February 2006 - Posts
Today a friend of mine, we’ll call him R, got some bad news.
His son in law died unexpectedly in a car accident. This was not only a young man (just under 30) but also a husband and a father.
Mortality is something we all must face. It’s inevitable. But, when it comes out of the blue like this the difficulty in processing and living through it multiplies exponentially.
Death is not something that scares me. As I said, we all have to face it. But when it comes like this it absolutely scares me.
Not because there may be things I hadn’t done yet but because of my children.
It would be one thing if my children were able to prepare for my passing (if I were sick or back in the Army and deployed to Iraq). But to leave them unexpectedly absolutely scares me. I can honestly say it’s the one thing that, even as a fleeting thought, scares me.
To leave my children without a father – to think I will not be able to see them move through life – to think there will be times in their lives that they need my help and I will not be there to give it to them scares me beyond words. I could only hope that if something like that were to happen someone would step in from my family (my brother Lou, my brother in law Rob) to provide the fatherly love and guidance to my children they deserve.
Thankfully R’s daughter and her child have R (and the rest of their family) to turn to. I am a FIRM believer that children need their fathers in their lives. Without them, there is an integral part of the growing and learning process that is left out.
R is a father, I am sure he will be a good father figure to Westin and I am sure he will not give a second thought to providing the love and guidance to Westin that he needs and certainly disserves. I am sure Westin (also R’s daughter and the rest of his family) will be able to grow into a fine young man and that will be in no small part to R.
Find the silver lining R – you get to not only be the grandfather that you already are - - -- -but you get to be a Daddy again. That’s gotta count for something brother.
Stay strong – my thoughts are with you and your family.
Apparently, this guys church (while they believe electricity is evil) believes it’s perfectly fine to molest children.
I’m sure it was electricity’s fault he molested those girls too.
Not sure why he only got probation anyway. Send him back to jail for LIFE. He’ll get a far more rude awakening than the “evils” of electricity.
From the UPI News Wire
LEON, Iowa, Feb. 24 (UPI) -- An Iowa sex offender who belongs to a church that believes electricity is evil has asked a judge to exempt him from wearing an electronic monitor.
Scott Smith was given a short jail sentence and five years probation for molesting two teenage girls in 2003. At the time, he was a member of the Brotherhood of Christ and his wife and children still belong to the group.
At a hearing Thursday, Ron Livingston, leader of the Brotherhood, testified that the group believes literally that electricity can cause people to disobey God, the Des Moines Register reported. Livingston said an electronic monitor could harm Smith's children.
Smith has been refusing to wear the monitor. Judge Sherm Phipps could order him sent to prison or could grant him an exemption.
A social worker testified that she believes Smith is unlikely to commit another crime.
That is all
Found this somewhere (not sure where – but it’s funny – in a Geek sorta way)
1. LEGOS. The Geek is really more of a Man-Child than an adult. In their minds, they are still 10. They still love to play with their legos, and have never grown up.
2. VIDEO GAMES. Due to the whole Man-Child thing as stated in #1, the Geek loves video games. And he's good at them too. If a child gets "stuck" while playing their Gameboy/PS2/XBOX et al and bring s it to their (non geek) mom for assistance, all I can she can do is feebly hold it and say " Mommy doesn't know how to play this." Daddy, however, can beat the game.
3. MATH. A huge plus here. No matter how old they get, a geek dad can still help with the math homework. A (non geek) Mom’s to be of assistance is going to last a few years before they end up throwing the math homework across the room in disgust.
4. SMART KIDS. Smart Geeks make smart children.
5. UP ON TECHNOLOGY. The beautiful thing about having a Geek for a parent is that you aren't wondering what your children are doing online. You *KNOW* what they are doing online and you can limit it if necessary. It's fabulous peace of mind.
6. SCIENCE FAIR PROJECTS. Children of the Geeks always have the coolest science fair projects. And you don't have to cajole your Geek into helping. You'll find him fiddling around with the science materials whether you asked him to help or not.
7. TOY ASSEMBLY. You will never, ever have to spend six hours of your life, that you will never get back, trying to assemble some 2,000 piece toy at 3 am on Christmas Eve again. The Geek can do it in minutes flat. Usually without the directions. Whereas non Geek parents have tried to assemble toys and said "Mommy/Daddy has to go to the bathroom" just so they could escape and scream into their pillow in frustration, if the Geek Dad is around, he can take it right off your hands.
8. GADGETS. Never again will you have to wonder what that new electronic toy is that all the kids have. In fact, your Geek will probably already own it. The problem arises when the Geek won't share with the children. "Daddy, I want a digital camera." After the child leaves the room: "I'm not spending hundreds of dollars on a digital camera for him, he's too young." To wit a non geek (counter part) parent) would say "Let's get him a cheap one." The Geek of course would just scoff and walks away in disgust. No sub-par electronics in a Geek’s house! There’s a law somewhere prohibiting such behavior.
9. SMART IS COOL. Having a Geek for a father instills the message into your children that smart is cool. They idolize Daddy. Hopefully, they'll want to grow up to be just like him.
10. BEING IDOLIZED IS GOOD FOR YOUR GEEK. Course, you have to be careful that his head doesn't get TOO BIG.
Command-line reference at microsoft.com
Command-line reference A-Z
I thought this was a good enough find (stumble upon) to pass along.
While browsing through the product documentation areas of Microsoft’s web site (yeah I know I live life at an extremely fast pace) I came across this little gem.
While listed under Windows XP Documentation - - -these commands are good to go on any command line on the windows based OS’ from 2000 and up (other than the things that state specifically that they are XP diagnostic or resource kit tools)
It’s a pretty extensive list. I’ll admit there were quite a few things I came across that I either never saw before or haven’t used in such a long time that I forgot about them.
Anyway – this might be a good page to add to your favorites or even to do some copy/pasting into Excel as a reference sheet.
It’s been around since about the middle of January but if you haven’t seen the new Honda Civic commercial being run in the United Kingdom – click the picture to check it out.
The design and Marketing and Advertising teams at Honda are pretty creative. They come up with some visually (and in this case audio) appealing stuff.
Once you get to the site hit skip then Watch Civic
Ok, so I suppose the “Big Dig” issues are all settled now and the overage on the allotted budget for that project is no longer a concern for the city of Boston since Mumbles Menino wants to build a 1,000 foot tall skyscraper.
For those of you not in or from the area – Menino is referred to as Mumbles because whenever he speaks you can hardly understand a word he says. It’s like he’s got a mouth full of marbles or something.
Anyway, I can’t see how anyone on the city council would even consider this project while the repairs to the Big Dig are still (constant and) ongoing not to mention all the other money issues the city has.
Besides, while heavily populated, Boston is a pretty small city. There’s a ton of culture, lots to see and do. The last thing it needs is a new (1,000 foot) skyscraper. Let alone the problems that would surround a project of this magnitude (traffic rerouting, parking <or lack there of>, relocation of smaller businesses that have been in the area for years).
I don’t want to hear about “the jobs a project like this will create” or “the new look of the city”. Blah Blah Blah. It’s a waste of time, money and manpower (that could be allocated to fixing all the issues with that pig in a dress they call the Big Dig).
Mayor Thomas “Mimbles” Menino delivers annual address to Boston Municipal Research Bureau.
Story Here – Menino to developers: Reach for the sky
Ok, so it’s 2006 – someone forgot to serve the jokers in South Korea with the information that break dancing stopped being popular (notice I did not say cool since – well – it was never cool) around 1986.
If someone (or some business) would like to sponsor me, I would happily fly to every competition and expo held in South Korea this year to tell them to turn their hats around, pull up their pants, stop speaking in Korean Eubonics and get a new hobby. Hey, I hear CBs are getting popular!
I mean come on. I know different parts of the world get a hold of certain things before/after other parts of the world – but we’re talking about something that virtually no one has done (other than in South Korea that is) in 20 years.
We’ve all seen different videos of Korean kids with crazy robot skillz and funky pop-lockin flair. I am here to say KNOCK IT OFF and get back to work.
I’ve been to Korea – I’ve seen the place – you should spend a little more time thinking about how you can get the 90% of your people that live in poverty out of it rather than tryin to figure out what color fat lace looks best in your Adidas while you’re spinning on your head for cryin out loud.
As I mentioned earlier it’s snowing here and by all accounts it’s not supposed to stop (or even slow down) any time soon.
Here’s a few shots of the backyard (a little blurry as they were taken through the patio door)
Full rack of wood in the garage – lots of snacks and DVDs for the kids – and the wife is suppose to be flying back in later tonight from Vegas (to this mess) – this should be a fun day.
So I am downstairs with the kids. We're playing in the rec room because the snow is REALLY coming down outside.
It's the type of snow storm/blizzard/nor-easter (whatever you want to call it) that you really do have to wait until it stops to go outside to play in it (or remove it from the driveway and all of your walkways.
Anyway, we all took a little break. Before I go upstairs to make their breakfast I figured I’d check my email etc.
As usual, after I check my email ( home and work),I find myself clicking around the web checking my usual daily sites (most of them link dumps).
So I get to Fazed and the first link has an OWNED tag – usually good for a laugh – someone doing something stupid and getting “owned” in the process. The link says “You guys have been pretty thoroughly traumatize by all the links we post with things that jump out and scare you. In case you wanted an idea of what you look like when that happens, here's a video of the typical response.”
So I figure someone set up a cam-corder or a web cam in front of their PC and had a bunch of friends (at various times) try to get through the faux maze. You know the one – most of us have seen it – you have to use your mouse to guide this little red square through a mouse and if you hit the side a buzzer goes off.
Normally after the 2nd or 3rd failed attempt this blown up freeze frame of Regan from The Exorcist pops up and some speaker crackling scream is looped. There are a few pages like this out there and they are pretty funny. GREAT to send around the office and here “OH MY GOD!” come springing out of various cube in the cube farm that is your workplace.
This link however leads you to a stepfather videotaping his stepson about to get “owned” by this maze. This kid can’t be more than 7 – 8 yrs old tops.
The kid not only freaks out - -but the (step)father of the year continues to film the kid while he’s crying. I don’t know what happens at the very end – I closed the browser on the page before the end of the clip.
We all (parents) do things to or kids to tease them and play around with them – but I don’t understand idiots like this. Our kids (step child or not) are not toys. They’re not play things.
I’m not saying this kid is going to turn into the next John Wayne Gacey from this, but he’s surely not going to forget about this any time soon ( if ever).
Where is the fun in what this guy did to this little boy? When was the moment of clarity this idiot had the idea that it would be smart and funny to do this to a little kid?
Those that know me know I have more than a pretty good sense of humor – but I see nothing funny in what this guy did.
That is all
Man Gets Over A Year in Jail for Marriage to 14-Year-Old (story here)
FALLS CITY, Neb. — A 23-year-old man was sentenced to more than a year in prison Tuesday on a sexual assault charge filed after he impregnated a teenager, then married her last spring when she was 14.
Nice tie dingleberry
I am not sure what the proper protocol is. Perhaps I am a bit off base in the manner in which to refer to former President’s of The United States of America, but, here goes.
Jimmy Carter is a tool.
Carter. during his windy speech which was intended to honor the passing of legendary civil rights leader Rev. Martin LUther King Jr.'s wife, Coretta Scott King Carter, made a ridiculous attempt in parallelling current events in the news right pertaining to wiretapping and the fact that Martin Luther King was targeted by the US government through wiretapping.
Referencing of course how the Kings were victimized by the government via wiretapping. (Taping personal conversations of King to replay them to his wife, or hoping to catch something on tape to the contrary of Kings public image in order to discredit him etc etc) Which has never been disproven to my knowledge.
What Carter failed to point out in his parallelling attempts was. It wasn’t the “evil empire” (you know, the Republican party) that set the wiretapping wheels in motion against the King family.
It was, in fact, then Attorney General (Democrat icon) Robert F. Kennedy and then President of the United States (Democrat GOD) John F. Kennedy.
Sure, the funeral services were not the appropriate situation for any political matters, but it’s pretty convenient these things were said in a setting that specifics wouldn’t have been appropriate.
When reading this (and other) post(s) you should know that, while I enjoy debating/arguing with Liberal Democrats, I am not a registered republican. I am an Independent.
I consider myself a Constitutionalist. Which is to say, I believe in and support the upholding of The Constitution of The United States of America. Therefore, anything that goes against or is in contrary to The Constitution, I am against it. Which is really another way of saying just about everything that comes out of the Democratic party’s set of ideas and ideals.
Come on! That’s funny even if you’re, well, a violent rioting Muslim.
USS Cole plotter escapes prison
Interpol has issued "an urgent global security alert" after 23 "dangerous individuals" -- including a man identified as the mastermind of the attack on the USS Cole in 2000 -- escaped from a Yemeni prison.
I’ll tell you how it happens - we let him be held in a Yemeni prison (since he could be properly “questioned”) rather than somewhere in the U.S. or a U.S. territory.
What kind of backward arsed dirt farmers are running that prison that 23 people (and who knows how many other laborers) can dig a 150 yard friggin tunnel and escape?
This is 2006 for the love of Pete! We’re not living in the 30’s where someone can make a rope out of tied together sheets and scale a wall and hop into a waiting car to skid off into the night.
Jamal Ahmed Badawi
A U.S. government official with direct knowledge of the situation told CNN that Yemeni security forces have launched a nationwide manhunt for the escaped prisoners. Elite counterterrorism units are among the troops taking part in the search, the official said.
The official called the escape a "major setback" for Yemen, but says the country is sharing information about the situation with the United States.
Well DUH ( a major setback for Yemen) – How about a major setback for everyone in the world.
Simply unbelievable. Looks like we have a few new cards to refill the deck of 52 .
I would love to be a fly on the wall of the war room where the special ops teams are laying plans.
Yeah, that’s a shame – a shame some of the friends and relatives of the people this piece of trash attacked didn’t get their hands on him first.
Well, kudos to the Arkansas police officers that coaxed the death rattle out of Jacob D. Robida’s mouth. Job well done fellas – – -have a few beers and send me the bar tab.
Granted, I feel for this kid’s parents – they had to watch the baby they brought into this world turn in to the piece of waste that (while hooded) attack people with a hatchet and a gun based solely on the fact that they were gay and then eventually killed by police in a gun fight while trying to stay out of jail.
How tortuous it must have been for them to watch all their dreams and hopes for their son just wither away.
Before I start on this rant – – here is the verification on snopes http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/24star.asp
Towards the end of January The Washington Post ran a political cartoon trying to make a statement about the Bush administration, Rumsfeld and the Department of Defense’s (as a whole) current attitude towards and handling of the war in Iraq.
The cartoon
Well, the CJCOS (Chairman of the Joint Chief’s Of Staff) was, rightfully so, sickened by the fact that not only would Toles use the image of amputee service member to make a point and make light of his loss but also that The Post would publish it that a letter was drafted and signed (by all the chairman and his vice) and sent to The Post.
I agree with the position of the CJCOS — the Post (and Toles) are entitled to say and print what they want (as long as they are not hurting/liabling/slandering anyone. But there comes a point that we must ( as responsible adults – – – – – – did I just say that) govern our own actions and not step over a line that most certainly is a glaring slap in the face to a group of men and women who are willing to put theirs lives on the line (day or night in Iraq or anywhere else) to defend someone’s right to print such garbage.
The Letter from The CJCOS
The response from the publication editor
http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001955937
Saw this and thought it was interesting enough for me to take a few minutes and fill out.
Ten years ago I:
Was living in Florida.
Had no children.
Was jumping on my motorcycle with my wife and had no idea where I was headed (see above).
Was a regular at Thee Doll House in Orlando.
Was still in The Army.
Was watching every married couple I knew (but one) split up.
Was using Dial-up (NetPassage.net)
Five years ago I:
Was helping my son, Santino, blow out the candles on his first birthday cake.
Was living in Newton, Massachusetts.
Was walking to work every day (3 blocks).
Was happy my mother’s cancer was in remission.
Was looking at my motorcycle under a cover wondering why I had no time to ride anymore.
Made the decision with my wife that it was time to stop renting and time to start looking for a home to buy.
One year ago I:
Was laughing to myself that I went from a 5 minute walk to a 1 hour drive to work.
Was helping my daughter Hannah, blow out the candles on her 2nd birthday cake.
Welcoming my friend home from his 1st tour in Iraq
Talking about going back to the Bahamas and taking my daughter swimming with dolphins for the 1st time (and my son for the 2nd time), Thanks MoMo!
Migrating my Exchange domain from 2000 to 2003 – got that all you non geeks?
Preparing for a conference in Vegas
Ten Tasty Things:
My wife’s Chicken Ragu
Veal Saltimbocca
Tastykake Peanut Butter Kandy Kakes
Sierra Nevada
Chocolate Mouse
Taylor Pork Roll
Pizza Steak with fried onions
Kohr Brothers custard (black and white twist with chocolate jimmies)
Chicago style hot dog
Unagi
Five songs I know by heart:
Every single Van Halen song (ok that’s more than five)
Betcha by golly Wow – The Stylistics (more preferable to Aaron Neville's version)
Candy Iggy Pop
Every single Doors song (again – more than five)
Rubberband Man – The Spinners
Five things I would do with a lot of money:
Ensure my children’s education was taken care of (though grad-school)
Pay off my mortgage (and most likely move)
Donate as much money to MMRF as I could afford.
Hire Eddie Van Halen to play a private (small) party
Purchase a new home or pay off the homes of everyone in my family (for them)
Five things I would never wear:
A beret (good thing I got out of the Army and was never assigned directly to an Airborne unit while I was in)
Knickers
An ascot
White loafers (unless of course I was going to a costume party dressed as Cousin Eddie or Clark Griswald)
A Feather boa
(nice image in my head of me wearing all five at once)
Five Favorite TV shows: (currently on)
The Shield
LOST
Over There
The Sopranos
Deadwood
Five things I enjoy doing:
Yer mama Being a father
Going to Sea Isle City, NJ.
Arguing with liberals
My job
Riding (motorcycles)