It's sort of funny. When I was in grade-school I thought I'd be grown up once I graduated at the ripe old age of 18. I distinctly remember having a conversation outside with another kid that had my same name. I said something to the effect of, it'll be so cool to be a grown up when I turn 18 in X years. Then the other kid responded with something like "that'll be in 2001" and I said it probably didn't matter much then anyway because the world will be ending in the year 2000. Oh the stupid stuff kids say. We were so wrong on both counts!
Anyway, after graduating high school. I thought I'd be all grown up once I graduated college and got my first full-time job. Well I think I was wrong about that too. Sure I had a full-time job, but I was still such a kid at heart. I wanted to go party and clubbing, the world was all about me and what I could get for myself to make me happy. I ate whatever whenever. I still couldn't get a date. And I still had so much time on my hands that I still keept up to date with the latest music and had all the coolest electronic gadgets! I certainly felt grown up!
But now, I am coming to a major realization. You really don't stop growing up. My dad used to always say that his great grandfather used to tell him. I never stop learning. Well I guess that's kind of what growing up is, learning and growing. My life has changed so much in the past few years. I've certainly learned a whole lot, but not in the form of academics. I've learned a lot about life. And now that I've really had a good long time to think about it. I've learned to agree with what my dad said. I will never stop learning. I will never stop growing up. Sometimes it makes me sad to think that I couldn't pass as a college student anymore. But then I realize that I am just in another new and wonderful learning phase in my life. The newlywed phase.
It's really a great time in life. We are both learning not to be so self-centered and we are developing lots of new hobbies like smoking meat and sewing. Skills that most of us definitely would attribute to our parents. We're growing up into roles that would lead us to be parents one day. It's crazy to think that one day I just stopped wanting to go clubbing and drinking, and I started lusting over a nice chunk of smoked meat. Well, it wasn't really a one day thing, but it really is amazing that as you grow, you change so much. It's exciting to see myself, my friends, and family growing. I realize that learning and growing really is one of the key components to the human condition. It's beautiful.
Sunday, June 3, 2012
Friday, June 1, 2012
Grilling (Smoking)
I am new to the smoking world, but my dad has been using the same offset
smoker for a good 15+ years with some amazing results over the years. I
used to own a vertical water smoker. But because I got the cheapest
model, it didn't have a sealed underside and the draft caused me to use
up a lot of coal and have undesirable results!
So I finally bit the bullet and bought a Char-Griller Smokin Pro 1224
offset smoker. And even though it's cheap compared to the professional
grade smokers, I am pretty sure I can mod it to get some great results. I
have already done the standard chimney extension and dual grill-level
thermometer additions. I also sealed the chimney and connection between
the side fire box and main box to keep the heat in longer.
I would still like to seal up the doors a little better as a lot of smoke comes out through them as well, but I think that's pretty doable. I heard I just need to spray on some cooking spray on one surface and make a bead of silicone around the complete perimeter to seal up the doors.
I also sanded off the paint on the side firebox and replaced it with 1200 degree paint since the original factory paint started bubbling off the first time I used it!
I had wanted to make the brisket solely for the burnt ends, but since my wife likes the flat, I bought the whole packer cut. When I cut it open to separate the point from the flat, it practically gushed juice. I couldn't resist; I immediately cut myself a piece and was in heaven. I never knew brisket could be so juicy! I had let it rest for about 2 hours in a cooler covered in towels because it finished earlier than expected due to high (275) grill temps. But I may just let all my meats rest this long!
I then proceeded to cut up the point to make the burnt ends. I had
been waiting a couple years to make these. So my expectations were high!
In the end I was not let down. For those that have never tried burnt
ends, you all are missing out! The combination of the caramelized bbq
sauce and rendered fat really does make these like "man candy"
I also cooked up some ribs, but also due to the aforementioned high grill temps, I over cooked them! but they were still very good. I should've just called them pulled pork once I cut them up! I'm still getting used to my new smoker. I modded it before actually using it and I found out that lowering the chimney to grate level combined with 80+ degree temps outside makes it hard for you to keep your grill at 225 with a full basket of coals! I ended up cracking open the main chamber a few inches to keep the temps under 240 until the coals burned down a little!
All in all, the results for the brisket and burnt ends were exceptional. The ribs were still delicious. And I ended up very full! I probably ate about a pound and a half of meat!
So I finally bit the bullet and bought a Char-Griller Smokin Pro 1224
offset smoker. And even though it's cheap compared to the professional
grade smokers, I am pretty sure I can mod it to get some great results. I
have already done the standard chimney extension and dual grill-level
thermometer additions. I also sealed the chimney and connection between
the side fire box and main box to keep the heat in longer.I would still like to seal up the doors a little better as a lot of smoke comes out through them as well, but I think that's pretty doable. I heard I just need to spray on some cooking spray on one surface and make a bead of silicone around the complete perimeter to seal up the doors.
 |
This
weekend I had the opportunity to smoke my first ever brisket. And I
have to say the results were nothing short of spectacular! I followed
Jeff's method from his 5/3/2012 newsletter except I let my brisket cook
on the grate until it hit 175 and then I finished it in a pan with
broth. I was very careful to watch my temps because I had eaten many dry
briskets in my day and was never really a fan. Until I saw this:
I had wanted to make the brisket solely for the burnt ends, but since my wife likes the flat, I bought the whole packer cut. When I cut it open to separate the point from the flat, it practically gushed juice. I couldn't resist; I immediately cut myself a piece and was in heaven. I never knew brisket could be so juicy! I had let it rest for about 2 hours in a cooler covered in towels because it finished earlier than expected due to high (275) grill temps. But I may just let all my meats rest this long!
I also cooked up some ribs, but also due to the aforementioned high grill temps, I over cooked them! but they were still very good. I should've just called them pulled pork once I cut them up! I'm still getting used to my new smoker. I modded it before actually using it and I found out that lowering the chimney to grate level combined with 80+ degree temps outside makes it hard for you to keep your grill at 225 with a full basket of coals! I ended up cracking open the main chamber a few inches to keep the temps under 240 until the coals burned down a little!
All in all, the results for the brisket and burnt ends were exceptional. The ribs were still delicious. And I ended up very full! I probably ate about a pound and a half of meat!
Life so far
Well you know, when I was in college I used to delude myself that people wanted to hear what I wanted to say. But now as I have grown some. I realize, I just need to say something somewhere sometimes.
I used to blog almost daily. Then as I got busy it started to be a weekly thing, then a monthly thing. Now it appears to be becoming an annual thing. It's kind of funny. I suppose I started thinking that people didn't want to hear what I wanted to say. Or maybe it's that now that I'm married I just tell everything to my wife and she agrees with me all the time. So I don't have to tell anybody else right?
Well that's life I suppose. Things change. I welcome the changes.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Spring (well, sort of)
I am so excited for the spring. But I feel as if it is never coming. Last week we had consistent highs 10-20 degrees below average and this week is looking to stay at around 5-10 degrees below average. It is a depressing thought especially after our record making winter for being one of the snowiest and consistently cold winters on record. It wasn't the coldest on record, but it did have the fewest temperature swings. Or close to it! We had 2 consecutive days in the 50s in February and 2 consecutive days in the 60's this month, but for the majority of days the highs were below the seasonal averages.
Being the expert that I am, I am going to blame this on Canada. They must be launching an attack on America by sending down their cold liberal air to attack America's recent conservative resurgence. That's the only plausible reason I can see for this! Those socialists up north must be using their science witchcraft to ruin life in America and break us all down before they invade and shove universal healthcare down our throats! Well I for one am against these crafty bastards (liberals all grew up in fatherless households) I don't want to be forced to pay for my neighbor's health care bill just because he has cancer and was rejected by private insurance. I don't have cancer. So why should I have to pay for his???? [end sarcasm]
Anyway, I've gone off topic, but this is my blog. So who cares. But it reminds me about the visit our office had from a US Congressman. He won on the tea party brown tidal wave. I can say one thing. I appreciate his zeal and passion for his job. His zeal almost made me want to run for office. Almost. Besides his zeal I don't think I could've summed him up with anything besides "catch phrase reciting band-wagoner" He pretty much repeated most of what the tea party is all about, reducing taxes for corporations, and cutting government spending.
And guess how he wanted to cut govt spending first? Repealing Obamacare, as he called it. Big surprise, huh? He went on with an impassioned speech about how the government cannot function by increasing its deficit indiscriminately and indefinitely and that no corporation could be run like that. He said that it had to stop! Well, I'm not an idiot. I agree, we need to stop deficit spending. But how he and I would rather it be done are on completely different sides. Well he wants to cut defense spending, but since he's part of the GOP, I am sure he won't actually vote to make any major cuts.
He went on to list other ways that he'd make cuts, such as govt pension cutbacks, and tax cuts to corporations. Oh wait, he just threw in a tax cut as a way to reduce deficit! Well like all Republicans he still believes that trickle down works, but in this case he believed that the spurred job growth would actually increase the taxes received by the govt. He's right, if the corporate tax break worked, it certainly would spur tax growth, but here's the problem. He has to first reduce the govt's income, then cross his fingers. I'm sure he doesn't even know when the break even point would be.
The real icing on the cake came when he decided to go on a rant about how Obamacare was shoved down America's throat. He stated that he believed that if the health care industry was less regulated, that health care companies would find a way to provide coverage for people with pre-existing conditions and the terminally ill. I'm trying not to rephrase what he said in any way or form. But I had to scratch my head on that one. So if you de-regulate health care, the companies will, out of the goodness of their hearts, find a way to provide coverage for people that would cause the company to operate at a loss? But, but, you just said no corporation would be run like our government, which is operating at a "loss." Something really doesn't add up here! He could not provide a business case for how these services would be provided, but my best guess is that they either would not provide such coverage (as it is today), or they would charge such an absurd amount that only the rich would be able to afford it. Think thousands a month (yes less than the actual medical bills, but still probably more than most people's mortgages) My company already pays about $400/mo for my coverage. Add my $70/mo contribution and you can easily argue that if a healthy male in his 20's has to pay nearly $500/mo for coverage that a terminally ill person would be paying several times that amount. I can not for the life of me understand how this congressman believes that health insurance companies would actually provide this service, if they were less regulated! It just doesn't make sense, but it sure sounds good to his voting base, I guess.
Unfortunately, caring for the sick isn't always best taken care of by for-profit corporations. I applauded the democrats for at least trying to recognize that fact. There are portions of the health-care bill that I think could be improved, but repealing it is about the dumbest solution. Change the parts that will actually cost the govt more money. Actually look into reforming the health care system. Europe is not perfect, but it may be a good idea to take a look into why they pay less for drugs designed and manufactured in the US than we do. It may be time to find out why hospitals in Europe can charge vastly less than they do in the US for similar services. Both parties need to do this. I have a sinking suspicion that this real reform isn't going to happen any time soon. Oh well.
But yeah, spring is awesome! I can't wait for the warm weather. It is my goal along with K to go for a walk every day this summer. We will also be traveling down to the city more often. Because what's the point of living here if you don't actually enjoy some of the things that only the city can offer! I am so excited for the summer, even though I just had a random off-topic rant about a crazy politician! K and I have a bunch of seedlings started and I am very excited to start eating fresh home-grown vegetables! But I think I'm mostly excited because instead of eating lunch I wrote this blog and I am very hungry. So I'll sign off for now, my 3 readers!
Being the expert that I am, I am going to blame this on Canada. They must be launching an attack on America by sending down their cold liberal air to attack America's recent conservative resurgence. That's the only plausible reason I can see for this! Those socialists up north must be using their science witchcraft to ruin life in America and break us all down before they invade and shove universal healthcare down our throats! Well I for one am against these crafty bastards (liberals all grew up in fatherless households) I don't want to be forced to pay for my neighbor's health care bill just because he has cancer and was rejected by private insurance. I don't have cancer. So why should I have to pay for his???? [end sarcasm]
Anyway, I've gone off topic, but this is my blog. So who cares. But it reminds me about the visit our office had from a US Congressman. He won on the tea party brown tidal wave. I can say one thing. I appreciate his zeal and passion for his job. His zeal almost made me want to run for office. Almost. Besides his zeal I don't think I could've summed him up with anything besides "catch phrase reciting band-wagoner" He pretty much repeated most of what the tea party is all about, reducing taxes for corporations, and cutting government spending.
And guess how he wanted to cut govt spending first? Repealing Obamacare, as he called it. Big surprise, huh? He went on with an impassioned speech about how the government cannot function by increasing its deficit indiscriminately and indefinitely and that no corporation could be run like that. He said that it had to stop! Well, I'm not an idiot. I agree, we need to stop deficit spending. But how he and I would rather it be done are on completely different sides. Well he wants to cut defense spending, but since he's part of the GOP, I am sure he won't actually vote to make any major cuts.
He went on to list other ways that he'd make cuts, such as govt pension cutbacks, and tax cuts to corporations. Oh wait, he just threw in a tax cut as a way to reduce deficit! Well like all Republicans he still believes that trickle down works, but in this case he believed that the spurred job growth would actually increase the taxes received by the govt. He's right, if the corporate tax break worked, it certainly would spur tax growth, but here's the problem. He has to first reduce the govt's income, then cross his fingers. I'm sure he doesn't even know when the break even point would be.
The real icing on the cake came when he decided to go on a rant about how Obamacare was shoved down America's throat. He stated that he believed that if the health care industry was less regulated, that health care companies would find a way to provide coverage for people with pre-existing conditions and the terminally ill. I'm trying not to rephrase what he said in any way or form. But I had to scratch my head on that one. So if you de-regulate health care, the companies will, out of the goodness of their hearts, find a way to provide coverage for people that would cause the company to operate at a loss? But, but, you just said no corporation would be run like our government, which is operating at a "loss." Something really doesn't add up here! He could not provide a business case for how these services would be provided, but my best guess is that they either would not provide such coverage (as it is today), or they would charge such an absurd amount that only the rich would be able to afford it. Think thousands a month (yes less than the actual medical bills, but still probably more than most people's mortgages) My company already pays about $400/mo for my coverage. Add my $70/mo contribution and you can easily argue that if a healthy male in his 20's has to pay nearly $500/mo for coverage that a terminally ill person would be paying several times that amount. I can not for the life of me understand how this congressman believes that health insurance companies would actually provide this service, if they were less regulated! It just doesn't make sense, but it sure sounds good to his voting base, I guess.
Unfortunately, caring for the sick isn't always best taken care of by for-profit corporations. I applauded the democrats for at least trying to recognize that fact. There are portions of the health-care bill that I think could be improved, but repealing it is about the dumbest solution. Change the parts that will actually cost the govt more money. Actually look into reforming the health care system. Europe is not perfect, but it may be a good idea to take a look into why they pay less for drugs designed and manufactured in the US than we do. It may be time to find out why hospitals in Europe can charge vastly less than they do in the US for similar services. Both parties need to do this. I have a sinking suspicion that this real reform isn't going to happen any time soon. Oh well.
But yeah, spring is awesome! I can't wait for the warm weather. It is my goal along with K to go for a walk every day this summer. We will also be traveling down to the city more often. Because what's the point of living here if you don't actually enjoy some of the things that only the city can offer! I am so excited for the summer, even though I just had a random off-topic rant about a crazy politician! K and I have a bunch of seedlings started and I am very excited to start eating fresh home-grown vegetables! But I think I'm mostly excited because instead of eating lunch I wrote this blog and I am very hungry. So I'll sign off for now, my 3 readers!
Friday, January 7, 2011
I am so happy
I just realized.
Last night I was watching "Into the Wild" and at the end of the movie, the spoiled rich kid (how I envisioned his reasoning for running away) actually had something smart to say. "Happiness is only real if it is shared" At that moment I realized that even though you can be happy alone, it can be increased exponentially if you are sharing those memories with people you love. I looked at K and I just melted. Life is better when it is shared and I am so happy to share it with K!
This weekend we painted the kitchen. Normally that'd be a daunting task, but K and I really looked forward to it. Working together to improve our living environment even if time consuming and repetitive made us both happy. I can't imagine ever really enjoying painting a whole room by myself. That's just a small and probably bad example, but I hope it demonstrates my point.
It's the people in your life that make it worth living, and everybody should take time to reflect upon and be thankful for the memories and the time they have to spend with others that they love. Nobody is here forever.
Last night I was watching "Into the Wild" and at the end of the movie, the spoiled rich kid (how I envisioned his reasoning for running away) actually had something smart to say. "Happiness is only real if it is shared" At that moment I realized that even though you can be happy alone, it can be increased exponentially if you are sharing those memories with people you love. I looked at K and I just melted. Life is better when it is shared and I am so happy to share it with K!
This weekend we painted the kitchen. Normally that'd be a daunting task, but K and I really looked forward to it. Working together to improve our living environment even if time consuming and repetitive made us both happy. I can't imagine ever really enjoying painting a whole room by myself. That's just a small and probably bad example, but I hope it demonstrates my point.
It's the people in your life that make it worth living, and everybody should take time to reflect upon and be thankful for the memories and the time they have to spend with others that they love. Nobody is here forever.
Monday, December 27, 2010
Christmas!
What a wonderful time of the year... I am so happy to have been surrounded by family this Christmas! It really made me appreciate all the things that are good in my life. My side of the family came into town and we all enjoyed the celebration together with K's family! The best part about it all was how much EVERYBODY seemed to be enjoying themselves! Christmas day went so well that it was well past 11PM before anybody noticed the time! We ate a delicious prime rib roast, had cookies, played games, and watched 3 movies!!! Can you believe it? I can't either. Everybody was in the best of spirits.
I took about 200 pictures on Christmas Day and I couldn't be happier. I took my most portable setup, the camera flash on a light stand with a silver umbrella and a silver reflector. I'd have used soft white, but I knew I'd have to light large areas, so I needed all the reflected light I could get :) I'm still pretty happy about the pictures except for the fact that somebody's little sister decided to make silly faces in 90% of the pics she was in! And I forgot to set the flash to manual mode for a series of pics so the lighting is all over the place. But I can fix a lot of it in post processing. So all is well.
K and I spent about $200 over our budgeted amount for food this month, but man was it all so good! So many good cookies, breakfasts, and other meals left me wanting to eat more. Luckily, I was able to resist over-eating for several meals. I only went overboard on cookies. But hey, they taste the best when they're fresh :) I hope everybody's Christmas was as good as mine was. I am looking forward to a fun-packed New Year's celebration! Bring it on holidays!
I took about 200 pictures on Christmas Day and I couldn't be happier. I took my most portable setup, the camera flash on a light stand with a silver umbrella and a silver reflector. I'd have used soft white, but I knew I'd have to light large areas, so I needed all the reflected light I could get :) I'm still pretty happy about the pictures except for the fact that somebody's little sister decided to make silly faces in 90% of the pics she was in! And I forgot to set the flash to manual mode for a series of pics so the lighting is all over the place. But I can fix a lot of it in post processing. So all is well.
K and I spent about $200 over our budgeted amount for food this month, but man was it all so good! So many good cookies, breakfasts, and other meals left me wanting to eat more. Luckily, I was able to resist over-eating for several meals. I only went overboard on cookies. But hey, they taste the best when they're fresh :) I hope everybody's Christmas was as good as mine was. I am looking forward to a fun-packed New Year's celebration! Bring it on holidays!
Monday, December 13, 2010
Frozen Tundra
I know I don't exactly live in a frozen tundra. But man it sure feels like it today. 12 degrees, windy. I just want to stay indoors all day!
I was in Boston last week. I would've normally enjoyed flying out to somewhere that I'd never been before, but freezing outside when it's 20 degrees really doesn't inspire me to explore. I did manage to make it to Bunker Hill and the USS Constitution one evening. But it's really hard to do much when the sun sets at 4:30. Lets just say that I got a lot of "night" shots. Without a tripod, I don't know if I'll get many usable pictures.
Zagat.com isn't really as useful as you'd think either. It seems that they only rate places well if they have a $20/entree or higher price tag. And when you have $40/day for all your food including tax and tip, that really makes it hard to find a "good" place to eat dinner! Nonetheless, I made the best of it! Blue Ribbon BBQ in Arlington, MA was fantastic. Their ribs fell right off the bone, and their pulled pork was delicious (it was called Kansas city burnt ends though)
The Sam Adams brewery tour was probably the best I've been on to-date. It is their smallest brewery, because it was their first, but that makes it all the better. A lot more things are done by hand and all the R&D happens there. How'd you like to taste beer for a living? Well... it sounds better than it probably is, but still! My favorite part of the tour was when they let us take dried hops and dissect them. Then we were told to rub them between our hands and take a good sniff! MMM beer smell! The tour was free. We got a free glass to take home as well. And we also got a voucher to get a full sized pint glass for free with beer purchase at Doyle's (the first bar that served Sam Adams) Since I hadn't eaten lunch that day, I went to Doyle's and ordered a Bison burger with a Sam Adams Cherry Wheat beer. That beer was a very good wheat beer. It didn't taste sweet, and it actually didn't have much of a hops flavor either. The best way I could describe it was having a "rich" flavor with cherry essence. It is an easy drinking beer with much more flavor than MGD or Bud. I'll probably try to find some of that beer in the future, because I think a lot of people would like it, even non beer drinkers!
So I guess even though it is freezing outside you can still enjoy life a little bit. Just a little though!
I was in Boston last week. I would've normally enjoyed flying out to somewhere that I'd never been before, but freezing outside when it's 20 degrees really doesn't inspire me to explore. I did manage to make it to Bunker Hill and the USS Constitution one evening. But it's really hard to do much when the sun sets at 4:30. Lets just say that I got a lot of "night" shots. Without a tripod, I don't know if I'll get many usable pictures.
Zagat.com isn't really as useful as you'd think either. It seems that they only rate places well if they have a $20/entree or higher price tag. And when you have $40/day for all your food including tax and tip, that really makes it hard to find a "good" place to eat dinner! Nonetheless, I made the best of it! Blue Ribbon BBQ in Arlington, MA was fantastic. Their ribs fell right off the bone, and their pulled pork was delicious (it was called Kansas city burnt ends though)
The Sam Adams brewery tour was probably the best I've been on to-date. It is their smallest brewery, because it was their first, but that makes it all the better. A lot more things are done by hand and all the R&D happens there. How'd you like to taste beer for a living? Well... it sounds better than it probably is, but still! My favorite part of the tour was when they let us take dried hops and dissect them. Then we were told to rub them between our hands and take a good sniff! MMM beer smell! The tour was free. We got a free glass to take home as well. And we also got a voucher to get a full sized pint glass for free with beer purchase at Doyle's (the first bar that served Sam Adams) Since I hadn't eaten lunch that day, I went to Doyle's and ordered a Bison burger with a Sam Adams Cherry Wheat beer. That beer was a very good wheat beer. It didn't taste sweet, and it actually didn't have much of a hops flavor either. The best way I could describe it was having a "rich" flavor with cherry essence. It is an easy drinking beer with much more flavor than MGD or Bud. I'll probably try to find some of that beer in the future, because I think a lot of people would like it, even non beer drinkers!
So I guess even though it is freezing outside you can still enjoy life a little bit. Just a little though!
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Security over Privacy
I try to stay away from just about anything that is a really touchy subject on the internet, and things that can be viewed as politics are one of those things. But as this subject really affects me I feel like I might as well write up how I feel about it. This really shouldn't be a political issue, but as we have a 2-party system, anything that I say can pretty much be linked to one party or the other. Although I think many people in both parties feel the way I do. One thing I am against is extremism. So really I don't like the extreme left, right, or religious fanatics. Anybody who drinks only the kool-aid freaks me out. I'll keep my brain thank you very much.
Anyway, lets get to the meat and potatoes of the issue. As you (B, J, and K :P) have probably already heard, the TSA has been getting more annoying over the past year and in the past few days has gotten a lot of people upset. I was really upset about the 3D full body x-ray machines that left nothing to the imagination. But as I am apathetic towards things in general because, lets be honest, my life was going too well to care. That happens a lot. Should I always let it happen? Of course the answer is no, pretty much everybody would say the answer is no. But what really scares me is how crazy things can get before anybody seems to notice.
I mean here we are, 2010. We already have to take off our shoes and belts in every airport. Because I don't want to walk weird, I normally swing my arms as I walk through the metal detector and my pants often fall down a little bit. I quickly pull them up and look around to make sure nobody noticed. Somebody always does. Sure, I guess it's just a little shred of decency I have to lose in order to stop shoe and belt bombers. Why not right? Good thing we stopped all those shoe and belt bombers.
Then we get news that there was a Christmas underwear bomber. I just about pee'd my pants because the thought of some sad sucker putting explosives in his underwear in the name of extremism just cracked me up. Just before that news broke, I heard about these new fancy 3D x-ray scanners at O'Hare airport. I saw a censored 3D scan that showed some fat man with a saggy gut. This struck me as pretty invasive, but the news program assured us all that they censored the naughty bits. But here's the thing, Mr underwear bomber would've still gotten through the scan if this was the case. So if this censoring was true, I was sure that it would soon change. This upset me, but then again I thought to myself. Well I don't fly that much. So what's the big deal? I'll just go through the light pat down if I don't want the TSA seeing my privates. It's not so bad. Yeah, it's not so bad.
A few days ago I hear about updated pat down rules that make it more like an intimate groping. It would be molestation if it wasn't in the name of security and a "trained professional" wasn't doing it. So why the heck is it allowed? Don't let my mild wording fool you. I am livid. I now have a choice of having either a full 3D body scan with exposed privates or they get to feel up my privates and even between my buttocks. Wow sounds like TSA can get to 2nd base in about 2 minutes, better than even the most talented lady's man. But again, the news assures me, and the rest of the world, your face is not shown to the TSA examiner who is looking at your 3D scan. Well thanks! At least they don't know what my face looks like, phew. But wait! What about the yet-to-be discovered tongue bomber who stuffs enough explosive under his tongue to blow a hole in the side of a plane! I can't be the only person who has thought of this. I'm not a terrorist, nor a security expert. So I am pretty darn sure the TSA employee knows what your face looks like too. Lets not even get started on the topic of frequent fliers and the amount of radiation they are exposed to by these new scans. I guess it's all justified in the name of security.
So this brings me to my last point. If everything is justified in the name of security. Why don't we make driving, swimming and elective surgery illegal. Every year around 43,000 American die in automobile accidents, almost 4,000 by drowning and another 3,000 or so due to complications during surgery. I don't want to sound at all callused to the gravity of the 9/11 attacks, but even with that complicated terrorist plot 2,752 people died. This specific plot won't happen again. We've made adjustments. So relatively the likelihood of a larger number of people dying in one year in America due to a plane related terrorist attack are pretty slim, even without the invasive 3D scans or rub downs. So my point is, what really is the true benefit of this loss of personal dignity for millions with these invasive airport security measures?
Yes, I agree 100% that if these security measures aren't in place it will be easier to smuggle explosives or weapons onto a plane, but the risk of it happening already is extremely low. I wish stats about how much safer we are with the new measures were actually available. I bet a lot of people would be surprised at how ineffective they actually are compared to all the ways you could die just living your life everyday. But I guess some people would still chose minimal security over decency and privacy. I am not one of those people.
I am drawing the line here. Starting today. Enough is enough. I may never be a rally-starter or political activist. But I am writing my senator. I hope that many other Americans do the same or even more than I can do, but all I can say is Enough is Enough
Anyway, lets get to the meat and potatoes of the issue. As you (B, J, and K :P) have probably already heard, the TSA has been getting more annoying over the past year and in the past few days has gotten a lot of people upset. I was really upset about the 3D full body x-ray machines that left nothing to the imagination. But as I am apathetic towards things in general because, lets be honest, my life was going too well to care. That happens a lot. Should I always let it happen? Of course the answer is no, pretty much everybody would say the answer is no. But what really scares me is how crazy things can get before anybody seems to notice.
I mean here we are, 2010. We already have to take off our shoes and belts in every airport. Because I don't want to walk weird, I normally swing my arms as I walk through the metal detector and my pants often fall down a little bit. I quickly pull them up and look around to make sure nobody noticed. Somebody always does. Sure, I guess it's just a little shred of decency I have to lose in order to stop shoe and belt bombers. Why not right? Good thing we stopped all those shoe and belt bombers.
Then we get news that there was a Christmas underwear bomber. I just about pee'd my pants because the thought of some sad sucker putting explosives in his underwear in the name of extremism just cracked me up. Just before that news broke, I heard about these new fancy 3D x-ray scanners at O'Hare airport. I saw a censored 3D scan that showed some fat man with a saggy gut. This struck me as pretty invasive, but the news program assured us all that they censored the naughty bits. But here's the thing, Mr underwear bomber would've still gotten through the scan if this was the case. So if this censoring was true, I was sure that it would soon change. This upset me, but then again I thought to myself. Well I don't fly that much. So what's the big deal? I'll just go through the light pat down if I don't want the TSA seeing my privates. It's not so bad. Yeah, it's not so bad.
A few days ago I hear about updated pat down rules that make it more like an intimate groping. It would be molestation if it wasn't in the name of security and a "trained professional" wasn't doing it. So why the heck is it allowed? Don't let my mild wording fool you. I am livid. I now have a choice of having either a full 3D body scan with exposed privates or they get to feel up my privates and even between my buttocks. Wow sounds like TSA can get to 2nd base in about 2 minutes, better than even the most talented lady's man. But again, the news assures me, and the rest of the world, your face is not shown to the TSA examiner who is looking at your 3D scan. Well thanks! At least they don't know what my face looks like, phew. But wait! What about the yet-to-be discovered tongue bomber who stuffs enough explosive under his tongue to blow a hole in the side of a plane! I can't be the only person who has thought of this. I'm not a terrorist, nor a security expert. So I am pretty darn sure the TSA employee knows what your face looks like too. Lets not even get started on the topic of frequent fliers and the amount of radiation they are exposed to by these new scans. I guess it's all justified in the name of security.
So this brings me to my last point. If everything is justified in the name of security. Why don't we make driving, swimming and elective surgery illegal. Every year around 43,000 American die in automobile accidents, almost 4,000 by drowning and another 3,000 or so due to complications during surgery. I don't want to sound at all callused to the gravity of the 9/11 attacks, but even with that complicated terrorist plot 2,752 people died. This specific plot won't happen again. We've made adjustments. So relatively the likelihood of a larger number of people dying in one year in America due to a plane related terrorist attack are pretty slim, even without the invasive 3D scans or rub downs. So my point is, what really is the true benefit of this loss of personal dignity for millions with these invasive airport security measures?
Yes, I agree 100% that if these security measures aren't in place it will be easier to smuggle explosives or weapons onto a plane, but the risk of it happening already is extremely low. I wish stats about how much safer we are with the new measures were actually available. I bet a lot of people would be surprised at how ineffective they actually are compared to all the ways you could die just living your life everyday. But I guess some people would still chose minimal security over decency and privacy. I am not one of those people.
I am drawing the line here. Starting today. Enough is enough. I may never be a rally-starter or political activist. But I am writing my senator. I hope that many other Americans do the same or even more than I can do, but all I can say is Enough is Enough
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
car clear bra FAIL
So, this weekend I attempted to put on a protective clear bra on my front bumper/hood. The instructions made it look super simple. The web site selling it of course said that it is easy for anybody to install... yeah. Well I cleaned my car super well just like they said I should. I didn't see a speck of dust. I turned on ALL the lights in the garage and even brought out an extra light. I start installing the thing and it immediately becomes apparent that my garage really isn't dust free as this sticky plastic was apparently the air's equivalent of a Swiffer Sweeper because once I installed it, I noticed a ton of dust and small particles under the plastic. I told myself it would be ok and pushed on to the actual bumper, I had just finished the hood. Well the bumper is where the real nightmare began. As you all know bumpers aren't flat, they're curved and have lines and ridges to make them look better. These aspects of the bumper made it virtually impossible for me to get the plastic to fit properly, and each re-application I made, more dust would be trapped. I eventually gave up and ripped it off and put it back on it's original packaging.
K ends up coming home and I am beating myself up because I just wasted $300. I ask her to help me make one last attempt, and she accepts. She's so nice. Anyway, we try to apply the thing in one piece for about 30 mins and we about give up when K has the bright idea to cut it into pieces where it doesn't seem to fit properly. At this point, I figure anything is better than just wasting $300. So I agree and we get it installed. Yay! So I take the car out in full sunlight and find out that not only is there dust under the plastic there are lots of water-filled bubbles that we didn't see to remove in the low light in the garage. So I can honestly say even with a few paint chips, my car would look better than it currently does now! I can fix the bubbles with a needle, but the dust and lint is stuck! I'll probably end up removing it all after the winter and I'll re-acess whether or not I should have it professionally installed. I can get the same thing installed professionally for an extra $150 or I can do just the bumper w/o the hood and mirrors for the same price. All I really care about is the bumper anyway because it already has a couple small rock chips. So hopefully I'll be able to convince K to let me pay somebody to install it in the spring ;) Either that or I'll just start saving up for a bumper repainting :)
K ends up coming home and I am beating myself up because I just wasted $300. I ask her to help me make one last attempt, and she accepts. She's so nice. Anyway, we try to apply the thing in one piece for about 30 mins and we about give up when K has the bright idea to cut it into pieces where it doesn't seem to fit properly. At this point, I figure anything is better than just wasting $300. So I agree and we get it installed. Yay! So I take the car out in full sunlight and find out that not only is there dust under the plastic there are lots of water-filled bubbles that we didn't see to remove in the low light in the garage. So I can honestly say even with a few paint chips, my car would look better than it currently does now! I can fix the bubbles with a needle, but the dust and lint is stuck! I'll probably end up removing it all after the winter and I'll re-acess whether or not I should have it professionally installed. I can get the same thing installed professionally for an extra $150 or I can do just the bumper w/o the hood and mirrors for the same price. All I really care about is the bumper anyway because it already has a couple small rock chips. So hopefully I'll be able to convince K to let me pay somebody to install it in the spring ;) Either that or I'll just start saving up for a bumper repainting :)
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