I have a smart phone that incorporates, among other things, internet explorer. I recently ran across a couple web based applications that can be run from my PDA. The two great applications work with Windows Mobile for mapping and finding locations, and both work with or without GPS. Using Internet Explorer on your mobile device, just go to the following websites. (These links only work on your PDA.)

Yesterday marked the 75th anniversary of the repeal of prohibition! Historians note that Prohibition officially ended on December 5, 1933, with the ratification of the 21st Amendment. But earlier that year, newly-elected President Franklin D. Roosevelt took steps to fulfill his campaign promise to end the national ban on alcohol. He spurred Congress to modify the Volstead Act to allow the sale of 3.2 percent beer in advance of the Twenty-first Amendment being ratified. Thus on April 7, 1933 there was legal beer once again!

This year i decided that i am going to ride in the MS Bike ride. I have supported the MS society for many years since my mom has suffered with it for 20+ years now. My parents have lived on the west coast for the last 6 or so years and are huge supporters out there. During one of the MS bike rides out there last year, she was interviewed by the 24hour Fitness cycling team. Her interview is about 2/3 rds of the way through the video. Pretty cool to see her on youtube.

Yeah - there is now a whole new interpretation on that statement

So i have spent the last couple of days listening to congressional hearings. I am beside myself about them. Apparently the Congress has nothing more pressing on their agenda, so they need to waste our tax dollars to investigate steroids in baseball. They spent about 4 1/2 hours on Wednesday talking to Roger Clemens about his suspected steroids use. Really? This is something that Congress needs to investigate? No laws need to be drafted, budgets reviewed, foreign policies to review? I know maybe we should have them investigate the NFL commissioner about the New England Patriots. No? Yeah - I think I will be sending more mail to my congressman to air my concerns over this. (I am sure they are tired of hearing from me).

Bush has signed his stimulus plan. This plan offers $300 - $600 for individuals with income between $3,000 - $75,000. Couple with income under $150,000 will receive a refund of $1,200. Families with kids will receive an additional $300 / child (as of the end of the 2007 tax year).

The IRS will send out rebates — by mail or by direct deposit into your bank account — through the late spring and the summer. The rebates come in addition to any regular tax refund.

We have discussed wine many times on this board. I have recently (within the last year) started to watch a video podcast called Wine Library TV run by Gary Vanerchuk. He has been making some big splashes in the wine world, and his video podcast has helped me immensly with getting a better understanding of the wine world and opening me up to trying some wine types that i probably would not have tried previously.

I just got home from a pretty eye opening event at Walter Reed Medical Hospital. The company I work for does a lot of community work. One of the many resource groups we have is centered on the Armed Forces. The purpose of the group is to see how we can better leverage our resources and earn business in that industry sectors, as well as, “charity” work towards the causes. The company has teamed with the "Helping our Heroes Foundation". This foundation was created to provide support to wounded warriors returning back from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. This foundation has received 25 full 2-year scholarships to Colorado Technical University. The Scholarship would provide tuition, fees, & materials. We have been asked to step in and provide assistance getting the troops to complete an application and then help act as a mentor / sounding board for them.

okay so a while back i asked for some advice on naming our pups. That post took on a life of its own.

Tonight i received an interesting message:

Read message
From: [removed to protect the innocent]
To: JB
Subject: AKC name for my yellow lab - Jake...
Date: Fri, 01/25/2008 - 13:07

need a good AKC name for Jake.

Thanks!

... so how would i go about doing that.

What a night...