This is an interesting read.
2004-03-03
2004-03-02
Narnia on film....
I'll want to read the books first, and then hope Disney doesn't fuck it all up somehow.
2004-03-01
A different story....
On Sunday, Maryanne and I went with some friends to see The Passion of the Christ, the somewhat controversial film by Mel Gibson. After seeing the movie, I can see why some people would get themselves worked up over it, but would also add that those people probably wouldn't be very rational to begin with. The only way I see this movie causing feelings of anti-Semitism is if a person is already predisposed to be so.
The movie is rather graphic. But as I told Maryanne, and later Amy, it's just a dramatic, graphic representation of a story we already know.
Well, most of us know it. As it turns out, most of the people we went to the movie went weren't very familiar with the story, as demonstrated when they mentioned they wished the movie would have contained more background, so they knew what was going on. Maryanne commented that they probably didn't see the same movie she and I did. I have to agree with her.
The movie is rather graphic. But as I told Maryanne, and later Amy, it's just a dramatic, graphic representation of a story we already know.
Well, most of us know it. As it turns out, most of the people we went to the movie went weren't very familiar with the story, as demonstrated when they mentioned they wished the movie would have contained more background, so they knew what was going on. Maryanne commented that they probably didn't see the same movie she and I did. I have to agree with her.
2004-02-26
PEBKAC....
The past few days of work have been hellish.
We started the week with some security patches being pushed out to users, patches which caused machines to lock up and our network to run slowly. We had two mornings of heavy queing on account of this.
Add to the mix the onslaught of the Netsky virus. This additional problem was compounded by (let's face facts) stupid end users. The e-mail server was bogged down by not only normal mail and the mail generated by the virus itself, but by end users e-mailing each other basically asking "What did you send me? Why did you send me this?"
It's been a real case of PEBKAC.
Because of this, we're being asked to come in an hour early tomorrow. Thirty minutes definitely would not bother me. But when you're talking an hour, some comp. time would be appreciated. Unfortunately, there are no guarantees.
Nothing brightens my afternoon like being asked to work an extra hour with nothing in recompense for it.
We started the week with some security patches being pushed out to users, patches which caused machines to lock up and our network to run slowly. We had two mornings of heavy queing on account of this.
Add to the mix the onslaught of the Netsky virus. This additional problem was compounded by (let's face facts) stupid end users. The e-mail server was bogged down by not only normal mail and the mail generated by the virus itself, but by end users e-mailing each other basically asking "What did you send me? Why did you send me this?"
It's been a real case of PEBKAC.
Because of this, we're being asked to come in an hour early tomorrow. Thirty minutes definitely would not bother me. But when you're talking an hour, some comp. time would be appreciated. Unfortunately, there are no guarantees.
Nothing brightens my afternoon like being asked to work an extra hour with nothing in recompense for it.
New and "improved...."
This article was pretty interesting. I find it a little unnerving, though, that some of history's greatest writers fare so poorly when judged against the test's criteria.
I'm glad Wisconsin prefers the ACT.
I'm glad Wisconsin prefers the ACT.
2004-02-25
2004-02-24
Now entering geekdom....
On Saturday Maryanne and I invited some friends over, Jenni and Jeff, and Eric and Tina. The six of us entered the world of geekdom and started a Dungeons & Dragons campaign. Laying all the small talk aside and taking care of last minute details relatively early, we were able to play for about eight hours straight, with maybe an hour total of breaks in between.
When all was said and done and our guests had left, Maryanne looked at me and said, "If I tell you something, do you promise not to be...." It sounded like she was reluctant to say something. She finished the sentence: "...surprised?"
"Sure," I replied.
"I had a lot of fun tonight."
I was glad she had fun, and finally had a good experience with D&D, even though she was a little ashamed to admit it. As she keeps saying, I'll turn her into a geek yet.
When all was said and done and our guests had left, Maryanne looked at me and said, "If I tell you something, do you promise not to be...." It sounded like she was reluctant to say something. She finished the sentence: "...surprised?"
"Sure," I replied.
"I had a lot of fun tonight."
I was glad she had fun, and finally had a good experience with D&D, even though she was a little ashamed to admit it. As she keeps saying, I'll turn her into a geek yet.
2004-02-23
2004-02-20
Burnination....
Burnination strikes at the campus of the University of South Carolina. Trogdor wins as write-in for Preston Hall first-floor representative.
2004-02-16
Man of La Mancha....
I started reading Cervantes' Don Quixote late last week. It's the Motteux translation, and Knopf's Everyman's Library edition. It's been a slow read so far.
Comments....
Comments have returned, this time hosted by HaloScan. They seem much more stable and professional, and I probably should have picked them from the beginning. I'm hoping they're more reliable than the previous two attempts.
2004-02-12
Lacking credentials....
Things heat up in the Sturgeon Bay mayoral race when the incumbent is forced to come clean.
We have a winner!
A Green Bay girl finds one of the Great ColorQuest M&M contest bags and wins $20,000 and a Volkswagen Beetle.
2004-02-11
Done already?
The Jungle Book was indeed a quick read. I should have brought something else with me.
2004-02-10
Sneaky....
Another whack-job drought ends as PETA makes the news again, this time in a flap over the Atkins diet. Remember to eat more meat.
Nameless....
I finished reading Stephen Crane's The Red Badge of Courage yesterday. It was a quick read, being around 170 pages or so, and since it was a Reader's Digest edition, it was illustrated. It was good, but unusual in that the author did not refer to the characters by their names.
Today I started on Rudyard Kiplings The Jungle Book. It's the Everyman's Library edition, and illustrated. I also expect it to be a quick read.
Today I started on Rudyard Kiplings The Jungle Book. It's the Everyman's Library edition, and illustrated. I also expect it to be a quick read.
2004-02-04
"Nobody's fault but mine...."
Wisconsin law-makers eye making people take responsibility for their own actions instead of being able to blame fast food chains and other restaurants.
2004-02-03
Knobs is one....
A Washington-state 3rd grade teacher uses cribbage to teach her students better mental math skills. I wonder if any of the kids has gotten the 29-point hand?
2004-01-30
The nerve!
Boston-area resident Bob Adams uses his Second Amendment rights to defend himself against an intruder. Now the intruder's lawyer says Adams should be charged.
Boosting morale....
I'm glad to know this is happening year round, and not just during the holidays.
2004-01-29
Offshore no more....
It looks like Colorado isn't the only one interested in keeping jobs from heading overseas.
My dog's smarter than your dog....
See how your dog ranks on this list of dog breeds ranked by intelligence and obedience.
Fun for the whole family....
Film critic Peter M. Nichols looks beyond Disney for movies that are good for the whole family, including children. Read more here.
Ironic....
Showing the true meaning of irony, the Statue of Libery is the only national monument that has not reopened since September 11, 2001.
2004-01-20
Call me gimpy....
Maryanne and I arrived home last night from our trip to Fresno, California. It was a pleasant but exhausting weekend. My only regret is that we weren't able to do more because of some tendonitis above my right ankle.
Once Maryanne gets a real blog going on her website I'm sure she'll have some news, maybe even some pictures, of our adventures.
Once Maryanne gets a real blog going on her website I'm sure she'll have some news, maybe even some pictures, of our adventures.
No comment....
The third-party host for the commenting on this site is officially dead now. My apologies to all who left comments here.
I'm reluctant to switch to the other host I had tried for fear of problems with it, as well. Until I find an alternative, we may be without comments for a while.
I'm reluctant to switch to the other host I had tried for fear of problems with it, as well. Until I find an alternative, we may be without comments for a while.
2004-01-13
The ends may justify the means....
I received this item in my e-mail some time ago. I was a little wary of it, in light of all the urban legends and hoaxes that circulate around the internet. After checking Snopes a couple of times, I'm currently leaning toward its being authentic. If that is indeed the case, it is certainly thought-provoking.
From: Seitz LtCol Scot S
Sent: Tuesday, December 02, 2003 8:40 AM
To: 1MAW MWSS171 All Personnel
Cc: Fenstermacher Col Stephen M; Kirkpatrick LtCol Stephen F; Chase
LtCol Eric T
Subject: ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Marines and Sailors,
As we approach the end of the year I think it is important
to share a few thoughts about what you've accomplished directly,
in some cases, and indirectly in many others. I am speaking about
what the Bush Administration and each of you has contributed by wearing
the uniform, because the fact that you wear the uniform contributes
100% to the capability of the nation to send a few onto the field to
execute national policy. As you read about these achievements you are
a part of , I would call your attention to two things:
1. This is good news that hasn't been fit to print or report on TV.
2. It is much easier to point out the errors a man makes when he makes
the tough decisions, rarely is the positive as aggressively pursued.
Since President Bush declared an end to major combat on May 1...
... the first battalion of the new Iraqi Army has graduated and is on active
duty.
... over 60,000 Iraqis now provide security to their fellow citizens.
... nearly all of Iraq's 400 courts are functioning.
... the Iraqi judiciary is fully independent.
... on Monday, October 6 power generation hit 4,518 megawatts-exceeding the
prewar average.
... all 22 universities and 43 technical institutes and colleges are open,
as are nearly all primary and secondary schools.
... by October 1, Coalition forces had rehab-ed over 1,500 schools - 500
more than scheduled.
... teachers earn from 12 to 25 times their former salaries.
... all 240 hospitals and more than 1200 clinics are open.
... doctors salaries are at least eight times what they were under Saddam.
... pharmaceutical distribution has gone from essentially nothing to 700
tons in May to a current total of 12,000 tons.
... the Coalition has helped administer over 22 million vaccinations to
Iraq's children.
... a Coalition program has cleared over 14,000 kilometers of Iraq's 27,000
kilometers of weed-choked canals which now irrigate tens of thousands of
farms. This project has created jobs for more than 100,000 Iraqi men and
women.
... we have restored over three-quarters of prewar telephone services and
over two-thirds of the potable water production.
... there are 4,900 full-service telephone connections. We expect 50,000 by
year-end.
... the wheels of commerce are turning. From bicycles to satellite dishes
to cars and trucks, businesses are coming to life in all major cities and
towns.
... 95 percent of all prewar bank customers have service and first-time
customers are opening accounts daily.
... Iraqi banks are making loans to finance businesses.
... the central bank is fully independent.
... Iraq has one of the worlds most growth-oriented investment and banking
laws.
... Iraq has a single, unified currency for the first time in 15 years.
... satellite TV dishes are legal.
... foreign journalists aren't on 10-day visas paying mandatory and
extortionate fees to the Ministry of Information for "minders" and other
government spies.
... there is no Ministry of Information.
... there are more than 170 newspapers.
... you can buy satellite dishes on what seems like every street corner.
... foreign journalists (and everyone else) are free to come and go.
... a nation that had not one single element - legislative, judicial or
executive - of a representative government, now does.
... in Baghdad alone residents have selected 88 advisory councils.
Baghdad's first democratic transfer of power in 35 years happened when the
city council elected its new chairman.
... today in Iraq chambers of commerce, business, school and professional
organizations are electing their leaders all over the country.
... 25 ministers, selected by the most representative governing body in
Iraq's history, run the day-to-day business of government.
... the Iraqi government regularly participates in international events.
Since July the Iraqi government has been represented in over two dozen
international meetings, including those of the UN General Assembly, the Arab
League, the World Bank and IMF and, today, the Islamic Conference Summit.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs today announced that it is reopening over 30
Iraqi embassies around the world.
... Shia religious festivals that were all but banned, aren't.
... for the first time in 35 years, in Karbala thousands of Shiites
celebrate the pilgrimage of the 12th Imam.
... the Coalition has completed over 13,000 reconstruction projects, large
and small, as part of a strategic plan for the reconstruction of Iraq.
... Uday and Queasy are dead - and no longer feeding innocent Iraqis to the
zoo lions, raping the young daughters of local leaders to force cooperation,
torturing Iraq's soccer players for losing games, or murdering critics.
... children aren't imprisoned or murdered when their parents disagree with
the government.
... political opponents aren't imprisoned, tortured, executed, maimed, or
are forced to watch their families die for disagreeing with Saddam.
... millions of longsuffering Iraqis no longer live in perpetual terror.
... Saudis will hold municipal elections.
... Qatar is reforming education to give more choices to parents.
... Jordan is accelerating market economic reforms.
... the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded for the first time to an Iranian -- a
Muslim woman who speaks out with courage for human rights, for democracy and
for peace.
... Saddam is gone.
... Iraq is free.
... President Bush has not faltered or failed.
... Yet, little or none of this information has been published by the Press
corps that prides itself on bringing you all the news that's important.
Iraq under US lead control has come further in six months than Germany did
in seven years or Japan did in nine years following WWII. Military deaths
from fanatic Nazi's, and Japanese numbered in the thousands and continued
for over three years after WWII victory was declared.
It took the US over four months to clear away the twin tower debris, let
alone attempt to build something else in its place.
Now, take into account that Congress fought President Bush on every aspect
of his handling of this country's war and the post-war reconstruction; and
that they continue to claim on a daily basis on national TV that this conflict
has been a failure.
Taking everything into consideration, even the unfortunate loss of our brothers
and sisters in this conflict, do you think anyone else in the world could
have accomplished as much as the United States and the Bush administration
in so short a period of time?
These are things worth writing about. Get the word out. Write to someone you
think may be able to influence our Congress or the press to tell the story.
Above all, be proud that you are a part of this historical precedent.
God Bless you all. Have a great Holiday.
Semper Fidelis,
CO
No comment....
As you can see, comments are down again. I may be seeking alternatives to third-party providers. My apologies to those who have left comments.
2004-01-09
Not helping the issue....
It's hard for me to respond to this without seeming extremely anti-Catholic. On one hand you have Bishop Burke doing his job, doing what he's appointed to do. On the other hand you have politicians doing their jobs, doing what they're elected to do. Politics and religion rarely mix, a fact the founding fathers knew and understood well when drafting the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. While Catholic doctrine prohibits abortion and euthanasia (and I'm not here to debate those particular issues at this time), politicians have a duty to represent their constituents, and would not be doing so for long if they were to vote against those they represent.
Bishop Burke is certainly entitled to do his job as he sees fit, and to be concerned about the spiritual welfare of these politicians. However, he's certainly not doing them any favors by denying them one of the most important Christian sacraments, a sacrament recognized by all Christian denominations.
Bishop Burke is certainly entitled to do his job as he sees fit, and to be concerned about the spiritual welfare of these politicians. However, he's certainly not doing them any favors by denying them one of the most important Christian sacraments, a sacrament recognized by all Christian denominations.
2004-01-08
Downhill....
On January 5, William Bunch, columnist for the the Philadelphia Daily News, wrote this column in anticipation of Sunday's NFL Divisional playoff game in which the Packers visit the Eagles. It was tongue-in-cheek, of course, featuring some good-natured if biting ribbing. Tom Perry, of the Green Bay Press-Gazette responded in like fashion with his own column. Sadly, senses of humor were lacking all around, as exhibited by these e-mails sent to Perry by readers of the PDN. Perry did his best to smooth things over with humor in this latest attempt. An article from the GBPG chronicles the rapid degeneration of what should have been a friendly exchange of trash-talk.
2004-01-02
Alert! Alert!
Do you ever wonder what the current terror level is? I know I do. But I don't lose any sleep over it, because I know I can always check it out here and here.
My compass is broken....
Check out this interesting article about Earth's magnetic field. Here comes the science.
2003-12-31
2003-12-30
Insightful....
It turns out Boomer Esiason is a pretty bright guy. If you don't believe me, just read this column.
Gratitude....
For those of you who might doubt that Green Bay Packers fans are the best around, just read this.
2003-12-29
Something's fishy....
This is a good story for the holidays. It also makes you stop and think about where our priorities, as a nation, might be.
Part of this complete breakfast....
This is the kind of thing Maryanne would beat me for if I did it. Nonetheless, I find it amusing, and she probably will too, since someone else did it.
2003-12-23
2003-12-18
Comments....
Well, it turns out the free blog comment provider I had tried, though easy to use, is unreliable, and a mere day or two after setting up the feature, their site is already down. That does not bode well, so I switched providers to BlogSpeak, who I'm hoping will be more reliable. Since Maryanne was the only one having left any comments on the site, I'm not overly concerned with the loss of her two comments (Sorry!). Hopefully this new host will be more reliable, and I can look forward to some more active commenting here.
Apologies....
It's a couple weeks old now, but this Op/Ed piece is one of the best I've read in a while.
2003-12-17
2003-12-16
Now arriving: comments....
As you can see (or maybe not), I've added a comment feature to the blog. It's provided by a third-party vendor, called BlogOut, and is a free service. If you don't like it, then you can come up with an alternative for me.
2003-12-15
Full of surprises....
It turns out my windshield did have to be replaced, at a cost of $300-some dollars. It turns out Klein-Dickert is pretty cool, though. The part was in stock, and we were able to get it fixed right away.
Much of our weekend was spent doing some Christmas shopping. Did you know it's nigh on impossible to find desk lamps with a polished-brass finish? Or that it's equally difficult to find a bathroom towel rack in an antique-brass finish? It's all chrome and brushed nickel these days.
Saturday night there was a surprise birthday party for Maryanne's friend Kim, who was turning 30. She was surprised. It was an interesting evening that included silly string, marshmallows, flashing, and a little bit of pyromania. Thank God there were some other guys there.
Much of our weekend was spent doing some Christmas shopping. Did you know it's nigh on impossible to find desk lamps with a polished-brass finish? Or that it's equally difficult to find a bathroom towel rack in an antique-brass finish? It's all chrome and brushed nickel these days.
Saturday night there was a surprise birthday party for Maryanne's friend Kim, who was turning 30. She was surprised. It was an interesting evening that included silly string, marshmallows, flashing, and a little bit of pyromania. Thank God there were some other guys there.
2003-12-12
Cracked view....
Somehow I developed a crack in my windshield. I reported it today, and made an appointment to have it fixed tomorrow morning. But between the time I left home this morning and the time I got home this afternoon, the crack had grown. I'm not very optimistic that it's going to be able to be fixed, and I'm wondering instead of my windshield will have to be replaced entirely.
I have no idea what caused the crack. I don't recall anything hitting my windshield hard enough to do it. I suspect the crack has been there for a while, and the rain turning to snow we got earlier this week caused it to grow.
I have no idea what caused the crack. I don't recall anything hitting my windshield hard enough to do it. I suspect the crack has been there for a while, and the rain turning to snow we got earlier this week caused it to grow.
2003-12-11
Geeky Christmas....
Christmas gift ideas for the nerd in your life, brought to you by the good people at Wired. Geek factor: high.
2003-12-09
"Neither rain, nor sleet, nor dark of night..."
...Nor a massive snowstorm could keep these sisters from Lambeau Field.
2003-12-08
2003-12-03
2003-12-02
Bully tactics....
Whack-jobs aren't only found with PETA, but this guy's from California, and that's good enough for me.
2003-12-01
Gobble, gobble!
As Thanksgivings go, Thanksgiving 2003 was probably somehow the most organized in a long time, considering all that went wrong.
Maryanne and I arrived Wednesday night, but later than we would have liked. Caly's Blazer was in Mom's driveway, and we were greeted by the smell of cooking. It smelled like steak to me, but when we got inside we learned that Caly's pumpkin cheesecake had leaked all over the upper oven, proving that Mom's smoke detector did indeed work. Because of the buttery, smoky mess in the upper oven, Mom decided to run the cleaning cycle. With instruction manual in hand she started pressing buttons. The upper oven locked, and we set it on its merry way.
The next morning we discovered that the oven was still locked and without power. Resetting breakers did nothing to help, and we soon discovered we had to find another way to roast two turkeys.
One was done on the Weber kettle grill, while Caly came and picked up the other and cooked it at her house. With the dressing cooked on the gas grill, everything came together quite nicely.
Maryanne and I arrived Wednesday night, but later than we would have liked. Caly's Blazer was in Mom's driveway, and we were greeted by the smell of cooking. It smelled like steak to me, but when we got inside we learned that Caly's pumpkin cheesecake had leaked all over the upper oven, proving that Mom's smoke detector did indeed work. Because of the buttery, smoky mess in the upper oven, Mom decided to run the cleaning cycle. With instruction manual in hand she started pressing buttons. The upper oven locked, and we set it on its merry way.
The next morning we discovered that the oven was still locked and without power. Resetting breakers did nothing to help, and we soon discovered we had to find another way to roast two turkeys.
One was done on the Weber kettle grill, while Caly came and picked up the other and cooked it at her house. With the dressing cooked on the gas grill, everything came together quite nicely.
2003-11-21
What is your quest?
Another example of what happens when people have too much time on their hands. Geek factor: high.
2003-11-18
2003-11-13
2003-11-07
A scientific basis....
Here comes the science! Texas lays the smack down and makes a stand on education.
2003-11-04
Update....
After doing some "exploring," it looks like AmFam's web filter blocks anything that might be considered edgy. I wonder how edgy this blog would have to become before my own site got blocked?
Laugh at yourself....
I love a company that doesn't take itself too seriously and still makes a damn fine product. Read what other people have to say about them here.
The Web Gestapo....
Well, whoever does the web filtering for American Family Insurance has once again turned into the Web Gestapo. Most recently, they've blocked web comics such as Red Meat and Twisted Kaiju Theater. They also seem to be waffling on The Onion- some days it's open, some days it's blocked.
2003-11-03
Congratulations!
Congratulations to Nerzhin and Pauline Santiago on the birth of their new son, Collin Gerald. He was born on Friday, October 31, 2003.
Pauline's water broke around 2 a.m. that morning, and called Maryanne and me. Maryanne met Pauline at the hospital, and waited for Nerzhin to arrive from his Army Reserve duties. Maryanne left the hospital around 6 a.m. and went straight to work.
The two of us picked up Amy and Luke after work Friday, and we went to see them in the hospital. Everyone was doing well, though Pauline was a bit grumpy since she wasn't given an epidural. Afterwards, the four of us had dinner at El Pastor.
The next day Maryanne and I got to drive to Minnesota for a wedding. We missed the ceremony due to detours, but the reception was nice. It was a bit crowded, and the food was fantastic. It could have been much worse, being in the middle of Vikings country, but thankfully the bride's family was from Green Bay. Sunday we were able to see Jenny and Gene, as well as Jenny's brother Zach, who just graduated from Army boot camp.
Speaking of Green Bay... how 'bout them Packers?
Pauline's water broke around 2 a.m. that morning, and called Maryanne and me. Maryanne met Pauline at the hospital, and waited for Nerzhin to arrive from his Army Reserve duties. Maryanne left the hospital around 6 a.m. and went straight to work.
The two of us picked up Amy and Luke after work Friday, and we went to see them in the hospital. Everyone was doing well, though Pauline was a bit grumpy since she wasn't given an epidural. Afterwards, the four of us had dinner at El Pastor.
The next day Maryanne and I got to drive to Minnesota for a wedding. We missed the ceremony due to detours, but the reception was nice. It was a bit crowded, and the food was fantastic. It could have been much worse, being in the middle of Vikings country, but thankfully the bride's family was from Green Bay. Sunday we were able to see Jenny and Gene, as well as Jenny's brother Zach, who just graduated from Army boot camp.
Speaking of Green Bay... how 'bout them Packers?
2003-10-29
2003-10-27
2003-10-20
Utter chaos!
Our friends Barret and Jenny were married on Saturday. Since I was one of the ushers, it was a long weekend for Maryanne and me. We drove down to the God-forsaken land of Illinois on Friday, and had a pleasant drive for the most part. We shared a hotel room with Adam and Sammie, and then drove to Evanston for the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner, in what actually may have been the most fun day of the weekend.
Saturday was a bit chaotic. Maryanne and I still had to get a wedding present, so the four of us piled into the car and drove to the nearby mall where we were able to find something. After taking care of these errands, we had lunch at On the Border.
On the Border is a chain of Mexican restaurants, and as such won't be reviewed on my restaurant page. Let's just say I wouldn't visit again, and part of me wishes we had ended up at KFC like we had though about doing. Don't get me wrong, the food was good, but it was far from authentic, and the prices were a little steep for Mexican food.
The rest of the afternoon was far more chaotic. The shuttle service offered by the hotel to drive us to the ceremony site was increasingly behind schedule, causing the ceremony to be delayed and Jenny's personal assistant, Sheryl, who was overseeing the wedding, turned into some kind of psycho. Thankfully things relaxed a bit following the ceremony, as the reception that followed was a great improvement. We were even able to see Greg and Jeneen, and congratulated them on their forthcoming child.
Sunday was little better, as it took us 30 minutes longer than it should have to find the restaurant for brunch.
God, how I hate Illinois.
Anyway...
Congratulations to Barret and Jenny!
Saturday was a bit chaotic. Maryanne and I still had to get a wedding present, so the four of us piled into the car and drove to the nearby mall where we were able to find something. After taking care of these errands, we had lunch at On the Border.
On the Border is a chain of Mexican restaurants, and as such won't be reviewed on my restaurant page. Let's just say I wouldn't visit again, and part of me wishes we had ended up at KFC like we had though about doing. Don't get me wrong, the food was good, but it was far from authentic, and the prices were a little steep for Mexican food.
The rest of the afternoon was far more chaotic. The shuttle service offered by the hotel to drive us to the ceremony site was increasingly behind schedule, causing the ceremony to be delayed and Jenny's personal assistant, Sheryl, who was overseeing the wedding, turned into some kind of psycho. Thankfully things relaxed a bit following the ceremony, as the reception that followed was a great improvement. We were even able to see Greg and Jeneen, and congratulated them on their forthcoming child.
Sunday was little better, as it took us 30 minutes longer than it should have to find the restaurant for brunch.
God, how I hate Illinois.
Anyway...
Congratulations to Barret and Jenny!
2003-10-13
A true fan....
Reading news on the web today, I found this:
I'm grateful there are some other die-hard fans out there that will support the Packers like I do through thick and thin.
Packer Report,
I'm a West Michigan Packer Backer and darn proud of it! I'm also tired of hearing Packer fans across the country saying "we don't have this" and Favre needs that! We can't have an all pro at every position! I will defend Mike Sherman to the end! He is one of the best coaches in the league. Although we lost to KC in OT, there are many positives to take out of this game, like the defense blocking a field goal, Priest Holmes being shut down, and Nick Barnett looking like the defensive rookie of the year!
When a team gets a lead it is easy to let your guard down and I believe this young defense will rebound just fine! I didn't hear anyone complaining about Ahman's two TD's and 100+ yards rushing or Favre's brilliant passing while we were up 31 - 14! But as I am typing this letter, I'm sure there is a so called fan out there typing another downgrading of a fine football team. The defense will learn from this and Sharper was one play away from this game having a whole different ending! Fumbles and tipped balls are part of the game and I am sure this team will be in the thick of things at the end of this season! I'll be there with them!
Mike (Packman) Kathan, Holton, MI.
I'm grateful there are some other die-hard fans out there that will support the Packers like I do through thick and thin.
Hard to swallow....
What looked like a certain victory for the Packers, one they so very needed against a 5-0 Kansas City team, turned instead into a mind-numbing overtime loss that again exposed the defense's glaring weaknesses. The lack of an effective pass rush by the defensive line has haunted the Packers for a while now, and yesterday it showed itself again.
2003-10-09
2003-09-30
Head east....
Some people have way too much time on their hands, and then we end up with stuff like this.
2003-09-29
Orwellian....
Followup: Not only is Fark blocked here at AmFam, but so are The Onion, and Rather Good. It's turning into freaking 1984 around here. I'm wondering if I should starting calling the the people a Information Security the Information Gestapo, instead.
No answers....
Today I discovered the vendor that provides website blocking for American Family Insurance has for some reason blocked Fark. I'm so disappointed....
It makes me think about a meeting we had some time ago, presented by the Information Security people. When we were discussing blocked websites, it was mentioned that sites that were inappropriate for work would be blocked. I, of course, asked who decided if a site was inappropriate. They never did give me a straight answer.
It makes me think about a meeting we had some time ago, presented by the Information Security people. When we were discussing blocked websites, it was mentioned that sites that were inappropriate for work would be blocked. I, of course, asked who decided if a site was inappropriate. They never did give me a straight answer.
2003-09-25
Return to sender....
So today I got some e-mail from a nice gentleman by the name of Dave Mayfield who was looking for a good place in northeast Wisconsin to get a brat. I tried to reply to him, but somehow his e-mail address got garbled in his message, which was submitted from this website.
So Dave, if you read this, please e-mail again and include your e-mail address in the body of your message. I have a nice long reply sitting in my mailbox for you!
So Dave, if you read this, please e-mail again and include your e-mail address in the body of your message. I have a nice long reply sitting in my mailbox for you!
2003-09-21
Happy Anniversary!
Today Maryanne and I have officially been married for one year. It's been great. We celebrated Friday, though, spending some time up in the Dells before sharing a nice dinner at Delmonico's here in Madison. I look forward to many more such celebrations.
Delmonico's was interesting. You'll find more here on my restaurant reviews page, but I'll add a little bit here in my blog. The place was beautiful, but noisy, which made it difficult for Maryanne. I was willing to put up with it all, though, at least until the neighboring tables made me want to slap them. Between one couple in a foursome bickering back and forth about probably inane topics, and the gentleman in another couple at a different table complaining about his risotto, I was getting anxious to leave.
The rest of the weekend was busy as well. We went to a wedding and a birthday party Saturday, and today we pretty much did nothing but watch the Packers lose to the Cardinals. The Packers didn't play very well, but I wouldn't have called it terrible. Personally, I think the outcome of the game was dictated by the truly terrible pass interference call in the fourth quarter. You know the one I'm talking about.
Delmonico's was interesting. You'll find more here on my restaurant reviews page, but I'll add a little bit here in my blog. The place was beautiful, but noisy, which made it difficult for Maryanne. I was willing to put up with it all, though, at least until the neighboring tables made me want to slap them. Between one couple in a foursome bickering back and forth about probably inane topics, and the gentleman in another couple at a different table complaining about his risotto, I was getting anxious to leave.
The rest of the weekend was busy as well. We went to a wedding and a birthday party Saturday, and today we pretty much did nothing but watch the Packers lose to the Cardinals. The Packers didn't play very well, but I wouldn't have called it terrible. Personally, I think the outcome of the game was dictated by the truly terrible pass interference call in the fourth quarter. You know the one I'm talking about.
2003-09-18
2003-09-15
Abandon all hope....
Yes, now you, too, can build your own version eternal damnation. Dante would be proud.
General asshats
Circle I Limbo
Riceboys
Circle II Whirling in a Dark & Stormy Wind
Parents who bring squalling brats to R-rated movies
Circle III Mud, Rain, Cold, Hail & Snow
Militant Vegans
Circle IV Rolling Weights
PETA Members
Circle V Stuck in Mud, Mangled
River Styx
NAMBLA Members
Circle VI Buried for Eternity
River Phlegyas
Uday Hussein, Qusay Hussein
Circle VII Burning Sands
Saddam Hussein
Circle IIX Immersed in Excrement
Osama bin Laden
Circle IX Frozen in Ice
2003-09-13
Dissenting opinion....
Not all pop musicians are money-grubbing bastards like Metallica. Check this cool shit out.
2003-09-12
2003-09-11
2003-09-10
The power of cheese....
So it turns out Europe is full of money-grubbing bastards as well. Behold the power of cheese.
2003-09-09
Dream away....
Lately I've been waking up far too early, around 4 a.m. or so. Since I don't need to be up until 6, I usually try to get back to sleep. In this case that means dream-filled REM sleep. I've had some doozies lately, including this gem from this morning.
I was working on some oil paintings. One I think was some kind of restoration job or something, as I was just adding some finishing touches. I was also working on something of my own, a large piece I had titled "Prom Date." I was working on it in my high school art room, and my art teacher, Mr. Rericha, was there, complimenting the piece and offering some suggestions. The piece started taking on a life of its own, evolving, and it started turning into some kind of profound statement. I'm not sure what that statement was, but everybody else must have known, because word started spreading around about this great painting I was creating, and a lot of the school's faculty, and even many of the students, started talking about it.
I was working on some oil paintings. One I think was some kind of restoration job or something, as I was just adding some finishing touches. I was also working on something of my own, a large piece I had titled "Prom Date." I was working on it in my high school art room, and my art teacher, Mr. Rericha, was there, complimenting the piece and offering some suggestions. The piece started taking on a life of its own, evolving, and it started turning into some kind of profound statement. I'm not sure what that statement was, but everybody else must have known, because word started spreading around about this great painting I was creating, and a lot of the school's faculty, and even many of the students, started talking about it.
2003-09-03
Bad driver alert....
Drivers in Madison, and particularly employees of American Family Insurance, should watch for the driver of a dark blue Ford Windstar minivan, license 473-DKR. She doesn't know what the fuck she's doing. Or, if she does, it defies all reason.
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