Bottom Of The Barrel: May 2007

Flying ain’t what it used to be

Over the past few years, airlines are removing more and more in-flight stuff. Travelers have lost the meal on a domestic flight and while that’s ok for the majority of flights, I find it hard to swallow on a coast-to-coast flight such as a 9:20 am EST to 12:45 pm PST without lunch. Almost 6 and half hours without a meal is a long way to go. They also used to give you pretzels or nuts to go with your complementary beverage which might help tide you over on a long flight but those have also gone the way of the dodo bird. Now you have to purchase everything you want to eat, until then run out of course.

On the return flight from San Francisco to Boston [which stopped over in Chicago] we had one more thing taken away – the in-flight movie. Just after take off the captain came on the speaker and apologized that the movie wasn’t loaded into the entertainment system and therefore not going to be shown however we could watch the eye-on-america stuff that they usually show around the movie. A few minutes later, he returned and apologized again and said that none of the video entertainment was loaded but we could listen to some music – if you brought headphones that is and if not you could, wait for it, purchase some for use on-board.

We finally arrive in Boston after a very long day of driving and flying and when we pulled up to the gate, the captain returns to the speaker [different flight/captain than above] to apologize for the delay. Apparently they were having trouble moving the gangway to the plane and it would just be a few minutes longer while they got it straightened out. The ironic part was they knew it was a problem before we pulled up and figured it was easier to make all of us wait instead of them doing a bit of work to get us to a working gate. Flying ain’t what it used to be.

What happened to the nice weather?

Sure we go to California for a week and a half and all I hear is how nice the weather was here in Massachusettes. We get back and now we have a cloudy rainy day? Serisouly, my knee-high grass needs a cutting!

California was great but it is good to be home. Photo's and some selected trip stories comeing soon.

Can you say retirement?

Ball Park

Monday we took in a Giants-Astro's game at AT&T Park, which was under construction last time we had visited San Fran. It is a beautiful modern park with loads of concessions and easy to navigate walk ways. The 3200 square foot HD scoreboard in center field, labeled as the highest-quality outdoor scoreboard in America, lives up to the promise and delivers a stunning picture. Bonds didn't hit one out on his historic quest to be the all-time home run leader but we did get to watch Klesko drop a hit into McCoy Cove over the right field wall. Pretty cool [but not as cool as watching a ball fly over the Monster in Boston]! If you get a chance, definitely take in a game here in SF.

Labels: Baseball

Typical Day

Today was another typical day in San Francisco - lunch at In and Out Burger, visit to Alcatraz, ride the cable cars, go to a Giants game, and drinks at a swanky hotel bar while watching to local women get, ummm, better acquainted in said bar. Only in SF would you find a a bustling bar on a Monday night with two women dancing, hugging and kissing each other and have most of the people not really notice them. Except of course all of the east coast men [and women] who do not see this kind of activity on a regular basis. The people at my table were all shocked to witness this but like a car crash on the highway, we all had to take a look.

Labels: Vacation

Bay to Breakers

The 96th Bay to Breakers 12k footrace was by far the most interesting road race I have ever completed in my short running career. The local new reports that over 60,000 people participated in yesterday's 7.46 mile race from Embarcadero to Ocean Beach. I should have known this was going to be a very unique experience when I walking to the starting area at 7:30 am and noticed the trio of runners in front of me sharing a joint walking down a very busy Market Street.

While walking around the area, I spoke with a local couple who were preparing their grocery cart/car stereo/cooler contraption that was prepped with ice, beer and blaring music who gave me a half dozen 6" tortillas and they told me I would know what to do with them. I took them at their word and carried them with me to the runner starting area and when I arrived there I realized what "they" do with tortillas they throw them around like Frisbees. I guess the runners need something to do to kill 30 minutes as they stand around on a city street on a warm Sunday morning.

Many runners wore costumes including superheroes, brides, officer workers, cheerleaders, storm troopers, hippies, fisherman, Reno 911 cops, the Three Amigos and many, many more. The most surprising "costume" were the half dozen 45-ish year old men who wore florescent yellow hats, socks and running shoes. Only in San Francisco.

The course went from the San Francisco bay [actually right from the Port of San Francisco] to the Pacific Ocean going across the entire city. Given the city's well known hills, the course was not that bad. It only had on real climb which was 200 feet up Hayes Street. Along the way up the hill there were several house parties and fraternity houses offering drinks for the runners. My personal favorite was a beer funnel that one could stop off at for a quick beer if you wanted one. Personally I prefer my beer funnel after the half way point so I had to pass.

After the summit of Hayes Street, the final 5 miles either flat or downhill which was gladly accepted after the run up Hayes. The final 3 miles wind through Golden Gate Park until we finish on Bay Ave with the ocean on our right. After the race, the runners walk over to large park readied with a concert stage for local bands to play, food tents, a beer garden, a costume contest and several sponsor and product booths. A really grand finish area fitting for a grand event and after 1 hour and 12 minutes of running, it was a welcome sight [or site, I’m not sure]. 4 years from now, the Bay to Breakers will be celebrating their 100th anniversary and maybe I can make it back to see what outrageous things the local's do for the centennial.

A really "happy" meal

On Monday the 21st in a Chicago suburb, a dad takes his three children through a McDonald's drive-through and he order a Happy Meals of each. To his 8-year-old daughter's surprise, she got not only her happy meal but a lighter, pipe, and bag of marijuana. Apparently a 17-year-old fast-food employee, who is facing drug charges, was hiding his marijuana in a Happy Meal that ended up with a young child.

Note to self - if I am going to take up an illegal drug habit, do not bring it to work and DO NOT hide it in bags, boxes or other containers that I might be handing out to customers [that's just dumb].

What was equally disturbing was the mother's reaction to her daughter telling her that she found a lighter in her Happy Meal, she said "Go tell your father". I maybe wrong here but if an 8-year old finds an object other than what was expected in a Happy Meal, I would think a parent would want to make a close inspection immediately and if that object happens to be some that is dangerous [and I happen to think something that can severely injure a child and/or burn down your home would classify as dangerous] then this would require the highest level of attention. Luckily the father made a closer inspection and took the drugs from his daughter and contacted the police. Good job Dad, hope you get a nice gift for father's day.

Happy Friday and make sure to order the Happy Meal with the built in munches next time your at the Mickey D's drive through, I heard it's real popular with the children these days.

Labels: News

CBS adds "interesting" shows

CBS is also dropping back on the comedies next year by losing The Class [personally sorry to see it go, I thought it was good and could have made a solid 5 to 7 year run] and Close to Home and only adding one new show called The Big Bang Theory which follows two geeks who pine for the hot next door neighbor. Unfortunately this is not a new concept and should lead to way too many rehashed jokes to go long-term. As for their new shows they have added Moonlight [vampire private investigator, just like Angel??], Swingtown [1970's swingers in Chicago, yikes], Viva Laughlin [Hugh Jackman runs a casino] and Cane [wealthy Cuban-American family and their South Florida rum and sugar cane business]. Nothing super exciting for next year and just like NBC and ABC, CBS has posted some previews to get you excited about the up coming season.

Labels: TV

ABC follows suit

ABC has announced their fall schedule and just like NBC they have slashed away most of their comedies including George Lopez, Help Me Help You, Knights of Prosperity, What About Brian [According to Jim is still undecided but not listed as a fall show]. They have added several dramas including:

Big Shots [four friends who are also dysfunctional CEOs]
Cavemen [based on the Geico insurance commercials]
Carpoolers [four men driving to work]
Eli Stone [another crime fighter with visions]
Private Practice [Grey's spin-off, following the L&O and CSI franchises]
Pushing Daisies [forensic fairy tale with reanimating young boy]
Women’s Murder Club [based on the Patterson novel series]

Of these shows only Private has a built in audience. The rest go from the absurd [Cavemen and Carpoolers] to the straight copycat variety [Eli Stone, Pushing Daisies]. Maybe Medium and Ghost Whisperer are good ideas since ABC is pushing out two shows that use the same formula. Several previews are online for your viewing, ummm, pleasure.

Labels: TV

Death of the Comedy

NBC has announced its 2007 fall line up and what is missing is any new comedies. Sure they have retained their Thursday "Comedy Night Done Right" lineup with My Name is Earl, 30 Rock, The Office and Scrubs but where is the new blood? Ok so Two and a Half Men and the King of Queens are the only 2 comedies in the top 20, does that mean this is the beginning of the end of the sitcom?

I don't think so, I think the tv guys are just going with the flow. As a show or genre gets popular, all the networks flock to shows that are similar. Grey's Anatomy, House and CSI are hot right now and more serialized shows like Lost and Heroes are also popular so that is where the networks are looking for new shows. [remember when ER first came out and then every network had to have a medical drama - Chicago Hope and more recently House and Grey's]

But the tv folks should be looking for new comedies because The king of Queens is done this year, Scrubs is done next year, and Two and Half has only a few more seasons left before the it becomes cost prohibitive to make any more. What will take their place as the older shows go off into the night? I say start seeding the market now before crunch time gets here and you don't have any shows ready to go [bring on Nobody's Watching].

UPDATE: NBC has posted some videos from their up coming season.

Labels: TV

Linkin Park's Minutes to Midnight

Linkin Park's 3rd studio album [not including the remix albums Reanimation and Collision Course or the live album Live In Texas] Minutes to Midnight will be released tomorrow and longtime LP fans might not get what they are expecting from the nu-metal/rapcore rock band. Unlike the previous 2 albums, Minutes features mostly Bennington on lead vocals with Shinoda providing harmonizing vocals instead of his notable rap lyrics. Shinoda does perform lead rap vocals on Bleed It Out and Hands Held High and also sings lead vocals for a full-length track [In Between]. Also noticeably absent is sampling elements by Hahn that helped set LP apart from other artists in the same category. Here is a track list with individual comments for each:

Wake - A ever growing instrumental track leads the album just as Foreword opened Meteroa
Given Up - Driving hand-clapping rock track which is the most pre-minutes like LP track on the album
Leave Out All the Rest - First power ballad on the album but it lakes the likeability that Hahn brought to In The End and Numb
Bleed It Out - Shinoda lead rap track which is the only song that features the signature dueling vocalist
Shadow of the Day - Sounds like a mashup between NIN's Closer and U2's One, not very LP like
What I've Done - Here we finally get some of the Park-like odd timed drum beats, samples and raw guitar riff's on the chorus
Hands Held High - Politically charged Fort Minor-esque track however I still prefer the pre-minutes style vs Minor vocals
No More Sorrow - Guitar riff's and driving beats which is only descernable from and an old Metallica track by Bennington's signature screaming vocals
Valentine's Day - Another power ballad but this one is so stripped down it's hard to believe it's on a LP studio album
In Between - A third ballad but this one lacks any power
In Pieces - Starting as a ballad but grows into a fury of driving beats and LP like programming and riff's but the ultimate sound is a bit reggae
The Little Things Give You Away - The fourth full-on ballad brings the record to an uninspired close

By far this is my least favorite Linkin Park album and I hope they collect themselves for their forth album and go back to their roots keeping in mind the kind of music that has made them so popular in the past 7 years.

Labels: Music

Status of tv

I just saw an advertisement for Survivor the other day and I had honestly had no idea it was even still on [and in it's 14th season]. That got me reminiscing about the origin's of the show [and reality tv as we know it today] and wondering if there are any good shows that will come from this summer's tv wasteland. Note: although the networks do not generally consider the summer to be a good time for new programming, I suggest they use this tine when there are no more new episodes of 24, Lost or Heroes to give us something decent to watch therefore building brand loyalty. This summer we have a few interesting shows to choose from, such as:

Traveler [Drama] ABC
National Bingo Night [Game Show] ABC
On The Lot [Reality] Fox
American Body Shop [Comedy] Comedy Central
Flash Gordon [Sci-Fi] Sci-Fi

Also we have the return of many shows including Studio 60, America's Got Talent, THe Loop, Last Comic Standing, Resume Me, THe Closer, Monk, My Boys and the The Biggest Loser.

So maybe the summer isn't such a wasteland after all.

Unnessary Censorship

Too f&%$ing funny!

Labels: Video

Cool Color Changing Trick

Labels: Trick

WPI goes test-optional

Worcester Polytechnic Institute announced yesterday that they have adopted a test-optional admissions policy beginning with candidates applying for entrance in the fall of 2008. They will no longer require [although still encouraged] the submission of SAT/ACT standardized test scores for undergraduate admissions and have become the first predominantly technological university to make standardized test scores optional for admission.

I applaud WPI for taking a progressive and leadership position on the misuse of standardized testing. The SAT test has been shown to be bias with the wording of the questions and has been also made harder recently to combat the rising number of perfect scores. Additionally they added an essay section but that too has come under fire because they do not require the essay to be factually correct. This trend shows that the test no longer called Scholastic Aptitude Test. really does not measure one's ability to perform in a secondary education environment.

Currently there are approximately 375 colleges and universities that are using a test-optional admission policy and Massachusetts is home to 15 of those, most notably Holy Cross, Curry College, Mount Holyoke College and Wheaton College. I look forward to the day when more higher education facilities, beyond the liberal arts colleges, also adopt a more educated and enlightened admission methodology.

WPI will be using high school class scores along with research papers, science projects, or other indicators of academic achievement as the primary way to decide admission and it is these methods that will demonstrate mental ability, not learning to pass a standardized test.

Labels: College

Spider-Man 3: A Movie Review

In the third installment, we find Peter and Mary Jane together, both doing what they love and all is well. Then things start to go down hill - Harry goes all Goblin on Peter, Flint falls into a testing pit and becomes the Sandman and Eddie Brock is out for Peter's job. Add in the Stacy family [father police Captain and daughter Gwen] and you have a lot of story to tell.

Good: The CGI work was pretty good - Harry/Peter's first fight and the crane vs building scenes were excellent while most of the Sandman stuff was just ok [a little bit better than the Mummy]. Bryce Dallas Howard was a good addition to the cast as Gwen. Bruce Campbell stole his scenes with his Maître d’ character. The concept of the storyline.

Bad: Spiderman 3 clocks in at a bulky 2:20 but it still wasn't enough time to properly develop all of the stories being developed in the film. Most of the major plotlines still need additional development. Peter dancing? Harry becomes too nice with a bump on the head.

Ugly: Unanswered questions - What happened to his "Spidey Scenes"? Where did the alien symbiote come from? Why does Venom have all of Spidey's abilities? What does the ending mean?

Overall probably my least favorite of the 3 Spiderman films and that is based mostly on the under development of the characters but after it made $148 million in its first three days here in the US and $375 million worldwide, I think they will make some profit on this film. And who knows maybe Sony can convince Sam, Toby and Kirsten to come back for a 4th [just next time maybe try the more is less tactic].

Labels: Movies, Spiderman

SM3 Mosaic

This is a very cool use of web 2.0 fan-submitted photo's. Wonder if they will make a poster out of this and give one to each of the god-only-knows how many folks submitted photo's for the mosaic photo.

Labels: Spiderman

Spiderman 3 Reviews

The reviews for Spiderman 3 have not been great, but will it matter? Here are a few choice reviews:

"... it's not a difficult movie to sit through. It's just difficult to enjoy." Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle

"This overstuffed treat...drags in spots." Lou Lumenick, New York Post

"...I was so disappointed by the meandering storylines, sub-par performances and lackluster bad guys..." Richard Roeper, Chicago Sun-Times

"...suffers the waning of inspiration that so frequently infects the third installments of great series..." William Arnold, Seattle Post-Intelligencer

"...the film is a disappointment overall." Eleanor Ringel Gillespie, Atlanta Journal-Constitution

So how much money will the reported $500 million film make? Well making nearly $30 on the first day overseas and 3 times the advanced sales of SM2 here in the states are good signs that Sony will make it's money back on this film. [It is currently projected to make $800 worldwide at the box office] I think the real question is if this film is really this disappointing, will this be the end of the line for Sam Raimi/Toby Maguire in the franchise? I hope not. I would like to see Sam and Toby come back to Spiderman about 3 years from now, film the next 3 films at one time and release an installment in the summer's of 2011, 2012 and 2013. Hey it worked for the Lord Of The Rings guys and that was an unknown commodity so why not the biggest current movie franchise.

Labels: Movies

More good new for Lowes

Last night Boston's local ABC affiliate, WCVB, aired a story about Home Depot and their deceptive installation tactics. In the story they reference a manual which has some pretty troubling statements, such as:

DON'T tell the customer that this is an outside service
Use a blank Labor Bill (with the labor rates deleted)
You are NOT permitted to wear shirts or hats that advertise a competitor of The Home Depot
NEVER criticize RMA of Home Depot in front of the customer
Clean up the job every day and, most importantly, when the job is completed - the customer may not know enough to identify a poor installation, but they definitely notice when you leave their home a mess
The customer is Home Depot's customer! You are NOT permitted to ask for or accept additional work unless the work will be done by RMA on behalf of Home Depot

Also the Georgia's Office of Consumer Affairs [Home Depot's corporate headquarters are located in Atlanta] is investigating Home Depot for deceptive practices, and now, they are interested in the manual.

In a related story, last month, Home Depot opened stores that measure 28,600 to 50,000 square feet, smaller than its average 105,000-square- foot format, in California and are also rolling out small-market stores in Tennessee in July. Maybe this is another sign of the beginning-of-the-end for The Home Depot.

Labels: Going out of business

Bo's General Lee

First it was the Minnow and then it was KITT, so why not the General Lee? John "Bo Duke" Schneider is selling his General Lee on eBay and the bid is up to 2.3 million. I can think of a few other cars I might purchase with that kind of money but this one is unmistakable and is signed by all the living members of the Dukes of Hazard so if you like that sort of thing, here’s your chance. Hurry up, the auction ends in 2 days and after that those dukes boy's car will be g, g, g, gone.

Labels: Auction

Sonoma here we come

At the end of the month, we are spending 11 days in Northern California soaking in the sunshine, walking god's green earth and tasting some fine wine. The trip will include 6 days in San Francisco enjoying the city [while Lisa works at a conference] including Alcatraz, cable cars, pier 39, a Giants game [Barry hit one to me] and running in a historic road race. Hopefully I'll bring back some nice pictures of the city and it's unique landscape. Then we are off to Sonoma for 5 days to get away from the busy city and relax in wine country - eating good food, tasting good wine - a real Sideways like vacation [minus the whole running-5-miles-across-town-thing]. Now that school is over, this trip is much needed and well deserved. 16 days and counting.

Labels: Travel

Forgiveness

Sunday's sermon was "Forgive Your Enemies." Toward the end of the service the minister asked, "How many of you have forgiven your enemies?" 80% held up their hands. The minister then repeated his question. All responded this time except one small, elderly lady.

"Mrs. Jones, are you not willing to forgive your enemies?"
"I don't have any," she replied, smiling sweetly.
"Mrs. Jones, that is very unusual. How old are you?"
"Ninety-eight," she replied.
"Oh Mrs. Jones, would you please come down in front and tell us all how a person can live ninety-eight years and not have an enemy in the world?"

The little sweetheart of a lady tottered down the aisle, faced the congregation and said, "I outlived the bitches."

Submitted by Kym. Thanks for a Tuesday morning funny!

Labels: Joke

Bottom Of The Barrel

Flying ain’t what it used to be

What happened to the nice weather?

Can you say retirement?

Ball Park

Typical Day

Bay to Breakers

A really "happy" meal

CBS adds "interesting" shows

ABC follows suit

Death of the Comedy

Linkin Park's Minutes to Midnight

Status of tv

Unnessary Censorship

Cool Color Changing Trick

WPI goes test-optional

Spider-Man 3: A Movie Review

SM3 Mosaic

Spiderman 3 Reviews

More good new for Lowes

Bo's General Lee

Sonoma here we come

Forgiveness

About Me

Favorite Spots on the Web

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