On Friday, the server I use to host web sites was hacked. It took the better part of a day to restore the server from scratch.
Sorry for dropping off the grid for a bit.
Please take this as another reminder to backup your data, online and at home.
How I will celebrate for the next four years
I was optimistic about the election and my wife bought me something special to celebrate.
Yes, for the next four years, I will be drinking those sweet, delicious Republican Tears. Of course, they are best when accompanied by a good rant first.
So keep up the crying, I’m thirsty!
My Election Post
“Americans can always be counted on to do the right thing…after they have exhausted all other possibilities.”
— Winston Churchill
Halloween 2008 with Timelapse Movie
Halloween is today. We gave out full size candy again this year much to the delight of all the trick or treaters.
Once again, I set up my timelapse photography gear and made video of the door from 6:15PM to 9:15PM as I sat there handing out candy. We had some friends stop by during the evening I had help with logging costumes and handing out candy.
Halloween 2008 Timelapse from Michael Pusateri on Vimeo.
As I have in 2005, 2006,and 2007 I asked every person what they were dressed as and wrote down the answers.
Here are the top ten costumes for the last four years compared.
Batman makes a triumphant return to the list and the scream mask disappears.
Here is this year’s costume list, with a total of 150 people.
6 Batman
5 Cat
5 Pirate
5 Skeleton
5 Vampire
4 Snow White
4 Witch
3 Bee
3 Devil
3 Fairy
2 50s Girl
2 Angel
2 Ariel, the Little Mermaid
2 Banana
2 Basketball Player, Lakers
2 Buzz Lightyear
2 Cinderella
2 Darth Vader
2 Jason Vorhees
2 Minnie Mouse
2 Sleeping Beauty
2 Spiderman
2 Tinkerbell
2 Werewolf
1 70s Girl
1 80s Girl
1 Alice in Wonderland
1 Baby
1 Bart Simpson
1 Basketball Player
1 BMX Rider
1 Boxer
1 Bunny
1 Captain
1 Chip & Dales
1 Clown
1 Dark Angel
1 Dead Guy
1 Death
1 Death Joker
1 Dinosaur
1 Dragon Warrior
1 Elephant
1 Elphaba, Wicked Witch of the West
1 Eyore
1 Fireman on Vacation
1 Frankenstein
1 Ghost Lady
1 Glam Witch
1 Hannah Montana
1 Harry Potter
1 High School Musical Cheerleader
1 Hot Rod
1 Incredible Hulk
1 Injured Skater
1 Insane-o Man
1 Invader Zim
1 IT the Clown
1 John McCain
1 Karate Man
1 Kim Possible
1 Knight
1 Leatherface
1 Little Bo Peep
1 Little Dutch Girl
1 Little Red Riding Hood
1 Luchadore
1 Maid
1 Monk
1 Monster
1 Nerd
1 Ninja
1 Olive Oyl
1 Optimus Prime
1 Pink Poodle
1 Pipi Longstocking
1 Policeman
1 Popeye
1 Power Ranger
1 Power Ranger, Blue
1 Power Ranger, Green
1 Power Ranger, Red
1 Princess
1 Ringo Starr
1 Sailor
1 Sanjaya
1 School Girl
1 Scream Mask
1 Secret Jedi
1 Sharpei from High School Musical
1 Skeleton Punk
1 Skunk
1 Supergirl
1 The Hamburglar
1 The Riddler
1 Tofu
1 Ultraman
1 Vampire Priest
1 Wicked Witch
1 Winnie The Pooh
1 Wonder Bread
1 Zombie
1 Zombie Skate Punk
Lame Halloween Candy
On a recent trip to 7-Eleven this weekend I spotted some Halloween themed candy.
Obviously, I was intrigued. Did these candies have something new to them? Could it be peanut butter & pumpkin, together at last?
First I tried the Snickers Creme Pumpkin. New mold in a nice jack-o-lantern shape. But the candy itself tasted just like a regular Snickers. Nothing special at all.
Surely the Reese’s Peanut Butter Pumpkin would be something special. Alas, the mold was lame and the taste no different than a regular Peanut Butter Cup.
We need something more than a new mold folks. Color me unimpressed.
Continued Traveling
I’ve been traveling quite a lot. Two more hotel rooms.
My Hotel Room in Washington DC from Michael Pusateri on Vimeo.
My Hotel Room in Southington, Connecticut from Michael Pusateri on Vimeo.
My Hotel Room in New York
The Millennium Broadway in Manhattan
My Hotel Room in New York from Michael Pusateri on Vimeo.
Mac & Cheese Pancakes
I saw a link to making Mac & Cheese Pancakes on kottke.org. Of course, I had to try it.
Mac & Cheese Pancakes from Michael Pusateri on Vimeo.
Here’s a photo of the pancake from the second batch.
Crispy brown outside, gooey warm mac & cheese inside, fluffy pancake. Breakfast perfection.
Needless to say, Mac & Cheese Pancakes has been added to the menu here at Cruft Manor.
Musical Dryer
Our new clothes dryer plays music when it’s finished.
Musical Dryer from Michael Pusateri on Vimeo.
Seven years
Seven years ago I was awaken by a call from my mother-in-law asking “Did you see? Did you see?”.
Seven years ago I was driving to work, to send everyone home, when I heard on the radio that the Twin Towers had fallen.
In those seven years, I have seen the best and worst of America.
I have seen honest debate about the future of our country, and I have seen citizens call each other traitors simply because they don’t share the same politics.
I have seen America respect it’s military and our dead, but I have also seen America abuse other peoples and their dead.
I have seen America unite in joy and in grief together regardless of race, gender, or politics, and yet at other times question the foundational concept of America that “All men are created equal.”
America, we are a better country than this.
Our forefathers deserve a better legacy that an era of personal name calling and character assassination.
Our descendants deserve a better future than an era focused on fear.
I saw this video today and I’m with on Uncle Sam on looking forward, not back.