dogbertpacman

Downgrade your cable service?

2012-01-26T20:34:00.000-05:00

I called Time Warner Cable because I did not want to pay for DVR service on the second cable box that I have. It costs about $12/month for the recording capability on top of the fee for the box. I listened to all the prompts until I got to a "downgrade service" option. I told the person that answered, son of Peggy, what I wanted. He said that because I got to his extension, he could offer to reduce my monthly bill by $14 if I kept the same service I had. Neat trick.

One angry bird

2012-01-15T15:06:00.001-05:00

We went to Outback Steakhouse last night for dinner and ended up waiting alongside a group of four comprised of two kids, a parent, and a grandparent. The kids started playing angry birds, a pastime I myself sometimes enjoy. As you may know, the sound effects can grate on your nerves if you're not the one playing. Sure enough, since Outback can get pretty loud, grandma told the kids to increase the volume so they could hear the game. Really, grandma, the birds are not going to say anything profound, neither are the monkeys or the pigs. When they got seated ahead of us, I told my wife that with our luck we would get seated close to them. Yep.

Forced out

2012-01-13T22:58:00.000-05:00

For the 2nd time in two months, a friend at work has been let go. The second one was not allowed to hang around - gone in 60 seconds. This coupled with two more friends that left on their own is a bummer.

ADA gone wild

2011-12-31T12:47:00.000-05:00

We had reservation last night at the greenhouse tavern on E. 4th street in Cleveland for eight people. At the same time there was another party at the same time with a reservation for six. We were supposed to be seated on the first floor and they were supposed to be seated on the second floor. The other party failed to mention that two of them were in wheelchairs. Needless to say, we ended up with eight people at a table for six, upstairs. I'm glad I can help out in situations like this, but really folks, would it kill ya to be clearer in your communications when making a reservation?

Needles and Pins

2011-12-24T12:29:00.000-05:00

I have a pet peeve with Macy's and their clueless purchasing department. Shirts made in Nicaragua and Bangladesh are made by incompetent pin-appliers. The pins (way, way more than needed) destroy the fabric in the shirt. The Chinese are better at this but the third world has not yet gotten the memo. Some shirts I buy are just neatly tucked and have a few plastic clips. Come on, Macy's, start demanding quality from your suppliers in not just the fabric but the packaging!

World Premiere Play

2011-12-22T22:50:00.000-05:00

I have often written about how lucky Cleveland is to have Playhouse Square - one of the largest theater groupings outside of the major, major cities. This month, the Allen Theater hosted a world premiere play called "The Game's Afoot". We went tonight. I liked the twists and the eccentric characters and bizarre ending. If it tours, it's worth seeing.

In this Ken Ludwig world premiere, one meets famed stage actor William Gillette at his Connecticut castle as he is recovering from an attempt on his life following a performance of his renowned play Sherlock Holmes.

Warm Ohio - say what?

2011-12-20T19:49:00.000-05:00

The missing Greenland Block is why winter is staying away from Northeast Ohio and why resorts in northern Summit County are again closed.

That's the meteorological term for the strong high-pressure area that typically sets up over Greenland in the winter and creates an atmospheric traffic jam.

When that happens, the west-to-east jet stream is forced south from Canada and across the Great Lakes with colder Arctic temperatures and lots of lake-effect snow for Northeast Ohio. The cold can dip as far south as Florida.

The jet stream also veers north around the Greenland Block and that produces colder temperatures in Europe. It also keeps warmer temperatures from moving to the north.

The Greenland Block is a big player in producing typical cold and snowy winters in Northeast Ohio. But the Greenland Block has not shown up this winter, said expert senior meteorologist Alex Sosnowski of AccuWeather.

Early Christmas

2011-12-17T17:40:00.000-05:00

If no one can make it on Christmas day, then celebrate when the family is available.

The day is all night

2011-12-11T14:38:00.000-05:00

This is high noon today 600 miles north of the arctic circle.

Ellis Island

2011-12-10T21:46:00.000-05:00

It's amazing what you can find out about ancestors at ellisisland.org. Thanks to Mike and John for info about my grandfather who I didn't know came to the U.S. He must not have stayed long becaue he went back to the old country. Too many cooks in the kitchen, I guess (he was a cook by trade).

Why see it again?

2011-11-20T21:20:00.000-05:00

I read the Steig Larson trilogy and saw all three very well-made and well-acted made-in-Sweden movies. Why would anyone bother seeing the Hollywood version?

Carate and Barrel

2011-11-20T21:12:00.000-05:00

Went all the way to the other side of town to the only Crate and Barrel in the area. Went looking for an item featured in their newly-received catalog. But no. They were out. Their warehouses were out. Some incompetent idiot pushed a product and then made sure there was not enough to go around.

Fall in Ohio (2)

2011-11-13T19:35:00.000-05:00

Fall is gone in northern Ohio - all the leaves are brown or gone and the sky is gray. So I had to go to Virginia this weekend to take a last glimpse.

Once upon a time

2011-11-07T21:54:00.000-05:00

I think I'm hooked on the ABC TV show Once Upon a Time. Not sure yet, but so far it's OK.

Doomsday Advice from Good Housekeeping Magazine

2011-11-05T20:54:00.001-04:00

My wife showed me an article in the latest Good Housekeeping magazine. It concerns the deadly dangers of cooling a pot of soup in the refrigerator. The folks at Good Housekeeping are not aware that people have been doing this for a hundred years and they apparently just discovered the practice. The tone of the article makes this practice sound worse than listeria, the black plague, taxes, nuclear war, and yellow teeth. These alarmists need to resign from the mag.

glasses for the poor

2011-11-05T16:07:00.000-04:00

While I was at my optometrist today, someone called asking for their prescription to be faxed. The folks at the practice looked it up and noticed it was more than a year old. They told the guy to come in but he apparently said he was out of a job and couldn't afford an exam - he just needed the prescription so he could go somewhere cheaper to buy glasses. No go. No wonder the poor and unemployed find it hard to get back on their feet.

Jinxed?

2011-10-30T17:19:00.000-04:00

Before taking my car in for its recall, I stopped at Burger King for a breakfast sandwich. While I was at the counter, I heard a crash in the back of the kitchen. In a few minutes, the person in charge brought out a piece of a handle of a machine to tell her staff that the onion slicing machine was broken and that she was in trouble. What is life without onions, anyway? I then went to the Subaru dealer. The folks there were trying to make another carafe of coffee but it quit working. The receptionist said that it had been working first thing in the morning. I hoped that if I were the jinx carrier, that it wouldn't rub off on family.

Stuff behaving badly

2011-10-22T11:33:00.000-04:00

Not only is our GE washer acting up by deciding to stop whenever it pleases, we got safety recall notices for our Honda and Subaru cars. What a waste of time, fixing things that have broken before their time.

more zen stuff

2011-10-16T21:30:00.000-04:00

I mentioned beginning to learn about mindfulness and I got a comment about finding my inner zen. I don't know what that means, but here a couple of exercises mentioned by practitioners to help one's concentration on the now.
- When eating, just eat - Enjoy each bite, enjoy each moment

- Mindfulness of posture - Body and mind are not two - they are deeply connected and interdependent. When the mind or mood slumps, try adjusting the body's posture.

Left Handed Compliment

2011-10-05T20:31:00.000-04:00

Being a typically beautiful, sunny, 70 degree Fall day in the Cleveland area, at lunch time I walked from work to our nearby credit union. They have some new people there that I've never seen, but nevertheless I don't get asked for an ID when making a withdrawel. The teller, however, said "you still look like your driver's license picture". I didn't realize they had a scan of me on their screen. That made sense. But who wants to look like their driver's license picture? But then she said - "oh, this license has expired - let me scan your new one". Much better it is to still look like a six-year-old picture even if it is gorpy.

Re-directed

2011-09-29T21:11:00.002-04:00

I was interested in a few new windows so I went to the Stanek Windows web site and asked for a quote. Somehow, my request ended up with Service Magic and I have had six different contractors call. None of them sell Stanek windows. Is that some kind of sign?

Letter from the Senator

2011-09-24T15:27:00.000-04:00

As I've noted before, I have had letters to the editor published in the Cleveland Plain Dealer on various subjects. One of the last ones was a note supporting our military. Today, I got a letter from Senator Sherrod Brown thanking me for my comments and thanking my son for his service. Who would have thought that Senators respond to letters in a paper?

How to Train a wild elephant

2011-09-15T21:41:00.000-04:00

I took a class at Case Western not too long ago on the subject of Mindfulness. I didn't know what it was, but thought any new idea would be mentally stimulating. Mindfulness is deliberately paying full attention to what is happening around you and within you - in your body, heart, and mind. Mindfulness is awareness without criticism or judgment. The title of this post is the title of a book that gives weekly exercises. I think it's kind of cool.

A lovely day for an NFL game

2011-09-11T19:23:00.000-04:00

Went to a Browns game today. Very nice, sunny day, and a great 9/11 tribute. The Browns played one good offensive quarter and one good defensive quarter. Unfortunately, the Bengals scored more points.

Jury Duty - and the verdict is in

2011-09-02T18:44:00.003-04:00

Jury duty is more challenging than I thought. You really have to pay attention to everything to try to figure out which conflicting testimony makes the most sense. I hope the other 11 folks are taking better notes than I am. I can't discuss the case with anyone, including my wife, until it's over.

Update - OK, it's over. A concealed weapons charge plus receiving stolen goods (a police officer's stolen gun). The prosecuter messed this one up and we all quickly and unanimoudly decided not guilty. The judge was not happy with the verdict but realized we did our job. By the way, the police don't have time to take fingerprints because they have to get to the next crisis. As the judge reminded us, what you see on TV is not reality.

He who keeps the law is a discerning son, but a companion of gluttons disgraces his father.
Proverbs 28:7

Borders

2011-08-27T20:51:00.000-04:00

I was close to our local Borders store today and thought I would stop in to see how barren it would look while it is nearing its last going-out-of-business gasp. Much to my surprise, Borders has been emptying its warehouses and there was still a lot of stuff. I wasn't planning on buying anything but 60% off some blue ray discs was hard to resist.

Suits

2011-08-23T22:18:00.000-04:00

I'm surprised I like the USA network show "Suits". I don't like any of the characters except for Sarah Rafferty who plays Donna, Harvey's assistant as if I knew who Harvey was.

Is Facebook the death of blogging?

2011-08-23T22:09:00.003-04:00

Methnks that Facebook and tweeting have reduced the attraction of having a blog. I'm resisting tweeting.

Blade Runner II

2011-08-18T20:34:00.005-04:00

Ridley Scott Ready To Direct New Version Of Seminal Sci-Fi Film 'Blade Runner'. At least that is what I read. Hope it's true.

http://social.entertainment.msn.com/movies/blogs/the-hitlist-blogpost.aspx?post=299568d8-3105-46dc-b5d6-8c46358b1b96&ucsort=1

No Reply?

2011-08-12T22:18:00.003-04:00

In my best handwriting, I wrote old-fashioned notes / letters to my recently-deceased boss's wife, a long-lost favorite teacher, and a classmate I have not seen in many years. The teacher's husband emailed me asking for a phone number for his wife to call since she does not email. Two weeks later she did and we spent a good hour talking. The classmate's letter came back as undeliverable so Marimba gave me another address - it worked! I got an email reply and caught up. I've now run out of people from the past that I want to contact. Back to reading books.

jury duty

2011-08-05T17:54:00.000-04:00

In all the years I've been voting, I've never been summoned to jury duty. Until now. Later in the month. I hear the county court house has wireless ability (thanks to my taxes, I guess) so I'll bring my stuff and surf and listen to music and even do a little angry birds until they decide if they really need me.

Lost and Found

2011-07-26T06:59:00.001-04:00

My hat's off to Marimba. He was able to find a favorite high school teacher of whose whereabouts none of our group knew. This was difficult because none of us knew what her married name was. Marimba Holmes came through.

Believe it or Not

2011-07-23T13:56:00.001-04:00

Two years ago, I sent money to Don Cockroft to pre-order his book about the Browns. I kept getting updates every couple of months, always promising the printing was just around the corner. I wonder if I can believe this one.

July 23, 2011 Update

The 1980 Kardiac Kids ~ Our Untold Stories

At long last, we are finally going to print…

Six Hundred and Seventy Two (672) pages with 572 photos…

That is the final page and photo count of ‘The Book’ as one buyer refers to it. The layout is complete. All that remains is for my co-writer/editor Bob Moon to make corrections and complete his final proof read. The printer will have the files this coming week.

“This book has to be the most anticipated and waited for in the history of the NFL,” wrote one of the many persons, like possibly yourself, who bought the book many months ago. He is probably correct, and for the ‘waited for’ part, I can only say, especially to those of you who have waited since early 2010 for the book to arrive: “Thank you for your patience and thank you for bearing with me.” For the very few that wondered if they were ever going to get a book or if there really ever was going to be a book, forgive me for the anxiety I may have caused you.

As stated previously, I thought it would take maybe a year or so to write and complete the book. And, I estimated the book would be around 300 pages with 200 +/- photos. After listening to the recordings, reading the transcriptions of the 140 hours of interviews, and through the writing process, it became obvious we had a vast amount of information that made interesting reading. We felt we had to include it. Neither Mr. Moon nor I had any idea when the page layout process began, and even well into the process, that we’d end up with a book containing 672 pages. As Bob Moon said, “We have redefined heavy reading.”

I truly do look at this book as a work of art. Offering you anything less than what we have done would be like your buying an unfinished piece of art.

In the history of sports, professional or otherwise, I am most certain no one has written or even attempted to write a more comprehensive, complete and in-depth book about one team and one season than what my co-writer Bob Moon and I have achieved in our creating The 1980 Kardiac Kids ~Our Untold Stories.

Two of my goals when I began to write this book were to offer Browns fans a book they would cherish for a life time, and I wanted to produce a book that would honor every one of my teammates and coaches that made up the 1980 Kardiac Kids. I believe we have accomplished these goals. I hope you feel the same when you have the book, the very large book, in your hands.

Malloy Inc, a printing company located in Ann Harbor, Michigan will print the book. They will need approximately four weeks to complete the first run of books. If all goes well you can expect the book any time from mid to late August. I will inform you when the book is being shipped.

Thank you again for bearing with me. It had to be done right and there was so much to tell. It simply took a lot longer than I ever imagined. I am confident the book will be worth the wait.

God’s richest blessing. And, assuming we have NFL football this year, which we will:

“GO BROWNS!”

Don Cockroft

www.thekardiackids.com

Family

2011-07-22T22:15:00.001-04:00

Now this is what a family room should look like - like a family actually uses the room.

Hot Chocolate Through a Straw

2011-07-17T19:13:00.001-04:00

We ran into some very hot coffee today and it wasn't at McDonalds - it was a church food festival. The church lady probably added some minerals so that the boiling point was well above 212 deg F. That reminded me of a story. When I was a young lad, we went to the great metropolis of Pittsburgh (which compared to Weirton was way beyond great). For whatever reason, we stopped in a store that featured everything Planter's peanuts and all kinds of Mr Peanut stuff. I wasn't interested in peanuts so I ordered a hot chocolate and was given a Mr Peanut collectible souvenir straw to go with it. I took one sip through the straw and burned very muchly my tongue. Any adult that would give a kid a straw for use on hot liquids should not be allowed within 50 feet of a child. I wonder how many other unsuspecting little ones these adults punked.

Oh, by the way, it was very frustrating to watch the womens' world cup USA loss to Japan today.

An egg not eaten is a an egg wasted

2011-07-09T12:22:00.000-04:00

The police department tells me this was just a random act of violence since I'm not in any disputes with my neighbors. Time will tell.

Sprite dilemna resolved

2011-06-30T21:51:00.000-04:00

In a previous blog I mentioned that in two restaurants in a row, I ordered Sprite and in both cases, the water-refiller came by with a pitcher and put water in my Sprite glass. Tonight, we went to a local Mexican restaurant, Luchita's, and they had the solution. Water in red plastic glasses and soft drinks in clear plastic glasses. Simplicity itself.

The crisis in Greece

2011-06-25T15:51:00.000-04:00

My Greek friend Dori, who has decided to live in Germany, has given me a link to a blog written by a Greek explaining how they got into a financial mess.

http://sturdyblog.wordpress.com/2011/06/18/democracy-vs-mythology-the-battle-in-syntagma-square/

An excerpt:

The Greek psyche has always had an Achilles’ heel; an impending identity crisis. We straddle three Continents and our culture has always been a melting pot reflective of that fact. Instead of embracing that richness, we decided we were going to be definitively European; Capitalist; Modern; Western. And, damn it, we were going to be bloody good at it. We were going to be the most European, the most Capitalist, the most Modern, the most Western. We were teenagers with their parents’ platinum card.

I did not see a pair of sunglasses not emblazoned with Diesel or Prada. I did not see a pair of flip-flops not bearing the logo of Versace or D&G. The cars around me were predominantly Mercedes and BMWs. If anyone took a holiday anywhere closer than Thailand, they kept it a secret. There was an incredible lack of common sense and no warning that this spring of wealth may not be inexhaustible. We became a nation sleepwalking toward the deep end of our newly-built, Italian-tiled swimming pool without a care that at some point our toes may not be able to touch the bottom.

AMC's The Killing

2011-06-20T21:40:00.000-04:00

In spite of calling it "The Boring", I watched the last episode of AMC's "The Killing". Somehow I thought this was going to be a one-season mini-series, but no. There is going to be a season two. That explains the twist at the end of the final episode. At least I'll have a show to keep complaining about next season.

Super 8

2011-06-20T21:20:00.001-04:00

I saw the movie Super 8 last weekend. My initial interest was because it was filmed in my original hometown of Weirton, WV. It turned out to be a pretty good sci-fi movie overall. The kid actors do a super job. I didn't like that the bad guys were the US Air Force - not very innovate of Spielberg. A lot of memories came back when I saw locations that were familiar to me many years ago. It's very sad that the town has fallen on bad times due to vanishing employment. It would have been very hard to make a film there in the 1950's, though, as the soot would have reduced the visibility to near zero.

Marine University

2011-06-16T21:38:00.000-04:00

Congrats to all the grads of the 2011 class of Marine University.

Tressel

2011-05-30T20:01:00.000-04:00

Let me start out by thanking all Americans who serve and have served in the U.S. Military, and for their sacrifices past, present and future.

It's too bad this Memorial Day was ruined by a non-military subject - the forces that want to topple anything Ohio State. Jeers to the faux fans that cheer wins but will not stand by a coach who takes ungrateful kids and tries to make men out of them. Jeers to the self-righteous czars of the NCAA. I wonder how many of them would be able to maintain a decent reputation after any kind of investigation.

Would you do this now?

2011-05-26T13:01:00.000-04:00

While talking to some friends about the good old days, I came to a realization that was a bit scary. While growing up in Weirton, WV in the 50's, there was no state-supported or mandated kindergarten. My parents signed me up at the Weirton Christian Center in a private kindergarten. I was four when I started. I had to take the public bus. We didn't have a family car back then. Most of the kids in my part of town that went there did the same thing, except that most were five years old. After the first week, I walked to the corner bus stop on my own, no parents anywhere. Think about that. Sending a four-year old on a public bus day after day. You can't even begin to think about doing that nowadays. Times were different then, but I have to say my thanks that nothing wierd happened to me that first year.

Another word I should have known

2011-05-23T12:19:00.000-04:00

While looking up sci-fi movies on the net, I ran into a reference to Blade Runner as "dystopic". I had no clue what that meant, but I should have.

DYSTOPIA (dystopic): An imagined universe (usually the future of our own world) in which a worst-case scenario is explored; the opposite of utopia. Dystopic stories have been especially influential on postmodernism, as writers and film-makers imagine the effects of various aspects of our current postmodern condition, for example, the world's take-over by machines (The Matrix); the social effects of the hyperreal (Neuromancer); a society completely run by media commercialism (The Running Man); the triumph of late capitalism (Blade Runner); bureaucratic control run amok (Brazil, 1984); and so on.

Rare Sunny Day in Cleveland

2011-05-22T20:48:00.001-04:00

Took in a ball game today at the Cleveland Indians' Progressive field. It's been so cloudy and rainy the past three months that I didn't see the need for sun tan lotion. Nice trick played on me. My team won, so what's a little sunburn?

TV Musings

2011-05-21T13:30:00.000-04:00

I haven't shared my TV observation for a while so here goes. The ever-fantastic Fringe had a season finale that had me asking - did Peter really vanish from existence? Brilliant! On The Mentalist, was that really Red John lying dead in a bloody pool? How will Patrick Jane stay out of jail? Brilliant! AMC's original series The Killing should be called The Boring. Smallville's last-episode-ever was a bit cheesy. I would have like Erica Durant to be the Nikita character. At least Nikita has been renewed for another year, as has Fringe. So, what to watch in the summer? Dr. Who, of course, and So You Think You Can Dance.

I'll gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today

2011-05-09T21:26:00.000-04:00

I've been wanting to go to Michael Symon's B-Spot burger joint for a while, but the lines are always long. I figured since I took a vacation day on Monday, an off-hour 2:30 PM late lunch might work. Yep. No wait. The burgers there are great. They run about $8, they are not very large and do not come with any sides, but the taste and selection are fantastic. There is a relish bar that is available at no extra charge to charge up your burger - try the sweet hot pickles. I not sure what the meal is called when you eat between dinner and supper. I like the term "sinner" better than "late lunch".

Water in my Sprite

2011-05-07T16:40:00.000-04:00

Two days in a row, I was at a restaurant and ordered Sprite to drink. These are two different restaurants I'm talking about. At both, someone came around refilling water glasses, and sure enough, I got water in my Sprite. Maybe a different color straw for water versus soft drink would help. I'm better off just drinking nothing but water anyway.

Where Have all the Hippies Gone?

2011-05-07T16:36:00.001-04:00

Gone to Asheville, everyone. I don't mean hippies in their 60's from the 60's - there are many contemporary ones living there. I was quite impressed with how vibrant the downtown area was and not just on the weekend. We had very good, high value (read that as not expensive) meals at the Tupelo Honey Cafe and The Table restaurants. The honey at the Tupelo honey Cafe was unique and I bought a jar to bring home. It seems there is an unwritten rule that says all servers have to have tattoos with extra points for piercings, not that I'm complaining, and they all did a nice job. I was also surprised that no one came up to us panhandling. There were many, many street musicians, but that is passive and provides a service.

Pop Tarts and Hard Salami

2011-05-03T22:11:00.000-04:00

My first quarter as a Freshman at Cleveland State, many, many, many years ago, was a bit lonesome. Living at 24th and Euclid when downtown Cleveland was at the height of its lowest was not fun. I had no car and my roommate visited his girlfriend every weekend back in Wooster, OH. There was nowhere to eat close to campus that I felt safe going to on the weekend. When my roommate would get back Sunday night, he often brought pop tarts and hard salami. In those days, there were no fridges or microwave ovens in rooms, so we ate perishables right away. I developed a taste for a hard-salami-pop-tart sandwich. That was my first foray into the salty-savory-sweet combination that pops up on the Food Network now and then. I was ahead of my time and didn't know it. Needless to say, I joined a frat the second quarter of my Freshman year because the frat house had a cook.

Booth or a Table?

2011-05-01T14:38:00.000-04:00

I really must take notes on lessons learned so I don't repeat mistakes. We went to our favorite local Chinese restaurant last week and were asked if we wanted a booth or a table. I said a booth was fine. After I sat down, I quickly realized my mistake and remembered why. These booths transmit all movements from the person behind you. It so happens that I had Nervous Ned, Fidgety Frank, Earthquake Earl, Jiggly George (all the same person) sitting behind me. This guy could not blink his eyes without shaking the booth. This guy could not smile without causing a 5.5 Richter scale earthquake. Anyway, after he left I had about 15 minutes of calm. Then, another couple sat in the booth behind me. This guy was fairly motionless. That just reinforced the feeling that the first guy needed some major tranquilizers. However, I own up to the responsibility for needing to remember to ask for a table next time.

Donny Trump and China

2011-04-30T11:01:00.001-04:00

Presidential wannabee Donald Trump is vocal about not liking that too many goods are made in China, taking away jobs in the U.S. Buy American, he says. I own a couple of Donald Trump signature ties. Sure enough, they are made in China. The Donald prostitutes, er, I mean licenses his name and is not involved in manufacturing, so he can't influence where the ties are made. Or can he???

Elegiac

2011-04-24T11:11:00.000-04:00

Who uses words like these? I was reading an article about the upcoming Ohio State football season and Terrelle Pryor. Plain Dealer columnist Bill Livingston said "already there is an elegiac sense about Pryor, who did not win the Heisman trophy in his first three years and surely won't win it in the seven games for which he is eligible next fall."

I did not know what it meant so I looked it up. It means mournful / resembling a poetic elegy. Oh. that makes sense.

More belated blog comments

2011-04-23T15:37:00.001-04:00

I'm not sure why I'm getting lazy in regard to posts. Maybe nothing exciting to say. On tax day, I was going to say that I had filed all three tax forms electronically for the first time. H&R Block At Home software wanted to charge me for a state filing but I just went ahead and used what the state had free on line. Same for local tax. Kind of like Time Warner wanting to charge $10.95 a month for wireless when you can buy your own wireless router. Or worse, the Cleveland Sewer district wanting to charge each property for storm drainage based on how much non-absorbing surface there is. You know - roofs and driveways.

Poor Manny

2011-04-10T13:11:00.000-04:00

The Plain Dealer wrote a sports editorial in regard to former Indians slugger Manny Ramirez after his 100-game suspension and subsequent retirement from baseball. The article questioned his intelligence. For example, when Manny was in Cleveland, he got pulled over because his tinted windows were too dark and his car stereo too loud. After the cop gave him a ticket, Ramirez puled off, made an illegal U-turn and got another ticket. At the time, the Cleveland fans didn't care because he was OUR Manny.

In regard to retirement, Manny told ESPN Deportes (deportes means sports in Spanish although you probably know that) that he'll be going away on a trip to Spain with his old man. This is what the Plain Dealer columnist then wrote.

If the rain in Spain falls mainly on the sane, Manny won't need an umbrella.

ALEXIA and the Metro

2011-04-07T18:54:00.001-04:00

This is a story about two poor service experiences.

Seven months ago we were in Washington DC using the great Metro system. My wife's fare card all of a sudden was not accepted by the automatic gates so we went up to an attendant. He had us fill out a refund form and told us we had to buy another fare card. I figured that was another $9 donation to the system. But no - a check came in the mail today.

The other story involves ALEXIA brand foods, specifically frozen roasted potatoes with green beans and mushrooms. It was supposed to come with a seasoned oil pouch. But no. I called yesterday and was told it would take 20 minutes to talk to someone - there was a long wait time due to a "system upgrade". One of these days I'm going to look up the intended meaning of upgrade. I called today and the wait was only ten minutes. I stuck it out and ended up with a coupon - good for whole 90 days. Sheesh.

Less or Fewer?

2011-04-05T20:03:00.000-04:00

It really irks me when people mess up the use of less versus fewer. I bought some Crystal Light hard candy the other day and the label said 50% less calories than regular hard candy. I would have thought it grammatically correct to have said 50% fewer calories since calories can be counted. Here is what I found out.

Use fewer with objects that can be counted one-by-one.

Use less with qualities or quantities that cannot be individually counted.

Incorrect: There were less days below freezing last winter.
Correct: There were fewer days below freezing last winter.
(Days can be counted.)

Correct: I drank less water than she did.
(Water cannot be counted individually here.)

When referring to time or money, less is normally used even with numbers. Specific units of time or money use fewer only in cases where individual items are referred to.

Examples: I have less than an hour to do this work.
I have less time to do this work.
I have less money than I need.
I have less than twenty dollars.
He worked fewer hours than I did.

The only occasion in which you might say, "I have fewer than twenty dollars," would be when you were talking about specific dollar bills or coins, such as "I have fewer than twenty silver dollars in my collection."

How to Discourage People from Going Green

2011-04-01T15:57:00.000-04:00

Only in Cleveland. The Cleveland water department is raising rates 50% the next four years. Why? Demand is down. Why? People are conserving / low flow shower heads / low volume flush toilets. Say what?

Travelling memorial

2011-03-27T14:55:00.000-04:00

On the highway the other day, I noticed the rear window on an SUV that was passing me. The window had four lines of fancy lettering with the first line saying "In memory of" then the second line giving the name of a USMC corporal. I thought it a fitting tribute and reminder to all of the sacrifices made by our Armed Forces and the grief felt by their family.

A strange question for a doctor to ask

2011-03-27T14:49:00.000-04:00

I was at a doctor's office last week and during the visit the doctor said - "if you don't mind me asking your opinion - I had a patient no-show this morning and I'm thinking of sending them a $50 cancellation fee invoice - do you think that's proper?" I told him that most doctors I visit tell you up front either verbally or in writing that if you don't give a notice 24 hours ahead of time, you are subject to a charge. Apparently, this doctor had not thought about that. Still, that's a strange question to get asked. Sure, this guy was young, but at my age, most people are younger than me. Maybe I should start a consulting business.

Nah.

Kentucky

2011-03-26T13:31:00.000-04:00

It's not that the Buckeyes lost to the Wildcats, it's that I wasted my time and lost sleep watching this late-night game. Will the powers of universe please let me know ahead of time when not bother? Thanks.

March 25 Independence Day

2011-03-23T20:24:00.000-04:00

March 25 is the day celebrated by Greeks as Independence Day. In many large communities there is usually some kind of parade. I've never been to one, preferring to stay out of the almost-certain bad Cleveland weather. My excuse to my Greek friends is that the island of my parents didn't become part of Greece until 1949 and I don't beleive that was in March anyway.

Glee

2011-03-22T21:17:00.001-04:00

I don't normally watch Glee - unless Gwyneth Paltrow is on.

The Mighty Horizon League

2011-03-20T07:52:00.000-04:00

For the second year in a row, the mighty, mighty Horizon League has shown it belongs in March madness. Unfortunately, it is via Butler, not my Cleveland State Vikings. Pitt fans must be furious while WVU fans are laughing (except for their early exit).

Done with Land's End

2011-03-19T13:47:00.000-04:00

The last straw with Land's End dress shirts has come. The quality has been going down hill since K-Mart (Sears) bought Land's End and that slide has finally irritated me. The last two orders had a torn shirt followed by a shirt with ink stains. I am putting the end in Land's end.

From Indiana

2011-03-13T19:54:00.001-04:00

Next time you're over, big guy, we'll go for a ride.

Satellite Radio Challenged

2011-03-12T11:03:00.000-05:00

Getting XM radio activated should not be a challenge. I called the nice folks at SiriusXM but ended up with the Sirius folks who told me to call the XM folks. I did and am not sure what country I was talking to. I talked to two different ladies who tried activation. The first time not working was my fault because I was in the garage. The second time I was out of the garage but probably not far enough. I got advice from Marimba to activate via the web and to get as far away from buildings as possible. He was right again. Thanks.

Relief

2011-03-12T10:49:00.000-05:00

Is it just me or is the U.S. government responding to help in Japan much more quickly that it did in New Orleans? It could be the difference in the administration or it could be the efficiency of the Japanese in asking for help or it just could be learnings from the past.

New Car?

2011-03-05T11:06:00.000-05:00

Going to test drive a Subaru outback. I looked at a bunch of cars at the Cleveland Auto Show last week and decided to stick with my plan to pursue Subaru (which spelled backward is u r a bus). Wish me luck.

Belated Blog Bullet Points

2011-02-24T21:29:00.000-05:00

I haven't blogged for a while, so what is going on?

I got tired of waiting for Larry the cable guy, so I went to the nearest Time Warner service center and picked up a new cable box. Much better.
Another winter storm warning tonight into tomorrow afternoon. Wow. Snow in Cleveland in February; whoda thunk?
Planning on taking a day off next week to go to the Cleveland Auto Show. Never been to one before. Now may not be a good time, however, to trade in my 30mpg Matrix.
Got tickets to see Jersey Boys when it's in town. Dadgum tickets cost as much as a Los Vegas venue.
If you buy a full rack of ribs at Applebee's, don't expect them to be tender.
If you ever get to Marcella's at the Polaris shopping area North of Columbus, you gotta try the zucchini chips.

Continuing Time Warner Saga

2011-02-19T17:11:00.002-05:00

OK, so Larry the cable guy came over to swap out my cable box to see if that would make a difference with the image on the TV constantly pixelating and freezing. Sure did - it got 100 times worse. That proved to me that a cable box can cause the symptoms I've been experiencing and that it's not the line coming in. I would have swapped the box out myself, but the local Time Warner office is not open on Saturday anymore. Now I have to wait for Larry to come back and hopefully bring a quality box this time. I did insist that he reinstall my existing cable box before he left.

your life in just six words

2011-02-14T20:25:00.000-05:00

Smithmag.net is a site where people write their life stories or current feelings in six words. Some are stupid, some sad, some funny, but I think all are cathartic to the writers. Sort of like a glass of milk is to the lactose intolerant.

i blog which means i am

Exodus from Egypt

2011-02-13T20:25:00.003-05:00

I have previiously noted that my mother grew up in Alexandria ( Egypt, not Virginia) and came to the U.S. in 1949. She left behind four brothers and many first cousins. Life in Egypt was still good for Europeans until Nasser screwed things up for them. After the 1956 Suez war, my mother's relatives started fleeing Egypt. Two brothers came to the U.S., one went to Brazil, and one to Athens (Greece, not Georgia). The cousins went to Greece. Below is some history in regard to hostilities perpetrated by Gamal Abdel Nasser and the reactions that followed.

Gamal Abdel Nasser was born in Alexandria on January 15, 1918, the son of a postman. After secondary schooling in Cairo, he entered the Royal Military Academy, and graduated in 1938. There and in subsequent service he formed friendships with a few fellow officers and with them created a secret revolutionary society, the Free Officers. Egypt was ruled at the time by a small landowning class that possessed one-third of the land and dominated parliament; the British presence was all-pervasive, and the king, Faruk I, was an irresponsible playboy. The Free Officers plotted to rid Egypt of the British and the king, and the disastrous campaign against Israel in 1948 strengthened their resolve. On July 23, 1952, they staged a coup and ousted King Faruk.

In 1955, Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser began to import arms from the Soviet Bloc to build his arsenal for the confrontation with Israel. Earlier, President Dwight Eisenhower had successfully persuaded the British and French not to attack Egypt after Nasser nationalized the Suez Canal. When the agreement on the canal’s use proved reliable over the succeeding weeks, it became more and more difficult to justify military action. Still, the French and British desperately wanted to put Nasser in his place and recapture their strategic asset.

The French had grown increasingly close to the new Israeli government, politically, diplomatically, and militarily. The British attitude toward Israel had hardly changed from the mandatory period. Residual bitterness over the nearly three-decade-long battle fought with the Zionists, combined with the ongoing alliance with Jordan, discouraged any shift in policy.

The French concluded, however, that they could use Israel’s fear of Egyptian aggression and the continuing blockade as a pretext for their own strike against Nasser. The British couldn’t pass up the chance to join in.

The three nations subsequently agreed on a plan whereby Israel would land paratroopers near the canal and send its armor across the Sinai Desert. The British and French would then call for both sides to withdraw from the canal zone, fully expecting the Egyptians to refuse. At that point, British and French troops would be deployed to “protect” the canal.

When the decision was made to go to war in 1956, paratroopers landed in the Sinai and Israeli forces quickly advanced unopposed toward the Suez Canal before halting in compliance with the demands of England and France. As expected, the Egyptians ignored the Anglo-French ultimatum to withdraw since they, the “victims,” were being asked to retreat from the Sinai to the west bank of the Canal while the Israelis were permitted to stay just 10 miles east of the Canal.

On October 30, the United States sponsored a Security Council resolution calling for an immediate Israeli withdrawal, but England and France vetoed it. The following day, the two allies launched air operations, bombing Egyptian airfields near Suez.

Given the pretext to continue fighting, the Israeli forces routed the Egyptians. The IDF's armored corps swept across the desert, capturing virtually the entire Sinai by November 5. That day, British and French paratroops landed near Port Said and amphibious ships dropped commandoes on shore. British troops captured Port Said and advanced to within 25 miles of Suez City before the British government abruptly agreed to a cease-fire.

The British about-face was prompted by Soviet threats to use "every kind of modern destructive weapon" to stop the violence and the United States decision to make a much-needed $1 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund contingent on a cease-fire.

The Cable Guy

2011-02-12T13:07:00.000-05:00

I finally called Time Warner about trouble I've been having with one HDTV. It keeps freezing/pixilating about once a minute on HD channels. Supposedly, a technician checked the signal outside and it was OK. The next day another cable tech, let's call him Larry, came to the house to check things out. Very friendly person. He found the connector on the cable in the wall to be shoddy and he replaced it. No effect. He punched a bunch of buttons on the cable box so that a whole lot of number showed up on the TV screen. From that he determined that maybe the signal was "too hot". He put an attenuator on the cable line and said he would call to see how it was going. I think it's worse. I tried turning off the wi-fi to see if that had an effect - nope. I am curious to see how many visits it will take before they decide they need to upgrade the cable wires, either outside or inside, or both. I'll keep you informed. Wonder what AT&T U-verse is like?

Return from Vegas

2011-02-05T16:51:00.000-05:00

I just returned from a birthday celebration trip to Vegas with my wife. When we left Cleveland last Tuesday, 90% of all flights were cancelled due to weather, but ours was not - good start. Thanks, kids, for the special treat in the room and the champagne and birthday cake at the restaurant.

Had dinner at the Bartolotta restaurant at the Wynn. Expensive and fantastic! The seafood stew was one of the best I've had in regard to the richness and flavor of the liquid - I could have dipped bread in in all night.
http://www.wynnlasvegas.com/dining/bartolotta

Another culinary delight was the Carnegie Deli at the Mirage. Super high sandwiches. Pastrami one night and corned been the next day. http://www.mirage.com/restaurants/carnegie-delicatessen.aspx

We went to see Terry Fator, a singer, ventriloquist. http://www.terryfator.com/ I had never heard of him but apparently he won the Season 2 America's Got Talent competition. Well worth seeing!

The finale was the best. Love - the Beatles Cirque du Soleil show at the Mirage. Words cannot descirbe it, so I won't even try.

Strip Steakhouse

2011-01-31T20:14:00.000-05:00

I'm adding another restaurant to the list. The Strip, in Avon, OH. I've added the web address below. A little pricey and items are a la carte and I would go back for sure.

Great lobster bisque. Steaks done to perfection for all of us at the table (thanks Sol and Larry for joining the celebration). Great Gruyere mac and cheese, and I'm usually not a mac and cheese guy. Tater tots as an appetizer may not sound appealing but their home made ones are way different than what one normally gets.

Avon is very different than when we lived there 30 years ago. The trees left and urbanization has crept in.

http://www.stripsteakhouse.com/

Youth

2011-01-29T08:26:00.000-05:00

The big six-oh came and went. I feel the same. Yep, no difference. None at all.

Except for the urge to eat dinner between 4 and 6 and to go on bus tours.

The TSA's Covert Anti-tie Campaign

2011-01-24T23:09:00.002-05:00

I went through security at Cleveland Hopkins Airport this morning and went through one of those see-right-through-you machines. I was told to take everything out of our pockets, including kleenex and whatever. After I raised my arms and got scanned, I stepped out and was told to wait. After a minute a TSA agent come up to me, putting plastic gloves on his hands. He looked at me and asked me if I was wearing a tie, which I was. I was under a crew neck sweater, since the weather in these parts gets chilly in January. He then said that is probably what the screen technician saw but he patted down my chest to make sure it was just a tie. Next time, I'll wear the tie outside the sweater. I guess the TSA never has dress-up days.

Cleveburgh?

2011-01-23T18:38:00.000-05:00

In a column that ran in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, a regional economist at the University of Pittsburgh made a case for a Cleveland - Pittsburgh metro region. This would include the metropolitan statistical areas of Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Akron, Canton, Steubenville, Weirton and Youngstown. Really? Steubenville and Weirton? The dude would have been better off listing the megalopolises of Follansbee and Wellsburg.

10 best movies filmed in Cleveland

2011-01-15T10:59:00.000-05:00

From the Cleveland Plain Dealer via imbd.com

1. The Deer Hunter (1978)
2. A Christmas Story (1983)
3. Traffic (2000)
4. American Splendor (2003)
5. Stranger than Paradise (1984)
6. The Fortune Cookie (1966)
7. One Potato, Two Potato (1964)
8. Antwone Fisher (2002)
9. The Rainmaker (1997)
10. Major League (1989)

We don't need your stinkin' toys

2011-01-13T22:33:00.000-05:00

I am active in a local chapter of the American Society for Quality. At our December meeting, each person brought a toy that was to be donated at Christmas to the City Mission in Cleveland. When our section chairman took the toys down to the Mission, they regarded him with suspicion and did not accept the toys. Huh??? So another charity got them instead - near but not in the city of Cleveland. And the Cavs lost another game (not related but just shows you the state of affairs of this once-great city).

Catching Up

2011-01-09T21:32:00.001-05:00

Sorry, I haven't posted for a while. So here are some rambling thoughts.

I'm on the fifth Jim Butcher "Harry Dresden" novel and still enjoying. I'll give my books to the big guy when I'm done in case he's interested.

Wrote a few more letters to the editor but they have not been accepted.

Celebrated my 40th year with my company. My boss took me out to lunch and sort of surprised me by having the whole department there. The real surprise came later in the afternoon with a party in the conference room. My boss found the first monthly report I wrote where I stated that my first month at work was at times slow and dull. Careful what you write, you don't know how long it'll stick around. And that was before the Internet. Actually that was before a whole lot of stuff.

A while back I posted about Saint Fanourios and how one prays to him to help find stuff. A few months ago, a person at work lost a valuable item so I baked a "Fanouropita" for her and gave her the prayer that goes along with it, which she recited. Hadn't heard how it went - I assumed the item was long gone. Last week, she was lamenting that a new silver cross she was wearing fell off her chain and she couldn't find it. That triggered my talking about the saint again. She then told me her item actually was found. Inspired, I went looking for her cross. I can't explain it, but I was led to the cafeteria and looked under tables where she may have eaten lunch. Mind you, she didn't tell me she had lunch there that day and I had no clue where she would have been seated anyway. But, I found it and she was happy. The next day, our priest was scheduled to visit our house for a house blessing, which I like to do yearly. I usually gather up icons and what have you and place them on a table to use as the starting point of the prayers. This time, I decided to bring in the religious talisman I have in my car and added it to the collection of icons. The next day while driving to work the car seemed a little noisier than usual. On the way home it was obvious there was a serious problem. When I got home, I got out of the car and noticed a very, very flat tire. Dude, I was going highway speeds on the turnpike with that flat. I went in the house and discovered that the talisman from the car was still on the table - I had forgotten to put it back in the car. Coincidence? If this were just one isolated incident I might have said yes, but I observe this stuff happening all the time. “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”

Special prayer to LC - my deepest condolences on the passing away of your grandmother.

Thieves

2011-01-02T16:43:00.000-05:00

There are morons out there that would kick in one's door just to steal a TV. These people are what one would call enemies.

The Lord will grant that the enemies who rise up against you will be defeated before you. They will come at you from one direction but flee from you in seven. Deuteronomy 28:7

With God we will gain the victory, and he will trample down your enemies. Psalms 60:12

Yogi Bear

2010-12-28T15:02:00.001-05:00

The new Yogi Bear movie that is just coming out reminded me of a story; stories are why I started the blog in the first place.

When I was a comic-book-reading youth, one of the comics I read was Yogi Bear. In one issue there was a contest - in 25 words or less, why you like reading this particular comic book. I sent in an entry. A month later, I got a letter saying that I won a prize - not a major prize, mind you, but a prize nevertheless. It turned out to be a Rawlings baseball glove. That glove fit and functioned perfectly. I used it in my first year of organized community baseball, called "Termites" in Weirton. At the end of the year, we had a team picnic and the next thing you know, someone stole the glove. I assume someone on the team. No other glove fit like that one. I wish I knew who took it just to ask what happened to it. Forgive and forget I say, but I am curious. Morons!

Even a child is known by his actions, by whether his conduct is pure and right. Proverbs 20:11

Buckeyes

2010-12-25T12:41:00.000-05:00

This signed jersey by former Ohio State linebacker James Laurinaitis was not signed and sold while he was a buckey. Unlike Pryor, who sold his 2008 Big Ten championship ring and gold pants award, James stayed clean at Ohio State.

By the way, even though Terrelle Pryor majorly dissed OSU by selling items one would normally hang onto for a lifetime as a source of pride, I don't see how selling something that is yours would get you into trouble. These guys get tuition scholraships but don't get any living expenses from the evil greedy SOBs that run the NCAA. I always believed that once I gave a gift, it didn't matter what that person did with the gift. I give up any right to care after I give a gift. I don't see why the NCAA should be any different.

Greeks in Alexandria, Egypt

2010-12-21T18:23:00.001-05:00

I had a number of relatives that grew up in the Greek community of Alexandria, Egypt in the 20th century, so I got curious about the history of it all. The following is edited from Internet sources.

The Greek community of Alexandria was founded in 1843. In 1907 the official census showed 62,973 Greeks living in Egypt. By 1940 Greeks were numbered at about 250,000. The contribution of the Greek population in the financial life of Egypt was very important. It was the Greek agriculturists and farmers that first systematically and with scientific planning, cultivated cotton and tobacco. They improved the quantity and quality of the production and dominated the cotton and tobacco commerce doing large exports.

The exodus of Greeks from Egypt started during and after the revolution of 1952. With the establishment of the new sovereign regime of Gamal Abdel Nasser, rise of Pan-Arab nationalism and the subsequent nationalization of many industries from 1957 and afterward, thousands Greeks were forced to abandon the country. Many of them immigrated to Australia, the United States and Greece. Many Greek schools, churches, small communities and institutions subsequently closed. The Nasser regime was a major disaster for the Greek diaspora which afterward dwindled from many thousands to a handful. The dangerous situation in the Middle East also deteriorated the conditions for the Greeks that stayed back in Egypt. It is estimated that between 1957 - 1962 almost 70% of the Egyptian Greeks left the country. Today the Greek community numbers officially about 3,000 people although the real number is higher since many Greeks have changed their nationality to Egyptian.

They paved paradise to put up a parking lot

2010-12-21T18:02:00.001-05:00

The picture shown here is a great old Victorian house in 1969 Cleveland. It happened to be my frat house. I could wake up at 7:45 and walk over to my 8 AM class without being late. During its heyday, downtown Cleveland was full of houses like these. We took pretty good care of it, considering we were a frat. We all slept in the unheated attic which is where I first learned about electric blankets. Around 1974, Cleveland State tore it down and replaced it with a parking lot. Morons.

Who dat? - Stylianos of Paphlagonia

2010-12-17T08:10:00.000-05:00

A young Russian Orthodox woman at work had bought an icon in Greece and wanted to gift it to her cousin who was expecting a baby. She said she was told it was a patron saint of children but since she doesn't read Greek, she wanted to know the guy's name and wanted to make sure she got the straight story. Since I'm on vacation, she scanned the icon and emailed it to me. I was able to read it and looked up the guy in the religious text we all use - Wikipedia and learned something new myself.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stylianos_of_Paphlagonia

Saint Stylianos (Greek: Στυλιανός) was born during the 6th century in Adrianopolis in the province of Paphlagonia (in modern day Turkey) into a very wealthy family. At a young age, Stylianos joined the hermits of the desert with a view toward cleansing his soul through a period of meditation and prayer, as well as through association with men likewise pledging their lives to Jesus Christ. Unlike most other hermits, however, he did not withdraw from society altogether, preferring to go among the people for whatever good he might do, and then returning to his little cave for rest and prayerful meditation.
According to the church tradition, one night while he prayed for guidance in helping others, Stylianos felt a divine presence and was consumed by the great glory of the Holy Spirit, emerging from his cave the next day with a spirit of exultation and serenity he had never known before. In his customary rounds, wherein he counseled and comforted, he felt compelled to place his hand on a stricken child, something he had not up to that time dared to do; he felt the power of the Lord being transferred to the ailing youngster through his extended arm. The child immediately recovered, and thenceforth Stylianos was sought after by every suffering soul for miles around, young and old.

During this period, Stylianos concerned himself primarily with children, not just the physically afflicted but also with those who were in need of spiritual guidance. Families from all walks of life were said to have entrusted to Stylianos the enlightenment of their children, and he was forced to seek out larger headquarters and to recruit from the ranks of his hermit friends the assistance needed to tend to so many. His was probably the first day-care centre in the world, where mothers could safely leave their children while tending to other matters of the home.

Sparkles

2010-12-17T08:01:00.002-05:00

Please don't send sparkly holiday cards. The sparkles jump off the cards and coat the counters, the floor, the furniture, and whatever food is in the vicinity. Thanks.

How'd that get on my credit card

2010-12-12T14:31:00.000-05:00

I just hate it when an unauthorized charge appears on my credit card. Kudos to Chase for sending me an alert. What's your problem freecreditreport.com?

Cyprus

2010-12-07T22:59:00.000-05:00

After my Uncle told me he served in the British Army in 1945 even though he was a Greek born and raised in Egypt, I asked him why. He said because his father (This would have been my step-grandfather) and grandfather were Cypriots . I knew there was a British connection to Cyprus but didn't realize what it was until I read the following.
In 1878, as the result of the Cyprus Convention, the United Kingdom took over the government of Cyprus as a protectorate from the Ottoman Empire. In 1914, at the beginning of World War I, Cyprus was annexed by the United Kingdom. In 1925, following the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire, Cyprus was made a Crown Colony. Between 1955-59 EOKA was created by Greek Cypriots to perform enosis (union of the island with Greece). However the EOKA campaign did not result union with Greece but rather an independent republic, The Republic of Cyprus, in 1960.

In 1960, the mostly Muslim Turkish Cypriots were only 18% of the Cypriot population. However, the 1960 constitution carried important safeguards for the participation of Turkish Cypriots to the state affairs, such as the vice-president being Turkish Cypriot, 30% of parliament being Turkish Cypriot, etc. Archbishop Makarios would be the President and Dr Fazil Kucuk would become Vice President. One of the articles in the constitution was the creation of separate local municipalities so that Greek and Turkish Cypriots could manage their own municipalities in the big towns. This article of the constitution was never implemented by the Republic and President Archbishop Makarios.

Internal conflicts turned into full-fledged armed fighting between the two communities on the island which prompted the United Nations to send peacekeeping forces in 1964; these forces are still in place today. Turkey invaded the island in 1974 and seized the northern third of the island, Turkish Cypriots in the south would travel north and Greek Cypriots in the north were forced to move to the south. The de facto state of Northern Cyprus was proclaimed in 1975 under the name "Turkish Federated State of Northern Cyprus". The name was changed to its present form on 15 November 1983. The only country to formally recognise The "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" is Turkey. Turkey has repeatedly violated numerous UN Resolutions[6] and refers to the Republic of Cyprus as the "Greek Cypriot Administration of Southern Cyprus".

After the southern, Greek speaking part of Cyprus became a member of the European Union, it adopted the Euro as its currency on January 1, 2008, replacing the previously used Cypriot Pound; whilst the northern area continued to use the Turkish Lira and on January 1, 2008 the New Turkish Lira. Cyprus entered the EU in 2004.

Lousy Quality - Philips LED holiday lights

2010-12-04T17:04:00.001-05:00

Philips LED lights - 60 bulbs which say indoor/outdoor - should be avoided. We got them last year because LED lights last a long time. Unfortunately, these made in China lights when used outdoors rusted where the pins in the base make contact with the wiring. Totally useless after one season. Thanks for nothing Seasonal Specialties LLC of Eden Prairie, MN. I want to be clear that the problem was not the LEDs themselves, but rather the plastic, removable covering over them that allowed moisture to seep in when used outdoors. This moisture rusted all the pins.

Eat at Berry's

2010-12-01T20:17:00.000-05:00

If you're ever in Norwalk Ohio, and really - why would you ever be there - stop in at Berry's restaurant. Great restored old building with interesting decor and very reasonable prices. People travelling to and from Cedar Point from South of Sandusky like to eat there. Complete with a bar.

Why I joined my frat

2010-11-24T13:25:00.000-05:00

Need I say more?

Salt and Pepper Holes

2010-11-24T09:06:00.002-05:00

Our family had an animated discussion about which shaker should have more holes- salt or pepper. I've always thought it was salt with more holes but a lot of the family disagreed. The point is which one do you want to have more control over in regard to how much comes out. When we asked our guest what she thought, her answer was "I use a pepper mill". Anyway, here is what I found on the fickle authority known as the Internet:

Pose this question online, and you get 436,219 people's opinions on 11,694 different web sites on why the salt (no! the pepper!) shaker has more (no! fewer!!) holes — and worse, they all insist on telling you how they reached these amazing conclusions.

Go to an actual source — say, the people who have been making Lenox china since 1889 — and they'll tell you that, when there is a difference, the salt shaker has more holes.

Smooth Voice

2010-11-21T14:29:00.001-05:00

I read an article in the paper last week about keeping your voice healthy. I sing in a church choir and most of the people use Halls lozenges to last through the service. Our choir director freely hands them out every week. I was thus surprised to read that menthol and eucalyptus throat lozenges can irritate sensitive vocal folds. The advice was to try fruit or honey lozenges without menthol or eucalyptus, or suck on sugar-free hard candy like Ice Breakers Sours.

TV show musings

2010-11-21T14:23:00.000-05:00

A strange thing happened to "Caprica", the Battlestar Galactica stand-alone prequel on Scy-fy channel. It got cancelled and the last five episodes will air next year. In the meantime, the DVD for the current, yet cancelled season 1.5 is going on sale before Christmas. This means the last five episodes can be seen on DVD before they're aired which I'm sure will entice the 982 fans of this show to buy the DVD for the holiday. I probably won't.

To be honest, I was getting bored with one of the story lines in Caprica (the Sister Clarice line) which took up about 1/3 the air time. I quit watching live and did the DVR thing just to fast forward.

I've changed my mind about Stargate Universe, or SGU as it's called. It's not silly like its Stargate predecessors and the relationships are much more complex. In other words, I'm starting to like it.

My favorite by a wide margin is Fringe. My favorite cheesy show is Smallville. Very cheesy but in its last season.

A Christmas Story

2010-11-20T08:41:00.001-05:00

Ian Petrella, who played little brother Randy Parker in "A Christmas Story," has been living in Tremont's A Christmas Story House and Musuem since June and plans to stay through the holidays. He and other actors from the movie will be special guests at the "A Christmas Story" Convention in Cleveland Friday through Sunday, November 28.

By the way, for those of you wondering how the story of corrupt Cuyahoga County officials is going, here is another headline from today's Plain Dealer - "County official, agency head charged with theft".

Facebook not for me

2010-11-18T22:09:00.000-05:00

I have resisted joining Facebook so this following news item piqued my interest.

The Air Force is warning its troops to be careful when using Facebook and other popular networking sites because some new features could show the enemy exactly where US forces are located in war zones.

In a warning issued on its internal website earlier this month, the Air Force said that "careless use of these services by airmen can have devastating operations security and privacy implications." The message was also sent to senior commanders, who were asked to get the word out to their forces.

Dresden files

2010-11-13T10:44:00.000-05:00

Thanks Tony, for getting me to read Jim Butcher's series of Harry Dresden novels - the adult wizard detective. I was getting bored with the Orson Scott Card follow-ups on the Ender and Bean story line.