80's Flashback?

Columbia Business School's Dean Glenn Hubbard sings about wanting Alan Greenspan's job that went instead to New Fed Chair Ben Bernanke.

Parody created by Columbia Business School students.



Click here for "Send My Niece To Kenya" Please...............

Greyhound Of The Air

It seems that Airbus is denying the reports that they are planning to offer padded backboards so that passengers will be able to stand. "LINK"


I love this quote from the article:
The New York Times reported that Airbus has quietly pitched the standing-room-only option to Asian carriers, though none have agreed to it yet. But a spokeswoman for Airbus flatly denied the report Tuesday, going so far as to call it "crap."

They were actually quoted as saying "crap", good for them call it like it is. I now know why I just love Airbus planes.

As a card carrying medallion member I can tell you "I'm not standing" That little plastic luggage tag that Delta sends me states that I've flown enough miles and been ushered through enough TSA lines to deserve a fricking seat that I can actually put my seat in. It's just written in a really small font that only I can read.

What's next handles on the outside of the plane for us to grab onto while we are flying?

Click here for "Send My Niece To Kenya" Please...............

The Beatings Will Continue Until Moral Improves

Woman sues over 'motivational' spankings
Alarm One's lawyers say the paddling with a competitor's sign was done to build camaraderie among the sales team.
By Pablo Lopez
The Fresno Bee

FRESNO A former Fresno alarm systems company saleswoman who was spanked by her supervisors while her co-workers watched and jeered wants money for her humiliation. Alarm One Inc.'s lawyers say the spankings --with a competitor's yard sign -- were done in fun to build camaraderie among the sales force and that there was no intent to hurt employees. Janet Orlando, 53, says she was so embarrassed by her three spankings that she quit her job as field supervisor in February 2003. She's now in Fresno County Superior Court in a civil trial, alleging discrimination, assault, battery and infliction of emotional distress. Alarm One's lawyers say Orlando voluntarily quit after five months at the company and that she was a willing participant in the spankings. They say the practice wasn't discriminatory because supervisors spanked both male and female employees. Testimony in Fresno County Superior Court Judge Wayne Ellison's courtroom was expected to wrap up Monday. After closing arguments, a jury of six men and six women will decide the case. A key issue is Orlando's credibility. She has testified that she is a recovering prescription drug addict who has been arrested twice for shoplifting. Alarm One, based in Anaheim, has more than 300 employees who provide sales, installation, service and alarm monitoring to thousands of families across the United States, the company's Web site says. Court records say the company's motivational practices began in the Hayward office, where sales teams competed, with the winners poking fun at the losers. The conduct included throwing pies at the losers, feeding them baby food, making them wear diapers and swatting their buttocks with a competitor's yard sign. The practices extended to the Fresno branch soon after it opened in July 2003. The spankings ceased in early 2004 after corporate officials learned that another employee complained of being injured, court records show.
"LINK"


Now I have been involved in the "down the street" sales game for over 15 years. The kind of sales game where you when you walk into an office they have a sign stating "We shoot every third sales person, the second one just left".
I have seen some crazy ass ways of motivating sales people, from new cars, trading Rolex's and winning bags (& I mean bags) of cash to suffering the humiliation of eating hotdogs and beans while the rest of the office feasts on steak.
I have also been exposed to various team building exercises from the likes of Ken Blanchard, Zig Ziglar and Tony Robbins. They all have some value, some worth, as well they should for what these guys charged for them.
But I have never been spanked (while sober and not having to pay for it) since I left home.
I think that our Miss Janet probably deserves a check for what she went through and they should kick a few dollars to her co-workers for having to watch a 50 year old get spanked.
Doesn't anybody just play paintball in order to build camaraderie?


Click here for "Send My Niece To Kenya" Please...............

I'm A Changed Man

I spent the last couple of days in "Mooresville, NC" which is Race City USA in case you were wondering. Ate dinner with "CB", "JB" and his better half at "Hero Japanese Steak House".
Now I don't speak fluent Japanese but every time I've seen Hero spelled it's always been Hiro, with an i not an e, oh well.
After dinner "JB"promised us a life changing experience, so the next thing you know I'm standing there with a can of Crisco and a set of jumper cables, no just kidding.
"JB" tells us we have to watch this 1991 PBS special titled Dancing Outlaw. A 28 minute retrospective about Jesco White the mountain dancer from West Virginia. This is an absolutely amazing video and you will be a different person once you watch it. Again, this is 28 minutes in length so allow yourself time for the whole video.


Here is a site "Julie Scoggins" that has links to both videos "LINK"
If you scroll down the page and there is a link for an update on good ole' Jesco.
Here is a link to the Google videos "LINK"

Click here for "Send My Niece To Kenya" Please...............

No Wonder There's So Much Desert In Australia

Australia and Xbox Break World Water Balloon Record

About 50,000 water balloons are thrown to celebrate the record-breaking launch of the Xbox 360 console in Australia.

SYDNEY, Australia ,— April 22, 2006 . More than 2,900 gamers from around the world staged the world's largest water balloon event in Australia today. The Water Balloon Challenge, held on Sydney'’s Coogee Beach, celebrated the record-breaking launch of the Xbox 360™ console in Australia and raised money for a local lifesaving group.
"READ MORE"

Now shouldn't the Microsoft cats be busy working the bugs out of Vista instead of filling up and then throwing water ballons, even if it some kind of a record?
Who held this record previously and why had we never heard of this record before today?
What I'm waiting for is Microsoft to declare filling up water ballons as a new industry standard and then we can all justify coming late to market with products.

Click here for "Send My Niece To Kenya" Please...............

How Much Is That Baby In The Window?

Man tried to sell baby for home improvements, police say
Saturday, April 22, 2006; Posted: 11:35 a.m. EDT (15:35 GMT)

APPLETON, Wisconsin (AP) -- A man raising his 18-month-old daughter alone tried to sell the little girl for $7,000 so he could make improvements to his house, police said Friday. The man from Ashwaubenon, Wisconsin, tried to sell his daughter to a Grand Chute couple, who helped authorities in the investigation, Grand Chute police Chief Ed Kopp said.
"Read More"

Now I'm not totally sure how much home improvement you can pull off for $7000.00 and besides you probably have close to $4000.00 already wrapped up in an 18 month old with the cost of diapers, formula etc..... So this guys net/net was more than likely $3000.00 and now he's going to jail. Now if the kid was a little bit older our amateur "Bob Vila" wouldn't have so quick to let the little one go so cheaply. Just imagine how much free sweat equity you can get from your own kid.
And by the way you can tell he's serious about the whole home improvement thing because in the picture he's wearing "Home Depot" orange.


Click here for "Send My Niece To Kenya" Please....................

I Need A Little Help

I know there are at least 2 people that visit this page with some regularity. I am asking for those 2 (possibly 3) people to visit the link below. My niece is trying to raise money for a mission trip to Kenya, Africa this summer (personally my summer vacation destination would be the mountains). She needs $4000.00 to participate in the mission trip and we have put together a site where folks can read about what she want to do and hopefully send a donation to the trips sponsors.
Please pass her site onto your friends and family and ask them to do the same with their friends and family.
Time is important in this matter as she needs to have her money collected by May 19, 2006.

Thank You for your time and please click on the link and then pass it on to others. "LINK"

Fireworks in the middle of April, ohhhhhhhh, ahhhhhhhhh.

Tearing down the show. 1500+ dealers, lots of new products and lots of talking.

Finally, the trip home. It's early that the world is still in black and white

Do I Still Have To Pay My deductible?

Posted on Wed, Apr. 19, 2006
Phony doctor arrested after fake breast exams

By Miami Herald staff

browardnews@MiamiHerald.com

Broward Sheriff's Office deputies arrested a 76-year-old man Thursday who they say was going door-to-door in a Lauderdale Lakes neighborhood offering free breast exams.

Two women accepted the exams, BSO officials said.

At about 9 a.m., BSO investigators say, Philip Winikoff drove to an apartment complex near the 3200 block of Northwest 40th Street. Carrying a black ''doctor's'' bag, he walked up to the building and told a 36-year-old woman that he was in the neighborhood offering free breast exams.

The woman let Winikoff, of Coconut Creek, into her apartment and the phony doctor began the exam. The woman told police that after Winikoff touched her breasts, he moved his hand to her genitals and further assaulted her. Realizing he was not a doctor, she called BSO, but Winikoff had already left her apartment and found another victim; a 33-year-old woman in the same complex.

Deputies found Winikoff on Northwest 40th Street and arrested him.

Investigators say the second victim told them a similar story -- that Winikoff presented himself as a doctor and was in the area giving free breast exams. Again, the woman let Winikoff into her apartment and again, he sexually assaulted her.

Investigators believe Winikoff has likely victimized other women who may be embarrassed about coming forward. They are asking that anyone with information about Winikoff call Detective Joe Harris of the BSO Sex Crimes Unit at 954-321-4240.

"LINK"

They call South Florida "Gods Waiting Room" but it seems that this retiree found something to do while waiting to die. I'm surprised these women didn't just up and die when they found out the doctor was making house calls.

How come you never hear of women wandering around giving free vastectomy exams?

A Life Tip

In the past I have done a series of "Travel Tips" just little bits of information that might help fellow road warriors as they try to maintain sanity on the road. I am now considering a series of "Life Tips" after a Saturday night trip to "Walmart". Now I am one of the few that will admit to enjoying a trip to Walmart. But here comes the tip "No Walmart on a Saturday night".

"The Wife" and I had to return a brand new $14.00 blender that refused to work. I even did the typical male troubleshooting maneuvers such as smacking it with the palm of my hand followed by dropping it onto the counter from a height of 5 inches, still "No Workie". Oh Yeah, I wasn't returning it for the $14.00 I was returning it for the principle of it, yeah right....
Now the Customer Service department is where my Walmart experience begins to tank. There is a line and I mean a line, snaking its way through the department. There are kids running, screaming, crying and bouncing off the walls. There are carts everywhere, carts stacked with perishable items, carts stacked with returned Easter baskets (now this was the night before Easter so I have no idea why).

Now to top all this off along the wall is safety recall bulletin board. The bulletin board where they post the recall notices stating that the high chair you bought 6 months might suddenly burst into flames.

Those somewhat important notices that might have an impact on the health and wellbeing of you or your family. Well due to all of the carts there was no was way that anyone could get within 10 feet of the recall board. I'm sure there's some important information on the board but I sure as hell couldn't get close enough to find out.
So the first Frick's World life tip is:
Stay away from Walmart's Customer Service department on Saturday nights.

This Makes My Skull Hurt

Count the men then wait and count them again.


Stolen from "The Goose"

Happy Easter

The kids breakfast this morning has consisted mainly of chocolate and jelly beans.

"Goose" gave up potato chips for lent while "H" gave up all forms of green vegetables.

Is It Really April?

Getting back in the car after the afternoon"Soccer" game.
Man it's hot.......

It's New, It's Free

"CB" told me about "AirSet" and their on-line calendar. I've been using it for the last few days and it's not bad, and it's free. The calendars are sharable so I don't have to constantly print my schedule out for "The Wife" and it syncs with Outlook.
You can have text messages sent to your phone each evening that displays your appointments for the next day, there's also a RSS feed for your calendar.
I do like the group feature. You can create a calendar group add members and have a collaborative on line calendar for free.
I'm having a hard time figuring out the business model since the site is not littered with ads. I imagine that either the cell providers are paying them an over-ride for the text messages or there's a second phase involving software that interface with your cell phone that the cell providers will sell. The business model has to be focused around the cell phone Hmmmmmmmm.
(UPDATE watch the demo and they review the business model, a basic review, but a review)
I'm still using "Rainlendar" for my desktop calendar which is also free and also syncs with Outlook and is also worth a try.

Now That's Gotta Hurt

Now we're all getting screwed at the gas pumps but this is really bad.

Some Pics From the Road

Some pictures from across this great country. These first two came via "AD" from his recent
"Las Vegas Great Adventure". Now "AD" is used to traveling in style and being on vacation is no exception. It seems his cab was covered in a high grade apartment style shag carpeting. Just think no need to ever wash this chariot, just grab your "Hoover" and run it over the hood a few times. You could even finish it off with a couple shakes from the carpet fresh can.


Hey is that bondo on your car? No, that's carpet glue.....






Now I used to work with this guy Chuck, I can't remember his last name so I'll just call him "CB". He sent me this picture across the Verizon network. Seems he was out at "Kani House" for some chow with his better half when they came across the Kani Shrimp Appetizer made with Shrimp (yummy), crap sticks (what???????). Crap sticks? Gee I wonder why we don't sell many appetizers? Maybe we should hire some consultants (Consultant someone who knows how to have sex 90 different ways but doesn't know anyone to have sex with) to find out why. No maybe you should try using crab sticks instead.

Pat, I'd Like To Buy The Letter "R" and an "I" While We're At It

It was a Monday morning at the dentist and with at least 14 fingers in my mouth my tooth doc begins telling me about this store Wu Mart. Wu Mart? you must mean Walmart (I mumble). No, it's Wu Mart and they have all this great stuff. So on the way home from the office I make a couple of turns and sure enough I find Wu Mart (Wholesale To The Public I might add). This joint is loaded, and I mean loaded with all kinds of imported stuff. Gym shorts for $1.00, fake Converse High tops for $12.99 and hats, lots and lots of hats. Then I see what I came for the black hat with the white letters stating GET DONE no "R" and no "I". It's "GIT- R- DONE" if you are going to try and rip off a catch phrase do it right and then have someone check to make sure you got it right. I'M DONE would have made more sense then GET DONE. So what did I do? I bought one, hey for $1.50 it is worth the laugh.

What To Do On A Sunday Afternoon

Get a little bit of ink, that's what. Off to "Sacred Heart Tattoo" "The Wife" and I went. The pattern is based on "The Star of Eire" except I wanted it more rounded and not filled in as it is on the actual Star of Eire. Now you may ask where in the world would I have decided to lay down some ink, well the picture "The Wife" took might give you a clue but then again it might not.
Did it hurt? No that bad what did hurt was the rubber gloves rubbing and stretching across my pasty white skin.

Lasik @ Home

Hey do you have bad eyes, a spare $100.00 and a few minutes?

Then you can buy a "Lasik @ Home" kit. The whole procedure is 4 easy steps. Screw paying a few thousand dollars for Lasik at a doctors office, it's only your eyes right? The guys picture says he's a doctor so it must be legit, right? They even have testimonials so it must be legit, right? Plus they sell Lasik @ Home merchandise so it must be legit, right? Well I guess if you screw it up you could wear a cool pirate patch.
I'll pass and wait for the Vasectomy @ Home kit.

It's On The Internet So It Has To Be True, Right?

This is a really, really really weird story that has been around for the last few months and it just keeps getting more bizarre by the day.
I saw a scratch on "The Wife's" Taurus yesterday and got all kinds of agitated I can just imagine how this guy feels.
He has/had some sweet rides.
"LINK" and another "LINK"

DIY Saturday Afternoon

Last week "The Wife" and I installed our new island counter top and then this week the boys from Lowes installed the remaining counter tops. They installed all of it, all of it except for the faucet and drains. Yeah I'm just as surprised about that as you are but it's true that these guys don't install the faucet. When I found out this little tid-bit of information I started to become un-glued but then "The Wife" told me to take it easy because the lady at Lowes said it only takes a few minutes. A few minutes my ass, possibly a few minutes if your house isn't 30 years and old laden with rotted drain pipes, odd sized pipes and seized fittings. Well 3 hours later and 4 trips to the hardware store we have flowing and draining water at Fricks World and I believe that "The Wife" is happy.

A Stormy Friday Night

Actually make that a stormy Saturday morning. The pine trees were swaying and the pine cones were dropping as the storms rolled in last night.

"The Wife" took this picture of a destroyed carport down the road from us.

Crushed

Smashed

Mother Nature

It didn't look like there was a car under there, but damn.....

Betcha Can't

"H" eating a little bit of lunch...

Am I A Trend Setter????

Around this time last year I was at "Mandalay Bay" for a few days. I saw the piece of art below ( I guess it's a bust of a bust) and being a male I was required to take a picture of it (it's in the "Guy Rule Book", I swear). I was so proud of my picture that I even posted on my "Flickr" site.

Since that time this same piece of art has made its way to Flickr in various forms

Your right I probably didn't start the trend.

Knoxville In The Afternoon

I spent an overcast afternoon on the banks of the Tennessee River at "Calhouns". We feasted on a lunch ripe with southern BBQ and slaw. Had a great view of the river even though the rain had settled in as the afternoon passed.
On the way back to the car it was riveted into my skull that University of Tennessee fans are almost as rabid as University of Kentucky fans, almost. I mean why else would you have a statue of a hound dog on the bank of the Tennessee River..................



calhouns
tennessee river
fricksworld

How Low Can You Go

On the road one of my favorite place to stop for fuel is the "Flying J" chain of truck stops. Nothing like hanging out with my fellow "Good Buddies" and talking about life on the road. I was heading south from Knoxville this afternoon when my low fuel indicator DINGS. I look down and my dash is begging for my attention "15 Miles To Empty" is flashing. I look up and see a Flying J billboard advertising it's existence, and guess what it's only 15 miles ahead, I'm going for it. 14 miles later I hit the top of the exit ramp and the dash is now advertising "1 Miles To Empty" (it seems to be accurate). Beads of sweat are starting to form across my forehead and I feel as though I'm trapped in the Sienfield episode when Kramer was trying to see how far he can make it on a single tank of gas. Over the crest of the bridge I see my destination the "Flying J", and it's all down hill, once over the bridge. I shut the air-conditioning off (should have done that 14 miles earlier) as I try to crouch aerodynamically over the steering wheel. To the end of this story I can attest that if your are driving a "Chrysler Pacifica" this vehicle will still function even if the dash is flashing "0 Miles To Empty"


chrysler pacifica
flying j
fricksworld

It's 7:00am And This Commercial Makes Me Hungry

April Fools Day

Have fun with phones using the internet "Jajah". Lets see what two polar opposites could you connect on a call??????????????

Another Saturday

"The Wife" and I left the kids at home this morning for a little "US" time. We started off at the "Orvis" warehouse sale. I wanted to buy the "GoDogGo" automatic fetch machine for Cider. This baby has a remote control and everything, how much lazier can one be than to not have enough energy to even throw a tennis ball.


















We did manage to find "Goose" some snazzy Flamingo slippers. I can't believe that no one else had purchased these before we did, we are so lucky.
















We finished the morning off by picking up our news "Boos Blocks" counter top. "The Wife" was giddy with excitement as we installed it. The rest of the counter tops are to be installed later on in the week.