Madison Times

2010-11-02T18:23:00.001-05:00

Test # 3

2010-01-17T18:39:00.002-06:00

Test # 3.
Lisa added to member list.

Testing Google Groups Auto-EMail

2010-01-17T18:16:00.001-06:00

Test from Jack

Moving Day

2007-02-15T10:55:00.000-06:00

I thought it was time to redesign, improve, and move this blog/site .

My new web site is located at:

http://jack390.com

Missy Passes Boards

2007-02-02T17:43:00.000-06:00

We had great news today. Missy, my daughter, has passed her boards. So, she is on her way to becoming a Veterinarian. She graduates this spring.

2007-01-27T11:20:00.000-06:00

William, Chas, and Lisa made this snow dog
the other day. I think it's awesome and much
cooler than a traditional snowman.

Cleaning House

2007-01-27T11:14:00.000-06:00

Wendy was in the cleaning mood today and found some old items we haven't used in about 25 years. Below are photos of one of my old razors and the old intercoms we used to use to listen to Missy when she was a baby.

2007-01-27T11:12:00.000-06:00

This is one of my old razors. See below photo
and description as to how to install a new
blade. You could adjust the closeness of the
shave by rotating the shaft just below the
head. You can see the numbers which helped
you decide how close you wanted to shave.

2007-01-27T11:08:00.000-06:00

To put a new razor blade into this razor, you
had to turn the base of the razor to open the
top. Then you dropped a new blade in. The
last step was to turn the base the other way
and close the top. Then you were ready to
shave.

2007-01-27T10:46:00.000-06:00

Before wireless baby monitors were invented,
Wendy and I used these two intercom devices.
These were used to listen to our baby
daughter, Missy, 25 years ago.

2007-01-27T10:43:00.000-06:00

2007-01-27T10:41:00.000-06:00

Just in case you don't have enough photos of
me snowblowing, here is another one.

New Laser Printer

2007-01-21T18:05:00.000-06:00

On the Black Friday sales day after Thanksgiving, I bought a laser printer. I got it for about $69.

Why a laser printer?

I'm tired of buying ink jet cartridges that have a thimble of ink for $30. I don't print that much and most of the time, I don't need a color printer.

So, today I installed the laser printer. It prints very fast. And the paper comes out toasty warm like cookies out of the oven. One drawback is that it is very noisy. When you start it up, it sounds like an airplane taking off. And the actual printing is noisy. But, so far, I like it.

It is a Samsung ML-2510.

2007-01-15T14:22:00.000-06:00

2007-01-15T14:19:00.000-06:00

Old man winter arrives in Madison, Wisconsin.

P.F. (Pretty Fair) Chang's

2007-01-07T22:33:00.000-06:00

Wendy and I ate at the Chinese restaurant P.F. Chang's for lunch today.

The restaurant is nicely decorated and we were seated quickly. We ordered an appetizer of Peking Dumplings, which was very good.

The first thing we noticed was that the menu had very standard, traditional Chinese food. There was nothing that we found that was unique or unusual.

Wendy ordered Chow Mein Shrimp and I ordered Sweet and Sour Pork. The food was very good but again not exceptional. P.F. Chang's may have a hard time standing out in the Madison area where there are lots of Chinese restaurants that are as good and some are also cheaper. We thought the portions were adequate but not as large as many other Chinese restaurants. So, there was nothing to take home when we were done.

P.F. Chang's is located in Middleton, WI, just west of Madison just off of hwy 12/14 on Greenway Blvd.

Here is a link to their web site: http://www.pfchangs.com/

2007-01-01T22:26:00.000-06:00

My wonderful daughter, Missy, got me this great mug for
Christmas. Since this mug is designed for tea, it has a lid
(at left). Missy also made a clay sculpture with a New
Orleans theme for me, which was fantastic.

2007-01-01T21:36:00.000-06:00

Wendy took this photo of fireworks over the Capital in
Madison, WI, on New Year's Eve.

2007-01-01T20:47:00.000-06:00

Wendy and I stayed home for New Year's eve and ate
lobster. That was followed by cheescake, raspberry
cookies, and I had a Corona Light with a lime in it.

2006 TV Shows I Liked

2007-01-01T19:25:00.000-06:00

These TV shows may not be the best TV shows on television but they kept me entertained.

24 Secret agent Jack Bauer keeps the adrenaline going as he saves America again. This show is patterned after the old cliff hanger shows which ended each week with the hero in an impossible situation.

Amazing Race Yes this show is showing its age but my wife and I enjoyed the couples' adventures as they traveled around the world. We always had our favorites and liked the twists and turns the race took.

Battlestar Galactica I grew up reading science fiction and watching "Star Trek." But it's been years since a decent science fiction TV show or movie has appeared on our screens. The exception is "Battlestar Galactica" (BG). It kicks butt. BG doesn't have a lot gadgets like a transporters or phasers, but it has interesting plots, sub-stories, and great character development. And it's ENTERTAINING.

Deadwood If you do not have HBO you might not have seen this show. "Deadwood" refers to Deadwood, South Dakota. This show occurs during the 1860s and has an ensemble cast similar to "Gunsmoke" or "Star Trek." There is a sheriff, a doctor, a saloon owner, and various other memorable characters, such as Calamity Jane. I loved this show, which ended last year. This series is available on DVD. WARNING: this show is not for children due to violence and language.

Grey's Anatomy This show about young surgeons was very good at times but sometimes it was more soap opera than medical drama. So, it was hit and miss.

Heroes I usually don't like comic book style movies and TV shows but I did like this TV show's unusual characters, their super powers, and plot twists.

House This show about a brilliant doctor can be excellent but it can also get caught up in its medical theories and jargon. Also, the main character, Dr. Craig House, is addicted to painkillers, and this can be interesting but the writers have to be careful not to use this chracter flaw too much.

Jericho This TV show focuses on a small town that goes through some difficult times after a nuclear war. This isn't the greatest or most original show but I've always had a weakness for end of the world type TV shows and movies.

*My Name is Earl I love this show. It's one of the few shows around that can actually make me laugh out loud.

Survivor This show is also showing its age but kept me entertained from week to week.

Pursuit of Happyness: the Book and Movie

2006-12-27T20:01:00.000-06:00

As we sit in our warm homes eating cake and watching "Dancing with the Stars," most of us aren't aware of the struggles other people in the world are going through.

Both the book and the movie "Pursuit of Happyness" are reminders that not everyone is going to sleep in a warm bed tonight and some people will fall asleep hungry.

"Pursuit of Happyness" is based on the true story of Chris Gardner. Chris is a failing salesman trying to sell a medical device that practically no one wants to buy. Chris loses his wife, his apartment, and almost his son, and becomes homeless. Chris never gives up. He juggles taking care of his son and an internship at a brokerage house. The story does have a happy ending.

The movie, starring Will Smith and his son, Jaden Smith, is great. And the movie was so emotional that people were crying in the audience, which is rare. I expect Will Smith will be nominated for an academy award.

The book offers more detail and explains a lot about Chris Gardner's childhood but is not a good read. The book doesn't get good until almost the end. And the idea that Chris had a maniac for a stepfather is stated way too many times. I'm not saying Chris didn't have a hard childhood. I'm just saying that telling us that 20 times 20 different ways does very little to bring the point home. And by the way, Chris grew up in Milwaukee. The book also tells how Chris, after becoming a successful stockbroker, has helped the homeless and other causes.

One thing I liked about the movie was the audience. The audience was 98 percent white. Why do I bring this up? Only a few years ago, a white audience would not pay to see a movie about the struggles of a black man. I think this audience saw a man struggling and didn't care about the color of his skin and cheered for him just the same.

So, if you're looking for a good Christmas movie, this is it.

Rated PG-13 for language.

Christmas in Las Vegas

2006-12-24T21:49:00.000-06:00

Wendy and I flew to Las Vegas last weekend as a spur of the moment kind of thing.

We've been to Las Vegas many times before, but never in December. It was kind of nice because there were fewer people there. That meant shorter lines or no lines to get into different casinos, restaurants, and events. However, we've been warned by friends that it's a madhouse for New Year's eve because of all the California visitors.

Some of the casinos did a great job of decorating for Christmas but most casinos didn't decorate at all.

We went to a show featuring the Scintas. This is a family show full of singing, comedy, and impressions. It was fun.

We went toTodai, my favorite restaurant in Vegas, which has a huge selection of Sushi.

It's always interesting to look at the expensive stores in these casinos. It's strange to look at a shelf in one of these stores and see just one purse or pair of shoes on that shelf. You see that one purse or pair of shoes can cost as much as $600, or more.

Singers Celine Dion and Elton John have stores of their own in the Caeser's Palace casino. Maybe some people would like to be famous and have their name printed on shirts, key chains, and everything else. But I thought it was kind of silly. I'm sure fans of those two singers feel differently about it.

Our package deal arranged for us to stay at Harrah's. The room was very nice and fairly large. Only disadvantage was the view was terrible, but we could live with that.

The Las Vegas monorail had advantages and disadvantages. The monorail is fast and efficient. For a day pass, it's $15 per person/ticket. The disadvantage was that the monorail was built behind the casinos on the east side of Las Vegas boulevard. So, the casinos on the west side are quite a distance from the monorail. And to get to the monorail, one has to walk all the way through the casino to get to the back where the monorail station is. If the casino is crowded, getting to the back can be time consuming and annoying.

One thing Wendy and I noticed in the airports this time was the number of people who were traveling with their dogs and cats. The animals were in small carriers, which had to fit underneath the airplane seats.

Most of the time, our plane was too high to see Christmas decorations on the ground. But when we were landing and taking off, we could see Christmas decorations on some houses and they were very pretty. This must be the view Santa has when he is flying around the world.

2006-12-24T21:47:00.000-06:00

If you would like to see more Las Vegas photos, click on the link below:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jack390/

2006-12-24T21:43:00.000-06:00

Christmas decorations in Bellagio casino.

2006-12-24T21:41:00.000-06:00

Christmas decorations in the Mirage casino.

2006-12-24T21:40:00.000-06:00

Christmas decorations in Wynn casino.

2006-12-24T21:27:00.000-06:00

Polar bears made out of flowers in the Bellagio casino.

2006-12-24T21:22:00.000-06:00

Monorail in Las Vegas.

2006-12-24T21:21:00.000-06:00

Not only didn't I know that Ted owned an airplane but I
also didn't know that he was in Las Vegas.

2006-12-24T21:19:00.000-06:00

View of snow on the desert from our airplane.

2006-12-24T17:04:00.000-06:00

Because he didn't have a Wii system, Justin had to pretend. So, he made Wii controllers out of cheese. Then he actually got a Wii system. And the real controllers didn't smell of cheese and were much more fun. And just as I thought, you can see that Justin is slowly turning into a ketchup bottle.

Christmas Dinner Photos

2006-12-03T22:12:00.000-06:00

Below are photos from the Christmas dinner.

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Lost Can Get Lost

2006-11-24T21:20:00.000-06:00

My daughter, Missy, got me interested in the TV show "Lost." I ignored the show during its first season but Missy convinced me to give the show a try. So, I rented the first season and got interested. And I've been watching and enjoying it except until this fall season.

Granted, "Lost," doesn't follow a normal story line but this year's episodes were just a little too random and crazy. And I'm beginning to wonder if the show's main writer is an alcoholic on skid row working for a bottle of whiskey per script.

And, now "Lost" is on hiatus until January. What's up with that? Now, I don't have a show to watch that doesn't make sense and gives me a headache each week. I'm deprived.

Some people might say that once it starts up again in January, I will be watching it again. I'm not so sure. There are plenty of other shows that make sense and DON'T give me a headache every week.

Chas Gets Straight AAAAAAAs

2006-11-24T21:12:00.000-06:00

One of my nephews, Chas, recently got straight As on his report card. We're all proud of him. And like me, he and his brother, William, like to play video games. So, yes video games can be good for you and your brain.

Black Friday Adventures

2006-11-24T20:38:00.000-06:00

According to about.com, this is the origin of the term "Black Friday":

"...The origin of Black Friday comes from the shift to profitability during the holiday season. Black Friday was when retailers went from being unprofitable, or "in the red," to being profitable, or "in the black", at a time when accounting records were kept by hand and red indicated loss and black profit"

I started my black Friday, yesterday, on Thursday. CompUSA was having a sale last night from 9pm to midnight. I got the $200 computer I wanted for a relative and other techy, geeky stuff, including a laser printer.

Now before you start thinking that I'm rich, I got the laser printer for $69. Laser printers have come way down in price.

Why a laser printer? I got upset and irritable recently because we've had so much trouble keeping ink in my ink jet printer. Ink jet cartridges are very expensive in my opinion. There's no gold in those cartridges. We've tried having the cartridges refilled at a nearby store but the cartridges have been real hit and miss once we got them home. Laser toner cartridges commonly cost between $60 and $75 and can last up to 5,000 pages depending on the brand.

I've just got to the point where I want to print when I want to print. I don't want to stock up on cartridges, run to the store for a cartridge, or anything else. And I don't print that much, really.

I also got a couple of laptop coolers for $10 each. These metal devices sit under your laptop and keep them cool. If you've used a laptop for a long time, you know they get pretty warm.

CompUSA did a great job of having enough cashiers and being organized. They also handed vouchers out at their front door which calmed people down. And CompUSA had plenty of stuff for everyone. We got everything we wanted.

Now, Wal-Mart was another story. They were very disorganized. Also, on their web site they had a computer for sale. I found out after waiting and fighting the crowds at Wal-Mart that that computer was not sold in Wisconsin. WELL, why not tell us that on your web site before we spend all of sorts of time at your store???

Also, my wife, Wendy, had a bad experience at American TV where she waited for 2 hours.

Black Friday is supposed to encourage customers to buy at your store. A little planning goes a long way.

Christmas Dinner 12-2-06

2006-11-17T19:44:00.000-06:00

Christmas Dinner will be held:
12-2-06, Saturday
1:00pm
at Bernice's in Janesville.

Wine and Cheese Show at Madison, WI

2006-10-26T12:12:00.000-05:00

Missy and I attended a wine and cheese show in Madison, Wisconsin, last Sunday.

At the entrance, you are given a wine glass, a cloth shopping bag, and a wine list of vendors that you can check off when you find a wine you like. At each booth, you are given a sample of wine or cheese to try. The wine vendors were being very generous with their samples. Because I was driving home, I had to tell each vendor to give me just a small amount.

The fun part of this is trying different wines. At the end of the show, I bought two bottles of Late Harvest Riesling from the Washington Hills winery. Wendy and I like sweet wines. I would have bought some Sweet Mead from the White Winter Winery but they weren't for sale at the show. But I was told that this mead is available in the Madison area.

In addition, I bought some Bee Barf honey (they have to come up with a better name), a bottle of MFP Barbeque Sauce, and a bottle of Di Salvo's Italian barbecue sauce. Unfortunately, I left the bottle of Di Salvo's BBQ sauce low enough for our dog, Jessie, to get into. I never thought Jessie would be able to get a hard plastic cap off of a glass bottle, but she did it. So, Jessie ate my bottle of Italian barbecue sauce (with no obvious ill effects). (I'm sure after she got it open, Oscar helped her eat it.) The Di Salvo's barbecue sauce I tried at the show was an excellent mix of pasta sauce with a slight barbecue flavor. Di Salvo's has a place in Stoughton, just south of Madison, where I can go and buy more sauce.

Admission to this type of wine show is not cheap: $35 per person. But it's better to go to a show like this and buy and discover wine you like than buying 20 bottles of wine to try and then throwing some of them out. Most of the wines offered at this show averaged $8 to $10 per bottle.

This was a fun activity for a Sunday afternoon.

2006-10-26T12:10:00.000-05:00

Wine and cheese show in Madison, WI.

2006-10-26T12:08:00.000-05:00

I had some excellent sweet Mead at this White Winter Winery booth. Most people haven't tried mead but if it's done right, it can be very tasty.

Cousin Carol Rae Stone's Obituary

2006-10-26T11:50:00.000-05:00

A funeral service will be held Saturday, Oct. 28, for Carol Rae Stone, who lived at the Maple Crest Apartments in Port Washington and previously lived on North Franklin Street.

Ms. Stone died of cancer Tuesday, Oct. 24, at Heritage Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Port Washington, where she had lived for the past month. She was 63.

The funeral for Ms. Stone will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Poole Funeral Home in Port Washington. Father Pat Wendt of St. Peter of Alcantara Catholic Church in Port Washington will officiate.Visitation will be at the funeral home from 10 to 11 a.m. Saturday.

The above obituary is posted by Ozaukee Keep Press at their site:
http://ozaukeepress.com/notices.html

Wendy, Bernice, Lisa, and Sue will be attending.

If any family member has a photo of Carol, I will gladly post it here on my blog. You can either e-mail the photo to me or mail it to me.

Texas Roadhouse in Wisconsin

2006-10-26T11:30:00.000-05:00

A new Texas Roadhouse steakhouse opened in Madison, Wisconsin, last week. Wendy and I ate there last Monday. Overall, it was very good.

It was crowded on Monday but we were ushered to a table right away. A bucket of peanuts, still in their shells, was waiting for us at our table. Removing peanuts from their shells and eating them is an enjoyable way to pass the time while waiting for our food. A basket of bread was also delivered in a timely fashion.

The waiters and waitresses also did a line dance for the diners' entertainment. It was entertaining because the inexperienced staff made a few mistakes, which made it more fun.

Wendy ordered the fried catfish ($8.99) and I ordered the prime rib ($12.99). Wendy thought the fried catfish was good and I thought my prime rib was good to excellent. I ordered my steak medium well which was cooked correctly. A lot of times when I order medium well, the steak is either under done or over done.

Portions were large enough to take half the meals home. Service was excellent. The prices were not out of line. We plan on eating at Texas Roadhouse again sometime in the near future.

Texas Roadhouse is located just East of East Town Mall on East Washington/Hwy 151 on the south side of the street. FYI: They don't open until 4:00pm.

Why there are no "Wisconsin" roadhouses is beyond me.

2006-10-08T21:08:00.000-05:00

This is just one example of a house damaged by hurricane Katrina

Photos of Hurricane Damage

2006-10-08T20:57:00.000-05:00

Wendy and I were recently in New Biloxi and Gulfport, MS, and New Orleans, LA. While we were down there we took some photos of the hurricane damage. The damage is unbelievable and goes on for mile after mile.

To see the photos, click on this link:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jack390/

2006-09-28T10:40:00.000-05:00

Deb, Justin, and Dave sent us this great frame as a 3D memory of our vacation. We think it's wonderful and appreciate the thoughtfullness they put into it. It shows the statue of liberty from our New York visit. There is box of candy from Stuckey's, peanuts fron North Carolina, a camera, and sea shells at the bottom left corner.

2006-09-28T10:36:00.000-05:00

When you go down South, you have to buy and eat a moon pie. These are made out of graham crackers, marshmallow, and lots and lots of sugar. After eating one, insulin is recommended.

2006-09-28T10:31:00.000-05:00

This is the Pecan House located in the southern part of Mississippi. We bought a dessert topping, pralenes, and other good stuff here. The outhouse at the left has air conditioning and running water. It was impressive.

Grey's Anatomy Dissects CSI

2006-09-26T10:20:00.000-05:00

The TV show "Grey's Anatomy" is getting better ratings on Thursday night than "CSI." That's not a surprise to me. "CSI" was unique and fresh when it started but now there are too many clones: "CSI: New York" and "CSI: Miami."

And all the CSI shows use the same formula: crime discovered, crime needs to solved, lots of lab work, crime solved. This plot structure worked the first hundred times but is now wearing thin.

Another example of this is the TV series "Law and Order." I liked that show and was a faithful viewer until it was cloned and again the same plot was used a couple of hundred times.

All TV shows have a natural life cycle: they are born, they live, and they die. The funeral for "CSI" won't be held for a few years but watch the obituaries.

Runaway Plot

2006-09-26T09:31:00.000-05:00

New TV Shows: "Runaway" and "Smith"

Like Hollywood, TV networks discover a fresh plot device and then that plot device reproduces like rabbits. One really popular plot device now is the character who is in trouble or has troubles but also has a family that also goes through the troubles. One old example of this is "Medium." Psychic chases ghosts and murder suspects while raising a family.

Now there are at least two more new shows with this same plot device: "Runaway" and "Smith."

"Runaway" is the story of a family whose father is framed for murder and the family is now on the run from the police and the bad guys who committed the murders. One would think that running away with a family in tow would add to the suspense of a show. It doesn't. In fact, I found the show boring. Waiting for the teenage son, or the teenage daughter, or the young son to make a mistake which will lead to the family's arrest or death is just that: waiting, waiting, and more waiting. There are close calls with the police and lying, lying and more lying, and then waiting. This all makes for a rather boring show.

The actors in "Runaway" are fine: Donnie Wahlberg, Leslie Hope, and the rest. The writing is competent but unoriginal and mundane. And I don't see this series getting better. So, I won't be TIVOing this show.

"Smith" has the same problem as "Runaway." In the TV show "Smith," the main character is a thief with a family. Again, this would seem to make the plot more interesting but it doesn't. We wait for the main character, Smith, to make a mistake. We wait for his family to find out that he is a thief. We wait for the police to catch the thief. Waiting is boring.

And again, I like the cast, which is led by veteran actor Ray Liotta as the master thief. But the writing is not up to par with "Mission Impossible" or any other show which depends on clever crimes to keep the viewer interested. And again, I don't see this show getting any better. So, I won't be TIVOing this show.

A story device that involves the main character in trouble and dragging his or her family around is more difficult to write than one would think. And these two shows just aren't succeeding.

Imperial Palace Theater

2006-09-23T19:02:00.000-05:00

An interesting side note is that I saw the movie Invincible in a casino. The Imperial Palace casino in Biloxi has a movie theater inside the casino.

Except for turning my wife, Wendy, loose in the casino for an hour and a half, it worked out great for her to gamble while I watched the movie. Hopefully, I won't find out later that Wendy has sold the house and cars.

Impressive Invinicible

2006-09-23T18:37:00.000-05:00

I'm not a big fan of sports movies. Sports movies tend to be even more formulaic than most movies but I did enjoy the movie Invincible.

Invincible is the true story of Philadelphia resident Vince Papale. Philadelphia Eagles coach Dick Vermeil was hired to turn around a losing team. One of the things Coach Vermeil does is ask for non-professional football players to try out for the Eagles. Down on his luck and pressured by his friends, bartender Vince Papale tries out for the Eagles and makes it. Of course, the rest of the movie is like a dream come true for Vince.

Actor Mark Wahlberg plays Vince Papale. Athough isn't my most favorite actor, I enjoyed his performance in this movie and a few others. Wahlberg hasn't been spoiled by the Hollywood scene and can still act like an ordinary guy.

So, if you like sports movies, this one might be the right one for you.

Heading South

2006-09-08T20:32:00.000-05:00

Wendy and I are heading for Mississippi next week. We will be spending some time with my parents.

We also are hoping to drive down to New Orleans and get some photos.

See you when we get back.

Goodbye to Steve Irwin

2006-09-04T17:36:00.000-05:00

Steve Irwin "The Crocodile Hunter" was fatally wounded by a sting ray on the Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Australia on Monday. My family and I have enjoyed his TV shows for many years.

When friends of ours were here visiting from Australia, I asked them about Steve Irwin. My impression was that they were not fond of the idea of him being the unofficial ambassador for Australia. I don't remember their exact words but kind of a looney character describes their opinion of him. And I understand their embarrassment.

But, first of all, I never thought that Irwin represented all Australians in profession or personality. Like all nations, I don't think Australia is a nation of crocodile hunters/wrestlers. Nor, do I think that most Australians are wild and wacky. And there are plenty of other Australian ambassadors here in the states who are well known: Nicole Kidman, Hugh Jackman, and Paul Hogan. (I wanted to use Russell Crowe but he's had some anger management problems lately.)

My heart goes out to Irwin's children and wife. They have some difficult times ahead of them. My fondness for Australians and Australia is as strong as ever. And I am glad that I invited Steve Irwin into my living room: he was a an entertaining guest that I didn't want to leave.

You can read more about Steve Irwin's life and career at:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Irwin#Family

_____________________________________________________________

Conversation overhead tonight between two crocodiles in an Australian swamp:
"Hey Freddy, didja hear about Steve-o."
"No, Malcolm. Tell me."
"He's gone, mate."
"Gone? Gone?"
"Yes."
"Crikey!"
"He was a battler. He was. A cobber to all of us crocs."
"I hear ya."
"The world is a much more dangerous place now."
"It is. G'night, Malcolm."
"G'night, Freddy."

____________________________________________________________

If you want to hear or read how Australians feel about Steve Irwin's death go to:

Australian Internet Radio Stations:
http://www.3aw.com.au/main_index.shtml

http://www.2gb.com/

Australian Internet Newspapers:
http://www.smh.com.au/index.html

http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/

Me and Tom Cruise

2006-09-02T11:41:00.000-05:00

Tom Cruise and I have had a relationship for over twenty years. I admit it's been a one sided relationship: he doesn't write, call, or invite me over for dinner. But Tom and I have been getting together at my local neighborhood movie theater at least once a year, if not twice a year, since 1983.

Our relationship started with the movie All the Right Moves. After viewing that movie, Tom and I were buddies, friends, a guy I wanted to hang out with. But recently, I've been spending less and less time with Tom. And I'm not sure yet, but our relationship could be at an end.

You see, I don't enjoy Tom's company any more. Instead of the down to earth guy I knew and liked, he has become something of an arrogant oddball. So, at our usual social gatherings at the movie theater, I've been avoiding him.

The strange thing is that the less I know about a movie star, the better our relationship is. For example, I know almost nothing about the personal lives of Harrison Ford, Jimmy Stewart, or Tom Hanks. What this means is that when I watch their movies, they can play any character or role and they are believable to me. And I'm not sitting there in the dark theater fighting stray thoughts or questions about the actors' personal lives.

While watching an actor perform, I don't want to sit there wondering if that actor is high on drugs, an alcoholic, or belongs to some cult.

Yes, we live in the information age. But I don't read tabloids, gossip columns, or People magazine. So, it takes an incident like being arrested for drunk driving and cursing police officers for possibly being Jewish to get my attention.

So, Tom, there's no other way to put it: it's over. You and me are kaput. I wish you well but don't bother to write, call, or invite me over for dinner.

2006-08-15T22:17:00.000-05:00

Group photo 2006

2006-08-15T22:16:00.000-05:00

Cute group picture of everyone with the fishing poles.

2006-08-15T22:15:00.000-05:00

Here's Ruthie's cute house.

2006-08-15T18:59:00.000-05:00

Is that Jack Sparrow or one of our relatives with a new hobby?

30 days is Timeless!!

2006-08-05T19:52:00.000-05:00

Morgan Spurlock created/directed a great documentary called Super Size Me. During the filming of that documentary, Morgan ate nothing but McDonalds' food. Of course, this about killed him but it's a great documentary.

Then Morgan had a TV series last year called 30 Days. It was fairly entertaining but not something I couldn't live without. But now the second season of 30 days has started and the first two episodes were fantastic.

In the first episode, a member of a militia guarding our country's border lived with a family of illegal aliens for 30 days. The militia man started out very anti-illiegal alien but soon living with the family softened him up. He didn't completely change but learned a lot about the family who was trying to make it in America. So, this was much more enlightening than when people just scream at each other.

In the second episode, there is a man who lost his computer programming job when that job was outsourced to India. So, this show sent the man to live and work in India for 30 days to see where his job went and what the people there are like. Again, this was a wonderful show.

When the director, Morgan, was starring in these shows, I thought these shows were pretty good. But now that Morgan is using average people to star in these shows, it's been fantastic. And the issues being discussed on these shows provide much more insight than when people are screaming at each other on the street.

You can catch this show on the FX channel on cable TV.

Miami Vice Diced

2006-08-02T08:13:00.000-05:00

Ok, I'm here to gripe and whine about another remake. Again, I wanted to get out and see a movie. And again there wasn't much to choose from. I had no desire to see My Super Ex-Girlfriend, Lady in the Water, or John Tucker Must Die.

So, I went to see Miami Vice. I loved the original TV series that this movie was based on. Back then, Don Johnson and Philip Michael Thomas played Miami vice detectives Sonny Crockett and Ricardo Tubbs. And those two actors had chemistry. The original Miami Vice wasn't the average run-of-the-cop show. These cops had stylish clothes, beautiful expensive cars, and cigarette boats. (Cigarette boats are shaped like cigarette boxes and go very fast.) The TV show was the essence of cool.

And the odd thing back then and now is that I've never cared about stylish clothing, expensive cars, and fast boats. But somehow, I was entertained and intrigued by the TV show and the world it revealed.

And then we come to this new Miami Vice movie based on the TV series. Like most people, I usually love or hate a movie. It's that simple. But I half loved and half hated this new movie version of Miami Vice.

First of all, I continue to be impressed by Jamie Foxx's acting ability. I loved him in the movie Ray. And in this movie, I liked his take on Detective Ricardo Tubbs. I bought into it. He successfully presented Tubbs in a modern light. And it's too bad Foxx's role was limited to being a sidekick.

On the other hand, Colin Farrell just didn't get the job done as Detective Sonny Crockett. Sonny's character can be described in one word: cool. This character was cool when working undercover, making drug deals, or shooting it out with the bad guys. Farrell just came across as being a pretty boy instead of being a world weary detective. Farrell just wasn't suave enough for the character he tried to portray. It would be like Jerry Seinfeld trying to be Cary Grant. I think it was too much of a stretch for Farrell.

The director of this movie, Michael Mann, has entertained me time after time. So, he knows his stuff. But this movie appears to be a product of his boredom. And I can understand this but his boredom doesn't translate into a great movie. Mann didn't want to do the old Miami Vice again but a more gritty, dark Miami Vice. But that's where he runs into trouble. In this movie, he has produced just another cop movie that isn't anything special. What made the TV series special is that it had special ingredients that, like chili powder, gave the series an extra punch. But these ingredients are taken out in this movie, which leaves a bland mixture that's not all that appealing.

The movie Miami Vice had the familiar plot of good cops vs bad guys and that was ok until the mian characters make a fatal, dumb mistake. And the mistake was too dumb and obvious for it to be believable.

If you are a big fan of Miami Vice, wait until the DVD comes out. With gas prices being high, it's not worth a drive to the movie theater.

This movie is rated R and is very violent.

Barb's New Web Site

2006-07-28T11:32:00.000-05:00

I have created a new web site for Barb's mission in Thailand.
To go to this web site, click on the link below:

http://www.barbgentlenest.blogspot.com

This link is also listed in the column at the right at the bottom. I will leave this link up.

Jack

Missy's Clay Art

2006-07-24T20:11:00.000-05:00

Missy is putting in 12 hour days during this senior year in Vet school. She's found a new hobby, clay art, which helps her relax. Below are two examples. The real clay is much more vibrant than what the photographs show below. Missy has leaned towards science and math in the past. So, her clay art is very impressive.

2006-07-24T20:10:00.000-05:00

Clay figure by Missy.

2006-07-24T20:09:00.000-05:00

Blue dog of New Orleans done in clay by Missy.

Barb's Visit

2006-07-15T12:23:00.000-05:00

We were able to visit with Barb for a few hours last Tuesday. I enjoyed listening to her adventures and stories about Thailand. She's doing wonderful work in Thailand and deserves a pat on the back. I respect and admire her for what she's accomplishing there.

Below are photos from our visit with Barb.

2006-07-15T12:21:00.000-05:00

2006-07-15T12:20:00.000-05:00

Manuel, Barb, Pam, and Dotty

2006-07-10T10:56:00.000-05:00

The annual Art Fair on the square was held this past weekend. As to photography, there were a lot of black and white photos and fantasy photos on display.

Look! It's a Bird! It's a Plane! It's a bad remake!

2006-07-04T18:31:00.000-05:00

Look, there wasn't any other movies that I wanted to see. I will rent A Prairie Home Companion in six months. I had no desire to see Click, The Devil wears Prada, or Garfield.

So, I went to see Superman Returns in hopes that it wasn't a total waste of time and money. Unfortunately, it was a waste of money and time. Three hours to be exact.

First of all, Superman says fewer words than Clint Eastwood in Hang 'em High. This works for Clint Eastwood but doesn't work for Superman. This Superman is so reluctant to speak that he appears to be on Prozac, brain dead, or has an incredible fear of public (or private) speaking. This silence doesn't make the Superman character look tougher. It makes Superman look dumber.

Secondly, Superman as a soap opera is unnecessary and actually repulsive. (SPOILER: don't read any farther if you intend to see the movie.)

In this movie, Superman has returned to Earth after a 5 year absence. Superman knows that his home planet was destroyed but he journeys back to Krypton to see the wreckage (I guess). Similar to watching the results of a car wreck. And that's somewhat understandable but he leaves Earth without saying goodbye to Lois Lane. So, Superman returns home to find that Lois has married a mortal and has given birth to Superman's son. You know guys, you can't present Superman as a boy scout and then give him an illegitimate son. So, the rest of the movie is all about: will Lois leave her ordinary husband for the god-like Superman?

And the religious symbols, story line, and dialog should be very offensive to Christians. Forget about The Davinci Code. Take your picket signs to the theater nearest you that is showing Superman Returns. Superman dies and is resurrected. Superman's father talks repeatedly about sending his only son to Earth. Superman is thought of as a Savior. Superman is worhipped. When he is injured, Superman looks like he is on a cross being crucified, and on, and on.

This movie starts out with some spectacular special effects and a fast pace. Then it slooooooooows down to a crawl.

What did I think of actor Brandon Routh as Superman? He gets a C+. He is one of the skinniest, most out of shape looking Superman I've ever seen. And Superman speaks so little, I can't tell if Routh is good, bad, or otherwise. Routh seemed to get Superman's voice and mannerisms right. But he seemed to be just a cardboard cut-out of Superman, but that could be the director's fault.

And I didn't care for actress Kate Bosworth as Lois Lane. Again, Lois Lane didn't seem to be the tough reporter that I expected. She seems to have turned into a soccer mom.

And I have admired Kevin Spacey in movie after movie. But he is also a washout in this movie. The Lex Luther in this movie is just not scary enough.

Superman Returns supposedly cost over $200 million to make. My suggestion is to spend another million dollars and actually hire a writer or writers that can actually write a good movie and actually develop interesting characters.

And director Bryan Singer didn't get the job done. He took a beloved character millions of people love and made a shadow out of him.

2006-06-26T18:59:00.000-05:00

It's Cows on the Concourse time in Madison, WI. Cows of all types are scattered around the square in downtown Madison. Only in Wisconsin.

2006-06-26T18:56:00.002-05:00

2006-06-26T18:56:00.001-05:00

2006-06-26T18:56:00.000-05:00

2006-06-25T18:49:00.000-05:00

Bernice celebrated her 76th birthday over the weekend at Butch's.
The photos below are from this weekend.

2006-06-25T18:47:00.000-05:00

2006-06-25T18:46:00.002-05:00

Butch's fishing float.

2006-06-25T18:46:00.001-05:00

2006-06-25T18:46:00.000-05:00

Barb Update

2006-06-24T09:48:00.000-05:00

Greetings in the name of the Lord. I pray you are all well.

On June 27th, I will board a plane from Thailand to the U.S. for a 6 week stay. During this time, I have many speaking engagements at local churches.

Attached is my itinerary:
July 2 - Uncle Jim’s church in Kenosha
July 9th - 5-10 minute window at my home church in Quincy (Bethel A/G)
July 12 - Wisconsin Dells (Adams Friendship A/G)
July 16 - Paxton IL (Full Gospel Christian Fellowship)
July 19 - Back to my home church (Bethel A/G)

Please keep my travel and speaking engagements in your prayers. That I would be God’s vessel and He would speak through me.

I am also raising money for a vehicle, stove, hot water heater, and support for an additional six months of ministry here in Thailand. Please keep this in your prayers as well.

His Servant,
Barb
Missionary to Thailand

2006-06-24T09:44:00.000-05:00

While we were in New York, we bought a foam Statue of Liberty for Justin. You put the blue statue in water and it grows. We had to leave before it was fully grown. Deb and Justin sent me this photo. I never expected the statue to get this big.

2006-06-23T10:43:00.000-05:00

Wendy's butterfly nursery is in full production. Wendy collects the eggs, feeds them, and when they're ready, she lets them go.

2006-06-23T10:41:00.000-05:00

Wendy is replacing our kitchen cabinet doors. This has brightened up our kitchen quite a bit.

Syriana Out of Gas

2006-06-22T20:43:00.000-05:00

Hollywood writers need evil people/characters and corporations to make their movies interesting. The movie "Syriana" is the latest example of this.

Money is the root of all evil. And oil must be the other root of all evil.

What do I mean? This movie is all about how oil is bought and sold by evil men. Oil companies are protected by evil politicians. If good men get in the way of the buying and selling of oil and/or profits, these good men will be disgraced, tortured, and/or killed. And America is evil because of our thirst for oil and our willingness to do anything to make sure the oil keeps on flowing.

Normally evil is interesting and educational. But in this movie, evil is actually predictable and boring. The viewer, me, knows that the good CIA agent, the good oil prince, and various other good characters are doomed.

George Clooney's character, Bob, should be exciting. Just think of the tv show "24" and the character Jack Bauer. Whereas the CIA character Bob, in "Syriana, " looks like he's half asleep or on Prozac and doesn't seem to care (except when he is being tortured). Maybe the director was trying to show Bob as world weary but instead he looks like he is sleep walking.

As usual, actor Matt Damon is likeable as the character Bryan Woodman, a naive economic advisor to the good oil prince. Woodman eventually learns that business is war and he is dealing with dangerous people and he's no longer in Kansas.

Probably because of the times we live in, Hollywood is trying to make political statements through the magic of movies. Rent the movie "Lord of War" or "Kingdom of Heaven" and you'll see what I mean. But like the politicians they dislike, Hollywood is too heavy handed and blunt when making these movies to make the movies interesting.

"Syriana" does a clever job of intermixing the different characters and story lines but I've heard from other people that they left the movie very confused.

Vacation Photos

2006-06-12T18:22:00.000-05:00

If you would like to see our vacation photos, go to:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jack390/

Our Vacation

2006-06-12T18:09:00.000-05:00

New York City
My wife, Wendy, and I spent about three days in New York City. We wanted to just see if we would enjoy it as a vacation destination. We did enjoy it and plan to return someday.

Transportation
We flew into LaGuardia airport and then took a bus to the port authority terminal. From the terminal, we walked just a few blocks to our hotel in Manhattan. Our friend, Nancy, helped us locate a hotel that was in the heart of Manhattan.

I wondered before the trip if switching to a bus would be a headache, but as it turned out, it went pretty smoothly. And then when we left New York City (NYC), we caught a bus to the Newark airport and picked up our rental car. And that went smoothly. Cost was $24 for both of us.

I've read that taxis cost about $50. And I read this week that some dishonest taxi cab drivers were charging $100 and were caught by undercover police.

The first day in NYC, we took a five and a half hour bus tour which was very nice. Cost: $120. It included the bus trip and several short walking trips. This was a good way to see the highlights of the city and then we could pick and choose later where we wanted to spend more time.The next day we bought a 48 hour bus pass. These special, double decker buses stayed on 4 loops. We could hop on and off any time at any sightseeing destination. Cost:$98.

Our plane rides on Midwest were smooth and trouble free. And Midwest is still handing out those great chocolate chip cookies.

Rental Car
The car we rented was a fairly new Ford Explorer. It was a very nice car. The ride was a little stiff probably because it is a truck. Mileage was about 18 miles to the gallon. This isn’t a car I would buy but I liked trying it out on vacation.

Gasoline
Gas prices ranged from as little as $2.67 a gallon to as much as $3.25 a gallon in New Jersey. I saw this big price difference within a 100 mile distance. Cheapest gas was around Pocomoke, Maryland. The most expensive gas was in New York and New Jersey. In NYC, most people take the bus or the subway station and don't own cars.

Food
Just like when we were in Hawaii, we found that we could eat as cheaply and expensively as we wanted. The food from the street vendors was actually very good. I had a great pastrami sandwich at Smith’s across the street from our hotel, the Milford Plaza.Also there were few grocery stores. We were told that most people eat out all the time.

Our Hotel
We stayed at the Milford Plaza, which was in a great location. The room was a little smaller than what we are used to but it was not a closet. We paid $169 a night.

Sites
There were a lot of things to see in NYC. We got in quite a few sites, but will return someday and see some more. Chinatown, Rockefeller Center, pier 17, and the Staten Island Ferry were a lot of fun. A sad note was when we visited the Dakota building where John Lennon was murdered and the visit to Strawberry Fields, which is a memorial to John Lennon in Central Park.

Crowds
It was crowded in Manhattan but no more crowded than State Street in Madison on a Saturday with good weather.And I was pleasantly surprised that the people in NYC were friendly and polite with very few exceptions.

Ground Zero
We were disappointed when we viewed Ground Zero. They have it fenced off and there are visual barriers too. So, there is little to see.

IPOD Nation
I’ve read where in the big cities there are a lot of people listening to music on portable MP3 players, for example Apple IPODs. And New York City proved that. Walking down the street, I saw a lot of people wearing and listening to these devices. It looked a little weird seeing all the people with ear plugs in their ears. But there’s a reason why these people have tuned out the world. New York City is a very loud place because of the buses, traffic, and people. So, I can see why one would rather listen to music.

Atlantic City
After we left NYC, Wendy and I drove down the coast to Atlantic City. We were not impressed. We’ve been to Las Vegas. Atlantic City was kind of tacky. We wouldn’t go out of our way to go back there.

Lewes Ferry
Wendy and I took the ferry from Cape May, NJ, to Lewes, Delaware. This was a very enjoyable 80 minute trip across the Delaware Bay. There were snacks onboard, sea gulls swarming behind the ferry, and lots to see. This also saved us some miles. Cost: $43.50.

Deb, Dave, and Justin
Our driving ended at Deb, Dave’s, and Justin’s house in Virginia Beach. We had a great time there. We went crabbing, went to see the movie “The X-Men: The Last Stand,” took a pontoon boat ride, and drove down to the Outer Banks.

Outer Banks.
The Outer Banks has some of the most beautiful beaches I’ve ever seen. And it was not crowded. There was a story that after one hurricane, the water cut across a road and the traffic had to stop to let the dolphins cross. We plan on returning to the Outer Banks and staying a few days. Beach houses are for rent for about $10,000 a week. But I’ve checked on the Internet: hotels are reasonably priced.Believe me, if I won the lottery, I would have a beach house.

Home
We arrived home with no problem at all: no flight delays, no problems with the rental car. And we are grateful for that.

We're Home

2006-06-05T14:35:00.000-05:00

We arrived home yesterday about 5:00pm.
Our flight was good and we made our connection.
Glad to be home.
Jack

Vacation Time!! In New York City!!

2006-05-27T17:16:00.000-05:00

Wendy and I will be vacationing in New York City starting tomorrow. After a couple of days in the Big Apple, we will be driving down the coast. Our final destination is Dave, Deb, and Justin's house.

I am supposed to have an internet connection at our New York hotel. And I know Deb and Dave have Internet access. So, I plan on posting our adventures. This depends on how busy we are.

This is a fishing expedition. In other words, if we like New York City, we'll go back sometime for a longer stay.