Pictures of the Kids

Here is "Nod", http://www.flickr.com/photos/17202753@N00/2537059121/, and Blinkin", http://www.flickr.com/photos/17202753@N00/2537052973/, and Winkin', http://www.flickr.com/photos/17202753@N00/2537056963/. Here is a YouTube video, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17riEMiqiMg, of the kids playing. Here is another video, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdFcchSJwJQ, of just Winkin' and Nod.

Cat Cages and Cat Garage Sales

Well today was an interesting day. I started work on making a temporary enclosure from the kittens I found when I take them to the basement. The cage that I borrowed from my brother Matt is a cube two feed on a side. This isn't very large for them, and they don't have room for both a litter pan and food. I left them in the shed they live it while I worked on this project. The batteries on my drill (which I needed) finally ran down, and I decided to leave to get some materials I needed for the project. I took the kittens to the basement in their cage, and left.

I shopped at Lowe's, and decided it wasn't worth the time to return home with the materials since I had a commitment with Joan Baughman of "Pets and Whiskers" to take the cardboard boxes they didn't need, and recycle them. There were lots of them, and I decided to crush them to make room for all in my van. We worked about 30 minutes, and then her colleagues arrived to get the items for the rummage sale at the Old West End festival. I helped with that for an hour, and left about 6:55 PM. I then ate my evening meal at "Magic Wok", shopped for Mrs. Taylor, and got back at dusk to help mom plant some tomato plants I got for her at Wal-Mart. I then worked on the cat enclosure for about an hour, and called it quits for the day.

More Postings on Flickr

I have posted some more vacant houses on Baden to my photo stream on Flicr, http://www.flickr.com/photos/17202753@N00/, and I have also sent them to my group, Toledo Vacant Houses.

I've Started A New Group on Flickr

This group, http://www.flickr.com/groups/753014@N20/, allows people to post photos and comments about vacant houses and property in Toledo, OH (although I expect some from outside the city proper). This might goad the owners into taking some action that ends these properties being a nuisance to their former neighbors. I have trouble with the word "nuisance" to describe these properties. Sometimes these properties haunt their dreams as only nightmares can.

Garage Sale Mania

I found a neat program, http://www.mapbuilder.net/ that allows you to make maps, and populate them with "pins" that allow you to aid "value" to the map with information, and links to other web content. I did this for South Toledo, http://www.mapbuilder.net/users/Toledomaps/61752, and it did more than I realized when I was done with it. Not only did I map the garage sales, but it allowed me to provide directions from a "home base" to each of the sales so I had a "tour" designed.

I then did this one to "map" vacant homes around where I live, http://www.mapbuilder.net/users/Toledomaps/61789. This might bring about an awareness, and perhaps change in the environment. It also links to an account I have on "Flickr" that allows you to see a picture of each address for which I have a pin. I started with grouping the houses together before I realized that I could just make a link for each picture (rather than having the pictures as part of a "set").

January 2, 2008

I awoke at 09:00 this morning, and settled down to breakfast about 09:30. I puttered around, and started on walk at 12:48. I got to the Broadway Food Center at 13:29, and called Irene and Mrs. Taylor to find out if they needed anything. Neither did so I got some applesauce for mom, and stopped at the Rice King for a quart of egg drop soup. I left there at 13:51, and got home about 13:56. I ate some soup, and cooked up about three ounces of Kansas City steak with garlic marinade. I then relaxed the rest of the day. I came up here to write this, and make an entry in MakeMyRun. I also did some looking at Google Earth 3-D.

Musings On COSI

I have been commenting on a post on Swampbubbles.com concerning COSI. I have been trying to come up with a feel for the numbers. This might be my last word on the subject:

Looking at the figures for 2003, 2004, and 2005, and trying to determine the numbers of visitors needed to break even I came up with this method: 1. Take the Total Expenses from Line 12,Form 990 for the years 2003, 2004, and 2005; 2. Subtract the Membership Fees received (Form 990, Part IV-A, Support Schedule) for 2003, and 2004. For 2005 use Form 990, Part I, Line 3; 3. Subtract the Gross Sales of Inventory, less returns and allowances (Form 990, Part I, Line 10a. The resulting figure is divided by 33 (2 adults at $9.00 plus 2 children @ $7.50, or $33). The resulting figure is the families that paid full price. Add to this the memberships for each year divided by $60 (annual fee). This gives the number of hypothetical families with memberships (two children and two adults). Add this number to the number of families who paid full price. Multiply this number by 4 for each year to give the number of "visitors" (if members only went once) who would be needed to meet the total expenses for COSI each year. The number who actually visit fall far short each year. Gift givers with "deep pockets" are needed each year to keep COSI afloat. The public just isn't attracted enough to go more than a few times.

Here goes: 2003, $4,051,027-$331,887(memberships)-$434,002 (gross sales of inventory, less returns and allowances) divided by 33 x 4 + 5531 member's families = 105,081 families x 4=420,324 visits needed to break even.

2004, $4,142,184-$308,252(memberships)-$395,025(10a, gross sales of inventory, less returns and allowances) divided by 33 x 4 +5138 members' families=109,342 families x 4=437,368 visits needed to break even.

2005, $3,791,662-$293,786(memberships)-$327,964 (10a, gross sales of inventory, less returns and allowances) divided 33 x 4 + 4896 members' families=100,956 familes x 4=403,824 visits needed to break even.