A "Rookie" Sensation!

This time around, I want to give credit to my mother, who recently e-mailed this week's clip to me.

In this week's VOTW, a golden retriever named Rookie and his human, Carolyn Scott, give a freestyle performance of "You're the One That I Want" from the musical Grease during a dog show in 2006. If you ask me, this puts Dancing With the Stars to shame!

"Come Here, Puppet Boy!"

This week, I thought I'd introduce you to Jeff Dunham. He is the best working ventriloquist today (in my opinion), and he is definitely worth the price of admission!

He has done at least two shows on Comedy Central, and he tours regurlay. So get ready to laugh, as Jeff talks with his friends!

How NOT to Go to School!

This week, I have something unusual.

We've seen cars race, as well as semi-trucks, dragsters, horses, boats, dogs, etc. But what about school buses? That's right! Here is a clip of six school buses taking a few laps at a racetrack in Michigan. Sit back back and watch the mayhem ensue!

Master Chief Takes a Holiday

A few weeks ago, one of the most anticipated video games of all time went on sale. According to my son, it "kicks ass" (his words, not mine). I am, of course, talking about Halo 3, which by this time has found its way to about 90% of the XBox-360 game systems in the world.

Anyway, for my VOTW this week, I present a side of Master Chief not seen by most. Taking a much-deserved break from his quest and from all the mayhem, our hero finds a little pond and decides to see if the fish our biting (in his own special way, of course).

"Come On Down!"

A few months ago, Bob Barker retired from television after a 50-year career, 35 of which he spent hosting the game show "The Price Is Right". During much of that time, I followed the show off and on, and there was one thing I noticed. The cheesier the sets, the games, and the music became, the better it got! I know that's weird, but somehow it worked!

For this week's VOTW, I present what is arguably the most famous clip in the history of "The Price Is Right". One day, in 1981, the first four contestants were called to the stage. Watch what happens with the fourth contestant!

A Commentary On Today's Music

This week, I decided to see just how "old" I really am. In a past life, I was a Top-40 DJ in the Midwest, and during that time, I grew to like much of the music that I had played while working at the radio station.

Well, not long after my departure from the broadcasting biz, the music became different. I remember when I was a kid, my parents didn't like my choices in music: Elton John, Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith, etc. Now I understand what they meant, thanks to groups like the Black Eyed Peas. Oh, some of their stuff is pretty good (like "Let's Get It Started"), but a lot of it is nothing more than mindless dreck.

For this week's VOTW, I give you a take on one of Black Eyed Peas' biggest hits, as interpreted by Alanis Morissette. It's her version of "My Humps". For comparison purposes, I have also provided the original video by the Peas.

Personally, I like Alanis' version much better...

An Interpretation of a "Wonderful" Song

This video has been circulating in e-mails over the last several weeks, and now I share it with you.

The great Louis Armstrong recorded the song "What a Wonderful World" back in the late 1960s, but it resonates even today as a message of hope for Mankind's future. Not bad for a minor jazz number sung by a trumpeter in less than 2-1/2 minutes.

At this year's Helpmann Awards (Australia's rough equivalent to the Tony Awards), an unusualist named Raymond Crowe treated the audience to a shadow-puppet interpretation of this classic song. Sit back and watch the magic!

Another Twisted Trailer

This week, I bring you a reimagined trailer for an Oscar-winning Best Picture. And to make it interesting, it's from an unlikely source. What if West Side Story (1961) wasn't a musical? The person who put this together did an excellent editing job. Just watch it for yourself, and see how brilliant it is!

What's next, The Silence of the Lambs (1991) as a comedy? :)

"Is This the Real Life..."

This past Wednesday, September 5, was the 61st anniversary of the birth of one of rock music's greatest talents. When his voice was silenced in 1991, the world didn't mourn his loss; they celebrated his life and his gift of music.

I was first turned on to his group's music back in 1974, when they released a minor hit single about a woman "guaranteed to blow your mind, anytime"*. But the next year, they released what can only be decsribed as "The Song", and from that moment I was hooked. Rolling Stone magazine called it "either a progressive rock benchmark, or the most convoluted pop song ever recorded". A BBC Radio poll once revealed this song to be both the best and the worst song in rock history -- at the same time! I am talking, of course, about "Bohemian Rhapsody", by Queen, and the man who wrote that song, the late Freddie Mercury.

For this week's VOTW, I wanted to give tribute to Freddie, but I had a harder time going about it than I thought. I initally wanted a performance piece, or the "Barcelona" video, but I decided that was cliché. Then I discovered a clip of a classical guitar lesson DVD by Edgar Cruz, featuring this song. After more digging, I found performances by people who learned to play it from the DVD.

Of those clips, I judged this to be the best of them. This is a live performance of "Bohemian Rhapsody", arranged for classical guitar, by a gentleman named David Schaub. And I also feel it is a moving tribute to Freddie, and the fact that his voice still resonates after all these years.

If you happen to be a Queen fan, I would recommend you have a Kleenex handy...


* -- The song was "Killer Queen"

It's Not Duck Season, Its Not Wabbit Season...

...Then it must be Football seaon!

As I type this, it is 96 dregrees outside (and it's not even 11:00am yet!), but fall is in the air!

After spending over a third of my life in Nebraska, it is hard to let go of my love for Cornhusker Football. With that in mind, I bring you this tribute to the upcoming season for this week's VOTW. Go Big Red!

Attention, All Mr. Bean Fans!

Okay, the new Mr. Bean movie is out. Personally, I loved the TV show, but if you ask me, the Mr. Bean movies seem to lose something in the translation.

Nonetheless, I decided to mark the occasion with a VOTW clip featuring Rowan Atkinson in a classic sketch from a show he did in his early days, Not the Nine O'Clock News. Here, he is a police captain admonishing one of his officers for -- Wait. Better not spoil it. Just watch and prepare to laugh!

No, I Haven't Forgotten...

In fact, I've been moving. That's right, as of (really late) last night, all of my stuff is finally in my apartment. I still have much to do, so I have just enough time to post my VOTW:

In observance of the occasion, I searched for videos using the keyword "moving". My intention was to find some hi-speed clip of someone moving into (or out of) a home, but I found this instead. It's a well-produced silent-movie parody of the Star Trek episode "The Devil In the Dark". Enjoy! Trust me: Even if you're a non-fan, you will enjoy this!

I'll be back in a few days. Gotta put my apartment together...

"Go" for SRB Separation

This week, my video pick is among the coolest I have found, to date!

This is video of a solid rocket booster (SRB) separation from STS-115, Shuttle Atlantis, September 9, 2006. The camera is mounted on the nose of the SRB itself, and it shows amazing footage of it descent back to Earth. What I find really cool is that the other SRB stays in the line-of-sight of this camera for much of the trip! Oh, and yes, the audio is the real deal, too! Enjoy!

Ode to My Mechanic

Allow me to introduce you to Larry Hale.

Larry is my mechanic, hand-picked by my father before he passed away. When he became too ill to work on my mother's car, he said to her "If your car needs work, take it to Larry."

When I came out here from Nebraska, my mother recommended Larry to me. To date, he has never steered me wrong, nor has he left me completely broke after a repair job. Sure, he's an asshole (He'll tell you himself), but I cannot think of anyone more honest, more qualified, or more understanding than Larry. Except for tire work, I have not let another mechanic besides Larry or his assistant, Angelo, work on the cars I've owned since coming back to California. For the record, the cars were a 1992 Olds Cutlass Supreme and a 2000 Honda Civic.

Now, I've had my Honda since March, and I must say it's a workhorse. I have had absolutely no problems with it so far, just routine maintenance issues. But today, it nearly became a completely different story...

I went to Larry's to get my oil changed before work this morning (I deliver pizzas on the weekends, remember?). After about 15 minutes, I signed my credit card slip and went on my merry way.

About six minutes later, I had just got onto the freeway to get to work, when my cell rings; it was Larry. When I answered, this is what I heard:

"Pull your car over! Pull it over, right now!"

No "Hey, Rob, it's Larry," or anything like that. He literally ordered me to stop driving my car! After I pulled to the side of the road, he said that I was losing a lot of oil, and that he or Angelo would be out in a few minutes.

Angelo came out, jacked up my car, and discovered that the oil filter was defective: The rubber gasket had somehow become partially separated from the filter body. Well, he replaced the filter, and then added three (Count 'em, THREE) quarts of oil to my engine, right there on the side of the 57 Freeway. By the way, four-cylider engines hold four quarts! Even if you account for what was in the defective filter, I had lost over half of my oil in less than ten minutes!

Thanks to Larry's quick thinking, I avoided a major car problem (read: blown engine), and all it cost me was being about 15-20 minutes late to work. Hey, I'm moving next week; the last thing I needed was a hefty repair bill that would've sucked out all the money I've been saving for the move!

So, Larry, you cranky, ugly, dirty, rotten son-of-a-bitch (and I mean that affectionately), I raise my beer to you! Now, I know why you have customers who live in the Inland Empire. As of next weekend, I'll be living in Riverside, and I will still take my car to you! My mother has sung your praises for years; well, we're now officially a duet (Just make sure to cover your ears first!).

Well, It Finally Happened

Back in the days of baseball yore, if you lived in New York, you were a fan of one of three teams: the New York Yankees, the New York Giants, or the Brooklyn Dodgers. Then, in 1958, the Dodgers and Giants moved to California, preserving the Dodgers/Giants rivalry (one of the greatest in all of sports), while at the same time maintaining a tremendous dislike for the Yankees from afar (at least, from my point of view). And it seems that only Yankee fans like the Yankees these days (except, of course, for Alex Rodriguez).

Why the history lesson? Because history was made last night. Barry Bonds belted #756 into the stands at AT&T Park in San Francisco. Now, love him or hate him, you can't deny this achievement. Sure, you can talk about the whole Balco thing, or about his trainer being in jail, or the fact that he's been implicated in at least two books about steroid abuse. Sports show talking heads from Colin Cowherd (ESPN Radio) to Bob Costas (HBO Sports) "know" he uses or has used some form of steroids. Many people in this country think he should be given the Roger Maris treatment ("*"). Others think he doesn't deserve mention at all. I think the real controversy is not Barry Bonds, but the lack of respect he got on this special occasion.

Hey, I'm not crazy about him either, simply because of the fact that he is not the most receptive person when it comes to the press. I tried to justify it by thinking that his standoffish attitude was because he was focused on the game. That may be true, but for baseball fans outside San Francisco (and even some within San Francisco), he comes across as a jerk. And with all the press (both good and bad) about him this year, everyone got burned out. This, if you ask me, is why Bonds got dissed last night by the two people who should have been there: Bud Selig and Hank Aaron.

When Hank belted #715, breaking Babe Ruth's record, in 1974, at least Ruth had an excuse for not being there: he was dead. After Bonds toppled Hammerin' Hank, Hank offered his congratulations... via video! Months ago, he said he would not be there because of the Balco controversy, but he did send a video message that was taped about three weeks ago! I should note that "three weeks" is a guess, but a logical one, as Barry Bonds was still at 753 at that time.

As for Commissioner Bud Selig, he was nowhere to be seen. As a matter of fact, he was in San Diego, visiting with George Mitchell, the guy in charge of the MLB steroid investigation. How's that for irony? Oh, sure, Frank Robinson and some other muckety-muck baseball VP were there, but Selig wasn't. And his no-show last night only reaffirms my personal animosity toward him; he should've stepped down as Commissioner of Baseball after the 1994-95 strike, but that's just my opinion.

Look, love him or hate him, Barry Bonds now holds what is arguably the most sacred record in all of sports: Most Career Home Runs. But there is a good chance that his reign at the top won't last 56 years, or 33, or even 15.

I decided early on this season that I have become a fan of Alex Rodriguez. Of the three active players behind Barry Bonds in career home runs, A-rod, Sammy Sosa and Junior Griffey, it's A-Rod who has the best shot at toppling Bonds. He's only 32, and he recently hit his 500th homer, making him the youngest player to do so. Assuming ten more years in his career, with an average of about 25 dingers per year, and he's easily in the 750 Club!

Oh, why do like A-Rod? Because Yankee fans hate him!

And why am I defending Bonds? Because, steroid allegations aside, he is still a tremendous talent on the field.

So all you Barry-haters out there, give it a rest. It's done. Nothing more to see here. Move along.

(Photo from AP/Jeff Chiu)

Patton, Part II

As promised, I bring my second in the two-part Patton Videos of the Week. This time, I hope you are ready to seriously laugh! The video quality is quite poor, but the material transcends it, I promise you.

This is a stand-up routine performed by a gentleman named J.W. Horn of Plano, Texas, during what appears to be a kind of talent competition some time between the late 1980s and early 1990s. In it, he describes what hemorrhoids feel like, in the persona of General Patton. Trust me, you'll laugh till you cry!

One Last "Colortini"...

"Fire up a colortini, sit back, relax, and watch the pictures, now, as they fly through the air."

For over 30 years, this was the mantra of a man who left an indelible impression upon the media landscape: Tom Snyder.

As I'm sure you may have heard by now, he passed away Sunday night, following a two-year battle with leukemia. Rather than regurgitate everything you've already heard, I'll just tell you what I know.

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My first recollection of him was as an anchor at KNBC News many years ago. When he left to take on "Tomorrow" (which followed "The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson"), Paul Moyer stepped into the anchor seat (and by the way, he is still there!).

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I was a little too young to watch "Tomorrow" (after all, I had a bedtime through most of his NBC stint), but I do remember him on the weekend NBC Nightly News. He had a delivery that was both rough and sincere, and occasionally, he would say something slightly off-the-cuff. It made him unique. It made him endearing. It also made him the butt of jokes, but he took it in stride.

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Dan Aykroyd lampooned him on "Saturday Night Live". I distinctly remember a "Stars-on-45" parody on the Dr. Demento Show, in which a lady exclaimed "I'm watching Tom Snyder, and I don't feel any pain!" Ah, memories...

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Fast-forward to the 1990s. After David Letterman landed at CBS, he persuaded Tom Snyder to return to the air. Soon after, "The Late Late Show" was born, with Tom interviewing an eclectic repertoire of guests, ranging from authors to political figures to comedians to rock stars, just like he did on NBC. Everything was as familiar in the 90s as they were in the 70s: the two chairs (Tom in one, the guest in the other), the intimate set, the informal banter between himself and the crew on the studio floor.

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And who could forget his insight and his laugh? That laugh of his meant only one thing: Here was a man who truly enjoyed what he did for a living! I watched his CBS show as often as I could. When he left CBS, I thought he was retiring, but by the time I learned he had moved to CNBC, my work hours prevented me from watching him. It's a shame, too, because I thought this man made for riveting television.

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As a tribute, I bring you this report from NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams. I don't think I could've done it any better.

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So, here's to you, Tom. I lift my glass and toast a colortini in your honor.

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(Photo from AP/CBS News)

Another 2-Part Video Treat!

I think my trip to Desert Center had something to do with this, as I have another two-part VOTW to show, this time on Gen. George S. Patton.

I didn't get a chance to go inside the Patton Museum out there in the desert, but Patton is one of my heroes, and the movie Patton is my favorite film, bar none, mainly for its brilliant performance by the great George C. Scott.

Now, far be it for me to get political in this venue, but I heard a portion of this on the radio the other day. Basically, it's a re-imagination of the famous opening sequence of Patton, only the twist is that it's done as if he was alive today. The editing is a little shaky, but the vocal talent, performed by a gentleman named Mike Kaminski, is dead-on!

Next week, I promise you far less controversial clip. Trust me. :)

Road Trip!

Yesterday, I had to deliver some stuff to a crew we have at a remote location... Emphasis on the word "remote".

I had to check out a van, drive down to Murrieta (near Temecula -- Gee, I'm getting really familiar with that area!), pick up some equipment, then deliver it to Desert Center. There, I was met by the crew's supervisor (a guy named Al), who then delivered the equipment to Copper Basin.

I still don't know where Copper Basin is (stay tuned, I'm sure I will know sooner than I think), but I can show you Desert Center.

As you can see by this Google Earth image, Desert Center is one of the most remote towns (and I use that word loosely) in the country; Indio is 46 miles to the west, and Blythe is 47 miles to the east. Indio comprises the easternmost portion of the Palm Springs/Palm Desert area, while Blythe sits on the Colorado River, with Arizona just beyond. The big dark spot in this image is the Salton Sea.

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If you've traveled eastbound on I-10 through the California desert, you have encountered the Chiriaco Incline. It's that 10-mile long uphill climb, preceded by posted warnings that you turn off your car's AC so that you don't overheat, complete with no less than ten pull-offs with radiator water! It's located east of Indio, making it one of more challenging stretches of roadway anywhere in the country.

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About eight more miles after the incline is Chiriaco Summit, home of one of the oldest surviving desert cafés in the country (opened 1933), as well as the George S. Patton Museum (Wouldn't you know it? Now I actually have a place that I want to go to in the middle of the desert! Perhaps, one day, I will make it out there). Drive another 20 miles, and you reach Desert Center, the very definition of "wide spot in the road".

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Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you downtown Desert Center, California, population: 125. And yes, that gas price was $3.99/gallon! Suffice it to say that I garnered a little overtime yesterday; I didn't get back to the Lake until well after 6:30pm. Now, if you'll excuse me, it's time for me to go to work...

The Lighter Side of a Daily Ritual

This week's video takes a humorous look at something men do every day: shaving. To most guys, it's a necessary evil, having to scrap their necks with a small, multi-bladed knife every morning. I am somewhat blessed, because I don't need to shave every day, but I still don't look forward to it. This guy seems to have a novel approach to it; just watch the video and you'll see!

Sleeping Like a Baby!

Last week, I bought myself a bed for the first time. I know that sounds strange, from more than one point of view. But in my entire life, I had never bought a bed. Every bed that I had was either a hand-me-down, a freebie, or something acquired after the end of a relationship. The closest I had come to owning a bed was purchasing a waterbed mattress from Wal-Mart. 'Nuff said.

As (I believe) I have posted before, I am planning a move next month to Riverside, and dammit, I want a real bed! Well, I finally did it. Last week, my mother found a mattress retailer going out of business, so I went. If you live in SoCal, I would recommend this place. The owner is retiring and he's still got some quality stuff in stock.

I know I'm going to sound like a commercial, but I got a queen-sized double-pillowtop mattress, with foundation and frame, for $446! And it was worth every penny, because it is one comfortable bed! So, if you live in SoCal, and you need a bed, check 'em out. They don't have a website, but here are the address/phone info and a map. If you go, tell 'em I sent you, then post your experience here.

Luck Be a Lady (But I Didn't See Her)

Just got back from Pechanga, and I am pleased to report that I outlasted nearly 90% of the field (over 330 entries, and I placed 37th), but I didn't win anything (The tourney paid Top-20). Unfortunately, I had very few hands to play, and more than once I was facing elimination due to having a short stack. In the end, I had 8-8 and entered a race situation against K-Q. The flop came out Q-9-7, and I got sent to the rail.

Still, I had a good time, and I ran into a guy I used to work with at All Counties Courier. His name is Adam, and he told that since he lives in Corona, and I'm going to move to Riverside, I should come over to his place some Saturday night for a home tourney he hosts. So, we exchanged numbers and, who knows? I just might check it out one weekend.

Tomorrow, my mother and Tom are taking me to my favorite restaurant for my birthday: El Cholo. I'd better bring my appetite!

The Most Shocking Video Ever!

Okay, I know that sounds like hype, but in a literal sense, it's quite true. I came across this video clip at work earlier this week (It's been going around in the e-mails there), and now I show it to you. It's very short, but very impressive!

In a nutshell, this is a 500kV substation in Nevada that had an obviously malfunctioning piece of equipment. The work crew shot this to demonstrate to their superiors exactly what was wrong with it. For the full details, I suggest you click the link above, then clicking "more" in the box to the wright of the clip. It's long and little dry, but it's also informative.

On another note, today is my birthday, and I am going to spend it the way any man should: I'm off to Pechanga Casino to play poker! I'll come back later to tell how I did. C'ya!

Come On In! The Water's Fine!

Okay, I have been busy this week. Truth be told, I've been looking for a place to live in Riverside. Living in Riverside doesn't appeal to me, but rents are cheaper, and I'd be closer to work.

Speaking of work, let me direct you to the map at the top of this post. At the center is Lake Mathews, where I work. As reference, the city of Riverside is located north of the lake, and the intersection of the 91 Freeway and Interstate 15 is to the northwest, in Corona.

Let me close in now on what I've been working on this week. In this picture, you can see a closeup of a portion of the Construction Services Unit, north of the dyke. I have highlighted my shop, the hydroelectric plant, and the forebay. Now, here's how it works:

Water enters the lake from the Colorado River Aqueduct. From there, it drains into a feeder tower at the western end of the lake and runs through a hydroelectric generator, which provides power for us and for sale to Southern California Edison. As it leaves the hydro plant, it enters the forebay. On the north side of the forebay is another tower, under which are two pipelines known as "feeders". The North Feeder directs water to our La Verne facility, and the South Feeder goes to our Diemer (Yorba Linda) facility.

Okay, enough education.

All this week (and next week), I am assisting a team from Mills Plant (elsewhere in Riverside) in their five-year maintenance of the Hydro plant here at the lake. Really glamorous stuff, like hitting the ceramic insulators with Windex, and polishing the silver-plated contacts on fuses. Hey, there is a good reason for this. Without this maintenance, there is a risk of arcing due to dirt deposits, or of reduction of power because the contacts were too tarnished.

Now, it's time for the cool stuff. In this maintenance, the water entering the hydro plant is cut off. But there's also a bypass line that feeds from the lake directly into the forebay. As a result, the forebay's water level drops because the water entering it has been cut by 50%. When the forebay is full, it's hard to see just how fast that water comes out of these lines.

The other day, the water level dropped enough to give an impressive display of just how much water pressure there is here. I should point out that as impressive as this looks, it's only about half as much as it usually is!

Oh, and yes, there are signs posted that read "DANGER! No swimming! Turbulent water!"

There are two reasons why you don't want to swim in this pool. The first, let's just say these pictures tell that half of the story. The other reason is those feeder lines I mentioned earlier. They take in water at about the same rate that the hydro lines give it, and they have grates within them that would turn you into hamburger if you got sucked into them. Graphic, yes. But for good reason!

Holy Nakatomi, Batman!

Sorry about the title. Couldn't be helped. :)

I went to see Live Free or Die Hard on Wednesday. It wasn't the best in the series, but it held its own pretty well. Anyhow, I still seem to have Die Hard on the brain, as this week's video is an updated spoof of a key scene in the first Die Hard movie. Enjoy!

It's the Heat -- Really!

Before I start this post, let me preface it by saying that it's been hot out here lately. Today, the high was only 92 degrees!

So, my mother and Tom went to church on Sunday morning. While they were gone, the light from the morning sun took its usual trek across the dining room table. Now, they've lived in this home in Anaheim Hills for over two years, and they have never seen anything like this!

They were gone about two hours, and in that time, one of the candles on the table, um... melted?... a little.

Now, the appearance of the candle, and the fact that it's blue, and how its companion remained unscathed by the heat, all ring of endless phallic jokes. To me, it kind of resembles a "before-and-after" Viagra picture. The rest, I leave to your collective imagination! Feel free to post your joke here!

On a side note, it is Independence Day today. So, please be careful out there. This is a day of celebration, not for death, destruction and mayhem. Thank you.

To SATA or Not to SATA, That Is the Question

Okay, I'm back, and it's about time, too!

I'll be honest here: I had two major problems when switching out my hard drive. First, I had to track down all the software I had installed. You're probably thinking "Why didn't you just migrate it?" Simple. My old drive was congested, full of bugs, and programs kept crashing on it. All the maintenance I could do eventually became worthless, necessitating this project. If I simply migrated from one disk to another, I'd have the same old problems on a new disk.

Speaking of the new disk, that was where I had my second problem. It seems the hard drive I bought was a SATA II drive. Now, in case you're not computer-savvy, there are three types of hard drives:

• IDE (also called PATA, Ultra ATA, and ATA) - This is the standard which has been around since the 1980s. The connection looks like a wide grey ribbon, with a red stripe on one side.
• SATA (also called SATA I)- Introduced a few years ago, SATA drives run faster and read data at a slightly higher rata than IDE. The connection is a relatively thin red cord.
• SATA II - This looks, acts and smells like a SATA, only it's supposed to read twice as fast.

Anyway, long story short, no matter what I tried, my PC would not install this SATA II drive as the new boot disk. Apparently, the copy of Windows XP I have doesn't like SATA II (which is strange, because XP is supposed to be adaptable to newly-installed stuff). So, I took my PC over to Tom (He and my mother have been an item for... a while, and he's more tech-savvy than I am), and he had the same problem!

So, we re-packaged the SATA II (which I will return), and Tom gave me a 200GB SATA I, which works fine! By the way, the SATA II drive was only 160GB. Thanks, Tom! You are a god!

A Classic Tribute to the 4th of July!

In honor of the upcoming Independence Day holiday, this week's video is a classic Popeye cartoon called "Patriotic Popeye", in which he tries to instill the dangers of fireworks on his nephews (something we should be careful about anyway). Enjoy!

Some Technical Issues...

Well, my PC has been acting up lately. As a result, I think it's time I overhaul it.

Nothing too elaborate. I will either erase my hard drive and then reload it, or just replace it altogether. I still haven't decided.

I have already backed up my personal files. Now, I just need to inventory my software so I know where it came from. This will take a few days, so you won't hear much from me for a bit (I will still post a new Video of the Week on Saturday).

So, bear with me; I'll be back.

Something I Found Today!

Okay, it's no secret: I am a huge Star Trek fan! Have been since my father introduced me to the TOS reruns back in the early-1970s. Don't ask me which series is my favorite, because each one has its own unique quality to it:

• TOS was the first. Can't take that away.
• TNG had strong character development.
• DS9 had the best writing.
• VOY had Jeri Ryan. :)
• ENT had stunning visuals (and Season 3 kicked ass, if you ask me).

Anyway, I stumbled on this website today that made me laugh out loud! Repeatedly!

If you have been inside just about any office in North America, I'm sure you have seen those beautifully-framed "inspirational posters" all over the place. You know what I'm talking about. The ones that extoll the virtues of "TEAMWORK", or "INTEGRITY", or even "ACHIEVEMENT".

Well, it seems that someone took this idea and gave it a Star Trek theme. I have a sample here. Feel free to check out the rest of them! Funny!

Some Mashed Pulp for Breakfast!

It's Saturday! Time to unveil a new video!

Sometimes, you search and search until the right one comes along. And sometimes, they just fall into your lap. In this case, it was the latter. This is a hilarous mash-up of the "Pulp Fiction" trailer, Muppet-style! Enjoy!

Y'know, Some People Are Funny...

I just got word this morning that an old high-school friend of mine is moving back to Southern California this fall. From Mississippi.

Okay, so her husband got a new job out here. That's fine. But just a couple of weeks ago, when gas in L.A. was knocking on the $4.00/gallon mark (and it was in some places), she expressed her incredulousness of how expensive gas was in her town (around $3.13).

Well, at that time, the AVERAGE price of SoCal gas was about $3.42/gallon. Now, it's about $3.19, with some places venturing back under the $3 mark (Thank God!). My friend, whose name is Winnifred, swore she would never come back to L.A.

Well, guess what? Hubby got a new job. Guess you're coming back, girl! :)

Now, for a simple lesson in petroleum economics:

Gas is more expensive here than anywhere else in the country. As of this writing, California, then the whole West Coast, lead with a 1-2 punch of an average of $3.236 and $3.188, respectively. The Rockies come next at $3.181, and the Gulf Coast rings in at the cheapest, with $2.903.

Why? Distance from refineries, for one. It costs a lot of money to ship fuel from the refineries, many of which are where? That's right, places like Houston, New Orleans, and Mobile, and other Gulf Coast towns. But the real difference is that California (and Colorado) have very aggressive environmental policies when it comes to fuel emissions. As a result, gas in these (and other) areas is refined a different and more costly way. And guess who has to pay for this relatively clean gas? We do. Though it's a couple of years old, this article on the Department of Energy Website explains it very well.

(Gee, I was talking about Winnie coming back, and I ended up explaining the price of gas! Boy, do I digress, or not!).

With that in mind, Winnie, you are welcome to come home! Just don't expect to see gas prices come down in your honor (unless, of course, your husband owns Shell Oil). :)

My Own Space Again (Temporarily)

For the last two weeks, I've been staying at my mother's house because the house she and her boyfriend recently bought had to have paint and carpet put in. Now, I'm back in the new house, and they are once again enjoying a few private nights together.

I gotta hand it to Tom. This man will go to bat for you until either you success or you become a lost cause in his book. With my recent hiring at Metropolitan, it seems that I will fall into the former category. One thing's for sure: In the unlikely event I get drummed out of the District, at least I still have the pizza gig to fall back on. I may even return to being a courier (only for a different company than before). So, either way, I'll survive.

Now, before any of you paint a "LOSER" label on me, let me make one thing clear: I was forced back under my mother's roof. It's a long story, so let just say that the guy from whom I had been renting a room has been in jail for two months now, and he gets his day in court on Tuesday. I just wish I could be there, just to watch him squirm.

To my knowledge, he has been (or should be) charged with the following crimes:

1. Unauthorized alteration of rental property (including the addition of two bedrooms, one in the garage).
2. Subletting property without owner's consent.
3. False claim of property ownership.
4. Theft by deception (multiple counts here).
5. Failure to pay rent.
6. Illegal possession of personal information.
7. Overuse of a karaoke machine.

Okay, that last one isn't a crime, but it should be! But this (How should I put it without offending anyone? Ah! Got it!) asshole left several of us in a lurch, and I hope the judge throws the book at him! I'm not one to make threats. If you ask anyone who knows me, they'll tell you I'm a teddy bear. But if I ever see this... gentleman again, I will put him through a wall! Yes, this is on the record. And from what I've heard, the Garden Grove PD would all but condone such a response! That's how much of a weasel this guy is. More, it seems this guy (or one like him) got the attention of the California Association of Realtors. My mother is a member, and at their convention in Sacramento earlier this month, she heard about a case nearly identical to mine from Orange County.

I'm sure you've noticed that I have intentionally left his identity secret. The case is still pending, and I will not stoop so low as to divulge the suspect's name in this forum. Hey, I do have some morals. :)

New Video - A Classic!

Time to unleash a new YouTube clip, and this time I present one of my favorite cartoons of all time!

This is a 1984 short called "Jumping", a brilliantly done animation tour-de-force! I say this because in this short, there are NO static backgrounds!

As always, if you have problems watching the clip, you can see it here.

Zero-Tolerance Is Bunk!

Okay, time for me to step on a soapbox here...

This is something that I only do when I hear something on the news that sounds so absurd, I just gotta say something about it.

It seems that an elementary school in Rancho Palos Verdes, California, came under fire during a school tradition: Graduating 5th-Graders decorating their mortarboards, some of them with toy soldiers.

According to this news story, students were told by their principal to cut off the weapons held by miniature toy soldiers, as it violated the school's "zero-tolerance policy" on weapons!

Look at this picture of a typical toy soldier. Does this look like it could render harm to a child like a real weapon could. No! Granted, we live in a society in which unpredictable things can happen to anyone at any time, but give me a friggin' break here! Because of tragic events like Columbine and Virginia Tech, schools across the country have jerked their collective knees and instituted so-called "zero-tolerance policies" for the safety of the students, not only for weapons, but for drugs, too.

Now, I will be the first to speak up and say that schools need to be safe, but "zero-tolerance" ain't the way to go, people. All they do is cause more problems than they solve.

I'm sure that equally ridiculous stories have fallen your way in the past. Like the Kindergartener who got suspended for bringing a plastic picnic knife so he could cut cookies. Or the boy who got kicked out because he shared a some cold pills with a fellow student, who just happened to be his cousin and on the same prescription. Any way you look at it, I can sum it up in one word: overkill. Take these hypothetical situations:

Fighting -- An honor student has a flawless record, until he gets involved in one fight halfway through his senior year; as a result, he is forced to sit out the rest of the year. Like it or not, most students will get into at least one fight (and I mean an "old school" fight, with fists) before they get their diplomas. It takes two to tango, we all know that, but the honor student wouldn't be the kind to start it, right? He (or she) who starts it should receive the stronger punishment, especially if that student has a history of fighting!

Drugs -- A high-school girl gets expelled because a teacher saw her pull an over-the-counter menstrual cramp medicine from her locker, on the grounds that she is in possession of a drug. Now, what kind of society do we have to live in, in which a young lady needs to ask to be excused to the Nurse's Office so she could have her Pamprin ADMINISTERED to her?!

Weapons -- The story I reference is a strong case for this, but there are many publicized examples. Believe it or not, this is almost the worst of these policies. If you think about it, nearly anything can be a weapon! You can put an eye out with a spork. You can strangle someone with a shoelace or a belt. Those rulers with the metal edge can cut somebody. And I have been stabbed by a sharpened pencil before (Okay, it was accidentally self-inflicted, but I think you get my point here). For this to work, students might as well be naked and forced to do their assignments using only white-board markers and crayons!

Cell Phones -- This is the most ridiculous policy of all! There are schools who have this rule, and it is basically unenforceable! See what I mean in this story out of Norfolk, Virginia!

A water pistol is not a firearm. A plastic knife is not a switchblade. Aspirin is not a narcotic. Cell phones are not the only way to disrupt a class, cheat on tests, take surreptitious pictures, etc. If you are involved with the public school system in any way (employee, parent, or student), you need to open your eyes and do something about these policies, before a six-year-old gets arrested because she throws a tantrum. What? Damn, too late. It's happened already.

Kuo for It!

Okay, so I'm watching the Dodgers game last night, and they collected a win against the Mets 4-1, at the Stadium. But what grabbed my attention were three dingers on three pitches by the Dodgers, taking them to a 3-1 lead in the third inning.

But it was the pitcher, Hong-chih Kuo, who hit the third of those homers, who really made me jump from my seat. On his first pitch, he knocked a no-doubter into the right-field seats.

Was it because three jacks in a row? No.

Was it because Kuo was the first Taiwanese player to hit a homer? No.

Was it because it was Kuo's second career base bit? No.

It was the fact that he flippeed his bat the way Barry Bonds would, as if he'd done this a hundred times before!

Well done, Kuo. Just keep up the good work!

Just a Quick Note...

Today, I drove several of our crew back out to Lake Skinner so they could pick up their vehicles. One guy in the van, Brian, had to get his truck at Site 2 (I got to drive because I was finally eligible -- and I didn't have a vehicle on site).

Anyway, I just wanted to show you what Site 2 looks like. This is the site in a neighborhood, and I feel bad the people who live out there because, not only were we out there digging a big hole in the ground, but there was another work crew laying concrete to patch up at least a dozen sections of sidewalk!

Gotta get ready for work now...

More Temecula (Part 2)

Today being Sunday, I usually might skip this day, or say that I did something frivolous (like the fact that I saw Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End today), but I still have more to tell about the shutdown in Temecula. So, without any further ado, let's get started.

When I arrived Friday morning, the first of the concrete forms was nearly completed. These forms, placed at both ends of the repair, were filled with reinforced concrete on Saturday morning, then cured to a rating of 1000 psi (of what, I am not sure -- I am still new at this!). In the first picture, the final side of the first form is lowered into place and then secured. Later, in the afternoon, the same procedure began on the other end of the repair, but not before something had to be done first.

If you check out the Part 1 post, look closely at the second photograph. On the near end of the pipe, next to the ladder, you will notice a scraggly edge to the original pipe where it meets with the replacement section. Well, that stuff, consisting of old mortar and a fabric bonding material (known as a "diaper" among the crew), had to be removed before the forms could go up. This already had been done on the first end, and I was asked to finish the other end. With a jackhammer.

Yes, you read that right. A jackhammer.

I'm not talking your typical New-York-City-construction-zone jackhammer; this was a smaller, more compact handheld unit. It was still heavy and it still made a helluva racket, but it is designed for more "surgical" jobs than simply ripping holes into concrete. Well, I had never operated a jackhammer before, so I got a crash course on how to use it. Suffice it to say that I think I earned my entire week's pay on Friday morning! While on break, I grabbed a self-portrait. Note the mask at my chin; without it, I'd have been literally eating concrete chunks for breakfast.

Anyway, I managed to finish the job by lunchtime (I should note here that lunchtime for me was shift change for everyone else, and vice versa. Remember, my schedule was dictated by the fact that I had training in L.A. on Wednesday; otherwise, I would have been on the 12a-12p shift). After lunch, I attended the noon safety meeting, and Susan told me that this would be my last shift at the site. I spent the afternoon as "top man" once again, this time for a cement crew who had to seal the welds from the inside. It was during this part of my shift that I began learning hand signals for guiding a crane's payload to its destination, in this case several 25-pound bags of concrete mix lowered into the pipe's manhole, five at a time.

In the final picture I took at the site, you can see the nearly-completed form, ready for the concrete to go in. Several layers of rebar form the reinforcement grid, while fiberglass rods stretch from one side to the next to keep the form from collapsing. As I left, the second form had just been getting started. As I write this, I imagine that the hole is nearly covered back up by now. Soon, we will go back out to the site to retrieve our equipment and bring it back to Lake Mathews. One think I cannot deny about this project: This was, without a doubt, a learning experience!

Well, Friday night found me with opportunity to check out the town and spend another night before leaving (besides, I didn't know I was done until after 12 noon, which is check-out time -- I was committed to another night). So, I found an On the Border restaurant and went in. When I lived in Nebraska, I regularly bought the salsa they marketed, and I wanted to sample their cuisine. The food was quite good, but that's not what made it a good night.

This young lady sat next to me. When we introduced ourselves, she said her name was Tirza (It's Old Testament. I looked it up; it's the name of one of Zelophehad's five daughters, whatever that means. Hey, I don't read the Bible, but I can say it's mentioned in Numbers). Anyhow, we ended up having a stimulating conversation that nearly closed the restaurant! Too bad she had a boyfriend; I found her to be a very interesting woman! Oh, well. At least I am slowly dipping my toes back into the social waters again. It's about damn time, too!

New Video, and It's Worthy!

Okay, time to take a break from talking about industrial construction projects!

Here is my Video of the Week. It's footage taken from a tourist's video camera of a safari at South Africa's Kruger National Park. In it, a water buffalo calf becomes the rope in a tug-of-war between lionesses and crocodiles, with some surprising twists along the way!

It's a bit on the long side (8-1/2 minutes), but worth every second!

More Temecula (Part 1)

Well, I got back to Temecula on Wednesday night, and I checked into the Motel 6. I know, luxury accomodations, right? :)

Anyway, when I arrived on Thursday morning, it was quite obvious that we were running ahead of schedule. In the first picture, the first piece of the replacement section was already in place, and the second piece was nearly there. After the two pieces were laid in, a "butt strap" joined them together, as shown in the second picture.

As the day progressed, temporary platforms and walkways were put up for safe access into and out of the trench, and the ladders (at least most of them) were lashed to those platforms to secure them in place. Another ladder went into the manhole at the top of the replacement section, so that welders could go in and seal the seams from the inside.

I also had an important, if not labor-intensive, duty on Thursday: I was designated "top man", which means I was responsible for the accountability of those who entered the pipe. Basically, all I did was stand at the manhole and make people sign in and out on a clipboard as they entered and exited. Susan, the Site One supervisor, would later tell me that people were known to have been accidently sealed inside a pipe, and then subsequently killed by the reintroduction of water within it. Though I wasn't surprised to hear that, I didn't let it bother me because I am pretty sure that sort of thing hasn't happened in a long time.

The entire day was pretty much devoted to welding the pipe together, both inside and out. In this third shot, a welder named Gerardo tackles the installed joint on the outside. Note that the intensity of the torch is so bright, its center appears as a black dot in the picture! Now you know why you can't look directly at a welding torch in action without protection!

Oh, and I want to send a "thank you" to the people who manufacture those sunscreen wipes we use. I broke one out for the first time on Thursday, and I didn't get burned! You'd better believe I'll have plenty of those on hand in the future.

Up next, Friday, and I did something for the very first time!

A Day in L.A., then Back I Go!

Well, I slept in today (Trust me, with my line of work, 4:30am is sleeping in!).

I hopped the Metrolink to Union Station for "Day 2 Orientation" at MWD Headquarters. On tap was defensive driving, a brief MWD history lesson (and lunch), health and safety, and the day closed with ethics. Pretty routine stuff, overall. But I caution you now: If you are an MWD employee and you are registered for the defensive driving course, get there early; otherwise, you will be locked out!

Anyway, I'm back at my mother's place, waiting for some laundry to finish, then it's back to Temecula I go. I will be down there for the duration of the shutdown, so I don't expect to return here until I get back. In the meantime, I will grab some more pics while I'm there. I promise a good show. Until then, be good.

Temecula - Day One

Today, I experienced working a construction site for the first time. My personal contribution was minor, but I was out there all day, and I have the sunburned arms and neck to prove it!

I took these pictures with my cell phone camera to show what went on today. Both of them are of the trench we dug out to expose a section of damaged pipe near Lake Skinner (northeast of Temecula), which serves San Diego County.

Around midnight last night, this pipeline was shut down for repairs here and at a site about two miles due south. That site is in a residential area, so if you live out there, bear with us; we'll be out in about a week! :)

Anyway, the first picture shows the excavator digging out the pipeline. If you look carefully, you can see a seam in the pipeline on the lower-left corner. Another seam is visible near the far end of the exposed pipe. This section is in need of replacement, and that's why we are there.

The second shot shows the excavator from a more dramatic angle -- inside the trench itself! I was standing on the pipe when I took this picture. As I left, the crew had positioned the crane, a platform, and some ladders for more detailed work around the pipe before cutting it open. We are working around the clock to complete this job as soon as possible. Unfortunately, I won't be able to see what this site will look like tomorrow, because I have to be at MWD Headquarters in Los Angeles for further training. Then, on Thursday, I will be back in Temecula until the job is finished.

It's times like this I wish I had a notebook, but I am still tethered to the Internet via desktop units. Who knows? I might get lucky and find the library! But I wouldn't count on it.

Big Week Ahead!

Well, this is going to be one busy week for me.

This morning, I rode out to Temecula to help set up some lighting rigs that will be used in a repair operation that we're going to start about three hours after I finish writing this post.

The shifts are 12a-12p, but I will be running 6a-6p. Why?

To be honest, I'm still a newbie with the MWD. They need me to go to Los Angeles for further orientation training on Wednesday. Otherwise, I'd be just like everyone else.

If you're confused, don't worry; I've known about the shutdown since I got to Lake Mathews, and I just got my schedule finalized last Thursday.

Anyway, I need to go to sleep right now, because I need to be out the door by 4:15am. I'll report back tomorrow night on my first true day at a shutdown site then.

Good night, all.

New Week, New Video

Okay, it's a new week. Time to unveil a new YouTube clip! As promised, here is the second Star Wars-themed video. This time, it's a segment from Cartoon Network's Adult Swim program "Robot Chicken". Here, Palpatine is in his office on Coruscant, when Vader calls him with the news that the Death Star has been destroyed.

To view the clip, click the thumbnail above, or see it here.

No Rest for the Wicked

My brother called me today.

He asked me what I was doing, and I said I was working. "What, the pizza thing?" he asked. I said yes, and he exclaimed "Jeez, don't you ever take a day off?"

Now, Scott, I know you will find your way here sooner or later, so please don't take this the wrong way. When you are gainfully employed, and it doesn't matter as what (as long as it's legal), you can ask me that question. But until then, don't say a damn thing.

I work two jobs for one reason and one reason only: to save up money for my own place. In April, I found myself on the short end of the proverbial stick when I discovered that the guy from whom I had been renting a room was a con artist (I will talk about that later). Currently, I am "house-sitting" at a place my mother and her fiance just purchased, until I have enough to once again leave the nest. I'm about 1/4 of the way there now (I hope). The pizza job allows me to have some pocket money during the week, while the MWD job is for the bills and for saving for a new place. See? I told you I have this thing figured out!

Scott, on the other hand, tends to fly by the seat of his pants. Nothing personal, bro, but you haven't been able to hold a job for more than a few months. You are impulsive, temperamental, and unfocused, and you continually have issues with nearly every kind of authority figure, especially in the workplace. I bet that as you're reading this, you're thinking I am a jerk for "speaking out against you". But the truth is, dude, right now you're a wannabe drama queen and you need to get a grip.

You're trying to make it big in Hollywood. That's great. I hope you do make it. But in the meantime, I think IMDb needs to erase nearly every single "credit" you posted on your profile. If they paid attention to every bit player who had walk-on and background roles in every movie and TV-show ever produced, they'd need to upgrade their systems every week just to keep up! Is it untrue that you worked on Adam Sandler's "The Longest Yard"? No. But just because you were No. 96 on the guards' team, it doesn't entitle you to a listing on IMDb! Once you get a speaking role, IMDb will put it on for you, because THEN you're name WILL BE LISTED in the CREDITS. See how it works now? Besides, half of your entries are misspelled, anyway... :)

And while I'm at it, let me settle a couple of recent date arguments once and for all:

1. Disneyland opened its doors on July 17, 1955.
2. And about that restaurant in Fullerton that used to be Pizza Hut, the one you claimed hadn't been a Pizza Hut in over 30 years? I'm telling you, for the record, I first noticed it was no longer a Pizza Hut in 1990. Besides, I worked there before joining the army in 1985. I think I know what I'm talking about here.

To everyone else, I'm sorry to vent like this, but sometimes my younger brother drives me up the wall (He'll tell you it's in his contract -- He has to).

There is more, believe me. But I have things to do right now. Hey, no rest for the wicked... :)

A Kind Word and a Smile...

Okay, so I moonlight on weekends by delivering pizza in Anaheim. Hey, the tips are good, and it gives me some pocket money to get me through the week (paychecks are for the bills). Anyway, toward the end of my shift, I noticed one of my tires was really low (12.4 psi -- Trust me, that's bad!). So, when I finished, I went to a well-known tire place to fix the flat. This wasn't a mom-and-pop garage; it was a Garden Grove location of a world-famous tire company. Sorry, I won't say which one, for obvious reasons.

Anyway, when I got there, a guy named Matt came out, took off my tire and, sure enough, I had run over a nail. Well, he rolled the tire into the shop and about 10 minutes later, it was good as new. After all was said and done, I asked Matt "What's the damage?" After all, patching a tire runs at least $20 these days, right?

Well, Matt ran inside to check with his manager. A moment later, he came back out and said "My boss said to tell you 'Have a nice day.'" Well, that came as a very pleasant surprise! So, let me take this opportunity to thank Matt and the rest of the staff at this world-famous tire company store for their time. You guys have just got yourselves a new customer. When it comes time for me to get new tires, I will go to you guys first!

And who says no one does favors like this in Southern California anymore?

Welcome!

Hello, and welcome to Rob's Rest Stop. Here, you will find musings, rants, and just some plain all-around fun. But most of all, I will scour YouTube for you, and come up with some of the best videos I can find there. We start with the first of two tributes to the Star Wars saga, which celebrated its 30th anniversary this month (Jeez, has it already been that long?!). Here, we have a scene from The Empire Strikes Back, in which an officer submits a report to Darth Vader at his meditation chamber, only this time the scene has been, um, slightly re-edited. If you have trouble accessing the video, you can click here instead. Enjoy!