AUTHOR: Dave Sypniewski DATE: Friday, December 16, 2005 ----- BODY: Hold on to your long johns and grab a cup of Swiss Miss because it's time once again for the "Week in Review". Let's get started! "Alice. One of these days I'm gonna send you to the moon!" Sir Richard Branson has his name on everything on the planet. There's Virgin records, Virgin Airways, Virgin cellular, and the list goes on and on. Whenever someone does something over the top, Branson is right behind them to steal their thunder. Remember the guy that tried for a few years to circle around the world on a balloon? Branson got a big balloon and put "Virgin" on it and sent it up to make the trip too. He's now looking to expand his operations to the stars with the creation of "Virgin Galactic". He acquired 27 square miles of land in New Mexico which will be ground zero for his space program. While ground hasn't even been broken yet, he expects routine flights to begin late next year. You won't be landing anywhere along the way. Just far enough up and away to turn around and see earth behind you. Virgin Galactic has their own website and are looking for travelers to fill seats. Go to the website to fill out an online application and while you're at it, get a second mortgage on your house. Ticket prices start at $250,000. Predicting the weather with only a road Atlas. OK, we've had a few close calls already this season with winter snowstorms. Turn on the news and you'll see a new tool being used in weather forecasting. It's not some fancy new computer or radar...it's a roadmap. Everyone in Chicago is doing this but, I hate to tell them that this new way of doing things isn't working good either. I wrote Meteorologist Paul Konrad of the WGN Morning News a few days ago right after the 12" of snow that everyone predicted didn't happen. Not even a quarter of an inch! It was something like this on TV: Heavy snow North of I-88. From I-88 South to I-80, lighter snowfall possible, and from I-80 South there will be freezing rain. I asked Mr. Konrad since when has the interstates been used as dividing lines for who gets what? He wrote back and said that this way makes it easier for those folks who get mixed up as to where they are. They may not know where Homewood is on a map, but they do know where I-80 is hence, it's better to say freezing rain South of I-80. Oh sure, that clears everything up for me! How come you guys still can't get it right?! Speaking of not knowing where you are, How about the guy that hopped into the car and drove 27 miles down the highway going the wrong way? The man and his three passengers were all Russian and driving down a highway in France. Along the way, he managed to hit a couple of people, hit a few cars, but kept on going. When the cops finally persuaded the guy to pull over, He was putting the blame on everyone else saying that they were going the wrong way. After field sobriety tests that turned up negative for drugs and alcohol, the French Police concluded that this guy was just plain old stupid. You can't get a ticket for that...BUT, someone else could be asked to continue the roadtrip. What a bunch of dopes! Have a good weekend! -------- Squealing Pig WORLDWIDE!: Presto! THE WEEK IN REVIEW!

Squealing Pig WORLDWIDE!

Friday, December 16, 2005

Presto! THE WEEK IN REVIEW!

Hold on to your long johns and grab a cup of Swiss Miss because it's time once again for the "Week in Review". Let's get started! "Alice. One of these days I'm gonna send you to the moon!" Sir Richard Branson has his name on everything on the planet. There's Virgin records, Virgin Airways, Virgin cellular, and the list goes on and on. Whenever someone does something over the top, Branson is right behind them to steal their thunder. Remember the guy that tried for a few years to circle around the world on a balloon? Branson got a big balloon and put "Virgin" on it and sent it up to make the trip too. He's now looking to expand his operations to the stars with the creation of "Virgin Galactic". He acquired 27 square miles of land in New Mexico which will be ground zero for his space program. While ground hasn't even been broken yet, he expects routine flights to begin late next year. You won't be landing anywhere along the way. Just far enough up and away to turn around and see earth behind you. Virgin Galactic has their own website and are looking for travelers to fill seats. Go to the website to fill out an online application and while you're at it, get a second mortgage on your house. Ticket prices start at $250,000. Predicting the weather with only a road Atlas. OK, we've had a few close calls already this season with winter snowstorms. Turn on the news and you'll see a new tool being used in weather forecasting. It's not some fancy new computer or radar...it's a roadmap. Everyone in Chicago is doing this but, I hate to tell them that this new way of doing things isn't working good either. I wrote Meteorologist Paul Konrad of the WGN Morning News a few days ago right after the 12" of snow that everyone predicted didn't happen. Not even a quarter of an inch! It was something like this on TV: Heavy snow North of I-88. From I-88 South to I-80, lighter snowfall possible, and from I-80 South there will be freezing rain. I asked Mr. Konrad since when has the interstates been used as dividing lines for who gets what? He wrote back and said that this way makes it easier for those folks who get mixed up as to where they are. They may not know where Homewood is on a map, but they do know where I-80 is hence, it's better to say freezing rain South of I-80. Oh sure, that clears everything up for me! How come you guys still can't get it right?! Speaking of not knowing where you are, How about the guy that hopped into the car and drove 27 miles down the highway going the wrong way? The man and his three passengers were all Russian and driving down a highway in France. Along the way, he managed to hit a couple of people, hit a few cars, but kept on going. When the cops finally persuaded the guy to pull over, He was putting the blame on everyone else saying that they were going the wrong way. After field sobriety tests that turned up negative for drugs and alcohol, the French Police concluded that this guy was just plain old stupid. You can't get a ticket for that...BUT, someone else could be asked to continue the roadtrip. What a bunch of dopes! Have a good weekend!

posted by Dave Sypniewski at Friday, December 16, 2005

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