Look at This

This afternoon, we went to Bluewater Shopping Centre.  While we were there, the kids asked to go to a toy store (I forget the name).  While we were in there, we saw these Sulley gloves.  Note the detail shot.  I can assure you this was NOT Wal Mart.

IMG_20140527_145220 IMG_20140527_145225

Snow in the South

Snow
20140130_GASnow1 20140130_GASnow2

Yes.  Yes, I am going to make fun of the people in Atlanta (and Georgia and other places in “the south”).  Not because I don’t think they are smart.  Not because I think they are hicks.  Not because of anything else you are thinking–I’m from West Virgina, don’t forget.  But because of their general flip out over snow and weather.

First, you should be thankful you’ve got snow.  Some people, like me, live their year waiting anxiously for winter.  Why?  Well, it can be sunny any time…it can rain any time…you can have a rainbow any time.  But winter is the only time you have a remote chance of snow.  That’s it.  One small 3 month window.  I love snow.  I’m still waiting for my winter this year to even have a chance of snow (we’ve had at the most 6 days with temperatures below freezing).  Once it gets cold, I wish for snow.

Second, have a look at the two pictures on the bottom.  Read that captions (click them for a larger view and proper source attribution).  Now look at the pictures again.  What do you notice?  That’s right…one has dry pavement and neither of them have SNOW.  They’ve got–what–an inch at the most.  You don’t need a 4×4 to move in that.  You need some common sense.  Even if the roads are a sheet of ice (like I’ve seen in some)…take it easy and you’ll get home.

The top picture illustrates what different people think of snow.  I find it hilarious.  Not because the Canadians are all like “look at our snow eh” but because people who get snow know what to do about it.  They spend the money to treat it on the roads.  They do the proactive work before-hand.  When it comes, they don’t freak out pass the “ahh milk and bread” level too often.  You deal with it.  

S0, at the end of the day, Slow down.  Take it easy.

Jungle Gold on Discovery

Gold mine

Last year, I watched the Hoffmans on their Gold Rush show for the first time.  I binge-watched it on Netflix then caught up on TV.  I thought they were a bunch of morons and I could do better; however, apart from Todd, they’ve improved alot.

When I saw an advert–also last year–for Jungle Gold, I thought I would watch it.  The season ended with the guys getting robbed of some big hunk of gold they just did a black market deal for.  I wondered if it were fake.  Now, I have no doubts.

This season, Scott and George went back to Ghana.  They were getting off to a rocky start then they conveniently left town.  They had borrowed money from relatives three times.  They just signed a lease for two new excavators and a loader AND got access for 30 days to a killer trommel.  But then they find out they don’t have the right permits to actually mine.  AND it is going to take 30 days to get the permits.

About the same time, there is an “attack” on a neighboring claim (probably true).  They go back to their “base” where they find out that some minister has called for their arrest.  After telling the viewers they expected the embassy to come get them with HMMWVs and helicopter (sorry to burst a bubble, but that only happens to embassy personnel).  The embassy tells them to leave if they are worried so they start this scheme to leave.  Anyway, here’s what clenched it for me:

  1. When they get to their hotel, the security guy goes and checks in.  But they find out that there is a government conference at the hotel.  They sneak everyone else into the hotel through an emergency exit, but you can see the security guys around to provide cover while they film this.
  2. They don’t take a commercial flight out, but they go to the airport and check in for their charter flight at what appears to be a normal airport check-in desk.  They then go through the airport and immigration like everyone else.  They then leave from a normal gate at the airport.
  3. Oh, and while all of this futzing is going on, you can see official people escort them through the airport.

These guys could have been in actual danger out in the bush.  I’m sure it is wild-west-like out there.  But if there really was a warrant out for their arrest, they never would have been allowed to leave.  The security guards at the hotel and the escort through the airport were just too much.  I could have believed they were leaving independent of that.  But as a whole, it is way too convenient.

Really??  You just get a 3rd round of funding from family, lease a ton of NEW equipment, and be in for a $250,000 trommel; however, when you find out that you can’t mine legally suddenly there is a warrant out for your arrest and you have to sneak out of the country?  really?  Oh, and what ever made you think that a 3rd rate country would let you leave with millions of dollars of gold in the first place?  Honestly…go to Alaska to do that….a 3rd world country that is probably corrupt won’t ever let you leave with their wealth.

They did a rededit ama (ask me anything) here:  http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/1k1jmd/we_are_scott_george_from_discovery_channels/

Image from howvin via flickr

so tell me…

The lawyer claims people misunderstand the details of the case.  I don’t think I do.  Summary:

1. People want hot coffee
2. McDonalds was following an industry standard for coffee temperature
3. This lady orders a cup of coffee
4. She has an accident and spills it on herself
5. She wants McDonald’s to pay part of her medical bills
6. She sues and wins

I think public perception is right on.  I think the family just doesn’t like it and the New York Times wanted to beat up on Newt and the Republicans.

http://www.nytimes.com/video/us/100000002507537/scalded-by-coffee-then-news-media.html