The kid (adult) who played "Boner" Stabone on "Growing Pains" was found dead in a park in Vancouver. His old man was Walter Koenig who originated the role of "Chekov" on Star Trek.
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/olympics/vancouver/2010-02-25-andrew-koenig-body-found_N.htm?csp=hf
The article, kinda broke my heart. Depression is kind of a hot button topic for me as it is, having lost two buddies within a matter of a month and a half to suicide. [i] "If you learn anything from this," Koenig said, directing his comments to those who also suffer from depression, "there are people out there who care." "In his pain," Judith Koenig said, "he didn't realize help was available to him."[/i]
Friday, February 26, 2010
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Technology is scary
I found this story kind of interesting.
A few weeks ago, a temp co-worker of mine told me that he and his girlfriend met another couple downtown for drinks. They split up at the end of the night and his buddy + fiancee were walking home across the Henn. Ave bridge toward Riverplace when a guy on a bike stole her purse. They reported it, but the cops said there was probably nothing they'd be able to do. Now, the couple had recently purchased a set of those new fangle GPS cell phones and for a lark decided to see if they could locate her phone on the web.
And they did. South Minneapolis residence.
So they called the cops. Cops said "Sorry. Can't help you." So he calls up my co-worker and they go to the dudes house. In the foyer, they saw the bike. (I guess it was a yellow mountain bike) And they knocked on the door. They asked the guy that answered if he knew of any stolen property and (of course) he said he had no idea what they were talking about. They told them they had traced the purse to this location using the GPS and they'd be happy to call the police to inform them and he still (of course) balked. They thanked him and left.
Annnnd from their truck around the corner, on his GPS, a neat little signal left the front of the property they were just at as they watched him walk around the corner and leave. A little while later, they traced the phone to an alley and found it in an upturned recycling bin. Another call to the cops to confirm their suspicions and again, the officer said there was nothing they could do. So the fiancee' did the only sensible thing, she wrote the press.
And good old KARE 11 jumped on it. http://www.kare11.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=842648
(ps- I don't condone the confrontation, as the cops were very right in saying it could turned into a potentially dangerous situation. I just thought this was cool how the GPS was kind of like a Spider-Tracer. I also still think it's f#cked up that any cell phone users can be found. Spooky) +
***UPDATE***
Said co-worker told me this morning that the PO-lice are launching an investigation into the home and individual residing there in relation to potential criminal activities. Which I'm certain has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that this story received media coverage.
Nothing at all.
A few weeks ago, a temp co-worker of mine told me that he and his girlfriend met another couple downtown for drinks. They split up at the end of the night and his buddy + fiancee were walking home across the Henn. Ave bridge toward Riverplace when a guy on a bike stole her purse. They reported it, but the cops said there was probably nothing they'd be able to do. Now, the couple had recently purchased a set of those new fangle GPS cell phones and for a lark decided to see if they could locate her phone on the web.
And they did. South Minneapolis residence.
So they called the cops. Cops said "Sorry. Can't help you." So he calls up my co-worker and they go to the dudes house. In the foyer, they saw the bike. (I guess it was a yellow mountain bike) And they knocked on the door. They asked the guy that answered if he knew of any stolen property and (of course) he said he had no idea what they were talking about. They told them they had traced the purse to this location using the GPS and they'd be happy to call the police to inform them and he still (of course) balked. They thanked him and left.
Annnnd from their truck around the corner, on his GPS, a neat little signal left the front of the property they were just at as they watched him walk around the corner and leave. A little while later, they traced the phone to an alley and found it in an upturned recycling bin. Another call to the cops to confirm their suspicions and again, the officer said there was nothing they could do. So the fiancee' did the only sensible thing, she wrote the press.
And good old KARE 11 jumped on it. http://www.kare11.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=842648
(ps- I don't condone the confrontation, as the cops were very right in saying it could turned into a potentially dangerous situation. I just thought this was cool how the GPS was kind of like a Spider-Tracer. I also still think it's f#cked up that any cell phone users can be found. Spooky) +
***UPDATE***
Said co-worker told me this morning that the PO-lice are launching an investigation into the home and individual residing there in relation to potential criminal activities. Which I'm certain has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that this story received media coverage.
Nothing at all.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Lent, Lending, Loaned
(Semi-retraction: You know that Optimistic Ollie post from yesterday? The one how "Snow isn't gonna defeat me, no sir or ma'am!" Yeah, well...ask me if I feel the same way during the always faithful wet mushy snow storms that hit in March during the High School tourneys. I'm start b#tching, again, and y'all are gonna be like "Hey P- Want us to pass the ketchup? Sure you don't want anything for those words?!?!" 'Cause, like...I'm gonna eat my, you know? Shut up. Just shut up.)
Soooooo...Moda has just informed me that she's giving up cheese for Lent. (Who she's Lending her cheese to is a mystery. It's my understanding that the Lord was more of a pescatarian and possibly lactose intolerant) Personally, and not that I'm doubting her resolve (as this isn't a Cathololic practice per se, rather using the Lenten period of 40 days as an experiement) For my part, I will eat her cheese and do my best to not order Luce' or make fondue. Won't. What I might try is 86'ing alcohol for the similar period. If my big brother can do it for the duration of his wife's two pregnancies then I figure I should be good to go. Maybe. What about recipes? My GOD!!!
She (The crazy one. The one giving up, I mean COME ON!?!? CHEESE! This is the woman who is on a first name basis with the cheese counter employee's at Lunds!) Anyway, she enrolled in her first 1/2 marathon (I'd do the same, but I'm waiting on my meager tax return) The both of us are already upping the number of minutes/mileage on the treadmill and we might even partake in the training club that preps for the race starting in April. At any rate, cutting out booze will hopefully benefit training. I think.
I mean...beer. You know? It's delicious. And the Lord put back a pint or two of veeno.
Sheesh.
So, today's fun-fun-funny theme will be sports/training minded. And you all, all two of you readers, will be offering me moral encouragement.
CAN YOU RUN FASTER THAN KENYANS?!?!?! And when God gives you lemons you FIND A NEW GOD!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRuNxHqwazs
and part 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-3qncy5Qfk
Soooooo...Moda has just informed me that she's giving up cheese for Lent. (Who she's Lending her cheese to is a mystery. It's my understanding that the Lord was more of a pescatarian and possibly lactose intolerant) Personally, and not that I'm doubting her resolve (as this isn't a Cathololic practice per se, rather using the Lenten period of 40 days as an experiement) For my part, I will eat her cheese and do my best to not order Luce' or make fondue. Won't. What I might try is 86'ing alcohol for the similar period. If my big brother can do it for the duration of his wife's two pregnancies then I figure I should be good to go. Maybe. What about recipes? My GOD!!!
She (The crazy one. The one giving up, I mean COME ON!?!? CHEESE! This is the woman who is on a first name basis with the cheese counter employee's at Lunds!) Anyway, she enrolled in her first 1/2 marathon (I'd do the same, but I'm waiting on my meager tax return) The both of us are already upping the number of minutes/mileage on the treadmill and we might even partake in the training club that preps for the race starting in April. At any rate, cutting out booze will hopefully benefit training. I think.
I mean...beer. You know? It's delicious. And the Lord put back a pint or two of veeno.
Sheesh.
So, today's fun-fun-funny theme will be sports/training minded. And you all, all two of you readers, will be offering me moral encouragement.
CAN YOU RUN FASTER THAN KENYANS?!?!?! And when God gives you lemons you FIND A NEW GOD!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRuNxHqwazs
and part 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-3qncy5Qfk
This kinda makes me happy
Moda and I checked this place out a few months back. It's right around the corner from my place and the food is excellent for such a non-descript building. I'm hoping to get back for dinner some time. (We hit the weekend brunch)
http://www.citypages.com/2010-02-17/restaurants/chimborazo-and-cocina-latina-showcase-ecuador-s-hearty-fare/
http://www.citypages.com/2010-02-17/restaurants/chimborazo-and-cocina-latina-showcase-ecuador-s-hearty-fare/
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Kicking winter in the face.
You know, since enacting the parking ban in Mipples I've been missing "my" spot in front of my house. Of course it's enacted the first time the "even" side of the street is clear. It's just...so pristine. There was one a$$hole who parked there though. The day of the ban, this enormous Toyota SUV planted itself in front of my house. After a few days, my roommate and I bumped into each other in the morning he RAILED against winter and the aforementioned A-hole- going so far as to threaten calling 9-1-1. (I asked him to please not)
We had yet another snowfall overnight on V-Day and when I woke up early to shovel the walk and brush off Moda and the Bean's respective vehicles there was the behemoth under a mound of snow. So sneaky bastard that I am, I walked over and in big block letters on the driver side window I wrote "ILLEGAL". Sure as s#it when I got home? Gone. Yeeeeah b#tches.
The weather has mellowed a bit which for mid-February is doing awesome things for my mood. On my way around the block the other night to meet Moda @Wilde Roast for dinner I made the resolution to not let the frakkin' winter get to me anymore. Refuse. So I went in the back yard the next day (I was home sick) and trunched out to the back yard where a couple of widowmaker icicles had been bugging me since I first saw them. (Huge, they were. At least 4.5 feet long. And reminded me of an old "Peanuts" cartoon where Snoopy was trapped in his dog house for fear of a widowmaker falling if he made a false move. He eventually did, of course, when Charlie Brown called him for supper. The destruction of his dog house/imaginary Sopwith Camel bi-plane was a small price to pay for congealed Alpo served by a prematurely bald 2nd grader who only owns one shirt.)
Anyway, instead of breaking off they actually slid off with little or no finesse- Clearing the gutter and keeping the shingles in tact. Score.
So a list of Spring/Summer projects is already coming to mind, including new blow-in insulation to help with the chilly main-level discrepancy. Lists of recipes to cook, restaurants to try, things to plant. (I was decluttering this weekend and found the 2010 garden plot)
Yeah. I might be poor. I may end up spending part of June in Bemidji. But dammit...I will be productive.
For your enjoyment, my two favorite Auto-Tune the Newses. (Watch all of'em if you can. They're pretty dang funny)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dqTrUpmwPg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCCuOrRzoSc
We had yet another snowfall overnight on V-Day and when I woke up early to shovel the walk and brush off Moda and the Bean's respective vehicles there was the behemoth under a mound of snow. So sneaky bastard that I am, I walked over and in big block letters on the driver side window I wrote "ILLEGAL". Sure as s#it when I got home? Gone. Yeeeeah b#tches.
The weather has mellowed a bit which for mid-February is doing awesome things for my mood. On my way around the block the other night to meet Moda @Wilde Roast for dinner I made the resolution to not let the frakkin' winter get to me anymore. Refuse. So I went in the back yard the next day (I was home sick) and trunched out to the back yard where a couple of widowmaker icicles had been bugging me since I first saw them. (Huge, they were. At least 4.5 feet long. And reminded me of an old "Peanuts" cartoon where Snoopy was trapped in his dog house for fear of a widowmaker falling if he made a false move. He eventually did, of course, when Charlie Brown called him for supper. The destruction of his dog house/imaginary Sopwith Camel bi-plane was a small price to pay for congealed Alpo served by a prematurely bald 2nd grader who only owns one shirt.)
Anyway, instead of breaking off they actually slid off with little or no finesse- Clearing the gutter and keeping the shingles in tact. Score.
So a list of Spring/Summer projects is already coming to mind, including new blow-in insulation to help with the chilly main-level discrepancy. Lists of recipes to cook, restaurants to try, things to plant. (I was decluttering this weekend and found the 2010 garden plot)
Yeah. I might be poor. I may end up spending part of June in Bemidji. But dammit...I will be productive.
For your enjoyment, my two favorite Auto-Tune the Newses. (Watch all of'em if you can. They're pretty dang funny)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dqTrUpmwPg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCCuOrRzoSc
Friday, February 12, 2010
Million Dollar Idea/Spreading the awkwardness
With the driving snow this messy, awful winter without end (and really? We've had frack all bad winters for the last 4 years. '06/'07/'08 were all ridiculously cold and managed to hold on into April. '09 we managed to really never escape winter until August. A few lousy days in August.) has got folks in a righteous funk. Yesterday I woke up to a dry erase board that had a tirade against the winter written by my roommate and he was no sooner downstairs than he was full of piss and vinegar against (Insert winter insanity here: Other drivers, people who are parking on the "even" side during our citywide parking ban, below zero temps, etc.)
My current problem is the pothole situation, which seems to have grown arguably worse this year in Mipples. For example, there's one on the intersection of 18th and Johnson that seems like someone left a manhole uncovered. And on my way to the office, there's a gash that runs almost straight across the street. Practically unavoidable. (I'll refrain from describing the minefield which lies in front of the Walker about the area of the Henn/Lyn split, but it's a dooze)
My million dollar idea, was that wouldn't it be great if someone could find an expanding filler-just to get us through winter- that had a non-toxic liquid agent that could be applied when the weather improved which would then dissolve it. Freeing the pothole to be filled with patch.
Genius, right? I know, I know...they already have something that'd work. It's callled "sand".
The warm fuzzies continue today with another website I enjoy frequenting: Awkward Family Photo's. (This too, is a dooze. And makes me laugh almost every time)
(*The above awkward photo was taken in 1987 in Cody, WY. I kept the more scandalous one of RSvP and I where he's wearing a crop-top with short-shorts and the fedora. For my part, my fashion sense was highly motivated by the mighty "jams". I probably had 5-6 pair with matching tank top. All the better to accentuate mah belleh!)
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
That's more like it...
The plows came through, and for the first time since early December I can park reasonably close to the curb in front of my house. This is all spectacular until I found out the city of Mipples has declared a parking BAN on the even side of the street (where you live) until---wait for it---APRIL!!! (Or the first significant thaw. Regardless)
Today's smile inducing video is brought to you by the letter "Dolph". I was a true cold war kid, and in my mind nothing really captures the fervor we as a nation shared in kickin' commie Russky butt than in our celluloid fantasies. "Red Dawn", "Spies Like Us", "No Way Out", even "Yakov Smirnov in Concert" were all ways we could, as a country, feel like we were stemming the tide of communism. And it felt GOOD! RAHHHH!!! And nothing, I mean nothing encapsulated that pro-USA-Soviet-butt-kicking mania than "Rocky wha?" Nooooo, "Rocky IV".
(Many film scholars may argue that the 1st Rocky, being as it was a true "indie" film which garnered praise from many at the Academy, is the best in the series. With the most recent "Rocky Balboa" capturing the essence of the first film, the heart of the first film.
Other, smarter, individuals will clearly cry "THREE" as the winner of the franchise- acting as both a mainstream impetus to bring professional Wrestling back into the spotlight and birthed a generation of mohawked fool-pitiers. And a sweet soundtrack by "Survivor".)
For my part, both of them would be pretty close. "Rocky IV" though? Forget Mickey, yo. He lost Apollo! While he and James Brown looked on impotently. And he beat the steroid pumping spikey blonde behemoth who towered at least 6 feet over Rocky! And he had state of the art training facilities while Rocky had a barn. A BARN! And he WON! And he got Brigitte Nielsen out of the deal...at least until after the movie "Cobra" wrapped.
So yeah. Dolph. Total bad-ass. And we read up on this guy. And it turns out acting was some sort of back up plan. He was a world-class tournament winning karate practitioner (See "Showdown in Little Tokyo" for reference and co-starring a very young Brandon Lee) which we were like "Duh" yeah. He's big and he can FIGHT!
But this yahoo is apparently a genius. Literally. Like, PhD from Smorgenborgen University in advanced Hoo-Ha Scientificity Rim-Ram. (Blah. Read about the guy here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dolph_Lundgren)
So yeah. Watch this guy. I think my brain just exploded. He can now add "Singer/Dancer/Drummer" to his already impressive resume of "Actor/Martial Artist/Master's in Chemical Engineering/Olympic Pentathelete Activist-Coordinator".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHtatY7bOUY
Today's smile inducing video is brought to you by the letter "Dolph". I was a true cold war kid, and in my mind nothing really captures the fervor we as a nation shared in kickin' commie Russky butt than in our celluloid fantasies. "Red Dawn", "Spies Like Us", "No Way Out", even "Yakov Smirnov in Concert" were all ways we could, as a country, feel like we were stemming the tide of communism. And it felt GOOD! RAHHHH!!! And nothing, I mean nothing encapsulated that pro-USA-Soviet-butt-kicking mania than "Rocky wha?" Nooooo, "Rocky IV".
(Many film scholars may argue that the 1st Rocky, being as it was a true "indie" film which garnered praise from many at the Academy, is the best in the series. With the most recent "Rocky Balboa" capturing the essence of the first film, the heart of the first film.
Other, smarter, individuals will clearly cry "THREE" as the winner of the franchise- acting as both a mainstream impetus to bring professional Wrestling back into the spotlight and birthed a generation of mohawked fool-pitiers. And a sweet soundtrack by "Survivor".)
For my part, both of them would be pretty close. "Rocky IV" though? Forget Mickey, yo. He lost Apollo! While he and James Brown looked on impotently. And he beat the steroid pumping spikey blonde behemoth who towered at least 6 feet over Rocky! And he had state of the art training facilities while Rocky had a barn. A BARN! And he WON! And he got Brigitte Nielsen out of the deal...at least until after the movie "Cobra" wrapped.
So yeah. Dolph. Total bad-ass. And we read up on this guy. And it turns out acting was some sort of back up plan. He was a world-class tournament winning karate practitioner (See "Showdown in Little Tokyo" for reference and co-starring a very young Brandon Lee) which we were like "Duh" yeah. He's big and he can FIGHT!
But this yahoo is apparently a genius. Literally. Like, PhD from Smorgenborgen University in advanced Hoo-Ha Scientificity Rim-Ram. (Blah. Read about the guy here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dolph_Lundgren)
So yeah. Watch this guy. I think my brain just exploded. He can now add "Singer/Dancer/Drummer" to his already impressive resume of "Actor/Martial Artist/Master's in Chemical Engineering/Olympic Pentathelete Activist-Coordinator".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHtatY7bOUY
Tuesday, February 09, 2010
We've arrived
Mid-February. As timing goes, this is about the point during the winter I want to give Mother Nature the finger. The winter wonderland is no longer charming. The biting cold. The lack of traction...grrr.
In the last 48 hours, I've shovelled my walkway 4 times. I've seen how the neighbor at the corner of the street conspicuously plows, almost deliberately mind you, from the corner to the two houses next store and then STOPS right before mine. On Caturday, after an eventful decluttering/house cleaning day I decided to get the last vestiges of snow off the walk (marking shovel-fest #5) before the temps started dropping. Welll, lo and behold when I went to my car the city plows must have came through and pushed an icy barrier around my ride. (And with the temps falling, these formerly slushy gray hockey pucks froze solid) So I chipped and shoveled and miraculously didn't fall but miraculously put out my lower back. (Getting in and out of the car was fun) and discovered I have little traction going up the slick hills which permeate my neighborhood.
Grrr. WHOSE RESPONSIBLE THIS?!?!?
So I'm changing tactics on my blog for a while. I refuse to let this weather bring me down and plan on focusing on the positive. (And not March's reliable 3 weekends of winter storms which always happen during the State High School Sports Tourney's) I will be posting funny links etc. that always manage to make me laugh starting with this gem Moda found and posted on Frassbook. You...you know you've wanted to learn how to do this:
Cat Massage
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnZhi5gaX8g&feature=autofb
In the last 48 hours, I've shovelled my walkway 4 times. I've seen how the neighbor at the corner of the street conspicuously plows, almost deliberately mind you, from the corner to the two houses next store and then STOPS right before mine. On Caturday, after an eventful decluttering/house cleaning day I decided to get the last vestiges of snow off the walk (marking shovel-fest #5) before the temps started dropping. Welll, lo and behold when I went to my car the city plows must have came through and pushed an icy barrier around my ride. (And with the temps falling, these formerly slushy gray hockey pucks froze solid) So I chipped and shoveled and miraculously didn't fall but miraculously put out my lower back. (Getting in and out of the car was fun) and discovered I have little traction going up the slick hills which permeate my neighborhood.
Grrr. WHOSE RESPONSIBLE THIS?!?!?
So I'm changing tactics on my blog for a while. I refuse to let this weather bring me down and plan on focusing on the positive. (And not March's reliable 3 weekends of winter storms which always happen during the State High School Sports Tourney's) I will be posting funny links etc. that always manage to make me laugh starting with this gem Moda found and posted on Frassbook. You...you know you've wanted to learn how to do this:
Cat Massage
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnZhi5gaX8g&feature=autofb
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)