mmm 52" of simpsons on TV

I now have my new TV. It is a 52" Sony Bravia HDTV. I really like it so far. I haven't got to see High Def on it yet as I won't have HD TV until December 4th. Regular dvd's look great on it though. I also got a new stand for the TV and my receiver, dvd player, etc.

Border War time

It is time once again for the annual Border War.

Go Pokes, Beat the Sheep!

All work and no TV make homer something something

Go Crazy?
Don't Mind if I do!

So My TV quit working on Sunday. Life is different with no TV. I am in the process of getting a new TV. it will be bigger, faster, and better.

For $9.99 a month I am going to upgrade my DirecTV to a High Definition DVR. I was hoping to hold out until the new Tivo DirecTV HD receiver comes out (due out 2nd half of 2009) but the need for a new TV has changed my plans.

I will be watching TV in HD on December 4th ... Let the countdown begin.

Down goes Tennessee

The Cowboys beat Tennessee this past weekend 13-7. Wyoming's defense had two interceptions that led to all of our points, and held Tennessee to just one TD in the second half. Another key was UW limited themselves to only 1 turnover, and ran the ball well.

at 4-6 there is still an outside chance to become bowl eligible. If we can beat UNLV this Thursday in Vegas, and beat the sheep in Laramie then we'll probably go to the New Mexico bowl.

Election Day, campaign ads, and the economy

Today is the day to vote. (Legal US Citizens only) This also means all those stupid campaign ads will finally end! 90% seem to really say nothing, take items out of context, and are worthless. I made some of my own below...

"Mark Nobody hates babies! He voted against babies 3 times! He also hates seniors! He'll take all your money!"

"Jane Person is accusing Mark Nobody of hating seniors and babies - but lets look at the facts. Both of Marks parents are seniors, and Mark was once a baby - would he hate his own family? Jane is unclear on the facts."

I hear on the news frequently how bad the economy is now, and I guess maybe that is a personal thing, because I am making more money than I ever have, and have more disposable income than I've ever had. I know some are without jobs, and things can be tough, but I think there are jobs out there if you are willing to relocate, and work. Yes gas and food prices have increased some, but in my opinion not that much. I think the real problem with the economy is that people are living beyond their means, often by incurring debt. They buy the biggest house they think they can afford, and get two cars, and finance them, they go out to eat, and buy fancy bottled water, and are living paycheck to paycheck on decent salary. Then if inflation happens or prices change, or they lose a job they are in serious trouble.

I haven't always followed my parents advice, but I was taught that if you want a car, you save up your money then you buy a car, and it might be a used car if that is what you can afford. (and to add to that a stake president, Pratt, taught us if you can afford a $40,000.00 car then buy a $20,000.00 car and give the rest to fast offerings). My parents taught me the principles to live within your means. Just because you can get a 300,000.00 loan doesn't mean you should buy that much house. Looking back we didn't have lots of money growing up, especially considering there were 8 kids, but I never felt like we were poor. We were happy and well taken care of because we lived within our means.

As a younger generation I think we look at all the things our parents and grandparents have; houses, cars, jewelry, lawnmowers, tools, furnishings, etc. and we decide hey I want that too. That is fine, but what we often forget is that our parents have worked for 30-40 years or more to obtain all that they have now. We can't go out and try to get it all for ourselves in 1 year. If we do - then we are probably living beyond our means, and it will catch up to us.

So learn to live on a little less, and be happy with what you have. And if gas prices go back up, or bread costs more, you won't suffer because of it.

Working on halloween

So like a true computer nerd I am working on Halloween night. i am doing a full system save, and applying some updates to our IBM iseries.

I did see a lot of kids out "trick or treating" On my way back to work from dinner. It brought back great memories.

Nothing else really to report on.

Our first snow

We didn't get a whole lot, but we did get our first snow last night.

a post just because

So nothing new or exciting has happened recently. Wyoming continues to lose every football game they play, and post season baseball isn't exciting without the cubs.

I am happy that I will have a full staff at work soon, and be able to start on several projects, but work stuff isn't exciting to talk about on a blog is it?

well I have nothing to say.

Not this year ...

The cubs forgot to show up again for the post season. They looked really bad.

Wyoming looks worse, and was shutout again. Joe Glenn needs to be replaced as head coach. The sooner the better.

Back up against the wall

The Cubs had a great regular season, but have forgot how to play so far this post season.

They are now down 0-2 and can't lose again or it is all over this year.

Ah the life of a cubs fan.

Final Weekend in baseball

It is finally here. The final weekend of the baseball season. The cubs have home field for the playoffs and dempster is starting game 1.

Eddie vedder recently released his cubs song - "Al the Way" It is very good. You should listen. If you can't listen then here are the lyrics:

Don't let anyone say that it's just a game
For I've seen other teams and it's never the same
When you're born in Chicago you're blessed and you're healed
The first time you walk into Wrigley Field
Our heroes wear pinstripes
Heroes in blue
Give us the chance to feel like heroes too
Forever we'll win and if we should lose
We know someday we'll go all the way
Yeah
Someday we'll go all the way

We are one with the Cubs
With the Cubs we're in love
Yeah, hold our head high as the underdogs
We are not fair-weather but foul-weather fans
We're like brothers in arms in the streets and the stands
There's magic in the ivy and the old scoreboard
The same one I stared at as a kid keeping score
In a world full of greed, I could never want more
Than someday we'll go all the way
Yeah
Someday we'll go all the way
Someday we'll go all the way
Yeah
Someday we'll go all the way
Someday we'll go all the way

And here's to the men and the legends we've known
Teaching us faith and giving us hope
United we stand and united we'll fall
Down to our knees the day we win it all

Ernie Banks said "Oh, let's play two"
Or did he mean 200 years
In the same ball park
Our diamond, our jewel
The home of our joy and our tears
Keeping traditions and wishes made new
A place where our grandfathers, fathers they grew
A spiritual feeling if I ever knew
And if you ain't been I am sorry for you
And when the day comes with that last winning run
And I'm crying and covered in beer
I'll look to the sky and know I was right
To think someday we'll go all the way
Yeah
Someday we'll go all the way
Someday we'll go all the way
Yeah
Someday we'll go all the way
Someday we'll go all the way
Yeah
Someday we'll go all the way
Someday we'll go all the way
Yeah
Someday we'll go all the way
Someday we'll go all the way


Here's hoping the cubs go all the way this year!

GO CUBS!

Another Cubs Victory

The cubs beat the Mets again last night for their 96th win. 4 games left (+1 if needed, and it won't be)
I'm excited for the post season.

The cowboys are 2-2 now, and host Bowling Green this week. We better win or it will be a horrible season (it might be anyway) We are moving toward needing a new coach.

CUBS WIN DIVISION

The cubs won the central division today by beating st louis 5-4.

Go Cubs!

Messed up date

Apparently blogger is having date problems. My last post was on the 19th not the 18th...

Talk like a pirate day.

Avast!

Take out ye Hornpipes and smartly play a tune for it be talk like a pirate day!

Arrrrrr!

http://www.talklikeapirate.com/piratehome.html

Cubs magic number is 2

Oh so close to clinching the division. I hope they can do it on the last home stand against the cardinals.

Today was a great comeback win scoring 4 in the 9th to tie, and then 1 in the 12th to win.

LETS GO CUBS!

The Bacon Equation T = (N x (Th + C)) x (1000 / P)

So in coming across a new bacon product I discovered the bacon equation for microwave bacon. This will help you determine your cooking time using the WowBacon.

T = time in seconds
P = microwave power in watts
N = number of bacon strips
C = Crispy factor (0-6)
Th = Bacon Thickness factor; thin = 30; thick = 45

T = (N x (Th + C)) x (1000 / P)

Lets try some sample problems.

Jane wants to cook 5 strips of thick bacon to medium crispness. She has a 1000 watt microwave and a Wowbacon. How long should she cook her bacon for in minutes?

T = (5 x (45 + 3)) x (1000 / 1000)
T = (5 x 48) x 1
T = 240 x 1
T = 240

Answer: She should cook her bacon for 4 minutes.

Now you try one:

Paul loves bacon. He wants 3 strips of thin cut bacon just barely crispy. He owns a powerful 1300 watt microwave. How long should he cook his bacon?


NOTE: The WowBacon microwave bacon cooker also catches all the grease in a cup which you can put a popsicle stick in and put in the freezer to make bacon pops.

No-No Zambrano!

Carlos Zambrano just pitched a no hitter for the cubs against the Astros at Wrigley North (Milwaukee)

Cubs magic number for the division is now 7 with 15 to play.

Cubs Magic Number ...

With 16 games to play the Cubs magic number to make the playoffs is now 8. The magic number to win the division is now 11.

Pokes lose, cubs finally win

Wyoming looked horrible today on offense and lost to Air Force 23-3.

The cubs finally won a game at least.