July 2003 Archives

Thursday, July 31, 2003

A really big day for Donald and Steven Sensing from One Hand Clapping.

from the Marine FAQ website:

Will my child be someone different when boot camp is over?

Answer: Don't worry. Your child will be the same person after boot camp, just a greatly enhanced version.


Donald got to administer the oath of enlistment to his son today. What a proud moment for both of them. Go watch the video of the ceremony.

I on the other hand am wading knee deep through the DOD medical processing for enlistment handbook (88 pages) in search of the appeals process for son Noah who has just last week been disqualified from further enlistment actions. We're going up the chain of command and I've already drafted the letter to my Senator...
Nate 1:14 PM - [Link] Say something...
...
Centerville fire finds fuel
From the Standard Examiner that still requires you to register... use "wasted_electrons" and "blogspot" to read the whole story.

Pretty dramatic pictures today from the fires burning on the hillsides just a few miles from my home. And it aggravates me something terrible that this was caused by kids being stupid. Anyway, check it out.


The third major wildfire in the Top of Utah this month continued to blacken at least 215 acres in Ford Canyon on Wednesday as helicopters, air tankers and firefighters tried to contain the day-old blaze.

The fire began at 12:30 p.m. Tuesday after three teens were playing with smoke bombs near the base of the mountain on Firebreak Road, sparking the dry scrub oak and grass yellowing the mountain, officials said.

Officials had been glad the weather cooled from the triple-digit temperatures and canyon winds that accompanied other fires were lacking.

However, late-afternoon winds Wednesday brought the fire south, jumping the canyon to burn heavy timber. That expected move created mushroom clouds of smoke that could be seen from Weber County to Salt Lake County.

"It so sad. This fire is right in my back yard," said resident
Natalie Bailey, who went outside with her family to take pictures of the smoke as it filled the sky. "I hate to see all that black smoke in that air. I feel bad these kinds of things have to happen."

The fire is being compared to the Farmington fire, just two miles north earlier this month, with similar fuel and terrain conditions.

However, it is just more than 10 percent of the size of that 1,936-acre fire. Thus far, the Centerville fire has cost more than one-quarter of a million dollars. Officials expect by the time the fire is contained costs could equal expenses of the Farmington fire, which cost at least $1.5 million.



Nate 9:06 AM - [Link] Say something...
...
Wednesday, July 30, 2003
A gentle reminder today.
(in)Famous Gun Nuts from Flashbunny.org
Nate 1:00 PM - [Link] Say something...
...
German scholar says Quran was not originally in Arabic from Donald Sensing over at One Hand Clapping

A very interesting article about a book Challenging the Quran that claims that the Quran was not originally written in Arabic as all good Muslims take as fact. Rather, the author, using the pseudonym Christoph Luxenberg claims that the Quran has Hebrew and Aramaic origins.


Donald writes: "Its important to remember that the Quran does not occupy the same religious place in Islam as the Bible does for Christians. For Muslims, the Quran is much more analogous to what Christ is for Christians - the supreme and actual revelation of Allah.

Even so, one may ask, "What's the big deal?" The tenets of Christian faith have come under critical scrutiny - if not actual attack - for many decades now. The Jesus Seminar, for example, consists of about 70 members (only a handful are bona fide scholars, though) that claims to have refuted almost every Christian doctrine about Christ. Yet Christians haven't lit torches, grabbed pitchforks and marched off to lynch the heretics and blasphemers.


Its an interesting read and another indicator of why "they" don't like "us." Go read it.
Nate 11:51 AM - [Link] Say something...
...
Mueller makes homer history


ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) Bill Mueller could not have imagined having a night that was unprecedented in major league history.

The switch-hitter became the first player to hit grand slams from both sides of the plate, connecting for three homers to lead the Boston Red Sox over the Texas Rangers 14-7 Tuesday night.

Mueller had a career-high nine RBI with the first three-homer game of his career. He has 13 homers this season, also a career best, and four career slams.

"I was just trying to have good at-bats like the guys in front of me," Mueller said. "I was just trying to drive some runs in. I was fortunate to get some balls up in the air and they carried out. I was just trying to hit line drives, but tonight they went out."


I am very impressed!

Nate 10:03 AM - [Link] Say something...
...
Fire chases Fruit Heights residents from homes

More examples of dumbass running rampant with no consideration of personal responsibility, danger inflicted to property, homes or the lives of firefighters. Two fires yesterday, just miles apart, caused by teens playing with fire on the mountains during the driest summer in years. No appearance of commmon sense being applied here at all; just dumbass.

I think I'm beginning to favor the idea of public caning for behavior like this...

There's a couple buttons below the picture, clicking the left button will take you to the story.


Fire officials in Fruit Heights called for the evacuation of at least 20 homes Tuesday night as a field fire burned out of control east of Highway 89 near 200 North.

The blaze, thought to be human-caused, ignited around 9 p.m. Five or six juveniles were spotted jumping a fence and speeding from the fire scene in a white minivan, said Lt. Brad Wilcox of Davis County Sheriff's Department.

Also on Tuesday, a fire in Centerville was started in dry grass by three teens playing with smoke bombs, authorities said.

A firefighter was injured at that fire, but officials did not immediately release information about the injuries or the firefighter's condition.

That fire started about 12:30 p.m. It had covered about 80 acres, was moving slowly and no buildings were in immediate danger by Tuesday night. A second, nearby, spot fire had burned 10 to 15 acres as of late Tuesday.

A fire started July 10 burned more than 2,000 acres in Farmington Canyon. (By the homeless guy that wanted to start sleeping in the county jail, remember? Now he's looking at 15-20 years!)

Nate 7:08 AM - [Link] Say something...
...
Tuesday, July 29, 2003
Well that's it for tonight. I've played with the colors and the comments and I can't figure out the statistics page and my original comments are showing up again too.

But it will all have to wait, I'm off to the airport!
Nate 6:42 PM - [Link] Say something...
...
I just implemented the BlogStudio Pro upgrade. Now I've got to figure out how it works. Instructions are very sketchy...
Nate 2:56 PM - [Link] Say something...
...
Comments are AWOL. Again. Time for a switch to a new comment provider, just as soon as I have a couple hours to tweak about.

Spouse is returning tonight. Got to finish getting the house tidied up. I often do it when she's away just to prove that its not so hard that even I can do it. But she's anxious to be home and she'll probably sleep a couple days to catch up from her stay with her sisters.
Nate 2:42 PM - [Link] Say something...
...
Monday, July 28, 2003
Busy tonight finishing up some housecleaning in anticipation of the BSU's return and the arrival of Renee for her vacation. Rumor has it that BSU is flying home tomorrow but so far I've not been told when to appear at the baggage carousel to deliver her home. I suppose she'll call sometime.

And the itinerary for Renee's trip is getting fixed up nicely. There will be a day at Lagoon Amusement and Water Park, a Raptors baseball game, Willie Nelson in concert at the county fair, 3 days and 2 nights camping in the mountains, good food, margaritas just about non-stop and plenty of hours of just resting in the shade.


Wish you all could join us!
Nate 10:23 PM - [Link] Say something...
...
One more thing right now. Carol, my dad's bride of 3 months is beginning her chemo treatments today. If all goes well she should be finished being injected with poisons before Christmas. Say a prayer for her if that's your part of your daily routine.
Nate 1:51 PM - [Link] Say something...
...
Man I am so glad its Monday and I can get back to work and rest up. This last weekend was another fun-filled bunch of hours that seemed to run out before the fun and chores were caught up. For those of you keeping up, the BSU has NOT returned home or called to say she's coming home. But she hasn't called and demanded that her sewing machine be shipped to Oregon either.

I have received email rumors that she may be planning to return tomorrow but so far I've not been told when to present myself to the airport baggage pickup carousel for her (hopefully) joyous return home.

Saturday, buddy Brian and Noah and I headed out to go mountain biking. The easy kind of biking that involves riding up the mountain on a chairlift and then down the mountain on the bike. We like to do this a couple times each summer and its a great way for old slow fat guys like yours truly to have some fun without having a heart attack and wrecking everyone else's afternoon fun.

This trip we decided to go to Snowbird Resort. I had read that they were shuttling bikes on their tram this year and we had never been there before so we decided that was our destination. In the past we have been to Deer Valley and Park City Resort and we were hoping to be able to ride this year at Snow Basin this year since its much closer to home but old Earl Holding the owner killed that idea for this year. So off it was to Snowbird and adventure.

Brian needed to rent a bike 'cause he's too cheap to buy the parts his bike requires and I had read that there were rental bikes available. Little did we know that Snowbird really isn't into this mountain biking thing too much, they're really just doing it because some of the other resorts are doing it and they wanted to sell a few more rides on their fancy tram.

Their bike rental was in a closet. They had 5 bikes. Mostly broken, the rest poorly set up. The bike Brian first rented had no real brakes, the rear suspension was totally misadjusted and the tires were worn to nubs.

Oh, and there was NO singletrack trail to ride! Just one gravel and rock access road from the top to the bottom. Turns out that Snowbird is on BLM land not Forestry Service land and no trailmaking is allowed. This was a huge disappointment because singletrack that winds and weaves through the alpine meadows and aspen forests is the reason we like to go to the resorts. We made one run to the bottom; carefully. Not carefully enough for Brian though as he did get thrown down pretty hard and skinned himself up from shoulder to calf in the gravel.

So we took a break after getting back and Brian found some antiseptic creme and picked most of the rock out of his skin and pretty soon he wanted to do it again. After we thumped the so-called bike mechanic and insisted that he fix the brakes, which he did and then we re-did after getting back to the top for the second ride.

This time the tram operator turned us on to another way down that he promised would be much better, after we went uphill over that ridge over there... So off we went and it was much better even though the uphill portion was much bigger once we got closer... But it was a good ride down for us and the 3 young fellows that tagged along with us. We stopped and took pictures of a badger napping, fixed one of the bikes that was unscrewing itself, climbed on the boarded up silver mine access door and generally had a pleasant ride back down the mountain and the resort area.

Homeward bound after that but not before fish & chips at Neil's Halibut & Chips, voted best in Salt Lake City for a number of years. Very good food, funky decorating and great service, its a favorite whenever we get down that way. And we went to Riverton to visit the traveling Vietnam Veterans Memorial wall which was on display just for the weekend. I've not yet had the privilege of seeing the permanent memorial but seeing those 58,000 names engraved in stone is a stark reminder of the people in uniform that put their life in harm's way for our country's ideals. (I may have more on this subject later.)

And all that was just Saturday!

Sunday was much more mundane but just as tiring. The camper needed some parts installed, a new cover on the vent and a replacement LP gas sensor. Both the parts I bought Saturday on the way to mountain biking. The sensor required me to cut a bit of the plywood and a bit of wiring to get properly installed but no real cussing was involved.

Then I folded it up and headed inside for the dreaded housecleaning... The place was a wreck really with all the travel we've done this summer. We don't clean too hard anytime but lately the situation had become real bad. The amount of dust bunnies I swept out of the laundry room could have populated the entire Utah west desert! I scrubbed the bathroom. Hard. I vacuumed the computer closet and world headquarters of Wasted Electrons. I sprayed the spiders that threatened to carry me out of my closet that they were trying to claim for themselves. I vacuumed the family room and the hallway, including moving all the furniture and wiping down all the baseboards. I did laundry all the while including the dog's blankets and our bedding. I folded clothes last night finally during the 10:00 news.

I did NOT get the dusting completed not have I cleaned our bedroom. That's tonight. I'm tired already. But doing this while BSU is away is almost tradition, its my way of doing some of the heavy lifting and letting her know I care. And Renee is arriving Thursday so its good to have things as tidy as possible for company.

Now its time for me to get back to satisfying my government masters for a couple more hours!
Nate 1:47 PM - [Link] Say something...
...
Bob Hope passes away at 100.

Thanks for the memories...

Nate 8:58 AM - [Link] Say something...
...
'In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida' guitarist dead

LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- Erik Braunn, the Iron Butterfly guitarist who played one of rock's most recognizable riffs in the 17-minute anthem "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida," died of cardiac arrest Friday. He was 52.

Braunn, who was born in Pekin, Ill., and raised in Los Angeles, was a violin prodigy who began his musical career at age 4. He joined Iron Butterfly when he was 16 and toured with the heavy metal band from 1967 to 1969, when the group was enjoying its greatest success.

Braunn, Doug Ingle, Ron Bushy and Lee Dorman left their mark on musical history with the psychedelic "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida," released in 1968. It went platinum and stayed on the national sales chart for two years; a three-minute version became a Top 40 radio hit.

Braunn occasionally reunited with the band for performances, and worked as a songwriter, musician and producer until his death.

During a 1988 reunion, he commented to the Times about his experience with superstardom decades earlier: "My first vacation I bought a car, a Jaguar, and parked it outside the hospital where I spent two weeks for ulcers and gastroenteritis."


Another rock legend has past to the everlasting jam session. Wish I still had my LP of this album but its long gone. Maybe EBay has one...



Nate 7:33 AM - [Link] Say something...
...
Friday, July 25, 2003
Comments have gone AWOL. Again. I guess its time to switch to a new flavor of comment provider. I'll work it this weekend. And maybe I'll write a little something about my summer vacation(s) so far.
Nate 8:59 AM - [Link] Say something...
...
Thursday, July 24, 2003
nekked+muslim+girls Southern teen seeks girlfriend...

I found this search string in my referrer logs this afternoon. Without a doubt some teenaged boy south of the Mason-Dixon line got logged into that there internet thingie today, maybe there at the back computer of the public county library, hiding from the heat of the day, trying to generate some heat of his own.

Knock that off BillyJoeBob or you'll get whupped by your Pap and given extra chores! And you'll get banned from the library where its cool.
Nate 4:11 PM - [Link] Say something...
...
"Gobble Gobble" from J-Lo?
By ANTONELLA LAZZERI in Los Angeles


Film critics have branded J-Lo and Ben Afflecks new film a total disaster which is destined to bomb at the box office.

Gigli has had reviewers sniggering in the aisles at the laughable dialogue and ludicrous plot. In the film J-Lo plays a lesbian assassin who is seduced by hitman Affleck.

One critic said: "It has the feel of a straight to video film. There were a lot of rumours from the set that it was a terrible movie and it is."

...Another critic said: "Affleck is just totally miscast and J-Lo is just awful."

In one scene J-Lo, 33, tries to seduce Affleck, 30, by laying on a bed and telling him: "It's turkey time!"

When he asks: "What?", she replies: "Come on, gobble, gobble".

One reviewer said: "There was J-Lo with her legs wide open trying to look sexy and then she opens her mouth and spoils it! It was possibly the worst line ever said in a movie."

... even J-Lo diehards will be disappointed. In the only sex scene she keeps her robe on.

And gay rights groups are incensed that J-Lo's character starts off as a lesbian but goes straight thanks to Affleck.


Ok, I can believe the movie is bad. And the "gobble gobble" turkey time line is unbelievably tacky and terrible. But the thought of the invitation- from J-Lo is intriguing... or at the very least distracting!

I'd have to give it some serious thought.

Ok, that's a lie. I would be there in a minute, for the night!






Don't tell.

Nate 3:41 PM - [Link] Say something...
...
Eden man faces fraud charges
Thr, July 24, 2003 By MARK GRAY Standard-Examiner staff


OGDEN -- An Eden man who once tried to buy Nordic Valley ski resort -- and operated it for a short time -- was charged Wednesday with 31 felony counts of fraud for allegedly bilking $2.51 million from investors and employees and using it for unauthorized purchases.

Court documents allege Gary Randall Whetton, 31, redirected $533,791 from a non-existent online gaming company, www.playitall.com, to third parties and for personal use, some of which went to Nordic Valley promotional items. Whetton was the CEO and president of Catalyst Advisors, a Salt Lake City-based company specializing in locating operating capital for businesses. He was supposed to use $487,000 from 11 investors to launch the gaming platform.

"He was basically stealing from one to compensate for another one," said Weber County Deputy Attorney Camille Neider.

Whetton, who goes by the first name of Randy, intentionally misrepresented he built software to run the online company, court documents said. He also claimed the technology on the site would allow clients from across the world to play simultaneously and convert text into the recipient"s native language. He would go on to tell investors he secured licenses from various owners of more than 2,200 interactive video games.

During sales pitches, Whetton claimed a million people visited the Web site on weekends, the court documents said.

It was later determined the software he claimed to have built was copied. One person who used the software described it as "junk that worked initially, but started running into problems," court records said.

During a two-year period, Whetton received $687,000 from investors for the platform.

Court records said Whetton used the money to purchase personal items such as a plasma television set and a 2002 Chevrolet Tahoe. He also divied out money to his wife"s doctor, a marketing firm for Nordic Valley, and his attorney, who was representing him in a real estate transaction involving the ski resort.

Of the 31 second-degree felonies, many are for unpaid wages and bills associated with the ski resort he operated for around three months. While collecting all proceeds during that time, Whetton failed to pay nearly $1 million to employees and bills, and failed to pay a contractor $613,818 for development work. (He did write several insufficient funds checks to employees.) Instead of paying for bills, Whetton used "stall tactics," according to the court documents written by county attorney"s investigator Shane Minor.

Bank accounts for Whetton show between December 2001 and January 2002 the average balance was negative-$398.82. Just a month prior, Whetton had written a fraudulent personal check for $4.5 million (emphasis mine) to buy the resort from Ski Associates. He wrote a personal check and it was accepted by the seller at face value without being cleared? Geez, I told you its a small town!

On Wednesday, Judge W. Brent West set a cash-only bail of $200,000 for the man who once claimed to have millions of dollars from Stream Technologies, another Internet company.


Here's another fine example of the brotherly love some common among the local populace here behind the Zion Curtain. The town of Eden is a tiny little place, a village really with just one pizza joint and a grocery store and a Post Office. Nordic Valley Ski Resort is a small, mom & pop, take the kids to play on the tubing hill kind of place. Nobody flies into Utah to go skiing at Nordic Valley but the locals frequent it because its close, cheap and offers night skiing.

So nice guy Wheaton here, he's a local! He lives in Eden! And he says he's going to buy Nordic Valley but instead rips off the sellers and all the staff and puts the resort into serious jeopardy.

So here's hoping that this dumbass not only finds a way to spend a lot of time in jail but also spends the rest of his life repaying those neighbors and investors that he defrauded.

I really dislike people like this!


Nate 8:35 AM - [Link] Say something...
...
Wednesday, July 23, 2003
Well then, a little blogging housecleaning accomplished. As some of you know, the AT&T web and cable tv provider recently changed to Comcast. And although they promised everything would go along smoothly, they were only talking about those things that were done in acordance with their terms of service. That's why most of my buttons on the left side weren't loading, the address had been changed and nobody was home at the old address!

So tonight I think I have everything fixed. You'll note that my email address is different also. So fix your address book if you use it at all.

Apologies to all for such extended light blogging. Vacation stories are piling up waiting to be shared but work in the cubicle is keeping me busy, which is good. Then there's been yard work and a camper to clean, some minor "improvements" to make on it before the next trip and baseball games to listen to on the radio. (The Raptors won tonight BTW, 7-3.) There has also been a cougar sighted in the park just below my house about a half mile away that has everyone's attention. I need to talk to my next door neighbor Roger the Fish & Game guy to get the scoop on that story and get back to you.

Tomorrow I'm giving a briefing to 200 Air Force F16 mechanics and managers. That should be fun since Todd built the briefing charts then asked me to attend the conference in his place. It won't be the worst briefing I've ever done and its a fairly friendly crowd so maybe I won't get thrown out on my ear.

Anyway, its past my bedtime. And I still need to pick out clothes for tomorrow and shower and shave. So g'night!
Nate 11:42 PM - [Link] Say something...
...
I'm having a terrible time getting Blogstudio working today. I made a couple changes and then tried to reverse them and now everything's tanked. Its been slow to load and I don't know why.

If you're reading this its not totally broken...

But I sure hope it gets better soon. I'd hate to have to move back to Blogger...
Nate 12:24 PM - [Link] Say something...
...
Tuesday, July 22, 2003
Whew! I'm back from Oregon and a fine camping trip at the beach and good food and a not so good fishing trip and a 13 hour drive back yesterday. Its over 100 degrees this afternoon, the swamp cooler in the building is barely able to keep up and my email box is overflowing and I learned today that I have to brief Todd's briefing on Thursday...

So much to do. Lots of details later. Promise.
Nate 1:58 PM - [Link] Say something...
...
Wednesday, July 16, 2003
Damm, Studabaker arrested before the Marines found him...
Missing girl safe, ex-Marine held from CNN.com


British police said Wednesday Shevaun Pennington was found on her way back to Britain after she had traveled to France with Toby Studabaker, who was arrested in Frankfurt, Germany.

His arrest in Frankfurt Wednesday -- made with the help of German authorities and the FBI -- came after images of child pornography were found on Studabaker's computer in the United States, a senior investigative source told CNN.

"It confirmed our worst fears," the source said. "We can prove he knew she was 12."


Its very good that the young girl is safe and headed back home to her parents. Its also a good thing this dumbass has been arrested so quickly due to the efforts of a large group of police officials in a plethora of different colored uniforms.

Now throw the dumbass pervert in jail.
Nate 8:10 AM - [Link] Say something...
...
Tuesday, July 15, 2003
Vacation time will interupt blogging staring nearly immediately. Sorry.

Tomorrow starts another almost full week of vacation. We are leaving the 100+ degrees of Utah and heading for the cooler seashores of Oregon. (Did I write this already? Maybe.) Anyway, leaving tomorrow with the truck and camper. Spending the night in Baker Oregon where I am told is a museum that has a number of old photos of cowboys that bear my same surname and look disturbingly like my brothers and myself. But I don't think we'll be seeing the museum this trip.

BSU desires to be the first sister into the campground here at Ft Stevens State Park. We are camping in the "N" circle so if you're in the neighborhood, stop by and say hi. I'll buy you a beer.

Preparations tonight so I may not get back to blogging. We'll see. The truck needs cleaned badly. I can't stand dirty windows when I'm traveling and the inside of the glass right now is very dirty. Also there's a tool bag to prepare, clothes to stuff in a duffel, bike stuff to stash and the camp boxes need loaded up. The bikes can go on the rack too tonight I suppose. Cold groceries are going to be purchased when we get there so no real need for ice except to keep a couple beers cold for tomorrow night's motel stay.

Let's see, what else? Oh yeah. I want a volt meter and amp meter to add to the camper so I can keep track of the battery. I bought a new one last night, even bigger than the previous one to keep the lights and heater blower running when needed. But there is some electrical gremlin loose in the camper that continually draws electricity even when its all closed up. I need to capture that gremlin. And buy more fuses for the fuse panel...

And finally, there's no phone connection while camping so I will be internet-disconnected. Not a terrible thing really but I will be missing it I suspect.

TTFN
Nate 3:37 PM - [Link] Say something...
...
More fires in Utah- Weber fire destroys structures From the Standard-Examiner that still requires you to register. So, try "wasted_electrons" and "blogspot" to see the entire story. Don't tell!


Firefighters in Northern Utah found themselves battling a second large blaze Monday, and equipment moved north from Davis County to help fight the new fire.

By 10 p.m., the Evergreen fire, just west of Causey Reservoir, had spread to cover an estimated 350 to 500 acres, destroyed six structures and forced the evacuation of Sourdough, Evergreen and Beaver Creek.

The fire started in Evergreen, a subdivision of scattered homes, and quickly spread north over a hill into the Sourdough area. Cause of the fire was uncertain Monday night, but several local residents told reporters they believed it had been started when a backhoe hit a rock and resulting sparks ignited the tinder-dry grass.

In a briefing for area residents late Monday, Kerry Jenkins, Weber County fire warden, said the fire was "man-made" but declined further comment.


This fire's not too far from home either, just up the road a few miles from a number of fine campsites we like to use and very near the site I went camping with the ROTC kids back in May. Sure hope they get it under control soon.


Nate 9:30 AM - [Link] Say something...
...
Farmington Fire and Potential for Flooding from Lori Butters, Salt Lake Tribune

FARMINGTON -- Crews battling the 5-day-old Farmington Canyon fire might welcome a heavy rain. But such a storm could spark more trouble.
"There is a history of flooding on these hillsides that was spawned by overgrazing at the turn of the century," said Paul Flood, soil conservationist for the U.S. Forest Service. "Fires typically don't cause that kind of damage, but it is something we will look at."
The extent of the fire -- allegedly started last Thursday by a transient -- won't be known for a few more days. The state Department of Geology and the Forest Service are convening a task force to examine rehabilitation of the nearly 2,000 charred hillside acres.
By Monday evening, crews had the blaze 50 percent contained, though they expected hot spots to burn for "some time," according to Lynn Barclay of the Rocky Mountain Incident Management Team.


I haven't mentioned this before just because I'm lazy I suppose but there has been a significant fire burning in our valley since last week. The smoke has filled up the valley for a couple days then the wind switched and sent the fire and the smoke up, over the top of the mountain improving visibility and breathing considerably. You can see this fire easily from the interstate and there is a simple rest stop that has become very popular for firewatching and taking pictures. Its not quite visible from my house but certainly from work. So far damage to homes has been avoided but the troubles might not be over yet.


The transient that started the fire claimed he did it "just to get himself into jail" so he would eat regular and have a place to sleep. Which tells me that jail is just too easy and pleasant a place if he's so eager to get in. Fifteen years is the time he could do if he received the maximum punishment, I wonder if that's how much time he was hoping for...

You know its coming...






Dumbass!

Nate 9:20 AM - [Link] Say something...
...
Ogden Raptors Baseball!

Since I know that many of you might not have foound the link since the Raptors web page moved recently, I thought it only fair to ensure that you had the opportunity to share America's pastime with me by listening to Raptors baseball over the 'net.

You should know that the Raptors are 3 in a row for the 2nd time this year and are 11-14 for the season. You should also be aware that "Who's on first?" has a whole new meaning this year with the addition of this guy to the roster... (He's really a shortstop but he's batting .231 so he gets to first often enough!
Nate 8:57 AM - [Link] Say something...
...
Monday, July 14, 2003
Ex-U.S. Marine flees with girl, 12 from CNN.com

Oh man do I smell an ass-whuppin coming on... If a real Marine finds this guy before the police do. Marines don't take kindly to anyone sullying their name and reputation, especially someone that once wore the uniform. I sure hope he gets arrested before he gets wailed upon- no, actually I hope he gets beaten badly, then arrested and put in jail as a child molester for a long number of years.

This dumbass could be living a very long miserable life after he gets caught. Serves him right!

Nate 1:20 PM - [Link] Say something...
...
Last year was the safest ever for U.S. airlines USATODAY.com

For my friend Renee, who is traveling by aircraft to visit us in just a couple weeks and is a teency bit nervous about flying...

Last year was the safest ever for the nation's major airlines, with no deaths and only nine serious injuries due to accidents on U.S. commercial flights.

It will be ok- really!
Nate 8:19 AM - [Link] Say something...
...
Woman's son stabbed-starts anti-gun group from Publicola which you really should be reading daily...
If your child is murdered by a knife wielding criminal the logical thing to do is to start an anti-gun group.

But I must confess I do find her deductive reasoning skillls somewhat lacking. How did that thought process work? "Since my son was killed with a knife I must do everything I can to stop people from owning guns." Or perhaps, "A knife is made of steel. A gun is made of steel. A knife killed my son, but since it was made of steel then maybe it was just a sharp pistol. Therefore if I eliminate guns which are made of steel then no one will be stabbed with a sharp pistol" Or maybe, "Since knives & guns are both made of steel then if I eliminate guns knives will disappear as well since they're made from the same material"

Personally I would have thought, "Since my unarmed son was stabbed with a knife then obviously he wouldn't have been stabbed if he had a gun. So therefore I will encourage people to learn how to use & carry guns so they won't be stabbed to death by criminals the way my son was." But that's just me.


Yeah, I don't understand her reasoning either.

Nate 7:40 AM - [Link] Say something...
...
Sunday, July 13, 2003
I just noticed that my dang comments are missing- again! Not that they get overused or anything but I wish they would always be available...
Nate 7:20 PM - [Link] Say something...
...
Well, its back. Blogstudio my gracious host was completely off the air earlier this afternoon. Wasted Electrons was not available. And my apologies for anyone that stopped by during the downtime. Anyway, its working now.

The first Wasted Electrons is going bye-bye. Yesterday I finished moving the archives so I think its time to free up those electrons for someone elses use. Hang on a minute...

OK, I did it. Deleted the first wasted Electrons blog from Blogger. Blogstudio- don't make me sorry I joined your team! I guess if this blog ever outgrows Blogstudio and feels the need to move up to bigger and better things that the next step might be Moveable Type or something similar. But not for now.

Spent a couple hours over at my Blog son Brian's place yesterday helping him get Mental Revolutions shined and polished up. Basically I just showed him where to go to copy and paste things and how to get links working both in his posts and permanently in his template. And he's gone off to set up his own personal web page through Comcast so that he can post pictures of all the things that he's interested in.

I also showed Brian just enough about HTML, (which is all I know too BTW) for him to start having fun playing with his blog's appearance. He was changing colors like crazy last night for a little while and finally got back to the default style before quitting. I suspect that appearance changes might be a regular thing over there at ME for a while, so stop by and check it out then give Brian some feedback.

Today has been preparation for the upcoming Oregon camping trip with BSU's sisters. Camper had a busted tire stem that required a trip to Sears for replacement, (thanks for the quick service!) and the water tank filled and the battery charged. Again. I'm pretty certain the battery is failed and needs to be replaced as it has not held a charge well since the first trip this year. Dang it anyhow as those battery's aren't cheap and don't seem to live very long.

So I still haven't written anything wonderful about my vacation in Michigan. Sorry. I have been thinking about it and there's a plethora of pictures to sort through to add to my site for posting but I just haven't written it yet. But I guess I really should do it before leaving on the next trip, huh?

Renee is coming for a week's vacation too at the end of July and going into August so that should entail more camping, a county fair, Willie Nelson in concert and lots of other fun and fanciful adventures. So kee coming back, there's bound to be more fun stuff here!
Nate 7:12 PM - [Link] Say something...
...
Thursday, July 10, 2003
Lance Armstrong's latest gear assault on the Tour de France by Mark Riedy

Lance gets the coolest gear... and all my hopes that this year is #5.

But I've never understood this:

SHOES: Armstrong spends perhaps 1,500 hours a year in his cycling shoes, so they've got to fit perfectly. This January he took delivery of two pairs of size-9.5 hand-made custom Nike shoes. Synthetic kangaroo-leather uppers, ultrastiff soles made from seven layers of carbon fiber, and a Pebax resin heel/midfoot cage keep the weight to about 10 ounces per pair. The shoes will retail next year for about $250.


Where does Nike get synthetic kangaroos? And if if the material is synthetic, how can it be called leather? Couldn't it be possible to come up with another word to describe material with leather-like qualities that didn't originate on the back or side of an animal?

Nate 10:59 AM - [Link] Say something...
...
Wednesday, July 09, 2003
CNN.com - A car stereo that can kill you? Cool - Jul. 2, 2003

Troy Irving's 18-year-old Dodge Caravan has a heck of a sound system: 72 amplifiers -- you got it, 72 -- and 36 big 16-volt batteries to put out the 130,000 watts of power needed to rumble his nine 15-inch subwoofers.

Not really. At a curb weight of about 10,000 pounds, the Caravan is basically undrivable. There is virtually no room for a driver, and even less for a passenger.

"We need more batteries, but that's all the room we have," Irving gripes. But he can at least sit in his driveway and listen to music, yes? Actually, no. Irving's audio system can't play music. It's designed to play a single frequency -- 74 Hz -- very loud. Irving, you see, is a dB drag racer.

Valenti admits he's often asked why he pursues this hugely pointless hobby. "Yeah, it's weird. But there are people who have tens of thousands of dollars invested in stamp collections, for God's sake. That to me is weird."

As Troy Irving's partner, Jason Bradley, explains, "You start out with a nice stereo in your everyday car, and it grows and grows and eventually gets out of control. The sad thing is, I don't even have a stereo in my daily driver anymore," he says, laughing. "Every dime I have goes into this equipment."


Ya know, there truly is no end to the dumbass that some people can display. What a complete waste of energy.

As many of you know, I'm plenty opinionated and one of the disruptions to my usual pleasant demeanor is the rude obnoxious kid in the smoking, rusting, rattling Civic with a trunk full of amplifiers trying to impress me at the stoplight.
My personal philosophy is that if my stereo in my truck isn't disturbing you in your vehicle then you should show me the same courtesy.

I also have a couple of proposed solutions to the noisy boom box cars disturbing our urban tranquility. One could be implemented immediately, the second requires some technology development. What I want is a handheld, directional electromagnetic pulse device that can ride next to me on the seat of my truck. Stereo in the car next to you too loud? Just point and pull the trigger of the EMP device and all the electrons in the car get scrambled. Immediately. Right there in traffic. The smoke gets let out of the amplifier and every other device more advanced than a lightbulb and the noise stops.

But I've been told the technology I seek would require a truck bed's worth of batteries to be feasible and the directional requirement needs development too. In the mean time I have another suggestion that requires little more than the legislation to implement it.

I say that if people really want loud music in their cars, we let them listen to it loud. Get a couple tickets for obnoxious music, pay a fine. Third time -get handcuffed to the steering wheel of your own car, parked in the middle of a big field. Then the music gets cranked as loud as it will go and and the audio enthusiast can enjoy it until their eardrums bleed.

I don't think it would take too many of those punishments to quiet the other enthusiasts down...

Nate 12:19 PM - [Link] Say something...
...
Tuesday, July 08, 2003
Last day of vacation. Bummer. Traveling today, back to Saginaw airport then back to Utah late tonight. But first I have to go with my grandmother to assist in picking out her new bike. That's right, Grandma Manning is 90 in a few weeks and she wants a new bike. A three-wheeler. Similar to the three-wheeler in the basement but with balloon tires. Her current bike has skinny high pressure tires and only 3 speeds.

So Grandma wants a new bike. The reunion auction gathered enough money to buy it for her and this morning we are going into town to comparison shop a couple. Its a shame I don't live closer because I could make the desired changes to her current bike in just a couple days time if I was at home. But the local (supposed) bike mechanics can't seem to be bothered and would prefer to sell an entire new bike rather than lace up some new rims and install a new hub.

My blood pressure which had settled right into complete bliss and relaxation mode has bumped itself right up to normal again with a simple trip over to Little Green Footballs. I guess its nice to know the world has continued to swirl around while I've been picnicing and canoing blissfully unaware.

And Terry is back at work and blogging his vacation to the shore over at Possumblog. Reading that got me back into vacation mode for the final few hours. And I'm mailing a couple post cards today too.

Mom just cruised through the room and said I better be kind in what I write about her- I am using her computer after all... And she know the address here and threatened to stop by and check what I write!

So, it packing and traveling and turning in the rental car and the last of the homemade bread and strawberry jam today. Its been wonderful!
Nate 5:53 AM - [Link] Say something...
...
Monday, July 07, 2003
Grandma's house is quiet. First time really since we arrived last week. All the rest of the family left this morning, brother Tim about 3 AM for the drive to Detroit's airport, the rest left about 7 by car and 2 vans all going different directions. Mom is off preparing food for a funeral reception at her church this morning and Grandma has finished watching the news and is cleaning up in her kitchen.

What a weekend it has been! Great fun seeing all my cousins again, meeting or being reintroduced to their spouses and their children and in several cases grandchildren too. Wow. There was just over 100 people at the house for the reunion! The weather gods blessed us with fine weather though it has been close to hot here but no thundershowers like the 2 afternoons prior.

I'm going to just post this for now and will try to get back with details a little later on. I put 208 pictures from 3 cameras onto CDs yesterday for family members and it will take a little sorting to find the best to share with you. And there's logistical issues today- I'm out of clean socks...

More later. Go read about Brian's weekend over at Mental Revolutions, he's been busy! But I've got to show him how to link to things when I get home. And I'll be adding him to my blogroll shortly but the dialup connection here takes so very long...
Nate 7:21 AM - [Link] Say something...
...
Friday, July 04, 2003
Hey! I'm a blogfather! How about that! My buddy Brian has started his own blog and its on Blogspot! (I may have to talk to him about that when I get home...) Anyway, go say hi to Brian at Mental Revolutions.

I'll yell at him about Blogger when I get home from Michigan but right now its almost time to go to the Alpena 4th of July parade. And Mom's planning lunch for 34 folks afterwards!
Nate 8:19 AM - [Link] Say something...
...
Thursday, July 03, 2003
Coming to you my faithful readers from a remote site in Michigan, the Wasted Electrons staff is on vacation. Finally. Yesterday was air travel and it was remarkable only by the pleasantness of the trip. I haven't traveled with BSU by air in a number of years and it was nice be be on an adventure with her. Son was also on his best behavior and even got to sit one leg of the journey with 2 attractive teenaged girls. So we flew from Salt Lake City into Saginaw Michigan. The luggage arrived with us and the rental car was cleaned and waiting. (Its a Sebring BTW and seems to be a decent car.)

But its a 3 hour trip from the airport to Alpena and it was late to be starting to get all the way there so we drove just as far as Standish where we found sustenance and then into Tawas City for a motel for the night. That's where I am now, drinking my first coffee on the front deck of the North Star Motel. Cabins, phones, commercial rates. Probably been in business here for 50 years. Tiny little room but clean and well maintained and I only wanted a shower and sleep so I'm not complaining. Its American self-sufficiency and independence at its finest really, this little motel. No big multi-national corporation running this place, just a small town couple putting a nice place for people to stay out by the road and taking pride in providing a clean place to stay on our vacation. There's yellow bows on the porch rail and star spangled ones too and the porch is newish and very nicely made.

Oh, and "this bear, resplendent in his Independence Day finery, on guard at the pool. I think if I walk a block I can see Lake Huron but from my current perch I can see the bear and across the street a red and white light house in the parking lot of the Tawas Motel. There's motorcycles on the highway out there, birds singing and a squirrel sneaking up behind me looking for handouts.

What a really nice day so far and I'm not even home yet... Time to roust the rest of the clan from their slumber so we can be on our way. Family, homemade bread and strawberry jam await!
Nate 3:24 PM - [Link] Say something...
...

June 2003 Archives

Monday, June 30, 2003

Whew! What a freakin hassle! I'm not in the palatial Wasted Electrons world headquarters and ski equipment closet, I'm out in the family room! And using AOHell... Simple and easy to use, so easy even your half-wit neighbor could use it... It took me more than an hour, 2 phone calls, extreme aggravation, using my regular computer and internet connection to find the new drivers for the modem and finally we had a connection!

So I'm computer set I guess and just need to put it away and finish packing for tomorrow's travel. I've not been on an airplane with the BSU in many years, so that might be interesting but overall I'm expecting a pleasant trip.

So blogging might be sporadic over the next few days but it should be fun too. There should be plenty of good material in Michigan!
Nate 9:47 PM - [Link] Say something...
...
Hey! My comments are back in business! Good! I really wasn't anxious to go messing about with my templates to get some new comment provider working on my page before leaving. So fill them up. Don't be shy. And come back often.
Nate 8:41 AM - [Link] Say something...
...
Happy Independence Day to all of you! Click this link and then move your mouse above the the buildings and click. Turn up your speakers too. (Stolen from Dave Barry's blog)
Nate 7:51 AM - [Link] Say something...
...
Sunday, June 29, 2003
Get your registration fees paid early and be sure to attend the 3rd Annual Nigerian Email Conference!

I am Mr. Laurent Mpeti Kabila, a senior assistant leader of the Revolutionary United Front of Sierra Leone.

I present to you an urgent and confidential request: I request your attendance at The 3rd Annual Nigerian EMail Conference. This is an excellent opportunity to meet your distinguished colleagues, learn new marketing techniques, and spend your hard-earned money. Attending this conference demands the highest trust, security and confidentiality between us.

Dates: November 7 - 9, 2003
Location: Abuja Sheraton Hotel & Casino
Registration Fee: $995 per person

Preliminary* List of Events
- Breakfast Kickoff Session:
Your choice: A hard boiled egg, or two slices of white bread and a cricket.

- Keynote Address:
Dr. Hamza Kalu's adds some historical perspective in his keynote address: "From Postal Scams To Email Scams: We Have Come a Long Way Infant Child."

- Debate:
Attend a lively debate between Lady Mariam Abacha and Mr. Godwin Oyathelem. Topic: "The effectiveness of using all UPPERCASE characters."

- Practical Discussion:
Mallam Mahmud Abacah answers the question, "Are 10 million emails a day too many?"

- Competition:
Other countries are now adapting our business. Is this a threat or an opportunity?

- Tech Session:
Mrs. M Sese-Seko reveals valuable secrets in her session titled, "Those Pesky Email Headers"

- Commerce:
Find out how banking systems throughout the world operate -- with special emphasis on money transfers.

- Linguistics:
Damn, spam, scam, sham. And more rhymes in the "sticks and stones" category.

- Telecommunications:
Soliciting via cell phone text messaging: Can it work?

- Accounting:
The taxman he's a comin': Keeping good and accurate records.

- Open Discussion:
We will resume last year's high-spirited discussion of unionization, including health benefits.

- Workshop:
Grammatical errors: What's the optimal number?

- For Newcomers:
View an entertaining PowerPoint presentation that describes how to get started in this lucrative business, with no initial investment!

- Hand-on Session:
Experts critique your emails, and offer valuable tips.



I'm making my travel plans now and hope to see you there! And I found the link here at MadKane.com


Nate 5:58 PM - [Link] Say something...
...
Well then, its Sunday morning and I should already be outside doing yardwork and getting ready for next week's trip to Michigan. Instead I'm still here in the basement closet home of Wasted Electrons catching up on the blogs I normally read and following links to other that folks recommend. And my comments are closed for maintenance with a note to send money to help get them back on the airwaves again. Hmmph. Haloscan is back open for business of putting comments on blogs and it seemed to get picked up by most of the regular members of the AoW just last week, so I guess I could switch. If I just worked at it for a few minutes, which I probably won't do...

Let's see. Before leaving for my vacation there is software to load on a borrowed laptop, find out the screensaver password for said laptop, yardwork and a fence panel to fasten to keep Sandy in the yard. And I really want the Baja back on its wheels.

Raising the ride height on that silly thing turned into a real project. The brakes were gone through and new springs installed, the tube style bumper had new mounts fabricated, we replaced the stripped bolt that wasn't holding the motor in as designed and a couple significant rust holes were cleaned up and bondoed closed.

So today it is back on its wheels and all the tools put away until after vacation. I probably should order the new headlight buckets now and let them ship while we're gone.

I have company here in the palatial Wasted Electrons world headquarters and ski gear closet this morning, my cat Uintah. Its good duty if you can get it!

No further news on Noah's enttrance into the Coast Guard. He played phone tag with the recruiter all last week but only halfheartedly so he never got an answer either way. Now its a call on Monday, hopefully.

I just used my new digital cam to add that cat picture to this post and it was so remarkably easy that I still can't believe it. I snapped the picture on a whim, plugged the camera into the USB cable already attached to my PC, went to the web page where the pictures on this site reside, browsed to the camera's location on the PC as a removeable drive and uploaded it right to the web from the camera! No trips to Wal-Mart for processing, no moving the sleeping cat to access the scanner, no saving the picture to the hard drive, just click, upload and finish writing the post. Very cool.

So I'm off to do manual labor and get all sweaty and dirty for the remainder of the day. Later when I get back inside I'll get to work on the laptop customizations for my trip.

One last thing this morning. I am not a big computer game fan. Most of them require just too much time and brain power for me to bother with. I do like to play MahJong on computer and just this week I found what I think is the finest version I've ever played. Its called Moraff's More Jong and you can get the trial version of it here. I'll probably even pony up for a registered version of this game to keep me entertained.
Nate 11:12 AM - [Link] Say something...
...
Friday, June 27, 2003
I'm going digital! I'm such a geek really, just financially challenged with keeping up with all the latest gadgets, so I just today bought my first digital camera. Its an Olympus D-380. Two megapixels, 5X digital zoom, no optical zoom and heavily discounted at the BX at lunch time.

The camera I fell in love with was this one, the Casio Exilim 2.0. It is almost exactly the size and shape of a playing card deck. Polished metal, sleek but intuitive tiny buttons and a recharge/usb dock that stays with the computer. It was however, twice as much as my self-inflicted budget would allow.

We have been using single use throwaway cameras for a couple years now, ever since the 35mm camera I bought for the BSU got soaked during a rafting adventure on the Green River. I hate them really and especially the trip to Wal-Mart (or 2) to get them processed. They seemed to lay about the house for very long times and the significance of the picture in the first place was usually long lost. And of course I always had to fire up the scanner to convert snapshots into something you, my dedicated reader could enjoy.

Now its just snap, plug-in and download and there it is for your viewing pleasure. Yeah... Anyway, I'll be experimenting and you will be my hapless victims as I post the up on the world wide web!
Nate 2:52 PM - [Link] Say something...
...
More fun with email -and mullet!
I asked Terry, (who is on hiatus, as we all know) this question this morning by email:

Subject: Are you an Access Mr. Know-it-all? Or just a PowerPoint droid? I've made some kind of error in my job security securing Access database that has created a circular reference that I can't find. And the help links aren't working!


And of course, Terry who is on hiatus writes me back in just a minute or two and replys:

Oooo--nope, I don't bother with Access. In fact, I
don't think I've ever even looked at it. Have you tried hitting it with a mullet?

Which is an obvious reference to his new improved Possumblog - now with comments!
And I had to write back:

Well, since hitting the pc with a mullet would require multiple hours hanging over a bridge railing holding a heavy, dripping net with the hope of catching a mullet, maybe the faster method would be to simply throw the 'puter over the rail and let the mullet work on it in their own environment...

And his final response on this subject:

Hmm, I see your point. And it is a more elegant solution.

Nate 9:38 AM - [Link] Say something...
...
Thursday, June 26, 2003
I sent this link by email to a couple friends of mine this afternoon. The subject line of the email said: Subject: I did NOT send this to you!

Chris, who works at an Air Force office inside the Pentagon sends back this reply:
310 on the third try -- I can't believe I did this!!

Sorry, buddy, I SAVED the email -- you can't deny your reprobative influence
-- YOU WILL LOSE IN COURT - probably find yourself in jail with Chantay,
the windshield murderess....gotta go fling a cow!

I'm not SIGNING this so you can't implicate me!!!


Dooh! Actually Chris was a Reservist that was called back to active duty before Operation Kill Iraqi Bastards who has now been given a permanent active duty billet with the pay and retirement benefits of any active duty officer. Only bad thing is he's living alone in Viginia while the wifely person and children are still in the great midwest waiting for the house to sell.

Its your tax dollars at work folks!
Nate 3:09 PM - [Link] Say something...
...
The Salt Lake Tribune -- Teachers get preliminary OK to carry weapons



The Jordan School Board gave preliminary approval Tuesday to a policy outlining the conditions under which district employees may carry a concealed weapon on school property with a valid permit.

Employees must keep the weapon concealed and employees who legally use a concealed weapon on school grounds do so in their individual capacities, not their scope of employment.

The Jordan board will formally vote on the policy at its July 16 meeting.


How about that? A little bit of common sense from behind the Zion Curtain. I like it!
Nate 10:46 AM - [Link] Say something...
...
The Salt Lake Tribune -- Scanners reveal more than guns


To the eye, she is dressed in a skirt and blazer in dark, businesslike colors.

On the monitor, the director of the Transportation Security Administration's security laboratory is naked, except for a gun and a bomb that she hid under her outfit.The government is considering using the technology at airport security checkpoints because the magnetometers now in use cannot detect plastic weapons or substances used in explosives.

Hallowell is sacrificing her modesty to make a point: Air travelers are not going to like being technologically undressed by security screeners.

"It does basically make you look fat and naked -- but you see all this stuff," Hallowell said Wednesday during a demonstration of the technology.


Personally, since most of us are fat and naked under our clothes, I think that if we were required to travel naked with nothing more than a magazine or wallet we could save a lot of money on all this dang screening. Get to the airport, receive a clothing and personal effects bag with your boarding pass. Go into the (un)dressing room, get naked, put your stuff in the bag and give it to the baggage handler on the way out the door.

Everybody flies naked and that way there's no requirement for the metal detectors or other screening and nobody has a concealed weapon. Gather your bag of clothes getting off the plane, get dressed, gather your luggage from the carousel and your on your merry way.

Think it will work?

I would NOT want to be the guy who's job it would be to clean the airplanes between flights and overnight! Maybe slip-on paper seat covers would be a requirement...

Nate 10:02 AM - [Link] Say something...
...
Mission Accomplished. I got through the briefing with no major stumbles, a little bit of instruction from the chairman and the approval I required.

Ok, I can breathe again. Now its a matter of getting the contracting people to do their part by generating the neccesary letters. And oh, by the way, the engineer just happened to have a technical issue related to getting possesion of the component drawings, receiving updates to drawings the AF doesn't own from a vendor that probably isn't either on contract or getting paid to provide; and the drawings are incorrect anyway!
At least he held his tongue until the briefing was over!

And the company is paying for lunch today... Whoopee. I haven't even received a coffee mug or ID neck string from the new company yet so I should be impressed with lunch at Lucky China? At least its their money paying for it!
Nate 9:10 AM - [Link] Say something...
...
Stressed! As usual prior to giving the briefings on this current program I have been involved with for a year. I know my stuff and the audience and the goal so it shouldn't be so tough. But it is.

Leaving here in 10 minutes to go to the briefing room. The chairman of the meeting is in Ohio and I'm briefing via video teleconference technology. Its harder to get a feel for the tone or attitude of the audience when they are 2 times zones away and communicating over a scratchy phone connection...

So. More when I'm done and can relax.
Nate 7:45 AM - [Link] Say something...
...
Wednesday, June 25, 2003
Gephardt Issues Order Making Himself President

2003-06-23) -- Just a day after announcing that he would use executive orders to overturn Supreme Court decisions, Rep. Dick Gephardt, D-MO, announced today that he has appointed himself President of the United States, effective immediately.

"I have duly sworn myself in as president," he said. "Instead of having the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court administer the oath of office, I just issued an executive order effective retroactively in advance."

President Gephardt has already issued an executive order making it illegal to "challenge the constitutionality of my reign as president."


Guess he's willing to declare himself just President instead of King... Its from Scrappleface, of course!
Nate 2:23 PM - [Link] Say something...
...
Busy, busy, busy today. Charts, coordination of comments to the charts through 2 air force bases and an early briefing tomorrow. So the charts have got to be ready as do I.

I'm wearing the coolest shirt today, made just for me by BSU who is a wonderful seamstress when she gets fired up and going in her sewing room. This is a casual, hawaiian style shirt with colorful hot rod cars all over it. Its beautiful! And loud. But very handsome and stylish and I love it. There's also some green, tropical rainforest and toucans fabric waiting to be made into another shirt that will be equally as dashing.

So, why hawaiian shirts at work you might ask? Wearing wild shirts on Wednesday is a tradition in the hangars that the guys that fix the F16s have followed for years. Since many of the folks that I work with started their careers fixing jets before moving to program management, the tradition continues here, to show support for the guys in the hangar. And so, I get to wear bright shirts too.

So back to my charts for now. I'm interested in a digital camera for $150 or less that I can buy right now. I'm open to suggestions.
Nate 2:18 PM - [Link] Say something...
...
Tuesday, June 24, 2003
ANYWAY, and all that, by the great power vested in me by a small card I carry in my wallet, it is with great pride that I take leave of my hiatusness to bestow and endow Terry Matson of BamaBlog with all of the rights and benefits of membership within the Cotton State Cat Fanciers and Pistol Club, otherwise know throughout the universe as the Axis of Weevil.

Bummer. I just wandered over to Possum dad's lair to prowl his links as is my usual route over to Janis Gore's place and Sugarmomma's and Kudzu Acres when I discovered that there's a new member of the Axil of Weevil this afternoon.

Now its not the new member that's a bummer, its her den's location over at Angelfire. Our computer networks here at the Site of Renumeration Source blocks all attempts to access Angelfire. Heck I'm surprised they even tolerate my typing into this browser window...

So those of you NOT on a seriously watched network go on over to say hi to Terry at BamaBlog. (Obviously no link until I get home!)

Nate 2:13 PM - [Link] Say something...
...
Possumblog off the air for two weeks? How the heck are we supposed to keep the Axis of Weevil (Axle of Weevil?) rotating smoothly without the Chairman and Chief Executing Officer out of the office? Who will Chet the email boy deliver the mail to? Think of the Post-It notes pile that will be stuck to the Head Possum's den entrance waiting for his return? Think of the overflowing inbox of strange and wonderful referrals from people around the world Googling the most perverse of requests.

How can he do this to us? Two weeks? Doesn't he own a laptop? Or couldn't he borrow one from the company's IT department to keep us all up to date on the wonders of Possumness?

The last email I received from Possum dad yesterday mentioned putting aside "That Which Is Nonremunerative" to accomplish those things that are presumably renumerative.

So its cold turkey for us possum fanciers for an extended time. Bummer. But I should mention to my two regular readers that this blog scribe will also be paroled from my cubicle next Monday for an entire week of leisure time, to be spent in the great state of Michigan.

Its family reunion time and there are a great number of nieces and nephews and cousins that this humble scribe has either never met or not seen in a number of years that might best be described as a decade or more... It should be fun and provide lots of blog fodder for your annoyance.

To that end, I think I'm going to try to borrow a laptop to take with me. And I'm going to buy a digital camera. And maybe, just maybe I'll be able to do a little live-blogging from Michigan, surrounded by family. To justify the trouble I think I'm going to try to produce photo CDs on scene as pictures come out of the camera to distribute without resorting to mailers after the fact...

Now to arrange the laptop!

Nate 1:56 PM - [Link] Say something...
...
Utah-Colorado land swap?
Mon, June 23, 2003


SALT LAKE CITY - A Tennessee congressman is pushing a federal land swap in Utah and Colorado that would enable one of his constituents to consolidate his holdings.

The deal would trade 3,400 acres of public land in eastern Utah near the man"s new log cabin for his private land in Colorado.

Bureau of Land Management officials oppose the proposal, but Rep. John Duncan, R-Tenn., is sponsoring the trade legislation in behalf of Bill Rodgers, a sports motivational consultant and owner of a Knoxville car dealership, The Salt Lake Tribune reported.

Rodgers would trade 2,800 acres of ranch land he owns in Moffat County, Colo., for 3,400 acres of land on Diamond Mountain in Utah"s Daggett and Uintah counties near Jones Hole National Fish Hatchery, about 25 miles northeast of Vernal.

A similar bill died in the House Resources Committee last year after BLM officials opposed it.

Rodgers contends his Colorado property would appraise for higher value than the Utah land and has agreed to pay any difference if the Utah acreage is worth more than the Colorado property.

BLM officials do not want to lose the Utah public land, which is popular with off-roaders and hunters, and they do not want the Colorado land.

Hmm, I wonder why this seems like such a bad idea... Rich easterner buys land out west, then discovers he's unhappy with the property, so he asks his congressman to help him with his special personal hunting preserve...

Personal opinion... maybe you should have bought what you really wanted in the first place. Or you could just shut the hell up and be happy that you've made enough money to claim an oversized part of the planet to your own greedy self!



Nate 10:59 AM - [Link] Say something...
...
75 years of concept cars
from cnn.com

More than 125 concept cars and trucks, with examples from all three U.S. automakers, were brought together on Sunday for the 16th annual Eyes on Design Automotive Exhibit at the General Motors Technical Center in Warren, Mich.


This would have been a really neat show to go see. There's a fine picture show at the link if you want to see the cars.
Nate 9:25 AM - [Link] Say something...
...
Who said?

"When I'm president, we'll do executive orders to overcome any wrong thing the Supreme Court does tomorrow or any other day "

P.S. He's a Democrat...

Find out here and Kim has a little bit to say about this Dumbocrat's statement and his friends over at his Daily Rant.

Geez, he sounds just like I do when I get on my "When I get appointed king" soapbox...
Nate 8:37 AM - [Link] Say something...
...
Monday, June 23, 2003
What I saw over my weekend

Lots of details later about a very fun weekend but for now I'll just point you to pictures of the burrowing owl family that Noah & I observed while driving out north of the Great Salt Lake. We saw one adult and 4 juveniles, the adult was on top of the burrow, the young ones stood in a group near the edge.

At first, Noah, looking through the binoculars couldn't identify the brown lump next to the burrow but when I go my chance to see close up, there was 8 big yellow eyes looking at me from that clump! We watched them beside the road from just about 40 feet for a number of minutes. Very good fun!

On another subject entirely but related to fun and son Noah, on my way home I get to jerk a knot in the tail of a Coast Guard recruiter that has been jacking him around for a couple weeks. I've been practicing my "irate Master Sergeant" demeanor for an hour or so now and its almost quitting time!

I can be very cranky with people that don't or won't do their job and then lie about it...
Nate 12:54 PM - [Link] Say something...
...
2005 Ford GT
MMMM! I want one! But since the donations to my tip jar have been so weak, I think I will be reduced to saving the pictures and making them my desktop images. You could too, so check it out if there's high octane in your blood.

Nate 11:37 AM - [Link] Say something...
...
Friday, June 20, 2003
Administrative Note: All of January's archives have been moved to Blog Studio. And May through June. More to follow when I get time.
Nate 3:17 PM - [Link] Say something...
...
A great post from Sparkey over at Sgt Stryker's Daily Briefing. Its called The Burglary.

It comes with a liquid refreshment/keyboard monitor alert...
Nate 11:32 AM - [Link] Say something...
...
This is cool. Sleek jet shoots for land-speed record from CNN.com


A team of more than a dozen men have been spending their weekends on a 39,000-horsepower dream: to shatter the world land-speed record of 763 miles per hour with a former jet plane on wheels.

Members of North American Eagle get together every Saturday or Sunday morning with tools, doughnuts and an ice-chest full of beer to work on the project. Team members include an ejection specialist who worked on NASA space missions, a jet engine mechanic, a computer technician, a former B-52 mechanic, an auto body specialist, a machinist and an engineer. All are volunteers. I wish I could go play with them!

The group says it still needs $500,000 to finish the vehicle and another $500,000 to hold the record-breaking session, which would require a camp for a 30-member crew for a month.

On its Web site, the team asks for potential sponsors to provide everything from on-board computers to portable toilets and toilet paper. Hey! I could afford to buy them some toilet paper!


Good luck guys!


Nate 10:52 AM - [Link] Say something...
...
Orin Hatch uses unregistered software!
From the front page of today's Salt Lake Tribune paper and exposed by Simon over at Amish Tech Support...

Most everybody that's a blogger or blog reader saw this yesterday and today its front page news in the published press, so its another win for bloggers in the search for truth, justice and the American way... So good on ya Simon!

Simon also has a link to the Trib's page and a fisking of the comments from Senator Hatch's office that's worth reading here.

In an e-mail interview, Milonic's Andy Woolley said his $900 menu code is made available free for personal or nonprofit use -- the latter a category under which Hatch probably could qualify.

However, the senator's site clearly was "in breach of our terms and conditions" even in the latter case, he said.

Woolley said nonprofit use requires the Web site designers to include a link to his commercial Internet location (www.milonic.co.uk), and leave all imbedded copyright information unchanged. Finally, users are asked to inform Woolley of how they will use his menuing code.

None of those requirements was met before the site went up in August, he said, noting he had not had any contact with Hatch's office or his Web site developer, GSL Solutions of Tampa, Fla., over the matter until after Simon's revelation.

Hatch spokeswoman Margarita Tapia said the senator's office acted quickly to correct the problem.
"You have to put this into context," she said. "There was never a financial obligation.
"The company that programs our Web site used freeware to program the drop-down menus," she said. "We have relocated the copyright information in compliance with the licensing agreement."

By late Thursday, Hatch's Web site had been updated in answer to Milonic's copyright requirements. Further, Woolley confirmed he had been in contact with GSL regarding formal registration of his program.


Heh heh heh!

Nate 10:25 AM - [Link] Say something...
...
Thursday, June 19, 2003
Whew! FInally. I've completed yet another set of charts for another briefing that I have to deliver, probably next week- if the bosses-that-are-in charge are available to chair the meeting and hear what I have to say. And this briefing has everything to do with money, so its rather time critical and important that I get it right. Its mostly legalese and formalities really but since I've never done this particular briefing before getting the charts right has been a major headache.

But the charts are out for review right now, so essentially that's done. I also finally rewarded myself by printing out Bill Whittle's last essay Magic and reading it through, undisturbed, during my lunch. If you haven't already read it, I strongly recommend that you do. I copy & paste his essays into MS Word and print them as they are lengthy and its easier for my addled mind to keep track of dead tree printed pages. Plus I staple it together and float it around my cubicle and office for others to see that might never find it in the blogosphere.

If you're not already a regular reader of Bill Whittle's essays I strongly suggest that you spend some time over at his blog and read his past work. He is one smart and interesting guy and I really like exploring what he has to say. He's promised a published book of his essays in the near future. When its available I'm buying a copy for each of my kids. I think they are some very practical intelligent thoughts on the real world and I want my boys to read what he has to say.

Now its time to get back to work for a couple more hours.
Nate 1:05 PM - [Link] Say something...
...

[take the test] - [by krystaljungle.com]



Hmm, I've got a clock above desk inscribed with "grammar grinch" but "grammar whore?" That's kind of rude.
Nate 10:38 AM - [Link] Say something...
...
UPDATE: I talked to Dad last night. Carol got through her surgery with no complications and was feeling well enough to eat a bit in the evening. She should be home by Friday.
Just a note early today and a small request from those of you that believe in the power of prayer; my dad's new bride of 5 weeks Carol is having mastectomy surgery today to fight the breast cancer that was recently diagnosed. Its been a trying time already for both of them and typically there's a lot of emotion and pain involved in the recovery period.

So my thoughts are with Carol and dad today and I'm praying for her, the doctors and all the folks that will be caring for her. I hope you will too.
Nate 6:51 AM - [Link] Say something...
...
Wednesday, June 18, 2003
Orin Hatch is a dumbass...

Sure this guy's been in politics forever, and sure, it was the same Senator that came out of a classified intelligence briefing to announce to the world that the US was very good at intercepting Osam bin Laden's satelite phone conversations.

And now he wants the opportunity to blow up our computers, in our homes, to teach us a "copyright lesson."

The link will take you to every blogger in the sphere that has remarked about this dumbass much more eloquently than I possibly could, so go check them out.

And remember that this dipstick is a revered figure with his constituents here behind the Zion Curtain...
Nate 3:36 PM - [Link] Say something...
...
Business Travel Hints from Mrs. du Toit

All good hints and relevant for anyone that travels, except for #4:
Never forget to pack shampoo AND conditioner because you might find yourself in a slimy place that doesn't supply it and washing your hair twice, because the conditioner is actually hand lotion, is a major time delay.
since some of us have no need for conditioner...

And the money quote: Now that the airlines are scanning all bags and closing them with plastic ties after they've been scanned, how in the hell are you supposed to get the plastic tie off the suitcase, when everything sharp you might use to remove it IS INSIDE THE DAMN SUITCASE!??!

Yup.
Nate 10:29 AM - [Link] Say something...
...
Its time for Ogden Raptors baseball! Last night was the opening game of the season down in Provo against the Angels. Ans while the web site doesn't reflect it yet this morning, the Raptors won the opener 9-4.

First home game next Monday night. Guess where I'll be... Sure beats summer tv reruns!
Nate 7:36 AM - [Link] Say something...
...
Tuesday, June 17, 2003
Crazy Don's SUV World
You know that Hummer's not enough for a real man! And, somehow we have to pay for that silly little war we just fought over there in Iraq.

So go get yourself a real SUV and ditch that puny Hummer...
Nate 7:27 PM - [Link] Say something...
...
Monday, June 16, 2003
Details and stories to go with the pictures to follow later. I just needed to get them published tonight from home.

UPDATE: There's a bit of story next to each of the photos today.
Nate 10:22 PM - [Link] Say something...
...

Son Noah & Lily at Noah's graduation

I did write already about attending Noah's graduation. It was a wonderful evening if one ignored the squirming, wriggling children, the seats designed for 1930s sized butts and the lack of air conditioning. One of the speakers even mentioned that the school was built by the WPA and that the cost of construction was less than the current estimate to add air conditioning to the building.

It was a beautiful evening and I was really quite the proud dad.

Now if he would just go find a summer job and quit laying in bed all day...
Nate 10:18 PM - [Link] Say something...
...

BSU, her two boys, a daughter-in-law and a a girlfriend

And, yes we do live close to the mountains! That's my driveway.

Two weekends ago I was in the carport working on the Baja when the phone rang and surprisingly it was my oldest son Kye. This is the one that just recently got married. (My regular readers might remember our surprise of receiving a wedding announcement 5 weeks after the fact). But Son 1 was in town and wanted to know if he and the new bride could come visit...

"Get your butt and hers over here now!"

So they came over and we had a very nice visit. I didn't even have to buy them dinner as they had already eaten. Son 2 and his girlfriend showed up later and I grabbed the camera and the opportunity to get everybody squeezed into one picture. Of course the sun was getting low and I insisted they face into the blazing orb, hence the squinting but I got a picture and no permanent damage occurred.

BSU of course doesn't like this picture, cause its got her in it, but I do like it, for the very same reason. It was really good to see her with her two "big" boys.
Nate 10:18 PM - [Link] Say something...
...

The newlyweds

Move-in Day

I mentioned that when Son 1 and his new bride Sara came to visit that we had a very wonderful visit. And its new to say "daughter-in-law" but its nice too and I guess I'll get used to it.

One of the things they were excited about was their impending purchase of a new townhouse! The closing was just the next day and they were quite anxious to get the keys in their hands and to get moved out of their apartment. The townhouse is brand new, they got to pick countertop colors and the type of fridge and range and carpet colors, so they were really excited about having a place to call their very own.

"And could we help move on Saturday? Just the big stuff, with my truck, and its just across the street from the apartment, (which is true) and some other friends are going to help with all the heavy lifting."

"Of course son, glad you would ask. We'll be there Saturday morning." And we were there Saturday morning as promised, but the other help was a no-show, there had been a communication mixup and it was just us, my two boys, the two wives and me.

Fortunately Son 1 and bride had boxed and moved most of the items that would fit into boxes and her car during the week before we arrived. Our job was the washer & dryer, the bed, 2 dressers and three big living room pieces, a chair, love seat and couch.

Now their new digs are really nice but its three levels and nothing we were moving went on the main level! The overstuffed seating all went into the downstairs den, with stairs and a right turn in the middle; the washer & dryer and the dressers and the bed all went upstairs with a left hand turn on the landing...

We ran out and rented a dolly for the appliances and it helped the job to be possible. But we still had to play Homeowners Geometry to figure out how to get the machines in the house, around the corner at the base of the stairs, (open the closet door and swing the washer's corner into the closet), up the first 8 steps, take the strap off the appliance, dead lift the appliance straight up to clear removing the dolly and then move the dolly 90 degrees and replace it back under the appliance. Then it could be restrapped and pulled and lifted the final 10 steps to the top floor!

Repeat process for dryer... Woohah. Tiring.

The rest of the move went pretty smoothly really and they had just cleaning supplies and cats to move over when we left them that evening.

And Sara's mom is driving out from Illinois with more furniture, did I mention that? She was to arrive by Monday, unload her booty and then the 3 of them were headed back to Illinois for several days and then the newly weds will finally get a chance to unpack, plug in and settle into their new digs sometime next week.

And they have a double garage! How unfair is that? I'm mighty jealous of the garage and the entire place is actually very nice. Bigger than I would have guessed. There's a gas fireplace in the main floor living area, a fancy round tub in the master bath and a dishwasher, all things that I don't have... Hummph!

Anyway, as parents we're quite proud of the two of them and wish them all the best. It really seems that they are on a good track and acting like real adults and citizens. They've got a great new place to call their own and I think it will be good for them.

And the best news? The second bedroom is NOT being set up as a nursery! Still no grandchildren in my forseeable future!

I think I'm going to buy them a Lowes gift card to assist in their window covering purchases.
Nate 10:14 PM - [Link] Say something...
...
Two teens killed in I-80 crash From the Ogden Standard-Examiner


SALT LAKE CITY - Two 17-year-old boys were killed when a sports utility vehicle drove into a concrete pillar of an underpass on Interstate 80.

Donny Tuitavuki and Michael Crofoot, both of Salt Lake City, died instantly in the crash around 3 a.m. Saturday, said Utah Highway Patrol Sgt. Ted Tingey.

Tuitavuki was driving the Nissan Pathfinder westbound, Tingey said. For an unknown reason, the vehicle veered off the road to the right into gravel and traveled along the shoulder before striking the overpass pillar head-on.


This should have been titled "When good SUVs go Bad" if the story is to be believed. Its a damm shame that kids die in automobiles, its a pity that jounalists are so afraid of litigation that they are obligated by their editors to make the vehicle the evil killer.

That is the actual policy by the way; the article can not assign any possible blame to involved individuals due to possible liabilty lawsuits. So the vehicle becomes a killer and vehicles veer off the road for unknown reasons...

Geez, two 17 year olds, at 3 AM, on the interstate. You figure it out.

Nate 12:18 PM - [Link] Say something...
...
Hill pilot's jet crashes in Iraq - F-16 airman ejects, rescued on ground
Fri, June 13, 2003


By LISA ROSKELLEY
Standard-Examiner Davis Bureau


HILL AIR FORCE BASE -- An F-16 pilot from Hill Air Force Base"s 388th Fighter Wing ejected safely from his jet before it crashed in Iraq Thursday.

The pilot is a captain from the 421st Expeditionary Fighter Squadron who had deployed to southwest Asia May 23 as part of a mission to support ground troops and protect the skies.

It is unclear what caused the airplane to crash, and the incident is under investigation.

"He was on a routine mission," said Lt. Col. Pete Davidson, commander of the 388th Operations Support Squadron. "We don"t want to speculate about what the cause was."

The pilot was rescued and taken to the Baghdad International Airport, where he was examined and declared in good condition. He was rescued by a combat search and rescue team about an hour after the 6:30 a.m. accident, which is equivalent to 9:30 p.m. Wednesday local time.

"Obviously, the good news is he was rescued quickly and safely," Davidson said.

The pilot"s wife has been notified, but his name is not being released by the wing. The crash will be thoroughly investigated over the next month, Davidson said. The status of the aircraft is unknown.

This is the first time during Operation Iraqi Freedom a pilot from Hill AFB has been involved in a crash with the $25 million F-16s, Davidson said.

He said an accident like this is not expected to have any sort of traumatizing effect on the rest of the 250 people from the 421st squadron stationed in southwest Asia.

"This is what we train for," he said.


Just glad for our local guy that he's ok. Last week was tough on the F-16 fleet, not only did the AF loose this one in Iraq, two additional aircraft were crashed from Luke AFB in Arizona during separate training missions. Both of those pilots also survived which is a tribute to the ACES II ejection seat capabilities and the guys that maintain that seat.
Nate 11:40 AM - [Link] Say something...
...
Snoring Kids Do Worse in School, Says Study


Children who snore perform worse at school, according to a new study by German scientists.
"Our study clearly showed that snoring has a detrimental effect on children's performance in school," Christian Poets, head of a joint study by the University of Tuebingen and the Hanover Medical School, said on Friday.


Think how much the kid next to the snorers are affected! "Teacher, Hans is snoring again and I can't hear the Americans are destroying Europe lecture."

Nate 8:53 AM - [Link] Say something...
...
Sunday, June 15, 2003
Its late Father's Day evening, I'm tired, and I over ate at dinner at the new Golden Corral down the road. There's still laundry to dry and fold and I'm just really too tired to write.

But I haven't died, even if I haven't written since Thursday and even if you were counting on it. I've got pictures to scan and that too shall have to wait. So, tomorrow. I promise to write a little something tomorrow.
Nate 9:12 PM - [Link] Say something...
...
Thursday, June 12, 2003
Busy today but the archives are getting moved over to Blog Studio from Blogger. Almost all of May now resides here at Blog Studio. I still don't have the new Dano version of Blogger like Terry.

NOTE: I changed this post to reflect the complete name of my fine blogging host Blog Studio as it was pointed out to me that abbreviating to BS might just not work. Thanks Janis!
Nate 10:47 AM - [Link] Say something...
...
Wednesday, June 11, 2003
More weekend highlights!

How 'bout this, its Wednesday already and I still am trying to tell you about the weekend past. I'll try to keep it simple and just hit the highlights.

First, Number 1 son and his new bride came to visit! It was the first time we had heard from them in a number of weeks except for the wedding announcement we received in the mail a couple weeks ago. It was wonderful to see both of them and we had a very nice time. They even had already had their dinner so I got off the hook for feeding them!

The newlyweds are moving very soon into a brand new townhouse and they were quite excited about having their own place and getting out of their current digs. We were excited to hear that no nursery is planned for the foreseeable future!

Anyway, I did get some pictures of BSU with both sons and the women in their lives which I promise to post after they come back from the one hour counter at WalMart.


POSSIBLE MOVIE SPOILER ALERT- FINDING NEMO!

BSU and I did sneak off to see Finding Nemo and I was disappointed. There's no catchy tune to hum along with like Jungle Book , the story was way over the heads of the non-paying intended audience, (kids) and preachy in the "fish are friends, not food" mantra of the shark's Fish Eaters Anonymous group. I also thought the story line about Nemo's "small" fin being his "lucky" fin was lame (pun definitely not intended.) I suspect that even though the writers were trying to mainstream Nemo and show that characters with differences could overcome their physical disabilities, that no person with a deformed limb would care to call it their "lucky" limb.

Kids I suppose would find Nemo to be a pleasant diversion and story. I just saw it as a marketing opportunity to be exploited. Toy Story (both of them) were much more entertaining and I liked the characters much better.

We also saw The Italian Job last night and both of us really liked that one! But a review of that will have to wait until later.
Nate 3:52 PM - [Link] Say something...
...
More terrorism in Israel today. Read this and this from LGF and then ask yourself this: If President Bush said in September 2001 that the United States is at war against terrorism, why the hell is the president trying to restrain Israel from stopping the bragging terrorists known as Hamas?

There can be no peace in the Mideast, no discussions with the Palestinan Authority until the PA forces the myriad terrorist groups to put down their explosives and to stop killing civilians. If the PA can't make the terrorists stop, Israel can and must make them stop and the US needs to support their right to exist.

Dangitall, this situation gets me riled up! Here's my rule. Don't negotiate with terrorists. Hunt terrorists. With vigor. And no bag limits!
Nate 12:50 PM - [Link] Say something...
...
I found out this morning who it was that spent so much time here as I reported last night. Seems the person just got busy and forgot to turn off their browser... at work, and who's never had that problem before? So no stone throwing and anonymity was requested and so it shall be.

That same person was also looking at the references I had made to wanting an X10 camera for fun and excitement and home protection... So here's a link to the X10 homepage in case anybody's still interested.

And I still want one!
Nate 7:46 AM - [Link] Say something...
...
Tuesday, June 10, 2003
Surfing through the referrer logs late tonight and I found this. Check out the amount of time somebody spent at my site today! Two hundred and two minutes? Wow! I sure hope they found what they were looking for...

I also noted that the site this person visits from is repeated quite often in this list... Do I have a stalker? Just a fan? Its fun to guess I suppose.

Write or leave a note in a comment somewhere whoever you are from ba-dsg.net!
Nate 10:44 PM - [Link] Say something...
...
Weekend update, as promised.

Friday night was son Noah's graduation ceremony. So even though it was casual day with blue jeans and a golf shirt at work, it meant I had to put on slacks and a dress shirt and tie. On a Friday...sigh.

So off we went to Ogden High School, plenty early so there would be time for pictures and to get close-in parking and seats in the auditorium. While I can't find a picture of OHS right now, its enough for you to know that it was built by the WPA. Before air conditioning was a normal thing to install in a room that seats 3000.

And of course we got stuck in a row with squirming, obnoxious children in front and behind us. And obnoxious parents as well for not knowing when kids should be left with a babysitter. One of the adults directly in front of us looked like Meatloaf after too many weeks of touring... Ughh.

Anyway, graduates paraded, speeches were given and the school song sung and just 3 1/2 hours later we were again breathing fresh air. Noah had graduated!

He seemed to like the Craftsman toolbox, socket set and screwdriver set that was his graduation gift. If we're going to kick him out of the nest shortly its probably good to get him equipped with some real tools. I'll be continuing to add to the box contents throughout the summer so that he's reasonably able to perform most of the work he's likely to tackle.
Nate 11:09 AM - [Link] Say something...
...
Look at this picture and answer this question:

Do you shoot the squirrel and save the bottle to recycle or do you shoot the bottle just to see if the bursting glass kills the squirrel?

Nate 9:15 AM - [Link] Say something...
...
Monday, June 09, 2003
Well then. Another day of work completed and not much time for blogging. Adjust.

I received a tough email message from my dad today, seems his bride of just a few weeks has had 2 lumps diagnosed as malignant just last week. She's had additional tests and a visit to the surgeon already since last Wednesday. It sounds scary for both of them.

Tomorrow is also the 1st anniversary of BSU's attempt on her own life. She has asked me to be home in the afternoon with her and you know I will be. I very nearly lost her last year to depression and suicide and it was just by the most meager of human interactions and complete divine intervention that she survived. Which at the time really pissed her off. She was in the hospital 5 weeks and eventually received 8 electro-shock treatments and she continues each day with medications, visits to a Dr. and a therapist.

She is less angry about being alive these days, even happy about it most of the time. But she still gets depressed about "what's better now?" and "what have I accomplished this year?" We talk about this often. All I can do is assure her of my love and the love of her family and the benefit she brings to our lives by being in our world. She doesn't always own that very well. Because she didn't intend to be here this year, many things have been left undone, family holiday traditions, the sewing and quilting and embroidery she used to enjoy and any interest in her home's appearance, all left undone.

Sometimes she does a little reading in self help books but her short term memory isn't good because of the ECT and so reading and comprehending are tough. She's left her flower beds unattended this year and taken little interest even in the annuals that have sprung up in spite of her. She sleeps many hours every day and usually only arises about time for me to get home from work. Nothing seems to matter to her and there's just no reason to get out of bed according to her.

I can't tell you how hard this is on me to see her this way. This woman that I love was once the most motivated, capable and assertive woman I had ever met. And beautiful too. Independent and funny and sexy all wrapped in one package. But the bipolar disorder was there too, all along and sometimes life has been pretty easy and sometimes not so easy.

We even got divorced back in 92 after being married for 10 years. Its too sordid a tale to tell tonight but her mental health played some large part of it and a few months later when her circumstances in Alaska weren't turning out how she envisioned them she came back to Louisiana and later we got remarried.

So why spill all this anyway? Honestly, I don't know except that often I do carry these burdens nearly alone with just one close friend to share with and he's two time zones away. And I miss the woman that my BSU was when she was healthy. I also want her to continue to get better and to be my companion for a long time to come.

I guess for you folks that keep regular prayer lists I'm asking if you could add my beloved to your lists. And my dad Roger and Carol also. Good night.
Nate 9:06 PM - [Link] Say something...
...
In case you are wondering; this is what I want for Father's Day. I'm sick of trying to get cars jacked up far enough off the ground to do real work without using dangerous combinations of lumber chunks and a too small jack.

Just in case you were wondering. PayPal donations gladly accepted...
And I still need one of these!
Nate 10:43 AM - [Link] Say something...
...
Well then, its Monday already dangitall and I'm back at work. Lots of interesting developments over the weekend and I'll try to detail those later today. Highlights include graduation night with no air conditioning, Son 1 and his bride drop in for a visit, wrench bending on the Baja and Searching for Nemo. And a nice email this AM from XSU about her trip to Ohio and sneaking up on the Reverend brother of mine.

So I'm going to do some real work for a bit and I'll get back here later today.
Nate 7:22 AM - [Link] Say something...
...
Friday, June 06, 2003
So, today hasn't been a total loss after all, even if I still did not blog about everything I intended. I did get my template fixed, I have looked into a very low cost offer to get set up with Moveable Type, (more to follow) and I did purchase airplane tickets for my vacation trip in July. I've also cunningly wrapped a special present for HCLL (that's a secret for now) and have it prepped to go to the Post office on the way home.

Tonight is Noah's graduation ceremony. BSU says we've made it, we got him through school. Truth is, except that he would only work just hard enough and wouldn't struggle any to get good grades for the sake of a GPA, it hasn't been too difficult to get him through. Much easier than Son 1's trip through public education.

So tonight's Noah's night. We went to dinner at Red Robin last night and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. His graduation present is a 4 drawer Craftsman tool box and a starter set of tools. I will be adding some additional essentials through the summer so he's ably equipped to do his own maintenance later on.

Which reminds me. I've got to score an alternator for the Tracker today. Its dead. Noah's been driving on just the battery for a couple days now and charging it over night... So off to a see a friend that rebuilds Trackers to see what's in his cupboard.

Bye for now!
Nate 3:16 PM - [Link] Say something...
...
I'm adding a new member to my blogroll today. I found it initially over at Kevin's Smallest Minority and I liked what I read and so I'm adding a link. Its called Publicola and while I haven't had time to read it all, Publicola is of course about our rights as Americans to own and carry firearms. He has a lot of good links to most of the organizations that support our 2nd Amendment rights

I did find this link mil-dot simulator training and what fun it is!

So go have a look around, there's lots of good stuff.
Nate 2:56 PM - [Link] Say something...
...
Judge rejects driver's license veil request

Good for him.


Sultaana Freeman had testified that a state order requesting that she remove her veil -- a niqab, which covers all of her face except her eyes -- infringed on her religious freedom.

"It's totally changed my life and I really feel like a prisoner in my home," said Freeman in testimony before the court last week.


I can't help but think that its the "Religion of Peace" that has made her the prisoner. And from other things I've read, it sounds like a good muslim woman should not even be expectiong to drive, she's supposed to be in the house or accompanied by a male relative. There's actually a chart at the link of the rules in the major Muslim countries.


Judge Thorpe ruled that although Freeman held a sincere religious belief that she should wear the niqab in front of all strangers, she did not prove that "the photo requirement itself substantially burdens her right to free exercise of religion," or that the momentarily lifting the veil in a private room for a photo taken by a female officer would be such a burden.

On the other hand, the judge said in the ruling, the state did show that "having access to photo image identification is essential to promote" the state's "compelling interest in protecting the public."


Anyway, she's asking to drive in Florida and Florida rightly said she's got to uncover to have a drivers license. Well done.


Nate 2:41 PM - [Link] Say something...
...
YES! YES! YES! Its Fixed!

With help from David over at Blogmatrix my template is corrected and you're no longer seeing weird stuff, (besides my writing I mean) on this page!

Thanks David and your PayPal account just got heavier as promised!
Nate 10:57 AM - [Link] Say something...
...
Monitor/Keyboard/Liquids Interference Alert!
Well then. As is my usual, frequent habit, I did some emailing yesterday with Possum King and Senior Executive Officer for the Axis of Weevil, Terry. We had a pretty good chat and I thought I would share it with my regular readers today.

The following is the email, transcribed into a normal reading method instead of making you start at the bottom and work up.

I wrote:
Yup. Breezed through the briefing that had been hindering my thought process and blogging this morning in less than 10 minutes with the approval I required. Yeah!

Now, already deeply into my database trying to extract info for an automated report that somehow magically figures out how crew chiefs get money to pay for parts. But the reports are wrong and the people in charge don't understand and the system's broken...

Tomorrow dang it all, I have to be at work, but blogging will improve...

Did I send you this?

CEOAoW wrote:
Oh, man, that's GREAT--I just put a link up as an update to that last post. You know, the thing that separates great art from everything else is its veracity.

ME: You stole my link while I was slaving away and too swamped to do it myself??? Oh the treachery! Ya bum...

CEOAoW wrote:
::glowing red face:: Well, it's too funny to not share as quickly as possible! I was "jump starting the process" and "empowering you" through "proactive delegation". I hope I didn't "steal your thunder"
because this was obviously "your ball to run with".

ME:
Well at least I got credit for finding it...

CEOAoW wrote:
Oh no, I didn't mean to "kill the puppy"! We might need to "reevaluate priorities" if this is "creating conflicting synergies"!

ME:
You're killing me here! ROTCFLOL (the C is for Cubicle for you non-Dilbert, non-cubicle caged folks)

So check out the link and see what started all this silliness!
Nate 8:39 AM - [Link] Say something...
...
Thursday, June 05, 2003
No blogging but this until after lunch today. My briefing for which I have been diligently building charts is this morning. Since some of the affected parties had an important luncheon to attend, the meeting has been moved up 2 hours, meaning that my preparation time has been cut but that also my stress will be relieved earlier than anticipated.

So, more later and even a picture from last weeknd's camping trip.
Nate 8:45 AM - [Link] Say something...
...
Wednesday, June 04, 2003
I know you have all heard about this idiot that hoped to delay the airplane he was booked on by calling in a bomb threat. Is this guy the biggest idiot you've ever read about? What a dumbass...

How egotistical and narcisistic does one have to be to think that this plan was ok? And that the airplane would be waitiing patiently for him when he arrived late?

Can you imagine him explaining to his wife, (if he has one), "Honey, I won't be coming home tonight, or maybe any night for the next ten years because I was STUPID..." "Boss, about that meeting in Phoenix and the Wiggeldy Widget account...I'm in jail, because I'm stupid!" No "Employee of the Month" award for this dumbass!

Dammitall where do people go to have their ability to reason removed like this STUPID individual did?
Nate 12:39 PM - [Link] Say something...
...
Kevin over at Small Minority has been busy and he has this to say today.

From the ACLU on the 2nd amendment...
There's this:
"We believe that the constitutional right to bear arms is primarily a collective one, intended mainly to protect the right of the states to maintain militias to assure their own freedom and security against the central government. In today's world, that idea is somewhat anachronistic and in any case would require weapons much more powerful than handguns or hunting rifles. The ACLU therefore believes that the Second Amendment does not confer an unlimited right upon individuals to own guns or other weapons nor does it prohibit reasonable regulation of gun ownership, such as licensing and registration."


and this, also from the ACLU on the 1st amendment:
"The principle is as simple as it is central to true freedom of speech: those who do wrong are responsible for what they do; those who speak about it are not. It is easy to defend freedom of speech when the message is something many people find at least reasonable. But the defense of freedom of speech is most critical when the message is one most people find repulsive."

Go read it all!
Nate 10:07 AM - [Link] Say something...
...
Inexperienced Drivers and Cell Phones

See if you can figure out what's wrong with the NTSB's reasoning in this article...
Federal board recommends a cell phone ban for inexperienced drivers.


WASHINGTON (AP) -- All states should prohibit inexperienced drivers from using cell phones behind the wheel, the National Transportation Safety Board said Tuesday.

New Jersey and Maine have passed laws prohibiting those with learner's permits from using cell phones or other wireless devices while driving. The NTSB said it wants the 48 other states to adopt similar laws, although it can't mandate the change.

...The recommendations were made after the board reviewed a February 2002 accident in which a 20-year-old Virginia driver with little experience flipped over her new sport utility vehicle and landed on a minivan in Maryland. She and four others were killed.

A federal investigation showed that the driver was speeding and talking on her cell phone when a wind gust hit the SUV. Investigators said the cell phone contributed to her loss of control, in addition to her inexperience and lack of familiarity with the vehicle.


Did you find the dumb-ass in this bit of proposed nanny-statism? I certainly did. First, the government wants to impose more laws on the public. And which public? Why its the inexperienced driver, the one with the learner's permit in their pocket and dreams of driving freedom in their heads. Its the public that everyone agrees is an inexperienced driver and needs more experience.

But guess what? These drivers can't vote! They're only 15 or 16 or 17 years old! These drivers are not represented by any elected official. The NHTSA knows that they would never be able to impose this change on adult drivers so they want to add more laws to an unrepresented group.

Next, the NHTSA report admits their research was driven by an accident caused by a 20 year old! Someone that conceivably could have had 4 or 5 years of daily driving experience. So they have measured a part of the poulation, gotten some results and now they want to inflict their rules on a different part of the population... Sounds like imposing new rules on electricity use in your home because your water utility bill is too high for comfort...

So 2 things come to mind here. First the government wants to legislate more rules but only against a group with no voice in government. Second, their decisions, based upon an incident where cell phone useage caused death and injury was not apparently caused by the target group. Nannyism, plain and simple.

Don't get me wrong though. I am opposed to all people chatting away on the roads that I share, one hand steering and the other clutching a cell phone to their ear while they compare last night's date results or whatever other conversation that can't possibly be delayed until they're stationary. I do think that teenaged drivers require much stricter training before being turned loose on the highways. And I think hands-free operation of phones is a good idea, if phone calls are absolutely essential and of a immediate nature.

Here's my solution and no new laws are required. Let the insurance companies make non-phone use or hands-free use part of their requirement to be insured. Each insurance user or purchaser signs an agreement that if they are in an accident while using their cell phone that the insurance company will not be obligated for any damages or injuries to anyone involved. Use a phone and cause injury, its your fault and you pay, not your insurance company...


Nate 7:18 AM - [Link] Say something...
...
Tuesday, June 03, 2003
It is already too late to start in about the camping trip from the weekend. Sorry. But not really sorry. When summer time hits I spend a lot of my time out doors. Tonight it was overseeing son & heir replacing battery cables on the Tracker and we just finished about 9:15.

Replacing battery cables is really a pretty unremarkable job so he did the work, I supervised. He insisted that the replacement cables should be the OE type with the skinny steel battery clamp instead of the normal lead ended cables. He even offered to pay the difference, (which I knew was a lie) and shut right up when we wandered into the Autozone and discovered that the cables he wanted were more than 3 times the price of the normal cables. Fourteen dollars instead of 4+ dollars just didn't make sense to this old dad and we went home for less than a ten spot.

And now the tracker's happy again. And I'm tired and need to go see the news with my beloved spouse. I did hear from my brother Mark tonight, he really has become a licensed minister for the Church of God. Good for him. My mother will be very happy to finally have one of us in the ministry which was I'm certain one of her life's dreams.

Going to see them all in Michigan in July and the anticipation is getting strong. But my blogging for the night is finished.

G'night ya'll.
Nate 10:21 PM - [Link] Say something...
...
Excessively busy this AM with charts that still require further coordination that was just discovered this AM... And I will be out of the office this afternoon.

I still want to tell you about the weekend camping trip, the moose and deer and hummingbirds and snow and all but that will sadly have to wait. Additionally, I still have not resolved the code error I inflicted upon myself, so you are seeing some extraneous junk at the front of each post. I will get it fixed soonest. In the mean time it won't bite you and its not contagious.

As for news, the Amber Alert declared for the little girl abducted in California on Monday has resulted in her being found, safe and her abductor arrested here in Utah. So well done for the Amber Alert and glad to hear a happy ending for the little girl. You'll have to go find a link for yourself for now though. Maybe I can get one posted this evening.
Nate 11:04 AM - [Link] Say something...
...
Monday, June 02, 2003
Hmmm, it was working before I started playing with it and now something's wrong...

Workin it. Really.
Nate 9:41 PM - [Link] Say something...
...
Adding a new name to my blogroll today...
Kevin's all about the RKBA, misuse of authority by the government and other interesting stuff. And since you know I'm in favor of being able to hit the X-ring, its only right that I add him to the my list.

Check him out.
Nate 10:14 AM - [Link] Say something...
...
Good morning. Or hello, which ever's appropriate for your Monday state of mind. My mind is fine from a wonderful weekend of camping, thank you very much. But I do have lots of real, paying work to do today, so blogging will be delayed until later.

Its son & heir's last week of school and graduation is Friday night. It should be an interesting week.
Nate 7:33 AM - [Link] Say something...
...