Barry Bonds, 756 - August 7, 2007

Barry Bonds hit his 756th home run, to break Hank Aaron's major league record. He hit it at Pac Bell Park, off of Washington Nationals pitcher Mike Bacsik, in the fifth inning. There was a nice celebration, including a video comment from Hank Aaron. Bonds took his position in the field for the top of the sixth, then left the game.

Now I hope the Giants will go on to win the game.

Sadaharu Oh, watch out. 2,000 rbis and 3,000 hits may come first. 

I took the photo of Bonds standing in left field at Pac Bell Park on 09-June-2007, during a game against the Oakland Athletics.

samTrans #3 - August 7, 2007

Today I rode home with driver 1001, only the second time I have seen a four-digit number. She managed to hit the spot where the bus passes from Sixth Street to the 280 Extension just right and I rose a good six inches in the air and slammed down hard. Not every driver can do that properly.

I took the photo at the Linda Mar Park and Ride lot on 07-August-2007. It shows Gillig Phantom 40-foot low floor bus number 316. Today I was on 35-foot bus 740.

Book: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - August 6, 2007

I finished reading JK Rowling's last Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. My daughter found the conclusion to be unsatisfactory, but I though Rowling wrapped things up nicely.

I remember reading the UK news on Yahoo one evening and seeing a report that kids in the UK were lining up for the second book in a series I had never heard of.

The next day at lunch I went to the Alexander Book Company on Second Street and asked if they had ever heard of the author. The clerk said they had just gotten the first book of the series. Remarkably, I had enough money in my pocket, so I bought the book. I was sad t0 see that they title had been changed from "Philosper's Stone" to "Sorcerer's Stone". Alchemists were not looking for a sorcerer's stone. They weren't sorcerers. Things went crazy shortly after.

I have enjoyed all seven books, although I find that I often forget important plot points from one book to the next.

My favorite thing about the books is the names of the places and characters. I've always enjoyed a good name.

I like the way Harry and other characters grow and develop morally during the course of the books. Harry was faced with moral decisions and he made good ones, and we could see the process he went through to reach them.

samTrans #2 - August 6, 2007

Today on the way home, I rode with driver 999. Pretty cool.

I took the photo at the Linda Mar Park and Ride lot on 05-July-2007. It shows Gillig Phantom 35-foot bus number 733. Today I was on similar bus 710.

Barry Bonds, 755 - August 4, 2007

Barry Bonds hit his 755th home run, to tie Hank Aaron's major league record. He hit it to left field in the new ballpark in San Diego, which is a tough place to hit a home run.

After he passes Aaron, next up is Sadaharu Oh's professional baseball record, 868. It may not happen. I guess he'll try for 3,000 hits first.

I don't know if he uses or used steroids or not. I know that baseball players have done many things over the years to get an edge, from drinking a lot of coffee to taking amphetamines, to throwing spitballs, shine balls, and burr balls, to holding onto the belt of the runner at third while the umpire wasn't watching.

I do know that steroids won't let someone who can't hit a baseball well hit a baseball well.

KLSI 89.3 FM #1 - August 4, 2007

FM radio reception is limited in Pacifica by our surrounding hills. Last year I was lying in bed dialing between KQED and KCSM and heard a station I had never heard before. It was playing some strange trance music. There were no live announcers, but there was an occasional taped announcement like "WAZQ Key West, KAQQ Midland, KLSI Moss Beach". At some point, the station switched to 1940's music, then it went away.

Last week or so, it appeared again. Now the taped announcements refer to "Q-FM", and give the same list of stations. Now they play 1970's or 1980's-type oldies. I heard a weather announcement one day while listening in the car.

There are no commercials and no pledge breaks. Where does the money come from? A Google search lists it as being licensed to "EDUCATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO, INC." It doesn't sound all that educational or public.

I wonder what is coming next.

Oakland Athletics vs Detroit Tigers - August 1, 2007

I went to my first game at the Coliseum since at least 1985 with a group from work. There was a very good turnout because it was two dollar seat day. Oakland won 3-2. Both teams stranded a lot of runners. We sat in the Mount Davis area. The restrooms were easy to find, but I had a long hike, and a long wait in line, for food.

I took the photo today, showing the upper-deck seats covered with tarps. They might have sold some of those seats today.

BART was good over and back. I got a seat all the way back to Colma.