2012

2012 is on the way and many are predicting the world ending due to the end of the Mayan calendar. I don't have their calendar hanging on my wall so I'm not too worried about it ending, or having even the smallest effect on our world. But I still think we should all be prepared for the worst. I recommend having plenty of long shelf life food on hand at all times. At least enough for each person in your house to survive a week under normal conditions. I also recommend keeping flashlights, batteries, lighters, etc. You never know what could happen. Hurricanes, tsunamis, earthquakes, and zombies could show up when you least expect them and it is good to be prepared. Big name companies have taken very big strides in being prepared for zombies. Hornady, a leading name in the ammunition world makes "Z-Max" ammo specifically for zombies. The same goes for Kabar and their line of "ZK" knives. Taurus makes the "Zombie Res ponder" which is essentially the "Raging Judge" but set up for zombies. You should also be prepared for robots, and never forget, "Those who deny the existence of robots, are robots themselves."

All of the products I mentioned ARE real. Google it.

Survive 2012,

Ruben

A Must Watch!

Yesterday I watched a total of three movies: Hostel III, Columbiana & Warrior. Now Hostel III wasn't very good to me so watch it at your own risk. Columbiana was a good movie so I would suggest watching it. The movie Warrior was a GREAT movie and I would highly recommend watching it. It is about MMA fighting so it everyone and definitely isn't for kids. The storyline is great and the acting is superb. So if you haven't seen Warrior go to Redbox, Blockbuster or wherever you can find the movie and rent it. You will be happy you did.

Happy Thursday
Dale

Watch What You Eat!

I'm not one to preach about diets, so I won't preach about diets. This has to do with how quick your world can change just by eating something. The current news story that had me double checking what type of formula my baby is consuming, turns out to be a lot of speculation at this point. Earlier this month a Missouri child consumed a popular brand of baby formula and died from the cronobacter sakazukii bacteria. I heard that story a while back and didn't think much of it. However, earlier today I heard on the news that a few more children from different parts of the country had gotten sick. This got my attention, but not to worry, the other cases were caused by something other than baby formula. So as this has turned out to be a non-issue so far, at least for my family, there are many other ways you can eat and get sick, or worse. In 2010, 44 states reported Salmonella outbreaks from red and black pepper. 11 States with Salmonella outbreaks from alfalfa sprouts. Of course here in Colorado we had the Listeria outbreak from cantaloupe, I still don't eat cantaloupe even though there is no danger from it now. The list can go on forever, romaine lettace, eggs, raw milk, it just doesn't end. So keep an mouth out, you never know if you've just taken your last bite.

T

Christmas Dinner - Part Two

Our barbecue Christmas dinner was a success! We ate until we couldn't move and we're still munching on leftovers. The pulled pork was my favorite, (Ruben woke up at 5:30 to start it) followed closely by the homemade potato salad and fried okra. This is definitely going to be a tradition at our house. I'll just need to make sure I don't forget the baked beans next year.

Hope everyone had a Very Merry Christmas!

-Shala

Holiday Food

One of the greatest things about the Holidays is the food. Mainly the desserts such as the pies, cakes, cookies & various specialty dishes. My mother in law is in town and she is queen specialty dish. She makes so many things that I have never heard of and adds ingredients to foods that makes you say "REALLY?" but usually her specialty dishes turn out pretty amazing. Enjoy the food, family, & friends this Holiday season. Also, don't pout if Santa didn't bring the gift you wanted as next year you may not get anything.

Happy Holidays
Dale

How Far?

Well, Christmas is just around the corner, which makes today the perfect day to talk about everyone's favorite subject...Ballistics! Have you ever wondered just how far a bullet can travel across a flat plain before hitting the ground? Well, it is actually pretty simple to figure out. I heard on the radio that if you shoot a bullet from a level gun barrel (lets call it a 155 grain bullet) on a flat plain with no objects to stop the bullet other than the ground, and you also drop a 155 grain bullet from the same height, both will hit the ground at the same time! This means that if the bullet takes 1/2 second to hit the ground, you just have to divide the velocity (feet per second) by 2 and that will give you the distance the bullet can travel. So if it takes a half second to hit the ground and has a velocity of 1800 feet per second, then the bullet can travel 900 feet. That's equivalent to 3 football fields. Please keep in mind that this is not at all an exact method of determining distance traveled as a bullets velocity will vary based on the length of your gun barrel as well as other variances. This is just a good way to determine where your backdrop needs to be to make sure there is no one off in the distance to get in the way of your rogue projectiles. It also helps to determine bullet drop for hitting distant targets.

Shoot Safe,

Ruben

Top of the Town

Christmas is less than a week away now, and as soon as it's over we'll all start thinking about New Year's and reflecting on what was 2011.  Well, I suggest starting the year off right with making it a goal to visit the places in your area that are truly the "Top of the Town." 5280 is Denver's premier magazine, and every year they run a segment featuring the best of the best in Denver - from cocktails to consignment shops and everything in between.  While I'm proud to say I've experienced many of the best of Denver, there is still a TON more places I haven't been.  So, if you're in the Denver area, check out 2011's Top of the Town, and hopefully the rest of you have a similar list of the best spots in your area.  Also, this will be my last post until after the holidays so Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! 

~ Allison

What a week!

So this last week has been quite the news maker. Most of the news goes unrecognized as news and is soon forgotten. Let's start with The One, better known as Tim Tebow. It was widely reported that the Broncos lost against the Patriots. While the Broncos may have lost, we all know that Tebow won! Kim Jong Il, the leader of North Korea, died on Saturday. In an amazing feat of secrecy the world did not know of the death until Monday. With the technology available today I'm amazed North Korea could keep the death a secret for two days. It shows how reclusive North Korea is and who knows what remains ahead for that country? I think the biggest piece of news from the last week was that there was a Chinese aircraft carrier rowing about the Yellow Sea. This is definitely something to keep an eye on in 2012. While a lot of countries are worried about this naval addition, it is still not an operational carrier. It will be at least two years before they will be able to launch and recover aircraft from the carrier. So it's really freaky, and then it really isn't. Read up on the death of the North Korean leader and on the Chinese aircraft carrier, those two stories will be game changers for the world.

Trevor

Chicken Wings

It's a chicken wing lunch day here at Old Will's. We typically go to Wing Stop to get our wings. They have some very good wings but they don't have a large selection of flavors such as a Buffalo Wild Wings, but the flavors they do have please the taste buds. The main reason I like to go to Wing Stop for wings is that they have IMO the best french fries of any wings place. So if you are craving some wings and haven't tried Wing Stop I would suggest you give them a try. You shouldn't be disappointed. Just in case you were wondering I am not affiliated with Wing Stop in any way aside from being a satisfied customer.

Thanks
Dale

Christmas Dinner

Ruben and I have family from Oklahoma staying with us this Christmas and when we have people stay with us I always try to plan our meals ahead of time. I like to get all of my shopping done and prepare what I can before the guests arrive. Up until yesterday, I was planning on making a traditional Christmas meal, (which in my family is usually ham, turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, green beans, rolls, some kind of casserole and couple other items). Last night, I thought it would be cool to have a barbecue Christmas dinner instead. Pulled pork sandwiches, ribs, maybe a brisket, homemade potato salad, baked beans, fried okra, coleslaw and fries. I can't wait to start cooking for this meal! It's not a "traditional" Christmas meal, but if people in Japan can eat KFC for Christmas, I can have my BBQ :) What's your "traditional" Christmas meal? Is it similar to my family's or something completely different?


Happy cooking!

Shala

The Tebow Craze

The entire city of Denver is stirring about the Broncos recent success and of course - Tim Tebow.  Every night on the news there has been at least one story about Tebow and his loyal fans around the globe.  I am as big of fan as anyone, but I must say the whole "Tebowing" craze is just a little much.  "Tebowing" is defined as the random act of getting down on a knee and praying, even if everyone else around you is doing something completely different.  Check out this site solely dedicated to capturing the moments of people "Tebowing" around the world - http://tebowing.com/  At the very least there's some pretty entertaining pics....

Go Broncos,
Allison

Ice Fishing Season

Temperatures have dropped, snow has covered the ground and now the lakes are frozen over so it is time for the 1st Ice Fishing trip. Time to wake up early, gather all of our warm clothing and drive for hours just to walk on some sketchy ice, drill some holes and wet a line all while hoping the fish are hungry. Ice fishing isn't for everybody but those who brave the elements are rewarded with some great times with friends and an adventure to boot. So who is coming with us?

Dale

Jury Duty

I had my first experience with jury duty yesterday, and it wasn't pretty.  My civic duty apparently entailed sitting in a room full of really angry people because they all felt their daily lives were being severely interrupted and burdened by this task, while listening to the only other noise in the room - the History Channel (boring!), and starving...starving for any kind of nourishment, but of course the courthouse apparently only takes change and all they have is a vending machine and some 3 day old breakfast burritos.  My experience began with calling the number listed on my summons to find out if I indeed had to report, and if so the logistics of my required duty.    The information was very vague and I don't believe it prepared me for what I was walking into at all.  So, to help all of you who may find yourself in similar shoes ones day here is a list of things I wish I would have known about jury duty:

*Be sure you park in a "public parking" area.  They will ticket you if you are in the wrong spot, even though you have to be there and there may not be any open spots.  With all the power hungry deputies walking around, you're only making it easy for them to slap a ticket on your windshield on the way to their morning coffee and doughnut. 
*Make sure your pockets are empty and have your car keys in hand.  There are going to be lots of people trying to go through security (just like the airport) and the guards are crazy with the metal detectors.  Apparently, they have to SEE your car keys. If you're a girl, they can't just be in your purse that is going to get scanned anyway, I guess that is "unacceptable behavior." 
*Have your summons questionnaire filled out BEFORE you get there.  Otherwise, you will get screamed at by a lady who desperately hates her job.
* Bring Snacks. Any beverages have to be clear and have a cap.  There were no regulations in regards to having Vodka in a water bottle - just sayin'.
* Bring your own magazines, book, or games.  The only ones available in your "juror room" are old (and I mean like two years old) National Geographic and Better Homes and Gardens.   
* Don't forget your cell phone.  You're situation can drastically change at any moment. 
*There is no dress code.  I saw people in suits, dirty smelly sweatpants, and grossly inappropriate t-shirts. Of course some prejudice clothing may help your chances with not being selected, but be mindful of others.   Seriously...nobody wants to smell you all day, or read the shirt you probably made yourself in your basement.  *Attitude check - You WILL have to answer the same question several times.
*If you're into cancer-causing activities, there is a smoking area.
* You can't get out of jury duty.  They mail everyone who doesn't show a warrant. In Colorado it is a $700 fine or 30-60 days in jail. 

Happy summons,
Allison

Makin' Stuff

Hello,

Well Christmas is coming up and I think I've spent enough money on gifts so I plan on getting out the wood working equipment soon and try and piece together a few gifts. First on the list, I've been asked to make some jig saw puzzles for my daughters birthday (which is a few days before Christmas). It shouldn't be too difficult since I finally have my router table set up the way I want it. I think I might also throw together some nice coat racks and another gift that I cannot mention because the receiver reads this blog. I guess I'll be going to the Home Depot this weekend. (Although I prefer Lowes on everything other than lumber).

Don't forget to watch OU battle it out against OSU tomorrow at 7PM Central time (6PM for us Mountain folk).

Have a good weekend,

Ruben

Got 4x4?

The wintery conditions are alive and well here in Colorado. To date I believe this is the 4th time it has snowed in the Denver area since the start of November and that number will increase drastically throughout December and on into January and February and beyond. This is why I am glad I have a truck with 4x4. On my way to work today I cruised around with ease but unfortunately there were far to many non 4x4 vehicles on the road that were struggling to start without wheels a spinning and causing traffic jams. I seen several cars completely spin out and into the ditch they go. The whole time I am thinking glad I have 4x4. It makes the wintery season in Colorado much more bearable.

Happy Winter
Dale

Christmas Time's a Comin'

And I still have gifts to make! If any of you have run out of gift money, want to give a more personal gift or just don't want to fight the cold or holiday shoppers, I recommend getting crafty and making some holiday cheer...It's not too late!

Christmas cookies are great and most people already have the ingredients on hand. Cutout cookies are my favorite; they're not too sweet and you can decorate them! Homemade candy is a cool gift, too, but it takes a little more time and effort. You definitely don't want to attempt candy last minute, (unless you have a backup gift or are just super awesome). If you, like me, bought way too much fruit and know it will not get eaten before it turns to mush, make fruit leather! You don't even need a dehydrator, just an oven, some fruit, a food processor (Magic Bullet!) and some time. After it's finished drying, roll each slice up in wax paper and tie it with a pretty ribbon or use decorative tape, Christmas style of course.

If you want to avoid sweets, try mittens. You can crochet them, knit them or, my favorite, cut them out of fleece and glue or stitch them together. It's super fast and you can decorate them anyway you want. If you're feeling really adventurous, you can even make a matching scarf. Necklaces and bracelets are easy to make, too, and the materials don't cost much. You can usually make three or four bracelets for the same price you would pay for one at the store. Thrifty!

Speaking of thrifty, you can find tons of cool things at your local thrift store to re purpose into new awesome gifts. T-shirts can be made into quilts, books can turn into art, old knit sweaters make great leg warmers and wrist warmers...heck, you can even turn an old tv into a fish tank.

If you're stuck, check out Etsy.com for some cool ideas...You only have 24 days, so get to it!




Happy Christmas!

Shala

Gotta Get My BPA!

If you're like me, you've spent a pretty penny over the past few years upgrading your water bottles to the BPA free bottles. I'd guess that my family has spent around a hundred dollars on BPA free bottles. And it all seems a little pointless now that researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health have found that canned foods contain a ton of BPA. Endocrine-disrupting chemical BPA is apparently used in the lining of metal food and beverage cans. And yes, this is the same BPA used in number 7 plastic bottles. The scary stat that the researchers found was that BPA levels in the body were 1,221% higher after eating canned soup versus eating fresh soup. And that number is not good considering BPA is linked to cardiovascular disease (the #1 killer in the United States), diabetes, and obesity. If you are expecting a baby soon, you really want to avoid the BPA. Exposure to BPA in the womb causes hyperactive, aggressive, anxious, and depressed behavior and poorer emotional control and inhibition in girls. Boys don't seem to be affected near as much. So if you eat a lot of canned foods or drink a lot of canned beverages I would read up on this topic a little more.

T-rev GB²

Mile High Holidays

With so many holiday shopping deals and special events being advertised on t.v. and in the news it's hard to decide what you want to do and where you want to go.  I just recently finished my second term in graduate school and am so glad to have some much needed time off.  So, during the month of December I plan to pack my weekends with fun, family, and shopping.  Just yesterday I heard about this great website called Mile High Holidays.  There you can find shopping deals and holiday events around Denver all in one convenient place.  I never got around to decorating our Christmas tree last weekend and putting up the lights, so I'm thinking of dedicating this weekend to holiday spirit by sprucing up the house and going to the Parade of Lights.  If your city is as cool as Denver I'm sure there is a website for your area holiday events as well ;)

Allison

Time for Traditions

It's that time of year for traditions.  I was raised on holiday traditions, and I think it's important that everyone has those certain things they do every year around this time.  This weekend will be full of traditions for me, beginning with Thanksgiving.  Of course there will be the usual turkey grazing and football watching, but every Thanksgiving evening my girlfriend demands we watch "Christmas Vacation," because that is her family's Thanksgiving tradition.  It also happens to tie in perfectly with my recently added ritual of hunting for a REAL Christmas tree the Saturday after Thanksgiving.  Growing up in my family we always had fake Christmas trees, but since I moved to Colorado I started going up into the mountains every year with my family, friends, and their families to hunt for a live tree.  It's so pretty and fun to hike through the mountains when it's slightly snowy and not too cold yet.  If you're interested, get your permit HERE! I also really enjoy jamming out to Christmas tunes on the way up the mountain, just like the Griswolds :)  Last year we even got in a car accident on the way back from getting our tree...that was a little too much like "Christmas Vacation" for me.  On Sunday, we'll decorate the house and the tree.  This involves the popular custom of Hide the Pickle, and drinking a little egg nog with brandy.  I can't wait for Thanksgiving this year, as my parents will also be in town to enjoy all of these traditions with me.  So, here's to holiday traditions!  Anyone have any unique traditions?

Happy Thanksgiving,
Allison

Hurried Time

Get ready to feel small.

The speed of light travels at 299,792,458 meters per second, or 186,000 miles per second, or 700 million miles per hour. At that speed it takes light 1.2 seconds to travel from the moon to the Earth. 8.5 minutes to travel from the Sun to the Earth. 5 hours 40 minutes to travel from the Sun to former planet Pluto. And 100,000 years to go from one edge of the Milky Way to the other.

The Andromeda galaxy is 2.3 million light years away from Earth. This means if you're looking at this galaxy through binoculars or the naked eye if you're in a dark area, you're looking at light that is 2.3 million years old. The Andromeda galaxy could explode right now and we would not know it for 2.3 million years. And Andromeda is close as far as galaxies are concerned. In fact, Andromeda is estimated to collide with the Milky Way in 5 billion years. So we better hurry and figure out an escape plan.

Go Back to the time it takes light to travel from one edge of the Milky Way to the other. Now imagine we have a little spaceship that can travel at the speed of light and we need to go explore all the other galaxies. Surely with our fast little spaceship it will not take long. There are only an estimated 125 billion galaxies in the Universe. We are tiny.

Trevor

Tootsie Roll

I went scouring through my kids Halloween candy looking for some candy to munch on and decided to go with an oldie but goodie in the Tootsie Roll. The Tootsie Roll has been around since 1896. Yep, that is a long time but they are still as delicious as any candy today. So go out and grab some Tootsie's and enjoy.

Thanks
Dale

How much does the Internet weigh?

I'm in charge of finding interesting things to post on our social network sites, but let's get real - there's not a whole lot of compelling stories out there about scales.  But, there are a lot of interesting facts about weight, and the weight of certain objects in particular.  For example, today I shared a video with all of our Facebook and Twitter users that answers the question, how much does the Internet weigh?  I thought this video was so interesting I'd share it with all of you as well.  Check it out. 

Until next week,
Allison

Best Pizza?

We had a pizza party here and the pizza was amazing. My favorite was the Pineapple and Bacon pizza. What pizza chain do you think is the best?

Dominos
Pizza Hut
Papa Johns
Lil Ceasars

What is your favorite pizza?

I think my vote goes to Pizza Hut with my favorite pizza as Pineapple and Bacon.

Happy Friday!
Dale

Thanksgiving, THEN Christmas

Does it bug anyone else that the second we enter November all you see is holiday advertisements? I get that people start to do their Christmas shopping around this time of year, but what about Thanksgiving? Where's all the commercials with families playing touch football in the leaves and laying on the couch after a turkey coma? I'm not ready for Christmas music and all the cheesy ads that imply the only thing women want for the holidays is jewelry.  So come on people, let's not forget about Thanksgiving! After all, any holiday that gives almost everyone in America two days off of work is worth recognizing, right?  Cheers to turkey, mashed potatoes, and giving thanks.

Gobble gobble,
Allison

From mud to mountains

Well, it has snowed twice already here in Denver, which has me thinking about winter activities. I don't think I'll have the cash to do a lot of snowboarding this year so I am looking into some cheaper options. Ice fishing is on the menu because I already own all the necessary gear. I just need to give the lakes time to build up those much needed inches of ice.

I think one thing I used to enjoy in Oklahoma would be a lot better here in Colorado. And that is four wheelin'. I know it isn't cheap to get started, but it's not bad once you have a solid, reliable rig. In Oklahoma I had me an old Chevy K-10. For those of you who don't know, K=4x4 and 10=1/2 ton. I had to sell it because it not only was my mud slinger, but also was my daily driver. The shale pits and country road ditches liked to tear up parts. I sold my Nova a few weeks ago, so I have been itchin' for a new project and a 4x4 might be just what I need. It needs seating for 4 and I'd go with the short wheel base so I can stick to the tight trails. I'll also need a mild lift, tall, knobby tires, and some low gearing to match.

Here are the only remaining pictures of my old rig. Sorry they aren't better.

Oh, yesterday was Chevrolet's 100th birthday so Happy Birthday Chevy.

Have a good weekend!

Ruben

The Walking Dead

I know Halloween is over but I had to bring up the show on AMC "The Walking Dead". The show is awesomely great! For those that don't know it is about a world where Zombies have taken over and the remaining people who are fighting to stay alive. If you aren't watching the show I would suggest you rent the 1st season to catch up, then tune in this Sunday at 7:00pm Mountain Time to watch the next episode of season 2. You won't be disappointed! Here is the official website of The Walking Dead,

http://www.amctv.com/shows/the-walking-dead

Watch if you dare
Dale

Walk This Way

I don't remember where I heard this, but the other day I was listening to a podcast and I tuned in exactly when a man was describing the fact that no two people in the world walk exactly the same way.  He also said that your walk may actually be used some day as a unique identifier in airports or other agencies.  I thought this was really interesting so I decided to see if I can find some more information that explains how this has been studied and how your walk might be used in the future to identify you.  In order to better understand this article you might need to be familiar with the following terms:

Biometric Systems - methods for uniquely recognizing humans based upon one or more intrinsic physical or behavioral traits. In computer science, in particular, biometrics is used as a form of identity access management and access control. It is also used to identify individuals in groups that are under surveillance.

Gait - the pattern of movement of the limbs of animals, including humans, during locomotion over a solid substrate.  In other words, your walk!

Here's the article, enjoy!: http://techbiometric.com/articles/how-gait-analysis-has-emerged-as-tool-for-biometric-identification/

Ta ta for now,
Allison

Holloween

Today is a very spooky day. Make sure to keep your kids safe tonight while they're Trick-or-Treating. To help you keep the little ones safe, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention put out a good safety list.

S-Swords and similar costume accessories should be short, soft, and flexible.

A-Avoid trick-or-treating alone. Walk in groups or with a trusted adult.

F-Fasten reflective tape to costumes and bags to help drivers see you.

E-Examine all treats for choking hazards and tampering before eating them.

H-Hold a flashlight while trick-or-treating to help you see and others see you.

A-Always test make-up in a small area first to avoid skin and eye irritation.

L-Look both ways before crossing the street. Use established crosswalks.

L-Lower your risk for eye injury by not wearing decorative contact lenses.

O-Only walk on sidewalks whenever possible, or on the far edge of the road.

W-Wear well-fitting masks, costumes, and shoes to avoid falls.

E-Eat only factory-wrapped treats. Avoid eating homemade treats.

E-Enter homes only if you're with a trusted adult.

N-Never walk near lit candles or fire, and wear flame-resistant costumes.

Be safe and have fun.

I'll be dressed up as Tim Tebow tonight. When passing out candy, I'll throw the candy 30 feet over the kids heads or I'll hold onto the candy until I get tackled.

They're Back!

According to reports MTV has brought back Beavis and Butthead. Here is a writup from Entertainment Weekly,

http://watching-tv.ew.com/2011/10/27/beavis-and-butthead-mtv-snooki-twilight/?iid=rcfooter-tv-%27beavis+and+butt-head%27%3A+still+cool%3F

I never really watched the show that often but when I did it had its very funny moments. I wonder if there are any fans of Beavis and Butthead out there reading this?



Happy Friday
Dale