This better be good...

Yeah, so I haven't posted in nearly a month. I stink. I will try to make some new stuff worthwhile.

My previous post briefly delved into my fascination with collecting airline miles and hotel points. Just this week, I have discovered a new web site to make sure that you get the best reward available for every purchase. You can browse evreward.com by category (all travel sites, for instance) to find the best available discount or mileage opportunity for any online shopping activity. There are SO many sites listed that I had no idea offer any kind of renumeration. Of course, the part of me that is really bummed is the one that thinks of how much I could have received in travel rebates (on the company nickel) that I have never known about. Uggghhh!!!

Some highlights and lowlights of the site -- some of the discount amounts advertised on the listings are not accurate. For example, a search on Wal-Mart, which is advertised at a 9.6% discount, reveals that the best cash back discount is from Upromise.com and is only 4%. On the other hand, it also shows how you can get cash back on a reservation at Hyatt Hotels ($1 per booking through ebates.com) PLUS mileage (or hotel point) earning opportunities. They also have a downloadable feature that will alert you to any savings opportunities that you might be missing, with the opportunity to re-route you through the correct portal.

All in all, this new site, which is still in "beta testing" gets two thumbs up and The Travelin' Man Seal of Approval.

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Using my travel powers for good!

Good for me, that is. I have not really discussed my bizarre fascination with airline miles and hotel points accumulation. I try to share some of my favorite deals with those who know me well -- and who also understand and support this obsession. This one is A-1!

Hyatt Hotels Gold Passport offers what may just be the best travel promotion in the industry. Faster Free Nights (FFN) is their deal where they offer you a free night stay for every two stays paid with a Mastercard. Last fall, I was able to get a rate of $75/night at the Hyatt Regency in Dallas through Travelzoo. I was able to secure two one-night stays at that rate while I was in Dallas for business. Two stays = One free night!

Sidenote -- as great a deal as this is, it even gets a litte better. You can only use single FFN awards on weekend nights, or you can use them for a mid-week stay (when hotels are usually more expensive) if you stay for a minimum of three nights. Starwood hotels offered a similar promotion last year and I was able to acquire five free nights -- but, they had to be used on weekends, which somewhat limited their use-ability.

This coming weekend, I will be using my free weekend at the Hyatt Regency Pier Sixty-Six in Fort Lauderdale. I have read some less-than-flattering reviews of the place, but for a one night place to crash, I am sure it will do. Rates this weekend run a minimum of $350 including tax -- with most of the upgraded rooms pushing $400. Cost out of my pocket = $0 -- gotta love the company expense account; gross revenue to Hyatt = $150; Reward = $350/night room for nothing in high season in south Florida. On top of all that -- the award nights were supposed to be used by January 31. I was fortunately able to beg for a five day extension to use the award this week.

I like Hyatt hotels, the Gold Passport program, and Faster Free Nights. I wish that they had more hotels in areas that I travel at competetive rates. They have recently merged with Amerisuites and Hawthorne Suites, so perhaps there will be more hotels in my travel regions in the coming months. Hyatt is not running Faster Free Nights right now, but I will be sure to post the next time that they do.

Marriott Rewards, however, is running their MegaBonus promotion. This one is targetted (the offer is not the same for everyone, but as far as I know, if you have a MR number, then you are offered something), but offers a bonus on stays during the traditional spring travel season for college admission counselors!

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Stuff I Wish I Knew Back Then

Last month, Scott Elliott of the Dayton Daily News wrote about the five things he wishes he knew about in high school. While Scott's list is good, and should be shared with high school students, it misses some of the things that I would include on my list. Of course, the one thing I know from working with high school students all the time, is that most of them would never heed any type of list like this....they already know everything! :)

1. The people who sit at the "cool" table at lunch are no more or less likely to be successful than anyone else. Eliminate, just for a second, the need for 100+ definitions of success, and reflect on what you think/thought success is/was at the time. I know that I always thought that all the "cool" kids (no, I don't include myself in that crowd) would become doctors, lawyers, CEOs, etc. Without making examples of anyone I know specifically, let's just say that it ain't true. While being "cool" in high school is no sure fire path to a successful future, the skills that are developed at a young age can be applied to later challenges. Developing a good social skill set early can be helpful in creating positive relationships, good job skills, and a network of associates that may be able to help you in your career.
2. Your friends in high school are not likely to be in your circle of friends in five years. I can count on one hand the number of people I have spoken with from my high school graduation class in the last 10 years. I moved away right after high school, so maybe that was the impetus, but I know of too many people who live local to their former high school and tell me the same thing. The friends who generally remain with you for life are the ones that you make in college. What's worse -- the people who haven't had too much happening since high school will only have those high school memories to talk about when they do see you.
3. The person you are dating at graduation is not the person you are going to marry. Heck, it probably won't even be the person you are dating by the end of freshman year. OK...I realize that this is a percentage play here, but I am going with it. I can't tell you how many times I have seen people make their college choice based on where their high school boyfriend or girlfriend would be attending school. Invariably, boy goes to college with girl; girl realizes that college has LOTS of boys; girl dumps boy long before the "Freshman Fifteen" set in. The same thing happens in reverse. I found this blog entry while researching something else. Just read the first sentence and you will see that even sounds ridiculous to follow someone else off to school -- or stay home/close to home to be near your younger SO's senior year.
4. Your senior year of high school may be the most wasted year in all your education. Between the prom, senior trip, the college application process, the short class schedule, "senior privileges," the job to help pay for your car insurance, and the general case of "senioritis" that inevitably sets in, what exactly do you learn in class? Further, many students don't want to risk hurting their GPA during their senior year, so they opt for an easier class load. One thing that I learned is that taking a year off (mentally or physically) from being a student is usually not the most prudent approach to successful college endeavours. Fortunately, that feeling is catching on.
5. The New York State "Regents Diploma" means nothing outside of New York. In New York, the Regents diploma is pitched to students as an academic achievement. Some high schools actually "weight" the grades from Regents level courses, as though they are on par with honors or Advanced Placement courses. The reality is that it is no better, and in a lot of cases, worse than what other states have as a standard "college preparatory" curriculum. You can graduate with a Regents diploma without ever having taken courses in Precalculus, a language other than English or Physics. Of course, to get this Regents diploma, you do need two credits of Physical Education -- but, no Physics or Spanish. You can earn your Regents diploma by earning scores on the Regents exams no higher than a 65. You don't NEED a Regents diploma to graduate high school, either. You can take a lesser track, or score grades of 55 on the Regents exams and still graduate high school.

I am sure that there are more things that I wished I had learned in high school, but this will make for a decent Top 5 list for now. If you can think of others, please add them in the comments section.

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Don't they have bigger problems?

The Tampa Tribune reports that the Tampa Bay Devil Rays plan to change their nickname in time for the 2007 baseball season.

The team's president, Matt Silverman, told a group of Tampa business leaders Thursday that there will be "some sort of a change" in the Devil Rays name.

The club is looking at either dropping "Devil" from the name and calling the team the "Rays" or creating a completely new name, Silverman said.

Focus groups told team officials that there was a "negative association" with the terms "Devil Rays" and "devil."

Of course, the real problem is that there is just a "negative association" with an awful baseball team. Of the four most recent expansion teams (Florida, Colorado, Tampa Bay, and Arizona), they have had the least amount of success, both on the field and at the box office. The mismanagement of the team, consistently finishing last in their division, and infighting amongst the ownership group has led to the franchise's poor team image.

"When [new owner] Stu Sternberg came in, he said there was a need for dramatic change. One way for dramatic change is to change the name," Silverman said.

Apparently, Mr. Sternberg hasn't considered WINNING a dramatic enough change to enact.

Of course, we could just use this opportunity to submit possible new names for the team. But, maybe "Tampa Bay Bottom Feeders" isn't what the new ownership has in mind to shake a "negative association."

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Stuff You Oughta Know About Filing the FAFSA

This is actually Part II of a previous post. I know it was promised "tomorrow." I don't suppose you are willing to believe that today is yesterday's tomorrow?

I was talking about things you can do (legally and ethically) to reduce your EFC and increase your chances of getting a favorable aid award from colleges. What follows is a list (by no means complete) of some suggestions to help you do this. If you have any ideas of your own, please post them in the comments section. The advice included is that which should be considered for filing the FAFSA, and assumes their Federal Methodology. Some universities consider additional information not submitted on the FAFSA -- the more people game the system, the more colleges have to figure out a way to get the accurate picture they need to dole out their resources.

There are some key things to keep in mind. Analyzing this type of information is not something that most colleges are fond of. An argument can be made that these actions are designed to make wealthy people, who can theoretically afford to pay for college, appear "poor" to get something for nothing. I have yet to meet too many folks who can simply write a check to pay for college, and until those folks become the rule rather than the exception, I think it is a good idea to share some tips. Also, remember that these ideas are those of some guy you are reading on the Internet -- a guy who does have some experience dealing with these situations, but a random "guy" nonetheless. This advice should not replace talking with financial aid professionals at the schools you are deciding between (all schools' Financial Aid offices operate differently), your tax consultant, or a certified financial planner. If you want to know, keep reading...

Plan BEFORE You File
Filing the FAFSA is pretty much the same thing as taking a photograph of financial picture at that one specific date. Your income, assets, marital status, and all other circumstances are all static at that time. If you plan on following ANY of these suggestions, you will receive the most benefits by doing so BEFORE you file.

Reduce Your AGI
This doesn't sound like a good plan yet, does it? You might be thinking, "the best way for me to pay for college is to make LESS money?" Well, no. If you just want to "PAY" for college, then just make MORE money, and write the college a nice, fat check. Since that isn't likely to happen, maybe my idea has some merit. First, we are talking about "Adjusted Gross Income." There are ways to do this:

Increase contributions to your IRA to the maximum allowed. This is something that you can still do for the 2005 tax year. 2005 IRA contributions can be made up until April 15, 2006. If you are planning ahead, have your employer withhold a greater amount of your income for your 401k/403b contribution.

Minimize your capital gains. In most cases, capital gains are treated like ordinary income for the purpose of determining EFC. Try to schedule selling stocks for which you will have a large capital gain either before your child's junior year of high school (before the tax year for which you will be filing your first FAFSA) or late into your child's junior year of college (after the tax year for which you will be filing your child's last FAFSA). For tax purposes, you can use capital losses to offset regular income, but for FAFSA filing, this is generally not the case. You can, generally, use capital losses to offset capital gains, but you would do best to check with the college's Financial Aid Office to check first.

Postpone your annual bonus. Some companies will allow you to defer your annual bonus, some will not. It doesn't hurt to check. Since your child is likely to be in college for more than one year, this is really only delaying the inevitable. But, in the course of one year, you may be entitled to more aid, and you now have one more year of time to plan for next year.

Take an upaid leave of absence. OK...this one seems a little drastic, but if you were considering it anyway. Included in this suggestion is to reduce salary taken from your own business (works if you are a C Corporation). There will be an increase in the value of the business (an asset), but that usually has less negaive reprecussions than income or savings.

Reduce Your Savings
Now that I've got you making less money, you should also spend frivously that which you have saved until now. Ummm...no. But, the two things that are considered above almost all else in determining eligibility for financial aid are the parents' income and assets. The first asset that is called upon in determining EFC is cash on hand -- money in your savings. Making that number lower is one way to increase eligibility for aid. How to do this:

Increase contributions to your IRA to the maximum allowed. Remember, this is something that you can still do for the 2005 tax year. 2005 IRA contributions can be made up until April 15, 2006. Is this starting to sound like deja vu? It should. Maxing out your retirement contributions reduces your income and reduces your cash on hand. Retirement savings are considered excluded assets when calculating EFC. Even better, funds held in a Roth IRA can be used for higher education expenses. Are you with me? Making the $4,000 annual maximum contribution to your Roth IRA reduces your savings account by $4,000 for calculation purposes, but if you choose to use the money to pay for education, there is no penalty for early withdrawl. Also, as was discussed above, increasing your 401k/403b contribution for next year will shelter more money that would otherwise be savings.

Reduce your consumer debt as much as possible. In addition to saving a considerable amount on high interest credit card debt, paying off your credit card balances will reduce the amount of cash you have on hand. Most outstanding consumer debt is not considered when determining financial aid. In addition to credit cards, this also applies to car loans -- so, paying off the SUV will reduce your savings, save you money in interest payments to the bank, and allow you the flexibility of an additional +/-$400 per month.

Pay down the mortgage on your primary residence. Equity in your family's primary residence is not considered at all in determining financial aid. Also, the mortgage on a second home can be used to offset assets -- debt which is secured by property is considered in the need analysis.

Don't transfer money to your soon-to-be college student. This goes against what your tax planner has been telling you for years, no? Yes, you can reduce your TAX obligation by gifting money to your children. However, getting aid to pay for college has nothing to do with your tax obligation. First of all, any money that you give to your children becomes their assets -- and that has a number of ramifications. They may choose to use the money for college, or not. It's their money. If they do choose to use the money for college, chances are they will eliminate all or most of their chances to receive aid. Students' assets are calculated differently in the Federal Methodology -- they are expected to contribute a much greater percentage of their earnings and their assets to their education.

Don't wait to make impending purchses. There are a number of items that are excluded from the Federal Methodology of determining EFC. Cars, computers, school supplies, clothing, and believe it or not, boats are excluded assets when determining EFC. I am not suggesting that you go out and blow all of your money, but acquiring excluded assets with cash will increase your chances of receiving financial aid. If you were planning on purchasing a new car anyway, then you should do that BEFORE you file the FAFSA. Keep in mind, though, that student assets are treated much differently than parent assets. So, buying your little angel a $35,000 BMW for their high school graduation gift seems like a good idea (does it, really?), student assets are counted differently and should be factored into that decision.

There are a few more topics to be discussed, including 529 Plans, Grandparents, the students' actual financial situation, and "special circumstances." I will try to get that post done and up in the next day or two, but I am done making promises.

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Take Me Out to the Ballgame

Bear with me. A friend asked me for some information on our baseball trip last year, which included Phoenix and southern California. Even though baseball season seems a little far off, I found out today that I have two tickets to the World Baseball Classic games being played in Orlando. Our pool includes the teams from Italy, Australia, Venezuela, and the Dominican Republic.

Since I am a little psyched about baseball season coming, and posting pictures here is just as easy as creating one of those Yahoo photo albums, I figure I would just do this. Indulge someone one post pretty much just for one person. I won't bore the rest of you, and will place the bulk of this post under the fold.

Our trip was Orlando to Phoenix for an overnight and then from Phoenix to Los Angeles. Complicating matters was the fact that we flew on American Airlines on miles. I am pretty sure when Aadvantage members die, they have to connect through DFW to get to hell -- wait, DFW IS hell. So, our flight was actually MCO-DFW-PHX//PHX-DFW-LAX. Fortunately, I kicked in the extra miles, so we flew first class.

We stayed at the Spring Hill Suites Phoenix Downtown (under $60/night for a weekend rate out of season, with full Marriott Rewards points and privileges). The hotel offered a shuttle from the airport, and was within walking distance to the ballpark. It was August, so when I inquired about the walking to the game, the lady at the front desk made a point to remind me of the Arizona heat. When I told her that I lived in central Florida -- where days of 90 degree heat with 90% humidity were commonplace, she told me that we would be OK. She said that she gets concerned when people come from more temperate climates and expect to walk around in 115 degree heat.

This was the view as we approached the stadium:

The "classic" stadium view:

We had pretty good seats -- actually, we got the tickets from the hotel for half face value. I would have never paid $60 for these seats, as there surely seemed to be plenty of cheapies around, but we got such a good deal on the hotel (no car, free HSIA, free breakfast), it seemed like a good splurge:

There weren't too many cool things about this stadium, and (except for rare exception) I am no fan of stadium food. I didn't eat any of this, but I thought it was a great concept for a menu -- regional specialities defined by the teams:

The next morning meant another flight. Unfortunately, we weren't even in Phoenix long enough for a foodie stop this time around. I don't know that I would consciously make the decision to eat airline food over ANYTHING out of town, but sometimes, convenience takes over. So, a breakfast at the hotel followed by PHX-DFW-LAX, and food served on plastic trays would suffice for now.

We arrived in LA around 4 pm and spent the next two hours waiting in line at the rental counter for the car. This has to be the poorest run Thrifty I have ever seen. If it were me, I would do without them in your travel plans. I would have given my right leg to have used Hertz and my #1 Club Gold.

We finally got the rental car, a Chrysler PT Cruiser convertible, and were on our way. For all this Thrifty was awful, I will say that they did come through on the car. If you are going to do LA, it should probably be in a convertible. Off to the hotel for a brief check-in and then to dinner with our chef friend. This hotel was on points, but seems to be available on Priceline periodically.

Our dinner was at one of those places in LA, where it is more about the flash and being "seen" than anything about food. It took way too long for the food to arrive at the table, and I was underwhelmed. But, supposedly, they have filmed some scenes for HBO's "Entourage" there:

Stick to Killer Shrimp for a good meal! I wish I had gotten some good pictures there, but I didn't. The other place that I couldn't think of the other night when we chatted -- the Armenian chicken place, is called Zankou. Despite the strong recommendation from the Sterns, I would skip Cassell's Hamburgers. I thought the place was weak - they killed the burger by draining all the juice out of it with the spatula.

On our first full day in Los Angeles, we drove out to Anaheim for a day game at Angel Stadium. Let me say this about that -- get tickets in advance. I hardly ever do -- I am a big fan of getting tickets at the stadium and am rarely disappointed. You have the option of hitting the scalpers (usually good on rainy days or if a crappy visiting team is in town) or heading down to the box office, as games are rarely sellouts (Wrigley, Fenway, the Yankees as a road team, or a regional rivalry are notable exceptions). Well, we showed up for a game against the visiting Tampa Bay Devil Rays to find that Anaheim was in the midst of a 10-game home sellout streak. We lucked into a pair of decent tickets at/near face value, but if this is your only chance to get the ballpark, and you don't want to be shut out, I would try to snag these tickets in advance.

This is one of those stadiums just off the interstate. Here is the walk-up view:

The classic view:

The stadium and grounds are beautifully landscaped:

Unllike a lot of the newer ballparks that have an outer concourse that you can walk around and see the whole park without missing the game, Angel Stadium has a path that cuts around behind the outfield wall. It has a very fan-friendly family section back there, as well as some activities along the way. This is a shot of a wall mural featuring modern-day pics of current players with a copy of a baseball card from their youth. It also includes personal information that would appeal to families (favorite foods and such):

One just for artistic sake:

Los Angeles is not a great walking city, but there is a pretty good walking tour in the AAA Guide Book. I am used to the concrete jungle that is New York as my point of reference for what a big city should be. But, LA is different. It is green and lush. There are some roof-top parks scattered throughout the city that are really cool. They seem like an especially good place to grab a bite to eat and camp out and eat and people watch for a little while:

We also discovered the Grand Central Market on the walking tour:

Try...oh, try to make it to Phillippe the Original:

I was really looking forward to Dodger Stadium, and it was a little bit of a letdown. It IS a classic ballpark. All the things that I don't like about the cookie-cutter new ballparks are not there at Dodgertown. But, it is a late arriving crowd, that is not all that into watching the game. Also, we got seats (not at all cheap ones) that were out in the outfield in a not-so fan friendly section of the park. It is not very easy to move around the stadium -- especially one level to the next. Once you are on your ticketed level, you are pretty much destined to remain there. Again, you might choose to get better seats, in advance. The classic shot:

You would expect something like the "Hollywood" sign, wouldn't you. If you want a view of this, get seats more towards the home plate area:

I told you about the LA Coroner's Office gift shop, "Skeletons in the Closet":

Nothing says "tacky" like LA -- and nothing says tacky in LA like the La Brea Tar Pits (make sure you rrrrrroll your rrrrrr's when you say that, too!):

OK...almost nothing:

My favorite park during the whole trip was the last one, PETCO. We were seeing the Padres play my beloved Mets on my birthday -- so, I kind of figured this would be a highlight. The Mets won 9-0 (Kris Benson pitched a gem) the night before Carlos Beltran and Mike Cameron plowed into each other, ending Cameron's season. This was another sold out game, and tickets were tough to come by outside the stadium. We luckily ran across a guy attending the game with his family who just happened to have two extra tickets. We ended up with field box seats for about $20/each -- not bad at all.

We stayed next door at the San Diego Gaslamp Marriott. We knew someone who worked there, so we got a very favorable Friends and Family rate of around $60. Parking was a hammer, but if we had stayed somewhere else and drove to the game, we would have spent almost that much to park anyway.

The hotel has a rooftop bar that overlooks the stadium. The drinks are way overpriced, but it is a great view. I didn't get a picture, but the view on the other side of the stadium is the water. Who would want to look at scenery when there is a ballpark? I would never know:

There are some very cool things at this park -- like the "Park at the Park":

The stadium is built into the wall of an old warehouse. I think that is where they house their luxury boxes:

Without paying any admission fee, you can spread out a blanket and watch the game on a giant television right outside the stadium:

And, of course, the classic view from PETCO:


Those were about all the worthy pictures. The only notable eating that we did in San Diego was Hob Nob Hill, as reviewed by the Sterns. We ate their once for dinner and stopped by on our way out of town for some breakfast pastries. Not quite walking distance to the Gaslamp Quarter, but close.

All in all, not a bad week in SoCal. It was about all I could handle. The last night there, I got my requisite In-N-Out fix, and I was good to go home! A double-double and more fries than I could eat. I passed on the shake, but I wanted one. Either way, it was better than what we had coming on the flight home -- first class just ain't what it used to be.

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Stuff Parents of College Bound Seniors Should Know

...in theory, before filing the FAFSA. This will be the first in a series of FAFSA-related posts. I will try to do one post per night until I am done, but I make no promises!

Your kid is headed off to college next fall, has applied to a dozen different schools, her younger brother is bringing you design plans from a local contractor to turn his sister's bedroom into something more his own...and you now realize that you will need to pay for this. Ugh. I wouldn't want to be you. As if the college admission process isn't daunting enough, the financial aid process is probably worse. The stakes are higher -- kids are trying to "game" the system to get into the same 25 colleges, so the colleges change what makes a candidate attractive, or at least their evaluation methods. The same is true with financial aid. More and more people are chasing after fewer and fewer education dollars -- and desparately trying to game the system to get their fair share. Well, what's fair is (a) debatable, (b) subjective, and (c) not at all a static metric.

There are some simple (and some more complicated) ways to help good, honest, hard-working people get as much benefit as they can from filing the FAFSA. Understanding what the FAFSA determines and what methodology is used is crucial in maximizing your potential to reap any benefits from filing.

The acronym stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid. The form is free to file. In other words, there really is no excuse to not file. I have heard folks say that they don't want to file because they know that they won't get anything. Well, you surely won't get anything if you don't file. I have heard others say that they don't want to file because they don't want "them" to know how much money they make. Umm...the federal government is the processor for the FAFSA. They already know how much money you make. If they don't -- you have bigger problems.

FAFSA determines Expected Family Contribution (EFC). EFC is basically how much the government thinks you should be spending to send your kids to college. This may be a shock, but sometimes you and the government may not see eye to eye. You will receive a copy of your EFC, as will all of the schools to which you wish to submit this information. The colleges then use EFC to determine your eligibility for need-based aid at their institution and communicate that information to you. Offers of financial aid should be received from all schools to which your child has been accepted and you sent FAFSA information. The first key to getting the most aid is to follow all of the school's instructions and deadlines. Our school has a "priority deadline" for financial aid of March 15. That basically means that all students who file the FAFSA with the federal processor by March 15 will get the same equal access to available aid. That does not mean that students who do not file until after March will not get any aid, but the available pool of funds is usually greatest at the beginning. Find out the dates of all financial aid deadlines for the schools you are interested and make sure that you are done by the earliest of those dates.

Some folks claim that they cannot file the FAFSA early because they have not prepared their taxes for the previous year yet -- and do not want to because they owe money and don't want to pay until it is due on April 15. That claim is bogus. You do not need to have your taxes filed to prepare the FAFSA. You can file using estimated data, and as long as your family's financial situation did not change drastically, then your data from last year is a good starting point for estimating.

We need to operate under some presumptions. One is that people are honest in their dealings. Honesty is something that I would like to just take for granted, but the reality is that I have seen too many people trying to game the system resort to illegal/unethical/immoral means. The advice I have to offer is to those who wish to operate within generally accepted ethical and moral guidelines. If you don't think that you can discuss your FAFSA filing strategy with your clergyman (or your mom), then it is possible that you may be doing something that is not right. In other words, if your strategy involves maxing out your 401k contributions to reduce your AGI, you are probably OK. If you are planning on submitting falsified documents, then maybe not so much.

Part II tomorrow.

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CTU...or CONTROL?

Two posts in a row about television. I need to get out more....

Since I am not out more, I am thrilled that '24' is back on. I am not one of those people who measures the real feasibility of the show -- I just like it for what it is -- the fastest hour on television. The show is consistently well-written and aims for the target audience that watches its fair share of Bond movies. Guilty.

There are a few things that I do have to wonder about (while doing my best to suspend reality):

I always figured that Chloe just needed to get a little action and maybe she would lighten up. Now it was revealed that she is hooking up with a co-worker (a subordiante, no less, which HAS to be against some kind of CTU protocol), and yet is still just as bitchy as she was before. My own positive relationship notwithstanding, I have to wonder who would want to sleep with that pouty woman?

It sure seems like there is another mole in CTU. Maxwell Smart didn't have to deal with this many double agents. Does anyone do any background checks at this place, or is it this easy to get a job with the government in high security areas?My bet for the mole this year? Bernie Kopell.

The President can't really be THAT big an idiot. Well, maybe that is just art imitating life.

Apparently, taking some time off from her busy schedule blogging for nhl.com, Elisha Cuthbert will be back in a four-episode arc mid-season reprising her role as Jack's daughter, Kim. Perhaps my wish can come true afterall -- she's come back because Chase's baby contracted the virus?

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I have a dream -- you atheistic, commie pinko!

From the Land of Irony comes this little tidbit:

TV Land ran an "All in the Family" marathon this past weekend -- the weekend preceding the celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King's birthday.

I loved "All in the Family" and it is disturbing to me that political correctness has gotten to the point where that show could NEVER be made today. I don't think I could possibly remember all of the racial epithets -- but "coon", "spook", "kike", "chink", "frog", "gook", "shvartzer", "negro", "yid" -- and, of course, "polack." Talk about the "Seven Words You Can't Say On Television."

While it could have never been made today, "All in the Family" managed to father five spin-off shows from the "Family" tree. AITF begat "The Jeffersons", "Maude", "Archie Bunker's Place" (Edith actually dies at the beginning of this series' Season 2 -- most people mistakenly think that Edith died at/near the end of "AITF", and the God-awful "Gloria". Anyone who THINKS that "Joey" is the worst spin-off of a good television show really should be forced to watch one episode of "Gloria".

TV Land did a "10 Best" of "All in the Family," and their number one episode is definitely the same as mine. Sammy Davis, Jr., who was reportedly a big fan of the show, guest starred in what had to be the most knee-slappingly funny half-hour of television. It was in Season 2, which I believe is also available on DVD through Amazon.com. For that matter, if you are interested,
there is a deal where you can get $20 off the purchase of 2 DVD sets, which pretty much makes it a 2-for-1 deal.

Anyway, watching All in the Family this weekend prompted me to re-read Dr. King's entire "Dream" speech. I know that I have seen the "I have a dream..." clip hundreds of times on television, but the message in that speech runs a lot deeper than that one clip. That speech was delivered in 1963, but the sentiments expressed are eternal.

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Admit package envy?

To say that this is something you don't see every day would be a little bit of an understatement. MIT admitted approximately 1,500 students last year -- about 15% of their applicant pool. In theory, fewer than 2,000 students this year will open their mailbox and get "the tube."

Marketing has always been a fascination of mine. I love the Super Bowl -- I love the Super Bowl ads equally. I know why our school has to work so hard on marketing -- the number one reason is that we're NOT MIT. Our biggest challenge is not that we have a bad reputation, but it is that we have no reputation. Even that is a stretch -- we have a very good reputation with companies that hire our students, in specific industries where we excel. But, until we get a Division I football team playing on ESPN every Saturday, we are going to have some challenges with noteriety. I know other similar colleges have that same problem (I know plenty of students who have no idea what Harvey Mudd College is -- or what makes it different from Bob Jones University).

Anyway, our admit package looks nothing like this. We send a congratulatory letter -- and some somewhat technical college enrollment information. Hmmm...

The poster is one idea -- and one that I think MIT got from Olin. Hey -- they all can't be 100% original, right? I like the branding that comes across there. MIT is a destination college, and this helps connect the student applicant to the university immediately. MIT gets a very good yield already, so you don't really know if they get a good yield because they have good marketing or if they get a good yield because they are MIT.

Either way, I think that there are some things that we could learn from their packet. I really like the Cerificate of Admission that they send. Gaining admission to MIT is something beyond special, and it is nice for that to be recognized in some small way. I am going to see if we can add that to our admission packet for next year.

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The best laid plans...

I had big plans this past weekend to post on some education-related topics. Clearly, that never came to fruition. I was feeling a little sickly, and subsequently spent a lot of time sleeping. I can't think of the last time I got that much sleep. It's been awhile...and i guess the body needed it.

Anyway, my plans are to publish on the following topics in the next week or two:

*Filing the FAFSA: Minimizing EFC legally!
*Safety Schools
*I got in -- now what?

Now, we'll see how long it takes me to get these words done.

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Meet my two new friends...

...Ben AND Jerry! My coupon arrived for my free pint today. If you haven't jumped in on this, you should send away post haste.

Of course, on my way home from work, I stopped at Publix and grabbed a quart of Starbuck's Coffee Almond Fudge (my current favorite!), so I don't really need more ice cream right now...but, the coupon won't exactly go bad over night. This will give me more time to decide on what flavor to get. Right now, I am leaning towards "Half Baked."

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Protect yourself

Word is out that computers running any of Microsoft's operating systems purchased since 1990 are vulnerable to a new kind of malicious attack.

The flaw, which allows hackers to infect computers using programs maliciously inserted into seemingly innocuous image files, was first discovered last week. But the potential for damaging attacks increased dramatically at the weekend after a group of computer hackers published the source code they used to exploit it. Unlike most attacks, which require victims to download or execute a suspect file, the new vulnerability makes it possible for users to infect their computers with spyware or a virus simply by viewing a web page, e-mail or instant message that contains a contaminated image.

It is believed that this could be the worst attack that Microsoft has ever faced. They have posted a security advisory on their web site, but claim that they will not have a patch ready to go until January 10 -- one WEEK from now!

Until they release their patch, I would encourage you to switch to Firefox for your web browsing. If you are not familiar with them, get familiar with them right now. Since I have switched to Firefox, my enjoyment of life on the web has increased significantly. No annoying pop-ups, tabbed browsing, and all of the spyware and mal code is generally written for Microsoft based products.

This will not solve all of your problems or security issues, but it will lessen them noticeably. You should still diligently inspect all incoming attachments, now to include picture files. Instant messaging programs, which are immensely popular with the younger generation of computer users are also at risk -- so, now what your kids are downloading (which you should be doing anyway, I suppose).

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I really wish I thought of this...

http://www.savetoby.com/

I saw this web site about a year ago. The guy was asking for donations (ransom?) to "save his bunny." Apparently, Paypal didn't see the humor in it, and killed his account. But, all the attention he received triggered the publishing of a book, which, of course, can be purchased at Amazon!

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Stuff College-Bound High School Students Should Know

This is the first in what is planned to be a series of entries over the next few months that will deal with the college search process. If you have any ideas for topics that you would like addressed, please email me.

I found this article on college visit tips. Before I get to the article, let me say that I hate when writings like this have no date attached to them. I would like to say that it is a recent article, but I am not really sure that it is because it refers to families "beginning the spring/summer college tour circuit." Well, it is neither spring nor summer, so I can only assume that this "new" article is only one that is refurbished from last year.

College visits are especially important to me. Part of my job responsibilities include training our campus tour guides and coordinating our campus visit program. I sift through the kudos and the complaints that come in the form of our visit evaluation form. In general, we know that we give a pretty good campus tour and have a solid visit program because we have a pretty nice conversion rate of people who come to visit campus who eventually choose to enroll.

The author of the above article discusses how many people do not get the full value from their college visits. It can be debated if the cause of this is because colleges are not providing the correct information or if prospective students and their parents are not asking the right questions. The reality is -- it is probably a little bit of both.

Tomorrow, I am sure that my work email inbox will include a number of disappointed folks who wanted to visit campus over the last week and change during the holiday break. These will be the people who came down, did not schedule an appointment in advance, and discovered that the school was closed from Christmas Eve through New Year's Day. This is in addition to the number of disappointed people who tried to schedule appointments during this time and were told in advance that we would be closed. Apparently, our closing for the holidays is inconvenient. Given that we (collectively, who work in college admissions) do not make much money, one of the lures to the job is our coveted time off. In the past, we have tried to find volunteers from the office who were not traveling over the holidays to come in and give an admission presentation and brief tour of campus to families who "insisted" on coming during the time we were closed. The reality is that those visits are a waste of time for the folks visiting and a waste of time for us -- because these are the same people who are visiting the other schools on their list while they are open for business. We think that we are offering an additional service and doing our prospective students a favor by coming in to work on an off day and they would appreciate this. Instead, the visit evaluations show that they wanted to see a professor or sit in on a class and were disappointed that they couldn't do that! So, they visit another school for their Open House or such, and visit us when we are closed -- they do get to look at some impressive empty buildings! -- and then try to make a valid comparison? That is silly. If this topic interests you, click below for more.

The contra argument is that these are the times when it is convenient to come and visit; parents are off from work , students are out of school, it's warm here at Christmas time, etc. Trying to squeeze in a college visit in between Thanksgiving dinner at Grandma's house, a trip to EPCOT, or sunning yourself on the Florida beach SEEMS like a really good idea. But, you have to take into account what you are going to see if we are not able to accommodate a full campus visit. All the reasons you would want to see us in the first place -- the academic facilities, access to faculty, interaction with current students, etc. -- are not available when we are not open for business.

Some tips, in addition to the ones listed in the article, include:

Before making your travel arrangements, call the school or check their web site to see what days/dates are best for your visit.

Call and schedule an appointment. There may be special opportunities available to students that can only be planned in advance. Try to give the school at least one week's notice of your visit.

Allow at least one full day to visit each school. If schools are VERY close together -- think Drexel and University of Pennsylvania -- then you may be able to schedule more than one, but call the school and ASK if it is feasible.

Talk with your guidance counselor or trusted teacher. S/He may be able to offer some additional suggestions of nearby schools to visit or call a contact in the admission office to alert them of your interest.

Come prepared. Check the school's web site before you leave home to get a feel for what you might expect to see; have a GOOD list of questions to ask; manage your expectations; and be ready for anything unexpected that might come up.

Your visit may include an interview, an information session, an overnight visit, and other school-specific opportunities. Keep in mind that while you are evaluating the school, the school is also evaluating you. Even if you have already been offered admission, your behavior during your visit can still adversely affect you, and admission can be withdrawn. This is particularly important for overnight visits. Don't do anything that you wouldn't do in front of your parents.

Eat a meal on campus. Trust me, we didn't make anything special for you. If you are coming to our school, you will likely have to live and eat on campus your first year. One easy thing to check out that is not on the regular tour is the dining service.

While dining, don't sit by yourself! Plunk yourself down next to some current students and talk with them about campus life. The people that you meet as tour guides are usually the campus superstars -- the people that you meet in the dining hall could be anyone.

It doesn't matter if you secure admission to the school and then visit, or visit before applying. The school doesn't really care, though some more selective institutions do require an interview as part of their admission process. Many schools, however, do include "demonstrated interest" in the admission decision -- and a campus visit would certainly help indicate demonstrated interest.

Another good resource can be found here. The author states:

Since every college visitor isn't looking for the same thing, the same questions won't work for everyone. The important thing is to ask the questions that deal with your particular needs.

College is a very large financial commitment. Most folks wouldn't buy so much as a television or stereo without doing significant comparison shopping. Yet, the college decision sometimes gets short changed in favor of more pressing commitments. If you make an effort to get the most out of your college visits, you will have a better chance to get the most of your college experience.

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The disappointment consumes me

I missed out on getting a cow! They really should have had more than 100,000 available. Didn't they think more people would want a cow?

Of course, what really ticks me off is that as of next year, the Chick-fil-a Peach Bowl is dropping the "Peach!" That's just wrong, so says Atlanta Journal-Constitution writer, Furman Bisher.

Unfortunately, I see why this is a good deal for Chick-fil-a, and not such a good deal for any sports fan who yearns for the way the way things used to be. This is about money, and it appears as though it is enough money to now get the #2 ACC team to play in the CFA Bowl (they currently get the #3). If this is a topic that interests you, click the "keep reading" link below.

It is also possible that Atlanta will end up with the same problem that faced Orlando a couple of years ago. They had a bowl game, the Florida Citrus Bowl -- played at the city-owned Citrus Bowl (ironic, huh?). Actually, it started as the Tangerine Bowl, and remained the Tangerine Bowl (just the Tangerine Bowl -- not the Tropicana Tangerine Bowl or anything like that) until 1982. In 1983, they changed the name to the Florida Citrus Bowl, to reflect the fact that we do grow more than just tangerines down here. Makes sense to me.

The Florida Citrus Bowl name lasted through 1993. They signed CompUSA as a title sponsor in 1994, and that relationship lasted for six years. I remember reading when their contract expired, CompUSA did not want to renew, and Florida Citrus Sports Association had a rough time landing a sponsor. Now that they were counting on the money, they couldn't guarantee the payout without a title sponsor.

Ladies and gentelman, let me introduce you to the "Ourhouse.com Florida Citrus Bowl." Fortunately, that hideousness lasted only one year. Come to think of it, I guess Ourhouse.com probably only lasted one year.

Capital One signed on as the title sponsor in 2001, and after two years decided that it would rather have the bowl called the "Capital One Bowl" rather than the "Capital One Florida Citrus Bowl." I do realize that is quite a mouthful, but it does let central Florida keep some sense of connection to the game. The "Capital One Bowl?" Yuck. The problem is -- Capital One was right. When they were the "Capital One Florida Citrus Bowl," no one called them anything but the "Citrus Bowl." Now that they have dropped "Citrus" from the bowl name, folks have no choice but to call the game the "Capital One Bowl." Still yuck.

In case you wondered, the Tangerine Bowl only went away for a little while. It came back in 2001 as the "Visit Florida Tangerine Bowl." The game, previously the Blockbuster, then Carquest, and then MicronPC Bowl, moved from Miami where it had been played from 1990 until 2000. It became the "Mazda Tangerine Bowl" the next year, and that lasted until 2003. Currently, Champs Sports is the title and sole name attached to Orlando's B-game. How about some cool and timely trivia attached to this bowl game? The first Blockbuster Bowl, played in Miami, in 1990, featured Joe Paterno's Penn State Nittany Lions and Bobby Bowden's Florida State Seminoles. Not a bad little precursor to this year's Orange Bowl (on a slightly grander stage). If history is any indication, and we know that it's not, FSU beat Penn State, 24-17. Since I am pretty sure that neither Peter Tom Willis, nor Blair Thomas are going to suit up next week, I don't think it really matters.

Atlanta residents can take some solace that Chick-fil-a is an Atlanta company. Some people who watch the game will make the connection (although, we are talking about football fans?) to the city. But, Cap One? What they have to do with Orlando, except for kicking in the dough to fund the football game, I will never know.

Lest anyone think such corporate sponshorship is anything new, the Rose Bowl -- affectionately referred to as "The Grandaddy of Them All" -- was originally started as a marketing tool for the Tournament of Roses Parade. The parade pre-dates the football game by 12 years!

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Who loves end of the year lists?

Ahh...we all do.

Reflecting back on this year, I had a lovely amount of both work and leisure travel. I am grateful for that, as I do tend to get a little bit of cabin fever if I am in the office and my own condo for too long a time.

These are all places that I discovered through reading Jane and Michael Stern's book, Roadfood, and their corresponding web site. All of my selections have received a full review in either the book or the web site. When I compiled my list, I found that I had been to 30 restaurants recommended by the Sterns or one of their online editors since January 1, 2005.

The last time I compiled this Top 10, I didn't limit exclusively to restaurants referred by the Sterns. There are three restaurants that I visited this year that were on my list in 2003, so I have purposely left them out. These are, of course, in no particular order:

* Philippe the Original (Los Angeles, CA) -- This is the place where the french dip was invented. The story says that a lunching laborer came in for a roast beef sandwich. The "sandwich artisan" (as Subway would later classify such folks) accidently dropped the bread into a pan of beef drippings. As the customer was in a hurry, he asked that the sandwich be made with the "wet" bread instead of waiting for a new one to be prepared. Well, thanks for being in a hurry! A true classic is born. There are probably better places to get a french dip now -- LA is littered with shops claiming to be the best -- and they may be -- but, Philippe's is an experience. The counter, the mustard, the nine cent coffee -- and the walls plastered with newspaper and magazine articles dating back a hundred years.

* Louis Lunch (New Haven, CT) --It is debated that this is the place where the hamburger was invented. See the trend developing? I think this is the last place on my list that invented anything! The menu at Louis Lunch is spartan, to say the least. They pretty much make hamburgers. You can get your burger with or without cheese; and with or without tomato. That's about the size of it. The burgers are delivered on toasted white bread. No burger bun, you ask? Well, the folks will be quick to point out that when Louis Lunch was founded, there were no burger buns -- remember, there were no hamburgers! The inside of the restaurant is small and tables are very tough to come by at peak hours. When I went, I was able to sit down right away at the counter, with very friendly, accessible, and enthusiastic help. Ironically, as good a burger as this was -- cooked to perfect temperature, by the way -- it wasn't even the best burger that I had that week. Keep reading...

* Duff's (Amherst, NY) -- The best Buffalo wing in Buffalo, a town that takes their wing lineage quite seriously. Note that I did not go with Anchor Bar, the place that invented the Buffalo wing! If you are going to be in Buffalo for any length of time, it would be criminal not to eat that which they call their own. The wings are Duff's are large, succulent, and meaty. They are coated (not drenched) in their signature sauces. Mind the servers when they tell you that medium is like everyone else's hot...and hot are really freakin' hot! Duff's offers a very reasonable deal for 20 wings and a pitcher of beverage (they offer both beer and sodas for a different price). Two "normal" people could probably share this -- perhaps "date night" in Buffalo? But, this author could easily put away the 20 spot and most of the pitcher!

* The Crab Shack (Tybee Is, GA) -- As the picure says, it is "where the elite go to eat in their bare feet." If that doesn't get you through the front door, I don't know what will. The Crab Shack offers an absolute seafood orgy with a gorgeous view of the intercoastal. I made this stop during the summer as part of our annual baseball trip (Savannah Sand Gnats!). So, the meal was enjoyed by myself and another healthy-sized adult male. We ordered the "Seafood Feast for One" -- and couldn't finish all that was laid in front of us. This platter (which I can only describe as the size and shape of an inverted metal trash can lid) included crawfish (yuck!), boiled shrimp, STONE(!!) crab legs, oysters, and blue crab -- oh, and corn on the cob, boiled potatoes, and sausage chunks, too. You will need the roll of paper towels provided on the table, and the open-air sink in the middle of the dining area (it's weird to see). The place looks a little touristy/cheesy -- and maybe it is, but the food will allay all fears immediately. Two enthusiastic thumbs up on The Crab Shack!

* Williams Smokehouse (Houston, TX) -- As is the case with many of the best BBQ joints, it is not located in the best neighborhood, and some would consider driving there at night to be a less than enjoyable experience. However, if you let stuff like that scare you away, you are going to miss out on some of the most incredible ribs and beef brisket in the Houston area. I went at an off time, so the place was empty and my service was impeccable. The lady working the register also delivered the food to my table -- piping hot and full of smoky flavor. The ribs come pre-sauced with a glaze that has quite a kick. The one real warning on this place is that the road in front of Williams is torn up something fierce. I almost drove right past the place, so keep your eyes open. When I asked about the construction, I was told that the road had been that way for quite some time.

* Diana's (Charleston, SC) -- While the neighborhood is a little more upscale than at Williams Smokehouse, the location of Diana's is just as odd -- it is attached (though with no affiliation) to a somewhat run-down looking Days Inn. Don't let that fool you -- this is no roadside hotel restaurant. I made it for breakfast and enjoyed one of the best I have had in a long while. The apple-stuffed french toast (pictured in the link above) may have been the best french toast I have ever had in a restaurant. My dining companion described the consistency of the french toast as being like that of a Bundt cake. Perhaps on my next visit, I will partake of the "Morning Surf and Turf," grilled shrimp and a ribeye steak covering an english muffin, two eggs, grilled onions and hash browns. Diana's gets special mention because during our visit, we had arguably one of the worst servers in recent memory (and I eat out a lot). As bad as she was, the meal was still enjoyable. Perhaps she was just having a bad day, as we saw no evidence of bad service being a continual problem.

* Jestine's Kitchen (Charleston, SC) -- To be honest, I wanted to lump Jestine's and Diana's together for one pick. But, if I was going to do that, I would have also needed to include Anchor Line, Hominy Grill and Bowens Island, too -- to rank them one through five wouldn't be fair to the place that scored fifth. All in all, Charleston has become one heck of an eating town - and Jestine's and Diana's were the top two that I caught on this trip -- but, I easily could have included any of the others. I know that others will rave about the fried chicken at the legendary Stroud's, but I will put Jestine's fantastic fried chicken up against anyone's. I added the mac and cheese for one of my sides, which was also top-notch. I also tried some of the fried okra, which measured up favorably. We, again, arrived at an off time (see another trend developing?), and still had a wait of a few minutes. My understanding is that the line can wrap around the store at the busiest times. The staff moves quickly and efficiently, passing some of the cozy pleasantries to get tables turned over a little faster. On our way out of town, we stopped by for some pecan pie to go (Diana's was out -- and they are within a healthy walking distance from one another). Even though Jestine's was busy -- decent size line outside -- we were accommodated quickly for our take-out, as the owner recognized us from our visit a few days prior.

* Harold's NY Delicatessen (Edison, NJ) -- Harold's proves that "roadfood" can be found just about anywhere. Usually located in downtown areas or rural backroads -- not here -- for Harold's is located in a pretty non-descript corporate park in the vacinity of some hotels and a convention center. It does have easy access to the highway, and is only about 20 minutes (with no serious traffic) to the Newark Airport. Probably the most popular item on the menu is schtick. Yep -- Harold's is known for their gargantuan portion sizes -- which they encourage you to share. I have had Harold's on my list to try for some time and it just wasn't convenient. As I was heading off to the airport, I realized that I was in the immediate area so I stopped by for some take-out. I didn't check my order before I left the restaurant, but when I got to the airport and settled in to wait for my flight, I opened my bag to find the LARGEST sandwich I had ever seen. As part of their take-out package, Harold's packs you some extra rye bread, and I was able to make three full sandwiches out of what they describe as their small corned beef. They also packed some pickles, but those were not as good as what one would find at Katz's. I would have liked to have tried some of their super-sized desserts, but I would have needed to pay an extra fee for an overweight bag! Perhaps next time...

* Ranchman's Cafe (Ponder, TX) -- This fall marked my second visit to the Dave Ross' steak joint (the only one in my Top 10 that I had been to prior to 2005). Mr. Ross' place may be out in the middle of obsolute nowhere (20 miles west of Denton, TX -- and if you are a "suburb" Denton, you are in the middle of nowhere), but quality is second to none and would match that of any big city steakhouse. Come to think of it, I have never had a steak there -- I have been by for lunch twice, and had one of the tastiest hamburgers ever each time. Ranchman's serves a healthy, hand-formed, half-pound burger, cooked to perfect temperature. The grill man puts out a juicy patty as his best effort. The accompanying fries are plentiful and hand cut -- sometimes as fresh as when you place your order. I tried hard to arrive hungry, as I was told last time that the pie is a must. I assure you, it was some delicious apple pie -- the perfect blend of apples, cinnamon, and a crisp, flaky crust. During my visit, there was a high school cross-country team chowing down. With the added crowd, service was a little slow, as the grill got backed up pretty badly. Fortunately, I was in no rush, so it didn't matter, but Mr. Ross apologized numerous times, as he saw me waiting patiently. As he and I discussed, at least the meal was worth the wait. Also, if you are a history buff, Ranchman's is located next to a building that was once a bank robbed by Bonnie and Clyde. There are numerous newspaper articles hanging in decoration around the steakhouse.

* Peter Luger Steak House (Great Neck, NY) -- OK...so, this one is in order. Luger's was, by far, my Number One eating destination for 2005. Yes, I know that the original location is in Brooklyn, and there is no real comparison in the ambiance between the Brooklyn and Long Island locations, but sometimes you just have to make do. Having never been to Peter Luger before this year, I was fortunate enough to enjoy three visits this year -- once for dinner and twice for lunch. Plan on spending a small fortune on your dinner tab (especially if you hit the wine list), but it is so worth it. Luger's porterhouse is the best steak I have ever eaten - bar none. The dinner bill came to $90 pp for a table of three that included the steak for three, the tomato and onion appetizer, the bacon appetizer for three, a bottle of wine, creamed spinach, broccoli, home fries, two coffees and one dessert. Of course, one of my favorite things was something that came complimentary - a wonderful bread basket assortment. Some will say that you pay more for the atmosphere than for the quality of the food -- but, I will say that the quality lived up to my expectations.

If you want to get the Luger experience while being a little friendlier to the wallet, consider hitting the place for lunch. I had found Peter Luger's listed as one of the "20 Hamburgers You Must Eat Before You Die" from GQ magazine. Normally, I don't take my dining cues from GQ, but figured if they think that this is a pretty good burger, I would give it a try. This was undeniably one of the best burgers I have had the pleasure of consuming. For one thing, I am not big on condiments. At most places, a good burger means slathering on secret sauce and "dragging it through the garden." Not at Luger's. For $7.95, you get a half-pound burger (they describe it is "at least" a half-pound). The burger comes meat on a bun. If you want something else, you had better ask -- and be prepared to pay. You can add on cheese for $1.50, bacon for $2.50, and a side of their famous steak fries for $1.50. I added the bacon and the fries, and asked for them to add one of their thick slices of fresh tomato. I also added just a taste of Luger sauce -- enough to add a hint of sweetness to the burger, not enough to overpower. The key to this burger is definitely in the taste of the meat -- as there is nothing else to interfere. The beef was flavorful, cooked to perfect temparature -- juices dripping into the fresh, sesame-seeded, doughy bun. I thought that the fries were overrated and a little skimpy for $1.50. They are thick cut steak fries, but mine seemed a little underdone for my taste. I would probably order them again, as I can't imagine a burger without fries -- but, I might ask them to cook them well-done and see how that turns out. The bacon didn't seem as thick as what they serve for dinner, but was just as flavorful. I am pretty sure that I could go there and eat myself a meal from their breadbasket and an order of bacon.

I hope that your travels were equally enjoyable. I am eternally grateful for the culinary path laid down by the Sterns that continues to enrich my travels. I still have a trip planned to Georgia before the end of the year. I hope to hit some new places along the way, but if any of them are "Top 10 Worthy," I will be sure to add them for next year.

Still to come...a list of the 20-odd others that didn't make the cut for Top 10; my first ever disappointment from a Stern-recommended restaurant; and some other new favorites discovered on my own.

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Don't go changin'...

Yesterday was a good day to be a Billy Joel fan.

My concert tickets arrived in the mail. I suppose I always knew that they would, but I hate Ticketmaster. Four tickets cost less than $160, but the fees that they tack on brought the total to over $190. I view them in about the same regard as pillagers. In that vein, I don't trust them much and am grateful to have the tickets in my own hands.

Of course, it also means that I now have about three months to lose said tickets.

As an added bonus, BJ was on Late Night with Conan O'Brien. It was a previously aired show, but one that I had not seen. Actually, it was a good episode of Conan. He had his "Tree Lighting" episode, which featured Abe Vigoda (gotta love "Fish"); the hot chick from "Access Hollywood"; and Triumph, the Insult Comic Dog! Alan Alda, who I hate (personally, not professionally) was the "lead" guest, but he only had one very short segment pimping his new book and his new role on "The West Wing."

Joel got a sit-down segment to push his new box set and two additional, one song segments. I hope the upcoming concert echoes this mini-set -- semi-obscure older tracks, such as "Everybody Loves You Now" from his first album, "Cold Spring Harbor"; and "Vienna" from his fourth (and, arguably, best) album, "The Stranger." In all the times that I have seen/heard him live, this is the first time that I have heard either of these two songs performed live.

During his interview, I also learned that Billy and I have something else in common. He said:

My family is Jewish; my friends are all Italian; and all the women who ever broke my heart are Irish.

Even Billy knows....dang redheads'll get you every time.

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Final Holiday Post of 2005!

Yesterday, I discovered that my beloved XM Channel 107 is no more. I never really listened to an extended amount of Christmas music before, so I wasn't sure if it ended immediately after December 25 -- or stuck around until New Year's Eve?

Channel 107 was one of my favorite discoveries of 2005. XM called the channel "Special XMas" and it was a non-stop playlist of the most twisted Christmas music you have ever heard. I discovered my new favorite Christmas artist. You can keep the Burl Ives and Bing Crosby tunes. I found Dan Hart! Anyone (apparently) can sing "Santa Claus is Coming to Town," but it takes someone special to sing "Santa is a Psycho" and "Santa Eats Little Kids!" Do you see a theme here? How many issues does this dude have?

They also played a bunch from the Star Wars Christmas Album! Yes...it's as bad as it sounds!

I never thought I would be pining for Christmas music for the next 11 months!

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