The Pain of the Plane
So I normally don't mix this blog with my job, but I'm making an exception in this case. Unless you were living in a cave, you could not help but notice the big announcement made by American Airlines yesterday, part of its efforts to remain financially viable in a world of $130 a barrel oil.I won't bore you with the minute details (you can read that here in the Dallas Morning News), but the big thing is that you will now pay $15 to check bag number one. Most airlines now charge $25 for the 2nd bag, but American is the first to charge for bag one. And knowing the industry like I do, the rest of the airlines will follow within the next few weeks. And American has raised fees on everything from pets to phone reservations to unaccompanied minors.I saw a bunch of travelers whining -- yes, I said whining -- about the extra fees. Well I say too bad -- suck it up. Airline fares are actually 46% lower now -- when you adjust for inflation -- than they were when the industry deregulated in 1978. Planes have been flying bargain palaces, and eventually the piper had to be paid. I'm not saying that the airlines haven't caused their own problems, because they have.But no one in their wildest dreams ever thought oil would reach $130 a barrel, and there are some in the industry saying it may reach $200. Fuel has now exceeded labor as an airline's biggest cost. You have to buy fuel, so something else has to give. Passengers have been refusing to pay higher fares, so the money comes from things like fees to use live human beings to buy tickets, extra bag charges, paying for food aboard flights and lots of fees.But soon, the airlines may get their wish for higher fares. Every major airline has announced capacity cuts, which means less aircraft, which means less flights. Less flights means more demand, which means higher fares. This is before the completion of the announced merger of Delta and United, and rumors continue to fly about other mergers, including United and US Airways. So I'd go ahead and book your travel now, while the fares are still pretty reasonable. And if you're planning travel after September, you better hope the airline is still flying to your city.And now to the weight part of our program. Last week was great, but this week, I crashed down to earth, gaining 4 lbs. Boo! But I know what happened - I dropped off my regular exercise, I didn't journal my food, and I may have had some foods (lasagna, Philly Cheese steak, french fries) that may have not been my best choice. But the good news is I've still lost 30 lbs, and I didn't climb back into the 220s. So I'm back on the wagon, heavier, but wiser.
Hitting Major Weight Milestones
Ok, Ok -- I know I said I wasn't going to turn this into a weight-exclusive blog. But I went to my Weight Watchers meeting yesterday. It was a *very* good week, with several milestones.First, I lost 6.6 pounds this week. That's the most I've ever lost in a week. Second, that dropped from 221 to 214. I can't tell you how happy I am to finally be out of the 220s. And last -- but certainly not least -- I have now dropped 34 pounds since Jan. 3. I've gone from a tight size 28 to wavering between size 22 and 20. I'll be glad to get out of the 20s in size too.My leader asked me to tell our group what I did this week that helped me drop the pounds, and frankly, I was at a loss. I mean, I stayed on plan and exercised my usual 5 days a week, but I really can't put my finger on exactly what I did. I wish I could -- I'd bottle it and sell it!
Talk About the Guest That Wouldn't Leave
OK, I understand that Hillary really wanted to be president. But after that, it all starts to go pear-shaped on me. She started her campaign as the presumptive leader of the Democratic pack. But something happened along the way to her assumed Super Tuesday anointing -- something called Barack Obama.Really, it wasn't supposed to be this way. Hillary was supposed to have nominal competition from John Edwards (as practice for the real campaign in the fall against Republican nominee Rudy Giuliani), but ensuring her victory fueled by the power of the Clinton machine.But then Obama had the temerity -- the absolute gall, really -- to enter the race. Not only did he enter the race, he actually began winning -- despite the best efforts of the Clinton machine. And Hillary's people can spin things until they're blue in the face -- she's stronger against McCain, she has more of the popular vote, Michigan and Florida delegates should count -- but the fact is, she has been mathematically eliminated, unless she can get more super delegates on her side.In a USA Today article May 8, Clinton says she's not leaving the race, despite the numbers, because she feels she appeals to a wider base of voters. And then she had to pull out the race card. And I quote:"I have a much broader base to build a winning coalition on," she said in an interview with USA TODAY. As evidence, Clinton cited an Associated Press article "that found how Sen. Obama's support among working, hard-working Americans, white Americans, is weakening again, and how whites in both states who had not completed college were supporting me."Excuse me? Is it just me or can you all smell the desperation of the Clinton campaign? Remember, Obama is the one who won the Iowa caucuses and came in a close second in New Hampshire, states with large white populations. He also won in Vermont, Wisconsin, Idaho, Maine and Utah, to name a few. These aren't states that are known for their wide diversity. You can see how Clinton and Obama have done in the states so far here, at CNN.So here we are. Obama has made a strong case for why he should be the Democratic nominee. He's ahead in the delegate race, and it's mathematically impossible for Clinton to take the nomination based on the remaining delegates. Explain again why she's still in the race?And speaking of races, I managed to drop 1.6 lbs this week, even though it was a bad week. So that puts me at 221.2 pounds. I'll be really glad to get out of the 220s!
TV Talk - Fine Living Network Brings Back Iron Chef
I am just thrilled. The Fine Living Network, in its infinite wisdom, has brought back the original Japanese version of Iron Chef. I originally got addicted to this show when it was on the Food Network. I'm guessing they decided to drop it in order to put more focus on its own Iron Chef America, which I also enjoy.
But nothing compares to the real thing. No one can match the cheesiness of The Chairman, Takeshi Kaga, who appears to get his wardrobe from Prince's tailor. I love listening to the Japanese chatter right under the enthusiastic English translation. I really enjoy checking out the Japanese "celebrity" judges, but one could not discuss the cult that is Iron Chef without mentioning Asako Kishi. Kishi-san is a nutritionist and food critic who is really harsh. She makes Iron Chef America judge Jeffrey Steingarten seem like Santa Claus.
But the chefs make the show. You have the following: a very young Iron Chef Japanese Masaharu Morimoto (who's currently on Iron Chef America); Iron Chef FrenchYutaka Ishinabe; Iron Chef French Hiroyuki Sakai; Iron Chef Italian Masahiko Kobe; Iron Chef Japanese Rokusaburo Michiba; and Iron Chef Japanese Koumei Nakamura. But my true love is Iron Chef Chen Kenichi, the father of Chinese cooking. He has such flair...sigh.
I also love the wild secret ingredients the Chairman comes up with. Sea urchin, swallow's nest, roe, shark fin, sea bream, and the list goes on. You don't see this stuff on Iron Chef America. I'm just really glad the show is back.
And speaking of food, I haven't forgotten the weight thing. Here's the deal -- I was in Seoul, South Korea last week. I thought I had done a good job trying to stick with Weight Watchers, eating all the right foods and exercising every day. But apparently, it wasn't enough because I actually gained 2.6 lbs. I was a bit disappointed, but I've gotten right back on the saddle. We'll see how I do tomorrow at weigh in.
Television News - United States vs. The World
So it's my last night in Seoul. The photo to the left is of Incheon International Airport, and was taken from the window in my hotel room.
I've really enjoyed my time here. But one of the things I'll miss most is the news over here. My hotel television airs CNN International ad BBC World News. It's sad that I'm so amazed at how much more moderate and informative these two channels are compared with U.S. coverage.
Take, for example, the current Rev. Jeremiah Wright controversy. CNN International shows the U.S.'s Situation Room in the mornings, and Wolf Blitzer, his team and the political pundits were practically breathless trumpeting every second of Wrights remarks. The story was the lead and took up almost 15 minutes at the beginning of the show. But the story on CNN International and BBC was not the lead. CNN International didn't mention it until the 6th story, and BBC had it as eighth.
What I don't understand is why the media feel Wright's remarks need this much coverage. Last I checked, he wasn't running for president. Everyone had their own opinions and feelings, and no one can control them in anyone else. Why is it that Obama is "responsible" for what Wright says? How is this relevant to whether Obama will be a good president or not? And my big question is why isn't John McCain's pandering for support from Pastor John Hagee -- who has gone on the record with virulent anti-Catholic statements (see here) and anti-Semitic rants? And since we're checking, why not take a look at the statements made by Hillary's pastor in the last 10 years?
And before you get all in a tizzy, I am a black, female, Catholic and lifetime registered Republican who actually supported McCain back in 2000 but will be an Obama supporter this go-round. I just wish the media would spend less time pushing the irrelevant and focus more on the real issues that the voters care about, such as health care, the worsening economy, high gas prices, social issues and maybe the erosion of our Constitutional rights. How refreshing that would be.
A Soul Sister in Seoul
One of the nice perks of my job is the travel. Now I don't travel nearly as much as I did back in the day, but it's harder when you are a parent. I had the opportunity to come to Seoul, S. Korea, to do stories on Incheon International Airport and Korean Air.
I took a direct flight out of Washington Dulles on a Korean Boeing 747 (see my photo, left). The 747 really has to be my favorite aircraft, especially since I got to sit in the "hump" in Prestige (business) class. Korean business class has a very comfortable, almost-flat seat. It also has a larger screen inflight entertainment system that had music, movies, games and a very helpful interactive map showing our route.
Being the mother of a 2-year old, it's been forever since I've sat in a movie theater, so being trapped in a flying metal tube -- albeit in business class -- for 15 hours gave me the chance to catch up on my movies. I saw Atonement, I Am Legend, August Rush and Juno. I started There Will Be Blood, but it started too slowly and I moved on. I also fell asleep watching Lars and the Real Girl, which was funny while I was awake.
I had an exit row seat, so there was plenty of room. One of the bonuses of sitting in the 747 hump is that most carriers have a very roomy storage locker for the window seat, which I used for my purse and books.
The service on Korean Air was really great. They fed us 2 meals, and I did the Korean cuisine both times. I've always been a big fan of Korean food. They also had a very nice wine selection, and I did indulge, with a 2005 Robert Mondavi private reserve Merlot.
I took a stroll down to the back, and the flight seemed to be pretty full. Korean's coach product seemed to be pretty roomy by American standards. I usually prefer to take foreign flag carriers when I travel overseas, as they haven't cut their service -- or their standards -- nearly as much as U.S. airlines. I'll be here until Thursday, but I can't promise I'll post again before I leave.
Where Did Hillary Learn Her Math?
So I'm doing my mouse routine on the treadmill this morning, and I happened to be right under the TV that shows MSNBC, which has gone all out with Election 2008 coverage. I'm watching this story where Hillary Clinton, in her post-Pennsylvania glow, is claiming that she actually has more popular votes that Barack Obama, which was covered in the New York Times. If you're getting technical, then yes she does. But it doesn't matter, because even my 2-year-old daughter knows its the delegate count, not the popular vote, that gets you the nomination.Hillary is including the popular vote from Michigan and Florida, both of which don't count because they are being punished by the Democratic National Committee for disobeying party orders and moving up their primaries.Neither candidate campaigned in the states, and Obama didn't even put his name on the ballot in Michigan, which explains why he has no delegates from that state. You can just smell the desperation of the Clinton campaign, which has taken to trying to strong-arm the Democratic Party into seating the Michigan and Florida delegates, which she hopes will put more superdelegates into her column. I hope the party will resist and let the process take its course. This is a golden opportunity for the Democrats not only to take the White House, but make more gains in the House and Senate. Why do I get the feeling they are going to shoot themselves in the foot over this?So let's move to the weight update. I only lost 0.4 lbs this week, bringing me to 220.2. I was really looking forward to getting out of the 220s this week, but it was not to be. Next week should be interesting, since I'm going to Seoul for 5 days on business. The hotel has a gym, and there are lots of good, Weight Watchers friendly food I can eat, so If I can lost a pound, I'll be happy. We'll see!!
