Tomorrow is the official Slap Your Irritating Co-workers Holiday: Do you have a co-worker who talks nonstop about nothing, working your last nerve with tedious and boring details that you don't give a damn about? Do you have a co-worker who ALWAYS screws up stuff creating MORE work for you? Do you have a co-worker who kisses so much booty, you can look in their mouth and see what your boss had for lunch? Do you have a co-worker who is SOOO obnoxious, when he/she enters a room, everyone else clears it? Well, on behalf of Ike Turner, I am so very very glad to officially announce tomorrow as SLAP YOUR IRRITATING CO-WORKER DAY! There are the rules you must follow:

* You can only slap one person per hour - no more.
* You can slap the same person again if they irritate you again in the same day.
* You are allowed to hold someone down as other co-workers take their turns slapping the irritant.
* No weapons are allowed...other than going upside somebody's head with a stapler or a hole-puncher.
* CURSING IS MANDATORY! After you have slapped the recipient, your "assault" must be followed with something like "cause I'm sick of your stupid-a$$ always messing up stuff!"

* If questioned by a supervisor [or police, if the supervisor is the irritant], you are allowed to LIE, LIE, LIE! Now, study the rules, break out your list of folks that you want to slap the living day lights out of and get to slapping.....and have a great day

After 4 weeks in Greenville MS I travelled 2 days ago to another Greenville, this time in South Carolina. This city here is much better than Mississippi. It has a real downtown area, lots of different bars and many different restaurants - what a change.
I will stay here for one week, then I will travel to California - first to Santa Barbara and then to San Diego. This time I am very lucky with the field assignments...

When I arrived in GSP Hertz wanted to give me a Toyota. I like the Camry, it is a decent car. I saw a couple of the new Ford Mustangs in the parking lot... and I got one. Lucky me...

And also the nameplate is cool somehow...


I will enjoy the time here a lot, I see all my colleagues from the DH course and we will have some good times together...

This sunday was the first day off without rain. I drove around in the countryside and took some nice pictures, in example this cypress wood.

This little water is full of anymals, many turtles, fish and mosquitos...

This is the Gerald Andrus Powerstation in Greenville Mississippi.

The City has roughly 60.000 citizens and there is not much going on. I am quite focused on the work and know that my time will be over here 15th of April...
It is as I always liked to say: "The work is more or less the same no matter where you go, but there are always good and bad circumstances..."

If you are driving around in Greenville, MS there is not much to see. They have 3 bars, 3 big Casinos, lots of Banks and a very small mall. Discovering the city took less than a day.
The good thing here is that my personal favorite Burgers are availliable here as well. Well known Carl's Junior from Monterrey Mexico - here the Brand is named Hardee's.

The Burges taste as good as in Monterrey - I can't stop eating that unhealthy stuff ;-))

There are some strange animals here in Mississippi. A colleague told me about some fireants and that he had fallen into shock after 5 have bitten him. This ants are very small, but obviously not nice to have.
When I drove home from site today I met this buddy...

Somebody (not me) had hit him very hard. He must have been there already sometime because he stunk very much...

Well, what can I say, we all wish it would be. During the day it is now for a couple of days at least below 0°C. The snow and ice form the rofs is melting down during the days, during the nights its quite fresh and slippery outside.

Some of us, me included, are desperately hoping that our field assignment, starting next monday, will be in the warmer places of the USA - I would prefer Texas...

The 10 day forecast for the area here gives us some hope, at least the temperature will not drop below 0°C during the day...

The first quarter of the course is over and we all are looking forward what comes now...
Two guys had the good idea to organize a party in their apartment. The entire course and some more guys were there, we all had a good time.

After a couple of beers one guy started dreaming of some force. He asked e for a little competition - it wasn't really one. The picture might teli you... ;-)

The USA and the Cars over here are fantastic and almost unique in the World. Every moning I see so many Trucks and other big Cars on the road. People think big, bigger, biggest...

What surprises me is that you almost do not see any older cars, most of the cars are 2-4 years old. The Old Classics seem to be either in Mexico or Cuba - if you see one onth a month you are lucky...

Anyway, I like this kind of cars, it does not matter to me if they use a lot of gas and are expensive to ride...

Howe Caverns Fact Sheet
What:
A living, limestone cave, carved by an underground river over the course of millions of years, located 156-feet below the earth's surface.

Discovered:

161 years ago, in 1842 by Schoharie County farmer, Lester Howe, for whom it is named.

Developed:

In the late 1920s and re-opened to the public with elevators, brick pathways, lights and handrails in 1929. Celebrating 75th anniversary of re-opening in 2004.

Ratings:

New York State's second most-visited natural attraction (Niagara Falls is #1).
Among the Top Five show caves (those open to the public) in the United States.
Among the Top Five tourist attractions in the Northeast, as rated in 2001 by the readers of Disney's FamilyFun magazine.
Ranked among the Top 10 tourist attractions in the Capital District Business Review (2001 and 2002).
Among the Top Five Best Attractions for Visitors in the Albany, NY
area, by Best of City Search (2002).
Editorial Winner, Albany, NY area, Best of City Search (2002).
Best Family Outing in the Albany, NY area by Best of City Search (2001).

Tour:

80-minute guided tour of this prehistoric world includes a boat ride on the quarter-mile, underground Lake of Venus. Lantern Tours and Private Tours also are available by reservation. Tour highlights include:

Titan's Temple - the largest "room" in the cave;
Bridal Altar - the site of more than 500 weddings;
Winding Way - curves and corners wind about 560 feet.

Location:

255 Discovery Drive in Howes Cave, Schoharie County, about 45 minutes
from Albany, between New York's Capital City and Cooperstown.

Visitors:

Howe Caverns welcomes more than 200,000 guests annually.
Greeted 14th million visitor in 2003.