Intrepid Ideas

Excuse me sir, do you have the time? Creative minds strike again!

2011-11-23T21:24:00.000-08:00

A few years back, I was standing on a street corner waiting for the traffic light to change when a young kid approached me on a skateboard.

"Excuse me sir, do you have the time?"

I wanted to look at the kid and say... "Yes, It's time for you to invest in a watch you little brat!"

But instead, I glanced down at my watch and said:

"Yes, it's 3:05."

The kid looked at me and said...

"Oh $h!T, my Mom's gonna be pissed. I'm late again!"

I thought to myself- Kids today! They all have cell phones. But none of them seem to wear watches. I guess this is the sign of the ever-changing times. Kids without watches. When I was a kid, I couldn't wait to get a watch. My parents made me promise that I'd take care of it 15 times before they bought me one. It was a Timex. I got it for Christmas one year. It had a cheap vinyl band that I broke in the first week. It was about three weeks before we could find a good replacement for the band so I carried the watch around in my pocket in the interim. But that was years ago and I've had many watches since then...... (smile)

Fast forward until today, when I was sitting in the waiting area of a local business establishment patiently awaiting my turn and paging through a magazine.....

I came across this great photo:

Arben Bajraktaraj by Technomarine

I'll admit, I laughed out loud. The silliness of this photo really struck me. Imagine walking around town like this...

"Eye just don't know where the time has gone"

But it sure feels good to post again.

Here's to Nicolas Guerin and TechnoMarine for putting together something wickedly attractive and slightly sinister in their new watch ads. You know me, I'm a sucker for a creative ad.

See more of Nicolas Guerin by following this link: click here.

Someone Like You - Adele vs Van Morrison

2011-11-21T20:20:00.000-08:00

The Old... The New.... The Bitter... The Sweet.....

Two very different styles, personalities, and people!

Two great songs about "Someone Like You!"

You be the judge.....

Nobody Knows!

2011-06-14T00:17:00.000-07:00

Let's see, How do I do this posting thing again?

Wow! It's been a while since my last post.

I've had a challenging time finding my way around the system but - Lo!

I have found a way to recognize genius!

Having A Dog's Holiday?

2010-12-07T15:21:00.000-08:00

Now this really took some work. You've got to appreciate the commitment.

Now get out there and do your Christmas shopping!

Thanksgiving - A little bit of History

2010-11-24T23:39:00.000-08:00

Have you ever wondered when and how the Thanksgiving Holiday came to be in the United States?

Here's a bit of the history:

Have you forgotten about this famous Linclon Proclamation?

Proclamation of Thanksgiving
Washington, D.C.
October 3, 1863
This is the proclamation which set the precedent for America's national day of Thanksgiving. During his administration, President Lincoln issued many orders similar to this. For example, on November 28, 1861, he ordered government departments closed for a local day of thanksgiving.

Sarah Josepha Hale, a 74-year-old magazine editor, wrote a letter to Lincoln on September 28, 1863, urging him to have the "day of our annual Thanksgiving made a National and fixed Union Festival." She explained, "You may have observed that, for some years past, there has been an increasing interest felt in our land to have the Thanksgiving held on the same day, in all the States; it now needs National recognition and authoritive fixation, only, to become permanently, an American custom and institution."

Prior to this, each state scheduled its own Thanksgiving holiday at different times, mainly in New England and other Northern states. President Lincoln responded to Mrs. Hale's request immediately, unlike several of his predecessors, who ignored her petitions altogether. In her letter to Lincoln she mentioned that she had been advocating a national thanksgiving date for 15 years as the editor of Godey's Lady's Book.

The document below sets apart the last Thursday of November "as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise." According to an April 1, 1864, letter from John Nicolay, one of President Lincoln's secretaries, this document was written by Secretary of State William Seward, and the original was in his handwriting. On October 3, 1863, fellow Cabinet member Gideon Welles recorded in his diary how he complimented Seward on his work. A year later the manuscript was sold to benefit Union troops.

By the President of the United States of America.

A Proclamation.

The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God. In the midst of a civil war of unequaled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict; while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union. Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defence, have not arrested the plough, the shuttle or the ship; the axe has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the consiousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom. No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquillity and Union.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the United States to be affixed.

Done at the City of Washington, this Third day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the Independence of the Unites States the Eighty-eighth.

By the President: Abraham Lincoln

William H. Seward,
Secretary of State

For the source of this document, follow this link: ThanksgivingProclamation;

And here's more......

Happy Thanksgiving!

More Crazy Commercials

2010-11-01T17:57:00.000-07:00

Let Go of my Wiener schnitzel!

Once Bitten.... Halloween is Coming!

2010-10-30T17:25:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it's been almost two months since my last post. I've been fighting off my personal demons and trying to resist the temptation to blog but to no avail.....

So here I am, posting again. Big surprise huh?

As every true Blogger knows, "Once you are truly bitten by the Blog Bug, you're doomed."

No matter what you do, your life is forever changed. Both meaningful and insignificant life events are now somehow twisted and seen through the lens of a blog post.

And so it goes......

I was channel surfing the other day and passed through an old 80's movie - Once Bitten- featuring the multi-talented Jim Carrey. I'd forgotten how truly talented he is/was.

Did you notice the part where Jim Carrey plays his leg like a guitar? Don't try that at home!

This movie was filmed around 1985.

By the way, I'd also forgotten how sexy Lauren Hutton looked on the big screen.

I still remember her great role in American Gigolo

Anyway, since it's the Halloween weekend, I thought sharing some ghoulish humor might be a nice segway back into my blogging. It's also a nice place to eye some good Halloween costume ideas. Look in the crowd, there just might be something there for you.

Enjoy the weekend.

Creative Card Tricks!

2010-08-17T15:24:00.001-07:00

You look like you could use a break from the grind!

Watch this guy....

James Galea at The 2009 Melbourne International Comedy Festival Gala for Oxfam Australia.

He's good!

Lady Gaga speaks on "Creative Energy"

2010-08-07T00:41:00.000-07:00

If you google "Creative Energy" you'll be led to a variety of sites. And if you follow the links from there, one link will take you to the "premier Hot Spring Spa and Avalon Stove dealer for the entire San Francisco Bay Area!" Another will lead you an advertising, marketing, and public relations firm. Still another takes you to the "creator of the most energy efficient Roman shade."

But if you Google Lady Gaga about Creative Energy .....

(Don't you just love the way that sounds?)

You get an entirely different answer. Just ask Vanity Fair!

Photograph by Nick Knight.

I'd like to point you in the direction of a Vanity Fair interview by Lisa Robinson in which the Lady Gaga discusses the subject of "Creative Energy."

Lady Gaga tells Vanity Fair contributing editor Lisa Robinson that she tries to avoid having sex because she is afraid of depleting her creative energy—“I have this weird thing that if I sleep with someone they’re going to take my creativity from me through my vagina.”

She also says that she doesn’t trust anybody and doesn’t know if she ever will. Gaga tells Robinson, “I’m perpetually lonely. I’m lonely when I’m in relationships. It’s my condition as an artist.” Regarding men, she says, “I’m drawn to bad romances. And my song [“Bad Romance”] is about whether I go after those [sort of relationships] or if they find me. I’m quite celibate now; I don’t really get time to meet anyone.” see the entire article: click here

Lady Gaga goes on to discuss her drug use, her appearance at a Yankees game and what she wore to her sister's graduation.

I'm enlightened. And further, I now know the truth behind her song "Bad Romance."

check out the video:

Just Imagine....

2010-07-31T13:32:00.000-07:00

Imagine one day you're at sea, sailing... sailing ... sailing.... away.

Life is pleasant and peaceful. Picture yourself parked on something like this:

There's lots of activity around you. All the people are laughing and having fun.

The next thing you know you're no longer sailing. In a millisecond, all that you had in front of you has vanished.... You're now holding on frantically to the only thing in sight - a small piece of driftwood; the only remnant of the posh life you left behind you hours ago.

You look around in all directions but there's no one or nothing in sight.

You look to the North.....

Here's your view:

You look to the South, here's what you see:

The East and the West yield similar views.

You focus on the horizon and hope for the best. Your mind starts to make a mental note of the rhythm of the waves as you stare and imagine each speck is not merely a figment of your imagination but actually a ship coming to rescue you from impending doom......

A few days ago, I parked myself in front of the above view for a few hours. Partnered with a good book, some water and shade I felt that I had truly found paradise. I felt so relaxed. Too relaxed if you will.

Never one to be encumbered by routine.... I think I relaxed myself into a state of confusion. I stopped at one point and actually drifted into fantasy. I wondered..... what would it be like to be stranded at sea. Nothing around me for miles. No telephones, traffic, loud music, or television. Not even the simple familiar pattern of speech to occupy my attention. Nothing but the sound of the water and the wind blowing over my head. The pain from the sun baking my exposed skin is interrupted by the occasional relief of a bird flying by and blocking the suns' powerful rays, if only for a second. The monotony is broken only when I stop thinking about the threat from above and focus on the predators below the surface of the water. I realize that the bleeding scrape on my shin is more than just a stinging reminder of the salt water around me but a crimson invitation to deadly creatures in all directions. My fear of what lies beneath the surface of the water takes a second place to the fact that there's no water to drink and no one around to share my misery and desperation. Every minute that passes brings me a flash memory of loved ones, friends, family, and the simple comforts that I've grown accustomed to. I struggle to stay afloat.... my arms and legs tire but I keep kicking and paddling.... never giving up hope!

Yikes... Enough of this nightmare.

Time for some coffee and a muffin!

And back to the good life!

Have a beautiful Day!

Do make the best of it!

Tequilla Sunrise? or Tequilla Sunset?

2010-07-30T22:41:00.000-07:00

Yes, sounds like a great name for a cocktail huh? (giggle)

A glass of wine? A cold beer? A classic martini? Maybe just a cool sip of water........

The choice is yours!

That's not my boat!

2010-07-23T13:31:00.000-07:00

You can stop it with the cards, letters, flowers, and emails.....

I just got another email from a "Friend" asking if this was my boat and asking if I'm okay. :)

Interesting story huh? And talk about being in the right place at the right time with your camera ready.

Happy Summer!

Diana Nyad - Courageous and Determined!

2010-07-13T21:47:00.000-07:00

Wanna hear something inspiring?

"Diana Nyad "

Simply said.... The name is inspiring enough. But here's the story anyway.

In 1979, Diana Nyad stroked her way into the history books by completing the longest swim (men or women) in written history. The path --from the island of Bimini to the Florida shore-- 102.5 miles. Apparently, that incredible record still stands today.

But here's the most inspiring part - 30 years later, Diana will make her second attempt to swim from Cuba to Florida... Yep. non-stop; sharks, sunburn, dehydration, and jelly fish included.

Her first attempt was thwarted by a storm. Here's part of what happened:

41 hours and 49 minutes later, Diana's team was pulling her out of the sea – battered, delirious, ravaged by jellyfish, scarred by the salt water; and only 50 miles from where she had started. That left her almost 60 miles from her intended landing spot see full story

Diana Nyad

In her words talking about her 102.5 mile swim: "I knew that this was going to be my last swim. I was 30 years old and I thought, it's about time I grow up and join the job market. And you know, as an athlete, it's part of the tragedy of sports, is that you have to retire when you're young. Nevertheless, I was swimming 102.5 miles, from the Bahamas to Florida, and it took a long time. It took many, many long hours. But in the end, when I saw the shore, of course, some of the perspective started flooding. But the way to do it is not to think of the big picture. It's to think of stroke by stroke and do it as perfectly as you can."

Now she's at it again.... Watch these videos taken during her 24 hour practice swim:

Impressive... I'm inspired.

How will she do it? Stroke by Stroke!

Wish her luck.

Creative Ideas! SSI Shredding Systems

2010-07-08T18:31:00.000-07:00

The other day my paper shredder jammed. I was trying to figure out if I should repair it or buy a new one.

I came across this while surfing the web:

SSI Shredding Systems...

SSI designs, manufactures and supports industrial shredders and size reduction solutions for a wide array of applications from alternative fuels processing to tire shredders.

How do you eat an Elephant? One bite at a time.

How do you eat a Volkswagon? Watch This!

Fascinating!

So if you're looking for a quick way to get rid of some of the extra junk around your house, Maybe you should consider buying one of these gigantic shredders and keeping it in your back yard. Just think, your neighbors will love you!

Who said bigger isn't better?

In My Head?

2010-07-07T23:48:00.000-07:00

It's summer, and summer for me means travel ...... travel ..... and then more travel........

Fortunately, I LOVE to travel. I don't like crowded airports very much but that has just been the cost of doing business lately so I've learned to just tolerate the lines and crowded security checkpoints etc., I've re-defined the word patience and embraced the entire concept more dearly.

Alternatively, I've had the chance recently, to jump in the car and do a bit of driving around the "Good Old USA." That has been quite fun indeed. You get a completely different flavor driving through the heartland of America and seeing things at a different pace and up close and personally. I'll certainly cherish my memories from a Truck Stop in northern central California just last week. I'm not sure I've ever seen so many tattoos in one place at one time. But the coffee sure was good! And boy did I have to pee. I can't tell you the things I learned while standing at the urinal in the bathroom and listening to a few truckers. (I'll eventually get around to throwing some photos on the blog from my travels)

Driving on the open road was quite nice. For me, there's something a bit romantic about throwing a few bags in the car, strapping a vehicle to your back, popping in a few tunes and then hitting the open road. I just love the freedom of traveling that way. No schedules, no time crunches, no dead-lines.... It's just you and the road.

Anyway, all this driving got me to thinking about poetry. In particular, a piece by Robert Frost popped into my head and it's been roaming around there for a few days. You ever get a song stuck in your head? No matter what you do, the song keeps spinning around in your brain until finally you threaten to kill yourself and in the interest of self-preservation your brain finds something else to think about. Well that's kind of where I am with the Frost piece. I'm hoping that if I put it down on paper, well in this case - on Blog - I'll be able to move on to something else.

Robert Lee Frost (March 26, 1874 – January 29, 1963) as you may know, was an American poet. He is highly regarded for his realistic depictions of rural life and his command of American colloquial speech. He is a very popular and frequently-quoted poet. Frost was honored during his lifetime and actually received four Pulitzer Prizes for Poetry.

Robert Frost

Here's the poem that's stuck in my head:

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village, though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.
My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there's some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

Random Stop Signs, Traffic Lights, Bad Drivers, and Accidents!

2010-06-22T20:53:00.000-07:00

You may not want to believe your eyes when you view this video!

Initially, I found it pretty painful to watch. Once or twice I scratched my head and wondered if it was possible that the infamous "Jane Turley" was at the wheel during some of these crashes - Silly me, I'm confident that she's a much better driver than most of these people.

Wow... from now on I'll view traffic lights and stop signs quite differently. There's something to be said for order and predictability. Watching this video was vexatious Indeed! Those pedestrians getting pummeled was hard to watch sober! Ouch!

And the "smash up derby" with the folks on bicycles, scooters, and motorcycles will surely induce PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder)

My recommendation is that you knock back a few of your favorite adult, alcoholic beverages and then watch this video. That way, it might give you a bit of a giggle.

From what I could discover, this Youtube video shows Traffic accidents captured on CCTV in China.

If you're traveling to that part of the world this summer, be careful .... It's dangerous out there!

Graeme McDowell delivers a great Father's Day Gift!

2010-06-20T19:25:00.000-07:00

In the words of Graeme McDowell,

"Good golf got rewarded, bad golf got punished pretty badly!"

Graeme McDowell of Northern Ireland pulled out the stops, remained calm, cool, and collected and won the U.S. Open today delivering a great Father's Day gift to his Father who followed along in the audience. Additionally, this is the first time that a European has won the championship since Tony Jacklin won in 1970.

Interestingly, three non-US players; McDowell, Gregory Havret, and Ernie Els finished in the top three spots followed by Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson. Dustin Johnson, who commanded a big lead going into today's final round finished today at 11 over, leaving him well out of the limelight.

It was fun to watch this round but it was a clear reminder how unforgiving some golf courses can be. This round made these champions appear quite mortal.

I was happy to watch it from the comfort of my home and not experience the pain and agony first hand.

Isn't golf great!

Lakers Win!

2010-06-17T21:54:00.000-07:00

Please bear with me a bit while I bask in victory! I know it's World Cup season and the US Open is going on but remember, we do not have a Pro Football team in Los Angeles so I need to steal a moment whenever I can....

I was lucky enough to catch Game 6 at Staples Center and watch the Lakers dominate the Celtics.

Game 7 was a different story.......

Watching game 7 nearly half a world away with Japanese commentary was a bit different but I am happy with the result. I will say, it was a bit stressful at times as the Lakers fought their way back from a 13 point deficit. My hat is off to Pau Gasol, Ron Artest, and Derek Fisher! They, among others, delivered a world-class performance. Kobe was a bit cold on the offensive front but fortunately, the rest of the team pulled him through!

Congrats to the Lakers and fans!

The Original Ultraman!

2010-06-14T11:20:00.000-07:00

This week, I'll be traveling to Tokyo, Japan. It will be a short stay but my venue this time will be a lot different than my trips before. I must say, I'm excited about the upcoming change. I wish I could disclose more..... Anyway, while anticipating my upcoming travel, my mind drifted back to a time where life for me was a lot less stressful. A time before oil spills, financial melt downs, consumer recalls, war, and disease.

A time where "Monsters" visited our world and the only thing between us and them was an occasional super hero or "Ultra Warrior."

There have been quite a few "Ultra Warriors" but Eiji Tsuburaya from Tsuburaya Productions, gets credit for creating one of my favorites; the original "Ultraman."

He was a pioneer in special effects who was responsible for bringing Godzilla to life in 1954. The original Ultraman show was preceded by a series called Ultra Q, a black-and-white 28-episode series very much like the original Outer Limits, although some compare it to today's The X-Files or The Twilight Zone.

Check out the book-Eiji Tsuburaya: Master of Monsters to learn more.

Eiji Tsuburaya - Master of Monsters

In case you don't remember the corny "Ultraman" series, here's a clip to remind you and take you back to a time where goofy monsters threatened our existence.

Wait a second.... Did Ultraman tickle that monster? That's sneaky!

Bono and U2 cancel tour! Bono has emergency back surgery

2010-05-26T02:25:00.000-07:00

Some bad news for fellow U2 fans....

According to CNN, U2 singer Bono has just been discharged from a German hospital where he underwent emergency back surgery. Bono apparently suffered a serious back injury on Friday while preparing for the continuation of the band's US tour. It seems the American shows will be postponed until next year. The group has also canceled an appearance at the Glastonbury Festival in England next month.

Dr. Muller Wohlfahrt (is that pronounced "Will Fart"?) had this to say:

"Bono suffered severe compression of the sciatic nerve. On review of his MRI scan, I realized there was a serious tear in the ligament and a herniated disc, and that conservative treatment would not suffice. I recommended Bono have emergency spine surgery with Professor (Joerg Christian) Tonn at Munich's LMU University Hospital on Friday."

Tonn said:

Bono is now "much better" and has regained all movement. "The prognosis is excellent, but to obtain a sustainable result, he must now enter a period of rehabilitation."

Wohlfahrt indicated that eight weeks of rehabilitation is considered a minimum recovery period.

Catch the latest updates on Bono and U2 at http://www.u2.com/.

As best as I can determine, all of the US concert dates have been postponed until 2011.

Who said being a "Rock Star" is easy?

Get well soon Bono!

Just an aside, if I'm ever assigned a doctor named/pronounced "Doctor Will Fart," I suppose I'll just giggle a bit. But don't give me a Doctor named Hurt, Paine, or Dye! I'll be forced to ask for a change!

Traffic, Cell Phones, Fast Cars, and Accidents!

2010-05-25T12:01:00.000-07:00

But not necessarily in that order!

If you look at the below photo on the left side you'll see a gentleman standing in the shoulder of the highway! Fortunately, I'm not that guy! Ever have a day when you say, "Wow; better you than me?"

No, I'm not that guy standing in the shoulder of the highway, I'm merely one of the many people impacted by the fender-bender that caused this back up. (Get the pun.. Impacted?) I was safely sitting behind the wheel of my vehicle (and behind my trusty camera) but stuck in traffic on this lovely California freeway.

What you may not be able to make out (unless you zoom in) Is that the guy in the shoulder is talking on his cell phone and staring at what is probably "his" smashed up car.

Now I'm not completely sure.... But

I think this small blue car was on the receiving end of this smash up. Or the "Smashee."

This sporty looking red car.... Probably the "Smasher."

The good news.... No one appeared to be hurt.

(What's wrong with this picture?)

Here's my take on these things.

I hate being stuck in traffic, especially when I'm going somewhere. And guess what? If I'm in the car, I'm usually going somewhere. Los Angeles is known for traffic but honestly, every big city has traffic and if you pick the wrong time of day and the wrong route it will take longer. You might as well plan accordingly.

Cell phones are great! There's so much capability these days packaged into these compact devices. You can pay your bills, take photos, browse the web, listen to music, check and send emails and so much more.... But driving down the freeway at 80 mph is not the time to be texting or looking away from the road. And if you're one of those people who can't walk and chew gum at the same time, you probably shouldn't drive and talk on the telephone at the same time either. Know your limits.

I'm not a big lover of "Fast Cars." Yeah, they look cool and go fast and make lots of noise but where can you drive them? You usually can't enjoy the speed of a fast car because there's too much traffic. If you try to drive them like they were meant to be driven, the cops will pull you over and write you a ticket. Or else, someone pulls in front of you quickly and you become a smasher. I look at cars more for their utility and comfort. Can I carry all of my crap inside of it? Can it get me to where I need to go? Through the snow, ice, mud, hills, mountains and such. Does it have enough leg room? How's the stereo? You know.... things like that.

Accidents- Simply put: I don't like accidents. Especially if someone gets hurt or if it's my fault. Accidents are no fun at all.

Well, that's all I have to say about these things... so be careful out there because someone is driving really fast and talking on their cell phone or texting and it's gonna cause an accident and back up the traffic!

Courageous or Dumb? Running shoes are Bad for you!

2010-05-20T14:11:00.000-07:00

Christopher McDougall, the author of the national bestseller, Born To Run has a courageous idea when it comes to running shoes and runners who wear them.

Throw your running shoes in the trash!

Christopher McDougall claims that the entire multi-billion dollar (running shoe) industry "is based on a campaign not of facts, but of fear. Fear that if you don’t buy a $175 sneaker and replace it in three months, you’ll ruin your knees." He claims that humans have evolved in a manner that makes running barefoot better for your muscles and joints and that the technology introduced via the running shoe is actually bad for you and promotes injuries.

Here's a snippet:

Nike, naturally has a different perspective!

Well, clearly this is a tough debate. I haven't read McDougall's book yet but he seems to present a valid argument. But for now, just between us....... I'm keeping my running shoes!

They are super comfortable!

Just Do It!

(Note: no fees were received by me from Nike for making this post - But, I'm receptive to the idea)

Outliers The Story of Success - A promotion

2010-05-18T15:57:00.000-07:00

Today, it occurred to me that in the past few weeks I've unintentionally become a huge promoter of Malcolm Gladwell and his books. I've found myself in no less than 4 extensive social and business conversations where his books and the subject matter of his books have been the focal point of discussion. At the end of these discussions, I've felt more like a salesman than ever before. I'm thinking of calling Gladwell and asking for a percentage of his gross sales.

Malcolm Gladwell

Have you read any of his books?

It all started for me when I read the book "Outliers" after a close friend suggested it. He was so jazzed about the book and kept saying.... "This is right up your street." I really wanted to prove him wrong.... (I hate it when he says "right up your street") So I went out and bought the book last Fall. The somewhat steep $27.99 price tag for the hardback copy was slightly mitigated by a 40% discount coupon that I had for a Barnes and Nobel purchase. I'm sure it's in paperback by now or in your local library.

Needless to say, I read the book and found it quite illuminating. The book was fascinating from the start. I was drawn in by Gladwell's analysis of hockey players and birth dates and his discussion of the "Matthew Effect." I held on and enjoyed his writing style as he discussed "The 10,000-hour Rule", The Beatles, Bill Gates, Paul Allen, Steve Ballmer, Steve Jobs, and others..... I felt the book stalled a bit in the middle and I found myself laboring through the center chapters. I woke up towards the end and felt engaged as he discussed "The Ethnic Theory of Plane Crashes" and other affable topics. Ultimately, I was a bit surprised at the end of the book as Gladwell introduced another one of his interpretations of "opportunity" and shared a personal story. I won't go too deeply into that idea because I don't want to create a "spoiler effect" for those who haven't read the book yet.

Overall, I enjoyed the book! To be honest, I enjoy talking about it and sharing and discussing the ideas and concepts in the book more than actually reading the book. I received another book by Gladwell, "The Tipping Point" as a gift and I'm over three quarters finished with it. I just ordered "Blink" and as soon as I finish The Tipping Point I'll be jumping directly into "Blink." I'm on a roll.....

Here's a clip from an interview featuring Malcolm Gladwell:

Gladwell's words:

"I'm very anxious that this book not be seen as a self-help book but as a community help book..... What I really want people to do is start thinking about how we as a society can build institutions that provide opportunities to work hard."

If you're thirsty for more Gladwell, click here or on the photo of the "Outliers" book above. It will take you to a link to a video where Gladwell discusses his book in more detail. It's a nice presentation and summary of the book. Gladwell who has been a staff writer for the New Yorker since 1996, "has written on a wide range of topics, including the science of cool hunting, race and sports, physical genius, the concept of moral hazard and health care, and the difference between puzzles and mysteries..." Clearly I find him interesting to read, but he's very interesting to listen to as well! He strikes me as a "Funky, Nouveaux, Intellect" and I like the way he critically explores Intrepid Ideas. I think I'd enjoy sitting down to a Martini with him one day and talking about ..... Whatever!

Happy Reading!

The $35,000 Blog Comment!

2010-05-14T15:58:00.000-07:00

Look up in the sky, it's a bird, it's a plane, .....

No, it's the NBA and they've got a fine for you Dwight Howard!

Say it isn't so!

I'm a little late to the party but let me pile on anyway. I was scrolling through my Blackberry today looking for a distraction from the "Helter Skelter" stock market ride and I rolled across this story about Dwight Howard being fined for a Blog comment.

I had to read the story twice - and I couldn't believe it either time. Yes, the "freakishly big" Dwight Howard, who plays basketball for the Orlando Magic and sometimes doubles as Superman, was fined $35,000 for a comment he made on his own Blog! I guess he's not too big for the NBA to beat up.

Here's part of the comment:

"Ya’ll know that that series against Charlotte drove me crazy. I mean it was almost comical at times how I was getting fouls called on me. There was nothing I could do our there and I felt like I couldn’t even move without getting that whistle blown on me.

I’m not looking to say anything to get myself in trouble with the league, but I just don’t see other star players getting called for fouls the way I get them. No star player in the league is outta games the way I am. I even talked to Pat Ewing about his career and he said he never had foul trouble like what I’m going through.

I gotta say this is the most frustrating stretch of my career. I’ve never been through four games in a row like that. But hey, we won the series and we’re moving on. I’m so so so hoping that things will be different next series against ATL or Milwaukee."

(Follow this link to read all of Dwight's comments on his Blog: click here:)

Wow. I don't quite know what to say about this event. Frankly, I didn't find his comments that offensive.

But get this; this was the second fine on Howard for comments he made on his Blog. Back in November he was fined $15,000 for similar comments he made on his Blog.

Just goes to show you, Blogging can be an expensive habit!

After all of that, here's some light entertainment for your viewing pleasure.

Now watch as Dwight Howard Dunks on a 12 foot rim.

Quotable Quotes!

2010-05-11T21:49:00.000-07:00

If you've ever been to Paris, perhaps you've strolled by a bronze and marble sculpture by Auguste Rodin held in the Musée Rodin. It depicts a man in sober meditation seeming to be engaged in a powerful internal struggle. The piece was originally named The Poet, and it's said that Rodin based his theme on The Divine Comedy by Dante and The Thinker was originally meant to depict Dante in front of the Gates of Hell, pondering his great poem.

Rodin made a first small plaster version around 1880. The first large-scale bronze cast was finished in 1902, but not presented to the public until 1904. It became the property of the city of Paris – thanks to a subscription organized by Rodin admirers – and was put in front of the Panthéon in 1906. In 1922, it was moved to the Hôtel Biron, which was transformed into a Rodin Museum.

Unlike any other piece, this work of Rodin seems to epitomize what I consider to be "true intellect." Without question, It stands as an icon of unadulterated deep thinking.

But what exactly is "True Intellect" and what constitutes "Deep Thinking?"

I've recently wondered if there is really any "True Intellect" left in this world.

Until now!

I'm here to tell you that Uncle Jed Clampett (from the TV show The Beverly Hillbillies) is now the "Big Cheese" of thinkers in my book!

Yes, they always raved about Jethro Bodine being the smart one in the family and having a sixth-grade education and all but a few days ago I heard Uncle Jed say something that made me stop in my tracks and take notice. Jethro was in his usual excited state and just about to run off half-cocked to do something destructively stupid when Uncle Jed hit him with the "Quotable Quote" .........

"Now Jethro, Don't Commence A'Swimmin' Until You Hit The Water!"

I tell you, I had to stop what I was doing and sit down and ponder this complex literal masterpiece. Wow, I was stymied! I'm not nearly as quick as good ole Jethro. But after a few minutes of deep intellectual thought myself, I was able to come up with the true meaning of this statement.

Uncle Jed was trying to tell Jethro to "slow down.... Don't put your cart ahead of your horses... Or hold your horses. " In other words, "Don't get ahead of yourself. Timing is everything!"

Cosmic Thinking uncle Jed. I'll be using that phrase a lot in the near future!

Timing Is Everything!

Mexico - The Ugly!

2010-05-10T23:15:00.000-07:00

The Good The Bad And The Ugly!

I'm sure you're all familiar with the movie "The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly." Some of you, like me, have seen the movie countless times. It's certainly one of my favorite spaghetti western movies. There's a lot to enjoy. I think the acting is good, the story is well told, and the music score that accompanies the action, is great.

Did you know this?

The main theme to Sergio Leone's film The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, was originally composed by Ennio Morricone but a follow-up version by Hugo Montenegro went on to reach #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and spent four weeks atop the UK Singles Chart in 1968. It sold over one and a quarter million copies, and was awarded a gold disc!

But I digress....

You didn't come here to read about ancient music or movie history, you want to see and hear about the ugly parts of my Mexico adventure. Don't you?

I'm warning you, it could get a bit scandalous and border on pornographic.
(Now I've got you interested huh?)
But that's my disclaimer, so continue at your own risk!

The ugly story starts like this: "Don't Eat The Worm!"

And it continues in a place they call -Billygan's Island-

Billygan's Island - Cabo San Lucas

Billygan's Island is a Restaurant & Beach Club in Cabo San Lucas. They serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner on the sand at Medano beach. It's a lively and fun place and is a big attraction for the young and old alike. And guess what? Happy hour starts at Noon and runs until 7 PM.

Did I mention that it's a popular destination for college kids on Spring Break?

That's when it starts to get ugly!

Too much sun, too much tequila, too much mezcal, too little "drinking" experience = UGLY!

Too Much Worm!

Note: In the United States, the reputation of mezcal suffered from its association with college binges on cheap mass-produced bottles sold with the agave larvae at the bottom. It has not become as popular as tequila in the U.S., because of its smoky flavor. A number of bartenders, especially on the West Coast have been working to make mezcal cocktails, but the liquor’s smoky flavor makes this a challenge. There is one that combines the mezcal with agave nectar, yellow chartreuse, pastis, fresh oregano and lime juice. However, mezcal does not have a signature drink such as the margarita for tequila.

Oh well,

Mexico - The Bad!

2010-05-05T21:34:00.000-07:00

Okay, some of you - namely Dickster1961 and MickisMorsels - called me out on the "Bad" Mexico post. To be fair, you both make a strong case. Yes, it's hard to complain about some things in life but trust me, when I put my whining hat on, I can go with the best of them. But thanks in part to you two, I'll try to be a little realistic! (grin) as I share the "Bad" parts of my trip to Mexico. If nothing else, maybe I can add some humor.

You know how I feel about sunsets.......

Here's a not so perfect one. The sun is obscured by the clouds. -Bad!

Okay, take a really nice beach and pack it with people! Too crowded! Bad!

Go all the way to Mexico and shop at Wal-Mart! Way Bad!

Guys with automatic weapons on the crowded beach - Puts me in a BAD mood!
(Unless of course, they are protecting "ME" from the BAD guys)

People on the Beach asking me if I want to buy trinkets.....

BAD Timing!

Going to Mexico and eating and drinking too much (and not getting sick)!

Not a Bad way to spend a week!

Mexico - The Good!

2010-04-22T22:23:00.000-07:00

Here it is, the first post in the "Mexico - The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly" series.

Mexico the Good!

At first look, this could appear to be travelers from the Midwest lounging at a topless, or nude beach. But after closer inspection, it's easy to determine that it's merely a sea lion colony enjoying the morning sun on these rocks near Los Cabos.

That's Good!

I spent about a week traveling around Mexico and enjoying some of the fine hospitality of our neighbors to the south. No, I didn't spend any time with Carlos Slim Helu, the Mexican tycoon who beat out Bill Gates and Warren Buffett to become the wealthiest person on earth and nab the top spot on the 2010 Forbes list of the World's Billionaires! But I did see some great sites, eat good food, exercise a bit and unwind at tad. It was all good!

Slim's fortune has swelled to an estimated $53.5 billion, up $18.5 billion in 12 months. Shares of America Movil, of which Slim owns a $23 billion stake, were up 35% in a year. I didn't buy any America Movil (AMX) stock last year. That was bad......

Drinking margaritas on your balcony along the coast - Good!

Beautiful rock formations and clear water = Good!

Not getting Montezuma's Revenge! Way... Way... Good!

This natural stone arch is located at the southernmost tip of the Baja Peninsula. This is where the Pacific Ocean meets up with the sea of Cortes.

Lover's Beach in Los Cabos... What a "Good" name for a beach huh?

Sun splashed beaches and playing in the sand! Very Good!

I even found my own private get away spot.... More Good!

Next post - Mexico The BAD!

Mexico - Stay Tuned!

2010-04-07T21:50:00.000-07:00

Here's some vintage video of James Taylor singing Mexico. This goes way back......

Many of you probably don't know (or can't remember) that JT once had long hair.

Anyway, I just spent a week traveling around Mexico.

I had a fabulous time and took lots of pictures......

So Stay Tuned!

I can't take your call right now, Please leave a message! - (A mentally twisted post!)

2010-03-25T23:05:00.000-07:00

Just about a month ago, two people were arrested for smuggling contraband into the California Rehabilitation Center in Norco. Investigators said the pair put 29.4 grams of marijuana, seven bundles of tobacco, and 11 cellular phones with chargers and manuals inside two deflated footballs. They used packing tape to tape the footballs closed and then threw them over the perimeter fence. A correctional officer saw the footballs come over the fence and alerted other officers who seized the items.

This is the first story I can recall reading that involves cell phones being smuggled into prisons. I guess I'm behind the times but clearly, it's a growing trend. Cell phones, which are illegal in most prisons, are now just as valuable as drugs, tobacco, and weapons. According to authorities, cell phones are now being used to commit many crimes, everything from drug deals to murder, from behind prison walls. In fact, in Arkansas, state prison inmates Charles Wilson and convicted murderers Calvin Adams, and Jeffrey Grinder plotted their recent escapes from the Cummins Unit by using contraband cell phones.

There are many ways of smuggling banned items into prisons but an increasingly common technique is for cons or visitors to hide contraband inside body cavities to escape detection.

Several men were recently caught smuggling cell phones into an El Salvador prison by concealing the items in their intestines.....

An x-ray of an attempt to smuggle a cellphone into an El Salvador prison through the intestinal track (AP photo)

And now, that trend has carried over into the mainstream culture. Many people have discovered that even when they don't have pockets, they can still carry their cell phones.
So now, I find myself looking at complete strangers and wondering just where they might be concealing their cell phones!

"Did you just Fart or is that your '@$$' phone ringing?"

"Honey! Where did you get that cool Ring tone?"

"Do you mind if I put you on Speakerphone? "

"I think we should have gotten the cell phone insurance plan!"

"Wait a second! I'm getting a Fax!"

"That's it! Next time you get to smuggle in the charger!"

Wow! That's gotta hurt!

A Little Change Is Good!

2010-03-21T16:52:00.000-07:00

So many of you are thinking about how nice it would be to have a few extra coins banging around in your pockets, but what about another type of change? A change in your lifestyle? Granted, there are various extremes of change but let's just say I'm talking about something relatively minor. For example: Would you be willing to test the unknown and change your daily "life routine" and try something entirely different from what you're used to?

Or are you the type of person who eats the same food from the same restaurants, and takes the same route to work day after day and never upsets the wagon or tries anything new or different? You know the type..... You shop at the same places, talk to the same people, vacation at the same spot, hang out with the same group of friends, watch the same tired, corny, re-runs- year after year after year! Boring!

Well I'm not that guy! And a few weeks ago, I was offered a chance to change my routine a little bit. The offer involved a certain bit of risk and some uncertainty. I was offered a chance to change an element of the way I have operated for the past 10 plus years. Not a particularly big change but something that would probably impact me 4 - 6 times per month. It involved meeting and working with some new people. It involved a little bit of training and a very small financial investment. There were sure to be some positive benefits but there were several unknown factors as well. And the bottom line - It was completely optional. I could elect to change my routine or opt to keep things the same way with no identifiably penalty.

I carefully weighed the pros and cons of each option. I checked with a few colleagues who had already made the change and asked their opinions. The results were inconclusive. So ultimately, I had to rely on my gut feelings.

I decided to upset my apple cart! Move my own cheese. Change my routine!

Guess What?

I like it.... Sometimes a little change is Good!

What will you do when you're presented with the option to change something in your life?

A 7-year old boy saves his family!

2010-03-11T12:49:00.000-08:00

Courageous Acts Must Be Noted!

"Bravery is the capacity to perform properly even when scared half to death."

***Omar Bradley ***

This true story is sure to touch you!

Carlos, a brave 7 year old second-grader in California, displayed courage and moxie when he took vital steps to protect and save his family from armed robbers. After learning that armed men had entered his home and were threatening his parents with guns, Carlos acted with the speed and precise thinking of an adult. He grabbed his younger 6-year old sister and fled to the bathroom where he locked the door and called 911.

Here's the story........

Carlos...

For your bravery, courage, and moxie, in a threatening time.... I salute you!

Godspeed!

I think Carlos deserves a few days out of school and a trip to Disneyland!

Lindsay Lohan sues Etrade for $100 Million

2010-03-09T10:45:00.000-08:00

Please say it isn't so.....

Lindsay Lohan, who began her career as a child model at the age of three has launched a $100 million law suit against my favorite babies. Well, not really the babies (smile), but against Etrade discount brokerage.

The ad in question is the Etrade "Girlfriend" clip which first aired in last month's Super Bowl. In the ad, two babies are video chatting and discussing a missed date from the night before........

Here, check it out:

Lindsay, who has had substance abuse problems in the past, claims that the ad assaults her directly (my words). Stephanie Ovaidia, Lohan's lawyer said: "They're using her name as a parody of her life. Why didn't they use the name Susan? This is a subliminal message. Every body's talking about it and saying it's Lindsay Lohan."

I'll admit... When I first saw the ad, Lindsay Lohan's name didn't come to mind. I thought the ad was cute and the "milkaholic" thing was kid appropriate. Lohan's name didn't factor into my humor at all.

What do you think?

Let's see if Wolfman Jack's estate files a suit against Etrade next week for the howling thing!

Feeling Young Again!

2010-02-25T21:49:00.000-08:00

Slowly but surely I'm coming out of my slump..... It's time to hit the road again with some short trips abroad. While I was packing today, I gave myself a little pep talk. I reminded myself that you feel as young as you can act!

Or is it - You can act as young as you feel?

Hmmm.... Don't hate me, my Alzheimer's is acting up again.

After watching this video a few times, I felt pretty young!

This was an impromptu performance at the Mayo clinic by this charming couple. I'm certain that Grandpa was feeling a bit frisky. Did you see the way he grabbed Grandma's bottom? Sneaky! Sneaky!

Creative Ads! Etrade does it again

2010-02-14T11:53:00.000-08:00

If you watched the Super Bowl, you probably saw my little friends.

The Boys are back in town! Try not to laugh.....

You know I'm a big fan of these guys! Dad? Dad?

One of the best "Football" Speeches Ever!

2010-02-10T23:11:00.000-08:00

Super Bowl XLIV is now in the history books and the "Who Dat? Nation" has stood and demanded their just recognition. So in honor of the New Orleans Saints victory, I'm running what I consider one of the best Hollywood football speeches ever! It's from the movie Any Given Sunday, directed by Oliver Stone and featuring Al Pacino.

Enjoy:

Time and Money!

2010-02-04T12:40:00.000-08:00

It's been three weeks since my last post. 21 Days! Wow, where does the time go? I'll have to check, but that may be my longest break in posting since I started this blogging business. 2010 started out in a hurry - didn't it? Well, at least it did for me. It's hard for me to believe that we are already 1/12 of the way through the year. If this pace is any indication of how the rest of the year will go.... then in 11 more blinks, the year will be over! Last weekend, Taylor Swift won Album of the Year for Fearless and Beyoncé Knowles won a record-setting six awards, including Song of the Year, at the 52nd Grammy Awards. I'm so far behind, I'm still watching the show on TIVO. I had to watch the performance by Pink twice! (smile)

Avatar, the American science fiction epic film written and directed by James Cameron and starring Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldana, has surpassed the 2 billion dollar mark in worldwide gross sales and continues to break other records; and I haven't seen it yet! (The truth is, I tried to see it one night but it was sold out. I saw The Tooth Fairy instead).

And get this: My Mother is even complaining that I don't call her enough!

Yep, the list of things that I've wanted to do but haven't gotten around to is long. Why? Partly because I've had my head buried in the sand working on several new projects but mostly because I'm simply not moving as fast as I used to. Yep... The truth hurts. As best as I can figure, I just don't seem to be moving as quickly in my forties as I did in my thirties and twenties. My goodness, what's gonna happen in my Fifties? Will I just come to a screeching halt? Should I pull out the cane and walker now? Fortunately, that's a few years out but maybe I should start getting mentally prepared.

Anyway, as you can see, I've been a bit reflective in the past few weeks. And during this time, I ran across a stash of cash from my travels. (photos below) Looks like a lot of money but really it's not. 1000 yen is about 10 bucks US these days if you're lucky. I generally just hold on to the excess money from my travels and spend it on my next trip back to the country. It's nice having the money when you land and not having to rush and convert money or hit the local ATM. It also seems to be a better alternative than paying the punitive exchange rates to convert back to the US dollar. They really try to get you in both directions... Going and Coming! Sometimes I end up holding on to money for a long time. In fact, there are a few countries that I have money from that no longer exist. That's holding on too long! Perhaps it would have been cheaper to pay the exchange fee in those cases. (At least now I have some pretty cool looking wrapping paper) But ultimately, I've always figured that if the Germans, Japanese, Chinese, Australians, or Canadians ever invade the United States, at least I could try to bribe them in their own currency.

Suffice to say, I still have some of the money left over from my travels. While the money is tangible - I can still use it now to trade for goods and services - The time I spent traveling has long passed. There's nothing left (really) but memories and some photos. I guess I've grown to appreciate the value of time a little more. It truly is precious! You can generally go out and make more money, even when you're older. But It's hard to go back and recreate time. I have no regrets!

My wish for all of you in 2010.... May you have ample Time and ample Money to do the things you desire!

Hold on.... It's gonna be a fast year!

Wake Up Everybody..... Teddy Pendergrass

2010-01-14T15:18:00.000-08:00

R&B singer Teddy Pendergrass, who stormed the stage of pop music during the 70's and early 80's, died of colon cancer yesterday. He was 59. Pendergrass died Wednesday in suburban Philadelphia, where he had been hospitalized for months.

A few weeks ago I was thinking back on some of his music and what the songs and lyrics meant to me. Although he was known for many of his love ballads and his electrifying and sensual presentation, one of his songs resonated in a different way with me.

The song, Wake Up Everybody, was originally performed by Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, with Teddy Pendergrass singing lead vocals. It was the title track from their 1975 album.

The song spent two weeks at number one on the Hot Soul Singles chart in early 1976. It also enjoyed success on the pop charts, peaking at number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

The message was simple!

Rest In Peace Teddy!

"Wake Up Everybody"

At times, it's the little things!

2010-01-10T20:17:00.000-08:00

Today I was surfing through the channels looking for something mindless to watch for a few minutes and I came across the movie Step Brothers. You may remember that I'm a Will Ferrell fan so I stopped to watch for a bit. Guess what? Now, I'm kinda a Kathryn Hahn fan too! So I'll be watching her in The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard.

Anyway, I was reminded by this clip why it's so very important to wear your seat belt and use a hands-free device for your cell phone. Notice Adam Scott, who plays Derek- the obnoxious brother of Will Ferrell, is equipped with his bluetooth accessory ear piece and the entire family is wearing seat belts.

Nothing like observing rules of safety while driving.

Courageous Ideas - Pigeon Impossible!

2010-01-07T11:14:00.000-08:00

Pigeon Impossible is the brain-child of writer/director Lucas Martell. It's the end result of nearly 5 years of hard work, coordination, and creative genius. In essence, it's about a rookie secret agent - Walter Beckett - who is faced with a problem seldom covered in basic training: what to do when a curious pigeon gets trapped inside your multi-million dollar, government-issued nuclear briefcase.

Here, take a look:

The animation is good and the story is simple, creative, and mildly addictive. It continues to rack up views on YouTube (approaching 3 million views) and is collecting all sorts of awards around the globe. If you enjoyed the video and want to learn more about the creators and process, check out: Pigeonimpossible.com. There is also a blog at: Blog.pigeonimpossible.com and a very informative collection of podcast at: Pigeonimpossible.com/podcasts.

So be careful out there, the next time pigeon poop lands on your head, it might be contaminated with radioactive waste.

Three Wise Monkeys - Sydney Australia

2010-01-03T13:25:00.000-08:00

Remember the Three Wise Monkeys?

"Hear No Evil, Speak No Evil, See No Evil!"

It's widely thought that the original philosophy of the Three Wise Monkeys came from a Tendai-Buddhist legend, which originated in China in the 8th century (Nara Period) but he pictorial maxim was popularized by a 17th century carving over a door of the famous Tōshō-gū shrine in Nikkō, Japan.

Mizaru, covering his eyes, who sees no evil; Kikazaru, covering his ears, who hears no evil; and Iwazaru, covering his mouth, who speaks no evil.

As I was strolling around Sydney the other day, I was reminded of this maxim as I passed by 555 George Street.

That's the current home of the 3 Wise Monkeys Pub. The location has a long history and attachment to the banking industry. The Bank of Australia's 'Southern Branch' was established on this site during 1879 in rented premises. In 1886 the existing building was constructed under the supervision of Architects Wardell & Vernon. The property was owned by the Estate of James Powell and was sold to the Bank of Australasia in 1902 for 10,000 pounds. The property operated as a bank, changing affiliations several times, until 1998.

In September 2000, 3 Wise Monkeys opened their doors as a Pub, just in time for the Sydney Olympics.

There are three unique bar areas and there is free live music offered 7 nights a week! If you stop by, you'll be tempted to make a monkey of yourself. So just for the record, I should remind you that as the legend goes, there was a fourth monkey - Shizaru. This last monkey is sometimes shown covering his abdomen or genital area. He symbolizes the principle of "Do No Evil."

Have fun out there but be careful......

Happy New Year! Auld Lang Syne!

2010-01-01T00:01:00.000-08:00

It's hard for me to believe - January 01, 2010. 01/01/10.......

Happy New Year!

Christmas in Sydney - A Reflection!

2009-12-31T22:53:00.000-08:00

It's different for me to spend time in Australia or any other country in the southern hemisphere during the Christmas season. Frankly, it's a tad bit odd to walk around during the onset of summer with all of the spark and energy that is characteristic of that warm season and know Christmas is knocking at my door back in the U.S. Somehow, the warm and tropical weather makes me feel like something other than Christmas is going on .... Yeah, I know I'm merely a product of my environment. I'm frequently reminded by friends and family members that Jesus, the religious epicenter of this holiday, was born in Bethlehem, and it seldom snows in that part of the world. That usually brings up the whole St. Nick story and the commercial discussion..... you know the rest of that story.

Never less, having spent most of my life living in cool to colder climates, I suppose I just grew to equate Christmas with snow and colder temperatures. The whole Los Angeles thing hasn't really resonated with me either. It's a bit warm here in the winter time. But at least it cools down at night and we get the occasional rain during the season making it a bit more wintry. (Can I admit that seeing all of the photos at Dickster's and Bowie Mike's blogs has made me a bit homesick?)

I'm sure I've been a victim of all of the commercialization as well. Years of television and media influences have convinced me that -

Christmas = Icicles, snow, and cold!

Not so in Sydney, Australia.

Christmas = shorts, tank tops, sandals, and swimming pools. It's the beginning of summer.

A Christmas tree in Darling Harbor. The center of social activity and a great place to stroll and people watch.

It was 75 degrees F.

But if it's Christmas, there's shopping to be done. And one of the big destinations for shoppers in Sydney is Paddy's Markets.

Lots of retail items for sale by a variety of vendors.

So many T-shirts for sale. I couldn't force myself to buy one. I need another T-shirt like I need another bear market. I'm guessing none of my friends or family members are longing for a shirt that says Sydney either. But I could be wrong.

Another shopping destination is the Queen Victoria Building. AKA, the QVB. The QVB is a late nineteenth century building designed by the architect George McRae and constructed in the central business district of Sydney, Australia.

A photo of the southern side of the QVB which opens to Bicentennial Plaza facing Sydney Town Hall.

The inside of the QVB.
In addition to retail shops, there are eateries and coffee shops.

Note the summer attire.

So the bottom line is this: Many people live in the Southern Hemisphere or in warm and tropical climates. For those that celebrate Christmas, it's quite normal for it to be nice and warm during the Holiday season.

But for me, I'll keep dreaming of a White Christmas and hoping for snow!

Merry Christmas - 2009

2009-12-25T14:42:00.000-08:00

Here's Wishing you Joy, Peace, and Happiness!

Merry Christmas!

Here's a clip from the movie Elf starring Will Ferrell, James Caan, Mary Steenburgen, and

Zoey Deschanel.

If you're looking for a silly and fun movie to watch during this Holiday season, take a break and watch Elf. I think you'll find it entertaining.

Cheers!

Christmas at the Grove

2009-12-22T23:37:00.000-08:00

Ten years ago, in 1999, the real estate firm Caruso Affiliated broke ground on a great undertaking. Their goal was to create a 575,000 sq ft. retail and entertainment center directly in the heart of Los Angeles. In 2002, their dream was realized when The Grove opened it's doors.
Featuring an animated water fountain and a trolley in addition to great restaurants and shopping venues, The Grove has become a popular destination for just about everyone. I seem to stop by every other month or so to eat, catch a movie, or just unwind. The Grove's many restaurants include Maggiano's Little Italy, Wood Ranch BBQ and Grill, Morels French Steakhouse, The Whisper Lounge, The Farm of Beverly Hills, La Piazza and The Cheesecake Factory...... just to name a few.

In 2003, I went to the Christmas Tree lighting ceremony which featured Kenny G, BeBe Winans, Kirk Whalum, Norman Brown and Joe Lawrence. The show also featured live snow and culminated with Santa arriving in his sleigh. It was a nice touch and a great opportunity to share the Holiday spirit!

Since then, I try to pop by at least once during the Christmas Season. Here are a few shots from my visit this year:

Lots of lights and lots of people. It was an enjoyable night!

Continue to enjoy the Season where ever you are!

Christmas Time is Here! Prep and Landing!

2009-12-21T21:56:00.000-08:00

A Charlie Brown Christmas on Blue Ray.... Isn't that exactly what you want in your stocking?

Don't get me started on the whole Blu Ray thing... but I am a big fan of " A Charlie Brown Christmas." I usually try to catch it every Christmas season.

It's special in it's own way.

I've been slowly catching up on my Christmas specials, including Charlie Brown, and tonight, I watched a new Christmas special - Prep & Landing.

Prep & Landing is a 30 minute animated story based on an idea by Chris Williams at Walt Disney Animation Studios and developed by Kevin Deters and Stevie Wermers-Skelton. It first aired December 8, 2009 on ABC. I missed it then but I recorded it and just got around to watching it tonight. It was cute. It's about an elite unit of elves, Prep and Landing, who ensure that homes around the world are properly prepared to be visited by Santa. You can catch it again Thursday December 24, 2009 on ABC.

Enjoy!

Creative Minds strike again! Elin Woods goes a clubbin'

2009-12-16T23:47:00.000-08:00

When a picture is worth 1000 words.

Or several hundred million dollars in endorsements!

Okay, some of you got it right away. Yet, some of you really had to think about it and look at the photo over and over before it made sense. You probably asked yourself: Why is that lady chasing that mascot with a sand wedge? "Oh, wait a second! I get it!" Then the laugh......

So is that what you'll say the next time you see a Gillette Ad, or Nike commercial without Tiger Woods in it? - "Now I Get It" - Will you stop drinking Gatorade because Tiger endorsed it and now he seems to be out of public favor? What about you Buick drivers? Will you turn your car in for a different make?

I find this whole Tiger Woods event fascinating. Frankly, it's kinda been background noise in my life for the past few weeks. I've been so preoccupied (once again) with the trivial happenings in my life that I haven't really thought much about it. Sure, I've had the occasional laugh and joke, but today, I actually took a minute or two and reflected on his situation. I know it was over a minute because I looked down at my watch and noticed the second hand sweeping along the black background through at least two rotations. Don't be alarmed, I don't plan to delve deeply into the psychological or social implications of the event but I'll briefly share my thoughts with you.

I'm not sure I've ever purchased or used a product just because Tiger Woods endorsed it per se. Partial exception - I think Nike makes some cool stuff, and I'll concede that Tiger has helped to perpetuate and universalize the brand. I won't discount his effect on the branding of Nike and my subsequent purchase of Nike products. You can bet that I'll keep wearing and buying Nike stuff as long as it looks good and plays well. I am certain, however, that I've never relied on Tiger Woods to calibrate my moral compass. My successes and failures, like most people, have been independent of Tiger. I've viewed him as a Guy who takes no prisoners on the golf course. He's passionate about the game of golf and he's great at it. He wins and he does it in an exciting and convincing fashion. He takes a pretty boring spectator sport and infuses it with excitement. It was a bonus that he seemed to be socially conscious and a good role model. It's tragic that Tiger and Elin will now have to deal with issues of trust in order for their relationship to survive. Elin will have to believe that Tiger will no longer be unfaithful, and Tiger will have to believe that Elin won't club him to death while he's sleeping. Both difficult issues to overcome.

All this aside and at the end of the day, If Tiger comes back and kicks butt on the golf course, people will watch him and pull for him. Sure, he'll lose a couple of fans here and there because of his infidelity. But sports fans care about winning! People will look elsewhere for moral guidance and role models. Tiger has fallen off of that pedestal and will be viewed primarily as a sports figure. Should he get his head together and win some big tournaments again, the endorsements will follow!

As for me, I'm keeping my Tag Heuer Watch. Not because Tiger endorsed it or wears one. But because it's a great watch and it looks good!

That's just the way it is!

Free Christmas music Downloads! -Free Holiday Music Sampler!

2009-12-13T18:47:00.000-08:00

That's right, you heard it here! Free Christmas Music Downloads. In fact, it's an entire sampler album.

In keeping with the spirit of the season, and hoping to perpetuate the belief that it is "Better To Give Than to Receive," I'm hoping to give everyone an early Holiday present!

Read below:

In keeping with the season’s theme of spreading goodwill and holiday cheer, Apple is offering an ITunes album packed with 20 Yuletide tunes performed by various artists, all for free!

The iTunes Holiday Sampler includes renditions of such holiday classics as We Wish You a Merry Christmas, performed by Weezer, and The First Noel, sung by David Archuleta, as well as original Christmas songs by comedian Stephen Colbert and Glasgow band Glasvegas. The album also comes with iTunes LP, so you can check out lyrics, view photos and read more about the artists associated with the album. Here’s the complete roster of tracks in the sampler:

1.O Come All Ye Faithful by Amy Grant
2.The First Noel by David Archuleta
3.Silent Night by Sarah McLachlan
4.Carol of the Bells / Jingle Bells by Barry Manilow
5.It Snowed by Meaghan Smith
6.Above the Northern Lights by Mannheim Steamroller7.Baby, It’s Cold Outside by Lady Antebellum
8.We Three Kings by Toby Keith
9.God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen by Rascal Flatts
10.Silent Night by Wynonna
11.Twelve Days of Christmas by Mexicani Marimba Band
12.We Wish You a Merry Christmas by Weezer
13.A Snowflake Fell (And It Felt Like a Kiss) by Glasvegas
14.Another Christmas Song by Stephen Colbert
15.Greensleeves by Vince Guaraldi Trio
16.Dream a Dream by Charlotte Church
17.The Nutcracker, Op 71, Act 2: Character Dances (Divertissement) by Kirov Orchestra & Valery Gergiev
18.Angels We Have Heard on High by Aretha Franklin
19.O Holy Night by Musiq Soulchild
20.Auld Lang Syne by The Lonesome Travelers

You can download the free album here Itunes free Holiday Sampler:

Note that this offer is valid until December 17, 2009 and is available from the US ITunes Store only.

You will need to have Itunes installed on your computer with an active Itunes account to enjoy the album.

Good Luck....

And pass this link on. Keep in mind the expiration date.

Creative Ads - Beer Goggles!

2009-12-08T22:29:00.000-08:00

This one is short and cute!

Beer goggles" is a slang term for a phenomenon in which consumption of alcohol lowers sexual inhibitions to the point that very little or no discretion is used when approaching or choosing sexual partners.

Boys will be boys!

Tiger Woods Photo! Ooouch!

2009-12-04T22:05:00.000-08:00

See it here first. Tiger Woods in post-accident photos!

Okay, that was a cheap shot.... Someone clearly got creative with photoshop software and manipulated a photo of Tiger and his wife Elin. I received this in an email. (I'm not mentioning any names) It just goes to show you that people love you when you're winning and on top, but as soon as you stumble - they kick you a few times and pull out their photoshop software and make fun of you.

Once again..... Life isn't fair!

Black Friday! Bright and Sunny for Max Martini - A Little Shady for Tiger Woods!

2009-11-27T23:49:00.000-08:00

Millions of American shoppers hit the pavement today and juiced up the economy a bit.

Did you Survive Black Friday?

In recent years, you really needed to have your game face on to mix it up with the crowds. In some cases, having the face wasn't enough. Pads and protective equipment were necessary to avoid injury or death.

This year, I hit the bricks for a few hours but mostly just to run a few errands. The shopping I did today was mostly coincidental and by accident. I walked into a local sporting store to buy one item that was advertised in the newspaper for half price. I walked out of the store with two big bags filled with 5 items and a big smile on my face.

Contrary to what you might be thinking, I wasn't really smiling at the savings - It was more of a smile to embrace and welcome "the spirit of man." In my 35 minute shopping spree, I was fortunate enough to share a wonderful moment with actor Max Martini. Those of you who know me are aware that I was/am a huge fan of "The Unit"

You may recall my outrage when I learned that the show had been cancelled! In my humble opinion, the show was just starting to reach its' stride. The actors were starting to gel and the landscape was opening up.

One of the characters in "The Unit" who was particularly starting to find his way into the hearts of the viewers was "Mack 'Dirt Diver' Gerhardt." His character was shrouded in a bit of mystery initially and traveled between fighter, soldier, father, husband, and friend. But ultimately, as the episodes flowed - you had to fall in love with him.

Today as I chatted with him briefly, I learned that his charisma and charm are sincere. He's "For Real" folks! He took time out of his day to chat with a fan (me) and by doing so, I became a bigger fan. I passed on that I loved the show, hated to see it get cancelled, and admired his work as an actor.

I'm certainly pulling for a re-birth of "The Unit" in some capacity but failing that - I'll be sure to catch Max Martini's future projects and hope you guys will too.

Be sure to catch Trooper - (official trailer) and Unearthed when they hit the screen.

On a shadier note,

According to (CNN) -- Golfer Tiger Woods was treated and released after suffering minor injuries in a car accident early Friday in his central Florida neighborhood.

It seems Tiger, who is 33 and just about a month shy of a birthday, was in a minor accident outside his home. The details of the accident are a bit sketchy but it appears he is in good condition with a few cuts and abrasions to his face.

The single-vehicle accident occurred about 2:25 a.m. in Windermere, a suburb of Orlando, according to police. Woods pulled out of his driveway in a 2009 Cadillac SUV and struck a fire hydrant and then a tree. (Yep, Tiger is having another tough day driving! He's in the trees again! - You know the jokes are coming! figured I'd get mine in quick)

Police Chief Daniel Saylor said two Windermere police officers were the first to arrive on the scene.

"There was Tiger Woods laying on the ground in front of the vehicle, with his wife over him rendering first aid," he said.

"He was in and out of consciousness with lacerations to his upper and lower lip," Saylor said. "He was mumbling but didn't say anything coherent."

Woods' wife, Elin Nordegren, told police she was inside the house when she heard the accident. She went outside and used a golf club to break out the rear window of the vehicle, then pulled him from the SUV.

Hang in there Tiger.... here's to a speedy recovery!

Happy Thanksgiving! A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving - Watch It Here

2009-11-26T01:15:00.000-08:00

When I was a kid, I couldn't wait for the Thanksgiving Holiday to arrive. Not because I was looking forward to giving thanks or eating myself into some ridiculous transcendental gluttonous state, but because I knew that when Thanksgiving arrived - Christmas was officially right around the corner!

One of the true hallmarks of Thanksgiving in our home was watching A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving. It pretty much set the mood for a laid back and fun-loving Holiday Season.

A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving is the tenth prime-time animated TV special based upon the popular comic strip Peanuts, by Charles M. Schulz. It was originally aired on the CBS network in 1973, and won an Emmy Award the following year. The special was directed by Bill Melendez and Phil Roman. In the special, Peppermint Patty invites herself and her friends over to Charlie Brown's for Thanksgiving. Never deterred, "Good ole Chuck" with Linus, Snoopy, and Woodstock, attempts to throw together a Thanksgiving dinner.

I'd love to invite you all over to my blog for some Turkey, hospitality, and more.... But since I havn't figured out how to upload pumpkin pie, I figured it's not too realistic; Therefore, feel free to stop on by to check out A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving. I'm streaming the entire episode (compliments of Hulu.com) below.

I hope you'll enjoy it and have a wonderful Thanksgiving where ever you may be!

Here's Wishing You A Safe and Happy Thanksgiving!

Reliable Crane and Rigging? Maybe Not! Accidents Do Happen!

2009-11-21T22:14:00.000-08:00

Talk about a bad day at the office!

Fortunately, no one was injured in this accident but it's clear to me that the "Numbers" didn't quite add up.

Crane Smashes House

Let's see.... How does that equation go again?

(Total Weight of tree) x (Moment Arm) < (Total weight of cab) x (Moment Arm)

Ah, forget it.... I can't remember that stuff anymore

It's been a few years since I've had to make these computations but I guess there really is a practical application to all of the engineering mechanics I studied in college. I hate to see the effects of miscalculations when it results in bent metal, splintered wood, or injuries and casualties.

I'm relieved that no one was harmed when the crane smashed through this house in Santa Rosa, California and it's a little bit easier to giggle at it all and laugh it off knowing it's not my house and not my company that owned the crane, and no one got hurt. But I wonder how it's all going to get cleaned up. I'm sure the owners of the home will get their home repaired and all their furnishings will be replaced or fixed. That's what insurance is for right?

I'm a tad bit curious about the mistake that was made to allow this accident to happen. Clearly, someone decided it was okay to try to lift the tree over the house with the crane. I'm not completely sure what went wrong to allow the crane to tip over and smash the home but I'm sure it will be fully investigated and someone will be held accountable.

Here are a few details about the accident:

The accident happened at about 2:20 p.m. last Monday at a home on Molly Court, a small cul-de-sac in west Santa Rosa, according to fire Battalion Chief Andy Pforsich.

Apparently, they were using a crane to remove a tree from the back yard of the home. The weight of the tree was more than the crane could handle and the crane tipped backward and crashed into (through) the home. The cab portion of the crane remained suspended in the air Tuesday morning.

Dennis Olson, a neighbor who lives nearby on Nightingale Drive, said he was near the crane and saw it fall into the home.

"My first reaction was to get out of the way, and I ran to get clear in case it tipped sideways," Olson said. "Then I thought, Why didn't I hit the video button on my camera?"

Yep Mr Olson, it would have been nice to see the crash first hand. And I'm sure some network would have paid you big bucks for the rights to the video as well. But luckily you're safe. I read that Kevin and Michelle McCarthy, who had just moved in to the home in August, had gotten into a car accident earlier Monday, and the couple was in Marin County dealing with the crash when they got the call about their house. Sad news about their car accident .... but at least it kept them away from their house and away from danger.

Here's the news story:

Creative Education - The Electric Company - Spidey

2009-11-19T10:42:00.000-08:00

Since we're talking about the friendly neighborhood web-slinger.....

The Electric Company really made the most of this character. Marvel Comics provided the Spiderman character to Children's Television Workshop/PBS free of charge.

Here's a longer clip. See if you can pick out a very young Morgan Freeman.

Spidey Goes to Jail! Spiderman in cuffs?

2009-11-18T22:11:00.000-08:00

About two weeks ago I met with a friend in Hollywood. While it's true that I drive through Hollywood frequently, it's rare for me to find myself walking smack in the middle of all of the activity. It was a summerish kind of afternoon with temperatures approaching 90 degrees F and the streets were bustling with tourists. As I walked to my meeting place, I dodged scantily clad girls zooming by on roller blades. I bypassed a ten foot tall man on stilts. In between my side-steps, I marveled at the many different languages and dialects being spoken. Hollywood Boulevard was particularly alive that day. I joked out loud, "It must be a full moon."

As I strolled by Grauman's Chinese Theatre, I walked by a cluster of people speaking a strangely familiar language. Grauman's Theater is always a hot bed of tourist activity. There are usually 5 -10 impersonators walking around taking photos with the tourist and polishing up on their acting skills. I stopped and looked and listened. I couldn't quite make out the language right away but after a few seconds of watching and listening, I determined they were speaking Italian. It was now clear to me that a group of Italian tourist had surrounded "Spiderman" and several others were busy snapping photos as they all posed with the ever popular "homo-arachnid." I pondered the stories they would tell about the friendly neighborhood web-slinger when they returned to Italy.

Anyway, I walked on..... taking notice of Sylvester Stallone, Madonna, and Michael Jackson impersonators. I looked down at the many "STARS" that lined Hollywood Blvd. and briefly stepped back in time.

There were street performers singing, dancing, and playing a variety of instruments.

But I couldn't get that crazy Spiderman theme from the 60's cartoon out of my head.

"Spiderman, Spiderman, does whatever a spider can...... Spins a web...."

Oh, that was a great cartoon series. I still watch it occasionally; in between Sponge Bob episodes of course.

So imagine my dismay when I learned of the recent arrest of this web-dwelling wonder.

Apparently, Christopher Loomis, 39, was arrested and is being held on outstanding misdemeanor warrants in lieu of $5,500 bail on November 11, 2009. The details of the arrest are still a bit unclear but it seems that LAPD patrol officers received a radio call reporting a battery by a man in a Spider-Man costume. When they arrived, they encountered four different people dressed as the web-slinging crusader. (LA Times Hollywood Spiderman caught in legal web)

"They stopped one, it wasn't him," LAPD Lt. Beverly Lewis said. "They stopped the second, and it was the suspect."

The victim, who said he was hit in the face and arms, refused to press charges against the costumed impersonator. But Lewis said that when they discovered the warrants, he was booked. She said it appeared the suspect and victim knew each other.

All of a sudden, that story the Italian tourists are telling just got a little more interesting.

You just never know who is hiding behind those masks.....

Courageous or Dumb? "Lingerie Football League"

2009-11-15T15:56:00.000-08:00

Are you ready for some football?

When I first heard about the Lingerie Football League, I thought it was a joke. As in, "there really can't be an entire league of women teams that compete in lingerie - it's all a facade! Right?

Wrong!

The Seattle Mist

The LFL is for real! The concept of the LFL originated from the Super Bowl halftime alternative television special called the Lingerie Bowl which draws millions of viewers worldwide. The event is a pay-per-view event which is shown annually directly opposite the Super Bowl halftime show. The show has become a staple for many and currently is broadcast in 85 countries. Sure, I remember the ads - But I wouldn't dare miss the halftime show to watch a "powder puff" game. At least that was my thinking back then. Now I know differently. It's more than a "powder puff" game.

The teams play full-contact football which is similar to other indoor football leagues. They play 7 on 7 players on a 50 yard field. Uniforms consist of helmets, shoulder pads, elbow pads, knee pads, bras, and panties. (I wonder if they'll be wearing sports bras or padded bras?) There are no field goals and no punts. There is a kickoff to start the game and the second half.

There are currently two Conferences.

The Eastern Conference:

Philadelphia Passion
Chicago Bliss
Miami Caliente
New York Majesty
Tampa Breeze

The Western Conference:

Dallas Desire
Denver Dream
Los Angeles Temptation
San Diego Seduction
Seattle Mist

(In 2010, Charlotte, North Carolina will be getting a team called the Charlotte Crush)

The league was founded by Mitchell Mortaza, a 35-year-old sports marketer from Los Angeles about six years ago. The league's administrative offices are in West Hollywood, California.

Without a doubt, this league adds a whole new dimension to fantasy football! The kind where grown men sit around and hope for an equipment malfunction of some sort and the kind where High Definition television makes all the difference in the world. I still don't think I'll miss the halftime show but the next time I see a game on television, I might tune in for a few ummm Downs!

Truly a Courageous Idea! Learn more about the LFL by clicking here

Creative Ads - What Happens In Vegas.....

2009-11-09T22:26:00.000-08:00

A few years back, Las Vegas gave up on it's quest to make "Sin City" a family destination. Instead, they decided to pursue the "What Happens In Vegas, Stays In Vegas" theme. I think it's been a successful campaign.

Many people now see Las Vegas as an adult getaway spot where all is forgiven as long as you don't get caught. I think it adds to the mystique of the city and makes it more appealing to those who are looking for a scandalously good time.

To that end, someone came up with another bright idea to perpetuate the mystique.....

Taking flesh to the streets.

I wonder how these mobile exotic dance vans are affecting the flow of traffic...

Creative Minds! Hitler Finds Out Governor Palin Resigned

2009-11-06T19:41:00.000-08:00

I know Sarah Palin resigned from office a few months ago, but I just saw this video and I howled! So After my "Sarah Palin and Tina Fey - Life Just Isn't Fair" post, I couldn't resist sharing this.......

Someone really has a whacked out sense of humor. But I like it!

Sesame Street Turns 40!

2009-11-05T07:09:00.000-08:00

In five days, Sesame Street will be celebrating it's 40Th birthday. The show premiered on PBS on November 10, 1969. Sesame Street is well known for its Muppets characters created by Jim Henson. It is also the longest running children's program on US television. The show is produced in the United States by the non-profit organization Sesame Workshop, formerly known as the Children's Television Workshop (CTW), founded by Joan Ganz Cooney and Ralph Rogers.

CTW Original Logo

I think they've done a great job over the years combining entertainment and education and making learning fun for kids. In recognition of their 40 years of success, I'm streaming a few of my favorites.

Way to go Sesame Street! Many Happy returns!

Sarah Palin and Tina Fey - Life Just Isn't Fair!

2009-11-04T13:58:00.000-08:00

A year ago today, Americans went to the polls in great numbers. Voter turnout for the 2008 election was the highest in at least 40 years. We all know the outcome of the election, but what happened to two of the prominent figures of those days? Sarah Palin? and Tina Fey?

Sarah Palin, a little known Governor from the state of Alaska jumped out of the "Alaskan Bush" and onto our television and computer screens, literally overnight. The selection of Sarah Palin as John McCain's running mate, made her face and name common in most households. Everything from her sexuality to her "hockey mom-isms" were questioned, discussed, critiqued, and blogged about.

Palin's new popularity and mannerisms also made her an enormously popular target among some comediennes... In particular, Saturday Night Live actress - Tina Fey.

What Tina Wants

Tina Fey's Saturday Night Live Sarah Palin impressions thrust her into the spotlight in an unorthodox and cult-ish sort of way. Her impersonations were truly uncanny.

But just where are Sarah Palin and Tina Fey today?

Are they being treated fairly?

Let's ask Vanity Fair.

According to VF, Tina Fey has now reached "Rock Star" status. She's snared a $5 million dollar book deal and ignited the ratings of her sitcom, 30 Rock, with her universal appeal. In January 2010, she'll grace the pages of Vanity Fair as she becomes the focus of a photo shoot with the legendary Annie Leibovitz.

(see - "What Tina Wants," by Maureen Dowd.)

On the other hand, Sarah Palin's political future is in question as she waffles along. According to a CNN/Opinion Research poll conducted Oct 16-18, 71 percent of the people polled don't think she's qualified to sit in the Oval Office. (Republicans believe she's qualified by 52 percent to 47 percent.)

After resigning from office this summer under suspicious circumstances to say the least, Palin's resignation speech was "assassinated" by most people who heard it. Vanity Fair obtained a copy of Sarah Palin's resignation speech and turned it over to one of their editors for review. The result was comical...... I had to go back and listen to some of her speech on YouTube just to verify that she actually said those things. Here's a brief look:

Wanna See More?
Palin's Resignation Speech - The edited version

So let's revisit that book deal discussion.....

Tina Fey had a book deal - but so did Sarah Palin..... Some reports indicate that Palin received as much as a $7 million advance on her book. Is that enough to make you retire from office??? Is that fair enough?

Going Rogue - An American Life went on pre-order a few weeks ago and soon hit the top of Amazon.com's Top 100 list as well as Barnes & Noble orders. No doubt it will be a huge hit.

The book is scheduled for release Nov. 17, 2009. The book seems to be crushing the nearest competition, including Dan Brown's The Lost Symbol. I'm sure it will be a popular Christmas gift this year among the "Hockey Mom" crowd. I actually hope Santa puts a copy in my stocking. I love reading gossipy, soap opera, scandalous stuff. Palin's 2008 run for the White House with John McCain was highlighted by reports of bickering, back-biting, criticism, and conflict. Sarah Palin has already revealed that she was writing the book to tell her "Fair" side of the story.

Latest reports indicate that McCain continues to be cautious in his assessment of what her book might unveil. I'm confident he will be fairly and accurately portrayed!

Don't you just wanna know how fair she'll be in her book?

My friend "Big AL' maintains that nothing is "Fair" and nothing is "Easy."

He goes on to say that both of those words are "Four Letter" words!

Perhaps he is right!

Life is not Fair!

Krispy Kreme Burger??? That's just sick!

2009-11-01T06:09:00.000-08:00

Face it, Krispy Kreme Donuts are pretty good.

I like the glazed chocolate cake donuts slightly heated, with a glass of milk or a cup of coffee. Dunking the donuts in the coffee is absolutely heavenly. Sometimes, it's even worth a second donut. Another one of my K.K. favorites is their Blueberry Fritter. Simply Delicious!

But this is absolutely disgusting!

Horrible! Shameless! and Contemptible!

I dare you to watch this.........

A Krispy Kreme Burger? with Bacon and Cheese?

That's Unbelievably Wrong!

Personally, I've never had one. But everyone knows it's wrong because

If you're gonna eat one of those.....

You'd better wash it down with one of these.......

Just makes sense. Forget the calorie count!

Here's the nutritional information for Krispy Kreme donuts: KKnutritionalinfo.

Beer, Beef Patties, bacon, and cheese are extra!

Really Scary Things! - Happy Halloween

2009-10-31T21:25:00.000-07:00

The idea of spending any time at all in prison is pretty scary.

But this truly makes my skin crawl!

Byron Garcia was catapulted to international fame when he made 1,500 inmates of the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center (CPDRC) in the Philippines dance to Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.” - (How's that for punishment?)

Videos of the dance and exercise routines that he uploaded on YouTube have since had over 70 million hits.

Interested in more of the story? Click Here

So you want to play Tic Tac Toe?

2009-10-30T20:08:00.000-07:00

I was bored and decided to goof off a bit.

A friend sent this to help me pass the time!

Be Careful - It's addictive!

Happy Halloween!

Cover your Mouth and Wash Your Hands! Here comes H1 N1 and other Viruses!

2009-10-23T17:56:00.000-07:00

Next week I'll be hitting the road again. Traveling to Canada for a few days. I'm really not looking forward to security lines, possible flight delays, and much colder weather. I've been dusting off my overcoat, gloves, and scarf and psyching myself up for the change in temps. It's been unseasonably warm out here in Cali. Today it was in the 80's and that's just fine with me. I'll take the snow and cold at Christmas time and when I'm skiing, but the rest of the year - give me warm weather please! I know. I'm a wuss. All of you guys living in colder climates forgive me as I whine......

What further complicates my travel next week and gives me cause to whine, is the perceived onslaught of the H1N1 (Swine Flu) virus. At least that's what I'm hearing in the media coverage. I've had several friends who've been hit by H1N1 first hand. Fortunately, in all cases it hasn't been serious. A few days in bed and lots of rest and they were back at it. But listening to their reports, it does sound like it wipes you out pretty good when you get it.

Today I caught wind of an animation that shows what happens when you contract a virus. For all of you who loved high school or college Biology, this is going to make your mouth water. And for those of you who hated science, watch it anyway. There's no test afterwards and you can watch it as many times as you like until you understand it. (no one will know how many times you view it) The video was created by David Bolinsky and his team at XVIVO. It was nice to see that "David Bolinsky" actually has a sense of humor. See if you can catch his joke.

Follow the link to NPR

"It was interesting because we did it while he was sleeping"

A tad bit corny but he tried.

So anyway, wash your hands and cover your mouths when you sneeze. Try to keep your immune system strong by eating well and getting enough rest because you never know what's out there. And wish me luck..... I hate being sick more than I hate the cold!

Sponge Bob Square Pants! Totally Rocks!

2009-10-22T02:52:00.000-07:00

Who lives in a pineapple under the sea? Sponge Bob Square Pants of course....

Are you hip to Sponge Bob?

Among other things, it is currently Nickelodeon's highest rated show and the most distributed property of MTV Networks.

Frankly, the concept of a sponge hanging out in the underwater fictitious town of Bikini Bottom just totally scrambles my brain. As if I don't have enough animated stuff going on up there - you know what I mean? But the truth is, I like the show. Now don't get me wrong. I've only seen about 10 - 15 episodes and a movie or two so it's not like I sit around and watch episode after episode religiously. I'll confess though - one morning in Sydney Australia, I woke up early and turned on the tube. After catching up on the latest world news, I was looking for something mindless and refreshing. Low and behold, I stumbled upon a channel playing Sponge Bob. I plowed through about an hours worth. And that was before I had a cup of coffee.

After you get past the fact that some of the characters exceed the reasonable and tolerable level of stupidity, it's actually a pleasant and somewhat redeeming show!

So hear me out please; It's difficult for me to walk around being an advocate for a geeky nerdy guy with buck teeth, blue eyes, brown square trousers, and a bow tie. But I like the guy! We've all got our flaws.... He's just got about 9 or 10 really obvious ones. But I think he's cool!

Unfortunatley, the sad thing for me is - People are starting to question my credibility.

So just to be on the safe side, I started asking around to get an idea of what some other well-known and respected people thought of the little spongy guy.

I started by asking the "Black Eye Peas."

Here's what they thought:

Then I thought I'd ask the original "Slim Shady." Mr. Eminem!

Here's what he had to say:

So there you have it:

Sponge Bob Rocks!

Creative Ads! See U2 In Concert.....

2009-10-21T02:59:00.000-07:00

U2’s performing in Pasadena at the Rose Bowl this weekend; Sunday, October 25th, 2009. Tickets are selling fast. You know it's going to be a great show. The Rose Bowl stadium is the proud home of the Tournament of Roses Football Game and UCLA Bruin Football. It's a National Historic Landmark that was built in 1922 and is also known for hosting five NFL Super Bowl Games, and the 1984 Olympic Soccer Matches. This has the makings of a tremendous performance. So get your tickets to see U2 before they sell out.....

But if you can't make it - Guess what?

Someone has come up with the great idea of streaming the concert live on YouTube.

Watch This:

Did you see the creative advertising?

First Global Concert Webcast on "U2ube"

Nice going guys!

The link for the concert is:

http://www.youtube.com/u2 October 25, 2009 - 8:30 PM (Pacific Time)

But here's the kicker!

Unfortunately, the concert is not available in some territories. Only YouTube users in the US, UK, France, Canada, Italy, Spain, Japan, Brazil, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Mexico, India, Israel, South Korea, and the Netherlands will be able to see the live performance.

Unless of course, you're really - really - Creative!

Ring "Da Bell" - Debell Golf Course Burbank, CA

2009-10-20T09:58:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I had the chance to "Ring Da Bell." In other words, I played golf at Debell Golf Course in Burbank, CA. For years, locals have murdered the name "Debell" and called it "Da Bell." Kinda like "Da Bears!" I'm not mad at them; I think it's added a bit of charm and mystique to the course - sort of a Cheers flavor. And over time, the act of ringing "Da Bell" has become symbolic with playing golf there and something I look forward to doing.

About a few years ago, the course began renovations on a badly deteriorated clubhouse. And my recent visit was the first time I've played there since the renovations began. The renovations were completed in December 2008 and I've been eager to stop by since, so when a relative called and said he was in town I quickly arranged for a tee time.

The course sits high in the hills just above Burbank and you can usually get a last minute tee time unless there's a tournament going on. I've even had luck with walking on without much of a wait. As you drive up the canyon just past the shorter par 3 course, you can't help but notice the new construction. They did a nice job on the clubhouse. I guess that's what 9 million clams can buy you these days.

In the past, I've enjoyed playing at Debell. Generally the course is in good condition and it's secluded enough from the big city to allow you to relax and enjoy the outdoors. It's not uncommon to see all sorts of wildlife on the course. Anything from deer to rattlesnakes. I've even seen a coyote or two. It's a break from the typical Los Angeles municipal golf courses in design. There are a lot more trees in play and a dry ravine that runs through part of the course makes Debell an unforgiving experience for some golfers. Some of the par 4 holes are chopped up into 300 -400 yard tracks which are not suitable for a a driver off the tee box. I find myself taking two iron shots to get to the green. Sometimes it's a 6/8 iron combination and sometimes it's a 5/9 iron combination to reach the green. The greens are generally small and fun. I once heard Debell referred to as a "thinkers'" course. I think that's an accurate handle. It's very much a finesse course. Leave your driver in the bag for most holes. A tip if you ever play here - most of the balls break towards downtown Burbank. You'll know what I mean if/when you play here.

The 12th hole which used to be the 3rd hole- they've switched the front nine with the back nine- is the signature hole. It features a par 3 with a partially blind shot to the green. You'll either like this hole or hate it. Some players view it as a circus hole, others enjoy the challenge. I generally try to hit a high draw. I can usually avoid the face of the hill that obstructs the green. The problem is guessing where the flag is. Over the years, I've learned to take a look at the flag when I'm playing the prior hole.

So now comes the treat..... After you've putted out you get to ring "Da Bell" to signal waiting golfers that you have cleared the green. Remember, they can't see you from the tee box.

See that white dot out there? I love it when my drive is in the fairway...... I think I hit my next ball a bit fat.

This is the view from the #10 green looking back towards Burbank. You can see the Hollywood hills in the background.

A nice treat for all visitors is a newly added bronze statue.

The piece is titled Impact and was created by artist Shiela Cavalluzzi. After doing some research on the web, I found this link:

Impact! bronze statue

Cruise through the link, it tells a great story with nice photos.

Hole #18 finishes at the club house delivering a subliminal invitation for a nice refreshing beverage.

DeBell Golf Club is located at

1500 Walnut Ave. in Burbank.

(818) 845-0022

Courageous or Dumb? Balloon Boy's Parents.

2009-10-19T10:12:00.000-07:00

I was taken in by the stunt. I, like many others, was in the middle of a busy day but I still found time to divert a little bit of emotion and compassion towards this event and hope and pray that the kid would be found unhurt, or rescued. Now I'm a bit disturbed to learn that it was all a hoax and that the viewing public was taken for a ride.

I'm sure it sounded like a great idea over a 12 pack of Budweiser!

Think of all the resources wasted to cover this story and recover the balloon.

Definitely a dumb idea. I can't imagine the judge/jury will be very sympathetic.

Looks like they'll be getting the publicity for their reality series..... "Mom and Dad Did A Dumb Thing."

Creative Commercials..... Lebron James doing Kid N Play!

2009-10-18T17:49:00.000-07:00

Wait a second, I happened to catch a State Farm insurance commercial and I couldn't believe my eyes. I thought I saw Lebron James holding a Kid N Play CD in his hand and then I saw him doing the um....... Kid N Play Dance???

I had to investigate further. Was it a subliminally suggested idea or what?

Thanks to YouTube and the power of the pause button, I was able to find the commercial and correctly identify Lebron James in a commercial holding the aforementioned CD. The rest I'll leave for your viewing pleasure.

Lebron, few will question your moves on the basketball court. I'll even give you credit for looking pretty intimidating in a football uniform and concede that you'd be tough to stop as a runner or a receiver. But I don't quite get the dance act on your State Farm commercial. Don't get me wrong, you move okay. Maybe I just missed something. Your dancing didn't make me want to run out and switch my insurance to State Farm.

Let's leave the dancing to Kid N Play......

Now those guys can dance!

If you're not familiar with Kid N Play; Kid 'n Play was a hip-hop and comedy duo from New York City that was popular in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Christopher "Kid" Reid and Christopher "Play" Martin made up the duo.

Kid and Play amicably split in 1995. Reid continued acting, guest starring in a number of television sitcoms, most notably Sister, Sister, and hosting shows such as It's Showtime at the Apollo and Your Big Break. Martin became a born-again Christian, and devoted his time to working on Christian-based hip-hop music projects. He eventually took his industry experience and founded HP4Digital Works, a multimedia company that provides pre- and post-production for film, digital, and live theater productions. Check them out at: Kidnplay.com

Two Days of Rain! Tony Toni Tone

2009-10-14T11:49:00.000-07:00

Somehow I missed the weather forecast. I've been busy doing my thing. Lost in my own little world. Not a lot of traveling lately but working diligently on two deals. One with a company in Canada which may or may not pan out but I'm enjoying the process. I'd heard that it could rain this week but what the heck! I didn't pay it much attention because "It never rains in Southern California!" That's what they tell me. Besides, I did some mental calculating, and I couldn't come up with the last time it has rained in my neighborhood. As best as I can remember, it sprinkled one day back in early June. Not even enough to turn on my windshield wipers in my car. So I figured the chances of rain were slim. I guess that's what I get for moving to the desert. Right?

So after 4 months of water rationing, drought, forest fires, heat, and smoke, we now get two full days of rain. Pretty heavy at times. It appears the weather people got it right this time. Not in a bad way though... I'm actually enjoying the breif change.

But I think Fall is definitely Here!

Here's a little something to listen to while you enjoy the weather in your neighborhood!

And here's a little bit of information about the group Tony Toni Tone

(pronounced Tony Tony Tony)

Tony Toni Tone, formed in 1987 in Oakland, California. They enjoyed a number of hits and good album sales for a considerable part of the nineties. The group primarily consisted of family members with brothers Dwayne and Raphael Wiggins teaming up with Cousin Timothy Christian.

The group's popularity really took off when they introduced the smash album The Revival. They became mega-stars due in part to two hit singles; the ballad ‘It Never Rains (In Southern California)' and the club dance tune 'Feels Good.'

In 1993 the group scored again with another big hit; ‘Anniversary' written by Raphael Wiggins and the bands keyboard player Carl Wheeler. It featured Gerald Albright on sax.

Somewhere around 1996 the members went on to pursue solo careers.

But that's another story to be told on another rainy day.......

Weekend Flashback! ABC's Wide World of Sports.

2009-10-10T23:27:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I get this call from my Mother the other day. Normally she wants to talk and talk..... Usually about good stuff, but sometimes it's about nothing important at all. Just random happenings, gossip, relatives, or ailments (hers and mine). This particular call, she really didn't say much at all. In fact, she was sort of short. She says; "oh here's your Father. You want to talk to him?" Sure, why not? I respond. So Dad gets on and after we exchange our typical pleasantries he starts harassing me about football. NFL teams and such. Before I know it, he's baited me into a wager on who will win the NFC North Division. He allows me to take the Chicago Bears who are currently 3-1 and he takes the Minnesota Vikings who are 4-0. Funny thing is - I'm a Minnesota Viking fan! Da! Go figure.

After that, he sucks about 1 hour of tech support out of me because his computer wasn't cooperating. The other funny thing..... I don't know jack about computers; but I manage to help him get his computer fixed.

Dad, you are one shrewd Dude! It sure was cool waking up on weekends and watching ABC's Wide World of Sports with you!

"Spanning the globe to bring you the constant variety of sport"

and of course the well known:

"The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat!"

Dad, and everyone else who remembers those days! Here ya' go:

Courageous or Dumb? Giving Obama the Nobel Prize!

2009-10-09T16:39:00.000-07:00

Unless you've been living in a box with your ears stuffed with cotton and your eyes taped shut, you probably know by now that The Norwegian Nobel Committee has awarded President Barack Obama the Nobel Peace Prize. I'm pretty sure it was one of the first things I heard this morning as I turned on the television to catch the morning news.

All I could think was this must sit like a sticky and volatile mixture of gasoline and nitroglycerin on the already smoldering faces of Obama haters. That thought was hard to deal with before I had my coffee so I quickly moved to a different perspective; I thought it's kinda like sitting next to the guy who wins three times in a row at Bingo, including the nightly Jackpot, and then waking up the next morning to see his face on television cashing in the winning Lottery ticket. You gotta concede the guy is living right or perhaps the smartest or luckiest guy around.

Was there any doubt that the Obama-haters would jump out right away and blame President Obama? Come on, it's not like he really had anything to do with this award - I'm sure he was as shocked as most of us to hear the news. None the less, the barrage has already started. The irony here is that the man, Alfred Nobel, who is behind this award

must literally be rolling around in his grave at all of the turmoil and uproar that today's selection has caused. Here we have an instrument that is supposed to recognize efforts towards peace creating so much discord.

According to Nobel's will, the Peace Prize should be awarded "to the person who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses."

Alfred Nobel's will stated that the prize should be awarded by a committee of five people elected by the Norwegian Parliament. Norway and Sweden were at that time still in union, and with Sweden responsible for all foreign policy, Nobel felt that the prize might be less subject to political corruption if awarded by Norway.

So presumably, this committee spent seven months scrutinizing the 205 resumes of dissident monks, human rights advocates, political figures, and other nominees before concluding that President Barack Obama was their man.

Quite possibly, Barack Obama was their best man. Think about it. When was the last time YOU did anything to promote or work for -" fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses."

I'm not sure I've done any of that stuff lately. Heck, I don't even know what most of that means!

If President Obama did anything at all this year to that end, then I'd submit that he probably did more than anyone else because there are people fighting all over the globe and I don't see anyone out there doing anything to stop it or even slow it down.

In my heart of hearts though, I must consider if this was a political move by the committee to, perhaps, stimulate President Obama to keep working for and pursuing those lofty and illusive goals of peace.

Are they the puppeteers manipulating the puppet? Are those five members sitting around tonight sipping vodka thinking -"We've really done it! Alfred Nobel will be proud of us. Shucks, we deserve the Nobel Peace Prize."

Was this a Courageous move or a Dumb move by the Nobel Committee?

I don't know.... It's too close for me to call. But I enjoy thinking about it!

Time will surely tell!

Pins on a Map!

2009-10-09T15:29:00.000-07:00

When I first started traveling I used to keep a big map in my garage with pins stuck into the different places that I traveled to. It was cool coming home and sticking a pin into a brand new spot. I'd stare at the map and marvel at all of the pins sticking out. I thought I was a "big time" world traveler.

Just recently, I ran across a site - TravBuddy.com - which has taken this pin sticking process into the digital era. On a whim, I decided to stick a few pins into this digital map. It was somewhat of a humbling experience to learn that I've got a long way to go to see the world! I've only been to 29% of the countries on the globe.

That's not even half!

(Keep in mind that I had to edit some of the places in the world that I've been to because if I told you I was there- I'd have to kill you!) -smile -

Still, if I included those extra countries and added the few that I've visited but forgotten, I'm sure it wouldn't even push me over the 30% mark.

I've just come to the realization that I've got some more traveling to do!

Here's my map if you want to take a look.

If you want to make your own it's pretty simple. Click on the link above and start clicking countries.

Creative Ads.... Remember this one?

2009-10-08T23:10:00.000-07:00

I just happened to run across this ad a few days ago and the message continues to resonate. I must admit, it made me stop and think for a moment. In my thinking I concluded that I was a victim of this conditioning, rationalization, and subliminal brain-washing.

Not that I always spend the extra money when I should but I usually can't keep from calculating the risk of not spending the extra money and buying the more expensive product.

This ad was produced for Fram products. Fram, characterized by their bright orange coloring and black letters produced several types of automotive products but they were primarily known for their oil filters. The message in the ad "You can pay me now, or pay me later" clearly stated that you could spend a few extra dollars and buy a quality oil filter and prolong the life of your car's engine. Or you could buy a cheaper, non-Fram, product and change your oil less frequently which would yield untimely damaged to your engine resulting in expensive repairs or replacement costs.

The end result..... I'm constantly doing the mental math.

(assume I buy a new computer)

Do I spend a few extra bucks and buy the warranty coverage or pay the huge repair bill in 4 months when it breaks?

(assume my breaks are squeaking on my car)

Do I take it in now and replace the pads or wait a few months and then have to do a complete rotor job for 3 times the money?

You get my message don't you?

The funny thing, I don't think I purposely bought Fram products thinking that they would ward off costly repair bills. But I'm sure I've purchased some other "more expensive" product assuming the quality would save me money in the future.

I wonder how much money I've saved over the years!

I wonder if I should sue Fram for mental trauma!

Ronald Jenkees - That's How You Do It.

2009-10-07T23:39:00.000-07:00

I don't know where I've been the past few years but I've just learned of this guy - Ronald Jenkees.

He's clearly a Youtube sensation racking up millions of views on several compilations. Jenkees supposedly began playing music at 4 years old, when he received a toy keyboard for Christmas as a gift during his stay in hospital after being diagnosed with mild autism. (This fact is contested and has not been substantiated)

Here's an excerpt from Wikipedia.com,

He learned simple melodies and played with friends. He attempted piano lessons in the seventh grade, but these were unsuccessful. Jenkees discovered how to sequence and layer music using his Yamaha keyboard, and began playing hip hop music. He joined a marching band in high school, and despite being unable to read sheet music, the band director let Jenkees create his own keyboard parts and "jam out" in state competitions. The band director encouraged Jenkees to learn to read music. (click here to read more: Ronald Jenkees)

All I can say is - Impressive finger work! Watch and listen to him in "Throwing Fire"

Jenkees independently released his first album in 2007 (Ronald Jenkees) and has recently released his second album, Disorganized Fun.

Courageous or Dumb? Menage 'a Trois

2009-10-06T16:46:00.000-07:00

Would you order a Menage 'a Trois in a restaurant?

Let's say you're sitting there with your boss, your date, spouse, friends, or parents, and the waiter/waitress walks up to the table and asks.....

"What can I get you?"

Uh, let's see... I'll take a Menage 'a Trois!

(I'm thinking- it might be okay with your friends, date, or spouse- but what if your parents or your boss was present? -That could be tricky)

So let's assume you have the guts to order one. After the initial shock, everyone at the table looks at you like you're a pervert and thinks of one thing- And you all know It's not the bottle of wine that you just ordered.

You've probably figured it out by now, this post is about wine. More specifically, it's about

Folie a Deux's Napa Valley Menage a Trois Red 2008

That's a mouthful. Literally - but I'll get to that later.

For starters, this wine may seem to have a lot going against it. The simple fact that some people might be hesitant to order it based on the name might be of concern. That wasn't an issue for me. In fact, I picked up a bottle a few years ago in a discount wine store probably because of it's catchy name - I've been on a quest to find a great (red) wine for under 5 dollars (see my post: 7 Deadly Zins)- So when I eyed this bottle with a slightly scandalous name, I picked it up and read the label. It read:

Take a walk on the wild side and explore the pleasures of our Menage 'a Trois. Surrender to the seduction of Dark, rich berry with a hint of pepper, a lush lingering finish leaving you wishing for more.

Clearly a bit tantalizing and obviously playing on your senses and psyche. In essence, this wine is a blend based on three varietals - Zinfandel, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon. I found that part appealing and attractive enough for me to take the plunge. I figured - WTH - and I picked up a bottle for about $8. When I finally got around to popping the cork, I was pleasantly surprised. This wine has a very full, fruity, and jammy taste with a hint of pepper. A mouthful indeed.

Here's part of a more complete review for Menage 'a Trois 2004 vintage:

"When I see a bottle labeled "table wine" even though I know better it always prejudices me a bit against it. In the US Table Wine simply means the wine is a blend and does not have enough of one grape to call the wine legally a Zinfandel or Merlot and has an alcohol level of 7-14%. Thinking this three grape blend of my top favorite US Red Varietals (Merlot, Cabernet and Zinfandel) might be similar to a light burgundy or decent Meritage I picked up a bottle.My one regret? I now have to go back to Costco and buy more. This is an excellent red wine with a lot going on."

Click here for the rest of the review - 10DollarWine

I concur - for an everyday wine priced at about $7 - $10, this is a good choice for me. My quest for the perfect $5 bottle of Zin/Cab continues. But at least I can enjoy a Menage 'a Trois from time to time in the interim.

A Courageous name for a wine!

Cheers! Drink responsibly!

Courageous Ideas - Cactus Jack!

2009-10-05T17:35:00.000-07:00

Do you watch Shark Tank?

Shark Tank, a reality show, premiered on ABC on August 9, 2009. The series is the U.S. version of the Japanese program Dragons' Den, which has spawned numerous local versions in other countries. The series stars five "Sharks" — multi-millionaire business tycoons — who hear investment proposals from entrepreneurs and consider whether to invest in the businesses.
The series is produced by Mark Burnett who signed a deal in 2008 with Dragons' Den format-holder Sony to produce an American version.

I watch the show from time to time and enjoying hearing about and seeing the many entrepreneurs and their creative ideas. When I don't have time to watch the show I sometimes record it and watch it later. It just happens that I had a bit of time on my hands this past weekend and I was running through episode 5 which featured a character who goes by the name of Cactus Jack. Now some of you may have heard of him - he's been around the block once or twice and has patented a few products. One product is a cleaning tablet fashioned in the shape of a .45 cartridge(bullet). Anyway, Cactus Jack jumped into the Shark Tank first with his product Body Jac. According to Cactus Jack, Body Jac makes it easier to do a pushup by using rubber bands to lighten the load. Two of the investors were immediately out of the bidding. But Barbara Corcoran, a self made real estate millionaire who sold her company The Corcoran Group for $70 million in 2001 and Kevin Harrington, a pioneer in the Infomercial Industry who banks tens of millions of dollars in sales each year, offered to invest in the product but wanted 50% of the equity in the new venture and added one additional requirement. Cactus Jack would have to lose 30 pounds thus making himself a better and more influential advocate of the Body Jac.

And that's when it got interesting. Daymond John, founder of FUBU (his company has made record sales of approximately $6 billion dollars) jumped into the bidding but added a twist. My thought is he tuned into the marketing, entertainment value, and appeal of this character - Cactus Jack - and eliminated the 30 lb. weight loss requirement but wanted a piece of all of Cactus Jack's products!

See below what happened:

Did you catch that?

"You can trade hours for dollars or you can trade ideas for millions! Guess which one I chose?"

Cactus Jack, I like your style..... But I like your Dad's a lot better! My thinking - Lose the weight, market your product, and then retire on the beach somewhere and drink delicious tropical drinks topped with rum!

Good Luck!

Free Download- Really Cool Software!

2009-10-04T15:19:00.000-07:00

Speaking of space travel......

Now that I've settled down from my jealous rage after learning of Guy Laliberte''s trip to the space station, I think I can go on posting.

Furthermore, as a treat, I decided to download a pretty cool software program and I want to share it with you all. It's called WorldWide Telescope and it's produced by Microsoft. And here comes the best part - It's absolutely free!

WorldWide Telescope puts the power of all the greatest and latest telescopes right in front of you. It does for the sky, galaxy, and universe what Google Earth has done for the planet. This program lets you explore the impressive content from the Hubble Space Telescope, NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope, the Chandra X-Ray Observatory Center, and other famed ground- and space-based telescopes.

It takes a little time to master the software interface but the download went very smooth and literally within minutes I was staring at some beautiful sights. Two features that I found very helpful:

You can save your favorite places in the universe to visit them later under "My Collections."
You can watch guided tours of the universe conducted by experts and other users.

Here's a photo of Saturn that I took with my camera after playing around a few minutes with the program.

A view of Saturn from WorldWide Telescope

I must give you fair warning though; if you like gazing at the stars, this program could be quite addictive. So use caution.

Here's the link to and a review of the program (via CNET) if you want to try it:

WorldWide Telescope

Happy gazing!

Guy Laliberté - Space Tourist & Rocket Man

2009-10-03T04:26:00.000-07:00

Okay, Now I'm a tad bit jealous! I'm a bit late but today I learned that Guy Laliberte', the Canadian billionaire, is now the first clown in space! I say that jokingly of course. Some of you know that Mr. Laliberte' (notice the Mr., a sign of respect) was a former stiltwalker and fire-eater before he founded and became chief executive officer of Cirque du Soleil.

Well, he's now filled in one more square on his long but shrinking "To Do" list. And he's probably purchased himself one of the finest birthday gifts ever!

Imagine buying yourself a trip to the International Space Station to celebrate your 50 th B-Day.

Guy Laliberté will spend about 9 days at the International Space Station (ISS) on his little space vacation. It's not official how much Laliberté paid for his mission but the last space tourist, US software pioneer Charles Simonyi, paid $35 million (£22 million) and that seems to be about the going rate.

The Russian Soyuz rocket blasted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Laliberte is the first Canadian civilian to enter orbit. He is travelling with Russian cosmonaut Maxim Surayev and American astronaut Jeffrey Williams. Laliberte' has scheduled a global broadcast from the space station on Oct. 9 to raise awareness about the world's dwindling clean water supply. Laliberte plans to return to Earth on Oct. 11, while Williams and Surayev will live on the station for nearly six months.

Guy Laliberté

Here's to you Rocket Man! Happy Birthday!

You Rock!

Who Gets the Olympics for 2016?

2009-10-02T13:09:00.000-07:00

Tokyo, Madrid, Rio de Janeiro, or Chicago?

The door closes on Chicago and Rio gets the nod!

Is it really a surprise that Rio de Janeiro won the bid for the 2016 Olympics?

Rio de Janeiro

After all of the hoopla, politicking, and lobbying; it's a done deal. Rio de Janeiro will be hosting the summer Olympics in 2016. To many, it seemed that the race would come down to a decision between Chicago and Rio. I joined the ranks of many others who were stymied to learn that Chicago was eliminated in the first round. Even Tokyo - the universal underdog - did better. Personally, and humbly.... I think the IOC got it right this time. As nice as it would be to have the Olympics close to home again - Isn't it about time they had one in South America?

Additionally, Brazil has arrived! So it's time for them to join the international community and represent. And it's time for Brazil to pull some of the load and be held accountable. That means they'll have to pull out their check book and spend a few reais. You know R$. Centavos? Brazilian Dollarini's... ?

You know what I mean? I certainly mean no disrespect but the Olympics should be a global responsibility and a global benefit. Yeah it's going to be a tad bit costly but think of the spillover benefits. New housing, athletic venues, jobs, and infrastructure. Perhaps they'll clean up some of the crime as well.

Furthermore, I'm thrilled that the world will have a chance to view and experience some of Brazil's rich and extensive culture. Many athletes and staff will have an opportunity to visit a part of the world that ordinarily would have escaped them. Chicago is a great place to be in the summertime, but Rio is a new and exciting venue! Millions of viewers will now have a chance to enjoy Brazil right from their living rooms as they watch and observe as their athletes compete.

My hat is off to President Obama, Oprah, Michael Jordan, and the many others who spent political capital in an attempt to bring the games to Chicago. A valiant and noteworthy effort. Sadly, I fear that had Chicago won the bid, many in the world would have viewed this as just another example of the United States applying economic and political dominance.

Way to go Rio!

But I'm sure pulling for Chicago in 2020!

Let's see, ......... how old will I be then?

Mindless Beer Trivia - Guinness Turns 250!

2009-09-25T21:47:00.000-07:00

Thursday, September 24, 2009 probably seemed like any other day to many of you.....

But did you know that on September 24, 1759, Arthur Guinness signed a 9,000 year lease for the St James' Gate Brewery in Dublin, Ireland thus kicking off the 250 year rein of Guinness? Yep, that was "250 years" ago.

Arthur Guinness leased St. James's Gate for £45 per year in 1759 and

it has been the home of Guinness ever since. Guinness, the largest brewer of stout in the world, also claimed the title as the largest brewery in the world for many years. It owned most of the buildings in the surrounding area, including many streets of housing for brewery employees, and offices associated with the brewery. The brewery also made all of its own power using its own power plant. How economical and forward thinking was that?

In honor of Arthur Guinness and Guinness beer, Arthur's Day has been commissioned.

Arthur's Day has been described by Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen as "an excuse for having a great party." Pub-goers across Dublin — as well as cities around the world including Kuala Lumpur, Lagos, Cotonou, Hong Kong, and New York — raised their glasses in tribute to Arthur at exactly 17:59 p.m. to mark the year the drink was begun. Ireland has issued a stamp for the event.

I wonder what it looks like???

"Guinness is Good for You"

(Reformed Irish orthography: Is fearr de thú Guinness)

(Literally: Guinness is better for you)

Across the pond, Jim Koch - founder of Boston Beer Company, hasn't been around for nearly as long as Arthur Guinness and Guinness beer, but he's got a few things to say about drawing/pouring beer and the "A,B,C's" of beer.

Thanks for the pointers Jim. Maybe in about 200 or so years they'll have a special day for you too. I doubt that I'll be around.

But it sure looks like I missed a great party this year!

Courageous Video Mondays! Dan Hartman

2009-09-14T13:50:00.000-07:00

Some Days it's hard to get out of bed... Today was one of those days.

Following a very busy weekend, this morning was further complicated by the constant reminder of last years' collapse of Lehman Brothers. It seemed that every bit of news announced how shares nosedived in London and New York last year as traders dumped stock following the collapse of US investment bank Lehman Brothers. - -- Just when folks were starting to see a glimmer of hope.

We all know the rest of the story regarding the Banking industry.....

In spite of this recurring news, I decided not to be deterred. I figured, I'd enjoy my day regardless of the doomsayers and revel in the good news of the day. I also decided that I needed some syncopated motivation!

I went slightly Old School 80's...... With a hit song from Dan Hartman (from Harrisburg, PA).

The song - I Can Dream About You -was a hit song from the 1984 movie Streets of Fire.

It reached #6 on the U.S. charts and was Hartman's second big hit following the 1978 success of Instant Replay. I wasn't a big fan of the movie but I liked the song. For those of you who were big fans of the movie, here's some trivia that you possibly didn't know:

"I Can Dream About You" was actually sung by Winston Ford, whose vocals were convincingly lip-synced by Stoney Jackson.

Stoney Jackson

Here's the Video:

Enjoy!

Courageous Ideas! Winkers Jeans make your butt look .......

2009-09-12T06:20:00.000-07:00

I totally get this gimmick! Not that I expect everyone to go out and buy a pair but....

Wait a second. No Butts.... Until you watch this video.

And that's what is great about this idea.

"People with No butt need not apply"

In other words, if you don't have a butt or "junk in your trunk" these jeans probably won't work for you. Now I'm not necessarily an expert in this field so don't take my word for this without questioning my logic, butt the way I see it, (pun intended) if you've got a tiny butt then I don't think you'll be able to generate the kinetic energy needed to make these pants wink.

Who remembers their Freshman Physics?

The kinetic energy of an object is the extra energy which it possesses due to its motion. It is defined as the work needed to accelerate a body of a given mass from rest to its current velocity. Having gained this energy during its acceleration, the body maintains this kinetic energy unless its speed changes. Negative work of the same magnitude would be required to return the body to a state of rest from that velocity.

Thus - The resulting booty-shaking winking action

Have you noticed that the models are on the fuller side?

Fuller = more Mass which equals a larger M = more kinetic energy.

Besides, when have you seen a clothing line use full-figured people to model the clothes they are selling? Only when the target market is the full-figured variety. Otherwise, they use those ridiculously skinny, anorexic looking, Abercrombie & Fitch, need a milkshake, donut, and a double cheeseburger, sized models.

Butt that's the whole point. If you have a big Butt, who cares? Everyone walking behind you will be watching the eyes winking and be so distracted, they won't notice the size of your "money maker."

So, if you've ever mouthed the words:

"Honey, do you think these pants make my butt look too big?"

then Winkers might be the right fit for you.

"Wink"

Go out and get a pair! Find them at Winkers LLC

The Dow Jones Industrials, 9/11/01, and - 1 World Trade Center

2009-09-11T13:17:00.000-07:00

As we live through the eighth anniversary of 9/11/01, It's hard not to remember the events and tragedies of that fateful day. From a financial perspective, I find it a bit ironic that the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed at roughly the same level 8 years ago as it will today. On September 10, 2001 the Dow Jones Industrial Average opened at 9603, saw a high of 9672 and a low of 9494. It closed for the day at 9606.

Today I watched as the average bounced all over and around this level.
In just a few minutes the market will close and I'm looking at a DJIA number of 9607. I won't have this post finished before the market closes but I'm pulling for 9606. Why? Because in my own little numerology world, 9606 is a great number. Again you ask Why? Because 9+6+0+6 = 21! And in my book 21 is a great number.....

Oh well, the market just closed and it looks like the final number is going to be 9605.41

(go ahead - round that number up to 9606)

Now that's just freaky!

(or really poor investment performance)

Here's the chart for the DJIA over the last 8 years.

For comparison sake, .... look at the chart for the past 30 years:

It looks like the overall upward and positive trend of the DJIA somehow fell off track around the year 2000 and has been searching for a true course ever since. It tried to gain some steam in 2003 but fell off again in 2008. If you look carefully at 2009, it appears that we may be gaining some upward momentum again and are headed higher.

Only Time Will Tell.....

But I'm hoping that the DOW will charge higher well into 2013 which just so happens to be the projected completion date of 1 World Trade Center
(formerly known as the Freedom Tower).

(We need collective positive thinking- Help me out!)

Artist's rendering of 1 World Trade Center with Midtown Manhattan and the Empire State Building in the background.

Learn a lot more about 1 World Trade Center by following this link:

The Freedom Tower, World Trade Center New York: Glass Steel and Stone

Labor Day Weekend!

2009-09-08T03:59:00.000-07:00

For many, the Labor Day Weekend in the United States represents the end of the summer with pools closing and picnics and BBQ's tapering off. There are great sales in all of the stores everywhere. Summer clothing is ushered out and Fall stuff hits the shelves. Out here in Cali, we're fortunate enough to have several months of great weather still ahead of us.

This year, Labor Day Weekend has been a nice relaxing experience for me. I've actually enjoyed driving around the city. The traffic has been light and the weather has been perfect. I've noticed a great improvement in the air quality and the fires seem to be relinquishing their grip a little. The past few days I attended a fabulous party, played golf with a friend who was visiting for the weekend, and caught up on some reading and blogging!

Suffice to say - I have a new appreciation for "Labor Day Weekend" and the opportunity to rest and take a break from laboring. In response to my newly acquired appreciation, I decided to check into the history of Labor Day. I learned that it's actually a Holiday that we borrowed from our neighbors to the north. According to Wikipedia, Labor Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the first Monday in September. The holiday originated in Canada out of labor disputes ("Nine-Hour Movement") first in Hamilton, then in Toronto, Canada in the 1870s, which resulted in a Trade Union Act which legalized and protected union activity in 1872 in Canada. The parades held in support of the Nine-Hour Movement and the printers' strike led to an annual celebration in Canada.

In 1882, American labor leader Peter J. McGuire witnessed one of these labor festivals in Toronto. Inspired from Canadian events in Toronto, he returned to New York and organized the first American "labor day" on September 5 of the same year. The first Labor Day in the United States was celebrated on September 5, 1882 in New York City. In the aftermath of the deaths of a number of workers at the hands of the US military and US Marshals during the 1894 Pullman Strike, President Grover Cleveland put reconciliation with Labor as a top political priority. Fearing further conflict, legislation making Labor Day a national holiday was rushed through Congress unanimously and signed into law a mere six days after the end of the strike. Cleveland was also concerned that aligning a US labor holiday with existing international May Day celebrations would stir up negative emotions linked to the Haymarket Affair. Currently, all 50 U.S. states have made Labor Day a state holiday

Yippie!

So there you have it. A bit of history and some rest and relaxation. Now all of you reading this (and me) get back to work!

Labor Day is over!

Philadelphia Cheese Steaks!

2009-09-07T05:32:00.000-07:00

Getting back to my Planes, Trains, and Automobiles trek..... (Continued from there)

After spending the morning shopping and touring in the Big Apple, it was time to head off to my next destination. From New York City, it was a nice train ride from Grand Central Station through New Jersey and down to Philadelphia. It was pretty relaxing reading the newspaper and listening to music on my MP3 player. I'll be honest with you, I had two things on my mind during the train ride:

Checking into the Doubletree Hotel (Doubletree Hotel Philadelphia) and collecting my Cookies.

Getting cleaned up and heading out to find a Philly Cheesesteak!

The check-in went quickly and before I knew it I had munched down my delicious cookies (Yum!), cleaned up, and was ready to head out for dinner. (You've got to eat those cookies while they're warm)

The caloric splurge didn't bother me much because I decided a good way to burn off a few calories was to forgo the taxicab ride and walk to my next culinary delight. So I headed left out of the hotel entrance and walked towards South Street.

Back in the day when I visited Philadelphia on a more regular basis, South Street was the place to go. I was surprised at how the environment had changed a bit. Instead of a younger, hipper, livelier crowd, there seemed to be a low-keyed more local and older (30s -40s) crowd. People didn't appear to be just hanging out. They seemed to be headed somewhere special or casually strolling and window shopping. I was pleasantly surprised when I passed by an unfamiliar but interesting site so I snapped a few photos.

A collection of tile, glassware, bicycle parts, bottles, cans and a variety of many other items. Definitely an artist's rendering of something - I speculated.

It was dark and the place was closed but I later learned that this fine work of art was Philadelphia's Magic Gardens - 1020 South Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147 -sometimes referred to as PMG. After doing some searching on the Internet...

Here's what I learned:

Philadelphia's Magic Gardens is a folk art environment, gallery space, and nonprofit organization that showcases the work of mosaicist Isaiah Zagar. Located at the site of Zagar's largest public mosaic installation, the Magic Gardens includes a fully mosaiced indoor gallery and a massive outdoor labyrinthine mosaic sculpture. The installation, primarily consisting of found objects and contributions from the community, covers half a city block with myriads of tile, texture, and color. A walk through the labyrinth will reveal sculptures from Latin America and Asia, bicycle wheels from local South Street shop Via Bicycles, Zagar's hand-made tiles, and mirrors of every shape and size.

Follow these links to learn more about Philadelphia's Magic Gardens -
Click Here

Or about Folk Artist - Isaiah Zagar Click Here

Isaiah Zagar

"I built this sanctuary to be inhabited by my ideas and my fantasies."

(Poetry from the maze of mosaics at PMG)

The above two photos came from Photo Journalist Gabe Kirchheimer

He has an extensive collection of premium photos on display.

You can see more of his photo's by following this link: Gabe Kirchheimer's

or stopping by his site at:

http://www.gabekphoto.com/portfolio/zagar/magicalgarden.htm#

So with all of the artsy - fartsy stuff done, it was time to get down to some real business. The business of finding an awesome cheesesteak. I had really talked this treat up and I was looking forward to the encounter. As I remembered, there were two competing places that always got my business. Jim's Steaks and Ishkabibble's. I wondered if either was still around. After walking a few blocks on South street I crossed paths with two local young ladies who were headed to the Whole Foods Market. Just on a whim I asked: "Where's the best place to get a Cheesesteak?" Their reply was surprisingly chatty. One suggested I try Jim's Steaks..... (score I thought, it is still open)

Just out of curiosity, I asked about Ishkabibble's. The other gal jumped in.... "Oh that's my favorite place to go. I usually send tourists to Jim's for the atmosphere and experience but frankly, I always go to Ishkabibble's."

Interesting - I thought. As fate would have it, I walked by Jim's Steaks first. The place was jumping. Steaks, peppers, and onions were on the grill. A soft smoke from the meat filled the air. There was a line formed inside against the wall and people were hustling upstairs in search of seating.

Jim's Steaks - South Street

Just to compare, I walked a few more steps and crossed the street to find Ishkabibble's.

Things were a lot more subdued at Iskabibble's. There were a few people seated inside enjoying dinner and a short line at a walk up order station facing the street.

I decided to go with the action and headed back to Jim's. I walked in and after a short wait started my order. My order of Steak, Onions, and Swiss cheese, was loaded expertly on a bun and was served up quickly with an equal portion of Philadelphia Attitude!

No problem,

I smiled....

I'll take a Heineken with that order too - PLEASE!

I sauntered upstairs, located a seat, added some pepper to my creation and proceeded to partake of this local treasure.

Not bad I thought. I'll rate it 7/10 points on the taste... the meat was a tad bit chewy...

But I'll give the experience an 8/10 points.

Just for the record - The next time I'll try Ishkabibble's.

Here's what

Catherine A. from Philadelphia writes on Yelp; 09/03/2009 about Ishkabibble's:

Whenever a tourist stops me in the vicinity of South Street and asks me where the best cheesesteak is, I send them here. Everything I've ever had from here is delicious. My personal favorite is the chicken cheesesteak, with american and fried onions, but I love their sweet potato fries, I love their cheesesteaks, I love their Gremlins, I even love their veggie burgers. I especially love watching the line for Jim's across the street as people stand by for a sub-par steak and I order, receive and eat my steak before they get in the door. Makes me smile every time.

Schucks. Wish I had read her review prior to my trip.........

Thanks for reading. Watch for my next stop. Gettysburg, PA.