Blogs are......cool!

Last night at dinner we started reminiscing about our 6 week tour of the US last year. Everybody went around the table on what was there favorite place. Taylor's was Sante Fe, Jessica's was Seattle, Shelby loved Sedona and Chris loved Alcatraz.

Then we went back to Taylor's blog and started reading about our daily adventures. It was a lot of fun. Blogging can be a real pain, but it's a great way to keep track of all the "stuff" that happens in your life.

Under my favorite blogs on the right, you will see the top three are Taylor's tour blog, Taylor's daily blog....in which she writes once a month.....and the blog of the installation of my pool. All very funny blogs.

Credit Card Legislation....surprisingly from me....pretty cool!

Now this may take some of you by surprise....but I do think the new bill passed by congress today could be a good thing. Congress passed sweeping new rules on how credit card companies can run their business. Now before you go and get the smelling salts for me.....let's take a look at this thing.
"In general, the new rules — which go into effect in nine months — will protect debt-ridden consumers from many of the surprise charges common in the industry, such as over-the-limit fees and costs for paying a bill by phone" AP

Some of the rules are fine by me....like
You cannot change interest rates on like crazy.....we have laws the say Guido can't do it....so why can Chase
I heard that the crazy interest that is charged to people who miss the pay day by one day will be outlawed.

On the other hand....although it protects the deadbeats, the uninformed and others it will hurt
"cardholders who pay off their balance in full each month could see new annual fees and lucrative rewards programs canceled" AP

Lastly, credit cards will be harder to obtain. No surprise there! If you are going to make it hard for them to make money in one section of the market....they will not give cards to that section of the market.

So more people will have to use debit cards or checks....which in turn will not allow them to put things on credit.....they will need to HAVE the money if they want something...there is a novel idea....but remember....they will not buy on credit....the economy will feel even more of a squeeze...less spending, although on credit....but less spending.

This is the Medicine that is way over due......let's hope the cure does not kill the patient.

At Last John Wins..........kinda cool!

I have been here in St Louis for 7 years. My partner is a workout junkie, riding, running or tumbling hours each day. When I first got to St Louis, John would consistently ask me to get on the bike and take a ride with him. 7 years of begging off.......maybe due to the fact my partner is a very skilled cyclist, where I am a guy whose bike seat is barely broken in.

Well today he won. We decided to take bikes into the valley for lunch. Don't get too excited, the valley is just 2-3 miles away. It was an outstanding day and the ride was great. There was a good breeze.....so no major sweating...ok my butt hurt a little ......but I was actually enjoying it.

I thought..."OK, I could do this every day..........."

Then I got a flat.

Pock ee Staaan really? not cool!

When did Pakistan ( pack i stan) become Pock eee staaaaaan.

Have we been saying it incorrectly for 40+ years?

Now I may be showing my stripes....but I think I started hearing it from President Obama.....now all the media pronounces it "correctly". Each time I hear it....my skin crawls.

If the new way is the right way......why weren't we corrected decades ago?

For all of you St Louisians....is it Chevys or Shevys....(I know it's spelled with CH dopey)

Camping....cool?.......

With my youngest finally hitting the Boy Scout road....I am being dragged back into my camping days. My memories of all the camping I did in my youth returned. I have very fond memories of not only camping with the boy scouts, but with my family in our "pop-up" trailer.

Then Saturday morning came....wet shoes, cold, wet grass, wet tents, packing all this stuff up......and I remembered why my idea of camping is a Holiday Inn without a pool.

Some things I had to "re-learn" about camping.....

Bring extra shoes....bring extra clothes
get a good night sleep the night before the weekend camp out
bring a bunch of heavy duty paper plates...washing is a pain
bring a cup if you want something to drink
Bring a chair to sit around in.....lots of sitting around as an adult.

Some things I can say that went really well....
Buy an air mattress with a battery operated pump.
juice up the ipod/iPhone and bring earphones....bring a battery lantern, they work great in the tent, bring a paperback.
Bring a one man tent....no roomies, keeps you warmer.... a breeze to set up!

Oh yeah....when Denise found out I went out and bought an air mattress....she texted me that I was a Wus and that I should Man up! I guess I won't tell her that I snuck out for a Large Hot Tea at Mcdonalds.....and just happened on a clean bathroom.


Oh Yes, Camping....I'm Back

Chrysler profitable is 2012.....really?....not cool!

Yesterday in the WSJ it was reported that Chrysler would be profitable by the year 2012! Sounds Great right....

Is this the same firm that Obama and the boys moved into bankruptcy this week? Do they really think we fell off the turnip truck last night?

OK ....so I can tell all my creditors that either I am defaulting....giving you 30 cents on the dollar or swapping my worthless stock for your debt.....thus giving me a clean balance sheet....all my debt gone....and it still takes me 2 years to be profitable?

A guy at basketball this morning stated that if he was not married and had 4 kids....he would be profitable.....

Craziness has taken control of the economy!

Luke 18 Mass...very cool!

Last weekend was the Luke 18 retreat weekend at our church. About 80-90 8th graders go through a retreat to prepare themselves to become confirmed in the Catholic church. The retreat is run by the Life Teens in our parish. Each year they end their retreat with the 5:30 Life Teen mass. This is our favorite Mass. It is always filled with teenagers and is full of great music and worship. When the "Lukers" are there....it's one of the best masses of the year.

What makes it great is the music. John and the band do a great job. One of the highlights is always when John stops the band and the kids continue to sing....70 voices fill the church....no more guitars, drums and piano....just them. It's just a fantastic sound.

Great Job St. Alban Roe!

Here is one of the songs they did on Sunday....Listen to the lyrics.....very cool!

BTW...it is not them....this is the band who actually wrote the song....SAR also does the acoustical version!!

Quizno $4 sub.....cool!

OK, Quizno got me....have they been advertising those new thin subs like crazy of what?

So I went down today and got a few surprises. It was longer then I imagined tasted great! Lunch prices has gotten so far out of whack, it's amazing people go out to eat! $4 for the sub....better then the $6 for the normal size....smaller one is better for me anyway!

I had the Turkey Pesto

Chrysler run by the unions....not cool!

Take a look under the covers on this deal....the four main creditors of Chrysler...the bond holders...the people who are suppose to be first in line in bankruptcy are told by Obama take 20-30 cents on the dollar and get behind the Union for payment. Who are these 4 creditors....TARP recipients. So now the Union owns 55% of Chrysler....Fiat 20%...nice deal...no money down for them! All being run by Obama, who has never run a company in his life. One step closer to Socialism.