Hurricane Irene

Funny with the natural disasters theme of the end of the month.  Well call it natural events because the earthquake wasn't a disaster and hopefully the Hurricane won't be. We were going to ocean for the weekend.  We were going to go down Thursday night and staying til Sunday.  With the storm predicted we considered leaving Monday until my sister texted (from the ocean where she was on vacation) that an evacuation order was issued for Friday.  I guess we're not going. I then accepted it might be coming so time to get prepared.  My main concern is losing power for a few days. We went and got food, but nothing more than the normal weekly shopping trip and a case of bottled water. I emptied the ice cube container into a cooler and froze some bottles of water in case we need to pull the food out of the refrig.  The next issue was the boat.  I had inquired about pulling it out for the weekend when we thought we were going, but since were were staying it stayed in the water.  I put the motors down, effectively shortening the boat allowing it to have more room to move. I started to double up the lines and thought I might need more, but I had stored a bag full of lines in the boat which were prefect; almost like I had done this before?  Isabel was the welcoming party for the Proline 2950 in October 2003 only a few months after purchase rode it out fine.  This picture was the morning after the storm where the boat was only a few feet over the dock.  The night before it had been upto 6 feet over the normal high water level.

Survived the 100 year storm levels of Isabel once; I guess it will be fine again.


Watching the news Friday you would think that the world was going to end with this strom.  The super markets were packed.  Funny thing to me is the liquor stores (and bars) were doing a brisk business.  Is it the alcoholics think they wont be able to get out or people can't deal with being shut in for a few days? So I bought a case of diet beer (MGD 64 lemon).

My prediction is it will hit, high winds and rain and a little higher tide.  I summary no big deal.  That being said my recent prediction track record isn't 100%.  See last weekend I wanted to go for a motorcycle ride.  I knew that the forecast was for isolated thunder storms.  I checked the map and the only storms were up above baltimore county in PA.  So off I went the plan was to ride to centeral Baltimore county and loop down into the city to the gym.  Well I got about 15 miles from home and looked south and saw dark, dark clouds.  Time to head home.  Problem was i had to ego southeast to get home pretty much into the storm.  I got about 2 mile from home and the rain started (steady but not pouring).  A mile more and the lightening and thunder started and it started to pour).  I pulled into a gas station and thought: In 20 minutes this will clear right up.  Well an hour later I rode home in a light rain.  At the gas station the attendant talked to me about his motorcycle he had in India.  He said it was fast 150cc , one of the most powerful they had over there.  When he asked what size motor was and I told him 600cc he seemed incredulous.  He asked how fast it was, will it do 100?  I told him 160 and 0-60 in 3 seconds he again seemed dubious.  Then he guessed it the cost and he was under by a factor of 2.  Once he accepted that he asked did I have a car too. That was entertaining but the funniest part was when he noted that he would be hesitant to ride here, because women drive here.  I had to smile at that.  Anyway his conversation help pass the time.  I set out before it ultimately stopped, because a tornado alter was issued for the area and the thunder had subsided.      

All this Hurricane discussion led to a funny discussion about the dogs.  If worse comes to worse and this is the end of civilization as we know it (according to the local media) and we run out of food, which dog would eat first?  My wife says the female who is the heavier one. Which makes sense, but I say the male because females have more body fat and the male's weight is more lean muscle, meaning more meat.  
We'll see if it comes to that....

Earthquake

I often wondered how I would react to a earthquake.  On August 23rd I got to see for myself. It wasn't while I was travelling in California as I often thought it would be, but here in Baltimore at work.  I was just finishing up a presentation I was giving to my colleagues and we were getting up to leave the conference room.  I felt a rumble, like a truck going by, but it didn't stop.  They say it was less than a minute, but it seemed to go on for ever.  As it continued it grew in intensity and at the end there was significant pulses.  We were confused and theorizing on the cause.  Soon it was clear it was an earthquake, but few people at my job had ever experienced one.  Someone directed us outside, but it was over at that time.  It was funny because I grabbed my coffee cup and some insignificant papers that were in front of me.  The coffee wasn't warm and it was the last thing I needed after this nerve racking experience.  The worst part was I was happy I was in an earthquake, but tempered by the nervous reaction of others.  One coworker grabbed his bags and ran out like the place was one fire.  One lady I was with thought this might be the end and said in all seriousness that she didn't want to share her last moments on earth with us.  She was very scared and after it subsided gave me a unsolicited hug, which I hoped comforted her, but I thought yeah thanks for scaring me.  Anyway after it was said and done I seriously needed to calm down and went looking for a cigarette (even though I don't smoke, well sometimes cigars...).  After looking back having the ground shake under your feet and sway buildings was quite unsettling and served to remind me of the power of nature.  It is often forgotten, in the day to day hectic lives we lead, that we aren't in control of everything that goes on.  Stronger forces are at work.  And as if that wasn't reminder enough a Hurricane is predicted for the weekend.      

Weekly update

Went fishing Saturday 20th.  Did pretty well caught perch, blues and rock fish.  Actually I caught he largest rock of he season so far, almost a keeper, but hey it was better than the usual pan fish sized action.  Anyway it was fun.

Yesterday I decided to start a protein diet that some of the guys at work are beginning.  My goal is to try and cut down on some of this fat that has infected my body.  I figured yeah over the last 6-7 months I lost 20 pounds and put on a lot of muscle, but I have some more work to do.  So I went to the store and bought 3 dozen eggs, 96 ounces of lactaid milk, 3 pounds of boneless chicken breast, 2 lbs of steak (not fatty filet mignon that we usually get), 6 containers of tuna, 2 bags of salad, 1 vinegar and oil lowfat salad dressing, asparagus, low fat cheese, cottage cheese.
The diet is lots of protein supplements interspersed with high protein, low carb small meals and good fat.
So far .75 days so good.  Did lunch till bedtime pretty good yesterday,  I don't know about the cottage cheese; it's way too salty and pretty much gross.  Maybe with something it would be ok but I will be needing to substitute something for the late night snack.  I have a bunch of protein, but I dont like the taste (Gaspari myofusion chocolate peanut butter). The last 5lbs I had was chocolate and it was ok but not great.  I have 5 lbs of dymatize elite gourmet coming which is pretty good, but it isn't a protein blend. I don't know if it will be as effective just being a straight whey protein.  
 
Upon waking

whey protein (1.scoops)

Breakfast (10:00)
6 eggs (3 whole,3 whites) scramble

¼ cup onion

1 cup broccoli

1 slice cheese (low-fat)

Snack  (11:30 am)

2 scoops whey

1 oz. walnuts or almonds

Lunch (approx. 2:30pm)
5oz tuna or chicken

2 cups salad (mixed greens)

2 Tbsp. olive oil and vin

snack (approx. 4:00pm)
2 scoops whey protein

1 Tbsp. peanut butter

Pre-work out (approx. 5:15pm)
whey protein (1.5 scoop) 180 1.5 4.5 36

Post-work out(approx. 7:30pm)
whey protein (1.5 scoop) 180 1.5 4.5 36

Dinner(approx. 9:00pm)
8oz Steak (lean)
Approx. 20 Asparagus

Before Bed (approx. 12:00am)1 cup low-fat cottage cheese

2 Tbsp. flaxseed

Perch Cakes

Went fishing yesterday.  Did pretty well at the go to perch spot.  In fact its like going to the market but not paying for the fish. Anyway ended up keeping 6-8 nice sized perch,  One was 11.5".  So instead of the normal fish fry I made fish cakes. Hardest part was removing the bones.  I boiled them for 10 minutes then picked them like crabs.

1 1/2 to 2 lb. of favorite fish (cod, perch, etc.)
1/2 cup of bread crumbs
3 tbsp. Old Bay Seafood Seasoning
1 bunch parsley, chopped fine
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 raw egg
2 tbsp. mayonnaise
Salt and pepper to taste
Bread crumbs to coat cakes

A question about jobs

I've read about the current state of the job market.  The outlook isn't really good.  We have pretty bad unemployment by anybody's measure.  The time it takes to find a job is as long as it has been in years (45 weeks average). It is well know that the unemployment number reported is an under-counting of the people that are idle. One thing I don't know for sure but assume is the case the unemployment number is generated by jobless claims and to claim unemployment benefits (or claims) one has to be a us citizen.  This leads to the roots of my question.  How does the illegal immigrant (II) issue play on the unemployment situation?  Let my clarify: as I say unemployment situation I mean the number of citizens that need work or idle (whether counted officially or not).  Now another point of clarification: let's discuss the population of unemployed (or idle) people.  I don't know the exact numbers but a quick search shows the population of unemployed is14 mil. and of that 7 mil. have an education past HS or some training (group Y) and 7 mil. don't (group Z).  The question of II pertains to the group Z population.  This assumes the most II fit in the group Z.  These earn a minimum of $15K/yr (based on the min. wage) and could earn say an average of $32K.  The estimates of II are between 11 mil and 20 mil. and of that a minimum 8 mil.are workers.  Next if the II are idle they wouldn't receive any income so I assume most are employed in some way and if not they wouldn't be motivated to come here (cost of living is higher than in their home countries).  But some could be working part time or temporarily idle so I will say that 7 mil work (90% of the estimate of workers) thus 7 mil x $15K is $105 bil.  So let's list the major assumptions:
Unemployed means idle (not the reported number which is a structured under counting)
The unemployed 14 mil is divided into 2 equal groups Y (educated/skilled) and Z (uneducated/unskilled)
there are 8 mil II workers in the country
II earn a minimum of $105 bil

Now the arguments for and against this situation come into play. The first one against II. Given the assumptions: if no II were here than that 7 mil more citizens could be employed reducing the unemployment numbers by half and helping the economy.  Wiping out the group Z unemployed.  Is it a great coincidence that the numbers of II workers equal the number of unemployed citizens (HS education or less)?  Remember a portion of $105 bil is remitted to their home countries and out of the US economy.   One argument for II working is: citizens won't work in the jobs   that the II do (agriculture, construction, domestic, etc).  These industries are also ones where the group Z would qualify manual labor, low skill needed thus leading to an assumption. This just scratches the surface of the problem but the question remains: How does the illegal immigrant issue play on the unemployment situation?