Meeting with Mom after work to do will-stuff. She seems particularly enthusiastic to make sure the condo will go to the family rather than the state…. So, If I snuff it under suspicious circumstances, you know who to chase down for questioning, dear journal.

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Pretty Keen Stop Motion video of a guy coasting through his day. I wish Youtube would support higher quality movies.

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Minimum Wage (in Florida) is Currently $6.40. When I took my first Job at Taco Bell, it paid $3.35 and hour – That was back in 1985. (Starting wages at the library were a whopping $4.42, plus super insurance/etc bennies.) I wonder how well each state compares to cost of living expenses?

For “tipped employees” meeting eligibility requirements for the tip credit under the FLSA, employers may count tips actually received as wages under the FLSA, but the employer must pay “tipped employees” a direct wage in an amount equal to the minimum wage of $6.40 minus $3.02 (which, as required by Florida’s Constitution, is the 2003 tip credit existing under the FLSA), or a direct hourly wage of $3.38 on January 1, 2006.

San Fran, California is $8.50… Kansas is $2.65. Six States have no minimum wage laws.

Like the Federal wage and hour law, State law often exempts particular occupations or industries from the minimum labor standard generally applied to covered employment. This information often may be found at the websites maintained by State labor departments. Links to these websites are available at www.dol.gov/esa/contacts/state_of.htm.

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Just a reminder from this entry in 2001 –

This from Webster’s: (see dictionary.com if there’s any doubt)

Main Entry: pum ·per ·nick ·el
Pronunciation: ‘p&m-p&r-“ni-k&l
Function: noun
Etymology: German, from pumpern to break wind + Nickel goblin; from its reputed indigestibility
Date: 1756
: a dark coarse sourdough bread made of unbolted rye flour

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Answer each with 2 words – from sister Kellie –

yourself:   big lug

your car:   city bus

your hair:   going gray

your mother:   still alive

your father:  airborne ash

your favorite item:   cosmic cube

your dream last night:   toothy cars

your favorite drink:   rum punch

your dream home:   securely comfy

the room you’re in:   cleanly cluttered

your pet:  orange monkey

your fear:   hurting others

what you want to be in ten years:  even better

who you hung out with last night:   the Newt!

what you’re not:   eating sharks

your best friends:   are nice

one of your wish list items:   comic book

your gender:   a feller

the last thing you did:  checked lj

what are you wearing:   my clothes

your favorite weather:   cool sleeping

your favorite book:   dandilion wine

the last thing you ate:   chewy cookie

your life:   will improve

your mood:   getting there

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A-Z meme

accent:  Fairly generic, but I pronounce some words oddly – “Noice” for nice, for example.

booze: I don’t really drink, but rum punch is good

chore I hate: cleaning the bathroom

dogs/cats: Newton! The coolest cat within the state of florida, I’d wager.

essential electronics: pda and digicam. the phone can go leap.

favorite perfume/cologne: I don’t currently wear one, and woman’s fragrances depend on the woman.

gold/silver: silver, generally.

hometown: Brockton, MA, USA, but I’ve been in SoFla for ages.

insomnia: infrequent, but I do have some restless nights.

job title:  MIS Director / Child Advocate.

kids: See Newt!

living arrangements: Newt and I live in a 1-bedroom condo. Finally have some space to maneuver!

most admired trait: (in others.. and in myself) basic internal goodness

number of significant relationships: I’m not trying to be a wiseguy when I say that all relationships are significant.

overnight hospital stays: Back surgeries

phobia: nothing that’s at “irrational fear” level.

quotes: “It’s all just a ride” – Bill Hicks

religion:  Agnostic with Athiest leanings.

siblings: one younger bro (I’m 3.5 years older.)

time I usually wake up: workdays – 5:30am, weekends, about 7:30

unusual talent: I can make baby-cry noises that are pretty realistic.

vegetables I refuse to eat: raw tomatoes (I won’t totally refuse, but I’ll resist, a lot!)

worst habit: procrastination

x-rays: when i broke my collarbone

yummy foods I make: all sorts.. veggie stir-fry is a pretty simple but tasty one.

zodiac sign: Aquarius / Earth Monkey

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DVD43 is a free DVD decrypter.

WHAT DOES IT DO?: DVD43 decrypts DVD movies. COMPATIBLE SOFTWARE: Nero Recode, Intervideo DVD Copy, 1Click DVD Copy, Pinnacle DVD Copy, I Copy DVDs, Roxio DVD Copy and many more.

About time.. now I can recover my old, battle-damaged Godzilla DVDs.

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Moment of Lyric (audio at my vox, via bhk! Thanks!)

We’re setting sail to a place on the map
From which no-one has ever returned
Drawn by the promise of the joker and the fool
By the light of the crosses that burned
Drawn by the promise of the women and lace
And the gold and the cotton and pearls
It’s the place where they keep all the darkness you need
You sail away from the light of the world on this trip, baby

You will pay tomorrow
You’re gonna pay tomorrow
You will pay tomorrow

Oh, save me, save me from tomorrow
I don’t want to sail with this Ship of Fools, no, no
Oh, save me, save me from tomorrow
I don’t want to sail with this Ship of Fools
I want to run and hide
Right now

Avarice and greed are gonna drive you over the endless sea
They will leave you drifting in the shallows
Drowning in the oceans of history
Traveling the world, you’re in search of no good
But I’m sure you’ll build your Sodom like you knew you would
Using all the good people for your galley slaves
As your little boat struggles through the warning waves
But you don’t, pay

You will pay tomorrow
You’re gonna pay tomorrow
You’re gonna pay tomorrow

Oh, save me, save me from tomorrow
I don’t want to sail with this Ship of Fools, no, no
Oh, save me, save me from tomorrow
I don’t want to sail with this Ship of Fools, no, no

Where’s it coming from
Oh, Where’s it going now
It’s just a, it’s just a Ship of Fools

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1 year ago – danny, bro, top40, riverwalk autostitched, farcry, sneak peak at Pirates of the Carib2: Davy Jones

2 years ago – Pictures, Newtcam, flipper, Miami population, picasa, alligator as weapon, flash, TMBG, Franco-Prussian war, TU, amber alert/web, php rant, meat hooking, ADP uppity

3 years ago – freeflow, dream, Superman, heart in hand, bear attacks sub

4 years ago – caving dreams, piracy, anagram server, no-longer newt-time icon, irrational deodorant mixing fear, fun hidden camera show, monopoly variants, true porn clerk stories, phobias, paperback cover gallery, 100 years of jell-o ads, missing scary link pic

5 years ago – carom, evil news, fave monopoly token poll, rude awakening, OTR, impressed with flash, and feelin’ romantic

6 years ago – zoe’s bday and loverlips adds