You probably wont notice, but I changed the site in a primarily cosmetic fashion. The headers are more along the lines of my color scheme & each posting has category icons now. It's all done through the style sheets & custom code to do the icon things. No plug-ins for me, man! Custom code all the way! I'll eventually make better icons but for now I'll do with what I have. Enjoy! Or don't! Whatever!
Orignal From: Minor cosmetic changes
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Monday, July 16, 2007
New House - New House
It's a new new house although it's only new to us. You see we got tired of being dicked around by the previous sellers' attorney and bank (Adios Banco Popular!), ixnayed the deal, made a bid on a new dream home and as of this very evening have a signed contract. We're back in attorney review - but this time with real people who want to move out. We even have a closing date. The house is in Keyport, NJ right off of Treasure ("Yarrr! X marks the spot!") Lake and a 2 minute walk from the bay.
Sorry, no pictures this time. I'm not going to jinx it. I will send you a linksie or three though!
Google Maps Sat View
Zillow's House Page w/Birds Eye View
City Data for Keyport, NJ
I'll provide more info as things get settled!
Orignal From: New House - New House
Sorry, no pictures this time. I'm not going to jinx it. I will send you a linksie or three though!
Google Maps Sat View
Zillow's House Page w/Birds Eye View
City Data for Keyport, NJ
I'll provide more info as things get settled!
Orignal From: New House - New House
Thursday, July 05, 2007
Happy Independents Day!
Independence is a grand thing but too many folks around the Fourth of July mindlessly celebrate by drinking, blowing things up and watching Will Smith movies without remembering from what they happen to be independent. No, I don't mean The Redcoats. The British are not coming back and it's time to lay down those arms. No I mean a generality of being without dependence as an individual. I mean more along the lines of the definition from the Oxford English Dictionary:
• adjective 1 free from outside control or influence. 2 (of a country) self governing. 3 not depending on another for livelihood or subsistence. 4 not connected with another; separate. 5 (of broadcasting, a school, etc.) not supported by public funds.
On the Fourth of July 2007 I celebrated my own personal lack of outside controlling influence by not buying a Dunkin' Coolata, watching TV or going to see the Transformers Movie. I proved myself self-governing by deciding to sleep in and not take a shower until mid afternoon. I depend not upon another for livelihood! (I made my own ball-park franks & "peace, pasta & parmesan" mac & cheese) I may be connected to my wife, but we did our own thing almost all day. We even have our own separate cats. Oh, and though I did enjoy the benefits of some public fun I do not enjoy the benefits of any public funds.
I think for myself, feel my own emotions & do not buy into propaganda. I pay my taxes, vote my conscience & hate how all the fireworks I heard yesterday were made in China. I'm proud that an American is once again the hot-dog-eating-champ but sad that comic book writers killed Captain America and the final Sopranos episode was filled with thinly veiled political rhetoric.
It seems lots of folks have lost their pride in America. Maybe I just have too much faith or maybe I can't let go of the dream because my name is right there in the middle of the word America for goodness sake. Whatever the reason I hold out hope that more Independents will emerge. They'll turn off The News, crack a book and think for themselves. They'll see the big picture. They'll run for office. They'll win. Congress will be filled with Independent Thinkers and a new square peg who just doesn't fit into the old system will toil in the oval office every four years.
But that's a ways away... first things first! Before you can take pride in your country, start by taking pride in your back yard, your children & most importantly: yourself. See yourself independently of how others tell you how you are supposed to look. Work independently of the limitations others have prescribed for you. Think independently of the groupthink others have thought for you. Be your own person for God's sake! Or, failing that, be your own God for man's sake. Have pride in yourself and everything else starts to fall in line like so many ducks in a row at a Cheney family reunion. Start now and by this holiday next year you too can celebrate Independent's day and nobody will ever be able to take that away from you.
Orignal From: Happy Independents Day!
independent
• adjective 1 free from outside control or influence. 2 (of a country) self governing. 3 not depending on another for livelihood or subsistence. 4 not connected with another; separate. 5 (of broadcasting, a school, etc.) not supported by public funds.
On the Fourth of July 2007 I celebrated my own personal lack of outside controlling influence by not buying a Dunkin' Coolata, watching TV or going to see the Transformers Movie. I proved myself self-governing by deciding to sleep in and not take a shower until mid afternoon. I depend not upon another for livelihood! (I made my own ball-park franks & "peace, pasta & parmesan" mac & cheese) I may be connected to my wife, but we did our own thing almost all day. We even have our own separate cats. Oh, and though I did enjoy the benefits of some public fun I do not enjoy the benefits of any public funds.
I think for myself, feel my own emotions & do not buy into propaganda. I pay my taxes, vote my conscience & hate how all the fireworks I heard yesterday were made in China. I'm proud that an American is once again the hot-dog-eating-champ but sad that comic book writers killed Captain America and the final Sopranos episode was filled with thinly veiled political rhetoric.
It seems lots of folks have lost their pride in America. Maybe I just have too much faith or maybe I can't let go of the dream because my name is right there in the middle of the word America for goodness sake. Whatever the reason I hold out hope that more Independents will emerge. They'll turn off The News, crack a book and think for themselves. They'll see the big picture. They'll run for office. They'll win. Congress will be filled with Independent Thinkers and a new square peg who just doesn't fit into the old system will toil in the oval office every four years.
But that's a ways away... first things first! Before you can take pride in your country, start by taking pride in your back yard, your children & most importantly: yourself. See yourself independently of how others tell you how you are supposed to look. Work independently of the limitations others have prescribed for you. Think independently of the groupthink others have thought for you. Be your own person for God's sake! Or, failing that, be your own God for man's sake. Have pride in yourself and everything else starts to fall in line like so many ducks in a row at a Cheney family reunion. Start now and by this holiday next year you too can celebrate Independent's day and nobody will ever be able to take that away from you.
Orignal From: Happy Independents Day!
Friday, June 29, 2007
Health & Fitness: Mid Year Update
We're half way through the year and my Resolution was to do 10,000 pushups this year. I resolved to run a 10K & do 10K pushups. Yeah, I know but crazier things have been promised on party nights, believe-you-me. Fortunately most folks forget these promises.
Anyway, I use my running log to keep track of the pushups and I'm on target for my goal. As of this writing I have pushed 5230 ups and run 85 miles including my first ever 10K. The race was all trails & all hills. I finished and ran every step. I even managed to do 35 pushups that day.
I started doing my pushups in sets of 15 and increased the amount by 5 every month. Since it is June I'm supposed to be doing 40 at a clip but I usually do 2 sets of 20 or just some other number that works for me at the time. I've done as many as 45 at a time but I think I've plateaued as they haven't been getting any easier for several weeks now.
If you could only do one "muscle" exercise, pushups should be that exercise. They hit your triceps, pectorals, deltoids and most of your trunk for support. Do them fast to get the heart rate up or do them slow to feel the burn! My Dad always did pushups and credits them for retaining good upper body strength well into his 50s. That's all well and good, but I need a challenge. A few years ago I researched the training to become a NJ State Trooper and noted that a requirement was to do 45 pushups in 2 minutes. Well, I didn't intend to become a cop, but I made sure I could do the required pushups. They've since changed the test to a point based system rather than a flat number. Oh well. I'll just have to make sure I can do all of the 'maximum point' exercises on their new list!
Know what the hardest thing about the pushup challenge has been so far? That month where the vacuum cleaner was busted and I ran out of clean patches of carpet. Yech!
Linky: NJ State Police Physical Qualification Test
Orignal From: Health & Fitness: Mid Year Update
Anyway, I use my running log to keep track of the pushups and I'm on target for my goal. As of this writing I have pushed 5230 ups and run 85 miles including my first ever 10K. The race was all trails & all hills. I finished and ran every step. I even managed to do 35 pushups that day.
I started doing my pushups in sets of 15 and increased the amount by 5 every month. Since it is June I'm supposed to be doing 40 at a clip but I usually do 2 sets of 20 or just some other number that works for me at the time. I've done as many as 45 at a time but I think I've plateaued as they haven't been getting any easier for several weeks now.
If you could only do one "muscle" exercise, pushups should be that exercise. They hit your triceps, pectorals, deltoids and most of your trunk for support. Do them fast to get the heart rate up or do them slow to feel the burn! My Dad always did pushups and credits them for retaining good upper body strength well into his 50s. That's all well and good, but I need a challenge. A few years ago I researched the training to become a NJ State Trooper and noted that a requirement was to do 45 pushups in 2 minutes. Well, I didn't intend to become a cop, but I made sure I could do the required pushups. They've since changed the test to a point based system rather than a flat number. Oh well. I'll just have to make sure I can do all of the 'maximum point' exercises on their new list!
Know what the hardest thing about the pushup challenge has been so far? That month where the vacuum cleaner was busted and I ran out of clean patches of carpet. Yech!
Linky: NJ State Police Physical Qualification Test
Orignal From: Health & Fitness: Mid Year Update
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Showered with photos!
My cousin David & his wife Asami are expecting the first Great Grandchild in my family and the Baby Shower was this weekend. It was my first "shower" and the new thing is that everyone attends, including the guys. I didn't mind so much because the shower sort of doubled as the wedding reception they hadn't been able to have at the time.
Quick summary: Lots of folks from all sides of the families. Good eats. A cake made out of diapers. A real cake with little "booties" on it. A gifting ceremony with many a "Awwwww!" from the audience. Tons of photos.
I'll spare you the bandwidth by not posting the shots here, instead I'll upload them to the photo gallery.
Click here to see my shots of the shower.
Congrats to David & Asami on becoming parents!
Congrats to Tiff on becoming an Aunt!
Congrats to Dave & Bev on becoming grand parents!
Congrats to Nana on becoming a Great grand parent!
Orignal From: Showered with photos!
Quick summary: Lots of folks from all sides of the families. Good eats. A cake made out of diapers. A real cake with little "booties" on it. A gifting ceremony with many a "Awwwww!" from the audience. Tons of photos.
I'll spare you the bandwidth by not posting the shots here, instead I'll upload them to the photo gallery.
Click here to see my shots of the shower.
Congrats to David & Asami on becoming parents!
Congrats to Tiff on becoming an Aunt!
Congrats to Dave & Bev on becoming grand parents!
Congrats to Nana on becoming a Great grand parent!
Orignal From: Showered with photos!
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Hillary Clinton & the Sunny Palace
Apparently I'm the only only blogger writing about Mrs. Clinton's visit in the Garden State last night. Here's the story:
I'm out on a date with my wife at the eatery of her choice: Sunny Palace featuring fine Chinese cuisine. We pulled into the parking lot which was just packed and were surprised to find the one section vacant except for a police cruiser which was just pulling out, one limousine and one black SUV. None of this seemed too odd but I wondered if there was a private party and I wasn't allowed to park here. Sure enough, while I was futzing with the radio I heard a wrapping on my window, rolled it down and was greeted with a secret service badge. The conversation went like this:
Man with badge: "Could you stay in your car for a moment sir."
Me: "Sure. What's going on?"
Man with badge: "Hillary Clinton is in the building."
Me: "No kidding."
Man with badge: "Just stay in your car until we leave the lot."
So we did. While waiting I took the opportunity to notice the extra pair of American flags that had been draped here and there. After about a minute they pulled away. We went inside and found a festive atmosphere of post-rally enthusiasm. Mrs. Clinton had been garnering support (for or from) Asian Americans and there were bumper stickers and buttons all over. A bus load of supporters had been carted in from DC & professional musicians from... violin world? It must have been a real gala event. Hopefully Hillary has finally make up for prior mistakes. Not that I blame her. It seems the Asian American community might be getting oversensitive.
Once the hubbub died down we found a table and enjoyed a good meal. Heather ran into a student of hers having a birthday party and learned that we missed an opportunity for photos with the former first lady. Oh well. I would have had way too much fun with that photo anyway. My dad would have had a coronary. ;-)
But it was good to see Capital Hillary again. Well, the back of her getting into a limo anyway. I had seen her speak once before while I was in high school and she was plugging for her hubby while he was still in the primaries in 1992. That's nearly half my lifetime ago already. I feel old! Good thing I chose to open my fortune cookie last night...
Orignal From: Hillary Clinton & the Sunny Palace
I'm out on a date with my wife at the eatery of her choice: Sunny Palace featuring fine Chinese cuisine. We pulled into the parking lot which was just packed and were surprised to find the one section vacant except for a police cruiser which was just pulling out, one limousine and one black SUV. None of this seemed too odd but I wondered if there was a private party and I wasn't allowed to park here. Sure enough, while I was futzing with the radio I heard a wrapping on my window, rolled it down and was greeted with a secret service badge. The conversation went like this:
Man with badge: "Could you stay in your car for a moment sir."
Me: "Sure. What's going on?"
Man with badge: "Hillary Clinton is in the building."
Me: "No kidding."
Man with badge: "Just stay in your car until we leave the lot."
So we did. While waiting I took the opportunity to notice the extra pair of American flags that had been draped here and there. After about a minute they pulled away. We went inside and found a festive atmosphere of post-rally enthusiasm. Mrs. Clinton had been garnering support (for or from) Asian Americans and there were bumper stickers and buttons all over. A bus load of supporters had been carted in from DC & professional musicians from... violin world? It must have been a real gala event. Hopefully Hillary has finally make up for prior mistakes. Not that I blame her. It seems the Asian American community might be getting oversensitive.
Once the hubbub died down we found a table and enjoyed a good meal. Heather ran into a student of hers having a birthday party and learned that we missed an opportunity for photos with the former first lady. Oh well. I would have had way too much fun with that photo anyway. My dad would have had a coronary. ;-)
But it was good to see Capital Hillary again. Well, the back of her getting into a limo anyway. I had seen her speak once before while I was in high school and she was plugging for her hubby while he was still in the primaries in 1992. That's nearly half my lifetime ago already. I feel old! Good thing I chose to open my fortune cookie last night...
"You will have a long and healthy life."
Orignal From: Hillary Clinton & the Sunny Palace
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Eagles Tickets Ain't Happening
My teams are the Eagles & Dolphins. Yeah, I know you can't have two, but I can. I'm special that way! Bliss would be going to a game and watching both teams at once. The trouble is they're in different leagues and they only play each other every 4 years. To make it more complicated, they alternate home teams. That means they only play in Philly every 8 years. They WOULD have played a game 5 years ago, but there was a shuffling of divisions in 2002 and the Dolphins getting two home games in a row. They played in 2003 in Miami. This year they play in Philadelphia!
Tickets went on sale at 10 AM today for all of the Philadelphia Eagles home games and I was ready with Internet & Phone. I had juiced up on caffeine and laid out my credit cards in front of me. I was READY. A few minutes before 10 I started dialing the phones (plural) and hitting Refresh on my stripped-down-for-speed Internet Explorer (in 3 windows). The phone continually told me that all circuits were busy. The Internet told me tickets were not yet on sale. The phone continued to tell me all circuits were busy. Suddenly the Internet told me tickets were available! I told it to give me 4 "best available" seats and clicked the Next button. They told me that to prevent fraud I should tell them what is displayed in the graphic shown above.
The graphic couldn't be displayed in my stripped down corporate IE session.
I failed.
All circuits were still busy on the phones but I had Firefox ready to go with a quick refresh. I tried only 2 tickets, filled in the Captcha "KISSING" & waited. A screen popped up telling me I had a 5 minute wait. Then it went to 7 minutes. Then 15.
It took about 6 minutes until the site came back like this:
So once again I have failed to get tickets. This does not mean I will fail to see the game. It just means that it will cost me 3 or 4 times as much. Good thing Pennsylvania has that law that limits what a scalper can charge for the ticket! Good thing scalpers can charge a $200 "convenience charge" to get around that!
Hmmm. That's a pretty clever idea. I wonder where the scalpers got that idea? (Hint: Ticketmaster).
So out I go to look at the low-life scum suckers who are already selling tickets. They'll sell me end zone seats for 400% what they paid AND they'll charge a $50 "service charge" on top of that. Nice, huh?
Long story short, I'll have my tickets to this game one way or the other and then I'll never see another professional sporting event in Philadelphia. Tickets are out of reach for the common man. I only hope that Adobe gets kickbacks from Ticketmaster because not loading the flash player probably cost me $1000 today.
Eagles Tickets sell out in six minutes
Orignal From: Eagles Tickets Ain't Happening
Tickets went on sale at 10 AM today for all of the Philadelphia Eagles home games and I was ready with Internet & Phone. I had juiced up on caffeine and laid out my credit cards in front of me. I was READY. A few minutes before 10 I started dialing the phones (plural) and hitting Refresh on my stripped-down-for-speed Internet Explorer (in 3 windows). The phone continually told me that all circuits were busy. The Internet told me tickets were not yet on sale. The phone continued to tell me all circuits were busy. Suddenly the Internet told me tickets were available! I told it to give me 4 "best available" seats and clicked the Next button. They told me that to prevent fraud I should tell them what is displayed in the graphic shown above.
The graphic couldn't be displayed in my stripped down corporate IE session.
I failed.
All circuits were still busy on the phones but I had Firefox ready to go with a quick refresh. I tried only 2 tickets, filled in the Captcha "KISSING" & waited. A screen popped up telling me I had a 5 minute wait. Then it went to 7 minutes. Then 15.
It took about 6 minutes until the site came back like this:
| Your request Is not available | ||
| There were no tickets available that matched your request There are several things you can try:
| ||
| Return to Event Page | | |
So once again I have failed to get tickets. This does not mean I will fail to see the game. It just means that it will cost me 3 or 4 times as much. Good thing Pennsylvania has that law that limits what a scalper can charge for the ticket! Good thing scalpers can charge a $200 "convenience charge" to get around that!
Hmmm. That's a pretty clever idea. I wonder where the scalpers got that idea? (Hint: Ticketmaster).
So out I go to look at the low-life scum suckers who are already selling tickets. They'll sell me end zone seats for 400% what they paid AND they'll charge a $50 "service charge" on top of that. Nice, huh?
Long story short, I'll have my tickets to this game one way or the other and then I'll never see another professional sporting event in Philadelphia. Tickets are out of reach for the common man. I only hope that Adobe gets kickbacks from Ticketmaster because not loading the flash player probably cost me $1000 today.
Eagles Tickets sell out in six minutes
Orignal From: Eagles Tickets Ain't Happening
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)