Setting A Date For Swift Justice

Whether you've listened to him or seen him before, the picture you see is of R. Kelly. I'd like to think that he is staring at a throng of reporters wanting to know why it has taken over 4 years for him to go to trial for 14 counts of child pornography and having sex with a girl who may have been as young as 13. I doubt that was the case though. I'm sure it was a publicity photo for one of the 5 studio albums that he released (2002's Best Of Both Worlds, 2003's Chocolate Factory, 2003's Happy People/U Saved Me, 2004's Unfinished Business and 2005's TP.3 Reloaded) or 2 compilations (2003's The R. In R&B Collection Vol. 1 and Remix City Vol. 1) since the charges first surfaced in February of 2002. Yet, I'm not disturbed by the money he has made since the charges on album sales or tour ticket sales.

What I do find a bit unsettling is that a trial date has still not been set. I can't remember if I've seen the heavily downloaded video which spawned the original lawsuit but that could be because it is taking prosecutors longer to bring this case to trial than Def Leppard takes to record a studio album. I personally don't know if he is guilty or not but leaving it in the public consciousness for so long creates a stigma (which hasn't hurt his record sales) that may make trying him in court more difficult. But, let's put this another way. Michael Jackson turned himself in, was put on trial and cleared of charges all between R. Kelly's 2002 arrest and now. Oddly enough Kelly worked with Jackson on the yet to be released charity single, "I Have This Dream," for the victims of Hurricane Katrina.

Although through our rights we are granted a "quick and speedy trial," I am left to wonder how long one should have to wait for redemption or conviction in front of a jury of their peers. Then again, I haven't heard R. Kelly complain.

Cold-filtered Inebriation

You have to love thermochromic ink. Think about it. How often have you grabbed a canned beverage and thought "this isn't as cold as I hoped." Essentially, this new area in design for the classic aluminum can has been out for about a year but I haven't seen many companies make good use of it. If you look at the photo on the right, one can of Coors is cold enough to drink and the other isn't -- this is noted by the color of the little mountain at the bottom of the can. I mean, no one wants a warm beer (unless you are desperate or in college) but most want a consistent level of freshness. There is also another reason why I mention this.

You see, I tend to fall back on Coors Light when I'm drinking. Sure, I like many other beers and some wines but I actually like the taste of a good cold Coors Light. And the process for brewing beer at the Coors brewery is "a unique cold filtering and sterile-fill system that stabilizes the beer at its freshest point without heating it by pasteurization." Remember all the Coors commercials where they rave about "ice cold Coors" or the Coors train seemingly bringing snow with it? There's a reason. You see, heat pasteurization kills the good bacteria fermenting the beer. (I was lucky to taste a beer right from a brewery prior to the heating and cooling... it is amazingly much tastier than the end product.) Coors just brings it to a very low temperature so it remains inactive. Early on this method limited growth of the chain nationally as it needed to be distributed cold also... and possibly another good reason for them to consider that little temperature guide on the can. Did I mention that they were the first to introduce the two-piece all-aluminum beverage can in 1959? Personally, I will only grab mine from the store refrigeration unit. I do need to look to see if some stores actually sit some of the cases out in displays (which would kind of ruin temperature control.)

Interactive: Not My Job, Man

I was reading a book recently and stumbled upon an interesting statistic. Essentially, when we hit 45 years of age we are entering our prime earning potential years. By that time, the average wage earner has held about 9 jobs. I thought about it for awhile and I'm right in there (a bit early in my life, though.) Dishwasher, cook, tennis pro, security, bus person, casino change person, car rental runner, valet person, auto detailer, head of computer-operations, belldesk relief supervisor, hotel employee... I'm sure there are many others that I can't think of at this moment.

I've talked about entry-level/minimum wage jobs before. But, what I find interesting are those that don't take the skills they learn in those first jobs off into another position somewhere else. Sure, if they do well in their position, they will be promoted from within (I call promotions new jobs as they require new or extra responsibilities.) So, today I thought that I'd ask you: How many jobs have you held so far?

My Life, Rated And Approved For Mass Consumption

This Is My Life, Rated
Life:	7.3
Mind:	7.9
Body:	8
Spirit:	7.5
Friends/Family:	6.6
Love:	6.9
Finance:	7.2
Take the Rate My Life Quiz

I decided to take this quiz. I wish I could remember where I saw it again as I've been holding onto this awhile. What I am happy to see is that I was over the average and that's all I can ask for.

I've been feeling like I'm in a funk today. I'm sure that it will pass shortly. I think it's lack of sleep yesterday prior to a blood donation. It was interesting giving blood though. They had me on a machine that separates the plasma from the red blood cells (I'm B+.) Instead of the standard needle, it has two holes in the end. One for drawing and one for replacing. Essentially, I have all my plasma back as well as some added saline. No wonder why I feel funky.

Little Sisters Are Gifts

Yesterday, I decided to fix a few things. No, nothing broken at the house. You see, the twins (Connor and Olivia) had their birthday party at an odd time when I would be at work. So, I drove off to Boulder City and gave them their present. As you can see in the photo, Olivia was more concerned with opening it while Connor was focused on smiling for the camera. Amazing kids. I then spent a few hours with my brother-in-law Cory working on some wood flooring he was putting in. I left after we got around the stairs so I could have time to head to the hospital.

No bad news. See, here's a photo of Connor and Olivia at the hospital eating popsicles. They are such good kids. I also read one of their Batman books to them (I don't think the understood all of it but they got a good grasp of things when Batman caught the Riddler.) That was fun. But, the main reason I went to the hospital and made the trip was because my sister gave birth to a baby girl named Lillian Jane on Thursday. I got the news on Friday morning when I got back from work and wasn't going to be able to visit the next day. Michelle was expecting to leave the hospital that day but wasn't feeling up for it (I mean geez... she had a C-section just days before but there is something about the Hennessy blood that makes you want to tell doctors that they don't know what they are talking about.)

I was actually afraid that I wouldn't find the right hospital so I followed Cory's mom there. (Las Vegas for some reason likes the name St. Rose and has a few hospitals starting with that... maybe it's a Knights Templar thing.) The baby is beautiful as you can tell from the picture (sitting on Cory's mom's lap) and very hungry. As expected, Michelle didn't want to be in the photo. The baby gets the name Lilian from my grandmother Lilian Hennessy and Jane is the middle name of Cory's mother. After hearing about the name, I hit Best Buy to pick up Depeche Mode's Playing The Angel for my sister (the song "Lilian" has been released as a dance single.) Actually, upon writing this, I don't know if they or grandma spell it with 1 or 2 L's. Before leaving, I got a chance to tell the twins that having a little sister is special as "I have one also, your mom."

Keep Your Hands Off My Books

I'm right-handed. Yet, my father is left-handed (ok, he's pretty much ambidextrous but still leans to using his left hand more.) Some stats place an approximate 10% of the population as left-handed. Seeing that this is a rare and unusual thing. Heck, many saw this as a sign of weakness ages ago and would retrain a child to use his right hand by restraining the offending arm. Nuns would smack the left hand of a child trying to write with that hand in school. That was possibly because being left-handed was interpreted as a sign of Satanic influence. It was claimed that until recently left-handed children in Africa would have their hand covered in boiling water and then buried in mud until all the nerves in that hand were killed... forcing them to use the other one.

So, I believe that we should rewrite all our elementary, junior high, high school and college textbooks to denote any historical personage with "(left-handed)" after their name. This would show students in the Southpaw minority that they are not alone, they can aspire to great things and that they will not be bullied into being like everyone else. Pretty idiotic isn't it. What if Michelangelo or Leonardo da Vinci didn't want people to focus on their hand preference?

Well, something similar is going on in California with another reportedly 10% of the population. A bill (Senate Bill 1437) has been introduced by Sheila Kuehl of the California State Senate to require mention of the accomplishments of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual people in school books for students as early as kindergarten. The bill which calls for a "bias free curriculum" was recently passed by the Senate and is awaiting a vote in the State Assembly. An Assembly Bill (606) would authorize the state to withhold funds from any school district whose policies do not adequately lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transsexuals. There's even another Assembly bill that would allot $250,000 tax funds to "tolerance education" for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual lifestyle in 10 state schools.

I have several reasons for not supporting either of those bills. I have no issues with those I do and don't know in lesbian, gay, bisexual or transsexual lifestyles. I believe that if bills like these were passed nationwide... you are talking millions of dollars in tax dollars spent on new textbooks when schools have enough of a problem paying for the books they are short. Doing this for a footnote of "oh, by the way, he went both ways" doesn't add to an education a doesn't create a "bias free curriculum" when you only mention those that aren't heterosexual. How balanced is that? I also think that we have enough problems figuring out when to mention these things. You have artists like David Bowie, Marilyn Manson, Morrissey and Clay Aiken that either dabbled, claims celibacy or denies. You then have to define how much dabbling makes the person something other than straight. Then you have people like Leonardo da Vinci that was not only left-handed but was emprisoned on suspicion of homosexuality although not convicted.

The Study Of Chinese Art

So, I finished my last book, Larry Elder's Ten Things You Can't Say In America, and was looking for something lighter. I usually try to put an easier fiction book as a breather between some of the more detailed reading.

I was getting fitted for a tux at that event I mentioned earlier and found myself talking to the man taking the measurements. For some reason we got to talking about books and he mentioned that he was reading Sun Tzu's The Art Of War. It reminded me that the centuries-old text is still revered and it should be on my shelf. He also mentioned that the biggest problem with the book is the translation as some very bad versions came out early on.

I was persuaded to check online to find the best translation before buying it. This was extremely difficult to do so I gave up and stumbled around at Barnes & Noble for awhile. I was shown the section with the books and then I asked the customer service person about the translations. After thinking about it for awhile, she led me to a section of Barnes & Noble Classics. Yes, the chain actually prints their own versions of some of the classic books in paperback. It makes sense. The company wouldn't want to reprint a bad translation of the book. They'd want to sell the one that might get purchased. This was the Lionel Giles translation.

The one thing I can say (being maybe 20 pages in) is that it is an extremely easy read. The text is separated by sections and numbers (supposedly for student reference) with mainly single and double sentences. This book is going to fly by but I do find it interesting that I should take the enemy's chariot and have my troops use it to demoralize that enemy. Sure, I don't see that working now but it's little things like that and how many pieces of silver it will take to raise an army of 10,000 soldiers that I find dated but intriguing. If anything, it will hold me over until I restart Freakonomics.

In Praise Of Golden Arches or You Deserve A Bust Today... No Really, Today

I've never been a big customer of McDonalds. Sure, I like visiting here and there once in a blue moon. Yes, there is something unholy about the smell of their french fries that can make any mammal drool. Of course I'm still upset that they got rid of their ham, egg and cheese breakfast bagel but I've learned to deal with the loss. The last time I was there, I tried out their new premium spicy chicken sandwich. It currently is the most spicy one out there (just beating out Wendy's) but the chicken breast is so thin that it seems crunchy.

Of course, I like to think of myself as a connoisseur of breasts and not just chicken. I remember growing up where girls were hitting puberty at 15 (Treasa had trouble finding bras) and yes, I would notice. Over the years this age has been getting younger and younger with even a condition called precocious puberty affecting children as young as... 5. I've heard rumors and reports over the years linking childhood obesity and early puberty on McDonalds consumption and the beef and chicken producers' use of antibiotics and growth hormones. Other reports have dismissed it and said that occassional meals at McDonalds will not cause any problems with your health.

Why do I mention this now? Well, a new report finds that many Chinese undergarment manufacturers are producing less of the A-cup bras they are used to and are even seeing a sales boom of C's, D's and E's for women under the age of 20. Many scientists believe that the lack of a nutrition in the average Chinese diet in the past hampered their ummm... growth. The average chest circumference of a Chinese woman increased 1cm since 1990 according to The Beijing Institute of Clothing Technology. McDonalds opened their first stores in China in 1990. As of 2004 the city of Shanghai had 66 stores and over 600 in the country (with 100 more planned to open annually over then next few years.)

VegasTennis.com's Marty Hennessy Jr. Tennis Foundation Benefit

So, the party went pretty well. I found myself a nice tux (all black with white tie and hanky... very Mafioso) and got there with time to spare. You won't find any photos of myself. I don't take many photos and since it was my camera... I'd have to put my finger in the way to make it happen. The first picture you will see here (I won't name everyone because I can't) includes (left to right) Rudy Ruettiger, Frankie Avalon, Tony Bennett, Phyllis McGuire and Mike Agassi... ok, Dad is there behind Tony and Phyllis.

After taking the first photo, I was standing with my brother Michael (in the second photo on the far right) and this guy walks up and introduces himself. All I heard was the name Rudy but Mike heard the last name and got all giddy. "That's THE Rudy!" I tracked him down a little later and told him I'd love to get a photo of him with my brother... I found out a little later that Michael already made sure that happened. So I opted to get one of Michael, Rudy and my other brother Matt (on left.) Had a good laugh with Michael about the fact that Andre Agassi's dad Mike was at the event and that if he kept close and quiet to him, people would think he's Andre.

Finally, here is a photo of Jay Leno as he came in to wish Tony an early happy 80th birthday. Jay snuck around the corner with a big cake and said a few words. He stayed for a little while before having to go perform at the Mirage. This preceded the auction which went very well. I believe the whole event raised $200,000 for junior tennis players in Las Vegas. I even wound up purchasing a little piece of artwork from one of the kids in a silent auction. I just don't know where I'm going to put it.

Life Update - 051206

Lots of stuff going on so let's dive in:

Missed my niece and nephew's birthday party last night. I was actually pretty excited about changing my shift to true weekends (Saturday/Sunday) as usually they celebrated these things then as I was usually the odd one out. Oh, well. Just means that I'm going to have to make a trip and spend some quality time with them to make up for it.

I've never been someone that gets excited about big gala events. I don't know if it's either that I'm just a jeans and t-shirt kind of guy or if it's the feeling that I'm on display. I believe that is why I've been hedging about going to one that my father is holding. I missed out on one before (which I planned on attending but had to finish the newsletter first and then couldn't find my sports coat) in which my father was honored. So, over the last few days, I've been planning to go to the tuxedo shop to get fitted (I think Dad came up with the idea of tuxes for all so I couldn't use the missing sports coat excuse again) but haven't made it. I did talk to the store owner and they'll let me do same day service on Saturday. I do plan on sneaking my camera into the event so expect a few photos. The one that I'd like most? A photo of my brother Michael with his godfather Tony Bennett (ok, maybe Jay Leno can be allowed in the photo as he'll be at the event also.)

Still working on adjusting my sleep. Things were going so well but then I had a string of nights where I'd see daylight before I could drift off. I think that I'm going to have to purchase big sheets of Styrofoam to fit my bedroom window (I never open up the blinds.) Styrofoam would block the sunlight (which rises on that side of the house) and also insulate the window during the summer season. I still need to try that 'hot shower when I get home' idea.

I'm on a frosted shredded wheats kick right now. I like them but by making that more of my meals, I won't eat a lot of the crap they serve at work. The buffet mentality is not conducive to weight maintenance, control or loss.

I'm trying to clear off my Tivo and DVD shelf before things get busy in June. Finally made it through the last of the Battlestar Galactica episodes. Now I have a bunch of Smallville and Bones episodes (maybe about 10 each) waiting for me.

I may be making a trip to Pittsburgh as the new company that I'll be working with (as early as June) wants me to see how they operate at the main office. I'm not big on travel unless I have a lot of free time and that's been dwindling over the last few years. I've been asked to clear a weekend to visit but I know that I prep the newsletter on Sunday (work on compiling new release data and sorting through some email press releases.) Maybe I can talk them into a Saturday (quick in and out) but I also wonder what am I going there on a weekend for if I want to see them work.

I think that someone would make a lot of money hiring me to compile great obscure songs for their upcoming movie soundtrack. They just need to call me and set up a meeting.

I was doing so well with my CD purchases for my iPod. I picked up a best of Kenny Rogers, best of Tanya Tucker and best of Freddie Jackson for $0.96 each. Then I found Danzig's Danzig, K.T. Oslin's Greatest Hits, Live's Throwing Copper (I know I have it somewhere but someone probably is holding onto it hoping that I forget) and This Mortal Coil's This Mortal Coil for $2.50 each. So things were looking great but then my The Best Of Kid Creole And The Coconuts came in... nowhere on the disc does it say live album. I'm pissed. I'm not big on most live albums and if I want a 'best of' I want it to be the best of the albums they've released.

I am also noticing that after mentioning that I'll expand upon a topic later in a post or reply, I often forget and never bring it up again. So here's to hoping that I remember.

The Shaping Of Las Vegas

Las Vegas is a very strange place. Many would say that the way it gets its reputation from the early ties to organized crime, exotic dancers, millionaire hermits... but I believe people remember the varied themes of each hotel. History is wonderful but people are visual creatures. Themes have been a focus of hotel creation during the last few decades as a means to draw a 'different' type of crowd.

First of these to create a theme would have to be Circus Circus. Sure, it's a kiddie place with midway games and pink all over but it did draw people with circus shows and stuffed animals. Then I would say the Excalibur took the next step. They were created by Circus Circus properties and actually gave the impression of castle walls with turrets. The only problem is getting from one section to another as an employee but the theme works. They even carried the midway idea over and included a weight guesser.

The Circus Circus company then went one step further and decided to bring Egypt to Las Vegas with the creation of the Luxor. The pyramid shape had early issues as drivers reported being blinded as they passed the area so a change of reflective glass was chosen (and now sometimes has advertising on it.) The high-powered beam shooting through the top has been seen as far away as space. There is some interesting history of the hotel about it being cursed for trying to bring such a place to Las Vegas. During the first year of creation, many engineers reportedly saw cracks in the foundation widening. Many said the hotel was sinking others said the weight of the top was pushing the base out due to it being hollow in the center. More recently, the hotel added other sections around it which could be seen as lending support to the base... if you are a conspiracy theorist.

The MGM Grand popped up in 1993 and went in as a partner to build the New York, New York hotel across the strip from it. The company would later buy the partner company and the other half of the hotel. It is the only hotel in Las Vegas to actually show a skyline of any city and has a functioning roller coaster running on the outside. I still wonder how it functions internally as it is a collection of actual New York buildings. I do wonder if the rooms are themed or if they have a view from each of those little windows. Anyhow, after the purchase of Primadonna (the partner company), MGM went and purchased the Mirage properties and Circus Cirus properties (under the Mandalay Bay name.)

The MGM itself is rather interesting as it isn't the original. Many people visit and ask why it took so long to rebuild it after the fire. The MGM actually sold their hotel to Bally's after the destruction and lawsuits following the fire that claimed 84 lives and injured 679 in 1980. They actually decided to avoid the hotel industry entirely... until they decided to build the largest hotel on the Las Vegas Strip. The MGM Grand is actually built on an existing structure, the Marina hotel. The newer structures took over the Tropicana golf course and included a theme park. Opening with a Wizard Of Oz theme, the hotel changed direction away from family marketing with the removal of the theme park and Oz areas. Not often mentioned is that if you look directly down on the hotel room area, it is in the shape of a crucifix.

A cross would be the first obvious use of symbology (although not often cited) in Las Vegas hotel structures but it would be wrong for me to exclude the Imperial Palace. It was long rumored that the building was slowly being shaped as a swastika. Now, you won't see many photos of it from above but this longstanding rumor still exists due to the history of late owner Ralph Engelstad. Essentially he was given the 2nd largest fine against a Las Vegas hotel ($1.5 million) for disgracing the industry with Hitler parties in 1986 and 1988 (Engelstad was the owner of a massive Nazi and World War II memorabilia collection.)

All in all, some people will see the glitz and glamour of 'Sin City' in television specials, shows and movies but there is a lot more in the buildings millions come to visit every year.

Worth A Million

No one can earn a million dollars honestly.

William Jennings Bryan

Sure, things have changed in the decades since Bryan wrote that quote. One is inflation but if you take it at face value, money can be earned honestly. The only dishonesty is when people judge the value of what you earned without knowledge of what you actually do. Yes, there are people out there that see big companies and believe that they run themselves and that the man at the top is just there as a figurehead or rolls around in a bathtub full of $100 bills. As a free society, we are allowed to believe such things. But, I wonder... where the dishonesty is in a Web site that sells space ($1 per pixel, 1,000,000 pixels)?

The Million Dollar Homepage is such a place. One perception would be that it didn't cost him $1,000,000 so why is he charging that much for it? (Cost is always a good critique.) Another view would be that because the site states the value at $1 per pixel, is that the true value? Web site value is pretty immeasurable as we've seen with a net bubble burst several years back. But... the domain name, the perceived advertising space and the fact that I'm mentioning it here give it a higher value than it took to create. Yet, owner Alex Tew will not earn $1 million for the Web site. In fact, the space will lose value over time as he re-purchases his domain name and pays for Web hosting. He will make money in speaking engagements and book deals, though. But, I do wonder what the level of dishonesty in this business model would be?

There Can Be Only One... Unless You Offer Us Big Money

I had to address this at some point but I really have no idea how anyone can get through life without seeing the film Highlander. I would think with the television series and even the film sequels that some people might have even heard of it but there are some uninitiated out there.

This film sits in my top shelf area in my video library because it blurs many genres and holds many great memories. Take one man in a kilt who is cut down in battle but miraculously survives and is shunned by his fellow combatants. Take one foreigner who befriends him and instructs him in swordplay, life, battle and what it is like to be immortal. Place them in a battle for an unknown prize that spans centuries between fellow immortals who are literally after each others heads. Throw in two love stories, wrestling, a very evil immortal, a lot of clashing swords, sparks, Sean Connery and a soundtrack by Queen. You are left with a film that touches on many levels and leaves you wanting more... even though the prize is attained and the battle is over. The film wasn't a box office hit but the advent of video rentals created a cult hit. I personally remember wielding broomsticks in the living room with my brother Matt while watching the movie over and over again.

I never got into the sequels and side-stories created as I didn't see the logic in how you could continue a battle between immortals if all but one had to die in the first film. The television series was very successful and had it's own spin-off series but after watching a few early episodes, I lost interest. They even tried an animated series in 1994. The only way I could see it existing was as something that happened before the film. Having a different Highlander with the name Duncan just messed up my mind. Films tried to follow the renewed interest but they were disappointments. Although, I felt some closure watching Highlander: Endgame (the fourth film) because they brought both Connor and Duncan into the film and made a decision on where the future would go. I have seen that they are actually working on a Highlander: The Source (film 5) which is supposed to be a search for the first immortal and the source of their immortality.

I do feel like there is something wrong with me that I can't accept a separate Highlander reality which would make it easier for me to accept there being more than "one." But I find it harder to believe that there are people who haven't seen the original film. If you haven't, rectify it and marvel in how a film like that got overlooked in the theater (ok, that happened to Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory and The Wizard Of OZ.)

How Much Is That Doggie In The Window?

No, that isn't my dog. I don't actually have one. Some day I'll probably write down my internal debate about pets but that's actually a picture provided by An Alaskan Abroad. This was the closest photo I found to illustrate my story.

I was working on my newsletter on Monday and heard a lot of barking. My bedroom faces my backyard and computer desk faces my window (which I keep the blinds up because I am a freak about privacy.) Suddenly, I hear a weird falling crushing sound followed by more barking. I peeked out my window and well, that picture fits exactly what I saw. Now, I mentioned recently that a neighbors dog has eaten a few of the new plants that I put down in the front yard. I've also known that parts of my iron gate leading to my backyard have been broken off due to someone standing on them. I've even seen my gate open here and there but here is this dog staring me in the face. So, I burst out the back door with a vengeance hoping to catch the owner of the dog also. No luck. I shooed the dog off and found the gate closed (but unlocked as I've never locked it.) It was a big dog but didn't react with hostility. The only one that was hostile was me as I looked at the yard after the smoke had cleared and noticed two "dog-piles" and digging areas in my newly created landscape.

I bought a lock that was too big for it and have run a coat-hanger through the access latch and made sure no one is getting in or out without deliberate action. Sure, I'd love to go to the dog's owner and say, "Keep track of your dog unless you plan of paying to fix my yard." But instead I'm more likely to ask, "How much is that doggie in the window?" as I write the owner a check to pay for what I wind up doing to it.

I'm Confused Are They Boycotting America Or Americans Boycotting?

Allergies have been kicking my butt. So, yesterday I visited some friends and just rested alot (with one eye on the draft.) I have to work on the newsletter tomorrow morning and normally I'd run off to work right after. Normally... but tomorrow is being called A Day Without An Immigrant and The Great American Boycott 2006 (yes, we are united but we can't agree on one name.) No, I'm not staying home to show my support.

I actually work in a "building" that has a mostly Hispanic cleaning staff (more than half of the employees on property.) The "building" is full of people renting rooms that need to be cleaned between guests and during their stay. A lot of the time, I meet these guests whether I'm bringing them things, listening to a complaint or assisting them with their keys. If the cleaning staff doesn't show up, all hell will break loose. This means that people in non-organized job classes will be told to clean rooms. I don't have to worry about that but I do know that these guests will not be happy waiting longer for their rooms, will find problems with their rooms and will want to vent these problems with someone who just so happens to be standing near them. I decided that I wasn't going to be there for that several weeks ago and put in for a vacation day. I've since seen many handouts at the "building" asking people to sign a petition as a show of support but still show up for work with the idea that they can go join the rallies after their shift. I don't think that is going to work too well. The cleaning classification is hard to fill where we are and many can use a nifty provision called F.M.L.A. (if you haven't heard about it, I'll probably talk about it soon) to get the day off and often get paid for it.

Anyhow, I look at the timing as perfect as I'm all stuffed up (I guess, I talk in my sleep when I'm really stuffy) at what feels like the peak of my allergy symptoms and I'll be able to take some nifty drugs and sleep (ok, I have to do a lot of typing but I don't have to rush it out by 4 pm like normal.) In some ways, I hope those protesting don't show up to work. Nothing shows how much you have sacrificed for honest work than to walk off of the job, have your children walk out of a taxpayer-funded school, spend no money (which means buy more before or after) and voice your "right" to reside in a foreign country illegally. I just wonder if it will take this one event, one event every year or a monthly walkout that will put businesses on the hotseat to maybe re-evaluate their hiring practices.

Oakland Wanted A Quarterback In The First Round?

Ever since Oakland released Kerry Collins in the off-season, critics have linked the Raiders with an urge and/or need for a quarterback. There are many reasons for this. Lets recap: Oakland drafts quarterback Andrew Walter in the 3rd round of the 2005 NFL Draft. The team enters the season with Kerry Collins at QB, Collins is pulled for backup (2001 2nd round draft pick) Marques Tuiasosopo, Tuiasosopo is pulled for Collins and season ends with Collins throwing 20 touchdowns and 12 interceptions (ranked 6th in in NFL passing yards and ranked 10th in NFL touchdowns.) Collins is now a free agent and is contemplating retirement. Tui started 1 game and was tossed around like a rag doll (he did throw a touchdown) but remains with the team. In the off-season, Oakland signed former Saints starting quarterback Aaron Brooks to a 1 year deal.

A lot of the problems should fall on the shoulders of Oakland offensive line, which was pretty offensive. We'll start by saying that they need help at guard. They need to move Robert Gallery to his natural position. They have tried to plug the line holes with veterans but it hasn't helped. (Hint: Consider drafting a guard as early as the 4th round, guys.) Whatever quarterback they use, he'll need protection. Granted, a 1 year deal with a veteran usually means that he is there to groom someone for the position. Hence, the talking heads pushing the idea that Oakland would take a quarterback with the #7 pick in the draft. Many expected they would take Vince Young and others said Matt Leinart (Oakland likes California players.) It didn't happen (as of noon PST the team drafted Michael Huff a much needed defensive back.

Ahhh, why wouldn't the team want to draft a quarterback? That would be because the team and many fans view Andrew Walter as the team's quarterback of the future. I know, why didn't he get thrown into a game last year during a lousy season if he was that good? Great question. Walter had a great year in 2004 leading Arizona to an 8-3 record and became the Pac-10's all-time touchdown leader breaking a mark held by John Elway (recently broken again by Matt Leinart.) Why didn't Walter get drafted higher than 3rd round then? During the last game of the 2004 season, Walter suffered a 3rd degree shoulder separation which affected his draft status (originally expected to be a 1st round prospect.) Walter reportedly was injured during training camp and was held back for the remainder of 2005 to allow the shoulder and groin injuries to heal. Walter is expected to compete with Brooks and Tuiasosopo for the starting quarterback position. Teams usually carry 3 quarterbacks into a season. If Oakland drafted another, they would likely be cutting Tuiasosopo (which still can happen.)

...It's A Gas, Gas, Gas

I guess that I've become rather numb to the rise in the price of gasoline. After all, as a scarce non-renewable resource, the price isn't going to get cheaper over time. But, a few days ago I started relating it to other things. Statistics show that we go through 20 million barrels of oil a day in the U.S. Of course gasoline is a major consumer of that oil but there are the thousands of petroleum-based products on the market (CDs, cosmetics, auto polish, safety glass, PVC pipes, industrial cleaners, wire insulation, printing ink, paint, pesticide... anything made of plastic, elastic, polyester, rayon, dacron or orlon among many many others) that bid for their share that oil so they can continue production. Of that 20 million barrels, we as a country produce: 8 million. We produce 40% of a product that we use multiple times each day. It's that stat that keeps rattling in my head.

I keep thinking that if I had 12 million barrels of oil per day coming in from other countries at $70 a pop, that comes to a mere $840,000,000. If I wanted to balance trade internationally, I'd want to cut that back some and depend on ourselves more. We don't and wont. Instead, we actually put some of what we produce aside in a oil reserve. In some respects, it's not a bad idea to put something aside because we are oil dependents and it's good to have some sense of security. Currently, we get the remaining 60% from (in order of supply): Saudi Arabia, Canada, Venezuela, Mexico and Nigeria. I'll avoid boring you with how we could currently produce more oil at a cheaper rate (which I know you've heard a lot about), how we haven't opened an oil refinery in nearly 30 years and about how we can cut consumption by embracing new technology. I just wonder if we as a country are purposely purchasing from others something we could produce cheaper as a means to be "last man standing" when the oil supplies of other countries start drying up.

Parody Or Marketing Device?

I actually remember going to my grandparents store in Idaho (the only one in the small friendly town) and being told to pick a few treats out. It literally was the kid in a candy store analogy brought to life. Now, I didn't go crazy. I've always been a bit finicky. But, I always thought candy cigarettes were funny. They had a taste of their own and were what I consider "parody" candy.

Several countries in the world actually made candy cigarettes illegal during the early 1990's. Necco and World Candies actually fought a bill in Congress in 1990 that would have banned the product in the U.S. The claims were made that the items looked so similar to the real thing that they urged children to smoke later in their lives. The items even have a little red at the end.

I might be in the minority here but I don't think the candy made me want to smoke. It's not one of my vices although several friends and one of my parents have and/or do currently inhale. I remember trying to act like it was real and of course this was in the late 70's and early 80's when smoking wasn't as frowned upon. I'd hold it in my fingers and put the end in my mouth. The thing didn't last more than a few seconds. Usually the first one would be played with but they'd end up in my mouth in seconds. I think that if candy cigarettes lead children to smoking that it also leads them to eating their Marlboros and Salem Lights. I also think that if people are so freaked out about candy cigarettes... why aren't they upset about licorice pipes. (I actually bought that one in a store near Olivia's recital.) But don't they lead people to smoking pipes? Is there a pipe smoking crisis? It's like saying that the eating of bananas or Big Stick ice cream treats promotes and trains young women for oral sex. Never heard of a study or a ban on those.

Bunny Left From Easter

Went to my first recital last night. The performance was of Little Red Riding Hood by a ballet company in Boulder City, Nevada. Why would I break such a long streak of never seeing a recital? Olivia.

She was one of the bunnies in the forest during Red's 2 1/2 hour trek to Grandma's house. Sure, I wanted her to have a bigger part but this is her first year, I believe. But one thing that was very noticeable was that the other girls were looking over at her to make sure they were doing the right thing. That smile on her face in the photo says it all. I gave her that flower (that's in her hands) after the performance. If you look closely to the right of the picture, you can see Olivia's new brother/sister... well, my sister's stomach (which she tried to avoid getting photographed.) I had a great time and I even got to play with Connor for a bit (felt bad about getting something for Olivia so I gave him some taffy.)

Juggling Unknown Variables

Ever have a project you need to do but are given very few details in an area well outside your working knowledge? Ok, I have two of these that I need to address before the 29th. These chores deal with the new job starting in June. I'm figuring that putting them down will help me shake loose an idea or two... or someone else nudges me in the right direction.

1) The new business coming to town need an office. The boss is hoping for something in the 1,000 sq. ft. range and in the Summerlin area. I know very little about offices, leasing and even his plans for the space. But, I told him I'd "keep my eyes open." (Yes, I think I piled the dirt on my grave with that statement.) The only things that I can think of are driving around and writing down addresses with phone numbers at decent locations. Now that I think about it, it might be worth talking to Mom about these things as she leases out airplane hangars.

2) A soon-to-be co-worker will be moving to town with his family and will need to find a rental home. Again, details are fuzzy here. I don't know how many rooms but know he is looking in the Summerlin area also (stay close to work etc.) So, I've been hoping to pile up information on houses to rent but I haven't seen any good magazines in town. I have considered emailing the link for the Review Journal (local paper) website so they have something more to go on.

Either way, both the boss and the co-worker are due in town on the 29th and I'll need to show that I haven't ignored the tasks. Meeting them that day is also going to be interesting. NFL Draft starts that morning, my brother's birthday party (held later to also celebrate his sister-in-law's birthday) starts at 3 pm and I'm supposed to have dinner with the new boss and co-worker later. Should be an interesting day. Think I'll give Mom a call and pick her brain on lease/rental properties.

Update: Mom gave me some great leads on the lease property. She goes in for her multiple hernia surgery tomorrow. I'm going to see if I can drop in on her when she gets home later that day before I go to work.

My Brother, Matthew

Didn't get to post this yesterday as it was a busy newsletter day but here it goes. Yesterday was my brother Matt's birthday. He's there in the picture in the red sweater and also in the tux with his wife on the far left. He turned 32.

As I think about it, I've had 32 years of memories with him making it one of my longest lasting friendships. I've always felt a weird connection with him. Both of us were slapped plenty of times in church for just looking at each other at the wrong time and bursting out into laughter. (Yes, the wrong time is when the pastor says, "This is my body, eat from it...") As sporadic and cautious that I am, Matt is equally more focused and sure. Just him being around pushed me to be better. I don't think he'll ever know how proud I am of him.

Before starting the newsletter, I ran over to pick up donuts. I remember during weekends that Mom would usually pick up a dozen from Winchell's as we went to the tennis courts. I had a flashback of myself looking through the glass with my siblings as they each picked a few to go in the dozen. I remember Matt always picked the maple bars, glazed twists and cinnamon rolls so I made sure to get a few of those. They were out of what I like but yesterday wasn't about me. (I'll talk about those another day.) I then proceeded over to his office (which is oddly enough just a few blocks away from my house.) An hour flew by quickly and it seems several people brought him goodies (two batches of homemade rice krispy treats, a bottle of alcoholic beverage and tons of email.) As I left, I was thinking that I really need to spend more days with him like this. Happy Birthday, Matt.

80's Albums You May Not Know

Allergies are kicking my butt and I've been sleeping a lot. But instead of leaving landscape photos up forever, I decided to talk about a few of my favorite albums of the 1980s (since I covered 3 from the 90s a few months back.) Yes, they may be bands that you haven't heard or been familiar with but I call each of them 'perfect' albums - meaning that I enjoy each of the songs and prefer to hear them straight through.

The first album may be one that you've heard of... or heard at least one song from. In 1987, Icehouse released Man Of Colours which would mark the apex of their career. The album showed maturity for a band that leaned heavily on synthesizers early on where a new emphasis on the songwriting became almost as important as the music. The album includes the Top 20 hit singles, "Electric Blue," which was co-written (and included background vocals) by John Oates of Hall & Oates and "Crazy." The album wasn't as critically accepted as the hit singles imply. The album boasts some gems ("My Obsession,") beautiful harmonies ("Sunrise") and sonic soundscapes ("Heartbreak Kid.") The lyricism and vocal strength of this album made it quite hard to follow up. Well worth giving a few listens to if you can find it (the album is out of print and I had to replace my old one with one from eBay.)

I fell into this next album thanks to a friend in Junior High named Phil Gelber. After reaching some success with the band Sheriff (minor hit with "When I'm With You" in 1982 which would become a bigger hit for them later when re-released in 1989,) the Canadian band split into two camps. Steve DeMarchi and Freddy Curci went and formed Alias (with former members of Heart) while bassist Wolf Hassel and vocalist/guitarist Arnold Lanni formed Frozen Ghost. The album had a chart single with "Should I See" but got little notice outside of Canada. The songs range from driving beats to the melancholy but never so drastic as to seem out of place. Lyrically strong tracks even when one of the songs is titled "Yum Bai Ya" - no relation to "Kum Bi Ya." This release is also out of print and had to spend over $20 on eBay to repurchase it. (Saw it as high as $50.) Oddly enough, the band recently saw some of their songs released in an Essential Frozen Ghost collection in Canada. (note - I actually used to use the name Frozen Ghost on BBS' after hearing this album and even ran my own Phantom Zone BBS under the name Frozen Ghost.)

And now for something a little darker. Fields Of The Nephilim released The Nephilim (their second independent album) in 1988. I saw the cover in a record store and purchased it right away (also noticing that the album was #1 on the U.K. Indie charts and had a top 40 hit single there with "Moonchild.") Haunting or country/metal/gothic are probably the best descriptions for this band and their guitar-work. Lead vocalist Carl McCoy has a gravelly delivery that ranges from whispers to roars to moans that takes some time to get accustomed to but very distinctive. I guess this would be the equivalent of stumbling upon a bunch of druids at a ceremony worshiping a lost pagan idol. It seems so out of place yet harmonic and deviant. The tracks run from blistering-paced guitars to the dark and sensual "Celebrate." This is an album to listen to in a dark room with your eyes closed.

Lucky Shoes, Don't Fail Me Now

Ok, I don't really believe I own lucky things. I just think that there are times when everything goes well or better than expected and I feel amazed and, yes, even blessed. Today was the end to my landscaping adventure. (See earlier entry with photo of the home when I purchased it.) First up here is a photo of what my home looked without clothes on. Yes, that's right a naked yard. Took a lot of work to get it that way too. I finished prepping the areas for running irrigation and marked off areas that I'd like to highlight. The photo was taken this morning at about 6:30 A.M. with the sunrise behind the house.

Next up are the lucky shoes. No, they aren't lucky but you'd think they are because I've kept them a whole 20+ years. My father would purchase tennis shoes to sell at his shop and every once in awhile he'd say, "Find a pair that are your size." As a youngster, I was pretty amazed that Goodyear made the soles and thought that they have to be a good as car tires. Yes, they have lasted that long and I have been picked on by family members for still owning them but there they are in all their glory. I put them on because I knew I'd need something that I wouldn't care if they got trashed or not. They actually survived pretty well.

And last but not least... the final product. I took the photo at 6:30 P.M. and having the sun behind you doesn't do the area justice. Many of the little plants in front will get a lot bigger, almost bushy (green cassia) while others will spread and circle the rocks. I'm sore and tired (got 5 hours sleep before starting and 5 hours the day before (they dropped off the rocks early.) Took some ibuprofen and plan to have a few beers after a nap. I will tell you something, though. I was going nuts trying to design a layout for what should go where (we even put in a few things so I can run lighting in a few spots later.) I decided use the red rock fines (crushed rock) to highlight specific areas and encircle them with the gold 1" rock. I'm actually shocked that it looked better than I expected. Content and without yardwork, life is sweet.

Not Football Again!

Ever thought about why certain people don't follow professional football? I have. I believe it is the forethought of a higher power that keeps people who would be passionate about one NFL team from beating up people wearing apparel for 96.8% of the other teams in the league. Sure, they might not beat them down every time but they may attempt it more than average fans. So, I believe it's for the greater good.

We Need A Fence Or To Sell A Vote?

Historically, cultures that have come to another country for work and not tried to assimilate have drawn the ire of the natives. Although the success of immigrants abroad usually creates a bigger backlash, keeping up language and social barriers puts them in a perilous spot. Germans living abroad suffered after World War I and II. Those successfully farming in Russia were told to stop teaching classes in the German language, end printing newspapers in their former country's tongue and cease gathering in secret groups. After World War II broke out, these immigrants were forced out of the country as some were believed to be drumming up support for the Nazi cause. Businesses were taken from them and many were sent to their deaths in the cold harsh elements. Russia wasn't the only one that treated Germans this way but restrictions on schools, newspapers and social groups were created in Brazil and even in the United States. This same thing happened to many cultures including the Jewish, Lebanese, Chinese and eastern Indians. Those that don't assimilate become resented for their success, what they might be saying or teaching in their language and even outward appearance.

These thoughts have been on my mind during the recent marches by those supporting the rights of illegal immigrants. I've been waiting to see things come to a head in our country as they are now. Personally, I'm stuck in the middle. The marches have shown me more than I expected. People carrying the Mexican flag as they try to show the United States that they are patriotic? (Being born in Sacramento, California, if I were to wave a state flag, I would hoist that of Nevada as it represents me as a Nevadan.) I've even seen signs saying that they are just taking back the property the U.S. stole from them. Ignoring the outcome of the Mexican - American War is not helping their case.

I personally believe that we have a lot of people that don't want to or can't physically or mentally do work in our economic system. In February, we posted a 4.8% national unemployment rate. Many of the jobs being taken are entry level set at our minimum wage standard. Many of the other jobs are ones we have little record of seeing that if I pick someone up to do yard work and pay him in cash, taxes aren't reported nor collected. So, I'm not against a guest worker program if it will keep track of who we have in our country, push towards assimilation, accurately increase tax revenue and lessen the strain put on our education system. But, I also believe that giving amnesty to those that broke our laws promotes more of the same. (This year, I hope we can forgive anyone that broke the speed limit... no points on your license and no fine. How will you drive next year?) Amnesty would also buy a lot of the Hispanic vote come election day.

Do good fences make good neighbors? Sure, to some extent but if one neighbor has to watch the fence more than the other, something is wrong. I hate the whole situation as I like my friends that have come to work over here. I also dislike racism with a passion. Right now the United States Senate and House of Representatives are redefining what being an "American" is and the future will only tell if history repeats itself.

Got I.D.?

When I walk into work each day, I'm required to show my I.D. It was much worse when there were threats against some of our hotels for possible "dirty bombs." Our bags were searched each day. This never bothered me too much. I figure that I can take a few seconds of my time to help security. I also know that, currently, if we don't have our I.D. when we walk in, we stopped and are walked to Human Resources to verify who we are and have to pay to get a new I.D. card. This sucks when you are running late. Yes, it's easier to just comply.

The reason why I'm thinking about this is that I have Georgia on my mind... that is Georgia congresswoman Cynthia McKinney. Representative McKinney was stopped while in a rush and heading into government building without wearing a pin that allows government officials to bypass security. According to witnesses, she turned and hit a security officer in the chest while holding er cell phone after he put his hand on her shoulder when she was told to stop.

McKinney held a press conference today claiming that she was stopped because she was "a black congresswoman" and has hired a lawyer although she has been told not to talk about the incident as it may go to court. Whether charges for assaulting security are filed against her, I think about the fact that I'm heading into work in a few minutes and know the procedure. My I.D. card is in my hand as I walk through. How's the security at your work?

Steps On A New Path

When I passed my classes for home appraisal nearly 2 years ago (July 2004), I figured that I would wait out an intership where my friends are at. I did interview with their boss but they can't hire until one of them has finished their internship... not to say that I'd get the job. Anyhow, I had my interview with a company from Pennsylvania last week. It just so happens that they were planning on opening an office in town. The first interview went well and was asked to meet with them the next day. The second interview went well also and was offered the internship that day which would start in June. My only task until then will be helping them find an office location... which I've never looked for before and should prove interesting.

This means that I need to take care of a lot of my projects while I have the time. But, with the change of days off, I do foresee having weekends pretty free (although, I'll probably sleep a lot.) I have a good feeling about time getting sorted out but I do feel apprehension about the new job. It's probably just the jitters.

The Yard: The Removal

Pictured here is what my house looked like when I purchased it. From the looks of it, the environment is trying to reclaim it... the pine tree and the juniper on the right side of the photo actually were touching the house (the juniper looked like it would get caught soon in the garage door.) On the left is the massive bush and an oleander that is peeking out near the front door. Since I've moved in, I've removed the juniper, removed the oleander and ripped out the bushes on the left. (The roots to the bushes were so big that they pushed the sidewalk up where there was a good half inch difference between slabs.)

As part of my converting to desert landscape, I picked up a sod cutter on Friday. My work on the yard itself would have taken until Sunday had my neighbor's brother Pietro not joined in. I cut the sod (and many sprinkler heads) while he cut the strips into rolls. Everything was going well until the pull string on the cutter snapped in half as I started work on the back yard. The company sent someone out to fix it while Pietro and I took the rolls to the side of the drive way and stacked them up neatly. I put a post on Craigslist.org in the Free section about the sod. 3 people that saw the ad came by and took all the good sod (1 woman made 4 trips with her sons in the car and later purchased my lawnmower from me.) Lots of little pieces of sod left under the pine tree but hopefully, I'll find a way to slowly dispose of them over the next few weeks.

Pietro had asked me about a leak in the sprinkler system several months back. I kept thinking that, I'm removing it so it really isn't a big problem. Well, after cutting up the sod it seemed to be a bigger problem than expected. It was a huge puddle. After cleaning out the area with a shovel, we discovered that the water wasn't coming from the sprinkler line but under the concrete... so we called the Water company. It didn't take them long to notice that the leak was on my side of the meter but under the concrete (meaning = "your problem buddy.") Kept the water off that night and repairs would cost $403.11 that next afternoon. I used that day to prune and trim up the bushes and trees.

My body was extremely sore after the first day of yard work. The second day felt better after ibuprofen and forcing the muscles back to task. I'm still sore today but I know more work is coming and my pockets will be emptying out a bit more. On the next episode of The Yard, Martin tries to design, remove the sprinkler system, organize plants and prepares for the coming rock.

Life Update - 032106

Ok, lots going on so today is an update day:

1) The iPod is full and now I have to choose which songs don't make the cut. It's like playing American Idol with people who already were/are stars.

2) A friend at work bumped into an appraiser moving his business into our area and he is looking for an intern with knowledge of the area. Hmmm... my interview is tomorrow at 3pm prior to work.

3) I decided that my procrastination with the lawn conversion has to end. On Friday, I'll rent a sod cutter and pull up all the grass (with a little trimming around the sides.) On Saturday, I'll take some photos of my irrigation system to professionals so they can build me what I need and go look at pretty rocks. On Sunday, I'll play in the dirt a little but expect to spend the day doing my newsletter.

4) Dad got a used Tivo from my brother Matt (first he gives me a sofa, dad the Tivo... I need to check with his wife about his health.) I'll be heading over to Dad's to set things up maybe early tomorrow. The good thing about now getting Sunday's off is that I will not miss family gatherings in the evening.

5) After going to my friend Mike's house last week, I've been thinking of painting these white walls in the house. I thought white was a serene non-color but I just don't want to start another project too soon.

6) People keep asking me about advertising on my main Web site. Usually, I just take so long to answer them that I delete the email. I need to figure a "going rate" at some point. If the new podcasts work out alright, I'll probably need to figure out ad rates for that too. Never had to worry about it in the past because I wouldn't consider the idea unless they had something to do with 80's music. Now, some of them are popping up.

7) I'm really loving Taco Bell's Chicken Caesar Grilled Stuffed Burrito. I love a good caesar salad (the dressing is important.) And considering it is one of the few sources green cellulose (salad) that I'll ingest, it may be a healthier option than my regular haunts.

It Takes A Cab

As I've mentioned before, Tivo is my friend. I like to let it make suggestions for me according to what I already like to watch. (Actually, because of it, I've recently become a Nielsen family... of one.) Anyhow, I was very happy to find two new television shows on my Tivo recently and thought I'd share them with you.

The Discovery Channel's reality series It Takes A Thief is intense. The series takes two reformed thieves who stake out houses and propose a deal with the home owners. They will show them how unprepared they are for a real home invasion in exchange for a home security upgrade. Seems like a fair deal but think of this: If you walked out of your home like normal and sat somewhere nearby to watch everything that means anything to you ransacked and taken, what emotions would you feel? Even knowing that it isn't real, it pretty much is what would happen. Great series but do yourself a favor and don't watch it before going to bed. I made that mistake one night.

On a lighter note, there is Cash Cab. Imagine that you are on the streets of New York and hail a cab. Upon sitting down and telling the cabbie your destination, you are greeted by computerized sounds, see flashing lights and hear "You are in the Cash Cab!" The idea for this game show is that during your drive to your destination, you will be asked questions and accumulate cash as you go. You are also allowed a "Shout Out" where you can either call someone on the host's cell phone or pull over and ask someone on the street for an answer to the question. Oh, there is a catch: You miss 3 questions and you get kicked out of the cab where you are without winning anything or getting to your destination. Great stuff but I do think that groups of 4 people in a cab have a huge advantage.

Everything And The Kitchen Sink

I've mentioned before that I have a lot of home projects in the works. (One that needs to be done by Mar. 18th that I haven't even come close to starting.) They have been building up since moving in and were taken care of in order of what was important at the time (that big hole in the roof letting water in was critical.) Tomorrow, I will be knocking one more off my list... the sink.

I guess that when I moved into the house, I was under the impression that the most work that I'd have to do is mow the lawn. I was very very sadly mistaken. After awhile, I noticed that the bathroom shower had badly cracked grout (after a few repairs, I gave up and plan to redo that sometime), the dishwasher had rust on the rails (replaced that) and the sink had chips in it that were obviously touched up. I was able to put the sink out of my mind for the most part until the disposal went out recently. Most of these things have to be expected after 2 decades in the life of a home and I've accepted that. So, I'm taking the opportunity to change the disposal and sink at the same time for a little under $500. Should be interesting as the sink is supposed to not scratch, stain or scorch while it will bring a more modern look to the area.

I'm just wondering how distracting it will be having them install it while I'm working on the newsletter. So, what is the one home project that is haunting you at the moment?

Uber

It's Matt's fault. I saw that he took The True Geek Test and said, "Let's see how I do." Not only do I pass it with flying colors but they give me this funky picture (seen below.) Then again, I don't know if I feel worse about how I did or not knowing which questions that I answered wrong. Otherwise, Mom should be out of the hospital tomorrow.

The Uber Geek You answered 87% of the questions as a geek truly would.

You just completely conquered the geek test. Not only are you a geek, you're you're proud of it and wear it like a badge. Saying you're socially awkward is an understatement. Your hobbies include most things that normal folks cringe at. You're obsessed with information and details. You'd skip a Friday night party if it meant getting your latest project finished. Your intelligence probably intimidates people, and you enjoy spitting out random trivia to annoy people. So what does it all mean? Well for one, your claims of being a geek are true. You were probably picked on - heavily - in high school. You don't care about fashion, so generally you're easy to spot from a distance. In social situations, you're either perfectly silent or ridiculously loud-mouthed (true geeks always fall into the extremes). Cool people probably laugh at you behind your back, but you take gratification in knowing most will grow up to become career alcoholics. In a nutshell, you answered almost every question as a true member of the geek philosophy. You're geekier than 80% of the population!

My test tracked 1 variable How you compared to other people your age and gender: You scored higher than 95% on geekness

Link: The True Geek Test written by ambientred on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the 32-Type Dating Test

On Why I Avoid Watching Award Shows

I'm not a big fan of award shows. Sure, if I have nothing else to do or watch, I might see a little of one but in general they mean very little to me. The major reason for this is the subjectivity involved with saying something was 'the best' that year. Yes, film awards are voted on by actors but... what if they were voting on films that they themselves would like to be in? A little twist like that would likely push out any big budget film and focus on ensemble casts with meaty parts and controversial stances... like what they had to choose from this year for Best Picture. Yet, not all the films cleanly connect with what the people want to see.

When I started thinking about this, I stumbled on a fact nestled in the middle of an article about Mariah Carey "reigning supreme" at an award show. Essentially, Jamie Foxx was honored with the Quincy Jones Lifetime Achievement Award at the 20th annual Soul Train Awards. Yes, the man has released only 2 albums (1994's Peep This and 2005's Unpredictable) and they honored him for his 'life's' work. I along with many people believed he performed very well in the film Ray. I even watched him on In Living Color and Roc. But, isn't Quincy Jones a musician? They should be honoring this person for his contribution to music during his lifetime. Maybe, Unpredictable was so amazing that they decided it equaled the life's work of many other musicians. All I know is that it gives me one more reason to believe that award shows are created to place things on pedestals that might not belong there.

Poe Slacker Me

Things have been a little busy lately. I've also been slacking a bit on the posting as I started thinking (if I post less, people have more time to comment etc.) but that's just a catch-22 created by 'the man.' Anyhow, here's a quick update on what I've been doing (in no certain order):

Went and read Edgar Allen Poe's "The Raven," "Eldorado" and "Annabel Lee" to Mrs. Mann's 4th grade class. Good kids and no, I didn't sneak in any adult humor. Poe has and will always be one of my favorite authors due to the lack of respect he earned during his short 40 years on this earth, his variety of writing styles (poetry, novella, plays, etc.) and his morbid obsessions. Sounds like some of the kids took up my call to learn all the big words they could from the dictionary.

Mom has been in the hospital since Wednesday with an upper respiratory infection (I believe, as detailed information has been unusually vague.) All I can think about is the last few times that she was in the hospital for having an attack of emphysema which were close calls. Things really have changed for her physically as I remember a much healthier woman raising me. My youngest brother, Michael, flew in to surprise her and I'm hoping her relationship with my brother, Matt, will thaw during this time. We are a stubborn lot.

Grandma (Dad's mom) went back into the hospital for surgery to remove more cancer found on her bladder. They expect it's going to be a short outpatient procedure but I'm still concerned.

Measured my front, back and side yards today. This is actually a big task as I set in motion the process of converting to desert landscape in October. The rush is on now as my slacking has left be with 34 days to complete everything (if I want to be reimbursed $1 per sq. ft.) I'm expecting to rent a sod cutter next week and then learn a lot about drip systems. Should prove to be an interesting project.

When I helped Matt move several months ago he offered me his sectional. Little did I know how big it or expensive it was. It seems that it didn't fit the decor of his new place. So, I spent last week rearranging the room, painting the coffee table and rewiring the HDTV/surround set-up. The living room looks amazing and only needs a little more touches to be finished. I owe Matt bigtime.

The Titty Tax

My girlfriend's nephew went to the new Hooters hotel here in Las Vegas for lunch and had some wings and Mountain Dew. Sure, it's going to be expensive ($17.27) because you pay for the view but he didn't know how expensive it was until later. After showing the receipt to his grandmother and noting the unusually high tax (receipt on the right hand side of the picture,) she called them asking them why they overcharged the young man and if it was some form of "titty tax." They offered to return the overpayment. Hilarious but it does make you wonder. This is a new hotel with many restaurants and how many people were actually overcharged?

The receipt to the left is of my dinner with Kerry a few nights ago. Smaller receipt, more food and less tax. The tax was 7.7% of our bill. His tax came to 17.8%. All this makes you wonder, do we look at tax closely enough when we are eating out? I tend to look at it because slightly more than doubling the tax gives me a good guideline for tipping (15% to 20%).

Planetes

For those that have considered space travel and maybe hope in a few decades to travel to the moon and beyond, put the anime series Planetes on your wishlist. Sure, I think the name is a little messed up (it's like a French spelling of "planets", I think.) Anyhow, I want you to think about what the world and galaxy would be like in 2075. As of 2006, we are sending people into space to explore and robots are collecting photos and samples from planets we can't reach in a manned craft. Exploration is all about pushing the boundaries and, as Armstrong would say, taking that next "step."

Planetes is less science fiction than science reality pushed forward a few advancements. The series centers on the lives of the people in "half-section" or debris section. You see, with all these missions we send into space, things get dropped or abandoned and continue in Earth's orbit. Space junk. One dire accident involving a lone screw colliding with the glass window of a shuttle changed mankind's perception of it. Half section (nicknamed because it is given half the budget it needs to do the work and little respect since it isn't revenue generating) is sent out to clean up the messes created from our interplanetary advancement. But, the series isn't all about cleaning but throws out science "what if's" like what happens when a human is born and raised on the moon (essentially, less gravity means 6 foot tall 13 year-olds with frail bones.)

Now, what's in the series to ensnare someone uninterested in the geekiness of science and space advancement? Human drama... which unfolds between the characters while depicting very realistic relationships in a futuristic setting. It seems there are still terrorists, bureaucrats, love triangles and silliness on Earth as in the future of space. This is a terrific series to consider watching at some point. The artwork is different from most animated series but grows on you as the storyline progresses. I'm just waiting for the final DVD to be released to find out how they wrap this up. For a better explanation and a few photos, check out Tokidokijournal.