beer and bro

Talked to my brother in Poland for almost an hour today, loved catching up. We talked hurricanes, kids, parents, and of course, beer.

He said there are not many craft beers in Poland because the start-up cost is too great. That sucks. While Polish beer is good (my fav is Tyskie), it all tastes pretty much the same.

Maybe if I get rich, I will move to Poland and open a sports bar/microbrewery. I could get richer.

But I would also have to live in Poland.

come on Irene

The hurricane is supposed to hit Connecticut around 4 a.m. I am hoping to be able to get out of work a couple of hours before that and drive home. If not, we have to stay in a hotel near ESPN.

When I was younger, this would have been a bit of an adventue. Now, I am worried about the house and how it will weather the storm.

Getting old sucks.

hard work

Having a house is not easy. I spent yesterday trimming bushes and mowing, then I cleaned out the refrigerator. Today's plans include washing the bathroom floors and starting a painting project.

In addition, I called someone to come clean the furnace but still need to find someone to do the gutters.

Erin has also been working hard to get her craft room set up.

I know when everything is done it will look great, it's the getting there that sucks.

cy-hawk stupidity

So the Hawkeyes and the Cyclowns play football every season and since 1977 the winner has been awarded the Cy-Hawk trophy.

The old trophy was a little lame -- kicking football player and gold football. But the new one (above) is just stupid. A farmer, a dog, a basket of corn. What?

This trophy just extends the stereotype of our state. A bunch of farmers. Yes, that is true when it comes to Iowa State, which has an agriculture college.

At Iowa we produce doctors, lawyers and businessmen. And, hopefully on Sept. 10, we will win this lame trophy and extend the streak against the farmers to four straight.

extra benefits

The University of Miami is the latest school under NCAA investigation for breaking rules.

Miami gets in line behind Southern California, Ohio State, Auburn, Oregon, Michigan, North Carolina, Georgia Tech and LSU -- all of which have been investigated or sanctioned by the NCAA in the past 18 months.

If you don't think this is happening at your school, wake up. There have always been boosters and boosters have always given impermissible benefits to athletes. More schools are getting caught because of the media is doing more digging.

The questions becomes whether the NCAA should update or revise its rulebook. Probably. If you are a kid who hasn't seen a lot of prosperity in your life, a free education is never going to seem as good as cash.

Relying on kids -- we are talking about 18-22-year-olds -- to use good judgement and look out for the team just isn't realistic.

So the question isn't if the rules should be changed, it's how do can they do it and keep a level playing field?

why do lesbians?

Use the same hair dye as their partner? Then the look like crazy twins.

cowboys win

The preseason opened Thursday night with the Cowboys beating the Broncos on a late two-point conversion.

Have I mentioned I love football?

It's the most wonderful time of the year.

market watch

It is falling for a third straight day. I am not that worried about my 401K -- unless it bottoms out completely.

I am worried about the country as a whole. We aren't producing anything (ever read the made in China label in all your clothes) so people can't find jobs. If people can't find jobs, they can't support themselves, and if they can't support themselves, they look to the government, which is trying to create jobs.

This cycle is killing this country. People who run companies aren't worried about creating jobs, they are worried about creating profit. They want to make sure their stocks are worth something on Wall Street.

How's that going for you?

And P.S. do not blame this on Barack Obama. This all started when Ronald Reagan decided trickle down economics would save this country. Let the rich get richer and create jobs (but then they shipped the jobs to countries where there were no unions and people will work for pennies on our dollar.)

Off the soapbox, feel free to continue with your day.

we are family

Always good to get to Chicago to see the Maxwells. My sister is awesome and the rest of her family isn't bad either. Had a great time seeing family, including my folks, playing golf and board games and shopping.

Thanks as always to Bridget and the fam.

Messed up

OK, so right before Warren Jeffs, one of the leaders of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, was arrested I watch a biography on him. It made me sick to my stomach.

The testimony that has come out during his trial is even more disturbing. He not only raped young girls -- who he called his spiritual wives -- but his own nephew.

This all came in the name of his religion.

I am a spiritual person and believe in some higher power but organized religion continues to confound me. No God would want what these folks are preaching.

Does pounding your mouse...

...when your computer is slow make it go faster?

No, so stop it.

Just saying.

Back to reality

After working only four of the past 18 days, reality has returned. I have no vacation planned until Christmas, save a day I plan to use to go to Little Rock for some Bella surgery.

Fall is the best time of year to be working anyway. I love football, and there is plenty of it these days.

So while I must work, at least I will enjoy it.


P.S. The Tigers are up 3 1/2 games -- despite a loss by Brad Penny today.