Sunrise

My drive to work delivered this colorful sunrise.
 

The Wrong Gift

My Maw & Paw

My Mom gone and ran off to get marreid this weekend, rather than spending Christmas with family. Really we are happy for the Newlyweds, and my new Stepdad Larry.

You've Been Naughty!

Santa Drops In

Santa Sleigh Testing

Your Lost Letter to Santa

Declairation by Stuck Mojo

Events of recent history indicate that americans are setting a course

For the end of their own great nation. the ever growing trend in
This country is to judge people, not by their individual character
But by their identity as a member of a specific group
No one has ever succeeded or failed in life as a result of their
Group affiliation
A person's success or failure is also not based on luck, but on the
Sum total of the decisions that they have made. those who succeed
Do so through good work ethic and their wise use of their power to choose
The opposite is true for those who fail
The ideals of individual accountability and responsibility in the
United states are dying everyday. a gun cannot be responsible for
A death, just as a shovel cannot be responsible for digging a ditch
Both are only tools, that have no will of their own
Responsibility is an adjunct through conscious choice and is the price
We pay for freedom
Freedom is also a tool
It is an essential tool needed by human beings if they are to prosper
Rather than to merely survive. yet there are those who would rather
Trade their freedom for security
Some believe that it is the responsibility of government to provide for you
In truth, we form government to ensure and protect the freedom
That is already inherently ours

I am loving this band!

Open Season

Check out this music video by Stuck Mojo, it is one of the most viewed on YouTube recently, and I think you will see why. I love controversy!

You can learn more about Stuck Mojo, HERE and you can download all there new songs for free HERE Read about there ordeal with record labels, further confirming my choice to download music for free rather than pay for CD's.

Frosty Web Album

Enjoy all my photos of the wintery wonderland of Silverton Oregon, I posted them on my public web-albums.

Frosty Silverton 2006

More Frost Photography

This photo was taken where I work (out back).

Frosty Silverton

There has been a cold snap this weekend dropping below freezing but we didn't get any snow. My drive to work was typical, until I arrived in Silverton and the roads turned white with frost, and all the trees were covered in white as well.

Bad Biker Santa

Dennis Miller, My New Hero

Have you seen Dennis Miller's new segment on Fox News? I just now saw one of his rants and it left me looking for more. YouTube came throught but not with the deafeatism they just aired, but this one about illegal immigration. Still worth a look, if not just for the laughs.

Santa Fighter

Let off some holiday frustration and help two santas beat the shit out of each other. You know you want to!

Sorry, you will need the <a href="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer/" target="_blank">Flash Player</a> to play this game.

Seasons Greetings From Sadam

Click On Elphen Sadam For A Holiday Dance

Thanks Kris For This Great Holiday Fun!

The Spirit of Lights

Time to get back into the Christmas spirit. Putting Clark Griswald to shame, this display, set to music, trumps the one that was being slung all over the net last year. Hope you have broadband, cause this is over 3 minutes long. Enjoy, I have to get back to my lights now that I am inspired.

In Memory of Diana

My stepsister Diana passed away far two young leaving behind a mourning family. Although I moved far away without really knowing her, my prayers are with My stepmother and my family back home. If your prayers could also go out to my stepmom Dolly and her family left behind I know it will make a difference. Feel free to leave you words of encouragement to my family back in Minnesota if you have the urge.

Published on November 30, 2006
DIANA LYNN HOLLY, 41

DIANA LYNN HOLLY, 41
FOLEY
NOV. 23, 1965 - NOV. 29, 2006
Funeral services will be 1:00 p.m. Saturday, December 2, 2006 at Living Waters Lutheran Church in Sauk Rapids for Diana L. Holly, age 41, of Foley, who died Wednesday at the St. Cloud Hospital. Rev. Larry Strenge will officiate and burial will be at Benton Cemetery in Sauk Rapids. Friends may call from 4-9 p.m. Friday at Dingmann Family Funeral Home in Sauk Rapids and one hour prior to the services Saturday at the church.
Diana was born Nov. 23, 1965 in St. Cloud to Roger & Yvonne (Juel) Reinert. She married Richard Holly on Sept. 19, 2003 at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Foley. Diana graduated from Sauk Rapids High School in 1984. She started her career as a correction officer at the Benton County Jail and eventually worked at St. Cloud Correctional Facility until leaving in 2004 due to health issues. Diana loved gardening especially her flowers, camping, fishing, spending time with her children, and her dogs Ottis and Duchess.
Survivors include her husband, Richard of Foley; children, Ryan Melby of St. Cloud, Ashley and Travis Melby; step children, Ashley and Dylan Holly all at home; mother, Yvonne "Dolly" (Maurice) Roche of St. Cloud; father, Roger (Nancy) Reinert of Sartell; brothers, Delroy (Kathy) Reinert of Sauk Rapids, Roger Jr. (Amy) Reinert of Rice, and Zack Reinert of Sartell; and grandmother, Joyce Juel of Sauk Rapids.
She was preceded in death by her grandparents, Ray & Irene Reinert and Laverne Juel; and nephew, Devon Reinert.
Memorials are preferred in lieu of flowers.

Christmas List Item #1

Most of my family and close friends look at this blog a least once per month, so what better place to place my Holiday wish list! On the top of my list is Suzuki's new XL7 SUV. We own a 2004, and I love the vehicle. It has a great warranty that I have not yet had to use, it is comfortable to drive, and can fit all 7 of our family members at once. We try to avoid this at all costs, because even though the soundsystem is also not too bad for a stock system, it is not loud enough to drown out 5 kids.
Now the ads for the '07 model is on the TV and I have to admit I am in envy of those who can trade in every couple years. The new body design looks fast and mean compared to the family truckster appearance of our current ride, and with the horsepower increase in the new model I bet it lives up to it's appearance. As Mike would say.. I want one!

Wii's, Ipods, and Zunes OH MY!

It's Christmas time in the city, and the gift idea marketing machine is working overtime. Last week it was the Playstation 3 mayham, then over the weekend it was Wii mania, and now Bill Gates is out with the new Microsoft Zune media player with visions of replacing the Ipod dancing in his head.

Microsofts new tech toy, the Zune is hitting store shelves. It is touted to be the portable music player to put a real hurt on Ipod sales. My good source Mike Elgan is not painting a pretty picture for the Zune. Based on reviews the Zune has some ground to make up if it plans on beating the popularity of the Ipod.

I am no expert on the subject, and have never personally owned an Ipod, but I have had my hands on one, and have had to troubleshoot the little suckers a time or two, getting them to connect to that old reliable Windows sytem. Reading lots of hopes and dreams that have been posted on the Zune it has the promise to be quite the little music machine, with built-in wireless that allows users to share music while on the go I have to admit sounds like a winner, and I was going to hold my breath before adding one to my Holiday wish list. Now that the word is out I am taking a big breath and re-thinking a purchase of a Ipod, something I should have done a while back.

Don't Burn Your Turkey

Click on the photo to hear the death shrieks of Frazee's mascot. [198k wav file].

Giant Turkey Incinerated During Secret Repairs

Frazee, Minnesota

July 1, 1998. Frazee, Minnesota. On a hilltop overlooking the western entrance to this peaceful town, members of Frazee's maintenance department are secretly laboring over Big Tom -- the 22-foot-tall beloved civic symbol of this, the Turkey Capital of the World -- working against the clock to get BT shipshape for Frazee's upcoming Turkey Days festival. With a blowtorch. Suddenly, calamity!

An errant tongue of superheated flame ignites one of the legs of the highly combustible paper mache gobbler. Within seconds, Big Tom is wrapped in a death mantle of black smoke, its body feeding the insatiable fire like grandma feeding gruel to a Thanksgiving season orphanage. Fire departments from neighboring towns rush in to contain the blaze -- much to the embarrassment of Frazee's maintenance crew -- but it's already too late. All that remains is a pile of unrecognizable slag.

ABOVE: The turkey installed
on September 19, 1998.

For the first time in a dozen years the Turkey Days festival goes on without Big Tom. His charred pedestal of honor is occupied by a crudely shaped paper mache egg.

But not for long! The cycle of civic symbol life comes full circle on September 19 -- when a new, improved Big Tom arrived in town (on order from F.A.S.T.), once again providing the visual gravy to Frazee's meaty boast.

[Note: Even though Frazee received by far its most publicity ever because of Big Tom's fiery exit, and even though we personally can't resist a good tourist attraction fire photo, we do not encourage the immolation of large, weather-beaten, combustible civic symbols by other towns.]

(World's Largest Turkey: Frazee, MN [Show Map] Directions: Hwy 29 to Rt 10. On a hilltop, southwest side of town, in Lions Park. Hours: Daylight hours. )

Arctic Ice Caps Growing! Run For Your Lives!

Inconvienent for Al Gore, the antarctic ice sheets are expanding on an average rather than shrinking as commonly reported. In fact this study indicates an actual net DECREASE in sea levels. Contrasting what global warming "chicken littles" consistantly declair. The Fark.com thread has been aflair with cries of a big-oil slanting facts, and conspiracy afoot. Arguing online is about as effective as a carpool lane, most people just get stuck in traffic spewing CO2 while the prius carpool passes by on the left hand empty lane.

Nuff Said

Thanks "American Woman" for this fitting quote

Click Here For The Best MySpace Profile Ever!

Picasa by Microsoft?

Windows Vista is to be released early next year and boasts loads of new features to make your computer experience more enjoyable. Most of these features that I reviewed seemed very familiar to me, especially the media organizing features that look mysteriously similar to my old standby Picasa program. Good ol'e MS is bundling image organization, complete with red-eye removal, cropping, and exposure adjustments, calling it Windows Photo Gallery. With the exception of voice recognition, I haven't seen any compelling reason to get excited about Vista, at least not yet.

Comon' You Didn't Listen!

So all my readers, all three of you, didn't listen to my plea last post and apparently either didn't vote, or voted for the D's. Fortunately the tax cuts don't expire until 2010, but one thing is for certain: Even less will get done in Washington now.

The interesting thing is still nobody is listening to the people. Take a look at the state ballet initiatives that passed & failed this election:

AZ - English Official Language - YES
CO - Legalize Domestic Partnerships - NO
CO - Legalize Same Sex Marriage - NO
CO - Legalize Marijuana - NO
ID - Ban Same Sex Marriage - YES
MI - Limit Affirmative Action - YES
NV - Legalize Marijuana - NO
SC - Ban Same Sex Marriage - YES
SD - Ban Same Sex Marriage - YES
SD - Legalize Marijuana - NO
TN - Ban Same Sex Marriage - YES
WI - Ban Same Sex Marriage - YES

It is clear, conservative values still rule, 5 more states have put a constitutional ban on same sex marriage, 3 states failed to pass a legal dope program, and Michigan was keen enough to realize Affirmative Action is destroying its state. Arizona was speaking loud and clear in ENGLISH, and with the exceptions of minimum wage increases across the board, and that Oregon teenagers are still able to kill the unborn without telling mommy and daddy it was a conservative mandate on family values. There might still be hope if the politicians regain consciousness.

10 Reasons to Vote Republican

I don't agree with all of the Republican policy. If you have read posts in the past you might find me a bit further right wing than your typical Red-State republican. Regardless of my political opinion, look at these 10 reasons to vote red this year, or rather, why NOT be blue!

1. National Security: While the (R) has authorized the NSA to listen in when Al-Qaeda comes a calling. Vote in a (D) and your doomed! Dem's have threatened repeal the patriot act, close Guantanamo thus freeing known terrorist combatants, and give your security back to the FBI who so famously failed us on 911. (Not to mention a withdrawal from Iraq certain to insure a civil war and reinstatement of a totalitarian militant Islamic state)
2. Economy: The (D) candidate will like you to believe the economy is is sad shape. If that is the case then they must be against low unemployment, a booming stock market, record high home-ownership, and steady economic growth. They just don't want to admit the tax policy of the administration is what sparked our economic recovery. Could you imagine how strong our economy would be today had we not had to pay for 911, the war on terror, and the destruction from Katrina? (Oh, forgot those are all Bush's fault right?)
3. Immigration: I don't give any Republican a passing grade on immigration reform, but if I was the dean of students for the congress, all the Democrats would be expelled! Unfortunately on this issue I am voting for party that will do the least damage to our nation when in comes to ILLEGAL immigration. Let's face it. While the (R)'s must be catering to the cheap labor lobby, the (D)'s are amplifying the ILLEGAL issue by granting entitlements from free health care to food stamps and education benefits to people who crashed the party.
4. TAXES! : Do I have to elaborate? We know the Republicans are for lower taxes, but don't be fooled when the CRATS claim they only plan to raise taxes on the rich. They routinely raise taxes, regulation, and fees on business that employ YOU. When business has more burden, less revenue goes to labor, less labor = layoffs! Lower taxes don't just create more personal wealth, it also helps create jobs.
   
5. Health Care: My health care costs between insurance and co-pays are my 3rd highest expense, right next to my home and transportation. This would be higher on 10 reasons if I was not afraid of a dirty bomb delivered by Islam or getting taxed to death. Wait... my 4th expense, I forgot about TAXES. The "demon-cats" plan consists of government regulation to a national health care program sure to burden our medical system with more bureaucracy, more layers, and more scrutiny than it already receives from the lawyers and insurance companies. The problem with rising costs of health care is the legal system threatening to sue doctors out of business, and the pharmaceutical industry claiming you need a prescription from everything from fatigue to sore feet. Hold back the pill pushers and the malpractice lawyers and let medicine heal itself. Vote Republican and tell your rep to pass tort reform!
6. Education: Charter schools, choice in education through voucher programs, and giving the local control and power to administrators and school boards to actually run there own schools is the solution. Republicans in this issue are the champions of choice. Democrats continue to cater to teacher's unions, and bureaucrats that mismanage funds, and put our tax dollars in the pockets of administrators and studies rather than in education. More money is not the solution to our national education crisis. This is one model we SHOULD be taking from European countries where the money goes with the student, not the teacher.
7. Energy: Thanks to regulations and policy long in place by the liberal green peace activists we can't drill for our own oil so we depend on others. If we want to free up our resources to develop alternate fuels, we first need to free up our own resources so we don't' have to play politics with the middle east. Democrats repeatedly shut down prospects of off-shore drilling, Alaska oil exploration, and proven nuclear technology advances. Again while Dem's reverence Europe on social policy, they ignore energy policy success in country's like Germany and France where nuclear power is safe, plentiful and considered GREEN! In the USA now even hydroelectric renewable energy is being labeled taboo, and no longer supported in our future national energy strategy. Biodiesel and Ethanol are growing prospects but currently we subsidize so much of this industry it is unclear if there are net energy gains after you cultivate and process the bio fuels, especially if we push this energy alternative too quickly. (Another story for later) Bottom line, the Dem's had 8 years to work on our energy policy and failed, and have been a roadblock in congress for the last 6 in passing a conservative energy policy.
8. National Debt: While the only legitimate talking point by the democratic party is the drastic upswing of our national debt, this is correcting itself by a conservative fiscal policy and the income growth is boosting revenue even more than projected by the tax cuts. Had the economy remained stagnant using a liberal economic model, we would have either #1 not funded any of the crisis's of the past 6 years (911, War, Katrina Relief) or #2 been in a worse deficit than today. It will never be admitted but the reduction in deficit during the Clinton administration was more luck than policy. The economic growth was the result of the prior administration, and the lack of any major national financial obligation allowed us to reduce our federal deficit. We are on path to do that again, provided we don't let our guard down and let 911 happen again.
9. Family Values: The entertainment industry has everything to gain if Nancy Pelosi gets nominated speaker of the house. Porn in every household should be her platform, and privacy rights for every pornographer and child molester in the country is her priority. Well not in those direct words but you won't find any Democrats out there championing to protect family values. Here in Oregon, the liberal majority wants 13 year olds to get abortions without parental consent, they want to grant marriage licenses to gay, lesbian, and transgendered individuals, and afford them adoption rights, all while claiming that the right wingers are discriminating against good Americans. What happens in your bedroom is your business, but when you start demanding health care benefits, and want marriage to amount to nothing more than a union between two consenting adults I draw the line. What's next, do we grant marriage to a guy who wants to marry his dog, so his heath insurance will cover the dog's veterinary bills?
10. Crime & Punishment: The Democrats have the crime part right, but don't expect a liberal congress to champion for victims rights, unless the victim is a gay illegal immigrant who was the subject of sexual and racial discrimination when applying for a child care position at the local grade school. We put executives in prison while we catch and release child rapists. COME ON, look will your candidate rather fund a prison or a methadone clinic?

Your not voting for Bush this election, your voting for YOU and your FAMILY. So I close with one of my favorite tips this year: Don't F**K It up!

Speaker Pelosi

With the election just days away, I can't keep from posting some political commentary.
While the economy is stronger than it has been in years, taxes are lower, unemployment is lower, home ownership at an all time high, the only thing the Dems have to talk about is there contempt for the Bush admin, and the war in Iraq. They have been claiming Bush has failed since he has failed to capture Bin-Ladin, but the most liberal democrat believes that Bin-Ladin is not our biggest concern. So if they can't agree on who our enemy is in the war on terror, how to they expect to win it?

Fall Sunrise

This sunrise caught my eye on my drive to work a couple weeks ago. I have been long overdue in posting anything new, keep checking in, I might surprise you.

Brief Safe

My uncle sent this my way, and I thought it was ingenious! Not only could you keep thiefs from finding your valuables during a burglury, you could keep snacks or the remote control hidden from the kids. When I get home from work, a lift of the waist band and I can pop a moon pie in my mouth, turn on Fox News, all without hunting for the clicker in the couch cushions.

Pacifism For Dummies

Pacifism only works when everyone plays by the rules. As soon as a stone is tossed, all hell will break loose. To assume that all cultures and all peoples will remain honest in the persuit of peace is the first nievety of the pacifist. Then one must also asume that there would be no debate of belief, human rights or equality, wealth, resources, or borders. Throw in the extremist islamo-facists around the globe and the reality is clear. We need to be on the defense 100% of the time, with a nuclear weapon, our enemy needs to succed only once.

They have the will, do we?

Jihadists: International Bullies

The liberal media bias is showing it's backside again as it scurries to read the recently declassified report on the growing terrorism threat and decipher it for you. The opinions penned by so-called unbiased media outlets translate the report to read that the Bush administration's pursuit of terroists, results in an increased threat from terrorism. I guess the pacifist solution is when a bully strikes, don't defend yourself or dare strike back, or you might incite more bullies. Just sit back and hope these aggressive types leave you alone, while you determine what youv'e done to offend the said bully and change your offensive behavior to better live in harmony with mankind.

Chad's Not Hanging Around

Since the 2000 florida election debacle, precincts across the country have been updating to electronic voting technology. Unfortunately technology is never as realiable as one might hope. Imagine casting your vote and getting the windows fatal error blue screen of death. "An unexpected error has occured, the balot machine must restart" Even before reading the New York Times piece on the subject, I saw a similar story about voter machine hacking. Voters be ware!

Who's Hugo?

Hugo Chávez, the anti-american, socialist leader of Venezuela, calls himself a leader for the people. He proclaims to be against the imperial capitalistic world order imposed by America and specifically president Bush. But who is he really, and why should we care? If you try to do any research online be wary, most blogs and media stories portray him just as he portrays himself. While he has grasped the popular support from the lower class in his country, he has also aligned himself with the likes of Fidel Castro and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. While speaking from one side of his mouth about American agression, he has been using the countrys oil wealth do boost it's military. Free political expression is squelched as opponents fear being jailed and there is also cridible evidence even his landslide election was rigged electronically, as exit polls contrast the results from computer voting machines owned and contracted by shell companies tied to the governent. Read Hugo Chavez vs. America &
Why is Hugo Chávez Involved With U.S. Voting Machines?

Wieners of Fire

Sadly, Daisy took 2nd place, and was eliminated from the finals.

Oktoberfest Time!

We came, we ate, we left, but we WILL RETURN! The practice runs were held friday night for the "Weiner Races" that Daisy will be participating in on Saturday at the O-Fest.

Check back for updates, results, and a shot of us in the winner's circle! 

Summer's Over :-(

A downpour of rain & hail assaulted me on my drive this afternoon. Tempuratures are dropping, the sun is setting earlier, and my winter depression is setting in. On the up-side, we got our first snow in the mountains so it is time to wax the board! 

The Queen of Nuts

Rosie O'Donnell has been dubbed the queen of nice, is that supposed to be a nickname like calling her slim, or a big guy tiny? This whacko is now claiming there is a "Radical Christianity" threatening the world. "In America" apparently now the christians are trying to trump the Jihadists. I wasn't aware that the 700 club had bomb making classes. Did Billy Graham author a book "If you can't save-em behead'em"? I must have missed that story on Air America.

Freak of Nature

While driving home from an errand we watched this dust devil whip through a field. This is less than a mile from our home, and was by far the biggest dust devil I have ever seen.

No Votes for Dopes

Every election year the “get the vote out” crowd starts the door knocking, public service announcements, and voter registration drives. Remember P-Ditty’s “Vote or Die” campaign? While on one hand I am a true believer in our democratic process, the other hand, my stronger and more dominant “right” hand holds the reality that some people are just too stupid to be allowed to make such an important decision. If you know what’s at stake, and want your voice to be heard, get out there and vote.

Lets for the moment imagine a mental hospital had a democratic process to elect the hospital administrator. Do you think if the patients were permitted to vote for the administration they would choose the candidate that would run the hospital in the most safe and efficient manner, or the one who promised extra Jello® for lunch?

Keeping this little story in mind, now lets look at what candidate is offering the jello and what candidate is offering national security and government efficiency. If your choice happens to be a democrat, then you might consider a mental health check up.


Just a tip.

Homeland Security Press Conference

This SNL skit is one of my favorites, We could use a laugh this month.

Happy Birthday Lou!

My good friend and co-worker Lou turns a year older today, and in his honor we play a game of where's Maynard. Find Maynard G. Krebs in this montage and win a years subscription to Ben's Viewpoint.

CBS News: "No Fat Chicks!"

A recent post on "The Raw Feed" linking to a New York Post story reveals that CBS news is ashamed to have the plumper anchor woman Katie Couric appear in it's marketing publications so they had here slimmed down ala-photoshop. Personally, I prefer the fuller figure, but with diets, and eating disorders all the rage in hollywood these days, how can you blame them. You can't market your news anchor as a plus-size, when you have to report on Lindsey Lohan and Niclole Richie all day long. As you can see in the before-after photo, Catie is pulls a Star Jones transformation but without the gastric bi-pass. When asked to comment she had this to say:

Cheers, Air, & Art

Emily and Stephanie were showing off thier cheerleading skills at the Albany Art & Air Festival today. They performed with their Ultimate Cheer All-Star team and I took some photos of the action. Although I am not the biggest cheerleading fan, some of you might enjoy them so I decided to share.

Cheer Air & Art

Aug 26, 2006 - 57 Photos

Emily is a "base" and catches the "flyers" who they toss in the air. Stephanie is also a base for the younger team. It may be hard to pick them out individually, but some of there teamates do some inpressive stunts with their help.

Teenagers! Give me a break!

Every generation must endure the trials and tribulation of raising kids. What makes me curious, is what were the privilages our parent's-parent's denied when they misbehaved? Were kids just all beaten into submission?

Today teenagers seem to assume a bill of rights far beyond what I learned was in our constitution.

Here is my understanding of the current rights provided to the average teenager these days:

• Parents should make no law establishing chores
  
• A well connected group of friends must communicate, therefore the right to bear cellphones must be protected.
  
• No teenager, in a time of summer vacation, should be expected to clean thier room
• Parents should make no attempt to violate a teenagers right to privacy, including notes, emails, instant messaging, internet histories, and cell phone conversations.
• No teen should be expected to answer to any actions without probable argument, denial, defiance, yelling, kicking, screaming, and slamming of doors.
• In all prosecutions, teenagers reserve the right to second opinions from the opposing parent, step parent, grand parent, or anyone with a supporting view.
• Any penalty should never exceed one week of allowance, one day of cellphone OR MySpace privilages. Groundings must never include restriction from school activites included but not limited to dances, football games, parties, birthday celebrations, or the mall.
• No teen should be denied the free exersize of personal expression, including hoochie outfits, piercings, tatoos, or other body modifications.
• Parents must provide equal opportunity to socialize with all other teenagers without discrimination based on social status, body modifications, criminal records, personal hygene, appearance, or addictive or hazardous activities.
• Curfews, when imposed, must never be earlier than the latest curfew of the other teenagers currently participating in the evenings activites, or the ability to "spend the night" must be allowed in case of conflict.

Fortunately, my house is a dictatorship, not a democracy.

Leap of Faith

Isaiah takes a leap of faith off the swingset at the Mollala city park. 

Face Plant 101

My brother and I have been watersking for years. We have learned to ride a skurfer, wakeboard, kneeboard, and even have conquered the barefoot boom, and long rope barefoot sking. I have never attempted to combine slalom and barefoot however.
Now I know why.

Posting Pictures

I just learned that my photos in my web albums can be embeded onto my blog, or on my MySpace pages. Frequently people ask me how to add photos to blog posts and although with Picasa Web Albums you still need to upload them to the service, doing so I found to be more simplistic with Picasa.

Swinging

Jul 27, 2006 - 15 Photos

Afraid to Fly?

You should be. Today Judge Jihad ruled the wiretapping of international phone calls to US phone numbers or vice versa, to be halted. You can be certin now the FBI, and NSA have another hand tied behind thier backs while they try and fight to protect you and I from being the participant in someones martyrdom.

Palm Bay FL Get's It.

The Palm Bay Florida City Council is poised to vote for an ordinace that will impose fines on businesses that employ ILLEGAL immigrants. Finally somebody gets it! The only problem is the ACLU and several activists threaten to sue the city into bankrupcy for what they want to call a potential for discrimination.


Yeah, let's just sue everytime the law is actually enforced. With hundrends of miles of border, land and sea, there is no reasonable way we can seal the entire perimeter, but by simply making the american dream only availible to those who come here ligitimately and legally, we would remove the beacon that continually attracts the mosqitos.

Make no mistake, the ACLU has no interest in any American's civil liberties.

Redneck VS Yuppie

This video was posted on AllDumb.com today, but I edited it down as it was much longer, and it still runs a bit long, so I added a soundtrack to pass the time.

Warning, the language might be too strong for young fuckers.

The Post I Thought I Posted

Originally my goal for this blog was to have a place where I save my tech tips, advice, photos, and rants so when I wanted to refer to them I could email someone a link.. One such opportunity arose, and I searched unsucessfully for my TOP 10 things I need on my computer. As it turns out, I think I have emailed it before but never posted it here. Without further delay, here it is:

Ben's TOP 10 PC Must Haves

10 - Deep Burner

A free CD/DVD writing utility that makes creating data CD's really quick and easy. Just drag, drop, click burn, and your done. Most PC's these days come with this type of sofware but DeepBurner leaves out all the fancy stuff and will help you just Git-R-Done.

9 - Froogle

Ever wonder what the going price is of something you want? Just Froogle it, yes Froogle, not Google. Froogle is googles search engine for everthing that is for sale, so you can get a listing of what, where, and how much.

8 - Google Earth & Google Maps

Like most of my favorite Google goodies, google mapping makes finding places quick, easy, and without all the banner ads or pop-ups. For just quick online mapping or simple directions use Google Maps, but for a really cool experience, install Google Earth, and tour the globe in style. Really get some use, and lookup some Google Earth Keyhole Files, (KML) and you can get live content like weather maps, or WiFi hotspots right on your maps so you know where the next coffee stop should be on your road trip. It takes some reading to figure it out but you can get a wealth of info from the Google Earth Community

7 - Google Personalized Desktop

Making my hompage more useful by placing live content, email notification, and a calendar is helpful, but having it all work so well with my other Google Goodies made this an easy choice. Since the Google Personalized Desktop can read RSS news feeds, my home page is always fresh with the latest news and information I am interested in. You can even add a feed from a blog like Ben's Viewpoint if you want by using the atom XML feed on the lower right of this page.

6 - SpyBot Search & Destroy

To eliminate potential spyware threats, download, update, and run SpyBot regularly. Enough Said.

5 - Firefox Mozilla Browser

The best thing I have done to keep my home computer free of problems was stop using Internet Explorer to surf the web, and install Firefox. Firefox introduced Tabbed browsing to me, and it makes great sense when you need to multi-task. For example posting this I had to open new tabs so I could visit the sites I am linking to and cut/past the links from them. Then I just click back on the tab I need and get back to what I was doing. Ever since installing Firefox my scans for spyware have been clean or nearly clean every time. The only drawback is some websites don't work properly so I still need to use Internet Explorer on occaision, but that is the exception and well outweighs the benefits I get, especially when all my kids share one computer.

4 - MusicMatch Jukebox

For organizing my huge music collection, MusicMatch has been on my computer for years. Although there might be better solutions out there, for me, MusicMatch helps me sort, search, copy from CD, Create CD's, and organize my over 6000 song music collection. This is one of the few software items that I have paid for the premium edition license and felt like I really got my moneys worth. My only complaint is it does not work well with the Ipods, other Mp3 players seem to work great by the Ipod Nano we have I ended up using Itunes.

3 - AVG Free Edition Anti-Virus

When you are as cheap as me, you can't get any better than FREE. Get it while it lasts, as long as it is just for personal use, you can download a well respected and reliable computer virus protection program that will update all by it's self and keep your computer running smooth. Did I mention it is FREE! AVG Antivirus by Grisoft

2 - GMAIL Google's Free Email

I am still loving GMail! I can quickly search my email, never have to delete anything cause I get loads of free storage space, it interacts flawlessly with all of my other goodies, has built in chat, contacts, tagging, filtering, and best of all, I rarely get spam! When I do.. I click the Report Spam button and never see that message again! On the downside, does anyone know where I can find male enhancement products?

1 - Picasa

Yeah, you guessed it.. If you read my posts, you already know how in love I am with Picasa. It is always open on my PC, and whenever a coworker askes if I have a picture of something, they now expect me to deliver in under 30 seconds. Now even better, I can upload my albums to the new Google Web Albums, and share all the stuff I have on my Picasa with you.

Just-A-Swinging

My kids are living near Mollala oregon, at neat place where they have a big barn converted to recreation room, a chicken coup converted to a playhouse, and a couple rope swings from an old oak tree. Pictured here Isaiah is enjoying a good push from Dad.

Verizon Wireless - Are your friends and Family IN?

Verizon Wireless - Are your friends and Family IN?:

My mobile service plan with Verizon Wireless includes unlimited "IN-Calling" so I can talk to other Verizon users as long as I want. The only problem is, without asking, I am not always sure what contacts of mine I can have motor mouth with, and those I need to fake a dropped call, as to avoid overages on my monthly bill. Verizon provides a lookup online to check a phone number to see if it is "IN", although I can't think of a single person who I want to talk to long enough to care.

Should we talk in?

Culturally Sensitive Banking was the title of a previous post that I ranted on about having to choose between English or Spanish before proceeding to enter my pin number and use the ATMs. Rather than eliminate this nusance my bank, Washington Mutual, now has added two more choices. Yippee, if only I knew what those charicters on the bottom mean, I've seen them on pokemon cards but I have no idea what it says. What really has me curious, is WAMU's policy embrases what it calls Diversity and Inclusion, and markets bilingually. What they don't provide is bank statements printed in Spanish or Russian, so while they advertise in a native tounge, good luck reading your account statement once they have your money. And as I mentioned in the prior post, if they would just ask me my preferred language and had that as part of my account information, they could just display my language when I stick my card in the slot. Isn't that what technology is supposed to do? I already know the reason why they don't include this. It would appear to be an intrusion of privacy, and might hint of racial tracking, they could get sued by the ACLU for having a database of what languages thier customers speak. When I visit a website, it might ask me to if I would like it to recall certain preferences like my zip code, couldn't the ATM just ask me once, and recall my choice the next time.

Super Dog

My vacation last week included a vacation from blogging. While reviewing my photos from our visit to the coast, I thought it was time to share some more photos with anyone whe still checks up on this blog. Here Daisy is taking off from the beach on a full speed run.

  

Picasa Web Albums

I have found another Google goodie to share my photos. Check'em Out!

Picasa Web Albums allows me to upload photo albums and share them on the web. The free service provides 250MB of storage, and what I like best is it interfaces with an updated version of Picasa, my photo organizer of choice. If you are not yet using Picasa2 and would like a free and simple solution for keeping track of and sharing your digital pictures then read my previous post about Picasa and get the Picture Simplicity you have been looking for.

Delta Time

Just returning from my annual California Delta ski trip, and we had a 'hella-good' time!