"Oh, What a Drag Dude..."

If I had a daughter, I think I might be just like this... by the way, this is one of my favorite commercials ever.

Um... Yeah.

All I can say is... Wow!

Unfortunately he has already made his son a fan... poor kid.

The Winter Classic...

I know most of my friends (especially here in Columbus) don't know much about my favorite sport, hockey, but hen you are waking up and looking for something to watch tomorrow afternoon, might I suggest the Winter Classic on NBC (1:00 p.m. EST)?

The Detroit Red Wings and the Chicago Blackhawks will be playing outdoors at Wrigley Field tomorrow and it should be a lot of fun to watch. I have no idea if it will make you a hockey fan, but I know I will be loving every minute of it...

GO WINGS!!

Another Reason You Might As Well Get an iPod...

So this is pretty funny, but what do you expect from a Microsoft product?

Midnight mystery crash: Microsoft Zunes stop working worldwide

BY MIKE WENDLAND • FREE PRESS TECHNOLOGY COLUMNIST • December 31, 2008

Owners of Microsoft's 30GB Zune music players are reporting widespread failures today after some still-undisclosed glitz caused them to lock up at midnight Pacific time. Users said the units spontaneously rebooted and then froze during the startup process.

Microsoft hasn't admitted to a problem yet or responded to requests for information but reports are worldwide and filling popular Zune discussion boards. Some were using their players when it occurred, like a user named Chuck who posted on a Zune fan site called onlydarksets (www.onlydarksets.wordpress.com):

"My wife and I both have zune 30mg … and were both listening to music at about midnight when both, almost like a script, stopped playing the music, returned to the zune logo screen with solid white bar, and froze. Both batteries died in about 2 hours … recharged one over the rest of the night, but all I got was the same frozen screen."

Same thing with a user named Tina, who posted: "I just got a zune yesterday and I was playing some music and all of a sudden I went to a different song and it just froze and I’ve tried reseting it and I’m currently waiting for the battery to die, but I don’t think its even on because the music menu is faded."

Others woke up this morning to find their Zunes useless. The issue appears to especially affect the 30 GB Zune models, although there are some reports of other models also locking up.

Microsoft had similar lockup issues with the Zune earlier this year and posted fixes for it on its support Web site, though users say none of those previous suggestions seem to work on the current issue.

My Favorite Christmas Movies... #1

There's really no doubt about this one is there? It's a classic, no doubt about it. It's really on par with a movie I left off the list, but love as well, It's a Wonderful Life.

This movie will always hold a special place in our hearts. It makes us remember all that is funny about Christmas... it's on for 24 hours on Christmas Day, so I know you can enjoy a few times.

A Christmas Story



"Fra-gee-lay... it must be Italian."

My Favorite Christmas Movies... #2

I don't think that this movie gets enough credit for how great it is... I almost made it number one, but I feared what might happen to me if number one wasn't... don't want to give it away do I?

This is a British film starring Hugh Grant and a host of others that you will know. I don't know how to explain the emotions it brings out in me and I'm not afraid to admit it makes me cry every time I watch it.

Love Actually



Love is a wonderful thing...

My Favorite Christmas Movies... #3

Honestly, I really was not that impressed with this movie the first time I saw it. I went to see it with my friend, Chris, and Cheryl has never let me forget that I saw it that year and she didn't.

Well, all these years later and Cheryl and myself seeing Will Ferrell many, many times, this one has moved it's way up the list slowly but surely...

Elf

My Favorite Christmas Movies... #4

A total goofball movie filled with slapstick, but a movie that has become a classic comes in at number four. Clark Griswold again takes us on a vacation with his very strange and quirky family. Just sit back and laugh a little while you enjoy...

Christmas Vacation

My Favorite Christmas Movies... #5

Another John Hughes movie... I'm a fan what can I say?

Whether you like to admit it or not, you all loved this movie... I still do. It made people all over the country smack their hands against their faces and scream, "Aaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh!"

Yes, Macaulay Culkin was just a cute kid back then in this Christmas classic...

Home Alone



Go ahead and smack your hands on your face... it's Christmas.

My Favorite Christmas Movies... #6

Number 6 on the list is probably not for the faint of heart... Denis Leary and Kevin Spacey are great in this movie. This is actually the movie that made me love Leary. We're talking about Denis Leary here folks, so the language is strong, cutting and witty, but this film is one of the best dysfunctional family Christmas movies ever...

The Ref

My Favorite Christmas Movies... #7

This movie would most likely be higher on a lot of other Christmas movie lists, but it's in my top ten, so back off! Sorry... Bill Murray is always a favorite of mine and this is one of his better films...

Scrooged

My Favorite Christmas Movies... #8

One of the movies that Cheryl and I really loved was The Holiday. Jude Law, Kate Winslet, Cameron Diaz and Jack Black star in this movie about two women trying who trade lives at Christmas to escape their relationship problems.

This is definitely a chick flick, but I am totally secure in my manhood to say I enjoy them. Trust me this film is enjoyable, give it a try.



Honorable mention: Cheryl is crazy about You've Got Mail and I have to admit I have grown to love it as well. There are just a few brief Christmas moments in this one, but it's always a good one to watch.

My Favorite Christmas Movies... #9

This one actually happens at Christmas... and Hans Gruber is on Santa's naughty list, but John McClane will makes sure he gets a stocking full of coal. Well, honestly he is going to kill lots of bad guys, Christmas style!

Die Hard (Honorable Mention - Die Hard 2)



Yipee ki-ay... Christmas lovers!!

My Favorite Christmas Movies... #10.1

I had to include this little John Hughes film which is another road trip/buddy movie starring Ed O'Neal and Ethan Embry.

Dutch

Again, this little movie is filled with funny moments that will bring you some holiday cheer.

Ethan Embry is an uptight bratty kid who meets his mother's new boyfriend, Ed O'Neal, when he comes to bring him home from school for the holidays.

Not critically acclaimed, but just a fun movie... we're not talkin' Oscar here.

A Shoe In...

This is what's come to... absolutely insane!

America... Where Art Thou?

Where is the love for this country?

When did we become so jaded and concerned only with ourselves?

The events that are unfolding in Michigan over the past few weeks and the action taken by Washington to bail out failing banks and Wall Street, have made me think long and hard about my country.

As I talk with friends from around the country, including Michigan, I am surprised to here the utter disgust and hatred for the Big 3 in Detroit. I am biased, there is no doubt about that. I grew up and benefitted greatly from Ford Motor Company. My father, David, worked at Ford for 40 years. He worked hard and provided for his family. Except for his early years there, I don't think my father was part of the UAW. Regardless, he worked very hard all of his life inside of factories and office buildings for Ford Motor Company.

My heart hurts for Detroit. I will always love the city and suburbs of that town. I realize that many bad decisions were made and that greed and resting on laurels contributed to the state that the Auto Companies are in. The UAW has to wake up to the present day America in which we live. No one is entitled to anything anymore, the global economy won't allow it. The CEO's and executives at all levels need to make sacrifices for the benefit of everyone, not just themselves, but is there no love for America?

Why do we have no regard for America any longer? Why don't we cheer for and hope for all things American? Are we just out for the best deal we can get? Many would say yes. Are we ready to turn over all manufacturing of goods to foreign countries? I would say we pretty much have.

"But Scott, Honda, Toyota, BMW & Mercedes all build cars right here in the United States." True, they do, but do they have America's best interests in mind? Are they proud to be an American... oops they can't be. Do they look for ways to make this country better? Maybe, but at the heart of those companies, there beats a foreign interest. An interest to benefit from our economy.

Does anyone think that if the United States were to fall into economic disaster that these companies might not decide they should take there ball and go home? They have no allegiance to us. They are just here using us and our money to benefit themselves... just like we use India and China to benefit all of our consumeristic desires.

You know, I watch the West Wing in reruns on Bravo, and I see a White House that loves this country. It's fictional, I know, but I am moved by the duty they feel for America. I am inspired by their love of country and desire to see the best for all Americans. I applaud their willingness to fight for what is right.

There are voices out there that still cry out and take pride in America. People who love this country and want what is best for her. They are becoming fewer...

We find ourselves in a time where there hasn't been much to be proud of as an American. The past few years have created a lot of animosity and division among us, but we need to find that place inside of us that has pride and hopes for a greater America. Look deep inside yourself and find something, anything that makes you remember the freedom and liberty you have in the United States.

Tough times are ahead... tough decisions must be made, but my hope is that someday, somehow, we might again be proud to be Americans again.

My Favorite Christmas Movies... #10

Cheryl has been Blogging about her favorite songs for Christmas, so I decided to steal the idea and tweak it to be my favorite Christmas movies. I'm sure I'll miss a few of your favorites, but I would love to hear what they are and hopefully I will shed a little light on a new holiday favorite for you to enjoy this year.

So here we go...

My first movie is actually more of a Thanksgiving movie, but it always kicks off Cheryl and I's holiday season each year, so I am giving it the #10 spot on my list...

Planes, Trains & Automobiles

Steve Martin and John Candy makes this John Hughes movie a holiday classic. If you haven't seen it yet - first of all, what's wrong with you? - it does have some adult language, so be careful with the kiddies. It's just a great road trip/buddy movie for the holidays.

Give it a watch and let me know what you think...

Ten more days until Christmas... Nine more movies to go until my number one movie for Christmas. I hope I can decide by then...

I'm Not as Biased as You Think...

For as many years as I can remember, I have been defending the Big 3 US Automakers (GM, Ford & Chrysler). 

A lot of friends and family over the years have seen me passionately explain to them all the myths about Honda, Toyota, etc.

I've been routinely dismissed for being biased and not having my facts straight... so with our country in recession and the US economy on the brink of disaster, does anyone think they should have listened to me? Probably not... I can still hear the choruses of my friends telling me how "crappy" American cars are. How American workers are lazy and unions have priced the cars to high. If they would only make cars people wanted to drive... blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.

This hate for American cars is starting to come full circle. The White House and the Congress are trying to figure out how or even if they should help the automotive industry. 

I read the Detroit papers and I am astonished at the replies to articles of those living in "the Motor City." People saying that the government should let the Big 3 fail... "they got themselves into this mess, let them fail." Do people realize that Ford, GM and Chrysler create jobs all over the Midwest and really the entire country? There are industries and jobs that you would never think have connections to the auto industry that will collapse right along with the Big 3 if they are allowed to fail. Yes, that means your job might be affected.

While reading the Detroit Free Press today, I read an article about the myths of the Detroit Auto Industry... give it a read and tell me how biased I really was all these years.

Maybe it's time to change your mind about the Big 3...

President Obama

I haven't had a lot of great things to say about Barack Obama or the Democrats in general on this Blog in the past few months.

The truth is, a few things morally made me change my mind about Obama toward the end of the Summer. Until that point I was leaning heavily toward Barack Obama.

As a person who grew up as a "Republican" from a very young age, the fact that I even considered Obama was a huge step. Being a Christian has left me with a lot of conflicted feelings. Ultimately, his stance on certain moral issues made me feel like I could not support him for President.

When you throw into the mix the fact there are so many Democrats (and Republicans) that have raped America (Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac & the Bailout), I felt like I needed to temper the power that the Democrats would hold by voting for McCain.

On the topic of McCain, the Republicans could not have put up a more pathetic candidate. McCain never had the charisma or a strong conservative stance that got the base excited. The fact that him choosing Sarah Palin was the thing that excited Republicans tells you a lot about John McCain's strength as a candidate. I love Sarah Palin by the way... many people hate her, but she is amazing and I look forward to seeing where she ends up in the future.

I respect John McCain, but he just didn't have that "it" factor. He finally got his shot at the Presidency and I am happy for him on that front, but in the end, he was just up against an unstoppable force.

Barack Obama brought hope to so many American's lives at a time when we needed hope of some kind. We can only hope that President Obama can bring our country together and usher us into a brighter future.

I can now say that I support this President and more importantly will pray for him and his staff and hope for better days. We are all Americans and for all the complaints that we may have, this is still the greatest country in the world.

God Bless America and God Bless our new President Elect, Barack Obama.

Please Count My Vote...

I was watching Anderson Cooper 360 tonight on CNN (my first mistake) and heard more than one story about how African Americans fear that their votes will not be counted. 

Even the almighty Oprah talked about how she almost didn't vote for President due to her electronic voting machine not counting it. She went back through the ballot because she had "a bad feeling" and noticed that she had indeed not pressed the correct button.

Over the past few weeks I have heard and read stories about how if Obama does not win, there will be riots in the street. These stories come off as threats - just like Biden's threat that Obama's mettle will be tested in the first six months of his Presidency. 

So basically if you are afraid of being a racist, you had better vote for Obama.

I cannot even begin to fathom what Black's in this country have gone through. The things that have happened in our country when it comes to race are despicable. There is no denying that we have a long way to go, but may I suggest something? Maybe this whole race thing is a two way street...

There are things to be worked on and fences to be mended on both sides of this issue. We all have work to do. We all need to see one another they way God sees us. We need to love one another... we need to love our enemies as well.

When I turned in my ballot early here in Ohio, there was definitely a part of me that had some fear as well. Will they count my vote? How many votes will be thrown out for some reason? How many fraudulent votes will be counted because of ACORN?

My point in all of this is, whether you are black, white, brown, purple or green, no one seems to trust this government anymore. Maybe we're all getting screwed...

The only "hope" we have and the only "change we can believe in" is that of our God. Barack will not bring about change that matters. John McCain will not give us hope. Only the hope we find in Jesus Christ and the change that our Father brings matters.

A wise man once said, "Everything is meaningless, a chasing after the wind." Eventually he found his hope and change... hopefully we will too.