I am CuTRis

This message is stamped on the train cars that are always parked in the Black Dog Preserve . I totally understand the logic behind this, but I wonder if it is really necessary to put up a sign? I mean, even if you were stranded out there for a couple of years or something, would this ever really be an option?

How can the Minnesota Vikings lose so bad and then win so big? Yesterday's 41-17 win against the New York Giants, actually made them look like a good team. Even with Adrian Peterson sidelined for the last two games, the Vikings still won both of them with the running of Chester Taylor. Yesterday, the defense was the key, as they picked off four of Eli Manning's passes and scored on three of them. Also a nice surprise was the conversion of third downs and Tarvaris Jackson's seemingly new found scrambling abilities. Too many times I have been disappointed by this team when I started getting excited about their play, but in this all-but-lost season they couldn't have picked a better time to pull it together -with a wildcard playoff spot in the balance. Perhaps winning now will save Brad Childress' job, but will it be able to prove that the Vikings are "significant," as the coach now claims?

Yesterday we Hiked from the headquarters of the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge. Among the things we saw, was a small but 8-point (White-tailed deer) buck and two Bald Eagles.

Cutris Saved by 4-year-old Girl November 19, 2007 UnAssociated Press 2008 presidential candidate Cutris was involved in a melee of sorts this evening. He had decided to go to a local establishment, according to police lieutenant Mason Dixon. “A bar fight erupted in there,” Dixon said. “Someone attacked Cutris , but fortunately there was a children’s birthday party going on in the back of the bar. A 4-year-old girl attending that party, who was also a jujitsu expert, came to the rescue of Mr. Cutris . By the time we got there, she had beaten up two large men, and Cutris was safe.”

Cutris Defeats Al-Qaeda with a Stick November 19, 2007 UnAssociated Press Cutris reportedly had a busy weekend, as the 2008 presidential candidate allegedly rode his bicycle to Pakistan last evening, and defeated Al-Qaeda in a pitched battle using a stick that he had found along the side of the road. At first he thought that he had rode to the convenience store on Nicollet Avenue, but he was actually in Pakistan at the time. Sources say that the stick used was neither a large stick, nor was it a small stick. Cutris is known to have been the champion stick fighter in his Boy Scout troop, as well as having used Gorock Sticks during his hikes in the Minnesota River Valley. At 4:72 AM, Cutris was seen riding his mountain bike back home to Burnsville along Highway 13. Reporters clamored for the story, but when asked if he had ridden to Pakistan, he said, “maybe I did, and maybe I didn’t.” Sources inside of Pakistan say that Al-Qaeda took a “damn good thrashing” at the end of Cutris’ stick....

Cutris uses giant tennis racket to save Earth November 18, 2007 UnAssociated Press Preliminary information from NASA, the American Meteorological Society, and NORAD, indicates that Cutris has saved the Earth for the second time this year. Apparently a giant meteorite was headed directly at the Earth on Saturday. Scientists had seen the meteorite coming, but the Bush/Cheney administration insisted that the meteorite did not exist. Cutris happened to learn of the danger when he was bird watching in the river bottoms and noticed a huge fireball coming at him through his binoculars. At first he thought it was a smudge, or maybe a bug crawled on the lens, but then he realized it was a meteorite. A customer of Tennis Champion, insists that he saw Cutris in the store about 4:31 PM on Saturday, and he purchased a Mongo Slapper 5000 tennis racket. He says that Cutris walked out into the parking lot, tested the wind with a finger, and then swung a spectacular backhand, just as a gigantic meteo...

RAM or Random Access Memory is the driving force of your computer. Your memories are stored on the hard drive, but the thought process is like the RAM of your brain. Of course, the brain is not run by pluses and minuses... or is it? The chemically and electrically charged brain is an organic computer system. Without your knowing it, the brain can even reroute itself after an injury. Computers and brains can both be affected by viruses and such, and doctors and computer technicians help us to keep our systems working smoothly. The network is like a city or government body. We need network administrators and politicians to decide the best course of action to keep things up and running. There's no computer in the wilderness, yet the ant colony runs like a machine; cause and effect are the driving force behind the program. Instincts and life-cycles have programs that send information to the brains and systems of plants and animals. I believe that it is time for me to power down until m...

I have finished my latest novel, "Cottonwood." I am planning to do another final edit, but I have begun the painstaking process of trying to find a publisher and/or an agent. I sent out about eight inquiries yesterday. Though they all say it takes weeks or months for a reply, I was lucky enough to already receive two rejections. The first said it "didn't fit with (their) current projects." The other claimed to love historical fiction, but (this agency) doesn't represent any fiction. I fully expect to get rejected by all of them (as is the nature of the business), but I'll keep trying. I'm sure I could get it published through Publish America again, but I found their organization to be unwilling to do any marketing. I don't want to go that route again.

This morning's sunrise, as I seen it.

Someone who has been causing problems for me and someone else has finally gotten what he wants. His interference and need to have power, has finally gone his way; so he thinks. What he doesn’t know is how this will ultimately play out if he doesn’t do the right thing. He is stubbornly bound to traditions that don’t belong in this century or on this continent. He has, ultimately gotten his way because he is pressuring one of his own family members into complying. I have refused to participate because this tradition is plainly and indisputably wrong and despicable. It is, however, a matter of one’s point-of-view as seen through different cultures. At this point, all appears to have gone his way, and it is time now for him to return the favor. If he is too stubborn, the particulars of the matter will eventually be known, as I refuse to lie about it as much as I refuse to participate. Once this information gets out, the embarrassment he has been trying to avoid will come crashing down on h...

Vote Cutris for President! ...His picture is bigger, so that means he's better. People who wish their pictures were bigger shown below.

We wanted a "quick snack" on Saturday and pulled into a McDonald's on Suburban Avenue in St. Paul. Ordered: Repeated 3 times to person "in" order kiosk. Couldn't hear that person well. 1 Filet-O-Fish w/out cheese $2.29 1 Dbl. Cheeseburger $1.00 1 McChicken $1.00 Tax $0.31 Total $4.60 Person at window asked for $4.70 That was when we found out he was charging us for someone else's order. Repeated order 2 to 3 more times. Gave "window person" $5.60. Person tried to give 60 cents back because it was "too much." Informed person that we wanted $1.00 back. Paid $4.60 At next window, person tried to give us someone else's order. Repeated order 2 to 3 more times. Waited. Was told to pull up to the "#1" on parking lot. Waited... Waited... Waited... Went inside and asked for money back. Was given money and asked if I wanted "a pie for waiting." Replied "no, I'll just contact corporate," (we'll see what ...

The Minnesota Vikings showed what they are capable of on Sunday November 4th, when they defeated the San Diego Chargers, 35 to 17. Adrian Peterson broke the NFL, single-game record by rushing for an unprecedented 296 yards. So why are the Vikings 3-5 so far this season? One reason could be the fact that the Vikings have no starting quarterback. Tarvaris Jackson is supposedly the starter, with Kelly Holcomb backing him up. With those two injured, Brooks Bollinger put on a good performance the last time he was called on (late in the game), and then yesterday, led the Vikings to victory against the Chargers. So does anyone, including head coach, Brad Childress, realize that Brooks Bollinger is the best quarterback, currently on the roster? Apparently not, as he keeps trying to force Jackson and then Holcomb to the front of the pack. Apparently the coach is always the last to know, as he only recently elevated Adrian Peterson to the starting role over Chester Taylor, who while respectable,...

Yesterday we went hiking on the Bluff Trail in the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge. It was a fantastic day! There is nothing like a late fall hike on a bright sunny day.

On October 30, we had a beautiful, late fall day. It got up to 70 degrees Fahrenheit, and I went hiking in the Central part of the Wilkie unit in the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge. I like the fall and winter for hiking, because of the lack of biting insects. There were only two or three hardy mosquitoes that weren't "done in" by the single freeze we've had so far. Perhaps they hatched after the frost. After an extremely dry summer, the late rains have the Minnesota River swollen. My hike was pleasant, as I was in short sleeves and comfortable. I saw some wildlife (mostly birds), including a Great Horned Owl, a Red-tailed Hawk (white phase), some Pileated Woodpeckers, and one Downy Woodpecker that let me take its picture. My other photographs (below), include a Bald Eagle's nest, and me in front of an enormous cottonwood tree. My orange cap is due to bow hunting (for deer) going on right now. I did see one hunter and adjusted my course away from his po...

I have just received news that my friend Wendell Patrick has passed away. I met Wendell in November of 2000, while working for Hennepin County’s Chemical Health Division. He was retired, but working on special projects. I was lucky enough to work on some of these projects with him. Wendell was the self-proclaimed “president of the liars club.” In reality, he was full of stories and was a pleasure to talk to. I’m not sure how old he was, but his health had been failing. He lost his wife a couple of years ago to cancer, and his son to a motorcycle accident prior to that. He was an African-American man, who was above the petty racial things that often take place. He knew racism from way back, and recognized individuals, rather than individual color. Wendell had been a cook in the army in Korea. He had experienced drug addiction there, and had “cleaned up” while being (literally) shipped back home to the USA. He helped a lot of people with his kindness and insight. Along the way, he and I ...

Presidential Candidate Cutris Involved in Scandal October 26, 2007 UnAssociated Press Paparazzi following presidential candidate Cutris , took these two pictures of the man who could be the next leader of the United States of America. The first (circa 2006) shows Cutris blatantly touching a sign that appears to say, "do not touch." The second photo was more recent, and shows Cutris scaling a wall just to the left of a sign that says, "do not climb on wall." Some people are stunned by his blatant disregard for rules. Others seem mildly amused and say it isn't a big deal. What the voters think will be what counts, as they will go to the polls in just over one year and either vote Cutris into office, or vote for some other shmuck.

My traveling companion and I visited Duluth (Canal Park) and Two Harbors on Thursday last week. On Friday, we visited Goosberry Falls and Split Rock Lighthouse.

I have the week off from work due to MEA. I have a lot of things I want and have to do, so Tuesday (yesterday) I had set aside to go into the (West) Wilkie unit of the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge. The west end is closed all summer because of the heron nesting colony that resides there. I decided to go hiking, despite a continuous rain. It was 54 degrees Fahrenheit, so it wasn't cold, though I got really wet! There wasn't a lot of wildlife out for viewing, but it was still a beautiful sight. Here are some photos.

My job as the Technical person at the Alternative High School where I work, has meant that I am now setting up and proctoring online exams. Of course, at the alternative learning center, the students are about as interested in taking exams as they are at learning. I'm looking forward to next week, which is conferences and MEA. That's because I have the week off! I'm looking forward to some time in the woods.