One-Man Think Tank

PORTFOLIO: Merchant Interview

2008-12-25T15:05:00.002-05:00

PORTFOLIO: Sample Video Ad

2008-12-25T14:37:00.010-05:00

Where to find me ...

2007-12-31T21:25:00.000-05:00

You can find my work on the Web at ...

Linglestown Gazette, a blog dedicated to news, events and interesting tidbits about the village of Linglestown in suburban Harrisburg, Pa.

Also, check out my videos on YouTube.

Bostic victim of Harrisburg chainsaw massacre

2006-09-05T16:33:00.000-04:00

Site of the Harrisburg chainsaw massacre.

I experienced the honey-do project from hell a couple weekends ago.

My wife decided to do away with a pear tree in our backyard. She used a handsaw to cut off all the branches, leaving a 5-foot section of main truck for me to hack down.

As far as honey-do projects go, this one looked pretty easy even though I had no experience using a chainsaw. Actually, I was looking forward to revving up the saw and turning the tree into dust in no time flat.

Then, one of Satan's minions showed up ...

It took about three hours and four roundtrips to the local Ace Hardware store to fell the puny tree trunk and cut it up. (Actually, this was a six-trip job if you count pickup and return of the rental saw.)

Two trips were needed to overcome a dull chain, plus two more trips because I couldn’t get the damn saw started after refueling.

Things got ugly after the third trip. The store clerk confirmed that the saw would start, but I couldn’t get it going in the backyard. The starter cord kept getting jammed after pulling it out about five inches.

A classic temper tantrum ensued. I took off my hat and threw it no the ground in a style reminiscent of former pro baseball managers Billy Martin and Earl Weaver. I kicked the ground several times, and serenaded my neighborhood with a few primal screams.

My teenaged daughter watched the meltdown from the safety of our sunroom, and apparently enjoyed seeing her old man act like a flaming idiot.

The store clerk rescued me from Satan's grip on store trip #4 by diagnosing what I was doing wrong.

I can't remember the last time something pissed me off to such a high degree. It took me two days for my body and mind to recover from being the victim of this chainsaw massacre.

Next up: installing a wash pole to replace the tree. Anyone want to help?
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Originally posted March 28, 2006. The wash pole was cemented in place without incident.

Too many jean cuts

2006-08-29T16:14:00.000-04:00

The plethora of options available in U.S. retail stores can sometimes be a pain in the neck. Take buying jeans, for example …

Two of the four pairs of jeans in my closet we’re in sad shape – material in the thigh area almost nonexistent and ripped in one, and a hole and a blown out pocket in the other. (If you think these jeans are just getting in … like … you know … good condition, you’re more than welcome to go dumpster diving at my place.)

I went to Kohl’s in search of some new jeans. I had way too many options to choose from – original, regular, slim, loose, comfort, straight, relaxed, boot cut, and last but not least, the ever popular “low.”

I tried on over a half dozen pairs in my size before finding a cut that matched my shape – Levi’s Comfort Fit 560 ™ Jeans.

No, I didn’t try on a “low” model.
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Originally posted Nov. 19, 2005.

Less is Best – The UnAmerican Dream

2006-08-28T16:19:00.001-04:00

Nobody needs a 6,000 or 4,000 square foot house or a 2,000 square foot house. What you need is a little thing just big enough to have your body with a roof over it.
- Jeff Paul, extremely successful direct marketing expert

I believe most Americans are caught up in a perpetual race to see who can accumulate the biggest pile of stuff. “Bigger is better” seems to be the unofficial national motto.

Well, I’ve decided not to play this game. “Less is best’ is my motto.

Here’s my dream lifestyle: Beyond the standard necessities of life, I’d be happy living in a trailer and driving a beater. Better yet, I’d replace the car for a good pair of running shoes and a bike.

Why would anyone desire such an unAmerican lifestyle?

(more...)
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NOTE: This is the first of a series of posts from the BB archives.

Quick BB update

2006-08-23T22:08:00.000-04:00

More good stuff is coming soon, including oldies but goodies from the archives.

I've been busy with a side project. Plus, I'm still looking for a new voice to replace the one that was screaming during my political blogging days.

Thanks for checking in, and please come back.

BB’s NASCAR experience

2006-08-08T15:29:00.000-04:00

I had an eye-opening experience over the weekend while driving south on Interstate 81 from Hazleton to Harrisburg. Now I know why there are frequent accidents and occasional fatalities on this stretch of highway.

Below are a few of the escapades that I witnessed:

- Most drivers seemed to be cruising at 75 to 85 mph even though the posted speed limit is 65 mph. I was passed like crazy with my cruise control set at 70 mph.

- One woman blew by me while talking on a handheld cell phone.

- A few car drivers passed 18-wheelers using the right-hand lane, a well-documented way to get smushed by a trucker.

- Tailgating galore at high speeds, especially by truckers who refused to hit the breaks while barreling downhill.

The (Harrisburg) Patriot-News ran an op-ed piece on Sunday by a motorist who has had similar experiences on Pennsylvania highways.

Speeding and aggressive driving kill. Please slow down.

BB boiling over

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

It's hotter than Clancy's nuts at BB HQ

As some of you know, I'm a proud member of the Fan Club, a small contingent of Americans who do not have air conditioning in their homes. My home has an window air conditioner in my daughter's second-floor bedroom, but that isn't enough to get me kicked out the club.

Why the ban on AC? Mainly because I don't want to be boxed inside my house during the warm-weather months. Being cooped up during the winter is enough for me. I'm making a go of it during the heat wave with ceiling and window fans. The office was a toasty 94.3 degrees Fahrenheit at the time the picture was taken.

As far as the heat wave, it seems to be a sure sign of Gore-bal warming. Don't you think so?

Finally, if you want to learn more about Clancy's nuts and Gore-bal warming, check out Cotolo Chronicles, a blog written by Frank Cotolo of Grantville, Pa. The long-time head writer for Wolfman Jack does a live, two-hour Internet broadcast every Thursday at 9 p.m. EST. If you miss the show, you can download it as a podcast.

BB gas attack

2006-07-27T22:12:00.000-04:00

Tonight I gassed up my sporty 1998 Saturn station wagon with a dent on the hood, and it set me back $28.95, about $10 more than last year at this time.

BB and family do NYC

2006-07-17T20:07:00.000-04:00

CLICK HERE for an alternative broadcast presentation. (2:50)

BB daredevil

2006-07-13T17:23:00.000-04:00

Yesterday I noticed that a hooligan had thrown a beach towel on my house roof. My ladder is too short to reach the roof, so I had to come up with a more daring way to rescue the towel.

I decided to be like Spiderman by climbing out the dormer window onto a narrow and steep patch of roof, and then shimmy around the edge of the dormer to grab the towel. My wife grabbed my arm on the way back, making it easier to get through the window - return trips always seem to be harder when doing death-defying stunts.

The hooligan is still at large. Developing story ...

This maneuver was done with no safety ropes or nets. Stupid, I know.

Happy 4th of July

2006-07-03T14:04:00.000-04:00

BB wants you to check out Linglestown Gazette.

New blogging project

2006-06-26T19:04:00.000-04:00

I've recently started a blog that focuses on news, happenings, history and interesting tidbits about the village of Linglestown, which is located just a few miles north of Harrisburg, Pa. The Web site is called the Linglestown Gazette.

Linglestown's famous flagpole located at the intersection of Mountain and Linglestown roads.

Biking BB

2006-06-25T11:52:00.000-04:00

I'm trying to be less gasoline-dependent this summer by moving about by foot and bicycle. This approach to personal transportation has an added bonus of helping me get physically fit. I've noticed on recent bike rides that I'm handling roaster coaster hills with improved ease.

BB and his trusty two-wheeler

Hiking road trip

2006-06-19T15:44:00.000-04:00

Pictured is a group from New Hope Church (Linglestown, Pa.) who hiked the falls trails on June 17th at Ricketts Glen State Park. The park is located about 25 miles southwest of Wilkes-Barre. BB and his family are the trio at the center of the photo. These intrepid hikers walked about 7 miles.

Dog daze have arrived

2006-06-16T15:26:00.000-04:00

Dead dog? Nah, it's just Buddy, BB's 8-year-old mixed Lab, being a backyard bum.

Blog publisher is on sabbatical

2006-05-25T22:07:00.000-04:00

This blog will be relaunched in the near future. Sorry, my days as a political blogger are over, but the new format should be entertaining and informative.

BB's twin brother

2006-05-01T18:39:00.000-04:00

2006-01-01T13:59:00.000-05:00