text:
“The Policy of the Enemy”

September 20, 1864

Collection: The Civil War
Publication: The Charleston Mercury
Date: September 20, 1864
Title: ThePolicyoftheEnemy.
The Mobile Advertiser concludes that thepolicyofthe
enemy will practice for the remainder of this campaign will be
a for a last grand effort in Virginia.’The
shame of GRANT at failure, and the ambition of LINCOLN to be
re-elected, the Advertiser thinks, are the strongest motives
now controlling those who direct military operations on the
part oftheenemy, and both these considerations imperiously
demand success in Virginia. SHERMAN has reached his objective
point, and may therefore be content to rest under his laurels.
Charleston cannot be taken, and the successful defence made
there can be repeated at Mobile. What remains, them, to
retrieve GRANT’S disgrace and insure another term to LINCOLN,
so attractive as redoubled exertions for the capture of
Petersburg, as a step towards the taking of Richmond.
Reasoning in this way, our Mobile contemporary proceeds to say:
‘LINCOLN has shown by all his acts that the capture of Richmond
is regarded by him as the crushing blow to the rebellion. God
only knows how many human beings he has hurled to their graves
to accomplish this object. Is it not reasonable to suppose
that he now looks upon it as the trump card in his Presidential
game. If so, he will neglect all other minor points, let
Mobile go, let Mississippi go, leave Georgia as it is, and
gather every available man from SHERMAN, A.J. SMITH, CANBY and
the West, to fall upon LEE in Virginia. This policyof LINCOLN
coincides precisely with the interests of GRANT, and he will,
as commander-in-chief, give the orders which, while helping
LINCOLN’S election, give to himself the last chance for
redeeming his waning prestige as a General. We have already
said that SHERMAN has won his spurs, and if he head the power,
probably would not choose to frustrate these plans. We believe
then, now at the end, as from the beginning, the ‘Old Dominion’
will be the battleground for this great war, and upon her
classic and glorious fields the coming fight will take place
for Confederate independence. We have boundless faith in the
result, and we echo the opinion said to have been expressed by
that clear-headed man and great soldier, General FORREST, since
he arrived in this city, to wit: that if every man in the South
will stand up to his duty and country for sixty days longer, no
matter whether LINCOLN or McCLELLAN is elected President, the
war will break down at the North and be at an end.’

From the Accessible Archives Newspaper Database
For more information:


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Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Taking a Quick Time Out

Hey all,

Sorry about this week's blogs.  Everything is crazy right now with work and work and playing and a few other things going on.  I'm taking this week off, but I'll be back next Monday with something new and exciting!  So stay tuned!!!

CJ England
Follow Your Dreams

Friday, April 20, 2012

The Lighter Side is the Cat's Meow!!!

Hey all,

I've got a fun blog today.  My daughter sent a link to a new cartoon she's found, and I had to give it a looksie.  It's called  Two Lumps: The Adventures of Eben and Snooch.  If you like cats, you'll love this one, but give it a shot even if you're not a feline fan!  Here's a few to get you going, but start at the beginning and don't give up.  It gets better the more of it you read.  Click on pics to make them bigger.

These are some from the first few months and the archives go back to 2004.  So enjoy and try not to hurt yourself laughing!

Until Monday!

CJ England
Follow Your Dreams

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Foodie Heaven Thy Name is Amsterdam

Hey all,

Jonathon and I had a great couple of days off.  The weather wasn't too good, but we learned a long time ago not to let that stop us.  We went about town, sightseeing and playing, then did what we enjoy most of all.

You'd think I'd weigh 900 pounds the way I like to put it away, but with all the walking I do, I manage to stay in shape.  But here in Amsterdam, it's not easy.  I could spend 24 hours a day eating and never even scratch the surface of what is offered.  And the thing is...with just a few's all DELICIOUS!!!

I mean it.  Jonathon and I are really good at searching out different restaurants, and when you eat out as much as we do, we're prepared to hit some and miss some.  Yet so far, in the six weeks we've been here, we've only had one miss.  And even that one wasn't too bad.  We ate and it was okay.  We just wouldn't go back a second time.

Overall, Amsterdam is an awesome place for foodies.  Everything is available.  All kinds of foods from all kinds of nations.  You can walk down a single street and find dozens of different ethnic choices. It's amazing.

The Dutch don't really have a special food--at least not one that is so well known you see it on every corner in the USA.  Not like Thai or Chinese, Italian or Mexican.

If I had to pick a food I'd consider Dutch in the short time I've lived here, I'd have to say their pancakes are what make me think Dutch.

And the pancakes are yummy.  Crepe-like, but with a slightly different taste than what we ate in France.  They will give you just about any kind you want--from ham and onion to banana and strawberry.   Whatever you're in the mood for.

But other foods?  Not so much.  There are a few restaurants we've seen that tote Dutch cuisine, but I haven't seen one yet that pulls me in and says "EAT HERE".  So we've tried many others.  Mexican, Italian, Argentinian, Chinese and of course, the fast food restaurants-when you just need a quick fix, McDonalds, Burger King and Subway.

I also enjoy going into the brasseries for a quick meal.  You can get meat pies, slices of pizza, sandwiches and things I have no idea what they are, but look delicious.  Every once in a while, I'll stop in and try something new.

The best food we've had here was in a place called In de Waag.  It serves Mediterranean cuisine with a Dutch twist and was honestly the best food I've had in a very long time.  The restaurant sits in one of the old city gates where the weigh house (waag) used to be.  This is what the website says about it...

The original small gate with crenels probably dates from as early as 1425, and in 1488 a major extension was made to the gate during the construction of Amsterdam's stone city walls. This magnificent historic building with its constrained yet informal interior design is lit by 300 candles. A combination that ensures a unique atmosphere.

And it does.  As you can see by the picture, it's quite beautiful, and the food, service and atmosphere is beyond fantastic.  The dinner menu is a little bit spendy, but worth every penny.  I'd go back again in a heartbeat!

On the other end of the scale is a place called Tony's NY City Bagels.

It's right near our apartment and serves New York style bagels and coffees.  Inexpensive, fast and easy, it's perfect for a quick bite in the morning or afternoon tea.  The bagels are excellent--very similar to New York style--and they actually serve coffee that ISN'T in a thimble size cup!  And it's good.  We love sitting in the window and watching people as we nibble on our breakfast.

I could go on and on, but there are so many places we've enjoyed here, I'd run out of room before I'd run out of restaurants.  If you're ever in this part of the world, you won't regret trying some of these out.  You can be an Amsterdam foodie too!!!

Until Friday!

Monday, April 16, 2012

Sexual Openess is A Wonderful Thing

Hey all,

I've got an interesting blog today.  One I think you'll all enjoy.  I know when I first discovered this, I was surprised, unsure, and then impressed.  What I found was something very different then we have in USA and after seeing it, I actually got angry we don't do something like this.  What am I talking about?

Sex Education.

But not like what you and I were taught.  Remember the stupid text books and pulling a condom (gasp) over a banana?  I'm sure things are a little different these days, but the fact of the matter is in the USA (not sure about other countries) sex is still a taboo subject, one teens are embarrassed to talk about.  And in a classroom setting?  It's either boring or snicker worthy.  No one really learns anything.

Not so here.  While I've blogged before about the openness of the Netherlands people, I'm used to seeing the dildos on display, prostitutes in windows or even penis keychains at the cash registers.  That is actually a daily occurrence here.  But what I saw when I was at the Nemo Science Museum was beyond any sex education display I'd ever imagined.

It's a whole floor given over to one thing.  Sex.  And it targets the pre-teen and teenager in a way that allows them to ask their questions, get their answers and not feel stupid about doing it.  Displays are set up showing what happens to your body as it changes.

There is even a movie about it.  It was great!  Listen to the words.  They're a hoot.  It basically is showing the kids their bodies are going to change...and it's OKAY.  You aren't the only one it's happening to.

Isn't that cool?  I mean, I wish I'd had that type of information when I was going through puberty.  My mom tried, but her generation wasn't comfortable with sex, so what I really learned was through reading and whispering with my girlfriends.

When I had kids of my own, I was bound and determined to help them understand sex isn't a nasty bad thing.  Not only is it natural and good, it's a lot of fun.  With the right person.

The rest of the floor has some really cool interactive stuff.  Check out this fun display.  It's a french kissing booth.
One person puts their arm in one side, another opposite.  And they move the tongues!  Giggle worthy?  You bet!  But fun and informative.  These kids won't freak when a date puts their tongue in their mouth!  LOL

This part of the museum was one I had to think through as I experienced it.  It's only open to kids over 12, but it's pretty wide open so you can see in if you want.  It talks frankly about sex.  Positions, hormones, pheromones, erections and orgasms.  They you can see in the pic below, have dolls demonstrating positions of the Kama Sutra.

There was some snickering going on, but the kids were interested.  Not just because, OMG, it's sex, but I could sense a genuine yearning to know.  And taking the mystery out of sex is an important first step.

Then there was this.  We couldn't do it because we were too old.  LOL  Only kids between 12-18 could watch these.  They called them peepshows and you had to get a token from the desk to watch them.  They covered several different aspects of sex, but the one I found online shows kids what it looks like to have an orgasm.  See it below...

These are just a few of the educational and interactive displays available.  And at first I didn't know what to think.  As you can all tell from my writing, I believe sex is good, but not something to be done indiscriminately.  Lovemaking in my worlds are always consensual and done between two committed partners.

But after walking through, I had to agree this method of bringing the subject out in the open was a good thing.  They never once that I saw told the kids it was all right to go out and screw the first available person.  Rather, they gave the correct information so the kids could make good decisions when the time came for that intimacy.

Does it work?  Well, I did some research and here's what I found.

In 2009/2010, statistics say in the USA there were 34.3 births per 1000 teenagers.  And they are all excited because that's an all time low.  The highest was in 1957 with a whopping 96.3 per 1000.  (Sweet Jesus, what the hell were you all doing in the 50's????)

But in the Netherlands, the 2011 rate was only 10.23 births per 1000.  That's 2/3rds less that the USA.  So what does that say about what we're teaching our children?

Now I know this is a VERY personal choice for a lot of people.  Religion, upbringing and comfort zones have a lot to do with it.  But here in Amsterdam, it seems to be working.  And if bringing sex out into the open helps teens make better choices, then I'm all for it.

So maybe the PTBs in the USA should visit NEMO and see how it's done.  All those acronyms can get together and fight teen pregnancy together!

Until Wednesday,

CJ England

Follow Your Dreams

Friday, April 13, 2012

The Lighter Side Goes to the Bathroom

Hey all,

It's another Friday so that means a trip to the Lighter Side of the news.  And since I just arrived in yet ANOTHER city, I thought we'd visit one of my favorite subjects...

I thought Paris was weird, but I've got to say...Amsterdam takes a huge step forward in the weirdness factor.  LOL

After living in the USA for most of my life, I was used to the normal bathroom.  Nice, clean bathrooms in malls, less clean bathrooms at truck stops or gas stations.  But they all had one thing in common...

And for me, that's a huge factor in a potty.  LOL

But here in Amsterdam, things are a tad different.  As you may already know the locals are pretty open about their sexuality and opinions.  The belief in a free thinking society is one of their most important core ideas.  And I guess that passes over to their toilets as well.

Now, they have regular bathrooms in malls, hotels and theaters.  And in restaurants they are pretty normal, except for the fact they are most always located at the very top or bottom of a tiny winding circular staircase.  Not for the disabled, I've got to say.

But the stairs and the bathrooms are usually beautiful, either decorated with great ambiance or architecturally unique.  Take a look at this one...

But sometimes a bathroom isn't easy to find.  The McDonalds and Burger Kings are all in the more touristy areas so there aren't a lot of other easily found places to pee.

Or are there...

Get a load of these interesting bathrooms.

Honestly, after I saw a guy go into this one, I thought he went into a phone booth.  It was only when I saw the way he was standing that I got a clue to what he was doing.  Then I just couldn't believe it.  Right out there in the open.  I had to take a picture.

I thought that was bad until we went by the arena one day when a soccer game was going on and they had another type of toilet set up.  At least the green mesh one was kinda private.  But this one...

And there was another one set up during Easter weekend in the Red Light District.  And because there was a lot of dudes and drinking out and about they were used a lot.  It wasn't uncommon to see four men--one on each side--doing their thing and talking a mile a minute.

So would you use one?  I mean, obviously they are only for guys.  ( I guess woman don't have to pee in Amsterdam)  But where is the privacy?  Can you actually pee knowing everyone is staring at you?

Amsterdam has been a real eye-opener for me.  (see next week's blogs)  But I never expected to see this type of thing.  I guess I'm still an innocent in a lot of ways.  Yet that's what makes traveling fun.  Finding out new things...

Even if it's about toilets.

See you on Monday!

CJ England

Follow Your Dreams

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Wet...Yet Still Fun

Hey all,

We had a great weekend!  Even though it was wet and miserable, we've traveled enough to know you have to deal with the weather when it doesn't fit your expectations.  You just put on a condom (rain poncho) or use an umbrella and adapt your plans accordingly.

Because it rained, we decided to do some museums.  We'd already started on some of them, so we just kept on going.  On Monday we hit the rest of the Maritime Museum.  We'd already done one wing the week before, so we finished it off.  It's a brand new and beautiful museum with some great art and some of the most intricate ship models I've ever seen.  I could spend hours just going through the historical photo albums they have available.

We'd gotten a late start that day--slept in after a VERY nice Sunday night.  *smile*  Actually, I've got some news.  I'm working part time now with Cirque du Soleil as a Backstage Manager.  I'm only doing fill ins, which is fine.  That's all I wanted.  My writing comes first.  But I started learning the job on Sunday.  So, we celebrated with a little wine and little music and a little of each other.

So, because it was such a late start, once we were done with the Maritime Museum, it was around 2:30.  We grabbed a lunch at a wonderful Chinese Restaurant called the Sea Palace.  It sits in the harbor on stilts and have a delicious Dim Sum menu.  We picked four treats and every one of them was beyond awesome.  I'm recommending this place.  Probably the best Asian restaurant we've been to out of Asia proper.

Most all the museums close early here--at 5:00.  So we were running out of time.  Had enough time to run to the Bijbels Museum which was small enough to pretty much finish.  It was in the home of a local minister who built these amazing models of tabernacles and Jonathon was curious about them.  We plan to go back when it's warmer and have a cuppa in the cute little garden they have there.

And yesterday, we hit two museums.  After a great English breakfast (why do you people eat baked beans with breakfast?  Seriously, what's that about?  *grin*)  The first was the Nemo Science Museum, and it was a lot of fun.  I'll be doing a blog on a specific part of this museum next week, but know I was VERY impressed with it.

Then we visited the Dutch Resistance Museum.  As you may remember, Jonathon is very interested in WWI and WWII, so he was really looking forward to this.  And it was quite interesting.  I learned a lot  about not just the resistance, but life in general during the 1940s.  And when they showed the insidious ways Hitler slowly made the Jews disappear, I was in tears.  It broke my heart.  I can't imagine what I'm going to do once we go to Anne Frank's house or later, Auschwitz.  That's going to be disturbing in ways I can't imagine.  But I have to go.  It's important.

We topped off our weekend by a great meal at a place called The Waang.  It's a restaurant located in what used to be the city gate.  Then later it was a guild hall for several different organizations.  It's very old... and the food was outstanding.  A bit spendy, but worth it.

Anyway, there's a little about Amsterdam and it's museums.  We've got a bunch more to see and who knows how many other things will pop up as the weeks go by.  We won't run out of things to do, that's for sure!!!

Hugs and see you on Friday with another look at the Lighter Side of Life.

CJ England

Follow Your Dreams

Monday, April 9, 2012

Easter Bonnets and Egg Hunts

Hey all,

So, how was your Easter weekend?  Family, friends, church, hunting eggs?  I loved Easter when I was growing up.  We always made a big deal of it.  Easter morning breakfast of special pastries, then off to church in our Easter outfits--and yes, I DID wear an Easter bonnet.  I can remember wearing my bonnet and even white gloves when I was very small.

We'd spend time with family and friends and hear the Easter story.  Then head on home for the best part of the day...The Egg Hunt.

Bumpa--my grandfather--was a master egg hider.  In fact, he was so good, every year there were eggs we couldn't find.  (Until three months later when they got stinky and the dog dug them up .  Bleah!!!  But we would try.  We all were given a certain number of eggs we could pick up and at the count of three, we were off and hunting!  We learned very quickly that if it was easy to find, we should leave it for the younger kids.  The big kids were after more difficult prey.

So we would look and look, and since we lived on the top of a mountain, the places to hide the eggs were endless.  Under rocks, in trees, hidden under leaves and even in slow moving streams.  We'd giggle and search, and if we were really lucky, we'd find our very special Easter gift.  Our Easter basket.

It always had cool things in it.  Candy, toys, games and one special item.  A toothbrush.  We got them in our Easter baskets and our Christmas stocking.  We'd get them other times, of course, but these were special ones.  Glow in the dark or personalized.  We looked forward to the treat every holiday.

Then we'd all sit down and eat our Easter dinner.  Ham and all the fixings.  Yum!  My mouth waters just thinking about it.  All the family would be there and sometimes we'd have friends over as well.  And as the years passed and my brothers and I had families of our own, we continued the tradition.

But every Easter, I still think of Bumpa hiding eggs and looking so smug when we couldn't find them all.  Once, he hid an egg under our dog's collar.  We couldn't figure out why Brutus was acting so weird!  LOL  Jonathon's gotten pretty good himself, but my grandfather will always be the Master of the Egg!

Anyway, that's a trip down memory lane.  But I don't want to be tripping alone.  Share one of your most favorite Easter memories in the comments below.  We'd all love to hear it!!!

Until Wednesday...

CJ England

Follow Your Dreams

Friday, April 6, 2012

La Vie Bohemia - On the Lighter Side

Hey all,

I saw this on Yahoo News and couldn't help taking a look.  I'm not sure why it caught my attention, but I guess because I love this song, I had to see what it was all about.

The news in part, says this...

Robert Wilkinson is experiencing a few minutes of fame — 6:10 to be exact — after a video of him drunkenly singing the Queen song “Bohemian Rhapsody” in its entirety while sitting in the back of an RCMP squad car has gone viral online.

You can read more HERE.

But, if you like Queen or are in the mood for a good chuckle, take a quick listen to the "inspirational video" below.  Stay through til the end.  It's the best part of all.

Now, you have to admit, he's pretty good--for a drunk.  But the ending is what tickles me.  The guy's totally creative.  LOL  Just jumps right in there with the perfect comeback when the cop tells him to settle down.  Maybe he should write musicals.

But even though he does a damn fine job, I have to say the following version is my very favorite.  I'll watch it again and again.  Let's see if you enjoy it as much as I do.

The chickens in this version just crack me up.  And of course Animal.  Grrr... I adore Animal.  But really, the whole things is a hoot.  I think it's so creative.  They do such a good job choosing the right Muppet for each part of the music.  That's what I really think is awesome.

But is anything as good as the original?  I guess that's up to you.  I've put it below for comparison purposes.

This is one of the most popular songs ever sung.  Statistics show that it has been covered more than any other song--or at least parts of it has.  I remember seeing it in Wayne's World and laughing like a crazy woman.  It's one of the most requested songs on the radio, and it's the perfect song to sing in the shower.  So I guess making videos of it is the next logical step.

All I know is that as long as they keep making them, I probably will keep watching them.  Especially if they're as fun as the ones I've put here.

I'll see you on Monday.  Have a great weekend!

CJ England
Follow Your Dreams

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Isn't it Romantic

Hey all,

You know I'm a romantic.  I admit it freely.  In fact, I revel in it.  LOL  And when I saw this, I had to share the article with all the other romantics out there.  This is one of my favorite couples.  Brad Paisley and Kimberly Williams.  They're so cute together and the first video I saw of them, I remember thinking, "wow...I wonder if they've got someone going."

I guess my instincts were right.  They DID have something going.  But it's how  it got going that's so romantic.  Read the article.  It's wonderful.

Now I ask you, isn't that awesomely romantic?  He saw her in a movie and couldn't forget her.  He even titled an album after the movie.

But here is where it gets real interesting.  Wanting to get to know, her he asks her to be in one of his videos.  They meet...there is an instant connection.  And the rest, as they say, is history.  They now have been married for almost ten years and are the parents of two darling little boys.

When I read the article I realized it was exactly what one of my heroes would do.  See a woman and move heaven and earth to get her.  Make up any excuse necessary to bring her into his world.  Just like Brad did.  So does that make him hero material?

I bet Kimberly would think so!!!

Here is the video that first brought them together.  Check out the way they interact.  You can't tell me there isn't something there.

Doesn't it just make you want to just snicker?  The look on her face when he glances at the TV is perfect.  I've seen it on my own face a few times.  LOL  Not about fishing.  Jonathon wouldn't know a sardine from a big mouthed bass, but all of us have that one thing that puts it over the edge.

I guess for Kimberly it was losing out to a trout!

Hugs to all,

CJ England
Follow Your Dreams

Monday, April 2, 2012

April Fools, One Day Late

Hey all,

I can't believe it's April already.  Spring has sprung, but as I look outside my door, it's rainy and gloomy.  Three months of 2012 are already over.  Nine months still to do.  I'm always surprised when time goes by so fast.

April is one of my favorite months.  I love the spring.  The earth coming back to life after the long winter.  And as a kid, I loved April Fools Day.  We always played jokes on my Bumpa (grandfather) and each year it was our goal to surprise him completely.

I didn't do much this year.  Jonathon was at work and it's not a good idea to April Fool on a live production *grin*, so instead I went online to see what other people might have done.  I found some really great pranks and some not so smart ones.  So I thought I'd share some of what I found.  Check these out!!

The Good

This one I loved.  Creative, well constructed and perfectly played.  This joke was played on a large radiology practice in Mesa, Ariz.:

"We were going through some technology upgrades, so users in the company were expecting to see some changes. On April 1, I arrived at the office very early, and I printed up memos and placed them on the chairs of about 15 employees. I made sure to choose people who would handle it well.

"The memo said: 'Congratulations! You've been chosen to pilot our new automated computer login tool. Your computer has been fitted with a microphone and speech-recognition software. You'll never have to remember your password again. To use the system, simply turn on your computer, press Control+Alt+Delete to get to your login screen, and then say your username slowly and clearly. Do not say your password! If for some reason you are not automatically logged in, try saying your name a bit louder. If this still doesn't work, say your username three times quickly to restart the system; you'll be logged on right away.'

"As users trickled into the building around 8 a.m., the chorus of spoken (and soon shouted) usernames swelled. People finally figured out it was a prank about 40 minutes later. It was a masterpiece, if I do say so myself. I thought the office administrator was going to bust a gut from laughter."

Another Good

Some people will believe anything.  (I would have.)

Burger King published a full page advertisement in the April 1st edition of USA Today announcing the introduction of a new item to their menu: a "Left-Handed Whopper" specially designed for the 32 million left-handed Americans. According to the advertisement, the new whopper included the same ingredients as the original Whopper (lettuce, tomato, hamburger patty, etc.), but all the condiments were rotated 180 degrees for the benefit of their left-handed customers. The following day Burger King issued a follow-up release revealing that although the Left-Handed Whopper was a hoax, thousands of customers had gone into restaurants to request the new sandwich. Simultaneously, according to the press release, "many others requested their own 'right handed' version."

Good #3
This one was amazing.  I missed it the first time around, but after watching the video I can see why some people might have bought the hoax.

On 1 April 2008, the BBC announced that camera crews filming near the Antarctic for its natural history series Miracles of Evolution had captured footage of Adélie penguins taking to the air. It even offered a video clip of these flying penguins, which became one of the most viewed videos on the internet. Presenter Terry Jones explained that, instead of huddling together to endure the Antarctic winter, these penguins took to the air and flew thousands of miles to the rainforests of South America where they "spend the winter basking in the tropical sun." A follow-up video explained how the BBC created the special effects of the flying penguins.

The Bad

This one was just wrong.  I'd have sued too!

A manager at a Hooters restaurant in Panama City, Florida, celebrated April Fools’ Day by offering a new “Toyota” to the server who sold the most beer. Jodee Berry, the winning waitress, was blindfolded, led to the parking lot and presented with a “toy Yoda”—a plastic Yoda doll from the Star Wars movie. After the stunt, Berry sued Hooters’ parent company, Gulf Coast Wings, alleging breach of contract and fraudulent misrepresentation. The case settled for an undisclosed amount, but Berry’s lawyer reported it was more than enough for her to walk into any car dealership and “pick out whatever type of Toyota she wants.”
Another Bad

I wanted to smack the PTBs when I heard about this one.  Some people are just so stupid...

A manager at financial firm that was planning to trim staff late in the first quarter of the year shared this tale of woe:

"Things kept delaying the layoff process and the exits were finally planned for March 31. Then, one more problem arose and we needed to move the releases to -- you guessed it -- April 1. I begged the senior managers to push it to April 2, but they would not relent.

"I wound up doing an exit interview on April 1 with a good friend, someone I ate lunch with two or three times a week. He was convinced it was a joke even after I took his keys and employee ID. As he left my office he kept stopping, looking back, waiting for me to say 'April Fools!' But I never did. I can still see his face as he stood in the doorway to my office. It was one of the most difficult exit interviews I ever had to conduct."

The Final Bad

Did I say the last people were stupid?  I was wrong...they were insensitive.  THIS guy was stupid...

Randy Wood pranked his ex-wife in 2004 by asking her to come over so he could show her something.
When she arrived at his house, Woods appeared to be hanging from a tree in his front yard (he was actually being held by a safety harness).

His unknowing ex-wife dialed 911 before he could reveal the gag. Wood was fined $1,000 and jailed for a year.

 The  Funny

I laughed when I read this one.  I thought it was great!  Smart thinking all around!!!

Each year around this time, workers at the Como Zoo in St. Paul, Minn., endure a flood of calls from pranksters looking to speak with Al E. Gator, Billy Goat and other assorted fictitious folks who just happen to have animal-themed names.  Last year, the park handled 300 such calls in one day, so this year zoo officials decided to add four phone lines to handle the increased call volume it's anticipating this April Fools' Day.

Rather than scolding pranksters for tying up phone lines (and employees' precious time), this April Fools' the zoo staff will play along. For example, anyone calling to speak with "Mr. Lion" will be transferred to the animal's own line, answered with a lively roar followed by some promotional info about the zoo.

"We get inundated every April Fools' Day," zoo spokesman Matt Reinartz said . "But if you can't beat 'em, join 'em."

The Funnier

This one just cracked me up.  Picture it as you read.  It's hysterical...

In 1962, Swedish TV, the state-run television station, was still broadcasting only in black and white. Then, on April 1, the station brought in a "technical expert" to describe a fascinating way to make television suddenly appear in color — no hardware upgrade needed. The expert told viewers to take an old nylon stocking and put it over the TV set, although they might have to move their heads very carefully back and forth in order to align the color spectrum. Needless to say, the technical technique didn't work too well, and lots of families looked pretty darn silly giving it a try. Swedish TV began actually broadcasting in color four years later.

 The Funniest

This one made me snicker.  It was on several of the BEST of the BEST sites about April Fool Jokes and I had to include it here.

If the idea of a reputable newspaper like the The Guardian pulling their legs was too much for people in 1977, twenty years earlier the thought that the BBC – in the authoritative persona of Panorama presenter Richard Dimbleby – would tell people fibs must have seemed like communist crazy talk. Which probably explains why, when Panorama ran a short segment about how Swiss people harvested spaghetti from trees in 1957, hundreds of people wrote back asking how they could grow their own spaghetti trees. In their defense, it's worth bearing in mind that a) spaghetti was comparatively alien to most British kitchens in 1957, and b) people are incredibly stupid.

Well, there you have it.  Some of the best and the worst.  I hope your April's Fool Day was a good one.  I'll be back on Wednesday with something romantic!

CJ England
Follow Your Dreams

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Everyday Recipes for Home Cooks
Main Recipe Index      Recipe Search      New Recipes

Big Skillet Burger with Cheese

by , Updated April 16, 2017

This big skillet burger is great served with macaroni and cheese, or serve it with fries. Cut the burger into wedges.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 22 minutes

Mix together egg, ground beef, salt, and minced onion. Grease 8-inch skillet (oven-proof); lightly pat half of the meat over bottom. Arrange cheese slices over meat layer and top with remaining meat, patting to make a smooth surface. Sprinkle with pepper and cut into 4 quarters. Cook over medium-high heat until bottom is nicely browned. Put skillet in oven and broil until top is browned and burger is cooked through.

Serves 4

Calories per serving: 334

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Thursday, February 02, 2006

Greg Pagel was one of those "fringe" people for me. We seemd to have some similarities. But ultimately our vast differences kept us from ever becoming friends - even though we have had some mutual friends.

You couldn't miss Greg. He generally had the Buddy Holly glasses look. He was always amiable, and had an intelligent sense of humor.

According to Meff, the 5th grade behemoth known as Ms. Hynek apparently gave him a bad grade in something one day. Greg allegedly had some sort of breakdown about it, and got into a shouting match with her. I would have loved to see that.

I really don't have any memories of Greg from Clarke. However I believe that he was involved in band. Greg was a master on the piano.

In freshman year, I used to walk home with Meff everyday. One day Greg joined us. Now Meff and I had a twisted way of looking at life. And I of course was nuts. Somehow the subject drifted towards pee. Greg had been silent for awhile, and was no doubt shocked at whatever it was we were talking about. Anyway, as I casually mentioned that I had once tasted my own pee (NOTE - I do NOT recommend this. The saltiness is overwhelming and sickening. How the people into "watersports" deal with it is an absolute mystery of the cosmos) Greg collapsed to the ground in a state of panic. He composed himself before rejoining us and walking to his own home.

Apparently Greg either called Meff, or spoke with him the next day. And Greg gave him the usual riot act I often was the subject of. "Who the hell is that guy? Why do you hang around with him? Is he insane?" Ah, such was me. If I had a nickel for everytime my friends heard lines like that...

In our senior year, I had Greg in Mrs. Kluczinski's class. Previously she was known as Ms. Wisnicky. Anyway, Greg used a term that I still use to this day. In fact, I think I used it in my post on Ben Franco. The term is "black T-shirt crowd." It's used to describe the headbangers in society. Thank you Greg.

After high school, I believe Greg went on to Lawrence University to presumably study music. My friend Dave used to say that the reason Greg was so good on the piano was because he had pudgy fingers.

I ran into Greg a few times at the video store. We exchanged a few words, but never said much. I do regret one thing though. He came in once, looking for the Disney film, "One Magic Christmas." I looked in the back, and had to inform him that we didn't carry it. So Greg looked around for awhile, eventually coming up with the box for the film. I was perplexed. I looked again - still nothing. Later on I found out that my boss had filed the film in the M's - for "Magic." Greg, it was not my fault.

Today I believe that Greg is married with two kids, one son and one daughter. He lives in Manitowoc, teaching piano out of his home. He also plays various gigs with a jazz band. If you want to see what Greg looks like today, here's a link to his personal website: GREG PAGEL

UPDATE - 2/10/06 - Greg has provided a family photo. Look down. You can't miss it. Click it for a larger, clearer version.

UPDATE - 7/20/06 - Greg recently wrote and performed in a local Manitowoc musical entitled "Honkytonk Angels." On July 15th, Kevin and I stopped in to see him. The results are below.

UPDATE - 8/28/06 - Greg and his wife went to Madison yesterday and met up with fellow graduate Jenny Malley, and her husband. The four of them hung out all day, and listened to some live blues music in a park. The two pictures are below.

UPDATE - 9/8/06 - Greg has started another job. He's teaching a music course at my alma mater, UWGB. His first class was on Tuesday, 9/5/06. The day was filled with a comedy of errors. Perhaps he'll tell you about them. Needless to say, day 2 went much smoother.

UPDATE - 10/9/06 - On Saturday October 7th, 2006, Greg and his band performed at The Sands in Green Bay. Fellow classmates Lisa Pauze and Brandon Podhola also showed up to hear him. You can see the pictures below.

UPDATE - 11/22/06 - Here is some video from that July 15th visit. It's preceded by some footage of me picking up Kevin that day. Greg's was the first house we visited. "Our first victim!"

On Friday, April 13th, my family and I drove all the way up to Depere to see Greg Pagel play at some fancy restaurant where the waiter places the napkin in your lap. I had a really good burger. Anyway, it was sort of dark. And I didn't actually tape more than a 30-second hello from Greg. But, you can see it below.

UPDATE - 6/18/07 - Greg and his brother Andy played at Manitowoc's Metro Jam on June 15th. Here are two pictures from that show.

At Thu Feb 02, 11:29:00 AM PST, Blogger Greg Pagel said...

Crissakes, Burt. "One Magic Christmas?" Yes, I remember that day. My mom wanted to see it. Really. God, when T&R Video did inventory, did you have to use a clipboard, or did you just keep everything on file IN YOUR BRAIN???

Anyway, your info is pretty much accurate. I lived in Boston MA for about 4 years working as a freelance musician, then my wife & I looked at each other and said, "Well, this sucks," and moved home.

We currently live in Manitowoc. I get most of my income from teaching privately, but I did start performing again after about a five-year hiatus. I have a CD you you can hear clips from on my website.

You're right Burt -- we were never intimate friends. We probably could have been, but fear of Richard forced me to keep my distance.

At Thu Feb 02, 11:39:00 AM PST, Blogger TWORIVERSWALRUS said...

LOL - I've been told that I have a pretty good memory.

At Thu Feb 02, 12:25:00 PM PST, Blogger Brad Strouf said...

My memories of Greg are all fond memories. Greg became my partner in crime (figuratively speaking, of course) in Sapa's creative writing class.

I'd like to think that I have a creative side, but truth be told, I totally emulated Greg's style of writing. Of course, my musings hardly compared to Greg's, but man what a time I had in that class. It was probably one of my favorite classes for any and all reasons other than academical.

Greg and I even went on a double date once...how did it end? With me driving over a possum. True story...maybe Greg has more on this, but that's about all I can recall.

Greg was the most gifted musician I had and have ever encountered. I enjoyed being friends with him immensely.

At Thu Feb 02, 08:51:00 PM PST, Blogger Greg Pagel said...

Thanks Brad. I had a lot of fun hanging around with you. You made me laugh a lot. I also remember having several conversations of considerable depth. My band often plays in Green Bay -- that's where you live, right? We should reconnect.

I remember that double date. That sucked. I went with Sheila Zach, and I think you went with Kim Kohls. We saw "Planes, Trains and Automobiles." None of us liked the movie, you ran over an animal, and Sheila made it clear that there'd be no follow-up date. I guess the gods just decided to screw with us that night.

But the good news is that about a month later, I met the girl who is now my wife of -- holy crap -- nearly 12 years!!

Sheila is -- you guessed it -- divorced.

At Sat Feb 04, 06:24:00 AM PST, Blogger moptopjen said...

seems like there r lots of divorces. glad i waited til 35. greg - congrats on yr 12!! i hear yr bro took over tuppy's job - sweet! my rents have nice things to say about him (Frank is the choir dir at Ronch - with what's that kid's ame? ...played trumpet - a frosh when we were srs. whatever)

ok - y'all forced me to do it. i pulled out my purp and gold raiders folders. in which i have anote from miss neveau excusing me from my next class after we were bs'ing. it says "Jen - to homeroom today (she's lost as always)."

I'm looking at Menagerie - the book of writing from that year with Miss Z. My stuff sucked - bad. Cute snowman poem, Brad.

found a poem by him that appears to be about keeping company with himself. i didn't get it back then. duh. also found a quote of Richard "I don't believe in sex because it smells" 1436 hours 1-22-88."

ok - so in one of my essays, the title was "HOW TO START" and I added "CHAOS". Number 4 was:
"Mention N _ _ _ S _ _ _ _ _ _ to Brad and/or Greg."
What's that?

At Sat Feb 04, 10:11:00 AM PST, Blogger Brad Strouf said...

One of the few memories that are crystal clear was just quoted by Jen, attributed to Richard...the sex smells comment. I remember that like it was yesterday. Sapa replied, "Yes, I suppose it does smell." Or something very similar to that...the class actually went silent for a few moments after that one...

Jen, it was ask about Neil Sitenga...I still am shocked to learn Neil didn't really exist.

At Sun Feb 05, 05:02:00 AM PST, Blogger moptopjen said...

I had written the quote in my assignment, and Miss S wrote back: "Then there must be a whole list of things he doesn't believe in. Nearly everything 'smells' in 1 one or another."

wonder what she's up to. didn't come of u guys go to her house once? anyway....good stuff.

At Thu Feb 09, 07:56:00 AM PST, Blogger mimikatemom said...

Cymbal,snare,cymbal,snare,cymbal,cymbal,snare,snare,bass,bass,bass,treble, treble,GABE!

Boo Greg, remember me?

At Thu Feb 09, 01:37:00 PM PST, Blogger Greg Pagel said...

Meka-leka-hi, meka...

HI ERIN! I was hoping you'd stop in eventually. Look like Erin Hynek is next, Burt. You know what to do.

And the party keeps on a-goin'.

At Thu Feb 09, 03:22:00 PM PST, Blogger Greg Pagel said...

by the way, it goes:

"cymbal snare cymbal snare
cymbal cymbal snare snare
bass bass bass bass
bell bell
triple triple

God, I wish I didn't remember that.

At Thu Feb 09, 04:15:00 PM PST, Blogger TWORIVERSWALRUS said...

Boy, you guys are weird for remembering all this stuff from so many years ago. HE HE

At Thu Feb 09, 07:43:00 PM PST, Blogger mimikatemom said...

Was trying to fly under the radar Greg...so much for that!

I thought about the bell part but it didn't seem to fit.

So glad to hear you're still involved with music...as Brad alluded to earlier...you were an amazing artist and I always felt privilaged to hear you play and to play your compositions. I haven't had the pleasure of hearing your recent musical contributions but I look forward to looking into it. Your kids are adorable BTW.

My 8yr old daughter is taking piano lessons and plays by ear. Her teacher had to quit playing the songs for her before she taught them :)

You were one of the reasons I liked being a band victim...however I did take alot of grief when the American Pie movies came out. Everyone together now...."One time at band camp...."

At Fri Feb 10, 12:50:00 PM PST, Blogger TWORIVERSWALRUS said...

Greg, the quickest way to get me to write about someone is to have that person show up and comment. Erin is now up.

By the way, I'm having problems with uploading your pic. It might be a blogger.com problem. I'm working on it.

At Tue Feb 14, 10:45:00 AM PST, Blogger Brad Strouf said...

Beautiful family Greg...Good for you.

At Tue Feb 14, 05:39:00 PM PST, Blogger mimikatemom said...

Great picture! Please let me know if there is a place I can check for events or gigs your band might be playing....maybe post here as I'm sure others are interested or email is mearaerin@yahoo.com. when you get a minute.....thanks!

At Tue Feb 14, 07:08:00 PM PST, Blogger Greg Pagel said...

Well, I guess now is as good a time as any for some shameless self-promotion...

Erin (and whoever else): My email is pagelg@sbcglobal.net

My cheap-ass website is
www.greg-pagel.blinkz.com -- it has some upcoming gig info.

The band I'm in just had a site made. It's under construction, but you can see it at

Finally, you can order my CD at
www.cdbaby.com/pagel ...Feel free to support a struggling former classmate! I think Meff is going to put up some mp3's on this site... although I don't know how...

At Wed Feb 15, 12:12:00 PM PST, Blogger TWORIVERSWALRUS said...

Meff has indeed said he would get the mp3 on the blog. But having him say it and having him actually do it are two vastly different things. Doing it isn't the problem. The problem is lighting a fire under his butt to get him motivated to do it.

At Thu Feb 23, 01:25:00 PM PST, Blogger moptopjen said...

greg - how's yr bro (jeff, yes?)? i hear good things abt the baby bro, but wonder abt the rest of the clan? thought my mom might've heard an update recently, but who listens that closely to their moms?

At Thu Feb 23, 01:55:00 PM PST, Blogger TWORIVERSWALRUS said...

Bite your tongue Jen. I listen to your mom everyday. Oh the things she says about you...

At Thu Feb 23, 06:37:00 PM PST, Blogger moptopjen said...

ha! i said i don't always listen to her...but that doesn't mean we don't believe the other walks on water....

if u've listened to my mom, u'd know that i'm perfect, sweet, beautiful blah blah blah. oh, and that i'm full o crap. (she's not that blind.)

GREG! how's yr fam?

At Fri Feb 24, 09:16:00 PM PST, Blogger Greg Pagel said...

My fam:

Maya, 2, is in rehab.
Collin, 6, will be out of prison next month.

My wife, Melissa, is the president af Algeria.

At Sat Feb 25, 06:34:00 AM PST, Blogger moptopjen said...

it's so funny how yr life shifts when u hv kids. i hv not, so my "fam" is still my mom, dad, etc. u hv kids, and yr fam is the peeps in yr household. i actually was asking about yr older brother, of who i hv pleasant memories from band.

and for yr current fam; damn cute kids despite their troubles.

At Sat Feb 25, 09:35:00 AM PST, Blogger Greg Pagel said...

Vowels, Jen. You can do it.

Andy is the band director at TRHS. Meanwhile, the moon cracks in hald and the sky starts to bleed. He has a wife and 2 kids.

Older bro Jeff is an engineer. Lives near Madison. Married; bun in the oven.

Mom co-owns a real estate business or something. Dad is retired, Watches Martha Stewart and builds R/C model planes.

That's about it... I'll keep you posted on any developments.

At Sun Feb 26, 12:11:00 PM PST, Blogger moptopjen said...

tell jeff Hi. & congrats on the bun. i hear good things of yr baby bro.

sorry - too impatient 4 typing, proofing & vowels. plus i work in an industry of abbreviations & acronyms.

gr8 post 4 beth.

At Mon Feb 27, 07:46:00 PM PST, Blogger Greg Pagel said...

thnx jn

tll chrs h

At Mon Feb 27, 10:53:00 PM PST, Blogger the_meff said...

I've put this off long enough.

It is time to tell the tale of Jeff Messerman and Greg Pagel.

It's a sordid, ugly tale, one barely fit for E! Hollywood Insider.

Of all those responsible for "who I am" today, Greg must take almost full blame. I met him in 2nd Grade. And very early on I wanted to be exactly like him. Integrity AND a vicious wit at age 8? Oh yeah.

Greg also cultivated an already innate fascination at a time when it was prudent: STAR WARS. And then, of course, Battlestar Galactica (have ya' seen the remake on Sci-fi??? not bad!). And, most importantly, Battle of the Planets (a poorly repackaged Japanese cartoon to cash in on the Star Wars thingy...part of Channel 11's afterschool Barney's Clubhouse Powwwww lineup).

Either way you added it up, it all boiled down to two dangerously obsessed lunatics turned loose on JF Magee.

We began a focus group devoted to all things sci-fi. Thus, in 1978, the SPACE TEAM was born! (insert wailing John Williams score here)

And what, exactly, did the Space Team do? What was our "mission statement," per se?

I have no idea.

Protect the, um, er, Magee school playground from, um, er, evildoers??? Sure.

Our imaginations ran amock. Playground monkeybars became spaceships. The Fish Slide (how's that for a memory flash?!) became a single engine fighter. Fingers were pointed everywhere, firing phantom laser bolts at equally phantom alien attackers!

We went on a recruitment spree. A girl named Laura Rybacki, Brian Reed, Eric Prizl, Ross Remiker, some kid named Kenny who was a year younger than us and a practicing Buddhist. When Tom Grassman moved to our classroom, he barely had the seat warm before we got our recruitment hooks into him. From a classroom next door to ours (Mrs. Whalen?? God, memory rush!!!), a new kid named Mark Butala.... our numbers increased...

...as did our infighting. (amazing...human nature and sociology will out even on a small town playground!)

Greg hated me because I was a liar and a dirty double crosser (he was right...I WAS!) Kenny sided with Greg. Tom sided with me. Then Greg came back to the fold. And then Tom punched me in the chops for being a dirty double crosser and a liar (which, again, I was...) and then JoAnna Thee gets involved and tells me I'm a turd and I treat Greg like shit and then Laura sticks up for me and tells them all to stop dumping on poor ole' Jeff and then I start hero worshipping Mark Butala and Greg hates his guts and then Greg's brother Jeff gets involved to tell us all that we're idiots and...and...and...

Did any of this actually happen?!

I don't know. It's hazy and weird. But I will say that I never wanted to miss a single day of school back then because it was such an interesting time!

Flash forward: next time I have Greg in a class, 5th Grade, the legendary Miss Hynek.

By then, all our Space Team trials and tribulations were long behind us.

I like to call this phase the "Charles Schultz" phase of our friendship.

He was totally Charlie Brown. I was totally Linus. We thumped around the playground, discussing life and chicks and philosophy (in 5th grade terms, of course). Something I'd never noticed in Greg prior came out that year...he seemed to be really high strung. I sensed tension on the homefront. Oh screw being coy... I think he and his father had a few issues. And it definitely carried over into his day to day life.

Miss Hynek perfected something that can only be described as a torture device...the "incomplete" slip! When one didn't have an assignment done to her satisfaction, this slip would be filled out by her only to have us carry it home in our grubby little claws to personally hand it to our parents, a scarlet letter of shame from a very fat woman.

I believe Greg received one at some point. The death notices were handed out and we were left to stew. As Hynek moved on to the next item on her itinerary, a wail of anguish arose from the back of the room. Greg tearfully pleaded his case to her, attempting an emotional appeal for an "incomplete slip" reprieve. The raw energy and rage behind his pleas was, as I recall, terrifying. Nobody spoke. Hynek attempted to brush him off but I think even SHE was rattled.

Anyway, the PEANUTS phase continued on to 6th grade, LB CLARKE, Joe Stodola's class. In fact, it itensified. Greg, if I recall, was kind of morose during this time. Hell, I think I was too. Clarke was a really intense, bizarre environment. Greg and I continued to thump around the playground, debating life. We begain to pound out comic strips, spoofy, goofy stuff. Titles like The Face Snatcher (a brilliant creation, Greg!), Superperson (my politically correct hero comic), and, a favorite, STAR WRECK II: The Wrath of John, one we collaborated on.

I jealously marvelled at Greg's drawing skills. I did, at best, OK. I could pull off the gags but my pencils were nowhere near as stealth as Greg's. Made me nuts. I recall one night when I raised my drawing hand to the heavens and begged God to grant me just a little of Greg Pagel's rendering abilities.

To this day, my request remains unanswered.

Anyway, I fell in with Richard Wheeler and Drew Konop pretty regularly at that time as well and for whatever reason, they intentionally kinda' turned me against Greg. I guess he didn't pass their "cool-o-meter" or whatever but like a moron, I succumbed to that vile beast known as peer pressure.

(It's comforting to know that the guilty feelings associated with our moronic actions continues years later. I speak from experience as I'm about to puke from guilt right now as I write this.)

Anyway, my brief stint at Washington didn't have a lot of Greg Pagel in it. I was busy letting my freak flag fly and he was busy being a musical genius.

And that should be where the Greg/Jeff story ends...

Flash forward: last August. I'm in the process of co-producing a script I wrote here in my hometown of Cedarburg with some folks from Chicago. Silly little monster flick called Spiderville. Lots of Greg/Jeff historical overtones to the main characters. When it comes time to consider the soundtrack for the film, all I can think of is how cool it would be to have Greg Pagel at the helm.

So I Google the man. And there he is. I email him.

And I'll be damned, we start talking as if no time has passed since our last conversation. It's as if we are just picking up right where we left off twenty years prior.

To call Greg one of the best friends I've ever had in my life would be an understatement.

He was a brother.

I'm a tad pessimistic on the fate of Spiderville. But I got something better than the Oscar with this film.

I got my brother back.

At Tue Feb 28, 05:05:00 AM PST, Blogger Greg Pagel said...

Meff, you're a double crosser and a liar.

Kenny was a Jehova's Witness, not a Buddhist.

At Tue Feb 28, 09:57:00 AM PST, Blogger mimikatemom said...

Giggle, ur t fny Grg. Friends are family you pick for yourself....good story Meff. Good luck with your film!

At Wed Mar 01, 03:08:00 PM PST, Blogger moptopjen said...

will i ever grow up and not get the giggles when i see the word turd in print? or for that matter, not laugh when someone says 'duty' (and I always hear doody).

i admit it. am officially jealous of meff and greg in grade school. lisa pauze & i were not nearly so creative. post some Superperson stuff!

At Fri Apr 28, 05:24:00 AM PDT, Blogger Brandon P. said...

Greg Pagel, the finest musician I ever had the pleasure to jam. You appear to be well on your way to stardom and I’ll be the guy in the tabloids saying, “I jammed with this cat long before he was popular”. I may still even have tapes to prove it.

Despite a lot of half-assed effort and mastering the three chords of “Louie, Louie”, I never conquered the music scene. I still have my amps stacked up in the basement though. I go down there once and a while and make noise until the wife complains that the pictures on the walls are vibrating and she can’t hear the TV.

I saw some discussion regarding your infamous artwork from high school. Do you remember the “Arms Race” picture that got confiscated in history class that later became a transparency for all to see? It probably would never have been seen by the masses if I wouldn’t have been giggling so much as you were drawing it.

At Thu Jan 03, 06:32:00 PM PST, Blogger swp said...

Hey Greg! Its been a long time since we've talked. It seems like everything is going good for you. I do remember an incident that almost cut your artistic and musical career short.(its hard to do either without a thumb).I think you probably remember it well. So I guess I should explain to everyone what it is...... We were 10 or so and somehow we managed to catch a gopher in a five gallon bucket in my backyard and bring it to Greg's house, and for some reason without regard for life or limb, (or possibly a love for vermin)Greg reaches into the bucket and picks it(gopher)up. I learned two things that day, #1 Don't pick up pissed off gophers , and #2 Greg's voice can reach a pitch higher than what even a dog is capable of hearing when he has a critter clamped on his thumb. I have strictly adhered to #1 thus far. As far as # 2 is concerned, I don't believe it's possible to match(too many variables ambient temp,humidity,alighnment of certain planets ect). So I hope Greg has taught everyone through his bravery and self sacrifice, a valuable lesson. So Greg, I thank you. And by the way, it's a toss up as to who's mom was more scared by us. I hope you remember this(in a humorous way),because I'll never forget it. Take care Greg!

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Friday, February 22, 2013

Truly a Pleasure.....Only Not So Much

You know when you are car shopping and you find a car you like,  you start seeing the car EVERYWHERE? This is like that…in no way at all. I just wanted to tell that story. What I really want to tell you about is my odd experience my kids and I had at Wal-Mart the other day.

         My kids got A and A/B Honor Roll. I told them I would get them something special for doing so well.  We had just finished picking out their Skylanders for their Wii game.  Standing in line at the checkout a lovely elderly couple offered for us to go ahead of them. Trying to teach my kids patience, I told them they were fine and we could wait, but thank you so much for the kind offer. We were moving closer to the check-out counter when a gentleman got in line behind us. I guess trying to be friendly he started to strike up a conversation with my kids. He told them his son had the same Skylander game with a bunch of the characters but that his son never played it. Well to no surprise that definitely sparked my kids interest. They started rambling about which characters did he have, and so on. We were next to check-out so I told the kids to put their stuff up on the counter. The gentleman decided he would be funny and told the kids they could pay for his jean pants he was buying, to which they replied, “NO!” (Way to go kids J) He proceeded to tell me that he worked as an electrician/plumber/something/I wasn’t paying attention and he had bent down and ripped his pants clear up his butt. Yes, I needed the explanation of why you were buying pants, and more importantly my kids needed that explanation……ummmmm not so much.

          My youngest then decided to ask, “Can I see?” I shouted extremely fast, “NO!!!!!!!” My kids then decided to tell the gentleman that my youngest had ripped his pants before and 2 girls saw his underwear. They are talking about underwear with a stranger. Why didn’t I take the offer from the nice elderly couple to checkout before them?  Can this conversation get any longer? Yes, it can. They wanted to tell him how it happened, when it happened, etc. The lady at the cash register was finally ready to check us out. I was past ready to checkout. I told the kids to come on and stop talking. Lord, please make them stop talking. The cashier handed me my receipt and we were leaving. The gentleman said, “bye it was nice to meet ya’ll.”  I kind of pretended to ignore it.  I mean seriously, it was truly a pleasure to tell my kids you ripped your pants up your ass, and then continue a conversation about underwear. No that’s not weird at all. Yes truly a pleasure.......only not so much!


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Thursday, August 18, 2016

In Which Change is Experienced, Resisted, and Begrudgingly Embraced

This has been an interesting month, as in the old proverbial curse "may you live in interesting times."

Our family dynamic is shifting around, as my firstborn is now attending college, a reality that seems unreal, as it can't have been long since I graduated college and (mumble mumble counts on fingers) ah, yes. Well, it's a change, anyway. And I have explained this to my children endlessly in true Expository Dad Fashion, that as a parent, it is very difficult for me to separate the reality of the child/teenager/adult standing before me with the memories of this same person as a smaller child/toddler/newborn. It's as if all that time is compressed on top of their being, and I am unable to stop the temporal disconnect when I look at them (to wit: "where has the time gone," "I remember your first day of school like it was yesterday," etc.) This mental timehop is the reason that I call the children by the wrong name. That excuse is less believable when I call them by the dog's name.

And so that's changing. Letting go of the oldest one as he does his best to push away and define himself, while I unhelpfully respond by clinging all the harder. Why can't we stuff all those reality-genii back into the bottle? I demand a do-over! We're adapting to this change in our own ways (I choose denial.)

Personally, the bigger change for me is that I am right now between employers. This is a situation I haven't been in since... well, since the older one was starting school, over a decade ago. I've been feeling untethered and buffeted in these weeks, a balloon come undone into a stormy sky. There's more people depending on me, and the world has changed, and my field has changed, and old Mr. Imposter Syndrome comes a-whisperin' in my ear his little hurtful lies, like: the only thing that hasn't changed is me. Tiny stinging lies are the specialty of Mr. I.S., and they are extra sharp when you're already a little raw watching some young adult stride off to college with a small backpack while you're also seeing him skip off to kindergarten with a giant one.

Parents of school-age children, be warned: the school-Feels are deep and poignant. After their twelve-year slumber, they emerge like soppy emotional cicadas right up on your face. #UglyCry

I am not a believer of signs and portents, though numerous found pennies have crossed my path, and inspiring and courageous words are popping up right when I needed them most. Maybe I'm just more attuned now. Like our sleepy cicadas, I also feel that I've been dozing for years, and now I get to shed the skin and start over. It's a messy process, and I have to confess that more than once I've thought about retreating to the same familiar hole I've just come out of. But holes are dark and close and hard to move in. I'm out in the sun now, flexing my limbs and hardening my skin and even singing my own song. There's a new melody to it, one that I didn't realize it had before. It's louder than stinging lies.

And through all this change, I've found support in the likeliest place, though not the first place I would have turned. My son was there, though he's dealing with his own life changes, his own new job, and the scattering of his friends to all points. He was there for me, backing me up, and is seeing me off to my own new adventure.

So thanks, buddy, for everything you did, for everything you do. For the kid you were and the man you've become. And I'm sorry I keep calling you the dog's name.

Some things never change.


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Thursday, February 25, 2010

Outfit of the Day 2/25/10

Today I pulled out the fringe! I have fringe on my jacket and the hem of my skirt. Yeehaw! Black top-Worthington via JCPenney(Nov 2009)
Red suede jacket-Dialogue via QVC (several years old)
Black asymmetrical skirt-Denim and Company via QVC(several years old)
Black tights-Worthington via JCPenney
Boots-Western store in the Mall of America (several years ago)

Close up of necklace. I have the matching bracelet and pearl earrings

Love these boots but only wear them at Rodeo time. Several years ago, two of my girlfriends and I went to the Mall of America for a couple of days during Spring Break. We shopped till we dropped. It was a fun time and I remember it every time I pull these boots on.
I will be leaving town tomorrow. My son and I are taking a road trip to visit my brother and his family near Joplin, Missouri. I hope we have great traveling weather and NO SNOW! I will try to take pictures of my outfits and post on Tuesday when I return.
Have a great weekend!

  1. I love the necklace and the way your boots match your jacket. Very well done! Also, thanks for your comments and for stopping by my blog.


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BusinessWeek cover
Image by moxliukas via Flickr

In my recent cull of subscriptions to print media, BusinessWeek had no difficulty whatsoever in avoiding the chop. It consistently offers a useful and timely perspective on events in the world around me, and (subjectively) seems to intelligently consider the tech perspective on things more often than some of its competitors.

Last September, the site rolled out the beta of a new service; Business Exchange. Closely linked to stories in the magazine and features on, the Business Exchange is a fledgling social network within which members can access background material on stories, submit additional resources of their own, and comment on the content they find. Business Exchange links frequently feature prominently at the end of articles in the magazine, but I’m quite surprised at how rarely I find myself explicitly directed back into the magazine from the site. For a quick introduction, see this video of a recent presentation by BusinessWeek Executive Editor, Editor in Chief (and active twitterer), John Byrne.

According to BusinessWeek’s Director of User Participation, Ron Cassalotti, over 1,000 topics have been approved on the site since it opened four months ago. One of those (the Semantic Web, of course) was started by me, but I also consume and contribute content across a range of other topics relevant to my business interests. Much of this activity is relatively passive, but the site also offers the ability to grow a network of like-minded fellow members, to flag items of interest, and to comment on content shared by others.

User profile and topic pages are visible to non-members, and also rank highly in Google; as Ron demonstrated by showing me how much higher my Business Exchange profile page ranks than my far older LinkedIn profile.

Topics are suggested by BusinessWeek staff and by members of the site, and I get the impression that topics tend to be approved if the topic is in-scope (for BusinessWeek readers) and actively discussed out on the open Web. Ron tells me that there is no formal taxonomy for topics, which certainly makes it more straightforward for his team to adapt to evolving member interests and the shifting nature of the News. The lack of a formal taxonomy raises issues of its own, of course. I, for example, followed both ‘Cloud Computing‘ and ‘Cloud Computing Research.’ The former was proposed by Business Exchange member Ralph Perry, and the latter by BusinessWeek Senior Writer Stephen Baker in gathering background content to inform articles in the magazine. For a while I simply cross-posted content to both, but the numbers would suggest that Stephen’s topic is ‘winning,’ and attracting the eyeballs. Presumably at some point a back-end process (or one of Ron’s team) will make a decision to simply merge the two topics?

The network – and its features – are clearly still evolving, and there’s a way to go. I do find myself on the site most days, though, exhibiting web site visiting behaviour that I thought I’d left behind years ago in favour of my RSS reader.

And today? I find that I’m the Business Exchange’s Featured User, there for all the world to see…  🙂

Thanks to Ron and the team, and if you keep up the good work I’ll keep coming back.

My next step, of course, is to move from being Featured User on the Business Exchange to getting my work printed in BusinessWeek itself. Then my social network-sceptical mum really will be impressed!

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Columbia, SC

Below you can find information for my Columbia District office. You are welcome to phone or send a message to me through the U.S. Postal Service. Please note that postal mail is the slowest method for contacting me. All postal mail sent to my offices must be scanned for security purposes, which means it will take an additional two weeks for me to receive it. If you prefer, you may contact me by e-mail.

Hours of Operation

Monday-Friday 9:00AM-5:00PM

1225 Lady Street, Suite 200
Columbia, SC 29201
Phone: (803)799-1100
Fax: (803)799-9060


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We are experienced at helping healthcare companies optimize their marketing and PR efforts, and finding new ways to engage customers in a rapidly changing landscape. We believe that healthcare companies of all sizes need clear, sustainable messaging platforms; comprehensive communications strategies; expert content development; and creative, ongoing outreach programs in order to become leading suppliers of healthcare products and services. We will work to develop high-level brand strategies that allow you to best compete with a strong and consistent brand message that is relevant to your target consumer. We are also proficient in generating initiatives that help create a better patient experience for your customers.

Healthcare can be very complex and it often times needs to be simplified and explained in a way that is easily understandable. CMOco uses a variety of tools to make healthcare engaging and meaningful in a very tumultuous time.


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NOVEMBER 04, 2013

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Research Suggests Advertisers Should Not Be Concerned About Ad Wearout in Magazines
In a paper presented at the 2013 Print and Digital Research Forum, researchers from GfK Starch and the Meredith Corporation shared research that suggests magazine ads have the ability to maintain a long shelf-life. In an analysis of an ad for Ken's Salad Dressing that ran in Better Homes and Gardens during a six month period, ad recall scores for the advertisement were higher among readers that had been exposed to 4-6 issues of the magazine (49%) than those that had been exposed to 1-3 issues (45%). Furthermore, those that were exposed to other Meredith titles in which the Ken's ad also ran had even higher ad recall scores (57%) than those exclusively reading Better Homes and Gardens. Overall familiarity with the Ken's Salad Dressing brand was also found to be higher among readers that had been exposed to multiple issues across multiple titles.
So what? While this is just one example, it serves as a nice case study of an advertiser being able to build greater awareness and familiarity because they committed to run an ad multiple times and across multiple titles. While some advertisers may worry aloud about the continued efficacy of their ads after a couple of issues, this goes to show that creative executions are more likely to produce their intended outcomes when they are repeated.
> Read more and comment
Deloitte: Holiday Spending Expected to Rise
Research from Deloitte indicates that retailers should be happy with their holiday haul this year. According to the firm’s Annual Holiday Survey, Americans' confidence about the economy is on the rise and that should lead to more spending this year. In fact, consumers in this year’s survey said they planned to spend 12% more on the holidays (gifts, socializing & entertainment, and holiday furnishings) than the consumers that completed last year’s survey. As has been observed by others, Deloitte’s research finds that holiday sales will continue to move online. For the first time in this annual study, the internet overtook brick and mortar stores to rank as the top destination for holiday shoppers – 47% plan to shop online while 44% plan to visit discount/value department stores and 28% will visit traditional department stores. As has been the case in past years, shoppers most often plan to purchase gift cards, clothing and electronics as gifts.
So what? This paints a positive picture for the holiday season. While Deloitte's findings run counter to the recent consumer confidence numbers from The Conference Board, that might have more to do with that data being collected in the midst of the government shutdown as opposed to Deloitte's survey which was in field prior to the shutdown. If Deloitte's more optimistic findings prevail in the post-shutdown period, Americans should follow through by spending more this year.
> Read more and comment
Consumers Use Their Smartphone on Path to Purchase, but More Likely to Complete the Journey on a Tablet or PC
A new report by Yahoo! outlines how users of smartphones, tablets, and personal computers are using their devices throughout the path to purchase. Smartphone users are actually slightly more likely to use their device to visit reviews sites and communicate with others about a product than tablet and PC users. However, when the time comes to make a purchase, consumers are significantly more likely to complete it on a tablet or PC. A handful of categories, including entertainment, travel, and dining, buck the trend and over-index on smartphone purchasing.
So what? While this analysis only covers self-reported behavior, it is interesting nonetheless that consumers feel they are consulting their smartphones just as much as their PCs on the path to purchase. Since shoppers are still somewhat hesitant to complete purchases on smartphones, this might mean the mobile ad community will have to resign itself to a place earlier in the purchase funnel for a little while longer.
> Read more and comment
Multi-Screen Behavior Drive Stronger Intent to View Content
A study by AOL and market research company InsightNow explored the contribution of computers, phones and tablets to the overall multi-screen experience. The study found that 51% of multi-device owners use more than one screen to access their favorite content, and that multi-device users who viewed content on multiple screens were more likely to express intent to visit it regularly. Computers contributed the most toward positive visit intent, closely followed by tablets. Overall, each device plays a different role in users’ lives – computers support productivity, phones allow connectivity, and tablets create convenience. The value of a device varies by age, with adults ages 35 and up placing a high value on tablets and 18-34 year olds placing a high value on phones. Content type also impacts device value –tablets are highly valued for tech and entertainment content and computers are preferred for news, sports and banking, while cooking and food content is equally valued across screens.
So what? According to comScore, 15% of Condé Nast’s visitors come to our digital properties from both a computer and a mobile device. As mobile adoption continues to grow, this overlap is likely to grow. This study suggests that increased overlap between devices could also lead to greater repeat visitation and engagement with the brands.
> Read more and comment
Quick Takes
American Affluents Point to Louis Vuitton as Most Overrated Luxury Brand
> Read more and comment
Ellen's Best; No Brand Has More Instagram Followers than The Ellen Show
> Read more and comment
Samsung and Apple Both Enjoyed a Good Q3 as Shipments of their Smartphones Were Up 41% and 26% Over Last Year Respectively
> Read more and comment
Nearly One-Third of U.S. Adults Report Consuming News on Facebook
> Read more and comment
Condé Nast
Feedback, questions, ideas for future issues? Please contact:

Phil Paparella
Condé Nast Research & Insights | Associate Director
1166 6th Avenue, 14th fl. | NY, NY 10036 | office 212.790.6044 |

Tamar Rimmon | Senior Manager, Digital Analytics
Robyn Hightower | Manager, Research & Insights


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Self-driving start-up set to roll out first laser sensors

SAN FRANCISCO, April 13 Luminar, a Silicon Valley start-up, is getting ready to manufacture its laser-based sensor for self-driving cars, a key component that would improve vehicle safety, the company said on Thursday.

Founded in 2012 by two photonics experts, Luminar has kept a low profile in the race between automakers, startups and major technology companies to roll out self-driving cars for the masses.

Luminar is ramping up a manufacturing facility in Orlando, Florida, for its first run of 10,000 Lidar sensors later this year, Chief Executive Austin Russell said in an interview.

Lidar, which stands for Light Detection and Ranging, shoots out light pulses that are reflected off objects, allowing self-driving cars to "see" their environment. Many self-driving experts regard it as a crucial component, along with other sensors such as cameras and radars.

Lidar has been the subject of an ongoing trade secrets lawsuit between Alphabet Inc unit Waymo and Uber.

Waymo alleges that a former employee stole intellectual property about its Lidar system that was later copied by Uber.

Russell said Lidars for self-driving cars on the market were developed from hardware that existed before autonomous cars. Their limitations in range and resolution make them unfit for the safe rollout of self-driving cars, he noted.

Luminar addresses those shortfalls by using a 1550 nanometer wavelength that provides 50 times greater resolution and 10 times the range of the best rival Lidars, Russell said.

That means a car can "see" a black object with reflectivity of 10 percent clearly from 200 meters away, he said. By contrast, the so-called "Puck" Lidar from Velodyne, a company that makes most of the Lidar used in self-driving prototypes today, has a range of 100 meters.

Russell said four companies, including automakers and technology firms which he did not identify, were testing their products on prototype driverless cars.

Russell said manufacturers should focus on perfecting Lidar's capabilities instead of lowering prices to make self-driving cars more affordable for the public.

"As price comes down, performance comes down with it," he said. (Reporting by Alexandria Sage; Editing by Richard Chang)

我们的标准: 汤森路透“信任原则

更多 公司新闻(英文)


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Quality Bronze Door Hardware, Gate Hardware & Antique Door Hardware
Phone: 877-227-6603 | Fax: 888-778-7889
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Bronze Gate Hardware

- Bronze Gate Ring Latches
- Bronze Gate Slide Bolts
- Bronze Gate Thumb Latches
- Bronze Gate Drop Bars
- Bronze Gate Double Thumb Latch
- Bronze Gate Non-Active Hinges
- Bronze Gate Cane Bolt
- Bronze Gate Band Hinges
- Bronze Gate Band Hinge Pintles
- Bronze Gate Deadbolts
- Bronze Gate Hinges
- Bronze Cabinet Hardware
- Bronze Door Studs
- Bronze Gate Levers
- Bronze Door Grill
- Bronze Gate Latches
- Bronze Gate Stop
- Bronze Gate Pull Handles
- Bronze Shutter Hardware
- Bronze Window Hardware

Bronze Door Grill

Bronze Grills

70-100 Grill
14-1/4” x 14-1/4”
Bar 1/2” x 1/2”
3 Bars by 2 Bars

70-110 Grill
14-1/4” x 14-1/4”
Bar 1/2” x 1/2”
2 Bars by 2 Bars

This site is copyright ©2008 by Coastal Bronze. All rights reserved.
All product lines & names are protected trademarks of their registered owners and no claim is made otherwise.
What is Bronze?
Bronze is an alloy that contains mostly copper, tin and some lead . It’s introduction over 5,000 years ago revolutionized metal work and launched the Bronze Age. By adding tin to copper, workers created a metal that was stronger and impervious to corrosion. Bronze artifacts have been found dating from as early as 3,500 BC.

How is Bronze gate hardware different from Brass gate hardware?
Brass is also an alloy of copper, but differs from bronze in that its primary additive is zinc instead of tin. Brass is similar to bronze in hardness but suffers from the process of ‘dezincification’. This process that begins upon exposure to heat and humidity is the leaching of zinc from the metal. As the zinc migrates from the copper it leaves a porous structure susceptible to cracking and corrosion. As a result, brass hardware may eventually exhibit persistent red spots (zinc oxide) and become more brittle and crack as they age.

Brass is commonly used for door hardware because the melting temperature is lower than bronze making it easier to cast in an automated production. The high melting point of bronze necessitates casting in sand (a more difficult process) since the metal molds used in brass production would melt. A new sand mold is created for every individual casted part for Coastal Bronze.

Understanding Why Corrosion Happens
Corrosion of door hardware and gate hardware occurs through several mechanisms that are electrochemical in nature. In other words, chemicals react with the metals to produce an electric current. This current changes the structure and composition of the metal and results in pitting, flaking, chipping and cracking.

The following chart illustrates how various metals found in door and gate hardware compare in their resistance to corrosion:

Least Subject to Corrosion
  • Stainless Steel
  • Bronze
  • Copper
  • Brass
  • Cast Iron
  • Wrought Iron
  • Mild Steel
  • Aluminum

Most Subject to Corrosion

It should also be noted that while stainless steel is more resistant to corrosion than bronze, it may be more susceptible at its edges, creases and at points where it contacts other metals.

In an attempt to prevent corrosion, manufacturers use various coatings (e.g. powder-coat, paint and sealers) on the more susceptible metals. These coatings invariably fail to prevent corrosion since even microscopic gaps or inconsistencies in the coatings expose metal. This provides points of corrosion that can rapidly grow. The result is that the coatings are undermined, separating them from the surface leading to cracking and chipping.

Is Bronze gate hardware more Beautiful?
Moving from the scientific to the aesthetic, we can assess the superiority of bronze as a feature in the landscape. Bronze has a long history of use as the preferred material for outdoor gate hardware, partly because of its durability but mainly because it weathers so beautifully.

Once installed outdoors, the metallic bronze gate hardware darkens to an old-penny brown then eventually to a greenish/blue patina. These colors compliment the browns and greens in nature and do not distract from the natural beauty of the landscape.


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Governor visits business expo in Hinesville

POSTED: June 15, 2009 10:16 a.m.
Photo by Alena Parker/

Mike Beatty, state Department of Community Affairs commissioner, followed Gov. Perdue and bolstered crowds with a "Team Georgia" motto to encourage agencies and individuals to work together to get through a tough economy.

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In a historic stop in Liberty County, Gov. Sonny Perdue promised crowds at Savannah Technical College on Friday the state will bounce back from a stagnant economy.
“You can tell by my dress that I’m really stressed by all this, right?” joked the governor, who wore a polo shirt and khakis. “Georgia is going to be a bright spot again.”
Perdue’s visit was part of a two-day, statewide Business and Housing Expo to help restore confidence in the current economy, which is ridden with buyouts, layoffs and foreclosures.
“Often times, when we get in economic situations as we are now, people don’t know exactly where to turn,” Perdue said.
However, he continued, the state’s technical college system has the tools to help people build value in themselves through better job skills and preparation.
“We can’t predict when this economic rainstorm is going to stop, but, folks, it’s time to get in ourselves and our communities and build that core structure,” Perdue said.
Money and resources are there, according to the governor, but Georgia residents may not know what state agencies have to offer.
“We’re not insensitive to the plight of personal situations that people are undergoing,” Perdue said, mentioning housing and unemployment.
In fact, many of the nearly 100 who already strolled through the 22 exhibitors by noon wanted to know how to buy a home, according to Patrick McNally, a Department of Community Affairs representative.
“Affordable housing is a big concern for a lot of people,” McNally said. “Banks are clamping down on lending. People who are trying to find affordable rentals are struggling because it’s kind of a ripple effect.”
The housing market isn’t alone in its suffer-
ing. Businesses of all sizes have suffered in recent months.
State Sen. Tommie Williams, R-Lyons, reported a 33 percent sales dip in his own business.
“A lot of businesses are off,” Williams said. “That’s why people are laying off people, making those adjustments in their business.”
When it comes to economic development, Perdue said he has worked to make sure there is an equitable division of wealth across the state.
“We can’t continue to grow in the metro area, if we don’t share that job growth all over,” Perdue said, referring to the new state NCR plant, which will offer a $35 million payroll for some 2,000 jobs.
“Not everybody is good in everything,” Perdue said. “But, overall, our economic development, probably in the last two or three years, has done really well with the amount of jobs created throughout the state.”
Sheila Waldron, who was stationed at the DCA booth at the expo, informed passersby of about $14,000 available in a down
payment assistance program.
“If they buy a foreclosed property, they can use it for rehab or down payment,” Waldron said. “It’s been very popular.”
About $5 million in federal stimulus funds made the new program possible.
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Horoscopes for week of Oct. 20-27

POSTED: October 20, 2010 9:11 a.m.

ARIES (March 21 to April 19) Deciding to work out that pesky problem (even though you might have been bored, bored, bored with it) should be paying off right about now. Expect to hear some very welcome news very soon.

TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) Unexpected news might cause you to rethink a previous conclusion. Don’t be bullheaded and try to bluff it out. Make the needed change, and then take a bow for your objectivity.

GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) Money-matters should be considered as you continue to work out your holiday plans. This is a good time to scout out discounts before demand for them outstrips their availability.

CANCER (June 21 to July 22) A calm period early in the week helps you complete most, if not all, of your unfinished tasks. A new project appears by midweek, and this one could carry some big career potential.

LEO (July 23 to Aug. 22) Positive results from recent ventures continue to pump up those self-esteem levels, making you fabulous felines feel you can tackle any challenge anyone wants to throw at you.

VIRGO (Aug. 23 to Sept. 22) Family and friends might feel neglected because of your almost total focus on a project. Try to rework your schedule so you can have time for both your loved ones and your work.

LIBRA (Sept. 23 to Oct. 22) Don’t be surprised if you suddenly hear from someone from your past who wants to contact you about the possibility of renewing a long-dormant (if not dead) relationship.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23 to Nov. 21) This is a good time to check over what went right and what went wrong with recent efforts. This can provide valuable lessons for projects that will be coming up soon.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22 to Dec. 21) Dealing with people who feel they’re always right about everything might be a problem for some. But the savvy archer should be able to deflate their oversize egos.

CAPRICORN (Dec.22 to Jan. 19) This week favors a balance between the demands of your work and your need for fun timeouts. Taking breaks helps restore and keep your energy levels high.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20 to Feb. 18) There could be an occasional setback in what you’re working on. But look at them as lessons on how to do better as you move along. More supporters turn up to cheer you on.

PISCES (Feb. 19 to March 20) Although a more positive aspect influences this week’s course, you still need to be sure that those who will work with you have no reason to work against you. Good luck.

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Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Road Trip Savings - Hotels at a Discounted Rate

After a conversation with a friend this weekend, it occured to me that perhaps many dealers and shop owners are unaware of a great way to save money on lodging for business travel.  If you don't have a vintage pink trailer for your travels, you may be looking for a good deal on  hotels.  CheckINN Direct negotiates low rates with major hotel chains. You simply register on their site, and put a credit card on file.

Is it worth it?  I've used CheckINN many times and my answer is "yes!". For example, recently I went to Iowa for a show.  I called the Sleep Inn & Suites which had been recommended to me and the lowest available rate was $99.00 plus tax.   I then asked to reserve using the CheckINN card  The CheckINN rate was $40.18 and with my plan, CheckINN charged my card for $52.95 which included tax and the $7.95 nightly fee.  That's a substantial savings.

Last week I took a little road trip and stopped at a Country Inn in a popular tourist area.  There were two rooms left and the lowest rate I could get by simply walking in was $114 plus tax.  I presented my CheckINN card and was later billed by CheckINN for $63.20, ($50 for the room, $7.95 fee and taxes).

How it works:  Go to CheckINN Direct. When you need a hotel search for one in your selected area. Choose the one you want and make reservations if you like or simply show up at the hotel and mention the CheckINN card. You pay nothing to the hotel; they bill CheckINN.  CheckINN then charges your credit card for the room rate/taxes and a $4.95 or $7.95 nightly fee, depending on the plan you select.

To register on the site there is a one-time $9.95 fee. That fee will be waived if a member sends you a link with the info.  If anyone would like for me to send the link please e-mail me; I'll need your first & last name as well as the e-mail address you'd like the link to go to.  If you decide to join you can then send the link to your friends; there's no benefit for sending it, but I think we all need to help each other out in these tough times. I know we'd all rather spend our avaible cash on old treasures than hotels!

  1. Yes!! I would like you to link me up...sounds like a deal I can’t pass up...Hope all is well and see you in Sept/Oct.!!

  2. WOW!*!*! Thanks sooooo much for this info Jan... I'll look into this further! Jeanine, ChiPPy!-SHaBBy!

  3. Oh my I wonder if there are any of those in my area. I would love the info!! Thanks so much!!

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