot, figuring if I was wrong, I could always just go join one of those testoterone-fueled dojos.

Calling up Sensei Joe and making an appointment for Thursday, I arrived to find the dojo was the back room of an art gallery, where they had a crafts camp earlier that day. I found a somewhat dimunitive man who was clearly foriegn, although not Japanese (perhaps Eastern European). I was struck simultaneously by two thoughts - 1) I've made a terrible mistake and 2) Maybe I shouldn't be so quick to judge, maybe this is "the hidden school". A sort of movie-like state where the unassuming student stumbles upon the great master. Well, there is always, hope, anyway.

Sensei Joe, gave me a uniform, lined us up (surprised that he had so many new students today - a total of three) and explained that he wants us to communicate to him if at any time we feel ill or sick or need to rest. I nodded politely, secretly laughing inside. pssh...Like I'm going to feel sick. I run for miles, do dozens of pushups with a weight vest, work out every day. This is going to be some easy introduction class that won't tell me anything. Another new student and I exchange a knowing look.

30 minutes later, dripping with sweat and desperately trying to suck in the sweet, sweet air, the Sensei (who isn't breathing hard) informs us that we have almost completed our warm-up. We just have a little light cardio to do before we move onto forms. Right. Light Cardio. Light. Nothing like dozens of leaping, kicking, push-ups to get the heart rate up a tad.

After a brief respite, we were lined up again, this time for kicking. The kicking stance, Sensei Joe explained, was critical for its stability. He demonstrated several kicks for us to start with, and then lined us up to practice them. Doing the slow count of Japanese as we kicked, he walked between us, examining our forms. He came up beside me, looked at my feet, and BAM!

Catching me by my sleeve as I flew sideways, he said: "See! Not stable!"

It only took about three or four more times for me to manage it.

We then moved onto punches. Oh yes... it gets better. We changed stances, and this time he brought up his top belt to demonstrate the new form. Circling his student Jacob, he explained the horse stance, pointing at his legs. "See how his legs are positioned. In this stance, one pushes their legs muscles inward. Why?" Sensei Joe's leg shot out and swept the feet from under Jacob. "Because when one doesn't push inward, that is what happens." Needless to say, Jacob got it right the second time.

Finally, Sensei Joe, demonstrated the correct method for punching, describing the angle of the wrist in detail, the reasoning for it (support), and where to aim to take down an opponent. "Not the stomach, there is too much muscle. Not the chest, too much bone. But right between them." He came to stand in front of me, showing his knuckles. "And remember, you want to use the first two knuckles. Step forward." I stepped forward. BAM!

"See how easily he falls backward from the blow." Everyone else quickly nodded in agreement.

Now in fairness, he really didn't do it that hard. But it was impressive how easily he could knock me back with a precise blow. Of course, I don't think he really needed to do it a second and third time, but that's just me. I was also acutely aware at that moment of how easily he could kill me.

The whole experience was almost surreal. I kept being reminded of the ancients masters in movies and books who pretty much mercilessly beat their pupils and enjoy every moment of it. Needless to say, I look forward to returning to the dojo. Now, I just need some ancient evil to arise or a bitter rival to fight and the comparison will be complete. Perhaps Chuck Norris with a black moustache.

Whew! An epic posting. Anyway, look for consistent updates on Friday nights/Weekends (aiming for Saturday). Smaller updates sometimes during the week.

A Nerd for the Ages...

I normally wouldn't update this late, but I just had to post this. If you have played, or even seen Guitar Hero, this will resonate. A true expression of the desperate need to be a rock star the game caters to, and the power of the internet to provide an outlet. As an avid gamer, I don't know whether to be honored or horrified I consider myself a member of their ilk. The internet has truly changed what can be considered a complete waste of time.

Point and Counterpoint

And here is a counterpoint to my argument yesterday. Being positive or appeasing someone should never be more important than the truth.

WSJ Article - True, but is anyone listening?

This WSJ OpEd gives visions of Atlas Shrugged to anyone who wondered what happened prior to the start of the novel. It is very negative, but also very true.

I despise articles like this though, because only the people who already share the beliefs with the author are likely to read it. Few Obama supporters are going to read why "Europe Should Hope Obama Fails". It is natural tendency we all share - to close our ears and minds as soon as we are on the defensive. It is not healthy or wise, but it is what we tend to do. Unfortunately, this is part of the reason conservatives are struggling to reach people today: the message is always negative, even when people are hurting. Negative attacks work best when times are good - the threat of loss. Positive messages work best when times are bad - See Lincoln, Kennedy, or Churchill. People even do it subconciously. I've always wanted to do a study on the correlation between pop culture and America's current economic and military state... I think one would find that the messages tend to become more and more negative as we experience the good times and positive during the bad. Again, its a theory, and I would love to see data supporting one way or another.

Obama was elected, for good or ill, on his promise of Hope and Change. Positive messages. We could all learn a thing or two from that, no matter our party affiliation.

The Perils of Blogging

So I've realized something: Writing a blog is difficult.

Why? Well, for starters, there is the whole "keeping people interested" in said blog post. As I sit here, staring at the screen, I am now remembering how extraordinarily difficult it is, based on prior experience.

For those of you who don't know, I wrote a newsletter every week of my freshman year in college. For some odd reason, people will sometimes bring it up to me, asking why I stopped. That suggests that it was, at least in some small way, moderately successful. But why was it successful? I attribute its success to two reasons: it was sent to my family (bless them, the poor fools!), and it was funny. As in ha-ha, and not just in my head.

The advantage of writing a newsletter in your freshman year in college is that you simply can't avoid wacky situations. Whether it is because you nearly get arrested by the "Po!" because you are so naive you don't even know what the "Po!" is - or accidentally getting your head shaved because the barbers at the campus barber shop who couldn't make the cut elsewhere don't think to ask what you really want when you tell them to "trim it up." I mean, who really thinks a $10 "style cut" means "attack me with the weedwhacker." These were experiences born from my lack of experience. This fact, combined with the entirely new situation of being on my own, surrounded by people who, like me, are so completely inept at life survival that we think being able to force oursleves awake at 10 a.m., showing up to class looking like a bedraggled hippie, and managing to stay awake through two hours of class constitutes the equivalent of a full time job, is bound to create many a situation which can only end with much hilarity.

This is not to say that such situations will not continue to arise, or that I have acquired all the experience I will ever need, only that such situations will hopefully arise less frequently. Which is the cause for my lament. How can one write a successful blog when one is hopefully learning from his mistakes? Would we still remember old Roadrunner cartoons so fondly if Wile E. Coyote had realized the first time that every tunnel he painted on the side of cliff would eventually culminate in the roadrunner escaping and a train running over him? I think not.

Alas, now I am forced to find humor more abstractly, by examining events and pulling the humor from them, as opposed to having it bowl me over. But it does convey certain advantages, namely, I no longer have to make fun of myself! I can use anyone's experience to find the truly polished nuggets of comedy gold.

And I must say, I can't wait until Janelle goes to college!

And of course, there is always the problem of getting people to come back to read the next post - but that's an issue I'll tackle next time.

Rising Healthcare Costs

For those of you who believe that government run healthcare is the answer, especially you guys, just take a look at the difference in cancer survival rates between the U.S. and Britain in the WSJ article.

Comments welcome.