I am CuTRis

What should I do with that free range chicken my in-laws gave us? I decided to grill it. It was good!

June 2 National Gun Violence Awareness Day   http://wearorange.org/

My son wanted to see nature and we saw several Ospreys in Rice Creek Regional Park.

Pork Rib, Salmon, Potatoes, Green Beans, Rice Don't worry, I can eat about 4 portions like this...

If I go through a race car driving course and I pass, I should get a permit to drive at high speeds on the roads. This should be my right as an American...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4ixAfJ1LuI

Wow!!!  That's some playing! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5aghgg7GxI This next one reminds me of our original practice space at Dave's house. Notice how the young guy is backed by the older guys. Typically it is the other way around! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MM76MxS9ZvE&list=PLm8Yl_QBw9TEHbAIEurS2Xeu0SXB0Mv_C

Wow! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4O_YMLDvvnw

This is outstanding! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NU5xA6ty0a4

CuTRis Won't Be On Final Letterman Show UnAssociated Press May 20, 2015 CuTRis will not be on the final David Letterman show tonight as was previously announced. Apparently CuTRis has a scheduling conflict and cannot make it. When asked by reporters, CuTRis said that tonight is bath night for his son and not a good night to be gone to New York City to be on some talk show. The Late Show only commented that CuTRis declined the invitation to appear on David's final show.

Back in the day, television shows didn't run nonstop like they do now. We also only had one or two or maybe three channels (stations) to choose from. Originally everything was in black & white ; and long after color television I still had a black & white TV. Late night they would stop broadcasting and usually a Test Pattern and tone were all there was—or maybe just TV Snow Static .

Blues Legend B.B. King died last evening at 89. I feel the need to listen to some Blues right now. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5_j91FjsXM

This is powerful! http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/powerful-anti-gun-ad-panics-gun-rights-groups-416162371569

Once upon a time, a man tried to answer his child's question about why some people are mean. The man thought about it; because it was a very good question after all. Then he told his little one that there had always been some people who were mean and some who were kind—and we could only do our very best to make sure that kindness wins in the end. "Will there always be mean people?" asked the child. "I'm afraid so," answered the father. "There has always been—so it is likely there will always be." Then the man kissed his child and put the little one to bed and walked quietly out of the room. The man sat in the dark and cried. He cried for the world that was now his child's. —KJC

Just down the street from where I live, there is Section 8 Housing that has frequent police visits and is likely the habitat of the people who travel through the neighborhood stealing mail, etc. That said, none of them has ever pulled a gun on me. Yet yesterday, not so far away, a crazy white guy did just that. He also appears to have gotten away with it because he "had a permit to carry." So how many of these people with permits are a danger to the public? Because this guy followed my car into a police parking lot because he wasn't really intent on acting like a person authorized to carry a deadly weapon would be expected to act. Is it truly safer for the rednecks to be armed? If so, who is it safer for? I'm pretty sure if I stopped in a dead-end street rather than a police parking lot this guy would have had no problem shooting me. I'm pretty sure more guns in more hands is not going to make any of us safer. And did you know that private gun sales between ind...

Anyone who has read my blog knows that I like to take everyday things and find humor in them. Signs have been a frequent source of material for me. This morning I saw an anti-liberal bumper sticker and when I snapped a picture of it as I waited at a stoplight (the vehicle was in front of me), I noticed the driver holding up a pistol. I decided after he began chasing my vehicle, that I would drive to the nearest police station that I knew of. I called 9-1-1 after arriving and verifying the other vehicle was still following me. I had to keep driving as he followed me around the parking lot. Eventually he stopped and got out and was yelling that I took a picture of his vehicle. Finally he drove away and then a police squad arrived and the officer took my information—and apparently they stopped the guy and he has a permit to carry the gun, so since he hadn't actually shot me with it, there wasn't much they could do. The officer asked if I wanted to (try to) press charges and I sa...

Here is the "before" picture. The chicken thighs are in the bottom. This is an all-in-one meal. I put it in the oven at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 90 minutes.

Why does the Minnesota Fishing Opener fall on Mother's Day every year? It would make more sense to switch the dates for Mother's Day and Father's Day or pick a new date for either Mother's Day or Fishing Opener.

My newest novel is now ready and available on Amazon! Synopsis: A Conversation with my Dead Father By Kevin J. Curtis It's impossible to talk to the dead right? Apparently it isn't anymore-as an experimental computer program sends Jimmy on a whirlwind adventure that allows him to speak directly to his recently deceased father-as technology bridges the gap between the living and the dead in this one-of-a-kind emotional thriller! For Synopsis: "A Conversation with my Dead Father," eBook click, http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00X5YUWRO For "Synopsis: A Conversation with my Dead Father," Trade Paperback click, https://www.createspace.com/5439782

$600 ÷ 20 = $30 for a can of Pepsi . Doesn't that seem kind of high?  Is it cheaper if I don't use an SA card?

Yesterday evening from our backyard.

On Saturday, my wife and I celebrated 7 years of marriage!

I have 305 years experience! I actually just saw this in a job posting today!!! EDUCATION / EXPERIENCE: Education: Bachelors Degree Experience: 305 years demonstrated success in fundraising. Successful solicitation of individual gifts of $1,000 or more. Knowledge of Twin Cities philanthropic community and social service fundraising. Yesterday I saw a job ad for a "Wirter!" They certainly do need help it would seem. My "favorite" cliché is "must be a team player!" What does this really mean? No independent thinking? Must always agree with supervisor? It may be the single biggest turnoff I see in any job description.

What is this sign really telling us?

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/apr/21/police-kill-more-whites-than-blacks-but-minority-d/?page=all An interesting article if you really feel it necessary to actually consider information that is not derived from mob hysterics.

Photo courtesy of Dave Regarding the new SFTP–replacing the FTP “Do I still need to email you when I drop files?” My answer (should be), “No. The SFTP employs a virtual woodpecker who flies over to my desk and pecks on my head when you drop files. He knows Morse code, so he can tap out the correct location of the files.”

It looks like it needs a few more million dollars added to the cost to finish it...

This morning I found a paper wasp in the bathroom. I instantly engaged it in battle! We were fighting for supremacy and in the process, the toilet paper roll got knocked into the toilet! Fortunately the roll was nearing its end; but I had to momentarily direct my attention away from the insect and remove the roll before it soaked up more water than it already had! Finally I went to find my wife's bug catching (pill) bottle which I managed to capture the intruder inside of. Then I forcefully swung the marauding insect downward where it hit the surface of the toilet water and began a valiant struggle to regain its airborne assault. But I was too quick! I pulled the flush handle and watched as my adversary swirled around and around and finally disappeared in the vortex of water. We were safe! I reported the incident to my wife and 3-year-old son. My wife—having not had to engage the wild beast herself seemed largely unaffected by my ordeal. My son, however, announced, "I...

By all means, find out why the man's spine was damaged and he died—after being arrested by police! But don't burn, loot, damage and assault to "make your point;" because that is when you lose my support. http://kstp.com/news/stories/S3779388.shtml?cat=1

CuTRis Still on the Fence UnAssociated Press April 23, 2015 CuTRis is reportedly still on the fence regarding another presidential run.

CuTRis Kicked Out of Bakery for Roll-Playing UnAssociated Press April 23, 2015 In the most recent of many scandal s involving CuTRis , he was told to leave a bakery in Tokyo, Montana . Apparently CuTRis was asked about role-playing in response to speculation that ( he may again run for president ). CuTRis began playing with some rolls ; apparently misunderstanding the question which precipitated the request from the bakery's manager.

Just Hanging Around... UnAssociated press April 22, 2015 CuTRis has incredible hang time . CuTRis was seen hanging around yesterday. Speculators have been wondering if the former presidential candidate will run again . So far, nothing is indicating that he will.

Often I think, the most brilliant people can be hardest to get along with. Think of the workplace as an example. The guy who knows nothing is often extremely pleasant and agreeable; while the person who knows much, is more likely to disagree because he or she is capable of independent thought. A poor manager will dismiss the smart person because they disagree and keep the unproductive person because he is agreeable. In the long-run, this is a poor tactic for business success.

Illegal Math Lab Shutdown UnAssociated Press April 16, 2015 Police stormed an illegal Math Lab today, closing it down and arresting nine men—including one who was a woman. Authorities say that the lab was a major producer of Math problems.

  This sign is confusing because if it is an entrance for "ho's," I would expect only one " ho ." If it is a sign for Santa Clause , I would expect three "ho's," as in "ho ho ho!" But two "ho's?" Perhaps it is time for an exit now...

CuTRis May Have Contracted Bird Flu UnAssociated Press April 14, 2015 This photo surfaced today, giving proof to the rumor that CuTRis may have contracted the Bird Flu . When reporters attempted to speak to him, CuTRis is said to have chirp ed loudly before flying away.

Yesterday was a great day for a hike through the bluffs and down to the creek—where we crossed over some rocks and then walked the paved pathway back to our car. https://parks.co.ramsey.mn.us/parks/pages/battlecreek.aspx

If you can be " refreshed ," can you also be "freshed?"

Here is a picture that I created from a photo I took of a glass ceiling. I erased the outer portion and adjusted the color and contrast. It looks kind of cool doesn't it? -KJC

Are you tired of "Home Style?" Then you will love our new "Institutional Style" flavor!

What am I dumb? Am I supposed to believe that I actually get a "free" tire? Don't you suppose that maybe the cost of the fourth tire is " built-in " to the price of the other three? Yet I see this advertising ploy all the time! Who only buys three tires? "Yeah, I don't drive on the left rear tire very much so I just need the other three..." This reminds me of the coupon that Rainbow Foods had last week for 50 cents off a dozen eggs! Cub Foods (both are owned by SuperValu ) had eggs for $1.99/dozen and Rainbow upped the price to $2.49 with a -50 cent coupon for a final cost of $1.99! Wow! I "saved" 50 cents!!! NOT!

When I'm driving and someone needs to merge into the lane in front of me, I slow down and let them in. So when I need to switch lanes to get to my exit, I wonder why when I put my signal light on the person behind me (in the lane I need) so often finds it necessary to attempt to block my access. What does this aggressive driving accomplish? It happened twice last evening as I drove home from my in-laws house. In one case, I had little option except miss my exit so I merged anyway. This precipitated honking, light flashing and finger displaying as well as the person (in the big SUV) got into the lane I had come from and passed me and several other cars—before finally cutting back into the original lane (at the last moment) and causing everyone behind to apply the brakes. Why are some people so ornery when they get behind the wheel? Perhaps they own the road and no one has told me about it?

I knew it! http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/speaking-of-science/wp/2015/03/23/your-poop-could-be-a-literal-goldmine-of-precious-metals/

I was driving down the freeway minding my own business when I noticed Batman coming up fast behind me. I got this two-second video of him as he passed!

If you look carefully, There is a deer in this video. I saw three yesterday.

The bus stopped at the railroad tracks and then the door opened. Then it drove off again. Did someone get on? Did someone get off? The door opened for somebody; but I didn't see anyone! Who was it? Was it a ghost? Was it the invisible man? Why did the door open if nobody was there?

During my daily walk today (I should mention I tend to walk off trail through woods and swamps) I saw a rather large coyote . When it broke cover from tall swamp growth, I expected it was a small deer. After getting a good look at it, however, it was unmistakably a coyote. I followed it and saw it once more and then it vanished. The coloration of the animal's fur was perfect camouflage .

Ariana Miyamoto And though all of the Japanese men secretly wanted her, the biracial beauty contestant was criticized for "not being Japanese enough." It seems that there are still people who cannot see beauty beyond their own racial prejudice s.

Nothing can give you a sense of security, like working at a company that uses strategery .

The current news is full of real-life (as opposed to made-up) racial equality stories. Here is one for the Black Lives Matter people to checkout. 7 Men Charged in Downtown St. Paul Skyway, Light Rail Platform Attacks http://kstp.com/news/stories/S3744043.shtml?cat=1 For the record, I don't care if you are white, black, blue or green. If you are assaulting innocent people you are wrong. Forgive me if I am not as worried about your rights as I am about the people you hurt. And here is one for those who have leveled the accusation that only (lost) blonde girls are searched for . Family, Friends Hold Prayer Vigil for Missing Crystal Boy http://kstp.com/news/stories/S3743372.shtml?cat=1 For the record, I don't like anyone who hurts children, animals, women or the elderly. I hope they find this kid and get him back home and prosecute those who are responsible for his disappearance. The truth is often right in front of you. It isn't necessarily what someone i...

Ant Poison That's probably why ant s totally avoid it!

I like the Aldi stores, but I must admit that the shopping experience is not particularly pleasant. I put up with it because the prices simply cannot be beaten by any other store. That said, this simple fact lends itself to a more "difficult" clientele than many other stores will have to deal with. This is likely why Aldi often has a security guard posted near the entrance. There is one particular Aldi store that is near where I live that seems to have a greater abundance of drama than the other stores I've been to. I've seen belligerent people, people who can't pay, drunk people, people being arrested, etc., but yesterday I witnessed an elderly man who had just fallen. The poor guy had just paid for a cart full of groceries and fell down as he was preparing to leave. His leg looked like it was probably injured in the process. Someone called for "security," which I must say, this particular security officer was nearly useless during this event....

  http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2015/03/19/youve-been-iced-did-dustin-diamond-threaten-to-stab-man-in-bar-before-stabbing/

For those who don't eat pork , you will never know just how good these grilled pork chops taste.

The Como Zoo and Conservatory was a favorite destination for me when I was my son's age—and some things never change. My son likes it just as well as I do!

Blacque Jacque Shellacque "You think you rough eh?"

Apparently Target is hiring! It seems ironic that just a week ago Target announced mass layoffs !

No man! Don't drink the green beer! It is an abomination . I know a little about beer and it should not be green !

Driving with my 3-year-old son he asked, "C h e v r o l e t" "What's that spell daddy?" I answered, That spells Chevrolet ; where did you see that?" Then he replied, "On that truck!"

We saw this Pileated Woodpecker on Saturday while walking.

 In case you don't know which end is up ...

I sent this (see below) to Trader Joe's online feedback on the website exactly two months ago today—where they claim that they are eager to hear comments. I’m thinking two months later—with a reminder at one month—that really isn’t the case. I like the store most of the time, but I don’t believe that they really care what I think. Walking through produce (Store 727) today I noticed some nice Bartlett pears in 2# bags. The sign on the bin said Bartlett Pears 2# $2.49. When I got to the register they were $3.49. I was overcharged! I brought it to the cashier's attention and she rang a bell and a guy went to look. He didn't find the sign (lots of stuff not priced) and went to another register to get the price of $3.49. The cashier (Liz) removed the item from my bill and I paid (Invoice 3404) and put my groceries in the car. Just to satisfy myself, I went back in and the sign was still there for the pears but now apples were in that bin. I took a digital picture and showed...

CuTRis Takes 4 Minutes UnAssociated Press March 12, 2015 In the latest scandal involving CuTRis , he allegedly took 4 minutes to make a call on a 3-minute telephone . No other information exists at this time and CuTRis has not (yet) been arrested .

His nose looks brown to me... Apparently the Scarecrow was not only brainless , he was also a brown-nose !

I took this photo of a Bald Eagle nest this afternoon. I thought it looked cool with the Sun shining next to it.

I've been trying to liquidate an HSA account from a previous employer. Every time I pay for something health related, I have to go back later and prove it. Even if the charge is to a clinic I have to go back and get documentation to prove I didn't buy beer. Today I will go back to the Ford dealer to get replacement parts for my replacement parts. My first replacement parts have already failed. Fortunately it is for something I can install myself. It would have been nice though, if the parts were good the first time. I hold little hope the new parts will last. Best Western (hotel) has also charged my credit card (that they require for "incidentals") for the room that my company put on the company credit card for the conference I worked at recently. Now I have to try to get them to do it the way they were supposed to do it in the first place. It seems that everything has to be done at least twice because between poor quality and distracted employees, nothing is correc...

"The new reverse-osmosis, trans-pivotal, extract process was created by our DI team for customers who want to "will" their data to us. It works almost 47 ½ % of the time and should decrease revenue by 23% over the next 12 minutes…"

"Hello Garden Store, Do you have any orgasmic fertilizer? I need it right away!" * This message was sent with High Impotence.

"OK" Sent on the new Sprint Network from my Samsung Galaxy S®4. Sent from my iPhone Emailed from my Dell Vostro. Sent from my Verizon Wireless 4G LTE DROID Called from a land-line in Alamogordo, NM Driven by pickup truck in the pocket of my jeans. Written on a piece of paper with a pencil. Sent by smoke signal from White Mountain, AZ

A person from Jet-Black came to give me a driveway estimate last summer. He neglected to address the real issue and wanted to put a coating over the top. That would be like fixing a broken leg with a band-aid . He also said the company was too busy to actually fix my driveway. Now he is back; leaving me emails and sending letters in the mail. Here is my response to his email. Your company came out and gave me an estimate to "paint" my driveway. I needed to address an area that was sinking near the front of my garage. I have since had a full driveway replacement from another company that chose to address the actual problem. You may now stop sending me estimates as I am no longer interested in doing business with your company.

Recently at a work related conference, I was given a Green Delicious apple with my lunch. Like the Red Delicious (variety of) apples, I've noticed the creators of this variety of fruit were savvy enough to put the color before the word "delicious," so as not to confuse it with a delicious green apple. I always think of these as "school apples;" since this is the kind most often served by educational institutions—due to the cheapness of price in comparison to better tasting apples. One interesting note is that schools do not allow students to possess knives of any kind, yet to eat one of these apples without peeling it is like eating an extra layer of cardboard around your fruit—since the peelings are rather "tough." As an adult, I had access to a knife so I peeled mine—only to find that indeed, it was more "green," than it was "delicious."

There is some political fighting going on now regarding Minnesota's (alleged) 1.9 Billion dollar surplus . So I thought I would give my opinion. 1. Don't spend it stupidly by sending everyone a (small) check to give it back like when Jesse Ventura was governor. 2. Give money back to the schools that was taken when there was a budget shortage not so long ago. 3. Save some of the money to use NEXT TIME there is a budget shortage. 4. Why are my taxes so high if we have extra money? 5. How about fixing some of the bad roads and bridges? 6. The environment is always a good place to put extra money.