http://punaro.com/index.php A little bit of a lot of things that affect the lives of a young, married, Buffalo-area couple Thu, 03 Jul 2008 15:24:55 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en The rain is slightly hindering the preparations for our annual 4th of July party, but the weather for tomorrow is looking good, so that's all that matters! Hope everyone has an enjoyable holiday weekend! http://punaro.com/index.php/2008/07/derek/happy-independence-day/ Swing on over to the Buffalo Central Terminal web site for some photos of yesterday's wine festival! http://punaro.com/index.php/2008/06/derek/2008-wine-festival/ Oh how the liberals love to point to Canada's socialized healthcare system as being the North Star for us to navigate by. Canada's system has big problems, though, ones which are easy to see and predict, yet hastily ignored by those looking to feed the Hutt of federal government. ... http://punaro.com/index.php/2008/06/derek/extra-extra-canadians-figure-out-socialized-medicine-doesnt-work/ Since Derek is a member of the "Crew" (I'll let one of them explain in a comment what exactly that is), he thinks it would be fun to help me out in the delivery room with some of their more famous chants. I'm not entirely opposed to this, as ... http://punaro.com/index.php/2008/06/amanda/rit-corner-crew/ This was the first time this year we really got out for a geocaching adventure. We hadn't yet made the time to even find the caches hidden near our house, so that was our mission today. We found our first one quickly, couldn't find our second attempt, and ... http://punaro.com/index.php/2008/06/derek/100-geocaches/ There literally was only one red daisy out amongst a sea of white ones. Made for a decent photo. Update: This photo now for sale on Dreamstime http://punaro.com/index.php/2008/06/derek/one-red-daisy/ I just had to give kudos to my Hubby for finding an easy way to transfer music to my Philips PSS110 Shoqbox.  Maybe the most confusing and annoying MP3 player around.  (Sorry Dad, who works for Philips now).  But perhaps that is why they stopped supporting the damn thing.  After ... http://punaro.com/index.php/2008/06/amanda/husbands-are-a-wonderful-thing/ My marigold photo on Dreamstime had it's first sale! My first photo ever sold! I think that makes me a professional now. ;) http://punaro.com/index.php/2008/06/derek/woo-hoo/ My wife and mother-in-law worked together to create this awesome piece of cakey goodness to celebrate Father's Day with! http://punaro.com/index.php/2008/06/derek/poker-cake/ Democrats everywhere are salivating over Japan's new policy to fine people with waistlines over 33.5 inches. I fear this is the type of thing we have to look forward to in neo-liberal Obamanation. http://punaro.com/index.php/2008/06/derek/national-waistline/ The official Ron Paul candidacy for President has ended, but the work lives on with the Campaign For Liberty. Ron Paul's Presidential run was framed as only appealing to the wackos and his message often skewed to portray him on the lunatic fringe, but in a run that will ... http://punaro.com/index.php/2008/06/derek/the-ron-paul-campaign-for-liberty/ No, it's not because Mary Kunz Goldman said it's the best feature of Buffalo's waterfront, although that was a surprise to read. It's that yet another of the oft-repeated reasons to tear it down is about to be disproven. We've heard before that Buffalo doesn't have the shipping ... http://punaro.com/index.php/2008/06/derek/another-reason-to-keep-the-skyway/ How I love the Tax Foundation's ability to put things into perspective. As oil prices have hit record highs along with oil company profits (and thereby the returns to shareholders), many in Congress are calling for a windfall profits tax on oil companies. They argue that those profits are somehow unjustified. But ... http://punaro.com/index.php/2008/06/derek/demand-a-windfall-profits-tax-on-farmers/ People assume that Buffalo Bills running back Marshawn Lynch is guilty of a hit and run because he refuses to talk to the police about the investigation. He hasn't been arrested for only one reason - there's not enough evidence to do so. That's why DA Frank Clark ... http://punaro.com/index.php/2008/06/derek/why-marshawn-lynch-is-smart/ Just when I was about to go to bed, the allure of trying to get a lightning photo was too much. http://punaro.com/index.php/2008/06/derek/lightning/ Check out this handy chart at RickSeaney.com which outlines all the major US carriers and their fees for everything from checking baggage to alcohol to unaccompanied minors. I didn't even realize there was a fee for that. Of course, some parents may consider that a cheap day care. http://punaro.com/index.php/2008/06/derek/confused-by-all-those-airline-fees/ The Courthouse Square set from Back To The Future was sadly destroyed in the massive fire at Universal Studios Sunday. The Scene: (movie capture from BTTFTour.com) Before the fire: (from TheStudioTour.com) During the Fire: (AP photo by Mike Meadows / June 1, 2008) After the Fire: (Gary Friedman/Los Angeles Times) Oddly enough, this is the third time that the ... http://punaro.com/index.php/2008/06/derek/the-clock-tower-couldnt-be-saved/ Our house came with it's very own, not recently used, 8.5' Birdview satellite dish. You know, one of these big suckers: I really had no use for it and since it was blocking my tractor's path into the garden, began looking for options to dispose of it. I found ... http://punaro.com/index.php/2008/06/derek/what-to-do-with-an-old-satellite-dish/ Three days ago I wrote this: Oh, and at $109.95/month, it’s not even that great a deal. Last month, my combined Time Warner cable/internet and Verizon Voicewing service came to $118.18, including taxes and the extras like the HD DVR. I can guarantee those extra fees are going to total more ... http://punaro.com/index.php/2008/05/derek/one-more-reason-time-warner-befuddles-me/ Since getting rejected to be a contributing photographer to istockphoto.com, I'm challenging myself to take better photographs. Here's a shot I took today that I really like: http://punaro.com/index.php/2008/05/derek/gold-in-the-bucket/