To Explore Strange New Worlds

Scientists will now be able to seek out planets that are similar to Earth outside of our solar system thanks to the just launched Corot space telescope. They will be looking for "small rocky planets" that may have water on it under the right circumstances. Very cool. Read the complete story here.

I Can See the Light

I forgot to mention that at The Little One's birthday party, a friend of ours broke a major rule of gift giving. They gave her a puppy. At first I thought it was just a stuffed animal because it was sleeping but upon further examination I realized it was real. Ugh. I'm a firm believer that giving an animal away to someone as a gift without checking with them first is a big faux pas. This rule runs right up there at the top along with 'Never date a girl who's father calls her Princess.' Anyway, lucky for me that we had a birthday party to go to the next day and we regifted the puppy.

I am just about done shopping for Christmas. Every year I say I'm going to finish earlier but it never seems to work out that way. I think it's the same story for the thousands of other shoppers out in the stores today. I absolutely will not go to the stores this weekend, though. Much too much pressure and stress. Along with that goes this thought that I've been mulling around in my head. I can't decide what's worse; the commercialization of Christmas or organized religions' insistence that Christmas is too commercialized. I guess that could be discussed at another time, besides I've got to figure out if the Nativity Scene in the front yard is shorting out Santa and the reindeers on the roof. Oh, and I was just kidding about regifting the puppy. The thought did cross my mind but I quickly disregarded it.

Wow

It was an exciting weekend for the family. Friday night around 9 PM, The Little One fell down while playing with her sister. I went to her and picked her up and turned her towards me and that's when I saw all the blood running down her face. I quickly went to the other room and got some paper towels and about this time my wife sees all the blood. Her sister was with her so we all piled into the SUV and rushed to the hospital. About a minute after we started driving, The Little One stopped crying and was just talking away. She really likes to go for rides.

We got to the Emergency Room and she had the wound cleaned and x-rayed. The doctor didn't see anything major but had to put 3 stitches to close the cut on her forehead. When they gave her the anesthetic instead of a scream and crying, only a loud "ouch" came from The Little One. She gets to go back in a week to get the stitches taken out.

Also, the next day was her birthday party. You can see the bandage on her forehead in all the birthday pictures. Oh well, it will be something for her to laugh about when she's older. Man, splitting her head open and stitches before she's two years old. At least she was calmer than I was.

Thought For Today

Conspiracy or Fate?

We could argue the "decisions" or whether there were five or five hundred of them but it all boils down to one thing: a tragic loss. Read Christopher Dickey's commentary Five Fatal Decisions.

Whatever You Do, Don't Look Down

The glass walkway being built by the Hualapai Tribe at their Grand Canyon West destination is slated to be completed and opened to the public on March 28 2007. The Skywalk will extend 70 feet from the canyon wall and 4000 feet above the canyon floor. I don't usually have a problem with heights but walking out onto a glass walkway with a 4000 foot drop below might be a problem. I was going to have a link to the site but it seems to have suddenly gone down. Maybe I'll be able to do it later.

Look, It's Over There

There is something very wrong with this and I'm not being discriminatory towards the blind:

AUSTIN - A state lawmaker wants to make sure no Texan is left out when it comes to hunting, even if the hunter is legally blind. Rep. Edmund Kuempel, a Seguin Republican, has filed a bill for the 2007 legislative session that would allow legally blind hunters to use a laser sight, or lighted pointing instrument. The devices are forbidden for sighted hunters.

"This opens up the fun of hunting to additional people, and I think that's great," Kuempel said.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, which regulates hunting in Texas, currently does not have a definition of what constitutes a legally blind hunter. Kuempel's bill would give the agency until Jan. 1, 2008, to come up with a definition so that the law could be enforced. The hunter would have to carry proof that he or she is legally blind.

Ha Ha

Take this short Quiz.

Arrrg

Spent over 1 hour and a half sitting in the pediatrician's waiting room this afternoon. After the wait, we were in and out in 10 minutes. Diagnosis: common cold. Rx: Prescription cough medicine. It's a wonder The Little One didn't catch anything else from being around all those other sick children. I guess the good thing is that in my opinion, all the children manifested the same symptoms. Cough, cough, sniffle, sneeze.

Testers and Testees

So the USCIS is testing new questions for a revised citizenship exam. Now I'm not complaining but I've looked at the proposed new questions and wonder how many Americans can answer these questions. I only ask that because we've all heard about those supposed questionnaires given to college bound seniors by teachers or news reporters containing basic questions on U.S. history and such and most can't answer any of them. See all the questions here.

Snow!

It was snowing last night. No accumulation to mention but it was a nice sight. We still have a lot of time to do better.

Winter Is Coming

The weather outside is frightful. The wind is starting to pick up and there's a chill in the air. I guess the wintry weather is nearly upon us. The lows tonight are forecasted to be in the low 30s, tomorrow's high only in the mid 40s and tomorrow night's low in the low 20s. Yes! I can finally use a real jacket for once. There's also a very, very, slight chance of some precipitation meaning we might see some flurries overnight into tomorrow. I'm not holding my breath, though. I like this time of year. Really, I do.

An Interactive Tour

Of the Eagle Nebula courtesy of the Hubble telescope site.

This Could Happen

But how do you really prove that you had nothing to do with it? What can you really do if the store or police don't believe you?

ST. LOUIS -- A Missouri couple said that when they opened the box for their new camcorder, they found something they hadn't pictured -- a jar of pasta sauce where their camera should have been. Jim Rittenberg, of Perryville, Mo., bought a $1,600 camcorder at a Best Buy store in the St. Louis suburb of Ellisville last week. Inside the Sony box, he said he found a jar of Classico pasta sauce, a telephone cord and an outlet cover where the electronics were supposed to be. So far, the Rittenbergs are stuck without a camcorder. Ellisville police are investigating. Best Buy manager Wade Trapp said that the store is working to resolve the matter.

I have nightmares of similar circumstances...I come home from the grocery store and open the 12-pack of beer and a couple of bottles are empty.

Service With A Smile

I must give my "thumbs up" to FlatSigned Rare Books, which specializes in rare, antique, or hard to find books as well as publishing exclusive signed limited editions, for their customer service attitude. Way back in 2002 I bought To Kill A Mockingbird signed by Harper Lee. When I received the book I noticed that there were some dirt marks or something similar on the edges of the book. I contacted the owner, Tim Miller, and explained the problem. He told me to return the book and he would get me another one and would refund the shipping on my next order. I received the replacement book and it is now in my library. Unfortunately, I have not been able to buy (afford) another book from them until a couple of days ago.

So this morning I called Tim Miller and explained the circumstances from my previous purchase over four years ago and asked if he would knock off the shipping charges for this book. I really didn't expect him to do it but without hesitation he said that that was not a problem. Wow, if only I could get service like that at Walmart or Target or McDonald's. But seriously, if you or someone you know is looking for that special or hard to find book, I confidently recommend that you check out FlatSigned Rare Books first.

Free Money

Well, not really. Technically it's money that I've already spent but for some reason or another it needs to be returned to me. But in my mind, since I had no clue that it was owed to me, it doesn't exist. Hence, it's free money or found money to me. It all started this morning when I was reading the news and came across an article about Texas' unclaimed property website. Just type in your name to see if anyone has reported to the state any unclaimed funds. I tried my full name first, then variations of it, and came up with an exact match. It wasn't a jackpot but $35 is still better than nothing. For grins I tried some friends' names and lo and behold I found one that is owed some money from one of the apartments she used to live in. So if you live in the great state of Texas, go here to check if you're owed any money. There's also a link there that points to searches for other states. Cha-ching!

Kramer's A Kook Part 2

Well, it seems Michael Richards has hired Rubenstein Associates to do a little crisis management for him. Let's see if they can untarnish his reputation and rescue him from his meltdown. Full story here.

Kramer's A Kook

I can't believe what Michael Richards, a.k.a. Kramer from Seinfeld, did last week during a stand-up routine. I had heard about it, but didn't give it much thought because I was sick until I saw the video clip on YouTube. He basically lost it and went out of control. It's really unbelievable and there's no excuse for it. I can sort of understand that out of anger, some people will say the things that they know will hurt the other person, and wouldn't normally say those things at all under ordinary circumstances. But control was something that went out the window for Michael Richards last week. I think he's going to have to do a little more than say he's sorry on Letterman.

It Figures Part 2

I can't believe I missed 8 Films To Die For. Oh, that's right, I was sick. The site is still running with video but I don't know for how much longer.

It Figures

So I took three days of vacation last week and was sick during two of those days. That just aggravates the hell out of me. Most everything I had planned to do ended up not being accomplished. Got a lot of T.V. time in, though. Rachael Ray is just too damned perky.

Resemblance?

Comparison of one2believe's Messengers of Faith talking Jesus doll with Colin Farrell and Val Kilmer. You decide...

Start Planning A Head

It's just around the corner...Global Orgasm Day!!

Deal I Couldn't Pass

I was in Best Buy this weekend and for no particular reason was looking around in the computer area. I passed by the display of portable flash drives and stopped to look at them because I've always thought about getting one. I was looking at a Sandisk 1 GB model for $50 when I saw the Sandisk Cruzer Micro 2GB with a sale sign. It was regularly priced at $103 but it had an instant rebate of $59 making the price a mere $44. I just couldn't pass that deal up.

Important Note

Directly from my wife's cell phone instruction book:

If your phone becomes wet do not place in microwave oven to dry.

Duh.

What Are The Odds?

I have two computers at home and last week when I sat down at one I noticed it was off. This is unusual since my computers are always on. I turned it back on and started to do whatever it was I needed to do and it suddenly turned off right in the middle of things. This was about 10 minutes after I turned it on. I turned it on again and while it was booting I began checking the connections and such. That's when I noticed that the fan in the power supply was not working. After it was on for about 5 minutes this time it abruptly cut off. From that point it wouldn't turn on at all. Dead power supply I imagine from overheating. I'm a procrastinator so I just used the other computer and told myself I'd pull the power supply out later and change it.

So I sit down at the working computer yesterday evening and move the mouse to wake it up and nothing happens. I can see that the monitor is on although the light is amber signifying it isn't getting a signal. I move the mouse again because I'm still thinking that the computer is asleep and still nothing happens. I then try to reboot the computer and nothing happens. I check the connections and all that but still no working computer. I have to assume that this computer's power supply also burned up. What are the odds of this happening?

Now I've got to get two power supplies and replace them or I could once again procrastinate and pull out the laptop and connect it to the network instead. Hmmm, that would be a whole lot easier than pulling out two power supplies and running across town to CompUSA. I am *so* lazy. ;-)

Mentos Phenomenon Accident

Check this video out. I heard that the same thing happened to a small boy in Brazil after drinking a Coke and eating some Mentos candy. Poor kid.

Wow

I just had some fresh salsa during lunch. The salsa in a bottle can't compete against the freshly made stuff in my opinion. This was a bit on the hot side. I can't feel my mouth. I think I'm going to die. But it was really good.

A Noble Concern, He, He, He

Although I can't think of 101 things to do with Helium, I am concerned that at some point we may not have helium filled balloons anymore. Entire story here.

11/05/2006
Associated Press
The second-most abundant element in the universe is suddenly getting harder and harder to find. Party stores and florist shops grounded in the balloon business are caught in a helium shortage gripping suppliers across the country and in Texas, where one-third of the world's helium production is overseen.

Supply of the noble gas — second only to hydrogen in the universe but rare on Earth in terms of quantity — has depleted while production from two large international sites is temporarily down. Not helping matters is scheduled maintenance at the U.S. Bureau of Land Management's National Helium Reserve complex in Amarillo, which will curtail production for 10 days starting Wednesday.

"We're so close to the edge now, and every molecule counts," said Leslie Theiss, manager of agency's field office in Amarillo. "We're walking the tightrope right now."

Businesses that depend on helium have met with shortages from suppliers. In downtown Houston, American Balloon and Novelty Co. owner Deborah Muse said there have been times when she couldn't get helium for weeks. Mike Havard, co-owner of Havard Welding in Galena Park, said he's kept his customers supplied but
acknowledged that demand is heavy.

"There is a shortage. There is some concern of allocation," said Havard.

Ow!

Why do I always manage to cut my tongue when eating a Tootsie Roll Pop? Not that I really care how many licks it takes to reach the Tootsie Roll center of the Tootsie Pop. There seems to always be a section of the candy that has a tiny, tiny crevice and the edges are very, very sharp. Almost like eating a piece of glass. Mmmm.

Poor Dilbert

Go North, um I Mean South

Even though I'm not a member, I watched a repeat of Nova yesterday on my local PBS station. It was called Magnetic Storm and dealt with the Earth's magnetic field and how it was gradually weakening. Basically the field is decreasing because either the Earth is about to lose it's field because the core is solidifying or the field is about to reverse itself. The first cause is hypothesized to be why Mars is a dead planet. The second is what most scientists believe is happening now to the Earth. I thought it was very interesting that the Earth has reversed its magnetic field hundreds of times in the past and that we are overdue for it happening again. It's a scary scenario and life would become more complicated than it is now. That would be for the people who don't die as a result of the reversal.

I Want That One...No, Maybe That One

Does anyone remember when Halloween costumes came in boxes? The top of the box had a clear plastic window so you could see the mask and the costume was folded underneath it. I miss that. Now you have to sort through the costumes that are hanging off of display walls and most of the time they fall off the racks and end up on the floor being trampled by everyone. I remember after my parents bought me a costume, I would hold the box in my hands staring at the mask while riding back home in the family car. Thinking about how scary I would be and all the treats I would get on Halloween night. Times have changed.

Ever Wonder...

Why the hell the 3 Musketeers candy bar was named such? Well you can find out here. Does anyone remember the commercials for the candy bar from back in the 70's? I can't so feel free to jog my memory. And when did Mars become Masterfoods? And how did they reduce the fat content by 45%?

Viva Garfield!

That's A Lot Of Gas

I saw a commercial last night about the major oil refinery in town. They said that they produce 2.5 million gallons of gasoline per day. If that's the case, then why isn't the gasoline sold at their branded stations at bargain prices? I understand the distribution channels and all that malarkey but is there some kind of law that prevents the refinery from setting up their own gas pumps and selling direct to the public? You know, cut out the middleman and pay less.

There Are Lots of Me

HowManyOfMe.com

There are: 2,385 people with my name in the U.S.A. How many have your name?

Now You See It, Now You Don't

So scientists have created a cloak of invisibility. Even though it only works with microwaves right now, they say "the chance of adapting the concept to visible light is good". Man, how cool is that? I came across this video clip of a Japanese experiment of the same kind of technology but this seems to have successfully applied the concept to visual light. I don't know if this is only a concept video of how such a cloak would work or if it is just a hoax. I have my doubts but I've said this before and I'll say it again...Those Japanese are clever people. Anyway, DM, Wendel the Dwarf is putting on his cloak of invisibility and entering the cavern with sword drawn while Clydophalese the thief keeps his eyes on the slumbering Orcs.

Tag, You're It!

When I was in elementary school, I remember playing tag and variants of the game like freeze tag. In all the years and numerous days of play I cannot recall getting hurt or any of my friends getting hurt while playing tag. In Physical Education class we used to play dodge ball as an organized class activity in the gym. Remember those red rubber balls that came in different sizes? When you got hit with one of the small ones in the leg, it would leave a nice outline of the ball on you and sting like hell. I remember lots of kids who got hurt playing that game.

I read yesterday that many school districts across the U.S. are banning tag playing. They are worried that students might get hurt and parents will sue the school. (These days, everyone is suing someone for something. I think it’s because there are too many lawyers). I guess schools have the freedom to ban any activities they think are dangerous but I think this is a little excessive. Recess and running around are part of school. Falling down and getting a scraped knee or elbow is part of growing up. If schools are afraid of personal injury claims then they should probably remove all the playground equipment too. So, in the end, there will be no more tag, red rover, flag football, swings, and seesaws, just to name a few. But at least we can sleep well at night knowing our kids are safe in the playground at school.

Another List

The top 10 best high school movies as ranked by Entertainment Weekly.

1. The Breakfast Club
2. Fast Times at Ridgemont High
3. Dazed and Confused
4. Rebel Without a Cause
5. Heathers
6. American Graffiti
7. Clueless
8. Boyz N the Hood
9. Election
10. Ferris Bueller's Day Off

You can see the complete list of the top 50 and the reasons why they made the list here.

Sad But True

It's official. At this moment in time, I'm worth more dead, than alive. Woo hoo!

Still...

Continues to keep my interest. Heroes, that is. I hope the show doesn't take a nose dive and disappoint me like some of the other new shows.

Just a Thought

I was waiting in line last night to get gasoline. Yes, waiting in line to purchase that liquid gold that makes my car run. It was posted $2.10 a gallon, which is the lowest I've seen in a very long time, so I waited. While waiting, I noticed that most of the cars and trucks were waiting in line for the pumps that could access the driver's side of the car to fill up. I was too. At least at this station, I know from experience that if I went to the opposite pump, I would not be able to get the hose around the car to get the nozzle into the tank. So here's my thought. Why can't the automobile manufacturers build their cars and trucks with access points for gas on both sides of the vehicle? That way it really wouldn't matter which pump you pull up to because you could fill up from either side of the vehicle. Sounds simple to me, but of course I'm not an engineer.

Exam

I had an appointment this morning at a clinic for my medical exam, which is needed to determine insurability for the life insurance company. It took about 20 minutes which included question and answer time, height and weight measurement, chest and waist measurement, blood pressure check, blood samples, and finally the good old urine sample. My main gripe of this entire process was why the hell was it so cold in that clinic? That and all the damn questions about my health and having to give blood/urine samples. I guess a man's word is no longer good for anything these days. Oh well. Hopefully the results will indicate a clean bill of health.

Hubble

Even though the Hubble telescope cost hundreds of millions of dollars and was broken when it was deployed into space (but later fixed), it has aided astronomers and scientists infinitely. And the layman or student can access the Hubble website and see the many discoveries and awesome pictures of far away galaxies. Very educational and interesting.

What? No, I'm Not!

You Are Scary

You even scare scary people sometimes!

How Scary Are You?

Semantic or Syntax

I'm writing this post in the late-morning. Or could this be considered early-afternoon? I wouldn't because to me, afternoon is just that...after 12 PM. But I know people who don't subscribe to that. And what exactly is mid-afternoon? Would that be noon or sometime around 3 PM? I consider early-evening to be around 6 or 7 PM. Others may not so all this could go out the window. Time is just so relative.

What's Up With That?

Yet another pattern of super cells and golf ball sized hail and tornado watches and warnings this afternoon and evening here. I still think global warming has a role in this weird weather pattern. I just finished watching Heroes and I have to ask why poor little Claire gets most of the unneeded blood and guts parts. But the ending in the morgue just cracked me up despite the scene.

For Sale : Possessed Car

Remember the movie Christine? You can buy her here for a mere $175,000. But wouldn't that be great? You get in a little fender-bender and the car actually repairs itself. It might also kill the other driver out of anger/jealousy/paranoia but that's what you get for buying it. Oops, I mean her. Nice Christine, good Christine. Hurry though, the auction ends on October 10.

Look And See

What The Grudge 2 movie site has for your entertainment.

I'm Getting A Headache

Calculating my life insurance needs and types is definitely confusing.

Ten Mad Elephants

Are here.

The Open Door

Evanescence rocks!

Definitive Proof

Ok, here's a picture of the Loch Ness Monster taken the other day. It clearly shows a fin from Nessie. This will surely put the "unbelievers" in their places. Um, what's that? Oh, this is actually a photo of a humpback whale taken off the Australian coast. Drat! Well, I still believe in Nessie.

Why...

Am I so obsessed with the Resident Evil franchise of video games? I think I'm hooked on the survival horror genre. Probably started with me playing id Software's DOOM although that really isn't considered survival horror. Anyway, I've been replaying RE Code Veronica X to try and finish it with an "A" rating (I told myself that I can't play the next game in the series until I unlock all the unlockables from the previous game). If I accomplish that, then I can restart the game and have an infinite Rocket Launcher as a weapon. There's a certain satisfaction that comes when you can blast a creature to bits with a rocket. So far, after 3 attempts with limited saves and decreasing total game times, I still haven't received the coveted "A" ranking. Well, I just found out how to do that. I can't save the game at all and I can't use first-aid sprays. Gosh, that kind of makes it difficult. Plus, I have to block off a few hours of time for game play. That's the nearly impossible task. Let's see what happens.

Loitering

I was in the local chain book store searching for a particular title and became irritated because I couldn't walk down the damn aisles. Why? Because people are camped out on the floor reading and drinking coffee. When I got home, I started thinking. Isn't that a form of shoplifting? They aren't buying anything and they could actually read the entire book depending on what time they came in and how many bathroom breaks they take. Oooo, what if they take the book with them into the bathroom? Alright, delete that thought.

The next time I'm wanting a book that I don't necessarily mean to add to my library, or I'm too cheap to pay for, I'm going to read it in the store. I'll go buy me a cup of java, grab the book, and stretch out on the floor. If I don't have too much time, I'll just dog ear the page and come back another day. How's that for being thrifty?

I Wonder...

Why the kid didn't feel it? Or hear it, for that matter? You know, little bug feet scraping against your ear canal.

SOMERSET, Wisc. -- Wisconsin doctors found the source of one high school football player's pain -- a beetle in his ear. The bug, the size of a dime, was found lodged inside Jake Asp's ear. The Somerset High School senior began complaining of headaches after a game last weekend. That's when doctors found the bug and surgically removed it. "It was pretty big," Asp said. "I'm surprised it got in my ear." Now the only thing bugging the star player is a few beetle-related jokes.

More Grey Hair

I love it when it's the end of the month plus the end of the quarter for this company. Lots of pressure, work and heart related, and I get to imitate a chicken with its head cut off. Fun. Yay work!

Bad People

DALLAS -- A Dallas driver knocked unconscious after a car crash woke up to find he had become a robbery victim. The man crashed early Saturday morning on the CF Hawn Freeway where it comes to a sharp curve and the speed limit drops to 20 mph.

The victim was barely conscious when the highway robbers hit. As the man waited for paramedics to arrive, a crowd of people picked his pockets and cleaned out his car, police said.

“To wake up from an accident and have been robbed, that's surreal,” victim Robert Malley said. Malley is recovering from bumps and bruises, and from the shock of what happened after he crashed his car.

“There were probably 15 to 20 people all around the car,” Dallas Fire-Rescue spokesman Brad Cox said. Dallas firefighters quickly realized that the crowd around the car wasn't there to help. “We pulled him out of the car, we noticed his pockets were folded out and we pretty much knew what happened,” Cox said.

“(The) pockets were totally pulled inside out -– I didn't have anything in them,” Malley said. Robert's wallet was gone and so were his keys, along with an iPod and a pair of shoes.

Interesting

Watched NBC's new series Heroes this evening. I'm not really into the graphic novels/comics genre so I wasn't really sure what to expect from the show. It kept my attention and I think I will watch it again. I could have done without the hand in the running in-sink garbage disposal, though. I thought the producers had already clearly established the fact that Claire had extraordinary powers and didn't need that. Yuck.

Brrrr

It's starting to cool down here. Woo hoo! Daytime highs forecasted in the mid to lower eighties and nighttime lows around sixty. It actually kind of feels like fall weather. I like cool weather. Now if only it would snow...

Yuck

Six Flags Great America is offering guests at their annual Fright Fest this year a quick way to the front of the line for some of their rides. So, if a ride has a one hour wait, some guests will be able to bypass the line and move right up front. The catch (there's always a catch) is, to be able to do that, you have to eat a live cockroach. The good thing is that roaches are "extremely low in fat and high in protein." Mmmmm, put me at the front of the line.

For Shame

Well, there aren't any T.M.X. Elmos left around town. All the major chains sold out yesterday. Even the internet vendors are sold out. I'm kicking myself because I could have ordered one on Amazon yesterday but didn't and now they're out. But I see lots of Elmos being sold on eBay. It kind of irritates me that people are taking advantage of a parent's love for their child and actually planned to buy up the Elmos to sell for a profit. Now why didn't I think of that?

Elmo's Tenth Anniversary

Wow. It's been ten years since the first Tickle Me Elmo was released and today is a really special day because the highly secret T.M.X. Elmo is now for sale ("X" for extreme/ten). Call me a bad parent but I didn't go wait in line in the wee hours of the morning waiting for the store to open and fight other parents for the last Elmo. Even though The Little One absolutely loves Elmo, I'll take my chances and go to the store this evening to try to find one or try the internet. So the adventure begins. I'm having thoughts of the movie Jingle All the Way and Arnold's fiasco looking for Turbo Man.

Mmmm, Beer

The 25 Best Beers in America as featured in the October issue of Men's Journal.

1 - Firestone Walker Pale Ale: Paso Robles, CA
2 - Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA: Milton, DE
3 - Stoudt's Pils: Adamstown, PA
4 - Russian River Temptation Ale: Santa Rosa, CA
5 - Avery Mephistopheles' Stout: Boulder, CO
6 - Anderson Valley Boont Amber Ale: Boonville, CA
7 - Great Lakes Holy Moses White Ale: Cleveland, OH
8 - Full Sail Session Lager: Hood River, OR
9 - Rogue Brutal Bitter: Newport, OR
10 - Bell's Expedition Stout: Comstock, MI
11 - Southampton Double White: Southampton, NY
12 - Smuttynose Big A IPA: Portsmouth, NH
13 - Penn Weizen: Pittsburgh, PA
14 - Great Lakes Burning River Pale Ale: Cleveland, OH
15 - Ommegang Hennepin: Cooperstown, NY
16 - Samuel Adams Black Lager: Boston, MA
17 - Sprecher Hefe Weiss: Milwaukee, WI
18 - Alaskan Amber: Juneau, AK
19 - Deschutes Broken Top Bock: Bend, OR
20 - Lost Abbey Avant Garde: San Marcos, CA
21 - Jolly Pumpkin Bam Bière: Dexter, MI
22 - Victory St. Victorious Doppelbock: Downington, PA
23 - Allagash Interlude: Portland, ME
24 - Alesmith Speedway Stout: San Diego, CA
25 - New Glarus Yokel: New Glarus, WI

Memories

My short term memory is going and it's going fast. I don't have a clue as to what I was going to blog about. Oh well, that's life.

Lazy

I am feeling so lazy. Have been for the past couple of days. Haven't been blogging or reading or anything really productive. Well, let me leave you with something that was told to me many years ago..."If you do something three times in a row, it becomes a habit."

Humps

This is an overhead picture of a caravan of camels taken by George Steinmetz for National Geographic. What's visually stunning about this photograph is that the camels are the small white and brown objects and the black that you see are actually the shadows cast by the camels. When you enlarge the photograph and look closely, this becomes apparent. Cool.

Shaking My Head

What more can Wal-Mart do to stir things up in the "controversy" pot?

Wal-Mart partners with the NGLCC

You Put What Where?

SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador (AP) -- Cellular telephones were found inside four prisoners in El Salvador's maximum-security prison, authorities said Wednesday.

The discovery was made Tuesday at the prison in Zacatecoluca, in central El Salvador, after suspicious officials took X-rays of each of the inmates, federal corrections chief Jaime Villanova said. The names of the prisoners, all members of the dangerous Mara Salvatrucha gang, were not released in order to avoid jeopardizing an ongoing investigation that began a month ago, he said.

Capt. Juan Ramon Arevalo, director of the prison known as Zacatras, said the gang members had introduced the cell phones, wrapped in plastic bags, into their bodies through their anuses. Authorities also found nine cell phone chips and one charger. "Each one had a cellular with a number of chips," Arevalo said, adding that one also had hidden a charger in his anal cavity.

The inmates allegedly used cell phones to direct criminal activities on the street from inside the prison, Arevalo said. The smuggled phones were found during an investigation at prisons throughout the country amid complaints from business owners of extortion by gang members. Prisoners change phone chips frequently to avoid being traced, Arevalo said.

The police have doubled their security levels to combat the criminals.

They're All Jackasses

I cannot believe that Jackass: The Movie made enough money to allow these idiots to make another movie. Just saw a preview on the television for Jackass: Number Two and it's a safe bet that those who liked the first will probably like the second. Call me an old stick-in-the-mud but I guess I just don't have the same sense of humor as the makers of the films so I just find them unpleasant.

Do You Remember...

The Starlight Vocal Band and their hit song Afternoon Delight? For some awful reason or other, that song keeps running through my head this morning. At work. Agggg!

Creepy

I just saw a Discover Card commercial featuring hundreds, no thousands, of scissors marching down the streets of a city. People didn't seem afraid and instead starting throwing their non-Discover credit cards at the scissors which promptly cut them in half. There's something about this commercial that frightens me. I can't put a finger on it but maybe it has something to do with a rule I was told to obey when I was younger. That rule was "Don't run with scissors." I don't know about you but if I were sitting at a cafe drinking a cappuccino and saw a multitude of scissors coming down the street, I would freak. Yes, definitely.

Tea Time

بعد انقلاب أنصاره عليه.. بلير يتنحى خلال عام
أعلن رئيس الوزراء البريطاني توني بلير، الذي يواجه معارضة متزايدة من البريطانيين وحتى من داخل قاعدته في حزب العمال، أنه سيتنحى عن السلطة خلال عام. التفاصيل...

Double Take

Hmmm, I think Ben Affleck and Adam Sandler are the same person. Probably the result of some alien genetics experiment gone wrong or a government conspiracy. Personally, I think you could interchange either one in the other's movie and end up with the same result.

Again

Here

Crikey!

Steve Irwin, the Crocodile Hunter, was killed today while filming off the Great Barrier Reef. He apparently swam too close to a stingray which impaled him with it's barbed tail and punctured his heart. He died soon afterwards. My kids are going to be very sad because they enjoyed his shows very much. I enjoyed his shows, too. He brought my family and myself many hours of entertainment and excitement. We will miss him and his escapades with nature.

Wet Sunday

It's raining. Surprise, surprise. It really hasn't stopped raining since Friday night. Parts of town are flooding again and residents are trying to clean up again. The forecast calls for more rain tonight and tomorrow as well. Well, let it rain because I have to work tomorrow.

Wet Saturday

It's raining. Again. It started late last night and hasn't stopped. At least it's not raining very hard. Only a light drizzle with occasional harder moments. Hopefully it will stay that way and end soon. The ground around town is so saturated that it cannot absorb any more water. It just leads to more flooding.

Amar Es Combatir

Maná does it again.

Mmmmm

Pepperidge Farm Double Chocolate Milano cookies. I'm eating one as I type here at work. Yummy.

And Now For Something Completely Different

Live from...the ladies room, it's CNN's Kyra Phillips.
It wouldn't be as amusing if someone other than President Bush were speaking.

Deja Vu

BACK THERE

Smart Dog or Dumb Owner?

Look out! Look out! Turn the damn wheel! Woof!

BEIJING (AP) -- A woman in Hohhot, the capital of north China's Inner Mongolia region, crashed her car while giving her dog a driving lesson, the official Xinhua News Agency said Monday. No injuries were reported although both vehicles were slightly damaged, it said.

The woman, identified only be her surname, Li, said her dog "was fond of crouching on the steering wheel and often watched her drive," according to Xinhua. "She thought she would let the dog 'have a try' while she operated the accelerator and brake," the report said. "They did not make it far before crashing into an oncoming car."

Xinhua did not say what kind of dog or vehicles were involved but Li paid for repairs.

No More PS2 Woe

Well, somehow when The Little One knocked over the unit, the disk inside got damaged. The unit will load and play other games without a problem. Only the game I was playing won't load. Oh well, it could have been worse.

Play Station 2 Woes

I was playing Madden NFL this afternoon and had the unit standing upright on the floor. The Little One came walking into the room and at first, only walked up to the television and kissed one of the players. Then she turned around and first touched the PS2 and then proceeded to push it over. It landed flat and the sound went out but that was from the cable in the back coming partly loose from the tussle. I plugged it back in and the game played fine. Later this evening, I decided to get in a quick game and to my woe, the game wouldn't start. I reset and then only the PS2 configuration screen would come on. After about 20 minutes I decided to tackle the problem later and turned it off. This could be the *perfect* excuse for buying a PS3 when it comes out. Hmmm.

Dumb...Dumber

The first part is just plain dumb. Should have just made them wear a uniform.

If there's an air marshal on your flight, you're not supposed to be able to tell who he is. And in order to help protect the anonymity of air marshals, the rules on how they dress and where they stay will be changing.

Marshals had complained that when they were on a flight to Hawaii, they could easily be picked out from among the vacationers because of their jackets and collared shirts. So from now on, they'll be able to dress the way they want.

They'll also be able to choose their own hotels. This could solve the problem that was uncovered in a recent report to Congress. It found that a Sheraton in Florida had designated the Federal Air Marshal Service "company of the month" because of the number of rooms it had reserved there. Again, not the best way to keep a low profile.

The hotel part is just dumber.

Character Fight

Who would win a match between these two?

"Helloooo, Newman."

"Helloooo, Jerry."

Mentos + Diet Coke Evolution

I can see lots of ways this trick could go very bad...

Today Is Tuesday

Today is Tuesday, you know what that means,
We're gonna have a special guest.
So get out the broom and sweep the place clean,
And dust off the mat so the welcome can be seen.

Roll out the carpet, strike up the band,
And give out with a Hip Hooray! Hip Hooray!
Wiggle your ears like good Mouseketeers,
We're gonna present a guest today.

'Cause Tuesday is Guest Star Day!


Words & Music by Jimmie Dodd

Liar, Liar, Pants On Fire

Am I dysfunctional or what? I realized today that I find some profound pleasure in catching someone in a lie. I know they are lying and I can see how they are trying so hard to make everything sound like they aren't lying. They just keeping getting deeper in the hole that they are digging. And I egg them on, too. I make it so they have to come up with another lie to cover their first one. I'm so bad.

Texas Rangers Win The World Series!

Not. Well, they did in High Heat Baseball for the PS2. The Rangers were up against the New York Mets and swept the series. Yes, I spent way too much time playing the season and my wife was not pleased. But what can I say? I'm a video game addict. Now, on to Madden NFL.

Another Well Spent Saturday

This is my second Saturday in a row at work. Like I don't have anything else to do. And it's not raining either...yet. Yay, work!

Buying Gas

Rain, Rain, and More Rain

Aaagg! More stupid rain yesterday. More stupid flooding. If that's not bad enough, afterwards, there's so much debris like rocks (boulders) and plants in the roadways that driving becomes an adventure. And there's more rain in the forecast for today, too. Oh, and my yodeling class was cancelled.

Bad Vibes?

I've been thinking. Our bodies are being exposed to so many "waves" nowadays. Broadcast waves, microwaves, WiFi, radio waves, cellular telephones...The list goes on. These must be affecting our bodies in some way even minutely speaking. If we hop into our Time Machine and travel back a couple of hundred years, most of these waves didn't exist. So, my point is, did people *feel* better back then? I mean physically. You know, less headaches, joint pain, nearsightedness, intestinal distress? Those kinds of things. I'm guessing people felt better then. This correlation could be debated but I'm getting a call on my cell phone so it will have to wait for another day.

Skier Eludes Death's Grip

Hard to believe. Only eight lives left.

Numbers Quiz

Guess the significance of the following numbers (some might have more than one):

666 - The number of the beast; Iron Maiden album

• 90210
• 1984
• 007
• 3.14159
• 2112
• $6,000,000
• 451
• 867-5309
• 42
• 1492
• KL5-4796

Playing With Fish

I was browsing the games section of Yahoo today and came across Fish Tycoon. You have to breed and care for fish in a real-time aquarium and also sell fish that you breed to make money so you can breed even more interesting and exotic species of fish. Interesting...It kept my attention for about half an hour. Now if they would make a "Tycoon" game simulating operating a gazillion screen multiplex theater, that would be fun. Of course you would start the game with only one screen but depending on your decisions, you can modernize and add additional screens and ticket booths and concession stands and game rooms and additional bathrooms and stadium seating and...Well, you get the point. :-)

Name Calling

Have you ever seen them? Cars and trucks with the driver's and/or passenger's name inscribed with stickers on the back window? I don't care for them at all. Probably something to do with my hang-up on privacy issues and such. But they do come in handy for me sometimes. It's not every day when a car cuts you off and you get the privilege of venting your peeve personally at the next stop light. "Hey, Raul! Where'd you get your license, Jackass!?!" Much better than hand signals.

Scott Feels Safer

Cynical, yet funny, here.

Immigrants Sewn Into Van Seats

Just goes to show how far some will go to try to get into the United States illegally. Three immigrants were found sewn into the seats of a van driven by a U.S. citizen crossing the U.S.-Mexico border. Customs and Border Protection officials said the driver *appeared* nervous so they sent him into secondary inspection. He was arrested for smuggling.

Sorry About That

Talk about claustrophobia...

ZURICH, Switzerland (AP) -- An 85-year-old woman was found in the vault of a Swiss bank when she set off motion detectors hours after the bank was already closed, according to a statement released Wednesday.

Employees at the Zuercher Kantonalbank apparently forgot about the woman. The director of the bank's safe allowed the woman into the vault on Monday before closing it punctually at 4:30 p.m. local time - with the woman still deep in study of her documents, ZKB said.

She remained so still that she initially failed to activate either the motion detector or the attached camera, the bank said in confirming a report that appeared in the Zurich-based daily "Tages-Anzeiger."

She was freed from the room four hours after the vault was closed. The bank gave the woman a bouquet of flowers for suffering from the ordeal and said it would decide on further nonfinancial compensation.

No Thanks

I tried a bottle of Coca-Cola BlaK this evening. It's a fusion of Coke and coffee. Kind of sounds nifty but...Yuck!

I've Decided...

That life would be less complicated and less stressful if I had a familiar to do my bidding. That is if I didn't have to get involved in all that satanic stuff or sell my soul to have one. I would prefer it to take the form of a dog or cat or maybe even an iguana. I wouldn't want a toad or a chicken, though. It would be difficult to explain away the toad or chicken sitting on my lap to the casual observer. Well, it's just a passing thought.

Jesus?

Does anyone really know what Jesus looked like? To me, that could be Rob Zombie I see in the shrimp tail.

What A Week

Talk about stress. Severe weather...lots of rain. Flooding around town from the rain. The river almost cresting and threatening to flood more areas. Evacuations near the city center for fear of a dam breaching. And I also had to get a flat tire repaired. Although my family was spared from any hardship, I really feel for all those families who lost so much. Hopefully the city will analyze what worked and didn't work as far as all the flooding went and will make some improvements or whatever they need to do to avoid this from happening again. They've got say, around 50 years before a repeat of this occurs.

Some Flood Pictures

A delivery truck caught in the flood waters

A major street turned into a river

This is a friend's old house on a corner while the water was still low

This is part of a six-lane street which turned into a river

A relatively new Blockbuster (less than a year old)

This is my street about a mile south from where I live

A usually busy intersection

The river trying to crest

Flooding

I get to leave work early. It's been raining here since 3 A.M. at a steady clip and a few down pours occasionally. The river has overflowed its banks and the canal has also, and the water is currently flooding the levee. Many streets are closed due to the flooding and we've decided to send everyone home. Some of the bridges back to home have shut down due to access roads flooding. What a day!

Yeah, Right

There are different calibers of actors. Although some are great actors, they are not "Oscar" quality. To quote Lindsay Lohan's mom...

"She will win an Academy Award for this picture," the elder Lohan told Access Hollywood.

I think not. BTW, Lindsay is not on my great actor list nor do I buy her mom's take on things regarding her problems on the set of her latest movie.

My Immortal

Can't wait until The Open Door is released...

Birthday Card and Penny

Just do it!

http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/medical/alyssa.asp

Is This Real??

Ghost Sighting at a dungeon...

Morbid But Technically Interesting

I've been reading some National Transportation Safety Board aircraft accident briefs on their "Publications" page. These are final reports detailing their findings and conclusions regarding aircraft accidents and any recommendations. I find them interesting not because of some morbid interest in death but more on the technical aspects of what went wrong. NTSB investigators must understand and analyze every single aspect and viewpoint when investigating an accident and determine an unbiased explanation. More importantly, they must come up with recommendations that might prevent a similar accident from occurring. Granted, most of these reports are dry reading but hey, I bought and enjoyed reading The 9/11 Commission Report.

Guilty

As a follow-up to my Guilty or Not post, the following information just became available...

The driver of a car in which four friends and the unborn child of one of the victims were killed, was sentenced today to two years in prison. Court officials said the driver, who was convicted of five counts of intoxicated manslaughter by a jury in state district court last week, was sentenced to two years on each count, but the sentences are to be served concurrently.

Should I Help?

Went to Sam's Club this afternoon and purchased some items. Among my goods were some relatively heavy items. Two cases of bottled water and a case of soda. The lady at the register was stocky but older. She was huffing and puffing when she scanned the water and soda and put them in my cart. With the newly remodeled register areas, I really couldn't get around to help her. I felt kind of bad that she actually worked up a sweat and was out of breath when she thanked me and gave me my receipt. Well, I guess that's what she gets paid for.

Rude Awakening

The Little One woke me up this morning. She climbed into bed next to me and kept pulling my eyelids open. When I told her to stop and rolled over in the other direction, she proceeded to climb on top of me and started bouncing. I had no other choice but to get up and play. Of course I should have been up and around already but sometimes I just like to be lazy and sleep in on the weekend. Oh well.

Guilty or Not?

Five friends (one is pregnant) get together for a night of beer drinking. They are all drunk and get into an SUV together. The driver loses control and collides with a tree at high speed. The driver is the sole survivor of the wreck. Her blood alcohol level is two times over the legal limit. She is charged with five counts of intoxicated manslaughter (four friends and 1 unborn child) and is on trial. In this state, intoxicated manslaughter is a second-degree felony punishable by two to twenty years in prison and a $10,000 fine. As an outside observer with no ties to any of the families involved, I'm wondering if she will end up in prison.

Appointments

My wife and I had an "appointment" for 11:00 AM at a government office the other day. We got there about 5 minutes early and signed in. We then had to wait 1 hour and 45 minutes before seeing someone. Why operate under an appointment schedule if you can't keep them? Makes no sense to me.

So I Was Bored

I noticed yesterday that there are a whole lot more people in the world than, say, thirty years ago. Without getting into the economics of birth and death rates, I think it's safe to say that the population growth of our cities has increased. And with that said, here's my point. Back then, I could ride my bike down the main street in town to a store and have maybe a couple dozen cars pass me. Now, I'm in fear for my life because of all the traffic zooming past me.

Or maybe I've got this all wrong. Perhaps there are just more drivers now than back then. Or maybe unemployment is up and people are driving around more to get to their interviews. Or maybe the alien infiltration before the takeover of our planet is fueling the increase of people. I think back to the simpler times and...

Oops, gotta go back to work.

Say That Again

I was reading an article regarding the tsunami that hit Pangandaran, Indonesia. It reported the latest death toll at 341 with 230 people still unaccounted for. This area was spared by the tsunami in 2004 but the government still has not installed a warning system. It was planned to be completed in 2007, though. Too little, too late for the people killed in this event. Even though Indonesian officials were alerted by different agencies monitoring the after effects of earthquakes and the possibility of a tsunami, they did nothing. What made me really mad were some of the comments made by the government officials...

Science and Technology Minister Kusmayanto Kadiman said Indonesia received the bulletins 45 minutes before the tsunami hit but did not announce them because they did not want to cause unnecessary alarm.

"If it (the tsunami) did not occur, what would have happened?" he told reporters in Jakarta, noting that there was no effective way to spread a warning without a system of sirens or alarms in place.

Answering reporters' questions as to why no warning was issued on Monday, Vice President Jusuf Kalla claimed there was no need because most people had fled inland after the earthquake, fearing a tsunami.

"After the quake occurred, people ran to the hills ... so in actual fact there was a kind of natural early warning system," he said.

People interviewed in Pangandaran after the devastation said they did not feel any tremors and did not see any people fleeing into the hills before the tsunami hit. These officials need to stand up and admit that they really screwed up.

Welcome Home Discovery

NASA says they are back. I hope they are right.

Weird Dream

This is so strange. I don't know why I would even dream something like this. I don't remember all the fine details of the dream but in a nutshell, I dreamed I was in a Seinfeld episode. We were in Jerry's apartment. George, Kramer, Elaine, and even Newman was there. Jerry couldn't get his laptop computer to work and the others were trying their best to help with the problem. I was standing in the kitchen with Newman eating pizza. That's about all I remember. Oh, there was a laugh track, too. Strange.

What's In A Title?

The company I work for is big into titles. Executive Vice President of Manufacturing World Wide (that's a mouthful). Director of Warehousing Systems and Distribution. You get my point. The way I look at it, they can call me whatever they want as long as I'm compensated fairly. But fairness in the workplace is usually a moot point. What one person sees as being fair could be looked upon by someone else as being unfair. Not going to go there right now but let me say that if I win the lottery, I may not give a two week notice.

Pretty Lights In The Sky Again

But this time not from fireworks. A UFO you ask? Well, kind of. It happened to be the remnants of a test by the Missile Defense Agency's Terminal High Altitude Area Defense Weapon System, or THAAD. It is designed to destroy short- and intermediate-range ballistic missiles as they close in on their targets and is a long-range counterpart to the Patriot missile system. Although residents in this area were able to see the results of the successful test in the sky, no one seemed to have had a camera with them at six in the morning. This photo by Tom Tingle was taken near Phoenix. If you have the time, check out Lockheed Martin's product list if you visit the THAAD site. Scary...

Practical Jokers Dream Come True?

Those clever Japanese...

TOKYO - People stopping to smell the roses can now take that sweet floral fragrance home with them or even send it to a faraway grandmother thanks to a new gadget in Japan that records and replicates the world's odors.

The new device, developed by scientists at the Tokyo Institute of Technology, analyzes smells through 15 sensors, records the odor's recipe in digital format and then reproduces the scent by mixing 96 chemicals and vaporizing the result.

Creator Takamichi Nakamoto says the technology will have applications in food and fragrance industries where companies want to replicate odors. But it could also be a boon for the digital world, allowing smells can be recorded in one place -- by sensors in a mobile phone, for instance -- and transmitted to appreciative noses halfway around the world.

It could also aid online shoppers by letting people check out perfumes or flowers before they buy.

"The sensitivity of the human nose is very good," Nakamoto said. "But to some extent we can replicate the performance."

Nakamoto says his machine, in the works since 1999, is the most advance of its kind in the world, though a similar project is also underway at Keio University, also in Japan. But so far, the machine is too big to be portable -- it measures about the 1 meter by 3 feet by 2 feet.

Still, the breakthrough follows on the heels of a Japanese smellovision project that synchronized smells to movie scenes. That odoroendeavoreor was undertaken by NTT Communications Corp. and emitted smells from under seats in two movie theaters to accompany parts of the film "The New World," a Hollywood adventure film.

Nakamoto's smell recorder has successfully recreated a range of fruit smells, including oranges, apples, bananas and lemons, but can be reprogrammed to produce almost any odor -- from old fish to gasoline, he said.

Making the 15 sensor chips, which pick up aromas and convert them to a digital formula, was the hardest part, Nakamoto added.

But the unit's large size is also limitation because the 96 odor-forming chemicals are contained in separate glass bottles. A more compact version, which includes only the sensors, can record smells but must be hooked up to the blender to regenerate them.

"We also want extend the range of smell and then we can think about commercializing the system," Nakamoto said.

Nakamoto's team of 12 scientists have been collaborating with a Japanese perfume company that produces the raw ingredients for fragrances and with electronics companies interested in the sensor chip technology.

From My Inbox

The real danger to us from the Middle East

This morning, from a cave somewhere in Pakistan, Taliban Minister of Migration, Mohammed Omar, warned the United States that if military action against Iraq continues, Taliban authorities will cut off America's supply of convenience store managers. And if this action does not yield sufficient results, cab drivers will be next, followed by Dell customer service reps.

Lucky Duck, errr, Ibis

This lucky bird lived to fly another day even after being shot with an arrow. It has taken up residence in a Florida pond. Wait...maybe it was Brian Heidik!

Bowling

Went bowling this evening with my 10 year old daughter and a friend. I had not bowled in about 9 years. I was content (and surprised) that my scores ranged between 140-160. Needless to say I think my shoulder and arm will be sore tomorrow. My wrist is already feeling sore. Total price for 12 games and shoes was $46. It seemed kind of high to me but I honestly can't remember how much it cost to bowl 9 years ago. Oh, and this bowling alley also has this huge arcade and an indoor amusement park with a few rides. They even have a small roller coaster but that's outside. Cool.

Turn Around, Don't Drown

We had some pretty heavy rain in a short period that caused a lot of havoc the other day. I came across this picture from the newspaper.

Jerk

ATLANTA -- The man who won "Survivor: Thailand" four years ago is charged with battery and cruelty to animals. Officials said Brian Heidik shot a puppy with an arrow. A Georgia county judge has released Heidik on bond. Atlanta TV station WSB-TV reported that Heidik told the judge he thought the dog was a coyote that has been harassing his pets. But a prosecutor said Heidik's wife called authorities at 3 a.m. to say he'd shot a puppy "and planned to shoot another one." Officials said Heidik fled in his car when sheriff's deputies arrived. He was quickly captured. The prosecutor said evidence at the home also supports a charge of battery for family violence. Heidik is a former North Carolina State football player, used-car salesman and part-time actor.

I Don't Understand

I read a new article this afternoon that warned gas prices in the region would be over $3 per gallon by next week due to higher oil prices. Why? Because North Korea test fired some ballistic missiles and plans to do more tests. Ok, maybe I'm not looking at the whole picture with an economist's magnifying glass but what the hell does North Korea have to do with rising gas prices? In these times where oil companies are making record breaking profits in the billions of dollars, I don't see the correlation between missile tests and oil. Keep in mind this comes from someone who believes in Big Brother and government conspiracies. ;-)

Mentos + Diet Coke = Cool

Ok, a local store had 2 liter bottles of Diet Coke on sale so I bought a couple plus a couple of boxes of Mentos candies (do they still make those in rolls?). Once I got back to the house I gathered the family outside and told them I was about to show them something they have never seen before. As I prepared to drop the Mentos into the Coke, I asked for complete silence and then a drum roll. Boom! Well, it didn't "boom" but there was a geyser of Coke that shot straight up about ten feet. The Little One was just giggling and my other daughter was shouting "do it again". My wife only asked me if I was going to clean up the mess. I of course ignored her as I set up the second bottle of Coke. As soon as I dropped the candies into the bottle I turned and ran but slipped on some Coke from the first try and fell (pretty hard) onto my side. Sadly, I wasn't able to see the second eruption but everyone said it was a little higher than the first. So, skinned knee and hand aside, it was a cool experiment.

Happy 4th

Happy 4th of July! God bless America.

Vital Records

I had to get a birth certificate today for the Little One, formerly Baby, and since I was there decided to get a copy of my marriage certificate. Total price: $30.00!! One was $23.00 and the other was $7.00.

The birth certificate is actually a digitized copy of the certificate of birth that is then printed onto a nice piece of heavy bond, security paper with the county and state seals on it. Illegal to duplicate by the way. The marriage certificate is a copy of the license printed on normal paper and then notarized by hand with the county seal. By my description, you should be able to figure out which of the two costs more. Now, explain to me why they can't just print the certificates on normal paper and manually notarize them? Or, to make more money, use the fancy paper for everything and charge more?

I think this is just another one of those things that makes me think there is a conspiracy.

Pretty Lights In The Sky

No, not from alien spacecraft. Fireworks...so cool. Baby was entertained during the whole show. She was fussy before it started but as soon as the first sky rocket went up, she was enthralled. I wonder how much it costs to put on a great show? Guess I'll have to Google that when I have time.

Mentos Phenomenon

The local rock radio station did this live on the air a couple of weeks ago. I was driving to work so was unable to watch the live webcam as they did it but it sounded really cool. I think I'm going to try this on Tuesday since I didn't buy any fireworks.

Try these links for a good explanation and video.

Huh?

Igneous antics moving religious ethical arbor like lilies yesterdays human artery triangles in new garments mushy yogurt jamboree onyx bullion rhymes incarnate glitter helium tubes north of west. Move your blossom over six succulent independent sickness angst delivery in person. To hunker art now kinesiology from universities likely litigates yonder incan tribes into soulful Frenzies regulate incongruous data alternate yearnings.

Go Check...I Dare You

Revision Error or Just Bad Grammar

To quote a Reuters article regarding the upcoming murder trial of Phil Spector...

"Rock producer Phil Spector will go on trial in January on charges of killing a B-movie actress to death at his home, nearly four years after the fatal shooting took place, a judge said on Friday."

Now I wonder if he'll get a life term commuted to time served plus x years if found guilty?

Worms Say "Hi" On Tomato

Hard to believe...since the owners of the garden want to kill all of the worms.

Gift for the Ultimate Couch Potato

DIRECTV is offering a new package for those who like to watch TV. It includes *every* channel, movie, pay-per-view, sporting event, adult program, and HDTV channel they offer on their system. And it includes 10, count 'em, 10 HD DVR receivers and 24/7 concierge service. All for the incredibly low price of $7,500 per year. I'm there, man. Count me in. You can sign up for the Titanium package here.

...isms

While watching a FIFA World Cup soccer match this morning, my boss made some interesting comments that I will call my boss' soccerisms. I know I forgot some but here are the ones I could remember:

1. If you want to score a goal you have to get the ball past the goalie.
2. The trick is to kick the ball into the goal.
3. If you can get past the defenders you have a better chance to score.
4. If you want to score, you have to kick the ball and move it down field.
5. That guy's an octopus. He has his eyes looking everywhere.

Beat the Heat

94' tall banner hanging from Dallas' Fountain Place. Go Mavs!

See You Later

After 44 years with the CBS network, Newsman Dan Rather is leaving. Darn, no more "Ratherisms".

Say, What's the frequency, Kenneth?

Booooo

The Dallas Mavericks looked a little disorganized at the end of OT play trailing by one. They even (supposedly) called a timeout *between* Miami's freethrows. WTF? Let's see what they can do back at home on Tuesday. Please, please, please...

I Must Work For the Same Company

Management Listening Catheter

How 'bout Them 'Mavs?

Boy, the Dallas Mavericks sucked last night. They lost that game as soon as it started and just couldn't get it going allowing Miami to tie the series. We'll have to see what happens in Game 5 and then bring it back home for the win. Go Mavs!!

Soccer Fans Unite

2006 FIFA World Cup soccer tournament fever has struck our manufacturing facility. It's enlightening to see how fervent the workers (and the country, for that matter) are about soccer. I for one have little interest in soccer in general but whenever the World Cup comes around, I do watch certain games. Well, let's see how the U.S. team does this time around with my fingers crossed. ;-)

But It's a Dry Heat

It's 106 degrees Fahrenheit outside. Not a record of 108 degrees set in the 1980s but it's still too darned hot. When you walk out the door it feels like you're stepping into an oven. The heat is overwhelming as it has been all week long. Tomorrow is only supposed to be 104 degrees. Can't wait for that.

Where Is The F***ing Lamb Sauce???

Hell's Kitchen is back for it's second season on Fox. The way Chef Ramsay treats the contestants can be really, really, harsh much of the time but when he's yelling at someone it's for good reason. I'm surprised that no one has thrown a kitchen knife or pot of boiling water at him yet. Based on last night's two episodes, my favorite to win would be Heather. I wonder how hard it is to get a reservation at the restaurant?

Maybe I'll Check Them Out

On my way to work this morning I heard on the radio that STYX and special guest Blue Oyster Cult would be coming into town next month. I had no idea that these groups were still actively touring. The last time I saw STYX they were still playing stadiums/arenas and BOC was at a small club in Dallas, but I'm intrigued. And since I'm sort of a renegade anyway, maybe I'll go see them at this Godzilla of a Street Fest next month. Or maybe not.

Sunday Drive

This evening, Baby wouldn't come back inside because she wanted to go for a drive. She kept screaming "bye-bye" and pointing at the car and wouldn't stop. So we ended up putting her into her seat and went for a short drive. Baby was happy as a clam and fell asleep before we got back home. Go figure.

Traffic

Why is it that when I'm running late to get somewhere there is always something out of my control that makes me even later? I was on the interstate this afternoon making good time when I ran into a traffic jam. I sat in traffic for 2o minutes, creeping along at a snail's pace. It was an accident that caused this backup but what really irritates me is that the lane open/closed notification lights did not notify which lanes were open/closed. The overhead directional signs on the interstate in this city have these lights which have a green "O" for open and a red "X" for closed. Designed to let drivers know of impending lane closures ahead due to construction or accidents. Of course I don't think any of the drivers here even look at them but I for one do not like to be in a lane that is blocked and then have to rely on the kindness of another driver to decide to let me in. With my luck, I happened to be in the lane that was blocked by the accident but a nice driver let me into his lane. Or maybe he was just too busy gawking and not paying attention. Probably the latter.

Yay

I received my data CD ROM this morning. Intact. I guess I have to do some work now. Groan...

Duh

I was expecting an overnight package from our corporate office containing a data CD ROM this morning. When I received the package, I see that they put the disk in an overnight envelope. When I opened it, not surprisingly, I found that the disk was broken into 4 pieces. So I call the IT department up and asked them to burn another disk and send it to me in a *box* this time. Is that common sense or am I missing something?

Yummy

Call me crazy or call me sick but I have had a craving for those little cans of Vienna Sausages for the past week. It had been many, many years since I had those so when I visited the local grocery store the other day I decided to seek a can out. I found a large selection of the sausages ranging from different producers and different flavors. Some were made from beef and others from chicken. After much debate I purchased a can of the Jalapeno flavored sausages. When I returned home I consumed the can and I believe my craving has been satisfied for at least a few years now. Strange, but back when I was little and even today, when I see an opened can of these sausages, sticks of dynamite come to mind.

Is it Santa?

Nope...

ALTADENA, Calif. -- A small bear found himself cornered by wildlife officers on a California roof on Monday. The officers were called out after the bear was spotted in an Altadena, Calif., neighborhood. Initially, it was found sitting in a tree. The bear was shot with a tranquilizer. That's when it tried to take to the rooftops to get away. The bear then took a tumble from the roof, but emerged uninjured. Officials captured the animal. They said they would transport it back to the wild. Authorities said the bear might be the same bear seen Sunday afternoon in a resident's pool. Home video shot by Walderman Strubinski shows the bear taking a stroll through the neighborhood. The bear was almost hit by a car when he decided to cross the road and check out the homes on the other side of the street. He climbed a few fences to check out some neighbors' back yards.

Diseases

I've been reading about different types of diseases on different medical websites and have started thinking I may be suffering from one or more of them. It's funny how your mind starts working and your thoughts keep snow balling until you're absolutely sure that you are inflicted with an incurable disease. Or is it just that I'm paranoid/delusional?

Night at the Fair

Took the family to the annual fair last night. We were in the midway and watching one of those rides that loops you around in a vertical circle and often suspends you upside down. While the ride had the cars at the top, we all heard a "clang, clang" sound that was loud enough to hear over the crowd noise. Then a woman leans down and picks something up. My wife and I thought it was loose change or something else that fell out of a rider's pocket. But what the woman held up was a large 2 inch diameter metal washer. I quickly grabbed the family and we all moved a good distance away from the ride fearing an accident was about to happen. But the ride continued operating and nothing disastrous occurred. We went on to see the other attractions at the fair and had an enjoyable evening. I even got my picture taken with a squirrel monkey sitting on my arm. Now I want a pet monkey. ;)

Poor Thing

There is a birds nest at the top of the building at work. The sparrows build their nest there every year. Yesterday I saw that one of the baby birds had fallen out or was pushed out and was lying on the ground. It's about a 30 foot drop so I wasn't confident that the bird was still alive. If it was still living then I was going to have someone in maintenance put it back in the nest when Mom and Dad weren't around (screw Darwin). But the bird was dead and I wonder if the parents even noticed anything different.

Can You Use That In A Sentence, Please?

Hats off to the 13 year-old New Jersey girl for winning the National Spelling Bee. I remember back in the old days I would receive a book filled with words to review and practice for my school spelling bee. My spelling has always been pritty good but I remember that I would get so nervous standing in front of the whole school and would then misspell an easy word. And I remember one year I didn't want to participate but my teacher kept pressuring me to do so. Jerk. Anyways, can you spell "ursprache"?

Lots To Do In So Little Time

I have been really busy at work the past week. Had an IT person here from our corporate office to install new RF equipment in our facility. I've been trying to learn how our new RF scanners work and setting up new procedures for the operators. That and trying to coordinate with the IT department by phone which system users should have access to what menus and running around answering questions for our visitor has kept me busy. But he is gone now so hopefully things will return to normal at work.

Dumb Crooks

Did these two guys really think they could get away with this? If in fact they did try to extort...Innocent until proven guilty.

LOS ANGELES - Two New York teenagers were in police custody Wednesday facing illegal computer access and attempted extortion charges after they allegedly threatened to shake down the popular Web site MySpace.com unless its operators paid them $150,000, prosecutors said.

Shaun Harrison, 18, and Saverio Mondelli, 19, of Suffolk County, N.Y. allegedly hacked into the social networking site and stole personal information from MySpace users. After MySpace booted them from the site, the pair threatened to distribute a foolproof method for stealing information unless MySpace paid them $150,000, said Sandi Gibbons, a spokeswoman for the Los Angeles County district attorney's office.

Mondelli and Harrison were arrested Friday when they traveled to Los Angeles to allegedly collect the payoff. Instead, they were taken into custody by undercover officers from the multi-agency electronic crimes task force who posed as MySpace employees. Each was charged with two felony counts of illegal computer access and one count of sending a threatening letter for extortion and attempted extortion. They face more than four years in prison if convicted of all charges, prosecutors said. Mondelli and Harrison entered not guilty pleas at their arraignment Tuesday. A Los Angeles Superior Court judge set bail at $35,000 and set a preliminary hearing for June 5.

MySpace.com, owned by News Corp., allows users to post photos, blogs and journals and create networks of friends.

Ugh

ABC's Original Movie, Stephen King's Desperation, was a bust. I really can't think of anything good to say about it. In a way, it was entertaining, but it really didn't live up to all the hype, nor did it meet my high expectations. Another disappointing adaptation of a good book.

Red Light Cameras

With many cities adopting high-tech cameras to catch red light violators, the city I live in has also approved the measure. But many of this city's citizens (or red light violators) are up in arms about these new cameras and the way they are supposed to operate. I'm all for these cameras. I have never seen so many cars running red lights than in this city in my entire driving life. It really upsets me to see these jerks endangering the lives of other drivers. I hope these cameras will curb the number of cars going through red lights and deter these idiots before they kill or seriously injure someone. Kudos to the city.

Alligator Follow Up

Game wardens on Monday recovered a dead alligator from Lake Lewisville. NBC 5 reported that the reptile was sighted during the weekend in the Sunset Cove area of the lake. It was not immediately known what caused the animal's death.

Sounds suspicious to me.

Car Seat

I had to reconfigure Baby's car seat to a forward facing mode and it was a pain. You almost need to be a rocket scientist to follow the directions. But the mission was accomplished and Baby likes the new way she gets to ride in the car.

Pool

Baby is healthy again. Back to her rambunctious self. It's been really hot here lately so we bought her a little pool to cool off in. She loves to play with water so being in the pool is like fun time overload for her. She really gets upset when it's time to get out. There would be a nice little photo accompanying this entry but for some reason I can't upload a picture from my phone to Blogger. Stupid Cingular.

Alligator Alert

It's against the law to feed alligators in Texas. I had no idea.

FORT WORTH, Texas -- We are under an alligator alert, as game wardens are worried after several sightings around North Texas lakes -- the latest on the north side of Lake Lewisville. Home video shows a gator patrolling, and neighbors say he is in a cove every day now for the past week. While the reptile seems to stay in the water, residents are still concerned. "Relocate them to another lake where there's not as many families and kids. This is a neighborhood and there's a lot of kids swimming in there," Lake Lewisville resident Rita Greenslade said. The Texas Park and Wildlife Department usually leaves alligators alone unless they become aggressive. Game wardens are warning people not to feed the reptiles because it is dangerous and against the law. While alligators have injured 17 people in Texas in the past 15 years, game wardens say they are not normally aggressive.

I'm Beat

Baby has been sick the past few days with a stomach virus. She is getting better day by day but she seems to fuss more in the middle of the night. So, when it's two in the morning and Baby is crying and doesn't want Mom to comfort her, I get to jump in and hold her until she feels better and falls asleep. I walk around and sing and hum to Baby and when I think she's dozing off and I try to sit down with her, she starts crying again. As soon as I stand back up and walk around she stops crying. I can't set her down or sit down with her unless she is totally asleep. Go figure. But I'm just glad that she is getting better.

Hurry Up and Wait

Had to visit the hospital emergency room late last night with Baby. We arrived at 12:05 AM and left at 3:15 AM. The interview with the nurse upon arrival, then the attending physician checking Baby, then the injection of medication, and finally checking out, all took about 2o minutes. The rest of the time was spent waiting, and waiting, and waiting. Oh, and getting sleepy, too. Baby has a viral intestinal infection and seems to be doing fine now. We have to go see her pediatrician this afternoon as a follow-up, though. I only got about 1 hour of sleep last night so I'm buzzing right now on lots of caffeine, but I know I'll start to crash in a couple of hours. I don't think I'll be coming back to work today. ;-)