Jake Bechtold: Random As Always

Sad but true.

Mon, 21 Jan 2008 21:42:22 -0600

Sad but true.

Gottcha!

Wed, 19 Dec 2007 21:50:37 -0600

Gottcha!

Fill The Dome (our huge food drive) recieved national attention...

Thu, 22 Nov 2007 20:35:00 -0600

Fill The Dome (our huge food drive) recieved national attention on Good Morning America! (I’m shown on the top right corner).

We finally found Carmen Sandiego!

Sun, 21 Oct 2007 14:35:43 -0500

We finally found Carmen Sandiego!

I’m having issues scrolling with my computer. Apparently, just flicking your finger...

Fri, 28 Sep 2007 21:41:56 -0500

I’m having issues scrolling with my computer. Apparently, just flicking your finger doesn’t scroll the page. I must be too used to my new iPod Touch.

I was featured in the opinion section of the local paper. I had...

Thu, 27 Sep 2007 21:59:12 -0500

I was featured in the opinion section of the local paper. I had submitted a letter about the termination of a local meteorologist who had very good ratings.

9-11-01: Six years later

Tue, 11 Sep 2007 23:30:59 -0500

Hello everyone. Although it has been a month since I’ve blogged on here, I need to do something about 9-11.

As I’m sure you all know, six years ago today, terriorists got their way, and hit our soft spot. And unfortunately, people, lots of people, lost their lives from it.

Windjue came the intercom this morning and had us have a moment of silence. He also mentioned that it had been six years. That got me thinking: What was that day like six years ago?

In reality, I remember it quite well. I was in the sixth grade. That Tuesday morning I strolled into Detroit Lakes Middle School. Ironically enough, it was picture day. I first went to my locker, and made sure I had my picture packet. I did, and stuffed it into my binder. I walked across the hall to where my homeroom was. I walked in, and Ms. Bartel had CNN on. Everyone else in the room was watching attentively. I looked up at the screen, and sure enough, fire and flames emerged from the Trade Towers. At first I thought,”Why would a plane fly into a tower like that?”. Then CNN showed the title overlay at the bottom. Sure enough, the word “Terriorist” appeared, and everything made sense, kinda.

We discussed it all day. At lunch, on the bus even in class. Every class I went to that day had the TV on. From Mrs. Fankhannel’s FACS class to Mrs. Mickelson’s English class. In fact, she even spent the whole 45 min class period discussing what happened.

At home, my Mom had Fox News on. We all did different things that afternoon, but when the President was on, everyone gathered around and watched intently.

So why am I telling you this? It just goes to show (1.) the amount of things we remember on a day like that- every last detail. And (2.) how much an event like this affects us. Six years later we still look back at that day’s events- every last detail.

Anyway, take time today to remember the fallen of September 11th, 2001. Okay, I’m done- time for bed.

- Jake

Man Makes Wrong Turn, Finds His Stolen Car

Thu, 09 Aug 2007 15:38:50 -0500

Talk about hilarious. I guess people in the Twin Cities are just that lucky.

A wrong turn during the morning commute had an unexpected bonus for a Mendota Heights man.

Dane McKenzie says he couldn’t believe it when he got lost taking the back roads to his Minneapolis job on Monday, only to find his 2006 Chrysler Sebring — two days after it was stolen from his driveway.

McKenzie says he was trying to avoid congestion on Interstate 94 yesterday morning when he made a wrong turn on Larepenteur Avenue. He then saw a familiar looking Sebring parked in a strip mall.

After confirming by license plate that the car was his, he phoned police and parked nearby. A man came out of the mall and drove the car away, and McKenzie followed him to a Maplewood apartment building.

Police arrested the driver of the vehicle on site.

Did I mention that’s why I never want to live in a big city? Or maybe that’s why you drive an old car.

Man Makes Wrong Turn, Finds His Stolen Car [wcco.com - Digg It]

Pownce invites

Thu, 09 Aug 2007 09:56:14 -0500

Yea, I’ve got 14 Pownce invites I need to get rid of. Send me a line at jakeswebsite@gmail.com with “Pownce” in the subject line, and I’ll send one your way.

Already on pownce? Befriend me: pownce.com/jakeb/

Scared Shitless: I-35W Bridge falls into Mississippi

Thu, 02 Aug 2007 02:29:36 -0500

As you may have heard, a tragedy occurred yesterday in the Twin Cities. The I-35W Bridge collapsed.

The entire span of an interstate bridge suddenly broke into sections and collapsed into the Mississippi River during evening bumper-to-bumper traffic Wednesday, sending vehicles, concrete and twisted metal crashing into the water.
Hometown newspaper The Star-Tribune reported that nine people had been confirmed dead. The Associated Press put the number at seven so far. Authorities said the death toll was expected to climb.

Asked about the possibility of finding more survivors, Fire Chief Jim Clack said, “The likelihood is fairly slim.”

“This will be a very tragic night when this is over,” Mayor R.T. Rybak said.

Another news source has said the bridge was inspected by MNDOT (MN Dept. Of Transportation) in 2006 - the report showed hairline cracks in the understructure.

My Dad is in Minneapolis right now. He’s okay (in fact, he was no where near the bridge), but, none-the-less, it scared me shitless. Please Pray for the victims and their families today.

9 thought dead as Minneapolis bridge collapses [MSNBC]

Why should you not park in a “Falling Rock Zone”?...

Tue, 24 Jul 2007 23:47:37 -0500

Why should you not park in a “Falling Rock Zone”? Because a rock might fall on it! [Video]

I figured out how to make an iphone.

Mon, 23 Jul 2007 21:34:57 -0500

I figured out how to make an iphone.

Over 500 People Ill After Taste Of Chicago

Tue, 17 Jul 2007 15:13:47 -0500

How Ironic. Over 500 people are sick after a poisoning outbreak at Taste of Chicago.

As of noon today, 529 people had called claiming symptoms of salmonella poisoning, according to a news release.

Fifty cases have been confirmed as salmonellosis. Of the 50, 36 have been identified as salmonella heidelberg, one of the more common forms of salmonella poisoning in the United States, the release said.

Seventeen people have been hospitalized.

Officials said the pace of reported illnesses has slowed since they first went public with the outbreak last week and encouraged anyone with symptoms to report them.

Officials said last week they had determined that at least one—and perhaps the only—source of the bacterial poisoning was a dish of hummus with herbs, tomato and cucumber and ordered Pars Cove to stop serving hummus while a full investigation proceeds.

Officials have also cautioned that the outbreak may not be as widespread as it seems, as symptoms cannot be tied to salmonella without laboratory testing.

Let it be documented that if any of you reading ever want to invite me to this event, I now have a way out - a reference to this article.

More than 500 illnesses reported after Taste Of Chicago [Chicago Tribune via Consumerist]

Police: Fake Officer Stops Real One

Fri, 13 Jul 2007 11:08:34 -0500

“Are you the police?” “No, ma’am, we’re musicians.”

Another crime that can humiliate you before you get arrested. Ask Robert Lane.

BOHEMIA, N.Y. — There were flashing lights atop his SUV and what appeared to be a police badge in his hand, but it was the man he tried to pull over who was the real police detective.

Robert Lane, 25, was arrested Tuesday on charges of criminal impersonation and aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, Suffolk County police said.
Lane was driving an SUV fitted with flashing lights when he tried to stop the off-duty New York police detective on a highway on Long Island, Suffolk police said. They said Lane told investigators the detective had cut him off.

The detective got suspicious when Lane drove up alongside him, identified himself as an officer and flashed a small police badge, Suffolk police said.

Oops.

Associated Press - 7/11/07 [via Dvorak]

When not to hyphenate your name

Thu, 12 Jul 2007 02:58:02 -0500

When not to hyphenate your name:

Because some people just don’t get it.

Will It Blend: That is the question. This made me shudder. Make...

Tue, 10 Jul 2007 15:40:28 -0500

Will It Blend: That is the question. This made me shudder. Make sure you have a second one, though.

Radio Contest Gone Wrong

Fri, 06 Jul 2007 00:33:45 -0500

Radio Contest Gone Wrong:

The only thing that scares me about radio contests are the wackos that can call in. This is no exception.

I'll see you in court!

Thu, 05 Jul 2007 23:12:02 -0500

I'll see you in court!

iPhone Magic (via virtualmagician)

Thu, 05 Jul 2007 17:25:25 -0500

iPhone Magic (via virtualmagician)

There’s no ‘i’ in Dakota

Fri, 29 Jun 2007 11:12:46 -0500

There’s no ‘i’ in Dakota:

As consumers rush Friday to buy the latest cool gadget, North Dakotans will be left sitting on the bench.

The iPhone – the much-hyped new product from Apple and AT&T – will only be available with wireless service from AT&T.

And that leaves North Dakota and most of Minnesota out of the loop.