OT: Friday Open Thread
It's that time of week again and frankly Profit is slacking because he's working and not on here slacking.
What's going on for the weekend? Any crazy July 4th plans in the works? USA USA USA!
I'm off to a wedding this weekend that should be a good time, finishing out the clock here before hitting the road, off Wednesday - Sunday next week and looking forward to it.
My wife is due 2 days before Purdue. Scheduled C-Section so I'll be home just in time.
That is tough. But just in case, DVR the game since you don't want to add on to the pissed-off-ness that she will already be experiencing. Plus, having a tv in the room will help.
Its actually an easy decision. I am, after all, a family kind of guy. The birth of my second child takes precedence over everything, as it should.
For those of you who had any rush jobs with us, please note that the first two weeks in July are when 80% of the company decides to take their vacation, so we will do our best to accommodate everybody.
Seriously though, hopefully everyone is staying out the heat if possible - we had about 16,000 out at one point last night because of heat-related failures, and it may not be much better today. Beyond that, I've started running the month-end reports early because, at this point in the day, everything that will come in has come in.
My wife is working on the 4th, so there are no real plans, and actually, as historic luck goes here, I may very be too - we joke about the "4th Of July Storm" here every year, but I have worked the past two July 4th holidays because of storm, so it's utility gallows humor in a way.
Some summary MGoStats for the top 300 MGoBloggers by point totals:
A total of 1,997 points were generated by this group, with the average user generating 11 points. 122 users in this group did not post, and another generated between 1 and 9 points. The median was 5 points, and the standard deviation was 20 points. The variance of totals fell from 862 to 399 over the week.
Top producers:
| User | Change 6/15-6/22 |
| Brian | 200 |
| WolvinLA2 | 89 |
| M-Wolverine | 83 |
| CRex | 80 |
| JeepinBen | 58 |
| Magnus | 52 |
| LSAClassOf2000 | 49 |
| hart20 | 37 |
| MaizeAndBlueWahoo | 36 |
| Mr. Yost | 36 |
It should be noted that diary entries and front page content do play a role. For example, all of Brian's points come from his eight front page entries (and Ace would likely be here too if not for his vacation). Further, if you're in this group, you'll be proud to know that if you generated 6 points or more, you are in the first quartile of posters.
Damn. I really have to step up my game.
Like I always told my mom, there are at least four people in this world who are bigger losers than I am.
My parents always told me that I would be successful one of these days, and I am starting to fear that tracking these statistics also means I am tracking the delay of this date that they kept mentioning.
Let's get off moms. I just got off yours.
Sick burn!
I'd prefer that you not call me. Period.
What if we are all merely subaccounts in the "RollDamnTide" server, which is part of the "WolverineInABag" network of sports blogs?
Considering how many days he was off this week. What did we learn from this? Being pissed off about a Thursday night kick off gets you points.
You wanted that upgrade to a silver medal this week, eh? Next week, what I will do is create a new tab for the non-staff users and then add ten to everyone's total. If it worked for Aurthur Andersen, it can work for MGoBlog....right?
I can take Brian. He's just lucky it's not bowl season.
Cramming for BEC of the CPA exam. I take it Tuesday, so wish me luck.
I know as soon as I am done im stopping at a local establishment for a pint...
Good luck! I started studying recently and it is truly a grind.
Hang in there, let me reassure you that upon completion of the CPA exam, colors are brighter, jokes are funnier, and life is more enjoyable. In the great words of Michael Bluth, "Head down, power through". I finished them up less than a year ago.
I'm SO JEALOUS! I wanna gooooo!
Getting ready for shutdown week around here, which is next week. Had the choice of not working at all during shutdown week or going to some random training and community service stuff in order to keep getting paid. I like my paychex, especially when I can get them for not really doing much actual work.
vacation all next week for me... whoooooooo!!!!!
I think I figured out my life plan this week--I'm all set to transfer into a different Master's program so there's that. I'm excited for Ann Arbor adventures tomorrow--it's been far too long!
Wife in South Bend and I close on our house on Monday, which sets off Epic Renovation Week of Epicness. Today involves a trip to Home Depot and a prayer to the God of Thinset and Spackle.
It will get to a point where the conversation is something like this:
"Here is your debt-to-income ratio...."
"Got it"
"Here is the amortization of estimated payments...."
"I understand"
"Here are the entrails of a hedgehog..."
"Where do I initial?"
Seriously though, good luck on all this. As for renovations, I am sure the MGoCommunity is a wealth of information on this as well.
We got the seller to cover the entrails.
Just found out that I'm not on call this weekend when I thought I was, so now the plan is to stay cool with the wife and boy without my pager... including bowling and probably the pool. I should probably cut the grass cine it's been about a month, but it doesn't grow much when it's consistently hot as butt outside.
Going to Ann Arbor for the weekend, possibly going to Cedar Point. It's going to be a good weekend. Then I'll be working Monday and Tuesday, and then going up north for a Fourth of July short week/long weekend. It should be a good time.
I wish I was going up north as usual around the 4th, but I am coverage this year - apparently, somebody actually neeed to at least pretend to manage things during a week when everyone else will be gone basically.
If you're near Atlanta, MI, my parents actually help run the festivities at Canada Creek Ranch, which is about 11 miles north of town. They put on a decent show for a private ranch actually. I am pretty sure my father has a garage full of class C fireworks, which is a truly great thing to have with the Red Flag Warnings up there.
Taking it easy this weekend. Heading up to the lake house on Higgins next Thursday. The south end park always throws a huge party in the shallows that usually gets a little crazy. 4 cases, a 30 pack, and a few half gallons ususally does the trick.
and former teammates made the Olympic 300m Steeplechase team last night, and I'm moving into a better apartment all day today. Should be a good one, capped off with some celebrating of both events.
Why is the day moves are scheduled invariably the hottest?
Same way when I moved into my house.
Cool on the Olympics. It's amazing what country vs. country and some pretty necklaces will do to create unwavering interest in me for sports you couldn't pay me to watch otherwise. That, and the cool theme music.
My move shouldn't be bad. My complex is moving me down one level due to having a douche roommate that got the electricity shut off in my apartment. MGB and I have been living in friend's places for a week now, so sweating for a few hours is well worth having my own luxuries like air conditioning, a refrigerator, stove and hot water; you know, the real high life stuff.
As far as the Olympics, I couldn't agree more about interest. It also helps that the only American sport the summer games compete with is the MLB. At this point, college basketball and softball have been done for long enough that I'm dying for some action I can really get into.
In Ann Arbor today actually, just had a meeting with the University, don't want to jinx anything but they seemed optimistic that we'd soon be working together!
Now sitting in the Starbucks on the corner of State and Liberty catching up on some emails. Just saw Mitch McGary walk around the corner, he's looking very solid.
/cool story'd
Hey guys (and gals?),
I'm looking for a little help regarding logos and trademarks and what can/can't be used.
In my free time I make wheelthrown pottery. Recently, I've been working on putting logos on mugs. My brother said I should make some Michigan mugs. What are the rules? I suppose I could make one for my brother with a big block M or any way he wanted but what if I want to sell them at some point? I've been to this page: http://www.logos.umich.edu/usemarks.html
What does "Trademark" mean exactly? Do I really need permission to write the word "wolverines" on a mug or is that only if I'm selling it as a Michigan mug? Is it hard to get permission to use certain phrases or images? Could I offer a block M mug and let the customer pick the colors so it wouldn't explicitly be a Michigan mug? Maybe someone would like a Missouri mug? I just remember the logo contest on this blog and some shirts were pulled because of some legal issues.
I see products like this: http://www.etsy.com/listing/90584558/michigan-wolverines-ready-to-hang and I wonder if I could add similar things to my pottery without getting in trouble down the road. Does it matter if I sell them as individually unique pieces?
Just to be safe I've started to come up with phrases or words that are "Michigan" but aren't on the trademark page above. A few ideas: The Team, Beat Ohio, Michigan Man, certain jersey numbers (with no names!), This is Michigan Fergodsakes, Hail, Touch the Banner...
Any other ideas?
Also, if there is a good resource concerning these issues that isn't too hard to understand let me know. I think some of this has been discussed but I couldn't find the relevant thread. I suppose I suppose I could do some internet research but I trust the users here more than other sites.
As long as you're not selling the items, or not selling them for a profit (not sure) you're ok. A tip is search for "Michigan Tattoo" info, I know that has come up before, whether or not you can get a Block M tattoo.
Thanks for the reply. I'll see what I can find out with the tattoo search.
Hitting the bars in Madison this weekend and gonna eat some delicious food. Any suggestions for a delicious sandwich place? Old Fashioned and Great Dane are on my list but was seeing if anyone else had suggestions. Also, I've only been here a couple weeks so does anyone know good grad student-esque bars?
Will be folding up shop here soon and it's been a quiet day so far.
Already loaded up the car with stuff my mgodaughter needs for summer half-term in Ann Arbor. So, a swing through Ann Arbor and then arriving at our beach house later in the evening for a week of rest and relaxation. Daughter and son will be there for the 4th. Packed up some Oberon and Shiner Wild Hare IPA for chillin' on the deck with a few brews. This is what summer is all about. Hope the local sweet cherries are still being picked and some sour pie cherries would be good, too. Nothing like a real fresh cherry pie in early July.