(note: this is a repost for the Freshman Orientation Open Call originally written May 4, 1970, the 40th Anniversary of Kent State) 

May 4, 1970.  A spring day for a Freshman in college at the University of North Dakota.  I was 18 and enjoying being in college.  Then...the rep… Read full post »

Way back in the long, long ago one of my favorite things was to go out for Friday night fish-fry.  It was always 3 or 4 couples and we’d go to a place called Scharner’s On the Shore just north of Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin.

At this part restaurant/part-tavern we would enjoy… Read full post »

Not that anyone else on the North American continent cares but that bastion of culture in which I live, California, continues to remind me more of a break-away former Soviet Republic or what used to be called a Banana Republic in Central America than the “Bear Republic” which joined the u… Read full post »

Well, I’ve been toiling away now for 10 months selling cars.  I’ve had a few good months and I’ve had a few crappy months.  I’ve met some real nice folks and I’ve met some jerks.

The dealership where I work is in an upscale community in San Diego… Read full post »

I just saw this piece on Yahoo News Blog and thought I’d do a quick post on it it.  It seems like a couple of the “Bush Women” are a lot more liberal (or maybe I should say enlightened) than father/husband George W.

Twenty-eight year old Barbara (twi… Read full post »

(Cheap Bastid note: I told myself not to enter any more of OS's lame weekly recipe "contests" because the editor seems to be more concerned with cutsie & "foo-foo" than with good old basic, Cheap Bastid type food.  But I saw a call for Saturday Reposts and thought th… Read full post »

I had the weekend off and it was time to cook some Comfort Food.  Friday night I whipped up some Guinea Grinders; Saturday night I did Chicken Fried Steak and Pan Gravy and yesterday I made a big slow cooker full of Chicken and Dumpling Soup. 

All 3 of… Read full post »

TNT’s new “guy show” “Men of a Certain Age” has quickly become one of my favorites.  I think that it’s mainly because I’m a “man of a certain age”.  No one’s really ever tried to focus on “us” before.  You know, gu/… Read full post »

Shortly after my daughter Susan was born, I decided that with 2 kids in 2 years it was time for me to get “fixed”.  I figured, magnanimously, that seeing as how my wife was the one who had given birth, and it was my “equipment” that caused it, that maybe I/… Read full post »

Note: While reading this, you may want to be singing or humming the old gospel tune "Give me that old time religion. Give me that old time religion. Give me that old time religion, it's good enough for me." 

New Bethel Church in Louisville, Ky is welcoming “responsible h… Read full post »

Dee dee dit dee dee dit dee dee dee...Breaking news today from the Associated Press:

 "Washington--The Senate votes Thursday on legislation that for the first time would give the government control over the production and marketing of tobacco products, a long-sought goal that supporters say coul… Read full post »

This just published on Yahoo News:

WASHINGTON – Former first lady Laura Bush says she's pleased that President Barack Obama nominated a woman for the Supreme Court.

"I think she sounds like a very interesting and good nominee," Bush said of Sonia Sotomayor, the federal appeals judge Obama picke… Read full post »

Note: This is the first in a short series I decided to write about being a Dad. I know, the OS Book Club has decided to hold off until next week on its Fathers Day writing contest, but I decided a couple of weeks ago that I wanted to do this… Read full post »

I’ve been trying to put some things about the automotive industry into some sort of mental perspective lately and quite frankly it’s a challenge.

Now, both GM and Chrysler are in Chapter 11.  Bear in mind that this level of bankruptcy is not necessarily a bad thing.  Think/… Read full post »

It’s interesting that there is so much flying around the media, online and right here in OS about the just issued ruling on California Proposition 8 Case.  The decision in Strauss v. Horton (the Prop 8 Case) was 136 pages long with 40 pages of concurring opinions and 1 dissenting opinion./… Read full post »

The San Diego Union Tribune reports today that the University of California Regents approved a 9.3% tuition increase for next Fall’s school year.  That 9.3% represents a tuition bill of $8,720 for the year. 

I wonder what that does to the dream of a college education for high s… Read full post »

This news item appeared in my hometown newspaper yesterday, The North County Times.  It seems as though a member of the local school board (Vista Unified School District) where I live and from which the Miss USA 1st runner-up graduated wants to honor her as a role model.

 To quote Dave… Read full post »

I signed up for 3 different survey groups online. These are organizations which conduct consumer and other research and contact you by e-mail when they have a survey for you. They can be on a variety of topics from what movies you watch, to what brands of cereal you buy to… Read full post »