I'm Gina Smith

Says Joe Orton (on bad taste)

“The kind of people who always go on about whether a thing is in good taste invariably have very bad taste.” Joe Orton.

I am sorry for the crassness of the following entry. Truly.

How did a lightbulb fit up his butt in the first place. Am I just naive. Dang, this is sad and disturbing and disgusting and bizarre all at once. An I'm Gina Smith Odd News of All Time.

Those under 18 please stop reading. Please, for your sake.

MULTAN, Pakistan (Reuters) - Fateh Mohammad, a prison inmate in Pakistan, says he woke up last weekend with a glass lightbulb in his anus.

Wednesday night, doctors brought Mohammad's misery to an end after a one-and-a-half hour operation to remove the object.

"Thanks Allah, now I feel comfort. Today, I had my breakfast. I was just drinking water, nothing else," Mohammad, a grey-beared man in his mid-40s, told Reuters from a hospital bed in the southern central city of Multan.

"We had to take it out intact," said Dr. Farrukh Aftab at Nishtar Hospital. "Had it been broken inside, it would be a very very complicated situation."

Mohammad, who is serving a four-year sentence for making liquor, prohibited for Muslims, said he was shocked when he was first told the cause of his discomfort. He swears he didn't know the bulb was there.

"When I woke up I felt a pain in my lower abdomen, but later in hospital, they told me this," Mohammad said.

"I don't know who did this to me. Police or other prisoners."

The doctor treating Mohammad said he'd never encountered anything like it before, and doubted the felon's story that someone had drugged him and inserted the bulb while he was comatose.

Says Rumi (or courage and good luck)

"A dragon was pulling a bear into its terrible mouth. A courageous man went and rescued the bear. There ARE such helpers in the world who rush to save anyone who cries out. Like mercy itself, they run toward screaming. And they can't be bought off. Accept your good luck."

A strange thing you don't know about me.

Since 1979, when I was a little kid, I have kept a daily diary and only missed a couple days between then and now.

Just a few minutes ago, I found a diary from three and a half years ago, when I was six months pregnant with my now three-year-old boy, Eric. And for some reason, I wrote down a Rumi poem I wanted to share with him when he grew up.

I'll put it in the next post.

Elvis Presley's "energy is expanding" in Japan.

Love this story from Tokyo today.

TOKYO (Reuters) - The "King" never came to Japan, but Japan's prime minister is making a pilgrimage to Graceland.

Elvis fan Billy Morokawa says Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi will likely feel the power of Presley's enduring energy when he tours the rock-and-roll legend's home in Memphis, Tennessee, Friday with President Bush.

"I don't feel that he's still alive, but his spirit still lives," said Morokawa, vice president of the Elvis Presley Fan Club-Tokyo, who has visited Graceland four times.

"The energy he gave out when he was alive even now isn't disappearing, it's expanding. Maybe Koizumi can feel that energy when he goes to Graceland."

Koizumi, 64, is an Elvis devotee who not only shares a January 8 birthday with his idol, but picked out his songs for a 2001 charity album, "Junichiro Koizumi Presents My Favorite Elvis Songs." The prime minister appears on the album's cover standing next to Elvis outside Graceland in a composite picture.

Back in 1987 when Koizumi was a mere lawmaker, he and his brother Masaya, now a senior adviser to the Tokyo fan club, helped raise funds to erect a status of Elvis in the Japanese capital to commemorate the 10th anniversary of his death.

Three years ago the prime minister, an eclectic music lover whose favorites also include German composer Richard Wagner, sang his favorite Elvis hit -- "I Want You, I Need You, I Love You" -- with actor Tom Cruise, then in Tokyo to promote his movie "The Last Samurai."

Koizumi, a maverick politician who sprang to power in 2001 promising to breathe fresh life into Japan's stale politics and stalled economy, is hardly the only Elvis fan in Japan

Say Adam Duritz (on voting and assholes)

"If you are over 18 and an American citizen and you do not vote this year, you are a fucking asshole." Adam Duritz.

(p.s. I actually heard him say this at the Counting Crows concert last night, so for once we have a first-hand quote!)

Counting Crows and Voodoo Dolls

Last night, I had the pleasure of sitting in Steve's box at Shoreline and seeing two of the best bands ever. First, The Goo Goo Dolls played with so much energy, their lead singer was amped.

And then came Adam with the Counting Crows. Is there anyone out there right now who can compare with Adam's lyricism and just pure performance genius. He is always complaining about how he feels he is ashamed of his looks in his lyrics (in addition to black-winged birds, Maria, Mr. and Mrs. Jones and Mrs. Potter). But this is a man with a beautiful soul who doesn't need that manequin body to match. Not too many of those out there.

And damn, can Adam sing!

This is the fourth time I've seen the Crows in San Francisco, and by far the best.

By the way, there was a guy sitting in front of us wearing a black leather pleated skirt that made a skirt look about as macho as I have ever seen. I will post that pic later.

Sexual orientation set before birth? (Reuters)

I know many gay men who have multiple older brothers. Strange.

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A man's sexual orientation appears to be determined in the womb, a new study suggests.

Past research by Dr. Anthony F. Bogaert of Brock University in St. Catherines, Ontario and colleagues has shown that the more older brothers a man has, the more likely he is to be gay. But it has not been clear if this is a prenatal effect or a psychosocial effect, related to growing up with older male siblings.

To investigate, Bogaert studied 944 gay and straight men, including several who were raised with adopted, half- or step-siblings or were themselves adopted. He reasoned that if the relationship between having older male siblings and homosexuality was due to family environment or child-rearing practices, it would be seen whether or not a man's older brothers were biological or adopted.

Bogaert found that the link between having older brothers and homosexuality was present only if the siblings were biologically related -- this relationship was seen between biological brothers who were not raised together. The amount of time that a man was reared with older brothers had no association with sexual orientation.

"These results support a prenatal origin to sexual orientation development in men and indicate that the fraternal birth-order effect is probably the result of a maternal 'memory' for male gestations or births," Bogaert writes in his report in PNAS Early Edition.

A woman's body may see a male fetus as "foreign," Bogaert explains, and her immune response to subsequent male fetuses may grow progressively stronger.

"If this immune theory were correct, then the link between the mother's immune reaction and the child's future sexual orientation would probably be some effect of maternal anti-male antibodies on the sexual differentiation of the brain," he suggests.

Other lines of research also support the sexual orientation-maternal immune response link, he notes.

Confucius (on real ignorance)

"Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance." Confucious.

Saturday Zen Story (on I Don't Know)

The emperor, who was a devout Buddhist, invited a great Zen master to the Palace in order to ask him questions about Buddhism.

"What is the highest truth of the holy Buddhist doctrine?" the emperor inquired.

"Vast emptiness... and not a trace of holiness," the master replied.

"If there is no holiness," the emperor said, "then who or what are you?"

"I do not know," the master replied.

Says Samuel Butler (on friends and victims)

"Man is the only animal that can remain on friendly terms with the victims he intends to eat until he eats them." Samuel Butler, Note-Books, 1912

Whole Foods chain stops selling live lobsters on the grounds that it is "inhumane." Bravo.

Having grown up in Florida, I was always disgusted and sad to see those poor lobsters piled up on top of each other in grocery stores and seafood restaurants. So I was happy to see this story today. Excerpt from AP.

AUSTIN - Customers craving fresh crustaceans will have to look beyond Whole Foods Market Inc. after the natural-foods grocery chain decided Thursday to stop selling live lobsters and crabs on the grounds that it's inhumane.

The Austin-based grocer spent seven months studying the sale of live lobsters from ship to supermarket aisle, trying to determine whether the creatures suffer along the way.

In some stores, they experimented with "lobster condos," filling the tanks with stacks of large pipes that the critters can crawl inside. And they moved the tanks behind seafood counters and away from children's tapping fingers.

But on Thursday, Whole Foods' leadership team decided to immediately stop selling live lobsters and soft-shell crabs because they couldn't ensure they are treated with respect and compassion.

"We place as much emphasis on the importance of humane treatment and quality of life for all animals as we do on the expectations for quality and flavor," Whole Foods co-founder and chief executive John Mackey said in a statement.

Animal rights activities are thrilled with the decision, not just because of the way lobsters are harvested, shipped and stored but because of the fate that awaits many of them - being dropped alive into a pot of boiling water.

"The ways that lobsters are treated would warrant felony cruelty to animals charges if they were dogs or cats," said Bruce Friedrich, a spokesman for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

In making its decision, Whole Foods pointed to a November report from the European Food Safety Authority Animal Health and Welfare panel that it said concluded all decapod crustaceans, including lobsters and crabs, appear to have some degree of awareness, feel pain and can learn.

But other scientists and seafood industry officials said Thursday that lobsters have such primitive insect-like nervous systems they don't even have brains and can't experience pain the way animals and humans do.

For example, lobsters can shed a claw that's stuck between two rocks and move on like nothing happened, said Diane Cowan, a marine biologist who studies lobster behavior in Maine.

"They certainly have a nervous system and respond to external stimuli, but whether you can call it pain I don't know," Cowan said.

She also dismissed Whole Foods' concerns about lobsters living together. She's seen four or five male lobsters crowd into an 18-inch hutch she built and hunker down together for the winter.

"I would recommend for Whole Foods if you want to feel good about lobsters, slow them down," she said. "If they're in water that's below 40 degrees, they're pretty much just inactive."

Shellfish industry experts doubt the decision will have much of an impact on sales nationwide.

About 183 million pounds of lobster are caught each year in the United States and Canada, and about 25 percent of that is sold live, according to the Lobster Institute at the University of Maine.

"People who want lobster will have lobster," said Bill Adler, executive director of the Massachusetts Lobstermen's Association. "If this particular chain does not want to serve it, people will go elsewhere."

From now on, Whole Foods will only sell frozen raw and cooked lobster products at its more than 180 stores in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, said Margaret Wittenberg, vice president of quality standards. And the chain will only deal with suppliers meeting their standards for humane treatment, handling and processing.

But Whole Foods leaders will reconsider their decision if they become convinced it is possible to ensure lobsters and crabs are treated humanely throughout the supply chain, she said.

"It remains open if that's a possibility, but at this time we don't feel that it's there yet," Wittenberg said.

Stephanie Losee and the Huffingtonpost.com

Guess what? My extremely talented, writerly friend Stephanie Losee is now a contributor for the Huffiington Post blog. How cool is that.

Check her out! It's a hilarious article about ... baby naming! Know any little girls named Ava?

And p.s. I was named after Gina Lollobrigida. See a resemblance. Ah, probably not. But in another time, another age : )

Says Peace Pilgrim (on junk food and junk thoughts)

"I don't eat junk food and I don't think junk thoughts." Peace Pilgrim.

I never liked that nasty stuff anyway.

But Boston kids may still get it once a week. Yuck! Reuters excerpt below.

BOSTON (Reuters) - When it comes to food, Boston is best known for baked beans and clam chowder. But this week, state legislators have engaged in robust debate on Marshmallow Fluff -- a locally made, sugary spread.

State Sen. Jarrett Barrios started the tempest in a lunch box when he learned that his son's Cambridge grammar school cafeteria offered Fluff-and-peanut butter sandwiches daily.

In a nation where child obesity rates have more than doubled in the past 25 years, Barrios fretted that was not a healthy option. Monday he proposed a law that would allow schools to serve the "Fluffernutters" only once a week.

"The key was to start a discussion of what is nutritious," said Colin Durrant, Barrios' director of public policy.

Fluff aficionados defended the sweet spread, which locals also lather on ice cream and into hot chocolate, and is made by local company, Durkee-Mower Inc. of Lynn, Massachusetts. A two-tablespoon serving of fluff, which is made from corn syrup, sugar and egg whites, has about 60 calories.

State Rep. Kathi Anne Reinstein Tuesday introduced a bill that would make the Fluffernutter the state sandwich. Barrios signed on as a co-sponsor of that bill, saying that he liked Fluff himself but did not want kids eating it every day for lunch.

Don Durkee, the 80-year-old president of Durkee-Mower, said Fluff didn't warrant so much legislative attention.

"It should be up to the consumers and the parents to determine what is fed to their children," Durkee said. "There's probably more serious things to be concerned about."

Says Russel Baker (on summer)

"Ah, summer, what power you have to make us suffer and like it. " Russel Baker.

Everything you ever wanted to know about the Summer Solstice.

This excellent site gives a scientific analysis of the whole phenomenon -- the longest day of the year -- which will be on June 21.

Says Paul McCartney (on being weird)

“I used to think anyone doing anything weird was weird. Now I know that it is the people that call others weird that are weird.” Paul McCartney.

Paul McCartney turns 64 tomorrow (Sunday) and lyrics to When I'm 64.

Happy Birthday, Paul. Tomorrow, June 18, is the day. You always wondered what it would be like when you were 64. I wish I could ask you what you think now.

Lyrics to "When I'm 64" (Lennon-McCartney)

When I get older, losing my hair, many years from now,
Will you still be sending me a Valentine, birthday greetings, bottle of wine?

If I'd been out 'till quarter to three, would you lock the door?
Will you still need me, will you still feed me,
When I'm sixty-four?

Hmm------mmm---mmmh.
You'll be older, too. Aaah, and if you say the word, I could stay with you.

I could be handy, mending a fuse, when your lights have gone.
You can knit a sweater by the fireside, sunday mornings, go for a ride.

Doing the garden, digging the weeds, who could ask for more?
Will you still need me, will you still feed me, when I'm sixty four?

Every summer we can rent a cottage in the Isle of Wightif it's not too dear. We shall scrimp and save.

Ah, grandchildren on your knee, Vera, Chuck, and Dave.

Send me a postcard, drop me a line stating point of view. Indicate precisely what you mean to say, yours sincerely wasting away.

Give me your answer, fill in a form, mine forever more.
Will you still need me, will you still feed me, when I'm sixty four?

by John Lennon/Paul McCartney

 

Says Charles C. Noble (on self-control)

"First we make our habits, then our habits make us." Charles C. Noble.

Saturday Zen Story (on self-control)

Sorry it's late. Here's today's Zen Story.

During the civil wars in feudal Japan, an invading army would quickly sweep into a town and take control. In one particular village, everyone fled just before the army arrived - everyone except the Zen master.

Curious about this old fellow, the general went to the temple to see for himself what kind of man this master was. When he wasn't treated with the deference and submissiveness to which he was accustomed, the general burst into anger.

"You fool," he shouted as he reached for his sword, "don't you realize you are standing before a man who could run you through without blinking an eye!"

But despite the threat, the master seemed unmoved.

"And do you realize," the master replied calmly, "that you are standing before a man who can be run through without blinking an eye?"

Says Confucius on how to be a good person.

"To be able under all circumstances to practice five things constituting perfect virtue: These five things are gravity, generosity of soul, sincerity, earnestness and kindness."

DNA test: Are you related to Confucius?

Bummer that this happened after I published my DNA book for non-scientists and investors, The Genomics Age. This would've been a great add.

And where did they get that Confucius DNA? Any ideas out there?

From Reuters.

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Chinese claiming Confucius for an ancestor can now use a genetic test to prove a direct blood connection to the grandfather of Chinese social mores, a state newspaper said Friday.

The fifth-century BC social philosopher's ideas of filial piety and deference to elders influence Chinese society and politics even today.

Now his countrymen can establish a genetic link in a test that will cost more than 1,000 yuan ($125), according to the Shanghai Morning Post.

"We would like to help these unconfirmed claimants to test their DNA and to establish a Confucius-DNA database," it quoted Deng Yajun, a DNA expert from Beijing Institute of Genomics at the Chinese Academy of Science, as saying.

How the scientists had obtained a sample of Confucius's DNA was not explained.

"One of the most difficult things in the project is to confirm the blood connections of these numerous claimants," said Kong Dewei, one of the editors of the new family tree, who has the same Chinese surname of Confucius, "Kong" in Chinese.

Association with Confucianism was fatal during the tumult of the Cultural Revolution, when "old China" and its traditions were condemned as reactionary by fervent Communist Red Guards.

But since the 1990s, Beijing has been encouraging Confucianism as part of celebrating traditional Chinese culture -- and of pushing a message of obedience to those in power.

Newest episode of my TV show is up ...

is here.

Don't worry about downloading Flash if the window pops up, you probably have it.

This is episode four of our 12 episode Tech Tour Across America!

gs

Says Francis Maude (on homosexuality)

"It always seemed to me a bit pointless to disapprove of homosexuality. It's like disapproving of rain." Francis Maude.

Superman gay? Fine with me, but no way, Jose.

From Reuters.

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - After weeks of Internet buzzing that the new Superman movie portrays the Man of Steel as gay, the director of the film issued a strong denial on Friday and said it was the most heterosexual character he has filmed.

Superman "is probably the most heterosexual character in any movie I've ever made," said Bryan Singer, director of "Superman Returns," a new movie about the crime-fighting superhero that opens June 28. "I don't think he's ever been gay."

In recent months, the movie's ability to lure its target audience has been questioned by Internet buzz probing the superhero's sexuality.

Young men are the movie's target audience and the film needs to attract millions of them to earn a profit and relaunch the "Superman" film franchise.

A major gay magazine, The Advocate, ran a cover story with the headline: "How Gay is Superman," and the Los Angeles Times weighed in with its own story on whether being gay might hinder or help the movie's box office receipts.

After all, gay romance "Brokeback Mountain" won awards and raked in $178 million worldwide.

So he wears a leotard and flies around in a red cape. Big deal, Singer said, noting Spider-Man wears tights. The X-Men do too, and they aren't gay. Singer ought to know, he directed 2000's "X-Men" movie and 2003's "X2: X-Men United."

Singer said his version of the Man of Steel, who is played by Brandon Routh, is a "very romantic icon" -- handsome, virtuous and vulnerable.

In the movie, Superman comes back to Earth after a five- year absence. Early on, audiences learn the love of his life, hard-charging reporter Lois Lane, has moved on from her infatuation with him. She has a new boyfriend and a child.

Yet when he re-enters her life, Lois still has that sexy gleam in her eye, and he can't wait to fly her to the moon.

"We were all scratching our heads," said Paul Levitz, president and publisher of Superman owner DC Comics. "He's not a gay character."

Fantasy Coffins (now there's an idea)

Check out this story and bizarre fish-shaped coffin at this link on Reuters.

Says Albert Camus (on war)

"In such a world of conflict, a world of victims and executioners, it is the job of thinking people, not to be on the side of the executioners." Albert Camus.

All the anchors look so happy about the military assassination of Al-Zarqawi ..

... from channel to channel, literally the anchors were smirking with a gleam in their eye.

It strikes me that war is a terrible thing -- and terrorism beyond defense -- but to smile or gloat at the murder of any human, even an "enemy," seems so cold and unamerican. And cold.

Rumsfeld mentioned the child and woman who were also killed. (excerpt below) Is everyone expendable?

If this assassination brings peace -- that seems unlikely, but I'm not an analyst -- then it has served its purpose. But the American "Yep, we got 'em!" attitude is startling me. Perhaps I am over thinking this.

(Reuters excerpt) Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld told reporters 10 people, including Zarqawi, had been killed in the strike. Earlier, officials said six people including a woman and a child had been killed.

Worried about 6/6/06? Read this funny email and you'll feel ALL better.

Thanks to this joke site, I have found the ultimate 666 posting I've been wanting to do all day.

Well, most of you have heard that "666" is the number of the "Beast" ... but did you know that:

$699.25 - Price of the Beast plus 5% sales tax

$769.95 - Price of the Beast with all accessories and replacement soul

$766.25 - Price of the Beast with extended 6 year/66,000 mile warranty

1-666 - Area code of the Beast

00666 - Zip code of the Beast

110 110 110 - Binary code of the Beast

1-900-666-0666 - Live Beasts! One-on-one pacts! Call Now! $6.66/minute. Over 16 please.

I-666 - Interstate Highway of the Beast

668 Hell Street - Next-door neighbor of the Beast

666 F - Oven temperature for roast Beast

666k - Retirement plan of the Beast

11666 - US Dow Jones Industrial Average Index is heading to

6.66 % - 6 year CD interest rate at First Beast National Bank, $666 minimum deposit.

RU-666 - Abortion drug for the Beast

Levis 666 - Designer jeans for the Beast

Phillips 666 -- Gasoline of The Beast

665.99999987 -- Pentium number of the Beast

666i - BMW of the Beast

i66686 - CPU of the Beast

66.6 Kbps - Modem of the Beast

Windows666 - Windows upgrade for the Beast

Error 666 - Attempt to access daemon or demon failed

EECS 666 - Intoduction to Beast programming

http://www.666.com - Home page of the Beast

beast@666.com - Email address of the Beast

---

Let's hear from the numerologists about the creation of the number of the "Beast":

The sum of the squares of the first 7 Primes:

2 + 3 + 5 + 7 + 11 + 13 + 17 = 666

The sum and difference of the first three 6th Powers:

3 - 2 + 1 = 666

The sum of the sequence 123456789:

1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 567 + 89 = 666

123 + 456 + 78 + 9 = 666

The sum of the sequence 987654321:

9 + 87 + 6 + 543 + 21 = 666

Found another funny cannibal joke.

I don't know how I got into collecting them, but they just are always funny and short.

Heard about the vegetarian cannibal? He only ate Swedes!

Says Dante (on hell)

This from the 500 year old manuscript, in case you missed it in high school : )

"The hottest places in Hell are reserved for those who in time of great moral crises maintain their neutrality" Dante Aleghieri.

Would you agree we, as Americans, are in a deep moral crisis. As a member of moveon.org, I finally feel like I am a part of the solution, not just ignoring the problem. I vote. I call congresspeople when moveon.org, which represents my views, advises me.

And Dante, dude, he pinned it.

Wonder what they did in Hell, Michigan on 6/6/06? I did. (Reuters)

Excerpt from Reuters.

HELL, Michigan (Reuters) - The road to Hell was crowded with the curious on Tuesday -- as well as devils-in-disguise, hearse enthusiasts, Christian protesters and merchants trying to cash in on the apocalypse.

Hell, Michigan, a tiny town about 60 miles west of Detroit, threw itself open for a once-in-a-millennium party to mark the passage of June 6, 2006 -- or 6-6-6, a number long associated with the Antichrist.

Home to only about 70 souls on an average day, Hell's population swelled to the hundreds by Tuesday afternoon, with dozens waiting in line to buy T-shirts emblazoned with "666."

"We can't even keep those in stock," said Chad Wines, an employee at Screams Ice Cream, working to keep up with demand for souvenirs and ice cream on what proved to be a hot day in Hell.

"It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and I couldn't pass it up," said Paul Groenendal, one of dozens of leather-clad bikers who rode to Hell for the street party.

Groenendal, who wore devil horns glued to his bald head as well as a skull and crossbones rings and matching necklace, joked he was in Hell to "make deals and collect."

Auto salvage worker Ken McKeny, 43, pulled his customized, casket on wheels into town with the "4MLDHYD" license plates, part of a Michigan-based hearse enthusiasts group that call themselves "Hearsin' Around."

"I went to work this morning but my boss told me to get out and go to Hell," he said.

Happy Birthday, Victoria Cowen!

Today is the big day. Fourteen is a great time. I am so proud of you for what you have grown up to become. Your mom is to thank, too. She brings out the best in you.

I know you probably won't see this for years -- I doubt that at 14 you are on Typepad -- but someday when you google yourself and see this, know that I love you and wish you all the best on the big 14.

I love you.

Love, Aunt Gina, Uncle Henry and Eric (who is three!)

Says John Irving (on memory)

"Your memory is a monster; you forget - it doesn't. It simply files things away. It keeps things for you, or hides things from you - and summons them to your recall with a will of its own. You think you have a memory; but it has you!" John Irving.

Until I Find You (John Irving)

On the way back from Boulder last night, I bought John Irving's rad new novel, Until I Found You. It is enormous, so beware. More than 800 pages. But man, does it move.

I checked the reviews, and this one -- from my hometown paper -- hits it square on the mark.

Back to the book. PS. Did anyone out there see Guy Kawasaki's review of my upcoming autobiography (i cowrote) of Steve Wozniak, iWOZ.

I am humbled, Guy. I always thought you were cool, now I know you are brilliant : )

Steve Wozniak's memoir pre-selling on Amazon now!

Hey, how about that cool cover!

The book, which I cowrote, will be out from WW Norton in Nov. 1.

But click here to get an early look or even preorder.

Do you know this is the first time Steve has ever told his story? Told it, for real, his side of it all?

I am psyched. I cannot wait until November 1.

gs

Bolder Boulder!

I am writing this from Boulder, Colorado. I'm here to shoot one of the episodes on the TV show I'm hosting, Tech Tour Across America.

I am loving Boulder. Speaking as a Californian and a native Floridian, non coastal-cities (with the exception of Iowa City and, now Boulder) appeal not.

But I love Boulder. Now I must figure out how to move here : )

The fourth Grateful Dead keyboard player dead at 55.

An excerpt from Reuters today. Very sad.

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Vince Welnick, who took over as the Grateful Dead's keyboard player in 1990 after a succession of predecessors met untimely deaths, has died at the age of 55, according to an announcement on his Web site.

"Vince passed from this earth on June 2, 2006 ... after a decade of battling tragedy while creating beauty and light around him," the announcement said. It did not give a cause of death.

The San Jose Mercury News said he died in a hospital on Friday after being taken from his home in Forestville, California, and it quoted a person at his home as saying "it looks like he took his own life."

Welnick had previously spoken of a deep depression after Jerry Garcia, founding guitarist of the iconic psychedelic rock band, died in 1995 and the group disbanded.

Welnick is the fourth keyboard player for the band to have died, and his Web site referred to the position as a "particularly doomed spot."

He once told an interviewer, "A lot of people ask about that and my stock answer is that I am aware of the fact that you could die doing this job, but I was somewhat dying of boredom before the job came up so I thought I'd take my chances."

Originally a member of the 1970s rock band "The Tubes," Welnick joined the Grateful Dead after longest-serving keyboard player Brent Mydland died in 1990 of a drug overdose.

Previously, pianist Keith Godchaux died in a car accident in 1980, a year after he left the band, and founding vocalist and keyboard player Ron "Pigpen" McKernan died in 1973 of a gastrointestinal hemorrhage.

After the Grateful Dead broke up and ended its 30-year run as one of America's biggest touring acts, Welnick formed his own group, Missing Man Formation. He also toured with other groups including Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart's band

Congratulations Katharine Close (from a used-to-be spelling bee champion)

Well, an eighth grader named Katharine Close just won the National Spelling Bee.

First, I want to congratulate her.

If asked -- and I am rarely - I usually say I have three -- truly only three -- talents. In order: 1.) spelling. 2.) investigative reporting 3.) and writing non-fiction books, like iWOZ, which is out late this year. I know a lot of you readers know me as an ex ABC TV reporter or a radio host, but really the three things above are the only things I am excellent at. And then, tonight, I saw Katharine. MAN!

Katharine, if you are reading this, listen up. You rock.Your mind is a supercomputer. I could see you analyzing whether something had a Greek or a Greek to Latin to French root and make the correct decision every single time. I will be watching to see what you do with this great mind.

I made it to second in the Florida eighth grade spelling bee, meaning I would have been one step away from the amazing competition you won tonight. But holy moley. No WAY could I have competed with you. I hope I never have to. This is one of the few times in my life I'm glad I'm not 14 again -- so I don't have to compete with you. Now or ever! I hate losing.

p.s. In the Florida statewide bee, I lost on the stupidest word on the planet. Queue. I kept thinking "pool cue." Agh.

So, congratulations, sweetie. And to your competitors. I was blown away by the televised spelling bee tonight. And buy my book and see if there are any mispelled words, okay?

(Thanks to Pete Butler for correcting the spelling in this blog entry.)