This is an actual blog

You have seen many blogs but now Barack Obama's teleprompter now has a blog. Here is the link barack_teleprompter_blogspot.html. Enjoy

The Auto show and March Madness #3

Well, once again I go to the Auto show and this year felt a little different than normal. There seemed to be less cars out there and less people seeing this event every year. Maybe it's the economy or maybe because they planned this during conference tournament weekend. Eithier way, my dad and I had wonderful time out there. The highlight had to be seeing the new F-150 Raptor now that is an extreme off-road truck. Here's a couple of pictures of the Auto show

Now, it's time for my annual picks for the NCAA tournament or what they call "March Madness". As a KU fan I don't expect them to get to the final four if they get there so be it but it's hard to win back to back national championships. Looking at the brackets and studying the teams I'm gonna start with are my sleepers. The two teams I would watch for this year is the Utah Utes and the Florida State Seminoles. The teams that I think will get to the Final four our Memphis, North Carolina, Louisville and Pittsburg. Speaking of March Madness I think my sister in law and my brother are suffering from this disease....I don't know if it's true , but maybe this picture might prove my point.

Signed

Tim " Happy St. Patrick's Day" Crippen

Watchmen a bit unwatchable

As comic books go there seems to be a new one every time made into a movie. X-men, spiderman, batman and now the latest "Watchmen". Now, I didn't know the storyline to the film before I saw it, but the movie explains that pretty good. The opening scene in the film is great as the hero or anti hero depending on how you look at it gets murder at the scene of his high rise apartments. His colleagues were known as "the watchmen". Helping to protect crime on the street, the vigilante rorshack vows to get revenge. The cinematography is great, the plot was easy to understand and some of the characters lack emotion. This was one of the worst comic films made since Spawn. If this film was more Pg-13.....I think more people might have seen instead it looked like a mixture of a soft core porn film and one of the "Saw" movies. Don't see it and don't even think of taking the kids to this film.

tim Crippen

You might be paying for what?

As a traveler; wether it would be by car or by plane, it seems like were paying for all these little extras particularly if your flying. You pay for drinks, pillows and blankets and even those stupid little headsets just to hear what's on TV. Now, a certain Irish airline RyanAir is thinking about charging you the passenger to use the restroom by inserting coin slots to use the facilities. I couldn't make this stuff up even if I tried. Look, I know the airline industry is hurting, but when you gotta go you gotta go ......I don't have time to search in my pocket to find a couple of quarters just to use the can. Last time, I saw a coin operated restroom was somewhere in Israel where you deposited the coins in this cement statue where the sun don't shine. Now try to imagine this over 30,000 feet. This idea would never work in America.

Signed
Tim "I gotta do #1 and #2" Crippen

Westminster's Best of show 2009

Stump the dog isn't he cute

Are there any athletes that are clean?

About 18 months ago, I wrote on my post on how Barry Bonds tied the homerun record and that it wasn't legitimate record. I also said that Alex Rodriguez or A-Rod would be the homerun champ in the near future because the only thing he cheated on was his wife and not steroids. Well. folks hold the presses......If the story from yesterday is true that A-Rod failed a drug test back in 2003 and was because of steroids then I'm really going to be wondering is any great athlete in baseball really clean.
This past week the sports world has seen Barry Bonds losing his battle with "The Feds". Michael Phelps smoking tree (Marijuana) and now A-Rod cheating (allegedly). No wonder it seems like our society looks at athletes so cynical. When I was growing up my athlete heroes were George Brett, Walter Payton, Cal Ripken, Nolan Ryan, Wayne Gretzky and Magic Johnson. Sure, some these athletes that I named had some off field trouble, but at least none of them took steroids or drugs just to get advantage on their sport. This generation of kids now who look at athletes now sometimes wonder is there anybody that I can root for?
Last year on 60 minutes, Katie Couric had interview with A-Rod and one the questions she asked was "Have you taken any steroids?" His answer was no. All joking aside we need to get that guy from the Fox tv show "Lie to me" to see whether some of these athletes who do interviews like this to find out whether any of then are telling the truth. Kids if you really want to be inspire look at your parents, older siblings if you have any, a pastor, a mentor.....anybody that you see that looks at life in a more positive manner. That is who your inspiration should be not athletes .......and if you do look for athletes look for good ones.

Signed
Tim "telling it like it is" Crippen

Superbowl, job fair and everything else on my mind

The superbowl was one of the best I've ever seen. It's in my top five of best finishes and even the commercials were pretty funny. My personal favorites were the Budweiser commercial where the horse brings the big stick and the Mr. and Mrs Potatohead commercial for Bridgestone tires.
The Job fair was okay .....I did get to talk to some recruiters, although some companies that said they were going to be there online weren't there on Monday. Oh well, you just keep on searching and be thankful that you still have a job. I waited for about hour in line just to get to talk to some recruiters. You can tell when the economy is bad when over 1300 come to an event like this and your hoping you get that certain position. I do have gripe with some people who attended this thing. If your coming to a job fair dress like your going to an interview not like someone who just got back from shopping extravaganza.
The switch to digital TV is only days away and I can't wait....or is it going be a few more months? Recently, congress is working on passing a bill that will delay the digital switch till June and yes President Obama is supporting this bill. Now, for people who have HDTV like me or people with satellite or cable were already there. I know they said reason their doing this because they ran out of money and coupons for the converter box. Give me a *#@$ing break, they have had this place for over two years....just another thing that happens when government runs it.

Signed
Tim "venting off" Crippen

For those who love to eat

Even with a sagging economy we all have tighten our wallets, but we all have to eat sometime. This week starting tomorrow in Kansas City begins restaurant week. For those of you who don't know about every major city has thing that they do once or twice a year called restaurant week. This is where fancy gourmet and somewhat nice restaurants let's you try your local flavor for a discounted price. This week 12 restaurants in the power and light district will have lunch for about 10-15 dollars and dinner for about 25-30. Each restaurant will have it's unique flavors.....I have my personal favorite there at the district...The Peachtree restaurant. There for restaurant week for 25 dollars you can get choice of one of three appetizers, one of three desserts, and the choice of these four entrees . Catfish/chicken platter, Honey salmon, Blackened shrimp or Lemon catfish. Yummy that sounds really good right now. To see the other K. C. restaurants this week that are participating go to www.districtresterauntweek.blogspot.com Bon Apatite

signed
Tim "ready to eat" Crippen

Wow that is amazing

I'm sure by now you have all heard about the "Miracle on the Hudson". How just about two days ago pilot Chesley Sullenberger or by his nickname "sully" landed an Airbus plane in the Hudson River. There were 155 passengers and crew and everyone on that plane made it alive. That part was amazing, but what was even more amazing was the pilot was trying to get everyone one out and the last passenger he saw he gave his shirt off his back literally as the pilot was the last one to leave. With temperatures in the river hovering around 35 degrees. It will be amazing to hear the pilot's point of view of what he was thinking when he had to ditch his plane. Although, not to make fun of the situation but this morning I heard from one of passengers on TV who was on the plane telling the anchor that after the plane landed and the exit doors open that people were opening up the cabin doors just get their luggage. What? You survived a crash leave the luggage there you can replace things later.

Signed

Tim "way to go sully" Crippen

New year's prediction post

Well another year has passed and were wondering where did 2008 go. I look back on some of my predictions and some came true others well were working on it. First the true then did come out right. Foreclosures were up from the previous year, I was promoted within my company, there was youtube tv on a reality series it was called "quarterlife" but it only lasted one episode. I won't give myself credit on the presidential election cause I cover all the bases. Also, there was major earthquake in California in midsummer...if you call 5.6 on the Richter scale a major one.
This year for me will be the year of bad economics......from companies like Lehman bros, Merrill Lynch, and AIG......to banks like Indy Mac, Washington Mutual and Goldman Sachs all feeling the pinch this past year. Bailout seemed to be the word of the year. Michael Phelps made us stay up late for a week to see him win eight gold medals in one Olympics. Central china had a major earthquake killing thousands of people. The Kansas Jayhawks won the national title in basketball and president bush avoided being hit by a shoe. The country also elected it's first African American president. We saw famous people pass away like Heath ledger, Michael Crichton (author of Jurassic Park) and Paul Newman just to name a few.

So what does 2009 bring us.......I'll try my best for my prediction post.

1. I will pay off my credit card this year ( last year I said the same thing but I traded in truck instead).

2. Gov. Blagovich will eventually be remove from his office this year.

3. President Obama will get his first chance to select a supreme court justice and it will be a Latin American judge.

4. The stock market will dip below 7,000 this year.

5. Unemployment rate could possibility see double digits since the great depression.

6.The Carolina panthers will be SuperBowl champions this year

7.Jay Leno's last show on the Tonight show this year will be just as tearful as when Johnny Carson left the show.

8. Lance Armstrong will be known as "the comeback athlete of the year" after his three year hiatus from winning the "Tour de France".

9.You will start to hear talk about 3-D TV's

10.The royals might surprise some teams this year....then again maybe not.

Signed
Tim "the swami" Crippen

Valkyrie

Well, once again Tom Cruise is another film about the millitary. This time he plays a german officer named Col. Stauffenburg who's main objective is to kill Hitler in the movie Valkyrie. I saw this film and somewhat like it. Cruise is a dead ringer for stauffenburg. If you look at a side by side picture between the real stauffenburg and cruise playing him it's very eerie. The nature scenes are great and the direction that director Bryan singer (X-men director) gives makes you feel like your in the operation yourself. My only two complaints of the film is that in part of the film it doesn't give true story of how stauffneburg lost his eye and his right arm. The other is that cruise doesn't hardly speak much in a german accent. The supporting cast is great you might not even recognize Bill Nighy with all the make up he had to wear as the squid guy in the second Pirates of the Carribean movie. Overall, if you like history and a good suspense thriller you'll probably like Valkyrie. Out of four stars ....I give it 2 and 1/2,

Signed
Tim "too many holiday film" Crippen

Merry Christmas

Check out the Mountain Dew Fleece Pants ......I'm wearing

Kudos to Hyundai

Last week, I receive a recall letter from Hyundai that my electrical wiring harness system needed to be replace. So, since there is no Hyundai dealership in Leavenworth, I went to closest one I could at Shawnee Mission. They not only took care of one recall part but two. The exhaust manifold was under warranty and they replaced that too. Then for the last five months I finally figured out that the reason for my check engine light was coming on. The speed sensor which is connected to the ignition system was pretty close to going out along with timing belt costing me over 600 dollars. I hate to spend the money for it but I always remember the phrase " Pay now and pay a little or pay a lot later." These guys had to keep my car overnight and gave a free rental car for the day. I'll tell you what even with having to part with some money these guys at Shawnee Mission Hyundai were the nicest guys to work with ever. Kudos to everyone from Mike the technician to Toby and Jay the service guys. The car feels like it's brand new even tough it's a 2002.

Signed
Tim "Merry Christmas" Crippen

Somebody dropped the ball

If you were like me this past friday you probably shopping just like millions of other Americans on a day we like to call Black Friday. As morning approach, I headed to Best Buy to be looking for a new tv. I didn't wait too long in line no more than five minutes. I looked at the Dynex 19' as well as the Sharp 22' TV/DVD combo. Both were great, but I decided to get the Sharp 22. I wait in line for about five minutes....they had everybody working the cash register. As, I'm writing my check a portion of my check gets ripped. They put it in the cash register....they said it was declined. I write a second check thinking since the number were portionally ripped off that the computer didn't read the first check. Declined again. Now, I'm getting mad they ask me if I wanted to use my credit card.....I was hesitant at first but decided to go with it. After making my purchase, I went to a local ATM machine just to see what I had in my account and it was more than enough to cover the TV. So, what have learn boys and girls. Well, for one thing somebody dropped the ball on this situation. Either it was my bank or it was something wrong with Best Buy's computer system.

Signed
Tim "AAAArrgh" Crippen

Single guy's guide to surviving thanksgiving

Okay for the first time ever in my life.......i spent thanksgiving alone. Yes, you heard right alone. No friends, family was in ark city, Kansas but I couldn't make since I have to work tomorrow.....it just felt weird. Too start we have to start from yesterday at work.......when I stopped at Topy's popcorn for a bucket of carmel. cinnamon and butter to snack on for the holidays. As I was driving by listening to some classic Bon Jovi, I see there was dude at the Little Ceasar's on shawnee parkway and quivira jammin to a fake cardboard cutout of a guitar advertisement for $5 pizza. I saw this rolled down my window....he heard the Bon Jovi music and he was really started to jam.....That may me laugh all the way to the grocery store. Then I stopped at the price chopper to get a substitute thanksgiving dinner. Hey, if you can make for grandmother's dinner or your parent's house.....I would suggest buying one of those Hungry Man XXL turkey dinner......it's not quite the same but it does the trick. I stayed up late watching movies and you can't go wrong with a holiday classic like "planes, trains, and automobiles." This morning got up watched annual parade....no balloon mishaps, but if you search the internet on the 1957 parade what happen with the popeye balloon you'll probably chuckle at it.

Catch some football as well as watching the plaza lights get turned on. My old roomate text me from California and is now in food coma. Not really, but you know what I mean. Did I survive thanksgiving? Yeah, I did but it really wasn't great as great as I thought it would be when your all alone.

Signed
Tim "I'm thankful for a lot of things" Crippen

Who says you can't get a free lunch

In recent months there sure have been a lot of promotions for a lot free stuff.......first back in October if somebody stole a base during the World Series you can win a free taco......I took advantage of this by hitting to three taco bell stores. Hey, I got free meal out of this. Then on election day Starbuck s coffee gave you free cup of coffee if you show your "I voted" sticker the same went for Chick-fil-A as they would give you their original chicken sandwich. Now, the lastest promotion is from Dr. Pepper. Back in March the bottling company made a statement that if the new Gun's N' Roses album "Chinese Democracy" would dopped by 2008 that everyone can get a free coupon for a 20 oz. Dr. Pepper on their website. Well, yesterday the album went on sell......and as Dr. Pepper president says "the drinks are on us".

Signed
Tim "have a happy thanksgiving" Crippen

Now what

So, the election has come and gone and we've elected a new president Barack Obama. I thought when I came to work that Wednesday morning that I would hear hooping and hollering of joyous celebration. Instead, I got more of the silent and empathy treatment at work. Maybe people were just tired of the election, maybe they were upset that their guy loss or maybe they were happy that their guy had won but was too tired that morning to show enthusiam. Eithier way I say to the new president congratulations "you've got a big job ahead and it's not going to be easy." I didn't vote for Obama or McCain in this election.....I voted for Ron Paul. Now, some people would say you just wasted your vote ......to that which I say No, I didn't because what I'm telling to both of the parties is that neithier one of you giving any real good solutions to fixing the mess....and it's more than just the economy. There is too many unknowns of what is going to be happening in the next few years.......Am I going to have a job? Is my 401K plan going to be a 201K? Is health Insurance still going to be with my employer? Are we going to see a switch in the Supreme Court in idealogy? Are we going to end the war in Iraq and Afghanistan a lot sooner before the job is finished? Just some of the questions that a lot of people are really asking about the new president.

I think with all the problems that we have in this country there is not a problem in this world that God can't solve if we turn our hearts toward him and reject our sinful ways as a country. Now, that may sound simple but at least it is honest.

Signed
Tim "glad the election is over with" Crippen

A clown coming in for an interview

Okay, I know it's halloween and people at our company do dress up and what have you just so they can have fun and maybe win some money prize. But, if your not part of the company and your coming in for an interview perhaps wearing costume before you are going to an interview is not a great idea as well as maybe having a beer in your hand. Well, today a woman who was applying for one of the two maintenance positions was wearing a clown suit. Luckily, my boss has a sense of humor and did the interview as if were a normal day. Now, I don't know if she will get the job, but if she does I will be amazed.

Signed
Tim "clowns are only needed for kids parties and the circus" Crippen

Ch...Ch...Ch...Changes

These last three days has gone through many changes surrounding me. First, let me start about my weekend. I headed off to Pittsburg this weekend to see our beloved Campus Christians House for the very last time for Homecoming week. It will be torn down after this year and made into a parking lot. I have many good memories of the place from ping pong tournaments, to my fishing buddy and I wrestling down on the floor to the praise and worship days on Tuesday Nights. Speaking of my fishing buddy, Dan Decker took a new job in West Plains, Mo as a helicopter mechanic. The football stadium added jungle tron to the South field which is a new video scoreboard (gee, I wonder how much that cost) Then today at work, two of my fellow co-workers in my department decided to quit leaving the maintenance dept with just the two of us. Oh, man making my job duties double. I just wanted to take a deep breath and say "things are going to get better it's just the question of when."

I guess in this year of change.... I shouldn't be surprised of people moving, new jobs, marriage and everything else in between that you realize that things are going to change. It's just a matter of whether you can adapt to it. As I get older it gets harder and harder for me to embrace change. I know I need to but it's not easy. I remember when I was coming home yesterday putting on old Michael W. Smith song that I still like to this day. It's called "Place in this World."
As I listen to lyrics of that song it still has the same effects on my life as it did when I was a teenager. Where I feel the I'm standing still, but the wind is constantly moving. To this day I'm still looking for a reason to find my place in this world. I've always enjoyed that song because it is so true.

Signed
Tim "working on changes" Crippen

An American Carol

If your a fan of the Naked Gun films or your views politically are somewhat conservative then you'll like this hysterical politcal comedy film "An American Carol". Starring Kevin Farley (Chris Farley's brother) as Michael Malone a liberal film director who hates America and wants to abolish the celebration of Fourth of July. He gets visited by his hero JFK in which he tells Malone that he needs to change his views and that he will be visited by three spirits. His first spirit is General George Patton from World War II played by Kelsey Grammer. then he is visted by George Washington and the spirit of death or future is played by country music singer Trace Adkins. This film makes fun of just about everybody Michael Moore, Rosie O' Donnell, the ACLU, TSA, and the muslim terrorists. I can't tell you what happens in the film but you will be laughing in your seats. In this crazy political season it's nice to have film that laughs at the other side.

Signed
Tim " very sad that the bears lost today" Crippen