Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Friday, July 15, 2011
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Friday, June 24, 2011
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Gas Prices Continue to Rise
- Gas Prices
The national average for a gallon of gas is sitting right around $3.88 a gallon. So my question is will anything happen to help bring this back down, or are we going to have to get used to paying $4.00 a gallon? Or is this just the beginning, and before long we will hit $5.00 a gallon? I can remember when I was a teenager and gas was at $1.00 a gallon, and when a new Kroger opened in the area and they got into a gas war with Meijer for a few days where each place had their prices down to $0.10 a gallon! I'm starting to consider what I'm going to do to avoid spending so much of an already tight budget on fuel, and here are some of my options:
Parking the SUV. Luckily I have more than one car, so I have the option of which one to drive. The one I will be leaving at home more often is the 2010 SUV which gets about 20 miles to the gallon. So for now, I'll be soon cruising around in my 2002 Saturn SL2 with Manual transmission. I knew I kept this car for a reason! The Saturn has 180,000 miles on it and can get close to 30 miles per gallon. So if I drive the Saturn that would save me about 20 gallons per month or $80. This will be a sacrifice on my part going from a vehicle with 3,000 miles on it and is still brand new, to a car which has it's side mirrors being held on by Gorilla Glue, moon roof does not work, drivers side window every now and then will not go back up, radio switches channels on it's own, and the wiper blades will go off on their own from time to time. This car is a like a grumpy old man, it's going to do what it wants and does not give a shit what anyone else thinks. It smells like a combination of sweat, alcohol, greasy food, and fish bait.
- 2002 Saturn SL2
Option 2: Using other means of transportation. What have people used since the beginning of time and is an effective way of getting from place to place? Themselves! So walking or running to places is an option, but I'm not sure of how reasonable an option this is for me. First off, I would have to set some parameters to how far I would be willing to travel somewhere on foot, and I'm thinking 5 miles would be a reasonable distance. So where do I go that is within 5 miles? No where, so that idea is out. But the distance I would be willing to travel to some place on a bike would expand to 20 miles and now we are getting some practical options. I could ride a bike every day to work. I would need to purchase a bike to make this happen, because I don't think the old 20" Dyno BMX bike is going to get it done. My other concern is getting ran over by some jack wagon, who failed to see me peddling along. Also, not a fan of coming into work with helmet hair every day and we are currently in monsoon season in Ohio, so for now that idea is out, but still an interesting thought if gas were to ever rise past $5 a gallon.
Public transportation is scary, you have to waste time waiting on a bus, and it's embarrassing, here in Ohio at least it is. Never seen someone waiting at a bus stop that you stop and think, "there's a successful person, they look like they have life figured out, winning!" There is a reason why certain upscale places and locations fight to not allow public bus stops to be put in close by. Like it or not it's a fact of life.
So for now I'll just be cringing every time I go to the pump in the old Saturn, praying to God, Obama, Muammar Gudaffi, and anyone else I can think of, in hopes that we will begin to see some relief at the pumps.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Red's Pitcher Mike Leake aka The Thief
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| Mike Leake |
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| Leake's Mug Shot |
1. Leake is actually broke. He has spent all of his money living the Charlie Sheen lifestyle in his short time in the major leagues. Drugs, women, & a shady social circle has led him to this. Charlie Sheen is a big Reds fan by the way, coincidence? Probably not.
2. Tiger Blood DNA - Leake, like many other athletes and celebrities might suffer from the belief that he is above everyone else and the rules of society do not apply to him. When caught doing things like this, he should be allowed to just sign a couple of autographs and everything is good. He is above the law and can do what he wants, when he wants.
3. Leake is a Kleptomaniac- The definition of kleptomania is a strong impulse to steal, especially when there is no obvious motivation. What better example of this than Mike Leake! They need to add his picture next to this definition in the dictionary. No matter how hard you look and look, there is no reasonable motivation for him to steal shirts from Macy's, other than the fact that he just gets some type of satisfaction from shop lifting. So Cincinnati business owners beware, Sticky Fingers Leake could be coming to a location near you.
4. It was all a big misunderstanding. Many of the Reds faithful are putting their blindfolds on, and covering their ears, waiting for the Reds and Leake to come out with the explanation that this was all just a mistake. Leake probably was only removing the tags while he was thinking about it so that he would not be embarrassed in the clubhouse later when N.L. MVP Joey Votto pointed out that not only was Leake wearing an awful looking cheap shirt, but even worst that it still had the security tag on it. Then after removing the tags, Leake who was in deep thought about strategies for his next pitching start, walked out without paying. It slipped his mind because he is such a dedicated player that his thinking about making the perfect pitch 24/7. Don't worry Reds fans, you know Leake is innocent and soon enough it will be proven! And Leake will be filing a law suit against Macy's for entrapment and public defamation of character.
All kidding aside this cannot come at a worst time for the Reds pitching staff who has struggled so far this year, and Leake will more than likely miss several starts over this, leaving the Reds even more shorthanded while they wait for Cueto and Bailey to finish their rehab assignments. Oh, and I hear the Bengals are looking for a new QB and Leake would fit in great with the Bengals crew, so maybe he should test out that strong arm in the NFL.
Friday, April 15, 2011
Bass Fishing 101 - Plastic Worms
For the new bass fisherman, looking at the thousands of different lures that are out there can be overwhelming when trying to figure out what to tie on your line. Using a lure that is not going to be effective, or not not knowing how to present a lure properly can be frustrating to the point where many then resort to fishing for an easier to catch species. For the veteran angler it's always good to remember the basics, and remind yourself what got you hooked on bass fishing in the first place, and to have that old stand by ready for when times get tough and the fishing is slow.
The plastic worm has won more B.A.S.S. tournaments since they started back in 1967, and continues to be one of the top fish producers today. They come in a variety of designs and colors, and can be fished in many different ways, but the basic concept remains the same. I'm going to go over the basic Texas Rig for plastic worms. There are other rigging methods, but the Texas Rig is the most basic, and best place to start. Here is what you will need to get started:
Gear
- Hook
- Sinker / Weight
- Worm
- Gamakatsu Offset Worm, Extra Wide Gap
Let's start with the hook. My personal favorite is the Gamakatsu Offset Worm, Extra Wide Gap, size 5/0. Any hook in this general shape will work fine. I like the bigger size because it puts the barb lower on the body of the worm, which gives you a better chance of hooking the fish. If the fish grabs the worm below where the hook is, well your not going to catch him.
- Texas Rigged Worm
The next thing to think about is which weight or sinker to use. I recommend the bullet style shown in the picture. This basic shape allows the sinker to better get through cover and obstructions in the water such as limbs, vegetation, etc. which is where the bass like to hang out! The actual size/weight of the sinker is a matter of personal preference and changing the weight will also change the "feel" of the worm as you are working it through the water. I also like my sinkers painted black, which probably does not make a difference.
Slide your sinker on the line with the nose of the sinker pointing up, and then tie on your hook. Now you are ready to pick out your worm!
When choosing which plastic worm to go with the main features to consider are length, color, and tail design. My length of choice is 8 to 10 inches, but will fish a 6" worm from time to time as well. I like to stick with darker colors for the lakes around here in Ohio, and you can often ask local bait shops about which colors are hot for a particular lake. Tail designs vary but I like the ones with some type of swim tail that gives the lure a little more flair as it is coming through the water. My favorite worm is the Zoom Magnum Worm in either watermelonseed, or greenpumpkin. Next in line is the 5" or 6" Yamamoto Senko, or it's cheaper cousin the Yum Dinger, both of which are meant to be fished with no sinker, just the hook and worm. You can also fish almost any other plastic lure using the same tackle and presentation methods.
Presentation
You have your plastic worm on the line and are ready to start fishing, but what's next? First off you need to cast the lure into a spot where bass are likely to be. This often involves some type of cover, don't be afraid to cast your worm into a weed bed, or right next to sunken trees/branches. Yes, you will get snagged from time to time, but that is just part of the game you have to play.
You can retrieve your worm in a number of ways, and I often will try different approaches to see which one is going to work best on any particular outing.
- 9 to Noon - With this retrieve you basically start with you rod tip pointed at nine o' clock and slowly raise the rod to twelve, pulling the worm slowly towards you, pause for a second, and gently reel in the slack line as you lower the rod tip back to 9. Pause again and repeat.
- Slow Retrieve - Just cast out the worm, let is sink to the bottom, then slowly reel it back in. You can very the speed, and add a pause in here and there, to see if you can trigger the fish to strike.
- Twitching method - With the rod held high give the worm about 3 quick twitches then pause. Reel in slack, and repeat.
You can combine all three of these together, or come up with any different number of ways to present the worm. Just remember that fish often strike during a pause, and always pay attention to strange movement with your line which can indicate that a fish has taken the bait. Often you will feel a tapping with your rod when the fish bites. When you think/know you have some action, set the hook! Don't be afraid to set the hook even when you are not sure if it's a fish or not, and soon enough you will be able to tell the difference between your lure hitting an obstruction, and a bass actually taking the worm.
Pass this article on to any new Bass fisherman to help get them started on the right foot, and as always happy fishing!
"The fishing was good, it was the catching that was bad"
www.cuttersweekly.com
Monday, April 11, 2011
Dripping Flames
My wife playing with fire, let's hope she don't do this when our baby girl is watching! The ending was pretty funny.
Friday, April 8, 2011
I love this guy!
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Gotta Love Peanut Butter
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| 1 Pound of Reese's Cups (2 - 8oz cups) |
I remember watching an early episode of the show Big Brother and as a punishment for not completing a challenge everyone in the house was only allowed to eat peanut butter and jelly for a week. It seemed like the world had come to an end for these people, while I was watching jealous about the endless supply of peanut butter they had access to. I currently eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich at least twice a week, and have some other type of food involving peanut butter almost every day! Pretty crazy I know. I always have a jar of JIF handy not only at home, but one at work as well. Here are some of the peanut butter products / foods that I love.
Reese's Cups - Had to start with these. Best candy product of all time with my favorite being the Reese's Eggs. Luckily for me Reese's also makes the Reese's Trees, Hearts, and Pumpkins so no matter what time of year it is, one of these is likely to be available for my eating pleasure. Second favorite would be the Reese's Big Cups, and no I'm not talking about the 1lb package (two 8oz cups) in the above picture, which was good but the chocolate was a little bit too thick. Third is the Reese's Fast Break, and Crispy Crunchy. Basically if it has the name Reese's on it, then I'm all over it. You can check out Reese's full line of products here. Oh, and almost forgot the cereal Reese's Puffs! Luckily I work with one Joe Coyle, who knowing about my love of P.B., enjoys randomly through out the day throwing mini Reese's Cups at my desk, which I then attack and devour like a rabid dog.
Oatmeal Peanut Butter Cookies - No bake cookies with a great combination of peanut butter, chocolate, and oats. Of course the part that calls for 2 tablespoons of peanut butter, I use the biggest possible spoon I can find that will still fit in the jar, and I almost scoop out the whole jar in just two scoops to give my cookies the extra peanut butter taste. I'll update this article to include the recipe for these cookies soon.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie - I'm really picky about my peanut butter pie, and don't like pies that are too rich. Best one I've had recently is a Private Selection Peanut Butter Passion pie that can be found in the Kroger bakery.
JIF - My favorite brand of P.B. that I enjoy on P.B.& J. sandwiches, crackers, and sometimes straight out of the jar on a spoon. Oh yes, you have no shame when you are not afraid to be seen sitting at your desk with a jar of p.b. and a spoon.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice? - Rita's is advertising this as a new flavor but I have not had the pleasure of trying this yet. Luckily, there is a Rita's located less than a mile from where I live so I'll be able to try this soon. I'm also a big fan of the Chocolate P.B. Milk Shakes from U.D.F. After taking down a large shake, I highly recommend being in a situation where going into a coma for several hours will not be an issue, so don't drive or operate heavy machinery after consuming one of these.
Peanut Butter Fudge - Love it. Need I say more.
P.B filled donuts - Whoever first came up with this idea deserves to win the Nobel Peace Prize.
For some other great Peanut Butter foods check out http://www.peanutbutterlovers.com
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Black Ops Thoughts
New Map Pack: It was released today, and waiting to be confirmed, that a new Map Pack titled Escalation will be coming out on May 3rd for XBOX 360. The new maps are called Zoo, Hotel, Convoy, & Stockpile. Of course I'll have to buy this the first day it is available and I'm excited to see what these new maps will be like. Zoo sounds pretty crazy.
Prestige: I have recently prestige'd for the first time and much to my surpirse my SPM and K/D Ratio have not went down. I think this may be in part to rediscovering the Famas. Add red dot to this gun, and I'm playing just as good as when I had everything unlocked. And I'm actually enjoying working my way through the challenges of unlocking all the pro-perks again.
Friends: I have to say playing online in this game with my friends is what keeps it the most entertaining for me. Not only does playing with a good team make a huge difference, also the comic relief is priceless. Some things I find entertaining while playing online with friends are:
1. Listening to a buddy rage out of control, because someone on the other team is owning their ass. Always followed up by a comment like "they have to be hacking", "they are lagging so bad right now", "I'm reporting that ****", and my favorite is when your friend just rage quits leaving your party in the middle of a game, much to the laughter of their team mates.
2. The background noises. Talking to wives/girlfriends about embarrassing topics they then get teased about the rest of the game, kids screaming, random music often accompanied by singing, and of course endless releases of gas from both ends.
3. Embarrassing last kill cams: Making fun of someone who can't aim and got lucky, laughing when someone completely embarrassed an opposing player, or better yet a friend who was the last death by doing something completely retarded who you can then make fun of the rest of the day.
4. Player cards: making fun of epic emblem combinations always provides a good laugh. "Is that what I think it is?"
Prestige: I have recently prestige'd for the first time and much to my surpirse my SPM and K/D Ratio have not went down. I think this may be in part to rediscovering the Famas. Add red dot to this gun, and I'm playing just as good as when I had everything unlocked. And I'm actually enjoying working my way through the challenges of unlocking all the pro-perks again.
Friends: I have to say playing online in this game with my friends is what keeps it the most entertaining for me. Not only does playing with a good team make a huge difference, also the comic relief is priceless. Some things I find entertaining while playing online with friends are:
1. Listening to a buddy rage out of control, because someone on the other team is owning their ass. Always followed up by a comment like "they have to be hacking", "they are lagging so bad right now", "I'm reporting that ****", and my favorite is when your friend just rage quits leaving your party in the middle of a game, much to the laughter of their team mates.
2. The background noises. Talking to wives/girlfriends about embarrassing topics they then get teased about the rest of the game, kids screaming, random music often accompanied by singing, and of course endless releases of gas from both ends.
3. Embarrassing last kill cams: Making fun of someone who can't aim and got lucky, laughing when someone completely embarrassed an opposing player, or better yet a friend who was the last death by doing something completely retarded who you can then make fun of the rest of the day.
4. Player cards: making fun of epic emblem combinations always provides a good laugh. "Is that what I think it is?"
Dayton Flyers new coach Archie Miller
Well the Flyers have hired a new coach, after the timely departure of Brian Gregory. I was hoping it would be Duke assistant Chris Collins, but I'm at least a little excited about the Archie hire. If he is anything like his brother then the Flyers are in good hands. Ultimately, time will tell if the Flyers are better off with Miller and here are some of the criteria on which myself and the other Flyer Faithful will be grading Miller.
1. NCAA tournament appearances. Let's be honest, if you don't go to the big dance it was a disappointing season.
2. Beating Xavier. For the love of God please let the Flyers snap the losing streak in Cincinnati, it's embarrassing.
3. Recruiting and player development. BG was great at recruiting, but players did not show much improvement under him. It will be interesting to see what happens with Chris Wright in the NBA Draft.
4. A-10 Conference play. The Flyers need to be towards the top of the conference, and winning the A-10 Championship again would be great for the program.
Now matter how good of a coach Miller might be I expect a rough next couple of years for UD, it's going to take some rebuilding, but hopefully we are on the right track to making the above mentioned criteria take place on a regular basis in Dayton. Go Flyers!
1. NCAA tournament appearances. Let's be honest, if you don't go to the big dance it was a disappointing season.
2. Beating Xavier. For the love of God please let the Flyers snap the losing streak in Cincinnati, it's embarrassing.
3. Recruiting and player development. BG was great at recruiting, but players did not show much improvement under him. It will be interesting to see what happens with Chris Wright in the NBA Draft.
4. A-10 Conference play. The Flyers need to be towards the top of the conference, and winning the A-10 Championship again would be great for the program.
Now matter how good of a coach Miller might be I expect a rough next couple of years for UD, it's going to take some rebuilding, but hopefully we are on the right track to making the above mentioned criteria take place on a regular basis in Dayton. Go Flyers!
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