Friday, August 31, 2012

Cutris Wants New Stadium

Cutris Wants New Stadium
UnAssociated Press
August 31, 2012

Cutris says he is planning to move his team to LA unless he gets a new stadium. "It worked for the Twins, the Vikings and even the Gophers," said Cutris. "Everybody gets a new stadium and now I want one too. If I don't get a new stadium," Cutris continued, "I'll move my team to a place where I can get one."

It is unknown what team Cutris is talking about, but when he was asked about it he said, "Oh... I've got a team!"

Friday, August 24, 2012

Where Did the Summer Go?

School is about to start, the State Fair is going on... Where did the summer go? I guess moving twice kind of made it "evaporate."

Thursday, August 23, 2012

Why We Had To Paint...


To each his own, but here is an example of why we had to paint the inside of our new house.

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Where can I see a Moose?

 
Word on the street is that several moose have been sighted here.

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

When Adults Act Like Babies

I deal with a lot of people in my job--solving data issues. I must admit that most of these people are pretty nice and I enjoy working with them. Undoubtedly, however, there is a handful that are demanding and take up lots of time. Often they know less than they pretend to, and they rely on being nasty to get their way and direct blame at others.

Most people realize that fixing a problem takes some investigation and thinking. Other people don't care to be reasonable and they demand answers and immediate solutions. These people often rise up the ranks of the business world--in spite of behaving like babies.

I have a baby son, who is too young to wait patiently if he is hungry or has a dirty diaper. He wants immediate action--whether I am otherwise occupied or not. This is simply because he is less that a year old and cannot place the larger world and the needs of others into context with his own needs. Yet I work to help people who behave exactly the same way who are allegedly adults!

If a baby is reaching for a dangerous object, you have to intervene on their own behalf. "No baby, you must not pull on the accelerator handle of the dual combustion flame thrower! That is 'owie.'" This will result in the baby reaching for it until you move the flame thrower out of reach and then the baby will cry loudly.

The same happens with some adults. "No alleged adult, I cannot magically make your problem go away and take you ahead of all of the other people who had problems and reported them before you did!" This will also result in loud crying...

Monday, August 20, 2012

Did St. Paul Plumbing & Heating Tell the Truth?

We replaced our furnace and air conditioner on the word of St. Paul Plumbing & Heating. Somehow after talking on the phone with the guy I had the impression that the heat exchanger was cracked. The written work order says, "Dirty Blower Wheel, Blower Motor Leaking oil, Capacitor weak, Heat exchanger Rusty & Very stressed." I've included photos my wife took of the heat exchanger when this furnace was removed. If anyone knows about these things, maybe you can tell me if it looks rusty and very stressed.














8/30/2012 - Wayne from St. Paul Plumbing & Heating has asked to see more pictures of the heat exchanger so he can point out the rust. I've informed him that I've already put the rustiest pictures on this blog and told him that he can refund the $89 for the 'tune-up' (when we were told the furnace was beyond repair). Since he originally threatened legal action against me if I put untrue statements on my blog, I've invited him to include his attorney--as he did in our initial correspondence. Otherwise I have informed him that based on this recent experience and one prior at another residence where it cost $700 to fix the furnace, I am no longer going to use his company because I no longer trust them.

Friday, August 17, 2012

New HVAC

Today I'm buying a new furnace and air conditioner for our new house.

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Sleeping in a Bed

After four months on an air mattress while we sold a house, moved to a condo and then bought a house and moved in, it is nice to sleep in a bed again.

Our baby boy thinks it is lots of fun to be carried up and down the stairs to his bedroom.

Monday, August 13, 2012

Transitions

Our baby son was asleep when we brought him home last night. It was the first night we all stayed in the new house. When he woke up from the car ride and found he was in an unfamiliar place, he looked at everything and then he cried. He was overly tired and knew he wasn't in the condo anymore. This morning he was still checking things out. I can't really explain it all to him because he doesn't talk yet. It must be strange for him, because it is strange for me and my wife too.

Friday, August 10, 2012

The Appeal of the Man-Cave

As I am working with my wife to outfit and decorate our new house, we have found that since we married late in life, we have two of everything. Mine has mostly been stored for four years, though I bought it new and it all matches. In spite of that, my wife prefers her pieces and we will likely be moving my furniture to the basement; even though I consider it worthy of the living room.

Men rarely win this battle as women generally assume they are better decorators than men. Most women, however, will defer to the abilities of a man only if they are not married to him and only if he would prefer to marry a man himself.

My personal opinion is that women are only better at decorating in the eyes of other women. Men have often claimed a portion of the house that women don't care for; such as the basement--and then they proceed to decorate it the way men like it. These spaces become the envy of other men who come to visit and the living room is largely ignored.

Your average adult human male does not care for artsy paintings of Victorian scenes. He wants to see engines, sports and guy stuff. A table with a pretty vase serves no purpose in a man's world and could easily be replaced by a Foosball table. Finally, furniture should actually be comfortable. It should look good, but comfort is the real reason we have furniture am I wrong?

So guys, don't believe you are inferior interior decorators even if you are straight. You just like guy stuff and that is because you're a guy.

Wednesday, August 08, 2012

What AmeriSpec Missed!

We recently purchased a home and had AmeriSpec inspect the house--including the furnace before we purchased it. The inspector said there was higher than normal Carbon Monoxide levels and we should have it "tuned-up by a professional." Well the professional said the furnace should be replaced--as the heat exchanger is cracked. He also said the inspector should have shut it down. So... why did we pay for an inspection??? I'm not happy with AmeriSpec and have asked for a refund. If that happens I'll be surprised and I will update right here _____.

Update: Debbie from AmeriSpec called to tell me that they had called attention to the furnace and it was up to us to follow-up.

My advice is to find a company that does a more thorough inspection and then stands behind it.

***New information on this issue can be found here that may improve my view of this company.

What's in the News?

Of course the Olympics are in the news. The heat and drought. The Mars rover is pretty cool! And finally, all these tough guys who shoot unarmed people should be referred to as "asswipe from (fill in location)." They seem to want to get famous by killing innocent people. They should be wiped from history.

Tuesday, August 07, 2012

North Korean Olympic Athletes

With all the talk of how athletes from North Korea are rewarded or punished for their performance at the Olympics, I have to wonder how much is true and how much is rumor? No doubt the country is strange and keeps their people on a "tight leash," but labor camps for losers? The "revered leader," Kim Jong-un looks like a puss--but then a weakling in power is often the worst kind of bully.

Friday, August 03, 2012

Why ACE is No Longer the Place

My wife and I just bought a house. We are trying to be careful with purchases because of this expense. Yet we wanted to paint and we priced paint at Frattallone’s ACE Hardware. Benjamin Moore paint was roughly $24-35 per gallon. We picked colors over the phone (during my lunch break) since I was working--me at the Arden Hills Store and her at Woodbury. She bought 2 gallons and was shocked that the price was over $100. I used the paint last night and it seemed like average paint to me. I found out about the price today and was not happy! I think the salesperson took advantage of my wife. Someone at the Woodbury store sold her $50 per gallon paint and she didn't think she could question it after it was mixed. Well guess what, I'm pretty mad and we will buy our paint and supplies at Home Depot or Menards from now on. --KJC

Update: I had originally delayed (by several days) posting this after Mike called from Frattallone’s ACE Hardware. I've been waiting for a week now, for the "gift card" Mike was sending me to make things right. If I get it, I'll update or remove this entry. 8/9/12

What is a K-9 Dog?

When the news people say "the police brought in a K-9 (short for canine) dog," what does that mean??? Isn't that like saying a dog dog? It is also like saying, a feline cat or a bovine cow...

Wednesday, August 01, 2012

Sharp-shinned Hawk



Me and Larry saw this Sharp-shinned hawk today. It had a baby rabbit.

Cutris Invents 7-Pack

You're out for the evening and you have a 6-pack of beer to get you through. But what happens when a friend asks you if he can have one? That leaves you with only five beers! Well now, Cutris has come to the rescue with his revolutionary new 7-Pack! Never be short on beers again!