Strikes, Spares & Splits

Agawam Bowl Holiday Team Tournament entry form now online!

2009-11-11T08:03:00.001-05:00

Agawam Bowl’s Holiday Team Tourney entry form is now available at CG. A $1,500 first prize is promoted, based on 50 entries. Take a look, find your team and send in your entry form today!

watch CG!

2009-11-08T12:55:00.001-05:00

…information on Agawam Bowl’s upcoming Holiday Team Tournament will be posted at CG this week! A great time will be had by all who enter this fabulous tourney! Cash prizes, too!

Information and entry forms will be published this week, so stay tuned for more details!

Yes, I’m alive

2009-10-18T09:52:00.001-04:00

…but having the time to sit and really update the site has been a challenge! Nevertheless, an update is underway. It’ll include a new, defunct center as well as some tweaks to the visual offerings here. It’s not going to be huge, but it’s something!

We’ve been playing with Twitter, as evidenced by the feed on the index page. And we like it. You’ll see more posts there. But we haven’t abandoned the blog—we’ll get back to proper updates soon. Gee, where have we heard that before?

crashing FireFox?

2009-09-04T23:04:00.001-04:00

We’ve had reports of CG crashing FireFox’s latest edition. If you’ve had this trouble, please contact us today. We have yet to see this issue with our copy of FF, so we’d like to hear other users’ issues with it.

possibly an association with the Twins would be more appropriate...

2009-08-30T08:03:00.004-04:00

...considering the work we do for the Rock Cats!

maybe we can get a sponsorship from the Red Sox?

2009-08-30T07:57:00.001-04:00

congrats go to…

2009-08-26T23:10:00.001-04:00

…the team that cheated my team out of 4 points to get into the finals. They won our summer league tonight, and I’m pretty steamed about it. Truly, I’ve never been this angry about losing—and please spare me the “sour grapes” routine. I don’t get upset about losing honestly, but I do get upset when my guys get screwed.

I wish I could make it up to my teammates. This is really an awful way to end the season. Damn it all to hell.

any ideas on these?

2009-08-19T11:55:00.004-04:00

Would you happen to have any idea on the location of these 3 lanes? We're told these two pictures show the "oldest operating automatic candlepin lanes in the country" but we have no idea where they are! Our sources tell us the pictures were taken in Massachusetts, but sadly, the town has yet to be confirmed.

Are you an eagle-eyed CG fan? Do you see any clues? Can you help? If so, contact CG today!

cool new video!!!

2009-08-04T17:20:00.001-04:00

A really cool new video just popped up on YouTube! And we’ve linked it in our video section at CG. This original 8mm film entitled, "Candlepin Bowling: Game for All Ages" was produced by the Massachusetts Bowling Association many years ago. CG would guess that this selection dates to the late 1950's or early 1960's!
Listen to the video closely, and you'll get to hear what the old wooden candlepins sounded like when they were hit! It's a great video...broken into 3 parts. Part one is showing at CG, with the other two parts available at YouTube.com.

If anyone watching this vid can give us an approximate date of production, that would be very helpful. You can contact us today!

I don't know why you say goodbye, I say hello

2009-08-02T19:26:00.001-04:00

A fun weekend at the ballpark ended just a short time ago, and I’m not so sure how to feel about the latter half.

We split a doubleheader on Saturday evening, which was a nice result against a Bowie club that has, as of late, put on quite a show in the EL. We packed the house with 8,000+ of our closest friends, too. But the highlight of the evening, for me at least, was seeing an old pal that I hadn’t seen in a couple of years. My pal Sylvia brought over 300 fans to the ballpark, hoping to see yours truly get back into his “Let’s Go Rock Cats” act…and she certainly wasn’t disappointed. Her group was treated to loud, raucous chants, and they joined right in. And it sure was fantastic to see her again, catching up on old times and making sure her group had a good time. And that’s one of the best parts of the Rock Cats—the friends we make. We can go for inordinately long periods of time without seeing each other…but when those friends we make return, it’s a wonderful thing.

Sadly, we had to say goodbye to one of our ushers who is moving on to Florida to enjoy his retirement. J.R. was the guy who broke me in 8 years ago. I started in New Britain on a very cold Sunday afternoon in April, after a week and a half of “snow outs". We got a break in the weather with a little bit of sun and got two game in that day, with J.R. showing me the ropes and insisting that it won’t be 37*F for long—not to mention talking me out of giving it up for fear of frostbite! Over the years, we had some fun times that gave us tons of laughs, and we reminisced about them today…

The Saturday evening game we played one cold May…in the rain…for 15 innings…losing a chance to win in the 12th, 13th and 14th. While that wasn’t funny…we did lose it in the 15th, in front of 3 dozen fans. J.R. and I handed out Krispy Kreme donuts to those who hung around, and apologized for the loss! We were drowned rats by the end of the night.
The Friday evening fireworks night a couple of years ago when I split my pants when I slipped on a stair. We leaned against the wall for the better part of 7 innings, hiding the big ol’ rip in my backside. We waited until all the fans had left so I wouldn’t show them my skivvies!
Launch-A-Ball night last year when I took a BASEBALL, not a tennis ball, off the dome. It hurt like hell, felt like a bomb went off in my head, and caused me to fall over—hard—and land right on top of J.R. We weren’t sure who’s headache was worse.
The Bob Dylan concert a couple of years ago where Dylan “sang” for an hour (in a downpour), unintelligibly, and then just walked out without even acknowledging the fans. The again, he did say, “hello, Worcester.”
The 2003 EL All Star Game…good times.
The 2007 EL All Star Game in Norwich, where I played Rocky in the fog and he wandered around in the Rookie costume with me…all while sweating off a good 15 lbs. Want a good way to lose some weight, just put one of those suits around and take a walk!

We watched hundreds of games together, hoped for a playoff spot, begged for winning streaks, and had one helluva good time. I’m going to miss J.R.—we had a lot of good times. But I’m happy he’s made it to retirement and a beautiful new condo in FL.

Godspeed, pal. Catch you down the road, my friend.

website tweaks…and a question for bowlers

2009-08-01T10:54:00.001-04:00

So, a few tweaks to the website have just gone live. We’ve done some minor rearrangements to the index page, which allows us to install a working Twitter feed to the site. We’ve grown to like Twitter, and plan on using it to add some flavor to CG as we go along. But don’t worry, this blog won’t be going away anytime soon.

A question for the bowlers out there: have you ever felt like your opponent just didn’t play fair in a match? For example, did your opponent place one of his bowlers behind you on the approach so said bowler could yell during your shot? Or maybe your opponent decided to drop a ball or two while you’re making a spare shot or in need of a hammer to tie a game. Then again, maybe your opponent thought it would be funny to jump up and down on the lane just after you started your shot, in an effort to “get that last pin for the spare to fall.” Yep, all this happened to my team on Wednesday evening—over and over again. And my teammates will tell you, I’m still stewing about it.

Personally, I don’t mind getting hammered and losing 4 points the honest way. But I do mind losing to a dishonest team. As far as I’m concerned, my guys got screwed out of 4 points as we bowled better. But the other team enacted their strategy at opportune times to ruin shots and throw us off. If that team makes the playoffs based on last week’s spectacularly dishonest showing, I’m going to be really, really pissed off. It’s not right and should have been stopped. One could guess that the 4 points meant so much to my Wednesday opponent, that they did anything necessary to win. Not. Nice.

Nevertheless, we persevere and continue to look forward to roll-offs in a few weeks. We’ll be in the top 4 this year, which is great. I just hope we’re not #4!

do you know any of those “secret” candlepin centers?

2009-07-30T10:26:00.001-04:00

During some down time last night, I was chatting with one of my opponents who brought up the subject of “secret” candlepin centers. We talked about some lanes that were in church basements, lodges and the like. And it got me to thinking…how many of these previously no so well known centers are out there?

Do you know of one? CG has pictures of a couple of those centers currently online; but if you have access to any photographs previously unseen…contact CG today. We’d love to expand our offerings, showing candlepinners some of the rarest of the rare!

candlepin news!

2009-07-21T21:35:00.001-04:00

News from Agawam, MA. CG would like to congratulate Mark Fleming, new owner of Agawam Bowl. Mark takes possession of the 22-lane center tomorrow morning, and has big plans for it. Watch CG for pics of the progress! We’ll be posting in Agawam’s page as improvements take place!

Good luck, Mark!

one year ago today

2009-07-19T06:58:00.002-04:00

My life changed for the better! Today marks the first anniversary of my wedding to Kathleen. This day, also known as the hottest day of 2008, was marked with myriad well-wishes via the website, telephone and snail mail, a fabulous wedding in a beautiful old New England church and a marvelous reception nearby. If you’re a Facebook friend of mine, you’ve seen each and every photograph taken that day. I didn’t place them here at CG as there is well over 500 photos available to see!

Our family will be celebrating today by going out on our own, sans cell phones, to be together and enjoy another bright, sunny day.

The picture above is us with some of our greatest friends. The two fine fellows wearing bibs are friends I take care of at New Britain Stadium, while the two standing with us are fellow Rock Cats staff members. We were so proud to have this picture taken.

goodbye, WBCN

2009-07-14T17:05:00.001-04:00

No more will the Patriots be broadcast on “The WBCN Patriots Rock Radio Network.” It seems there will be a little shuffle in Boston radio in the near future.

From the Boston Globe article…

CBS Radio announced today that the station now known as Mix 98.5 (WBMX) will become "98.5 The Sports Hub" on August 13. The new call letters will be WBZ-FM and will feature a mix of sports talk and play-by-play programming. The morning drive time slot will be occupied by the Toucher and Rich show from WBCN.

The Sports Hub will air New England Patriots and Boston Bruins games, according to a release from the station.

Personally, I don’t listen to terrestrial radio anymore; I have an XM receiver I love. But this is sad to see. WBCN is a legendary radio station—it started as a classical outlet (Boston Concert Network) and morphed into the rock format that served it well for decades.

Be that as it may, while this is sad news, it's just the natural progression of technology. As we speak, the internet is putting the newspaper industry out of business. In 5-10 years, IPods will put music radio on the endangered species list. Talk radio will survive until another newer media comes in and replaces it. Personally I find today's technology of being able to load as much music of my own choosing into an IPod far more exciting then flipping through 8 different channels trying to find something that I might not think sucks at the moment. And with XM, I get all the sports I want (MLB, NHL and NBA…if I want the NFL, I have to go do Sirius…but I’m not a football fan).

I wonder if this will take WEEI radio down a few pegs. I really can’t even come close to turning that tripe on anymore. All that’s done is screaming and yelling.

would you like to play with my balls?

2009-07-11T11:01:00.001-04:00

Hey now…get your mind out of the gutter! I’m simply wondering if anyone out there would like to purchase a set of bowling balls from me. I have two sets I’d like to peddle, and I’m not looking to get a million bucks for either of them.

The first set is my old Paramounts. They’re blue/white swirls and weigh 2 lbs. 6 oz. I’m asking $25.00 for them.
The other set is a set of black/grey swirl Vipers. They’re in nice shape, and weigh 2 lbs. 5 oz. I’m asking $35.00 for them.
I also have a set of green Comanches. Three of them are useful, and they’re 2 lbs. 7 oz. I’ll let those go for $15.00

I’ll clean my balls for you if you purchase them, and put them in a nice cardboard box for easy handling. And I’ll get some pictures of them in the next few days; I’ve just been a bit lazy in getting out my digital camera.

If you have any interest in my cheap balls (LOL), email me today.

a new hobby?

2009-07-11T10:56:00.001-04:00

Well it would seem that my darling wife has a new hobby. Home improvement. Yippee…NOT.

She’s obsessed! Always trying to figure out what she wants to do with whatever she’s fixated on at that time; and it cuts into time the two of us have as a couple. Geezus, can’t we simply enjoy the home for awhile and not have to constantly scheme about what we’re going to do to it next?

And before you say it, I know…I’m not a handyman. I’m not even a semi-handyman. So that stuff isn’t my bag. However, I’m simply sick of hearing about this thing that should get done or that thing that my wife wants to change. It’s sort of maddening after awhile.

interestingly…

2009-07-10T07:07:00.001-04:00

CG has uncovered another long forgotten candlepin bowling center. This one was located under Symphony Hall in Boston, MA. Apparently, it was huge…55 lanes!

We’ll be able to display some artifacts from the center very soon, but if you know anything about this center, or happen to have some old pictures, you need to contact us today. This site has become a huge repository of pictures, memorabilia and the artifacts of candlepin, and we’d like to keep it growing!

of new balls, dead celebrities, classrooms and nutcases…

2009-07-09T17:07:00.003-04:00

So, I’ve been having a few down weeks on the lanes lately, and I’ve been noticing where my 30-some-odd year old Paramounts aren’t really doing what I want them to do anymore. Granted, I stink…we all know that; but with my current average I should be whacking ‘em around a lot better. Yeah, we all go through dry spells, but this one is a pretty arid one if you ask me. And while I’ve been missing the pins, I’ve also been coveting a new set of balls—so I decided to splurge (responsibly, of course).

As you can see, I was able to do my splurging (no jokes, dirty minds) on a nice set of brown/black Scorpions. The clearance rack at Paramount is a beautiful thing—I saved a ton of money today! It’s a great looking set of equipment, and weighs in at maximum weight—so hopefully, it’ll provide me with the crash on the pins I’ve been looking for. I’ve been throwing 2-6s for a long while now—I’m eager to try the 2-7s.

Moving on…Michael Jackson. Wow—can you believe this? And as I hear things about this poor guy, I can’t help but pity him. And before you start getting all upset…I know about the accusations. I’m well versed in his sins. But in a court of law, he was declared “not guilty.” In my opinion, this man was a victim of his own youth—youth taken away. The road MJ traveled began when he was very young and ended with his death. Along the way, he entertained us and became, “The King of Pop.” I can still see him moonwalking across the stage in ‘83. I can still see all the dance moves in “Thriller.” That move in the Smooth Criminal video that necessitated the patented “anti-gravity shoes”. All really, really cool stuff.

Sadly, we’re finding out some terrible things about this man’s life.

It’s becoming more apparent that he was being truthful about his affliction of vitiligo. It’s being said, by credible sources, that the white glove was necessitated by the first signs of the disease.
It’s also coming to light that MJ was an insomniac who was using diprivan and and demerol. Reports also claimed that he took close to 10,000 pills in the last 6 months of his life.

Sadly, his resting place has either not been decided yet or is being kept a hugely guarded secret.

He was badly in debt.

He was allegedly horribly stressed about failing at the comeback “This Is It” concert series in London.

I’m saddened by all of this—not to mention his sudden death. Losing MJ is like losing the soundtrack from my high school days. From what I’ve read, he’s really a tragic, broken figure. I can’t believe all of the things I’m hearing…and I’m really hoping some positive news comes out soon. I think his legacy could use it.

And then we find out some of the things that "stars” are saying. And by stars, I mean nutcases. This interesting little blog piece, from Roseanne Barr. After reading it, I’m speechless. And if this is going through her head, what’s going on in the minds of others as they process this? Wow…just, wow.

And as I go along my merry way, I drop into my special education classes each day. Let me tell you, they’re an experience! I could get into specifics, but I’m not exactly sure how many of them read this blog—and I wouldn’t want to hurt their feelings. Let’s just say I’ve never really seen so many people as the same question in so many different ways. I’d really appreciate it if we could move it along a bit! Then again, I’m a results based learner—give me a task and let me accomplish it and allow me to synthesize it in my mind. To me, that’s learning.

Tim Wakefield, AL All Star!

2009-07-05T14:16:00.002-04:00

His first selection!
Congratulations, Tim on going to St. Louis in a couple of weeks.

added a few pictures

2009-07-02T19:52:00.001-04:00

So, we’ve added a few pictures to some of the photo galleries…

Candle Lanes
Bowl-O-Mat
Kenmore Bowladrome
Ryan Family Amusements (Malden)

We stumbled across these pictures over the past few days and uploaded them this evening. Just adds to the offerings of those centers. Bowl-O-Mat gets a much clearer picture of the masking units and lanes, which is nice. And the picture added to Candle Lanes is a nice shot of the antique sign used on the building.

We’re on Twitter! Check out our updates by following “candlepinbruce” on the site. Using Twitter is simply an experiment currently, we’ll see if we want to continue it in coming days.

Will it ever stop raining?

Congrats, Andrew & Jackie!

2009-07-02T19:28:00.001-04:00

We here at CG just saw the news on Facebook! Congratulations!

new bowling balls?

2009-07-02T07:04:00.002-04:00

Does anyone out there have any opinions on the new RAM pro rubber series of candlepin balls? I throw a straight ball, but what I’m seeing from my ball lately is a lot of sliding and tailing at the end of my lane. I’m thinking that the old Paramounts I throw could be replaced, and the Cobras or RAMs are my preferred target of acquisition.

I’m fairly familiar with the Cobras; several of my opponents have thrown them in the past. But has anyone tried the new RAMs yet?

A drive to EPCO is absolutely in my future…I’m getting frustrated with the way I’m bowling lately. I’m thinking updated equipment is going to make a difference for me.

This is really funny...if you ask me, of course.

2009-07-01T23:10:00.001-04:00

Look, it's a man with a bucket on his head! And he plays basketball! Hooray! Wow, is this not a lousy logo? It's the new name/logo of the Springfield entry in the NBA-D League. And they want $75/seat for courtside seats!

Will this team make it half way through their first season? No shot. If they play at all, it'll be a miracle.

technical difficulties

2009-06-27T08:11:00.001-04:00

We are experiencing technical difficulties with the links page. Stay tuned, we’ll have it back soon!

EDIT: you know, it’s a major pain in the a** to edit a page in this new software. Growing pains! Nevertheless, the links page is now correct.

so what good are warranties, anyway?

2009-06-27T07:47:00.001-04:00

As many of you know, CG has “new world headquarters” located in a nice little border town in CT. We’ve made several upgrades in our new home, which include having some pretty fancy garage door openers installed. Now, I don’t know a ton about them, but I do know that when they go wrong, they really go wrong. Allow me to explain.

Upon attempting to open my garage door yesterday, one of our openers decided to make all sorts of grinding noises, refusing to pull the door up. How nice. So, after a little looking around, a disconnection of the door so it could be opened manually, we determined a warranty phone call was in order. This is where things went down hill.

As we recall it, warranties are designed to guarantee a product works when it’s installed as prescribed. And trust me, this garage door opener was installed by a helluvan electrician. Yet when calling the Genie Company, instead of help on how they’d fix it, we got instructions on how to take the damn thing apart! That’s a little out of the scope of the CG Webmaster’s handyman expertise.

Upon discussion of that, we found they’d be willing to send a garage door man out to the home, if we’d be willing to pay the man. Now, correct us if we’re wrong, but isn’t a warranty supposed to correct defective merchandise with no out of pocket expense incurred by the owner? Hmmm…

Needless to say, this is ridiculous. Could someone please explain why companies make it so damn difficult to obtain warranty service? Oh yeah, it ruins their bottom line! However, sadly for them, we’ve got a way to correct this problem…at their expense. If necessary, we’ll just buy a new one, replace the old one, and return the old one for a refund. If that’s the way the company is going to force me to gain satisfaction, that’s what we’ll do.

Heh, warranties. They’re worth the paper they’re printed on, aren’t they?

wow…

2009-06-26T08:26:00.001-04:00

The response has been overwhelming! We here at CG v2.0 can’t believe just how the inbox has filled up. Thank you!

The site does look so much more professional now, and the extraneous garbage that didn’t matter is no longer there. While we figure we’ll have a little tweaking to do over time, CG v2.0 is AOK for now.

Thankfully, this gives us time to replace the light fixtures that Mrs. CG has been asking us to do! Then again, if this turns out to be my last post here, it’s been an honor serving with you…and being electrocuted wasn’t fun at all. HA!

RIP, Michael...

2009-06-25T18:35:00.001-04:00

So, so sad...my world got a little smaller today.

and we’re live!

2009-06-23T13:43:00.001-04:00

…accidentally. We really didn’t want to plug CG v2.0 into the web this soon, but an inadvertent upload that went way too well put the site out there for all to see. And we’re not all that unhappy about it! This upload means we’re finished! And it seems to run great!

Enjoy CG v2.0. Have a look around and see if you can spot some updates and new features—we’ll just let you see what the hubub was all about, anyway.

To the beta testers (and there were many)…thanks! Your work was greatly appreciated.

And if we missed something, let us know so it can be corrected!

happy fathers’ day to everyone…

2009-06-21T07:28:00.001-04:00

And a Happy Fathers’ Day to all the dads in the audience. There’s really nothing that makes me feel more proud than to watch my 11-year old son grow and mature. It’s hard to believe he’s 11, that’s for sure…but he’s the light of my life. I’m thankful for him and am very glad we’ll be spending the day together today.

Then again, I get to work all day today, cooking for family that will be over to “celebrate” the day. I could get into an extended whining session about how today’s going to go, but I’ll leave it alone. Suffice it to say I’ve been trying to have one evening of enjoyment (read that as dinner—at a restaurant—served to me while I sit down and relax for once) this weekend, but I’ve been rebuffed for housework each time. Ugh—I really don’t want to become a slave to this house. Any advice?

And another thing that’s been on my mind lately—what the hell happened to the sun? Did we, collectively as New Englanders, cheese off whatever god we subscribe to? It would seem he or she has removed the sun from our midst in punishment for some terrible misdeed. Oh, I know---he/she is just toying with us and once we reach July 4 it’s going to be hotter than all hell. That’s it! So be patient folks—7/4 is just around the corner! HA!

do you NOT use internet explorer?

2009-06-20T07:28:00.001-04:00

If you’re one of those who use a browser other than IE, you’re certainly in luck with the new version of CG. The site has been tested for usability with Opera, FireFox and Chrome…and it’s perfect! This is actually a really big development—the one major complaint of version 1.0 of CG was the incompatibility of the website with browsers other than IE. Since the original version of the site was built with FrontPage, it was optimized for IE. With the new software, it opens new doors!

We’ve accomplished the goal of showing 160 centers (past, private or present) on the new site! That’s also exciting news. With the new look, we certainly wanted to expand offerings in some way, and that’s been accomplished here with the new centers!

Final preparations will be undertaken soon; this site will go live sometime in July, but the exact date has yet to be determined. Watch this space for more details!

are you kidding me? seriously?

2009-06-17T22:37:00.001-04:00

When one hits the headpin, the natural reaction of the pins is, in theory, to fall down. Could someone please explain why in the hell that didn’t happen this evening? I’ve spent most of the night trying to figure out what was going on! I can’t believe the number of stupid leaves, splits and roadblocks I saw this evening.

Yeah, I’m whining a bit…but tonight was, at best, horribly frustrating for me and my guys. And now my knees hurt…bad…

I’m going to bed; maybe I’ll wake up and it’ll be all better tomorrow.

CG 1.0 is now dark

2009-06-17T08:25:00.001-04:00

So, the first incarnation of Candlepin Gallery has gone dark. We’ve decided to do this now so we can begin clearing server space for the new website and get ready for the final upload of CG 2.0. This is a great time to do something like this as the site sees a downturn in end users over the summer—a logical thing considering summer league participation is a much smaller scale when compared to the traditional fall/winter schedule.

The new site seems to perform well in beta testing, with misspellings and grammatical errors corrected when caught. New centers have been added, while other features have been revamped (think new, more useful event calendar) and others simply subtracted. However, the new site will retain all the core features that are now working well.

The main focus of this seemingly complete renovation is to remove the scraps leftover from the addition and subtraction of features as we’ve been going along. The original site is now slow, and in many cases it doesn’t look right in a browser other than IE (the menu bar is the biggest offender here). When this update is done, the site will look correct in FireFox, Chrome, etc.

We’ve also recently had two personalities in candlepin bowling agree to be part of the “CG Interview.” You’ll see at least one of these interviews up when the new site is debuted. The CG Interview has been one of the best parts of the site, and we’re looking to expand it with more interviews this fall!

In other news, summer leagues progress nicely with our Wednesday team suffering only 2 losses through last week’s bowling. However, we’ve got a tough match ahead of us this week, so we’re hopeful that things go our way so we can take the round. It looks as though we’ll be in the playoffs anyway, but taking a round means more money at the banquet! Send some good vibes our way, would ya?

Candlepin’s favorite minor league baseball team, the New Britain Rock Cats, are sporting a fine record at this writing, 33-30. Granted that’s “only” 3 games above .500, but a second place showing as we head into Fathers’ Day is fantastic, and we look to upgrade our record as we get near July 4. It’s certainly an exciting time to be part of the Rock Cats’ family!

We notice where a controversy is brewing in the organization of the NB Provincial Events. It makes us sad to see these disagreements or skirmishes continue, but we also understand it’s necessary for tournaments such as these to continue. Shaking things up is positive at times—it allows things to advance and hopefully improve in time. Granted, some will say that the outcome of these arguments isn’t an improvement…but the old saying, “ya can’t please everyone” comes to mind here. Here’s hoping everyone up there can come to an agreement, enjoy their summer, and come back in the fall smacking candlepins around better than ever!

Watch CG for its debut and updates on the new WNECA Tour, with all events televised! That’s right…televised. We are aware of a plan in Western MA that would improve the quality and quantity of events for bowlers, as well as expand the tour’s reach to bowlers who don’t quite average the 120 or so necessary to compete with the big boys. And a plan is in the works to bring the matches to television! Wouldn’t that be a great thing? We’ll have more about this as the plan is put together…so stay tuned!

Finally, we’re looking for pictures of Canadian candlepin centers and/or centers that have closed. If you have any pictures of centers that aren’t pictured on CG, please contact us today. We want to expand our reach, and the only way we can do that is with your help! C’mon folks, let’s get those pictures on the ‘net for all to see!

school year winding down

2009-06-15T09:42:00.001-04:00

So, the school year is winding down. We here in CT, on average, have only 5 days left (although some schools here are required to be in session through June 30). And with those last few days of school should come some warmer weather…yet we’re still cool and damp. I sure hope July turns out to be the month where things get summery quickly. Geez!

Website work has continued through the weekend. The site will be adding a couple of new centers, too! It’s nice to see CG still have legs in terms of expansion! When CG 2.0 debuts this summer, it’s hoped the number of centers pictured will hit 160! Wow!

More updates as things progress!

well, let’s hope this works!

2009-06-10T14:25:00.001-04:00

Coding is finished. Thank goodness! I hope!

Yeah, I’m more than likely leaping too quickly here, but the massive recoding project that CG has undergone is seemingly finished. Now, it’s on to proofreading, ensuring all features are available (sans the few useless features being deleted) and triple checking before we go online with it in the next few weeks. I’ve asked a few friends and fans of the website to take a look and see what they think, and some of their ideas were incorporated, while others are still being bandied about. Suffice it to say, we’re done, but not done.

As I’ve been banging out what I hope to be the last few corrections the website will undergo, I’ve been humbled by the sheer volume of birthday wishes that have rolled in via Facebook, email, phone call and birthday cards. That, friends, is simply awesome. I really wish I could take the time to thank all of you in person, but it’s simply not possible. Therefore…

THANK YOU!!!

Tonight, it’ll be on to what I hope to be a big night of bowling with my team. I’m looking forward to smacking a few candlepins around properly. It should be a fun night.

If you’re in the New Britain, CT area, stop by New Britain Stadium this weekend to catch candlepin’s favorite minor league baseball team, the New Britain Rock Cats take on the Bowie Bay Sox (AA-EL: Baltimore). We’re currently 31-27, 1.5 games behind the Norwich Defenders and feeling good about the summer!!! Let’s hope it keeps up! It’s exciting to be winning ballgames!

More updates on the new CG 2.0 as needed—we have a real shot of debuting this new look prior to July 4! That would be pretty cool!

of course, it rains today

2009-06-09T12:41:00.001-04:00

I really didn’t have any big plans for the day, but it would have been nice to see the Rock Cats play a home game in something other than gloom and rain. Ugh. I swear, these guys find the rain clouds and bring ‘em home with ‘em! Drat the luck. Oh well, the weekend looks to be fabulous…again! Which means a couple of great crowds and tons of fun. Can’t wait!

Website work continues, and it’s going well. There’s been some recent trouble with one of the pages and fixing it is proving to be a pain in the behind. Since the problem is proving to be elusive, it’s also proving to be maddening. Just when ya think it’s fixed…nope! Ah, the joys of coding a website.

I’d like to thank those who have sent early birthday wishes, too. Geez, 41 years old tomorrow, eh? I don’t look a day over 51, do I? HA!

Bowling tonight…substitute bowling on a team run by a great friend. It should be a great evening—despite the rain. Then again, bowling is an indoor sport, isn’t it?

holy moly…

2009-06-08T17:44:00.001-04:00

As we upload a new beta, we see exactly how many files make up this little project we call CG 2.0. Just slightly over 21,000 files complete this website. That, friends, is something…

new look blog

2009-06-08T09:31:00.001-04:00

To coincide with the upcoming debut of CG 2.0, we’re experimenting with new looks for the blog. So far, we’ve settled on the one you’re currently experiencing. It won’t match the look of the new website (yet), but we like the way it looks. Then again, who says the blog has to match? We’re not that fashionable, are we?

Emails have been sent out to a lucky few chosen to beta test the new CG. We’ve missed a few people in the first round of emails, so if you haven’t received on yet, don’t fret! Yours just might be coming soon. We’re looking to publish the first incarnation of CG 2.0 for the start of the new Pro Series in August.

We’ve taken great pains to streamline the new CG, removing superfluous information and needless features. We’ll hopefully be adding some new statistical information, too with some more television results. But the great features such as the gallery of candlepin centers, event calendars and candlepin videos remain. And we kept the gas price gadget as well. That, friends, is a great feature for those of us who like to hunt down the best possible price for gas!

Interestingly, we’ve found that CG has pictures of all known candlepin centers in Vermont, Ohio and New Hampshire. Now we’ll concede the that that there is only one center in Ohio, but we still insist we have all of ‘em in that state! Sadly, many centers in MA and ME (not to mention Canada) aren’t with us yet. Either we need to take some serious road trips, or you guys need to get your cameras out! Let’s start some further site expansion!

By the time the new site debuts, we look to also have a new interview or two. That feature has been neglected recently, and we’ll be looking to return it to prominence with new subjects recently picked. It should prove to be a welcome addition to CG!

wow…

2009-06-07T11:32:00.001-04:00

We’re entering the beta testing phase of CG 2.0. The new site development seems to be complete and it’s being uploaded to a separate server as we type! This will allow us to take a look at each page and see how it runs, if it’s missing any links or needs some tweaks, etc. Initial looks indicate the site is going to look fabulous! We’re still playing with background colors, though…going back and forth between a couple of different colors that we’re interested using.

If you’ve exchanged email addresses with us in the past, you just may get an email in the not too distant future, asking you to take a look at the new website and help with the testing and final editing of the site. We’d like to get some input from fans who use the site on a daily basis! And having more than one set of eyes looking for bugs and problems isn’t such a bad idea, either.

Enjoy the weekend!

the things you learn in school

2009-06-02T13:33:00.001-04:00

As many of you know, I’ve undertaken a new endeavor…entering a program to become a special education teacher. The program is offered by a local educational consortium that supports public schools in Hartford County, CT. Since being involved in this program, I’ve learned a few things. But my lessons so far have been light, compared to those I learned yesterday.

One of my responsibilities is tutoring at risk children in the city…something I’ve not done much in the past. When tutoring in prior settings, it’s usually been a suburban neighborhood in a nicer community. However, my latest assignment has me driving right into the city of Hartford, into a portion of the city that’s noted for its poverty, violence and lawlessness.

My first visit to the child’s home was yesterday. I drove into his neighborhood and was taken aback by the condition of homes and buildings as I traveled along the streets. Many were burned out, damaged seemingly beyond repair or abandoned. The streets were small--with cars lining each side, parked in front of the homes there were inhabited. People freely crossed from side to side with no thought to the traffic coming for them. The home I visited was stark, old, and cramped. It was a dramatic difference to the big, bright and spacious homes I’m used to visiting.

My tutoring session went on without a hitch, and the child seems eager to learn. He’s a nice boy who did something not too smart in school…something that got him expelled until the end of the year. His grandparents (who are his guardians) offered me dinner, gave me tips on driving through the city to their home, and could not have been more gracious hosts. They insisted on walking me to my car as it was getting dark and they “wanted to make sure I got on the road okay.”

Now I’m sure you’re asking yourself some sort of the question, “what does this have to do with anything at all?” Well, the whole experience (which I’m sure hasn’t been recounted very well) was an eye-opener. I’m not all that far from Hartford…only about 20 minutes or so. I live in a really nice neighborhood of my town, and enjoy peace, quiet, comfort, cleanliness and nice views. But not too far from me, a large number of people are seemingly herded into an area and forgotten. They work hard, try their best and are members of a community. And then they’re treated as 2nd class by members of the ruling parties, treated with disdain as they try to better themselves and in some cases, met with out and out prejudice.

I’m sure I’d find many “bad” people if I explored this area myself. And I’m sure I’d find many “good” people, too. I did yesterday…the family I’m servicing right now wants to improve and do better. Yet they seem to be pushed aside when making attempts. I could get into specifics, but I’d rather not inadvertently identify them here. Suffice it to say, my conversations with them were amazing.

Feel fortunate for what you have…find a way to help someone. Always try to do the right thing with yourself. Somehow, we all need to find a way to make this world a better place.

Any ideas?

public service announcement from CG

2009-06-01T19:49:00.001-04:00

This is a public service announcement from your friends at CG. Originally posted at that forum at voy.com, it has seemingly disappeared into the mysts of the interwebs.

New security rules for land and sea border crossings require U.S. citizens to show a passport, passport card or enhanced driver's license, which use a microchip to store a person's information. Some citizens may also use a trusted traveler document, which require background checks and are generally used by people crossing the border regularly for business. What that means is this…as of today, if you don’t have a passport, and you want to bowl in Canada, you’d probably do well to have one soon. It’ll make your life easier!

CG 2.0 beta revealed to a few eager fans

2009-05-28T21:03:00.001-04:00

We debuted CG 2.0 (in beta form) to a few eager fans at our local bowling center last night. The response was overwhelmingly positive…with some great ideas served up in the discussion! We’ve done some editing of the home page, moving things around and making room for some more features. The conversation was positive and productive last night concerning candlepin’s largest and busiest website, and we appreciated all of it.

Interesting happenings in MLB, too. Did you see that fiasco in Minneapolis this afternoon? It would seem that young umpire Todd Tichenor, up from the Triple-A Pacific Coast League, gave the boot to both catchers and both managers during a wild seventh inning that ended with Red Sox starter Josh Beckett giving a dismissive wave toward home plate in disgust. Between the blown calls and bad strike zone, both benches went crazy, with each catcher and manager being tossed. Me thinks Mr. Tichenor had his hands full today…not the way to debut as a MLB ump. I wonder if he’ll be on his way back to the PCL this weekend. If you get the chance, watch the replays on MLB.com. They’re worth seeing.

So, we’ll be coding for the weekend in between visits from my father in law and Rock Cats games. Should be a busy, fun filled weekend. And if you’re in the neighborhood of New Britain Stadium, you need to come out and see why the Rock Cats are the most fun that CT has to offer. Check us out!

See ya soon…

exciting!

2009-05-27T10:20:00.001-04:00

It’s really exciting to revisit each page at CG, revamping and updating the code. I get the chance to look at each picture and comment, reliving the site’s growth and expansion over the past couple of years. It’s really a neat thing.

Coding goes well; we’re up to installing the picture galleries in each center’s page. The mapping feature, courtesy of Google Maps, is simply awesome. It provides the end user with excellent directions, clickable from each page…not to mention a link to that center’s website and, if available, reviews of the center. Please note, CG is not responsible for anything stated in the reviews—those comments belong to Google.

We’ve also had the opportunity to update the addresses properly. Each address will mirror what the Google Map states, too!

All in all, this is going to be a fantastic update when it’s finished.

Memorial Day…

2009-05-25T10:14:00.001-04:00

Well, it’s here everyone! The unofficial start to summer. And as I look out the window here at the CG World HQ, I find it to be a spectacular day! No better way to start summer than bright sunshine and warm temperatures. Here’s hoping the day finds you happy to see the sun, too! And while you’re at it, go thank a veteran for all he/she has done for us.

I got an email yesterday, asking me how the bowling season went. Yeah, I’ve neglected updates here as the winter went on…so many of you have been inadvertently kept in the dark. My teams made the roll-offs on each night I bowled, and I took high average in my class for my Wednesday night league. I hit my first 400 in over 25 years, too…and damn near had two others. So, I’m very happy with the way things have progressed.

Happily, new centers and upgraded features will be added to CG 2.0. You’ll see the bowling alleys at Holyoke Turn Verein Hall when the new website is published this summer. And we’ve finally found a good mapping service that embeds into websites (Google Maps seems to be the best) and works for CANADIAN addresses! That’s a major upgrade for Google…reliable Canadian results have been a problem in the past. We do, however, have a ways to go with the site. The initial coding is done (meaning the layout of the pages is set). It’s the detailed stuff that’s going to bog development down. And we’ve got 154 centers to convert to a new picture gallery system, too.

And on that note, I’m ending my coding and beginning my outside time! Have a great holiday everyone!

above .500!

2009-05-23T23:36:00.001-04:00

Yay! The Rock Cats are above .500! Danny Valencia had three hits and three RBI and Matthew Fox hurled 5 1/3 scoreless innings as the Rock Cats survived a 17-hit attack and a scare from Binghamton in the late innings to hold on for a 7-5 win. The ‘Cats have won seven in a row. Awesome news!

We had a fine day working with my FIL, learning how to operate various pieces of equipment and finding out some other nuances of our new home. I’ll tell ya this much…if you’re having trouble with carpenter bees, I’ve found just the stuff for ya! Shoot me an email and I’ll be happy to furnish you with the product name. But after a hard day in the back yard, we decided upon dinner with the Red Sox…which wasn’t all that bright. Ugh…another loss to the Mets.

Yeah, I know…I just said I didn’t like working in the yard. However, nowhere in that last paragraph does it state I LIKED working back there. It was a fine day—no trouble, nice weather, lessons learned. But on the whole, I’d rather be doing site work.

Happy Memorial Day, everyone! Enjoy the unofficial start of summer!

raining? no way!

2009-05-23T07:16:00.001-04:00

Actually, I’m fairly happy that the Land of Steady Habits is currently getting some significant rain. What that means to me is less yard work and more site work! Honestly, I’ve never met a job in the yard that I didn’t want to avoid. That’s why I’m looking for a good lawn service to come in and do what needs to be done…and then maintain it. We need to level out the grounds here at the CG World HQ, and then replant sod. Clover and weeds look awful from the street!

Candlepin’s favorite minor league team, the New Britain Rock Cats have hit .500! Brandon Roberts homered and Cole DeVries hurled seven solid innings as the Rock Cats downed Binghamton, 3-1. The Rock Cats (20-20), who have won six in a row and seven of the last ten, reached the .500 mark with the win. We’re hoping this is the turning point of our season…and with the boys coming home next week, it could be an exciting time at the ol’ ballpark! Awesome stuff going on in AA—New Britain. You should come out to see a game.

I’ve been very interested lately in the happenings at proprietor’s meetings. I have it on very good authority that there will be some significant changes to one of the tours this year, that will produce a wider field and larger cash prizes…not to mention more fun. A center owner has been discussing this project with me, and I’m all the way on board with it! I cannot begin to tell you how exciting this will be for all of candlepin. Watch CG for more information as I simply cannot reveal all just yet. When I get the go ahead, it’s on!

Have a great weekend…get out there and grill (once the rain stops)!

work progresses

2009-05-22T10:07:00.001-04:00

Work is progressing nicely on CG 2.0. We feel we’re right on schedule here. We’d like to have the new look ready to debut prior to the next fall bowling season.

Currently, the “guts” of the website are set up…the main pages have their layouts and basic information. But we still have a few things to iron out. Some procedural items within the new software (CoffeeCup VSD) have proven to be strange, so it’ll obviously take some time to get things down “to a science” as they say.

We’ll be debuting new software for pictures and calendars as well as a new navigational structure. The site will have a streamlined look, and should load faster. It should be a fantastic upgrade once complete.

In other news, candlepin’s favorite minor league baseball team, sits at 19-20. The New Britain Rock Cats have proven to be a plucky little team this year, with a lot of heart. If we had to guess, we’d say that the team is a pitcher or two away from doing some real damage in the league—they sure can hit! It looks to be an exciting summer at the ol’ ball yard! You should come out and have a look.

Can you believe it’s nearly a year since the CG Webmaster got married? And you said it wouldn’t last!

a new CG is in the works…

2009-05-21T20:54:00.001-04:00

So, we’ve finally settled upon a layout and software program. Now all that remains is the coding.

As you may or may not know, CG was first coded in MS FrontPage. FrontPage is a terribly antiquated program, and provides the end user with what appears to be spaghetti code. There’s a lot of code generated by the program that’s needless…not to mention what happens with constant updating and changing of the site. Right now, some pages are in a real disarray, and they’re in desperate need of refinishing. While it’s not apparent to the end user, it sure looks bad to us!

Therefore, we’ve begun CG 2.0. Using CoffeeCup technology, we’ll be able to refine and update our look here at CG, making the site look far more polished and professional.

This sure won’t happen overnight as our crack staff of elves who code (okay, okay…one guy) will be enacting a learning curve before the site gets finished and published. Not to mention the fact that there’s well over 400 pages of information on the site!

We’ll do our best to keep you updated—but be patient. Plenty of projects on tap for the summer, not to mention care of the new CG World Headquarters and teaching program classes.

Finally, we wanted to say hello to a certain center owner who knows exactly who he is. His comment, “Jack, don't take to heart all the crap that is posted on someone's blog for God's sake, if anything, someone should put a dagger in that bloggers website, just fish stories, you know what I mean.” is simply disingenuous at best. You keep on carrying that torch…maybe it’ll do you some good someday.

drat!

2009-05-15T12:32:00.001-04:00

Looks like a site user has uncovered a rather large error in CG code. The navigation bar at the top of the screen has apparently been programmed incorrectly on some pages, leading to inoperability.

We’ll be looking into the problem and fixing it ASAP! Thanks to that eagle-eyed site user for the help!

still expanding!

2009-05-15T10:58:00.001-04:00

So the site still continues to expand, with Newport Bowling Center and Putnam Street Lanes being added to the mix. While each of these additions are small (with Newport being added via “The Celebrity Traveler and Explorer” Bruce McToose), they’re evidence that CG just keeps on going! It’s very exciting to see that after 2+ years, the site still grows and prospers out there in that World Wide Web.

So what’s next for this little endeavor? Who knows, really! As time moves along, we’ll find out.

Hopefully over the coming months, this blog will document my experience as I go through classes to get certified to teach special education here in CT. I’m truly looking forward to this adventure, as it’s something I’ve wanted to do for many years. The special education field is something very different from the average educational experience…I’m looking forward to discovering the changes that will take place in my average day.

I so love it when I’m recognized…

2009-05-14T15:21:00.001-04:00

…it makes me feel so good inside! And that’s been happening a lot recently—in more than one of venue.

A few weeks ago, the wife and I went to the Patriot’s Day Red Sox game. As most of you know, we’re both huge Red Sox fans from back in the day (me from as far back as 1975) and we try to get to our share of Sox tilts throughout the year (even getting to a game on our honeymoon last year). So as we sat down prior to game, we decided to stuff our faces with a few hot dogs, etc. before first pitch. It was then…with our mouths full of Fenway Frank…that a small child comes up to me and says, “you’re that guy.” After replying, “what guy?” I was met with, “that guy…you know…the Let’s Go Rock Cats guy.”

While talking with the little guy, I realized he didn’t care, no matter how many times I told him, that Jason Bay was just a few feet away, signing autographs and taking pictures. It was then that he said, “sign my hat?” Okay…this little kid wants me to sign his hat? At Fenway Park? Turns out the munchkin was actually from the New Britain area, and had great fun with me at the park, yelling “Let’s Go Rock Cats!” and getting behind our team. Too funny.

And just today, my not so anonymous friend from the internet who thinks he’s absolutely hilarious recognized me again today! I’m excited! Seems as though he’s skilled in understanding the difference between “Bruce McToose” and me…and pointed it out today! How nice.

However, many of you have asked me how I know this person is the same one each time. It’s easy…he can be GeoTracked with ease…

IP Address: 141.154.147.142
Host: pool-141-154-147-142.wma.east.verizon.net
Location: US, United States
City: Chicopee, MA
Organization: Verizon
ISP: Verizon Internet Services
AS Number: AS19262
Latitude: 42°18'52" North
Longitude: 72°56'36" West

Now we pretty much know who this guy is…and we know his situation. It’s sad to say he’s kept up this futile and silly attempt at being your basic high school bully for several years now. I really haven’t given him much of a thought. I just thought I’d put to rest the questions that go to his identity. Again, I won’t post his name as it doesn’t belong here, but if you’d like it just contact me and I’ll fill you in. I wonder if this fellow realizes just how many people he’s embarrassing with this act.

Nevertheless, thanks for the recognition, A… Jo… oops! I almost typed his name!!!

Searching for pictures

2009-05-09T11:44:00.001-04:00

Greetings, fellow candlepin enthusiasts. As I sit here on my couch on a sort of soggy Saturday morning, I’m lost in thoughts of summer leagues and the wonderful sounds those candlepins make when they’re hit just right. And with those thoughts come sights and sounds of days gone by.

Therefore, we’re coming to you guys for a little help. Do you know of a candlepin center that is not featured here at CG? If you do, we need to know about it today! Over the summer months, we here at CG would like to expand our picture offerings (since we’ll have some down time to update). Currently, there’s a few houses within easy driving distance that we’d love to frequent. So, hopefully we’ll be able to pack the HHR and cruise on up to some great bowling centers in the coming months.

But if you’d like to contribute, feel free. Just contact us and ask how you can submit your pictures. We’d love to have more, that’s for sure! Let’s get those cameras clicking!

Sad News From Boston

2009-05-07T10:33:00.003-04:00

Last night, we were made aware of the fact that Red Sox color analyst Jerry Remy has been battling lung cancer and has taken a leave of absence from the broadcast booth to recuperate from off season surgery. This was a shock…he’s never acknowledged an illness as serious as this…only admitting to a bout of pneumonia that kept him out of the broadcast booth this past spring. Yet we knew he was a heavy smoker, even in his playing days.

RemDawg has always been a favorite here in our household—he’s an intelligent television man, a funny guy and seemingly very genuine (albeit very private) on the air. Even taking into account his plugs for his t-shirts and collectibles, he’s one of the best on TV.

Get well soon, Jerry. Red Sox Nation is pulling for you to recover completely.

For now, we’ll be happy to hear Hall of Fame member Dennis Eckersley and “He Was Safe By Like A Foot” Dave Roberts (remember “The Steal” in 2004?) as sidekicks for Don Orsillo. Both are admirable “relievers.”

Interesting new additions to CG

2009-05-07T10:19:00.001-04:00

We’ve added a brand new candlepin center to the mix…making it an even 150 centers (private & public) that are now members of our little party.

Parrot’s Pins Candlepin Cafe…a 4 lane candlepin center and restaurant from Nova Scotia has made an appearance on our website. It looks like a neat little place to go for a bite to eat and to throw a few rocks at the sticks. While I don’t think they take the sport too literally (it doesn’t seem to be a “serious” house), it’s a neat addition to our corner of the world, and I’d love to be able to get up there to see it someday.

Also, a new basement candlepin lane has been created by a fan from western Massachusetts. “Whip City Bowladrome” will be featured here, via YouTube videos AND pictures, very soon. The lane looks really well done and polished. And the owner has the ability to switch from candlepin to duckpin (is that even a sport anymore…LOL…kidding!), too! I love these home projects as it shows a level of creativity that I just can’t fathom.

It’s funny…we’ve been around for a fairly long period of time, and we’ve yet to cease growing! It is true that growth has been slowed as the number of centers NOT featured here has decreased tremendously, but we continue to add new and exciting features for our fans. That, friends, is a credit to the community. Keep those submissions and suggestions coming! We’ll do all we can to keep this site progressing and expanding!

In fact, check out the new gas price alert on the homepage…featuring more information than ever before, we’ll help you find the cheapest prices on gas in your area…or the area you’ll be going to—whether or not you’re bowling there! And don’t forget to look at the new Amber Alert widget. As you know, Amber Alerts are issued when it’s determined a child is missing and/or endangered. Being that our primary line of work is with children, we’re strong advocates of the Amber Alert system. Read over some of the stories and do all you can to help a child in your world…in whatever way you can…today.

How to start a summer league…

2009-05-07T08:58:00.001-04:00

After last night’s beginning, I think I’ve found the proper way to begin a summer league.

Find 4 great guys to team up with you.
Have each guy bowl way over average.
Take the first four points…easily.

Now, does this ensure success until August? Hell no…I most definitely could go right into the tank very quickly. But I like our chances in this league—and hope that we’ll continue the good bowling.

Interestingly, after many failed attempts by this nutty webmaster to get her to bowl, my bride has decided to enter this league. And she also expects my team to take it easy on hers when we meet. Should my team take it easy on her? Would sandbagging a night when we meet be appropriate? My guys say, “no.” I won’t tell you what my thoughts are; I’d rather attempt to ensure domestic harmony.

The standard blogging disclaimer

2009-05-06T07:47:00.001-04:00

IMPORTANT: This blog is intended for the use of the individual who stumbles across it and may contain information that is confidential, privileged or unsuitable for overly sensitive persons with low self-esteem, no sense of humor or irrational religious beliefs. If you are not the intended user, any dissemination, distribution or copying of this blog is not authorized (either explicitly or implicitly) and constitutes an irritating social faux pas. Unless the word absquatulation has been used in its correct context somewhere other than in this warning, it does not have any legal or grammatical use and may be ignored. No animals were harmed in the creation of this blog, although the yorkshire terrier next door is living on borrowed time, let me tell you. Those of you with an overwhelming fear of the unknown will be gratified to learn that there is no hidden message revealed by reading this warning backwards, so just ignore that Alert Notice from Microsoft: However, by pouring a complete circle of salt around yourself and your computer you can ensure that no harm befalls you and your pets. If you have read this blog in error, please add some nutmeg and egg whites and place it in a warm oven for 40 minutes. Whisk briefly and let it stand for 2 hours before icing. For external use only. Discontinue if rash, redness, irritation, or swelling develops. If swallowed, do not induce vomiting. Side-effects may include drowsiness or mild to severe agitation. Do not read while operating heavy machinery. Keep away from open flame. Do not store above 475 degrees. Do not use near or place in water. Views expressed in this blog are those solely of the author and do not necessarily represent those of anyone with any level of sanity or any other person using the name Bruce McClure, or any other person real or fictitious, living or dead. Void where prohibited, taxed or licensed. Your mileage may vary.

Most updating completed

2009-05-06T07:43:00.001-04:00

So, most of the updates promised to all of you have been completed!

All pages should have the new table width of 1150 pixels.
KotH results have been updated.
The issue with mixed up SWF files seems to be resolved.
NEW pictures added to the Wyoming Civic Center page (showing a new mural painted in the center).
The “where to bowl” page is also updated.

Hopefully, that fixes up the website and gives it a good and complete update. We’d like to be able to have it run “hands off” for awhile as our summer calendar shows us to be very busy! Before the schedule gets too crazy, that “Where to Bowl” page should get a good update and clean up. There’s a ton of information on that page, and it’s difficult to plan just how it should be arranged. After several attempts, we put it aside until further notice.

We’re also currently working on a new project that is not yet ready for public debut. Watch CG for the news as we feel it’s going to be huge!

Many of you have sent words of congratulations on our webmaster’s news of his new job—returning to the public schools! Thank you! It’s been a long road for us to get back to where we belong, but it’s finally happened, and we couldn’t be happier.

The winter leagues finished strong…taking high average in one and ending in the top 5 in the other is encouraging. While the playoffs didn’t go all that well for each team, we’re looking forward to doing some damage next year! But currently, it’s off to the summer leagues, with your intrepid webmaster taking a shot at one—in his home center on Wednesday evenings. If you’re in the neighborhood, stop by. We’d love to see ya!

great news

2009-04-11T07:19:00.002-04:00

Your intrepid webmaster recieved his acceptance letter yesterday! Now, all of us here at CG are sure you're saying..."hooray, he's finally been committed!" But alas for all of you...that's not true!

Those of you who know this website's owner know that he's been trying to return to public school teaching for awhile. And hopefully a new road to that has been opened up--as of yesterday. The Capital Region Educational Council has approved the webmaster for entrance into the Advance Alternate Road for Certification in Special Education. What that means is...back to school for one year, and then a test for licensure. Cool. Wish us luck!

Website work continues. But with the number of pages that are included here, it's going slowly. Watch for an upload very soon.

Happy Spring!

slow moving, but strides are made...

2009-03-28T10:04:00.002-04:00

The massive update that is impeding for CG is very slow moving--that's apparent. But fear not, dear end user. Strides are being made!

Most of the tables are now 1150 pixels wide. This takes advantage of the wide screen monitors that are becoming more and more prevalent in today's computers. It also seems to reduce load time.
We're in the process of fixing a couple of the flash files that were inadvertently ruined in a server transition awhile back. Lucky Strike's file is the most famous of these problems.
New KotH results will be added, including historic results for the Mason's incarnation of this fun format. This will take some time as the CG scanner is giving the webmaster some fits. Then again, what's new?
We'll be cleaning up the tables so as to reduce the number of dead/blank cells that try to load. Again, faster loading will prevail when this is complete.

So what this all means is that we haven't forgotten the website...it's just slow going. We (our crack staff of...one?) never really thought we'd have to plan a serious block of time to do all this, but it's become obvious. It'll get done...be patient.

Meanwhile, if you see anything out of the ordinary, contact us today! We'll fix it as fast as possible.

how nice...

2009-03-11T06:06:00.002-04:00

...to see my anonymous detractor back in that Voy forum. It's also nice to see him making demands in my inbox again; this time via a mutual friend. Tiresome...it's simply become tiresome...and the reason I very rarely post or comment in that forum. Seemingly, it's okay for those outside the candlepin community to wander into that forum and see the negativity and venom that's spewed from behind the safety of someone's keyboard. Hopefully, those looking for candlepin information will find this website first.

And all this is after I recently received an apology email from this person--dated last September. It apparently got lost in the mysts of the interwebs, and arrived only a few days ago. This person's identity is obvious to anyone, and he's making a fool of himself. Then again, the apology was also tied into asking me for a favor--so it's obvious as to why the email was sent.

updates coming very soon...

2009-03-10T16:16:00.003-04:00

We've begun a wholesale update of CG. In this update, you'll see the size of the tables used on each page be standardized to 1150 pixels. This will allow for a more efficient use of the widescreen monitors that are in use on most new computers. It will also allow for more information to be displayed in less space, making pages easier to load.

We've also updated the applications used to help bowlers find the best prices on gas...it now allows you to plug in your desired zip code and the prices come up right there--it doesn't take you to another website! And we're still looking for an efficient Amber Alert widget as we really believe in displaying that information. There's nothing worse than a missing child.

Additionally, we've found that our webhost corrupted a few of the flash files used to display pictures, so we'll be taking care of that ASAP. Lots of things to do and far too little time to do it! But rest assured, it'll get done. Happiness is a well functioning website!

Watch this space for further details...see you all soon. Think Spring!

more channel 5 results on the way!

2009-01-29T07:00:00.002-05:00

Tim Lipke and Tim Gregerson have each recently sent us further channel 5 results for CG. We'll be collating posting them very soon. Watch CG and this blog for more details!

Can you believe...a little over 2 weeks until spring training! Woohoo!

It's hard to believe, we've passed our 2nd anniversary here at CG and we're still growing. This is due to all our fans and friends out there who make this site just plain great! Without all of you, we'd have nothing. So...as always...thanks!

This I believe...

2009-01-22T07:10:00.003-05:00

This I Believe is an international project engaging people in writing, sharing, and discussing the core values that guide their daily lives. These short statements of belief, written by people from all walks of life, are archived by NPR. The project is based on the popular 1950s radio series of the same name hosted by Edward R. Murrow. A short time ago, I attended a get together in my hometown. The focus of the gathering was to participate in this project, and to get our belief systems out into the world, archived for posterity. My submission is below.

This I Believe

I believe a birth certificate shows we were born, a death certificate shows we died and pictures show we lived!

I believe that just because two people argue, it doesn't mean they don't love each other. And just because they don't argue doesn't mean they do.

I believe we don't have to change friends if we understand friends change.

I believe that no matter how good a friend is, they're going to hurt you every once in a while and you must forgive them for that.

I believe that true friendship continues to grow, even over the longest distance. The same goes for true love.

I believe you can do something in an instant that will give you heartache for life.

I believe that it's taking me a long time to become the person I want to be.

I believe you should always leave loved ones with loving words. It may be the last time you see them.

I believe you can keep going long after you think you can't.

I believe we are responsible for what we do, no matter how we feel.

I believe either you control your attitude or it controls you.

I believe heroes are the people who do what has to be done when it needs to be done, regardless of consequences.

I believe money is a lousy way of keeping score.

I believe my best friend and I can do anything or nothing and still have the best time.

I believe that sometimes the people you expect to kick you when you're down will be the ones to help you get back up.

I believe sometimes when I'm angry, I have the right to be angry, but that doesn't give me the right to be cruel.

I believe maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you've had and what you've learned from them, and less to do with how many birthdays you've celebrated.

I believe it isn't always enough to be forgiven by others; sometimes, you have to learn to forgive yourself.

I believe that no matter how bad your heart is broken, the world doesn't stop for your grief.

I believe our background and circumstances may have influenced who we are, but we are responsible for whom we become.

I believe you shouldn't be so eager to find out a secret. It could change your life forever.

I believe two people can look at the exact same thing and see something totally different.

I believe your life can be changed in a matter of hours by people who don't even know you.

I believe credentials on the wall do not make you a decent human being.

I believe even when you think you have no more to give, when a friend cries out to you--you will find the strength to help.

Jim Rice, member, National Baseball Hall of Fame

2009-01-12T14:01:00.001-05:00

Congrats, Jim

the Arizona Cardinals? really?

2009-01-11T08:49:00.002-05:00

Never in a million years did I think I'd be watching the AZ Cards in the NFC title game. Wow--no wonder it's going to get incredibly cold next week. I figured hell was going to freeze over before the Cards got a shot at the Super Bowl. HA! Nevertheless, my late Uncle Dave lived out there for many years, so I'll root for AZ to make the big game. Maybe he'll smile a little more in the great beyond if it does indeed come to pass.

the show looks great!

2009-01-10T11:32:00.002-05:00

So as I sit here in front of the TV, I must say that the Candlepin Challenge looks just great on CSN. And it translates quite well in HD on my television. I just have to say congrats to all involved. CSN has seemingly obtained some decent sponsors for commercials, too.

As a community, we need to support this show. It's not expensive to produce for CSN, but we want them to know it's appreciated and valued by New Englanders. Contact them today by clicking here and emailing them! You can also join their Facebook group by clicking here.

Enjoy the show...and the snow that's approaching...

this one has been making the rounds...very funny (because it didn't happen to me)

2009-01-07T07:05:00.004-05:00

This one just showed up on the Today Show. Thought you'd like to see it!

JANUARY 6--In a bizarre incident that will surely lead to litigation (or an out-of-court settlement), a skier at Colorado's ritzy Vail resort was left dangling upside down and pantsless from a chairlift last Thursday morning.

The January 1 mishap apparently occurred after the male skier, 48, and a child boarded a high-speed lift in Vail's Blue Sky Basin. It appears that the chairlift's fold-down seat was somehow not in the lowered position, which caused the man to partially fall through the resulting gap. His right ski got jammed in the ascending chairlift, and that kept him upended since his boot never dislodged from its binding.

As seen in the photos which were snapped by fellow skiers, the Skyline Express lift was stopped shortly after the pair's botched boarding resulted in the man dangling from the lift. The exposed skier was stuck for about 15 minutes before Vail personnel backed the lift up and successfully dislodged the unidentified man from the four-seat chair.

In a statement released this afternoon, Vail Resorts, which operates the ski area, reported that the skier was not injured after being "suspended for approximately seven minutes." The press release did not explain how the mishap occurred, only that "the man was caught on the chair."

all the stores are worried? are you kidding me?

2009-01-07T06:24:00.002-05:00

Yep, you read that right. It seems most of our favorite stores are worried that the "holiday sales may be permanent." I'll tell ya what, it seems shoppers are finally getting religion in terms of how to shop for good stuff cheap.

I'm Scottish and can therefore squeeze a dollar out of two quarters if I try hard enough. However, I love to shop. There I said it; I'm the most unusual straight man in the world. Tell me I'm going on a trip with you to the outlet malls and I'm your friend for at least the entire day. And that's why I'm virtually unable to shop in the "regular" malls anymore. In my mind the correct price for most items is the price I pay at the outlet mall stores.

Personally, I really like a few designers and have a wardrobe made up of clothing from those labels. And with most of those labels being offered at my favorite outlet mall, why would I go to the local mega-mall? I guess that's why I laugh about articles like the one referenced above. Have the mall stores been artifically raising prices for some time now? Have we paid too much for things over the years? Are shoppers finally realizing these facts? I'd say yes.

I guess that's why I'm with Rita Rudner. When she wears something new, she likes to say it's by her favorite designer..."On Sale."

thoughts on Facebook

2009-01-06T12:32:00.003-05:00

So, as many of you know I've been on a new odyssey as of late. Awhile back, I joined Facebook as a way of networking and keeping up with friends and family. I must say, it's worked out very well. I “talk” with far away family members much more often, and I stay in touch with friends from the eastern part of my home state, Massachusetts, much more regularly.

Interestingly, I've also found that Facebook as reacquainted me with others from my past. Now don't get me wrong—there's some from my high school days that I'd love to find and catch up with. But alas, there are others who I really don't want to see and/or hear from again. That is the catch 22 with Facebook. How do you handle those who “friend” you, but you really don't want to “friend” them.

For example, I was recently contacted by one who was a co-worker of mine at my very first job. That job you ask? McDonald's! Said co-worker and I had mutual friends years ago, but an eventual falling out over an incident that was both none of his business and untrue. Essentially, he ended our friendship over a lie someone else told him. And in my mind, that makes him as bad as the person who told the lie. In fact, seeing his name on a “friend request” in Facebook just brought up my distaste for him all over again. Be that as it may, I had a decision to make...do I tell him to drop dead? Do I inquire about what he wants? Or do I just simply ignore him?

I received another request today. This one was from one who graduated high school a year prior to me. And to be quite honest with you, I have no idea how I really know this person. I don't recall “hanging around” with this person—ever! In fact, I'm flabbergasted as to how this person actually remembered me from 20-years ago.

Both of these small events give me a personal quandary to consider. I've worked very hard to shed some of the bad memories of my teen years (I was the nerdy guy who was constantly bothered in high school. Me? Popular? Not a chance!). And to see that some of these people actually remember me is both sickening to me and heartening to me. On one hand, it's nice to know someone remembers me from years ago and wants to “friend” me on Facebook. On the other hand, I'm not so sure I really want to return to that time in my life. This time that I'm having now, with my wife and my son and all the good things I've been blessed with, is the best.

I can forgive and would prefer to forget most of these people. When you forgive, you get your life back. When you forgive, you free your mind. When you forgive, you can continue to put your energies on your priorities, and not pettiness. When you don’t forgive, you don’t act the way you normally do, but you act according to your bitterness. In so doing, you allow your un-forgiveness to keep controlling you. In fact, forgiveness doesn’t mean you have to reconcile. If I don't feel as though I want to keep someone in my life, after forgiving a serious transgression, I have every right to let that person go.

But that still doesn't solve the quandary in my head...I wonder, should I hit that ignore button or reply and really let 'em have it?

And so this was Christmas

2009-01-05T07:55:00.002-05:00

Like I said, I hate the process of removing the Christmas decorations. It's always a sad time for me--I love Christmas so much!

My friend, Colin McEnroe, has written a short but wonderful essay about taking down Christmas decorations. I suggest you click here to read it.

Happy New Year, everyone!

2008-12-31T09:18:00.002-05:00

Well friends, 2009 is just about here. I always have a bit of trouble trying to figure out how I should feel this time of year. Feeling happy about beginning a new year is ingrained in us, but I'm always sad that it marks the end of the holiday season. We spend such a large amout of time building up to Christmas Day, and it's over "just like that." For me, it's difficult to parse those feelings. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not a depression machine right now...I just hate having to take the Christmas decorations down, putting all those good feelings and memories away until November, 2009.

The new CG world headquarters have proven to be cozy and comfortable. Our family is completely moved in and enjoying the new home. It's nice to be able to sit on my couch in front of an active fireplace, blogging and updating the website. That's really nice. And yes, I know I keep saying I'll be taking pictures soon. Someday, I'll get around to it!

Can it be possible that it's nearly January and I haven't made a Comcast taping yet? Wow...

Looking forward, I'm happy to see that the World Baseball Classic will bring my favorite sport back to television early this year. Then again, MLB Network begins broadcasting tomorrow at 6 PM, which warms my heart. Having baseball back on television will only serve to get me through to opening day in New Britain! I'm excited about the prospect of baseball again (even in January) and watching the Sox in HD for the first time. That'll be cool!

I've also recently begun watching hockey again. It seems that sport was made for HDTV, and it's made the TV game experience far more palatable. Maybe this can get me through 'till spring training?

Do you have a tournament you'd like promoted here? Contact CG today to get your event placed on the event calendar. And have a Happy New Year! 2009...here we come!

Merry Christmas, everyone!

2008-12-24T06:01:00.002-05:00

On behalf of my lovely wife and very cool son, the McClures would like to wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas. We hope your day is filled with everything you want it to be, and that it's your best Christmas yet!

Have a great time over the next two days!

taking advantage of a snow day!

2008-12-19T13:23:00.003-05:00

So, in taking advantage of a snow day, CG has finally been updated properly. You'll see new events in the calendar, new videos on a few pages and some news of Hanover Bowladrome's sale! A large update to the site.

We'll be processing further updates this weekend (hopefully) that will include King of the Hill stats and more! And watch for upcoming interviews, too. Now that Christmas Vacation is here, we'll have the site back to normal very soon.

Your intrepid webmaster finished the year on a high note, helping his team to a 4-point sweep last night. But the high point of the evening was winning a box of steaks from Arnold's meats in Chicopee. Good eatin' in the webmaster's household tonight! Then again, it is snowing. Maybe we'll wait on that for awhile.

Watch CG for more updates!

ever wonder where the 12 Days of Christmas came from?

2008-12-18T12:02:00.000-05:00

From 1558 until 1829, Roman Catholics in England were not permitted to practice their faith openly. Someone during that era wrote this carol as a catechism song for young Catholics. It has two levels of meaning: the surface meaning plus a hidden meaning known only to members of their church. Each element in the carol has a code word for a religious reality which the children could remember.

The partridge in a pear tree was Jesus Christ.
Two turtle doves were the Old and New Testaments.
Three French hens stood for faith, hope and love.
The four calling birds were the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke & John.
The five golden rings recalled the Torah or Law, the first five books of the Old Testament.
The six geese a-laying stood for the six days of creation.
Seven swans a-swimming represented the sevenfold gifts of the Holy Spirit--Prophesy, Serving, Teaching, Exhortation, Contribution, Leadership, and Mercy.
The eight maids a-milking were the eight beatitudes.
Nine ladies dancing were the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit--Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Gentleness, and Self Control.
The ten lords a-leaping were the ten commandments.
The eleven pipers piping stood for the eleven faithful disciples.
The twelve drummers drumming symbolized the twelve points of belief in the Apostles' Creed.

Interesting, no? Here's hoping all of you have a safe, happy and wonderful Christmas and New Year!

okay, this one's a bit off color...but funny...

2008-12-17T13:38:00.001-05:00

A teacher was doing a study testing the senses (taste) of first graders using a bowl of lifesavers.

The children began to identify the flavors by their color:

Red......................Cherry
Yellow...................Lemon
Green....................Lime
Orange...................Orange

Finally the teacher gave them all HONEY lifesavers. After eating them, none of the children could identify the taste.

'Well,' she said, 'I will give you all a clue. It's what your mother may sometimes call your father.'

One little girl looked up in horror, spit her lifesaver out and yelled, 'Oh my God!! They're assholes!

new Red Sox uniforms!

2008-12-12T05:59:00.004-05:00

...pictures courtesy of our friends over at Boston Dirt Dogs. What do you think?

I'm diggin' the new hat; that "Two Sox" logo is a nice, clean logo for a hat. And the new roadies take me back to the days of Yaz, Rice, Evans, etc. Nice stuff.

Looks like a trip to the Yawkey Way Store is in order for me! What do you think?

finding Comcast SportsNet

2008-12-11T11:44:00.003-05:00

I've noticed where many insist they don't get CSN on their cable television. CSN is available on most systems in New England as they're the carrier of Boston Celtics games. If you have cable, we at CG are 99 44/100% sure you get CSN.

Check out this list to find the location of CSN on your cable system.

Candlepin Challenge to air on Comcast SportsNet in January

2008-12-10T22:10:00.006-05:00

I've just been sent the press release from Comcast SportsNet that details the new programming the network will pick up from CN8 in January. Happily, Candlepin Challenge will be there...in its usual timeslot of 11 AM on Saturday mornings.

Congrats to Dan, John and Trina for continuing on with a great show! Check out CG for the press release!

Christmas Carols For The Psychiatrically Challenged

2008-12-08T08:24:00.001-05:00

Schizophrenia --
Do You Hear What I Hear?

Multiple Personality Disorder --
We Three Queens Disoriented Are

Dementia --
I Think I'll be Home for Christmas

Narcissistic --
Hark the Herald Angles Sing About Me

Manic --
Deck the Halls and Walls and House and Lawn and Streets and Stores
and Office and Town and Cars and Buses and Trucks and trees and
Fire Hydrants and.....

Paranoid --
Santa Claus is Coming to Get Me

Borderline Personality Disorder --
Thoughts of Roasting on an Open Fire

Personality Disorder --
You Better Watch Out, I'm Gonna Cry, I'm Gonna Pout, Maybe I'll
Tell You Why

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder --
Jingle Bells, jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle
Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells
Jingle Bells, jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle
Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells
Jingle Bells, jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle
Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells
Jingle Bells, jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle
Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells
Jingle Bells, jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle
Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells...

In the Spirit of Christmas

2008-12-07T08:12:00.001-05:00

Three men died on Christmas Eve and were met by Saint Peter at the pearly gates.  Saint Peter said, "you must each possess something that symbolizes Christmas to get into Heaven."

The first man fumbled through his pockets and pulled out a lighter. He flicked it on. "It represents a candle, he said".   "You may pass through the pearly gates", Saint Peter said.

The second man reached into his pocket and pulled out a set of keys. He shook them and said, "They're bells."   "You may pass through the pearly gates", Saint Peter said.

The third man started searching desperately through his pockets and finally pulled out a pair of women's panties.  St. Peter looked at the man, raised an eyebrow and asked, "And just what do those symbolize?"

The man replied, "These are Carol's."

here's a good one!

2008-12-06T16:38:00.002-05:00

A man in Scotland calls his son in London the day before Christmas Eve and says,"I hate to ruin your day, but I have to tell you that your mother and I are divorcing; forty-five years of misery is enough!"

"Dad, what are you talking about!" the son screams.

"We can't stand the sight of each other any longer," the father says. "We're sick of each other, and I'm sick of talking about this, so you call your sister in Leeds and tell her."

Frantic, the son calls his sister, who explodes on the phone."Like hell they're getting divorced," she shouts, "I'll take care of this!"

She calls Scotland immediately, and screams at her father, "You are NOT getting divorced. Don't do a single thing until I get there. I'm calling my brother back, and we'll both be there tomorrow. Until then, don't do a thing, DO YOU HEAR ME!" and hangs up.

The old man hangs up his phone and turns to his wife. "Okay," he says, "they'll be coming for Christmas - and they'll be paying their own way."

Dumb Laws abound!

2008-12-05T16:04:00.002-05:00

Now we all know I live in the Land of Steady Habits. And trust me, some of the habits are very steady. Hence, I decided to show you a few of the laws in the great state of CT that have been steadily on the books for a long time. You'll get a kick out of some of them.

Silly string is banned in Southington. Why? In the mid 1990s, a group of children ran up to a police officer and sprayed him with silly string during the Apple Harvest Festival. To prevent such acts from happening again, the ban was passed on the sale of the product. Nothing like a knee jerk reaction to a harmless prank, eh?

In New Britain, it is illegal for a fire truck to go more than 25 mph, even if there is a fire. Thankfully, I don't live in New Britain...I'd be too afraid of my house burning down before the firemen arrived!

It is illegal for an arcade in Rocky Hill to have more than four amusement devices such as ping-pong tables or pinball machines. This leads to the notion that living in Rocky Hill is no fun at all.

It is illegal for any Waterbury beautician to hum, whistle, or sing while working on a customer. Are ya kidding me? Nobody seems to know why, either.

You are not allowed to walk on your hands while crossing the street in Hartford. Heck, it's hard enough to cross the street in Hartford on your feet.

Guilford residents are only allowed to have white Christmas lights on display. Just like Rocky Hill, Guilford is apparently no fun at all.

In Devon (a village in Milford), it is is illegal to walk backwards after sunset. Drat, I walk backwards after sunset all the time. Guess I should stay out of Milford, no?

In Hartford, it is illegal to educate your dog. Apparently this is why the politicians are all rather dim.

It is illegal to eat in your car in Bloomfield.

It is illegal for a man to kiss his wife on Sundays in Hartford. This just has to be an old blue law.

It is against the law to plant a tree in the street in Hartford. Obviously, someone tried this at one time or another!

It is illegal for a politician to campaign at the city dump in Simsbury. Gee, isn't this the best place for a politician?
In Hartford, it is illegal for balloons to have advertising on them. There goes another great advertising scheme for CG!
It is prohibited for a man in Connecticut to write love letters to a girl whose parents forbid the relationship. Gee, I wonder what the punishment is!
It is illegal to use a white cane in Connecticut unless you are blind. Heaven forbid you impersonate a blind person!
It is illegal to dispose of used razor blades in Connecticut. My question...where the hell do you put them when you're done with them?
In order for a pickle to be considered a pickle in Connecticut, it must bounce. Do I really want to know why? Nah...
The police in Connecticut can pull you over if you are going more than 65 mph when riding your bike. I just wanna see this once in my life!
In Atwoodville (a section of Mansfield), people are prohibited to play Scrabble while waiting for a politician to speak. I'll take Scrabble over a speech any time!
Town records may not be kept where liquor is sold in Connecticut. Gee, this might make town business a lot more fun if it were allowed!

i hear there's good news!

2008-12-04T07:17:00.003-05:00

...regarding the future of the Candlepin Challenge. I haven't been made aware of the details yet (since my sources aren't fully aware, either), but I've been told something positive will be announced very shortly.

And that, candlepin friends, is a nice Christmas present for the community.

finally

2008-12-03T12:51:00.003-05:00

And finally, we can update the blog!

Wow, it's been a long time, no? However, CG's new world headquarters is open and very comfy. We've been moved in for a few days and just now have a place for everything (and everything in its place of course). The place is great! Watch Facebook for pictures of the house as I get some time to take good shots and upload.

Speaking of pictures, watch CG for new pictures from some old friends. The site has recently been given some new shots and I can't wait to get 'em up there for everyone to enjoy. In fact, the site is closing in on its second anniversary on the web, so I'd like to say thanks for being a fan and enjoying all that candlepin has to offer. I hear people talk about how the sport is "dying" and then I go houses all throughout MA and NH, and I see thriving centers with new equipment, happy bowlers and fun all around. My opinion...candlepin isn't dying. Candlepin is beginning its rebirth.

Whatever happened to "Candlepin Corner" anyway? It's gone.

I would, however, like to comment on the controversy at the Ladies Candlepin Championships that took place a couple of weeks ago. It seems a 10th frame was inaccurately recorded causing the championship to change hands on a grievance. The voy message board (AKA Sessa's "Treehouse" LOL) has gone completely nuts with comments and insults in regards to this event, that's for sure. And it really seems like a miscarriage of justice. The way I see it, the entire place saw the box and knows that the score, as intended, did indeed happen. Then why can't the team that filed the grievance let it go and allow the right thing to happen. Embarrassment? Rivalry? Hatred? Unwillingness to bend? Who knows? But the team who filed this silly dispute really has a lot to think about for next year, that's for sure. Ugh.

Has anyone found out what's going to happen to the Candlepin Challenge? The date that CN8 will be shut down is fast approaching. Will candlepin leave the airwaves? Gosh, I hope not!

Other things going on? The average is on the climb again, which is nice. I've been whacking the pins around fairly well...feeling pretty good out there on the lanes. I've found I can't throw the 2-7s anymore, but once I drop to a weight I can handle (2-6 or 2-5, depending upon the night), I can really do some damage. Life is good when that happens!

I'll be updating regularly as we go from this point out. It'll be nice to get this blog moving again! See you soon!

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

2008-11-26T13:41:00.002-05:00

Well, that time of year is upon us...it's the holiday season. And it all kicks off tomorrow with Thanksgiving. My beautiful bride and I wanted to take this opportunity to say thanks for your support throughout this year, and Happy Thanksgiving.

Yep, we've neglected this blog due to the big move of CG World Headquarters...LOL...but we'll be back very soon with new posts and discussions from the world of candlepin bowling.

See ya soon!

once again, Dan Murphy comes through.

2008-11-15T11:22:00.002-05:00

...and I'm certainly not sarcastic when I say that! Time and time again, Dan proves to be up front when responding to questions.

Dan responded today in regards to the imminent closure of CN8, telling candlepin fans that the next taping of the show will go on as scheduled on December 14. Furthermore, he's also stated that as far as he knows, Comcast plans on airing the show, but "Enough said on the subject until the "powers that be", respond to us."

I can certainly respect that as I know Comcast isn't readily forthcoming with answers to anything--heck, they won't answer questions about my bill!

Keep us posted Dan, and I think I can speak for many a candlepin fan when I say we appreciate you work on the program.

interesting

2008-11-14T07:34:00.004-05:00

Again, the request for information regarding Candlepin Challenge has disappeared! There is a very real chance that the show will disappear...or the show will move to Comcast Sports Network (CSN has indicated that it is interested in taking on most local programming from CN8). But nobody seems to know anything.

It would be tragic for this show to simply disappear. Anyone? Help? Information?

Edit: mysteriously, between 3 PM Friday and 6 AM Saturday, the post has returned. I find that to be compelling.

no news...

2008-11-13T05:54:00.003-05:00

So, no news on Candlepin Challenge. We haven't heard anything in regards to the fate of the show now that CN8 is doomed. Have you heard anything? If so, contact us today!!!

why?

2008-11-08T21:47:00.002-05:00

Could someone please inform me the reason usless comments get posted in that Voy forum? Forgive me, but I'm completely at a loss over the stupidity that has resulted in my posting regarding the status of CN8. In fact, several posts had to be removed due to the idiotic nature of the responses.

And amazingly, the forum user who calls him/herself "GC" sure isn't fooling anyone as to his/her identity. One would have to possess the intelligence of a trained seal to be blind to his/her name. I'll not post it here as I'd like to save this person from further embarrassment. It's just not my M.O. to throw rotten eggs at someone who's doing a good job of humiliating him/herself.

If I hear anything regarding the Challenge, I'll post. If you hear something and would like to share it with us here at CG, contact us today.

Is Candlepin Challenge ending it's run (CN8 in trouble?)

2008-11-06T17:46:00.004-05:00

An article posted by my friend David Scott at Boston Sports Media Watch speaks in dire tones regarding the future of CN8, home of the Candlepin Challenge...

Comcast will be laying off the “majority of its 300 employees” currently working on its CN8 Network. Locally, CN8 will cease operations in Boston in early January of 2009 and the markets of Philadelphia (Comcast’s home) and Washington, D.C. will see significant re-structuring.

The Brookline-based studios of CN8 and business offices are home to a full-time production staff, the sports department (”Out of Bounds,” 11:30 p.m. show) and the “Backstage” staff (including market institution Sara Edwards).

In all, Shots estimates there are between 40 and 50 people based at the Boston office. There is also a regional office in Norwell that will be affected. The rest of the cuts will come from CN8’s other outposts and some staff will be retained or re-arranged.

We put the proverbial call out to Dan Murphy, Hall of Famer and co-host of the show with John Holt and Trina Fernandez, in hopes he can shed some light on this situation. Stay tuned as updates take place.

funny article from Vehix.com

2008-11-04T05:41:00.004-05:00

I grabbed this one from Vehix.com today as I find it a very funny little article about laws still on the books. One will see an article like this on an occasional basis--they get a chuckle out of me every time!

You can understand why some laws exist: no speeding, don’t run the stop sign, yield to pedestrians. But other laws may leave you scratching your head – right in front of the officer who pulled you over for violating them.

In many states, for example, it’s as possible to earn a ticket for lollygagging to look at the scenery as it is for speeding. The legal reasoning is that going too slowly impedes traffic.

The reasons behind still other laws have been lost to history, and chances are you can get away with violating them. In Denver, for example, it’s illegal to drive a black car on Sunday. And in the foggy past, Minneapolis outlawed red cars on Lake Street. Here are 12 more unusual laws related to cars and driving. But we must warn you: Reading these means you’ll have to answer truthfully when the officer asks “Do you know why I pulled you over?”

Honk if you pass

Rural New Jersey might sound like a never-ending New Year’s Eve party if everybody obeyed the law. State law requires drivers to honk the horn when passing another vehicle going in the same direction outside a business or residential district.

However, watch it in Little Rock, Ark., where the law says “no person shall sound the horn on a vehicle at any place where cold drinks or sandwiches are served after 9 p.m.”

Honking at sandwich shops is OK in University City, Mo. – so long as you honk in your own car. It’s illegal to honk the horn of someone else’s.

Kindly keep your cattle in the car

Hey, city slicker – you’ll have to keep that cow in your vehicle in Topeka, Kan. The city has made it “unlawful for any person to suffer or permit any livestock owned or controlled by such person to run at large, or to drive any herd of cattle, horses, mules or hogs, or any flock of sheep, upon any street in the city.”

You’ll need permission to throw that brick

In Mount Vernon, Iowa, you’re not allowed to shoot arrows or throw bricks onto any street or highway without the City Council’s written consent.

Clean up your act

In San Francisco, it’s illegal to wipe a vehicle with used underwear and to pile horse manure more than six feet high on any street corner.

Unhand that nozzle!

In Oregon and New Jersey, you cannot pump your own gas. Supposedly this practice keeps gasoline prices lower in those states, because insurance costs for gas stations go down if attendants instead of customers pump the gas – but, on the other hand, that attendant must be paid, whereas you pump for free. So the jury’s out on the reasons for this one.

Animal and vegetable antics

Palm Springs, Calif., forbids anyone from walking a camel down the main street, Palm Canyon Drive, between 4 and 6 p.m.

Hunting from moving vehicles is illegal in several states, including Connecticut and Tennessee, where only whale hunting by that method is allowed.

Thou shalt not sow a vegetable garden in any public street in Chico, Calif. The law, however, does not forbid flower gardens.

No pillows on the roadbed

No matter how sleepy you get, you are not allowed to snooze in the middle of any street in Eureka, Calif.

Reno, Nev., won’t let you park yourself on a bench or chair in the middle of its roads, either.

As long as we’re on a roll, here are a few more tips to the lawful:

Yield to peacocks in Arcadia, Calif.
Don’t jump into a passing vehicle in Glendale, Calif.
Don’t change clothes in your car at the beach in Destin, Fla.
Don’t keep a car door open longer than is necessary in Oregon.
Don’t drive through playgrounds in Dublin, Ga.

How serious are they? Serious. Screeching your tires in Derby, Kan., could get you 30 days in Bad Boys’ Bed & Breakfast.

And if you think switching back to a one-horsepower hay-burner might get you away from the long arm of the law, consider this: In Texarkana, Texas, it’s illegal to ride a horse at night without taillights. Personally, I'd like to know how they get the taillights installed on the back end of the horse.

We did it!

2008-11-02T07:52:00.002-05:00

Yep, we're in. You read that right. The new “CG offices” have been acquired and our world dominating, mega-corporation will soon be moving to the new digs. Okay, so we've only got one “employee” and no income is generated from the site, but it's nice to dream—isn't it?

We apparently purchased a home from someone who has been characterized (by many of those we know in town) as the “Village Idiot.” Said citizen, from what we can gather, is mainly motivated by creating as much drama and aggravation as possible. This is evident in the trail our new friend has left online and in town. I won't get into the dirty details of this fellow's motus opporendi, but I can tell you we've had a few neighbors knock on the door to say thank you for buying the home. It would seem the street was somewhat pleased to see him finally move. To the new neighbors...we were only glad to help! So...would any of ya like to repay the favor and help us paint?

We'll be posting pictures of our progress with the home in the coming days. And we've also found some new pictures of Lafayette Lanes, including pictures of that center's building. It'll be nice to get back to regular updates of the website and this blog.

For those wondering, a nice Thursday series made up for a really lousy Wednesday night (an 80+ pin difference...on the same damn lanes; go figure). Unfortunately, we'll be taking a night or two off here and there in an effort to finish off things in the house.

Hopefully, everyone had a great Halloween and is looking forward to a fantastic Thanksgiving. It's right around the corner, you know! Oh...get out there and VOTE on Tuesday!! I really don't care who you're supporting...just vote. It's very important, you know.

more updates to CG!

2008-10-25T07:21:00.002-04:00

We've posted more updates to CG this morning. New information from bowlers who participated in the old Channel 5 show (RIP, Don Gillis) has been posted! Also, the new method for picture display has worked well, but we have a small kink to work out. It may or may not be noticeable to you as an end user, but nevertheless, we're working on it!

The purchase of the new CG home offices has stalled yet again; it seems we're buying the house from the village idiot. Unfortunately, said seller cannot understand the rules of contract law, and he's refusing to follow through on his commitments. While we're sure we'll be working this out very quickly (as both lawyers involved in this case agree this is an insane development that will pass soon), it's stressful to say the least. I just wish I could figure out why people cannot do business in an upfront manner. This purchase was botched by both real estate agents, two mortgage companies, two lawyers on the seller's side...ugh. Always exciting, that's for sure!

Bowling seems to go well with an average on the climb. Unfortunately, I cannot figure out why I can't bowl well on Thursday nights--Wednesday seems to be my day to whack the pins around. Maybe I'm getting old? Nah...couldn't be!

Stay tuned! More updates and interviews on the way soon!

You know you're from Boston when...

2008-10-22T14:15:00.001-04:00

The person driving in front of you is going 70 mph and you are cursing him for going too slow.
When ordering a tonic, you mean a Coke...not quinine water.
You actually enjoy driving around rotaries.
You almost feel disappointed when someone doesn't flip you the bird when you cut them off steal their parking space.
You know how to pronounce the names of towns like Worcester, Woburn, Billerica, Haverhill, Barre and Cotuit.
You have driven to New Hampshire on a Sunday in order to get beer.
You know that there are two Bulger brothers, and that they're both crooks.
You know what they sell at a packie.
You know at least one bar where you can get something to drink after last call.
You can actually find your way around Boston.
You get jimmies on your ice cream.
Evacuation Day is a recognized holiday.
You know what First Night is.
You know at least one guy named Sean, Pat, Whitey, Red, Bud or Seamus.
You think the rest of the country owes you for Thanksgiving and Independence Day.
You have never been to Cheers.
When the words 'WICKED' and 'GOOD' go together.
You knew that there was no chance in hell that the Pats would move to Hartford.
The curse of the Bambino is taught in public schools.
You own a "Yankees Suck" shirt or hat.
You think Doug Flutie is the greatest athlete ever.
You remember exactly where you were when the ball rolled through Buckner's legs.
You prayed for the Red Sox to win the World Series not this season, but in your lifetime...our prayes were answered! and theyll win again this season!
You know how to make a frappe.
You know what a hoodsie is.
You know that "Big Dig" is also a kind of ice cream you can get at Brigham's.
You actually know how to merge from 6 lanes of traffic down to one.
You never go to "Cape Cod", you go "down the Cape".
You think that Roger Clemens, Wade Boggs and Derek Jeter are more evil than Whitey Bulger.
You went to Old Sturbridge Village, Plymouth Plantation, or both, on field trip in grammar school.
You can drive to the mountains and the ocean all in one day.
You know that the Mass Pike is some sort of strange weather dividing line.
You know that P-Town isn't the name of a new rap group.
You do not recognize the letter "R" as a part of the English language.
You've called something "wicked pissa"
You see people like Steven Tyler (Aerosmith), Dicky Barret (The Mighty, Mighty Bosstones), and Evan Dando (The Lemonheads) in the local supermarket and it doesn't phase you.
You've slammed on your brakes to deter a tailgater
Know at least three Tony's, one Vinnie and a Frank(ie)
Paranoia sets in if you can't see a Dunkies, ATM or CVS within eyeshot at all times.
You keep an ice scraper and can of de-icer on the floor of your car...year round
You order iced coffee in January
You know what candlepin bowling is
You drive 45 minutes to New Hampshire to save $5 in sales tax
You've pulled out of a side street and used your car to block oncoming traffic so you can make a left.
You've bragged about the money you've saved at The Christmas Tree Shop
You know what a "regular" coffee is
You get mad when people order Regular coffee with cream and sugar
You get mad when people order regular coffee, and then bitch about the fact that there's cream and sugar in it
You know there is a much bigger difference between Roxbury and West Roxbury than just direction.
You think of Philadelphia as the Midwest.
You think there are only 25 letters in the alphabet (no R's).
You think three straight days of 80+ temperatures is a heatwave.
All your pets are named after Celtics or Bruins.
You refer to 6 inches of snow as a "dusting."
The weather changes from 70 and sunny to 20 and snowy in under an hour, and you hardly notice.
Just hearing the words "New York" puts you in an angry mood.
You don't think you have an attitude.
You always 'bang a left' as soon as the light turns green, and oncoming traffic always expects it.
Everything in town is "a five minute walk."
When out of town, you think the natives of the area are all whacked.
You know what a rotary is.
You've driven around a rotary seventeen times for pure sport.
You still can't bear to watch highlights from game 6 of the 1986 World Series.
You believe using your turn signal is a sign of weakness.
You don't realize that you walk and talk twice as fast as everyone else.
You're anal, neurotic, pessimistic and stubborn.
You think if someone is nice to you, they must want something or are from out of town.
Your favorite adjective is "wicked."
You think 63 degree ocean water is warm.
You think the Kennedy's are misunderstood.

WHEN WE SAY ________ WE MEAN...

Bizah - odd
Flahwiz - roses, etc.
Hahwahya? - how are you?
Khakis - what we staht the cah with
Pissah - superb
Retahded - silly
Shewah - of course
Wikkid - extremely
Yiz - you, plural
Popcahn - popular snack

HOW WE'LL KNOW YOU WEREN'T BON HEAH:

You wear a Harvard sweatshirt.
You ask directions to "Cheers."
You order a grinder and a soda.
You follow soccer.
You eat at Durgin Park.
You pronounce it "Worchester" or Glouchester."

DEFINITIONS:

Frappes have ice cream; milk shakes don't.
If it's fizzy and flavored, it's tonic. Soda is club soda. Pop is dad. When we mean tonic WATER, we say tonic WATER.
The smallest beer is a pint.
Scrod is whatever they tell you it is, usually fish.
If you paid more than $6 a pound, you got scrod.
It's not a water fountain, it's a bubblah.
It's not a trash can, it's a barrel.
It's not a shopping cart, it's a carriage.
It's not a purse, it's a pockabook.
It’s not a living room, it’s a pahlah.
They're not franks, they're haht
dahgs. Franks are money in France.
They're not groceries, they're bundles.

THINGS NOT TO DO:

Don't call it Beantown.
Don't pahk your cah in Hahvid Yahd. They'll tow it to Meffa (Medford) or Slumaville (Somerville).
Don't swim in the Charles, no matter what Bill Weld tells you.
Don't sleep in the Common.
Don't wear orange in Southie on St. Patrick's Day.

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW:

There are two State Houses, two City Halls, two courthouses and two Hancock buildings (one old, one new).
Route 128 is also I-95. It is also I-93.
It's the Sox, The Pats (or Patsies if they're losing), the Seltz, the Broons.
The underground train is not the subway. It's the T and it doesn't run all night (fah chrysakes, this ain't Noo Yawk).

GETTING AROUND:

Pay no attention to the street names. There's no school on School Street, no court on Court Street, no dock on Dock Square, no water on Water Street. Back Bay streets are in alphabetical odda. Arlington, Berkeley, Clarendon, Dartmouth. So are South Boston streets: A, B, C, D. (no J)
If the streets are named after trees (Walnut, Chestnut, Cedar), you're on Beacon Hill. If they're named after poets you're in Wellesley.
All avenues are properly referenced by their nicknames: Comm Ave, Mass Ave., Dot Ave.
Dot is Dorchester, Rozzie Roslindale, JP is Jamaica Plain. Readville doesn't exist.

THE NORTH-EAST-SOUTH-WEST THING:

Southie is South Boston. The South End is the South End. Eastie is East Boston. The North End is east of the West End.
The West End and Scollay Square are no more-a guy named Rappaport got rid of them one night.
The geographical center of Boston is in Roxbury. Due north of the center we find the South End. This is not to be confused with South Boston, which lies directly east from the South End. North of the South End is East Boston and southwest of East Boston is the North End. Backbay was filled in years ago.

BASIC RULES FOR DRIVING IN BOSTON
(subject to change at any time):

When on a one way street, stay to the right to allow oncoming traffic to pass.
Never, ever, stop for a pedestrian unless he flings himself under the wheels of your car.
The first parking space you see will be the last parking space you see. Grab it.
Double park in the North End of Boston, unless triple parking is available.
Learn to swerve abruptly. Boston is the home of slalom driving, thanks to the Registry of Motor Vehicles, which puts potholes in key locations to test drivers' reflexes and keep them on their toes.
Never get in the way of a car that needs extensive bodywork.
Always look both ways when running a red light.
Honk your horn the instant the light changes.
Breakdown lanes are not for breaking down, but for speeding, especially during rush hour.
Breakdown lanes may also end without warning causing traffic jams as people merge back in.
Never use directional signals when changing lanes. They only warn other drivers to speed up and not let you in.
Making eye contact revokes your right of way.
Never pass on the left when you can pass on the right.
Whenever possible, stop in the middle of a crosswalk to ensure inconveniencing as many pedestrians as possible. And if a pedestrian ahead of you steps in the road, speed up loudly and chase him back up on the curb. Peds have no rights.

wholesale update of the site...

2008-10-19T10:27:00.002-04:00

...is now complete! We've changed all the photo galleries to a flash media format. This will allow us to display far more information on the site (as the SWF format frees up a ton of space), streamlining its performance. We've already noticed performance improvements in loading speed and simplicity. One no longer scrolls through the pictures, it's automatic.

We've also updated broken links and added the latest King of the Hill results from Mason's. We'd like to continue to offer the montly tourney results from Brian's, but they don't seem to be available. Too bad.

Let us know if you find any trouble with the site's new format. We've tested it extensively, but we may have missed something.

still, we can't close on this house...

2008-10-18T07:33:00.002-04:00

...and it's getting to the point where we want to kill someone! While the walk-through inspection on the home went just fine yesterday, the paperwork for the loan has yet to be finished. You'd have thought the bank would have realized that? Nah, that would require common sense. So, we're not in yet. Setting aside this weekend to paint and clean, we're now waking up with nothing to do (which isn't so bad, really--an entirely open weekend? nice...).

Interestingly, the seller (who is turning out to be the human embodiment of Satan himself) has turned off all water and electricity, and ordered his agent (who turns out to be his sister) to begin showing the home again--and that's not legal in the state of CT. He's also been cut off by his lawyer; apparently the lawyer has become tired of his rage. I'd have to suggest, from my side of the aisle, a little counseling may be in order. If those working for you are unable to deal with you, I'm going to go out on a limb and say you're the one with the problem.

Oh yeah, and I'd really like to know what happened to that new refrigerator he put in. There was a completely different refrigerator in the kitchen yesterday. Brand new, but completely different. Weird.

Nonetheless, I'll imagine his head on the pins Wednesday and Thursday nights! HA! Stay tuned! Go Sox!

an update--and there's actually some bowling in here!

2008-10-16T07:45:00.000-04:00

I've actually received several emails recently, asking me how the bowling was going. And as I reread the last few entries in my blog, I find that I haven't really commented on it so far this season. Funny, I thought this was a blog that was centered around bowling!

So far, so good this year. My Wednesday team is still under .500, although we've taken the last 8 points in a row (overcoming some really big handicaps in the process, too). It's been sort of up and down on that team in the early weeks—we've had some real clunkers thrown into the mix with some great series—but it looks as though we could finally be putting things together. A nice personal 335 series on tough 9 & 10 last night gives me hope for the future.

My Thursday team is a perennial favorite to win a round, and we've started out fairly hot. We're upstairs at Agawam this year, having dissolved the downstairs league and merged to form a large, 10 team circuit. I bowl with 4 very good bowlers who provide me with tons of support and help, and it shows in my numbers. Unfortunately, we couldn't hit the broad side of a barn with a basketball last week, so we knocked ourselves out of first place. But we're still in the thick of it for round 1, so I'm hoping we'll get back on track this week. Nevertheless, I'm sure we'll be in it at the end of the year.

My wife also gets the chance to get into it all, now that her master's degree is done. She enjoys going up to watch me bowl, usually once a week. I enjoy the chatter from the back of the center and the other bowlers enjoy the view my wife gives them (she's been classified as “very hot” by many of them). She's a great gal—hopefully I can improve the show on the lanes so she stays interested!

The CG offices are still planning on a move next month, if your intrepid webmaster can get a closing date on the new home. We won't have any service disruptions, but we just really want to move! Stay tuned. If you 'd like to see pictures of the home, join us on facebook today.

We're testing a new piece of software for the website that will make viewing pictures easier. It takes all the pictures in a folder and makes a flash slideshow for the user, which will run automatically when one clicks on the center's name. If it comes to fruition, we believe it'll make the website easier to use and more professional. In that vein, we'd like to know if any of you have widescreen monitors; we're considering a new layout for the site that will take advantage of that space on the new screens. Let us know via the contact us link on the website!

Bucksport Bowl

2008-10-12T08:05:00.002-04:00

...is now featured on the website. We've had a video of this center in the past, but the video was removed from YouTube. However, we've recently been the benefactor of a few pictures from this candlepin house in Maine, so they're live on the site now.

We're considering a wholesale redesign of the site, complete with widescreen format. How many of you have the newer widescreen monitors? If there's enough interest, we'd consider moving things around to give the site a more up to date look.

Is your center pictured in the Candlepin Gallery? If not, you need to get your digital camera out and get some pictures to us, NOW! With over 140 centers pictured, we're the web's best spot for candlepin bowling history, news and information!

Not much for now...too busy! But pictures of our new home will be posted very soon!

I don't believe it!

2008-10-11T18:49:00.002-04:00

I just watched my copy of last week's SNL and watched the Lawrence Welk sketch. Funny? Oh yes. Surprising...you betcha! I'm shocked that SNL actually ran a sketch lampooning Lawrence Welk! Holy cow, I'm old.

Could you please feed me my mush and wipe my chin? Thanks...

Dear Wall Street

2008-10-02T08:19:00.003-04:00

Hi, this is the lobbyist for a group called The Taxpayers, Debtors, and Insured People of the United States. Now that we've rejected the first bailout plan, I'm sure that in the spirit of tough, free market capitalism, and spirited negotiations, you'll consider our second offer. Here are some terms that I'm SURE you will find reasonable:

1) We are willing to loan you money at a very low, introductory rate of 8.9%. If you are even one nanosecond late on your payment, your rate will go from 8.9% to 32.9% instantly. You will have no right to appeal this. The interest rate increase will be retroactive. None of this "but I mailed it out Friday" nonsense. We must get it, and the check must clear, for your payment to count. A reminder: transactions that occur after 2pm are not credited until the next business day, so be sure to make your payments before then.

2) If you are late on any of your other payments to your other creditors, your rate will also be spiked to 32.9%. I know it has nothing to do with us, but if you are late paying someone else, then OBVIOUSLY you are a bigger credit risk to us.

3) We will send you onerous terms and conditions 148,000,000 pages long in 6 point font. Of course, those terms can change on a whim, at any time, so we'll be sending you hourly updates to the contract, which we expect you to read and keep up with. Sorry, we will be the only ones that can amend the contract; you cannot.

4) You will have a predetermined credit line, and if you go over it by even $1, your interest rate will spike to 54.9%. Sorry, it's in the contract on page 109,209,392.

5) The bankruptcy laws have now changed. If you get into a bind, I'm afraid you won't find much sympathy; no more silly excuses will be accepted. We are going to have the titles to all of your buildings and physical assets put in our name, so when the inevitable time comes and you trip up, we'll simply take everything from you. There will be no court hearing.

6) We'll be conducting a background check, driving records check, drug test, and disease risk check of all of the top executives of your firm. After all, you're a riskier loan if you have any of those afflictions, aren't you? Well, if we find ANYTHING wrong, your interest rate will skyrocket, instantly, and without notice.

7) If your business is located in a "bad neighborhood", or a "poor city", or a "hurricane zone", or "flood plane", or "terrorist targeted city", as defined by us, we can raise your interest rates at any time, to any rate we choose.

For the last quarter century or so, you've imposed these terms, or some variation of them on us, when loaning us money or insuring us... arguing every single time that it's "necessary" and that these sorts of changes "will result in more profitable companies that will pass the savings along to consumers". Well, now that we're in the role of lender, and you're in the role of borrower, we're sure that you'll find these same terms fair.

Wall Street, prove the cynics wrong and accept our new plan. Prove to everyone that you're not the hypocrites that everyone thinks you are.

Sincerely,

The Taxpayers of the United States of America

...wish I could take full credit for this...it was emailed to me today.