One of my goals this year is to watch the Minnesota Twins play during their last summer in the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis. Many claim the name is appropriate because the roof is supported with hot air. Next year they move to a new outdoor stadium.
Today was the day. Friend Kent, formerly of Casper and now of Eden Prairie, and I took the light rail from Fort Snelling to the Metrodome. It beats fighting for and paying a terrific price to park anywhere near the dome. Light rail drops riders off just outside. This was a new experience.
We appeared to have seats among several Red Sox fans. A couple seated in front of us were wearing Red Sox shirts. She had the name Bride on the back of her shirt with the number 09. He had the name Groom on the back of his with the same 09 for a number. They were on their honeymoon and were spending part of it following the Red Sox. The most exciting part of the game was both starting catchers and both managers got tossed from the game for using language unbecoming a gentleman. There was a controversial play at home plate which led to the Twin catcher and manager getting tossed. Groom called on his cell phone to his grandfather who was watching the game in Boston. The grandfather confirmed that the runner was out. The run, however, counted for the Sox. The beauty of technology.
The Twins lost 3-1 to the Red Sox. Now I can't say anything to neighbor Dave about the game.
On the way back someone in our rail car passed out and they had to delay our departure from one of the stops. They packed us in as they do with the Japanese subways. Every so often some clown would crowd in with his bike. Overall it was a great day.
Bumper Sticker of the day: "Please let me become the person my dog thinks I am."
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
There may be a broom in my future
Neighbor Dave is a Boston Red Sox fan. Neighbor Brad is a NY Yankee fan. I am a Minnesota Twins fan. Neighbor Brad and I flew to Baltimore three years ago to watch the Yankees and Orioles. I remember we came back September 11 of that year because security at the Washington-Baltimore Airport was extra tight that day.
A couple of weeks ago the Red Sox swept a series from the Yankees at Yankee Stadium. Neighbor Dave then proceeded to give Neighbor Brad a broom indicating that Brad's Yankees had been swept.
Last weekend my Twins were also swept by the Yankees in NY therefore I may become the recipient of a broom compliments of Neighbor Brad. The good news for me and the bad news for Neighbor Brad is Brad just had back surgery and is still a little gimpy. Walking up the block may be more painful than productive. However, Neighbor-Brad is the kind of guy who would drive up the street and throw a broom in my driveway.
I believe the broom thing started with hockey but now the broom has become the international symbol for "Your team got swept, SUCKER!"
ADD Panera Bread to my list of favorite fast food chains.
A couple of weeks ago the Red Sox swept a series from the Yankees at Yankee Stadium. Neighbor Dave then proceeded to give Neighbor Brad a broom indicating that Brad's Yankees had been swept.
Last weekend my Twins were also swept by the Yankees in NY therefore I may become the recipient of a broom compliments of Neighbor Brad. The good news for me and the bad news for Neighbor Brad is Brad just had back surgery and is still a little gimpy. Walking up the block may be more painful than productive. However, Neighbor-Brad is the kind of guy who would drive up the street and throw a broom in my driveway.
I believe the broom thing started with hockey but now the broom has become the international symbol for "Your team got swept, SUCKER!"
ADD Panera Bread to my list of favorite fast food chains.
Monday, May 18, 2009
The rising price of gasoline
Last winter I paid $1.14.9 for a gallon of gas. The price for a barrel of crude oil was around $45/ barrel. The price of a gallon just went back over $2.00 and I'm trying to figure out why. A barrel of crude oil now sells for around $55/barrel-give or take a dollar or two. There is a glut of crude on the market and yet the price of fuel goes up. I was confused by the rapid rise.
Then my neighbor Dave, the retired engineer (structural I think so he should know) explained it all to me. He said "It's a matter of supply and demand; except when it isn't." That cleared everything up. I just don't think like petroleum company economists and structural engineers. I was a language major.
BAD commercial-The obese black dude who goes around taking back bottles of Miller Lite beer. I miss the "Taste great!-Less Filling!" Miller ads on the tube.
GOOD commercial-Any Budweiser commercial that features animals-especially Clydesdales and Dalmatians.
Then my neighbor Dave, the retired engineer (structural I think so he should know) explained it all to me. He said "It's a matter of supply and demand; except when it isn't." That cleared everything up. I just don't think like petroleum company economists and structural engineers. I was a language major.
BAD commercial-The obese black dude who goes around taking back bottles of Miller Lite beer. I miss the "Taste great!-Less Filling!" Miller ads on the tube.
GOOD commercial-Any Budweiser commercial that features animals-especially Clydesdales and Dalmatians.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
More G, B, & U
GOOD-The weather has finally turned nice; it's more like spring rather than late winter.
GOOD-Our neighbor has spent a small fortune to remodel the outside of his house and has totally relandscaped the front yard and is still working on the back. SOMEWHAT BAD-It has put a lot of pressure on the rest of us to keep our houses and front yard looking good. UGLY-Maybe our hillbilly, redneck neighbor at the end of the block will finally clean up his mess.
BAD-The National Park Service had to fire six employees for trespassing near Old Faithful in Yellowstone Park. Two of them actually urinated on the geyser. Just being fired is too good for them. They should be handed over to Dick Cheney and his crew. Dick and the boys would straighten them out.
GOOD-Anyone who is willing to officiate any athletic event.
GOOD-We have a 74 year old friend who is currently running in the Great Wall Marathon in China. She has also run a marathon in Antarctica. Her desire is to run a marathon on each continent. I wish I had the money to run a marathon on every continent. I wouldn't run a marathon; I'd just like to have the money.
BAD-The state of Wyoming has the lowest use of seat belts rate in the US (nobody going to tell us what to do). I'll bet we also have one of the highest rates for alcohol-related traffic deaths (I only had three or four beers and a couple chasers, officer.).
GOOD-The Wyoming State High School Track Meet starts on Thursday. I will be timing that day. It will keep my streak of having timed at every state track meet since they moved it to Casper over 30 years ago.
GOOD-Our neighbor has spent a small fortune to remodel the outside of his house and has totally relandscaped the front yard and is still working on the back. SOMEWHAT BAD-It has put a lot of pressure on the rest of us to keep our houses and front yard looking good. UGLY-Maybe our hillbilly, redneck neighbor at the end of the block will finally clean up his mess.
BAD-The National Park Service had to fire six employees for trespassing near Old Faithful in Yellowstone Park. Two of them actually urinated on the geyser. Just being fired is too good for them. They should be handed over to Dick Cheney and his crew. Dick and the boys would straighten them out.
GOOD-Anyone who is willing to officiate any athletic event.
GOOD-We have a 74 year old friend who is currently running in the Great Wall Marathon in China. She has also run a marathon in Antarctica. Her desire is to run a marathon on each continent. I wish I had the money to run a marathon on every continent. I wouldn't run a marathon; I'd just like to have the money.
BAD-The state of Wyoming has the lowest use of seat belts rate in the US (nobody going to tell us what to do). I'll bet we also have one of the highest rates for alcohol-related traffic deaths (I only had three or four beers and a couple chasers, officer.).
GOOD-The Wyoming State High School Track Meet starts on Thursday. I will be timing that day. It will keep my streak of having timed at every state track meet since they moved it to Casper over 30 years ago.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Unnews Day
This blog was inspired by reading section A of the Thursday, May 14, Casper Star-Trib.
The following stories were included in this section:
1. "Elk (animals, not club members) numbers exceed goal population" Those elk better have another elk covering their backsides during next fall's hunting season. The Game and Fish will get those numbers down to goal.
2. "Police 'run down' robbery suspect" The headline says it all. A man being pursued by the Denver police was run over by a Denver patrol car. The guy is from Wyoming.
3. "65 hours in tree for teacher" A teacher agreed to live in a tree 40 feet above ground after students from Rockford, Michigan Christian School collected thousands of dollars to attend the Teton Science School in Jackson Hole, Wyoming this summer. Oh, well, it will be a good experience for the students but no so good for the teacher.
4. "Jon and Kate draw more media attention" I'm afraid to comment on this one as the wife and daughter are big fans about the family who had twins the first time and six the next go round. 'Jon and Kate plus 8 chronicles the challenges of raising a large family.'
5. "The final before the final Three left in 'American Idol'" I am proud to say I have never ever watched a single episode of this show which may represent the intelligence level of the American TV watching public.
6. "Providence mayor wants to tax college students" The mayor of Providence, R.I., wants a $150 per semester on 25,000 full-time students at Brown University and three other private colleges in the city. That man doesn't know trouble until he tangles with 25,000 crazed college students who are paying enormous tuition and other fees to go to school in his town.
Some of today's letters to the editor:
1. "Interest groups won't help"- The thesis is our pioneers survived without a national healthcare plan, why can't we.
2. "Open post poses tough decision" The first two paragraphs say most of it.
'The Supreme Court vacancy presents our new president with a virtually impossible choice, largely because of ethnic/religion arithmetic which places legal excellence, even competence with the constraints of political correctness.
First the facts: There are two Jews, two Italians, one African-American, one woman. This calculates out an appointee who does not overload any of the demographics. Five are Roman Catholic, so the nominee must be Protestant, female, liberal (since she will replacing a liberal) and preferably Hispanic. How many Hispanic Protestant female lawyers are there in the USA?'
This isn't all of the letter but the idea is clear. The writer really should start a blog. I enjoyed this letter as most are written by some very strange people.
Enjoy your "unnews" day.
The following stories were included in this section:
1. "Elk (animals, not club members) numbers exceed goal population" Those elk better have another elk covering their backsides during next fall's hunting season. The Game and Fish will get those numbers down to goal.
2. "Police 'run down' robbery suspect" The headline says it all. A man being pursued by the Denver police was run over by a Denver patrol car. The guy is from Wyoming.
3. "65 hours in tree for teacher" A teacher agreed to live in a tree 40 feet above ground after students from Rockford, Michigan Christian School collected thousands of dollars to attend the Teton Science School in Jackson Hole, Wyoming this summer. Oh, well, it will be a good experience for the students but no so good for the teacher.
4. "Jon and Kate draw more media attention" I'm afraid to comment on this one as the wife and daughter are big fans about the family who had twins the first time and six the next go round. 'Jon and Kate plus 8 chronicles the challenges of raising a large family.'
5. "The final before the final Three left in 'American Idol'" I am proud to say I have never ever watched a single episode of this show which may represent the intelligence level of the American TV watching public.
6. "Providence mayor wants to tax college students" The mayor of Providence, R.I., wants a $150 per semester on 25,000 full-time students at Brown University and three other private colleges in the city. That man doesn't know trouble until he tangles with 25,000 crazed college students who are paying enormous tuition and other fees to go to school in his town.
Some of today's letters to the editor:
1. "Interest groups won't help"- The thesis is our pioneers survived without a national healthcare plan, why can't we.
2. "Open post poses tough decision" The first two paragraphs say most of it.
'The Supreme Court vacancy presents our new president with a virtually impossible choice, largely because of ethnic/religion arithmetic which places legal excellence, even competence with the constraints of political correctness.
First the facts: There are two Jews, two Italians, one African-American, one woman. This calculates out an appointee who does not overload any of the demographics. Five are Roman Catholic, so the nominee must be Protestant, female, liberal (since she will replacing a liberal) and preferably Hispanic. How many Hispanic Protestant female lawyers are there in the USA?'
This isn't all of the letter but the idea is clear. The writer really should start a blog. I enjoyed this letter as most are written by some very strange people.
Enjoy your "unnews" day.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
What is the Date
Every house usually has one or more calendars. On our main floor we have three (Iowa State University Alumni Calendar [daughter went there along with 900 relatives], Wild Scenic Wyoming [This month's picture is wildflowers in front of the Grand Tetons-can't go wrong with a picture like that.] Last The Splendor of Norway-I can't imagine how that one sneaked in.) In the computer room we have a 12 month display calendar from the Wyoming Education Association; in front of the computer keyboard another 12 month display in the shape of a tooth [our dentist gave us that one]. My favorite calendar is also in the computer room. It is a daily Jeff Foxworthy YOU MIGHT BE A REDNECK if .................... Every November or December I go buy myself a new REDNECK daily calendar and then tell my kids that's what they're giving me for Christmas whether they like it or not. I had a George Bush countdown daily calendar but it ended January 20th. I really miss that calendar.
Some recent Samples from the REDNECK calendar:
"You might be a redneck if ...........
April 10-...your children trip over Christmas lights hunting for Easter eggs
April 16-...you keep an ashtray in the shower
April 17-...you can recite the liquor laws of all fifty state
April 21-...no two items match in your patio set
April 29-...every time you walk into a convenience store the staff put their hands up
May 1-......you've written graffiti while in handcuffs
May 4-......you've been ejected from a major sporting event, naked
May 5-......your false teeth have cavities
May 7-......your car alarm will bite you
May 11-....rats avoid your trash
I look forward in the mornings to tearing off another day.
Bumper Sticker of the Day "Caution, Bird Watcher-makes sudden stops for unidentified flying objects"
Some recent Samples from the REDNECK calendar:
"You might be a redneck if ...........
April 10-...your children trip over Christmas lights hunting for Easter eggs
April 16-...you keep an ashtray in the shower
April 17-...you can recite the liquor laws of all fifty state
April 21-...no two items match in your patio set
April 29-...every time you walk into a convenience store the staff put their hands up
May 1-......you've written graffiti while in handcuffs
May 4-......you've been ejected from a major sporting event, naked
May 5-......your false teeth have cavities
May 7-......your car alarm will bite you
May 11-....rats avoid your trash
I look forward in the mornings to tearing off another day.
Bumper Sticker of the Day "Caution, Bird Watcher-makes sudden stops for unidentified flying objects"
Monday, May 11, 2009
The Good, the Bad, the Ugly
Several weeks ago the Casper Star-Trib came out with a new feature on the Saturday editorial page. It's called THUMBS UP or THUMBS DOWN. They select five items weekly of things that happened in Wyoming. I like it so I decided to try my own version. I was going to use UPPERS and DOWNERS but I felt there may be some illegal pharmaceutical implications with those categories. I also considered BUMMER (omitting DUDE) but couldn't think of an opposite for the word. I finally decided to use GOOD, BAD, and UGLY with the right to use "very" or "extra" or "extraordinarily" in front of any of them. The Star-Trib limits themselves to five item each time so I will shoot for that number.
GOOD-Major League Baseball held its Breast Cancer Awareness Day yesterday. Players used pink bats, sweat bands, etc., and each player had the pink ribbon on his uniform. The soccer teams (both boys and girls) from the two local high schools had a "We're rivals but are together on this" promotion for their first soccer meeting last month. The teams from NC wore pink jerseys while the KW teams had pink numbers on their white jerseys. The Mountain West Conference BB teams (men and women) had a day last winter. The male coaches wore pink ties and shirts while the women coaches wore pink blouses. They also modified some of the uniforms. BAD-Obama administration closing Gitmo without a plan. Forgive me-I think I just agreed with Dick Cheney.
GOOD & BAD-The new adminstration is trying to do everything in the first 6 weeks. Slow down. Fix the economy and bring the troops home for starters. Make sure health care is done right the first time. It will be costly if implemented.
BAD-Today the US Postal Service raised the price of a stamp by two cents. I remember penny post cards and five cent stamps. The raises are happening too often. Maybe they need to go Chapter XI or close some small post offices or branches or something. Maybe some of the bailout money should have gone to the USPS.
UGLY-Wyoming's lone US Congresswomen Republican Cynthia Lummis reports that she is shocked that politics is partisan in Washington, DC. She claims no one pays any attention to her party. It's called being the "minority" party, Cynthia. She is a former member of the most conservative, Republican legislature in the country and there was no partisanship there? Right. Yes, she's blonde.
GOOD-Major League Baseball held its Breast Cancer Awareness Day yesterday. Players used pink bats, sweat bands, etc., and each player had the pink ribbon on his uniform. The soccer teams (both boys and girls) from the two local high schools had a "We're rivals but are together on this" promotion for their first soccer meeting last month. The teams from NC wore pink jerseys while the KW teams had pink numbers on their white jerseys. The Mountain West Conference BB teams (men and women) had a day last winter. The male coaches wore pink ties and shirts while the women coaches wore pink blouses. They also modified some of the uniforms. BAD-Obama administration closing Gitmo without a plan. Forgive me-I think I just agreed with Dick Cheney.
GOOD & BAD-The new adminstration is trying to do everything in the first 6 weeks. Slow down. Fix the economy and bring the troops home for starters. Make sure health care is done right the first time. It will be costly if implemented.
BAD-Today the US Postal Service raised the price of a stamp by two cents. I remember penny post cards and five cent stamps. The raises are happening too often. Maybe they need to go Chapter XI or close some small post offices or branches or something. Maybe some of the bailout money should have gone to the USPS.
UGLY-Wyoming's lone US Congresswomen Republican Cynthia Lummis reports that she is shocked that politics is partisan in Washington, DC. She claims no one pays any attention to her party. It's called being the "minority" party, Cynthia. She is a former member of the most conservative, Republican legislature in the country and there was no partisanship there? Right. Yes, she's blonde.
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