A Pretty Good Year, Too

Major indices were up at least 20%. Meanwhile, Apple's price recovered from its summer bottom
to finish 2.18% higher by Dec. 31st. Including dividends, that was a return of 4.4%; really, not so bad.

By far the biggest factor behind income inequality is wealth inequality. A mega-rich mogul's billion dollars of stock holdings at the beginning of 2013 are very likely to have grown by at least $200 million (20%) by year-end, all without him or her spending an hour at the office.

On a much more common and achievable scale, it's entirely possible for a middle-class working couple to have accumulated one million dollars in investable funds by the time they are in their 50's through a program of regular saving. Here's one scenario among an infinite number: new annual savings start at $7,000 and increase by 3% per year to $16,496 in year 30; the total put away would be about $333,000. Meanwhile, if the couple earned 8% on their investments (the S&P 500 increased by an average of 10% per year from 1975 to 2013), the portfolio would have grown to $1,069,000.

The above is an extremely simplistic example, because we're not considering the negative effect of income taxes (although if the funds are stored in tax-deferred 401(k) or IRA accounts taxes are not a factor until funds are withdrawn), nor are we considering the positive effect of dividends. The point of the exercise is to show that getting to $1 million is doable, and so was enjoying at least a $200,000 increase in one's portfolio in 2013.

Billionaires are leaving everyone behind, but if they can put aside the sin of envy many will come to realize that they had a pretty good year, too. © 2013 Stephen Yuen

In Other Words, Kwitch'er Whining

WSJ tech columnist Farhad Manjoo has two words for tech observers who were disappointed about 2013: grow up.

the touchscreen smartphone (and its cousin the tablet) was a singularly novel, industry-shattering device, and we're unlikely to see anything as groundbreaking in a generation.

The smartphone and the tablet *are* the next big things, and we act like spoiled children when we claim that they somehow aren't enough. Most future advances will simply be improvements or expansions on these basic technologies...

When a sports team wins a couple of championships, some of its fans begin to expect that they will win one every year. The fans have forgotten or perhaps never even knew the amount of effort and expertise required just to perform competently, much less win it all. We often see such lack of perspective in critics who were never creators/doers themselves.

In the New Year may we strive to be more appreciative of the good in the world, rather than dwell upon its imperfections. © 2013 Stephen Yuen

For the Foreseeable Future

We served 100 people on Dec. 29th.

The first clue was the number of boxes that were stored in the walk-in freezer; they barely fit in my station wagon. (The good people of St. Pius closely monitor the need.) The second hint was the number of cars and bicycles in the crowded parking lot.

Over the years the number of customers for a free Sunday hot meal at the Redwood City community center has ranged between 50 and 80. Lately it's risen toward the high end of the scale. Today we counted 100. One of our volunteers ran out to buy more roast chicken, which she carved at the picnic table. I baked an extra tray of chicken and rice, while someone brought more salad. Everything was consumed, and all the brown-bag lunches prepared by St. Pius were snapped up.

The likely reason for the increased traffic to Sandwiches on Sunday is the recent cut in food stamp allotments. As one who strongly prefers private charity programs to the incredible waste, fraud, and abuse of government transfer programs, I'll have to put my money and time where my mouth is, and it's likely I'll be doing so for the foreseeable future. © 2013 Stephen Yuen

Horse Sense

The horse ambled west on Irving at a very slow pace, perhaps 3 mph. No one dared pass and risk scaring the horse, and it was a policeman riding it after all.

Horses are classified as a slow-moving vehicle in the California Drivers' Handbook:

Animal-Drawn Vehicles: Horse-drawn vehicles and riders of horses or other animals are entitled to share the road with motor vehicles. It is a traffic offense to scare horses or stampede livestock. Slow down or stop, if necessary, or when requested to do so by the riders or herders.

The common-sense course of slowing down and accepting one's circumstance, despite the temptation to speed around the horse, turned out to be written into law.

After he had gone two blocks, the policeman stopped and waved the traffic around. Both he and the drivers behaved sensibly, a sign of hope for civic life.

There's No Better Time

At this time of year the financial publications are rife with advice about income taxes. Usually the emphasis is on reducing taxes in the current year through taking deductions such as charitable contributions or dramatic steps such as moving to a low-tax state or getting married. This year, however, is different, and not just because tax rates are going up; the increase in complexity has been exponential.

With the introduction of the 3.8% net investment income tax (Sec. 1411), and the return of the 20% capital gains rate (Sec. 1(h)) and the 39.6% income tax rate (Sec. 1(i)), America shifted overnight at the start of 2013 from a two-dimensional tax system to a four-dimensional system. [snip]

The complexity of going from a two-dimensional system to a four-dimensional system is exponential, not linear, and requires a quantum leap in tax analysis methodology, tax strategy, and tax planning software tools.

It may only seem that the vast majority of Americans will not have to deal with this complexity; only if a married couple has income over $250,000 (or a single person over $200,000) will they be subject to the investment-income tax.

However, more people will be affected than just the supposedly "rich". As taxpayers approach these income thresholds, many will scale back their economic activity to avoid crossing them, just as small businesses avoid having more than 49 employees to escape the penalties of Obamacare.

Also, the interconnection between income and estate/gift taxes has become much more complicated. It is easy to be unconcerned about the problems of "wealthy" estates, which pay taxes if they are valued at more than $5.34 million, but it wasn't that long ago that having a $1 million estate was an uncommon experience.

In the view of your humble observer, society underestimates the cost of complexity. We regularly come across productive individuals---doctors, accountants, businesspeople---of a certain age who don't mind paying somewhat more in taxes; they hate the hassle of new regulations that have nothing to do with their fundamental business operations. So they are cutting back or quitting altogether. The silver lining--for them, not society--is that if they have been thinking about doing something else with their lives, there's no better time. © 2013 Stephen Yuen

Washing Warning

"From the penthouse to the outhouse":
metaphorically, but not literally

In our house bathroom-sink soap bars have been replaced by dispensers filled with antibacterial soap, but that move is not only costly but also could be physically harmful:

Scientists at the Food and Drug Administration announced Monday [December 16] that they are revisiting the safety of triclosan and other sanitizing agents found in soap in countless kitchens and bathrooms. Recent studies suggest triclosan and similar substances can interfere with hormone levels in lab animals and spur the growth of drug-resistant bacteria.

Until the science becomes conclusive, we'll finish the bottles in inventory, then go back to washing with plain old soap and hot water. [Note that hand sanitizers, which have ethyl alcohol as the active ingredient, are currently judged safe.]

Mother and Child

Last week I became a grand uncle, the first time I became a "grand-" anything ("great uncle" is the more common usage according to Ngram). The occasion is no big deal to many of my contemporaries who are already grandparents; nevertheless, it's another milestone on the Great Path.

Another comment, commonplace and perhaps trite: this is the time of the year when we reflect upon our lives, somberly remembering those whom we have lost. A December baby brightens the entire outlook. An irrational reaction, but there it is.

Christmas Eve

Clergy prepare for the Christmas Eve service

On a cold clear Tuesday night 60 people in a Foster City Episcopal church joined millions around the world in celebration of a blessed event that occurred two thousand years ago.

It was That Event that triggered all the gift-shopping, package-mailing, card-writing, tree-decorating, party-organizing, and family-gathering that absorbs the month of December in 21st-century America. For a few hours the worshippers set aside the concerns of the world and sang of a newborn baby, joy, hope, and heavenly peace.

Merry Christmas! © 2013 Stephen Yuen

Songs of the Season - Part 1

In the late 1990's my employer had enough of a talent pool to put together a decent holiday choir (videos uploaded from VHS tape).

Songs of the Season - Part 2

An old chestnut, plus Santa cracks up under the pressure.

Songs of the Season - Part 3

An unserious musical history of the Twelve Days of Christmas. I like the Hawaiian lyrics myself ("a mynah bird in one papaya tree").

Songs of the Season - Part 4

Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas now.



Through the years we all will be together
If the fates allow...

But the fates do not allow. Our time together is too fleeting, gone in the wink of an eye. Like the ghostly watchers in Grover's Corners, we have an eternity to mull the regrets of moments unappreciated until too late.

On this Christmas and in the New Year, resolve not to let that happen.

Imelda Was Ahead of Her Time

In my 20's and 30's I had four pairs of shoes: two black, one brown, and sneakers. Now the count is up to seven, and I'm only working part-time. Eric Jennings, Saks Fifth men's director:

"There is an explosion of men's shoes right now. The business is on fire...It runs the gamut from classic dress shoes to designer sneakers that are extremely fashion forward."

In addition to bowing to the needs of fashion, one requires more shoes in the rotation because modern footwear is less durable. A pair of 4-year-old $200 loafers that were used about twice a month developed holes in their synthetic bottoms on a recent trip to Las Vegas.

They weren't salvageable: too bad, because the shoes were comfortable, looked decent, and were easy to slip on and off when going through airport security.

I went to the mall in Las Vegas and replaced them immediately with two pairs. Wouldn't want to get caught short again.

A Great Year

One week ago rumors circulated that the Federal Reserve would announce the cessation of its five-year easy money, aka quantitative easing, program. The financial markets fell.

The feared cutback turned out to be not very severe; bond-buying will "taper" from $85 billion per month to $75 billion. The markets resumed their climb, some to new highs. Last week's short-term budget deal and today's Fed announcement brought a measure of certainty to government fiscal and monetary policy, respectively.

It's refreshing to see grown-up behavior (finally) in evidence at the Congress and Federal Reserve. One only hopes that in the New Year we will see it in the Executive Branch, which lurches to and fro trying to put out fires of its own making.

YTD chart updated to 12/23/2013: if you had money in the market, it's been a great year.

Graton Resort and Casino, Rohnert Park

(Photo from California Home Design)

Everyone in the car enjoyed their first visit to the new Graton casino, and not just because three out of four brought home heavier wallets than they started out with.

Several family members are highly allergic to cigarette smoke; hay fever and asthma attacks are triggered after several hours of exposure. While Graton does permit the vice, the carpets, tablecloths, and chairs are not (yet) steeped in tobacco residue. Unlike expeditions to other nearby casinos, this trip was blessedly allergy-free.

Dining options were decent though not spectacular. The food court "marketplace" offered inexpensive choices, and four restaurants served more upscale but not outrageously priced fare. Graton doesn't bother with a buffet, probably a good thing since I would have been tempted to try it.

By far the most attractive feature is its location. Just off of Highway 101, Graton is 45 miles north of San Francisco. It took us 90 minutes to get there in normal traffic from the Peninsula and is 30 to 60 minutes closer than the nearest alternative. Closer, cleaner, and a touch classier than its competition, Graton will get the lion's share of our gaming time (but hopefully not our money) in the coming year. © 2013 Stephen Yuen

Muscio's Italian Restaurant, Novato

Attendance in our church would go up if it had Monday
night football on two flatscreens above the bar.

Arriving in Novato, a city 25 miles north of San Francisco, after 8 p.m., we found few restaurants open on Monday night. Muscio's looked promising because of the number of cars parked outside.

Upon entering, we looked up to see an unobstructed view of the roof. The restaurant occupied the original location of 123-year-old Our Lady of Loretto Catholic Church.

The waitress brought us freshly-baked garlic bread, which was consumed in short order. A second basket was used to sop up the sauce from our pasta dishes, which were uniformly excellent. Everything was made on the premises, the waitress said. She invited us to return with three discount coupons, expiring January 31st. We'll be returning to the North Bay in a couple of weeks and will take her up on it. © 2013 Stephen Yuen

The Aisle of the Dolls

No dice on Deuce Gorgon

In the world of volunteering it's often the case that one's assigned tasks have no connection with one's background or skills. We have seen teachers keeping books, lawyers baking cookies, and engineers organizing fund-raisers. And so it was that your humble observer, the father of two grown sons, spent three confused hours in the Monster High doll section at Target and Toys'R Us. (Our church is buying presents for two families in the Samaritan House Holiday Program.)

The 11-year-old girl already had several Monster High girls and really wanted a boy doll. I rummaged through dozens of different products on the shelves, but not a boy was to be found. A check online showed high boy-doll prices that were beyond our budget and delivery dates that were too close to Christmas. Our society really needs to do something about discrimination against male role models!

After selecting a Lalaloopsy doll--I feel uncomfortable just typing those words--for the 4-year-old I took the easy way out by buying Forever 21 gift cards for everyone else, including the Monster High collector. The sales clerk, a girl barely out of high school, began patiently explaining how gift cards work. "Thank you," I said, in the most sincere tone that I could affect.  I was more than ready to go home. © 2013 Stephen Yuen

The Profundity of Pelosi

Nancy Pelosi explains her choice of words.

Former Speaker of the House and current House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi has produced two of the most memorable quotes of the Obamacare era: 2010's "we have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it" and 2013's "embrace the suck."

The latter quotation came into widespread use by the military during the second Iraq war. "Embrace the suck" means that the situation is bad, but deal with it. The phrase is vulgar, funny, and...wise. An honest appraisal of and full engagement with one's condition is the first step toward climbing out of a hole. Wishing that things were different is often an exercise in futility.

While her supporters have argued that these quotes were taken out of context, Mrs. Pelosi has never apologized or offered a retraction. Her sayings may make her an object of mockery by opponents, but they are not silly. After her party lost the House in 2010, Democrats nevertheless re-elected her as leader. Republicans would be wise not to underestimate her. © 2013 Stephen Yuen

Steamed with Good Intentions

(Image from Culicurious)

We've been increasing the mix of brown rice over white rice in our diet because of the former's high fiber content. We've also been eating more rice of whatever color because of the suspicion that the gluten found in wheat is a contributor to a family member's digestive difficulties. It now turns out that the cure is potentially worse than the disease.

In September the Food and Drug Administration released the results of a study that analyzed the arsenic content of rice. Rice--especially brown rice--contains significantly more arsenic than wheat and other cereals. These findings confirm the results in a 2012 Consumer Reports study [bold added]:

No federal limit exists for arsenic in most foods, but the standard for drinking water is 10 parts per billion (ppb). Keep in mind: That level is twice the 5 ppb that the EPA originally proposed and that New Jersey actually established. Using the 5-ppb standard in our study, we found that a single serving of some rices could give an average adult almost one and a half times the inorganic arsenic he or she would get from a whole day’s consumption of water, about 1 liter.

The reason? "Rice absorbs arsenic from soil or water much more effectively than most plants."

Disappointing....brown rice seemed to be a "good" carbohydrate, or at least one that was not as harmful as others. © 2013 Stephen Yuen

Losing Letterman

British PM Cameron, Danish PM Thorning-Schmidt,
with President and Mrs. Obama (Getty Images)

Five years after George Bush left office, David Letterman finally took a break from bashing the ex-President and commented on Barack Obama at the Nelson Mandela memorial:

Did you see that picture where the President was using an iPhone to take a selfie? And it was him and a guy from Great Britain and the woman in charge of Norway, or whatever Denmark? And I thought it was interesting---he knows how to operate the camera to take a picture but they can't figure out to operate the Obamacare website

1) As humor goes, it wasn't much funny, but David Letterman has to start somewhere.

2) If he's lost Letterman, he's in deep....trouble.

Often Wrong, Never in Doubt

After yesterday's budget deal, your humble observer became optimistic about the stock market's near-term outlook. Naturally, today "stocks recorded their biggest daily loss in a month":

Markets pushed lower as speculation spread that a bipartisan budget agreement from Congress could raise the likelihood that the Fed will start paring its easy-money policies, a process known as “tapering,” as soon as next week.

Markets hate uncertainty, but based on today's action they hate the loss of easy money even more.

Sunny Skies Ahead

Each major stock market index is up at least 20% YTD

Everyone will find something to dislike about today's budget compromise (Wall Street Journal: "it breaks....the discretionary spending caps"; Steven Rattner, NY Times: "We’ve irresponsibly slashed spending on important domestic needs") , but the overriding fact--and surprise--was that a deal was reached at all.

With another government shutdown seemingly averted, look for the market to continue higher through year-end.

Hunker and Huddle

It's cold all across the country. Best to stay inside and huddle for warmth with a loved one.

Trying to Warm Up.

The icy weather that has swept the nation has affected the Bay Area as well, albeit not as severely. Overnight lows in the 30's were enough to keep us from venturing out after dark; age has made us cold-avoiding wimps.

I threw a tray of lasagna and a vegetable casserole into the oven. The comfort food helped ward off the chill, and leaving the oven door open helped warm up the kitchen.

Our new furnace has been operating twelve hours a day since it was installed five days ago. The contractor just e-mailed the acceptance form, which I'll sign and return today to claim a rebate. Getting money back, even a small amount, always instills warm feelings. © 2013 Stephen Yuen

Seventy Two

Of all the infamous dates in the past 100 years - 12/7/1941, 11/22/1963, 9/11/2001 - December 7th is the only one for which Americans received full closure. The attackers of Pearl Harbor, along with their allies, were destroyed.

Those Americans who turned ignominious defeat into victory have been called the greatest generation, and 72 years later most of them have left us. Let us remember those who are gone, honor those who remain, and in our own lives perform as nobly and selflessly as they did.

Mandela: A Great Man of History

Self-identified-conservative writer Max Boot calls Nelson Mandela "one of the giants of the second half of the twentieth century":

insurgents like Lenin, Stalin, Mao, Castro, Mugabe, Kim Il Sung, and (fill in the blank) who, while posturing as freedom fighters battling an evil dictatorship, swiftly become dictators in turn as soon as they seize power. The exceptions to that rule are some of the greatest figures of modern history–the likes of George Washington, Michael Collins, David Ben-Gurion, and, most recently, Nelson Mandela......

the largest part of the explanation for why South Africa is light years ahead of most African nations–why, for all its struggles with high unemployment, crime, corruption, and other woes, it is freer and more prosperous than most of its neighbors–is the character of Nelson Mandela. Had he turned out to be another Mugabe, there is every likelihood that South Africa would now be on the same road to ruin as Zimbabwe. But that did not happen because Mandela turned out to be, quite simply, a great man–someone who could spend 27 years in jail and emerge with no evident bitterness to make a deal with his jailers that allowed them to give up power peacefully and to avoid persecution.

Mandela knew that South Africa could not afford to nationalize the economy or to chase out the white and mixed-raced middle class. He knew that the price of revenge for the undoubted evils that apartheid had inflicted upon the majority of South Africans would be too high to pay–that the ultimate cost would be borne by ordinary black Africans. Therefore he governed inclusively and, most important of all, he voluntarily gave up power after one term when he could easily have proclaimed himself president for life.

Truly great leaders possess not only the correct policies but also nobility of character. When Nelson Mandela had near absolute power, he refused to exact revenge. He forsook self-glorification and worked for the good of all, friends and former enemies alike. He relinquished power though it was easy to rationalize keeping it. World leaders will eulogize him this week, but the best way to honor him would be to try to be half the man he was.

Jill Gets Recognized

Seven years ago we first wrote about Jill's personal call to assemble Christmas gift bags for seniors, hospice patients, the homeless, and hospitalized veterans. Today dozens of volunteers gathered at Jill's house to make up over 1,100 gift bags, a record. The local NBC affiliate, Channel 11, ran a short piece on the 5 o'clock news. It's nice to see Jill get some recognition.

Cramming for a Test

1st the cup, then the pitcher, repeat in 5 hours

Wednesday was spent drinking clear liquids and a lemony concoction that kept me up all night. It was also spent within a few feet from a porcelain bowl.

Yes, tomorrow is the necessary procedure known as the colonoscopy, about which humor abounds. Four years ago the doctors found six polyps, all-noncancerous, and I was overdue for another "scope" because of family history.

People dread colonoscopies mainly because of what they must do the day before. One is restricted to clear liquids and a medication that provokes continuous, even explosive diarrhea. The day before is unpleasant and often painful; after a few hours many patients, including your humble observer, can't wait for the actual procedure to start.

I would say more, but sorry, gotta go.... © 2013 Stephen Yuen

[Update - 12/5: no polyps! But doc says that I need to eat more fiber.]

Sometimes Things Do Go Right

Since 2004, wires need constant fixing.

For over ten years your humble observer has had to make minor repairs to our 35-year-old heating system at the start of each winter.

However, safety concerns, energy inefficiency, and the fact that I was the only one in the household who knew how to light the pilot on the old unit finally prompted the ordering of a new Lennox SL280V variable speed furnace. We also added an air purifier and a digital thermostat.

The new SL280V

Procrastinating has another advantage besides saving money: technology is advancing at such a rapid rate that the replacement unit, even one with just average features, is leaps and bounds ahead of the unit that it replaced. The new system is cleaner, quieter, and much more energy efficient. It has an electronic ignition, i.e., no pilot light. The city inspector (the permit cost $151) said that our old gas bill of more than $200 per month should be cut in half. We'll see.

The system was installed today just as freezing temperatures blanketed the Bay Area. The furnace, purifier, and thermostat all performed like a champ. At the beginning of our busiest month of the year it was encouraging to be reminded that sometimes things do go right. © 2013 Stephen Yuen

The Blacklist

We are fans of the Blacklist, NBC's hit new series about a criminal mastermind who begins to help the FBI capture other master criminals on "the blacklist." What is Raymond Reddington's motivation? Why will he go to any length to protect junior agent Elizabeth Keen, even risking his own life (he denies being her father)?

The Blacklist is filled with violence, death, suspense, and mystery about the background and motivations of each major character. But what makes it must-see TV is James Spader, who chews the scenery as Reddington. In the direst situations he always seems to be in control.

In last week's episode, surrounded by heavily armed attackers, the weaponless Reddington comforts a grievously wounded agent with his reasons for living. His soliloquy is a quiet moment in a loud, frenetic hour of action.

Have you ever sailed across an ocean, Donald? On a sailboat surrounded by sea with no end in sight? Without even the possibility of sighting land for days to come? To stand at the helm of your destiny...I want that one more time.

I want to be in Piazza del Campo in Siena, to feel the surge of ten racehorses go thundering by. I want another meal in Paris at L'Ambroisie in the Place des Vosges. I want another bottle of wine, and then another. I want the warmth of a woman in a cool set of sheets. One more night of jazz at the Vanguard. I want to stand on summits and smoke Cubans and feel the sun on my face as long as I can. [closes eyes, feeling the sun]

Walk on the wall again. Climb the tower, ride the river, stare at the frescoes. I want to sit in the garden and read one more good book. Most of all, I want to sleep. I want to sleep like I slept when I was a boy. Give me that, just...one time.

Ray Reddington will have more time to experience those pleasures. The Blacklist has been renewed for the 2014-2015 season.

December, Already

The to-do list for 2013 has many items unfinished, but the December calendar doesn't have a lot of room to complete them. The first order of business is to make a list--among all the other lists that we create this month--to determine how many tasks can be deferred to next year (unfortunately, not many).

December is the month when there's a final push to make the numbers, when year-end reports are drafted, and the final touches are made to next year's plan. Adding to the burden are card-writing, gift-giving, and tree-decorating, not to mention going away on vacation. And I really should take a look at last-minute tax moves for 2013.

December used to be one of my favorite months; now, January can't come too soon.

Too Much of a Good Thing

Time's recent cover story is about another example of how pendulums can swing too far [bold added]:

We have too many wild animals--from swine to swans. Thirty million strong and growing, the population of white-tailed deer in the U.S. is larger today than it was when Columbus sailed the ocean blue, according to National Wildlife Research Center scientist Kurt VerCauteren. They gobble up crops and vegetable gardens, dart into traffic and spread tick-borne diseases. Then there are the wild hogs. From a little herd imported to feed explorer Hernando de Soto's 16th century expedition, some 5 million feral pigs are rooting through city parks and private lawns in 48 of the 50 states...

And beavers. Nearly wiped out in the 19th century, they're back with a vengeance. In the Seattle suburb of Redmond, beavers are felling ornamental trees not far from Microsoft headquarters to build dams in the drainage culverts. Bald eagles are back too; one has been feasting on pet dogs near Saginaw, Mich. Raccoons bedevil the tony North Shore suburbs of Chicago. The world's largest Burmese pythons are no longer found in Burma; they are flourishing in South Florida. Wild turkeys swagger through Staten Island, N.Y. The yip of coyotes competes with the blare of taxi horns in New York City and Washington, while a fox has lately been in residence on the White House grounds. At least one mountain lion has had its photo snapped while hanging out in the Hollywood Hills.

It was easy to love the idea of wild animals....until the real animals foul gardens, damage property, or even endanger human lives. 40 years ago it was comparatively easy to ban certain activities in the name of animal protection; those bans have borne fruit, and not all are sweet.

Deer at the park last January.

Surprisingly Productive

On Black Friday family members wanted to join the mobs at the mall. The mall was the last place I wanted to be--we INTJs don't like shopping in crowds--but when one has a family one must sacrifice one's own preferences for the greater good. It took only 15 minutes of driving around to find a parking space.

I ordered a coffee at Barnes & Noble and planted myself at a table with the MacBook. (Free Wi-Fi is a blessing to INTJs.) During the next hour I cleared over a hundred shopping messages from various e-mail inboxes. Black Friday at the mall turned out to be surprisingly productive. Tip for the day: always keep your expectations low, then you'll feel better when things don't turn out as bad as you thought.

Turkey Day

The turkey entered the oven at nine. The back and front were seared for 20 minutes, then the heat was lowered and the automatic meat thermometer set to 160. The thigh temperature hit the mark six hours later, and the oven switched off.

We drove to Mimi's Cafe to pick up a couple of side dishes. (For $100 Mimi's will prepare a "holiday feast" that will feed 6 to 8 people, but never having outsourced Thanksgiving before, I didn't feel like entrusting the entire dinner to someone else.) Mimi's was strained to the breaking point; all tables were filled, plus the take-out line was ten deep. They had lost our order, which had been placed two weeks earlier. No problem, there were extra sides in the cooler, and they filled our order in 15 minutes. I was silently grateful (it is Thanksgiving) that I had not ordered the full holiday feast.

We returned home just in time to remove the turkey from the oven. Of course, today there are big things for which we are profoundly thankful, but a tender, juicy, flavorful bird certainly helped to cultivate an attitude of gratitude. © 2013 Stephen Yuen

The Easy Way

Thanksgiving, 2013: it's in the bag.

In previous years hours were spent preparing the turkey brine; we had to boil the vegetables and spices, cool and decant the liquid, ice the mixture, and dispose of the detritus in the compost bin. This time we did it the easy way by buying a brining kit (less than $10) from Urban Accents. True, the brine still had to be boiled, while the spice packet contained dried, not fresh ingredients, but the whole process was much faster, cheaper, and cleaner. [Update - 11/28: the proof of the turkey is in the eating, and diners pronounced the result excellent.]

Another plus: the brining kit came with a food-grade plastic bag. In past years we used large new bags of uncertain provenance. While the risk of chemicals leaching into the icy brine is minimal, it's best not to take chances.

Pulling the Brake

Last year we, er, railed against the boondoggle known as the California high-speed rail (HSR) project, aka the train to nowhere. Yesterday Sacramento judge Michael Kenny halted the $10 billion expenditure of bond funds until a realistic plan for raising the remaining $15 billion is presented.

the state's current financing plan does not comply with the promises made to voters in 2008 when they approved selling $10 billion in bonds for the project. Beyond the $6 billion in state and federal funds for the first 130 miles, the judge said, revenue is theoretical rather than "reasonably expected actually to be available starting in 2015." The current cost estimate for building the first 300 miles, which the judge has indicated he believes is what the bond measure intended to finance, is $31 billion.

Supporters of HSR were undoubtedly counting on the project's momentum and arm-twisting by special-interest beneficiaries to force continuation of the project regardless of the wording in the 2008 initiative. HSR may still proceed if the legislature votes the funds, or if a realistic financing plan is devised.  Nevertheless, Judge Kenny's insistence that the Governor and other supporters live up to the promises they made to get the law passed is refreshing....and rare.

We'll Be Back

Our table for two hours.

In Las Vegas it's easy for non-members to sport the appearance of being part of the one-percent club. (For example, as of this writing a Maserati may be rented for $675 per day.)

We were invited by friends to lunch at the Mansion, the MGM Grand Hotel's oasis for whales. We were the only patrons in the garden while we enjoyed a quiet leisurely lunch. There was no hint that the bustling Strip was only a block away. After lunch we strolled around the trees and admired the statuary.

Whales don't care that the duck breast entree
weighs less than a hamburger and costs $35.

On this trip we didn't set a foot in old Las Vegas. I missed having gaming palaces a short walk from each other, but I didn't miss the cigarette smoke or the grime. A vacation on the Strip is more expensive than downtown but costs less than Honolulu, New York, or LA....that is, if one is disciplined at the tables. This time I kept my head, or maybe just was lucky. We won't wait five years to return.

How the Young'Uns Do

Grilled scallops at the Sage

The Sage served the best meal we had during our long weekend in Las Vegas. We ordered small plates, a forced choice after three days of ceaseless consumption. Every dish was made of fresh ingredients and offered flavors and textures in interesting combinations. The only drawback was the noise. The Aria Hotel is oriented toward the younger crowd, which seems to gravitate toward venues that play high-energy music. We had to shout to make ourselves heard and decided to communicate how the young'uns do by texting each other. When in Rome....

A Bargain Indeed

Travelers from Hawaii have been known to head straight from McCarran Airport to the craps and blackjack tables for an all-night session, but those days are long since past for your humble observer. First, the desire has diminished; second, I just can't do it any more (oh, were we talking about gambling?)

On this week's trip to Las Vegas, our first in five years, we passed up the excesses of the all-you-can eat buffets and opted for less stomach-stretching fare. Each of the Strip hotels has at least one celebrity chef. On Thursday night we dined at Julian Serrano's at the Aria, and Friday at 9:30 we got in to Shawn McClain's Sage, also at the Aria. The ticket for two (without wine) ranged from $100 to $150, not unreasonable when compared with prices at top restaurants in San Francisco.

When one takes into account the money saved by not spending time in the casino, fine dining in Las Vegas is a bargain indeed.

Julian Serrano's mixed paella

That Day: A Personal Remembrance

I wrote this personal remembrance, reproduced below, on the 40th anniversary.

Mrs. Matthews calmly told us the news, but her normally severe demeanor seemed strained. She took off her glasses and rubbed her eyes. The class grew quiet. In the face of tragedy we tried to act like adults, who we thought would not cry or shout or otherwise carry on.

After an interminable wait, school finally let out, and kids got into their buses or waiting cars. My ride wouldn’t come for another hour so I wandered around the empty halls. I thought about going to the main office to call Mom, but the phone was only to be used in the direst emergency, like the time I got sick in Mrs. Millar’s fourth grade class and my father had to take off work to pick me up. I borrowed a book from the library and went across the street to wait for my uncle. I opened the book but didn’t see the pages.

These days we say we are “shocked” or “stunned” by an occurrence, when, in truth, our imagination, combined with knowledge of actual horrors experienced over the past 40 years, has inoculated us against surprise. But those reactions are appropriate to this seminal event, the assassination of John F. Kennedy, that signaled the end of our childhood.

The entire week was quiet. No one felt like playing football, so games were cancelled. The churches were filled, just as they were a year earlier when we prayed that God would spare the world. It was a week of blackness--black suits, dresses, and veils filling our black-and-white TV sets and newspapers.

In 1960 my parents supported Richard Nixon, and, being an imitative child, so did I. But once JFK was elected, he became the President and had our unswerving allegiance. The world was extremely dangerous. As we learned in geography, Russia had the most land, China had the most people, and these colossi were united against us. And more and more were joining their fold: people in Africa, in South America, even in neighboring Mexico, were burning the flag (I remember when some burned the old flag with 48 stars: didn’t they know that Hawaii and Alaska had become States?). The map of the world that hung on the bedroom wall was bathed in red, the color of communism, while the blue part--the United States, Canada, Western Europe, and Japan—seemed puny in comparison.

At school we would practice ducking under our desks in case the bombs started falling. People say now that these instructions were a big joke, but I didn’t know anyone who laughed. Life and Look magazines ran page after page on the devastation wrought by atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. I studied the huge mushroom cloud produced by the thousand-times more powerful hydrogen bomb over Bikini Atoll. Today children have nightmares about the Twin Towers falling; we worried about towers vaporizing…..everywhere.

President Kennedy also contended with many problems on the Mainland, as we called the contiguous 48 states. (I don’t want to give the impression that in my tender years I was a news junkie: it was primarily to advance my vocabulary that I read the grown-ups’ newspapers, the morning Advertiser and evening Star-Bulletin.) Good news was rare. Powerful labor unions, such as the Teamsters and steelworkers, went on strike and shut down much of the country. Troops had to be sent to Alabama because Governor Wallace wouldn’t let black kids go to school. The powerful Mafia was a big problem on the East Coast, and Robert Kennedy, the callow Attorney General, seemed inadequate to the task. As the Untouchables TV series vividly showed, you needed men with machine guns to take them on, and the President’s younger brother did not have the authoritative air of Elliott Ness.

The troubles came to a head in October, 1962, during the Cuban missile crisis. The fear in adults was palpable, and I became convinced, after a few days of excruciating tension, that the world was going to be destroyed. Every night I concentrated with special fervor on the final line of the children’s prayer, “if I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take”. When the Russian ships turned around, and Mr. Khrushchev agreed to remove the missiles from Cuba, I felt the exultation of the patient who is given a second chance, and President Kennedy was my doctor.

He is remembered for his grace, his wit, and his handsome family. But I remember most of all the contrast between the joyful heights of Thanksgiving, 1962 and the somber depths of Thanksgiving, 1963. He saved us all, and then he was gone.
© 2003 Stephen Yuen

"The Greatest LIve Show They Have Ever Seen"

After yesterday's rain, "water" has become the theme for the week.

Tonight I saw my first Cirque du Soleil show, "O", at the Bellagio. Yes, the tickets were pricey at $181 apiece including the Ticketmaster surcharge, but there's nothing like it in the world. The mix of acrobatics, dancing, synchronized swimming, heart-stopping dives, live original music, and costumes all choreographed for a non-stop two hours, is, to use an over-used adjective, unique. Many people are willing to pay the price to see it: "As of early 2011, O has grossed over a billion dollars since the show opening in 1998."

Equally amazing was the wizardry behind the set, a vast pool that transforms into a wooden stage and back again (performers high-dive into the pool, so the machinery better be working). Physical and technical legerdemain aside, the two-hour production is beautiful. Chicago Tribune: "Many people consider it the greatest live show they have ever seen."

The set's elaborate machinery means that this show won't be going on the road. One must come to Las Vegas to see it. "O", the sacrifices we have to make....

Posing for this set piece is one of the few occasions the performers aren't whirling like dervishes.

Suddenly, A Storm

Rain-slick streets are an unusual sight this year

2013 is shaping up to be the driest year since 1850, so rain was a welcome sight this morning. The reservoirs and snow pack are still in reasonable shape though, and with above-average winter rainfall the Bay Area will avoid water rationing next summer.

I was happy just to turn off the sprinklers for a few days. The combined water-and-sewer bill is running about $120 per month, and one never likes to see money going down the drain. © 2013 Stephen Yuen

It's Time

Director Mary Watt (left) oversees
organized chaos during Thanksgiving

Food Stamp allotments have been cut this month (the conservative justification is that spending had more than doubled in the past five years) and many Americans are facing hardship.

Let the people in Washington re-hash old arguments. It's time for liberals who say they want to help the hungry to step up. It's time for conservatives who decry government inefficiency to step up.

One Bay Area organization that gives direct aid to the poor and operates on a shoestring is CALL Primrose. This week our church doubled its contribution of Thanksgiving food boxes and will double its commitment for Christmas.

It's time for deeds, not words. © 2013 Stephen Yuen

Courtesy at Costco

One of the benefits of shopping at Costco is the abundance of free food samples. One of the disadvantages is that the tables seem always to be placed at the mouth of crowded aisles. Eaters plant their carts where no one can get past; stares and other nonverbal signals don't move them, so I must usually circle around.

Rule #1 of courteous Costco shopping: park the cart in a low-traffic area and come back for the sample. Added benefit: without the cart you'll be less inclined to buy food that you probably don't need. © 2013 Stephen Yuen

Life Lessons

Two diagrammatic answers to the question, "What has life taught you?", from Quora.

The Venn diagram displays how difficult it is to hit the sweet spot of careers. Very few individuals are able to make a lot of money while both doing what they love and what they're good at. Top-tier athletes and entertainers are on the list, as well as billionaire entrepreneurs. Most of us, if we're lucky, become good at something that pays well. Love? that's for retirement and/or second careers.

The Project Triangle is a favorite way of picturing the difficulty of achieving three conflicting goals. Achieving two is difficult, and accomplishing all three is nearly impossible. Students usually strive for good grades and social life, with sleep coming in last. However, that would be a mistake, as sleep is more important to performance than most people think. Well, maybe in our lifetime, science will come up with a pill, not to help insomniacs sleep but to safely get by without it. © 2013 Stephen Yuen

More Skype, Less Frustration

Earlier this week I was traveling east on the Hayward-San Mateo bridge (the road is usually uncrowded against the westbound morning commute) when traffic came to a dead stop. There was a three-car accident on the bridge, and all lanes were blocked.

After texting everyone that I was going to be late indefinitely--yes, I know that texting while driving is illegal but does the rule still apply to texting while stopped?--and second-guessing whether I should have taken the Dumbarton Bridge, I "third"-guessed that I should have teleconferenced and/or worked from home.

Eventually arriving at the office, I had some worthwhile face-to-face meetings, informative interactions with a few people that I had not planned to see, and a tasty lunch to boot. Nevertheless, the benefits were not quite equal to the cost of the day's commute. Next time: more Skype, less frustration. © 2013 Stephen Yuen

Medical Bypass

A family member was referred to a San Mateo ear-nose-throat doctor and was treated promptly and effectively. What was unusual about this story is that the doctor didn't accept insurance or even credit cards. Payment is via cash or check only.

By avoiding the elaborate medical payments bureaucracy Dr. Kelly charges a fraction of what other doctors bill (a good portion of which the insurance companies disallow anyway). He's literally old school, that is, he's eligible for full retirement under Social Security and his nurse-administrator uses a typewriter.

Opponents of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act should not fall into the trap of defending the pre-2009 system that has multiple middlemen coming between the doctor and patient. Obamacare may or may not be repealed, but we will not go back to the old system either.

Dr. Kelly's clean, simple, and very old-fashioned method of handling payments won't work in most cases today, but what about tomorrow? Changes in everything, not just health care, are happening more often and more quickly. The one surprise is that people are still surprised when the unexpected happens.

BTW, Dr. Kelly's Yelp rating is five stars. © 2013 Stephen Yuen

Undone and Done

Undone: left; Done: right

The ballast project (see previous post) has been fraught with mistakes, but at least, after more hours than I care to disclose, there's the satisfaction of turning on the switch and seeing results.

With many things in life immediate feedback is just not possible--heck, just talk to any parent or college freshman.

The Ballasts are Bad

Old ballasts (top) are 5 pounds,
the new ones about 1.5.

We have overhead fluorescent tubes in the kitchen, bathrooms, family room and garage. Not only has disposing of them been a hassle because of the mercury, but now many of the ballasts in our 30-year-old house are going bad.

Replacing a ballast involves

turning off the power

removing the fluorescent tubes

removing the fixture cover (carefully!)

clipping the seven wires to the old ballast

Fixture with ballasts removed

removing the screws attaching the old ballast (again carefully!)

attaching the new ballast to the fixture

stripping the seven wires on the fixture and connecting them to the new ballast

replacing the fixture cover

replacing the fluorescent tubes

The new electronic ballasts cost $17 to $19 and are much lighter and thinner than the old magnetic ballasts. Fortunately, standard lengths haven't changed, so the old screws are in the correct location for attaching the new ballasts.

I'm not the handiest of men, so it takes me about two hours to replace each ballast. Four down, six to go, and let's hope that the other 12 keep working for a while.

By the way, the amateur handyman is cautioned to be careful lest too much force cause the fixture to tumble from the ceiling plaster (right).

Do as I say, dear reader, not as I do. © 2013 Stephen Yuen

Losing the Narrative

Over the last half century the non-STEM academy has embraced postmodernism, which has as one of its premises the lack of an objective "truth", that is, everyone has his or her own equally valid experiences, truths, and stories to tell. This philosophy, plus our embedded preference to listen to stories over other styles of communicating, is one reason why we are inundated with people telling their tales throughout the day. Narratives are fine for entertainment, but they're often a lousy way to set public policy. Nevertheless, that's the world we live in and the way decisions get made.

Over the past 20 years the debate over health care has raged, primarily driven by (true) stories about the rapacious behavior of insurance companies, and to a lesser extent drug companies and heartless hospitals. In 2009 the Democratic Party, which controlled the legislative and executive branches of government, birthed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, aka "Obamacare," under which the Federal Government took control of the health care sector of the economy. No, the government does not technically "own" the health care sector, but through a combination of massive regulation, spending, and taxation the government controls it.

Now the horror stories are going the other way. They are so compelling that the Administration and its Obamacare supporters are finding it impossible to control the narrative. One example: stage-4 cancer patient Edie Sundby's story of insurance cancellation because of Obamacare regulations:

Since March 2007 United Healthcare has paid $1.2 million to help keep me alive, and it has never once questioned any treatment or procedure recommended by my medical team. The company pays a fair price to the doctors and hospitals, on time, and is responsive to the emergency treatment requirements of late-stage cancer. Its caring people in the claims office have been readily available to talk to me and my providers.

But in January, United Healthcare sent me a letter announcing that they were pulling out of the individual California market.

The narrative is lost, and in the postmodern world probably the battle is, too. © 2013 Stephen Yuen

The Month of Remembrance

November begins on a personal note with my birthday. In recent years the celebration has been muted. (I'm at the age when I look back more than I look ahead.)

Uncle Robert

Today, Veteran's Day, we remember those who fought for freedom. In our family this year it's a somber holiday. Another of my father's six brothers, World War II veterans all, died suddenly less than two months ago. His ashes will be interred at Punchbowl.

On November 19th the nation will honor the 150th anniversary of the Gettysburg Address, Lincoln's great speech in the aftermath of an horrific battle. And on November 22nd the nation will remember the life and death of John F. Kennedy 50 years after his assassination.

In a strange way revisiting traumatic events such as WW II, the Civil War, and the JFK assassination gives rise to hope. The obstacles that the nation overcame 50, 70, and 150 years ago dwarf those that it faces today, and there is no good reason why we shouldn't be equally--and ultimately--successful in solving our problems as well. © 2013 Stephen Yuen

The Culture of Apology

The Doctrine of Discovery is how Europeans, and then the United States, justified the conquest of indigenous peoples in the 16th through 19th centuries.

title to lands lay with the government whose subjects explored and occupied a territory whose inhabitants were not subjects of a European Christian monarch. The doctrine has been primarily used to support decisions invalidating or ignoring aboriginal possession of land in favor of colonial or post-colonial governments.

Last year the World Council of Churches repudiated the Doctrine of Discovery. Episcopal Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori:

The nations from which the settlers came, and the new nations which resulted in the Americas, sought to impose another culture and way of life on the peoples they encountered. Attempting to remake the land and peoples they found “in their own image” was a profound act of idolatry.

The age of Western expansion was marked by brutality, subjugation, and exploitation, and it is consistent with their faith for Christians to repent and make amends, even if the sins were committed by one's ancestors.

History teaches, of course, that imperialism was not confined to the West; the Russian, Ottoman, Mongolian, and Mayan empires slaughtered millions more than the West ever did, but no apologies ever came from those quarters. Another example of Western exceptionalism--not the imperialism, but the culture of apology. © 2013 Stephen Yuen

Crosscurrents of the Pacific

Hawaii's four electoral votes are reliably Democratic; the last Republican to have won the Presidential vote was Ronald Reagan in 1984. Neil Abercrombie, the current governor, was a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. Given Hawaii's liberal bona fides, one would expect that Governor Abercrombie's bill to legalize same-sex marriage would sail through without much opposition. One would be wrong.

5,100 people registered to testify at the House hearings on the issue, and over 1,000 did speak, most of them against the bill, over five days.

Gay marriage has proved a contentious issue in the solidly blue state of Hawaii, which has large Christian and Mormon congregations.

The people of Hawaii are strongly pro-labor, but they're also strongly religious. Asians and Pacific Islanders, groups that are temperamentally (but not necessarily politically) conservative, comprise the majority. Given their culture's traditional deference to leaders, it's still likely that same-sex marriage will be approved, but it's no slam dunk at the Crossroads of the Pacific. © 2013 Stephen Yuen

[Update, Headline on 11/13: "Abercrombie Signs Same-sex Marriage Bill Into Law":

Gay couples can get married in Hawaii as soon as Dec. 2. Clergy can refuse to perform gay weddings. Churches and other religious organizations can deny goods, services and facilities for gay weddings and receptions if it violates religious beliefs.

Abercrombie said the bill may not be a "perfect vehicle" but it was the product of the deliberative process. He said the debate recognized both equality and religious freedom.]

The Lonely Guy

Vanity Fair writer Todd Purdum on Barack Obama:

He may be the biggest presidential paradox since Thomas Jefferson, the slaveholder who wrote the Declaration of Independence: a community organizer who works alone.

The biggest Presidential failure in our lifetime was Richard Nixon, another lonely guy. According to political reporter Richard Reeves, Nixon wrote memos to himself throughout his Presidency:

Nixon waited until late at night to pen these memos to himself. He did so when he was alone in his office, alone in the Lincoln bedroom, alone at Camp David, or alone across the street in his monastic hideaway in the Old Executive Office building--always alone, almost always in the dark, and sometimes, even in August, with a fire blazing.

Like Richard Nixon, Barack Obama seems to prefer his own counsel. They are the rarest of political animals--two individuals who rose to the highest office without liking to be with other people. A penchant for solitude may not only cause failure but prevent solutions, especially if they involve compromise, from being devised.

We'll see. It's going to be a long three years. © 2013 Stephen Yuen