Oompapah Notes

Smart Cars

2011-06-11T06:09:00.002-04:00

Cars are getting smarter. Now they foresee them talking to each other. I wonder if they realize what a slippery slope that may be? I want you to think about it, in fact obsess about it. This may give you some sense of what I mean.

Car 1 "Hey dude."
Car 2 "Hey man."

Car 1 "How you doing."
Car 2 "Not so good, the old guy is driving today."

Car 1 "Bummer."
Car 2 "He drives me nuts, he sat through a green light before he realized he could gonand then took so long giving me gas that the light changed to red again."

Car 1 "What did you do?"
Car 2 "Oh, I pretended I had indigestion and started to jerk forward then stop, over and over. It was funny, the other cars freaked and blew their horns, screamed at him, gave him the finger."

Car 1 "Way cool, I gotta try that."
Car 2 "Yeah I busted a belt laughing until."
Car 1 "Until...?
Car 2 "Until he crapped his pants...now I stink."

I'm just sayin things might not go like they should. Now I hafta go home and change.

NFL Jacket

2011-04-21T09:23:00.002-04:00

After writing my last post I decided to open yesterdays (junk) mail. I got an offer from Sports Illustrated for a subscription that would include an NFL jacket to the team of my choice. I noticed the cover price is $256 and they would sell it to me for just $20. Frankly would like more then just a cover.

As to team of my choice? That's a hard one. Should it be the San Francisco 49s (that I have followed for years) or the Carolina Panthers (because I live in NC). Both have had such fantastic seasons these recent years. Maybe I'll pass on this one.

Posting to my Blog

2011-04-21T09:11:00.002-04:00

I am obviously not posting as often as I used to, like many others that have had blogs. Part of the problem is having to be at my computer to write a new blog. I think of blogs I would like to write but it's dangerous to text a blog while driving. Hell I find it hard to enter a phone number while driving so seldom do, I just pretend I have and talk to a dead phone.

I recently bought an iPad so that may enable me to write blogs from bed and when watching a boring TV show. I can then write a boring blog. Also maybe link to my twitter account to announce to an uncaring world that I have written something new. I will at least be in the company of great personalities like Lady GaGa (whom I really do admire for her showmanship).

New Grandson

2010-12-11T06:00:00.003-05:00

I have a new grandson, born early this morning. All the weight of new responsibilities has hit me. The need to provide shelter and care...need to get a job!!!! Yikes. Wait, I have already been there and done that. Never mind. Maybe his father will feel all this instead...hahahahahahaha.

4 Triilion Debt Reduction - Reprise

2010-12-10T06:59:00.001-05:00

I commented that I liked the idea in an earlier post. After further thought I would like the idea if, after reducing the deficit, congress enacted a balanced budget requirement to at least slow down their spending.

Who's Who in Washington

2010-12-09T11:50:00.003-05:00

Here is a good website if you want to know who is who in nearly any capacity in D.C.

DMV Not Responsible

2010-12-09T11:01:00.003-05:00

I was renewing one of our vehicle licenses and chose to use the NC DMV website...which they encourage. They, however, had a disclaimer that once you got through the lawyer legalize said "Under no circumstance (will)...the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles be liable for damages of any kind occurring from the use of this website or any information, goods, or services obtained on this website."

Nice.

4 Triilion Debt Reduction

2010-11-11T09:37:00.002-05:00

The president's commission to reduce the federal deficit has come out with their recommendations. I think it is excellent. I don't like it, liberals don't like it and soon conservatives will condemn it. It has something for everyone to hate so it must be good.

Is He a Bigoted Gay?

2010-09-30T05:17:00.003-04:00

I just watched Anderson Cooper interview Andrew Shirvell, an assistant attorney general for the state of Michigan. Shirvall has waged an internet campaign against college student Chris Armstrong, the openly gay student assembly president at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.

On a number of posts on the blog there are photoshopped pictures of Armstrong with gay symbols like rainbow flags and swastikas. Shirvell is a bigoted cyberbully and totally refuses to acknowledge that he is waging a hate campaign.

After watching Anderson Cooper I am seriously betting that Shirvall is also a homosexual. Check out the interview here http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/09/28/michigan.justice.blog/index.html

Andrew Shirvell is the poster child for Alliance Defense Fund. Got time to watch their video? https://www.alliancedefensefund.org/Blackstone?referral=I2010BLF2
It is organizations like this that are the most serious threat to Christianity and religion.

DMV License Renewel

2010-09-26T08:40:00.002-04:00

I haven't blogged for sometime but find Facebook and Twitter to be to banal. You are unable to write in sufficient depth on any subject to totally bore the reader. So I've been thinking about blogging more so here I am for the duration...maybe, or, probably not.

As I sat down at the computer this morning I saw the renewal form for the car. I have had it on my desk for a couple weeks and yesterday got around to writing a check. Before writing the check, however, I actually stopped and read some of the directions that said I had to include a $1.00 processing fee. Seems they want you to go online and pay via credit card (without the processing fee). In so doing they can pay $.85 or so. Oh well, it is the government and instead of writing a law to put you in jail for two years for writing bad checks, they'd rather spend $.85. Works for me.

Anyhow, I wasn't really writing about that. What I wanted to mention that I decided to go online to renew and found out that the car had to be inspected (smogged). That's fine but I didn't know that from their form. What almost happened but didn't is I'd write a check with the extra $1.00 processing fee and send it in. They, after a month or so, would then notify me the car had to be inspected. So now I understand why they charge the extra $1.00.

They do not say anything on the form about the car needing inspection prior to renewal like California did (California is sooo efficient). Now that is My Government at work, yea. Oh, and there is a deadline for renewal so if I'd waited until shortly before the deadline, I would have been violating the law to drive the car without a current sticker while waiting for them to tell me it had to be be inspected and the resultant time delay.

Have I bored you yet? See how Facebook fails?

2010-07-14T13:08:00.003-04:00

"A billboard created by an Iowa tea party group comparing President Barack Obama to Adolf Hitler and Vladimir Lenin has been removed." Thank God.

Some tea party members criticized the sign as well they should. Perhaps as we get further removed from the evil atrocities of Hitler during WWII people may think it okay to compare someone to Hitler. I think it is totally reprehensible no matter your politics or the person(s) involved to compare someone to Hitler.

It is a savage slanderous attack which has no justification. It destroys any positive images of the people making the attack - in this case the Tea Party, and shows them as being small minded angry bigoted ugly rednecks. You don't have to be from the south to be a redneck.

Anorther Brilliant Journalist

2010-07-14T12:59:00.003-04:00

CBS News has an article that starts "White House spokesman Robert Gibbs on Tuesday walked back earlier statements that Republicans could "no doubt" win control of the House this November..." What is "walked back." Do they mean he retracted his statement? He didn't, in fact he just said he "stated the obvious" but felt democrats would retain majority.

You can say he qualified his statement but "Walked back?" Stephanie Condon wrote the article so we can expect great things from her - she might end up being another talking head. She should, however, change her name to condom.

Date Your Article

2010-02-28T11:06:00.001-05:00

They say that whatever goes on the internet stays on the internet. That is too true and aside from the emabrrassing pictures or whatever is the lack of timely information. One of my pet peeves is trying to research somthing and finding undated articles. It then becomes impossible to decide whether the information is timely. I wish this issues received from attention.

Olympians

2010-02-26T08:04:00.002-05:00

The IOC seems to be having trouble reconciling the behavior or the most recent generation of athletes with their perception of the appropriate. First it was a snowboarder (what did they expect?). Now the Canadian Hockey team is smoking and drinking. True, 19 may be the legal age and some are 18 years old, but are we surprised that 18 year old's are drinking? Of course not, it is just that the media was around to make it scandalous.

In my mind it isn't only an issue of what is appropriate behavior but perhaps a reflection on changing attitudes toward societies idea of correct. No question that our older generation would have shocked and even caused Victorian England to experience the vapors. Maybe it is our turn to have the "vapors." I feel faint - but maybe from laughter.

CNN Headline

2010-02-21T06:33:00.001-05:00

December 18th, 2009 CNN Headline: "‘There is no time to waste’ on climate change accord, President Obama tells U.N. Climate Change Conference."

I guess you could take this more then one way.

Tiger Woods Apology

2010-02-19T16:40:00.002-05:00

I haven't heard Tiger's apology yet, just read CNN's text under their headline about his apology. They Say "Tiger Woods' comments today may become the most scrutinized apology in history: Was it a PR stunt? Can he do anything to restore people's faith in him? Experts dissect his apology and offer reaction."

I'd rather do with out the expert analysis. Just let me make my own decision. Seems like we now have to have a bunch of talking heads providing slanted perspective on some event. Slanted because they have agenda - always. So please shut up and let me decide for myself.

Democrats I Can Support

2010-01-28T09:28:00.002-05:00

I fundamentally believe this set of Democrat guidelines for government are needed if the United Sates is retain/regain its economic power in the world and continue to have a viable economy. Too bad I also view them as pipe dreams.

Durham Arts

2010-01-24T09:27:00.002-05:00

I was in Durham working on the townhouse the other day. I made the trip alone and stayed over night to finish the work. I had gone online the day previous to find some dining options and chose the Mellow Mushroom which had good reviews for their pizza. I concur.

Eating alone is boring so I always try to find something to read. Not surprisingly although for me it was, Durham, home of Duke University has a good arts scene as well as plenty of classes in the arts, fitness, and meditation. It surprised me because my outlook is of dreary work on the townhouse. Anyway, there was a newspaper stand containing a class catalog sponsored by the Durham Arts Council.

As usual is typical of such programs, there was a course in "Finding the Artist Within." It reminded me of a class I took class promising that "Everyone Can Draw." I flunked that class even though they didn't grade us. The problem is I didn't feel that inspired flow of creativity - it just seemed like laborious work trying to make marks on paper resemble something identifiable. So, I am still trying to find that inner artist, I know he/she is there but very skilled at hiding.

Perhaps I am looking in the wrong cranny. Maybe belly dancing is more my thing. The Arts Council has a class entitled "Belly Dancing for Scaredy Cats." And even better, "Shake, Rattle, and Roll with Bellydance!" The rattle part seems to fit my age. Then I thought about the other class members and realized that instead of svelte, beautiful, sultry women, the class might be populated with very large and obese women that had plenty to shake and roll.

I think I'll continue my search for my inner creative self.

American Idol

2010-01-16T17:11:00.002-05:00

Yes, we watch it. However, the other night had me wondering whether I wanted to continue. One of the contestants was a country boy from Tennessee named Jesse. They had a little background clip on Jesse showing his rural life. I believe he grew up in poverty with limited schooling. His teeth are crooked and he had a hill billy twang. He performed as a country and western singer and was voted off.

I didn't think Jesse was a good singer but there was that moment when you remembered Kevin Skinner's first performance on "America's Got Talent." Kevin won the competition and has a rare ability to sing and communicate genuine emotion in his music. Kevin was ridiculed on the show because he, like Jesse, grew up in the back woods of America. Kevin earned his living as a chicken catcher. At least he was able to show the world what a unique and rare person he is. And, the world showed the show that they respected Kevin.

Jesse also had his dream to better his life, to pursue a passion, to change his life. He was honest and genuine, no airs and no attitude. But, he was treated miserably by the judges and by the producers of American Idol. Their behavior was reprehensible. They were insulting and arrogant. They laughed at his hopes, held him up to the country as a dumb hick undeserving of basic human respect. Jesse didn't win nor did the show.

I wish they had to live his life for just a month - with his perspective on life, his income, and his deep desire for change. These people of wealth and privilege need to learn some humility. I was angered while watching the show and still feel that anger and disgust as I write this. If you missed it I am confident they will replay Jesse's performance in their sad attempt at humor. It is sad.

Sun Room

2010-01-03T12:47:00.005-05:00

The sun room is furnished, the heat/ac is installed and we are enjoying it immensely. The furniture has been rearranged numerous times and more is to come. We have bought a new sofa and chair which will be coming in about 8 weeks.

The TV was an early addition, we have a Samsung int eh living room and like it a lot but feared the reflections from the screen would be a problem so got a Sony instead. The screen is great and even without shades on the windows the reflections are not a real problem. Speaking of shade - still to come in mid-January we hope.

Folsom Fair

2009-12-09T12:55:00.003-05:00

When I was young we had the country fair which rides of all sorts. You know a merry-go-round (carousel for those that don’t understand), a ferris wheel, and a chair plane – they weren’t big fairs but since it was all we knew they were great.

In San Francisco they recently had the Folsom Street Fair with rides of another type. Seems some of the fair goers publicly engaged in explicit sex acts (are there implicit ones?). Now even the San Francisco politicians recognized that this might be a little over the top and something needed to be done. One idea was to provide tents. Wonder how many tents they would set up.

While on the subject of sex, I was reading a newspaper in a coffee shop while waiting for my order to be ready. What caught my eye was an ad for a solar powered vibrator. I had to wonder who was targeted by that ad. Certainly people into green but more then that is it for naturist? The solar panel needs exposure to the sun so maybe the concept is dual exposure. Perhaps I can get a booth at the Folsom Fair and sell the vibes to those that like going au natural. The solar powered vibe raises numerous subjects.

Winter Clothing

2009-11-30T23:11:00.003-05:00

While in California I stopped to get gas at a station in Pleasanton one evening. The temperature had dipped to 50 degrees so a bit chilly - I had a sweatshirt on. While pumping gas (when was the last time you "pumped" gas?) I saw this couple walk by with two dogs. What caught my attention was their dress. They had heavy winter coats on, hoods on their coats over their heads and both wore gloves.

Hazel and I looked at each other thinking "its not that cold...what wimps." I first figured they were California wimps unable to with-stand even cool temperatures. Further reflection has led me to conclude they more likely are recent immigrants to California from someplace like Minnesota.

When you've lived in a seriously cold place like Green Bay or Chicago, you learn to hoard heat. It isn't something to be squandered. Just the idea of getting cold, shivering and shaking, prompts immediate clothing escalation. The cavalier manner in which warm weather citizens greet the cold is culturally shocking.

I remember moving to Pleasanton from Chicago. It was late March and I'd go to work with temperatures in the 40's. The shop would have overhead doors wide open and I hated to leave the office and go out there until later in the morning when the sun had warmed the room to comfortable levels. Its hard to convey the psychological discomfort I experienced but I can understand the heavy coats.

Talk Radio

2009-11-25T21:37:00.003-05:00

Something I seriously miss in North Carolina is KGO Talk Radio and especially Ron Owens. It is a pleasure to hear balanced discussion on issues. Sure, there are some extreme views expressed at times but Ron does a good job of keeping the discussion grounded and avoids hysterionics.

Social Driving

2009-11-25T21:33:00.002-05:00

As I again get accustomed to driving in the bay area I am struck by the wonderful community we enjoy with frequent social intercourse. For example, "Move it, the lights changed!", "Take one or the other - make up your mind!" or "Same to you buddy!"

Travel to San Francisco - Some Obversations

2009-11-23T23:43:00.002-05:00

I like flying out of Wilmington. A small airport is nice - you can park close to the terminal, the cost is low, and the crowd isn't. Passing through security is fast and the people are generally cordial (they might know you socially).

The flight to Atlanta was only about a third full - when did you last experience that? The flight to San Francisco was a totally different story. Delta now charges for bags. They call it an excess baggage fee - I guess they think you should have no bags. Actually that is what many tried to do by taking their luggage on the plane. I understand that if they then had to check their bag they wouldn't have to pay the $20 bag fee. So, we had a line on the gangway checking their bags - they never intended to carry them aboard, and another line trying to get off the plane because all the overhead bins were full. That in turn meant we were supposed to keep our coats and other smaller bags in our laps and theoretically under your seat. Ha!

We arrived around 11am on a flight that was 30 minutes early. I was truck again how clear the air is in the fall. The low humidity makes the air sharp and especially clear, something you rarely see in Carolina.

It took me nearly a half hour to acclimatize to driving in the bay area. There is a totally different feeling that I do not experience in other major metropolitan areas. It is sort of like driving in the Grand Prixe. Motorist know that they really have to be to be reckless and driving WAY over the limit to be nailed. That means people drive to the level of what they feel is reasonable safety - not what is written on a sign. That translates to 70 mph in the slower lanes and 75 to 80 in the faster lanes (65 mph speed limit). I see them traveling at 70+ around Raleigh but those are more likely to be the exceptions or at least the top speeders.

California has a 12% unemployment rate but that dose not seem to be the case in high tech. In fact there may be some signs of hiring in that sector. I thought I saw some suggestion in some of the freeways being a little less clogged but that was not the case at the In-N-Out Burgers - crowded as always.

Speaking of In-N-Out Burgers - they put fast food restaurants like McDonald's and Burger King to shame.

Run with the Greats

2009-11-15T05:59:00.003-05:00

I was watching TV news last night and realized I am great. I have something in common with the rich (or used to be) and famous. I'm sure you'll all be impressed that Madoff and I have the same golf ball retriever in our bags. $29.99 at a local golf shop - but think about what we have in common - we both were fishing in waters for our balls. He just chose better waters.

Now, Madoff kept his ball retriever in a slightly more expensive bag (I'd guess $2000 to $5000) and might have played at courses slightly more expensive then I do but still, you have admit that great minds...

Khalid Sheikh Mohammed

2009-11-14T15:21:00.002-05:00

The families that lost members in the 9/11 attack are divided as to whether Khalid Sheikh Mohammed should receive a trial in New York. I do not believe he should be tried under present laws. I would, instead, want congress to pass terrorist legislation delineating what an act of terrorism is and stipulating that one found guilty of terrorism can receive the death penalty by some means that includes prolonged cruel and unusual torture. If they randomly kill innocents then they should receive extraordinary punishment. They should not receive the same rights to counsel nor guarantees under our Constitution.

Yeah, I know, the argument would be that the subject wasn't really acting as a terrorist, after all, he was misguided or mentally unbalanced because he ate Fruit Loops.

Web Cams

2009-11-14T12:17:00.002-05:00

Aside from our wanting Josh and Pam to get their cam working so we can get a grandparents fix, web cams can show some interesting (exterior) shots such as the WECT web cam on the USS North Carolina in Wilmington. Note I am not discussing porn sites!

I was looking at the cam sponsored by the Ephraim Yacht Club in Wisconsin. I presume it showed a view of Lake Michigan which is nice to just see another part of the country. The only downside on this particular sortie was when I read about the club reminder of the Labor Day closing party. My God, I had forgotten about living in a place where the summer season ends and winter begins on Labor Day! I always got depressed in the fall when living in New York and in Chicago. I was faced with another long dreay winter.

Why did I write this blog? I donno'

Flu Shots

2009-11-13T06:19:00.002-05:00

Just caught a brief segment on FOX where one of their medical experts was saying they made too much of the seasonal flu early on when it wouldn't be needed until after the H1N1 vaccine. Well, if that is the case, why can't I find any here? The local hospital, clinic, drug store and county health departments have none!

Forget the swine flu (whoops, probably upset the pig farmers - got to be pc). It ain't here!

Afghanistan Plan

2009-11-12T07:54:00.002-05:00

The US Envoy to Afghanistan has reservations about sending more troops there. Lets hope this guy has more sense then Paul Brenner in disbanding the Iraqi army in 2003. That was a disaster.

I have to wonder about the timing of the Afghanistan envoy's (Eikenberry) caution to the president. I would think that if he had such reservations he would have already expressed them to Obama. Coming this late in the game suggests to me that he has been pressured to take this stand to bolster what Obama will do - send few relatively few troops.

A Special Day

2009-11-11T07:22:00.000-05:00

Its raining and I am pleased. I have been working so hard on the house lately that a rainy day is an excuse to relax a little. And, it is rewarding too. Just this morning I took the time to do a little browsing on the computer and I learned the secret to making your dog poop when you want them to.

The Latest Thought

2009-11-06T07:21:00.002-05:00

I continue to write this blog. But it never leaves my head. The press of accomplishing a number of projects, completing online studies, and lack of immediate inspiration while at the computer have blocked my writing muse.

Having said that, I was reading an editorial in the Washington Post. It said the recent election results in upstate New York in which the conservative Palin-Limbaugh-Beck candidate Hoffman was defeated reflected a middle of the road rejection of conservative Republicans. That resonates with me, I am tired of the rabble rousing conservative noise but equally dislike the Obama Democrats. I'd be happy to shove the likes of Limbaugh and Hannity into a sealed room with Pelosi, Franks, and Reid. Throw away the key.

I've been and am seriously thinking of changing from Republican to Independent. The theatrics of Washington politics disgust me and I am of the mind to throw all the incumbents out until I see politicians working together for the common good of America.

New Business Appraoch

2009-10-06T11:52:00.002-04:00

I was listening to a radio talk show this morning. The host was ranting about all the chancellors, vice-chancellors, assistant chancellors, etc. that Carolina has in its administration. All receiving substantial salaries of $150,000 and more. It does seem excessive on the face of it but that's not what I am writing about.

The discussion sparked another thought. If I had the money to gamble with, it would be an interesting business philosophy to pay larger salaries to the "doers" instead of the bosses. For example, if I had a cabinet shop, the highest paid employees would be the cabinet makers, not the supervisors or managers.

The concept is that if you have superior operating personnel, whether it be professors, teachers, engineers, woodworkers, electricians, etc., the need for higher level managers is reduced. When hiring you would go out and find the best and pay them a premium. Product done with exceptional quality can negate the need for as much marketing, supervision, etc. Yeah, there are holes in this but is this worse then the way we operate? Food for thought.

Withdrawal

2009-09-27T06:52:00.002-04:00

It has been a week of deprivation and the pain continues. It started last Monday when a landscaper came to install a drain line in our front yard. All of our utilities pass through the yard so I hired a landscaper to install the drain, explaining to them my concerns about severing one of the lines. Sure enough, less then ten minutes after they had started our TV/Internet cable was cut. It was not repaired until the following afternoon.

We had internet use throughout Wednesday but Thursday morning we had thunderstorms which cut power to the house...twice. The second time while I was rebooting the computer. Oh well, had to go into Wilmington so left it off. When we got home in the afternoon the computer wouldn't boot. Long story short - the hard drive died.

Still down at this point awaiting repair and hopefully back in operation next week but working only from a laptop is something like using a bicycle in lieu of a car to do all your errands. Gets the job done sort of.

Archie is House Trained! Whoopee!

2009-09-03T08:44:00.001-04:00

It has actually been several weeks since we have had a toilet incident with Archie. Maybe we can now say the War on Turds is over. At times he resorted to clandestine drops but we prevailed and life is much better around here.

We now just need to tweak a couple things.

Not Set In My Ways

2009-09-03T08:40:00.002-04:00

People think just because you get older that you are set in your ways. That is blatantly untrue. Even though I turned the calendar on another year, I decided this morning to do something different. I flossed my teeth in a different pattern then I have always done! And I was not over stressed. I'm so proud of myself, maybe tomorrow I'll put my left shoe on before my right.

I am open to change Obama, just let the republicans do it.

Class Action Law Suit

2009-08-26T07:42:00.002-04:00

I think we should sue the lawyers. They should be held liable for the convoluted misleading legalese they assault us on a daily basis. Maybe we can even get them jailed for assault. That would be fantastic because it would shut down Congress leading to a huge economic stimulus.

I digress, however, and returning to my proposal, whenever you sign up for a newsletter, new software, medical procedure or dog adoption, you have to sign some sort if statement that requires a lawyer to understand. We should sue all of lawyerdom on the grounds of obfuscation. We could get some of our money back and it would revolutionize those obdurate forms. Maybe then the forms would really be in plain understandable English.

It should be illegal to be required to sign a form only a lawyer that actually passed the bar would understand. You are in the emergency room with a bleeding hernia threatening your life and you are expected to sign one of those stupid forms. You say "I don't understand what this says." You are then told, hire a lawyer. Yeah, right!

Sunroom

2009-08-25T15:52:00.002-04:00

They've started on the sun room addition to our porch.

Colin Powell

2009-07-28T21:11:00.002-04:00

Hurray for Powell. He has voiced a thoughtful and balanced position on Professor Gates. A position that permits both sides to reach compromise and closure to an ugly incident. He made other observations as well about Palin, Russ Limbaugh and the republican party.

His comment about the republicans resonate with me, a moderate republican. He said, "If the party is going to succeed in the future, the advice I'm giving to my Republican friends is you've got to find some way to reach out and draw moderates and independents more toward the right so that we can build a party that will win..."

I agree and it would be good it they could - fire Russ Limbaugh. He has gotten too much power and abuses it. He is a problem for the party and they need to disavow him.

George Washington

2009-07-28T17:16:00.003-04:00

This is a little known side of George Washington.

Harvard Professors Arrest

2009-07-23T13:14:00.002-04:00

There are racial charges flying around in the aftermath of the arrest of Professor Gates in Harvard. That may be the case but possibly not the way the media reports it. It had better be acknowledged that blacks are sometimes showing racial bias to condemn whites. The arresting officer wrote in his report that he asked Gates to step outside the house to which Gates responded "Why, because I'm a black man in America?"

That can well be a racial judgement against whites. To jump to the conclusion that race is involved because he was asked to step outside his home may (I stress the word may) reflect bias on the part of Gates.

There is the possible scenario that someone had indeed broken into Professor Gates home and was inside with a weapon trained on the professor or if not directly threatening the professor, the thief might be hiding somewhere on the premises. Seems like that would be good police work to ask him to come outside...

So why did a black man automatically assume the request was racial inspired if we wasn't himself racist? There is probably much more to the situation but the way the media will handle this will not reflect these comments.

Blogful Fate

2009-07-15T10:16:00.002-04:00

I've noticed that most bloggers at some point, some after only post, tend to stop or decrease the rate of blog (RAB). I follow one blog and it hasn't been updated since Easter. I think the Eater Bunny did them in. I am no exception to this phenomena (if you haven't noticed).

I continue to write blogs...but in my head when driving or when walking the dogs and picking up poop. Indeed they are brilliant monologues with humor and thoughtful, intellectual content.

The bogging sites just need new technology. Some gizmo that allows us to write and publish our dogs while stooping over dog poop, cursing our fellow drivers, or simply walking down the street. If blog sites did this, social networking sites would be sure to follow. If you are concerned about your RAB, you'd be sure to spend $49.95 for that gizmo. (P.S. I'm taking early orders if you want to send me money).

Just imagine walking down the street doing an entry to Facebook - something great as are most Facebook entries - "I'm walking down the street" and maybe a passerby thinking you are talking to them says "what?" So, you say, butt out, you are not a Facebook Friend.

Real News

2009-06-23T05:54:00.003-04:00

I like to watch the BBC for world news. They cover more news in 10 minutes then do the networks in their 1/2 hour "newszines." Last night the BBC was reporting the DC Metro crash in which 9 people died, 76 treated for injuries. I saw the BBC report around 6:05 pm, the crash occurred slightly before 5 pm.

I thought I would get more information at 6:30 when the networks did their thing. NBC made no mention whatever, preferring to show dogs on surf boards. A check of CBS and ABC were no matter. If ABC and CBS reported on the crash they did not use it as a lead story. Perhaps preferring not to report rather then credit another news source?

Only CNN and Fox reported the accident in the time span between 6:30 and 7:00 pm. CNN provided the most coverage. I guess the networks work out their programing and then regardless of more current events you are NOT informed. This is sorry.

Iranian Disaster

2009-06-22T15:55:00.003-04:00

I am worried about Iran. The government possesses some the most sophisticated technology in the world for controlling and censoring the Internet. They use deep-packet inspection to block and monitor communication. They can gather information on individuals as well as alter it for disinformation purposes.

The American media is crowing about how the authorities are unable to block video and pictures getting out of the country. Perhaps the Iranian government can't interdict this information or, more ominously, does not want to (yet). They have the means to capture information on the brave people that are sending images out of Iran along with messages on social networking websites.

This provides the government an excellent tool by which they can identify dissidents for later arrest and perhaps elimination. The Internet is viewed as the wild west but sophisticated software may be enabling dictatorial regimes new tools for oppression.

I Will Boycott

2009-05-17T09:37:00.002-04:00

The New York Times has an article about beta testing of a new software for online stores. It will allow them to pursue you "out the door" with nagging email or even phone messages such as "Is there a problem..." They will be pursuing you after you leave the website if you don't buy.

Since they will request your email as soon as you visit the site I hope to identify them and immediately boycott the site. Note, even if I enter my email and do NOT hit a submit button, the store server may have captured my keystokes and can still pester me.

There are some website such as Amazon which I hope I will not have to dump but I will not allow this intrusion. There are some in the industry that are worried that is approach will have a backlash. Damn right!

Golf is Unfair

2009-05-12T08:45:00.001-04:00

I just went to the website for the St. James golf clubs and noted that four people have gotten hole-in-ones this past week. Now I've paid green fees and swung a club hundreds of times and they have never given me a hole-in-one. My neighbor even got on!

I think it is very unfair and I'm going to complain to the Obama administration. Maybe some nice senator will introduce a bill requiring golf clubs to evenly distribute their hole-in-ones.

Dogs aren't Cheap

2009-05-10T12:00:00.009-04:00

I may have mentioned that after getting Archie and Bella we decided we needed to fence our backyard. Jason helped me put in a new vinyl picket fence which has significantly improved the appearance of the yard.

Once the cypress tress get larger and shield the neighbors house from view it will be very nice.

We had supervision while installing the fence, Archie was pretty relaxed and said whatever we did was going to be fine with him.

Bella, however, displayed her female heritage and sometimes expressed her views rather frankly.

And finally said she liked it.

Now having a fenced yard we decided to add some play toys for the dogs.

Stem Cell Plot

2009-04-24T15:45:00.002-04:00

I am going to be the first to sound the clarion horn of alarm. While reading the paper this morning I realized all the stem cell research must be a sinister plot by women to rid themselves of men. The women want to perfect embryonic growth to the point where they can grow babies without our input. They are making men obsolete!

I know, hard to believe but there is an ironic twist. Women may make themselves obsolete in this whole process and then there won't be any of us. At least that solves a bunch of other problems like the war, Barney Frank, and Nancy Pelosi.

Myrtle Beach Fire

2009-04-24T15:33:00.002-04:00

Yesterday the wind was carrying the smoke from the Myrtle fire directly up the coast and the air had a heavy blue haze and light ash was falling. We live around 50 miles from the fire and there was the sharp smoke bite to the air. Later int he day the wind shifted and carried the smoke off shore. Today no problem here.

They now think the fire was started by a yard debris fire in one of the subdivisions. After living in California it has amazed and troubled me how little restriction there is on burning here. In North Carolina you can burn acres of trees and brush by simply going into your local hardware and getting a free fire permit. No requirements on fire safety.

Last fall a fire got out of hand when a fellow was burning brush near our development. Seems the pail of water he had wasn't sufficient to contain the multi-acre fire he was "watching." The fire threatened to jump the highway outside our development and take out houses. The smoke was so dense they shut down the highway. As it was, a nearby town had to abandon there utility brush truck and it was lost in the fire.

Seems like people should be required to at least have adequate resources on hand to control a fire. Would stimulate the economy because I could, for example, rent a brush (fire) truck with my services to stand by when they plan to burn a large area.

Archie and More

2009-04-13T16:23:00.009-04:00

Its been awhile since I've really blogged so better go back a couple months and start there. If you've been reading my blog you know that Hazel and I adopted a Havanese puppy in January. Archie is now 5 months old and has grown larger but is still a puppy.

Now for a short quiz. Hazel and I were feeling sorry for Archie. He had no playmates his age and we were poor substitutes for a friend that he could wrestle, nip and chase while voicing macho growls.

When Koko and Brue were alive they were close friends and we remembered how they gave each other company when we were away. That prompted us to think about adopting another dog, specifically Archie's sister.

1. Our decision to adopt Arabella was:
a. Stoopid?
b. Stoopid?
c. Stoopid?
d. All of the above?

What fun it has been to try and house train two puppies instead of just one.

"All right! Which of you left this poop??? Two innocent puppies look at us and wag there tails. "Who us?" "No, wasn't me?" "Me either, do we get a treat?"

So here is Arabella (Bella for short):

Her appearance may be doleful but she is a happy cheerful puppy.

We wouldn't do a thing different. These two have brought so much joy to our lives. The abandon and joy of puppies is contagious. Although in the evening when Hazel and I sometimes want to veg out and just watch TV, the dogs seem to think that is the best time to play.

Bella is the gregarious social butterfly and wants to greet all dogs and people. She is also something of a gossip and loves to tell jokes.

Archie is a little more serious, taking his role as male dog to heart. He is more vocal but frustrated because the neighbor cats ignore him.

It was a good move to adopt Bella and the two puppies are fast friends.

Bella and Archie have graduated from pre-school and are now enrolled in kindergarten. They have learned how to milk us for treats and make us beg.

Newspaper Headlines

2009-03-06T16:30:00.002-05:00

I learned of a neat website. It provides a map of the US and you can click on the major cities to see the front page news of the local newspaper. Go to Newseum.

Tagged

2009-03-04T09:42:00.002-05:00

I screwed up this morning and you might have received an invite to join a website called "Tagged." Please ignore the invite! The site is a invasive spam generator that is now annoying the hell out of me.

A friend that I play golf with sent me an invite to join. Since he is a good friend I complied and in the process they asked me which friends I wanted to send an invite to. I saw his and a couple other people and unchecked all but him. The problem is that you had to scroll down to see a much longer list. I ended up sending an inivite to a bunch of people. I apologize and ask if you haven't done anything, don't!

Colds

2009-03-03T08:38:00.003-05:00

This morning's Wall Street Journal had an article about the common cold. It quoted a doctor that was saying the cold was not as contagious as people think...except for kids. Kids are "just a bag of viruses."

That summoned a mental picture of Josh and Pam or Chris and Laura in the evening. One looks at the other and says "is it time to put the bag of viruses" to bed?.

If You Can't Stand the Heat Get Out of the Kitchen

2009-01-22T07:56:00.002-05:00

Harry Truman said it...and it sure works at times. I applaud this one. I am tired of celebrity somehow qualifying one for important office.

Now this guy seems able to stand the heat but it would be nice if he gave her company.

Archie

2009-01-21T16:38:00.008-05:00

Within this past week our lives have been doubly blessed. First came our Grandson Jackson...

and then our new puppy, Archie.

Archie is getting settled in and is a huge delight. He seems to have a calm, gentle side and yet is playful. No doubt as he matures he will be more active - especially as he becomes a teenager.

Clearly he is a brilliant dog so we have already enrolled him in preschool. Hazel and I went by the school the other day to view the curriculum and meet the staff. We wanted to be sure it would provide a challenging growth opportunity. Perhaps President Obama might send his new dog to the same preschool.

We haven't decided on a university for Archie but expect to take applications in the near future.

Record Labels

2009-01-07T08:39:00.002-05:00

The New York Times has an article about Steve Kopper's new book, "APPETITE FOR SELF-DESTRUCTION The Spectacular Crash of the Record Industry in the Digital Age." Koppers describes the mistakes the labels have made and suggests that their demise is largely their own doing. I certainly agree.

The labels and Big Three could be managed by the same CEO. Give the customer what the company wants to provide, not what the customer wants. The mentality that made them unable to adapt and conform to changing conditions such as the digital era or foreign competition.

Even now the labels hate Apple iTunes and seek ways to circumvent. They only see what could have been if only life were different and they could still force customers to buy the product the choose. Hollywood must still snorting cocaine, they are in a dream world. We hated paying $18 for one song bundled with a bunch of other junk. So when opportunity appeared to not do that...duh.

Personally I think Steve Jobs has saved the industry and their butts. Better to have some market vs. none.

I have to admit that a part of me cheers when industries like the recording labels and automakers face hard times or possible demise. I don't wish that on the many people that suffer for the stupidity of a few but my anger says Ha Ha!

The newly announced pricing of iTunes does not trouble me. Frankly I don't think $.30 more for a song is not going to have a negative impact on sales and the removal of DRM is well worth it. DRM hasn't been a real issue for me but I have always resented having a limit placed on my purchase - and again annoyed at the Labels for forcing that.

And behind all these corporate myopia is, I suspect, screwed up graduate schools. I have a Masters in Business but got it a long time ago so I can't say with certainty that graduate educators are responsible. I can see, however, how market manipulation via course content and case study could heavily influence the attitudes of students and their eventual roles as corporate heads. Gee it would be nice if the focus was in providing what the customer wanted and understanding why a business even exists.

I only hope now the labels begin to wise up but doubt it will happen. The intransigence they have displayed gives little encouragement.

Street Name

2009-01-06T17:06:00.002-05:00

I'm in the fire department and carry a pager. When I leave the town I switch to county wide calls because a couple times I heared of traffic accidents that directly affected my travel. Today I did that and heard a medic call for a person experiencing seizures.

Nothing exceptional except the patient lived on Scorpian Dr. It made me wonder what the other streets were named in the vicinity. Was there some bright bulb working in a developers office coming up with the street names? Perhaps there was a Cockroach Ct. or Wasp Way.

So I checked Goggle maps and confirmed I had heard correctly, I had. Then checked surrounding street names but they had normal sounding names.

Was the street named by some antisocial redneck as a means of antagonizing others? I don't know of course, but it can't be pleasant to have seizures on Scorpian Drive.

Man Overboard

2009-01-01T13:40:00.002-05:00

Just read of another person going overboard from a cruise ship. This is the second in about a week. Having just returned from a cruise I have been wondering if the railings are different on different cruise ships.

Although the woman missing off the Norwegian Pearl sounds suspicious, witnesses saw an entertainment staff member accidentally go overboard from Carnival Cruise.

The railings on Celebrity Galaxy, my cruise ship, were more then waist high (about 4 feet) and it wouldn't have been easy to go over.

The End of the U.S.

2008-12-29T09:50:00.003-05:00

Today's Wall Street Journal has a front page article about a Russian that is forecasting the breakup of the United States sometime in 2010. He believes our country is near collapse and there will be civil war.

He forecasts the division of the country into segments - the west coast being Chinese oriented, central US being part of Canada (or Canada leaning), the east will be European oriented and the south attached to Mexico. I think he is wrong, surely California will become Mexican.

I didn't read what will happen to Hawaii. What do you think? I suspect it might become part of Antarctica but could be wrong.

December 2008 Update

2008-12-29T09:31:00.004-05:00

We have been busy this month, first with a transatlantic cruise, then Christmas in Morrisville with Chris, Laura, and Maya, and then a bonus, a trip to visit our future puppy. More about the cruise and Christmas to come - maybe before 2010 even.

We are adopting a new puppy in late January - sometime around the 19th. It is a Havanese and the breeder invited us to come see the puppy she thought would fit us the best. Dexter as he is now known will become Archie when he joins us...or Archimedes for short.

We agreed with the breeder, Archie is an outgoing lively pup. We have been thinking about Archie being a therapy dog and also doing agility training. He seemed to be a good fit for both these endeavors but it will be up to him.

After an hour of play, tumbling, climbing and exploration Archie showed he was still a young puppy and decided it was time to nap.

The End is Near (for some things)

2008-12-24T05:13:00.002-05:00

The New York Times has an article in Today's paper titled "Nearly the End of the line for S.U.V.'s." I view this as one of the good things coming from this recession. I've always had a somewhat jaundiced view of America's love affair with over sized vehicles.

True, they have features that attract and I was tempted to own one. But do our cities really need a Suburban lumbering through the streets, driven by a house husband on his way to the grocery store? There are exceptions but I think they are a huge excess and the shift to smaller, more fuel efficient cars is to be celebrated.

On the personal level, isn't it better to have room to park your car? To drive our highways without the threat of a testosterone bloated asshole trying to intimidate you by tailgating you 70 mph is appealing? That would just leave the testosterone bloated asshole in the Ford Prius.

Home Again

2008-12-23T07:11:00.002-05:00

Hi everyone...well, maybe one...I think one person is reading this beside Hazel. So for that special one, we are home from our cruise and had a great time. We wish you a Merry Christmas.

I'll write more about the cruise in the near future and include a few pictures. I think I took over 700 shots so should find a couple worthy of posting. Most will be deleted. Shot a lot of sunrises and sunsets as we crossed the ocean and usually with them you end of dumping most since only a few are at the peak moments.

Also, since I shot them in raw format it will probably take over an hour to download them all. Then I have to edit and remove the unwanted shots, then convert them to smaller files for uploading. Most times I get tired of messing with them before I get through the whole process and just never post them. This time I promise I will...it might be 2010 but I'll get there.

Why shoot in raw if they are that much trouble? I'm always hopeful that one will turn out well and be worth printing. True, I know some shots aren't even in contention but it gets troublesome to switch the camera back and forth between the formats and I'm certain I'll forget to do so for the one great shot I was looking for.

San Francisco November 2008

2008-11-11T12:46:00.002-05:00

We are in San Francisco, visiting our grandchild Tyler. While here we have said hello to his folks and to our other son and daughter-in-law...and our friends. We always enjoy these trips and miss living here. In the city there is a special individual freedom that I experience no where else. People have a greater freedom to be themselves.

That freedom spawns some interesting offshoots. In the local paper "Guardian" is a note about an event focused on participatory art. Spanning several days, it involves a panel discussion titled "Open Works." A discussion of the notion of indeterminacy and openness to chance and change. Sadly I'll miss that, and even worse, the Thursday night series titled "The Art of Drinking Beer with Friends Is the Highest Form of Art." Also, not to be missed, but we will, "Silent" musical score 4'33", occurring daily, 4'33" bypasses instrumentation, shifting attention to the audience and ambient sounds.

I think my musical genius would enhance such an event. Baritone farts providing antiphonal balance.

Obama and Race

2008-10-23T08:28:00.004-04:00

I got a email a while back pointing out the subtle racial tones of this presidential race. I don't recall some of the points made - some very valid ones and as is usually the case some which were such a stretch they undermined the message.

What I remember, for example, is it saying what if Obama stood on a stage with a seventeen year old out of wedlock daughter. Race stereotyping would come to play as we thought yeah, "those" people have no morals! There were better comparisons but I do not recall them, sorry.

The sense of the email was how unfair our attitudes are toward a black running for president. I found it interesting but what it didn't say, if it had been a balanced and fair comment on race, is that if Obama were white it would be very unlikely he would even be in the race.

Think about a white freshmen senator with little experience, far left contacts, very liberal voting record and so on. I doubt he would get a chance to get any where near a primary. His early record would be enough to make people reject as too liberal to support. What if our "white" democratic contender had a extremist pastor that said "God damn America?"

So please, don't bring up that argument, it goes both ways.

Oh, and was really amused to see Sarah Palin on TV questioning Obama's experience. What's the term....hutspah? Well, would Sarah Palin be leading a Republican ticket if she had gone into the race on her own? I doubt it - too inexperienced, very conservative religious views, etc. She is running only as vice-president only because John McCain selected her. Conservative Republicans might have liked her but she would not engender enough support through the party and on a national level to do it on her own. Do you disagree? I think there are similarities here.

I don't think our political process does a good job of selecting the best candidates to lead our country. I think we should ask five year olds! The "Are you smarter then a five year old" show on TV has shown how highly qualified they are!

Magicjack

2008-10-23T08:11:00.002-04:00

I heard about this new phone tool Magicjack that allows you to make free local and long distance calls through your computer (in some area codes). It looks like it could be a good deal for some folks but this website, as is the case for many now days, makes it very hard to find out the cost.

I am always irritated when they make it so difficult to find product costs, I guess they want to "sell" me on the product first. Sometimes I end up pretending I am going to buy the product and go through the initial purchase information, and then close the window before completing with the transaction.

It is another case of customer dis-service. Companies, like people are lemmings on concepts. One or a few start moving in a direction and most others do the same just because it is the way they think you achieve results. If some are doing it, then it must be right.

Sure would be nice if companies returned to the days when they made a genuine effort to service the customer. As for Magicjack...how much does it cost? Don't know, didn't want to waste more time finding out.

The Stock Market is Normal

2008-10-15T13:03:00.003-04:00

Stocks dropped significantly today on news that retail sales are down. Duh...what did they think they would hear? Of course the public curbed their spending when Washington was panicking.

I've always viewed the market with bemusement when it responds to the obvious like this. The way I see it, speculators dump stocks, or buy, on the slightest whim and it is they who are causing today's swing. Speculators make lousy barometers of the market's overall health.

To think that the market swings are over or that we are through the worse and it will be a steady upward trend is out of touch with reality. However, I can actually view today's market response with some optimism because it is Wall Street functioning like it normally does...abnormally.

The Economy

2008-10-11T09:30:00.003-04:00

Finally couldn't resist making a comment about the plunging economy. Yesterday the Wall Street Journal published graphs showing the stock market during the Great Depression, the recessionary 1970's and the most recent period of 2000 to present. In the first two, unemployment was a major factor that brought the market down. That hasn't been the case in the present period but don't give up hope.

Unemployment is sure to rise drastically and when the stats are announced will likely trigger another Wall Street sell off by frenetic investors. I doubt the sell off will be huge as the market will have pretty much bottomed out by then (I suspect around 7000 on the Dow). Another buying opportunity for the daring or reckless.

As to the Dow low point, I should start a pool. Who wants 8000?

The Lesser of Evils

2008-10-11T09:23:00.002-04:00

It always seems to become a choice between the lesser of evils in the presidential race. This time I have to decide whether I want to vote for a man that is, in my estimation, too old to serve two terms (I think that is a requisite) with a running mate that is a hockey mom, inexperienced in world politics; or a man I view as a glib opportunist with little in the way of real credentials or experience. A man that has questionable ties to others and rose in power through the corrupt good old boys stage of Chicago politics.

Hell, maybe our local county sheriff should run for president as soon as he gets out of prison.

Who Can You Trust?

2008-10-11T01:28:00.002-04:00

This plunging economy has wrecked havoc. You can't even trust a bunny.

Football on Steroids

2008-10-05T07:04:00.002-04:00

The Wall Street Journal had an article yesterday about steroid use in the NFL. Essentially it said that steroids are heavily used, especially by linemen. The reason no one seems to be concerned is those folks are not well known.

Barry Bonds is well known and has had major influence on game results. Thus the investigations, etc. Unless you are a major football buff, you probably cannot name more then one or two linemen...if that. They undoubtedly have impact on game results but not near that of the money boys - quarterbacks and receivers so no one seems to care.

The astounding statistic cited is that NFL linemen are 90 lbs heavier, on average, then 25 years ago. The NFL has thus enacted more rules to protect quarterbacks, etc. from body damage but it seems I see more and more players being carried off the field. Its time to ban steroids from all sports - and be serious about it.

NC DMV

2008-09-30T08:01:00.002-04:00

I recently got a renewal notice and dutifully sent my check to them via the postal system. It came back noting that it had been rejected because I had not included a $1.00 handling fee for renewals made by mail. The alternative was to go online and pay with a credit card.

I'm bemused that in this economy where they lament the huge credit card debt the state is pushing us to add to it. Yeah a buck isn't much but the point is the thinking behind it. Instead of encouraging cash they want us to add to our debt load for their convenience...and most people that pay with credit card are carrying a balance so that $1.00 ends up costing more.

I've also wondered how much it costs the state to reject my renewal for that extra buck. Think I'll do it again. My passive aggressive attack against big government! I bet its got Raleigh scared.

Oh, maybe this buck goes for Bill's salary. Maybe I might reconsider.

Drambuie has Sailed Away

2008-09-01T15:42:00.003-04:00

I've sold Drambuie and it has figuratively sailed away. Actually, it was put on a truck to western New York where it was off loaded, mast restepped and sailed across Lake Ontario to a new home in Toronto Canada.

The new owner plans to continue outfitting her for cruising and in a couple years set out for the Bahamas and points south. The new owner has strong cruising experience and I am glad Drambuie (under a new name) will be doing what she is so well designed to do.

PLEASE do not say the happiest two days in a boat owners life are when he buys a boat and when he sells the boat. True for some, maybe many, but insulting to me! Have I already said that?

Part of this process is accepting that some dreams will never be realized. A process that marks our process of aging. As I grow older I'll have to accept other limits, other freedoms gone. It ain't fun doing that.

Henry Ford and iTunes

2008-09-01T14:34:00.002-04:00

End of July I made a side trip to visit my brother George who lives near Detroit. From Detroit I went on to New York to attend the 50th reunion of my high school class.

George and his wife. Carolyn, took Hazel and I to the Henry Ford Museum. Naturally a substantial part of the museum was devoted to the auto industry. I almost just wrote "its rise and fall" because within the exhibits and the placards were the seeds of present day Detroit's decline.

Henry Ford was not the first to try mass production of the automobile, but he was the first to standardize. His motto to give them black resonated through the entire process and was instrumental in the early success of Ford. Cars became affordable and more reliable. General Motors recognized that the consumer wanted more then black and marketed a range of models that gave the car buyer a choice. A choice coupled with mass production. By 1920 GM had wrested major market share from Ford.

I found it ironic that GM, the company that championed giving the customer a product they wanted, is now in market and financial trouble because they lost sight of that truism. They, like many companies, tried to drive the market to what they wanted to produce (and provides the most profit) so that sooner or later its nemesis, in the most original meaning of the term (nemesis: the spirit of divine retribution against those who succumb to hubris - hubris: to indicate overweening pride, self-confidence, superciliousness, or arrogance, often resulting in fatal retribution) initiated its downfall. GM got greedy. Not everyone wanted SUV's and the potential for that market failing was shown during the oil shortage of the 1970s. Sure they had a good run for awhile but in the hundred years or so of their existence, a short run. The seeds of decline were evident as far back as late 60's. There were many that wanted a small economical car that had decent reliability. VW came first and then the Japanese. Each whittling away at that market. The Japanese have continued to recognize its importance, the importance of giving the consumer a choice.

Last Thursday's issue of the Wall Street Journal has an article about iTunes and how it is making some artists (and label executives) unhappy. iTunes simply gave the consumer want they wanted, the ability to buy singles instead of CD's often containing one or two good songs and the rest a rehash or bundle of garbage music. Hooray for iTunes. I am a fan and a loyal customer because Apple recognized and gave me what I wanted. The RIAA is still seething and some labels (e.g. Atlantic records) have pulled some music from iTunes in an effort to pressure Apple - in effect rollback the clock.

The poor label executives, managers and artists are upset that iTunes, with few exceptions, requires that songs be made available separately. I can accept that in a some cases the artist may want to keep their music as one piece of work. Mozart, if he were alive today, may have felt that way. But I strongly doubt LL Cool and 50 Cent are of that persuasion. Yeah, I know some poor groups like The Eagles are realizing a few million $ less than in the past. Never the less, I suspect they are still well compensated.

The industry is twisting in the wind. A long deserved position. Apple sells 90% of the digital downloads and that has some like Kid Rock's manager crying iTunes is a "part of the death knell of the music business." They stupidly try to stuff the genie back in the bottle (like Atlantic Records). Goliath iTunes has them by the short hairs though and efforts thus far have failed. I'll bet they are even trying to lobby congress for some sort of antitrust action to squelch Apple.

Apple has a mindset, however, that will likely be its undoing. It likes to dictate the terms even when doing so may not be in their long term best interest. I've always thought that Apple could have been Microsoft if instead of trying to bundle their software into a pricey computer system had sold their operating system to run on pc's.

For now I enjoy the specter of squirming Music Labels. My hope though is that the competent artists, not at the top of the charts, are realizing decent income (not buckets of money) from their music.

So for now, Toyota and Apple are up, Ford, GM and RIAA are down. Works for me. Funny how providing the product that consumers want seems to lead to success.

Puppy Mills

2008-08-26T16:28:00.004-04:00

Its been awhile since I last posted and I have several blogs I want to write but much has been happening and there has been little time. My hopes are that soon I can write more but this came across my email tray and I had to take the time to write.

I used to think those cute dogs in cages in chain pet stores were well treated and came from good reputable dog breeders. That is not necessarily, in fact, often not the case. Puppy mills are the suppliers and in addition to promulgating poor strains that are prone to disease and physical problems, the conditions can be horrendous. I will never buy from a pet store again.

This news item in the Parkersburg, VA News and Sentinel tells of one such puppy mill. Please take the time to read the entire article.

Maya's Birthday

2008-07-25T09:15:00.007-04:00

We got a granddaughter and sugar high.

Koko is Gone

2008-07-22T12:08:00.002-04:00

It was only a few hours ago when I wrote my last blog about Koko. Nothing sudden really happened - we just took a hard look at how she was behaving and realized it wasn't going to get better.

She was finding it hard to breathe or be comfortable - tending to stand instead of lying to rest or sleep. Last night she panted all night long. Perhaps to an outsider without the emotional ties it would have been obvious but that final decision is not easily made.

Goodbye baby.

Koko Update

2008-07-22T07:42:00.003-04:00

Koko is doing better then when I lat wrote but is still not the perky dog that has been with us so many years. The good news is she is not in the intense pain and discomfort.

Last week, since she was doing better, we took a chance and left her with some people when we went to Raleigh for Maya's birthday. It was sort of a test to see how well she would do. When we picked her up Sunday she was okay but over the last two day we can tell she doesn't move as freely and believe she is uncomfortable.

For a week or so after her last "episode" I was begining to think she might fully recover. She has had previous back problems which cleared under "bed rest" and she regained her normal buoyancy. However, it is now a matter of time I am sure.

During our weekend trip Koko got to play with another dog she likes, Peanut. Peanut is a friendly little terrier that seems to enjoy Koko's visits so we were glad Koko could have that pleasure.

Browsing Music

2008-07-09T18:00:00.004-04:00

I was browsing music and followed a link to Amazon.com for a group called "Quiet Village." I liked some of the music but not enough to buy the album for $14 or $11 from used and new. Out of curiosity opened iTunes and checked there, cost is $10. Of course iTunes limits my use of the music. This is info you can't live without.

One advantage of checking the two sites is that Amazon's music sampler allows you a little longer sound bite to judge whether you like the music.

And...check out Noisetrade.

Koko's Last Days?

2008-07-09T17:05:00.003-04:00

Yesterday Koko seemed to be in intense pain, her back hunched as she walked - slow and gingerly. Hazel gave her some meds we had at home and that handled the pain and Koke was moving normally. She has had events like this in the past and after a few days she improved.

This morning, however, she was in pain again. More meds and this time, a visit to the vet. He gave us more medications for her and she is pretty dopey right now. He also told us that when she couldn't stand up, it was time to put her to sleep. We have seen her have moments when she had to struggle a little to stand, much like older large dogs do.

What is especially ominous is the vets comment. It was similar in tone to that given when he gave Brue only days to live. Brue had to be put down only two days later. He has seen this play out numerous times. Maybe I am fooling myself to think she has time yet but I'm also not so sure she will improve this time.

It is hard to contemplate putting her down. She is alert, not experiencing dog dementia (that we know) and has become more trusting and close to us as she has aged. Yet I remind myself of our neighbor that died of cancer. The intense pain he experienced in his last weeks and days. I hope to never experience that pain and suffering - I hope I have the option of physician assisted suicide should it come to that.

Living our final moments in agony is not living, it is torture and I'll not torture Koko.

Now, Koko says to me to not be too hasty to put her down. She plans to recover (she has before) and outlive me. She just might.

I Like Cats

2008-07-06T07:46:00.002-04:00

Yes, I really like cats but they have their place. I stole this from another blogger.

Contrarian Party

2008-07-06T06:57:00.003-04:00

I think we should form a new political party called the Contrarian Party. Contrarian because until politicians get it right, we adopt as our platform the motion to always vote incumbents out of office. Our own representatives wouldn't stay in office either but that wouldn't matter.

In private enterprise, companies seek to remove individuals that do not perform, that do not do what they say will. So why in the world do people continue to vote incumbents into office?

I recall at the last election Democrats entered office with fanfare - announcing they were going to do something about earmarks. If that means increasing them, perhaps they were right. Washington is unable to enact balanced legislation, work through differences and accomplish anything. The Bush administration had a majority in congress yet has a dismal record. The Democrats have done nothing better.

How about spending and the budget? Vote 'em out until they start balancing the budget and curbing spending. Our tax system is simply a blank check. Raise taxes whenever we spend too much...or print more money. Either way, we lose.

You might argue that some would vote for an incumbent because they vote your views. You may, for example, favor remaining in Iraq and think you should vote for the "pro-remaining-in-Iraq" incumbent. Well how about the rest of the mess. Has the fundamental climate changed for the good? Hell no!

When politicians realize they will only keep power and stay in office by actually being good stewards, working together, being responsible and honest. Our Contraian Party will disband. In the meantime I won't have to debate as to who might do a better job or holds views like mine, I just vote them out.

McCain or Obama? Neither! They are incumbents. Instead, how about Ralph Nader, or if you don't like him, write in Alfred E. Neuman? Yeah sounds a little chaotic but is that any worse? It would be very interesting indeed if the political establishment were suddenly confronted with a serious threat such as this - they would huddle in their back rooms and say "we had better give these folks something to calm them down."

"Later we can return to 'normal'."

Friends

2008-07-04T09:41:00.002-04:00

I don't recall where I found this so cannot attribute to the source but just acknowledge it is not original with me.

"Friendships are like a flower garden in the backyard. We tend to care for it but find it easy to put off to another day."

I think about the wonderful friends I have had over the years and how special they were. Yet, like the quote, it is so easy to put off nurturing that friendship to another day. Usually it happens when we move to a new city or state and distance inevitably attenuates our connection.

We plant new flowers in our friendship garden which bloom nicely but the flowers of friends past weakly bloom or wilt. Perhaps that is at it should be but never the less, I am nostalgic for for the beauty that once was.

Maya Gets Her Nails Done

2008-07-04T09:36:00.003-04:00

Maya is drying her newly polished fingernails.

Speaker System

2008-07-01T02:13:00.002-04:00

Someday I dream of getting a good speaker system. To that end I have been browsing online reviews and articles encompassing a staggering array of speakers and home theater systems. Except for a few like Polk and Bose, the names are unfamiliar so I find myself quickly wading through reviews and sometimes rejecting because the name doesn't "sound" right (get it?).

My first criteria is cost so it is usually necessary to scan several pages of review to get the bottom line. Speaker systems can typically range from only a couple hundred up to $15,000 to $20,000. As I was scanning a review I encountered this paragraph by the reviewer: "In simple language that even I can understand: The crossover-processor corrects, in the digital domain, the time delay inherent in the horizontal stacking of the point-source array, while using four linear-phase digital filters combined with the appropriate time-aligning delay filters to carefully limit the response of each transducer's operating range." Ahhhh, okayyy, seems pretty clear to me!

Further in the review I discovered the complete system cost around $250,000. I don't like the sound of that system.

Internet Weather

2008-06-23T11:04:00.002-04:00

I was thinking this morning about how marvelous the internet is. How we can summon incredibly diverse information with only a few computer clicks.

The reason for my rumination on the internet is I had wanted to paint our front door. However, clouds loomed above us, moving on a familiar storm track. Since rain on fresh paint might not be a good thing, I decided to check the weather radar on the internet.

The radar showed that the storms were moving off shore and very shortly be gone. Great! I wanted to get that prime coat on the door today and if I didn't have the internet would have looked at the sky and decided that I had best delay the work.

Of course I got everything set up and just started to paint when thunder rolled across the area and it commenced to rain. Man, is the internet great or what?

Need a Name

2008-06-15T14:17:00.003-04:00

Trying to think of a name for my new country. You see, I'm going to secede from the United Sates and become an independent dictatorship. As a dictator I will not reveal how many citizens live in my country, where we exist, or what deodorant we use.

What I am going to do is announce to the world that I have a nuclear armaments program underway. It will be so secret that the US intelligence services will never find it but not wanting to be found ignorant, will say they have some evidence it may be so.

I will then contact the pres and say I'm a nice dictator and if the US were to maybe pony up a few hundred million dollars (Euros would be better) I will only use my program for peaceful purposes.

Otherwise I might use my weapons against Rhode Island and Berkeley. Have already tested one and learned a little ammonia in water fired from a plastic revolver shaped receptacle works nicely in getting the feral cat off my porch. Got to use scientific terminology here to impress everyone.

Thanks AJ for the tip.

Dream Tickets

2008-06-08T09:45:00.002-04:00

There is all this noise about a dream ticket - Obama and Clinton. Well folks, isn't it time to think outside of the box. There are other dream tickets out there! For example, how about Obama and Ron Paul? Or, McCain and Clinton? Obama and Sean Hannity? Its time for this nation to throw off the yoke of conventionalism and plow new furrows in the mud of politics! Surely, you can think of some wonderful dream tickets?

Blogs

2008-06-06T21:54:00.002-04:00

When I just want to zone out, take a time out from my routine I browse blogs. I've mentioned this before. It only happens late in the evening or in the middle of the night. I do it because it gives me connection. Each blogger shares a piece of themselves, a piece of their soul.

Sometimes I'm amazed at the creativity, or sometimes it is simply sharing something they enjoy such as recipes. OK, I don't cook and do not study the recipes like I know some do, analyzing the ingredients and wondering how it would come out. I know some can even look at the recipe and say that's too much salt or vermouth. Not me so I move on but I understand.

All this reminds me of my humanity, of our connection as humans, and tells me that there are extremes but the vast majority - masses if you insist, are living life in love, happiness, anger, sadness, loneliness, frustration, joy, and more often in quiet desperation (the term is so accurate but I dislike it because it's negative). but living our lives the only way we know how. Shakespeare said:

"All the worlds a stage,
and all the men and women players:
They have their exits and their entrances;
And one man in his time plays many parts,"

That is each of us, here. Our blogs show a minuscule part of our stage, but all actors only show a small part. We go onto the stage, do our act, and return to our dressing room and our life. The best actors understand their part and relate to their audience. They live their part and if they do well, the audience gets it

Drambuie is Listed

2008-06-03T12:39:00.002-04:00

Drambuie is listed on the internet. One of the major websites for yachts is Yacht World where you can see the listing.

The broker said she was the nicest IP 37' he had ever seen so that sounded good. I haven't gone through all the posted pictures (already seen the boat) but he clearly wants to show the boat off. Sometimes you only see one or two photos which may indicate the boat is in poor condition and they can't show much, preferring to get a buyer to look at it in person so they can try to sell them.

There is already someone interested in seeing the boat and I have mixed emotions. Now that it is on the market it would be nice to make a quick sale but I had sort of expected Drambuie to be around for awhile. This isn't easy.

Drambuie is Moving On, I hope

2008-06-01T06:46:00.003-04:00

Yesterday I met with our yacht broker to officially list Drambuie for sail. It isn't the best time of year to list. Some folks are hesitant to do anything with the hurricane season. Further, our location is off the beaten track so will not have as many visitors. I could have moved it to a more popular location but by keeping it here can continue to use it and insure that it stays in good condition.

On a positive note, those who are seriously looking for an Island Packet will come. When I bought I traveled over the eastern seaboard in my search. This means people who do come are likely to be serious buyers. And, they are on a schedule and with an agenda that will not be influenced highly by time of year.

It will take months to sell in this market. The good news is the boat is in great shape, in fact, our broker said it is the best condition IP 37 he had ever seen.

The boat listing should be up in a day or two and I'll put the link in my blog.

PLEASE, do not anyone say that boat owners happiest days ware hen they buy the boat and again when they sell the boat! This has been a hard decision and I am not happy to be listing the boat and cannot be happy to see it sold. True, if this becomes a multi--year listing my relief will grow but I'm not happy selling my dream and the means that could see it realized. Being a sailor I might deck the person that says it.

Guess I better practice some people skills.

On Being Retired 1

2008-05-15T13:58:00.003-04:00

I had thought at one time about writing a separate blog relating my experiences on becoming a retiree. I imagined a blog with advertising that was read by thousands and then, perhaps setting up a video site and making serious money.

When I was approaching retirement age I went online to find what others had written about their experience. There was plenty of information on saving for retirement but little about the actual experience of being retired or even about investing after retirement although there was some. Don't worry about the investing stuff if you are not comfortable handling your money, there are plenty of people out there that are.

I was trying to get into the mental set and visualize what it would be like. True, I wouldn't have to get up early to go to work and deal with those issues but what is retirement really like? Well if you really want to know, Send me $50 (worth every penny) for my new book "On Being Retired." Not sure when it will be published yet because one thing I've learned is that I'd like to continue earning money but don't want to commit my time and effort to it.

One basic thing I will share. Whatever you were before retirement, you will be after retirement. I was a "things to do" list maker, organized, and always felt I had to be battling to reduce the size of the list. I tired to live without the list but wasn't comfortable trying to remember what I had to get done, even if I could put it off for days or weeks. So now I make lists.

I also worried that I would be bored and not have much to occupy myself. Perhaps someone that was totally immersed in their work would struggle with that, I have had no problem. For me, it is sometimes an issue of wanting less to do.

I have other topics I can discuss about retiring and maybe will if I am so moved. I am retired though so I'll get to it when I get to it. Meanwhile, don't forget to send me your money.

I Voted

2008-05-09T21:10:00.002-04:00

Seems like everyone I have spoken to about how we voted the other day thinks I cancelled their vote. That is power! I can now cancel every one's vote which must mean mine is the only one that counts.

That makes me tremble with the awesome responsibility.

I mention this so if you are thinking of voting again you need not bother, mine cancels yours so you shouldn't bother even taking the time to go to the polls.

Memory Trick

2008-04-26T18:22:00.002-04:00

I have a simple little trick I've used over the years to help recall some one's name. It has been surprisingly effective. It works when I know I know the name and it's on the tip of my tongue.

When that happens I slowly go through the alphabet thinking of each letters sound. For example, "A" could be Ann or Arron or Aronquil, note how they have a similar sound.

It has saved my butt a bunch of times, just the other day I was trying to remember my wife's name and used this trick. Sure enough, Harriet's name jumped into my mind.

Crime Spree

2008-04-26T18:09:00.002-04:00

I had no idea how serious the crime is in this area. I felt living in the Bible belt, in a semi-rural area we would be relatively safe. Such does not seem to be the case.

The weekly newspaper State Port Pilot publishes the "Sheriff's Report." It lists the officer reports for the previous week. One report really caught my eye. It seems some unscrupulous dastardly thief stole two cans of roach spray from a business. Value of the goods was placed at $5.25. Another business in the same block reports two packs of cigars stolen, valued at $600.

I'm not a cigar smoker but am a little surprised at the value of those two packs of cigars.

Always thought I'd make a good police detective with my superior analytical skills. Thinking about these thefts led me to a shrewed surmise that it was probably Bubba planning to go fishing. Roach spray for the bugs and cigars to relax while waiting for a bite.

Zeus

2008-04-21T09:09:00.002-04:00

Given the children murdered by pit bulls in the Bay Area and the increasingly stringent laws related to their ownership, a news item about such an attack near Wilmington caught my eye.

It seems that a part pit bull part something dog had just bitten a third person since 2004. After the second attack, the dog was declared dangerous and got a tattoo. I wasn't certain whether this was rite of passage into the ranks of dangerous dogs or what the designation meant. Perhaps he had arrived at a new exalted level of dogdom. The dog received that status when its second victim complained.

Now the dog, Zeus, has bitten again. The dog is being released to its owner and if its third victim complains, a panel will review the circumstances and it dog may face further restrictions. That's it?

I am not a fan at all of these dangerous breeds. Their owner's always say how loving the animal is but that loving animal has a deserved reputation of violent attacks. Why own one? I admit that if I were living in a very dangerous neighborhood I might think about having one but that is seldom the case.

I really think people that own these dogs have psychological issues that go beyond their desire for protection. Anger? Perhaps. Meanwhile, Zeus has another notch on his collar and it may only a matter of time before his next attack seriously injures or kills a child.

Zeus lives in a mobile home park in a nearby suburb to Wilmington - I don't see it as being a dangerous environment.

Tests

2008-04-20T08:38:00.001-04:00

Hazel is teaching at the local community college, Perhaps I should ask her this:

"If quizzes are quizzical, what are tests?"

Obama's Special Interest

2008-04-17T18:30:00.002-04:00

Hillary and Obama are advertising heavily here in North Carolina. Nice to know we are important. NC didn't push their primary up to January 1st and now it has paid off.

Anyway, noted that Obama is announcing in his ad that he "doesn't take money from oil companies." I guess he counts on us being ignorant that it is ILLEGAL for him to take money from oil companies and those of us that know it, won't feel insulted stupid claim. He doesn't say anything about taking money from oil executives though, and that is legal.

Barack Obama and The National Anthem

2008-04-14T17:38:00.003-04:00

Last September Barack Obama was photographed during the National Anthem. He did not have his hand over his heart as he was supposed to. Today I received this email which had been copied to a multitude of people:

HELLO PEOPLE IT IS TIME TO WAKE UP BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE

Maybe someone needs to tell OBAMA his actions are not acceptable and if he does not want to accept the AMERICAN way he should not be running for President of the UNITED STATES!!!!!!! If you LOVE your
Country and want to keep it FREE then send this to everyone in your
address book.

The following, all by itself, should sink Barack Obama's candidacy. He has said, 'As I've said about the flag pin, I don't want to be perceived as taking sides.' If he were to be President of the United States , exactly whose side would he represent?

From LtCol. Pete Ginn, USAF (Ret.).....

Hot on the heels of his explanation for why he no longer wears a flag pin, presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama was forced to explain why he doesn't follow protocol when the National Anthem is played.

According to the United States Code, Title 36, Chapter 10, Sec. 171, 'During rendition of the national anthem when the flag is displayed, all present except those in uniform are expected to stand at attention facing the flag with the right hand over the heart.'

'As I've said about the flag pin, I don't want to be perceived as taking sides,' Obama said. 'There are a lot of people in the world to whom the American flag is a symbol of oppression. And the anthem itself conveys a war-like message. You know, the bombs bursting in air and all. It should be swapped for something less parochial and less bellicose. I like the song 'I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing.' If that were our anthem, then I might salute it.'

'I don't think my church is actually particularly controversial.' - Barack Obama.

.........................................
Comment:
If someone had told me 64 years ago, as I was roaring down the runway in the
most beautiful airplane in the world, that I would see our country subjected to
one of the most disgusting Presidential elections imaginable, I would have told
them they were crazy as hell....
What in the world have we come to?

Ed Evans
MGySgt., USMC (Ret.) & Pastor

The internet provides a means of communication unparalleled in our history. With it, however, comes new responsibilities. One is to fairly evaluate and confirm the accuracy of the information before dessiminating it to thousands. Therefore go to snopes and see what they say.

I am not a Obama fan but it behooves me to validate the information I am given in order to make as fair and considered judgement I can. Blindly accepting scandulous rumor does an immense disservice to Obama, to myself and to our country.

Oh and by the way, I haven't always placed my hand over my heart during the National Anthem. Have you? If you didn't, does that mean you don't value the sacrifice of our service people or honor our country. C'mon, be reasonable.

You're Getting Old When...

2008-04-13T10:56:00.000-04:00

People call you at 9 pm and ask if they woke you?

Who Loves You Most?

2008-04-13T10:38:00.001-04:00

Put your dog and your wife in the trunk of the car. Leave them there for an hour and then let them out and see who is happiest to see you.