Save A Tree :o)

In the United States, 8 billion pounds of copy paper was used last year and the number continues to grow with each passing year.

Last year, my work facility used 296,520 pounds of copy paper, contributing 0.26% to the national paper use average. Converting that number into trees used comes to 371 per year, or 31 trees per month.

What do those huge numbers mean to us individually? On average, each of us here at my work facility used 15,128 sheets, or 212 pounds of paper last year. That’s 41 sheets of paper per person each day.

Okay, now read that again. Soak it in.

Usage Period # of Cases # of Sheets Cost
One Time 1 5,000 $36.50
Per Day 12 60,000 $438.00
Per Month 353 1,765,000 $12,884.50
Per Year 4,236 21,180,000 $154,614.00

Copy paper consumes 14M trees and almost $6B. So, if you extend that out to paper towels, toilet paper, Kleenex, and such, that is astronomical. So, do your environment a favor, and find a way to help save a tree.

Danger Will Robinson, Danger - Ear Candling is a Farce :o)

Ohhh, Myyy Goddd, I cannot believe that I actually tried this once upon a time. If you have tried this, please do not be offended, I just found this curious and entertaining because although I am a natural skeptic, I actually allowed myself to be talked into trying this. LMAO at ME :o)


Ear candling is an old-time process that supposedly cleans out one's ear canal. It works this way: a hollow tapered candle about the diameter of a child's pencil is lit on the wide end. The narrow end is then lowered into the ear canal.

In theory, the updraft from the flame creates a partial vacuum within the candle, drawing all of the ear gunk from the ear canal into the candle's hollow center.

Over the course of 15 minutes or so, the victim hears snapping and popping, sounds that resemble the feasting of a hoard of locusts. When the candle is removed at the end of this time and cut open, it usually reveals a pocket of gummy stuff that has formed inside, stuff which looks remarkably like ear wax.

However, a study by the Spokane Ear, Nose and Throat Clinic confirmed what other researchers had found; the candling does not produce a pocket of low air pressure and is ineffective in sucking out ear wax. The gunk found inside is a combination of candle wax and soot.

E-Mail Hell :o)

Today, the first day back after twelve days, was not as bad as it could have been (it could have included a meeting from hell :o)

At the end of the day, I had deleted 518 e-mails, and archived many, many more. Only an eleven hour day, so I should count my blessings.

The good news is that it is only a three day week, so the weekend will be here before I know it.

Hope your week is going tolerably, and that you can slide into the weekend starting tomorrow :o)

Biltmore Mansion Visit - End of Vegecation

Sunday morning, we set the alarm (nooooo, not the alarm) and were up and about and at the Biltmore Mansion Welcome Center by 0845 AM. We picked up our tickets, examined the map, formulated our strategy, and headed up the entrance to the parking lot.

Our plan was to go to the main house, visit the gardens and such, head to the winery for a taste and a bite, and then back to the house for our scheduled tour. I am happy to report that all was a success.

We had a great walk through the shrub garden, with several critter spottings as you will see in the below video. Then we headed down to the walled flower garden, and was it beautiful. I did not include all the flower pictures, because there were many, but hopefully you get an idea. As you can see, there are several pictures of bees, and that is because there were oodles of them :o) The buzz was all around us, and as an allergic person, we made sure they had a wide berth.

We enjoyed the shrub garden, the walled flower garden, the winery (picked up six bottles to add to our collection :o) and especially the Mansion Tour. Many of the rooms are bigger than our house, and the details of the construction and the restoration are amazing.

We ended our visit at the gift shop, and picked up a book that details how the Mansion became self sus-taining - which is what the original vision of the property was, and also a set of cute squirrel bookends to add to our Nutwood collection.




We hit the road again about 4:30 PM, and put in another three hours. We had a cooler, and that was good, because turned out that we stopped in a "dry" county in KENtucky, and could not have any cool amber beverages with dinner. We managed to endure :o)

That left us only about 400 miles for our Monday end of Vegecation drive. We had a pleasant drive, and got home in the late afternoon. Needless to say, Sheeba was glad to see us, as we were him. He did not "shut-up" for more than an hour LOL.

Today was getting caught up on bills, mail, some relaxation, and mowing the lawn just before the downpour :o)

Now it will be back to our scheduled program :o(

Science Humor :o)

Another week past, and no geeky entries, we are getting back home today, so I thought that this catchy "toon" might get you back into the mood for my return :o)

Sunday Silliness - Government :o)

If you think the problems we create are bad, just wait until you see our solutions.

Vegecation Wind Down :o(

It always amazes us how at the beginning of the week, it seems like we have such a great amount of time to have our Vegecation. I distinctly remember sitting out on the gallery (the front entrance to the timeshare units in our building) on Tuesday, after golf but before dinner with Cousin Ron and Aunt Marie, that we still had more than half the week remaining. But time sure flew from there.

I headed out to the links again Wednesday morning, and had another round of golf. Shot an 88, one better than Tuesday. The first few holes went quickly, then about hole seven, I started playing two balls since there were two groups ahead of me. After a stop for some needed water and Gatorade, I started the back nine, and after hole 12, connected up with the two locals behind me for the rest of the round. They gave me some great tidbits for future places to eat.

On Thursday, our friend Lee joined us at the timeshare as has become our tradition. This is the fourth year he has been with us. We get caught up on happenings, and then walk down the beach to get our burgers at Breakers (they have the best burgers, yum! :o). We then head down to the beach for some frolicking, but this year we were consumed with trying to do some trick kite flying in, the wind was intermittent, and we had some tangled lines issues, but toward the end, did get a good half hour of flying in. Then we headed in to get cleaned up, and I cooked up some vintage "Ken's" spaghetti (not quite as favorable as at home since I had no garlic and onions, and only had garlic salt and Italian seasoning to work with). While the sauce was simmering, we played a new spelling card game called Triversity, I rocked in the practice hands, but tanked in the real game :o( After dinner, we played a group solitaire game called Kings In The Corners, it was very enjoyable, and can even be played with two players. Again I came out on the bottom of the totem pole, but fun was had by all.

On Friday, after some gallery and chat time, we headed to JB's Fish Camp for our traditional lunch. It was awesome as always, raw oysters and beer to start, then I had steamed clams. Beth got her Key Lime Pie Fix, so all is good in the Universe again :o)

About half way through our meal, a couple of younger 'Blondie' ladies [quotes because they were very stereotypical] sat at the table next to us. After less than a minute, Beth and I looked at each other and said simultaneously "She's talking again". One of the ladies was the epitome of the comic piece by Henry Phillips called "She's talking again". At one point she actually leaned forward and said three times in succession, "Ohhhhh, mmmmyyyyyy, gggoooooooossssshhhh" leaning forward with her head jutted forward. It was hilarious. Lee and I were able to tune it out, but as Beth said, the whole time it just grated on her "last nerve" :o)

Below is the piece by Henry Phillips.

Today we packed up and hit the road. It was a pretty good trip, we made better time than we hoped for (only one construction delay, and averaged better than 7o mph). We drove up through Jacksonville, into Georgia up through Savannah, into South Carolina travelling through Columbia, and then up to Asheville North Carolina. We are glad that we made good time, because when we got to Asheville, we found out that one of the largest outside festivals in the country is here this weekend (they expect 300,000 to 400,000 people, and Bruce Hornsby is in concert).

No rooms available in the immediate vicinity of the Biltmore Mansion, but we went down the road a piece (that is five miles in Ken Speak) and got a nice room at the Holiday Inn. They have a nice Bistro, and after seven extreme seafood meals the past week, it was great to go Italian. Beth had Lasagna, and I had Veal Marsala. Of course there was a salad, a some bread and olive oil dip, some Red Wine, and a cappuccino and chocolate mousse for me. It was very good and a nice transition into the end of Vegecation.

We are looking forward to our Biltmore tour tomorrow (we advanced booked on line tonight) and then will put in a couple of hours on the road tomorrow.

Hope you are enjoying your weekend, we know we are.

Does It Get Better Than This :o)

The day started off unique for us on vacation, because we set the alarm.

Today was Golf day, and we headed to the links around 9:00 AM. It is so cool that Beth enjoys going along with me, even if she is not ready to do more than put. Driving the cart, experiencing the tranquility, and loving the nature, it was a great three and a half hours. To the left is an Internet picture of Turnbull Bay. For a live video, go to Nutwood Junction :o)

It was a gorgeous day with clear blue skies, and though a bit warm, it was not blistering hot. We had some beach time and some ocean time (darn those waves, lost my new cheap sunglasses and croaky :o(

Got some good sun, and had a nice chat with a Kansas man who had noticed Blacky in the parking lot. Always fun to get some car chat in :o)

We then headed to JB's Fish Camp for dinner with Cousin Ron and Aunt Marie. Cousin Ron is the one that turned us onto JB's., and Aunt Marie had never been there.

Amazing how fast two hours can go. We had a great time talking, getting caught up on family thingies, and learning more about the history of New Smyrna and Bethune Beach.

Even more cool, after all the years that Cousin Ron had come to this little slice of paradise, he did not know about Bethune Park and the Manatees. We headed to the cove where we always go to visit these gentle giants. We could see several snouts a few yards off, and some ripples and bodies out in the cove, but there were none nestling close to shore (must be more of a heat of the day thing). But then, we saw a lady making several trips from a house to a local dock with water jugs, and being my usual shy self, I inquired if we could join her. She was very gracious and accommodating, and had us come out on the dock (Cousin Ron did not want to at first due to a disability, but I am pleased as punch to report that he ventured out, but Aunt Marie did not). Turns out that the water in the cove is a bit brackish, and she was giving them fresh water. The Manatees absolutely loved it and would come to the surface to drink as the water was poured slowly out. We all got to pet the Manatees, a once in a lifetime experience. The truly are gentle giants.

Sigh, what a wonderful day with my wife, family, and kind strangers :o)

National Parks Freebee :o)

August 15 and 16. Enjoy free admission to national parks, monuments and other sites. For a full list:

www.nps.gov/findapark/feefreeparksbystate.htm

Beachcombing :o)

Today was kind of overcast, but pleasant. We decided to take a stroll on the beach :o) Alas, Beth had both her camera and her Flip, so we could not walk hand-in-hand like lovers, but we could feel the sand between our toes.

This is our time share from the beach, we are on second floor, just down from the hanging towels in the center.

This is looking down the beach, you can see how overcast it is, but at least we were not boiling in the heat.

We love watching the birds, they are always good for a laugh :o)

With the storms and wave action at night, these rivulets are left in the sand. Some interesting formations, and very hard and packed.

This last shot shows that you are never to old to play in the sand.

Hadron Rap, Oh Yes :o)

I am sure that you are going through geek withdrawals while we are vegecating, so here is a geek worthy post for you. If you recall, I posted an entry about particle physics, this song explains it much better than I did :o)

Vegecation - First Day, Pleasant as Always :o)

For those of you (most likely all of you :o) who read my wife over at Nutwood Junction, you can get additional details over there, she has made three entries already :o)

The drive down was not to bad, we arrived within an hour of our destination target (check in is at 4:00 PM, and we arrived at 5:30 PM). We did hit construction and accident delays four times in two days, which created some driving frustration, but keeping the end in mind, it was just barely tolerable :o)

One of the highlights was the Tennessee Nickajack Reservoir, shown here with two backdrops, the first with Blacky, the Pony that made the drive easier, and Beth, in all her picture taking glory :o)

Yesterday, before we arrived, we decided to head over to the causeway just south of Jacksonville and drive the coast and see if we could get some lunch and a cool amber beverage or two before we arrived at our New Smyrna home-a-way-from-home. I am pleased to announce that we found the Turtle Shack Cafe, it was very pleasant (at least at the time, we suspect this was the source of Beth's ills last night :o( At least in the picture at the right, you can see Beth relaxing and enjoying the Turtle Shack Cafe.

We headed out last night to do some grocery shopping, and then a great seafood dinner snack at our traditional first night stop at PJ's Sea Shack. Fresh shrimp and a seafood sampler were in order, and always, we left full and very content (we had one appetizer and one entree to limit the impact :o)

Today was very low key, sleeping in until about 10:30 AM, then sitting out on the patio walkway and reading, talking, and people watching (listening also if you read Beth's entry about the LOUD's).


This afternoon, I headed down the beach for a run, about 40 minutes. It had a few interesting moments. After I first started out, about five minutes in, I was astonished by a horn honking behind me. I glanced over as a Lincoln Continental with a young couple passed by, laughing all the way. I was very startled when the horn honked, and it was just rude. As I jogged along, I thought to myself, they saw me from behind, so the baby whale gliding along on a Seagway image could not have been the inspiration, so it was just nasty. About 10 minutes later, I came across the car again, the young lady had headed to the water, and the young man was by the car. As I approached, I announced "Hey Funny Man". His immediate response was that it was not him, it was his girlfriend. I had not planned on approaching him, but this just made my blood boil on several levels, so I turned toward him. I mentioned that he should be careful who he "plucked" with (what a chicken shit), as he kept the car between himself and I. Guess there is a difference between honking at an innocent jogger and having a 220 lb man bearing down on you. I swear that I could actually hear his testicles shrivel as he avoided me. Running back, made sure there was not a Lincoln bearing down on me from behind, and as I passed the car, she was sitting on the trunk, and not a whisper was heard from any little mices :o)

After I cleaned up, we walked up the beach to get me some shades and a Croaky holder for them, and stopped for a beer or two on the beach. All in all, a nice day, and tonight it will be some BBQ fresh Salmon.

Sunday Silliness - Goals :o)

It's best to avoid standing directly between a competitive jerk and his goals.

Happy Mandela Day :o)

“Mandela Day is an important opportunity to honour Nelson Mandela and to honour his historic and memorable achievements…it is a day dedicated to the idea that every individual has the power to change the world for the better…so as we celebrate the first Mandela Day, let us build a legacy worthy of bearing his name.” To learn more, go to http://www.mandeladay.com/

Take the time today to help someone else. When you see the 46664 symbol, Nelson's prison number, reflect on the suffering he endured for his principles. Take the time to remember, and pay it forward.

Peace :o)

Vegecation Bound :o)

As you read this entry, we have packed up Blacky, loaded the trunk, put six CD's into the Shaker System, put on some shades, and hit the road for our annual Vegecation to our Time Share in Florida.

We are headed to New Smyrna, and this is the first year we are able to drive. We are planning a two day trip down, and a three or four day trip back.

So, depending on Internet connections, Vegecation activities (golf, beer, beach, beer, swim, beer, whatever, beer, get the drift, beer :o) I may be checking in, commenting, or NOT :o) Hope you have a great weekend or two, and I will definitely catch you on the flip side.

This is just WRONG!

CHICAGO - The Sears Tower, one of the world's iconic skyscrapers and the tallest building in the U.S., was renamed the Willis Tower on today in a downtown ceremony, marking a new chapter in the history of the giant edifice that has dominated the Chicago skyline for nearly four decades. [AP]

Sorry, it will ALWAYS be the Sears Tower to me. I grew up in the far west suburbs of the Windy City, and I refuse to accept the British Insurance Co. "Willis" name change.

Science Scene - Sea Level Rise

An interesting snippet from the Nature Conservancy at Nature.org, "Sea level rise: It's worse than we thought"


Climate scientists are looking for other ways to predict sea level rise. A simplified method, which seems as accurate as any, is treating the Earth as one big black box. The starting point is the simple idea that the rate of sea level rise is proportional to the increase in temperature: the warmer Earth gets, the faster ice melts and the oceans expand. This held true for the last 120 years at least.


Extrapolating this to the future, based on emissions scenarios, suggests sea level will rise by between 0.5 and 1.4 metres per century - and the higher estimate is more likely because emissions have been rising faster than the worst-case scenario.


A 1-metre rise in sea level will affect 13 million people in five European countries and destroy property worth $600 billion, with the Netherlands the worst affected. In the UK, existing defences are insufficient to protect parts of the east and south coast, including the cities of Hull and Portsmouth.


Besides inundation, higher seas raise the risk of severe storm surges and dangerous flooding. The entire Atlantic seaboard of North America, including New York, Boston and Washington DC, and the Gulf coast will become more vulnerable to hurricanes. Today's 100-year storm floods might occur as often as every four years - in which case it will make more sense to abandon devastated regions and towns than to keep rebuilding them.


If you are interested in the science and various scenarios, go to the New Scientist article.

I have to wonder, we talk about potential fresh water shortages, is there a chance we could offset the sea level rise by building lots of desalination plants and help mitigate both issues?

Douglas Woods

I have been a supporter of the Nature Conservancy since 1984, and I am so glad that my current company is a supporter as well. Angola is about an hour from here, and I see a trip there in the future.

ANGOLA, IND. — Located among the rolling hills and fields of northeast Indiana lies a beautiful nature preserve called Douglas Woods, owned by The Nature Conservancy. Fish Creek, a high-quality stream home to several species of important fish and mussels, runs through the preserve. Recently, the Conservancy and American Electric Power announced the addition of 662 acres to Douglas Woods, which include 100 acres along Fish Creek.

AEP included this project as part of a mitigation plan required by a consent decree under the Clean Air Act. Upon approval by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, AEP and Indiana Michigan Power, its operating company within the state, provided partial funding for the acquisition.

Containing one of the last remaining old-growth forest stands in northeast Indiana, Douglas Woods boasts hundreds of acres of old growth forest. The diameters of some of these truly majestic trees reach nearly four feet with canopies easily topping the 100 foot mark. Silver maples mingle with a variety of oak and hickory trees. The remaining acreage is comprised of younger forest, old fields and restored wetlands.

“The Nature Conservancy has identified Fish Creek as an ‘ark’ of biodiversity in the Upper St. Joseph River Watershed, supporting what is probably the most diverse community of freshwater mussels, fish, and associate fauna in the Great Lakes Basin,” said Larry Clemens, Conservation Director for the Conservancy’s Indiana Chapter. “The Conservancy is grateful to AEP for their financial support to conserve this important wildlife habitat for the future.”

Coffee and Dementia :o)

People who drink three to five cups of coffee daily in midlife are up to 65% less likely to develop Alzheimer's disease or other forms of dementia as the age.

Of course, more research is needed, but this is enough for me to continue my pot-a-day routine.

Ceiling Fan Blues :o)

After our garage cleanup and errand running, get details over at Nutwood, we headed back to the homestead for some R&R.

One of the ways I R&R is to do little chores around the house. My goal was to replace the ceiling fan in the office, and then put in a garage can patio (this may have turned into more of a project than it sounds because I need to make sure that Chip's home entrance(s) are not disturbed :o).

When I headed into the office, everything changed in an instant as I yelped in pain (stupid shelves) due to my lack of situational awareness. I managed to walk right into some shelves we bought from my Mom in the garage sale, and had stored on the floor [supposedly out of the way, did I mention stupid shelves].

Of course, as a man, I shrugged off the incident, and ignored my brides suggestion of applying ice, and I now have a very colorful bruise on the middle toe of my left foot, right at the beginning of the toenail. [banging heel of hand against forehead multiple times, mumbling stupid, stupid, stupid].

I find it absolutely amazing how a $20 ceiling fan can take an hour to hang. Of course, to remove the old ceiling fan, it must be disassembled, blades and all. Then, almost certainly, the main connection to the ceiling electrical box had to be replaced. To install the new ceiling fan, you must assemble in stages (with the blades going on last). Naturally, the blades are so close to the housing that you cannot use a cordless screwdriver.

Now that it is done, it is much better having an all white ceiling fan in there versus the multi-colored one that was there previously. No regrets, but needless to say, the garbage can patio will wait for another day.

Hope your Monday was uneventful, and that you have a wonderful evening.

Broken Glass Cleanup :o)

Hundreds of tiny shards often are spread across the floor when glass breaks.

Sweeping never removes them all. Next time glass breaks in your home, sweep away the larger pieces, then press a few slices of bread onto the broken-glass area.

Needless to say, dispose of the bread properly so that nobody gets a nasty surprise, or conversely, make a special sandwich for that special person [cue evil grin here] :o)

Sunday Silliness - Give Up :o)

At some point, hanging in there just makes you look like an even bigger loser.

Swish and Spit :o)

Did you know you can clean a toilet bowl with mouthwash?

Pour about one cup of mouthwash into the toilet bowl. After 15 to 20 minutes, a quick swipe with a toilet brush should be all it takes to make the bowl's surface sparkle.

The disinfectants in mouthwash are designed to make teeth shine and kill germs, but they are equally effective at polishing toilet surfaces and killing toilet germs.

Alternatively, if you regularly use mouthwash, after you swish, spit it into the toilet bowl and give it a quick swipe - viola, always a clean and smiling toilet :o)

The Flying Car - Are You in the Market?

Woburn, MA – June 3, 2009: Terrafugia, Inc. has successfully completed the flight testing program designed for its Transition® Roadable Aircraft Proof of Concept. Having been dubbed “The Flying Car”, the Transition® completed its historic first flight on March 5, 2009 with 27 additional flights completed over the next several weeks.

The successful completion of flight-testing with the Proof of Concept concludes the first stage of a four stage process to bring the Transition® into production. Work is underway on Stage 2, the Beta Prototype. First delivery is expected in 2011.

The Proof of Concept vehicle is the first and only Transition® to be built thus far. It has now achieved its goals by demonstrating driving, flying, and automated transformation between the two in one integrated aircraft. The flights conducted a plan set specifically for the Transition®: characteristics such as handling, performance, and take-off and landing, stability and stall were evaluated. B-Roll footage is available of representative flights. The flight-testing program demonstrated the safety of the vehicle in the air while identifying modifications that will be incorporated into the next Transition® model to be built, the Beta Prototype.

Categorized as a Light Sport Aircraft, the Transition® requires a Sport Pilot certificate to fly. It is a two-seat aircraft designed to take off and land at local airports and drive on any road.

Transforming from plane to car takes the pilot less than 30 seconds. The Transition® will cruise up to 450 miles at over 115 mph, will drive at highway speeds on the road, and fits in a standard household garage. The vehicle has front wheel drive on the road and a propeller for flight. Both modes are powered by unleaded automotive gasoline. By giving pilots a convenient ground transportation option, the Transition® reduces the cost, inconvenience, and weather sensitivity of personal aviation. It also increases safety by incorporating automotive crash structures and allowing pilots to drive under bad weather.

Refundable airframe reservations are currently being accepted. Click here for more details :o)

Preserving Paradise :o)

During the final days of the Bush administration, a group of Pacific islands owned by the Nature Conservancy and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, was given broad protections as a new marine national monument.



The monument status will limit commercial uses such as fishing and oil drilling.



All told, the new designation protects more than 195,000 square miles of ocean, an area larger than the states of Oregon and Washington combined. The designation protects 13 million acres of water around Palmyra, including the nearby Kingman Reef.

Make Like a Dolphin: Learn Echolocation

Cool, I think I just found a new hobby, and it only takes a few hours per day, and even "ordinary" people can do it :o)

With just a few weeks of training, you can learn to “see” objects in the dark using echolocation the same way dolphins and bats do.

Ordinary people with no special skills can use tongue clicks to visualize objects by listening to the way sound echoes off their surroundings, according to acoustic experts at the University of Alcalá de Henares in Spain.

“Two hours per day for a couple of weeks are enough to distinguish whether you have an object in front of you,” Juan Antonio Martinez said in a press release. “Within another couple weeks you can tell the difference between trees and pavement.”

To master the art of echolocation, all you have to do is learn to make special clicks with your tongue and palate, and then learn to recognize slight changes in the way the clicks sound depending on what objects are nearby. Martinez and his colleagues are developing a system to teach people how to use echolocation, a skill that could be particularly useful for the blind and for people who work under dark or smoky conditions, like firefighters — or cat burglars.

To learn more, click through to the following Wired Science site.

The Joy of being Deposed :o(

As you read this, I am heading to work to be deposed by two legal teams due to a project I managed in 2002-2003.

I had a preparatory session today, and as I drove home, I considered the things that I would rather do tomorrow than spend 6+ hours with lawyers being deposed.

I considered pulling my fingernails out, but discarded that based on the blood that would stain our carpet.

I considered pulling my own teeth, but was afraid I would choke on my own blood.

I considered pulling my facial hair out one at a time, but Beth really likes my mustache and goatee, so that is out (phew :o)

I considered nailing my hands to the wall, but then I would not be able to get to the deposition and could be in even more trouble.

So, I decided to bite the proverbial bullet and get up this morning and head to work and endure the deposition. Both yesterday's preparatory session, and today's actual deposition happen to occur on my scheduled days off, so I am not a happy camper.

Hope your day is better than mine :o)

What Men Want :o)

For my male followers (slightly more than a bakers dozen), I have a great recommendation on where to go get your hairs cut. For the rest of my followers, here is a way to win points with one of the men in your life by recommending a great place to get a haircut. The below information came directly from the Big League website, and there is a "location" finder as well (best bets are in Indiana, Florida, Kentucky, Ohio, and Pennsylvania). Only way it could be better is if they had a keggerator :o)




Is designed with you in mind! You'll notice the difference the moment you walk in the door. There's a big screen TV in the waiting area, box seats from sports stadiums, and sports memorabilia throughout the store. While you get your haircut, you can even watch sports on your own personal TV! Sensible pricing, convenient hours, and a staff trained in customer service for guys complete the package. The BIG LEAGUE® concept is unlike any other haircut franchise in America. Since we're a hair salon franchise specializing in men's haircuts, you can rest assured you'll get a great cut every time. Men's haircuts are all we do. No perms, color, or smelly chemical services. Just great haircuts.

Sunday Silliness - Get To Work :o)

You aren't being paid to believe in the power of your dreams.

Happy Birthday America :o)

In 1776, Great Britain kept trying to make the colonists follow more rules and pay higher taxes. The colonist no longer wanted Great Britain to be able to tell them what to do, so they decided to tell Great Britain that they were becoming an independent country.

On June 28, 1776, a group of patriots met to read Thomas Jefferson's "fair" copy of our declaration. After a few minor revision, this document was adopted on July 4, 1776; "Independence Day."

The Declaration of Independence is more than just a piece of paper. It is a symbol of our country's Independence and commitment to certain ideas.

The signers of the Declaration of Independence wanted the citizens of the United States to have a document that spelled out what was important to our leaders and citizens. They wanted us to be able to look at the Declaration of Independence and immediately think of the goals we should always be working for, and about the people who have fought so hard to make these ideas possible.

My wish for America is that we all can look back to the original ideal, the bravery of the original framers of our endearing freedom, and put aside partisan bickering and do what is right for all of the citizens of the United States of America. That is my birthday wish, and I know that I blew out all of the candles - how about you?

Back to Back Circuses

I find it sad that there is going to be a charge to attend MJ's memorial service. I also heard today that the City of Los Angeles is broke, and is requesting donations to support police overtime and sanitation services. Below is the triggering entry:


Hollywood long ago realized that death has no dominion over a star's ability to pull in cash, but Michael Jackson's funeral may be a landmark in money-grubbing. If the report by Radaronline.com is true, those who wish to attend his official memorial service at the Staples Center will have to shell out $25 apiece for the privilege.


The event, scheduled for next Tuesday, July 7th, at 10:00 a.m. PST will include testimonials from some of MJ's friends and admirers, as well as music and video clips. The Center, home of the recent world champion Los Angeles Lakers, will be equipped with extra video screens so those inside and outside can share in the ceremony.

T-shirts made for his canceled "This Is It" tour will be hawked to those attending the event.

Radaronline.com also reports that the day after the Jackson memorial service the Staples Center is scheduled to host the Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Circus.

Kids Bowl Free :o)

KidsBowlFree is a national program, that numerous bowling alleys across the country are participating in. You have to register, and once you do, you can go to the bowling alley and let your kids bowl for free, for two games. Every day, if you want to.

For $23.95, you can register with a participating bowling alley, and you'll have a pass that's good through the summer. Your kids, plus up to four adult family members, can go to the bowling alley and bowl two games for free -- every day during the summer.

The bowling alley will charge you for your kids' shoes, and nobody's feelings will be hurt if you buy a few snacks and drinks while you're there. But still, it is a pretty good deal.

I have not vetted this entry, but if you choose to, I got it from here.

IOS, Tragic :o(

Today we want to tell you about a new problem sweeping the nation, it's not the swine flu and it's not an addiction to Twilight books but something far more dangerous; IOS.What is this?Information Overload Syndrome is a condition affecting business people everywhere.

It is, apprently, the result of trying to manage 281 Exabytes (that's eighteen zeros) of non-stop information that comes in form of emails, attachments, text messages, thought-starters and FYIs. As a result, sufferers of IOS will find accomplishing the simplest of everyday tasks nearly impossible.

The problem we are facing is that the human brain can only hold so much information in a logical order at any given time, leaving many important things, like your credit card's due date, to slip into the ether.

Go to the original entry at WalletPop.com, sponsored by Xerox, and leave a comment for your chance at a spa prize.

Is your Opinion Worth Anything?

I wanted to wait until I had actually received the payment into my PayPal account, and that happened several days ago. We have discussed here in the blogosphere about the demise of AOL. I have to say that I am less certain of that future. I think they are starting to carve out a niche in news and other services.

A good example is AOL'S OpinionPlace, where you spend 20-25 minutes every week or so filling out a survey. The first one was about allergy and sinus medications and companies, today's was about Auto/Life/Home Insurance and Financial services and companies. You receive $3.75 for each completed survey, in about 3-4 weeks. Click through to sign up for yourself :o)

https://www.opinionplace.com/main.adp

If you were a follower of Bucko's Bucks (see my sidebar), you would have found out about this last week :o)

Harder to go Postal?

How much is your local post office worth to you? Would you miss it if it disappeared? Do you depend on your local post office for services other than regular mail delivery and the purchase of postal supplies? These and other mail service-related questions will soon be a significant concern for many people across America.

As the United States Postal Service, weighed down by a crippling multibillion-dollar deficit, shrinks its operations, post offices across the country are on the chopping block. Each year, hundreds of postal operations shutter, but this coming fall could be the single biggest consolidation in Postal Service history.

Over the next three months, more than 3,200 post offices and retail outlets -- out of 34,000 -- will be reviewed for possible closure or consolidation.

For people who appreciate their local post office as much as we appreciate ours, there is some good news in this situation. When a post office is under consideration for closure, the process is taken slowly and there is generally room for public input on the matter. It's fairly obvious that mail service in the U.S. is slated for change. Only time will tell how noticeable that change will be, and whether or not it will cause significant hardship for anyone.

Consumers might be best advised to check with their local postmaster regarding the viability of their local post office. If it has been determined that your post office is one of those under consideration for closure, I'm certain that the employees of that post office will assist you in finding the ways to keep it alive.

Not only have e-mail and electronic bill paying made for a skinnier mail stream, but the recession has caused a sharp pullback in advertising mail that has hurt the Postal Service even more.

In March, Postmaster General John Potter asked Congress for the right to reduce the mail week from six days to five, for a savings of $3.5 billion. Shutting down post offices will have similar cost-saving effects. And most Americans say they're OK with the cutbacks, as long as they don't have to pay more to send mail. A recent USA Today/Gallup poll found that more Americans would rather the Postal Service curtail services than seek a bailout or raise stamp prices.