Name of the Year Award for College Basketball

And the winner is.................. Bubu Palo, pronounced "Boo Boo", like Yogi Bear's sidekick. The Iowa State guard, from Ames, definitely has the most fun name to say during a game. Kids love it and it sounds cool to hear the announcer say "three pointer by Bubu!".

Hey Bubu, bring me some wins!

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The Oldest Italian Restaurant in Des Moines?

In most cities, especially out east, you have a long list of restaurants that have been around for 50 plus years. Here in Des Moines, we don't really have that same dining traditional. The majority of the places to eat around here have only been around at the most 10 years. So that got me thinking. What are some of the older restaurants in Des Moines? The list I came up with seemed to be a list of Italian restaurants. So then I set out to find the oldest Italian Restaurant in Des Moines. Here is what I came up with:

Gino's: Established 1966
Mama Lacona's: Established 1957
Tursi's Latin King: Established 1947
Noah's Ark: Established 1946

So there you have it. According to my research Noah's Ark is the oldest Italian restaurant in town. If anybody knows any different, let me know.

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Season 12 Dancing with the Stars - What Stars?

So I started watching Dancing with the Stars a few years ago when local girl Shawn Johnson was on the show. After watching a few shows, my wife and I were hooked. The show had a winning formula of well known stars, great dancing, skimpy outfits and good music. What made that first season of watching even better was local Iowan Shawn Johnson brought home the title!

So fast forward a couple of seasons later and they announce the stars for the 12th season..... and THUD. That was the sound of the ratings for the show on ABC hitting the bottom floor. Who are these people? The ones I have heard of are barely stars?? Here's a complete list along with their dance partners:

Men
- Rapper Lil' Romeo and Chelsie Hightower
- Boxing legend Sugar Ray Leonard and Anna Trebunskaya
- Original Karate Kid Ralph Macchio and Karina Smirnoff
- Wrestler Chris Jericho and Cheryl Burke
- Football player Hines Ward and Kym Johnson
- "Loveline" host Mike Catherwood and Lacey Schwimmer

Women
- Disney actress Chelsea Kane and Mark Ballas
- Model Petra Nemcova and Dmitry Chaplin
- Reality star Kendra Wilkinson and Louis Van Amstel
- Talk show host Wendy Williams and Tony Dovolani
- Actress Kirstie Alley and Maksim Chmerkovskiy

Really, is this the best they could get together? The Karate Kid, Ralph Macchio? Sorry, Dancing with the stars, this season I think I will pass.

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Inception - How the Oscars Got it Wrong

Last week's Oscars proved to be another year of the best movie being robbed of the ultimate prize. King's Speech? I don't think so. Did the voters not watch Inception? Inception (Two-Disc Edition) [Blu-ray] The movie was brilliantly written and put together by Christopher Nolan. Add that with some great acting and soundtrack, it had me wishing that the movie didn't end. I still want to see more of the dream world. So really to me, without Inception winning for Best Picture, the best part of the show was the music video mash up of Harry Potter, Toy Story, Social Network and Twilight. That was some funny stuff. "Doesn't he own a shirt?"

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Birds Taking Over Downtown Des Moines

The last couple of weeks when I walk into work it's more like a scene out of Alfred Hitchcock's the Birds than real life. Birds have taken over. Thousands of birds fly overhead dropping white bombs on their prey. The streets of Downtown Des Moines may look like they still have snow on them, but really it's bird poop. Pretty gross. So what can be done? I vote for open season on the birds. Because you know we have to get to them before they get to us. Beware of the birds!

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View Central Iowa Inmates Online - Always A Fun Time

If you are ever bored and looking for some fun pics to look at, check out the Inmates of Central Iowa on the Des Moines Register Website. Who knows you might even see someone you know. I find some of the pictures quite funny. You see some people smiling (probably still got a good buzz going), some people almost asleep and then you have your Charles Manson scary looking folks. Anways, check it out here.

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The Common Sense Party

I am tired of Republicans, Democrats and pretty much every other political party. I think I'm going to start my own party. I will call it the "Common Sense Party". Instead of coming up with ideas based on my "conservative" or "liberal" views, I will do what makes sense and will be best for the country. My first issues to tackle:

1. Get us off our dependency on foreign oil. It't ridiculous to me that a country as innovative and great as the U.S. has to depend on other countries to provide us with fuel and energy. We need to set a challenge to all Americans. By 2020 we will be supplying 50 percent of all our own oil and natural gas. Do whatever it takes. Give grants, award million dollar prizes, just make it happen. Biofuels are the key to economic growth in the U.S. Algae is the future!

2. Triple the taxes on all imports. Yes, you heard me. That's what other countries do to American products entering their country. And that's the only way we get each other to start buying American.

3. Impose term limits on all elected officials. We don't need ancient ideas from people who have been in office 40 years. We need fresh ideas that can help make changes to bring the U.S. back to #1.

4. Get rid of Political correctness. Our country will never be safe or run like it should if we have to tiptoe around worrying about everyone's feelings.

Those are just a few of the issues the Common Sense party will tackle. So if you are interested in joining the revolution, start today by using some common sense in all that you do!

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Esurance - I Don't Think So

I think the award for worst marketing for Car Insurance has to go to Esurance. What is there about a pink haired cartoon chick that is suppose to make me buy car insurance from you. It makes me think your company is a joke. Even if I could save $50 dollars a month switching to Esurance, I wouldn't. Just based on the fact that I don't trust the pink haired cartoon. Come on Insurance companies. A cave man? A gekco? Mayhem? Okay the mayhem commercials aren't bad. And the cave man commercial were pretty funny (see video below). But I think I will stay with my good old State Farm insurance, who doesn't need a gimmick to give you good prices and quality insurance.


I love the song in this commercial. I could just sit and listen to it over and over and be peaceful.

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Beavis and Butt-head Are Back!

Just when you thought life couldn't get any better, MTV announces that after 13 years, Beavis and Butt-head will be back on the air. This time around they will not only be watching music videos, but television shows and movies as well. So get ready for some more memorable quotes, like "Do you have T.P. for my bunghole? I would hate for my holio to get polio."

God Help Us.

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Lord of the Rings Vacation?

Every time I watch any of the Lord of the Rings movies it really makes me want to visit New Zealand where they filmed the movies. Lots of breath-taking views full of mountains, rivers and green landscape. Maybe I could find take my own road to Mordor, except I wouldn't want that Sam following me. Sam and Frodo's relationship was a little too close for my liking. By the way..... Filming is set to start on the two new Hobbit movies directed by Peter Jackson. Color me excited!

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Burger King's Stuffed Steakhouse Burger

The new Steakhouse Burger from Burger King looks a little gross to me. The chunks of jalapeño and cheddar reminds me of throw up for some reason. I imagine if, and when you do get sick from eating this, the aftermath would look about the same.... Brown and chunky. My recommendation would be skip the "King" and go with something that looks a little better and is healthier for you. Maybe some Jimmy John's!

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Cedar Rapids? Why not Des Moines?

That's it. I am calling my next Screenplay "Des Moines". I am sick of Des Moines getting the shaft. On another note, Ed Helms rocks!

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Hiding Veggies in Food - Deceptively Delicious

My two year old is very picky when it comes to eating veggies. Meats, dairy and fruits she will eat all day. But when it comes to broccoli, carrots and spinach it's a whole another story. And quite frankly, I can't blame her because I am the same way. So I needed to find a way to hide veggies into foods she likes, without her knowing the difference. After searching the internet a bit, I came across a book written by Jessica Seinfeld called Deceptively Delicious. I read some of the good reviews and it sounded pretty good. Once I found out that she was married to Jerry Seinfeld (my favorite comedian of all-time) I knew it would be a perfect fit. So I ran to Barnes and Noble and picked up a copy.

The books main strategy in hiding veggies in everyday foods is using purees. Sounded easy enough, but would my daughter be able to taste carrots and cauliflower in mac and cheese. Or taste that carrot puree in muffins? The answer...... No. Seinfeld had definitely done her research and found some great combinations to hide the taste of those veggies. Even I like the food. Just yesterday I made tofu nuggets that had broccoli puree in them and my whole family loved them. They tasted just like chicken nuggets to me. Some of the recipes you can tweak to fit your own needs and you can come up with your own ways to add purees to food as well. If you have a picky eater at home or just want to incorporate some veggies into your everyday life, I would recommend this book to you. Check it out here.

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Kevin Bacon Commercial

For some reason this commercial just makes me laugh. Good old Kevin Bacon.

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Pelican Bar and Grill

I attended a Christmas party this past weekend that was held at the Pelican Bar and Grill on 3rd St Downtown Des Moines. For those of you from my generation, it's in the building that use to be Papa's Planet. I drive by the place everyday on my way to work, but haven't had a chance to stop in since it opened last year. Anyways, to be honest I really didn't think it would be that nice. But in this case my preconceptions were wrong. The place has two levels. The main level is pretty small, but was a nice casual bar atmosphere. TVs were up in the bar area to watch sports, there was a pool table, oh and there was a Big Buck Hunter game for those of you who like to shoot down Bambi while enjoying a frosty libation. So as a bar not a bad place. But the thing that really surprised me was the food. Usually bar food = greasy fried crap. Not here. I sampled 4 different types of their pizza and all were very tasty. They serve it up on a thin crust and have lots of different ingredients to choose from. But the champion of the night...... The French Dip. I think it ended up about 7 of us ordered the French Dip. I can honestly say, the best French Dip I have ever had. The bread was awesome and some good juicy quality roast beef was there as well. So if you are downtown, looking for a quick bite to eat, I would recommend stopping in and grabbing a drink, some pizza and definitely the French Dip.

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Smokey D's BBQ - Some Great Ribs!

So I finally got the pleasure of eating at Smokey D's BBQ on 2nd Ave in Des Moines. My mom and other friends had been telling me how great their food was, but I never got around to going. Boy, I was missing out on some of the best ribs in town. Let me think about that....... No, I will go out on a limb and say the best ribs in town! They were mouth watering, meat falling off the bone ribs. So, so good. So now that I have just described my food porn to you, let me tell you a little bit about the rest of the food I sampled. I also tried two other meats. The chopped pork was pretty good, the turkey was the thin sliced turkey, so I wasn't a huge fan. The 2 sides I had, the mac & cheese and fries were both really tasty too. So overall some good food, but make sure to try the ribs! Oh and get there early. I was there early at 4:30pm on a Saturday and it was already busy. So check it out. For more info click here.

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Star Wars Spike TV ADS

The golf ad makes me laugh out loud.

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GoldenEye 007 Multiplayer Trailer

I spent much of my early 20's playing the original GoldenEye on Nintendo 64. This new Wii version looks like it has everything the original has and a few new things. Looks awesome! Might want to check it out.

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Tipping at Starbucks

Does everyone expect a tip now? It seems like more and more people are expecting a tip from me and with the economy being the way it is, I have no more money to give them. Just yesterday I went to three places where a tip was expected. The first was the hair salon to get my hair did. I've never really understood tipping the stylist. I think they get paid a pretty good hourly rate, don't they? But, what it really comes down to is fear. If I don't tip well, will they botch my haircut the next time around? Will I leave with a big chunk of hair missing from the back of my head? Will they shave the word "cheapskate" back there?

So then I go out the dinner at Centro. Some great food by the way. So here I see why we tip. The servers get paid a small hourly wage and depend on tips as part of the salary. But here's a question. Would I rather eat somewhere where I didn't have to tip and the food prices were higher? Or would I rather have the choice to tip based on how good the service was? I think I like to have the option of choosing what my server gets.

Then after dinner I had to stop and get an Iced Coffee at Starbucks. Now this is the place I don't understand tipping. The workers there don't get paid $3.25 an hour like a server. And for an Ice Coffee all they have to do is pour two liquids already made into a glass. Does this deserve a tip? No. But yet they place that little tip jar there and I feel like they give me a dirty look if I don't throw my extra change in there. But come on, you didn't do anything to deserve my hard earned money. I just paid $2.39 for my drink. Isn't that enough? The answer to this problem? Just use the drive-thru and pay with credit card. Then no extra cash or coin to give them. And no worries.

One thing I have decided from all these thoughts about tips. I think I will put a tip jar on my desk at work. Somebody has a question..... I expect a tip. Somebody needs me to solve their issue..... not getting done until I see something slipped into that tip jar. :)

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Jethro's BBQ - Food Review

So people have been telling me how good Jethro's BBQ is for the last year. I have been putting off going there, but after seeing the restaurant featured on Travel Channel's Man vs Food, I decided to try it out. My wife and I split a Dinner for 2 that included 4 meats and 4 sides. Here are my thoughts on each meat we tried:

Brisket: Had a good flavor, but the meat was really fatty
Smoked Turkey: Tasted like sliced lunch meat fried up on the skillet - Not impressed
Ham: Nice cut of ham, but didn't have much flavor
Pulled Pork: The highlight of the 4 meats. Great flavor - One of the best pulled porks in town

The sides that came along with it were your normal BBQ joint sides. The mac and cheese was a nice surprise and would definitely recommend. As far as the BBQ sauces, that's another place that Jethro's got it right. Their main house sauce is one of the best I've had. So overall, there were a few hits and a few misses. I will go back again to get some of that pulled pork. They also had some giant pork tenderloins that looked tasty. One other thing to mention. The soda there costs $2.50! I find that a little pricey. Just something to think about....

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Maxie's Restaurant & Lounge - Review

I have been going to Maxie's Restaurant in West Des Moines since I was a little kid. It has been a fixture on Grand Ave for the last 40 years, and there's a reason it's been in business so long. The reason..... Two words...... Maxie Burger. Yes, I would say this is the best burger in town hands down. You get a 1/2 pound burger with your choice of toppings (I suggest going with American cheese and pickles and mayo on the side) along with fries and onion rings. Now, I'm not a huge fan of onion rings, but most people will tell you that they are pretty darn good too. Since I always get the same thing there I can't say how good the rest of the food there is, but my wife gets the Filet and Lobster and has good things to say about it as well. You might also want to check our the "Maxie Special", which is a 7oz sirloin with 2 breaded shrimp, dinner salad, spaghetti and bread for only $16.29. Click here for full menu.

So definitely, the next time you want to try a Des Moines area legend, head over to Maxie's and enjoy some great food!

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Zoolander Gas Fight

Feeling a little down? Try a little Zoolander. There's just something funny about male models playing around with some gas. Skip ahead in the video to the 1:45 mark and prepare to have a chuckle.

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Broccoli 101 for Children

Restaurants just don't seem to get it. When you are preparing broccoli for toddlers and children you have to actually cook it! It has to be easy to cut up and easy for the child to chew without choking. Now don't get me wrong, I'm grateful that these restaurants offer broccoli as a side for kids meals, but if you are gonna do it, do it right. If you have to over cook it and make it mushy, that's still better than half raw broccoli that my child can't eat. So, if any restaurant managers or chefs out there are reading this, please cook your broccoli. That way it doesn't go to waste or end up choking one of your customers. Thank You.

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Cheap Restaurant Gift Certificates in Des Moines Area

Right now if you visit http://www.restaurant.com you can get some good deals on Des Moines area restaurant gift certificates. If you purchase the $25 gift certificates and enter the promo code "touchdown", you will only pay $2.00 per gift certificate. Some of the restaurants on there are Gino's West Glen, Legends, Dos Rios and Wellmans's Rooftop pub. Check it out.

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Teaching Your Kids Manners

So I was reading the West Des Moines Register today and I noticed an add for a class that teaches your kids manners. Now wait a minute. Shouldn't parents be teaching their kids manners? This is just another sign of why kids are so messed up these days. Instead of parents teaching kids manners and showing their kids good manners by their own actions, they depend on someone else to do it for them. Then the parents wonder why their kids don't respect them. I think it's time for some parents to step up!

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Free Usable Lunch Bag

For those of you who purchase Annie's Homegrown products, you can get a free reusable and waste-free lunch sack by going to this website:
http://www.annies.com/konserve

All you need to do is fill out the form and punch in 2 UPC codes from your Annie's products. This would be great for work or school.

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The Green Way to Control Dandelions

So you find yourself with dandelions all over your yard. You don't want to use a weed killer with harmful chemicals in it and you don't want to spend lots of money on an "All Natural" weed killer. What do you do? Well here's your solution......

Tell your 19 month year old daughter that the dandelions are "yellow flowers". Tell her that mommy would really love them for a gift. There you go. She goes around and pulls up all the dandelions for you in a matter of minutes. If you don't have a precious little one in your life, offer a neighbor kid five bucks to pull them all up for you. You will be doing your part in going green. :)

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Des Moines Area is Making Some Progress

Trying to get Organic food in the Des Moines area over the years has been hit or miss. There have been a few stores that sell organic items, but you have to take out a second mortgage just to pay for them. But over the last year some signs of hope have begun to appear. Hyvee has continued to add more and more organic options to their Health Market and is offering them at some affordable prices. Target Stores have upgraded their organic options, most noticeably, the chip aisle. Yes, without a doubt, Target brand organic tortilla chips are the best out there.... hands down winner!

Some of the most exciting news has come this summer. Trader Joe's announced that they are opening a store in West Des Moines this fall. On top of that, there are now rumors of a possible Whole Foods opening in the area in late 2011. If we get a Whole Foods, that will be a major thing. There will be no more reason to shop at 3 or 4 different stores to get the organic items I need. It will be a one stop shop!

So bright things could be on the horizon for my fellow organic eaters out there. I guess now all that would make life a little better would be me opening my Organic Irish Pub. What could be better than that?

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The Cozy Cafe - Review

So I've driven by the Cozy Cafe on Hickman, a thousand times since it opened a few odd months ago. I kept saying that I was going to try it and never got around to it. But, I finally decided to stop by tonight and I am pleasantly surprised. My wife and I ordered a cheeseburger and a breaded tenderloin along with some fries. We decided to pick the food up using their drive-thru. It did take some time to get our food, but I don't mind waiting if it means my food is going to be fresh. And yes, the food you could tell was made to order and was piping hot when we got it. The burger was a 1/3 pound burger with American cheese, pickles, lettuce and a tomato. The thing I really appreciated about the burger was the fact that it came on a toasted bun! Having a toasted bun, makes a burger 10 times better. Anyways, all the components of the burger were good and tasty. The breaded tenderloin, which I was told by friends to be great there, was just that. It was a huge portion, and appeared to be a hand breaded tenderloin. Both my wife and I thought it to be of pretty high quality. Definitely, the best breaded tenderloin in the Waukee/Clive area. The fries, were pretty good too. Overall, some quality tasty food. I will be going back and recommend their burger and tenderloin to everyone. To see their menu visit here.

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New Brad Thor Book is a Must Read

Just got done reading Brad Thor's latest book, Foreign Influence, and this is by far his best book in a few years. Not saying the others weren't good, but this one had the same effect on me as the first couple, where I didn't want to put it down until I was done reading it. I like how Thor's main character Scott Harvath isn't afraid to say how things really are in the world and his get the job done at all costs type attitude. If you are looking for a good read this summer, definitely check out this book.

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Top 3 Songs with "Rain" in Them

So throughout my 31 years I had acquired 2 favorite songs with the word "Rain" in the lyrics. The first one was "Blame it on the Rain", by Milli Vanilli. Come on, it's a classic! Sure, the didn't actually sing it, but for heaven's sake, they sang it on the hit TV show Blossom. The second one would be "Pray for Rain" by PFR. Another classic Christian song that I use to play all the time back in high school. So then I went thru a period of no "Rain" songs that really struck home. That was until 2 weeks ago, when I bought Toby Mac's new album "Tonight". I flipped to track number 7... and there it was the third best "rain song" of all time. The track is entitled "Break Open the Sky". Take a listen....

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Pay it Forward

So this whole "pay for the person behind you thing" at the drive thru sounds like a good idea, right? Well, it's nice, and gives you a warm fuzzy feeling when the person in front of you pays for your morning coffee. But, what happens when it's your turn to pay for the person behind you and it ends up being a Soccer Mom in an 8 passenger Suburban, full of kids eating breakfast sandwiches. Then, your $.99 cup of joe just turned into you paying $19.99 and you helping to contribute to childhood obesity! Hmmmm. I know which one I prefer.
The more I think about it, the more it sounds like the new health care package. I get to pay more than what I would just pay for myself, so I can help pay for every one's health care. Oh yeah! Sign me up.

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Be Ready for the Storm

Living in Iowa, you always have to be prepared for severe weather in the middle of the night. It could be severe thunder storms, tornado's, hail or snow. To be alerted you could go out and buy a weather radio. But, the problem with the weather radio is that it blasts you with an ear popping alarm that will wake up the whole family. Yes, yes, I know that's the point, but maybe I don't want to be woken up in the middle of the night for a flash food warning when the closet body of water to me is 3 miles away. With most weather radios, it's all or nothing when it comes to getting the alerts. So what you can do to solve this problem? Well the Weather Channel has the answer. Sign up for the their "Notify" service and have a phone call, text or email sent to you when severe weather in your area hits. The cool thing about this is if I only want to have a call when a tornado warning is in my area, I can set it up that way. Anyways, check it out. Click here.

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Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution

This is a great new show Friday nights on ABC. I totally agree with his thoughts on the processed crap that kids are eating these days. Fresh, quality ingredients, without preservatives are the way to go. Go Jamie!!

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Earn Money Writing and Sharing Your Knowledge Online

So you like to write? And you like to make money? Well then, it sounds like Bukisa might be for you. Bukisa is website where you can share you knowledge thru articles, videos or slide shows. So let's say you know everything there is to know about running a marathon.... You write an article about it and then you earn money each month based on ad revenues collected when people read your article. You are definitely not going to get rich on this, but it's still fun and you could earn a bit of extra spending cash. Check it out. Click Here.

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Barnes and Noble - Stick to the Books

Does anyone actually buy movies and cds from Barnes and Noble? Yes, I admit, I shop there, but it's for the books and an occasional giant square rice krispie treat. And for the most part the books are priced pretty competitively with other stores and vendors online. Then there's the movies and cd section. First of all, I have always thought it was weird the way they gate off that section from the rest. It almost feels like I am entering a little prison where I am being monitored. The one clerk located back there is watching me a little too closely. Do they really need security gates in front of that section and the front of the store? Anyways, getting back to the pricing on the movies and cds...... IT'S INSANE!!! They have a movie selling for $25.00 that you can get at Target or Walmart for $15.00. Their cds go for upwards of $15.00-20.00 while you can buy the same cd or upload it for that matter for $9.99. So who would spend that much extra money?? I'm guessing it's the people who got Barnes and Noble gift cards for Christmas or a birthday and can't read or it's people who just have enough money where they don't care.

So my advice to everyone..... Go to Walmart or Target to buy you movies and go to Amazon or Itunes for Music!

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5 Reasons Organic Costs More - And What We Can Do To Change It | Mambo Sprouts Articles

Interesting Article.

5 Reasons Organic Costs More - And What We Can Do To Change It | Mambo Sprouts Articles

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Proper Way to Leave a Voice Message

Nothing annoys me more than when somebody leaves me a phone message and says their phone number 100mph. Come on!!! That's the most important part. If I don't know your number I can't call you back. This happens to me at work all the time. Then I have to go back and listen to the message again, which isn't a huge deal, but when the person leaves a long winded 5 minute message and I have to listen to the entire thing until the end when they mention the phone number, then it becomes a big deal. So what can be done about this? Well, here is a short lesson in how to leave a message. Let's pretend I just called and got your voicemail....... This is what I say, "Hey 'insert name here', my name is Tom, I need an answer to something, could you please call me back at 1-800-Tom, once again my name is Tom and my phone number is 1-800-Tom. Thank you."
Notice how I repeated my name and phone number again at the end. That's all it takes. You might just save somebody some time and get called back.

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Star Wars and Adidas Join Forces

What do you get when you mix my favorite athletic company and one of my favorite obsessions over my 31 years of life? Some cool stuff! No, your not dreaming, Adidas and Star Wars have joined together to come out with a whole new line of shoes and apparel that will even have Emperor Palpatine looking dope. Check out the merchandise. Click here.

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Butt Warmers = SBS

Yes, it's really stinking cold right now in Iowa. But, if you offered to purchase and install a butt warmer in my car for me I would have to say no. Why? Three little letters come to mind....... SBS. Now some of you ladies might be asking what does SBS mean? Well, it's something us guys know all about, and it's something that a butt warmer even in the middle of winter can cause. Yes, I'm talking about Sweaty Ball Syndrome. I'm not trying to be gross, just keeping it real. It's something that 99 percent of men will suffer from at least once in their lives. So car manufacturers..... why not seats that cool off your underside? I think the Volkswagen cars offers this. This would really make your car guy friendly and save a lot of people in this world from that uncomfortable feeling of SBS. :)

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Thank You Mexican Radio

Every morning when I'm driving to work I surf the local radio stations trying to find someone actually playing music. Most of the time it's just lame Radio DJs with their stupid jokes or entertainment news. That's not what I need in the morning. I need something to get me going. But, there is always one channel I can count on. It's always there when I need it. That's right 105.5 La Ley, the local Mexican station. It rocks. They always have some great music that takes me to a happy place where I'm laying on the beach in Cabo drinking an ice cold Corona. Forget the fact that I can only speak maybe 10 Spanish words, there something about that music that just speaks to me. So next time you are looking for some music to bop that head to in your car, turn that dial over to 105.5.

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Best Chinese and Sushi in Town?

Best place for Chinese food and sushi in town? Hands down, the best would be Wok In Motion. Wok is located in the West Glen Shopping Center in West Des Moines. The inside is pretty plain and small, just a small dining area and a little sushi bar area, but what is lacks in size and grandeur, Wok makes up for in the quality of their food. My recommendations would be as follows:

Sushi: Lots to choose from, my favorite is the Avocado Rolls
Appetizer: Pot Stickers
Entree: Jack Daniels Infused Steak
To Drink: Go for the Hot Rice Tea

My wife and I usually get the above and split it for only $23.00, which is reasonable for some great food and wonderful service. So the next time you are out in the West Glen area give it a try, or make a special trip to find out what you've been missing. Wok In Motion - Website

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New Star Trek Movie - Lens Flares

So I purchased the new Star Trek Movie Blu Ray and finally got to watch it last night. During the movie I started noticing a lot of shiny glares on the screen. At first I thought something was going on with my TV or blu ray player. There were lots of scenes when the crew in on the enterprise where these glares were actually starting to annoy me. It must be the blu ray disc right? I didn't notice this in the movie theater? No, it's a brand new disc, there has got to be more to this. So after some searching I found out that these glares (called lens flares in the movie business) I was seeing were intentionally put in there by director J.J. Abrams. When asked about it Abrams said "I know what you’re saying with the lens flares. It was one of those things… I wanted a visual system that felt unique. I know there are certain shots where even I watch and think, “Oh that’s ridiculous, that was too many.” But I love the idea that the future was so bright it couldn't’t be contained in the frame."

So I guess the good news is that I'm not going crazy, but for the next Star Trek movie..... please less lens flares! To read the article about Abrams use of lens flares click here.

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Black Friday..... Right Around the Corner

Black Friday is only a matter of days away. Want to know the best deals before the ads come out? Check out bfads.net. Sign up for their email list and you will get the deals sent to you everyday! I can't wait.

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My Favorite 2 Turkey Facts

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, I thought I would share my favorite 2 facts about the tasty creatures we call Turkeys:

1.)Turkeys have heart attacks. When the Air Force was conducting test runs and breaking the sound barrier, fields of turkeys would drop dead.

2.)Turkeys can drown if they look up when it is raining.

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The Orange - Where's the Creativity?

Who was the uncreative person who thought up of the name for the fruit called orange? Why just name it after the color it is? You don't call an apple, red or a banana, yellow. So why call an orange, orange. Which came first the color or the fruit? Hmmm. Maybe that's what I really need to find out? I have a lot of questions about this. Maybe I will just come up with a new name for the fruit they call orange. From now on I officially make it know that the fruit formally know as Orange, shall be called Calabupan. I will call it Cala for short. So join in my movement and call your local senator and let them know you want the name of the orange officially changed to Calabupan.
Well, that's one more problem I've solved. What's next you ask. I think I will take on Health care. Look out world....... Brogan is on the case.

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Becoming Addicted to Chipotle

Hi, my name is Tom and I'm addicted to Chipotle. That's what I'll be saying hear pretty soon if I keep getting the cravings for the wonderful food at Chipolte. If your not familiar, Chipolte is a "Mexican Grill" restaurant located inside Valley West Mall that serves burritos, tacos and fajitas. And you certainly can't overlook the fact that they have some tasty chips and guacamole as well. Plus, you are definitely getting pretty good value for your money. My wife and I usually split the burrito (thing is huge) and chips and guacamole, plus 2 sodas for right around $13.00. Not bad for a great fast meal. I would recommend going with the Braised Carnitas for your meat choice and definitely add some sour cream! So next time your are at the mall or just want some excellent Mexican grub, stop by Chipolte.

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Shredded Lettuce on Hamburgers?

I guess I just don't understand why you would ruin a perfectly good hamburger with shredded lettuce? First of all the idea of warm lettuce just doesn't sound that good and second, you can't taste the real flavor of the burger. Maybe they are trying to cover up the taste of the burger? Maybe they are serving crappy half beef/half mystery meat burger patties? I've even seen some restaurants call hamburgers with lettuce and tomato "California Burgers" and try to make them sound healthy. Believe me, that white chopped up iceberg lettuce isn't gonna give you anything that great.
So what's the point of my rant? Next time you are at a restaurant and see that shredded lettuce is on the burger...... just say no. Find yourself a good restaurant that knows how to do burgers right. I will say there is maybe one exception to this rule. B-Bops has pretty good burgers, just make sure to say hold the lettuce!

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The Easiest Office Tailgate Party Dish

So your office is having a potluck for Football season, but you don't have the time or the knowhow to create a delicious dish. What do you do? You turn to the easiest tailgate dish around...... Little Smokies! These little treats will both impress and won't be too bad on the wallet. So here's what you need:

- 2 packs Beef Little Smokies (make sure to get beef!)
- 1 bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce (I prefer Famous Daves, Rich and Sassy)
- 1 crock pot (Come on, everyone has one laying around somewhere)

Yep, that's it 3 things you need. Next step, open up the packs of little smokies dump in the crock pot and then pour in the bottle of sauce. Turn your crock pot on low and let it simmer 2-3 hours (stirring occasionally) for best taste(If you get really hungry and can't wait the full 2 hours the little smokies are precooked so you don't have to worry about eating raw food).

So there you go. So easy a cave man could do it! Enjoy!

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Smelly Carpet? Try Baking Soda

Now that I have an 8 month year old roaming around the house, the spills that cause odor on the carpet seem to be adding up. But what's a safe non-toxic way to get those odors out of the carpet.... that actually works? The answer is BAKING SODA. Just sprinkle liberally over the "stinky" areas and let sit overnight. The baking soda will absorb the odor and then all you have to do is vacuum it up. So you get rid of the odor and not have to worry about the baby crawling all over harsh chemicals. Problem Solved.

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The Dirty Dozen - Fruits and Veggies You Need to Buy Organic

Why buy organic fruit and vegetables? The U.S. Department of Agriculture found that even after washing, some fruits and vegetables consistently carry much higher levels of pesticide residue than others. Based on an analysis of more than 100,000 U.S. government pesticide test results, researchers at the Environmental Working Group (EWG), a research and advocacy organization based in Washington, D.C., have developed the “dirty dozen” fruits and vegetables. These are ones you should definitely buy organic:
Apples
Cherries
Grapes, imported (Chili)
Nectarines
Peaches
Pears
Raspberries
Strawberries
Bell peppers
Celery
Potatoes
Spinach

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Do Lobsters Really Scream When You Boil Them?

I have heard many people make the statement that they don't want to cook lobster at home because the horrific sound of the lobster screaming. What are they talking about? Do they really think that a live animal would scream when put into a tub of scalding hot water?... Well I guess I see a little bit of their point. But the truth of the matter is that lobsters don't scream when boiled. In fact that's impossible because lobsters don't have vocal chords or any other means of vocalization. So what is that weird high pitch sound that sometimes is heard when a lobster is boiling? It is simply the sound of a lobster's exoskeleton and musculature tightening up and releasing gases under the heat of the boiling water. Makes sense, I guess.... Anyways, All I really know is that some lobster dipped in butter is one of life's great pleasures. :)

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Do Not Follow Into Construction Zone

What is it about the "Construction vehicle do not follow" sign on the back of Dump trucks that make me want to follow them? I guess it's that wild side of mine calling :)

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What's really in a flu shot?

It's really not funny what's in a flu shot, but I found this funny video that makes light of all the crap in the vaccine. Check it out.

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Organic Valley Coupons

I have been trying to incorporate more and more organic foods in my daily life over the past year. The biggest reason for this would be the birth of my daughter. When I started looking at different foods for her and doing more and more research, I came to the conclusion that organic foods would be the only choice for her and that I needed to start moving in that direction as well. So after 6 and half months, litle Katelyn (my daughter) has only eaten organic food and I would say that 60 percent of the food I eat is organic. The one problem with eating organic is that it's expensive! So, being a bargain shopper, I am always looking for deals and coupons. Once place I found that you can get organic coupons is at the Organic Valley website. Organic Valley has a whole line of products to choose from. Here is a link to the site. You can print off coupons directly from their site and you can also sign up for their program called "Farm Friends", and receive lots of coupons in the mail. So hopefully this helps out some of my fellow organic eaters out there. Remember, "You are what you eat".

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I Didn't Know I was Pregnant?

So there is a show on TLC network called "I didn't know I was pregnant" and I happened to catch a portion of it the other night. My initial thought was how do you not know you are pregnant? Are these women crazy or just ignorant? After watching a few stories it became clear that the women in the show are a little bit of both. I mean they are getting morning sickness and just think it's the flu..... getting a little chubby around the tummy and they think they are just eating too much. I think the highlight of the show was when one lady thought she was having stomach cramps and went to sit down on the toilet and instead of poop coming out, a little baby fell down into the toilet. Now, that would have to be a shocker! :)

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Faster Fridge Water

I personally don't own a fridge with an ice and water dispenser on the outside of the door, but I have used quite a few in my lifetime and the flow rate of the water coming out of it drives me crazy! Can't they make these any slower? It's ridiculous. If I am going to wait that long for a drink of water I expect it to be the best damn water I have ever tasted. I'm talking crystal clear, organic, tastes like heaven wonderful water. But, no...... it's just normal old water. And have you ever tried to fill a pitcher full of water from one of these? You might as well get a chair and sit there because your legs will start aching from waiting around for it. So in short, this is a plea to all you refrigerator makers out there, speed it up!..... or I guess I can just use the water out of the faucet?

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HDVision - A Must Have

Okay, so they aren't the coolest looking pair of sunglasses...... but I'm not the coolest guy in the world either. So if you look at it like that, my HDVision sunglasses and I are a perfect pair. The "As seen on TV" pair is well worth the $19.95 for 2 pairs that you pay. It brightens up the world around you and really does cut down on glare while driving. I recommend them to everyone!

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Not 2 Die 4

I checked out the new BBQ joint over in West Glen Shopping Center in West Des Moines called 2 Die 4 the other day and was not too impressed. Definitely would not die for that. They have a very limited menu, meat was a little dry and BBQ sauce was served cold?

Still the best in town...... that title belongs to Woody's Smoke Shack on Cottage Grove. That brisket is awesome!

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Bear vs Will Ferrell

Tuesday June 2nd on Discovery channel, check out Will Ferrell on Man vs. Wild. You can see Bear Grylls take Ferrell on an outdoor adventure in Sweden. This should be hilarious!

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Be Green and Save Money

Here are two interesting facts for you:

-Did you know that a reusable beverage bottle can eliminate 365 disposable water bottles / year (based on avg. use of 1 disposable bottle per day)
-American’s use 3.3 million plastic bottles every hour but recycle only one in five.

I use to take 2 plastic water bottles a day to work with me. But not any more. I have found a better solution, the Rubbermaid reusable water bottle. I purchased 6 of them for $18.00 total for my wife and I to use. We stopped buying the disposable plastic bottles and have never looked back. Doing this has saved money and helped us to go green a bit. I figured that we purchased a 24 pack of water every two weeks for $5.00. That's $10.00 a month and $120.00 a year. So over a years time that is a savings of $102.00! Not bad at all. I recommend everyone pick up their own reusable bottle today.

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Long Time No Blog

It has been forever since I have blogged about anything. Don't worry, over the last 2 months I've had many new thoughts to share with you. Being a new dad has really taken away my time at the computer, but now that I have figured out a schedule, I will be a writing fool. Stay tuned.......

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Easy Dips to Make for your Superbowl Party

Here are 2 really easy dips you can make at your upcoming Superbowl party. Yes, even you guys can put this together.

Pickle Roll Up Dip
What you need: Sour Cream 8oz container, Whipped Cream Cheese 8oz, 2 packages Carlbuddig Corned Beef, 1/2 Jar Dill Pickle Relish, 1/4 teaspoon Salt

Cut up Corned beef into small pieces, mix all ingredients together stirring well in medium sized bowl. Serve with crackers (wheat thins taste great). Tastes just like eating a pickle roll up without the mess!

Ultimate Cheese Dip
What you need: 1 can Hormel Chili (with our without beans), 2 lb. box of Velveeta Cheese, Crock pot

Throw the hunk of Velveeta cheese in crock pot along with chili. Set on medium and let the cheese meltdown. Make sure to stir it every 10 minutes or so until ready to eat. Takes about an hour until it's nice and hot. Tastes great and is way too easy!

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Asian Hamburger Helper?

I was walking down the aisle in my local supermarket and something new caught my eye. I almost did a double take when I saw that Hamburger Helper now has two new varieties of Asian Helper. There is a Beef Fried Rice and a Mongolian Beef flavor to choose from. Generally speaking, I'm not usually a huge fan of Hamburger Helper (aka shit in a box), but even I couldn't resist trying out the Beef Fried Rice. It was pretty easy to make, just cook up some hamburger add seasoning and rice. When it gets done, you add 2 scrambled eggs to give it that classic fried rice feel. Overall, it was okay. It definitely needed a little salt and pepper to help it out. I probably wouldn't buy it again, but it does make me wonder....... What's next? Irish Helper perhaps? Maybe a corn beef and cabbage flavor? Only time will tell.

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Great Deal on SDHC Memory Card

I just bought a new camcorder that uses an SDHC card for memory and I was in search of the best deal out there. After about an hour of shopping around I was able to find an 8gb SDHC card by Transcend on Newegg.com for only $12.99. Plus you get free shipping and there is no tax. I know what you might be saying... To good to be true? I read all the reviews for this product and everything I saw was good. So if you are looking at a memory upgrade for your camcorder or digital camcorder it's worth checking out. Here is a link to the product page: Click here.

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Glenn is Coming Back

Glenn Beck is finally going to be back on the air Monday, January 19th. Yep, Beck, who was previously on CNN has made the jump to Fox News, which seems to be a better fit. The first guest on the new network will be our favorite Alaskan Governor, Sarah Palin, who I think Glenn may have a bit of a crush on? Anyways, tune in for some great television and straight talk about government, the economy and more. Monday at 4pm Central on Fox News.

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Baby Stories

With the due date fastly approaching for my first born child, one thing has become more clear.... Crystal clear...People love to tell you about their birthing experiences. I have heard many different stories from people that I barely even talk to. It's amazing the kind of information people offer up to me.... and I'm not even the one who is technically giving birth.
It seems to me that people either have a great experience and say it was a beautiful wonderful time or they hated it. There doesn't seem to be a middle road. So what can I expect? Well rest assured that I have a few more weeks of hearing story after story so maybe I will have a feeling for what I am getting into it. Trust me, I won't be blogging about the details. That would be under the category of TMI (too much information). :)

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Lawsuit seeks to take 'so help me God' out of inaugural

I was reading the news this morning when I saw a headline that said "Lawsuit seeks to take 'so help me God' out of inaugural" that caught my eye. Is this the world we are living in now? The story goes on to say that a few atheists got together and felt like they were not being represented by government because the word "God" was showing up. Guess what.... You are living in the United States of America, a nation founded under God. The basis of American government is built upon Godly principals. So knowing that fact, these people who are so offended by God being used in government should look into moving somewhere else.... or just deal with it. I get sick of our country being so "Politically Correct". If we keep up this pattern of being 'PC'pretty soon we won't even recognize our own country.

Read
the full story here.

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Extreme Weather Chasing

This past month I started watching a show on the Discovery channel called "Storm Chasers". The premise of the show is exactly like it sounds, two different groups chasing storms and the resulting tornadoes caused across the Midwest. Being an Iowa native, I am all too familiar with the devastation a tornado can cause. But there is just something about a tornado that makes it so interesting to watch. The 100mph plus winds and the pure awesome power of nature is amazing! Anyways, one of the two groups from the show have a cool website with footage of tornadoes and many other extreme weather updates you should check out: http://www.tornadovideos.net/

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Whip It, Whip it Good

I was listening to some Christmas music yesterday and I realized I like the sound of a whip. (The sound was in a song with Santa and his reindeer.) I also like to try and make the sound of a whip. Whoopah!!! But that is where the like of the whip ends. I definitely don't want to be whipped by anybody and I don't want to whip anybody. But, I guess I would probably use a whip Indiana Jones style if I had to. Hmmmm...

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Mountain Dew Cake?

I have a lady at my work who is addicted to Mountain Dew. So I was interested to see if there was a dessert to make with Mountain Dew in it. After doing some research I came upon this one, which had great reviews. So for all of you Mountain Dew lovers, you should give this a try.

INGREDIENTS
1 (18.25 ounce) package lemon cake mix
1 (3.4 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs, beaten
10 fluid ounces Mountain Dew™
1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple with juice
1 cup white sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup butter
1 cup flaked coconut
Add to Recipe Box
My folders:

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan.
In a large bowl, combine cake mix, pudding mix, oil, eggs and citrus soda. Mix until all ingredients are moistened.
Pour into prepared 9x13 inch pan and bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 to 35 minutes. Cool completely.
To make the topping: In a saucepan, combine pineapple (with juice), sugar and corn starch. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring constantly, until thick. Remove from heat. Add butter and coconut. Spread topping evenly over cake.

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Top 10 Christmas Movies

Here is my top 10 list of Christmas movies for the Holiday season: The first 3 are must sees for me each year!

1. National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
2. How the Grinch Stole Christmas
3. A Christmas Story (Yes, it is played for 24 hours each year)
4. A Charlie Brown Christmas
5. Home Alone
6. Love Actually
7. Micracle on 34th St (new version)
8. It's a Wonderful Life
9. Scrooged (Bill Murray Version)
10. Elf

Honorable mention: White Christmas, Family Stone, Bad Santa, Santa Clause, Reindeer Games, Frosty the Snowman, Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer, Jingle All the Way

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Black Friday 2008 Ads

The giant day after Thanksgiving sales (Black Friday) are coming up soon. You can view all of the ads ahead of time at: http://bfads.net/Adscans

Looks like a lot of good deals on GPS for your car this year. Otherwise, I didn't see anything that great. But, yes I will be out at 2am in the morning getting those deals. I just can't help myself. Happy shopping!

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Free Google Broadband Internet Access

This is the official 300th posting of my blog, "The Thoughts of Thomas". In honor of this milestone I am giving you all a free gift. The gift of free internet. That's right. Here is a link that will give you free internet from Google and save you hundreds of dollars each year. Enjoy. ;)

http://www.google.com/tisp/

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Update Your Cell Phone

Can you hear me now? Maybe not.... if you haven't updated. For all you Verizon users out there (like me), you may not know that you need to periodically update your phone to make sure you are getting the newest roaming list from the network. What can updating do for you?

By updating your PRL (Preferred roaming list) every few weeks, you can be sure you have access to our enhancements. As a result you may experience: Longer battery life, Fewer dropped or blocked calls, Clear, crisp connections in more areas across the United States and the ability to connect to the digital network in more parts of the country.

So how do you do it?..... Instructions for updating your PRL:
Power on your phone within any Verizon Wireless digital service area.
Dial *228 and then press SEND (this call is airtime free).
When prompted, press option 2 to update your phone's roaming capabilities
(the update may take up to 2 minutes).
Once completed, a confirmation message will appear to inform you that your phone has been re-programmed with the new PRL.

For those of you who use other carriers you may want to check with them to see if you should be updating too.

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The New U.S. National Anthem on Wednesday?

This is from the Glenn Beck program. Funny Stuff. Hopefully we don't have to sing this on Wednesday Morning. Get out and Vote!

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Lock Laces

Do you hate tying your shoes like I do? I found an answer. I ordered a couple of pairs of Lock Laces a couple of weeks ago and I love them! They make slipping on a shoe a breeze without any worries when it comes time to tie them. Here is the description from the company:
"Lock Laces are a patented “elastic lacing system” that feature specially designed elastic laces combined with a spring activated locking device.

Lock Laces are great for running, triathlon, playing sports and casual wear. Lock Laces are also ideal for children, the elderly and the physically challenged. Wear Lock Laces with all styles of running shoes, athletic shoes and casual lace-up shoes for any desired use."

I normally don't endorse too many products, but this is one that is cheap and works great. Check out the website here: www.locklaces.com You can purchase from their website or you can buy from on Ebay, using Paypal, like I did.

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Yearbook Yourself

Here is a cool site for you to check out this weekend. The site has you upload a mugshot of your face and then takes you into different decades of yearbooks changing your hair and clothes. It's quite fun. Try it out. Click Here.
The Picture is me from the late 70's (Kind of scary - Good thing I was a little too young at the time to be in high school). :)

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A Cy-Hawk Prediction

Well, the big game in Iowa is this week. The annual Iowa State vs Iowa showdown. Both teams come into this year's contest with records of 2-0. Iowa has beaten up on two teams that most high school teams could beat. Iowa State so far has played a couple of easier teams as well. So who will win? Iowa has the home field advantage and rain is in the forecast. My prediction........ ISU 38 - Iowa 27 in an exciting game. Look for Phillip Bates, for ISU, to provide at least one "Seneca Wallace Type Moment" and put up some big rushing yards on the Hawks. And yes, the Cy-Hawk trophy will be the Cyclones yet again.

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Feed the World - Make a Difference

This week if you live in the Des Moines area you can really help make a difference in the fight against hunger. Meals from the Heartland will be taking place Sept 1-9 at HyVee Hall in Downtown Des Moines. The goal of the project is to help feed 3 million people. You can volunteer in 2 hours increments and have some fun with family and friends doing it. For more information click here. I challenge everyone to come help out!

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Obama and McCain on Abortion

A few days ago Obama and McCain met in a forum put together by pastor Rick Warren to talk about issues concerning America. Here is what both candidates said about abortion. This is another classic example of how Obama tries to side step every question and can't give us a definite answer.


Another Obama moment. "A baby is punishment". Wow. This is who might be our next president. Scary.

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Cell Phones for Soldiers

If you're like me you get a new cell phone every two years when your contract is up. Or you might even buy a new one more often. My point is, you probably have some old cell phones sitting around that you don't use anymore just collecting dust. So why not put them to good use? Donate them to Cell Phones for Soldiers. This is a non-profit group that sells the phones to a company that recycles them. The money that they get for the phones is used to purchase calling cards that are sent to our soldiers serving. You can find a drop off site near you or print off a prepaid mailing label on their website. Click here for more info. I encourage everybody to participate!

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The Bomb Pop

I think that the white section of the Bomb Pop is my favorite. Since it doesn't have any artificial flavors it must be healthier for me too. After staring at the Bomb pop for a few minutes, I think they should have called it missile pop. Because when I think bomb I think more of a ball shape. This is more of a long missile shape (reminds me of something - I don't know what). And why is it Red, White and Blue? Is it saying that the U.S.A is known for bombs? So really the bomb pop is anti America? Hmmmmm. Maybe I shouldn't buy the bomb pop anymore? I will have to think about this one.

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Blogs in Des Moines

The latest edition of the Des Moines Juice has an article about Blogging in Des Moines, which includes a little blurb about my blog. It also gives you details on other local blogs. You can pick up a copy of the Juice just about anywhere around town. You can view it by clicking on the following link:

DMJUICE Article

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Move Over St. Patrick

Move over St. Patrick, because St. Brogan is coming to town. For years Irish Americans along with many others have celebrated St. Patrick's Day in America in March. My question for you is.... Why just St. Patrick? There are many Irish saints who deserve a day of recognition, especially St. Brogan. Besides, it's an excuse to have a Guinness and have some fun! Anyways, St. Brogan's feast day is coming up on Monday, August 25th. So grab a pint, call some friends and join in the festivities. Remember this year it is BYOB (Bring Your Own Blarney)!
"May your pockets be heavy—
Your heart be light,
And may good luck pursue you
Each morning and night."
Get your St. Brogan gear here!

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CUIL vs Google

A new search engine has emerged to try and take on search engine giant Google. The search engine, Cuil.com (pronounced 'cool') is made up of former Google employees, who have invested 33 million into the project so far. So what makes Cuil better than Google and other rivals? Well Cuil thinks that features such as: The Search Engine has indexed 120 billion Web pages, 3x more than any other search engine and unlike other search engines, Cuil ranks results by the content on each page, not its popularity.
Personally, I am a Google man. I "google" everything I need to find. So far I am not too impressed with Cuil, but I will be open minded and give it a shot in a few weeks. Check it out for yourself and see what you think.

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Cold Butter is Not the Answer

The bread at the beginning of a meal is one of my favorite parts of eating out. At most places you either get some butter to spread on it or oil to dip it in. The other day I was eating at Granite City, where they serve you butter with your bread. So we get our bread and I start getting excited. I rip off a piece and get ready to spread on my butter....... and that's where my bread bliss is over. The butter is cold and as hard as a rock! There is no way I can spread that out to all corners of my bread. Instead, I just place the little square block in the middle of my bread and try to spread it around. The result.... a torn up piece of bread with butter in the middle. I guess I just don't get it. I know that the people who run the restaurant have eaten out and had bread before. Don't they see that you must let the butter soften a little bit at room temperature before serving to their patrons? I know I sound a little picky, but it's these little things that make for a regular customer and a one timer.

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Play On Words

Sometimes it's weird for me to hear a woman refer to her friend as a "girlfriend". But, it seems socially accepted for women to say this. On the other hand, if I told somebody that I was going to play basketball with my "boyfriend" it might sound a little odd and confusing. It could be interpreted that I was gay (not that there is anything wrong with that) because I referred to my friend who happens to be a boy, and my friend, as "boyfriend". It's funny the way that works. Something as little as the way we refer to another person can define who we are in another person's eyes.

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Are You a Shaniac?

I've had a ongoing craving for BBQ the last 2 months. It all begin when I ate at a restaurant down in Florida called, Jim and Nick's BBQ. It was the best BBQ I have ever had, no others even compare. They had wonderful brisket, pulled pork and some awesome fixings (cheesy cornbread - so good) to go with it. So since then I have been searching for some good BBQ to eat here in Des Moines. After trying some spots around town recommended by various people, I have finally found a winner. And the winner is....... Shane's Ribshack on University Ave in Clive. Their pulled pork is mouth watering, the brisket tender and tasty, and you have to try their ribs and chicken. Now I will admit, that their side dishes aren't the best in the world, but the fries and sweet tea more then make up for it. So give Shane's a shot if you are in the mood for some good down home BBQ done locally.

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The Dark Knight - Go See It!

There has been a lot of hype surrounding the latest movie in the Batman franchise. Personally, I have been excited for this movie once I heard it was going to be made. Does the movie live up to the hype? Was it worth the wait? Oh yeah! This is easily the best movie of 2008 and maybe even of the last couple of years. Great performances are made by Christian Bale, Heath Ledger and Aaron Eckhart. There has been a lot of talk about Ledger possibly getting an Oscar nod for his performance as the Joker in this movie and I agree that he deserves some consideration. Ledger's performance is one for ages and you don't know if to laugh at the Joker or be scared of him. Overall the movie has a great balance of action and drama and the soundtrack helps makes some of the scenes even more mesmerizing. I will definitely go see this one again at the theater.

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Turning 30

This week I turn 30 years old. Does this mean life is over for me? Heck no, it's just the beginning. I have so much more to learn, many places to travel and I am going to be a dad. The sky is the limit you could say. Although I will admit by body doesn't recover from physical strain like it use to, all in all I feel good! So, by turning 30 do I have some wisdom I would like to pass on?.......Sure, here is a list of 30 things I have learned in 30 years:

1. Never eat yellow snow.
2. What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.
3. Liquor before beer, you're in the clear.
4. Don't order a burger at a place known for Pizza.
5. When somebody tells you a plate is hot.. don't touch it.
6. Don't drink the water in Mexico.
7. Don't try and sniff pepper, it won't make you sneeze.
8. Yes, Pepto Bismol does make your tongue turn black.
9. Rocky Mountain oysters......yeah they're not oysters.
10. Mayonnaise, is so much better with fries than ketchup.
11. Sometimes a pen is mightier than a sword.
12. Chicken fingers.... a gift from God
13. Limos are way overrated.
14. Probably shouldn't bumper slide on the back of a truck.
15. Catnip is for cats only.
16. Wrestling is not real, just like Santa Claus
17. You really can never win playing slots.
18. Man was not meant to go down snowy hills at extreme speeds with two sticks on his feet.
19. A grease burn just plain hurts!
20. Never believe everything you read.
21. Always think before you talk.
22. Jumping over midgets in Mexico is illegal.
23. Never pick up a lit firework.
24. Never order a dish that means "Angry Dish"
25. When playing paint ball... always wear a cup.
26. God does work in mysterious ways.
27. Try not to puke in your brand new car. It's hard cleaning the yak out of the cracks.
28. When you get a chance to travel... go you may never get another chance.
29. My parents were right.
30. Put your pride to the side and try to be open minded to new things.

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Darth Vader Plays Golf

I was flipping thru the channels yesterday when I saw this commercial that made me chuckle out loud. I wish I could use the force for my golf game!

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The Easy Microwavable Egg Sandwich

Making eggs in the microwave? To most people that sounds weird, but to me it's just culinary genious. I remember the first time I made an egg in the microwave in front of my wife. She thought I was crazy.... Well, I am, but not for this reason. Once she tasted the delicious sandwich I made she had to eat her words. So, how do I make it? Here you go.

You need:
1 egg (I prefer Jumbo eggs)
1 bowl
1 can of pam (non stick cooking spray)
1 slice of cheese
butter
2 slices of bread

Grab your bowl and spray the inside with the Pam. Crack open your egg and beat it with a fork. Place the bowl in the microwave and cook for 54 seconds (anything more and your egg will explode!). While the egg is cooking put your bread in the toaster. Now your egg should be done. With the egg still in the bowl, put the slice of cheese on top of the egg (so it melts). Butter your toast, scoop up your egg and cheese and put it on the toast. Salt and pepper to taste and enjoy. As my favorite (okay least favorite) food network star would say Yum-o. Total prep and cook time = less than 5 minutes

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Latex Rubber Gloves - Misunderstood?

Rubber gloves + Anybody in the Room = A joke

That has been my observation when you put just about anybody in a room with a box of rubber gloves. They will slip the glove on and slap it up against their wrist like a doctor putting on one and will make some remark such as "Let me take a look in there". The strange part is that no matter how many times this has been used over the years as joke... people still laugh!

So does that make a Proctologist funny when he is giving you an exam? Well, if you are laughing during that, then I think maybe you might have other issues to worry about.

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Iowa Floods of 2008

This is the scene from outside of my work today. The Floods of 2008 aren't as bad as 1993 yet, but they are still creating some havoc. It will be interesting to see what the next few days of rain will bring. Des Moines city officials say that that everything will be okay. Let's hope!

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Fast Phone Message

I have been getting a lot of long-winded phone messages lately. I mean a couple of minutes worth of message. The bad thing is that when it gets to the end and the person leaves their phone number, they all of a sudden turn in to an auctioneer and belt out that number so fast I can't get it written down. You know what that means........... I have to listen to that whole message again to get the phone number. That does not make me happy camper.

What can we do to remedy this problem? Pass a law that you must leave your phone number twice at the end of a message. It's that easy. Problem solved. Maybe I should run against McCain and Obama on issue in the upcoming election. Hmmmmmm.. Something to think about.

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Feed the World

Play the vocabulary game at www.freerice.com and for each word you get right they will donate 20 grains of rice to the UN World Food Program. It's your chance to help out using some brain power.

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Business Cards - What a Waste!

I have been given hundreds of business cards over the years and only two or three of them have managed to escape a trip to my trash basket. What is the big deal about business cards? As soon as you meet someone new they slip one over to you. I think the card makes the person feel important to some extent. Yes, I have business cards myself, but the main thing I use them for is drawings to win prizes. You know what I'm talking about, don't you? A lot of businesses will keep that fish bowl on their counter to throw your business card in and win a prize. I think that is the best use of the business card. I am surprised the "green" folks haven't tried to ban the business card, because really, it is just a waste of paper. That would be one thing I would agree with them about.

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McCain/Schrute 08

John McCain made an announcement the other day that his running mate would be Dwight K. Schrute (from the OFFICE). Finally...... A move that makes McCain the right candidate in my eyes. Check out this video listing Schrute's demands to be the VP. Funny stuff!

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Destin Vacation

It's been a while since I have written. I just got back from a great vacation to Destin, Florida. What a beautiful place! It was a long hard winter in Iowa this year and getting some sunshine and vitamin D hit the spot. I would highly recommend staying at the Sandestin Resort if you get a chance. Lots of great seafood, emerald green water and the whitest sand (like sugar) I have ever seen (better than St. Thomas). Anyways, I have lots of new topics for blogs to come, so check back often. The pic is the view from the room where I stayed. Adios.

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