Restaurant Review: Happy Hippo Eatery

I decided to go to this Brunswick restaurant on the recommendation of my father.  He spoke glowingly of great burgers and mounds of sweet potato fries and he has never steered me wrong in this regard.  The Happy Hippo is on Pearl Road north of Brunswick, south of Strongsville.

When we first walked in on this Thursday evening at 6:00 PM, a couple of things stood out to me  immediately.  The restaurant was nearly empty during prime dining hours, there were white table clothes on all the tables and booths (which I found odd for a burger joint), and the funny older Mexican gentleman with the mullet that eventually greeted us at the door.  He seated us in a booth and took or drink orders.  A young Mexican girl came out to take our order, and then another Mexican fellow brought us out chips and a substance to dip them in.  It was at this point I began to consider the possibility that this place had changed some since my old man had been here last.

The menu had a little bit of everything, but not alot of anything.  I had mostly pre-determined that I was getting a burger, and I asked the waitress if she had any recommendations, as I often do.  She kind of looked at me blankly and then told me about the fajitas.  In the description of the Hippo House Burger I noticed that it listed a special secret ingredient.  I've seen special sauces and such before, but never a special ingredient on a burger.  We asked her about this, and she responded that they haven't told her what it is.  At that point, curiosity got the best of me and I ordered it, Carlos ordered cod.  After ordering, we tried the chips and the mystery sauce/salsa that came with them.  It was runny with a light green color, and tasted rather bitter.  My best guess is that it was some form of humus, but I did drop some off at NASA on the way home for testing.

The service from our waitress was inconsistent, leaving us for extended periods without beverage, but we were understanding towards her once we considered the possibility that she might not be getting paid.

There was flat screen TV in the dining room playing a movie, loud enough for us to hear Chris Rock and Ice Cube dropping F-bombs and large enough for us to see Tracy Morgan get Danny Glover's fecal matter on his hands and a naked guy sitting on a roof (I have no idea what this movie was).  Eventually the other customer complained and they turned the channel.

Our food came out in good order and I was curious to see what the secret ingredient was.  Beneath the lettuce, under the tomato and onion, and there it was... a gooey black pile of something.  I think there were a few different kind of peppers or vegetables that had been cooked in some type of blackened sauce.  It was quite strong and kind of bitter, enough so that I was sick of it by the time I got halfway through the burger.  My whole plate was covered in a puddle of black juices, which soaked through the pretzel bun.  It takes an extreme situation for me not to eat everything on my plate, but today presented a circumstance that required such action.  I graciously left a good tip and we were on our way. 

My assumption is that Happy Hippo had a recent ownership change and is a restaurant in an identity crisis, but as we left, our waitress welcomed us to come back this Saturday to try their all new menu, as they are changing to a "half Italian, half Mexican" restaurant, which sounds like an excellent business model that should breed success.  They seemed like nice people and I wish them all the best in their pursuit of the American Dream, but I fear the realities of capitalism will have something to say about that.  

My trip to the movies this afternoon...

I have not had much free time lately, but today I found myself up north (Elyria) with a few hours to kill so I decided to go see a movie.  The only movie that fit my time frame was Immortals, so I decided to do it.  There was an elderly couple in front of me in line, and I was kind of curious to hear what movie they were about to see because there really wasn't much playing at the time.  Much to my surprise, it was Immortals.  Weird, I thought.  From the previews I had seen, Immortals looked like a mindless blood-fest designed by comic book guys for comic book guys.  Not a chick flick, not an old-foagie flick.  I went in and got seated in my favorite spot in the theater, which is the middle of the very top row (the fat row, we call it).  Eventually they old couple came in with some popcorn and sat down.  And then two old ladies.  And then two old men.  And then a group of old people.  I couldn't believe it.  I did a demographics check of the theater, and when the movie started, there were 17 of us there... 11 women, 6 men, and I was the only one that wasn't on Social Security.  As the rest of the lights dimmed for the start of the movie, I heard the familiar sound of pop cans opening.  Not only was every person in Immortals over 60, but half of them snuck in their own drinks.

The previews were an uninteresting lot.  The first one was for the Avengers, which, while I'm sick and tired of nerdy comic book movies, looked mildly entertaining.  The next four movie previews did absolutely nothing for me and I have no desire to see any of them (some Marky Mark movie about counterfeiting money, a cliched "chick gets trained to kill, then betrayed, and then seeks revenge" piece of crap that really annoyed me, and sequel of a movie that I have refused to watch (Ghost Rider) and Mission Impossible, which has Tom Cruise in it).  The one that did catch my eye is a movie about the Navy Seals called Act of Valor coming out in February.  I will most likely check it out.
 
Immortals was pretty much what I expected it to be.  It was made by the same people that made 300, which I thought was a travesty.  The plot is simple... Hyperion King of the Heraklians (Mickey Rourke) was on a  mission to get the Epirus Bow and use it to release the Titans from some mountain so that they could wage war against Zeus and the gods, whom Mickey Rourke had a major beef with.  A peasant named Theseus, basically chosen by Zeus, eventually leads the Greeks in battle against the Heraklians, the Titans get released, alot of people, monsters, and gods die, and Theseus becomes a god, setting up a sequel.  Visually, the movie is very much like 300, meaning dark and with endless blood.  Mickey Rourke did a great job as the twisted blood-lusting villain and the oracle was played by a rather attractive young lady, but the acting was hamstrung by the weak plot, writing, and general absurdity.  This movie was made for teenage guys and nerds, not for anyone that has an interest Greek mythology.  Through the whole movie I kept questioning myself as to why all these old people were here, what could be going through their minds as they were watching this, and if they were actually awake.

In summary, watching Immortals was kind of like watching someone else play a violent video game.  Boring, unfulfilling, and has you waiting for it to end so you can do something else.

Hangin' up my Keys

Well, I have very little good to say about my former company, so I won't waste the time on it.  But over the 7 years and 9 months I worked there, I've worked with and for some of the coolest and weirdest people I've ever met.  Some day I may put some of my experiences with customers and co-workers into writing, but tonight, I just want to acknowledge some of the people that I've particularly enjoyed working with over the years (at the risk of forgetting some of you, I apologize in advance)...

Stephanie Sohl hired me in February of 2004, having previously worked with me at another company.  It has been a pleasure working for you off an on for the last decade.  You've been the best boss I've had and a good friend.  I also enjoyed working for Natalie Baxter (even though she's crazy) and Jon Tallman (even though he's crazy).  I very much disliked both of you initially, but as time went on I had fun and would work for both of you again (somewhere else, of course).

I've worked with a ton of assistant managers since I've been here, but to name a few... I had a blast making fun of poor Kelly Allomong for my first few years back in Amherst.  No matter how bad our day was going (especially on Wild Wild Wednesdays), I could could always count on her to be an outlet for my disgust and she always understood I never meant any of it.  Most of it.  Same thing for Nicole Woch.  They both seemed to have terrible luck on their shifts and I enjoyed making fun of them through it all.  It was therapeutic.  But there are few I'd rather work with when things got crazy.  I worked with Amanda Dotson for four years, and I'm still thankful I didn't have to deliver her baby.  I am happy for Amanda and Samantha Jackson, and Julia Thomas before them, for finally getting to move on to better things... you all deserve it.  And congrats to my dego buddy Jonathan Hussey for retaining his position and continued opportunity to provide for his new family. 

I always got along with my fellow drivers, but I'll mention Mark Fox and Elizabeth Tomaszewski.  We held it down back in the day. 

There are three other people that I would like to acknowledge... Mike Kastanis, Megan Schreiner, and Mike Witt.  I had a blast getting to know you and I miss each of you.  If you ever need anything, let me know.

But on to better things, at long last.  Y'all take care and God bless.

(Now all of you I forgot to mention can proceed to sending me your hate, I will understand)... 

Trip Report: The Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area

Rally Point's first out-of-state outdoor road trip was to be at the Big South Fork National River and Recreation area in Kentucky and Tennessee.  After a few unfortunate cancellations, Mark Raven and Matt Winfree left the Winfree residence in North Ridgeville, Ohio, at 1:32 PM.  The weather was windy, cold and damp, but the further we got from Northeast Ohio, the weather progressively improved to warm and sunny.  Our departure time made for some complications, however, as it required us to forge our way through the early Friday rush hour in Columbus and the late Friday rush hour in Cincinnati.  We made Lexington by nightfall, at which time every local radio station began playing high school football games with the merciful exception of the classic country that accompanied us through southern Kentucky.  After a few disagreements with Google Maps and a trek down the most winding road I have ever driven, we arrived at the Bandy Creek Campground at 10:30 pm.  We made quick work of setting up camp, explored the campground, had dinner in the car (Matt with carrots, grapes, and water, me with snack cakes, chips, and diet pop), and then retired.

We awoke at 9:30AM, stopped at the visitor center for a map, and departed Bandy Creek for the first destination of the day... Twin Arches.  The trail splits at 0.7 miles, the left going to the North Twin Arch, the right going to South Twin Arch, but both arches are only a few hundred feet apart.  The south arch is the more impressive of the two.  On our way to the Leatherwood Ford area, we were ambushed and came face to face with sheer evil.  I calmly pulled the car to the side of the road, got out, and let Matt play hero (in attempt to build up his confidence, which I had taken from him on the ride down) and he crushed the fiend with a Doritos bag, leaving a remnant of this demon on my windshield as a monument of his victory and a testament to his bravery. 

At Leatherwood Ford, we hiked down stream along the Big South Fork for two miles until we reached Angel Falls Rapids, a famous chute of Class IV rapids that runs through a boulder field.  This was a very cool area to explore and worth the 4-mile investment of time and energy.  From Leatherwood Ford we trekked back up the mountain to the East Rim Overlook and met a 7-foot tall man who greeted us with a "howdy-do".  From there, following winding one-lane gravel roads through the hills, we went to Bear Creek Overlook.  Continuing through the mountains, we were unexpectedly honored to pass the home of Medal of Honor winner Wilburn Ross, who saved his company by standing against an enemy assault, killing or wounding 58 enemy soldiers in 5 hours of combat.  After enjoying the view high above Devil's Jump, we drove through Whitley City to Yahoo Falls, the highest waterfall in Kentucky.  However, we only caught a glimpse of Yahoo, as the trail to the bottom of the falls had been wiped out during a storm earlier in the year.
With daylight waning, we made a decision to leave the BSF and go to Cumberland Falls State Park Resort, home of Cumberland Falls. 

We arrived at sunset, and after photographing the falls, we learned that on this  night, there was a possibility that a moon bow would form at the falls (which happens on the few nights of and around a full moon, on clear nights).  A moon bow is a rainbow created by the light of the moon and the mist of the falls.  Given the information that this is the only place in the western Hemisphere this phenomenon occurs and that it was already nearly nightfall, we decided to stay and see a moon bow.  However, once darkness had arrived, there was no moon to be seen.  So we continued to wait for the moon to peak over the mountain and shine down into the river, eating, watching Epic Meal Time videos on my phone, discussing the virtues of the old hymns and what a truly great female vocalist sounds like, and me retelling fond memories of the great disappointments of Cleveland sports of my youth.  At 11:30, the moon finally showed itself and created the illusive moonbow.  After an hours drive through intense darkness, we returned to our mountain top home at Bandy Creek and went to bed.

I awoke at 9AM to learn that the chilly mountain air had brought some discomfort through the night to the ill-prepared Winfree.  In near record time, we tore down camp, loaded up, and left the Big South Fork.  On our way back to the I-75, we noticed that around every hill there was a full Baptist church on this sunny Sunday morning, and that every radio station had a southern preacher speaking about the love of Christ or the godlessness of movie theaters.  We stopped for gas near Stearns, Kentucky.  When we crossed the Ohio River, it was 79 degrees and sunny.  But when the skyline of Columbus came into view, it was illuminated with the sun and the dark backdrop of the meteorological ugliness that we would soon encounter.  In North Ridgeville, Ohio, it was 55 degrees, windy, and raining when we returned, which was more pleasant than listening to the Browns game.  

At the Big South Fork National River and Recreation, we hiked 8 miles in exploring the magnificence of God's creation in brilliant warmth and sunshine and magnificent fall color.  It was also a great time of fellowship and a needed respite from the daily grind for all participants.

What I've Been Up to Lately

I haven't bogged much in the last several months, but trust me, its not that I haven't had some things to write about. Hopefully I'll find the time to opine on the insanity going on in Washington, the tragedy occurring in many American churches, the surprising Indians pennant race, and all the good stuff. The last few months, however, I've been working a lot, but I've also been doing some things to make some extra cash. On weekends, I've been hitting the flea markets and garage sales in search of things I can turn a profit on. Picking, if you want to call it that (although I shy away from that term because of its association with those dweebs on the History Channel). I haven't made much doing it yet, but I have turned a profit and enjoy doing it. More recently, I've started selling watches on the internet. Mostly antique pocket watches, but other watches as well. I've enjoyed learning about watches, internet commerce, and the postal service thus far, and it too looks to be profitable although frustrating at times. The big drawback to being busy making money is that I have not been able to do one roadtrip yet this year, which is a personal tragedy. RPM, the young adult ministry I started at the beginning of the year, continues on. Attendance has been inconsistent this summer, but its all good. God has been doing some good things, thought. I've been really busy, but I do hope to write on a few subjects, soon. This new Blogger app for my Droid should allow me some more flexibility (I'll have to confess to writing this while at work today, some of it while driving). And now I get to see if this app really works...

posted from Bloggeroid

Presidential Debate Analysis

Tonight, seven Republican candidates for President debated in New Hampshire.  I believe President Obama can and probably will be defeated by whomever the Republican nominee ends up being, so electability is not the issue for me, the issue is who is the best candidate for the job of President.  I watched the debate in its entirety with great interest, and here are some of my thoughts on each of the seven that participated tonight...

• Sen. Rick Santorum:  I've always liked Santorum because of his courageous leadership on Right-to-Life and other important social and religious issues.  But he comes off as a guy who doesn't have a Presidential temperament.  He always seems kind of wired and it makes you wonder about him as a decision maker (he's always been as legislator not an executive, so there isn't a record to go on in that regard).
• Rep. Michele Bachmann.  She blew a great opportunity to answer the first question by announcing she filed her paper work today and that a formal announcement is coming soon.  Stupid mistake.  Her answers overall were very good.  She is clearly very smart, very solidly conservative and a leader.  Her family story is remarkable (five kids and 23 foster kids).  
• Speaker Newt Gingrich.  Newt was impressive.  He knows everything about everything and has specific solutions for it all.  He was very aggressive and assertive tonight.  
• Gov. Mitt Romney.  Romney gave a strong performance in tonight's debate and answered everything well.  His debate experience from 2008 clearly showed through.  The problem is his record as Governor (government-run health care) and his recent comments on global warming.
• Rep. Ron Paul.  He looks and sounds like a guy you would meet at the flea market.  His libertarian stances on foreign policy are just too much for me, but he serves a very important role in this process by continually bringing up monetary policy and the role of the Federal Reserve, two very important and complicated issues that must be discussed but might not be if not for him.  
• Gov. Tim Pawlenty.  The media continues to try to make this a Romney/Pawlenty battle, but Pawlenty isn't going anywhere with primary voters.  Some of his answers were just weak, specifically his trying to dodge a confrontation with Romney over health care, which he previously called "Obomney care". 
• Herman Cain.  Pretty solid performance, but it made me question his depth of knowledge on all the issues.  I think he's smart and his leadership experience would lead him to correct decisions for the country.  

It's refreshing to hear what these candidates collectively have to say.  If I had to rank them tonight in order of how they did in this specific debate, I would go...

1. Newt
2. Romney
3. Bachmann
4. Paul
5. Cain
6. Santorum
7. Pawlenty

Considering their records, experience, and positions, I would rate my CURRENT preference for the GOP nomination as follows...

1. Newt
2. Bachmann
3. Cain
4. Pawlenty
5. Paul
6. Santorum
7. Romney

I have ruled out voting for Santorum and Romney.  My interest in Paul and Pawlenty is only contingent on them becoming the only alternatives to Romney (which I don't believe will happen).  I've narrowed it down to Newt, Bachmann, and Cain, and I switched Newt and Bachmann around several times while writing that list.  There are a few other potential candidates out there that might get in the race (Huntsman, Giuliani, Palin), but they aren't considerations for me.  Chris Christie would be, though, but I just don't believe he'll run.  I will go on record tonight in saying that Michele Bachmann has a legitimate chance to be the first female President of the United States.  I believe it is a real possibility.   My concern is that the conservative vote will get so divided between several candidates that Romney ends up being the last man standing.  I believe Romney's defense of his health care plan in Massachusettes and his recently stated global warming views are an effort to follow the path McCain took the nomination last time, allowing the media to propel him to victory.  The 2010 elections demonstrate that things have changed in the Republican party, that the Republican base is anti-establishment and has no interest in business-as-usual Republican politics or what the media has to say about what they should do.  It is going to be a fascinating seven months leading up to the primaries.  

Talkin' Tribe

It's still cold and wet and horrible, but baseball season is underway.  I may not talk baseball on this blog the rest of the year, so bare with me as I chronicle my expectations for the Indians this year.

First, there are very few components on this team that have a consistent track record.  It is reasonable to expect solid seasons from the following players... RF Sin Shoo Choo, SS Asdrubal Cabrera, and CL Chris Perez.

There are also a few players on this team with consistent track records, which don't offer much promise... 3B Jack Hanahan and OF Travis Buck have been around baseball a long time but have never hit worth a lick.  OF Austin Kearns is a proven mediocre commodity. 

This leaves us with a whole bunch of question marks going into this season, and I'll address each of them and how I think they'll pan out...

• Travis Hafner.  Once one of the best hitters in baseball, Hafner has been a shell of his former self over the past three seasons.  He claims he is now fully healthy.  I look for a partial rebound for Hafner... 20 HR, 85 RBI, .280 BA.  
• Carlos Santana.  He appears to be fully healthy and I would bet he rakes this season... 24 HR, 90 RBI, .300 BA.
• Grady Sizemore.  Should be back before the end of April, but I doubt he'll ever be the same player ever again (and I thought he was a bit overrated to begin with)... 9 HR, 40 RBI, .220 BA, lots of strikeouts, and dumped by his girlfriend who proceeds to release naked pics he sent her.
• Matt Laporta.  Hasn't shown much in his limited opportunities, but I believe he has potential but will need some time to show it.  I'd compare him to Ryan Ludwick.  Give him a chance... 18 HR, 70 RBI, .280 BA.
• Michael Brantley.  Still only 23, and I think he'll take a step forward this season... 10 HR, 40 RBI, .280 BA, 28 SB.  
• Fausto Carmona.  A lot of people think he's an ace.  I don't.  I think he's a younger, harder throwing version of Jake Westbrook and will always be inconsistent and never strike hitters out... 13-11. 4.50 ERA.  
• Justin Masterson.  His stuff is terrific, just needs to get more consistent with it.  I think he ends up our best starter this season... 15-9, 4.25 ERA, 160 K's.
• Carlos Carrasco.  I'm hoping he stays healthy because he needs all the experience we can give him this season... 10-12, 4.75 ERA, 120 K's, and shows enough potential to secure a spot in the rotation next year.
• Josh Tomlin.  Throws strikes and challenges hitters, will get rocked occasionally...  12-12, 4.50 ERA.
• Mitch Talbot.  I expect the same season from a year ago... 10-13, 4.50 ERA
• The Bullpen.  Bullpens are always hard to figure, but this pen should be decent and usually get the job done.
• The Defense.  Jhonny Peralta is playing in Detroit, so the defense in Cleveland has improved. 

Lots of question marks... I'm more optimistic about the starting lineup than the starting pitching.  The AL Central looks to be competitive this year with three solid teams in the White Sox, Twins, and Tigers.  The Indians will be mediocre, but there will be some improvement... enough that there will be renewed hope for next year, just like the Tribe of my youth.  Prediction:  74-88, 4th in the AL Central.

A few short movie reviews...

I'll try to keep these vague and spoiler free in case you haven't seen these movies and are considering doing so.

Battle:  Los Angeles.  I'm not the biggest fan of alien movies, but I really enjoyed this one.  Unlike Independence Day, our view of the alien invasion is seen through the perspective of a marine unit as they try to survive long enough to find a way to defeat the invaders.  There are a few things that I really liked about this movie... 1.)  The action is non-stop.  2.)  There is no ridiculous developing romance.  3.)  It made me proud to be an American watching the Marines do what they do.  4.)  The main hero is the old guy.  4.5 stars.

Limitless.  I feel rather indifferent towards this movie.  The main thing it has going for it is its relatively original concept and that it isn't completely predictable.  It kept my attention throughout.  Having said that, to me the mark of a great movie is how often you find yourself thinking about it in the next day or two after having seen it, and this movie just didn't do anything for me.  It isn't bad a movie and it's always good to see Deniro in action, but I highly doubt I'd watch it again on DVD or TV.  3 stars.

Kill the Irishman.  This film is a big deal around here as the events portrayed happened in Cleveland during the 1970's.  Listening to AM radio as much as I do, I had a solid base of knowledge of the Danny Greene story going in.  I was a little disappointed.  Kill the Irishman left me wondering what is so compelling about this story that a movie had to be made about it.  Two cool features are the use of all the old school Italian mobster type actors and the real news clips and headlines from the day.  However, don't expect this one to compare favorably with mob movies from the past.  3.5 stars.

Adjustment Bureau.  This Matt Damon flick deals with the concept of man's free will.  It's crap and I regret seeing it.  1.5 stars. 

Rally Point: What the heck is it?

Here's a Q&A with myself regarding Rally Point (RPM)...

What the heck is Rally Point?  It's a ministry.

Wise guy, eh?  Can you elaborate a little bit on that?  Who is Rally Point for?  Well, Rally Point seeks to minister to young men ages 18-25ish.  That's really the only restriction.  Anybody meeting that criteria is welcome, doesn't matter who you are or where you've been or what you've done. 

Where does Rally Point meet?  We currently meet at Dunkin' Donuts on Abbe Road in Elyria, across the street from the college, Sunday nights at 7pm. 

So you started a ministry that meets in a donut shop?  Who would've guessed that?  So what is this, some kind of donut church or something?  Rally Point is not a church, isn't affiliated with any church or denomination, and isn't meant to be a replacement or alternative to going to church.

Alright, geez.  It's not a church.  So if Rally Point isn't supposed to be an alternative to church, why have it?  Why is it needed?  Or is this just about the donuts?  There are a lot of young men that, for whatever reason, aren't involved with a local church and don't want to be, and the Church (as a whole) has not been effective in reaching them.  It's my belief that just because a young guy won't go to church doesn't make him unreachable.  For years, the Church has been talking about America being a mission field, and I concur.  Do missionaries go into a foreign land and build a church and just expect people to show up?  No, they get in on the ground and try to reach people where they are, and young adults today aren't in church.  What's more, this generation is highly skeptical of church, and the American church has largely earned it's reputation, unfortunately.  So RPM is here to reach guys that aren't going to be reached by conventional church ministry.

Man, you're a hater.  So are you planning on starting your own church if you think the Church really sucks like that?  Are you paying attention or just asking questions and then eating donuts while I answer?  I didn't say the Church sucks, I said this generation thinks it does.  I think the Church is important, and I will be encouraging young guys to get in one and get involved.  The objective is to direct guys into a real relationship with Christ and mature spiritually as a man, help them find out what they're calling is and then inspire them to go out and do it.  The belief is that as young Christians grow, the Lord will reveal to them what He has for them to do in life and He'll direct and guide them to the place where He wants them to serve.  Young guys are looking for direction, and RPM wants to help them find it.   

I'll give you that.  So what does RPM actually DO or is it just some theoretical concept you've devised to justify meeting in a donut shop on a weekly basis?  Our weekly meetings on Sunday nights usually consist of a bible study or discussion that seeks to find practical answers to real life issues.  This generation doesn't want high theological debates or complex expository sermons, it needs something real that they can apply to their lives, and the Word has those answers.  We also do occasional activities and events.  Guy stuff that is easy to invite the bros to.  We eat a lot and don't apologize for it, either.   

Amen to that, Reverend Raven.  So what is the inspiration behind the name Rally Point?  Reverend Raven is my cousin's blues band in Chicago.  I'm not a pastor and don't really have any plans of being one.  But to answer your question... In battle, the rally point is a designated place to meet in the event that your outfit gets scattered.  You meet back at the rally point and regroup for the next phase of battle.  The youth and young adults of America have been scattered by the enemy, and we seek to provide a rally point for the wounded, scattered, and lost to regroup, get healthy, and move on to victory in life.  That rally point is Christ.  Also the initials for Rally Point Ministries is RPM, which I think is pretty cool.

That is kinda cool.  I like it.  But do you think this is actually going to work?  Beats me, but I felt the Lord calling me to decisive action and strong commitment, so I'm rollin' with it.  I certainly think RPM has potential to make a difference in the lives of young men and I'm excited about that.  It's probably going to be tough going with plenty of ups and downs, but so far, so good.  We've got a good core group of guys that I think highly of and we're gettin' down to business.  We believe that if we're faithful and obedient, God will meet us at the Rally Point and do some awesome things this year. 

Wing Wars: Buffalo Wild Wings vs Quaker Steak and Lube

What God-fearing American guy doesn't love smashing a plate of wings?  With wings, you get to eat meat, you get to eat that meat off the bone, and you get sauce all over you hands and face with no regard for etiquette.  Eating wings is a celebration of masculinity.  Here in my area, there are two major competing chains of wing places... Buffalo Wild Wings and Quaker Steak and Lube.  While there are well over 600 B-Dubs throughout the country and only 35 Quaker Steaks, there are an equal number here in Lorain County (2).

With both places, if you're looking for a steak or ribs, or even a burger, I'd go elsewhere.  These are wing places first and foremost, and the rest of the food is pretty average.  So when examining the merits of these two, we will mostly focus on the wings.

In my experience, I've found the wings at Quaker Steak to be larger than those at BW3.  I work for a pizza company that serves wings and the size our wings are very inconsistent week to week, but I've been to both of these places enough to say that Quaker's are consistently larger.  This, however, is of little importance.  It's the sauce that makes the wing.

Both places have a long lineup of sauces.  Honestly, though, I've been disappointed with each sauce that I've tried at BW3.  The last time I was there, it was actually difficult selecting one I really wanted.  The sauce list at Quaker is more varied and better than BW3's all across the board.  A few Quaker sauces are of particular note to me:  Louisiana Lickers (Hot, Cajun, Garlic, BBQ mix), Arizona Ranch (spicy ranch flavor), and the Thai 'R' Cracker (Sweet Thai flavor with chili and garlic).  I don't think BW3 has anything that can compare to these.  I'm not much for the extremely hot sauces, but both places offer some hot stuff.  I did try a small taste of BW3's hottest sauce, Blazin' (70x hotter than a jalapeno).  It actually tasted pretty good for about a second before the burning began.  Quaker now has the Triple Atomic sauce (500,000 Scoville Heat Units, or 100x hotter than a jalapeno).  Try it if you want, dummy.  Of course if you really want to, you can find significantly hotter sauces than this in some sadistic corners of our society.

Quaker is a cool place to eat if you like cars and bikes.  The automotive theme is everywhere, and they do have car shows and meets.   BW3 has more large TV's and loud drunk kids.  I really don't care much about cars or drunks (cars AND drunks is different story).  But I do care about wings, and to me, Quaker Steak and Lube provides a much better wing than its competition at BW3.

Some random observations from the last week...

• If Super Bowl Sunday is going to be an American holiday, it needs to start acting like one. 
• Christina Aguilera predictably butchered the national anthem.  The singing of the Star-Spangled Banner before sporting events is supposed to be a moment when we as Americans take time to honor America and our freedom that allows us to enjoy our way of life.  Choosing a self-promoting former pop star to perform inevitably led us to the result that followed--an unworthy rendition.  For an event as big as the Super Bowl, the national anthem should be stirring and inspiring and there is no shortage of people who can make that happen.  The NFL should look to this year's NFC Championship game in Chicago for an example.  Now that's what I'm talkin' about.  
• The halftime "entertainment" was one of the most ridiculous spectacles I've ever seen.  I honestly don't know or understand what I saw, but I do know that Zak Johnston believes in aliens again.
• Many people watch the Super Bowl for the commercials.  I am now considering starting an advertisement agency, because I know I can put together a group of friends of mine that can come up with something better for each company that spent millions on that nonsense in a matter of hours.  Ask yourself what commercials you remember and why you remember them and if you can remember what the commercial was advertising.  I remember seeing Ozzy Osbourne speaking in unknown tongues for some unknown company, a guy feeding Doritos to dead goldfish, an endless barrage of movie trailers that solidifies 2011 as the Year of the Nerd, and Roseanne getting plowed over by a log (loved that one).  Either the ad people are idiots, the ad people believe we the public are idiots, or we the public actually are idiots. 
• The Rite was an interesting flick.  It's an exorcist movie, but not your typical one.  I thought through much of the movie that they were aiming to make a certain point, but it ended up being something completely different (I like movies that at least maintain some sense of uncertainty throughout or offer some surprise ending).  Anthony Hopkins was brilliant, as usual.
• I also saw The Mechanic this week.  This is a movie about killin', pure and simple, and predictable.  Didn't do anything for me. 
• I ate at two restaurants I've never been to last week.  I tried Fiesta Jalapenos in North Ridgeville Saturday night.  As far as Mexican places go, this is one of the best I've been to (disclaimer:  I do not frequent Mexican restaurants and despise refried beans).  The Chimichangas were good.  I also tried the new Asian World Buffet on Cleveland Street in Elyria.  We arrived at 7:00 PM (they're open until 10PM) and there was very little left on the buffet.  The food doesn't compare favorably with any similar restaurant in the area, but try it if you must.  It did give me a greater appreciation for the New Chinatown Buffet in Sheffield. 
• I enjoyed Only in America with Larry the Cable Guy on the History Channel last night.  Looks to be an interesting and entertaining new show about things that are uniquely American.  Last night's episode was about making and running moonshine and how that birthed NASCAR, an etiquette lesson from the descendants of the lady who wrote the book on etiquette, and frog jumping.  Next week he'll be eating in a swamp, goes undercover with the clowns at the circus, and races in the soap box derby.  America has a long history and heritage of being, at its core, hillbilly, and there's nothing wrong with that.

Movie Review: True Grit

I braved last night's impressive display of global warming to see True Grit.  I've seen the 1969 version with John Wayne at least a dozen times.  No one will ever compare to the Duke, and my initial reaction to hearing that True Grit was being remade was shock and outrage, and a demand to know who was playing the role of Rooster Cogburn.  When I found out that it was Jeff Bridges, I couldn't wrap my mind around the Big Lebowski playing this role or any role played by the Duke.  Having said that, I thought the original True Grit was one of John Wayne's weaker movies in the latter part of his career.  The Duke's performance saved the movie from some odd casting and a relatively lame plot.  In retrospect, it was probably fitting that John Wayne received  his only Oscar for this movie, because he never had to do more to carry a movie.   Despite my apprehension, I was determined to keep an open mind going into this.

I must admit that there is much about this remake that I like better than the original, mostly the supporting cast.  While I don't like Matt Damon, I thought he fit the role of Texas Ranger Leboeuf much better than Glen Campbell.  How did John Wayne ever get saddled up with Glen Campbell as a sidekick?  More importantly was the selection of Hailee Steinfeld to play the head-strong teenager Mattie Ross.  She did a terrific job with the role, far superior to the unwatchable Kim Darby from the original.  The other supporting roles were also well chosen and performed.  Now, if you leave John Wayne's previous legendary performance out of it, Jeff Bridges played a credible Rooster Cogburn.  Bridges rendition was cruder and offered less personality, but it didn't lack in the "grit" department.  I'm not really sure there's another actor right now that could play this role.   

Much of the movie offers the same lines as the original, although there are several new scenes and a different ending.  Younger audiences are going to have to pay close attention to the dialogue in this film.  The vocabulary and proper nature of the wording is something that most movie goers won't be used to.  I enjoyed it, though.

After watching True Grit, I was actually glad the Coen brothers remade it.  Hollywood rarely makes westerns anymore, and that is a shame.  Hopefully this movie introduces the traditional American western genre to a new generation and that more will follow.  The success of True Grit ($150 million to date) suggests that there is a market for it, and I would recommend it to anyone, but especially to younger audiences that haven't seen many westerns.

Restaurant Review: Melt Bar and Grilled

Last night I dined at Melt Bar and Grilled in Lakewood.  Melt has received national renown from its appearance on Man V. Food on the Travel Channel and the show on Food Network with the guy with the spiky hair.  So, it was an itch I had to scratch. 

We got there at 5:15 PM (after driving by it twice without noticing it) on a Saturday, people were standing around everywhere.  We figured out that you had to forget about the signs that say please wait to be seated and just go up to the counter to get on the waiting list.  We were told it would be 2-2.5 hours.  This was expected.  By the way, the parking situation is stupid.  All the parking is with a meter and it's hard to find, so we parked across the street in the Marc's parking lot despite the sign saying customers and employees only.  We stood around in the cramped lobby area for what ended up being 3 hours before getting to our seats.  While waiting, we watched people pour through the doors and right back out after hearing of the wait.  For every customer that stayed, there had to be at least three that left.  A ridiculous amount of business walked out the door.  This place is small. 

Melt is all about the cheese.  Gourmet grilled cheese, in great variety and quantity.  Every sandwich is large and comes with fries and slaw.  The fries are excellent, the slaw is dry.  I ordered the Northcoast Shores (Crab cakes, spinach, red pepper and herbed cream cheese), Carlos got the Fat City Burger (salami, ham, bacon and swiss and american on a burger), Matt selected the Westside Monte Cristo, and Kaleb calmly and confidently accepted the Melt Challenge.  Our waiter strongly advised Kaleb against the attempt and let us know that it would be an hour to prepare the challenge.  The rest of us got our food in good order, and it was excellent.  However, if I return, I would get the Parmageddon or possibly the Godfather or the Hot Italian.  While my sandwich was good, the consistency of the crab cakes with the cream cheese made it quite gooey.  Kaleb got his food as we were finishing ours. 

The Melt Challenge is a behemoth not to be taken lightly.  It has three pieces of texas toast, with 13 different types of cheeses on it (american, sharp cheddar, provolone, pepper jack, havarti, swiss, muenster, smoked gouda, feta, herbed cream cheese, and goat).  The sandwich itself weighs roughly 4 lbs, and with the fries and cole slaw it comes out to about 5 lbs.  And unlike most food challenges, there is no time limit, you're just not allowed to leave the table once you've begun.  Kaleb's response to his first bite was positive in regards to the flavor of this colossal conglomerate of cheeses.  In fact, he finished the first half of the monster in just nine minutes.  However, things slowed down considerably once he began the second half.  After a while, he started looking for ways to break down the defenses of the cheese (strong flavor and quantity), including the use of malt vinegar (which he advises against).  After 90 minutes of constant eating and chewing, and not much further to go, Kale brought his fist to his mouth, looked up at us with watery eyes, then suddenly his cheeks expanded, lowered his head to his plate, and expelled a portion of his comsumed Challenge onto what was left of it.  It was one of the most graceful and discreet pukes I have ever witnessed.  The wait staff, as if they knew it was coming, immediately removed the evidence and the Challenge was over.  Kaleb is to be commended for his effort, having left it all at the table.  The 90 consecutive minutes of chewing is a physical feat in and of itself.  We left Melt at 10:45 PM, 5.5 hours after we arrived. 

Melt has terrific food, but the wait makes dining there a serious commitment that has to be planned for and not a place I could go very often.  I would suggest that if you're going to go, make sure you go with someone that is going to attempt the Challenge. 

State of the Union Analysis

Here is my thoughtful analysis about the President's State of the Union speech Tuesday night.

(crickets chirping)

I didn't see one word of it.  Why should anyone watch a speech from this particular President?  Is there anything he can read aloud to us that actually has any meaning whatsoever?  How many more times do I have to hear him read the same hollow campaign rhetoric?  What he says has no bearing whatsoever on what his administration actually does.  Does anyone out there still believe he even knows anything at all or what he's even saying?  Is it any surprise that the least experienced, least accomplished Presidential candidate we've ever seen is well on his way to being one of the least effective President's we've ever seen?  Watching a speech by this President is a complete and total waste of time.  His words mean nothing. 

I watched all of President Clinton's State of the Union addresses, knowing that Clinton was an outright liar.  But I would watch because his lies had meaning.  I would look for the lies, and try to figure out why he was lying and what he was up to.  But this President is a legitimate empty suit, speaking empty words and phrases.

Does anyone take this President seriously when he spends his first two years in office recklessly spending at previously unthinkable levels and printing massive amounts of money out of thin air, then offers to freeze spending at that ludicrous and unsustainable level and calls it being responsible?  Is there anything that this President is presiding over that is improving, let alone doing well?  Why should I continue to bother listening to a leader who has proven that he has no idea what he is talking about and everything he touches gets worse?

The Lord Looks at the Heart

After Saul's disobedience, the Lord sent Samuel to anoint a new king and led him to the family of a man named Jesse.  Here's I Samuel 16:6-12...

⁶ When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, “Surely the LORD’s anointed stands here before the LORD.”
 ⁷ But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”
 ⁸ Then Jesse called Abinadab and had him pass in front of Samuel. But Samuel said, “The LORD has not chosen this one either.” ⁹ Jesse then had Shammah pass by, but Samuel said, “Nor has the LORD chosen this one.” ¹⁰ Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel said to him, “The LORD has not chosen these.” ¹¹ So he asked Jesse, “Are these all the sons you have?”
   “There is still the youngest,” Jesse answered. “He is tending the sheep.”
   Samuel said, “Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives.”
 ¹² So he sent for him and had him brought in. He was glowing with health and had a fine appearance and handsome features.
   Then the LORD said, “Rise and anoint him; this is the one.”

We live in a superficial, shallow culture where outward appearances are severely over-valued.  But God looks at the heart and made each one of us exactly as He planned to, giving us all of the talents and abilities we need to reach our destiny in service to Christ.  We need to take the callings the Lord has given us and pursue them boldly with our confidence in Him.  Remember, the only one that can keep you from fulfilling your destiny in Christ is yourself.  If your heart is pure and you do your best, great things will happen.

The Epic Fail of Mel Gibson

My three favorite movies are Braveheart, The Patriot, and We Were Soldiers, probably in that order.  All three of course are Mel Gibson movies.  He is an undeniably great actor and a gifted director and producer with incredible accomplishments in the film industry.  Until 2005.  Let's take a brief look at his career in the last five years...

• Produced and directed Apocalypto (2006), which I didn't think was too bad.
• Produced a failed sitcom that I've never heard of before looking at his bio today.
• Played the lead role in Edge of Darkness (2010), which was awful.

So what happened?  Well, Mel Gibson is a drunken racist idiot!  He has publicly admitted to his struggles with alcohol.  During this time of colossal under-achievement, he got divorced, hooked up with a girl Russian that he had a baby with, broke up with her, and he's been in trouble with the law several times.  His life is a wreck.  And he looks like Saddam Hussein.
















Many people think that drinking is harmless, but its not.  Gibson has totally wasted his God-given talents for the last 5 years and counting and wrecked his family.  Alcohol used as a diversion from one's reality is especially dangerous, but getting drunk for any reason has consequences.  Ask yourself if drinking is really worth it, and if you need more evidence that it's not, make a list of the positives and negatives that it produces.  That should provide some clarity.

Places I've Hiked or Backpacked

It's January 12.  It's snowing.  So I've compiled a list of places I have hiked or backpacked, and because I like to rank things, I ranked them from first to worst.

1.  Zion National Park, UT

2.  Bryce Canyon National Park, UT 

3.  Arches National Park, UT

4.  Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, MI

5.  Canyonlands National Park, UT

6.  Grand Canyon National Park, AZ

7.  Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, MI

8.  Shenandoah National Park, VA

9.  West Canada Lakes Wilderness, NY

10.  Dolly Sods Wilderness, WV

11.  Red River Gorge, KY

12.  Letchworth State Park, NY

13.  Otter Creek Wilderness, WV

14.  Old Logger's Path, PA

15.  Hocking Hills, OH

16.  Cuyahoga Valley National Park, OH

17.  Shawnee State Forest, OH

18.  Mohican State Forest, OH

19.  Wayne National Forest, OH

20.  Zaleski State Forest, OH

The Ministry Example of Christ

A few points about ministry here using the ultimate example, Christ himself...

How did Jesus minister?  He preached, taught, served, mentored, counseled, healed, performed miracles, prophesied, reached the lost and provided an example.

Where did he do these things at?  In people's homes, the streets, in the fields, on mountains, in the wilderness, in the Temple and synagogues, on boats, at parties, and even while on the Cross.

Who did Jesus minister to?  Family, friends, enemies, children, old people, women, men, prostitutes, thieves, tax collectors, the rich, the poor, Jews, gentiles, government officials, and church leaders. 

1.  Jesus ministered in every way, everywhere, to everybody.  He ministered wherever he was to whomever was there.  No exceptions or exemptions. 

2.  He treated his world like a missions field.  He met the needs of the people where they were at, rather than waiting for people to come to him (although people eventually flocked to him in droves because of who he was and the effectiveness of his ministry).

3.  Every method of ministry Jesus used was effective and important, and remains so today.

From the example of Christ himself and his teachings, we know that every believer is called to do something... to serve as best we can with what we have in the context we've been placed.  Whatever the Lord has called us to do is important or else He wouldn't have called us and gifted us to do it.  Serving the Lord is a way of life that must reach beyond the walls of the Church.  And no one is out of reach or beyond hope... just because someone won't go to church doesn't mean we can't try to reach them anyways.  If Christians today would just take what they've been given and honor Him with it by serving others, fewer souls would be left on the battlefield and America and the world would be in a different place right now.

Dave Barry's 2010 Year in Review

I always enjoy Dave Barry's Year in Reviews.  It's long, but witty and entertaining.  Worth a read.

What I watch on TV

I don't watch all that much TV, but these are the current shows that I do watch. 

• Foxnews:  This is my default channel.  I watch or listen to it every day. 
• Football.  I love football, and if there is any random NFL game on I'll watch it.
• Deadliest Catch:  I'm surprised it hasn't gotten old yet after six seasons, but I still find crab fishing interesting.
• Deadliest Warrior:  This show pits historical warriors in hypothetical match-ups.  The methods they use and the results they come up frustrate the heck out of me, but I watch anyways.  
• Pawn Stars:  There is no end to the cool stuff that gets brought into their shop.
• Swamp People:  A new show on History Channel about alligator hunting, it's the hillbilly version of Deadliest Catch.  
• Man V. Food:  This show plays on my love of big food and America.  
• Ghost Adventures:  These idiots crack me up. 
• Gold Rush:  There's only been a few episodes of this, but there will be seven more on the next seven Friday nights.  Basically, a group of guys sold their businesses, combined their resources, bought a claim in Alaska with the intention of mining for gold.  Risky stuff, and only one of them seems to have a clue what he's doing.   

The New Speaker

As you may know, John Boehner was sworn in as Speaker of the House today.  Boehner has come under criticism in recent weeks for two reasons;  skepticism from conservatives who have been burnt before by Republicans when we've given them power, and his occasional display of emotion in the form of tears.  I'm giving Boehner the benefit of a doubt on both accounts until proven otherwise.

Boehner's voting record over his years in Congress is solidly conservative on all the issues, and he does have a record of fighting corruption.  He also has the backing of scores of new conservatives in Congress that I believe will hold him accountable if he is to happen stray too far down the road of compromise.  He's even placed some of these freshman in key leadership positions, which is unprecedented.  I think he gets it and will do just fine, but I will certainly be keeping an eye him.  Trust but verify.

Another reason I'm not skeptical of Boehner is his background.  He was one of 11 children that grew up in a small house in Cincinnati.  In 1968, he enlisted in the Navy (during Vietnam) but was discharged because of his back.  He worked his way through Xavier University for seven years to get his business degree, and then worked his way up in a small business to become President of the company before running for public office.  His experience involves growing up relatively poor, a lot of hard work to get through college, more hard work to be successful in business, and public service.  He's lived the American dream, and I believe that will serve him well as Speaker of the House.  I also suspect his experience is the reason for his emotional acceptance of the Speakership.  America can do that to a man.

An Evaluation of Eric Mangini

Allow me to weigh some of the positives and negatives of Eric Mangini being the head coach of the Cleveland Browns for the last two seasons, and then explore whether he should return for a third.

Positives

• The players always give a strong effort. 
• The character of the team is better.
• A legitimate running game has been developed.
• The team finds a way to compete in games despite inferior talent.
• The team shows more on-field discipline evidenced by far fewer penalties.

Negatives

•  The offensive play calling at times is awful.
•  Inferior teams are left hanging around by a conservative game plan.
• In game adjustments are non-existent.
• Game and clock management are often bungled.
• The passing game is the worst in the league.
• His 2009 draft set the team back a year.
• Talent evaluation is questionable and doesn't always get his best players on the field.

Mangini has done some positive things in these two seasons, and the this team is clearly better than it was last year despite ending with the same record.  The Browns are still seriously deficient in talent and I would even suggest they have over-achieved, but some of the responsibility for the lack of talent falls on Mangini.  Some of Mangini's weaknesses have already been dealt with by bringing Holmgren and Heckert to make personnel decisions.  The biggest problem with Mangini is that there is a clear difference in philosophy between him and the higher-ups in the organization, and can the positives that Mangini brings to the table out-weigh those differences?  I don't believe so.  Mangini didn't exactly get a fair chance to implement his plan as the head coach here or in New York, but he'll be relieved of his duties tomorrow, and I won't have a problem with it.  Bringing in a coach that is in sync with the President and GM is better for the organization in the long term.  Having Holmgren here makes a coaching search an ideal scenario for the Browns, as he'll bring in someone he really wants (like Jon Gruden) and if that guy isn't there, he can coach the team himself.  I do believe some of the work that Mangini has done here the last two years will be invaluable to the next coach and that this team can become a winner next season.