Conway's Little Corner

Sacramento Zoo

2009-10-21T21:10:00.000-07:00

It is a great zoo for kids except for the fact that if you have a child in a stroller and they want to see the animal you will have to pick the child up. They have placed the barriers at a height that hampers a childs view. My son had to lay his head down just to be able to see any of the animals except of course for the Giraffe's(his favorites). The parent should not be required to pick the child up for each animal. I know I would like for them to either raise the wooden bars up a few more inches(about 6) or lower them about 4-5 inches. Hopefully the zoo personnel will get to read this and take some action to solve the problem. I did notice that every parent there had to do the same thing I did. My back is now sore from the pick up and put down routine for son.

That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.

Congress working part-time?

2006-04-06T08:32:00.000-07:00

Mr. Abrams has hit the nail so well right on the head. We Americans being of unsound mind by allowing Congress to work whenever they feel like working and letting them have pay raises , need to re-evaluate the voting standards set down. It becomes ridiculous how we allow a group of men and women to take advantage of us. If there were a way to remove people from office for failure to perform there job, it should be done swiftly. Make Congress stand up and listen. I, for one, am so tired of seeing my tax dollar go to waste. Someone has to come up with a way to require Congress to work at least a full 40 hour week or take vacation time. When you run out of vacation time you don't get paid. hmmmm Isn't that what happens to us when we run out of vacation time. It does me and I work for the state. I would like to know how they have the right to work the way they do. Technically they work for me and you and you. So technically we should have the right to fire them for either poor performance or missing work too often.
America Unite!!!

That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.

Butch

Whoops

2006-04-03T16:31:00.000-07:00

I must apologize to all that these are out of sequence but I just realized that I forgot to move a group of the blog from another blog site over and am just now doing it. Make the comments on them if you so desire.

That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.

Butch

Bode's bumbling courts failure

2006-04-03T16:30:00.000-07:00

Come on now! It is the media who hyped up the Bode Miller crap. Yes he is a good skier but not a great skier. He is also an arrogant jerk. He and Michael Weir are so self centered that they believe they are great. The only great thing about them would be their mouths and those are really big. If they were as good as they claim they are then they should have did their job. Their job was to win gold for the U.S. and not for themselves. The Olympics are international and they represent our country. Competitors use to be proud to win for the country. We need to get back to that. Speaking of conceit, you could even include that Shani Davis. People like them only hurt the sport of the Olympics with their conceit and arrogance. If they don't want to compete for their country then they should not be there.

That's my story and I'm stickin to it.

Butch

Rebates everywhere, but where's the money?

2006-04-03T16:29:00.000-07:00

Whiners! I have been doing rebates for quite a few year and have only had a couple not show up. One being my own fault for failure to fill the form out correctly and provide all the necessary proof. If they say it will take 6-8 weeks it usually does. Be patient. You are not the only one wanting the rebate. Always make a copy and when the time period is up and nothing shows make sure you call and explain to them that you did not get the rebate and you would like to talk to a supervisor. If that supervisor cannot provide you with the proper answer that is satisfactory to you then ask to speak to their supervisor. Always remember that everyone has someone they have to report to about problems they cannot handle. Of course I only had to do this once and was completely satisfied and my check came just a few days later. The point is that if you speak to someone who just answers the phone, you will probably get the runaround. So request to speak to a supervisor and more than likely you will get the answer you need because they know if you go over their head then they will be reprimanded for poor customer satisfaction. I do that whenever I feel I am getting the runaround.
When it comes to money you must be bold to get your satisfaction.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Butch

Cleric offers reward to kill cartoonist

2006-04-03T16:28:00.001-07:00

Once again the intelligence level of the muslim world is prevalent. Although the cartoon was a very very stupid thing to do, should people die from it? Look what our world is turning into! It is okay for an individual to go around killing people on a constant basis but it is not okay to provide humor in a situation of continual sadness. Will Rogers is probably rolling over in his grave. Of course as Americans we must understand that there is no such thing as 'freedom of speech' in the muslim world. We have to respect that just as they 'should' respect our various religions of which one is muslim. The muslim leaders need to step in and adjust the situation to a calmness. The cartoon is not worth the death of another human or any other creature for that matter. The human race has to realize that God is within all of us and not just in one religion. It is said that Jesus disappeared for something like 7 years. Why couldn't he have ventured to other countries and brought his beliefs to them. They could very easly have refered to Jesus as Mohammad or maybe Allah. That thought process is not as far reaching as many people would tend to believe.
Once again America is trying to step in where they do not belong. This situation is between the country of Denmark and the Muslim religion. Let them settle this in as peaceful as manner as can be.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Butch

Ann Curry's commentary on the Today Show

2006-04-03T16:28:00.000-07:00

So true Ms. Curry. Although I tend to believe that the 'press' is allowed too much freedom of speech in certain cases, there are items that we all should know about to get a better understanding of what is going on. If Americans became upset at some of the cartoons published in our newspapers and started killing each other over it, our population would be extremely small. Sometimes other countries take the religion thing one step to far. Yes, there is a God and yes we all have our own beliefs but to kill each other over it is not what religion is about. Or is it. The MidEast has been killing each other over religion for thousands of years and probably will continue doing so no matter how much America interferes. Their problems have nothing to do with America and America does need to step back and let them work it out. Never can tell, they may do that one day.
What Sadaam did had nothing to do with religion no matter what any mideasterner may say. It was just down right murder because people did not do what he and his cronies liked or wanted. The battle between Isreal and Palestine is a religious confrontation. A wants B's land and believe B does not even belong. B wants what they believe God gave them; the land they have occupied for a thousand years. So they fight over it.
Sadaam needs to be irradicated. Unfortunately we have let this man remain alive because of the world's belief that he should stand trial. Think about it, did he provide the people he killed with a trial. I think not. We all know what he did and now the world is paying to keep him alive. hmmm Sounds just like what we do America, i.e. In America, a thousand people could watch someone kill someone else and then we will spend a fortune keeping that individual alive for what they did. We call it human rights. hmmm The world is now following suit on that. Unfortunately some of us have stronger beliefs about paybacks.

That's my story and I'm stickin to it.

Butch

Prince says yes to London, no to Paris

2006-04-03T16:27:00.000-07:00

Well, Jeannette Walls delivered good news for us. If Prince doesn't care for Paris Hilton, he moved up half a notch on my scale. But then just because he headed out of the 'house' does not mean he doesn't like her but that she mentioned his name and his being in the 'house'. Maybe just maybe he didn't want the publicity at the time.
Wow!! I never know Scientology belonged to Tom Cruise. Why does the media continually make these type of statements. Tom Cruise is part of the Scientology religion and it is not 'his' religion. Pay attention to what you say Jeannette, not that I agree or disagree with Scientology, as that religion belongs to other people not me.
And who really cares if McConaughey uses deodorant. None of us will ever get close enough to check that out anyway.

Sometimes the 'good' media acts just like the 'Star' or that other tabloid. Give the people some worthwhile news. And quit harping on Dick Cheney and the shooting. We now know about it and constantly repeating the same words over and over only becomes irritating. Make the statement and go on with some new news. Unfortunately we overextend the use of the 'freedom of speech'.

That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.

Butch

Gonzales makes case for surveillance program

2006-04-03T16:26:00.000-07:00

Surveillance within the U.S. has been going on for many, many years. When the 'Black Vault' first was initiated is when it all mainly started. NSA is here to protect not to destroy U.S. citizens. If you don't want the 'company' spying on you then be American and not of another country or for another country. You're an American citizen so act like one. NSA only spies on those they feel threaten the well being of the U.S. They do not 'go' after the normal citizen, but the problem makers. And they rightly should do that. So should the FBI and the CIA for that matter. If you have nothing to hide then nothing will happen and you will not be spied on by them. NSA spies on just about anyone in the world one way or another, whether it be by satellite, cameras or phone bugs if there is just cause. Those that are whining about what NSA does, need to get off their high horse and just shut up. If they are raising this much stink about it then they must have something to hide and don't want the nation to know.
Whether what NSA does is legal or not is a good question. Of course by law it isn't 'legal' but I am glad that we have someone covering our backs. Their style of spying is in a grey area. All countries spy on other countries but you don't see the U.S. citizen whining about the fact that the Russians or the Japanese or the English are spying on them. Just the fact that we are spying on our fellow Americans. If you're going to whine about one country doing it then you need to whine about all the countries doing it. If the U.S. is spying on you, more than likely other countries are also spying on you. They also want to know what you're doing in case it is something against them.
Wake up America and help the country, not whine about what it is doing to you.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Butch

The Evil Empire is alive and well

2006-04-03T16:25:00.000-07:00

C'mon Mr. Celizic you're too nice to the Yankee's. I've been a Yankee fan since the middle 50's and always will be no matter what happens. I look at this year as the year of the Yankee conceit. The lineup is like a 'murder's row' with St. Louis. They should get at least 4 .300 hitters, 250 homers, a crap load of doubles and score a large amount of runs with this staff. But with no pitching to mention of and the conceit of the stars it just may backfire on George. He has paid way too much money for them as they will be great ballplayer for their time but not worth that much.
I will always argue the fact that all ballplayers in todays baseball are whining babies. The disable list is abused by all players. But that is another story.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Butch

Jackie's daughter says don't retire Clemente's 21

2006-04-03T16:20:00.001-07:00

She and Frank are so right with not retiring Roberto's number. He was a fantastic ballplayer and would have probably set records that would be extremely hard to catch if not for the wreck. He showed baseball what can be done if you have the determination to accomplish that goal. But to retire his number is really stretching it. They did not retire Babe Ruth's number nor Henry Aaron nor Lou Gehrig's nor Cal Ripken's and they set great records. Let's leave the situation as is.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it

Butch

Bonds blows off WBC to pursue HR record

2006-04-03T16:20:00.000-07:00

Wow to Mr. Celizic! That was a tough statement on Mr. Bonds and his conceitfulness. And yes Mr. Bonds is a very self center individual. Once he saw that he could actually break the record is when his whole body structure started changing. Think about it. At one time I use to watch baseball a lot. Now I watch it rarely and just read about it. But I do remember when Mr. Bonds body looked nothing like what it does now. He has enhanced his strength somehow through weightlifting workouts or something else that he has been accused of doing. I can't really judge him on what people say he has done. I have no clue what he has done except for what the press says he has done. I think his pulling out of the WBC was very unamerican. He needs to reconsider what he has done and sacrifice a little. It is so surprising that the players of today can not handle the pain and playing with that pain. One example of playing with pain would be Lou Gehrig and the amount of pain he must of suffered with all those broken bones(17) in his right hand yet he played every game in that pain. And then there is Mickey Mantle. The man had to be wrapped from ankle to crotch on both legs just to be able to play and he did. There were quite a few others but then I would be going on about the same thing. But what we have in todays baseball world are a group of whining grown men that have difficulty handling the pain of a hang nail and have to be out for a few days to recover. With the amount of money they are being paid to play they should either play or have money taken from them for each day they don't play. For some of them that would be a lot while others very little. As it is, a few of them make more in one hour of work than an lot of us do in a year. They are good and they are crowd attractions but not to that extent. When was the last time you heard that a pitcher finished an entire game and was paid a small fortune. Very rarely whereas in the 60's and before, that was a common thing and is actually in the books. What about the ERA? Remember Bob Gibson, Harvey Haddix, and the like. Mr. Gibson still holds the record of the lowest ERA I believe. Mr. Haddix pitched all those innings(12) of shutout ball just to lose the game.

Well enough jibber jabber.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Butch

NBA suspends Knicks' Davis five games

2006-04-03T16:19:00.000-07:00

Wow, a 5 game suspension is a little steep. Maybe a 2 game to show the players that the NBA will not tolerate any player going pass the court/stands barrier. I know I would have done the same thing if it had been my wife. I truly believe that he did an outstanding job not losing his temper. I think I probably would have lost mine and grabbed the guy. As far as drinking goes I can only assume. Axelrod claims he was not drunk but isn't it odd that not only he was removed but so were several others around him. What is with the sue thing? Sue for what? Because he was scared he was going to be hurt by a woman(not trying to male chauvanist). Oh yea she was yelling at him and it looked like she was going to scratch him. The man needs to go home and get his man card back from his wife. Hopefully the courts will not listen to this type of case and waste the taxpayer money. Technically she could counter sue him as a threat to her person. Axelrod needs to figure out that it is a game and only a game. Life does not rely on the outcome of that game. Take a chill pill and go on with life.
As a note: Alcoholic beverages should be removed from sporting events for the safety of the fans as well as the players. If you want to drink and watch a game then do it at home where it is safe. Anyway drinking and driving is against the law. What needs to be checked now is if Axelrod got into a car and drove home after drinking. If so then he just broke the law and needs to go to jail.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Butch

Torre insane to return to Bronx Zoo

2006-04-03T16:12:00.001-07:00

A large amount of the blame should go to the team more than to Torre. Of course I still believe Joe will leave a pitcher in longer than he should. The percentage of coming out okay is not in the pitchers favor if he is getting pounded by the other team. The team has a great group of players of all star quality and contrary to popular belief they do play well together. Of course sometimes a team just has to have a loud mouth(Gary Sheffield) who on occasion can fire up a team. But Sheffield is not near as good as he thinks.
It is the team that is failing the organization not the manager. These are grown men and they need to work together at the right moments. Of course I am an old die hard Yankee fan from the 50's and will always be one no matter how bad the standing indicate they are playing. There are a few on the team that I believe are not 'Yankee's'(Mike Mussina, Mike Myers, Melky Cabrera, Carl Pavano, Tanyon Sturtze, Sean Henn, Jorge DePaula, Jason Giambi, Shawn Chacon and Gary Sheffield).

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Butch Conway

No way Marcus Vick should be allow in the NFL or any other sport.

2006-04-03T16:12:00.000-07:00

Throughout time we have had mixed feelings about the people of the sports world. In the 'old days' we let the minor problems go, i.e. Mickey Mantle and Babe Ruth with alcohol. But when it came to embarrassing the sport they were in, we were always able to punish them severely for what they did i.e. Pete Rose, The Black Sox. Now we have no will power to punish. Well the steriod thing maybe which is really an odd punishment. We are banning people from their sport for the use of steriods but not other illegal drugs. hmmmm What is wrong with that picture. You can do cocaine over and over and get your hand slapped but god help you if you do steriods. Once again the sports world will prove how ignorant they can be. The man has a police record and not a nice one, yet there will be a good chance they will let him play the sport. All sports have at one time or another forgiven the sports figure just to let him/her to do it again, i.e. Steve Howe, Daryl Strawberry. Football and Baseball are the worse of the bunch. You do drugs you should be gone, you get a police record you should be gone. Contrary to what sport figures think they are, they are an amusement that we as a society have set aside to enjoy. Sort of like the gladiator days of old. But having the kind soft heart that the weak human has we also enjoy given them another chance to hurt someone else or themselves. Obviously having a police record did not stop Vick from continuing to add to it. Now he gets the notoriety of being a 'bad' boy football player and the media has picked up on it and have now increased his signing bonus for the NFL as people will now go just to see the 'bad' boy play. Isn't it odd that we seem to enjoy rewarding people for the bad things they do and then for others electrocute them. What a screwed up society. I could go on and on about the subject of bad people in sports who get away with their crimes but then we would run out of time in the day to read it all.

That's part of my story and I'm sticking to it.

Butch

Players unanimously approve steroid policy

2006-04-03T16:10:00.000-07:00

Talk about odd reasonings. They will put a ban on steriod use with really good punishment if caught yet they do little about the more illegal drugs like cocaine. Steve Howe of the Dodger/Yankee clubs was 'caught' on 7 occasions and nothing was really done to him as a punishment except tell him he needs to go to rehab and can't play for a few games. Same with Dwight Gooden and Daryl Strawberry to name a couple more.
I do agree whole heartly about the steriod punishments except it should be limited to 2. Caught the first time would be stupid and the second time would be moronic and you're gone permanently.
If you are going to punish for one drug then you must punish for the others. Punishment 'A' should not be a tougher punishment then 'B'.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Butch Conway

2006-04-03T16:09:00.000-07:00

Bruce Willis/16 Blocks

2006-04-03T16:07:00.000-07:00

Come on Ms. Newman get a clue on that statement about '16 Blocks' with Bruce Willis. He is an action star. It is an action film. I do believe the action titles have pretty much ran their course over history. So now we watch for the good guy to win as always or maybe the special effects. Acting nor the storyline have anything to do with the movies anymore. Some of the worse movies out there have made it to number 1 in sales over a weekend. It wasn't because of the acting nor the storyline.
Willis does comedy nicely, not great but nice, as he can be funny. He does drama somewhat nicely and he does action great. One of the best probably.
For storylines we need to ignore that they are a repeat of a different story with the same results.
Of course I do realize that you have your opinion and I have mine but I do need to blog something and your story just happen to catch my eye. There is nothing really wrong with your story but was it needed. Not likely.

That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.

Butch

March of the Penquins

2006-03-30T14:09:00.000-08:00

This may be a documentary but watching it made me think of the difficulties I have and that they don't compare anywhere near to watch the penquin has. It is amazing how they survive each winter doing the same thing. It's like a ritual to them. Ya gotta see this. It is about one hour long and worth the time.
I gave this a 4.5 out 5.

That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.

Butch

8 Below

2006-03-30T14:07:00.000-08:00

This was a really good movie. I enjoyed how they were able to show how the dogs survived. It was based on a true story. The dogs they chose were beautiful animals and obviously well trained. The humans had little to do with the movie except for the rescue mainly. Near the end will surprise you a little and there is one scene in it, around the middle, that will scare the crap out of you. It looked like everyone including me jumped out of their seat when it happened. The music was pretty good also.
I gave this a 4.1 out of 5. Would have been higher but the humans had no clue how to act.

That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.

Butch

Just Like Heaven

2006-03-30T14:06:00.000-08:00

Want a cute love story movie? This one is it. Same ol' storyline but Mark Ruffalo and Reese Witherspoon did well together. She drove him up the wall appearing and disappearing and trying to tell him what to do. For the single guys it is a great movie for the date. For the married people it is just plain cute and the wife will love it.
Gave it a 4.0 out of 5.

That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.

Butch

Wedding Daze

2006-03-30T14:04:00.000-08:00

Oh my god.

Stupid, really stupid made for TV movie. Stars Karen Valentine(from Room 222) and John Laroquette(from Night Court). Way past overacting by the entire staff. What were they thinking when they came up with this idea. Don't watch it. It will bring you to tears.
Gave this one a 1 out of 5 only because of the known actors.

That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.

Butch

Elizabethtown

2006-03-30T14:03:00.000-08:00

Yeah I know. Get a life Butch.

I don't see where the critics got their info but the movie wasn't that bad. Orlando Bloom did a nice job of acting with quite a few lines. It deals with when things can go wrong they all go wrong. Orlando and Kirsten Dunst play a good role of cutesy cutesy stuff. Of course Kirsten drove me nuts with her hyperness in it. She played her role with a lot of enthusiasm. Poor Orlando had to endure the entire family thing throughout the whole show and did well in the acting category. No academy award acting but nice.
I gave this one a 3.8 out 5.

That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.

Butch

Miracle on the 17th Green

2006-03-30T14:02:00.000-08:00

One of Robert Urich's last movies and it was a made for TV movie. To this day I still say he should have never left 'Spencer for Hire'. It is probably worth seeing but don't get to enthralled with it. Acting never made it past average and wherever they found the golf course it should be embarassed with the way it was kept. A cow pasture looked as manicured as that course did.If ya got the time to waste then watch it but I didn't say so.
I gave it a 2 out 5 only because of Urich.

That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.

Butch

Murder on the Border

2006-03-30T14:00:00.000-08:00

The murder was this movie. All unknown actors trying to make a start of it I guess. Hopefully they didn't quit their day job. The first 2 minutes was pretty good and then it went downhill really fast. They sounded like they were in an echo chamber. Very poor sound quality to go along with the acting.

Gave this one a .5 out of 5.

That was only because I felt sorry for the director.That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.

Butch

The Man

2006-03-30T13:55:00.000-08:00

Well here is another gut splitter. Eugene Levy was a riot. Of course he was typical Eugene Levy but you would have to be sick not to laugh at this one. Samuel Jackson was also a great straight man for the movie. Levy plays a dental supply salesman at a convention and is in the wrong place at the wrong time. Typical but hilarious. Some of the scenes were as crazy as you can get.
Gave this a 4.0 for the comedy and the way it was carried off.

That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.

Butch

The 40 year old Virgin

2006-03-30T13:53:00.000-08:00

Lordy be on this one. I did not want to watch this as I just felt it would be one really stupid comedy. But not so. I laughed my head off at the problems this guy ended up having when he befriends fellow workers who find out he is a virgin. I would not have wanted to be in his shoes. And he acted just like he was a virgin so that part was pulled off(no pun intended) quite nicely. The friendship he develops with his co-workers is something that could happen to anyone.
This is a must see if you haven't taken the time to see it.
I gave it a 4.3 just because I couldn't help laughing my arse off.

That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.

Butch

PS: It is also a good love story.

A History of Violence

2006-03-30T13:31:00.000-08:00

This was a very good movie. It had romance, a little gore, drama, explicit sex(and I mean explicit) and a really good storyline. The girls will get to enjoy seeing Viggo's butt and if he had moved his hand even more. The men would enjoy the view of Maria Bella coming out of the bathroom after a shower and the sex scene on the stairway. Even that surprised me a little. Kinda looked at my wife and said - are they really doing it cause it sure does look like it. Maria plays the wife/mother scenes really good. Ed Harris did a really fine job as a mobster hitman. William Hurt was a riot as a small time crime boss. And Lance Henrikson play a really nasty bad guy. The fight scene with the son and a bully was great.
Well I wish I could tell ya more but then you may not want to see it. I gave this a 4.5 out 5 for the graphic gore, the acting, the storyline and the locale. The sex part I gave a 5 out of 5.

That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.

Butch

The Constant Gardner

2006-03-30T12:44:00.000-08:00

Well, finally they made a movie about something that is important in this crazy world. Ralph Fiennes did a great job of being the distraught husband. Rachel Wiesz did a good job but not even academy award nomination style. There will a lot of actors/actress' that you will recognize but don't know their names. I'm the same way. 'Hey I know that guy" will enter your head numerous times. Anyway, the storyline deals with prescription drugs and the overpricing and misuse of the drugs by the drug manufacturers. The storyline was good but the book was better. It did follow the book fairly close but they added a couple things to spice up the movie. Unfortunately the acting in these was limited by all. I would rate this one about 3.9 or maybe 4.0 out of 5. Watch it, you will enjoy it.

Thats my story and I'm stickin' to it.

Butch

Proof

2006-02-15T09:52:00.000-08:00

Another great movie to watch. The entire cast did an excellent job of acting. Jake Gyllenhaal was a little shakey at first but his acting improved substantially. The story deals with the death of a great mathematician(Sir Anthony Hopkins) and the effects his work had on others, especially his daughter(Gwyneth Paltrow). Sir Anthony did his normal job of being a great actor. Gwyneth probably did her best job of acting ever in this one. And she definitely looks different without so much make-up. I was ready to reach through the TV and chock Hope Davis(the sister). She did a superb job as a overbearing caring older sister. The movie had similarities to 'A Beautiful Mind' but instead of one actor being good, this one had an entire cast. It is a must see.I gave this 4.9 out of 5.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Butch

Wildwings Golf Course

2006-02-12T15:48:00.000-08:00

For those who live in the Sacramento/Woodland/Davis area and play golf, I would like to tell you about a great course. Wildwings golf course located about 5 miles west of Woodland on Highway 16 makes for a nice challenging course. The designer placed hazards strategically to give you the opportunity to think about your shot. If I hit a driver will I be able to make it over the water, should I stay to the left or take the chance, or maybe this one, should I hit to the back of the green and let it roll down or play safe and put it up front? Don't worry -things always come out as they are played, just not to your advantage sometimes.
The first hole is a good starter with you being given the choice of going to the right or if accurate enough, taking a short cut left with the possibility of your ball going for a swim. If you go right you have to deal with the large tree located about where your ball would hit the ground. I always aim to the right of the tree. That isn't necessarily where my ball goes but the intent is there.
Hole Two is a short par 3 with a bunker on the right and a hill on the left and a little further left the highway. I seem to go left and land on top of the hill. Then chip on and take my 4 very happily.
Hole Four is a long par 5 that is very deceiving because it just doesn't look that far till you get to your first drive and realize that you are still over 250 yards away. That may not seems far for the more talented golfer but for the average golfer that is a minimum of 2 more shots to get there; hopefully. Pointer for everyone is don't mess up your drive as there is water again and it is out there about the distance of a short drive so it is either lay up short and then go over the water and add a stroke or go for it to get over the water. I've been lucky enough to make it over each time. My golf buddy hasn't been as fortunate.
The entire course is this way. You can't help but love going out there to beat that course.
Ah, I forgot to tell about the greens. Every single green is a challenge for your eyesight and judgement of ball speed. Ya gotta be careful of your speed or you could be even further from the hole then you started. And there is not a level green out there.
Hopefully I have given you a bit of an incentive to head in that direction and enjoy a good game with your best buddy.
The Pro, John Hoag, is an extremely nice individual to meet as well as the staff. Grab a hotdog or two and head out to the first tee. Check out their website and the coupons they offer. Right now is the perfect time to play. They have a deal going right now that for $69 you can play 10 games at 9 holes per game. Comin' now, that's quite a deal at $6.90 per 9 holes of golf. You won't find that anywhere else.

Butch

New Orleans crisis

2005-09-21T10:42:00.000-07:00

Wouldn't you think that the levee problem would be that of the Mayor of NewOrleans. The condition of the levee is a local issue and not a federal issue altho it has now become a federal issue. The Mayor and the former Mayors of New Orleans probably should have thought of this problem way before the federal government. More than likely there have been no Presidents that have memorized a speech. When President Bush made his speech and looked down at the paper a lot showed you that he is no different except I don't think he reviews his speech before giving it and others probably have. He happens to be a politician just like the mayor and governor are. Bush has no excuse for having not caught this earlier than he did but he didn't and he is trying to play catch-up now. Not a good sign for a president.The Mayor stood in front of a TV camera crying as to where is federal government. What was that!!? He is the Mayor of a city and has yet to act like one. There is looting everywhere there was flooding and he wanted the federal troops to come in and help. What happened to his police force? Where were the parish authorities? How about the Louisana Highway Patrol. We saw none of these anywhere. That should have been the first line of defense against the looting, raping and destruction. Then would come the state national guard followed by the federal government. The chain was broken instantly by the mayor and the governor. What happened to all theprisoners in the different parrish jails. My understanding(and that is hearsay only) is the mayor granted the release of the prisoners so they would not be caught in the flood. Duh!! If this really did happen we can now say New Orleans and the surrounding area are in a little bit of trouble. Maybe that is where some of the looting started.
Now lets talk about the price for the repair. The price of 262 billion is a little on the steep side. Yes there will need to be repairs but that is an outrageous amount. I would believe in the billions but not that much. Did no one in New Orleans have insurance? If the insurance companies have to pay out and then the government also fork out 262 billion then something is wrong with this picture. I live in an area where I am 30 miles from a lake that they believe will flood one day. So they have decided to require that all homeowners in the flood zone have flood insurance. The lake as never flooded but just in case. Somebody is thinking of gouging the prices maybe.
Speaking of gouging! Increasing the oil prices because a few derricks were destroyed is a little on the gouging side I do believe. Then to blame it on the storm. We have had other storms and the price of oil was not determined by that no matter what damage it did. Just a good reason to increase the price once again and have something to blame it on. We do not rely on the oil for the gulf. And neither does OPEC. America needs to quit bowing to this treatment and finally stand up and do something about it. Now the price has increased again because of the 'possibility' what Rita may do. Why are American letting this crap happen to them? We use to have the guts to stand up and say no. Are we becoming a weak nation that will cower and do as we are told even tho it is not to our benefit.

Stand up America!!

That's it for me.
I'm off my little soapbox.
I love my country and will always be on and off the soapbox till someone hears me.

Cinderella Man

2005-08-18T18:23:00.000-07:00

What a movie! Russell Crowe was outstanding in the portrayal of American boxer James Braddock. He brought out the kindness that Braddock was known to have displayed yet his great determination was portrayed even better. Paul Giamatti should be getting a supportive actor nomination out this one. He put his heart into this role as he has in the last 3 movies. Renee Zellweger did an alright role play. I think if she had been a mother in real life she may have pulled it off much better. As Braddock's loving wife she was just outstanding. Craig Bierko's part as Max Baer was also in the outstanding category. You have to watch his eyes and facial features. The boxing scenes looked very real although having boxed in the golden gloves numerous times, I can tell you that if you hit me that hard I know I would go down.This is a must see movie!! I would rate this one about a 4.7 out of 5 just for the acting by Paul and Russell.

That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.

Butch

Ladder 49

2005-04-14T20:19:00.000-07:00

Joaquin Phoenix is fantastic. "You will follow his character on a journey. You experience his first thrills on the job: the conquest of danger, the adrenaline rush of heroism, and the satisfaction of knowing you're helping people and saving lives. You meet his friends, watch him fall in love, and become a father. In horror you watch as these same friends and comrades die or become severely maimed. Like the main character, you too now feel the burdon, the wrestling with hard choices, and the sacrifices that must be made. I was stunned by the non-Hollywood ending. Expect to be hit hard with a somber, emotional punch."(Those words could not describe it any better and are a quote from another reviewer). John Travolta played an extremely good role as the Captain of Engine 33. Jacinda Barrett was marvelous as the love of Joaquin's life as well as his wife. She looked and played the role with her full heart in it. You are definitely not watching "Backdraft". Ladder 49 shows reality at its best and worst. This was a good movie and worth watching so I gave it a 4.0 out of 5.

That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.

Butch

Let's talk about red ink

2005-04-05T14:47:00.000-07:00

I read in CCN.com that there are states now trying to stop teachers using red ink to grade papers. This is suppose to be demeaning to students. Teachers should use a more subtle color like purple as an example.
Give me a break!!! Who is in control here? The student or the teacher?
I do believe that the American is getting a little too sensitive about simple things. In all actuality, a color is a color. Red ink has been used by the teacher for many years and probably longer than the complainers have been alive.
If the student doesn't like the red ink then that student needs to get over it!! And so should the parent. The red ink is not demeaning but instructive. It points out the errors made by the student or even makes a point of letting the student know what can be done to solve the error. They just needed something to whine about I guess.

And now you have my opinion for what little it counts.

Butch

California Educational System and the Governor

2005-03-30T10:17:00.000-08:00

Link

I spent 30 years not voting as I just have difficulty believing anything any politician has to say. It seems rare that they ever back up anything they promise. Once again our California Governor has said one thing and completed just the opposite. Of course we can never tell if he is a Democrat or Republican. He has taken the educational system and is trying to revamp a system that took years to work(not saying that it is working) overnite. Teachers are a shortage in this state yet he is laying them off. Why not lay off some of the administrators and save even more money. Now the overall reason I blame him and not the office is because he promised not to touch the educational system. Our kids have a difficult time trying to handle school; peer pressure and life in general. As an older individual I do feel they have no clue what actual suffering means but then it is a new age. Most have both parents working or just not caring what happens to them. Don't get me wrong. I don't feel sorry for our kids but I do for the teachers and the parents treat the teacher as a babysitter for their kids. My wife teaches and loves her job. She works extremely hard trying to get her students to understand the english language. Oh forgot, she is an' english ' as a second language teacher. Her students speak the language but have difficulty in forming the correct way of speaking. She has approximately 90 students of which about 25 fail each year. But do to laws, they are moved to the next grade even tho they have yet to understand what they were just taught.
I can't claim to be anywhere near an expert on the educational system nor the political system but I do know when things are not going the way they should be. We have allowed politics to guide our educational system instead of the ones that actually do the job. Even the educational administration higher echelon is political. I need to better myself and the hell with the kids is their thought pattern.
The political system has their hand in just about everything. That is very unfortunate as we need to let those who are in the trenches teach the administrators what needs to be done to fix the educational system. Most administrators have never taught in a classroom and have no clue what needs to be done but they sure can listen to a survey and screw it up.
We need to explain to the Governor that he needs to quit parading around in his 'Hummer' and start working out the kinks. With the gas prices as they are, he has the nerve to show off one of his Hummers. And of course people eat that up.

So there ya go.
I'm off my soapbox for a few minutes.

Taxi

2005-03-30T10:09:00.000-08:00

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This turns out to be about an average movie as far as the script goes. The comedy with Queen Latifah is great. Thought I would wake my neighbors up, I was laughing so hard and loud. The car chase scenes were great. Probably one of the better put on the screen or in this case DVD. The comedy and the car chase scenes make it worth watching. Just don't think about the script. I would rate this one 3.8 out of 5.

That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.

Butch

Robots

2005-03-30T10:01:00.000-08:00

What a cartoon! Great cast of voices. Great animation. One that every adult and kid should see. It brings across a point of unity is the best thing. Robin Williams did his usual great vocals. You must take your kids to see this one. Or you can go alone and still enjoy it. I gave it a 4.1 out of 5.

That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.

Butch

The Last Nail

2005-03-17T12:58:00.000-08:00

The Last Nail

And I thought my 1054 sq ft house was small. Great article Jay. When remodeled the kitchen entirely floor to ceiling(new cabinets, new counter top(corian of course) and had a wood floor put in). Then she decided that she wanted a wood floor dining room, hallway and 'bingo' livingroom. Gee with all this new stuff we need a new stove. And how about a new frig. If your getting those you might as well get a new dishwasher to go along with the new sink. All right finally she is done. Nope now she had a breakfast bar added with lots of shelving. Why so many shelves? Wow for the new China we are buying(bought now). Finally she is done this time. Nope now she feels that the colonial chairs in the livingroom need to be replaced. So she gets a large two person chair and ottoman. But only she is allowed to use it. hmmmm Conspiracy is in the making. So now we are broke and she wants to know where the money went. hmmmmm
So I kinda know what your going thru with that house. Bet your having fun too.

Butch Conway
you all can blog me at Conway's Little Corner. I just started mine and am still adding to it.

Government politics - Federal, State, Local

2005-02-23T20:21:00.000-08:00

Have you ever noticed that the largest amount of politicians are in the upper class in monetary value. They actually regulate how much money you make and/or pay. Think about it. We are not the ones that say what the gas price will be. We are not the ones that will determine what the percentage rate will be. We can argue with the realtor or car dealer but in the end people like Alan Greenspan will determine the prices for us. When America was first established our forefathers did not charge us for being our politicians. They performed their political duties free of charge. And they were rich! hmmm Makes you wonder why the present day politicians charge us for their salaries and their inept abilities to survive on their own. Our forefathers were the genuis' that helped establish the rules we were to live by. Of course they didn't ask our permission to do this but as we look back at what they wrote, we must give thanks to them. Unfortunately our present day politicians have misinterpreted so many of those rights that they have changed what the government was really meant to be. Yes, it is a different world now but the rules did not need to be changed. If viewed correctly(my opinion only) the rules changed to become an advantage point for the politician. They pass bills that ultimately favor what they personnally want not what we want. Example is the income tax. This little rule snuck by because it was crammed into another bill that passed and bingo we now have to claim income tax. And it goes to the government not us. We even have to claim what we got back from the government for paying too much the previous year. Our forefathers set it up to be interpreted that our government would be a self supporting government. Yeah right! Greed of the politician has taken over and we the people will be the ones that suffer. How many politicians do you think will pay the government money on April 15th. About 10 percent would be a good estimate. Most have accountants that have the capability of finding loopholes in the system so their customer does not pay the government but the accountant. It becomes a win/win situation for them.
We the people need to realize that upper level politicians get paid the big bucks to live in free housing, get free protection for life, get a retirement pension having served only 4 years, free transportation and to top it all off, their immediate families will be provided the same. That is the tax dollar set up by the politician paying for all of those services. Where did we go wrong? The politician sees the people of the United States has weak people that need guidance to survive. They believe that we have limited intelligence and will believe what they say even tho they do not back it up or will do the exact opposite of what they have told us. Sure wish we could get our government back.

My name is Butch Conway and I love my country

Die Hard Trilogy

2004-06-02T15:03:00.000-07:00

Action, action and more action. Acting is not what this film is about. It deals with the 'what else can go wrong' theory. John Mclain seems to be in the wrong place at the wrong time in each movie. The trials and tribulations that he goes thru to help end a crisis are just seem unsurmontable. Luckily we don't have to deal with things like that in the real world. The newsman plays a good role as a total pain in the arse. Loved what Bonnie Bedelia did when she punched him. Vel Johnson did a really good of acting also. Bruce had some really good one liners and pulled them off very nicely. For action I would give this at least a 4.5 out of 5. For acting probably a 2.0. Just my opinion tho.

That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.

Butch