Jason's pictures from around Europe

I think the best Rock n Roll song of all time is

Sympathy for the Devil by the Roliing Stones. The drums, the guitar, the piano, the ooh ooh...if that song doesn't get you moving, nothing will!

1,000 covers of Rolling Stone on the wall

take one down, pass it around, 999 covers on the wall.

NEW YORK - Rolling Stone magazine celebrates its 1,000th issue this week with a burst of rock 'n' roll excess: a glitzy Manhattan party with the Strokes as house band and a 3-D cover that mimics the Beatles' "Sgt. Pepper" sleeve and cost nearly $1 million to produce.

Who's that hiding behind Elmo?

I was thinking the other day, do you think the kids that actually got to appear on Seasame Street fealt any different about seeing the characters as puppets and not "real" like they appear on TV?

Someone should do some research...maybe a "E! True Hollywood Story" The Kids of Seasame Street.

Happy Birthday Cheerios

"Look! An Oat Cereal All Ready to Eat” (1944)

What I'm reading- The Dogs of Babel

Excerpt from 'The Dogs of Babel'
By Carolyn Parkhurst

Here is what we know, those of us who can speak to tell a story: On the afternoon of October 24, my wife, Lexy Ransome, climbed to the top of the apple tree in our backyard and fell to her death. There were no witnesses, save our dog, Lorelei;

The man who never was - 1956

Garrett and I watched this movie when we were both home sick a few weeks ago. Actually, i watched it an Garrett slept through most of it. Best part of the movie (IMHO) was coming up with the concept. Toss someone out of a plane to plant information for the Nazis to "find" that would never work....but float him in the ocean and let him drift into Spain, of course that will work just fine.

interesting twists towards the end and one tries to figure out what the other is up to

.406 club is gone

Check out the new seats above home plate!

Has it finally sprung ?

I think Spring might be here to stay this week.

Simpson's Movie

Will they finally "Jump the Shark"....i doubt it.

Split it..Split it Good

Lefties...

Garrett, yes...Alan ? Not sure yet.

If the bike fits, ride it

Here's an article that I wrote for a client recently. The purpose was to somehow "will" spring to coming early this year...now if we all close our eyes and think warm thoughts.

Check out VIP specials this week

In case you've been wondering why i haven't been posting much lately. Meet the beast that is my life lately.

Presenting, the new and improved VIP Parts, Tires & Service monthly flyer!!

"A little love goes a long way"

Time....and discipline

What a great idea...

"On June 17th, every year, the family goes through a private ritual: we photograph ourselves to stop a fleeting moment, the arrow of time passing by"

Happy birthday, Dad (2/26)

I read once that when a man's father dies, his only true judge is gone. Unfortunately, I’m still trying to figure out what freedoms and responsibilities this thought provides me.

What a Dunkleman !

Whatever happened to Brian Dunkleman?

Former 'Idol' co-host questions decision to leave show
Wednesday, February 22, 2006; Posted: 8:27 a.m. EST (13:27 GMT)

Brian Dunkleman left "American Idol" to pursue a performing career of his own.

LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- Brian Dunkleman admits it. He can't help but wonder if he might have been a mega-star on the rise, just like Ryan Seacrest, if he hadn't quit as co-host of "American Idol" after the hit reality show's first season.

My take - he may be putting on a brave face...but i bet his wife and kids are pissed that they're not loaded right now...Seacrest Out! - TK

great headline ! Cheney's got a gun

Haven't read the article yet, but i bet it will be entertaining !

Feb 7 2005

It was a year ago that we put our house up for sale and began our relocation plans in earnest. One word - Balloons. Funny...the new owners haven't been nearly as successful in moving the place as we were. Guess we knew what we were doing after all.

Close call in Scarborough

Glenn Close, Idexx founder David Shaw wed in Maine

(My invitation must have been lost in the mail- TK)

Ethos, from the air

You can see our new offices located in the middle left hand side of the picture. The small building between the large brick and white ones. Saccarappa Falls are shown in this picture taken a few weeks ago...not by me. Scenic, ain't it? I feel so industrial.

Pub talk - What's the opposite of antibotic ?

Probiotics introduce good bacteria to the intestinal system to help strengthen the body's natural defenses, and help restore the appropriate balance of intestinal bacteria.

Suoer bowl ads

Everyone else is doing it so i will too.

Granted, there was a thrilling game of Play-doh going on while i was trying to concetrate on the ads, but in between 1,000,000 "look dad...it's a star!" from 2 year old Alan, here's what i thought.

Cadillac ad--- with the whole world going small and/or hybrid, leave it to the origianl dinosaur to keep pushing its mammoth Escalade. The only ones driving them are the players that get them for free and don't care what the price of gas is.

Toyota truck ad - I thought the Web cam at the beach idea was a good one...maybe since i know someone who is always watching a local one to see what the waves are doing. it would have been cooler without the disclaimer.

Streaker sheep-funny...but it the creative meeting that the idea came from was probably funnier

Jessica simpson- popping something and even she looked "old" teasing that 14 yr old boy. makes me wish for the classic cindy crawford one with two little kids going ga-ga over the new pepsi can.

Rock phone- pebl. i still don't get the whole MOTO thing, but it was a little ironic that it was showing the amount of time that it will take the cell phone to decompose

Old Fabio - was that a gag or for something real ?

Bud horse- cute, but what message does it send to our underage drinking kids ? Kidding...in a way.

I also liked the guy throwing a cell phone at another guys head...lots of ways to develop that campaign.

The ring tone one was good...but then it got great when the Benny Hill music started and that old guys started running around the couch.

Welcome to beautiful downtown Westbrook

Here we go !

Ethos' new home looks at the big building in this picture...on the other side of the river.

Anniversary night

A night on the town !

Fun in the tub

Hot tubs and limo rides...boy these kids have it all!

What I'm reading now - The Greatest Man in Cedar Hole

Written by a Bowdoin graduate...i'm halfway through it. A little like John Irving's stuff but not nearly as twisted. Some big jumps help the story skip a lot of years, but its ok so far.

Taking the Mic

A friends brother is featured here. I wonder if he still enjoys launching beer cans into an imaginary "trash barrel" in the corner behind the TV.

He's got an opinion, thats for sure.

"Whalen and Jackson review notes, divvy up topics for the coming hour. Headphones go on, a lead-in runs (Jackson saying, “The old media is circling the drain. We’re doing the flushing.”), and the producer gives the cue."

Linus

You can't write a more powerful opening graph than this.

SCARBOROUGH (Jan 19, 2006): Sue Kirk regularly skims the obits pages, looking for children whose family members have died. For each child she finds, she packs up a handmade blanket in the hopes of providing a small measure of comfort.

The flags are scared today

On my way into work this morning, i happened to notice several flags not flying today. A little too much wind i guess. At least its 45 degrees and not snowing out like they thought.

Warming

It might make it up to 50 degrees today!! Fill those lungs with the warm air and try to hold it in for the next 3 months.

What I'm watching - Country Boys -PBS

Filmed over three years (1999-2002), "Country Boys" tracks the dramatic stories of Chris and Cody from ages 15 to 18. With the same intimate cinematic technique and sound design that distinguished "The Farmer's Wife," Sutherland's new film bears witness to the two boys' struggles to overcome the poverty and family dysfunction of their childhoods in a quest for a brighter future.

Good stuff....everyone has a story if you have the patience and fortitiude to follow it. The best thing i've seen on TV in a long time- TK

Was Bode 'drunk' or 'wasted'...is there a difference ?

What's worse, the action or the promotion of the action? Its stupid when the media tries to make its own news out of news. Some good points on jpurnalistic integreity here. The power of the Press Release.

Cross country dogging

I'll have to try this with Shadow the next time we're in Millinocket.

Clip on Skis, Hitch Rover, and Go
By STEPHEN REGENOLD
Published: January 5, 2006
FOUR years ago Carin Offerman clipped on a pair of cross-country skis, tethered herself to her giant schnauzer, Raven, and braced for a ride that would change her life. Her 70-pound dog started running, and Ms. Offerman felt the line go tight as she rocketed down the snowy trail.

Toasty

The woodstove has been a wonderful addition to our heating system so far this year. As the winter rolls on, i'm getting better at gauging how much to put in to heep things nice and toasty (but not TOO hot). One of the tricks is to use smaller pieces of wood, split from existing logs. They start to burn faster and put out just enough heat to be comfortable. our oil bill has been saved so far by supplementing with wood...now the question is if we reorder/restock as we're just abouot half way through our cord with a lot of winter still left hear in maine. I've got to find better storage options next year...and get in on a bulk buy for next winter.

What I just read - Double Play

Robert Parker steps away from Spenser and takes a look at what it was like to be Jackie Robinson's shadow.

Hot or Not in 2006

Feeling good...in.
Staying in touch....in.
Meanies...out.

We'll see.

Twin Pines- A million dollar view...and they know it

Jeesh....these rates are crazy!! All i can say is that i hope Dan is getting a raise!

Parking

Paddy was driving down the street in a sweat because he had an important
meeting and couldn't find a parking place.
Looking up to heaven he said, "Lord take pity on me. If you find me a
parking place I will go to Mass every Sunday for the rest of me life and
give up me Irish Whiskey".
Miraculously, a parking place appeared.
Paddy looked up again and said, "Never mind, I found one."

What's next ? Schlitz ?

So when the heck did Pabst Blue Ribbon and Miller High Life beer come back into style ?? I was out at a bar a few days ago and some College aged guys came in and were downing them all night. maybe they were just a lot cheaper than the 30 plus other good beers they have on tap there ? it was strange.

Mom is staying with us for Christmas

Lot's of fun with the kids and all of us too.

Beatles - live, better than they could even do (back then)

Not sure if i posted this before...but these were the guys that i heard on the radio over the summer (Howard Stern) playing a live version of 'I am the walrus' in the studio. It was amazing. John, Paul, Ringo and George couldn't even pull it off back in the day.

Hopefully, these guys will find their way to Portland one of these days.

A Lexus for Christmas? It Happens

"Lexus now sells more vehicles in December than in any other month, and the campaign has spurred similar ads from rivals, including General Motors and Jaguar."

Big red bows anyone ?- TK

Bye Bye Johnny, Bye Bye

''It was a very tough decision, but New York came after me aggressively and that's what sealed the deal," Damon told Channel 4 last night. ''They showed they really wanted me. I tried with Boston, waiting for them to step up, but unfortunately they didn't and now I'm headed to New York

Do good search

Support your favorite charity or school whenever you search the Internet.

Millinocket Regional Hospital is listed...This clicks for you Lorena!

Darcy's Legacy Remembered

Darcy's Award-Winning Essay
This essay from Darcy's series of audio journal entries on living with ALS is titled "FALLING". It aired in June of 2004, and later won a national award from Public Radio News Directors Incorporated. Darcy Wakefield was a regular contributor to Maine Things Considered. She died this weekend after a two year battle with ALS. She was 35.

Be well, do good work, and keep in touch.®

The Writer's Almanac

Different

We got a little under a foot of snow on friday...guess what? there was no "milk and bread" frenzy at the supermarket, no media "December Blast 2005!!" 24x7 snow coverage...from locations across the state, there was no panic, no anxiety, no worries about what I'm going to do in the car for 3 hrs as i try to get home 15 miles away. It's december, it snowed, its going to snow again. move on.

I like it

Razors and blades...Satellite radio prices continue to fall

"Sirius and XM are also relying on demand from new car buyers through their separate, exclusive pacts with auto manufacturers. In both cases, the service is offered free for an introductory period. After the trial, the consumer must decide whether to continue listening and pay for the service."

Right now, some 12 year old kid is trying to figure out a way to get both XM and Sirius on the same piece of hardware...TK

19 Woodworth St. Dorchester, MA

Hannaford Boozer's ?

Is it me or does it bother anyone else that every aisle that you go down in Hannaford Supermarkets has wine or beer in it? Chips ? How about some beer...picking up some deli meat, have some wine...fruit roll up, a nice chardonany perhaps. it seems like every where you turn, the number one add on sale they are trying to make is wine. Its also on every page of the flyers. Now i don't have a problem, but if i did, it would drive me nuts to walk by all this booze when i do my weekly grocery shopping.

don't even get me started on their private label frozen veggies (and other products) squeezing out the national brand selections

Rollin right along

The Maxima rolled to 186,000 miles this morning. Still running fine (he's says while knocking on wood) I think we got it with 35,000 on it in 1999. Hopefully, my reduced commuting miles will help it last that much longer. -TK

Guess what Garrett wants for Christmas ?

Christmas Card 2005...work in process

It's not easy getting that one special picture.

Live...from Augusta

AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) -- In this town, window shopping is attracting a lot more guys than usual.

mission accomplished

Well thanks to mass media, merchandising and marketing bombardment this is the first year that i actually fealt kind of guilty for NOT doing any holiday shopping this weekend.

Scarborough Unicyclers on Macy's Parade

"Thousands of acts apply to perform each year, and Macy's officials say only 10 performing groups and 10 marching bands are chosen.

The size, skill and height of the unicyclists is what made their audition tape stand out. They rise above the marching bands and clowns, said Orlando Veras, spokesman for Macy's."

WWDD ??

What would dad do?

So after my truck was overflowing with leaves, I broke down and bought 2 paks of leave bags at ACE Hardware. $2.99 for a pak of 5. I filled them up last weekend and have been tormenting myself all week about them getting wet in the rain and how i was going to be able to save them to use next year, where I'd store them, how small i could fold them, etc etc etc. Surely i should be able to use these bags more than once !!

all the way to the dump this morning i'm strugling to justify throwing away $5.98 with my leaves (that I'm not even composting...but thats a whole nother rant) and what would my dad say ?

I decided on the way over that they were going to get tossed and I was going to not think about it any more. I'll buy new bags next year if i need to.

So i jump up on the truck and immediately start emptying the bags out, inspecting them as "not that bad" just a little wet and rationailze that i'll only keep 5 bags, hang them out to dry during the day, and fold them up,

At the end of the day, i just couldn't bring myself to actually throw away "perfectly good " trash bags. Thanks a lot dad...and grampa too for that matter !!! :-) Some things you just can't "unlearn"

Tweet

The Center for Disease Control has released a list of
symptoms of bird flu. If you experience any of the
following, please seek medical treatment immediately:

1. High fever
2. Congestion
3. Nausea
4. Fatigue
5. Aching in the joints
6. An irresistible urge to sh!t on someone's windshield

$2.07 in The 207

Paid $2.07 for gas yesterday at Sam's. The closest its been to $2.00 in a long time

my head hurts

Stupid daylight savings time! I whacked my head on the stairs under my deck last night...it was 5pm and pitch dark. It still hurts

The flip side is that it’s 60 degrees and sunny today.

And, I just saved 15% on my car insurance. :-)

Born to Run turns 30

(AP) Bruce Springsteen is celebrating the 30th anniversary of the "Born to Run" album, which landed him simultaneously on the covers of Time and Newsweek, with a special box set this fall.

Edmund Fitzgerald...30 years ago

At exactly 7:10 pm, 30 years ago Thursday, the captain of the freighter Edmund Fitzgerald radioed in on Lake Superior, "We're holding our own." Five minutes later, the Edmund Fitzgerald disappeared from radar, going down in both the big lake and in history.

My office

This is where the magic happens...or so I tell myself. What do you think ? - TK

Are you ready for some football ??!!

Alan and I were...too bad the Patriots weren't. We had a good time, but the D just couldn't stop (or even slow down) the Colts this time. It was bound to happen eventually. Bring on the AFC East !!

Snow...snow on the mountain

Say no to pears

A pot belly increases the risk of a heart attack -- even if the rest of the physique is as skinny as a beanpole.

Oh...

John the Conqueror was supposed to be an African-American prince who was sold as a slave in the Americas. Despite his enslavement, his spirit was never broken and he survived in folklore as a sort of a trickster figure, because of the tricks he played to evade his masters.

John the Conquerer Root ?

Hoochie Coochie Man
by Willie Dixon

Gypsy woman told my mother 'fore I was born,
You got a boy-child coming, gonna be a son of a gun.
Gonna make pretty womens jump and shout,
And then the world gonna know what this all about.

But you know I'm here.
Everybody knows I'm here.
Well, I'm the hoochie coochie man.
Everybody knows I'm here.

I got the black cat bone and I got a mojo, too.
I got the John the Conquerer Root, gonna mess with you.
I'm gonna make you girls lead me by my hand,
And then the world will know the hoochie coochie man.

Chorus

On the seventh hour, on the seventh day,
On the seventh month, seven doctors say,
"He was born for good luck, that you'll see."
I got seven hundred dollars; don't you mess with me!

Red Snapper's and Whoopie....oh my!

By Colleen Stone -MaineToday.com

There's a reason I hadn't eaten a red hot dog before. Actually, two:

Audrey and Alan go apple picking

Aren't they cute ! Thanks for the picture Audrey ;-)

Full Circle

Some kids must have been out and about in the neighborhood last weekend. they actually took a few things off MY lawn. Things certainly have a way of working out...i'll just be sure not to leave a sprinkler set up in my front yard (and maybe my pool furniture nailed to the deck?) -TK

Funny/sick bumper sticker I saw Saturday

Gut Deer.

As opposed to Got Milk?

Luzern bridge

Great !! Let the criticism flow !!

Oil Industry Seeks to Cast Huge Profits as No Big Deal
By Terence O'Hara
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, October 28, 2005; Page D01

By most familiar comparisons, the $9.92 billion profit earned by Exxon Mobil Corp. in just three months is almost unimaginable. It would cover all Social Security benefit payments for three months. It would pay for an Ivy League education for about 60,000 kids. It would pay the average list price for more than 160 Boeing 737s. It would fund the military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan for more than two months.

Nice

There's something kind of magical about the first day wearing flannel...at work.

Exxon Mobil, Shell Post Record Profits

This makes me so friggin mad!! Hey, I'm all for making a buck, but the thought was that oil prices HAD to rise because the cost to get the oil to my gastank had risen too. Now, they come out with RECORD earnings and they have the gaul to say that it was thanks to the higher gas prices. What the F! Their PR teams better be getting ready to start spinning a "Yes, we made a lot of money, but we're donating XYZ millions to the victims of katrina, etc." and although their shareholders won't want to hear it, they should be saying that somewhere down the line, these costs are going to come back to bite into their earnings.

Of course, before i rant anymore...i'll have to check my mutual funds to see if they are part of my portfolios. haha - TK

Sugar Pops...where art thou ?

Dig Em' ? Oh, yeah !

Lucky for all of us that the public outcry for Dig'Em's™ untimely demise was so loud, he was reintroduced.

Are you going to Scarborough Fair ?

Well, I guess you're not headed to maine. Good thing we have the internet...i would have been driving around town for weeks looking for this ? :-)

What i'm reading-The House of Sand and Fog

Good story, two points of view. Halfway through and I don't see how it could have a happy ending for either character.

Yee hah, Yamaha

Japanese motorcycle giant Yamaha unveils the concept model of a high-performance hybrid motorcycle, the 'Gen-Ryu" equipped with a 600cc engline and a electric motor hybrid system which can achieve over 1,000cc class machine performance.

the upside rain

if nothing else, all this rain will all but insure the bulbs and perennials that i've plated this fall will come up again in the spring. If this doesn't help the roots to grow (with no sign of frost) i don't know what will. Maybe i should put some grass seed down under the trees too ? - TK

Roof below !

or, what i like to call, " Dancin with who brung ya"

In a land before time...

Very funny clip that features "the voice" from all the movie trailers you see on TV/radio.

Ricky's Ride....Help without freezin' your butt off!

Ow ! My eyes !

What is that up in the sky ?? It so bright and warm...could it be ? Yes, the 35 mph winds of the last few days have finally pushed the rain away.

So, now you know.

What would happen if I drilled a tunnel through the center of the Earth and jumped into it ?

We grow em tough up here, ayup.

Or...I fought the well and the...well won.

"Because the truck´s transmission failed, he said, he crawled on his hands and knees down the uneven, overgrown logging road to his home to dial 911."

Pitching "The Nation"...and the Curse of Lead Time

After shipping 16,000 quarts, with a retail price of $3.99, the day after the Sox beat the Yankees, Brigham's pushed out another 25,000 quarts on the weekend. They even sent one to the Baseball of Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y.

Surfers scan the horizon as a rainbow makes its mark on Higgins Beach in Scarborough Maine this week. (Contributed photo by Lisa Jesmain)

Today

To have done anything just for money is to have been truly idle.
Henry David Thoreau

Haven's TV coverage

Haven's Candies celebrated its 90th anniversary with an open house Monday.

Nitrogen for tires ?

Hawks don't read stop signs

I saw a hawk flying down the street this morning near the beach. it was about 10 feet above the ground and heading toward the marsh...it blatantly ran straight through the stop signs at two intersections and then rustled a small group of other bird. Not sure if it got one, but it was interesting to see something as free as a hawk in the same setting as something so restricting as a stop sign.

Happy "Sweet' ?? Sixteen Audrey

OAK HILL 2, ERSKINE 2, 2OT: The Eagles and Raiders played to a KVAC tie at South China. Audrey Grass and May Nadeau tallied for Oak Hill while Christina Haiff and Diana DeRocker scored for the hosts. Erskine goalie Sam Richardson had seven saves. Oak Hill goalie Frankie Curtis had 13 saves. Both teams are 1-7-1.

Joke

When asked how he felt about Roe versus Wade, George W. Bush replied:

"Frankly, I don't care how people get out of New Orleans. As long as they
get out."

Big man, Big stick...Big Thinker ?

Maybe we'll see a sequel to Teddy Ballgame's book by Big Papi someday ?

I can smell the ocean

Fog

There’s nothing that brings you back down to the present like the suffocating presence of a foggy morning. It envelopes everything around you and amplifies the sounds of anything that dares to break its grip. When you can’t see more than a few feet in front of you, you can’t help but turn your attention inward. - TK

Happy Birthday Grampa, we miss you.