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Friday June 30th, 2006--"Do Gooders"
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I would have to say that the most satisfying aspect of having this website is my ability to extoll those who are doing good things. These "things" could be making really great paintings or photographs or excellent news programs, etc.
The latest "great thing" is a bank. I know, I know, that's not very, "punk rock," but this bank of mine is so great I can't even believe it--it must be too good to be true and I'm waiting for that day when my love for this bank is trashed.
My bank-love is Washington Mutual and I've never had a bank treat me like... a human. They have helped me out in so many ways, I'd like to share them with you and in fact I just did, but I had second thoughts about transmitting any details about my banking experiences to the world and I erased them. Oh well, you'll just have to trust me on it.
They have a checking account that doesn't charge you for almost anything (they say they don't charge anything at all, but there must be something they're doing) and they allow you to add a no-balance, no-fee savings account for whatever reason you want. I use mine to save up for a little something special... my precious...
The next step in this love affair happened today when I checked my bank account on-line (incredibly easy with WaMu) and clicked on the "WaMoola for Schools" link. I can pick a school and WaMu will donate money (based on my use of their debit card). As far as I can see, there's no catch. I don't pay anything, WaMu donates money, it works. So, if you live near a WaMu or are already a WaMu customer, I suggest signing up for this program. I'll let you know if they break my heart.
p.s. The school I chose was Middle Township High School. Even though I despised the time I spent there (and maybe because of it), I would like to see it improve. Plus, my little sister is going there right now and she supposedly likes it.
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Wednesday June 28th, 2006--
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Just watched an excellent documentary entitled, "Why We Fight." I'm not going to bother you with a description of it, just go rent it (they have it at my blockbuster video) if you are interested in U.S. history leading up to the Iraq war. It won best picture at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival.
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Tuesday June 27th, 2006--Prafterdotcom Lost and Found
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This past weekend the prafterdotcom staff went out into the wilderness for some R&R. It was "good times," and I have photos/images a plenty. But not yet, right now I have for you some of the images I found while cleaning up my email account. I actually found a bunch of photos from the last time we went out into the wilderness, but I need to make them small so you can download them. Here's some randoms:
Brooke and prafter at the La Jolla Brew Place.
Bob McClure likes to ride Go Karts. They make him feel sort of funny inside.
This guy is named the Gimp of "Mike Hearon" and he was well on his way to turning into Captain Insano in this photo from 2005.
Harry Gordon and a painting I made for him.
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Friday June 23rd, 2006--Friday Blogging
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Going to school here at Scripps Inst. of Oceanography is great. Where else would you get an email (made out to everyone at SIO) that says this:
Here's somewhat of a strange request. Yesterday we put an acoustic tag on a thresher shark off Black's Beach and began tracking it (following the shark continuously to collect movement and oceanographic data). Unfortunately, our lab is now in a bind because one of our volunteers is unavailable to do their tracking shift tonight, and data collection needs to continue until around noon tomorrow. We're looking for someone to help overnight (7 pm tonight until 1 pm tomorrow), working on a small, cramped Boston Whaler. Alternatively, I just need a warm body to take a ride out to the tracking site (presently offshore of Cardiff-by-the-Sea, about a 9 mile run) at 7:30 pm tonight, and then we could be back by 9:30 pm at the latest - this would also help me out a lot if staying out all night is not an option. Please email and let me know if you're interested, or call cell 619--------. Thanks, Dan |
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Ok, another photo:
Brooke and Scott--an ear-candling party. She loves that stuff.
I didn't post this yet, did I? I can't keep track of things on this site. We need to have a prafterdotcom staff meeting about keeping this site organized.
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Thursday June 22nd, 2006--Some Stuff
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I have a bunch of photos that should be up here and so I'll try to get them on here every few days. Here's one:
Cristen, Christy, Gimp, Dave Soens, Chucky
MJ, Dave, Libby's friend, Libby, Cristen, Miller, Seth, Chucky, Christy, Al Kaz, and That Guy
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Also, today the Supreme Court did something good (I know, what? where? how?). It voted 8-1 (not 9-0 see this link for what Alito's new vote is doing on the court) in favor of a 5'1" fork-lift driving woman. She complained of sexual harrassment at her workplace and she was punished by her employer in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 in several ways (click here). Guess who supported the company (hint, it rhymes with Dousche, well sort of)?
If you're not pissed, you're definitely not paying attention. Or you're just a dick.
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Tuesday June 20th, 2006--Reality Based People Unite!
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Remind yourself of that famous quote by Steven Colbert, "It's well known that reality has a liberal bias."
Then, go ahead and watch this great program on PBS (yeah, there are no commercials and no bias) about the rush away from Afghanistan and into Iraq thanks to Dick "Dick" Cheney. His other nickname is, "Face." Figure it out.
You can watch the whole program by clicking here. Once your done watching it, go ahead and be depressed. I am.
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Monday June 19th, 2006--Allison Makes Paintings
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Go ahead and look at all of Allison's paintings, they're cool. I ripped them off of her My Space page and I hope she doesn't mind.
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Saturday June 17th, 2006--
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We took dancing lessons the other day and it was interesting. Twice as many women were there, so we had to switch every minute or so... pretty lame. I did get the first few steps of the foxtrot down, but Brookie hardly had anyone to dance with (she had to wait her turn), which is unfortunate. Happily, we will have practiced at home before the next lesson starts on Wednesday (right Brookie?).
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The next night was the Fair--the sinister San Diego County to be exact.
Brooke and Julie bravely enter the SD Fair.
We travelled there with these two peeps Donnie and Julie--they were nice. I've bravely ventured into the San Diego Fair a couple times over the years and the Carnies always tempt you with some new evil food item--on a stick or fried if possible. Last year it was the Fried Snickers Bar. The year before was the Fried Twinkie. This year was the Fried Avocado, which I hesitantly tried and... it actually wasn't bad. We also had this dessert called a banana caramel tower that was one of the best things I've ever had and the people over at Yum Yum's Ice Cream in Sea Isle City, NJ should definitely make it available. Mmmmmmm, bananas, shortcake, and caramel with whipcream on top. So friggin' good that I almost forgot that those Carnies were only trying to soften me up, so that they could take advantage of me later on (I don't know why--that's just what they do).
I forgot to mention the best food at the Fair is the roasted corn--roasted in the husk, with lime and chile powder. Damn. I had two. However, those Carnies tricked me with one really great ear of corn and one incredibly bad ear of corn that was nothing but the worst corn I've ever eaten. Damn Carnies.
Julie and Brooke in a deliberately posed photo. Note evil Carnies in the background.
We saw Hall and Oates. Yeah, that's right, you read that correctly--Darryl Hall and John Freakin' Oates. You may remember a couple years back we saw Journey at the same place (then we got kicked out by the Carnie Security--long story).
This Guy--where to begin with this guy? 
After we got bored with Hall and Oates (they already played, "Maneater" and "I Can't Go For That") we stopped by this area of the fair where they display various things that people had collected. Someone collected heart-shaped stones and I took a picture so I could put it on the website. They also had a collection of, "Evil Carnie Torture Devices," but the Carnies wouldn't let me take a picture of that.
As the sun set, the true nature of the Fair was revealed (see how evil this photo looks): 
But if you really want to view the True Sinister Heart of the SD Fair, just take a look at this:
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Finally, yesterday was the first real summer day that I saw here in San Diego. Blazing sunshine all day, wearing shorts and flip flops, chest-high, lumpy, warm-water waves at Scripps. First time I trunked it all year and it was a good thing. Afterward, I came home from work and the Gimp 
took us all out for drinks (I had lemonade--a hard drink) and we watched the sunset over the La Jolla Cove. A freaking nice day.
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Ok, one last thing, I am loving this You Tube thing, just saw an Otis Redding performance from the Go Go '60s right here. Man, there is the best beat in that song at the end. I was feeling it.
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Tuesday June 13th, 2006--
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I saw this police video on You Tube (click here). Check out the hole in the wall (you can't miss it). The fact that there is a You Tube or Ebaums World is really... strange in a way. Who ever thought that moments after you take a video, it could be viewed by literally anyone in the world. This is the 21st century.
Speaking of the 21st century, I (Patrick Rogers) am a traveller from the 20th century. I have a little robot that says, "biddi biddi biddi," and I may actually get a cell phone (I think I mentioned this before). Well, it's settled that I will get a cell phone because I beat out everyone else I know, such as: Nik Patantayus, Pete Vivian, Matty Pellini. I beat them all. I am the champion. I wish I could keep it this way, but there's forces arrayed against me that I can not fight. These forces are taking away all the pay phones! Didn't we all just get along fine before these damn things were around? I'm irritated with this.
However, I'm still procrastinating over which plan to get, if you have any ideas, please tell me. I'm leaning towards T-Mobile (thanks to Johnny Stunts aka Liquid Hips aka Tiny Dancer aka some other names that my mom wouldn't like to read) or Cingular (because they allowed their employees to unionize).
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Also, no need to worry, Paul and Lorrie's wedding present arrived safe and sound.
