OK, it has happened again - iZe!

A couple of sample pictures from this past weekend, all taken with a Sony Ericsson W810i. Pretty amazing quality for a little candybar phone with a dirty lens!

The Pacific NorthWest, contradictory to is name and reputation, is neither cold or especially rainy. But, this past week has actually been cold here. Pretty constantly below freezing which is really rare. Add on top of that a little bit of precipitation and there's a recipie for disaster.

Being from a Nordic country, we are used to snow and slush/ice, but not to drivers trying to move forward, even when the road ahead is clogged with cars stuck, quite literally, not being able to move anywhere. That "need to get there at any price" is more of the problem than the ice. and, there's not much we can do about the ice than to wait. to wait for it to melt, or for "counter measures" (studded tires, road salt, chains).

Last week the snow (or hail) started on Wednesday. Conditions in Kirkland were more like mayhem during the rush hour and into the late evening. We were out walking the dogs when it started snowing/hailing just around 4 PM. About an hour later we came upon Market Street (major north-south arterial) and chaos was the only would that would describe the situation. A neighbor of ours and myself ended up staying for about an hour and helping to push cars out of the way (some were left in the middle of the road), and a couple o days later, I could still see 6 of them still "parked" on the road. After that "heavy lifting" we went up to the local bar and sat inside with a brew (ESB) watching cars sliding down the hill. Live entertainment at its best!

Most of the area was shut down over the next days. We even got a little bit of ice on both the sea as well as Lake Washington - unheard of - but oh so beautiful! The mass of sliding cars was no problem, compared to the cancelled meeting for Steinklinkers. Our monthly brewery discovery/sampling group. Oh well, we would not have been able to get there in any case. Issaquah was just out of reach. Catch-up race is on for tomorrow.

Saturday afternoon dropped a tiny amount of snow. Perfect for making the already ice covered streets nicely "lubricated". It did not take long before a car went down in the drink (swamp/wetland) next to our house. Streets were again impassable for Sunday. It was all pretty fun!

But that does not in any way, shape, or form, match what did take place in Portland, OR, this morning. Take a look at this little clip. I've watched this clip so many times and I cannot do anything else than laugh! Yes, it is sort of said but on the other hand, the drivers could probably not do anything than laugh either. It was that slick. Enjoy!

Steve Zays; iPhone

Most people were sceptical to whether there would actually be a solid business case for an iPhone from Apple. But, those can probably take some time off. Steve Jobs today announced the "iPhone", or whatever it'll be called, at Macworld in SFO.

Personally, I never doubted the sound business case for an iPhone, Apple has the design capabilities to make it a stunning success, but I was not really sure if Apple would dare to go forward. Since it'll be an expensive piece of hardware (at least if seen as "just a phone"), people wanting it will have to pay up. And that is a good thing. Maybe this will be the beginning to an end of the endless "promotion" of phones from the carriers, when they as a result not only locks you in to a contract, but also locks the device, SIM lock, thereby in all practicality preventing you from using "your" phone elsewhere (=on another network).

GSM is such a powerful technology, and the ability to have a telephone for a specific usage situation; one for the weekday at the office (Smartphone), one for the night on the town (slim device), another one when hiking over the weekend (rugged device), by simply pulling out the SIM card and plugging it into a another device/phone has essentially gotten killed in the North American marketplace.

People seem to be happy in getting a phone for free, while they should very well know that there are no "free" phones. You pay for that little sucker via your monthly bill, and the sad thing there is currently no reward for you NOT taking that "free" phone.

I'd rather see a scenario where you actually pay the real price for your phone, but then it is also yours. You can take it to the next carrier (pending your other contractual oblogations of course), you can take it overseas, or you can donate it to your grandmother, or to a mother in Bangladesh that is setting up a "village phone" service. The device is yours and not locked/controlled by a carrier.

This somewhat reminds of when visiting Hong Kong. On EVERY BLOCK there was an electronics store with several hundreds of mobile phones you can simply choose from. cNet's blog "CRAVE" has a good story/summary of how it could work even in he United States as well. Carriers, give the consumers the choice and let the market forces work in our favor!

Me - and Steve Jobs - have spoken (even though iPhone only will be available from Cingular/at&t and likely with a firm service commitment - and hence a "SIM lock"). I've also heard rumors about devilish "traps" if Apple/Cingular find one of these phones unlocked.

And, at the end of the day we also heard of how Cingular anew will spend a couple of hundred millions on rebranding themselves back to AT&T, this time w/o the "Wireless". I guess there was not enough money to fully go back to their old name. All too bad since I really got fond of the Cingular name and its orange "blob". Much more desirable and "hip" than the old (or a new) AT&T logo. But, according to Cingular, I have never been a full-worthy "Cingular" subscriber since we are still on an AT&T Wireless rate plan with no intention of changing as long as its price/features can not be matched (by Cingular, now at&t). So, instead of being the last AT&T subscriber, I might actually be the first one...

Polar Bear PlungeZ

Most New Year's Days, one is too "relaxed" (aka sleeping) to be able to drag ones feet out of bed early in the morning. Be it for taking a plunge in the cold (relatively) waters of Lake Washington, there is just another reason for staying in.

Well, not so this year. Long before Christmas, I had at least launched the idea of "plunging" into the lake this morning that is otherwise more spent chilling out, eating, reading. It was of course not in a quest of bravery, but rather to get some other with me. Not so. I only managed to get the wife (+dogs) to leave the comfort of home and come down to the beach in downtown Kirkland.

Compared to taking a plunge in icecold waters in a wintry Sweden, today's plunge was really not much to talk about. But it was fun to see that many peoiple down there, gathered around a warm bonfire, a bonfire that would also burn a couple of holes through my BRAND NEW Moonstone fleece shirt.

In any case, not much to add. Let the pictures do the talking:

Traditional ChristmaZ Party

Today was the time for one of the highlights of the Season;
The John&Jan Holiday Party (aka known as the evening of "RSVP school")

Always an enjoyable evening with a great mix of people, wonderful food and some good brews/wine. I'm not religious, but it is sort of a "blessing" to have such great neighbors!

Thanks Guys for your wonderful hospitality and lets make sure we make 2007 just as good as 2006!

Christmas Zoo

If you haven't gotten our Christmas Card, don't fret. Not one else has gotten it either - yet. They are coming off the Costco printing press any day now, and will soon be on it's way, wow!

Getting 2 dogs, 3 cats and a wife into the same picture is not the easiest thing to do - especially when the wife is about to head out shopping...

Last year, we had the camera hooked up to the PC and took some 100+ photos in order to get "a few" decent ones.

This year, due to "Canon issues" (software no longer supporting remote shooting), we had our neighbor over as a "trigger finger". John is not slow, but he is nowhere as fast as a PC running at full speed. Hence, the "photo samples" to pick from were not as plentiful this year. On the flip side, I don't think we've seen John laugh as hard in a long time, and as a result the camera moved around a bit. A benefit not given when using a tripod :-). Taking these few photos was a real adventure, not the least for wife who escaped with only a few (cat) scrathes this time.

Honorable mention here is for sure Canon's support. A gentleman spend well over three hours on a call with me Friday(?) evening (un-installing, cleaning/rebuilding registry, etc). Just that simple call likely cost Canon more than what we paid for the camera back in 2002, but the fact that support IS there when one needs it - and very dedicated support that is - has guaranteed that Canon will have me as a return customer even for the next camera. I never got your name, or more likely forgot it, but I know you were heading out for a whiskey after you were "done" with me. If you are reading this, Merry Christmas to you and yours!

Apart from that, Christmas has been great (as every year). It is a truly magical holiday, regardless where you happen to be. A holiday with food, family and friends. Thanks to EVERYONE for wonderful company, food, drinks, and chats. Especially a huge thanks to Magnolia for making a Swedish "jul" buffet as close as anyone can get to "mama's"! Many years since I had one like that last time (and you are not even born/raised in Sweden - amazing).

And the of course to John and Jan for making us part of your family. We would not be here if it wasn't for you guys!

And when typing this, our mailman Steve stopped by to drop off some cards and a package. He is truly a great guy. Always happy (even in today's pouring rain), comes to the door to greet the dogs and hand deliver packages, and never in such a rush that we cannot take a few moments and reflect over life and living. USPS at its very best, truly!

(for more photos, look at the 2nd posting "Christmas Zoo - more pictures")

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all of you; Family, Friends, and Strangers!!!!

Christmas Zoo - more pictures

Christmas Ztorm

We've just "recovered" from a little wind. Experts say it was the strongest gusts we've seen around here since the 60ies, and of course it left some damage in its wake. The weathermen (and girls) had accurate predicted this a few days out. We had a small precursor that blew down some stuff (neighbor's fence) and gave us a little feel of real autumn.

That was on Tuesday. Thursday afternoon I was in downtown Seattle for a meeting. Stepped outside Westlake Center to catch the bus home around 3.50 PM. It was raining, and yes it was wet, but it was truly manageable - still. My bus never came, but there were endless buses passing indicating "To Terminal", "East Base", and a lot of other unreadable messages. While it was raining harder, the wind also picked up. After not too long it was raining horizontally! After the 45+ minute wait (getting soaked up to you know what, despite both umbrella and long gore-tex jacket), the bus finally got there. I was lucky, the door opened up just in front of me, the bus was full, and there was really no room for anyone. Two stops later, the driver announced that he was not stopping anymore to pick up people. Sort of a nice announcement, but it did nothing to help the people waiting for the next bus out in the rain. and, heck, our bus was stopped most of the time anyway. Instead of the 20 minute ride to South Kirkland Park&Ride, it took over 2 hours this time. Gridlock bonanza!

I felt sad for the woman sitting next to/under me, since I had to stand the entire way and was dripping fresh "Chateau Nortwest" destilled water directly on her knee. She got soaked, but did not seem to mind. Maybe my (rain) water was better than the alternative, getting soaked from several other directions since the bus was so cramped we really had no choice. Once in Kirkland and picking up the truck, it took another two hours to get home north along the lake (normally 5-10 minutes).

I was up most of the night, following the ever increasing wind, and seeing us (and everyone else) losing power at exactly 12.50 AM Friday morning. It was sort of interesting to see "civilization as we know it" die at literally the flick of a switch. A few areas in downtown Seattle had power, but well over 1 million power customers were "cut off". Most of the Eastside was in the dark, apart from those that had generators. In a way actually a very pretty sight since all other activity stopped as well.

With a good load of firewood, high efficiency fireplace, food stuffed away and a (natural gas powered) hot water heater that never fails, we could have continued for a while. Wife started to get grouchy when it was getting too dark to knit or read in the evening hours, while I could just sit and watch the flames in the fireplace. It is so peaceful.

In any case, peace was not back in the household until I realized I had old Petzl headlamp among the climbing stuff in the basement. But, shortly after that, PSE also reconnected the power to us. We were lucky though. Many are still out.
As a footnote one should probably also stop to ask how a strong country like the US, can not manage to get its power grid at least up to some basic standards. This was "just" some wind. What happens next time if there are actually "targeted efforts" to really cut and disrupt power to the population, instead of "just some wind".

In any "natural event", there are also tradegies to be found in its wake. I feel for those who lost family members and friends, but at the same time I simply do not understand why people do certain things, not expecting some dire conesquencies:

- Putting generator inside the livingroom (one fatality)
- Putting generator inside garage with garagedoor closed (four+ fatalities)
- Putting a charcoal grill inside bedroom (one fatality)
- Walking dog over fallen powerlines (one fatality + dog)

On top of that, thousands of people did not have batteries, candles, food, or simply got upset just because their cable TV did not work, or god forbid, the remote control did not open the garage door. In situations like this it is best to; 1) be prepared; 2) help others in need; 3) chill out and wait for it to pass. There's really not much one can do to battle the "forces of nature". They always win anyway.

We got our power back Saturday night but could see the "poor souls" over at Finn Hill still in the dark and for many are still out. A few pictures of the carnege left in the wind's wake...

Christmas LightZ...

Last year I promised myself to NEVER - ever - put up (beautiful) icicle lights again! They are just too much hassle to warrant the end result.

Well, I almost kept my promise. Light decorations this year are a bit more low key, and a few strands of last year's of icicle lights ended up in the garbage (DOAs). But did eventually decide to put up one strand on the railing by the front doors. Once up, of course 2/3s of it was dead, aaaargh! Down again, up with the last known good strand, and voila! It works! So, this will be the small and slow departure from the tradition of decorating with icicle lights.

Why might someone ask? Well, even if you take time to orderly take them down and store them, they still seem to be tangled up once they are to be used. And when it comes to the "icicles", they defy gravity and hang in all other directions then down. Furthermore, troubleshooting these lights is more work than it is worth. So, no more!

But we finally have seen LED lights come out on the market, and this year also first time at a reasonable price. As long there is mechanical contact in a strand, the LEDs should work year after year. On top of that, they are much more energy efficient so we're not going to provide any additional heat for the crows. But LEDs is for next year when rood and gable are "done" and we can have fixed "anchors" for the light strands. Should speed up and facilitate the "hanging of the lights" and possibly also get the wife out to help...

More Znow and iZe...

For once, forecast was pretty accurate. The snow we got yesterday evening sort of melted away (pretty nice day actually) but later in the afternoon, the skies opened up and snow was falling again. It was a lot, and it was wet. It came just in time for the evening commute, and once it stopped (snowing), the cold air rushed in. Everything just frooze, everything! Not just water, everything! Traffic grinded to a complete halt since the moisture on the roads turned into a nice solid - and slick - sheet of ice.

It was sort of fun to see how a little bit of moisture can completely bring this rugged part of the US to a total standstill. Not sure why that is, but rain (in a city known for its rain) creates havoc in traffic. Snow, in a city that sits at the foothills of the majestic Cascade Range, does it in even worse. I guess people are just not thinking.

When it's icy, 4x4 does not really help, nor does feverishly spinning the wheels in hope of getting some traction. But, I guess most people never tried, or was taught how, to drive in snow and on ice. Gentle "movements" (steering, accelerator, brakes) are always best and once you actualy do get some traction, it is not that much different from "normal" driving - s long as all movements are s-l-o-w.

Judging from the interviews on TV, people think they need a big, heavy, SUV in order to drive in snow, but the very opposite is almost more correct. The heavier the vehicle, the more mass to control, to skid, to loose control over, and eventually "ditch". I drive a big SUV (Toyota LandCruiser) and I always joke that the only benefit you get, is that you can get much farther before you get stuck. I.e., longer to walk back out!

One of the better cars for snow driving is a traditional front wheel drive like the old Saab 900. Big wheels, long suspension travel, decent ground clearance, a lot of weight over the wheels with traction, and still not not too heavy of a car. In one of those, I'd challenge almost anything out there when the white stuff is falling. A Subaru AWD is not to bad either, but it needs to have decent sized wheels, like to Outback models.
Don't get me wrong, the LandCruiser is a fantastic vehicle, but like all big trucks, when it gets slippery, you really have to slow down! No modern systems/gizmos can beat the laws of gravity!

Some "unbiased" reporting on today's snow here.

First Znow!

November this year has so far been a month to remember. We are on a good running for the wettest month EVER (over 15" of precip), and to top that off, we actually got a fair amount of snow late today. Not often we actually see it here in the lowlands, but so good to see it. Reminds me of winters in Northern Sweden, or in the French Alps. Actually miss - living in - the snow more than I really remember.
Took the wife and the dogs first to Home Depot and then up to Rose Hills so they (dogs only) could romp and run around in the white fluff. Cool to see them so happy. Will likley have to take a day and do some snowhiking with Phoebe up at the pass this week. She'd love hat!

Forecast calls out for bitterly cold weather over the next days so this could be an interesting week!

ThankZgiving...

...is day of feasting. As "always" we did not have to take that many steps across the street to join John&Jan and their family&friends for a great feast. The bar war sitting higher this year after the "risgrynsgröt" article. But, I hope I was able to deliver - again.

As for John, anything he touches turns in to a great meal. Yes, he does have good helpers, and he spends time, but at the end, it is always good. Thanks guys for another splendinf evening!

For Americans, this 4-day weekend is just as sacred -and filled with food - as the long Christmas holiday in Sweden. There is one big difference though. As where in Sweden one can rest and relax on the 25th and 26th of December after feasting on the 24th, Americans are up before dawn in order to get the best "deals" on the very first day of the holiday shopping (day after Thanksgiving, aka "Black Friday").

I read some articles that people had started lining up at 12.30PM on Thursday afternoon in order to get "that" laptop or "the" game console. Heck, is it really worth screwing up the only real extened weekend of the year and forego all the food and friends, for an electronic "gizmo", that can just as well be bought a few days later. Or even better, when one really needs it.

Holiday Zpirit

Took the bus to downtown Seattle today to meet up with Magnus for a stroll in town and a lunch (as well as to pick up a new phone).

Grizzly day with rain, but it really did not matter. Downtown Seattle is a great place to be before the holidays. One can really "feel" the spirit and with many shops already decorated for Christmas, it looks like Santa will be coming this year again.

Even in the pouring rain it was a nice stroll through downtown and up to Magnus and Marie's place. Got to see and test the new Squeezebox. Seem to be a great device for finally getting all mp3s off the computer and into the living areas. Maybe Santa will bring one...

Zwedish Cultural Imperialism...

...can one read about in in today's Seattle Times:

It is a little story about a very loved dish on the Swedish Christmas table...

WorldZ beZt car...

Toyota have a reputation for making great cars. Maybe not the sexiest, but nevertheless a car that takes one from point A to point B in some type of class.

When it comes to the LandCruiser, this is also valid in roadless terrain. Few cars, possibly with the exception of the LandRover Defender, have seen such diverse conditions in all the four corners of the world as the venerable LandCruiser.

But like all mechanical beings, they break down or get worn out. For possibly two years, I've had an issue with the starter (solenoid) not being 100% realiable. Initially, it was more like the battery needed to "juice up" since the car always would start at 2nd or 3rd attempt. But, once in October of this year, luckily in the garage, it just would not turn over. Glad it happened when it did, could have been on a distant forest service road, or worse, on vacation far away.

Some quick research pointed to the starter contacts being burnt out. Normally happens on the LC after some 70K-90K miles. I guess it was my turn.

On any and all vehicles, pulling the starter is done in 30 minutes. But Toyota in the development of their DOHC V8 engine (that first showed in the Lexus) decided to put the starter on top of the engine between the cylinder banks, under the intake manifold. Not a bad position, since it is pretty well protected and sits high up so you can ford a stream w/o having to worry about water getting into the starter. The only drawback though is when you need to do some maintenance on the starter - such as right now! The normally 30 minutes takes about 4-6 hours in the shop. Oh well, I was in no real rush anyway.

A couple of good posts from Tundra Solutions and IH8MUD.com provided more than enough info to tackle this job. And, parts totalling only about $30 made this an easy decision compared to dragging the truck to the dealer (~$900).

I did post some feedback on Tundra Solutions, but for those who do not want to venture away from this blog, here are some pictures from the surgery...

Election Day

Well, in a few days I hope to have some scattered comments and ideas on this years election, an election that finally went the "right" way. Still hope for this country!

The BIG chZill...

Last night was the first time this year it turned out to be really nippy outside. After a pretty nice, but cold, day mixed with thunder, rain, and hail, the clear skies in the evenung sent the mercury down into high 20ies territory. In October? Yikes, I have not yet winterized the boat...

Evening ended with an excellent dinner over at John&Jan's. Thanks guys! As always a great treat and a wonderful evening!

Fall dayZ

Even though we actually did see some (serious) amounts of snow the other day at the pass (OK, maybe not compared to parts of the Rockies, they've gotten several feet...), the weather in town has been all but wintery. Past couple of days have called out for shorts, and today, just back from mowing the yard and the leaves, it feels more like a great day in September. Sky is light blue, sea planes coming and going, not a cloud in the sky. Think it is time to take the dog for a run! This will not last...

After nice run with the (BIG) dog, we went over to Woodinville for a GREAT evening of fun and food with and for Magnus. He has after years of indecision, finally decided to go back to the motherland and settle in Gothenburg. This was really his last night wit the "gang", even though we sort of chickened out at the end and decided to return to (or with) spouses to respective homesteads. Could have been a great night out on the town, but this was just not the time. Everyone was tired (thanks to the Bergenheims' great cooking - big thanks).

Magnus, we wish you the best of luck in your (new) homeland and especially in your new profession. We sort of know you will not show in the Seattle area anytime soon, but it will not surprise us if you DO show up in the (southern) US again.

Apart from that, it was a great evening at Stefan & Yvonne's house. Good food, friendship, wine, desserts, cocktails, you name it! Just too sad we do not do this more often.

Electrical inZpection

Prior to all the work, had called the city to inquire about my expired electrical permit. The lady was nice and asked "are you ready for inspection?". Told her "no, have not even started the work yet, should I pull a new permit?. Did not want to start w/o a current permit." She tells me to "hang on a minute".

She comes back and tells me "go ahead and if you are ready within the next 20 days or so, just call for an inspection, you have the number?. Don't think there will be any extra charges."
This was great news. No need to pay yet another fee...

So yesterday I called the inspection "hot line" and asked them to come out today. When he (most of them are males) showed up, turns out it is the same inspector who signed-off on my furnace installation, more or less exactly a year ago. He remembered me (I did not remember him but didn't tell him...). In an case a good guy.

Took him out to the newly installed ground rods, explained what I'd done, then to the inside and the SE panel. "Looks good, you did a good job, where's the paper so I can sign?". Handed him the old permit, got it signed and he left, after putting a new sticker on the meter box.

Only left now is re-sealing of the meter. PSE is about to come out today or tomworrow.

First Znow...

Today we saw the first snow fall up on the pass. Early, just as last year, and seem to have been a good dump. Wonder what the ski season has up its sleeve? Same/just as good conditions as last year? The experts calls out for a "la ninja" year with warmer temperatures, and wetter conditions, than normal. If the pass is high enough, it might be good...

Electrical GremlingZ...

Part two.

Friday. Mike is coming back to hook up John&Jan's hot tub (across the street). Since he was heading back, I had decided to tackle the BIG wire. Rather get it over and done with. Mike warned me that it would be tricky to pull new wire through all the floor joists. Recommended me to drill up the wholes a bit, something I was not looking forward to. They were hard to get to as they were, but now I had to clean out everyting underneath them as well.
But, Mike left a surprise. He dropped his heavy duty angle drill and a few serious drill bits. The drilling was done in less than 20 minutes. Wow!

Rolled out the cable, made sure there were no kinks or twist, since that'd be inpossible to correct w/o pulling it out again. Calling down the wife, she at least could help me feed this monster while I pull and feed it thorough the new holes. To my surpise, this was easier than pulling Cat5e cable. This "monster" was in location in less than 10 minutes and wife could return to her books.
Now only termination left and house - from this perspective - will have left the 60ies and entered the 21st century...

Electrical GremlingZ...

...is something we have not had many of. When we bought the house I went through the entire electrical system to make sure it was at least properly "connected" (poor connections easily overheat and is a real fire danger). That said, even though it was safe, it was time for an upgrade.

A few years ago I did install a new sub panel, to take care of newly installed circuits in and around the garage. That panel has served us well since we've added circuits and protection along the way. But the feed to the panel has been severely underdimensioned (still safely protected though).

In order for doing the properly, we really needed to replace the service entrance (SE) panel as well. But, I had no intentions on working around a hot meter panel. Pugest Sound Energy wanted over $300 to disconnect me at the transformer, with no guarantee of a re-connect time. Time to find a good electrician!

Thanks to a neighbor (Scott) we did find not a good one, but a great one!. He did the heavy lifting (working on the hot meter panel and connecting beefy 250 kcmil wires to the new panel) and leaving me to do everything else. Perfect. It cost me less to have Mike Morgan to all this, than just to have PSE disconnect me out in the street.

Mike also brought in 90 feet of #4/3+1 so I finally could get a good feed to our sub panel. Should have done this years ago, when he cable was only about a $1/foot, now it is closer to $4/foot. Copper prices have risen sharply in the past year...

Looking at the big (and heavy) spool... Well, I'll do this some other time. Not really up for this one right now. We did put the spool in the garage and left the sub panel on its existing 30A circuit, to be forgotten for now.

This being an older house, one could not be sure that the wall studs were sitting on 16" cc. and of course they were not so a bit of chiselign was needed for the new panel to fit. Also decided to remove the old meter box (hidden inside the wall behind new meter panel). This turned out to be the toughest job of the day, since we did not want to remove the siding, but just cut through this box and "pull it out of the way". These boxes are however designed for protection, and it was a long fight until we finally had it out. I patched up the wall and covered the exposed area with a moisture barrier and a layer of primer.

From here on, it was pretty stright forward. Mike installed a huge elbow and routed new wiring into the new panel. Man, as I glad I did not try to do this part on my own.

By the time Mike left, I was terminating the old circuits into the new SE panel, adding pig tails in cases they were not long enough. Yurgen (neighbor) came over and held the light for a while and also when I placed the meter back in location. Always good to chat for a while in good company!

The only drawback of this, is that I totally forgot about the Steinklinkers meeting this same evening. I had picked the micro brewery (Big Time Brewery in the U district), but had to concede and call in "can't come, need to finish the wiring, else wife will be VERY grouchy".

About 8.30PM that evening, meter was back in its place, house was powered up and all was "just like before". Funny, these small upgrades, so badly needed, but once done, you really do not know they are even there or remember all the hard work.

BzzzT: OASIS (KOAI) is gone

Was just going to the OASIS web site to point it out for some friends in Sweden, and see it is "dead"!

According to news reports, ths tation "flipped" (aka changed format) in the hour between 4 and 5 PM on Monday October 2nd. And this w/o any preceeding rumors. Changing a radio "format" from smooth jazz to hip-hop, is like spraying graffitti over Mona Lisa!

I moved to DFW in 1993 and OASIS quickly became part of my life. 107.5FM was number "one" on the dial in my cars, albeit the music selection was a bit "thin" in the early years. If you listed one full day, it sounded like all the records had been played at least once. That changed over time though, and many are the fun events/parties arranged by OASIS. Many of them at Sambuca in Addison.

In 1998 I left DFW and moved to the Seattle area. Many visits earlier I had found KWJZ, a great station that unfortunately has somewhat poor reception in the area where we live along the lake (Washington). Price we pay for a beautiful topography...

Upon any visit to DFW afterwards though (about every two months..) 107.5 was on the dial long before leaving the new rental car garage at DFW.

Oh well, with OASIS gone, one less reason to visit the DFW area...

For those left in DFW, CBS Radio needs to understand that LOYAL listeners (aka current customers) are more valuable than the "lure" of a younger more movable audience, that will not hang around for too long anyway. I hope that the (new) radio format quickly dies and that DFW get back its only TRUE radio station - aside from KERA/NPR.

TerrieoriZt

Well, today it happened. Our Yorkshire terrieorist, Herbie, BIT Jan (neighbor) when she walked in to the house, just like she does everyday. She's certainly no stranger that one need to scare away! This little bratty dog managed to bite her up on the thigh, leaving a big blue bruise. Was that as a thanks for taking us out last night on my b-day? BAD DOG!

Terriers have a nasty personality. No wonder they have named Mr. Bush's nemesis, terrorist, after them. Is there a dog that can be as "yappy" as a terrier? Or as aggressive?

A dog that weighs hardly 10 lbs should just accept their position in the pecking order (Phoebe, the cats, and then Herbie) be happy with the food and housing provided. Not make a mess (peeing inside, barking, being overly "tense", etc, etc) and being generally just a nuisance!

An example. In the morning when about to be let out for "doing duty" (what's not already been done overnight in the kitchen...) he can go nuts. I manage to have him be quiet and sit down - orderly - before basement door opens up to the backyard. Wife just lets him "run out", barking his lungs off, waking both me and neighbors in the process.

The BIG (real...) dog, Phoebe, she just sits nicely, waiting for the "command" to let her out. She's happy with that and knows she will get out. No need to get railed up over that. Door will not open any faster just because one is barking - just the opposite!

But, if anyone tries to approach the house, or worse, the front door, unannounced, Phoebe will show who reqally onws this house. No strangers are passing by her! GOOD DOG!

Zelebrate in a ZeaPlane

This day showed how nice it is to have friends around.

Best Neighbor - and friend - called and asked if I was interested in getting up in a SeaPlane for a ride over Seattle and Puget Sound for my birthday. When offered like that, a fun event and great company, it's hard to say no!

No idea how many hundred times I've flown in to Seattle, many times coming in straight over our house, across Lake Washington, and then a nice descent just east of downtown. The views are spectacular. Just as they are when taking off to the SouthEast and passing along the SW flanks of Mt Rainier.

How different can it be from a SeaPlane? Turns out a lot!

We met at Kenmore Air's "terminal" at the SW corner of Lake Union. I've been here many times when out in the boat, amazed that the SeaPlane pilots always manage to find a strip to land on or take off from as they come and go (they've got a hectic schedule during the summer). This on one of the busier lakes in the nation, massive number of powerboats, kayaks, yachts, sailboats, ships, and all other traffic on Lake Union. Today, it was our turn to find out, sort of from "above", if we could take off in the midst of it all.

As we waited for our flight, we managed to sneak over to Starbucks for a little "wake me up", it was after all only late morning.

The Seaplane was fairly large, 9 passenger seats, and then one for the "co-pilot" (in this case Tanner). Pilot puttered out a little bit to the east, past the little sail race, and pulled the throttle. For being a single engine propeller plane, it was still fairly quiet onboard, ever under full throttle. Not as much of a "tin can" feeling as the smaller private single engine planes I've flown before. Up on a plane and shortly thereafter, up in the air. As I seen so many times from below, pilot took us to the NW above the ship canal and Fremont/Ballard. Pretty view over Queen Anne Hill, and even better over Discovery Park and Magnolia. A long loop down over Elliot Bay, rubbing shoulders with the high-rises in downtown and then over Seattle and out over Lake Washington. Flying by "home", can see it "down there" even though I was on the wrong side of the plane. Across the lake again and on out over Northgate (the mall is massive!) and a new loop over Ballard and Wallingford. A couple of really nice views over the zoo, back out over Lake Washington again and then looping around over the SR-520 bridge to prepare for descent and landing on Lake Union.

Even though the ride was pretty short (~30 minutes) it really gave a great sampling of "everything Seattle"; all the major neighborhoods, the views - only better, the lakes and the sound. I'd highly recommend it to anyone who is not afraid of heights!

Back on the "ground" and ashore, time for lunch. John decided to drag us up on Capitol Hill for a brew and a bite to eat. Very good fish&chips and ever better OktoberFest brew.

During our "fun" daytime activities, wife was home studying for her test. She was "allowed" to join us for the evening though. John&Jan had planned dinner at one of their favorite watering holes, "Purple Cafe" in Woodinville. As soon as I see goat cheese, polenta, and meat on the menu (not necessarily eaten together), I know I will not leave a place hungry! Not the case tonight either.

As always, an evening with good friends, good chat, good food and some good wine, things can not go wrong!

Thanks John&Jan for a wonderful b-day (and wife of course for breakfast in bed and presents).

Zeattle Tunnel?

I'm not an engineer, so my comments here need to be reviewed by experts, nor am I a commuter and use the viaduct on a daily basis. Heck, I don't even live in Seattle. I'm an Eastsider with a love for this region! I "found" it in 1994 and moved here a couple of years later, making the Puget Sound area "home"!

As wonderful as this area is, it is also amazing how hard it is to make "real" decisions on badly needed public projects. Be it mass transit, new roads, schools. Is it something in the air that makes it harder to make decisions here than in other parts of the country (or the world)?

For some $4+ billion we can reclaim our waterfront, just like San Francisco did in the early 90ies. For some $3 billion, we can replace the existing elevated freeway with one that is deemed safer and more modern. Tough choice. Money is needed for a massive amount of public projects in the state, not just along Seattle's once wonderful the water front.

Therefore, why is it so expensive to build a tunnel in Seattle?
Gothenburg, Sweden, just opened up a major underground tunnel along its water front. It is a modern 6-lane traffic tunnel, a bit shorter at about a mile, but it was built for 3.2B SEK (~$450M), or a fraction of the projected cost in Seattle. The first project decision was made in 1991, 1995 the budget was set to 1.8B SEK (~$250M) and the construction phase was to last 4 years. When the construction finally started in 2000, completion was scheduled for fall of 2005. Well, as any large project, it took longer time and turned out to be more expensive. The tunnel finally opened up in June of this year, 6 months late and 400M SEK (~$60M) over (the final) budget. About half he cost increase over the 6 year project is attributed to increases in labor and material costs.
Sweden is NOT an inexpensive place to build in, salaries are high (as are the taxes), and I dare to say that the end result might have a even higher quality than similar projects in the US. So question remains, why so expensive in Seattle?

Gothenburg finally got out of the quagmire of indecision and got its tunnel. Was it worth it? Was the money well spent? I dare to say that the vast majority will love this new tunnel. It gives downtown Gothenburg a chance to reconnect to the waterfront - sounds familiar - and yes at a high cost, but looking back through history, people will instead ask why this was not done earlier! In fact, Gothenburg is now on its way of planning a major "under-the-city-tunnel" for light rail and express trains. It start to sound more like Paris!

I spent a lot of time in Norway in the 70ies and 80ies. Driving through the capital city of Oslo was the same as utilizing the most precious real estate possible; the waterfront! All traffic passed in front of the Akershus Palace, City Hall, effectively cutting off the city from its water - the beautiful and majestic Oslo Fjord.

In the late 80ies and early 90ies, a new tunnel (and a system of toll plazas around the city) was built. This new tunnel is leading traffic essentially the same way we traveled along the waterfront, but now deep UNDER it. Getting rid of the cars changed the city dramatically. What used to be a congested thoroughfare lining an otherwise dead waterfront, has now turned the Norwegian Capital into a "Venice of the North".

The city has been reconnected to the water, there are parks, bars, restaurants, and people walking, enjoying their newfound city. The extremely dull Oslo of the 70ies is no more, thanks in large part to getting rid of the cars from the waterfront.
As a side note, most people also seem to accept the car tolls as something worth paying (about 20% of the toll revenue fund public transportation projects), dramatically changing the initial negative notion since they now actually see they get something in return. It is not just a fee, but a fee that provides something in return!

Hence, Seattle, and Seattleites (it is after all YOUR city) need to dare to be bold. Make a decision that is good not just for the slim pocket book of today, but also for generations to come. Whatever you do, its impact will last at least my life time!

That said, if the city can survive without the viaduct during a long construction phase of a tunnel, the city can probably manage without it all. But then again, I do not use the waterfront for commuting on a daily basis, nor do I rely on goods transported on the Alaskan Way.

But are there alternatives worth to be investigated? Just as an elevated tall bridge has been proposed, one needs to ask if the tunnel does need to be where the viaduct is today? Why can it not be built out of modular concrete sections that are being sunk out in Elliot Bay, essentially placing the route of the tunnel a bit west of its proposed location. Underwater tunnels have been built before. Such a design and location will allow for the Alaskan Way viaduct to be fully "operational" during the vast majority of a tunnel project. Maybe the savings of being able to use the viaduct will justify the added cost for a "true" underwater tunnel.

With the City Council's decision of last Friday, the city has dared to be bold, but also a bit cowardly by putting the final decision - and the political outfall - in the hands of Governor Gregoire. That is not fair!

Free at Lazzt

After wife having "run" Phoebe through glass, resulting in 10+ stitches on her (Phoebe's) rear right paw, multiple headaches for me, a dog needed to be bedbound, although she only wanted to run, dog has finally gotten rid of bandage, stitches and can now be "her own" again.

All that for a lousy morning's run in the wrong park. Folks, don't do it. It is not worth it! A hurt dog is a really painful excercise (for its owner). Try restraining something that only wants to be happy and mobile!

Only in Zeattle

It's already a few official days into the fall. The sun is shining from a clear blue sky and the temperature is more what can be expected in July (a normal July). Out on the boat and decide to pass through the locks and hit the sound, despite the late afternoon.

Drop wife off in downtown (needed to head home early) and swing over to West Seattle to pick up some friends. A little northerly (but warm) breeze gives a bit of a chop heading back north. We check out the Coast Guard in their small, but "loaded" boats "chase" the ferries and the large Crusie ships in and out. It is sort of fun to see this "dance" of these small boats alongside the colosses they are there to protect, but one can not stop to wonder if this is really the best way we spend our tax dollars. Is there a real threat, or are we just led to believe there is one in order to keep the country on its toes, and allow for more of the restrictive measure we are faced with every day.

As we enter Shilshole bay we can see a number of big seals feasting on the abundant salmon population. The seals toss and tear the salmon high into the air, to the excitement of the seagulls overhead. Pretty fascinating to be able to see this "artistry" almost in the middle of a major metropolitan city!

There's a bit of wait for the big lock to fill up, but it is still warm, the sun is slowly setting, and we enjoy the quiet time tied up. Only distraction is some -sshole in a vessel ahead of us who does not have the sanity to turn off his big diesel engine as we wait. He just don't seem to get the "winks" that people are tossing his way.

Well into Lake Union I take my friends down to Blackfish Marine and the little guest dock they have. Time to take the dog for a walk as well, since she has been enjoying the ride so far, but w/o any chance to do her "duty".

Take off again, just the two of us, out on a dark Lake Union. Navigation light on; check!
Despite that, and the late hour, I see, or rather hardly see them. There are still a large number of boats running around w/o any lights. Heck, even the few kayakers that are out are easier to spot than the other (power)boaters. A few of the boats are older, but I did not know that they needed to keep the "antique" (invisible) running lights as well. On a slow and clear evening like this, nothing is likely to happen, but it does not take much; more boats, rain, or a little patch of fog, in order for the situation to get dicey.

If you read this, and have a boat - ANY boat - please check to ensure that you have proper gear for your running lights and that they also work.

Dog and I get through the MontLake Cut and out into Lake Washington. It is dark, really dark, but I scan the horizon, spot only a few boats far away and decide to speed up in order to make it to the dock. Even this late it is amazingly warm. Hard to believe it is almost the end of September.

At the dock dog jumps off and walks around while I tie up the boat. It is so good she no longer, like when she was a puppy, just decides to take off on a venture. Instead she hangs around to ensure "the coast is clear".

All in all, this was just a(nother) great day in the Pacific northwest!

SwediZh Election - a perZpective

After years of social democratic rulers, Sweden has finally gotten a clear election winner that stands for something new. Fredrik Reinfedlt will replace Goran Persson (the mobster) as Sweden's new Premier Minister. The 41-year old Reinfeldt is smart, well articulated, and certainly more "polished" than the man whose seat he'll soon be taking over. None of these qualities will hurt him in his efforts to "restructure" some of the Swedish government provided services (they are great, but like everything they get stale with time and in need of some minor tuning), nor will it hurt him in an international perspective. His wife, Filippa, is the leading lady in the City of Täby, where their party got the majority of the seats and will not need any "partners" to govern this time.
(photo of Fredrik Reinfeldt by Ulrika Vendelbo)

Not so of course on the national level, where Fredric Reinfeldt is forming a coalition goverment based on the "Conservatives" (Moderaterna), the "Liberals" (Folkpartiet), the "ChistianDemocrats" (Kristdemokraterna), and the "Center" (Centerpartiet).

Almost 80% of the elecorate cast a ballot, a good number even with Swedish standards, and Mr. Reinfeldt's party had its best election since the 1920ies.

Democracy is a priviligde and voting should be seen almost as a requirement. I can still not understand the system here in the US. Only a small fraction of the population excercises their right to vote, even less really do spend any time to get educated and informed about what they are voting "for" (or against). In such a system, a people get the politicians they deserve, as is demonstrated by the current government.

Having a system where you need to register to vote is borderline un-democratic. Just the mere fact that you are a citizen, it should also - automatically - grant you the right as well as the ability to vote. Citizens should also acknowledge this right and excercise it. We would be living in a very different country - and world - if people actually did make the effort and went to the polls.

That said, King County is planning to make all elections "absentee" elections. Crazy idea!

"Voting day" is a special day and the walk up to the polling place, chatting with neighbors and friends along the way, is something special. Just putting an envelope in the mail, or worse tap the finger on an electronic "voting machine" just does not make true democracy justice.

On the other hand, local goverment works in many ways better here in the US, or at least in Kirkland where we live. It is easy to get involved, easy to get your voice heard, and you actually CAN make a difference. Maybe City of Kirkland is unique, but if so, it is a good model for how things actually can work!

Around the U.S. in a kayak?

Renata Chlumska, the beau of Goran Kropp, an adventurer who died outside Vantage in the fall of 2002, set out last summer (July 4th) to circumvent the U.S. in a kayak, on bicycle, and on in-lines. All on her own. A crazy feat? Well, maybe not for someone that has made it in to a living doing stuff that others only talk (or dream) about. Renata has done more in the few short years she been part of the "adventure circuit", than most do in a life time.

Today, Renata completed the circumvention by making it back to Seattle and docking along Lake Union's eastern shore. She was greated by an eclectic mix of Swedes, news media, supporters, as well as a few of the friends she met during her almost 15 months in the kayak.

For me it was fun since I ran into Urban Wikstrom, a buddie from the University. I had not seen him in over 16 years. He is still in the adventure business, now making a documentary over Renata's "voyage".

You can read more about Renata's adventures here.

CatExchangeZ...

About three weeks ago, Oskar, my furry Christmas gift of 2000, did not come home. We have had no signs of him since that Monday evening, and my guess is that he was taken by a coyote. Hope it was quick!

Oskar was an indoor/outdoor cat that always came in for the night. We tried when he was young to keep him strictly indoors, but it would just not work. He went nuts! Oskar enjoyed the time outside and was always sitting along the driveway, waiting when we came home, or hiding under the Japanese Maple, stalking the birds.
Although I know some will disagree, I strongly feel cats have a better life - albeit sometimes shorter - if they can enjoy themselves in the outdoors as well. Sometime it is not the length of life that counts, but how it is lived. Oskar lived a good life!

I was not ready for a new cat, any new animal, but today; a day after coming home from MI, hours after starting Nursing School, wife came home with a "box" containing a big black cat, Louie. I should have suspected something when it took five hours to drive the 10 miles from Bellevue to Kirkland.

I gave wife the silent treatment since I did not approve of how (yet another) animal was introduced to this house!

Louie is good cat though. Although it's only been a few hours, he seem to feel at home and has no problems with the dog, 10 times his size, or the other cats! Only the yorkie tries to make a point and cannot sit still when Louie walks down the hallway. This for sure will be an interesting time!

Back to the vet...

Wife is about to leave tomorrow for visit to brother in MI. Decided we'd better take big dog in for a check-up at a different clinic, since foot does not seem to heal. The laceration is deep, pad almost sliced off, and the flesh looks like "cow's tongue" (a delicatessen in many countries). It is not infected and looks healthy, it is just not healing.

Woodinville Veterinary Hospital is staffed by two very seasoned and skilled veterinarians (plus the fact that they a just plain very nice). We normally see Dr. Frey, but this time Dr. Marsh is there to look at the foot. Judgement is given, as he also manages rightfully so to look very concerend. "If nothing is done, this can take two-three months to heal. Everytime she puts her foot down, the two pieces of the pad moves and get no chance to "re-connect". New stitches highly recommended, but that also mean we have to put her down for a while".

We decide to have new stitches put in and manage to get an appointment for tomorrow.

RedHookZoo and run...

During what must have been a week moment at Everyday Athlete, I agreed with wife to run the Super Jock'n Jill half-marathon on LaborDay. I think I really only wanted the cool blue shirt, but I agreed to be signed up as well. Some of you remeber me running a half-marathon in July, only to be beaten by the wife. This time it should be different!

Over the next weeks, wife was training hard. She joined a runner's group, did speed work-outs in midweek, and distance on the weekends. Me? I was tied up digging up the yard - and enjoying the weather. I did not get one mile's training in prior to this "event".

The morning of the event, we also had a silent argument of who was to take the dog out for a walk before we left for the early start. I guess I "won" since I decided to stay in bed for another hour. Hence, wife was like a bee when we finally left to drive over to the start.

It was early, way too early for my taste, but it was later than the (stupid) 7AM start for the last race. We got there w/o problems, parked, and walked over to the start area.

I had been over (for hours) the day and evening prior at a neighbor's Labor Day party. It was fun, and a lot of new faces. Sure, a few beers, but nothing excessive. I also remembered to gulp down some serious amounts of water before going to bed. Despite the early morning, I felt sort of great.

The gun went off and the crowds were on their way. Tried to stay with wife but realized that I had a slightly faster pace this morning. Took mark a a pair running together. They seemed to be keeping a pace that I liked and decided to follow them, only to pass them after appr. 3 miles. At four miles, my pace was still just over 7 minute miles - way too fast. But it felt good so I kept it up.

At six, there was a long and devilish uphill into Bothell, it did good to slow down my pace. I knew how long this race was to be (13 and some miles), but I only had a faint idea of the actual course. After looping through Bothell, we did a number of (unnecessary) loops at the U of W, Bothell Campus. More hills! There's nothing that can kill a runner's mood as fast as "running in circles". Once down FINALLY, on the trail again, I had a very good hunch of how much I had left to run. At the ten mile sign, I stopped to walk a little and fight with opening of the two Clif Gel packages I had been using as "dumbells". I almost expected wife to catch up to me here. She had trained and was in very good shape.

A guy (father) with twins in a runner's stroller had passed me earlier. I was duly impressed over how he could drag his kids around - and keep up such good speed (as well as manage the uphills). Well, out on the flats again he was forced to slow down and I passed him easily. In fact, I passed quite a few people that had sort of glided past me earlier. Looking for the eleven mile sign, but it was nowhere to be seen. Darn, I really needed a time mark. Continue running and suddenly there is the twelve mile sign. OK, only a little more than a mile left. This feels good...

To my big surpise - again - the finish line comes earlier than expected. I do not pass any 13 mile mark as I had anticipated. The race is only 12.89 miles (20.74 km) which in my book is no "full" half-marathon. Sort of a few yards short...

But, checking the time, I pass the line at 1h48m17s. I had not seen wife passing me, could it be that I was really ahead of her all the time. Grab a bottle of water and return quickly to the finish area. As I look for her I see my old colleague Tomas just racing in to the finish line. I beat him? He has trained a lot (at least accoridng to his wife). Just as he passes, I hear my name called out and wife is sitting on the grass, only to point out that my white running shirt is blood stained. I had no idea, but it seems like the synthetic shirt has rubbed my nipples so they started bleeding. Does not hurt, but the bloodspots are more like big splashes. Ok, that was both the first and last time I run in a "non-cotton" shirt.

We moose around in the area, eat some goodies, and look for Tomas and his wife. Meet up with them, chat for a while and enjoy the wonderful weather and setting. Had originally planned to go in to Redhook and have a few beers (rehydrate) but end up heading home for a shower and some rest. All in all a great day (I beat both wife and Tomas...) :-)