YoungBrews

Double Rainbow

2011-10-08T13:23:00.001-07:00

We spent last week in Arizona. On Sunday we saw this double rainbow. Basia hadn't seen one before.

Heavy Drinkers Outlive Nondrinkers

2010-08-30T18:39:00.000-07:00

I knew moderate drinkers outlived teetotalers, but this study shows heavier drinkers do too.
You're still better off drinking moderately, though.

Fwd: Repeal Day

2008-12-04T20:46:00.000-08:00

December 5, 1933 is Repeal Day. Prohibition was repealed with the ratification of the 21st amendment. Feel free to celebrate with the beverage of your choice.

Repeal Day

2008-12-04T20:41:00.000-08:00

December 5, 1933 is Repeal Day. Prohibition was repealed with the ratification of the 21st amendment. Feel free to celebrate with the beverage of your choice.

New ISP

2008-11-10T16:17:00.002-08:00

Yes, I'm back with Verizon.
Not DSL, this time it's FiOS,

I don't always get 10 mbps, but it's almost always over 6 mbps, which is what I was getting with Roadrunner.

SNAKE!!!

2008-10-27T19:39:00.002-07:00

Animal Control just left with a 3 ft Ball Python that was in my back yard.
Must have escaped from a neighbor.

EARTHQUAKE!

2008-07-29T19:01:00.002-07:00

Yes, I felt it.
Everybody felt it.
The earthquake was just enough to remind me I need to refresh my 'grab
and go' bag.

Cheers!

2008-04-25T19:35:00.003-07:00

I came across this site that tells you how to say cheers in many languages.
How many ways can you say it?
Cheers
Salud
Na zdrowie
...

The Darwin Awards

2007-12-15T18:06:00.000-08:00

Every year the Darwin Awards are given to those individuals who have improved the collective gene pool by removing themselves from it.

I suspect this is all too frequently proceeded by the phrase "Here hold my beer and watch this!"

link

We Dont Need More Dogs in this House!

2007-12-15T17:31:00.000-08:00

Star and Cookie react jealously to Basia's new slippers

Done with the Cold Water

2007-09-30T16:00:00.000-07:00

We've reached a major milestone with the re-pipe. We have finished with the cold water piping. This was more involved than the hot water will be since it involved re-routing the supply into the house as well as routing around the house to get to the garage.

We still have to re-pipe the hot water, but that won't be anywhere near as complex a job as the cold. Then, of course, there's the drywall to replace...

Talk Like a Pirate

2007-09-19T17:59:00.000-07:00

Arrrrr!
Ye scurvy dogs!
Grab your rum and join in!

Tales of Copper Re-Pipe

2007-09-15T18:26:00.000-07:00

We finished the repipe of the cold water line to the kitchen last week. I learned that a "dry" pipe can suddenly gush water and ruin the joint you're trying to solder. I bought 20 feet of plastic tubing to shove into and blow out any line before I try to sweat another joint.
We're now working on the cold water line to the master bath and garage. We'll have to wait until it's 100% ready before disconnecting the existing connections under the slab. Actually I have no idea what path water takes to the garage. I will need to find out before I can re-connect the laundry.

Old Pipes

2007-09-04T19:14:00.001-07:00

Here's one of the reasons I need to re-pipe.

This is the hot water pipe, above and behind the water heater.

I wonder how long this would last...

Working on the pipes...

2007-08-11T19:44:00.000-07:00

For the last few weeks we've been trying to cope with our piping problem.

We called a major copper re-pipe specialist here in southern California, who came out right away, and quoted us 2100 dollars to re-pipe the addition (master bedroom) in the attic, or 5000 dollars to re-pipe the whole house. We signed a contract for 2100 dollars. They sent a guy out the next morning, looked around for a half hour and called his boss, saying "this isn't the kind of job I want". Next day the supervisor came out and called around for a couple of hours, and said another plumber would be there that afternoon. Never showed, never called. Next day we exercised our 3-day right to cancellation.

Looks like the cheapest, most reliable "plumber" I know is typing this blog entry. I already know the two things a plumber needs to know -- crap flows downhill and payday is on Friday. (a plumber told me that - it's a joke)

So we start exploring in the walls and ceilings. Turns out the original house is supplied from the addition, two copper lines to/from the water heater. The original house is all plumbed in old galvanized pipe.

We'll be re-piping a section per weekend as time, skills (limited), patience (also limited), and heat waves (unlimited) allow.

I took last Friday off so Basia (my helper and supervisor) could assist me -- she had to work Sunday & Monday) , and we re-piped the cold water line in the front bathroom. We also replaced the shut-off valve and brought the supply back in through the original house, to the water heater. Now we have full time water supply to the front bathroom and kitchen.

Our next task, working our way front to back is to re-pipe the cold water line to the kitchen.

Beer in space

2007-08-06T16:00:00.000-07:00

Beer in space: A short but frothy history - space - 31 July 2007 - New Scientist Space

self explanatory.

There's water coming up through the sidewalk!

2007-07-31T18:00:00.001-07:00

Basia woke me up this morning at 7:00 as she was leaving for work. She says "There's water coming up through the sidewalk, next to the back porch".
So I got up and checked. Yup, it has to be a water pipe under there with a hole in it. The trouble is, as far as I know, there aren't any pipes under that particular spot. Where I know there's pipes, there's no water and where I see the water, there's no pipes (none that I know of anyway).
So, I filled a bunch of water jugs, in case this takes a while, and went back to bed. I'm not going to make a bunch of noise early on Sunday morning. Besides, Home Depot isn't open this early and I need to buy a sledge hammer to bust through that sidewalk. (besides the fact -- I just want to go back to sleep).
Later, I bought a sledge hammer and busted a hole in the sidewalk.

What I found was, the water was coming from the next section of sidewalk.
So, should I bust up another section of sidewalk? I told this problem to a coworker. Turns out he had busted several holes in the slab in his home before he called a plumber with a leak locater who pinpointed it several feet from where he was looking. I think I'll take his advice.

Big Lemon

2007-06-23T15:31:00.000-07:00

Basia sent me out to pick a lemon earlier, I found this monster on the tree.
Beer can shown for size comparison only.

Render unto Caesar..

2007-06-23T15:16:00.001-07:00

A few weeks ago I was driving to work, in the carpool lane (it's ok my carpool buddy was riding with me), and we're stuck behind some jerk driving slower than any of the other lanes. In California, the carpool lane is separated from the fast lane by double yellow lines except at select points (too few, too far between) where you can enter or leave.
I was fed up and a bit impatient, so as soon as a space opens up in the next lane, I pull in. Of course, when I did, the slow jerk speeds away. Within seconds, I glance in the mirror and CHiPs is on my tail, (lights on). I pull over and collect my ticket.
A couple weeks later, in accordance with the citation, I reported to the courthouse, in beautiful downtown Compton.
The courthouse actually is the most attractive building in Compton, (your tax dollars at work). I waited in line about an hour, and paid my $381.00 fine.

I heard from a coworker - the fine will be increasing to over $1000.00 after July 1, 2007. Snopes says it's not true (I know the state's greedy, but that would be ridiculous).

Star

2007-05-19T09:18:00.001-07:00

A crappy cell phone picture of a beauty.

Eating the Free Pig

2007-05-12T16:09:00.000-07:00

Last week, we filled the freezer with wild boar.
Today, we're having ribs.
More on this after we eat.

Another Medical Procedure

2007-05-12T15:25:00.000-07:00

I took Friday off work, I had an endoscopy and colonoscopy procedure.

Part of the preparation was to fast all day Thursday and after 3PM drink two bottles of Fleet® Phospho-soda® Oral Saline Laxative. Trust me -- it works all too well.

Friday, I went in for the procedure. They put me out for both procedures. I slept through most of it, but I woke up during the endoscopy - (not a pleasant experience).

The results of the tests are --
I had one polyp removed during the colonoscopy. This was sent for biopsy. I'll find out in a couple weeks if it's nothing.
I have a hiatal hernia. The doctor prescribed Prilosec to counteract the heartburn. So far it's working. I'm not sure if I should stop taking the 300mg Zantac.
I think I'll finish the prescription off, Prilosec in the morning and Zantac at night.

When I got home I slept about 4 hours, and I had a sore throat when I woke up. I sprayed some Cepacol down my gullet for relief. (it worked after a dozen squirts).

I'm doing OK now, enjoying the weekend.

Free Pigs!

2007-05-07T17:42:00.001-07:00

I was at home yesterday, trying to stay cool in the 92 degree heat, and having a cold one in the shade.
Basia called: I've got two pigs in the back of my Jeep, make room in the freezer, bye I gotta go.
I said: huh?

An old hunter friend of hers had bagged some wild (feral?) pigs on a hunting trip up north (details are sketchy).
Anyway, when Basia backed up the driveway and opened the back, there were two whole hogs (skinned and gutted of course) laying there. One was way bigger than the other. They were probably 150 pounds combined.

The dogs were dancing in delight. Look at all those bones!

The meat cutting went pretty fast, considering neither of us had ever cut up a pig before. A big cleaver and a Tiger saw made quick work of the stubborn cuts.

Looks like we'll be barbecueing lots of good, lean pork this summer.

Back from the Mountains

2007-04-29T17:28:00.001-07:00

Last week we spent 4 days at the cabin in Arizona.
The days were sunny, and the nights were clear and cold.
It was windy a couple days, so we couldn't build a fire.
The dogs seemed to enjoy being there, they stuck pretty close.
We decided to leave on Friday instead of waiting till Saturday, - good thing too, it rained all the way from Kingman back home.

CNN.com don't know guns

2007-03-27T19:07:00.000-07:00

There's a story on CNN.com where they're talking about a shotgun slaying, but they keep calling it a rifle.
A rifle has spiral grooves to give the bullet a spin for better accuracy.
A shotgun is smoothbore gun.

CNN don't know guns.

In Trial, Drugs Equal Benefits of Artery Stents

2007-03-27T19:06:00.000-07:00

New York Times has a picture of my stent.
I thought there was more wire.

New Dog

2007-03-26T16:10:00.000-07:00

We have a new dog.

Her name is Cookie.
We're guessing she's a pointer mix.
She points (sort of).

Bloody Sloe Screw

2007-03-04T13:34:00.000-08:00

2 navel orange (baseball sized)
2 blood oranges (handball sized)
1-1/2 oz Vodka
3/4 oz Sloe Gin
3/4 oz Triple Sec

Mmm! A bit sweeter than I usually drink, but I'll remember this one

Blood Orange Screwdriver

2007-03-04T13:09:00.000-08:00

1 navel orange (baseball sized)
1 blood orange (handball sized)
1-1/2 oz Vodka (a little bigger shot glass)

The blood orange is really blood colored, a little bit sweeter than a navel orange. This drink is not quite as sweet as a sloe screw.

Working at home

2007-02-18T14:43:00.000-08:00

I worked on the base cabinet under the sink today. The bottom got wet from a leaky faucet. It became soft and had fallen apart. I built a platform of 2x6's and 1/2" plywood. That should hold it for now.

Sober People Now Too Drunk to Drive in New York State

2007-02-15T16:48:00.000-08:00

Sober People Now Too Drunk to Drive in New York State

In short, the new law makes any detectable level of alcohol the standard for being drunk.
But everybody has detectable levels of alcohol in their blood.

Water Heater - II

2007-02-04T11:36:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, I found my water heater leaking.
This morning I drove to Home Depot, (credit card in hand). They had a fair selection, with 4 grades of 40 gallon tanks. I got one with 40000 BTU and a 6 year warranty. I disconnected the old heater, re-connected the new (yes I did use new hoses and gas line). While I was at it I replaced the hoses on the washer (the old were soft). All done and washed up in 2 hours.
w00hoo!

Water Heater

2007-02-03T15:19:00.000-08:00

I walked out to the garage this afternoon.
There is water leaking from the water heater.
I shut off the valve and opened the drain.
I know what my pre-game party will consist of.
Looks like a trip to Home Depot for me in the morning.

Blood alcohol Calculator

2006-12-14T18:15:00.000-08:00

A test to see how drunk you are
As if you need to be told.

read more | digg story

Celebrate Your Right to Drink Alcohol

2006-12-02T18:48:00.000-08:00

According to the website:

Repeal Day (December 5th) is not celebrated by anyone in this country, yet it is the only day which truly has any connection with alcohol. December 5th is the anniversary of the day the United States repealed the Eighteenth Amendment and gave us all the constitutional right to consume alcohol.

Let's all mark Repeal Day on our calenders, (December 5th) and hoist a cold one to the 21st amendment!

digg it

Be carefull who you drink with!

2006-11-28T17:58:00.000-08:00

With friends like this... Who needs enemies?

read more | digg story

Thanksgiving

2006-11-24T19:06:00.000-08:00

So, yesterday (Thanksgiving) Basia and I got up early baked a turkey, (and stuffing and gravy of course). We packed it up with veggies, relishes, pies, appetizers, and beers, and hauled the whole feast over to M & K's place. Combined with their feast (and in-laws) it was a major chow-fest.

While we're packing everything, I'm thinking about the drive over, and how, since the 22 (Garden Grove Freeway) is still under construction and most likely the Harbor Blvd exit is still closed, we should avoid the bottlenecks. So I said to Basia, " I don't think we should take the 22 this time".
Basia gives me an are you nuts? look and says (eyes blazing), "OF COURSE WE'RE NOT TAKING ANY GUNS!".
I'm pleased that she shares my interest in firearms, for thinking in calibers, but on the other hand, I wonder why she would think (even for a moment) that I would consider bringing such a small caliber weapon along on an urban excursion.

How To Drink Vodka And Stay Sober in 7 Seconds

2006-11-22T18:24:00.000-08:00

Russians are renowned for drinking a lot of vodka staying sober. That’s not something to do with biological inheritance but with the way we drink. Russians believe that foreigners don’t know how to drink. Russians, on the other hand, do everything to stay sober while drinking as much alcohol as possible. How do we do it?

Why do they do it? It sounds like a waste of very good Russian vodka to me.
Drink to battle sobriety, but avoid hangovers at all costs!

read more | digg story

Egyptian Drunken Orgy 1470 B.C.

2006-10-30T16:19:00.000-08:00

It sounds like a spring-break splurge "Girls Gone Wild" style. Drink huge quantities of beer, get wasted, indulge in gratuitous sex and pass out. But back in 1470 B.C. this was the agenda for many Egyptians. Archaeologists have found evidence amid the ruins of a temple in Luxor that the annual rite featured sex, drugs and ancient rock 'n roll

read more | digg story

I want one of THESE!

2006-10-26T19:02:00.000-07:00

Beer Dispensing Machine

Forget the kegerator I wanted for my birthday, get me one of these instead!

Back from the Mountains

2006-10-21T10:24:00.000-07:00

Back from the Mountains

We spent 7 days this time.

The weather was fair, ~80F days ~40F nights.

The first day we were there, we heard the neighbors across the road, and went over for a quick chat. Star was hassling with their dog, while Chance shied away from the bigger dogs and their growling dominance games. We could see Chance sniffing around the camp, maybe 50 feet away. It came time to leave, and Chance was nowhere to be found, we looked and called for an hour. There was no trace of him.
We looked for him every day until we left, to no avail.
I think he was taken by a predator (Cougar, Lynx, Coyote).

We miss him.
Star is pretty sad too, she won't eat (much).

Internet worse for your grades than alcohol

2006-09-20T12:26:00.000-07:00

"A survey at Michigan State University finds that more students have experienced negative academic consequences from excessive Internet use than from excessive alcohol consumption.

My advice - Turn off your computer and have a beer!

read more | digg story

Tuesday September 19th is International Talk Like A Pirate Day

2006-09-19T12:31:00.000-07:00

Talk Like A Pirate Day is this coming Tuesday, September 19th. Founded by two guys in 1995 and popularized by humorist Dave Barry's syndicated column in 2002, this bizarre occasion probably would've been a one-ff if it weren't for the Internet's appetite for ridiculous humour. The page explains how to talk like a pirate and lists pirate vocabulary.

read more | digg story

Arrr! It be a Pirate Glossary!

2006-09-19T12:24:00.000-07:00

A comprehensive glossary for th' seaworthy folk!

read more | digg story

Drink More -- Earn More!

2006-09-14T20:15:00.000-07:00

People who consume alcohol earn significantly more at their jobs than non-drinkers, according to a US study published Thursday that highlighted "social capital" gained from drinking.

read more | digg story

Moderate drinkers end up better thinkers

2006-09-12T15:49:00.000-07:00

In a study of more than 7000 people aged 20-24, 40-44 and 60-64, researchers found that moderate drinkers are better thinkers than heavy drinkers (no surprise here) and those who do not drink at all. "This does not necessarily show that moderate alcohol use is good for our brains."

read more | digg story

Beer: The Midwife of Civilization

2006-08-31T16:06:00.000-07:00

Very good read on the history of beer, best read while drinking a beer.

read more | digg story

Doctor Visits

2006-08-13T17:06:00.000-07:00

I went to see my cardiologist a few weeks ago.
My total cholesterol is now 162.
He told me to lose 20 lbs and get more exercize.
I suppose he's right, on both counts. I weigh as much now as as I ever have.

I saw my GP last week about some heartburn I've been having for the last 20+ years. He gave me a prescription for ranitidine (zantac). I read here that:
Ranitidine can interfere with the metabolism of alcohol.
Patients taking ranitidine who drink alcohol may have elevated blood alcohol levels.

At least I have that to look forward to.
I'll keep you posted

For Everything About BEER...

2006-08-12T14:53:00.000-07:00

The road from BARLEY to BEER is a long one. From the FIRST DROPS of dew on the hop fields to the last bubble of a PERFECT POUR, it's a beautiful journey.
HERE'S TO BEER.

read more | digg story

Another study shows light drinking good for heart | Health | Reuters.com

2006-07-25T11:52:00.000-07:00

Another study shows light drinking good for heart | Health | Reuters.com

Podcatching

2006-06-25T18:08:00.000-07:00

I haven't spent much time on this blog or in the blogosphere lately, I've been listening to podcasts instead. Here's a list of what I'm podcatching at the moment. I'm constantly revising the list.

Podcasts

43 Folders
Asinine Poetry
Behind The Bar Show
Cory Doctorow's craphound.com
Daily GizWiz
Decoder Ring Theatre
Dreamland - Whitley Strieber
Escape Pod
Futures in Biotech
IMAO Podcast
Inside the Net
Life Online - Bob Parsons
Mysterious Universe - SOH Podcasts
New Scientist Podcast
NOVA | PBS
NOVA | scienceNOW | PBS
NPR : Technology
One Act Players
Planet Retcon
podcast411
PopSci Podcast
Prometheus Radio Theatre
Radio Detective Story Hour
Science@NASA
Science Fiction Theater
Spaceship Radio
Podstar Runner
Teknikal Diffikulties
The Diner
The Laporte Report
The Onion Radio News
This Week in Tech

Vodcasts

Ask A Ninja
Ask an Astronomer
Channel Frederator
Cranky Geeks
Despair, Inc.
Diggnation
DigitalLifeTV
Goonland
Happy Tree Friends
Joe Cartoon
Keen Toons
NASA cast video
Liam Lynch
The Ministry of Unknown Science
Rocketboom
Tiki Bar
Vintage ToonCast
zacharybrewstergeisz.com vodcast

Coffee reduces risk of cirrhosis from too much alcohol

2006-06-12T18:28:00.000-07:00

Coffee may counteract alcohol's poisonous effects on the liver and help prevent cirrhosis, researchers say. In a study of more than 125,000 people, one cup of coffee per day cut the risk of alcoholic cirrhosis by 20 percent. Four cups per day reduced the risk by 80 percent.

And since both make you run tho the bathroom more, there's a workout built in too!

read more | digg story

Be careful what you mix in your booze

2006-05-29T19:27:00.000-07:00

According to a recent study quoted by MSNBC.com Artificially sweetened booze packs more punch.
You'll get drunker faster with artificial sweeteners.

My personal experience is that sweet drinks (made with lots of fruit juice or full of sugar soft drinks) will give you a worse hangover.

Beer is good for you!

2006-05-26T16:38:00.000-07:00

According to Reuters, Daily tipple can bring health benefits -- for men

Here's to your health!

Back from the hinterlands

2006-05-02T18:35:00.000-07:00

We went to our special place in Arizona last week.

The weather was good, highs around 70F, lows around freezing. The skys were blue-blue during the days, like they never are in Southern California. The stars were brilliant most nights, like they only are in dark-sky country.

Basia is getting to be a pretty good shot with the Ruger (10-22), but we don't argue about who's better, (especially with loaded guns handy).

Star enjoyed going for walks off-leash, she didn't wander away at all, at least not so far she couldn't come back soon when called. I think she now realizes that she is never going to catch any jackrabbit that has a head start on her.
She stuck close by when the coyotes howled at night, barking her warnings: "You better not come too close!"

Chance relaxed the whole time, opting to watch the camp when we went for a hike. I'm not sure if age and altitude were getting to him or maybe he just didn't want to take the risk of missing a meal while out walking.

We enjoyed eating and drinking with the local highlanders.
We enjoyed eating and drinking with each other.

I paid ninety (90) dollars to fill my tank in Kingman. OUCH!

Stupidity is a curse.

2006-04-17T12:36:00.000-07:00

According to this story on Reuters.com a couple of fraudulent mystics stole over 160,000 dollars under the pretext of "lifting a curse".

Well, stupidity is a curse.
I doubt the victim is feeling very smart right now.

Hangover Helpers

2006-03-18T16:37:00.000-08:00

MSN Lifestyle evaluates 11 common remedies. It's not very in depth, but who needs deep thoughts when you're hungover.

New Car

2006-02-19T15:52:00.000-08:00

A couple weeks ago we sold our 1993 Cheyenne pickup to Marcin & Kasia.

Yesterday, we bought a new car, a 2006 Toyota Corolla LE.

Why, you may ask, did we buy such a small car?
We have a K2500 Chevy truck for hauling stuff.
We have an Jeep Grand Cherokee, that's our big luxury sedan.
What I need is transportation to and from work. The Corolla gets 38 mpg on the highway. With gas prices creeping up the way they have been lately, you can bet on $4.00 gas by the time it's paid for.

At 12,000 miles a year, 38mpg, $4 gas, that's $1263.16 per year (compared to $4000 a year for the Chevy), that'll make most of the car payment.

On the downside, the acceleration is gutless, after driving a 454 big block Chevy, but I suppose I'll get used to it.

iPod - iTunes

2006-01-17T17:55:00.000-08:00

Last month I wrote about getting a new video iPod. Since then Basia has taken quite a liking to it, so much of a liking I wasn't getting any time to play with my new toy. I suggested that maybe she would like to have one for a Christmas present. No, she says I already have one (pointing to my iPod she's wearing).

So, last week I went out and bought myself a 4GB nano. It was locked up right from the box (or I locked it up myself trying to get my computer to recognize it), anyway, I got it to reset and there've been no problems with either ipod since.

iTunes, on the other hand, seems to be the buggiest program on my pc. No other program crashes as often for me as iTunes. I only have the problem when watching video. Has anyone else had this problem?

The Festival of Drunkenness

2005-12-30T15:08:00.000-08:00

Discovery Channel :: News :: Ancients Rang In New Year with Dance, Beer.

But apparently they didn't have fun.
That's sick.

Hangover Prevention

2005-12-27T17:42:00.000-08:00

This article points out some hangover prevention strategies.

My personal strategies:

Get plenty of rest before you party.
Drink water before you party.
Don't drink cheap - premium booze gives you less of a hangover.
Dring water while you drink alcohol.
Don't switch drinks.
Dring more water after you drink alcohol.
Tylenol and booze don't mix.
Don't sleep drunk.
Drink more water.
Sleep late.
Drink more water.

Most of a hangover is dehydration, hence 2, 4, 6, 8, and 11 above.

Tags: hangover booze

Highest Blood Alcohol Ever Recorded?

2005-12-23T09:36:00.000-08:00

According to Oddly Enough News Article | Reuters.com, this guy was over twice the lethal limit when he was run over by a car and killed.
Note that's twice the lethal limit, not legal limit. That's twice the amount that would kill most people, and he still managed to stagger out to the road. Amazing.
For some reason, the Latvian police believe you can't consume enough alcohol in a single day to reach 0.9%. I think it's possible, but I'm not going to try and prove it, because I'm lacking the death wish necessary to motivate me to do so.

UPDATE:
The link is abandon by Reuters long ago.
Try this site:
http://www.drugrecognition.com/Alco.htm
They say 0.74% is the highest ever recorded at a U.S. hospital.

Catching Up

2005-12-23T09:00:00.000-08:00

Sorry, I've been behind in my posting.

Earlier this month we took a quick (3 day) trip to Arizona. It got down to 20F one night, but we were nice and warm in the cabin with the stove.

I had a milestone birthday (ending in zero).

I bought myself a video iPod, opted for the 60Gb so I never have to remove anything to make room for more. I've loaded in all my CD's now, I don't I'll ever fill it up.
Basia wants one too, no actually she wants this one, I have to grab it when she puts it down (like the remote), or I don't get to play with it. We went to Best Buy the other night, all the Apples were sold out. I offered her another brand, which she would usually go for, because it costs less. No, not this time, she wants an Apple (only the best). Maybe if she's a good girl, when they go on sale in January... (or she'll just go get one herself)

Ten reasons to drink during the holidays

2005-12-09T05:48:00.000-08:00

Ten reasons to drink during the holidays

Contrary to what seems to be popular belief, the word "holiday" does not derive from the Anglo-Saxon words for "drinking too much," but it can sure seem like that at times.

I'm not familiar with this concept "drinking too much".
I may have to do a bit more research.

Google Fun

2005-11-30T16:59:00.000-08:00

It appears as though have the dubious honor of being the number 1 result for:

infected rugburn

AND
the number 1 result for:

"her big belly"

I'm underwhelmed, really ...

Don't take away their Everclear!

2005-11-30T16:18:00.000-08:00

West Virginia bans 190-proof booze.
How could they do this? 151 proof isn't strong enough!

This ought to improve the market for moonshine.

Tags: satire booze

Firefox - 1.5

2005-11-29T18:48:00.000-08:00

Firefox - 1.5 is available for download!

JammiesBlog.com

2005-11-25T18:52:00.000-08:00

In light of the recent indecisionat Pajamas Media, or is it OSM? No it's Pajamas Media. No it's OSM! I have scored major coup by securing the rights to WWW.JammiesBlog.com.

Pretty cool huh? While the (supposedly) smartest guys in the blogosphere are trying to choose a name, I have snatched the world's coolest domain name right out from under their noses!

HOORAY FOR ME!

update: more on this topic at http://jammiesblog.blogspot.com/

Tags: Pajamas OSM

Turkey Day!

2005-11-24T14:08:00.000-08:00

The turkey's almost done, I can smell it! The potatoes are boiling. Our guests are due any minute.

New Scientist Breaking News - Stock remedy

2005-11-17T04:02:00.000-08:00

Breaking News! Chicken soup can relieve the symptoms of a cold.
Umm, OK. That's not too surprising, since everybody's grandmas already told us this for the last thousand years or so.
I wonder how much that cost the taxpayers.

Hey Stacey!

2005-11-16T17:04:00.000-08:00

I'm always glad to hear from old friends, especially if I've lost contact for a few years.

Happiness is a warm puppy!

2005-11-16T05:09:00.000-08:00

According to this Reuters article, petting a dog is very theraputic.
Works for me!

Computerized Kegerator

2005-11-15T14:20:00.000-08:00

Go check out this Popular Science article on a computerized kegerator

The Evils of Socialized Medicine

2005-11-15T05:12:00.000-08:00

Ants eat away woman's eye in hospital | Reuters.com

Wild, Wild Women

2005-11-11T20:03:00.000-08:00

The key to a long, happy life!
(I married the wildest one)
kudos: Vodkapundit

Doctor Visit

2005-11-08T17:15:00.000-08:00

Another trip to the doctor today. My cholesterol is down (to 154), so we went to an all you can eat buffet to celebrate.

Beer makes you clever

2005-11-08T17:07:00.000-08:00

Beer makes you clever: It's official!
It also make women more beautiful. That's my observation anyhow.

OK, Shutup a Minute!

2005-11-07T19:53:00.000-08:00

OK, I really didn't mean that, exactly, I meant more than a minute, more like a couple of hours. Hours of blissful silence!
What triggered this plea for peace and quiet? SarahK got me thinking, talking about introverts.

Drunken Testicles?

2005-10-30T15:57:00.000-08:00

Over at Garfield Ridge.

The Dilbert Blog: Dangerous Donuts

2005-10-25T16:12:00.000-07:00

It's all fun and games until somebody is killed by a psycho cop with a donut. Victims of donut violence unite!
hat tip: IMAO
Tags: Dilbert Donut

I already know what I want for Christmas.

2005-10-21T06:37:00.000-07:00

I already know what I want for Christmas this year, in case anybody was wondering. Here's a hint, I'm really, really thirsty. That should help quench my thirst.
Tag: Beer

Back From Arizona

2005-10-19T19:40:00.000-07:00

I've been in Arizona all week.

The dogs enjoyed themselves, neither one strayed from our sight, at least not for long.

The weather was beautiful, 70 degrees and clear blue skies most days.

The night-time skies were clear, the moon ruined most real dark sky viewing. Mars was visible in the eastern sky just after sunset. The Andromeda Galaxy was visible just to the left of Mars, I've never seen Andromeda so clearly before.

My friend John was there the whole week. We drank lots of beer, we shot some targets, I wish we had more time.

Basia was with me all week, as always. After 19-1/2 years of marriage, a week in the mountains never seems enough. 7 days of continuous contact with her always leaves me wanting more.

Next year I'll have 4 weeks of vacation.
It doesn't seem enough.

A Question --

2005-09-30T16:03:00.000-07:00

Did anybody know that it's ask a stupid question day?

There's mine.

Tag: Stupid Question

Know your enemy!

2005-09-26T17:10:00.000-07:00

History of Anti-Alcohol Movements in the U.S.
These are the bastards that want to bring back prohibition!
Oppose then at every turn!

Ewww. a Bug!

2005-09-25T17:33:00.000-07:00

It's a big green beetle, about an inch long. It flew in the back door today. Anybody know what it is?

Tags Bug Beetle Insect

Drink Like a Pirate Day

2005-09-19T09:01:00.000-07:00

Arrrrr! I spied this here recipe for Pirate Grog:

1 shot Rum
1/2 Lime
Lots of water

Avast ye lubbers!!! Don't be waterin' down me Rum Gimlet like that, mateys!
If that's how you water down the drinks around here, I'll be fixin' me own pirate martini

3 shots Rum
1 shot vermouth
Lime, Lime Peel
Garnish with the eyeballs of the scurvy dogs that tried to water down me grog! (optional)

Yo Ho Ho and a bottle of rum!

Tags Pirate Grog Drink Rum

Dog Days

2005-09-18T10:59:00.000-07:00

This is Star. She's hot.
The floor is nice and cool.
She can't be bothered for anything.
Except the dreaded mailman.

Tag Pets Collie Dog

What's YOUR World View?

2005-09-11T13:08:00.000-07:00

You scored as Materialist. Materialism stresses the essence of fundamental particles. Everything that exists is purely physical matter and there is no special force that holds life together. You believe that anything can be explained by breaking it up into its pieces. i.e. the big picture can be understood by its smaller elements.

Materialist

63%

Existentialist

56%

Idealist

50%

Modernist

50%

Cultural Creative

50%

Postmodernist

31%

Romanticist

25%

Fundamentalist

13%

What is Your World View? (updated)
created with QuizFarm.com

Are You as Stupid as You Look?

2005-09-10T19:52:00.000-07:00

That's right, I'm a freakin' Einsten.
Yea, that's the ticket.

tag Stupid Test

Online Translator

2005-09-10T12:30:00.000-07:00

When I check my referral logs, I frequently find blogspot blogs written in another language (mostly in spanish). Most likely someone has clicked the next blog button to get here.
To accomodate my non-english speaking readers, over on the sidebar, I've linked to Google language tools and Babelfish online translators. I don't know which translation is is better, so I linked them both.

Update:
I kept Babelfish, removed google.

Happy Anniversary Baby!

2005-09-09T19:25:00.000-07:00

We got Star 2 days before 9/11.
She was so skinny I could touch my thumbs and forefingers around her belly. She weighed 45 pounds then. She's grown a bit since then, she's about 75 pounds now.
She's really smart.

Gun Links Page Updated

2005-09-05T13:22:00.000-07:00

I have updated the GUN LINKS page. For the most part I have removed the broken links. If anybody has more sites than this, let me know in the comments or email to:
the name of this blog at gmail dot com

Tags: Guns Ammo Ammunition Bullets

POLISH WEDDING

2005-09-03T17:29:00.000-07:00

OK, there was a wedding in the family the other day.

Maybe you've been to a Polish wedding before? Well it wasn't like that.

Nobody got drunk. Nobody tried to start a fight. The cops didn't even break it up. In spite of all that, a good time was had by all (as far as the step father of the groom knows, anyhow).

Chicago Man Sentenced for Spiking Coffee

2005-09-03T17:11:00.000-07:00

When I think of having my coffee spiked, my first thought is not that some guy dribbled his spike in my coffee. But this jerk did, (not to me, his coworkers). Not just piss, but a variety of industrial chemicals into his co-workers coffee. I can only think of one word to describe somebody like that.

BASTARD!

Tag: Coworker

A MILESTONE

2005-08-27T12:39:00.000-07:00

Sensational Foods Bar-B-Que Sauce
is now available in 20 stores.

Basia is very happy.

EVERCLEAR

2005-08-23T20:26:00.000-07:00

Makes you crazy

Tag: Drink
Update: especially if you're from Coon Rapids, Iowa ;-P

A Toast!

2005-08-21T17:00:00.000-07:00

To our future ancestors.

But what does it mean?
Drink now, questions later.

Tag: Cheers

Gmail

2005-08-19T20:21:00.000-07:00

Do you want a Gmail account?
I've got loads of invites.
Just ask.

Tag: Gmail

How Liberal / Conservative Are You?

2005-08-18T18:44:00.000-07:00

Your Political Profile

Overall: 75% Conservative, 25% Liberal

Social Issues: 75% Conservative, 25% Liberal

Personal Responsibility: 50% Conservative, 50% Liberal

Fiscal Issues: 100% Conservative, 0% Liberal

Ethics: 50% Conservative, 50% Liberal

Defense and Crime: 100% Conservative, 0% Liberal

How Liberal / Conservative Are You?

What Kind of Thinker Are You?

2005-08-13T19:27:00.000-07:00

I went here and took the quiz.
It says I'm a spatial thinker.

Spatial Thinkers:

* Tend to think in pictures, and can develop good mental models of the physical world.
* Think well in three dimensions
* Have a flair for working with objects

Yep, an engineer.
I knew that.