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May 15, 2006

Five Years of Wedded Bliss

It sounds cliché, but it's the absolute truth. Dawn and I share a special relationship that can honestly be described as blissful. True soul mates, we were destined to find one another.

We've been together fourteen years, nearly five as husband and wife, and Thursday will mark our fifth wedding anniversary. As we do each year, we'll be reliving every moment of our wedding -- reading the ribbons upon which each guest penned their best wishes for us, looking at our wedding albums and video, reciting again the vows we wrote for our ceremony and our lives together, remembering every precious detail of our fairy-tale wedding and reception in Kauai, the fun activities with our wonderful friends and guests and, of course, our magical honeymoon.

And I can still say, without a moment's hesitation, that I married my best friend. See you in two weeks...

Click for more photos

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May 14, 2006

Mother's Day

Mary Jo Arrington

1920 - 1968

A mother's love determines how
We love ourselves and others.
There is no sky we'll ever see
Not lit by that first love.

Stripped of love, the universe
Would drive us mad with pain;
But we are born into a world
That greets our cries with joy.

How much I owe you for the kiss
That told me who I was!
The greatest gift - a love of life -
Lay laughing in your eyes.

Because of you my world still has
The soft grace of your smile;
And every wind of fortune bears
The scent of your caress.

Happy Mother's Day, Mom.

I miss you.

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May 12, 2006

Friday odds and ends...

“It’s gettin’ bad down here… send iPods!”

Trapped miners given iPods to ease tension during rescue effort

Two Australian miners trapped for more than a week in a tiny cage almost half a mile underground have been given iPods to help them pass the time as rescuers began drilling an escape tunnel. ...

 

Automotive review: Audi Q7

I'm neither an engineer nor a technician, but I do appreciate technology and innovation. So I was particularly interested in one part of Guy Kawasaki's review of the Audi Q7 SUV... Number 7, the rear view camera.

"When you put the Q7 in reverse, there's a camera that shows what's behind -- e.g., one of your four kids. No big deal: our Honda Odyssey and Toyota Sienna both have this. But the Q7 shows where you'd go based on how the front wheels are turned. This makes you want to drive in reverse more. Very cool." ...

 

Freebies from Bill

Microsoft is pushing to make their licensing program more understandable (all right, quit laughing!) and wants to send you some info to help you on your way.

The cool part? The info is on a USB thumb drive.

No word on how big the drive is, but free is free. You’ve got to jump through some hoops to get it, but lots of folks legitimately need the info they're wanting to send, so what the hey. Just go to their Mystery Solved web page and click on the “Valuable Information” sidebar article to get started.

First one to get theirs wins!*

* No prize or anything. You just win. 

(Via gagetopia)

Have a terrific weekend!

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May 11, 2006

Laura Hardesty snapped this dragonfly in her backyard in Coral Gables, Florida...

Great shot, Laura!

Have a photo you'd like to share? Send it to me here.

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May 11, 2006

Senators Agree to Revive Immigration Bill

WASHINGTON — Senate leaders reached a deal Thursday on reviving a broad immigration bill that could provide millions of illegal immigrants a chance to become American citizens and said they'll try to pass it before Memorial Day.

The agreement brokered by Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., and Minority Harry Reid, D-Nev., breaks a political stalemate that has lingered for weeks while immigrants and their supporters held rallies, boycotts and protests to push for action. Full Story

I think the graphic below from freakingnews illustrates the proposed "solution" to illegal immigration now being considered by our fine politicians in Washington...

"She's For Sale"

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May 10, 2006

Happy birthday, Rick

My second son... cute, precocious, big hearted even as a little guy... hard to believe he turns 41 today. And he's grown into fine man... kind, generous, a wonderful sense of humor... I'm very proud of him.

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May 10, 2006

Richard Benedetto penned this article in USA Today about the price of gasoline and how our politicians are posturing for voters... It's worth a read.

Talk is cheap but gas isn't

WASHINGTON — Most Americans are angry over gasoline prices at or near $3 a gallon. And the news media are stoking that anger with incessant reporting about the problem — mostly by allowing drivers to vent their pique while standing in front of gas pumps.

It's a familiar scene on the TV news shows, the subject of many a hand-wringing article in newspapers and a lively sound bite on radio.

At the same time, bloggers on the Internet are advancing a variety of conspiracy theories about why the prices are so high. A greedy plot between President Bush and his Big Oil pals seems to be the most popular.

So with all that anger out there and this being an election year for members of Congress, it seems no politician wants to be caught looking like he or she is insensitive to voters' concerns. Thus, we are being flooded with all kinds of proposals designed to show they're on the case, regardless of whether the plans are realistic or will solve the problem.

If it sounds good, say it. Message: We care. ...

Yep, it's all about votes, my friends.

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May 10, 2006

Support Denmark

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May 10, 2006

Rick sends this disturbing report published on dailybulletin.com...

U.S. tipping Mexico to Minuteman patrols

While Minuteman civilian patrols are keeping an eye out for illegal border crossers, the U.S. Border Patrol is keeping an eye out for Minutemen -- and telling the Mexican government where they are.

According to three documents on the Mexican Secretary of Foreign Relations Web site, the U.S. Border Patrol is to notify the Mexican government as to the location of Minutemen and other civilian border patrol groups when they participate in apprehending illegal immigrants -- and if and when violence is used against border crossers.

A U.S. Customs and Border Protection spokesman confirmed the notification process, describing it as a standard procedure meant to reassure the Mexican government that migrants' rights are being observed. ...

WTF...?

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May 9, 2006

This is amazing...

Football Field-Size 'Fin' Rises from Mount St. Helens

SEATTLE - Something amazing is happening on Mount St. Helens. As the winter clouds that hide the volcano from view for much of the year clear away, scientists have caught their first glimpse of a huge new mountain growing inside the crater.

Scientists call it the "fin," because the 300-foot tall slab of magma and rock stands straight up, and looks remarkably like a fin from one angle. ... Inside the mile-wide crater, the giant new fin is growing at a rate of four to five feet each day. Right now it's about the size of a football field standing on end. ...

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May 9, 2006

Good news...

Apple Computer wins trademark dispute vs Beatles

LONDON (Reuters) - Apple Computer won its courtroom battle against the Beatles on Monday when a judge ruled the company's iTunes Music Store did not infringe on the trademark of Apple Corps, which represents the band's interests.

In a trial which included the playing of disco hit "Le Freak" in London's High Court, Apple Corps argued the computer company had violated a 1991 trademark agreement by moving into the music business.

Apple Computer, which has sold millions of iPods and more than a billion song downloads, held that iTunes was primarily a data transmission service and permitted by the agreement.

The Beatles are high-profile holdouts from Internet music services like iTunes, but it emerged during the trial that Apple Corps is preparing the band's catalog to be sold online for the first time, according to a submission by Neil Aspinall, managing director of Apple Corps and a former Beatles road manager.

"We are glad to put this disagreement behind us," Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs said. "We have always loved the Beatles, and hopefully we can now work together to get them on the iTunes Music Store." ...

Apple Corps said it would appeal the decision. Apple Computer was awarded court costs.

The Beatles may be miffed right now, but if Aspinall's a businessman, I think we'll see their music available via iTunes within a year.

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May 8, 2006

Regular contributor Michael D shares these bits o' wisdom from his "weakly" column...

GOOGLE MAPS GOES HIGH RESOLUTION, IN SOME AREAS

Google is going great guns with its Maps service. Updates to its Google Earth database have now been included. This means you'll see high-resolution images for Germany and other parts of Europe. But you should take a gander at Las Vegas. The images have an astounding three-inch per pixel resolution! It is truly amazing. Check out this shot.
 
Note: If you have never used Google Earth, you're missing out. Download the free version and start typing in addresses.  It's AMAZING!

 

THE KLEZ WORM CAN SHUT DOWN SECURITY SOFTWARE

Apparently, there is a program called Klez that is blocking anti-spyware programs. Klez is a worm that mass-mails itself and installs a virus called ElKern. There are numerous variants of the worm. Removal can be particularly difficult since it can disable antivirus and other security software, so you may be unable to remove the virus using your security software.

But several antivirus companies have put together special tools that will help you remove the KLEZ worm. McAfee has one. Panda Software and F-Secure also have removal tools, but you may need to search to find the removal tool for the exact variant that is on your machine. You'll find the tools at, respectively: mcafee, panda software and f-secure.

 

CREATE YOUR DREAM HOME WITH GOOGLE SKETCHUP

Summer will soon be here, so you may be thinking about new projects. Maybe you're considering a deck or a pool. Well, Google has just the tool to help. It's called SketchUp.
 
SketchUp is a modeling tool. The free personal version will run on Windows. Once you download it, you can begin designing houses and buildings with easy 3-D tools. I had a blast using it!
 
Of course, there's more fun to be had with it. You can post your models for others to view and see what others have done. Also, you can put your models on Google Earth. Y'know, so you can see how your new deck will look from an airplane! Try it here!

Crikey, it looks like "Sketchup" only runs on Windows (Mac version coming soon.) Oh, well, it looks like "Klez" only runs on Windows, too...

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May 8, 2006

Shannon forwarded me an email the other day that you may have seen during the last several years - it's been circulating around the 'Net for some time - and suggested I check to see if the included photos were perhaps manipulated. Well, this is one really big gal, but...

Biggest woman in the world: She is from Holland, measures a little over 7'4" and weighs 320 pounds...

Here’s what I was able to find out:

The photos are of Heather Greene. She's a real person, but she's not from Holland, nor is she the tallest woman in the world. Heather lives in Las Vegas, and although she's quite tall and passes the 7-foot mark in heels, she's "only" 6'-5½" in her stocking feet, well short of the record for the world's tallest woman. The photographs are sample pictures taken from her web site. They convey a false impression of Heather's true height, though, because she's paired with people who are shorter than average (the man is 5'7" and the woman 5'1"), and she's posing in some of them while wearing shoes with several-inch heels.

Since 1976, the tallest living woman in the world (as recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records) has been 50-year-old Sandy Allen of Shelbyville, Indiana, who reached a height of 7 feet 7-1/4 inches as a teenager before undergoing pituitary surgery to control her growth.

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May 7, 2006

With a Whimper...

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May 7, 2006

You don't happen to remember your name, do you?

Who hasn't experienced that sinking feeling upon greeting a familiar face and engaging the person in conversation only to realize the name isn't being dredged up out of memory to be matched up with the person who stands before you? Forgetting someone's name is a faux pas; admitting to such a lapse implies one didn't think the person important enough to remember, a slip teetering on the edge of insult. It's a socially awkward situation, and weathering it comes down to a choice between attempting to gracefully tread conversational water while waiting for enlightenment, or confessing all and risking being thought a boor.

I'd wager it's happened to you, and it's certainly happened to me on more occasions than I care to remember. To help us feel as though we're in good company, there are countless stories about famous people finding themselves in our proverbial boat. Apparently none are true, but they nonetheless enable us to smile, at least for a moment, about our lack of cool. Here are a couple:

Continue reading below the fold

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May 6, 2006

Latest SUV Rollover... ME!

Damn! I filled up the Rover this morning... $83 !!!  I figure $40 of that will show up as profit on Chevron's next financial statement! Go ahead, guys, tell me again how you're not gouging...

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May 5, 2006

I was curious how many people planning to "party hardy" tonight actually knew what Cinco de Mayo is really all about. Of the ten I asked, six said it was a Mexican holiday celebrating Mexico's independence (though none of them knew from whom) while four admitted they had no idea. All, however, intend to celebrate it tonight with gusto. Go figure. So here are a few factoids:

Cinco de Mayo -- Why do Americans celebrate and Mexicans barely notice?

Looking for a reason to celebrate? Break out a bottle of tequila, or at least a bag of tortilla chips -- it's time for Cinco de Mayo (Fifth of May). Although it is often referred to as Mexico's Independence Day, Cinco de Mayo actually marks the 1862 battle in Puebla when a small, outnumbered Mexican army defeated the French, a turning point in Mexico's struggle for independence.

Just another gringo holiday...

Not to put a damper on the festivities, but Cinco de Mayo is a holiday that is in fact more beloved by Americans than Mexicans. "I couldn't get over how it was a big holiday on one side of the border, the American side," commented a mystified Mexican student studying in El Paso.

One American traveler, after spending a lackluster Cinco de Mayo in central Mexico, learned from a shopkeeper that it was just "a gringo holiday made to sell Mexican beer to Americans."

And we thought we were so cosmopolitan...

Why is the holiday a subdued event in its country of origin, while Americans are donning sombreros? One theory is that Cinco de Mayo, first brought to the U.S. by Mexican immigrants during the 1920s, grew in importance when the 1960s Chicano movement adopted the holiday as an avenue for generating ethnic pride. Its political purpose gradually diminished, thereby opening the holiday up to a wider Mexican-American population, and finally to mainstream America via advertising. ... Link

Want to see how much - or how little - you know about Cinco de Mayo? Take this little test...

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May 4, 2006

Duke and his Stogie

Michael D sent this photo of Duke, their Snowshoe cat, caught in the act of enjoying one of his master's cigars... indoors, a cardinal sin.

Have a photo to share? Send it to me here.

A tongue-in-cheek TV ad touting the Mac operating system's relative immunity to computer viruses... Cute.

That virus that's going around...

A fun ad concept. You can watch the whole ad series here.

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May 3, 2006

Cool... I love seeing college kids (and their professors) compete at this level. Imagine your car skirting traffic during rush hour - by itself - while you relax with your latte during your morning commute. That's where we're heading, and these kids will help make it a reality.

Autonomous vehicles to drive for $2M prize

LOS ANGELES — Seven months after an unmanned Volkswagen successfully drove itself over the rugged desert, the Pentagon is sponsoring another challenge for self-driving vehicles that can weave through congested city traffic without causing an accident.

The contest, to be held in November 2007, will test the vehicles' ability to independently carry out a simulated military supply mission in an urban setting in less than six hours.

The Pentagon's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, or DARPA, created the latest challenge to spur development of vehicles that could be used in the battlefield without any sort of remote control.

Participants will have to navigate a complex 60-mile test course in a yet-to-be-determined city filled with moving vehicles — both manned and unmanned. The test course will be designed like a real city street where vehicles will have to make sharp turns, navigate intersections and avoid crashing into obstacles such as utility poles, trees and parked cars.

Equipped only with a computer brain and sensors, the participants will be graded on how well they can obey traffic laws, change lanes, merge with moving cars and pull into a parking lot.

The first vehicle that successfully completes the mission will win $2 million. Unlike previous DARPA contests, in which the winner takes all, second-place finishers will get $500,000 while third place will receive $250,000. ...

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May 3, 2006

Now that's more like it...

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May 2, 2006

On Immigration - A Personal Rant

Only a handful of counter-demonstrators showed up at the Capitol protest yesterday and, beyond some "in your face" arguing, I'm not aware of any "incidents." What I found interesting was the diverse mixture of reasons given as to why people joined the march. Some were demanding easier access to medical and financial benefits without having to use false identification. Others wanted to be able to bring their parents from Mexico who are too old to enter the US the "illegal" way. Some believe the continent belongs to them (Mexico) and want to reclaim it. Some want "papers" so they can demand better pay. Many just saw the march as an historic event, likening it to the civil rights movement of the fifties. And some belong to radical socialist groups bent on growing their membership and power base. All marched together. I suspect many were being used by special interest groups.

Common threads seemed to be (1) "I wouldn't be here if my country offered what I can get here," and (2) "Since the US let me in, they should give me full rights." While I'll agree that we have it better than the poor class of Mexican citizens, I recognize that we built our system for the benefit of our citizens, not for the benefit of other countries. And we have an immigration system that allows folks to enter our country legally and become American citizens. So I have little sympathy for those who are unwilling to follow the rules and thus earn the rights of an American citizen. And I have no sympathy at all for those who say, "That takes too long! I want/need benefits/money now!"

I disagree, too, with the notion that we "let" anyone in, unless by "let" you mean "didn't shoot them as they illegally crossed the border" and thus "owe" them the prize of permanent status for outwitting our over-taxed border patrol. But I can see how Mexicans interpret our impotent facade of border security as "letting" them in. Following that logic, if a robber successfully robbed a bank, we'd have to let him go free and keep the money because we "let" him commit the crime by employing inadequate security to prevent it. Illogical, right? Too many banks getting robbed? Toughen security. Too many illegal's entering the country? Toughen security. Sure, it'll piss off some special interests. So what. ...

Continue reading

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May 2, 2006

A Day Without Immigrants

In one of the biggest demonstrations in Sacramento in recent years, police estimated that between 15,000 and 18,000 - organizers said 36,000 to 40,000 - massed at the state Capitol yesterday and marched downtown chanting "Sí, se puede" - yes, it can be done - while they carried American flags, pushed baby carriages and hoisted placards declaring "We're Not Terrorists" and "Stop Dehumanizing Us."

Protesters - who were overwhelmingly Latino and included legal residents, undocumented residents and U.S. citizens - marched by the tens of thousands in cities from San Francisco and Oakland to Florida and Chicago as part of a coordinated nationwide work stoppage called "A Day Without Immigrants" or "The Great American Boycott."

They marched to protest a House of Representatives bill that would instantly convert up to 12 million illegal immigrants in the United States into felons and open up the possibility of felony prosecution of people who could be accused of helping undocumented people remain in the United States. In contrast to the House bill, the Senate is debating a measure that would overhaul laws by requiring more stringent document checks in workplaces but also provide earned legalization for many illegal immigrants. In response to a broad lobbying effort by U.S. business associations, some labor unions and immigrant rights groups, the Senate bill would also dramatically increase the numbers of work visas available for foreigners. (More in Sacramento Bee article - free registration required)

More photos...

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May 1, 2006

More on "Immigration"

Rick, and the Minutemen, say we should counter the Mexican boycott today of all things "Gringo" by going shopping and buying American! Sounds good to me...

And Michael D sends this video clip of Rush's views on the subject:

I haven't paid much attention to Rush in a while, but I have to agree with him on this issue.

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May 1, 2006

Well then...

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May 1, 2006

Uno de Mayo

“We’re going to close down Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, Tucson, Phoenix, Fresno” on May Day this Monday, labor organizer Jorge Rodriquez told the British wire service Reuters.

“We want full amnesty, full legalization for anybody who is here [illegally],” said Rodriquez, organizer for one of the unions of AFSCME, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees of the AFL-CIO. “That is the message that is going to be played out across the country on May 1.” ...

The radicals have insisted on May Day for “Day Without Immigrants” nationwide Hispanic rallies and “Buy Nothing Gringo” business boycotts, as well as work and school walkouts, and planned disruptions of major American cities (including cities such as New York and Chicago that historically were never “Mexican” territory).
 
The radicals behind this protest chose May first, rather than Cinco de Mayo, for a reason – and their allies in the Democratic Party, the racist Hispanic reconquista movement, and the Mexican government are behind them all the way.
 
The most vocal of these radicals, who also set last month’s nationwide pro-amnesty immigration protests that blocked Los Angeles streets with half a million Mexican flag-waving marchers, are activists with International ANSWER, a front group for the avowedly Marxist Workers World Party.
 
Do not be surprised on Monday if ANSWER activists in one guise or another try to cause violent confrontations with police, property damage or other violence. A longstanding radical tactic, such confrontations are intended to produce overreactions that polarize an issue and force those involved to “choose sides.” Confrontations on May Day would be calculated to produce a public backlash and to push otherwise-culturally conservative Hispanics into the arms of the Left. ...

Read more about the organizations and individuals behind and supportive of this movement (including your elected officials) here.

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May 1, 2006

Jose, Can You See?

"I can think of few things more divisive than changing an adopted country's national anthem. But this is what happens when one looks at the immigration issues through racial/nationalistic lenses. If the guy had made merely a Spanish translation of the American national anthem, that would be one thing -- maybe some immigrants could learn about America (the overriding goal being assimilation to America's individualists values). But to alter the lyrics to have different meanings (e.g., "my people," "Our Anthem") is the exact opposite of what should be done." ...