Bad News For The Diamond Cartel

Gem-quality diamonds are being manufactured right here in Florida.

"The diamonds are flawless and can fool even the most expert of gemologists."

Contrary to popular opinion, diamonds are not rare. While there are about 60 or so companies mining diamonds, De Beers is by far the largest and the only one you've heard of.

Diamond prices are kept elevated by hording the diamond rough and tightly controlling the industry, along with years of very effective advertising. For insight into the diamond industry, read The Diamond Invention by Edward Jay Epstein.

It's hard to say how much these new created diamonds will effect the price of natural diamonds but you can be sure there will be those who will pass them off as high quality natural diamonds.

"The sudden appearance of multi-carat, gem-quality synthetics has sent the DeBeers diamond cartel scrambling. Several years ago, it set up what it calls the Gem Defensive Program – a campaign to warn jewelers and the public about the arrival of manufactured diamonds. At no charge, the company is supplying gem labs with sophisticated machines designed to help distinguish man-made from mined stones."

Created colored stones have been around awhile and are big business these days. They are beautiful and make gorgeous jewelry but high quality natural stones maintain value in spite of this. Natural colored stones have inclusions which can but don't necessarily detract value. These inclusions can have a beauty all their own, they tell a story, like looking back in time to the formation of the stone (even if you can't see them by eye). People are more willing to pay for the natural stone because of this. The beautiful, flawless created stone is too beautiful for it's own good (some manufacturers are creating colored stones with inclusions to further confuse you).

Inclusions in diamonds always detract value and are just plain ugly. Will the diamond industry be able to convince people to pay more for a mined diamond when they can get a more perfect but created diamond for less? Time will tell.

Xp and Verizon DSL

I was searching through some Windows XP tip sites and ran across an article that claims: Win-XP kills Verizon DSL. If I had Verizon DSL (Kat) I would check this setting he talks about to be on the safe side. It may keep it from happening again.

Smiley Face

James was looking out the back door for the moon, but it was cloudy. Suddenly, he shouts, "Hey, a smiley face!" I looked to see what he was talking about and sure enough, there was a cloud in the shape of a smiley face. That took me by surprise, I didn't expect him to recognize shapes in the clouds yet, but what do I know. A little later he said the wind blew it away and he blew with his mouth. He's funny.

Europe Moving Away From It's Christian Roots

The Pope says: Europe Suffering Values Crisis

You can't deny, that in these times of ours, Europe is going through a crisis in values, and it is important that it recovers its true identity,"

You needn't worry, it will.

Don't Leave Your Kids In The Car

How many times do we have to read about children left in a car to die? What is the problem? How do you forget your kid? Why is this happening so often? Anyone who does that needs to be strapped in their car and left to die.

Reinstalled Windows XP

Since my hard drives death was imminent I bought a new one and installed it. The old one was about 10 gigs and the receipt said I bought it in 1999. I had forgotten that I reused the old hard drive when I built my computer. The new one is a Hitachi (IBM) 120 gig drive with 8 meg cache. (Which, BTW, cost less than the 10 gig drive in 1999) I dreaded reinstalling Windows because the first time had been hell. It took a few false starts and finally over 12 hours to install. I just went to bed and let it run to see if it would actually install. It never did work all that well either. Fast user switching would crash it every time and there were other little problems, not enough to say something is wrong with the computer but just enought to say Windows XP is really not that great. I had an early release of it meant for resellers and I just guessed that was the problem.

I installed the new hard drive and put in the Windows cd. It installed in about an hour or less. Amazing. It worked like I had never seen it before. It was unbelievable. Everything works like a charm, including fast user switching. There is only one small thing I want desperately to fix. When I sign in, the taskbar is slightly taller than it normally is, the icons in the taskbar are larger, and instead of just the time on the far right side it shows the time with the day under it. I can make it larger but it won't go any smaller. When Irma signs in the taskbar is completely normal. This is the way it was when first installed, I did not touch any settings. I haven't been able to figure it out but I'll keep looking on the web for an answer. Anyway, the computer is faster and better than ever. It did take a while to download the 40 megs of updates though. And my favorite programs.

I also can't remember how to change the double click to single click. I don't remember it being such a big deal previously, I think it was an easy thing to do, I just can't find the setting. I bought Disk Image 2002 so I can make an image of the drive and not have to go through all this again. It still amazes me that it works so well now after changing only the hard drive. Maybe Windows didn't like my other drive, I don't think it was bad when I first installed it. I installed Linux on it with no problem at all and it worked OK with XP for quite awhile, I just didn't know how much better it could have been.

Janet Reno?

We went to Sams Club today to pick up a few things and over by the meat area Irma pointed out a lady and told me it was Janet Reno. Yes, she was serious. "Irma, that is not Janet Reno!" Yes. "No, it isn't. No way." Two isles over she remembered it was the accountant of a previous employer.

That reminds me of the time (still in high school) I was with a friend (Jim) in his boat on the Tom's River in New Jersey. We were actually very near downtown Tom's River and he yells, all excited, "Look, a gorilla!" He's pointing at the docks. I didn't see a gorilla, but he was dead serious. When we got closer it turned out to be an old black guy fishing off the docks. That was funny.

Jim and I had a lot of laughs in those days. I was riding around with him and we decided to go to the Twin Lights in the Highlands. It was dark and they were closed but we were just driving around. We were in the area but didn't know the exact road. He turned left and we went up this super narrow, winding road way up the mountain. It was like a one way road and it kept going up and twisting and turning and he turned into someones driveway accidently. I couldn't stop laughing, it was so funny. He backed up and started driving again and a police car put it's lights on and stopped us. I was still laughing and the more I tried to be serious the more I would laugh. He got a ticket for making an illegal left turn. You can't make a left in NJ, you have to make three rights.

One time we went into Manhattan and drove around. He made a turn on 6th Ave and all these headlights were coming at us, we were going the wrong way. He backed up and around the corner and backed into a mailbox. That wasn't so funny, but we laughed anyway. We drove into Kearny, NJ and stopped at a Diner (I think it was Arlington actually) and ate and decided what we were going to do. The dent was small but obvious. I'm not going to say what we did, let's just say it wasn't legal. It got the dent fixed though.

It's been a long time since I've seen Jim but he's the kind of friend you just pick up where you left off when you meet again. Just continue the conversation.

Everything Comes and Goes in Cycles

Here's a commentary on the heat wave and related items. Deadly Heat Wave Strikes Europe!

It's Not A Choice

Older women urged to become lesbians. This is wrong on so many levels.

Homeless, Please Help

$750 to 900 a week swinging a sign. Tax free. Nice.

Would Anyone Shoot An Unarmed Man?

It's shark week on the Discovery channel (as if you didn't know). There was a guy on tonight who feeds sharks by hand while snorkeling, no cage. They showed him get bit twice, once on the leg by a black tip and he got his finger nipped by a mako because he held on to the fish too long. The mako is one of the most dangerous sharks and shows no fear of man. This guy (I don't know his name) took a couple of people along to film his encounter with the mako. It was huge, he said about 500 pounds, and they got into trouble when they were down to the last fish to feed it. The shark started going after them, they had to control their fear and fend off the shark to make it back to the boat. It kept going for their legs, to incapacitate them, like they would bite the tail off a swordfish or tuna. He said the shark was just behaving naturally, turned on by the food, and wasn't looking for a fight. They eat whatever swims in the ocean and can't defend itself. If it thinks it will get hurt it will back off. (Shark week gets crazier every year, makes you wonder what they will show next year.)

Japan is debating going nuclear. This was previously unheard of.

"People are clearly waking up to the idea," lawmaker Shingo Nishimura says of the new willingness to debate the issue. "They feel something is wrong with Japan."

It would be so wonderful if not taking up arms were the answer. I understand why the people of Japan are so against nuclear weapons. I've been to Hiroshima and I've seen what they preserved of that day and I've admired the beautiful city it is now.

Predators look for easy prey. They attack the weak, the unaware, the naive, the old, and the young. It doesn't matter if the predator is an animal or human, they go for the easy targets and they don't want to get hurt in the process. If you are strong and able to defend youself they tend to leave you alone, although misjudgements have been known to occur.

Japan will end up having to defend itself, it can no longer rely solely on the United States for protection. It's not in their best interest. North Korea is too close, too unpredictable, and has been a long time enemy. An unarmed, peace loving Japan is not safe from attack by North Korea. Unfortunately.

Lightning Does Kill Cows

There is so much lightning in Florida and I never hear about cattle being hit by it. (It hits people often enough though.) This happened in Virginia: Nine cows killed by lightning strike

I Wish I were There To See It

Her dog died and she wanted to send it back home by plane for burial. The airline workers at the receiving end thought the dog died in transit so they replaced it with an exact duplicate, hoping no one would notice. When she went to pick it up ... Woof!

"An airport spokesman told the paper: "No-one would have noticed the difference, except that her dog was dead and the new one was alive. I don't think she would ever have noticed. It was quite a surprise for her. When she spoke she didn't make any sense."

I almost don't believe this story. How could anyone think the dogs owner wouldn't notice just because it looked the same, what about the dogs personality? Maybe the Three Stooges are still alive.

Crazy Kid Drivers

First it's senior citizens, now this.

Two-year-old toy car driver kills pensioner. Toy car?

Boy, 3, crashes car twice in a week.

Children found riding tricycle on motorway.

Man's Best Friend

I like to hear good stories about dogs.

Dog rescues abandoned baby.

This Is Sick

In the September 2003 issue of Mens Health magazine, on page 38, there is a list of contaminants that the FDA allows in packaged foods. I looked on the FDA website but could not find a similar list, instead the information looks like it is located here and there in the myriad of documents they have.

• Canned Corn ..... 2 corn worms or larvae per case of 24 cans.
  
• Canned Mushrooms ..... 20 maggots or 75 mites per 3.5 oz can.
  
• Canned Pineapple ..... 20% rotten fruit per can.
  
• Cinnamon ..... 400 insect fragments or 11 rodent hairs per half c.
  
• Fig Bars ..... 5 insect heads per box.
  
• Ground Black Pepper ..... 475 insect fragments or 2 rodent hairs per 1/2 c.
  
• Macaroni Pasta .... 225 insect fragments or 4.5 rodent hairs per 7.5 oz uncooked.
  
• Peanut Butter ..... 30 insect fragments or 1 rodent hair per 3.5 oz.
  
• Popcorn ..... 1 pellet rodent excreta or 2 rodent hairs per lb.
  
• Potato Chips ..... 6% rotten potatoes per bag.
  
• Raisins ..... 40 mg sand or grit per 3.5 oz.
  
• Tomato Juice ..... 5 fly eggs and 1 maggot per 3.5 oz.
  

How do they figure this stuff out. Fig bars can have 5 insect heads per box? What about the rest of the insect, where did it go? What kind of insect? How do they know what's in there? Do they average the samples?

Tomato juice can have 5 fly eggs and 1 maggot per 3.5 oz? You can't strain out a maggot?

20 maggots or 75 mites in 3.5 ounces of mushrooms? There can be 20 maggots in that little can? Are they talking about the same maggots I think they are? What if there is a mix of maggots and mites? That seems like alot for 3.5 oz.

475 insect fragments or 2 rodent hairs in pepper, but 400 insect fragments or 11 rodent hairs in cinnamon? Why not make them the same? 400 is OK but 401 and you're shut down. It's someones job to count this stuff, too. I wonder how often? Only the government can make rules like these.

Totaled

Here's a good little article to read if you ever wreck your car. What to do if your car is unfairly totaled.

Needs To Be Read

I found this link at Gut Rumbles. It was so good I wanted to post it here too. It needs to be said.

Failure Immenent

My windows computer has been acting up. Sometimes it doesn't recognize the hard drive at start up. When it does it gives this message: Failure predicted on primary master. Immediately back-up your data and replace your hard drive. A failure may be imminent.

At least it's warning me first. The thing is, it's really not that old, not more than two years.

Blogger Problems

I tried to blog yesterday and kept getting errors. That happened once before, I sure wish they'd fix that.

All Wet

It rained almost all day today. Hard. I drove to Melbourne and for about 20 miles could only go 35 mph because it was raining so hard. I could hardly see the road. I only saw one car driving with their flashers on but a few had no lights on at all. That's crazy. The thought of the day is: Get Rain-X.

All In

The other day on the Discovery channel they had a show about the moon. It was fascinating. They have different theories on how the moon came to be but they tend to think it was a part of the Earth that was broken off in a collision with another planet that no longer exists or another large chunk of space rock that hit the Earth. Over and over they said if this or that were only slightly different, the Earth would not be able to support life. If the collision wasn't just right, if the moon was larger or smaller, further away or closer, if the density were different, if it revolved around the Earth faster or slower ... any changes to any of these variables (and more) would mean life could not exist on Earth. There is life on this planet only by the slimmest of margins. It gets mind boggling to hear the scientists talk about this. They know how miraculous it is, they brag about it, they're amazed themselves at each step along the way where something happening differently would mean no life on this planet.

It all reminds me of poker. It's as if the Earth is playing poker with the universe. And since the beginning, billions of years ago, the Earth has been winning hand after hand after hand and each hand is played "all in." If it loses a hand - no life. So each hand, it bets it all, and it all rides on lady luck. ... It could happen. Yeah right.

Hiroshima

I took these quotes from this article.

"Tadatoshi Akiba said Washington's apparent worship of "nuclear weapons as God" was threatening world peace."

Nuclear weapons keep America free, that's the bottom line. Nuclear weapons keep other countries from attacking us. If we destroyed all of our nuclear weapons today we would be attacked tomorrow, by the truly evil countries with nuclear weapons. Our might coupled with our good nature has kept the relative peace in the world for many years. Now that nuclear technology is becoming available to less "good natured" countries the world is becoming a more dangerous place again. The difference is, they want to use them, we don't.

Notwithstanding what our money says, America does not trust God. We trust more in our own might and our (so-called) allies. But the U.S. is not willing to keep God's commandments and doesn't want God telling us what to do, we do it our way. That requires nuclear weapons. We don't worship nuclear weapons, we just trust them more to keep us safe.


"During Wednesday's ceremony, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi reaffirmed Japan's policy banning the production, possession and transport of nuclear weapons within its borders. "Our country's stance on this will not change," Koizumi said"

After North Korea lobs a few more missles over Japan, the countries stance on nuclear weapons will change. Watch it happen. Neither the Japanese nor the Koreans have forgotten their history together, and a horrifying history it has been. On both sides.

I've been to Hiroshima and I've tolled the peace bell they have there, but all the good intentions in the world will not protect us from the very real evil that is out there. There is some more interesting discussion of Hiroshima here.

I saw a documentary last night on Korea and it said the goal of North Korea has always been and still is to reunite the north with the South. The Korean war was an attempt by Kim Jung Il's father to do just that. Now Kim Jung Il's number one goal is the same. That's funny, because all he has to do is stand down his army and welcome his southern brothers and the prosperity that will follow. The documentary was on the Discovery channel and it wasn't very good really. It made Carter and Clinton out as saviors and said Bush came along and ruined the U.S./North korean relations.

Buried MIGs

You've probably heard this already but this article has some great pictures. Check them out.

Total Recall

The California recall election is turning into a circus. Now Gary Coleman is running. And Arnold Schwarzenegger, Arianna Huffington and Gallagher (the comedian) have all announced they will seek to replace Gov. Davis. Oh, don't forget Larry Flynt.

Race?

"Veteran black activist Al Sharpton contended Wednesday that the news media are dismissive of his presidential campaign because newsrooms are overwhelmingly white."

Oh really! There are alot of reasons not to take Al Sharpton seriously. Alot of reasons, but none of them have anything to do with the color of his skin. Why not Don King for President?

Really, Do Not Call

Telemarketers are already trying to trick you to get around the Do Not Call list. What does that tell you about telemarketers? So ... If you signed up for the National Do Not Call list you should read this.

Strange Brew

US troops and Iraqis Share Taste for Israeli Beer

"A close inspection of photos from inside the Mosul villa where Qusay and Uday were shot dead by American troops last month reveals beer bottles and a candy wrapper with what looks suspiciously like Hebrew lettering. Ironically, Saddam Hussein’s sons and grandson may have spent their last hours consuming the products of the hated Zionist state. In another odd twist, the troops of the US 101st airborne division may have cracked open beer of the same Macabbee brand while laying Saddam’s heirs to siege."

I have a hard time believing American troops were drinking beer while laying siege to the house. Afterwards sure, but not on duty.

Peer Pressure

Thomas Sowell peruses the price we pay when those in power are too concerned with what their peers think.

"Some things are believed, without evidence, because such beliefs are a mark of belonging."

"Many parents wonder why they lose their children to a whole new value system," a parent once said plaintively. It is not accidental. There are not only individual pied pipers in the schools but whole nationwide educational efforts to detach children from their parents, as a way of promoting "social change."

"That the pathetically under-educated people who staff our public schools should take upon themselves the task of shaping a whole society is staggering. What is even more staggering is that the rest of us let them get away with it -- for the most part, because so few even know that it is happening."

Liberia

Going to Liberia is a big mistake. Clue: The UN wants the U.S. to go to Liberia. If the UN is so concerned with Liberia why don't they go in and do it themselves. They were itching to lead the way with Iraq. Here's their chance to show the world their leadership abilities. Let Germany and France send their troops in. How many other countries make up the UN? Send them. The UN can't do it without the U.S. leading the way? B.S. It's a trap.

Set Them Free

Proposition 54. The new law would bar the government from inquiring into a citizen's racial identity. It's about time and should be nationwide.

The United States of Iraq?

Won't It Be Wonderful, When Iraq Becomes Just like America?

Water Works

The kids and I had a water fight yesterday. I just finished mowing the lawn and the kids had been playing out in the heat. We were ready. James loved it and put his bathing suit on later to go out and do it again. Afternoon thunderstorms put a stop to that idea. The kids played together nicely today, I was impressed.

Joshua is Back!

Joshua got back last night from his month long visit with his father. James was really excited to see him. They played nicely together for a while before I left for work. Tomorrow the fighting begins. I sure hope not but those two can fight like cats and dogs.

They finally picked up the Eurovan Sunday. That was a love/hate relationship. It was a great van, room for everyone plus, easy to drive, and comfortable but expensive to fix and often required special tools. Farewell.

NASCAR Revisited

I found this on the Neal Boortz website (Nealz Nuze, July 31), no link to back it up though.

No more money for Jackson’s Rainbow-Push coalition from NASCAR.  It seems that NASCAR is fed up with Jackson’s assertions that NASCAR is the “last bastion of white supremacy.”  Good news.  The better news is that Jackson’s star is falling.  More and more people and businesses are recognizing this race warlord as the shakedown artist he is.  As Jesse’s flame glows dim look for him to be more and more desperate to regain some semblance of credibility and power.  His time is over … let’s hope it stays over.

If it's true, all I can say is: good for them.

Lightning Indicator

I was just watching the weather and some heavy storms are blowing through northern Orlando and Seminole county. The lightning indicator shows a dot, supposedly, where there is a lightning strike. In this case it showed a huge county sized blotch in the Seminole county area, which makes me wonder how accurate that technology is and what is it really showing. The dots were all the same color (color being the time indicator) so they were all very recent. Is it really possible that lightning struck every spot that is covered by the size of the dot?

Anyway, the news said there was extensive lightning in the area. I guess.

Cowboy

Here's a picture of a picture of James at the Dixie Stampede dinner show.

The Car

Irma took the day off Tuesday to go to the doctor and shop for a car. We kept coming back to the Cadillac Seville SLS I looked at Sunday. We took it for a test drive and I checked it inside and out, it looked good. Irma took one more look at a pickup she liked but admitted the Seville was a much better deal. The price was right so we bought it and took it home. So that's it, no more auto shopping!

I was thinking back on this whole thing, when I first heard about the accident I felt really bad. Irma was fine but this was the worst time to have to buy a new car. I couldn't believe the adjuster wanted to total the car. Why couldn't we just fix it? I kept teasing (half-teasing) Irma that we would have to buy a cheap POS car to replace the van. I didn't think we could ever get anything decent without taking on payments. I hate this whole process of dealing with the insurance company and buying a new car. I thought we were gonna get ripped coming and going. I didn't let it bother me too much though, I figured let God sort it out, whatever happens we'll deal with it. Then the insurance company said they would give us twice what I thought we would get, I couldn't believe it. A little sunshine! I saw the Seville less than a mile from my house a couple days later and it looked great. The price was perfect, even a little low. I researched the car on the internet to see what kind of problems to expect. Everyone that owned one seemed to be in love with it, no horror stories. I got a CarFax report and it looked good, no problems there. I went on eBay to compare prices and condition. I looked up prices for parts that might need replacing some day. I looked at a bunch of other cars too, but I was still drawn to the Seville. Tuesday we went to really inspect it. When I first started it the radio was on and it just started playing Shine On You Crazy Diamond by Pink Floyd. That's been my favorite song since I first heard it, I think I was in 7th grade, and they never play it on the radio anymore. That was wierd. Now I had to buy the car! Just kidding, that's not why we bought the car, but now that we did I like that it happened like that. So now we have a car better than we had before and a few hundred bucks more. And based on the same factors the insurance company used to price the Eurovan, if we total the Seville now we would actually make a couple thousand. But that will not happen.

The Eurovan is still sitting in the driveway. Acually we pushed it off to the side because it was in the way. I think we made it mad. When I was inspecting the damage, little plastic parts showered the ground every time I moved something in the engine compartment. I swept them up but must have missed some under the van. Irma told me to take the new car to work and after a few miles the left rear tire went flat. I pulled into a hotel next to some lights and took out the spare, which looks like it was never used. (The whole trunk looks brand new) The spare was flat. Wonderful. I called Irma to come and bring my car, I would use my spare since both are GM products. My spare didn't fit. I found 50 cents and went to a gas station to fill the spare. Imagine my surprise to find the air was free. I didn't think free air existed anymore. I changed the tire and found a piece of plastic sticking through the tread, damn Eurovan. I let Irma take her car home and I'll fix it in the morning and sweep the driveway. I hope they take the van by tomorrow. I drove my car to work and enjoyed a major lightning show on the way, just glad it wasn't raining when I was changing the tire.

Here's a picture of the poor van.

Auto Shopping

The insurance company says Irma's car is totaled so we will not be getting it repaired. I had my doubts but after taking some of the damaged sections off I saw the distributer got creamed and the valve cover is smashed, and who knows what else under that. When I heard how much they were going to pay for the car I was pleasantly surprised so all reservations are gone. And so is the Eurovan.

Now it's time to go shopping. There is not alot I hate more than buying a car. Starting with what kind. We need something that can handle 2 growing kids comfortably and safely. We don't want another van. Irma loves pickups and wants a double cab but I don't see anything big enough in our price range and it would be OK if it was only her car but it has to be the family vehicle...comfortable and roomy. The trucks she has shown me do not fit that category, not much more than a 2+2. I have a Firebird and its rear seating is roomier. I like some station wagons but none in our price range, mostly expensive European models. I've been giving a long look at a mid 90's Cadillac Seville SLS or STS, similar to this. I don't know yet, maybe something newer but less comfortable. I'm just happy to have a reliable car to get me around but given the choice I would much rather have a car I'm passionate about, something I really like. When I bought the Firebird I really wanted a Porsche 944 and tried desperately to find a good one in my price range but couldn't. I've had the Firebird for about 9 or 10 years now, unbelievably, and it's been good to me, I can't complain. But, if I had found a 944 and had it all this time it would have been more than just a car to get me back and forth to work. I would have taken better care of it, kept it looking good. I wouldn't feel (secretly) a little disappointed that I didn't get a 944 whenever I see one now. If we could I'd get a STS for myself and let Irma get whatever pickup she wanted, but that's not in the cards. I think we'll be looking around again Tuesday. I hate shopping for a car.

New Eyes

I finally went to the optometrist. My prescription changed slightly, he said the astigmatism changed. James has bent my current glasses so many times I can't possibly get them straight again and I've had them about 3 years now anyway. I'm partial to titanium frames but I found a nice pair made from magnesium that can take some abuse and are super lightweight. They will take about a week or a little more to get them, I didn't go to Lenscrafters. Well, I did, but they had less styles to choose from and many of them were very expensive.

Power Lines

Saturday I was on my way to Melbourne on Hwy 192 and about half way there got stuck waiting for the police to clear an accident scene. It was 1 pm. Traffic was stopped in both directions and since I had to go to Melbourne, I waited. And waited. It was a little cooler than usual because there was rain in the area. Lightning was flashing in the distance and the thunder rumbled after about 15 or 20 seconds. I thought I heard a weird buzzing sound so I turned off the radio and sure enough there was a constant buzzing coming from the high voltage power lines that lined the road. I've never heard wires make that sound before unless there was a problem and they were shorting or arcing. They were on the other side of the road and I didn't see anything wrong with them so maybe it's normal for those lines. I waited some more and debated turning back but I was supposed to be there by 2 pm. Before long it was 2 and there was no sign of getting this accident cleared. I thought to wait some more and get there late. My attention went back to the power lines. They were making me a little nervous. I noticed everytime lightning flashed the buzzing stopped. It was kind of bizarre standing in the middle of the road where you would never stop in a million years, lightning flashing, thunder rumbling. People had been getting out of their cars and walking back and forth from the scene of the accident, I resisted the urge, but I could see it from the car. I wondered where the power lines came from and where they went. What was happening to cut the power flow for those split seconds and what was the effect at the end of the line. And how fast the electricity went through the lines, I suppose nearly the speed of light. At 2:30 I turned around and went home. There was still no sign of the road clearing and by the time I got to Melbourne the meeting would be over. Thought for the day: Electricity is awesome and beautiful, power lines are ugly.

Dixie Stampede

We went to the Dixie Stampede tonight. I wouldn't normally go to a dinner show but I had a letter offering complimentary admission for 2 from work (it's $43.99 for adults & $28.99 for children). We took James with us because I knew he would love it. As it turns out they gave us comp admission for all 3 of us (Thank you!). For those wondering, Joshua is staying with his father this month.

I have to say I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. James absolutely loved it. He got to touch the horses and he saw Bison for the first time. The food is good, nothing fancy and you have to eat with your hands - no utensils. It's alot of food too. They gave James the same amount as us and we ended up bringing most of it home.

The show was patriotic and funny. They do emphasize the North/South thing through the middle of it and you sit on the North side or the South side. I'm not a North/South kind of guy, I couldn't care less. When I lived in Texas I would cringe every time I heard the term "yankee", to me a yankee wears a baseball uniform and gets paid a lot for than I do. I've never lived anywhere that didn't have something good about it, even the brown dustbowl that is Abilene, Texas, and I've never seen the perfect place, although I fall in love with Virginia every time I go. Whatever, it was still a good show. When it ended James said he wanted to see it again. I guess it lasted about one and a half hours.

Monster Boat

It looks like they have fans of Monster Garage in Cuba too. I wonder if they modified the driveshaft and hooked up a prop or if it's just a raft? I like it. They should get the coolest boat from Cuba award and get to stay in America as a prize.

Do No Harm

This is just unbelievable: Hospital Accidentally Cuts Off Newborn's Toe.

Way to take responsibility: Hospital Insists Newborn's Toe Only 'Nipped'.

A different hospital surgically reattached the toe.

Lightning

Sometimes during a storm I look out at the cows and horses and wonder if they ever get hit by lightning. I've never seen it happen, but I guess it does: Lightning kills giraffe at Disney's Animal Kingdom.

One Way Street

She went the wrong way: J-Lo plays a lesbian in her new movie but...

"And gay rights groups are incensed that J-Lo’s character starts off as a lesbian but goes straight — thanks to Affleck."

Things I'll Never Understand

Keeping it wheel with rims: Spending as much for rims as you did for the car.

And those silly looking super-wide 12 inch diameter go-cart looking tires. What is that all about? Some kind of lowrider thing? I see them alot in Florida but I'm sure they're illegal in most states.

Coincidence?

Usually James naps for maybe an hour or sometimes not at all. I sleep when he naps, usually not for long because I wait for him to fall asleep before I sleep myself. Today he slept longer. I had a very vivid and detailed dream, very unusual for me. I don't remember ever dreaming during these naps. I woke up when I heard James waking up and was amazed how long we slept, about 3 hours. But things happen for a reason. On her way home, Irma was in an accident. Not bad, no one was hurt, but the other car was high enough to just go over the front bumper of the van and it bent the radiator. It took out some coolant hoses and I believe a gas line because I could smell gas. It wouldn't start and isn't drivable anyway because of the radiator. She called me to come to the scene. When I got there the police were not there yet. We waited. And waited. Finally the Kissimmee police stopped by to tell us we had to wait for the Florida Highway Patrol. The accident happened at 5:30pm. As it turns out, FHP didn't show up until 10:00pm! An hour earlier we had decided, after talking to the Kissimme police, to leave the scene and go to the station and fill out an accident form. Somehow this is OK but the police can't do a report on the scene. We called AAA for a tow and they wouldn't do anything until FHP had been there. Finally they agreed but said it would be awhile.

It was so unbearably hot I had to take James home so he could cool off, refill drinks and take a bath. Irma got to talking to the people in the house she was parked in front of and they had a tow truck and would to it for $25.00. I got some money and went back. That's when FHP showed up (10:00pm) and they gave her the same report she would have had to fill out at the station...and that's all! We waited for absolutely no reason whatsoever except we were told to wait by the Kissimmee Police. I don't have alot of respect for any of them right now. As they were loading the van on the flatbed somehow a spark started a fire in the engine compartment and they had to use a fire extinguisher on it. I don't know the damage that caused yet. On the way home I saw the AAA tow truck just pulling up. Screw them! I don't like AAA very much right now either.

I don't know what's going to happen now. I've bought enough parts for that van to know it's gonna be expensive to fix. I even have a feeling the insurance company won't think it's worth the expense. We'll see. Maybe I'm wrong. The damage is mostly cosmetic except the radiator. It's a good thing I got some sleep earlier because my main sleeping time is 7 -10pm and I got none at all. That's really got me thinking, was it just a coincidence that James slept so long today?

Good News Out of Iraq

Confirmed: Saddam Husseins sons have bit the big one. Uday and Qusay Hussein have been killed by US forces. Now let's get Saddam so we can start getting out of there.

The Scorpion and the Frog

Here's a great commentary: Why I Hate Lawyers

Unusual Movie Review

I thought I was the only one who hated the subliminal and not so subliminal messages contained in alot of movies. Sometimes they ruin an otherwise good movie. One example that stands out in my mind is Assassins, with that stupid elevator scene where Julianne Moore paints a womans fur coat and there are ads in the background throughout the movie. Annoying. And when I see something like this it makes me want to cook more chicken, in fact we had chicken today. But that's not a movie. Check out what's in Lethally Blonde.

"Bruce Friedrich, a director in PETA, says plainly, "If we really believe that animals have the same right to be free from pain and suffering at our hands, then of course we're going to be blowing things up and smashing windows." Terror is, Friedrich thinks, "a great way to bring about animal liberation."

This is what happens when you negotiate with terrorists. All terrorists must die. It's the only thing they understand.

Meditation

I sent for and received a free sample of a meditation cd. It has rain, some chimes and a guy talking over it telling you about the product. You need headphones for it to work so I put some on and listened for a while. James wanted to hear it too, so I gave him the headphones, he put them on and listened for a few seconds and said: "I hate this music.

If you're curious, you can get the free demo here. At first the order form for the free demo didn't pop up for me but after looking over the order form I think I closed a window and it popped up. I just tried to duplicate my efforts and couldn't get it to pop up again. Perhaps it only pops up after a certain amount of time, I don't know. It's not quite as easy as they describe.

A Nice Day

Today was a beautiful day but, of course, hot! James wanted to ride his tricycle so I rode Joshua's bike and we took off down the road to see the cows and horses. James insisted on going all the way to the end of the street (dirt road) where they have some horses. They had just finished loading some horses on a trailer and drove by us. James started riding after the truck saying "Wait! Man, wait, I wanna see the horses!" I tried to stop him but he was a boy on a mission. At one point the front tire got stuck and he and the tricycle fell. He got up like nothing happened and started running after the truck. He gave up finally and told me the truck was going too fast. He rode to where the pavement starts and didn't want to ride anymore. I put him in front of me on the bar and held his tricycle in my left hand and rode home like that, saying goodbye to the cows on the way. He said he had alot of fun.

Hey, That's Great, Good Luck to You

Dismayed Americans contemplate Canada.

"It's the most amazing opportunity I can imagine. To live in a society where there are different priorities in caring for your fellow citizens."

You can also go to North Korea (Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea), they have different priorities in that country too.

"Canada has an opportunity to define itself as a leader," Hanley said. "In some ways, it's now closer to American ideals than America is."

If you are one of those who believe the communist manifesto was America's founding document.


"In school I was always told this is the best country on earth, and everyone else wants to be American, and that never really rang true to me," she said. "As I got older, it occurred to me there were other choices."

That's great, it finally occurred to you. Now please spend some time exploring all your other choices first hand. You will either find your perfect match or you will be back with a new appreciation for America. Either way we all benefit.

Who Spilled the Milk?

Every morning I make coffee for Irma. I put the milk in a mug, heat it for 30 seconds and add sugar (That's what she likes). While waiting for the coffee to brew I went in the garage and got the garbage ready to go out. Task complete I came back in to find the mug on its side and the milk all over the counter and floor. James was no where to be found. Hmmm. I went to the living room and saw his head sticking up from behind the sofa. I called him, "James". "I didn't do anything," He said, "Mommy did it." I asked him over and over, he was so convincing. I took him in to see Irma and he still insisted she did it. I ended up putting him in time out and after a while, finally, he admitted he did it and said he was sorry.

16 Words

I am so tired of hearing about how President "Bush lied." The whole thing is such a non issue...pathetic and desperate. Perhaps (unfortunately) the Kobe Bryant thing will take the media attention off it. The media is as pathetic and desperate for a sensational story as the Democrats are to "get" President Bush. Here's the truth: Bush didn't lie. Perhaps it depends on your definition of the word lie.

Today

Today I took James to the playground over at the lake. They took the roof away and now the kids have to bake in the sun. It's unbearable, they better be putting a new roof on it or I'll have to take James to a different park. He played with a 4 year old kid named Robby and a slightly older girl, I didn't get her name. As hot as it was, James didn't want to leave when it was time to go. I finally got him to go with me to the beach to wash the sand off and Robby and his Aunts came along. One of them took James into the water and washed him up, because I was holding the camera. It was funny watching him because he probably wouldn't have stood still if I tried to do it. On the way to the car he met a dog named Lil' Mama and of course didn't want to leave the dog. He loves going to the park and I try to let him play as long as possible but it's way too hot to stay out there too long. We went to Walmart and bought his favorite drink: Dole Orange, Strawberry and Banana juice. He calls it nana juice. It was nice to get in the A/C.

The salmon was so good yesterday and the whole meal was less than the cost of the cheap pizza Irma wanted to bring home. She liked it too. Today I made ziti and meatballs and it came out great too. I would rather cook, as long as I have the ingredients I need and she would rather go out or get fried chicken from Publix or whatever.

The NY Educational System Needs to Be Replaced

This is not the first time I'm reading about the NY educational system acting really stupid. an apparently smart 15 year old who started going to college instead of high school and is doing very well is being told she can't get her high school equivalency until she is 17. Read about it here. If she can pass the test and is showing herself able to handle college, let her get her equivalency diploma. You should be happy for her. What's the problem, you won't be able to teach her that the United States was founded on the communist manifesto?

I Took A Quiz

I don't usually do this but it was short and I read Zannah's websites often enough. More or less just giving her a little publicity. Very little from here.

You are Narilka! (Also known as Melinda). You are an alien! You have antennae, even if people can't always see them!

"Are you Zannah or Narilka?" by zannah @ voxmachina

That sounds about right.

On A Leash

Someone is poisoning dogs in a park in Oregon, apparently because too many people won't keep there dogs on a leash. That's terrible. There's no excuse for that. They should also be keeping their dogs on a leash since there is a leash law.

Canine owners are on edge, certain that some lifelong dog-hater got sniffed one too many times by an unleashed pet, and decided to take revenge.

You don't have to be a dog-hater to be a wary of strange dogs coming toward you. In fact it can get a little nerve racking if it happens alot. People go to the park to relax and you can't relax with unleashed dogs roaming around. If there is a leash law, use a leash. Go to a park where they let dogs roam. They have one in Orlando. If there is not one maybe they should see about getting one set aside instead of pissing everyone off.

Don't poison the dogs though. Please. It's not their fault.

Burnin' Up

I had to mow the lawn before it got too long to cut. I let James wander around the yard, he mostly stayed in one place, playing with some grass cuttings. It's so hot though, it's unbearable. I just wanted to get done but it was slow going, watching James and the grass is a bit long. At one point he called me over but I said I was busy. He came over and told me to turn off the mower. I did and asked what he wanted. "A couple of things." "A couple of things?", I don't know where he heard that before. He didn't want anything except my attention. He was really hot and looked worn out so I quit and told him to come in the house and take a bath. Mowing the lawn around here is like a 2nd job and it's hard to find the time to do it because alot of the time there will be a thunderstorm at the most convenient time to mow. Sometimes the lawn remains wet (soaked) for days on end. Other times it's unbearably hot and humid. Today was hot and humid, and James didn't want to come in.

Earlier I took him with me shopping for glasses. I need new ones bad because James has knocked them so many times they are bent beyond repair and they keep falling off, especially if it's hot and I'm trying to get some work done. It's no use though because I can't see without my glasses. I put the new ones on and have to get 3 inches from the mirror to see anything. The people who work at these places are no help, they don't really care what you look like. Most don't even pretend to help you. I know there are places where they do a really good job helping you get the right glasses but they aren't around here. I'll have to wait until I can go with Irma.

I have to go cook now. Salmon with sesame/ginger marinade, brown and wild rice, and fresh, steamed broccoli and string beans. James is hungry and so am I.

At Least They're Consistant

I don't know what to make of this story and I think there's more to it than they're saying. I just can't picture it happening. No one would say something like that at someones funeral, would they? In front of all his friends and relatives? "The Lord vomited people like Ben out of his mouth to Hell." It sounds like something from an Exorcist movie. I like this part though: "The priest was subsequently transferred to another parish." The Catholic Church likes to do that.

Dixie Stampede

I got a couple of complimentary tickets to see the new Dolly Parton's Dixie Stampede here in Orlando. I have to use them by July 31. There are alot of dinner shows around here and I've never been to one. The Dixie Stampede looks like something James will enjoy, he loves horses, so I want to take him. Now if I can get Irma to agree on a day to go.

James was sitting here watching Spongebob and Squidward got an explosive pie in the face, they showed a huge explosion and James said, "That's gotta hurt!" I don't know where he picks up these sayings. I have an idea though. The other day I put in a movie (Analyze That) while James was busy playing with his toys. He didn't seem to be paying attention to the TV in any way, but suddenly he starts repeating something he heard in the movie. Of course it's something I'd rather not hear him say. I turned off the movie. He did the same thing to Irma the other night too. Why do they pick up those words so easily?

Guess who?

Can you guess which President the following describes?

The liberation of millions goes ignored.

Democrats attack the Republican president over a continuing conflict, insisting it cannot be won, as they position themselves for upcoming elections.

The president acts vigorously in response to a threat to our national survival - exacerbated by the fecklessness and timidity of his predecessor in office. His critics are outraged and unforgiving.

A retired general is one of the contenders for the Democratic presidential nomination, although the Army realizes it's winning and continues to support the president.

Continental European powers, especially France, tacitly back Washington's enemies, jockeying for financial advantage - even approaching open support for the enemy's leader.

Domestically, subversives and traitors are arrested. Some are handed over to military tribunals. Civil libertarians argue that the U.S. Constitution is being destroyed.

The nation's intellectual elite cannot bear the president's Western simplicity, rustic mannerisms and lack of polish.

The media attack the president savagely, making fun of his lack of sophistication and even his appearance. Cartoonists lampoon the man even more fiercely than his policies. Leading newspapers and journals insist that his policies are disastrous and that he is unfit to lead the nation.

Even the British media portray the president as a dangerous lunatic, out of control.

On Capitol Hill, self-interested members of Congress establish a committee to investigate the president's handling of the war, as well as alleged distortions and corruption in his administration.

The president's secretary of state is accused of failure and ineptitude, while the cabinet member responsible for the Army has a knack for angering everybody.

The verdict of the intelligentsia is unanimous: This president is leading the nation into disaster.

Yet, the people continue to support the man, admiring the very qualities the intellectual elite despises. The president continues to do what he believes is necessary for the nation's security and survival, ignoring his exasperated critics.

The answer is here. Are you surprised? I was.

Stupida

Is it really necessary to have a sign translating "open" or "closed" or other equally simple words? How about words that are almost the same in English/Spanish? Necessito? I went to Puerto Rico and had no trouble with simple signs and words like that and I don't speak Spanish. I even lived in Japan for a little while and quickly learned to recognize Japanese signs written in katakana or kanji. Do we really need to make it so simple for people that they don't even have to think for a moment? Is that really helping?

Shine On You Crazy Diamond

How's this for a cool diamond? Rare diamond goes bright pink in UV light. That's amazing. Gemstones are fascinating. Study the properties of gemstones sometime, you'll never look at them the same again.

Citizens of the World

What is it with these people? Some don't like U.S. flag at school. Well, most people do like the U.S. flag. Why does the opinion of the few who don't like it have to be pushed on the majority who do like it? Read this quote:

"I feel our country is on a strong push towards imperialism, and we're not a democratic nation anymore.

If the country were democratic, majority rules, so they can take a hike. But, this country is not a democracy and never was a democracy. It's a republic. Our founding Fathers did not think very highly of democracy. Yet it is repeated over and over and over that we're a democracy. No. It's like the running joke about not removing the mattress tags under penalty of law. That's not true. The consumer is supposed to remove the tag so it can't be sold as a new mattress after it's been sold. It says so right on the tag. That's a small thing but it makes the person saying it appear stupid. I think it's important to get the facts straight. The government needs to get out of the education business!

So, we are a republic. Liberals don't like that because there are too many checks and balances, and yes, that includes the electoral college. Well, that's too bad, they can still take a hike. If you don't like the principals on which this country was founded then go somewhere else. Go to Canada. Go to Australia, New Zealand, Europe, China, Japan. Oh, Japan doesn't want you, don't go there. Go to North Korea. Go build your social utopia somewhere else. Go show Castro how it's done.

Why do people insist on joining a group who doesn't think as they do, then force the group to change to suit their own personal views? It happens in churches all the time. Some small group joins the church, works their way into power and takes over, forcing the majority to leave. Guess who keeps all the money. Go build you own church. Go build your own club. Go build your social utopia somewhere else, we don't want you.

Bottom line, if you are ashamed of America or the American flag, go somewhere else where you won't be ashamed. If you say you can't find anyplace as prosperous as this country well then, you're right, but what made America great was first, God, then, our founding principles. The further we slide into socialism, the more our prosperity will decline.

Watch Out For Killer Hungry Kangaroos

Or maybe kangaroos should watch out for angry holidaymakers with an axe.

"The animal might have just been looking for something to eat because they trust humans," Mr Candy said.

Maybe, but he didn't say please.

New Bed

James got his new bed today. He helped me take the crib apart and move it out of the room. Then he helped me carry the new bed into his room and got the tools I needed to put it together. Irma was laughing because he thinks he's big and does everything I do. He spent the next half hour jumping up and down on and off the bed. His Grandmother brought over new Bob the Builder sheets for it. Now let's see if he sleeps in it.

Hyper-Speed

I took the McAfee internet connection speed test I found at Mandarin Design Daily and I only wish my connection was as fast as it says. I tried it twice and both times my speed was 83.706 Mbps. I pegged the speedometer! Faster than a T-2 connection! Wow! That's pretty good considering I'm using a 56K modem.

P.S. Apparently it's a Safari thing. Tried it with IE and got 41.44 Kbps. That sounds about right.

BTW, Mandarin is a great site, Meg does a really good job over there.

Here We Go Again?

Defector to Bush officials: Strike N. Korea before it's too late.

Making The Case For The Death Penalty

Are you looking for that special someone? Do you like romantic drives to in the lake, with the kids strapped in the back? Are you non-judgemental? If so, she's sensitive, caring, and kind-hearted, just ask Michael and Alex. Write her here.

Why isn't she dead? What is our problem?

12.713 Billion Years Ago

It always amazes me to read articles like this. What amuses me most is the detail of information. They found the oldest planet ever detected.

"The old planet is located near the heart of a globular star cluster some 5,600 light-years from Earth in the constellation Scorpius. A light-year is about 6 trillion miles, about the distance light travels in a year."

OK, it's 5600 light-years from Earth. 1 light-year = about 6 trillion miles (5,865,696,000,000 miles ). Now, seriously, the human mind has a bit of a problem wrapping itself around that 6 trillion mile figure. 6 trillion. What about 5600 x 6 trillion. Can you even imagine how far that is? Really? And it's not even far at all when you consider other distances in the universe.

The Milky Way Galaxy is about 150,000 light-years across. That's just our galaxy. The Milky Way Galaxy has at least 200 billion stars.

The Andromeda Galaxy is 2.3 million light-years away. Andromeda is the nearest major galaxy to our own Milky Way Galaxy. The galaxy is the largest member of the Local Group, a group of about 30 galaxies that includes our own Milky Way. So 2.3 million light years is considered part of our Local Group. Andromeda has about twice as many stars as the Milky Way.

"The most distant galaxies we can now see are 10 or 12 billion light-years away. We could never see a galaxy that is farther away in light travel time than the universe is old -- an estimated 14 billion or so years. Thus, we are surrounded by a "horizon" that we cannot look beyond -- a horizon set by the distance that light can travel over the age of the universe. This horizon describes the visible universe -- a region some 28 billion light years in diameter. There is every reason to think that the universe extends a long way beyond the part of the universe we can see. In fact, a variety of observations suggest that our visible patch may be a small fraction -- maybe an infinitely small fraction -- of the whole universe." From NOVA online: How Big Is The Universe? There is some BS in there when they start talking theories. You see, they really aren't as sure of the data as they make out.

OK, back to the original article.

"What we think we've found is an example of the first generation of planets formed in the universe," Sigurdsson said. "We think this planet formed with its star, 12.713 billion years ago when the (Milky Way) galaxy was very young, just in the process of forming."

They found an example of the first generation of planets formed in the universe. The planet formed 12.713 billion years ago. They go on to describe the process. It's fascinating how they know so much about something so far away and so long ago. They surety with which they tell you is a bit laughable. They could be wrong about some of these things. There may be errors in the formulas used to figure it all out. There are yet things undiscovered. Some assumptions they make may be wrong. The foundation on which they build is surely wrong as they leave God out of it, vehemently. But just because I do not leave God out as Creator does not mean I believe it was created only 6000 years ago. Starting at the 2nd verse of Genesis is desribed the rebuilding of a destroyed and flooded planet, not the beginning of the universe. The universe may be 14 billion years old, it may be older. Scientists are probably right about much of what they have discovered but they cannot know while leaving God out of it. They are wrong about many things as well.

"The neutron star evolved into a fast-whirling pulsar and changes in how it spun helped scientists determine that one of the three cosmic objects dancing in space was a planet, said Harvey Richer of the University of British Columbia."

" The old planet is too far away to be directly observed, but because it exerts a slight gravitational tug on the pulsar it orbits, scientists figured out its mass and position based on its pull on the pulsar, Richer said."

Yes, it's fascinating how we are able to figure out so much about something so far away. It's also fascinating that people so bright cannot see God in all they have discovered.

Speaking of Jesus Christ (read the context): Colossians 1:5 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: 16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

Romans 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: 21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.

Isaiah 40:21 Have ye not known? have ye not heard? hath it not been told you from the beginning? have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth? 22 It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in:

Isaiah 40:26 Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth.


The fact is, when it comes to the very beginning of it all, without God, you have to resort to alot of BS to get "something the size of an atom inflated to the size of a galaxy." The universe began with a vast explosion of what? Where did it come from? Why did it explode? Why didn't it implode? Where did the laws that regulate all this come from? What is gravity? Matter can neither be created nor destroyed. Matter can be converted to energy, and energy into matter, but the total amount of matter and energy in the universe remains the same. Science did not invent the laws of physics, they existed long before we did. Much of this is beyond our ability as humans to truly comprehend. We try, we do a pretty damn good job sometimes, but the incredible distances, the vast amount of time past, the enormous amount there is yet to know, and the time left in which to learn it, vastly limits us. It's interesting to be sure. I just think it's telling that we can amass such knowledge of the universe, yet the problems we face here on Earth, problems which are really more spiritual in nature, go unaddressed, and we're going to kill each other before we have a chance to finish our knowledge race. We're really good at the physical knowledge part, though. If only that were enough.

I found the squirrel

Annika hit a squirrel but wasn't sure what had become of it. Here it is!

What Makes America Great?

Bill Whittle has a 2 part essay that you need to read. Yeah, it's long but it's worth it. Trinity (part 1), Trinity (part 2).

The Big Lie Of "Islam"

More Language Police

I've had some posts on this subject before and it really irks me every time I hear more of this going on. The insidiousness of this is beyond belief. My first real taste was when I worked at the state run Marlboro Psychiatric Hospital (now closed) in New Jersey. Among other things, that's where they first tried to tell me that it's impossible for blacks to be prejudiced against whites. A Small Victory brought alot more to my attention. Read what she has to say, follow the links. There's more at USS Clueless. The rest of us really need to open our eyes and see what these idiots are doing. Read about the tactics they are using here: America's Re-education Camps. You know it's going on, you see it for yourself on a regular basis. We just don't realize how far it's gotten. In the end I think it's gonna come down to some good old fashioned, politically incorrect violence to get rid of it because it's not gonna go away on it's own.

But wait, there's more! A couple of interesting posts at Mrs. Du Toit:

America's Library

What it means...

Appetite For Destruction

Kim Jong-il's Chef escaped and wrote a book about the dictator (of the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea, what a joke!). Here's an article about it and it gives you a little peek into this guy's mind. He sounds like a fun guy to be around.

But Did They Mishandle the Evidence?

DNA cracks case of chicken-killing canine.

Tired of a dog killing his chickens he retrieved some hair from the chicken coop and got a DNA profile to nab the culprit.

"Tonight, Sabrina's owner, Karin Magid, will get her day in court. She is slated to go before a county panel to defend her dog and argue that Jones went overboard with his analysis, according to United Press International.

''We all treated it as a huge joke,'' Magid told the Globe. ''I don't deny that these dogs do this sort of thing, and my dog did eat one of his goats, but I think it was already dead.''

Some dog owners are in such denial about this kind of thing. Just last night on the news I saw there was a senior citizen who was attacked by a couple of Rottweilers, and the owner is pissed that they took his dogs and want to put them down. His excuse was, and I saw and heard him say this on TV, "If the dogs were trying they would have easily killed him." Hello? Here's a quote that I found in print:

"As for the dogs' owners, who were allowed to keep the one rottweiler that was still chained up, they wouldn't talk to us. But a relative claimed the dogs are harmless. "They just bark like any normal dog would. That's it. Hardly ever, never [see them running free] and when they do, they always come right back on their own right away," says Mike Torres"

Yeah, after terrorizing the neighborhood. And the news has been full of dog attacks lately. Don't these people understand the apprehension of other people when they see a large dog wandering around? If I see, and I occasionally do, a strange dog near my house I can't let the kids go outside and I only go out if I have to and then give thought to how to kill the dog if it is hostile. It's never a small dog either, it's always a large breed. It might be a great dog but I don't know that, and I will not just assume it. I should be able to shoot any dog on my property without my permission. If we could do that maybe the dog owners would suddenly become a little more responsible.

I'm not attacking all dogs or dog owners, I love dogs. But there is a certain percentage of dog owners who shouldn't be dog owners. They think a big, mean dog is cool. They think a wild, barely controllable, probably abused, large breed is protection. They have no concept of dog training. They are idiots. Every kind of pet has a certain number of owners who shouldn't own them but some animals have a far greater potential for harm or death of innocent people if they get out of your control and large dogs fit into that category.

A Happier Dog Story

Hurt hound hobbles into hospital.

The dog is hit by a car (they think) and limps to a hospital to get help. The hospital got hold of a vet and paid the dogs bill. That's cool!

Who Says TV Doesn't Influence Kids?

Palestinian TV Urges Young Men to Become Martyrs. Kill a Jew, get 72! Virgins that is.

Anatomically Correct

"SHOCKED six-year-old Leah Lowland checked out a mystery bulge on her Incredible Hulk doll — and uncovered a giant green WILLY." Yes, there are pictures.

Burnt Offerings

Anyone care for a BBQ? It's strange that some of those animals (goats, rabbit, pig, even buffalo) are somewhat commonly eaten and it's no big deal but because they were in a zoo it becomes verboten.

I remember reading about a college student who bought a mouse and announced he would kill it (I think he said he was going to crush it, but he didn't really have plans to go through with it), the town was in an uproar, the newspapers ran with the story, they even threatened this guys life. In the end he returned it to the pet shop and one of the "animal lovers" bought the mouse and gave it a good life, however he left all the other mice in the shop destined to be snake food.

I put animal lovers in quotes because the crazy, insane "animal lovers" would have you believe if you even so much as keep animals as pets you are an evil, slave keeping monster and couldn't possibly love animals and if you eat animals you are a murderer. Obviously, I don't agree.

Good Morning!

Man wakes after nearly two decades in coma, greets mother. His daughter was born shortly after his accident and is now 19 years old and they are meeting for the first time. You don't hear stories like this very often.

Slim and None

Israel wants full EU membership. I had not heard this before. I doubt it will happen, for the same reason I know England won't go full membership but I won't go into that. I just wanted to point out this article. It's time for me to hit the sack anyway.

View From Iran

If you want government to take care of you, then come to Iran. This government will tell you how to dress (men and women), what religion to believe in, and what to think. (Not that Iranians are listening…) Government that cares for you turns you into a child.

From View From Iran

Thanks to Redheaded Ramblings for providing the link.

Bid Early and Often

Place your bid for a genuine, authentic Elvis Presley tooth. But wait, there's more! Also included is a lock of hair originally presented to famous late night talk show host Joe Franklin by Elvis himself. And just in case you're still not impressed they'll include a "special edition gold plated record given in recognition of the prestigious achievment in reaching million seller award status for RCA records "Love Me Tender." Of course, all items "have irrefutable documented by experts."

I guess he was getting alot of joke bids because he ended the auction and relisted it requiring verification before bidding. Here's the new link. No bids yet as I write this.

PUSH-ing NASCAR

NASCAR needs to stop all dealing with the Rainbow/PUSH coalition and just put up with whatever Jesse Jackson wants to throw at them. Who's next? CART, IRL, NHRA, SCCA, IMSA? HSR? (Historic Sportscar Racing) F-1? Go where the money is, right.

Little Known Facts about the American Revolutionary War

This is an interesting page, I found this link at The Scobleizer Weblog. I know it was more appropriate a couple of days ago but it's still a good read.

Linux

I also saw this link to an interview with Linus Torvalds, creator of the Linux operating system. I've always liked Linux but just don't have time to fiddle with my computer and Linux was always high maintenance.

Sunday

"The European Union has set up the policy that every member-state must have one day of rest during the week."

I didn't know it was a law. Interesting in that the new European Constitution completely ignores religion. I could be wrong, but that is my understanding.

"In Italy, the designation of Sunday as a "day of rest" was first set in 1993. That policy was changed in 2000, however, when-- in order to grant more flexibility for employers-- the nation required only that every employer produce workers with a 24-hour rest period each week. But by August 2003, under the new European policy, Italy will again be required to fix a certain "day of rest."

"In an interview with the daily Corriere della Sera, Bishop Giancarlo Bregantini-- who heads a committee dealing with social issues for the Italian bishops' conference-- remarked that attitudes on the observance of the Sabbath are "already bad enough" without a change in national policy. He said that any move away from the Sunday rest would be "a perverse act." And Cardinal Pio Laghi, the former prefect of the Congregation for Catholic Education, asked La Repubblica: "How can you overlook the fact that Sunday is a special day for millions of Europeans?"

It may wind up being Sunday for all the European states. That's significant in light of biblical prophecy, the sign or mark of God being the Sabbath, the mark of the beast being Sunday observance, a counterfeit of God's Sabbath. Of course, many would argue that point but time will tell. Why Keep Saturday for Sunday?

Us and Them

Kim du Toit has a link to the article Where Are You Going, Europe?, and I agree with what he has to say about it. I have to add one thing, however, Europe is not finished. The united states of Europe in it's present form will fail, no doubt, but when it does collapse, watch out. Think WW II.

Isaiah 10:7 Howbeit he meaneth not so, neither doth his heart think so; but it is in his heart to destroy and cut off nations not a few.

Life, Liberty, and the American Way


More gems from Kim. All too often native born Americans take our freedom for granted or just really have no understanding of what our constitution gives us, but not all foreigners get it either. Finding people like Kim is harder now than say, 100 years ago. I think one of the problems this country has is the great influx of foreigners who also don't understand, they come here with dollar signs in their eyes, bringing their own culture and languages, not willing to give them up or subjugate them to the "American way".

He Coulda' Had A Corvette

This is the kind of news you don't want to hear. Harold, my stepfather, was down in Atlantic City one Saturday a few weeks back. He had a comp card (I think that's what they call them), you use it in the machines you're playing and the casino tracks your gambling, I mean gives you freebies as you rack up points. Something like that. On this Saturday they would enter you in a drawing to win a 2004 Corvette. The drawing was in the evening, Harold went home earlier. A business associate of his was at the drawing and heard Harold's name called as the winner of the Corvette and the winner has one hour to claim the prize. He tried to get to call but couldn't get him that night. So that's it, Harold won a brand new Corvette but didn't win it cause he didn't stick around for the drawing. Don't think you'll never win anything, you never know.

225th 227th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence

Every American should read this page from top to bottom.

"We live in an age of science and of abounding accumulation of material things. These did not create our Declaration. Our Declaration created them. The things of the spirit come first. Unless we cling to that, all our material prosperity, overwhelming though it may appear, will turn to a barren sceptre in our grasp. If we are to maintain the great heritage which has been bequeathed to us, we must be like-minded as the fathers who created it. We must not sink into a pagan materialism. We must cultivate the reverence which they had for the things that are holy. We must follow the spiritual and moral leadership which they showed. We must keep replenished, that they may glow with a more compelling flame, the altar fires before which they worshiped."

Calvin Coolidge, speech on the 150th Anniversary of the
Declaration of Independence, July 5, 1926

As we continue to sink into pagen materialism.

Historical Maps of the U.S.

If you are interested in what this country looked like at different times in the past this is the site for you.

You're Only Off By A Couple Of Area Codes

I got a call tonight (on the local line, not 800 number) from a woman looking for her friends in Rm. 246. Vacant room. 346? Don't have that number. She doesn't even know the name of the person. It's the black guy and white girl on the second floor. Oh yeah, now I know! No, I didn't say that. I told her she must have the wrong hotel, we have 4 by the same name on this road, which one did she need. She asked if we were the one on Taimiami Trail in Sarasota. Sarasota? That's not even close. We're in Kissimmee, maybe 2 hours or more away. I gave her the correct number.

Where Does The Web Begin?

Apparently right here. I could find no other site claiming to be the beginning or start of the web or internet. I did, however, find the center. I guess all the action is at the end of the web.

Wait, you can take a Journey to the Center of the Web: Part I and Part II. This is alot more interesting than the first two. There are 13 root servers at the center of the web.

"The worldwide web is controlled from some tiny offices in southern California by what critics claim is a self-appointed group of people who answer to nobody. You think Chicago politics are something… "

Al Gore did not invent the web...somebody tell Apple...please.

This Is The End

Over at Mandarin I found this link to the end of the internet. Hmmm. Was that really the end. I was curious. I did a little searching and found this end. And this end. And this. This one. And this one (Fancy!). And this one. This one too. Are you getting tired? Here's another. And another (In Newfoundland, wow, I'd like to visit there.) And another. Here's a scary one. And, finally, because I'm out of time, this one wants you to turn off the internet.

Lunatics Teaching

The theory:

"The educational publishing industry follows very specific guidelines to ensure that school children are not exposed to words or topics that might be controversial, especially those that are related to gender, race, religion, or sex."

The practice:

"In Michigan, the state does not allow mention of flying saucers or extraterrestrials on its test, because those subjects might imply the forbidden topic of evolution. A text illustrator wrote to say that she was not permitted to portray a birthday party because Jehovah's Witnesses do not believe in celebrating birthdays. Another illustrator told me that he was directed to airbrush the udder from his drawing of a cow because that body part was "too sexual."

"a well-known local writer for children sold a story to an American textbook company, along with illustrations. The U.S. publisher, however, informed her that she could not show a little girl sitting on her grandfather's lap, as the drawing implied incest. So, the author changed the adult's face, so that the little girl was sitting on her grandmother's lap instead. A contributor to a major textbook series prepared a story comparing the great floods in 1889 in Johnstown, Pa., with those in 1993 in the Midwest, but was unable to find an acceptable photograph. The publisher insisted that everyone in the rowboats must be wearing a lifevest to demonstrate safety procedures."

"When it comes to illustrations in textbooks, certain images--women cooking, men acting assertive, scenes of poverty, and old people walking with the aid of a cane or a walker--are likewise considered unacceptable. The specifications for photographs, I have learned, are exquisitely detailed. Men and boys must not be larger than women and girls. Asians must not appear as shorter than non-Asians. Women must wear bras, and men must not have noticeable bulges below the waist. People must wear shoes and socks, never showing bare feet or the soles of shoes, and their shoelaces must be solid black, brown, or white. People must never gesture with their fingers, nor should anyone be depicted eating with the left hand. Things to avoid: holiday decorations and scenes in which a church or a bar appears in the background."

"On the last administration of the Regents' English examination in January, the state (NY) asked high school seniors to write about a poem by Matthew Arnold. However, the examination did not mention the name of this famous poem ("Dover Beach"); it inexplicably offered only one stanza of the four-stanza poem; and it changed or misquoted an important line. Instead of Arnold's exclamation, "Ah, love, let us be true to one another!" it stated, "Ah, friend, let us be true to one another!"

It's a wonder anyone learns anything in public schools these days.

You can read the article here.

I tend to agree with Neal Boortz on this: "I learned that, in short, sensitivity sucks. It's a trap. Think about it - the truth knows no sensitivity. Life can be insensitive. Wallow too much in sensitivity and you’ll be unable to deal with life, or the truth.   So, get over it."

Point to ponder: Our Declaration of Independance, our Constitution, and our Bill of Rights could not be written and passed through Congress today.

Speaking of Neal Boortz

I've known about this Commencement Speech for a while now and I don't believe I ever linked to it. It's about time.