State Senate District 6 - Districtwide Result

Eric finished second in the primary for district 6 seat in the California State Senate! He will be facing Richard Pan in the general election in November.

To Sonora

I spent the day winding my way to Sonora and back with my boss. I worked in Sonora for most of 2014.

We met with the IT Site Director, had lunch with the Market IT team at The Standard Pour in the Standard Township and then toured the new pavilion. We finished the day meeting with the CEO and CFO.

Short Visit with Drew

Late Sunday night, Drew showed up to stay overnight. He was in town primarily to see James Taylor at the Golden One Arena. He and I got a chance to visit on Monday morning. I dropped him at the airport about 9:00 am so he could catch a flight back to Burbank.

2018 Washington DC Rugby Weekend - Day 3

Gribi took off about 7 am to catch a train from Union Station to Boston. Apparently, he missed the train and started a second day of misadventures!

It was after 8 am before Snipes and I started to stir. We packed up the room and headed back to Nooters.

Getting everyone up and going, we eventually headed to Founding Farmers Moco for breakfast. Sharon, Jack and I ate at different location of this restaurant when we were in Washington DC in '11. With a forty-five minute wait for a table, the five of us sat at the bar [Nooter, Wallen, Moore, Snipes and I]. I had eggs, bacon, fruit and an english muffin.

With an afternoon flight, I rolled about 11:00 am towards the airport. It poured rain the whole way. With a stop for gas, it took more than an hours and fifteen minutes.

About 1:30 pm, I boarded a 2:00 Southwest flight back to Sacramento. With an A25 boarding pass, I got a very nice aisle seat on one of the newer 737s. I read part of a book on Herbert Hoover and logged on the wireless and worked on the blog. We were on the ground in Sacramento about 4:45 pm. I have home in Carmichael a little after 5:30 pm.

It was a great trip. Nooter was a fantastic host. I really enjoyed having a chance to see everyone and help Jack get settled into a house for the summer.

2018 Washington DC Rugby Weekend - Day 2

After a long day and a late night, Jack and I slept late. I eventually got up after 8 am. Given that we had left the rental car at Nooter, I decided to walk/run back. I covered the 2 1/2 miles in about 30 minutes.

Once I got there, I visited with Nooter and Snipes for a while. Eventually, I headed back to the hotel to pick up Jack. He was still asleep! We got him packed up and headed back to the Nooters.

We joined the group for breakfast. Nooter made a great frittata for breakfast.

The plan for the day was two pronged. First, Jack and I needed to get him moved into a house in Georgetown. Second, Nooter got tickets for the group to attend the South African Springboks versus Wales Dragons Rugby Game.

Jack and I rolled about 11:30 am to head into Georgetown. Things went very smoothly. We picked up the boxes that he had stored on campus. Jack made a quick connection to pick up the key. Double parking on the street, Jack unloaded the boxes into the front room of the house. I parked a couple blocks away and then came back to help him carry the boxes down in the basement. I will post some pictures of the house and the basement in the next couple of days. From there, Jack and I headed to a nearby Safeway to stock up on some groceries. Double-parking again, he unloaded the groceries.

Rob had said that we wanted to leave for the game at 2 pm. I got back to his house about 1:50 pm. Waiting for Hunter and Yuli, we eventually loaded everyone into the rental SUV and headed to the Bethesda Metro Station. Connecting with Hunter and Yuli there, we took the Metro to the Armory/Stadium stop. We walked from there to RFK Stadium. RFK Stadium is not in very good shape.

Wales beat South Africa by the score of 22 to 20. Although the set pieces in the first half were tedious, I enjoyed the game. I sat next to Gribi. Austin also joined us at the game.

Leaving the game, we lost Gribi. At one point, Wallen, Snipes and I backtracked from the Metro stop to the stadium to try and find him. Eventually, we wound our way back on the Metro to the rental car and then Nooter's house. Thankfully, Gribi ended up showing up about an hour after we got back.

We finished the night with a very late dinner. Nooter made salmon, rice and eggplant. I kept wandering into the front room to watch the third period of game three of the Capitals versus Knights NHL Stanley Cup playoff game. The Knights pulled their goalie with about 4 minutes to play. The pace of play was wild. The Capitals won the game by the score of 2 to 1. The win gave the Capitals a 2 to 1 advantage in the best of seven series.

Just before midnight, I grabbed Snipes. He and I headed back to the hotel and crashed.

2018 Washington DC Rugby Weekend - Day 1

Up at 3 am, Jack and I rolled from the house just after 4 am. Checking Jack's bag, it was of course overweight… We caught a 5:55 am Southwest flight nonstop to Baltimore. Boarding with A22, I was able to get the two seat exit row.

I spent the loin’s share of the flight working on my weekly status report. The wifi was solid for the whole trip. Although it took a while, I was able to send my status report with 6 MG of attachments.

We landed at 1:30 pm; the flight was almost thirty minutes early. We collected Jack’s checked bag. I had never rented a car at BWI before. It was a struggle. There was a huge line for rental car bus and a long ride to the rental car building.

Although Hertz had texted me a stall number and a car, there was not a vehicle in the stall. After some minor running amok, we ended up with a Ford Explorer and were on our way to Nooter’s house. We rolled up to Nooter's house about 3:45 pm. We visited for a little bit and then took off to check into the hotel. I am spending two nights at the Bethesda Marriott Suites. It is only about 2 1/2 miles from the Nooters.

After getting checked in, we headed back to Nooters. Over the course of the next couple of hours, Gribi and then Snipes, Wallen and Moore rolled up. I don't believe that I have seen Gribi since Nooter's wedding thirty years ago.

We spent the evening catching up. It was great to see everyone. Nooter cooked a nice tri-tip dinner.

Jack and I eventually took an Uber back to the hotel just after midnight. I was surprised it was so late.

Amazingly, Hunter and Yuli showed up after Jack and I left. There were a couple of different stories: either their connection in Chicago was cancelled or they missed their flight. They ended up flying to San Diego, then to New Orleans and finally to National. In the aftermath, no one was sure how late the Hunters stayed before heading off to the hotel (3 am?).

2018 CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division I Baseball Playoffs

With the Division I baseball playoffs collapsed into one bracket this year, Jesuit made a nice run. Winning three games, they made it to the semi-finals before falling short in the loser's bracket. The wins included a nice victory over #1 seeded Franklin.

The school's baseball program has had only modest success over the last five years. The team missed the playoffs in 2014 and was one and done in 2015 and 2017. In 2016, the team made a nice run winning two games and losing two games.

Jesuit last won a Sac-Joaquin D1-North baseball championship in 2011 and last won an overall D1 baseball championship in 2009.

The 2017 CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division I baseball north playoff bracket is here.

The 2016 CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division I baseball north playoff bracket is here.

Yosemite Valley Bike Ride

Using Runkeeper on my iPhone, I built the following map of our bike ride in the Yosemite Valley. This is a great way to see the valley. Sharon and I did it before when we stayed at the Ahwahnee in 2009.

155,131 steps

I have two interrelated activity goals. I working to log at least 140,000 steps and run 30 miles each week. Year to date, I am averaging 29.3 miles per week.

Solo: A Star Wars Story

Monday afternoon, Sharon, Jack and I went to see Solo: A Star Wars Story at the Century Arden 14 and XD. Set prior to the events of A New Hope, the film explores the early adventures of Han Solo and Chewbacca. It is the second of the Star Wars anthology films following 2016's Rogue One.

The film stars Alden Ehrenreich as Solo, alongside Woody Harrelson, Emilia Clarke [Daenerys Targaryen in Game of Thrones] and Donald Glover. I was pleasantly surprised to see Woody Harrelson in so much of the movie. The film was directed by Ron Howard.

I enjoyed the film. In spite of its sorted history, the movie slightly exceeded my expectations. It was a solid movie. As we were fixing dinner, Sharon said "I give the movie a 9!"

We finished the day watching the Warriors defeat the Rockets in game 7 of the Western Conference Finals. Missing 27 straight three points shots at one point, the Rockets finished 7 for 44 (16%) from three. The Warriors won the game by the score of 101 to 92. This is the first time that there have been game sevens in both the Eastern and Western conference finals since 1979.

Memorial Day Weekend Barbecue

With Jack home for a couple of weeks, Sharon and I decided to host a Memorial Day weekend barbecue. I don't think that we have ever done a family function on Memorial Day weekend. In addition to Sharon, Jack and I, the group included Timmy and Kathy, Eileen and Will, Erin and Cormac, Kevin, Leah and Lydia, Brun and Kim, and Janie. We barbecued hamburgers and corn. We also had green salad, potato salad and macaroni salad.

After dinner, the group watched a film that Brun et al made in the 1970s.

We finished the evening watching the Cavs beat the Celtics in Boston in game seven of the Eastern Conference NBA finals. On LeBron's back, the Cavs won the game by the score of 87 to 79.

Red Sparrow

Saturday night, Sharon and I watched Red Sparrow as a HD rental on the AppleTv. While we were turning on the AppleTv to watch the last episode of the season two of The Crown on Friday night, Sharon saw the movie and latched on to the idea of watching it. She also saw a trailer for it in the theater earlier this year.

The film stars Jennifer Lawrence. The cast includes Mary-Louise Parker and Jeremy Irons.

Red Sparrow is a 2018 American spy thriller film. It is based on the 2013 novel of the same name by Jason Matthews. It tells the story of a Russian intelligence officer [Lawrence] who is sent to make contact with a CIA agent in the hope of discovering the identity of a mole. The plot leans heavily on the Soviet use of "sexpionage" and kompromat.

Lawrence starts the movies as a ballerina. She dances in the Bolshoi Ballet House. I have actually been to the Bolshoi with the Nooters when I was in Moscow in 1995.

At two hours and twenty minutes, the movie is almost painfully long. The plot is fairly complex. I don't recommend the movie.

The Crown - Season 02

Sharon and I finished watching the second season of The Crown on Netflix. We finished the first season in April.

The show is a biographical story about the reign of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom. The second season covers the period from the Suez Crisis in 1956 through the retirement of the Queen's third Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan, in 1963 to the birth of Prince Edward in 1964.

Sharon and I enjoyed the series. I recommend it. Unfortunately, season three is scheduled to be released in 2019!

As I said after season one, I continue to wonder about the real nature of the relationship between Elizabeth and Philip. Philip's back story is get spotlighted a couple of times in season two and is fairly incredible. [Note to self], I am going to read Prince Philip: The Turbulent Early Life of the Man Who Married Queen Elizabeth II this year.

Canon East Sacramento

Carpooling to work, Sharon picked me up at Douglas and we headed downtown. We had an early dinner at Canon in East Sacramento. Janie took Sharon there to celebrate her birthday in January.

After a drink and a halibut ceviche appetizer at the bar, we had a dinner of small plates. We split TOTS [mole madre, pickled onion, cotija], TWO OYSTERS [kimchi cocktail sauce, mignonette, lemon], GREEN NECTARINE SALAD [mint, basil, toasted cashew] and CHICKEN DRUMSTICKS [urfa chile sauce, orange zest, dried garlic, greek yogurt]. The chicken drumsticks were particularly good.

A freshman just made history for Jesuit baseball

A freshman just made history for Jesuit baseball. Meet the Marauders’ ‘Lincecum Ninja’

The first freshman pitcher to start a Jesuit High School playoff game, Anthony Susac delivered a 1-0 victory over Franklin.

May 19, 2018 04:44 PM
Updated May 19, 2018 05:59 PM

The playoff pressure cooker here has devoured many a good pitcher over the years – aces chased off the mound amid a flurry of base hits and sagging confidence.

So imagine the varied emotions when Jesuit High School trotted out Anthony Susac on Saturday afternoon at Union Stadium to face a team that just beat the Marauders twice down the stretch of the Delta League season.

The freshman is so new to the varsity scene that his jersey number wasn't included on the game program.

Carter Benbrook drove in Daniel Susac with a base hit in the top of the first inning, and Daniel's cousin Anthony outdueled Franklin's Grant Stevens from there.

At 6-foot-3 and 210 pounds, Anthony Susac doesn't look the part of a freshman. Nicknamed "Tonko," he struck out seven in the first three innings and finished with 10 in 5 2/3 innings, allowing three hits. It was Susac's second varsity outing. He allowed one earned run in a 6-2 victory over Vacaville on May 5 in a nonleague game.

It was the first time coach Joe Potulny, at the Marauders helm since 1993, ever started a freshman pitcher, never mind in a playoff game. Adding to the intrigue, Susac is a big name at Jesuit.

Andrew Susac, Daniel's older brother, was a Marauders star 10 years ago and is a catcher with the Baltimore Orioles. Daniel and Anthony have been batterymates their entire baseball lives, including Saturday in the biggest outing of their young careers.

Daniel, a sophomore, holds the distinction as the first freshman Potulny called up to varsity. The only four-year varsity player in the history of the program, dating to 1963, is Phil Cantelme in the late 1970s. He's a longtime Jesuit assistant.

"I may have to cut Daniel so Phil can remain the only four-year varsity guy," Potulny said with a laugh. The coach exhaled while sizing up the impact of all the Susacs who have marched through.

"The Susac family," Potulny said, "is not a normal family. Great people, great athletes, all so mentally strong. And the kid today was impressive."

Susac went 7-0, struck out more than 100 and held a sub-1.00 ERA on the freshman team this season, Jesuit freshman coach Ken Ramos said. He struck out 17 in one game and 15 in another. How inhumane that must have been for those freshman batters.

"I kept telling Potulny that Andrew was ready for varsity, and what a joy of a kid to coach," Ramos said. "He was like our secret weapon for varsity in the playoffs, our 'Lincecum Ninja.' Wow."

Susac congratulated teammates after stellar defensive plays, and he tipped his hat to his defense when he left after his 110th pitch, the maximum allowed at this level. He was embraced by coaches and teammates before he got to the dugout. There was a sense that Susac dominance might become something of the norm.

"He put in a great effort," said Jesuit's Benbrook. "We needed him step up, and he did. He's old for his age, like a fourth-year varsity guy and not a guy in just his second varsity game."

"I'm always a little nervous taking the mound, but it shows you care," said Susac. "They rolled the dice on me in letting me start. They trusted me, and I couldn't ask for anything more. My team played great behind me. The guys respected me, and they don't treat me like a freshman, and I like pressure. I love it."

The only anxious Susac here was John Susac, father of Anthony. He's an assistant coach, and he paced liked an expectant father. He was still jittery well after the game.

"Anthony was great – so proud," John said. "I couldn't predict how he'd do, but I did know he'd handle it. He had no choice to handle the pressure, and he did. I was worse than he was – nervous."

Luke Wolger and Luke Williams cleaned up in relief of Susac for Jesuit (22-9). Williams struck out two in the bottom of the seventh to deny Franklin (23-7).

Jesuit inched a step closer to its sixth section championship since 1994 and its first since repeating in 2009 when Andrew Susac stormed onto the scene as a dominant catcher and team leader.

A Delta League team has won the section D-I title five consecutive seasons and 14 times since 2000. Franklin drops into the loser's bracket that starts Tuesday at Sac City.

California Historical Landmark #790

When Sharon and I visited Yosemite in 2009, I was irked that I couldn't find this historical marker. I spotted it right away when Jack, Sharon and I stopped at the Visit Center on this trip.

Yosemite Valley
California State Historical Landmark #790
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This landmark is mounted on entrance wall of auditorium building at the Visitor Center in Yosemite National Park. There are 7 other California State Historical Landmarks in Mariposa County. The GPS coordinates for this location are 37° 44' 55.7" N 119° 35' 14.2" W.

On June 30, 1864, in an act signed by President Abraham Lincoln, the United States granted the Yosemite Valley and the Mariposa Big Tree Grove to the State of California to 'be held for public use, resort, and recreation . . . inalienable for all time.' This, the first federal authorization to preserve scenic and scientific values for public benefit, was the basis for the later concept of state and national park systems. In 1906 the State of California returned the land, considered the first state park in the country, so that it could become part of Yosemite National Park.

Yosemite Hike to Nevada Falls

Using Runkeeper on my iPhone, I built the following map of our hike to the top of Nevada Falls in Yosemite. We covered 9.5 miles in just over five hours.

2018 Yosemite - Day 3

Although my alarm went off at 6:30 am, it took me until after 7:00 am to get everyone up and moving. We packed up the room and loaded up the car. After checking out, we grabbed some breakfast burritos and sandwiches at the store in the main lodge.

Heading back to Yosemite Valley, we parked at the Ahwahee Hotel. Unlike Saturday afternoon, there was lots of parking!

The plan for the day was to ride bikes around the valley. We brought three bikes with us. It took me a while to unload all of the bikes and get everything put together. It was about 9:30 am when we hit the trail.

Sharon and I rode bikes around the valley when we were here in 2009. It is a very cool way to explore the valley. We made stops at the Visitor Center, Yosemite Falls, Yosemite Lodge (to buy a lock), the Curry Village store and Mirror Lake.

We parked the bikes at Mirror Lake. To my surprise, we ended up hiking more than three miles to the Tenaya Creek Bridge and Back. Sharon and I did this hike in 2009.

After the hike, we biked back to the Ahwahnee. We were able to get a nice table outside for a late lunch. Sharon and I had taco salads, while Jack had lamb chops.

We left the valley about 2:00 pm. It was an easy drive back to Carmichael. With a quick stop for gas, we were home a little before 6:00 pm. It was a great gateway. Sharon and I both enjoyed having a chance to spend some time with Jack!

2018 Yosemite - Day 2

I set an alarm for 6:30 am. We were up and moving pretty quickly. We had breakfast in the restaurant (pancakes!). We were on the road to the Yosemite Valley a little after 8:00 am. It was about a 35 minute drive from the hotel into the valley.

The plan for the day was to hike to Nevada Falls. Parking in the Curry Village Parking lot, we were on the trail about 9:10 am. Sharon and I hiked this trail in August of 1997 when she was training for the Half Dome hike. We also hiked the first mile or so with Drew and Morgan; my best guess was that this was May or June of 1997.

On the way up, we hiked the Mist Trail. The section below Vernal Falls was very wet. After some debate about continuing to Little Yosemite Valley, we stopped and had lunch at the top of Nevada Falls. Jack and I both would have liked to go a little further. After lunch, we hiked down the John Muir Trail. In total, we covered about 9.5 miles in just over five hours. A map of the hike is here.

Given that it has been twenty years since I did this hike, I was surprised by a couple of things. When we did the hike before, we went up the John Muir Trail and down the Mist Trail. I had forgotten how steep the sections just below both Vernal and Nevada Falls are. For some reason, I remembered the steel staircase as being at Nevada Falls rather than Vernal Falls. Finally, I remembered the exposed section on the John Muir Trail as further down from Nevada Falls.

As we got back to the car, it was amazing how many people were on the lower section of the trail. Additionally, there were lots of cars circling the parking lot looking for a spot.

Once we got packed up, Sharon wanted to head to the Ahwahnee Hotel for an adult beverage. There were people everywhere. I circled the lot while Sharon went in to get a table. I eventually tried to get the car valeted parked, but they would only take hotel guests. We eventually gave up and headed back to the Rush Creek Lodge.

After getting cleaned up, we went to a beer tasting that the lodge was holding. They poured a selection of California beers. In addition to the three of us, there was a family from England.

We had dinner again in the Tavern. I had a Greek Salad and a Mushroom Flatbread, while Sharon and Jack both had burgers.

We finished the night with a couple games of darts and tabletop hockey and smores. I like the hotel. I just wish it was just a little closer to Yosemite Valley...

2018 Yosemite - Day 1

With Jack only home for a couple of weeks, Sharon made a decision in early May that we should spent a weekend at Yosemite. Sharon and I haven't been to Yosemite since 2009. Jack has never been to Yosemite!

Sharon, Jack and I took off from Carmichael about 1:30 pm. With a quick stop for gas, we got to the Rush Creek Lodge by 4:30 pm. Waze took us via Highway 99 to Highway 4 and through Copperopolis to Highway 120.

The Rush Creek Lodge is new. It opened in June 2016. The lodge is located just a mile outside the Yosemite North Gate on Highway 120.

After getting settled in the room, we relaxed and played a couple of games of cribbage. We eventually wandered to an early dinner in the Tavern. Jack had a Trout BLT, Sharon had salmon and I had Chicken Curry.

The lodge is set up with lots of activities and a big game room. We ended up playing three games of electronic darts after dinner. We finished the night with a trip to the hot tub.

System-wide failure hits Sacramento area Sutter Health clinics

System-wide failure hits Sacramento area Sutter Health clinics

May 15, 2018 12:01 PM

A system-wide failure is causing problems at Sutter Health locations, a spokesman for Sutter Health Valley Area said.

Throughout the morning, employees have been unable to access patients’ electronic health records, emails and use the phones, Gary Zavoral confirmed. Some patients are being contacted to reschedule appointments.

The root of electronic failure has been linked to “the activation of the fire suppression system in one of our information services buildings,” Zavoral said. He did not immediately have more details about the incident.

Local facilities impacted include the Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento, as well as clinics in Roseville and Davis. Patients are being asked to reschedule nonemergency surgeries and lab testing. Zavoral did not know how many people were affected.

Those who have not been contacted by a Sutter facility about their appointment should arrive as planned.

“Any type of emergency services, patient care, (there’s the) same quality as usual,” he said. “They have a backup procedure when their system goes down.”

Patients of the Sutter Gould Medical Foundation clinics in Modesto also reported not being able to schedule appointments with doctors and being told to call back in two hours, per The Modesto Bee.

Zavoral said Sutter Health is working to fix the issue.

Pat and Bernard for dinner

We had Pat and Bernard for dinner. Sharon made a great dinner of spatchcock chicken, rice and green beans.

GolfTec Lesson

After work, Sharon and I headed to GolfTec on Tuesday night. This is my fourth lesson. Talking about my experiences playing Ancil Hoffman, we ended up working on pitching and chipping for the whole lesson. I was chipping the ball into a screen and then a monitor would show where the ball ended up on the green.

The lessons are doing me some good. I feel like I am striking the ball much better...

Lambs Club

Sharon, Jack and I had brunch at the Lambs Club on Easter.

Lambs Club
Also known as Church of the Nazarene
National Register of Historic Places #1982003382
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This building is located at 128 West 44th Street, New York, New York. The GPS coordinates for this location are 40° 45' 23.9" N 73° 59' 04.1" W.

The Lambs Club, a private social group that presented plays and satirical theatrical revues, built this clubhouse in 1904-05. The Eastern half of the this fine Neo-Georgina style building was designed by the prominent architectural firm of McKim, Mead & White, whose senior partners were club members. Architect George A. Freeman, Jr., was responsible for adding the Western half in a seamless ca. 1915 addition that displays similar brickwork, marble, terra cotta, and classical ornament. Sold in 1975, the former clubhouse has subsequently been used as an off-broadway theater and church. The building was renovated and converted into a hotel in 2010.

Mother's Day 2018

With Jack home from college on Saturday, we had a very nice Mother's Day. Sharon, Tiber and I started the morning with a three mile loop around Ancil Hoffman.

After getting cleaned up, Sharon, Jack and I headed to Arden Hills for a Mother's Day brunch. I am not sure exactly what I expected, but this event exceeded my expectations. They set up a very nice buffet in one of the banquet rooms. The room was nicely decorated. If we keep the club membership, this is an event that I would consider doing again; Sharon and I talked about going for Father's Day.

After brunch, we headed to the St. Mary's cemetery to put some flowers on Sharon's mom's grave. I was surprised at the number of people at the cemetery. Lots of people leaving flowers and even some large groups picnicking.

In the late afternoon, we planted some additional plants in the front of the house. We finished the day with barbecued steaks and corn and green beans.

Jack is back!

With his last final on Friday, Jack spent the morning scrambling to get his stuff packed and into storage. He caught an Uber to BWI. For future reference, the travel time was one hour and seven minutes. Jack boarded a 2:50 pm nonstop Southwest flight to Sacramento. Unfortunately, they were missing the pilots... As a result, the plane sat on the ground for about 45 minutes. He finally got to Sacramento just about 6:00 pm. Sharon and I met him at the train in the new terminal.

Jack has finished his second year at Georgetown University! It is hard to believe.

Cafe Bernardo

Sharon and I finished the week with an early dinner at Cafe Bernardo at Pavilions. After splitting a Mushroom & Jarlesberg Cheese salad, we both had an Ahi Tuna special paired with a nice Navarro Vineyards 2016 Anderson Valley Pinot Noir.

Means of Ascent by Robert Caro

My book for May is Means of Ascent by Robert Caro. For Christmas, Drew gave me The Passage of Power, the fourth book in Caro's planned five book biography of Lyndon Johnson. I decided to buy the first book and start at the beginning. I finished the first volume [The Path to Power] in March. This is the second volume. This book fits into my long term project to read books about all of the presidents.

The book covers just seven years of Lyndon Johnson's life. It examines the period from the aftermath of his first run for the Senate in 1941 to his election to the U.S. Senate in 1948.

I was fascinated by his brief stint in the military in World War II. Enlisting and getting a commission in the Navy, he wandered the West Coast and then ended up touring the Asia theater. Johnson actually flew a mission in a bomber in Indonesia. As I remarked recently, while I understand the events of World War II in Europe, I don't have a clear picture of the events in Southeast Asia.

About one half of the 500 page book deals with Johnson's bitterly contested 1948 Democratic primary for the Texas U.S. Senate seat against Coke R. Stevenson. Several chapters provide a fairly comprehensive biography of Stevenson. Stevenson is portrayed as an honorable statesman and reluctant office-seeker, in contrast to the venal and intensely ambitious Johnson.

Johnson's use of a helicopter to campaign in the primary is an interesting side note. The helicopter was a very new technology at the time and people flocked to see it.

With more than a million votes cast, Johnson won the 1948 election by 87 votes. The section covering the battle over the vote count is very good. The book covers the Box 13 scandal in astounding detail. The battle between Truman and Strom Thurmond for President played a role in ensuring that Johnson won the primary.

I enjoyed the book. I grade it an "A-." Like the first book, it paints a very unflattering picture of Lyndon Johnson.

Apple Watch Series 3

Two years ago, Sharon bought me an Apple Watch for Father's Day. Although I had never worn a watch before, it quickly become a key part of my life. I am literally never without it. With the battery in the watch getting long in the tooth and the screen getting very beat up (cracked, but still functional), I decided to upgrade to an Apple Watch Series 3.

As an aside, this is the longest I have gone in almost eleven years with the same iPhone. I have got almost 20 months on an iPhone 7 that is still going strong...

Ancil Hoffman Scorecard

Golf at Ancil Hoffman

Sunday afternoon, Sharon and I played golf at Ancil Hoffman with the Sanborns. With the course hosting a tournament until 1:30 pm, we teed off at 1:48 pm. A twosome went off in front of us, but we essentially had an open course in front of us all afternoon.

I ended up shooting a liberally scored winter rules 111. I got in trouble on the back nine in the trees on 15 and 16. Still trying to incorporate the G0lfTec lessons into my swing, I feel like I am hitting the ball more consistently. In addition to the problems in the trees, I gave away a bunch of strokes chipping near the greens! The scorecard is here.

It took us about four hours and fifteen minutes to play eighteen holes. Although I didn't play that well, I really enjoyed the afternoon. We ran into our neighbor Mike working the cart barn at the turn and at the end of the day.

Although the course is literally a stone's throw from the house, this is the first time that I have played Ancil Hoffman since November of 2013.

We finished the day barbecuing at our house. We had steaks, baked potatoes and green beans for dinner. We stayed up way too late for a school night!

Celebrating Cinco de Mayo

Saturday night, Sharon and I went to our neighbors Greg and Mitchell's house to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. The group included Mike and Jill, Jim and Debi, Greg and Mitchell, friends of the Greg and Mitchell (Mary Ann and ??) and us. Rod and Kathy stopped by after dinner.

The evening started with pickleball. There was an attempt at horseshoes. After dinner, there was music and dancing. It was after 11 pm by the time we walked home.

Morgan's Birthday!

Happy Birthday! Morgan

Adventist Health sees net income jump 36% in FY 2017

Adventist Health sees net income jump 36% in FY 2017

Roseville, Calif.-based Adventist Health recorded revenue of $4.1 billion in the fiscal year ended Dec. 31, 2017, up 5.8 percent from $3.9 billion in fiscal year 2016.

Here are three takeaways from the 19-hospital system's recently released bondholder documents.

1. The nonprofit system saw operating income rise 11.6 percent in 2017 to $203.9 million, up from $182.8 million a year prior.


2. At the same time, Adventist saw expenses increase 5.5 percent to $3.9 billion, compared to $3.7 billion reported in the previous fiscal year, due in part to rising labor and supplies costs.


3. After including non operating gains, Adventist achieved net income of $229.8 million in 2017, a 36 percent hike compared to the $169.1 million it generated in 2016.

Luna

Luna was one year old on April 27. We got her in Southern California last July.

Puʻukoholā Heiau National Historic Site

Sharon and I visited Puʻukoholā Heiau when we were on the Big Island for Becky's wedding.

Pu'ukohola Heiau
National Register of Historic Places #196607001173
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This church is located at 62-3601 Kawaihae Road, Kawaihae, Hawaii. The GPS coordinates for this location are N 20° 01.592 W 155° 49.203.

You can log your visit to this landmark at waymark.com.

This National Historic Site is home to one of the largest restored heiau (temple) in Hawaii and is part of the National Park System. Heiau were sacred places of worship for Native Hawaiians, and Puukohola Heiau was a site built to fulfill a historic prophecy.

North Kohala-born Kamehameha the Great was advised by his kahuna (priest) to build and dedicate Puukohola Heiau to the war god Kukailimoku to help in his efforts to unite the Hawaiian Islands. The fortress-like heiau was constructed overlooking the Kohala Coast between 1790 and 1791. King Kamehameha ultimately fulfilled the kahuna’s prophecy when he united the Hawaiian Islands in 1810.

This massive stone temple was built without the use of mortar. It is also believed that the lava rocks used to build the structure were passed hand-by-hand in a human chain all the way from Pololu Valley, some 25 miles away. The 224 by 100-foot structure is surrounded by 16- to 20-foot walls and has been carefully preserved and restored. It is believed to be one of the last sacred structures built in the Hawaiian Islands before western influence. Puukohola, which means “hill of the whale” in Hawaiian.

Cammora - Best Friends (Featuring The Guest and The Host)

Map of the Skyline Ridge and Russian Ridge Hikes

We hiked the Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve on Saturday, April 28 and the Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve on Sunday, April 29. I generated these maps using Runkeeper on my iPhone.

Back from Los Gatos

Up early, we had breakfast across the street from the hotel at Cafe Dio. Packing up and checking out of the hotel, we headed through Saratoga and back up to Skyline Boulevard to the Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve.

We hiked 2.31 miles in just under an hour. A map is here.

After the hike, we headed to the nearby Thomas Fogarty Winery for the Spring Release Event. Sharon joined the wine club at this winery when she was here in March with Tom and Janie. We tasted and had a few hors d'oeuvres. Picking up the wine shipment, we headed for home about 12:30 pm.

With a stop in Emeryville and Fairfield, it took us about three hours and fifteen minutes to get home. It was a very nice weekend getaway!

To Los Gatos

Sharon planned a surprise getaway weekend. She didn't tell me where we were going or what we were doing.

We left the house a little after 9:00 am. Winding our way east, we took Highway 80 through San Francisco and then 380 to 280 to 92. We ended up heading south on Skyline Boulevard. It took us three hours and 20 minutes to cover about 130 miles; the traffic through Berkeley and the Bay Bridge toll plaza was very heavy. We finally stopped at the Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve Parking lot.



We ended up hiking for just under two hours and covering 4.34 miles. We stopped for lunch at Horseshoe Lake. We also walked through the David C. Daniels Nature Center. It was a very nice hike. It was definitely worth the effort to get there. A map is here.



After the hike, we wound our way down into Los Gatos. We spent the night at the Los Gatos Hotel. Sharon booked a nice junior suite. Sharon had stayed in hotel with Tommy and Janie when they went to the retreat house in March.

After lounging in the room, we got cleaned up for dinner. We had dinner at Dio Deka, a Michelin Star Greek restaurant located in the hotel. After an octopus appetizer [mesquite grilled octopus, lemon, olive oil, oregano], Sharon had a rainbow trout special, while I had the lamb chops [Double-cut, all-natural & free range from Southern regions of Australia, olive oil crushed potatoes, Cipollini onions]. We eventually wandered back up to the room and crashed.

Old Genoa Bar

Larkin and I stopped here with Gainsley et al on day two of the 2018 Petersen Shootout.

Old Genoa Bar
E Clampus Vitus
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This marker is located at 2282 Main Street, Genoa, Nevada. The GPS coordinates for this location are N 39° 00.196 W 119° 50.782.

You can log your visit to this landmark at waymark.com.

In 1863, Al Livingston built this building and called it Livingston’s Exchange. In 1884, Frank Fettic bought it and renamed it Fettic’s Exchange. He operated it as a “Gentlemen’s Saloon” allowing no rough stuff or excessive drinking. It subsequently had three more owners until 1963 when Robert Carver purchased it. Now known as the “Old Genoa Bar” it is the oldest continually operating thirst parlor in the State of Nevada. “No Horses Allowed.”

Sunridge Course Scorecard

2018 Petersen Shootout

Genoa Ranch Course Scorecard

2018 Petersen Shootout

At the 2018 Petersen Shootout

GolfTec Lesson

After playing 36 holes of golf over the weekend, Sharon and I went to GolfTec on Monday night. This was my third lesson. While I have been trying to use the set-up from the first couple of lessons, my swing is still too vertical. It is humbling to see my swing dissected on video.

Sharon and I finished the night with dinner at Pete's Restaurant and Brewhouse in Rocklin.

2018 Petersen Shootout - Day 3

Up early, Larkin and I packed up the room. On Friday, Larkin texted me that he was bringing his skis. I probably would have, but I had committed to met Nooter's youngest Wes for breakfast on Sunday. Larkin headed towards Heavenly.

After a brief visit with Gainsley and Rick, I headed for Reno. It was about a 50 minutes drive. I got to Wes' house about 8:50 am and took him to breakfast at Denny's. We had nice visit. Wes is working in the Tesla battery factory east of Reno.

Back on the road about 9:50 am, I pulled up to the house just before noon. Laura was just leaving. Liz and Laura had spent Saturday night at the house with Sharon.

Texting Larkin, he didn't ski at Heavenly...

I enjoyed the weekend. I always enjoy Larkin's company. I am getting to know more of the regulars. Gainsley and his posse plus Borja and his brother-in-law are great additions! It will be interesting to see how big the group is next year.

2018 Petersen Shootout - Day 2

Up fairly early, Larkin and I had breakfast at Katie's Country Kitchen in the hotel. The package for the weekend included a $5.00 food voucher for use at the hotel.

We followed Gainsley and his gang to the Genoa Bar. This is billed as Nevada' oldest thirst parlor. The weather was beautiful; we sat outside at some tables.

The plan for the day was to play the Sunridge Golf Course. We played this course in 2014. Rod started with a closet to the pin contest on the 19th hole. This was followed by a shotgun start at 1:00 pm. The format for the day was a shamble.

Larkin and I played with Borja and his brother-in-law Scott. We played with Borja in 2016.

I ended up with a liberally scored winter rules 89. The scorecard is here.

This is probably the lowest shamble course I have ever had. I only three putted two greens. We used my drives on three holes, including two par threes. On the 177 yard 17th, I hit a hybrid five pin high about 20 feet to the right. On the 140 yard 4th, I hit a seven iron over the lake to a little over 8 feet from the pin. Although I was hitting pretty well off the tee, Larkin and Borja were outdriving me by 20 to 30 yards...

After golf, we headed back to the hotel and got cleaned up. The golf weekend included dinner on Saturday. We got to the banquet room just as they opened the door. There was a hosted bar from 7 pm to 8 pm with a buffet dinner at 7:45 pm. Our table at dinner included Gainsley, Rick, Art, Colin, Borja, Scott, Larkin and I.

Before dinner, they shuffled the scorecards from the day and randomly assigned foursomes. Larkin ended up winning $20 for the third place foursome.

After dinner, Rod's brother Scott emceed. They require all of the first time attendees to get up and tell a joke. Like last year, there were a lot of newbies.

After dinner, we wandered back to Rod's suite. At some point, we wandered downstairs to listen to the band. Although I am not sure how it got so late, it was after 11:30 pm by the time we crashed.

2018 Petersen Shootout - Day 1

For the seventh time in nine years, Larkin and I played in the Petersen Shootout [2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2016 and 2017]. We missed 2013 when Rod kept moving the date around and it finally landed on a weekend when Sharon, Jack and I were in H@waii. In 2015, Larkin wasn't available. I signed up with Borja as my wingman, but when he canceled at the last minute, I bailed.

I left the house about 9:00 am. Taking Highway 50 to 89 to 88, I got to golf course about 11:45 am. There were a couple of construction stops on Highway 50. I got to the Genoa Ranch Course about 15 minutes behind Larkin. We played this course the first year we came to the tournament in 2010.

Rod started the day with a long putt contest at 12:00 pm. The group teed off in a shotgun start at 1:00 pm. Larkin and I played with Jon Carlson, Mike O'Malley and Abel Caro. All three met Rod through Chico soccer, particularly the team's 2017 trip to Sp@in, and were playing in the tournament for the first time.

This year's group was enormous. While in most of the previous years, the count was in the mid-twenties. Last year, there were 42 people in the tournament. This year, there were 60 people! The group included Gainsley, Rick, Art and Colin plus Borja and his brother-in-law Scott.

I was pleased with how I played. I didn't strike the play was well as I did in H@waii, but I shot a very liberally scored winter rules 105. I pared two holes and bogeyed six holes, but three putted six greens and four putted one green. The scorecard is here.

For the second year in a row, the group is staying at the Carson Valley Inn in Minden. I stayed at this hotel in a suite once in late 1991 with she-who-will-not-be-named.

Larkin and I spent some time in Rod's suite before we headed to dinner. We had dinner at the J.T. Basque Restaurant down street from the hotel. We had lamb chops with the family style meal.

We made a stop at Rod's suite after dinner. Larkin and I ended up crashing fairly early (10:30 pm?).

Back from Napa plus Fish Face Poke

I spent the day working out of the Napa Valley. Starting back to Sacramento in the early afternoon, the traffic was horrible; it took me almost three hours to cover 94 miles [29 to 12 to 80 to Watt]. I didn't go the back way through Lake Berryessa because I needed to participate in a couple of conference calls...

Sharon and I finished the night having dinner at Fish Face Poke in the Milagro Center. I had a Spicy 41, while Sharon had Chirsashi. I liked the meal; Sharon not so much...

SmartRoom Go-Live

From January 2015 to September of 2016, I worked out of the Napa Valley. During that period, I was part of a couple of major projects, including a wireless upgrade of the St. Helena Hospital and a SmartHospital Implementation.

In the late morning, I headed back to the St. Helena hospital to check on the SmartRoom go-live. Following up on the earlier projects, this implementation includes Cerner's CareView dashboards, Roomlinks and MyStation plus Centrak RFID asset tracking.

After work, I headed to the Napa Marriott. I spent more than 300 nights at this hotel in 2015 and 2016. The whole day was very much of a déjà vu experience. I finished the day with a seven mile run along the Napa Valley Vine Trail.

Neighborhood Book Club

Sharon is part of a neighbor book club that meets about every two months. They met last Thursday night to discuss A Saint for all Seasons by J. Courtney Sullivan.

Other books that they have read include: Manhunt:The Twelve Day Search for Lincoln's Killer (Sharon's choice) and The Truth About the Harry Quebert Affair (Michelle's choice).

I am always looking for books to read. I ended up reading The Truth About the Harry Quebert Affair and enjoying it!

Mokuaikaua Church

Sharon and I visited the Mokuaikaua Church when we were on the Big Island for Becky's wedding.

Mokuaikaua Church
National Register of Historic Places #1978001015
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This church is located at 75-5713 Ali'i Drive, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. The GPS coordinates for this location are N 19° 38.364 W 155° 59.636.

You can log your visit to this landmark at waymark.com.

Mokuaikaua Church, located on the Big Island of Hawaii, is the oldest Christian church in the Hawaiian Islands. The congregation dates to 1820 and the building was completed in 1837.

The Crown - Season 01

Sharon and I finished watching the first season of The Crown on Netflix. The show is a biographical story about the reign of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom. The first season covers the period from her marriage to Philip, Duke of Edinburgh in 1947 to the disintegration of her sister Princess Margaret's engagement to Peter Townsend and Winston Churchill resigning as Prime Minister in 1955.

The series is intended to last 60 episodes over six seasons, with 10 one-hour episodes per season. New actors are being cast every two seasons. The first two seasons star Claire Foy as Queen Elizabeth II, Matt Smith as Prince Philip, Vanessa Kirby as Princess Margaret and John Lithgow as Winston Churchill.

It has received several accolades, including winning Best Actress and Best Actor at the 23rd Screen Actors Guild Awards for Foy and Lithgow, respectively, and receiving thirteen nominations for the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Drama Series.

Sharon and I have both enjoyed the series. I recommend it, but have a couple of nagging issues. While the show accurately portrays a number of historical events, I wonder about the real nature of the relationship between Elizabeth and Philip. Additionally, while Lithgow's performance as Churchill has been lauded, he physically doesn't fit the part. I really enjoyed Gary Oldman's performance as Churchill in the recent Darkest Hour.

Skool Japanese Gastropub

Sharon and I went to dinner at Skool in midtown Sacramento. It was a 2nd Saturday and midtown was packed.

We had a half dozen oysters, a small plate special, the sashimi of the day, Japanese "Karaage" fried chicken and fried brussels sprouts. The food and the atmosphere was very good. We need to go back and take another couple with us!

Cisco Executive Briefing

Up before 5 am, I was out of the door about 5:40 am heading to Cisco Executive Briefing Center in San Jose. I have done this as a day trip a number of times over the last fifteen years. It is more than a little bit of a crapshoot to figure out how long it is going to take to get there. With the traffic fairly light on a Friday morning, it took just a little over 2 hours and 20 minutes door to door [80 to 680 to 880 to Tasman].

I spent the loin's share of the day in a briefing focused primarily on video conferencing. We have to make some decisions about video conferencing equipment for the new building in Roseville. The agenda included: Future of Work Environments and Telepresence; Current State of Healthcare and Patient Treatment; Demo: Collaboration Solutions and Extended Care Telehealth.

Heading home fairly early, (just after 2 pm), the traffic on a Friday afternoon was a mess. It took more than 3 1/2 hours to wind my way home [680 to 580 to 205 to 120 to 99 to 50].

New York City Circle-line Sightseeing Cruise

John Vincent

John was Sharon's brother Tom's neighbor and attended a number of functions over the last few years.

John Kevin Vincent passed away on March 30, 2018, Good Friday, at home surrounded by his loving family. He was born in Peoria, Illinois on 12-10-1953, and his family moved to San Bernardino, CA when he was 3 years old. John attended Holy Rosary School and Aquinas High School in San Bernardino. He graduated magna cum laude from the University of Notre Dame in 1976, and from the University of Notre Dame Law School in 1979. Following Law School, John clerked for two federal judges, and spent a few years in private practice. He joined the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of CA in 1986, where he worked until his illness. He had a distinguished career, and received several awards during his tenure. He enjoyed his work, and the many life-long friends he made at the Sacramento office. John loved his family. He married Julie in 1991, and they have two children, Matt and Molly. John was a devout Catholic, and during the last year of his life, he and Julie made the pilgrimage to Lourdes, France. John will be forever remembered and missed by his family and friends. He was a humble and gentle man always there with a kind word and helping hand. He had a wonderful sense of humor, a ready laugh, a great smile, and was an incredible storyteller. In addition to Julie, Matt and Molly, John is survived by his brother Tom, sister Liz, and many nieces and nephews who dearly loved their Uncle John. He was predeceased by his beloved brother Art. A funeral will be held on April 14, 2018 at 11:00 a.m. at St. Ignatius Catholic Church. Donations may be made to a charity of choice.

Andre The Giant

Tuesday night, I watched the premier of the Andre The Giant on HBO. Bill Simmons has talked for almost ten years about wanting to make an Andre The Giant documentary. He finally got it made.

Although Drew was into the WWF figures and video games as a kid and I took him to a match at Acro Arena sometime in the early 1990's, I never paid any attention to pro wrestling. As a result, I didn't really understand that Andre was a big name. In 27 years, he wrestled over 5,000 matches.

Paralleling his life, the film tells a "B" story of the metamorphosis of the wrestling industry from regional markets into the national World Wrestling Federation. The advent of cable in the 1980's helped Vince McMahon transform the industry.

I was also fascinated by the interviews with Hulk Hogan and Vice McMahon in the last part of the film. Talking about Andre and WrestleMania III, they both came off as very emotional, caring human beings rather than the cartoon characters.

This was a very good film. I give it an "A." It is worth searching out and watching.

My Ancestry Timeline

Lost Weekend

After our East Coast Easter Trip, I ended up with a bad head cold that dragged into the weekend. I lost my voice starting Friday afternoon into Sunday. It turned out to be very much of a lost weekend.

Sharon with Janie and Terra wine tasting in the Delta. They went to Heringer Estates at the Old Sugar Mill and to Bogle. Sharon said that she wouldn't mind going back for Mother's Day.

Kamakahonu

Sharon and I wandered through Kamakahonu when we were on the Big Island for Becky's wedding.

Kamakahonu
National Register of Historic Places #1966000288
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This marker is located on northwest edge of Kailua Bay, north and west of Kailua Wharf, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. The GPS coordinates for this location are N 19° 38.349 W 155° 59.867.

You can log your visit to this landmark at waymark.com.

Kamakahonu, the residence of Kamehameha I, is located at the north end of Kailua Bay in Kailua-Kona on the Island of Hawai'i. At one time the residential compound included 'Ahu'ena Heiau, the personal heiau (place of worship) of Kamehameha I, thatched houses for ali'i (chiefs) and women, an enclosing wall, Hale Nana Mahina'ai (the personal retreat of Kamehameha I) work sheds, storehouses, and other buildings.

After uniting the Hawaiian kingdom, Kamehameha I returned to rule from his compound at Kamakahonu (lit. eye of the turtle) from 1812 until his death in 1819. Ahu'ena Heiau, the religious temple that served Kamehameha, was rebuilt in the 1970s as an accurate 2/3 scale model replica. The distinctive anu'u (oracle tower) indicated a heiau of ruling chiefs. This is a significant cultural site and must be treated with great respect.

The royal residences at Kamakahonu were served by a series of anchialine pools, upwillings of fresh and salt water found on young lava fields. These anchialine pools were used to raise balt fish and shrimp for larger catches.









Ahu'ena Heiau, the religious temple that served Kamehameha, was rebuilt in the 1970s as an accurate 2/3 scale model replica.

Beta Gamma Sigma

When we were in New York City last weekend, Jack mentioned that he has been inducted into Beta Gamma Sigma.

WHAT IS Beta Gamma Sigma?

BGS was founded in 1913, and is the international business honor society for AASCB- ccredited schools, which are the top 5% of business school programs around the world. Beta Gamma Sigma is a proud member of the Association of College Honor Societies (ACHS).

Beta Gamma Sigma members serve in corporate, entrepreneurial, government, non-profit, and academic sectors. Members currently reside in all 50 states and more than 190 countries. Notable members include Nobel Prize winners, Olympians, inventors, CEOs of major global companies and nonprofit organizations, deans of the top business schools, and others who are making the world a better place at all levels of contribution through social enterprise, service, and leadership.

Philippines shuts island of Boracay to tourists for 6 months

Philippines closes 'cesspool' tourist island of Boracay

The Philippines has announced a six-month closure of the popular tourist destination of Boracay over concerns the island's famous beaches and clear blue waters have been transformed into a "cesspool" due to sustained environmental damage.

More than fifteen years ago, Sharon, Jack and I spent two plus weeks in the Philippines. The trip included eight days on Boracay. It was a very cool vacation. It is hard for me to imagine cruise ships dumping people on to the island!

Ancestry Composition

For Christmas, Sharon got herself, Drew, Jack and I 23andMe ancestry genetic tests. Although I self identify as Dutch, I have always known that I was English (Holmes and Abbott), German (Lorbeer) and Dutch (Heringa).

The results of the 23andMe genetic test show that I am 48% British and Irish, 19% Netherlands and 21% Broadly Northwestern European. What surprised me was that I am 9% Scandinavian and 2% Iberian (Spain and Portugal). Even more surprising, there are very small pieces of North African and Arabian (0.4%), Broadly South Asian (0.2%) and Broadly Southern European (0.2%). I am going to post a couple more pieces of the results in the near future.

A Closed and Common Orbit

My book for April is A Closed and Common Orbit by Becky Chambers. This is a sequel to her first novel The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet that I read last year. I finished the book on the flight back from New York.

The author caught my attention because this book was nominated for the 2017 Hugo Award for Best Novel. It was shortlisted for the 2017 Arthur C. Clarke Award. The book won the 2017 Prix Julia-Verlanger, a French prize rewarding novels of science fiction or fantasy.

In the aftermath of the events in The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet, the ship's artificial intelligence is loaded into an android body and leaves to pursue an independent existence in the company of Pepper, a technician. A parallel narrative strand explores Pepper's past as a genetically modified child slave.

This is the third book dealing with artificial intelligence that I have read in the last year. The other two are Origin and Ancillary Mercy. All three books raise some interesting ethical questions about how artificial intelligence might fit into society. I suspect that these are not real questions that we will have to deal with in my lifetime...

I enjoyed the book and recommended it. I give it a solid "B+." The author did a particularly nice job interweaving two storylines and bringing them together at the end of the book. Building on the first book, the world building and the development of the alien characters is very good.

Cerner IT Celebration

Last Wednesday afternoon before we took off for our East Coast Easter trip, I attended the Cerner IT Celebration at Strikes Unlimited in Rocklin. The celebration was to acknowledge the contribution of the Adventist Employees who are being rebadged as Cerner employees.

After lunch, they split everyone into groups for bowling. Steadily improving, I bowled two and a half games. My first game score was 120, while the second was 134. I haven't bowled in almost eight years. The last time I did a team building bowling event was almost nine years ago at Sutter Health.

2018 East Coast Easter Trip - Day 5

A post shared by Mark Heringer (@heringermr) on Apr 1, 2018 at 6:25am PDT

I set an alarm for 7:00 am. Sharon was up and moving before the alarm. We walked to St. Patrick's for the 8:00 am Easter Mass. I was astonished how quickly they sped through the service. It was done in less than 40 minutes! They ushered out through the side doors in the front as they were bringing another group in for an 8:45 am Mass.

Back at the hotel, we packed up and checked out. We caught an Uber to the Lamb's Club for brunch. It was a very extensive buffet.

After brunch, we walked back to the hotel and picked up our luggage. Sharon and I changed into more comfortable clothes. Calling an Uber for Jack, he headed to Penn Station to catch a 3:00 pm train back to Washington DC.

Sharon and I caught an Uber to JFK. Getting there early, we relaxed at Piquillo and had an adult beverage. The jetBlue terminal at JFK is very civilized.

We boarded the jetBlue flight back to Sacramento about 4:50 pm. We had the same seats that we had on the way to New York (5C, 5B). It was supposed to take off at 5:27 pm, but had a minor technical problem. At one point I looked at my watch and we were still on the runway at 6:20 pm. At more than 6 hours, it was a long flight home. I finished my book and then watched the Giants lose to the Dodgers. Sharon watched All the Money in the World.

We landed more than 45 minutes late about 9:40 pm. By the time, we got home it was almost 11 pm.

It was a great trip. When we started talking serious about going, I dragged my feet. Sharon pushed the idea hard. She was right. We had a very nice time with Jack. We started a list of things to do on an Easter trip to New York next year!