Posted inSkateboarding

Senior citizen skateboarder with his new Haka Moko longboard

Here I am, timer-photo'd with my iPhone propped against my backpack, standing in the shadows on a sunny October Oregon day, on the Minto Brown Park trail which runs along the Willamette River (in the background) near Salem. I like the looks of my new longboard, Kahuna Creations Haka Moko 47". Since my birthday is approaching -- I'll be a freaking ancient 64 -- I felt entirely justified in getting myself a present to give to myself, my only problem being that I now need to forget what I've done so I can surprise myself on my actual birthday.  Where's…
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Posted inCurrent affairs Science

“New Scientist” says Obama will win. I love science.

Ah, I love science. Especially when it supports my political leanings.  This week's issue of New Scientist (September 29, 2012) has an opinion piece by Jim Giles, a consultant for the magazine. It's title and subtitle: No contest. Don't believe the US presidential opinion polls. Barring a political earthquake, Barack Obama will be re-elected at a canter, says Jim Giles. Hey, makes sense to me. Here's some excerpts: FROM tabloids and broadsheets to left-leaning blogs and conservative talk shows, the US media has been united on one point in recent months: the presidential election is too tight to call.  ...But…
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Posted inCurrent affairs Entertainment

Tell DirecTV how you feel about not getting Pac-12 games

Five weeks ago I started telling DirecTV that I wanted them to offer the Pac-12 Network now. I've emailed customer service. I've had the Pac-12 channel finder notify DirecTV that I want to see every Oregon and Oregon State football game this season, not just the ones on channels (like ESPN) DirecTV does offer. Four weeks ago I blogged about how DirecTV's excuses for shutting its subscribers out of the Pac-12 Network were annoying.  They're much more annoying now. Last Saturday I missed the Oregon State-Arizona game, which, when I read about it in the freaking newspaper the next day,…
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