Merry Christmas...

...And happy birthday Jesus or whichever holiday or religious observance you happen to observe at this time of year!

Hope everyone is doing well and surviving whatever trials are occurring in your life. Just remember it is short, so take some time to enjoy it.

http://www.starwarsholidayspecial.com/

D.I.Y. Corner...

Reupholstering the couch...

1 existing cat slashed couch $0.00
Target, 3 fancy over-sized towels $5.99 each
16 safety pins $1.99

Tuck in around center couch cushion
Tuck in at reclining couch locations, safety pinning to the reclining part to stay in place.

Easy to clean up when your cat hacks up over the place...Priceless.

...(Ack.)....

Ike Images..

They cleaned up the tree debris today on my block, so I figured I would share some photos...

Tree and Power line repairmen at the staging area...

People without Power...

Comic book store had roof torn off...not my regular store, but one I frequent. I don't know what I would have done had this been my house.

Things are getting and will get even better...normalcy is getting closer every day.

Surviving Ike...

Well, survived the Hurricane. Just got my phone line/internet back a few minutes ago thanks to an extremely overworked AT&T employee. He was actually very pleasant, I don't know if I would be if I was working 15 hour days trying to restore service to hundreds and thousands of people. He told me a great story about a guy who built his home around a utility pole.

Most of the damage in my area was due to large falling trees. Fortunately the trees in front of my home did not fall down. Some of the neighbors were not so lucky, but I have only heard of 1 injury due to this, so most people got lucky. The neighbors (first time meeting a couple, sad to say!) and we spent about two days cleaning up debris, and the City is slowly picking up the piles of dead branches block by block and taking them to be recycled into mulch. (That's a LOT of mulch!) My driveway also doubles as a detention pond for the open storm drain, so it was like working in a rice paddy. No major damage to the house, but I got to report all the already broken stuff the landlord has neglected as "hurricane damage".

My neighbor is an 85 year old man named Johnny, who sounds like Boomhauer from King of the Hill, and he is a machine. This guy worked 12 hours straight for two days cleaning up, helping neighbors, etc. just because "he had nothing better to do" with the power off.

We lost power from Saturday early morning until late Tuesday night. It wasn't that bad because fortunately a cool front came in Sunday morning (Saturday night was rough!). The sound of the neighbors generator tends to make one a bit envious. I ended up getting a heck of a lot of reading done with a miner's flashlight. Gets DARK! 4 Robert Heinlein novels and two comic book history books, so I can't complain.

Some people still do not have power and it varies not only block to block but one side of the street to the next. Some streets you will see 5 or 6 extension cords crossing the street and you know this is the case. (neighbors across the street didn't get power til Friday, which makes one feel guilty. They are busting their butt trying to get all the utilities back on for everyone. 90% of the traffic signals died, so as they are repairing these, traffic is horrible (Treat it as a 4 way stop-Huh!). I never appreciated how efficient traffic signals are until now.

All family and friends are OK...some had their houses damaged, but are physically OK, which one is grateful for. It should get back to normal soon.

...funny, "internet" is not in the spellchecker for Blogger...

Olympics...

Well, another Olympics has come and gone, and what is so fascinating about it is the stories of the people involved and the amazing grit and guts these people have...

My absolute favorite story though, has to be the South African woman who swam in the open water swimming event...Seems she was a pool swimmer until she lost her leg in a scooter accident, who when she tried to go back to lane swimming had problems staying in a straight line, so she switched to open water swimming, which requires more upper body strength than average swimming and the straight line is not as critical. Well folks, this lady makes the Olympic team, despite having one leg, and even though she finishes the race in 16th place, she is only a minute and 22 seconds behind the winner for a 6 1/2 mile swim.

A freakin' mazing...

...Also, who knew the national sport of Hungary was water polo?

Following Up...

Summer's almost over...Been real busy with work, managing a job that shouldn't have been mine in the first place, and should have been less traumatic as well, but has a case of "too many chiefs" syndrome. Finished the bowling league last week, (I'm the worst guy on the team, but make up for it with a 70 pin handicap (whoo-hoo!)), We lost over half our games, but we have fun, so who cares. Had a good visit with my brother and his family who came down in July, and saw a ton of movies as well:


Dark Knight was freakin' awesome...I was on the edge of my seat the whole time, I have no idea what they are going to do to top this on the next one.

Wall-E was also incredible...what amazed me so much about it, as all the Pixar films do, is you start the first couple of minutes being amazed by the visuals, but shortly after that you totally get into the story. It was also proof how good these guys are, since there is so little dialogue in it.

Wanted was enjoyable...if you liked it, check out two movies, Nightwatch and Daywatch, from the same director...it is the Russian version of The Matrix meets Underworld. Trippy stuff.

Hellboy 2 was great...Del Toro came off of Pan's Labyrinth and incorporated that sensibility into this film...almost like living Anime...Also, I love Abe Sapien, he is just cool!

Hancock was interesting, I can see why people are so divided on it as the movie takes a hard right turn in the middle, and you will either love it or hate it. I thought it was kinda neat, but they could have done some more with it. Jason Bateman has come a long way, though.

X-files was good, but really just a long episode of the series...It was nice to see where the characters are now, almost like seeing family you haven't seen in a while. I still have no idea why this movie wasn't released in the off season, it got buried at the box office, but should do well on DVD.

Pineapple Express...For the life of me, I don't understand, but I liked this one, sort of Lethal Weapon meets Stoner Comedy. Who knew James Franco could act?

Tropic Thunder...This is funny...Downey Jr. is great, and there is a great part at the end that is such a great funny visual that made the whole movie for me.

...Also, if you get a chance, rent a movie called FIDO...it's a quirky comedy about a boy and his pet zombie...totally worth it...

From Galway to Graceland...

Oh she dressed in the dark and she whispered amen
She was pretty in pink like a young girl again
Twenty years married and she never thought twice
She sneaked out the door and walked into the night

And silver wings carried her over the sea
From the west coast of Ireland to West Tennessee
To be with her sweetheart, oh she left everything
From Galway to Graceland to be with the king
She was humming Suspicion, that's the song she liked best
She had Elvis I Love You tattooed on her breast
When they landed in Memphis, well her heart beat so fast
She'd dreamed for so long, now she'd see him at last

She was down by his graveside day after day
Come closing time they would pull her away
Ah to be with her sweetheart, oh she'd left everything
From Galway to Graceland to be with the king

Ah, they came in their thousands from the whole human race
To pay their respects at his last resting place
But blindly she knelt there and she told him her dreams
And she thought that he answered or that's how it seems

Then they dragged her away it was handcuffs this time
She said my good man are you out of your mind.
Don't you know that we're married? See, I'm wearing his ring.
From Galway to Graceland to be with the king.

I come From Galway to Graceland to be with the king

Interesting here...2 versions of this song through the blessings of YouTube...



This is Eleanor Shanley's version of the song from the 1998 album Desert Heat...




The High Kings...an Irish Group I discovered on PBS, where I first heard it...

Original song by Richard Thompson...who funny enough could only find an mp3 excerpt of and nothing else.

Summertime...

Been busy these days, with construction going full tilt as always, playing softball and bowling, studying and seeing movies. So far its been a decent summer for those:

Iron Man - great

Speed Racer - This is a pretty trippy movie. You will either like it or loathe it - I liked it, the racing is like NASCAR on Hot Wheels Tracks.

Narnia - Prince Caspian - Read these years ago, so don't remember the whole "it wasn't that way in the book" thing. Was good, the movie is beautiful, but I have issues with this and the last movie where you have a group of 8-16 year olds just casually killing orcs, etc. There's just something about it that pulls me out of the movie, must be getting old.

Indy 4 - Mixed - had three "aw-come-on" moments that yanked me out of the movie.

Hulk - Awesome. Just a fun movie

Kung Fu Panda - This was a surprise...It was really funny and the animation is a step up the normal Dreamworks fare.

Next week....Wall-E and Wanted!

Iron Man...

Saw Iron Man Today:

1. Great Casting
2. Believable Story
3. Great Effects
4. Cool Suit

Two thumbs up for me Dave!

...Let the summer movie season begin!

Its not easy being Green...Building that is...

I have been up to my eyeballs of late in studying "Green Building" Techniques, in concert with a "volunteer" (re: in our company's best interests) committee in bringing these techniques to the building type our office specializes in, and in studying for a professional exam called LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), which after paying $400.00 to take the test, I was lucky enough to pass it. (it basically makes you an official tree-hugging architect)Also, somehow I am on another committee to bring a California program to Texas in regards to creating high performance, energy efficient buildings.

So what does this all mean?

...Energy efficient buildings are good.

...Day lighting is good.

...Water efficiency is REALLY good.

...Buildings will have a greater initial first cost, but the cost savings in energy payback/resource make it worth it.

This is all well and good, and we do 85% of the stuff anyways as the basis of responsible design, but there are two funny things about it:

1. A lot of this stuff was tried in the 70's with mixed results.

2. This means a lot more paperwork--Pdf's actually.

...I keep thinking of Helen Lovejoy..."think of the children!"

My Dad got to see this live the other day...having grown up around rocket scientists, this is really dang cool to me and I'm glad he finally got to see one go off...

Texas Primary Part Two...

Interesting...everyone has been comparing BHO (Barack Hussein Obama - Typing this, I can see why the media doesn't use the initials!) to JFK these days...In an odd coincidence, I have been hearing a lot of the original speeches of Kennedy...here's a couple...

Inaugural Address Jan 20, 1961 -(Ask not what your country can do for you...)

"We observe today not a victory of party but a celebration of freedom--symbolizing an end as well as a beginning--signifying renewal as well as change. For I have sworn before you and Almighty God the same solemn oath our forbears prescribed nearly a century and three-quarters ago.

The world is very different now. For man holds in his mortal hands the power to abolish all forms of human poverty and all forms of human life. And yet the same revolutionary beliefs for which our forebears fought are still at issue around the globe--the belief that the rights of man come not from the generosity of the state but from the hand of God.

We dare not forget today that we are the heirs of that first revolution. Let the word go forth from this time and place, to friend and foe alike, that the torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans--born in this century, tempered by war, disciplined by a hard and bitter peace, proud of our ancient heritage--and unwilling to witness or permit the slow undoing of those human rights to which this nation has always been committed, and to which we are committed today at home and around the world.

Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty.
This much we pledge--and more.

To those old allies whose cultural and spiritual origins we share, we pledge the loyalty of faithful friends. United there is little we cannot do in a host of cooperative ventures. Divided there is little we can do--for we dare not meet a powerful challenge at odds and split asunder.

To those new states whom we welcome to the ranks of the free, we pledge our word that one form of colonial control shall not have passed away merely to be replaced by a far more iron tyranny. We shall not always expect to find them supporting our view. But we shall always hope to find them strongly supporting their own freedom--and to remember that, in the past, those who foolishly sought power by riding the back of the tiger ended up inside.

To those people in the huts and villages of half the globe struggling to break the bonds of mass misery, we pledge our best efforts to help them help themselves, for whatever period is required--not because the communists may be doing it, not because we seek their votes, but because it is right. If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich.

To our sister republics south of our border, we offer a special pledge--to convert our good words into good deeds--in a new alliance for progress--to assist free men and free governments in casting off the chains of poverty. But this peaceful revolution of hope cannot become the prey of hostile powers. Let all our neighbors know that we shall join with them to oppose aggression or subversion anywhere in the Americas. And let every other power know that this Hemisphere intends to remain the master of its own house.

To that world assembly of sovereign states, the United Nations, our last best hope in an age where the instruments of war have far outpaced the instruments of peace, we renew our pledge of support--to prevent it from becoming merely a forum for invective--to strengthen its shield of the new and the weak--and to enlarge the area in which its writ may run.

Finally, to those nations who would make themselves our adversary, we offer not a pledge but a request: that both sides begin anew the quest for peace, before the dark powers of destruction unleashed by science engulf all humanity in planned or accidental self-destruction.

We dare not tempt them with weakness. For only when our arms are sufficient beyond doubt can we be certain beyond doubt that they will never be employed.

But neither can two great and powerful groups of nations take comfort from our present course--both sides overburdened by the cost of modern weapons, both rightly alarmed by the steady spread of the deadly atom, yet both racing to alter that uncertain balance of terror that stays the hand of mankind's final war.

So let us begin anew--remembering on both sides that civility is not a sign of weakness, and sincerity is always subject to proof. Let us never negotiate out of fear. But let us never fear to negotiate.

Let both sides explore what problems unite us instead of belaboring those problems which divide us.
Let both sides, for the first time, formulate serious and precise proposals for the inspection and control of arms--and bring the absolute power to destroy other nations under the absolute control of all nations.
Let both sides seek to invoke the wonders of science instead of its terrors. Together let us explore the stars, conquer the deserts, eradicate disease, tap the ocean depths and encourage the arts and commerce.
Let both sides unite to heed in all corners of the earth the command of Isaiah--to "undo the heavy burdens . . . (and) let the oppressed go free."

And if a beachhead of cooperation may push back the jungle of suspicion, let both sides join in creating a new endeavor, not a new balance of power, but a new world of law, where the strong are just and the weak secure and the peace preserved.

All this will not be finished in the first one hundred days. Nor will it be finished in the first one thousand days, nor in the life of this Administration, nor even perhaps in our lifetime on this planet. But let us begin.
In your hands, my fellow citizens, more than mine, will rest the final success or failure of our course. Since this country was founded, each generation of Americans has been summoned to give testimony to its national loyalty. The graves of young Americans who answered the call to service surround the globe.
Now the trumpet summons us again--not as a call to bear arms, though arms we need--not as a call to battle, though embattled we are-- but a call to bear the burden of a long twilight struggle, year in and year out, "rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation"--a struggle against the common enemies of man: tyranny, poverty, disease and war itself.

Can we forge against these enemies a grand and global alliance, North and South, East and West, that can assure a more fruitful life for all mankind? Will you join in that historic effort?
In the long history of the world, only a few generations have been granted the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger. I do not shrink from this responsibility--I welcome it. I do not believe that any of us would exchange places with any other people or any other generation. The energy, the faith, the devotion which we bring to this endeavor will light our country and all who serve it--and the glow from that fire can truly light the world.

And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country.

My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.

Finally, whether you are citizens of America or citizens of the world, ask of us here the same high standards of strength and sacrifice which we ask of you. With a good conscience our only sure reward, with history the final judge of our deeds, let us go forth to lead the land we love, asking His blessing and His help, but knowing that here on earth God's work must truly be our own."


Moon Promise....(excerpt)

Finally, if we are to win the battle that is now going on around the world between freedom and tyranny, the dramatic achievements in space which occurred in recent weeks should have made clear to us all, as did the Sputnik in 1957, the impact of this adventure on the minds of men everywhere, who are attempting to make a determination of which road they should take. Since early in my term, our efforts in space have been under review. With the advice of the Vice President, who is Chairman of the National Space Council, we have examined where we are strong and where we are not, where we may succeed and where we may not. Now it is time to take longer strides--time for a great new American enterprise--time for this nation to take a clearly leading role in space achievement, which in many ways may hold the key to our future on earth.

I believe we possess all the resources and talents necessary. But the facts of the matter are that we have never made the national decisions or marshaled the national resources required for such leadership. We have never specified long-range goals on an urgent time schedule, or managed our resources and our time so as to insure their fulfillment.

Recognizing the head start obtained by the Soviets with their large rocket engines, which gives them many months of lead time, and recognizing the likelihood that they will exploit this lead for some time to come in still more impressive successes, we nevertheless are required to make new efforts on our own. For while we cannot guarantee that we shall one day be first, we can guarantee that any failure to make this effort will make us last. We take an additional risk by making it in full view of the world, but as shown by the feat of astronaut Shepard, this very risk enhances our stature when we are successful. But this is not merely a race. Space is open to us now; and our eagerness to share its meaning is not governed by the efforts of others. We go into space because whatever mankind must undertake, free men must fully share.

I therefore ask the Congress, above and beyond the increases I have earlier requested for space activities, to provide the funds which are needed to meet the following national goals:

First, I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the earth. No single space project in this period will be more impressive to mankind, or more important for the long-range exploration of space; and none will be so difficult or expensive to accomplish. We propose to accelerate the development of the appropriate lunar space craft. We propose to develop alternate liquid and solid fuel boosters, much larger than any now being developed, until certain which is superior. We propose additional funds for other engine development and for unmanned explorations--explorations which are particularly important for one purpose which this nation will never overlook: the survival of the man who first makes this daring flight. But in a very real sense, it will not be one man going to the moon--if we make this judgment affirmatively, it will be an entire nation. For all of us must work to put him there.

Secondly, an additional 23 million dollars, together with 7 million dollars already available, will accelerate development of the Rover nuclear rocket. This gives promise of some day providing a means for even more exciting and ambitious exploration of space, perhaps beyond the moon, perhaps to the very end of the solar system itself.

Third, an additional 50 million dollars will make the most of our present leadership, by accelerating the use of space satellites for world-wide communications.

Fourth, an additional 75 million dollars--of which 53 million dollars is for the Weather Bureau--will help give us at the earliest possible time a satellite system for world-wide weather observation.

Let it be clear--and this is a judgment which the Members of the Congress must finally make--let it be clear that I am asking the Congress and the country to accept a firm commitment to a new course of action, a course which will last for many years and carry very heavy costs: 531 million dollars in fiscal '62--an estimated seven to nine billion dollars additional over the next five years. If we are to go only half way, or reduce our sights in the face of difficulty, in my judgment it would be better not to go at all.

Now this is a choice which this country must make, and I am confident that under the leadership of the Space Committees of the Congress, and the Appropriating Committees, that you will consider the matter carefully.
It is a most important decision that we make as a nation. But all of you have lived through the last four years and have seen the significance of space and the adventures in space, and no one can predict with certainty what the ultimate meaning will be of mastery of space.

I believe we should go to the moon. But I think every citizen of this country as well as the Members of the Congress should consider the matter carefully in making their judgment, to which we have given attention over many weeks and months, because it is a heavy burden, and there is no sense in agreeing or desiring that the United States take an affirmative position in outer space, unless we are prepared to do the work and bear the burdens to make it successful. If we are not, we should decide today and this year.

This decision demands a major national commitment of scientific and technical manpower, materiel and facilities, and the possibility of their diversion from other important activities where they are already thinly spread. It means a degree of dedication, organization and discipline which have not always characterized our research and development efforts. It means we cannot afford undue work stoppages, inflated costs of material or talent, wasteful inter agency rivalries, or a high turnover of key personnel.

New objectives and new money cannot solve these problems. They could in fact, aggravate them further--unless every scientist, every engineer, every serviceman, every technician, contractor, and civil servant gives his personal pledge that this nation will move forward, with the full speed of freedom, in the exciting adventure of space.

Interesting Stuff...(and kind of Republican, *gosh*)

Texas Primary...

Well, the Texas Primary is coming up (March 4) and all the presidential wanna be's are in town...I even got a message on my answering machine today from John McCain. Funny.

The cool thing about the Texas Primary is you do can vote in either the democratic primary or the republican one, it does not matter which party you are registered. I have decided to vote in the Dems Primary, because this will seem to count more...

...not sure to vote for though, they are eerily similar. The websites are almost identical.

Kang or Kodos...You decide!

Cookie Monster Comes Clean...

http://www.npr.org/blogs/incharacter/2008/02/cookie_monster_comes_to_npr.html


...This is why we need NPR!

Get a Haircut...

Finally got my hair cut again after 8 months or so of growing it out. I don't care for having short hair much.

Seems the boss had an issue with it, even going so far to threaten me jokingly with a pair of scissors. I thought that was kind of a rude way to provide a hint, personally.

Anyhow, the hair went to a charity called locks of love, who makes wigs for children who suffer premature hair loss through disease or chemotherapy, etc. I recommend anyone who is planning on a drastic change to look into it and see if their hair is long enough to donate.

...well, at least I won't have to get it cut for another year...

"Get a haircut and get a real job
Clean your act up and don't be a slob
Get it together like your big brother Bob
Why don't you get a haircut and get a real job"

-George Thorogood- (and I actually have a big brother Bob!)

Talking Hard Work...

While we are on the subject of hard work, I just wanted to tell you that I am a man who likes hard work.

I was born working and I worked my way up by hard work. I ain't ever got no where, but I got there by hard work.

Work of the hardest kind. I been down and I been out, I been disgusted, I been busted and I couldnt be trusted.

I worked my way up and I worked my way down, I been drunk and I been sober.
I been baptized and hijacked,worked my way in jail and I worked my way outta jail, woke up a lot of mornin's, didn't know where I was at.

The hardest work I ever done was when I was tryin to get myself a worried woman to help ease my worried mind.

I'm gonna tell ya just how much work I had to do to get this woman I was tellin you about, I shook hands with 97 of her kinfolk and her blood relatives and I done just the same with 86 people who's just her friends and her neighbor's.

I kissed 73 babies and put dry pants on 34 of em well as others done this same thing, well there are a lot of other things just like this.

I held 125 wild horses and put saddles and bridles on more than that, harnessed some of the wildest and craziest teams in that whole country, I rode 14 loco broncos to a stand still and I let 42 hound dogs lick me all over, 7 times, is bit by hungry dogs and I was chewed all to pieces by rattlesnakes and water moccasins on 2 river bottoms.

I chopped and carried 314 arm loads of stove wood, 109 buckets of coal, carried a gallon of kerosene 18 miles over the mountains, got lost, lost a good pair of shoes in a mudhole, and I chopped and weeded 48 rows of short cotton, 13 acres of bad corn. I cut the sticker weeds out of 11 back yards, all on account of cuz I wanted to show her that I was a man and I liked to work.

I cleaned out 9 barn lofts, cranked 31 cars, all makes and models, pulled 3 cars out of mud holes, and 4 or 5 out of snow drifts. I dug 5 cisterns of water for some of her friends, run all kinds of errands, played the fiddle for 9 church meetins, I Joined 11 separate denominations, I joined up and signed up with 7 best trade unions I could find, I paid my wages, um, a, dues 6 months in advance.

I waded 48 miles of swamps and 6 big rivers, walked across 2 ranges of mountains and crossed 3 deserts.

I got the fever, Sun stroke, Malaria, blue, moonstruck, skeeter bit, Poison Ivy and the 7-year itch and the blind staggers.

I was give up for less, lost and dead a couple of times, struck by lightning, struck by Congress, struck by friends and kinfolks, well as by 3 cars on highways, a lot of times in peoples hen-houses.

I been hit and run down, run over, and walked on, knocked around.

I'm just sittin here now tryin to study up what else I can do to show that women that I still ain't afraid of hard work.

...Woody Guthrie