Doesn't this look fake?

This is reported by the JPL (Jet Propulsion Labratory) to be an image sent by the Cassini-Huygens spacecraft.
Personally, this image reminds of the only time I ever visited the Grand Canyon. I remember looking out over the south rim from an observation area. The magnificence of the view was only diminished by the thought that the whole thing “looked” fake!

Well, with all the ways we have today of creating an image like this from scratch, it certainly seems possible that this is one of those. But since I got the image from the JPL site, I will give them the benefit of the doubt!

You tell me what you think of this image…!

Why you should never put your kid's picture on the internet...

Ok...as we ALL know, there are many strange things to be found online when you are just casually surfing the web. I found the number of cool/funny things that I have discovered has increased dramatically since I started reading other people's Blogs. So it should come as no surprise that this link was found in just that fashion.

All I can say about it is this: Someone has WAAAYY too much time on their hands! But, Dang! Ya gotta luv Photoshop!




I hope to be able to post a bit more here today, but if time doesn't allow it, I will catch you all tomorrow.

How did the Early Settlers do it??

I don't know how anyone used to survive in this place before the invention of Air Conditioning! I mean, Yeesh!! My A/C was out of commission for 2 days and it was miserable in here! You can’t sleep that way…talk about a restless night! Of course, there may have been other reasons I couldn’t sleep…like an over active imagination that was “Filling in the Blanks” from the evenings activities…but still. It was freaking HOT last in this house last night!!

 

So, $200.00 later, the condenser fan motor having been replaced by a professional, the house is cool, the dogs are happy, and I will FINALLY be able to get to sleep at a decent hour. Of course, there is still that issue with an over active imagination to deal with…

Senseless Violence

It's enough to make me want to stay off the streets of this city. The thought that, at any time, and for no reason, one of my fellow citizens can decide that it's time for me to die has just been brought home once again.

This time it was when a man driving the city streets cut off another driver, and then SHOT him when he saw that the other driver was on his cell phone. The shooter thought that the other man was calling the police (because the shooter cut him off in traffic) and so he pulled out his gun and fired. The bullet went thru the door and hit his elbow, traveling up his arm to lodge in his neck.

The police reports state that if the vehicle had been constructed differently, the bullet would have hit the drivers head, most likely killing him.

So what are we to do about this? IS there anything that CAN be done about this? We are not going to abolish handguns (nor do I really think that we should). It's not like you can say that the victim brought it on himself. He wasn't interfering in something that didn't concern him...he was driving down the street and was cut off in traffic and shot.

Oh...the bit about him being on the phone? He was talking to his sister.

Oh, one other part of this story: The victim is a technician for the company I work for. He was in a company vehicle on company business.

I have been trying to think of a good way to end this entry, but I can't. The best I can come up with is to say that I saw in the news story on tv that the police have arrested a suspect and that the tech is expected to recover...So I suppose there is a small bit of hope in this, though for the life of me I can't really see it...

Oh...here are a few links to stories online about this incident: Arizona Republic
AZFAmily.com
Another AZFamily.com Story

I never thought I would say this...

...But I am in LOVE with my keyboard!
OK. I suppose I owe you an explanation for this. As some of you know, I work in an office and sit at a computer for 10 plus hours a day. Several years ago I started using the Microsoft "Natural" style keyboard. I refrain from calling it an "Ergonomic" keyboard because I have seen what a true Ergo board looks like, and this ain't that...but it is so much easier on my hands and wrists than a standard 101 style board that I have come to the point that I can no longer function using that obsolete style. It is too small for me, and the layout of the keys on the "MS Naturals" just works better for me.

Ok...so, I told you all of that to tell you this: When I got to work this morning my keyboard was broken. It wasn't completely broken mind you...it was just 3 keys that weren't working. They are the "Q", "A" and "Z" keys. An odd grouping of defectiveness to be sure. Now, as anyone who deals with a Corporate Office Computer Network knows, a password is required in order to log on. And if you mess up the password too many times...you are OOL. (Out Of Luck!)

Well, in the land of password security, the letters you type in are always replaced by the innocuous asterisk. So, as I tried to log on, over and over...KNOWING that I am typing my password correctly each time, I am at first confused and then upset that the system keeps telling me that the password I am typing is not matching what the system has on file.

So, I check to make sure the CAPS LOCK is not on and go again. But to no avail. Finally I get to the point that the system has locked me out and I can't even TRY to log on with out changing my password. This is ridiculous...but what choice do I have. Fortunately my company implemented an innovation in password security that eliminates the need for me to go crying to my Team Leader every time I get "veered off".

I click the button and start trying to correct my password. The process requires that I enter my current password in order to change it, which I think is silly since my current password has betrayed me and I feel no desire to acknowledge its existence. But I must and so I do. I type it in just the same as I had done 20 times previous, but this time I notice something...unusual. One of the letters is not there. I try it again...slowly...making damned certain that I am not pressing the wrong keys, and once again there is the same missing letter. (It was the letter "A" in case you are wondering.) Well, now I know why I was not able to get on line when I KNEW I was typing the password correctly!

There was only one way to resolve this. I have to steal a keyboard from a coworkers desk. I take the only other "Natural" keyboard in the office and jack it into the port behind my computer. This time the password HAS to work, right? Tap tap tap WHAT!? DAMN!! THIS keyboard is defective too! The "O" button won't work, and I MUST have an "O" to log on!

My frustration was enormous! This leaves me with only one option. I was forced to take a Standard keyboard from a different computer to use until our I.T.S. dept could get me a replacement.

Well...that replacement was hand delivered just now and I have just installed the new keyboard and I have to say again: I am in LOVE with my keyboard!

Whew! I can't believe I TYPED all of that! (And even more: I can't believe you READ all of that!! Hee hee!!)

Interview with an Extraterrestrial

I was trying to decide whether I should post the text here or just provide the link to the aforementioned interview. I have decided to provide the link since this will allow you to peruse the rest of the site and see some interesting things. I especially like the quotes on the main page of the site. Now, I have not had a lot of time to go exploring the rest of the place so I don't really know much about what you will find, but from what I have seen so far, it looks interesting and worth bookmarking! So, here is the link to the Interview with an Extraterrestrial. Enjoy!

Irish Muzak

Last night I had the opportunity to see a great Irish Band, The Clare Voyants at a local Irish Pub called O’Connor’s.
I have to say, the experience is a little like going to see The Rocky Horror Picture Show for the first time! There was a lot of audience participation involved! Seems like everyone in the place knew all the songs and sang and clapped and pounded the tables at just the right times! I mean, I have seen this kind of thing in the movies, but this was a bit unreal! And it was a whole lot of FUN!
So, for those of you who are looking for something to do on a Friday or Saturday night…if you like good live music, and maybe care to pull down a pint or two…then give O’Connor’s a try! I think you will like it!
(This is in no way intended to be an advertisement for the pub, or the band. But when I find something I like, I share it! Except money. Heh.)

A Comment on the Comments.

In case you missed it, the “Comments” have been activated here. That means that you can utilize this tool to post comments back to me about what you have read here. Or you are welcome to make suggestions about life in general. I only have these few, simple, easy to follow rules.

1. NO FLAMING OTHER COMMENTS/COMMENTATORS. We are all adults here and are capable of making adult decisions in our choices of words…if you see something you disagree with or are offended by, either ignore it, or be mature in your responses.
2. NO SPAMMING. I think that one speaks for itself
3. Respect your host. That would be me. This sort of falls in the same category as number 1, but since this IS my site, I wanted to be very clear on this point.

OK…now that the rules are out of the way, there is nothing to keep you from it! Get writing!

Big Plastic Bag

Today I received in the mail an envelope with a big plastic bag in it. Strange. I read the accompanying letter which explained that the bag is to be filled with my junk and left on the curb to be collected by an organization that is helping veterans. Now, to be sure this is not the first time I have ever seen this type of bag, but in the past they have been left on my front door with a note telling me to put my junk in the bag and leave it on the curb to be collected by some other organization to benefit some other group of needy people.


Normally I throw the bag (and the note) away and I don’t give it a second thought. It’s not that I don’t have things that I could fill the bag with, it’s just that I never felt like taking the time to do it. Here’s the silly part: Later on, I would have thoughts about collecting all the junk in my house to donate to good will. So the irony is that an organization goes to all the trouble of printing the bags (they normally have the collection dates on them. A very neat thing to put on a bag if you are an organization that is begging for other peoples donations) and then having someone go up and down the street placing the bags there and telling people that they will come back to get the bags later. Essentially removing many objections that people have in donating things such as not having the time to take the stuff to the donation center…not knowing where to take the things in the first place.

The only thing people would have to do is put the things they don’t want in their houses anymore into the bag and then put the bag on the curb on the appointed day. And yet, I would still throw the bags away. I guess I was too busy avoiding my life to be bothered to take even this small step to help my fellow man. What a callous ass I am.


Well, I don’t know what it was about THIS bag that made a difference, but I went into my closet and did the deed of sorting through pants that don’t fit, shirts I never wear and shoes I don’t want and stuffed 3 bags full. Then I rearranged the clothes in the closet and got some other things out of there that really makes it a lot better to go in there (I have a big walk-in closet…Thanks Judy!) I really feel much better about myself for having done this too. Funny…it really doesn’t take much to make me happy.

One Foul Deed Deserves Another!

My friend Oshiah is playing with HTML. EVERYBODY RUN!
Well...he has a new personal website that his ISP provides space for, and since he was kind enough to add a link to my blog on his site, I should return the favor and add a link to his site on my blog.
So take a look around his site and let him know who sent ya!

http://members.cox.net/justjessie/

Testing...testing...is this thing on?

This post is just intended to test my emailing list.

So...they say it's my Birthday!

Well…today is June 15th. My birthday. I am 38 today. It’s looking like another year passed me by without any significant improvements in my life. At least not in my personal life. This past year I began investing in real estate. In the course of about 6 months I have acquired 4 investment homes and they all currently have people in them. That is a good thing…giving me some extra cash flow. But the problem is, I have no idea how to make my money really work for me. I spend it with out thinking. That has always been a problem for me. I really need a partner that can handle the finances better then I am able to. I would love for that partner to be my wife. That is a dream of mine: To find a woman to share my dreams with. In fact, someone to provide me with a reason to even have dreams. As it stands, I have no real reason to achieve anything of substance in my life. As far as I am concerned personally, I can be happy just about where I am right now. But I am also aware that there are some things in life that are worth striving for. Things beyond what I am able to get in my current position in life. So that is the main force behind my desire at this point. To find something worth achieving, Worth striving for.

I have been reading books that are supposed to help me unlock the key within myself. The key that I know I hold that will open any door inside my mind that is a barrier to my success. I know that these books hold real, actual, usable information. The only thing I need in order to tap into it all is the will to try the methods they suggest. The will power to do what I know I need to do. But, (now that is as deadly and poisonous a word if ever there was one. That will kill the creativity and crush the hope out of any fledgling thought!) I have yet to really make an honest attempt at any of them. I don’t really know why either. Oh, sure, I could use the copout and say that I am “afraid”. But until I define what I mean by that, it really isn’t helping me any. It’s just the security blanket of my insecurities. Man…there are times that I really wish I drank. At least that way I would have a more tangible excuse for failing. Something that other people could point at and say “Steve, if only you would stop drinking, you could make all this stuff work…” and I could say “Yeah…I’ll try. Hand me another beer.” And then my friends would get pissed off at me and leave me alone. But they would be thinking that they knew the real reason behind my failure. It would be more concrete to them than my trying to explain that I just don’t think there is any reason to try. Geeze that sounds depressing!

I know that there are times when I am depressed and that depression can affect me in subtly negative ways. Sapping any desire I may be feeling and keeping me laying on the couch to watch another movie that I have seen before. Keeping me from wanting to get up because then I would have to “DO” something and I can not for the life of me figure out what that something should be!

Man, if I continue this line of thinking I am going to get more depressed! So, I think I will call it quits for now…I may write more later. It may not be on this topic (at least I HOPE it won’t be!) but it should give my fingers time to rest from all the work on the keyboards they are doing right now!

What is Love?

I swear this made my eyes get teary. I guess I am just a sentimental man...

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What is Love?

A group of professional people posted this question to a group of 4 to 8 year olds. "What does love mean?" The answers they got were broader and deeper than anyone could have imagined. See what you think?

When my grandma got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails anymore. So my grandpa does it for her now all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That's love.

When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You just know that your name is safe in their mouths.

Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving Cologne and they go out and smell each other.

Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs.

Love is what makes you smile when you're tired.

Love is when my mommy makes coffee! for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK.

Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more. My mommy and daddy are like that. They look gross when they kiss.

Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen.

If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate.

Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it everyday.

Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well.

During my piano recital, I was on stage and I was scared. I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling. He was the only one doing that I wasn't scared anymore.

My mommy loves me more than anybody. You don't see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night.

Love is when mommy gives daddy the best piece of chicken.

Love is when mommy sees daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford.

Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day.

When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you.

Love is when mommy sees daddy on the toilet and doesn't think it's gross.

You really shouldn't say "I LOVE YOU" unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget.

And the winner was a 4 year old child whose next door neighbor was an elderly man who had just lost his wife. When the child saw the man cry, the little boy went over into the man's yard and climbed on top of the man's lap and just sat there. When the boy's mother asked him what ! he'd said to the neighbor, the little boy said "Nothing, I just helped him cry."