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Saturday, February 28, 2009

Tidbits

* Early Saturday Morning, everyone is asleep, time for a good tidbits.

* Kim is home from the hospital, I thought she went home a few days ago, but maybe I was mistaken and she was released later than that.

* Tonight (today) is officially the last day for Nick and Terri's to be open, I'm going to try to make it down sometime today.

* I have to have my car looked at, it's running very, very rough. Backfiring and gaining power and losing power. I've changed spark plugs and added fuel injection cleaner, but that doesn't seem to help. I'm going to try to have one of Michelle's friends look at it. George seems to think it's a timing belt, Advance Auto has a machine that punched out a few errors and today I am going to have someone loom at it that knows a lot more about them than I do.

* Next weekend the WVU Baseball team will start their home schedule against New Jersey Tech. Ticket's are usually pretty cheap ($5.00) and it's a good time.

* It's been 251 days since mine and Michelle's first date. We're two weeks away from 1 year !!!

* Speaking of time lines, 115 days until we assemble in the Parrot head nation and the Jimmy Buffett Concert.

Friday, February 27, 2009

Big Ole Hairy Friday

Yes it is once again that time of the week when we cease our labors for the week and take a little time out and enjoy the fruits of our labors, it is once again the start of yet another fun filled weekend and a Bog Ole Hairy Friday!!!!!!!

The weather appears like it may be breaking a little, so there may be a little outside time this weekend.

Tomorrow night will be the final night of business for Nick and Terri's. They are hanging up their taps after a few years in business. Go and bid them a fond farewell and a last day in business.

Thursday, February 26, 2009

...before I forget

Starting Friday, West Virginia will have a new 681 area code in addition to the 34 that we currently have. Starting Friday, there will be no more 7 digit dialing in West Virginia, you will have to dial a 10 digit number (area code + number) to reach who you are calling.

If you have numbers preset in your home phone, you may want to adjust to them to the new 10 digit number.

My cell phone is ATT, so I have to dial the 10 digit number anyways, but this will affect land line phones. You're phone didn't go bad, you just have to dial 10 numbers instead of 7 starting tomorrow.

Off to the Burgh Today

I'll be out of town on business today, I'll be leaving late morning and coming back this afternoon. It's for the Carbon Sequestration project that I have been working on, one of the guys I have been working with is going to be the State Wide GIS Director or something to that effect and I'll be taking over as the lead analyst.

I'll be going to Pittsburgh to meet some of the other people working on this project and for our monthly update meeting.

Should be an interesting day, I also have another meeting at 9:00 in Morgantown.

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Ash Wed

Man, I had a perfect opportunity yesterday to talk about Fat Tuesday and I didn't. I could have talked about getting beads and making cuties earn them, but Michelle probably would not have been to fond of that so I was a good boy.

For those of you out there this is Ash Wed, and the start of Lent. Last year I gave up soda pop for lent, but I don't know if I am giving anything up or not this year.


I will go to Riverside Church again this year and see their performance they are planning on doing this year. Chad and Jason, a couple guys I worked with at IMC were in it last year and I think they will be doing it again this year. Mom was also in it last year, my primary reason for going. I enjoyed it and had a good time, I'm not sure if they are doing the same play this year, but I'm sure it will be entertaining.

Personally I think they need to do a play about hunting shadow seeing groundhogs, but that is another post.

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Michelle finally saw the Greatest Movie Ever

Last night we sat and watched arguably the greatest movie ever made, it had the best plot you could ever imagine and Michelle was on the edge of her seat the entire movie. I think she was a little disappointed to find out that the Rocky Horror Picture show did not last the four hours that we told her it did.

Just for you sweetie because we know you loved this movie.

Monday, February 23, 2009

Come on Phil

What are you getting a little bit nervous just because I mentioned roasting a random groundhog (name Phil) on the fireplace and AI hear that you're getting all defensive. Sitting up fully armed, like you don't take an occasional nap you rat.

I can't stand all this snow, I am so ready for sunshine it is not even funny. This cold weather and snow falling to the ground is quite depressing.

Michelle did make some really mouthwatering female banana nut bread last night. We had some old banana's laying around and she whipped some up. Oh was it good. It was the kind of food that you just let sit in your mouth and let the saliva just slowly melt it away as you experience oral gratitude of a warm fresh baked bread. Mmmmmmm

Yes my sugar numbers have been running normal..LOL

Sunday, February 22, 2009

Another Cold Morning

What is up with all this cold weather? I know Phil saw his shadow and we are three of the six weeks into his prediction of more winter weather, but can't we have a little more warmth?

I'm up this morning with the fireplace a going pretty good and everyone else still snuggled into bed. I've got Michelle's coffee made for her, but I think she dozed off and went back to sleep again. I can hear her sawing a few logs in the bedroom. Come to thing of it, we may be able to use those logs she has been sawing this morning.

I wonder what roasted groundhog tastes like when it is cooked over an open fireplace? I know, I have to make sure Phil...er I mean the random non named groundhog gets plenty of garlic when I roast him.

I'm ready for spring time, softball, sandals and shorts.

Saturday, February 21, 2009

Pretty Remarkable story

As many of you know, I have a younger sister named Kim who has had her share of health problems over the past few years. She has been in and out of numerous hospitals, had numerous surgeries and has just been living a life of hell the past few years health wise. Before I forget, she has been released from the hospital, she had Gall stones.

A couple of years ago a growth was noticed internally, they opened her up and saw a growth about the size of a golf ball and a half attached to her spine and a major artery. I was there as the Dr briefed us after the surgery and they sent it off for a biopsy. It came back as non cancerous but it could not be explained any further than just saying it is a tumor.

Kim has lived in a great deal of pain the past few years and her and Robert decided to try homeopathic type medicines. She has been going for acupuncture the past month or so and she says it has done wonders for her pain management. The pain is relieved her pain like no prescribed drug could have.

Something else she has tried has been a Ion Spa Detox Foot Spa Ion "Chi" Foot Bath Massage. What it is is a foot bath and you put this machine in it and and some sea salt and it is supposed to detoxify the body. She was trying everything.

She used it once, and the water was dirty, she used it a second time and the water was actually muddy and this is when she started to develop Gall Stones. Well she goes into the hospital and they run their usual tests on her and later determined she had gall stones and they had passed.

Some thing the radiologists report failed to mention was her tumor. They mentioned everything else about her, but not the first word about this gold ball and a half sized tumor that was inside of her. Robert thought it was kind of weird and asked them for confirmation, or to see if the radiologist just didn't note it.

Last night I got a call that shocked me. First, Kim was released from the hospital and home. Secondly, the radiologist didn't overlook anything. The tumor is gone, not overlooked, it is no longer there.

Both Kim and Robert who is as big of a skeptic and I am both believe that it was the salt water detoxification that gets the credit on why this disappeared.

I sit here in amazement. I'm sure there will be future blogs about this topic. I'm even going to post a label for this subject called detox.

Friday, February 20, 2009

Big Ole Hairy Friday

Yes readers, it is once again that time of the week when we cease our labors for the week and take time out to enjoy the fruits of our labors. It is once again another bog ole hairy Friday and the start of yet another weekend.

Did you miss my BLOG yesterday? I actually wrote one and for some reason it not only did not post, it was deleted. Michelle pointed it out to me last night. It was a BLOG about W. Edward Deming, but I guess I'll have to re-write that BLOG another day.

Update on Kim, her results finally came back and she has multiple Gall Stones. She was in a lot of pain earlier in the week, and we think she passed a stone and that is what caused her so much pain. I asked her initially if that was what it was, but initial reports were negative.

Maybe it is just me, but it seems more and more people are migrating away from MySpace and using Facebook more. Just a simple observation and seeing quite a few people recently make the transition.

I had another Hot Sausage sandwich last night from MiHALEY's. Michelle had to work late and we just ordered out. I did get a chance to talk to Michael, he said it took him SIX vendors before he found the right Hot Sausage. I told him these were awesome.

Have a great Friday and a great weekend.

Thursday, February 19, 2009

No Blog Today

Sorry, I had one written and it must have gotten deleted.

Check back tomorrow.

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Kim is back in the hospital

This announcement is coming late at Kim's request so she could get settled in, been by the Doctors and hopefully get moved out of her small semi-private room.

Monday Morning she went to Ruby Hospital to be admitted for pancreatitis. She has been in a great deal of pain and needed some rest and some antibiotics, so I suggested waiting on letting everyone know what was going on so she could rest and relax and let the Med's and Dr's do their job.

She is in a small semi-private room, Robert is not even allowed to stay past visiting hours, they are on the list for a private room, but I'll let her tell the story on how long (12 hours) it took to get a room in a full hospital.

I left last night and she was eating some orange jello and waiting on her two hour overdue pain meds.

She is in Ruby in room 930, unless they move her.

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Three day weekend is over


Wow did that go fast, seems like just yesterday that it was Friday and here we are at Tuesday and I'm going back to work again.

We did have a little fun last night as it was the first time we had introduced Michelle's cats to catnip. To say that it was entertaining was an understatement, they got down right hateful with the other trying to prevent the other from getting to their catnip.

What do you think of this damn weather, I was changing my Spark Plugs yesterday afternoon in the Rodeo and it started to freaking snow again. I think Phil was really trying to ruin my day off.

Oh well, Hi Ho Hi Ho.....

Monday, February 16, 2009

Sterograms

For years I would see books of images called Sterograms. That is when you place a 3 dimensional image into an image and you have to adjust your eyes to allow you to see it.

Sort of like this image below:




Some people just see a blue pattern, but inside of that blue pattern is a 3 Dimensional image of two dolphins swimming. Once your eyes are adjusted it is very easy to see, for me I looked at these things for years and never understood how they worked, or should I say was not able to see them work. Yesterday someone at an online forum showed me how to make it work, and I have been fascinated ever since.

If you have trouble seeing the Dolphins above and need a little tutorial on how to see them, check out stereograms.net, they have a pretty good tutorial on how to adjust your eyes. Hint, what you are looking for is not necessarily what it is a picture of, it's just the background that creates the three dimensional image.

If you get the hang of it, make your own and see if you can see it.

Sunday, February 15, 2009

MiHaleys

Yesterday evening Michelle and I decided to go across the street and give Michael and Ashley's new sports bar a try for dinner. Not knowing what to expect I went in and decided to judge it as if it were some place owned by someone I didn't know. Michael wasn't around and Michele and i could get a real chance to compare notes without having to be nice and not offending everyone. This is my unbiased review.

We both ordered Hot Italian Sausage Subs, I ordered a side of fires with mine and Michelle got the chips. $7.50 for a 12" Hot Sausage Sub/Hoagie was pretty much on par with every place else we go, if not a tad bit cheaper.

I am one who LOVES good Hot Sausage. For me it is a food that you can compare with other establishments on the overall quality of their food. The bread was a little longer than the meat, but I'll bet back to why this is a good thing in a second. After my first mouthwatering bite, I looked at Michelle and she could easily tell that this thing was something special. Many places advertise Hot Sausage, but really don't deliver on the hot part, almost as if there is no spice in it. MiHALEY's not only delivered, it hit it out of the park with a grand slam. WOW was hot enough to garner your attention, and had just enough bread at the end of the sandwich to relieve the hot sensation that you enjoy while devouring this masterpiece.

I didn't even make it through half a sandwich and I had to call Jean and tell her to get down and try this, she will not be disappointed as her Pam and Gary are the connoisseur's of spicy hot in this family.

Overall I was really impressed, the drinks came in large and very favorable glasses. All too often you go some place and they give you these little glasses that you need refilled a half a dozen times. These were just perfect. The fries were actually pretty good, perfectly cut and done to a crisp golden brown texture that just please the taste buds.

Good thing I just live across the street, I can get the best Hot Sausage Sub/Hoagie in Morgantown just by crossing the street.

I give it 6 stars out of five and three thumbs up!!!


Their menu, click on image for full size:



An eventful day

Yesterday was my and Michelle's first Valentines Day together and it was a really nice day. It started off when we decided that we would use the money we were going to use for Valentines day for each other and combine it and use it for something we could all use and get good use out of.

Our tract started off by going to Wal-Mart and buying the grill that we had both liked the night before at the one on Hornbeck road, but we went to the Wal-Mart in Granville and found what I would consider a very humorous picture to say the least. Notice how that $157.00 Grill has a great big "Unbeatable" pricetag on it...for $177.00. I had read a review on that grill earlier in the day and the person who got it as a gift wasn't too fond of it, pretty much saying it all the burners had rusted out in two months. Can you say RED FLAG??? We did not purchase the piece of crap $157.00 grill from the Discount store for $177.00.

We stopped by the Morgantown Mall and went back and forth between Sears and Lowes and bought a really nice Stainless Steel Char Broil gas grill with four stainless steel burners, a stainless steel side burner, 685 sq in cooking surface putting out 48,000 BTU's. Michelle and I were back and forth between this one and a Kenmore at Sears. After going back and forth, we decided on the Stainless Steel Charbroil from Lowes.

I did manage to see an old friend of mine from College at both Sears and Lowes. We then went up to K-Mart only for me to run into my old buddy from Sterling Faucet Jimmy Campbell who just turned 80 (and he still looks good) and then turned around and caught up with Paul and Vicky Koon and talked to them for a little while before finally heading back home.

Yesterday afternoon my sister Pam and George decided to stop by and check out our new abode. Calvin had a little fun playing with the Nintendo Wii. I even made sure AI made him the first loser once when we raced together, don't ask about the other three times that we raced and he beat me, those didn't count.

After they left last night Michelle and I decided to go out to dinner. This deserves it's own BLOG, so it will be granted.

Saturday, February 14, 2009

To my sweetheart

What can I say, other than 129 days and counting until the next time we go and see Jimmy Buffett in concert.

On a serious note to Michelle, thank you for everything that you have done for me these last 337 days. They have been by far the happiest times of my life and it is all because of you.

I have to say that I am one lucky person, you have rescued me from the purgatory of my solitary life and breathed life into my empty heart. I want to tell you I love you and wish you a very Happy Valentines Day.

It's been a long time since I had the pleasure of being with someone I loved on this day, a long time.

Friday, February 13, 2009

Friday the 13th

Didn't realize this until this morning, but today is Friday the 13th.

Could Friday the 13th be a lucky day for WVU? 13th ranked (uh oh) Villanova Wildcats will be coming to Morgantown for a rare Friday Night match up at the WVU Coliseum.

Come Hon Hugg's ruin the 13th ranked teams Friday the 13th.

Big Ole Hairy Friday


Yes it is once again that favorite time of the week when we cease the labors of the week and take a little time out to enjoy the fruits of our labors. It is once again another Big Ole Hairy Friday and the dawn of yet another weekend.

Once again I'm not sure what Michelle and I will be getting into, but I would imagine we'll do something for Valentine's Day tomorrow. That's tomorrow though and another Blog.

This is Friday and MiHaley's is having a DJ tonight if you are looking for a night out about Morgantown. I looked in the paper and couldn't find what Nick and Terri are having this weekend, but I know they are having a few great shows coming up later this month before they finally close up shop at the end of the month.

Have a great Friday and the start of a weekend, it'll be a three day weekend for me =)

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Happy 21st Anniversary Pam, and George

I would like to take this opportunity to wish my sister Pam and Brother in Law George a very Happy 21st wedding anniversary. Wow how fast 21 years has just flown by, I remember it like it was just yesterday.

It's been quite a few years since this picture was taken, but it seems like just yesterday that Dad was walking Pam down the Isle. I remember George's dad was running all over town trying to find a copy of the wedding march to play at the old Drummond Chapel Church.

It was also a day when all five siblings managed to take a little time out and have our picture taken together, which doesn't seem to happen that often, or at least not often enough.

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Last nights entertainment

OK< I think it takes less and less to entertain me anymore. We have puzzles and things like that laying around as well as my etch a sketch, 20 questions and a few others.

Last night I got to watch Chad and his girlfriend feed their Monitor. A growing lizard who is not a vegetarian should we say, he eats small mice and pinkies. I got the chance to watch one mouse meet his demise and one fight valiantly, but finally lose after a few minutes. I had my money on the mouse, I wonder how the monitor would do against a groundhog, say one from Punxsutawney PA named Phil who can't seem to avoid seeing his shadow.

It was a night of simple, but satisfying entertainment.

It's humpday by the way!

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

I'm even impressed

It takes a lot for a professional to be amazed in their own field, Google Earth 5.0 has done just that, impressed me to no end. I could take time and explain everything, but here is a nice little video that explains a portion of it.




Some things not covered in the video is that they now have a significant amount of street data in street view. I showed it to Michelle and stood in the center of Westover Bridge and pulled up street view. She was quite impressed.

ALSO in the upgrade is Google Mars, plus the sky. Showing you where the stars are and it also reproduces the planet Mars in Google earth style.

Finally, there is a flight simulator built into the new version. I haven't mastered that quite yet, but it is going to be a challenge.

Monday, February 09, 2009

Back 2 Work


Time to cease enjoying the weekend and get back to work for yet another week of work.

If anyone is interested, today is the day that Jimmy Buffett tickets go on sale for the June 23rd concert. I'm planning on going again this year, only problem is I will be in a meeting at the time the tickets go on sale. I'll have to slip out and order the tickets. If you wait you lose, as it only takes a few short minutes to sell this event out.

When I was actually looking for inspiration for this BLOG, I was eating a moist and delicious piece of Michelle's Butter Pecan cake. Don't you just love where I get the inspiration for this BLOG? There has to be some type of correlation between eating Butter Pecan Cake and authoring a brilliant blog.

Sunday, February 08, 2009

Tidbits

* Every once in a while you suffer from a little brain fart as far as content for the BLOG, so I like to do a little tidbits to keep it going.

* I know this is my Mom's favorite thing to read, she like's the tidbits and asked me a couple of weeks ago to do more of them.

* The WVU Basketball team easily handled the Providence Friars 86-59 yesterday. Alex Ruoff broke out of his minor slump and pumped in a game high 24 points in leading the Mountaineers.

* Very little rest for the Mountaineers as they have today off before traveling to take on 6th ranked Pitt Panthers tomorrow evening for big Monday.

* Maybe it's just me, maybe it's not. I'm starting to like Facebook a lot more than myspace.

* It's been 331 days since mine and Michelle's first date. Wow we're coming up on a year of her putting up with me.

* For you football buffs that are missing your Football, today will be your last chance to see the NFL in action until late July early August. The Pro Bowl is this afternoon and is the final game of the year. Go AFC!!!!!

* Anyone hear where Heather Bresch, daughter of Governor Joe Manchin and the center of the scandal that reaked WVU last year, wants an explanation on her MBA from the Board of Governors. Dear Heather, from this and every other WVU grad who earned their degrees my suggestion to you is earn it. Not because your daddy is the Governor, but because you met the required curriculum to have obtained a Masters Degree in Business Administration from West Virginia University. Just earn it.

* The Geocache that Michelle and I hid last summer has been found a total of 56 times so far.

* I did have a little bit of a scare during our move, I thought I had misplaced my power source for my external hard drive that has ALL of my pictures on it. Rest assured the cord has been found and the pictures are still safe. Maybe I should back them up on the net, it's not like I don't have the space.

* Enjoy your Sunday

Saturday, February 07, 2009

Weekend

Woo Hoo, we are going to have a nice relaxing weekend this weekend. No packing or moving, just a chance to sit down and relax with some nice weather. If anyone is not doing anything and would like to stop by and pay a visit, we would love to entertain and show the new place.

Michelle and I will be running to Comcast here early this morning, but we should be back after that and ready to go. Come on over and we'll play a little Nintendo Wii today.

Come one, come all.

Friday, February 06, 2009

Big Ole Hairy Friday

Yes it is once again time to cease the labors for the week and take a little time out to enjoy the fruits of our labors, it is once again the start of another weekend and another Big Ole Hairy Friday!!!!!!

This will be our first weekend in our new home, or at least should I say when we don't have to be moving in. Michelle was a little under the weather yesterday, and she stayed home and managed to get the house in order. If you aren't doing anything this weekend come and give us a visit and take witness to our little abode.

I think it's going to be a nice relaxing weekend for us. The weather is going to warm up a little, so the possibility of enjoying our yard may be a slight possibility.

Have a great weekend!

Thursday, February 05, 2009

Pete the PRT



Taxes

I bought a copy of Tax Cut again this year, and it include five free electronic filings. Michelle had already had her taxes done and that leaves me to use one of the five free filings.

That being said I have four more free electronic filings that I can use and have it installed on my computer. If anyone wants to electronically file their taxes this year for free, just be one of the first four people to ask me to use it.

That's right, as a free gift for George's Journal readers, I will hand out the free electronic filings to anyone who wants to quickly and electronically file their taxes this year.

Wednesday, February 04, 2009

Tidbits

* 327 days and counting for mine and Michelle's first date.

* Jimmy Buffett tickets go on sale Monday at 10:00 AM.

* Slinky's are great toys, when you are just sitting on the couch with nothing to do to keep your hands occupied, you can't beat a slinky.

* Just remembered....we have stairs. Stairs + Slinky.....

* Our stairs are too wide, I can't seem to get proper down stair slinkyism to work. It's a delicate science, I believe our stairs are 2.34643 inches too wide to get maximum slinkyism effect.

* Reading a little Myspace, Val is getting hardwood floors in her house.

* Once again thanks to Myspace (I prefer facebook though), Amy and Ralphie are planning on getting married this summer. Congrats to Amy and Ralphie.

* Spring is 44 days away and I couldn't be more ready for it. Have I ever mentioned that I hate snow? Thanks Phil....you Rat. Maybe we'll feed you to one of Chad's Pythons.

* It's Humpday!!!!!!

Tuesday, February 03, 2009

Cash for Gold Scam

LINK


10 Confessions Of A Cash4Gold Employee

From the acid-cloud haze of the Cash4Gold processing center steps forth a shadowy figure, fingers stained with orange testing fluid. It's an ex-Cash4Gold employee and in-between tuberculosic wheezes he manages to pass you a yellow legal paid with 10 confessions about how his former employer taught him to rip people off. Then he evaporates leaving behind a pile of gold dust. You dip your finger in it and touch it to your tongue. Just as you thought: fool's gold.

If you decide to investigate the creaky clock tower, turn to page 4.
If you decide to read the confessions, to the post inside.

Spotted on ComplaintsBoard: "I would like an article to be posted pertaining to the refinery Cash 4 Gold, located in Pompano Beach, Fl. I am a former employee, who would like to alert/warn the public on the scamming process involved with this company. There are many of us who would like to vouch on behalf of this fast growing scam. We would like to get the word out to everyone on this step by step scam which involves so many people in this country and their valuables.

Below I have attached the full details on the scam involving this company. We know this first hand, because this is how we were trained. Please take note of this information and do what you can to get the word out there, especially in a time when the economy has truly affected everyone for the worst. Thank you!

I am a former employee of Cash 4 Gold. I did not know much about the company before being hired. On my first day of being hired, I was taught the "Cash 4 Gold Scam" from beginning to end.

1. The "refiner's pack" that is used for you to put your jewelry is "insured for UP TO 100 dollars, " according to how much they determine from a description from you, the worth of your items to be, NOT an actual fully researched appraisal.

2. We receive your "Refiner's Pack" within 3-4 days, BUT we are instructed to tell you that it takes "7-10 business days, for us to receive your pack, ALTHOUGH many times, your package has already arrived.
(All cash4gold customers who have called customer service to track a package can vouch for this)

3. Your jewelry gets appraised by hand, a magnifying glass, a plastic container, a small weight pad, and a bottle of ORANGISH fluid, which your items are then determined a value for. Not million dollar equipment or specially trained jewelry experts. The company was temporarily closed recently due to health and code violations. I have witness testers being transported to Medical Centers, due to the testing department environment. There is literally a cloud of smoke in the air from acid and other testing material. If you were thinking it was some state-of-the-art testing facility, you thought WRONG.

4. Although the payment (check) for your item is dated within 24 hrs of testing your jewelry, we SOMETIMES DO NOT actually send out the check until up to 3-4 days later. (if you are a customer check the date the check was issued against the stamped date on the envelope.)

5. We do offer a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee or your jewelry returned, BUT THE CATCH IS, that the guarantee is to contact us within 10 DAYS from when your check is DATED. (This begins with the time it took for the accounts payables dept. to ISSUE the check and also including the TRANSIT TIME for you to receive your check in the mail. **** NOTATE THE COMMERCIALS THAT INSINUATE THAT YOU GET YOUR CASH IN 24 HRS.*** If you request (sign) for FAST CASH (direct deposit) you automatically WAIVE your rights to have your items returned, EVEN if you are not satisfied with amount of your deposit.

6. You generally receive your check around the "7th-10th" business day, AND majority of the time Customers are outraged when they lay eyes on the amount of their check. Some Customer's even receive a check for 0.01 cents.

7. There have been times when we have received your package and MISPLACED or LOST it at the facility. We CLAIM to not have received the items and even try to convince you that it was lost in the hands of USPS. At which point we begin an insurance claim process on your package. We ask you to send us an itemized list of the content of the package, trying to be as descriptive as you possible can (if you can remember everything in full detail) and a copy of your state issud ID. We then issue an INSURANCE CLAIM for UP TO 100 dollars. GOD FORBID your items are worth more then a 100 dollars. If you call customer service to check on the status of your shipment, and we actually have not received your package, we inform you of the insurance claim process. For those who know that their items are worth more than a hundred dollars, they become very upset and threaten to take action against the company, at that point we inform the customer that if they knew their items were worth more they should have added additional insurance at the Post Office. BUT unless you are paying to ship your items in a completely different package other then the refiner's kit, you are unable to add insurance to the package.

8. For those who do get in touch with us within the allotted time frame, we already know what you are calling about. Customers want their items returned, because there
check amount is so insultingly LOW. The first thing a Rep will
ask you is "HOW MUCH WERE YOU EXPECTING TO GET BACK?" This way we can know how much to "BONUS" you.

*Definition of a BONUS: We issue low checks just to have you call us back if you are smart enough to realize that you just got scammed. For the smart one's we are paid to offer u a bonus up to 3x the original amount of your check and you accept. For ex: Sally Smith receives a check for $27.86 for a Rolex watch(which we don’t issue value for), a class ring, a ring with diamond chips, a pair of earrings with emeralds, as well as a few sterling silver pieces, and maybe a few items that were really of no value. Now Sally Smith calls the cust srvc dept, where she speaks to a rep who seems so concerned and will see if she can do better with the amount by speaking to a "SUPERVISOR". We then place the caller on Mute, and speak to our neighbors or doodle on a sheet, or twiddle with our hair for about 45 seconds, while we are supposedly speaking to our supervisor about Ms. Smith's complaint. We then come back with an offer to "BUMP UP YOUR MELT DATE or any other lies the cust srvc reps can think of, and offer you a total amount of $53.20 which is a little under double the amount of your original check; in which case if you accept, the cust srvc rep makes a 15.00 bonus off of your transaction. If the customer service rep offers you under triple the amount of your orig check, he/she makes 10.oo in bonuses.

9. If you accept the offer, the deal is done, and you are told that the call is recorded (which most of the time, the record button does not work, or the box if full.)It’s just a way to make your feel binded by a verbal contract. IF you do not accept the deal, you have to return your check, and it takes sometimes up to a month to receive your items back after we receive the check.

10. If you only want the items that we do not find of any value back, you have to pay 10.00 shipping and handling fee to have your own items returned, which varies. Although it is listed under the terms and conditions, this charge varies from a 10.00-15.00 charge to NO charge, reason being, UNSURE.

Cash 4 Gold is definitely not a trustworthy or credible company to do business with. You are almost better off taking your items to a local pawn shop or shopping around for other companies. With the economy the way it is, Cash 4 Gold seems to be a way out of financial stress for some, but in actuality becomes a stress of its own. I would advise you to think twice before sending in valuables or items inherited and of sentimental value, its not worth it."

Still settling in

It's been a busy move, but we are about 90% unpacked and organized and ready to relax a little. Chad actually got my Wii hooked up yesterday, but we haven't taken time out to play it yet.

It's nice to actually have a home now instead of a place I just go to sleep, eat and shower. I figure I'm finally due to enjoy the domestic part of life that has managed to miss me the majority of my life.

The big news yesterday however is that Jimmy Buffett has announced his summer tour and he'll be visiting Pittsburgh at the Post Gazette on June 23. If you have never experienced the Parrot head nation, you have no idea what you are missing. Ticket's go on sale Monday at 10:00 AM, if you are planning on going, be ready because it will sell out in a matter of minutes.

I guess the Buffett news makes up for Phil's screw up.

Monday, February 02, 2009

Hey Phil, YOU SUCK!!!!!!!!


Damn little ungrateful Rat, I can't believe you still saw your damn shadow after everything we did for you? What was it, the lack of another hooker? Not enough beer?

I have a solution:

GROUNDHOG STEW


1 woodchuck
2 onions, sliced
1/2 cup celery, sliced
Flour
Vinegar and water
Salt and pepper
Cloves
Garlic for Danielle

Clean the damn shadow seeing Rat; remove glands as violently as possible; cut into serving pieces while cussing the snow. Soak overnight in a solution of equal parts of water and vinegar with addition of one sliced onion and a little salt, but make sure you tenderize him by beating the hell out of the rat. Drain, wash, and wipe. Parboil 20 minutes, drain, and cover with fresh boiling water. Add one sliced onion, celery, Garlic, a few cloves, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook until tender; thicken gravy with flour and the damn rat is sorry for bringing the winter.

OK Phil you are up.


OK my fine little rodent friend, the Pittsburgh Steelers took care of business last night, now hopefully you are too hung over from all the beer and Chicken Wings that Michelle and I sent over to you yesterday.

I hope you partied it up till you puked celebrating the Championship, now it is your turn. My advice is take the day off, sit back and stay in bed, that way you can't see your shadow and tell your keeper in your groundhogeze language that you are ready for some spring.

I'm counting on you Phil.

Pssst, hey Phil we did fatten you up a little in case you somehow see your shadow. Just relax and keep your eyes closed this morning.

Super Bowl Champions

Wow what a game last night, the Steelers beat the Arizona Cardinals 27-23 to win Super Bowl XLIII (43) to give the Pittsburgh Steelers an NFL leading sixth Super Bowl Championship.

To say that I was on edge in the fourth quarter would be a complete understatement, I thought I was going to have an anxiety attack when the Cardinals blew by the Steelers dime defense on a 64 yard touchdown strike to Larry (I HATE that Pitt Guy) Fitzgerald to give the Cards a 23-20 lead.

However great teams are not great all the time, they are only great when they need to be. The Steelers lead by Ben Roethlisberger drove the ball 78 Yards on 8 plays thanks to some big plays from Super Bowl MVP Santonio Holmes.

The play of the game however was te last play of the first half, Arizona was poised to go in for a touchdown until NFL defensive Player of the Year James Harrison made arguably the greatest play in Super Bowl history with a 100 Yard Interception return for a Touchdown. The play sent the Steelers into the locker room at halftime with a 17-7 lead instead of a 14-10 deficit.

I have to say I have criticized Ben and the Offensive line all year, I guess they had the last laugh and Ben even touched on it in the post game when he asked his linemen "who is laughing now?"

It's a great day to be a Steelers fan.

Sunday, February 01, 2009

A Big Thank You

Well the move is almost done. Michelle has everything out of her place and I have a little bit left to do to mine even today after going over for a couple of hours last night. The rest is basically UN-packing and putting everything away and getting it organized.

A Thank You to Mom and Gerald for being up an at em and ready to help. The progress they made in the kitchen was very helpful and greatly appreciated.

Pam, George and Moke. What can I say, they are always there to lend a big helping hand, I owe George so many favors through the years I completely have lost track.

Trish was awesome, she got our restroom cleaned up and in working order as well as a few other things. Big asset and a very good and respected friend.

Layla Chad's girlfriend for being hard worker and busting her rear end helping Chad getting Michelle's place moved.

To Michael and his crew, thank you for busting your butts getting this place built so we could move in.

To Patty for loaning us a few things to get started.

And last but certainly not least to Michelle, Thank You sweetie for everything you do every day. I am one lucky guy.


For general knowledge, out address is 1425-B Van Voorhis Road.

I changed the magic Jack's phone number to a Morgantown number now that it is available. The number is 304-285-8248 to call the house. Our cell phone still work, this is a magic jack and is our home phone number. Morgantown numbers were not previously available, now they are.

We have an open door policy, come and visit anytime you choose.

Something I ran across again yesterday

If you ever hear me talk and my approach to Manufacturing, I always tell people that I am a Demingist. What this is is the ideas established by Dr. W. Edwards Deming and his approach to manufacturing and running a business.

I was first exposed to Dr. Demings work when I worked for the Helmick Corporation for much of the 1990's. At the time we were a company that needed all the help and we were exposed to dr. Demings teachings.

Needless to say to make a long story short, we ended up closing down the Foundry and I was out of a job, BUT I had garnered an interest in Dr. Demings's teachings and his business models. I actually tried to do some independent research on him in while I was in college, but there just wasn't enough things out there available and at my disposal. Good thing for the internet and Wikipedia. Now there is more information out there on a man I never had the pleasure in meeting but was inspired by his work.

Yesterday I stumbled across his Fourteen steps to a successful business that inspred me a decade ago, enjoy:


1. Create constancy of purpose toward improvement of product and service with a plan to become competitive and to stay in business. Decide whom top management is responsible to.

2. Adopt the new philosophy. We are in a new economic age. We can no longer live with commonly accepted levels of delays, mistakes, defective materials, and defective workmanship.

3. Cease dependence on mass inspection. Require, instead, statistical evidence that quality is built in. (Prevent defects rather than detect defects.)

4. End the practice of awarding business on the basis of price tag. Instead, depend on meaningful measures of quality, along with price. Eliminate suppliers that cannot qualify with statistical evidence of quality.

5. Find problems. It is management’s job to work continually on the system (design, incoming materials, composition of material, maintenance, improvement of machine, training, supervision, retraining.)

6. Institute modern methods of training on the job.

7. The responsibility of foremen must be changed from sheer numbers to quality ... [which] will automatically improve productivity. Management must prepare to take immediate action on reports from foremen concerning barriers such as inherent defects, machines not maintained, poor tools, fuzzy operational definitions.

8. Drive out fear, so that everyone may work effectively for the company.

9. Break down barriers between departments. People in research, design, sales, and production must work as a team, to foresee problems of production that may be encountered with various materials and specifications.

10. Eliminate numerical goals, posters, and slogans for the work force, asking for new levels of productivity without providing methods.

11. Eliminate work standards that prescribe numerical quotas.

12. Remove barriers that stand between the hourly worker and his [or her] right to pride of workmanship.

13. Institute a vigorous program of education and retraining.

14. Create a structure in top management that will push every day on the above 13 points.