Anyone who knows my musical tastes is aware of, or at least not surprised by, my extreme dislike of Nickelback. Here's a great article on how unoriginal their music is:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4258547
article suggests that they may be sued for copying their own crappy music. let's hope so!
Monday, December 1, 2008
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Rubber Stamps: 24-Hour Service
While running yesterday, I came across a sign reading:
"Rubber Stamps
24-Hour Service"
It's comforting to know that the next time I'm in the middle of a big rubber stamping project at 3am, someone is on call to look out for me. I'm sure there is a big market repairing stamps broken by drunken notaries public, stamping wildly after the bars close.
"Rubber Stamps
24-Hour Service"
It's comforting to know that the next time I'm in the middle of a big rubber stamping project at 3am, someone is on call to look out for me. I'm sure there is a big market repairing stamps broken by drunken notaries public, stamping wildly after the bars close.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Brewpub Review: Otto's Pub & Brewery
On Friday night I experienced Otto's Pub & Brewery on North Atherton St. in State College. Otto's is definitely someplace I would recommend for a great tasting beer.
Let's start with the first impression. Parking is a major issue at Otto's, depending on when you go... Friday night, yep, parking is limited. The good news is that you can park across Atherton at Jersey Shore Bank. The bad news is that playing Frogger across Atherton on a Friday night just isn't a good idea. And if you park at Tire Town, next door to Otto's, apparently you run the risk of being towed. A better idea: take the bus.
Otto's has a nice but fairly small outdoor patio, which would be nice in the summer. The atmosphere inside is busy and quite boisterous. If you're looking for a place to have an intimate conversation, this is not it, but it's a fun brewpub atmosphere: bright, loud, and good for groups. There were even several families with children when we first arrived (around 7pm). We didn't have to wait long at all for a table, maybe 10 minutes, which was surprising given how busy the place seemed to be.
Service was good and reasonably attentive, meeting expectations but not exceeding them nor failing them. The important thing when visiting a brewpub is that the servers are knowledgable about the beer, and our server seemed to meet this test. Unfortunately, they had run out of the featured "firkin" beer but we made alternative choices.
I had the Dark Roast Stout, which I rate extremely highly. It had a sublime creamy texture with strong coffee notes complemented by the offsetting mild, chocolatey sweetness that every great stout balances so well. I also tried Georganne's Spruce Creek Lager, which impressed me as a flavorful but widely likeable lager that Georganne said "is like Bud Light, with taste."
The food at Otto's was in line with most brewpubs: strong flavors, fairly simple, made for beer. I ordered "stouties" (thin strips of beer-battered fried onion) for my side dish and was unimpressed with them, but the crab cake sandwich I had was really quite good. One of our friends had Shepherd's Pie and it looked like the best choice out of our group.
Some other interesting things to experience at Otto's are firkin Fridays, a brewery tour, Pub Club, and beer to go. Check out Otto's for great beer in a fun brewpub atmosphere. The Dark Roast Stout alone is worth the trip.
Let's start with the first impression. Parking is a major issue at Otto's, depending on when you go... Friday night, yep, parking is limited. The good news is that you can park across Atherton at Jersey Shore Bank. The bad news is that playing Frogger across Atherton on a Friday night just isn't a good idea. And if you park at Tire Town, next door to Otto's, apparently you run the risk of being towed. A better idea: take the bus.
Otto's has a nice but fairly small outdoor patio, which would be nice in the summer. The atmosphere inside is busy and quite boisterous. If you're looking for a place to have an intimate conversation, this is not it, but it's a fun brewpub atmosphere: bright, loud, and good for groups. There were even several families with children when we first arrived (around 7pm). We didn't have to wait long at all for a table, maybe 10 minutes, which was surprising given how busy the place seemed to be.
Service was good and reasonably attentive, meeting expectations but not exceeding them nor failing them. The important thing when visiting a brewpub is that the servers are knowledgable about the beer, and our server seemed to meet this test. Unfortunately, they had run out of the featured "firkin" beer but we made alternative choices.
I had the Dark Roast Stout, which I rate extremely highly. It had a sublime creamy texture with strong coffee notes complemented by the offsetting mild, chocolatey sweetness that every great stout balances so well. I also tried Georganne's Spruce Creek Lager, which impressed me as a flavorful but widely likeable lager that Georganne said "is like Bud Light, with taste."
The food at Otto's was in line with most brewpubs: strong flavors, fairly simple, made for beer. I ordered "stouties" (thin strips of beer-battered fried onion) for my side dish and was unimpressed with them, but the crab cake sandwich I had was really quite good. One of our friends had Shepherd's Pie and it looked like the best choice out of our group.
Some other interesting things to experience at Otto's are firkin Fridays, a brewery tour, Pub Club, and beer to go. Check out Otto's for great beer in a fun brewpub atmosphere. The Dark Roast Stout alone is worth the trip.
Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
Runners often get the chance to experience things that non-runners wouldn't come across. When you're out there running ten miles, you encounter some crazy stuff! In the case of seeing lots of wild animals, however, it is so common that it's typical.
One thing I have really noticed is how difficult it is to hunt for game that I encounter regularly while running. When I run, I see all kinds of game. Last Tuesday, I ran in the morning from my condo and saw around 30 deer, 2 pheasants, 2 great blue herons, countless ducks, and a large raccoon or a small bear (it was far up the road and the light wasn't good enough for me to tell which). This was all not that surprising (it is more surprising when they attack, as in the case of that psycho grouse).
However, what is surprising is how difficult it is to hunt for these animals, given their apparent abundance when I am running. I went out twice last week, once in search of pheasant and once in search of turkey. Naturally, I went hunting in locations where I had seen numerous birds while running, so I know they are plentiful in the area. Both times I spent 2-3 hours hunting and didn't even see the bird in question.
Then yesterday I was running again, and nearly had to shoo away a flock of turkeys that was blocking the road I was running down.
I have come to the conclusion that it's only hard to find a pheasant or a turkey when you're actually looking for one.
Of course, I could always try running with a shotgun.
One thing I have really noticed is how difficult it is to hunt for game that I encounter regularly while running. When I run, I see all kinds of game. Last Tuesday, I ran in the morning from my condo and saw around 30 deer, 2 pheasants, 2 great blue herons, countless ducks, and a large raccoon or a small bear (it was far up the road and the light wasn't good enough for me to tell which). This was all not that surprising (it is more surprising when they attack, as in the case of that psycho grouse).
However, what is surprising is how difficult it is to hunt for these animals, given their apparent abundance when I am running. I went out twice last week, once in search of pheasant and once in search of turkey. Naturally, I went hunting in locations where I had seen numerous birds while running, so I know they are plentiful in the area. Both times I spent 2-3 hours hunting and didn't even see the bird in question.
Then yesterday I was running again, and nearly had to shoo away a flock of turkeys that was blocking the road I was running down.
I have come to the conclusion that it's only hard to find a pheasant or a turkey when you're actually looking for one.
Of course, I could always try running with a shotgun.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Grouse Attacks!
So yesterday I was cruising along the "Tracks" trail - an old dirt rails-to-trails path that runs through the forest - and got attacked by a ruffed grouse for the second time! This time it flew down from a tree in front of me, ran ahead of me for about 50m until I caught up to it, then circled around and started chasing me! This continued for about 30m, at which point I stopped and turned to face the bird. It stopped within a couple feet of me- I could almost touch it with my foot- so I shooed it off the trail and continued running. Seconds later, the thing flies at my back, lands right behind my feet, and resumes chasing me! Crazy bugger.
About 6 weeks ago I was running with Kyle Dawson in the same spot and it chased both of us. That time, I thought it was another runner catching up to us... we were running a pretty good pace so I turned to see who it was and well, it was little Mr. Angry Grouse.
Apparently this is pretty common, or I would make a video:
http://ie.youtube.com/watch?v=WfivrfPA2qY&feature=related
Maybe this is karma, given that I went grouse hunting last weekend. I was unsuccessful-- they were all hidden in really thick cover. Georganne has also been attacked by this same bird and said she saw a hunter on that trail yesterday. Apparently they only come out in the open when we are running.
About 6 weeks ago I was running with Kyle Dawson in the same spot and it chased both of us. That time, I thought it was another runner catching up to us... we were running a pretty good pace so I turned to see who it was and well, it was little Mr. Angry Grouse.
Apparently this is pretty common, or I would make a video:
http://ie.youtube.com/watch?v=WfivrfPA2qY&feature=related
Maybe this is karma, given that I went grouse hunting last weekend. I was unsuccessful-- they were all hidden in really thick cover. Georganne has also been attacked by this same bird and said she saw a hunter on that trail yesterday. Apparently they only come out in the open when we are running.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Penn State National XC Invitational
Here are some pics from the Penn State National XC Invitational, held on Friday Oct. 17. Georgetown's men and West Virginia's women were victorious, while the Penn State squads both finished strongly as runners-up!
Pics from Penn State National XC Invitational
Today for my long run I went out around the airport, then looped back to campus. It was a pretty long run and I was able to use the airport as my midrun water stop! In what other city can you swing by the airport on a nice running loop!?!?! That was great. State College is a fun little city in the middle of nowhere. Fortunately, the middle of nowhere gives us beautiful mountains.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Road Whore
It's been a hectic few months, to say the least. In June I left my job coaching at Notre Dame. In July I competed in the Olympic Trials, closed on our new condo in State College and got moved in, then got married at the end of the month. After that, it was off to a couple weeks of fun in Minnesota, Mexico, and Chicago, then back to State College for a 2-week math refresher course (the fun was over at that point!). Now I've gotten into the swing of school, and running is coming along well after my end-of-season break. I've been training a little over 2 months now.
In the beginning of September, off just 3 weeks of training, I raced in the Harrisburg Half-Marathon. I wasn't very fit at the time but thought I'd jump in to get a hard long run and to do some road-whoring (running road races in the hopes of earning some meager prize money). Well, some fit guys showed up and I got smoked by one of them in the last 2 miles. I ran 1:09:46 on a flat course.
Four weeks later, I ran the Lancaster Hands-On House Half-Marathon. Far more fit after just another month of training, I went out hard in 14:50 thru 3 miles, then pulled away from the field going up an enormous hill in the 5th mile. My mile splits indicate the severity of the hills on the course: I ran 5:57, 4:25, 6:07, 4:44 from mile 4 to mile 8. It was the hilliest course I have ever seen. I ran well by myself the last 8 miles to finish in 1:07:58. I felt great about that time on such a hilly course (and got some local press lovin').
Last weekend I ran 3 legs on the Tussey Mountainback 50-Mile Relay with a team. My first leg was leg 1, a 3.2 mile ascent including 845 vertical feet of climbing. I covered it in 19:17, and no one I talked with had ever heard of a time under 20 minutes for this leg. My second leg was leg 6, a 5.3 mile ascent including 800 vertical feet of climbing. I covered it in 25:03. Finally, I ran leg 11 which was an out-and-back leg up over a mountain. It included 636 vertical feet of climbing in 4.0 miles, which was incredibly difficult but I covered it in 21:59 to propel our team into the lead for good. I even got some love in the local paper.
So training is going well. I am putting in lower volume due to my demanding academic schedule, but I am doing the right things and it is paying off. Each week I do a tempo run and a long run and one of the following: a fartlek at 5k-effort, or a hill repeat session of 16-24x100m. This coming Saturday I'm racing a small 5k in Harrisburg, the Pumpkin Chase 5k or some such thing. It will be a good chance to get out and have a fun VO2 max session.
In the beginning of September, off just 3 weeks of training, I raced in the Harrisburg Half-Marathon. I wasn't very fit at the time but thought I'd jump in to get a hard long run and to do some road-whoring (running road races in the hopes of earning some meager prize money). Well, some fit guys showed up and I got smoked by one of them in the last 2 miles. I ran 1:09:46 on a flat course.
Four weeks later, I ran the Lancaster Hands-On House Half-Marathon. Far more fit after just another month of training, I went out hard in 14:50 thru 3 miles, then pulled away from the field going up an enormous hill in the 5th mile. My mile splits indicate the severity of the hills on the course: I ran 5:57, 4:25, 6:07, 4:44 from mile 4 to mile 8. It was the hilliest course I have ever seen. I ran well by myself the last 8 miles to finish in 1:07:58. I felt great about that time on such a hilly course (and got some local press lovin').
Last weekend I ran 3 legs on the Tussey Mountainback 50-Mile Relay with a team. My first leg was leg 1, a 3.2 mile ascent including 845 vertical feet of climbing. I covered it in 19:17, and no one I talked with had ever heard of a time under 20 minutes for this leg. My second leg was leg 6, a 5.3 mile ascent including 800 vertical feet of climbing. I covered it in 25:03. Finally, I ran leg 11 which was an out-and-back leg up over a mountain. It included 636 vertical feet of climbing in 4.0 miles, which was incredibly difficult but I covered it in 21:59 to propel our team into the lead for good. I even got some love in the local paper.
So training is going well. I am putting in lower volume due to my demanding academic schedule, but I am doing the right things and it is paying off. Each week I do a tempo run and a long run and one of the following: a fartlek at 5k-effort, or a hill repeat session of 16-24x100m. This coming Saturday I'm racing a small 5k in Harrisburg, the Pumpkin Chase 5k or some such thing. It will be a good chance to get out and have a fun VO2 max session.
Joe the Plumber Doesn't Know Jack About Taxes
Being a tax geek, I was perplexed at the statements Joe the Plumber, a small business owner, has made about his plumbing business. Joe the plumber originally met Barack Obama in Joe's neighbor's yard in Ohio. Joe asked Obama a "tough question" along the lines of, "I'm a small business owner; if you get elected, will you raise my taxes?"
Obama's response, basically stating that his tax plan calls for tax cuts for everyone who earns under $250,000 per year was apparently confusing to Joe the Plumber. Does Joe, who is in fact an unlicensed plumber in rural Ohio, really earn more than that? Not likely. Still, Joe has been unleashing comment after comment to the national media, implying that Obama wants to raise Joe's taxes. Untrue!
What's worse is that John McCain is playing on Joe's (and America's) tax ignorance in saying that Obama's plan will raise taxes on small businesses, which is a flat-out lie! The vast, vast majority of small businesses are sole proprietorships and partnerships, which are flow-through entities. Flow-through entities are not taxed at all; rather, the earnings flow through the entity to their respective owner(s) and the owner simply pays individual income taxes on the earnings.
From "Compare Obama and McCain's Tax Plans"
"Bottom Line: Make LESS than 250,000/year or do not have health insurance, tax wise, and health insurance wise, you will be better off under Obama.
Make MORE than 250,000/year and do not have to worry about health insurance costs, you will be better off with McCain."
I realize there are other reasons why people vote the way they do, but the part of your vote concerning your personal finances should be clear based on the above.
Obama's response, basically stating that his tax plan calls for tax cuts for everyone who earns under $250,000 per year was apparently confusing to Joe the Plumber. Does Joe, who is in fact an unlicensed plumber in rural Ohio, really earn more than that? Not likely. Still, Joe has been unleashing comment after comment to the national media, implying that Obama wants to raise Joe's taxes. Untrue!
What's worse is that John McCain is playing on Joe's (and America's) tax ignorance in saying that Obama's plan will raise taxes on small businesses, which is a flat-out lie! The vast, vast majority of small businesses are sole proprietorships and partnerships, which are flow-through entities. Flow-through entities are not taxed at all; rather, the earnings flow through the entity to their respective owner(s) and the owner simply pays individual income taxes on the earnings.
From "Compare Obama and McCain's Tax Plans"
"Bottom Line: Make LESS than 250,000/year or do not have health insurance, tax wise, and health insurance wise, you will be better off under Obama.
Make MORE than 250,000/year and do not have to worry about health insurance costs, you will be better off with McCain."
I realize there are other reasons why people vote the way they do, but the part of your vote concerning your personal finances should be clear based on the above.
Let's do Ten Miles Easy
Welcome to Ten Miles Easy. This blog is intended to be like an easy ten-miler; you know, the bread and butter of every serious distance runner's week. The most enjoyable workout of the week, you saunter along, telling stories, giving your teammates a hard time, ranting about news, politics, sports, drugs, sex, rock & roll... a little bit of everything.
A lot of this will be about my own running as many people are asking what I'm up to and where I'll be racing and if there's a website to track me. I hope to throw in plenty of random content to keep things interesting.
A lot of this will be about my own running as many people are asking what I'm up to and where I'll be racing and if there's a website to track me. I hope to throw in plenty of random content to keep things interesting.
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