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My Trip to Indiana–October 17–20, 2026

I decided to start blogging again. My life isn’t that exciting that a blog is necessary, but it is a good way of sharing my thoughts. I suppose this makes my thoughts public, but since few know of my blog, it comes down to security through obscurity.

Sleep

I slept very well last night. Due to a personal situation, I felt it necessary to take a bit more “sleep aid” than usual. I slept for 8 hrs 40 minutes with being asleep 88% of my total duration in bed. I allude to this situation in the post below.

Trip to Indiana

October 17th

Last week, October 17-20 I returned to Indiana to see my friend, Neil. This is the first time I’ve been to Indiana in over ten years. With Neil moving around so much, I never thought I would be back in Indiana. Since this travel involves Newark Liberty International Airport, it is always a bit of a crapshoot if the travel would be problem free. My flight was at 6:57 AM and boarding was at 6:34 AM. I left my house at 3:58 AM and got to the off-airport parking around 4:30 AM. I had to wait a few minutes for the shuttle, but I was at the airport by 5 AM. I was pleasantly surprised in that the TSA process went smoothly and efficiently, even for that time in the morning. I was at the gate one hour before boarding. For those who know me, “only” being an hour early is personal growth. The flight not only took off early from Newark but landed early at Indianapolis. The only unexpected event was that I had to gate check my duffel bag. It is the first time I ever had to gate check a bag. Upon arrival, I was told to not wait at the gate for the bag but rather go to carousel 2. I high-tailed it to the carousel and to my pleasant surprise, my bag (which had no identification on it) was one of the first off of the carousel. Neil met me within 2 minutes of my arrival at the carousel.

We went to Garden Table on Mass Ave. for brunch. I had to drink, a “Hoosier Heater” which contained apple, spinach, kale, cilantro (barely tasted the soap), jalapeño, and lime. It had a nice kick to it and I was thirsty from the travel (a glass of water and a stroopwaffel only goes so far). To eat, I had a nice omelette.

After brunch we went to the Indiana State Museum, which I went to many years earlier. I really enjoy visiting that museum and learning about the notable people of Indiana as well as its rich history.

In the afternoon, Neil, Alex, and I went to see Tron: Ares (3D) in their town of Columbus, Indiana. The nice thing about seeing a movie in a small town in a small state (population wise) is that there are less people at the theater. For our showing of the movie, we were the only ones in the theater (4 PM on a Friday). It was like we had a private showing. Alex didn’t like that, he prefers full theaters. Well, I liked it.

In the evening we had dinner at the Upland Brewing Company. They are a small chain with locations in Indianapolis, Bloomington, Jeffersonville, and Carmel. In the past I have been to the one in Bloomington. I had a burger which was ok, but it had these “hard things” in it that made me not finish it, however, the potato salad was good. Neil and Alex had nachos which they said wasn’t very good. If we went again, I’d likely order something different.

October 18th

On the 18th we first went to Nashville, Indiana. For those familiar with New Hope, PA, it is very much like that, but with better parking. It is an artist’s mecca filled with many cute shops featuring everything from books to crafts. We had brunch there at The Bird’s Nest Cafe. I had some really good French Toast. October 18th was also the day of, what turned out to be, an international No Kings Day protest. In ruby red Indiana I was pleasantly surprised to see such a turnout in Nashville, which is in Brown County.

After Nashville, we went to Bloomington, IN. Alex had homework to do so we dropped him off at IU’s Herman B. Wells Library. I wanted to see the Janeway statue and as luck would have it, we found a space less than two minute’s walk from it.

We walked around campus and ran into Bloomington’s No Kings protest. The turnout in Bloomington was impressive, even if the town is one of the “blue” hotspots of Indiana. The other two are in northwest Indiana in Lake County (near Chicago) and in Indianapolis.

Neil and I relaxed at The Tap Room and had some beers as we watched the IU game (they won). The three of us had dinner at The Uptown Cafe. I had the mushroom jumbalaya which was very good. Afterwards, we went to The Comedy Attic where we saw Nico Carney. Nico was quite funny, their act was mostly regarding life as a transgender person.

October 19th

We had brunch in Columbus at a nice little cafe whose name I forgot. I had an omelette with a side of fruit and a gigantic cup of coffee. We dropped Alex off at a building that he needed to view for some homework he had to do. Neil and I then headed east, first to check out a dispensary in Ohio and then off to Cincinatti to the Hard Rock Casino. We signed up for their free casino cards and got a good deal, $25 in slot play and $25 for food. I was able to stretch that $25 out for quite a few hours. In total, I lost $125. For lunch we had decent pizza and considering it was free, it was a good deal. On the drive back a wrong turn was made and we were briefly in Kentucky.

October 20th

This was a travel day. For various reasons, I did not sleep well. Let’s just say there was a discussion on the way back from Cincinatti that I will never forget. Neil got up early and we drove to the airport. After a brief stop to get fuel and something to drink, the GPS got a bit confused and thought we needed to drive south to the airport. Luckily Neil knew the way and the GPS eventually corrected itself. This was also during the global AWS outage. The two possibly could be related. We got to the airport about 45 minutes before boarding. Neil and I sat down and had a nice chat, then I hugged him goodbye and went to TSA. Surprisingly, TSA out of Indianapolis was slightly more difficult than Newark. I had to go through extra screening due to the size of toothpaste I brought with me. Oddly enough, it wasn’t an issue flying out. I got to the gate about 10 minutes before boarding. Luckily, going back I did not have to gate check my bag. The flight took off early and we landed early (at Newark!). The process for getting the off-airport parking shuttle has changed but was great. The app automatically knows your location and notifies for pickup, no calling necessary. I found the car easily in the large lot (I wrote down the parking space number). The drive back via the NJ Turnpike was uneventful and I got home at 11:58 AM full of memories of a good time and that of a difficult conversation, that I hope someday leads to growth and a stronger friendship…or no friendship at all.

Man exonerated in killing of N.J. college student after spending years in prison

Updated: Feb. 23, 2024, 6:47 p.m. | Published: Feb. 23, 2024, 12:33 p.m.

Timothy Puskas, right, with his attorney, Joseph Mazraani, after his release from jail on Wednesday. Joseph Mazraani

By Anthony G. Attrino | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Timothy Puskas is no longer an inmate at South Woods State Prison.

The 49-year-old, convicted seven years ago in the murder of college student William “Billy” McCaw in New Brunswick, was released following a second trial that ended with an acquittal on Wednesday.

A Middlesex County jury deliberated five hours before returning the not guilty verdict in the six-week trial, which began on Jan. 9, according to Puskas’ attorney, Joseph Mazraani. Puskas’ 2017 murder conviction was reversed by an appellate court in 2021.

“We are pleased that the jury finally saw this case for what it was – something the court even failed to recognize – a devastating example of what happens when cooperators and informants are not closely scrutinized, when prosecutors are not held accountable and when law enforcement fail to investigate properly,” Mazraani said in a statement.

A spokesperson for the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office did not immediately respond to calls seeking comment on the case Friday.

McCaw, 22, was a college student who had transferred from Rutgers to Kean University in Union County. But he maintained ties to the New Brunswick area and had attended a fraternity party hours before he was killed while walking through a yard to a friend’s house.

The student’s bloodied and badly bruised body was found on Feb. 15, 2014, lying in deep snow in the backyard of a home on Hartwell Street.

William “Billy” McCaw File

Prosecutors floated two theories during the trials. The first was that Puskas was tired of his roommates stealing from him and took out his anger on McCaw. The other was that Puskas killed McCaw and robbed him of $40, which he used to buy cocaine.

But in an interview with NJ Advance Media on Friday, Mazraani said neither theory made sense, and that cooperating witnesses blamed Puskas for McCaw’s death in order to obtain lenient sentences for themselves for crimes they had been charged with.

Puskas didn’t own or live on the property where the victim was found. In addition, evidence showed McCaw had cash in his wallet when he was found, Mazraani argued during trial.

“The whole theory of a robbery made no sense,” Mazraani said, adding that the witness who testified to selling Puskas cocaine has a lengthy arrest history.

Another cooperating witness died of a drug overdose before the start of the first trial, but his tape-recorded conversation with Puskas was played in court anyway without the benefit of cross examination, Mazraani said.

Mazraani also said McCaw’s blood-alcohol level and testimony from two witnesses prove that McCaw was killed much later than the early morning time-frame suggested by prosecutors.

After his acquittal about 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Puskas was taken in handcuffs and leg shackles to the Middlesex County Jail, where he was released about 8:30 p.m., Mazraani said.

The lawyer said he’s now trying to help Puskas re-enter society. Imprisonment has caused him “to lose everything, he has nothing,” Mazraani said, adding his client is involved with the Returning Citizens Support Group in Newark.

Mazranni noted Puskas had turned down a plea deal with prosecutors before the second trial that would have allowed him to walk free.

“The prosecutor’s office said, ‘Just say that you killed the kid and we’ll let you go. They just wanted him to admit to committing the crime,” Mazraani said.

“They offered him time served. My client said, ‘I didn’t do it. I’m innocent. It doesn’t matter if you’re telling me you’re going to open the jail cell door right now, I’m not going to say I did it just so I can get out of jail,” Mazraani said.

In a statement through Mazraani, Puskas offered his “heart and prayers” to the McCaw family.

“Contrary to what you have been led to believe, I did not assault nor kill your beloved son,” Puskas said.

The former inmate added he wished his mother were still alive “to see me cleared of this injustice.”

The victim’s father, Bob McCaw, said on social media he is thankful to the prosecutors “who worked so hard seeking justice for Billy and our family.”

“The fight is always worth it and love always wins,” Bob McCaw wrote on Facebook. “Also, forever grateful for the support each and every day from friends and family in the courtroom and the prayers of many.”

Apple Vision Pro

I have been watching the videos that Apple has put out for their new Apple Vision Pro. I have to say, it is most interesting. While I think more development is necessary, I do think that at some point in the future I may get one. The two showstoppers for me right now is the price and the short battery life. I think in time, battery life will get better, though knowing Apple, the price won’t go down.

Amendment XXVIII–Congressional Term Limits, My Proposal

Section 1: Term Limits for Members of Congress

No person shall be elected or appointed to the United States Senate for more than two consecutive terms. Upon completing two consecutive terms, a person shall be ineligible for re-election or appointment to the Senate until at least two terms have passed since their last term in office.

No person shall be elected or appointed to the United States House of Representatives for more than six consecutive terms. Upon completing six consecutive terms, a person shall be ineligible for re-election or appointment to the House of Representatives until at least six terms have passed since their last term in office.

Section 2: Cross-Chamber Eligibility

If a person is restricted from seeking re-election or appointment in one chamber (either the Senate or the House of Representatives) due to the term limits outlined in Section 1, they may seek election or appointment to the chamber for which they are not restricted.


Section 3: Applicability to Sitting Members of Congress

This amendment shall apply to all sitting members of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives at the time of its ratification.


Section 4: Adjustments for Term Length

If the number of years for a term in the United States Senate or the United States House of Representatives is adjusted through the amendment process, the term limits outlined in Section 1 shall be adjusted accordingly to maintain consistency with the new term length.


Section 5: Representation for U.S. Territories

Each United States territory, including but not limited to Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, and any other territories that may be recognized as such by the United States government, shall be entitled to send one non-voting delegate to the United States Senate and one non-voting delegate to the United States House of Representatives.

In the event of a tie vote in the United States Senate or the United States House of Representatives, the delegates from United States territories will have their votes counted before any other proceedings or measures are considered.

Section 6: Term Limits for Territorial Delegates

The delegates from United States territories to the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives shall be subject to the same term limits as outlined in Section 1 for members of Congress.


Section 7: Ratification

This amendment shall become part of the Constitution of the United States when ratified by three-fourths of the state legislatures or conventions thereof, as provided in Article V of the Constitution.

This amendment shall have no sunset clause and shall remain in effect indefinitely.

Once ratified by a state, said state may not revoke their ratification.

Remembering April

This week my furry four-footed great dane “niece” crossed the Rainbow Bridge. At some point I will have more to say, but for now, please take a look at this tribute video slideshow that I made.

Me on The Giz Fizz

Back in August, after I was fully recovered from COVID-19, I was the “Chatroom Celebrity of the Week” on the unofficial TWiT show, The Giz Fizz with none other than MAD Magazine and 1970’s The Match Game writer Dick DeBartolo. Below is my “appearance.”

Welcome To My New Site!

You may be thinking that the site looks pretty much the same as it always been.  Recently my web host provider, Surpass, who I have been using since 2005 dramatically increased their prices.  Essentially my web host costs would have gone from around $60/year to over $300.  At the same time, my domain registrar, Yahoo Small Business has been steadily increasing their prices as well.  I decided to simplify things and moved my domain registration and web host provider to TMD Hosting in which I am now paying the equivalent of what I used to pay for domain and web hosting.  Additionally, I don’t have bandwidth or usage restrictions.  Now all I have to do is get back to blogging!  Look for new posts coming soon.

Chat With Adam’s Uncles & More About Wendy

Over the weekend I had the opportunity to chat with Adam’s uncles, Bill and Seth (via two separate conversations) and got to find out more about them as well as Wendy. I never thought in my entire life that I would ever get to talk to someone who is genetically related to me. While it is hard to explain, the fact that I got the opportunity to do that was both a surreal, interesting, nerve-wracking and exciting experience. With both calls I didn’t know what to expect. While planned, I didn’t draw up a list of questions I wanted to ask, I decided to let the conversation flow naturally and see how it transpired. It was interesting to get the perspectives of both of Adam’s uncles on Wendy and their relationship with her. In the case of Bill, being only a few years younger I got the sense that the relationship was more brother-sister, where with Seth, being ten years younger than Wendy (and only ten years older than Adam) was more parent/child. Both conversations sort-of had the same structure. I asked about Wendy, what was her personality, details regarding the circumstances of giving Adam up for adoption and how she passed away. I then told them about my life and family history, though a lot of that is easily gleaned from this blog as well as my Facebook posts. I also discovered that they were curious about me and were very excited to find out what became of the “mysterious” Adam. Like myself, they even discussed it with their friends and family.

    So, what did I find out about Wendy Wood (nee Madway)? I found out that she died from tongue cancer. She never smoked but it can be caused by a bacterial infection, which is what happened with Wendy. I won’t go into the details of what I was told, but from the explanation she sadly had a horrible time of it. I’ve had various mouth issues (impacted bicuspids, baby teeth not falling out, braces, etc.)., while I do take fairly good care of my teeth, I’m going to be extra vigilant. In talking to Bill and Seth, both described Wendy as difficult, argumentative but also caring and having a heart of gold. I know this is more of a nurture over nature thing, but anyone who knows me knows that I can certainly be argumentative and difficult at times, I’ll let others decide the other (good) part. I got a sense that while Wendy was a very private person, and kept Adam a secret, there was a sense of curiosity. I asked both Bill and Seth if given the opportunity, if she would’ve wanted to meet Adam. Both said that she probably wondered whatever became of the child she gave up and most likely would’ve wanted to know and perhaps meet me. According to Seth, he got the sense that she may have even considered trying to find Adam, but that is all speculation. Seth being so much younger never really knew about Adam until after Wendy’s passing, while Bill, being that much closer in age, did know but it was never discussed. I found out that Wendy was dating someone when she became pregnant with Adam and it is inferred based on the conversation I had with Bill, that this “someone” was most likely Adam’s father. During Wendy’s pregnancy, she went to New York City to live with an aunt. My understanding is that her relationship with this aunt, who would be Adam’s great aunt, was a difficult one.

    Education was very important in the Madway family. Pete Madway, Wendy’s father graduated from Harvard (yes, that Harvard) and proceeded to get an MBA from that university as well as a second Master’s Degree, however, Seth was unsure if the second degree was also from there. Pete worked in insurance and finance, which co-incidentally is a hobby of mine, a taste I got from my own grandfather, Frank. Wendy herself, who had a good career working for the New Jersey Division of Taxation as an administrator, never graduated from college, despite her father’s strong encouragement. Unlike Wendy, both Bill & Seth graduated from college, University of Wisconsin and University of Pennsylvania respectively, sorry guys, I’m a Hoosiers fan, go

I always known I was born Jewish. When my parents were going through the adoption process, one of the things that Mrs. Wentworth, the social worker who handled the adoption asked is if my parents were observant. My mom interpreted this as that my biological family were Orthodox. I found out this wasn’t the case. Bill & Edie were Conservative-Reform and that Seth’s family keeps kosher and goes to I think, a reform synagogue in Rochester, NY. While Seth himself has not been to Israel, both of his daughters have been. I myself grew up in a religiously, a right-of center Jewish household who kept kosher both at home and out (never ate non-kosher foods/meat/fish). I went to a “Conservodox” synagogue (Conservative synagogue with an Orthodox rabbi) that was not egalitarian. I have since rebelled of sorts since then and no longer keep kosher, though I won’t eat shellfish and avoid pork but cheeseburgers are yummy.

At some time in the future I certainly hope to meet both Bill & Seth and while Seth does travel a lot and lives approximately 329 miles (529 km) away in Rochester, Bill lives a mere 61 miles (98 km) away. Ironically, Wendy’s town of work, Trenton is the halfway point.