respublica

What your sandwich says about you

Another study, this time by something called the Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation and funded by the Hellmann's Mayonnaise company.

By doing a battery of psychological tests on study participants combined with their sandwich preference, the group was able to pin personality traits to sandwich choices.  It must be mentioned, however, that these sandwiches were only those made with mayo so peanut butter, subs and grilled cheese favorites were not figured in.

Let me just add after looking at the personality traits, I never eat tuna sandwiches.  I never eat tuna period.  But much of Tuna is pretty much me.  Especially the hate waiting in lines or traffic.

Club Sandwich:  Agreeable and unselfish, club sandwich lovers seek comfort in close, secure relationships. Strongly devoted to work as well as relationships, they can always be counted upon. Best two words to describe those who prefer club sandwich: commitment and loyalty.

Tuna:  Aggressive, achievement-oriented and natural leaders who are driven to succeed in both work and interpersonal relationships. Competitive, driven, intolerant of failure, they demand the best from themselves and those that surround them. However, they become irritated with the minor vicissitudes of life and demonstrate impatience with long lines, rush hour traffic or slow Internet connections.

Chicken Salad:  Agreeable, unselfish, seafood salad sandwich lovers seek comfort in close, secure relationships. Strongly devoted to work as well as relationships, they can always be counted upon. Best two words to describe those who prefer seafood sandwich: commitment and loyalty

BLT:  Conscientious, perfectionist, devoted to work, home or relationship. Task-oriented and maintains the moral high ground at all times. Honest, forthright.Best described by the word "integrity."

Seafood Salad:  Agreeable, unselfish, seafood salad sandwich lovers seek comfort in close, secure relationships. Strongly devoted to work as well as relationships, they can always be counted upon. Best two words to describe those who prefer seafood sandwich: commitment and loyalty.

Turkey:  Those who prefer turkey sandwich are free-thinkers, naturally rebellious against authority. They are their own boss and function best at work and in relationships when given "space" or when left to their own device. If not careful, turkey sandwich lovers can become mired down in a swamp of existential philosophy.

Ham and Cheese:  Curious and intuitively oriented, those who prefer ham and cheese find their inquisitive nature directs them to a wide range of interests. Their serious nature can point them into the arena of existential concerns. They are most productive when allowed to work on their own, without micromanagement from supervisors. Down time allows their creativity to blossom.

Today Respublica Turns Five

Five years ago today I started this blog.  It was a sunny, somewhat boring, Saturday afternoon when I began fooling around with creating a blog first using Google's Blogger software and then almost immediately changing over to Typepad. 

In the five years I've posted everyday except for a day or two after my father died for a total of 5,983 posts and 8100 comments.

Readers come from all over, local Collinsville and Metro East, St Louis, Clayton, Chicago, Minnesota, Utah, California, Florida, New York, Texas etc etc and especially the many quiet readers in Washington DC.  One of the biggest thrills this past year and a half has been getting linked by the New York Times on many occasions.  The first link was so exciting I made a screenshot of the Times website.

I've also had the opportunity to get to know other bloggers like Allen Adomite,   Cal Skinner, former Illinois state legislator, runner and Chicago and national commentator, John Ruberry, Norman Teigen from Minneapolis, Paul McCain of Cyberbrethren who has been so supportive, and even got a mention on the famous Instapundit a few weeks ago. 

But most of all I'd like to give a heartfelt thanks to everyone who stops by here, your visits make doing this so very satisfying.

Collinsville's Doubletree Hotel

I attended a Collinsville Progress meeting yesterday which was held in Porter's restaurant in the Doubletree Hotel, formerly Holiday Inn.  Since Doubletree bought the property the company has completely renovated the inside and it is absolutely stunning.  Anyone who lives in the area really ought to go in and take a look.  The lobby has been transformed into a serene and yet inviting area.  The long wall which used to enclose a walkway near the restrooms has been taken down which has opened up a view of couches and artwork and a computer/internet work area.

The bar area is huge, the walls filled with black and white framed images of Collinsville history.  There are serveral conversation areas with comfortable chairs and couches as well as a space with small tables meant for a drink and an appetizer or two.  The bar itself has the small glass tiles, back lit.

The restaurant itself, Porter's, has been given a facelift and has a very upscale feel.  The lunch menu brings portions which are nicely presented, but very huge.  I could do with a somewhat smaller portion.  Even the soups were served in large bowls.

The Progress board had the chance to hear from the new general manager, Stacy Cutler, who worked previously at the Four Points Sheraton in Fairview Heights where she worked to make that hotel one of the "Best Hotels in America".  She is ready to do the same for the Doubletree in Collinsville.  She said that the past few weeks have seen every room filled including the meeting rooms and banquet rooms.  Professional organizations which quit coming when the Holiday Inn went downhill are now back.

Go and see.  It's now a fantastic looking place.

Lots of activity on Oakland Ave

All of a sudden there are St. Louis Water Department trucks all over Oakland Ave near the spot where water has been pouring out over the Macklind intersection for months. 

It looks like someone finally decided to get this issue fixed.  I counted at least 7 trucks and lots of lane barricades this week.

Mark Buehrle Day in Illinois

As White Sox fans, we like this.  Illinois Governor Pat Quinn will be at the Sox game today to honor pitcher Mark Buehrle's perfect game thrown last week against the Tampa Bay Rays.

Buehrle's perfect game was only the 18th in baseball history.

Unfortunately, the White Sox have only won one game since last Thursday.  To make matters worse in a sports superstition way, Buehrle is now on this week's cover of Sports Illustrated, a traditional bad piece of luck.

Swings are for summer

Here's a summer time waster.  A Golden Retriever in a playground swing.  Hey, we have a Golden, but I wouldn't ever attempt this although he'd probably love it.

This Bud's...

... making some people unhappy.

Wouldn't you just figure.  President Obama is going to sit down and have a beer with Sgt Crowley and Henry Louis Gates, the main characters in the Cambridge Mass incident. 

Someone at the Village Voice and other places find Obama's choice of beer insulting and/or pandering to the mediocre.

So here's to you Mr. busy-body, effete intellectual snob at the Village voice.  We St. Louisans take our Bud products seriously.  I prefer Bud Select myself, but I secretly believe it's just Bud Light wrapped up in a cooler bottle.

Illinois scores a zero

On a scale of zero to one hundred, Illinois got a zero on their stimulus spending website.  Maryland did the best, rating an 80.

"Researchers tried to determine, based on a point system, just how comprehensive and user-friendly the sites are. That included looking at how much information state sites contained about the amount of federal money spent in each place, and found that Illinois' site had no such detail, according to the report."

Illinois governor, Pat Quinn's spokesperson said their site is being redesigned and more information will be coming.

Missouri got a 25.

"Working on the website".  Always a handy excuse these days.

Here is the page with all the other states' scores with explanations.

St. Louis government takes a break

On July 10th the St. Louis Board of Aldermen held their last meeting.  They will not meet again until September 18th.

This makes no sense, a two month vacation for city elected officials?  Do they believe nothing needs their attention during the summer?

Dumb summer stuff

A Destin Florida man was arrested at a local Wal Mart after inhaling 28 cans of whipped cream.

A sculpture made entirely out of Wisconsin cheese commemorating the first moon landing melted after the museum turned off the air conditioning for the night.  Museum guests were visibly disappointed by seeing what was left.

A Hartford Connecticut driver blamed his car accident on the fact that his two baby pet snakes escaped from his pockets.  The snakes were never found after the crash.

A Chicago company will make diamonds out of some of Michael Jackson's hair.