Labels help us out all the time.  You can read the labels on the food you’re grabbing at the store to see what’s in it.  You can use the label on clothes to find your size (or that they don’t have your size).  And now one woman wants to put labels on the cars of new drivers.  She’s made magnetic signs that would attach to the metal of a car and let other drivers know that they’re new to the road. I’m all in favor of being a part of helping out new drivers, but I think if teens get a sign on their car there should be other signs too.  What about an “I’m 45 but I drive like I’m 16″ sign?  Like the “I’m on my cell phone and could run you off the road at any minute without realizing it” sign.  You could even put one on my Honda that says “Be warned, I don’t have cruise control so my speed may vary.”

Posted: August 3rd, 2009 under Crazy Stuff, Show Notes.
Comments: 3

So, you’re done with work, and you run off to pick up the kids, stop by the grocery store for some items for dinner, then realize you need to fill up the car on the way home, and while you’re doing that see that you need to call and schedule an oil change when you get home.  As everyone unloads and you start digging around for that recipe, the thought runs through your mind, “I wish things were more simple.”   I have to be honest and tell you that part of me believes it’s not possible to have life be more simple.  But maybe that’s because I’m living in the wrong place;  I just have to move west…to Ames.  In a recent survey, Ames was listed as number 5 on a list of the top ten cities to live “the simple life”. Maybe they can help the rest of us figure it out.

Posted: July 30th, 2009 under Crazy Stuff, Local News, Show Notes.
Comments: none

At times, during a conversation you might have trouble finding the right words or figuring out exactly what you want to say.  Then there are other times where it’s a bit too easy.  You know those times when you watch the words come out of your mouth and wish you could grab them and put them back in?  Instead, you just put your foot in your mouth.  Well, even I suffer from that, and this morning was one of those times.  Because of Julia’s busy schedule with vacation the last few days and a late flight back into town, her hair was a little more disheveled than usual.  So when she came over to my desk this morning and said, “Mike, I need your help!”, naturally the first thing out of my mouth was “I’m sorry Julia,  I don’t work at a hair salon.”

I’m really glad to still be alive this afternoon.

Posted: July 29th, 2009 under Crazy Stuff, Show Notes.
Comments: 1

The increasingly ill-named Google Earth has added another update recently.  Now, using the free program from Google, you can look at the moon. Google has collected hi-res photos of the moon to piece together an impressive picture of the moon you can zoom in and out of.  You can even enable icons that allow to track different locations on the moon, like where the separate moon landings took place.  The first I thought of when I heard you could do that was, “Wow, this could make a really fun learning tool to explore with your kids.”  You can check it out here.

Posted: July 21st, 2009 under Crazy Stuff, Show Notes.
Comments: none

We need to have a talk.  As long as there is mail of some sort, there will also be junkmail.  In the world of email, it’s called spam.  In today’s society, that’s pretty common knowledge.  I’ve tried to help you out by letting you know about different types of spam and email trickery to steal your information.  The problem is that some are still falling for it.  In fact, 1 in 6 people actually respond in some way to spam, by opening it and clicking on the links inside. Please tell me this isn’t you.  If it is, let me remind you again that no matter how nice that elderly woman from a foreign country sounds (and she probably doesn’t sound too great since her grammar is terrible) she is not real.  And she most definitely does not have $15 million for your church.

Posted: July 20th, 2009 under Crazy Stuff, Show Notes.
Comments: none