This is not just any Saturday night, it's New Year's Eve. We call it amateur night so we'll just hunker here in the bunker as always.
Let’s set the wayback machine for the 60’s, my favorite decade.
Put a thick wax platter on the turntable of the hi-fi and gently drop that needle.
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Happy New Year
From all of us here in the Great Midwest to all of you wherever you are, may the new year be full of good luck, good food and good times.
Monday, December 26, 2011
Sunday, December 25, 2011
Merry Christmas To You!
From all of us here at The Country Bunker in Valpo.
Wishing you all the best in 2012.
Wishing you all the best in 2012.
Saturday, December 24, 2011
Saturday Night Sixties
This is not just any Saturday night, it's Christmas Eve. Time to relax and enjoy your family.
Let’s set the wayback machine for the 60’s, my favorite decade.
Put a thick wax platter on the turntable of the hi-fi and gently drop that needle.
BONUS: A duo of Sinatra Christmas duets. I'll drink to that!
Merry Christmas Everyone!
Let’s set the wayback machine for the 60’s, my favorite decade.
Put a thick wax platter on the turntable of the hi-fi and gently drop that needle.
BONUS: A duo of Sinatra Christmas duets. I'll drink to that!
Merry Christmas Everyone!
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Big Yellow Taxi
When I first started going to a Chicago art school in 1971, the only cabs on the street were made by the Checker Motor Company. But I couldn’t afford to take one.
They had a lot of room. A large back area with fold down stools could easily carry five passengers. The trunk was huge.
This is what made me think about Checker cabs.
Seems today’s Chicago cab drivers are lobbying the city to add a $75. fee to passengers if they vomit in the cab. Puke in a cab, pay up. Sounds fair to me.
During my working years in the city it was impossible to get around without cabs. When I needed to head over to a photo studio or visit a printing plant for a press check there was a petty cash box with the receptionist. I took a twenty, signed for it and upon my return provided change and receipts.
More than once I got into and old Checker cab with vomit in the back. If I caught the aroma in time I jumped out. Once it took a block or two for the smell to hit me and I told the cabbie to stop. After jumping out without paying he ran after me demanding a fare. I was fast back then. If that lazy clown didn’t clean the puke out of his cab he didn’t deserve a fare.
The majority of cabbies back then were Americans. Today they are mostly swarthy middle eastern or African immigrant men with hellacious body odor. They are on their mobile phones the whole trip speaking gibberish. Many have Islamic religious displays in the front seat.
Today the cabs come in all shapes but in small sizes compared to the old Checkers. A Checker cab was a limo compared to modern cabs. If I am in the city calling a cab today and a Scion pulls up I wave him off. Even the Fords and Chevy sedan cabs are very cramped for my 6’3” frame considering the wall between front and back seats. Some use mini-vans but they’re not much more comfortable.
Cabs in New York City are different. Between 2000 and 2005 I did a lot of business in Manhattan. Most of my trips called for me to stay an entire week. They came at a once per month clip but I always enjoyed Manhattan. Lived like royalty when I was there, all on the company dime. Do that twelve times a year for for five years and you will understand why Chicago IS truly the second or even third city. No comparison, take the cabs for instance.
It may be different six years later but I recall the cabs in NY were sparkling clean, almost new. The drivers (even the Paki’s) were polite and knew their way around. It seemed that you got farther on a fare in NY vs. Chicago. I remember getting in and after the cabbie dropped the flag a tape would play, the voice being a famous New Yorker talking about the city. There was even a message from Mayor Rudy. Always felt safe in a NY cab.
In Chicago my cab experiences changed over the years. In the 70’s a cabbie not only knew his way around town, he/she was efficient in getting me there. They took short cuts with the intent on getting a bigger tip, forgoing the company meter fare to get to the destination quickly. Worked for me.
In the past few years a cab ride in Chicago made me turn into a human GPS. I had to tell the cabbie how to get from point A to point B. Many times they refused to listen and even drove under the posted speed to hike up the fare. They may be counting on the 15-20% we are made to feel guilty about paying.
Guess what Shamir, no teep for yoooo!
If I were Chicago’s new Mayor Street Punk (that’s my pet name for him) I would strike a deal with cabbies. Provide barf bags in the back seat as the airlines do only bigger. If a passenger isn’t sober enough to barf in the bag and makes a mess in the back seat reduce the barf tax to $35. on weekdays and $50. on weekends.
Fare enough?
They had a lot of room. A large back area with fold down stools could easily carry five passengers. The trunk was huge.
This is what made me think about Checker cabs.
Seems today’s Chicago cab drivers are lobbying the city to add a $75. fee to passengers if they vomit in the cab. Puke in a cab, pay up. Sounds fair to me.
During my working years in the city it was impossible to get around without cabs. When I needed to head over to a photo studio or visit a printing plant for a press check there was a petty cash box with the receptionist. I took a twenty, signed for it and upon my return provided change and receipts.
More than once I got into and old Checker cab with vomit in the back. If I caught the aroma in time I jumped out. Once it took a block or two for the smell to hit me and I told the cabbie to stop. After jumping out without paying he ran after me demanding a fare. I was fast back then. If that lazy clown didn’t clean the puke out of his cab he didn’t deserve a fare.
The majority of cabbies back then were Americans. Today they are mostly swarthy middle eastern or African immigrant men with hellacious body odor. They are on their mobile phones the whole trip speaking gibberish. Many have Islamic religious displays in the front seat.
Today the cabs come in all shapes but in small sizes compared to the old Checkers. A Checker cab was a limo compared to modern cabs. If I am in the city calling a cab today and a Scion pulls up I wave him off. Even the Fords and Chevy sedan cabs are very cramped for my 6’3” frame considering the wall between front and back seats. Some use mini-vans but they’re not much more comfortable.
Cabs in New York City are different. Between 2000 and 2005 I did a lot of business in Manhattan. Most of my trips called for me to stay an entire week. They came at a once per month clip but I always enjoyed Manhattan. Lived like royalty when I was there, all on the company dime. Do that twelve times a year for for five years and you will understand why Chicago IS truly the second or even third city. No comparison, take the cabs for instance.
It may be different six years later but I recall the cabs in NY were sparkling clean, almost new. The drivers (even the Paki’s) were polite and knew their way around. It seemed that you got farther on a fare in NY vs. Chicago. I remember getting in and after the cabbie dropped the flag a tape would play, the voice being a famous New Yorker talking about the city. There was even a message from Mayor Rudy. Always felt safe in a NY cab.
In Chicago my cab experiences changed over the years. In the 70’s a cabbie not only knew his way around town, he/she was efficient in getting me there. They took short cuts with the intent on getting a bigger tip, forgoing the company meter fare to get to the destination quickly. Worked for me.
In the past few years a cab ride in Chicago made me turn into a human GPS. I had to tell the cabbie how to get from point A to point B. Many times they refused to listen and even drove under the posted speed to hike up the fare. They may be counting on the 15-20% we are made to feel guilty about paying.
Guess what Shamir, no teep for yoooo!
If I were Chicago’s new Mayor Street Punk (that’s my pet name for him) I would strike a deal with cabbies. Provide barf bags in the back seat as the airlines do only bigger. If a passenger isn’t sober enough to barf in the bag and makes a mess in the back seat reduce the barf tax to $35. on weekdays and $50. on weekends.
Fare enough?
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
My Santa Wears Brown
Thank gawd for the internets.
No longer do we need to battle traffic, slow-poke idiot drivers and finding parking in crowded areas. I hated the shopping, the driving, the cussing, the hair pulling, the waste of fuel and the huge waste of time. Don’t miss it at all.
The days of being dragged around by the wife to far-away malls that offered nothing more than local malls are over. Gawd, do I hate that shit. I refuse to shop with her for gifts and haven’t for over a decade. You go your way and I’ll go mine, babe. It’s quicker and keeps us together longer. Not only that, I am no longer dragged off to some chick cafe/bistro for an overpriced lunch that I have no appetite for. She is fine with that. My wasting of whole days are over.
Not only do the internets provide convenience, it allows us to find off-beat items and stuff you won’t find in malls and at damn good prices. Plus, they bring it to my door. I love the internets.
For the past two weeks the doorbell rings each day with another package on the steps and a brown truck speeding away.
My Santa wears a brown suit and drives a brown truck. And his little helper has a salty mouth. Must be a teamster.
Soon we can all get back to normal.
No longer do we need to battle traffic, slow-poke idiot drivers and finding parking in crowded areas. I hated the shopping, the driving, the cussing, the hair pulling, the waste of fuel and the huge waste of time. Don’t miss it at all.
The days of being dragged around by the wife to far-away malls that offered nothing more than local malls are over. Gawd, do I hate that shit. I refuse to shop with her for gifts and haven’t for over a decade. You go your way and I’ll go mine, babe. It’s quicker and keeps us together longer. Not only that, I am no longer dragged off to some chick cafe/bistro for an overpriced lunch that I have no appetite for. She is fine with that. My wasting of whole days are over.
Not only do the internets provide convenience, it allows us to find off-beat items and stuff you won’t find in malls and at damn good prices. Plus, they bring it to my door. I love the internets.
For the past two weeks the doorbell rings each day with another package on the steps and a brown truck speeding away.
My Santa wears a brown suit and drives a brown truck. And his little helper has a salty mouth. Must be a teamster.
Soon we can all get back to normal.
Monday, December 19, 2011
Chicago Weekend and Anecdotal Observations
My clan spent the weekend in Chicago. We had a fabulous time and really packed in a lot of activity into 48 hours or so.
Our first stop was the observation center of Sears Tower. Yes, I understand it is now the Willis tower, but I am old school that way and to me it will forever be the Sears. Sort of like some people still call the Aon Center "Big Stan". The kids were blown away by the view up there and we had a nice day for it. The kids went out onto the "Ledge". I was getting a bit of vertigo and couldn't do it.
Next stop was Macy's (yes, the old Marshall Fields) to see the windows. My wife used to come down here when she was a child with her grandparents. The windows were entertaining and there were also some street performers down there to try to suck some tourist money.
Inside, Macy's was decked out wonderfully. They must have needed an army to get it all together. We signed up for dinner at the Walnut Room - one hour wait but the ambience was spectacular. Sorry I cut off the top of the tree here, but there was really no way to get it all in.
Dinner was surprisingly affordable, with most entrees between ten and twenty dollars. The menu was limited - I had the beef short ribs and they were delicious. I think they limited the menu due to the enormous crowds which was a smart move. They had fairies circling the crowd and granting wishes and spreading fairy dust around on the patrons which also added a nice touch.
We later went to the Auditorium Theater to see the Nutcracker. It was great as always and the Auditorium is a wonderful place to see a show. So beautiful.
On Saturday we woke up and hit the Field Museum. My kids have never been there (nor even to Chicago) and my wife and I hadn't been there in a quarter century. There is literally no way you can get through this place in one day. After about five hours or so we were all on information overload and gave up.
Of special interest to us were the dinosaurs, minerals and wild animal exhibits. Disappointing to me was the fact that many of the cultural exhibits have succumbed to political correctness. I don't really want to get into that part too much though as there is so much positive to learn at the Field, that I really encourage everyone to see it. The cost for my family of four was $90. This is the new scam they have - it is actually cheaper to purchase a family membership to the museum than to pay for four admissions if you include all of the special exhibits - right now they have whales and chocolate. The whale display is highly recommended - I really didn't learn much from the chocolate exhibit, but I have read several books in the past about chocolate production so you may be interested in it.
Below is yours truly with the official dino of LITGM, the Parasourolophus.
The Field Museum looked great:
And I enjoyed the details of the building from an age long ago:
We then went to the Christkindlmarket on Daley Plaza. It was an absolute mob scene. We shuffled through one aisle of that and got out of there. You literally could not fit one more person in there.
For dinner this night we went to Emilio's for tapas. It was fantastic. If you enjoy this type of food I highly recommend it.
On Sunday we went to Ed's for breakfast. The tone there was not as caustic as for the typical lunch or dinner, but the wait staff still was disprespectful as always, referring to my children as "brats" and tossing straws on the table, etc. It was a great time. The food was quite delicious and reasonable.
On the way home we stopped at IKEA in Schaumburg as my wife wanted to get some ideas for the house we are building. This was a punishing two hours for me and the kids as this is like valhalla for a person like my wife. The kids liked looking at some of the things, but we were all completely drained after this and even my wife admitted that she had to call it a day. We left with about $40 worth of flotsam designed by Swedes, made in far eastern countries.
My kids were absolutely amazed at the El. My wife and I, having spent a lot of time here in the past sort of shoulder shrugged it, but whenever a train went over our heads (loudly) the kids just stopped and looked up in total amazement. I told the kids that this is the best transportation system the 1890's has to offer. They didn't get the joke, but when I told them how old it was they were once again blown away. They had never seen anything like it and couldn't understand why the train was above us instead of on the ground. I will be getting my oldest a book on the subject for Christmas.
The kids were also amazed at the noise level of the city. People, trains, cars, trucks, ambulances, buses, bikes, etc. I also realized that the kids had never seen bums before and they wondered what was up with that. The kids also enjoyed the hustle and bustle of getting cabs and such. Eventually they wanted to hail them themselves which was fun.
We stayed at the Wyndham on North St. Clair Street. We got a nice rate for $139 a night, which netted out to around $220 a night after parking ($52 per night) and the outrageous taxes. I don't recommend it because it is right by Northwestern Hospital and the wife and I were awakened several times a night from the ambulances wailing. Nice place though, if not a bit tired. We didn't eat or drink there.
In general, Michican Avenue and all the sights looked fantastic. Chicago seems to be doing a booming tourist business, even in this tough economy. We had a lot of fun and I recommend if you can, to spend a night or two there this holiday season and do some stuff or if you already have plans, to do it next year.
The only thing I really regret was not being able to see the Lexington Green (of ChicagoBoyz fame) library. That is on the bucket list though.
Our first stop was the observation center of Sears Tower. Yes, I understand it is now the Willis tower, but I am old school that way and to me it will forever be the Sears. Sort of like some people still call the Aon Center "Big Stan". The kids were blown away by the view up there and we had a nice day for it. The kids went out onto the "Ledge". I was getting a bit of vertigo and couldn't do it.
Next stop was Macy's (yes, the old Marshall Fields) to see the windows. My wife used to come down here when she was a child with her grandparents. The windows were entertaining and there were also some street performers down there to try to suck some tourist money.
Inside, Macy's was decked out wonderfully. They must have needed an army to get it all together. We signed up for dinner at the Walnut Room - one hour wait but the ambience was spectacular. Sorry I cut off the top of the tree here, but there was really no way to get it all in.
Dinner was surprisingly affordable, with most entrees between ten and twenty dollars. The menu was limited - I had the beef short ribs and they were delicious. I think they limited the menu due to the enormous crowds which was a smart move. They had fairies circling the crowd and granting wishes and spreading fairy dust around on the patrons which also added a nice touch.
We later went to the Auditorium Theater to see the Nutcracker. It was great as always and the Auditorium is a wonderful place to see a show. So beautiful.
On Saturday we woke up and hit the Field Museum. My kids have never been there (nor even to Chicago) and my wife and I hadn't been there in a quarter century. There is literally no way you can get through this place in one day. After about five hours or so we were all on information overload and gave up.
Of special interest to us were the dinosaurs, minerals and wild animal exhibits. Disappointing to me was the fact that many of the cultural exhibits have succumbed to political correctness. I don't really want to get into that part too much though as there is so much positive to learn at the Field, that I really encourage everyone to see it. The cost for my family of four was $90. This is the new scam they have - it is actually cheaper to purchase a family membership to the museum than to pay for four admissions if you include all of the special exhibits - right now they have whales and chocolate. The whale display is highly recommended - I really didn't learn much from the chocolate exhibit, but I have read several books in the past about chocolate production so you may be interested in it.
Below is yours truly with the official dino of LITGM, the Parasourolophus.
The Field Museum looked great:
And I enjoyed the details of the building from an age long ago:
We then went to the Christkindlmarket on Daley Plaza. It was an absolute mob scene. We shuffled through one aisle of that and got out of there. You literally could not fit one more person in there.
For dinner this night we went to Emilio's for tapas. It was fantastic. If you enjoy this type of food I highly recommend it.
On Sunday we went to Ed's for breakfast. The tone there was not as caustic as for the typical lunch or dinner, but the wait staff still was disprespectful as always, referring to my children as "brats" and tossing straws on the table, etc. It was a great time. The food was quite delicious and reasonable.
On the way home we stopped at IKEA in Schaumburg as my wife wanted to get some ideas for the house we are building. This was a punishing two hours for me and the kids as this is like valhalla for a person like my wife. The kids liked looking at some of the things, but we were all completely drained after this and even my wife admitted that she had to call it a day. We left with about $40 worth of flotsam designed by Swedes, made in far eastern countries.
My kids were absolutely amazed at the El. My wife and I, having spent a lot of time here in the past sort of shoulder shrugged it, but whenever a train went over our heads (loudly) the kids just stopped and looked up in total amazement. I told the kids that this is the best transportation system the 1890's has to offer. They didn't get the joke, but when I told them how old it was they were once again blown away. They had never seen anything like it and couldn't understand why the train was above us instead of on the ground. I will be getting my oldest a book on the subject for Christmas.
The kids were also amazed at the noise level of the city. People, trains, cars, trucks, ambulances, buses, bikes, etc. I also realized that the kids had never seen bums before and they wondered what was up with that. The kids also enjoyed the hustle and bustle of getting cabs and such. Eventually they wanted to hail them themselves which was fun.
We stayed at the Wyndham on North St. Clair Street. We got a nice rate for $139 a night, which netted out to around $220 a night after parking ($52 per night) and the outrageous taxes. I don't recommend it because it is right by Northwestern Hospital and the wife and I were awakened several times a night from the ambulances wailing. Nice place though, if not a bit tired. We didn't eat or drink there.
In general, Michican Avenue and all the sights looked fantastic. Chicago seems to be doing a booming tourist business, even in this tough economy. We had a lot of fun and I recommend if you can, to spend a night or two there this holiday season and do some stuff or if you already have plans, to do it next year.
The only thing I really regret was not being able to see the Lexington Green (of ChicagoBoyz fame) library. That is on the bucket list though.
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Saturday Night Sixties
It’s Saturday night. Time to relax. Let’s set the wayback machine for the 60’s, my favorite decade.
Pour yourself a big, stiff cocktail. Put a thick wax platter on the turntable of the hi-fi and gently drop that needle.
Do wopp do waaaaa...
Pour yourself a big, stiff cocktail. Put a thick wax platter on the turntable of the hi-fi and gently drop that needle.
Do wopp do waaaaa...
What Norway Can Teach Illinois About Toll Roads
When I was in Norway at the tiny (and picturesque) town of Mundal, I noted what appeared to be an abandoned highway toll booth near the edge of town. Since the meticulous Norwegians would never leave behind something like this without good reason, I started looking more closely at this find.
Surely enough, the meticulous Norwegians had a sign on the booth (in English, no less) describing why this toll booth was historic in their eyes.
Per the sign:
On the other hand, you have the State of Illinois, whose toll authority plans to dramatically increase tolls starting January 1, 2012. Per this article - Illinois toll road increase:
The key concept of the Norwegian toll road system was:
- build something that hadn't existed previously that was worthwhile
- when it was paid off, dismantle the toll booth and eliminate the tolls
This concept doesn't apply in Illinois, where drivers have paid off the previous toll roads long ago but they not only continue to collect tolls, they INCREASE the tolls ON THOSE SAME ROADS to finance their continued existence as an organization.
As far as "new and innovative" items, there is nothing here that qualifies in that realm. The tollway doesn't even reach into Chicago, so none of the problems of desperate traffic conditions within the city would be addressed by this $12.1 capital program. Here are the "innovative" (their words) items:
Projects slated for completion under the capital plan include:
Here are the signs behind the Norway booth. Wouldn't it be great if instead of being Norwegian destinations, they were names we'd recognize in Illinois? But it isn't going to happen - not only will they never take them down, they will RAISE the tolls to make you pay for it AGAIN (and give themselves a raise, for certain, to boot).
Cross posted at Chicago Boyz
Surely enough, the meticulous Norwegians had a sign on the booth (in English, no less) describing why this toll booth was historic in their eyes.
This toll station was situated on rv5 (close to Nork Bremuseum) from November 1994 to November 2010. The toll financed the road between Fjaerland and Sogndal. For most of the period, this was the road with the highest toll in Norway. The Norwegian Booktown and Fjaerland's Historical Society will use the house to document the history of Fjaerland's struggle for road-connection with the outside world. Until 1986 you could only travel to Fjaerland by boat / ferry.As they noted on the sign the toll was very expensive. From what I have been able to find the toll cost 180 kroner each way (approximately $20 USD) but cut a substantial amount of time out of the drive to Mundal. However, once the road was paid for, the Norwegians dismantled this toll booth and stopped charging drivers, which is why they now have plans to use it as part of the historical site.
On the other hand, you have the State of Illinois, whose toll authority plans to dramatically increase tolls starting January 1, 2012. Per this article - Illinois toll road increase:
The cost of a trip on the Tollway system for the average I-Pass driver would increase to $1.18, up from today’s average of 63 cents per tripNote that for non-iPass (electronic tolling) drivers, the increase is effectively doubled; welcome to Illinois, tourists or those too poor or disorganized to afford an iPass (you need to replenish by credit card). This is one of the most regressive of all taxes.
The key concept of the Norwegian toll road system was:
- build something that hadn't existed previously that was worthwhile
- when it was paid off, dismantle the toll booth and eliminate the tolls
This concept doesn't apply in Illinois, where drivers have paid off the previous toll roads long ago but they not only continue to collect tolls, they INCREASE the tolls ON THOSE SAME ROADS to finance their continued existence as an organization.
“We are confident that the vast majority of customers and communities we serve stand behind us in support of this 15-year investment in the Illinois Tollway’s future,” said Illinois Tollway Executive Director Kristi Lafleur in a news release. “Now is the time to move forward with these critical infrastructure improvements to provide congestion relief on the Tollway and coordination with the other transportation and transit agencies to do something new and innovative with an eye to the region's future transportation needs.”Really? Was there a referendum, or chance for toll payers to vote on these changes? Of course not - there were some public meetings, but no formal mechanism that allowed toll users to express their displeasure with this toll increase.
As far as "new and innovative" items, there is nothing here that qualifies in that realm. The tollway doesn't even reach into Chicago, so none of the problems of desperate traffic conditions within the city would be addressed by this $12.1 capital program. Here are the "innovative" (their words) items:
Projects slated for completion under the capital plan include:
Reconstructing and widening the 52-year-old Jane Addams Memorial Tollway (I-90) from the Tri-State Tollway (I-294) to RockfordThus basically you are paying AGAIN to keep these highways running in Illinois, that you already paid for, plus a big taxpayer funded bureaucracy to boot. Once a tollway, always a tollway, and now we need to pay a bunch of politically connected contractors to rebuild it AGAIN.
Reconstructing more than 20 miles of the central Tri-State Tollway (I-294) and the Edens Spur (I-94)
Preserving the Reagan Memorial Tollway (I-88)
Preserving the Veterans Memorial Tollway (I-355)
Repairing roads, bridges and maintenance facilities
Other capital projects, including local interchanges
Here are the signs behind the Norway booth. Wouldn't it be great if instead of being Norwegian destinations, they were names we'd recognize in Illinois? But it isn't going to happen - not only will they never take them down, they will RAISE the tolls to make you pay for it AGAIN (and give themselves a raise, for certain, to boot).
Cross posted at Chicago Boyz
Friday, December 16, 2011
Point Reyes, California
Recently I traveled to California and visited Point Reyes National Seashore. This park is north of San Francisco along the coast, accessible through the town of Point Reyes Station. This park is large considering how close it is to populated areas and has a lot of different types of scenery from coastline to meadows to wildlife.
We had unbelievably clear weather the entire time we were in California. Not only did it not rain a single drop for an entire week, most of the time there wasn't even a cloud in the sky. To put this in perspective, they filmed the movie "The Fog" in Inverness, a small town in Point Reyes... so we were very lucky.
These are yellow Lupine flowers.
They introduced Tule Elk into the park and they are readily visible from the road. These photos were taken in the drive up to the north end of the park. They also have elephant seals on the beaches at the southern end but we did not have time to go to that side of the park.
Point Reyes is highly recommended if you are near San Francisco, especially if you are lucky and have a clear day and can see for miles and miles.
Cross posted at Chicago Boyz
We had unbelievably clear weather the entire time we were in California. Not only did it not rain a single drop for an entire week, most of the time there wasn't even a cloud in the sky. To put this in perspective, they filmed the movie "The Fog" in Inverness, a small town in Point Reyes... so we were very lucky.
These are yellow Lupine flowers.
They introduced Tule Elk into the park and they are readily visible from the road. These photos were taken in the drive up to the north end of the park. They also have elephant seals on the beaches at the southern end but we did not have time to go to that side of the park.
Point Reyes is highly recommended if you are near San Francisco, especially if you are lucky and have a clear day and can see for miles and miles.
Cross posted at Chicago Boyz
I Been Fez'd
It came in yesterday.
My very good friend from high school, Chris From Colorado sent it to me.
When Chris was staying here at the country bunker last October for GunstockIV the subject of Shriners came up after too many drinks one night. We had some laffs.
Shriners are an odd lot and those among us who don’t belong aren’t sure just what they’re up to when they are not riding magic carpet go carts, Harleys and riding seated on flat bed semi trucks playing musical instruments in local festival parades.
Usually adorned in tight white polyester knit polo shirts tucked into polyester knit black trousers to show off their ample beer guts they make it known that Shriners are a powerful force to be reckoned with. But their look is incomplete without...the Fez.
Anyone ever see a Shriner under 60 years old? They don’t take just anybody, no.
Everything you ever wanted to know about the wonderful Fez is here.
Since I have declared myself The Potentate of Pork, overseeing the cavernous Temple of The Mystic Knights of All Things Swine, this is an appropriate addition to my Fez collection. After all, I am 58 and my middle section is getting out of control. Can’t be the pork. Must be the canarbles.
The Fez is a very powerful icon, making virtually anyone a member of a mystic, double-secret cult.
Omerta.
The feeling one gets when wearing a Fez is indescribable to anyone who has never worn one in public. People stare in amazement. Young kids stop and point. Dogs bolt toward me and piss on my shoe. Now that sure gives me a thrill up my leg.
Thank you Chris. I like it. A lot.
Think I’ll look to see if they come in Realtree® camo.
My very good friend from high school, Chris From Colorado sent it to me.
When Chris was staying here at the country bunker last October for GunstockIV the subject of Shriners came up after too many drinks one night. We had some laffs.
Shriners are an odd lot and those among us who don’t belong aren’t sure just what they’re up to when they are not riding magic carpet go carts, Harleys and riding seated on flat bed semi trucks playing musical instruments in local festival parades.
Usually adorned in tight white polyester knit polo shirts tucked into polyester knit black trousers to show off their ample beer guts they make it known that Shriners are a powerful force to be reckoned with. But their look is incomplete without...the Fez.
Anyone ever see a Shriner under 60 years old? They don’t take just anybody, no.
Everything you ever wanted to know about the wonderful Fez is here.
Since I have declared myself The Potentate of Pork, overseeing the cavernous Temple of The Mystic Knights of All Things Swine, this is an appropriate addition to my Fez collection. After all, I am 58 and my middle section is getting out of control. Can’t be the pork. Must be the canarbles.
The Fez is a very powerful icon, making virtually anyone a member of a mystic, double-secret cult.
Omerta.
The feeling one gets when wearing a Fez is indescribable to anyone who has never worn one in public. People stare in amazement. Young kids stop and point. Dogs bolt toward me and piss on my shoe. Now that sure gives me a thrill up my leg.
Thank you Chris. I like it. A lot.
Think I’ll look to see if they come in Realtree® camo.
Monday, December 12, 2011
Coyotes
I rarely see them out here.
Living in the woods and on the edge of vast rural farmlands and wood plots here in northern Indiana one would think Coyotes would be hanging around my property. Honestly, I rarely see them. And I never hear them.
I know what they sound like too. It’s nothing like a wolf howl. It is more of a yip, yip laughing or squealing dog sound. I’ve heard them during early morning turkey hunts in southern Illinois.
One day my next-door neighbor yelled out to me to come over and look at something. He pointed to a pile of what appeared to be dog shit. That’s coyote shit he claimed. Wayne is an avid outdoorsman as you’ll find and I greatly respect his advice. Know why it’s coyote shit? he asked. Look at all the fur in the poop. That’s rabbit fur. Coyotes love rabbit. That fur passes right on through ‘em.
His claim seemed correct. So there may be a few around but I rarely see them.
While I may not see or hear coyotes they now have a serious problem with them in urban Chicago.
Of the few I have seen in the area one was a roadkill and others were seen crossing SR49 when driving. Most will never think of a coyote when they see one. They look like grungy mutts or stray dogs. I kicked one up years ago when bird hunting. It ran away like the wind and over the horizon before any of us could get a shot. I am always aware of them while bird hunting because when my dog goes out of sight I fear she may encounter a few. Dot runs a lot faster than most dogs but if coyotes got a jump on her it could get ugly.
What grabs me is the PC way in which the ChiTrib article advises urban dwellers with dogs to deal with coyotes. It’s not much different from the way they advise avoiding crack-head gang-bangers who carry weapons.
Imagine some 20something hipsters wearing earflap knit hats with pom-poms dangling from strings encountering an urban coyote in Bucktown while walking their Pug.
My favorites from the article (snarky comments are mine):
-Avoiding contact with coyotes by keeping dogs on leash and staying on designated trails (where coyotes fear to go?)
-Constructing a fence around your property that is at least six feet tall (with concertina wire on top? would one need a city permit to install a residential 6' fence?)
-Carry a stick and noise-maker can even be an aluminum 'shaker' can or a horn (I prefer to carry a 9 iron and a Glock model 22 in .40cal)
Suggestions for an encounter with a coyote when walking your dog include:
-Making eye contact (Yeah, right)
-Yelling or making loud noises (and yelling in a stern voice - BAD, BAD COYOTE)
-Throwing things at it (like a .40 cal corbon)
-Making yourself appear as large and menacing as possible (so wear a big North Face down parka, would’jah?)
-Never turn your back on a coyote (or a crack-head gang-banger)
-Using mace or pepper spray, suggested by many FB friends, but this can backfire by people accidentally spraying themselves with it rather than the predator (now how stupid would one need to be?)
Where I live it is legal for me to strap on my holstered and loaded Glock and take it with me in full view when I walk the dog. Some locals openly carry in the grocery store. I’ve seen it. If I begin to see coyotes on a regular basis I will and never would I be afraid to cap one in the head.
Carrying personal protection would never be allowed in Chicago, where only gang-bangers and outfit hitmen cap living creatures in the head.
Living in the woods and on the edge of vast rural farmlands and wood plots here in northern Indiana one would think Coyotes would be hanging around my property. Honestly, I rarely see them. And I never hear them.
I know what they sound like too. It’s nothing like a wolf howl. It is more of a yip, yip laughing or squealing dog sound. I’ve heard them during early morning turkey hunts in southern Illinois.
One day my next-door neighbor yelled out to me to come over and look at something. He pointed to a pile of what appeared to be dog shit. That’s coyote shit he claimed. Wayne is an avid outdoorsman as you’ll find and I greatly respect his advice. Know why it’s coyote shit? he asked. Look at all the fur in the poop. That’s rabbit fur. Coyotes love rabbit. That fur passes right on through ‘em.
His claim seemed correct. So there may be a few around but I rarely see them.
While I may not see or hear coyotes they now have a serious problem with them in urban Chicago.
Of the few I have seen in the area one was a roadkill and others were seen crossing SR49 when driving. Most will never think of a coyote when they see one. They look like grungy mutts or stray dogs. I kicked one up years ago when bird hunting. It ran away like the wind and over the horizon before any of us could get a shot. I am always aware of them while bird hunting because when my dog goes out of sight I fear she may encounter a few. Dot runs a lot faster than most dogs but if coyotes got a jump on her it could get ugly.
What grabs me is the PC way in which the ChiTrib article advises urban dwellers with dogs to deal with coyotes. It’s not much different from the way they advise avoiding crack-head gang-bangers who carry weapons.
Imagine some 20something hipsters wearing earflap knit hats with pom-poms dangling from strings encountering an urban coyote in Bucktown while walking their Pug.
My favorites from the article (snarky comments are mine):
-Avoiding contact with coyotes by keeping dogs on leash and staying on designated trails (where coyotes fear to go?)
-Constructing a fence around your property that is at least six feet tall (with concertina wire on top? would one need a city permit to install a residential 6' fence?)
-Carry a stick and noise-maker can even be an aluminum 'shaker' can or a horn (I prefer to carry a 9 iron and a Glock model 22 in .40cal)
Suggestions for an encounter with a coyote when walking your dog include:
-Making eye contact (Yeah, right)
-Yelling or making loud noises (and yelling in a stern voice - BAD, BAD COYOTE)
-Throwing things at it (like a .40 cal corbon)
-Making yourself appear as large and menacing as possible (so wear a big North Face down parka, would’jah?)
-Never turn your back on a coyote (or a crack-head gang-banger)
-Using mace or pepper spray, suggested by many FB friends, but this can backfire by people accidentally spraying themselves with it rather than the predator (now how stupid would one need to be?)
Where I live it is legal for me to strap on my holstered and loaded Glock and take it with me in full view when I walk the dog. Some locals openly carry in the grocery store. I’ve seen it. If I begin to see coyotes on a regular basis I will and never would I be afraid to cap one in the head.
Carrying personal protection would never be allowed in Chicago, where only gang-bangers and outfit hitmen cap living creatures in the head.
Saturday, December 10, 2011
My message to Kenny Williams - "You are High"
The White Sox had a disastrous collapse in 2011 as their free agents mostly turned into duds. Adam Dunn had what was possibly the WORST ALL TIME season for a hitter, mainly because the Sox kept playing him over and over even while he was striking out every time and was killing us in the middle of the order. It was painful to watch, and as someone with a lot of games in terms of tickets, I mostly stopped watching.
Along with that you have the other duds, such as Peavy, who is always hurt, and Rios who showed just enough flash that we bet on him in 2011 just to see it go way down.
They let Jenks go before the start of 2011 and he did little for Boston but the way that it happened wasn't classy. Ozzie's team quit on him and then Ozzie quit and then he lured away Buerhle. No disrespect to Buerhle the Marlins offered him more money and he gave a lot of good years to the White Sox but it is a bitter pill to swallow. It would seem that if the White Sox were serious about winning that they could have tried harder to keep Buerhle... but the only way that the White Sox appear to be willing to try to win is the cheapest way, since they are locked in to killer (bad) deals with the likes of Dunn.
So... the Sox lose their #1 pitcher (Buehrle) and trade away their closer (Santos) and get little to nothing in return. But here is what Kenny has to say about all this:
So my message to Kenny is - if you think that things are all right after a "debacle" year with the #1 starter and closer departing and little to replace them, "you are high".
Along with that you have the other duds, such as Peavy, who is always hurt, and Rios who showed just enough flash that we bet on him in 2011 just to see it go way down.
They let Jenks go before the start of 2011 and he did little for Boston but the way that it happened wasn't classy. Ozzie's team quit on him and then Ozzie quit and then he lured away Buerhle. No disrespect to Buerhle the Marlins offered him more money and he gave a lot of good years to the White Sox but it is a bitter pill to swallow. It would seem that if the White Sox were serious about winning that they could have tried harder to keep Buerhle... but the only way that the White Sox appear to be willing to try to win is the cheapest way, since they are locked in to killer (bad) deals with the likes of Dunn.
So... the Sox lose their #1 pitcher (Buehrle) and trade away their closer (Santos) and get little to nothing in return. But here is what Kenny has to say about all this:
Williams: White Sox leave Dallas in good shapeHuh? Here is how he comes to that convoluted logic:
"You know, if we have some guys have some bounce-back years and go back to their career norms, yeah," said Williams of his team's chances to contend with Detroit in the American League Central as presently constructed... Williams refers to needed bounce-back years from designated hitter Adam Dunn, center fielder Alex Rios and second baseman Gordon Beckham with the bat, while Jake Peavy rounds back into healthy form at the top of the rotation.Uh... with no #1 starter replacement, no closer, and a lineup mostly consisting of guys that are hurt all the time (Quentin), who suck consistently (Beckham, Rios, Dunn), or guys that are in the tail half of their career (Konerko, AJ), AND NO CLOSER... it looks like a hard year for the Sox.
So my message to Kenny is - if you think that things are all right after a "debacle" year with the #1 starter and closer departing and little to replace them, "you are high".
Saturday Night Sixties
It’s Saturday night. Time to relax. Let’s set the wayback machine for the 60’s, my favorite decade.
Pour yourself a big, stiff cocktail. Put a thick wax platter on the turntable of the hi-fi and gently drop that needle.
Make it happin, Cap'n.
Pour yourself a big, stiff cocktail. Put a thick wax platter on the turntable of the hi-fi and gently drop that needle.
Make it happin, Cap'n.
Friday, December 09, 2011
Like Fallin’ In Love Again
It’s no secret here on the blog that I have been an Apple Computer evangelist for twenty-five years. Since 1988 their products have amazed me, occasionally frustrated me and downright enraptured me as they brought me great fortune.
The Mac and Adobe software is my industry standard. Nothing compares, especially the price. But it is worth every penny.
The desktop model here in the home office is just over six years old. It’s running OSX 10.4 and Adobe CS 2. It just works, like everything Apple. But, there comes a time when biting the bullet is necessary. By that I mean upgrading everything.
You see, the old desktop Mac was powered by the old PowerPC chip from Motorola operating Mac OSX 4.11. Three years ago or so Apple bought into the Intel produced processor chipset and told Motorola to take a hike. What this means is I could not upgrade my Adobe imaging software due to the old Motorola PowerPC processor. Adobe software is now up to Creative Suite v5.5 so I got by skipping over three upgrades (saving a lot of $$). It didn’t matter. The work got done. That’s how all tech companies milk us for upgrade purchases.
Generating professional imaging and layout files in Adobe CS2 posed no problems to me at all except that my clients are all using CS4 and CS5. This makes their files hard to work with when I need to work with them here in the home office. Not long ago, clients needed to save their files to be backward compatible for me to work with them. This is considered somewhat unprofessional.
It’s similar to having a home remodeling contractor asking to borrow your circular saw and hammer to do the job. Not good, not good.
So I bit the bullet last week and bought the mother of all laptops, the Macbook Pro. And what a fine tool it is, costing up to three times what most users pay for a cheaper Dell, Lenovo or similar PC laptop. The comparison ends there.
What Apple includes in proprietary software along with the OS more than makes up for the price. It’s so elegant I can’t think of words to describe it.
It took me all of two days to configure it, install upgrades and copy over all my business files. The only task left is to install font management software for my collection of 16,000 fonts and it’s good to go. My needs surpass the needs of most users who rely on databases and number crunching, etc. Apples. Oranges.
With a cheap cable I can connect the laptop to my Apple 23” cinema display so my menu palettes can reside on the laptop screen while the main image isn’t violated by them on the big display. Clean and crisp.
Another advantage with the laptop is being able to take it anywhere. Some of my clients want contractors to work onsite with their own laptops. The recession has kept some from having workstations available for contractors. They are counting paperclips, so why waste capital on expensive workstations? I understand. Now I can work in those places again, if I choose to.
This is the last professional computer I will ever need to buy. Since I am semi-retired and intend on (Carl, please pay close attention here) fully retiring in 3.5 years.
This laptop should last far longer but when it craps out I will just migrate over to the iPads, which should be awesome by then. And I can say g’bye to Adobe.
After spending two days with the new laptop all I can say is…the best is yet to come. And Apple, as always, leads the way.
Say what you will. Others only wait, follow and copy. Apple is at $393 per share today. Just think if you bought some five years ago when it was at $80. Just sayin'.
The Mac and Adobe software is my industry standard. Nothing compares, especially the price. But it is worth every penny.
The desktop model here in the home office is just over six years old. It’s running OSX 10.4 and Adobe CS 2. It just works, like everything Apple. But, there comes a time when biting the bullet is necessary. By that I mean upgrading everything.
You see, the old desktop Mac was powered by the old PowerPC chip from Motorola operating Mac OSX 4.11. Three years ago or so Apple bought into the Intel produced processor chipset and told Motorola to take a hike. What this means is I could not upgrade my Adobe imaging software due to the old Motorola PowerPC processor. Adobe software is now up to Creative Suite v5.5 so I got by skipping over three upgrades (saving a lot of $$). It didn’t matter. The work got done. That’s how all tech companies milk us for upgrade purchases.
Generating professional imaging and layout files in Adobe CS2 posed no problems to me at all except that my clients are all using CS4 and CS5. This makes their files hard to work with when I need to work with them here in the home office. Not long ago, clients needed to save their files to be backward compatible for me to work with them. This is considered somewhat unprofessional.
It’s similar to having a home remodeling contractor asking to borrow your circular saw and hammer to do the job. Not good, not good.
So I bit the bullet last week and bought the mother of all laptops, the Macbook Pro. And what a fine tool it is, costing up to three times what most users pay for a cheaper Dell, Lenovo or similar PC laptop. The comparison ends there.
What Apple includes in proprietary software along with the OS more than makes up for the price. It’s so elegant I can’t think of words to describe it.
It took me all of two days to configure it, install upgrades and copy over all my business files. The only task left is to install font management software for my collection of 16,000 fonts and it’s good to go. My needs surpass the needs of most users who rely on databases and number crunching, etc. Apples. Oranges.
With a cheap cable I can connect the laptop to my Apple 23” cinema display so my menu palettes can reside on the laptop screen while the main image isn’t violated by them on the big display. Clean and crisp.
Another advantage with the laptop is being able to take it anywhere. Some of my clients want contractors to work onsite with their own laptops. The recession has kept some from having workstations available for contractors. They are counting paperclips, so why waste capital on expensive workstations? I understand. Now I can work in those places again, if I choose to.
This is the last professional computer I will ever need to buy. Since I am semi-retired and intend on (Carl, please pay close attention here) fully retiring in 3.5 years.
This laptop should last far longer but when it craps out I will just migrate over to the iPads, which should be awesome by then. And I can say g’bye to Adobe.
After spending two days with the new laptop all I can say is…the best is yet to come. And Apple, as always, leads the way.
Say what you will. Others only wait, follow and copy. Apple is at $393 per share today. Just think if you bought some five years ago when it was at $80. Just sayin'.
Comments Back
I have re-opened the comments - hopefully the idiot spambots will have taken their leave and we can get back to our regularly scheduled blogging.
Wednesday, December 07, 2011
Comment Suspension
This blog has been the target of a massive wave of spam over the past few days. This is highly unusual - with word verification and all, we typically get one or two here or there, but as of the last week it has picked up in intensity and as of the last day got a bit out of control. The spam comments are left on old posts.
I have the blog now set so only Carl, Gerry and I can leave comments. I plan on reopening comments to all in a couple of days. Thanks for your understanding.
I have the blog now set so only Carl, Gerry and I can leave comments. I plan on reopening comments to all in a couple of days. Thanks for your understanding.
Monday, December 05, 2011
Sight Seen
While waiting in line for a parking spot to tailgate at last Sunday's Chicago Bears loss to a piss-poor KC team, this SUV was ahead of us waiting in line.
Best. Bumper sticker. Of. The. Decade.
Low light made me crank up the ASO but due to very low light and no tripod, I could not snap a crisp in-focus shot.
.
Best. Bumper sticker. Of. The. Decade.
Low light made me crank up the ASO but due to very low light and no tripod, I could not snap a crisp in-focus shot.
.
Saturday, December 03, 2011
Saturday Night Sixties
It’s Saturday night. Time to relax. Let’s set the wayback machine for the 60’s, my favorite decade.
Pour yourself a big, stiff cocktail. Put a thick wax platter on the turntable of the hi-fi and gently drop that needle.
I say yeahyeah.
Pour yourself a big, stiff cocktail. Put a thick wax platter on the turntable of the hi-fi and gently drop that needle.
I say yeahyeah.
Thursday, December 01, 2011
Very Taxing
Carl's entry two posts below on taxes was excellent. He knows his tax math inside out.
Instead of leaving a long comment/rant I offer the words of a guy I always admired for his wit. Another Dennis Miller has been spawned. Good stuff. Adam Carolla takes the words right out of my head.
Half the people in this country carry the load, the other half that pays nothing whines that it's not enough.
Being the age that I am it's become obvious that each generation believes their problems lie with the past generation and the blame only gets more insipid. And I thought the Gen-X'ers were crybabies.
Damn sick of it. 2012 cannot come fast enough. But I don't know much good will it do.
Instead of leaving a long comment/rant I offer the words of a guy I always admired for his wit. Another Dennis Miller has been spawned. Good stuff. Adam Carolla takes the words right out of my head.
Half the people in this country carry the load, the other half that pays nothing whines that it's not enough.
Being the age that I am it's become obvious that each generation believes their problems lie with the past generation and the blame only gets more insipid. And I thought the Gen-X'ers were crybabies.
Damn sick of it. 2012 cannot come fast enough. But I don't know much good will it do.
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