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July 30, 2004

FOUR FOR FRIDAY

Q1: What, if anything, never fails to give you the shivers?

Q2: Earlier this week, mega test-prep company Peterson's announced that it is starting what it calls a 'testing laboratory' to see whether students gain any edge on exams from their choice of pre-test meal, the hue of their clothes, boxers or briefs, certain test day rituals, etc. When it comes to taking tests, interviewing for jobs, or other monumental situations, do you have a routine or superstition related to your chances for success?

Q3: A fixture of American politics for over a century, the Democrats and Republicans, along with other nationally-focused political parties, have held conventions to nominate their party's candidates for president and vice president, as well as to gather together the varying viewpoints and disparate regions of the party to debate and then select a platform that outlines the party's positions on the relevant issues of the campaign. That having been said, do you feel like political conventions in the US have lost their appeal? Do you think we'll ever see a convention where the presidential and vice presidential candidates are not known going into the convention? Did you watch any of the Democratic Convention? Will you make a point of watching the Republican event August 31 thru September 2?

Q4: What's you favorite board game of all time?

Posted by Mikal at 1:08 AM | Comments (9) | TrackBack

July 28, 2004

THIS LAND IS YOUR LAND, THIS LAND IS MY LAND!

If you haven't seen this short cartoon flick yet, check it out by clicking on the image below. It pokes fun at both Bush and Kerry, which is just one reason for why I like it so much. (Be forewarned though... there's an opening commercial, and you'll need a pretty strong Internet connection in order to view the flick in its entirety.) Enjoy. It is absolutely hilarious!

Posted by Mikal at 7:07 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack

July 27, 2004

About the only thing that makes me want to vomit more than Hillary Clinton's political rhetoric--as demonstrated by her unauthentic remarks at last night's Democratic National Convention--is the extent to which the low carb craze has permeated itself in our society. Tell me, does anyone really need this piece of crap:

Unless you've been living under a rock for the last two years, it's probably as obvious to you as it is to me that there's an idiotic epidemic of low-carb stupidity running rampant thru this great country of ours, and fast food chains, food and supplement manufacturers, and weight loss programs are doing anything and everything they possibly can to capitalize on it in any way they can. From everything I've read or experienced myself, we human beings need carbs to burn fat. Today's low carb diets reduce carbs to a level that is below what you need for the metabolism of normal levels of fat; and what's worse is that programs like Atkins then tell us that it's okay to pump up the fat in our diets to super high levels. Give Me A Break! If you're into this low carb stuff, that's your choice; but if you take it to the point where you're buying the Low Carb Vegetable Peeler, weight loss isn't your biggest challenge.

Dropping pounds ultimately comes down to burning more calories than you consume, and products like the low-carb vegetable peeler do absolutely nothing--NOTHING I TELL YA--to provide any benefit whatsoever to anyone other than the retailers who are selling it and the greedy sons-of-bitches who are manufacturing it.

July 26, 2004

When I was a little boy, my Mother kept me occupied on long drives with games like Geography and 20 Questions. If you're not up-to-speed on Geography, click here for an explanation. And if you're into playing 20 Questions but have a difficult time finding someone to play along, click here for what has to be the most Swedish thing since the invention of the potato peeler. This website, which asks you up to 30 yes or no questions about an animal, vegetable, mineral, or other entity you're thinking of, has correctly guessed 90% of the things I've been thinking about. It's truly remarkable. Again, click here to see for yourself, or simply click on one of the following links: Animal, Vegetable, Mineral, Other, or Unknown. Enjoy!

July 23, 2004

Q1: None of us, I'm imagining, deliberately chooses to park our car in a handicapped-designated parking spot (unless, of course, we have the right to do so), right? With that thought in mind, have you ever used (or do you deliberately use) the handicapped-designated stall in a private venue/office buidling or public bathroom? Do you think its wrong or inappropriate for non-handicapped people to use handicapped-designated bathroom stalls?

Q2: Do you belong to any professionals membership-based organizations (like a trade association or a professional society)? How about community-based organizations like the PTA or a homeowners association? What about informal social groups like a book or movie club? If not, is there a group you'd like to be a part of, or a group you'd like to start yourself, but just haven't joined or been motivated to do so as of yet?

Q3: Have you ever posed nude for an art class? If so, what was that like. If not, what would it take to get you do it? On the flipside of this question... have you ever been in an art class where you had to sketch a scene which was based on a nude model being present in the room? If so, what was that like? Did it make you uncomfortable?

Q4: Lance Armstrong is expected to win a record sixth straight Tour De France bicycle race this weekend. Where, in your mind at least, does Armstrong's achievements rank him? Is he the greatest athlete ever or just the greatest bicycle racer ever, or do you feel he's neither or something else?

July 22, 2004

If you look off to the left side of this page you'll notice a series of ironic numbers. One of the entries reads:

Since it's easy to miss out on the great discussions that occur within some of these "By The Numbers" postings, I figured it'd be worth bringing this one forward for everyone to benefit from (and perhaps to comment on, also). The presentation of those numbers prompted Dave to post the following comment:

Better stated, the average amount of money that a Bush Cabinet member will be able to REINVEST this year due to cuts in capital-gains and dividend taxes.

Incidentally, a married couple filing jointly with a taxable income of $52,000 SAVED $739 in 2003 as compared to 2002 due to changes in taxable income rates. These rates helped everyone, not just the rich as is widely reported inaccurately.
The old rates for 2002 were as follows:

$0 - $12,000 taxed at 10%
$12,001 - $46,700 taxed at 15%
$46,701 - $112,850 taxed at 27%
$112,851 - $171,950 taxed at 30%
$171,951 - $307,050 taxed at 35%
Over $307,050 taxed at 38.6%

The new rates for 2003 were as follows:

$0 - $14,000 taxed at 10%
$14,001 - $56,800 taxed at 15%
$56,801 - $114,650 taxed at 25%
$114,651 - $174,700 taxed at 28%
$174,701 - $311,950 taxed at 33%
Over $311,950 taxed at 35%

2001 had no tax rate of 10% instead having the lowest rate at 15%. 2002 added this rate and reduced every rate by 0.5%. Our couple mentioned above would have saved even more from 2001 to 2002.

These changes in the rates do not include the vast number of benefits in credits and deductions afforded to all individuals and especially businesses in all tax brackets.

After 9/11 a Special Deprciation Allowance allowed businesses to deduct an addtional 30% of the depreciable basis in the first year of use. This is HUGE for all sizes of businesses allowing to purchase capital they may not have been able to afford to do.

For example, suppose I had a small pizza restaurant and desperately needed a new oven since the current one had too many hot spots, consumed to much energy, took 20% longer time to cook a pizza, and required costly maintenance and repairs. With the new SPA, I would be able to justify purchasing a newer, environmentally friendly, faster, and required significantly less maintenance and repairs. If this new unit cost $50,000, I would able to deduct $15,000 immediately the first year which helps me tremendously offset the payments on the new oven.

My customers are happier that their pizzas are more evenly cooked and done more quickly. The environment is better off since I am using less energy which further reduces my stress level since I'm not paying so much run the old dinosaur. I start to make more money which means I can open another store on the other side of town. I'll have to hire more people to run that other store since I can't be in two places at once. More people working is less unemployment which leads to more taxpayers and more commerce... I could go on but essentially everyone wins in this scenario except for the guy keeping this costly beast working. Maybe I'll hire him to be the manager of my new store. ;)

Dave's thoughts resulted in my good buddy Ford Church posting the following thoughts for Dave to consider:

Dave, for the past two years I have been in an income bracket where my tax rate has not changed. Therefore, I don't understand your comment: "These rates helped everyone, not just the rich as is widely reported inaccurately." Please help point out how the reduction in taxes to the rich benefit households in the two lowest income brackets - and I am not interested in a lecture on trickle down economics.

Bottom line is the tax burden for the lower two income brackets hasn't changed, therefore the tax burden for struggling lower income households has NOT helped everyone. How would a family of 4 with a household income of $20,000 per year use a $739 refund (which they would never see because the government's priority is to give tax breaks to the rich who don't need them as much as the poor starving people in this country)? They would probably spend it on food and clothes for their family or maybe to fix their truck so they can get to work and not on a family vacation to the Bahamas or a new home computer.

When you live in the privileged house, the tax breaks are wonderful for America. When you live in the poor house, tax breaks for the rich cause animosity and mistrust in the leadership of our government.

Dave--and anyone else who dares to share an opinion--you're up!

July 20, 2004

Because there are at least 600,426,974,379,824,381,952 different ways to portray the spelling of the word Viagra, you and I will be receiving Viagra-related spam for the rest of our living and breathing days! (Click here to see why.) And with organizations like the Simplified Spelling Society on the case, it's not likely to get any betta.

July 19, 2004

It took a little while to make up my mind, but I've finally taken an up-close look at the big picture, and I now realize that it's time to downsize, which means that it's time to sell my wonderful car, a 2002 Land Rover Discovery II SE.

If you know of anyone who'd be interested in this terrific vehicle, have them drop me a note at mikal at belicove dot com. Here are the particulars:

Year: 2002
Manufacturer: Land Rover
Model: Discovery
Sub-Model: Series II SE
Mileage: Just Under 28,000 Miles
Transmission: Automatic 4-Speed w/OD
Engine: 4.0 Liter V8
Driver Train: 4x4
Sound System: AM/FM Stereo Radio w/ RDS Service and Steering Wheel Controls; 6-Disc CD Changer; and Cassette Player
Interior Seating/Color: Room for Five on Tan Leather Upholstery/Bucket Seats
Exterior Color: Vienna Green
Overall Condition: Absolutely Pristine
Extra Safety Feature Installed: 4-Wheel Electronic Traction Control
Additional Features: Power Steering, Power Brakes, Power Door Locks, Power Windows, Dual Power and Heated Seats (8-way power for Driver, 4-Way for Front Passenger), Dual Power Sliding and Tilting Sunroofs, Trip Odometer, Tachometer, Tilt Steering Wheel, Cruise Control, Dual Air Bags, Separate Driver and Passenger Climate Control, Alloy Wheels, Body Side Moldings, Luggage Rack, Clock, Interval Wipers, Rear and Back Side Window Defrosters, Rear Window Wiper, Front and Rear Center Arm Rest, Auto Dimming Rearview Mirror, Power Outside Mirrors, Front & Cargo Door Map Pockets, Driver/Front Passenger Adjustable Armrests, Child Locks On Rear Sunroof, Inside Hood Release, Cup Holders, Rear Tire Mount and Full-Size Spare Tire, and Remote Fuel Door.

Again, if you know anyone who might be interested or who would like info on the asking price, send me an e-mail message or leave a message in the comment area via the link below.

July 16, 2004

Q1: Do you adhere to any superstitions?

Q2: The Opening Ceremony of the 2004 Summer Olympic Games is less than 30-days away. Are you planning on watching any of the Olympics on television? If so, which events are you most looking forward to?

Q3: How many times per week do you do laundry (said differently, how often do you do laundry)?

Q4: If you could get paid to do something that you've always wanted to do but didn't think was possible to get paid to do, what would it be that you'd do?

July 14, 2004

I could use some advise. Even though I have a new job that pays more than my last job, I'm thinking about getting a part-time job. Let me explain... because of a shortfall created by a lack of income from the sale of a business I once owned in Colorado (the company which purchased my company has missed a series of payments already this year, and has also indicated that they're about to declare bankruptcy), and because I have some important short-term obligations and interests which I wish to pursue, coupled along with a few lofty yet very attainable long-term goals, Iím seriously considering getting a part-time (something along the lines of 15-20 hours per week). As most of you know, Iím a full-time acquisitions editor for a large publisher of lifestyle books. By day I sit at a desk where I use a computer and talk a lot on the telephone with authors, literary agents, and co-workers... sooooo, a part-time desk job doesn't really interest me!. A couple of ideas I've been playing around with include:

Dishing out chicken salad at a Wild Oats supermmarket sort of placeÖ because I think itíd be fun! Wild Oats seems like such a great place to work. Everyone's always so friendly, and the chain itself is often up to something good and trendy.

Working in a bookstoreÖ because it would give me a new perspective on my full-time job.

Like I said, I want to work around 15 or 20 hours a week. I would be able to start at around 5:30 p.m. on weekdays, and would want to wrap things up no later than 10:00 p.m. or so on the weeknights. As for the weekends, I'd be willing to work an 8-hour to 10-hour shift on either Saturday or Sunday but not both. My goal for now would be to pull in an extra $350.00 per month in take-home earnings.

What do you think? What sort of part-time job would you seek if you were in my shoes. For those of you that do hold down two jobs, any words of advice... any tips or tricks for making it work?

July 12, 2004

When I got to Mikal's on Saturday night, all I could talk about was getting high.

Earlier in the day I'd ridden across Indiana on my bicycle, about 160 miles in just over 10 hours. I've been a serious cyclist for about three years, but biking for me is about politics, convenience and miserliness more than it is about athleticism and recreation. This ride, then, was my first time over 80 miles and my first time to ride in a large group, known as a peloton pace line (I'm so new to this, I didn't even know the correct term for it).

I'd known about the benefits of drafting, but I'd never experienced them firsthand. It was thrilling, a natural high. Riding alone, I usually top off around 19 mph, and that's really pushing it. Riding in a group of about 20, I raced effortlessly at 21 mph. At times it felt I didn't even have to pedal: The riders in front broke the wind to cut air resistance, and the riders behind me pushed an invisible balloon of force that propelled me forward. The telekinetic pull of the draft drew me forward as surely as the Death Star drew the Millennium Falcon.

I felt an unexpected bond to other riders in my line, only two of whom I had known beforehand. Riding just inches from one another, we were entrusting in strangers our lives and, more important, our bicycles. It further warmed my heart to watch individual riders selflessly take the lead and then peel off after they'd contributed their share to the greater good. The unspoken camaraderie between us grew the more I depended on them; they in turn depended on me when it was my turn to lead.

And that was another rush in itself. Pulling our pack up a hill and looking over my shoulder to see a long train or riders close in my wake, I felt like one of those guys in the strong-man competitions who pull trains with their teeth.

With this new experience, watching Stage 8 of the Tour de France with Mikal Sunday morning was a visceral event. Sitting on his couch, I could almost feel the handlebars still in my grasp, and I wanted to rise out of my saddle at every French hill. More than ever I felt love for the peloton, the enormous group of riders that moves down the road as a single organism, elegant in its motion, unanimous in its thought.

And we were treated to a display of the peloton's might. A group of three riders had quickly broken off from the main pack and forged a five-minute lead. The peloton barely reacted, knowing that with the advantages of drafting, it would have no problem catching up. Sure enough, within miles of the finish line the renegade riders were swallowed into the peloton's maw like a T-bone into a school of piranhas. The three riders had worked so hard for so many hours, but ended with nothing to show for their labors.

I'm not one to extract metaphors for life willy-nilly, but I'm tempted to see the peloton as a lesson in the power of teamwork, how a group of people working together can accomplish more than individuals working apart, blah blah blah. All I know is that I could never have ridden 160 miles without the help of the other riders, and I get satisfaction from thinking that they could not have done it without me.

July 9, 2004

Q1: Have you ever marched in a parade? If so, what was the cause/reason/banner/float you marched under?

Q2: Have you ever had to wear a uniform for a job? If so, what was the job, and how did you feel about the uniform?

Q3: What's your favorite way to enjoy music... Live, at a concert; In the comfort of your own home, on MTV; While driving, listening to your car's radio; While exercising, on an MP3 player or CD player/Walkman; or, At home, on your own stereo?

Q4: If you were to trade your current license plate in for a vanity plate, what letters or word(s) would you choose for your new plate?

July 8, 2004

I just learned how much my health insurance coverage is going to cost me thru my new employer. To say that I'm experiencing sticker shock over the amount of money that's going to be pulled from my paychecks would be an understatement, but even so, I'm still better off then a lot of people. For many Americans like myself, hospital visits bring about happy endings. You or one of your family members need immediate medical attention. You're brought to the hospital, receive solid treatment--perhaps even life-saving treatment--and before you know it you're on the mend. This happens many thousands of times a day across the USA. But for the 44 million Americans who don't have health insurance coverage, it's a totally different story.

Here we are at the start of what's bound to be yet another nasty presidential campaign, and one of the biggest concerns is, once again, affordable healthcare coverage for all. (For those of you who remember the 1992 campaign, healthcare was going to be the big issue that a Clinton presidency would take on and solve. President Clinton did take it on, of course, handing the biggest domestic policy initiative of his administration to his wife, Hillary. It was an unmitigated disaster, to say the least, and the much-vaunted Clinton healthcare plan went nowhere fast.)

So, what has changed since the Hillary effort? Well, let's see... an additional four million US citizens have become uninsured, up from 38 million in 1992, and there's an increasing trend by hospitals to charge the uninsured higher prices than people who have group coverage through their employer. That's right... health insurance companies negotiate discounted prices for services from hospitals for their customers, but if you are on your own, you're pretty much charged "sticker price." So, the cost of an x-ray might be around $500.00 for service provided through an insurance carrier (with maybe $100 of that paid for by the insured patient him/herself), but for the uninsured it might be $1,000.00, and that's all out-of-pocket.

What's the answer for the millions of uninsured Americans, as well for the millions like me who are insured but who have been burdened with ever escalating health insurance premiums? Stay healthy, I suppose, or start lobbying your elected representatives to change the system.

July 7, 2004

It's been a while since I last posted anything significant or even remotely personal. In the days to come I hope to get back into the swing of things by touching on at least some of the following topics:

Road Trip to Pennsylvania: I took my first multi-state solo road trip last Thursday when I headed out to northeastern Pennsylvania for the long Forth of July weekend.

New Job: I recently started a new job, so I'll share some observations about that whole process too.

My Health: I haven't written much lately about the whole 40 x 40 Plan, and with the change in job there has been a change in the routine related to the whole health thing.

Well, that's all for today. Until later in the week--when I'll touch on each of the aforementioned topics, and more--here are a couple of photos for your enjoyment. The first one was taken in 1984... it's my old buddy JJ Grace helping with an assignment for a photography course by appearing to be holding a mini version of me by the top of my head. Again, this photograph was snapped in 1984!:

Now take a look at the photo below. This one was snapped on the exact same tennis courts in northeastern Pennsylvania just this past weekend... and if you couldn't tell, those are same two goofballs from the 1984 shot!

July 2, 2004

Man down! Because Mikal is out of town I will be stepping up, picking up the ball, and running with this weekís Four For FridayÖ

Q1: What is your favorite Dr. Seuss book of all time and why?

Q2: If you won the Pepsi ìPlay for a Billionî Sweepstakes, how would you spend your new found fortune?

Q3: If you could be the best dancer in the world, what would be your signature dance move?

Q4: How will you celebrate Independence Day this weekend?