'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves

Idiots

2007-07-12T16:49:00.000-04:00

So, I'm a HUGE proponent for separation of church and state. No, I don't think we go go around and deface all of the historical buildings and documents to remove references to god, but I do think we should keep religion out of the government as much as possible (I am a fan of taking "under god" out of the pledge as it was not in the original version and was only inserted as a show of our religious might against the godless communists (also, In God We Trust was made up in the 1910s as a way to assert some godliness into our money...)).

Anyway, some members of god's gang were out in force today in the US Senate, making asses of themselves. Based on my prior paragraph, you'd be able to pretty easily determine that I don't favor having any prayer at all before the opening of a congressional session. But, if you're gonna go ahead and have one, I think it should represent all the faiths that are followed by the American people (you know, the ones who the members of Congress are elected to represent...). But, god's gang seems to think that only jeebus himself should be present in the Senate, and interrupted the prayer offered by a Hindu priest in order to spread their word. That's tolerance for ya... Way to grasp the teachings of Jesus. Idiots.

Forced Vacation

2007-07-10T09:56:00.000-04:00

I work for a car company and one of the "great traditions" is a shutdown period around July 4th where the plants typically stop producing vehicles and workers are either on holiday (UAW members) or forced to take vacation (salaried employees). I hate wasting 4 vacation days in July, when, to me, it's too damn hot for human beings to be doing anything except sitting very still in front of an air conditioner...

Anyway, I meant to post out here that I wouldn't be blogging for a few days (as I usually post when I'm at work in order to restore a bit of sanity to my day, if only for a few minutes), but I was in such a rush to get out of here on June 29 that I completely forgot about it. I could have put up a few notes when I was on vacation as we didn't go anywhere, but I was spending time with my family and working on yet another home improvement project. And, the first day back from a week off of work isn't the ideal time to take a few minutes to do some blogging.

So, I'm back in the groove again and I'll have some random sites for your enjoyment later today...

Paid Post -- SCORE! Educational Centers

2007-06-29T09:42:00.000-04:00

My son is only 19 months old, but I have already given some fleeting thoughts to his education. I know that I started "pre-school" when I was 3 (the pre-school was located in the daycare, so it was really just a slant on normal daycare -- I do have vivid memories of learning colors, coloring in the lines, tying shoes, etc though).

My wife and I both have masters degrees, so we obviously value education. The question of early childhood education is much more undefined than the traditional path of kindergarten to primary school to secondary school and eventually to college/trade school. Can a child learn in a structured environment when they are 2 years old? Does a classroom environment stifle creativity in the young mind by directing the children to pay attention to only what the teaching is saying? These are the kinds of things I worry about as a parent.

SCORE! Educational Centers can hook your child up with an Innovative Tutor who will work to help your child achieve their academic goals. They offer help for pre-K through 10th grade. Their programs include customized curriculum that is designed for your child, to address each child's individual pace and learning needs. They're owned by Kaplan, Inc, who are famous for their SAT/ACT/GRE/MCAT/GMAT/LSAT prep courses, so there's an established history of helping students achieve specific goals.

SCORE! Centers seem to offer about the perfect mix of education and individual attention and may be the way we go when we look to get our son onto a education path.

Chuck Norris

2007-06-27T23:25:00.000-04:00

I hadn't visited the Chuck Norris facts page in awhile, and I was disappointed when the site I had bookmarked had been taken over by annoying pop-up ads and was otherwise not navigable.

But, a quick google search led me to ChuckNorrisFacts.com (I know, I probably shoulda checked that site first anyway). Maybe it's simply my juvenile sense of humor, but I can't read this list without at least cracking a smile, but usually audibly laughing. And I've seen the list at least 30 times...

Ugh...

2007-06-27T23:18:00.001-04:00

So, I just finished cleaning out my refrigerator. One thing I thought was that, if a stranger were to witness that chore, they would be able to quickly identify two things about me:

I'm not vegetarian
I need to clean out my refrigerator more often

I say that because in the process of cleaning out my refrigerator, I discovered various tupperware containers that held mold growing on a pork chop, mold growing on a hamburger, mold growing on a chicken leg and mold growing on some steak. That, in addition to the salad from 2 weeks ago that was barely recognizable and the honeydew that probably saw its last good day a week ago...

I'm certainly not hungry right now...

Paid Post -- The Police

2007-06-27T20:15:00.000-04:00

Recently, two of my favorite groups have reunited, released a CD and gone on tour. One band that I thought I'd never see live was The Pixies. I had seen Frank Black on one of his solo tours and I saw Kim Deal with The Amps, but I figured that was as close as I'd get to The Pixies. Then, they came out of nowhere a couple of years ago and went on tour. It was AWESOME!

So, the news that an even bigger goup, with more hits and equally compelling on a "love their music" front was going on tour with a new CD compilation made me think that I'd somehow pleased the gods and they were rewarding me with good music. That's right, The Police are at it again with their new, self-titled 2-disc compilation and a rather impressive world tour.

You can catch up on all things Police with their Eyewonder banner and its embedded links. Through this banner, you can update yourself with the following features:

Videos
Track List / Jukebox
Tour
Enter The Contest
Send To Friend
Ringtones

Now, I wasn't lucky enough to grab a ticket for their show in my home area (metro Detroit), but I made sure I entered the contest through the banner trying to win a grend prize of a trip to New York to see them at Madison Square Gardens. While I'm gunning for the grand prize, the 10 first prizes aren't too shabby either -- a signed copy of their new 2-disc set (which includes a vintage poster).

I;ve been a fan of The Police for quite awhile. My dad was the one who introduced me to them. I can remember listening to their "Synchronicity" cassette while playing in the sprinkler in the backyard. As I got older and developed my own musical tastes (often quite divergent from my parents), I still always liked The Police. I've even gotten my hands on a 'Strontium 90' CD (Strontium 90 was a pre-Police group that included most of the member of The Police (and even some early versions of a couple of songs you'd recognize)).

Plus, I have even more reason to try to see them in concert on this tour -- I actually know a guy who is in their opening act. When I was in college, I worked at a used CD store (which is actually where I picked up the Strontium 90 CD). one of my co-workers was a guy named Pete, who was in a local band (local to Bloomington, IN), The Cutters. I was friends with Pete, the drummer, and Rob, the bassist from The Cutters. We always thought The Cutters were going to make it. They did get signed to a major labal and released a couple of CDs, but it never quite seemed to work out. So, they eventually split and went their separate ways.

Well, Pete was a pretty spectacular drummer, and he eventually got a call from an up-and-coming band, Fiction Plane. Pete's still with Fiction Plane and they are the opening act for The Police on this year's tour, promoting their 2nd full-length CD, "Left Side of the Brain."

So, make sure you check out The Police's Eyewonder banner and rush out to pick up The Police Cd. You won't be disappointed.

Starting to understand this whole blogging thing

2007-06-26T16:34:00.000-04:00

I'm now 258 days into blogging and I am finally starting to understand how the blogging world works. Until very recently, I've been bumbling along posting links and writing my own observations without giving much thought to things such as pagerank and alexa rankings, etc.

Behind the scenes I've been doing some reading up on these things and, with a Google PageRank update expected on or around July 21, I've decided to get off my butt and figure out what I need to do to see my PR jump meteorically (or even just a little bit) from its current, impressive, ZERO. For those in the know, this is obvious, but for those who are a lot like me (i.e. clueless), links from other blogs and sites are how you increase your pagerank. But, thousands of links from crap sites won't do anything for you, while a few links from high quality (and likely, high PR) sites will help tremendously

So, I've started to read other blogs -- a lot of them. There are a lot of people out these with interesting things to say. I've left a few comments where I have an opinion or experience that is relevant. Those comments can help lead to some links back here. I've also been on the lookout for contests and whatnot where a link will be posted back to my site. (And, with that in mind, Live Learn Invest is giving away an iPod Shuffle (and a backlink) to a random person merely for mentioning Printed Circuit Board Quotes). So, you'll likely be seeing more posts on here that will talk about features and contests from other blogs.

Initially, this blog was about random things I had found in my internet travels. But, as I learn more, my travels are becoming less random and tend more toward blogs rather than weird news aggregators. So, I guess the thrust hasn't changed entirely, but has instead shifted slightly more toward blogging. I'm still gonna post the stange news I find on Fark and every now and then I'll update our home remodeling project (ordered siding last Saturday...). But, I'm also going to talk about some of the other people and other blogs on the interweb...

iPhone mania

2007-06-26T11:16:00.000-04:00

I tend to follow electronic gadgetry trends from the outside looking in. It's not that I'm not interested, it's just that I have a limited supply of disposable income and I usually choose to spend it on my son rather than the latest gadget. I know there are plenty of people out there who will dump their 3-month-old gadget to get the new-and-improved brand new replacement gadget. Those people amaze me in their disregard for their money (but, I'll gladly take advantage of them by buying their used gear on ebay if I'm in the market...).

Actually, I'm thinking of making the move to a PDA phone when my contract is up in November. I've been with Sprint for quite a few years (9, I think), and I don't have a lot of complaints. But, they've changed their package structure to match the competitors and, if I can get a better phone deal by switching, it might be worth it.

But, I'm pretty sure you can count me out of the iPhone craze. Sure, it looks cool and probably is pretty cool. I mean, the video screen and 8-gig storage capacity alone are pretty damn cool. But, I don't expect to have a desire to browse the internet on my phone, so that piece of functionality is lost on me (plus, I have no interest in the extra $40 a month for a data plan on my cell phone). So, basically, after I eliminate my desire for a good internet browser, the phone allows me to see videos vs other PDA phones that don't. I can get a Palm Treo 750 (or 755 depending on the carrier) with rebates for $200-300 right now, and by the time Christmas rolls around, I can probably get a used one off the internet for less (since Palm is already working on the 800 series -- again using first-mover castoffs to my benefit). I can't justify the $600 for an iPhone when I can get a $200 phone and a $50 4-gig SD expansion card to cover everything I want in a phone/PDA.

So, my thanks to Apple for continuing to advance mobile technology and convenience, but I think I'll stick to my boring flip phone until my contract is up. Then I'll upgrade to the last generation of PDA phone and let iPhone leave me in the dust...

Cat Cam

2007-06-26T10:59:00.000-04:00

I found this link a couple of weeks ago, but it was being linked all over the place and was rather slow due to high user demand. Now that some of the initial buzz has worn off, the site is loading much more quickly and is much more user-friendly.

Basic idea here is that a guy with a bit of technical know-how decided he'd like to know what his cat was up to during his "outings." So, he rigged up a cheap digital camera inside a plastic case and attached it to his cat's collar. He set the camera up to take pictures at fixed intervals and then downloaded those pics when his cat returned to the roost. It's pretty interesting to see what a cat doean and where it goes (and to see things a cat sees that we don't normally see).

Since I initally checked the site, the owner has added CatCam kits for sale (nice capitalization on your 15 minutes...). He also gives a little more informaiton on the process and some more detailed technical instructions on how to assemble your own CatCam.

Cool thing about blogging

2007-06-23T21:43:00.000-04:00

So, one of the coolest things I have discovered in the short time that I have been blogging is the real sense of community out there. Just as in every community, there are a few jerks, but all-in-all, everyone I've "met" has been rather nice. So, having said that, I have put forth my blog for review by Adam at ah ok lah, who has promised to be unbiased and honest in his assessment. I've checkout out his blog and read some of his posts over on the PPP boards, and he seems to be one of the (many) good ones out there.

That honesty could play unkindly on me, since my blog isn't so much a "blog" as it is a collection of things I find interesting. You do learn a bit about my everyday life and I think the links do say something about my personality as well. Anyway, Adam, do your worst... And thank you.

Paid Post -- Reno 911 DVD

2007-06-20T11:52:00.000-04:00

Calling all fans! Calling all fans! We have an alert. Be on the lookout for the new Reno 911! DVD, Reno 911! Miami The Movie in a store near you.

To launch the DVD and give its fans the ability to test their meddle against Reno's finest, the folks over at Fox have set up a website about the DVD launch and included 4 interactive games.

The DVD is unrated (aren't all of the best ones?) and includes lots of extras. Some of the extras (extended scenes and commentary) are relatively standard fare for DVD releases, but Fox has gone above and beyond with this DVD. Since the officers of Reno 911! are always looking out to protect the public and serve the public good, they have also included some public service announcements (PSAs) to help their viewers get through this thing we call life (I'm especially intrigued by the 'Shut the F*** Up' and "Some Fun Just Can't Be Downloaded' PSAs). The movie itself is well worth the price of the DVD without the extras, but who's gonna complain about extras? The Reno cops find themselves in Miami Beach during Spring Break (imagine the possibilities) for a national police convention. All is going well (ok, so all is going as you would expect with the Reno cops in town) until a terrorist attack disrupts the convention. So, the call goes out for all of the best cops to investigate. Instead, Miami Beach gets the cops of Reno 911!

The games give you, the fan, the opportunity to test your abilities against hypothetical bad guys you may face were you to sign up for the Reno force. In Midnight Shootout, which I chose (I like 1st person shooters, personally)), you get to see a scene for 5 seconds, during which you need to remember the location of the bad guys as well as the good guys. Following those 5 seconds, you are "blindfolded" and you have 10 rounds to take out the bad guys while not hitting the civilians or other officers. As you progress through the rounds you get to use different weapons (.357 Magnum, AK-47, etc) in different settings (Western Ghost Town, City Home among others) leading up to the final confrontation, an assault on gangs in the city with a rocket launcher (ooh! Watch out with those rockets!).

So please, if you're a fan of good, wholesome comedy (ok, well, good comedy at least), please run out and pick up a copy of Reno 911! Miami The Movie. Prior to heading to the store, you can get yourself ready at the DVD website by clicking the links above.

Leon Payne

2007-06-20T11:29:00.000-04:00

So, I finally got around to downloading iTunes onto my home computer (where the vast majority of my ripped CDs reside). So, I updated my iPod Shuffle with a random mix of songs from my computer. My musical tastes are wide and varied and include damn near every genre out there except country artists who started their careers after 1985 (read Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood, Josh Graycin (sp?), etc, etc, etc) and hip-hop (but I'm gainaing an appreciation for certain artists (Eminem, Jay Z to name a couple)).

So, I started to listen and I had a few heavy metals and techno tracks, followed by a little classical, a bluegrass song, some random Bugs Bunny bit and then I heard a song I'd never heard before (not entirely unusual as I have roughly 1,400 CDs). The music was kind of a light country sound, but the lyrics were what strikes you. They were sung sweetly and the lyrical sound went well with the music, but the words didn't match the sound all that well. So, I started to do some digging by doing a web search for a snippet of the lyrics and learned that the song was "Psycho," performed by Teddy Thompson, but written by Leon Payne.

I was really intrigued so I did a bit more searching and I found this site (which, I learned later, was nearly word-for-word ripped off from a newspaper article about the writer). What struck me more than anything on the page was not the written lyrics or the discussion of the lyricist, but that his daughter had posted a comment to clear up what appears to be a common misperception about "Psycho." Pretty interesting reading. If you haven't heard it, you should track down a version of the song (apparently the Elvis Costello version is considered to be the best rendition).

Paid Post -- Burn Notice's Spying 101

2007-06-19T12:00:00.001-04:00

When I was in the Army (long story -- I was officially in and I am officially a veteran, but I don't EVER claim to deserve respect and admiration like those who are TRULY serving), we once did a week of infantry field exercises to get us some experience and exposure to the skills and techniques to survive in a hostile environment. Throughout the week, we would rotate squad leaders (even though we were all peers from a rank standpoint) so we would have some leadership experience during the exercises. I was the squad leader during what I considered two of the coolest exercises.

The first was a reconnaissance mission where we were to converge on a location, observe all activity, and report back to our superiors. We were told that the enemy were not actively guarding the location, but were instead in a general state of "heitened awareness." Thus, we had to move stealthily and precisely lest we be discovered and captured/"killed."

We had available to us night vision devices, long-range rifle scopes, our standard gear and our previous training, which meant we knew and understood hand signals, could identify enemy rank and equipment and had passed M-16 rifle tests (in case we failed and needed to engage the enemy (and no, we had no live rounds -- just super-advanced laser-tag training devices)). We were able to successfully complete the mission, though we failed to notice the hostage in the building (big oops) and, while we correctly identified the number of enemies at the site, we did not record enough detail to establish a regular pattern of activity (slightly smaller oops).

That exercise gave me an appreciation for those who actually have to spy in the field on a regular basis. We spent hours upon hours carefully planning and executing the mission. Real CIA operatives are required to gather information for various reasons, but often in a much more interactive environment that forces them to think VERY quickly on their feet and react in ways that aren't instinctive. Plus, they have to do it knowing that failure is likely a matter of life or death rather than a "learning experience" like my situation.

The things that CIA agents have in their corner are training and technology. Much of our spying is now done remotely through the use of electonic devices (audio and video recording and transmitting devices, satellite imagery, phone taps, etc). But, an "on the ground" agent has to be quick, intelligent and able to use their tools effectively to stay alive.

Starting June 28, USA Network's Burn Notice will take the viewer into this world through the eyes of Michael Weston, a former operative who is now a persona non grata in the eyes of the CIA. Now he's out to discover why he was left out to dry and can't use his normal network to gather information. So, he falls back on his training to gather information while remaining "invisible."

How cool is that?

2007-06-13T23:58:00.000-04:00

My last post was about some of my favorite books from my childhood. In it, I mention the Alvin Fernald series of books as one that I remember with particular fondness.

Well, Gary Hicks, son of Clifford Hicks, the author of said books, apparently has a technorati search for 'Alvin Fernald' set up to alert him when a new blog mention appears. So, he saw my blog and pointed me to the Alvin Fernald webpage. His Dad is still with us and still gets letters from his readers. I'm going to add my name to the list of admirers who have written to him.

Plus, Purple House Press is getting some free plugs from me because not only are they re-printing the Mad Scientists Club books, but they are also re-printing one of the Alvin Fernald books. I'm thinking Purple House Press is run by a guy in his 30s to 50s who has the same fond memories I do of these books...

Books from my childhood

2007-06-04T08:10:00.000-04:00

I'm geeked because I found a link to a site discussing one of my favorite book sets from my childhood. When I was a kid I was a voracious reader. I grew up in a small town (and it was the 80's), so my parents would let me ride my bike the 2-3 miles to the library. I made the trip at least twice a week and always biked home with quite a load of books in my pack. It actually got to the point that, rather than looking for specific books, I just started in one corner of the library and started to work my way around the Children's/Young Adult section, checking out 10-15 books at a time. The librarian would even hold back new books for me, so I could catch those that would have been shelved into a section I'd already covered.

I read a lot of non-fiction, but fiction stories tended to be my favorites, with a special reverence for books where the protagonist(s) went off on adventures or exploits of one sort or another. The ones I remmeber most fondly include The Great Brain books, the Encyclopedia Brown series, The Alvin Fernald books, The Mad Scientists Club books, the Hardy Boys series and anything by Roald Dahl. I have read all of the books my library had from these series at least 10 times...

I've often thought about getting these books for my son, who will hopefully have the same appetite as both of his parents for reading. However, many of them are out of print and difficult to find. Thus, I was especially excited to see that The Mad Scientists Club series are in re-print and they've even added a new one. I'll be picking these up to add to the library in the near future

Paid Post -- PayPerPost Direct

2007-06-04T07:09:00.000-04:00

Those wacky geniuses over at PayPerPost are at it again. Not only have they afforded me the opportunity to get paid to blog for the past 6 months, but they now have a system set up where you (or anyone else, for that matter) can make me on offer to blog about your goods/services directly. Previously, an advertiser needed to go to PayPerPost and open an opportunity up to an entire group/class of bloggers, hoping that the bloggers who took the opportunity were the ones they wanted.

With PPP Direct, there's no longer any worry about bloggers you don't like getting your opportunities. Instead, the advertiser can offer a payment directly to the blogger, getting a 100% chance that only the blogger they intended will get the opportunity to blog about their goods or services.

Some of PayPerPost'c competitors charge a hefty markup (up to 100%) for this service, PayPerPost has taken the high road and only charge 10% to process your request (and half of that goes to paying Paypal and credit card fees).

To see an example of how this new system works, you can read about it on the PayPerPost blog, or you can watch a video of the process here. It's really rather simple and straitforward (which is good for the slow people like me...). Additionally, Andy Beard, (who authors a Niche Marketing blog) has a post about this new feature here.

This new system is the best of both worlds for both the blogger and advertiser -- the blogger can continue to use the same system to which they have become accustomed, and the advertiser gets their message out in exactly the outlets desired. PayPerPost just acts as the medium through which money exchanges hands (which keeps the blogger and advertiser from the clumsy process of working out payment process and details...).

Keep it up PayPerPost, we all appreciate the rapid and continued upgrades.

Gifted Education

2007-05-29T11:28:00.000-04:00

I attended the ultimate in geek schools for my final two years of high school -- The Indiana Academy for Science, Mathematics and Humanities. I got labeled as "gifted" early on, but I swear I was just the token "normal" kid at this school filled with geniuses. I could float between social groups (I was a jock, a band geek, a nerd, a rebel (ok, that's a stretch, but I was better friends with the smoker types than other groups), etc, etc, etc) and had probably just slightly higher than average learning abilities...

Some people from this school have gone on to do some outrageously impressive things (my class alone has 3 (maybe 4) rocket scientists, inumerable doctors and a whole myriad of people who can attach multiple letters after their names from their multiple degrees). One of my favorite graduates of my high school is someone I've never met, but I enjoy reading her works.

Laura Vanderkam is a writer for USA Today and Reader's Digest. She's also an author and co-author and has a blog devoted to gifted education. She's smart and interesting all at the same time. She just had a baby about 2 weeks ago and is still keeping up with her blog -- I'm not sure how she manages...

Geek Alert

2007-05-21T13:11:00.000-04:00

Yes, I own and wear an "In the beginning, there was PONG" T-shirt...

Anyway, this guy has taken geek to a whole new level by converting an Atari 2600 (still one of my favorite game systems) controller into a functional TV remote. As stated before on this site, I admire tech geeks but have very little skills myself when it comes to things like this. I'm envious...

Paid Post -- Rate Genius

2007-05-15T14:42:00.000-04:00

Now that the shine has worn off the real estate market, reality has come crashing down on people across the country. A lot of people, especially those in the hottest "bubble" markets, made huge money with their homes, if only on paper. With that newfound "money" people started living a bit beyond their means -- major home improvements, expensive vacations and status vehicles that may have been outside of their means.

With those paper profits rapidly disappearing, people still have that astronomical credit card debt and car payment weighing on them every month. RateGenius offers vehicle refinancing that will lead to lower car payments. I have refinanced my car before to take advantage of a lower rate, and the process was painless. A lower car payment should make the process feel even better, so check 'em out.

Leslie Hall

2007-05-15T14:35:00.000-04:00

I have been completely remiss in that I have had this blog for as long as I have without mention of the magnificent Leslie Hall. Leslie is an underappreciated artistic genius from the artists' mecca -- Ames, Iowa.

Seriously though, I own her 1st CD and will likely buy the 2nd sometime in the future (probably with some paid post earnings). She has a rather unique style with her music that can't be appreciated by all. She also has a seriously huge gem sweater collection and is something to behold.

Now, if I can just get her band to play Metro Detroit...

Paid Post -- Pay Per Post

2007-05-10T14:22:00.000-04:00

So, for a few months now, I have been paid for some of the posts appearing on this blog (this one included, per the title). I have made all of these paid posts using the spectacular services of payperpost.com. Seriously, I think payperpost is a great service and the extra pocket money is more of a bonus rather than what I would consider "hard-earned" money.

The way the service works, I can pick and choose to take opportunities. Thus, if there are paid blogging opportunities out there that don't interest me or I don't believe in, I don't have to put them on this site. Sure, I might miss out on a few dollars by not taking every opportunity available, but I can keep the content a little more interesting to my readers while still adding some spending money to my bank account. It's the best of both worlds.

Additionally, the community at payperpost is fun. The team of actual, office-based employees all seem to take themselves not-at-all seriously, which is a trait I fully appreciate. Plus, the other bloggers who are members are always available to talk / have a bitch & moan session / brainstorm / goof off / whatever you are looking for... We even have a few family members who have multiple blogs through payperpost.

I've been a member of payperpost for about 4 months now and, with minimal effort, have covered quite a few trips to the local Mexican restaurant that allowed us to remain sane during our kitchen remodel.

Wow...

2007-05-07T11:32:00.000-04:00

I stumbled across these pictures of the tornado aftermath in Greensburg, KS, and "Wow," is the only thing I can say. You hear the talking heads on the TV say that the town has been destroyed, but we're so used to hyperbole on TV that I just dismissed it as trying to drum up viewership. Then I saw the pictures...

Amish Girls Gone Wild

2007-05-02T14:53:00.000-04:00

I've always been very intriguiged by non-protestant christian religions, as they are not something to which I was very exposed growing up. I'm especially interested in christian denominations that aren't considered to be "mainstream." Specifically, I like learning about the Amish, Memonites, Quakers and Mormons.

Thus, when I saw this write-up a couple of months ago, I stopped what I was doing to read it. It offers a little bit of insight into the Amish world. I was already aware of the Amish practice of rumspringa (although I didn't know the correct name), but it was interesting to hear about it from the lips of someone going through the process right now. I think something similar ought to be a part of every church, so there's not a rash of "questioning your faith" as you enter adulthood and start to look at life a bit differently...

Paid Post -- Gamma Knife Surgery

2007-04-16T14:19:00.000-04:00

I worked for a couple of years as a tech (read: orderly or bitch boy) in an emergency room while I was in college. I spent my undergraduate years thinking I was going to medical school. So, I took this job after having completed an EMT course (passed all the tests, never filled out the paperwork to get the certificate...), to make some money and get some experience before jumping into med school. Thank god I did... I'm now a financial analyst and, other than the lower pay scale, much happier with my current occupation than I expect that I would have been as a doctor. I did not meet a single physician in my time in the ER that said they'd be a doctor if they knew then what they know now. I loved the medicine / patient treatment side of the field. I hated the BS, politics and paperwork side of things...

Even though I didn't choose to pursue the medical field, I am still rather intrigued by medicine and science (my wife and I share this interest (she also worked as an ER tech before deciding to not pursue medicine herself)). We watch all of those gross surgery shows on TLC and Discovery Channel and are always intrigued by medical news and breakthroughs.

Thus, when I heard about a new process for brain surgery, I was intrigued. Gamma Knife Surgery is a new process used to very accurately target specific areas in the brain (i.e. those areas affected by a tumor) to deliver a high dose of radiation to combat the tumor. Gamma Knife Surgery is unique because the stereotactic frame used to immobilize the head allows for such precise delivery.

I don't know about you, but I'm kinda partial to keeping the parts I have in good working order. If there is a way to very accurately pinpoint a tumor in my brain, I think I might like to look into it. I mean, it's only a brain, right? Seriously, this procedure seems pretty cool and I can't wait to catch it on Discovery Channel.

Finally, an update

2007-04-13T15:27:00.000-04:00

So, early in the process I posted kitchen pictures of the demolition, but I've not shown any progress since. So, I'm gonna remedy that right now.

We're still not done, but we're a whole hell of a lot closer than we were the last time you saw pictures. As you will see, I've still got some plumbing to take care of (this weekend), seal the countertops, get doors on all the cabinets, install the drawers, put the undercabinet lights up, get the light rail attached to the bottom of the cabinets, attach the molding to the top of the cabinets, cut and attach toekick, and cut, paint and install all baseboards & trim. It's not a small list, but it's not insurmountable either. I hope to knock out a number of things in the next few days. I plan to have a fully functional kitchen by 3:00 tomorrow (electrician will be here around 10:00am).

The pictures are separated into three sets -- Demolition (already posted previously), Prep (electrical, insulation, drywall & painting) and Install (flooring, cabinets, countertops, plumbing and everything else). I will update the Install folder as I get more done and I'll repost here when updates are made. There are comments on most of the pictures (primarily to orient you as to the direction the picture was taken), but they don't show up unless you view the 'Detail' view (under the picture set title)...

Paid Post -- Secure Insurance Quotes

2007-04-13T15:13:00.000-04:00

The other day I was looking into our homeowners insurance and trying to determine if I need to do anything to update our insurance, especially in light of the ongoing kitchen remodel. The documents I have aren't too specific so I need to put in a call to our agent to see what they have to say. Unfortunately, I haven't been too impressed with our agent in the past. We've not had any claims or real issues, but the agent seems to think that, as long as we've paid him for the year, he doesn't need to respond to questions.

I need to get off my butt and check around for quotes for Home Insurance. SecureInsuranceQuotes.com offers an easy place to look into insurance quotes online. I love transacting business online (no waiting on hold, no waiting in queue, etc), so this is right up my alley. They've got a lot of information on their site (the FAQ has some good questions and answers in it) and they cover more than just homeowners insurance. They've also got health insurance, auto insurance and life insurance as well as other types of specialty insurance products (rental insurance is something people often forget about, but shouldn't).

Maybe this site is the one that will finally get me moving toward a new insurance policy...

I was broken yesterday

2007-04-12T12:00:00.000-04:00

So, between work, the kitchen remodel, a 16-month-old and trying to maintain a good relationship with my wife (i.e. trying to squeeze in 5 minutes with her during the course of a day), I've been pretty busy and sleep deprived for about 4-5 weeks now. Yesterday our countertop guys and electricians were scheduled to be working at the house, so I planned to go in early, work 4 hours and take a 1/2 day vacation.

When my alarm went off at 4:05am, I woke up and realized that I was broken. I had absolutely no ability or energy to get up and get moving. I decided to re-set the alarm for 4:45 and try again. Same deal on the 2nd alarm -- completely broken. So, I called in broken to work and went back to sleep. I got up at about 8:45 when the kid woke us up, but I still wasn't fixed. I was pretty much dazed all day, but especially so in the morning. I could tell that I wasn't interacting with the world properly, but I couldn't shake it. I feel much better today in terms of ability to be human, so I've got that going for me. It's funny how you can push and push, but your body will finally force you to slow down a bit...

Strange sort of follow-up

2007-04-10T11:21:00.000-04:00

So, a couple of months ago, I posted about the incorrectly named "Deformity of the week" (I say incorrectly named because that specific posting has been listed for over a year now...). Basically, a guy had some skin grafts and grew a nipple on his calf. The donor skin had been from his chest, which led to the development of the extra nipple. Being a guy of my own heart, instead of having it removed, the guy decided to get his new nipple pierced...

Now, I have discovered a medical journal-looking post (I'm sure it's not from a real medical journal, but it sounds all official and the like...). Anyway, this posting describes naturally occurring nipples in atypical locales (as well as fully functional breasts, capable of lactating...). Thought it was interesting that it was so closely related to something I'd already written about.

Paid Post -- Blogger's Choice Awards

2007-04-05T15:10:00.000-04:00

There are award shows for nearly everything these days, and the vast majority are for completely useless groups of people (seriously, do we really need the Latin Grammies when the vast majority of people think the regular Grammies are a joke. And don't get me started on the Daytime Emmy awards...). Why not have an award presentation for people who are real people and that other real people pay attention to? I present to you the Blogger's Choice Awards.

Now, I've never been one to care at all about celebrity this and rich, prissy, pain-in-the-ass that, but I do enjoy reading about everyday people who do things that make a difference. I heard a "personal interest" story the other day about a couple of kids who heard about a soldier in Iraq facing a $9,000 phone bill and decided to do somthing about it. Two years later, they now have a pretty slick web presence and corporate sponsorship. Those kids are cool.

That's the same reason I like reading blogs. The vast majority of blogs are run by people like you and me, who have no teams of people polishing their posts and no image consultants to make sure they write the right things. I just get on and post whatever strikes my fancy at the time. I like reading the "mundane" activities of normal life of people I know personally and people I've "met" through blogging. At least with reports of the mundane, I know these people have a bit of "real" to them...

The blog awards are the opportunity to celebrate these people. With categories such as "Best Geek Blog" and "Worst Blog of All Time" (hey, maybe I should be in the running for that one...), you can tell that these awards don't take themselves too seriously. But, they do have more normal categories like "Best Blog Design" and "Best Parenting Blog" so all of the talented bloggers can be recognized.

Anyone can nominate a blog for consideration. You just sign up for a free account and you can nominate and vote for any category you'd like. Results will be announced at PostieCon in June

Wow...

2007-04-03T23:50:00.000-04:00

Things kind of got away from me there for a little while. Work was supposed to have slowed down after a huge presentation on the 14th, but it refused... And the, as yet unfinished, kitchen seems to suck up all time at home, leaving me very little time to spend with my wife and son.

Things seem to have slowed down a bit (fingers crossed) and I'll have a chance to catch up on all things personal, including this blog. So, don't fret, random links from teh interweb shall once again flow from this site...

Finally, signs of intelligence at the postal commission

2007-03-22T21:00:00.000-04:00

So, I was rummaging through my junk drawer the other day, looking for a stamp (yeah, I send about 1 snail mail letter a month...) and I pulled out quite a few of them. Of course, exactly NONE of them were $0.39 stamps. Hell, none even added up to $0.39... I even had some $0.32 cent stamps -- how old are those? I keep all of these stamps thinking that some day I'll go buy the proper additional postage to use them, but I never do...

So, when I heard about the most recent post office rate hike, I was actually excited. No, not because it's gonna cost more to send mail (still, $0.41 to send something from Boston to Sacramento seems like a damn good deal to me), but because the postal service will now offer something I have been wishing for for quite awhile -- the forever stamp. This stamp will have no denomination printed on it, but it will cover the postage for all time into the future. You buy the stamps at the prevailing rate of the day (the first forever stamp offered will be sold at $0.41), and it will cover the full postage for a 1 oz letter forever. Theoretically, if you find a book of these stamps in 2080, when postage is $3.25 for a 1 oz letter, just slap one of these forever stamps that cost you $0.41 way back in aught-seven, and it'll shoot off to wherever you address it.

I will no longer have to curse the wrong denomination stamp because I'm not gonna be buying any non-forever stamps anymore...

Paid Post -- OpticsPlanet.net

2007-03-12T13:04:00.000-04:00

As we are finally starting to shake off the (hopefully) last throes of winter here is lovely Detroit, our minds inevitably turn to all things summer. Just yesterday, we were remarking on how many people were outside working on their yards and walking around the neighborhood -- seemingly any activity to give them an excuse to be out in the relatively wonderful weather (high in the lower 50s with sun).

The other things that we noticed when we were out was that we both desparately needed new sunglasses. My wife's were very scratched after 4 years of wear and mine are starting to fall apart (one of the nose pads fell off about a year ago and one leg is very loose and wobbly). Given the loads of money we spend on the baby and the whole kitchen remodel thing, money is not all that easy to come by right now.

Luckily, there is a great place to get discount sunglasses -- OpticsPlanet.net. They offer brand name sunglasses at low prices. I'm no fashionista, but even I recognize brand names like Bolle, Serengetti and Body Specs. They can fill your prescription sunglasses needs and offer specialized sunglasses for sports and outside activities. Their website is really easy to navigate as well.

OpticsPlanet.net also offers just about any type of optical equipment on the planet, from night vision devices to microscopes to rifle scopes. Any order over $29.95 get free UPS shipping. If your in the market for anything optical related, check out OpticsPlanet.net

Update -- Grand Canyon Skywalk

2007-03-12T07:00:00.000-04:00

Last week, I was talking to a freind who lives in Arizona and she mentioned that, in a few weeks, she was going to the Grand Canyon with her son for a few days. I mentioned that I had learned they were building a skywalk that would extend out over the big hole so you could look down 4,000 feet. She was aware of it and mentioned that it would be open when they were there. (She also said that she wasn't going to go out on any skywalk that was built by the company whose only claim to fame was that they were the low bidder for the job. She ignored me when I said that everything she has/uses was built by the low bidder...).

It struck me that in my original post on this, the article did mention that it was slated to open in March 2007, and here we are in March 2007. I also caught a show about the Skywalk on the Discovery Channel or The Learning Channel or something of that sort over the weekend. The Skywalk is built and has been set into place. They even got Buzz Aldrin (you know, the astronaut guy who is always overshadowed by Neil Armstrong) to take the initial ceremonial stroll onto the skywalk. It's going to be open to the public on March 28. The $25 price is slightly steep if you're a family of 8, but I'm still willing to pay it.

In my internet search after my conversation with my friend, I found the website for the SkyWalk. You can check it out here.

Paid Post -- CouponChief.com take 2

2007-03-12T06:44:00.000-04:00

So, a couple of weeks back I posted about CouponChief.com and their great deals, especially in reference to the Pampers deal that was running on Amazon. I took advantage of the $25 savings through CouponChief.com and the diapers were delivered to my front door in 4 days. Nothing could be easier than that...

I like using coupons when I shop because it's like they are giving you free money off your bill. Plus, if you use coupons on items you were going to buy anyway, it truly is extra cash in your pocket. Now, if you buy something new just because you have a coupon, well that's a different matter... The problem with traditional coupons is that I never seem to find the time to cut them out and I never am organized enough to have the right coupons with me when I'm shopping... Online coupons take care of that because they are right there on your computer when you are shopping.

Now that we are smack in the middle of our kitchen remodel, I'm on the lookout for kitchen gadgets and doo-dads (we have to reward ourselves for our efforts by buying up wish list items and new gear). I've had my eye on a vacuum sealer for a number of years and CouponChief.com may be able to hook me up. They've got two FoodSaver.com coupons that may finally bring on of these gadgets to my kitchen. One of the coupons is good for 10% off $50 or more and the other is for free shipping on $150. If only they had coupons for drywall contractors...

Slowly but surely

2007-03-08T10:54:00.000-05:00

The kitchen is starting to take shape. I have some pictures, but I haven't yet uploaded them to the Flickr set. I'll work on that sometime in the next couple of days and put the link back out here when it's ready.

The electrical is completely done (except the final step of putting in switches and outlets) and drywall is up. The drywall guys have another day of mudding and sanding, but it's looking pretty good so far. Our floor guys are coming on on Wednesday. We can't wait to get a new floor because our basement is covered in dust and debris that has fallen between the exposed boards that comprise the subfloor. Cleaning the basement is going to be a nearly momumental task in itself.

This weekend we will be painting like fiends to have it done before the floor guys show up. This wouldn't be that big a deal except we don't have a color chosen yet. We have a color family, but we'll mak the final decision Saturday when we take our paint samples and a cabinet door to put up against granite to make the final decision...

We'd also like to get some of the wall cabinets put into place before the floor goes in. That way the floor wouldn't be marred by any accidents (like dropping a cabinet or something...)

Sometimes these things just write themselves...

2007-03-01T12:55:00.000-05:00

I'm originally from the Indianapolis area and much of my family still lives there, so I will regularly check out the Indianapolis Star newspaper online. As I was clicking on headlines that piqued my interest, I came across this gem about a guy who had some difficulty cashing a check. I'm not sure what caused the problem initially for the customer. It might have been the lack of an imprint on the check (you know, with the check writer's name and address and such), but I think it might have been that large sum of money ($50,000) coupled with the signature (King Savior, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Servant).

Actual quote from Hobart, IN police detective Jeff White: "I've heard about God giving out eternal life, but this is the first time I've heard of him giving out cash,"

Down, but not out

2007-03-01T11:48:00.000-05:00

So, this whole kitchen remodel has knocked me for a bit of a loop. I'm not even really doing too much work (ok, basically none) on the kitchen, but keeping a house clean with no kitchen is a lot of work. So, I've not done much to work on the kitchen and I've neglected this blog completely. This weekend should prove to be no better, but next week we'll have a drywall guy in and there very little I can do to work on the kitchen while he's drywalling...

Anyway, found an interesting site a couple of days ago that I found pretty humorous. Some guy out there has become aware of celebrities writing children's books and isn't a big fan. We actually own one of the books he blasts ("Goodnight, My Angel" by Billy Joel). Braxton really likes the book and accompanying CD, so I can't go along with the author on that review. But, in general, I think people should stick to their basic abilities and not try to use their celebrity to do things for which they would have been soundly rejected had they not been a celebrity. One especially heinous use of celebrity to force a children's book upon unsuspecting parents is "Please, Puppy, Please" by Spike Lee. We haven't had the heart to tear/stab/shred/douse with flammable liquid and burn (not an either or case; it'll take all of those methods plus others we haven't devised yet to kill the horrible that makes up the pages of that book) the book yet because it was a gift. However, we DO NOT read it... No need to infect our child with that kind of mindless drivel.

The author of the page did have a suggestion for celebrities who should publish children's books and I would have to say that I would be in line to purchase it. Not necessarily for the positive message to the kids, but for the humor in it all... I give to you "A Horse Named Paul Revere," a childrens' book by The Beastie Boys (Note: opinions expressed on the page are strong and not necessarily PG-13. If you're not 18, get back in school and stop reading blogs. otherwise, continue...)

Paid Post -- Big News at PayPerPost

2007-02-25T15:44:00.000-05:00

PayPerPost has been saying for a couple of weeks now that there is some big news coming. They've already implemented quite a few big changes that have led to some big money available for those whose blogs have high enough page rank and Alexa ratings. But, this announcement seems to be separate from these changes (or maybe a follow-up made available because of the previous changes...either way, we've not yet seen the implementation).

There's a lot of speculation about what the new changes might be. Are an advanced civilization from the nearest galaxy going to advertise Earth vacations? (I, for one, welcome our new vacationing alien overlords). I doubt that's it as advanced life forms probably wouldn't be bothered to read blogs. Are PayPerPost's offices moving to Climax, Michigan? Again, I doubt that as it's too cold up here for Floridians. So, what is the deal? What's the big news?

I think that PayPerPost.com is set to announce that 3 lucky posties will be awarded the opportunity to ride with Richard Branson and Ted Murphy on SpaceShipOne's inaugural flight. To be chosen as one of the lucky posties, you merely have to bribe (errr, persuade) Ted and the gang to pick you, through various gifts and expressions of undying and eternal love. Oh, and on a completely unrelated topic, my box of 144 handmade chocolate roses will be at PayPerPost's office door by Thursday morning.

OK, so maybe near-space flight is a little out there for the announcement. Maybe we'll all get TV deals after they feature each and every postie in a new episode of RockStartUp. They'll just host postie conferences in each state and country where posties are to be found. Once we're on camera, there's a deal with the major networks for us to be featured in our own sitcom (I mean, NBC is still showing '30 Rock.' We've got to offer something better than that crap (and I like Tina Fey...too bad that show sucks)).

So, maybe we won't get TV deals. Maybe PPP will choose a lucky few to be flown down for PostieCon and let us enjoy some of the cold, winter nights in Florida. I know that I could stand to get away from the sleet storm that is going on outside my window right now.

But, if I had to guess what it really is, I have 3 ideas. The first is not too specific, but maybe they have a huge headliner who has agreed to be featured at PostieCon (you know, Bill Gates or Michael Dell of Steve Jobs or something (or maybe the 'You're gettin' a Dell' kid has to appear at PostieCon as a term of his probation)). The 2nd idea would involve the announcement of some significant new advertisers (I think this might be out though because the ones they have right now rock anyway). The 3rd idea is that PPP is making plans to go public and we're gonna be let in on the ground level. It's still early to talk about going public, but I've not seen the financials. Maybe they've established themselves as such a force in the blogosphere that it can be done this early.

So, Ted, what's the deal?!? Let us in on the secret. We promise, we won't tell anyone else...

It's begun...

2007-02-22T13:19:00.000-05:00

There's no turning back now. We've completely demolished the kitchen, so we can't back out of this remodel. You can pics of the before during and after parts of the demolition here.

We also made a trip to IKEA to pic up our cabinets this past weekend. Our kitchen came in 105 boxes. Unfortunately, they only had 104 in stock. So, I've got 104 boxes sitting in my basement and one lousy box in route to IKEA to force another trip upon me...

Oh well, I guess it's just all part of the fun...

Paid Post -- Stone Hawk Rehabilitation Center

2007-02-20T18:22:00.000-05:00

So, in the midst of demolishing our kitchen, I hopped into the car to head to a hardware store and all I can find on the radio is that Britney Spears has checked herself into a rehab center. I hope she can get through whatever she is having problems with (and then stay out of the news a bit so I can hear about some more significant stories).

Britney checked into an "undisclosed treatment facility" in California. It's too bad she didn't know about Stone Hawk Rehabilitation Center, located in Battle Creek, Michigan. Stone Hawk is a first rate facility on a private lake that offers the perfect setting to avoid the temptations that everyday life offered.

Stone Hawk's drug treatment program is the most successful inpatient drug rehab in the country (greater than a 76% success rate). Their treatment program doesn't force any pre-set morals or codes onto its students. Instead, it helps the students determine an individual set of guidlines that the student believes they can live their life by. This allows for some personal ownership of their treatment and leads to higher success rates.

If you ever find yourself in need of addiction counseling or treatment, make sure you check out Stone Hawk Rehabilitation Center.

Busy, busy, busy

2007-02-20T11:00:00.000-05:00

So, we started the kitchen demolition, which means that all of my time is dedicated to getting a functional stove, sink and refrigerator into the kitchen. My posts here will be sporadic over the next few days at least. After this week, I'll have contractors doing some work, so I should have a few free minutes to put something out here. I'll also start posting links to a picture gallery once i get it all set up so you can see the progress...

Paid Post -- Patriotic Posters

2007-02-17T16:30:00.000-05:00

When I moved into my first dorm room for my junior year in high school, there was a consensus among us students that something needed to be done to clutter up the walls in our rooms. So, we all rushed over to the student center to look through all of the posters at the poster sale.

Kids these days have it so easy in that they don't even need to leave the comfort of their own squalor, I mean dorm room, to purchase their wall coverings. With sites like Patriotic Posters, they can just click and buy posters online to be delivered to their dorm. You don't even have to live in a dorm to take advantage of this service. They'll even deliver directly to your house. So, if you've got some wall space that's calling for a covering and you need a way to express your support for the good ole US of A, then check them out.

Amazing Optical Illusion Rooms

2007-02-17T16:19:00.000-05:00

Over the years, I have come to accept that I am not the master of all trades/abilities. In fact, my artistic talent is almost completely lacking. I have the ability to play the saxophone moderately well (OK, I used to, now I have a sax that sits in our attic gathering dust...). Outside of that, my artistic traits are limited to appreciation.

I remember that, up through 7th grade, we were required to take an art class every year in school. In elementary school, that was OK because they were basically a free period to play around. Once we got into junior high, however, they actually expected us to try various artistic technoques. While I understood the concepts and even some of the basic physics behind perspective and the illusion of depth, the application of those techniques was entirely beyond me. Thus, these rooms are astounding to me...

Paid Post -- LaserShield

2007-02-17T16:03:00.000-05:00

Ever since my son was born, I've paid more attention to safety and security products, from all of the airbags and mechanical technologies available in our vehicles to the commercials for home security systems. If you really watch those TV commercials for home security systems, they play right to their target customer -- the man who leaves his vulnerable family at home while he goes to work or on trips (that's some good marketing for you...it works, because I've never noticed those ads before)

So, I've been thinking about getting a security system for our house to make sure my wife and son are safe when I'm not here (plus, I don't think I'd be a big fan of staring down the barrel of a gun even if I were here...). But, I'm also a bit of a do-it-yourselfer, so a lot of those big companies that charge you several hundred dollars to installa system never appealed to my frugal side.

LaserShield offers a complete home security system that plays right into my interests. It can be purchased at many local stores including CompUSA, Home Depot, Costco, Kmart and Sears, so it is convenient to pick up. It's very easy to install and is relatively inexpensive.

The system plugs into a standard phone jack and outlet, so almost every home is already set up to install the system. It offers a panic button, 105-decibel siren, battery backup, motion detector (with a tool to ignore pets that might wander the house when the alarm is activated) and a remote access system where you can call in, using your unique PIN, to activate or deactivate the alarm as well as check system function. Plus, you can start with their starter system as a test and add components later to give your house a complete security system.

Road Food

2007-02-17T15:52:00.000-05:00

When we travel, we tend to do it in a car rather than in a plane (for example, this year over the Christmas holiday period, we drove 2,600 miles from the Detroit area, to my family in the Indianapolis area to my wife's family in Shreveport, LA and back again. Tip for parents with young kids -- be prepared to NOT have fun when driving 14 hour stretches...)

One good thing that driving does for us though is let us try some of the best restaurants in the country. We both enjoy good food and we've determined that the best food in the country can be found in some of the biggest dives/most non-impressive buildings in the country.

Longtime family favorites of ours are Cypress Inn near Shreveport (burned to the ground about 3 years ago and yet to be rebuilt, but we're holding out hope), the Fireside Inn in Enochsburg, IN, Burge's Smoked Meats in Lewisville, AR (this is on the route we take to Shreveport and The Ole Sawmill Cafe in Forrest City, AR (also on the route to Shreveport.

Whe we went on an East Coast tip a few years ago, we picked up a copy of 'Roadfood' by Jane and Michael Stern. This was a list of the best local places all over the country. We managed to hit a few of them along the way and their recommendations were dead on (we passed one restaurant in favor of another a few miles up and we think that we should've gone the other way on that one, but outside of that we had good luck with them). I've recently discovered that they have a website where you can suggest places not featured in the book as well as discuss the relative merits of a particular place in light of other local places. Looks like we have another reference for all of our vacation food.

Paid Post -- Free Podcasting

2007-02-16T12:00:00.000-05:00

For my birthday last month, my wife got me an MP3 player. I am a big tech geek, but I'm also not exactly loaded, so I pretty much try to stay up on what the latest tech gear is, but I don't actually got out and buy it. So, this is the first MP3 player in our house (I know, so 2002 of us...)

I use it all the time to listen to music and books on CD, but I'm intrigued by podcasting. I first want to listen to some of the millions of available podcasts out there, but I know that a lot of people naturally take the 2nd step to create their own podcasts. If your podcast become popular, you will often have bandwidth issues with your web host, as podcasts can eat up a lot of space...

MyPodcast.com offers free podcast hosting. Even better, you can even make money by using MyPodcast.com as your home for podcasts. Money is made when ads are inserted into your podcast. This can be done in a way that seems to flow naturally with the podcast. For example, you could simply say, "...and now for a word from our sponsor...And now back to the podcast..." You can even choose the ads that go into your podcast, so you don't end up with a podcast about cooking a beef roast and an ad about vegetarianism is inserted (not a real example -- for illustrative purposes only).

So, if you are looking for a place to host your podcast, look no further than MyPodcast.com.

Now THAT's a big digger...

2007-02-16T09:09:00.000-05:00

I've seen a show on The Learning Channel or Discover Channel or something that talked abou tthe equipment that is used in mines. The dumptrucks that mines use are massive machines -- a fully grown man can stand inside the wheel rim with plenty of headroom to spare.

This site has pictures of the world's biggest "digger." It's used for open mine trenching in coal mines in Germany. It requires more than 22 thousand horsepower to run (by contrast, the most powerful vehicle that I am responsible for pricing pushes out 260 hp).

My favorite pictures are the ones detailing the full-size bulldozer that apparently got too close to the digger and got pulled up onto it. It is dwarfed by the machine...

Paid Post -- Premier Lighting

2007-02-16T08:23:00.000-05:00

We are now 3 days from sledhehammers in our kitchen remodel. This weekend we will be packing up the kitchen and setting up a temporary kitchen in our office. This kitchen remodel is really gonna happen...

That having been said, we still don't have everything 100% planned. We have pretty solid ideas for just about everything, but we still don't have our exact paint color picked, our exact floor color picked and we've still not chosen a sink and faucet.

What we finally DID get decided in that past 2 weeks is lighting. Right now we have a single overhead light fixture in the center of the room and a single undercab fixture mounted over our sink. Our current kitchen is WOEFULLY under-illuminated.

What I don't know about kitchen lighting could easily fill multiple volumes of books. But, I was able to get a little advice from the guy at our local big box store and a little advice from a local lighting shop and I ended up with a plan that will work -- we may even have too much light in the kitchen.

I have also discovered that many online lighting stores will provide you with general information about lighting design and help you with your home lighting fixtures. Shoppremier.com has a wide array of products to light your home, both inside and out, as well as articles on how to design and choose your lights. They carry products from many of the top manufacturers (Kichler, George Kovacs, Maxim) and offer free shipping on orders over $100.

If you've ever commented that you need to do something about the lighting in your house, check out Premier Lighting at http://www.shoppremier.com

7 Wonders of the World -- now updated and still in existence

2007-02-16T07:08:00.000-05:00

I'm a big fan of ancient civilizations (I tended to focus especially on the Romans, with Greeks and Egyptians close behind). Growing up, I read (literally) every book in my town's library on archaeology and those three empires. I was such a nerd (in my defense, I'm still quite a nerd and I use the term with affection rather than derision). I was the only 6-year-old who could pronounce archaeology, let alone spell it.

I have since become interested in the South American civilizations (Aztecs, Mayas, etc) and was lucky enough to travel to Chichen Itza on the Yucatan Peninsula to see the Temple of Kukulcan, as well as the other buildings still standing. We were on vacation in Cancun -- Chichen Itza was a one day side trip -- but the Chichen Itza trip was the best part of the vacation. I was completely overwhelmed and didn't have a chance to see all that I would have liked to see.

I've told my wife that we would never be able to travel to Italy because I would likely never be willing to leave. I could probably spend a week (OK, probably a month) at the Colosseum alone...

In that same vein, there is a project underway to identify the 7 New Wonders of the World. The original 7 Wonders of the Ancient World (Great Pyramid of Giza (only 1 still around today), Hanging Gardens of Babylon, Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, Statue of Zeus at Olympia, Mausoleum of Maussollos at Halicarnassus, Colossus of Rhodes and the Lighthouse of Alexandria) were (and are) very impressive and amazing structures, but with 6 of them gone (and gone by 500 years or more), there is a push for an updated list.

You can vote on the 21 finalists at http://www.new7wonders.com/index.php

Paid Post -- PayPerPost.com

2007-02-15T11:16:00.000-05:00

Back again to talk up PayPerPost.com. I was introduced to this service through my wife's cousin, who had discovered it through her partner's brother, etc etc etc. So, basically PayPerPost is spreading through word of mouth and it is spreading quickly.

The basic premise is that word of mouth advertising works, and a blog is an online version of the traditional word of mouth. There are certain blogs that I read on a regular basis and I often find other that are interesting that at least get checked weekly. I am more likely to read an ad on those blogs than I am to pay attention to a sidebar ad that I see on search engines. Thus, advertisers are willing to pay me to write about their product.

Rather than going through all of the effort to establish lines of communication with every company I would like to write an ad for, PayPerPost does all of that work and they post a consolidated list of advertising opportunities for their bloggers. All I have to do is select an opportunity, write the post, submit my post to PayPerPost and then I make money blogging.

And, as PayPostPost expands it's number of bloggers, more advertisers get interested int heir service and the money paid to the bloggers goes up. The minimum pay is $5 for a post, but there are currently multiple opportunities for more than $100 for a single post and even a $1,000 for a single post. To get the higher dollar posts, you tyipcally have to have a moderate to high google page rank (advertisers will only want to shell out that kind of cash if they are assured of a decent # of viewers (much like TVs Nielsen ratings)).

PayPerPost's requirements are simple and straitforward and easy to follow. They require certain basic things to sign up for the service and then require disclosure when you post a paid opportunity (notice my disclosure policy link on the right and that my title always includes "Paid Post" when I am writing one...)

There are other pay-to-blog sites out there, but PayPerPost is very simple and passes on a higher % of the advertiser's money to the bloggers than other sites (some even have a 100% markup -- meaning that bloggers only get 50% of what the advertisers pay to that company). Check 'em out. If you use the "Get Paid to Review My Post" button below, you have an opportunity to make $7.50 very quickly.

New Ben & Jerry's Flavor

2007-02-15T11:06:00.000-05:00

Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream has announced a new flavor -- Stephen Colbert's Americone Dream. It's vanilla ice cream with fudge-covered waffle cone pieces and caramel. mmm....caramel (in your mind you should be reading that in your best Homer Simpson imitation...). Ben & Jerry's calls the new ice cream, "the sweet taste of liberty in your mouth."

Colbert has concerns with the company's known liberal political affiliations and their prior practice of naming flavors after hippies and stoners like Jerry Garcia (Cherry Garcia) and the band Phish (Phish Food). "I'm not afraid to say it. Dessert has a well-known liberal agenda," Colbert said in a statement. "What I hope to do with this ice cream is bring some balance back to the freezer case."

Colbert will donate his proceeds to charity through the Stephen Colbert Americone Dream Fund, which will give money to various causes. So, go buy some ice cream and support a good cause.

(No, this is not a paid post (no "Paid Post" in the title). I'm just a fan of Ben & Jerry's ice cream and of Stephen Colbert, so when the two came together, I got excited...)

Paid Post -- Review My Post

2007-02-15T10:26:00.000-05:00

OK, so everyone has seen that a number of my recent posts have been "Paid Posts." Obviously, from the content of the posts, I am promoting a website or service, and I am subsequently paid for providing that post for the benefit of the advertiser.

The company with which I am affiliated for those paid posts is PayPerPost.com. They have just introduced a new program that makes it easier than ever for people to sign up and earn money for blogging. By clicking on the 'Get Paid to Review My Post' button at the bottom of this entry, you will be directed to a PayPerPost.com page where you can sign up for the service. Then, simply write a post in your own blog about the post you have just read on my blog and you have just earned $7.50.

This is a great tool for people who don't want to write blog ads into their blog, because it is completely passive. For each person that writes a review of your post, the writer makes $7.50 and you make $7.50. So, you can make money by doing nothing more than pasting some html code into your blog template -- nothing easier than that...

So please, review this post by clicking on the button below and you will have just opened yourself up to an opportunity to make money doing something you already do -- blogging...

It makes the beer...more beery?

2007-02-14T13:13:00.000-05:00

The guys over at Sam Adams/Boston Beer Company (I don't think it was the guy with the woodsman beard in their commercials (who, coincidentally, I saw on the Discovery Channel when they were at the Boston Beer Company explaining the process of making beer)) have, they believe, elevated the whole beer experience to a new level with the introduction of a new glass, specifically designed and crafted to "elevate the craft beer drinking experience."

I wholly and firmly believe that beer is the sweet nectar of life (except Natural Ice -- that stuff just gives me headaches), so any enhancement of the beer experience (is that possible) is looked upon very favorably by me.

According to their website, the "bead inside rim creates turbulence to release flavor and aromas as beer enters mouth...outward turned lip delivers beer to front of tongue where sweetness (malt) is tasted...narrowing the glass at the top retains the hop aroma and sustains the head...rounded shape collects aromas...thinner walls and rounded shape maintain proper beer temperature longer...laser ethings on bottom create bubbles for constant aroma release." All of that stuff adds up to a $7.50 glass from which you can better enjoy your beer. Might be worth a shot, but some of that stuff doesn't apply when I drink beer. I mean, I really like beer and all, but I don't sniff it much or let it sit around long enough to get too warm, so that's not all that applicable. Maybe I'm just not enjoying my beer the proper way?

Paid Post -- Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue

2007-02-14T09:15:00.000-05:00

As mentioned a couple of posts ago, today is Valentine's Day. But, it is also the date of the release of the most anticipated sports magazine of the year. No, it's not the NFL draft breakdown or the MLB World Series analysis -- it's the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition!

This year's edition has Beyonce Knowles on the cover and features all of the things we have come to expect over the years from a swimsuit edition -- scantily clad models in bathing suits in the foreground with beach and wildlife scenes in the back (wait, there's a background in those pictures?!?)

SI not only publishes a great swimsuit edition (I've heard that they have been known to publish other editions of the magazine as well during the rest of the year, but they seem to deal only in sports topics), but they have been keeping up with the latest technology and they now offer cell phone wallpaper downloads of many of the models and pictures featured in the magazine. These models include Bar Rafaeli (who apparently just broke up with Leonardo DiCaprio, so she's single and may be interested in a Valentine's date), Heidi Klum, Maria Sharapova and Marisa Miller. You can also purchase former cover girls including Elle Macpherson and Kathy Ireland as well as puchasing video clips from the photo shoots.

So, run out to the newstands to purchase a card for your significant other. While you are there, make sure to pick up your copy of thr SI Swimsuit Issue. Then, be sure to check out SI Mobile for downloadable cell phone pictures, videos and animated screen savers.

I don't condone the name of the website but...

2007-02-13T23:11:00.000-05:00

...It is an interesting oddity.

This guy had extensive skin grafts when he was 15 as a result of severe burns. They used skin from hsi chest to graft onto his legs. When the new skin grew in, he grew a very distinct nipple just above his left knee.

When I showed this site to my wife, she commented that she would've had it removed. Scott, instead, went in another direction and had his new nipple pierced. It's gotta make for an interesting icebreaker during shorts weather...

Paid Post -- Egreetings.com

2007-02-13T22:03:00.000-05:00

It's February 13th, and that means that guys everywhere are getting ready to utter those three special words, "Crap, I forgot!" That's right guys, Valentine's Day officially begins in less than 2 hours (eastern time anyway).

Egreetings.com to the rescue. While they can't get you a reservation to that outrageously exclusive, romantic restaurant your wife has been hinting at for months and they can't erase the fact that you got drunk and passed out during your last "romantic" date, Egreetings.com allows you to send your someone special a quick e-card to let them know you are thinking of them. What that e-card does do is buy you some time to rush out and buy that gift you've completely forgotten to buy. A quick e-card in the morning while you are at work says "I'm thinking of you," even if the only reason you remembered was because Jill in accounting got 7 dozen red roses from her husband -- one for every month of bliss...

And, as if this cake needed any more icing, by becoming a member of Egreetings.com, you can schedule cards to be delivered on a specific date in the future. So, if you tend to forget everything, you can just go ahead and get all of your e-card obligations out of the way right now. You may even want to schedule a duplicate card to be delivered to your inbox 3-4 days prior to the event, so you are reminded to go out and buy that gift...

If you're looking for a funny, risque or even sentimental e-card for nearly any imaginable occasion, Egreetings.com is the place for you. All of their cards can be personalized with a message and pictures, so every card is perfect for you. By becoming a member, you have access to all of their e-cards and the future delivery option. Oh, and membership is free for 30-days, so you've got nothing to lose.

And, if you are in the market for a last minute Valentine's Day card, might I suggest this one (any card with a pudgy, bald man in a diaper makes me at least smirk...)

Or, you can try this one: Valentine's Day eCard by "The Chins"

Useful tips...

2007-02-13T12:37:00.000-05:00

...If you ever find yourself caught in a horror movie.

I'm finding more lists out there on the internet. A few posts ago I had the worst high school analogies & metaphors ever. This one I blatantly "borrowed" from another random blog in the blogspot world (I just clicked the 'Next Blog' button and it took me to a random one...dunno which one)

A few of the gems are:

Beware of strangers bearing tools such as chainsaws, staple guns, hedge
trimmers, electric carving knives, lawnmowers, butane torches, smoldering irons,
band saws or any device made from deceased companions.

The first woman to either lose or remove her clothing is dead meat.

and

When you are searching a house because you think there is something
dangerous there, turn on the damn lights!

Paid Post -- SLAPPA.com; Protect Your Digital Media

2007-02-13T11:13:00.000-05:00

I have a moderately hefty CD and movie collection (roughly 1,300 CDs and about 200 DVD movies (I threw out about 400 VHS tapes a few months back)). I like having all of that multimedia at my fingertips, but the problem is space. When I had all of my CDs displayed, it literally took up an entire wall, from the ground to 4-feet high, in our office. When we moved, I packed up all fo the CDs and cases and only took out the 150 or so CDs that I listen to on a regular basis.

SLAPPA.com offers a wide array of products to allow you to easily store, transfer and protect your digital media. Their hard cases protect fragile electronics from bump and scrapes and their d2 pockets allow you to store your CDs and covers easily, economically, and without the need for the bulky and overly fragile jewel cases. I've seen lots of cases before that don't require the jewel case, but typically you sacrifice the covers because there is only one sleeve available (for the disc). The d2 pockets have two separate sleeves, one for the CD and one for the cover. So, when flipping through the pages, you'll see the cover art staring back at you.

They also carry laptop, MP3 and cell phone cases as well as a line of products tailored to DJs and their unique needs.

Check out SLAPPA.com for all of your digital media needs.

I'm back

2007-02-13T09:56:00.000-05:00

There seems to be a nasty virus spreading through all of metro Detroit, and with a baby in childcare, it was only a matter of time before someone in the house was sick. Unfortunately, it was both the baby and me. Actually, we're both home sick today, but both decidedly on the mend (he was sick as a dog this weekend while I almost passed out getting my haircut -- I didn't know I was sick until that experience...)

But, I'm back and will be posting my random links from teh interweb once again. Sorry for the lapse. I'll try to get a few in today as penance...

Paid Post -- Weber Poker Tables

2007-02-13T09:44:00.000-05:00

It seems like I can't flip though the ESPN/Fox Sports channels on my cable (they're all bunched together in channels 32-35, which makes it all too easy for my wife to completely gloss over...) without seeing at least one poker game being broadcast. And why not? I've always enjoyed playing poker and the craze seems to have spread across the country.

I will never forget the first Friday of the month when I was in the army (payday was the 1st of the month). There were a bunch of us that would get together and play cards. The dealer called the game, but Hi-Lo, Blcakjack and 5-card draw were always very popular. 6 of us would crowd around a footlocker that we used as a game table. It was fun, but it could've been a lot more fun with some real equipment like a serious poker table, gaming chairs and some nice chips.

Weber Poker Tables sells just those things and they certainly look nice. We're planning a basement remodel next winter (after we get the kitchen finished -- sledgehammers in 6 days). Maybe I can convince my wife to put in a nice gaming table so I can have the guys over for a regular poker night... If you order a table, a set of 500 pro-quality chips comes free.

ahhh...the Genius of Teenagers...

2007-02-07T21:15:00.000-05:00

I hope that these are all true and that this is some anonymous teacher's way of staying sane... This site supposedly contains a list of actual analogies/metaphors written by students in the course of their homework assignments for high school. Often, even though the stories are funny, these things end up being hoaxes. Either way, I still laugh at some of these. But, they're even funnier if I imagine some hopeless case of a high school English student who includes these words as part of their homework...

My favorites are:

They lived in a typical suburban neighborhood with picket fences that
resembled Nancy Kerrigan's teeth

and

He was as tall as a six-foot-three-inch tree

Paid Post -- Flucidity: a new Theory of Everything

2007-02-07T11:51:00.000-05:00

And this has nothing to do with Douglas Adams and "The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy"

A. Sorel is a guy who has a fairly complex theory about how everything in the universe is really pretty simple. Going back to my post a few days ago about Super Bowl Squares, I've already remarked on how cool it is that a lot of everyday problems can be solved with math if they are boiled down to their most basic pieces. The Theory of Everything applies that same concept to, well, everything.

Flucidity makes you look at any statement or problem and determine how you get from where you are to where you need to be. By breaking things into basic steps, it's much easier to see the end result rather than trying to attack the whole of the issue at once. The genius of this theory is not in the way it works, but in its application to problems outside of academia.

So this, I gotta see...

2007-02-07T11:39:00.000-05:00

I've got a healthy (or maybe overly healthy) fear of heights and I've had it for quite awhile. I don't recall any specific event that would've triggered this fear, but I find myself a little concerned when I'm near the edge of something tall.

That having been said, I also kind of like the feeling I get when I'm a little scared. Maybe it's the idiot coming out in me or maybe it's just some minor addiction to adrenaline. Whatever it is, I find myself in situations where I voluntarily address/immerse myself in some of my fears. For example, in high school, I dated a girl who had a pet snake (I do have a specific event that triggered my snake fear). Instead of running away, I decided to try to "get to know" the snake. I was successful and came away impressed by the snake overall. I still don't like encountering snakes in the wild, but I'm much more open to being around snakes that people have had as pets or are in the zoo (I know, stupid distinction...).

Also, for years I enjoyed rapelling and rock climbing. Both of those are activities that would seem to run counter to my fear of heights. But, when I was rock climbing once, I discovered something interesting about my fear of heights -- I'm only afraid of heights that I can easily grasp conceptually. There was a particularly difficult move required on a face that nearly paralyzed me. It took a good 15 minutes to make the move. There was an equally difficult move about 30 feet further up the face that I made immediately. The difference? -- the 2nd move was above the treeline and it didn't seem to bug me when I was 75 feet up...

Thus, this idea sounds AWESOME! Basically, there is a proposal to build a steel and glass structure that juts out from the edge of the Grand Canyon so visitors can have the experience of looking down into the gaping hole right under their feet. I've never been to the Grand Canyon, so it's definitely on my "to-do" list, but now I know which exact spot I'll be visiting...

Paid Post -- Indian Video Sharing Site

2007-02-07T11:17:00.000-05:00

The internet continues to break down geographical barriers and push the limits of our often outdated technological infrastructure. Although my wife's parents have been living in Shanghai, China for 2.5 years (and we're here in the boring old United States), we can still keep in contact through e-mail and video conferencing. Streaming and downloadable video demand that the tubes coming into our homes get bigger and bigger -- phone lines were fine initially, but now DSL or cable internet is becoming more necessary. Fiber optics and electrical internet pathways are on the near horizon. I can't imagine where we'll go after that, but you can bet that the internet and its users will drive change and advancement.

AapkaVideo is an Indian Video Sharing site that may, at first glance, appear to be an offshoot of the popular video sharing site YouTube. However, AapkaVideo.com is designed and intended for an Indian audience. Although the internet can bring the world closer to your living room, it can also help to reinforce a culture that may have become distant based on your location.

So, if you're jonesing for some good Bollywood production or just need a taste of home, AapkaVideo.com can help satisfy your need. Oh, and many video sites seem to have some questionable material that may not be suitable for all viewers. One cool feature of AapkaVideo.com is that you can flag content as objectionable if you happen to find something you don't want to have your family members stumble across. Trying to keep it clean, you know...

Geeked about Gigapxl Project

2007-02-07T08:17:00.000-05:00

I discovered this project about 3 years ago but just recently stumbled across the link in my bookmark section. They've changed the site a bit (unfortunately, because I think some pages from their old site showed off the capabilities of the project better than the current site), but they've still got some interesting stuff.

Basically, some uber-nerd (nerd is a term I use very inspirationally, not derogatorily. I sometimes think that I reach the level of nerd on certain topics and, when I have that evel of ability, I embrace the nerd in me) studied the way that light and images enter a camera and used his findings to stretch the limits of photography technology. In an interesting twist, the Gigapxl team determined that film, rather than digital, technology was the only way to achieve the results they sought to achieve -- take that modern technology...

The result of the teams work was a camera capable of taking 4-gigapixel images. Our digital camera is the 4-megapixel variety, so it would take 1,000 of our cameras set up in a grid to match the clarity of a single picture taken by the Gigapxl camera.

The capability of the camera and the stunning detail that it produces is visible when you click on an image in the Image Gallery section of the site. They will show you the entire image and then "zoom" in on small sections of the original to show off the fine details available in the picture. Hopefully someday, they'll take their images on a museum tour of the US so I can see the originals, not just digital scans where my computer screen/resolution is the limiting factor...

Paid Post -- CouponChief.com

2007-02-06T18:59:00.000-05:00

As the father of a 14-month-old baby, I shudder to think how much money we spend on diapers (actually, it was about $445 in 2006). We could save more by using cheaper brands, but we've had good luck with Pampers Cruisers, so I figure, why mess with a good thing? But I haven't completely abandoned the idea of saving on baby items. So, I'm always on the lookout for a good deal.

This is where CouponChief.com comes in. This site compiles coupons, codes and deals from lots of major retailers and has them all listed in one place. I'm a big fan of their Baby, Kids & Toys section. Actually, 3 days ago they added an Amazon coupon code for $25 instant savings the the purchase of $99 worth of any combination of Pampers, Luvs or Kandoo products. Combine that with the free shipping they offer and it's cheaper than any wholesale club plus they deliver it right to you door (Hey Two Mamas, you should check this deal out...). I'm in for three boxes...

1950s Kitchen Cabinets

2007-02-05T13:47:00.000-05:00

So, we're getting extremely close to starting our kitchen remodel (less than 2 weeks from sledgehammers...). We have exactly 14 1/2 linear inches of countertop space in our kitchen. For a couple that like to cook, as we do, that is WOEFULLY inadequate. That, coupled with the whole no dishwasher thing (bad enough before, but with a 14-month-old?!?) and the basic fact that it is a 1950s kitchen that was NOT kept up properly, a remodel was always in the plans.

In looking at how best to approach the remodel, we've had a few contractors into the house for some quotes. One guy was really interested in our sink and cabinets. I'd never really given it much thought, but I decided to do a little internet digging. Apparently, if you can link up the demand with your supply, you can get some decent coin (I'm estimating $700-$1,000 for our cabinets if I can find a buyer in my area). The problem is figuring out where those who demand such things are likely to see that you have a supply...

Anyway, our cabinets are Youngstown Kitchen cabinets by Mullins. Apparently these were everywhere in the 50s. There are some pretty interesting magazine ads that have been scanned and posted on the internet about these kitchens. Site 1, Site 2 (the 2nd picture down on this site is pretty close to a representation of our sink and sink cabinet). Also, you can even download the Mullinaires singing about the Mullins cabinet line here (right-click on Mullinai1953.mpeg (62M) and select 'Save Target As...') This type of singing group was fairly common of marketing in the 1950s...

So, if anyone knows someone who is interested in doing a true 1950s remodel of their kitchen, we may be able to hook 'em up...

Paid Post -- Wholesale Replica Sunglasses

2007-02-05T12:01:00.000-05:00

So, if you are an average person, you proabably look at the prices associated with many consumer good and wonder who can afford that. Then, when you look at really uppity brands, you wonder who could possibly afford that. That is especially true when you start seeing names like Louis Vittan (or however it's spelled; I don't need to know how it's spelled since I'll never be the one buying from that store/designer...), Prada and Armani.

But, CTS Wholesale Sunglasses has the answer. They sell Wholesale Replica Sunglasses at prices that would make it easy to turn a profit. These are not exact replicas of the sunglasses offered by those snooty designers, so the customer has no concerns about running afoul of copyright law. While they specialize in selling to retailers (they even have package deals that include display racks so a retailer can get into this business easily), there's no reason you can't purchase them for individual use if you are extremely forgetful, clumsy or unlucky (they're sold by the dozen). I've got a 14-month-old son at home who loves playing with my cell phone and sunglasses -- sometimes with disastrous results -- so this site gives me something to contemplate.

They even have discounts when you order more than 25 dozen sunglasses. So, if you've got some extra space in your shop and are looking for some extra revenue, check out CTS Wholesale Sunglasses and see if their products are right for you.

Super Bowl Squares Revealed -- a Day Late...

2007-02-05T11:17:00.000-05:00

OK, so I should've posted this before the Super Bowl, but I was too lazy...

Math is a pretty amazing academic discipline. If you break nearly any situation down into its most basic pieces, you can almost always apply math to arrive at a conclusion. Emotion will often interfere with decisions, but, if you are able to keep emotion out of the process, math can often give you a good answer.

Almost everyone is familiar with the Super Bowl Squares concept. People fill in a 10 X 10 grid (usually there is some money involved, but we won't discuss sports gambling as I am not based in Vegas...), and after the grid is complete, numbers 0-9 are randomly filled in across the top and down the side. Those numbers correspond to the last digit in the score of each team in the Super Bowl. Typically, after each quarter, a winner is determined by the score and a pre-determined payout is distributed.

As with most things, there is math behind the probability of winning based on your square. A more detailed explanation, with a sample square gridded and filled in with accompanying probabilities available here.

As a side note, my high school math teacher, Mr. John Rajca, was interviewed a few years ago about the NCAA tournament bracket and the probabilities involved with that setup. You can find a copy of his interview here. Mr Rajca was one of my favorite teachers in high school, but I didn't realize it until I was out of school. He was so scary samrt that he had no idea that what he was saying didn't register with a number of us... Not exactly the most effective teaching method, but for those who were math geniuses, he could speak to pretty well...

Paid Post -- Credit Card Debt Management

2007-02-03T16:26:00.000-05:00

Almost everyone knows how easy it is to whip out that plastic and pay for almost anything these days. I personally carry cash very rarely. I tend to avoid stores that don't accept credit cards and, much to the embarrassment of my wife, am perfectly willing to pay for a $0.35 pack of gum with a credit card.

The problem with plastic is that there is no real emotional connection to the money that goes out of your pocket. Cash seems to trigger your inner voice that makes you question whether or not you really need that 5th 42" plasma TV so you can watch the game while in the bathroom... With plastic, before you know it, you've found yourself buried in Credit Card Debt

If you've found yourself in a bit of a pinch due to that ever-increasing pile of credit card statements, you could probably do well to get some sort of Credit Card Debt Management system or even Credit Card Debt Consolidation.

The Roads Most Dangerously Travelled

2007-02-02T08:39:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I saw a link that proclaimed to be a list of the 5 Most Dangerous Roads in the World. Having travelled to Shanghai, China in 2005, I was certain that all 5 would be in China's major cities (my observation was that traffic laws were understood to be merely a suggestion and that the millions of other people on the road were minor annoyances at best; I feared for my life every time I was in a taxi...). I was surprised to find that only two roads listed were in China, and were not in metropolitan areas.

Having said that, after seeing the list, I can agree that the streets in Shanghai are dangerous, but less likely to cause death, or at least significant maiming, than the roads included in the list. The hiking trail in China is especially frightening to even look at. The thought of actually traversing the trail, while thrilling, is chillingly disturbing...

Paid Post -- Free Tax Preparation Software

2007-02-01T12:31:00.000-05:00

I just finished our taxes and we're now waiting on our refund. Our taxes are so simple, it's easy for me to do them myself (our deductions were so low this year with no balance on the home equity loan (thus, no deductible interest) coupled with out outrageously low interest rate on our mortgage (4.125% on our 7-year ARM) that we didn't even cross the itemization threshold...). But, I know that most people's taxes are difficult enough to need an advanced degree just to read the tax form. That's where tax preparation services come in handy.

Liberty tax is a full service tax prep company founded by the same guy who founded Jackson Hewitt Tax Service, John T Hewitt, so you know there's a solid background in preparing taxes for filers.

And, Liberty Tax, in cooperation with eSmart Tax and the IRS, offers FREE Tax Preparation Software and e-File to those who quality under some restrictions. Those conditions are:

1) Be 70 years old or under
2) Have an AGI of $52,000 or under
3) Reside in one of these States: AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, GA, HI, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, MT, NC, ND, NE, NJ, NM, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, UT, VA, VT, WI, or WV

This offer is only available at http://www.libertytax.com/freefile.htm

Using software/your computer to do your taxes makes the entire process easier. The calculator is built in to tax software, so you won't have to hunt for one of those. Also, you can type everything into the correct area when prompted and the forms will be completed for you. You just need to print, submit electronically and (hopefully) wait for the fat refund check to come and brighten your winter... No more writing the form out by hand and mailing it in.

If you are lucky enough to qualify for this Free Tax Preparation Software offer, please make Liberty Tax you tax preparation location.

Dude is building a spaceship...

2007-02-01T11:17:00.000-05:00

Alfie Carrington lives about 15 miles from my house and has become seemingly instantly famous since his story was picked up on the AP wire. I read this story in one of the local papers, the Detroit Free Press, when it came out in late December. Somebody on Fark.com saw it in the South Bend Tribune and got their headline greenlit for Fark's main page. Now, Aflie appears in no fewer than 13,000 pages when I ran a quick search for his name on Google...

I was hoping that there would be a progress log or some other diary/blog about his activities, but Alfie is basically computer illiterate. Yeah, Alfie is building a spaceship but can't use a computer. I'm pretty computer literate and I can barely keep an online blog going. This dude is building a ship that flies...

I hope like hell that Alfie gets his ship off the ground and that we're all commuting in his invention in 15 years. I'm jst constantly amazed that average people can take an interest and turn it into something this (hopefully) impressive.

Paid Post -- T-Mobile myFaves phones & plans at Wirefly Mobile

2007-02-01T10:31:00.000-05:00

I'm definitely a person who is in the minority when it comes to cell phone service. I was one of the first people I know to have a cell phone (not a bag phone that you plugged into the car). The service I used was CellularOne, which was a local provider in Indiana. After my contract was up with them, I switched to Sprint in 1998 and I've been with Sprint ever since (9 years with one service provider). It's not that I love their service coverage (it is spotty in most of the country, concentrating in big cities and along interstates), but their plans tend to work best for me. My current plan is a share plan with 800 minutes between my wife and me, which is just enough for us -- we tend to use between 600 and 750 minutes a month outside of Sprint to Sprint calls, which are included in the plan. One of the nicest features for Sprint is that overage minutes are tacked on at a rate of $5 for 100 minutes instead of $0.35 a minute like most providers...

However, some of the new features of the T-Mobile service have made that company a lot more appealing. Specifically, I'm interested in the myFaves plans (in TV commercials at "my 5"). I tend to spend the bulk of my minutes (probably 75%) talking to 4 specific phone numbers -- my wife, my parents, my brother and a friend from high school. My wife is much the same with probably about 4 numbers comprising 60-75% of her calls. Looking at that call pattern, I've commented frequently to her that, when our contract is up in October, T-Mobile is going to get a pretty serious look for our business.

Wirefly Mobile is "The Internet's #1 Store for Cell Phones and Plans" and they are having a promotion where a new user can get a $50 rebate when ordering a new T-Mobile plan online (plans of at least $34.99 a month by March 31, 2007). Plus, Wirefly Mobile has deals that can net you a free T-Mobile RAZR. Everyone knows the RAZR is one of the best phones on the market with its insanely slim profile while still maintaining the plusses of being a flip phone.

This post sponsored by Wirefly Mobile

Aglets, Liripipes and Phosphenes

2007-01-31T10:52:00.000-05:00

The English language (both American and British) is reputed to be one of the most difficult to learn if it is not your native tongue. I've been attempting to use the Engligh language as my primary mode of communication for at least 30 of my 32 years, and I am constantly amazed at my seemingly feeble grasp on the language. I probably have a slightly above average vocabulary, but nearly everyday I hear words that I am not familiar with.

I found a list of 33 things that most of us have seen, but have probably never knew they had a name or never needed to know what the name was... The only one I knew was Aglet, which is the plastic thing on the end of shoelaces (I had an inkling about Peen, but wouldn't have staked my life or paycheck on it...)

There are links to other lists at the bottom of the page as well. I'm especially fond of the list of 23 Obscure and Obsolete Words

Paid Post -- Soaps.com

2007-01-30T23:38:00.000-05:00

Soaps.com is the site for all things Soaps related. They are a relatively new site, but they seem to have everything you need to know to get caught up on your favorite "stories" (that's what the old ladies from my hometown call them...)

I have to admit, I've never really been able to watch soaps with any sort of rabid interest. There are just too many random things happening that are so outlandish that I think they should be animated rather than caught on film. I mean, how many people can possibly be struck by sudden and completely unprovoked bouts of total amnesia?

But, soap operas do have their following -- sometimes a VERY enthusiastic fanbase. My rommate when I transferred schools for my junior year was so addicted to his soaps ("Days of Our Lives" if I remember correctly) that he scheduled his classes around their broadcast schedule. He is the perfect example of a person who would be thrilled about Soaps. If he were to be forced to miss an episode for reasons such as gainful employment or even amnesia that he had during a dream sequence, he'd be able to get caught up on what he had missed just by clicking on the Daily Updates link. So, Jon, if you have found this blog, check it out. It's as if they made it just for you.

Disclosure Policy

2007-01-30T23:18:00.000-05:00

I know, weird post title... I've entered the world of paid blogging. Thus, I now need a disclosure policy that applies to this blog and the content within.

This policy is valid from 30 January 2007
This blog is a personal blog written and edited by me. This blog accepts forms of cash advertising, sponsorship, paid insertions or other forms of compensation.
This blog abides by word of mouth marketing standards. We believe in honesty of relationship, opinion and identity. The compensation received may influence the advertising content, topics or posts made in this blog. That content, advertising space or post will be clearly identified as paid or sponsored content.
The owner(s) of this blog is compensated to provide opinion on products, services, websites and various other topics. Even though the owner(s) of this blog receives compensation for our posts or advertisements, we always give our honest opinions, findings, beliefs, or experiences on those topics or products. The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely the bloggers' own. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer, provider or party in question.
This blog does contain content which might present a conflict of interest. This content will always be identified.
To get your own policy, go to http://www.disclosurepolicy.org

Simple (OK, sometimes difficult) genius

2007-01-27T09:32:00.000-05:00

I am forever impressed with people who not only look at the world in a different way, but are able to take the initiative to do something different as well. Nate True has done some pretty incredible (and a few medically unsafe) things in his pursuit of knowledge.

Based on what I've read of his various sites, he's rather intelligent and industrious -- both very impressive qualities. He has embraced his inner nerd, which I find gratifying (my inner nerd was never very inward, but often confused people when they also took into account my jock side...).

Som of my favorite prjects of his are the time fountain (how I originally found his site), how to turn your pee blue (may not be safe...be warned), make your own noise blocking headphones (similar to Ultimate Ears product, but for $880 less...), interesting Halloween costume (I may try this one this year) and a Blue Man Group instrument copy.

Overall, I'm very impressed with Nate True and Jesse (who gets lots of mention on his site)

USB Flash Drives

2007-01-26T13:38:00.000-05:00

So, my work had a "special event" or some such crap today, at which they passed out USB flash drives in the shape of a pickup truck (from a few posts ago, I work for an automotive company). As expected, these fine pieces of machinery were of questionable quality (many didn't work straight out of the box) and of questionable usefulness (anywhere from 47MB to 78MB (so what's up with the non-64 or -128)), but the price was right and it got me out of work for 15 minutes...

Anyway, with my beautiful pickup USB displayed proudly (?) on my ever-cluttered desk, it is easy to recognize that a USB drive doesn't have to be a boring, rectangular solid piece of tech gear. In that vein, here is a top-10 list of odd USB drive designs. Some are VERY simple (using zip ties, etc). Easily my favorite is the #1 pick... Again, I may have a childish sense of humor, but I think it's funny...

Do not call, write, inquire, offer or otherwise bother me...

2007-01-24T14:10:00.000-05:00

No, not the reader of this blog, but those outside forces whose sole goal in life is to distract and annoy you with phone calls, junk mail and spam in your e-mail. There are a number of opt-lists available to the average person, but many don't know they exist.

The government "Do Not Call" list got a lot of popularity and news coverage when it came out. But, there are other lists that you can sign up for to keep from other types of interruptions.

Once again AOL has come through with a compilation of these lists and links to their various locations. I knew of another few of these before I saw this list, but there were a number of others I didn't know existed.

Oh, sorry about the lack of posts the past few days. I have been sick, but I'm back again...

I love my job...

2007-01-17T10:12:00.000-05:00

This post is part of an interesting project put forth by Chris Hooley on his ThinkBait blog. Instead of reporting on all the crappy jobs out there, he wants to show that there are some decent ones. I think mine may surprise a few people since I work for a Fortune 5 company (don't want to name the company, but you'll quickly narrow it to 2...).

I am a pricing analyst for an automotive company. I am responsible for setting the MSRP for 6 vehicles, primarily in the small car segment. I also establish the option pricing and work to develop packaging and model strategies to maximize vehicle profitability. (Wake up, you're not allowed to sleep through this -- I like what I do...)

The reasons I love my job are varied, and include:
- Relative autonomy. Yes, working for a huge, global company means there is quite a lot of beauracracy, but within my management group, we are recognized as the authoritative voices for our vehicles and our opinions are valued
- I like cars. My wife laments that, prior to taking a job with my company, I wasn't all that into cars. Now I am nearly obsessed, which is a good thing given my recent assignment in pricing.
- I truly enjoy doing analysis-type work. I know, I'm an uber-nerd, but I really do like trying to find trends and establish best practices.
- Good management team. I have held a number of positions within my company in the nearly 8 years I have worked here. I've seen many management styles and I know what works well for me. My current team does not micro-manage. They'll check in every few days to see if they need to get involved in something, but otherwise they leave me alone.
- I get involved in planning future vehicles. As obsessed as I am with current cars, I'm even more into future vehicles. Unfortunately, the investment required to create a vehicle is ginormous, so making what may seem to be a minor change can drive significant cost. Thus, each successive generation of a vehicle tries to correct the errors of the past generation. I get to be in at the ground level on my vehicles and make suggestions/critiques when something can actually be done about it.

In addition to liking the work, I also like some of the perks associated with my job:
- 4 weeks of paid vacation
- 16 paid holidays
- Free Detroit Auto Show (not only do I get tickets, but I am required to attend, during work hours, as a part of my job)
- Decent benefits package. It's getting more expensive every year, but that's typical everywhere...
- My next promotion provides me with a company car and paid car insurance/fuel (that's kinda like the motherlode for our family...)
- Decent salary (I know, how tacky, but it is important...)

Those are some of the reasons I love my job.

As promised, Kegerator instructions

2007-01-16T10:02:00.000-05:00

A quick search of google for "kegerator instructions" turns up quite a few entries. Every time I get the itch, I do a search for this topic and I am amazed at the number of entries and the detail provided. Some people just do a quick and dirty version that will dispense beer, while others try to make sure they have the most impressive looking kegerator known to man (some with flame decals, interesting paint jobs and the like). My desire would probably fall somewhere between those two extremes. I would be interested in a functional dispenser that wasn't too ugly...

Most sites I have seen give a decent bit of information, but to truly build a functional kegerator, I think you'd need to compil einformation from a number of sites, as most seem to leave some piece of information out (i.e. those good at showing execution often don't show much of the planning process, things just show up in the directions without any explanation as to their function or how they got there, etc). Also, many sites only have instructions for the specific model of refrigerator used in their example. Only after looking at a number of sites can you appreciate the basics required across the board.

For a decent overview, I think this is my favorite site. It's a bit short on written instructions, but the pictures are pretty decent. For other information, try these sites also: Site 1, Site 2 and Site 3.

True Genius in this Mod

2007-01-14T11:21:00.000-05:00

I have a firm belief that beer is the sweet nectar of life. I believe that Ben Franklin put it best when he said, "Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy."

Thus, I bring you the beer dispensing PC. There is very little information here, but I think we can assume that the PC no longer perfums computing functions. Actually, with the beer, the PC would be something of the anti-compute, as, when I get a few into me, it becomes kind of hard to even add or subtract...

This would really be a fairly simple modification asn the PC only supplies the housing for the tap. The more involved modification would be to convert a refrigerator to a kegerator. I'll find a site with instuctions for that for my next post. I've seen a few examples of refrigerator conversions. I've always been duly impressed...

Not a true mod, but definitely a repurposing...

2007-01-12T07:13:00.000-05:00

I tend to enjoy it when people are able to pull off a solid prank that really doesn't negatively affect anyone (a prank that involves some pain, while it may be humorous, doesn't have the same lasting impact as one that is simple, irreverent and maybe even has some inside joke appeal to it).

This guy took an opportunity to change a standard electronic road sign (that wasn't warning of any danger -- thus the not unsafe aspect) to give himself a chuckle. It was a simple enough process, as he describes in the article, and the inside joke isn't among him and a few friends, but instead is widely known among sci-fi fans. (For those who don't know about the joke, you can click here to learn more).

Kitchen Cabinet Modifications

2007-01-11T11:26:00.000-05:00

So, I've posted a couple of times about our impending kitchen remodel. I don't want it to become old hat, but it will consume our lives while it is happening, so it is a pretty big deal to us...

Anyway, we were unhappily surprised by the price of (NOT high end) cabinets for our relatively small kitchen. We started to look for ways to cut the budget in other areas to accomodate the cabinet prices. Then, IKEA opened up a store 30 miles from us and everything changed. We had heard about IKEA cabinets before, seen that they were very highly ranked in Consumer Reports, and seen some kitchens done with IKEA cabs, but had never considered them for ourselves. With a store within easy driving distance, that all changed.

The beautiful thing about IKEA cabinets is that they are good quality cabinets at a VERY low price. The not so beautiful thing is that they maintain that low price by offering no level of customization for their cabinets. So, the way to make IKEA cabinets work well in a kitchen is to learn how to modify them to fit your needs. IKEAFans has the people who have that knowledge are are willing to share it. From simple changes (adding an extra shelf in a cabinet) to more involved changes (making a rectangular cabinet into one that has a 45 degree angle), there are detailed instructions with pictures and a host of people with experience and suggestions. The page is undergoing some construction, but a great place to start is in the forums.

IKEA cabinets, in their as sold form, would not afford us the functionality we want in our kitchen. With a few modifications, we can get a great deal on good cabinets and set up the kitchen the way we want to use it.

Computer Modifications

2007-01-10T09:35:00.000-05:00

OK, so the primary section of this site just deals with computers, which we all know are pretty versatile machines. The way this site shows modifications is two-fold.

First, and my primary interest in the site, is that very few people have ever considered using a computer to record TV. That is exactly what the Home Theater PC (HTPC) movement is all about. You should all be familiar with the brand name TiVo (or the generic DVR). The basic problem with those pieces of equipment is that you have to pay an ongoing (and seemingly ever-increasing) subscription to maintain the service. With a self-built HTPC, you get all of the benefits of TiVo (and more) without any of the ongoing cost. The up-front build may cost more than the hardware for a TiVo, but you can also put more into your build. For example, the largest hard drive on a TiVo is 80gig, whereas with your own build, your drive space is limited only by your pocketbook and your tolerance for noise. Also, a DVD-R for a computer costs about $30 these days, where, to get the ability to burn your recorded programs onto DVD with TiVo, you'll pay significantly more than that. I could go on all day discussing the differences...

The 2nd modification portion of the site deals with modifying the case that houses the HTPC. This is a pretty big deal, especially among gamers. I'm not personally into case mods, but it is a big industry and, I have to admit, some of them are pretty cool...

Super Soaker Modifications

2007-01-09T15:34:00.000-05:00

My wife has a friend, Mike (whose last name I've never been able to spell), who would randomly drive 50 miles to knock on her door in college, just to blast her with a Super Soaker squirt gun when she answered. I think he'd like this site...

I've become very interested in "re-purposing" new and used items. Most of my next few posts will cover some of my favorite sites for modifying things. There are all kinds of things I am interested in that some very creative people have taken and come up with a method to do new things with them. Hell, there's even an HGTV Canada show where two brothers raid people's trash, only to fix it up, convert it to a new use and return it to the unsuspecting previous owners. The theory is really interesting even if the execution is less than perfect (too bad too as I usually like Canadian sensibilities...). The show is called Junk Brothers

Can you tell that I'm taking strides to update more regularly?

2007-01-05T11:08:00.000-05:00

I don't do much talking about my personal life on the blog, but I probably will mention things as this thing progresses. My primary purpose is to post links that I think might be of interest (at least, I find them interesting). It's mostly a repository of all the random links that I have saved and new ones I find when perusing the internet.

And as such, today's link displays something that has always impressed me -- someone displaying an artistic talent. I am a fairly creative person, but I can only display it through some weird personality traits. When I try to create nearly any form of art, it comes out poorly (I can play some instruments pretty well, but any creation that is to be viewed is beyond my abilities).

This person has some incredible examples of origami on their blog. I tried oragami. I even had the oragami calendar a few years back. I could fold some of the very basic shapes, but anything even remotely intricate was completely lost on me. I couldn't even make the bird with wings that flapped...

Kudos to the artisticly gifted -- I enjoy seeing the abilities of other people on display

Actually got a link from AOL for this one...

2007-01-04T10:12:00.000-05:00

I was surprised to be on AOL (yeah, I have an old e-mail account that is now free for me (never paid more than $5 a month for it anyway -- company arrangement with AOL)) and find a link that I thought was good enough to post here...

Usually AOL links are some fluff about how to lose weight or what some ditzy entertainment "icon" is doing to make news these days. This one was embedded in a story about 401(k)s (which seems really out of place), but has nothing to do with money.

It's a collection of stupid/embarrassing tattoos. Enjoy.

Cool Clouds

2007-01-03T11:48:00.000-05:00

I have a thing for cool pictures of weather and nature. Every now and then I'll stumble across a page that has some interesting pictures and bookmark it so I can go back and check later. Now, I have a VERY full favorites section in my browser and it is very disorganized. I was trying to do some organization and found this site that I haven't seen in awhile. Prior to finding this page, I was aware of cirrus, cumulus and nimbus clouds, but had never heard of lenticular clouds. They are very cool and very strange looking compared to your run-of-the-mill, everyday type of cloud.

The site has some information about this type of cloud intersperced between the pictures. If you are on a dial-up connection, I'm not sure you should try this link (it's mostly pictures)

This made me laugh out loud

2006-12-29T13:42:00.000-05:00

It's mostly my childish sense of humor, but still...

http://www.honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=1845064&page=1all

Maps

2006-12-21T12:07:00.000-05:00

I've got a friend who is pretty into maps. I personally think maps are cool (my wife thinks I have a bit of an obsession). Thus, when I see some interesting maps, it always makes me look twice.

This site has all kinds of maps that you won't typically find anywhere else. The maps cover fictional lands, incorrect renderings of actual places, size comparisons of different land masses, etc.

For those not that into maps, even a quick skim of the site will yield some interesting tidbit. For those of us with more of an interest, apologize to your spouse before you click on the link...

Stanley Kubrick

2006-12-16T17:44:00.000-05:00

I am a big fan of movies, and I especially like movies that were directed by Stanley Kubrick. He's certainly got some odd ones, but there is something in each of them that I think almost everyone would like. At a minimum, his use of camera angles and the way he framed a shot was always unique and offered a new perspective on a scene.

Here's a site that tries to explain Kubrick's take on Arthur C Clarke's 2001. That was an especially interesting movie for its notable lack of dialogue. 141 minutes of movie interrupted by only 12 minutes of dialogue.

If you are on a dial-up connection, don't even consider clicking on the link... It's a flash based movie that would take damn near forever to download

National Geographic has some cool stuff

2006-12-13T13:58:00.000-05:00

So, I was reading on Fark the other day about this show that NG was going to do about pregnancy and gestation in non-human animals. In the back of my mind I thought, "I really need to see that. It looks really cool." All the while, I knew there was no chance in hell I was gonna remember to turn the TV to that specific channel at that specific time on that specific date. I was right.

My wife, however, while channel surfing, caught the show and what we saw of it was incredible. I'm not a big fan of buying TV shows on DVD, but I think I might like this one. I think it'll be worth it...

Hotels

2006-12-05T23:04:00.000-05:00

The past couple of times we've traveled we've looked specifically for boutique-type hotels. When we took a trip to the east coast a couple of years ago, we found this awesome place -- the 414 -- in NYC. The place was perfect for what we wanted. It was located in Hell's Kitchen, an easy walk to Times Square. The room was somewhat smallish, but big enough to be used as a sleeping spot only (which was the plan anyway). The bathroom was probably the cleanest I have ever seen in a hotel. Especially at the smaller boutique hotels, the staff are usually some pretty cool people, each with their own quirks, which we tend to like. And the price could absolutely not be beat...

A chain that we like that offer some of the boutique features (leopard print bathrobes, wine tasting in the evenings, etc) are the Kimpton Hotels. We stayed at the Cypress Hotel in San Jose, California when we were out there for a wedding. The amenities were great and the entire stay was pretty enjoyable.

Now, we always look for boutique hotels before we check the big ones...

Rant

2006-12-03T16:00:00.000-05:00

OK, so no links in this post. It's Sunday and that means grocery shopping day in our house. We live in a fairly congested area and we go to Meijer to shop. We use Meijer because we want the lowest prices and a wide selection of foods. Meijer is pretty good for those things, but they absolutely suck at customer service. It's Sunday, which seems to be the busiest grocery shopping day, and they have 14 of their 32 lanes open. There wasn't a single lane with less than 3 people in it...

That's not even my rant though... My rant is about the people who refuse to accept the most simple technology and still use checks. There isn't a single reason to still use a check to pay for goods at a store. Every bank that I know of will issue an ATM card with a bank account (you know, the same type of acount that you need to get checks in the first place). Why do people insist on using obsolete technology (i.e. checks)? I will go out of my way to shop at any store that refuses checks, but still accepts credit/debit cards (extra bonus if they don't accept cash too...)

*steps down from soapbox*

Baby Name Data

2006-11-22T09:01:00.000-05:00

When we were going to have our first kid, we were concerned with getting the right name. You know, the one that meant the kid wouldn't get beaten up on the playground but at the same time, when you yelled "Hey [Name of Kid]," it wasn't the same name that 50% of the playground answered to...

We used the Social Security Administration's name tracking information as a reference, but the Baby Name Voyager has made this type of search a little easier. They use the same SSA database information, but they have it all in one place and will graphically display the popularity of the name over time. It's pretty cool really...

Little bit of humor

2006-11-06T08:26:00.000-05:00

One of the best things about Fark.com is the break from the day it provides. The headlines are pretty funny typically, and a lot of the links are funny as well.

This one in particular I found to be pretty humorous. I linked to a specific page, but you can play around on the site and find more. I can't vouch that it is all safe for work, as I haven't checked out the entire site myself.

Cool Door Manufacturers

2006-11-01T11:56:00.000-05:00

I know, those words don't really flow off the tongue with any sort of continuity, but I think you'll agree when you see these...

I first found the site hiddenpassageway.com about a year ago. I thought their video demonstrations were overly basic, but I liked the concept so I bookmarked their site.

Yesterday, I found a much cooler site with more real-world applicability. Hideadoor.com offers the ability to put a VERY cool and functional door in the same space where a regular door would go. Sure, they're pretty spendy, but it's fun to fantasize isn't it?

Save on Groceries

2006-10-24T22:52:00.000-04:00

So, there's this group that provides cheap groceries to anyone who needs them. And by anyone, I mean anyone -- they're not just for the needy and there's no guilt in having money and buying the groceries. This group operates something like a grocery store; buying foods in bulk and passing on the savings to those who buy. They buy in quantities of the hundreds of thousands and that translates into decent discounts.

Every month they set a specific menu. After seeing the menu, people can sign up for a package through their local distributor (often a church). On the delivery day, you show up with a large box, and they fill it with the specified food. It costs $25 per box and it gives you roughly $50-$75 dollars of food at retail prices. They distribution site benefits as well, as $1 from each box goes to the distributor, which they can spend on their own charitable products. Its also a win-win because many of these distribution sites run a food pantry. So, if there's anything you don't like the the month's menu, you can donate it immediately...

The site is angelfoodministries.com