Anderson/Hatgidakis/Nelson/Metcalf: Newsletter

Old news: September 2009

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Karen
9/29/09
Gary -- you got me with the picture this morning. I was thinking NO WAY! Look forward to the new (easier) ones next week. We watched the Jeopardy with Wolfe -- he was terrible. They usually send the people away if they are in the hole, but Alex made an exception and gave him $1,000 for final Jeopardy. Nice fall day, chiily in the morning -- could actually see your breath, but now it's nice and sunny. Erika has Teen Court soon, so I should get her there on time....


Gary
9/29/09
You have probably heard by now that Wolf Blitzer was on Jeopardy recently (celebrity week or something), and he got decisively spanked by Andy Richter (and Dana Delaney). Richter was on fire, yes, but Blitzer lost because he answered so many questions wrong. Check out this final score:

Blitzer did manage to walk away with $2000 (for charity) only because they wiped out his negative score and spotted him a thousand bucks for the final question, and then served up a softball that all three contestants got right.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: Wolf Blitzer is the most overrated journalist on TV. He acts like he's Walter Cronkite, and he's barely a Ted Baxter. :-)


Gary
9/28/09
No game this Saturday (the 3rd), and I just made the surprising discovery that the next game (Missouri) is not on a Saturday, but instead on Thursday -- at 8 pm! A game that won't be over until midnight...? On a school night...? Who scheduled this one?

Oh, and one more thing: new pictures today.


Karen
9/27/09
Hey, just wanted to let everyone know, we are planning a trip to Lincoln. Thinking we'll leave here Sat morning and hope to get to Lincoln around noon, and probably take off for home by 5 or 6. Hope to see you all then :)

Excellent! See you Saturday! --Gary


Gary
9/24/09
Hey, the Homecoming displays along fraternity row are taking shape. My quick inspection as I drove past wasn't enough to tell me what this year's theme is -- most of them seemed to be focusing on the 300th consecutive sellout game (which is what Saturday's game is). So I did some searching on the UN-L site and learned the theme this year is "Game On!" Kinda vague, I thought, but luckily I don't have to build a display.

If you plan to check them out, the displays have to be completed by 10:30 am Friday (they are judged at noon). The campus streets will be closed on Friday from 6 to no later than 7 for a parade. So anytime before or after that should work.


Gary
9/24/09
Anybody remember the current events of a year ago today? It was on this day last year that John McCain "suspended" his campaign and rushed back to Washington to fix the economy. Hey, how did that work out, by the way? :-) This was also the day of Sarah Palin's disastrous interview with Katie Couric. "I'll try to find some, and I'll bring 'em to ya!"
Gary
9/23/09
This is making the rounds now, so you may have seen it already. It's the latest from MoveOn.org, featuring Will Ferrell and many others speaking about the real victims of the health care debate: Health insurance executives.

[ooops, pulled from YouTube]

Sheesh, I wish the lawyers who have nothing to do except pull videos from YouTube could have spent a little of their free time watching over the Constitution during the Bush years. If you want to see the MoveOn spot with Will Ferrell, go here.


Gary
9/22/09
Marching band practicing in Memorial Stadium as I went past, homecoming displays going up along fraternity row, and a cool morning that almost requires a jacket -- that all adds up to a very nice first day of fall. Be glad that we're getting more of a fall season than poor Denver: 86 degrees there on Sunday, and two inches of snow on Monday. Yeesh!
Tristen
9/20/09
This year the fundraiser for Mickle is the usual cookie dough & a few snacks. Teghan is also selling the same thing at Kahoa, at the same time! Mickle is doing magazine subscriptions & more of the profits (45%) go to Mickle anyway compared to cookie dough (40%).

So, if you want to order a magazine & help Mickle out & help me earn some prizes this year (cash!) here's how you order:

1. Go here.
2. Drop down menu select "Nebraska"
3. For school type "Mickle"
4. And student name type "Tristen"
5. Click Search & up above it will have the option to click on Mickle Middle School, Lincoln, NE School code 129765
6. Browse the magazines
7. Make your selections

Remember, if you already get a magazine or two you can renew through this fundraiser & Mickle gets the proceeds! This is the easiest way to get something you already love-your magazine & help Mickle & Me out! Or, get magazine subscriptions as Xmas gifts for others!
8. When you checkout be sure to enter my name so I get credit!!!
9. If you include my email I can find out how many items I've sold, just use my mom's.

If I sell 12 items I get into a drawing for cash. The lowest bill is a $10, or I could draw $20, $50 or $100. If I sell 24 items I get to draw twice, 36, 3 times, etc.

You have to order by Wednesday night, September 23rd, but it just takes a few minutes!

Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love Tristen

P.S. Don't forget to order because I get my name in a drawing for either $500 or $1,000!!!!!!


Gary
9/17/09
So the Nebraska State Fair came to an end here last week, and for the last time. Next year it will move to Grand Island, to allow the University of Nebraska to take over the grounds so they can expand the campus. I listened to Chancellor Harvey Perlman speak last week, and he was full of plans for the new space. But is it a done deal? There's a lawsuit filed with the Nebraska Supreme Court charging that the Nebraska legislature acted unlawfully in awarding the fairgrounds to UN-L without giving other cities and towns a voice in the decision.

Here's a brief article that supplies some interesting facts and figures on both sides.

And here is a not-too-shabby music video on the same subject:

Check out FairVoteNebraska.com.


Karen
9/16/09
Poor Emily is still dragging. Took her to the doctor on Sat and got some antibiotics, but they just didn't seem to be doing any good. Yesterday she noticed a rash had developed on her tongue and her mouth. So I took her back to the doctor again. This time the doctor did run several tests. Found out it wasn't strep or the flu, but she does have a nasty virus. Got a couple of more meds and she even stayed home last night. Seems to be doing a bit better today, but trying to eat anything is very uncomfortable. Been eating malts and lots of juices. Erika just left for her first dance class for the year. Really a late start this year. Picture day for Erika today too.

I am looking forward to the new Dan Brown book, should try to get it this week-end.


Dang, Emily, get well soon! As for "The Lost Symbol," I just now finished it. WOW! Much better than the Da Vinci Code, in my opinion. An amazing book, and I can't wait to see it as a movie! --Gary


Gary
9/16/09
Hey, if you have bought your copy of Dan Brown's latest, The Lost Symbol, hold onto it as it may become a collector's item. (Actually, with so many millions in print that will probably not happen, so ignore that advice.) But I did find a mistake in this first edition that will undoubtedly be fixed in the second printing.


Chapter 3 opens with Robert Langdon riding a limo from Dulles Airport to the Capitol Building in Washington D.C. It's about a 30-minute ride which takes him across the Potomac River. In the map above, he's arriving from the left edge, and Dan Brown specifies he's on the Memorial Bridge. He says, "Directly in front of the car, the Lincoln Memorial rose with rigid austerity" -- which is so, and "farther away ... the Washington Monument loomed dead ahead" -- which it does. But then he says, "Langdon gazed left, across the Tidal Basin, toward the gracefully rounded silhouette of the Jefferson Memorial..." Ooops. If Langdon gazed left, he would see the Watergate Hotel and Georgetown in the distance. He would have to gaze right to see the Jefferson Memorial.


John
9/15/09
Uplifting and inspirational 6 minutes of video.
Gary
9/15/09
I just heard, according to MSNBC, that Tom DeLay has injured himself while rehearsing for "Dancing With the Stars," and probably won't appear on the show. :-) Gee, I hope he has a good medical plan....
G'ma
9/15/09

Get well, Emily!! You are too busy to be sick, but don't let that make you get back at classes too soon. Hope you are feeling better today!!
Gary
9/15/09
A word of explanation here about today's cool site, as there is no explanation on the page. It's just an interesting example of PhotoShop at work.
Gary
9/14/09

Feel better, Emily. And STAY HOME! They're very serious about that here on the campus. Anybody -- faculty, staff, or student -- is STRONGLY urged to stay home if they feel sick. Plus, we are instructed to stay home an extra day after the fever has passed. They really want to prevent an outbreak of flu here this year, like some other campuses are seeing.
Karen
9/14/09
Too bad that flu shot wasn't available to Emily about a week ago. Poor girl is SICK! She stopped by after work Saturday and was dragging. She was sick enough that Brent and I took her to Urgent Care. Doctor checked her out (but didn't test for the flu or strep). He did give her some antibiotics, but they don't seem to be helping too much. She did stay in bed today and missed classes, also called in sick from work (although her boss was not very nice about it). Can't think it's a good thing to have a sick person serving food :( I stopped by her dorm room after work this afternoon. She was still sick -- so I brought her home. Made her a malt and got some more meds. Trying to talk her into staying home tonight......
Grandma
9/14/09
Kind of a long story about the flu but it sounded promising, a fairly good sized study with good results from a new drug.

Good. Then maybe I won't catch it this year. :-) --Gary


Grandma
9/14/09
Your news stories are certainly downers, but I actually read 2 this morning that gave me a small lift, at least. One concerns a man from our own Uni. who is building small earthquake resistant homes in Guatamala with inside plumbing for at least 320 poor people who live on less than $2 a day. A big leap for them as they had been living in shacks made of cornstalks. One part of the story is he now has a following of Lincolnites who spend vacations etc helping out. I'm always impressed with those kinds of good works. And also had good news about the Flu. Ah, well...

What was the flu news? I missed it. --Gary


Gary
9/14/09
Boy, I have days sometimes when I have trouble recognizing this country. And today is starting off that way, based on two news stories I read this morning.

Story 1: A while back on this page (almost exactly a year ago--I just now looked it up!), I did one of those "entertainment updates" in which I mentioned a good-looking movie then in production. It was untitled then, but now it is soon to be released as Creation, a biographical picture about Charles Darwin and his formulation of the theory of evolution. It stars Paul Bettany (who is most famous for his role as the "invisible" friend in A Beautiful Mind) and Jennifer Connelly (who was the wife in A Beautiful Mind and is Bettany's real-life wife). The trailer for the picture looks great (view it here), but it may be a long while before any of us see it. Why? Because U.S. film distributors feel the film is "too controversial" and are unwilling to show it. They're afraid of all the Bible-literalists who believe the world was created in six days 4000 years ago....

Story 2: It was announced over the weekend that the Philadelphia Public Library System will be shutting down due to lack of funds. Let me say that again: the public library system in Philadelphia, the city where America was born, is shutting down in less than a month due to lack of funds. I am glad the Founding Fathers aren't alive to see this. (Of course, if they were alive, they would already have shot themselves during the Bush administration, but I digress.) I thought schools and education had been under-funded about as low as it could go in this country, but it seems I was wrong. What kind of a country is okay with spending hundreds of billions of dollars on propping up corrupt banking and brokerage firms (not to mention hundreds of billions on pointless wars), and yet is unwilling to to spend a tiny fraction of that on books and schools? Of course this is fine with the Rush Limbaughs and Glen Becks of the world: The stupider the voters are, the easier it is to elect Republicans. On a related note, I also heard this morning that Gov. Schwarzeneggar of California is proposing eliminating all textbooks from the California school system as a cost-cutting move -- "let 'em learn off the internet!"

Both these stories may be false alarms: Maybe Creation will be picked up by a distributor this afternoon, and maybe the Philadelphia library system made their announcement only to scare people into action. I hope so. But the fact these stories are even stories at all is a sad sign.

Sorry to be a downer first thing Monday morning. Feel free to change the subject! :-)


Gary
9/11/09
Doesn't seem possible that it was eight years ago. Bush at this point in his presidency was just a buffoon -- his real crimes (other than stealing an election) were yet to come. But on this date eight years ago, some twenty minutes after being informed of the first plane strike, Bush just sat there -- and would continue to sit there for some twenty minutes more.

He's out of the White House now, thank God, but there are still other dangerously stupid Republicans in Washington. The one getting all the attention at the moment is Joe "The Heckler" Wilson, the white-supremacist Senator from South Carolina who interrupted a Presidential address to a joint session of Congress by yelling "You lie!" Unbelievable. After the speech, when it began to be reported who had done the yelling, I went to Wilson's web site to leave him a comment (to the effect that he owed the President and the Senate an apology, and further that he didn't deserve to set foot in the halls of Congress), but his website was jammed -- I presume because many other people with similar messages were trying to get through. I understand his phones were jammed too -- nothing but a constant busy signal. I never did get through; his site is still jammed as of this minute, two days later. (I did later find a direct link to his email and got my message sent.)

Obama's speech was great (in case you missed it), and approval for his health care plan among "undecideds" went from below fifty percent before to nearly seventy percent after. And seeing all those disapproving sleepy Republicans sitting on their hands during the speech gave Obama a Jimmy Stewart "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" quality. I think the Republicans' negativity made Obama's approval numbers go higher as much as the speech itself did. Certainly Wilson's "You lie!" outburst had an effect: Wilson's Democratic challenger (for next year's election) received nearly a million dollars in donations in the 24 hours following the speech! When he ran against Wilson in the previous election he had a campaign fund total of around $300,000 (and lost by only a few percentage points).

Wilson apparently called the White House shortly after the speech to apologize. In a brief appearance later -- where I was pleased to note he looked shaken and nervous -- he said the "Republican leadership" insisted he make the call. But now, two days later, after no doubt receiving lots of supportive messages from the other racists out there, he has recanted and says he "stands by" his remark. Beyond being merely uncivil and undignified and turning the United States Senate into the Jerry Springer Show, this weasel actually broke several regulations that apply to him. One, you are specifically forbidden in the Senate bylaws from calling another member a liar (let alone the President). Also, he's a National Guard reservist, and there are regulations about insulting a superior officer (let alone your Commander-in-Chief). Yet so far, the Democrats are showing their usual spinelessness. Nancy Pelosi, who was visibly shocked at Wilson's outburst at the time (watch her around the 1:23 mark), is now making nice with "let bygones be bygones" and "it's in the past" and saying she didn't plan to make any reprimands. One can only hope that this is all for the news cameras, and behind the scenes the Dems plan to make life miserable for The Heckler. If Lyndon Johnson was around, this guy would suddenly be serving on the Senate Cafeteria Cleanup Subcommittee and nothing else for the rest of his term....

P.S.: Here's one of the funnier moments of the evening: Lindsey Graham starting to clap and then suddenly remembering he's a Republican. :-)


Donna
9/10/09
I heard about that on the radio this morning. They played the clip of Ellen telling her audience and I expected it to be a joke. She will be great. I just wish they would replace Randy too. So is the other judge (can't remember her name) coming back? They don't really need her now. Just Simon and Ellen would be fine with me.
Amanda
9/9/09
Well. Now, this is interesting. On an earlier post I swore off American Idol. Now, in a weird twist of fate Ellen has been announced as the judge to replace Paula. Hmm. Welcome me back into the ranks of AI watching... I love her & could make that show great again!

Wow, what a stroke of genius! She will be fantastic on that show. --Gary


Donna
9/9/09
This is funny...

The "squirrel photo-crasher" has become an internet phenomenon. Millions of hits worldwide on that photo, and on the many spin-off sites -- like this one. :-) --Gary


Gary
9/9/09
Heads up, number-heads: In just a few minutes it will be 9:09 on 9/9/09. :-)

Thanks for all the birthday greetings, everyone. Had an excellent day yesterday. In the late afternoon I suddenly decided to buy myself a new camera, and did. Took it over to Grandma's that evening for a fun party which included cake, candles, and balloons. Photographic evidence here.


Lindsey
9/8/09

Happy birthday Gary!
Donna
9/8/09

Happy birthday, Gary!
Ryan, Amanda, Tristen & Teghan
9/8/09

Happy Birthday Gary! It cracked me up all over again reading last years birthday story! If you're hungry today, try Green Gateau.
Grandma
9/7/09

Happy Birthday, Gary!!
Nelsons
9/7/09
Gary -- do you have plans for your birthday? Hope it's a good day for you.

Long week-end is just about over. Brent took Friday off too and seems to be feeling better. He and the girls did go to Artsplash on Saturday. Yesterday we all went shopping and then out for lunch. Today is just a lazy day at home.

What did everyone else do for the week-end? Amanda -- did you make it to the fair?

No particular plans, though I am taking the day off. I'll be happy if it's a slightly better day than last year. :-) --Gary


Nelsons
9/7/09

Happy Birthday Gary
The Hatgidakis Family
9/7/09

Happy Birthday Gary!!!!!
Lindsey
9/5/09
It's husker football season! Can't wait for the game to start.

On another note, we felt the Christmas spirit and started the Christmas list for next year since everyone likes to start shopping early! Tristen and Teghan are helping me and Amanda draw names. Gary sent me the lists for the last few years so we'll be able to mix up who buys for who.


Lindsey
9/4/09
Yea I definitely can now that those pictures are side by side. He's gonna catch up to Charlie in no time...
Amanda
9/4/09
Linz, looking at those 3 pix together, you can't tell how much he's growing? The one in the leaves is when you first got him right? And the one with the collar is more recent? Big change I think!
Gary
9/4/09
Are you a Buddhist? And do you own a pear tree?

If you answered yes to both of those questions, you may be interested in this: Buddha-shaped pears. The page is in Spanish so I'm not getting the details, but apparently you put this plastic form around the growing pear, and it comes out Buddha-shaped. Cool!


Lindsey
9/4/09
Thought I should get some pictures up of my new puppy before he gets too big! He's growing fast!

Thanks, Lindsey! --Gary


Gary
9/3/09

Heavy rain here in Lincoln the past couple of hours. Seems to be letting up now. Interesting how many college students do not own umbreallas -- I saw a lot of drenched students on their way to class in the past hour. :-) Had the heater in my car on, for the first time since last winter -- and it felt good!
Amanda
9/3/09
Grandma, be sure to check your email today!!!
Livy
9/2/09
Hey everybody!!! Donna--yes I did get my learners permit yesturday. I took a test that was 25 questions and I passed. The bad thing is that my picture looks like a mugshot--I was not happy about that, but oh well. School has been pretty good so far too, it's the getting up early again that I do not like, but everything else is fine. I have to job shadow pretty soon for my career ed. class but I have no clue what I'm going to do yet.

Shadow has gotten very big! He is definately bigger than Max, and dad thinks he is at least twice as big! We're going to puppy classes and those are good so far. The old class we had had like 8 dogs and 15 people. One lady brought her husband and her neighbor. It was just way too crowded so we got into a later class that's on Monday nights. There is two other dogs and just the owners with them, no neighbors! Shadow is definately the biggest of the dogs, then again he is almost a month older than one of the other dogs.

That's all I think I had to say--so I'll talk to you all later!!!


Ryan, Amanda, Tristen & Teghan
9/2/09

Happy Birthday Sam
Donna
9/2/09

Happy birthday Samantha!
Nelsons
9/1/09

Happy Birthday Samantha
Karen
9/1/09
Yeah, another day of school done! I got promoted to the 2nd grade class this week. Have a problem student in that class and now I get to sit by him all morning! What a waste. Brent is doing better. He did go to the doctor yesterday and got some pain pills and they were helping. Dr also said to toss the other drugs and NOT take them again. Got Emily all moved in on Sunday, she has her first classes tomorrow.
Lindsey
9/1/09

Happy Birthday Liv!!
Careful out there on those streets!
Grandma
9/1/09

Happy Birthday, Sam!!
Dad, Mom & Sunny
9/1/09

Happy Birthday Samantha!!!!!
Gary
9/1/09
Connick and Penn were both in New Orleans days before any government help arrived -- but I may have confused their two stories. Penn was definitely there working with rescue teams right after Katrina, and it is said he rescued forty people. But I couldn't find a reference to any supplies he brought in -- I must have been thinking of Connick.
Donna
9/1/09
Wasn't it Harry Connick Jr. that drove down there with his SUV? I know he did, but I don't remember Sean Penn doing it also.

Teghan and Brent, are you guys feeling better?
Donna
9/1/09

Happy birthday Olivia!!! Are you getting your learners permit today?
Ryan, Amanda, Tristen & Teghan
9/1/09

Happy Birthday Olivia!!
Nelsons
9/1/09

Happy Birthday Olivia