The news is reporting that one of the new British airline rules is to disallow liquids and electronic devices such as laptop computers from plane cabins. Last I knew, the baggage claim checks specifically say that there is no liability for a number of things including all electronic devices. About 10 years ago I checked an old laptop, it was stolen, and I was told tough luck and pointed to the claim check wording. If laptops, phones, etc. are banned from carry-ons, will airlines step up to insuring checked electronics? If they won't, and banning electronics becomes widespread, this seems like [...]

Today every political expert has an opinion about what Joe Lieberman’s fight to retain his Senate seat means.  These are the same experts who less than six months ago thought that Lieberman was a safe shoe-in for re-election. Today they are undaunted and in heavy knowledge-dispensing mode.I remember the expert chatter when Tom Ammiano’s write-in campaign forced incumbent Mayor Willie Brown into a runoff for re-election.  The cognoscenti were sure that it meant that San Francisco was even more wacko left than anyone had thought.  The commentators went on and on and on about what that primary results meant for [...]

Intuit's Quicken 2007 products were released this week, on August 1st, I think.  Rather than defend my upgrade compulsion, let me just admit that I decided I was going to be an early adapter for this year's Home & Business edition. My plan was to buy the CD version this afternoon.  I would have except that retail stores are still happily selling full-price versions of Quicken 2006 products.  Both Office Max and Office Depot had only last year's version available. I solved my problem by going to Intuit online and downloading the upgrade.  (Here, if you're looking yourself.) I would have [...]

"Mr. Bush has such soft hands I can only image what his lips are like," cracked Steven Colbert after showing the President kiss Senator Joe Lieberman.  Colbert's report on Lieberman's primary race caught my attention while I was surfing my newest time-sucking site, youtube.com . For Political junkies: the video

Today is the 9th "Spare the Air Day" in the Bay Area. The Air Quality Management District declares this status when they predict that air pollutants will exceed Federal standards unless we take action -- such as reducing driving. The predictions apparently are based on the likelihood of high temperatures and stagnant air. The six Spare the Air Days this year triggered free public transit rides.  Ridership of BART and other systems was reported up by tens of thousands of riders each free day.  But, the money to subsidize public transportation has run out, and people are on their own in their transit [...]

Thanks to Uncle Maurie for lunch at the Sutro Restaurant at the Cliff House. Yesterday was a perfect sunny day for great people and fine food! Family photos of the day are online at Flickr.

Yesterday's talk by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger at the Commonwealth Club was billed as an address on foreign trade. The governor's 16-minute speech was focused on selling California goods and services abroad and getting foreign companies to set up California outlets.  But, his selling went beyond foreign trade missions.  He gave the audience 45 minutes to ask questions -- far more than the typical speaker -- and came up with answers I liked much more than I expected. He did a good sales job on me. redozdachs and I had heard that his appearances were Hollywood-like and scripted for the sound-bites.  I [...]

Thanks to campn for the posting about Senator Ted Stevens' Internet ignorance. Today he included a link to The Daily Show's segment on Stevens. For those who don't read campn or my business blog with its entry on Senator Stevens, I recommend reading and clicking one of them!

We're back focusing on real life after our fantasy adventure at California Disney and the IAGSDC convention last week. Pictures to share: The Squaredancing photo set has views of fuzzygruf and double_ohsteven (featured in this picture), and there are also some shots of redozdachs, a bit of otterpop58, and many non-LJ'ers from Midnight Squares and beyond. (Note: Flickr's automagic resizing and sharpening doesn't work well on some of the people pictures.  Try looking at the full-size version if you're seeing too many spots and lines!) Family photos of our days in Disneyland and California adventure are in a separate California Disney 2006 [...]