How Many Biebers Could YOU Take in a Fight?

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I Vomited Today

From Time:

At a glance, it's hard to imagine a President who had less in common with Reagan than the Ivy League lawyer from Hawaii who seeks larger federal investments, a bigger social safety net and new regulations for Wall Street and Big Oil. But under the surface, there is no mistaking Obama's increasing reliance on his predecessor's career as a helpful template for his own. Since the November elections, Obama has brought corporate executives into the White House, reached out to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and made compromise his new watchword. He signed a surprise $858 billion tax cut that would have made Reagan weep with joy and huddled with Reagan's former White House chief of staff Ken Duberstein for lessons learned when the Gipper governed amid economic troubles. Over the Christmas break, White House press secretary Robert Gibbs tweeted that Obama was reading a Reagan biography, and just to confirm the bond, Obama recently wrote an homage to Reagan for USA Today. "Reagan recognized the American people's hunger for accountability and change," Obama wrote, conferring on Reagan two of his most cherished political slogans.

First of all, no one is fooled by Obama trying to equate himself with Reagan. Just as always, it's a diversionary tactic: say one thing and do the opposite. Obama reading a biography on reagan doesn't mean crap in the grand scheme. He's not looking for guidance or a glimpse at Reagan's philosophy. He thinks Reagan's mannerisms, communication skills and determination were gimmicks. He's simply trying to figure out how to do what Reagan did: communicate and inspire the country when the economy was in the tank. But Reagan was sincere. It wasn't a gimmick. And no amount of empty emulation will ever approach Reagan's zeal for liberty and conservatism. Reagan had principles. Obama has platitudes.

Second, Obama didn't sign a "surprise $858 billion tax cut." He signed a bill that continued the Bush tax cuts, which Congress had let expire. They weren't his idea, nor was he in favor of extending the tax cuts. He (and the Democrats in Congress) did it only because they had just gotten their collective asses handed to them in an election and had they not extended them, or (in other words) raised taxes they would've been crucified. Possibly literally. If Obama wants credit for tax cuts, he needs to man up and lower taxes himself rather than stand on the shoulders of the predecessor that he loves to demonize so often.

And finally, Reagan was, indeed, in favor of change: change in the opposite direction of the failed policies of Jimmy Carter. It's really, really ironic, then, that Carter is the president to whom Obama is most often compared. If Reagan were alive today, he would be diametrically opposed to Obama's version of "accountability" (which is to say no accountability) and "change" (by which he means to shift the country toward a more socialistic government-centric state.)

I'm actually shocked that Reagan's zombie corpse didn't rise from the ground with the sole intent of kicking Obama's ass over his recent remarks. I bet God is in heaven holding him back even now.

Why Can't We Walk Straight?

A Mystery: Why Can't We Walk Straight? from NPR on Vimeo.

Do You Really Need to Do It While You're Rolling?

Geez.

Pick Two

One of my favorite sayings for more than ten years has been: "You can have it fast, cheap or good. Pick two."

This graphic is masterfully done.

The Dome

Don't Wait Up

From the Telegraph:

The Earth could find itself with a 'second sun' for a period of weeks later this year when one of the night sky's most luminous stars explodes, scientists have claimed.

Betelgeuse, which is part of the Orion constellation 640 light years away from Earth, is a red supergiant, meaning that it is nearing the end of its life and is due to explode.

Wow. Now that would be cool. But I'd also be pretty bummed because that means that Orion would lose a star, and it's my favorite constellation.

But wait...

Brad Carter, senior lecturer of physics at the University of southern Queensland in Australia, said the explosion could take place before the end of the year – or indeed at any point over the next million years.

So this dipwad is basically "predicting" that a star out in space is going to explode at some point in the future. That's like me predicting that I'm going to eat an entire pizza at some point in the next 80 years and then getting a news story about it. (And everyone knows that the REAL story would be the trip to the restroom that followed... but I digress.)

I'm not sure which is worse here - the ridiculous science or the poor sensationalist journalism.

No Worries

A friend and I were having a conversation a few days ago after I showed her the "find my iPhone" app. I showed her how you can look up all your Apple mobile devices and find their location. Kristi was in Houston that day, so I showed her that it located Kristi at Cimarron Elementary. She said, "wow. that could be dangerous if someone looked you up and you weren't where you were supposed to be."

I guess that's true. But, as I told her, if you live your life with nothing to hide then there are no such problems. Not that she doesn't. I'm just sayin'.

Whathestank?

Around this time seven years ago, I was listening to Hoobastank a lot.

That's going to be hard to explain to my kids. It's pretty hard to admit right now, actually.

Would YOU Eat Human Cheese?

From grist.org:

Human cheese is initially a pretty shocking concept to most people. In that way its a great conversation starter -- people very quickly bring up all sorts of different issues. I've had questions come up like, is it OK for a vegan? Is it empowering or exploitative of the woman? Is it dangerous, or actually healthier?

Many people feel uncomfortable because they don't know the woman, or what she is eating -- but how often do you know the cows whose milk make your cheese, and what they are eating?

Here's another question: what the f#$@! is wrong with you??? People feel uncomfortable about it because (in the words of Chandler Bing): "It's juice squeezed from a person." I would no sooner eat human cheese that I would drink lemonade made from saliva. I would not could not on a train. I would not could not in the rain. I would not could not eat them with some lox. I could not would not, even if she were a fox. Ugh.

This is a prime example of "sure, you could do it, but should you?" I'm going with no.


Thanks to Tony for sending this and turning my stomach.

How a Texan Orders Pants

Put This On: LBJ Buys Pants from Put This On on Vimeo.

I love the belch at the 1:42 mark. LBJ was many things, but classy wasn't one of them.

How to Launch an Anvil 100 Feet in the Air

Feminism Explained

Genius.

Thanks to Matt for sharing.

The Four Verses

I'm not sure how I didn't know this, but there are actually four verses to the Star Spangled Banner. At sporting events and other gatherings, we only sing the first, but they really are quite moving:

Oh, say can you see by the dawn's early light
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars thru the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep,
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines in the stream:
'Tis the star-spangled banner! Oh long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion,
A home and a country should leave us no more!
Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps' pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Bold and Interesting Marketing

Sell! Sell! Sell!

From the NY Times:

Steven P. Jobs, the co-founder and chief executive of Apple
Inc., told his staff on Monday that he was taking a medical
leave of absence, a year and a half after his return from a
liver transplant.

"At my request, the board of directors has granted me a
medical leave of absence so I can focus on my health," he
said in a statement to the Apple staff released by the
company. "I will continue as C.E.O. and be involved in major
strategic decisions for the company."

Hooooooly craaaaaaap. Apple stock is going to tank tomorrow.

One Year Better

One year ago this weekend my eyes were opened. A friend lent me some of his L-series lenses to shoot with at our annual agents conference and I saw what a huge difference having good glass (and a wider range of apertures) can make. I was amazed and it took my blossoming interest in photography to full bloom.

I set out to practice and learn as much as I could to take my photos to the next level. We got some better lenses at work and I bought an amazing 50mm prime lens for my camera at home, and I just started shooting as much as I could. I'm afraid I turned into "that guy" - you know - the one at family functions and out in public who always has his camera out. But it was in the name of learning, I swear. That I got some irreplaceable shots of my kids is a great bonus.

I also benefited from fellow geek and best friend, Matt, guiding me along and encouraging me as I learned. We get to shoot together thus weekend and I'm glad for that. It's not a competition, but working with him pushes me to be better and to try harder. He gets some amazing shots.

So here I am again at the agents conference set to shoot three days worth of photos armed with good lenses and a years worth of practice under my belt. I can't wait to see what happens.

Someone should tell this company that their logo looks like a school bus.

Happys

I'm glad I don't have travel much for my job, but when I do, I love all the "happys" that Kristi and the kids leave for me in my luggage. Here's what I've found (so far):








... And a s'mores and hot chocolate kit from Kristi.



I love my girls. :)

My High School Dream

I had a very vivid dream tonight that I'd like to share.

In my dream, I was at my 20-year high school reunion. It was being held at some sort of a hotel where one side faced a tree-lined street with several stories of rooms that had outward-facing doors and an outside walkway. The hotel made a ring around a large open courtyard where there was a large swimming pool and a small water park. In fact, it reminds me a lot of some of the "cheaper" hotels at Walk Disney World- the Movies, All-Star and Rock & Roll hotels. But there were bleachers on the inside of the courtyard where people could sit and watch what was going on in the pool.

I remember early on in my dream showing up and being very social, walking around talking to old friends that I haven't talked to in awhile- Brad Chelette, Irfan Hydari, Julie King and Susan Kellond. But then some sort of show began with some entertainment. For some reason it was being deejayed by Sam Malone. I lingered outside on the outside walkways, but I could still hear the show very clearly.

Then I heard a very distinctive voice - that of one of my all-time best friends, Gary Kipe. He had taken to the microphone and was
making some announcement, which wasn't all that odd since he was the class president, a cheerleader and a very outgoing kinda guy. But then I heard him call my name. He was calling for me to come down to the front for some reason (I'm not sure why.) But I wasn't ready, and I didn't go. I remember thinking in my dream "if I'm going to go down there and be introduced, I want to do it in my Superman cape." You see, I've always been a huge Superman fan, but especially so in high school. Right or wrong, I was kinda known for being a bit over the top about it, too. So I decided that I would run over to my car (my great old silver '83 Honda Accord hatchback that died my first year in college), which was parked nearby, and grab my cape. I yelled and tossed a CD to a friend who had come out to get me to tell Gary to wait two minutes, introduce me again and play the Superman theme song. That would give me enough time to get my cape and come back.

I went to my car, got my cape and cape back. I waited on the outside walkway of the hotel to hear my cue to go in, but instead I just heard music, other introductions and Sam Malone talking. So I waited, all the while thinking, "surely they're just waiting for a good time, and then they'll call me again." I waited and waited there on the outside of the hotel, never going in to be a part of the festivities- always waiting for my big entrance, which I was sure would come at any time.

I walked around and went to the top of the bleachers, where I ran into more good friends from high school - Traci Ritz, Karen Amoroso and Sarah Smaardyk. We spoke briefly and superficially. In fact, I kinda brushed them off, even though they seemed genuinely interested in my life and what I was up to. But I was focused- I was waiting and concentrating to make sure I didn't miss my Big Entrance. So they went away.

The day wore on, and the sun got lower in the sky. I finally decided to look inside to see what was going on. The party was still going, but it was winding down and most of the people that had filled the place earlier had already left. I walked around a little, but none of the people I really cared to see where there. My buddy Gary was gone, and I remember looking around again for Brad and my good friend David Barrios. But they had all left. I walked out to my car, opened the door and threw my cape in the empty passenger's seat next to me. And then I woke up.

As I lay in bed, the images from my dream were as vivid and detailed as if I were still in them. Even now, almost two hours later, I can still feel the dream. I can still hear it. I can still see it. And it occurred to me that my dream was a metaphor for life. I'm not quite sure it was my life, exactly. It was in some ways, but wasn't in many, many others. But I know people whose life it represents pretty accurately.

You see, many people have this image of themselves, a dream of sorts. It forms early on when they really don't know much about themselves or about the world around them. Oh, they think they know, but they don't. They have this big idea about what their life is going to be like and they set forth trying to make that happen, exactly according to their vision. But most times, the world has other plans. Things change, and people change. But many people don't change with them. They keep on the same course they saw long ago, consequences be damned. And then they get their big opportunity, their one shot at grabbing the ring and being in the spotlight. But they don't take it because the planets weren't perfectly aligned, the situation wasn't exactly right according to their dream. And they miss it. They spend most of their lives waiting for that perfect situation to come, but it never comes again. And then when they finally give in and decide to live a little, they find that the people they cared about are gone. And then, at the end of the day, all they're left with is the tattered remnants of their dream and a life that wasn't truly lived.

I say that this wasn't about my life because there have been many, many times in my life where I feel like I've grabbed for the ring. And most times, those chances taken have led to great, unexpected things. I really feel as though I've got a good life, and I don't have too many regrets. But the one thing that I do regret is that, aside from a few really good friends, I generally try to keep the world at arm's length. I've lost touch with people in my past who have meant a lot to me, some of whom were in my dream. I'm not talking about keeping up with them on Facebook (a couple of my all-time best friends aren't even on Facebook)- I'm talking about really knowing them and who they are today. Knowing their families and what they do and how many kids they have and what kind of music they enjoy. And letting them know me. Not just the sometimes-crafted me that I want the world to see, but the getting-fat, going-gray and going-bald me. Some of those opportunities are lost, but many aren't. And I intend to try to get to know some of my best friends again. But I digress...

I can't end a dream about high school without giving a valedictorian-style wrap up. So, friends, don't waste your life on nothing. Live your life to its fullest. Go with the flow and learn to dream new dreams if the currents of the world change around you. And be bold enough to grab that one big opportunity when it comes, even if it's not perfect. And then hold on for the ride.

Verizon Gets Told

From AppleInsider:

According to a report by Ars Technica, Apple's senior vice president of worldwide product marketing Phil Schiller told members of the press that there would be no software pre-installed by Verizon.

Verizon has been a leading proponent of bundled software on its mobile phones, a practice users often deride as "crapware." In addition to forcing its own V CAST mobile music and app store and Navigator subscription GPS software, Verizon has also partnered with others to include apps for things that users can't remove without rooting their BlackBerry and Android phones.

Finally, someone stood up to Verizon and told them no. I'm not surprised it was Apple, either. Way to go, Apple!

Hateful Rhetoric

I found this amusing and maddening all at once. While the left is in a full-fledged tizzy against so-called "hateful rhetoric" by conservatives, they don't seem to have a problem with the bile spewing from their own side. Some responses found in the comment section of an excellent article by S.E. Cupp in the NY Daily News:

"It was you people who created the twisted term "Death Panel" and a myriad of other garbage that has been created to instill the kind of fear that led to the assassination attempt of a US Congresswoman." - El Commondant

"Capt. Steel....it takes one to know one. You're obviously a Palin supporter. Others see her for what she is. A loud mouth attention freak who has something nasty to say about darn near everyone who doesn't agree with her, including McCain's staff. Typical male republican who likes her because you think she's hot or whatever. It doesn't matter that she doesn't use what few brain cells she has when twittering or tweeting." - CorineK

"It's too bad Palin doesn't stay "way up high in Alaska", Anonymous. She is in the lower 48 states more than she is home and she spews her venom daily on Facebook and Twitter, against everyone she seems fit to spew it against. Even the Secret Service during the 2008 election said that her hate rallys were causing death threats against Barak Obama. She even targets the first lady, but Michelle is classy enough to ignore the ignorant hick." - CorrineK

"Palain IS responsible for this by instigating. She is good at causing trouble. I think she thinks (if it's possible) that that is her purpose in life. It couldn't be more obvious than her crosshairs map. Just because she ha cute eyeglasses, men think she is smart. WRONG! She was a probably the popular sorrority girl in high school that always picked on the fat girl with glasses. It wasn't cute then and it ain't cute now." - Chad66

"Everyone in this country should be liable for her kind of vigilante tactics. She's gonna tip toe around this for as long as she can make money off it. She's a racist, bigot pig with a soul of dirt." - KraftPaper

And I could go on and on. That was just taken from the first couple of dozen comments.

I'm not a huge fan of Palin (as those who have read much of my blog already know), but enough is enough already. Hateful rhetoric, indeed.

Never Let A Tragedy Go To Waste

Over the weekend a genuine tragedy happened. A gunman went to a meet-and-greet by Democratic Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords in Tucson and open-fire, killing six people and injuring the Congresswoman. This morning, all I seem to hear and read about in the news and on the blogs - even one of my favorite tech blogs - is how Conservatives, Republicans and Tea Party members are somehow responsible. It's very shallow thinking that draws such a conclusion. To them, a Democrat was the target of assassination, so it must be the fault of conservatives.

And John Gruber at Daring Fireball (among other libs) is in a full-on froth-at-the-mouth lather that somehow Sarah Palin is somehow to blame, as well, because of some icons that were used on a website before the last election.

John- you're way off base. Sarah Palin didn't come down from Alaska and pull the trigger, nor did she advocate anything of the sort. Blaming imagery and putting that much importance on such imagery is irresponsible at the least and offensive to designers. You should know better.

There's also mounting evidence that the shooter was a troubled loner who was radically left-wing, accordiing to classmates- not some right-wing nutjob as the kneejerk reaction from the media has indicated.

And speaking of knee-jerk reactions, it only took one day for another Democrat lawmaker to use this tragedy to push for tougher gun laws. And so-called "gun control activists" are definitely on the warpath:

Many said that people with a history of mental instability, like the alleged shooter, Jared Lee Loughner, should not be able to buy a gun — and no one should be able to buy stockpiles of ammunition used by the 22-year-old assailant.

First of all, the government has no business keeping tabs on how many guns someone owns. That private property ownership is their own business. But the paragraph above begs the question- "how, exactly, does the government propose to regulate how much ammunition a person can own?" The answer, I fear, is that every time you buy a round of ammunition you'll have to go through some sort of computerized check with a government database that will register all ammunition you buy and cross-check it against some arbitrary number of rounds that some bureaucrat somewhere deems "acceptable."

I find it to be a colossal conflict that the government would then be able to regulate the means for which the Constitution specifically allows for citizens to be able to overthrow a corrupt government if necessary. God forbid a revolution ever does come, but how is a citizenry supposed to protect itself from an abusive government if the government regulates how much ammunition one can own? Ridiculous.

The media also seems to be trying to stress the point that the shooter had, in recent months, made increasingly critical comments about the government. But all indication I've read indicates that the comments made were very deranged in nature, ranging from government mind control to its very authority to exist. The gunman was clearly not making traditional Conservative arguments, but the media seems hell-bent on painting us all with the same brushstroke as this nutball. The conclusion that they seem to be subtly driving at is that any criticism of the government in the wake of this shooting must be investigated and that the writer might just be planning the next assassination of a government official. Again, ridiculous. As a blogger who is frequently is critical of the government, I find this particularly offensive. I would no sooner go on a shooting spree than any other conservative I know of who is deeply distressed by the direction our country is headed. But that's the bush we're boing painted with, it seems.

What's clear to me is that demonization of "partisan rhetoric" seems to be in fashion at the moment, as well. Political rhetoric had nothing to do with this shooting. A deranged loner did.

The bottom line of this whole thing is that this Jared Lee Loughner is just plain crazy. He's crazy in a Columbine High School sorta way. I hate that this happened, but I don't think that reactionary clamping down by the nanny state is going to solve anything. But just watch- just as it did following Columbine, the government is going to try to swoop in and legislate the problem away. It didn't prevent this shooting and it won't prevent the next one.

Loughner legally purchased his weapon – a Glock 19 with an extended magazine – from an Arizona store. The same kind of extended magazine was illegal under the assault weapons ban that expired in 2004.

After the Virginia Tech massacre in 2007, in which a student with a history of psychological problems killed 33 and injured 25 others, lawmakers immediately started looking at gun control reforms both in the state and atthe federal level.

Then-Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine issued an executive order making it harder for people who have been committed to mental health treatment centers to buy a gun.

In 2008 President George W. Bush signed a law expanding the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, which registered gun dealers use, to include more comprehensive reporting of mental health records. Under the current law, it is illegal for anyone who has been “adjudicated as a mental defective or committed to a mental institution” to purchase a firearm, according to the FBI’s website.

However, Loughner did not fall into either of those categories, according to Josh Horwitz, the executive director of the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence.

“I’ve seen no evidence that he falls into those categories. It’s the same thing as this guy at Virginia Tech,” said Horwitz. “We can do a much better job checking people’s mental health background.”

So the assault-weapons ban expiring in 2004 is to blame, as well, it seems. But wait. Didn't the Democrats have control of the House and Senate from 2006 until 2011 and have a Democrat president for two of those year? They had a super-majority and yet never felt the pressing need to renew the weapons ban? So who, then, is to blame here? The ban was important enough that it supposedly would have prevented this attack, but yet it wasn't important enough for the Democrats to pass as soon as they could? Hypocrisy.

And finally- where was the Secret Service?

Old Homestead

I was driving back from Abilene on Sunday morning and happened to look in my rearview mirror just in time to see a great little homestead scene. I whipped the truck around and stopped to grab the shot. And I'm glad that I did. It turned out to be a great panoramic shot opportunity, as well.

Oh, SNAP!

The next two years are going to really, really interesting.

Five Democratic senators wrote a letter to the incoming Speaker of the House, John Boehner, promising to block any attempt to repeal Obamacare. The speaker's office wrote back the following response:

Senators Reid, Durbin, Schumer, Murray and Stabenow:

Thank you for reminding us – and the American people – of the backroom deal that you struck behind closed doors with ‘Big Pharma,’ resulting in bigger profits for the drug companies, and higher prescription drug costs for 33 million seniors enrolled in Medicare Part D, at a cost to the taxpayers of $42.6 billion.

The House is going to pass legislation to repeal that now. You’re welcome.

- Speaker-Designate John Boehner’s Press Office

Nice to see the Republicans showing a little cojones for a change.

From The Hill.com

Starbucks Gets a New Logo

One word: yuck.

How NFL Footballs Are Made

I got excited because I got a new football for Christmas, thinking that it was awesome that these were the people that made my ball by hand. Then I thought more about it. My ball is a Wilson and an "official size and official weight" ball, but clearly isn't an NFL game ball (it's not real leather and it doesn't have the signatures on it). And mine says "made in China" right on the side.

Cool anyway, though...

Thanks to Matt for sharing the love.

I Expect Better From Apple

Yesterday, the alarm on my iPhone didn't go off to wake me (and my friend Aaron) up so that we could get up to get on the road after a wedding this weekend. My departure time wasn't so critical, but Aaron had a plane to catch. Luckily, I have an internal alarm that works pretty well. I just thought it was the strangest thing that my alarm didn't sound. I double (and triple) checked it and couldn't find anything wrong with the alarm settings.

Then this morning, Kristi had to get up early to get some work done. She wanted to get up between 3:30 and 4:00, but then her alarm didn't go off. Thanks again to my internal alarm, which woke me up at 4:05 so I could wake her up.

So for those that are counting, that's two alarms missed in two days on two different iPhones, both occurring after the new year rolled over. To me, that points to one thing: software glitch.

Then I found this this morning on AppleInsider:

Apple has confirmed an iOS bug where non-repeating alarms fail to ring on the first few days of the new year, recommending that users set recurring alarms until Jan. 3, when the alarms will resume working properly.

As various time zones entered the new year, reports began cropping up from iOS users whose one-time alarms had stopped functioning after the device's clock had ticked over to January 1, 2011. According to reports, the issue affects devices running the iOS 4.2.1, the latest version of iOS.

Apple spokesperson Natalie Harrison responded to the reports by confirming to Macworld that Apple is aware of the problem. "We're aware of an issue related to non repeating alarms set for January 1 or 2," Harrison said. "Customers can set recurring alarms for those dates and all alarms will work properly beginning January 3."

Guess what, Natalie? My wife's alarm didn't work on January 3.

Thanks, btw, Apple for letting everyone know about this before this occurred so that we could, you know, not set our iPhone alarms pointlessly and end up being late over the New Years weekend. If you knew about it ahead of time, you should have let us know that there might be glitch.

I expect this kind of shoddy crap from other companies, Apple, but not from you. I didn't buy a Zune, after all.