June 29, 2012
June 19, 2012
June 17, 2012
June 16, 2012
Can you take responsibility for saying such boggleworthy crapola about Obama in the past?
“We have an amazing story to tell,” she said. “This president has brought us out of the dark and into the light.”
– Michelle Obama
“Obama is, of course, greater than Jesus.”
– Politiken (Danish newspaper)
“No one saw him coming, and Christians believe God comes at us from strange angles and places we don’t expect, like Jesus being born in a manger.”
–Lawrence Carter
“Many even see in Obama a messiah-like figure, a great soul, and some affectionately call him Mahatma Obama.”
– Dinesh Sharma
“We just like to say his name. We are considering taking it as a mantra.”
– Chicago] Sun-Times
“A Lightworker — An Attuned Being with Powerful Luminosity and High-Vibration Integrity who will actually help usher in a New Way of Being”
– Mark Morford
“What Barack Obama has accomplished is the single most extraordinary event that has occurred in the 232 years of the nation’s political history”
– Jesse Jackson, Jr.
“This was the moment when the rise of the oceans began to slow and our planet began to heal.”
– Barack Obama
“Does it not feel as if some special hand is guiding Obama on his journey, I mean, as he has said, the utter improbability of it all?”
– Daily Kos
“He communicates God-like energy…”
– Steve Davis (Charleston, SC)
“Not just an ordinary human being but indeed an Advanced Soul”
– Commentator @ Chicago Sun Times
“I’ll do whatever he says to do. I’ll collect paper cups off the ground to make his pathway clear.”
– Halle Berry
“A quantum leap in American consciousness”
– Deepak Chopra
“He is not operating on the same plane as ordinary politicians. . . . the agent of transformation in an age of revolution, as a figure uniquely qualified to open the door to the 21st century.”
– Gary Hart
– Gary Hart
“Barack Obama is our collective representation of our purest hopes, our highest visions and our deepest knowings . . . He’s our product out of the all-knowing quantum field of intelligence.”
– Eve Konstantine
“This is bigger than Kennedy. . . . This is the New Testament.” | “I felt this thrill going up my leg. I mean, I don’t have that too often. No, seriously. It’s a dramatic event.”
– Chris Matthews
“[Obama is ] creative imagination which coupled with brilliance equals wisdom . . . [He is] the man for this time.”
– Toni Morrison
“Obama’s finest speeches do not excite. They do not inform. They don’t even really inspire. They elevate. . . . He is not the Word made flesh, but the triumph of word over flesh . . . Obama is, at his best, able to call us back to our highest selves.”
– Ezra Klein
“Obama has the capacity to summon heroic forces from the spiritual depths of ordinary citizens and to unleash therefrom a symphonic chorus of unique creative acts whose common purpose is to tame the soul and alleviate the great challenges facing mankind.”
– Gerald Campbell
“We’re here to evolve to a higher plane . . . he is an evolved leader . . . [he] has an ear for eloquence and a Tongue dipped in the Unvarnished Truth.”
– Oprah Winfrey
“I would characterize the Senate race as being a race where Obama was, let’s say, blessed and highly favored. That’s not routine. There’s something else going on. I think that Obama, his election to the Senate, was divinely ordered. . . . I know that that was God’s plan.”
– Bill Rush
June 11, 2012
Track and Field
Early on I had suggested him for the 400 meter as he can run for quite a distance. I feel he could have had gotten the gold...
At the start of the race he took off in the lead. After the first bend he slowed down and let the first guy catch him, he began to talk to the first guy. Who decided to run on ahead. So Connor started talking with the next guy, keeping just ahead of him. Until the far turn, when Connor decided to run to the finish. Not at a fast pace but at his signature lope, which is actually pretty fast.
He finished without being out of breath... So yeah... If he understood the nature of a race, he would have finished first. Gotta love this kid, he was all smiles.
June 04, 2012
Reasons why Unions are the problem. #2461
Unions are now successfully hawking the same types of credit cards and lending schemes they deem “predatory” and “greedy” when offered by Wall Street bankers.
June 03, 2012
Sixteen Things Calvin and Hobbes Said Better Than Anyone Else
Sixteen Things Calvin and Hobbes Said Better Than Anyone Else
To paraphrase E.B. White, the perfect sentence is one from which nothing can be added or removed. Every word plays its part. In my more giddy moments I think that a simple comic strip featuring Calvin, a preternaturally bright six year-old, and Hobbes, his imaginary tiger friend, features some of the most lucid sentences committed to print. And when I sober up, I usually think exactly the same.
Bill Watterson’s Calvin and Hobbes ran between 1985 and 1995. His comic strip managed to infuse wondering (and wandering) on a cosmic scale into an ageless world of lazy Sunday afternoons, snow goons, and harassed babysitters. I’m not saying that you should take moral and philosophical guidance from the inventor of Calvinball (a game that runs on chaos theory), but you could do much worse.
So here, in no particular order, is a selection of quotes that nail everything from the meaning of life to special underwear. Enjoy.
On life’s constant little limitations
Calvin: You know, Hobbes, some days even my lucky rocket ship underpants don’t help.
On expectations
Calvin: Everybody seeks happiness! Not me, though! That’s the difference between me and the rest of the world. Happiness isn’t good enough for me! I demand euphoria!
On why we are scared of the dark
Calvin: I think night time is dark so you can imagine your fears with less distraction.
On the unspoken truth behind the education system
Calvin: As you can see, I have memorized this utterly useless piece of information long enough to pass a test question. I now intend to forget it forever. You’ve taught me nothing except how to cynically manipulate the system. Congratulations.
On the cruel reality of commercial art
Hobbes: Van Gogh would’ve sold more than one painting if he’d put tigers in them.
On the tragedy of hipsters
Calvin: The world bores you when you’re cool.
On the tears of a clown
Calvin: Isn’t it strange that evolution would give us a sense of humour? When you think about it, it’s weird that we have a physiological response to absurdity. We laugh at nonsense. We like it. We think it’s funny. Don’t you think it’s odd that we appreciate absurdity? Why would we develop that way? How does it benefit us?
Hobbes: I suppose if we couldn’t laugh at things that don’t make sense, we couldn’t react to a lot of life.
Calvin: (after a long pause) I can’t tell if that’s funny or really scary.
On the falling of sparrows (or providence’s lack of a timetable)
Calvin: Life is full of surprises, but never when you need one.
On why winter is the cruellest of seasons
Calvin: Getting an inch of snow is like winning 10 cents in the lottery.
On the gaping hole in contemporary art’s soul
Calvin: People always make the mistake of thinking art is created for them. But really, art is a private language for sophisticates to congratulate themselves on their superiority to the rest of the world. As my artist’s statement explains, my work is utterly incomprehensible and is therefore full of deep significance.
On playing Frankenstein with words
Calvin: Verbing weirds language.
On realising God is more Woody Allen than Michael Bay
Calvin: They say the world is a stage. But obviously the play is unrehearsed and everybody is ad-libbing his lines.
Hobbes: Maybe that’s why it’s hard to tell if we’re living in a tragedy or a farce.
Calvin: We need more special effects and dance numbers.
On why ET is real
Calvin: Sometimes I think the surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that none of it has tried to contact us.
On looking yourself in the mirror
Hobbes: So the secret to good self-esteem is to lower your expectations to the point where they’re already met?
On the future
Calvin: Trick or treat!
Adult: Where’s your costume? What are you supposed to be?
Calvin: I’m yet another resource-consuming kid in an overpopulated planet, raised to an alarming extent by Madison Avenue and Hollywood, poised with my cynical and alienated peers to take over the world when you’re old and weak. Am I scary, or what?
On the truth
Calvin: It’s a magical world, Hobbes, ol’ buddy…Let’s go exploring!
Democrat war on Women?
According to publicly available salary data at the website Legistorm, Pelosi’s female employees earned an average annual salary of $96,394 in fiscal year 2011. Male employees earned $123,000 on average, a difference of 27.6 percent.
The gap is even larger if calculated using the median salaries for men and women. For Pelosi’s female employees, the median annual salary was $93,320 in 2011, compared to $130,455 for male employees—a difference of $37,135, or 40 percent.
Pelosi’s entire staff—men and women—earned an average annual salary of $108,150 and a median salary of $114,662. By both measures, women made considerably less.
Last week, Pelosi was asked about reports that female staffers for Senate Democrats are paid less than male staffers. Pelosi’s response was that she can’t speak to what goes on in the Senate, and it’s “another world”
Women are being paid less than men for the same jobs just across the street from Pelosi and that’s “another world” and none of her business, but if somebody suggests pay disparities exist in, say, a Paducah Wal-Mart, Pelosi believes it’s her duty to aggressively address the problem?
Thanks Doug Powers.
Assistance technique
A couple of days ago a gentleman came into the Major Sales department at Costco with a question about hooking up a TV to a computer. His complaint was "nothing happens". We went to the Demo model of the TV he had purchased and I went over the ports in the back to get an idea of how he was hooking up his computer. He was using an HDMI connection.
After a bit of discussion I opted to move the TV over to the laptop table and hook one up. The TV powered up and I changed the inputs and viola, the TV showed the PC screen. The gentleman was impressed with the simplicity and frustrated by his own experience. For me it boiled down to either an older generation HDMI cable or some computer switch that needed to be toggled. The HDMI was an issue as this was a Mac and he had purchased one specifically for his computer. Also, not being familiar enough with the Apple OS I could not specifically state any keyboard shortcuts.
At least the member had some things to try out...
Yesterday, the same man came in with his Apple laptop. Saying it was doing the same thing. So we hooked it up to the TV and the desktop wallpaper immediately showed up. This did not surprise him, which made me curious. He did a few things to show me how the TV screen was not working. However, I was pretty sure it was.
So with his permission I drove, and dragged a window to the right of his laptop screen and lo it appeared on the right. At this point he became chagrined. I went into a talk about the different types of dual monitor setups. Extended desktop and mirrored. I was able to find and change the settings so he could do both. As needed.
I probably got too much enjoyment out of solving this issue...
After a bit of discussion I opted to move the TV over to the laptop table and hook one up. The TV powered up and I changed the inputs and viola, the TV showed the PC screen. The gentleman was impressed with the simplicity and frustrated by his own experience. For me it boiled down to either an older generation HDMI cable or some computer switch that needed to be toggled. The HDMI was an issue as this was a Mac and he had purchased one specifically for his computer. Also, not being familiar enough with the Apple OS I could not specifically state any keyboard shortcuts.
At least the member had some things to try out...
Yesterday, the same man came in with his Apple laptop. Saying it was doing the same thing. So we hooked it up to the TV and the desktop wallpaper immediately showed up. This did not surprise him, which made me curious. He did a few things to show me how the TV screen was not working. However, I was pretty sure it was.
So with his permission I drove, and dragged a window to the right of his laptop screen and lo it appeared on the right. At this point he became chagrined. I went into a talk about the different types of dual monitor setups. Extended desktop and mirrored. I was able to find and change the settings so he could do both. As needed.
I probably got too much enjoyment out of solving this issue...
May 30, 2012
Footprintings
Climate change is real. It is indisputable. Mans role in causing changes in the climate is a weak theory at best.
I believe that the hypocritical fear mongering tactics of Al Gore are unethical and immoral at best, criminal at worse. Likewise those who suppress scientific investigation over political expedience.
That being said, I do believe we are stewards of the planet. Personally, we do the sorting of paper, plastic and glass to hopefully reduce what goes into the local landfill. I ride my bike to work, and I am a practicing vegetarian lifestyle. So my "carbon footprint" (the thought of which still makes me giggle) is very small. I take advantage of proper chemical disposal (oil, paint etc.) and I am diligent about what pesticides and herbicides go on my lawn. I am in the process of changing the bulbs in the house to lower cost LED's.
So when I am engaged in a discussion on the topic Global Warming, I can usually out holier then thou, the best of the Prius drivers.
Should we federally fund tidal, solar and wind power? I could argue either way. Some of the solar news from Germany is impressive. I would love to see more nuclear plants to replace coal. I am also gleaning more information about Thorium Salt Reactors. I like seeing the hybrid cars and practical electric cars as well.
I would much rather have this all done by private enterprise. So I guess my conservationism has limits.
I believe that the hypocritical fear mongering tactics of Al Gore are unethical and immoral at best, criminal at worse. Likewise those who suppress scientific investigation over political expedience.
That being said, I do believe we are stewards of the planet. Personally, we do the sorting of paper, plastic and glass to hopefully reduce what goes into the local landfill. I ride my bike to work, and I am a practicing vegetarian lifestyle. So my "carbon footprint" (the thought of which still makes me giggle) is very small. I take advantage of proper chemical disposal (oil, paint etc.) and I am diligent about what pesticides and herbicides go on my lawn. I am in the process of changing the bulbs in the house to lower cost LED's.
So when I am engaged in a discussion on the topic Global Warming, I can usually out holier then thou, the best of the Prius drivers.
Should we federally fund tidal, solar and wind power? I could argue either way. Some of the solar news from Germany is impressive. I would love to see more nuclear plants to replace coal. I am also gleaning more information about Thorium Salt Reactors. I like seeing the hybrid cars and practical electric cars as well.
I would much rather have this all done by private enterprise. So I guess my conservationism has limits.
May 29, 2012
May 28, 2012
Global skeptics unite!
Kind of nice to read this. Despite allegations that they are tantamount to "flat earthers", a study published Sunday in the Nature Climate Change journal indicates that climate change skeptics actually tend to have a slightly higher level of general scientific knowledge than those who believe in the theory.
The study drew the conclusion after asking 1,540 representative Americans a total of 22 questions.
Some of the questions included:
“Electrons are smaller than atoms — true or false?”“How long does it take the Earth to go around the Sun? One day, one month, or one year?”“Lasers work by focusing sound waves — true or false?”
“As respondents’ science literacy scores increased, their concern with climate change decreased,” the paper, funded by the National Science Foundation, notes.
Though, to be fair, it was a close call. Skeptics answered an average of 57% questions correctly, while those who indicated more concern for the effects of global warming answered an average of 56% correctly.
May 27, 2012
Back patting, at the least.
As stated previously, I love my job. The management calls me Mr. Capable. Which is fun and embarrassing at the same time. On days like yesterday I feel I earn a bit-o-that accolade.
It was a great morning. I was able to re-organize the 55" television by size. It is much more aesthetically pleasing. Televisions are measured via the picture portion diagonally. This does not take into consideration the height of the stand and the bezel. So each set will vary in height. The human eye and brain likes to find patterns. So I had noted the various heights of the Televisions and then set up an efficient plan to move the sets accordingly. It came out looking very nice.
The morning started with lots of computer purchases. I got to field several questions about home networks and various ways of getting needed documents from one place to another. Which I always find enjoyable.
At one point during the day Eric (a manager) asked if I could download some software for our two way radio's. He gave a vague direction about going to Motorola website. I quizzed him on how I was to do this (we do not have internet connectivity). Eric, suggested I talk to the Verizon guys, who have 3G wifi capable phones for Demo. Fair enough... So I got the model number of the radio's and went to the Verizon guys.
They set me up and gave me the security code. I fired up a PC and logged in. The distance I was at was playing havoc with the connectivity. Also, the more I navigated through Motorola the more questions my brain kept asking me.
Why would radio's need software? Do we have a base unit? How are we going to upload said software to the radio? Am I looking for an update? Patch? etc.
I had to get more info if I was going to make some non blundering sense out of this, so I headed into the office to talk to Leslie, as she had delt with the radios the most. For some reason, because of how the radio's are we had a limited number of radios that would be able to communicate (I still do not quite get this, I mean there is no limit to the number of AM radios that can listen to one station, right?). I was informed that the issue was the frequency for our area had some kind of issue and we needed to have our own. Which had been acquired and now needed to be applied.
Further we did not have a base unit and she showed me a USB connection that connects a radio to a computer. This gave me that eureka moment (minus the naked running). So I grabbed the office laptop and headed back to Verizon and found the only software download. Headed back to the office and USB'd the Radios and launched the code.
I was very curious at this point. What was going to happen? Would it update automatically? Would there be something I needed to do? I was a tad disappointed when a user interface launched.
So now what does this mean? I launched the help files and started perusing the file. I found a part about doing a read from the radio. Which yielded an error message. Just about the time I thought I was missing something, I tried a different radio and it worked. As I poked around there was an editable table. Which, only let you turn the frequency on and off.
I decided to set the frequency as close to the list as possible. It was off by a 10th, I figured that was close enough. And it was.
Turns out this interface allows you to alter the settings for a radio and save that as a profile, then using the USB you can program the radio's one after another. The Read will let you grab a radio's setting and 'clone' that to another bunch.
Once I got the methodology and enough understanding the rest went very quickly.
It was a great morning. I was able to re-organize the 55" television by size. It is much more aesthetically pleasing. Televisions are measured via the picture portion diagonally. This does not take into consideration the height of the stand and the bezel. So each set will vary in height. The human eye and brain likes to find patterns. So I had noted the various heights of the Televisions and then set up an efficient plan to move the sets accordingly. It came out looking very nice.
The morning started with lots of computer purchases. I got to field several questions about home networks and various ways of getting needed documents from one place to another. Which I always find enjoyable.
At one point during the day Eric (a manager) asked if I could download some software for our two way radio's. He gave a vague direction about going to Motorola website. I quizzed him on how I was to do this (we do not have internet connectivity). Eric, suggested I talk to the Verizon guys, who have 3G wifi capable phones for Demo. Fair enough... So I got the model number of the radio's and went to the Verizon guys.
They set me up and gave me the security code. I fired up a PC and logged in. The distance I was at was playing havoc with the connectivity. Also, the more I navigated through Motorola the more questions my brain kept asking me.
Why would radio's need software? Do we have a base unit? How are we going to upload said software to the radio? Am I looking for an update? Patch? etc.
I had to get more info if I was going to make some non blundering sense out of this, so I headed into the office to talk to Leslie, as she had delt with the radios the most. For some reason, because of how the radio's are we had a limited number of radios that would be able to communicate (I still do not quite get this, I mean there is no limit to the number of AM radios that can listen to one station, right?). I was informed that the issue was the frequency for our area had some kind of issue and we needed to have our own. Which had been acquired and now needed to be applied.
Further we did not have a base unit and she showed me a USB connection that connects a radio to a computer. This gave me that eureka moment (minus the naked running). So I grabbed the office laptop and headed back to Verizon and found the only software download. Headed back to the office and USB'd the Radios and launched the code.
I was very curious at this point. What was going to happen? Would it update automatically? Would there be something I needed to do? I was a tad disappointed when a user interface launched.
So now what does this mean? I launched the help files and started perusing the file. I found a part about doing a read from the radio. Which yielded an error message. Just about the time I thought I was missing something, I tried a different radio and it worked. As I poked around there was an editable table. Which, only let you turn the frequency on and off.
I decided to set the frequency as close to the list as possible. It was off by a 10th, I figured that was close enough. And it was.
Turns out this interface allows you to alter the settings for a radio and save that as a profile, then using the USB you can program the radio's one after another. The Read will let you grab a radio's setting and 'clone' that to another bunch.
Once I got the methodology and enough understanding the rest went very quickly.
May 26, 2012
Link
Remember when global warming was a gigantic, apocalyptic danger that was going to destroy the world and that no true scientist would deny was such a thing?
We don’t either. Indeed, after two successive scandals, more financial conflicts of interest than can be properly counted, and “An Inconvenient Truth” being ruled inaccurate by a UK Court, it’s starting to become a mystery how this doomsday cult-style prophecy attracted the kind of credibility it did.
May 24, 2012
State of the Teach
The above cartoon has been circulating around the inter-webs. It is generally received as a truthful representation of the sad state of parenting in the US of A. I tend to reject sure thought as everyone in history always pines for the better times that the past represented.
I do feel that the high regard that the teaching profession once held has been tarnished. Consider that most of us parents are given to complain about the lousy educational system and the crappy teachers out there, only to say how delighted they are with the person teaching their child. And teachers themselves blame parents ad nausem for behaviors and lack of preparation.
One would think that the parents of today would draw upon their own experience with teachers. If they did go to public school the teachers of that time would have set the future tone. If the above is true then the teachers of the 40's and 50's where beyond reproach, while the teachers of the 70's and 80's were unreasonable in handing out grades. Right?
May 23, 2012
The Thing That Used to be Liberalism.
WH leaks for propaganda film
It’s a complete mystery to me why any Lefty with an ounce of self-respect left does not vote third party.
If you are a Lefty Obama support and are not yet conversant in reasons to feel burning shame for prostituting your alleged “liberal values” for this man, you need to go an read one of the very few honest Lefties, Glenn Greenwald. He will abundantly document for you the immense damage Obama is doing, not just to the United States, but to the last shreds of honor left to the Thing That Used to be Liberalism.
May 22, 2012
May 16, 2012
Nick names and shoes.
I work at Costco (as stated ad nausem). I work in electronics aka: Major sales. The procedure for badges is to have your name in large print with your department in smaller print under. My first badge had Lee Majors in this fashion. Which provided a chuckle for my peers at the same time confusion for my younger co-workers.
In case you do not know the story of Lee Majors.
So I have more the some people who call me Lee Majors at work, thus a nickname is born.
In case you do not know the story of Lee Majors.
So I have more the some people who call me Lee Majors at work, thus a nickname is born.
May 10, 2012
Why so huge? Well the great string of movies as a lead in. Except for the two hulk movies they did well.
The Iron man films being excellent due in no small way to Downy and Paltrow. Same with Thor and Cap. The introduction of Black Widow in Iron Man 2 was excellent as well.
One of the things this franchise has done was grab hold of the essence of the characters. Tony Stark is brilliant, arrogant and ego driven. The comic stories include battles with alcoholism loosing and regaining his fortune again and again. Thor's Chris Hemsworth got the "aura" correct. If there is that sort of thing. Even Cap's movie was such a great idea driven device. Chris Evens plays him so driven and self sacrificing. And Kudos to Tom Hiddleston for a great two movie run as Loki.
Whoever got Joss Wheadon on this movie should get an Oscar for production. I shudder to think of directors who would not understand the source material (see any older super hero film).
What really impressed me about this film:
- The power levels of the characters are so well represented. The Hulk fighting Thor being such a close matchup. Iron Man doing Okay against the Asgardian until he gets too close. Cap's use of the shield and his hit and run tactics against a much stronger enemy.
- The heroism displayed in an non-eye rolling fashion.
- The Hulk being damn scary to a Russian spy.
- Despite being scared crap-less she is still able to take apart Hawkeye.
- The interaction and respect gaining.
- The Hulk and Loki's 'little talk'
Some of the more confusing moments are the impotent workings of S.H.I.E.L.D. Fury being addressed by the shadow council.
I could keep writing about this film. I do hope they come together for more.
May 09, 2012
May 08, 2012
Gay Marriage a Rights issue?
I keep seeing Homosexual unions being put into the context of a Rights issue. I just do not see it that way. A friend of mine stated that Everyone DOES have the right to marry someone of the opposite sex.
It boils down to the definition of marriage. Which is about sex. It is obvious to all that sex is about reproduction. That’s what it’s for in animals, and that’s what it’s for in us. We may find it enjoyable, but from a biological perspective, that is motivation to get us to engage in it and thus reproduce our species.
Sex is about babies, and there is an important fact about babies: They are helpless and require an enormous amount of care and attention. It’s a full-time job more than one person can handle. Even when they grow out of the infant stage, children still need two parents to take care of them and provide for the family.
Children also take a long time to mature. They won’t be biologically mature for around two decades (if then), and they may not be socially mature and able to serve as functioning, independent members of society for even longer. When more children come along, that only prolongs the period of investment parents have to make in raising their offspring.
Raising children is a multi-decade effort that needs the involvement of both parents. The fact that human offspring require so much care and take so long to mature means that their parents need to be joined in a stable union. This union even extends beyond the childrearing years, because by the time the offspring are grown the parents are in their declining years and need to start taking care of each other (as well as receiving help from their offspring).
From my Catholic standpoint, as the Code of Canon Law points out, "marriage is a permanent partnership between a man and a woman ordered to the procreation of offspring by means of some sexual cooperation" (CIC 1096 §1). This is the reality of what marriage is and what it has been understood to be in all human societies in history, even those that have been otherwise tolerant of homosexuality.
Human nature thus leads to sex, which leads to offspring, which leads to the reality of childrearing, which leads to marriage—an institution found in every human culture and understood in the way just described..
It boils down to the definition of marriage. Which is about sex. It is obvious to all that sex is about reproduction. That’s what it’s for in animals, and that’s what it’s for in us. We may find it enjoyable, but from a biological perspective, that is motivation to get us to engage in it and thus reproduce our species.
Sex is about babies, and there is an important fact about babies: They are helpless and require an enormous amount of care and attention. It’s a full-time job more than one person can handle. Even when they grow out of the infant stage, children still need two parents to take care of them and provide for the family.
Children also take a long time to mature. They won’t be biologically mature for around two decades (if then), and they may not be socially mature and able to serve as functioning, independent members of society for even longer. When more children come along, that only prolongs the period of investment parents have to make in raising their offspring.
Raising children is a multi-decade effort that needs the involvement of both parents. The fact that human offspring require so much care and take so long to mature means that their parents need to be joined in a stable union. This union even extends beyond the childrearing years, because by the time the offspring are grown the parents are in their declining years and need to start taking care of each other (as well as receiving help from their offspring).
From my Catholic standpoint, as the Code of Canon Law points out, "marriage is a permanent partnership between a man and a woman ordered to the procreation of offspring by means of some sexual cooperation" (CIC 1096 §1). This is the reality of what marriage is and what it has been understood to be in all human societies in history, even those that have been otherwise tolerant of homosexuality.
Human nature thus leads to sex, which leads to offspring, which leads to the reality of childrearing, which leads to marriage—an institution found in every human culture and understood in the way just described..
May 02, 2012
Crazy little thing called run.
Over the course of my life I find myself interested in something and I immerse myself into said something. Among the subjects was Weather, Dinosaurs, Theoretical Physics, Comic Books, Computers, Weight lifting, Vegetarianism (nutrition), etc. Currently it is running.
A few years ago I tried to drop some weight, I was near 300 lbs. When I made little to no headway, I joined a weight loss club TOPS and had some success getting into the 260's. There was a long period of time were I would half hazardously attempt various things to loose weight with no real direction. Then a friend of mine lost weight and explained how in terms that made more sense then anything I had read or done thus far. So I dropped weight and got below 200. To facilitate weight loss I began walking to and from work. Then I upped the ante by running home. At some point my foot would start hurting and I would just hoof it for a couple of days. My doctor told me it was plantar fasciitis and gave me a golf ball to help massage my inflamed foot.
Then my weight loss buddy said I should check out a book "Born to Run". Again this so wonderfully explained running that I took it to heart. I tried forefoot running and found it was much easier and after the soreness of my calve muscles wore off I would run again. I was up to about three mile runs when I decided to do a 10K. This was about two years ago. I ran and completed the race but my leg muscles locked up so badly that walking itself was nigh impossible.
Clearly I did not quite get this way of running. Over the last couple of years I have figured out and resolved what I was doing wrong. Today, I decided to run a rout and in 45min I had run 4.8 miles. With no ill effect.
This is while wearing river shoes.
A few years ago I tried to drop some weight, I was near 300 lbs. When I made little to no headway, I joined a weight loss club TOPS and had some success getting into the 260's. There was a long period of time were I would half hazardously attempt various things to loose weight with no real direction. Then a friend of mine lost weight and explained how in terms that made more sense then anything I had read or done thus far. So I dropped weight and got below 200. To facilitate weight loss I began walking to and from work. Then I upped the ante by running home. At some point my foot would start hurting and I would just hoof it for a couple of days. My doctor told me it was plantar fasciitis and gave me a golf ball to help massage my inflamed foot.
Then my weight loss buddy said I should check out a book "Born to Run". Again this so wonderfully explained running that I took it to heart. I tried forefoot running and found it was much easier and after the soreness of my calve muscles wore off I would run again. I was up to about three mile runs when I decided to do a 10K. This was about two years ago. I ran and completed the race but my leg muscles locked up so badly that walking itself was nigh impossible.
Clearly I did not quite get this way of running. Over the last couple of years I have figured out and resolved what I was doing wrong. Today, I decided to run a rout and in 45min I had run 4.8 miles. With no ill effect.
This is while wearing river shoes.
April 27, 2012
April 23, 2012
April 22, 2012
Lacking faith to be Atheist.
I lack the faith to believe in anti-Christian accounts of the origins of Christianity. And I totally lack the massive faith it requires to be an atheist. The sort of concentration of will it requires to block out the blandishments of reality and common sense are too exhausting for me.
April 11, 2012
April 10, 2012
Shoes for my feet.
I am having a difficult time with shoes. My feet like them less and less. Today I went into Wal-Mart to purchase some river sox, which I use for running. As I was walking through the store my feet felt hot. When I tried on the sox I felt like not putting my shoes on again. I loosened the laces hoping that would help. Nope...
Minimalist running has really captured my imagination. Going from new balance running shoes to river socks cured my Plantar Fascitis.
Minimalist running has really captured my imagination. Going from new balance running shoes to river socks cured my Plantar Fascitis.
April 06, 2012
President Obama disgracefully attacks Supreme Court for challenging him on ObamaCare - NYPOST.com
President Obama disgracefully attacks Supreme Court for challenging him on ObamaCare - NYPOST.com
My view is that his comments reveal the dirty secret of his personality and the main reason why his presidency is failing. Obama simply can’t tolerate dissent.
Not getting his way provokes him into making foolish and irrational assertions. This is the president who, three days after taking office, rejected a Republican idea on the stimulus by declaring, “I won.”
March 28, 2012
Downhill learning
Connor is my 14 year old Autistic son (in case your new to this narrative).
He is a two times gold medal cross country skier with Special Olympics. He has increased in skill to the point he is working out with the adult group. On his first trip to Mt. Bachelor he was enthralled with the ski lifts and wanted to downhill ski. Last Friday we went to a learning session.
The mind is fascinating and even more so when teaching Connor. Imagine someone makes a series of sounds and associates them with an object. Not to tough actually we do this all the time. Now think of associating these sounds with a concept previously unknown. That is a real mind bender, as we usually formulate questions to cement the concept.
The first struggle was his ski poles. He knew he should have them, this was reinforced by everyone he saw having a pair. However, the instructors want the fundamentals of stopping and turning prior to pole use. This escalated into a melt down and Connor acting up trying to get his way. Coaches however, are made of sterner stuff. With my intervention he started the learning process with a request for poles every bunny hill run. Accepting, barely the "not yet" response.
After demonstrating the snowplow stop and turning. He got to go up the beginner lift. Because it was a lighter day on the hill he got to sit alone on the lift. This was a turning point as, one of the best things ever! He even forgot his pole quest as he got to ski down the hill and solo lift up. He took pains to ensure he was the only one on his lift.
This became a detriment as he was more focused on getting back down to the lift instead of gaining the skills of turning and stopping on the hill. All in all he progressed to the point where the next hill awaited.
This is where things got scary. Up till now he was paying little attention to the skills he needed. I got him some poles, which made him happy. The coaches wisdom quickly presented itself as Connor lost control and started hurtling down the hill. He attempted to stop by laying on his back, which did not work. I gave chase and was shouting for him to snow plow. He got up one time and gave it a mediocre attempt, only to lay down again. The second time he got up he was able to stop. This truly scared him, the being out of control, going so fast and his attempts to stop via instinct not working at all.
He abandoned the poles and began to learn from the coach. So my giving him the poles and his downhill plummet successfully broke his paradigm. What happened next was his quickly learning to turn, stop and control himself, the next two runs he applied the knowledge and gained back his confidence. The last three runs we did were sans poles and he was skiing parallel for a goodly portion. I noticed that his precision on the slope. He appeared to make his cuts and turns at exactly the same points each time, with adjustments made for other skiers.
There was more then a little pride seeing his confidence and skill surpassing those familiar jackets who we had shared the mountain with. By this time his grin showed enjoyment on the slope as well as on the occasional solo lift going up.
He is a two times gold medal cross country skier with Special Olympics. He has increased in skill to the point he is working out with the adult group. On his first trip to Mt. Bachelor he was enthralled with the ski lifts and wanted to downhill ski. Last Friday we went to a learning session.
The mind is fascinating and even more so when teaching Connor. Imagine someone makes a series of sounds and associates them with an object. Not to tough actually we do this all the time. Now think of associating these sounds with a concept previously unknown. That is a real mind bender, as we usually formulate questions to cement the concept.
The first struggle was his ski poles. He knew he should have them, this was reinforced by everyone he saw having a pair. However, the instructors want the fundamentals of stopping and turning prior to pole use. This escalated into a melt down and Connor acting up trying to get his way. Coaches however, are made of sterner stuff. With my intervention he started the learning process with a request for poles every bunny hill run. Accepting, barely the "not yet" response.
After demonstrating the snowplow stop and turning. He got to go up the beginner lift. Because it was a lighter day on the hill he got to sit alone on the lift. This was a turning point as, one of the best things ever! He even forgot his pole quest as he got to ski down the hill and solo lift up. He took pains to ensure he was the only one on his lift.
This became a detriment as he was more focused on getting back down to the lift instead of gaining the skills of turning and stopping on the hill. All in all he progressed to the point where the next hill awaited.
This is where things got scary. Up till now he was paying little attention to the skills he needed. I got him some poles, which made him happy. The coaches wisdom quickly presented itself as Connor lost control and started hurtling down the hill. He attempted to stop by laying on his back, which did not work. I gave chase and was shouting for him to snow plow. He got up one time and gave it a mediocre attempt, only to lay down again. The second time he got up he was able to stop. This truly scared him, the being out of control, going so fast and his attempts to stop via instinct not working at all.
He abandoned the poles and began to learn from the coach. So my giving him the poles and his downhill plummet successfully broke his paradigm. What happened next was his quickly learning to turn, stop and control himself, the next two runs he applied the knowledge and gained back his confidence. The last three runs we did were sans poles and he was skiing parallel for a goodly portion. I noticed that his precision on the slope. He appeared to make his cuts and turns at exactly the same points each time, with adjustments made for other skiers.
There was more then a little pride seeing his confidence and skill surpassing those familiar jackets who we had shared the mountain with. By this time his grin showed enjoyment on the slope as well as on the occasional solo lift going up.
March 22, 2012
March 16, 2012
Voters are Stupid...
I just find it fascinating, after all of these years of polls and these guys have used polls to make news, not reflect it, they have used these polls to create public opinion, and all of a sudden two bad polls (for Obama) in the same day and the respondents are stupid.
March 15, 2012
Gloria Purvis - HHS Mandate is Anti-Woman: Catholics Need to Speak Up
On February 27, the Catholic Information Center and the women's web-magazine Altcatholicah cosponsored the panel discussion, "Women Challenging the HHS Mandate." Here, panelist Gloria Purvis discusses how the HHS Mandate is anti-Woman and how Catholics need to get speak up on the issue.
March 13, 2012
March 05, 2012
”Rush Limbaugh Isn’t the Only Media Misogynist,”
”Rush Limbaugh Isn’t the Only Media Misogynist,” Powers asks if all liberal media personalities are held to the same standard as their conservative counterparts. For the Democratic strategist, the answer is a resounding “no.”
March 04, 2012
In the name of "what we think you should be like"
When, exactly, do we help our fellow man .vs. hurting them differently?
I am re-reading a wonderful book, Born To Run, In looking up some of the runners written about, I came across an interview where someone takes issue with the authors romanticizing the living conditions of the Tarahumara Indians of the Copper canyon, when they live in "abject poverty".
In reading the book I did not get the same impression. Which got me thinking about the early missionaries, bringing technology and religion to various places on earth. This goes back to that well meaning gesture or the road paved with good intentions.
Is it right to look at a society and proclaim the inadequate based upon our own? This idea bring up images of atrocities. The Hey! you should be like us! Mentality permeates our nobler then thou culture.
Gene Roddenberry pondered the corruption of one society upon another. His solution was observation and gleaning understandings well before imperialistic actions.
There are peoples ways of life that are good and bad and nigh impossible to judge from an outsiders standpoint. There could be delicate balances trampled underfoot while striving to "make things better" for those who are "less lucky"... Which is really a crock of crap.
Then again look at our current information age and the struggles that abound. Wouldn't it be great of some extraterrestrials came from elsewhere and pointed out how we would be much better off enslaved?
Yeah... me neither...
I am re-reading a wonderful book, Born To Run, In looking up some of the runners written about, I came across an interview where someone takes issue with the authors romanticizing the living conditions of the Tarahumara Indians of the Copper canyon, when they live in "abject poverty".
In reading the book I did not get the same impression. Which got me thinking about the early missionaries, bringing technology and religion to various places on earth. This goes back to that well meaning gesture or the road paved with good intentions.
Is it right to look at a society and proclaim the inadequate based upon our own? This idea bring up images of atrocities. The Hey! you should be like us! Mentality permeates our nobler then thou culture.
Gene Roddenberry pondered the corruption of one society upon another. His solution was observation and gleaning understandings well before imperialistic actions.
There are peoples ways of life that are good and bad and nigh impossible to judge from an outsiders standpoint. There could be delicate balances trampled underfoot while striving to "make things better" for those who are "less lucky"... Which is really a crock of crap.
Then again look at our current information age and the struggles that abound. Wouldn't it be great of some extraterrestrials came from elsewhere and pointed out how we would be much better off enslaved?
Yeah... me neither...
February 24, 2012
Kicking and screaming.
I ran two miles today. This is my first run since January 7th. I had not problems. It was exhilarating in fact. I feel very 'up' right now due to the various stuff that comes with human Endocrinology. Next up is a trip to the local dump to discard old plants.
I am really enjoying being in shape. Yes, I feel stiff and sore at times. However, the rest of the time the sensations are wonderful. I out perform many of my younger co-workers (or so I am told). This is not at all what I thought 50 would be like. I started my half century mark by climbing the highest mountain in Douglas County. I have continued by running, skating and riding my bike (I should hit 2000 miles on my bike this year).
The science on aging is really interesting. We have learned that our feet work better without shoes, sleep eight hours straight is not normal and that maximum nutrition with minimal calories increases health and life.
As I am enjoying my healthier lifestyle there is still room for improvement. Which takes time but will come. I plan on following my 91 year old pop and go down kicking and screaming.
I am really enjoying being in shape. Yes, I feel stiff and sore at times. However, the rest of the time the sensations are wonderful. I out perform many of my younger co-workers (or so I am told). This is not at all what I thought 50 would be like. I started my half century mark by climbing the highest mountain in Douglas County. I have continued by running, skating and riding my bike (I should hit 2000 miles on my bike this year).
The science on aging is really interesting. We have learned that our feet work better without shoes, sleep eight hours straight is not normal and that maximum nutrition with minimal calories increases health and life.
As I am enjoying my healthier lifestyle there is still room for improvement. Which takes time but will come. I plan on following my 91 year old pop and go down kicking and screaming.
February 17, 2012
Fun with Obama Math!
Want to make unemployment look like it is going down? Just reduce the number of Jobs available!
February 16, 2012
Pallet blocked.
This morning's merchandising job was to simply move the beds (mattresses) from one side of the building to another.
First order of business was to make room. So several pallets of sporting goods got moved around, along with some booze pallets. More still was wrapped up to head back to the depot for next year's winter seasonal items. Got that done. Next up was moving the beds.
Each of the mattresses are on two pallets, side by side, 48" by 80" and they have to be pulled in such a way that they are a 86" wide load. To add to the difficulty, most of the ways are blocked with pallets of merchandise. So I cleared a route along the back of the Deli cases and informed the co-worker in that area of my intent of using that as a thoroughfare for mattresses.
With my mighty pallet jack in tow I bridged the pallets and cranked them up, up, up till they were pull-able. Then using my acquired knowledge of steering ungainly objects, I set off down the Deli express route! Unfortunately, the very co-worker in whom I had confided, decided to drop a pallet of delicious delicateness in my path. She was suitably chagrined and removed the obstacle. With my course now clear, I was able to reach my destination for the first of several trips. With my mighty pallet jack I hefted the next king-size and headed towards the vennel, only to find two pallets of goods. My formerly chagrined co-worker had not noticed them being dropped off and quickly helped rectify the situation. My trusty fork lift driver, Gina, removed the other impediment. I explained to her my intentions of moving mattoks and she affirmed she would keep said alley clear.
The next trip was surprisingly free of clogging and I felt somewhat relieved. Of course the laws of irony had a good guffaw at my next attempt. I turned the corner just in time to see another driver, Nathan, driving off after dropping a load (pun intended). He heeding my cry (girlish screaming anguish), with a quizzical stare. After my exasperated explanation he took it upon himself to not only de-barrier the path, but with annoyed gusto. Next he took the next two pallets with his conveyance to the far side.
This left one final pallet and all the drivers in the area aware of my plight. I was fairly confident until I turned the corner to spy a pallet sitting dead middle of the means of access and Richard, the receiving driver just out of earshot.
I was not sure if I should laugh or cry...
First order of business was to make room. So several pallets of sporting goods got moved around, along with some booze pallets. More still was wrapped up to head back to the depot for next year's winter seasonal items. Got that done. Next up was moving the beds.
Each of the mattresses are on two pallets, side by side, 48" by 80" and they have to be pulled in such a way that they are a 86" wide load. To add to the difficulty, most of the ways are blocked with pallets of merchandise. So I cleared a route along the back of the Deli cases and informed the co-worker in that area of my intent of using that as a thoroughfare for mattresses.
With my mighty pallet jack in tow I bridged the pallets and cranked them up, up, up till they were pull-able. Then using my acquired knowledge of steering ungainly objects, I set off down the Deli express route! Unfortunately, the very co-worker in whom I had confided, decided to drop a pallet of delicious delicateness in my path. She was suitably chagrined and removed the obstacle. With my course now clear, I was able to reach my destination for the first of several trips. With my mighty pallet jack I hefted the next king-size and headed towards the vennel, only to find two pallets of goods. My formerly chagrined co-worker had not noticed them being dropped off and quickly helped rectify the situation. My trusty fork lift driver, Gina, removed the other impediment. I explained to her my intentions of moving mattoks and she affirmed she would keep said alley clear.
The next trip was surprisingly free of clogging and I felt somewhat relieved. Of course the laws of irony had a good guffaw at my next attempt. I turned the corner just in time to see another driver, Nathan, driving off after dropping a load (pun intended). He heeding my cry (girlish screaming anguish), with a quizzical stare. After my exasperated explanation he took it upon himself to not only de-barrier the path, but with annoyed gusto. Next he took the next two pallets with his conveyance to the far side.
This left one final pallet and all the drivers in the area aware of my plight. I was fairly confident until I turned the corner to spy a pallet sitting dead middle of the means of access and Richard, the receiving driver just out of earshot.
I was not sure if I should laugh or cry...
February 11, 2012
Timey Wimey
Back in 1773, Samuel Madden wrote Memoirs of the Twentieth Century. This details life in the late 1990's through legal documents handed to the author via "Guardian Angel". It is, in its way the first backwards time travel story.
Time travel as a plot device, can easily be misused or amazingly effective. The paradoxes and childish "what if" scenarios are very entertaining. Why is this so? I wonder if this plays to humans dislike of change? Or the idea that our choices may not have been good ones.
As I am REALLY happy with my current life, I would not opt at going back in time for fear of changing my current future. Could better futures be out there? by my way of thinking, Not by much. I also think that some of those 'bad choices' that we do not take could be very entertaining, if you could just skip some of the horrid outcomes.
Time travel is a romantic notion that allows us some mental creativeness and zero reality.
Time travel as a plot device, can easily be misused or amazingly effective. The paradoxes and childish "what if" scenarios are very entertaining. Why is this so? I wonder if this plays to humans dislike of change? Or the idea that our choices may not have been good ones.
As I am REALLY happy with my current life, I would not opt at going back in time for fear of changing my current future. Could better futures be out there? by my way of thinking, Not by much. I also think that some of those 'bad choices' that we do not take could be very entertaining, if you could just skip some of the horrid outcomes.
Time travel is a romantic notion that allows us some mental creativeness and zero reality.
February 10, 2012
Tantamount
At the TOPS club meeting, last night, there was a talk about motivation. Since August 2010 I have been riding my bike to work, in rain, snow, fog and sunny weather. I ride approx four times a week which is over 40 miles each week. You would think, with my consistency, people would figure out this is my normal.
February 02, 2012
answers to quotes
Napoleon Dynamite
Yeah right. Who's the only one here who knows the illegal ninja moves from the government?
Die Hard
You ask for a miracle, I give you the FBI
Clerks II
I made fun of "Lord of the Rings" so hard, it made some supergeek puke all over the counter. Where do we keep the mop and bucket so I can make Elias clean it up?
The Emperor's New Groove
Let's take a look-see. Hate your hair. Not likely. Yikes. Yikes. Yikes. And, let me guess, you have a great personality.
My Favorite year
Damn you! I'm not an actor, I'm a movie star!
Equilibrium
The gun katas. Through analysis of thousands of recorded gunfights, the Cleric has determined that the geometric distribution of antagonists in any gun battle is a statistically predictable element. The gun kata treats the gun as a total weapon, each fluid position representing a maximum kill zone, inflicting maximum damage on the maximum number of opponents while keeping the defender clear of the statistically traditional trajectories of return fire. By the rote mastery of this art, your firing efficiency will rise by no less than 120%. The difference of a 63% increase to lethal proficiency makes the master of the gun katas an adversary not to be taken lightly.
Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure
Want a twinkie, Genghis Khan?
Adventures in Babysitting
Nobody leaves this place without singing the blues.
Full Metal Jacket
Sir, the private believes that any answer he gives will be wrong! And his senior drill instructor will beat him harder if he reverses himself, sir!
Zoolander
Have you ever wondered if there was more to life, other than being really, really, ridiculously good looking?
The Matrix
I'd like to share a revelation that I've had during my time here. It came to me when I tried to classify your species and I realized that you're not actually mammals. Every mammal on this planet instinctively develops a natural equilibrium with the surrounding environment but you humans do not. You move to an area and you multiply and multiply until every natural resource is consumed and the only way you can survive is to spread to another area. There is another organism on this planet that follows the same pattern. Do you know what it is? A virus. Human beings are a disease, a cancer of this planet. You're a plague and we are the cure.
Drunken Master II
Water floats, but also capsizes boats.
The Replacement Killers
Hostage etiquette: kidnapper pays the incidentals.
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
I don't want to talk to you no more, you empty headed animal food trough wiper. I fart in your general direction. Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries.
Mystery Men
God's given me a gift. I shovel well. I shovel very well.
50 first Dates
Are you staring at me or her? 'Cause you're starting to freak me out.
Happy Gilmore
I'd like to punch that guy in the face right now. But I can't, you know, because I'd get in trouble. I bet you get a lot of that on "Let's Make A Deal."
January 29, 2012
January 28, 2012
Dream of the 90s - Portlandia on IFC
So I spend some time in Portland and it is just a cool city to visit. There is lots to see and do and there is a feeling that just begged to be captured. Sure enough Portlandia does just that.
Then I spend time in Eugene and there really is no way you could ever think of cool. It is more of a mess.
January 21, 2012
Obama the liar TV Ad.
Foreign oil imports below 50 percent - do you want to know why? Massive economic downturn.
The impression here is Obama is promoted domestic drilling and refining when he is obstructing it.
Welcome to Obama running for office, lets make up stuff.
America's clean energy industry, 2.7 million jobs and expanding rapidly. What is America's clean energy industry? It stands undefined. Where does he get this 2.7 million jobs figure?
Even FactCheck calls this misleading:
■ The spot uses outdated quotes from groups that said his record on ethics is “unprecedented” and that he “kept a promise to toughen ethics rules.” Those same groups said later that he “has let down millions of Americans who accepted his word” and rated his promise as “broken.”
■ The 30-second TV spot also trumpets a claim of “2.7 million jobs” in “America’s clean-energy industry.” That mostly counts jobs put in place long before Obama took office.
■ Finally, it boasts that U.S. dependence on foreign oil has declined to below 50 percent, as a net share of total demand, for the first time in more than a decade. That’s true, and increasing U.S. oil production is a factor (despite Republican criticisms that Obama is anti-drilling). But economists say the chief factor is reduced oil consumption, brought on by the recent economic recession.
I find it sadly ironic that it was primarily woman's groups who faught for the right for abortion and now women are opting for abortion so as to terminate female births.
Canada abortion issues. The sentence I find sadly misinformed: "Call it the unintended consequence of Canada's open abortion policy and increasingly multicultural demographic."
Its a Girl! (the three deadliest words in the world)
Canada abortion issues. The sentence I find sadly misinformed: "Call it the unintended consequence of Canada's open abortion policy and increasingly multicultural demographic."
Its a Girl! (the three deadliest words in the world)
January 20, 2012
Never simple.
It was one of those warm snuggle mornings. The bed was ever so comfortable. I was pondering how long I could stay under the warm layers, in-between cat napping quick dreams.
"The shower is not getting hot" came the klaxon call from the bathroom. My wife has work, I have the day off of work. Well, I had the day off from my job. Work was about to be my day...
I slogged out the door, slipped my work tennies on and proceeded down the half flight of concrete steps that leads to under-the-house. To my dismay there was lots of standing water... a flood. Great...
Living on a hill and having a flooded basement is not something considered. But, there it was, a good six inches of water. Curiously it was still below the access panel to the gas water heater.
First order of business was to get the water out of my basement. My contemplation started with bailing or using a garden hose as a siphon. Slipping on my trusty rubber boots, my brain had devised the next step and a shovel was soon in hand. Heading to the downhill side of the house I started with a hole then a furrow. This effectively destroyed a planter. I got a trickle of water and increased the furrow to match. Then headed inside and connected the tunnels. My mind went back to kindergarten and sand box tunnels of yore. As the water started flowing I had a smile of satisfaction until the grim task of troubleshooting the water heater came.
When we first moved into our house, the water heater was an electric model that sat in the kitchen disguised as a work-space. My pop and I installed a much more affordable gas heater a few years back. This was a direct vent water heater that could be safely vented out a side wall.
The access panel was dry and I was perplexed at why the flame had gone out. I used the igniter and the pilot lit! HUZZAH! Hot water abounds... Then it went out and would not re-light.
There was a note on the side saying that after a flood you need to replace the unit. Great, just what I need a new water heater. How do I find another direct vent? How far would I have to drive to find one. My day was quickly becoming the suck.
Tina boiled some water and got ready for work. Trevor was mopping out the remaining water. I called the smartest plumber on the planet, my Pop. Pop quizzed me about several aspects and finally told me to call the "gas guy" As they are more familiar with current gas water heaters then he was. Avista is our gas utility and I placed an order for someone to come out.
Next up I called my brother-in-law, Doug. Doug is a plumber by trade who was tutored by my Pop. He thought the gas line might have some water or debris and had thoughts on clearing (something the Gas guy would do later). He also cautioned that some units have a fail safe that burns itself out when it overheats. He could not figure out how a flood would make it overheat, but provided the caution.
Tony from Avista arrived and set about checking the water heater. This was not the fail-safe style unit and with out much effort he got the pilot to light and the burner to work! HUZZAH! Hot water abounds... Then As he started putting the screws of the burner back it went out and would not re-light.
No air was getting to the flame... A direct draft Gas water heater has an air intake and exhaust nested inside one another they start and stop at the top of the tank. It was perplexing. Tony took out the burner again and we saw the reflection of standing water UNDER the burner below a plate. This corresponded with the air intake pipes that run down the backside of the unit.
Now with a battle plan I sent Tony Avista on his way. Headed to lowes to buy a small water pump (the kind powered by a drill. and some hose. Pumped out the water then used sponge and paper towels until the bottom was all but dry.
This time the flame burned happily and began the task of heating my water. Which I just now tested and... dare I say it? HUZZAH! Hot water abounds!
"The shower is not getting hot" came the klaxon call from the bathroom. My wife has work, I have the day off of work. Well, I had the day off from my job. Work was about to be my day...
I slogged out the door, slipped my work tennies on and proceeded down the half flight of concrete steps that leads to under-the-house. To my dismay there was lots of standing water... a flood. Great...
Living on a hill and having a flooded basement is not something considered. But, there it was, a good six inches of water. Curiously it was still below the access panel to the gas water heater.
First order of business was to get the water out of my basement. My contemplation started with bailing or using a garden hose as a siphon. Slipping on my trusty rubber boots, my brain had devised the next step and a shovel was soon in hand. Heading to the downhill side of the house I started with a hole then a furrow. This effectively destroyed a planter. I got a trickle of water and increased the furrow to match. Then headed inside and connected the tunnels. My mind went back to kindergarten and sand box tunnels of yore. As the water started flowing I had a smile of satisfaction until the grim task of troubleshooting the water heater came.
When we first moved into our house, the water heater was an electric model that sat in the kitchen disguised as a work-space. My pop and I installed a much more affordable gas heater a few years back. This was a direct vent water heater that could be safely vented out a side wall.
The access panel was dry and I was perplexed at why the flame had gone out. I used the igniter and the pilot lit! HUZZAH! Hot water abounds... Then it went out and would not re-light.
There was a note on the side saying that after a flood you need to replace the unit. Great, just what I need a new water heater. How do I find another direct vent? How far would I have to drive to find one. My day was quickly becoming the suck.
Tina boiled some water and got ready for work. Trevor was mopping out the remaining water. I called the smartest plumber on the planet, my Pop. Pop quizzed me about several aspects and finally told me to call the "gas guy" As they are more familiar with current gas water heaters then he was. Avista is our gas utility and I placed an order for someone to come out.
Next up I called my brother-in-law, Doug. Doug is a plumber by trade who was tutored by my Pop. He thought the gas line might have some water or debris and had thoughts on clearing (something the Gas guy would do later). He also cautioned that some units have a fail safe that burns itself out when it overheats. He could not figure out how a flood would make it overheat, but provided the caution.
Tony from Avista arrived and set about checking the water heater. This was not the fail-safe style unit and with out much effort he got the pilot to light and the burner to work! HUZZAH! Hot water abounds... Then As he started putting the screws of the burner back it went out and would not re-light.
No air was getting to the flame... A direct draft Gas water heater has an air intake and exhaust nested inside one another they start and stop at the top of the tank. It was perplexing. Tony took out the burner again and we saw the reflection of standing water UNDER the burner below a plate. This corresponded with the air intake pipes that run down the backside of the unit.
Now with a battle plan I sent Tony Avista on his way. Headed to lowes to buy a small water pump (the kind powered by a drill. and some hose. Pumped out the water then used sponge and paper towels until the bottom was all but dry.
This time the flame burned happily and began the task of heating my water. Which I just now tested and... dare I say it? HUZZAH! Hot water abounds!
January 11, 2012
The best the GOP has to offer?
I am thinking that its hold your nose and vote time. At least any of them will be a huge improvement!
December 30, 2011
Work discussion...
Some variation of this discussion happens every so often. This is a compilation that is not too far from an actual conversation"
Member: Why are you so expensive? I can buy this same set across town for half the price.
Sales: Really, that is a huge value. They have this exact model with the same warranty?
Member: Yup, I have the flyer right here.
Sales: (reading over the flyer). Well they are a bit different, our set is a Samsung and this flyer shows a Colby. Further, our Samsung has true high definition resolution at 1080progressive lines this Colby is a 720.
Member: What does that mean?
Sales: The resolution is the number of lines the set uses to make a picture. The higher the number the sharper the image. Think of thread counts in sheets, the higher the count the better the quality. Also, this Colby has a 60hz refresh rate, while our Samsung is 240hz. That refers to the number of times the TV redraws the image. The higher the rate the more fluid the motion.
Member: So the higher number is better?
Sales: More-so on larger sets. Anything over 37 inch diagonal you want a higher refresh rate. For a 46" set like this 240hz is highly desirable. Especially for action films and sports or video games.
Member: I don't play video games, so that really is not that important.
Sales: Do you watch football?
Member: Yeah, all the time.
Sales: A higher refresh rate would be better for football. I see here that the Colby is not LED back-lit.
Member: The Samsung says it is LCD and LED, so which is it?
Sales: Both sets are LCD or liquid crystal displays. Like an old 35mm slide they need light behind them for you to see the picture. An LCD does not produce its own light. A standard LCD, like the Colby, has some light bulbs behind the screen across the back. Those produce light and heat, so the sets are thicker to allow for cooling.
Sales (cont.): The Samsung has LED or Light Emitting Diodes, to light the screen. They look similer to those old light bright crystals, but they are solid state and only produce light. So you get a brighter picture and a thinner set that uses less electricity.
Member: I see, but why are your prices for a 46" set so much higher...
Sales: ...........................Gosh, I don't know, you should go buy the cheaper one.....
Member: Why are you so expensive? I can buy this same set across town for half the price.
Sales: Really, that is a huge value. They have this exact model with the same warranty?
Member: Yup, I have the flyer right here.
Sales: (reading over the flyer). Well they are a bit different, our set is a Samsung and this flyer shows a Colby. Further, our Samsung has true high definition resolution at 1080progressive lines this Colby is a 720.
Member: What does that mean?
Sales: The resolution is the number of lines the set uses to make a picture. The higher the number the sharper the image. Think of thread counts in sheets, the higher the count the better the quality. Also, this Colby has a 60hz refresh rate, while our Samsung is 240hz. That refers to the number of times the TV redraws the image. The higher the rate the more fluid the motion.
Member: So the higher number is better?
Sales: More-so on larger sets. Anything over 37 inch diagonal you want a higher refresh rate. For a 46" set like this 240hz is highly desirable. Especially for action films and sports or video games.
Member: I don't play video games, so that really is not that important.
Sales: Do you watch football?
Member: Yeah, all the time.
Sales: A higher refresh rate would be better for football. I see here that the Colby is not LED back-lit.
Member: The Samsung says it is LCD and LED, so which is it?
Sales: Both sets are LCD or liquid crystal displays. Like an old 35mm slide they need light behind them for you to see the picture. An LCD does not produce its own light. A standard LCD, like the Colby, has some light bulbs behind the screen across the back. Those produce light and heat, so the sets are thicker to allow for cooling.
Sales (cont.): The Samsung has LED or Light Emitting Diodes, to light the screen. They look similer to those old light bright crystals, but they are solid state and only produce light. So you get a brighter picture and a thinner set that uses less electricity.
Member: I see, but why are your prices for a 46" set so much higher...
Sales: ...........................Gosh, I don't know, you should go buy the cheaper one.....
December 25, 2011
Printering
Once upon a time, in a job with Dell, far, far away. I purchased an Epson Photo Stylus RX500 printer. It was an excellent Photo printer with a device for scanning film negatives and slides. This Christmas it stopped printing and threw up an obtuse error. I did quite a bit of reading on various Epson forums and discovered that there was an ink-flow counter. After it reaches a certain amount of prints the system requires maintenance.
This does not take into consideration that the printer had been cleaned out the year before. Further, the forums suggested that you need to remove a component and use a specific device to re-set the counter. This draconian methodology might be great for the bottom line, it is annoying to those of us who then decide that maybe Epson is not wanting my patronage...
In the back of my mind this seems entirely too improbable. Consider, Epson sells thousands and thousands of printers. Even so they are number 3 after HP and Canon (I would argue that Canon makes the best printers). So some engineer decides that a counter would be needed to insure the working of the printer and there is some kind of kit that can be purchase to clean up the printer and replace the various wore down bits. This would be targeted at those authorized Epson repair shops. A search shows three on the West coast, my older printer is not even in the look up page.
Who would drive hours to a major city or ship a thirty pound package with pre-paid return postage when you can head to Costco and purchase a new printer for less? Maybe that is the goal, to sell new printers. I can see Epson not being a brand to return too...
Anyways, yesterday I found an obscure thread at www.fixyourownprinter.com that had some good information.
HOLD all following buttons: Power, Load/Eject, Stop, B&W, Color. RELEASE BUTTONS. After this printer turns on, you'll see "Init eeprom" on printer screen. Press Color button to clear protection counter. Hit the power button and restart it.
This did the trick and my printer is back in service. Still the printer is plagued with some problems, like no drivers for windows Vista (which Tina has on her computer).
This does not take into consideration that the printer had been cleaned out the year before. Further, the forums suggested that you need to remove a component and use a specific device to re-set the counter. This draconian methodology might be great for the bottom line, it is annoying to those of us who then decide that maybe Epson is not wanting my patronage...
In the back of my mind this seems entirely too improbable. Consider, Epson sells thousands and thousands of printers. Even so they are number 3 after HP and Canon (I would argue that Canon makes the best printers). So some engineer decides that a counter would be needed to insure the working of the printer and there is some kind of kit that can be purchase to clean up the printer and replace the various wore down bits. This would be targeted at those authorized Epson repair shops. A search shows three on the West coast, my older printer is not even in the look up page.
Who would drive hours to a major city or ship a thirty pound package with pre-paid return postage when you can head to Costco and purchase a new printer for less? Maybe that is the goal, to sell new printers. I can see Epson not being a brand to return too...
Anyways, yesterday I found an obscure thread at www.fixyourownprinter.com that had some good information.
HOLD all following buttons: Power, Load/Eject, Stop, B&W, Color. RELEASE BUTTONS. After this printer turns on, you'll see "Init eeprom" on printer screen. Press Color button to clear protection counter. Hit the power button and restart it.
This did the trick and my printer is back in service. Still the printer is plagued with some problems, like no drivers for windows Vista (which Tina has on her computer).
December 23, 2011
Working the solutions.
My job is sales. I approach our members (customers) and ask to assist them. Sometimes it is pointing them in the right direction or researching a product we use-to-could sell. Mostly, I am answering questions about electronics and computers. I have skills in translating tech-speak to plain English. Further, I can successfully drill down to what the person wants instead of what they ask for.
Case in point:
A couple came in looking for the "Smart Blu ray players" Samsung uses the "Smart" name so I took them to the specific Blu-ray player. They started asking a series of questions that made me back up from the specific to the general. They wanted to drop cable TV and get the shows they like from the Network websites.
The "smart TV's" will not do this. While you can look at websites viewing streaming content requires additional, unsupported browser based software (read: Java, Flash, Divx etc.).
So the "Guy at Sear", fed them a line of BS. I suggested they buy a VGA cable and plug it into the back of the TV. Of course, they did not like the idea of a cable running across the floor. I wondered, out loud, if their home PC was capable of WiDi (wireless display). The age of the 'clunker PC' made mooted the idea.
Which brought me around to the solution. To do exactly what they wanted to do, they would need a Laptop computer, a WiDi box for the Television. On the downside, they came in looking for a $100.00 DVD player and left with a $450.00 Laptop and $50.00 WiDi box.
On the plus side, now they can do exactly what they wanted.
Here is the fun part. In discussing various options, a few other members came to listen. One of them asked if I was the person they should talk to about tech stuff. The folks I sold the lap-top too emphatically stated I was "The One". Over the next 15min, I sold three more laptops, a Tablet PC and two Televisions.
You have to Love non-commission sales at Costco. Our return policy is such that our buyers only bring in quality goods and sales is more interested in matching folks up to tech in order to achieve zero returns.
Near the end of the sales spree, one of the members asked if I get tired of all the stupid questions. I never consider them stupid, rather they are a way to provide solutions to specific problems.
Yeah, love my job.
Case in point:
A couple came in looking for the "Smart Blu ray players" Samsung uses the "Smart" name so I took them to the specific Blu-ray player. They started asking a series of questions that made me back up from the specific to the general. They wanted to drop cable TV and get the shows they like from the Network websites.
The "smart TV's" will not do this. While you can look at websites viewing streaming content requires additional, unsupported browser based software (read: Java, Flash, Divx etc.).
So the "Guy at Sear", fed them a line of BS. I suggested they buy a VGA cable and plug it into the back of the TV. Of course, they did not like the idea of a cable running across the floor. I wondered, out loud, if their home PC was capable of WiDi (wireless display). The age of the 'clunker PC' made mooted the idea.
Which brought me around to the solution. To do exactly what they wanted to do, they would need a Laptop computer, a WiDi box for the Television. On the downside, they came in looking for a $100.00 DVD player and left with a $450.00 Laptop and $50.00 WiDi box.
On the plus side, now they can do exactly what they wanted.
Here is the fun part. In discussing various options, a few other members came to listen. One of them asked if I was the person they should talk to about tech stuff. The folks I sold the lap-top too emphatically stated I was "The One". Over the next 15min, I sold three more laptops, a Tablet PC and two Televisions.
You have to Love non-commission sales at Costco. Our return policy is such that our buyers only bring in quality goods and sales is more interested in matching folks up to tech in order to achieve zero returns.
Near the end of the sales spree, one of the members asked if I get tired of all the stupid questions. I never consider them stupid, rather they are a way to provide solutions to specific problems.
Yeah, love my job.
December 17, 2011
Routine
I find that I wake up with tight muscles during my work week. I do a few sets of sit ups and push ups to get the blood flowing, then hit the shower (sometimes the shower is first). During the first cup of coffee I am feeling pretty good. By the time I ride my bike into work I am alert, awake and ready to tackle the day.
Today my shoulders are tight and there is a muscle\tendon on the outer right side of my lower right leg that feels pulled or strained or something. At certain angles and taking certain steps I can definitively feel pain.
My head cold is trailing off with just a little congestion. I really notice the lack of strength during this cold. I felt fatigue after four hours of moving pallets and stacking Televisions.
I deduced a time-line, I believe I caught this germ around our open house, last Saturday. I had some tummy issues Sunday, but dismissed that as indigestion. By Monday night I was having post nasal drip and the sore throat. Nyquil night was begun. I like Alka seltzer cold, as it masks my symptoms well. After five hours of stocking, I noted we had enough coverage for me to head home sick, which I did.
I spent the rest of Tuesday, most of Wednesday asleep. I woke long enough on Wednesday to assess and call in sick to work. The Second time this year (arrgh!). By Thursday Morning I had slept 40 hours or so and was feeling pretty good.
I made it through my Thursday morning okay, but I was not my usual self. Friday I was better, however I headed south to work on my Brother-in-Laws computer and that took its toll.
My head was muddled enough that reading brought on a pretty good headache. The three hour car drive did not help matters. Still, after a good nap I felt up enough to go skating.
Again, I got fatigued way too fast. Today we are driving up to Portlandia to get my daughter from the airport.
I plan on resting most of the trip and bring along some meds.
Today my shoulders are tight and there is a muscle\tendon on the outer right side of my lower right leg that feels pulled or strained or something. At certain angles and taking certain steps I can definitively feel pain.
My head cold is trailing off with just a little congestion. I really notice the lack of strength during this cold. I felt fatigue after four hours of moving pallets and stacking Televisions.
I deduced a time-line, I believe I caught this germ around our open house, last Saturday. I had some tummy issues Sunday, but dismissed that as indigestion. By Monday night I was having post nasal drip and the sore throat. Nyquil night was begun. I like Alka seltzer cold, as it masks my symptoms well. After five hours of stocking, I noted we had enough coverage for me to head home sick, which I did.
I spent the rest of Tuesday, most of Wednesday asleep. I woke long enough on Wednesday to assess and call in sick to work. The Second time this year (arrgh!). By Thursday Morning I had slept 40 hours or so and was feeling pretty good.
I made it through my Thursday morning okay, but I was not my usual self. Friday I was better, however I headed south to work on my Brother-in-Laws computer and that took its toll.
My head was muddled enough that reading brought on a pretty good headache. The three hour car drive did not help matters. Still, after a good nap I felt up enough to go skating.
Again, I got fatigued way too fast. Today we are driving up to Portlandia to get my daughter from the airport.
I plan on resting most of the trip and bring along some meds.
December 10, 2011
Costco
This is what I love about working for a Company like Costco. We have this return policy that states the following:
- We will refund your membership fee in full at any time if you are dissatisfied.
- We guarantee your satisfaction on every product we sell with a full refund.
- The following must be returned within 90 days of purchase for a refund: televisions, projectors, computers, cameras, camcorders, touch screen tablets, MP3 players and cellular phones.
December 09, 2011
Weirdnessering.
Last evening (Thursday). We had our weekly TOPS meeting. Tina had a later dentist appointment and that left me to my own devices to get to said meeting. I abhor having two vehicles at the same location as it seems wasteful. So my choice was to walk. As walking seems so damn slow, I opted to run.
This availed me of the park walking\bike path. About a mile into the run I had thought to stop and walk a bit, as I had not been running for a month or so. As with any good run, my mind had gone off on its own and when it snapped back, I realized I had gone well past my "stopping point" I shrugged and kept running.
This is when the weirdness kept into my thoughts. I realized I had no idea about how far I could run. My breathing is steady, my pace is mechanical and the degree of difficulty in maintaining was nil. This was just breathing more then walking.
My thoughts crossed out to the distance thinking of what lies beyond. Could I run all the way to the coast? Could I make it over the Cascades? Is the Canadian boarder attainable (given overnight sleep)?
I thought of ancient civilization that locomotion was THE travel option. It was humbling and exhilarating.
December 07, 2011
Sandusky
You cannot escape the news around ex-Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky.
The sex abuse charges are horrific for sure. However, when this kind of news comes out I am reminded of the McMartin Preschool case. While the media pandered to basic instinct, the trial ended in dismissal and acquittal. After seven years and 15 million dollars.
Do I feel Mr. Sandusky is innocent? Nope... Do I suspect he is gulity? Nope... If I was a jurist he would be innocent until proven guilty. As an unwilling voyeur, I just pray that justice will prevail.
The sex abuse charges are horrific for sure. However, when this kind of news comes out I am reminded of the McMartin Preschool case. While the media pandered to basic instinct, the trial ended in dismissal and acquittal. After seven years and 15 million dollars.
Do I feel Mr. Sandusky is innocent? Nope... Do I suspect he is gulity? Nope... If I was a jurist he would be innocent until proven guilty. As an unwilling voyeur, I just pray that justice will prevail.
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