Monday, January 31, 2005
There Is No Tomorrow
If this doesn't scare the crap out of you, nothing will.
By no means should you take this all word-for-word. Research it. Check it out for yourselves. He does a good job articulating my issues with theology and ideology when it crosses from the deeply personal to the public.
Bill Moyers, while liberal, is fair and beats up both sides of the aisle. He puts a lot of research into the details and they come through. The rapture index has been around for a while and there are a lot of people that believe it hook, line and sinker. I've run into a few of them, people I respect but don't understand how they buy this crap.
Must...resist...rant.
By no means should you take this all word-for-word. Research it. Check it out for yourselves. He does a good job articulating my issues with theology and ideology when it crosses from the deeply personal to the public.
Bill Moyers, while liberal, is fair and beats up both sides of the aisle. He puts a lot of research into the details and they come through. The rapture index has been around for a while and there are a lot of people that believe it hook, line and sinker. I've run into a few of them, people I respect but don't understand how they buy this crap.
Must...resist...rant.
Friday, January 28, 2005
Holy Crap!
Now this is a load of crap!
I've been through the mid-west bunches of times and have driven past these big cattle operations, but I have never seen such a pile of crap.
And it's on fire!
How cool is that!
Ok, leaving now.
I've been through the mid-west bunches of times and have driven past these big cattle operations, but I have never seen such a pile of crap.
And it's on fire!
How cool is that!
Ok, leaving now.
Homeward Bound
I'm heading back to the East Coast this afternoon. Currently I am in Sandy, OR which is about 30 minutes from Portland. I have an appointment to see one more property this morning and then I head back to Seattle to catch the choo choo. I should arrive at Union Station in DC Monday afternoon.
As I found out coming out here, I can read the blogs but I can't post, so you all will be spared my commentary until Monday. :)
Have a nice weekend.
As I found out coming out here, I can read the blogs but I can't post, so you all will be spared my commentary until Monday. :)
Have a nice weekend.
Thursday, January 27, 2005
Quick Update
Things going well, don't have much time to update yet. Been taking a ton of pictures. Check them out:
Photos
They aren't in any particular order or named. The latest batch will be the properties I have been looking at.
I am in Bend, OR right now, heading back to Portland tonight.
And the 'Terps beat #2 Duke at home! Sweet!
Photos
They aren't in any particular order or named. The latest batch will be the properties I have been looking at.
I am in Bend, OR right now, heading back to Portland tonight.
And the 'Terps beat #2 Duke at home! Sweet!
Tuesday, January 25, 2005
And The Search Begins
I contacted two realtors yesterday and will be viewing some properties in the Portland area tomorrow. I plan on taking gobs of pictures for you all. I'm about to head out from Vashon and head towards Portland in about an hour. I have a meeting with my peeps to go over the results of this weekends meeting and then the rest of the week is open for me to putz around. Looking forward to it. Would be nice is Les was out here with me though. :(
Oh, two of the properties are near Molalla. Nice and small, about 25 miles from Portland.
Anyhow, I'll check in when I have Internet access again.
Later.
Oh, two of the properties are near Molalla. Nice and small, about 25 miles from Portland.
Anyhow, I'll check in when I have Internet access again.
Later.
Sunday, January 23, 2005
End Of Meetings
Well, the two days of meetings with the exec board are over and we accomplished quite a bit. Usually we end up focusing on the broad topics and never really dive into the details. This time the second day was down and dirty and we really mixed things up to engergize the corporation. It'll be exciting to see how it plays out. We are doing a company-wide teleconference on Tuesday to announce some of the changes.
The budgets are locked in and, if we hit them, we will have accomplished pulling the technology piece in as a core business function and making the entire enterprise profitable. We are oh so close.
Now it's the implementation stage. I have a bunch of ideas and thoughts that I need to get working on and, once again, I rearranged the priorities on the development schedule to pump out some revenue generating streams out in the first quarter rather than towards the end of the year. I may even contract some of the work out.
That reminds me, if any of you know of anyone that can make 10 hours available on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday I have a pretty well paying data entry job that needs filled that can be worked from home. Four-day weekends! 30 hour work week. Can't beat it. If you can type you qualify.
Let's see...without going into too many details...I have to revisit all of the billing and figure out a new pricing model that isn't going to tick are current customers off. I have to put together a work description for a new tech hire plus the project description for the work I want to look at contracting. Kinda funky to be on the other side of the contracting coin now, after being a contractor for four or so years. I have some development projects that are ready for testing for which I need to work out the migration plan plus workout a test plan. That should suck. On top of all of that we are going to be reviewing financials on a weekly basis to make sure we are on target. And I have my front-line tech support person about to go on maternity leave, so that'll be fun.
Exciting stuff, I say...exciting.
Ok, no more dicking around in the journal. Time to work.
The budgets are locked in and, if we hit them, we will have accomplished pulling the technology piece in as a core business function and making the entire enterprise profitable. We are oh so close.
Now it's the implementation stage. I have a bunch of ideas and thoughts that I need to get working on and, once again, I rearranged the priorities on the development schedule to pump out some revenue generating streams out in the first quarter rather than towards the end of the year. I may even contract some of the work out.
That reminds me, if any of you know of anyone that can make 10 hours available on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday I have a pretty well paying data entry job that needs filled that can be worked from home. Four-day weekends! 30 hour work week. Can't beat it. If you can type you qualify.
Let's see...without going into too many details...I have to revisit all of the billing and figure out a new pricing model that isn't going to tick are current customers off. I have to put together a work description for a new tech hire plus the project description for the work I want to look at contracting. Kinda funky to be on the other side of the contracting coin now, after being a contractor for four or so years. I have some development projects that are ready for testing for which I need to work out the migration plan plus workout a test plan. That should suck. On top of all of that we are going to be reviewing financials on a weekly basis to make sure we are on target. And I have my front-line tech support person about to go on maternity leave, so that'll be fun.
Exciting stuff, I say...exciting.
Ok, no more dicking around in the journal. Time to work.
Saturday, January 22, 2005
Business Meetings
Well, we just finished the first day face-to-face meetings of the executive board this year. There are six executives including myself, and they all live up here near Seattle except for me. So it's up to me to come out here once a quarter for these meetings.
Today was the first of two days and ran from about 10 am to around 6 pm, then we went to dinner. We reviewed what we did well and not so well last year and then started looking at the actual numbers vs our budget. It's a good thing last year was a transition year for the company and I wasn't part of the 2004 budget process. Ouch.
It's interesting the different level of problems that come up on an executive level vs a department or division level. You get so tied up in the day-to-day department/division management stuff that it is real easy to forget about the big picture strategy stuff on the executive level. It's a real challenge for all of us, but fun too.
Luckily I work with a good group and I really feel like we have all the pieces to make this thing work. We just need to figure out how they go together. It's a good base.
Anyway, tomorrow's meeting starts at 8am and runs until about 2pm. Diving into some of the more tense subjects so I expect some conflict. So far most of that conflict is constructive conflict and is very good stuff, and I expect that tomorrow as well. Kinda looking forward to it now that I have a niche carved out for myself. Took a while to get there.
I should probably get some sleep.
Today was the first of two days and ran from about 10 am to around 6 pm, then we went to dinner. We reviewed what we did well and not so well last year and then started looking at the actual numbers vs our budget. It's a good thing last year was a transition year for the company and I wasn't part of the 2004 budget process. Ouch.
It's interesting the different level of problems that come up on an executive level vs a department or division level. You get so tied up in the day-to-day department/division management stuff that it is real easy to forget about the big picture strategy stuff on the executive level. It's a real challenge for all of us, but fun too.
Luckily I work with a good group and I really feel like we have all the pieces to make this thing work. We just need to figure out how they go together. It's a good base.
Anyway, tomorrow's meeting starts at 8am and runs until about 2pm. Diving into some of the more tense subjects so I expect some conflict. So far most of that conflict is constructive conflict and is very good stuff, and I expect that tomorrow as well. Kinda looking forward to it now that I have a niche carved out for myself. Took a while to get there.
I should probably get some sleep.
Friday, January 21, 2005
Spongebob, Not Spongebob! Say It Ain't So!!
This is stupid. I thought Christianity was supposed to be a tolerent religion? It seems like a 'tolerance pledge' is the way to go here. That is what I was taught in school. Sexual identity is no different than race, skin color or sex when it comes to learning tolerence and accepting differences in others.
Am I glad for the separation of church and state, as thin as that separation may be right now.
Sooner or later I'm going to have to start bitching about organized religion on here.
Grr.
Am I glad for the separation of church and state, as thin as that separation may be right now.
Sooner or later I'm going to have to start bitching about organized religion on here.
Grr.
Thursday, January 20, 2005
First Impressions
I've been to the Pacfic Northwest quite a few times over the past few years, but have not been in a position to really soak it in like I am now. There are certainly differences between the coasts, so I thought I'd relay some of them to you all that I have noticed.
The Seattle area is very health concious. Lots of health food stores and organic places, particularly the island. Seems like a slower way of life than the DC area too, which is a good thing.
The weather in the winter in more mild, no doubt. Lot's of rain though. Oh, that reminds me of another tale. Lance (the CEO) has that seasonal depression thing. They used to spend half the year in San Diego and the other half on the island. Well, moving to the island has been rough, but there are solutions in the form of artifical daylight. Otherwise known as full spectrum lights. These things come with tons of warnings. They have all kinds of side effects if you OD on them, and its real easy to OD. For example, he had crushing head aches for the first week he used them, but now they make all the difference in the world. Well, yesterday, before I knew about all the possible side effects, I turned the big one they have on down in his office to play around with it. About 15 minutes later my head was in the toilet and was sweating through my shirt in this nasty cold sweat. Ick.
Anyone, back to impressions. The thing that is most striking to me is the difference in the trees and such. They tend to be much taller and thinner, branches starting higher in the tree. You end up with the apperance of a lot more clean space under the trees. Not as much foilage. Very green.
When Leslie and I were out here in the summer in 2001 it was really clear and beautifull. The tempature is pretty mild year round and, most importantly, no humidity! Yay!
Mt. Rainer can be seen from their place, here is a picture of it from the deck right in front of the guest cottage:
I'll take more pictures and put them up soon.
Next week, on Tuesday, I'll be heading towards Portland for a few days to meet with my staff and to start searching some areas for a possible move by Leslie and I. The area we are looking at (for those of you with your Oregon maps handy), is south east of Portland, between Sandy and Mt. Hood left to right and the Columbia river and Bend top to bottom. We need to find some acreage (roughly 20 or so) and high speed internet...should be a challenge.
More later.
The Seattle area is very health concious. Lots of health food stores and organic places, particularly the island. Seems like a slower way of life than the DC area too, which is a good thing.
The weather in the winter in more mild, no doubt. Lot's of rain though. Oh, that reminds me of another tale. Lance (the CEO) has that seasonal depression thing. They used to spend half the year in San Diego and the other half on the island. Well, moving to the island has been rough, but there are solutions in the form of artifical daylight. Otherwise known as full spectrum lights. These things come with tons of warnings. They have all kinds of side effects if you OD on them, and its real easy to OD. For example, he had crushing head aches for the first week he used them, but now they make all the difference in the world. Well, yesterday, before I knew about all the possible side effects, I turned the big one they have on down in his office to play around with it. About 15 minutes later my head was in the toilet and was sweating through my shirt in this nasty cold sweat. Ick.
Anyone, back to impressions. The thing that is most striking to me is the difference in the trees and such. They tend to be much taller and thinner, branches starting higher in the tree. You end up with the apperance of a lot more clean space under the trees. Not as much foilage. Very green.
When Leslie and I were out here in the summer in 2001 it was really clear and beautifull. The tempature is pretty mild year round and, most importantly, no humidity! Yay!
Mt. Rainer can be seen from their place, here is a picture of it from the deck right in front of the guest cottage:
I'll take more pictures and put them up soon.
Next week, on Tuesday, I'll be heading towards Portland for a few days to meet with my staff and to start searching some areas for a possible move by Leslie and I. The area we are looking at (for those of you with your Oregon maps handy), is south east of Portland, between Sandy and Mt. Hood left to right and the Columbia river and Bend top to bottom. We need to find some acreage (roughly 20 or so) and high speed internet...should be a challenge.
More later.
The First Few Days
I meet up with my boss and his wife (the CEO and CFO) and we go grab some lunch, then head over to Vashon island where they live. Vashon is in the Pugent Sound about two miles from Seattle. I'll get a Mapquest thing going sooner or later. Anyway, you have to take a ferry over to the island, it's the only way to Vashon. It's kinda fun.
Anyway, they let me stay in their guest cottage which is down my the water's edge. It has this wood stove. The weather is in the 60's and more or less raining, so a fire is a good thing. For the first few days I had absolutely no luck with that stupid wood stove. I either didn't set the vent right, or had too much or not enough kindling, or not enough newspaper, or whatever. However, the pinnacle of my trouble came on the second night. I had just failed to get a good batch of coals going again so I reached in with this oven mit they have for just that purpose to move some stuff around to try again. Well, some coals ended up on the oven mit and it started to smolder a bit, just two little holes. I smoothered it and was pretty sure I had it out, so I set the mit down on the floor and closed the stove up. I then went up the stairs to the main house for dinner, etc. Oh, btw, the power was out during all of this too. So I'm up there for a few hours then I come back down to go to bed. I get down to the deck just in front of the house and notice that the house is VERY foggy. Uh oh. I go in and it's full of smoke. Great. So I go over to the stove and see that it is out and the door is shut tight. Puzzleing. I then notice a pile of ash and a big hole in the carpet next to the fireplace. Hmm...how did that get there if the door was shut? Where is the glove? Aww shit. That's right, the hole in the carpet was glove shaped. Apparently I didn't smoother it out as much as I though and the glove slowly burned away until nothing was left but a big hole in the carpet. Good job, Ryan.
So the result of this is a nice burnt glove oder in the guest house. So I basically leave all the windows and door open all the time. The pacific northwest is interesting in that it doesn't usually rain real hard and there aren't that many bugs around, so leaving all the windows and door open isn't that big of a deal. Nice breeze, though. Lot's of blankets on the bed.
One last quick story to leave you with. They have this hot tub out on the deck by the main house. We jumped in it on Tuesday night while it was misting a bit. So we all get in and Deanna, the CFO, says to me 'You know, we are only wearing our bathing suits for your benifit'. Buh! How do you respond to that? :)
Oh, I made Mad Cow Chilli for them last night. Mmmmmm.
Anyway, they let me stay in their guest cottage which is down my the water's edge. It has this wood stove. The weather is in the 60's and more or less raining, so a fire is a good thing. For the first few days I had absolutely no luck with that stupid wood stove. I either didn't set the vent right, or had too much or not enough kindling, or not enough newspaper, or whatever. However, the pinnacle of my trouble came on the second night. I had just failed to get a good batch of coals going again so I reached in with this oven mit they have for just that purpose to move some stuff around to try again. Well, some coals ended up on the oven mit and it started to smolder a bit, just two little holes. I smoothered it and was pretty sure I had it out, so I set the mit down on the floor and closed the stove up. I then went up the stairs to the main house for dinner, etc. Oh, btw, the power was out during all of this too. So I'm up there for a few hours then I come back down to go to bed. I get down to the deck just in front of the house and notice that the house is VERY foggy. Uh oh. I go in and it's full of smoke. Great. So I go over to the stove and see that it is out and the door is shut tight. Puzzleing. I then notice a pile of ash and a big hole in the carpet next to the fireplace. Hmm...how did that get there if the door was shut? Where is the glove? Aww shit. That's right, the hole in the carpet was glove shaped. Apparently I didn't smoother it out as much as I though and the glove slowly burned away until nothing was left but a big hole in the carpet. Good job, Ryan.
So the result of this is a nice burnt glove oder in the guest house. So I basically leave all the windows and door open all the time. The pacific northwest is interesting in that it doesn't usually rain real hard and there aren't that many bugs around, so leaving all the windows and door open isn't that big of a deal. Nice breeze, though. Lot's of blankets on the bed.
One last quick story to leave you with. They have this hot tub out on the deck by the main house. We jumped in it on Tuesday night while it was misting a bit. So we all get in and Deanna, the CFO, says to me 'You know, we are only wearing our bathing suits for your benifit'. Buh! How do you respond to that? :)
Oh, I made Mad Cow Chilli for them last night. Mmmmmm.
The Train: Outgoing
Now that I addressed Team Loyality I can start filling you all in on the trip out.
Amtrak trains are crazy. In case you have never seen one of the cross-country trains, they are fricken big. Usually two engines, two sleepers, two coach, a lounge and a dinning car, plus the baggage cars. The most impressive this is how tall they are, about two stories. That is a lot of train. And the book too. When you get up to the straight, flat areas they get up towards 90 mph. Doesn't exactly stop on a dime.
I took two trains with a lay over in Chicago for three hours. The first train was out of Union Station in DC and was called the Capitol Limited. That trip was pretty unremarkable other than I was able to eat dinner in my room. The car attendant brought the menu to me and then my meal. I had a strip sirloin and half-bottle of Cabernet. Good food.
During the lay over in Chicago I wondered around and purchased two magainzes. Wired, with the Virgin billionaire on it talking about the slowly starting space tourism industry. The other was Scientific America. Lot's of useless knowledge in that one. For example, I now know that there have basically been three flu strains in humans since the evil 1918 flu. They are designated as H1N1 for the 1918 flu, H2N2 for a new strain in 1957, and H3N2 for the one in 1968. There has not been a new strain since 1968 in humans, just recycles those three. Luckily, the evil H1N1 strain has lost a lot of its evilness. The wild thing is that researchers are trying to figure out what made the original 1918 flu so nasty, so they have been able to dig up some corpses from back then and find some of the flu's genetic material. With it they have been reanimating that strain to determine what made it so lethal. Wild.
Ben, what the hell is a superfluid?
Ok, so after I geeked out I jumped on the train for Seattle from Chicago. This was to be my home for three days, two night. The car attendant was this older guy named Sam with a really dry since of humor. They also totally booked the car so the luggage had to be squeezed in pretty tight. I basically locked myself in my room and read, watched movies, and played Mercenaries for three days.
The most memoriable part of the trip was going across North Dakota and Montana where the weather was -40 degrees. It was so cold that a fine mist was leaking in through one of the doors in the car and creating this little winter wonderland in the car. :)
The morning of my arrival I was up at 5:30 am and went to the dining car to get breakfast. One of the guys in that car was asking a waiter about some noises he heard in the early morning hours. Basically, he heard a bunch of screaching and such as was afraid the train was heading for a crash. He asked the guy what was going on and if he should be worried. The waitor replies with 'Yes, we were going to crash. You should be worried'. Good stuff. :)
So then, like...I arrived in Seattle...
Amtrak trains are crazy. In case you have never seen one of the cross-country trains, they are fricken big. Usually two engines, two sleepers, two coach, a lounge and a dinning car, plus the baggage cars. The most impressive this is how tall they are, about two stories. That is a lot of train. And the book too. When you get up to the straight, flat areas they get up towards 90 mph. Doesn't exactly stop on a dime.
I took two trains with a lay over in Chicago for three hours. The first train was out of Union Station in DC and was called the Capitol Limited. That trip was pretty unremarkable other than I was able to eat dinner in my room. The car attendant brought the menu to me and then my meal. I had a strip sirloin and half-bottle of Cabernet. Good food.
During the lay over in Chicago I wondered around and purchased two magainzes. Wired, with the Virgin billionaire on it talking about the slowly starting space tourism industry. The other was Scientific America. Lot's of useless knowledge in that one. For example, I now know that there have basically been three flu strains in humans since the evil 1918 flu. They are designated as H1N1 for the 1918 flu, H2N2 for a new strain in 1957, and H3N2 for the one in 1968. There has not been a new strain since 1968 in humans, just recycles those three. Luckily, the evil H1N1 strain has lost a lot of its evilness. The wild thing is that researchers are trying to figure out what made the original 1918 flu so nasty, so they have been able to dig up some corpses from back then and find some of the flu's genetic material. With it they have been reanimating that strain to determine what made it so lethal. Wild.
Ben, what the hell is a superfluid?
Ok, so after I geeked out I jumped on the train for Seattle from Chicago. This was to be my home for three days, two night. The car attendant was this older guy named Sam with a really dry since of humor. They also totally booked the car so the luggage had to be squeezed in pretty tight. I basically locked myself in my room and read, watched movies, and played Mercenaries for three days.
The most memoriable part of the trip was going across North Dakota and Montana where the weather was -40 degrees. It was so cold that a fine mist was leaking in through one of the doors in the car and creating this little winter wonderland in the car. :)
The morning of my arrival I was up at 5:30 am and went to the dining car to get breakfast. One of the guys in that car was asking a waiter about some noises he heard in the early morning hours. Basically, he heard a bunch of screaching and such as was afraid the train was heading for a crash. He asked the guy what was going on and if he should be worried. The waitor replies with 'Yes, we were going to crash. You should be worried'. Good stuff. :)
So then, like...I arrived in Seattle...
Team Loyalty
Ok, here come a bunch of posts. Before updates from the west, I want to address Kris's accusations of my team loyalty.
First, I have always been, and always will be, a Redskins fan above all other NFL teams. That has never changed since I began to get into football my second year of college.
Fact is, the 'skins have sucked for a while. Not exactly a lot to talk about.
The teams you pointed out that I have rooted for all have one main thing in common: exciting quaterbacks. I like the QB position. It's fun to watch and enjoyable to cheer for. You are right that I have switched around as far as who I root for because, I've I said, the 'skins have been sucking the big one and I have to keep myself entertained. Arguing about how well the Redskins play vs New England just isn't even worth it. However, Arguing about the Colts vs New England is a different story.
As far as your accusation about who will I love next, I seriously doubt it'll be Detroit or any of those unless they suddenly find an exciting QB to watch.
However, none of these teams will ever replace the Redskins as my #1 NFL team. A head to head battle between any of them and the 'skins will find me rooting for the 'skins everytime.
Regarding Elway. He was a great QB, awesome to watch, hell of an arm. In fact, it was because of him that I really started to get into the pro-game more and the QB position in general. I've liked Denver ever since, even without him, because I like their style of play and I think Shannahan (sp?) is a great coach.
Oh, and let me point out that I don't just root for 'who is hot now'. Its all about the QB. Christ, I liked watching Jeff George and the teams he had been with SUCKed except for the Vikings for about six games. The Packers just haven't been the same but I still cheer for them and Favre. Etc, etc.
And less anyone accuse me of bailing when things get tough, I have been a Maryland Terps fan since I started getting into sports as well. If any team can test your loyalities by snatching defeat from the jaws of victory, it's the Terps. Back me up here Dave. F'ing Duke.
Ouch my ass.
First, I have always been, and always will be, a Redskins fan above all other NFL teams. That has never changed since I began to get into football my second year of college.
Fact is, the 'skins have sucked for a while. Not exactly a lot to talk about.
The teams you pointed out that I have rooted for all have one main thing in common: exciting quaterbacks. I like the QB position. It's fun to watch and enjoyable to cheer for. You are right that I have switched around as far as who I root for because, I've I said, the 'skins have been sucking the big one and I have to keep myself entertained. Arguing about how well the Redskins play vs New England just isn't even worth it. However, Arguing about the Colts vs New England is a different story.
As far as your accusation about who will I love next, I seriously doubt it'll be Detroit or any of those unless they suddenly find an exciting QB to watch.
However, none of these teams will ever replace the Redskins as my #1 NFL team. A head to head battle between any of them and the 'skins will find me rooting for the 'skins everytime.
Regarding Elway. He was a great QB, awesome to watch, hell of an arm. In fact, it was because of him that I really started to get into the pro-game more and the QB position in general. I've liked Denver ever since, even without him, because I like their style of play and I think Shannahan (sp?) is a great coach.
Oh, and let me point out that I don't just root for 'who is hot now'. Its all about the QB. Christ, I liked watching Jeff George and the teams he had been with SUCKed except for the Vikings for about six games. The Packers just haven't been the same but I still cheer for them and Favre. Etc, etc.
And less anyone accuse me of bailing when things get tough, I have been a Maryland Terps fan since I started getting into sports as well. If any team can test your loyalities by snatching defeat from the jaws of victory, it's the Terps. Back me up here Dave. F'ing Duke.
Ouch my ass.
Friday, January 14, 2005
On My Way
Alrighty my peeps, I am on my way to the great north west. Looks like the Blackberry can read the blogs and post, etc, so I will stay in touch.
Go Colts!
Go Colts!
Thursday, January 13, 2005
The Party Bush
I'm sure everyone has heard about the cost of the second Bush inauguration, something like $40 million...the most expensive inauguration ever. Is that bad? Not in itself, no, but look at the circumstances.
We have record deficits, a BS 'crisis' in SS, a very expensive war that isn't going so well, terrorists threats with the #1 bad guy still running around, and to top it all off, this: U.S. tells D.C. to pay inaugural expenses
What the hell? Funds coming out of the homeland security budget to pay for an inauguration? What kind of bizaro world is this? Where do these people get off thinking that a $40 million inauguration is a good thing? Its more than our initial offering of aide was! Priorities, where are the priorities?
FDR, during WWII, for his second inauguration, had a pot luck dinner and a brief speach at the Whitehouse. That's it. At least FDR had some since of respect.
We have record deficits, a BS 'crisis' in SS, a very expensive war that isn't going so well, terrorists threats with the #1 bad guy still running around, and to top it all off, this: U.S. tells D.C. to pay inaugural expenses
What the hell? Funds coming out of the homeland security budget to pay for an inauguration? What kind of bizaro world is this? Where do these people get off thinking that a $40 million inauguration is a good thing? Its more than our initial offering of aide was! Priorities, where are the priorities?
FDR, during WWII, for his second inauguration, had a pot luck dinner and a brief speach at the Whitehouse. That's it. At least FDR had some since of respect.
RatherGate vs WMDGate
I think this more or less sums up which of the two evils is greater:
The Poor Man Compare and Contrast
CBS held themselves accountable and let four people go as well as rebuking Rather. What has the Bush Administration done to hold themselves accountable for such a failure? The lack of a post-war invasion plan is criminal.
The Poor Man Compare and Contrast
CBS held themselves accountable and let four people go as well as rebuking Rather. What has the Bush Administration done to hold themselves accountable for such a failure? The lack of a post-war invasion plan is criminal.
Wednesday, January 12, 2005
Party At My House!
I'm throwing a SuperBowl party at my place on the 6th. Kid friendly. RSVP in the comments.
Monday, January 10, 2005
"I'm Pregnant...
Could you please Pass The Potatoes" --Made famous at Turkey Day dinner several years ago by my sister.
The story goes like this. We are all setting down for dinner at my Dad's house in Hagerstown. Leslie and I, Michelle, my brother, Courtney and her fiance, my dad and step mother. In the middle of dinner we are all talking and Courtney says, out of the blue, "I'm pregnant, could you please pass the potatoes". Dead silence.
Looking back, probably one of the funniest moments of my life. What a way to make an announcement.
In any case, this came up again recently as Michelle and I went out with a couple of her friends and for some reason were explaining all the weirdness that happened that year. Listening to Michelle describe some other stuff that happened made me think of the impression I would have had if I were first hearing about all this and prompted me to explain that No, we had not been on Jerry Springer nor did we at any point live in a trailer. :)
Anyway, that is the secret hidden meaning of Pass The Potatoes, besides, Frunch was taken.
And Ben, want a cheesestick? :)
The story goes like this. We are all setting down for dinner at my Dad's house in Hagerstown. Leslie and I, Michelle, my brother, Courtney and her fiance, my dad and step mother. In the middle of dinner we are all talking and Courtney says, out of the blue, "I'm pregnant, could you please pass the potatoes". Dead silence.
Looking back, probably one of the funniest moments of my life. What a way to make an announcement.
In any case, this came up again recently as Michelle and I went out with a couple of her friends and for some reason were explaining all the weirdness that happened that year. Listening to Michelle describe some other stuff that happened made me think of the impression I would have had if I were first hearing about all this and prompted me to explain that No, we had not been on Jerry Springer nor did we at any point live in a trailer. :)
Anyway, that is the secret hidden meaning of Pass The Potatoes, besides, Frunch was taken.
And Ben, want a cheesestick? :)
Why The Colts Will Win This Weekend
This should be controversial for someone...
What the Colts have going for them going into this weekend:
1) A VERY hot offense
2) A QB that set records all year and, against the #4 pass defense in the NFL, almost set the NFL record for passing yards at 457 and four passing TD's.
2) A beat-up New England secondary sans Ty Law
3) A rule that, if any game it is enforced, it will be this one considering the mugging that went on last year. Need proof of the mugging, watch Sports Center this week or the pregame, I'm sure they will show the replays from last year over and over again that prompted the focus on the contact rule this year.
4) An actual pass-rush this year as opposed to none last year.
5) More weapons then Manning to Harrison. The Denver game was the Manning/Wayne show. Plus, they have a real threat in their tight end Clark.
What New England has going for them this weekend:
1) The same Golden Hue Of Luck that surrounds them as it does the Yankees. How else can you explain a quarter back that, as he is falling on his butt, just lobs a pass up in the air and it is caught for a first down. What the hell is that?
2) The home crowd making it hard for Manning to pull off his audible craziness.
3) Bill Belichick has Manning's number, always has. If he can come up with a way to keep pressure on Manning and keep him from getting in a rythm, game over.
4) An actual tail back in Corry Dillon.
Historically, the Pat's have had the Colt's number. Even this year, when the Pats pulled off a 3-point victory over the Colts in the first game of the year in New England. Let's look at that game a bit more against the upcoming game this weekend. Both teams were totally healthy in the first game, where in this game New England's secondary is so banged up they have to use a wide receiver as a corner. That doesn't bode well for stopping Manning.
Honestly, I have no idea who is going to win this. Leslie, who has some weird gift for picking winners, feels New England will win. Luckily, she isn't always right, just most of the time. In any case, it should be a good game regardless.
Go Colts!
Fire away, Kris. :)
What the Colts have going for them going into this weekend:
1) A VERY hot offense
2) A QB that set records all year and, against the #4 pass defense in the NFL, almost set the NFL record for passing yards at 457 and four passing TD's.
2) A beat-up New England secondary sans Ty Law
3) A rule that, if any game it is enforced, it will be this one considering the mugging that went on last year. Need proof of the mugging, watch Sports Center this week or the pregame, I'm sure they will show the replays from last year over and over again that prompted the focus on the contact rule this year.
4) An actual pass-rush this year as opposed to none last year.
5) More weapons then Manning to Harrison. The Denver game was the Manning/Wayne show. Plus, they have a real threat in their tight end Clark.
What New England has going for them this weekend:
1) The same Golden Hue Of Luck that surrounds them as it does the Yankees. How else can you explain a quarter back that, as he is falling on his butt, just lobs a pass up in the air and it is caught for a first down. What the hell is that?
2) The home crowd making it hard for Manning to pull off his audible craziness.
3) Bill Belichick has Manning's number, always has. If he can come up with a way to keep pressure on Manning and keep him from getting in a rythm, game over.
4) An actual tail back in Corry Dillon.
Historically, the Pat's have had the Colt's number. Even this year, when the Pats pulled off a 3-point victory over the Colts in the first game of the year in New England. Let's look at that game a bit more against the upcoming game this weekend. Both teams were totally healthy in the first game, where in this game New England's secondary is so banged up they have to use a wide receiver as a corner. That doesn't bode well for stopping Manning.
Honestly, I have no idea who is going to win this. Leslie, who has some weird gift for picking winners, feels New England will win. Luckily, she isn't always right, just most of the time. In any case, it should be a good game regardless.
Go Colts!
Fire away, Kris. :)
Sunday, January 09, 2005
Yay Germans!
Not only do these guys know their beer, but they have some kick-ass food. The Sauerbraten turned out to be great! and I highly recommend it to anyone else that feels like cooking something different. I tried to mess up the gravy by putting the flour directly in it but my roommate was there to save the day and get the clumps out.
In the end, very very very yummy. :)
Leslie and I shared a bottle of 2002 Turning Leaf Merlot to go along with the dinner and it worked out as a perfect companion. Although, if I had some authenticate German double-bach or something, that would have been better.
Man...do I sound domesticated or what? I'm going to have to stay up all night to counter-act this I think.
In the end, very very very yummy. :)
Leslie and I shared a bottle of 2002 Turning Leaf Merlot to go along with the dinner and it worked out as a perfect companion. Although, if I had some authenticate German double-bach or something, that would have been better.
Man...do I sound domesticated or what? I'm going to have to stay up all night to counter-act this I think.
Saturday, January 08, 2005
My 24,000 Mile Commute
So I work from home. As someone that works from home, I've always enjoyed topics of conversation that revolve around commutes. I let everyone talk about who has the worse one and kinda try to out-do each other, and then I mention that I have a 14 step commute. Good lovin.
However, on further review, I have realized I have at least a 24,000 mile commute each year. Ouch! Here's why:
The company I work for, TADOnline is a telecommuting company; meaning there is no central office - everyone works from home. Thus the 14 step commute. The problem is that out of the six company executives, I am the only one that lives on the east coast. Everyone else lives in the Pacific Northwest, mostly around Seattle. As an Executive Board we feel we should meet face-to-face at least once a quarter, which means I have to get my butt out to Seattle every three months. Its about 6000 miles round trip, x4 = 24,000 mile commute.
It just so happens that I will be leaving on one of these trips to the country on the 14th of this month. I will be gone for two weeks, staying at the CEO's 'guest cottage on the lake'. While I'm there I will be visiting a bunch of different places in Washington State and Oregon checking the areas out for the possiblity of a move that direction in the next year or so. More on that as it develops.
Anyway, I'm taking the train out there for a number of reasons, flying issues amoung them (more about that in a later post). I'm actually looking forward to the trip. I will NOT be bringing a laptop and will not be working on the three day journey, which will be a welcome break. In order to break-up the bordem I purchased a MadCatz TFT Active Matrix Portable LCD and will be bringing the XBox along, as well as my XM Radio. My plan is to do nothing at all except read, listen to XM, play video games and watch movies for three days. Ahh...heaven.
However, on further review, I have realized I have at least a 24,000 mile commute each year. Ouch! Here's why:
The company I work for, TADOnline is a telecommuting company; meaning there is no central office - everyone works from home. Thus the 14 step commute. The problem is that out of the six company executives, I am the only one that lives on the east coast. Everyone else lives in the Pacific Northwest, mostly around Seattle. As an Executive Board we feel we should meet face-to-face at least once a quarter, which means I have to get my butt out to Seattle every three months. Its about 6000 miles round trip, x4 = 24,000 mile commute.
It just so happens that I will be leaving on one of these trips to the country on the 14th of this month. I will be gone for two weeks, staying at the CEO's 'guest cottage on the lake'. While I'm there I will be visiting a bunch of different places in Washington State and Oregon checking the areas out for the possiblity of a move that direction in the next year or so. More on that as it develops.
Anyway, I'm taking the train out there for a number of reasons, flying issues amoung them (more about that in a later post). I'm actually looking forward to the trip. I will NOT be bringing a laptop and will not be working on the three day journey, which will be a welcome break. In order to break-up the bordem I purchased a MadCatz TFT Active Matrix Portable LCD and will be bringing the XBox along, as well as my XM Radio. My plan is to do nothing at all except read, listen to XM, play video games and watch movies for three days. Ahh...heaven.
Adventures in German Cuisine
Alrighty, for those of you that don't know I enjoy cooking from time to time, and I think I'm rather good at it. Hard to be from a family with southern roots and not pick up something.
Anyway, I have a Water Smoker for making kick-ass Pulled Pork and two other grills, one propane (which is going to go soon) and one charcoal. Really big into the whole grilling thing.
However, cooking indoors is fun too and nothing beats Cast Iron. I have this 4 qt. Cast Iron pot that I make my Mad Cow Chilli in...yum...chilli. And for X-mas I received a 7 qt. Cast Iron Dutch Oven that I asked for so I could make the best German dish ever...Sauerbraten! Making a few changes but more-or-less following that one there.
Anyway, I started it on Wednesday and will be finally cooking it tomorrow. This evening I seasoned the Dutch Oven in preparation for the three hour cooking tomorrow. I will also be preparing some garlic mashed potatoes and red cabbage to go with it...mmmm...
Now, I found out something disturbing when I went to purchase the meat. In case you didn't know, its something like $13/lb for a cow's ass (rump roast). That's an expensive dinner...man, I better not screw this one up. :)
I'll post about how it goes this weekend.
Anyway, I have a Water Smoker for making kick-ass Pulled Pork and two other grills, one propane (which is going to go soon) and one charcoal. Really big into the whole grilling thing.
However, cooking indoors is fun too and nothing beats Cast Iron. I have this 4 qt. Cast Iron pot that I make my Mad Cow Chilli in...yum...chilli. And for X-mas I received a 7 qt. Cast Iron Dutch Oven that I asked for so I could make the best German dish ever...Sauerbraten! Making a few changes but more-or-less following that one there.
Anyway, I started it on Wednesday and will be finally cooking it tomorrow. This evening I seasoned the Dutch Oven in preparation for the three hour cooking tomorrow. I will also be preparing some garlic mashed potatoes and red cabbage to go with it...mmmm...
Now, I found out something disturbing when I went to purchase the meat. In case you didn't know, its something like $13/lb for a cow's ass (rump roast). That's an expensive dinner...man, I better not screw this one up. :)
I'll post about how it goes this weekend.
Thursday, January 06, 2005
And The Sheep Shall Follow...
Ok...Politics. Can't live near DC without getting sucked into them.
I don't have any problem with someone being a Republican or a Democrat or a Conservative or Liberal or whatever, so long as you have actually figured out what it means to you. What I have a HUGE problem with is people calling themselves a whatever just because their friends are or their parents or because they blindy follow what the talking heads have to say.
Case in point. My sister, Courtney, is a Republican. I discussed this unfortunate fact with her, to see if she was one of the sheep or an actual human. She is very much a traditional conservative when it comes to law enforcement, schools, and other motherly issues. I can totally respect that. She also doesn't blindingly follow the turkeys on the tube like O'Reilly, Hannity or Rush, thank god. I can also respect you if you honestly believe that Bush is a good leader...I think I can, anyway.
What I can't respect is if you believe Bush is a good leader on the basis of a circumspect following of the news stories without digging deeper. The flip flop stuff and Swift Boat BS, on the face of it, told a good story. Too bad the story falls apart when you actually dig into it. This goes the other way too. Kerry and friends weren't the most honest peeps in the world either. The trust, as it always does, lies somewhere in the middle.
Anyway, the sheep in my mind is anyone that blindly follows an ideology without challenging it. Unfortunately, most of our country consist of sheep because challenging your belief system is uncomfortable and, in the immortal words of Bush, is hard work.
Thoughts anyone?
I don't have any problem with someone being a Republican or a Democrat or a Conservative or Liberal or whatever, so long as you have actually figured out what it means to you. What I have a HUGE problem with is people calling themselves a whatever just because their friends are or their parents or because they blindy follow what the talking heads have to say.
Case in point. My sister, Courtney, is a Republican. I discussed this unfortunate fact with her, to see if she was one of the sheep or an actual human. She is very much a traditional conservative when it comes to law enforcement, schools, and other motherly issues. I can totally respect that. She also doesn't blindingly follow the turkeys on the tube like O'Reilly, Hannity or Rush, thank god. I can also respect you if you honestly believe that Bush is a good leader...I think I can, anyway.
What I can't respect is if you believe Bush is a good leader on the basis of a circumspect following of the news stories without digging deeper. The flip flop stuff and Swift Boat BS, on the face of it, told a good story. Too bad the story falls apart when you actually dig into it. This goes the other way too. Kerry and friends weren't the most honest peeps in the world either. The trust, as it always does, lies somewhere in the middle.
Anyway, the sheep in my mind is anyone that blindly follows an ideology without challenging it. Unfortunately, most of our country consist of sheep because challenging your belief system is uncomfortable and, in the immortal words of Bush, is hard work.
Thoughts anyone?
Can We Please Stop...
...using terrorism and the damn war as a justification for everything?
This crap really irritates me. Domestic policy has very little, if nothing, to do with the war effort, PARTICULARLY Social Security.
I'm going to bed before I get all bent out of shape.
Senate Republicans signaled their wariness yesterday in a private retreat on the year's legislative agenda with White House adviser Karl Rove. An attendee said the senators gave Mr. Rove "a subtle but clearly identifiable message that the GOP [Grand Old Party] would go along...but they were scared to death." The senators indicated that the president "had to step up his activity" to sell his initiative to Americans, which Mr. Rove said Mr. Bush would do. But the attendee said senators also warned the Social Security proposal "needed to be bipartisan or else no go."
Still, some Republicans are resigned to uniting behind the president, given his determination. "The president is going to go ahead," said Rep. Tom Cole of Oklahoma, a Republican leadership lieutenant. "He cannot afford to fail. It would have repercussions for the rest of his program, including foreign policy. We can't hand the president a defeat on his major domestic initiative at a time of war."
-Washington Journal (bold is mine)
This crap really irritates me. Domestic policy has very little, if nothing, to do with the war effort, PARTICULARLY Social Security.
I'm going to bed before I get all bent out of shape.
Slient as a Cat
So I have cats, three actually. Used to be four, but we had a jail break over the summer and one disappeared. Very very sad. :(
Anyway, I have three cats. Mischief, Misfit, and Mimic. Two of them, the males Misfit and Mimic, fight a lot - all in good fun of course. But when they fight, they are totally silent...its weird...mouths open like they are going to make a noise, but it doesn't happen.
Now that I think about it, when Mischief and Moonshine (the disappearing cat) used to fight they were silent too...maybe its just my house?
Actually, Mischeif will meow with no sound...kinda funny...kinda sad.
Have you ever seen a cat with a sprained tail? Now that I'm talking about cats...I came downstairs one morning a couple of years ago and Mischief was walking around but her tail was just dragging around behind her like someone shot it. She didn't seem to be in pain, just annoyed...particularly when she tried to sit down and it wouldn't get out of her way. She'd give it a nasty look and have to jiggle her butt to get it to move...a cat butt jiggling is an odd site. Anyway, after I stopped laughing at her we had a visit with the vet...turns out she just sprained her tail...what the hell is that, spraining a tail?
Oh, I should talk about a story my brother told me regarding his dog and what happens when dogs bang each other...very funny...another day perhaps.
Anyway, I have three cats. Mischief, Misfit, and Mimic. Two of them, the males Misfit and Mimic, fight a lot - all in good fun of course. But when they fight, they are totally silent...its weird...mouths open like they are going to make a noise, but it doesn't happen.
Now that I think about it, when Mischief and Moonshine (the disappearing cat) used to fight they were silent too...maybe its just my house?
Actually, Mischeif will meow with no sound...kinda funny...kinda sad.
Have you ever seen a cat with a sprained tail? Now that I'm talking about cats...I came downstairs one morning a couple of years ago and Mischief was walking around but her tail was just dragging around behind her like someone shot it. She didn't seem to be in pain, just annoyed...particularly when she tried to sit down and it wouldn't get out of her way. She'd give it a nasty look and have to jiggle her butt to get it to move...a cat butt jiggling is an odd site. Anyway, after I stopped laughing at her we had a visit with the vet...turns out she just sprained her tail...what the hell is that, spraining a tail?
Oh, I should talk about a story my brother told me regarding his dog and what happens when dogs bang each other...very funny...another day perhaps.
Watch out, it's Super Taco!
Super Taco!
Ok, so it's not Super Taco (or Captain Turbine, right Kris?), but I found it pretty interesting. Comic books for would-be illegal immigrants...what a novell idea. I wonder how this will go over with Bush and Fox's relationship. Is Fox even still in charge down there? I don't remember.
Anyway, Alias premier is on. Here we go.
Ok, so it's not Super Taco (or Captain Turbine, right Kris?), but I found it pretty interesting. Comic books for would-be illegal immigrants...what a novell idea. I wonder how this will go over with Bush and Fox's relationship. Is Fox even still in charge down there? I don't remember.
Anyway, Alias premier is on. Here we go.
Wednesday, January 05, 2005
Cold Sake Sucks
Why oh why is Sake even considered a drink when cold? Its horrible! How in the hell can people drink that crap?
Of course, put some heat under it...ahh, the nector of the gods.
And thus starts yet another blog from a member of the 'old Hagerstown friends'. I must echo the sentiments of my predecessors as well, we do not get together often enough or stay in contact as well as we should. Hopefully these blogs will help out with that. I think its really important to keep friends close, particularly the old ones.
Short and sweet. Now somebody, PASS THE POTATOES!
Of course, put some heat under it...ahh, the nector of the gods.
And thus starts yet another blog from a member of the 'old Hagerstown friends'. I must echo the sentiments of my predecessors as well, we do not get together often enough or stay in contact as well as we should. Hopefully these blogs will help out with that. I think its really important to keep friends close, particularly the old ones.
Short and sweet. Now somebody, PASS THE POTATOES!
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