Welcome To Jail, This Is OnStar.

You hear the commercials... baby locked in car or adult locked out of car. OnStar is a great way to connect to an operator that can access the functions of your car at anytime. It commonly being used for getting directions to specific locations and recovery of a car if it is stolen. But, what a lot of people may not know is that this perceived public service is actually a privacy issue.

Former Clark County Commissioner Lance Malone and another influential local politician were being followed awhile back in an FBI investigation. The two sat for awhile in Malone's Hummer discussing 'business.' And with just a call to OnStar, a few features were disabled at an office allowing the agents to listen and record the entire conversation. The information gathered at the time would later be used to convict Malone and strip club owner Michael Galardi in a California court. (A second trial is being readied in Nevada.)

This wasn't been the first use of this item for information gathering. In November 2003, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in San Francisco decided that the government may be able to convert some of the systems into roaming in-car wiretaps.

Having the OnStar system technology in your car has become a bigger liability than originally thought. Sure, we like to think that our car is the safest place you can be other than home. Heck, Gary Numan felt the same when writing his hit "Cars": "Here in my car, I feel safest of all. I can lock all my doors. It's the only way to live, in cars." Possibly worse than privacy is if you depend on the system for roadside assistance and information as those are the two functions that are disabled to make your conversations public. I wonder what happens when the emergency service button doesn't work during an accident when you need it the most. Would a death change a viewpoint or grant a new appeal? Are people paying for this service warned about any of these things? Why do I feel like cameras going into public bathrooms are coming next?

Boiling Madness

Since we were talking about cooking, I figured that I'd dispel a few cooking myths. I know that a lot of women out there claim that they "don't know how to cook but I can boil water." For some that could be doubtful.

1) There is an old wives tale (or maybe it was a way to keep the women in the kitchen longer) that cold water will boil faster than hot water. I have no idea how they thought this up but changing the temperature of a liquid mass is gradual. If it's hot already... it'll get there quicker. Maybe they believe that being on the opposite end that it would gather speed exponentially... ain't happening.

2) Some people believe that you should season your water before boiling. Possibly to dissolve the salt better. But, salt has a unique attribute that it slows the temperature change in water. So much so that, if you plan to go to the beach with a cooler full of drinks... feel free to pour some salt in there with the ice. It actually will melt slower. (Just wipe the lids of the cans because that'd be gross.) When cooking, season the water when it starts to boil.

3) When making pasta, adding your oil to the boiling water before or during your noodle cooking will keep them from sticking together. This is tricky one because it is very very slightly true. Since the oil sits at the top of the water and your pasta sits at the bottom... they really don't get time to interact. When you go to drain your water, most of the oil will drain with it and most of the oil that will hit the noodles will be what clings to the pot. Most chefs toss the pasta in a little oil afterwards which will be absorbed by the noodles. If you are worried about the noodles sticking together in the pot, make sure to stir the pasta occasionally while they are cooking.

Messy Measuring, No More

I know that some time back I mentioned to you a television series on Food Network entitled Good Eats hosted by Alton Brown. Yes, I've become a fan of the show. After years of watching some of the amazing little gizmos he has on the show, I decided to bite and pick up a few here.

I know what you are thinking... what the hell are those things on my counter? Those are measuring cups. Think about the last time you measured water, milk, sour cream, mayonnaise, peanut butter, sugar, salt, vegetable oil... or about anything else. How many times did you have to rinse out that measuring cup to measure something else? This ingenious item works like a syringe and has measuring markers on the side. Pull the yellow plunger back to 1 cup and insert item (smoothing out across the top for an exact measurement.) Need to add a 1/2 cup of something else? Pull back another 1/2 cup and add. And when ready to put in a mixer... push it all out. It comes with a smaller version for those of you with little hands. Ok, I'm kidding about that but both do come together. Amazing how simple an idea that was but it took this long to see it out there. Can't wait to see what's next.

The Theaters That Cried Wolf

July 11th was reportedly a very special day for the movie business. The release of The Fantastic Four broke the much publicized longest box office slump in more than 2 decades.

This perceived slump met with worry all over cable, network, online and print news. Were people spending more time on their computers? Were people getting cheap illegal copies of the film on DVD? Are people just waiting to view the films on DVD in the privacy of their home with their home theater system instead? Are the DVDs coming out too soon after the film is released? Are ticket prices too high? Are the movies just not good enough to entice theater patronage?

Of course those are good questions but I actually believe the "woe is me" attitude of Hollywood prior to July 11th was actually a marketing ploy to get people to go. Sure, theaters this year might have sold less tickets each week for 19 straight weeks compared to last year. 2004 had blockbuster films like: Spiderman 2, Shrek 2, Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban and The Incredibles. Yes, we will and have had our hits this year but the big anomaly to add to these hits is the staying power Passion Of The Christ had at the box office. The film was released on Feb. 18th of 2004 and would have attendance resurgence during Easter and other religious holidays. Many churches actually organized gatherings to attend the film to help keep the film on top. 2004 was a record year.

Becoming Chicken Little just because you aren't matching or surpassing a record year is like picketing government offices because your tax return this year isn't as big as the largest one you've ever received (which happened to be last year and this year your ex gets to claim baby Jesus.) How about just comparing things to 2003? If we are above that, I think we can agree we aren't heading into the dark ages of cinema quite yet.

Crossing The Line

Photo courtesy of jewishworldreview.com

You may have noticed that I do have a lot of faith in our country as a republic. It does seem that is being eroded by legislation taking decisions away from the individual states. We actually have a national defense that guards our borders. It's not uncommon. Mexico has a very strong national border patrol... watching Guatemala and Belize to the south. But, the lack of response by leaders of both major political parties to recent media criticism of our border security show it is too hot a topic to be handled. Even the U.S. Senate seem to be avoiding the topic.

So, what is a small town New Hampshire police chief to do when he feels the federal government is avoiding action? He decides to charge illegal immigrants with criminal trespassing. 10 others have also been charged in other parts of the same state. A case over this type of arrest headed to court on Tuesday and is being closely watched by many states also wishing to do the same. The government of Mexico is actually paying the attorney fees of the defendant, Jorge Mora Rami­rez.

Who do you think should be in charge of protecting our borders?

Sticky Situations

When was the last time you stepped in some gum? Thankfully, I can't remember too well unless it was on a vacation somewhere. Do you know where you will never step in gum? Disneyland. Several decades ago, a rule was put in place in the Disney properties to not sell gum in their stores or vending machines and to also place signs here and there. Sure that keeps people from replenishing their supplies but what about the people that actually bring gum with them? You can't ask someone to empty their pockets and purse before they get into the Magical Kingdom. But, reports of less problems removing gum from Disney hotel carpet floors, under restaurant tables and sidewalks have shown a major decrease and word is that it may be catching on in the hotel industry. Are you a gum-chewer?

Everybody Plays The Fool Sometimes

I'm not the most prompt person in the world. Sure, I get to places on time and a lot of the time way ahead of schedule. My bedside alarm clock is actually set 25 minutes forward. That itself really messes with my idea of time because it is the one clock I look for most often. My other bedside clock is 15 minutes fast but I don't see that as often. I also carry a pager on me that is 5 minutes fast. (I have this thing about jewelry that I'll explain someday but this is my watch.) I then throw another wrench in my observance of time - my alarm goes off really early. This likely ticks off a few people when they are over but to be at work at 6:55 (we have to be there 5 minutes early,) the alarm goes off at 4:30 am. (Ok, 4:05 if we make the right adjustment but we won't right now.) I then hit my snooze about 2 to 3 times getting close to 5 am. I then head to the shower. I will then either head to the computer (to check news or email) or I'll go back to lie down in bed and hit snooze a few more times. Sometime after 5, I'll turn on the news so I can find out how bad traffic will be (paranoia of living further from work than I used to.) I will slowly start getting ready at about 6 am and leave the house before 6:30 am. This usually gets me there early enough to grab a glass of skim milk, oatmeal and yogurt before I start my day.

So, yes, I put a lot into fooling myself. How many clocks do you have set ahead and how do you try to fool yourself?

The Almost Fantastic 4 - Spoiler Alert

Since I'm babbling about TV, why not give you a quick film review. I am one of the privileged few that, when on long family trips, was easily pacified by comic books. I mean, I could have shouted and screamed at every stop but my mother was pretty smart. She figured that as long as I was reading... I wasn't fighting over something with anyone. Heck, they didn't want to read them. So I have a more than passing understanding of Marvel's Fantastic Four.

Scientist Reed Richards, pilot Ben Grimm, Susan Storm and Johnny Storm are in space researching cosmic rays. When bombarded by what they are studying their DNA are affected. The hotheaded Johnny Storm becomes the fire controlling Human Torch. His shy sister Susan becomes the transparent Invisible Girl. The resilient and strong Ben Grimm becomes the rocky Thing. The flexibly studious Reed becomes the elastic Mr. Fantastic.

A former college schoolmate of Reed's, Victor Von Doom (a transfer student from Latveria who is facially disfigured in an experiment at the school) returns with control issues... he wants to rule the world and has the power, wits and money to make it happen.

But... this isn't the story we are given in the film. Susan and Johnny are with the mega-wealthy Victor Von Doom (Doom plan's to pop the question to Sue.) Sue's former flame Reed and his friend Ben ask Doom for the use of his space station for scientific research. 5 people go into space, 5 people get affected by cosmic rays. All except for Doom show signs of DNA change (Ben the most.) Doom's investors threaten to pull their funds... he kills them with his new found electrical power (which somehow can burn a hole through a human body... dunno about that.) Ben goes to a bar and meets a blind black Alicia Masters. Violence ensues. Bad guy gets beaten. Romance blossoms, commitments are made. Blah blah blah.

As negative as some of that sounds, this is a film for anyone that is a child, has an open mind, has little to no knowledge of the comic/cartoon series and those that just want to look at Jessica Alba. The humor in this flick helps outweigh the flaws and makes it quite an enjoyable film. This even has a few adult (over the child radar) jokes. If you are a big fan of the characters, it might be worthwhile to wait for a sequel (I'm anticipating the Puppetmaster next since Alicia was introduced.)

• I could see the need to change Reed and Sue's relationship. I mean, how much time would it take to develop a relationship instead of reignite one? Time saved for action scenes is good.
  

• How many people would understand what diplomatic immunity meant if they decided to spend time developing Doctor Doom the right way? If they went with his standard no powers but a specially designed metal suit... wouldn't that hurt the upcoming Iron Man film? And at least they mentioned Latveria a few times.

• Ben gets the opportunity to become normal and is for awhile but gives it up to assist his friends (when he bitched about being a social pariah and his wife rejected him when he came back changed.) Yes, this reminds me too much of Superman II.
  

Overall, I give it a say it is a good film. Not great or excellent nor decent or bad. It is a fun film for the family and I was shocked to hear people clapping after it ended (then again maybe they had to go potty.) Well worth watching.

Heavy Metal

Alchemy stands by one major rule: equivalent exchange.

Brothers Edward and Alphonse Elric spent their life raised by their mother. Their father is a well-respected alchemist who hasn't been home in years. After their mother dies, the young boys (who have studied alchemy since they began reading) decide to break the taboo on human alchemy and bring her back. After much studying and gathering of ingredients, everything seems to work well. That is when younger brother Alphonse loses his body and Edward's left leg is taken from him. In a last moment effort to save his brother, Ed binds Al's soul to a nearby suit of armor but gives up his right arm in the effort. Equivalent exchange indeed.

Guilt-ridden, Edward is determined to return his brother's soul to his body. Alphonse would like to see his brother whole again. Both still miss their mother. A childhood friend of the boys, Winrey, creates Auto-Mail replacement limbs for Edward. After 2 years, they have begun a search for the most potent device in alchemy... the Philosopher's Stone. To do so, Edward has joined the military as a state alchemist to get his hands on the best information available on finding the item. Ed becomes the youngest person to pass the nationally certified state exams and becomes known as the Fullmetal Alchemist (which causes a lot of confusion because his brother is... all metal.) However, they aren't the only ones looking for the powerful stone.

This is not a show for youngsters. It is a strong series mixing emotional family ties with action and fantasy. The show has been running in the U.S. for the last 2 years and is among the highest rated series on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim.

Rock You Like A Hurricane

Close your eyes and hide your hands if you are offended easily. I think there is too much coverage of hurricane Dennis. Sure, it seems people are interested in the devastation, the lives ruined, the homes lost and the survivors. But, if you think hard on it, there have been 4 storms in Florida this year and 5 storms last year. It happens so often that one of Florida's college football teams calls themselves the Hurricanes. I don't know how insurance companies can stay in business there. Maybe it just seems overly logical to me but...move. Why live somewhere where your family and belongings are unsafe.

Obviously, I have thought about this many times. I think about it because I'm in a place that I feel is pretty darn safe compared to the earthquakes in California, tornadoes in the Midwest and hurricanes in the Southeast. We get sunburns and might have to spend more time indoors during the summer. But, I wonder... how much do you value the safety of your family in where you live?

Cancer In The Family

Pictured here are my brother Matthew, his wife Beth and my new niece Mia Elizabeth Hennessy. She was born around 9 a.m. this morning and weighed about 9 lbs. As you can tell, Matt dressed up for the photo. B) Actually, neither of them have slept a wink since yesterday when they decided to wait out contractions in their car outside the hospital to make sure that they would be admitted and not be turned back. What I find funny is that my family got an email from Beth last night. It said that during her doctor's visit he told her she was dilated 1 cm. and the baby could arrive in the next week. The next day... poof! There's the baby.


Pictured here are mother and daughter. Mia is just out of the oven and she is already eyeing a really soft pink bear that Uncle Martin bought for her. We'll see if it doesn't wind up on the floor someday. I also dropped off a pair of pink baby shoes. One of the shoes has lines on it to fill out for her name, date, weight and length. As impressed as I am with myself, I am so proud of my sister-in-law and brother. They sure made a beautiful baby which could be going home with them as soon as tomorrow.

Elevator Etiquette

There are courteous people and there are people that don't think about anyone but themselves (ok, there are those that have very few brain cells, too.) Some walk on the appropriate side of a sidewalk to expedite their journey and others take up the whole walkway. But, I have a pet peeve about elevators.

Elevators are simple contraptions. They take cargo from one floor to another by letting cargo into an empty elevator and emptying it on another floor. Some people don't understand spacial displacement. You can't add water to a full cup without emptying the glass first (unless you want to make a mess and Mom taught us better than that.) These people will stand in front of an elevator and push their way in without letting people out. Silly, but it happens and it takes a lot more time for the people to now get out.

There are also those that will choose a floor close by but will head to the back of the elevator. Why? Who knows? Of course, there are the people who hit all the buttons but they obviously haven't been in a rush before. But, again... being thoughtful takes work and some people avoid work like they do taxes.

Open! Sez Ahhh Me!

If you remember my photo of Roberto's Taco Shop that I had up here for Cinco De Mayo, this is a shot looking north from there (yes, I had carne asada tacos tonight.) The building under construction in the photo has been in progress for what will be 2 years this month. Ok, "in progress" might not be the best words since they just had a big sign there saying it was coming soon but they didn't break ground yet. The place? The Las Vegas Athletic Club. I've been a member of that gym since before I graduated high school. I haven't been back to the gym since I moved because it's a pain in the butt to drive to the nearest location. This one is maybe an 1/8 mile from home. Should open in October and am waiting for it to open as I'll be spending a lot of time there again. I know that I usually need to have motivation to go to the gym. I feel that I'm motivated not by a gym partner this time but a need to better myself. I actually miss going into the gym even though this time I won't have Dad, my friend Jim or anyone else there inspiring me to go. So, I'm watching and waiting. 2 years can be considered patience.

The Replacements

No, this isn't about the band (although they are a favorite.) I've had a project in my mind for the last month or so that I've been brainstorming. Many bands will replace their lead singer after some time. It may be because they went solo, died, couldn't hit the notes anymore or had too much attitude. The past is full of many of those stories. I've been working on a list of the top 10 bands that have replaced their lead singer and bettered their career or at least achieved the same level of success. I have my list that I'll present you with later but I'd like to see who you can come up with that I might have bypassed.

The criteria: The band had to record at least one album with the previous singer before the next one came in. The success of the band after the new singer joined is very important.

Good luck!

The Great Experiment

Happy Independence Day folks! I do think a lot of people forget that the holiday isn't just the date it is celebrated on. To many, the fireworks represent Francis Scott Key's "bombs bursting in air" as they also stand for liberation from a monarchy.

I got done with my newsletter early today and went driving around to shop and view the fireworks. Of course, that's when I saw an idiot neighbor (literally only wearing shorts) walking along the wall behind his house that stands about 8 feet tall. Yes, he looked intoxicated but I'm not the type to ruin his fun. Over 200 years ago, soldiers fought for the freedom to create a new national destiny. It was a big risk. When asked what our nation had after signing the Constitution, Benjamin Franklin said, "A Republic, if you can keep it." It was the great experiment, a risk. Kind up like walking drunk and barefoot on an 8 foot tall wall... maybe with the added risk of being blindfolded. We celebrate risks like that.

No, Not That Kind Of Spanking

Sometimes we think polar opposites only happen along party lines but there has been a war brewing over how you discipline your child. Heck, you can say the debate goes back as far as when the phrase, "spare the rod, spoil the child," was first uttered. One side believes that any act of violence only generates more violence... so they deem it child abuse. The other side seems to share common religious threads that cite references to disciplining a child on the rear with "the rod" and that it worked for them as children. Studies have been done on non-physical disciplines and corporal punishment which have contradicted each other leaving evidence out there for and against spanking.

My own personal feeling is that the rise of alternative discipline has created children who have lost the fear of being chastised from authority figures (mother, father, preacher, teacher or police officer.) I know that I have learned from several swattings in the past but also know those were very few. But, I'd like to hear where you stand.

Live 8

I've gained many beliefs about economic and political issues in the last few years and although I don't think wealth distribution of this magnitude helps a continent that still needs to borrow money, I do think it is good to show compassion.

I remember July of 1985 very well. We were on a trip to Idaho and stayed overnight in Ely, Nevada. This is halfway from Vegas to our destination. We didn't have MTV in the house at the time (times were tough.) But, I remember being glued to the hotel room television as some of my favorite bands took the stage. The message was there "help feed the children." The bands performing played 2 songs at the most and quickly let another act hit the stage. Many musical genres were covered and there was time for several serious moments about the issues at hand.

20 years later, Live 8 brings together more countries as 9 venues stage performances with the intention to persuade the fans to contact their government officials and ask them to forgive debts owed to them by African nations. Tons of artists take the stage performing about 3 songs each. The television broadcast airs on MTV and VH1 in an 8-hour block.

My take? I'm sure most of the performances were great if we were able to see them. 3 to 3 1/2 hours of this was commercials. Several artists were shown ending one song and performing most but not all of another. Some of the performances that didn't get shown: Pet Shop Boys in Moscow, Deep Purple in Barrie, Motley Crue in Barrie, Gordon Lightfoot in Barrie, Barenaked Ladies in Barrie, Blue Rodeo in Barrie, Bruce Cockburn in Barrie, The Tragically Hip in Barrie, Sarah McLachlan in Philadelphia, Def Leppard in Philadelphia, Duran Duran in Rome, A-ha in Berlin, Chris de Burgh in Berlin, Roxy Music in Berlin, Crosby Stills & Nash in Berlin, The Cure in Paris, Annie Lennox in London and UB40 in London. That's a whole lot of performers that could have gotten even a sample of their music in there. Instead, Madonna performed 3 songs and one of them was shown again at the end. Stevie Wonder played 3, Green Day played 2 (but got replayed also), the Black Eyed Peas played 2 (and were replayed later), Linkin Park performed 3 (granted some was with Jay-Z) and Dido played 2. Sure, we expected and got more songs from Paul McCartney and U2. I lay most of this blame for bad editing, inane banter from hosts, interviews, over commercialization and missing performances on the stations. The highlight of the show remains the 3 tracks performed by a reunited Pink Floyd (which ended on a cut off version of "Comfortably Numb.") Yes, I will still buy this when it comes out on DVD because I might be able to hear what wasn't aired and the entire songs. live8

Edit To 2004's Christmas List

Some of you may remember my Top 10 list of what I'd like to see under my Christmas tree last year. Well, although the wish list is over, I have to say that Miss Lindsay Lohan will not be on next year's list. She was #6 last year but as you can see from this picture, aliens have replaced her with a young anorexic Sharon Stone clone. I believe that if the ransom is not met, she will probably drop to about 80 pounds and need assistance from nightclub to nightclub. Until they recover the real Lindsay, she is off the list and #7 to #10 will move up a notch with the final spot filled by Meg White of White Stripes. I remain thankful that this abduction didn't come while she was under the tree as I may have accidentally thrown her out with some of the dead tree branches.

My Mom, The Pain In The Neck

Mom went in for surgery today on her neck again. Today was all about burning nerve endings there that is expected to alleviate the pain she has there.

Her neck has been a pain for at least a decade. After damage caused by a vehicle accident (my mind is foggy about the beginning), she has had several surgeries which have included fusing of 4 different vertebrae and many clean-up operations. But it is getting to the point where more fusions will limit her ability to turn her head (even more) which could keep her from driving. You may remember the taco pie post awhile ago. That evening ended in tears... my mother's. She was working so hard to get dinner and everything ready but her head/neck was killing her. It seems that one of the non-fused discs is now bulging.

We are hoping that this surgery helps but I've talked with mom about a few other options that we'll look into after this. Nerve endings grow back and so will the pain (if it is alleviated at all.) She will probably be at home trying to force herself to do something she shouldn't instead of resting. That means she'll probably also wind up popping on here to check up on me. Mom, get some sleep and I'll be stopping by tomorrow after work. I love you.

The Only Things Certain In Life Are Death And Taxes?

The old axiom has held true for several thousand years. It's as if it was meant to follow "We hold these truths to be self-evident". Yet, it seems there may be doubt.

Scientists at Pittsburgh's Safar Centre for Resuscitation Research have developed a technique in which a subject's veins are drained of blood and filled with an ice-cold salt solution. 3 hours later the blood is replaced and the subject is brought back to life with an electric shock. They have only done this with dogs at this time but they expect human trials in the next few years. (No word if they will still fetch or roll over on call.)

Meanwhile, a former IRS criminal-investigation agent Joe Banister (who learned of serious constitutional questions relating to the federal income tax systems and decided to share that information with others when talking to employees of CENCAL in 2000) has won a court battle defending his actions. The IRS sued Banister for violating certain laws governing conspiracy and aiding and assisting in the filing of false tax returns.

Do either of these remove the certainty of either death or taxes? No. But, they put interesting dents in them. Sure, the dogs may be great for a George A. Romero film. Sure, Banister's case may be overturned if it goes to the Supreme Court (we have no idea what they'll do nowadays.) But, what did Bill Murray call them? Baby steps.

This Land Was Your Land And Now It's My Land...

Woody Guthrie turned over in his grave last week, when the U.S. Supreme Court decided 5-4 to expand upon eminent domain. The decision allows a city government to set up a purchase of land owned by one party for a developer who will use the land to create more tax revenue for the city. This means that if you own a piece of land and it just so happens to look nice to mall developer, you will have to give it up for a fair price.

Ratified in 1791, the 5th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution states that one shall not be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.

But just what is "just compensation?" When someone sues a party for emotional distress and psychological damage, is that inclusive in just compensation? Is the fact that your family has owned a piece of land for generations paid separately for the history their family has with that parcel? How are you compensated if that is the closest place to your job and you now have to drive a half-hour or more to work instead of walking? If several homes are leveled, that would mean that there are less on the market which increases the demand and price of homes in that area.

I have found it comedic that when friends of mine have heard about this decision they blamed big business for pushing for this. Yet, conservative judges fought against it. Meanwhile, someone has already announced their intentions to use this new decision against one of the judges that voted for it.

Safety In Numbers

I work with a lot of people that know very little about their computers. Many of them have trouble adding names to a contact list. But, there are some things new computer users are never told. One that stand by is having more than 1 email account. I currently have about 8. The reasons to have more than 1 is pretty simple.

• When asked for an email address when signing up for contests or purchasing something online you never really know where that address is going to go. Giving a blanket address for such things can cut spam from an email account that has important information... and cut down on possible viruses.
• If you are unsure about your ISP (Internet service provider) and may move at some point but don't want to keep telling people that you have a new email address.
• When you wish to separate business, personal and recreational email.

I could probably keep listing other reasons but I'd like to know, how many email accounts do you have?

Be The First Person In Your Office Sued For Sexual Harassment

Ok, I actually saw one of these at a store and said to myself, "$30 is a whole lotta money for a mouse pad but I kinda like it." I didn't buy it but every once in a blue moon, I'll see the website for it. As much as I think it might be good for wrist problems, I think it may cause some if a topless version is released. They actually come in 4 variations. My only fear is that a creative female will come up with one with a plumber bending over to fix the sink and the butt crack will be their wrist rest.

My State Laws

I figured that I'd put something in really quick about the odd state of Nevada. Not only is it shaped like they sent in measurements for a shirt but got one sleeve longer than the other, it has some funny laws. It is actually illegal to have sex without a condom or drive a camel on the highway in the state. It is legal to hang someone for shooting your dog on your property. Clark County has an ordinance that says that it is illegal to bring a concealed firearm into the county unless it is registered with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. (In order to register it, you must bring it to the police department. You also can't register the weapon on weekends but you could be prosecuted at that time.) It's also against city statutes to walk down the Las Vegas Strip with an erection. Everyone walking down the streets of Elko is required to wear a mask. Men who wear mustaches are forbidden from kissing women in Eureka. And in Nyala, a man is not allowed to buy drinks for more than 3 people other than himself at any one period during the day.

I've broken the erection statute, I believe.

The Power Of Three

Ok, I hate the title but, as a musicologist, Hit Me Baby One More Time is something that I have to watch. If it weren't for the Who's Who of the music world that are performing on this show, I would have stopped watching it after the first episode. The reason for that is that after watching Loverboy sound better on their cover of "Hero" than their "Working For The Weekend" and A Flock Of Seagulls (newer version with just vocalist/keyboardist Mike Score remaining) sounded worse than I expected (I've seen them 4 times in the last 9 years.) But my watching again has been rewarded with great performances by The Knack, Howard Jones, Wang Chung and CeCe Peniston. I actually enjoy getting a call from my mother right before the winner is announced.

If you go through that list you will notice that none of them won though. The only major beef that I have with the show so far is with Irene Cara winning last week. I don't think she did a bad job on either song. The only issue that I did have was about her being a solo artist. She performed her hit "What A Feeling" first. She later returned to sing Anastacia's "I'm Outta Love" but not solo. She performed as a singing trio Hot Caramel. Each of the 3 singers took lead vocals during the song. I just don't really know how fair that is.

Batman Began

I'm not going to go as in depth as I'd like on this (for your sake and mine) but I figured that it'd be good to put my 2 cents in about Batman Begins. Spoiler alert for those who haven't seen it yet so just look away. Christian Bale provides a great dark brooding canvas to create a complex character (heck, that's why he was so good in American Psycho and The Machinist.) The movie brought out one of my favorite villains, The Scarecrow. Let's just say that he casts a long spooky shadow that may make scarecrows scary again. (I was really afraid I'd see someone running around in a rag outfit with hay coming out of his wrists.) The big thing this film does is answer a lot of those questions we and Jack Nicholson wanted to know, "Where does he get those wonderful toys?" It fills in the business side of Bruce Wayne and Wayne Enterprises but also gives you an idea of how he trained himself physically to protect Gotham. The film also did something that they couldn't keep from doing in the 4 previous films... they didn't kill characters off. Why is this important? Arkham Asylum is a revolving door of escapees wishing to get even with the Bat. This leaves you a lot of openings for other films. Thank you Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, Gary Oldman, Liam Neeson and Rutger Hauer for really getting into character. Yes, the idea of throwing the Joker card out at the end is a great way to get fans excited. At first, I thought that by doing so that they'd be able to lean on Tim Burton's first Batman to fill in the blanks so they can proceed on to another classic villain but they can't. As I went back over the film, the person that murdered Bruce's parents was killed... oopsie no way for Jack Napier to mention 'dancing with the devil in the pale moonlight' in this timeline. So that means the first 4 films are discardable and characters will definitely get an overhaul in future films.

There is only one knock I have against this film and that was Katie Holmes useless character, Rachel Dawes (Dawes...Dawes...Dawson's Creek?) Sure, give him a childhood friend that knows his secret, has a thing for him and just so happens to be working at the D.A.'s office (shocked they didn't drop the name Harvey Dent in there at all.) I expected something deeper in mind for a leading lady with Ra's Al Ghul as a character in the film... like his daughter, Talia. But I can see that being something they could revisit later if they wish to address Ra's and the Lazarus pits. Otherwise, I have to agree that this is the best Batman film yet. Let's just hope there are no nipples on any upcoming batsuits.

The Place All The Good Shoes Go

It's been bothering me for awhile now. I'm not Mr. Rodgers. I don't change my shoes depending on what I'm going to do next. Since moving into my house I decided that I'd try not to wear shoes in my house. It works about 90% of the time. But to keep it all organized, I put them near the door. It never looks good to see 4 pairs of shoes fighting it out for the title King Of The Mountain. So, today I finally had it and added that to my shopping list today. I found an interesting little wicker basket (lined with cloth on the inside) for about $25. Kinda fits in with my need for earthtones in the living room. That's it there next to my entertainment center. I'm pretty proud that the room doesn't look like trash anymore. Now to clean up all those wires there next to the entertainment center.

The Tastes Of Home

There are a lot of memories that will remind me of my childhood. But, one thing that I know that I will never replace is the family dinners. I spent the last two days just thinking about dinner at my mother's house tonight (we celebrated Father's Day and my grandmother's 74th birthday.) All it took was for my mother to mention the magic phrase: Taco Pie. Whenever I've mentioned it to people before they've looked at me strangely but heck, I'm used to that. Today, I figured that I'd share this recipe with you as it happens to be one of my favorites.

Taco Pie is pretty simple to make and can be adapted to fit a lot of different tastes -- less this, more that and none of those. The simple version includes ground beef or turkey cooked with taco seasoning, uncooked croissant roll dough (usually comes in a can at the store), corn chips (Doritos or Fritos), mild cheddar cheese (longhorn cheddar or even a shredded Mexican cheese mix would work), sour cream and a little bit of time.

First, cook your taco beef. Take your croissant roll dough and place it in a butter (or substitute vegetable oil) coated pie tin. Make it look like a pie crust. Take some of your corn chips of choice, crunch them in your hands and sprinkle them as a first layer. Top that with your cooked taco beef, a thin layer of sour cream, cheese and a few crunched chips on the top for decor. For those of you willing to experiment more... try two layers. Bake that in the oven at 375 or so until the top and crust lip has gone just past golden. Then let it sit for a few minutes to cool. Sure you can add tomatoes, salsa, olives, onions, peppers and pretty much anything to this dish but we've always kept it simple.

I ate my fill tonight and almost came home with leftovers but it tells you something when that last slice disappeared and no one fessed up. hahaha Just wish I brought my camera to take a photo of it there instead of the taco pic but the idea is there. Just remember that when you start getting homesick, try to bring some of that home into your own.

I Am Going To Pretend You Didn't Ask Me That

Ever feel like an email isn't being read properly? Received a message from Wang Chung's management company 2 days before their appearance on Hit Me Baby One More Time (which aired last night.) They wanted to tell me that they are in the studio finishing their new album and when they will be on the show. I replied telling them that our weekly newsletter had already gone to press and I wish I had more notice to pass the information on via that, the radio segment and the website before the episode aired but would make sure to mention the new album and other recording information. I then received a reply mentioning their studio work and a thank you. I then received another reply asking me if I could send out a special newsletter about the episode of the show (this is now 1 day before) and asking how many subscribers we have. I have decided not to respond to that. I purposely only send out 1 newsletter a week to let people know it is safe and that they will not be spammed. Not even with the death of a celebrity do I send a second one out, let alone for an episode of a T.V. show. Just ticks me off how I can say that I am are upset that I can't do something for someone and shortly after they can ask me again to do it.

P.S. - They did do well on the episode though.

Death Of VCRs Bring More Cost To Consumers

It took both DVD players and the Tivo to bring down the VCR. Sure, we don't buy VHS tapes often anymore because DVDs have bonus material. Sure they fall apart over time but... they are for the most part childproof.

We are in an age where entertainment is king. It is pushed on our children at an early age with cartoons and even what Halloween costumes they wear. As they get older, children will want to be entertained on their schedule. Video games, music and movies will always be there as diversions for them. Media companies have gotten wise to this and have created great products that hold a lot of information but can be ruined quite easily. Everything is going on disc (CD and DVD) and I remember a friend of mine telling me when the CD originally came out that you could skip it across the sidewalk and it would still play (he has probably been committed by now.) With children wishing to play these items, they get scratched very easily (put one in really loosely in the DVD case and give it a good shake.) I like used CDs and DVDs but will not take one with a scratch on it because I know it's not far from being a coaster.

Now there is the announcement that VCRs are being phased out of stores by 2006. I personally like them for saving crap from my Tivo but aren't parents a little more likely to trust their child with a VHS than a DVD? I even had a former girlfriend change out her daughter's PlayStation for a Nintendo 64 (at $30+ a game, she had over $500 in coasters and was complaining that they wouldn't play.) So I believe there is a conspiracy afoot to make us change to a format of media we can't and aren't supposed to make backups of according to the DMCA. It is also good to know that by purchasing the rights to view this item that you they don't like you making a copy of it for yourself in case it gets scratched forcing you to repurchase the product. And no, after so long they will not let you take it back even if you claim it is a factory defect. I'd like to see some people come together and push childproof media instead of finding ways to pick our pockets.

Assholes And Bitches

I came up with a theory back some years ago that I have refined over time but still find is true if gone unchecked. Hurt is out there. Pain is meant to be learned from and some people take that lesson and go a little too far with it. I believe there is a relationship cycle out there that I call the Asshole - Bitch cycle.

An example of this would be a man in a relationship with a woman that has disrespected him (cheated, lied or even took money) at every turn but 'thought' that he loved her. Unless he comes out of that unscathed and mentally sound, he will have a grudge and will avoid that again. He may even look for a situation where he will have more control of things as a way to not feel that way again. The woman in his next scenario then gets stuck with an asshole. He's more demanding and controlling. What little self-esteem she may have will be tested and in turn may help her become a bitch in her next relationship.

There will always be past relationships that we will say, "I can't believe that I treated him/her like that." Accepting that is important. It could be one reason why you have former partners pop back into your life just to clarify for themselves that they either didn't make a mistake or didn't burn the ground on the way out. Thankfully, there are people who break the chain and the cycle dies but it does make it easier to understand why you are not supposed to grab someone on the 'rebound.'

P.S. - Most of you know, I don't like to run afoul of the English language and curse much... this is an extreme rarity.

I Like Rain

We are expecting a few sprinkles here and there but it does seem odd to talk about rain in the desert. I don't know where it started but I have always loved the smell of rain. I've been told many reasons for why the smell happens and the one that I believed for the longest time was that the droplets were bringing the smell of ozone down with them. Then I read this article about the subject. Since we aren't in a very wooded area, I think the smell is from the acidic properties of the rain on our surroundings. Whatever it is exactly, it is my favorite smell closely followed by vanilla (dunno why.) So, possibly one of the reasons that "I Like Rain" by the Jean-Paul Sartre Experience is my favorite tune could be something deeper.

Could Martin Be Packing His Bags?

I decided to attempt something crazy. Today, after I got off of work, I went to apply and get videotaped for Survivor. Why? I'm a former boy scout for whom going somewhere like that would be a wet dream. I love challenges and don't give up easily. The only negatives would be: the weekly newsletter might have to either go on hiatus or get a guest host (Daniel Black) for a few months, no music and football season. I think this is something you have to pursue. It was a pretty crazy line with one person dropping their pants and another making dolphin sounds. Are my chances reasonable, hell no! I just think there is a better chance of getting on there than winning the lottery.

That's My Yo-Yo!!!

If I ever say that I had a really bad childhood, take it with a grain of salt. I am lucky enough to have 2 younger brothers (Matthew and Michael) and a sister (Michelle.) We had the standard fights here and there but we really learned a lot about dealing with other people through this.

We were living at a really huge house at the time prior to our parents' divorce. I'd say that I was 9 years-old or so. Around 7 and on, children lose teeth. It's just a fact of life. I reported a loose tooth to my mother after wiggling it around for so long with no luck. It seemed so close. So she tried wiggling it with no luck. This is when she delved into the tooth pulling old wives tales. Mom had an idea. It involved string and we searched the house for anything we could find. No luck. Mom isn't the type to give up... neither am I (and I thank her for that.) We decided to improvise with the string from my sister's yo-yo.

We kept the yo-yo intact for future use but used the finger end of the string which she lovingly tied to my loose tooth. She had heard of a method of tying the other end to a door and slamming it shut... out pops tooth. Pretty simple unless you have a rather agile yet scared boy on the other end of the string. We went with the 3 count. Every time we got to 2 1/2, I would jump or lunge forward taking tension out of the string and essentially killing that idea. She had another idea: winding up the string and dropping the yo-yo. I thought this was a pretty good idea as it wasn't as violent. The ending tension would pop it out. Well, when she would let go (same 3 count) I would get scared and duck -- which just let it hit the floor. Frustrated but understanding, Mom was caught in a bind and I held the yo-yo in my hands as I told her I was sorry. That's when I heard a phrase that I'll always remember, "That's my yo-yo!!" My sister, who is a year younger than I, was upset at the fact that I was playing with her toy. She stormed into the room, yanked it out of my hands and my tooth went dangling along at the end of the string.

A Question Of Time

Question for the day:

How much time do you average working on your blog as well as reading and commenting on other blogs?

I'll Take A Cold One

I had to laugh at this one when I saw it. Most of the time the newer beer commercials aren't as bad but it was boob city (I'm not complaining... we know that I'd rather it that way.) I do think that there are some great commercials out there that don't even mention their product. I can't even think about buying their products if I don't know what it is. I have a weird belief that I'm beyond commercial advertising and that they won't sway me one way or another to buy a product. Now, if I didn't know it existed and it alerts me to it... I don't consider that a sale.

You know, now that I think of it... ack... that's a guy's butt on my blog!!

New Addition To The Family

After watching the recent UFC with several friends (who didn't spill wine this time), I came to the conclusion my brown sofa was getting lonely. Sure it has a rattan to it's left but that's like putting a cat and a dog together... sure they can get along over time but there is an unstated yet understood resentment by the rattan. I have been thinking about getting a loveseat (still don't understand why they named it that unless you have to be "in love" to sit that close together) but knew I wasn't going to 1) find one that matches the sofa 2) find money under my pillow to replace both with something new and 3) find something as comfortable as the sofa. So I have had it in my mind to get something for awhile. I've been keeping my eye on the furniture section on Craigslist for one and on Saturday... it pops up. I didn't catch it until Sunday morning and I sent off an email. I find out that 2 other people plan to pick it up and she will sell it to the first one there when she got home from work on Monday at 5:30pm. I told her that I'll be waiting there for her. hahaha And that I did. I took a break from the newsletter, waited there, paid her, put it on my Rodeo by myself and set it up in the house where it is in the picture. Then, I got back to work. Sure it isn't the same color as the other one but it's as soft, fits the earth-tone motif and only cost $25. hahaha Btw, if you look closely you can see my collection of remote controls and a bowl of jellybeans.

Nice To Have Some Choices

District Judge Michael Caperton of Kentucky has been getting a lot of attention recently for his use of alternative sentencing when it comes to drug and alcohol offenders. Instead of going to jail or rehab, a convicted person has been given the option of going to church. This raises several different issues that I can stand behind both sides on:

I do believe in separation of church and state. And even though this judge has used the phrase "worship services," there's likely only so many facilities for worship in a Kentucky town. Also, isn't it saying that correctional institutions and therapy are worthless? You also can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink. I remember myself as a child going to Catholic church and how I'd fidget in my seat just thinking of what I'd do when I got out of there. The other odd thing about this is that the sentencing isn't mandatory. So, you get the choice of mandatory jail, mandatory rehab or voluntary church-going? What would you pick?

On the other side, I see a nation of ours that fills their jails with people possessing, selling and using substances that our government has deemed illegal (and not so illegal in other states.) A lot of money goes into housing these people while their productivity in society is cut to nil. These people lose homes, possessions and jobs while in the pokey. There is also the idea out there that if you send someone to jail for a petty crime that they will learn from and associate with people who have done far worse.

If anything, it is good to see someone trying something different even if I'm unsure of the possible results. It makes people that accept the status quo think a little outside the box.

Blame The Man That Writes The Instruction Manual

I find it amazing how busy computer technical support sites can be. Rooms full of cubicles with a reference manual to thumb through on each desk and a supervisor within shouting distance. As much as I dislike having to call for help here and there, it is always my first option in fixing a problem. But, what I find interesting is a little line of text usually next to the service phone number which reads: For troubleshooting tips, go to our Web site at www.ineedhelp.com. My computer is in pieces on the floor and they want to rub it in that I can't log on right now to get help. Bastards!

Educating Ranma: More Stories From The World Of Japanese Animation

Ok, take a father and son who study martial arts. Watch them train in China and each fall in Jusenkyo's cursed pools. Whenever the father (Gendo) gets hit by cold water, he turns into a giant panda. When the son (Ranma) gets hit by cold water, he becomes that redhead girl in the photo. Yes, hot water will turn them back. Complicate this story with a promise Gendo Saotome made to his longtime friend Soun Tendo that his son will marry one of his 3 daughters. Forever emasculated by this curse, Ranma is forced into an engagement with tomboy Akane even though they can't stand each other. Now living with the Tendo family, the Saotome's only wish is to become normal again. Can they or will Akane kill Ranma first?

This is the basis for Rumiko Takahashi's classic animated series Ranma 1/2. All 161 episodes of this series ran in Japan from 1989 to 1992 including films, straight to video episodes and specials. The series is highly rewarding even though it takes some time to deal with seeing female Ranma's chest (but then again it's a guy... or a girl... or well, deep down it's a guy.) Only someone like female manga writer Rumiko Takahashi (responsible for the popular Inuyasha series now running on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim) can take a crazy idea like gender confusion and create a love story.

So, How Much For That He-Man Action Figure?

Usually, when you plan to move, you sell what you don't want to hassle with packing in a garage sale. Sometime after settling in (and of course finding out that the sofa doesn't match the existing chandelier, your area rugs don't fit new areas and your garage is smaller than you thought) another garage sale happens. If a child is moving off to college and they'd like to get rid of some things that they can't take with them, there's a garage sale. You discover you can fit two cars in the garage if you organize better (and get rid of 3 extra rakes as well as lawn mower and weed-whacker since you've gone to desert landscape.) Heck, there are tons of reasons to have a garage sale. Sometimes you don't get rid of everything the first weekend.

But, it seems that someone in the Las Vegas legislature has put forward an idea to limit people to 2 a year and anyone holding a yard/garage sale would have to register it. I can see only two good reasons to do that: your neighbor has one each weekend causing traffic problems or it would somehow force you to take down your sale signs when it's done so people aren't looking for your house the next weekend. For all the good it could do, who would run this? How many state/local employees would our taxes have to pay to sit near a phone or fax machine collecting your information? How many do you pay to check records to see if they've gone over the magic #2? How much staff do you hire to look for people not reporting their garage sales? Seems like a whole new section of government would have to be set up for this. Would you have to pay a registration fee for your yard sale to fund a department like this? Would fines for going over pay for these salaries?

Seems to me that there are better ways to solve this. I even have a few impromptu solutions of my own. If a house is having a sale each week, they should be asked for a business license for their home address (zoning restrictions would prohibit a store set up in a residential area so that would keep that from happening.) If people are leaving up signs way too long, any police car with downtime can pick it up and drop a nice little ticket for littering at their doorstep. Anything would be better than finding a way to get into my pocket.

Home Is Where The... Well... Where The Home Is

With the recent rise in concern about illegal immigration in the United States, I am finding an appalling side effect. Defending the border is important. At least $10 billion a year is spent on schooling, hospitals and medical care for more than 8 million illegal immigrants according to the Center for Immigration Studies. That amount of money affects the education and medical costs of all immigrants and citizens which is not going to abate. The Minuteman Project has brought a lot of these thoughts to the public forum but with it has come racial tensions that don't belong there. There has been a recent rise in angst directed at the Hispanic community. "Go back to where you belong! Go back home!" When I hear something like this it makes my skin crawl. Sounds a lot like something out of the Civil Rights era. If home is where you hang your hat, is home where some of your family came from generations ago? How many generations do you have to live here to call it home? It is silly and obnoxious. I feel that there are a lot of uneducated citizens that are all too willing to lump immigrants, naturalized citizens and citizens into the same category as illegal immigrants. Let's just use this as a platform for racial bias, shall we?