Ever sit down to watch a movie and 10 min. into it ,you realize that "it" is far less than a "B" movie but for what ever reason you just can't stop watching ?..... Late last night unable to sleep,(midnight) I sat down with my box of Whoppers...turned on the TV and surfed around looking for something interesting/entertaining to watch... I see a movie "Delta Force III".... I remember the Chuck Norris Delta Force movies... no Oscar winners for sure, but good action scenes... lots of "blow 'em up stuff".... passable plots..... Okay, I'll watch this one..... first thing... no Chuck Norris.... but I've watched other sequels that didn't have the original actors and they were okay, so I decided to watch it anyway..... 10 min. into this movie and I'm thinkin'... you have got to kidding, I've seen x-rated movies with better acting and editing.... but for some unknown reason I could not stop watching.... It'll get better..... nope....It became comical.... In one action scene a guy is shown shoving bombs out the door of a helicopter at the Delta Force guys who when seen from the chopper are "pinned down" directly below... but when the bombs go off seconds latter the Delta Force guys are a hundred yards away.... In a one on one fight scene the Delta Force guy is shown getting cut with a knife on his left cheek and blood running down his face and neck... 5 seconds latter as he is dispatching his foe... no cut..... In another scene later in the movie the token female is seen with disheveled hair, sweating and totally stressed trying to unlock a computer that keeps rejecting her codes... cut to the Delta Force guy trying to defuse the "bomb" for 30 seconds.... back to the token female, now with perfect hair and make up.... back to the guy defusing the bomb... back to the female, once again with the disheveled hair.
I wanted to get some paper and start keeping a running count of all the goofs and obvious oversights in this movie but I was having such a good laugh watching them I just couldn't break away.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Friday, April 10, 2009
An insensitive SOB?
Not to long ago My lovely wife switched manicurists. I got to listen to about an hour dissertation on just why... Like I cared.... Today she had a "nail appointment" after work. She returned home at about 6:00 pm and promptly showed how good of a job her new manicurist had done... gave me the short (10 min.) version fo why she switched... told me how many compliments she has received on her nails... how nice her new manicurist is.... how much they have in common.... Blah, blah, blah. Finally, I just couldn't take it anymore.... Dear, I'm as happy as a bear in a berry patch for you and your finding such a wonderful manicurist, but in as few words as possible... I Don't Care.
She gave me this look.... you guys know the look I'm talking about.... it's the one that says... "my friends are just not going to believe you just said that" and you know that they will all tell her "Marie, what did you expect... he's a guy and all guy's are insensitive SOB's".
I think of myself as a fairly nice guy, and I do not think any the less of my dear wife when I start talking about gear ratios, braking into and pulling out of a curve or spanking a rice burner and she says, cutting me short, "That's nice dear" which translates to, I don't care. I don't give her a devastating "look" or go whining to my friends so they can tell me that all women are psycho... no... It's okay... I understand... this is guy stuff, so I'll only talk about this kinda stuff with my buds. Now, is it to much to ask for the same consideration from her? Call your friends with your raves and rants about your nails... your hair... or that woman at work and just leave me out of it.
She gave me this look.... you guys know the look I'm talking about.... it's the one that says... "my friends are just not going to believe you just said that" and you know that they will all tell her "Marie, what did you expect... he's a guy and all guy's are insensitive SOB's".
I think of myself as a fairly nice guy, and I do not think any the less of my dear wife when I start talking about gear ratios, braking into and pulling out of a curve or spanking a rice burner and she says, cutting me short, "That's nice dear" which translates to, I don't care. I don't give her a devastating "look" or go whining to my friends so they can tell me that all women are psycho... no... It's okay... I understand... this is guy stuff, so I'll only talk about this kinda stuff with my buds. Now, is it to much to ask for the same consideration from her? Call your friends with your raves and rants about your nails... your hair... or that woman at work and just leave me out of it.
Monday, April 6, 2009
All I can say is WOW
Do you believe this day... first part of April and it hit 74 at my house on Pine Hill. Got a bit of work done in my yard... trimmed the bushes, they were starting to get unruly... it was just the perfect day to do it. Started with a T-shirt and a sweat shirt... did not take long for the sweat shirt to come off. I was thinking about a discussion I got into awhile back about how you know when your from Eureka and the best answer was when you go to the beach and don't even think of wearing a swim suit.... felt like you could've done it today. It is days like this, albeit, few and far between that make living here so nice and it makes me wonder if I appreciate them more because they are so rare.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Stunning logic
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Ya try to be a nice guy......
Today... checking my email, two letters from Suddenlink (my Internet and cable provider) show up. So I open the first and just kinda scan it to see what it's all about.... what the.... I have an appointment to have services added?? Something ain't right here, I already have some of those services and didn't order any new ones.... I read it again, paying more attention... wait a minute... that's not my name!! They (Suddenlink) have sent me an appointment confirmation for someone else... some guy named David so and so in blah blah North Carolina... this is weird. Curious, I open the other email from Suddenlink.... another appointment confirmation for the same guy... different services.... I start hearing the theme song from The Twilight Zone... totally weird now. In the email it states that if no adult is home they will not hook up the services and He, this David guy, will have to call and make another appointment date. Now.... being the nice guy that I am... I think... that poor guy is gonna miss the appointment and not know why... so I call Suddenlink to tell them about the mix up.... Here's where things go horribly wrong!
After negotiating the press one for this service, enter your 7 digit phone #, I get to listen to that "catchy" little Suddenlink ditty while I'm on hold.... not that bad... yet. Finally a human comes on the phone... I explain the deal about the emails, then she asks me "Is this a business account?.... Nope.... "well it's listed as one".... well it's not..... "I'll transfer you to the department that can fix that for you"..... back on hold... more of the little ditty, over and over and over... 5 MINUTES I have to listen to that stupid song... finally, another human..... I explain why I originally called (the emails) and why I was transferred to his department (the listed type of account)... "I can't do anything about the emails, but I can fix the account listing".... several questions and some intense typing on his part (I could hear the keyboard) and "Okay, that's all taken care of. Is there anything else?".... Ya... the email thing.... "I can't do anything about that, I'll transfer you to someone who can"..... back on hold..... more of that God Awful Song..... after about three more minutes of "IT".... another human.... "how can I help you today".... You can tell me how to get that damn song out of my head!..... "excuse me"..... never mind... I explain about the emails... "I"ll check it out".... "I see what happened, some one addressed the emails wrong" ..(duh).... Did Mr. so and so get emails that were supposed to come to me?.... "hold on, I'll check".... BACK on hold and more of that song, after an agonizing three minutes ... "Mr. Romick, there were no emails to be sent to you"..... Okay.. good... what about Mr. sos and so's appointment information... he might want that.... " We'll take care of that Mr. Romick, thanks for your concern".... end of phone call.
A short time later while watching TV... what comes on.... a Suddenlink commercial.... and that song...... I hate that song now.... and all because I tried to be a nice guy!
After negotiating the press one for this service, enter your 7 digit phone #, I get to listen to that "catchy" little Suddenlink ditty while I'm on hold.... not that bad... yet. Finally a human comes on the phone... I explain the deal about the emails, then she asks me "Is this a business account?.... Nope.... "well it's listed as one".... well it's not..... "I'll transfer you to the department that can fix that for you"..... back on hold... more of the little ditty, over and over and over... 5 MINUTES I have to listen to that stupid song... finally, another human..... I explain why I originally called (the emails) and why I was transferred to his department (the listed type of account)... "I can't do anything about the emails, but I can fix the account listing".... several questions and some intense typing on his part (I could hear the keyboard) and "Okay, that's all taken care of. Is there anything else?".... Ya... the email thing.... "I can't do anything about that, I'll transfer you to someone who can"..... back on hold..... more of that God Awful Song..... after about three more minutes of "IT".... another human.... "how can I help you today".... You can tell me how to get that damn song out of my head!..... "excuse me"..... never mind... I explain about the emails... "I"ll check it out".... "I see what happened, some one addressed the emails wrong" ..(duh).... Did Mr. so and so get emails that were supposed to come to me?.... "hold on, I'll check".... BACK on hold and more of that song, after an agonizing three minutes ... "Mr. Romick, there were no emails to be sent to you"..... Okay.. good... what about Mr. sos and so's appointment information... he might want that.... " We'll take care of that Mr. Romick, thanks for your concern".... end of phone call.
A short time later while watching TV... what comes on.... a Suddenlink commercial.... and that song...... I hate that song now.... and all because I tried to be a nice guy!
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Resistence is futile !
Not working I don't get to drive the Mustang as often as I was when working. Thinking that It needed to be driven before it began feeling neglected I took it out for a little "carbon cleaning" and "corner carving". My usual routes for this are a quick run up 101 to Orick, or a little jaunt up to Willow Creek and once in awhile a run south to Myers Flat or so. Each has it's uniqueness. 101 north to Orick has long open stretches with short sections of some really tight curves, south to Myers Flat is mostly long sweeping curves good for really "opening it up". The run up to willow creek is more curve intensive, some long hard curves coupled with sections of almost shacane sections. This time I chose south... felt like just really blowing the carbon out. The run down was pretty good, not much traffic and no CHP for the most part. Just an enjoyable little drive. Coming home started the same. I was just "grovin" on driving and not paying real close attention to my rear... I know what your thinking.... no, it wasn't the CHP. What snuck up on my was one of those little modified rice burners. I probably would have been just fine if he had kept on going and zipped on ahead. Nope.... he got along side and did the revving thing... he had challenged me, and I had to decide if he was worth the chance of a ticket or not.... then as I glanced over, the little twerp sneered at me with contempt..... Clutch in.... gas to the floor... shift from fifth to third in the blink of an eye... dump the clutch and the Mustang literally jumped as it took off and began to wind up. I'm not sure what this kid was expecting me to do... but after a second or two it was obvious he didn't expect that. I could see him accelerate but it was way to late by then... the v8 had reached it's stride... up into fourth....and by the time I was ready for fifth the Honda was becoming a speck. I went on for about another two miles and backed off...
It wasn't for about another five minutes and here he comes again... Did he just pass me by and go his merry way.... nope.... pulls along side and does the revving thing again. and he looks mad. I learned years ago that if you time it right and wait till they let up when they do the revving thing and then hit it you'll always have an edge.... wait.... clutch in.... gas to the floor.... grab third.... dump the clutch.... same result. I think he just didn't have the top end to stay with or catch the Mustang.... like before... after a short while I backed off again as I approached Rio Dell. Here he comes again... Me, I'm thinkin', I've already shut his guy down twice... I don't have to prove it a third.... but this time he doesn't pull along side, he goes on just a flying by, and his buddy "flips me off" as the go by. Made me chuckle... proceeding on home past Fortuna... up Lolita hill and then the flat before CR.... about half way through the flat is a CHP with this little Honda pulled over... had to chuckle again and tried, really tried, but could not resist... I honked and waved as I went by.
It wasn't for about another five minutes and here he comes again... Did he just pass me by and go his merry way.... nope.... pulls along side and does the revving thing again. and he looks mad. I learned years ago that if you time it right and wait till they let up when they do the revving thing and then hit it you'll always have an edge.... wait.... clutch in.... gas to the floor.... grab third.... dump the clutch.... same result. I think he just didn't have the top end to stay with or catch the Mustang.... like before... after a short while I backed off again as I approached Rio Dell. Here he comes again... Me, I'm thinkin', I've already shut his guy down twice... I don't have to prove it a third.... but this time he doesn't pull along side, he goes on just a flying by, and his buddy "flips me off" as the go by. Made me chuckle... proceeding on home past Fortuna... up Lolita hill and then the flat before CR.... about half way through the flat is a CHP with this little Honda pulled over... had to chuckle again and tried, really tried, but could not resist... I honked and waved as I went by.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Time to do something I haven't done in over 30 years
Looks like the "Mill" isn't going to start back up any time soon (see article below)
So I'm gonna have to look for employment elsewhere.... I havent' had to look for/apply for a job in 32 years. This will be an experience.... Wish me luck!
Pulp mill start-up aims dim
John Driscoll and Thadeus Greenson /The Times-Standard
Posted: 03/14/2009 01:28:50 AM PDT
The Samoa pulp mill -- at least in its current state -- will not run again anytime in the near future.
Owner Freshwater Pulp said that it now believes that there are not enough wood chips, from which the mill makes pulp, available in the region to supply the plant. That's due to protracted poor market conditions for lumber and widespread sawmill curtailments.
”I've always said that by May 1 we would know whether there is an adequate chip supply,” said Freshwater Pulp's Bob Simpson. “Well, what I'm telling you today is we know there's not an adequate supply.”
Unless the lumber markets unexpectedly rebound and sawmills begin operating at high levels in 2009 or 2010, it's unlikely the mill will start up again, he said. In that case, Simpson said, the company would pursue plans to convert the facility to a pulp and fine-paper mill, which would produce toilet and tissue paper. But Simpson said that conversion would take two years and $400 million.
Still, Simpson insisted the facility would not die.
”We look at it much differently,” Simpson said. “We look at it as not a case of if the pulp mill will run again -- it's a case of when.”
Samoa Acquisition Corp. bought the mill from Evergreen Pulp in early February after the plant was shut down on Oct. 15. That put some 215 employees out of work. Samoa Acquisition, renamed later Freshwater Pulp, at the time expected to fire up the mill within 90 to
180 days. But Friday Simpson said a chip supply was uncertain.
Simpson said that Freshwater Pulp's payment of a $51,000 bill Evergreen owed to the North Coast Unified Air Quality Management District is evidence that it is committed to eventually restarting the operation.
Recently, workers have been heeding the recommendation of their union, the Association of Western Pulp and Paper Workers Local 49, to look for other work and take advantage of retraining. Some of those workers may have missed a deadline to state their interest in retraining, said Local 49 President Tom Reilly.
”They're realizing it's not going to restart, or that the hopes of it restarting are slim,” Reilly said.
Reilly questioned the feasibility of Simpson's plan to convert the facility to a pulp-and-paper plant, especially given the $400 million in financing Simpson is seeking. As for Reilly, he said he's been looking for work out of the area.
The mill would face other battles even if it had a reliable chip supply. It needs to negotiate another contract for water with the Humboldt Bay Municipal Water District and a permit for its effluent -- pumped into the ocean -- with the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board, which would include discussions with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
The effects of eliminating the mill's contribution to the water district's costs would likely increase regional wholesale water costs 22 to 25 percent, as laid out in the district's Thursday meeting. That cost would be passed on to ratepayers. The district has been planning for a future without the mill.
Freshwater Pulp intends to plug its effluent line into the ocean while it works on plans to convert to a pulp-and-paper operation. Simpson said that Freshwater and neighboring DG Fairhaven Power are working on a valve system that will allow the power plant to get rid of its own waste water, which flows through the mill's effluent line.
One of the most immediate effects will undoubtedly be on the local economy with the possible elimination of many well-paying jobs at the mill. The aged workforce earned substantially more than the average for Humboldt County. Now many are looking for work elsewhere, including at another mill in Everett, Wash., said employee Richard Marks.
”I'm really disturbed for my fellow workers, and I've talked to enough of them who are not going to return,” Marks said. “I think we're going to lose a lot of people from the area.”
So I'm gonna have to look for employment elsewhere.... I havent' had to look for/apply for a job in 32 years. This will be an experience.... Wish me luck!
Pulp mill start-up aims dim
John Driscoll and Thadeus Greenson /The Times-Standard
Posted: 03/14/2009 01:28:50 AM PDT
The Samoa pulp mill -- at least in its current state -- will not run again anytime in the near future.
Owner Freshwater Pulp said that it now believes that there are not enough wood chips, from which the mill makes pulp, available in the region to supply the plant. That's due to protracted poor market conditions for lumber and widespread sawmill curtailments.
”I've always said that by May 1 we would know whether there is an adequate chip supply,” said Freshwater Pulp's Bob Simpson. “Well, what I'm telling you today is we know there's not an adequate supply.”
Unless the lumber markets unexpectedly rebound and sawmills begin operating at high levels in 2009 or 2010, it's unlikely the mill will start up again, he said. In that case, Simpson said, the company would pursue plans to convert the facility to a pulp and fine-paper mill, which would produce toilet and tissue paper. But Simpson said that conversion would take two years and $400 million.
Still, Simpson insisted the facility would not die.
”We look at it much differently,” Simpson said. “We look at it as not a case of if the pulp mill will run again -- it's a case of when.”
Samoa Acquisition Corp. bought the mill from Evergreen Pulp in early February after the plant was shut down on Oct. 15. That put some 215 employees out of work. Samoa Acquisition, renamed later Freshwater Pulp, at the time expected to fire up the mill within 90 to
180 days. But Friday Simpson said a chip supply was uncertain.
Simpson said that Freshwater Pulp's payment of a $51,000 bill Evergreen owed to the North Coast Unified Air Quality Management District is evidence that it is committed to eventually restarting the operation.
Recently, workers have been heeding the recommendation of their union, the Association of Western Pulp and Paper Workers Local 49, to look for other work and take advantage of retraining. Some of those workers may have missed a deadline to state their interest in retraining, said Local 49 President Tom Reilly.
”They're realizing it's not going to restart, or that the hopes of it restarting are slim,” Reilly said.
Reilly questioned the feasibility of Simpson's plan to convert the facility to a pulp-and-paper plant, especially given the $400 million in financing Simpson is seeking. As for Reilly, he said he's been looking for work out of the area.
The mill would face other battles even if it had a reliable chip supply. It needs to negotiate another contract for water with the Humboldt Bay Municipal Water District and a permit for its effluent -- pumped into the ocean -- with the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board, which would include discussions with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
The effects of eliminating the mill's contribution to the water district's costs would likely increase regional wholesale water costs 22 to 25 percent, as laid out in the district's Thursday meeting. That cost would be passed on to ratepayers. The district has been planning for a future without the mill.
Freshwater Pulp intends to plug its effluent line into the ocean while it works on plans to convert to a pulp-and-paper operation. Simpson said that Freshwater and neighboring DG Fairhaven Power are working on a valve system that will allow the power plant to get rid of its own waste water, which flows through the mill's effluent line.
One of the most immediate effects will undoubtedly be on the local economy with the possible elimination of many well-paying jobs at the mill. The aged workforce earned substantially more than the average for Humboldt County. Now many are looking for work elsewhere, including at another mill in Everett, Wash., said employee Richard Marks.
”I'm really disturbed for my fellow workers, and I've talked to enough of them who are not going to return,” Marks said. “I think we're going to lose a lot of people from the area.”
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Stranger things have happened !

Being "unemployed" I seem to have what some people call... to much free time, but I have taken it as an opportunity. Take yesterday as an example. Sitting at my computer around 10 am, I hear an odd noise... sort of a cross between an un-tuned VW and a Semi's jake brake. Leaping from my chair, I go to the sliding glass door in the family-room and behold a UFO landing in the pasture next door. Now I don't know if it was curiosity or fear but I could not move, I was transfixed! All these thoughts raced through my head... they're going to abduct me and do all kinds of wierd experiments..... It's an invasion ala War of the Worlds.... or they want to give us, the human race, unlimited energy technology in exchange for a glass of water. As I stood there, transfixed, three figures emerged from the craft, looked about and then one of them spotted me and pointed. Oh My God... I'm gonna die, I thought. The three beings then seemingly floated towards me... as they neared I was overwhelmed with a strange, pungent odor... it was the stench of .....petuli oil.... and then I noticed... these "beings" have dreadlocks. Turns out, these "aliens" were just some lost, wayward intergalactic Rastafarians looking for Garberville., and some spare change to buy some Di lithium crystals. So I told them to go south, following US 101 and gave them some Crystal Lite, (it was the only crystals I had in the house) and sent them on there merry way. I was able to snap this pic as they flew off.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Guess Who?
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