Goodbye Luanne

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Goodbye Luanne Brittany Murphy - I see where she passed way at the age of 32. She is an actress, but frankly, I didn't even recognize the name. I became curious. Movies - She was in several movies including Clueless, Girl, Interrupted, 8 Mile, Sin City and Riding in Cars with Boys. The only one of those I recognize is 8 Mile, which I saw and thought was pretty good, better than I anticipated, but I don't even remember her in the movie, which is sad. King of the Hill - I am a big King of the Hill fan. Recently I saw the last episode and was sad to see it go. Why did I like this show and hate to see it go? The story lines weren't as dramatic as those seen on other cartoons. The characters didn't do as outrageous of things. Even the voices weren't as memorably as some. The reason I liked this show is that it was provided social commentary while being entertaining. It made me laugh, while not be overly offensive or glamorizing unethical values. It was one of the few TV series that we had that hadn't stooped of the cheap theatrics that so many shows tend to go to these days. Luanne - She is what I consider an enabling character. Yes, she was extremely naive. She is a stereotypical blond. But she brought an interesting side to the show. Brittany provided a very good voice for Luanne and contributed a lot to one of my favorite shows. I appreciate what she contributed. Christmas Family - One of the things I have learned most over the last four years is the value of family. My family stuck by me through some troubling times and I will be forever grateful. If I had listened to their advice over a decade ago, I wouldn't have gone through these troubling times. Pop - My father, Pop, passed away and left enough money to support not only me, but a decent number of people for the rest of their lives. What a wonderful way to be remembered. He contributed a lot to our family, even in his passing. While we lost Pop, the trials actually made our family stronger in a lot of aspects. Giving - Because of this, this Christmas has become special for me. I have spent a lot to make sure a lot of family members feel special. I am so excited. I do hope to set an example now that younger members of the family will follow when they get older.

General Blogger Wars - I ran across a little more results from blogger wars. It was an apology and I do appreciate someone willing to acknowledge a mistake. We all make them and I don't pretend to be able to always live up to the philosophy I type here. What I do believe is that avoiding the drama in the first place and not attacking anyone is much more health. Judging is okay in terms of who you associate with, but it is too easy to get the wrong impression and start attacking someone pointlessly. It is better to just assume you don't have the perspective as them and move along. There is no reason to judge, condemn, or prove yourself right. Survivor - I was glad to see Natalie when it. I considered Russell a poor example and I don't see how he would want to set such an example. It also provided a good example of how controlling people just cannot conceive of any other way to play the game. In that sense, it was hilarious to see his overconfidence, because while his strategy kept him in the game, it cost him in the end. Examples Title - I was very tempted to name this blog examples, because that seems to be the common theme, but the passing of someone should take precedence and is a bit more specific. Roll Models - Whether we like it or not, we are all roll models. The only question is what kind of roll models we choose to be. As I have mentioned in previous blogs, if you are not the type of person you wish you were, simply act as if you were that person and eventually, that is who you will become. I do believe this. Advice - Some thing I am very wise from the advice that I give. I assure you that this is very untrue. It is very easy to give good advice, but so very hard to take it. For me, giving this advice is part of teaching myself. I hope that I have learned me something:)

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Blogging at mySpace and blogspot.

Take Care,
 Steve

High Profile Stupicide

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The Story The Death - For those of you that haven't heard, Chris Henry, a wide receiver for the Cincinnati Bengals, died the other day. Getting Married - He was apparently about to get married to his girlfriend, whom he has three kids with. Her myspace profile status says: "Jus put deposIt down 4 weDDing piCs... Paid 4 ouR riNgs... Bout 2 eaT wiT my maN n bay bayz.... Startin 2 geT a headache thinKing bouT dis weddin.. I need A cuP" While her profile says she is young, 25, from reading some of her profile I assume she is very immature or uneducated, which makes this even more sad. The Argument - These two kids apparently got into a fight over their wedding. She jumped into a truck and was going to drive off. He jumped into the back yelling he just wanted to talk. She responded that she didn't want to talk. How many of us have been in a similar situation? The Witness - A neighbor saw what was going on. He heard Chris say that if she drove off he would jump out of the truck and kill himself. Okay!!! That will teach her!!! How many of us have said something stupid like that? The Fall - Either Chris jumped or was thrown from the back of the pickup. He apparently had some serious head injuries and later passed away at the hospital. This was the end of a young man who had a fiancee and three kids to boot. How tragic. What Is My Point? - This is a prime example of how to not handle a conflict. This is also a prime example of how many of you may have handled conflicts. Yes, I include myself in that. The basic problem is not knowing when to shut up. Sometimes the best reaction to a situation is to just step away. People say things they do not mean when they are upset. I was the people involved well, but keep in mind that the only way some good can come from this is if someone learns a lesson from it, which is the reason for this blog.

The Lessons Responsibility - Nobody is to blame here, other than one person, Chris Henry. Yes, I was sorry to hear of such a young life wasted, but he apparently had not learned the lessons that would allow him to cope with life. Additionally, he had a responsibility to his fiancee and his kids. He chose to put himself at risk, which put his entire family at risk. Sympathy - Kids think themselves immortal. More than likely, he didn't intend to kill himself. While he threatened it, I imagine he figured when his girlfriend saw what happened, she would come running to help him, as she had apparently done in the past. I think he was looking for sympathy, which is manipulation, which is the wrong way to go. Listening - The most striking thing about situations like this is that everyone is talking, but nobody is listening. In situations like this, listening is the only option, but it is probably the most difficult to do. Consequences - A wife lost a husband. Three kids lost their father. Parents lost a son. That sounds like a lot, but the consequences just radiate out from there. Look at the example Chris chose to set. This isn't something that will be forgotten in a year or ten years. I use to think people would just move on and something like this would be forgotten. That is far from the truth. The older you get, the more what ifs come up. The more you wonder the consequences of the actions when you see the kids have difficulty. It is something that will affect many people for the rest of their lives, and it was based upon a stupid spur of the moment decision.

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Blogging at mySpace and blogspot.

Take Care,
 Steve

Politibabble

I am getting decidedly more political in my blogs. No, I don't believe in politics, and hopefully the reason comes out in here. In general, the arguments presented to the American people are lies or at best distortions of the truth.

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Tony Blair On WMDs - I find it funny when people talk as if there weren't WMDs. Hussein used them against his own people. They uncovered the graves to prove it. The no WMDs thing was just a political thing and the people on both sides new the truth. It was just a political game played on the public. Argue whether going in was the right thing or not is one thing, but basing your argument on something you know isn't the truth is hilarious. A lot of Americans were treated like fools. Against Reform - You will see politicians playing the political game these days. You will see people described as for or against reform of Wall Street. You will see people describing Wall Street as evil. These are the people that are manipulating you. People are quick to say change is good since we just went through a major economic crisis. Ironically, some of the people pushing for reform are also the same ones that encouraged banks to issue the high risk loans because every American deserved to be able to own a home. Hmmm, sounds different than blaming it on the evil big banks, doesn't it. Change Is Good? - Politicians are always advocating for change. Heck, some even say "vote for change" as a campaign slogan. Why? Because it is very likely every American has something they want changed. The truth is that things aren't good or bad. Things can get better or worse. Advocating change for change's sake is foolish. Unless you take the time to find out what changes they are advocating and what the ramifications of the changes will be, do not support change. The way congress was set up in the first place was to resist change for change's sake. Knee-jerk reactions are almost always harmful.

Iran Pissing Contest - It does appear we are going to up the anti very soon in the conflict with Iran. The article discusses seizing money because of the 1983 terrorist attack against the Marine barracks in Lebanon, but it also mentions increased sanctions against Iran. Some day I would like to see more diplomatic means used to solve problems. Could we simply supply Iran with enriched uranium which is not weapons grade? They have every right to have nuclear power. Armed Middle School? - I ran across a story where a 6th grader found bullets in the hallway of her middle school. Simply bizarre. Obama's Brother - Did you know that Obama has a brother that lives in China, not that there is anything wrong with that? Al Qaeda Offers 'Condolences' - Well, isn't that a blip. We must be doing something right because they are trying to sway public opinion. Acknowledge Good Ideas For some reason if a member of one party comes up with a good idea, there is no way in the world the other party will acknowledge it. The Presidents contest for cost reduction is a good example. I don't care if you are a Democrat or Republican. It is a great idea.

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Blogging at mySpace and blogspot.

Take Care,
 Steve

World's Smartest Bouncers

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World's Smartest Bouncers - Today I ran across a weird coincidence. Some may think it strange that I would even think twice about it, but I noticed that two of the people supposedly with some of the hightest IQs in the world worked as bouncers. No, I didn't go through numerous people. These are just the first two I ran across, Rick Rosner and Christopher Langan. You can find videos out there of these guys. I am not going to bother to link them here. I did find them fascinating, though. Christopher Langan may be the world's smartest man with an IQ somewhere between 195 and 210. Einstein's IQ was between 180 and 190. He is apparently living his life on a horse farm and has developed a model of the universe, but I would have expected someone such as him to have numerous accomplishments. Rick Rosner is a real odd ball. He is famous for repeated high school numerous times by forging documentation. He was trying to supposedly get it right. He also is noted for failing at "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" because of a question he believes to be flawed. He appears quite obsessive about life. In a Domino's commercial his IQ is listed as 200, although they spelled his name as Rossner instead of Rosner in the commercial. This guy gets no respect. Autodidact - While Christopher Langan is listed as an autodidact, Rick Rosner is not. I do believe both show this quality. Rosner obsessive qualities and apparent focus on reading make me believe this is a fair description. An autodidact is basically someone who is self taught, with little or no formal education. Why Bouncer? - After reading for a bit I came to the conclusion that these guys chose to be bouncers because it basically requires little mental effort. They were free with their thoughts until some trouble arouse. This is supported by some comments by both, although in terms of Rosner he mentioned how working as a model and maintaining a pose helped him to think. Why Should You Care? - If you have managed to stay with me through this, you are probably wondering why I have gotten into this. Looks at the Autodidact link. Notice all the people that were able to basically teach themselves. In general, they didn't have access to the internet and the tons of information available. Can you improve yourself with so much information available?

Tiger Woods - I am glad to see him stepping back and re-evaluating his priorities. Taking a break from golf to concentrate on what is important makes a lot of good sense. Marilyn vos Savant - She is a good example of a very intelligent woman and provides some surprising examples of statistics. The "Monty Hall" problem was covered in a statistics class I had in college. The answer isn't what you might think, unless you are a genius. A better example which is basically a simplified case is presented in the "Two Boys" problem. The tables that included with it enable you to see why the solution is correct and infer the reason that both are correct. The problems will amaze you. I can describe how the "Monty Hall" problem makes sense in my own line of reasoning if anyone wants to know. Quotes - These are by Marilyn vos Savant that I find very inspirational. "Being defeated is often a temporary condition. Giving up is what makes it permanent." "To acquire knowledge, one must study; but to acquire wisdom, one must observe." "The essence of our America is finding and maintaining that perfect, delicate balance between freedom 'to' and freedom 'from.' " "A fool is someone whose pencil wears out before its eraser does." "…what women want is what men want. They want respect."

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Blogging at mySpace and blogspot.

Take Care,
 Steve

Blogger Wars

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Blogger Wars - Sounds like a good name for a movie. Use the blog, Luke, use the blog. Yes, there are groups of people out their that like to get involved in this stuff. They love the drama and have their followers of kids that think they are accomplishing something. I find it hilarious. Blogger War Kids - They aren't kids? Bull hockey. When I say someone is a kid I am talking about their level of maturity. If you do childish things, you're a kid. Sure, you might be 30 or 40 years old. Heck, you might be 80. Being older doesn't make you any less a kid, while it does make you rather pathetic because you had so many years to mature and did not. Dealing With Blogger Wars - Would you argue with a kid? Would you cuss and call them names? Would you think them evil? Think about it and make up your own mind. Purpose - What is the purpose of the blog wars? Attention. Kids want attention and will go to extreme lengths to get it. My Solution - Don;t give them the attention. Wow, that is pretty simple. It didn't require any long division, calculus, or anything. Why do so many find it so hard to do? I will give you some examples of positive things you can do to the right, although they basically all involve not feeding the kid's need for attention. They are like babies crying to get someone to pick them up. Many make the mistake of doing just that and are being trained by their babies. Protecting Your Friends - So, you are a good hearted person that wants to protect and defend their friends. I propose that the best way to defend your friends is by using my simple solution.

Advice - Name something that is easy to give, but very hard to take. Publicity - Don't give them any kind of publicity. I could name some of the kids on here that do this and provide links to their blogs. Why would I? No, I am not scared of them. I just don't care to waste my time with them. Also, why in the world would I want my valued friends visiting such people? Block User - If you haven't blocked someone today, you just aren't trying hard enough. There are plenty of examples of people I don't care to associate with. I do not hesitate to send them off into the digital oblivion. Private - Sometimes my profile is private and sometimes it isn't. If I feel like I am getting too many wackos, I just make it private. Myspace gives us the tools to co-exist. Use them. Do Not Respond - If these kids somehow contact you, don't respond. If they talk bad about your pet turtle, don't respond. If they say you comb your hair to the wrong side, don't respond. They are weak minded people. Ignore them and they will go away.

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Blogging at mySpace and blogspot.

Take Care,
 Steve

I'll Sue

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I'll Sue - I have often mentioned the evils of blaming, but I ran across an example that I actually kind of enjoy today. Why would I enjoy it? After all, it is a sad tail involving someone's mother dying. How could anyone enjoy that. While I regret the mother's passing, I enjoy the perfect example of irrational blaming it provides. Lets suppose that your mom was murdered. Suppose they new who did it and have the murder weapon, a baseball bat. Who should you sue? The murderer? No. You should sue the manufacturer of the baseball bat for not providing a warning to the murderer that if you strike someone in the head with this bat, it could kill them. But that was an intentional homicide. Perhaps a different example is warranted. Suppose your mom is taking a bath. While she is doing so, the cat sneaks in and knocks the hairdryer into the bathtub electrocuting your mom. Well, obviously you can't sue the cat because the cat has no money. How about suing the maker of the hairdryer for not warning people that if your cat knocks the dryer into the tub while you are taking a bath, it could kill you? Nah, that sounds a bit too far fetched. How about just suing because the hairdryer manufacturer didn't provide a warning that taking a bath with this hairdryer could be fatal? Ah, that sounds good. Well, this is basically the sad case we have with this lady. I am feel sorry that her mother died, but I also feel sorry for the wireless company that has to deal with this idiotic law suit. Yea, who is to blame? Well, apparently the driver of the vehicle that was talking on the cell phone. But how about blaming the manufacturer of the automobile she was riding in? Couldn't the vehicle been designed safer? Did it have air bags? What about blaming the mother? Yes, that is right, blame the mother. From what I have heard nobody has ever died in an automobile accident that didn't get in an automobile. By getting in the automobile, she knowingly put herself at risk. Is that a ridiculous argument? Yes, but just like this lawsuit.

Goofy Pilots - A couple of airline pilots who overflew their destination by about 100 miles are blaming the air traffic controllers. I don't know about you, but it would seem comforting to me, if I were riding in a plane, to know that the pilots actually knew where the heck we were, but maybe that is just me. Soapy Smith - I was reading on wikipedia about a guy named Soapy Smith, a con artist and gangster of the old west. I was tickled to learn his dying words were "My God, don't shoot"! Yeah, I suppose I have a sick sense of humor. Twitter Twits - I am noticing a strange thing on twitter. I am getting followers, which might seem flattering, but I don't twit in general. Sure, someone might want to see my myspace I am off to bed thing, but that is about it. I also notice that these people appear to be following a lot of  people, some thousands. I choose to refer to these as Twitter Twits. I do believe they are following me so I will be kind enough to follow them back, or something bizarre like that. Sorry folks, but no go. Investing - The more I learn, the more I like investing. There really isn't a better feeling than looking at your account balance each day and saying, wow, I made money today for doing absolutely nothing. You can't afford to invest? You really can't afford not to. Think about it. Depending upon the investments you choose and how old you are, investing one dollar today could easily provide you multiple dollars when you retire. Isn't that worth it? If I had started this immediately out of college, I could have retired already

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Take Care,
 Steve

Separation of Stupidity & State

Sure, you have heard of separation of church and state, but what about separation of stupidity and state?

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South Carolina Yes, we are the palmetto state. Yes, palmetto, not pimento. Man, I was embarrassed when I figured that one out. Yes, we are a southern state, but we are a bit unique. South Carolina likes to buck the trends. Blue Laws No, the county I live in doesn't have a Sunday blue law, but the county right next door does. It is walking distance from one county to the next in the middle of the city. So, I guess one county just wants to miss out on the liquor sails. I can understand that. General Merchandise Laws Now, our blue law country has a more creative law. You are not allowed to sell general merchandise on Sunday before 1:30 pm. Sure, you can buy groceries or medicine, but try to buy a cooking pan. No, sorry. That would be illegal. Yes, you read that right. Lexington county takes a stance against general merchandise sold early in the day on Sundays. I suppose it is because Jesus didn't buy cookware before church or something. Welcome to Lexington County of South Carolina, where you are safe from Sunday morning cookware. Look For The Good I just added a section to the right about improvements Obama is making to the federal government. No, it doesn't mean I endorse him. It means when someone comes up with a good idea, it should be acknowledged. This got me thinking about many of the blogs on here. How many blogs have you read on here about one of the Presidents that was positive? People are quick to say this sucks or that sucks, not offer solutions, and demonize the President. Is it really that hard to look for the good? (Stuff)MyDadSays Yes, my favorite twitterer is at it again, and he was clean on this one. No editing required. "We're out of Grape Nuts... No, what's left is for me. Sorry, I should have said "You're out of Grape Nuts."

You Thought You Were Lost? If it took them since 525 B.C. to find you, yeah, you were really lost. And I thought my sense of direction was bad. No, you shouldn't have took that left turn at Albuquerque. You Got A Driver's License? If you failed your driver's test 949 times, could it be that driving just isn't for you? Notorious Yea, I watched this movie. It came on Cinemax. It was okay although there was a lot of trashy language and the Notorious B.I.G was an incredibly bad example of a roll model. Dying over a stupid competition between the east and west coast just kind of tops the cake. What a terrible reason to die. Nostradamus I find shows about this guy hilarious. There is one on now about the lost book of Nostradamus. Think about it. If you write predictions about things that can only be correlated to what you were predicting after they happen, what good are they? Obama Improvements I am for Obama just like I am for any U.S. President. This doesn't mean that I agree with him. I do agree with something he has done. He had a contest called the SAVE Award, which gives government employees the opportunity to make suggestions on how to streamline the government. The winner gets to meet with the President. Not a bad idea. They are apparently implementing a lot of the more than 38,000 ideas received. Yes, it sounds like common sense, but that is exactly what has been missing in Washington.

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Take Care,
 Steve

The Challenge

Bringing you high quality blogs since.... okay, we are working on that one.

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Timer Started My Pop passed away early this year. One of the things I have found hard to express is that suddenly a timer has started. My father was about 20 years older than me. Wow!!! That means if I live more than 20 more years, I win. Man Steve, that was one morbid thought. Legacy I have mentioned needing a purpose in previous blogs. In a sense, I believe leaving some kind of legacy has to be my goal. Now, I just need to decide what that legacy will be. There is a lot that could be done. Should my legacy be monetary? Should my legacy be philosophical? Should my legacy be made of Play-Doh? Christmas One of the best things I can think to give anyone is fond memories of Christmas, so that has become important to me. There are currently 5 children under 6 in the family and I am likely going to spend a crap load on them, but possibly not for what they may be expecting. I am thinking of things such as baby dolls, wooden blocks, Tinker Toys, Legos, and Lincoln Logs. I do believe that toys like this that don't actually do anything are beneficial in several ways. Many would say they help a kid in terms of being creative. The other thing is that if you get a toy that "does" something, once the kid gets tired of what the toy does, it gets cast asside. Memories I have very fond memories of Christmas. As I described in a previous blog, my Pop's Christmas ritual gave me a very good sense of family and it seems even stonger now that he has passed. Somehow as you get older your picture of the world changes. When you are young you are very self centered, you think of what you get for Christmas. As you get older you begin to think more of who was giving and why. Spoiling I have five kids on my Christmas list. They are all under six. There are the 2 daughters of one of my brother's daughters, and one son and one daughter of my brother's other daughter. Also, there is the daughter of my cousin, who passed away at the ripe old age of 29 earlier this year. Yes, they must all be spoiled. How? A good hour or so spent on Amazon and Walmart did the trick. Older, Wiser, Dog Food One of the great things about becoming an old fart is that you develop thoughts that make you far superior to all of these young whipper snappers. No, you may not invent the internet, but you come up with things. My contribution? I learned how to empty a near empty dog food bag. My entire life I have ended up spilling the remainder of the food because the whole at the top of the bag was so big. Not now, because I am older and wiser than these young whipper snappers. I simply cut a small whole in the bottom corner of the bag and all the remaining pieces come out easily!!! Youth is wasted on the young. Sense of Family As Steve the Patriarch, I am wondering how I can impart that sense of family to the younger members of the clan. Spoiling the crap out of them is a start, but I really need to figure out something else. Christmas cards are a possibility. Somehow finding a way to teach the children well has become a priority. I want them to take pride in themselves and their family. Christmas Travel Yea, I must make the trek to Alabama for Christmas. I love it when I am there, but the trip there is usually pretty rough. I tend to get sick and stop a lot, but I should be able to take off plenty of time and Scooby and I will take our time. The return trip is hard in a different way. While I have only got sick returning to South Carolina once, it is terribly hard to leave Sweet Home Alabama and come back to my isolation in South Carolina. Once I become accustomed to having family around, it is very hard to give up.

Blog Topics I have actually sort of had blog topics recently, which is pretty cool. The only problem I see is that I seem to take the blog topics that nobody else wants. Maybe instead of the hermit blog, this should be the blog orphanage or something. A Nurse I ran across a really cool blog about the life of a nurse. Check it out. Background Another thing I do for my atmosphere is to have a slideshow of images on my desktop. I have two 22" 1080p monitors, each of which have beautiful pictures from around the world that cycle through. It definitely gives you a peaceful easy feeling. Nature For some reason the pictures that I am collecting are largely nature photos. I may add some impressionist art, which I love, but simple nature photos seem to have become a favorite these days. Black and white photography, such as that by Ansel  Adams is also a favorite. Elections I was just reading a story on a new offensive in Afghanistan. Yea, this is way off topic. It occurs to me that what places like this need is some way to assure honest elections. It is easy to think of the President of Afghanistan as a U.S. puppet. It would be interesting if they came up with some way to monitor elections with impartial observers, although I am not sure who could be considered impartial. Prices I did my Christmas shopping online and am pretty satisfied. I noticed that the prices at Walmart are much cheaper than Amazon for the same items. I saw about a 20% difference in a couple of things. Most of the stuff I got came from Amazon because of the wider selection, but Walmart is a good for deals. Also, I had a TV in my shopping cart at Amazon. I put it there just after Thanksgiving. I come back today and it is about $200 cheaper. Be picky about when you order.

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Doing the holidays right!!!

Take Care,
 Steve

New

Tell me something new, dah, dah dah...

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Music Yes, I am still building my sound collection. The last time I took a count, I had over 18,000 sound files. There is music, TV & movie clips, old time radio shows, and old news clips. One of the more interesting things that has gradually developed is that I am appreciating a wider range of music, some of it going back to before the 50s. It is strange how taste in music changes as you age. While the music I liked when I was younger was more aggressive, fast paced, and in some ways confrontational; the music I am trending towards now is more relaxing and to some degree retrospective. The old you get, it seems that memories are stored in songs. Playing them brings back the memories. Wengen While really not new, it is a new concept to me. Check out the photo to the left. Notice anything? Does anything seem special about this place? I mean, yea, it is beautiful. The trees look real green. I certainly like the colors of the buildings. But there is something that really stands out, where are the roads? This is a city without cars. Yea, there are a few electric vehicles, but that is about it. No, it isn't some new project. It is a town in Switzerland called Wengen. They do have skiing here and it is in Switzerland so I suppose it isn't so far fetched to guess that they get snow. My guess is the kids don't get out of school for snow days, but other than that, what a neat little place. The Evil Butterfly One of the reasons I listen to more peaceful music is to deal with my health issues. Recently in a discussion with my mom I realized that many of my issues are common to member of my family. So, I am attempting to buck a trend. To do so, I try to think to keep life peaceful and avoid conflict. One of the things I try to avoid is thinking people evil. I just try to realize that I don't see the world from their perspective. Try to picture them as butterflies. How could butterflies be evil?

Catch Phrase The only superstition I believe in was by Stevie Wonder. Dictionary I added a new word to my personal dictionary. The word is labotomy. No, I didn't misspell lobotomy. Check out the definition of it as well as a couple of my other favorite original words. Labotomy- Forcing yourself to work in a noisy computer lab. Stupicide - Doing something stupid that causes your own failure. Nostradumbass - Someone who makes idiotic predictions. The List Hey, here is a new idea. Think about the last time you got into one of these good ole fashion knock down drag out blog battles, you know, the good ones where everybody gets involved. Your assignment? Please make a list of all the benefits you gained from participating. This would be a good subject for a blog, but possibly your list will be too long and require a series of blogs.

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Yea, this blog has some funky thoughts in it. If any damage should occur from reading this blog, the blog writer should be considered completely irresponsible.

Take Care,
 Steve

I'm Sorry You Choose To Believe That

Yes, there is always drama on here, which typically turns me away from myspace. How to handle it?

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Defending Yourself I don't understand the concept of defending yourself by trying to one up someone with drama. Why do people do this? Do they really expect this to work? Profanity My grandfather always said that using profanity shows a lack of intelligence. After all, you cannot find a more descriptive phrase? Your vocabulary is so limited that you must resort to appearing trashy? Insults If someone tells a lie, why would you care? I love when people use the phrase "you are a .....". It is so hilarious. Someone actually thinks that they no more about you than you do. Even if they did, why in the world do they thing you would value their opinion? It baffles me, but I do see humor in it. The phrase "you are a stupid idiot" really tickles me. Every time I hear it I think, hmmm, is there another type of idiot to be. Perhaps I am a highly intelligent idiot. After all, this person hasn't given me any type of intelligence test. Information People engaged in this drama are constantly trying to discover information about the other person. They do this by attempting to get the other person to respond. They do this so that they can make up a lie based upon the truth. Yes, this is very common. Justification You have a very good reason to be involved in the drama. The other person has a very good reason to be involved in the drama. Yea, you will make up a reason from the information and just go with it. It is human nature. You will prompt the other person to give you reasons by using our old friend the insult. You don't believe me? Review what you have said or did. You are looking for excuses to justify your actions. How to respond? Believe it or not, there are ways to respond with playing the childish one up insult game. You can choose to be confrontational or you can simply choose to move past it. There are numerous ways to do this. Some of the goodies are listed below. I am sorry you feel that way. (This is one of my favorites.) I am sorry you choose to believe that. (Yes, this is a bit more confrontational, but it is still good.) That is an creative way to view it. (This should be used in place of you are a nut job.) Well bless your heart. (An oldie, but a goodie.) God bless you. (Now, this may come of sounding condescending. If it did, you said it right. ) Okay, maybe the last one is wrong, but it is entertaining. Remember, I provide exceptions for humor.

Apathy There is a saying that I have heard: "Apathy is rampant, but who cares"? Yes, I kind of like it. Block User It is so simple, but seems so hard for some people to do. You want to one up someone. You think that you are fighting back, being strong. It takes much more strength and self control to just "Block User". ' Reruns Have you ever noticed that the same people always get caught up in drama? Yea, I often picture it as reruns. They react in similar ways, expect different results, and then do the same thing all over again. If you are going to do that, you must really enjoy it. Manipulation Believe it or not, the drama involves you being manipulated and someone trying to manipulate you. The more you respond and become upset, the more the other person realizes they are "winning", although there is really no winner. Guilt Another thing that is used is guilt. People use their actions to prompt you to react in a way you would not ordinarily react. Yes, this produces justification, but it also can be used to produce guilt in you, and this is very intentional.

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Okay, so now I have had a good ole fashioned ranting blog. Hopefully someone of it is useful to somebody somewhere somehow.

Take Care,
 Steve

Jesus Iron

Hopefully I am seeing some of the humor in the world these days, but you can't ignore the idiots that tend to be flaming in the news. Keep in mind that I make a conscious effort to not look very deeply into any of the stories, at least not the depressing ones.

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Jesus Iron A woman found Jesus on the bottom of her iron. As amazing as that might seem, how does she know it is Jesus? How many long haired dudes with beards have there been in history? Why hasn't Jesus gotten a hair cut over the years? Could the image of that Oak Ridge Boy be showing up on Irons and why? Ooooooh, spooky!!! Scooby versus Unsanitary Lady The other day Scooby and I were out walking and he strayed onto someones patio/walkway in front of their apartment. I pulled with this leash but he didn't come quickly because he had wrapped it around a poll. Suddenly a lady pokes her head out and says to keep my dog off her patio. Okay, fine. Then she says that that is unsanitary. I respond, what is unsanitary. She said my dog peeing on a bush was unsanitary and that she was going to report it. I said fine, but as always you think of what you should have said later. Sorry lady, but I didn't know you intended to eat that bush. Yea, the apartment complex called me up and I told them I knew the nut job which complained. After looking back, I don't believe Scooby was peeing on the bush. He was actually just giving his opinion of the lady. FireVox I have been playing around with a text to speech add on for Firefox call FireVox. It is kind of cool, but the default voice sounds like the Sweedish chef from the muppets. They have better quality voices available for $2 a month. No, I am not willing to pay that.

Bin Laden Drop I am reading where we had Bin Laden within our grasp back in December of 2001. I really hope this was not the case, but it does point out what I was saying in a previous blog. When at war, you need to commit to finishing things quickly and allow the military to do their job. Tiger Woods Gets Boo Boo I have tried and tried, but I just don't care. I am not sure why the press is all excited about it. Was the accident caused by an affair? I still don't care. Why would I care? Guy that hits ball with stick gets in trouble with wife. Film at 11:00. Whoopie. Wacko Kills Four Police And the question is, who is the person you would least like to be these days? Fortunately the guy will likely soon be removed from the gene pool.

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Yea, this one is pretty short, but I have a new topic in my head, so I needed to clear the slate:)

Take Care,
 Steve

Patriarch

I am a venerable old man, at least according to Websters. Yes, it is a new roll that I am not sure how to handle, but we will do it just like everything else, one day at a time.

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Training When I look back at all I have been through the last 3.5 years, I am beginning to think there was a reason for these trials. What was the reason? Well, I guess it was time for me to grow up. All of the family counseling, psychological training, and philosophy had to be for something. I think this may be it. Family Family was always the most important thing for my father. I realized this at an early age because of our Christmas ritual. After eating Christmas lunch at my grandparents, we would get in the car and spend the rest of the day and long into the night visiting anyone that was remotely related to us. It was pure torture being a kid with new toys to play with, but no time to do it. I can see now why Pop did this. Toys weren't what was important, family is. Duty Patriarch sounds like a pretty cool thing. It sounds somehow Greek, classy, and wise. It sounds like you have won some kind of title and everyone should listen to you, after all, you are the Patriarch. That couldn't be further from the truth. When he became the patriarch of the family, at times the pressure seemed too much for Pop. He took it upon himself to ensure everything was fixed and everyone was cared for. While this seems wonderful, it is also wrong. You do what you can and don't assign undue pressure on yourself. I wish Pop could have learned this. In reality, being the Patriarch is a duty, a duty to put family first, which is basically what I have been doing for years by attempting to follow the results of family counseling as close as possible. And that is the important point here. You don't assume that if everything doesn't go perfect, you failed. You only fail if you quit, which is something I will never do. Honor These days I think of myself and family as the same thing. Being a member of a family is both an honor and a duty. Yes, you should be proud of your family, as I am of mine. You should honor your family and respect the differing views within it. You should also cherish and protect the values that bind your family together, which is what makes being a member of the family such an honor. Legacy Like Will Rogers, we would all like to be remembered fondly. Yes, someday, we will all reach the end of our journey and the only thing we will have left is how we are remembered. This is part of why charity, maintaining the family, and putting others first is so important. It is why I studied so hard and it is what drives my actions these days. I don't know how long i will be here, but I will be remembered fondly.

Oregon Trail My boss mentioned getting me to come to Oregon for three months. I thought he was kidding. Earlier this week he said he is having trouble making it happen. I should hope so. Can you imagine leaving your apartment and things for 3 months straight? He did say he would pay for Scooby to come too. Bills One of the things about getting older is that you have more money reserves and are betting handling the money that you do have. The money you have is not yours. It is the families. I didn't view it until I realized how much I am inheriting. How can you not think that inheritance is a way for the family to improve itself. Wise Just because you are older, doesn't mean you are smarter or always know what is best. Being older means that you are more experienced. If you are smart enough to realize you don't know everything, then you are truly wise. Auburn Unfortunately my Auburn Tigers lost the Iron Bowl, 21-26. But Alabama was the number 2 team in the nation. Auburn had a completely new staff and a severe lack of players. The players played their hearts out and I am very pleased

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Take Care,
 Steve

Joining the World

Joining the World
Through the use of twitter I have become more in touch with what is going on in the world. Whether that is a good or a bad thing remains to be seen, but I like the short twitter messages that give you an idea of what is going on without getting into a lot of detail. That way if the topic is depressing, I can simply avoid it. It is enough to know that 16 Umpa Lumpas were killed in a chocolate factory explosion without getting into all of the details, or perhaps it is just me.

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Investing If I had one thing to do differently in life, I would have started investing like I am now back when I graduated college. I find joy in seeing how things do every day and it is nice to see the dividends roll in each month. No, it isn't a lot of money yet, although I have made a couple of thousand this year when you include in the stock trades. It is more the effects of compounding and how much I can make in the future by simply letting my money work for me, which I consider exciting. I recommend Charles Schwab. I feel safe doing my investing through them. Giving It is ironic that I will end up giving more this year than I made off my investments. What is the point in making the money if you are going to just give it away? The point is making the money so that you can give it away. Being able to make a different in people's lives is one of the most amazing gifts anyone can receive and I feel blessed. Don't give until it hurts. Give until if feels good. Another aspect of giving is what we are doing in the Middle East. I do not believe we should be bringing democracy to the region. It is kind of like a government program to give free tacos to every American. There are going to be some Americans that don't like Mexican food and  are pissed off you are wasting all that money on tacos. Give the people of these countries a chance to decide for themselves as long as they have a government that will respect the rest of the world community. War, What is it Good For? President Obama is apparently going to give a speech next week outlining why we must win the war in Afghanistan. At the same time I see a tweet where 18 Al Queda where captured in Iran. I hate to see how this has been so drawn out. We haven't approached war correctly since the first Bush. The politicians need to tell the military what they want done, give them the resources to do it, and then shut up and get out of the way. I have seen estimates where we will be in Afghanistan another nine years. Are we winning the war? One of the things we have to ask ourselves is if the war on terrorism has been successful. Since this is a war on terrorism and not on an individual group, it is hard to quantify. The best I think we can do is look at how the war has effected specific terrorist groups. That is when I turn to the world leader in news, Wikipedia. You can check out when stuff happened and what happened and get an idea how things are going. I will leave the judgments up to you. Exit Strategy You must have an exit strategy? Why? We still have troops in South Korea. We shouldn't be sending the message that we are unwilling to do whatever it takes. The message getting out should be that if we cannot stabilize the region, we may be there indefinitely. Why? Because saying that we have a time table encourages the terrorists to keep up what they are doing. The terrorists should be getting the impression that we have unlimited resources and that what they are doing is fruitless. Thanksgiving Resolution People are always making New Years resolutions and they typically fail, so I figured we should buck the trend and come up with Thanksgiving resolutions. Yea, it sounds crazy, but it may just be crazy enough to work. A mind may be a terrible thing to waste, but a waist isn't a terrible thing to mind. After I suck down lard portions of Thanksgiving goodies, I am going to concentrate on my health and improving it.

Life It is almost as if life is a yin-yang thing. You have to throw in enough yang to compensate for the yin. Clean Energy The Obama administration seems to be taking some steps to combat pollution. Now, I don't believe we need to save the planet. The planet will be just fine no matter what we do. It would be nice to save ourselves, though. Not only will clean energy help the environment, over the long haul it can reduce the cost of energy. China I listen to CNBC a lot and just heard an example of one of the things that has bothered me for a long time. A guy was describing how it is much better to invest in companies in China partially due to labor cost, but also due to lower taxes. Why are jobs going overseas? Because that is where the money is, including some of mine. Let the Punishment Fit the Crime Some Navy Seals are accused of punching a guy arrested for killing and mutilating some civilian contractors. They should each be required to receive a check for $10,000 and a promotion. Coke Bottle Shape I saw a show on Coca-cola the other day. During the show they mentioned that the shape of old coke bottles is patented and that they are going to start making 2 liter bottles shaped like that. I thought this was pretty cool. Party Crashers Apparently some less than reputable people crashed Obama's first White House state dinner. Incredible. These people are trying to get on a reality TV show, while ironically many people like this are far from reality.

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Enjoy the holidays. I know I will.

Take Care,
 Steve

Holiday Movies

Instant Topic
As soon as I posted my last blog I realized I had left off something that I love about the holiday season, which is the movies. I love them. I can't get enough. I own severral on VHS and really need to get the DVDs.

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It's a Wonderful Life This has long been one of my Christmas favorites. I think we can all appreciate George Bailey and the pressure that he is under. Yes, many people get the holiday blues. It is understandable because everyone wishes they could do more for the holidays than they are capable. This movie clearly shows what is really important and is a good check to get your priorities in order. Jimmy Stewart has a very memorable moment. Christmas Vacation I simply love this movie. No, it isn't serious. Yes, there are some messages in it. But mainly I just love it because it is so light hearted. There is even a religious side to the movie if you listen carefully. A Christmas Story This movie captures the feelings of a kid anticipating Christmas better than any other movie I know. This is what I grew up with. This movie also contains one of the coolest beans insults you will hear. Plains, Trains, & Automobiles Yes, this one is about a guy trying to get home for Thanksgiving, but it has that same Christmas message. This is a movie that continues to grow on me. This movie had one of the most unique bonding moments in movie history. Miracle on 34th Street This one is a movie that I really didn't get into at first, but the more I watch it, the more I love it. The guy that plays Santa Claus is my picture of the ideal Santa Claus. This movie contained a wonderful message regarding faith. Now, this clip is a bit different. You can find a radio version of the entire thing free here. A Christmas Carol There are numerous versions of this story and I like them all. No, I don't consider this as good as I once did, but it is still a must see at Christmas. You can find an audio version of it here. The Santa Claus Out of the recent Christmas movies, this is probably the closest thing to becoming a classic that I have seen. I didn't really care for the sequels that much, but the first one is very entertaining.

Quarterback Punch I just heard on ESPN that a Notre Dame "fan" punched their QB, Jimmy Clausen, in the face. Man, I love college football and the kids that play it, but some fans seem to take stupidity to a different level. Feedback I am starting to get the blogging itch again, as if you hadn't noticed. As usual, I tend to just blog about whatever happens to be on my mind. Any feedback on what you like or dislike would be appreciated. Milk Executions China has executed two people associated with the tainted milk scandal. Yes, they were killed for selling tainted milk that lead to the death of some babies. Star Trek I am a Star Trek fan. Often I find parables in Star Trek episodes that correspond with real life events, which I find interesting. I also admire the actor's ability to say some of the things with a straight face. Is there something other than a level 3 diagnostic? How can you talk intelligently about clever engineering solutions to problems when you have no idea what you are talking about. Hey, what if we rotate the shield harmonics, re-calibrate the photon torpedoes, and put on side two of Led Zepplin IV? It just might work. What's In a Name? The name you choose for your kid can make or break their career. Is it fair? No. Is it reality? Yes, I find it very likely. Check out this story.

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Enjoy the holidays. I know I will.

Take Care,
 Steve

Thanksgiving Weekend Activities

Another Topic
Well, I appear to be on a roll as topics go. This makes the second blog in a row that I actually have a topic. Not bad. Okay, I stray from the topic considerably, but it is a topic still.

Christmas Shopping I have big plans for shopping this year. I am heading to Amazon and will click my way through my Christmas shopping. I am so excited. No crowded parking lots for me:) The Iron Bowl On Friday at 2:30 eastern time comes my favorite even of the year, the Iron Bowl. It is a football game between Auburn and Alabama, also known as the evil empire. I can't wait. I am an Auburn fan and we are big time underdogs, but I do enjoy watching that game. High Speed Rail One of the choices the United States made was to go with an interstate system rather than a railway system. This was a decision made during the Eisenhower administration. It is a decision that will become more apparent in the near future. One of the joys in traveling to England was that you could get around everywhere with their rail system. China is investing in a huge high speed rail system, which will effectively reduce the size of their country. With trains traveling at over 200 miles per hour, it will change their world. You my have heard that Warren Buffet made a huge acquisition of a railroad not to long ago. Some of the reasons that he mentioned was that because shipping by rail is much more efficient, environmentally friendly, and cost effective. This may seem against American culture, but it makes a lot of sense. Think about it. When you travel by car you are taking a couple of tons of metal with you. How efficient can that be? Additionally, you have to start and stop this big piece of metal. This isn't very efficient at all and much more time consuming. I believe that Buffet has anticipated one of the biggest changes that we will see in our lifetime, the advent of high speed rail in the United States. Imagine that you live in some small town with a rail line that through. You jump on a commuter train to the nearest big city. Suddenly you have high speed rail available that will get you to other big cities while traveling at over 200 miles per hour. Imagine the change this will make to our world. In many cases traveling by train will be quicker than traveling by air. Sure, planes travel at around 500 miles per hour, but how much time do you spend in the airport? Our world will truly change.

Odd Spelling I ran across a word with two Vs in a row. I never thought about it before, but how rare is that? Can anyone name a word with two Vs in a row? I will include the word I found at the bottom of this column. Think about it though. Walking the Puppy Yes, it is a bit chilly these days, but I am looking forward to walking the puppy over the long weekend. We both enjoy it and can use the exercise. Blog Format So, what do you think of the new blog format. I kind of like it. It gives it a newspaper type feel and is different than most. Legal Crap Yes, I am still dealing with legal issues related to the passing of Pop. I am the executor of the will and trying to see that his wishes are carried out. If you are the executor of someone's will, don't be. It is one of the most heart wrenching experiences I have ever been through. What's the Word? The word is savvy. Yes, once you see it, it seems obvious. It just never really occurred to me.

And the planning continues....

Take Care,
 Steve

Preparing for Thanksgiving

Topic
Yes, unlike most of my recent blogs I actually have a topic for this one. Go figure. I am trying to get ready for Thanksgiving and want to think through what I should be thankful for.

Loss I have experienced a lot of loss the last 3 or 4 years, and I feel it should be acknowledged, although being thankful is hardly the word for it. The loss of my wife and kids. The passing of my uncle, Freddie. The passing of my father-in-law, John. The passing of my cousin, Robbie. The passing of my father, Willis (aka Pop). These people were all important to me and I think it important to be thankful for the time that we had. Health Yes, I still have my health. I have my ups and downs. I can't do a lot of what I use to be able to do, but as opposed to the alternative, I am very thankful to still be around. Travel Unfortunately I am unable to travel these days, especially on a tight schedule. Because of this I will again get the chance to spend Thanksgiving alone. I am not up for a trip across town, much less an 8 hour drive. But there is thanks to be given here, too. Although I have had to take an enormous amount of time off to handle family issues this year, my boss has told me to take off as much time as I need for Christmas, so I should be able to get home for Christmas. Ironically enough, it is only when I have to get there in one day that I have trouble. If I have two days, I never seem to have trouble. It must be some kind of mental pressure thing, I suppose. Audio The strange sound project has advanced to a point I never thought it would achieve. I have over 14,000 files in my sound library including most of the top songs from the 50s, 60s, and 70s. I also have a pretty extensive collection of old radio shows. I also have the odd TV show and movie clips, and the odd theme songs. An odd thought struck me the other day. What if I search my sound library for anything related to the holidays? Suddenly I am listening to a lot of holiday related material, including a radio performance of Miracle on 34th Street. For all of this, I am very thankful.

Eating One of the things that is different this year is I actually can afford to do Thanksgiving as I wish, so I can blow some bucks on a proper meal. What does that mean? It means I may have the barbeque place cook me a turkey. Woo hoo!!! Throw in some nukem dressing, mashed potatoes, and the like and I should be set. Add cans of green beans as required. I may even get a sugar coma causing pecan pie. Scooby In actuality I really am not alone for Thanksgiving. Scooby the Wonder Pup will be here and I must consider something special for him for Thanksgiving. Perhaps that will help with the what to do with the extra turkey issue. Pop/Security Because of Pop's hard work and generosity, I no longer have to worry so much about money or a place to live. I now own a home outright in Alabama. I do wish he had enjoyed more of what he earned through his hard work, but I am thankful for all that he has done for me and the family. Love you, Pop. Mom She is the rock that keeps me going. If I had heeded her warnings years ago I would have never gone through the turmoil of the last 3 years. She is wise and I learn more and more each day to appreciate her. Love you, Mom. Baby Brother (aka Warren, aka Daddy Pop) No, he is no baby and he is the father of a couple of my nieces. He amazes me at times by his willingness to give even when he has so little. Love you, Baby Brother.

Well, I am rambling a bit, but I have also got some holiday spirit going on, so I consider this blog a success. I don't know that there is anything here that would interest anyone, but I hope it is an example of looking for the good.

Take Care,
Steve

Gas Powered Puppy

The Holiday Spirit
This year has been different. About a week ago I found myself with the holiday spirit. First the company I worked for had a United Way drive and I signed up for regular payroll deductions. Man, that felt good. I have been very focused on saving money and trying to figure out some way to pay the bills. My responsibilities have increased since the passing of my father and I am the patriarch of the family. I feel a responsibility to make sure everyone is okay, but this was different. I was able to give for the sake of giving and I love it.

Also, I got a call the other day. Usually I don't do phone solicitors. I pretty much ignore them, but this one was special. It was for the Shrine. My father was a member and I do believe the Shrine and helping kids was the biggest joy he had the last few years of his life. Yes, I paid out the butt. The solicitor even got their supervisor on the phone for the contribution and they got someone to call me on how to transfer the money. Yes, a lot of kids are going to the circus because of me, but it really isn't me. It is my father and I know it is what he would have wanted, but it feels so good.

Rock & Roll Fame?
I don't know about you, but the picture to the right gives me the impression that fame isn't what it is cracked up to be. For those of you who are musically challenged, those are the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Sure, I guess the middle guys look happy enough and the guy on top seems to be having a ball, but the guy on the bottom doesn't appear to be a happy camper.

There is life on other planets
For a long time I have known there is life on other planets. There isn't a doubt in my mind, but if is kind of difficult to express why until you understand how truly tiny the earth is. I am also certain there is life on other planets within our own galaxy. Yes, even in terms of our own galaxy, the earth is just a speck of dust.

Now, how can I be so certain? It basically comes down to being able to understand how far a light year is. Yes, I mean far. A light year is a distance, not a period of time. A light year is the distance light travels in a year.

To get an idea of the size we are talking about it is more covenant to me to convert light years into time. I do so by thinking of it this way. Suppose you had a space ship that could travel at the speed of light. If this is the case then every time someone mentions a number of light years they are telling you the number of years it would take you to go to something in your space ship traveling at the speed of light.

Unfortunately these incredible distances are also why it is highly unlikely we will actually ever meet someone from another planet.

Gas Powered Puppy
For a long time now I have noticed that occasionally Scooby would jump up and run as if someone had kicked him. I wondered if he might have some parasite biting him, but could find nothing. I finally figured it out when I noticed that each time he does this right after he passes gas. Apparently it scares the crap out of him. Go figure.

Take Care,
 Steve

Ish Kabibble

Strange Love Song
Now, this truly unusual.

Thank You
Thanks to all the kind people that left well wishes on my birthday. I feel very isolated where I am. After the loss of my family, it is pretty much just me and Scooby. Mom and baby brother were kind enough to send their best regards also. It turned into a pretty good day. I went and found me a very small birthday cake, about the size of two slices, and everything worked out wonderfully.

Don't Tear Up
I ran across a wonderful site that was put together by a father for a son that he lost too early. I am not sure if you want to visit it, but I found it very inspirational. The love of family is so important to me these days, it is forever in my thoughts. Cherishing the good memories and always looking forward to make new ones is a good way to go through life. Somehow the passing of my father made me realize how much I have to loose. This is a lonely world. I have my mother and brother, but for how long, who knows? That is the message I get from this site. After seeing all the hard work this father put into this, please go by and leave a comment in the guest book.

Knowledge
One of the really cool things about the net is that it is basically an on line library. It really doesn't matter what the subject. You can pretty much go find the answer to just about anything in the vast webosphere. That is basically where I come up with a lot of my ideas these days. I read a lot, mainly blogs and news. But when I hear something and don't know about it, I now go out an search, which is where this blog got it's title. I find the ability to go find out about any information, no matter how trivial, fascinating.

Ish Kabibble
I was listening to a episode of M*A*S*H and heard Hawkeye say the following:

"Who should we drink to, MacArthur or Ish Kabibble?"

Who cares? Well, I guess that would be me. Yea, the comment was funny, but I didn't have a clue who Ish Kabibble was. Off to the world wide web and Ish Kabibble is revealed. Apparently the guy was a comedian. Ish Kabibble wasn't his given name. He changed it from Merwyn Bogue. Yea, you thought Ish Kabibble sounded like a bad name. Now I understand why he changed it.

Organic
If something is organic, it must be good for you. After all, it doesn't have any of these evil toxins. It isn't genetically engineered. How could it not be good for you. Every time I go into the grocery store and marvel in wonder at the products that are organic, and generally cost 50% more. If I wanted to go the organic route, I could do it.

Why don't I? Well, my dog's poop is organic and free. Wow, what a deal. But I don't think I want to eat it. Not to mention there are plenty of organic things that will kill you. How about some organic hemlock? Mmmm, sound tasty? Fads just tickle the crap out of me.

Walking Home From School
I read part of a story about police finding the body of a seven year old girl down in Florida. Apparently she was abducted while walking the mile home from school. Listen up parents!!! If your kid is 7 they have absolutely no business walking home from school without an adult present!!!! Yes, there is blame to go around here. I feel for the parents, but there are some things that should not be allowed. Heck, maybe there needs to be a law making it illegal to leave kids under 15 unattended.

Flying Troubles
Well, I use to fly regularly and never thought too much about it. You kind of put your safety in the hands of highly trained pilots. Learning that some boneheaded pilots lost track of what they were doing while working on their laptops during a flight, maybe I should be more concerned.

Take Care,
 Steve

Schmenglish

Billionaire Thief
I don't like theifs, but there is a warm special feeling I get in my heart when a billionaire gets caught stealing. You could have spent the rest of your life enjoying your fortune or you could end up biting a pillow in prison. What a unique choice you've made.

News
In an article about the was in Pakistan, it mentions Britain's Chief of Defense Staff, Sir Jock Stirrup. I wonder if Jock realizes how luck he is that his last name is Stirrup, rather than Strap.

No Soup For You
As many of you know, I am very into psychology. But many of you don't realize that I get a lot of my thoughts from Seinfeld. It occurs to me that Seinfeld has provided us with the way to put an end to arguments. If you don't want an argument to continue, forget about all my other advise. Just start saying "no soup for you" until the other person gives up. There is no known response that will override this statement. In case they don't feel you are sincere, throw in one of these occasionally. Repeat as necessary.

Schmenglish
Schmust schmemove schmall schme schmonsanants schmefore schne schmirst schmowel schmand schmadd schm schmo schme scmhart schmof schme schmord. Schmi schmalways schmanted schmo schmeate schmy schmown schmanguage.

Extra Credit
If you are able to decipher the previous topic, you get 10 points extra on you final grade.

Mason Dixon LIne
You have heard of the Mason Dixon Line. Have you heard of where it came from?

Throwing Underwear
Okay, apparently women like to throw their bras at Adam Lambert. Now, I don't get this. What would happen if I tossed my boxers at Dolly Parton? Do skid marks make it illegal?

Polish/Afghan Racing
Sometimes it pays to not read too much of a story. Apparently the Afghan President and citizens are going to race some people from Poland. No, don't read the news. Let me interpret it for you.

(Stuff)MyDadSays
The profane philosopher managed a clean quote that makes a lot of sense. By the way, this guy has over half a million followerrs. Man, that is powerful.

"You sure do like to tailgate people... Right, because it's real important you show up to the nothing you have to do on time."

Profanity
You may wonder why I edit out profanity, although I occasionally use it on here. It is simple. It is only appropriate to use profanity when I think it is funny. Check with me before posting any profanity. And there is another reason. There is a lot of trash on the net. I would prefer not to contribute to it.

RSS Made Easy
One of the reasons I am more into news and blogs these days is because of RSS. Recently I blogged a bit about it, but I ran across a little video that explains it better than I ever could. Check it out.

Take Care,
 Steve