"Let's all go to the lobby....."

Sorry for the sloppy link- I'll fix it later I promise. I did not watch the Oscars this past week end. Instead I went to see Rambo and I have to say that I enjoyed it. I do enjoy the movies. The darkness around you and this window to another world that is lit in front of you. The proverbial light at the end of the tunnel. While I do want to see a few movies that are on the Oscar list I tend to enjoy movies that are off the beaten path. Some are Sci-fi, some horror and some to make you just think. A movie will change for me depending on the mood when I so see it and many times who I go see it with.

 I have seen some D list movies that I still remember because of friends that I went with. The Lion King and A certain Ghost in the Shell movie hold places in my heart because of women I went with. I can List at least one movie that I went with each girl friend. Again some movies were horrid but the person made it special. Sharing the dark and a scare can be thrilling. Holding hands in the darkness can also be soothing and comforting.

  I sometimes enjoy going to the show by my self. It can be odd but it can be even more enveloping. The movie seems to be  more real for you when your by your self. The strangest movie I went to see was a horror movie with Ben Afflick. The theater was completely empty except for me. The sounds seemed to creep around the floor and walls. An usher came in to check on the theater every 20 minutes or so. That opening of the door made it unnerving for me.  As bad of a movie that it was I enjoyed the movie more so because I was alone in the dark.

  Anyways its not always shiny Oscars for me.  I just watched this movie Sunshine and while it had zero movement here in the US. I thought it was smartly written and very well done.  If you get a chance go watch it.  Also I had a chance to see the diary of the dead. While not a very good move it was fun to watch... I'm looking out for Doomsday. The looks like a tribute to : MadMAx, the road warrior, escape from NY, Damnation alley, any number of Zombie movies and lots of post apocalyptic movies that are just silly and fun.

Any how heres to your A list actors and D list movies. Go order something off of Netflix or blockbuster if you want I still like to go get some popcorn and sit in the dark; even if it is alone. Enjoy....I'll save the aisle seat for ya.

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$$220 million and counting....

Its a one dollar ticket that could change your life. A pay out of 220 million dollars divided over 20 years or about 11 million per year. Sure tax on that is about half. Or the question is do you take 44 million all at once? Half for taxes and about half as a lump penalty. This leaves about 44 million in one shot. The theory is that you are able to invest that money in a quicker pay off to re-coup the half loss. Even so 55 million in one payment.
Sure you paid for you house and paid off the bills of your closest relitives. Bought a house or two for your sibling and parents. That will still leave you with roughly ..... lets say 52million dollars sitting in one pot. What do you do?
See the world? Done. Help the needy? Done? Throw a party? Done? 6.5% interest on 52 million is still $3,380,000. What can you do to stay remembered? I think I would donate $1 million to my Highschool. Perhaps boost their science department or set up a scholorship fund for Hispanic youth. The highschool helped me a lot as a kid. It was a mental refuge for me. It was one place that I could scape in science books.
I would not give money to the church. I would let them take the interest of 3.3 million dollars for 33 years. In turn that would total about 7.07 million in the 33 year run or a little over $214,000 per year. I would ask the the money be then given to back to my kids or nephew at the end of the term. I don't think they would have a problem with it. Yes its buying my way in to heaven, but it is what it is. I rather hedge my bets since I already have a window seat to hell.
I still think I would buy one million dollars worth a jackets. Bright orange hooded jackets. I would have them stiched with a single word - HOMELESS across the back. The I would give these jackets away to all the homeless in Chicago. Adults, women kids. I think this would bring a bright eye to city leaders across Chicago. Thats about 33,000 jackets given out to the homeless. Thats a lot of bright hunter orange that the mayor has to deal with. I could start in Chicago and then do the other major cities in North America. Its a shaming of cities in to taking a hard look of the amount of homeless in its heart. Once I would start I think the corporate sponsors would jump on. How quick would it take to become a fashon kick? How long before some one from Hollywood picks one up and suddenly becomes a poster child for the Orange?
           I think I would open a drive in theater. I would open a 24 hour child care service for working parents. With cameras and secure online check ins I think it might work. ESL classes for legal immigrants. I would open BoozeWworld - Long story but it would be a delivery liquor service. With scanners and video camers it could happen very easily.  What about a pizza van/truck that makes the pizza on the way to your house? Bakes it in your driveway?  I would definatle support the OLTPC or one laptop per child program.  Even with a one million dollar donation that would total 5000 units for kids in schools.  I would support the placing alot of the national archives on to PDF files tso the world can see them at home for free.   I think I could open a SAFEhouse..... a playcenter for kids that could run on donations and background checks.  A place like Chucky cheese but with a not for profit kick to it.  I know I would push for laws that make all signs in store fronts to be at least in english; sure use a second language is you want, but english must be on there 1st.  I think I would buy a jiffylube. perhaps open my online witchcraft service. cast spells live via streaming video a pay per spell thing.... Support the funding of free ad based wi-fi for towns.  Perhaps with a non blockable 1 minute ad every 15 minutes online like a true comercial on TV.  

Any ways these are jsut dreams and crazy thoughts that come across my mind every time I buy a big dollar ticket for the lottery.  Any how if ya winn something throw a little my way , ok?

Guns guns guns......

It seems that I have been surrounded by killings in the past two weeks. Its
getting very un-nerving.
Yesterday there was this attack on students in a lecture hall. Four of
my friends from work go to that University. One watched things unfurl at a
safe distance. He watched as people came running past his car and a squad
car pull up. He had no clue because he was going home. He was stunned as
any one else once he heard every thing.
When I was in Omaha the Hotel I stayed at was about a half a mile away
from the Von-Mauer shootings. Again a lone gunman that took out rage on to
people he didn't know. I drove past that mall every day and I did want to
go in. Morbid curiosity creeps in, but I did not want to visit a killing
field at the same time.
The third occurrence happened at Tinley Park. Again A shooter killed
people minding their own business. This happened within one mile from a
work location is. I go by that mall at least once a week for customer
service needs.
It just seems so odd and terrifying that its so close to things that I
do and where I go. You will never stop a lone gunman that is determined.
Cameras won't do it, a new lock system will not do it. People will find a
way. The real issue is not gun control ,but in the mental health of
America.
What is wrong with our heads here in the US that the loss of life is
so casual. Today I watched on the news as they switched from the killings
to "Hey folks we have good news too, We have sunshine coming...". 10 years
ago it would have been different, 20 years ago we could not stop talking
about it and 30 years ago it was unheard of.
We lost 31 people at Virginia Tech. Not even one year ago and we have
already forgot about them. This one will be on the news for a month and
then disappear as the TV decides to go to happier stuff. This always
happens in the US. It happened with VT, 9/11 and countless other
tragities.... Its all about the ratings.
The guys and I were talking about the shooter. Some were talking about
him being sick. I presented to them that he was looking for immortality. We
will talk about him long after his natural life span. He is now as infamous
as Oswald, and the 2 knuckle heads at Columbine, The Asian shooter at VT.

Folk s I'm just rambling now ... I'm angry and feeling kinda lost today.
... I hope all is well with you all. Stay safe.

The Big VD.

The big VD. Its weird that a semi religious day is pushed so hard on us from the start. Kids giving paper valentines to other. Of course the popular kids having their "mailboxes" over flowing with them and kids like me having an empty one. How humiliating as a child.
I understand the holiday for adults. A special day set aside for some one special in your heart. Some one (in most cases) that you are or were/are  romantically involved, even some one you may consider special. But why push this on kids? I always had a hard time at Valentines day in grade school. I was outside looking in.  I hope things are different in the schools today. I hope that its different, but I kinda doubt it. I felt all these odd feeling creep in to me as I watched my son fill out these paper cards for his school mates.He was happy and all I could do is just feel odd. I guess  the real difference is that he is part of the school, not just attending it.

Any ways I hope you each got something special from your special some one, whether its a lover or from that heart of a small child just hold it close and smile. Give them back a kiss. Every one enjoys a kiss. -- Peace

Skitching at its finest...

Snow, snow snow...... Its funny on how much snow we have received in the past two months. Lots of people are complaining on the amounts. I am officially an old timer, I'm telling stories about the blizzard of 1979. I am telling stories on how I had to help my dad dig out the next day from a mountain of snow. These guys don't know what real snow is. We have been real lucky the past 10-15 years with the amount of snow.
The reason I'm telling you this is because I'm tired of the snow. I'm tired of shoveling, salting and then shoveling again. Even my kids are tired of it. Snow pants, hats, gloves, jacket and sweaters....The dry skin and short days are just a pain.
As a kid I would love the snow. Playing king of the hill, walking for miles on a frozen creek and of course skitching.

Skitching: (skit-ching; Verb) the act of dragging behind a moving car on a snow filled road.  

After a huge snowfall we would get out slickest boots. We would wait at a stop sign and see if we could sneak on to its rear bumper. The car would then take off in the snow filled road and we would be dragging behind it. If you were good you could stay in a semi squat and stay upright on your boots. Some guys would just sit down on their butts and get dragged down the street. Our feet would be inches away from the rear tire and of course we would be face first in to the exhaust. We would skitch on cars , UPS trucks would be great and only the brave would be on a semi trailer. We had one or two people have their gloves caught on the bumper and dragged beyond sight. That would be at least two city blocks.
We were lucky, no one was hurt. A car could have come up close and crushed us. We could have hit a dry spot and fell. Again I admit we were stupid.  The days of skitching are long dead; very few cars have metal bumpers, every one has a cell phone and most streets are salted right away.  I' don't regret it , I had a ball as a kid. I'm also thankfully that no one was hurt. Think about it ; pack of roaming kids looking and hanging out on a winter street. Just waiting for the perfect score or some ones older brother to let us jump on. When that would happen we would often get enough kids on the bumper to actually stop the car in the snow. Ahh the days of rear wheel drive in the late 1970's...... . Thats my grandpa story for you.... Enjoy.

Any ways - drive safe and always check your rear window. Just because im near 40 does not mean I wont go skitching on your car.

Black Ice and cheese in a can.....

Where do I start? Work in Omaha was work. Good people, a nice hotel and
great food. They know how to make a steak. After putting in about 60+ hours
in the snow and cold I had to deal with the ride back. We had the car
packed and were ready to go. Saturday the State of Iowa must have had a
nice weather day. The roads thawed and water was all over them. By 5pm a
cold weather front came over the state. The Mercury plunged to about -40
with the wind. This happened in a very short time. This also happened to
set off alot of light blowing snow. The whole show was perfect for BLACK
ICE. During the night we saw 3 busses , 3 tractor trailers and no joking
about 50 cars in the ditch or fully crashed. The ride all through Iowa was
a white knuckle ride all the way back. The ice comes out of nowhere. You
are in it before you can react. The usual reaction is the wrong one. You do
not apply your brakes when in the Ice. This will send you off in a wild
spin off the road. That pluss that its night and it just spells super bad
driving conditions.
When we had a chance to re-fuel we really felt the wind. My hands hurt
while I pumped gas in to the Jeep. Even during the cold we stopped at a
Culvers in the middle of no where to grabe a turtle shake. I also have to
say the food at Perkins was not good. But thats just my opinion.
The ride there should have taken about 7 hours wound up taking a little
over 10. The ride back took about 9. It was nice to see the Welcome to
Illinois sign crossing back. Would I stay in Illinois? I'm not sure , but
its nice to be home. To sleep in your own bed was great and really nice to
reach in to your fridge with out having to tip some one.
Drive safe. The State is running out of salt for the roads and we have
many weeks ahead of us to go before winter is over. Keep an extra blanket,
gloves, phone charger , flares and a candy bar in the glove box. Remember
to keep your tires filled. The cold temps can cause the pressure to drop
and that not good either.... Peace.

the adventure so far.....

Well you may or may not know I am helping out in OmaHA. I think I'll start out with the ride. The ride was supposed to take 7 hours. The snow started out about five minutes after I left the house. I 88 became a one lane with a top speed of about 23-30 miles per hour. So a 7 hour drive became about a 10 hour drive. Illinois and Iowa became a graveyard of cars in a ditch. We counted about 50 cars with a space of 3 hours. The drive was long with a visability of about 50 feet. After the snow ended we came in to a deep fog. Arrrg. We got in about 4am, tired, achy and hungry....
The good part was that I knew two managers at the location. Work was work and really no big deal.

The second day we weny out for wings and beeers. Not in Nebraska but back in Iowa. They knwo how to drink in Iowa. Cheep beers. We the wound up in a biker bar til 2am . My self 2 other guys and a gal that I know. I have to say it was fun drinking with a strong woman. One that slammed a guy about a "peral neckles" manu more cheep pitchers and smokes. Fun and kinda insightfull..... I'll keep ya tuned in.