Time Warp, Caught in Filter, Just Now Freed

Happy Fool's Day, Everyone [Charming message from Google Topeka follows ;-)]


4/01/2010 12:01:00 AM
Early last month the mayor of Topeka, Kansas stunned the world by announcing that his city was changing its name to Google. We’ve been wondering ever since how best to honor that moving gesture. Today we are pleased to announce that as of 1AM (Central Daylight Time) April 1st, Google has officially changed our name to Topeka.



We didn’t reach this decision lightly; after all, we had a fair amount of brand equity tied up in our old name. But the more we surfed around (the former) Topeka’s municipal website, the more kinship we felt with this fine city at the edge of the Great Plains.

In fact, Topeka Google Mayor Bill Bunten expressed it best: “Don’t be fooled. Even Google recognizes that all roads lead to Kansas, not just yellow brick ones.”

For 150 years, its fortuitous location at the confluence of the Kansas River and the Oregon Trail has made the city formerly known as Topeka a key jumping-off point to the new world of the West, just as for 150 months the company formerly known as Google has been a key jumping-off point to the new world of the web. When in 1858 a crucial bridge built across the Kansas River was destroyed by flooding mere months later, it was promptly rebuilt — and we too are accustomed to releasing 2.0 versions of software after stormy feedback on our ‘beta’ releases. And just as the town's nickname is "Top City," and the word “topeka” itself derives from a term used by the Kansa and Ioway tribes to refer to “a good place to dig for potatoes,” we’d like to think that our website is one of the web's top places to dig for information.

In the early 20th century, the former Topeka enjoyed a remarkable run of political prominence, gracing the nation with Margaret Hill McCarter, the first woman to address a national political convention (1920, Republican); Charles Curtis, the only Native American ever to serve as vice president (’29 to ‘33, under Herbert Hoover); Carrie Nation, leader of the old temperance movement (and wielder of American history’s most famous hatchet); and, most important, Alfred E. Neuman, arguably the most influential figure to an entire generation of Americans. We couldn’t be happier to add our own chapter to this storied history.

A change this dramatic won’t happen without consequences, perhaps even some disruptions. Here are a few of the thorny issues that we hope everyone in the broader Topeka community will bear in mind as we begin one of the most important transitions in our company’s history:
• Correspondence to both our corporate headquarters and offices around the world should now be addressed to Topeka Inc., but otherwise can be addressed normally.
• Google employees once known as “Googlers” should now be referred to as either “Topekers” or “Topekans,” depending on the result of a board meeting that’s ongoing at this hour. Whatever the outcome, the conclusion is clear: we aren’t in Google anymore.
• Our new product names will take some getting used to. For instance, we’ll have to assure users of Topeka News and Topeka Maps that these services will continue to offer news and local information from across the globe. Topeka Talk, similarly, is an instant messaging product, not, say, a folksy midwestern morning show. And Project Virgle, our co-venture with Richard Branson and Virgin to launch the first permanent human colony on Mars, will henceforth be known as Project Vireka.
• We don’t really know what to tell Oliver Google Kai’s parents, except that, if you ask us, Oliver Topeka Kai would be a charming name for their little boy.
• As our lawyers remind us, branded product names can achieve such popularity as to risk losing their trademark status (see cellophane, zippers, trampolines, et al). So we hope all of you will do your best to remember our new name’s proper usage:
Finally, we want to be clear that this initiative is a one-shot deal that will have no bearing on which municipalities are chosen to participate in our experimental ultra-high-speed broadband project, to which Google, Kansas has been just one of many communities to apply.

Posted by Eric Schmidt, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Topeka Inc.

Parasites

Folks, my advance apologies: I have enabled "Comment Moderation".

You see, I am tired of spambots posting crap which has no relevance to the topic, generally advertising crappy pornographic products.

So, I will review all posts. Ones [even the ones I may disagree with] that are on-topic - I will allow them to be posted. Spambot crap, and any other crap which is not relevant - I will delete it. My decisions are final, and if you want somewhere to post your crappy ads for crappy pornography [or even pretty good ads for pretty good pornography!], go spam someone else. Likewise, if you just want a place to spout random shit, seriously, go start your own blog. It's free, and frankly, we don't want to hear it. Hardly anyone even wants to read what I put up, and at least my random stuff is pretty relevant. Got a beef? Go find the Wailing Wall.

So, just like Forrest - That's all I have to say about that. :-)

Malvinas, Dos

Once again, Argentina is squabbling over not having possession of the Falkland Islands [referred to by them as Islas Malvinas]. Who cares about flyspecks? When there's oil involved, everyone does!!

This time around I do not see things coming to blows. While the British force levels have dropped perilously since 1982 [Round I], the Argentine forces have pretty much putrified. Lesson from Desert Storm: Quality will always trump Quantity. [Yes, I realize that there IS a limit; of COURSE there is. The British forces are not at it.] Word.

Redux

Back to Portland. Back to Hippie-ville ;-) Back to temporary jet-lag, but alas, that too will pass. Back to running at Grant Park. I ran once while I was back in Virginia Beach: 53 and change to Rudee Inlet and back, along the boardwalk; it's 5.2 miles and seemed a bit longer. Been concentrating on shorter stuff on the track, building more speed. Time to cross it up and work on endurance, I guess.

Cuz was mentioning that it is time to share pics of the FB account holder with their significant other. I don't have one. I guess I could post one of WW from the movie with Murron, but that would be even farther out than posting a pic of Mel as my doppelganger ;-) Besides, I kinda like the blue wode and the maniacal expression in his eyes. Actually, I do not have many pics of me with former significant others.... not really sure why [guess they have passed to history]. I do have the nice one of Nikki and I at the hangar dance on Valentine's Day, 2009 [for those who are interested in seeing it, please check out my photo collection on Facebook].

President's Day is Monday. Thank you, Abe. Thank you, General Washington. Hail to the Chief :-) I'm working. Mardi Gras is Tuesday, so Lache pa la Potat`, eh? I'm working that day, too! Ash Wednesday is [you guessed it!] Wednesday. Not Catholic, no ashes. Working. hahaha!

Looking forward to seeing the gang again. Nice yukking it up at breakfast with Denine and the cats I work with; nice getting filled-up at Anna's [howdy to Anna herself, Amanda, and Shoesy {Liz} haha!].

Time to hit the rain locker. Good luck to Kevin, who is close to being selected for Job Corps. Good morning to all. I'll write more when I can.

Grant Park

Keeps getting better. Ran a 2' 03" split tonight, so at some point I fugured out I should just run a mile. Weird timing. Second quarter was under two, third was two, so I cranked it up and got a 7' 48" for my mile. Yeah, I know that sounds really slow, but remember:

[1] Since Arlington, I have not run on the track. All city since then, so no real speed work.

[2] I am just now getting acclimatized to Portland.

[3] Fresh over the flu.

[4] Haven't been running as much as I should or would like to.

That's changing.

Breakfast at Anna's

I don't have a link for this place, but that's because they don't have a website. They're just a wee bit busy! Anna's Island Cafe in Portland - it's in the Swan Island Industrial Area replete with train yards, trucking concerns, smaller factories, and shipbuilding docks. That's where I am working right now. There's a few places to eat, mostly of the McDonald's/Subway ilk and a few crappy pizza/Mexican joints. And then, there's Anna's.

Like specialty coffees? Greek food? Basic American chow [and lots of it!!] with a nice home-made flair? Go eat at Anna's. I enjoy the specials on a regular basis, but am also happy to order off the menu. Big tasty Gyro with lamb meat (one may also choose chicken), Greek Spaghetti with Mizithra Cheese, Homemade Meatloaf, Navy Bean Soup..... oh, and Saturday I had a Greek Omelet [containing the usual suspects - Feta Cheese, Lamb Gyro Meat, Onions.... and I asked for Tzatziki Sauce: bonus points! It even contained bits of cucumber - nice touch!]

It's close to where I work, the food is good and plentiful, and the cost is reasonable (usually under ten bucks) and the atmosphere is friendly. Anna is always there [poor, tired gal! - we tease her that she should get roller skates!] and is very friendly. We crossed her up a couple of times by showing up en masse when she has not expected a business rush {like Saturday, when eight of us showed up at the same time for breakfast.... all at 6 AM and she was cooking/serving and running the register!!}. Oh, yes, she is indeed Greek. Special shout-out to servers Amanda and Candice, and Shoes [who wears colourful Nikes :-)] who are all a joy to chat with whilst having a meal.

Go eat at Anna's Island Cafe'. You'll be back.
Postscript - soon, Anna will have her liquor license, so you'll be able to stop by for dinner and a beer after leaving the shipyard [or wherever - go there on purpose, even!]. I like this place quite a lot, and I go back frequently :-)

R&T&me

The Rose and Thistle [Rose for England, Thistle for Scotia - that's fer all U Sassanachs out there!].... It's aboot four blocks up and four blocks over, on Broadway here in Portland. Walked there, and I can have another Guinness Draught if I wanna withoot nae worries aboot DUI. Halibut and chips, and indeed it was good. Nice fish! Tangy, lemony mayonnaise as well, aye, and bonus points for it.

Good, quiet place. Not a lot of atmosphere, but a place I could have taken Nikki and felt equally at home as in Cambuslang. That was a long time ago and we each have moved along, but you get the picture.

I'll be back for sure. Sis, shall I save ye a chair? Or, is there a place for pixykin? hahahaha! See ya there :-)

2010-2

Nephew and Niece, I have been working every day so far. I will keep you both apprised as to schedule, however. Back in VB from 2/7 to 2/12, then back here to Portland.

:-), Uncle Chuck

2010 -1

Well, well.

Another year is now upon us.

Tomorrow morning, I am flying off to Portland for three months. Shipyard job involving ballistic missile defence. Chance to see some new territory [plus to see Randy and Cyndi and their families :-)]. Longer workday, longer workweek. Extra money [hallelujah!!].

Please keep Kevin in your prayers. I have set up everything I could think of. Canned, frozen and packaged foods for a month. Money for perishables each week. Money for the cab ride to Job Corps, when he reports. Even so, I worry. Time for lil' Bucky to fly on his own, though, and I'll cheer him on :-)

Good news! I'll control the TV [meaning, I will have plenty of time to read and to write. Not sure if anyone knows this, but I find it extremely difficult to concentrate when the TV is on, and it is ALWAYS on at the apartment. Always. I have managed one post each for the past three months. I guess I could be more prolific.... thank you to everyone who has actually visited RR.

Poll question:

I am thinking of uncoupling RR from my Facebook account.

Should I?

Thanks,

Chuck

PHD

December 7th.

A day which will live on in infamy.

How many of you know what happened on that fateful day?

On December 8th, we had the will to win.

Look inside yourself.....

do we still have that will,

today?

Thank you, William, and I echo that sentiment.

To those who have served, I thank you.