Financial crisis background... explained with cartoons

Confused by the whole sub-prime mortgage mess (you know, one of the factors responsible for the current financial crisis)?

Like stick figure drawings?

Like poorly drawn stick figure drawings that swear?

Are actually kind of a geek?

Click here for some entertainment.

Props to EW for posting this to my school's website.

As seen at Alamo Square

So it's hard to read because I took it with my cell phone... but this message was chalked at Alamo Square:

"Palin hates polar bears"

I heard a few tourists ask what was going on - they saw this message on a few other sidewalks in my hood. I explained that this lovely VP candidate tried to get the polar bear taken off the endangered species list. The tourists (Irish, I think) had the same horrified expression I had when I read an article about that one. Yeeeeah.

Work, running & Fido

Now for a three real updates.

1. I'm starting week two of work tomorrow. Week one was, well, lacking. As in lacking direction, a computer, a login, concrete planning... At least I managed to get access to the bike cage in the garage so I get to bike commute :)

2. Marathon training is in full-effing-swing. Six weeks until the big day (Oct 19. If you're in SF, come cheer me on!). I've been feeling great. Limited pain, keeping a solid pace, enjoying myself (though not enjoying the 8am start times on Saturday morning!). Until this weekend. My knee started hurting around mile 15. Ugh. Made for a long 22 miles. I'm stretching, icing and hitting the ibuprofen. Hoping to find a good sports massage therapist with an evening open this week! I'm pretty sure it's just my IT band acting up, which has bothered me in the past. It feels pretty much the same and is responding to the IT band stretches I've been doing. Still. Ugh. This was my big fear in training for the full marathon.

3. Fido died again last week. AGAIN due to the starter. Turns out it was a faulty part. Awesome. At least I made it to my first day of work. Orientation was all the way out in San Rafael, which required driving. It died just after I got off the expressway. Thank goodness for the ex-tow truck driver who pulled me off to the shoulder. On the bright side, I provided some business to Tom's Biodiesel Towing. Fido is now all better. The shop in Healdsburg provided the replacement part to a shop here in SF, so I only had to pay for labor twice. Not great, but that's how the warranty works on these things.

Daily Update

This morning: 126.4 lbs, 24.3% BF

Daily Update

This morning: 125.3 lbs, 23.7% BF

Employed in T - 9 hours

New job starts at 8am tomorrow (in San Ramon, which may as well be France. It's going to take at least an hour to get there - thank goodness it's just for one day and then I'm in SF on Tuesday!). I'm anxious and nervous, but generally feeling ready to get back into the working world.

Good night!

As seen in a Victoria's Secret email advertisement...

whew. thank goodness. it's been a little drafty lately without pant (s).

Daily update

This morning: 125.4 lbs, 24.0% BF

I'm really hoping that work kind of forces me into a normal eating routine with fewer snacks. While I obviously won't be able to go for a 45 mile bike ride like I did this Wednesday, I also won't be taking in all of those post-ride calories... or post-post ride calories. We shall see... for now, at least I'm stable.

Biker/Senator Kerry

Great blog post from Jonathan Vaughters, pro bike team founder and Tour de France veteran... apparently Kerry rides. Well.

Some fun tidbits from the post...
"What I was expecting was the normal 12 mph dawdle with the Senator wearing some ugly Bermuda shorts or whatever. However, when Senator Kerry showed up at Slipstream HQ in Boulder, man, it was a different story.

First clue was he was excited to be wearing the cycling clothes he got from us. (Yes, he bought them, regulatory agencies reading this.) The second big clue was a race cut medium actually fit him well. The third clue was his legs were shaved! Can you do that and still be a Senator??!

John Kerry descended like he stole the friggin’ bike from the GOP.

Anyhow, after a great two hour ride, some very hopeful conversation about how government can help cycling become more popular and a real weapon against everything from obesity to pollution, and of course, Senator Kerry’s passionate and intelligent ideas on how government can help anti-doping efforts, I gotta say, I kinda like the guy…Politician and all.

And the dude can descend like a lunatic, so at he very least, I know he’s got balls."

I want you to want me... song of the day, apparently

Anyone know what female artist did a (good) remake of "I Want You to Want Me" (I think the original is Cheap Trick)? I've been singing it most of the day and would like to download the girl version.

Thanks folks.

Daily update

This morning: 126.0 lbs, 24.2% BF

Been forgetting to do my daily weight updates. Ah well. No big changes there anyway.

I did just go to the farmer's market yesterday and buy a lot of great fresh fruits and vegetables. Having these around is helpful when trying to cut calories, but with all my cardio (marathon training, mostly), I still crave bread-y carbs and sweets.

Realtors peddle real estate to bike-happy clients

Some folks are predicting a mass immigration back to the cities from the suburbs. Living near work, school and play is becoming more appealing as gas prices rise and smaller properties are more efficient to heat and cool.

So it makes sense that some Realtors would jump on this trend by advertising the local transportation options, including my favorite - biking!!! A forward-thinking realtor in Oregon takes her clients out by bike, rather than by car. Totally makes sense - you're saying that this is a bike-friendly area... so prove it to your clients.

A few quotes from an SF Chron article, titled Realtors peddle real estate to bike-happy clients:

...Portland's Kirsten Kaufman is part of a new generation of agents eager to replace the stereotypes of hauling clients around in fancy sedans or SUVs.

The mother of three starting hosting bike tours earlier this summer...clients whose passion for pedaling weighs heavily in their choice of homes. Some are hard-core cyclists. Others are moving into the city to avoid increasingly expensive and onerous commutes.

"It's becoming more common to see families committing to driving less," said Kaufman. "I think it's a part of the market that will continue to grow as gas gets more expensive."

...a bigger trend — a fundamental shift in the way people think about buying homes.

Real estate agents and industry surveys indicate that home buyers are placing more importance on cutting their gas bills and commute times and that homes near urban centers, and subway, train and bus stops are selling faster than those in the distant suburbs.

...Matt Kolb, a bike agent who owns Pedal to Properties, a Boulder, Colo., firm. "People want to live, work and go to school within a six blocks radius — that's changing the way they look at property."

Pedal to Properties has five agents and a fleet of 48 cruiser bikes and big plans for nationwide expansion. Next year, the company will stretch into Oregon and Texas.

...As the popularity of bike commuting continues to rise, Kaufman says she's eager to see how far the wheels of her dark green Trek will take her.

"Ultimately I want to help people find a home that's going to work for them," she said. "This isn't about trying to green-wash real estate or profit from a niche market — it's about helping people make smart decisions, both for themselves and for the planet."

Van Jones on Sarah Palin

Ahhh... I loves me some Van Jones. Brilliant, passionate and handsome. Here's his thoughts on McCain's VP pick, Sarah Palin:

None of my pro-Hillary female friends are falling for this obvious GOP pander. To the contrary, McCain's selection of Sarah Palin as his VP is drawing hoots of derision.

Once they learn that Sarah Palin opposes rape and incest exceptions for women seeking abortion, they completely write her off.

One female friend said: "Sarah Palin is to the movement for women's equality what Clarence Thomas is to civil rights. She's an extremist and an enemy to the cause that has been fought on her behalf.... Someone should stand up and say: 'I know Senator Clinton. Senator Clinton is a friend of mine. And Sarah Palin is no Hillary Rodham Clinton.'"

One female friend did some quick internet research and said, "Sarah Palin has a great deal of surface appeal, at first. But once America's women look behind that cheerleader smile and see at her extreme social agenda, they will run the other direction."

Another said, "McCain picked a fan, not an equal partner. She has no international experience. She was just fawning all over him. No independence. Given McCain's temper, Sarah Palin probably won't challenge John McCain on any substantive issues."

Then she added, with a laugh, "The only thing he is going to let her do in the White House is teach him how to use the internet."

Another said, "It just seems desperate and calculated."

She added, "Palin makes McCain look ancient, out-of-touch and totally yesterday. McCain makes her look like a perky kid. Each one dramatically and perfectly underscores the other's weakness. At least, nobody can criticize Obama's alleged youth and inexperience now. But this is not the best team America could produce, by any stretch."

John McCain has gone from maverick to "me too" -- trying to out-Democrat the Democrats and pick up some Hillary voters.

But it ain't working.

Found at The Huffington Post.

Daily update

This morning: 125.6 lbs, 24.0% BF

Not bad after a weekend, I guess...?