Increasing Gas Prices

I received no fewer than 4 phone calls yesterday advising me to fill up my car with gas because prices were going to shoot up to over $3.00 overnight. Of course, they haven't yet...and I don't think they will. $2.75? A definite possibility. $3.00? Not yet...but eventually. Not that the people who called me were doing anything wrong...I appreciate them looking out for a friend and trying to warn me of the impending crisis...but, I had three-quarters of a tank and I wasn't going to sit in line with the other people who were panicking. And this brings me to today's article about the gasoline prices.

Gas works the way most commodities to in a capitalist society: on the supply and demand factor. There is a finite amount of oil in the world and, therefore, a finite amount of gasoline available for use. The demand for gas around the world has increased dramatically, therefore, prices rise because there is a limited supply and great demand. See how that works? And, that's the way it should be. I haven't see a great amount of panic out there. People aren't trying to conserve yet which means they can handle the increase in the price. Are you carpooling now? Riding public transportation? I don't know a single person who traded in a truck or SUV for a more efficient car or, better yet, hybrid. So, apparently the high gas prices haven't hurt too much.

What happens when gas hits a magic mark and is too high to pay for? Demand will decrease and prices will top out. Eventually oil will be too expensive and will slow the American economy and the Asian economy (which is the main reason we're in this pinch) and prices will hit a steady mark. That's the world economy. Are we going to run out of oil? Well, yeah, eventually I guess. But probably not within the next 50 years. But we will run out of the cheap oil that we've enjoyed for the last century. As prices increase, oil companies will be more willing to harvest oil that costs more to get out of the ground...therefore, we won't run out but the days of cheap gas are over.

So, that's my take on gas. Has it affected me? I'm not sure...probably. I think my willingness to just jump in the car and drive all over the place has probably diminished. I thought about going to Syracuse this weekend but I didn't want to run my car that many miles...I don't think it was gas prices as much as it was just running the crap outta my car. I also thought about going up to Rutgers again but came to the same conclusion...I put enough miles on the car without making this long range trips. But, hey, if someone else is willing to drive, I've got gas money. It can't be that much...not yet anyway.

Long Weekend Wrap-Up

I didn't really have a long weekend as in I had a day off work or anything...it's a long weekend in the sense that I didn't really update since like Wednesday, I think. So, I'll update today to fill you in on the exciting time I've had since I last updated...beginning with Thursday. Understand? Good...here goes...

Thursday...left work about an hour early so I could go home and change before the opening night of high school football at East/West Stadium. I got about a 20 minutes nap in...and, believe me, that did a world of good. I haven't been feeling all that hot anyway...so any sleep is good sleep. Anyway, East Fairmont not only beat the Tigers, they whipped the Tigers of Elkins. It wasn't even much of a game...which is a good thing since I saw maybe 4 minutes total of the game. Got to see and talk with a lot of people at the game...and that's a good thing. Didn't get home until about midnight though...so that's a bad thing.

Friday, worked all day on videos and document stuff. It was a busy day. Had planned to go to the West Side football game that evening but it was raining so I really didn't do anything. I bought Tiger Woods 2005 after band camp so I played that most of the evening to finish off the Legend Challenge. I'm making progress...no one can touch me now.

I ran to Pittsburgh on Saturday to go to the Men's Warehouse and purchase a couple blazers. Talk about high pressure salesmen...I wanted one jacket and next thing I knew I had a line of 12 that the guy was trying to get me to buy. Blue, brown, gray, etc. Then he started adding shirts and pants and ties...I finally had to stop him and say I would buy two jackets and that was the limit...otherwise, I'd starve for a few weeks. They told me to come back in a week to pick them up with the alterations...I laughed and said I would be back in an hour. So, they weren't overly happy but they had it done. That was about it for Saturday...

Sunday, went to Grandma's for a bit and then went down by the junior high to watch a little football. It was humorous to say the least. Still wasn't feeling all that great so ended up falling asleep around 8:00 or so. Which meant I missed my favorite shows Sunday evening (Simpsons, Family Guy). Woke up around 2:00 a.m. and Family Guy was on the Cartoon Network so I watched it then. And, that was about it for the weekend...nothing too great really...nothing too bad either.

Let's Get Bobby Huggins

Man, here's our chance...we have the opportunity to land a big name coach in Bobby Huggins today. Cincinatti has, for whatever reason, given him only the options of resigning or being fired...which means Bobby is going to be looking for a job. I mean, look at what Huggins has done: Huggins went 399-127 in 16 seasons at Cincinnati, rebuilding it into a nationally prominent program after years in disarray. His teams made 14 consecutive appearances in the NCAA Tournament, and reached the Final Four in 1992. That's an outstanding record.

Past transgressions? Big deal. So, a few of his players might have a little blemish on their criminal record. Hey, kids will be kids. And, well, he likes to drive after a little socializing. So what? He'll fit right in here. What's important here is that Huggins is a winner...and that's what we need.

John Beilein took us to the Elite Eight last year...so? What has he done for us lately? I don't think the Mountaineer basketball team has won a game since the loss to Louisville. And, had Huggins been coach, we would have won that game...or at least had a good brawl after it. I'm tired of Beilein brining in these All-American goody-goody people. Where's the brothers...the thugs?!? Isn't that what basketball is all about? Carrying a glock and demanding respect? That's the basketball I know and Beilein just can't give us that.

So, Mountaineer fans, I implore you to contact President Hardesty and AD Ed Pastilong and tell them you want Bobby here. We need him...we want to win and do it the right way...the "I found this awesome player in jail" way. That's just not going to happen with Beilein. We lost out on Bobby a few years ago...let's right that wrong now. Isn't it about...time?

Farewell VHS, My Old Friend

Somehow I missed it...I don't know how it happened, but it did and I completely missed it. VHS tapes and camcorders disappeared off the face of the earth and I was sleeping when it happened. I never realized...and no one told me. Until yesterday, that is.

We own four camcorders here at the office...a beastly VHS camcorder, a smaller cousin VHS-C camcorder, a High-8 camcorder and the new MicroMV camcorder. While all are nice in their own way, only the VHS has the external hookups we use for microphones. And only the VHS can handle a good 4 hour deposition without breaks. But, this is an old camcorder...probably at least 8 years old, so I wasn't the least bit surprised when I heard it was on its deathbed.

Naturally, it is the favorite camera of everyone here...the workhorse. Some of the others are fancier and look better...they might take pictures or hook right up to your computer, but only the VHS gives you what you really want: a simple tape that I can play in a VCR and I know it's going to work.

So, what do you do when something breaks? Buy a new one, of course! (If you said "fix it", you're wrong). So, I began looking for a new VHS camcorder. Circuit City...they do not have a simple VHS camcorder...how strange. Best Buy? No. How about the Sony site? No. Panasonic? JVC? NOOOOO!!! E-Bay had some...but that's downright scary sometimes. Matter of fact, I found the exact same camera we own for $37.00. But, we decided we needed warranties, etc.

Believe it or not, the purchasing agent had to find a web-site the specialized in this old stuff...at
http://www.vhsequipment.com. Almost $1000.00 to buy an old VHS camcorder. Unbelievable. But, like I said, I don't know when VHS disappeared. I must have been watching a DVD or something...because, man, they're gone. So, if you're still relying on that old VHS camcorder, beware...you're one of the last doing so.

It's That Time Again...

Time for all good students to head back to classes. Yes, it's the time of the year when all young people's attention moves from having a good summer to hitting the books and furthering their education. Ah, what a horrible time of the year...of course, it could be worse...you could have to work all year long. Summer, winter...it's no different for me. Oh, but for you students, this is the end of life as you know it. School begins!

So, I wish you all the best of luck with classes this coming year. I need you all the graduate from you respective colleges and high schools and get real jobs so you can start paying taxes and Social Security so I can retire and collect it. I'm not joking people...get a job!

Best of luck to my friends at West Virginia U. and Fairmont State U. Be sure to keep in touch. Good luck to those heading back to H.S. at East Fairmont. I know I'll be seeing most of you soon. Best wishes to my buds down at WV Wesleyan...like they need the support. Keep working down in Charlotte...you're gonna blow 'em all away. Take care my bro who just went to D.C., one of the intelligent few. And, to all that I forgot...best luck this upcoming year whether you're heading to school or joining the work force...or just bumming around. Give it your best and I'm sure you'll do great.

And, seriously, get a job ya bums!

When Eric Eats a Banana...

...an amazing transformation occurs. Eric is Banana Man!

In case you didn't know, Banana Man is a British cartoon from a comic strip. For some reason we ran into it at work about a year ago and I haven't been able to forget the theme. I man, seriously, Banana Man? It's about a boy named Eric Wimp (name later changed), referred to as "Little Eric" who gains superpowers from eating a banana. His powers include the ability to fly, superhuman strength (often quoted as "twenty men... twenty big men" but occasionally limitless), and seeming invulnerability.

I mean, they must have been running out of ideas when this one seemed like a good one. Eric was rocketed to Earth from the Moon as a baby, and gained his powers because the crescent moon resembles a banana. He has a kryptonite-style weakness to mouldy bananas, and at one point even a Fortress of Solitude-style building at the North Pole, made out of a giant banana. So, obviously, this is a Superman knockoff. But still, Banana Man?

It cracks me up really. His enemies include Dr. Gloom, Appleman, Weatherman, Clay Man and Skunk Woman. Sounds really scary to me.

I'm going to eventually track down the video/DVDs for the entire 3 seasons of Banana Man. Can you believe a show like Banana Man lasted three years? Just leave it to those wacky British...

Theme is here...go to Banana Man. 80's Cartoons

Mountaineer Football Predictions

Well, it's rapidly approaching so it's time for me to put out my predictions for the 2005 Mountaineer football season. This is supposed to be a rebuilding year...we've lost a lot of talented players on both sides of the ball. The quarterback/wide receiver situation looks like it could be a real hassle all year...I'm not sure what we have. Coach Rod keeps talking about what a great camp it has been and all the practices have gone well. Pleasant practices don't translate into wins...so, I'm not convinced by his happiness. So, therefore, I look for a lackluster year...middle of the road. The easy schedule should help them but don't be looking for a BCS Bowl. Here goes:

Sept. 4 - SYRACUSE (AWAY) - Opening game. We'll get a chance to see what the Mountaineers have. Syracuse has been struggling and is attempting to put in a new offense under a new coach. It could cause a wrinkle for the Mounties but not enough for the Orange to beat them. Mountaineers improve to 1-0.

Sept. 10 - WOFFORD (HOME) - Give me a break. If we don't beat them by 5 touchdowns I'd be worried. Mountaineers improve to 2-0. I miss the game because of the Polar Bear Band.

Sept. 17 - MARYLAND (AWAY) - Maryland is in the same boat as the Mounties this year. Attempting to rebuild a team that lost a lot of players. Most people have the Terps finishing 5th in the ACC this year...so, this will be a gauge game for WVU. This could be the make or break game for the season as far as respect for the Big East. And, when it's make/break, you can count on the Mountaineers to break. Mountaineers drop to 2-1.

Sept. 24 - EAST CAROLINA (HOME) - Another give-me game...should be a simple victory. Moutaineers go to 3-1.

Oct. 1 - VIRGINIA TECH (HOME) - Another big ACC game, especially considering the Hokies won the ACC last year. And seeing another Vick at Mountaineer Field should be interesting. Think Marcus will hear some interesting chants? Anyway, a victory would be huge considering the Hokies could come in ranked in the Top 10. Sunnyside could burn is we win...but, not meant to happen. Mountaineers fall to 3-2.

Oct. 8 - RUTGERS (AWAY) - How do we play at Rutgers 2 years in a row? Last year we were rolling until Chris Henry started making gestures to the fans and got escorted from the game. Then Rutgers nearly came back for the victory. Don't expect it to be that close this year. Moutaineers now 4-2.

Oct. 15 - LOUISVILLE (HOME) - Could be the determining game for the Big East Championship (along with Pitt). Louisville has a potent offense and I don't believe WVU can match them score for score. And, I don't look for the defense to be able to completely shut them down. It should be a rocking Mylan-Puskar Stadium but not enough to put them over the top. Game ends, Mountaineers 4-3.

October 22 - SOUTH FLORIDA (AWAY) - Thank goodness for these cupcakes. Wofford, East Carolina and South Florida. Three cheap wins...but that's what you need to get to the bowl systems. Mountaineers improve to 5-3.

November 2 - UCONN (HOME) - A very scary game indeed. UConn is going to be a powerhouse before all is said and done...too much money up there not to produce winners every year. The Mountaineers will squeak by the Huskies in a tight one to go to 6-3.

November 9 - CINCINATTI (AWAY) - Let me make this clear...Cincinatti is not a good team. They beat us in 2002 for some reason but they haven't done much since then. Should be an easy win...but expect the Mountaineers to find a way to make it close and barely win in the end. 7-3.

November 24 - PITT (HOME) - Depending on how well Louisville plays, this could be the game that determines who win the Big East outright or for a 3-way tie. I like having Pitt at home which could make a difference but, with the season on the line, expect the Mountaineer to choke very similarly to last year. Season over...7-4.

So, there is it...7 wins, 4 losses...no major surprises. An average year...some bowl to go to and lose. But just enough excitement in the season to make people buy tickets to watch them lose. Sounds about right.

Return from Band Camp

Made it back alive from beautiful Camp Caesar yesterday. Arrived home around 4:00, unpacked, ate, slept from 8:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. And, really, I could have probably used a little more. I got approximately 18 hours of sleep over a 5-night span...that's typically not what you're supposed to get. But I had to return to my work...as much as I really didn't want to.

So, how did camp go? Very well, thank you. Had a great time...laughed through most of it. The parents are always terrific and the staff we have is always entertaining. The show should is really, really good and should blow people away...I'm hoping anyway.

So, why do I go back every year you're wondering? Oh, you're not wondering. Well, I'm telling anyway. I enjoy it and have a good time. That's the short answer. You want a longer answer? Sure...I'll even start a new paragraph for it.

The chaperones are terrific. Great parents who I genuinely enjoy being around. They work hard while they're there but maintain, for the most part, a good sense of humor. Of course, the director is a great friend and we have a terrific relationship. The rest of the staff is always great and we just have a blast.

And the students themselves are just unbelievable. I've spent the summer of the past 14 years of my life watching this band put together a show and it's alway amazing to watch the students get it done. I've developed really good friends out of this program and enjoy watching them grow up from lowly freshman to mature senior. It's a great transformation. And, when you're around these guys like this, you develop a bond with them.

And, that's the reason I help out with the band. It's just a great experience...and, until you've come back and done it, you just couldn't possibly understand. So, that's why I go to Band Camp and help out with the band like I do. I enjoy it...end of discussion.

Football Season Approaches...

Probably my favorite sport to watch would have to be football. It's high action, high impact, pure excitement. I try to go to as many games as I possibly can in a season...home games, away games...the more, the better. But, as much as I enjoy it, it is probably one of the most aggravating times as well.

The relationship I have with football is love/hate at best. The teams I support never fail to disappoint. I mean, let's throw high school football out right now. My high school team hasn't seen the playoffs since 1976, before I was born. I haven't researched it, but I'm guessing it has to be one of the longest streaks in the state.

Out of my Top 10 Sports Disappointments, 9 of them come from football...so, it becomes quite obvious that football is a very big disappointment to me. To expedite, I will just give my top 5 football disappointments.


5. 1989 Fiesta Bowl (Notre Dame 34 - WVU 21)
I was too naive at the time for it to be higher on the list. The house was decorated in Mountaineer stuff and a lot of people came over to watch the game. Mountaineer hysteria was at an all-time high since they were playing for their first shot at a national title. I remember watching the game and the opening showed the "country roads" of West Virginia and everyone looked like hicks. It was a sad opening for the state. The only thing more sad was how the Mountaineers played.

4. 1996 Super Bowl (Dallas 27 v. Pittsburgh 17)
The first Super Bowl shot for the Steelers in 16 years. There were songs saying "Here We Go Steelers" and the such. Everyone was walking about saying stupid things like "We’re finally getting one for the thumb". It had been 16 years folks...this one doesn’t count as like the 5th in a row. Of course, none of that would matter as the Cowboys controlled the game and easily defeated "Cowher Power".

3. 2004 Gator Bowl (Maryland 41 v. WVU 7)
Another one of those games I had the misfortune of attending. Same as the Tire Bowl from the year before: The opponent scored early and scored often. WVU looked completely befuddled. Whatever Rich had drawn up for the game didn’t work and, instead of trying a different plan of attack, they continued with the same ineffective running plays. When you’re down by like 3 touchdowns, throw the ball people. Just throw the @$!%¢ ball for God’s sake. Excuse me.

2. 2005 AFC Championship Game (New England 41 v. Pittsburgh 27)
Why so high? Because it’s fresh in memory and it was just bad. Big Ben coming off his worst game in the NFL starts the next game in the same fashion. Interception on the first pass that leads to a field goal. Granted, it was a remarkable season. 15-1 was unbelievable. But we expected a good close game and, instead, the Patriots ran over the Steelers. The Steelers did battle back and seem to be a play away from making it close but the fact is that they lost and it should have been by 21, not 14.

1. 2004-2005 WVU football (8-4)
Once again, the hype killed them. Before one snap of the ball, Lee Corso was saying this Mountaineer team would play for a National Championship. WVU was supposed to own the Big East and go to its first ever BCS Bowl in a runaway. No one could stop the running game and Marshall's arm was allegedly much improved. Oh, and don’t forget the amazing skills of your buddy and mine, Chris Henry. Hmmm...missed that call Coach. WVU got as high as 6th in the polls before blowing a game to Virginia Tech at cold Lane Stadium. They could have righted the ship and still sailed in to the BCS but back-to-back losses to Boston College and Pittsburgh sealed the Mounties fate. Another trip to the Gator Bowl and similar results. WVU spotted the ‘Noles an easy 10 points and lost by a score of 30-18 ending the "undefeated season" at 8-4. This marked the 11th loss in 12 tries in post-season play for the Mountaineers and Rich Rod’s 3rd bowl loss. Combined score of those 3 losses, 119-32. Awesome.

Ah, football. At some point, I will put up my prediction for the 2005 Mountaineer season and my expectatations for the Steelers. Maybe tomorrow...maybe not.

Terrell Owens and the Eagles...

Here's a battle I enjoy: Terrell Owens, the egomaniacal wide receiver, and the Philadelphia Eagles, the underachieving football franchise. I don't like the Eagles...at all. I don't like Terrell Owens...at all. So, this is a great battle.

See, here's the thing about Owens...I don't think he's that good. He just has a big mouth and says he's great and, for some reason, people believe it. I mean, look at Fred Mitchell...better known as FredEx. The guy made like 3 catches in a game once and, because he talked a good game, he was all over the place and made to sound like he was awesome. He isn't...and neither is Owens.

The Eagles made it to the Super Bowl last year and Owens made a "miraculous" recovery to play in the game. And they lost. And Owens decided to tell the media that a major factor in their loss was a problem with McNabb. I don't like McNabb that much either...but I can say, without a doubt, he's the only reason they made it to the Super Bowl. Not Terrell Owens.

Anyway, back to the battle between Owens and the Eagles. Sometime during the off-season, Owens blasted McNabb and McNabb really didn't retaliate much. So, Owens continued to hammer on him until a rift developed. What a shock. And then, Owens informed the Eagles he wanted to renegotiate a contract or else be traded. The Eagles refused. Owens threatened to holdout. The Eagles didn't budge. Owens showed up for camp but got "injured". The Eagles shrugged. The drama continues.

I enjoy it. Owens is a slow eating monster...he will kill any momentum the Eagles had. He loves to destroy teams...look at the '49ers. And the Eagles ownership stands by in shock like they could have never foreseen this. Apparently they must be blind because anyone who has ever paid any attention to football could have told them that Owens is trouble. He has some talent but he is constantly in conflict.

Best case scenario, Owens continues to run his mouth and the Eagles meltdown and Owens is blacklisted and is out of football. Talk about your win-win situation. Boy, I can only hope. I am comforted by the fact that Owens has probably ruined any chance of Philadelphia celebrating a Super Bowl Championship in 2006. The fans there don't deserve it...and I'm not sure about the team either.

The Microsoft Experience

I have long been a defender of Microsoft. Antitrust? Who cares. Monopoly? Good for them. Squashing the competition like bugs? You bet. Security holes? Ummm...well, that's life. Get over it. I even overlooked the confusing licensing agreements and inability to talk to a real person if you attempt to call them. All part of the game. But today, things changed...and changed for the worse.

It started simple enough...I need two copies of Microsoft Server 2003. No big deal. I had our purchasing agent at work place the order through CDW, as we have done many times in the past. Gus Richter, brother of Andy Richter (seriously, I'm not joking) e-mailed me the license agreement along with instructions to get our Product Key. I filled out the information and was provided two Product Keys. I was cooking now folks.

So, I popped in a Microsoft Server 2003 CD and put in my code...to receive the following: Invalid CD Key. Over and over...it kept coming up. I tried the other code...same results. I called in my boss to make sure I was typing it in right...I'm not stupid...it was right. Invalid CD Code. I called my buddy Gus...he gave me the number to Microsoft Activation Support. I talked to some Indian woman for, I swear, 17 1/2 seconds. She told me I need new media.

New media? What? You mean I can't use an old Server 2003 CD and plug in the Product Key and it work? That's what she said. I don't believe it. Gus didn't believe it. I still don't believe it. But, I ordered two media kits from CDW to see if that will fix the problem. I don't think it will...I think there's something wrong with my Product Key. But not according to the Indian...I had to buy media.

So, Microsoft, in my view, is in a lose-lose situation with me now. If the Indian was right and I had to buy media, it is an asinine policy to have to purchase media every time you purchase a license. If she was wrong, then I wasted time and money because Microsoft tech support is bad. I'll let you know which way Microsoft loses when I find out.

Whitewater Rafting

Well, went whitewater rafting today...and, apparently, survived. Left this morning for Ohiopyle, PA where I went rafting with family and a couple family friends. We went rafting on the Lower Youghiogheny River, or better known as "The Yough" (pronounced something like yock). The Lower Yough is considered Class III and IV, which is intermediate rapids.

I'll be the first to admit that I was having some second thoughts as this trip approached. It was kinda my idea...but I wasn't sure that I wanted to do it. But, we got there and they showed us the safety video and all. In the last 40 years, 16 people have died while rafting the Yough. That might sound bad but not as much when you consider over 2-million have rafted it in that time without problem. That didn't help me though...I figured before the day was over that total would need to be revised to 17.

So, we started out. I was in a raft with my cousin and a couple friends with a guide. My mom, aunt, uncle, his girlfriend, her son and a guide in the other. Our guide was apparently an "expert" because she was chosen to lead the pack of probably 15 rafts down the rapids. So, here we are, the cool group...leading the way. Well, that was all good until we got stuck on a rock in the very first rapids. Our guide was trying to give instruction but we froze. So she got out of the raft to help us out...and, here comes another raft barreling down upon us. I thought for sure it was going to take her out. But she managed to take the hit and keep going...and she got us unstuck. And, then, we got right on another rock. This wasn't looking promising.

Luckily for us, that was as bad as it got for our group. We led the group the rest of the way down the river (7 miles). In the middle of the trip, we pulled to the side for a lunch provided by the tour company. The rapids were definitely the best part...but there was a lot of down time between the rapids...people could swim or whatever. The water was extremely cold however...they said 65 degrees. The water was low which meant the river wasn't fast but, the low river made navigating more difficult...so it's a give and take kinda thing.

We saw a lot of people fall out of other rafts...however, no one with our party was one of them (my mom got close to falling out a couple times though from what I've heard). None of the rafts tipped over...which they said is unusual. Total travel time was around 4 hours...not too bad.

I was nervous starting out but ended up having a really good time. I would, and probably will, definitely do it again. Next time, I don't think I'll go with a fully guided tour but rather do a rental off a company. The problem with the guide is they control what you do and when you do it. A rental would give you the freedom to pull over whenever you want and go at your speed but it would also make it more difficult to find the right path...but it would be fun. I'm not sure I'm up for Class V rapids yet...but, hey, who knows, crazier things have happened.

One of my Favorite Commercials...

I usually rant against commercials but there is one commercial out there that no matter how many times I see it I laugh. And it is from an unlikely source...Time Warner. It is the commercial where this stocky guy is sitting at his computer and apparently he locks up. He begins yelling at his monitor "MOOOOVVVE". Apparently to know avail. He then begins banging his mouse on the next yelling "GOOOOOO". Still nothing.

His facial expressions so crack me up...it looks like something I'd do too. He's slamming around, yelling at the monitor, smashing the mouse. The music, some opera music I can't remember off the top of my head, reaches a climax with a shrill high note and, as it hits, he opens his mouth as though he is screaming. That does it for me...it is funny. I mean, I probably have seen that commercial 40-50 times and I laugh every single time. It is funny. Next time I lock up, I'm going to play an opera song here at work and recreate the entire event...and probably be escorted from the buidling shortly thereafter.

Lack of Excitement

I wish I could write today about the gang fight I got into last week or my cross country trip to Los Angeles for a week...but, alas, nothing of the sort. No trips, no rampages, no blowouts or shindigs of any kind. I can't talk about the huge winnings I had in Vegas a couple weeks ago...I would like to, I just can't. Ya know why? Because all work and no play makes Mike a dull boy.

Yes folks, it has been one boring summer day after another here. Not boring as in I'm bored...I've got nothing to do. Boring as in I'm so busy I can't do anything fun. It's a shame really...not supposed to be that way but it is. Not to say I haven't had any fun...just not the type of exciting fun you spend time writing about.

But, with that said, here's a forecast of what's going on: Sunday, I'm going white water rafting for the first time in my life. Something I've always wanted to do. I'm hoping it will be fun but the prospect of spending a whole Sunday on the river doesn't appeal to me. Maybe if it lasted an hour instead of six I would be more excited.

Of course there's always band camp...I will write an article about band camp and why I come back either tomorrow or next week.

I found out today that my work is going to send me to Florida for another conference thing. This will make the third this year...trips to Minneapolis and Phoenix proceeded. So, trips for me for work this year alone, three. Combined trips for my other co-workers in my department for the past four years, one. Hmmm....there's going to be some unhappy folks here when they find out.

That's about it for this morning...I need to do some actual labor. Other than going rafting on Sunday, I don't plan on doing any work this weekend...meaning, I'm not coming into the office and I'm not worrying about the office. It's Thursday...but I'm declaring it "The Weekend of Mike" and it will probably be about as successful as "The Summer of George".

Ten Least Favorite Sports Teams

It's difficult to limit myself to just 10 sports teams that I really don't like but I don't have time to go through 50. And, this list pretty much fluctuates on a daily basis depending on who is making headlines and what season it is...but here goes:

Mike's Top Ten Despised Sports Teams

10. New England Patriots (NFL) - They probably wouldn't make the list if it wasn't for the last two Super Bowls and the fact I'm so against Boston right now. I'm tired of listening to the comparisons to the '70s Steelers and I'm tired of hearing how they win "the right way". What, is Larry Brown up there somewhere?

9. USC Trojans (College Football) - Falls into the same category as the Patriots. They won a championship, a Heisman and are the leading candidates to do it again. Well, good for them.

8. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (College Football) - I once was a Notre Dame fan...until they beat the Mountaineers in the Fiesta Bowl. That began a downward spiral for the Irish in my eyes. And, a couple years ago when they took the Mountaineers place in the Gator Bowl...that was strike two. And, when they sat by and watched as the Big East imploded, well, they were out in my book.

7. Virginia Tech Hokies (College Football) - VTech was nowhere until the Mountaineers pleaded with the Big East to allow them to join the conference. How was the Big East rewarded? After pledging allegiance to the Big East, the Hokies ran to the ACC.

6. Florida Gators/Florida State Seminoles (College Football/Basketball) - There are three dominate sports teams in Florida. I choose to support the Hurricanes which means Ihave no room for the other two. I don't like Florida...never have. Ditto for Florida State.

5. Cleveland Browns (NFL) - They'd be higher on the list if they actually could win a game. As a Steelers fan, I have to hate the Browns. I will admit that I was disappointed when they moved to Baltimore and I was happy when the league expanded and put the franchise back. If for no other reason, a couple easy wins for the Steelers.

4. Pittsburgh Panthers (College Football/Basketball) - The Panthers are just hated. End of story.

3. Los Angeles Lakers (NBA) - Do I hate the Lakers? Yes. Can I quantify that? Not really. I just don't like them. I don't like Kobe. I don't like Phil Jackson. I don't like Jerry Buss. Atkins, George, Bynum, Walton...if you're wearing the Purple and Yellow, I don't like you. If only the Clippers weren't so bad...

2. Duke Blue Devils (College Basketball) - I am a UNC fan. I don't like Duke. I don't like Coach K. I don't like the Cameron Crazies. That's that.

1. BOSTON RED SOX (MLB) - I think I went through this in an earlier entry. You'll have to check that out because I'm not writing it again...but I do NOT like the Boston Red Sox.

Should I have added someone or left someone off this list, e-mail me or leave a comment and explain.

Health

This is from the Clarksburg Exponent:

If this is their idea of health at the Exponent, I don't want it. I mean, seriously, who would let this picture go through. That guy just completed the Clarksburg 10-K, quite an accomplishment, but he has to be embarrassed by this picture. It's not even right. We did get a good laugh about it at work though...

Rough week folks...

Just an update on me personally I guess...it's been a rough week here. It started by having to go to Martinsburg on Sunday to do a complete office upgrade out there. We finally moved to the year 2000 by upgrading all the PCs out there to Windows XP. So, we reimaged all the machines on Sunday (2 co-workers and myself) and stayed until Monday to address all the issues. Monday rolled around with very few complaints so we left under the assumption that everything was cool out there. Well, I guess it wasn't.

Beginning Tuesday, the one IT guy left out there started calling me to report problems...a lot of problems. I'm not sure why no one checked their machines on Monday but it all blew up Tuesday. And I was not going back to Martinsburg. So, that's been a fight all week...even today I have received 15-20 calls from Martinsburg despite the fact we have an IT guy there and there's only 27 users. I will probably end up out there next week.

Here in cburg we've had struggles of our own (see yesterday's post). And, with the IT guy who is usually in Morgantown in Martinsburg, I've had a lot of calls from MoTown. It's no fun to talk to irritated users on the phone. My boss went up to try to fix their problems yesterday and he was back there again today.

But, that's been my week...lots of work problems...beyond that, nothing exciting to report. Luckily, I go off call today so I don't have to worry about work this weekend...and I'm not going to. So, let the weekend begin...I'm counting down the minutes.

I Hate Boston

Maybe I should be more specific...I hate the Boston Red Sox. The city, I'm not real fond of but I don't hate it, just dislike it. But the Sox, hate...with a passion. While many people cheered for Boston to win their first World Series since 1918, I was hoping anyone would beat them. As they celebrated, I wept. Why? Because I hate the Boston Red Sox.

Okay...so it is established I don't like Boston. So, I guess I should explain why. First, their fans. Have you ever met a real hardcore Boston fan? There is this sense of entitlement that surrounds them. There's this feeling that even though they hadn't won a championship in 86 years, they were still better than everyone. Yeah, right.

Second, their players. Johnny Damon...get a haircut you bum. Oh, better yet, get your hair styled from those cool dudes from Queer Eye. Yeah, you're awesome buddy. David Ortiz...or Big Poppy. Yeah, you're the clutch hitter. Ya know what...do us a favor and run some laps around Fenway.

Curt Schilling and his bloody sock. Give me a break, would ya? If I have to see that thing on any more highlights, I'm gonna scream. Yeah, he had an injury and played through it. Okay...that's great...he showed guts. But have you ever watched a little game called football? Let's talk about some of their injuries...

And, Pedro has left for the Mets but here's a guy who gets a lot of respect from me. Tackling Don Zimmer of the Yankees, a man of nearly 100 years and 300 pounds, that takes real guts. I wish Zim would have fell on him and send him deep into the crust of the earth. I could just go on and on about the players...but it's still that fans that are most irritating.

Yeah, Jimmy Fallon in an awesome movie about loving the Red Sox...that makes me want to support that team. Or Matt Damon and Ben Affleck as fans...boy, their stock is going up now. I don't know...maybe I'm bitter about something but I wish the Yankees would just annihilate them every year from here on out. Break their spirit and send their fans packing. I hope sometime before my death, I will see Bud Selig, who will be 223 years old, come out on the stage and say that the Red Sox will be no more because of MLB contraction. There will be no tears here. You wanna know why? I hate the Red Sox.

Already Today...

Yesterday, I received a phone call saying that we were going to be having a conference in our board room here at work. The board room isn't wired for network connectivity so we decided to setup a small wireless router to give access in that room. I was really busy yesterday, so I passed the assignment on to my neighbor co-worker. In addition to setting up the router, I asked him to get a projector and screen from Marketing to set up in the room as well. I think my first request for this was around 11:00 a.m.

So, anyway, around 1:00 p.m. I finally went and picked up the wireless router and dumped it on his desk since he hadn't bothered to pick it up yet. I reminded him again at 2:00 that it needed setup and he finally went down and did it...and said everything was working. Around 4:00 I reminded him, again, that we needed a projector and screen setup in the room.

The meeting is scheduled to begin at 9:00 a.m. today. So, I get here around 8:20, told that everything worked. I told my boss, yeah, they said everything is working. Do you think everything worked? NOOOOOO...

The wireless wasn't working...we got a signal but no one could get connected to it. Do you think there was a projector and screen setup? NOOOOO. I had to track down and screen and projector to take down. Do you think anything was done? NOOOOOO. So, my boss should be back up shortly and I know he won't be happy. I'm not happy...and I'm going to make sure that my co-worker isn't happy either.

This Internet Fad

I'm about tired of this Internet thing. I mean, it's about played out, dontcha think? I mean, it's not 1999 people...this is 2005. And July of 2005 at that. It's time to move on. The Internet is getting old, much like Abe Vigoda.

Let's look my history of the Internet:

Sometime a long time ago: The Internet was made by Al Gore

The day after sometime a long time ago: A porn site was created that upset Tipper Gore and she began a crusade against the Internet.

1992 - Prodigy is THE Internet as far as I'm concerned...complete DOS-based program with some graphical interface. They charged per e-mail (like 20 free and $0.15 each after that). I went through many, many, many free month trial periods. Ran like a dream on the old 486. 2400 baud modem.

1994 - Prodigy comes out with a graphical interface for Windows 3.1. It grinds my computer to a halt. Therefore, I had to upgrade to some Pentium I machine. Started out with a 14.4 modem...whew boy, did it fly. Eventually upgraded to a 28.8 for the extra speed needed for CompuServe, AOL and the plethora of other ISPs that offered free trial periods.

4/6/96 - Created my AOL account that exists to this day.

1996-2001 - Wasted a lot of time on the Internet reading jokes and stuff. So many stupid sites, so little time.

2001-2005 - Wasted a lot of time at work on the Internet reading jokes and stuff. So much time, so few good sites.

July 27, 2005 - Wrote this article about the Internet on the Internet. Called the Internet played out and simply a fad. Saved this article and went straight to fark.com to get the "news".

Ideas?

Folks, running low on ideas here. Ummm...I'm just not real sure what to write about. Most of the things I do aren't that eventful. I'm sure there's a lot of other things like the Waffle House trip that I've done but I just don't remember right now...and that kinda sucks to forget stuff.

But, anyway, if you have something I can write about, let me know. I know there's gotta be something...

Summer Goals vs. Summer Reality (Pt. 1)

First of all, let me say: "Yes, I know this idea was recently on CH. And yes, I kinda stole their idea. So what? You try to come up with ideas to write 3 paragraphs about five times a week. Go ahead...yeah, that's what I thought. PUNK."

So, here is a list of things I had hoped to do/accomplish this summer and the reality of attempting these goals:

GOAL: Instead of watching television every night, I will read at least a chapter of a book every night.
REALITY: Made it almost two weeks doing this while I was reading The DaVinci Code. Starting Testament and, well, it got boring and The Family Guy is on Comedy Central every night at 11:00 p.m. So, that was the end of that.

GOAL: Do something every night...or at least every Friday and Saturday.
REALITY: Well, I think I made it like a week of doing something every evening. I don't mean like going out all hours of the night...just something...like go to the driving range with someone or whatever. Yeah, didn't work out too well. Spent more time in front of the computer writing this blog and eating Ritz crackers out of the box. Man, those things are addictive.

GOAL: Travel to some baseball games out of the area.
REALITY: Haven't gone to a single game this season yet. Figure I'll be up to see the Pirates soon but had intended to see the Nationals and Yankees. Watching them on TV doesn't count.

GOAL: Go whitewater rafting.
REALITY: Hey, it's gonna happen. August 7th. I'll let you know how it went later...

The Inaugural Continental Tire Bowl

Because I don't have anything interesting to talk about today, I'll take you on a journey back in time...all the way back to December of 2002. Whew...ancient history...

Anyway, 2002 marked a major turnaround for Coach Rodriguez and Mountaineer football. The Mountaineers finished the season 9-3 and received an invitation to participate in the first Continental Tire Bowl in Charlotte, N.C. to face the reviled Virginia Cavaliers. A sellout crowd of 73,535 watched on as Virginia STOMPED the Mountaineers by a score of 48-22. So, I won't focus on the game...instead, I will talk about the night before the game...and the trip to The Waffle House.

On December 27, I embarked, along with Justin and Robbie, for the great State of North Carolina. It was supposed to be a pretty simple trip...take I-79 to US 19 and then follow I-77 to Charlotte. No big deal...except about 40,000 other people decided to make the same trip. Shortly after entering Virginia, we were stuck in traffic. And I mean standstill traffic. It was miserable...

What would typically be a 6 1/2 hour journey turned into a 9 hour trek. Not good...but, we finally made it to Charlotte. But, by the time we got there, all the major celebrations of the night were complete and downtown was pretty dead. We did walk to streets for awhile and happened to run into some people from Fairmont and Morgantown and that at least passed some time.

Around 2:00 a.m. or so we headed back to the hotel. Kinda hungry, we decided to venture across the 6 lane highway to a Waffle House across the road. Ah, Waffle House...the 24-hour beacon of hope to the late night traveler. Such a clean and pleasant restaurant...or not.

You would think there wouldn't be a lot of people out in the middle of the night. You'd be wrong. Waffle House was packed...I mean standing room only. We happened to get the last empty table but this place was packed. The chef...yeah, he looked like he just got out of the prison cafeteria. Maybe this was his community service. The waitresses...not much better. We ordered without incident and got out food. Others had to wait as the cook refused to make more food. His words: "I'm not doing any more cooking until you women get back there and wash them dishes. I'm done until we get some more dishes." To which the women had a few choice words but they washed the dishes.

Safety...not a concern. This Waffle House had security. I'm not talking like mall security...I'm talking a fully armed security guard who was constantly checking out people...waiting to take action. Oh yeah, I feel great in a place that has to have armed security.

The restroom...I didn't go in but I heard it was, ummmm, I'm just glad I didn't have to go in there. The rest of the patrons...well, let's just say we were in the minority in the place.

But, I guess at the end all that matters is how the food was. So, how was the food? Not bad. That's all I've got to say about that.

So, my best memory from the Continental Tire Bowl...The Waffle House.

CLINTON WINS!!! GTA: San Andreas Rating Changed!

In a move that is sure to stabilize the Middle East and end world hunger, the video game industry on Wednesday changed to adults-only the rating of "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas," thanks in large part to the pressure being applied by Senator Hilary Clinton.

Apparently, in case you missed the story, Rockstar Games, who makes the Grand Theft Auto games, shipped the game with a hidden sex scene. A downloadable patch on the Internet unlocked the scene and made it viewable by the innocent eyes of the youth playing the game.

Now, let's talk about what Grand Theft Auto is: It is a game where you, as the main character, run around to complete missions that these thugs send you on. As part of those missions, you steal cars for transportation, shoot people, blow up buildings, shoot cops. I haven't played San Andreas but part of Vice City was selling drugs out of the back of an ice cream truck. But a hidden sex scene, now that is over the line.

So, thank you Senator Clinton for bringing much needed attention to this epidemic in video games. Cheating, killing and all are fine...but hidden scenes must be stopped. The world is now a much better place.

Whatcha Gonna Do...

I've written before about my affinity towards reality television shows. And, a major part of that comes from VH1 and their Celebreality television, i.e., Surreal Life, Celebrity Fit Club, etc. But, a new comer is "Hogan Knows Best" which stars one of my all-time favorite wreslers, Hulk Hogan.

Back in the mid to late 80s, wrestling was huge. I mean, HUGE. Hulk Hogan ruled the world and the WWF was everyone. Early morning cartoons, mid-day wrestling events...I watched wrestling at my great grandmothers every Sunday afternoon. It was a can't miss event. The first Wrestlemania was in 1985...amazing. And, like I said, Hulk Hogan was the catalyst for the entire thing...he was on top of the world with his "Take your vitamins and say your prayers" schtick.

Anyway, that's just buildup into "Hogan Knows Best". I've tried not to watch...I even told myself I wasn't going to watch. But, naturally, what did I do? I watched. And I enjoyed it. The Hulkster is tough. He's very protective of his daughter and, for the most part, the family seems to respect him. That's impressive to me because I expected to see him portrayed as an ogre who didn't know his kids and was completely disconnected from his family. It was a pleasant surprise to see that he knew his kids and went out of his way to look out for their well-being. And the relationship between him and his wife seems very good too.

Anyway, it makes me feel better about liking Hulk Hogan now that it seems he has continued to succeed outside the wrestling ring. So many other former wrestlers have either had major problems or are no longer with us, it's nice to see the biggest star can still shine bright. Way to go Hulk...maybe Hogan always knew best.