tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58209795120577054002024-03-13T12:16:34.308-04:00Airplanes I Have KnownSparticushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11456438998901713179noreply@blogger.comBlogger169125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820979512057705400.post-85127807975423661492011-08-30T23:01:00.007-04:002011-08-30T23:12:27.077-04:00Back in state serviceI am back in State service. These days I get to go to work in, what I would argue, is the most amazing building in Albany (and, yes, I am including the Capitol when I say that).<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ6-iAtgLTP_18zqZnkwQ7Xrckvc6-VDXq8tL7HWubEEB3HeTliK9h2aMW9R14FldTwZxA59b4V79b-2fPemLQoQQpzvjKzwKkg1f4U6lom6NcjLjleQrULipuqgCVvUMre2PYVgaY98c/s1600/facade.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ6-iAtgLTP_18zqZnkwQ7Xrckvc6-VDXq8tL7HWubEEB3HeTliK9h2aMW9R14FldTwZxA59b4V79b-2fPemLQoQQpzvjKzwKkg1f4U6lom6NcjLjleQrULipuqgCVvUMre2PYVgaY98c/s320/facade.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646852410030827042" /></a><div>And here's my office view. The column, the Capitol, the Jennings Tower. What a sight...</div><div>
<br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWmR8UOvHPzwxZtPfZZTCkRK28tke6wg5nGwifS7YEzv3wVPHyJQjxiahljZsRqSNg0qfZQCSql3bPhlIh0rRrjXTCiFbD9Yg_ctwZXqvs4FbOVgjKRJFomgb1jo7ndt6xqyLwO0RYgaM/s1600/view.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 221px; height: 166px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWmR8UOvHPzwxZtPfZZTCkRK28tke6wg5nGwifS7YEzv3wVPHyJQjxiahljZsRqSNg0qfZQCSql3bPhlIh0rRrjXTCiFbD9Yg_ctwZXqvs4FbOVgjKRJFomgb1jo7ndt6xqyLwO0RYgaM/s320/view.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646852305936377778" /></a>The move meant that Gideon, my office companion fish, had to move home. Here's The Misty Cat introducing herself.
<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9PCYyNLeKTamq651XQCuKRMpVCPvG889cC69r6PeMbgI-_F5-CiGuK78OHrGRNJDvWbY-qpXim1YbW_z6dsgNgNaBdkftaWf0M_y7ShkHPikpEVD3uTFrw9RphIsAEUy3_NzlhXQlgG8/s1600/mistyandgideon.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 221px; height: 166px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9PCYyNLeKTamq651XQCuKRMpVCPvG889cC69r6PeMbgI-_F5-CiGuK78OHrGRNJDvWbY-qpXim1YbW_z6dsgNgNaBdkftaWf0M_y7ShkHPikpEVD3uTFrw9RphIsAEUy3_NzlhXQlgG8/s320/mistyandgideon.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646852217795390706" /></a>
<br />Sparticushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11456438998901713179noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820979512057705400.post-60514340284884467022011-07-26T20:00:00.003-04:002011-07-26T20:13:04.819-04:00A380 Booked and Ready to Go<div style="text-align: left;">I was recently researching an overseas trip that I will take in relation to <a href="http://airplanesihaveknown.blogspot.com/2010/07/one-of-my-all-time-questions-is.html">this life decision</a> and I had the good fortune of having the opportunity tobook part of the trip on this new and recent new beauty of the airplane world:</div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZa4vvlWXOsn53kgRMY1l2YkBAZJ9RJYKLxHf9XnumDrktOMnGZDZAp9pgwNsHopMbjXxJ0Ctt7Ha4XY2zEpOXXL3v9iCZKIOXQKJS2vhdlu5DbaVNh4brvulRzZsUJtxN_MZZZumC_Hc/s320/00006383.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5633818169073084354" /><div><br /></div><div>So in late November, the Airbus A380 will become the latest airplane I have known. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>Selecting the seat on the A380 flight was entertaining. For starters, we, like I presume most fliers, prefer the two-aside seats next to windows so that we (1) have a window and (2) have an aisle. This is slightly difficult on the A380 since the majority of the economy rows are arranged in a 3-4-3 format. The 2-4-2 seating format begins towards the rear of the aircraft, so as such, Diane and I found ourselves in row 87 (!!!). We'll probably have to start boarding two days before the flight to get to our seat in time.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>Almost as exciting is that per my crude research on Airliners.net, there is a chance that the Delta B767 we will also invariably be on might have winglets (ie it will be a "sexy plane" for all you posers out there).</div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 219px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdt4Y_10HrOCavhzwOxorqY5PHfvKMgPJdiyt-lrnw6UzJcHfpZffuhi-EelYs5LINQz4yibvvCpLchfY8pPA-KhbqgnP3k98vsD_VzbeNSK2sg1q9zjpgyAALrf3OWNMvKbKDQPJAzfo/s320/1938148.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5633818162937184114" />Sparticushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11456438998901713179noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820979512057705400.post-88625429664647235302011-06-29T12:01:00.005-04:002011-06-29T12:53:48.322-04:00Lessons of a Session from the OutsideFrom my previous time at the Assembly, I had learned that <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_TI8xqLl_-w&feature=related">everything we learned in high school about how a bill becomes a law </a>is, let's just say for the sake of being polite, "optimistic". After 6 months on the outside, it was confirmed to me that the process is, let's just say, again, for the sake of being polite, "wishful thinking", but I became much more cynical and hurtful/hateful about it all.<br /><br />After months of pushing reasonable, common sense legislation - the low-hanging fruit of legislation, if you will - and coming up mostly empty-handed, I came away thinking, "Gee, if we can't agree on this stuff, can we ever get anywhere on the stuff that really matters."<br /><br />There is more <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inertia">inertia </a>in certain houses of the legislature than you can imagine. The coefficient of friction is high in this government, my friends. When is it a legitimate argument in opposition to say, "Well we oppose this because we've never done it before." Typical. But that's not even the best one I heard: "It's too difficult to explain that this is not actually bad." Wow. Stop the presses. This might be too intelligent. Can't have that now, it might make people think too much. True story. So in essense the legislative session went<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uf2q66G3lmM&feature=related"> as such</a>.<br /><br />But it was not all bad - as every surely knows by now, at least every one of my readers, the state Senate passed marriage equality. It reminded me of <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UnkefjCES-4">this scene from Dumb and Dumber</a>. Marriage equality is Harry and the state Senate is Lloyd (starting at :45).Sparticushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11456438998901713179noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820979512057705400.post-46851100722388782582011-05-30T19:43:00.011-04:002011-05-31T10:57:42.853-04:00My recurring fishing nightmare recursMany years ago, when we were visiting Argentina during Christmas break, my dad, sister, uncles and cousins went on a fishing trip at El Carrizal in Mendoza. Here's a summary of the trip - Luci caught 6 fish - more than anyone else. Nicolas caught 1 fish - and also the smallest of any of the many fish that were caught. This is my recurring nightmare - my little sister outfishing me badly. <br /><div><br /></div><br /><div>Fast forward to yesterday. During my mom and Luci's visit, we went fishing at Schodack Island State Park. Of course on the way there we joyfully recalled the above referenced story and internally I thought how silly my sister would feel after I outfished her, especially since I had been fishing regularly and she probably has not fished since that trip many years ago (so long ago that we were both in K-12).</div><br /><div><br /></div><br /><div>So there we were taking in the great sights of the Hudson River at Schodack Island. She had already brought in a bullhead catfish.</div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikCs4TV7DNh1jMKf-79OAOBJVs3Vmb4bZVxrpHXreqUQlWU0rzT57ptibh4JEAf7H2V_YiKQc5PTrWb9ledM3Cxss6p07vA1FsRwX1MKqhxWyJHx8uUipOzMp4y86Y4PyCueuyoM5mnxc/s1600/black+bullhead.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5612664808350973810" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikCs4TV7DNh1jMKf-79OAOBJVs3Vmb4bZVxrpHXreqUQlWU0rzT57ptibh4JEAf7H2V_YiKQc5PTrWb9ledM3Cxss6p07vA1FsRwX1MKqhxWyJHx8uUipOzMp4y86Y4PyCueuyoM5mnxc/s320/black+bullhead.jpg" /></a> Then, she suddenly and calmly said, "I think I have something."<br /><br /><br />That was all she said and started reeling in. I was using a heavy sinker, so I thought she was probably feeling that, but she kept reeling and looking over the ledge into the river hoping to see something. And then I saw this 2 1/2 foot freshwater drum appear in the shallows.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Qjzhnm2gtHQPV7AAu34ASeUQwWTgcUSfdawEISxnErzi5DAJEYmQqbesb6FSGTGe6mm_tMMFk3l2COarxc2U9_uCgRKDWs53Q13ibppvgUz4PTCvhTHAkZbt_DykZNjzFSTVQ2kTTXM/s1600/striper.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5612664680752454322" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Qjzhnm2gtHQPV7AAu34ASeUQwWTgcUSfdawEISxnErzi5DAJEYmQqbesb6FSGTGe6mm_tMMFk3l2COarxc2U9_uCgRKDWs53Q13ibppvgUz4PTCvhTHAkZbt_DykZNjzFSTVQ2kTTXM/s320/striper.jpg" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjISL2D-OogOPiAvc-3OhUImypUh91nm6oY3OaNKoBPHiURsC121_JxYj_R7cWQh8dchWH5QhprlUzQOHhK-n1iPgoR-d_0hf-Pffx2zF1V2RU1rBHgimuqnKRBl1RnljFYDUaL2isjwYg/s1600/striper1.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5612664603028934274" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjISL2D-OogOPiAvc-3OhUImypUh91nm6oY3OaNKoBPHiURsC121_JxYj_R7cWQh8dchWH5QhprlUzQOHhK-n1iPgoR-d_0hf-Pffx2zF1V2RU1rBHgimuqnKRBl1RnljFYDUaL2isjwYg/s320/striper1.jpg" /></a> <br /><div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000ee;"><u><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none" class="Apple-style-span">I estimated that it weighed at least 10 lbs.</span></div></u></span></div><br /><div><br /></div><br /><div>She caught this with a nightcrawler. I should mention, she caught it with my fishing pole, after I had cast and baited it. So, yeah, I still get no credit for it. </div><br /><div><br /></div><br /><div>This was <a href="http://airplanesihaveknown.blogspot.com/2009/12/they-grow-up-so-fast.html">not unlike how she destroyed me in racquetball two Christmases ago</a>, after my decade of domination. After a few years, I may get over this fishing incident. Then she'll crush my spirit once again. For the record, she ended up catching 9 fish yesterday, and although I reeled in 4, 3 of them were the smallest of the lot, and the other was a catfish.</div></div>Sparticushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11456438998901713179noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820979512057705400.post-60831686593313130142011-04-25T23:48:00.004-04:002011-04-26T00:03:19.765-04:00New Hobby Pans Out, Mostly.<div style="text-align: left;">I have a tendency to take up hobbies quickly and many times without thinking them through entirely. I bought a guitar because somebody at camp played a killer rendition of Rocky Top. Couple of years later, I can sometimes play a decent Comfortably Numb or Heart of Gold, but that's about it. I bought a damn nice guitar, too, so it's a shame.</div><div><br /></div><div>Then some guys opened up a skateboard shop down the street and I figured this was how I was going to get to work from now on. Couple of skateboard trips (a few falls) and the realization that it's incredibly hard to skateboard uphill and my skateboard sits under my bed, probably waiting for some lazy summer moment when I don't want to walk to the ATM.</div><div><br /></div><div>Flight, of course, is my ultimate hobby, but I only have the one exploration flight under my cap - but that one's still a work in progress. </div><div><br /></div><div>But for the first time since I picked up hockey a new hobby finally paid off - fishing. </div><div><br /></div><div>I am obsessed with the show River Monsters. You may have seen it - a Brit named Jeremy Wade goes around the globe trying to catch - surprise - river monsters. There are some issues with the show. The premise is that he is trying to "investigate" mysterious events leading to death. So, it sensationalizes just a bit. But - it is incredibly entertaining and I watch it for hours.</div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 130px; height: 98px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizjKTSmelcSKp6YGQsrEHa0pjkIUQjkyq5iOECdQSafg4VaRjFrSHMlSUT9HZd2DzvcdbG9Olnz0hCILPthSeeSOyb59PaRY31qk9JR1K7REhpAVHraTtWytZ_C-EOxmuGfw1IbeYQEWI/s320/208356_918038536443_19223017_45737804_1912545_s.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5599737388821889778" /><div><br /></div><div>Then, one day, it hit me. There are rivers near me. I need to go catch a river monster. I went out to a shop in Renssalaer and got set up to go fishing. So far, there has been some success. I caught this "monster" in the Hudson at Schodack Island, and I caught a smaller little guy at Lock 7.</div>Sparticushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11456438998901713179noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820979512057705400.post-35838031770542908752011-03-12T19:10:00.002-05:002011-03-12T19:51:08.894-05:00Tale of Two UnionsIn the span of a couple of days, headlines on the front page and sports page of your local newspaper were probably both heavy on union issues. On the front page, you read about how the governor of Wisconsin signed legislation to eliminate collective bargaining rights for certain unions; on the sports page, the news was about the NFL and its players not being able to reach an agreement on how to split the $9+ billion in revenue the league annually takes in. <div><br /></div><div>So, on the one hand, we had a bunch of teachers and other public employees lose their right to negotiate salaries. On the other, we had a bunch of multi-millionaires willingly end collective bargaining negotiations with the most profitable sports league in the country - reportedly because both sides could not budge on $185 million. </div><div><br /></div><div>Of all the problems inherent in this situation, there is only one I am going to focus on. With all the attention that the Wisconsin legislative proposal is getting, wouldn't it have been great if the NFL Players' Association had come out in full solidarity and support of Wisconsin public employees?</div><div><br /></div><div>For starters, the demonstrations in Madison already include members of FD and PD unions, both of which are not captured under the governor's radical proposal. Obviously, the NFL is not captured either, but their star power would likely have gone a long way towards furthering the cause of the demonstrators - especially since Wisconsin's Green Bay Packers are the current NFL champions. </div><div><br /></div><div>Ironically, most NFL players are likely registered Republicans - and it is a Republican state government in Wisconsin that is curtailing the rights that they so vigorously seem to value. God forbid the NFLPA was eliminated - they would cry foul. They should have the footballs to stand up and fight for the collective bargaining rights of others as well.</div>Sparticushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11456438998901713179noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820979512057705400.post-38881035620286871892011-02-21T21:03:00.003-05:002011-02-21T21:14:41.676-05:00UA @ MSG<div style="text-align: left;">I can already tell that the opportunity to travel is going to be one of the major upgrades at my new position. In the 6+ weeks since my transition, I have spent a 8 days in the big apple.</div><div><br /></div><div>The second of those trips coincided with the UA Great Danes game at Madison Square Garden against BU. Diane's parents made th</div><div>e trip down to NYC, and since I was in town and close to the Garden, I was able to join them for the game. </div><div><br /></div><div>I had never been to MSG before but I had heard the stories of</div><div>its grandeur. Those stories never resonated with me because, well, it's just an arena. After all, I've been to arenas before. </div><div><br /></div><div>But this was different.</div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 160px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji9wCDJBxIX1MxJKI3tfbtVgyFCwhoHjLWi4zGpHDal_W7hPRNpSLKJClLIbiyzcU9UmBQryOkH26BYptCyfUIoyp814VAIUgLg6mYgFfo6yteC3aPokBzx_P8lK75tJsBYnVUFtn9iB4/s320/msg1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576331103309260370" /></div><div>And I knew that immediately as I walked out into the place. I d</div><div>on't know exactly what made it spectacular, but it was. I mean, just the ceiling of the place was splendid. </div><div><br /></div><div>Not only did we get to watch the Danes under the bright lights of the Garden, but we also got to take in the<a href="http://espn.go.com/ncb/recap?gameId=310412599"> St. John's vs. UConn </a>game, which turned out to be a St. John's upset over the then #9 Huskies. </div><div><br /></div><div>So after taking in some real Big East men's hoops, we stuck </div><div>around for our main attraction and watched helplessly as the Danes got demolished by the Terriers. At least we were in the Garden. And at least we had incredible seats:</div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg81QIYi7Mrv0y6W3rGdJyUFMLiKrIOnIufHCfP3KGmQp6wh-GuSLifhZLQiik3dJoW267aKzVflP61rP8DGk6Yux1JXFQh9QfhcDB1pzHDF-jhBVu06G9PG1xJ0wdtMlGFHrx_jjcC91c/s320/msg2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576331111851376306" /><div><br /></div><div> </div>Sparticushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11456438998901713179noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820979512057705400.post-14287183598515579832011-01-27T22:12:00.002-05:002011-01-27T22:33:37.295-05:00New government - for New York and for SpartacusAs you undoubtedly know, January brought enormous change to New York's state government. A new governor. A new Senate majority. A veto-proof-less majority in the Assembly. <div><br /></div><div>And as you undoubtedly did not know, January also brought a new challenge for Spartacus. I accepted a job offer from New York City. So my glorious run at the Assembly came to an unexpected end. </div><div><br /></div><div>And what a run it was. </div><div><br /></div><div>2008 - worked on a law to fire forcible touchers.</div><div><br /></div><div>2009 - <a href="http://www.nypost.com/p/news/regional/item_ohEDEkhPckzZZs7U4zXToJ;jsessionid=21F45520E02B5B19574DF2CD22120249">mayoral control</a> of New York City schools.</div><div><br /></div><div>2010 - "<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/08/24/patersons-cocky-gaffe-cau_n_693047.html">Race to the Cock</a>."</div><div><br /></div><div>The hardest part of leaving the Assembly was not leaving the job itself - since I will continue to work on similar issues. What was really tough was leaving the people. When you work the hours that we do, you become more than acquaintances with your co-workers - you become family. </div><div><br /></div><div>We have more family dinners at work than, well, family dinners at home. We know more about each other's lives than we know about most other people in our lives. We pick on each other - maybe even bully each other. But you take it - just like you would take such abuse from a sibling. </div><div><br /></div><div>So while the Assembly gave me great experience, knowledge and skills, what I am really thankful for is the second family it gave me. </div><div><br /></div><div>As a parting memento, my co-workers drafted and presented me with a resolution of my accomplishments and my, uh, less spectacular moments. I have read this document so many times that I can almost recite it from memory. </div><div><br /></div><div>And while I firmly believe that most of the clauses in the resolution should (and will) remain between my family and me, there are others that I want to share so you get a feeling for the kind, intelligent and amazing people I worked with:</div><div><br /></div><div>"<i>WHEREAS, you proudly disregarded all fashion sense by routinely wearing a fish belt/or giant rodent belt and white, tatty jeans while somehow still maintaining your self-respect, manhood and honor; ...</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>"WHEREAS, though not due to lack of effort on your part, the esteemed Program and Counsel staff still does not know how to properly respect 'sexy airplanes,' ice hockey, and eating tuna fish out of a pouch for weeks at a time or completely understand the origins of Sho-shama Spanish, 'Bagheera,' and Steve Ammerman;...</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>"WHEREAS, you are terrible at monopoly and would never make it as a squirrel..."</i></div><div><br /></div><div>I am now well into my next challenge. And, not surprisingly, part of overcoming this new career challenge will be to learn to enjoy going to work without the great familiar faces. </div>Sparticushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11456438998901713179noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820979512057705400.post-82439942568572735972010-12-11T17:17:00.002-05:002010-12-11T17:26:40.125-05:00Who brought the 1970's goalie?<div>I am a bit disappointed that I have not kept hockey statistics this season because I have been tearing it up on the ice. I have a couple of hat trick games, a couple of four and five point games, and, if I do say so myself, some nasty, filthy goals mixed in. This is probably the best hockey I have played in my life. </div><div></div><br /><div>And just to make it a bit more interesting, I also donned the goalie equipment for a game. Here's the proof:<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5549554515137137266" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhospaR9A91xPr92nuh_cgoDTBKOAlNI7_5C0IEfSWCez7zJ3dVZvrSkT8XQOzP2pv6AnQZNXUPFZSh4HD3HHDILO6U_ngU9W5f6NUcLy7Rwe_oOj8llmSg2RTAKq3aULdmWcAlqAEEGzM/s320/goalie.jpg" /></div><br /><div></div><div>Unfortunately, my goalkeeping was not as awesome as my goal scoring. My team lost the game I played in goal 6-5 and I did my share of the damage with what I considered 3 soft goals. It was nice to get back in the gear, though. I played goalie on the Colorado State University roller hockey back in the day and when I lived in Colorado and played both roller and ice on multiple teams (ah the joy of being a student) I mostly played in net. </div><div></div><br /><div>When I got to Albany, my mom shipped out my equipment to me and I think I used it maybe once in the last four years. So, when Diane moved in, the equipment had to go - there just isn't enough space in my high-rise luxury condo for goalie equipment that is not being used. </div><div></div><br /><div>However, when I was still an up and coming star with the Night Owls hockey club and did not have a permanent roster spot, I wanted to make myself as indispensible as possible. So, I told the manager that I could be an emergency goalie if someone else put up the equipment. I did not get that call until a few weeks ago - and since I didn't entirely embarrass myself, it looks like I may get it more regularly.</div>Sparticushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11456438998901713179noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820979512057705400.post-73027479850418306022010-11-04T11:27:00.003-04:002010-11-04T12:29:39.503-04:00The HardwareNow its time to tell you about the important part of our recently completed trip to Argentina: the hardware we flew on.<br /><br />Our trip was booked entirely on LAN. We did this for two (2) reasons:<br />(1) We had a domestic flight to Iguazu and thought that it would be best to book all the flights together; and<br />(2) There is always a risk of a work stoppage with Aerolineas Argentinas, and with such tight schedules, we preferred to avoid unnecessary delays in our travel.<br /><br />We booked flights from JFK - which is where it was easiest for us to catch a LAN flight. From JFK, we flew to Santiago, via Lima, Peru. This leg of the flight was on a B767, sans winglets, much to my disappointment.<br /><br />For a few years now, LAN has been operating the short hop from Santiago to Mendoza on the A320. This flight across the Andes offers, <a href="http://airplanesihaveknown.blogspot.com/2008/06/bang-for-your-buck.html">in the humble opinion of this writer</a>, the most bang for your buck. From gear up to touch down, the flight can't take more than 30 minutes, but each of those 30 minutes are spectacular - if the weather cooperates, that is. On a clear day, you get a stunning view of the high Andes, including close ups of Aconcagua and Tupungato (both of which, I kindly remind you, are in Argentinian territory).<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp4by8YDrItk9qgoV_M7srkEStMUEdmMiPxRlvFmoCeUmCK49ru7TJDmr9zgRAkHq9E1FCF0x6cu-4_SozdaQqAhpiqPk1WRdg1rbRZRJ4cwWabwQE8E3dhBdlY7ScU6oUbQzAhT1kWWg/s1600/andes1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp4by8YDrItk9qgoV_M7srkEStMUEdmMiPxRlvFmoCeUmCK49ru7TJDmr9zgRAkHq9E1FCF0x6cu-4_SozdaQqAhpiqPk1WRdg1rbRZRJ4cwWabwQE8E3dhBdlY7ScU6oUbQzAhT1kWWg/s320/andes1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535732235124461970" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguLPTLQ2QXazuc1ie-PwkFBrRH4bBkFI-eTASY0fkTGiCU4cvfQ-_c9yXsjRPvY66fz08bZhqI1vnk2BqvuEq2vnMCeHztbwdlO4RtCtj-H04lF6gZrFkkFAEUOHMvnXh8nC44YDSwigE/s1600/andes2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguLPTLQ2QXazuc1ie-PwkFBrRH4bBkFI-eTASY0fkTGiCU4cvfQ-_c9yXsjRPvY66fz08bZhqI1vnk2BqvuEq2vnMCeHztbwdlO4RtCtj-H04lF6gZrFkkFAEUOHMvnXh8nC44YDSwigE/s320/andes2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535732237136277714" border="0" /></a>On our trip, we were fortunate that the sky was clear enough to offer this spectacular view. However, Aconcagua and Tupungato were not visible due to a white out during the middle portion of the treacherous cross.<br /><br />We also flew on LAN A320s to Iguazu, via Aeroparque Metrolitano Jorge Newberry in Buenos Aires. Aeroparque is set beautifully in downtown Buenos Aires and offers both a great view of some downtown skyrises as well as the majestic Rio de la Plata (which is the w<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R%C3%ADo_de_la_Plata">orld's widest river</a>). Landing at Aeroparque is always entertaining, <a href="http://airplanesihaveknown.blogspot.com/2008/10/worlds-scariest-runways.html">and at times terrifying</a>.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidd9_Ggdc9ZtDuO1Nx96Th74O7Q2db1l0BQ2FXuAslgCt3mPz1Yvhx_x_zHuE3b1XsUB2oDbTo6TFyI9ERRg8Thq32gHrCNoYsXjAwzwcLLnJQ4pB7Rxy1KyJIihHYYEkoCbOvo3y8Pdo/s1600/aeroparque.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidd9_Ggdc9ZtDuO1Nx96Th74O7Q2db1l0BQ2FXuAslgCt3mPz1Yvhx_x_zHuE3b1XsUB2oDbTo6TFyI9ERRg8Thq32gHrCNoYsXjAwzwcLLnJQ4pB7Rxy1KyJIihHYYEkoCbOvo3y8Pdo/s320/aeroparque.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535732242003823298" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYps7n3OlMUxKyv4dz8pM5bB8-O_RZVS8WvUUV8FfQIK45WYIgGfybVl3k3UVv0oCuqU_lou17hzupv-pb8LxLYlB-2DA568zCigZgMDX4XGMv_zaZhhH9YkJDFBBLoT-CFrQyDiP2f5Y/s1600/iguazu.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYps7n3OlMUxKyv4dz8pM5bB8-O_RZVS8WvUUV8FfQIK45WYIgGfybVl3k3UVv0oCuqU_lou17hzupv-pb8LxLYlB-2DA568zCigZgMDX4XGMv_zaZhhH9YkJDFBBLoT-CFrQyDiP2f5Y/s320/iguazu.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535732249881977634" border="0" /></a>Our scheduled return trip on LAN had us flying from Iguazu to Aeroparque, transferring in Buenos Aires to the international airport at Ezeiza and then flying (on an A340!!!) to Santiago, where we would then board a nonstop flight to JFK. Yes, quite a roundabout way to get to New York, but on the bright side, I was excited about flying on an A340 for the first time of my life. I was going to lose my A340 virginity!<br /><br />Well, as it turns out, the A340 which was going to carry us to Santiago was running very late - so late, in fact, that LAN rebooked us on American. Our new trip home would be more direct, but less exciting. We ended up flying from Buenos Aires to New York via Miami. At least the Buenos Aires to Miami leg was on a B777, which provides a greater level of excitement than the B767. Sadly, we were all stuck in middle seats in the 2-5-2 seating plan.<br /><br />Here are some parting thoughts about the travel and service:<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">(1) LAN has excellent service. </span> We were given snacks and meals on every flight (even the 30 minute hop from Santiago to Mendoza). The flight attendants offered (and in fact almost insisted on) multiple drinks. The booze was free on the international flight, which is a nice touch since it does make sleeping a bit easier when you have a glass of wine.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">(2) ALWAYS check your LAN itinerary for changes.</span> I am one of those people that books a flight and does not keep looking for changes, or confirms the day before, or tracks flight status before heading to the airport. Well, it turns out that LAN likes to change things up quite a bit. And for the most part (actually for the entire part) the changes were negative. For example, they moved our departure time from Mendoza from 10am to 7am. Our flight from Iguazu to Aeroparque was delayed from 10am to 1pm. This particular change was rough since we had scheduled the trip into Buenos Aires with a 6 hour layover to allow for some speed tourism and a relaxing transfer to Ezeiza (which takes a good 1 and a half hours). Instead, we only had 3 hours between flights and were not able to see any of Buenos Aires and instead had to hurry hurry hurry to the next airport.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">(3) Less is more in terms of onflight entertainment. </span> Both of the long hauls (one on LAN and the other on American) had seat back entertainment units. The problem is that neither of them worked. AT ALL. I would much rather prefer a working movie to help me fall asleep to nothing. So while the fancy screens with on demand movies seem like a nice touch, they are only worth it if they work. And it was not just my bad luck - none of my fellow travelers had working screens.Sparticushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11456438998901713179noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820979512057705400.post-21336511091925814772010-11-03T12:27:00.005-04:002010-11-03T13:03:23.690-04:00Argentina 2010: Meet the Storelli CastrosYesterday afternoon we (Diane, her parents, and yours truly) returned from a lovely two+ week trip to Argentina which encompassed time spent in wonderful Mendoza and stunning Iguazu. This trip was a chance for the two families to get to know each other before they see each other again next year at our wedding.<br /><br />Long story short, it was a GREAT(!!) trip. We did A LOT ... so much, in fact, that I think we all need a vacation to recover from the vacation. Although quite a bit of the time was spent hanging out with family, we still had outings nearly every day, and here are some of the highlights:<br /><br />Arrival and asado at my uncle's home with nearly all the family.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz3GA00EseRdyYQ4jGeIhDyu65UEvPsivbSsH9bx8yHqmfYALo3i93lZxZHHFZzQALSO87v_bQxjfR2N6nUHwHnp9Zh9VwfdnD3LHvHHh4dNMEF_PrE38FZzyeoz1VMkLNf_FFJn_x7hM/s1600/asado1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz3GA00EseRdyYQ4jGeIhDyu65UEvPsivbSsH9bx8yHqmfYALo3i93lZxZHHFZzQALSO87v_bQxjfR2N6nUHwHnp9Zh9VwfdnD3LHvHHh4dNMEF_PrE38FZzyeoz1VMkLNf_FFJn_x7hM/s320/asado1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535369676840905650" border="0" /></a>Time at the Chacras weekend house where we played some pretty intense ping pong matches.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfs9NaimVpy0dlrreJ5UQsAoppms-4JfRNPjOXvK0Nk31pDMdivifBLdlFvjrf44Y4Gq47Btq-am44Sp21juSEN5G99kVa6pBaKOjJ1jswMuXZYqaP_HR9S6nfTGRnhq85ceI0DMe0KpY/s1600/pingpont.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfs9NaimVpy0dlrreJ5UQsAoppms-4JfRNPjOXvK0Nk31pDMdivifBLdlFvjrf44Y4Gq47Btq-am44Sp21juSEN5G99kVa6pBaKOjJ1jswMuXZYqaP_HR9S6nfTGRnhq85ceI0DMe0KpY/s320/pingpont.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535369671780621746" border="0" /></a>City tour - here we are at Plaza San Martin.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgliUSQH0OyQId3trLHcyabcS3tEJnnaA85UOfYJUaSvrbey8-KZNFRIrKokhRadgBPc8eZ7Ogoxb63zM5o-CAg85AC4IIITfEiDrKJrgOAHK8ghyphenhyphenv9tTJP0Btzl5nkvSg53wXgh7mxwqs/s1600/sanmartin.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgliUSQH0OyQId3trLHcyabcS3tEJnnaA85UOfYJUaSvrbey8-KZNFRIrKokhRadgBPc8eZ7Ogoxb63zM5o-CAg85AC4IIITfEiDrKJrgOAHK8ghyphenhyphenv9tTJP0Btzl5nkvSg53wXgh7mxwqs/s320/sanmartin.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535369667357366258" border="0" /></a>Another asado, this time on a Sunday at my Grandma's weekend home in Chacras.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJWvMlxLYQkZCWwvsAwDQS888SRtWJ-ipITwL3RS1661SWcvSnyvyd1VU1rSxekMLDjhmyKVJHdkZWTiJRfF8-2M9LeJGYTVodauHh-wDaICHxIT9RUiVrQxZQFY_pfU7pAF3n1vPqVrE/s1600/asado2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJWvMlxLYQkZCWwvsAwDQS888SRtWJ-ipITwL3RS1661SWcvSnyvyd1VU1rSxekMLDjhmyKVJHdkZWTiJRfF8-2M9LeJGYTVodauHh-wDaICHxIT9RUiVrQxZQFY_pfU7pAF3n1vPqVrE/s320/asado2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535369664649122034" border="0" /></a>We even had time to take in an Argentinian soccer game. This is a Nacional B game, which is the second division of soccer. We went to see Independiente Rivadavia (home team) take on Atletico Rafaela. The good guys won 3-1. Diane and I had been to a soccer game together before (Argentina vs. USA at the Meadowlands in 2008), but this was an entirely different experience with the local crowd (and, plus, Diane finally got to see a GOOOOOOOOOOL).<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDz17P83PBOJpFzBjV2YG97nw6sdi9OqdczMgne4x4Zy8bg2UygBv1Xl2Zgl9_F_fVhIkb43QbLI5kcTZpzeqvJFjsBTNuIh9CJt61BIqbfQI1a_vaqvVrOaIPwHQXvnFJzIgetoLgCwg/s1600/futbol1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDz17P83PBOJpFzBjV2YG97nw6sdi9OqdczMgne4x4Zy8bg2UygBv1Xl2Zgl9_F_fVhIkb43QbLI5kcTZpzeqvJFjsBTNuIh9CJt61BIqbfQI1a_vaqvVrOaIPwHQXvnFJzIgetoLgCwg/s320/futbol1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535369657556712850" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBlLQOTQdLFVbMNmBfgJ2IQBHjihuxNZ0jB3kd0VJhaAI4QWEqwoGkzW0qyj_-SQrEE-2PTUTVJyvYCZDH-h9TNsEquMQMMdEXdiaPVjHBWSL-ZRmVY2xDGttR9IeMXJmI8OdYx_2Aix4/s1600/futbol2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBlLQOTQdLFVbMNmBfgJ2IQBHjihuxNZ0jB3kd0VJhaAI4QWEqwoGkzW0qyj_-SQrEE-2PTUTVJyvYCZDH-h9TNsEquMQMMdEXdiaPVjHBWSL-ZRmVY2xDGttR9IeMXJmI8OdYx_2Aix4/s320/futbol2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535369210007967362" border="0" /></a>Of course we did some bodega tours - on bicycles (thanks Chacras Bikes!). We went to Alta Vista and Clos de Chacras. This worked out great since they are both very different types of bodegas. Alta Vista is a large operation and Clos is much smaller - so small in fact, that they hand label their bottles. Being on the bikes presented a challenge when it came time to transport our purchases (see the water bottle holder), but it also helped us moderate our tasting intake, since riding a bike with a buzz can't be that easy.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoASfO_IVaUJJLehMsNuoFGOJv7IDA413DOC4KdnpsRMkoxh6apF5kyYzfWq0RMy7DKFcs5V0Y4RJbMuVX5KjGb6E5ly94sXSsiaU6nDrlFBZaqZuKKI6fn74hdBD1my1SCaUnKay0klc/s1600/altavista.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoASfO_IVaUJJLehMsNuoFGOJv7IDA413DOC4KdnpsRMkoxh6apF5kyYzfWq0RMy7DKFcs5V0Y4RJbMuVX5KjGb6E5ly94sXSsiaU6nDrlFBZaqZuKKI6fn74hdBD1my1SCaUnKay0klc/s320/altavista.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535369208857569906" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7TGLWwM0B34P4Inz7BQcWIlqd2Glm4Ywgtb5ya-BnqjZZDQKfpLYGLq9Rjf7P_EtWDFh5yzGzDkchk3wh6FbfUqbZMgthGB_nebdPu16s3basdx7IynhtEwmFN3LN1-wi1aBvNkhVGv0/s1600/altavista2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7TGLWwM0B34P4Inz7BQcWIlqd2Glm4Ywgtb5ya-BnqjZZDQKfpLYGLq9Rjf7P_EtWDFh5yzGzDkchk3wh6FbfUqbZMgthGB_nebdPu16s3basdx7IynhtEwmFN3LN1-wi1aBvNkhVGv0/s320/altavista2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535369201091221634" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie3qDwJM6gqTlU28Hw4A-V1XYCQwg-C7ahrauV1tMSytIh1fsNHSmfddqoo9N7NBLsjCLP6yIEHdokfU1y55YxwUBRYGkZFpvnnJw0hiD80eQVEXKzeQY3J6EtCE_-YPbqs4WYkmkpxQE/s1600/clos.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie3qDwJM6gqTlU28Hw4A-V1XYCQwg-C7ahrauV1tMSytIh1fsNHSmfddqoo9N7NBLsjCLP6yIEHdokfU1y55YxwUBRYGkZFpvnnJw0hiD80eQVEXKzeQY3J6EtCE_-YPbqs4WYkmkpxQE/s320/clos.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535369195592079154" border="0" /></a>We also took Diane's parents on the same High Mountain Andes tour that we did in 2008. Sadly, the road to the Christ the Redeemer statue at the Argentina-Chile border was closed due to poor conditions. The road is bad enough in perfect conditions ... so we had to leave that for another time. The statue was placed on the border after a history of border disputes between the countries and the premise of the statue is that the countries should not fight over the border because Christ knows exactly where it is. We did of course make stops at Aconcagua and Puente Del Inca.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6fg_Y725yvnmoJiY1VBZaHeLzK57IfrumSsmxImVvtImt1x0atzn0RHxwKDjZwClIBNzOp2xnpdWm_wWI4o_5iHIU3BmSTaO6VBrOBbIuvf7Ptf2w0RZQ0xJ3D8wL4OjI4prIykf30qQ/s1600/aconc.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6fg_Y725yvnmoJiY1VBZaHeLzK57IfrumSsmxImVvtImt1x0atzn0RHxwKDjZwClIBNzOp2xnpdWm_wWI4o_5iHIU3BmSTaO6VBrOBbIuvf7Ptf2w0RZQ0xJ3D8wL4OjI4prIykf30qQ/s320/aconc.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535369190070149474" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuArZ_HNMv-It_bmKQMp0CYBfKsuZFO81QYPrL-rVaWXWDhyqgR_mccDhOExnU1DFQYzW8Ou4OiZsmpUTY4jSahRkaKO_U8ZCn2seGcnlArooRJK3IMZi8iJKrte1Z1zhV7iYvuegVkEA/s1600/inca.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuArZ_HNMv-It_bmKQMp0CYBfKsuZFO81QYPrL-rVaWXWDhyqgR_mccDhOExnU1DFQYzW8Ou4OiZsmpUTY4jSahRkaKO_U8ZCn2seGcnlArooRJK3IMZi8iJKrte1Z1zhV7iYvuegVkEA/s320/inca.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535368686007332450" border="0" /></a>We spent the last few days of the trip at Iguazu where we went to see the greatest, most spectacularly amazing waterfalls in the world. There is literally no way to transmit what one feels at this location, since even pictures do it very little justice. We essentially took in all the attractions at the national park, including a boat trip that makes the Maid of the Mist seem quite tame. We also visited the Triple Border area, where one can see Argentina, Paraguay and Brasil (in the last picture below, the picture is taken from Argentina, Paraguay (and Ciudad del Este are on the left, and Brasil is on the right).<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimLeN59rriHGF1eFNDn3nAjKCyvzdzo_5Kc78EXtmfrK2LRZmZGUy4x9-vBEN3fNfPMcOVU7pCZoFcAqlPPz1Xhl0KcbuKDf95Kn_HOFrFvGnjlO8YJne1KQQlL91ozlXFWg6E9OypRfc/s1600/iguazu.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimLeN59rriHGF1eFNDn3nAjKCyvzdzo_5Kc78EXtmfrK2LRZmZGUy4x9-vBEN3fNfPMcOVU7pCZoFcAqlPPz1Xhl0KcbuKDf95Kn_HOFrFvGnjlO8YJne1KQQlL91ozlXFWg6E9OypRfc/s320/iguazu.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535368682847531474" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgofX3MaA0HsjUTaObjWF5wMf3K9UARKq5YKKl61CTu5lo7RwChfAetnvIdpQ6yyI0rUbIuysI-nl9BVfylUwr2ZtuTnV7Nsf7v1K9WaC3VTh0C8T7tNSkr4tDE8NDaao1WTd2OFv0NMDs/s1600/iguazu2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgofX3MaA0HsjUTaObjWF5wMf3K9UARKq5YKKl61CTu5lo7RwChfAetnvIdpQ6yyI0rUbIuysI-nl9BVfylUwr2ZtuTnV7Nsf7v1K9WaC3VTh0C8T7tNSkr4tDE8NDaao1WTd2OFv0NMDs/s320/iguazu2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535368681567532130" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjEYxqgLYFK6hZQPlsTwWRzTkwKVEhTRCILAu5KUWwGob52_iRLXt8Ke8Qvnno1rBk2VhJxyQjP9-X-FggGqvlDKyDYv2rynXq5vKAqvsz3QQrKJi7TdtePVXrxgz-PP_2WwJSGDxxg3A/s1600/iguazu3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjEYxqgLYFK6hZQPlsTwWRzTkwKVEhTRCILAu5KUWwGob52_iRLXt8Ke8Qvnno1rBk2VhJxyQjP9-X-FggGqvlDKyDYv2rynXq5vKAqvsz3QQrKJi7TdtePVXrxgz-PP_2WwJSGDxxg3A/s320/iguazu3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535368675418872514" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6B5uaT8O1Pgyoq9aUCSQlRxbZeC6Kuf6bM8A1k4ylG2jp7IwBcxomV0H76-EjqvanN4xsFmcG61OwA7zVDIi5utepA4K_mUmrMhY2-w01UsiwHDF9QONIgnNVI0MJZtVhP1WD5_vRj1s/s1600/triplefront.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6B5uaT8O1Pgyoq9aUCSQlRxbZeC6Kuf6bM8A1k4ylG2jp7IwBcxomV0H76-EjqvanN4xsFmcG61OwA7zVDIi5utepA4K_mUmrMhY2-w01UsiwHDF9QONIgnNVI0MJZtVhP1WD5_vRj1s/s320/triplefront.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535368672412705682" border="0" /></a>That is a rundown of the activities. I will have separate posts with commentary and, of course, a summary of airplane and airplane-related activity.Sparticushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11456438998901713179noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820979512057705400.post-61180605255303998232010-10-05T11:46:00.004-04:002010-10-05T12:45:16.264-04:00New commercial flight at Fort Collins/Loveland beginning on FridayBeginning this Friday, Allegiant is <a href="http://ir.allegiantair.com/releasedetail.cfm?releaseid=498414">beginning new jet service from Fort Collins/Loveland to Phoenix.</a> This is the second commercial flight to operate out of <a href="http://www.fortloveair.com/">FNL</a>, and this is something that I have been <a href="http://airplanesihaveknown.blogspot.com/2008/07/yeah-but-albany-makes-it-up-in-other.html">harping on for years</a>.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXGurO5j_9xhemV3KdS8LGFqZj7h2mT3lbsi1DVSMTQM56uhENX7WibYZk2j2UbdIz4tUv2Z3vZrj01gDUgGcri9J012W-XUo2DhksuZ5u8-IjbqVjldA26b3PgFJ3JlgQc4IAoIzFJbI/s1600/allegiant.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 260px; height: 260px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXGurO5j_9xhemV3KdS8LGFqZj7h2mT3lbsi1DVSMTQM56uhENX7WibYZk2j2UbdIz4tUv2Z3vZrj01gDUgGcri9J012W-XUo2DhksuZ5u8-IjbqVjldA26b3PgFJ3JlgQc4IAoIzFJbI/s320/allegiant.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524603960859401490" border="0" /></a>Northeast Colorado is ripe for air service. There are two universities in the area (Colorado State and Northern Colorado), multiple large employers (HP, Budweiser), and trendy travel destinations nearby (Rocky Mountain National Park, multiple ski resorts). Plus, the region has become significantly populated. I have a feeling that adding air service to this would have a Field of Dreams effect - "if you build it they will come."<br /><br />The drive to Denver International Airport from the Fort Collins/Loveland areas takes approximately 1:30. There are many examples of airlines currently offering service to cities that are as equidistant to a significant airport as FNL. Delta currently flies to Fort Dodge, Iowa (population 25,000). It is located 1:35 from Des Moines, Iowa. Delta also flies to Jamestown, North Dakota (population 15,000). This bustling metropolis is located 1:31 from Bismarck, ND. United flies to Klamath Falls, Oregon (population 20,000), which is located 1:32 minutes from Medford, Oregon. The Fort Collins/Loveland/Greeley/Windsor area has a population over 200,000.<br /><br />I am glad that at least Allegiant is developing its FNL service. The jet service to Las Vegas was a no-brainer. The next expansion should be to a Florida resort town, or a midwestern hub, like Chicago. I would imagine that there would be a lot of people in Northeast Colorado who would pay a little more for airplane tickets to avoid the long drive to Denver. Allegiant serves FNL with the MD-80, which seats 130-170 passengers. But there's nothing saying you can't fly in and out of FNL with a CRJ or Embraer, the latter of which only requires you to fill 37 seats.<br /><br />That's all I got.Sparticushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11456438998901713179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820979512057705400.post-67944752267237650062010-10-04T21:17:00.004-04:002010-10-04T21:41:06.846-04:00Forced fanaticismOne of my good friends in Colorado was a big Dallas Cowboys fan. He was not born in Dallas (or Texas or anywhere near there). Nobody in his family was a Cowboys fan. He had never been to Dallas (or anywhere in Texas) in his life. He just liked the Cowboys for no good reason. Even though he lived, was raised, and was, for all practical matters, a Coloradoan. And it's not like the Broncos had a slouch team. This was during the Elway years when being a Broncos fan was a lot of fun. I was just incredibly annoyed that this kid did not support the hometown team. I would have understood his position if he had a good reason for being a Dallas Cowboys fan (like any of the quality reasons I raised above).<br /><div></div><br /><div>So, when I moved to New York in 2006, I knew that I needed to start adopting the hometown teams so that I would not become so objectionable to myself. It was not easy to make this transition. Of course, it did not help that the Rockies got really good in the last few years. And it is just very difficult to give up on the Broncos - they are quite the religion and I drank the Kool-Aid. </div><div></div><br /><div>But at the beginning of this football season, Diane and I decided that we should choose a football team that we could root for together. We went through an entire exercise including choosing finalists, vetoing the others' choices, etc. And after much consideration, we settled on becoming Buffalo Bills fans. </div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 261px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524370573967855730" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU1oJuKM3zNG_UjjoOG9mPvhYYctkzrz1ab2wBcZUoIwlJWwNFKs1lTG75Pjdhslg4IQOcPMsJrAoblK0Qhyphenhyphenw_OQba8Om-AgdqET01ysB8fnHvFi4xQNPulsJgv_iZ3AMVWcYAM52dV2w/s320/bills.jpg" />As it turns out, after 4 very painful losses, this may have been a huge mistake. Much like the industrial complex of upstate New York, the Buffalo Bills' season is crumbling and there is very little hope for recovery. On the other hand, it is somewhat enjoyable to have misery to share with other Bills fans that I run into, and I do enjoy getting the sympathy. It's like becoming a Bills fan is equivalent to doing a good selfless deed like helping an old lady cross the street.<br /><div></div><br /><div>Regardless of the current and future losing that I am destined to witness, I do feel good about our decision (which incidentally was the first major decision we made as an engaged couple - woot!). There is something inherently good about rooting for the only football team that actually plays its home games IN New York. </div><div></div><br /><div>As for the other sports, I have embraced the Red Sox, although I have not totally let go of the Rockies. I can't put into words how annoying it is that they got this good since I left Colorado after all that horrible baseball I had to endure at Coors Field. And since the Shell-Dawg is a fan of the New York Rangers, that is good enough for me to follow them.</div><br /><div></div><div>I do have to stress that although I am still a reluctant Rockies fan, it was the Broncos that were the hardest to give up on. Probably because I knew deep inside that I was in for decades of bad football. </div>Sparticushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11456438998901713179noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820979512057705400.post-64281965487797764542010-09-28T15:14:00.002-04:002010-09-28T15:54:34.711-04:00JFK Emergency LandingIn case you missed it, a Delta <a href="http://www.crj.bombardier.com/CRJ/en/home_crj.jsp?langId=en&crjId=900">CRJ-900</a> made an <a href="http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/queens/sparks_fly_as_jet_crash_lands_at_hhbKXOeceSWCJHVArp13TN">emergency landing at JFK</a> on Sunday night after a malfunction in the back-right landing gear. The plane landed and then skidded on its wing to a rest in a shower of sparks. A passenger <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZ17U645HkY">captured the final moments</a> on a cell-phone camera. At 0:12 you can hear the plane touch down and it takes until about 0:18 until you start seeing sparks, which means that the pilot was able to keep the wing off the runway for a good 6 seconds.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5jVzOy-iJBLZ9hFeHWiQsbq4ILepNX9hGaP3ffp7s7XgHH5Nqty13OhPjjAT_jvz7kCMovThsVLm-1EieqAEBSKDY5q_9O-Nh4aXcQdDl2G84fv6ggqyJfLN1xy_yNAlNfbIkxYVYfkY/s1600/crj.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5jVzOy-iJBLZ9hFeHWiQsbq4ILepNX9hGaP3ffp7s7XgHH5Nqty13OhPjjAT_jvz7kCMovThsVLm-1EieqAEBSKDY5q_9O-Nh4aXcQdDl2G84fv6ggqyJfLN1xy_yNAlNfbIkxYVYfkY/s320/crj.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522055123192982962" border="0" /></a>I like how at the 0:24 mark after the plane has been skidding for a while (and has not yet veered off the runway or otherwise become destroyed) the flight attendant gives out a triumphant "Heads down! Stay down!" You can sense in her voice that they are gonna make it.<br /><br />And of course, the spontaneous cheers and applause are nice. I smirked at this because on virtually every foreign airline I have flown on (save British Airways, but including LanChile, Austral, Aerolineas Argentinas and EgyptAir) the foreigners always applaud the landing. Even in perfect weather. But then again, in Argentina we always <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YhgCuliKoU&feature=related">applaud the </a><span style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YhgCuliKoU&feature=related">asador</a> </span>- we are a very grateful people I guess. (<-- By the way, I am always shocked at what you can find on YouTube.) One final item you may have missed, which <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2010/09/28/2010-09-28_similar_problems_have_plagued_maker_of_jfk_miracle_jet_firm_landing_in_hot_water.html#ixzz10oNDnaJj">appeared in the NY Daily News today</a>, is that there have been 5 similar incidents with the CRJ in the last two years. This, of course, is problematic, and the Daily News writer explains why (with tongue firmly in cheek):<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"...Landing gear being generally recommended for the landing portion of a flight..."<br /><br /></span>Although, I would go a step further and say<span style="font-style: italic;"> "<span style="font-weight: bold;">properly functioning</span> landing gear </span><span style="font-style: italic;">being generally recommended for the landing portion of a flight..." </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEe8YuLPl2A">Right JetBlue?</a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span>These are facts.<span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span>Sparticushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11456438998901713179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820979512057705400.post-71624294645078502522010-09-26T12:55:00.004-04:002010-09-26T13:29:19.316-04:00Hockey Season is Back<div style="text-align: left;">There is a chill in the air. The leaves are turning. The Mets are playing out their final meaningless games. All of these are signs that the Night Owls Hockey Club Fall/Winter season is back.</div><div><br /></div><div>This fall I am playing on both the Thursday and Sunday squads. We are already three weeks into the season and so far it has been a boon on the scoresheet for me, including a Hat Trick and two sick and professional backhand goals. In fact, Diane was alert enough to capture one of them right before the moment of greatness:</div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioMGpaTH0o87eKpw6abKzdJTKuPt8eLcYxpHfkXkKpmrYNvOisII7FAt1F7V7QO2VuE4v2dYRI5mIKnz3O111E0rjgFGu0PfpXK-jSWTnB_8f_NnzjJ1HEamgoueKZw9FXM7YpOv5sAno/s320/DSC02934.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521275103860741122" /><div style="text-align: left;">She also, rather passive-aggressively I might add, captured some photographs detailing the temperature inside the arena.</div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFKKYgPieixFpeSF3KOjn2acknEWk6GVylNaXEKsD8aVXzinyDkjftCpFswtINGqETJJ7Y0JxWG5QJHnncAk2IaNREdYc4qFAu8GQvITb6M7UI7gZwzvKeq-ul-1b011L5W-jALFOSsbs/s320/DSC02927.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521275101707233426" /><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgPP6J9mX616RZx2TO1HobXl2f4yeE76u0_CT-9l_H6UkO_mHEnuh3PzrhBTZ0JeEzUkyqyZ9rjlJJgo-higfXFOFe2bFsllPNK8M1uDUsLYAWmIVBBt6BOdix_rHOzHPUQcc1AoK3dWM/s320/DSC02929.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521275098049982178" /></div><div>On another note, Diane's mom deserves some sort of medal for the very selfless act of washing my hockey equipment. If you are lucky enough to have never smelled hockey equipment, perhaps my good friend the Sports Guy will give you a level of appreciation for how powerful it is. This is an excerpt from a <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/070625">2007 article</a>:</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px; ">"My theory on why all hockey players are so boring: It takes three beers to loosen them up because their brains are rendered senseless by the stench of sweaty, stinky hockey equipment. It's like the smell of death -- you can't get it out of your nostrils once it gets in there. Hence, they're on autopilot until that fourth beer makes the stench go away. And then? All hell breaks loose."</span></div><div><br /></div><div>The last time I had my equipment washed (which was also by Diane's mom) Bush was still president, the New York State Senate was still a Republican (yet dignified) body, and the world was unaware of Bristol Palin's sexcapades. It was getting so bad that I was getting dirty looks in the locker room.</div>Sparticushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11456438998901713179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820979512057705400.post-14356586109170505872010-09-20T15:57:00.009-04:002010-09-21T15:56:21.047-04:00America.In <a href="http://airplanesihaveknown.blogspot.com/2008/07/july-august-madness.html">July 2008</a>, I began an installment called the Best Color Scheme Among Flag Carriers Tournament. I envisioned it as a summer project. More than 2 years later, here I am - trying to finish out this damned thing. Just to refresh your memory, because god knows I needed my own memory refreshed, I picked a winner from eight regions with all the winners advancing to a huge Elite Eight tournament to determine once and for all the best color scheme among flag carriers. Today is the final qualification tournament as we (I) select the US representative to this elite field.<br /><br />As you know, America does not have a flag carrier, since, you know, that sounds communist. So today we are picking the US winner from a group of 16 airlines (including 2 defunct, yet classic US airlines - PanAm and Eastern).<br /><br />There are two 8-airline brackets seeded as follows based on numerous factors, including regional balance, yearly passenger load, and other factors that I, as commissioner, determined but do not have to divulge. Here are the brackets:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">South/West Bracket:</span><br />1. Southwest (appropriately enough)<br />2. American Airlines<br />3. Eastern Airlines<br />4. US Airways<br />5. Northwest<br />6. Allegiant<br />7. Hawaiian<br />8. Alaska<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">North/East Bracket:</span><br />1. Delta<br />2. United<br />3. PanAm<br />4. Continental<br />5. Spirit<br />6. Air Trans<br />7. JetBlue<br />8. Frontier<br /><br />So...onto the work at hand. Let's start with the <span style="font-weight: bold;">Sou</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">th/West Bracket:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Round 1 Matches:</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">(1) </span><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://images.businessweek.com/ss/08/09/0904_first_jobs/image/southwest_airlines.jpg">Southwest</a><span style="font-weight: bold;"> vs. (8) </span><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.beloblog.com/KGW_Blogs/travel/archives/Alaska%20737-700%20at%20PDX.jpg">Alaska</a><span style="font-weight: bold;">:</span> I dislike having to make difficult decisions and already I have been saddled with a tough choice. One the one hand, the Southwest colorscheme is pleasing to my eyes - but it also seems quite loud to me. And while the Alaska colorscheme is simple, it still does just enough (like having lines of different widths running down the fuselage) to keep my attention. I am also fascinated by the Eskimo on the tail. I am going with Alaska on this because in the end, I don't think I like the wavy blend of red and blue on the southwest fuselage. I don't get it - why can't they have a straight line where the colors meet? <span style="font-weight: bold;">Winner: Alaska.</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZKUXnS_G6naQMGvQCIaCQ9fEJYtGRv6lH5Ewu0iRjg072u8-t3UVK0ynQkjPorN5EA4vX6yZIM1Arxk27mBoLXfcTFUcAG6eMfbD46XOwFnICkI7EsSB7fQuQ6nkSrboGXCSsv3SYZJI/s1600/southwest.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 209px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZKUXnS_G6naQMGvQCIaCQ9fEJYtGRv6lH5Ewu0iRjg072u8-t3UVK0ynQkjPorN5EA4vX6yZIM1Arxk27mBoLXfcTFUcAG6eMfbD46XOwFnICkI7EsSB7fQuQ6nkSrboGXCSsv3SYZJI/s320/southwest.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519457464818199778" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">(4)<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d9/Usairways_a330-300_n278ay_arp.jpg"> US Airways</a> vs. (5) <a href="http://www.ajaxman.net/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/2732.jpg">Northwest</a>: </span>There are things to like about both of these color schemes. Although US Airways has the basic white color scheme, there is a lot of activity around it. I am a huge fan of the subtle gray that Northwest uses - and I really like the lower case "nwa" that they use here. It's a nice touch. The only part of the US Airways color scheme that I am not getting is the block of red at the top of the tail. It is out of place. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Winner: North</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">west.</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4rkPiN4H0gAOnMliPdN-Mr0ZQQTqZs2TWfRwS_SJhpvk_gUpkmLbG4HNTun1MxVq-5R-Qq_aPh02IfTZtaenkwtZi8zVMqtmueFCExXnHUzukkMbIyIrwiUhMSAeHb19kLxUmB_cADtw/s1600/northwest.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 219px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4rkPiN4H0gAOnMliPdN-Mr0ZQQTqZs2TWfRwS_SJhpvk_gUpkmLbG4HNTun1MxVq-5R-Qq_aPh02IfTZtaenkwtZi8zVMqtmueFCExXnHUzukkMbIyIrwiUhMSAeHb19kLxUmB_cADtw/s320/northwest.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519455197696145378" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">(3) <a href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2032/2169723211_f5eca700a5.jpg">Eastern</a> vs. (6) <a href="http://www.airplane-pictures.net/images/uploaded-images/2008-5/28/15891.jpg">Allegiant</a>: </span>I have always had a soft spot for Eastern since that was the airline that brought us to America. So even though it no longer exists, I thought that they merited a spot in this important tournament. I also am a big fan of Allegiant since they are the only commercial airline to fly in and out of Fort Collins. In this case I am going with Eastern because I believe they need to be rewarded with the fuel-saving and Earth-friendly polished color-scheme. Being green pays off, people. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Winner: Ea</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">stern.</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3-vL1-nrChbAWLDN1vVNcUH07AyD5Iuen26dkrThpx8WJRHjRUZUVYR4w40hzUWASgCMr79UmSmmrAqNP306WHrJdhRrjfhPBCd1svKKyKKxTTiRcdRwZdMo8Mlp4Obb3O7Q5mnyTsSg/s1600/allegiant.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3-vL1-nrChbAWLDN1vVNcUH07AyD5Iuen26dkrThpx8WJRHjRUZUVYR4w40hzUWASgCMr79UmSmmrAqNP306WHrJdhRrjfhPBCd1svKKyKKxTTiRcdRwZdMo8Mlp4Obb3O7Q5mnyTsSg/s320/allegiant.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519454851211650226" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">(2) </span><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.911pk-gruppen.no/010a%20Slik%20ser%20en%20Boeing%20757-223%20fra%20American%20Airlines%20ut.jpg-for-web-large.jpg">American </a><span style="font-weight: bold;">vs. (7) </span><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://cdn.buzznet.com/assets/users16/macpro/default/hawaiian-airlines-boeing-767--large-msg-122014548308.jpg">Hawaiian</a><span style="font-weight: bold;">:</span> Props for the polished look that American uses (see above). But American is not advancing simply because of the polish - it's also advancing because of the fine eagle on the tail and the great font. And Hawaiian - I am sorry but that lady on the tail is cartoonish. For reference on how to put an acceptable face on an airplane, see Airlines, Alaska. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Winner: American.</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZE2GZ7KR5ZbOygblf7NqHN2CvPU3epRm6iAnfGNIPqWGi37-q2FCYx0yEOAlBDbAnIAib5xnfbl3OHV3WLudV2c_pz4U13vxlQSaQINO-hdFjhpG_WlSGP_mKfFYOMCxmwvtDTvNsfoc/s1600/hawaiian.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 211px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZE2GZ7KR5ZbOygblf7NqHN2CvPU3epRm6iAnfGNIPqWGi37-q2FCYx0yEOAlBDbAnIAib5xnfbl3OHV3WLudV2c_pz4U13vxlQSaQINO-hdFjhpG_WlSGP_mKfFYOMCxmwvtDTvNsfoc/s320/hawaiian.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519457460577401538" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Round II Matches:</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">(8) </span><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.hawaii-myguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/alaska-airlines-737-800.jpg">Alaska </a><span style="font-weight: bold;">vs. (5) </span><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.allamericanpatriots.com/files/images/northwest-airlines-A330-300-minneapolis.jpg">Northwest</a><span style="font-weight: bold;">:</span> There certainly is a charm to a simple colorscheme such as the one used by Alaska. The problem with that, as I see it, is that it can result in a less dynamic appearance. Take Northwest's old color scheme (see it <a href="http://members.chello.nl/j.kolk2/Wings/02-08-0_NorthWest_DC10-40_N240NW.jpg">here</a>): it was exciting and "busy." But when the time came for a new look, Northwest was able to adapt and come up with a new look that preserved the heritage of the old colorscheme. I am fascinated with how Northwest adapted the tiny triangle in the N/W on the tail and used it as the main point of attention on the new colorscheme. I think that although the Alaska colorscheme is certainly attractive, it has nowhere to go from here. On the other hand, I am excited to see what Northwest does next. As a side note, props to Alaska for some very well crafted special colorschemes, like the Salmon Plane below. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Winner: Northwest.</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQL-WP93k5VqY3qI2MTQUkjr7cCPELi3WJVhQtf-iiSpC8xCH-BUE7GeugTjozzOest-G7vGWm6PAh8gujeQBBgP_QKcYYM0PAxzZgZiNUQ4QUQTtdoq8Z6L-2d0VtEFTAFBG2bmeV4jE/s1600/alaska.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 210px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQL-WP93k5VqY3qI2MTQUkjr7cCPELi3WJVhQtf-iiSpC8xCH-BUE7GeugTjozzOest-G7vGWm6PAh8gujeQBBgP_QKcYYM0PAxzZgZiNUQ4QUQTtdoq8Z6L-2d0VtEFTAFBG2bmeV4jE/s320/alaska.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519454843274464754" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">(2) <a href="http://www.luftfahrt.net/galerie/photos/2003/9/1045679843_Boeing-767-300ER_American-Airlines.jpg">American </a>vs. (3) <a href="http://www.eucomairlines.de/prodlist/n311ea2.jpg">Eastern</a>: </span>It is fitting and good for the environment that these two eco-friendly color schemes have advanced this far. Despite the significant similarities between these colorschemes, there are, in fact, substantive differences. First, the stripes on the Eastern fuselage rise through the tail at the back of the plane. That is not a very aesthetic look in my mind. On a similar note, while American sports the AA and eagle on the tail, there is nothing new or unique on the Eastern tail. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Winner: American.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Round III: South/West Bracket Final</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">(2) <a href="http://www.airplane-pictures.net/images/uploaded-images/2009-3/1/38188.jpg">American </a>vs. (5) <a href="http://scrapetv.com/News/News%20Pages/Business/images-3/northwest-airlines.jpg">Northwest</a>: </span>This final has come down to a battle between two different styles. While Northwest was praised for its dynamic colorscheme, American has advanced largely on its ingenuity and classic symbols. And, ultimately, that is where I make my determination - the symbols. The American tail is distinctive and recognizable. Not to take anything away from Northwest, but sometimes the price you pay for product rebranding is a loss in identity. And what is more important than identity in a colorscheme? <span style="font-weight: bold;">Winner: American.<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAJI0nh7Os7BgL5JJU6EHeazd0Ge0F1ASHcDyRmr48wCJDHejFSA3umBizjhbqgHi86McJOpGJXqLyR17d7X3ndqFgh_XAid_yxWUms_c7BKPMueOBBcrCoLbNDRib0ql2sGpQrsWizBU/s1600/american.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 226px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAJI0nh7Os7BgL5JJU6EHeazd0Ge0F1ASHcDyRmr48wCJDHejFSA3umBizjhbqgHi86McJOpGJXqLyR17d7X3ndqFgh_XAid_yxWUms_c7BKPMueOBBcrCoLbNDRib0ql2sGpQrsWizBU/s320/american.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519455192036918610" border="0" /></a>Now it's time for the North/East bracket. Here we go with...<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Round I Matches:</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">(1) <a href="http://www.airplane-photo.com/image/airplane/MXP-Delta-Air-Lines-Boeing-767-332ER-0005.jpg">Delta </a>vs. (8) <a href="http://happyflier.com/images/2008/seattleapril26/frontier.jpg">Frontier</a>: </span>Perhaps in a preview of what may be coming in subsequent rounds, I am just going to have to put out there that I have a slight problem with the Delta flag on the tail. I can see how the country's flag would be helpful on an airplane, but I don't think a "company" flag is appropriate. That being said, although I have shown some love to the hint of gray earlier in this post (see Airlines, Northwest), I am not a fan of the large, fuselage-encompassing soft gray used by Frontier. But the animals on the tail are cute and they made for <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyZYi7WZz-U">some good commercials</a> back in the day. <span style="font-weight: bold;">W</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">inner: Delta.</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Oun7HCjkCbH1TRly7MxYBpx4a1ChEtY6Ld7wOyuujM37LTEHtfyjncUG6C9tvbLRexrv7dk3ONW3AWXPEqoxf2j1A-OtYKkoFTtWDfhKDMSUgwxTfeFvJBBZKRLNUzpP9m0RoKDdYoc/s1600/frontier.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 188px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Oun7HCjkCbH1TRly7MxYBpx4a1ChEtY6Ld7wOyuujM37LTEHtfyjncUG6C9tvbLRexrv7dk3ONW3AWXPEqoxf2j1A-OtYKkoFTtWDfhKDMSUgwxTfeFvJBBZKRLNUzpP9m0RoKDdYoc/s320/frontier.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519454866698432066" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">(4) <a href="http://leadingedgecorp.com/img/continental-airlines.jpg">Continental </a>vs. (5) <a href="http://www.jaunted.com/files/14943/spiritair.jpg">Spirit</a>: </span>I like both of these colorschemes very much. Continental offers a nice two-toned fuselage with a fine golden line to separate the colors. And it is hard to mess up the globe on the tail. Spirit - like others before it - very effectively uses the soft gray. I don't think their colorscheme would work well with a white background so I give them props for that. I go with Continental here though because I don't like how the square-fade works in the tail of the Spirit colorscheme. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Winner: Continental.</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />(3) <a href="http://www.aviationexplorer.com/Old_Airline_Airliner_Pictures/pan_am_boeing_747.jpg">PanAm </a>vs. (6) <a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/19/AirTran_Airways_Boeing_737-7BD_N331AT.jpg">AirTrans</a>: </span>There is a lot to like about the traditional PanAm colorscheme. The lettering is bold, and although similar in font and size to Frontier, it differentiates itself in that it is dark lettering instead of the light, almost "excuse me" lettering on Frontier's fuselage. And again, like I said about Continental, it is hard to mess up the globe on the tail. Huge props as well for writing the names of the planes near the cockpit. AirTrans essentially offers Southwest lite and I am not feeling it. The lower case "a" on the tail is a nice touch, but not nearly sufficient to knock off PanAm. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Winner: PanAm.</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW2nhIrQcPZGmXRW7sg7GIojA4lKHTUPGSF_4XVy_QtwkG6MLB3noog3meeePmDYUFtC-2HhFbJoPsVQuqatkZt3epfOJQQRkOQsO2KYDP8RAIse6m9jhAD4nS3Cn79j57MPUVHC1IfLQ/s1600/PanAm.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 250px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW2nhIrQcPZGmXRW7sg7GIojA4lKHTUPGSF_4XVy_QtwkG6MLB3noog3meeePmDYUFtC-2HhFbJoPsVQuqatkZt3epfOJQQRkOQsO2KYDP8RAIse6m9jhAD4nS3Cn79j57MPUVHC1IfLQ/s320/PanAm.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519455201066229314" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">(2) <a href="http://www.planebuzz.com/united747.jpg">United </a>vs. (7) <a href="http://www.buzztab.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/jetblue.jpg">JetBlue</a>: </span>This was a very one-sided contest for me. United's new colorscheme is pretty awesome by my estimation. And actually, I would even say that their previous two colorschemes have been <a href="http://www.luftfahrt.net/galerie/photos/2002/7/1033834992_N646UA_Boeing-767-322ER_United-Airlines.jpg">awesome </a>and <a href="http://www.air-and-space.com/19890120%20LAX/890236%20747SP-21%20N145UA%20United%20right%20front%20taxiing%20l.jpg">awesomer</a>. I have always believed that a great colorscheme is one that can evolve and retain the greatness of the previous design and incorporate that into the new colorscheme. By that yardstick, United has been very successful. There is nothing inherently wrong with JetBlue's colorscheme. It is pretty dull by comparison here, though. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Winner: United.</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmQWt0kxavHRh_fPKCsD0n98SXHgalOjX86BjLSTqt9yGAzKumvUgf3GKvnKdCzhL2FonbVWV0n5e2mte7LmtMONY_Y8V5kat_9zZjlOCEiC_rrif4sdMEPS5Nryj1gJyLdbNz7LrnG4U/s1600/united2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmQWt0kxavHRh_fPKCsD0n98SXHgalOjX86BjLSTqt9yGAzKumvUgf3GKvnKdCzhL2FonbVWV0n5e2mte7LmtMONY_Y8V5kat_9zZjlOCEiC_rrif4sdMEPS5Nryj1gJyLdbNz7LrnG4U/s320/united2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519457475677977714" border="0" /></a>Now...on to <span style="font-weight: bold;">Round II Matches:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">(1) <a href="http://d2eosjbgw49cu5.cloudfront.net/aviation-weblog.com/imgname--united_and_delta_airlines_talk_combination---50226711--delta.jpg">Delta </a>vs. (4) <a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bc/Continental.b757-200.n19117.bristol.arp.jpg">Continental</a>: </span>I am somewhat conflicted here because I genuinely don't have major issues with these colorschemes. Sure, I made some disparaging remarks about the flag on Delta's tail earlier - but in reality the design is well laid out. Upon some research into the Continental colorscheme, I did find that I do not like how it looks on the Boeing 757 - which is my favorite plane at the mo'. Just like a great colorscheme must be able to evolve, it should also look good on the planes you fly. The problem with the Continental colorscheme on the Boeing 757 is that it makes the plane look disproportionate. Look at the Boeing 767 here: <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh42nL_DkXMWYqEwPAuoF8Nrgu4eHoCvoUwtPtf7PwtKBRjoGURXkTQEtN8qRAuEFSSl8h_MW3viqVe6EvHtvjMHbstRx1Rxz-F3060MpdutbChvHBV2tUE39TiNIrRxW2pdPzpJZnv5g4/s1600/continental767.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh42nL_DkXMWYqEwPAuoF8Nrgu4eHoCvoUwtPtf7PwtKBRjoGURXkTQEtN8qRAuEFSSl8h_MW3viqVe6EvHtvjMHbstRx1Rxz-F3060MpdutbChvHBV2tUE39TiNIrRxW2pdPzpJZnv5g4/s320/continental767.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519454858434543314" border="0" /></a>See how the gold line runs down the middle of the nose? Now look at the Boeing 757: <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgquEix6nHUNP-JupFSI2NPphImF6HvHAi8r3MLHFPh5wi-gp_10gWtONNOPl2A3wr3Vf6chK3nnx7SWNgkbvRaWmJSKMU75MLRYQagKg5twt-PJHImFJaKWhaY4BIb7zVW7jGrpbAAECE/s1600/continental757.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 192px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgquEix6nHUNP-JupFSI2NPphImF6HvHAi8r3MLHFPh5wi-gp_10gWtONNOPl2A3wr3Vf6chK3nnx7SWNgkbvRaWmJSKMU75MLRYQagKg5twt-PJHImFJaKWhaY4BIb7zVW7jGrpbAAECE/s320/continental757.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519454856478920418" border="0" /></a>See how the gold line is higher than the middle of the nose? <span style="font-weight: bold;">Winner: Delta.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">(2) <a href="http://www.airplane-pictures.net/images/uploaded-images/2008-1/11/9260.jpg">United </a>vs. (3) <a href="http://www.aviationexplorer.com/Old_Airline_Airliner_Pictures/Pan_Am_Boeing-707.jpg">PanAm</a>: </span>Huge props to PanAm in this contest since it is the closest the US has come to a "flagcarrier." However, in this match up, I think PanAm bows out. If I had to pick one reason that United wins here it's the tail design - there is nothing wrong with PanAm's globe, but the United "U" is very imposing and, dare I say it, almost intimidating. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Winner: United.</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span>And now for the<span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"> North/East Bracket Final:<br /></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">(1) <a href="http://3plwire.com/wp-content/1delta_757.jpg">Delta </a>vs. (2) <a href="http://www.airliners.nl/images2007/030508-UnitedAirlines-N642UA.jpg">United</a>: </span></span></span>I had not mentioned this earlier, but Delta does employ a partly-polished look on its planes' underbelly, which on these pages has been rewarded due to it's eco-friendliness. However, from a purely, purely aesthetic standpoint, the polished underbelly clashes too strongly with the white of the rest of the colorscheme. While I applaud Delta for it's partial green colorscheme, the artist within me must also punish them for an unbalanced look. Plus, if you're going to save Earth, you might as well go all the way. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Winner: United.</span><br /><br />So here we are at the final. East meets West. North and South will collide. Again. The winner advances to the big dance and will represent the US.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">(2) <a href="http://filer.livinginperu.com/isabel/boeing_american.jpg">American </a>vs. (2) <a href="http://www.airplane-pictures.net/images/uploaded-images/2008-5/15/15136.jpg">United</a>: </span>In a way it is very fitting that one of these airlines will be representing the US in the final tournament. Even in their names they embody the spirit of this country. These two airlines arrived here for different reasons. American has had a traditional look that has endured. And - yes, I am mentioning it again - the polished look helps. United has gone through various colorschemes even in my short lifetime - and each of the looks has been impressive. This is going to be a very difficult decision indeed. As I study both of these colorschemes closely, I am find it challenging to find a significant enough flaw on either of these colorschemes. In fact, I just keep finding pleasant surprises. For example, even the order of the red, white and blue stripes on American make sense. In any other order I am not sure if they would look that good. And the gradation and fade-in of the blue to white on United is very well done. The shades and sizes of the stripes are ideal. However, at the end of the day this is a competition about colorschemes on airplanes. The colorscheme that best suits airplanes should be the one that wins. While the polished look on American is beautiful and well complemented, I can't help but feel that the colors and variations on United help bring the different parts of the airplane out. American is like the naked human body with all its imperfections and faults. United planes are dressed up and ready to shine. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Winner: United.</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPVfwAMWmPj9ZpmjOaV7Lry_roLbj7bd98uReS-YBOXI5nlZpaQ8-ANIMv49KLWqwl7kK-QaoEB4Gm_wFUAUKb5LEfF8RqUP3B_Jlr1gogsNuLObcmYi2mARkKWkk4vc1AyO8JtvHHA1s/s1600/united.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 301px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPVfwAMWmPj9ZpmjOaV7Lry_roLbj7bd98uReS-YBOXI5nlZpaQ8-ANIMv49KLWqwl7kK-QaoEB4Gm_wFUAUKb5LEfF8RqUP3B_Jlr1gogsNuLObcmYi2mARkKWkk4vc1AyO8JtvHHA1s/s320/united.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519455211346875714" border="0" /></a>And here are the eight finalists who will be competing for the title of<span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"> "Best Colorscheme Among Flagcarriers:"<br /><br />South America: </span></span>Varig<span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />North America: </span></span>AeroMexico<span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Oceania: </span></span>Air Vanuatu<span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Middle East: </span></span>Saudi Arabian<span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Asia: </span></span>Thai<span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Africa: </span></span>Air Tanzania<span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Europe: </span></span>KLM<span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />US: </span></span>United<span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></span>Sparticushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11456438998901713179noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820979512057705400.post-72528597007181830102010-09-17T17:44:00.002-04:002010-09-17T17:49:43.555-04:00Dunkin Run Results<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', arial, tahoma, verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; "><div class="tabDate" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 35px; font-size: 11px; line-height: 19px; color: rgb(68, 68, 68); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: normal; font-size: 13px; ">Diane, AK and I ran the Dunkin Donuts 5K run last weekend. The race started and ended at the Jewish Community Center. The course was nothing out of the ordinary - the second and third mile actually overlapped. </span></div><div class="tabDate" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 35px; font-size: 11px; line-height: 19px; color: rgb(68, 68, 68); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: normal; font-size: 13px; "><br /></span></div><div class="tabDate" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 35px; font-size: 11px; line-height: 19px; color: rgb(68, 68, 68); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: normal; font-size: 13px; ">I improved on my Valley Cats 5K run, which I ran in 25:25. Here is the Garmin view of the race.</span></div><div class="tabDate" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 35px; font-size: 11px; line-height: 19px; color: rgb(68, 68, 68); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: normal; font-size: 13px; "><br /><br /><br /><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><tbody><tr><td width="20" height="20" class="calendarPopupTL" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; background-image: url(http://connect.garmin.com/api/activity-search/style/main/images/calendar-popup-tl.png); background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; 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padding-top: 7px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; background-image: url(http://connect.garmin.com/api/activity-search/style/main/images/calendar-popup-header-bg.png); background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: rgb(136, 136, 136); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; "><div id="activityLink1" class="tabIcon running" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; background-image: url(http://connect.garmin.com/api/activity-search/style/main/images/icons-activities.png); background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; height: 23px; background-position: 0px -90px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; "><a target="_parent" href="http://connect.garmin.com/activity/49396113" style="color: rgb(59, 115, 196); text-decoration: none; "><span class="tabLink" id="activityName1" title="Untitled (Click to view details of this activity)" style="font: normal normal bold 16px/20px 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, Geneva, sans-serif; text-shadow: rgb(255, 255, 255) 0px 1px 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding-left: 35px; ">Untitled</span></a></div><div class="tabDate" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 35px; font-size: 11px; line-height: 19px; color: rgb(68, 68, 68); ">Sun, Sep 12, 2010 8:33 AM added by niquin21</div><div id="activityDescription1" class="activityDescription" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 35px; font-size: 11px; color: rgb(120, 120, 121); "></div><a href="http://connect.garmin.com/" target="_blank" class="gcLogoEmbedded" style="color: rgb(59, 115, 196); text-decoration: none; position: absolute; width: 80px; height: 43px; background-image: url(http://connect.garmin.com/api/activity-search/style/main/images/gc-logo-embedded.png); background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; right: 25px; top: 25px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; "></a></div><div id="activityMap" class="activityMap" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; position: relative; width: 425px; height: 232px; border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-bottom-style: none; border-left-style: none; border-width: initial; border-color: initial; background-color: rgb(229, 227, 223); "><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; width: 425px; height: 232px; "><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; left: 0px; top: 0px; z-index: 0; position: absolute; cursor: url(http://maps.gstatic.com/intl/en_us/mapfiles/openhand_8_8.cur), default; "><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; "><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; z-index: 0; "><img src="http://mt0.google.com/vt/lyrs=m@132&hl=en&src=api&x=4832&y=6041&z=14&s=G" style="-webkit-user-select: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; 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border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; position: absolute; left: -98px; top: 335px; width: 256px; height: 256px; " /><img src="http://mt1.google.com/vt/lyrs=m@132&hl=en&src=api&x=4833&y=6041&z=14&s=Gali" style="-webkit-user-select: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; position: absolute; left: 158px; top: -177px; width: 256px; height: 256px; " /><img src="http://mt1.google.com/vt/lyrs=m@132&hl=en&src=api&x=4833&y=6042&z=14&s=Galil" style="-webkit-user-select: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; position: absolute; left: 158px; top: 79px; width: 256px; height: 256px; " /><img src="http://mt1.google.com/vt/lyrs=m@132&hl=en&src=api&x=4833&y=6043&z=14&s=Galile" style="-webkit-user-select: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; position: absolute; left: 158px; top: 335px; width: 256px; height: 256px; " /><img src="http://mt0.google.com/vt/lyrs=m@132&hl=en&src=api&x=4834&y=6041&z=14&s=Galileo" style="-webkit-user-select: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; position: absolute; left: 414px; top: -177px; width: 256px; height: 256px; " /><img src="http://mt0.google.com/vt/lyrs=m@132&hl=en&src=api&x=4834&y=6042&z=14&s=" style="-webkit-user-select: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; position: absolute; left: 414px; top: 79px; width: 256px; height: 256px; " /><img src="http://mt0.google.com/vt/lyrs=m@132&hl=en&src=api&x=4834&y=6043&z=14&s=G" style="-webkit-user-select: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; position: absolute; left: 414px; top: 335px; width: 256px; height: 256px; " /><img src="http://mt1.google.com/vt/lyrs=m@132&hl=en&src=api&x=4835&y=6041&z=14&s=Ga" style="-webkit-user-select: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; position: absolute; left: 670px; top: -177px; width: 256px; height: 256px; " /><img src="http://mt1.google.com/vt/lyrs=m@132&hl=en&src=api&x=4835&y=6042&z=14&s=Gal" style="-webkit-user-select: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; position: absolute; left: 670px; top: 79px; width: 256px; height: 256px; " /><img src="http://mt1.google.com/vt/lyrs=m@132&hl=en&src=api&x=4835&y=6043&z=14&s=Gali" style="-webkit-user-select: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; position: absolute; left: 670px; top: 335px; width: 256px; height: 256px; " /></div></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; z-index: 100; "></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; z-index: 101; "><canvas width="287px" height="186px" style="position: absolute; left: 70px; top: 23px; z-index: 1000; "></canvas></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; z-index: 102; "><img src="http://www.google.com/mapfiles/shadow50.png" class="gmnoprint" style="width: 37px; height: 34px; -webkit-user-select: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; z-index: -1.36478e+08; position: absolute; left: 138px; top: 55px; " /><img src="http://www.google.com/mapfiles/shadow50.png" class="gmnoprint" style="width: 37px; height: 34px; -webkit-user-select: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; z-index: -1.36478e+08; position: absolute; left: 135px; top: 55px; " /></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; z-index: 103; "></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; z-index: 104; cursor: default; "><img src="http://connect.garmin.com/api/activity/component/images/map-marker-start.png" id="mtgt_unnamed_0" title="Click to launch player." style="width: 20px; height: 34px; -webkit-user-select: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; z-index: -1.36478e+08; cursor: pointer; position: absolute; left: 138px; top: 55px; " /><img src="http://connect.garmin.com/api/activity/component/images/map-marker-end.png" id="mtgt_unnamed_1" style="width: 20px; height: 34px; -webkit-user-select: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; z-index: -1.36478e+08; cursor: pointer; position: absolute; left: 135px; top: 55px; " /></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; z-index: 105; "></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; z-index: 106; "></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; z-index: 107; cursor: default; "></div></div></div><div class="gmnoprint" id="logocontrol" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; -webkit-user-select: none; z-index: 0; position: absolute; left: 2px; bottom: 2px; "><a title="Click to see this area on Google Maps" target="_blank" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=42.647799,-73.801398&spn=0.014646,0.036478&z=14&key=ABQIAAAApT9UyJJ99Tv2r5lChQhx8BQO6QbMqXyh5kN-JJDi4o1r9Dg9MRT8_lLUYh3kMbABIi_4_IMREl_NqA&sensor=true&mapclient=jsapi&oi=map_misc&ct=api_logo" style="color: rgb(59, 115, 196); text-decoration: none; "><img src="http://maps.gstatic.com/intl/en_us/mapfiles/poweredby.png" style="width: 62px; height: 30px; -webkit-user-select: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; " /></a></div><div dir="ltr" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; -webkit-user-select: none; z-index: 0; position: absolute; right: 3px; bottom: 2px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; white-space: nowrap; text-align: right; color: black; "><span>Map data ©2010 Google - </span><a href="http://www.google.com/intl/en_us/help/terms_maps.html" target="_blank" class="gmnoprint terms-of-use-link" style="color: rgb(119, 119, 204); text-decoration: none; ">Terms of Use</a></div><div class="gmnoprint" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; width: 19px; height: 42px; -webkit-user-select: none; z-index: 0; position: absolute; left: 10px; top: 10px; "><img src="http://maps.gstatic.com/intl/en_us/mapfiles/szc3d.png" style="position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; width: 19px; height: 42px; -webkit-user-select: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; " /><div title="Zoom In" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; width: 19px; height: 21px; cursor: pointer; "></div><div title="Zoom Out" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 21px; width: 19px; height: 21px; cursor: pointer; "></div></div><div class="gmnoprint" id="hmtctl" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; -webkit-user-select: none; z-index: 0; position: absolute; right: 7px; top: 7px; color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: small; width: 199px; height: 18px; "><div title="Show street map" jsaction="amtc.selectMap" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; position: absolute; background-color: white; border-top-width: 1px; border-right-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-right-style: solid; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: solid; border-top-color: black; border-right-color: black; border-bottom-color: black; border-left-color: black; text-align: center; width: 5em; cursor: pointer; right: 10.2em; "><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; border-right-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-style: solid; border-bottom-style: solid; border-right-color: rgb(108, 157, 223); border-bottom-color: rgb(108, 157, 223); border-top-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(52, 86, 132); border-left-width: 1px; border-left-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(52, 86, 132); ">Map</div></div><div title="Show satellite imagery" jsaction="amtc.selectSatellite" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; position: absolute; background-color: white; border-top-width: 1px; border-right-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-right-style: solid; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: solid; border-top-color: black; border-right-color: black; border-bottom-color: black; border-left-color: black; text-align: center; width: 5em; cursor: pointer; right: 5.1em; "><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 12px; border-top-width: 1px; border-left-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-left-style: solid; border-top-color: white; border-left-color: white; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: rgb(176, 176, 176); border-right-width: 1px; border-right-style: solid; border-right-color: rgb(176, 176, 176); ">Satellite</div><div title="Show imagery with street names" jsaction="amtc.selectHybrid" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; position: absolute; background-color: white; border-top-width: 1px; border-right-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-right-style: solid; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: solid; border-top-color: black; border-right-color: black; border-bottom-color: black; border-left-color: black; right: 0em; cursor: pointer; white-space: nowrap; text-align: left; visibility: hidden; "><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 2px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 2px; font-size: 11px; "><input type="checkbox" style="vertical-align: middle; "></div></div></div><div title="Show street map with terrain" jsaction="amtc.selectTerrain" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; position: absolute; background-color: white; border-top-width: 1px; border-right-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-right-style: solid; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: solid; border-top-color: black; border-right-color: black; border-bottom-color: black; border-left-color: black; text-align: center; width: 5em; cursor: pointer; right: 0em; "><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 12px; border-top-width: 1px; border-left-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-left-style: solid; border-top-color: white; border-left-color: white; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: rgb(176, 176, 176); border-right-width: 1px; border-right-style: solid; border-right-color: rgb(176, 176, 176); ">Terrain</div></div></div><div class="gmnoprint" jstcache="0" id="scalecontrol" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; height: 26px; -webkit-user-select: none; z-index: 0; position: absolute; left: 68px; bottom: 5px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; width: 91px; color: black; "><div jstcache="0" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><div jsselect="bars" jsvalues=".style.left:$this.left;.style.top:$this.top;.style.width:$this.width;.style.height:$this.height" jstcache="1" jsinstance="0" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; width: 4px; height: 26px; "><img jsvalues=".style.left:$this.imgLeft;.style.top:$this.imgTop;.style.width:$this.imgWidth;.style.height:$this.imgHeight;.src:$this.imgSrc;" jstcache="3" src="http://maps.gstatic.com/intl/en_us/mapfiles/mapcontrols3d5.png" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-bottom-style: none; border-left-style: none; border-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: -398px; width: 59px; height: 492px; " /></div><div jsselect="bars" jsvalues=".style.left:$this.left;.style.top:$this.top;.style.width:$this.width;.style.height:$this.height" jstcache="1" jsinstance="1" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; left: 3px; top: 11px; width: 87px; height: 4px; "><img jsvalues=".style.left:$this.imgLeft;.style.top:$this.imgTop;.style.width:$this.imgWidth;.style.height:$this.imgHeight;.src:$this.imgSrc;" jstcache="3" src="http://maps.gstatic.com/intl/en_us/mapfiles/mapcontrols3d5.png" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-bottom-style: none; border-left-style: none; border-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: -424px; width: 87px; height: 492px; " /></div><div jsselect="bars" jsvalues=".style.left:$this.left;.style.top:$this.top;.style.width:$this.width;.style.height:$this.height" jstcache="1" jsinstance="2" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; left: 90px; top: 11px; width: 1px; height: 4px; "><img jsvalues=".style.left:$this.imgLeft;.style.top:$this.imgTop;.style.width:$this.imgWidth;.style.height:$this.imgHeight;.src:$this.imgSrc;" jstcache="3" src="http://maps.gstatic.com/intl/en_us/mapfiles/mapcontrols3d5.png" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-bottom-style: none; border-left-style: none; border-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; position: absolute; left: -412px; top: -398px; width: 59px; height: 492px; " /></div><div jsselect="bars" jsvalues=".style.left:$this.left;.style.top:$this.top;.style.width:$this.width;.style.height:$this.height" jstcache="1" jsinstance="3" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; left: 87px; top: 0px; width: 4px; height: 12px; "><img jsvalues=".style.left:$this.imgLeft;.style.top:$this.imgTop;.style.width:$this.imgWidth;.style.height:$this.imgHeight;.src:$this.imgSrc;" jstcache="3" src="http://maps.gstatic.com/intl/en_us/mapfiles/mapcontrols3d5.png" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-bottom-style: none; border-left-style: none; border-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; position: absolute; left: -4px; top: -398px; width: 59px; height: 492px; " /></div><div jsselect="bars" jsvalues=".style.left:$this.left;.style.top:$this.top;.style.width:$this.width;.style.height:$this.height" jstcache="1" jsinstance="*4" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; left: 71px; top: 14px; width: 4px; height: 12px; "><img jsvalues=".style.left:$this.imgLeft;.style.top:$this.imgTop;.style.width:$this.imgWidth;.style.height:$this.imgHeight;.src:$this.imgSrc;" jstcache="3" src="http://maps.gstatic.com/intl/en_us/mapfiles/mapcontrols3d5.png" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-bottom-style: none; border-left-style: none; border-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; position: absolute; left: -8px; top: -398px; width: 59px; height: 492px; " /></div><div jsselect="scales" jscontent="$this.title" jsvalues=".style.left:$this.left;.style.bottom:$this.bottom;.style.top:$this.top" jstcache="2" jsinstance="0" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; position: absolute; left: 8px; bottom: 16px; ">2000 ft</div><div jsselect="scales" jscontent="$this.title" jsvalues=".style.left:$this.left;.style.bottom:$this.bottom;.style.top:$this.top" jstcache="2" jsinstance="*1" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; position: absolute; left: 8px; top: 15px; ">500 m</div></div></div></div><div id="activityData1" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><div class="calendarPopupSummary" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 10px; padding-right: 10px; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 10px; background-image: url(http://connect.garmin.com/api/activity-search/style/main/images/calendar-popup-map-shadow.png); background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; "><table width="405" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><tbody><tr><td width="50%" valign="top" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><div class="summaryName" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'lucida grande', arial, tahoma, verdana, sans-serif; color: rgb(120, 120, 121); ">Activity Type:</div><div class="summaryDetail" id="activityType1" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'lucida grande', arial, tahoma, verdana, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); height: 20px; ">Running</div><div class="summaryName" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'lucida grande', arial, tahoma, verdana, sans-serif; color: rgb(120, 120, 121); ">Event Type:</div><div class="summaryDetail" id="eventType1" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'lucida grande', arial, tahoma, verdana, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); height: 20px; ">Uncategorized</div><div class="summaryName" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'lucida grande', arial, tahoma, verdana, sans-serif; color: rgb(120, 120, 121); ">Time:</div><div class="summaryDetail" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'lucida grande', arial, tahoma, verdana, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); height: 20px; ">00:24:32</div></td><td valign="top" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><div class="summaryName" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'lucida grande', arial, tahoma, verdana, sans-serif; color: rgb(120, 120, 121); ">Distance:</div><div class="summaryDetail" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'lucida grande', arial, tahoma, verdana, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); height: 20px; ">3.14 mi</div><div class="summaryName" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'lucida grande', arial, tahoma, verdana, sans-serif; color: rgb(120, 120, 121); ">Elevation Gain:</div><div class="summaryDetail" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'lucida grande', arial, tahoma, verdana, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); height: 20px; ">11 ft</div><div class="summaryName" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'lucida grande', arial, tahoma, verdana, sans-serif; color: rgb(120, 120, 121); ">Calories:</div><div class="summaryDetail" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'lucida grande', arial, tahoma, verdana, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); height: 20px; ">485 C</div></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div class="calendarPopupFooter" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; position: relative; height: 34px; background-image: url(http://connect.garmin.com/api/activity-search/style/main/images/calendar-popup-footer-bg.png); background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; "><div class="footerAction moreLink" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "></div></div></div></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span></div><div id="activityDescription1" class="activityDescription" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 35px; font-size: 11px; color: rgb(120, 120, 121); "></div></span>Sparticushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11456438998901713179noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820979512057705400.post-16417500599492397972010-09-01T10:25:00.007-04:002010-09-02T14:15:56.393-04:00Chasing Waterfalls: Niagara EditionI have a fair bit of catch-up blogging to do from my various activities this summer (including a trip to an airplane mecca) but I thought I would start by bringing back a popular installment here at Airplanes I Have Known - Chasing Waterfalls. (See installment <a href="http://airplanesihaveknown.blogspot.com/2009/03/chasing-waterfalls-installment-1.html">one </a>and <a href="http://airplanesihaveknown.blogspot.com/2009/04/chasing-waterfalls-ma-edition.html">two</a>.)<br /><br />A good friend and former colleague of mine was married in August in <a href="http://www.cityofolean.com/">Olean, NY</a>. By the way, I think it is important to know that Olean is only about 20 miles closer to Albany than it is to Toledo, OH.<br /><br />Given that we were practically going to be in the Rust Belt, we decided to make a long weekend out of the journey. So we left Albany on Friday and headed towards Keuka Lake in the Finger Lakes region. Diane had planned a trip to four wineries, all of which were spectacular. We visited Hunts, Dr. Frank's, Blue Heron, and Bully Hill. All were spectacular. By the way, there is no fee to do a wine tasting at Dr. Frank's. Just sayin'.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP8w4nWHJ0TZ3a9oNU8-rDIhERvKOFe1rU5tSbQRaEUwl3LDhUADx72mnBCdA0WvMJBei6k9Jt7DvgDRR5FP6oz3FwDA6bkiQockS0uAABX4ZyAkPnfEgf-WXvEWMF6rmi7uEV84JtMNc/s1600/hunts.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP8w4nWHJ0TZ3a9oNU8-rDIhERvKOFe1rU5tSbQRaEUwl3LDhUADx72mnBCdA0WvMJBei6k9Jt7DvgDRR5FP6oz3FwDA6bkiQockS0uAABX4ZyAkPnfEgf-WXvEWMF6rmi7uEV84JtMNc/s320/hunts.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512379364735967762" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj27-HOKuxHCgZcsxK1eLnJGBeHu5gWFbItXITYPdZPRAqijrhwezjiKQTACmWgmMl1M2ZkshNkYF-Kvoy2JYRd_W9UaD6T81-cP8jvqHr7ChEXYRSFk3GZnfnkru9z96u8TnqkR7ip0XY/s1600/bullyhill.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj27-HOKuxHCgZcsxK1eLnJGBeHu5gWFbItXITYPdZPRAqijrhwezjiKQTACmWgmMl1M2ZkshNkYF-Kvoy2JYRd_W9UaD6T81-cP8jvqHr7ChEXYRSFk3GZnfnkru9z96u8TnqkR7ip0XY/s320/bullyhill.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512379395547579330" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-ltduy67HXMdrUTk3UzOQANox6U4nGBJq9ro-f9HcqSXWT6pQfa9rdq0ef92rAr34LEjhiebThNrWHbXOIzCJ7e9qXbo56mnCn4jwe5d4w-r6qjZ9ZAetobV0Ni3gJa9wIJvfMIaAw6U/s1600/bullyhill2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-ltduy67HXMdrUTk3UzOQANox6U4nGBJq9ro-f9HcqSXWT6pQfa9rdq0ef92rAr34LEjhiebThNrWHbXOIzCJ7e9qXbo56mnCn4jwe5d4w-r6qjZ9ZAetobV0Ni3gJa9wIJvfMIaAw6U/s320/bullyhill2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512379375202896066" border="0" /></a>We stayed in Bath, NY that night, which is a very ironic name for a Western New York town. When we went out looking for a place to eat that night, we stumbled across the Bath Town Fair. And it had all the glitz and glamour of a Town Fair. There were of course the rides, fried things to eat in the shape of a stick or a ball, and mullets. Note to my cautious readers: Do not be tricked to ride <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqcFOjRMHPc&feature=related">"The Scrambler."</a> Trust me, <a href="http://www.nysenate.gov/">it will nauseate you</a>.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx2INH0o37aJIciPYd-Prl1xumZOWJK5wAUXHGkUPz_5wIQHV8PLScpabZ8Nh104BAO-NLzikDSFvdKeUPqM4_ldzOGGVBKOHBBG-49vki5YQCKZeqe7bkY_RCBDzWyRLZbkM9lSpY0J8/s1600/fair.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx2INH0o37aJIciPYd-Prl1xumZOWJK5wAUXHGkUPz_5wIQHV8PLScpabZ8Nh104BAO-NLzikDSFvdKeUPqM4_ldzOGGVBKOHBBG-49vki5YQCKZeqe7bkY_RCBDzWyRLZbkM9lSpY0J8/s320/fair.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512379796277000818" border="0" /></a>We decided that it was probably not a good idea to eat carnival food, since we were going to be on the road for the next few days. We ended up finding an old hotel in the town which was still open and serving food. We walked in to a near empty establishment with an older lady sitting at a table, a lone traveler at the bar, and an older gentleman (who we later learned was the owner) behind the bar. My burger at this joint cost me a cool $3.75.<br /><br />This meal was actually a very underrated part of the trip. The owner of the hotel (the Old Northern) had that folksy charm that I thought only existed in 1980's movies. A traveler who had been sent over by the Super 8 came in while we were eating and asked if there were any rooms available for him and his wife. The owner told him, "The bridal suite is available." The traveler paused and asked, "What is it going to cost me?" " It's $67 if you pay cash, $70 credit." Diane and I smirked at this point. First of all, this guy had just probably filled his most expensive room, and second of all, his most expensive room costs $67. He was, by the way, very proud of himself for having let that room out - he exclaimed as much to the lady sitting at the table by herself. When I went to pay for the check, he said, "Give me a $100 and we'll call it even." The meal, plus the very generous tip was a $32 American.<br /><br />From there we made our way to Olean. On the way we stopped at Allegany State Park for a picnic so that Diane could show me around. We ended up having a nice picnic by the lake in the park, and it was so nice that we didn't leave the park for the wedding until 3pm. The problem, you see, is that the ceremony started at 3:30pm and Olean was about 18 miles away. But we made it by the skin of our teeth. It was a beautiful ceremony in what was an old library that has been converted to a restaurant. The food was great, the newlyweds were stunning, and I even danced without the assistance of alcohol.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgia5eisECN7GE50scNAIjxWdJywmRVCnOeZrklBPr_1UI_ac9VM6b1dtx8Shmr3A_WYct3qdfCE0agSHqf2c0fop2YCYKz4gRrkpE_1HtaVaMKc0b5sJYSV23Kc6WckwXejUnI3qA1pBU/s1600/allegany.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgia5eisECN7GE50scNAIjxWdJywmRVCnOeZrklBPr_1UI_ac9VM6b1dtx8Shmr3A_WYct3qdfCE0agSHqf2c0fop2YCYKz4gRrkpE_1HtaVaMKc0b5sJYSV23Kc6WckwXejUnI3qA1pBU/s320/allegany.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512379406994146066" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8BJuxopNQ00EmOjBEJid0qTHeJgAp07KaSk7FbYuwUdy2w56OWKyo36ktyvV-mKivNHy9TADblXLaTpOHHksDoWH7F-aqMThfRRBDlsMQqcrqKrPqpfd7_9-ekM_sjDEbjVw0EVEzZ-0/s1600/wedding.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8BJuxopNQ00EmOjBEJid0qTHeJgAp07KaSk7FbYuwUdy2w56OWKyo36ktyvV-mKivNHy9TADblXLaTpOHHksDoWH7F-aqMThfRRBDlsMQqcrqKrPqpfd7_9-ekM_sjDEbjVw0EVEzZ-0/s320/wedding.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512379420082461666" border="0" /></a>From there, it was onward and upward towards the greater Buffalo/Niagara area. We had planned to visit the falls and stay on the Canadian side the last night before heading home. So on Sunday afternoon we walked around the American side of the Falls. That night we had dinner at Margaritaville to celebrate my birthday (and where we coincidentally ran into - or rather, were run into - by the newlyweds!) and afterwards we walked around the Canadian side of the Falls before turning in for the night.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDgFO0KxXo6BuSBGHsoYMEQGy4m3Qe4_XuzbYnTGA9L7s9l80RWQRfhLfpFzYTDyNzU7PmlyLhfszvHjeODSFh0x1e0E8kh2WM3sw9n06rJFHBMb_ptyJRd8tEZn5lSSLAp-NKe54KykQ/s1600/niagra.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDgFO0KxXo6BuSBGHsoYMEQGy4m3Qe4_XuzbYnTGA9L7s9l80RWQRfhLfpFzYTDyNzU7PmlyLhfszvHjeODSFh0x1e0E8kh2WM3sw9n06rJFHBMb_ptyJRd8tEZn5lSSLAp-NKe54KykQ/s320/niagra.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512379808372391826" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim46jEVCMJ4r1uGl0W0S6mSJsL3Oowuw1UrqDVniveZgJyqAgM0yjDj7OQcJzL9BaJam2tRHQc8SuqVIWoAgmAeCBdxUTz9xaZVbHy4VTH6JJnx2HtqqTIwN4NkUhiPazVrnR_Y6UunZs/s1600/niagra2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim46jEVCMJ4r1uGl0W0S6mSJsL3Oowuw1UrqDVniveZgJyqAgM0yjDj7OQcJzL9BaJam2tRHQc8SuqVIWoAgmAeCBdxUTz9xaZVbHy4VTH6JJnx2HtqqTIwN4NkUhiPazVrnR_Y6UunZs/s320/niagra2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512379821093717074" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUN7lw19ZAtp1K0zwu5DuOGiOovpFEkUwJU5bpEzsGvwBKYKiZY6yjRlc1HVianOsOHg504wwAXlhi3lif-XydYiW6UcMWxoljntGPUj_1r7dusWnb2bNBCd60frca209NRBeZfV90dr4/s1600/niagra3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUN7lw19ZAtp1K0zwu5DuOGiOovpFEkUwJU5bpEzsGvwBKYKiZY6yjRlc1HVianOsOHg504wwAXlhi3lif-XydYiW6UcMWxoljntGPUj_1r7dusWnb2bNBCd60frca209NRBeZfV90dr4/s320/niagra3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512379830141023410" border="0" /></a>On Monday morning we had one last hurrah at the Falls - we went on the Maid of the Mist. I highly recommend this if you have the opportunity. I have an affinity for bodies of water, and you get such a close up feeling for the power of water at the Falls. I don't know how one cannot be impressed by the sound of the Falls. Truly remarkable.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs1rIQ4XszmDn3j5mdXFGtHeEjSuNWI5Tr3Y_LXC9om8IUheAB4sLMITYzhLh2p5CSMB1mNZ0Qzvx0FWaSSxUWR1vAzx1kbqnJyUClgvhtCmiF7m4wLtx8xvuscMh2g9m6tszVmGeJPEc/s1600/mist.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs1rIQ4XszmDn3j5mdXFGtHeEjSuNWI5Tr3Y_LXC9om8IUheAB4sLMITYzhLh2p5CSMB1mNZ0Qzvx0FWaSSxUWR1vAzx1kbqnJyUClgvhtCmiF7m4wLtx8xvuscMh2g9m6tszVmGeJPEc/s320/mist.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512379837802038370" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyAqQTX87dVGu1zhZTtx4qAZ7URJ3-fUcNatpyTBQvHW-yzqHjxbqdu0Y1N9-YhZK-N-jOt7puWOvxZIrJ_YOa8Ma6K6vSvmo7wAjnOc3IgTZObUwwOWw-4baDfN6bZnZbbCH6939xyFo/s1600/mist2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyAqQTX87dVGu1zhZTtx4qAZ7URJ3-fUcNatpyTBQvHW-yzqHjxbqdu0Y1N9-YhZK-N-jOt7puWOvxZIrJ_YOa8Ma6K6vSvmo7wAjnOc3IgTZObUwwOWw-4baDfN6bZnZbbCH6939xyFo/s320/mist2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512380017236440226" border="0" /></a>As a side note, I think Diane wanted to do this because apparently some characters from The Office named Jim and Pam also went on this ride. Whatever.<br /><br />After that, it was time to head home to see the Maid of the Misty Cat as I call her.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7THrzCCndn2zPvTr2MicMF2hTeFVyVdVtDjZZHm7kkmvl5MmhKtHLOGP62aX7Nm7ViPkGvthAsyoH-Y1GUyA2la7KPRQzKzB-_nhCGhPnt7ZMh5YNZQwSOV9REcyIp6fEHBqHWzQ0f9Y/s1600/mistycat.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7THrzCCndn2zPvTr2MicMF2hTeFVyVdVtDjZZHm7kkmvl5MmhKtHLOGP62aX7Nm7ViPkGvthAsyoH-Y1GUyA2la7KPRQzKzB-_nhCGhPnt7ZMh5YNZQwSOV9REcyIp6fEHBqHWzQ0f9Y/s320/mistycat.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512380021328485698" border="0" /></a>That concludes this installment of Chasing Waterfalls. Please tune in for the next installment sometime after our October/November visit to<a href="http://www.rainbowskill.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/b129.jpg"> Iguazu Falls</a>.Sparticushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11456438998901713179noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820979512057705400.post-70271185157922910602010-08-25T17:53:00.004-04:002010-08-25T18:05:25.311-04:00The Beginning of the Road to "Skinny-colas"<div>There was a definite theme to the birthday gifts I received this year. And the theme was: "It's time to get back in shape!"</div><div><br /></div><div>My mom sent me a set of free weights (and the bar) from our actual gym in Fort Collins, CO so that I can do the Body Pump workouts in my living room. Oh, and she recorded a class and sent a CD so that I can follow along with the instructor's directions. </div><div><br /></div><div>Diane and her parents went in on together on a Garmin running/biking watch. It is a beast. I went out for a run today to test it out and below is a brief, brief snapshot of the data it records and gives back to me. You cannot see it here, but it traces the route I ran on the map and also gives splits of the laps. Insane. </div><div><br /></div><div>With toys like these it is going to be a blast to get in shape. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://connect.garmin.com/activity/46141870?sms_ss=blogger"></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', arial, tahoma, verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; "><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><tbody><tr><td width="20" height="20" class="calendarPopupTL" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; background-image: url(http://connect.garmin.com/api/activity-search/style/main/images/calendar-popup-tl.png); background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; 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text-decoration: none; "><span class="tabLink" id="activityName1" title="Untitled (Click to view details of this activity)" style="font: normal normal bold 16px/20px 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, Geneva, sans-serif; text-shadow: rgb(255, 255, 255) 0px 1px 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding-left: 35px; ">Untitled</span></a></div><div class="tabDate" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 35px; font-size: 11px; line-height: 19px; color: rgb(68, 68, 68); ">Wed, Aug 25, 2010 4:46 PM added by niquin21</div><div id="activityDescription1" class="activityDescription" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 35px; font-size: 11px; color: rgb(120, 120, 121); "></div><a href="http://connect.garmin.com/" target="_blank" class="gcLogoEmbedded" style="color: rgb(59, 115, 196); 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border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; position: absolute; left: 438px; top: 93px; width: 256px; height: 256px; " /><img src="http://mt0.google.com/vt/lyrs=m@130&hl=en&src=api&x=9670&s=&y=12084&z=15&s=Galile" style="-webkit-user-select: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; position: absolute; left: 438px; top: 349px; width: 256px; height: 256px; " /><img src="http://mt1.google.com/vt/lyrs=m@130&hl=en&src=api&x=9671&s=&y=12082&z=15&s=Galileo" style="-webkit-user-select: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; position: absolute; left: 694px; top: -163px; width: 256px; height: 256px; " /><img src="http://mt1.google.com/vt/lyrs=m@130&hl=en&src=api&x=9671&s=&y=12083&z=15&s=" style="-webkit-user-select: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; position: absolute; left: 694px; top: 93px; width: 256px; height: 256px; " /><img src="http://mt1.google.com/vt/lyrs=m@130&hl=en&src=api&x=9671&s=&y=12084&z=15&s=G" style="-webkit-user-select: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; position: absolute; left: 694px; top: 349px; width: 256px; height: 256px; " /></div></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; z-index: 100; "></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; z-index: 101; "><canvas width="255px" height="216px" style="position: absolute; left: 85px; top: 8px; z-index: 1000; "></canvas></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; z-index: 102; "><img src="http://www.google.com/mapfiles/shadow50.png" class="gmnoprint" style="width: 37px; height: 34px; -webkit-user-select: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; z-index: -1.36502e+08; position: absolute; left: 324px; top: 106px; " /><img src="http://www.google.com/mapfiles/shadow50.png" class="gmnoprint" style="width: 37px; height: 34px; -webkit-user-select: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; z-index: -1.36501e+08; position: absolute; left: 320px; top: 113px; " /></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; z-index: 103; "></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; z-index: 104; cursor: default; "><img src="http://connect.garmin.com/api/activity/component/images/map-marker-start.png" id="mtgt_unnamed_0" title="Click to launch player." style="width: 20px; height: 34px; -webkit-user-select: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; z-index: -1.36502e+08; cursor: pointer; position: absolute; left: 324px; top: 106px; " /><img src="http://connect.garmin.com/api/activity/component/images/map-marker-end.png" id="mtgt_unnamed_1" style="width: 20px; height: 34px; -webkit-user-select: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; z-index: -1.36501e+08; cursor: pointer; position: absolute; left: 320px; top: 113px; " /></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; z-index: 105; "></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; z-index: 106; "></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; z-index: 107; cursor: default; "></div></div></div><div class="gmnoprint" id="logocontrol" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; -webkit-user-select: none; z-index: 0; position: absolute; left: 2px; bottom: 2px; "><a title="Click to see this area on Google Maps" target="_blank" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=42.657479,-73.77187&spn=0.007322,0.018239&z=15&key=ABQIAAAApT9UyJJ99Tv2r5lChQhx8BQO6QbMqXyh5kN-JJDi4o1r9Dg9MRT8_lLUYh3kMbABIi_4_IMREl_NqA&sensor=true&mapclient=jsapi&oi=map_misc&ct=api_logo" style="color: rgb(59, 115, 196); text-decoration: none; "><img src="http://maps.gstatic.com/intl/en_us/mapfiles/poweredby.png" style="width: 62px; height: 30px; -webkit-user-select: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; " /></a></div><div dir="ltr" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; -webkit-user-select: none; z-index: 0; position: absolute; right: 3px; bottom: 2px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; white-space: nowrap; text-align: right; color: black; "><span>Map data ©2010 Google - </span><a href="http://www.google.com/intl/en_us/help/terms_maps.html" target="_blank" class="gmnoprint terms-of-use-link" style="color: rgb(119, 119, 204); text-decoration: none; ">Terms of Use</a></div><div class="gmnoprint" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; width: 19px; height: 42px; -webkit-user-select: none; z-index: 0; position: absolute; left: 10px; top: 10px; "><img src="http://maps.gstatic.com/intl/en_us/mapfiles/szc3d.png" style="position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; width: 19px; height: 42px; -webkit-user-select: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; " /><div title="Zoom In" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; width: 19px; height: 21px; cursor: pointer; "></div><div title="Zoom Out" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 21px; width: 19px; height: 21px; cursor: pointer; "></div></div><div class="gmnoprint" id="hmtctl" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; -webkit-user-select: none; z-index: 0; position: absolute; right: 7px; top: 7px; color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: small; width: 199px; height: 18px; "><div title="Show street map" jsaction="amtc.selectMap" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; position: absolute; background-color: white; border-top-width: 1px; border-right-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-right-style: solid; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: solid; border-top-color: black; border-right-color: black; border-bottom-color: black; border-left-color: black; text-align: center; width: 5em; cursor: pointer; right: 10.2em; "><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; border-right-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-style: solid; border-bottom-style: solid; border-right-color: rgb(108, 157, 223); border-bottom-color: rgb(108, 157, 223); border-top-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(52, 86, 132); border-left-width: 1px; border-left-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(52, 86, 132); ">Map</div></div><div title="Show satellite imagery" jsaction="amtc.selectSatellite" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; position: absolute; background-color: white; border-top-width: 1px; border-right-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-right-style: solid; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: solid; border-top-color: black; border-right-color: black; border-bottom-color: black; border-left-color: black; text-align: center; width: 5em; cursor: pointer; right: 5.1em; "><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 12px; border-top-width: 1px; border-left-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-left-style: solid; border-top-color: white; border-left-color: white; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: rgb(176, 176, 176); border-right-width: 1px; border-right-style: solid; border-right-color: rgb(176, 176, 176); ">Satellite</div><div title="Show imagery with street names" jsaction="amtc.selectHybrid" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; position: absolute; background-color: white; border-top-width: 1px; border-right-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-right-style: solid; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: solid; border-top-color: black; border-right-color: black; border-bottom-color: black; border-left-color: black; right: 0em; cursor: pointer; white-space: nowrap; text-align: left; visibility: hidden; "><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 2px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 2px; font-size: 11px; "><input type="checkbox" style="vertical-align: middle; "></div></div></div><div title="Show street map with terrain" jsaction="amtc.selectTerrain" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; position: absolute; background-color: white; border-top-width: 1px; border-right-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-right-style: solid; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: solid; border-top-color: black; border-right-color: black; border-bottom-color: black; border-left-color: black; text-align: center; width: 5em; cursor: pointer; right: 0em; "><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 12px; border-top-width: 1px; border-left-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-left-style: solid; border-top-color: white; border-left-color: white; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: rgb(176, 176, 176); border-right-width: 1px; border-right-style: solid; border-right-color: rgb(176, 176, 176); ">Terrain</div></div></div><div class="gmnoprint" jstcache="0" id="scalecontrol" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; height: 26px; -webkit-user-select: none; z-index: 0; position: absolute; left: 68px; bottom: 5px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; width: 91px; color: black; "><div jstcache="0" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><div jsselect="bars" jsvalues=".style.left:$this.left;.style.top:$this.top;.style.width:$this.width;.style.height:$this.height" jstcache="1" jsinstance="0" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; width: 4px; height: 26px; "><img jsvalues=".style.left:$this.imgLeft;.style.top:$this.imgTop;.style.width:$this.imgWidth;.style.height:$this.imgHeight;.src:$this.imgSrc;" jstcache="3" src="http://maps.gstatic.com/intl/en_us/mapfiles/mapcontrols3d5.png" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-bottom-style: none; border-left-style: none; border-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: -398px; width: 59px; height: 492px; " /></div><div jsselect="bars" jsvalues=".style.left:$this.left;.style.top:$this.top;.style.width:$this.width;.style.height:$this.height" jstcache="1" jsinstance="1" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; left: 3px; top: 11px; width: 87px; height: 4px; "><img jsvalues=".style.left:$this.imgLeft;.style.top:$this.imgTop;.style.width:$this.imgWidth;.style.height:$this.imgHeight;.src:$this.imgSrc;" jstcache="3" src="http://maps.gstatic.com/intl/en_us/mapfiles/mapcontrols3d5.png" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-bottom-style: none; border-left-style: none; border-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: -424px; width: 87px; height: 492px; " /></div><div jsselect="bars" jsvalues=".style.left:$this.left;.style.top:$this.top;.style.width:$this.width;.style.height:$this.height" jstcache="1" jsinstance="2" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; left: 90px; top: 11px; width: 1px; height: 4px; "><img jsvalues=".style.left:$this.imgLeft;.style.top:$this.imgTop;.style.width:$this.imgWidth;.style.height:$this.imgHeight;.src:$this.imgSrc;" jstcache="3" src="http://maps.gstatic.com/intl/en_us/mapfiles/mapcontrols3d5.png" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-bottom-style: none; border-left-style: none; border-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; position: absolute; left: -412px; top: -398px; width: 59px; height: 492px; " /></div><div jsselect="bars" jsvalues=".style.left:$this.left;.style.top:$this.top;.style.width:$this.width;.style.height:$this.height" jstcache="1" jsinstance="3" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; left: 87px; top: 0px; width: 4px; height: 12px; "><img jsvalues=".style.left:$this.imgLeft;.style.top:$this.imgTop;.style.width:$this.imgWidth;.style.height:$this.imgHeight;.src:$this.imgSrc;" jstcache="3" src="http://maps.gstatic.com/intl/en_us/mapfiles/mapcontrols3d5.png" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-bottom-style: none; border-left-style: none; border-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; position: absolute; left: -4px; top: -398px; width: 59px; height: 492px; " /></div><div jsselect="bars" jsvalues=".style.left:$this.left;.style.top:$this.top;.style.width:$this.width;.style.height:$this.height" jstcache="1" jsinstance="*4" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; left: 57px; top: 14px; width: 4px; height: 12px; "><img jsvalues=".style.left:$this.imgLeft;.style.top:$this.imgTop;.style.width:$this.imgWidth;.style.height:$this.imgHeight;.src:$this.imgSrc;" jstcache="3" src="http://maps.gstatic.com/intl/en_us/mapfiles/mapcontrols3d5.png" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-bottom-style: none; border-left-style: none; border-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; position: absolute; left: -8px; top: -398px; width: 59px; height: 492px; " /></div><div jsselect="scales" jscontent="$this.title" jsvalues=".style.left:$this.left;.style.bottom:$this.bottom;.style.top:$this.top" jstcache="2" jsinstance="0" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; position: absolute; left: 8px; bottom: 16px; ">1000 ft</div><div jsselect="scales" jscontent="$this.title" jsvalues=".style.left:$this.left;.style.bottom:$this.bottom;.style.top:$this.top" jstcache="2" jsinstance="*1" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; position: absolute; left: 8px; top: 15px; ">200 m</div></div></div></div><div id="activityData1" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><div class="calendarPopupSummary" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 10px; padding-right: 10px; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 10px; background-image: url(http://connect.garmin.com/api/activity-search/style/main/images/calendar-popup-map-shadow.png); background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; "><table width="405" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><tbody><tr><td width="50%" valign="top" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><div class="summaryName" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'lucida grande', arial, tahoma, verdana, sans-serif; color: rgb(120, 120, 121); ">Activity Type:</div><div class="summaryDetail" id="activityType1" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'lucida grande', arial, tahoma, verdana, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); height: 20px; ">Running</div><div class="summaryName" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'lucida grande', arial, tahoma, verdana, sans-serif; color: rgb(120, 120, 121); ">Event Type:</div><div class="summaryDetail" id="eventType1" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'lucida grande', arial, tahoma, verdana, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); height: 20px; ">Uncategorized</div><div class="summaryName" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'lucida grande', arial, tahoma, verdana, sans-serif; color: rgb(120, 120, 121); ">Time:</div><div class="summaryDetail" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'lucida grande', arial, tahoma, verdana, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); height: 20px; ">00:36:50</div></td><td valign="top" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><div class="summaryName" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'lucida grande', arial, tahoma, verdana, sans-serif; color: rgb(120, 120, 121); ">Distance:</div><div class="summaryDetail" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'lucida grande', arial, tahoma, verdana, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); height: 20px; ">4.10 mi</div><div class="summaryName" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'lucida grande', arial, tahoma, verdana, sans-serif; color: rgb(120, 120, 121); ">Elevation Gain:</div><div class="summaryDetail" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'lucida grande', arial, tahoma, verdana, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); height: 20px; ">110 ft</div><div class="summaryName" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'lucida grande', arial, tahoma, verdana, sans-serif; color: rgb(120, 120, 121); ">Calories:</div><div class="summaryDetail" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'lucida grande', arial, tahoma, verdana, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); height: 20px; ">643 C</div></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div class="calendarPopupFooter" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; position: relative; height: 34px; background-image: url(http://connect.garmin.com/api/activity-search/style/main/images/calendar-popup-footer-bg.png); background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; "><div class="footerAction moreLink" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><a href="http://connect.garmin.com/activity/46141870" target="_parent" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-decoration: none; float: right; padding-left: 27px; background-image: url(http://connect.garmin.com/api/activity-search/style/main/images/icons-calendar-popup.png); background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; font: normal normal bold 12px/normal 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, Geneva, sans-serif; text-shadow: rgb(255, 255, 255) 0px 1px 0px; margin-top: 10px; margin-left: 3px; padding-right: 23px; cursor: pointer; background-position: 100% -4px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; ">View Details</a></div></div></div></td></tr></tbody></table></span><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>Sparticushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11456438998901713179noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820979512057705400.post-75898426381070262542010-07-25T12:26:00.002-04:002010-07-25T12:53:43.097-04:00One of my all-time questions is answeredSince I was a dorky/debate-team member/International Baccalaureate geeky high schooler, girlfriends were not a large (or to be more accurate - "existent") part of my youth. Yup, my memories in high school are pretty much limited to doing a lot of homework, procrastinating about doing said homework, hanging out with Dan and Andrew, and traveling to debate tournaments on Saturdays.<br /><div></div><br /><div>Oh, sure, there were the occasional dates. I shocked myself by going to both Junior and Senior prom with dates, but those events were certainly the exception and not the rule. Often, when I was spending painfully awkward or dorky moments with Dan and Andrew, I would wonder about what my future wife was doing at that moment. Is she also at a debate tournament? Maybe she's birdwatching. Or thinking about politics. I would wonder if she's Argentinean or American or German or Pakistani. </div><div></div><br /><div>Now I know the answer to most of those questions because on July 2, 2010, Diane agreed to be my wife. </div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5497887822927847250" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBlgcbM2ULgeCw3NSfXdPCcw_uwBKKjww8eHoZqeL6aFPWxKDWPgucXEHOIEzzwgVYhyphenhyphen45WYqln6YaBy0ZRZ-roIBQ2wAqY-Qjl1vLN7eXBBSRg8PKP4VrhKF0YQBAK04AcHZvWzo3oaQ/s320/DSC01551.JPG" /> <div></div><div>And it turns out that when I was hanging out at the CSU library studying German with Dan and Andrew, she was most likely in Colonie. She was most definitely not ever at any debate tournament. </div><div></div><br /><div>When I was thinking about her, she was probably at a dance competition. Or eating a bagel with sausage and cheese (no egg, please and thank you). Or perhaps she was practicing the baritone.</div><div></div><br /><div>At the most basic level, Diane and I met quite by accident. Had Dr. Moore not encouraged me to apply to Albany, it is likely our paths would not have ever crossed. Had Albany not offered a very generous scholarship, it is likely I would have gone to school in Philadelphia. Had that monkey George W. Bush not been elected and screwed up the environment, Diane would not have gone into environmental policy. Had CHH not been friendly at the Dean's office I would have avoided all human contact at Albany and gone back to Colorado at the conclusion of my degree. Quite the accident, as you can see. </div><div></div><br /><div>And now this series of accidents has turned into a lifetime with "that tall girl from Jeffy's office". </div>Sparticushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11456438998901713179noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820979512057705400.post-81905467508279919152010-06-13T11:06:00.002-04:002010-06-16T15:58:55.247-04:00It's the most wonderful time of every four yearsI am always happy and proud to say I am Argentinean, but every four years, it feels like a privilege to be one. One of the reasons I love the World Cup is because Argentina is thrust into the international spotlight - and in a positive light no less.<br /><br />I was too young to remember the 1986 World Cup when Argentina won on the back of Diego Armando Maradona. We had just moved to the US when Argentina was runner-up in the 1990 World Cup, and my memories of that Cup are limited but vivid nonetheless. I especially remember watching the semi-final match between Italy and Argentina (Italy was the host nation) in the basement of a friend's house with my dad - both of us under extreme pressure to subdue our urges to scream after a late-tying goal and during the penalty kicks that Argentina ultimately won. <br /><br />During the 1994 and 1998 World Cups, I was in Argentina and the whole country would shut down whenever the team was playing. After a glorious victory over the hated English in the 1998 quarterfinals, all of Mendoza came out to celebrate in downtown as if we had won the Cup itself.<br /><br />That spontaneous celebration is something that I cannot fathom happening in the US. Were the US team to win the Cup, I presume that it would be an important news event. But in many other countries, winning the Cup is not a news event - it's a life event. In the US, it seems that those events are always limited - there's a parade in the city of a team that wins the NBA championship, the Stanley Cup, the World Series, or the Super Bowl. So every year, four cities throughout the country have a spontaneous moment of unity. If you have ever been a part of those parades, imagine how that elation would feel if it was a national celebration.<br /><br />In addition to being a nationally unifying moment, the World Cup as experienced in Argentina is also an important family event - which I am now much more aware of since I have been left to suffer through these games alone. However, even long distances have not mitigated the sense of joint suffering. Before the first game Argentina played last Saturday, I received phone calls from my mother, sister, and both grandmothers. You know it's serious when your grandmother is calling you about a soccer game.Sparticushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11456438998901713179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820979512057705400.post-74903268931177239652010-05-31T21:53:00.002-04:002010-05-31T22:00:23.871-04:00VIP government visitor at ALBThe <a href="http://davebealsblog.blogspot.com/">Master Cyclist </a>sent me over this picture he took outside Albany International Airport. It looks like some sort of CRJ or ERJ with an Air Force One-type color scheme. I presume that this plane was used to transport a high-level government official - <a href="http://news.rpi.edu/update.do?artcenterkey=2734">most likely Peter Orszag</a>, who spoke at RPI's graduation.<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477619151420619810" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg23rOsauRdavSGdj69J6qWGPzLx9vkqys8eBQtpnSOVy-dcfaA5zvbbrDnh-Lij9Bm5Oe1qrm5HkjOrK47v7nZAsicJKZxsF30bDMCQsjs5t6bsirTcZaZ0jmbtUSQBCnQBdz43nA06ck/s320/usa.jpg" /><br /><div></div><br /><div></div>Sparticushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11456438998901713179noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820979512057705400.post-80108596419324165142010-05-16T22:37:00.004-04:002010-05-16T23:08:34.737-04:00MK rocks the Palace<div><div>Diane and I had the great fortune of catching the legendary Mark Knopfler at the Palace on Sunday, May 9th. For those of you who don't know who this living god is, first of all, shame on you and I don't even know you anymore. He was the lead singer and co-founder of Dire Straits, which rocked the world a generation before I was ready to appreciate music. </div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 219px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472067457223088706" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcSvRnS6kFG5X1Ps56Lsd1Gjq7tkTDN_frKxPFInTUvhQJfLTeW5QBZbJVUrsnKa2UDVfxUrdOMYNfgxQQXZiTOgGYZfxnrSDXd7jM9EBABfpmTm0lxXVmIxX3dXmoOxmuKboAkMt0m7E/s320/411px-MarkKnopfler_060528_P5280036a_jm.jpg" /> <div></div><div>Since the end of the Dire Straits days sometime in the 1990's, Mark Knopfler has been fairly steadily putting out solo albums. To be honest, the pieces he played from his solo albums were as impressive and enjoyable as the Dire Straits classics he played. </div><div></div><br /><div>Here is the setlist: </div><div></div><br /><div>Bordre Reiver</div><div>What It Is</div><div>Sailing to Philadelphia</div><div>Prairie Wedding</div><div>Hill Farmer's Blues</div><div>Romeo and Juliet</div><div>Sultans of Swing</div><div>Donegan's Gone</div><div>Get Lucky</div><div>Marbletown <strong>(band introduction)</strong></div><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFJBbDSHNGY">Speedway at Nazareth</a></div><div>Telegraph Road (<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-_W2RBmbkI&feature=related">part I </a>& <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ript5JqSWb8">part II</a>) </div><br /><div><strong>Encore:</strong></div><div>Brothers in Arms</div><div>So Far Away</div><div>Piper to the End</div><div></div><br /><div>I could not believe we were treated to Sultans of Swings AND Telegraph Road, which to me is the Mark Knopfler anthem. I have never been as familiar with most of his solo material. Don't get me wrong - I have all the albums, it's just harder to recognize the songs. But, I have to admit that even among that incredibly generous Dire Straits serving in the setlist, in my opinion, the band was at their best on Speedway at Nazareth. If you know these songs at all, that alone tells you how impressive that rendition was. It's hard to imagine Speedway at Nazareth upstaging Telegraph Road. Seriously, watch the link above.</div><div></div><br /><div>This was my second time watching MK live. The first was on the eve of junior prom in high school. My stepdad had gotten me tickets for Christmas or a birthday or something and we went to watch the Sailing to Philadelphia tour at Red Rocks in Denver. Even after all those years, MK was still filthy on the guitar. And I am not just saying that out of blind infatuation - <a href="http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=929791&category=POPREVIEWS&BCCode=&newsdate=5/11/2010">the TU reviewer agreed</a>. </div><div></div><br /><div>Technically speaking, I have never seen DS, but it turns out that MK is touring with Danny Cummings on the drums (who was an old DS percussionist) and Guy Fletcher on piano/accoustic guitar/electric guitar/percussion...vocals...everything (who was a DS ... everything). Essentially, it could be argued that we were a John Illsley short of an actual DS reunion. <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 213px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472068385610562402" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIoPp_sRsSl4Jpko_Kp-JTyHLgi8Bt5lJwH41tdrzEJuE0rZAqczdsXnY0iFgHnX3-CHorrj5p3MlaSNyl1sN2klG-NJ9HilMaGvAw2Y_MQiQXyEXUL1HVyiP2p10YdQBSDoem9PPhPho/s320/dire.jpg" /></div><div></div><div>One of the first things Diane and I noticed when we were walking to the Palace was that we were about 30 years younger than everybody else in the building. In fact, when we were walking out, there was a couple behind us discussing this same phenomenon and the wife said, "Where are all the young people? There aren't any young people here." We summarily turned around and remarked that we consider ourselves fairly young and a good laugh was had by all. </div><div></div><br /><div>So now, of course, I am on an MK and DS stretch where that's all I can listen to. This morning I added Telegraph Road to my Ipod before my run. The great thing about that is that the song is 14 minutes long, so by the time I had finished listening to it, my run was halfway done. Thanks for that MK. </div></div>Sparticushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11456438998901713179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820979512057705400.post-86622870755200668652010-04-26T09:47:00.005-04:002010-04-26T13:30:41.025-04:00It's official - I'm a New Yorker (Updated)There it is - all over my car: <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2aL0eIiGv6QgojhU8hJ2FwbPN7TWzo2AOMPvfc7iRQZWazIBVRCqOqlU2rabalRwsd67MIaLK0prVXn2JekdZCFPPz4qFxxOLt3-S0CnvNzGuux0teeovXnAVqCEmAbJV-ZPIaURsk8U/s1600/NYplate.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2aL0eIiGv6QgojhU8hJ2FwbPN7TWzo2AOMPvfc7iRQZWazIBVRCqOqlU2rabalRwsd67MIaLK0prVXn2JekdZCFPPz4qFxxOLt3-S0CnvNzGuux0teeovXnAVqCEmAbJV-ZPIaURsk8U/s320/NYplate.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464499710324389266" border="0" /></a><div></div>I can't wait to drive back to Colorado with my fancy New York elitist liberal license plates. I can already picture all the nice simple country folk out yonder sneering at my East Coast creds. And all I am going to do while I am there is blast that New York song by Rihanna and the other guy.<div></div><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">UPDATE: </span>Apparently it was Alicia Keys that sings that song. Whatever.<br /><br /><div>I have now traded my <a href="http://gyma.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/colorado.jpg">Colorado license plate</a> - which looks like a <a href="http://40by40.blogoasis.net/files/2010/03/diet_mountain_dew.jpg">diet Mountain Dew </a>can to me - for a generic New York plate, with no distinguishing factors that I can identify. Doesn't matter though, baby, the only thing that matters on this plate is the name, homey.</div>Sparticushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11456438998901713179noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820979512057705400.post-31291845744872013172010-04-12T22:35:00.003-04:002010-04-12T22:47:09.330-04:00New ride<div>I have a big problem with impulse buys. </div><div></div><br /><div>In the summer of 2007, I was working at Camp Taconic, where the day starts with "Sing" - where the whole camp comes together after clean-up to sing some songs before morning announcements. There is nothing like an auditorium full of singing kids to get your day going. But to be honest, I did enjoy Sing most of the time. I mostly hated it when I was hungover. </div><div></div><br /><div>I was quite obsessed with the guitar playing that I saw during Sing - especially during Rocky Top. And one day I snuck into town to buy a guitar --- on impulse. </div><div></div><br /><div>Three years later and I can play some simple Neil Young songs, maybe a Cat Stevens tune or two...and that's about it. I just had to learn the hard (and expensive way) that my family genes have no regard for music. There is no <em>ritmo</em> running through my veins. </div><div></div><br /><div>Last weekend, I made a similar impulse buy. Turns out that a skateboard shop opened on the corner of Lark and State. When I was walking in the park with Diane, this new shop came up in conversation, mostly because it was just nice to have a new business in that storefront. Well, needless to say, about 30 minutes later I owned a skateboard. </div><br /><div></div><div>This skateboard.</div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459448001081101826" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7cPKzc5yeWIZ95dcOJe_LZORlujHwMko3AabEnE7ExRbMtpyxDZUHS9BC6_teERa3-irJvVLLt_sl4XC_nPdClioccvx9PMXOB62V4BZcfYzIgjsOhTZnzTOiPNkmeCgrrqA98W7gfwY/s320/009.JPG" /> <div></div><div>I chose this skateboard because I am a Democrat.</div><div></div><br /><div>Anyways, I have diligently practiced and I have become quite the avid skater. I even skateboarded to work the day after buying this amazing device.</div><div></div><br /><div>Maybe this is my mid-life crisis.</div>Sparticushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11456438998901713179noreply@blogger.com0