To all my friends everywhere,
May the sun shine on your days, the wind be at your back and the road rise up to meet your feet in your travels for the next year. May your Cracker Jacks always have 2 prizes, the pub be selling 2 for 1, your eggs have 2 yolks, and your non transferable tax items be brought forth from the previous tax year at a reasonable deduction rate. May your version of Windows finally run, your Mac continue to do so and your Linux box have solid source code. May the price of your gas always be a pleasant surprise, not a shocking one. May the world find peace. May you forgive, but not necessarily forget. May those who deserve it, get it and may those who need rewarded get it as well. May all your lights be green, the cross signals in your favor and that idiot in front of you do his stupidity right in front of an attentive cop. May all the nasty bass driven cars loose power as you pass. May you always return home in better shape than you left.
May your paper always land on the porch especially in bad weather. May you learn from your mistakes and greet the thrill of wisdom with the grin of a child getting a puppy. May you find the happiness I have. May everyone eat even if it is only Mac and Cheese. May you never
suffer like those you do not know. May you receive the blessings of Spock, to live long and prosper. May any problem you meet be no bigger than those you have left in the dust behind you. And maybe, just maybe, next year I'll figure out a way to tell everyone Happy New Year in fewer words but with as much meaning.
Till next time,
Be mindful and awake...
Monday, December 31, 2007
Friday, December 21, 2007
Dear Mister Ridley Scott
Sir, how dare you?
You have taken liberty with one of the classics of American 20th Century cinema, yet again. The first Blade Runner movie you made was a work of not just genius but inspirational art. Then you just had to come out with a director's cut. Fine, we could see what you were trying to portray with that by removing the voice overs, which to my own liking added quite a bit to the movie. But the removal of them did not diminish the overall impact. But now, you have gone too far.
I made time to check my facts before I posted this unlike many of my kneejerk reactionary statements I may or may not have made over time. Acording to IMDB.com the writers were Philip K. Dick (novel "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?") Hampton Fancher and David Webb Peoples (as David Peoples). No where does it list your name. Only as a director are you mentioned, not even as a co-contributor but only as an uncredited co-producer. Nice job by your agent by the way, letting you take uncredited credit for something you may or may not have done. Any more vague and you might as well run for public office. Here is where the second problem lies. The count was "5 skinjobs" not 4 as you had edited in. 5 count them 5, not 4. Why did you take it upon yourself to change the script? Was it because with the Writers Guild of America being on strike you thought no one would notice? Here begins the lone voice in the darkness. I did notice the small (almost microscopic) changes from the directors cut, a far superior film to what you just released. Is there some sort of problem in Hollywood with Harrison Ford and his charicters? This needs to end. Here it is sweetheart : Han shot first, Decker could be a Replicant. Deal. Maybe your next endeavor should be a re-cut of Aliens as well. I am sure you could make a chunk of money off of it if you could somehow work NASCAR into it , as I am sure you originally intended. Perhaps a big number 3 on the rear of the escape ship or maybe a NASCAR logo tattooed on Ripley's behind.
I believe you do not deserve an Oscar for this re-cut but instead a swift, hard kick with a steel toed boot in the soft parts of your neither regions.
I am glad I took the time to mellow out a bit before posting.
Till next time,
Be mindful and awake
You have taken liberty with one of the classics of American 20th Century cinema, yet again. The first Blade Runner movie you made was a work of not just genius but inspirational art. Then you just had to come out with a director's cut. Fine, we could see what you were trying to portray with that by removing the voice overs, which to my own liking added quite a bit to the movie. But the removal of them did not diminish the overall impact. But now, you have gone too far.
I made time to check my facts before I posted this unlike many of my kneejerk reactionary statements I may or may not have made over time. Acording to IMDB.com the writers were Philip K. Dick (novel "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?") Hampton Fancher and David Webb Peoples (as David Peoples). No where does it list your name. Only as a director are you mentioned, not even as a co-contributor but only as an uncredited co-producer. Nice job by your agent by the way, letting you take uncredited credit for something you may or may not have done. Any more vague and you might as well run for public office. Here is where the second problem lies. The count was "5 skinjobs" not 4 as you had edited in. 5 count them 5, not 4. Why did you take it upon yourself to change the script? Was it because with the Writers Guild of America being on strike you thought no one would notice? Here begins the lone voice in the darkness. I did notice the small (almost microscopic) changes from the directors cut, a far superior film to what you just released. Is there some sort of problem in Hollywood with Harrison Ford and his charicters? This needs to end. Here it is sweetheart : Han shot first, Decker could be a Replicant. Deal. Maybe your next endeavor should be a re-cut of Aliens as well. I am sure you could make a chunk of money off of it if you could somehow work NASCAR into it , as I am sure you originally intended. Perhaps a big number 3 on the rear of the escape ship or maybe a NASCAR logo tattooed on Ripley's behind.
I believe you do not deserve an Oscar for this re-cut but instead a swift, hard kick with a steel toed boot in the soft parts of your neither regions.
I am glad I took the time to mellow out a bit before posting.
Till next time,
Be mindful and awake
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Well this is interesting
 Which Major Arcana Tarot Card Are You? created with QuizFarm.comYou scored as IV - The Emperor The Emperor represents power. There is nothing subtle about this Tarot card. The Empress has power through love.The Emperor has power through power. He is in control, he is forceful and ambitious. Nothing will stop him. He is a natural leader, having either been born to the role or having disposed of all those who stood in his way. If well aspected in a Tarot spread this card can indicate success. It represents obstacles overcome, goals reached and ambition fulfilled. If badly aspected it can indicate either weakness or an abuse of power. |
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
The event passes
It is now Tuesday, December 11, 2007 and I am still sick. I got a cold free with the event and a bonus of straining out my voice from playing herald and for MCing feast, albeit badly by my own estimation. I guess the sick was getting to me even then. I have done better, but still they did not throw fruit.
Judi won "Peer's Choice" in the Baronial A&S competition. Not shabby at all. I entered some cheese. It was okay, but the cheddar I made to go with feast was miles beyond it. Wish I had entered that instead. Not a single piece of it survived the night.
So, with some trepidation and wet feet from arrow hunting I"ll keep this one short.
Till next time,
Be mindful and awake
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Having dinner with the aliens.
There are times when the fear of loneliness takes an unusual form.
I thought it was dinner with the in-laws.
Let me go back a bit and perhaps you will understand.
It started when Judi told me that her parents had
invited us to a formal dinner. Oh yea, I needed a tux
as well, and it was in Chattanooga. Gee, at the time the
news just seemed to get better and better. Now I do
like good food but honestly I am more of a t-shirt and
jeans, hamburger and fries type of guy. Give me a good
gumbo or something of that nature and I will be happier
than if you gave me something that was all organic,
free range, received therapy, massaged daily by vestal
virgins, only allowed out on sunny days, given daily hugs
and 24 hour a day hot and cold running compliments
emu wings or whatever. I do kind of hick gourmet, I like
name brand hot sauce and ketchup. I find myself more
and more drawn to the ethnic foods that are not royal
table fare but more of what the average person would eat.
So you can perhaps understand my apprehension and lack
of enthusiasm for this dinner.
I must admit I was kind of dreading it. I did a little reading on the net to refresh myself on things my grandmother taught me, like what fork for what. It is times like this that I wish
I would have listened to what she said. I can't tell you what it was she did say because as stated before I was not listening. This was friday. Now let us skip ahead a little more to saturday,
the day of destiny. Okay, not destiny but it kind of felt that way. I was in fact scared i would be obviously from a background where I was not exposed to such things. I was not afraid of
embarrassing myself for anyone who knows me will attest to the fact all i have to do is open my mouth to let that premise fly out the window. I was more afraid of embarrassing Judi's parents and most horrid to me of all, Judi.
The first thing that happened that started to turn my feelings around was the sound of a little voice almost yelling "Uncle Bryian!!" Yes, the neices, the human embodyment of chaos and energy, wrapped in almost fear inducing cuteness. Tegan, the oldest, has been my buddy for quite a while made the times we had fun. Then there was Tamsin, who has those eyes that can melt your
heart. Then there was Tearnan, wee and cute. Then there was Ellie and Matty. Here are my futrue accomplices in some adventure somewhere. I did not get to spend as much time with Logan, but as he gets older I should. Yes, that is right, I spent a good deal of time with my 5 neices. I have now decided i am part jungle gym and have developed a new appreciation for "Why did the .... cross the road" jokes." All else fails use Eilly's punchline, " Cause it had no guts!" Matty has a grip on the universe like no one else i have ever known "What is great about being Matty? Cause I'm Matty!"
Wow.
I put on the tux and the smile I had set aside for formal occasions and we headed down to the dinner. The hallway to the convention center looked like a zeppelin hanger and in truth was a bit overwhelming. Then, at the end of the hall things suddenly changed. Not an oh look at the pretty decorations change, more like the someone slipped the brown acid into my coffee changed.
There at the end of the hall stood 4 stormtroopers.
Yes, I said stormtroopers.
I said softly to Judi "Imperial checkpoint, just keep moving they will not notice us..." in my best Jedi-like calm tone.
My stomach turned slightly. Not as in a sick type of turn but more of the effect of gravity when your in an airplane and they pull up, climbing into the sky type of feeling. That was in fact the feeling of the evening pulling itself out of the perceived nose dive. We got our "special passes" (read free wine bar) and we were off and running like a bunch of caffeinated jawa! We entered the main area and it was full of displays from all sorts of science fiction. There was Star Wars, Star Trek and the list went on and on. There was a Wookie, a twllik, Vader and a D2. There was Pava Laguna from 5th Element and The MIB's. Oh yes, geek heaven. Each display had a table with some tasty eats from a different chef. There was this beef stew on bread thing and weird Reese's covered lamb chops.
There was a partially vile scallop with fresh sea dredging and some sushi that was to the far end of the awesome scale.
The food at the dinner was, well, okay. It looked "interesting" not in that "my how artful" but more of a "is this from our planet" type of way. Fluffy soup. I think you get the idea.
Then, there was the bartenders. Oh those gifted and very generous people who as the night moved on their freedomin measuring became greater and greater. One of the best quotes of the evening came when I took a drink of a white russian and winced slightly. My comment was "That was a
bit strong." Mike, without missing a beat added "Looked like you had a drink of distilled ass!" Good one, Mike. If there had been a quick second drink the photographer would have been coated in white russian.
We had our pictures done, or more correctly to quote the photographers assistant "We had our pictures made." Yes, somewhere there are pictures of me in a tuxedo.
I had a blast. There in that little point of time was embodied all the things I miss about the South. Kindness, politeness, friendliness and all combined with the act of charity. Conversations with people I did not even know who treated me like an old friend the whole time. Smiles that were not
plastic or forced, but warm and full of heart. These are the things that make up being a Southerner to me. Not flags or hatred. Not slurs or discrimination. Just people being people in the right way for the right reasons. I got to spend time with Mike, Eric, and Chuck; my brothers-in-law. We found
we have a lot in common, beyond the Taylor women. In truth, we had a load of fun, perhaps more than we should have but it made for good times. I had a little time to talk with Mandy and Teri, my sisters in law. Good women with good hearts. It was one of those evenings that you did not want to end, but none the less it had to.
Yea, the dinner was nothing like I had feared. Sometimes it is good to just go with the flow and let things happen. Do not try to fight the stream, but seek a middle path. Don't listen to the fear, just be.
Such is the way of the universe.
Till next time,
Be mindful and awake
I thought it was dinner with the in-laws.
Let me go back a bit and perhaps you will understand.
It started when Judi told me that her parents had
invited us to a formal dinner. Oh yea, I needed a tux
as well, and it was in Chattanooga. Gee, at the time the
news just seemed to get better and better. Now I do
like good food but honestly I am more of a t-shirt and
jeans, hamburger and fries type of guy. Give me a good
gumbo or something of that nature and I will be happier
than if you gave me something that was all organic,
free range, received therapy, massaged daily by vestal
virgins, only allowed out on sunny days, given daily hugs
and 24 hour a day hot and cold running compliments
emu wings or whatever. I do kind of hick gourmet, I like
name brand hot sauce and ketchup. I find myself more
and more drawn to the ethnic foods that are not royal
table fare but more of what the average person would eat.
So you can perhaps understand my apprehension and lack
of enthusiasm for this dinner.
I must admit I was kind of dreading it. I did a little reading on the net to refresh myself on things my grandmother taught me, like what fork for what. It is times like this that I wish
I would have listened to what she said. I can't tell you what it was she did say because as stated before I was not listening. This was friday. Now let us skip ahead a little more to saturday,
the day of destiny. Okay, not destiny but it kind of felt that way. I was in fact scared i would be obviously from a background where I was not exposed to such things. I was not afraid of
embarrassing myself for anyone who knows me will attest to the fact all i have to do is open my mouth to let that premise fly out the window. I was more afraid of embarrassing Judi's parents and most horrid to me of all, Judi.
The first thing that happened that started to turn my feelings around was the sound of a little voice almost yelling "Uncle Bryian!!" Yes, the neices, the human embodyment of chaos and energy, wrapped in almost fear inducing cuteness. Tegan, the oldest, has been my buddy for quite a while made the times we had fun. Then there was Tamsin, who has those eyes that can melt your
heart. Then there was Tearnan, wee and cute. Then there was Ellie and Matty. Here are my futrue accomplices in some adventure somewhere. I did not get to spend as much time with Logan, but as he gets older I should. Yes, that is right, I spent a good deal of time with my 5 neices. I have now decided i am part jungle gym and have developed a new appreciation for "Why did the .... cross the road" jokes." All else fails use Eilly's punchline, " Cause it had no guts!" Matty has a grip on the universe like no one else i have ever known "What is great about being Matty? Cause I'm Matty!"
Wow.
I put on the tux and the smile I had set aside for formal occasions and we headed down to the dinner. The hallway to the convention center looked like a zeppelin hanger and in truth was a bit overwhelming. Then, at the end of the hall things suddenly changed. Not an oh look at the pretty decorations change, more like the someone slipped the brown acid into my coffee changed.
There at the end of the hall stood 4 stormtroopers.
Yes, I said stormtroopers.
I said softly to Judi "Imperial checkpoint, just keep moving they will not notice us..." in my best Jedi-like calm tone.
My stomach turned slightly. Not as in a sick type of turn but more of the effect of gravity when your in an airplane and they pull up, climbing into the sky type of feeling. That was in fact the feeling of the evening pulling itself out of the perceived nose dive. We got our "special passes" (read free wine bar) and we were off and running like a bunch of caffeinated jawa! We entered the main area and it was full of displays from all sorts of science fiction. There was Star Wars, Star Trek and the list went on and on. There was a Wookie, a twllik, Vader and a D2. There was Pava Laguna from 5th Element and The MIB's. Oh yes, geek heaven. Each display had a table with some tasty eats from a different chef. There was this beef stew on bread thing and weird Reese's covered lamb chops.
There was a partially vile scallop with fresh sea dredging and some sushi that was to the far end of the awesome scale.
The food at the dinner was, well, okay. It looked "interesting" not in that "my how artful" but more of a "is this from our planet" type of way. Fluffy soup. I think you get the idea.
Then, there was the bartenders. Oh those gifted and very generous people who as the night moved on their freedomin measuring became greater and greater. One of the best quotes of the evening came when I took a drink of a white russian and winced slightly. My comment was "That was a
bit strong." Mike, without missing a beat added "Looked like you had a drink of distilled ass!" Good one, Mike. If there had been a quick second drink the photographer would have been coated in white russian.
We had our pictures done, or more correctly to quote the photographers assistant "We had our pictures made." Yes, somewhere there are pictures of me in a tuxedo.
I had a blast. There in that little point of time was embodied all the things I miss about the South. Kindness, politeness, friendliness and all combined with the act of charity. Conversations with people I did not even know who treated me like an old friend the whole time. Smiles that were not
plastic or forced, but warm and full of heart. These are the things that make up being a Southerner to me. Not flags or hatred. Not slurs or discrimination. Just people being people in the right way for the right reasons. I got to spend time with Mike, Eric, and Chuck; my brothers-in-law. We found
we have a lot in common, beyond the Taylor women. In truth, we had a load of fun, perhaps more than we should have but it made for good times. I had a little time to talk with Mandy and Teri, my sisters in law. Good women with good hearts. It was one of those evenings that you did not want to end, but none the less it had to.
Yea, the dinner was nothing like I had feared. Sometimes it is good to just go with the flow and let things happen. Do not try to fight the stream, but seek a middle path. Don't listen to the fear, just be.
Such is the way of the universe.
Till next time,
Be mindful and awake
Friday, September 28, 2007
The following update brought to you by the makers of Tylenol:
Does Harvard have rules against the use of Yale locks?
Till next time,Be mindful and awake
Monday, August 27, 2007
Focus
Yes Kari, I read your blog.
So, now you can be happy there is an update.
Let me speak for a few minutes on the idea of focus
in ones life. As stress and the forces of everyday life
begin to push inward we, as an almost survival
mechanism begin to focus inward. We start to allow
those things at the periphery of our lives float away
as we become more and more focused on the here
and now.
That is where I am, here and now.
As most of you know I do work occasionally for law
enforcement. Because of this believe it or not some
of my work is what you may call secret if not
clandestine at times. Sometimes this is so true
I cannot even talk to Judi about what is going on nor
what I may have seen in the course of my work. This
can be to protect the innocent or to make sure that
no information is leaked before some bad person
goes to trial. There are days I assure you that I wish
I could not only wash my eyeballs but also unsee what
I may have seen. Some of the things burn themselves
into your memory forever. Little things sometimes
trigger these memories from times gone by and you
may not even remember the context in which you had
originally seen them, just the image you saw. When
there is no place to vent such things from your mind
they, and the pressures the create, build up. This is
where your focus begins to narrow. Compound it with
the constant movement of life in general you have a
potentially explosive mixture.
When your focus begins to draw inward things like a
blog begin to suffer. Creativity begins to die a slow
death on the vine .To someone who writes, this adds
to the stress although it is self induced for letting this
writing go astray. It begins a vicious downward spiral
of a lack of writing creating stress and the stress
impairing the ability to write that then creates more
stress. Sometimes though a simple thing will cause
you to break that cycle even if just for a little while to
jot down a few thoughts.
So yes, thank you Kari for the nudge.
Till next time,
Be mindful and awake
So, now you can be happy there is an update.
Let me speak for a few minutes on the idea of focus
in ones life. As stress and the forces of everyday life
begin to push inward we, as an almost survival
mechanism begin to focus inward. We start to allow
those things at the periphery of our lives float away
as we become more and more focused on the here
and now.
That is where I am, here and now.
As most of you know I do work occasionally for law
enforcement. Because of this believe it or not some
of my work is what you may call secret if not
clandestine at times. Sometimes this is so true
I cannot even talk to Judi about what is going on nor
what I may have seen in the course of my work. This
can be to protect the innocent or to make sure that
no information is leaked before some bad person
goes to trial. There are days I assure you that I wish
I could not only wash my eyeballs but also unsee what
I may have seen. Some of the things burn themselves
into your memory forever. Little things sometimes
trigger these memories from times gone by and you
may not even remember the context in which you had
originally seen them, just the image you saw. When
there is no place to vent such things from your mind
they, and the pressures the create, build up. This is
where your focus begins to narrow. Compound it with
the constant movement of life in general you have a
potentially explosive mixture.
When your focus begins to draw inward things like a
blog begin to suffer. Creativity begins to die a slow
death on the vine .To someone who writes, this adds
to the stress although it is self induced for letting this
writing go astray. It begins a vicious downward spiral
of a lack of writing creating stress and the stress
impairing the ability to write that then creates more
stress. Sometimes though a simple thing will cause
you to break that cycle even if just for a little while to
jot down a few thoughts.
So yes, thank you Kari for the nudge.
Till next time,
Be mindful and awake
Monday, July 30, 2007
A month with almost no updates
Well, the short answer is I have had a lot of my time taken up with something new I have ventured into.
This is the first public pronouncement of this, though many of my very close friends know.
I have become a Master Mason.
I am a proud member of Constitution Lodge #426, New Marshfield Ohio.
It was hard work and I feel I earned every bit of it. There is no free-ride, that is for sure!
I think this is one of the smarter decisions I have made as it has made me take a hard and direct look at not only myself and my beliefs but also in how I treat others around me. My circle of friends has grown rapidly. I have never met a group so concerned that they may offend a member or make them feel uncomfortable. As I interact with my brother Pete, we have become even closer as Brothers. He is a good man and a good Mason. What better praise can I give him? I can now say without hesitation that all I thought I knew about masons and freemasonry was wrong. It is rare I am happy about being wrong about something.
If you want to know more, just ask. I will share what I am able as far as I know. I have started down a long path of learning that I hope I can grow from and become a better man, not just for myself but for Judi, my family and my community.
Till next time,
Be mindful and awake
This is the first public pronouncement of this, though many of my very close friends know.
I have become a Master Mason.
I am a proud member of Constitution Lodge #426, New Marshfield Ohio.
It was hard work and I feel I earned every bit of it. There is no free-ride, that is for sure!
I think this is one of the smarter decisions I have made as it has made me take a hard and direct look at not only myself and my beliefs but also in how I treat others around me. My circle of friends has grown rapidly. I have never met a group so concerned that they may offend a member or make them feel uncomfortable. As I interact with my brother Pete, we have become even closer as Brothers. He is a good man and a good Mason. What better praise can I give him? I can now say without hesitation that all I thought I knew about masons and freemasonry was wrong. It is rare I am happy about being wrong about something.
If you want to know more, just ask. I will share what I am able as far as I know. I have started down a long path of learning that I hope I can grow from and become a better man, not just for myself but for Judi, my family and my community.
Till next time,
Be mindful and awake
Monday, July 2, 2007
Jus when you thought you have heard it all
Judge:
Lap Dances Protected By Constitution
http://www.kptv.com/news/13601037/detail.htmlNot even I could make this one up. So if lap dances are protected speech, do lap dancers get the same protections as journalists?
Till next time,
Be mindful and awake
Thursday, May 24, 2007
From Judi's Blog
No wonder we are such a good match!
Your Score: Neutral-Good
74% Good, 56% Chaotic
Plane of Existence: Elysium, "Blessed Fields". Description: The plane of peace. Notable Inhabitants: Guardinals - noble immortal humanoids with bestial features.
Examples of Neutral-Goods (Ethically Neutral, Morally Good)
Cloud Strife (FFVII)
Boogenhagen (FFVII)
Mother Theresa
Ghandi
Sidhartha Gautama (the Buddha)
Gandalf
Bilbo & Frodo Baggins
Samwise Gamgee
Indiana Jones
The Dali Lama
Ben (O-Bi-Wan) Kenobi
Luke Skywalker
Harry Potter
Hermionie
Dumbledore
Often goes along with the laws and desires of the group as being the easiest course of action, but ethical considerations clearly have top priority. May pursue quite abstract goals. Often aloof and difficult to understand.
Will keep their word to others of good alignment
Would not attack an unarmed foe
Will not use poison
Will help those in need
May work with others
Indifferent to higher authority
Indifferent to organizations
Neutral Good "Pure Good"
"Benefactor"
A neutral good [person] will obey the law, or break it when he or she sees it will serve a greater good. He or she is not bound strongly to a social system or order. His or her need to help others and reduce their suffering may take precedence over all else. Neutral good [people] do good for goodness' sake, not because they are directed to by law or by whim.
This alignment desires good without bias for or against order.
Other Alignments and Tendencies (Tendenices are what you would more often sway towards; esp. for Neutrals):
0-39% Good, 0-39% Chaotic: Lawful-Evil
0-39% Good, 40-60% Chaotic: Neutral-Evil
0-39% Good, 61-100% Chaotic: Chaotic-Evil
40-60% Good, 0-39% Chaotic: Lawful-Neutral
40-60% Good, 40-60% Chaotic: True Neutral
40-60% Good, 61-100% Chaotic: Chaotic-Neutral
61-100% Good, 0-39% Chaotic: Lawful-Good
61-100% Good, 61-100% Chaotic: Chaotic-Good
| From: The Alignment Test written by xan81 |
Monday, May 7, 2007
And the wheel advances.
While I am sure a great number of my readers are already aware, but for those 3 or 4 who are not I’ll let you in on a little something.
I got married on the 5th of May! Happy Cinco De Mayo! Viva Los Revolution! Celebrate Mayonnaise!
Okay, enough of my silliness, at least here. The ceremony was at Stuart’s Opera House in Nelsonville. Look here for some of the history and very cool pictures. To say Judi looked beautiful was an understatement. It is rare to see someone look so at ease in period dress clothing, but man did she pull it off! (I am /so/ lucky!)Check this out: She is the one in red.
I am sure there will be more pictures soon as everyone gets a chance to upload things. Photo credits and props to Tom, who as usual was “Major Domo, Mr. I am too prepared for this life and the next”. Thanks for your help Dude. The ceremony was quite nice (Thank you Mr. Torquil! You need to do more stage stuff bud, you have the Fish’s and my stage presence!) and went off without a hitch. The hardest part to deal with was Judi and her giggling. At least she didn’t squeek. Then there were the flying feathers from her fan, attacking the various members of the wedding party. But like true professionals, the show went on. To tell a little tale on myself and how out of it I was, here is a little side story:
So I am standing up there with Judi after being informed that everything was going fine and the rings had already been given to Torquil as that was seen as a potential point of failure in the whole shebang. So, there I am, brain lost like the little ADD kid with too much sugar and caffeine and a set of mismatched 500 piece puzzles missing 5 pieces. I look over at Torquil’s hand and notice “Hey, his wedding band looks a lot like mine…how weird is that?” Then it hit me “Hey idiot! That /IS/ Your wedding ring!” Yea, the brain was totally gone. I remember repeating some cool lines and Torquil talking but mostly I was transfixed on Judi. Did I mention how lovely she looked? Than suddenly, I got to kiss her (One of my favorite parts of the ceremony. I almost asked if we could do that part again.) Then it was off the stage to the rear of the opera house. This was followed shortly by the photographs, all 6 billion of them. It is kind of funny when the person who is taking gets a chair and sets down to keep shooting (Thank you Phil!)
Then we went to the reception. My bodyguard (ie Barbara) made sure I ate and had coffee and got dressed and…Well, without Barb things most likely would not have run as smoothly. Thank you dearheart! Also thanks to Dan who kept not just us but the majority of the guests entertained just by being himself. Then there is the rock of stability we all seem to cling to until she hurts our brain, Heather (Can I have the keys to your truck? *insert manical evil grin*) Thank you Little Sister! Meredith was about two steps ahead of me all the time (Reach for jacket, it is already unbuttoned and handed to me. Think of getting a little nibble, plates of food appears.) Thank you so very much for being there for us in our few hours of severe confusion.
Then lastly, there was Peter, my brother. I must say he comported himself as a respectable gentleman and I was quite proud of him. He was well dressed, helpful, attentive and just down right handy. Props and respect to my Brother who did represent on all fronts. To say I was impressed is an understatement. He has become a good man and worthy of admiration.
Till next time,
Be mindful and awake
I got married on the 5th of May! Happy Cinco De Mayo! Viva Los Revolution! Celebrate Mayonnaise!
Okay, enough of my silliness, at least here. The ceremony was at Stuart’s Opera House in Nelsonville. Look here for some of the history and very cool pictures. To say Judi looked beautiful was an understatement. It is rare to see someone look so at ease in period dress clothing, but man did she pull it off! (I am /so/ lucky!)Check this out: She is the one in red.
I am sure there will be more pictures soon as everyone gets a chance to upload things. Photo credits and props to Tom, who as usual was “Major Domo, Mr. I am too prepared for this life and the next”. Thanks for your help Dude. The ceremony was quite nice (Thank you Mr. Torquil! You need to do more stage stuff bud, you have the Fish’s and my stage presence!) and went off without a hitch. The hardest part to deal with was Judi and her giggling. At least she didn’t squeek. Then there were the flying feathers from her fan, attacking the various members of the wedding party. But like true professionals, the show went on. To tell a little tale on myself and how out of it I was, here is a little side story:
So I am standing up there with Judi after being informed that everything was going fine and the rings had already been given to Torquil as that was seen as a potential point of failure in the whole shebang. So, there I am, brain lost like the little ADD kid with too much sugar and caffeine and a set of mismatched 500 piece puzzles missing 5 pieces. I look over at Torquil’s hand and notice “Hey, his wedding band looks a lot like mine…how weird is that?” Then it hit me “Hey idiot! That /IS/ Your wedding ring!” Yea, the brain was totally gone. I remember repeating some cool lines and Torquil talking but mostly I was transfixed on Judi. Did I mention how lovely she looked? Than suddenly, I got to kiss her (One of my favorite parts of the ceremony. I almost asked if we could do that part again.) Then it was off the stage to the rear of the opera house. This was followed shortly by the photographs, all 6 billion of them. It is kind of funny when the person who is taking gets a chair and sets down to keep shooting (Thank you Phil!)
Then we went to the reception. My bodyguard (ie Barbara) made sure I ate and had coffee and got dressed and…Well, without Barb things most likely would not have run as smoothly. Thank you dearheart! Also thanks to Dan who kept not just us but the majority of the guests entertained just by being himself. Then there is the rock of stability we all seem to cling to until she hurts our brain, Heather (Can I have the keys to your truck? *insert manical evil grin*) Thank you Little Sister! Meredith was about two steps ahead of me all the time (Reach for jacket, it is already unbuttoned and handed to me. Think of getting a little nibble, plates of food appears.) Thank you so very much for being there for us in our few hours of severe confusion.
Then lastly, there was Peter, my brother. I must say he comported himself as a respectable gentleman and I was quite proud of him. He was well dressed, helpful, attentive and just down right handy. Props and respect to my Brother who did represent on all fronts. To say I was impressed is an understatement. He has become a good man and worthy of admiration.
Till next time,
Be mindful and awake
This is a response
This is a response to an article published in the Athens Messenger of 4/27/2007.The
original text of the article can be viewed at:
http://www.athensmessenger.com
The original text is italicized and reproduced here in its entirety, minus the photo.
My comments are in the plain text.
The Athens County Sheriff's Office is busy transferring equipment to seven new cruisers,
but the cars won't be stocked with the five laptop computers the department bought for
its cruisers in 2005. In fact, the computers have yet to be used for their intended purpose.
"When we get the technical glitches worked out, we'll start using them," said Lt. Rodney Smith, who worked to get the grant to buy the computers.
There are no technical glitches. These systems have been ready for a live test since 6-27-2006.
The laptops were supposed to make it easier for deputies to complete incident reports by allowing them to fill in information at the scene and upload it onto the department's main computer system immediately.
This is incorrect. The software does not function in this manner. It never has nor did the vendor intend it to by its design. It does not do live updating in this manner and requires connectivity to the servers to integrate the data. Athens County does not have the infrastructure to run a wireless system of this nature. Such a system is not feasible with current technology due to costs as well as physical geography.
Instead of waiting until the end of their shifts to write reports, they could write them immediately or during down time wherever they were in the county, which would have let deputies spend more time on the road.
The Athens Police Department has similar equipment.
They may have similar equipment, but they do not have the same hardware nor the same software. This is an unfair comparison.
But, the software on the computers wasn't compatible with the department's report-writing software, InterBadge.
This is incorrect. The software on the laptops IS Interbadge. It is the version for laptops called Interlink.
The numbering system in the office was different from the numbering system on the computers, so if deputies started a report on the laptops, they would have no way of matching the numbers to include the information entered by the dispatchers from the 911 call.
The software resolves this. That is what it is for. This again, is an incorrect statement.
"I don't know if they're ever going to get the thing to work the way it's supposed to," Sheriff Vern Castle said.
Since they arrived, the computers have by and large not been used at all, and were stacked in a closet in the sheriff's office. Smith said he uses one and another deputy uses one to type search warrants, but they cannot be put in the cars or even used to type reports in the office.
The computers are stored not in a closet, but in the Sergeants Office, available for use at any time as authorized. This is the same room shown in the photograph used by "The Messenger". They are approximately 3 feet from where they are shown at this time. The systems work
fully when connected in the correct manner. I have not been requested to set up any training for the deputies with these systems.
Deputy Jason Kline tried out one computer in his cruiser for about two months, according to an article in the July 30, 2004, issue of The Messenger. He didn't have the upload capability, but got to see how it worked in the cruiser. The sheriff's office was happy with those computers, according to the article, but ended up buying the computers from another company, Group Mobile.
This was by their own statement a different system.
The department shelled out $26,597 to Group Mobile for five computers in January 2005, according to records in the county auditor's office. The money came from a sheriff's equipment grant fund.
I was not involved in the choice of systems nor the final decision of what to purchase. It is also my understanding that the cruisers are not set up to have a laptop installed at this time. The do not have mountings nor the power needed to run such systems.
The department's technical guru, Brian Winner, has worked on the computers, as has 911 director Doug Bentley. Bentley said he managed to set up the software, called InterLink, to create wireless access. However, without the software compatibility, deputies on patrol would have nothing usable to upload even if they could get the computers to work.
I am not a "technical guru". I am a certified network administrator, a certified support specialist, a certified InterBadge Administrator, InterCad Administrator and consultant in the fields of network design and security. I am also part owner of one of the most successful IT Companies in Southeastern Ohio. I have been a presenter at conferences (SEOMUG- 2004,ITAAO-Tigar) and have been a peer reviewer for O’Riley books. I have consulted on networks around the United States. Chief D. Bentley did not set up the wireless system nor did I fully. That was given to the support person for the courthouse. I do not know who made this decision. Once he had the hardware in place and functional, I then added Chief Bentley’s laptop system to the secure wireless network. The laptops are now configured through a secure wireless network and have been. The software IS compatible as stated before.
"But it never really got to that point, it just got to this point and stopped," Bentley said.
This reporter never contacted me at any time. My contact information is freely available from both 911 and the Sheriff’s office. My home phone number is even listed in the Athens phone book.
Be mindful and awake
original text of the article can be viewed at:
http://www.athensmessenger.com
The original text is italicized and reproduced here in its entirety, minus the photo.
My comments are in the plain text.
The Athens County Sheriff's Office is busy transferring equipment to seven new cruisers,
but the cars won't be stocked with the five laptop computers the department bought for
its cruisers in 2005. In fact, the computers have yet to be used for their intended purpose.
"When we get the technical glitches worked out, we'll start using them," said Lt. Rodney Smith, who worked to get the grant to buy the computers.
There are no technical glitches. These systems have been ready for a live test since 6-27-2006.
The laptops were supposed to make it easier for deputies to complete incident reports by allowing them to fill in information at the scene and upload it onto the department's main computer system immediately.
This is incorrect. The software does not function in this manner. It never has nor did the vendor intend it to by its design. It does not do live updating in this manner and requires connectivity to the servers to integrate the data. Athens County does not have the infrastructure to run a wireless system of this nature. Such a system is not feasible with current technology due to costs as well as physical geography.
Instead of waiting until the end of their shifts to write reports, they could write them immediately or during down time wherever they were in the county, which would have let deputies spend more time on the road.
The Athens Police Department has similar equipment.
They may have similar equipment, but they do not have the same hardware nor the same software. This is an unfair comparison.
But, the software on the computers wasn't compatible with the department's report-writing software, InterBadge.
This is incorrect. The software on the laptops IS Interbadge. It is the version for laptops called Interlink.
The numbering system in the office was different from the numbering system on the computers, so if deputies started a report on the laptops, they would have no way of matching the numbers to include the information entered by the dispatchers from the 911 call.
The software resolves this. That is what it is for. This again, is an incorrect statement.
"I don't know if they're ever going to get the thing to work the way it's supposed to," Sheriff Vern Castle said.
Since they arrived, the computers have by and large not been used at all, and were stacked in a closet in the sheriff's office. Smith said he uses one and another deputy uses one to type search warrants, but they cannot be put in the cars or even used to type reports in the office.
The computers are stored not in a closet, but in the Sergeants Office, available for use at any time as authorized. This is the same room shown in the photograph used by "The Messenger". They are approximately 3 feet from where they are shown at this time. The systems work
fully when connected in the correct manner. I have not been requested to set up any training for the deputies with these systems.
Deputy Jason Kline tried out one computer in his cruiser for about two months, according to an article in the July 30, 2004, issue of The Messenger. He didn't have the upload capability, but got to see how it worked in the cruiser. The sheriff's office was happy with those computers, according to the article, but ended up buying the computers from another company, Group Mobile.
This was by their own statement a different system.
The department shelled out $26,597 to Group Mobile for five computers in January 2005, according to records in the county auditor's office. The money came from a sheriff's equipment grant fund.
I was not involved in the choice of systems nor the final decision of what to purchase. It is also my understanding that the cruisers are not set up to have a laptop installed at this time. The do not have mountings nor the power needed to run such systems.
The department's technical guru, Brian Winner, has worked on the computers, as has 911 director Doug Bentley. Bentley said he managed to set up the software, called InterLink, to create wireless access. However, without the software compatibility, deputies on patrol would have nothing usable to upload even if they could get the computers to work.
I am not a "technical guru". I am a certified network administrator, a certified support specialist, a certified InterBadge Administrator, InterCad Administrator and consultant in the fields of network design and security. I am also part owner of one of the most successful IT Companies in Southeastern Ohio. I have been a presenter at conferences (SEOMUG- 2004,ITAAO-Tigar) and have been a peer reviewer for O’Riley books. I have consulted on networks around the United States. Chief D. Bentley did not set up the wireless system nor did I fully. That was given to the support person for the courthouse. I do not know who made this decision. Once he had the hardware in place and functional, I then added Chief Bentley’s laptop system to the secure wireless network. The laptops are now configured through a secure wireless network and have been. The software IS compatible as stated before.
"But it never really got to that point, it just got to this point and stopped," Bentley said.
This reporter never contacted me at any time. My contact information is freely available from both 911 and the Sheriff’s office. My home phone number is even listed in the Athens phone book.
Be mindful and awake
Friday, April 27, 2007
Why do I feel like I identify with this man?
Lt Col John Pine-Coffin
Last Updated: 12:01am BST 19/10/2006
Lieutenant-Colonel John Pine-Coffin, who has died aged 85, had a distinguished
and adventurous career in the King's African Rifles and the Parachute Regiment.
John Trenchard Pine-Coffin was born in Kashmir on June 12 1921 and educated
at Wellington. After Sandhurst, he was commissioned into the Devonshire
Regiment and then served with the King's African Rifles (KAR) in East Africa.
His African-born sergeant was not best pleased when Pine-Coffin advised
him not to wear medals that had been awarded to him by the Germans, but
he quickly won the respect of his men without them. Pine-Coffin subsequently
accompanied the KAR to Burma.
Stealth was often the key to survival during the Burma campaign. One night,
while lying low in an attempt to conceal their presence from the Japanese,
Pine-Coffin impressed on his African troops the need for complete silence.
They had, however, acquired a taste for tea and one of them, in his search,
perhaps, for a superior brew, had placed the billy can on a fire piled high
with full ammunition boxes.
On another occasion, when a strong Japanese patrol was preparing to attack
his unit, his soldiers threw down their arms and disappeared into the darkness.
Pine-Coffin and his brother officers had resigned themselves to their fate when
the men reappeared from the jungle with rather sheepish faces and said:
"We like you too much to see you killed." They collected their weapons,
regrouped and helped to beat off the enemy assault.
After the Japanese surrender, Pine-Coffin went to Pakistan to look for
his father, who had been a prisoner of the Japanese since the fall of Singapore.
He scoured the hospitals treating soldiers from PoW camps but was
unsuccessful. Eventually his father was repatriated to England.
Pine-Coffin then joined the Parachute Regiment and was posted to the
Middle East where he saw action during the Suez crisis. Following a move
to Cyprus, he was involved in counter-insurgency operations in the
Troodos mountains.
When he came across a number of heavily bearded men hiding in a
monastery, Pine-Coffin suspected that they were Eoka terrorists in
disguise and asked his sergeant to give their beards a sharp tug. These
all stayed firmly in place and he had to make a swift tactical withdrawal.
During his 28 years with the Parachute Regiment, Pine-Coffin served
with all three battalions and in 1961 took command of 1st Parachute
Battalion. His parachuting career was brought to a premature end when
he landed in the dark on a tractor and broke several bones in his feet.
A series of staff appointments followed. In 1963 he was in Nassau
when he was ordered to investigate a party of Cuban exiles that had
infiltrated Andros Island, part of the Bahamas. His seaplane landed
in thick mud and Pine-Coffin decided that his only chance of reaching
dry land was to strip off.
On coming ashore, plastered in mud and wearing only a red beret and
a pair of flippers, he was confronted by a party of armed Cubans.
Mustering as much authority as he could in the circumstances, he
informed the group that they were trespassing on British sovereign
territory and were surrounded.
The following morning, when the Royal Marines arrived to rescue him
they were astonished to find him and his radio operator in a clearing
standing guard over the Cubans and a pile of surrendered weapons.
He was appointed OBE.
Pine-Coffin attended the Joint Services Staff College and the Imperial
Defence College before retiring from the Army in 1969. He built up a
large farming enterprise in Devon and established a 3-star country hotel.
He was involved in many local charitable enterprises, including the
British Red Cross and the RNLI. In 1974 he was appointed
High Sheriff of Devon.
John Pine-Coffin married, in 1952, Susan Bennett, who survives
him with their son and two daughters.
(Originaly Posted by Telegraph.co.uk at
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=
/news/2006/10/19/db1904.xml&DCMP=EMC-new_19102006 )
Used without permission,
God Bless The Queen
Last Updated: 12:01am BST 19/10/2006
Lieutenant-Colonel John Pine-Coffin, who has died aged 85, had a distinguished
and adventurous career in the King's African Rifles and the Parachute Regiment.
John Trenchard Pine-Coffin was born in Kashmir on June 12 1921 and educated
at Wellington. After Sandhurst, he was commissioned into the Devonshire
Regiment and then served with the King's African Rifles (KAR) in East Africa.
His African-born sergeant was not best pleased when Pine-Coffin advised
him not to wear medals that had been awarded to him by the Germans, but
he quickly won the respect of his men without them. Pine-Coffin subsequently
accompanied the KAR to Burma.
Stealth was often the key to survival during the Burma campaign. One night,
while lying low in an attempt to conceal their presence from the Japanese,
Pine-Coffin impressed on his African troops the need for complete silence.
They had, however, acquired a taste for tea and one of them, in his search,
perhaps, for a superior brew, had placed the billy can on a fire piled high
with full ammunition boxes.
On another occasion, when a strong Japanese patrol was preparing to attack
his unit, his soldiers threw down their arms and disappeared into the darkness.
Pine-Coffin and his brother officers had resigned themselves to their fate when
the men reappeared from the jungle with rather sheepish faces and said:
"We like you too much to see you killed." They collected their weapons,
regrouped and helped to beat off the enemy assault.
After the Japanese surrender, Pine-Coffin went to Pakistan to look for
his father, who had been a prisoner of the Japanese since the fall of Singapore.
He scoured the hospitals treating soldiers from PoW camps but was
unsuccessful. Eventually his father was repatriated to England.
Pine-Coffin then joined the Parachute Regiment and was posted to the
Middle East where he saw action during the Suez crisis. Following a move
to Cyprus, he was involved in counter-insurgency operations in the
Troodos mountains.
When he came across a number of heavily bearded men hiding in a
monastery, Pine-Coffin suspected that they were Eoka terrorists in
disguise and asked his sergeant to give their beards a sharp tug. These
all stayed firmly in place and he had to make a swift tactical withdrawal.
During his 28 years with the Parachute Regiment, Pine-Coffin served
with all three battalions and in 1961 took command of 1st Parachute
Battalion. His parachuting career was brought to a premature end when
he landed in the dark on a tractor and broke several bones in his feet.
A series of staff appointments followed. In 1963 he was in Nassau
when he was ordered to investigate a party of Cuban exiles that had
infiltrated Andros Island, part of the Bahamas. His seaplane landed
in thick mud and Pine-Coffin decided that his only chance of reaching
dry land was to strip off.
On coming ashore, plastered in mud and wearing only a red beret and
a pair of flippers, he was confronted by a party of armed Cubans.
Mustering as much authority as he could in the circumstances, he
informed the group that they were trespassing on British sovereign
territory and were surrounded.
The following morning, when the Royal Marines arrived to rescue him
they were astonished to find him and his radio operator in a clearing
standing guard over the Cubans and a pile of surrendered weapons.
He was appointed OBE.
Pine-Coffin attended the Joint Services Staff College and the Imperial
Defence College before retiring from the Army in 1969. He built up a
large farming enterprise in Devon and established a 3-star country hotel.
He was involved in many local charitable enterprises, including the
British Red Cross and the RNLI. In 1974 he was appointed
High Sheriff of Devon.
John Pine-Coffin married, in 1952, Susan Bennett, who survives
him with their son and two daughters.
(Originaly Posted by Telegraph.co.uk at
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=
/news/2006/10/19/db1904.xml&DCMP=EMC-new_19102006 )
Used without permission,
God Bless The Queen
Friday, April 20, 2007
2 Updates at once!!!!
Is this all that surprising?
Your results:
Malcolm Reynolds (Captain) 75%
Zoe Washburne (Second-in-command) 75%
Jayne Cobb (Mercenary) 70%
Wash (Ship Pilot) 65%
Derrial Book (Shepherd) 60%
Kaylee Frye (Ship Mechanic) 55%
River (Stowaway) 55%
Dr. Simon Tam (Ship Medic) 45%
A Reaver (Cannibal) 40%
Alliance 40%
Inara Serra (Companion) 5%
Honest and a defender of the innocent.
You sometimes make mistakes in judgment
but you are generally good and
would protect your crew from harm.
Click here to take the Serenity Personality Quiz
Malcolm Reynolds (Captain) 75%
Zoe Washburne (Second-in-command) 75%
Jayne Cobb (Mercenary) 70%
Wash (Ship Pilot) 65%
Derrial Book (Shepherd) 60%
Kaylee Frye (Ship Mechanic) 55%
River (Stowaway) 55%
Dr. Simon Tam (Ship Medic) 45%
A Reaver (Cannibal) 40%
Alliance 40%
Inara Serra (Companion) 5%
Honest and a defender of the innocent.
You sometimes make mistakes in judgment
but you are generally good and
would protect your crew from harm.
Click here to take the Serenity Personality Quiz
Monday, April 9, 2007
An Open Letter to Mr. Tim O'Riley
PC BS HERE
Read the link before going any further.
Did you go read it? Good, now you will understand what I am about to go off on.
Dear Mr. O'Riley,
I would like to politely invite you to put your "code" into some bodily orifice Preferably one behind you and below the waistline. I, as well as many other bloggers did not appoint you as our guardian angel nor did we elect you as a person to tell us how to write in our blogs. That is called censorship, something real journalists fight against. I refuse to be censored by any set of codes you or your moral posse may think are for the betterment of all mankind.
Here is a quick hint, take a tip from cable TV, if you don't like it change the page. I know your "outraged" about a threatening comment made on your friends blog. Oh gasp, there may be bad people out there who use naughty words. Most likely it was some 12 year old just mouthing of. If not, tell her to go spend some of that CNN cash on an NRA pistol course and a good handgun. Try something new and stand up for your self. Take responsibility for your own safety, like people once did. I have had some fairly nasty comments on blog over the years but I didn't go running to CNN offering to cry my story exclusively for a few thousand dollars. Buck up people, time to put on your adult undies and deal with it. You, like many others who jumped on the web in the past few years on blogs like to tell those of us who have been here how wonderful of a place you have made it for us.
Wow, I am just so impressed. Please just let me worship at your altar of arrogance.
Keeping in that tune, let me fire back my own code:
We blog because we wish to, it is our right as Americans to speak freely and the right of all humans to express themselves as best as they can. Civility is the preferred mode of writing, but we will not discount anything someone says because they may have used a word we do not agree with. I present this Blogger Code of Mis-Conduct in hopes someone else may stand up and advise politically correct censors they are not welcome on their blogs.
PS - Mr, O'Riley, I will no longer be buying nor recommending books published by your company. If your willing to censor personal blogs one must wonder how much you censor information contained in your books. I will also no longer be doing any peer reviews for O'Riley Media. Keep your books, I prefer to keep my integrity.
Till next time,
Be mindful and awake.
Read the link before going any further.
Did you go read it? Good, now you will understand what I am about to go off on.
Dear Mr. O'Riley,
I would like to politely invite you to put your "code" into some bodily orifice Preferably one behind you and below the waistline. I, as well as many other bloggers did not appoint you as our guardian angel nor did we elect you as a person to tell us how to write in our blogs. That is called censorship, something real journalists fight against. I refuse to be censored by any set of codes you or your moral posse may think are for the betterment of all mankind.
Here is a quick hint, take a tip from cable TV, if you don't like it change the page. I know your "outraged" about a threatening comment made on your friends blog. Oh gasp, there may be bad people out there who use naughty words. Most likely it was some 12 year old just mouthing of. If not, tell her to go spend some of that CNN cash on an NRA pistol course and a good handgun. Try something new and stand up for your self. Take responsibility for your own safety, like people once did. I have had some fairly nasty comments on blog over the years but I didn't go running to CNN offering to cry my story exclusively for a few thousand dollars. Buck up people, time to put on your adult undies and deal with it. You, like many others who jumped on the web in the past few years on blogs like to tell those of us who have been here how wonderful of a place you have made it for us.
Wow, I am just so impressed. Please just let me worship at your altar of arrogance.
Keeping in that tune, let me fire back my own code:
We blog because we wish to, it is our right as Americans to speak freely and the right of all humans to express themselves as best as they can. Civility is the preferred mode of writing, but we will not discount anything someone says because they may have used a word we do not agree with. I present this Blogger Code of Mis-Conduct in hopes someone else may stand up and advise politically correct censors they are not welcome on their blogs.
1. We take responsibility for our own words. Period.
We are committed to the "Free Exchange of Ideas" standard: we will not edit comments left on our blogs. We let people talk. If we do not agree with what is being said it is our right to either answer it or delete it. It is OUR RIGHT to procede as WE SEE FIT, not some stupid codes.
We establish standards free of the "We can change it anytime we want to for what ever reason cause it is our ball" method of regulation.
2. We can say anything we want online even if we wouldn't say in person.
3. If it is a public conversation, it stays public. If it is private, it stays private. All conversations may be ended with the use of the delete key.
4. When we believe someone is unfairly attacking another, we may take action.
We are under no requirement to do anything, even comment. If the person who is being threatened is afraid for their safety, let them seek out the help of an attorney or law enforcement. Let them stand up and take responsibility for their own actions and their own safety.5. We do allow anonymous comments.
In some places in the world, blogging is an act of rebellion and as such can carry a death penalty in extreme cases. I will not require people to give me any information that may be coerced from me that might lead to such punishments befalling a commenter. I will only cooperate with legal entities as far as I am required to by law in my home country. Show me the court order or get off my porch!
6. We hunt the trolls.
We may or may not prefer to respond to nasty comments about us or our blog, that is our choice. Not ignoring public attacks is often the best way to contain them. They do not just go away.
Every normal man must be tempted at times to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag and begin slitting throats
-H.L. Mencken
PS - Mr, O'Riley, I will no longer be buying nor recommending books published by your company. If your willing to censor personal blogs one must wonder how much you censor information contained in your books. I will also no longer be doing any peer reviews for O'Riley Media. Keep your books, I prefer to keep my integrity.
Till next time,
Be mindful and awake.
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Of Shopping Carts and Global Macronomics
I told a friend that I would post this, so here it is:
How shopping carts can make a change in global economic outlooks.
Consider for a moment if you will, the humble shopping cart. It is a simple every day thing that you do not pay much attention to yet of a huge significance. You use it and put it back in its little coral and that is it.
Congratulations, you just caused a global economic downturn.
It works like this see; you put away your shopping cart. The direct effect of returning it to its little coral is that it takes fewer people fewer man hours* to pick up all the carts. So your local big box store cuts back hours since there is no need for them to have a fully staffed group of minions. This leads to a loss in the local area of income that can be spent. This causes prices to rise and companies to continue to cut hours and personnel to try to keep up their profit margin. Eventually people begin to move where there is more work and therefore change the point of the economic pressure from a local economic downturn to a regional one. Then as this begins to spread, city services begin to be cut due to a loss of tax revenue and therefore services begin to cause an upswing in residential fires due to a lack of fire protection and as follows an upswing in the crime rate due to a lower police presence. The area begins to suffer more and more and this has the regional ripple effect causing entire areas of the country to begin not only a population shift, but also an economic shift. This causes a drop in the purchase of durable goods and therefore begins to affect the overseas markets that are tied to the strength of the US dollar. Foreign currencies begin to madly fluctuate causing instability in the global stock markets and that can cause a run on the brokerages This in turn as consumers begin to loose confidence causes runs on the local banks that must be propped up by the Federal Reserve who then raises interest rates to slow the bank to bank borrowing of money. People start closing accounts and the federal banking system collapses, leaving the United States economy a smoking ruin with the global markets to follow in about 72 hours.
You just had to put that shopping cart away, didn't you?
But there is hope. Leave that shopping cart out in the parking lot. Better yet, take it to the opposite side of the shopping center. Think of it as job creation.
(*I don't use person-hours, sorry. That would be like saying "Gifted Macro Mammal Power" instead of horse power. Go pedal your politically correct crazy elsewhere, we are full up thanks.
We happen to be local producers. Go local - Go Crazy!)
Till next time,
Be mindful and awake.
How shopping carts can make a change in global economic outlooks.
Consider for a moment if you will, the humble shopping cart. It is a simple every day thing that you do not pay much attention to yet of a huge significance. You use it and put it back in its little coral and that is it.
Congratulations, you just caused a global economic downturn.
It works like this see; you put away your shopping cart. The direct effect of returning it to its little coral is that it takes fewer people fewer man hours* to pick up all the carts. So your local big box store cuts back hours since there is no need for them to have a fully staffed group of minions. This leads to a loss in the local area of income that can be spent. This causes prices to rise and companies to continue to cut hours and personnel to try to keep up their profit margin. Eventually people begin to move where there is more work and therefore change the point of the economic pressure from a local economic downturn to a regional one. Then as this begins to spread, city services begin to be cut due to a loss of tax revenue and therefore services begin to cause an upswing in residential fires due to a lack of fire protection and as follows an upswing in the crime rate due to a lower police presence. The area begins to suffer more and more and this has the regional ripple effect causing entire areas of the country to begin not only a population shift, but also an economic shift. This causes a drop in the purchase of durable goods and therefore begins to affect the overseas markets that are tied to the strength of the US dollar. Foreign currencies begin to madly fluctuate causing instability in the global stock markets and that can cause a run on the brokerages This in turn as consumers begin to loose confidence causes runs on the local banks that must be propped up by the Federal Reserve who then raises interest rates to slow the bank to bank borrowing of money. People start closing accounts and the federal banking system collapses, leaving the United States economy a smoking ruin with the global markets to follow in about 72 hours.
You just had to put that shopping cart away, didn't you?
But there is hope. Leave that shopping cart out in the parking lot. Better yet, take it to the opposite side of the shopping center. Think of it as job creation.
(*I don't use person-hours, sorry. That would be like saying "Gifted Macro Mammal Power" instead of horse power. Go pedal your politically correct crazy elsewhere, we are full up thanks.
We happen to be local producers. Go local - Go Crazy!)
Till next time,
Be mindful and awake.
Monday, March 5, 2007
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Things to think about
Hey everyone, I'm not dead.
Just real busy but I got hit with something today as I am a lover of conspiracy's muse.
Consider the following headlines:
Is the CIA counterfeiting dollars and blaming it on North Korea?
Unusual Vapor Trail Causes Speculation of Top Secret 'Pulse Jet' Tests.
Police hunting mystery swordsman
Mystery as thousands of birds fall from sky
New York probes 'gas-like odor'
'Space Junk' Bursts Into Flames
Metal Object Crashes Through N.J. Home
Even to those who are skeptics, something is going on...break out your tinfoil hats!
Till next time,
Be mindful and awake.
Just real busy but I got hit with something today as I am a lover of conspiracy's muse.
Consider the following headlines:
Is the CIA counterfeiting dollars and blaming it on North Korea?
Unusual Vapor Trail Causes Speculation of Top Secret 'Pulse Jet' Tests.
Police hunting mystery swordsman
Mystery as thousands of birds fall from sky
New York probes 'gas-like odor'
'Space Junk' Bursts Into Flames
Metal Object Crashes Through N.J. Home
Even to those who are skeptics, something is going on...break out your tinfoil hats!
Till next time,
Be mindful and awake.
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