I am CuTRis

Cutris Kills Rat UnAssociated Press May 26, 2011 This photo of Cutris emerged this morning, with the explanation that he killed this large rat in his neighbor's garage. Click on picture to Enlarge

Cutris Finds Rare Invisible Duck in Mojave Desert UnAssociated Press May 24, 2011 Cutris has apparently found a rare, invisible duck in the Mojave Desert --according to an anonymous source named Steve. Cutris was allegedly tipped off to the duck's whereabouts by a magic, Largemouth Bass that he met down by the Minnesota River . The type of invisible duck that Cutris found is unknown, because after all, it was invisible . No further information was available about either Cutris or the rare, invisible duck at the time of this printing.

My condolences to those affected by recent tornadoes in Minneapolis and elsewhere.

How can we be so sure it is Arnold's baby?

Not quite understanding the concept of the Chinese explosion-proof lamp, North Korea has begun testing the military applications of exploding old Soviet light bulbs . This has prompted China to create exploding watermelons . Wow... we are all so scared now!

I don't understand the allure of watching people (or animals) fight and injure (or kill) each other. The thought makes me doubt that humanity has progressed very far. Here is my thought... I would watch a movie about a war, but I probably wouldn't want to watch the real war. There is a difference. Fighting for entertainment so that a bunch of drunk people can gain satisfaction by watching violence, is hardly a good reason to fight.

Somehow I find this photo amusing... It's actually even funnier considering I took the picture at Dick Blick .

Once upon a time there was an evil queen, known as the Black Queen. She was very dumb and needed lots of help from her court in order to keep rigid control of the subjects in her kingdom. The evil queen had an axe that she liked to swing around at people. Though she tried to pretend to be nice, it was plain to see that she was nasty as could be. Also in the kingdom was a prince. The prince was unable to concentrate on anything for very long, but he was extremely loyal to the evil queen. He would send anyone to the dungeon if they disagreed with the queen. So, the evil prince kept the evil queen happy and she kept him safe. The subjects of the kingdom were growing unhappy, because the kingdom was run simply to keep the queen and the prince rich and powerful. Meanwhile the subjects were just there to do all of the work. While the queen and prince frequently told the subjects that they were important and valued, their words did not mirror their actions and so no one believed much of what ...

He watched as the powerful ones attempted to control the truth. So much energy was spent in the attempt to control the others. So much wasted effort was used in trying to force their will on those who would have willingly followed if the leaders were only smart and compassionate. The voices could be stifled temporarily, but opportunities would present themselves and the falseness of the leaders would fall out of the cloak of concealment. He almost felt sorry for them. How pitiful they were for wasting so much life on creating their own little dictatorship. Out there... the real world existed--away from this false hierarchy. If they tried to follow him into the wilderness, they would become lost and cry out as the elements took them away. Only the spirit matters so much. Matters of the soul can be cherished and sought after. All the money and power on this earth will never be as valuable as how true and kind you were in life. Money and power will not matter as much as what knowledge ...

Is it because they were harboring a known terrorist leader (i.e. Osama bin Laden)? Is it because the USA went in and killed bin Laden in the middle of their country next to their military installation and they were unable to do anything about it? Is it because the USA is giving them billions of dollars in aid to combat terrorism? Is it because the USA didn't warn Pakistan that a SEAL team was coming to end Osama bin Laden because if we had, bin Laden would also have been warned? I would just like to say, "Boo hoo, and quit your whining!"

The Landmark Center is such a cool looking building.

In case your "R" gets dirty. Also helpful to cleanup those "R" ratings

Fly me to the Moon, and no worries my friend . -K

My wife and I have been married for three years!

Mornings, I like to watch the news while I have breakfast. Often I have to put up with switching stations because "they" think news includes who did what on American Idol or Dancing with the Stars . Today was even worse than usual! Apparently someone in London was getting married and not only was it on my usual news channel, it was on almost every channel! Finally, I found a local station with news and enjoyed it until "they" decided to keep checking in on the wedding in London as well!

The best thing about reporting everything that I do and how long it takes me, is that it takes so long to report everything, that I always have so much to do!

As opposed to a "cold heater."

I’m happy today. But it won’t show through. Like the Sun shrouded by the clouds. I remain guarded because twice before we lost our joy. Maybe this one can stay. -KJC

I’m sad today. My friend went away. I saw him before he left. I can still see him and hear his voice in my mind. But he had to leave. -KJC

(Note* "egg day" may be a politically correct pseudonym for another holiday. You know like EASTER! )

My novel, "Cottonwood" was written by an American, it is about Minnesota , and it is printed in Charleston, SC. Buy a copy by clicking HERE!

If these two can get along, why can't everyone?

People who aren't from Minnesota wonder how we (i.e. Minnesotans) can "stand living where it is so cold?" On this snowy, April morning I ask... isn't it beautiful?

His wife is one of the nicest people I’ve ever met. His daughter chats with me as I wait for my friend. The tiny dog crawls on me, wagging his stubby tail. Eventually my friend’s son arrives. They all talk about the book I brought. They liked the last one I had written. After some minutes I am admitted to the back bedroom and greeted by my old friend. I’ve known him for slightly more than half of my life, but he is no longer the powerful and robust figure I worked with so long ago. His face is grey, like the ashes of a cooking fire. He is much thinner than I remember. The pain medication and perhaps his condition has him on the verge of this world and another. As we talk, I see the image of my old friend and I am reassured that he is still here. Amidst the yellowed toxins that have built up I see that old mischievous smile. But the bellowing, drill sergeant voice of the past is buried beneath the blanket that covers him. Finally the pain pills have clouded his mind, but not enough to k...

Somehow, the royal wedding does not interest me at all. One time my friend Dave and I had free tickets to go to Hartford, CT to see Wrestlemania . Instead we went to Hartford and rented a car and drove around New England. This is probably what I would do if I had "free tickets" to the royal wedding. I would tour London and skip the wedding.

Thanks to those who have ordered my book "Cottonwood." There will be a short time that it will be unavailable. If you are trying to order, please try again later. Thanks, -KJC

If High Fructose Corn Syrup is bad for us, why is it in so many different foods? Is there perchance, a Low Fructose Corn Syrup, or maybe a Medium Fructose Corn Sap ? Our bodies were not created to metabolize large amounts of sugar and doing so can create health problems. Maybe this stuff is as bad as cigarettes and alcohol. If so, shouldn't it be regulated?

My absolute favorite thing, is when I do everything right to compensate for others who have no planning or management skills--and then the person(s) in charge make(s) it my fault when something goes wrong. I enjoy it even that much more when I was uninformed, and not even present when the problem occurred. Seriously, it doesn't get any better than that!

I heard you! Many people don't want to buy an eBook , so I have published my novel "Cottonwood" as a paperback. Click HERE to order a copy!

Cutris Abandons Breathing Tax UnAssociated Press April 12, 2011 Cutris has apparently decided to abandon his idea of collecting a Breathing Tax . According to sources, the tax was voted down by the Supreme Court by a five to four vote. The primary reason for the defeat of the tax was thought to be that Cutris did not have the legal authority to impose or collect the tax. Those who argued that Cutris did have the right to impose the tax, argued that he supports the Clean Air Act, which may indirectly give him the authority to tax breathing air . It should also be noted that these supporters were quick to point out that if someone were breathing something other than air, for example, if someone could breath water, or wine, or perhaps sawdust--that the tax on breathing air should not apply.

Protests Begin over Breathing Tax UnAssociated Press April 12, 2011 Protesters carrying signs and chanting, "we won't pay!" marched this morning in protest against Cutris' new Breathing Tax . The protest, however, got off to a bad start when protesters clashed over where they would march to. Eventually, the protesters dispersed as they all wanted to go in different directions.

Cutris Taxes Breathing UnAssociated Press April 12, 2011 Cutris announced this morning, a new tax he has imposed on anyone who breathes. This new Breathing Tax is, according to Cutris , simply a user fee that only applies to people who are actively breathing. Anyone who is not breathing, according to Cutris , will not be charged. In addition, anyone who decides not to breathe on any given day, will be credited for that day and their total tax will be pro-rated to reflect only the days that the individual was actually breathing. In addition, anyone who is breathing excessively, will be charged extra. The exact amount of the tax has not as of yet been determined, but Cutris believes that it will be approximately one dollar (US) per day, (payable to Cutris ) for each person who breathes. More information about how to pay your breathing tax will come later.

By Kevin J. Curtis Once upon a time, workers united and through collective bargaining , they were able to get a fair wage and benefits for their labor. Over the years when the economy was good, workers often got a cost-of-living raise each year. Over time, leaders such as Ronald Reagan decided that the best way to have an economy, was to ensure that the rich people became really rich, so that everyone else would live off of the "trickle-down" from the rich. Essentially, if the wealthy and powerful had an excess, it was argued that some of it would eventually get down to the less fortunate who did all of the work. Somewhere along the line, the government was being manipulated by the leaders who generally came from the ranks of the wealthy. These people used the workers to pay taxes to support things like wars to ensure that oil corporations had oil to sell to the workers so that they could buy cars from other wealthy corporations and drive to work to get the trickle-down t...

By Kevin J. Curtis Once upon a time, there was a small boy, who lived in a small house, with a small yard, in a small town. If fact, everything around was very small—except that this small boy had a very large dog. In fact, the dog was so large that it was sometimes difficult to control if he happened to get loose. His dog had a mind-of-his-own, and did not always behave the way the boy would have liked him to. The boy, of course, wanted to keep his dog safe and not let him run around wildly. His dog, however, did not like to stay in small places, because he wanted to do big things. This sometimes led to conflict and misunderstandings between the small boy and his large dog. Now two things that small boys and large dogs have in common, is that they like to explore all of the wonderful places that they find. This can sometimes cause problems, as not everyone in the big world has a large view of things, and some people have rather small minds with very short-sighted ideas. Over the year...

Cutris Paddles His Dinghy UnAssociated Press April 7, 2011 Cutris was seen paddling his dinghy today. No further information about Cutris or his dinghy is available at this time. Click photo to enlarge.

Do you ever find yourself rushing to take care of things that other people didn't bother to tell you about ahead of time?

Cutris Refuses to be Charlie Sheen's Intern UnAssociated Press April 5, 2011 Sources say that Cutris has refused an offer to become Charlie Sheen's new intern. When asked about it, Cutris replied that, "Only tigers have tiger's blood."

My wife and I marched to the Minnesota State Capitol yesterday. The date, April 4th, is the anniversary of the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. --and is appropriate since the rights of labor are under attack by the Republican Party in the USA. One of the key points for me at yesterday's rally, was the call for the truth . While the Republicans want to "balance the budget" by reducing wages and benefits to public employees, the real issues of why the budget is broken are not being addressed--and middle class labor is being coerced into paying for the problems created by corporate greed, unscrupulous bank lending practices, and spending much of "our" budget on military campaigns. The USA recently fired 123 Cruise Missiles at Libya for about a million dollars apiece. How many teachers could America pay for $123,000,000? Not too long ago, it was widely thought that teachers were not highly paid. Suddenly, there is a right-wing political movement that says ...

This is the Sharp-shinned Hawk I saw yesterday early morning when I went to buy a newspaper.

Today is sunny and 50 degrees Fahrenheit here in the Twin Cities. By Monday we could get rain or even snow. This has been kind of a long winter; even though it is spring...

I went hiking in the Wilkie Unit of the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge today. Most of it is currently underwater due to spring flooding. Here are some photos which include, a deceased coot hanging in a tree, and a turkey flying.

I just saw an elderly woman beat-up a young dude and take his man-bag ! I was going to call 9-1-1, but I couldn't find any dashes on my phone's keypad!

Cutris Blocks Door UnAssociated Press March 28, 2011 Yet again, Cutris has been photographed in a scandal . It is once-again, plain to see that Cutris is disobeying the rules by blocking a fire door! Those of us at the UnAssociated Press are truly shocked... and stunned.

I'm working to make my novel, Cottonwood into a paperback...

Dan doesn't really get those emails. It's also a lie... Where is Dan? Stop calling me if you aren't CEO Dan Hesse. So far, all any of you have "done for me" is bounce me around until I now have a plan that costs the same as the one I had before--when I started this, except now I have 550 anytime minutes instead of 700. I also found out (yesterday) the "discount" you promised if I signed for 2 more years doesn't apply to me! If you can't help me, then stop bothering me. My comments can be seen at http://cutris.blogspot.com. Kevin

In the past month, I have been trying to get a better price on my cell phone bill from Sprint . Since then, I have talked to numerous customer service people and been bounced from plan to plan for virtually no savings--though I have lost "anytime minutes" in the process. After five years, I will leave this company when my contract expires in June. That is simply because on all occasions, I have been lied to. The discounts are never what I am told they will be. Now, Sprint wants me to sign a contract for two more years-- before they will give me a discount. Based on what has occurred, I cannot trust them to honor the discount and need to see said discount before I commit to a new two-year contract. Unfortunately, they have declined--even though I would have to renew my contract in June anyway. These people are not out to serve me. They are out to take my money. Avoid SPRINT!

Cutris Disobeys Rules Again! UnAssociated Press March 21, 2011 Here is the latest in a string of cases involving Cutris disobeying rules! Click on picture to enlarge

We visited, Sea Life Minnesota . We also hiked around the Bass Ponds .

The truth is, in spite of what Adrian Peterson says, making millions of dollars playing professional football in the NFL is not like "modern-day slavery."

The recent earthquake(s) and resulting tsunami that has devastated parts of Japan, has now resulted in nuclear disaster , as nuclear power plants have overheated, exploded and begun to meltdown. The irony of all of this is that Japan suffered horrible nuclear devastation during World War II. All of this (also ironically,) comes less than a month after Minnesota decided to lift a 17-year moratorium on building new nuclear power plants. Somehow this reminds me of when I was a kid, and my brother Jim, who is five years older than me, made those plastic, scale models of cars, airplanes and ships. These were delicate replicas of cool machines, and I, of course, being a younger brother wanted to touch these fascinating "toys." When I did, however, I would break them! It was soon made clear to me that I should not play with my brother's stuff! Are humans now playing with God's stuff? Sure "we've" gotten "cocky" over the last few decades with our ei...

In case you didn't know who really runs the world...

My second novel, "Cottonwood" is now available.

Here in the north country, the world is beautiful this morning. An early fog was frozen to the tree branches and they are all white with tiny ice crystals. Only the news lets me know that in Japan an earthquake has triggered a deadly Tsunami .

Though I'm not a teacher, I work in technology within the realm of (Minnesota) public education, and my wife is a teacher. Every year as budgets get tightened, staff in schools--including teachers, get lay-offs. Yet somewhere, somehow, the public is being lead to believe that there is some giant teacher shortage! Let's get realistic for a minute. If the average person knows that unemployment has gone up and people in all sectors of the workforce are suffering from lay-offs, pay-freezes, loss of benefits, etc., do you really believe that these same conditions somehow don't exist for teachers and other school employees within our financially strapped schools? So now in Minnesota, there is new legislation to make it easier for people who didn't study to be teachers, to get jobs as teachers. At the same time, there is a lot of "lip-service" about how education is suffering and student achievement is down, yada, yada, yada... So somehow having less qualified t...

As sad as it is, it seems that people like to "watch a train wreck." It's that morbid curiosity, as "we" watch someone like Charlie Sheen self-destruct before the public eye. As we make comments about his "loss of reality," think for a moment what his reality was and is. Born into the family of a famous actor is different from how most of us grow up. The sense of entitlement and especially the fits of anger he is prone to, reminds me of the addiction problems I saw when I worked in the county, chemical health division. I'm not really an expert, but it kind of resembles a long-term Cocaine addiction. At the end of the day, even Charlie may not believe his own rants about his alleged "superness." But what else does he have right now as he destroys everything he touches... or talks about? Most people would know that you can't really have "tiger’s blood," and if you did, you would be in violation of laws regarding endangered...

On Friday evening I went out to eat with my wife. We were at the mall and walked around after dinner. When my wife decided to try on some clothes, and was taking a really long time doing it, I walked around by myself. It wasn't very busy, but I noticed one store was full of dudes! After I got a closer look, I could see that they were playing (or watching others play) video games in a store! Not a woman was in sight! I felt sorry for these guys for spending their Friday night in such a nerdly way... I made the appropiate adjustments to the photo I took of the whole sad affair. Just click on the picture for a better view.

Just this morning there was a news story about a puppy that survived being euthanized. Its litter mates weren't so lucky. Apparently this little dog was moving around in a garbage bin after the process. Not so long ago there was the story of a puppy that someone tried to mail in a box. There were people waiting in line to adopt it afterward. Eventually someone (who was carefully screened) got the dog via a lottery. My question is, why are there so many people ready to give a home to these animals after something bad happens to them--but not before? Is it because the new owner can retell the heartwarming story about how they got their pet? Can't people adopt animals that need good homes even if they weren't abused or harmed in some way? Aren't all the animals who need homes in need as well as those with an incredible or interesting story?

Recently someone was talking to me about wanting an LSD Projector . This struck me as funny, because I knew the person was actually talking about an LCD Projector ! The two might "project" very different images!!! It makes me wonder what an "LSD Projector" would actually be used for...

I would like to thank the prospective employer who called me in to take a couple of hours of tests for a job. After sending an email message asking if I was no longer being considered and hearing nothing back, I thought, "Remember when prospective employers thanked you for coming in?" Then yesterday I received a letter that said "they" were not going to fill the job due to "restructuring." I would like to thank "them" for having me come in and waste my time taking tests before they made that decision... -K

I took these photographs at the Minnesota State Capitol yesterday. My wife teaches art, and some of her students work was being shown there.

I've had my Mr. Coffee, coffee grinder for 20 years or so. It stopped working almost a year ago, and I took it apart and got it to grind again! On Saturday, Mr. Coffee ground its last cup of coffee. After finishing, when I tapped it to get the last grounds out, the whole thing fell apart in pieces! It reminded me of the Blues Brothers Car ! Even though I was able to get it put back together, it would not stay together. Eventually, I was forced to throw it away. Back almost a year ago when the Mr. Coffee, coffee grinder first showed evidence that it might stop working, I searched for a new grinder and found a ProctorSilex coffee grinder. This one works really well and was pretty cheap. It also has a great retractable cord feature. I wonder if this one will last 20 years?

In my earlier blog entry , I hadn't considered a viewpoint I saw in today's St. Paul Pioneer Press newspaper. That is, that the Democratic party gets significant support from labor unions. Thus, if the Republicans can "cripple" organized labor, they are essentially doing away with the opposition.

Right now there is a push by a group of conservative Republicans who are trying to take away the collective bargaining power of labor unions . The main battle-ground so far has been in Wisconsin , where Governor, Scott Walker , has not budged in his quest to destroy organized labor's power--despite the fact that unions have already agreed to concessions to wages and benefits. Democratic senators have fled to Illinois to prevent passage of this bill that would send workers' rights backwards more than a century. Remember this when you vote next time. Do you want the rich to get richer and the bulk of Americans to pay for it?

We got over a foot of snow again on Sunday and yesterday. I'm getting tired of shoveling!

At a safety training I learned that back pain is the number one pain affecting people at work. Interesting to note, pain-in-the-ass is number two.

Cutris Loses Super-Powers in a Bet UnAssociated Press February 16, 2011 Cutris has apparently lost his Super-Powers. Sources say that an evil troll bet him that he couldn't build a full-size replica of the Taj Mahal in less than 12 minutes. Cutris did it in 13 minutes, 27 seconds. Cutris was unavailable for comment at the time this story was printed.

Cutris Gets Super-Powers UnAssociated Press February 16, 2011 It seems that Cutris may have gotten Super-powers from eating some "poisonous berries." Here Cutris is shown taking a five-minute break from building an entire house. The entire job from start to finish took him less than half-an-hour! Here is the finished house that Cutris built out of a matchbook and a piece of string, in 28 minutes.

Curtis May Have Eaten Poison Berries! UnAssociated Press February 16, 2011 Sources today claim that Cutris may have eaten poison berries. No further information is available at this time.

I set this bowl down on the counter the other night and it spun around for almost half a minute! I did it again with the same result. Then I grabbed my camera and did it this third time! I just think it is kind of cool how long it goes.

If you are in charge, and your behavior has made at least two people that you are supervising cry--in the same day, you may want to consider reviewing your communications or decision-making strategies.

This little package from my wife was waiting for me when I got home yesterday. It was obviously for Valentine's Day which wasn't for five more days! I couldn't wait, so I opened it. Then, I thought maybe I should have waited until February 14th!!! So I re-wrapped it and left a note. Somehow, my wife seemed to know that I had opened it! Apparently it was okay that I did open it, but she didn't seem to "buy" the excuse on the note that said I hadn't opened it yet...

Once on I think it was Columbus Day or some lesser holiday, we were denied use of a coupon at IHop . Here IHop is advertising Valentine's Day dining coupons. Here I circled the disclaimer that might prevent you from using the coupon on Valentine's Day ...

Listening to a corporate consultant today, who was using acronyms and such, I came up with my own. In my opinion, Whims and Mismanagement are the biggest wasters of time and money. I think I will share that one with him tomorrow.

The game was good! Both teams played well and it was close. The Packers just played a little better than the Steelers . The half-time show was pretty bad. I was not very impressed with The Black Eyed Peas . There certainly are much better musical performers! Finally, the singing of the National Anthem by Christina Aguilera wasn't very good--and oh yeah, she forgot the words! I do have a suggestion (and I do sing lead for my band so I have some knowledge of this). One syllable words do not necessarily sound better when you make them into three syllable words! That might also be why Christina lost the flow and forgot what the words were supposed to be.

Work can be so stressful! So many of the problems (others have that) I have to "fix" are self-made. Honest scientific answers are not appreciated...

This method of protesting is cool!

Cutris Achieves Interplanetary Greatness UnAssociated Press January 27, 2011 Cutris has achieved interplanetary greatness according to numerous sources today. Among his recent legendary achievements, is the removal of QT prior to R180 distribution package deployment--insuring a successful outcome.

This window shattered in the subzero cold last week. I enlarged this section and enhanced the lighting. I think it is pretty awesome. -KJC

It was -14 degrees Fahrenheit (-25.56 Celsius) in the Twin Cities this morning...

Cutris Tells How to Avoid Bad Economy UnAssociated Press January 21, 2011 "In order to prevent future economic disasters, I have come up with a few rules. 1. "Don't have wars. Seriously, do you think funding a war in Afghanistan and a war in Iraq had anything to do with the USA going so far into debt? This, of course, does not even address the lives lost, people maimed and destruction. 2. "Don't let bankers and lawyers go unmonitored. Business that makes money from other money can deflate in a hurry. 3. "Create incentives for renewable energy. If you invent something to keep us from needing to use oil, you should be well compensated. Creativity is often best motivated by profit. 4. "Create domestic jobs. Jobs in Dubai don't help Americans. Without jobs Americans can't buy things. If that happens, who are you going to sell to? 5. "Create a healthcare system that is not reliant on employers providing coverage. How many jobs would this ...

Cutris Speaks to the World UnAssociated Press January 20, 2011 "While I am proud of being a citizen of the United States of America , our great country has been involved in things and in places that we should not be—often in pursuit of our addiction to oil. Had we stayed on the course that former President Jimmy Carter laid out during the energy crisis at the end of the 1970's, we may be in a much better situation today. Less fossil fuels and more renewable energy are needed for so many reasons; both economic and environmental. "While economic conditions have continued to decline, governmental bodies preach job creation, while simultaneously cutting government jobs and issuing 'stimulus packages' to artificially 'jump-start' the economy. The economy ruptured as a result of the greed of many people in the banking, real-estate and business sectors. Sending nearly all of our manufacturing business overseas after World War II , left formerly prosperous citie...

Cutris Takes Over Nova Scotia UnAssociated Press January 19, 2011 In rapid succession, Cutris has been taking over various cities, states and countries. Most recently he is reported to have taken over Nova Scotia . Apparently Cutris has also left a message with the United Nations , promising to cease his takeovers if he is allowed to make a statement and "get a few things off of his chest." When and if this occurs, the UnAssociated Press will be the first to bring you the report.

Cutris Has Taken over East Grand Forks UnAssociated Press January 19, 2011 Unconfirmed rumors state that Cutris appears to have taken over East Grand Forks , Minnesota this afternoon. No further information is available at this time.

Cutris Plans to Take Over the World UnAssociated Press January 19, 2011 Several world leaders expressed their concern today, that Cutris may try to take over the world. Apparently the fear began when Cutris exclaimed that he was fairly "unhappy with the way things are being run!" He also indicated that if he had to, he would "take over" and "make some changes." Furthermore, it is reported that in 1971, Cutris successfully staged an uprising and became supreme ruler of his sandbox. Legends of the event can be found at http:www.thecutrissandboxuprisingof1971.org/ . Cutris was unavailable for further comment at the time this story went to print.

This important notice was posted on the gas pump I used the other day. It was blank! What did it say? I seemed to have pumped my gas without incident though the important notice was blank !

We saw the movie Red yesterday. It has an all star cast; including, Bruce Willis, Morgan Freeman, John Malkovich and Mary-Louise Parker. For all of its violence, it is a comedy! John Malkovich is one of my favorite actors too.

Click on picture to enlarge.

I've been working on my latest (3rd) novel. I'm doing all the things that all the agents and publishers said I should do with my previous novel. "We'll" see if it really makes a difference. I'll try to put something funny on this blog soon...

Relentlessly pursuing every cent they can get out of their authors... More Note* I get my rights back for free later this year when my contract runs out. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: noreply@publishamerica.com To: Cutris Date: Tue, 11 Jan 2011 15:03:09 -0500 Subject: Returning your book's rights Dear author: Your book He Who Goes First, has shown no sales for longer than a year. At this time you may want to have your book's publishing rights reverted back to you. We can arrange that. Go to www.publishamerica.net/RevertingRights.html and instruct us to return the rights to you. In the Ordering Instructions box, write your name and the title of your book. You will receive the termination documents by mail. There are no strings attached to this termination except the $99 processing fee that covers our administration costs and our de-listing obligations to vendors and/or wholesalers. You must choose a shipping option to acti...

Lots of "ones" in today's date...

This is a constant, light and very slippery snow. It's not so good for driving in.

When Congresswoman Gabrielle Gifford and others were shot and/or killed in Tucson , Arizona Saturday, little was said about Arizona's lenient gun laws . While guns in general, are way too accessible in the U.S.A. (and being funneled into drug wars in places like Mexico) and "unstable" people can get them in pretty much any state, better control may have prevented Saturday's tragedy. Also in question is the ridiculously nasty fighting between the two political parties in the United States. While neither of them is fundamentally that different, the members spend enormous time, money and resources battling insignificant details. This has created a meanness that has split our people and pitted Democrats and Republicans against each other.

My wife and I decided to recycle our old cell phones through an organization that uses them to benefit the Great Apes . Besides the obvious benefits, there are also less obvious ones--such as reducing the need for mining in the few areas inhabited by several great ape species . It all makes sense to me now! Originally, I had thought maybe the apes felt left out because they didn't have cell phones; and that made me sad.

Walgreens frequently has coupons and specials in their newspaper ads. Some of the deals are pretty good--except for one problem. At least half of the time the sale items or specials are not in stock, unavailable, not yet arrived, or not carried by some stores. So I ask, what is the point?

Cutris replied to support@publishamerica.com See (below) Publish America's latest shameless attempt to get money from an author! Trying to squeeze that last nickel out of me huh? http://cutris.blogspot.com/2010/12/more-with-those-zany-publishamerica_02.html -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: noreply@publishamerica.com To: Cutris Date: Wed, 5 Jan 2011 06:02:50 -0500 Subject: Returning your book's rights Dear author: Your book He Who Goes First, has shown no sales for longer than a year. At this time you may want to have your book's publishing rights reverted back to you. We can arrange that. Go to www.publishamerica.net/RightsBack.html and instruct us to return the rights to you. In the Ordering Instructions box, write your name and the title of your book. You will receive the termination documents by mail. There are no strings attached to this termination except the $149 processing fee that covers our administration costs...

My wife and I went to see True Grit and Black Swan recently. Personally, I had some difficulty caring a lot about the ballet troop in Black Swan, though the depths that Natalie Portman's character sinks to psychologically are definitely interesting. I really liked True Grit. The characters were very well done. True to what you might expect from the Coen brothers , there is a lot of violence. Neither movie is really "family friendly," as there is both violence and sexual material in Black Swan. For the adults, both movies are worth seeing.