Das Mixture

Buy a Matress

2005-02-28T07:00:00.000-06:00

A good sign that a company (corporation) has gotten too big is when something tangible and important is "lost." Not stolen. Not misplaced. Lost.

Apparently, Bank of America has lost some backup tapes. Financial information on 1.2 million people - lost.

We have enough problems with financial insitutions leaving holes in their firewalls big enough to drive a semi truck through and therefore leaving financial information insecure. Now Bank of America has taken it a step further by losing financial records.

I guess if you look at the silver lining, they were only backup tapes. Of course, regardless of what it was, the possibility is real that yet another million people have had their financial information compromised.

Hmmm, maybe that matress idea was not so bad after all.

LISTENING TO: Daytona - Chris Rea (Road to hell)

Drink more; Pass out; Pee... Thanks Bud

2005-02-24T08:41:00.000-06:00

The Drew Carey Show was once a sitcom on ABC. One of the running bits was centered around "Buzz Beer" - an alcoholic beverage laced with caffeine. The tag line for the fictional brew was "Get drunk all over again."

Someone at Budweiser thought this might be a great idea. And thus Budweiser introduces its latest beverage, B to E. What makes B to E so great? It is infused with caffeine and is meant for adults with "highly social and fast-paced lifestyles." Oh joy.

The good news is that discerning beer drinkers will not give this a second look.

But the bad news is the reality of it all. It is going to be consummed by people who think it will allow them to party longer, ensuring thier blood alcohol levels rise accordingly. Further, caffeine and alcohol are both diuretics. Just what we need.

Yes, some ideas are better left in a TV sitcom.

LISTENING TO: Beautiful Freak - Eels (Beautiful Freak)

Hot Over Mail

2005-02-24T07:58:00.000-06:00

Microsoft's "free" email service - Hotmail - went down on Wednesday (02.23.05) and many people seem to be upset. Even the paying customers (although 20.00 a year may as well be "free") are a little "hot."

Our clue for the day is the same clue that has been proven time and time again throughout history:

You get what you pay for.

LISTENING TO: Free Fallin' - Tom Petty (Full Moon Fever)

Call him "Guru"

2005-02-22T11:45:00.000-06:00

"Your first choice is always to be so much better that all the marketing hype is secondary."

Seth Godin, 2005

If I could afford to have my own personal guru, Seth Godin would get the job (assuming he would be interested). You will find that I will often link to his site and quote his words of wisdom. You can also link directly to Seth to the right under "Linkage."

moo!

LISTENING TO: Feel The Way That I Do - Shoes (Stolen Wishes)

Survival of the Stupid

2005-02-22T10:05:00.000-06:00

In case of fire, shut door.

Rather than acknowledge the most recent fire alarm, several employees shut their office doors instead. Thus ensuring the deafening racket would be somewhat muted.

Nobody ever said, "...and the stupid shall survive."

when in danger
or in doubt
run in circles
scream and shout

ack!

LISTENING TO: The Dead Heart - Midnight Oil (Diesel and Dust)

Burn

2005-02-22T07:24:00.000-06:00

Houston Fire Capt. Grady Burke, 39, died Saturday morning when an abandoned house in southeast Houston became engulfed in flames. This man is a hero. Yet he died because of a crack addict.

Jack Cordua started the fire in the abandoned home so he could see what he was doing. What he was doing was trying to get his fix.

My apologies to all those who believe in rehabilitation, but this man - this derelict - who cannot contribute to society in any manner, needs to die and needs to die now. Conventional wisdom may protest, but I submit that he should be burned at the stake.

LISTENING TO: Emma - Hot Chocolate (Cicero Park)

Hulking Pile of Manure

2005-02-21T10:06:00.000-06:00

Lost two hours and twenty minutes of my life over the weekend. Not recoverable in the least. My wife and I agree the "The Hulk," starring Eric Bana and Jennifer Connelly, may well be the most horrible movie ever made.

LISTENING TO: You Be Illin' - Run-DMC (Raising Hell)

From Bad to Worse

2005-02-17T09:01:00.000-06:00

Check out what Seth Godin has to say about the persistence of "Bad Ideas." We really need to stop the mantra of "that's the way it has always been." Just because it has always been that way does not mean it is the wise thing to do.

Moving on - I was recently given a diagram on an 8.5 X 11 inch sheet of paper. This diagram contained the layout of an area a group was moving to. Apparently, if you draw furniture, cabinets and such on the paper, the belief is that these items will fit in the room - regardless of measurements.

There is no need to publish how this story ends.

LISTENING TO: Love Rollercoaster - Ohio Players (Honey)

Brews Traveler - Seattle

2005-02-16T17:32:00.000-06:00

Coffee NOT spoken here - it's all about the beer!

Five places to drink beer in the Seattle, Washington area:

Elysian Brewing

Choose the Capitol Hill location. Elysian boasts the widest array of patrons one will see anywhere. From lowdown grunge to three-piece suits, all were drinking the evening we stopped by. This is truly an atmosphere and mix that works here and probably not anywhere else.

If you like porters and stouts, you will like Elysian. They are definitely worthy of the medals they won at the GABF (Great American Beer Festival).

Home of the porter that recently won the beer tasting at my home.

Pike Pub and Brewery

Located in the Pike Market. Sure, go watch the fish get thrown around first... Then relax and enjoy some lunch and a few good beers.

Celtic Bayou - Far West Ireland Brewing

A hole in the wall with some big beers. Who says Cajun and Irish don't mix. They do just fine here thank you very much.

Pyramid Brewing

Right across the street from Safeco Field. Great food; great beer. Much gathering happens after work and before Seahawk and Mariner games. Lunch also gets busy.

However, do not let that deter you. Arrive early, stake out a good viewing spot, sit back and relax.

The IPA is delicious. It finished second in an IPA taste off we had awhile back.

Redhook Brewing

Indeed, this may well be the happiest place on earth. At the very least it is a great place to chill and have some very good beer and equally good food. By the way, my wife recommends the pulled pork sandwich.

I on the other hand recommend the Blackhook Porter. Mmmmm, Blackhook Porter... Arrive early, stay late, and take a designated driver.

LISTENING TO: Deacon Blues - Steely Dan (Aja)

I want to ride a water buffalo

2005-02-16T12:27:00.000-06:00

Because you just never know.

The site that may save your booty is here!

LISTENING TO: In My World - Moody Blues (Long Distance Voyager)

Yeah Baby!

2005-02-15T17:11:00.000-06:00

Example #1 of why I have the coolest wife on the planet.

Several years ago, after agreeing that she should do something for herself, my wife took her bonus check and purchased a giant TV.

Wait for it...

So she could watch NFL Football and NASCAR on the big screen! The least I could do was sign up for NFL Sunday Ticket. Especially since she knows more about football than most guys I know.

She also looks really good in a ponytail.

I love my wife - duh!

LISTENING TO: King of Swing - Big Bad Voodoo Daddy (King of Swing)

Weather Interrupted

2005-02-15T17:03:00.000-06:00

I am noticing a disturbing trend of Local Channels "hyping" their Weather. Here is a clue - your weather is as good as the next commercial - because nobody is ever going to interrupt a commercial for a Weather Bulletin!

In Houston, we have one station that has a "Weather Dog." He seems to be more accurate than the Faux Meteorologist delivering the nonsense. If people would just look out their windows, there would be no need for weather folks...

LISTENING TO: Tramazi Party - Black Grape (It's Great to be Straight)