This Year's Season . . . PSU 9-4

Damn, it took all I could do to type the title . . . but a 9 and 4 season is probable for my beloved Lions. 10 and 3 is possible, not likely, but possible . . . if State gets through the first 4 games of the season with only one loss, I may be tempted to upgrade the prediction to 10 and 3.

On the subject of games 1 to 4 . . . PSU face early tests against Ohio State and Notre Dame . . . if we can win one of those two games, the momentum for an outstanding season will be in place. I have this gut feeling PSU will win one or two games the experts predict they'll lose; and unfortunately, perhaps lose a game they're favored to win along the way too . . . hence my 9 and 4 assessment.

Joe will turn 80 this year . . . but I believe what Beano Cooke once said about Joe . . . "his coaching expertise is worth 3 points in any game." Last season Joe proved he's still a major factor in Penn State's program, so no worries in the coaching department.

Next up . . . some players to watch this year.

Coming this week . . . a fearless PSU forecast for 2006

This Dog Owns My Heart . . .

Maddy . . . faithful companion and ever-present on the wing of my rocker-recliner . . . he acts more like a cat than a dog . . . but, I love this little guy . . . you'd a told me 5 years ago a dog could steal your heart, I wouldn't have believed it . . . he's my boy!

Most hi-tech coke machine I've ever seen

While on duty at one of my company's facilities in Connecticut, I met up with this modern marvel . . . a fully computerized coke and snack machine. It features a "pay ahead" by cash or credit card option. The unit uses biometrics (you thumb print) to remember you and dispense whatever you want until you've exhusted your pre-paid amount. Every purchase entitles you to "pay the CT lottery" on a small screen . . . you can win instant cash up to $100. Did your soda or snack get stuck and not drop to the dispensing bin . . . no problem, just call the posted 1-800-number, give the operator the selection number - like "D 16" and they can nudge the slot a bit and make it drop for you in "real time". Just amazing! The only downside to the set up . . . you gotta buy 2 of each item . . . they are priced 2 for a buck . . . not bad!

Garmin to the test . . . Part 2

Please change my status from "optomistic user" to "true believer" . . . in a million years, I would have never ventured into downtown Bronx with or without a map and live co-pilot to read it . . . but, yesterday the venture was made with my new Garmin . . . it executed flawlessly!

Putting the Garmin to the test

My travels took me Connecticut by way of Jersey City and NYC, a venture I not likely make w/o a real life navigator. OK, I'll admit up front, I'm easily intimidated by high traffic volumes and the uncertainty of vague map directions.

Getting right to it, all this has changed after navigating 300 miles with no errors using the new Garmin.

I admire this guy . . .

Senator Joe Lieberman?s decision to run as an Independent sets up a lively campaign season for Connecticut voters. In the first General Election poll since Ned Lamont defeated Lieberman in Tuesday?s primary, the incumbent is hanging on to a five percentage point lead. Lieberman earns support from 46% of Connecticut voters while Lamont is the choice of 41% A month ago, the candidates were tied at 40% each.

Republican Alan Schlesinger earns just 6% of the vote, down from 13% a month ago.
57% of the state's voters view Lieberman as politically moderate while 51% see Lamont as liberal.

Half (52%) of Lamont voters believe Bush should be impeached and removed from office. Just 15% of Lieberman voters share that view.

Overall, 55% of Connecticut voters trust Lieberman more than Lamont when it comes to the War on Terror. Thirty-one percent (31%) trust Lamont.

Thirty-one percent (31%) have a Very Favorable opinion of Lieberman, 18% Very Unfavorable.
For Lamont, the numbers are 19% Very Favorable, 23% Very Unfavorable.

Lieberman still attracts 35% of votes from Democrats. Lamont will have to find a way to trim that number without alienating unaffiliated voters. Lieberman is viewed at least somewhat favorably by 65% of unaffiliated voters compared to 49% for Lamont.

I took the plunge . . .

Garmin C340 GPS system . . . sweet . . . all the reviews pointed to this one . . . picked one up at Circuit City today, took less than 2 minutes to set up, and it guided me home with zero errors. No more map books, no more MapQuest, no more trying to read directions while driving . . . YES, YES, YES . . . took the plunge and couldn't be happier about it.

Posting from a Blackberry

Cool- who would have guessed you can do this! Had to give it a try.

Mid-Flight Refueling . . .

Good one . . .

The Apeman's Famous Cry Explained . . .

Bet it's fun to watch her tee up the ball . . .

Here's a conspiracy theory . . .

Gettin' er done . . .

This weekend's cookout caper is a test in preparation for September and October's college football Saturday afternoons. Last season, we hosted quite a few "tailgate parties" on the patio. At the time, I was using 2 portable charcoal grills to BBQ and smoke bratwurst, Nittany Lion franks, ribs, etc. This season, the dynamics have changed . . . The Char Griller should be able to handle the entire fare with grill space to spare.

I decide to experiment with multiple meat and veggie items this weekend in the hopes of getting the grill timing down to the point where the food can come off the grill to serve within a few minutes of each other.

Here's the line up and the plan:

Pork Tenderloin Roast and Beef Brisket (they'll start out in a foil pan in the kitchen oven at 200 degrees, covered, for about 6 hours before transfer to the smoker).

Babyback Ribs and Country Style Ribs (bone in) will start out in the another foil pan, kitchen oven at 200 degrees, about 4 1/2 hours, before transfer to the smoker. They join the roasts about 2 hours later.

Smoker side box gets fired up at the 5 hour mark, all oak chunks at first, charcoal & oak chunks after the main grill cavity achieves 180 degrees.

6 hours mark, remove one main bottom grill section and build a small "off set charcoal fire" in the main grill cavity. Replace grill section after charcoal begins turning white. Add apple and cherry chips to side box and get the smoke cranked up to the stack. Repeat, repeat, repeat, the add Roasts and Ribs to warming shelf, nearest side box heat source, uncover them.

6 1/2 hour mark, introduce brats and franks to main grill, above the off set fire area.

7 hour mark . . . should be righteous and ready.

I'm curious to see if there is too much heat/smoke loss from the main chamber as a result of having to open and close the lid to attend to the brats, dogs, and burgers . . . this is my only real concern and primary reason for this experiment. I know the grill can handle the volume of food but I'm eager to fine tune the timing - I hate missing second half kick offs!

Another good one!

On business trips, there's a reason I like staying at the Marriot . . . can't beat thier in-room coffee set up!

Good one . . .

The Poodles - Miss Olivia

Miss Olivia "Waiting for Mom"

The Poodles - Mr. Maddy

Mr. Madison Top Photo "A Quiet as You'll Ever See Him" Bottom Photo "Waiting to Ambush Abby"

The Poodles - Miss Abby

Our standard Poodle - Top Photo "End of a Long Day" Bottom Photo "Big Girl's Chair"

Re-Bogging - Thought This Was Great

In case you have been living under a rock somewhere and missed the news this morning. The wonderful religion of peace has been thwarted again trying to kill you.

THEY WANT TO F-ING KILL YOU!

Don't you understand?

A peaceful religion that spouts their rhetoric about peace and then sends their followers to kill Americans and others with chicken shit methods. They know that if they stand and fight toe to toe with the greatest fighting force in the world that they will get their ass's handed to them, toot sweet (thats french for right freeking now.) They are doing what they do best. Trying to KILL YOU!

They bitch and moan about our side killing their women and children but stand right next to their women and children when they are firing an RPG. The only thing the barbarians understand is, if they are killed while killing us, they will get their 71 virgins. (lets do the math...there is 40 million or so of them...40 million times 71 . . . thats a whole lot of virgins, might be a shortage there.)

So why don't we help them out and give them 5 minutes warning and carpet bomb the entire area. Make that sand one big glass blob. (The oil that we need is deep underground)

We are in WW3 and its time to wake up and smell the coffee people. The only way that we will win this is to band together and be strong. Those that dont agree should keep their mouths shut or move over there and learn to speak giberish or we will all be forced to speak giberish and worshiping some rag head religious icon.

Thanks to - - - http://eyerocker.blogspot.com/

Country Style Ribs

Waste not . . .

After trying 2 bottles of McEwan's Scottish Ale and not being able to finish the second one, I came close to just throwing the remaining unopened bottles away. Faced with the same decision today, I elected to mix a bottle of Bass Ale with a McEwan to see if a "Tan and Tan" would temper the taste a bit . . . brilliant!!!! I wouldn't go out of my way to do this again but I feel much better about not having to waste the McEwan. Not bad . . .

Getting ready for the weekend . . . pork tenderloins . . . can't wait to fire 'em up!