Scares the hell out of me.... You Betcha!

Selling his Soul for the GOP

"Neither party," the senator later shouted to the Virginia crowd, "should be defined by pandering to the outer reaches of American politics and the agents of intolerance, whether they be Louis Farrakhan or Al Sharpton on the left, or Pat Robertson or Jerry Falwell on the right."

Those were McCain's words in the 2000 election. Now he's sold his soul to gain the support of the far right reversing his stance not only on religious issues but many others. McCain earned his Maverick badge on those issues and they've been totally abandoned in his bid for the White House.

Cartoon of the Week

Courtesy of Slate.

Cartoon of the Week

Courtesy of MSNBC.

NPR's StoryCorps

I once again have news and tunes on my commute to work. It's a long story but I've been staring at a hole in my dash where the stereo formerly resided for more than a year now. Last weekend, I pulled the factory radio/cassette player out of the closet and reinstalled it. I don't listen to music much anymore but most talk radio in the southeast grates on my nerves as well. There's just so much Rush Limbaugh or his mini-me Sean Hannity that I can tolerate.

I usually listen to NPR. One of my favorite NPR features is StoryCorps which runs each Friday morning. StoryCorps travels around the country recording the stories of everyday Americans and some are really touching. It's refreshing to hear about the loves and hopes of real people in these times of uncertainty. Check it out sometime. I think you'll enjoy it.

Palin: Greatest Question Dodger of all Time

Gwen Ifill (debate moderator): Given the events of the week, what promises have you and your campaigns made to the American people that you're not going to be able to keep?

Palin: Well, the nice thing about running with John McCain is I can assure you he doesn't tell one thing to one group and then turns around and tells something else to another group including his plans that will make this bailout plan, this rescue plan, even better. I want to go back to the energy plan....

What kind of answer is that? I won't even mention all of the utterly ridiculous "blond beauty queen" remarks that she's made in the last few weeks and the Republican base still loves her! God help us all.

My sentiments exactly

Read Campbell Brown's commentary on CNN. I too would very much like to know how this $700 billion pillaging of the middle class will affect the campaign promises made by both parties. I know that it's a hard concept to grasp for some reason but you can't spend money if you don't have any. It eventually becomes a problem even if you are the federal government.

Cartoon of the Week

Courtesy of The Independent

Four Months without the Boob Tube

It's been four months now since I notified DirecTV that I no longer required their services. Do I miss it? Not really but I hardly ever watched television anyhow. In the last few decades, there have been a few series that I followed for a season or two (The X-Files, Battlestar Galactica, The Shield) but eventually my schedule or that of the series changed. Television was mostly background noise in our household.

Cassie does miss the morning news. Robin Meade was her friend. Now, she just drives me insane listening to Fox News on the net. Unfortunately, they're the only source that she has found that streams the news each morning. Can anyone suggest an alternative that is a little less "fair and balanced?"

I'll probably bite the bullet when/if my financial stress is relieved and have DirecTV bring in some new HD equipment for a multi-room installation. Maybe. Anyone else kicked the television habit or thinking about it for financial or intellectual reasons?

Quote of the Day

I read this very interesting article on Time about Sheik Abdul-Rahman Al-Marwany, president of the Dar Al-Salaam organization. He works as an anti-revenge moderator among the Yemeni tribes.

A Sufi, Marwani uses the messages of Islamic mysticism to convince militants that Islam preaches peace. But on the subject of extremists, he can sound like a Washington hawk. "We need to capture all the scholars who are preaching violence, and, if we must, even kill them," he says. "Their danger is that they can affect the whole country."

That statement definitely caught my attention. I don't think even the hawks in Washington would publicly admit to wanting to knock off scholars for just preaching violence but who knows?

Recently, he confronted a firebrand preacher who had exhorted Muslims to kill Christians. "Do you believe Allah is wise and that all things come from Allah?" Marwani asked. The preacher did. "Even that Mercedes you drive?" the sheik pressed on. "Because if you kill all the Christians, there won't be any of them left to build Mercedeses."

That's it! That's exactly the angle that we need to negotiate with terrorists! If you kill all the Christians then no one will be left to build expensive luxury sedans! Sheer genius!

Quote of the Day

It isn't surprising, therefore, that Palin appears to have no idea who America is actually fighting in Iraq. "The terrorists" attacked us because "they do not believe in American ideals," as she robotically told Gibson, channeling Bush's notorious "they hate our freedoms" line. It may be comforting for Palin and Bush to envision Osama bin Laden sitting in a cave cursing as he reads Thomas Jefferson, but it provides scant guidance for formulating effective Mideast policies.

Yet another article pointing out the obvious problems with the Republican Vice-Presidential candidate. The thought of Bin Laden reading Jefferson in a cave made my day. Had to pass it along. Read the full article on Salon.

Work Continues on the Home Office

Our house has been an ongoing project for a decade now. No, my wife isn't really happy with that fact and, eventually, I'm sure that we will get it to a state where she might be satisfied ... at least for a little while. During that period, my home office has undergone several iterations with the wall color changing from white to gray/blue and now Behr's Butternut Wood. Sounds edible.

One word of advice! About five years ago, I watched a few of those home remodeling shows and got the bright idea to paint stripes on the wall. Never paint stripes on the wall unless you intend to keep them forever. Taped off stripes are about impossible to cover up. I tried sanding. Didn't work. I finally slapped sheetrock mud on the wall and sanded it down to do the trick. Of course, I'm sure you're familiar with the mess that ensued. A half dozen coats of paint were required to cover up the mud. Add in the complication of a gallon of paint from Home Depot that didn't quite match the other two and you'll understand my frustration. Of course deciding to change the trim color in the whole house was another complication!

Besides the painting, I'm also moving the main components of our home network upstairs since we want to use that downstairs room for a den. To accomplish that task, I needed to run our ISDN line from Bell's box to upstairs where I've set up a place in the closet for the router and, eventually, the server. Of course, there was no electrical outlet so I had to install a cut-in box and tap into an outlet on the other side of the wall. No problem there. Pull some Cat5 all over the place, buy some rather overpriced (but very easy to install and neat appearing) On-Q legrand keystone connectors, wall plates, etc. and have a good time climbing into the attic and under the house.

I completed the wiring this morning and moved the routers upstairs for testing. Besides one unexplainable burp, it seems to be working fine now. Moving the Linksys WRT54G wireless router upstairs didn't seem to effect the coverage at all. Photos and more on the wireless setup later.

Quote of the Day

"The President is merely the most important among a large number of public servants. He should be supported or opposed exactly to the degree which is warranted by his good conduct or bad conduct, his efficiency or inefficiency in rendering loyal, able, and disinterested service to the Nation as a whole. Therefore it is absolutely necessary that there should be full liberty to tell the truth about his acts, and this means that it is exactly necessary to blame him when he does wrong as to praise him when he does right. Any other attitude in an American citizen is both base and servile. To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public. Nothing but the truth should be spoken about him or any one else. But it is even more important to tell the truth, pleasant or unpleasant, about him than about any one else." -
"Roosevelt in the Kansas City Star", 149, May 7, 1918

More words of wisdom to consider as we elect our new president on November 4th.

Pentagon 9/11 memorial honors victims in symbols, concrete

Thomas Heidenberger walked through the new Pentagon memorial, sat down on a bench and wept. The bench he was sitting on honors his wife, Michelle, a flight attendant on American Airlines Flight 77. Finally, he says, "we have a place to go other than a burial plot or a vacant stone in a cemetery."

Read full article at CNN and take a moment to reflect on the horrors of that day.

Barack Obama, the French American idol

Found a link to this blog on Drudge. You don't even have to read the actual article. Just read the posted comments and there are a lot of them. Those comments are the result of the many fine readers of Matt Drudge's conservative website who are supposedly God fearing members of the church and the Republican party. Do they represent the majority in this country?

How to stay warm all winter with one log

The 2009 edition of the Old Farmers Almanac is now available with great information including how to stay warm all winter with one log.

Here's the secret, popularized in 1777: Throw a log out an upstairs window, dash down the stairs and outside, retrieve the log, dash upstairs, throw the log out the window and so on.

Do that until you work up a sweat and you'll be warm all winter.

They also predicted that we're in a cooling cycle for the next 50 years with a harsh winter coming.

Last Stand Ends; Tree-Sitters Surrender

The last remaining protesters living in trees at UC Berkeley descended from their perch Tuesday, ending a 21-month occupation of a campus grove aimed at stopping construction of a new sports center.

"It makes me really sad," she said of the felled trees. "It's just absolutely tragic what's happened."

But Nicholas Silva, a 2004 Berkeley graduate, was not in sympathy with the tree-sitters. "I'm glad it's over. It's been a long time coming," he said. "It should have been over several days after it started."

I guess everyone in Berkley isn't an environmentalist after all. Read the full article at KTVU.

And the retort ... Palin not a Book Burner

One false rumor accuses then-Mayor Palin of threatening to fire Wasilla's librarian for refusing to ban books from the town library. Some versions of the rumor come complete with a list of the books that Palin allegedly attempted to ban. The story is false on several fronts: Palin never asked that books be banned; the librarian continued to serve in that position; no books were actually banned; and many of the books on the list that Palin supposedly wanted to censor weren't even in print at the time, proving that the list is a fabrication.

Read full article at Newsweek.

What's the difference between Palin and Muslim fundamentalists? Lipstick

John McCain announced that he was running for president to confront the "transcendent challenge" of the 21st century, "radical Islamic extremism," contrasting it with "stability, tolerance and democracy." But the values of his handpicked running mate, Sarah Palin, more resemble those of Muslim fundamentalists than they do those of the Founding Fathers. On censorship, the teaching of creationism in schools, reproductive rights, attributing government policy to God's will and climate change, Palin agrees with Hamas and Saudi Arabia rather than supporting tolerance and democratic precepts. What is the difference between Palin and a Muslim fundamentalist? Lipstick.

Read full article at Salon.

Obama objects to severance for ousted CEOs

Barack Obama objected to reports Monday that the ousted heads of mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac may receive lucrative severance packages and asked the Bush administration to ensure their "poor leadership" isn't rewarded.

"Under no circumstances should the executives of these institutions earn a windfall at a time when the U.S. Treasury has taken unprecedented steps to rescue these companies with taxpayer resources," Obama said in a letter to Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and Federal Housing Finance Agency Director James Lockhart. " I urge you immediately to clarify that the agreement with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac voids any such inappropriate windfall payments to outgoing CEOs and senior management."

It's insulting to see CEO's collecting huge bonuses while employees are being laid off and huge severance checks for rich CEO's at the tax payer's expense is utterly ridiculous. Read the full article at Yahoo News.

Large Hadron Collider ready to Fire

The photos of the LHC conjure up memories of Star Wars as the Empire warmed up the Death Star's laser cannon to annihilate Alderaan. Judging from some of the crazy forums and websites dedicated to the LHC, some people are taking the idea of planetary destruction to heart.

According to CNN, "Fears have emerged that the collider could produce black holes that could suck up anything around them -- including the whole Earth. Such fears prompted legal actions in the U.S. and Europe to halt the operation of the Large Hadron Collider, alleging safety concerns regarding black holes and other phenomena that could theoretically emerge. "

I guess we'll see whether the earth is consumed by a black hole tomorrow.

If Pepe Could Talk

Lessons from a chihuahua

When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.

Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.

Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure Ecstasy.

Take naps.

Stretch before rising.

Run, romp, and play daily.

Thrive on attention and let people touch you.

Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.

On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass.

On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.

When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.

Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.

Be loyal.

Never pretend to be something you're not.

If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.

When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by, and nuzzle them gently.

Russell Brand calls George Bush a 'retard' at MTV awards

Russell Brand brought his unique brand of British humor to the U.S. hosting the MTV awards and apparently insulting Republicans, virgins, and social conservatives in general. He openly promoted Barack Obama and slammed Bush pretty hard...

"Some people, I think they're called racists, say America is not ready for a black president.

"But I know America to be a forward thinking country because otherwise why would you have let that retard and cowboy fella be president for eight years?

"We were very impressed. We thought it was nice of you to let him have a go, because, in England, he wouldn't be trusted with a pair of scissors."

Interesting Articles from around the World

I really began to take notice of foreign newspapers after the invasion of Iraq. Our media reported that the United States was losing respect around the world and I wanted to view it first hand. Seeing our country through the eyes of people on the other side of the pond is an enlightening experience. Here's a few articles that caught my eye today. Enjoy.

Johann Hari: Here's how to tune in to both Muslims and the Deep South from The Independent

I have a confession to make. I love not one despised style of music, but two: heavy metal, and country& western. As they scroll down my iPod, my friends weep – and retch. And it gets worse: I believe these eruptions of noise offer a political parable. Really: set aside your prejudices and your earplugs and stock up on metal and country. You will slowly see we have misunderstood two of the most politically charged, politically reviled places on earth: the Muslim world, and the Deep South. Don't turn the page over; stay with me.

Global realignment: How Bush inspired a new world order by Ramzy Baroud in the Tehran Times

The series of unfortunate and costly decisions made during the two terms of the Bush administration, combined with economic decline at home, might devastate the United States’ world standing much sooner than most analysts predict. What was difficult to foresee was that the weakening of U.S. global dominance, spurred by erratic and unwise foreign policy under Bush, would re-ignite the Cold War, to a degree, over a largely distant and seemingly ethnically-based conflict -- that of Georgia and Russia. Who could have predicted a possible association between Baghdad, Kabul, and Tbilisi?

Overplaying the 'Blame American' Card by Alexei Bayer in the Moscow Times

Last month's blitzkrieg against Georgia unleashed a stunning wave of anti-Americanism in Russia. Russians obviously like to think that their country not only roughed up a small, poor neighbor but, more important, dealt a blow to U.S. efforts to encircle Russia with military bases. Superpower rivalry is back and, by extension, Russia is once more a superpower.

Pelech Bros Racing

Pelechbrosracing.com is the only website that I'm currently maintaining. It's pretty much my last connection to drag racing. Tim and Ted Pelech are both brilliant! Their NMCA Super Street combination is a bit unorthodox in today's Outlaw 10.5 world. Instead of building a big honking 800-cube big block, they opted to work with their sub-500 cube nitrous powerplant and build the car as light as the rules allow.

If something doesn't work then they just design a new one and have it made! Got an oiling problem? Design a custom lifter bushing! Works for me. The new combination is unproven on the track but made serious power on the dyno. Testing should commence soon.

Quote of the Day

Like readers hiding behind pseudonyms online, self-importance inflates
through the roof, social convention vanishes, and naked aggression rules.

Kevin Berger

The author was referring to how people drive in traffic, cutting each other off, and honking horns but I just couldn't pass up the comparison to anonymous posters in internet forums which I have grown to abhor over the years.

Face Your Manga

Apparently manga is a japanese cartoon. Go figure. Visit faceyourmanga.com and make yourself. It's entertaining. If you're not interested then your kids might be.

OK. I cheated. I fired up Photoshop, added sideburns, adjusted my 5-head to realistic proportions and thinned out the top. Now it's perfect!

My Mother ... Excommunicated.

I jokingly told my mother she was going to be excommunicated if she didn't keep her politics to herself. Actually, I believe that only Catholics call it excommunication but the Church of Christ has their own version. My mother has always leaned a bit to the left in her politics and her frustration with her fellow worshipers doesn't surprise me.

She can't understand people who feel the only qualifications necessary for the presidency of the sole remaining super power is an abhorrence of abortion and an aversion to gay marriage. Damn the failing economy, lack of health care for poor Americans, and our addiction to Middle East oil.

November 4th is quickly approaching and I'm burnt out on politics already. The mean-spirited speeches and mud-slinging aren't new but they are tiresome. I'm not going Walden by any means but politics conflicts with my ideal quiet life of peaceful contemplation. If I didn't have to commute to one of the surrounding cities to make a living then I could be perfectly happy never leaving my home on the bank of the Elk River in rural southern Tennessee.

DIY Enter Key Doorbell

Just found this entertaining idea over at lifehacker. Really geeky but kinda cool.

Cool Windows Wallpaper

Found some cool wallpaper tonight. Surrealistic scenery with colors that pop. Right down my alley. The pictured example is part of the Strange World series. Check it out at StudioTwentyEight. There's also Windows themes, icons, etc. if you're interested.

The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen

It may have been panned by the critics and I think it was Sean Connery's last hurrah for acting but I enjoyed the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. I liked the title so much that I'm passing it along to our recently reacquainted posse of high school friends. Last week, I was searching the net for a friend's email address but failed. However, I stumbled across another school pal, Richard, working at a car dealership in Huntsville, AL!

An email to Richard and a great reply the next day set the gears in my head in motion... yeah, they could stand some oil but I digress. I fired off an email to another friend, Shannon, cc'ing in Richard and my brother Tony and requesting that he add his brother, Keith, to the list. I have kept in touch with Shannon. Well, we've semi-kept in touch. I actually haven't set eyes on the man since probably 1988 but we exchange email and share photos. Shannon is a sys admin down at Auburn University in Auburn, AL. Really interesting guy.

We are now catching up on a few decades worth of information and I'm really enjoying it. I grew up with these guys. They say that the friends you make while growing up are the ones you never forget. It's true. I hung out with these guys, lifted weights, rode bikes, played sports and D&D. They stood beside me when I married Cassie. I'll never forget these guys, a true League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.

Forming a New Habit

I've read that it takes three weeks to form a habit. Well, I've got three days in on the "hope to be habit" of exercising in the morning. I've been dragging my fat, out of shape tail out of the bed around 5 am and walking a mile.

I've never been one to exercise in the morning. Danny, my former workout partner, loved working out in the morning. I would drive 30 minutes down to Hazel Green for our 7:30 am workout on Saturday no less. I always seemed to injure myself. I hated working out in the morning but I'm actually enjoying the cool temps and watching the sun rise on my morning jaunts. It's very relaxing.

For once in my life, I've managed to keep my ego out of my fitness routine thus far. I've managed to just walk although I want to sprint at times... No can do. I must walk for the following reasons.

#1 I tore my left hamstring a long time ago and it's never been the same. The older I get, the longer it takes to warm up. For some reason, I'm also having pain in that foot. It does seem to improve as the day progresses. Perhaps plantar fasciitis? I've had it before but this feels different.

#2 When I was sprinting and jogging regularly, I used to tell my wife, Cassie, that walking was only beneficial for old folks that had suffered from heart attacks. I'm eating those words but I know that if I just start running then I'll be disappointed in my performance, get shin splints, or both... and quit.

#3 My resting heart rate has gotten ridiculously high and it quickly zooms up into the 120 range while walking at ~ 3 mph. I live on an incline so my heart rate is about 140 bpm on the return trip. I don't seem to be out of breath at all so perhaps my Polar monitor has gone insane? I haven't used it in years. I need to verify my heart rate manually.

#4 My blood pressure is also making me nervous. I always test high at the doctors office but the frequency of results in the pre-hypertension area at home has been rising. It's been 138/90 several times at the local pharmacy. My family is full of blood pressure problems and I believe the only reason that I'm not taking medication now is because of the years that I spent taking care of myself. I'm suffering from my lack of activity now.

I need to keep walking as much as possible for the time being. Combined with body weight exercises and some yoga, I need to obtain a certain amount of conditioning before even attempting more strenuous cardio activity and a weight lifting routine on a full-time basis.

Politics and Mud Slinging

There's a church in Cash Point, TN that I see on my daily commute. Like many churches, they post inspirational phrases on their sign out front. Several months ago, it read ...

Never sling mud. You'll only lose ground.

Very wise words in my opinion. We need positive change in this country and positive politics to usher it in! Unfortunately, I've come to expect disparaging campaign techniques from the party of Rove but I hope that the Democrats can rise above this kind of behavior. Obama has been doing a decent job in this area but I can't say the same of his campaign aides.

Hypermiling Once Again

I knew that the EPA has revised it's methods for calculating fuel mileage for new models but didn't realize that they took the time to revise the old ones. Apparently, they downgraded my 2000 Camaro to 17 and 26 which is 2 and 3 mpg lower than was originally displayed on the window sticker. That's very interesting considering that I've never gotten less than 24 mpg in either 4th Gen V6 Camaro that I've owned.

I'm still pulling down 29 mpg without a problem using some techniques now popularly referred to as Hypermiling. Nothing extreme. Tires inflated to 35 psi, no drafting and very little coasting in neutral. There's just not very many opportunities for it on my commute. Just taking it easy on the go pedal has made the greatest change. I've had to make concessions to 90+ degree temps this summer. In the southeast, A/C is a necessity unless you just enjoy sweating. I actually prefer the windows down but when the air coming in feels like an oven, I'm turning the A/C on. I have avoided the max setting so that the compressor does cycle.

Keeping it below 65 on the interstate and below 2000 rpm period has made these numbers easy. Cooler weather, rolled up windows, and no A/C earlier in the experiment produced 30-31 mpg so I'm hoping to see those numbers return when the temp starts dropping this fall. Oh, and this baby runs on regular unleaded. Can't beat that.

JFK's address to Southern Baptist leaders, 1960

"I believe in a president whose views on religion are his own private affair, neither imposed upon him by the nation or imposed by the nation upon him as a condition to holding that office."

Many would do well to consider the words of John F. Kennedy as we choose our next President. Read more of Kennedy's speech here.

They Just Don't Get It

In the last few days, I've read an amazing array of political analysis of the many speeches given at the Democratic National Convention. Although I saw similar comments in other articles, Ruben Navarette's remarks on Obama's speech stood out in my mind. He described Obama's comments on economic issues as a "hybrid of left-right economic theory that sounded like a bundle of contradictions." Here's an excerpt from his article on cnn.politics.com

He explained it as "the idea that we are responsible for ourselves, but that we also rise and fall as one nation" and described it as blending "individual responsibility and mutual responsibility." Simply put: You have to do what you can for yourself, but that you also have to do for others.

There is the rub: If everyone were to adhere to the first part, there will be no need for the second. Besides, even if we buy the idea that, as Obama said, "I am my brother's keeper, I am my sister's keeper," there is still the question of whether government should do the keeping.

Navarrette moved on to Biden's speech continuing to point out these so called contradictions. Like Bush and McCain, Navarette just doesn't get it. Just as Bill Gates and others have called on the richest nations to help alleviate world poverty and conquer disease in some of the poorest countries, the same should be done at home. There is no excuse for anyone in this country to be hungry or without medical care. Sometimes you can do everything for yourself and it's just not enough. Sometimes people need a hand (not to be confused with a handout) and the government can help.

I grew up under those circumstances. I never knew my grandfather. A WWII vet, he died suddenly at the age of 47 and my father dropped out of high school in an effort to keep the family farm afloat. My father struggled for years but eventually failed in his effort. Along the way, he married my mother and she bore three children of which I'm the eldest. My father grew up farming and knew nothing else. However, farm work did prepare him to operate heavy equipment and I remember when he began driving a dump truck for a local construction company to put food on the table. We lived with my grandmother for about five years until he went to work as a farm laborer and got a house in the bargain.

Unfortunately, there still wasn't enough income to feed three children so we received food stamps and free lunches at school (both programs signed into law by Democratic presidents). My family was never poor enough to qualify for welfare but we needed a hand. That assistance from the government helped my parents through some very hard times. My father struggled for years working long hours in the fields to support us. My mother stayed home to raise us while also earning money sewing and styling hair. They sacrificed everything to give us a chance to succeed in the world and it was only possible through the help of these government programs.

My parents still don't have much but they no longer require government assistance. Thanks to programs that are funded through taxes on the wealthiest citizens, my family had food on the table and my siblings and I were given a chance to pursue the American Dream. I know our story is not unique so it's really amazing that McCain and Navarrette just don't get it.

Comcast to make monthly Internet use cap official

I might have thought differently before going to work for a cable company but I now have to agree with Comcast's decision. I've actually seen 5% of the customer base burn up over 50% of the available bandwidth and the constant struggle to upgrade to keep up with their demands. There really is no other fair option. All cable companies will follow eventually but, of course, more upgrades will be required to implement the cap. 250 gig is still an incredible amount of traffic but I'm sure that you will see plenty of complaints on the net today!

NEW YORK (AP) -- Comcast Corp., the nation's second-largest Internet service provider, Thursday said it would set an official limit on the amount of data subscribers can download and upload each month.

On Oct. 1, the cable company will update its user agreement to say that users will be allowed 250 gigabytes of traffic per month, the company announced on its Web site.

Comcast has already reserved the right to cut off subscribers who use too much bandwidth each month, without specifying exactly what constitutes excessive use.

Read full article at Yahoo Finance.

Obama's Comments on Energy at DNC

And for the sake of our economy, our security, and the future of our planet, I will set a clear goal as President: in ten years, we will finally end our dependence on oil from the Middle East.

Washington’s been talking about our oil addiction for the last thirty years, and John McCain has been there for twenty-six of them. In that time, he’s said no to higher fuel-efficiency standards for cars, no to investments in renewable energy, no to renewable fuels. And today, we import triple the amount of oil as the day that Senator McCain took office.

Now is the time to end this addiction, and to understand that drilling is a stop-gap measure, not a long-term solution. Not even close.

As President, I will tap our natural gas reserves, invest in clean coal technology, and find ways to safely harness nuclear power. I’ll help our auto companies re-tool, so that the fuel-efficient cars of the future are built right here in America. I’ll make it easier for the American people to afford these new cars. And I’ll invest 150 billion dollars over the next decade in affordable, renewable sources of energy - wind power and solar power and the next generation of biofuels; an investment that will lead to new industries and five million new jobs that pay well and can’t ever be outsourced.

America, now is not the time for small plans.

7 Little Habits That Can Change Your Life, and How to Form Them

If you could just pick one or two (or seven) habits to create in the next few months — habits that will have the most impact on your life — what would they be?

I often get asked this question, because people are overwhelmed when it comes to starting positive life changes.

They ask me: what one or two habits should they start with?

Visit Zen Habits to read the full article.

How Many Houses You Say?

For more political cartoons, visit slate.com

Ford Adapting to New Reality

Ford is announcing a $75 million investment in its Michigan truck plant to retool it for C-class small car production.

"The plant will begin converting its body shop in November when the tooling and equipment specific to the Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator will be disassembled and transferred to Kentucky Truck Plant [...] in the interim, 1,000 employees will be transferred next door to Wayne Assembly Plant where a third crew will be added in January to accommodate increased production of the hot-selling Ford Focus."

I hope that it's not too little, too late. Read the complete article at treehugger.com.

Dinner and a Movie

We may not watch television any more in the Ray household but we do enjoy our movies. NetFlix provides the DVD's and I usually burn a copy and watch them when it's convenient. For PC owners, DVD Shrink and ImgBurn are the ticket if you have similar ambitions.

Entertainment this weekend consisted of Lucky Number Slevin which came highly recommended by one of my cohorts at PCL Cable but not highly regarded by the critics. My wife and I enjoyed it. It's a shoot 'em up thriller with a twist featuring a star studded cast including Josh Harnett, Bruce Willis, and Morgan Freeman.

Everything is Illuminated was an interesting experience. Elijah Wood portrays a young Jewish man who journeys to the Ukraine to find the woman that saved his grandfather from the Nazi's. The movie strays back and forth from comedy to drama and leaves you thinking.

Both get two thumbs up! I hope that Ebert never finds out.

Obama Chooses Biden

No, I didn't get the 3am text message. I guess I'm just a few years out of the "young and hip" demographic that texts constantly and speaks primarily in the GR8 online lingo. However, I do receive email updates from the campaign mostly requesting donations. I caught the info yesterday morning on cnn.com and then preceded to absorb the various articles about Biden posted at time.com and foxnews.com. Interesting choice for VP.

Do I believe that Biden is the best fit for the Obama administration? Perhaps not but he is the right choice to get Obama into the White House. He will help get votes from the older, blue-collar Americans that would have probably voted for McCain even if they were staunch Democrats. The prospect of a black man (or any minority for that matter) running for President has bothered me for a while for that simple reason. How many white, blue-collar Americans wouldn't vote for a minority simply because of that fact?

This country has come along way in the fight against racism but it does still exist.

Bodyweight Exercise Program

Zen Habits is one of the blogs that I frequent regularly. Leo has some great information to help with every aspect of a healthy life and it's made his site rather popular. His recent article Minimalist Fitness: How to Get In Lean Shape With Little or No Equipment and the responses that follow provided plenty of ideas for body weight exercises but even more questions about actual programs.

A poster on the JP Fitness Forums sent me to Simplefit.org. Ah, very simple circuit training three days per week. Just what the doctor ordered! Small but interesting community but I'll probably be logging my progress there as well as here. I just need to order a Door Gym by Creative Fitness or something similar so I can do pull-ups at home. I've wanted one for a long time anyhow.

I've got to dig out the stop watch and the jump rope. Although I've never been able to jump rope very well, I'm going to try to get both feet simultaneously off the ground and over the rope on the days that I'm not doing the simplefit program. Now I need to decide at what level to begin? Hmmmm. I would really like a nice hybrid bike for some cardio work! If I lived in the Florida Keys then the one I'm riding in the accompanying photo would work great.

New Racing Photos at my Flickr

I added some more photos to my NSCA Drag Racing set at Flickr. These shots were taken during the 2006 season and the first race of 2007. Too bad that the NSCA shut it's doors at the end of the season. Sized at 1024 pixels wide, these photos would be perfect for Windows wallpaper. If you enjoy wild wheelstanding doorslammers then you might want to check it out. Per usual, comments are appreciated!

Paris for Pres?

Based on her energy plan, I would have to vote for her too.

Windows XP Productivity

Do you know how to make a slightly more than a year old Dell Inspiron 1501 run really well? Wipe Vista off the hard drive and install XP! No, I'm not a Vista hater at all. We're running Vista on several desktops at work including my own. Since we're an ISP, it's helpful to have testbeds similar to our customers and many are buying new machines pre-loaded with Vista and it runs great if you have enough hardware.

Like several of the articles that I've seen lately, Microsoft just underestimated the required hardware for a satisfactory Vista experience. A gig of ram and an AMD Turion just didn't cut it on my Dell laptop IMHO. XP has brought new life to this machine.

I've been through periods where I used third party software to completely change the look and feel of XP but my current install is only slightly tweaked for speed with a few apps added for productivity. I'm running Google Desktop complete with sidebar with the requisite weather gadget, notepad gadget, and Google Desktop Search. Although I've read reports to the contrary, Google's search product seems to be less resource needy than Windows Search 4.0. Google's product indexes and searches your email, browsing history, etc. and works very well.

I take advantage of XP's Quick Launch bar with shortcuts to my most abused software including Firefox and Thunderbird. TweakUI has been used to tweak the desktop slightly. I use a free replacement for Windows Explorer entitled xplorer2 Lite. If you find the Microsoft product lacking while you're moving and copying files between drives on your own home network then I heartily recommend it. Sure can't beat the price. I found out about it on Lifehacker.com, a great resource for new and mostly free software to enhance your workflow.

For the eye candy, I change my wallpaper almost weekly and have procured an interesting collection from the net. Ironically enough, most are Hamad Darwish's contributions for Vista but some I've found on deviantart.com and other sites. Check them out!

Poor Tom Cruise

I don't think Tom Cruise can catch a break after the Oprah couch scene and his very public rants on Scientology. Slate had some interesting comments about his performance in the new comedy "Tropic Thunder."

But who could have foreseen Tom Cruise nearly stealing the movie in a fat suit, a prosthetic nose, a skinhead wig, and an Austin Powers-style mat of chest fur? Cruise is always at his best when he's skewering some unpleasant aspect of his own persona; thus, the crazed motivational speaker he played in Magnolia was a career high point, and the supremely crude Les Grossman is another. Maybe as the head of United Artists, Cruise really does spew vicious obscenities on the phone and engage in triumphant hip-hop dances in an underground bunker of an office. At any rate, never has a role so cannily taken advantage of Cruise's compact, thumblike body shape—that is, his physical resemblance to a penis. As Les Grossman, he's a literal and figurative dick, and it's the role of a lifetime.

That's rough! Add to it the recent news that Angelina Jolie is taking his place in the spy thriller "Edwin A. Salt" and it doesn't look good for the man. Of course, the Los Angeles Times article reports that Cruise became disinterested in the role so perhaps it's not all bad. My wife can't stand the guy either but I've always enjoyed his performances.

Formulating the Plan

In the past, I logged every rep and every calorie that crossed my lips in the pursuit of my idea of physical perfection. Years of clean eating, weight lifting, and running had produced decent results. Nothing resembling Bob Paris, but an athletic physique. I could move some decent weight and run 3-4 miles easily enough.

I was just never happy with the results. I never took many photos because I always thought that improvements were only a few more months away. It just never happened. If I was attempting to bulk then I never got large enough. If I was leaning out then I never kept enough mass. Whether by genetic mishap or just incorrect technique (diet or exercise), I never achieved the physique that I thought I was capable of.

Like most men, my ego drove my time in the gym which led to shoulder injuries which led to a bout of physical therapy and the promise of future surgery if I didn't change my ways. Being laid off from my government contractor job of fifteen years put an end to my regular workouts. That was over two years ago. Stress from my new job and the pursuit of my degree combined with poor eating and a generally sedentary lifestyle have added about 25 lbs of adipose tissue to my physique and my blood pressure has crept up into the pre-hypertension area. Not good for a man with the big four O less than a year away.

So where do I go from here? Like Bob Paris, I'm not looking to put on a lot of mass now. I'm looking for balance in all aspects of my life. My physical goals include greater flexibility, sufficient lean muscle mass, and improved aerobic conditioning. So what's the plan? Considering that I have no money in the budget for a gym, a body weight program is in order. Probably not a bad idea for a while until I achieve some level of conditioning once again. More tomorrow.

Bob Paris

I recently rediscovered the website of author and former Mr. Universe, Bob Paris. Paris sprang onto the bodybuilding scene in the early 80's making his way onto the Olympia stage by the age of 23. He sculpted a physique of classic proportions, emphasizing balance over mass. Unfortunately, but not totally unexpectedly, his bodybuilding career pretty much came to a halt when he revealed his homosexuality in Iron Man magazine in 1989.

Never the stereotypical bodybuilder, Paris became an inspirational speaker and an author. His personal memoir "Gorilla Suit" detailed his experiences in the sport and his fitness books focus not only on the mechanics of exercise but also the mental and self esteem aspects. Many have been inspired by his speeches given at colleges and corporations around the world. Of course, he's also been the subject of famous photographers including Robert Mapplethorpe and graced the stage as an actor as well.

Perhaps more inspirational is the balance that he's found in his life now. Fitness, spirituality, and the environment are his main concerns these days. His views struck a chord with me. Published in 2001, his latest fitness book "Prime" was written with the 40+ man in mind. I'm now awaiting my copy from Amazon. No more excuses. Time to get back in shape.

(Photo by Per Bernal)

A Hobby of Mine

Another month has slipped by without a post on this blog. Finishing up the last half of the summer semester at Athens State University was a major chore but it's behind me now and I scored an A in one of the last classes required for my bachelors in Computer Information Systems. Can't beat that. Two more classes to go. Woohoo.

Now on to one of my hobbies. I started shooting cars in the mid 90's when it became painfully obvious that I couldn't afford to race them. Shooting at our local track, Huntsville Dragway, led to the development of my website HeadsUpReview.com and a part-time career blossomed from there. Unfortunately, the hobby became more like work with magazine deadlines and the demands for quicker and more indepth information on the internet. To make a long story short, I "retired" after the 2002 racing season but made a "comeback" in 2006 before bowing out again last year due to the pressures of family, work, and the pursuit of my bachelors degree.

Strobist.com and the forums at fredmiranda.com have reinvigorated my interest in photography. With a few weeks left before my last semester at ASU begins, I've got my lens pointed at material that I've been wanting to explore for years. Yesterday, I drove to our home town of Fayetteville, TN and roamed the square with my camera in hand capturing a few shots that I consider keepers. You can check them at out at My Flickr page. You'll also find a variety of drag racing photos from the NSCA's 2006 and 2007 season. I've got some great history on film just waiting for a film scanner! Comment on the photos if you like. Constructive criticism is appreciated.

Crunching the Numbers: Week 3

Week three produced 31.16 mpg despite a few unplanned trips. Not too shabby. I think that's about the upper limit of what I can expect for combined city/highway driving in a V6 equipped 3500+ car. I'm rather pleased that such little effort provided such great results and actually made my daily commute much more relaxing as well. I'm sure that over inflating the tires and coasting in neutral in a few select locations each day produced results but I believe that just slowing down provided the best bang for the buck!

Nixon brought the federal highway speed limit down to 55 mph in response to the first oil crisis where it remained until 1987. I have no doubt that slower speeds would also have the added benefit of saving lives. Other websites claiming that the NHTSA's traffic fatality charts prove that slower speed limits make no difference are very misleading. It's hard to compare that data when seat belt usage increased dramatically over the last few decades and airbags became standard equipment on most vehicles. Seat belts were even optional until the late 60's.

I know from my own experience that slowing down can produce serious savings. Do I want to drive 55 mph on the interstate? Not really but I also don't want to pay $7 for a gallon of gasoline either. Pick your poison.

Photo of the Week

Courtesy of Time.com

Calamity
Lightning streaks through the skies over the Silvi Concrete factory in Downingtown, Pennsylvania.

I've attempted to shoot lightning before and it's quite a undertaking. You basically have to mount your camera on a tripod, take a decent guess at the exposure, and open the shutter for at least 30 seconds to catch a potential amount of strikes. Add some good luck and an area where lightning strikes are common and I think you have the recipe for shots like this one. Really cool shot!

Time and National Geographic feature some of the most incredible photos on the internet. If you don't already check them out at Time Photos and National Geographic Photography

Cartoon of the Week

Courtesy of Time.

Crunching the Numbers: Week 2

I was a bit braver this week inflating the tires up to 40 psi but lost some ground in the fight for better gas mileage. My GoodYears list the maximum inflation at 40 psi so I doubt if I will go any higher although plenty of literature claims that inflating them much higher is quite safe and will lead to less rolling resistance and greater fuel efficiency. There was a noticeable degradation in ride comfort on rough roads but dry surface handling didn't seem to be affected at all.

Unfortunately, I had to make some trips out of the norm this week which disturbed my careful testing procedures and possibly contributed to the reduced fuel mileage average of 29. 21 mpg. Still at the very top of the factory fuel mileage ratings for this vehicle but now I'm hungry for more. I wonder if the expense of synthetic lubricants in the engine and drivetrain would pay for itself with less trips to the pump. The engine does have a small oil leak and I'm afraid that a slippery synthetic would just flow out quicker. Something to consider...

Summer Solstice Marked With Fire, Magic, Yoga

Sure looks like a scene out of the second Matrix movie to me (just need to zoom in a little tighter to see Neo) but, according to National Geographic, this is a festival held in a cave in Zuggarramurdi, Spain, during a 1998 Aquelarre, or Witch Coven.

Held on or near the summer solstice, the festival commemorates the alleged witches who used the cave in centuries past—many of whom died by fire during the Basque witch trials of the 1600s.

For millennia the summer solstice has been embraced as a time of rebirth and hope, and as a herald of abundant food and warm temperatures to come (summer solstice facts).

Falling this year on Friday, June 20, in the Northern Hemisphere, the longest day of the year is still regarded by many as a day of mystical and religious significance—and the cause for many a celebration.

Experts: Mile-per-gallon ratings may mislead

Adding more mpg food for thought is this article featured on msnbc.com.

“There are significant savings to be had by improving efficiency by even two or three miles per gallon on inefficient cars, but because we communicate in miles per gallon, that savings is not immediately evident to consumers,” said Soll.

Read the full article at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25284981/

Bushism of the Day

"There is some who say that perhaps freedom is not universal. Maybe it's only Western people that can self-govern. Maybe it's only, you know, white-guy Methodists who are capable of self-government. I reject that notion."—London, June 16, 2008

Follow the president's accidental wit and wisdom on Slate.com.

Car Gas Mileage May Not Be All It Seems

NPR's All Things Considered presented the following question. Which saves more gas: trading in a 16-mile-a-gallon gas guzzler for a slightly more efficient car that gets 20 mpg? Or going from a gas-sipping sedan of 34-mpg to a hybrid that gets 50 mpg?

If you guessed the second choice, you're wrong.

Even a small improvement in gas guzzlers saves more gas than a big improvement in cars that already save. But cars aren't advertised that way in the U.S.

If they were rated in gallons per mile instead of the other way around, people might get a better idea of how to save gas.

Visit http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=91703607 to listen now.

The Case (Almost) for Drilling

John Hofmeister, who is retiring next month as president of Shell's U.S. operations and is embarking on a quest to inspire ordinary Americans to demand from their elected representatives a fundamental change in energy policy, presents a rational argument for offshore drilling. Read the full article on Slate at http://www.slate.com/id/2193858/

More Drilling for Oil in the US

Yesterday morning, President Bush urged Congress to overturn the ban on offshore oil drilling and open up ANWR citing that these moves would "take pressure off gas prices over time by expanding the amount of American-made oil and gasoline." Following in the unpopular leader's footsteps, McCain made a 180 and put out a similar message. Both are stroking the fears of the American public in this time of $4 gasoline and a sagging economy. What is truly frightening is that polls show that many of our fine citizens believe that these moves will actually lower the price of gas.

Obama, who was against the silly notion of a gasoline tax break this summer, is also against these proposals and with good reason. According to Time magazine and many other reputable sources including the government's own Energy Information Administration,

Even if tomorrow we opened up every square mile of the outer Continental Shelf to offshore rigs, even if we drilled the entire state of Alaska and pulled new refineries out of thin air, the impact on gas prices would be minimal and delayed at best. A 2004 study by the government's Energy Information Administration (EIA) found that drilling in ANWR would trim the price of gas by 3.5 cents a gallon by 2027. (If oil prices continue to skyrocket, the savings would be greater, but not by much.) Opening up offshore areas to oil exploration — currently all coastal areas save a section of the Gulf of Mexico are off-limits, thanks to a Congressional ban enacted in 1982 and supplemented by an executive order from the first President Bush — might cut the price of gas by 3 to 4 cents a gallon at most, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council. And the relief at the pump, such as it is, wouldn't be immediate — it would take several years, at least, for the oil to begin to flow, which is time enough for increased demand from China, India and the rest of the world to outpace those relatively meager savings. "Right now the price of oil is set on the global market," says Kevin Lindemer, executive managing director of the energy markets group for the research firm Global Insight. President Bush's move "would not have an impact."

Read the full Time article at http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1815884,00.html. I am not an eco-terrorist and don't oppose the drilling of either area for oil if it would actually be productive but it has to be combined with sensible legislation that encourages conservation and promotes the development of renewable energy. Americans have to recognize the scare tactics employed by the GOP and actively promote policy that disposes of the tax breaks and subsidies given to oil companies making record profits. Let's get Big Oil out of our capitol and look to a future filled with renewable energy sources.

Geek Trivia: Raiders of the lost art

Courtesy of Geekend at TechRepublic.

What Alaskan malamute inspired two of the most famous and influential pop cultural icons of the 20^th century — neither of which were dogs.

The canine in question was named Indiana and was owned by none other than George Lucas. You can probably guess at least one of the two pillars of pop culture that Indiana helped inspire. As fans of the Indiana Jones franchise are no doubt screaming at their computer screens right now, one Dr. Henry Walton Jones, Sr. told the world “We named the dog Indiana,” in 1989’s Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. This not only explained were the character Indiana Jones’s unlikely name came from, but also was a direct nod to the real Indiana, from which both the fictional dog and archaeologist-adventurer took their namesakes. (One will also note that the young Indiana Jones portrayed by River Phoenix at the opening of The Last Crusade owns an Alaskan malamute, seen in the Jones household after the train chase sequence.)

The other Lucas-created icon that the four-legged Indiana lent a paw in creating was Chewbacca, the Wookiee copilot of the Millennium Falcon from Star Wars. The canine Indiana often rode in the passenger seat of Lucas’s car, leading the filmmaker to describe the dog as his copilot. Thus, when Lucas conceived of the daring smuggler Han Solo, he felt the scoundrel needed his own faithful — and furry — aide de camp.

Suffice it to say, if Lucas and Indiana had never met, Harrison Ford’s career might have been markedly different. Still, the good Mr. Ford should count his lucky stars that his character got the Indiana name and his costar got the Indiana look, rather than the other way around. In fact, the key visual design for the character Indiana Jones came from a far more qualified — if unanticipated — source: One of the most influential comic book artists of all time.

WHAT ICONIC COMIC BOOK ARTIST CREATED THE VISUAL DESIGN FOR THE CHARACTER INDIANA JONES? Get the Answer.

Jay Garmon hosts Geekend at the TechRepublic blogs. Check it out for even more Geek Trivia.

A Brief History of Gasoline Consumption in America

Courtesy of The Village Voice.

Geek Trivia: Spy versus spy-fiction

Courtesy of Geekend at TechRepublic.

On May 28, 1908, Ian Lancaster Fleming was born in London, and in his 56 brief years on this Earth, he would help defeat the Nazis, launch the most successful movie franchise in history, and dream up one of the world’s most loveable sentient automobiles. And that’s not the half of it.

Fleming is perhaps best known as the creator of fictional British super-spy James Bond, who first appeared in Fleming’s 1953 novel Casino Royale. The Bond character has gone on to star in more than 20 major motion pictures, which collectively grossed over $3 billion — a figure that dwarfs even the twin Star Wars trilogies in earnings. Bond’s book series wasn’t quite so popular in America when it began — until John F. Kennedy admitted he was a fan, spiking sales. Fleming’s Bond arguably launched the 1960s spy-fiction craze, combining suave super-heroics with gritty Cold War quasi-realism.

Yet, perhaps the most amazing character in Fleming’s life was Fleming himself. During World War II, Fleming was assigned to be the personal assistant to Britain’s Director of Naval Intelligence. From this post, he learned the spy game and planned an untold number of outlandish and effective missions, including Operation Goldeneye, which prepared to defend Gibraltar from Spain should the latter have joined the Axis powers, and an unnamed scheme that involved using occultist Aleister Crowley to manipulate Rudolf Hess. (Seriously.)

Thus, many of the trappings made famous by James Bond were test driven in Fleming’s own life, including Bond’s famous codename, 007. Fleming had one of those too.

WHAT WAS IAN FLEMING’S CODENAME WHEN HE WORKED FOR BRITISH INTELLIGENCE? Get the Answer.

Jay Garmon hosts Geekend at the TechRepublic blogs. Check it out for even more Geek Trivia.

Crunching the Numbers

The first week of the great experiment is over and I'm quite pleased with the results. With ~ 145K on the odometer, my V6 equipped 2000 Camaro ran 381.6 miles on 12.543 gallons of regular unleaded for an average mileage of 30.42! For a car rated at 19/29 under less than realistic conditions according to the latest literature, I'm suitably impressed. I've seen 30 mpg before in this car but it was all interstate driving. So how did I pull it off? Mostly, I was just careful with the right foot. I slowed down to 50-55 mph on the two lane roads which comprise 2/3's of my commute and 65 mph on the interstate. No jack rabbit starts and no sudden stops. Just cruising and relaxing.

I took a few cues from the Hypermilers over at http://www.cleanmpg.com but I chickened out on inflating the GoodYears up to 40 psi and settled for 35 instead. I really couldn't tell any difference in the ride quality and F-Bodies typically don't ride like Cadillacs. I did put the car in neutral and coasted down the few hills on my trip each day but I never shut the engine off. It's not exactly easy to drive a car with power steering and brakes without the engine running. I had the window(s) down most of the time eschewing the A/C unless I was on the cell. I did shut off the engine a few times while waiting in traffic. Overall, it really didn't take much to get the fuel mileage up 4 mpg.

Happy Fathers Day

I just called up my dad and wished him a happy Fathers Day. Life has been rough on my father and I watched him struggle for years to support us without truly appreciating the sacrifices that he endured to raise myself and my two siblings. Becoming a father at 20 certainly gave me a greater understanding of my father's journey through life but it's taken nearly another two decades to truly appreciate my family and realize how important they all are to me. Maybe I'm just getting old and sentimental but happy Father's Day dad. I love you. Thanks for everything that you did for us.

The Incredible Hulk is Back!

Sandi and I ventured to the theater to see Iron Man while I was down in Tampa over Memorial Day weekend. She was leaning toward Indiana Jones but I talked her into seeing it instead. They updated the comic perfectly and Robert Downey Jr was THE choice for Tony Stark. The effects were amazing and there was a lot of humor which Downey excels at. Even Sandi said that it was much better than she expected. I think that was a high compliment from a non-comic book fan that has patiently endured my love for the genre for years. I even got her to sit with me through the credits to check out Samuel L Jackson as Nick Fury. Need to start working on the sainthood paperwork for her! After all, she did stand in line for hours in the heat whilst pregnant to purchase us tickets for Batman in 1989. What a woman!

This weekend marks the opening of The Incredible Hulk, Marvel Comic's second production since going into the movie business for themselves. The big green guy has always been a favorite of mine and Ang Lee's 2003 version just didn't cut it. The trailers look absolutely incredible and I hope that the film is a smash hit. I was concerned that the production stills looked really fake but seeing the Hulk in action in the trailer looks very believable under most conditions... as believable as a 9" tall, 1 ton bundle of muscle can be. The reviews have been mixed but I don't care what they say anyhow. I'll skip the opening weekend rush but hopefully will venture to the theater with the little lady once again here in a few weeks to check it out!

Stockton Stop Sign Spelled 'SOTP'

Just read this news on KCRA Sacramento's website.

A road crew in Stockton doing repairs at Royal Oaks Drive wants you to "SOTP."

After putting a stop sign in, the crew came back to the road by Dentoni Park to paint the stop sign on the pavement when they misspelled the word "stop," a Stockton resident said.

The misspelling was corrected on Wednesday, city officials said.

I'm not making this one up. See for yourself at http://www.kcra.com/news/16578641/detail.html#. Is the public education system truly that bad or is the city of Stockton now hiring illiterate immigrants? I can see one guy being dyslexic but the whole crew? Gotta wonder.

Bushism of the Day

"We got plenty of money in Washington. What we need is more priority."—Washington, D.C., June 2, 2008

Follow the president's accidental wit and wisdom on Slate.com.

What A Wonderful World

I see trees of green, red roses too
I see them bloom for me and you
And I think to myself, what a wonderful world

I see skies of blue and clouds of white
The bright blessed day, the dark sacred night
And I think to myself, what a wonderful world

The colours of the rainbow, so pretty in the sky
Are also on the faces of people going by
I see friends shakin' hands, sayin' "How do you do?"
They're really saying "I love you"

I hear babies cryin', I watch them grow
They'll learn much more than I'll ever know
And I think to myself, what a wonderful world
Yes, I think to myself, what a wonderful world

Oh yeah

I don't remember the first time that I actually heard Louis Armstrong sing "What A Wonderful World". I believe my mother had it on 45 and we played it when I was young. She gave us her record collection to keep me and my two siblings entertained. Anyhow, back to the present... I finally took the opportunity to photograph some hay bales down the road from my home and Louis sprang to mind. It is a wonderful world. I need to get outside and see it more. I just wish Sandi was here to share it with me.

Recycling

The United States is the richest country in the world and also the most wasteful. Recycling, among other things (renewable energy, greater fuel efficiency, etc), should become a national priority. When I was wandering though the valley of unemployment in 2006, I took up the recycling cause at my home. I'm concerned about the planet but it was just never convenient until I had plenty of spare time. Garbage service in this part of the county has only been a reality in the last five years so curbside recycling is completely out of the question at my rural Tennessee home. In fact, there's no curb since I live on a gravel road!

So it requires a little more work under these conditions but it's a worthwhile endeavor that everyone needs to strongly consider. Recycling programs in other parts of the world are amazing, especially in Japan where the hallway in their smaller homes is often filled with different containers to generate a 95% recycling rate. Since my wife moved to Florida to work, I recycle almost all paper, cardboard, and plastic and have began doing the same at my place of business. I've cut my garbage production down to one bag per week and told the contractor that was charging me $12/month that I don't require his services anymore. I'm still paying the utility company $6/month for absolutely nothing but that's a story for another day.

I've been hauling everything up to Fayetteville, TN for disposal but that's the opposite direction of my usual travel so I've found an alternative in Athens, AL where I work. If I shop and recycle in Athens or Taft then I'll save a few more bucks on gas and reduce my carbon footprint just a little bit more... Every little bit counts.

Hypermiling

Time to tighten up the belt. Regular gasoline at the HP Max in Ardmore, TN was listed at $3.79 per gallon this morning on my way to work. Luckily, I've always abhorred the SUV/Minivan market so at least I'm not stuck with a real gas hogging land yacht. Instead I've always opted for two door sporty cars instead. Not exactly a Honda Civic or Toyota Corolla but better than a truck with a barrel of oil at $138+. I'm still in possession of the 1998 Camaro that is for sell but I'm driving a 2000 Camaro approximately 80 miles on my daily commute to Athens, AL.

Both GM F-Bodies are powered by 3800 Series V6's with automatic transmission and have provided good services over the years with gas mileage ranging from 25-30 mpg. The 2000 has around 145,000 miles on the odometer now and a change of plugs couldn't hurt. With gas prices continually rising and the less than stellar status of my bank account, I've decided to push the mileage as far as possible in a 3525 lb gasoline V6 powered vehicle.

I've been here before with a few other cars in the past just to make them practical to drive and that was when Super Unleaded was less than $1.50. Squeezing 15 mpg out of my 1970 Buick GS with a slightly warmed over Buick 350 took some careful observation of the vacuum gauge and a light foot. Luckily modern vehicles with fuel injection and overdrive trannies have many advantages in that area. After seeing an article on CNN.com, I've been visiting the CleanMPG Forums at http://www.cleanmpg.com. Although a lot of the material there is aimed at hybrids, there is still much information to be gleaned about any vehicle.

Unfortunately, my circumstances dictate that I drive the Camaro until the wheels fall off so my first efforts to stretch a gas buck will be purely with tire inflation and slowing down. I reduced my speed about 10 mph this morning and will be inflating my tires to about 40 psi when I get home. I'll top off my tank this afternoon so the great experiment will begin.

Home Alone

It's been two weeks since I hopped on the big jet airplane in Tampa, FL for the flight home to Tennessee leaving my wife in her new digs. She's got a great job down there that could be a permanent one if she likes with a hefty raise to boot. She's already bringing home more loot than me! I've never lived by myself so it's a new experience. Of course, I'm not really alone since I have our three female chihuahuas. She took the only other male in the family, Pepe, to keep her company and he was a great choice. He's the youngest and the most outgoing of the canine clan.

So what have I been doing for the last two weeks without the wife/boss around? I feel like I've worked a lot but it doesn't really show. I've got a long list of projects that I need to accomplish around the house. Lack of cash flow (thus her taking the job in Florida) is holding me back in several areas but there is still an amazing amount of work that I need to accomplish that only requires a lot of manual labor. I did get the 98 Camaro ready to sell this past weekend. It will be bittersweet to see it go. It was our first new car and she really bought it for me.

CIS 450

Between the holidays and work, I've been remiss about updating this blog but a college course has given me impetus to once again post. My name is James Michael Ray but my friends call me Michael. I'm 38 years old and married to a beautiful woman and we have one nearly grown teenage daughter. I'm a senior at Athens State University and I expect to graduate this summer with a Bachelors in Computer Information System.

I've spent my career in Computer Support, most of it working for contractors on Redstone Arsenal and the last year working for PCL Cable in Athens. I went back to college to complete my degree to further my career in this area. Network design and administration particularly interest me and my favorite classes have been in that area.

My hobbies include motorsports journalism, photography, and web design. I've written for most of the major car magazines and done work for a handful of sanctioning bodies. Work, school, and family consume most of my time now so I've given up most of my side work and currently only maintain one website for Pelech Bros Racing.

I hope that this class will actually help with my web design including the navigation and requirements for handicapped viewers, an area that I hadn't considered in the past. I'm also interested in style sheets. While I currently use CSS for fonts, I still use conventional html and tables for the layout.

Until next time!