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January 31, 2005

PEOPLE IN THE NEWS

Jerry Meek: Earlier this month I wrote about Jerry Meekís bid to become the youngest Chairman of the North Carolina Democratic Party (Jerry is the youngeróalbeit much talleróbrother of my old college friend, David Meek, who occasionally graces the pages of this site as a Guest Blogger). Well, news arrived over the weekend that Saturdayís election was postponed until February 19th, due to snow-related hazardous roads conditions throughout western and central North Carolina. In the meantime, Saturdayís edition of The News & Observer (Raleigh, NC) ran a great breakdown of the race, pointing out that over the past two years, Jerry has traveled an average of 6,000 miles per month for the Democratic Party, much of it in his single-engine Cessna plane. Click here to read the full article.

Katherine Yushchenko: Last nightís episode of 60 Minutes profiled Viktor Yushchenko, Ukraineís new President. Yushchenko triumphed over his countryís authoritarian rulers, who, by the way, poisoned him during the campaign, leaving him looking like 60 Minutesí own Steve Croft, but I digress. One facet of this made-for-Hollywood ëgood triumphs over badí story that I seem to have missed while it was taking place is that Yushchenkoís wife is a U.S. citizen. Born and raised in Chicago, Katherine Yushchenko is a former U.S. State Department employee. Who knew?

Jolanda Jones: The next installment of Survivor features a girl I went to college with. Jolanda Jones was a standout student athlete at the University of Houston who often had friends and I falling off our seats in the cafeteria with her stories and mannerisms. Iím sure Jolanda wonít disappoint as the token African-American female appearing on a popular reality show. Survivor Palau premiers Thursday, February 17 at 8:00 p.m. eastern time on CBS.

Josh Bernstein: The Fashion & Style section of yesterdayís New York Times included a piece called ěThe Outdoorsman,î featuring my old friend and outdoor industry colleague, Josh Bernstein. Typical of newspaper fashion pieces, this one profiles Joshís choice of Indiana Jones-like clothing, which is prominently on display in the new History Channel cable television show, Digging For The Truthb. Apparently, that hat Josh is so fond of wearing is custom job, made of compressed beaver, costing somewhere between $550.00 and $750.00, The next episode of Digging For The Truth, in which Josh climbs the world's most active volcano, Stromboli, on an island near Sicily, premiers tonight at 9:00 p.m. eastern time on The History Channel. (Oh, if you want to read the NYT piece featuring Josh's clothing, feel free to use "beliblog" as your User Name, and "readit" as your password.)

Posted by Mikal at 7:28 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

January 28, 2005

FOUR FOR FRIDAY

Q1: If a stranger leaves a voicemail message on your home phone for someone you don't know, do you call the person back to tell them they reached the wrong party? If your answer is no, are there any circumstances under which you think you would call the person back?

Q2: Currently, no federal laws exist which prohibit using a cell phone while operating a motor vehicle. Proponents of restricting cell phones while driving point to studies that show that their use while driving contributes to distractions, which lead to accidents. Opponents of these restrictions say there is insufficient evidence to conclude that mobile phones are any different from other distractions to drivers. What do you think...should automobile drivers be allowed to talk on the phone while driving?

Q3: Industry conferences and trade shows afford their attendees with opportunities to see 'what's next'. For example, at the Outdoor Retailer Show, outdoor recreation industry professionals, i.e., manufacturers, retailers, guides, and the media, all get a sneak peek at the outdoor gear we'll see in stores at some point in the future. If you could choose to attend any one industry conference or trade show, complete with full access to everything and everybody at the show, which industry would you choose?

Q4: Do you have a favorite weird food or weird drink combination? If so, what is it? If not, did you ever have one when you were growing up?

Posted by Mikal at 12:01 AM | Comments (9) | TrackBack

January 27, 2005

Last September I posted an entry entitled 'Time To Get Creative: Help Name A Not-For-Profit' (click here for that posting). The not-for-profit in question is now known as the Cottonwood Institute, and word came late yesterday afternoon from the organization's founder and executive director, my friend and mentor Ford Church, that the IRS has accepted Ford's application for CI to be officially recognized as a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization.

In the life of a not-for-profit, receiving the IRS's approval of your application for 501(c)3 status is a huge accomplishment. I should know, as I myself have taken two organizations thru the tedious and worrisome process. While the application itself can be excruciatingly stressful to complete, the waiting period to receive the IRS's decision is even more painful. At the end of the day, the IRS agreed that the Cottonwood Institute--whose vision is to inspire a new generation of environmentally aware and civically engaged leaders, empowered to make a positive impact within their respective communities--deserves the advantages associated with operating under the guise of not-for-profit protection.

To recap, for anyone who may have missed the original post last September, the Cottonwood Institute is a Boulder, Colorado-based not-for-profit that develops engaging outdoor programs aimed at transforming the way people become involved with their communities and surrounding environments. Cottonwood Institute programs are all about community action. Each program is designed for adventurous people, or for people who want to explore their more adventurous sides, who are passionate about making a difference in the world. All of CI's programs teach essential camping and wilderness survival skills while providing opportunities to do something positive about important environmental issues facing us all.

January 25, 2005

Last night marked the national television debut of Josh Bernstein and The History Channel's 'Digging For The Truth' (for the uninitiated, click here for my first post about Josh and the show). It's interesting to watch someone you know star in his own TV show. I went into the experience thinking I knew everything there was to know about Josh, and that no matter how the show's producers portrayed him, the person I knew while living in Boulder would ultimately shine through on my television screen. In many ways, Josh didn't disappoint.

In last nightís premiere episode, I learned that the Egyptian Pyramids of Giza have inspired awe and wonder, along with a great deal of debate as to the date of their construction. Josh introduced viewers to Zahi Hawass--an archaeologist and Secretary General of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities--who says the ancient Egyptians built the great structures. Then Josh introduced John Van Auken--director of the Association for Research and Enlightenment--who says the ancient people of Atlantis built Egypt's pyramids. For the next hour Josh took viewers up and down Egypt's pyramids, interviewing Hawass and Van Auken along the way. The implied promise was that by the end of the hour-long show, Josh will have an educated answer, if not an insightful guess, as to who is more correct on the overriding question of who built the great pyramids.

From a content perspective, I'll defer to the January 21st, 2005 online edition of The Hollywood Reporter to do my bidding:

From an "I used to know Josh" perspective, I'll share the following observations:

- Josh looked like the Josh I've always known, but I couldnít help but wonder why on earth the show's producers choose to have him lug around a shoulder-strapped leather briefcase. Not once during the hour-long episode was the briefcase ever opened, and while it might have added to the whole Indiana Jones effect, it looked downright uncomfortable, especially while Josh was crawling thru tight spaces in and around the pyramids.

- Some of Zahi Hawassí statements were not believable. In one instance Hawass' stated that he was allowing Josh to enter an upper chamber of a pyramid that he claimed had not been entered by any human beings in nearly 10 years. Now why on earth would Egyptís Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities allow a novice like Josh to be the first human in 10 years to enter a sacred burial chamber before researchers or other credentialed personnel. In my view, Hawass came across as being a bit over dramatic, as if he himself was a little in awe of the promise of being on American television.

- Another unrealistic moment came when Josh was shown riding a horse from one set of pyramids to another. As this Egyptian-based blog posting reveals, the whole thing was a bit of a ruse, but it made for good television, so I suppose no one outside of the Egyptianís themselves will ever notice.

All in all, I thought Joshís debut was a solid effort. Despite what The Hollywood Reporter had to say about it, I felt Josh asked some solid questions of the people he interviewed, and that his goofiness brought levity to an otherwise gray and dreary topic. The History Channel's Digging For The Truth is scheduled to run each Monday evening from 9:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. eastern time for next 12 weeks (check local listings for times and channels in your location, or visit the Digging For The Truth website by clicking here).

January 23, 2005

As I previously mentioned, I'm out east this weekend, and it snowed like crazy here all last night and into the early part of this afternoon. As a result of the nearly 22 inches of snow that fell throughout the day and night, along with the drifting snow which made for seriously unsafe roads, I was unable to make my flight this morning back to Indianapolis. Boston's Logan Airport is not scheduled to reopen until the early hours of Monday morning, and there was just no way possible for me to get to LaGuardia in time for my flight.

Tomorrow, Monday, will be a travel day for me. Hope that's going to be okay with my boss... I guess I'll find out when I get into work on Tuesday morning!

January 22, 2005

I'm out east this weekend, and according to every radio and television station, we're going to get hammered later today, tonight, and tomorrow by a major blizzard (one-and-a-half to two-and-a-half feet of snow, they say). I'm scheduled to fly back to Indy on Sunday (from New York's LaGuardia Airport), and if I'm to believe the news reports, the impending storm is going to lock the region down until at least Monday morning. I'm now off in search of extra food and bottled water (just in case the pipes freeze). More info to come as, and if, this storm develops.

Well, it looks like the weather forecasters got this one right. It's snowing like crazy out here. I just turned on the television to see the following message scrolling across the bottom of the screen, which I think tells the story about just how bad this storm has become:

People, you know this is a serious mother-fuc&#r of a storm when they start canceling Yanni concerts down in the city that never sleeps. If I were a betting man, I'd guess that my Sunday afternoon flight out of LaGuardia is either going to be canceled or I won't stand a snowball's chance in hell of making it there in time for the flight. (I'll post pictures tomorrow.)

January 21, 2005

Q1: Last week's published pictures of England's Prince Harry wearing a Nazi uniform at a costume party caused outrage around the world. In the days and weeks following the uproar, a poll published in a London newspaper showed that while 70 percent of those interviewed thought Harry was wrong to sport the uniform and accompanying swastika armband, more than half of those between the ages of 18 and 24 said the choice of outfit was acceptable. What's your take on all of this? Was young Harry in the wrong on this one or do you feel the outrage reported in the media was blown out of proportion? If you were offended, upset, or disappointed by Harry's choice of costume, would your opinion change if you learned that for thousands of years Hindus from across the world have regarded the swastika as a highly-sacred sign of wisdom?

Q2: In a move that many see as an admission that marketers do share blame for the childhood obesity epidemic in the U.S., Kraft Foods last week announced that it would stop advertising snacks such as Oreo cookies and Kool-Aid, and instead shift its advertising budget to new lines of healthier "Sensible Solution" food products for children. Many food industry observers fear that Kraft's strategy bolsters the position of consumer advocates who favor a ban on the business of marketing junk food to children. How long do you think Kraft's new childhood obesity-sensitive advertising strategy will last, and how do you feel about vending machines placed in schools that dole out candy and soda?

Q3: Assuming you've never done any of the following, which would you pick to do this winter if forced to pick one: Learn to ice fish and spend a week with anyone you wanted doing so? Travel with anyone of your choosing to the town of Jukkasjarn, in northern Sweden, for a week's stay at the Ice Hotel, a palatial facility built each winter entirely out of ice? Or, attend a fantasy figure skating camp which culminated in your mandatory participating in a public performance in front 1,000 people, some of whom you know and work with?

Q4: Much has been made over the last month or so about the $40-$50 million price-tag for yesterday's Presidential Inauguration here in the U.S., paid almost entirely from non-governmental sources, i.e., private donations. Former Enron executive, Rich Kinder and his wife Nancy, donated $250,000 to the inauguration, while Texas oilman T. Boone Pickens--who put $2.5 million of his own money behind the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth ads that ran during the 2004 election--also donated $250,000 to the inaugural event. On the corporate side of the equation, Exxon Mobil Corporation, Ford Motor Company, Goldman Sachs, Sallie Mae, Time Warner, SBC, Home Depot, Northrop Grumman, the National Association of Realtors, Morgan Stanley's PAC, Anheuser-Busch, AT&T, Bank of America, BlueCross BlueShield of Florida, and Cisco Systems, just to name a few, each donated $100,000 or more. How do you feel about the amount of private money raised and spent on these inaugural events?

January 20, 2005

Thanks to the good folks up at Grip Media, Belicove.com is now Firefox friendly and compliant. If you're not familiar with Firefox, it's the new web browser--for both the PC and Mac--that leading publications are saying is better than Internet Explorer, by leaps and bounds.

I downloaded the browser last night, and the speed at which it loads pages is quite amazing. If you're not using it, click here to visit the official Firefox site. In the meantime, I'd like to thank everyone who prodded me over the last six months or so to make the site Firefox compliant. A special debt of gratitude goes out to Don Passenger of HTMLfixIT.com, who took the time to provide me with an in depth analysis and solution to the problem, and to Jerry Chrisman of Grip Media for making the necessary code changes throughout this FrankenBlog of mine.

January 19, 2005

The minute I answered the phone and he said his name, I just knew that it wasn't going to be good. David's the director of community outreach at the Indianapolis Humane Society, and when he called yesterday morning to ask if I had a couple of minutes to talk, tears instinctually came to both of my eyes. David's the person who treated me so well when I showed up on the Humane Society's doorstep last Wednesday morning with Delaware, the dog I found all knotted up in his chain in amongst the trash and trees alongside Fall Creek Parkway.

David explained that after four days had gone by without anyone claiming him, Delaware and the Humane Society's staff had reached a difficult crossroad. Delaware failed the IHS's mandatory aggression test, given to all dogs before they're released into the adoption pool. He consistently showed his teeth and snapped at anyone who attempted to come close to his food and toys, and even went so far as to snap at a stroller with a baby-size doll in the same position as where a young child might have been placed. Bottom line, unless I wanted to adopt him yesterday afternoon--under the condition that I had no children in my home--Delaware would have to be humanely euthanized.

Revealing everything, David also shared that additional testing discovered that Delaware had severely bad hips--Canine Hip Dysplasia is the official term--and that its likely that his owner, upon learning of the condition and the costs associated with its fix, decided to give up on old Dell, and may have actually let him run off on his own rather than incur the medical costs connected with the condition. In any event, it seems that Delaware had a lot of odds stacked against him, and that this life just wasn't meant for him to live out.

I feel bad about what happened to Delaware, more than words can express. I visited him on Saturday afternoon, and while he seemed happy to be out in the open for a few minutes, he appeared to me to already be a different dog from the one I encountered and connected with on the side of the road. He smelled different, had an attitude about him that was different, and didn't seem at all interested in reconnecting with me. I know, I'm reading too much into the situation, but still, I couldn't help but notice that my expectations were much higher than Dell's (he says with a quirky half-smile on his face).

Here's wishing that all dogs do go to heaven, and that Delaware The Dog is romping thru a delightful field right now, snapping away at dragonflies along the way.

January 18, 2005

After a detailed search, I finally have my next car. As of 7:00 p.m. last night, I'm the happy driver of a 2005 Honda Civic LX:

At the end of the day, I opted for reliability and security over frugality. The Honda Civic provides the safety, long-term durability, and low maintenance and insurance costs, along with the type of gas mileage I'd been unable to find in the used car market. Only time will tell if I made the right choice. For now I'm comfortable with my decision.

January 17, 2005

You can expect to hear a great deal of hot air over the coming months about Social Security. What you probably wonít hear is a simple plan to change the system in order to boost the personal savings of the average worker while also protecting Social Security. Read to hear the plan? Okay, but first this.

One of the major goals of reforming Social Security, according to the Bush Administration, is to get U.S. taxpayers to save more money. Unfortunately, the Administrationís proposal to privatize a portion of Social Security wonít help Americans save diddly-squat.

The problems facing Social Security are real. U.S. citizens are saving almost nothing. This means that a lot of us wonít be ready for retirement. The Bush Administrationís solutions are new tax-favored savings accounts, similar to IRAs and 401ks, but bigger, along with private accounts in which workers can invest part of their Social Security deductions. And, of course, more tax cuts on income from investments, i.e., more tax cuts for the wealthy. But none of these will help. What they will do is enlarge the federal budget deficit-ńwhich is already massively huge. If individuals save more but the government goes deeper into deficit, itís a wash.

And thereís a second flaw. Bush's proposals assume that the typical U.S. taxpayer will in fact save more if given a tax incentive to do so. But thatís very doubtful. Tax subsidies for retirement accounts increased over the past four years, but during that same time personal savings dropped. Thatís because wages haven't increased-ńwhile the costs of living, complete with things like health insurance, gas, and food, have soared. In other words, the real reason most Americans havenít saved is because their paychecks havenít grown; yet their bills have.

Exempt the first $10,000 of income from payroll taxes-ńso long as $1,240.00 is saved by each person (thatís the payroll tax-ń12.4 percent, contributed equally by employers and employees)--and then make up the loss to the Social Security system by raising the ceiling on earnings now subject to the payroll tax. (This year, that ceiling is around $90,000.00)

There it is...a simple and equitable way to increase savings, while reforming Social Security. A lot better, I think, than rewarding publicly-held companies for their ruthless pursuit of increasing shareholder value by cutting costs, i.e., laying off employees, and increasing prices soon thereafter.

January 14, 2005

Q2: When you were younger, what were some things you dreamed about doing, and that you still think are possible to do today, but that you just haven't gotten around to doing or experiencing yet?

Q3: If you were forced to live on a deserted island for one year, what five things--aside from specific items of clothing--that you'd choose to bring?

Q4: Did any notable or high-profile person's death in 2004 have a dramatic or long-lasting affect on you? (Here's a short list of some of the more notable people who died in 2004: Jack Paar, Marge Schott, Sir Peter Ustinov, Alistair Cooke, Tug McGraw, Pat Tillman, Estee Lauder, Alan King, David Dellinger, Sam Dash, Tony Randall, President Ronald Reagan, Ray Charles, Marlon Brando, Isabel Sanford, Rick James, Fay Wray, Julia Child, Geoffrey Beene, Red Adair, Richard Avedon, Janet Leigh, Rodney Dangerfield, Ken Caminiti, Christopher Reeve, Pierre Salinger, Yasser Arafat, Susan Sontag, Reggie White, Jerry Orbach, Johnny Ramone.)

January 13, 2005

Yesterday morning, while on my drive into the office, I found myself stopped at the intersection of Fall Creek and Delaware, where a dog's yelping peaked my interest. I looked to see if any of the cars surrounding mine had a dog, and when I noticed that none of them did, I began to wonder where the barking was coming from. From where my car was situated, the yelping was so immediate and forceful that it sounded as if it was coming from underneath *my* car.

As the light at the intersection turned green, again I heard the same sound, but this time it was sustained for a good five seconds. With all of the cars around mine proceeding forward and on thru the intersection, it became alarmingly clear that the dog's bark was coming from the side of the road. One good turn of my neck to the right, and thru the passenger-side window I saw it... a dog's tail sticking up in the air, waving back and forth, but in a stationary position. I turned on my car's emergency blinker, opened the driver's side door, and went around the car to see what was up with Mr. Barking Tail.

On the other side of the guard rail was a dog that appeared to be stuck in an awkward position just off to the side of the Parkway. Below it was the roaring Fall Creek--which is running high and fast right now because of all the rain we've been getting here in central Indiana--and above the dog was me, the guard rail, and a moderately busy Fall Creek Parkway. From what I could see, it looked like the dog was injured. He was barking, whining and yelping, but not moving any further than a few inches from where he was standing--which was ten feet from the road, and halfway down a 20-foot embankment leading towards Fall Creek. Here's a picture of what I saw (because of the high brush between me and the dog, it's not all that obvious that there's a dog in there, but trust me... there's a dog in there):

As soon as I attempted to move down the embankment, the dog growled and showed his teeth. Clearly, Mr. Barking Tail was in no mood for visitors, but he also wasn't moving on his own. The only thing I could think to do was to call 911, which I did. The friendly 911 operator told me that there was nothing she could do; that I needed to call Animal Control. I asked her if she could connect me with that agency, which resulted in a response of, "Sorry, I can't do that, but I can give you the number." As luck would have it, the moment I hung up with 911, my cell phone went dead (I neglected to plug it in before bed on Tuesday night, so I had only enough juice to make the one call to 911.)

So, there I am, standing on the side of Fall Creek Parkway, holding my phone up in the air, gesturing to passing cars, as if to say, does anyone have a phone I can use? Eventually, a nice woman named Cindy decided to stop and ask what was gong on (again, you have to picture this... I'm standing on the side of the road waving a cell phone in the air, and my car is blocking one of two lanes of traffic headed in the eastern direction... not too many people where interested in stopping... not when they were most likely already late for work themselves). Cindy let me use her cell phone to call Animal Control, and while we waited together for someone to show up, she attempted to feed the dog part of her lunch. Mind you, we couldn't get all that close to the pooch for fear of scaring him off the log or of him attacking, and the brush was so think that it seemed impossible to get down to where he was situated. Cindy was determined though, and she wouldn't give up. She tossed pieces of her sandwich closer and closer to the dog until he was finally able to reach out for a few bites. MmmmÖ sandwichÖ Mr. Barking Tail happier now!

After 20 minutes and another call to Animal Control, a police officer drove by and asked me what was going on. When I told her that there was an injured dog off to the side of the road, she said that she couldn't stop to help because --and I'm quoting her on this one... "I can't help you right now; I'm my way to a crime."

Cindy was having so much luck with getting the dog to eat her lunch, that I decided that it was safe enough to go all the way down to the where the dog was standing to see exactly what was keeping him from moving from the exact same position for some 45 minutes or so. As soon as I got closer, it became very obvious why he wasn't moving. Here's a close up shot, with the Creek behind me (Iím the photographer), and Fall Creek Parkway behind and up the embankment from the dog:

See that red thing hanging from the dog's neck? That's a 25-foot cord that's attached to his collar (a collar which had no dog tags, by the way). The cord was wrapped around a bunch of branches and over and under at least three different fallen trees. There was no way on earth that the dog was going to get free on his own, and lucky for me he was happy by this point to have me come closer and set him free.

Five minutes later, after freeing him from the brush, fido was in the backseat of my rental car--muddy paws and all--and we were on our way to the Indianapolis Humane Society, where "Delaware the Dog" now resides (that's what I named him, on account of finding him near the corner of Fall Creek and Delaware). He and I both are hoping that his owner comes to the Humane Society looking for him, or that he passes the Humane Society's aggression test so he can be put up for adoption into a loving and caring home. Here's a shot of Delaware and me just before saying goodbye:

If I were allowed to have dogs where I live, I'd adopt this one in a jiffy. He was so nice after being set free. I spent a good hour-and-a-half with him in the car and at the Indianapolis Humane Society. If you know this dog, or if you think you'd be interested in adopting him, here's a link to his record on the Humane Society website.

January 12, 2005

As I've mentioned here on the blog before, I'm currently in the market for a used car. My good friend Roman, whom I've known since college, is a real pro at buying cars. Here's some of Roman's advice for those of us who are evaluating used cars:

So, what do you think of Roman's advice? What else--from a global perspective--would you suggest to someone who is evaluating a used car?

January 11, 2005

Iëm concerned that pork barrel legislation has spun out of control. The process by which our elected officials set budgets and appropriate funds, which leads to the passage of unabashed pork, does not take into account the worth of a project in the selection process, and clearly favors those states with the most powerful legislators.

According to leading watchdog groups, pork barrel appropriations have grown by over 350 percent over the past decade. Lawmakers arbitrarily pick the winners and losers, which leads to 3,320-page bills that include funding for a $375,000,000.00 million amphibious assault ship for the state of Mississippi, and $100,000.00 to renovate a Coca-Cola building in Macon, Georgia. For these reasons, and thousands upon thousands more, Iím encouraging everyone who reads this post to send letters to their elected representatives in Washington, D.C., demanding that the following recommendations be implimented started with the 109th Congress:

While $200,000.00 for recreational improvements in North Pole, Alaska, or $250,000.00 for the Pinellas County (Florida) Police Athletic League, may seem insignificant in the grand fiscal scheme of the country, such projects represent a corruption of the budgetary process. Too many members of Congress are more concerned about bringing home the bacon for their re-election than they are about the fiscal future of our nation.

The bottom line here is that our country is facing ever-increasing budget deficits, and itís time to start making tough decisions about the nationís fiscal future. The steps outlined above will help rein in wasteful earmarking and are good first steps toward ensuring more responsible federal spending.

January 10, 2005

Josh Bernstein and The History Channel's Digging For The Truth: Back in May of last year, I posted an entry here on my blog about how Josh Bernstein--an old friend and colleague from Boulder--was tapped to host a new television show on The History Channel called Digging For The Truth. Media reports, along with Bernstein's own company website, now reveal that after 8 months of global filming, Digging For The Truth is about to make its U.S. debut. What is Digging For The Truth? All the press on the show says the same thing..."think CSI meets archaeology." The show profiles Josh and others as they look at some of the worldís greatest ancient mysteries. Tune in on Monday nights and you'll get to see the photogenic Bernstein trekking through Ethiopia in search of the lost Ark of the Covenant, tackling the jungles of the Amazon while searching for the hidden treasures of the Inca, and descending into the volcano Vesuvius in an attempt to solve the puzzles of Pompeii. Digging For The Truth debuts two weeks from today, on January 24th, from 9:00-10:00pm ET/PT, on The History Channel.

Jerry Meek Makes a Run at the North Carolina Democratic Party Chairmanship: In June of last year, I posted an answer to the question Name a current Democrat who you think would make a great president here on my blog. Jerry Meek, the younger brother of Guest Beli-Blogger Dave Meek, received my nod, and now it seems that Jerry might actually be one step closer to the White House. On the 29th of this month, Jerry's name, along with that of only one other person, will appear on a ballot for the position of Chairman of the North Carolina Democratic Party. Click here for a recent interview Jerry gave to the Fayetteville Observer. Here's wishing Jerry the best of luck with his campaign. The people of North Carolina deserve a straight-talker like Jerry Meek.

January 9, 2005

Where can you buy someone else's lingerie or underwear without them knowing about your purchase? According to today's Indianapolis Star, in Scottsboro, Alabama, at the Unclaimed Baggage Center--a one-of-a-kind store that buys and resells truckloads of stuff from luggage the airlines are unable to match back up with airline customers. From the this Sunday's Indianapolis Star:

According to Unclaimed Baggage's website, around sixty percent (60%) of the merchandise found at the northeast Alabama center is clothing, with the rest of the store--which adds over 5,000 items to its inventory every day--is dedicated to cameras, electronics, sporting goods, jewelry, designer optical, books and of course, luggage.

I'm lucky...none of my luggage has ever found its way to Scottsboro, Alabama. Once, while in colege, on a flight from Houston to New York, my bags visited London for a few days without me in tow (that's because New York's La Guardia airport's code is LGA while London's Gatwick is LGW), and another time--on a trip from Boulder to Michigan's Upper Peninsula for a work-related trip--my luggage arrived on day five of a six-day trip. Scottsboro appears to be around 425 miles from Indianapolis. Road trip anyone?

January 8, 2005

While 3.5 inches of snow fell here in central Indiana overnight (see photo below, taken earlier this morning from my window), the Indianapolis Star is reporting that the flooding in southern Indiana is about to become the worst the state's seen in some 70 years.

January 7, 2005

Q1: Let's say you came into work one morning to find that the daughter of one of your office's night time cleaning crew members had used your computer to surf the Internet and to type up and print a junior high school book report, all without asking for your permission to do so. What do you do?

Q2: You are next in line in the '12 items or less' check out lane at the grocery store, and just as you're about to lay your 10 items down on the conveyor belt, you notice that the guy behind you in line is holding only one loaf of bread. As a general rule, do you offer one-loaf-man your place in line, or do you continue checking out yourself? What if roles were reversed, and instead of being in an express lane, you find yourself holding only one loaf of bread, and the person in front of you in the checkout lane has a shopping cart crammed full with groceries. Do you ask the person in front of you if you can skip ahead of them, or do you patiently wait your turn?

Q3: Which are you more looking forward to... this weekend, which signifies the start of NFL playoff games, or, this weekend, which signifies the end of the first work week of 2005?

Q4: Do you buy bottled water? If so, are you loyal to one particular brand over all others?

January 6, 2005

With central Indiana experiencing it's fifth straight day of dreary weather, today seems like a good day to share an uplifting photo, which, by the way, is hands-down my favorite picture of 2004. The lovely bride is Mrs. Christina Woerner--the former Christina Mason--and the very same Christina whose comments can be frequently seen throughout this site. The photo was shot by me (I know, can you believe it) on September 18, 2004, in Bloomington, Indiana, in front of Beck Chapel on the Indiana University campus.

January 5, 2005

Much to my surprise, my Blog (this Blog, the BeliBlog/Belicove.com) received a nice write-up in this month's issue of Indianapolis Monthly magazine (circulation: just under 50,000 readers; advertising rate: $5,400.00 for a full-page ad). From page 30 of the January 2005 issue:

Blogs, those online diaries that let would-be pundits spout their opinions to the world, are the hottest means of political expression going. Our rundown on Hoosier efforts to become the 21st-century Samuel Pepys:

Blog Name: Punch The Bag
Address: http://www.punchthebag.com
Could Be Called: Pummel the Left
Blogger: Married male neocon in Indianapolis
Political Leanings: Makes Bill O'Reilly look under-confident
Most Likely Reader: Middle-aged white guys who can't let things go
Why Bother?:Post-election gloating

Blog Name: Burning Behind the Eight Ball
Address: http://www.burningchrome.com/mt/stan/
Could Be Called: The Equal-Opportunity Offender
Blogger: IU Programmer who calls himself Dr. Surly
Political Leanings: A little to the left
Most Likely Reader: Blog addicts looking for a daily fix
Why Bother?: Compellingly fatuous

Blog Name: ConservaTibbs
Address: http://www.conservatibbs.com
Could Be Called: Don't Worry...W's Got It Covered
Blogger: Former IU College Republican
Political Leanings: Somewhere between Dr. James Dobson and The Church Lady
Most Likely Reader: Neocons with chipped shoulders
Why Bother?:Great for treating liberals' low blood pressure

Blog Name: Indiana Law Blog
Address: http://www.indianalawblog.com
Could Be Called: Actually Useful Information
Blogger: Indy attorney who handles legislative/regulatory affairs
Political Leanings: Nonpartisan, we think
Most Likely Reader: Attorneys, extreme public-policy wonks
Why Bother?: Because things lawyers do eventually affect everyone

Blog Name: The Egosystem
Address: http://www.egocentricity.net
Could Be Called: Self-focused and Simple
Blogger: Male twenty-something and his cat
Political Leanings: Nonpartisan but reactionary
Most Likely Reader: The author and (perhaps) his friends
Why Bother?: Many, many Hoosiers think like this

Blog Name: BeliBlog
Address: http://www.belicove.com
Could Be Called: Things You'd Never Think Of on Your Own
Blogger: Male thirty-something book editor from Indy
Political Leanings: Socially liberal but reserves the right to criticize anyone
Most Likely Reader: Cubicle captives on a slow Friday
Why Bother?: More fun than most of this list

Blog Name: Rasmusen Weblog
Address: http://www.rasmusen.org/x
Could Be Called: Conservative and Loving It
Blogger: Prof of Biz Econ at IU (Illinois-born, Yale undergrad, MIT doctorate)
Political Leanings: Right-wing pot-stirrer
Most Likely Reader: Pat Robertson
Why Bother?: Riled IU brass in 2003 by posting on his blog that male homosexuals shouldn't be hired to teach

Blog Name: Smile, Chita Rivera Loves You
Address: http://www.smilechitalovesyou.blogspot.com/
Could Be Called: Let Your Phreak Phlag Phly!
Blogger: Single Evansville theater chick
Political Leanings: Would vote for Liza Minelli in 2008
Most Likely Reader: Fellow free spirits
Why Bother?: For the weird fresh air

Blog Name: Steve Straiger's Boring Blog from the Hoosier Heartland
Address: http://www.stevestraiger.blogspot.com
Could Be Called: Just In Case You Missed The Game
Blogger: Male thirty-something book editor from Carmel
Political Leanings: Larry Bird for President
Most Likely Reader: Locker-room towel-snappers
Why Bother?: The cable went out right before SportsCenter

While I certainly appreciate the exposure, from a political content standpoint, there's at least one other Blog that deserved to be mentioned before mine was. Louis Maher's IndyPundit brings unusual clarity to many issues impacting Hoosiers and our nation as a whole. When you get a free moment or two, check out Mahern's siteÖ itís available by clicking here. (Note: At the time of this posting, Mahern had yet to post anything new for January '05; so to get the full flavor of his site, click on 'October 2004' under Archives in his right-hand column.)

UPDATE: Another Blog that was worthy of a mention ahead of mine is Steph Mineart's Commonplace Book. Steph's Blog received an awsome write-up in the January 5, 2005 edition of NUVO. Click here for the NUVO article, or click here to see Steph's Commonplace Book for yourself.

January 4, 2005

Welcome to 2005: No more pet tigers for New Yorkers; access to affordable health care for almost all of Maineís residents; and, among other things, an end to lawyers arguing about whether a fast-food restaurant is to blame for obesity, at least in Illinois and Missouri.

A number of states passed legislation in 2004, which led to new laws going into effect on January 1, 2005. The state of New York, for example, now requires skateboarders under the age of 14 to wear helmets, while teenagers in Illinois are no longer allowed to drop out of school at age 16; they now must stay enrolled until theyíre 17-years-of-age before dropping out. Here in Indiana, a new law now requires that at least one food handler in all restaurants be certified in food safety, while another law that went into effect on January 1st prohibits several commonly used predatory lending practices which previously left unsuspecting consumers up to their eyeballs in unmanageable debt.

It used to be that I could count on the laws that went into effect at the beginning of each year to be innocuous enough that I could easily laugh them off. But nowadays, with smoking bans and increases in minimum wages going into effect, January 1st gives many U.S. citizens reason to both celebrate and mourn.

Take my friend Lee McDaniel, for example. Longtime readers of my blog will recall Leeís nameÖ he was a frequent ëGuest Bloggerí on this site in 2003 and then again in the early part of 2004. Now serving time in a Missouri jail for leaving the scene of an accident which stemmed from a drunk driving incident, Lee, and all of Missouri's incarcerated felons, are now requiredóas of January 1, 2005óto provide DNA samples to the state before they are released from prison or while on probation or parole. Previously, only those convicted of violent felonies or sex offenses had to provide DNA.

Back to his questionÖ what do you thinkÖ should Lee join the injunctive lawsuit to delay or prevent DNA collection?

January 3, 2005

A recent 'rash' of news articles--with titles like Splenda's Sweet Success Means Tight Supply and Dieters May Face Splenda Shortage--have caught my eye as of late. You see, back in March of 2003 I wrote about how I suspected that the artificial sweetener Splenda was directly responsible for a serious rash that developed on my face (specifically, my left eye was swollen shut, and my bottom lip was swollen to elephantiasis proportions, after consuming beverages which contained Splenda). Click here for the full post from March 26, 2003. My own self-test the following weekend yielded that unofficially, Splenda was the culprit. Now, nearly two years later, Splenda's in such high demand because of its no-calorie attributes, that it's manufacturer, Tate & Lyle, can't keep up with the demand.

They say everyone's allergic to something, so I'm not here to suggest that Splenda's bad for everyone; but since I first posted a blog entry about my own experiences with the stuff, the number one reason for people visiting my blog via Google.com has been because of one particular keyword search string... "Splenda Allergy". On average, every month, 200 people visit this site because of that particular post. (Stands to reason...go out to Google.com, search for Splenda Allergy, and Belicove.com is the number one resulting site. Click here to see for yourself.)

I now avoid Splenda at all costs, and so too it seems do a lot of other people. Here's a sampling from the comments left by some of the people who have visited my website because of their search for information about Splenda-related allergic reactions.

Like I said, everyone's probably allergic to something, and that people are having reactions to Splenda shouldn't necessarily surprise anyone. However, that having been said, if you suspect that Splenda may be causing you problems, read Dr. Joseph Mercola's The Potential Dangers of Sucralose available for free by clicking here. FYI... it's easy reading!

January 1, 2005

1. What did you do in 2004 that you'd never done before? I sold a car, and, I went on road trips by myself (one to Chicago, another to northeastern Pennsylvania).

2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions for 2004? I didnít keep all of my resolutions for 2004 but I did make progress. Hereís a recap: 1. Learn to play the piano: Didnít do it, but I did enjoy hearing about my friend Romanís experience with learning to play. This is still a major goal of mine. 2. Maintain the 40-50 pound weight loss that I achieved in 2003: Done! 3. Be a better friend and colleague by being a better person: This oneís hard to tally but I feel that I accomplished this on almost all levels. 4. Work smarter, not longer: While I did cut back on the amount of time I spent at the office, I could probably cut back further by working even smarter. 5. Be with family, not just spiritually but physically as well: Done (not all of my family, mind you, but I did make enormous strides). The next 12 months will be even better for this one. 6. Work to not wear my heart on my sleeve as much as I normally do (which is to say, not let so many of my emotions reveal themselves in my face and posture): I made significant gains in this area, especially in the second half of the year. 7. Continue to volunteer in the community and beyond at least three times per month: While I did continue to volunteer in my community, I didn't quite meet the 3+ times per month goal I set at the beginning of 2004. 8. Don't be so hard on myself: Done! 9. Make wiser decisions where my personal and institutional finances are concerned, and continue to pay down institutional debt related to my business affairs: Done! 10. Before the end of the first quarter of 2004, create and start to put into action a 5-year plan that addresses both personal and professional goals: Not a 5-year plan, but I did put a six-month plan into place, and I did accomplish everything I set out to do.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth? Yes! One of my best friends, Kate Robey, gave birth to her first child, Alexa Grace Robey (born on January 26, 2004).

6. What would you like to have in 2005 that you lacked in 2004? A winning lottery ticket :-)

7. What date(s) from 2004 will remain etched upon your memory? January 19; May 8; May 21-23; June 5; June 14; June 17-20; July 1-5; July 31-August 2; August 20-22; September 17-19; October 16; November 12-14; December 4; and December 23-29.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? Tie: Being hired by my current employer, and, selling my car.

10. What was the best thing you bought in 2004? An out-of-print and difficult-to-find book for my brother.

12. What did you get really, really, really excited about in 2004? Things associated with January 19; May 8; May 21-23; June 14; June 17-20; July 1-5; July 31-August 2; August 20-22; September 17-19; October 16; November 12-14; December 4; and December 23-29.

14. Compared to this time last year, are you happier or sadder? I am happier. Thinner or fatter? I am thinner. Richer or poorer? I'm in a better position financially, yes, but only slightly.

15. What do you wish you'd done more of in 2004? Exercised and cooked for myself.

17. What were your favorite TV programs in 2004? Desperate Housewives, Boston Legal, Arrested Development, and Scrubs.

19. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2004? Slim and relaxed.

20. Who kept you sane in 2004? My Mom, Brother, and someone who posts comments on my blog.