Disney World Day 1

The Schrenks and Millers are all out in Orlando to spend time together and hit up Disney World. 15 people including six children four and under. Day one was Animal Kingdom afterword general exhaustion. A week of this and we will need a break from this vacation. I am having a great time with the family, as it is rare for all of us to be able t0 get together. The kids are adorable, and a lot of fun to be with at the park. It would be nicer if some were a little older, as those too young don't get the same out of it as the older ones. I sure miss not seeing them more often.

"I need to be subsidized"

My brother, Nathan, directed me to this Calvin and Hobbes comic. Each panel just hits a little too close to reality.

San Francisco, 1906

I really like this picture of San Francisco.

Yellow Light Cameras?

According to Ars Technica in Italy the red light cameras have been tweaked and the lights set to maximize the number of people running a red light. They reduce yellow time to the minimum and entrap people in the intersection. We now have cameras like this here in Creve Coeur and the St. Louis area. I was skeptical of these from the beginning, but news like this makes me believe that the incentives for the government with these can easily go from public safety, to profit maximizing.

On an unrelated note, I really don't understand currencies and currency markets.

The Big Picture

Somehow I was directed to this blog entitled The Big Picture. It shows a series high resolution photos of current events with good captions. I have been following it for a few weeks, and have enjoyed the last few, especially the new sailing post.

Child's Play

Every year Gabe and Tycho from Penny Arcade run the Child's Play charity to give games and toys to children's hospitals around the globe. You can give a cash donation or choose the hospital near you and gift a specific item. They have already hit over one million dollars this year, which is pretty impressive for something two guys started in 2003.

Danny Robinson

There is a fascinating interview of Danny Robinson, a poker player, where he tells his life story and his coming to Christ. I can't seem to get just an mp3 link, but you can subscribe to the two plus two podcast and download episode 51 or go to their website and listen. Either way the interview starts at 41:17 and runs to 1:30:03. This story has quite a bit of why Vegas in the 70's was sin city. He is quite the raconteur and this interview is part of his ministry to tell poker players about Christ. One analogy he relates from Hayseed Stephens, New York Titans Quarterback, is that when you go fishing you don't jump in the water swim down and clean the fish, but you catch the fish and then clean it. Stephens said that he was catching him and then God would clean him.

Divorce Rate Myth

This appears to be old news, but it corrects even older news. Awhile ago the information that 50% of marriages end in divorce made headlines all over the place, but apparently that is wrong. In fact marriage stability is increasing since the late 70's during which only 53% lasted 25 years. Less people are marrying, but those that are seem to be more stable.

Auditorium

Auditorium is a game that you have to try. Part game, part sensory experience.

Diabolical Scam

I saw an advertisement for Swoopo and was a little curious why the deals seemed too good to be true. Turns out that to place a bid you need to spend $1.oo. Each bid increases the price of the item by $0.15 or $0.01 (and incidentally increases the time of the "auction"). They are just raking in the cash on these items. I can't believe that people are willing to gamble on winning the ability to pay for these items. The real winner here is swoopo, the expected return for the bidders has got to be so low.

Little Jokes

In the Economist this week they show how to write two paragraphs of story and four paragraphs of tongue in cheek jokes. This is but one small reason why it is the best news magazine around.

Halloween

I ended up just manning the door for Halloween, but I did get dressed up as Donnie Darko. I may have to get more use out of this costume next year.

DDR

It had been a long time since I had hooked up my Dance Dance Revolution pads. This last week they came out of storage at the suggestion of some friends. I remembered why I love this game. It is some of the best exercise I can get indoors, and it is so fun. Like riding a bike, the steps come back. However, the game still just ratchets up the difficulty to the most impossible levels as it gets to the hardest levels. I am at a point where I can either combo most of the song, or not even be able to finish. The suggestion I read was to just keep practicing, and making attempts at the harder songs, and I think some of that is paying off, but some of these seven and eight footers are just taking me apart.

I think the endorphins will keep me coming back. It takes a little while before I have to get off the pads, because my legs feel like lead.

Almost Over

The World Series, Halloween, and the election. Even without the market we have a busy few weeks ahead here. This election feels like it has been going on for two years, wait it has. The political phone calls are ramping up to a fever pitch, caller-id sure is nice.

Rays and Phillies, how did that happen?

Hmm, I can never come up with a good costume idea, I don't even have any plans this year.

Internet Comments

I need to stop reading comments on the internet, they are so painful. I heard someone claim that there actually are some useful youtube comments, but I don't believe them.

The Jon Arbuckle Story

The humor derived from reading Garfield without the titular character knows no bounds.

Chambana

This last weekend I headed up to Champaign-Urbana to return to my alma mater. I enjoyed visiting the church there, and it was good to reconnect with everyone. The Mangers were hosting their annual cookout and hay rack ride, which is always a favorite. I didn't cook my marshmallows quite right for the s'mores, but it was still delicious.

I think that the twin cities is one of my favorite places to be, and I miss it. And I was born there, so it must be good :)

Looking for a new hobby?

This is pretty impressive, I am pretty sure I will never do this.

Current Events

These last few months have reminded me that the saying, "May you live in interesting times" is a curse.

And a post over at the Beat of Hawaii reflects my opinion of American Airlines, which I just flew out to Los Angeles. Airline on time rates feel better to me then they did a few years ago, as long as your flight is not canceled.

Like a Pirate

I got a chuckle out of Google Searrrch, but other then that today, September 19 aka. Talk Like a Pirate Day, was not full of piratey goodness. For those who are not sure, yes, you are a pirate: