Wednesday, April 30, 2003
I have GOT to buy myself an X10 camera!
Some of you know the reason why and today would be a day to have it working...
So, send money through the tip jar and then I'll share the treats!
Nate 10:26 AM - [Link] Say something...
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Tuesday, April 29, 2003
The Salt Lake Tribune Editor Rips Some Ass-- Letter From the Editor
JAMES SHELLEDY, SALT LAKE TRIBUNE EDITOR
Vigh and Cantera also caught the notice of the National Enquirer, a supermarket tabloid that regularly tests the nation's resolve on the First Amendment. Its out-of-town reporter asked the pair if they would provide, at a dinner, a background road map of the case for compensation.
They agreed without seeking the required permission. Had they asked, they would have been advised strongly against any dealing with tabloids, traditionally shunned by journalists in full control of their faculties.
Last week, Vigh and Cantera told us about the session and offered their resignations. I verbally wrung their necks and formally disciplined them for ignoring stated policy, but the act did not quite constitute a firing offense. Strictly speaking, talking to the National Enquirer or others of like ilk, in and of itself, is neither illegal nor unethical. Rather, it is akin to drinking water out of a toilet bowl -- dumb, distasteful and, when observed, embarrassing[...] Italics mine. Dang I love that quote!
[...] Michael Vigh and Kevin Cantera are chagrined about any embarrassment their Enquirer episode may cause their colleagues and The Tribune, and they damn well ought to be. They are talented, young journalists who suffered a lapse of judgment about whom they embedded with one night nearly a year ago, a mistake they now fully recognize and deeply regret.
And more directly this afternoon, the two have been fired as their involvement seems to have been much greater than what they told their boss last week...
Nate 1:14 PM - [Link] Say something...
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Monday, April 28, 2003
Two killed; woman critical Reprinted from the Ogden Standard Examiner who still expects you to log in...
Second murder-suicide in four days
Its springtime here in Utah where the flowers are blooming, the birds are singing and man's intentions turn to gunning somebody down!
Mon, Apr 28, 2003 By LORETTA PARK Standard-Examiner Davis Bureau
LAYTON -- Neighbors were brutally awakened by gunfire early Sunday morning that left two Hill Air Force Base servicemen dead and a woman in critical condition.
Dead are Airman 1st Class Brian M. Washington, 20, and Staff Sgt. Steven Leroy Richardson, 31. Injured was Shawnti Renea Richardson, 27. [...]
In the domestic-violence incident that turned fatal, police said the husband, Richardson, shot his way into the apartment, shot his estranged wife, then Washington, then himself. [...]
Lanae Rogers said the next thing they heard was "a girl screaming. Then he said, "How could you do this to me?" Then he yelled, "Look at me." Then we heard another gunshot." [...]
The apartment complex was surrounded in yellow tape, as crime-scene technicians and police officers continued their investigation.
Layton Police Lt. Quinn Moyes said police received a call at 5:10 a.m. from the female victim stating that her estranged husband was knocking on the door of the apartment where she was staying.
"She asked if the police would come and ask him to leave. There were no threats made," Moyes said. When police arrived, the man was not at the apartment, but police found him in the ShopKo parking lot across the street.
"Police met with him and talked to him. He had done nothing criminal. He had made no threats. They asked him to leave, and he agreed to do it," Moyes said.
Within an hour, police received numerous phone calls that gunshots were heard from the apartment that faces Main Street. When officers arrived, they found bullet holes around the door knob of the apartment.
Inside, officers found the woman, who had been shot several times in her chest, Washington, who was also shot numerous times, and the suspect, who was shot once with the same .40 caliber Glock handgun used on the two victims.
Both men, members of the 388th Fighter Wing, were pronounced dead at the scene. The woman was transported to the University of Utah Medical Center.
The couple was going through a divorce, which had not been finalized. Police said the Richardsons had no history of domestic violence and there also were no active protective orders filed in the case.[...]
This marks the second homicide-suicide in the Top of Utah in several days. Thursday, a 28-year-old man shot the 15-year-old daughter of his girlfriend and then himself on the North Ogden Divide. Police said that incident resulted from an argument over the girl"s poor performance in school.
You know the scariest part about this story of failed marriage and GIs being involved with other guys wives is that this could have very easily been my story 20+ years ago, from either side of that shootout. And that's all I'm going to say about that...
Nate 2:47 PM - [Link] Say something...
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Well, what a weekend it was! (And for those of you that wandered over here from Possum HQ and stories of yard work; let?s be clear, no grass was harmed by my actions this weekend!) Friday before departing I left a little teaser of my plans with some links for your pleasure and perusal. Hopefully, all of you (ok both of you) had a chance to browse through the wonders of Moab Utah.
Friday departure was actually on time, which in itself is pretty surprising considering it was the first trip of the year. But off we went, Beloved Spousal Unit, son Noah and the girlfriend, Lilly. The drive down to Moab was uneventful and we arrived in town just about 5 pm as planned. The first surprise was that Microsoft?s Streets & Trips had lied to me, the Portal RV camp was not south of town as depicted on the map but north of town! But at least we found the place. Next surprise was that we would not be able to park our camper in the tent camping area near our friends. Seems they have a strict no vehicles on the grass policy and would we be comfortable camping on a tiny patch of gravel just next to the road, the dog run and puppy poopie area?
Hmm, not so good so far. The kind proprietors did finally suggest that they did have an overflow area that was available, freestyle parking with no water or electric connections but would that area be ok? So, let me see; I can scope out as much space as I desire, park where I want and not have neighbors looking in my window and for less money than the regular parking spots? We?ll take it and the campfire pit that nobody else seemed to want!
So we ended up 100 yards from the group we were with but that turned out not to be any punishment. BSU and I did walk down for introductions and chitchat but when evening rolled in we made our own fire to sit around instead of crowding around the group fire with the ski club regulars.
Saturday rolled around after a pleasant night?s sleep in the camper and bike ride preparations were immediately underway. The self-designated trip leader had decided that we should travel about 45 miles outside of Moab to go bike riding on a trail that was identified in some trail book as being easy? We couldn?t ride any of the many popular trail rides just nearby in Moab; some were too hard, some had been ridden last year, some were too crowded, so we had to commute out to the desert and pile bikes on racks they weren?t designed to fit and spend time in cars instead of bikes? Grr.
And the trail that was chosen, after we got there was really just a dusty, sandy double track through the desert and going nowhere, at least as far as the group was willing to go. It was supposed to be 7 miles out to an overlook and then back. The group, and the before mentioned group leader decided that 5 miles was really quite enough and let?s turn around and head back?
Going back was almost all up hill and into the wind. (Isn?t it always?) The sand was deep enough to be unrideable and the wind was covering the tracks of the folks in the front before the folks in the back could catch up. My other real concern with this bike ride was that nobody really was in charge, no one took a head count before leaving and nobody was designated to ride sweep to ensure that all 9 riders made it back.
Let?s be clear about this; if you go on a bike ride with me we are going to start and end the trip together. I will not let you falter, fall behind or break down with out stopping to assist or waiting while you catch your breath. If you?re hurling your lunch into a bush I will wait quietly and a few yards away until you feel better. You can tell me to go on ahead all day, until we?re both back at the truck, but you won?t be riding out of a backcountry area by yourself. Period. My rules.
Apparently not a rule understood by the ski club group?
The rest of the weekend went much better. There was a car show going on in town, 800 hot rods, antiques, 60s muscle cars and lead sleds all cruising main street in between bouts of dusting to remove the always prevalent red dust. In our campground there were two 40 Ford fat fender rods, a Model A sedan hot rod, two original Model As, a 67 Vette coupe, a 68 Vette roadster, both with big blocks and for a while; a Plum Purple Plymouth Cuda with a 440 motor? So lots of cars to ogle and I didn?t even have to go anyplace!
Saturday night was another campfire and good food after scrubbing off the sunscreen and previously mentioned red dust.
Sunday morning I cooked breakfast; eggs, bacon and cheese muffins and afterwards we drove south to see this: Needles Overlook . This view is in my humble opinion, far superior to the view of the Grand Canyon that so many tourists see from the south rim. This view is better. Trust me on this and come see it someday.
Anyway, we dawdled in southern Utah and in Moab until almost 3 pm before pointing the truck back north to Ogden. We were backed into the driveway before 8:30 and we had everything put away by 9. The animals were glad to see us, the house didn?t blow away and the hot water tank hadn?t burst. And after a shave & shower and a good night?s sleep, I?m back at work and wishing I were back in Moab?
Nate 11:08 AM - [Link] Say something...
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Hatch: 'I'm Not Here to Justify Polygamy'
ST. GEORGE -- Sen. Orrin Hatch, attending a town meeting in southern Utah, found himself pressed by anti-polygamy activists to take a stand against the practice.
Bob Curran, director of the anti-polygamy group Help the Child Brides, asked the Utah Republican on Thursday, why, only an hour away, "thugs" can rape children and nothing is done to stop it.
"No one should be raping a child . . . we need to protect our children," Hatch said.
Curran said girls as young as 13 and 14 were forced into plural marriages with older men in the nearby twin polygamous communities of Hildale, Utah, and Colorado City, Ariz.
Another speaker, Sonya Blancke, said she was dismayed polygamists were able to break the laws.
Hatch said, "I wouldn't throw accusations around unless you know they're true. "I'm not here to justify polygamy," he said. "All I can say is, I know people in Hildale who are polygamists who are very fine people. You come and show me evidence of children being abused there and I'll get involved. Bring the evidence to me." Do you think he really wants to see evidence? After all he knows very fine people that are polygamists...
Hatch said he could not take unsubstantiated claims and enforce law, and he would not "sit here and judge anybody just because they live differently than me. There will be laws on the books, but these are very complicated issues," Hatch said.
Polygamy is illegal in Utah and a law enacted by the 2003 Legislature created the new crime of child bigamy -- marrying a second wife who is under the age of 18 -- and made it punishable by up to 15 years in prison. Now here is something interesting... our overwhelmingly Republican legislature decided that another law was required to punish the polygamists, because no one wants to prosecute them using the original laws! Not withstanding the rather Democratic Party inclination to create more laws, note Senator Hatch's words; "but these are very complicated issues." That's code for "we are turning a blind eye" here behind the Zion Curtain.
The marrying of teenage girls is common in some of Utah's isolated polygamist communities, Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff, whose office drafted the legislation, has said.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints once sanctioned plural marriage but discarded the practice in 1890. They had to in order to be included into the Union. They never really said it was wrong, only that they would forego the practice. However, there are believed to be tens of thousands of polygamists in Utah who continue the tradition and say they are following fundamental doctrine. The LDS church excommunicates them.
The issue is sensitive in Utah, (behind the Zion Curtain...) where many residents, including Gov. Mike Leavitt, have polygamous ancestors.
Now ask yourself if in your state tens of thousands of people segregated themselves to operate illegal lotteries, or breweries or stills or brothels, would your leadership turn a blind eye to the situation? Would your senators say the situation was a "very complicated issue"? This is a very creepy and illegal, not quite hidden enough secret that never will be resolved because our elected officials don't want to prosecute the polygamists.
Nate 9:40 AM - [Link] Say something...
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Hatch: 'I'm Not Here to Justify Polygamy'
ST. GEORGE -- Sen. Orrin Hatch, attending a town meeting in southern Utah, found himself pressed by anti-polygamy activists to take a stand against the practice.
Bob Curran, director of the anti-polygamy group Help the Child Brides, asked the Utah Republican on Thursday, why, only an hour away, "thugs" can rape children and nothing is done to stop it.
"No one should be raping a child . . . we need to protect our children," Hatch said.
Curran said girls as young as 13 and 14 were forced into plural marriages with older men in the nearby twin polygamous communities of Hildale, Utah, and Colorado City, Ariz.
Another speaker, Sonya Blancke, said she was dismayed polygamists were able to break the laws.
Hatch said, "I wouldn't throw accusations around unless you know they're true. "I'm not here to justify polygamy," he said. "All I can say is, I know people in Hildale who are polygamists who are very fine people. You come and show me evidence of children being abused there and I'll get involved. Bring the evidence to me." Do you think he really wants to see evidence? After all he knows very fine people that are polygamists...
Hatch said he could not take unsubstantiated claims and enforce law, and he would not "sit here and judge anybody just because they live differently than me. There will be laws on the books, but these are very complicated issues," Hatch said.
Polygamy is illegal in Utah and a law enacted by the 2003 Legislature created the new crime of child bigamy -- marrying a second wife who is under the age of 18 -- and made it punishable by up to 15 years in prison. Now here is something interesting... our overwhelmingly Republican legislature decided that another law was required to punish the polygamists, because no one wants to prosecute them using the original laws! Not withstanding the rather Democratic Party inclination to create more laws, note Senator Hatch's words; "but these are very complicated issues." That's code for "we are turning a blind eye" here behind the Zion Curtain.
The marrying of teenage girls is common in some of Utah's isolated polygamist communities, Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff, whose office drafted the legislation, has said.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints once sanctioned plural marriage but discarded the practice in 1890. They had to in order to be included into the Union. They never really said it was wrong, only that they would forego the practice. However, there are believed to be tens of thousands of polygamists in Utah who continue the tradition and say they are following fundamental doctrine. The LDS church excommunicates them.
The issue is sensitive in Utah, (behind the Zion Curtain...) where many residents, including Gov. Mike Leavitt, have polygamous ancestors.
Now ask yourself if in your state tens of thousands of people segregated themselves to operate illegal lotteries, or breweries or stills or brothels, would your leadership turn a blind eye to the situation? Would your senators say the situation was a "very complicated issue"? This is a very creepy and illegal, not quite hidden enough secret that never will be resolved because our elected officials don't want to prosecute the polygamists.
Nate 6:58 AM - [Link] Say something...
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Friday, April 25, 2003
Taking off for the weekend and a camping trip!
No posting here until possibly Sunday night, if I've got any energy or interest when I get back. Beloved Spousal Unit, son& heir, his girlfriend and your humble scribe are headed south today to go to Moab for the weekend. The weather report has improved and it looks like it might be wonderful. We are camping with a group from the Hill Ski Club and mountain biking on Saturday.
I could write for hours about the wonders of Moab and mountain biking, or off-road adventuring with 4 wheelers of all sorts, southern Utah in general, Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park if I had the inclination but instead why not go check out the links.
And before I go, My dad, Roger is getting married tomorrow to a wonderful woman Carol. They are headed off for a cruise almost immediately after getting hitched. So, Dad & Carol, congratulations and have a wonderful time. Go swim with the stingrays and make it wonderful!
Nate 7:58 AM - [Link] Say something...
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Thursday, April 24, 2003
More wisdom from behind the Zion Curtain...
SALT LAKE CITY ? The leader of one of Utah's largest polygamist sects has objected to Sen. Rick Santorum's comment lumping plural marriage with other practices the Pennsylvania Republican considers to be antifamily.
Santorum has been under fire for comparing homosexuality to bigamy, polygamy, incest and adultery.
Owen Allred, 89, head of the United Apostolic Brethen, based in the Salt Lake City suburb of Bluffdale, agreed with Santorum in part.
"He is absolutely right. The people of the United States are doing whatever they can to do away with the sacred rights of marriage," Allred told The Salt Lake Tribune.
But Allred said Santorum's inclusion of polygamy in his list tarnishes a religious tradition whose roots are traced to biblical figures such as Abraham, Jacob and Moses - defiling them as "immoral and dirty."
Its ok to remove 14 year old girls from their families and marry them and keep them in seclusion but its not "immoral or dirty" like homosexuality or adultery...
Polygamy was abandoned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints more than a century ago and it excommunicates members who advocate it, but it is estimated that tens of thousands in Utah continue the practice. Membership estimates for Allred's church range from 4,000 to 6,000, and there also are a number of independent polygamists loosely affiliated with Allred's group.
Nate 9:53 AM - [Link] Say something...
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Airborne Andretti to press on after crash
By Curt Cavin, curt.cavin@indystar.com, April 23, 2003
OK, not everybody knows this about me but I'm going to share this secret just with you. Mario Andretti has been my hero since I was in grade school and remains so to this day. When I was in the 6th grade I even turned in my school work with Mario's name instead of my own. I still think he is the greatest American racer in history and a remarkable individual even outside a race car. I also grew up in Indiana and for any boy interested in speed, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is mecca. I still have a very prized, Polaroid snapshot of Mario that my dad took years ago that Mario was kind enough to autograph! It is not for sale!
The bloody scrape on Mario Andretti's chin did not begin to show what happened to the 63-year-old racing legend Wednesday at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
After 29 Indianapolis 500 starts, many of which ended in frustration, Andretti got one of the luckiest breaks of his career when he walked away from a dramatic, multiflip crash.
[...[The impact was fierce and direct, lifting the front of his Indy Racing League car off the ground. Almost immediately, air shot under the machine, firing it upward. Andretti saw the track from an estimated 15 feet in the air. [...]The car hit the top of the catch fence on its way up, flipped tail over nose twice and twisted violently before landing right-side up in the second turn. Andretti, the oldest man to ever drive a competitive lap at the Speedway, nearly went over the fence and into the grandstands, something that has never happened at the Speedway. I actually saw the footage of this accident last night at the end of the news and I was immediately on the edge of the couch in fright even before I knew it was Mario. Scary, scary ride he went on...
Remarkably, Andretti got out of the car, threw his arms in the air and within 20 minutes was talking to reporters about returning to another car when practice opens May 4.
Andretti said he saw no oil on the track from Brack's accident. But he was close enough to admit he was trying to draft off Brack's air to create an artificially fast lap. "It wasn't anything big that I hit, but it was something hard," he said. "The next thing I saw was air. You don't want to know what I said. It was, 'Oh, s---.' " When given a description of the crash from a television replay, Andretti paused for several seconds. "Wow," he said, shaking his head. "I feel very blessed."
Said career rival A.J. Foyt: "That guy has been the luckiest guy in the world all his life." Andretti joked about not needing to take the mandatory stress test when he returns in May.
Clearly back in his element, Andretti was proud that he consistently ran laps in the 224-mph bracket and delivered a 225.453 just before the incident occurred. Team officials marveled at his car feedback, noting that he had never driven an IRL car before and hadn't been at full speed at the track since his most recent race in Indianapolis, in 1994.
Andretti's last racing stint was in 2000 at the 24 Hours of LeMans in France. But he still felt fit and mentally ready for this challenge.
"It was more than I thought we were going to do today," he said. "We really worked (the car) and made a lot of small gains. I was totally happy, and (the last lap) was going to be the end of a perfect day." The accident occurred at 5:58 p.m. The session was to end at 6.
"His day was so perfect; what a shame," Michael Andretti said. "But it's still perfect; he's all right."
You can go here, to MSNBC to see video of the accident.
Nate 7:36 AM - [Link] Say something...
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Wednesday, April 23, 2003
Operation Iraqi Freedom
Go watch this slideshow. Take your hankie. Feel your chest get tight with pride. Its worth it.
Nate 11:55 AM - [Link] Say something...
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Air Force Link News - Two SARS cases at Hill; patients recovered
Hmm. I've tried not to bee too excited about this SARS thing as lots more people die every day from other medical maladies that don't get as much press coverage. I think it has a dumb name too but I suppose that's not going to get corrected anytime soon. Anyway, I'm not ready to start wearing a surgical mask all day every day in my cubicle, but it is interesting that SARS has been identified right here where I work.
Nate 6:51 AM - [Link] Say something...
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Peaceful Religion Watch
from Little Green Footballs, which if you're not reading it everyday, you should be.
I have grown to really appreciate the postings from LGF and I think it ought to be required reading for everyone that believes that Islam is simply another religious faith with benign intentions and a message of peace to the rest of the world. The world is not a safe place when religious leaders are using their voices and positions in the pulpit to advocate violent overthrow of America and any other group that doesn't think exactly like them. So check it out. Think about it for a while. Ask your pastor if he's willing to preach the destruction of muslims from his pulpit.
If you've never read it, this essay from Steven Den Beste explains a lot.
Nate 6:46 AM - [Link] Say something...
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Tuesday, April 22, 2003
In the future, baseball caps with AoW and a picture of the Weevil mascot should be big sellers.
Now where the heck am I going to get a suitable picture of a weevil to put on a baseball cap? Does anybody care how many crummy clip arts I've browsed looking for an adequate possum for the Possumblog logo? I was looking just again today through CDs worth of clipart, nearly made myself crazy. Or crazier maybe. And now we need our own Axis of Weevil softball team jerseys? And hats?
Let me tell you something I've learned. Marsupials and bugs do not get equal time in the clipart world with kitties, cows and butterflys! Its not right! Dangitall anyway.
Nate 10:59 AM - [Link] Say something...
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Gun kills Detroit teen day before his birthday
(from Kim duToit)
There's no point in me restating the obvious that Kim has done much more eloquently than I possibly could, so go read what he has to say about this "dangerous" firearm that somehow attacked a helpless child minding his own business in his own home. The reporter that wrote the original story is so slanted in his writing that no explanantion could be provided except that, " the boys apparently found a 9mm pistol and somehow it discharged, hitting Antoine in the head," police said.
When I posted a couple months ago about a headline in my local newspaper that claimed that "drugs are stalking women" and asked the editor about how drugs could possibly take such sinister action, his response was that no one had considered that headline from that POV. He thought it was a good headline. I suppose he would also like the misleading and non-attribution headline"Gun kills Detroit teen..."
Nate 8:19 AM - [Link] Say something...
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Now THIS is a shotgun!
(With humble deference to the almighty Kim duToit and his (almost) daily Gratuitous Gun Pic, today I'm posting a link for you to enjoy.)
Its select fire from semi automatic to 3 round burst to full auto. It uses box magazines or a 32 round drum... I want want one, but I want you to pay to feed it!
Somebody sent me an email that included a movie clip of this thing in operation. If I get the chance to experiment, I may try to put it up where you can view it but in the mean time you will just have to look at the pictures on the company's web site.
Nate 7:53 AM - [Link] Say something...
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Monday, April 21, 2003
The travails of working as a television reporter, especially those times when you're saddled with doing a standup and NOTHING'S HAPPENING.
Terry over at Possumblog writes today about getting called on making comments about his favorite attractive local newscaster and how sometimes newscasters have to be "live on scene" even when nothing is happening. I switched my late night news habit from KSL 5 to NEWS 4 Utah a few months ago just because of this reason. I call it Cub Reporter Hazing and KSL is terrible with it. Cub reporter hazing is the policy of sending out the least experienced reporter at 10 PM to the scene of some kind of story that happened hours ago to stand in front of the camera in the cold, rain, sleet, snow or summer heat to report on something that happened hours ago, maybe even when the sun was still up and there was something to see at that spot.
KSL is lousy for this dumbass habit. News 4 Utah keeps their reporters inside after dark and let's them tell a story over a backdrop of the video shot during the daylight and while the story was still unfolding. Their reporters seem to be able to make it to story scene's in real time and I like that.
So, Terry; be careful what you say...
Nate 12:47 PM - [Link] Say something...
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Guy's Pages
Dave Barry last week linked to this page but he really missed a couple of highpoints from this organization's website. First of all, the acronym for National Organized Barstool Racing Association (NOBRA) couldn't possibly be accidental, could it?
I know many of you have seen lots of these "its good to be a man" list floating around the internet, but over at NOBRA they have a pretty comprehensive list of items that ring true for me...
Nate 11:12 AM - [Link] Say something...
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The Gizmologist's Lair
My buddy Todd sent me this link and thought I might be interested. How could I possibly not be interested in a guy's web page that lists Red Green at the top of his heros list? And this disclaimer, "If you build anything on this website, you're out of your freakin' gourd." In addition to his miniature Sherman tank plans there is a real wealth of cool stuff here for anybody mechanically inclined or that just likes to be out in the shop tinkering. There is a lot to see here and some real science too so go over and have a look around.
I'm going to email him to see if he will assist in my plans for a programmable hot water tank shutoff device!
Nate 11:02 AM - [Link] Say something...
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Sunday, April 20, 2003
Our Camper
Sorry for the light blogging over the weekend but the sun's been shining and I've been outside most of the sunny hours and too tired to blog when it got dark. Anyway, this weekend the camper came of of winter hibernation for its spring tune-up, clean up and systems checks. Its also been scrubbed inside and out, the tires are pumped up and it just needs restocked with supplies this week before heading out on our first trip of the year next weekend.
Now its bed time already and work tomorrow so I that's all you get!
Nate 9:16 AM - [Link] Say something...
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Thursday, April 17, 2003
Cog- the Movie, No, its a Honda Accord Commercial
Now here is some art I can understand and appreciate!
First, watch the commercial. Then go here to read the story of how the film was made. I'll give you a little hint; 606 tries to make it all happen! It really is a fantastic commercial and non of it faked through trick photography. The guy that conceived the commercial was an artist, the technicians that made it work were genuises!
Shamelessly stolen from Dave Barry's page...
Nate 12:00 AM - [Link] Say something...
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Wednesday, April 02, 2003
The Salt Lake Tribune -- Trib Editor Jay Shelledy Resigns Amid Controversy
Fighting back tears, he assured the staff, "We can take back everything we lost momentarily because of two chowderheads."
Remember I wrote about Mr Shelledy firing two reporters earlier this week, well its all gone downhill since then. Too bad too because I liked the guy.
On another related note; the Smart family is just all over the place with this story. Note their disappointment not to receive a personal apology from Mr Shelledy about his handling of his reporters. Additionally, their attorney just had a press conference, carried live by the local news stations about what he dug up during his investigation of the involvement of the National Enquirer.
Even the mayor has received a letter from the Smart family detailing their complaints about the way the police handled this investigation and now Rocky has tasked the police chief to answer back about the Smart family complaints. The whole thing stinks and I still believe there is a lot of scandal being covered up by the lawyers that may never see the light of day.
Nate 12:00 AM - [Link] Say something...
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Tuesday, April 01, 2003
Yahoo! News - Tobacco Shortage Makes Marines Irritable
IN CENTRAL IRAQ - There is a war on, and danger lurks ahead, and the Marines of the 3rd Battalion, 7th Infantry are getting desperate ? for tobacco.
It's been two weeks since they left their relative luxury of their camp in Kuwait and their supplies of cigarettes and chewing tobacco are running out. They are rationing their precious supplies, and even begging smokes from local farmers.[...]
With the few remaining shreds of tobacco nearly gone, the Marines here face the prospect of being involuntarily enrolled in what could be one of the most successful programs to end nicotine addiction in history.
It's hard to overestimate the importance of tobacco to the Marines. Or any GIs for that matter...
Cigarettes are smoked at every possible break and the doors of many Humvees are streaked brown from the spurts of tobacco-filled spit that shoot out of the windows every few minutes. Yeah its a nasty habit, tough!
Tobacco helps relieve boredom, relax or stay awake for long nights, the troops say. "It keeps your sanity," said Lance Cpl. Brandon Phelps, 20, of Franklinton, La. Yup
... While living in their tent camp in Kuwait for nearly two months, the Marines were constantly resupplied with cigarette cartons and rolls of 10 tins of dip mailed by family members or with tobacco they bought themselves at the PX truck.
But there are no stores in this desert, though many Marines swear they have huge stores of tobacco in the mail somewhere out there, there's yet to be a mail delivery and there's little hope for one soon. "It's frustrating knowing that there's a box more of it back there that I haven't gotten yet," said Capt. Daniel Schmitt, 31, of Glen Ellyn, Ill., a serial dipper who ran out days ago.
But most Marines, no matter how low their stocks, are sharing what little they have. "As soon as someone gets a can it's pretty much gone in a day," said Kibler. He offered to trade the entire contents of his day pack, except his sleeping bag, for one more tin.
So far, Marines have not exploded with nicotine rage. But they have become a little more irritable and uncomfortable. Note to Rumsfield & Gen Franks: Ya better get cases of Redman, Levi Garrett, Copenhagen and Marlboros airdropped to these guys; today!
"The real test will come when we're up for long hours and no one's got dip or smokes," Kibler said. "If we're up for 30, 36 hours, you'll see people getting real edgy." I suspect some of that edginess might come from being shot at... But not having that chew, dip or smoke to focus on at the personal level is damm uncomfortable and for our guys in combat should be avoided.
Ok, so I'm no longer a tobacco chewer/addict. At least I'm not chewing or dipping tobacco anymore, which I did for 18 years and a couple times quitting. But Mother's Day upcoming will be 2 years since I finished my last bag of Granger Select. I do still smoke a cigar or 2 a week, sometimes more, often none at all. And I do still get yelled at for smoking an occasional cigar, even though my daily chewing habit is gone. So I can tell you from personal experience that not having your tobacco, in whatever form you like it can be very distressing and these guys have my sympathy. And I can guarantee you that if I was with those Marines, I'd chew, for the same reasons they do and I'd worry about quitting when I got home safely and it was the only thing I had to worry about.
Maybe we could start a "Send A Smoke To A Soldier" website... If we could just get the supply lines in place...
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This is Renee. See Renee receive her diploma. See the smile on her face. Renee is very happy, she has graduated from college; again. Renee has a Master's Degree in accounting. Renee is smiling because all the hours of hard work and studying for tests got her picture on Wasted Electrons! No, wait! That's not right, she's smiling because there are margaritas waiting to be consumed as soon as the graduation ceremony is over. That's why she's smiling...
Renee is a dear friend of mine who unfortunately is still trapped down there below the Mason-Dixon line. I keep trying to get her to relocate out here, behind the Zion Curtain and maybe... well, you know that polygamy thing is still kinda prevalent out here... Naw, that ain't gonna happen... Anyway, I know she has worked her buns off holding down a full time job and going to school full time for the past 2 years and I'm really proud of her. I thought you might enjoy seeing her beaming, pretty face from her graduation night.
Way to go Renee!
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My New Ruger!
Here's a thumbnail to a bigger picture of my new rifle. Its a Ruger 10/22 RBI International. After purchasing this through Gunbroker.com from Young's Guns I finally received it just last week. Its been out to the shooting range twice already and it is too sweet!
So far this is my best actual target.
This was shot from about 45 feet, using the open sights and a sitting shooting position, though not a proper sitting stance like you learn in NRA shooting classes. The range we shoot at is just a dirt pit and so I was sitting on a dirt berm while shooting. This target's not going to get me invited to the US Olympic Shooting team tryouts, but I figure its passable for an old guy like me with a new, unfamiliar gun and siting on a dirt pile. Practice makes perfect and Federal ammo is just $9 per box of 550 at WalMart, so I can practice all I want!
I took Son&Heir Noah with me on Sunday to shoot both the new Ruger and my Beretta Neos that I have talked about in previous posts. He is turning into quite a marksman in spite of his late introduction to firearms just this year. We took turns shooting both guns and our target of choice are the leftover shotgun shells that other shooters have abandoned. We stand them up on their bases on a cardboard box and shoot the shells off the box, again from about 45 feet. Its great fun and a fine challenge. Good Stuff!
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