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9 row(s) meet your search criteria for January , 2005.

NFL Championship Games - January 21, 2005

Another round of Football pools have come around the office for this weekend's big games. I love these things - especially here at work because they are low dough ($2 per square), I know a lot of the folks on the grid, and it provides some additional interest in watching the games.

I'm in two pools, both the 10x10 pick-a-square type of game where you put your name in a square. When the grid is full, the numbers are then picked at random, and using the last digit of the team's score, it maps to a square on the grid. I've got two squares in the AFC game, and 1 for the NFC game.

  • Patriots 7, Steelers 3 - by far my best chance at a winner.
  • Patriots 9, Steelers 9 - not a very likely combination - 9 is easy, but 19, 29, and 39 are very unlikely scores unless something unusual happens (missed PAT, safety, 2pt conversion). The good news is that special to this pool, any person who paired up on their numbers are instant winners of $4!
  • Falcons 9, Eagles 7 - not a bad combo for a low scoring game - 9 to 7, 17 to 9 - after that the likelihood of a winner goes down.

Payoffs - Besides the instant wins, $20 for end of 1st quarter, $25 at halftime, $35 for end of 3rd quarter, and $80 for the final. Considering my instant win, I'm in this thing for $2 total. Now let's see if I win.

UPDATE: - Like Yukon Cornelius, "Nothin' - absolutely nothin'."

#  | 05:28 PM |  Comments Closed (0)  |  (Tags: General)

Lots of New Pictures - January 15, 2005

I posted about 72 new pictures in the gallery today off my Digital. Many are in the "Through Garrett's Eyes" gallery as my almost 5 year old son gets the camera and shoots away giving an short person's perspective of the world. He also seems to get the best pictures of Sara.

#  | 12:22 PM |  Comments Closed (0)  |  (Tags: Fyi)

Mr. Wolff, Let Me Introduce You to Portland - January 07, 2005

The effort to bring MLB to PDX was not successfull in their bid to get the Expos. Most insiders thought that was going to be a long shot, but you can't win if you don't play. We lost. Ok. Who's Next?

AP: LA developer considers buying Athletics

Wolff, the team's vice president for venue development, had been helping the team evaluate possible location alternatives available in the Bay Area for a new ballpark.

Schott has repeatedly said the only way for the small-market A's to remain viable is to get a new stadium, which commissioner Bud Selig has also said is key.

Come to Portland Mr. Wolff. Check out our city - Check out our plan for a new ballpark funded with no public funds and no initial investment from the team's ownership. The deal is ripe, and ready for the taking.

Imagine, an already good rivalry between the M's and A's enhanced by an steamy in-place rivalry between Seattle and Portland.

Good for you. Good for Portland. Good for Baseball Fans. And Good for Baseball in General.

#  | 10:26 AM |  Comments Closed (0)  |  (Tags: Baseball)

Computer Science Students With Too Much Time - January 06, 2005

Do you remember a game called "Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon"? I just discovered (it was originally built in 1996!) that there is an automated version online - probably built by computer science students. The Oracle of Bacon has actually downloaded IMDB files and calculated a Bacon score for celebrities.

This is one of those "not useful, but cool" pieces of technology. Puzzles for the programmer. I love those things. I have half a mind to download the data myself just for kicks.

Try it. Put in an actor, and see if you can get a high "score". I had a hard time getting anything higher than 3 (average is 2.9).

#  | 08:37 AM |  Comments Closed (0)  |  (Tags: Funnies)

You might be a liberal if... - January 05, 2005

You might be a liberal if...

You think that protestors outside nuclear power plants are dedicated activists, but protestors outside abortion clinics are dangerous zealots interfering with a legal activity.

You believe that even though the top 20 percent of taxpayers pay 80 percent of income taxes, that the rich are not paying their “fair share.”

You believe in global warming today just as firmly as you believed in global cooling back in the 1970s.

You mentally subtract 100 points from someone’s IQ if the person speaks with a Southern accent.

You are dedicated to helping the poor, the downtrodden and the less fortunate, but you have never given blood.

You have no problem with Hollywood movie stars flying around in private jets to give speeches on the evils of SUVs.

You deplore prejudice and bigotry in all its forms, but think that everyone in the “red states” is an idiot.

You are worried about how the French view Americans.

You believe that nativity scenes should be banned from public view, but that anyone objecting to pornography "only has to look the other way."

#  | 08:45 AM |  Comments Closed (0)  |  (Tags: Funnies)

Kidding... Right? - January 04, 2005

The team once known as the Anaheim Angels is proposing adding "Los Angeles" to their name: The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Egads! That is awful.

Growing up in (at least the vicinity of) Southern California, they were known as the "California Angels", which I think sounds better. I could understand the change to the "Anaheim Angels", being that they needed to be branded with a geography more representative, but this new change really makes me scratch my head. According to their press release:

The Los Angeles region, which is comprised of Orange, Los Angeles, Ventura, San Bernardino, and Riverside Counties, is the second largest media market in the country. This name change will strengthen the Angels' long-term economic health by enhancing the marketability through this metropolitan area and beyond.

How? Will the gang-bangers pick up on the LA name and begin to show their Angels colors? Bloods do wear red while the Crips normally choose blue (dodger blue BTW). So this will naturally enhance the Dodger/Angel rivalry, right?

I'm sure that's just what the OC Yuppies want is some downtown bangers headin' south to OC to root, root, root for the home team.

UPDATE: Here is another nice take on the name change.

#  | 12:05 PM |  Comments Closed (0)  |  (Tags: Baseball)

Headlines Can Be Misleading - January 04, 2005

Here is the headline that popped up in my Yahoo "Most Viewed Stories" portlet.

AP: Breast Enlargement Contest Draws Fire

And I immediately figure somebody is having a contest to see who can get the biggest implants ever. Sadly, there is a whole constituency of people who would probably think that was a good idea.

Fortunately, I was wrong.

In the "Breast Christmas Ever" contest, 13 women were awarded the procedure after writing essays to the stations explaining why they wanted larger breasts. A Tampa station claimed to receive more than 91,000 entries.

Phew! That makes more sense - except for the fact that 91,000 women in the Tampa metro area think boob implants will make them a better woman. I've got a better idea: why don't they learn to keep a house clean, cook a decent meal and quit watching Dr. Phil while eating bon bons!

Maybe the headline should have been "Breast Implant Giveaway Contest Draws Fire", or "Bigger Boobs to the Winner of a Radio Contest Seen as Insensitive", or how about trying your own in the comments?

OK, maybe I'll cut the AP editors some slack here. There is no way a decent headline could have been written for that.

Ya gotta love that contest name though.

#  | 09:28 AM |  Comments Closed (0)  |  (Tags: Funnies)

Isn't it about time... - January 03, 2005

I know Oregon was a "blue" state and all, but isn't it about time for you Dems to remove those "Kerry/Edwards 2004" stickers from your car?

Or are you waiting to add, the inevitable "Don't blame me, I voted for Kerry" sticker?

#  | 10:29 AM |  Comments Closed (0)  |  (Tags: Funnies)

My 2005 Dead Pool Picks - January 01, 2005

2004 was my first year in the Amish Tech Support Dead Pool, now hosted at Laurence Simon's isFullofCrap website. The rules say you pick 15 people with some claim of celebrity and if they kick the bucket in the year, you get points based on their age subtracted from 125.

My picks for 2004 didn't provide much in the way of scoring - in fact, I had no scores. Sad but true. I had a strategy to try and not pick the obvious choices - of which only Reagan and Arafat provided scores. Even if I had picked those two, I wouldn't have been much better off - not in the top 5, nor eligible for any bonus prizes.

This year, I'm going to play again, but alter my strategy slightly. I will pick some popular choices only to keep up, and then supplant the roster with some educated picks.

So here is my list of potential picks:

  1. Thatcher, (Born 13th October 1925) - she looked awful at Reagan's funeral and will likely be a popular pick.
  2. Pope JP2, (born May 18, 1920) - any day now. I'm sure of it. He was the #1 pick last year, and will likely be again.
  3. Rehnquist, (born October 1, 1924), not well, has some bad malaise, but will swear in W in January - or not. His recently disclosed illness will likely rate him a pretty popular pick too.
  4. Johnnie Oates, Born January 21, 1946 - Former baseball manager, diagnosed with a brain tumor back in 2002. He wasn't well picked last year, approaching 3 years post-diagnosis makes him a pretty good pick - and lots of points too. DAMN - he passed away just the other day! Time to get #1 from the alternate list.
  5. Karl Malden, (born March 22, 1912) - he looked pretty bad at last years Golden Globes ceremony. I'm guessing his appearance will get him on 10+ rosters this year (only 2 in 2004).
  6. Rosa Parks, (born February 4, 1913) - I read that she's not well either. 14 rosters last year, likely a few more this year.
  7. Billy Graham, (born on November 7, 1918) - I read that his health is in decline- he's only 87 yrs old. 15 rosters last year.
  8. Byron Nelson, (Born Feb. 4, 1912) - a holdover from last year's list. at a recent Masters, he shanked one into the crowd. The person who got hit wanted his autograph. I had him as a solo shot last year.
  9. Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, (possibly born on October 20, 1966) another high risk job but lots of DP points to be had. "Would you like a laser guided missle for lunch sir?" Go get him Marines!
  10. Liz Taylor, (Born February 27, 1932) - "not afraid of dying" she says.... well do it in 2005 you old bat! On 9 rosters last year.
  11. Don Knotts, (born July 21, 1924) - he looks much older than this.
  12. Jim McKay, (Born Sept. 24, 1921) - another holdover from last year's list. Just a hunch on this one.
  13. Nelson Mandela, (Born 18 July 1918) - another 87 yr old, scheduled to die soon. 9 others picked him last year, including me.
  14. Henry Kissinger (Born 27 May 1923) - I haven't seen or heard from this guy in a long time. Is he "in decline"? I thought so last year. 9 picks last year.
  15. Lloyd Bentsen (Born 11 February 1921) - another invisible celebrity. Another one of my solo shots last year.

That's it. That was my list I submitted. Here is a list of my also-ran's:

  • PROMOTED - Shamil Basayev (born January 14, 1965) Chechen separatist leader.
  • Boris Tadic, (b.January 15, 1958), President of Serbia.
  • Boris Yeltsin, (b. February 1, 1931) lovable drunk. Got 12 picks last year.
  • Fidel Castro - fell off the bed and broke his leg. Brittle bones means old - scheduled to liberate Cuba with his death any day now. picked 18 times last year - I expect that to go up.
  • Kim Jong Il (North Korea) - Everybody's gotta die sometime, why not now. 8 rosters in 2004.
  • Mary Travers (peter, paul and mary) has leukemia, but expects it to go into remission.
  • Lady Bird Johnson (born December 22, 1912) - 92 yrs old. Not a lot points for these really old ones.
  • Queen Elizabeth, (born April 21, 1926) - her father died in his 50s of cancer, but the Queen Mum was 102. Average is 76 - she's overdue.
  • Hamid Karzai, (born December 24, 1957) - high risk job.
  • Iyad Allawi, (born 1945) another high risk, mitigated by US forces. His protection may diminsh after the elections, leaving him vulnerable. He'd be best advised to head for the Carribbean.
  • Abe Vigoda - Not dead yet, although he looks it.
  • Charles Haughey - former irish Prime Minister
  • hugo chavez(venuzulean president) embattled President
  • Alvaro Uribe Perez (President of Columbia) Drug lords may be targeting him for his cooperation with the US.
  • Abbas - replace Arafat, due for his dioxin soup any day now.

I hope my alternate list doesn't beat my primary.

#  | 10:49 AM |  Comments Closed (0)  |  (Tags: Webdesign)