About the Kraut...Yes that's me. I run this blog. This is the part where I'm supposed to make little witty remarks about myself so that you like me, you REALLY REALLY like me, and that you really want to come back to my little corner of cyberspace...Or I act really snarky. Like I'm too cool to care about you or the handful of others who read my daily scribblings. So I can pick a fight with you and act all indignant and superior, like I supposedly am truly special and that the rest of you are merely internet losers.
Instead I will thank you for visiting my site, even if it's just this one time, or if you feel like visiting regularly you are welcome. I want this to be the Internet equivalent of you coming over for a coffee or tea and us having a chat, rant or knock-down drag out argument if you like...
Some promises to you:
- What you read here is what I believe and is true. No sugar-coating. What would be the point of having a personal website without the truth
- I'm not going to suck up to you or flame you from afar for no reason. Please return me the same consideration
- I will not edit your comments unless
- you're flaming from a totally off-topic position, ie. some flames can be warranted, as long as you stick to the issues. Examples: "You're an asshole, fuckhead, moron, etc". is off-topic. "Only an asshole, fuckhead, moron etc thinks the Alliance party can win the next election!" is close to flaming, but may be reasonable in my eyes, depending on the context of the discussion. I'm not your mommy. I swear enough and would be a hypocrite if I tried to stop others from swearing.
- you're advocating violence or hatred against a specific individual, group or groups, even if I happen to hate the individual, group or groups involved.
- you're inciting others to do the same
- you are sucking up to the point of extreme nausea (yeah, right. like that'll happen)
- you are spamming
- I will not threaten to take down my site in a fit of pique, announcing to the world that I'm sick of all you, all in an attempt to get you all to say "oh please don't go, we love you so much, please stay!" like I've seen other sites do. It sickens me. If I say I'm going to take this site down, I'll do it.
- I will not beg for money. (Unless this site becomes SOOOOOOOO popular that my bandwidth charges go throught the roof and the only alternative to taking it down would be to generate some revenue. Again. Yeah, right. Like that'll happen) This implies no judgement on anyone who visits here that operates a site that DOES beg for money. YOUR site is your own. Do what you want.
- I want this site to be fun. People who make it "not fun" are just ruining it for me and anyone else who thinks this site is any good. I pay for the bandwidth, so there are plenty of options available to me in correcting this...
The truth is I WANT YOU HERE. I want you to read and enjoy your time here. If you disagree with me, tell me why. If I'm full of shit, say that I'm full of shit, but tell me why I'm full of shit and try to keep it logical. My mind's been changed more than once by a persuasive argument with good facts behind it.
On to the more stinging details (format shamelessly ripped from Acidman's site...)
as of Friday July 4, 2003...
- Name: Ray
- Astrological sign: Leo
- Age: 32
- Height: 5' 11"
- Level of Education: B.Commerce, Finance
- Occupation: Financial Analyst (of course)
- Birthplace: Ajax, Ontario
- Marital status: Blissfully Wed
- How many children: Two girls
- Do you drink (alcohol): Yes, in fact I'd like to drink MORE, but can't find the time
- Do you smoke: On special occasions
- Favorite outdoor activities: Sailing (though I haven't done it in a LONG time)
- Favorite indoor activities: Blogging/Computers, family time, no-so family time (cue 70's porn music)
- Favorite colors: Black, White and Gold. Go Bruins! Go early 90's Canucks!
- Favorite type of music: Not so heavy alt-rock.
- Favorite musical groups/performers: The Tragically Hip (though not their recent stuff), Rheostatics, U2 (I'm filling my stadium rocker quota, love their earlier 80s-90s and b-sides)
- Favourite musical groups/performers to watch with the sound muted: Shania, Britney ('specially on the "Worst of.." video clip shows: fills my skanky quota) Shakira (although I have to admit I don't mind her music as much as the others)
- Favorite soundtracks: The Crow, The Matrix, Trainspotting, Gladiator (for my more militant moments)
- Favorite song at the moment: "Seven Nation Army," by The White Stripes
- What's in your home CD/Casette player right now: Play by Moby
- What's in you car CD/Casette player right now:"Elephant" by The White Stripes.
- Do you play an instrument: No
- One pillow or two: One.
- Croutons or bacon bits: Croutons
- Favorite salad dressing: Lemon/Olive Oil or Balsalmic/Olive Oil
- Have you ever had your appendix or tonsils removed: Tonsils, they grew back (mutant freak!)
- Have you ever gone skinny-dipping: Nope.
- Do you make fun of people: Yes, but only about their statements and ideas. Race, looks, handicaps etc. are off-limits.
- As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up: Archeologist with a big Fedora and a bullwhip. X-wing pilot. Federation Starship Captain.
- What would be your dream job now: Independent Starship smuggler, a la Han Solo before he got distracted by those pesky do-gooders...
- Have you ever been convicted of a crime: No.
- Your first car: 1984 gold VW Jetta turbo-diesel.
- Dream car: Fully restored 1950s Porsche 356 "Bathtub" Spyder
- Toothpaste: Crest
- Shampoo/Conditioner: Whatever my darling wife puts on the tub-ledge.
- Favorite season: Fall
- Favorite holiday: August civic holiday. In Ontario, Canada this is the first Monday in August and is called "Simcoe Day" after Lord Simcoe because they had to call it something. It has zero religious significance or historical tradition or solemnity and is basically a wildcard holiday that you can do anything or nothing with. And you won't get the intrusive "how did you spend your Christmas/Easter/Canada Day" questions about this one. It's quiet.
- Favorite board/card game: Blackjack, Rummy
- Favorite hobbies: Video games, blogging, playing with my kids
- Favorite sport to play: Soccer
- Favorite sport to watch: Hockey (although I can't seem to watch anything more than 15 minutes of ANY sport now. Attention span has been destroyed!)
- Least favorite sport to watch: tie: Curling AND Baseball
- Do you have any siblings: One much older brother
- Do you get along with your parents: Yes, although only my father is still alive.
- Favorite place to visit: Vancouver
- What is your bad time of day: Morning. Brain takes a long time to get moving.
- What is your good time of day: Night-time
- Favorite perfume or cologne: Xerius
- Favorite flower/plant: Cactus
- Favorite subject in school: English Literature
- Least favorite subject in school: French
- Favorite authors: Patrick O'Brian, Frank Herbert
- Favorite book genre: Sci-Fi, Historical
- Favorite book: "Dune" by Frank Herbert
- Current book I'm reading: No time (toddler AND infant)
- Favorite magazine: Fortune
- Favorite movie you have seen recently: Donnie Darko
- Favorite movie of all time: Alien
- Favorite TV programs: Farscape, Coupling,
- Favorite cartoon character: Yosemite Sam.
- Favorite food: Anything my wife cooks up.
- Chocolate or Vanilla: Chocolate
- Favorite ice cream: Chocolate Mint
- Favorite alcoholic Drink: Bushmills Irish Whiskey on ice
- What is your bedtime: 11:30 PM
- Interesting fact about your childhood: When I was eight, I was almost abducted by a couple in a Camaro. They wanted me to show them where a street was on a map. I thought they were stupid because if they just drove to the end of the street they were on they would've found the one they were looking for. They finally left when an adult showed up, but they had a full 15 minutes to try to coax me up to the window of their car. I never realised until years later what had actually happened.
- How many rings before you answer the phone: Usually 3. That's if I get to the phone in time, and the person calling has passed the "screen test"
- The first thing you think of in the morning: Coffee.
- Favorite thing to do when you're home alone: Use the bathroom with the door open
- Things that make you feel good: Smart conversation. Seeing my daughter smile. My wife
- Things you don't like: Idiots, Beaurocracy, Trends, Buzzwords, Excuses
- Do you get motion sickness: Yes, ever since that damn Back to the Future ride at Universal Studios Florida
- Roller Coasters - Deadly or Exciting: Exciting
- Thunderstorms - Cool or Scary: Cool
- Pen or Pencil: Pencil
- Do you like to drive: Love it. Sucks to drive in Toronto though
- Do you sleep with stuffed animals: No.
- Did you have imaginary friends or a blanket as a child: Yes.
- What is on the walls of your room: Nothing
- What words or phrases do you overuse: "Basically..."
- Coolest things anyone ever gave you: My dad gave me a sailboat, which would've been great in my teens/early 20s because the boat is too wild for me to handle. I gave it to my nephew (his grandson)
- How would you characterize your political leanings: fiscal conservative, social liberal. The government is not there to spoon feed us cradle to grave, but does have a responsibility to help the bottom-dwellers of society in the most efficient manner possible without compromising quality of life for the majority.
- If you could pick one super-human power, what would you choose: The ability to move large objects with my mind and drop them on unsuspecting enemies.