If you have not been to a P.F. Chang's, you are missing a great place.
A quick review:
They have a gluten free menu! And the stuff on it ....is the good stuff.
The service is Great! Denise and I usually eat at the bar...the place is always busy and we are never organized enough to make reservations. The bartenders are fast and very well trained.
The drinks are consistent and come in man glasses. If I have to explain what a man glass is....then forgetaboutit!
Get the Lettuce Wrap for the appetizer....then get the Singapore Street noodles sided by the Crazy delicious Spicy green beans.....
Don't forget to tell them to make the sauce ....spicy Drizzle this over the lettuce wraps!
Only downside is the desserts......they are pushing those small shot sized dessert...
Come on....two mouthfuls is not dessert...and I don't know about you....but the crust of the apple pie is not my favorite part of the pie....and that's what it tastes like.
Overall, one of my favorite places.
Monday, April 27, 2009
The Movies.....cool!
Denise and I use to go to the movies at least once a week....that was BK.
16 years later and we have had a fill of Family films. The girls are getting older and they like the scary and the chic flicks so Chris and I end up manning up to whatever is G or PG. The last "Family Movie" turned out just that way. Chris and I at, the surprisingly good, Race to Witch Mountain and the Girls all went to see Taken.
This week Denise and I went to two Movies....YES two movies. We had a couple of sets of coupons that we had won at an auction night.
The first movie we saw was I Love You Man.....very funny...this is full of man humor...some uncomfortable scenes...nothing you would ever bring your kids to....but if you liked Wedding Crashers, this was funnier and more realistic.....and better yet, it did not have Owen Wilson in it.
A great "B" guy movie.
The second was Knowing with Nicholas Cage. It was given poor reviews, but I liked it. Wait a few weeks and it will surely be on the small screen. It is definitely worth the viewing. There is a low level religious theme going on that is pretty cool. The last scene is just really cool. The crazy thing is, when the movie was over the only word that came to mind was........ creepy.
Overall a great movie week......great popcorn too.
16 years later and we have had a fill of Family films. The girls are getting older and they like the scary and the chic flicks so Chris and I end up manning up to whatever is G or PG. The last "Family Movie" turned out just that way. Chris and I at, the surprisingly good, Race to Witch Mountain and the Girls all went to see Taken.
This week Denise and I went to two Movies....YES two movies. We had a couple of sets of coupons that we had won at an auction night.
The first movie we saw was I Love You Man.....very funny...this is full of man humor...some uncomfortable scenes...nothing you would ever bring your kids to....but if you liked Wedding Crashers, this was funnier and more realistic.....and better yet, it did not have Owen Wilson in it.
A great "B" guy movie.
The second was Knowing with Nicholas Cage. It was given poor reviews, but I liked it. Wait a few weeks and it will surely be on the small screen. It is definitely worth the viewing. There is a low level religious theme going on that is pretty cool. The last scene is just really cool. The crazy thing is, when the movie was over the only word that came to mind was........ creepy.
Overall a great movie week......great popcorn too.
Friday, April 24, 2009
Absolute Power Corrupts....not cool!
I don't know about you, but if one of my deadbeat friends wants to repay me the $10 bucks he mooched from me.....I TAKE IT. Makes sense right? Then why is it that the Government has to review and make a decision if they want OUR MONEY back from some of these deadbeat banks. Early this week a few of the big boys got tired of their new buddy's big thumb and said "hey, we can pay you back" So what did Obama and the boys do......we will think about it.
Ask your self why is that? Power...it's not about helping the banks....Obama and the boys want to control the banks.
If you think I am again out on the conspiracy limb....read the journal today about Paulson and Bernanke strong arming the BOA president in taking the crummy Meryl Lynch Deal earlier this year, Here is a summation of it for those that do not get the WSJ.
This should be the Front Page story of all papers...I doubt you will read it on any of them. This will be the first big scandal of President Obama's presidency.....oh wait I meant the first publicized....unless you think having a crook running the treasury department is OK.
Ask your self why is that? Power...it's not about helping the banks....Obama and the boys want to control the banks.
If you think I am again out on the conspiracy limb....read the journal today about Paulson and Bernanke strong arming the BOA president in taking the crummy Meryl Lynch Deal earlier this year, Here is a summation of it for those that do not get the WSJ.
This should be the Front Page story of all papers...I doubt you will read it on any of them. This will be the first big scandal of President Obama's presidency.....oh wait I meant the first publicized....unless you think having a crook running the treasury department is OK.
Happy Friday....Life is good....Cool
This should start your weekend off with a good feeling!
Playing For Change | Song Around The World "Stand By Me" from Concord Music Group on Vimeo.
Playing For Change | Song Around The World "Stand By Me" from Concord Music Group on Vimeo.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
The Over "asking" for tips....not cool!
Over Easter weekend we got into a discussion of tips. Here are a few of my pet peeves with tips:
The rules....I am not sure who to tip and how much...do you tip the mailman at Christmas? your barber, the baggage guy...blah blah blah....all of this uncertainty causes frustration and anxiety.
Automatic tipping at restaurants....don't add 18% on to my bill automatically. If you do....you get 18%...not a dime more. BTW I am a 20% tipper in restaurants.
No tip jars that say tips please in retail locations.
Overall I think there should be no tipping. The employer should pay his employees....not me. I pay for the service, it's up to the employer to figure out wages for his people.
Now with all that said, it was interesting to hear my brother say that he was in favor of tip jars in retail places or anywhere else..."it's your choice" he thinks. He also does not tip his barber, his choice and he does not believe that it deserves a tip.
Here is my tip schedule:
20% restaurants, 2-4 dollars to the guys that handle the bags at the airports in the shuttles. I never check my bags in at the outside checkin. I figure if I do not tip correctly my underwear will end up in Asia. 2-3 dollars on a $13-$14 haircut. NO tips in tip jars at retail places. Couple of bucks to the valet parking guy (when you get the car back). $2 for a $5 shine at the airport. I received a ton of grief about that one from the guys at basketball.
Since "Mr. Spread the wealth around" is now in office, I may curtail my tipping altogether and just hand out cards that say "Obama has your tip" (didn't think i would do a non political post did ya?)
Let me know if I am being too stingy!
The rules....I am not sure who to tip and how much...do you tip the mailman at Christmas? your barber, the baggage guy...blah blah blah....all of this uncertainty causes frustration and anxiety.
Automatic tipping at restaurants....don't add 18% on to my bill automatically. If you do....you get 18%...not a dime more. BTW I am a 20% tipper in restaurants.
No tip jars that say tips please in retail locations.
Overall I think there should be no tipping. The employer should pay his employees....not me. I pay for the service, it's up to the employer to figure out wages for his people.
Now with all that said, it was interesting to hear my brother say that he was in favor of tip jars in retail places or anywhere else..."it's your choice" he thinks. He also does not tip his barber, his choice and he does not believe that it deserves a tip.
Here is my tip schedule:
20% restaurants, 2-4 dollars to the guys that handle the bags at the airports in the shuttles. I never check my bags in at the outside checkin. I figure if I do not tip correctly my underwear will end up in Asia. 2-3 dollars on a $13-$14 haircut. NO tips in tip jars at retail places. Couple of bucks to the valet parking guy (when you get the car back). $2 for a $5 shine at the airport. I received a ton of grief about that one from the guys at basketball.
Since "Mr. Spread the wealth around" is now in office, I may curtail my tipping altogether and just hand out cards that say "Obama has your tip" (didn't think i would do a non political post did ya?)
Let me know if I am being too stingy!
Proud to be an American....cool!
That was a great video! I think there is a sense in the world that America is a lousy place. That we are the bad guys. I guess that will always be true.
Remember back when our first lady said she was never proud of the US until the US started voting for her husband? Remember how all of her fans said she didn't mean it...?
Well I am starting to think not only did she mean it, but her husband believes it to.
Obama is now back from his apology tour. Thank God. In every country and in every speech he apologized for the US. One of the last straws for me was when he made the comment about how after he took a beating at the America's conference....he said he was glad they did not blame him for what happened when he was 3 months old. A joke? Really? This guy does not like the US period. So strong you think? He in fact is ashamed of what we have become....what we are and what we stand for....why else would the man apologize for all of our policies, our history and our people.
I guess he never really heard the Reverend Wright....God $#@$ America when he sat in those pews for 20 years.
Remember back when our first lady said she was never proud of the US until the US started voting for her husband? Remember how all of her fans said she didn't mean it...?
Well I am starting to think not only did she mean it, but her husband believes it to.
Obama is now back from his apology tour. Thank God. In every country and in every speech he apologized for the US. One of the last straws for me was when he made the comment about how after he took a beating at the America's conference....he said he was glad they did not blame him for what happened when he was 3 months old. A joke? Really? This guy does not like the US period. So strong you think? He in fact is ashamed of what we have become....what we are and what we stand for....why else would the man apologize for all of our policies, our history and our people.
I guess he never really heard the Reverend Wright....God $#@$ America when he sat in those pews for 20 years.
So much to blog about....so little time...not cool
I have started a list of things that need tending....
There is so much going on in the world, most of it very disheartening. But let's start with a video.
God Bless America!
There is so much going on in the world, most of it very disheartening. But let's start with a video.
God Bless America!
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
No American Ships.....cool!
Somali pirates hijack 4 ships, take 60 hostages......."The latest seizures were the Lebanese-owned cargo ship MV Sea Horse, the Greek-managed bulk carrier MV Irene E.M. and two Egyptian fishing boats. Maritime officials said the Irene carried 21 to 23 Filipino crew and the International Maritime Bureau reported 36 fishermen, all believed to be Egyptian, on the two boats." (AP news)
Lot's of big talk from these "pirates".....no surprise to me that they picked Lebanese, Greek and Egyptian freighters instead of an American ship. These guys are punks....I hope that the Greeks have the courage to stand up and not pay them. Send their navy?????? and get their ship back. Give into these punks like everyone has been doing for years and guess what? They keep doing it.
I have a question for all of you....during the Bush years, did we have any pirates grabbing our ships? If not, it's interesting that they decided to grab one once Obama came into his presidency. It shows how the world looks at us since Bush is gone. Biden did say that people would test this new president. I guess President Obama surprised them.....Again I will say....Good Job Mr. President.
Lot's of big talk from these "pirates".....no surprise to me that they picked Lebanese, Greek and Egyptian freighters instead of an American ship. These guys are punks....I hope that the Greeks have the courage to stand up and not pay them. Send their navy?????? and get their ship back. Give into these punks like everyone has been doing for years and guess what? They keep doing it.
I have a question for all of you....during the Bush years, did we have any pirates grabbing our ships? If not, it's interesting that they decided to grab one once Obama came into his presidency. It shows how the world looks at us since Bush is gone. Biden did say that people would test this new president. I guess President Obama surprised them.....Again I will say....Good Job Mr. President.
Monday, April 13, 2009
Taylor's essay.....cool!
Taylor wrote a 5 page essay last week. I was really impressed with the writing and also the topic. Here is the opening part of the essay....thought you would enjoy this. I also thought the book selection by the school was interesting. (sorry about the formatting, the cut and paste did not work that well.)
The Conception of Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World
Brave New World itself is a social criticism. Huxley’s major purpose in writing Brave New World was to reveal the horrifying future of “totalitarian ideology and uncontrolled advances in technology and science” (Baker 22). During the 1930’s many thoughts, ideas and events influenced and prompted Huxley to write a book in which the future was completely ruled by technology. Huxley found many faults with society in the 1930’s. He felt “in 1932 he was living in an age in which science had outstripped ethics, and in which there was ‘every reason to suppose that the world will become even more completely technicized, even more elaborately regimented than it is at present’” (23). He believed that ethics no longer played a part in modern society and science was becoming ever-more present. Through the influence of ideas of men like H.A.L. Fisher, events like failing democracies, and the behaviors of men like Marquis de Sade, Aldous Huxley formed his own thoughts and beliefs about society and wrote Brave New World as a warning that the advances in science and technology would increase governmental power and strangle individualism and morality. According to Robert S. Baker, many of Huxley’s ideas came from H.A.L. Fisher, one of the leading English historians of the period. Fisher “saw Europe on the threshold of a new period of ‘insane’ nationalism and extremist ideologies in which its ‘moral unity’ has decisively ‘broken’”(51). Huxley ‘took these ideas to the extreme and revealed the severity of a world where moral unity is choked by the government. Huxley “saw the rapid changes that scientific advancement was allowing in his society and, aided by a strong scientific background, imagined how much further it might go” (Bloom1 2). In World State the government holds so much power that human life itself “is carefully controlled from conception to death” by “outright control of the numbers and types of babies born and subconscious conditioning of people's thoughts” (Hochman 2). From what they look like to what they think, citizens of world state are completely defined and pre-destined by the government of world state. There are no morals in this world, because there God does not exist. The government suppressed all sort of individuality. Since Fisher was a prominent figure in the 1930’s Huxley was influenced by his thoughts, and many are found throughout the novel. Fisher found history to be “a cycle of achieved and lost unity, of social calamities, alternating cultural divisions and deepening lines of fracture” and Huxley agreed with him, and found history a complex tangled web of interacting forces (Baker 51-52). Huxley creates Mustapha Mund for the purpose of expressing that opinion. In the first few chapters Mund explains the way World State is run and informs the students “‘you all remember, I suppose, that beautiful inspired saying of Our Ford’s: History is bunk. History,’ he repeated slowly, ‘is bunk’” (Huxley 34). The characters in Brave New World serve as pawns for Huxley to expose his own opinions through fictitious people.
footnote....TF 2009
The Conception of Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World
Brave New World itself is a social criticism. Huxley’s major purpose in writing Brave New World was to reveal the horrifying future of “totalitarian ideology and uncontrolled advances in technology and science” (Baker 22). During the 1930’s many thoughts, ideas and events influenced and prompted Huxley to write a book in which the future was completely ruled by technology. Huxley found many faults with society in the 1930’s. He felt “in 1932 he was living in an age in which science had outstripped ethics, and in which there was ‘every reason to suppose that the world will become even more completely technicized, even more elaborately regimented than it is at present’” (23). He believed that ethics no longer played a part in modern society and science was becoming ever-more present. Through the influence of ideas of men like H.A.L. Fisher, events like failing democracies, and the behaviors of men like Marquis de Sade, Aldous Huxley formed his own thoughts and beliefs about society and wrote Brave New World as a warning that the advances in science and technology would increase governmental power and strangle individualism and morality. According to Robert S. Baker, many of Huxley’s ideas came from H.A.L. Fisher, one of the leading English historians of the period. Fisher “saw Europe on the threshold of a new period of ‘insane’ nationalism and extremist ideologies in which its ‘moral unity’ has decisively ‘broken’”(51). Huxley ‘took these ideas to the extreme and revealed the severity of a world where moral unity is choked by the government. Huxley “saw the rapid changes that scientific advancement was allowing in his society and, aided by a strong scientific background, imagined how much further it might go” (Bloom1 2). In World State the government holds so much power that human life itself “is carefully controlled from conception to death” by “outright control of the numbers and types of babies born and subconscious conditioning of people's thoughts” (Hochman 2). From what they look like to what they think, citizens of world state are completely defined and pre-destined by the government of world state. There are no morals in this world, because there God does not exist. The government suppressed all sort of individuality. Since Fisher was a prominent figure in the 1930’s Huxley was influenced by his thoughts, and many are found throughout the novel. Fisher found history to be “a cycle of achieved and lost unity, of social calamities, alternating cultural divisions and deepening lines of fracture” and Huxley agreed with him, and found history a complex tangled web of interacting forces (Baker 51-52). Huxley creates Mustapha Mund for the purpose of expressing that opinion. In the first few chapters Mund explains the way World State is run and informs the students “‘you all remember, I suppose, that beautiful inspired saying of Our Ford’s: History is bunk. History,’ he repeated slowly, ‘is bunk’” (Huxley 34). The characters in Brave New World serve as pawns for Huxley to expose his own opinions through fictitious people.
footnote....TF 2009
Way to Go Mr. President.....cool
"The pirates transferred the 53-year-old Phillips, a Vermont native, to a lifeboat. But the pirates had not counted on the U.S. military's resolve. After a five-day standoff during which a small U.S. flotilla tailed the lifeboat, Navy SEAL snipers on a destroyer shot and killed three pirates and plucked an unharmed Phillips to safety. A fourth pirate surrendered."
On Sunday I could not believe that it took this long to do this.....we have these crazy pirates taking an American flagged ship....then sitting in a lifeboat with one hostage...out of gas.....wanting 2 million. I said, send in the snipers and on the count of three ....end this issue. Obama comnmanded just that!
Now a couple of insights....mine of course.
President Obama...WTG...as commander and chief...you did well. Many in the world have applauded your actions....funny though, if Cowboy George had made the decision I am sure they would have condemned the action. The same people who applauded the action did say however....violence may increase due to our aggression.....I don't think so you marsh mellows....at least not against American ships. I am sure the pirates will still continue to take ships....15 YTD in 2009 alone....but they won't be American ships....it's just business for the pirates...they do not hate us or anyone else, they want the money. They will pick on the skinny weak kid and let the big dog sail right on by....
Another thing you should watch is the coverage on this issue. You will not see the main stream media tie Obama to the issue. They will not say he directed the event....that would be too much "Bush" for them to handle....too much "Reagan". But maybe, just maybe Obama will be strong, unlike Clinton and Carter who allowed our country to be run by the UN and become weak.
Go out and read the press on this issue, How is this not the biggest news of the day?
#1 job of the President.....keep our country safe. Good Job!
On Sunday I could not believe that it took this long to do this.....we have these crazy pirates taking an American flagged ship....then sitting in a lifeboat with one hostage...out of gas.....wanting 2 million. I said, send in the snipers and on the count of three ....end this issue. Obama comnmanded just that!
Now a couple of insights....mine of course.
President Obama...WTG...as commander and chief...you did well. Many in the world have applauded your actions....funny though, if Cowboy George had made the decision I am sure they would have condemned the action. The same people who applauded the action did say however....violence may increase due to our aggression.....I don't think so you marsh mellows....at least not against American ships. I am sure the pirates will still continue to take ships....15 YTD in 2009 alone....but they won't be American ships....it's just business for the pirates...they do not hate us or anyone else, they want the money. They will pick on the skinny weak kid and let the big dog sail right on by....
Another thing you should watch is the coverage on this issue. You will not see the main stream media tie Obama to the issue. They will not say he directed the event....that would be too much "Bush" for them to handle....too much "Reagan". But maybe, just maybe Obama will be strong, unlike Clinton and Carter who allowed our country to be run by the UN and become weak.
Go out and read the press on this issue, How is this not the biggest news of the day?
#1 job of the President.....keep our country safe. Good Job!
Monday, April 6, 2009
The Obama Apology Tour! not cool!
I was just listening to talk radio and the guy was talking about Obama's commitment to apologize to the world due to the fact that he and his wife were never really proud of the United States before his coronation!
He coined the phrase " The Obama Apology Tour" It would be funny if it was not so scary and true.
He coined the phrase " The Obama Apology Tour" It would be funny if it was not so scary and true.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Obama is like every technician I have met...not cool
You ever notice that when ever a technician or a plumber or other tradesman comes to look at your job, the first thing they say......jeez who did this work, that last guy didn't know what he was doing. Back in my copier days we also fought this type of attitude from our techs. It made the company look terrible. I understood why the tech always wanted to throw the last guy under the bus.....they would look like they were an expert and then be the hero. I still hate when I hear these types of statements......
This is probably why it drives me crazy to listen to Obama and his crew blame someone else ON EVERY OCCASION. America basically sucks...he had no part in it.....(reality is he really did...remember his career in the Senate...oh you can't....that's because he was the ever "present" guy who did basically nothing during his short tenure.) .....and that it's gonna cost us to get it fixed...not his fault.
What really brought this on was his address at the M-20 yuk festival....how does he start....by meeting with Russia and apologizing and blaming the US for not being such nice guys for the past 8 years....
Belly up to the bar Mr. President. Stop being a 10 year old and blaming the kid next to you....the honeymoon is over...suck it up.
This is probably why it drives me crazy to listen to Obama and his crew blame someone else ON EVERY OCCASION. America basically sucks...he had no part in it.....(reality is he really did...remember his career in the Senate...oh you can't....that's because he was the ever "present" guy who did basically nothing during his short tenure.) .....and that it's gonna cost us to get it fixed...not his fault.
What really brought this on was his address at the M-20 yuk festival....how does he start....by meeting with Russia and apologizing and blaming the US for not being such nice guys for the past 8 years....
Belly up to the bar Mr. President. Stop being a 10 year old and blaming the kid next to you....the honeymoon is over...suck it up.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
