I sent a quick Merry Christmas text message to Marcie and Justin and they e-mailed that they had a child named Ian on October 30th. That's the same date as their wedding anniversary.
My first Fly Fishing Experience
Some years ago before I met Z, Dave and Ronnie and I were fishing the the mouth at the north end of channel between the Lake of the Isles, and Lake Calhoun in Minneapolis.
We were using hook and bobber rigs with night crawler or minnow on the hooks. The channel was lined with people fishing. Many of the people that were fishing were taking every fish the caught. Even the ones we would consider too small for fillets.
At that time the center of Lake of Isles had weeds in the center. A young man walked up to the edge of the lake with a fly rod and a wicker creel. He started to haul his line and cast it further that we could into the weeds. I watched him as he twitched the fly on his first cast without success.
After his second cast landed further in a hole in the weeds and sat there a few seconds, a fish rippled the surface of the water and he set the hook. He stripped the sunfish in took the hook out of the sunfish's mouth and put it into his creel.
Nothing was happening with my bobber so I watched him make his next cast. As he dropped the fly into the same spot with what seemed like grace the fly attracted another sunfish. I knew at that moment there was something to this fly fishing that caught fish.
$30 for 30 Tans Coupon
Our experience with a Sol360 tanning salon located in Rosemount.
So far we haven't received any response from thie business about our concern. We think that they have pretty poor representation of the service in their ads.
Dear Manager,
We are writing you to express how very upset we were when we stopped in to your store this evening. We haven't tanned in a few years. What brought us in to patronize your store was the mail pack coupon which CLEARLY reads, "$30 For 30 TANS new customers only". That would apply to us; we haven't tanned with you before.
After the tour, and further discussion with your staff, we were firmly informed that the coupon AND TANS must be used within a 30-day period only. After some further discussion, when we stated that there is a blatant difference between the definitions of "$30 for 30 Tans" and "$30 for a Month (30 days)," we were even more discouraged. It was our intent to buy two "$30 for 30 Tans", use what we would prior to our vacation and continue to use the balance after the vacation.
Our vacation begins January 13th, so we knew we wouldn't get all 30 sessions in prior to our trip if tanning even every other day (to be safe) -- NOR, does the coupon say it is for "days". The coupon does state that it (the coupon) expires January 31, 2007 -- not that the tans must be used within a 30 day period.
This is quite clearly a Bait & Switch. The coupon is what brought us in your door for business. Then when we got there, the package changed to other options of $100+ -- not what we walked in the door for -- not what your coupon clearly states.
Once again, we are VERY upset about this and will likely never walk in your store again -- and will surely share our experience with our neighbors and others in the community. The only thing that would change this experience from distaste to one of satisfaction would be for you to professionally honor the coupon as it clearly states.
Should we receive no satisfaction, we will most surely report this to the Better Business Bureau as a clear "Bait & Switch" advertising campaign. To give you the benefit of the doubt, we're sure that wasn't your intent, but if you want new people to patronize your store, you must learn to honor your coupons.
We look forward to hearing promptly as time is running is of the essence. We'll hang on to your coupon and hope for a bright outcome.
No Dart Love 2, Wa Da Hell 8
Tonight we played Lonnie's team, Wa Da Hell. We had to pick someone from the bar for a sub or we would've forfeited or match.
Kevin didn't make it tonight and Nicole didn't do enough during the week to find a sub.
We found Pam to throw in Kevin's place. Pam wasn't a good thrower but we all encouraged her just the same. She even took a win. She was so happy. It was the first time she had won a cricket game in a league.
After Pam's win, Julie F mentioned to me that Pam had Cancer and was going to have some treatment tomorrow. Before that point, we all wanted to best she could and still have fun. We treated her well and why would we treat her any different knowing she had cancer. She was doing us a favor by shooting darts on our team as a sub. We would had to forfeit all twelve games without her.
She had shot no more than a 0.5 MPR. I knew going into the night that each of us was going to have to cover for her if we were to win any games.
I finished the night with a 1.99 MPR for the night and 4 five mark rounds an a 6 mark round.
People don't like that Julie F very much. After the league play was over Nicole and I played a game of 501 and a game of 701. There was an argument between Julie some other woman (who kept offering her left over food to us all night) and Missy C. I think it was some sort of disagreement about the bill for drinks and their food.
Muslum Leaders have to do more! The enemy among us!
I believe that in this war on terror that Islamic leaders need to be more public about being against the radical violence.
Perhaps the reason they don't is either is that they have fear of retaliation from the radicals or they secretly sympathize with the radical cause. Either way they are working toward the advancement of the Islamic radical cause and against the liberties of the western world.
Back some years ago when there was this artist that showed Jesus hanging on the cross immersed in urine, I don't recall Christians having violent riots in the streets in protest.
Too many Islamic leaders are being neutral on the subject of this violent behavior. I think that they should pick a side. Liberty or a religion that would oppress people.
It may have to go as far as those leaders to make a decision on this before it is too late.
What can be done on Grand Cayman Island
There are four things that you can do in Grand Cayman.
Some people might say that seeing the turtle farm is one of them, but I disagree. The turtle farm isn't that special.
Ok, here are the four things:
You can visit Seven Mile Beach which is really only 5 miles long.
You can pet the sting rays at Sting Ray City. I hear that the number of people petting the sting rays have really dropped since the Crocodile Hunter got killed by a sting ray.
You can go to hell. Z and I went on a tour and the Town of Hell was on the stops. Z and I took some photos of the hellish landscape the bought some post cards to mail from the post office there in hell. If it wasn't for another person on the tour, the driver of our tour almost left without us. We almost got left in Hell!
The last thing you can do in the Cayman Island is open an offshore bank account.
No Dart Love 7 The Drifters 5
Tonight we won the Drifters by 2 games. I shot an average for the night of 2.4 MPR (Marks Per Round). I shot 5 five mark rounds, 1 six mark round and 1 seven mark round. I shot really well. My average for the season has moved up to a 1.96 MPR.
High Fliers 10 No Dart Love 2
Last night our dart team played against the High Fliers. They are all good players. They have the 2nd and 4th ranked players in our league.
I averaged 2.10 MPR for the night. I had a 9 mark round, a 7 mark round and two 5 mark rounds.
Right now for the season I have, 14 five mark rounds, 4 six mark rounds, 3 seven mark rounds, 1 eight mark round, and 1 nine mark round. All I'll need to get at least one of each mark is a Hat Trick (3 Bulls Eyes in one round) and a White Horse (three triples of three consecutive numbers i.e. Triple 20's, triple 19's and triple 18's).
I have done both Hat Tricks and a White Horse in prior seasons so I know I have the capability of doing them both.
Since the teams on our schedule are not as good as the High Fliers and the Pheasant Pluckers, the next few weeks should be easier. We should be able to win more games.
Watch "Voyager Class Travel Videos" on Google Video
Your friend, adxpress@pro-ns.net, has sent you the following video from Google Video:
Voyager Class Travel Videos
29 sec - Aug 17, 2006
Average rating: 
(2 ratings)
Description: FIND THIS AND OVER 6,000 TRAVEL VIDEOS AT WWW.TRAVELVIDEOSTORE.COM Voyager of the Seas, Explorer of the Seas, Adventure of the Seas, Navigator of the Seas, Mariner of the SeasWelcome to the Voyager Class The World's Waiting for you. Get out There! Say Bon Voyage to the typical cruise vacation and hello to an unforgettable aventure! Introducing many "firsts" in the cruise industry like the Royal Promenade. Wait until you see the places they're going to take you. Grand Cayman, Cozumel, Labadee, Bahamas, St. Thomas, Martinique, San Jaun, Ocho Rios, Aruba, Caracau, St. Maarten. Experience the caribbean in ways you've only dreamed of.
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No Dart Love 2, Pheasant Pluckers 10
Last night we played against the Pheasant Pluckers. I had only a few games where I played well.
Kivi had 2 White Horses and Hoot got one. A White Horse is where a dart thrower would get a for example, triple 20 on the first dart, triple 19 on the second dart and triple 18 on the third dart.
History Left Out of Our Newspapers & Textbooks
TO MY FRIENDS:
Please read with an open mind.
THIS IS HISTORY THAT HAS BEEN LEFT OUT OF OUR TEXTBOOKS. MOST OF YOU ARE NOTOLD ENOUGH TO REMEMBER THAT NEARLY EVERY FAMILY IN AMERICA WAS GROSSLY AFFECTED BY WWII. MOST OF YOU DON'T REMEMBER THE RATIONING OF MEAT, SHOES,GASOLINE, AND SUGAR. NO TIRES FOR OUR AUTOMOBILES, AND A SPEED LIMIT OF 35 MILES AN HOUR ON THE ROAD. NOT TO MENTION, NO NEW AUTOMOBILES. READ THIS AND THINK ABOUT HOW WE WOULD REACT TO BEING TAKEN OVER BY FOREIGNERS IN 2007.
This is an EXCELLENT essay. Well thought out and presented. Historical Significance by Raymond S. Kraft
Sixty-three years ago, Nazi Germany had overrun almost all of Europe and hammered England to the verge of bankruptcy and defeat, and had sunk more than four hundred British ships in their convoys between England and America for food and war materials. At that time the US was in an isolationist, pacifist mood, and most Americans wanted nothing to do with the European or the Asian war.
Then along came Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, and in outrage Congress unanimously declared war on Japan, and the following day on Germany, which had not yet attacked us. It was a dicey thing. We had few allies.
France was not an ally, as the Vichy government of France quickly aligned itself with its German occupiers. Germany was certainly not an ally, as Hitler was intent on setting up a Thousand Year Reich in Europe. Japan was not an ally, as it was well on its way to owning and controlling all of Asia.
Together, Japan and Germany had long-range plans of invading Canada and Mexico, as launching pads to get into the United States over our northern and southern borders, after they finished gaining control of Asiaand Europe. America's only allies then were England, Ireland, Scotland, Canada, Australia, and Russia.That was about it. All of Europe, from Norway to Italy, except Russia in the East, was already under the Nazi heel.
America was certainly not prepared for war. America had drastically downgraded most of its military forces after WWI and throughout the depression, so that at the outbreak of WW2, army units were training with broomsticks because they didn't have guns, and cars with "tank" painted on the doors because they didn't have real tanks. And a huge chunk of our navy had just been sunk or damaged at Pearl Harbor.
Britain had already gone bankrupt, saved only by the donation of $600 million in gold bullion in the Bank of England, that was actually the property of Belgium, given by Belgium to England to carry on the war when Belgium was overrun by Hitler (a little known fact).
Actually, Belgium surrendered on one day, because it was unable to oppose the German invasion, and the Germans bombed Brussels into rubble the next day just to prove they could.
Britain had already been holding out for two years in the face of staggering losses and the near decimation of its air force in the Battle of Britain, and was saved from being overrun by Germany only because Hitler made the mistake of thinking the Brits were a relatively minor threat that could be dealt with later, and first turning his attention to Russia, at a time when England was on the verge of collapse, in the late summer of 1940.
Ironically, Russia saved America's butt by putting up a desperate fight for two years, until the US got geared up to begin hammering away at Germany. Russia lost something like 24 million people in the sieges of Stalingrad and Moscow alone... 90% of them from cold and starvation, mostly civilians, but also more than a 1,000,000 soldiers.
Had Russia surrendered, Hitler would have been able to focus his entire war effort against the Brits, then America. And the Nazis could possibly have won the war.
All of this is to illustrate that turning points in history are often dicey things. And now, we find ourselves at another one of those key moments inhistory.
There is a very dangerous minority in Islam that either has, or wants and may soon have, the ability to deliver small nuclear, biological, or chemical weapons, almost anywhere in the world.The Jihadis, the militant Muslims, are basically Nazis in Kaffiyahs -- they believe that Islam, a radically conservative form of Wahhabi Islam, should own and control the Middle East first, then Europe, then the world.
And that all who do not bow to their will of thinking should be killed, enslaved, or subjugated. They want to finish the Holocaust, destroy Israel, and purgethe world of Jews. This is their mantra.There is also a civil war raging in the Middle East -- for the most part not a hot war, but a war of ideas.
Islam is having its Inquisition and its Reformation, but it is not known yet which will win -- the Inquisitors, or the Reformationists. If the Inquisition wins, then the Wahhabis, the Jihadis, will control the Middle East, the OPEC oil, and the US, European, and Asian economies.
The techno-industrial economies will be at the mercy of OPEC -- not an OPEC dominated by the educated, rational Saudis of today, but an OPEC dominated by the Jihadis. You want gas in your car? You want heating oil next winter? You want the dollar to be worth anything? You better hope the Jihad, the Muslim Inquisition, loses, and the Islamic Reformation wins.
If the Reformation movement wins, that is, the moderate Muslims who believe that Islam can respect and tolerate other religions, and live in peace with the rest of the world, and move out of the 10th century into the 21st, then the troubles in the Middle East will eventually fade away, and a moderate and prosperous Middle East will emerge.
We have to help the Reformation win, and to do that we have to fight the Inquisition, i.e., the Wahhabi movement, the Jihad, Al Qaeda and the Islamic terrorist movements. We have to do it somewhere. And we can't do it everywhere at once.
We have created a focal point for the battle at a time and place of our choosing...in Iraq. Not in New York, not in London, or Paris or Berlin, but in Iraq, where we are doing two important things.
(1) We deposed Saddam Hussein. Whether Saddam Hussein was directly involved in 9/11 or not, it is undisputed that Saddam has been actively supporting the terrorist movement for decades. Saddam is a terrorist. Saddam is, or was, a weapon of mass destruction, who is responsible for the deaths of probably more than a million Iraqis and two million Iranians.
(2) We created a battle, a confrontation, a flash point, with Islamic terrorism in Iraq. We have focused the battle. We are killing bad people, and the ones we get there we won't have to get here. We also have a good shot at creating a democratic, peaceful Iraq, which will be a catalyst for democratic change in the rest of the Middle East, and an outpost for a stabilizing American military presence in the Middle East for as long as it is needed.
World War II, the war with the German and Japanese Nazis, really began with a "whimper" in 1928. It did not begin with Pearl Harbor. It began with theJapanese invasion of China. It was a war for fourteen years before America joined it. It officially ended in 1945 -- a 17 year war -- and was followed by another decade of US occupation in Germany and Japan to get those countries reconstructed and running on their own again ... a 27 year war.
World War II cost the United States an amount equal to approximately a full year's GDP -- adjusted for inflation, equal to about $12 trillion dollars. W.W.II cost America more than 400,000 killed in action, and nearly 100,000 still missing in action.
The Iraq war has, so far, cost the US about $160 billion, which is roughly what 9/11 cost New York. It has also cost about 2,200 American lives, which is roughly 2/3 of the 3,000 lives that the Jihad snuffed on 9/11.
But the cost of not fighting and winning W.W.II would have been unimaginably greater -- a world dominated by German and Japanese Nazism.
This is not 60 minute TV shows, and 2 hour movies in which everything comes out okay.The real world is not like that. It is messy, uncertain, and sometimes bloody and ugly. Always has been, and probably always will be.
The bottom line is that we will have to deal with Islamic terrorism until we defeat it, whenever that is. It will not go away if we ignore it. If the US can create a reasonably democratic and stable Iraq, then we have an "England" in the Middle East, a platform, from which we can work to help modernize and moderate the Middle East. The history of the world is the clash between the forces of relative civility and civilization, and the barbarians clamoring at the gates.
The Iraq war is merely another battle in this ancient and never ending war. And now, for the first time ever, the barbarians are about to get nuclear weapons. Unless somebody prevents them.
We have four options:
1. we can defeat the Jihad now, before it gets nuclear weapons.
2. We can fight the Jihad later, after it gets nuclear weapons (which may be as early as next year, if Iran's progress on nuclear weapons is what Iran claims it is)
3. We can surrender to the Jihad and accept its dominance in the Middle East, now, in Europe in the next few years or decades, and ultimately in America.
4. Or, we can stand down now, and pick up the fight later when the Jihad is more widespread and better armed, perhaps after the Jihad has dominated France and Germany and maybe most of the rest of Europe.
It will, of course, be more dangerous, more expensive, and much bloodier.
The history of the world is the history of civilizational clashes, cultural clashes. All wars are about ideas, ideas about what society and civilization should be like, and the most determined always win.Those who are willing to be the most ruthless always win. The pacifists always lose, because the anti-pacifists kill them.
Remember, perspective is every thing, and America's schools teach too little history for perspective to be clear, especially in the young American mind.The Cold war lasted from about 1947 at least until the Berlin Wall came down in 1989. Forty-two years.
Europe spent the first half of the 19th century fighting Napoleon, and from 1870 to 1945 fighting Germany World War II began in 1928, lasted 17 years, plus a ten year occupation, and the US still has troops in Germany and Japan. World War II resulted in thedeath of more than 50 million people, maybe more than 100 million people, depending on which estimates you accept. The US has taken more than 2,000 killed in action in Iraq.
The US took more than 4,000 killed in action on the morning of June 6, 1944, the first dayof the Normandy Invasion to rid Europe of Nazi Imperialism. In W.W.II the US averaged 2,000 killed in action a week -- for four years. Most of the individual battles of W.W.II lost more Americans than the entire Iraq war has done so far. But the stakes are at least as high ... A world dominated by representative governments with civil rights, human rights, and personal freedoms... or a world dominated by a radical Islamic Wahhabi movement, by the Jihad, under the Mullahs and the Sharia (Islamic law).
It's difficult to understand why the American left does not grasp this. They favor human rights, civil rights, liberty and freedom, but evidentlyn ot for Iraqis. "Peace Activists" always seem to demonstrate here in America, where it's safe. Why don't we see Peace Activist demonstrating in Iran, Syria, Iraq, Sudan, North Korea, in the places that really need peace activism the most?
The liberal mentality is supposed to favor human rights, civil rights, democracy, multiculturalism, diversity, etc., but if the Jihad wins, wherever the Jihad wins, it is the end of civil rights, human rights, democracy, multiculturalism, diversity, etc. Americans who oppose the liberation of Iraq are coming down on the side of their own worst enemy.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Raymond S. Kraft is a writer living in Northern California. Please consider passing along copies of this article to students in high school, college and university as it contains information about the American past that is very meaningful today -- history about America that very likely is completely unknown by them (and their instructors, too). By being denied the facts of our history, they are at a decided disadvantage when it comes to reasoning and thinking through the issues of today. They are prime targets for misinformation campaigns beamed at enlisting them in causes and beliefs that are special interest agenda driven.
Please read with an open mind.
THIS IS HISTORY THAT HAS BEEN LEFT OUT OF OUR TEXTBOOKS. MOST OF YOU ARE NOTOLD ENOUGH TO REMEMBER THAT NEARLY EVERY FAMILY IN AMERICA WAS GROSSLY AFFECTED BY WWII. MOST OF YOU DON'T REMEMBER THE RATIONING OF MEAT, SHOES,GASOLINE, AND SUGAR. NO TIRES FOR OUR AUTOMOBILES, AND A SPEED LIMIT OF 35 MILES AN HOUR ON THE ROAD. NOT TO MENTION, NO NEW AUTOMOBILES. READ THIS AND THINK ABOUT HOW WE WOULD REACT TO BEING TAKEN OVER BY FOREIGNERS IN 2007.
This is an EXCELLENT essay. Well thought out and presented. Historical Significance by Raymond S. Kraft
Sixty-three years ago, Nazi Germany had overrun almost all of Europe and hammered England to the verge of bankruptcy and defeat, and had sunk more than four hundred British ships in their convoys between England and America for food and war materials. At that time the US was in an isolationist, pacifist mood, and most Americans wanted nothing to do with the European or the Asian war.
Then along came Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, and in outrage Congress unanimously declared war on Japan, and the following day on Germany, which had not yet attacked us. It was a dicey thing. We had few allies.
France was not an ally, as the Vichy government of France quickly aligned itself with its German occupiers. Germany was certainly not an ally, as Hitler was intent on setting up a Thousand Year Reich in Europe. Japan was not an ally, as it was well on its way to owning and controlling all of Asia.
Together, Japan and Germany had long-range plans of invading Canada and Mexico, as launching pads to get into the United States over our northern and southern borders, after they finished gaining control of Asiaand Europe. America's only allies then were England, Ireland, Scotland, Canada, Australia, and Russia.That was about it. All of Europe, from Norway to Italy, except Russia in the East, was already under the Nazi heel.
America was certainly not prepared for war. America had drastically downgraded most of its military forces after WWI and throughout the depression, so that at the outbreak of WW2, army units were training with broomsticks because they didn't have guns, and cars with "tank" painted on the doors because they didn't have real tanks. And a huge chunk of our navy had just been sunk or damaged at Pearl Harbor.
Britain had already gone bankrupt, saved only by the donation of $600 million in gold bullion in the Bank of England, that was actually the property of Belgium, given by Belgium to England to carry on the war when Belgium was overrun by Hitler (a little known fact).
Actually, Belgium surrendered on one day, because it was unable to oppose the German invasion, and the Germans bombed Brussels into rubble the next day just to prove they could.
Britain had already been holding out for two years in the face of staggering losses and the near decimation of its air force in the Battle of Britain, and was saved from being overrun by Germany only because Hitler made the mistake of thinking the Brits were a relatively minor threat that could be dealt with later, and first turning his attention to Russia, at a time when England was on the verge of collapse, in the late summer of 1940.
Ironically, Russia saved America's butt by putting up a desperate fight for two years, until the US got geared up to begin hammering away at Germany. Russia lost something like 24 million people in the sieges of Stalingrad and Moscow alone... 90% of them from cold and starvation, mostly civilians, but also more than a 1,000,000 soldiers.
Had Russia surrendered, Hitler would have been able to focus his entire war effort against the Brits, then America. And the Nazis could possibly have won the war.
All of this is to illustrate that turning points in history are often dicey things. And now, we find ourselves at another one of those key moments inhistory.
There is a very dangerous minority in Islam that either has, or wants and may soon have, the ability to deliver small nuclear, biological, or chemical weapons, almost anywhere in the world.The Jihadis, the militant Muslims, are basically Nazis in Kaffiyahs -- they believe that Islam, a radically conservative form of Wahhabi Islam, should own and control the Middle East first, then Europe, then the world.
And that all who do not bow to their will of thinking should be killed, enslaved, or subjugated. They want to finish the Holocaust, destroy Israel, and purgethe world of Jews. This is their mantra.There is also a civil war raging in the Middle East -- for the most part not a hot war, but a war of ideas.
Islam is having its Inquisition and its Reformation, but it is not known yet which will win -- the Inquisitors, or the Reformationists. If the Inquisition wins, then the Wahhabis, the Jihadis, will control the Middle East, the OPEC oil, and the US, European, and Asian economies.
The techno-industrial economies will be at the mercy of OPEC -- not an OPEC dominated by the educated, rational Saudis of today, but an OPEC dominated by the Jihadis. You want gas in your car? You want heating oil next winter? You want the dollar to be worth anything? You better hope the Jihad, the Muslim Inquisition, loses, and the Islamic Reformation wins.
If the Reformation movement wins, that is, the moderate Muslims who believe that Islam can respect and tolerate other religions, and live in peace with the rest of the world, and move out of the 10th century into the 21st, then the troubles in the Middle East will eventually fade away, and a moderate and prosperous Middle East will emerge.
We have to help the Reformation win, and to do that we have to fight the Inquisition, i.e., the Wahhabi movement, the Jihad, Al Qaeda and the Islamic terrorist movements. We have to do it somewhere. And we can't do it everywhere at once.
We have created a focal point for the battle at a time and place of our choosing...in Iraq. Not in New York, not in London, or Paris or Berlin, but in Iraq, where we are doing two important things.
(1) We deposed Saddam Hussein. Whether Saddam Hussein was directly involved in 9/11 or not, it is undisputed that Saddam has been actively supporting the terrorist movement for decades. Saddam is a terrorist. Saddam is, or was, a weapon of mass destruction, who is responsible for the deaths of probably more than a million Iraqis and two million Iranians.
(2) We created a battle, a confrontation, a flash point, with Islamic terrorism in Iraq. We have focused the battle. We are killing bad people, and the ones we get there we won't have to get here. We also have a good shot at creating a democratic, peaceful Iraq, which will be a catalyst for democratic change in the rest of the Middle East, and an outpost for a stabilizing American military presence in the Middle East for as long as it is needed.
World War II, the war with the German and Japanese Nazis, really began with a "whimper" in 1928. It did not begin with Pearl Harbor. It began with theJapanese invasion of China. It was a war for fourteen years before America joined it. It officially ended in 1945 -- a 17 year war -- and was followed by another decade of US occupation in Germany and Japan to get those countries reconstructed and running on their own again ... a 27 year war.
World War II cost the United States an amount equal to approximately a full year's GDP -- adjusted for inflation, equal to about $12 trillion dollars. W.W.II cost America more than 400,000 killed in action, and nearly 100,000 still missing in action.
The Iraq war has, so far, cost the US about $160 billion, which is roughly what 9/11 cost New York. It has also cost about 2,200 American lives, which is roughly 2/3 of the 3,000 lives that the Jihad snuffed on 9/11.
But the cost of not fighting and winning W.W.II would have been unimaginably greater -- a world dominated by German and Japanese Nazism.
This is not 60 minute TV shows, and 2 hour movies in which everything comes out okay.The real world is not like that. It is messy, uncertain, and sometimes bloody and ugly. Always has been, and probably always will be.
The bottom line is that we will have to deal with Islamic terrorism until we defeat it, whenever that is. It will not go away if we ignore it. If the US can create a reasonably democratic and stable Iraq, then we have an "England" in the Middle East, a platform, from which we can work to help modernize and moderate the Middle East. The history of the world is the clash between the forces of relative civility and civilization, and the barbarians clamoring at the gates.
The Iraq war is merely another battle in this ancient and never ending war. And now, for the first time ever, the barbarians are about to get nuclear weapons. Unless somebody prevents them.
We have four options:
1. we can defeat the Jihad now, before it gets nuclear weapons.
2. We can fight the Jihad later, after it gets nuclear weapons (which may be as early as next year, if Iran's progress on nuclear weapons is what Iran claims it is)
3. We can surrender to the Jihad and accept its dominance in the Middle East, now, in Europe in the next few years or decades, and ultimately in America.
4. Or, we can stand down now, and pick up the fight later when the Jihad is more widespread and better armed, perhaps after the Jihad has dominated France and Germany and maybe most of the rest of Europe.
It will, of course, be more dangerous, more expensive, and much bloodier.
-----------------------------------------
If you oppose this war, I hope you like the idea that your children, or grandchildren, may live in an Islamic America under the Mullahs and the Sharia, an America that resembles Iran today.
-------------------------------------------
The history of the world is the history of civilizational clashes, cultural clashes. All wars are about ideas, ideas about what society and civilization should be like, and the most determined always win.Those who are willing to be the most ruthless always win. The pacifists always lose, because the anti-pacifists kill them.
Remember, perspective is every thing, and America's schools teach too little history for perspective to be clear, especially in the young American mind.The Cold war lasted from about 1947 at least until the Berlin Wall came down in 1989. Forty-two years.
Europe spent the first half of the 19th century fighting Napoleon, and from 1870 to 1945 fighting Germany World War II began in 1928, lasted 17 years, plus a ten year occupation, and the US still has troops in Germany and Japan. World War II resulted in thedeath of more than 50 million people, maybe more than 100 million people, depending on which estimates you accept. The US has taken more than 2,000 killed in action in Iraq.
The US took more than 4,000 killed in action on the morning of June 6, 1944, the first dayof the Normandy Invasion to rid Europe of Nazi Imperialism. In W.W.II the US averaged 2,000 killed in action a week -- for four years. Most of the individual battles of W.W.II lost more Americans than the entire Iraq war has done so far. But the stakes are at least as high ... A world dominated by representative governments with civil rights, human rights, and personal freedoms... or a world dominated by a radical Islamic Wahhabi movement, by the Jihad, under the Mullahs and the Sharia (Islamic law).
It's difficult to understand why the American left does not grasp this. They favor human rights, civil rights, liberty and freedom, but evidentlyn ot for Iraqis. "Peace Activists" always seem to demonstrate here in America, where it's safe. Why don't we see Peace Activist demonstrating in Iran, Syria, Iraq, Sudan, North Korea, in the places that really need peace activism the most?
The liberal mentality is supposed to favor human rights, civil rights, democracy, multiculturalism, diversity, etc., but if the Jihad wins, wherever the Jihad wins, it is the end of civil rights, human rights, democracy, multiculturalism, diversity, etc. Americans who oppose the liberation of Iraq are coming down on the side of their own worst enemy.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Raymond S. Kraft is a writer living in Northern California. Please consider passing along copies of this article to students in high school, college and university as it contains information about the American past that is very meaningful today -- history about America that very likely is completely unknown by them (and their instructors, too). By being denied the facts of our history, they are at a decided disadvantage when it comes to reasoning and thinking through the issues of today. They are prime targets for misinformation campaigns beamed at enlisting them in causes and beliefs that are special interest agenda driven.
Teaching a blogging class.
Tomorrow Z and I are going to teach a class on setting up a blog. We are getting the information on it together tonight. Got to get working.
11/5/06
I spent the morning and first half of the afternoon picking up leaves.
Our yard is looking good this fall.
Our yard is looking good this fall.
Tonight our dart team played against The Drifters. I shot pretty well. I
ended up the night with a 2.1 MPR average. We won 7 and lost 5 games in
the match. My average so far for the season is 1.89 MPR.
ended up the night with a 2.1 MPR average. We won 7 and lost 5 games in
the match. My average so far for the season is 1.89 MPR.
Mini Golf at the Cancun Lagoon
Today we played mini golf at the Cancun Lagoon. This course has three nine hole courses. One is completely outside and the other two are mostly inside with a few holes outside. It is a better maintained course than the Jurassic course but the greens seemed faster and more flat.
First Round of Miniature Golf
Today Z and I played some miniature golf. We played two rounds at Jurassic Golf. It is a creative and fun course with some interesting grades on most of the holes.
We make sales on eBay even on vacation!
We sold 500 calendar magnets on eBay for $175. So far for October eBay sales $1291.
Today Z and I went to a timeshare presentation. We know that we got a really great deal by buying the Arkansas timeshare. They were trying to sell us buying 16,000 points a year for about the same amount as what we have with 72,000 points a year. =20
We then went to the Myrtle Beach Pavilion area to do some shopping. We went out to the end of pier 14 to watch some people catching fish. We had lunch at a restaurant.
First day of vacation
Last night we only got three hours of sleep. We flew from Minneapolis to Chicago then to Myrtle Beach SC. We had pecan rolls at my parents, breakfast in Chicago and lunch here in Myrtle Beach. Right now Z and I are in bed resting. We plan on using this vacation for rest and relaxation.
At lunch we called Clark and he said that Doug L was competing in a Texas Hold'em Tournament and that if he did well Doug could compete in the World Series of Poker.
Dan called me tonight to see if Z and I wanted to play some Texas Hold'em. I told because we were in SC we wouldn't be able to make it.
It's never too late to learn.
Last night Jack and I ran the Hastings Chessperadoes Chess Club. We taught the kids about some tactics. A older man showed up. His name was Marvin. Marvin is a retired pipe fitter who just recently had taken to learning about chess. Hi know Richard V, the chess instructor that I replaced. I had Marvin sit down with one of the kids to play a game with her.
He said he was in his 80's.
He was looking to perhaps to start an adult chess club. Jack and I thought it might be a pretty good idea to meet once or twice a month at a location like a coffee house or a restaurant. Marvin said that it could be arrange to meet at the church in Cottage Grove across from the nursery and net to the golf course on Highway 61.
I talked to a couple of guys I knew and they said that playing in an adult chess club is something that they would do. I'm not sure if I'll have too much time to be involved in the organizing. We'll have to see where this goes.
He said he was in his 80's.
He was looking to perhaps to start an adult chess club. Jack and I thought it might be a pretty good idea to meet once or twice a month at a location like a coffee house or a restaurant. Marvin said that it could be arrange to meet at the church in Cottage Grove across from the nursery and net to the golf course on Highway 61.
I talked to a couple of guys I knew and they said that playing in an adult chess club is something that they would do. I'm not sure if I'll have too much time to be involved in the organizing. We'll have to see where this goes.
Axis of Evil and the Goose Step
Why is it that all the Evil leaders make their military, like North Korea (right photo), Saddam Hussein's Iraq, Iran (left photo), Hitlers Army (during WWI), Soviet Union (during the cold war)... parade using the goose step march. It seems all one has to do to call a country evil is to watch their army. If they parade using the goose step, their the enemy.
$20,000 in Sales - Another Good Day
Today I had another good day with $20,000 in sales. $5000 of it being a 16k Watt generator. I felt that was going to be a good day from the start because my first call was an order for a $1200 log splitter.
$20,000 not as great as $42,000, as I did yesterday, but still a good day.
$20,000 not as great as $42,000, as I did yesterday, but still a good day.
$42,000 In Sales.
Today I sold a total of $42,000 merchandise. The two main things that I sold were a 20 HP diesel tractor with a front-end loader and a 40K Watt generator and 3 phase transfer switch. The tractor was a call right out of the blue. I even sold the guy on a one year extended warranty for $1100. The 40k Watt generator with the transfer switch I had been working on for a week or two.
I was even able to sell 12 two year accidental damage extended warranties on an order of 12 water pumps.
I was even able to sell 12 two year accidental damage extended warranties on an order of 12 water pumps.
New RAM Memory in computer.
Get the two 512 memory sticks from the post office today. It took me only a few minutes to install them. It took me more time to find the Windows program check the RAM memory capacity. I had to see if both sticks were working and installed correctly. This Windows XP computer works much faster with 1012 MB than it did with only 128 MB.
Z will have an easier time creating the website for the Hastings Women's Expo.
I'll have to get those transparencies made for Jack's presentation for the chess club.
Z will have an easier time creating the website for the Hastings Women's Expo.
I'll have to get those transparencies made for Jack's presentation for the chess club.
Hastings Chessperadoes.
Tonight, Jack and I had our second chess club meeting. The guy name Tom showed up as a volunteer. Tom is related to one of my wife's co-workers. Tom has competed in many tournaments and used to be rated. I believe if he continues to participate he could be valuable in teaching the kids. I suggested to Tom that in a couple weeks he could introduce the kids to a new chess opening,
I tried to teach the kids how to do chess notation. I believe that kids learning chess notation is important because if they were to read any chess books knowing notation makes those books easier to read. They hat chess notation. I told the kids that if they notated one of their games they can each get some candy. They were all for that.
Next Tuesday Jack is going to do a presentation on tactics.
I tried to teach the kids how to do chess notation. I believe that kids learning chess notation is important because if they were to read any chess books knowing notation makes those books easier to read. They hat chess notation. I told the kids that if they notated one of their games they can each get some candy. They were all for that.
Next Tuesday Jack is going to do a presentation on tactics.
Fast delivery from Memorystock.com
Wow today I got a post card from my postman. The memory sticks from memorystock just needs to be signed for and it is mine. I ordered it in Friday and even with the Monday holiday it's in Rosemount. I'll have to get it tomorrow. Once I get it, I'll only need few minutes to install it into the computer.
I'll have to run to the chess class that i'm teaching.
I'll have to run to the chess class that i'm teaching.
Wa Da Hell Vs. No Dart Love
Tonight our dart team play against Wa Da Hell in Cricket Darts. We went won 7 games and lost 5. Lonnie wasn't playing up to is usual standards. One thing about Lonnie he always takes it pretty well when he isn't shooting well. I know that he truly has fun at throwing darts even though he sometimes doesn't do well.
I shot well. I shot an average for the night of over 2 marks per round. I brought my season average up to 1.86 MPR from 1.72 MPR. I hope to get my season average over 2 MPR.
Pat D., the substitute for their team, shot well. He had a 9 mark round. It seem after people shoot a 9 mark round or a White Horse, they lose their composure in the celebration and lose their concentration after that and play horrible after that.
One of their guys, they call "The Mexican" was drunk and shot poorly. I know at the beginning of the night he shot good. It was because he was drunk that it hurt them.
Our team played "Smart Darts" we stayed a head of them in points.
Pat D. challenged me a game for a drink at the end of the night. I played a pretty good game against him and won. Now he owes me a drink for the next time.
I shot well. I shot an average for the night of over 2 marks per round. I brought my season average up to 1.86 MPR from 1.72 MPR. I hope to get my season average over 2 MPR.
Pat D., the substitute for their team, shot well. He had a 9 mark round. It seem after people shoot a 9 mark round or a White Horse, they lose their composure in the celebration and lose their concentration after that and play horrible after that.
One of their guys, they call "The Mexican" was drunk and shot poorly. I know at the beginning of the night he shot good. It was because he was drunk that it hurt them.
Our team played "Smart Darts" we stayed a head of them in points.
Pat D. challenged me a game for a drink at the end of the night. I played a pretty good game against him and won. Now he owes me a drink for the next time.
Engagement Party
Tonight Z and I went to Carina and Scotts engagement party. Connie was suppose to connect with us to go with us but for some reason we never got connected.
A day off of work.
Today I had an early dental appointment. I then came home and took a few client calls and talked to the cable and the phone company about our internet service. Then at about 12:00 it was off to Hastings to do lunch with Z. She had about 8 stops to make before lunch so I wasn't able to leave Hastings until 2:15. Then off to West St Paul or a chiropractor appointment. By the time I got home it was 3:45.
I ordered some RAM memory for the computer. It has been so slow. I ordered it from memorystock.com. I bought two 512 memory sticks for $130 and insurance. The shipping was free because I had them ship it via 1st Class mail.
We did dinner with Lori and Roger M. They both went to high school with me and live in Rosemount. We met Lori a couple of years ago while working out at Olympus health club is Rosemount.
I ordered some RAM memory for the computer. It has been so slow. I ordered it from memorystock.com. I bought two 512 memory sticks for $130 and insurance. The shipping was free because I had them ship it via 1st Class mail.
We did dinner with Lori and Roger M. They both went to high school with me and live in Rosemount. We met Lori a couple of years ago while working out at Olympus health club is Rosemount.
Z mother, Myrna in the Hospital!
Z's mother Myrna got checked into the hospital today. We canceled the Chess Club and we went to visit her. It seems that her potassium level was way too low. Myrna was almost delirious and the staff and doctors are concerned that she would have a stroke. She was having trouble breathing as well.
Dart Love vs. The Drifters
No Dart Love vs. The Drifters
Tonight our dart team won 6 and lost 6 against The Drifters. We had a pretty good night. I got a 6 mark round, although my average MPR went down to 1.78. Next week I should do better.
It was Nicole's birthday; so she was celebrating.
Tonight our dart team won 6 and lost 6 against The Drifters. We had a pretty good night. I got a 6 mark round, although my average MPR went down to 1.78. Next week I should do better.
It was Nicole's birthday; so she was celebrating.
Planning The Hastings Chessperadoes Chess Club
This after noon I spent some time planning the next class of the Hastings Chessperadoes Chess Club. I called Jack and we talked about local area chess tournaments and that it should be good to teach the chess club more about tactics.
I got some items for Z to copy for the club. Some information from some local websites were very helpful resources.
I got some items for Z to copy for the club. Some information from some local websites were very helpful resources.
Hastings Chessperadoes Chess Club - First Night
Tonight was the first night for the Hastings Chessperadoes Chess Club. Jack W. was there to help me. Jack is a young adult that knows about quite a bit about chess. He use to help Richard V with the Chess Club. I told Jack if he wanted to, he could be responsible for some of the instruction. He mentioned that it would be good for his Resume. I concurred.
We had the kids play some Bug House chess.
I put Jack to doing some on-line research in Chess Tournaments in the local area for him to present in the next Tuesday class. I'll have to figure out what I would like to teach the kids next week.
I'm not sure if there is much interest in doing a ladder match this session. With only an hour for each class there may not always be enough time.
We had the kids play some Bug House chess.
I put Jack to doing some on-line research in Chess Tournaments in the local area for him to present in the next Tuesday class. I'll have to figure out what I would like to teach the kids next week.
I'm not sure if there is much interest in doing a ladder match this session. With only an hour for each class there may not always be enough time.
No Dart Love vs The High Fliers.
No Dart Love vs The High Fliers.
Last night we went 4 wins and 8 losses in our match against The High Fliers. A couple of their players were on fire and shot better than we did. We tried our best to play "Smart Darts" by keeping ahead of our opponents in points.
I'm kind of disappointed how I threw darts last night. I shot below my last year's average of 2.00 MPR. I brought my average up to 1.83 MPR.
Phil B. got a Hat Trick on his last game. He was pretty happy about that.
Bland McDonald's Coffee Blend - Johns Rating: "Terrible!"
I think this new blend of coffee that McDonalds restrauants is advertising so much, is pretty bland. It's barely any better then their old blend.
Someone should take the executives of McDonalds and get them a real coffee. Perhaps a coffee from Caribou or Starbucks. They should be shown a real example of what coffee should taste like.
Beefing Up Our Dart Team
Looks like Nicole upgraded our dart team. We now have a better dart shooter. She says that he was on another team in our league last year. I looked up his stats from last year and he shot an average of around 2.25 marks per round. That's pretty good for our league. We could easily come in first or second in this fall league.
Home: No Dart Love; Away: Pheasant Pluckers
Tonight Our dart team, No Dart Love, shot darts against the Pheasant Pluckers. Our team has Nicole, Kevin, Kelly (a sub) and me. We'll have Phil throw for us as a regular. The Pheasant Pluckers has Hoot G, Jeff K, Amy K, and Kristy C.
I shot terrible the first four games. It wasn't until the last two games that I played to my usual ability. Hopefully it was first night jitters. I ended up with a night average of 1.74 marks per round.
Jeff K is a really good dart shooter and Hoot normally shoots well but tonight he was hot and cold.
We had a couple of real competitive games. Early on I felt that we upset the Amy because a game got into a game and we played aggressively to win.
Later Hoot and Christy played Kelly and I were shooting a game of darts. This was the order, I shot then Hoot then Kelly then Kristy. It got into a high point game. I kept telling Kelly to keep throwing at the twenties since Hoot and Kristy wasn't able to close them. Kelly was hitting them with good precision and then after Kristy threw I worked on the closing the numbers. First I closed eighteens. Then next round I had Kelly keep on the twenties. Hoot had closed the nineteen's and the twenties and started to point. I got the nineteen's closed then had Kelly work on the eighteens. We were so far a head in points that Hoot thought we were worried that he was better than was playing.
I told him that he was playing hot and cold and I didn't know what more I could do to be sure to beat him. I did set it up as an aggressive game by telling Kelly to keep on getting points, but I felt that was the best and surest way to win. Kelly and I ended up winning that game. It was the only game I was able to take the win.
We went 4 wins and 8 losses.
For our league stats see: http://www.aaapoolndarts.com/PDFs/SF26.PDF
When we know the team we are playing isn't as good, I wouldn't plan on playing aggressively through racking up points. This aggressive playing is called Point Mongoring (More on Point Mongoring see: http://www.passionatedarter.com/design/dcpointmongor.shtml)
When we are playing a team that isn't as good as us we'll close the board and win the game as fast as we can to take a quick win. Why make it more painful for your opponents that you have to.
I shot terrible the first four games. It wasn't until the last two games that I played to my usual ability. Hopefully it was first night jitters. I ended up with a night average of 1.74 marks per round.
Jeff K is a really good dart shooter and Hoot normally shoots well but tonight he was hot and cold.
We had a couple of real competitive games. Early on I felt that we upset the Amy because a game got into a game and we played aggressively to win.
Later Hoot and Christy played Kelly and I were shooting a game of darts. This was the order, I shot then Hoot then Kelly then Kristy. It got into a high point game. I kept telling Kelly to keep throwing at the twenties since Hoot and Kristy wasn't able to close them. Kelly was hitting them with good precision and then after Kristy threw I worked on the closing the numbers. First I closed eighteens. Then next round I had Kelly keep on the twenties. Hoot had closed the nineteen's and the twenties and started to point. I got the nineteen's closed then had Kelly work on the eighteens. We were so far a head in points that Hoot thought we were worried that he was better than was playing.
I told him that he was playing hot and cold and I didn't know what more I could do to be sure to beat him. I did set it up as an aggressive game by telling Kelly to keep on getting points, but I felt that was the best and surest way to win. Kelly and I ended up winning that game. It was the only game I was able to take the win.
We went 4 wins and 8 losses.
For our league stats see: http://www.aaapoolndarts.com/PDFs/SF26.PDF
When we know the team we are playing isn't as good, I wouldn't plan on playing aggressively through racking up points. This aggressive playing is called Point Mongoring (More on Point Mongoring see: http://www.passionatedarter.com/design/dcpointmongor.shtml)
When we are playing a team that isn't as good as us we'll close the board and win the game as fast as we can to take a quick win. Why make it more painful for your opponents that you have to.
Rudy's Redeye Grill
Last night Z and I ate at Rudy's Redeye Grill.
The Rosemount location of the Rudy's Redeye Grill is a franchised bar and restaurant that has a large open space a tin style ceiling. The pricing of their food is in the $9 to $25 per plate range.
Here is how their website describes this restaurant: "Rudy's Redeye Grill in Rosemount is a casual fine dining restaurant serving lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch. In addition to a beautiful dining room, there is a huge bar, a piano bar and patio. Rudy's is the 14th addition to the Axel's Bonfire family where people come by choice, not by chance."
Z had the chicken pot pie and I had the pizza. We have eaten their before and like the food. Our main issue with the restaurant is that when it is only about half capacity it becomes noisy. The acoustics doesn't allow the sound to deaden, The noises just bounce of the wood floors and hard ceiling. It isn't a place to go if you would want to eat in an calm and relaxing atmosphere over the evening dinner hours. Early to late afternoon when it isn't so crowded it can be more quiet.
The Rosemount location of the Rudy's Redeye Grill is a franchised bar and restaurant that has a large open space a tin style ceiling. The pricing of their food is in the $9 to $25 per plate range.
Here is how their website describes this restaurant: "Rudy's Redeye Grill in Rosemount is a casual fine dining restaurant serving lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch. In addition to a beautiful dining room, there is a huge bar, a piano bar and patio. Rudy's is the 14th addition to the Axel's Bonfire family where people come by choice, not by chance."
Z had the chicken pot pie and I had the pizza. We have eaten their before and like the food. Our main issue with the restaurant is that when it is only about half capacity it becomes noisy. The acoustics doesn't allow the sound to deaden, The noises just bounce of the wood floors and hard ceiling. It isn't a place to go if you would want to eat in an calm and relaxing atmosphere over the evening dinner hours. Early to late afternoon when it isn't so crowded it can be more quiet.
Template Change
I had to change the tempate because the old one wasn't looking the same as when I started it. Dan Cederholm who designed it, may not be hosting the images anymore.
Z wants to eat out at the Redeye Grill that is just down the street. I better get cleaned up now!
Z wants to eat out at the Redeye Grill that is just down the street. I better get cleaned up now!
A Friday Morning
Today I took Z's car into Savemore Auto. The Battery light gad been on. Yesterday afternoon I checked the battery to see if the acid was low. The acid in the battery was full.
Walking back from dropping off the car, it was too early for the hardware store for me to get some Great Stuff Foam and some silicone caulk.
I decided to go to Starbucks to pick up a cup of coffee. The old Genz Ryan building still has a "Rosemount We miss you!" sign in the window.
I ordered a large coffee (black). The guy at the Starbucks gave me a Cafe Americano as well as a sample. I walked out of Starbucks thinking that the Cafe Americano was going to get cold before I could get to it. I gave the Cafe Americano to a truck driver unloading a shipment at The Redeye Grill.
Casey from Savemore said the alternator wasn't working and the front brakes needed to be replaced.
While they were working on the car, I put the new brass house numbers on the front of the house. Put the wheels on my Little Giant ladder, and sprayed Roundup on the weeds around the house.
Dan from Savemore called me when I was about finished spraying Roundup on the weeds around the house. The bill for the car repair came to just under $500.
Goin' to Myrtle Beach
Z and I have been trying to get our vacations lined up for fall and January lined up. We were looking to go to Las Vegas for a January trip with Zoey and Cliff. Zoey was thinking the airfare was too high for their budget.
So Z and I are just going to vacation Myrtle Beach in October at the South Beach Resort.
Tonight I'm very tired. I cut the grass and washed and hand waxed my car. I had to wash and hand wax my car because I have noticed some dust that was behind the bra that was on the car.
This was the process:
- Remove the license plate
- Remove both upper and lower bras
- Wash the car
- Dry car
- Apply wax
- Buff car
- Clean the back of upper and lower bras
- Put upper and lower bras on the car
- Mount license plate on bumper
- Clean black vinyl with cleaner.
I feel that a good waxing will protect the car finish.
Bowling Too???
Dad called me today to see if I wanted to join his bowling league. Dad might have asked me to get more time together with me. I thought of doing it for a short while but, I would've been out Sunday for Dart league, Monday for Bowling league and Tuesday for running the Hastings School Chess Program.
Oh! If Dad would have talked to me last week before I committed to throwing darts on Sunday nights.
I suggested a work friend, Jesse, that he mentioned that he would like to join a bowling league when I asked him to join my dart team.
Oh! If Dad would have talked to me last week before I committed to throwing darts on Sunday nights.
I suggested a work friend, Jesse, that he mentioned that he would like to join a bowling league when I asked him to join my dart team.
Nicole called me today to let me know that she was definitely on the team
Friday morning after I went to Fury Motors, I went to my parents house to visit and have lunch. They seem to be doing well.
Friday night and last night Z and I helped out serving beer at Burnsville Fire Muster. Connie Z and I drove together.
I had to do some recruiting for out dart team. Z called her family members to contact her cousins Dan and Kelly.
Nicole called me today to let me know that she was definitely on the team and gave ne her new phone number. So between Susan M. (a Burnsville Jaycee member), Nicole and Kevin (Nicole's friend), we have a team.
Here I am at Fury Motors getting the multifunction switch replaced.
Here I am at Fury Motors getting the multifunction switch replaced.
Z and I have been discussing going to the RCI resort that we own in Horseshoe Bend AR for our October or November trip. It's located southeast of Branson MO. It is about 100 miles from Branson. There is a lake on property for fishing and it is about 20-30 miles from some of the rivers on the White River chain for trout fishing. If we go I'll have to bring the fly rod.
I hadn't heard from Nicole about our dart team. She was suppose to call me a couple of days ago. The phone number I had for Nicole had been disconnected. Dominic says that the deadline for team registration is Sunday night.
Since I can't get in contact with Nicole I'll have to do some work to get a team together without Nicole.
PT Cruiser Multifunction Switch
Tomorrow, I'm taking the PT Cruiser into Fury Motors in Inver Grove Heights to get the multi-function switch replaced. I tried to get it fixed about a year ago at Save More Auto in Rosemount.
The fog lights, head lights and turn signals are controlled through the multi-function switch on the steering column. The switch part on the unit that would control the fog lights wouldn't turn the lights off (even when the car was off). I pulled the fuse for the fog lights so it
wouldn't drain the battery.
I took the car to Save More Auto, and they had ordered the OEM part from Chrysler for my make and year of my car. The tried it and the fog lights worked but the turn signals didn't. The rechecked the part number to make sure they hadn't ordered the wrong item.
They had thought that the item was defective so the got two more and both of those multi-function switches did the same thing. Tim (the owner of Save More Auto) said I best take it to a dealer, because the only way the could get it to work is to rewire the wiring harness to the switch and we agreed that wouldn't necessarily be the best way to getting it working.
PT Cruiser Tire Repair
Tonight I'm sitting here at Tires Plus in Burnsville getting the right front tire repaired on my PT Cruiser. Its been leaking about 5 PSI per day for a few days.
I called Peter (from College Painting) to see if he wanted to help at the Burnsville Fire Muster. He was going out of town for the weekend. I thought it would be good for his painting business to network through the Jaycees.
Blog Making as Easy as 1-2-3
Tonight, Z and I went to the Burnsville Jaycee membership meeting. There was a good turnout at the meeting. I say about 15 people made it for the meeting.
We had a speaker at the meeting. He was running for city council in Burnsville in the November election.
On the way to the meeting, Z and I thought the Burnsville Jaycees should have a blog for communication. It would replace the digital version of the newsletter that now gets e-mailed to the members. It could continuously updated by multiple members of the board a project chairpersons.
At the meeting I proposed a hands on Blog Making as Easy as 1-2-3, Individual Development Project.
The question came up about keeping a blog up to date when a person is on vacation. True bloggers can update from any internet terminal. Right now I'm composing this post on a iPaq Pocket PC. I could even post my blog from my cell phone.
No Dart Love
Nicole called me today. Nicole is the captain of our dart team.
Last year our team name was "No Dart Love!" Dart love is where dart shooters would make a fist and tap the competitions knuckles as to say good try or good shooting!
She was wondering if I have heard from Tony or Dominic.
I told her it has been about a month since I heard from Tony. She had thought that Tony was in jail for his DUI charge. Dom's wife had a baby an he may not be able to shoot darts in our Sunday league.
She said she try calling Tony, Dominic, and Lonnie to see what's happening with the Jaycee Dart league.
Although the team without Dom or Tony wouldn't be as good as last years team, I'm not too concerned about Dom or Tony not shooting darts I have a few people on a list that would be ok dart shooters.
Minnesota State Fair & Kurt's Squash
Today, Z and I went to the Great Minnesota Get-Together... The Minnesota State Fair!
We got new cell phones at the State Fair. We got a great deal. Both of us have phones now.
We looked at Kurt's squash that he entered into competition. I took a photo of it on my new phone but I'm having trouble getting it to send from the phone. I'll try to update this post with the photos of the squash.
Dead Cell Phone
I discovered my old Nokia (Fisher Price) cell phone battery doesn't connect wit the phone. It has always been loose and now due to wear it doesn't stay on any more. The battery isn't keeping a charge as long as it use to. The battery dies now only after a few minutes of talk time.
Z and I are looking through all the available cell plans to find all the best deal. Cingular (the service we have) coverage and is equal in value to other services. Z and I have decided to think it over and go to bed.
Z and I are looking through all the available cell plans to find all the best deal. Cingular (the service we have) coverage and is equal in value to other services. Z and I have decided to think it over and go to bed.
When the boss goes on vacation.
When Mike (one of the bosses) goes on vacation this is what happens to his desk. That's his computer monitor wrapped in tissue paper. I believe this was done either by Juan or Tom.Date Night
Tonight Z and I met her parents and Zoey for dinner at the VFW in Hastings for a rib dinner. It was very tasty. We later went to the Grand Old Creamery at School House Square and had some ice cream.
We sat outside to enjoy our ice cream, talked and watched all the people go by.
We met Brandi, the daughter of Animal a long time friend. Brandi has a new job in Burnsville as an accountant. She's even moved into an apartment in Burnsville too. We told her about the Lake Elmo Jaycee Road Rally in September. She is really interested in doing the Road Rally.
Later we took Z's parents and Zoey to Connie's house so they can see Connie's new Condo. We brought Connie a bag from the Creamery with a scoop of ice cream.
We sat outside to enjoy our ice cream, talked and watched all the people go by.
We met Brandi, the daughter of Animal a long time friend. Brandi has a new job in Burnsville as an accountant. She's even moved into an apartment in Burnsville too. We told her about the Lake Elmo Jaycee Road Rally in September. She is really interested in doing the Road Rally.
Later we took Z's parents and Zoey to Connie's house so they can see Connie's new Condo. We brought Connie a bag from the Creamery with a scoop of ice cream.
Everything is better when viewing life through Rose Colored Glasses.
Today, I delivered these Rose Colored Glasses with a logo on them to one of my clients. He was using them as a give away to his client. His client is a manufacturing business that his program is providing training for. His slogan for these is: "Everything is better when viewing life through Rose Colored Glasses." He trying to instill in these managers to be positive about thing and not a part of the problem.
My client said that he would be looking to re-order these next year as well.
I'm Italian, of course I have garlic breath!
All of us sales people at work today got rewarded for exceeding a extended warranty sales goal. We got a lunch from Bucca's restaurant.
The Bucca has great tasting garlic mashed potatoes.
Open House and 25th Class Reunion
Yesterday, Z and I went to Z's cousin's open house. They have a beautiful home not far from ours. We had a few beers. Zoey (Z's sister) and I played some pool and then Dan, Dan's friend and I threw some dart games. Even though I won both games Dan and his friend are worthy dart throwers and I could call either for subs on my dart league.
Dan and Kelly (the new home owners) are Karate enthusiast and have numerous trophies. Dan works for a law publishing company.
Then, we proceeded to go to my 25th class reunion. It was at farm in Hastings. Some people have done well for themselves. A buddy, Duane, who used to play bass guitar with me in a band I used to be in, is happily married and owns a duplex in Edina. I'm happy for him and his wife.
Duane mentioned that Dave, one of the other guys in the band was married with kids and living in River Falls, Wisconsin. I'm glad he's doing well too.
Some people still after 25 years are just dealing with the same issues. At the bonfire a woman, I knew well in high school, was lamenting over her lack of money and that she was having trouble getting a wheelchair for ailing mother. During high school she always worried about affording help for her mother. I believe that there are ways of getting help for people who need help. If there isn't Government agencies to help there are community service organizations and churches as well as individuals that would contribute to a worthy cause. Some people seem to think some goals are like a canyon they must cross and if the problem was looked at in the right perspective it is really a tiny crack between a couple of rocks they could easily step over.
Gunter and Nancy were there. I was expecting to see Roger M and his wife (from the health club we used to go to) - but never saw them.
I am still feeling terrible from drinking too much.
Setting up a garage sale
Tonight, Z and I helped Connie set up her garage sale. It is going to be held Friday and Saturday. We set up some tables and started to price items. She moves on Thursday to her new condo.
I start my new work schedule tomorrow. I'll get off of work a half hour earlier for only having an half hour lunch.
This has been a start to an extremely busy week. This weekend we have Connie's garage sale to help with, a Zaccardi open house, my 25th high school reunion on Saturday and Sunday there might be a pool party ot Zoey and Cliffs. That depends on Cliff gets his roof finished.
Do you want any hamburger with that catsup and mustard sandwich!
Do you want any hamburger with that catsup and mustard sandwich!
I went to the Hastings (Minnesota) McDonalds tonight, and ordered a Double Cheese Burger off the dollar menu to get a quick meal. The cooks at McDonalds put so much mustard on the burger I couldn't taste the burger and cheese. One of these days I want to go in and talk to the manager to teach them how to make a burger.
Z said that someone she knew who used to manage that McDonalds was trained to do two pumps of catsup and two pumps of mustard on each burger. Either they should make it one pump or get a pump that would put out less!
What a waste! I would have asked for no catsup and mustard but then we would have had to wait and doesn't that just defeat the idea of FAST FOOD!!
Pioneer Days in Newport, Minnesota
Every year the Zaccardi tradition is to go to Pioneer Days Corn Feed in Newport Minnesota. Pictured above starting at the bottom left clockwise: Z's Mom and Dad Myrna, and Bob, Z, Zoaunne (Z's Sister), Bambi, across the table table from Bambi is Guy (Z's brother) and at the lower right is Grandma Helen. After I took the photo, Kurt (Z's Brother) and his girlfriend Penny came. Then a few minutes later, Clark (Z's brother), and his girlfriend Amy and her son Josh made an appearance.Zoaunne had the only Bingo win. She won $11.00. Zoaunne is the organizer of these family events. She usually gets there early to reserve the tables for the family.
It was a cloudy day and rain was in the forecast. We left about 2 o'clock to drop some items for Connie's garage sale that she is having on August 18 and 19. It poured as we were driving into Hastings. Connie showed us her new condominium. I'm glad she finally is moving out of that apartment and becoming a owner.
First Opinion Post - About the War!
I really think that too many people believe that we're not at war. The plot to crash ten passenger planes that was foiled in the UK last week proves that the terrorists are still looking to hurt us.
Most people say that the Cold War was fought from 1947 to 1991. That war was fought for 65 years before the Soviet Union collapsed. These terrorist are not like the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union believed in self preservation of their people and their country. These terrorist are from many different countries have no allegiance to any country and have no self preservation ideals. The only allegiance they have is to an ideal that the West is bad.
What is it that makes these terrorist want to sacrifice their lives for so little in return? These terrorists who commit the horrors are brainwashed by their leaders. They somehow use a religion to prove what they are doing is holy. It is as if the devil himself has infiltrated a religion, normally for decent people, and corrupted it.
This war on terror is going to take decades. The terrorists are willing to wait patiently until this country is at sleep to attack. We must remain vigilant at all times against this enemy.
Press calls the the terrorists in Iraq "Insurgents", as to soften the damage they do to democratic process that has been started there. We can't cut and run -- it would only make it a victory for the enemy. We must see it to the end and prove to the terrorists that we are winners.
World Trade Center - The Movie
Z and I went to see "World Trade Center" tonight.
The movie "World Trade Center" is a powerful and moving movie. The acting was realistic. The images and directing was perfect. There wasn't any sort of conspiracy that Oliver Stone usually portrays. Although the irony of the story is that the two Port Authority Policemen who go to the World Trade Center to rescue others themselves become trapped in the rubble and are needing rescuing.
The was it was put together at the beginning reminded me of a Tom Clancy novel. Once the characters are placed though Stone does a wonderful job of getting the characters emotions and thoughts on the screen for all to view. The movie also showed the Spirit we had after September 11, 2001.
The movie "World Trade Center" is a powerful and moving movie. The acting was realistic. The images and directing was perfect. There wasn't any sort of conspiracy that Oliver Stone usually portrays. Although the irony of the story is that the two Port Authority Policemen who go to the World Trade Center to rescue others themselves become trapped in the rubble and are needing rescuing.
The was it was put together at the beginning reminded me of a Tom Clancy novel. Once the characters are placed though Stone does a wonderful job of getting the characters emotions and thoughts on the screen for all to view. The movie also showed the Spirit we had after September 11, 2001.
The Painted House
The lower left photo is the completed repair from the photo that I showed on August 8th and the upper right photo shows the the finshed paint job.
It looks as though the guts just came pouring out. PART 2
Last night Z and I backing up all the files we use in the Windows ME drive. Today I got the address, calendar and the POP3 working in outlook in the Windows XP computer.
The Windows XP computer is opened with a hard drive hanging out the side. It looks as though the guts just came pouring out.
To get the Outlook's address book and calendar, I had to find the outlook.pst file on the drive and import them into Outlook. I also found out that the archives.pst are just old e-mails. I just called my ISP and they talked me though getting the POP3 service into Outlook.
Now that I got everything working in one computer I proceed to fix the other.
I downloaded a program (for free) called Keyfinder from http://www.magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder.shtml
I tested it on the XP computer and It found the XP product key. It also found the product key for other Microsoft products as well.
After several unsuccessful attempts to coax the Windows Product key out of the ME drive I figured that now I can try a restore.
I followed the commands from the text file I found in the ME computer.
At the command prompt I typed: scanreg /restore and then pressed ENTER.
I rebooted it and....
Windows ME worked.
Back to two fully functional computers.
The Windows XP computer is opened with a hard drive hanging out the side. It looks as though the guts just came pouring out.
To get the Outlook's address book and calendar, I had to find the outlook.pst file on the drive and import them into Outlook. I also found out that the archives.pst are just old e-mails. I just called my ISP and they talked me though getting the POP3 service into Outlook.
Now that I got everything working in one computer I proceed to fix the other.
I downloaded a program (for free) called Keyfinder from http://www.magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder.shtml
I tested it on the XP computer and It found the XP product key. It also found the product key for other Microsoft products as well.
After several unsuccessful attempts to coax the Windows Product key out of the ME drive I figured that now I can try a restore.
I followed the commands from the text file I found in the ME computer.
At the command prompt I typed: scanreg /restore and then pressed ENTER.
I rebooted it and....
Windows ME worked.
Back to two fully functional computers.
Computers seem to fail all around the same time!!! PART 1
For some reason the computer we have with Windows ME crashed and it lost its Product Key. Microsoft tech support told me that the support for Windows ME ended about a month ago.
Not cool. I have the computer from the factory with Windows ME on it. I think it's a bad deal that they don't come with any CD or Product Keys. I could do was mess around in the DOS prompt.
I have two computers and I usually back up one computer into a unused drive of the second computer through a network From that drive it is easy to copy those folders onto CD's.
I know what I can do. I can take the main hard drive out of the Windows ME computer and place it into the Window's XP computer along side the other two drives and do my back up of our important documents into that back up drive. It isn't a problem to do this since the Windows XP computer has inside the tower an extra Power cable and a Hard drive ribbon cable with an extra connector.
I seem to remember something about doing something to the jumpers on the back of the drive. The manufacturer website of the drive says that I should remove the jumper so the computer doesn't think that it is a master drive. See: http://eshop.macsales.com/Tech/manuals/idehdsettings/Maxtor72.pdf
I installed the drive in the working computer and... It works!!
I can backup my files and feel free to restore the Windows ME drive without jeopardizing any important documents.
I'll make a list of all the folder as that I would need to back up and copied each one to the back up drive.
Not cool. I have the computer from the factory with Windows ME on it. I think it's a bad deal that they don't come with any CD or Product Keys. I could do was mess around in the DOS prompt.
I have two computers and I usually back up one computer into a unused drive of the second computer through a network From that drive it is easy to copy those folders onto CD's.
I know what I can do. I can take the main hard drive out of the Windows ME computer and place it into the Window's XP computer along side the other two drives and do my back up of our important documents into that back up drive. It isn't a problem to do this since the Windows XP computer has inside the tower an extra Power cable and a Hard drive ribbon cable with an extra connector.
I seem to remember something about doing something to the jumpers on the back of the drive. The manufacturer website of the drive says that I should remove the jumper so the computer doesn't think that it is a master drive. See: http://eshop.macsales.com/Tech/manuals/idehdsettings/Maxtor72.pdf
I installed the drive in the working computer and... It works!!
I can backup my files and feel free to restore the Windows ME drive without jeopardizing any important documents.
I'll make a list of all the folder as that I would need to back up and copied each one to the back up drive.
A afternoon off of work.
It was slow at my work. I finished responded to the e-mails that are sent through the website and then I made some deliveries earlier than I expected. Before I made it home I went to the hardware store to pick up a bracket for a downspout on my house. I got home about noon, and the painters were hard at work.
The house is looking much better. I can't wait until it is all finished. The painter say they will be finished by Friday. I will have the one of the pillars repaired and the garage door thresholds repaired as well on Friday.
While I was at home I finished repairing the siding near the bottom of the garage door.
Good Night. Boy! I'm tired tonight.
Tonight I worked on repairing the siding on the north side of the house. The Masonite Board in one area near the window was getting soft from moisture. Between yesterday and to day I replaced three small sections. I'm glad I have some Masonite Board left over from a few years ago.The photo on this post shows the section by the garage I repaired. It is ready and waiting for the painters to give it a coat of primer and a couple of coats of paint.
Boy! I'm tired tonight. Good Night!
First day with College Pro Painters...
Today, when we arrived home we found a couple of painters on the job finishing up scraping and priming the siding of the house. Three of the beams in front were painted. The fourth beam post needs repair so a handyman going to come up with a quote for its repair. Music blaring from their car... They had most of the shutters removed from the house, except when they decided they were done for the day ... they were done. Didn't matter that they left two odd shutters hanging up there... One shutter was stuck up there because a screw was stripped. The other one couldn't be removed until the faucet could be removed. The owner of the company, Peter and I, took care of that. I had to find the shut off valve for the front faucet.
I did some odd repair on the north side of the house under one of the windows. I hope it is good enough. We had a pizza dinner with Peter and chatted about Jaycees.
Peter and I removed the storm windows. Tomorrow the painters will start more painting.
Getting the house painted this week.
I got all the storm windows labeled so that we can put them back in the correct places when the painters are through. Yes, they are getting painted too. I cut all the bushes back 12 inches from the house, except for one bush in front of the garage.
I'll work on that tomorrow night after the storm windows are off the house. I hope the weather stays good so they can complete the job by the end of the week.
The name of the company is College Pro Painters.
I'll work on that tomorrow night after the storm windows are off the house. I hope the weather stays good so they can complete the job by the end of the week.
The name of the company is College Pro Painters.
Wegottabingo!
Last night Z, her parents and I went to Wegottabingo. It was very entertaining. Through the promotions it was compared to Tony and Tina's Wedding. Like Tony and Tina's Wedding. It was an interactive production. It was very entertaining. The story has to do with two rival churches doing a bingo "Fun-Raiser. It was a Italian Church versus the Irish Church.I think that Tony and Tina's wedding was better. The story line in Wegottabingo was a little weaker than Tony and Tina's Wedding. Wegottabingo was still very entertaining and full of suprises.
The photo was me doing the Polka dance with one of the characters in the play. She had a really sqeeky voice. Any winners had to run up and get their prize. The winner would sit in the Bingo Champion Chair.
They served:
Bruschetta San Dominica. Which was toasted garlic crostini topped with freshly chopped tomato, roasted garlic, and fresh basil tossed in extra virgin olive oil and Balsamic vinegar. This was just ok. It was like eating salsa on Melba toast.
Insalata del Lotto. Crisp Iceberg lettuce, freshly sliced cucumber, cherry tomatoes, sweet red onion, olives and pepperoncini tossed in our homemade creamy Italian dressing. This salad was pretty tasty.
Rosa's homemade lasagna egg and spinach pasta sheets layered with a sweet Italian sausage ragout, spinach and Mozzarella, Parmesan and Ricotta cheeses slow baked to a golden brown. Some other guests had said the lasagna was too spicy. But I thought it was good.
Got to get IE fixed on computer!
WARNING!!!
Please read the August 3th 2006 and then read the post from August 4th, 2006 prior to reading this post.
Please read the August 3th 2006 and then read the post from August 4th, 2006 prior to reading this post.
It will all make sense!
Today my goal was to get this computer problem taken care of. At about 9 am, I started to make some calls to see if I could get the Windows XP Home Edition CD. I wanted to call my Dad first. He just purchased a new computer. He had been talking about getting a computer with the next Windows operating system and I was hoping that one of his two computers had the Windows XP Home Edition version on it. He was the most likely to have his CD accessible for me to borrow.
He informed me that his new computer has Windows XP Home Edition. GREAT!!! I asked him if I could borrow the copy of his Windows XP. He said that his computer didn't come with any Windows CDs. He had mentioned this to some guy at Best Buy and they had told him that the Windows copy is on a Partition in the hard drive under Drive D:.
That didn't help much. The Microsoft Tech guy mentioned that my files were corrupted and those file might be corrupted as well. I tried calling my brother Joe - Got the answering machine. Called my sister Angela and she was at a pet adoption and that I should call her later.
My Dad called me back and told me that my brother in-law, Paul, might have a copy of the CDs.
I promptly called Paul. We talked and he said that he had a copy and I could pick it up at from him at Janelle's Karate class (I'll have to post more on Janelle's Karate lesson in some future posts). I met my sister Julie and Janelle at the Karate studio and watched Janelle break boards and practice her routine. I brought the CDs home and was ready to call Microsoft with my Case number to get this computer issue resolved.
Prior to calling Microsoft I decided to check and see if any other programs were affected. QuickBooks - I opened it up created an invoice and I couldn't type anywhere in that program as well. I could even change the name on any files. This is more than just a IE problem.
At about that time Z was looking at my research on the second computer and found out how to get at the computers Windows Image in my computer. To get at it I needed type something in to the XP computer. Z mentioned that we get a new computer to replace the nonworking one if Paul's windows disks didn't work. This Compaq computer can run so slow.
Catch 22.
Can't fix the computer unless I can type something into it and can't type something into the computer to fix it.
It was as if the the keyboard wasn't working at all !!!
I hadn't spilled anything on it. It was as if... The keyboard got unplugged. I looked at the back of the tower and what do I see... The Keyboard was unplugged! I restarted the computer and this time for this post I am typing on the keyboard.
I should have thought of it sooner. The tech guy from Microsoft as well should have suggested, diplomatically that I should check, as a precaution, to see if the cable to the keyboard was unplugged.
I have heard of tech guys at the company I work for tell me stories of solving customers by asking them if there is gas in the engine or switch is turned ON to their nonrunning generator.
The Friday of someone possessed on fixing their computer.
WARNING!!!
Please read the August 3rd 2006 post prior to reading this post.
You will get more out of this.
I talked to some Windows IT people at work about the IE problem. They suggested that I might have to either download and install Beta IE7 or take my computer into the Geek Squad.
Z and I found a phone number for Microsoft. We paid the $35 for the consult. I spent about 3 hours with him as we went through the procedures. This is all what he instructed us to do.
NOTE: Restarting this XP Home Edition Compaq takes close to 15 minutes!
- Restart computer
- Uninstall IE through Uninstall Window Components.
- Restart the computer
- Install the IE - Still couldn't type in IE address bar
- Shut off computer
- Start computer by getting into safe mode - Couldn't get into safe mode
- Uninstall the HP printer drivers (wasn't using them anyways)
- Restart
- Check to see if HP drivers are uninstalled
- Go to start - Run Programs and then type msconfig... Couldn't type in anything there as well.
Finally tech guy put me on hold for about 5 minutes. When he got back on the phone, he stated that I would need to find the Windows XP Home Edition CD. I don't have one. I explained to him. They never gave one to me with the computer. He said that I could use one from a friend. Perhaps My brother or Dad has a copy. We decided that we would contact each other on Monday.
Was having trouble - Couldn't type in Internet Explorer
Read this post before you read the posts on August 4 and 5th.
Tonight something interesting happened to my computer. For some reason, in Internet Explorer (IE), I wasn't able to type anything in the address bar or on any web pages. This means that I couldn't post a message, search on google or anything.
Fortunately, we have two computers that are networked together so I was able to search on the working computer for what would cause this.
One recommendation on the internet was to do a system restore. I felt that was a drastic measure and wanted to do that at the last resort. Other sites stated that some malicious Spyware or Hijack program was the culprit. So I updated and ran both Spybot Search and Adware and they found no problems.
I tried going to Tools > Internet Options > Advanced > Browsing Uncheck the Enable 3rd party browser extensions - Still no help.
It was working a few days ago so I resorted to Restoring my computer to an earlier time. I went back one week. Still no help.
I finally found out that there were some issues with a Microsoft Internet Update named kb908531. The post was from April 2005 but I was running out of options. The post said that it should be removed, So I removed it.
It is around 11:30 pm and I'm tired and I am going to bed.
Angela and Jay's New And Improved Wall!
This is my sister Angela and Jay's house. They just got the wall put in, by a new contractor, after having a contractor rip them off by not finishing the job after he had removed the old wall. It look great! I happened to be driving in the area earlier in the today and decided to take a look at it.My sister Angela fosters dogs for Last Hope.
Last Hope is an all volunteer no kill foster based rescue.
Last Hope, Inc. is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping unwanted, abandoned and homeless animals. With the help of volunteers and members, Last Hope has placed more than 15,000 animals in good homes since October of 1985.I think that is really cool that she helps these animals.
My friend at work adopted his dog Bailey from Last hope - He really cares for Bailey. He actually found his dog through: http://www.petfinder.org/. He connected with Angela and then only realized that Angela was my sister.
Last Hope website is: http://www.last-hope.org/
The Cube Farm of where I work.
Here is a photo of where I work. A call center.The desk I work at is right here.
<----
It's a true "Cube Farm." I have the green plant on the corner of my wall. That round thing hanging on my co-workers wall is a Dilbert Cubebell. When you push the button at the center is says, "Ding Dong", "Go away!" or "Leave me alone!" in a Dilbert voice .
Today I did some things to improve the functionality of this blog. I have added some links to other blogs and our websites. If you would wish to exchange links with our blogs please use the contact me link to the right that is marked: Contact Me!
Fly Fishing and other things...
This morning I went fly fishing at Crystal Lake in Burnsville MN. Only caught a few small bream.Just before I went down to the fishing dock a client called me, and said that she would be presenting the quote for the 1000 custom printed pens to her boss on Monday. That's good. The potential for a sale with this college isn't dead yet.
The guys that were going to meet me at the lake didn't show up so after a half hour I moved down the shore toward the boat landing. I could see from where I was fishing that they hadn't shown up late.
Z called me from work. She told me that we sold 12 Lapel Pin Cases on eBay to someone on Jacksonville Beach FL. That is a $210 sale.
At about 11:30 am, it was getting HOT! 95 degrees hot. I left for home and the air conditioning.
By the time I got cooled off, I thought it would be good to see if the eBay Pin Case order had been paid for. Not yet, though looking at our sold items, I saw there was another eBay Lapel Pin Case that was sold to someone in Erie, PA. That's a $22 sale.
In case anyone is interested in these Lapel Pin Cases, our eBay store is at: http://stores.ebay.com/AdXPress-Mercantile?ref-store.
They say that sales is like fishing...
More success so far today away from the lake than on the lake.
Boyne River
I took this picture of the Boyne River. This is a location of behind the Bait and Party Store. I don't know why they call it a party store it was just a bait shop. This is on a island in the river. The guy told me to go across the foot bridge behind the bait shop and stay right along the path he cut. I ended up looking at this view. I took this photo with my iPaq.
Boyne Falls is a beautiful area.
Trout I caught in Michigan
This one I caught on the Boyne River.
This trout I caught on the Jordan River.Yes, I'm talking to you!
I'm not sure of the blog thing. With so many blogs out there, I wonder how many people are going to read this! ;-)
I'm Zena's husband. I'm the other side of Zena's World.
I enjoy fly fishing (in the summer) and throwing darts (cricket) in the winter. I have been fly fishing for 3 years. I still need work on casting. I shoot an average of 2.00 marks per round. That puts me in the top third of our league. Our team took second place last spring.
I work in sales at a mail order company that sells tools and equipment. I've been really able to "Go For NO!". My co-workers are amazed when I show them an order that I had made for $200 and at the very end of the call I ask "Do you need a generator?" Then I ended up selling the guy a $2000 generator plus a couple of accessories for the generator as well. It took me over 6700 "No's" to get that one "YES!" After that, it only took me 170 "No's" to get a second generator added to an order.
We also have a part time promotional products business called AdXPress Imprints where we sell custom printed promotional items on eBay and to local clients. Our eBay store is at: http://stores.ebay.com/AdXPress-Mercantile?ref-store. and our website is: http://www.adxpressimprints.homestead.com.
Z and I also like to travel. This summer we traveled to Boyne Falls Michigan and Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. We enjoyed Lake Geneva better than Boyne Falls. There was more to do. This fall we planning on taking our niece on a cruise or to a Caribbean resort.
We volunteer in the local communities in our area. Z and I are alumni of the Burnsville Jaycees. We have also been very active with the Jaycees on the local and state levels. We have both received the Minnesota Jaycee Statesman award. This is the highest honor the Minnesota Jaycees can bestow on a member.
Z has asked me to volunteer teaching chess this past spring and this coming fall for kids during some evenings. This chess club called the "Chessperadoes" meets typically once a week at the local high school from fall through spring. The Hastings Community Education facilitates the location through a fee each student pays.
Last fall there was a few of the kids that were troublesome. I have been looking for ways to make the experience more enjoyable for the kids and easier on me. I have enlisted a couple of friends to assist me. Thirty kids can be a handful, especially for someone with no teaching experience. Fall is coming pretty quick and I have to start thinking of chess lesson plans.
Tomorrow, since I have the day off of work, I plan on going fishing with some work buddies.
Well I think I've said enough. I'll try to put some photos on this blog if anyone is interested.
I welcome any comments.
Good night all.
I'm Zena's husband. I'm the other side of Zena's World.
I enjoy fly fishing (in the summer) and throwing darts (cricket) in the winter. I have been fly fishing for 3 years. I still need work on casting. I shoot an average of 2.00 marks per round. That puts me in the top third of our league. Our team took second place last spring.
I work in sales at a mail order company that sells tools and equipment. I've been really able to "Go For NO!". My co-workers are amazed when I show them an order that I had made for $200 and at the very end of the call I ask "Do you need a generator?" Then I ended up selling the guy a $2000 generator plus a couple of accessories for the generator as well. It took me over 6700 "No's" to get that one "YES!" After that, it only took me 170 "No's" to get a second generator added to an order.
We also have a part time promotional products business called AdXPress Imprints where we sell custom printed promotional items on eBay and to local clients. Our eBay store is at: http://stores.ebay.com/AdXPress-Mercantile?ref-store. and our website is: http://www.adxpressimprints.homestead.com.
Z and I also like to travel. This summer we traveled to Boyne Falls Michigan and Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. We enjoyed Lake Geneva better than Boyne Falls. There was more to do. This fall we planning on taking our niece on a cruise or to a Caribbean resort.
We volunteer in the local communities in our area. Z and I are alumni of the Burnsville Jaycees. We have also been very active with the Jaycees on the local and state levels. We have both received the Minnesota Jaycee Statesman award. This is the highest honor the Minnesota Jaycees can bestow on a member.
Z has asked me to volunteer teaching chess this past spring and this coming fall for kids during some evenings. This chess club called the "Chessperadoes" meets typically once a week at the local high school from fall through spring. The Hastings Community Education facilitates the location through a fee each student pays.
Last fall there was a few of the kids that were troublesome. I have been looking for ways to make the experience more enjoyable for the kids and easier on me. I have enlisted a couple of friends to assist me. Thirty kids can be a handful, especially for someone with no teaching experience. Fall is coming pretty quick and I have to start thinking of chess lesson plans.
Tomorrow, since I have the day off of work, I plan on going fishing with some work buddies.
Well I think I've said enough. I'll try to put some photos on this blog if anyone is interested.
I welcome any comments.
Good night all.
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