This is an update on my online gambling misadventure with BetOnline.com (posted 12/06/2010). After a while I decided to try to get my money first, then see what happens. I capitulated and sent them all the information they'd requested. Today I received via FedEx a check for $997. My original investment was $200, so thanks 49ers!
Now to see what happens.
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Insta-thought: Peeing on the enemy.
As you've probably heard by now, the U.S. and Afghanistan and probably the entire world are in a tizzy because of an heinous act. Apparently (all the facts are not in yet) three Marine snipers shot a couple of Taliban and then peed on their dead bodies!
Okay, that's distasteful and unnecessary and it will probably rile up a lot of people, but WTF? The Marines just killed these guys, and now they're in really deep doo-doo because they showed disrespect to their dead bodies? Have our values gone that crazy?
There are way too many wars, and maybe one reason is that we ascribe a kind of dignity to them, mighty warriors fighting for just causes. But there is no dignity in war, no glamor, no glory. War is hate and blood and guts spilling out and mud and shame and dirt and piss.
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Just wondering.
Is it immoral to be happy when your enemies kill each other? Because I sure have been enjoying the Republican debates.
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Odd Days: The Wig
I decided to wear a wig when I traveled to Columbus yesterday. I didn't want to traumatize my sister any more than she's already traumatized. And to be honest, I didn't want to traumatize any of my fellow travelers either.
But then it gradually dawned on me that I was the one most likely to be traumatized. What if my wig came off at an inopportune time? I started thinking about Andre Agassi whose life was essentially ruined by worry over whether or not his wig would come off during a match.
I can relate. I started worrying the night before. What if the wig has pieces of metal woven into the synthetic strands and I set off the metal detector. And what if the TSA person looks at me and says, "Take off that wig and go through again." But even if I make it through the metal detector, what if I knock the wig off while struggling to get my roller bag into the overhead bin. I've had some epic struggles with my bag that have ruined more than one hairdo.
Of course, none of those things happened yesterday, but something weird did happen. As we started our descent into Columbus, I began stewing about getting my bag out of the bin without dropping it onto my wig. Then through the fog of my stress I hear, "Ma'am, MA'AM! Are you all right?" I turn to the young woman on my right who is peering at me with some concern. I told her I was fine, but then I reached up, grabbed my wig and asked, "Why, do I look weird or something?" I just knew it had something to do with the wig. "Well," she said, "you were making some strange noises. I guess you're like me. I don't like flying either." Strange noises? What the hell?
I couldn't wait to get off of that plane. Got my bag. Wig stayed in place. Whew. Went to baggage claim and found my sister waving cheerfully. She took one look at me and said, "Oh, I like your hair. New style?"
But then it gradually dawned on me that I was the one most likely to be traumatized. What if my wig came off at an inopportune time? I started thinking about Andre Agassi whose life was essentially ruined by worry over whether or not his wig would come off during a match.
I can relate. I started worrying the night before. What if the wig has pieces of metal woven into the synthetic strands and I set off the metal detector. And what if the TSA person looks at me and says, "Take off that wig and go through again." But even if I make it through the metal detector, what if I knock the wig off while struggling to get my roller bag into the overhead bin. I've had some epic struggles with my bag that have ruined more than one hairdo.
Of course, none of those things happened yesterday, but something weird did happen. As we started our descent into Columbus, I began stewing about getting my bag out of the bin without dropping it onto my wig. Then through the fog of my stress I hear, "Ma'am, MA'AM! Are you all right?" I turn to the young woman on my right who is peering at me with some concern. I told her I was fine, but then I reached up, grabbed my wig and asked, "Why, do I look weird or something?" I just knew it had something to do with the wig. "Well," she said, "you were making some strange noises. I guess you're like me. I don't like flying either." Strange noises? What the hell?
I couldn't wait to get off of that plane. Got my bag. Wig stayed in place. Whew. Went to baggage claim and found my sister waving cheerfully. She took one look at me and said, "Oh, I like your hair. New style?"
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
The female brain.
A couple of weeks ago I bought a few books, one of which was "The Female Brain" by Louann Brizendine, M.D. The blurb on the cover (by another female M.D.) says, "Sassy, witty, reassuring, and great fun. All women - and the men who love them - should read this book." Couldn't resist.
Twila saw the book on our table and read it and said she has mixed feelings about what the author says. Apparently there is a lot of the nature vs. nurture controversy. I haven't read it yet, but I'm willing to say what I think.
It is obvious to most people that women and men are different physically. Not just in the genital area, but from head to toe. Size, softness, hair, whatever. And all of that is consistent with our #1 instinct, to preserve the species.
Men are bigger and stronger and more aggressive because their role in nature is to provide for and protect their families. Women are designed to create families and hold them together. With all of the physical differences, why wouldn't our brains be different? I think they are.
Lawrence Summers, when he was the president of Harvard a few years ago, got into a lot of P.C. trouble by saying that women have less aptitude than men at mathematics and science. It was like Jimmy the Greek ruining his career by saying that slaves were bred for certain characteristics (I can imagine that, but I don't know if it's accurate.) Even if you say something that is true or that you think is true, you will be spat upon if your views touch a specific nerve, and with gender and race those nerves are prominent.
Men need math and science because their primary function is to provide, to produce. Why wouldn't their native aptitude for those disciplines be stronger? Women need communication to keep relationships strong, so why wouldn't their skills in that area be stronger? And isn't there plenty of evidence that those differences are real? Even brain scans show that the male and female brains work differently.
What I don't understand is why people get upset when they hear that our brains are different. Well, why women get upset - I don't know many men who think that they can handle relationships and interpersonal communication as well as women. Left brain vs. right brain dominance isn't a value judgement.
Of course, nurture plays a large role in our actual lives. The feminism movement of the '60s was one of our great accomplishments, because it freed both women and men to be what they want to be. Now, partly because of feminism and partly because of technology, we are transitioning toward a matriarchy, which will be a great societal advance. Men don't know how to negotiate, they only know how to fight. It will be a better world when women are in charge and men are off doing math and science.
Twila saw the book on our table and read it and said she has mixed feelings about what the author says. Apparently there is a lot of the nature vs. nurture controversy. I haven't read it yet, but I'm willing to say what I think.
It is obvious to most people that women and men are different physically. Not just in the genital area, but from head to toe. Size, softness, hair, whatever. And all of that is consistent with our #1 instinct, to preserve the species.
Men are bigger and stronger and more aggressive because their role in nature is to provide for and protect their families. Women are designed to create families and hold them together. With all of the physical differences, why wouldn't our brains be different? I think they are.
Lawrence Summers, when he was the president of Harvard a few years ago, got into a lot of P.C. trouble by saying that women have less aptitude than men at mathematics and science. It was like Jimmy the Greek ruining his career by saying that slaves were bred for certain characteristics (I can imagine that, but I don't know if it's accurate.) Even if you say something that is true or that you think is true, you will be spat upon if your views touch a specific nerve, and with gender and race those nerves are prominent.
Men need math and science because their primary function is to provide, to produce. Why wouldn't their native aptitude for those disciplines be stronger? Women need communication to keep relationships strong, so why wouldn't their skills in that area be stronger? And isn't there plenty of evidence that those differences are real? Even brain scans show that the male and female brains work differently.
What I don't understand is why people get upset when they hear that our brains are different. Well, why women get upset - I don't know many men who think that they can handle relationships and interpersonal communication as well as women. Left brain vs. right brain dominance isn't a value judgement.
Of course, nurture plays a large role in our actual lives. The feminism movement of the '60s was one of our great accomplishments, because it freed both women and men to be what they want to be. Now, partly because of feminism and partly because of technology, we are transitioning toward a matriarchy, which will be a great societal advance. Men don't know how to negotiate, they only know how to fight. It will be a better world when women are in charge and men are off doing math and science.
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Odd Days: Money where the mouth is
I'm trying to prove to my sister that there are adventures to be found in the oddest places. So here's a pictorial of our NYE adventure.
WARNING! The following pictures are not for the faint of heart.
Before picture:
As you can see, the anticipation required a calming cigarette.
In contrast, Durf, the butcher, looks amazingly calm. But why not? These clippers are at home in his hands. Know what I mean?
But then something took hold of him...
Hmmmm. Not sure I like that look in his eye...
Here's the after picture. Sure glad I found another cigarette...and my lucky Broncos t-shirt.
WARNING! The following pictures are not for the faint of heart.
Before picture:
As you can see, the anticipation required a calming cigarette.
In contrast, Durf, the butcher, looks amazingly calm. But why not? These clippers are at home in his hands. Know what I mean?
But then something took hold of him...
Hmmmm. Not sure I like that look in his eye...
Here's the after picture. Sure glad I found another cigarette...and my lucky Broncos t-shirt.
Monday, January 2, 2012
Bloggage.
I know I've blogged this before, or at least I think I have, but this time it's a tad mite different because I'm changing my policy.
Blogging is talking. There are blogs about politics and sports and current events and fashion and all kinds of things. Blogs with a theme are easy, because you just write about whatever happened recently in whatever your theme is. Our New York blog was easy for that reason - and also because when I was working in the lab I had plenty of time to think of things to write about. Oui-Sez isn't quite that way. It is a blog with no theme, other than Twila & Durf. So that's a problem.
Twila figured it out and cut her work in half by choosing "Odd Days". She goes out and does things and gets blown out of her shoes and whatever, plus she has a great imagination. I told her yesterday that she blogs like I would expect Gail Collins to blog, so she could even make something like cutting her hair into an interesting and funny story. Not me.
As you can tell by my recent lack of posts, I haven't had much to blog about. It's not surprising. I spend 2-3 hours every morning reading newspapers, then I struggle with my computer, work on my helicopters, play pinball. And, whereas Twila is anxious to experience everything she possibly can to fulfill her bucket list, I'm more focused on internal things. I haven't been able yet to fully process all the experiences I've already had and figure out how they've affected me, so that's what I'm working on.
Anyway, I've decided to change my bloggage. Previously I had some rules: don't blog about politics or religion; say interesting things; try to be funny; write things our readers (I think there are 3 of you) would like to read. I hereby cancel all of those rules. I'm going to blog about whatever is on my mind at the moment. I'm going to blog for me instead of for you, and I feel okay about that because you don't have to read anything I write - there won't be a quiz. Promise.
One thing I want to write about is drugs and the war on them, which have been interests of mine for many years. That will probably cost us a couple of readers before I even write anything, but it is what it is. One of the biggest problems this country has with drugs is ignorance about them, and I'm retired now and can write whatever I want. Heh.
I also plan to write about the changes I'm experiencing now, after all these years. Who said an old Durf can't learn new tricks? People talking about themselves is usually boring, so I will at least try to keep it to the high (or low) points.
And Twilight Zone, about which I would write a book, if only anyone under 50 knew what a pinball machine is.
Brave new world, here I come.
Blogging is talking. There are blogs about politics and sports and current events and fashion and all kinds of things. Blogs with a theme are easy, because you just write about whatever happened recently in whatever your theme is. Our New York blog was easy for that reason - and also because when I was working in the lab I had plenty of time to think of things to write about. Oui-Sez isn't quite that way. It is a blog with no theme, other than Twila & Durf. So that's a problem.
Twila figured it out and cut her work in half by choosing "Odd Days". She goes out and does things and gets blown out of her shoes and whatever, plus she has a great imagination. I told her yesterday that she blogs like I would expect Gail Collins to blog, so she could even make something like cutting her hair into an interesting and funny story. Not me.
As you can tell by my recent lack of posts, I haven't had much to blog about. It's not surprising. I spend 2-3 hours every morning reading newspapers, then I struggle with my computer, work on my helicopters, play pinball. And, whereas Twila is anxious to experience everything she possibly can to fulfill her bucket list, I'm more focused on internal things. I haven't been able yet to fully process all the experiences I've already had and figure out how they've affected me, so that's what I'm working on.
Anyway, I've decided to change my bloggage. Previously I had some rules: don't blog about politics or religion; say interesting things; try to be funny; write things our readers (I think there are 3 of you) would like to read. I hereby cancel all of those rules. I'm going to blog about whatever is on my mind at the moment. I'm going to blog for me instead of for you, and I feel okay about that because you don't have to read anything I write - there won't be a quiz. Promise.
One thing I want to write about is drugs and the war on them, which have been interests of mine for many years. That will probably cost us a couple of readers before I even write anything, but it is what it is. One of the biggest problems this country has with drugs is ignorance about them, and I'm retired now and can write whatever I want. Heh.
I also plan to write about the changes I'm experiencing now, after all these years. Who said an old Durf can't learn new tricks? People talking about themselves is usually boring, so I will at least try to keep it to the high (or low) points.
And Twilight Zone, about which I would write a book, if only anyone under 50 knew what a pinball machine is.
Brave new world, here I come.
Sunday, January 1, 2012
:pNY
This is a holiday that makes no sense. I'm not complaining, of course. I think New Year's Day is a holiday for two reasons: 1) a soft landing after Christmas; 2) an excuse to drink heavily. In my view, Christmas is over-hyped and I don't need an excuse to drink heavily, but gather ye rosebuds and all that.
Odd Days: HNY!
To all the faithful readers of this blog: Happy New Year!
Thank you for reading and commenting on our blog. The whole endeavor was one of the highlights of 2011 -- for me anyway.
(Sorry, that's all you get. It is just too difficult to be interesting on two odd days in a row.)
Thank you for reading and commenting on our blog. The whole endeavor was one of the highlights of 2011 -- for me anyway.
(Sorry, that's all you get. It is just too difficult to be interesting on two odd days in a row.)
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