Ramblings about soccer, bicycling, and living
I saw this story on SciAm online, where you replay the day when you dream. Seems like research is verifying the intuitive (to me, at least) idea that your dreams allow your mind to store memories of your day in “long term” places.
Now, if the researchers could only give us a technique to have the day replay my dreams…
According to today’s NY Times, Goldman Sachs will be taking “no write downs” in the sub-prime mortgage crisis. For nearly the past year, they have been selling off these investments. So while other banks have taken tens of billions of dollars in losses in the last couple of quarters, Goldman Sachs has record profits.
Seems there is a culture at the bank that has given real power to risk analyst, so that they make as much money as the investment managers. That is millions per year per person. Interesting read…
The old bike path was kept separate from the ped path, so that it crosses Washington (and a block away, Portland) about 20 feet from the corner. This kept the bikes away from the peds, but made the cars yield twice in the 20 feet. In effect, it was two cross walks 20 feet apart. Now, at countless thousands of dollars, the city has funneled the bikes to merge with the sidewalk at each intersection, instead of staying separate. So that it is more likely that a bike can blind side an old lady with a walker and a dog on a leash at the intersection.
Oh well, those that know me, understand what I think: A bicyclist is safer on the street where he doesn’t need to stop, then come out between parked cars, at every block. If one stays on the street and takes up a full lane of space, he is very visible at the four way stop so cars don’t run him over.
Anyway, I will still job off the path, on the dirt, and probably ignore the crosswalk anyway.
I can’t help but think that Alexi choose Ruud Gullit for the “sexy hair.”
Video of Alexi is here.
Embedded Ruud here.
Or was it because both were musicians?
You Tube Alexi again and Ruud.
But it is a certainty that Cobi Jones was hired as assistant coach because of his hairstyle.
Sherie and I drove up to the Shenandoah Valley in the Gold Country last Sunday. She had four bottles of Wine Club conumables to pick up at Amador Cellars. Of course, once there, her friends from the old days Larry and Linda made us quite welcome. Their nephew (sorry, I forget his name) told us stories of his three month long honeymoon, from Sweden to Morrocco, then central Africa (great mountain gorrilla stories), then on to Thailand and Viet Nam. Glad to hear about his adventures with his new bride; although I haven’t met her, she seems pretty adventurous.
Back to the wines: Amador Cellars makes reasonably priced wines that have distinctive terroir character. The Zins are grown right there, with the Rocky Point Vineyard (RPV) wines being a bit more “BIG” (read dry with lots of alch). The Westside Vineyards Zins are a little more “balanced” leaving a bit more fruity flavor. These wines tend to be a bit different year to year.
The Syrah Larry makes is a great value; he gets the grapes from two of his neighbors. Year to year, these have stayed pretty consistent. A great taste with a really nice finish. This is Sherie’s favorite.
Other Amador wines are also good values, but not the reason Ben likes to visit.
I asked Larry which of his neighbors are worth a visit. I said I like Big Zins, so he recommended Dobra Zemlja. Yes, great wine, all of them. But we only bought the Zin.
We also stopped at Shenandoah Vineyards, because I knew they are certified organic. I was pleased with the wine quality/value, with good everyday wines from $8 with case discount. Maybe not as relaxed in the tasting room as some places, but we bought several wines here too.
Larry recommends his neighbor Vino Noceto for Barberas in the Italian style. Sorry to say, we didn’t have enough energy, or wine budget money, or trunk space, to stop and get some.
For Rhone varietals, Larry recommends Karly. Another place for the next visit.
Anyway, a high point of our visit was a chance for a cool picnic lunch under the live oak in front of Larry and Linda’s winery. Because a storm had just cleared through Northern California, the air was crisp and clear. The north wind had blown away the haze, and we enjoyed the view of the vineyards with the leaves in color, and dropping to carpet the damp red soil. We tasted a few of the Zin grapes left on the vines to raisin: Wow! The sweetness was incredible, what a dessert. These are the grapes to make Larry’s Port style dessert wines; he will harvest the grapes soon enough.
On the drive home, the view of the Crystal Range above Tahoe was winter-white from the recent storm. The grass is greening up, the view of the coast range and Mt. Diablo drew our eyes as we drove straight into the setting sun.
Sorry I didn’t review the Houston vs. KC game already. Not much to add here; I still like to root on the old ExQuakes. Dom and the boys were spirited, played attacking and aggressively, and deserved to win. Too bad Ching is hurt; lucky that Jaqua will still be around to play the final against NE.
I am not too hopeful that we will have an attacking game on Sunday. Probably will be a defensive slugfest with not enough whistles for rough and late contact. Not that we can’t hope, however…
I stumbled across this news story about studies showing that vitamin D may be useful in reducing tumor growth in some types of cancer. (Science Daily) The studies seem to be inconclusive, but brings to the surface my seasonal dread as we approach the shortest days of the year.
Yes, my mood drops, and I grow more grumpy. It could be less exercise, it could be being cooped up more with the rainy season, but it could also be just the fact that I see the sunlight less.
My usual workday routine is to ride my bike to work (in the early daylight all year), eat my desk at my lunch, then ride home in the early evening (bright light in much of the year, but dark during the shortest days.) So I just don’t get much direct sunlight on workdays, especially if there are clouds in the morning.
So I am hoping to take a daily walk outside at lunch. Get up and go outside during the brightest time of the day. If fifteen minutes is enough to get my vitamin D dose, will it help my winter moods?
I rode my bike solo yesterday, as Sherie is still recuperating from her knee tendon sprain. Up Spruce, Wildcat through Tilden, Bears Backwards (counterclockwise), south again on SP Dam Road, backtrack up Wildcat to home. ~37 mi, 3300 vert feet.
It is different riding by myself, as I tend to ride in a different way than when I am being social with Sherie on her bike. I tend to ride a bit faster, without stopping, just to a pace that keeps my heart feeling a bit challenged. Especially yesterday as the rains came, very lightly at first, when I was about as far from home as the loop required when it started. That is, between Papa Bear and Momma Bear, the drops got thick enough to get the pavement wet. By the time I turned left on Alhambra Valley Road, my glasses were very spotted and my legs were getting pretty wet.
Anyway, once again I was upset by the roadside trash on Alhambra Valley Road. I keep wondering when and if they will ever bust the jerks who continue to dump trash on this road. So I feel I should publicize what I do know.
Last spring on a solo ride going East on Alhambra Valley Road, (can’t remember date/day) I saw a red full-size pickup with an old couch in the back. I think there may also have been a couple full garbage bags. Anyway, the pickup passed me, and disappeared around a corner. As I rounded this corner a minute later, I saw it with brake lights on turning into a pullout on the South side of the road. It then accelerated away down the road (presumably when the driver saw me in the mirror). So I started wondering, is this vehicle/driver the Alhambra Valley Roadside Dumper?
Of course, it was too far away to see a license plate number. But I kept thinking of this as I rode. And sure enough, about another mile up the road, I saw what looked like the same couch in a turnout beside the road, along with some other trash.
I continue to wonder if the red pickup is the party that continues to dump trash here. The trash is eventually picked up and hauled away, I would guess by the county. But more trash continues to reappear in its place. And so the cycle continues.
Who else may have seen anything out here that could be a clue? Has anyone ever reported anything to the authorities?
My wife sent me a link to a story about a protein that a placenta secretes that keeps it from being attacked by the mother’s immune system (BBC News). Apparently some parasitic worms secret the same protein, which works to allow them to live in our bodies….
Okay, so you know I watched the MLS semifinal game last night, between Eastern teams NE Revs and Chic Fire. Here is my reaction, before I read any news articles:
The TV experience: I love watching HD soccer, especially now that I can record it on the DVR and watch it when I am ready and pause it when I need to. Don’t tell the network that I zap through all the commericals and most of the talking heads stuff before, at the half, etc. (Sorry Julie Foudy, but I want to use my time to see the game.) ESPN has gotten better at missing less action with better timing of the promotional popup mess.
I hate so much of what ESPN does to take one away from the game. Why block the gorgeous look of the stadium/field/players with that ugly red and black banner scoreboard? There is more “filler graphic” than there is real info, even if you call the promo logos information. It is even wider on the second row from the top, so the most intrusive part is more in the middle of the screen. And it is not even at the top of the screen, so that I am teased by seeing the game above the banner. (How many times have I written to ESPN to fix that this year, never to get any reply?) ABC/ESPN: get a clue, watch an HDNet broadcast.
The setting: That new stadium looks gorgeous, although it is oversized for the crowds the Revs draw. But why do they have that 30 yard gap between the stands behing the goal with the rabid supports and the rest of the crowd? Are they trying to isolate the rowdies from the families? It makes for a bizarre view on TV, the way the crowd is fractured. I bet it must be even more bizarre for the people there, when we see the near sideline totally empty. Strange site…
However, the field looks good. Those American tackleball lines are almost entirely gone, at least enough gone that they do not detract from the visuals. But…
A plastic field none the less. Probably plays better than many, but it promotes a game that is less entertaining to watch, as it encourages the high ball, which encourages big players and rough play.
The man in the middle: Kevin Stott, you are on my holiday list now. Your gift will be a new whistle. Did you forget to bring one? How many rough tackles do you let happen? Why no yellow cards for studs up shin busting tackles after the ball is gone? Did you have direction from the league office to not give out cards so the “stars” of the team would all be available for the final?
The goal: Taylor Twellman had that one moment of brilliance that decided the game. Of course it was dangerous play, with his boot just missing the heads of two Fire defenders. Of course the ref wasn’t calling any penalties for mugging in the box, so why should he disallow this? Thanks for the one moment of pure soccer joy.
The run of play: There were countless tactical and rough tackles to prevent an offensive thrust, many by both teams. Few were called as fouls, some were allowed as “play on” advantage by Stott, and many brought on whining from Blanco, but also from Twellman, Ralston, etc. So both sides resorted to this dirty style, as of course you do whatever it takes to win that the ref allows you to get away with…
So to get a chance on goal, anyone, especially in the middle of the field, had to get rid of the ball fast. One or two touches were all you were going to get before you were chopped down. Both teams understood, both teams moved the ball to the wings where it could be worked forward for the inevitable cross. Some crosses connnected into some sort of shot, but remember that the receiver of the cross was getting mugged as the ball arrived, so few were very threatening. TT’s moment of brilliance was from a cross that bounced straight up during the initial mugging, then TT got balanced before the defenders and got the bike to go in. ..
The coaches: Osorio, while he got the players to play tactically well, blew the substitute thing. Calen Carr has the mobility to get away from the mugger and get a shot off, but didn’t get on until the last ten minutes. Wanchope’s concrete boots just set him up for Parkhurst of whomever to mug him when the ball arrived. Rolfe did okay out on the right, but I wish he had an extended chance up top to use his speed to escape behind the Rev muggers on some through ball.
Oh well, NE Revs back in the final. Probably another one goal will decide that game as well, unless there are more whistles by the ref.
Benlucky's Blog 
Recent Comments