I finally made it to San Diego. We moved in earlier this week and finally got everything unpacked. However, this has been the worst move in regards to damage in the 12 years I’ve been in the Navy. So far, the Hawaiian packers managed to damage 8 items. They were the worst movers we’ve ever had. Even the movers that delivered out boxes said they consistently have problems with how the Hawaiians pack boxes. One of the movers talked about how he almost lost some fingers from a machete that was packed in the top of a wardrobe closet and how another time he got his head cut by a piece of glass that fell off an entertainment console.

But enough bitching about Hawaii. I don’t live there anymore and I hope I never have to go back. It can sink into the ocean for all I care now.

San Diego, on the other hand, is fabulous. Within 10 minutes drive of our house we have: 2 Target stores, Costco, Ikea,  Lowes, 2 shopping malls, and numerous stores, restaraunts, and markets. Just across the road from us is a sandwich shop, a barber, a produce stand, 7-11, drug store, several restaraunts, and the post office. Down the road is the public library and police station. There’s a bus stop right on our corner, which goes to the San Diego trolley station down the hill. Nearly every road has a bike path and there are several biodiesel stations just a few minutes away. Not to mention the Mexican, Greek, Indian, and other ethnic restaraunts around.

Unfortunately I won’t be around to enjoy any of this while I’m deployed but it’s nice to know that my family will be set up.  After this move, we’re thinking of just buying a house. This is our eighth move in 12 years (ten for me if you count my stints at various Navy schools) and we’re burnt out now. With the housing market the way it is now, houses are pretty much dirt cheap, especially if you don’t mind “living in the boonies”. Between the bus and rail systems, it doesn’t really matter terribly much. I don’t know if we’ll stay here forever but it will at least be until I get out of the military.

Hero: a man distinguished by exceptional courage and nobility and strength (wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn)

As those of you following college football may know, the University of Hawaii Warriors finished the season undefeated. Granted, this is a significant accomplishment, especially for them; the last time this happened was more than a decade ago (I can’t find the specific date right now). The team will be “guest of honor” in the Kapolei City Lights Parade. > more <

On Slashdot today there was an article from Computer World entitled 10 Things We Hate About Laptops. As I was reading it, I couldn’t believe some of the things being said. I’ve used laptops for a while, though I’ve never had to support them for other people. However, I found much of what was said to either be fallacious or misleading. > more <

Ever since I arrived in Hawaii, I’ve noticed something about the way the Navy Exchange (NEX) operates. Normally, a military exchange checks the ID cards of all patrons to ensure that only military members shop there. This is in addition to having to show your ID to actually get on base. The commissary (military grocery store) is supposed to do this also. But guess what? The NEX doesn’t do that in Hawaii, at least not consistently. > more <

With all the stories of (usually) teenage girls meeting some stranger over the Internet, I just wanted to make this statement. The girls know exactly what they are doing and therefore should be held just as accountable as the guys. Teens have been doing the same thing long before the Internet and just because they aren’t 18 yet doesn’t mean they don’t know what they are doing and what they expect to happen. > more <

One thing I’ve found living in Hawaii (formerly called the Sandwich Islands by Captain Cook in honor of the Earl of Sandwich) is that the locals don’t admit, much less know, the true history of the islands. I’m sure I’ll get a lot of flack for talking about this but I think it’s something that needs to be brought up. > more <