Panthers training camp

The Florida Panthers' training camp has begun - the on-ice training happens at incredibleIce in Coral Springs. All practices are free and open to you and me! Go Cats!


R.I.P. Miami Arena, first home of the Florida Panthers, where they had the best first year of any NHL team (1993). The made the Finals a couple years later, and there's the infamous "Rat Trick"!
Before a game, Scott Mellanby used his hockey stick to kill a rat in the locker room; Scott then went out and scored two goals, earning him the coveted rat trick. ahhh memories....

Sex and the Election

Now that I have your attention...

2 DVD's of interest being released Tuesday, September 23rd:

Schoolhouse Rock! The Election Collection, a limited edition 14-song DVD, and yes, it includes "I'm just a Bill".

Sex and the City - The Movie, in regular and special edition DVD form.

And, if you sync up The Preamble with the 3rd wardrobe change from Sarah Jessica Parker, crazy stuff happens.....


Yes, I'm kidding.

Add insult to accident

Davie, Florida wants to charge at-fault drivers for costs involving police and fire-rescue responding to accidents in their town. The Town Council has already approved the measure, and if the second vote passes on October 1st, it shall become law. The Cost Recovery Corp. would bill your insurance company about $840 if you were at fault for a wreck in Davie. (Just in case you're wondering, this is the first town in South Florida to charge this type of fee. A council member said this is a way to recoup the costs of responding to accidents.)
This fee would cover all roads in and near Davie (including I-595 & I-75)... meaning, if Davie responds to your accident, you could be billed. If you're a non-resident and your insurance refuses to pay, you'd be billed directly. If it can't be determined who is at fault, you both get billed! Davie residents would not get billed as they already pay for police and fire rescue via taxes. But when you think about it, we all pay for police and fire-rescue one way or another, so why should we be penalized for an accident just because it happened in a certain place?

ac·ci·dent

–noun
1.
an undesirable or unfortunate happening that occurs unintentionally and usually results in harm, injury, damage, or loss; casualty; mishap: automobile accidents.

nick·el-and-dime
–adjective
1.
of little or no importance; trivial; petty: a nickel-and-dime business that soon folded. –verb (used with object)
2.
to expose to financial hardship or bankruptcy by the accumulation of small expenses, bills, etc.
3.
to hinder, annoy, or harass with trivialities or nonessentials: to be nickeled-and-dimed by petty criticisms.

Walt Disney World, free?

it's yer birthday, it's yer birthday, and Walt Disney World/Disneyland has decided to offer you a free ticket into any one of their parks on your special day! You do need to register for the treat in advance, and bring ID to prove the earth became a better place on that day...

Presidential flavor debate

Baskin-Robbins has two "presidential" flavors: Straight Talk Crunch and Whirl of Change.
The Straight Talk Crunch is named for John McCain and features caramel, red candy, and mixed nuts in white chocolate ice cream. The Whirl of Change named for Barack Obama and has chocolate-covered peanut brittle and caramel in peanut-nougat ice cream. No waffle cones, please!
With these two flavors comes the Baskin-Robbins National Flavor Election Flavor Debate '08!
You can vote for your favorite flavor (deadline midnight October 20th) , the results will be announced October 21st.

Baggy pants, again

I first blogged about this back in March of this year. Officials in many towns have tried and/or succeeded in banning the droopy jeans. Riviera Beach, which is just north of us, has a "baggy pants law"; the first offense for your underwear stickin' up out your drawers is a $150 fine or community service. Earlier this week, A Palm Beach Circuit Judge has ruled this ban "unconstitutional". In related news, a Hillsborough County Circuit Judge has delayed court three times this week due to inmates wearing saggy pants. The pants are the orange jail uniforms issued to inmates, but the judge was not swayed saying, "I do not want to see these people in her again with their rear ends hanging out of their pants".

As you can see, cartoonist Chan Lowe has the right idea! I mean really, think of any silly, ridiculous clothing, hair, or makeup fad. It comes & it goes... UNLESS you harp on it, gripe about it, and try to ban it. There's a word for this... rebellion. There's a term to potentially solve it... reverse psychology!

A unique fish tank

So you'd love to have fish as pets, but you've nowhere to put the fish tank. That's where the fine folks at Fish 'n Flush come in; they incorporate the fish tank where you already have a tank - you're toilet tank. Fresh or salt water, it matters not - just add fish and food! A conversation piece, you betcha... and when 'lil Nemo goes to that great beyond, it's just a hop, skip, and a flush away.

B.B King turns 83

The Beale Street Blues Boy, as he was once known, has come a long way from Indianola, Mississippi. Riley "B.B." King was born September 16, 1925; he went from a kid working at a cotton gin, to a career that takes him all over the world. Over the weekend, the B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center opened in his hometown. The museum is built in and around the brick cotton gin where B.B. once worked. Of the museum B.B. said, "I didn't go to school long enough to be able to tell you how I feel. But I have heard that heaven is beautiful. If heaven is more beautiful than the way I feel today, I'm ready to go tomorrow."
B.B. still tours extensively, playing in South Florida at least once a year. He's already been here this year, but might I suggest to you... The next time a B.B. King concert is scheduled for Miami/Ft. Lauderdale, you do yourself a favor and see him live!

More Google fun

If you use Google for directions, there's a new option. When you go to Google Maps, you now have the option to get directions by car, or on foot. Let's say you're visiting New York City, and you know where you want to go, but not how to get there. Go to Google Maps and under 'get directions' you'll see the car or foot option. I found out it would take close to 7 hours to walk to work - so much for saving gas!

Oh, and if you click on the "My Maps" link, and then "Browse the directory" you can personalize your map... very cool!

Visit Daryl Hall's House

Daryl Hall, of Hall and Oates fame, calls it a 'light bulb' moment. It would be 'Live from Daryl's House', a monthly Internet webcast featuring Daryl and friends performing from Hall's home.
You can watch entire performances, or choose from individual songs. Daryl also puts up a link to his guest's website, should you like him, her, or them enough to want to know more. It's great cross-promotion for the artists, and great for true music lovers. Enjoy!

Is tuna a vegetable?

Nick Lachey, former recipient of the question, "Is this tuna or chicken?", is helping to clarify vegetable intake. Lachey has teamed up with V8 for their Making Every Serving Count campaign. V8, in turn, has donated a million bucks to Feeding America, who'll provide over 30 million servings of vegetables and fruit to food banks across the country.

Practice Safe Watercraft

South Florida is home to many a boat, yacht, and waverunner; too often we hear stories of careless crashes, or tragic accidents on the water. You, proud watercraft owner, can be proactive and take a safety course.
A personal watercraft safety class will be held September 29th, 6:30 pm, in Davie. There's only space for 25, and the $15 fee includes materials used in the program.