Adventures with YardBoy

2010-08-20T23:05:00.002-04:00

OchoCinco...pwned?
TO apparently has a skill that OC lacks... talking.

They played pretty equal on the field, but TO was the showman, especially when OC took the name "Robin" to TO's "Batman". Toast.

2010-05-24T22:12:00.002-04:00

Rochester, NY's Battle of the Roadside Joints: Vic & Irvs or Don & Bobs?

Kind of like "Ginger or Mary Ann?" Each has Rochester's best oral fixations in mind, but you have to taste a little to make a commitment:

Pickle slices
V&I: vinegar
D&B: garlic
Winner: D&B

Onion rings:
V&I: wide and floppy
D&B: thinner, solid
Winner: D&B

Hot sauce [Greek, meat-style]:
V&I: crushed red pepper, thin
D&B: thicker, chili-like
Winner: D&B

Decisive victory! Next up: LDR Char Pit [and I remember the rings as contenders].

2010-04-17T18:10:00.005-04:00

Opening Day, Frontier Field, Rochester Red Wings AAA baseball [of the Minnesota Twins]

Chilly... even our would-be tour director Steve Smith bailed. Pussy! Maybe 8 of us truebloods showed up in 39F temps for the ceremonially civic dog-and-pony show. After the Mayor, after the County Executive, after the flag waving, after the wounded police officer beating all odds to throw out the semi-first pitch, etc, we finally got around to honoring some old git who hadn't received his Purple Heart commedation back during "The Big One". I salute you, citizen!!

Speaking of dogs, Rochester's "white hot" was out in all its glory, slathered in mustard, ketchup, relish, onions, etc. Opening Day [and most other games] are equally about taste and aroma.

Oh, the game... it was well played, regardless of temps dropping to 37F. Wings blew a lead, but broke the tie in the 8th to hold on.

After any game, it's fun to stop by Knuckles Knockout Grill. Working the beer tap is 'Stina. Her mom calls her Christina, but truth is, 'Stina's all grown up. I know, I know, my Motorola RAZR camera phone sucks.

2010-04-15T19:38:00.003-04:00

I had to pay this year... total $650 ;^(

2010-03-22T16:46:00.005-04:00

College hockey: does it get any better than Cornell, the Big Red?

Thanks to Chris in Ithaca, I've seen several men's games this season. They've won the ECAC Championship and the cheering fans [Lynah Faithful] make the difference.

Even the zamboni driver gets in the spirit as you can see while he wanders the crowd during his down time.

2010-03-21T00:13:00.004-04:00

Sometimes I amaze myself...

...at what I can whip up in a ol' black beauty. I've been doing some more website work and getting paid in beef. Really.

2010-01-01T18:02:00.004-05:00

It's that time again...

2009-12-01T19:44:00.002-05:00

Pimping a friend's website...

http://SunchaserScuba.com/

[I just improved his Title, added some Meta Tags, and pinged a few cross-referencing websites]

2009-08-09T01:04:00.003-04:00

A friend of mine is selling puppies and I'm doing my best to get her URL in front of the 'bots. If any of my readers could post the following on their sites, I'd appreciate it.

*************************************************************************************

www.PattisPuppies.com
Searcy, AR 72143
(501) 278-7665

Welcome...
to our mutual excitement! I sell adorable bundles of joy who come from personal friends and Mom/Pop breeders. Are all healthy, happy and ready to love you back. They are social having spent their time around kids, adults, and other animals. Many are Registered, tho designer dogs are sometimes not. Some of the dogs need special care, especially the smaller teacups. My Guarantee: all are vet checked, up on shots and worming.

2009-02-12T20:34:00.003-05:00

Move over Pepsi and Coke

Pete O. at work is a world-traveled Navy man and recognizes my time in India as a similar adventure. Occasionly, he shares a worldly anecdote like the one below:

There's some new competition on the shelf. India's Hindu nationalist movement is launching a new soft drink made from cow urine. The bovine brew is in the final stages of development by the Cow Protection Department of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), India's biggest and oldest Hindu nationalist group, according to the man who makes it. Om Prakash, the head of the department, said the drink - called "gaujal" or "cow water" in Sanskrit - was under going laboratory tests and would be launched very soon, maybe by the end of this year. "Don't worry, it won't smell like urine and will be tasty too", he told the Times of London from his headquarters in Hardwar, one of four holy cities on the River Ganges. "Its USP will be that it's going to be very healthy. It won't be like carbonated drinks and would be devoid of any toxins". The drink is the latest attempt by the RSS - which was founded in 1925 and now claims 8 million members - to cleanse India of foreign influence and promote its ideology of Hindutva, or Hindu-ness.

BTW, I can think of easier ways for India to cleanse foreign influence:
1. Refuse all foreign aid and military equipment
2. Recall all citizens home
3. Build a big wall around India.

Gotta be easier than drinking cow pee.

2009-02-04T23:54:00.003-05:00

Change is coming down the road...

[horkulated.com]

2009-01-25T23:32:00.007-05:00

Come on ~~down~~ line, you're the next contestant...

Play in a new online game show [if you're in the US and have broadband]. If you're selected as a player, please use me [YardBoy] as a reference. My referral was from a web developer that I trust to not spread scammy, spammy Web schemes.

It's like "Deal or No Deal", very simple, and I know some of the winners. It works!

2009-01-12T20:44:00.003-05:00

Now and then...

Brigitte Bardot of my boyhood fantasies has changed.

2009-01-08T22:22:00.004-05:00

A Picture is a Thousand Words...

A few more pix are a lurid tale. Courtesy of my baby brother Andy and a family friend [Mark W] comes the whole story.

Ummmmmm, at first I thought this angio-roll was missing cheese, but this has to smoke pretty long intil it's 165F internal. The cheese would run. Maybe some big chunks of ricotta or feta. And for contrast, how about some long strips of green jalapeno or yellow banana?

2009-01-07T22:17:00.000-05:00

Lady of Fatima... protect us!

Obama? Or Princess Leia?

2009-01-01T15:17:00.004-05:00

God [and family] Bless me
I'll bet you didn't receive one of these for ChanuChrismaKwanzEidFest...

2008-12-30T09:18:00.004-05:00

Christmas Day in the "City of Brotherly Love"
[Is that just east of Brokeback Mountain?]

Be glad this guy is off the streets...

It is highly annoying when people talk in the theatre. Just another sign of parents failing to teach basic courtesy to children. While I'm disappointed in the talkers, I'm thinking birth control for the parents and a boycott of theatres that have wimpy, do-nothing ushers.

And what's with the slugs who can't carry their garbage from their seats to a trash can? Your children are watching and learning all the wrong things from you. Maybe it's your fault that the ushers have been taken from their original job and turned into cleaners.

2008-12-23T22:55:00.002-05:00

I was heading to Boston today
and I heard a thump...

2008-12-14T19:24:00.006-05:00

Why do you think they call it Chinese herbal medicine?

A two pound stash has been discovered in a 2700 yr old Gobi Desert grave. According to researchers in the Journal of Experimental Botany who found only female plant material with high THC: "it was clearly cultivated for psychoactive purposes, rather than as fibre for clothing or as food."

A Rastafarian in China should come as no surprise...

2008-12-13T20:47:00.003-05:00

Outsourcing Major League Baseball?

Just kidding: for many years, the best players have been coming from everywhere but the US... Dominican Republic, Venzuela, Japan, Korea, Cuba, and now India. I loved the way reality tv was used to scout the potential ~~cricket bowlers~~ pitchers.

Spring Training for them begins in February, Bradenton, FL.

2008-12-03T19:39:00.004-05:00

What happens if you or I lose $100,000 worth of tools?

Heide Stefanyshyn-Piper

2008-11-30T10:28:00.012-05:00

More terrorism in India
I was sad to note this past week's attack on one of India's premier hotels, the Taj Mahal in Mumbai [Bombay]. The 105-year-old hotel was one of nine sites attacked by gunmen in a 60-hour wave of terror that killed at least 183 people and injured hundreds more before it ended in a standoff at the hotel Saturday morning.

The hotel is owned by the Tata Group, one of India's largest and most successful conglomerates. Chairman Ratan Tata, a venerable icon in India, is quoted: "... the attacks revealed deficiencies in law enforcement, especially in the areas of crisis response and management. We were getting the cooperation that they could give us, but the infrastructure was woefully poor. It took three hours for firefighters to get water to the Taj after a blaze broke out in the oldest part of the building. We had people who died being shot through bulletproof vests."

After spending much of 2001-2005 in India, I'm prompted to several questions:
1. The Taj is a 5-star hotel, the highest level in India. Politicians, Bollywood stars and corporate heads [including call centre owners] would stay there. If water is unavailable at the Taj, where is it available? I've been saying for years that India is heading for civil unrest [if not open hostility] over water.
2. Where were the bulletproof vests made? India or outsourced? India has a huge corruption issue with government awards and contracts.

As an aside, concerns and best wishes go to call centre underling Mark D. who this past week was put into a 3-star Indian hotel. In case of fire, I hope there's water. We've already heard you don't have hot water, phone, or Internet connection ;^(

2008-10-06T19:10:00.007-04:00

Back home in Rochester, NY

...after continuing the scooter ride from Georgia thru
Tennessee [Deal's Gap motorcycle run]
North Carolina [Blue Ridge Parkway]
and a 2 day interState shot thru
Virginia
West Virginia
Pennsylvania
New York.

Yesterday's last ride was chilly, but the entire 3 weeks were without rain.

Getting back to the chronological sequence of my trip, here's a few more pix:

On my 2nd day out, I rode from Fort Wayne, Indiana to the southernmost point of Illinois where the Ohio River meets the Mississippi River [405 miles]. Motels were scarce and the sun had set, not good when you're on a scooter during deer rut, so I stopped at the first motel I found. Regardless of how you and I pronounce the city of Vienna, Illinois, the locals call it "Vye-enna". For dinner, the motel recommended either a sloppy burger across the street or Mexican down the road. I had seen the latter on my way in and couldn't resist their assurance to disprove the roach coach mystique. The entrepreneur, himself hecho en Mexico, but 10 years removed, suggested the grilled steak burrito which was muy delish and enough to feed a whole lot of produce pickers [let alone one overweight gringo biker]. Did I mention he had Mexican soda? Pineapple!

Yes, that's my scooter ['02 Honda Shadow ACE] with pillion bag/backrest.

The motel also recommended that I start the next morning's ride with a short detour to Metropolis... home of my late 1950's hero:

2008-10-02T21:36:00.008-04:00

Where's Waldo? Where's George? Where's Willy? Where's YardBoy?

I'm clueless about the first, but the remainder are on a 3 week scooter trip:
Windsor, Ontario
Michigan
Ohio
Indiana
Illinois
Kentucky
Missouri
Arkansas
Tennessee
Mississippi
Alabama
Georgia [as of tonight]

I left Windsor, Ontario late on 15 SEP after taking care of last minute call centre issues. From 1PM until sunset, I covered 175 miles:
across the border thru Detroit,
south thru Toledo, Ohio,
west to just beyond Ft. Wayne, Indiana where I stopped at a motel run by Punjabis. It was Monday night, there was a nearby Buffalo Wild Wings and that spells "football". Sure beats CFL ;^)

I've got more than 100 pix so far from an eye-opening and culinary tour. Here's a taste from Day 2...

This pic is my response to naysayers of wind power. Many complain about the "eyesore" of windmills and this snap is of a huge windfarm in Lafayette, Indiana from less than a mile away. Now I'll show you my interpretation of an eyesore from Duke Power near Mt. Carmel, Illinois...

2008-10-02T01:12:00.002-04:00

First post on my new Asus Eee PC 900

1GB RAM
16GB SSD [Solid State Drive]
wireless G and ethernet
9" screen
USB and SD flash ports
VGA out
2 lbs

$329 and I'm digging it.

2008-08-23T12:01:00.001-04:00

Another birthing anniversary for my mother

I gave her a call, but my father answered and said she was out spending my inheritance at garage sales. Dad reminisced that I was an easy baby... for a short time.

Like most of the Summer, it was a beautiful and warm [31C] day in Windsor, Ontario. After sleeping in to 9:30AM, I scootered to the nearby Fred's Farm Market and picked up goodies to be grilled for dinner with friends Jeff, Kim and Vicki:
corn-on-the-cob [I wrapped it in bacon]
poblano peppers that we stuffed with 3 yr old Canadian cheddar
steaks marinated in sweet onion vinegarette
Lake Erie salmon with Roses' Lime and fresh garlic
peaches and bananas sliced onto French Vanila ice cream topped with Chocolate Bailey's.

BTW, you never know what you'll find shucking corn...

2008-08-10T13:02:00.003-04:00

Tattoos are pretty much permanent...
but this guy missed School of Life that day. BTW, your workplace HR person may not approve of a tat picture, not that all companies apply their policy equally to men and women.

2008-07-26T00:37:00.005-04:00

After 77 years, Mom finally made it to Niagara Falls with moi

2008-07-12T19:31:00.011-04:00

For the consumate Star Trek fans...

Captain James T. Kirk taking it like a man ;^)

2008-06-28T23:43:00.004-04:00

People doing a better Indian accent than me I... and funnier!

2008-06-08T18:26:00.006-04:00

Yes, you know him...

Cornholeio

You've also seen him on Clone High

Chris Holler

2008-05-17T12:26:00.007-04:00

When gas is $1.28/ltr or $4.86/gal

and when it rains...

2008-03-09T14:03:00.015-04:00

Celebration of Life for Bert Kilbride...
on the beach at Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Bert passed at age 93 on 08 JAN 2008 in Etna, California, with wife Gayla at his side. I first met Bert in 1989 when I moved to the British Virgin Islands and worked at the Bitter End Yacht Club. Bert, Gayla, their usually naked grandson Tyrel, and a pack of yappy Schipperke dogs lived on Saba Rock, a little 1 acre island 300 meters offshore from the Bitter End. They had a little bar called The Pirates Pub that served ice cold Becks beer and cheeseburgers in paradise. The "Rock" was often a great escape, a place of tall drinks, taller tales and Bert attracting an abundance of scantily-clad women. Bert was also a great complement to my scuba interests as I certified for PADI Divemaster. By 1996, Bert and Gayla were taking a look at the next phase of their lives, spending a lot of time in Florida. I moved into their stone house on top of Saba Rock, co-managing the Pirate's Pub. It was a time of learning alot about a diesel genset, a reverse osmosis desalinator, salt water toilets, noisy tropical birds and running Bert's old supply boat. By April 1997, Bert and Gala decided to sell their piece of heaven to a developer. Bert returned to the Rock and we spent a month packing up 30+ years of his "treasures". We'd often be boxing up something like an old musket ball or coral-encrusted bottle and we'd stop to reminisce over a cold malted beverage. There were drawings, maps, old coins, and bleached bones. Until that final day when we stepped off Saba Rock, there was a craggy, old pirate with long wind-blown hair and beard, pierced ear, gold around his neck, a busted up nose, wobbly knees and a big heart. That's the last I saw of Bert as I went back to the U.S. and got caught up in the corporate world of computer helpdesks. Shame on me, I missed the end of his life, but a lot of his story is at www.BertKilbride.com/

Pretty typical shot of Bert lying around Saba Rock years ago, surrounded by salvage from the wreck of the Rhone and the Bitter End Yacht Club in the background.

Bert probably would have snickered at a Celebration "agenda".

Bert had flown pirate flags forever and they continued at his memorial.

Some of Bert's sons and daughters. I missed seeing Jimmy who is a divemaster in Hawaii.

After 11 years, Sandy Hartman was the first of old friends I spotted because she has kept in shape and not changed much.

Sandy's husband Bobby and underwater videographer Dave List. Dave was here with his daughter and moving back to the Tampa area.

Bert with Amy & Mike. Amy is either kissing the pope's ring or mining a diamond... just kidding.

I ~~think~~ now know Dave's daughter's name is Ruby Rose. She was bashful compared to Dave.

2008-03-06T13:19:00.004-05:00

Spring Training in Ft. Myers
LA Dodgers at Boston Red Sox, City of Palms Park.

I used to think of my father as the "Big Guy". Either he's shrinking or my diet starts tomorrow.

Brother Andy got us seats for the game. The guy in front of us took more razzing than the umpire.

Manny and the big names only play the first few innings.

As the crowds thinned out in later innings, I was able to get some great telephoto shots of relative unknowns.

2008-01-01T22:15:00.001-05:00

Out with the auld, in with the gnu

It's called crab dip, Jackie; read the fine print and stick it in the microwave.

Steve and John hoisting one to ~~HP's~~ ~~AT&T's~~ Lenovo's success.

I promised Kelly a picture "with integrity"... I found one ;^)

Julian, visiting from Mexico, came at the wrong time of year.

2007-12-08T13:08:00.000-05:00

Happy ChrisHanaKwanzaEid
Go pee before you watch these...

Scrooge

and then there's...

2007-11-23T00:29:00.000-05:00

American Thanksgiving, cold in so many ways
It's been frosty riding the scooter, so I caught a ride back to Rochester to pick up my car. It was to be a week of disappointments:
- car battery was dead
- new downstairs neighbor keeps the heat at 63-64F
- was alone for the holiday, no turkey
- tire went flat on car

I was glad to get back to Windsor.

2007-11-12T20:05:00.000-05:00

Out of the Ramada and into 2179 Amy Lynn Park

3BR house about 10 min from work. Carl H spends part of the week here, but has this thing back in Rochester called a relationship ;^)

I like the lack of snow here in Canada's southernmost point, but part of my 70's self suspects we've ruined the planet.

Wireless and a webcam turns the LR into something more.

Kitchen and dining room. Small deck and grill out the back.

I love a walk-in shower, but will try to learn about a jacuzzi tub.

2007-11-07T22:03:00.001-05:00

I been shooped

2007-10-28T00:59:00.000-04:00

Canadian spirits

No, I'm not talking about Canadian Club whisky made just down the street from my hotel ;^)

Two visitors arrived from China on Monday and they came with the notion that they must get maple sugar candy while visiting our call center in Windsor, Ontario. That sweet may exist in eastern Ontario and Quebec where there is a maple syrup industry, but we're striking our here in the southern-most point of Canada where we're more likely to find Lebanese shawarma. While driving the Chinese around on their quest, I spotted this over the top Halloween display and explained the commercialization of All Hallows' Eve or the Eve of All Saint's Day.

2007-10-21T23:04:00.000-04:00

Windsor (Ontario) Ramada, 8th flr view

The Canadian end of the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel terminates right below my hotel room. The Canada Immigration building is in the lower right of the pic below, but more importantly to any friend of mine, there's Tunnel BBQ directly at the Tunnel exit. Talk about prime real estate, this culinary institution has been smoking on this site for 60 years. In the background of the pic is additional construction on Casino Windsor (operated by Harrahs). Locals wonder why the casino is expanding when Windsor's auto-related economy is already depressed and Detroit has just opened its 3rd casino, the MGM Grand, across the river.

The Detroit River, the US, and GM Renaissance Center are 2 blocks north of my hotel.

2007-09-30T19:12:00.000-04:00

Ramada Inn, Windsor, Ontario

On business trips, hotel rooms are often just a place to sleep a few hours. I've found so much more!

The Windsor Ramada recognizes the traveling technolgist needs all kinds of cables and connections including high speed heap-o-twisted.

Even the business traveler needs to take a break and the Windsor Ramada keeps some of Canada's finest close at ~~hand~~ foot.

At the Windsor Ramada, where there's ice, there's malted beverage.

And for the hardcore, you can catch an early morning buzz when you walk out your Windsor Ramada room and inhale the glue as carpet is being laid.

2007-08-23T19:07:00.000-04:00

Did you feel the shift in the space-time continuum?
Today's b-day was spent working in Windsor, Ontario. It was kind of like working the previous year in Sault Ste Marie, Ontario:
1. Do the call centre thing during the day.
2. Dinner and drinks later with co-workers.
3. Wrap up the day hoping to hear from loved ones. (Brother Andy called from Boston)

This year's Windsor event was also different from last year's in SSM:
1. Windsor is the big city by comparison, lots of eye candy.
2. SSM is cozy and personal as evidenced by the gifting of a crazy hat

2005-08-23T14:10:00.000-04:00

As I mark my 55th year off the calendar...
I want to thank those who helped, left comments and hopefully took a little piece of me to tuck away in their hidden recesses. I don't know what happened to that Chennai Blogger crowd, but maybe we'll remember our roots and meet again. Romba nandri.

2005-08-11T12:20:00.000-04:00

I need some help from Indian readership
I know of a single American woman planning to spend 4 months at Bihar Yoga Bharati (World's First Yoga University) in a town called Munger. This woman has never been to India and will be traveling alone, living in the ashram. Please visit the website above to get a feel for the place, program, people, etc. Kindly leave your thoughts and guidence in the Comments Section under this post AKA "...digging/shoveling..."

Particulars from website:
   1. Leaving the ashram is discouraged with only 2 day passes per month.
   2. There's no ashram heat and January temps are forecast at 5°C/41°F.
   3. Silence is enforced much of the time.
   4. Meals are vegan with occasional milk or curd.
   5. Shared bath and toilet facilities imply she might learn about bucket, squatting and lack of tissue.

2005-08-10T12:09:00.000-04:00

Gems from Customer Satisfaction Surveys on an outsourced PC HelpDesk
Please help me understand the logic of the following:
"Come back to the USA for those of us in the US ...
And you can help solve little computer problems without charging!"

When the labor cost goes up by a factor of 10, how does a "little" service become free? And who decides when a "little computer problem" becomes big?

2005-08-09T13:52:00.000-04:00

H1-B visas: going, going...
almost gone for Fiscal Year 2006 beginning 01 October. Over 22,000 foreign, high-tech workers have approved applications for U.S. employment and 29,000 plus are pending. That means about 13,000 or 20% of these visas remain in these last two months. It'll probably be a hectic time for Prince Roy so be nice to our fellow blogger ;^)

2005-08-08T07:12:00.000-04:00

Friday night beer tasting
The occasion was the 10th annual Flour City Brewer's Fest. $17 each got us unlimited sampling with beautiful 6 oz. etched glasses, several live bands playing in the background, and a show of heavenly bodies brought on by a warm Summer's eve and loosened inhibitions. The setting was Rochester's historic and beautiful High Falls on the Genesee River. Halfway thru the tasting, I knew enough to put a little food in my stomach: delicious pulled pork sandwiches from Dinosaur BBQ along with their tangy cole slaw and salt potatoes smothered in garlic herb butter.

Oh yeah, the brewery stands I visited, followed by the on-tap brews sampled:

1. Brouwerij van Hoegaarden "Original White Ale"
2. Middle Ages Brewing Company "Swallow Wit"
3. Rohrbach Brewing Company
   a. "South Wedge Summer Ale"
   b. "X Ale"
4. Southern Tier Brewing Company
   a. "IPA"
   b. "Hop Sun"
   c. "Phin & Matts Extraordinary Ale"
5. Custom Brewcrafters
   a. "Canandaigua Lake Ale"
   b. "EPA English Pale Ale"
   c. "Hop Harvest"
6. Victory Brewing Company
   a. "Prima Pils"
   b. "Hop Devil"
7. Flying Bison Brewing Company "Barnstormer APA"
8. Ithaca Beer Company
   a. "Partly Sunny"
   b. "Flower Power"
9. Ellicottville Brewing Company "Pale Ale"
10. Brooklyn Brewery "Weisse"
11. Brewery Ommegang
   a. "Witte"
   b. "Hennepin"
12. Magic Hat Brewing Company
   a. "Hocus Pocus"
   b. "#9"
13. Bear Republic Brewing Company "Red Rocket Ale"
14. Boulder Beer/Wilderness Pub "Mojo IPA"
15. Blue Point Brewing Company "Summer Ale"
16. Lake Placid Pub and Brewery "46'er Pale Ale"
17. Long Trail Brewing Company "Long Trail Ale"

And the answer to some of your questions:
1. I didn't drive
2. I'd guess I was legally intoxicated (0.05% blood alcohol content)
3. We behaved, walked relatively straight lines and didn't act drunk
4. On the 20 minute drive back to my house, we drank water.
5. At my house, I was competent enough to serve more water and espresso
6. I felt fine the next day and had more BBQ with "Slurpee Slinger" at NOLA, tho their beer wasn't as good ;^)

2005-08-07T09:35:00.000-04:00

Update for trendy Indian women: it's no longer 'Fair & Lovely'
It's now Young & Slim... and it doesn't come in a jar. Here's an idea for outsourcing: CSS, Cosmetic Surgery Screening:
   "Thank you for calling Dr. Reddy's. May I be knowing your good breast size?
   OK, may I now be holding you while I check you out?
   (long dead silence, followed by sitar-laden advertising for medical vacation in India)
   Thank you for holding, your details are perfect and I'll be having you completed in no time."

You know the drill ;^)

** ABOVE IS PARODY. It's not our company or yours. It's always somebody else **

2005-08-06T09:41:00.000-04:00

Ever hear of Lenny Bias?
Euthanasia is regularly practiced in Colombia, home of the world's cocaine cartel. The story indicates the death certificates of the euthanized read "cardiac arrest". If Dr. Death drops an eightball of pharmaceutical flake in the patient's IV, hell, there's pulmonary "blowout" unless it's some old 60's rocker ;^)

2005-08-05T12:39:00.000-04:00

Root cause problem with offshore call centers?
While CSAT (Customer Satisfaction) surveys rank the #1 problem as "accent", perhaps chronic fatigue and overnight shifts are at the bottom of things. Trust me, I've seen a lot of phone agents with their heads on their little cube desks.

Also from personal experience, I know that India's pharmacy practice can help matters. Anyone can score from the gazillion of store fronts that sell branded drugs without script at less than 10% of U.S. costs (just like payroll). As an amateur gynecologist, I offer no medical advice, but call center workers may want to research modafinil. If the shopkeeper doesn't understand, ask for the PDR, Physician's Desk Reference (a cross catalog of drugs), to make your choice ;^)

2005-08-04T10:07:00.000-04:00

Office desks harbor 400X more bacteria than average toilet seat
Hmmmm, I wonder if this includes the soaking wet toilet seats in our Chennai, India office bathrooms?

A new book, “Why Do Men Have Nipples?”, has a lot of fun with medical facts.

Writing of "medical", I'm blaming my absence these past weeks on
1. lack of comments/feedback from readers (maybe there are none)
2. painful dental problems, i.e. infection, root canal, extractions, dry socket, etc.

2005-07-15T10:14:00.000-04:00

Fo' schizzle, my Indizzle
I had almost forgotten this VERY funny brown-skinned humor. Be sure to scope the Comics for "Issue 15 - for them spelling all-stars".

And it was Badmash that turned me on to an American politician (of Indian origin) campaigning AGAINST corruption. That boy learned an interesting lesson from his daddy and mommy-ji.

2005-07-13T12:03:00.000-04:00

It reminded me a lot of samples I've given
And negative visuals can definately bring down the Hoegaarden (Original Belgian White Beer) experience. Don't take my word for it, check the reviews for words like "pale yellow", "cloudy", "murky", etc. I can just imagine the doctor's assistant handing me the collection container ;^)

Nonetheless, I properly decanted all but the bottom of the brew to minimize the natural yeast and unfermentable wheat, tho some purists would quaff this sludge proclaiming the health benefits of vitamin B in that "Brewer's Inch". The foamy head remained nicely firm with creamy, tight bubbles. I brought my schnozz close, expecting a waft of citrus, but it was more like cider. That smell is often associated with faulty fermentation or overly warm storage. The taste was OK, but somewhat thin, not very refreshing. I finished my glass with a nice sausage sandwich, but didn't appreciate the brew for the standalone value it lacked.

The Saranac Summer Ale was worse. The head collapsed immediately. Advertised with wheat and lemon spice, it was more like the ubiquitous "reds" found in every brewpub, but with some unidentifiable spice. Other beer opinions are not exactly gushing.

In the interest of fairness, I'd appreciate someone coming over to help me with the remaining 5-packs. Second opinions will be published to the world.

** UPDATE **
I tried a 2nd bottle of the "Hoe" and had to throw it away. Then it started storming and the electricity died for 4 hours. Powerful stuff. I gave away one of the Saranacs to my neighbor, but then the lights were off. He didn't ask for a second ;^)

2005-07-12T09:24:00.000-04:00

Young kids are getting it...
and I don't mean drugs on the streets of Fairport or LeRoy, NY.

I'm talking about stem cell research, science that last-term President George W is against. While Bush and the Christian Conservatives may be running the big picture, they're missing the smaller science displays that tomorrow's young leaders experience with brilliant clarity. San Francisco's Exploratorium has an exhibit with interactive microscope that let's you see living heart cells basically created from nothing and immortal. We have a chance to see beyond the rhetoric and understand the life saving potential of generic embryonic stem cells triggered into useful body parts.

2005-07-11T09:53:00.000-04:00

You know you're not feeling well when...
...the aforementioned specialty beers have not been tasted
...Chinese hot and sour soup gets half eaten
...Reality TV has Lance Armstrong in a peloton and that's not some sex act with a bird (Sheryl Crow)

2005-07-09T00:07:00.000-04:00

On the word of a Prince...
I needed to get some Belgian ale called "Hoegaarden". Prince Roy has featured this brew and his good taste is word enough. Here in Rochester, NY, we're lucky to have just the place to purchase this special import. Imagine a 15,000 square foot supermarket just for beer and you'd have Beers of the World. Imagine entire sections of the store devoted to particular countries' beers. The Belgian section alone had 20-30 brands and for everything in 12 ounce bottles, there are also wine-sized bottles and larger. The Belgian beers can be expensive and overly alcoholic (11%). I'm glad the "Hoe" weighs in at 4.9%.

The Hoegaarden label translates as the "Original Belgian White Beer". It also says "witbier" or redundantly, white beer. As an ex-brewmaster, I can tell you that real beer is made with barley. I can also tell you that Hoegaarden is actually a wheat ale or weizenbier and using a little wheat brews cloudy and lighter in taste. Citrus flavors are added to complete the style. In Belgium, ancient beer recipes are guarded by religious monks cloistered in abbeys. A close look at the Hoegaarden label shows both a bishop's crook and what I think is an old style malting tool.

As long as I was shopping, I also picked up a 6-pack of Saranac Summer Ale, not to be confused with their overloaded Belgian White or Hefeweizen ;^)

2005-07-08T14:30:00.000-04:00

The little things you do for your employees make a difference
Over the years, I've noticed our company would post Employment Anniversaries on various bulletin boards and send out individual cards. This month marks 8 years for me, tho I haven't received a card in about 7 years. The bulletin board was empty, so I checked our intranet: there I was listed at 7 years with a first name that few know and none use. The intranet had a URL for contacting the webmaster and I'm not shy. I got the following response:
   "Calculation bug:
   We are aware of it, however, soon we moving on People Soft data and bug will be eliminated.
   Till than we do not planning to change anything."

I have a few suggestions:
1. Get to know your employees' names, especially the 15-20 you're supposedly honoring
2. If the names and years of service are tabularized monthly, innovatively add 1 to your calc
3. Get a bastard file, remove some of that callus and trim up the English language!

Here's the kicker: our company's owner was at the top of the list, robbed a year of service ;^)

** if I seem a little crabby **
I am. Infection from root canal has settled into my lymph nodes, jaw and ear. I'm on my 4th day of Amoxycillin antibiotic. It hurts to swallow, it hurts to eat, it hurts to be at work. I'm about to fix the last part.

2005-07-06T15:09:00.000-04:00

I had terrible teethache over the holiday weekend
I tried Aleve (naproxen) which is supposed to dull pain for 8-12 hours... bullshit. Then Tylenol (acetaminophen)... bollocks. Motrin (ibuprofen)... crap (and my liver is getting stressed by now). A couple of my dad's Manhattans seemed to help, but drunkeness shouldn't be confused with pain relief. When I got back to Rochester, I tried Vicodin (hydrocodone) I had left over from last year's surgeries. THAT worked, but it's a Class C narcotic and I don't anticipate any future surgeries to keep me supplied. Bottom line: after 3+ years in India, I needed to find my old dentist or find a new one taking patients. My neighbor recommended a new dentist closer to my home who took me in yesterday afternoon. After a 10 minute exam and confirming x-ray, the doc loaded me up with novacaine. Who knew we had sensitive nerves under our tongues! He said something about "removing problematic nerve tissue". I held up my hand and mumbled with thick tongue: "youuuu meent root kannalll?" He smiled a fatherly smile, whipped out a drill, and I knew better than resisting ;^(

2005-07-05T15:46:00.000-04:00

Long bike trip
My car is on the fritz, so Saturday I rode my Honda Shadow ACE 200mi/330km to the family cottage on the St. Lawrence River overlooking Canada. It was more comfortable than I imagined and I have no back pain tho I was glad for a gas stop each way. I get about 175mi on a full tank. If I was in India, I would get a "tinker" to fab me an oversize tank for a couple bucks. It's a great time of year for a ride in upstate NY:
   few bugs to ping off my helmet
   gorgeous orange day lillies and purple vetch line the country roads
   it's shirt sleeve weather, so my face and arms are golden brown ;^)

2005-07-02T00:05:00.000-04:00

You got to fight for the right to partyyyyyy!
With no apologies to the Beastie Boys, a Belgium parlimentarian cancelled a lunch in Belgium with his Iranian counterparts when the Muslims expected the meal to not include beer. The conservative Muslim faithful need to understand: "What happens in Brussels, stays in Brussels."

BTW, I see a lucrative advertising opportunity for friend and film maker Anand who needs to immediately contact the likes of my favorite Belgium beer, Stella Artois ;^)

** UPDATE ** on ideas for Anand's beer commercial:
1. Camera pans from Iranians marching out of building in a huff to robed and wigged parlimentarian hoisting a Stella Artois as he says: "It's a lot easier to make new friends than giving up my Stella."
2. Camera covers a vote tally in parliment as speaker announces: "The measure has been defeated. We will not be trading our nation's Stella Artois for Iranian oil."

2005-07-01T07:25:00.000-04:00

Jharkhand, India is back in the news: "Naked women in public"
I have previously posted about the high rate of female fetuscide in this northeastern Indian state, but it seems some of the remaining women are valued for another illegal activity. These women are part of a timber mafia where they strip naked to distract police while forest brigands illegally harvest lumber. The police are noted as being "too embarassed" to arrest the women ;^)

2005-06-30T08:34:00.000-04:00

Ever been cut off on the road by a "ribbon"?
Surely you've seen supposed patriots driving vehicles with trend-of-the-moment magnetic ribbons crying out in a cacophony of causes: soldiers, flags, 9/11, breast cancer, homosexuality... whatever. You've seen those ribbons speeding, parked in fire lanes and Handicap Zones. I see a lot of ribbons rolling hard thru stop signs, making me wonder when I'm dieing on my motorcycle.

It's ironic that Wikipedia defines patriotism in terms of selfless acts that directly benefit the nation AND bumper stickers. Many drivers are not selfless, but all about "me, Me, ME".

A tip of the hat goes to ClanLally and the ever Sweet Jenn for pointing out the refreshing view of SupportOurRibbons.com where I've ordered the Red Sox ribbon for my baby brother and one customized...

2005-06-29T09:36:00.000-04:00

To paraphrase the great diehard rockers, AC/DC...
   "...he's got big balls,
   And she's got big balls,
   But we've got the biggest balls of them all!"

But I'd bet, gentle reader, that you don't have the 'nads of the 73 year old Kenyen farmer who barehandedly killed an attacking leopard by ripping out its tongue. Nope. No way, Jose.

2005-06-28T07:08:00.000-04:00

Remember the Indian State of Bihar?
A few months back, I had linked to an article where "kidnapping" was the prevailing economy in Bihar. Now there's news of a Bihar newspaper's crime reporter utilizing his professional contacts to fence stolen goods. With the reporter's arrest, I detect some mathematical set theory:
1. The reporter probably didn't pay off the right people
2. The right people are possibly the professional contacts
3. The Bihar police are sometimes professionals and the right people to contact ;^)

2005-06-27T12:56:00.000-04:00

"Grand Canyon of the East"
I took Indian visitors yesterday to Letchworth State Park. Here, the Genesee River cuts thru geology much the same as the Colorado River slices the Grand Canyon in Arizona, but with 2 major differences. Letchworth is just an hour south of Rochester while Arizona's Grand Canyon is 2300 miles away. The Grand Canyon chasms are 5000 feet deep in places, while Letchworth's are 600 feet. My guests got to see the largest flood control dam east of the Mississippi River and three spectacular waterfalls as I drove thru the 20 miles of litter-free park roads. We stopped at several overlooks and I took many pictures for them as they gazed at soaring hawks and sharp canyon walls surrounded by New York State's rich green forests. For the return trip back to the park entrance, I let "Madame" drive my car. She did excellent considering the roads, steering wheel, etc. are all opposite for her.

2005-06-26T20:54:00.000-04:00

After 30 years, Mommy has figured out my profession!

2005-06-25T08:39:00.000-04:00

What's it like in India? (episode 998)
I've spent much of the last 3 years in Chennai, India which is on the tropical sands of the Indian Ocean. I've also ventured to western India on the Arabian Sea. If you've followed this Plog, you've seen lots of beach pix. If you've known me long enough, you'll remember that I've gravitated from the Jersey Shore as a kid to the Caribbean and Australian reefs. Chennai has Marina Beach, the world's 2nd longest and in a city of over 6 million, I've seen thousands of Indian women at the water's edge ALL dressed like...

Once, in liberal Goa, I saw one Indian woman in a bathing suit. Once in 3 years. Imagine my chagrin when I saw the following pic from the recent Miss Universe contest. These two Asian girls are from neighboring countries, just miles apart and so close in culture. Care to guess their nationalities? Answer tomorrow.

** Praveen is the winner! **
On the left is Amrita Thapar, the "fairest" Indian I have ever seen. On the right is Sri Lanka's Rozanne Diasz.

2005-06-24T10:43:00.000-04:00

The Future (as I probably won't know it)
The Onion is quite clever in their prognostication of the year 2056 ;^)

2005-06-23T05:42:00.000-04:00

Finding the lost Boy Scout in Utah would have been much easier...
if the searchers had enlisted the aid of Michael Jackson. The Prince of Pop seems to have a built-in homing device for young children and could have been taken aloft in helicopter equipped with loudspeaker:
"Come out, come out, wherever you are. Time to play Bend Over Red Rover".

2005-06-22T11:02:00.000-04:00

What's the charge? Prostitution or gluttony?
A judge in Sweden has admitted to trying to buy sex from three women at a bordello. I'd like to know his secret! Ginseng, yohimbe, Viagra? Exercise and diet? He can lick his eyebrows?

2005-06-21T00:05:00.000-04:00

Damn, who knew we'd be better off smoking pot?
Leave it to the Brits to figure out that when we're distracted by phone calls, e-mails and text messages, we suffer a greater loss of IQ than a person smoking marijuana. So, I guess working in the Call Center biz is 2 1/2 times the buzz of presidential herb ;^)

2005-06-20T13:05:00.000-04:00

#1 son has painted the dock, fixed the computer, installed solar lighting, etc.
And he's had a few manhattens, chocolate chip cookies, and lamb roast.

2005-06-19T08:30:00.000-04:00

Time out for Father's Day
Reminds me of the old joke: "When's Mother's Day? Answer: 9 months later."

Time out because I'm up on the St. Lawrence River with my father (and mother). The family cottage sits on the river's edge and looks out at Canada.

2005-06-18T00:05:00.000-04:00

"What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas"
Especially nipple-biting ;^)

Should Mike Tyson decide to fight again, he'd do well to keep it on the quiet, i.e. follow the first two Rules of Fight Club. Hmmmmm, there's a thought: Mike Tyson in Fight Club 2; not starring, but entertaining nonetheless.

2005-06-17T07:31:00.000-04:00

Men: don't drive, ask a woman to do it
In Clover, South Carolina on Wednesday, a 2 year old girl was missing from her family's lakeside dock. The girl's aunt called police to report "a man driving in the neighborhood" and police issued an immediate Amber Alert. Suspicion would have been applied to most men in a several mile radius. A man driving would have been pulled over by police and detained for questioning based on this one woman's phone call.

Too bad Auntie pointed the finger elsewhere and didn't mention the possibility of "irresponsible family": the missing girl was found drowned 8 feet off that same family's dock.

** UPDATE ** "Runaway Bride" now running to bank
Regardless of the debt left on society and the mythical man who abducted/assulted her, Jennifer Wilbanks is cutting a book deal ;^(

2005-06-16T09:55:00.000-04:00

The WebbMaster, he's in love!
She's smallish, but powerful. Very trendy and full of knowledge. Best of all, she's hip to PodCasting.

One of the WebbMaster's recommendations is Coverville, an MP3 website dedicated to musical cover versions. I listened to some content via my desktop's Media Player and was hooked. Yesterday, my sweetheart showed up at my door, $9 after rebate ;^)

2005-06-15T12:24:00.000-04:00

Canada also "loses" assassin
Whazzzup, my homies to the North? What's with the Canada-born, sword carrying, chain saw toting psycho crossing the US border into Calais, Maine? Canadian courts had already convicted the perp of assult and unfortunately didn't lock him up as a flight risk. US Customs and Border Protection has their own problems for letting Rambo in ;^(

2005-06-14T11:17:00.000-04:00

Hard to believe, hey, but Canada loses North Pole!
Fortunately, Canadian scientists have found it about 200 miles offshore, past territorial waters, heading for Siberia. The Magnetic North Pole has always been in flux, but in recent years, its drift increased from 10 to 40km per year. You'd think the Pole would have headed South with all the snowbirds ;^)

2005-06-13T10:52:00.000-04:00

TCS software eliminates 80% of call center worker's jobs
Tata Consultancy Services, India’s largest software company, has developed an intelligent software tool to automate the magical work performed by your friendly HDG (Help Desk Guru).

To which I say: that software better make giant strides forward in the Woice Recognition, Knowing Your Good Name, and Please Be Holding technologies ;^)

** TCS needs to develop some proxy or caching software for that slow-ass Indian Express link **

2005-06-10T20:45:00.000-04:00

Is Osama bussing dishes in Rochester, NY?
I was riding my scooter down W. Henrietta Rd, in front of the Pakistan House restaurant when three F-16s just about gave me a haircut (helmet laws pay off). I figured the pilots were onto Bin Laden like stink on shit and had the joint in their bomb sights.

When there was no blinding flash and concussion, I knew I lived another day and then remembered the annual Rochester International Airshow is this weekend ;^)

2005-06-08T13:40:00.000-04:00

Record high today in Rochester, NY
93°F/32°C. Chennai, India is now cooler at 27°C, but will rise to 37°C during the day. I bet they wish they hadn't cut down all those trees.

I would have ridden the Honda Shadow ACE today, but after 2PM, the forecast is thunderstorms.

2005-06-07T07:24:00.000-04:00

Yet another woman "missing"... re-appears
This has little to do with the current Aruba case, but, timing is everything. Instead, this 7-yr melodrama is about a college girl who had an argument with her mother and chose to vanish from Texas A&M University in 1998. Her college campus was combed at the time and I'll bet male acquaintances underwent heavy questioning.

Once again, police note: "Although (she) committed no crime in her disappearance, investigators spent a lot of money and time looking for her."

2005-06-06T11:39:00.000-04:00

Merchandising 101
Sell, sell, sell:
Kelly Osbourne in drug rehab (new CD to be released tomorrow)
Russell Crowe arrested in assault (new boxing movie released over the weekend)

and the best, in that it drives up the price of weed and subliminally has the US Supreme Court dealing coke: Justices deal blow to medical marijuana ;^)

2005-06-05T14:24:00.000-04:00

The Eagles - Farewell 1 Tour - Live From Melbourne
Wednesday night past, "The Don" rang me up to tell of these old rockers being on NBC television. I'm so glad I have the home theater system (5.1) with 36" flat screen ;^)

Of note:
- Glenn Frey was looking a little conservative in a sharkskin suit
- Joe Walsh, after all the abuse, is aging to look like Grandpa Munster
- the "older" spectators were waving water bottles rather than lighters

2005-06-04T12:55:00.000-04:00

Another woman "missing"?
Natalee Holloway, an attractive, young woman from the US has disappeared on the West Indian island paradise of Aruba. First and foremost, I hope she's OK.

Secondly, I've lived on such a tropical island. I've seen 18 year old women away from home, family and their so-called normal behavior. I've witnessed the charm of accented island men, steel drum bands and potent intoxicants. Part of me wonders if we've got another case of "Runaway Bride"?

As an aside, does anyone think part of the problem may be that women are prosecuted less seriously than men? Why did the Runaway Bride only get probation and a fine much less than the expenses she caused? Why do the vast majority of women murderers not get the death penalty and some even get a slap on the wrist?

2005-05-29T19:43:00.000-04:00

Memorial Day weekend in Toronto keeps going and going and going
Not as energizing as my b-day, but it's nice to spend holidays with friends in somewhat exotic places. The drive on Friday thru Niagara-on-the-Lake saw orchards and vineyards in full bloom. We're staying with Indian friends and have eaten too well, but Saturday, I at least trekked into Douglas Park to hide a NaviCache. This morning, I walked about 2 miles; but honestly, it was to Tim Horton's for an extra large double-double. This afternoon, our host joined me for his first baseball game (while the girls went shopping). While I've never seen a live cricket match, I know the rules enough to explain the BlueJays beating the Twins. BTW, you can pay as much as US$225 for a seat at Toronto's SkyDome, but we enjoyed the aerial view of home plate from the $9 section. No nosebleeds ;^)

We drive back tomorrow with a stop at Niagara Parks: Butterfly Conservatory, Greenhouse, etc.

2005-05-24T10:42:00.000-04:00

"Star Wars 3, Revenge of the Sith", on DLP
The current and final episode is playing at 14 theaters in the Rochester, NY area and 10 minutes from my house is the Tinseltown venue. There, the epic is scheduled thruout the day on 5 different screens, including one DLP (digital projection).

After 30 years of evolving technology in cinema, this Star Wars finale has the best battle sequences, tho viewers should note in the first scene that parachutes won't work in space. Add the multi-hued sunset images. And the pulsing glow of a volcanic planet. Get buzzed: it's Star Wars with the same, old theme and there's popcorn ;^)

2005-05-19T17:32:00.000-04:00

Your 15 minutes of fame are almost up
An 11-year-old, almost local to Rochester, NY, pitched a perfect (hitless) baseball game last Saturday.

"... officials said they can't remember anybody ever throwing a perfect game in this western New York league between Buffalo and Rochester."

Let's set the record straighter than MSN/Fox Sports. This is not a league or skill level between major cities like Rochester and Buffalo, NY. These are 11-year-olds playing Little League baseball in extremely small towns located between Rochester and Buffalo. Oakfield and Alabama, NY are so small, they must combine their school districts (and Little League baseball teams) into one central effort. Little League baseball is for children first learning the game. The normal rules are eased to make the game more enjoyable for the little ones. In these times of equality, Little League is co-ed (open to boys and girls), so there should be no discriminating references to gender. If there's a majority gender, it's purely a matter of who wants to play the game. One amended rule is that every child gets to play regardless of skill. It's not competition about which team wins or loses, it's about each individual's self image and development. So while there's no "I" in "TEAM", there is a "ME".

2005-05-18T19:29:00.000-04:00

If you believe the Middle East conflicts are ultimately about the oil...
you can avoid the purchase of those regional oil products. Hess, Sinclair, and Sunoco oil companies have their exploration and production activities taking place primarily in the United States, the United Kingdom, Norway, Denmark, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Algeria, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Azerbaijan, Brazil and Colombia. Granted there are problems in these locations as well, but at least we have choices.

Hess has a pretty good rags to riches story.

2005-05-17T18:17:00.000-04:00

Big trouble comes in little packages
No, I'm not talking about the petite college girl next door ;^)

I'm talking about skeeters, right here in Monroe County (Rochester, NY area). Tho we've only had a handful of days over 70°F, County health officials have already found a dead crow infected with deadly Nile Virus transmitted by mosquitoes.

And then there's the pernicious Old World woodwasp (Sirex noctilio Fabricius) discovered for the first time in the U.S., near our State capital, Albany. The bitch injects toxic mucus and spores into the sapwood of pines and conifers. It has ruined up to 80% of those trees in areas of New Zealand, Australia, South America, and South Africa. Sell your Christmas trees while you can ;^(

2005-05-16T08:17:00.000-04:00

The End of Civilization is approaching
Thank Dog, New York State has politicians to protect us from ourselves. These are the same hacks who can't agree on a State Budget, but by a 60-0 consensus, the Senate has passed bill S2822 to the Assembly. This measure would "prohibit online hunting games". At first, an online game seems trivial compared to the legislation of crime, education, etc. But when you look at the definition of the games, you'll hopefully recognize that the average citizen has lost touch with their neighbor, that you and I have failed at moderating a sense of reason amongst others. In the "games", one clicks a mouse to trigger the firing of live ammunition at a distant Texas shooting range where the targets are live animals.

And before you get started, I'm not anti-hunting. But I do subscribe to the principle of the late Johnny "The Wad" Holmes: "eat what you shoot".

2005-05-08T14:12:00.000-04:00

At first, I thought these Iraqi kids were funny...

then my sensitive side imagined Michael Jackson as a deeper-voiced old man with skin re-darkened by liver spots as he sings the words: "...why's everybody always pickin' on me?" Where's our compassion?

And is the pic really good for US military image? Is there a real difference from the recently staged photo of an Iraqi prisoner wearing a dog leash? Can the kids even read the sign in their hands or are they the pawns of an opportunistic GI Joe? Have the children been tainted with the thumbs-up found offensive in other cultures?

So maybe the pic is funny and sad. Some would say that's "confused". Michael Jackson is confused. The Iraqis and Americans are confused. Vision and answers are required which is why I often check out Strong Bad, especially the SB emails (when they work)

** pic credit to P3, a good mom and a Georger besides **

2005-05-07T14:11:00.000-04:00

If there are Call Center Buoys, there must be Call Center Gulls
Thank you for calling the Indian Ocean. May I be knowing your good name?

** tip-of-the-hat to Don and Gail **

2005-05-01T22:11:00.000-04:00

Have you hugged a tree today?
I received my certificate for 1400 kWh of wind power that I purchased in 2004 for the total electrical consumption in my home. Amongst participants in the "Catch the Wind" program, over 17 million kWh were subscribed to offset emissions from powerplants contributing to acid rain, smog, and global warming. The carbon dioxide reduction is equivalent to planting 1.05 million trees and not driving 16.8 million miles.

In a less environmental mindset, I killed several ears of fresh corn-on-the-cob this weekend. The "Sugar and Cream" variety was smothered in zero-carb/cholesterol/trans fat Olivio. Remember the controversial CEO of Chrysler auto during the late 70s? I didn't think so: few of you remember anything from the 70s. Lee Iacocca was the guy taking $1 annual salary until Chrysler recovered. Now he donates all Olivio profits to diabetes research ($20 million since 1984).

2005-04-29T12:24:00.000-04:00

The world is safer and the economy expands...
The NTSA, National Transportation Safety Administration, has been scouring airport passengers since 2002 and collecting over 18 million items that risk security. It's a lot more than the ubiquitous toenail clippers and Leatherman pocket tools:
- two and half gallon jug of corn oil
- three-foot long black wooden salamander
- furry bondage-type cuffs
- and a purple sombrero

And if cuffs are not allowed, what about duct tape and nylon cable ties used by security forces?

BTW, I applaud safety but question inconsistancy. I travel a lot and have seen the inspectors/airlines allow:
- gallons of greasy makeup and hair oil
- three foot long skateboards and tennis racquets
- whip/riding crop
- turbans

Manufacturers and retailers are booming with travelers having to re-buy the confiscated goods. All these items have to be removed from the airports, so the shipping business is expanding. I wonder if any of it is air freighted? The ~~State~~ Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is all business, allowing contraband to be sorted (labor) and auctioned on eBay.

2005-04-28T08:28:00.000-04:00

What is "Alka Seltzer", Alex
The AP reports:
   BERLIN - More than 1,000 toads have puffed up and exploded in a
   Hamburg pond in recent weeks, and scientists still have no
   explanation for what's causing the combustion.

That's right, drunken midgets (credit: Don P) have plagerized a torture previously reserved for seagulls.

2005-04-23T23:31:00.000-04:00

After today, I'm feeling a bit like Tom Cruise
I had my fill of Penelope Cruz in Sahara and Nicole Kidman in The Interpreter. For laughs and a Chinese lesson that Prince Roy would love, I added Kung Fu Hustle and topped everything with a jumbo popcorn. Wait a minute, Tom Cruise ain't got nuttin' on me!

Sacre bleu, I get home to find the Bravo Network showing a 3-day "Cirque-a-thon". Merde, if you've never seen Cirque du Soleil, it's a buzz, merci to our neighbors in the Great White North ;^)

2005-04-20T18:03:00.000-04:00

Such law-abiding citizens
Ten or about 1/8 of Kribs Krowd responded to the previous poll as having legitimate inspections on their vehicles. NOBODY paid a few rupees under the counter or got their inspection from a friend of a friend of a friend ;^)

2005-04-11T11:03:00.000-04:00

Kindly vote, there are just a few hours left for the poll
Inquiring minds want to know your opinion, don't be a stinker. Don't flush this opportunity down the drain, the butt you save may be your own!

That reminds me: don't you hate the way the beginning of Indian TP is held togetber with cellophane tape? It's not much better in the US where glue is used. I think the manufacturers calculate the waste of starting a roll into their profit margin. Is nothing sacred?

***** CLOSING UPDATE *****
Well, the TP Poll ended with a majority of 13 total votes favoring "quilted" toilet paper. "Cheap" ran second. Just so happens, I've got Doller Store (Canada), 2-ply TP in my loo. I'm a little discouraged by the light turn out of the Indian hygine crowd. If this Plog isn't fun for you, then it isn't for me. I'm all about you getting off, and if you're not, then I should. Thanks, see you on the next adventure.