This just means Florida is NOT SAFE TO VISIT more of the year. I think we are down to 45 minutes in late February and an hour the third week of October that it is safe to visit. Study: Summer is getting longer – LiveScience – MSNBC.com
Archive for August, 2006
Flat screen prices to drop 20 to 30 percent
TODAY’S LINK THAT MEANS SOMETHING TO SOMEONE
Flat screen prices to drop 20 to 30 percent – Tech News & Reviews – MSNBC.com
Carolinas on hurricane watch – Weather – MSNBC.com
Ernesto upgraded to Tropical Storm. Credits counseling for getting over Depression.
Doggone, I’m using my wrong paw
Go figure. Weezy is actually left-pawed and throws a mean curve ball.
Caffeine buzz
Puerto Rico’s coffee farmers can’t find people to harvest this years coffee crop, so the the government is recruiting public employees and prisoners to do the job befroe the crop is lost. The inmates won’t be working for free, though. They’ll make about $5 per bucket and their sentences will be reduced by 10 days for each month they work.
Gotta love prisoners…helping mop up the oil in Indonesia and now picking coffee beans in Puerto Rico. I think the show Prison Break is painting an unrealistic, unflattering picture of prisoners. They all sound like such kind, caring people.
Waistlines keep expanding in 31 states
My apologies – I’ve got a weight theme going on today, I know.
Waistlines keep expanding in 31 states – Fitness – MSNBC.com
Is your husband making you fat?
Right…it’s your husband’s fault. And the TV is to blame for your kid acting out, and it’s your parent’s fault…wait…actually, it probably is your parents fault.
Morning…
Well, Ernesto gave us less than a quarter of an inch of rain. It was only late last night that you could feel even a slight breeze. Oh well…what is the “F” Storm? It is a nice morning outside today. Mid 70’s, kind of humid, maybe a breeze out of the west. Typical for summer, maybe not typical for August, but certainly summer in the tropics.
Eating breakfast this morning, Lily and I were sharing a bowl of strawberries. As she is eating, she is slightly turned towards me since we are eating out of the same bowl. Her half empty bowl of Rice Krispies is on her other side. In one motion, her elbow knocked the bowl of milk and cereal off the table and onto the floor. Lily didn’t flinch. She didn’t react, she didn’t drop her strawberry. She went about eating like nothing had happened and uttered a simple, “Sorry, Dad”. It was just the way she was so casual about it.
Predictions 101: Picking week’s top games
Are you ready for some football? 120 hours to kickoff!
Predictions 101: Picking week’s top games – College football – MSNBC.com
Dinner time
Our “post Dinner” time is fairly consistent around here. Diane does the dishes while I get Lily bathed. My question is this: Since we used paper plates tonight, meaning all Diane had to do was throw away the dinner dishes, does that mean I get a “short cut” to bathing Lily? Shouldn’t I be able to just hose her off outside? Dunk her in the pool? Let Weezy and Skeeter lick her clean? Just seems fair to me.
Hair used to clean up oil spill
Sorry – I know this is not exactly a pretty story…hair, oil spills – (no, it’s not from New Jersey either!)
Hair used to clean up oil spill – World Environment – MSNBC.com
Who wants to be a sextillionaire?
Estimates put the USA’s monetary supply at about $7 trillion. But according to Danny Sheridan, the odds of San Francisco 49ers winning the Super Bowl are 1 sextillion to 1. Which means if you bet $1 on the Niners winning the Super Bowl, the payout would be $1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000, or more than 142 million times all of the money in the US.
The best betting odds are on the Colts at 6:1
Dude
I found your link to your camera!
I’m tired of watching you wince – you look like you are in pain – what did you do?
How’s the storm? Is Ernesto giving you any rain?
You need another office cam on your brother – isn’t he in the same office?
Send me an email, let me know wassup!
Brian T.
FBI crime statistics from across the U.S.
Wow, maybe Florida is safe to visit. At least it is safer than some places. This is the FBI’s report on violent crime in the US, which was up 2.5% last year. A few notable cities… Incidentally, Dallas, TX was down also. However they had 16,000 reports of violent crime! Most of the cities I’ve listed below had 3-4000 reports. Sorry Paul – things must be too quiet in sleepy Challis, ID…you didn’t make it in the report.
Allentown… up 32%
Anchorage, AK… down 6%
Columbia, SC… down 13.7%
Tampa, FL… down 10.4%
FBI crime statistics from across the U.S. – Crime & Punishment – MSNBC.com
Nothing on TV
Did you see this garbage on TV last night? Celebrity Duets? If we, as a planet, aren’t terribly, terribly embarassed that this is on our public airwaves, then there is no hope for us. Just when you thought it couldn’t get any worse, this garbage comes out.
Lunch time
Just finished lunch with Lily. Still no rain in Brandon. Most of my customers in the state are closed, which is making for a slow day.
Ernie
For those of you in the hurricane pool, one of my weather websites is reporting that Ernesto made landfall at 1001 mb, with 45mph winds.
It’s 10:30 now, I’ve been in the car most of the morning and never turned on my windshield wipers. Still looks like the bulk of the rain is to the south of us. Ernesto has slowed a bit, moving only about 8mph.
Good news / Bad news… Looks like a beautiful Labor Day weekend in Florida, not so beautiful for the Northeast.
Good evening
It’s just after 7pm now. Lily is winding down, playing with a few of her dolls. She just talked to her “Crazy Aunt Laura” after much insisting.
The storm is on its way, although most computer models still disagree where it is going. One thing they agree on is that it isn’t much of a storm. In fact, Hillsborough County schools are open tomorrow.
We got the yard mowed. In fact, we started a bit of a chain reaction – all the yards around us were getting mowed as the afternoon went on. I guess everyone else knew the storm was coming.
We played in the pool afterwards, gave the dogs a bath, made dinner, and then gave Lily a bath.
Not sure what is going on tomorrow with the weather. I think in the morning, Lily and I are going to run an errand or two. We have something to ship to someone… who will get it? what will it be?
Tuesday afternoon update
I’m home for the day. Going to try and get the yard cut before the rain. They are predicting about 5 inches, just enough to make it soggy by the weekend. Might as well get a jump on it while we can.
Polk County Schools, the county immediately due east of Hillsborough has closed for Wed and Thursday because of Ernesto. You can see the beginning of the weather change outside now. No winds still, and the sky is still only partly cloudy. But to the south you can see a very high, slight haze growing.
P.S. To someone who reads the Vlog… use the comment button…it doesn’t bite.
My back is killing me today!
My back is killing me today. I can barely sit stil. The only thing that makes it better is standing.
Still no signs of bad weather. In fact, it’s kind of nice today. The humidity is down a bit I think and the sky is bright blue and clear. There is even a slight breeze picking up.
No. 11 Miami has eye on FSU, Ernesto
I’ve got this feeling that the result of this first game of the college football season will really affect my interest the rest of the season. This is like a bowl game for us, it’s HUGE! And it’s only 6 days away!
No. 11 Miami has eye on FSU, Ernesto – College football – MSNBC.com
Ernesto Update
Sounds like Tropical Storm Ernesto will be affecting us late tomorrow. The most recent forecast I’ve seen has the center about 150 miles ESE of us by about 2pm Wednesday.
There are still a couple of computer models that send Ernesto further west, almost into the Gulf of Mexico, after which time he skirts up the west coast of Florida.
It’s anybody’s guess at this point. If the current path persists, we’ll have 40-50 mph winds out of the east, so everything on the porch needs to be secured or moved.
I guess we’ll try to mow the yard today. After a wet couple of days, its finally been dry for the last 48 hours.
How to cruise for free
Oddly enough, “Marry one of Clayton Rasmussen’s daughters” isn’t among the ways to cruise for free. Partly because if you do happen to marry one of Clayton Rasmussen’s daughters, it will cost you in many, many other ways.
Ernesto
Ernesto has just closed the schools in Miami-Dade County through Wednesday.
Exciting weekend…
I was on the phone and asked this person to whom I was speaking if they had done anything exciting this weekend.
They said yes, in fact, they did. They steam cleaned their carpets.
Monday Morning
Good morning loyal Vlog readers. After a wonderful weekend, we are back to work, watching Ernesto. Looks like we will get some rain, and a little wind. The local weatherman on ABC is foaming at the mouth, they want a storm soooo bad it seems.
Visitors told to leave Florida Keys – U.S. News – MSNBC.com
FLORIDA NOT SAFE TO VISIT!!!!!
Tropical Storm: 5 Day Forecast Map : Weather Underground
Tropical Storm: 5 Day Forecast Map : Weather Underground
Uh…does this mean what I think it means? I think it does!!! NO WORK ON THURSDAY!!!!!
Clean up, clean up, everybody, everywhere…
I’ve decided that cleaning up Lily’s toys while she is still around must be a lot like shoveling the driveway while it is still snowing.
Miami reportedly extends WR’s suspension
YES! Now, there are 22 starters on a team. The way the ‘Canes are heading FSU might just have a chance!
Miami reportedly extends WR’s suspension – College football – MSNBC.com
My Turn Online: By Any Other Name
TODAY’S LINK THAT MEANS SOMETHING TO SOMEONE
My Turn Online: By Any Other Name – Newsweek My Turn – MSNBC.com
Atlantis launch postponed
No Shuttle launch Sunday. Too bad…I can’t see it from my office either because of the oak trees. I guess I’ll just stay home on Monday.
Singing at the table
Diane and I discovered over lunch that the dining table in her childhood had the same rule as mine did…No Singing at the table. We could be eating pizza, watching the Dukes of Hazzard with no shirt on TV and there was no singing. When, during parenthood, do they teach you those stupid rules?
Garage Sale
I had a small garage sale this morning with my next door neighbor.
Started at 7:00 and quit at 10:15…made $125.00.
Tropical Storm: 5 Day Forecast Map
We really don’t like talking about these storms in the Gulf of Mexico. With family in Galveston, and family scattered all about Florida it leaves very little room to move.
This morning’s forecast has Ernie reaching Category 3 strength by mid week.
Christmas
Diane asked Lily what she wanted for Christmas. She thought for a second and said “Cheese and crackers”
Taller people are smarter
Short people got no reason to…short people got no reason to…
UPS Store
I’m a regular at a little UPS store where I have to drop off packages almost daily some weeks. The proprietors are very surly, almost rude, like my package is such an inconvenience. I usually walk in there not expecting to be acknowledged or greeted at all. This has gone one for a year or more. Until today. I walked in this afternoon and was greeted like I was Norm walking into Cheers. All I ask for is some consistency…I wasn’t prepared for friendliness. I just dropped my package and ran out of there, confusd like I had just stepped into some Twilight Zone.
Vet visit
Took the dogs to their vet appointment this morning. I was at Boyette Animal Hospital at 8:47a for a 9:00a appointment. I waited, and waited, and waited. By 9:30a, I asked how much longer and the clueless little girl behind the counter didn’t even look up at me and said “not much longer”. At 10:00a, I decided I had enough and went to the counter and told them I would need to cancel and that I didn’t have all morning to wait when I had an appointment. So the lady goes to her computer, asks my name and the dogs’ name. At this point, I am so obviously irritated. Here’s the part that just about made me go Postal…she asks…”OK, would next Friday morning at 9 be ok to reschedule?” Postal, I tell you.
Electric Bill
I don’t have to tell you it’s been hot. It’s been hot everywhere. I am happy to say, however, that we managed to reduce our electric bill 6.5% over last month, and 11% lower than last August.
Tropical depression strengthens – Weather – MSNBC.com
September 10th marks the peak of Hurricane Season. You know what that means…Florida Not Safe To Visit…at least through Nov. 30th and only by special permission after that!
Friday joke day
Why is it so hard to identify a redneck’s body?
Because all the DNA is the same and there are no dental records.
Alaska cruise tax looks like it’s going to pass
My apologies to those of you who have no interest in the Alaskan stories I’ve been posting. This week marks the one year anniversary of our cruise up yonder. One person (who will go nameless) even asked if I had any regular readers that I knew of in Alaska. Well, I don’t. The farthest I can positively determine a visit from is Hawaii.
Alaska cruise tax looks like it’s going to pass – Cruise Vacations – MSNBC.com
