JeffHorneWeb Blog - coolness

Happy Birthday America

Sun, 04 Jul 2010 10:42:00 -0500

Happy 234th Birthday United States of America. We hope it's a good one.

Return The Egg

Sun, 04 Apr 2010 16:54:00 -0500

Happy St. Padrig's Day

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 19:33:00 -0500

Erin Go Bragh

Back From The Apple

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 19:55:00 -0500

I am back from New York. It was an amazing visit. Michael Bergman was an excellent ambassador for the city and made sure we did everything we set out to accomplish.

I stayed at the W Hotel in Times Square. Great vicinity and nice hotel. It is true that the lights are so bright at night that it seems like daylight. At least, my camera's flash thought so. On Monday, we went to Ground Zero and paid our respects to those who lost their lives on 9/11/2001. The Memorial Plaza is coming along very well. We then walked down to Wall Street. Such history.

That night, after a fantastic steak dinner at Frankie and Johnnies, Michael and I walked to the Empire State Building for a view from the observation deck. Given the time of year and the time of day, there was no line. Given that the wait can be 2.5 - 3 hours, this was welcome. And thanks to how clear it was, the view was amazing. My fear of heights did get the best of me but that didn't stop us from ascending to the 102th floor, as well.

Tuesday started with a Movie and TV Show bus tour. Such celluloid history. Great time. Then Michael and I continued our foot tour. First we went to Rockefeller Plaza. No need for the Rainbow Deck. I'd had enough heights for one trip. The to Central Park and the Dakota. I had to pay my respect to John Lennon at his home and at Strawberry Fields in Central Park.

After that, it was time for the awards dinner. We ended up receiving second prize. Very exciting and quite an honor. The dinner was held on the Intrepid. It was my first Aircraft Carrier.

I really enjoyed the trip and love New York. Sure it's a cliche but the city is so alive and vibrant. There is a real kinship between New York and Chicago and it made me feel right at home.

Trippin' Into The Big Apple

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 19:28:00 -0500

Saturday and today were spent visiting the local Men's Warehouse in preparation for a very exciting trip that I found out about last week. My team at work was notified that we were one of three runners up for the yearly Innovator's Award. We were knocked out at the honor.

We received an invitation to take part in the annual awards dinner to be held at the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum in New York City. We will also be staying at the W Hotel in Times Square. I have been to New York City once before and was given the whirlwind tour by my friend Michael in a period of a few hours. This time, in addition to the dinner and awards ceremony, we will be taking a Movie and TV location bus tour.

As I said, we are very excited to have received this honor. Our website received a Top Ten Best Support Website award from the Association of Support Professionals earlier in the year. To start this year is a great way to start.

New York, here we come.

Goodbye Coco

Sat, 23 Jan 2010 17:35:00 -0500

Last night was the final Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien. It is teh end of a very sad chapter caused by NBC's stupidity. I hope Leno comes back on March 1st and fails miserably. Unfortunately, I'm afraid the TV watching public will do the right thing and stay away.

The entire final episode is below. If you aren't patient enough for the whole thing, I recommend the 36 minute mark for some killer slide guitar from Ben Harper.

Snip Snip

Mon, 04 Jan 2010 21:19:00 -0500

For the first time in 31 weeks, according to the hairdresser, I got a hair cut.

As a result, I went from this...	to this...

Afterward, my ears were cold but I could hold my head up straighter. We'll see if I can go another 31 weeks.

Winter Is Here

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 17:06:00 -0500

The expected huge Winter storm turned out to be a wet, windy affair. The temp is expected to dive into the teens tomorrow and twenties on Friday. In typical fashion, the weekend will be well over freezing. So that means no shoveling. I'll let nature take it's course.

So Friday will be a day filled with more recording. I have the beginnings of a new song recorded and will work on the structure, vocals and bass. The floodgates have opened.

What Kind Of Festival?

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 19:31:00 -0500

While I work on prep work for tomorrow's Thanksgiving meal, a number of folks will be spending their evenings in a different way not 30 miles from me. In Huntley, Illinois, the brave at heart will be taking in the annual Turkey Testicle Festival. That's right. It's not turkey sandwich or turkey neck. It's the other side of the bird's anatomy.

Held annually at the Parkside Pub in Huntley, the testicles are deep fried and eaten by the 1000s of pounds. My better half went once back in the 90s and brought some home. They are not that different than any of the organ meat that comes in the bird. Much like Rocky Mountain Oysters, these could be called Cornfield Oysters.

Much like other exotic food, it is a once in a life time, just have to do it to say you have delicacy.

It's Halloween

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 17:15:00 -0500

Courtesy of the Shaggs

Get The Home Team Call

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 10:31:00 -0500

Like most sports fans, I usually end up becoming more frustrated with the network play by play than I do my team's play on the field. Dick Stockton is the prime offender to my ears and sports sensibility. A bit of quick thinking leads to the ultimate solution "I'll just turn on the radio and listen to it while I turn down the audio on the TV." Great idea but due to the speed sending the television signal to a satellite or through a cable vs receiving the radio signal at home, the two sources are generally out of sync with the radio revealing the play seconds before you see it on the television.

After a bit of research there are several methods to listen to the local radio play by play in sync. The methods range from a somewhat costly to free with a bit of effort.

The Delay Play Method - This is the costliest method but the easiest (possibly). Basically, you hook the Delay Play device to the radio and adjust the delay from 0 to 16 seconds. It has an output connection that can connect to a reciver or powered speakers. Available at ScannerMaster. Cost: $200.
The SportsSyncRadio Method - Similar to method one but at a lower cost. This solution is an actual radio with built in speaker that will allow you to set the delay between 0 and 8 seconds. Also available at Scannermaster (This link is from the Bear's Radio Network website so they are a sponsor of the Bears.) Cost: $40
The iTunes Method - Requires a PC and a TV with DVR. Radio Legend Steve Dahl unveiled this method on his daily podcast (dahlCast). This method requires that the radio station that broadcasts your team's games streams over iTunes. If they don't, try method 4 or 5. Cost: Patience

Steps -

1. Start up iTunes and bring up the play by play.

2. Pause the game on the DVR. The TV broadcast will be ahead of iTunes in this case.

3. As soon as the action on the iTunes hits where you paused it, unpause the DVR. If you did it right, you'll be in sync. If not, try pausing iTunes and then re-sync with the TV.

It's better to be close than frustrated because it's not perfect. Remember, close is better than Dick Stockton.

The Home Team's Website Method. - Some teams stream their game day play by play on the internet. If so, you might be able to use the iTunnes method substituting the iTunes feed with the local teams feed. Steps and Cost: See Number 3.
The Radio Station Website Method - Similar to numbers 3 and 4 but using the stream from the radio station that carries the home teams games. Steps and Cost: See Number 3.

If all of these methods fail, you can just buck up and get to love Dick Stockton. Hey, if Leslie Visser can, so can you.

Rockfest 08 Plus One

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 19:29:00 -0500

It was one year ago this weekend that a group of seven former bandmates got together for the first time in 25 years and rocked the foundations of College Park Church in Indianapolis. What a wonderful day it was.

My favorite band that I'd played in, Toast, has not played together since 1984. All four of us were present and we played a number of songs from our old setlist. Some sounded great, others not so much. We were joined by others friends who had played together in other bands, the Surftones and others.

We had three guitars, two drummers, bass and accordion/synth. We all had a great time and announced that day that we should make it a yearly event. Unfortunately, it won't be this year. Preparations are under way to get together in early 2010.

We video taped the entire event. Michael felt this was the most enjoyable song to watch. We started playing Rock and Roll and everyone fell into place. Michael stopped us and said lets take it from the top. This is take 2, the first complete run through of Rock and Roll. It sounds a bit rough but you can hear and see the pleasure we all had.

Frank pulled off the solo like a maniac. He was our drummer but he is the best musician of all of us. Bob switched over to bass. I just sang. I tried to get cocky and sing the verse after the solo like Plant did on record and my voice gives out after a few words. It literally breaks. I had to use care after that.

I really look forward to next year. For more of the band, look under the Toast and Rockfest 08 pages on JeffHorneWeb.

Ladies and Gentleman, I give you the ToastWoodTones.

I Me Mine

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 20:17:00 -0500

Wired Magazine published a gallery of photos courtesy of NASA. The pictures are not of space rather of the Earth, more specifically, inner Earth. The gallery, entitled Huge Holes in the Earth: Open-Pit Mines Seen From Space feature photographs of open-pit mines from astronauts and satellites.

While the mines are the result of scarring the earth, they look amazingly cool.

Don't Mess With David

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 20:36:00 -0500

David Cross in an open letter to Larry the Cable Guy from his Audio book, I Drink for a Reason.

Part 1

Part 2

Help Me Obamawan Kenobi

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 19:30:00 -0500

Our President let his inner Geek Flag fly yesterday as Olympic and Paralympic representatives showed up at the White House to draw attention to Chicago's bid for the 2016 games. In order for the President to spar with a fencer, he was given a Light Saber toy and did what all Star Wars fans do as soon as they're handed one... he started buzzing like a light saber.

There have been plenty of photos and videos of the event but my favorite is one featuring a poor soul who "picked" the wrong time to go excavating. If it is a family photo, that's one thing but when you are attending a media session at the White House, the photo of you going fishing in Lake Boogerville will now be a historic document.

Poor guy.