Sunday, April 19, 2009

Yes, I Feel Lucky, Punk!

So, I fill the Kia up with gas about every other weekend and, normally, I'll pop a $20 plus whatever I won from the previous visit into the instant Ohio Lottery machine to see what happens.

This, of course, does not replace the Vegas trips of the past, but it keeps my gambling needs satiated.

A few weeks ago, I parleyed $25 into $70. I pocketed $40 and put $30 into the machine on my next visit and won $10.

Boo! I prefer winning all of the time, obviously...

Today, I was out running errands and filled up with gas and cashed in that $10 winner and added $30. I was feeling lucky.

I bought two $10 tickets and four $5 ones. For my $20 in $5 tickets, I garnered $5. Not good.

Then I began to scratch at the first $10 ticket. The very first number matched! $20! Then the next one: $20. I was ahead! Yay!

The third one? A $50 match! What was going on...?

In all, there were 15 potentials for matching winning numbers. They all matched!

• Ten $20 winners.
• Four $50 winners.
• One $100 winner.

The take? $500. And on this game, there are two bonus areas where that amount could have multiplied up to 100 times the value... I almost could not scratch those areas. But I did and it turns out that 1 times 500 times 1 equals 500, which I am cool with...

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This is my biggest lottery winning. The gas station doesn't have that kind of cash, so the ticket goes to the grocery store Monday!

The second $10 ticket? Another $10 for a total of $515!

What will we do with the Ohio Lottery winnings? The cash goes right into The Orbit Room project! A new couch is likely.

More later,

Mark

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

2009-10 Bears Schedule Released!

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The Chicago Bears just released the 2009-10 game schedule! Here's what they sent out (all times CST):


Five prime time games, plus the Superbowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers in the Soldier Field home opener on September 20th.

PRE-SEASON

Saturday Aug. 15 at Buffalo 6p

Saturday Aug. 22 vs NY GIANTS 7p

Sunday Aug. 30 at Denver 7p

Thursday Sept. 3 vs CLEVELAND 7p



REGULAR SEASON

Sunday Sept. 13 at Green Bay 7:15p

Sunday Sept. 20 vs PITTSBURGH 3:15p

Sunday Sept. 27 at Seattle 3:05p

Sunday Oct. 4 vs DETROIT Noon

Sunday Oct. 11 bye week

Sunday Oct. 18 at Atlanta 7:15p

Sunday Oct. 25 at Cincinnati Noon

Sunday Nov. 1 vs CLEVELAND Noon

Sunday Nov. 8 vs ARIZONA Noon

Thursday Nov. 12 at San Francisco 7:15p

Sunday Nov. 22 PHILADELPHIA 7:15p

Sunday Nov. 29 at Minnesota Noon

Sunday Dec. 6 vs ST. LOUIS Noon

Sunday Dec. 13 vs Green Bay Noon

Sunday Dec. 20 at Baltimore Noon

Monday Dec. 28 vs MINNESOTA 7:30p

Sunday Jan. 3 at Detroit Noon


This reminds me of the year I was living in upstate New York and was able to watch so many of the games each weekend because of the regional telecasts involving the AFC East. This year, they take on the mighty AFC North which means, combined with Sunday night and Thursday night telecasts, we are guaranteed to see six of the first 10 games at home. I don't how Jillian's will fare without us... And if the Bears are winning with Jay Cutler, we could do more in the final six games than just the Monday nighter against the Vikings. Plus we'll get the Cleveland preseason game, for sure. Maybe Buffalo.

So, the schedule looks fun and very accessible – to us! All Bears fans will rejoice when we destroy Green Bay right off the back and then face down the Super Bowl champs, on the way to Mike Singletary's Youngstown-owned 49'ers! I get bragging rights against the Browns twice, which is awesome. Plus, it's a season chock full of classic reunions: We get to visit our old buddy Kyle Orton in Denver, Cedric Benson in Cincinnati (if he avoids felonies through week No. 7)) and Rex Grossman in Detroit (that's just a guess).

I can't wait!

More later,

Mark

Thursday, April 09, 2009

Time Flies! The Brady House One Year Later!

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HOME, SWEET HOME!

It was just a year ago today when we moved into our new home in Boardman, Ohio.

Remember? Click here:

One Year Ago Today

It is astounding how fast the past 365 days have flown by. In that time, we re-established the Rat Pack Tiki Bar (in full plasma glory), re-established the Bears room and the Elvis bedroom, repainted the master bedroom, overhauled two bathrooms, established a yoga studio for Mary, cut down 11 trees, added a patio, added a flower bed and are currently creating the our own lounge, The Orbit Room.

That's actually a scary list...

The division of labor has been fair: Mary decided whether she could do the project or whether we had to contract out for the work; I wrote the checks. And mowed.

Frankly, without Mary's ingenuity and great design skills, the fine Brady Bunch House would not be as cool. But we just love this house! And as soon as The Orbit Room is done, we plan to do us some entertaining! If you happen to pass through Northeast Ohio (Hey! It happens!) stop by for a visit and a complimentary glass of Tiki Punch!

More later,

Mark

Wednesday, April 08, 2009

Jon Stewart Agrees!

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On Monday, I shook my fist at partisan far-right nut jobs who show no shame in their attacks on President Barack Obama. On Tuesday night, "The Daily Show" host Jon Stewart did it much better...

"I think you might be confusing 'tyranny' with 'losing.'" Classic!

More later,

Mark

Monday, April 06, 2009

Our Political Discourse Has Gone to Hell (So Let Me Go With It)

Our country no longer has statesmen.

None. Zero. Nada.

We have a political divide that is repugnant at all levels. We have a two-party system in which both parties are merely consumed with besting each other to the other's peril. Neither truly party cares, in large part, for the electorate which they seemingly view as a necessary evil; mere simpletons who can be manipulated in any given direction on any given day.

Conservatives right now are the focus of my angst (although I can just as easily call out the liberal extremists). President Obama has had what? Seventy days in office? And he hasn't completely done everything he's promises despite the fact that he's had a whole 70 days?

I listened to Rush Limbaugh equate George W. Bush's entire eight years the other day to Obama's first two months and thought to myself "There are people out there who will not question comparing accomplishments in 96 months to two. They will think Rush has a point here."

The reality: Limbaugh is a an infantile hack who panders to under-educated individuals' most base emotions. I have to actually shut down brain cells whenever I listen to him.

Just tonight listened to another conservative claim that when President Obama gave a short ceremonial bow to Saudi Arabian King Abdullah, he capitulated to Islam on behalf of the United States. The bow looked like this:

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OBAMA BOW

Now, of course this is crazy. But that hasn't stopped conservative talkers from preaching their stupidity to their faithful. However, this might just prove that maybe the political parties are right. Maybe the electorate really is made up of mere simpletons who can be manipulated in any given direction on any given day.

Why do I say this? Remember that guy who was president right before Obama?

Here are some reminders showing him...

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KISSING ARABS...

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...HOLDING HANDS WITH ARABS...

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...BOWING TO A FOREIGN POWER...

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...PRANCING WITH PUTIN.

Apparently, conservatives are hoping that everyone has forgotten Bush's foreign dalliances. DAMN THOSE CAMERAS!

Can they really be concerned that President Obama won't be the dignified leader that Bush was?

The fact is, in pursuit of diplomacy, our foreign leaders have always acted in deference when traveling abroad (or hosting members of the Saudi royal family over for sleep overs). To try to attack President Obama is just more of the same old anti-muslim, religion-baiting that appeals to, frankly, the not-so-bright with short memories who only seem to remember what Rush Limbaugh told them yesterday.

Hence I publish this as a public service.

More later,

Mark

Friday, April 03, 2009

Jay Cutler Speaks!

Reality has begun to set in: Good ol' No. 6 Jay Cutler is in the house!

Man, I could not be more pumped! Enjoy this video from Jay's first day at Halas Hall.



More later,


Mark

Thursday, April 02, 2009

Jay Cutler? This BETTER Not be a Late April Fool's Day Joke!

What?

The Bears signed Denver Broncos QB Jay Cutler?

What?

The Bears signed St. Louis Rams left tackle Orlando Pace?

Bears? Signing? Top? Free agents? I've never before had to compose a sentence including those specific words...

By the way: Jerry Angelo? A Youngstown, Ohio guy. Just saying...

Now, what do we know about this Cutler guy? Perhaps this five-minute interview conducted by a self-important jabbering moron and his lesser-talented sidekick will shed some light:



OK, after reviewing that, I guess "self-important jabbering moron and his lesser-talented sidekick" was a bit rough. Let's try: That was like watching Albert Einstein getting interviewed by Jim Varney and his new best friend, Mr. Obvious. "Ernest Gets Over His Head While Sniffing Jocks."

As for Pace, check out his Ohio State Buckeyes highlight reel:



To be honest, I felt a little bad hounding Rex Grossman out of town. But it had to be done. And, since I now live near the Amish, I'll miss Kyle Orton's beard, too. But the Cutler/Pace/Forte/Hester/Olson era has arrived and I, for one, cannot wait.

In other football news, the Mahoning Valley Thunder kicked off it's 2009 af2 season with a 44-34 thriller last Friday night at the Chevrolet Centre. Saturday night, they take on the Milwaukee Iron.

We'll be there to jeer Old Milwaukee and cheer on the Thunder! In weeks to come, we'll tussle with Tulsa, grunt out Green Bay and pile on Peoria.

More later,

Mark

Wednesday, April 01, 2009

A Sturm Warning

Someday, you'll read a book by me that exposes the ineptitude of clueless newspaper leadership evidenced in recent years in such groups as the Newspaper Association of America. Until then, enjoy this video as Stephen Colbert plucks the wings off of NAA gas bag John Sturm from Tuesday's "Colbert Report."

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More later,


Mark
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