If you are sitting on the fence on who to cheer on this Sunday.....take a read about Kurt Warner.
Kurt is the quarterback of the Arizona Cardinals. Before that he was "OUR" Kurt Warner of the St. Louis Rams. I say "our"....but in fact his glory years with the "greatest show on earth" had packed its tents the weekend I moved to St Louis. During my years in St Louis I have come to respect and admire Kurt. He is a good person.
The 1st half of the story is good....my favorite part is actually about his mother. Her attitude about ownership and responsibility is outstanding. It is no wonder that her son is a good man!
Go Cardinals....Go Kurt
Friday, January 30, 2009
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Free Diet Dr. Pepper....cool
I saw this coupon for free Dr. Pepper
I love Diet Dr. Pepper. It's the best. I am sure I will get some spam after filling out the info to get a free 2 liter bottle. I have a yahoo account just for these occasions. If you do not have an additional email address that yon use when you purchase on the web, you should. It's easy and free.
Only bad part....they are going to send me the coupon...4-5 weeks. How 1980ish...they should of just sent the coupon to my email. I am looking forward to see if I ever get it.
I love Diet Dr. Pepper. It's the best. I am sure I will get some spam after filling out the info to get a free 2 liter bottle. I have a yahoo account just for these occasions. If you do not have an additional email address that yon use when you purchase on the web, you should. It's easy and free.
Only bad part....they are going to send me the coupon...4-5 weeks. How 1980ish...they should of just sent the coupon to my email. I am looking forward to see if I ever get it.
Write your Senator....cool
Just thought I would let you know.....I just emailed both my Senator and House rep regarding the "stimulus" bill. It took me less then 10 minutes. I just googled their names. Each had a contact feature that allows you to email them your comments.
Let's try to remember, we elect these people and they should be listening to their constitents.
Let's try to remember, we elect these people and they should be listening to their constitents.
The "Stimulus" Bill that will save us all.....not cool!
The house approved the "stimulus " bill yesterday. I say "stimulus" because I don't believe they are working in the best interests of stimulating the economy. Take a read of this blog. I could rewrite it....but why, this blogger on the Wall Street Journal wrote what I was going to research and write about WSJ Blog
The blog points out all of the crazy stuffers that are in this bill.
A few notes on this issue:
Way to Go Todd Akin. He is my House rep. He is one of the 177 republicans that voted NO on this bill. If you do not know you're house rep...you should. I will be emailing Todd this morning.
The vote was 244-188 with 11 democrats siding with the entire population of the republican house to "just say no".
The Senate will be reviewing and voting the bill by February 13th. Let's wait a day and have another Valentines Day Massacre! If you are weary of this bill, email your senators.
I do believe the economy needs stimulus. But let's not pass another lousy bill....ie TARP. Ask your senator to cut out their pork and non stimulus items....those items that have nothing to do with growing the economy and truly fix the issue.
Unforetunately it won't happen...they are politicians and only worry about there own power base.
The blog points out all of the crazy stuffers that are in this bill.
A few notes on this issue:
Way to Go Todd Akin. He is my House rep. He is one of the 177 republicans that voted NO on this bill. If you do not know you're house rep...you should. I will be emailing Todd this morning.
The vote was 244-188 with 11 democrats siding with the entire population of the republican house to "just say no".
The Senate will be reviewing and voting the bill by February 13th. Let's wait a day and have another Valentines Day Massacre! If you are weary of this bill, email your senators.
I do believe the economy needs stimulus. But let's not pass another lousy bill....ie TARP. Ask your senator to cut out their pork and non stimulus items....those items that have nothing to do with growing the economy and truly fix the issue.
Unforetunately it won't happen...they are politicians and only worry about there own power base.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Freedom...a great feeling...cool
Think back....there is nothing better then the feeling you got when school was cancelled for snow. You woke up and saw the snow. The race to the radio was next,(WICC when I was a kid) and waited to hear your school called off....of course each time I listened they would start with Ansonia....I had to wait all the way to the T's to get my prize.
That same feeling always came to me on the last day of school. That feeling you got as you walked out into the sunshine knowing...school was out for summer.
The communication may be a little different today, but the feeling is the same. At about 8:30 last night Jessica went to the school website to find they had posted the cancellation for today. (2nd day in a row) The celebration started. I had all the kids dancing around the screaming. They then got on the cell phones and started texting their friends. Within minutes their phones were buzzing and beeping with delight.
The only sad part of my story......as adults we do not get those days anymore. Maybe we will when we retire....I doubt it. You are never as carefree as kid.
That same feeling always came to me on the last day of school. That feeling you got as you walked out into the sunshine knowing...school was out for summer.
The communication may be a little different today, but the feeling is the same. At about 8:30 last night Jessica went to the school website to find they had posted the cancellation for today. (2nd day in a row) The celebration started. I had all the kids dancing around the screaming. They then got on the cell phones and started texting their friends. Within minutes their phones were buzzing and beeping with delight.
The only sad part of my story......as adults we do not get those days anymore. Maybe we will when we retire....I doubt it. You are never as carefree as kid.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Penn Station Subs Chicken Salad....cool
I love chicken salad. One of the problems with ordering iot outis like.....potatoe salad. You're never really sure how it's prepared and if it will taste as good as your moms....or wifes.
Penn Station Subs opened here in the valley a few months ago. We have been there about 5 times. They have a good system. The only fault is when they start asking you what extras you want on the sub...the list goes on forever.
Anyway, their chicken salad is excellant. It has just the right amopunt of mayo....which in my estimation makes or breaks a chicken salad. They load it up on a great tasting roll, pickles and tomatoes. Just like I would fix it at home. They also serve Diet Dr. Pepper out of the fountain machine......excellant.
I cannot wait to bring my daughter jessica there. She is another chicken salad fanatic.
Penn Station Subs opened here in the valley a few months ago. We have been there about 5 times. They have a good system. The only fault is when they start asking you what extras you want on the sub...the list goes on forever.
Anyway, their chicken salad is excellant. It has just the right amopunt of mayo....which in my estimation makes or breaks a chicken salad. They load it up on a great tasting roll, pickles and tomatoes. Just like I would fix it at home. They also serve Diet Dr. Pepper out of the fountain machine......excellant.
I cannot wait to bring my daughter jessica there. She is another chicken salad fanatic.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Dicks' Sporting Goods is the worse....not cool
You all know how I cannot stand bad customer service. The winner in 2009 so far....Dick's Sporting Goods
Talk about customer service that is unresponsive, ineffective, unempowered...but they are nice and they apologize like they were taught in customer service school!
Cripes...the customer does not want to hear an apology. They want their problem fixed.
OK the story....
I buy a Foosball table for my brother's kids for Christmas. I buy it from Dick's on line and have it shipped to Connecticut. When I arrive the table is there....thanks to UPS the box looks like it went through a war.
Mike and I break the thing open...broken sides of the the table. So I open the Pandora's box called Dicks customer service. I get the cs rep and he tells me to pack it all up and send it back. Once they get it they will credit the order and then send me another one and recharge my card. YEAH RIGHT...I tell Mr "happy" that this is unacceptable. He then puts me on hold for another 30 minutes.....that's right it took him 30 minutes to figure that great response out.
He then tells me that he will send me another one of the tables at no charge and when we get the table to try to get one table made from the two sets.....or he will send me the two sides that are broken.....He does not know which solution he can do. He tells me That I will have to call him back to get the answer after 48 hours. "I need to call you back"...yup...of course he can not make an outside telephone call.
I called back the following day to find out that they are sending a whole new table. I am, of course, back in Missouri by now. Mike gets the new table only to find out that the same parts are busted due to shipping. The box is demolished and there is little packaging in the box from the manufacturer.
I call Dick's and wait on line for 2 to 3 2o minute sessions while the customer servicve rep writes all the info down. She then informs me .....I am not the only one having this issue. They should repack the tables. The original packing is not made to be shipped through UPS. She says they will ship out a new table. I wait a week......no table.
I call, only to be put on hold for another 15 minutes.....Lot's of excuses....Lot's of apologies...seems like the last nit wit did not put in for the table replacement. So the gal tells me that she will put in for the replacement.
another week goes by......no table.
Now I am more then aggravated. The "happy" CS rep first puts me on hold for 10-15 minutes and then tells me that she sees the request over a week ago and has no idea why the vendor has not responded with a shipping confirmation. She blames it on the Martin Luther Holiday! I ask Liz to let me speak to her manager. Let's elevate the issue.....oh no...there are no managers available....I give her my cell...now I learn that Dick's has upgraded their technology and has moved into the 21st century,...they have phones that call out!
She tells me that they will call me.
Well it's been 1 month since I ordered this table. My poor brother has had to live with this mess in his basement. Not sure if I will ever get this issue resolved.
What should they have done:
Stop putting your customers on hold for 20 minutes at a time. If you do not have basic procedures for handling returns...then get some. Then handle the issue and communicate with the customer. This is not rocket science.
After your first screw up....make it easy for the customer. I in fact told them we would bring the table to a local Dick's....no, they cannot do that. They have made this a terrible experience.
wow not that was a rant!
Idiots
Talk about customer service that is unresponsive, ineffective, unempowered...but they are nice and they apologize like they were taught in customer service school!
Cripes...the customer does not want to hear an apology. They want their problem fixed.
OK the story....
I buy a Foosball table for my brother's kids for Christmas. I buy it from Dick's on line and have it shipped to Connecticut. When I arrive the table is there....thanks to UPS the box looks like it went through a war.
Mike and I break the thing open...broken sides of the the table. So I open the Pandora's box called Dicks customer service. I get the cs rep and he tells me to pack it all up and send it back. Once they get it they will credit the order and then send me another one and recharge my card. YEAH RIGHT...I tell Mr "happy" that this is unacceptable. He then puts me on hold for another 30 minutes.....that's right it took him 30 minutes to figure that great response out.
He then tells me that he will send me another one of the tables at no charge and when we get the table to try to get one table made from the two sets.....or he will send me the two sides that are broken.....He does not know which solution he can do. He tells me That I will have to call him back to get the answer after 48 hours. "I need to call you back"...yup...of course he can not make an outside telephone call.
I called back the following day to find out that they are sending a whole new table. I am, of course, back in Missouri by now. Mike gets the new table only to find out that the same parts are busted due to shipping. The box is demolished and there is little packaging in the box from the manufacturer.
I call Dick's and wait on line for 2 to 3 2o minute sessions while the customer servicve rep writes all the info down. She then informs me .....I am not the only one having this issue. They should repack the tables. The original packing is not made to be shipped through UPS. She says they will ship out a new table. I wait a week......no table.
I call, only to be put on hold for another 15 minutes.....Lot's of excuses....Lot's of apologies...seems like the last nit wit did not put in for the table replacement. So the gal tells me that she will put in for the replacement.
another week goes by......no table.
Now I am more then aggravated. The "happy" CS rep first puts me on hold for 10-15 minutes and then tells me that she sees the request over a week ago and has no idea why the vendor has not responded with a shipping confirmation. She blames it on the Martin Luther Holiday! I ask Liz to let me speak to her manager. Let's elevate the issue.....oh no...there are no managers available....I give her my cell...now I learn that Dick's has upgraded their technology and has moved into the 21st century,...they have phones that call out!
She tells me that they will call me.
Well it's been 1 month since I ordered this table. My poor brother has had to live with this mess in his basement. Not sure if I will ever get this issue resolved.
What should they have done:
Stop putting your customers on hold for 20 minutes at a time. If you do not have basic procedures for handling returns...then get some. Then handle the issue and communicate with the customer. This is not rocket science.
After your first screw up....make it easy for the customer. I in fact told them we would bring the table to a local Dick's....no, they cannot do that. They have made this a terrible experience.
wow not that was a rant!
Idiots
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Raw Meat....not cool!
On a lighter note...
I wet to Brio's last night. We have visited this restaurant about 2 years ago and had a great time. It's a wonder we have not been back. The food last night was excellent and the service was outstanding.
Denise always needs to worry about the gluten free diet, so dining out can be a bit of a hassle for her. She spent a lot of time with the waitress trying to ensure her entree would be prepared correctly. In the meantime, yours truly, the fatty decides to get a couple of appetizers for the table. I pick one that the rest of us can eat and ask Denise to pick one that she may be able to have. She quickly chooses a beef dish. (BEEFCARPACCIO* Served with field greens, capers, mustard aioli)
Within minutes the waitress comes back with this 2 foot platter with Really red meat on it. As she puts it on the table, two thoughts occur....that was a little too fast....and that meat looks raw. So I ask and the waitress informs us that "yes it's raw" It also had a balsamic vinegar on it. Not only made me squeamish looking at it, the smell truned me off too. Everyone at the table kinda looked at each other and said "raw" The waitress assured us that even though she did not care for the dish, it was the most popular selection.
No I did not eat it. It looked nasty and smelled bad.
The girls said it was AWESOME. Denise tried to make me eat it....no way. They ate every last bit of that raw stuff.
I think it should of told me it was raw.
I wet to Brio's last night. We have visited this restaurant about 2 years ago and had a great time. It's a wonder we have not been back. The food last night was excellent and the service was outstanding.
Denise always needs to worry about the gluten free diet, so dining out can be a bit of a hassle for her. She spent a lot of time with the waitress trying to ensure her entree would be prepared correctly. In the meantime, yours truly, the fatty decides to get a couple of appetizers for the table. I pick one that the rest of us can eat and ask Denise to pick one that she may be able to have. She quickly chooses a beef dish. (BEEFCARPACCIO* Served with field greens, capers, mustard aioli)
Within minutes the waitress comes back with this 2 foot platter with Really red meat on it. As she puts it on the table, two thoughts occur....that was a little too fast....and that meat looks raw. So I ask and the waitress informs us that "yes it's raw" It also had a balsamic vinegar on it. Not only made me squeamish looking at it, the smell truned me off too. Everyone at the table kinda looked at each other and said "raw" The waitress assured us that even though she did not care for the dish, it was the most popular selection.
No I did not eat it. It looked nasty and smelled bad.
The girls said it was AWESOME. Denise tried to make me eat it....no way. They ate every last bit of that raw stuff.
I think it should of told me it was raw.
Shame on you President Obama
I was surprised at dinner last night. I went home of Friday surprised that the President had not written any executive orders undoing previous executive orders on abortion. My friend told me....of yes he did...... So I cranked out my WSJ this morning and found the scoop.
Obama overturned a "gag" rule that stopped funding to international family planning programs that offered abortion or advocated abortions. Bush had put this "gag" rule into effect when he entered office.
Now my gripes.....
Obama did not do this change with an executive order. He did not do this on Thursday...the anniversary of Roe versus Wade. Come on....this is guy is so rehearsed, I cannot believe he would not go for the glory as Clinton and Bush did when they came to office. (Both signed executive orders on that day concerning abortion rights) No....He signed a memorandum on Friday night....no big event...no TV cameras...he snuck it in. He is already trying to hide his disgusting views on human life. If you are so proud of your position Mr. Obama...then be a man...take some personal responsibility...oh yeah ...didn't you speak on just that issue...what fee day ago....and then take your lumps.
Next..This memorandum does not increase any monies going to these organizations...it just broadens who can get the monies....does not sound that bad.....really....? In the first place...it's for international agencies and it's $450 million dollars. We
are spending this money on other countries problems.
Shame on him for just not cutting the funding all together. He wants to take more and more money form the American public ....but does not save $450 million on foreign abortions.
Obama overturned a "gag" rule that stopped funding to international family planning programs that offered abortion or advocated abortions. Bush had put this "gag" rule into effect when he entered office.
Now my gripes.....
Obama did not do this change with an executive order. He did not do this on Thursday...the anniversary of Roe versus Wade. Come on....this is guy is so rehearsed, I cannot believe he would not go for the glory as Clinton and Bush did when they came to office. (Both signed executive orders on that day concerning abortion rights) No....He signed a memorandum on Friday night....no big event...no TV cameras...he snuck it in. He is already trying to hide his disgusting views on human life. If you are so proud of your position Mr. Obama...then be a man...take some personal responsibility...oh yeah ...didn't you speak on just that issue...what fee day ago....and then take your lumps.
Next..This memorandum does not increase any monies going to these organizations...it just broadens who can get the monies....does not sound that bad.....really....? In the first place...it's for international agencies and it's $450 million dollars. We
are spending this money on other countries problems.
Shame on him for just not cutting the funding all together. He wants to take more and more money form the American public ....but does not save $450 million on foreign abortions.
Friday, January 23, 2009
A prayer for the unborn.....cool
It is rumored that today President Obama will continue with more executive orders. In the past few days he has closed Gitmo, Frozen salaries of all that make over 100k in the Whitehorse (300 of the 400). Today he may be taking on the right to life. It is rumored that he will be eliminating many of the orders President Bush put into place that limited late term abortions and government funding of abortions.
Let me ask you to pray for the unborn. Pray that our government does not change and then therefore enhance the ability of people to kill innocent lives.
In Obama's address he spoke on personal responsibility and how our country needs to address the lack of it. I would hope he would hold everyone to that level....I am pro choice.....the choice I am referring to however is the choice people have before they become pregnant. Personal responsibility is a hard pill to swallow....but all of us would be better off if we did it throughout our lives.
See, I can agree with President Obama!
Let me ask you to pray for the unborn. Pray that our government does not change and then therefore enhance the ability of people to kill innocent lives.
In Obama's address he spoke on personal responsibility and how our country needs to address the lack of it. I would hope he would hold everyone to that level....I am pro choice.....the choice I am referring to however is the choice people have before they become pregnant. Personal responsibility is a hard pill to swallow....but all of us would be better off if we did it throughout our lives.
See, I can agree with President Obama!
Bush was OK.....cool
Although many people disagreed with some of President's Bush's policies, (along with myself), no one can take away from the man his integrity. We had eight solid years of personal integrity. We did not have blahblahGATE every other month as we did with the Clintons. In the past few days, I have read some very good Op-Eds in the WSJ.
Here is one that is worth the read. I think you will see Mr Bush in a better light as he leaves our country safer then it was when he arrived.
Op-Ed Piece
Bush Presidency
Here is one that is worth the read. I think you will see Mr Bush in a better light as he leaves our country safer then it was when he arrived.
Op-Ed Piece
Bush Presidency
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Racist pure and simple......not cool
I am in Miami for the week and watched President Obama's speech on a big screen at lunch time. I have to give him his due, it was an excellent speech. I will be picking it apart later this week, but overall he did not lean too far left and no one can say they this man can't make a speech.
On the other hand....
This was a disgrace. They were upset with Rick Warren saying a prayer.....
Two things....
No one should be making a speech on Obama's day.....this guy's prayer was not a prayer but a speech. He almost fell off the soap box he was stumping so hard.
Next....he is a racist pure and simple. Let's just lump all of us whiteys all together. It was a step back for the Obama Administration. I am sure, President Obama flinched as he heard those words.
Obama inauguration
On the other hand....
This was a disgrace. They were upset with Rick Warren saying a prayer.....
Two things....
No one should be making a speech on Obama's day.....this guy's prayer was not a prayer but a speech. He almost fell off the soap box he was stumping so hard.
Next....he is a racist pure and simple. Let's just lump all of us whiteys all together. It was a step back for the Obama Administration. I am sure, President Obama flinched as he heard those words.
Obama inauguration
Monday, January 19, 2009
Bad Bank? are you kidding me? not cool.
OK so I am listening to NPR my favorite liberal hangout. I cannot believe what I heard this morning. The "new" thing that the "new" administration is floating around is to form a national "Bad" bank. This bank would be run by the government. It would buy up bad debt in commercial banks....thus allowing them to relive themselves...literally...of their waste (bad loans) and then this would allow them to lend money and ease the credit issue. Do they think we are stupid? Do they think we cannot remember back to before we spent (on credit) money on the latest trendy thing that this is what TARP was suppose to do in the first place. Please re-read the following entries of my blog:
entry 1
Entry 2
I can't seem to find my first blog on this mess...but come on...this is crazy.
As I warned.....they took 1/2 of the 700 billion and spent it on stocks...not bad loans. They lied to us and within days of getting their hands on the cash, they changed direction and threw good money after bad.
The "bad" bank idea had already been thrown at us. It was the only way these knuckleheads got us to believe that it wasn't a bail out, but a "loan". That in fact the US govt would get their money back and then some.
Welcome President-Elect Obama....welcome to a mess.
entry 1
Entry 2
I can't seem to find my first blog on this mess...but come on...this is crazy.
As I warned.....they took 1/2 of the 700 billion and spent it on stocks...not bad loans. They lied to us and within days of getting their hands on the cash, they changed direction and threw good money after bad.
The "bad" bank idea had already been thrown at us. It was the only way these knuckleheads got us to believe that it wasn't a bail out, but a "loan". That in fact the US govt would get their money back and then some.
Welcome President-Elect Obama....welcome to a mess.
Let's catch up.....cool
Lot's have been happening since I was last hacking away at the keyboard. My sister Patty turned....29. My family went back to CT and spent some great time with our families. Bush said goodbye. We have had a deep freeze here in the Midwest. Chris and I have started Chinese lessons...more on that later. Shelby started indoor soccer. Taylor and I have our first tour of a college in the next few weeks. Jessica continues to sing like no ones home and now tells me she is a BIG Pittsburgh fan.....and Denise continues to do too many things in too little time.
As crazy as all this sounds, I am not looking forward to the quiet times that lay ahead.
As crazy as all this sounds, I am not looking forward to the quiet times that lay ahead.
Not blogging....not cool..right Shelby....!
As you can see I have been off the blog trail for awhile. I also see I got a few messages to see if I had died or what? The best messages came directly to my personal email. My third, Shelby, wrote me a few weeks ago and said...."Blog...Daddy...Blog" She even had all the little dots.....then the other day I get the stern email message....."Daddy... seriously ....BLOG" She's a funny kid and always the person with an encouraging word or compliment.
Well I am back and I will try to focus to the blog....we will see.
Well I am back and I will try to focus to the blog....we will see.
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