Ever since I got back from England in 2007 I've been dealing with my United Kingdom taxes. I have gotten several nasty mails from Her Majesty's Customs and Revenue Office informing me of my delinquency and fining me a couple of hundred pounds....as in sterling.
I have turned around and sent a couple of nasty-grams to the Ernst&Young people and the IBM people who were supposed to be taking care of all this.
Today I got notified that the tax returns have been completed!
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Good News #1 - this is really the good news
Many of you know that my sister, Betty, has been dealing with cancer for 2 years now. Mom just called to say that Betty got back from her checkup today and the cancer is breaking apart and the doctor said she could consider herself cancer free!!!
Betty had a cyberknife procedure several months ago and this checkup was a followup to that. This is the best news....to end 2008 and start 2009.
Betty had a cyberknife procedure several months ago and this checkup was a followup to that. This is the best news....to end 2008 and start 2009.
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Another week at home
Get to work from home again this week. Yea! And another short week.
Scheduled for trip to Dallas next week but things may change.
Scheduled for trip to Dallas next week but things may change.
Monday, December 22, 2008
Odds and Ends
Just got in from driving around doing Santa shopping. The Hybrid acts kind of strange in the cold weather. The regenerative braking seems to be deactivated which makes charging the drive battery inconsistent. I'm surprised that the engine actually turns off at times like it does in normal weather (read warm) driving.
After leaving the Ford Escape Hybrid (FEH) in the airport parking ramp for 4 or 5 days, the hybrid system is really messed up. Even got information message that the regen braking was disabled.
Calhoun Square parking ramp has all its new levels. The took the crane away last week. The lights on all the levels are working. The new staircases are still being worked on. There is even going to be an elevator where the one staircase used to be.
It has been super cold here for several weeks. I cannot imagine working outside and around all that cold concrete.
They've torn down more of the old shopping mall. Where Border's used to be is gone. There is now a big gap between the mall and the building at the corner of 31st and Hennepin. It is strange to be able to see the Amazing Thai and Magers & Quinn from my side of Calhoun Square.
On the inside, the eye glass store, Vision World or something like that, has moved into a large space next to GNC across from Famous Dave's.
And one more thing...Al Franken is now 48 votes ahead of Norm Coleman in the still-undeclared Minnesota Senate race. The challenged ballot counting is complete. I'm not sure what is next but there is at least one more case to go to the Minnesota Supreme Court.
Anyone who doesn't think their vote counts, would be wrong on this one.
After leaving the Ford Escape Hybrid (FEH) in the airport parking ramp for 4 or 5 days, the hybrid system is really messed up. Even got information message that the regen braking was disabled.
Calhoun Square parking ramp has all its new levels. The took the crane away last week. The lights on all the levels are working. The new staircases are still being worked on. There is even going to be an elevator where the one staircase used to be.
It has been super cold here for several weeks. I cannot imagine working outside and around all that cold concrete.
They've torn down more of the old shopping mall. Where Border's used to be is gone. There is now a big gap between the mall and the building at the corner of 31st and Hennepin. It is strange to be able to see the Amazing Thai and Magers & Quinn from my side of Calhoun Square.
On the inside, the eye glass store, Vision World or something like that, has moved into a large space next to GNC across from Famous Dave's.
And one more thing...Al Franken is now 48 votes ahead of Norm Coleman in the still-undeclared Minnesota Senate race. The challenged ballot counting is complete. I'm not sure what is next but there is at least one more case to go to the Minnesota Supreme Court.
Anyone who doesn't think their vote counts, would be wrong on this one.
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Home this week
Short week with Christmas on Thursday. Get to stay home and work this week and next.
Hope everyone has a peacefully wonderful Christmas.
Hope everyone has a peacefully wonderful Christmas.
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Guaranteed white Christmas
We got quite a bit of snow today. Started this morning and just ended around 5pm.
Now it is blowing like crazy. And getting really really cold.
No way this snow and all the other little snows is going to melt by Christmas.
Now it is blowing like crazy. And getting really really cold.
No way this snow and all the other little snows is going to melt by Christmas.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
I'll take snow over ice any day
Freezing rain and sleet in Dallas and Irving last night and this morning. What a mess.
I saw at least two accidents on the way to hotel last night. Bridge over flood plain was way icy. This morning traffic was crawling. Three accidents and some really really bad streets.
I think Hertz knows I rented from National last week. I got a little Kia something-or-other... with no ice scraper. The rear and front defrosters work good thank goodness.
I saw at least two accidents on the way to hotel last night. Bridge over flood plain was way icy. This morning traffic was crawling. Three accidents and some really really bad streets.
I think Hertz knows I rented from National last week. I got a little Kia something-or-other... with no ice scraper. The rear and front defrosters work good thank goodness.
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Dallas - one last time for '08 ??
This could be my last week in Dallas for 2008. Current plans are not to fly the week of Christmas and the week of New Year's. Things have been known to change though so I'm not holding my breath.
It might not be so bad to be in Dallas this week though. It is supposed to be super cold in Minneapolis starting tomorrow.
And contrary to national news, Minneapolis is not getting big snow. Matter of fact it is in the 30's right now and we are getting a bit of rain. It might snow a little bit this afternoon. But then it is supposed to get cold, cold, cold.
It might not be so bad to be in Dallas this week though. It is supposed to be super cold in Minneapolis starting tomorrow.
And contrary to national news, Minneapolis is not getting big snow. Matter of fact it is in the 30's right now and we are getting a bit of rain. It might snow a little bit this afternoon. But then it is supposed to get cold, cold, cold.
Chevy Malibu
I have been wanting to rent a Chevy Malibu for quite a while. The commercials have worked on me. It is a good looking car.
I rented from National Car Rental because they let you pick your vehicle. Picking can sometimes be a bad thing. Do you go down the whole line of cars to pick one or just grab the closests. If you just take the first one, did you miss a better one?
Anyway, there was a Malibu available.
I was very pleased overall with the Chevy Malibu. It is nice and roomy inside. Chevy has designed the inside trim to match in a wrap-around way. It makes the interior look very clean and professional.
The gages and controls make sense....are easy to read...and easy to use.
Best of all the Chevy Malibu continues my earlier raves of GM transmissions. I do not know how many cylinders this vehicle has but it has adequate power and best of all it does not down shift un-necessarily.
I would recommend this car over the Toyota and Honda in the same class.
I rented from National Car Rental because they let you pick your vehicle. Picking can sometimes be a bad thing. Do you go down the whole line of cars to pick one or just grab the closests. If you just take the first one, did you miss a better one?
Anyway, there was a Malibu available.
I was very pleased overall with the Chevy Malibu. It is nice and roomy inside. Chevy has designed the inside trim to match in a wrap-around way. It makes the interior look very clean and professional.
The gages and controls make sense....are easy to read...and easy to use.
Best of all the Chevy Malibu continues my earlier raves of GM transmissions. I do not know how many cylinders this vehicle has but it has adequate power and best of all it does not down shift un-necessarily.
I would recommend this car over the Toyota and Honda in the same class.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Yes, it snowed in Dallas
I flew in on Monday and it was warm and muggy. I think I heard it got up to 70 degrees.
Tuesday morning driving in to work it was 60 degrees. By lunch it was windy and getting cooler. By dinner time it was quite chilly. Sitting down to eat and looking at, the snow was coming down. It flurried pretty good. Didn't stick but everyone was yapping about it.
Tuesday morning driving in to work it was 60 degrees. By lunch it was windy and getting cooler. By dinner time it was quite chilly. Sitting down to eat and looking at, the snow was coming down. It flurried pretty good. Didn't stick but everyone was yapping about it.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Margaret Thatcher
I don't know if I have told my saga of trying to get the Margaret Thatcher Suite at the Hilton Anatole where I stay every week in Dallas.
I have asked each clerk when I check in. The general response has been that they don't have the authority to do that.
So last week I emailed a Guest Relations manager at the hotel asking them using the case that I've been staying at the hotel for over a year and wouldn't it just be nice. I was politely told that the Margaret Thatcher Suite was not available for any of the days in the next two weeks that I would be staying but that the Ford Presidential Suite was available the week of Dec. 15. And that as a loyal IBM guest, I could have the suite at 50% off....that being $750.00 per night!
I replied that even at the gracious 50% discount, $750.00/night room charge would most likely not fly on my expense report.
So last night I checked in and got a room on the same floor as the Margaret Thatcher Suite. And not only is it only the same floor, it is the room next to the Margaret Thatcher Suite. I think it is a cruel joke on the hotel's part.
I have asked each clerk when I check in. The general response has been that they don't have the authority to do that.
So last week I emailed a Guest Relations manager at the hotel asking them using the case that I've been staying at the hotel for over a year and wouldn't it just be nice. I was politely told that the Margaret Thatcher Suite was not available for any of the days in the next two weeks that I would be staying but that the Ford Presidential Suite was available the week of Dec. 15. And that as a loyal IBM guest, I could have the suite at 50% off....that being $750.00 per night!
I replied that even at the gracious 50% discount, $750.00/night room charge would most likely not fly on my expense report.
So last night I checked in and got a room on the same floor as the Margaret Thatcher Suite. And not only is it only the same floor, it is the room next to the Margaret Thatcher Suite. I think it is a cruel joke on the hotel's part.
Friday, December 5, 2008
Home - briefly
Got home this evening. Snowing here and fairly cold. It was cold this morning in Dallas but nothing like Minnesota cold.
Going back to Dallas on Monday.
Going back to Dallas on Monday.
Monday, December 1, 2008
World AIDS Day - December 1
IBM participates and sponsors the World Community Grid. We received this email today from the Minneapolis IBM office:
> I would like to make you aware of a new initiative that is beginning on December 1 - World AIDS Day. Organizations with a particular focus on AIDS treatment and prevention have issued a challenge to encourage us to dedicate our computing run time to the AIDS Research Project, one of the five projects you can support on the World Community Grid. The World Community Grid is entering its fifth year with more than 1.1 million devices having contributed run time. The World AIDS Day Challenge gives us a good opportunity to acknowledge this commitment and encourage more of us to join this unique cause. Our Twin Cities team has joined the challenge - which kicks off December 1 - and I look forward to our team contributing as much time as possible to this worthy effort.
If you would like to participate in the World Community Grid, please click this link.
> I would like to make you aware of a new initiative that is beginning on December 1 - World AIDS Day. Organizations with a particular focus on AIDS treatment and prevention have issued a challenge to encourage us to dedicate our computing run time to the AIDS Research Project, one of the five projects you can support on the World Community Grid. The World Community Grid is entering its fifth year with more than 1.1 million devices having contributed run time. The World AIDS Day Challenge gives us a good opportunity to acknowledge this commitment and encourage more of us to join this unique cause. Our Twin Cities team has joined the challenge - which kicks off December 1 - and I look forward to our team contributing as much time as possible to this worthy effort.
If you would like to participate in the World Community Grid, please click this link.
Moon, Venus and Mars
Did anyone see the moon, Venus and Mars last night? Amazingly beautiful in the western sky around 7pm central time.
I'm going to try to get a picture tomorrow.
I'm going to try to get a picture tomorrow.
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