Cause I love to live so pleasantly
Live this life of luxury
Lazy on a sunny afternoon
In the summertime...
In the summertime...
In the summertime...
- Ray Davies
Well, not exactly "lazy." OK, well, kinda lazy...
We're just back from visiting my brother and his wife in beautiful Normal, Ill. during the hottest weekend of the 21st Century... How's that for hype!?! TV ain't got nothing on me!
Sorry for the lack of updates: Between book writing and travel and household chores, the poor site has been ignored! I can either write for the book or write for here so I am busy trying to get my priorities equalized. And, of course, I have my hobbies. Cliff Ward and I went to the riverboat in Elgin last week and separated Queen Victoria from a few hundred dollars of her cash. She was NOT amused. A $500 win on the "Wheel of Fortune" machine (third one in from the left) in the smoke-free lower level was the big difference. I had a nice run on roulette (again) and had some other nice hits. Sadly, The Terminator game that was so fun in Vegas was just a disappointment in Elgin. It was really the only thing that didn't pay...
I think I understand how actually retired seniors with lots of free time on their hands end up on the boats so frequently. Before my semi-retirement, I think I was there two-three times a year. In the past three months, I've been aboard about six times - always a winner except for that ill-fated voyage with lunch partners a month ago (I forgot to ask permission to blog them).
Speaking of incessant gambling, we hit the lottery! Well, the scratch-off version, anyway. On Friday we were running errands and I bought four $10 tickets and won $130. On the way back from Normal Sunday, I was spellbound and decided to invest $80 of the winnings in four $20 tickets. I know. Call me crazy. Get me the 1-800-GAMBLING number (which, I believe, is 1-800-GAMBLING). Then also call me a $300 winner!
Amazing! On Tuesday, I invested half the winnings into supplies for the big pool deck resurfacing which, finally, takes place on Wednesday, weather permitting. Scratch another chore off the list. That "lazy on a sunny afternoon" thing is gonna have to wait a couple days, Mr. Davies...
Hey, but YOU can still be lazy if ya want! Check out these cool new additions to Mark's Summer Reading Club:
•Newspodder.com The world of podcasting keeps evolving. Check out this new take on an evolving media.
•TheDunkTank.com Tired of me? Tired of anyone in particular? Well, all you need is a picture of someone on your desktop. Follow the easy directions and you'll be dunking someone special in no time thanks to the fine folks at Applebee's! My picture is conveniently located at the right.
•Inside a Tornado Ever wondered what it looks inside a tornado? Well, the folks at National Geographic have a cool site for you and it looks a lot like the movie "Twister" (except the tornado is not so fake looking).
•MovieMistakes.com For all of you who cursed me for the addictive "Findadeath.com" here's another one to keep you up nights. This site has catalogued film flubs of your favorite movies! Bet ya can't look up just one...
•Unfortunate Greeting Cards This is, honest-to-God, the funniest site I have seen in a while. These are actual greeting cards that are, well, unfortunate! You gotta see it to believe it.
•Snopes.com Are you tired of friends, family members, co-workers and other annoying people forwarding you some email message that ends up to be totally bogus? Why did I suddenly start channeling "Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure?" Damn moviemistakes.com! Anyway, even a monkey can fact-check an urban legend here - so there's no excuse for forwarding crap (but, imagine the fun you'll have pointing out to a co-worker that this email allegedly detailing a press conference given by actor and former Marine R. Lee Ermey is, like, dude, wicked wrong).
•London Cam Want to keep an eye on London in wake of the bombings? Here's a cool cam aimed at famed Trafalgar Square.
•CelebrityDeathBeeper.com You give them your email address and when Scotty from Star Trek dies, you'll know first. As Death Trilogy Commissioner, I find this to be an essential service!
•Batfan63: A Dark Knight for a Dark World My brother, of Batman fame, has started his own blog and I thought I'd give him a plug.
Have fun!
Mark
Tuesday, July 26, 2005
Friday, July 15, 2005
She flies through the air...
Becky's Circus is on the air! (You should be able to hear the opening theme to "Bozo's Circus" in your head right now!)
And, as it turns out, IN the air! The daring young woman flying with ease is Becky Stewart, one of the many folks I had the good fortune to work with at the Kane County Chronicle for a few years. Becky is back from vacationing at Runaway Bay, a Beaches resort in Jamaica. Becky was chosen (probably because of her quiet, shy nature) to take part in an actual trapeze act at the resort. She reports she had a blast!
Becky is one of the most competitive, fun people I have had the pleasure of meeting in my years of hanging around newspapers. She loves to beat goals (and no one beat herself worse when she occasionally missed one). Recently, she beat her goal in a triathlon - and she's competing again this weekend in Milwaukee with her husband, Rich. In typical Becky fashion, she writes "He has never done anything like this and if he knows what is good for him, he will NOT pass me in the race!! :)"
See!?! Stay out of Becky's way, Rich!
Becky works in the same department with the very creative Suzanne Kathro, a frequent contributor to this blog. They make quite a team! So much personality and creativity!
Hey, if you'd like to see your vacation pictures posted here in Mark's World, drop me a note! I'd love to hear from you and share your pictures with the world!
Mark
And, as it turns out, IN the air! The daring young woman flying with ease is Becky Stewart, one of the many folks I had the good fortune to work with at the Kane County Chronicle for a few years. Becky is back from vacationing at Runaway Bay, a Beaches resort in Jamaica. Becky was chosen (probably because of her quiet, shy nature) to take part in an actual trapeze act at the resort. She reports she had a blast!
Becky is one of the most competitive, fun people I have had the pleasure of meeting in my years of hanging around newspapers. She loves to beat goals (and no one beat herself worse when she occasionally missed one). Recently, she beat her goal in a triathlon - and she's competing again this weekend in Milwaukee with her husband, Rich. In typical Becky fashion, she writes "He has never done anything like this and if he knows what is good for him, he will NOT pass me in the race!! :)"
See!?! Stay out of Becky's way, Rich!
Becky works in the same department with the very creative Suzanne Kathro, a frequent contributor to this blog. They make quite a team! So much personality and creativity!
Hey, if you'd like to see your vacation pictures posted here in Mark's World, drop me a note! I'd love to hear from you and share your pictures with the world!
Mark
Tuesday, July 12, 2005
Hey, you lousy liberals! Get a life, conservatives!
If your family is anything like my mine, you spend a lot of time debating who's the biggest liberal and/or conservative, as the case may be. In fact, this goes on at offices (I do hear), softball diamonds and even in the hallowed halls of our government!
Finally, to settle the debate, I offer this test over there on the right hand side, just above the Simpsons link: How Liberal/Conservative Are You?
This simple test, if honestly answered, will tell you just how liberal and/or conservative you are! Then you can change the debate to: "Well, I may be a social liberal but I am 50 percent conservative when it comes to crime!" That will pretty much confuse and end any such debate.
The test is fun but it also makes a good point: Very few of us are totally one way or the other - which makes labeling such a total waste of time. Our country has been enveloped in this senseless debate long enough. Take the test and share it with your friends, family, office and softball team. But, please, keep it out of the hands of the politicians!
Mark
P.S. Or try here: How Liberal / Conservative Are You?
Finally, to settle the debate, I offer this test over there on the right hand side, just above the Simpsons link: How Liberal/Conservative Are You?
This simple test, if honestly answered, will tell you just how liberal and/or conservative you are! Then you can change the debate to: "Well, I may be a social liberal but I am 50 percent conservative when it comes to crime!" That will pretty much confuse and end any such debate.
The test is fun but it also makes a good point: Very few of us are totally one way or the other - which makes labeling such a total waste of time. Our country has been enveloped in this senseless debate long enough. Take the test and share it with your friends, family, office and softball team. But, please, keep it out of the hands of the politicians!
Mark
P.S. Or try here: How Liberal / Conservative Are You?
Sunday, July 10, 2005
It's Clobberin' Time!
According to the Associated Press: "The latest superhero movie may have been just fantastic enough to snap Hollywood's longest modern losing streak at the box office. The comic-book adaptation "Fantastic Four" raked in $56 million during its first three days, apparently helping to end a swoon in which domestic movie revenues had been down 19 weekends in a row compared to last year's."
This is sobering news for my great friend Brad and brother Eric who, on this very page, refuted my notion that the "Fantastic Four" movie would open larger than the "Batman Begins" nice, little $49 million opening.
Brad and I take turns hosting Marvel movie premieres, which invaribly leads us to be the oldest folks at midnight showings. While I agree with Brad - and differ from fellow fanboy, Northwest Herald film critic Jeff Westhoff - that the "FF" movie left something to be desired in terms of the script, I did not think it deserved the ugly bashing witnessed nationwide. It was mostly enjoyable pablum for those who spent the better part of the past 40 years wondering what the Fantastic Four would look like on the big screen.
Of course, Brad and I, as we are want to do, took this to another level. After we watched the latest effort at midnight Thursday, we came back to my place to switch on the big screen to watch my bootlegged copy of the 1994 Roger Corman effort that was shelved and never officially released. The current version IS superior, depite the reviews,
The good news is that despite obvious script weaknesses, the "Fantastic Four" positioned itself perfectly for a terrific sequel! All it needs now is a competent script and different director! And, the Negative Zone!
More later!
Mark
This is sobering news for my great friend Brad and brother Eric who, on this very page, refuted my notion that the "Fantastic Four" movie would open larger than the "Batman Begins" nice, little $49 million opening.
Brad and I take turns hosting Marvel movie premieres, which invaribly leads us to be the oldest folks at midnight showings. While I agree with Brad - and differ from fellow fanboy, Northwest Herald film critic Jeff Westhoff - that the "FF" movie left something to be desired in terms of the script, I did not think it deserved the ugly bashing witnessed nationwide. It was mostly enjoyable pablum for those who spent the better part of the past 40 years wondering what the Fantastic Four would look like on the big screen.
Of course, Brad and I, as we are want to do, took this to another level. After we watched the latest effort at midnight Thursday, we came back to my place to switch on the big screen to watch my bootlegged copy of the 1994 Roger Corman effort that was shelved and never officially released. The current version IS superior, depite the reviews,
The good news is that despite obvious script weaknesses, the "Fantastic Four" positioned itself perfectly for a terrific sequel! All it needs now is a competent script and different director! And, the Negative Zone!
More later!
Mark
Thursday, July 07, 2005
Viva Las Vegas!
Bright light city gonna set my soul on fire...
We are just back from Las Vegas! Viva! The Paris is still beautiful. The food at Ah Sin! is still delectable. The suite was OUTSTANDING - as were the comps!
If you go to Vegas and frequent the same hotel/company, they sure learn to take care of you. However, there was one huge drawback: The Elvis slots are disappearing! We had to trudge down to O'Shea's to find some Elvis slots - and those were in bad shape and situated near the front door. It was hot and loud where the machines were situated and when the Elvis video's DID play (that was a gamble in itself) you could barely hear him!
Boo!
So, we had to make do and here is our list of the best of our favorite new slot games:
1.) Terminator! This is a great penny game based largely on the first "Terminator" movie - although you play it at the maximum level for the best paybacks (25 lines at 5 cents per line for $1.25 a spin). We had some great runs on this game and there is a bonus spin called "Crush the Terminator" in which the object is to push the right buttons to keep the struggling Terminator at bay. My best "Crush" score - surviving six rounds - payed 11,880 credits or $118.80 on a $1.25 bet. Meanwhile, at the Paris, four games pay into a single progressive jackpot - someone hit the $1,500 while we left the game for dinner!
2.) Star Wars! Yes, there is a new slots game based on the Star Wars universe featuring film clips of familiar characters. This features 30 lines and the opportunity to play 10 cents per line for a top bet of $3.00. This was a lot of fun and featured a "Death Star" bonus in which the player can earn big dollars while destroying the dreaded Death Star. And if Darth Vader and Obi-Wan Kenobee show up at the same time, you get to watch a laser battle. Always choose Darth Vader - the dark side pays big!
3.) Monte Carlo. This is a game reminiscent of the old Wheel of Fortune game. You bet three quarters and hope to get a spin of the wheel above the machine. The game also features big payoffs for three 7's and a "10 Free Spin" mode. More mindless than Terminator or Star Wars, but fun nonetheless.
4.) Fifty Play Video Poker. This is a nickel game that allows you to play 50 hands simultaneously! Every so often I would walk by, put in $20, play one hand of Deuces Wild and then cash out to see what I won. The best: Almost $274 on a single bet because I was dealt a two deuces and an ace and king of spades. When I drew the other hands, I had, among other hands, six royal flushes with deuces!
5.) Tiki Torches. I was getting a little sour on this game as we left - it played so well when we were there in February. It's fun and I love all things tiki but I did not have many huge payoffs this time. This is a 20-line penny machine with the opportunity to play up to 10 credits per line. If you get three pearls on the same payline, you get eight free spins and if you avoid MORE pearls, the tiki gods are awakened for huge payoffs. In February, I hit the three pearls at a 10-cent play and won over 27,000 credits! OK, that's just $270 but I was excited!
Meanwhile, I have been busy putting together a new round of fun for you for the latest excursion into Mark's Summer Reading Club:
• badcookie.com If you like fortune cookies and always hoped for real mean ones and want to skip the carbs, check this site out!
• birthdaycalculator.com Plug in your birthday and this calculator will give you a lot of interesting data in return. As I type this, I am currently 1,431,599,506 seconds old. Yikes!
• testycopyeditors.org Everyone who has ever worked at a newspaper knows the copy desk can be testy - and here's a site to prove it! Actually, this is a fun read as copy editors vent about reporters, editors, life, etc.
• cleanyourscreenforfree.com As my free gift to you, this site will actually clean the inside of your computer screen for free! Really! Well, kinda...
• Morphyourface.com This site allows you to upload a picture of your face - or a friend's face or even an enemy's face - and morph it in to goofy new looks.
• Mark's Tiki Bar Tunes If you have iTunes, go here to check out my iMix of great tiki bar tunes.
• Suzanne Kathro's Photo Blog I had the great fortune to work with Suzanne at the Kane County Chronicle. But it wasn't until I started my blog that I learned she is an avid blogger from way back. She operates this photo blog called: "That Farmer's Wife - Images from the land of corn & soybeans." It turns out Suzanne is an accomplished photographer. And I just thought she was a great person! Check it out!
More later! Sorry the trip cut into my updates!
Mark
We are just back from Las Vegas! Viva! The Paris is still beautiful. The food at Ah Sin! is still delectable. The suite was OUTSTANDING - as were the comps!
If you go to Vegas and frequent the same hotel/company, they sure learn to take care of you. However, there was one huge drawback: The Elvis slots are disappearing! We had to trudge down to O'Shea's to find some Elvis slots - and those were in bad shape and situated near the front door. It was hot and loud where the machines were situated and when the Elvis video's DID play (that was a gamble in itself) you could barely hear him!
Boo!
So, we had to make do and here is our list of the best of our favorite new slot games:
1.) Terminator! This is a great penny game based largely on the first "Terminator" movie - although you play it at the maximum level for the best paybacks (25 lines at 5 cents per line for $1.25 a spin). We had some great runs on this game and there is a bonus spin called "Crush the Terminator" in which the object is to push the right buttons to keep the struggling Terminator at bay. My best "Crush" score - surviving six rounds - payed 11,880 credits or $118.80 on a $1.25 bet. Meanwhile, at the Paris, four games pay into a single progressive jackpot - someone hit the $1,500 while we left the game for dinner!
2.) Star Wars! Yes, there is a new slots game based on the Star Wars universe featuring film clips of familiar characters. This features 30 lines and the opportunity to play 10 cents per line for a top bet of $3.00. This was a lot of fun and featured a "Death Star" bonus in which the player can earn big dollars while destroying the dreaded Death Star. And if Darth Vader and Obi-Wan Kenobee show up at the same time, you get to watch a laser battle. Always choose Darth Vader - the dark side pays big!
3.) Monte Carlo. This is a game reminiscent of the old Wheel of Fortune game. You bet three quarters and hope to get a spin of the wheel above the machine. The game also features big payoffs for three 7's and a "10 Free Spin" mode. More mindless than Terminator or Star Wars, but fun nonetheless.
4.) Fifty Play Video Poker. This is a nickel game that allows you to play 50 hands simultaneously! Every so often I would walk by, put in $20, play one hand of Deuces Wild and then cash out to see what I won. The best: Almost $274 on a single bet because I was dealt a two deuces and an ace and king of spades. When I drew the other hands, I had, among other hands, six royal flushes with deuces!
5.) Tiki Torches. I was getting a little sour on this game as we left - it played so well when we were there in February. It's fun and I love all things tiki but I did not have many huge payoffs this time. This is a 20-line penny machine with the opportunity to play up to 10 credits per line. If you get three pearls on the same payline, you get eight free spins and if you avoid MORE pearls, the tiki gods are awakened for huge payoffs. In February, I hit the three pearls at a 10-cent play and won over 27,000 credits! OK, that's just $270 but I was excited!
Meanwhile, I have been busy putting together a new round of fun for you for the latest excursion into Mark's Summer Reading Club:
• badcookie.com If you like fortune cookies and always hoped for real mean ones and want to skip the carbs, check this site out!
• birthdaycalculator.com Plug in your birthday and this calculator will give you a lot of interesting data in return. As I type this, I am currently 1,431,599,506 seconds old. Yikes!
• testycopyeditors.org Everyone who has ever worked at a newspaper knows the copy desk can be testy - and here's a site to prove it! Actually, this is a fun read as copy editors vent about reporters, editors, life, etc.
• cleanyourscreenforfree.com As my free gift to you, this site will actually clean the inside of your computer screen for free! Really! Well, kinda...
• Morphyourface.com This site allows you to upload a picture of your face - or a friend's face or even an enemy's face - and morph it in to goofy new looks.
• Mark's Tiki Bar Tunes If you have iTunes, go here to check out my iMix of great tiki bar tunes.
• Suzanne Kathro's Photo Blog I had the great fortune to work with Suzanne at the Kane County Chronicle. But it wasn't until I started my blog that I learned she is an avid blogger from way back. She operates this photo blog called: "That Farmer's Wife - Images from the land of corn & soybeans." It turns out Suzanne is an accomplished photographer. And I just thought she was a great person! Check it out!
More later! Sorry the trip cut into my updates!
Mark
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