Random Memorial for Monday 11/30/09

Gone but not forgotten: Nov 2009's streak of above average Chicago weather.

I returned to town tonight just in time to catch the news that arctic air and possible snow accumulation await us as December starts. What's ending with tonight's turn of the monthly calendar? The longest streak of above normal Nov temps since 1870. I shall think of you fondly, streak of 50 degree Nov 2009 days, particularly when I undoubtedly curse my choice of coat later this week with the first wind chills in the teens!

http://blog.chicagoweathercenter.com/

Random Scandal Sheet for Sunday 11/29/09

(Sorry for the late post, but I'm still on the road back to Chicago from my high school reunion weekend.)

What Lebanon is talking about this week:

I thought I'd switch it up a bit and highlight something from my hometown (instead of taking a proverbial swing at Tiger [allegedly, Elin has that covered]). Operation Santa is now in full effect back home. Help contribute to the goal of $40,000 to help over fifty dozen families have a semblance of Christmas this year. Just a small donation to this annual project (it's been going on as long as I can remember!) can go a long way to demonstrating the true spirit of the holiday season for some fifty dozen families!

http://www.ldnews.com/ci_13879517

Random Soapbox for Saturday 11/28/09

I don't mean to go off on a rant here, but ...

... why is it that keys basically all look the same? I'm back home in PA with keys from a previous lifetime, and I have no idea where half of them would go! And what's with all the luggage keys (pre 9/11) and file cabinet ones? Do I actually have the key that unlocks Gore's famous lock box from a few years back? Frustration! And I will never solve the mystery. Unlike the slipper quest for Prince Charming, there are too many holes out there for me to possibly try to match up one of my keys (and I'm not speaking euphemistically). Double frustration!!

http://politicalhumor.about.com/od/algore/a/prezgoresnl.htm

Random Flashback for Friday 11/27/09

Back to the holiday season 1989 and a winter formal over at Millersville with Holly. Tomorrow night, we'll reconnect (along with many other LHS alum) at our 20th High School Reunion. I'm closing up the laptop and getting on the road to PA right now!

Random Thought for Thursday 11/26/09

I've seen the frequent postings this month about things for which we are thankful and I'd like to take a little different twist -- I am thankful for the challenges, the obstacles, the obstinates, the diversions from the path on which I thought I was travelling, the blindsides, the confusions, the illusions, the insurmountable odds, the all-in bets I made with non-winning hands, the disappointments, the frustrations, the breakdowns -- since it is because of these that I truly value the support, the love, the well-wishes that I've been blessed to receive from friends and family and special loved ones. I am thankful for a freedom to live my life, knowing that there is always a place of comfort to which I can return, no matter the result of my risk-taking. So ... that said ... Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!

http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2009/11/26/2009-11-26_83rd_annual_macys_thanksgiving_day_parade_2009_debuts_new_route_new_balloons_wit.html

Random Wordplay for Wednesday 11/25/09

Recall.

Used in a sentence: yesterday, the largest ever crib recall was announced.

I've seen enough new baby pics on FB from a wide variety of folks and I know from my days at Hills that recalls are only as good as getting the word out and I surmise that those of you with brand new babies might be experiencing new daily routines such that you might not have seen the news ... so, if relevant, read more below!

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34116399/ns/health-kids_and_parenting/

Random Tune for Tuesday 11/24/09

Just caught up with last week's episode of Glee on the DVR last night, and the closing Lean On Me rendition reminded me of the support and inspiration I got from the HOBY seminar in 10th grade -- which was the first place I actually heard this song. As the holiday season descends on us all, it's the right message for the mood of those in a giving spirit. "Reach out and touch somebody's hand ... make this world a better place if you can."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPyaZiYSgv8

Random Memorial for Monday 11/23/09

Gone but not forgotten: bike-a-thon.

I trolled the internet looking for information about this event from my youth and found ... nothing. Remember leaving from your high school (didn't every county school participate?) and riding in to the county vo-tech/Hills area? I can remember the LHS path took us out to almost Cornwall, and around by Alcoa and back in on 5th avenue. Didn't we get sponsors per mile and raise money for shared resources in the county education offices? I know there's a walk-a-thon/dance-a-thon/run-a-thon for every cause now, but the bike-a-thon was the first fundraiser I remember.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/07/Map_of_Lebanon_County_Pennsylvania_School_Districts.png

Random Scandal Sheet for Sunday 11/22/09

What Chicago is talking about this week:

I had a choice between the Holiday Light Spectacular on the Michigan Mile OR the guy who robbed his momma of the $67 she keeps in her bra -- while she was on a portable toilet. In the end, I decided that the citified version of Oedipus Rex was more scandalous. So, to all I say -- happy holidays and as hard as it may be this time of year, please keep your hands out of your mother's bra while she's doing her business this season!

http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2009/11/cops-mom-in-wheelchair-robbed-by-son.html

Random Posting for Penn State 11/21/09

For those of you who like a little history with your college football on a November Saturday ... the land-grant trophy at risk today (not really, right, 'cause we are surely on our way to a ten win season) references laws passed in 1862 to codify the successes of Michigan State and Penn State (then known as Farmers' High School of PA) as a response to the Industrial Revolution sweeping across America.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Land-grant_universities

Random Soapbox for Saturday 11/21/09

I don't mean to go off on a rant here, but ...

... the "as seen on TV" craze is just out of control. If it's not smokeless cigarettes (um ... don't you know it's the tobacco inside with which you are addicted -- not the shiny realistic light on its tip?), then it's the new one selling you what is basically a sheet sewed into a sleeping bag (with a place to slip in a pillow to keep it from moving around!). But can any of them beat the bottle tops that you put on cans? I'm sure it's made drinking and driving easier for those of us who can only afford the 30-packs of Schlitz or Old Mud ...

http://www.listphile.com/asseenontv/Bottle_Tops

Random Flashback for Friday 11/20/09

So this is the second week in a row where I have to go back even before 1989 (apparently I was running around on campus too busy to photograph much) -- and this holiday visit pic from 1984 that I took with a Kodak Disc camera (remember those?) includes my brother and his wife and my nephew. It could easily have been one of the first pictures I ever took.

Random Thought for Thursday 11/19/09

Oberlin Conservatory in Ohio is calling out to me to return to school (and as a former professional student who maxed out his student loans -- that's saying something). What scholarly siren is serenading me? The chance to participate in this real course offering: "[We] will focus on the underlying themes, character developments and relationships, running plots, interesting film techniques, and the obsessive fandom world surrounding the hit American comedy, The Office. A love of awkward comedy and Rainn Wilson is a must. Experience in watching the show is not necessary, but will be helpful to the student, as we will only have time to cover the significant episodes in Season 1-4. The class will meet twice a week to participate in screenings and discussions. Students will be expected to prepare responses for and contribute to discussions each week, and present a final presentation." And if that is full, then there's always the high level managerial economics course at Penn State (Erie), whose actual syllabus is listed below -- and if you look at the top of page 3, you'll discover that you basically duplicate "the Apprentice" all semester long!

http://psbehrend.psu.edu/navigational-page

Random Wordplay for Wednesday 11/18/09

Bite the Wax Tadpole.

Used in a sentence: there is only one place in the world where Coca-Cola is not known by its name -- a province in China where it loosely translated to "Bite the Wax Tadpole".

It was changed to fit in with the local dialect and became something loosely translated to "your tastebuds will rejoice". [Shout-out to Professor Brown at LVC (RIP) for informing me of this about twenty years ago.] To pick your own amusing story regarding the clash of language in marketing campaigns caused by globalization, see the link below!

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/BiteTheWaxTadpole

Random Tune for Tuesday 11/17/09

With Garth Brooks announcing his un-retirement for his Vegas shows, it's time to dust off his cassettes (for those too young to know, some of us got a dozen of them at a time through Columbia House in our youth -- and, hey, what's this Chris Gaines cassette doing here?). With so many songs from which to choose, I could really do one a week for a year or two. Instead, I'll highlight a youtube video connecting this beautiful song with the troops. I'm sure Mr. Yearwood would approve. [Try not to tear up at the crescendo.]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EFqmkIKeZw&feature=related

Random Memorial for Monday 11/16/09

Gone but not forgotten: Spuds MacKenzie.

Who knew? "He" was a girl! His/Her ads were pulled after MADD accused Budweiser of marketing to kids! His/Her actual name was "Honey Tree Evil Eye"! Were I to start my work week with alcohol, I would raise it and say "this bud's for you, Spuds"! You inspired Pete the dog to audition for Keen Eddie and Target to brand your style of cuteness to make me want to shop at its stores. May you rest in peace and live on in our memories (or for as long as Facebook exists).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spuds_MacKenzie

Random Scandal Sheet for Sunday 11/15/09

What Chicago is talking about this week:

The biggest NIMBY battle of quite some time could be ahead if Gitmo detainees are transferred to a little town called Thomson on the Mississippi River and 150 miles away from Chicago. It begs the questions ... is 150 miles away really Chicago's "backyard"? if this were some new Jack Ryan mystery, mightn't Chicago be spared from any attack as the largest city nearby where any freed terrorists could rendezvous? would Al-Queida swim upstream on the Mississippi River like some spawning-driven salmon to free their kind? Creative types could have a heyday spinning all kinds of doomsday fearmongering scenarios ... but the folks in Thomson that were interviewed for this story were just excited about the prospect of work!

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-gitmo-illinois-15-nov15,0,247250.story

Random Posting for Penn State 11/14/09

So I'm watching the final quarter on delayed DVR (but with this score, I assume we win) ... my problem is that I'm going to have to watch the Iowa/Ohio State game just because of its implications. Damn you Big 10 for taking my whole Saturday away from me!

Random Soapbox for Saturday 11/14/09

I don't mean to go off on a rant here, but ...

... I'm drinking my usual 12 fl.oz. can of Coke and my thumb is right at the message on it that says VERY LOW SODIUM! It makes me feel good a little bit, until I notice that the numbers behind the claim reference 35 mg or less per 240mL -- and in parentheses I am informed that 240mL is equal to 8 fl.oz. So -- wait a minute -- in order to maintain low sodium intake on this product, am I supposed to not finish the whole can? What am I to do with the other 4 fl.oz.? Why wouldn't they tell me the sodium equivalent for the whole can I was drinking? Sneaky, tricky, fine print! (mind you, I'm still a Coke [TM] addict, and do not plan to reduce my consumption -- I'm just being grumpy). For more deception and trickery hidden in the fine print, become a regular viewer of www.mouseprint.org.

http://www.mouseprint.org/

Random Flashback for Friday 11/13/09

A little purposeful anachronism here -- this is from 1986 (not 1989 like all the others) but I couldn't resist slipping in a photo from Winter Retreat (a regular Hebron church camp activity). I'm pretty sure that I'm the guy on the floor -- a little religious hazing perhaps?

Random Thought for Thursday 11/12/09

So it takes a village, right? A new children's book takes hard-to-grasp concepts and places them within the context of a 100 person village so that kids can understand large numbers, percentages and how we all fit together. For instance, in the "village called America", 15 people would trace their ancestry back to Germany, 11 back to Ireland, etc. But the lessons aren't just for the underage set (once you understand the concept) -- five people share more than half of the wealth in the USA (and one person controls 30%) and the 60 poorest people share 4%. I'm not advocating that we move to a different spot on the Socialism/Capitalism continuum -- just that we pause to think.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2009-09-02-america-village_N.htm

Random Wordplay for Wednesday 11/11/09

Veteran.

Used in a sentence (penned by an unknown author): A veteran is someone who, at one point in his or her life, wrote a blank check made payable to "The United States of America," for an amount of "up to and including my life".

Even I know that there are some days when a healthy dose of snark is unnecessary.

Thanks to those who serve.

http://www.visitingdc.com/virginia/tomb-unknown-soldier-picture.htm

Random Tune for Tuesday 11/10/09

Picture this. Schuylkill Haven, PA. 1979. A boy can both get ready for school in the morning and rush home after school to catch his favorite cartoon. Unlike the post-ironic generation's love for anime, he's simply wrapped up in the mission to save Earth from disappearing. Ah ... StarBlazers!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5oniErmeuE

Random Musing for Monday 11/9/09

The difference between juvenile delinquents and Andre Agassi's daddy: Juvies keep duct tape in the glove box of their car in case they ever need to tape up their license plate to steal gas or to use it to quietly break into someone else's car window. Andre Agassi's daddy keeps a few dashes of salt and pepper in his pockets in case he has to blind someone in a street fight. Makes me want to reconsider whether I put my contacts in before I hit the streets just in case I run into any angry Armenians! Should I slip in a few ketchup packets to use as retaliation? Since the cost of living is out of control in my neighborhood, do angry Armenians upgrade to saffron-in-the-pocket?

http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20317243,00.html

Random Scandal Sheet for Sunday 11/8/09

What Chicago is talking about this week:

While the rest of the world watches the House vote on the Health Reform bill (and one lone wolf from the other side of the aisle doesn't portend a bipartisan era), efforts are underway closer to home to re-set the stage for the repeal of Cook County's draconian sales tax -- but with a rewriting of the veto requirements and a determination that super-majorities are subject to gradation. Thanks to Gov Quinn, we replace the 80% humongous-majority rule with a more palatable 60% teeny-majority rule!

http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/clout_st/2009/11/quinn-to-sign-cook-county-veto-bill.html

Random Posting for Penn State 11/7/09

We are 3.5 point favorites (according to one betting site) and we "have the quarterback to cover the spread". What with Iowa dealing with their loss (of game and of injured Stanzi), the true measure of a team is how they pick themselves up after losing -- and we've done it by winning the last five with margins of at least 18! Let's do it again today!!

Random Soapbox for Saturday 11/7/09

I don't mean to go off on a rant here, but ...

... I have to say that I think that this menu item is just irresponsible. I understand merely offering this 9-1-1 sandwich -- nine burgers and eleven pieces of cheese -- doesn't force anyone to order it ... but I have to think that few people finish it and it seems like a waste of food when plenty of people are still going hungry. And for those who do finish it, I'm reminded how when it comes to cardiac disease, for 1 out of 3, death is the first symptom. Maybe I'm getting heated up over a novelty item, and as someone who tries to add bacon to everything, I know I'm opening myself up to claims of hypocrisy, but let's draw the line at the Quad Stacker at BK!

http://chicago.grubstreet.com/2009/10/eating_weiner_still_champions.html

Random Flashback for Friday 11/6/09

Me as Billy Einhorn in the LVC/Renato Biribin production of House of Blue Leaves ... and Bananas Shaughnessy (the schizo on the couch with me) played by the irrepressible Stacey Gilbert. I would say this is what I'll look like when I get older -- except that would presuppose that I would have kept this hair!

Random Thought for Thursday 11/5/09

So much of the internet is filled with people hiding behind clever usernames to make annoying or hurtful comments (not on FB of course), using the invisibility cloak of the internet to reduce their obligation to consider how their statements fail to demonstrate humanity -- all under the guise of web-induced-anonymity. Now -- from Sonic -- you can use a tater tot to message your true feelings about this week's football games! The system does not allow George Carlin's famous words, but I have successfully taunted that Ohio State's head coach Jim Tressel's wife has loose morals and that his daughter is being entertained by the whole football team (and will have at least one experience with someone from the cheerleading squad) and that half his team will contract an STD before graduation. And it sounds so cute because it's coming from a tater tot! I encourage you to spew venom and vitriol and other smack talk through the Sonic spokes-potato too!

http://tatertaunt.com/

Random Wordplay for Wednesday 11/4/09

"Geese in a line".

Used in a sentence: "If you think that you're gonna [insert desired outcome here], you better get all your geese in a line!"

I did a little research, and it seems the the origin of "ducks in a row" is in dispute. To avoid controversy and build consensus (and to heal the world one word/phrase at a time), why not avoid the dispute over whether that expression originated from bowling, or the pool-hall or while shipbuilding -- and let's rally around a clear concept (particularly on display this time of year) -- geese who want to cross a road line up single file to assault the asphalt. Join me in the revolution!

http://www.word-detective.com/2007/07/31/ducks-in-a-row-part-2/

Random Tune for Tuesday 11/3/09

So I was playing Cranium with the family recently, and I pulled the card for MC Hammer. I unwisely chose "humdinger" as my choice because I thought I could at least get the repeated phrase "Hammer-time" across. No such luck. I doubt I would have had much more of a chance with this song, but until today, I forgot he even sang this theme song. Wonder if it will be in the new musical version?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRAg_bjxTPg&feature=related

Random Musing for Monday 11/2/09

[Warning: possible blasphemy ahead] With the recently announced upgrade to the NIV Bible (which is what we used in the Methodist church I grew up in), it got me thinking. What if we let HBO update the stories to connect with today's youths? I could see the story of Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abendengo easily becoming like Entourage ... and Alan Ball should be able to handle his version of Revelations (all True Blood style) ... Paul and Silas thrown in jail for singing God's praises in ACTS -- that could be re-set as an episode of OZ ... plus all the deaths (and resurrections) could easily fill a season of Six Feet Under. One of those mega-churches should be all over this idea ...

http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/2009-09-01-bible-translation_N.htm

Random Scandal Sheet for Sunday 11/1/09

What Chicago is talking about this week:

In order to escape from the actual news (more shootings ... more deaths ... more omnipresent violence), sometimes you have to push the boundaries of taste for a laugh. Best Halloween costume seen this year (and, fair warning -- it's on the other side of the line) was Drew and Stacey Peterson (Drew in prison garb, accompanied by a blue plastic tub). Most creative bastardization of Halloween tradition -- the outpouring of photo galleries with drunken, vomiting pumpkins! Happy Halloween or Happy Day of the Dead to you and yours ...

http://beer.gunaxin.com/drunk-pumpkins/1122