http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/science/01/29/waterproof.rice/index.html?eref=rss_topstories
This story is cool but I'm not here to blog about super rice.
I want to point out a specific quote.
"People [in the United States] think, well, if I don't have enough rice, I'll go to the store," said Ronald, a professor of plant pathology at UC-Davis. "That's not the situation in these villages. They're mostly subsistence farmers. They don't have cars."
Thanks Ronald, but people in the United States are quite aware that not every country has gigantic grocery stores every couple blocks filled with 8000 boxes of Uncle Ben at their disposal. We don't need you to tell us like we're 4 year olds.
I feel like I see the grocery store example used every time every time I see a story about how people in other countries have a harder time getting food than people in America.
Shut up about how unaware we are and just tell us about the super rice.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Monday, January 26, 2009
My real job
So a lot of people have been asking what I do at my job. I mostly offer short responses before I quickly change the subject because I don't want to go through my long spiel, but here is my long spiel.
I work for the Automotive division of the Pasha Group. http://www.pashagroup.com/shell/frame.phtml?section=Automotive
Pasha Automotive is an auto processing company.
When new cars are built in Japan, Mexico, and Germany; they come to the US pretty bare. So if they need a DVD entertainment system or a Satellite Radio installed, our installers do it. So our company is divided in to two departments, processing and assembly. Assembly is responsible for installations. Processing is responsible for getting the cars off ships, and getting them around our facility, putting the new car literature in all the cars, and then loading them onto trains (we have 7 train trucks right outside the building in which i work) to be shipped to dealers.
The accounts we have are Audi, Acura, Bentley, Honda, Isuzu, Lamborghini, Lotus, Mazda, Porsche, Toyota, and Volkswagen.
So my boss is the processing manager and I'm his right hand man.
We also work for a railroad (BNSF) and do repairs to the rail cars.
What my specific job duties are:
Do billing and create invoices for the railroad and car companies who use our services.
Track employee and departmental efficiency and look for patterns and trends that might show us where we need improvement.
Perform return on investment projections for capital equipment. So I make revenue projections based on the rates for services and expected costs and see if its worth our while to tackle a new venture.
Some little known details...
1 out of every 8 imported cars comes through our facility in San Diego.
I actually work in a building, inside another building. I have that many more separations between me and sunlight.
There is a big battleship like 200 feet from our docks.
If you look at the picture on the website, i work in the biggest building of the 3.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=1309+Bay+Marina+Dr,+National+City,+CA+91950&sll=32.791263,-117.241843&sspn=0.009885,0.019312&g=3945+Gresham+St,+San+Diego,+CA+92109&ie=UTF8&ll=32.65513,-117.115717&spn=0.0198,0.038624&t=h&z=15
I work for the Automotive division of the Pasha Group. http://www.pashagroup.com/shell/frame.phtml?section=Automotive
Pasha Automotive is an auto processing company.
When new cars are built in Japan, Mexico, and Germany; they come to the US pretty bare. So if they need a DVD entertainment system or a Satellite Radio installed, our installers do it. So our company is divided in to two departments, processing and assembly. Assembly is responsible for installations. Processing is responsible for getting the cars off ships, and getting them around our facility, putting the new car literature in all the cars, and then loading them onto trains (we have 7 train trucks right outside the building in which i work) to be shipped to dealers.
The accounts we have are Audi, Acura, Bentley, Honda, Isuzu, Lamborghini, Lotus, Mazda, Porsche, Toyota, and Volkswagen.
So my boss is the processing manager and I'm his right hand man.
We also work for a railroad (BNSF) and do repairs to the rail cars.
What my specific job duties are:
Do billing and create invoices for the railroad and car companies who use our services.
Track employee and departmental efficiency and look for patterns and trends that might show us where we need improvement.
Perform return on investment projections for capital equipment. So I make revenue projections based on the rates for services and expected costs and see if its worth our while to tackle a new venture.
Some little known details...
1 out of every 8 imported cars comes through our facility in San Diego.
I actually work in a building, inside another building. I have that many more separations between me and sunlight.
There is a big battleship like 200 feet from our docks.
If you look at the picture on the website, i work in the biggest building of the 3.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=1309+Bay+Marina+Dr,+National+City,+CA+91950&sll=32.791263,-117.241843&sspn=0.009885,0.019312&g=3945+Gresham+St,+San+Diego,+CA+92109&ie=UTF8&ll=32.65513,-117.115717&spn=0.0198,0.038624&t=h&z=15
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Best Job Ever
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090113/od_afp/lifestyleaustraliatourismoffbeat_20090113032028
So I legitimately think I'm pretty well qualified for this job and I'm 50/50 thinking about applying for the job.
Here is an excerpt from the article:
"In return, the "island caretaker" will be expected to stroll the white sands, snorkel the reef, take care of "a few minor tasks" -- and report to a global audience via weekly blogs, photo diaries and video updates.
The successful applicant, who will stay rent-free in a three-bedroom beach home complete with plunge pool and golf buggy, must be a good swimmer, excellent communicator and be able to speak and write English.
"They'll also have to talk to media from time to time about what they're doing so they can't be too shy and they'll have to love the sea, the sun, the outdoors," said acting state Premier Paul Lucas."
Here are my qualifications:
Lifestyle: I've grown up in Southern California living the beach lifestyle. I already know how to surf, kayak, snorkel (not that this is an actual talent but you know what I mean), build sand castles (this is an actual talent) and do all that other beach stuff that I would be doing.
I already know a lot about Australia (I've seen finding Nemo like 14 times). Sea turtles can live to be 150!!
I'm obviously an accomplished blogger and can handle talking to the media about how awesome Australia is if the Australia I'm living in is sandy beaches and beautiful girls.
And although I suspect they want a pretty girl for the position, I'm a pretty boy (no jokes, I hear it enough from Meeko and I'm starting to believe it) and hopefully that will be good enough.
I went to the website and was able to see one of the applications (a one minute youtube video) and was hardly impressed. It was a 45 year old guy from Ohio that made a slideshow of himself scuba diving and gave a 30 second monologue on why he should get the job.
I'm pretty confident that I would be awesome for this job.
So I legitimately think I'm pretty well qualified for this job and I'm 50/50 thinking about applying for the job.
Here is an excerpt from the article:
"In return, the "island caretaker" will be expected to stroll the white sands, snorkel the reef, take care of "a few minor tasks" -- and report to a global audience via weekly blogs, photo diaries and video updates.
The successful applicant, who will stay rent-free in a three-bedroom beach home complete with plunge pool and golf buggy, must be a good swimmer, excellent communicator and be able to speak and write English.
"They'll also have to talk to media from time to time about what they're doing so they can't be too shy and they'll have to love the sea, the sun, the outdoors," said acting state Premier Paul Lucas."
Here are my qualifications:
Lifestyle: I've grown up in Southern California living the beach lifestyle. I already know how to surf, kayak, snorkel (not that this is an actual talent but you know what I mean), build sand castles (this is an actual talent) and do all that other beach stuff that I would be doing.
I already know a lot about Australia (I've seen finding Nemo like 14 times). Sea turtles can live to be 150!!
I'm obviously an accomplished blogger and can handle talking to the media about how awesome Australia is if the Australia I'm living in is sandy beaches and beautiful girls.
And although I suspect they want a pretty girl for the position, I'm a pretty boy (no jokes, I hear it enough from Meeko and I'm starting to believe it) and hopefully that will be good enough.
I went to the website and was able to see one of the applications (a one minute youtube video) and was hardly impressed. It was a 45 year old guy from Ohio that made a slideshow of himself scuba diving and gave a 30 second monologue on why he should get the job.
I'm pretty confident that I would be awesome for this job.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Blog Ideas
So I wanted my blog to be a blend of "fun" stuff and serious stuff. So far its been way more serious and way less random topics.
I'm looking for ideas.
Bowie already suggested a post about pet peeves and things that annoy me etc. So far all I've come up with is Bowie (but a post of this nature may be coming).
So write in the comments, post on my Facebook wall, email me, let me know what I can blog about and I'll make an effort to think of less serious topics.
I'm looking for ideas.
Bowie already suggested a post about pet peeves and things that annoy me etc. So far all I've come up with is Bowie (but a post of this nature may be coming).
So write in the comments, post on my Facebook wall, email me, let me know what I can blog about and I'll make an effort to think of less serious topics.
Attention: I need to borrow some money
http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/01/22/virginity.value/index.html
I don't really have any insightful comments on this one. I won't pretend to understand the thinking of the man (woman?) who put in the high bid.
I will refrain from making fun of the girl. For that kind of money, if the offer is legit, I can't blame her for taking it.
Just thought you'd want to see the article.
I don't really have any insightful comments on this one. I won't pretend to understand the thinking of the man (woman?) who put in the high bid.
I will refrain from making fun of the girl. For that kind of money, if the offer is legit, I can't blame her for taking it.
Just thought you'd want to see the article.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
The Yes We Can high
It'll happen eventually, Obama fever will subside in all of us; but today I'm excited. I'm worried that if Obama delivers anything short of a miracle recovery for the United States, he won't live up to the lofty expectations people have for him. But I wanted to lay out my more realistic goals for the first 4 years of his presidency.
Abortion: Reverse this < http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/11/18/america/abort.php > and do this: < http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/01/19/obama.abortion/index.html >
Re-legalize partial birth abortions. This is the most retarded type of abortion to outlaw. No one uses a partial birth abortion as a form of birth control; after 9 months, they've decided to have the child. These are only done when there has been a complication in the birth and the health and life of the mother is in question.
Also related to abortion is that Obama now can appoint judges to the supreme court to protect abortion. So I encourage judges to retire in the next 4-8 years so we can get some young liberals in there.
The Economy:
Job creation is Obama's stated goal which is admirable but, I would really like to see spending reduced to manageable levels by the last 2 years of his presidency. Hopefully the money we've been spending on war can be used on infrastructure improvements in the domestic economy and spending doesn't have to go through the roof.
I'm still undecided about how I feel about the auto bailout. In a vacuum, it makes more economic sense to just write unemployment checks to everyone who would lose their job because it would cost less and other industries could utilize the talents of the workers and engineers. But I understand the pride these people take in working for a living and producing goods. If foreign car companies can stay successful building factories in the US, I have hope that the US companies can too (maybe I'm being to much of a Sap).
Education (/economy) -Because my mom teaches basic skills at a community college, I have a unique prospective on how little trades are funded. Building up the basic math and reading skills of the blue collar workforce is an area that gets overlooked because high school grads are pushed into college when many just don't belong there either because they're not motivated or just don't have the skills necessary to compete. So in addition to making sure k-12 schools are properly funded (but not with bloated budgets), continuing education for people who aren't rocket scientists is important too.
Environment: Identify attainable goals for emissions pollution. Give companies and industries defined targets and reward companies who achieve these goals.
Investment: At this point, the only thing the US sells to other countries are weapons and pharmaceuticals. We need to recapture some of the more cutting edge energy technologies and start exporting. If the US government is going to invest, make sure its in things we can sell to the rest of the world.
Gay Marriage: My feelings on this subject are well documented. Obama said on the campaign trail that he was against gay marriage but I didn't believe him. He knew that if he said he was for gay marriage, the election would have been about gay marriage and he would have lost (but then he asked Rick Warren to read his invocation and made me not so sure again). Anyway, It would be a dream to see him legalize gay marriage but expecting that would be folly. I would love to see at least some measures that make it harder to outlaw gay marriage such as making marriages that take place in a state that allows gay marriage legal in states that don't allow gay marriage and forcing insurance companies and the like to treat the people as officially married.
War: Leaving when we clearly aren't wanted is the best thing that can happen here. We owe the Iraqi people money to rebuild their infrastructure after we bombed the shit out of it but we need to remove our troop ground presence in the next 12 months. In countries where we know there are credible threats to US security, negotiate with the individual countries to allow the US to send in small operative units to disrupt terror operations without a full blown invasion. I believe this is the tactic that needs to continue in Afghanistan. Clearly this won't work in Iran because they hate us. Economic sanctions against countries that sponsor or harbor terrorists (reducing our dependency on foreign oil wouldn't hurt either).
And funding the PB rec centers so they can keep their lights on at night so I can play basketball after work!!
Go Obama!
Addendum: Two more websites to check out.
www.whitehouse.gov
www.whitehouse.org
Abortion: Reverse this < http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/11/18/america/abort.php > and do this: < http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/01/19/obama.abortion/index.html >
Re-legalize partial birth abortions. This is the most retarded type of abortion to outlaw. No one uses a partial birth abortion as a form of birth control; after 9 months, they've decided to have the child. These are only done when there has been a complication in the birth and the health and life of the mother is in question.
Also related to abortion is that Obama now can appoint judges to the supreme court to protect abortion. So I encourage judges to retire in the next 4-8 years so we can get some young liberals in there.
The Economy:
Job creation is Obama's stated goal which is admirable but, I would really like to see spending reduced to manageable levels by the last 2 years of his presidency. Hopefully the money we've been spending on war can be used on infrastructure improvements in the domestic economy and spending doesn't have to go through the roof.
I'm still undecided about how I feel about the auto bailout. In a vacuum, it makes more economic sense to just write unemployment checks to everyone who would lose their job because it would cost less and other industries could utilize the talents of the workers and engineers. But I understand the pride these people take in working for a living and producing goods. If foreign car companies can stay successful building factories in the US, I have hope that the US companies can too (maybe I'm being to much of a Sap).
Education (/economy) -Because my mom teaches basic skills at a community college, I have a unique prospective on how little trades are funded. Building up the basic math and reading skills of the blue collar workforce is an area that gets overlooked because high school grads are pushed into college when many just don't belong there either because they're not motivated or just don't have the skills necessary to compete. So in addition to making sure k-12 schools are properly funded (but not with bloated budgets), continuing education for people who aren't rocket scientists is important too.
Environment: Identify attainable goals for emissions pollution. Give companies and industries defined targets and reward companies who achieve these goals.
Investment: At this point, the only thing the US sells to other countries are weapons and pharmaceuticals. We need to recapture some of the more cutting edge energy technologies and start exporting. If the US government is going to invest, make sure its in things we can sell to the rest of the world.
Gay Marriage: My feelings on this subject are well documented. Obama said on the campaign trail that he was against gay marriage but I didn't believe him. He knew that if he said he was for gay marriage, the election would have been about gay marriage and he would have lost (but then he asked Rick Warren to read his invocation and made me not so sure again). Anyway, It would be a dream to see him legalize gay marriage but expecting that would be folly. I would love to see at least some measures that make it harder to outlaw gay marriage such as making marriages that take place in a state that allows gay marriage legal in states that don't allow gay marriage and forcing insurance companies and the like to treat the people as officially married.
War: Leaving when we clearly aren't wanted is the best thing that can happen here. We owe the Iraqi people money to rebuild their infrastructure after we bombed the shit out of it but we need to remove our troop ground presence in the next 12 months. In countries where we know there are credible threats to US security, negotiate with the individual countries to allow the US to send in small operative units to disrupt terror operations without a full blown invasion. I believe this is the tactic that needs to continue in Afghanistan. Clearly this won't work in Iran because they hate us. Economic sanctions against countries that sponsor or harbor terrorists (reducing our dependency on foreign oil wouldn't hurt either).
And funding the PB rec centers so they can keep their lights on at night so I can play basketball after work!!
Go Obama!
Addendum: Two more websites to check out.
www.whitehouse.gov
www.whitehouse.org
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Blog origin
I see I have some new followers and wanted to introduce the blog and the name's origin.
For the record, I did not name this blog because I am proud of my last name or the fact that it rhymes with male genitalia.
The blogging idea started because I enjoyed pointing out the stupid things I read and hear only to have them fall on less than interested or extremely high ears. My affinity for baseball and sports blogs is well known by my friends and though it may have begun as an attempt to shut me up, its blossomed into what you read below.
The name was the collective brainchild of my hillaaaaaarrrrious roommates who only agreed to read the blog if I named it "Walczaksballsacks" In hindsight, I can't believe I didn't name it "Walczaksbalczaks." I blew it.
For the record, I did not name this blog because I am proud of my last name or the fact that it rhymes with male genitalia.
The blogging idea started because I enjoyed pointing out the stupid things I read and hear only to have them fall on less than interested or extremely high ears. My affinity for baseball and sports blogs is well known by my friends and though it may have begun as an attempt to shut me up, its blossomed into what you read below.
The name was the collective brainchild of my hillaaaaaarrrrious roommates who only agreed to read the blog if I named it "Walczaksballsacks" In hindsight, I can't believe I didn't name it "Walczaksbalczaks." I blew it.
Just Married
On the way home today I saw a "Just Married" bumper sticker on a new car. It made me wonder how long they're going to leave it on. And which member of the marriage would take it off. At what point are you not "just married?"
I meant to blog about this long ago but take a look at this story (the URL just might give away the direction the story is going).
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/saudiarabia/3884696/Saudi-court-rejects-plea-to-annul-8-year-old-girls-marriage-to-58-year-old-man.html
Now I and everyone reading this blog was brought up in the era where we are taught throughout school, on TV, and everywhere else to accept all cultures; people are different and if you don't like it, there’s a problem with you, and not a problem with them. I definitely agree with this; I would say I'm on the extreme side of the acceptance spectrum. People should be able to do what they want as long it doesn't interfere with another person's liberty. But there’s only so far I’m willing to accept other peoples’ cultures before I have to put my foot down. There is something fundamentally wrong when young girls are sold into marriages with men old enough to be their father/grandfather is not only practiced by a significant portion of the population (though rarely to such an egregious degree) but actually government sanctioned even when there its an 8 year old. Apparently they aren't going to consummate the marriage until the girl is 18, but I'll believe that when I see it (if I were in fact there to see it. That 58 year old will be getting antsy in a couple years).
The bigger issue is how we as only slightly motivated Americans prevent things like this from happening. Is it even something that we can do anything about besides criticize from 12,000 miles away. I don’t know if there is anything else to do. I know I'm hardly taking a controversial opinion by being against arranged marriages, I thought you guys would like to see this story.
I meant to blog about this long ago but take a look at this story (the URL just might give away the direction the story is going).
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/saudiarabia/3884696/Saudi-court-rejects-plea-to-annul-8-year-old-girls-marriage-to-58-year-old-man.html
Now I and everyone reading this blog was brought up in the era where we are taught throughout school, on TV, and everywhere else to accept all cultures; people are different and if you don't like it, there’s a problem with you, and not a problem with them. I definitely agree with this; I would say I'm on the extreme side of the acceptance spectrum. People should be able to do what they want as long it doesn't interfere with another person's liberty. But there’s only so far I’m willing to accept other peoples’ cultures before I have to put my foot down. There is something fundamentally wrong when young girls are sold into marriages with men old enough to be their father/grandfather is not only practiced by a significant portion of the population (though rarely to such an egregious degree) but actually government sanctioned even when there its an 8 year old. Apparently they aren't going to consummate the marriage until the girl is 18, but I'll believe that when I see it (if I were in fact there to see it. That 58 year old will be getting antsy in a couple years).
The bigger issue is how we as only slightly motivated Americans prevent things like this from happening. Is it even something that we can do anything about besides criticize from 12,000 miles away. I don’t know if there is anything else to do. I know I'm hardly taking a controversial opinion by being against arranged marriages, I thought you guys would like to see this story.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Time to get back on the blogging horse/old ideas
Unfortunately I haven't had much to talk about recently and although there are plenty of "serious" topics to discuss, I want to avoid the blog be more about random stuff and less about my views on serious stuff. So I'm still keeping my eye out for casual topics. I wanted to refresh the blog with a couple of paragraphs about things I meant to blog about earlier but never got around to it.
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