Marc Germain Back On The Air!!!

Fabulous news! Radio host Marc Germain will be joining the on-air staff of our local Air America Radio affiliate, KTLK. I've been listening to Germain for years and am a big fan. He was previously an evening host on local Los Angeles stations KABC and KFI. This guy has a terrific show and I'm totally jazzed that he is back on the air. The only bummer is that I now have to decide whether to listen to him or to podcasts on my evening commute.

The Promise of Berkeley

Click here for a great video about my alma mater. What can I say? Go Bears!

Mission La Purisimia

Sara and Tim continue their tour of all the California Missions with a visit to Mission La Purismia on February 18, 2007. Enjoy this photo essay.

Kerry Demands Answers from Swift Boat Liar

At an Ambassadorship Confirmation hearing on February 27, Senator John Kerry blasted nominee Sam Fox about the $50,000 contribution Fox gave to the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth. Now why couldn't Kerry have done this before the election???

Lazy!!!

Yikes!!! I haven't updated this blog in quite some time. Well, let's see if I can get on it!

Bears at the Top of the PAC

With U$C's hilarious loss to OSU, the Cal Bears are at the top of the PAC 10 Conference!!!! This means the Bears control their destiny as they head into the final weeks of the regular season. All the next four games (UCLA, U$C, Arizona, and Stanfurd) are important. However the November 18 contest against U$C in Los Angeles will take on special significance as it should decide who's going to the Rose Bowl. I'll be there with my brother, Mark.

Go Bears!!!

Limbaugh Supports Sex Tourism in the Dominican Republic

After returning from vacation in the Dominican Republic, Right-wing mouthpiece/gas-bag/oxycontin popper Rush Limbaugh was detained for more than three hours at the Palm Beach International Airport for possession of a bottle of Viagra without a prescription. According to Limbaugh's attorney, Roy Black, a doctor had prescribed the drug which treats erectile dysfunction to el Rushbo, but left the name of the radio talk show host off the bottle for "privacy purposes."

A concerned listener immediately called Rush's show on Tuesday to ask if Rush thought the government should expand the domestic surveillance program to include sex tourism in the Dominican Republic. Limbaugh provided no response.

The latest incident comes only a month after Limbaugh reached a deal with prosecutors for charges brought against him for "doctor shopping", the practice of illegally deceiving multiple doctors to receive overlapping prescriptions.

Limbaugh has been divorced three times and has recently ended a relationship with CNN anchor Daryn Kagan. So, if Mr. Conservative Family Values is currently single and not in a monogamous relationship, what exactly was he planning on doing with all of those blue pills?

Works For Me!!!

Late Show host David Letterman on that right-wing idiot, Ann Coulter:

"Ann Coulter is in trouble for her inflammatory statements. Ann is blonde and single. Hey, let's set her up with O.J.!"

2 Billion People Can't Be Wrong

Today at Disneyland in California, 12-year old Emmalee Mason became the two-billionth visitor to a Disney Park. The event was marked by streamers, Disney characters, and a speech by the Chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, Jay Rasulo.

In addition, Mason and members of her family were presented with lifetime passes to all 11 Disney Parks around the world. Of course, travel was not provided.

I'm Just A Bill on Capitol Hill

Any fifth-grader who has taken Social Studies, or any kid who has watched the "I'm Just A Bill" segment on Schoolhouse Rock, would be able to tell you how a bill becomes a law in the United States: One House of Congress passes a bill, the other House passes the same bill, and then the President signs it into law. However, the Republican-controlled House would have you believe it no longer works that way. In February, President Bush signed a bill into law that had never officially passed the House.

The Republican-backed bill would cut nearly $40 billion over five years by reducing Medicaid rolls, raising work requirements for welfare, and trimming the student loan program. Some of these massive cuts would be realized by restricting Medicare payments for durable medical equipment, such as wheelchairs and oxygen tanks.

A clerical error caused the House to receive a different bill than the one that was passed by the Senate. With the mistaken change, the measure squeaked through the House, 216 to 214. After the mistake was revealed, Republican leaders decided that they didn't want to have another vote on the bill, so President Bush simply decided to sign the Senate version into law.

The issue could be simply resolved if the House were to vote again on the correct bill. However, with the midterm elections coming up, Republican leaders in the House are more than happy to sweep this whole issue under the carpet rather than making all these unpopular cuts center stage.

So, is that how things work in this country? Ignoring the Constitutionally-prescribed method of creating a law? Apparently it is when the Republicans control so many branches of government.

Blast!

On Saturday night, I attended a performance of Blast at the beautiful Pasadena Civic Auditorium with my buddy Dr. Bill Marelich. For those of you who haven't heard about Blast, the show takes the pageantry of Drum and Bugle Corps and moves that entire experience from outside on a football field to inside a theater. In simpler terms, it's marching band on steroids. Bill had never seen the show before, but I had previously seen two productions of the full touring show, as well as countless viewings of an abridged version back when it was being performed at Disney's California Adventure.

The show was slightly scaled down from what I remember, but it was still great. Those performers are absolute monsters. Both Bill and I had played in high school and college bands, so this experience brought back a lot of memories.

Matt Leinart Knows His Fans

I really have to hand it to former U$C Quarterback Matt Leinart. He knows his fans. The last few weeks, these billboards have been popping up all over Los Angeles. After two successful seasons at the University of Spoiled Children, Matt wants to say goodbye to his fans.

However, I was amused to see the Leinart billboard pop up just right outside "The Spearmint Rhino", a local strip club.

From the interesting placement of the ad, I can only assume that Leinart thinks many $C fans frequent the Spearmint Rhino. So, when those Trojans come stumbling out of the club in the middle of the night, Leinart wants to make sure they look up, see his big mug smiling back at them, and remember just how much he loves them.

Go Bears!!!!

Disneyland Dedication Speech

The opening of Disneyland back in 1955 is sometimes referred to as "Black Sunday". That's because there were a lot of problems: it was the middle of summer and there weren't enough water fountains; there was a gas leak in Fantasyland; and women's' high heels were getting stuck in the wet cement.

In that spirit, I took Walt Disney's Dedication Speech and made a few changes. Take a listen.

Sara Survives Space Mountain

Sara doesn't like roller-coasters, but she does get on them occasionally. She finally kept her eyes open on Disneyland's Space Mountain. And here's the photographic proof!!!

Rainy Rose Parade

Not since 1955 has it rained on the Pasadena Tournament of Rose Parade. (Interesting enough, the Grand Marshall of that soggy Parade was Supreme Court Justice Earl Warren. Is it a coincidence that this year's Marshall is Justice Sandra Day O'Connor? Hmmm.) Nevertheless, brave participants and spectators braved the elements to put on the annual floral display for the rest of the country and the world. And I salute those performers who made it down the 5 1/2 mile route in the rare Southern California downpour. Especially the Band Members. Playing in the rain is no fun. In my days in High School and College Marching Band, I've only had to perform in the rain once. And that was more than enough for me.

Happy Holidays!

Merry Christmas Everyone!!!

Wow. We've been insanely busy at the office these last two months, which is why I haven't had much time to Blog lately. In November, we put a new research project in the field, and flew several facilitators out to Los Angeles for an intensive three day training on this intervention. And then in December, we prepared a new research grant application for submission to the National Institute of Health. I don't know how we did it, but somehow we managed to get it all done before Christmas Vacation. So now I'm just going to kick back for the next few weeks and enjoy myself.

Tonight Sara and I are heading towards her parents' home to spend Christmas Eve with her family. And then we'll spend Christmas Day with my family.

Oh, for a chuckle, check out this rather unusual Christmas Greeting.

Sara's Birthday

Family and Friends celebrated Sara's birthday on Saturday at the Buca di Beppo in Old Town Pasadena. Click here to see some pictures.

Engagement Pictures

These are a little old, but check out Sara and my engagement pictures that were taken at Disneyland in May, 2005.

Would Someone Please ...

George Bush has started an ill-timed and disastrous war under false pretenses by lying to the American people and to the Congress.

He has run a budget surplus into a severe deficit; he has consistently and unconscionably favored the wealthy and corporations over the rights and needs of the population; he has destroyed trust and confidence in and good will toward, the United States around the globe.

He has ignored global warming to the world's detriment; he has wantonly broken our treaty obligations; he has condoned torture of prisoners; he has attempted to create a theocracy in the United States.

He has appointed incompetent cronies to positions of vital national importance.

Now, would someone please give him a blow-job so we can impeach him?

Birthday BBQ

Today is Sara's dad's birthday. To celebrate, Sara and I took her mom and dad to the Barn Burner Texas BBQ to celebrate. We all had a good time, but we see that their service really hasn't improved much. However, the meat is still pretty good. Sara and I think we've finally figured out how to order: Just get one of the combos (our group of 4 ordered the largest one, which is 2 pounds of meat), and then get a few more 1/2 pounds of meat and sides depending on how hungry everyone is.

The restaurant has a lot of funny decorations, including this statue of John Wayne. We forgot our digital camera, but I took a picture of Sara's dad with my cell phone.