Rude Awakening

The Little One woke me up this morning. She climbed into bed next to me and kept pulling my eyelids open. When I told her to stop and rolled over in the other direction, she proceeded to climb on top of me and started bouncing. I had no other choice but to get up and play. Of course I should have been up and around already but sometimes I just like to be lazy and sleep in on the weekend. Oh well.

Guilty or Not?

Five friends (one is pregnant) get together for a night of beer drinking. They are all drunk and get into an SUV together. The driver loses control and collides with a tree at high speed. The driver is the sole survivor of the wreck. Her blood alcohol level is two times over the legal limit. She is charged with five counts of intoxicated manslaughter (four friends and 1 unborn child) and is on trial. In this state, intoxicated manslaughter is a second-degree felony punishable by two to twenty years in prison and a $10,000 fine. As an outside observer with no ties to any of the families involved, I'm wondering if she will end up in prison.

Appointments

My wife and I had an "appointment" for 11:00 AM at a government office the other day. We got there about 5 minutes early and signed in. We then had to wait 1 hour and 45 minutes before seeing someone. Why operate under an appointment schedule if you can't keep them? Makes no sense to me.

So I Was Bored

I noticed yesterday that there are a whole lot more people in the world than, say, thirty years ago. Without getting into the economics of birth and death rates, I think it's safe to say that the population growth of our cities has increased. And with that said, here's my point. Back then, I could ride my bike down the main street in town to a store and have maybe a couple dozen cars pass me. Now, I'm in fear for my life because of all the traffic zooming past me.

Or maybe I've got this all wrong. Perhaps there are just more drivers now than back then. Or maybe unemployment is up and people are driving around more to get to their interviews. Or maybe the alien infiltration before the takeover of our planet is fueling the increase of people. I think back to the simpler times and...

Oops, gotta go back to work.

Say That Again

I was reading an article regarding the tsunami that hit Pangandaran, Indonesia. It reported the latest death toll at 341 with 230 people still unaccounted for. This area was spared by the tsunami in 2004 but the government still has not installed a warning system. It was planned to be completed in 2007, though. Too little, too late for the people killed in this event. Even though Indonesian officials were alerted by different agencies monitoring the after effects of earthquakes and the possibility of a tsunami, they did nothing. What made me really mad were some of the comments made by the government officials...

Science and Technology Minister Kusmayanto Kadiman said Indonesia received the bulletins 45 minutes before the tsunami hit but did not announce them because they did not want to cause unnecessary alarm.

"If it (the tsunami) did not occur, what would have happened?" he told reporters in Jakarta, noting that there was no effective way to spread a warning without a system of sirens or alarms in place.

Answering reporters' questions as to why no warning was issued on Monday, Vice President Jusuf Kalla claimed there was no need because most people had fled inland after the earthquake, fearing a tsunami.

"After the quake occurred, people ran to the hills ... so in actual fact there was a kind of natural early warning system," he said.

People interviewed in Pangandaran after the devastation said they did not feel any tremors and did not see any people fleeing into the hills before the tsunami hit. These officials need to stand up and admit that they really screwed up.

Welcome Home Discovery

NASA says they are back. I hope they are right.

Weird Dream

This is so strange. I don't know why I would even dream something like this. I don't remember all the fine details of the dream but in a nutshell, I dreamed I was in a Seinfeld episode. We were in Jerry's apartment. George, Kramer, Elaine, and even Newman was there. Jerry couldn't get his laptop computer to work and the others were trying their best to help with the problem. I was standing in the kitchen with Newman eating pizza. That's about all I remember. Oh, there was a laugh track, too. Strange.

What's In A Title?

The company I work for is big into titles. Executive Vice President of Manufacturing World Wide (that's a mouthful). Director of Warehousing Systems and Distribution. You get my point. The way I look at it, they can call me whatever they want as long as I'm compensated fairly. But fairness in the workplace is usually a moot point. What one person sees as being fair could be looked upon by someone else as being unfair. Not going to go there right now but let me say that if I win the lottery, I may not give a two week notice.

Pretty Lights In The Sky Again

But this time not from fireworks. A UFO you ask? Well, kind of. It happened to be the remnants of a test by the Missile Defense Agency's Terminal High Altitude Area Defense Weapon System, or THAAD. It is designed to destroy short- and intermediate-range ballistic missiles as they close in on their targets and is a long-range counterpart to the Patriot missile system. Although residents in this area were able to see the results of the successful test in the sky, no one seemed to have had a camera with them at six in the morning. This photo by Tom Tingle was taken near Phoenix. If you have the time, check out Lockheed Martin's product list if you visit the THAAD site. Scary...

Practical Jokers Dream Come True?

Those clever Japanese...

TOKYO - People stopping to smell the roses can now take that sweet floral fragrance home with them or even send it to a faraway grandmother thanks to a new gadget in Japan that records and replicates the world's odors.

The new device, developed by scientists at the Tokyo Institute of Technology, analyzes smells through 15 sensors, records the odor's recipe in digital format and then reproduces the scent by mixing 96 chemicals and vaporizing the result.

Creator Takamichi Nakamoto says the technology will have applications in food and fragrance industries where companies want to replicate odors. But it could also be a boon for the digital world, allowing smells can be recorded in one place -- by sensors in a mobile phone, for instance -- and transmitted to appreciative noses halfway around the world.

It could also aid online shoppers by letting people check out perfumes or flowers before they buy.

"The sensitivity of the human nose is very good," Nakamoto said. "But to some extent we can replicate the performance."

Nakamoto says his machine, in the works since 1999, is the most advance of its kind in the world, though a similar project is also underway at Keio University, also in Japan. But so far, the machine is too big to be portable -- it measures about the 1 meter by 3 feet by 2 feet.

Still, the breakthrough follows on the heels of a Japanese smellovision project that synchronized smells to movie scenes. That odoroendeavoreor was undertaken by NTT Communications Corp. and emitted smells from under seats in two movie theaters to accompany parts of the film "The New World," a Hollywood adventure film.

Nakamoto's smell recorder has successfully recreated a range of fruit smells, including oranges, apples, bananas and lemons, but can be reprogrammed to produce almost any odor -- from old fish to gasoline, he said.

Making the 15 sensor chips, which pick up aromas and convert them to a digital formula, was the hardest part, Nakamoto added.

But the unit's large size is also limitation because the 96 odor-forming chemicals are contained in separate glass bottles. A more compact version, which includes only the sensors, can record smells but must be hooked up to the blender to regenerate them.

"We also want extend the range of smell and then we can think about commercializing the system," Nakamoto said.

Nakamoto's team of 12 scientists have been collaborating with a Japanese perfume company that produces the raw ingredients for fragrances and with electronics companies interested in the sensor chip technology.

From My Inbox

The real danger to us from the Middle East

This morning, from a cave somewhere in Pakistan, Taliban Minister of Migration, Mohammed Omar, warned the United States that if military action against Iraq continues, Taliban authorities will cut off America's supply of convenience store managers. And if this action does not yield sufficient results, cab drivers will be next, followed by Dell customer service reps.

Lucky Duck, errr, Ibis

This lucky bird lived to fly another day even after being shot with an arrow. It has taken up residence in a Florida pond. Wait...maybe it was Brian Heidik!

Bowling

Went bowling this evening with my 10 year old daughter and a friend. I had not bowled in about 9 years. I was content (and surprised) that my scores ranged between 140-160. Needless to say I think my shoulder and arm will be sore tomorrow. My wrist is already feeling sore. Total price for 12 games and shoes was $46. It seemed kind of high to me but I honestly can't remember how much it cost to bowl 9 years ago. Oh, and this bowling alley also has this huge arcade and an indoor amusement park with a few rides. They even have a small roller coaster but that's outside. Cool.

Turn Around, Don't Drown

We had some pretty heavy rain in a short period that caused a lot of havoc the other day. I came across this picture from the newspaper.

Jerk

ATLANTA -- The man who won "Survivor: Thailand" four years ago is charged with battery and cruelty to animals. Officials said Brian Heidik shot a puppy with an arrow. A Georgia county judge has released Heidik on bond. Atlanta TV station WSB-TV reported that Heidik told the judge he thought the dog was a coyote that has been harassing his pets. But a prosecutor said Heidik's wife called authorities at 3 a.m. to say he'd shot a puppy "and planned to shoot another one." Officials said Heidik fled in his car when sheriff's deputies arrived. He was quickly captured. The prosecutor said evidence at the home also supports a charge of battery for family violence. Heidik is a former North Carolina State football player, used-car salesman and part-time actor.

I Don't Understand

I read a new article this afternoon that warned gas prices in the region would be over $3 per gallon by next week due to higher oil prices. Why? Because North Korea test fired some ballistic missiles and plans to do more tests. Ok, maybe I'm not looking at the whole picture with an economist's magnifying glass but what the hell does North Korea have to do with rising gas prices? In these times where oil companies are making record breaking profits in the billions of dollars, I don't see the correlation between missile tests and oil. Keep in mind this comes from someone who believes in Big Brother and government conspiracies. ;-)

Mentos + Diet Coke = Cool

Ok, a local store had 2 liter bottles of Diet Coke on sale so I bought a couple plus a couple of boxes of Mentos candies (do they still make those in rolls?). Once I got back to the house I gathered the family outside and told them I was about to show them something they have never seen before. As I prepared to drop the Mentos into the Coke, I asked for complete silence and then a drum roll. Boom! Well, it didn't "boom" but there was a geyser of Coke that shot straight up about ten feet. The Little One was just giggling and my other daughter was shouting "do it again". My wife only asked me if I was going to clean up the mess. I of course ignored her as I set up the second bottle of Coke. As soon as I dropped the candies into the bottle I turned and ran but slipped on some Coke from the first try and fell (pretty hard) onto my side. Sadly, I wasn't able to see the second eruption but everyone said it was a little higher than the first. So, skinned knee and hand aside, it was a cool experiment.

Happy 4th

Happy 4th of July! God bless America.

Vital Records

I had to get a birth certificate today for the Little One, formerly Baby, and since I was there decided to get a copy of my marriage certificate. Total price: $30.00!! One was $23.00 and the other was $7.00.

The birth certificate is actually a digitized copy of the certificate of birth that is then printed onto a nice piece of heavy bond, security paper with the county and state seals on it. Illegal to duplicate by the way. The marriage certificate is a copy of the license printed on normal paper and then notarized by hand with the county seal. By my description, you should be able to figure out which of the two costs more. Now, explain to me why they can't just print the certificates on normal paper and manually notarize them? Or, to make more money, use the fancy paper for everything and charge more?

I think this is just another one of those things that makes me think there is a conspiracy.

Pretty Lights In The Sky

No, not from alien spacecraft. Fireworks...so cool. Baby was entertained during the whole show. She was fussy before it started but as soon as the first sky rocket went up, she was enthralled. I wonder how much it costs to put on a great show? Guess I'll have to Google that when I have time.

Mentos Phenomenon

The local rock radio station did this live on the air a couple of weeks ago. I was driving to work so was unable to watch the live webcam as they did it but it sounded really cool. I think I'm going to try this on Tuesday since I didn't buy any fireworks.

Try these links for a good explanation and video.

Huh?

Igneous antics moving religious ethical arbor like lilies yesterdays human artery triangles in new garments mushy yogurt jamboree onyx bullion rhymes incarnate glitter helium tubes north of west. Move your blossom over six succulent independent sickness angst delivery in person. To hunker art now kinesiology from universities likely litigates yonder incan tribes into soulful Frenzies regulate incongruous data alternate yearnings.

Go Check...I Dare You

Revision Error or Just Bad Grammar

To quote a Reuters article regarding the upcoming murder trial of Phil Spector...

"Rock producer Phil Spector will go on trial in January on charges of killing a B-movie actress to death at his home, nearly four years after the fatal shooting took place, a judge said on Friday."

Now I wonder if he'll get a life term commuted to time served plus x years if found guilty?

Worms Say "Hi" On Tomato

Hard to believe...since the owners of the garden want to kill all of the worms.

Gift for the Ultimate Couch Potato

DIRECTV is offering a new package for those who like to watch TV. It includes *every* channel, movie, pay-per-view, sporting event, adult program, and HDTV channel they offer on their system. And it includes 10, count 'em, 10 HD DVR receivers and 24/7 concierge service. All for the incredibly low price of $7,500 per year. I'm there, man. Count me in. You can sign up for the Titanium package here.

...isms

While watching a FIFA World Cup soccer match this morning, my boss made some interesting comments that I will call my boss' soccerisms. I know I forgot some but here are the ones I could remember:

1. If you want to score a goal you have to get the ball past the goalie.
2. The trick is to kick the ball into the goal.
3. If you can get past the defenders you have a better chance to score.
4. If you want to score, you have to kick the ball and move it down field.
5. That guy's an octopus. He has his eyes looking everywhere.

Beat the Heat

94' tall banner hanging from Dallas' Fountain Place. Go Mavs!

See You Later

After 44 years with the CBS network, Newsman Dan Rather is leaving. Darn, no more "Ratherisms".

Say, What's the frequency, Kenneth?

Booooo

The Dallas Mavericks looked a little disorganized at the end of OT play trailing by one. They even (supposedly) called a timeout *between* Miami's freethrows. WTF? Let's see what they can do back at home on Tuesday. Please, please, please...

I Must Work For the Same Company

Management Listening Catheter

How 'bout Them 'Mavs?

Boy, the Dallas Mavericks sucked last night. They lost that game as soon as it started and just couldn't get it going allowing Miami to tie the series. We'll have to see what happens in Game 5 and then bring it back home for the win. Go Mavs!!

Soccer Fans Unite

2006 FIFA World Cup soccer tournament fever has struck our manufacturing facility. It's enlightening to see how fervent the workers (and the country, for that matter) are about soccer. I for one have little interest in soccer in general but whenever the World Cup comes around, I do watch certain games. Well, let's see how the U.S. team does this time around with my fingers crossed. ;-)

But It's a Dry Heat

It's 106 degrees Fahrenheit outside. Not a record of 108 degrees set in the 1980s but it's still too darned hot. When you walk out the door it feels like you're stepping into an oven. The heat is overwhelming as it has been all week long. Tomorrow is only supposed to be 104 degrees. Can't wait for that.

Where Is The F***ing Lamb Sauce???

Hell's Kitchen is back for it's second season on Fox. The way Chef Ramsay treats the contestants can be really, really, harsh much of the time but when he's yelling at someone it's for good reason. I'm surprised that no one has thrown a kitchen knife or pot of boiling water at him yet. Based on last night's two episodes, my favorite to win would be Heather. I wonder how hard it is to get a reservation at the restaurant?

Maybe I'll Check Them Out

On my way to work this morning I heard on the radio that STYX and special guest Blue Oyster Cult would be coming into town next month. I had no idea that these groups were still actively touring. The last time I saw STYX they were still playing stadiums/arenas and BOC was at a small club in Dallas, but I'm intrigued. And since I'm sort of a renegade anyway, maybe I'll go see them at this Godzilla of a Street Fest next month. Or maybe not.

Sunday Drive

This evening, Baby wouldn't come back inside because she wanted to go for a drive. She kept screaming "bye-bye" and pointing at the car and wouldn't stop. So we ended up putting her into her seat and went for a short drive. Baby was happy as a clam and fell asleep before we got back home. Go figure.

Traffic

Why is it that when I'm running late to get somewhere there is always something out of my control that makes me even later? I was on the interstate this afternoon making good time when I ran into a traffic jam. I sat in traffic for 2o minutes, creeping along at a snail's pace. It was an accident that caused this backup but what really irritates me is that the lane open/closed notification lights did not notify which lanes were open/closed. The overhead directional signs on the interstate in this city have these lights which have a green "O" for open and a red "X" for closed. Designed to let drivers know of impending lane closures ahead due to construction or accidents. Of course I don't think any of the drivers here even look at them but I for one do not like to be in a lane that is blocked and then have to rely on the kindness of another driver to decide to let me in. With my luck, I happened to be in the lane that was blocked by the accident but a nice driver let me into his lane. Or maybe he was just too busy gawking and not paying attention. Probably the latter.

Yay

I received my data CD ROM this morning. Intact. I guess I have to do some work now. Groan...

Duh

I was expecting an overnight package from our corporate office containing a data CD ROM this morning. When I received the package, I see that they put the disk in an overnight envelope. When I opened it, not surprisingly, I found that the disk was broken into 4 pieces. So I call the IT department up and asked them to burn another disk and send it to me in a *box* this time. Is that common sense or am I missing something?

Yummy

Call me crazy or call me sick but I have had a craving for those little cans of Vienna Sausages for the past week. It had been many, many years since I had those so when I visited the local grocery store the other day I decided to seek a can out. I found a large selection of the sausages ranging from different producers and different flavors. Some were made from beef and others from chicken. After much debate I purchased a can of the Jalapeno flavored sausages. When I returned home I consumed the can and I believe my craving has been satisfied for at least a few years now. Strange, but back when I was little and even today, when I see an opened can of these sausages, sticks of dynamite come to mind.

Is it Santa?

Nope...

ALTADENA, Calif. -- A small bear found himself cornered by wildlife officers on a California roof on Monday. The officers were called out after the bear was spotted in an Altadena, Calif., neighborhood. Initially, it was found sitting in a tree. The bear was shot with a tranquilizer. That's when it tried to take to the rooftops to get away. The bear then took a tumble from the roof, but emerged uninjured. Officials captured the animal. They said they would transport it back to the wild. Authorities said the bear might be the same bear seen Sunday afternoon in a resident's pool. Home video shot by Walderman Strubinski shows the bear taking a stroll through the neighborhood. The bear was almost hit by a car when he decided to cross the road and check out the homes on the other side of the street. He climbed a few fences to check out some neighbors' back yards.

Diseases

I've been reading about different types of diseases on different medical websites and have started thinking I may be suffering from one or more of them. It's funny how your mind starts working and your thoughts keep snow balling until you're absolutely sure that you are inflicted with an incurable disease. Or is it just that I'm paranoid/delusional?

Night at the Fair

Took the family to the annual fair last night. We were in the midway and watching one of those rides that loops you around in a vertical circle and often suspends you upside down. While the ride had the cars at the top, we all heard a "clang, clang" sound that was loud enough to hear over the crowd noise. Then a woman leans down and picks something up. My wife and I thought it was loose change or something else that fell out of a rider's pocket. But what the woman held up was a large 2 inch diameter metal washer. I quickly grabbed the family and we all moved a good distance away from the ride fearing an accident was about to happen. But the ride continued operating and nothing disastrous occurred. We went on to see the other attractions at the fair and had an enjoyable evening. I even got my picture taken with a squirrel monkey sitting on my arm. Now I want a pet monkey. ;)

Poor Thing

There is a birds nest at the top of the building at work. The sparrows build their nest there every year. Yesterday I saw that one of the baby birds had fallen out or was pushed out and was lying on the ground. It's about a 30 foot drop so I wasn't confident that the bird was still alive. If it was still living then I was going to have someone in maintenance put it back in the nest when Mom and Dad weren't around (screw Darwin). But the bird was dead and I wonder if the parents even noticed anything different.

Can You Use That In A Sentence, Please?

Hats off to the 13 year-old New Jersey girl for winning the National Spelling Bee. I remember back in the old days I would receive a book filled with words to review and practice for my school spelling bee. My spelling has always been pritty good but I remember that I would get so nervous standing in front of the whole school and would then misspell an easy word. And I remember one year I didn't want to participate but my teacher kept pressuring me to do so. Jerk. Anyways, can you spell "ursprache"?

Lots To Do In So Little Time

I have been really busy at work the past week. Had an IT person here from our corporate office to install new RF equipment in our facility. I've been trying to learn how our new RF scanners work and setting up new procedures for the operators. That and trying to coordinate with the IT department by phone which system users should have access to what menus and running around answering questions for our visitor has kept me busy. But he is gone now so hopefully things will return to normal at work.

Dumb Crooks

Did these two guys really think they could get away with this? If in fact they did try to extort...Innocent until proven guilty.

LOS ANGELES - Two New York teenagers were in police custody Wednesday facing illegal computer access and attempted extortion charges after they allegedly threatened to shake down the popular Web site MySpace.com unless its operators paid them $150,000, prosecutors said.

Shaun Harrison, 18, and Saverio Mondelli, 19, of Suffolk County, N.Y. allegedly hacked into the social networking site and stole personal information from MySpace users. After MySpace booted them from the site, the pair threatened to distribute a foolproof method for stealing information unless MySpace paid them $150,000, said Sandi Gibbons, a spokeswoman for the Los Angeles County district attorney's office.

Mondelli and Harrison were arrested Friday when they traveled to Los Angeles to allegedly collect the payoff. Instead, they were taken into custody by undercover officers from the multi-agency electronic crimes task force who posed as MySpace employees. Each was charged with two felony counts of illegal computer access and one count of sending a threatening letter for extortion and attempted extortion. They face more than four years in prison if convicted of all charges, prosecutors said. Mondelli and Harrison entered not guilty pleas at their arraignment Tuesday. A Los Angeles Superior Court judge set bail at $35,000 and set a preliminary hearing for June 5.

MySpace.com, owned by News Corp., allows users to post photos, blogs and journals and create networks of friends.

Ugh

ABC's Original Movie, Stephen King's Desperation, was a bust. I really can't think of anything good to say about it. In a way, it was entertaining, but it really didn't live up to all the hype, nor did it meet my high expectations. Another disappointing adaptation of a good book.

Red Light Cameras

With many cities adopting high-tech cameras to catch red light violators, the city I live in has also approved the measure. But many of this city's citizens (or red light violators) are up in arms about these new cameras and the way they are supposed to operate. I'm all for these cameras. I have never seen so many cars running red lights than in this city in my entire driving life. It really upsets me to see these jerks endangering the lives of other drivers. I hope these cameras will curb the number of cars going through red lights and deter these idiots before they kill or seriously injure someone. Kudos to the city.

Alligator Follow Up

Game wardens on Monday recovered a dead alligator from Lake Lewisville. NBC 5 reported that the reptile was sighted during the weekend in the Sunset Cove area of the lake. It was not immediately known what caused the animal's death.

Sounds suspicious to me.

Car Seat

I had to reconfigure Baby's car seat to a forward facing mode and it was a pain. You almost need to be a rocket scientist to follow the directions. But the mission was accomplished and Baby likes the new way she gets to ride in the car.

Pool

Baby is healthy again. Back to her rambunctious self. It's been really hot here lately so we bought her a little pool to cool off in. She loves to play with water so being in the pool is like fun time overload for her. She really gets upset when it's time to get out. There would be a nice little photo accompanying this entry but for some reason I can't upload a picture from my phone to Blogger. Stupid Cingular.

Alligator Alert

It's against the law to feed alligators in Texas. I had no idea.

FORT WORTH, Texas -- We are under an alligator alert, as game wardens are worried after several sightings around North Texas lakes -- the latest on the north side of Lake Lewisville. Home video shows a gator patrolling, and neighbors say he is in a cove every day now for the past week. While the reptile seems to stay in the water, residents are still concerned. "Relocate them to another lake where there's not as many families and kids. This is a neighborhood and there's a lot of kids swimming in there," Lake Lewisville resident Rita Greenslade said. The Texas Park and Wildlife Department usually leaves alligators alone unless they become aggressive. Game wardens are warning people not to feed the reptiles because it is dangerous and against the law. While alligators have injured 17 people in Texas in the past 15 years, game wardens say they are not normally aggressive.

I'm Beat

Baby has been sick the past few days with a stomach virus. She is getting better day by day but she seems to fuss more in the middle of the night. So, when it's two in the morning and Baby is crying and doesn't want Mom to comfort her, I get to jump in and hold her until she feels better and falls asleep. I walk around and sing and hum to Baby and when I think she's dozing off and I try to sit down with her, she starts crying again. As soon as I stand back up and walk around she stops crying. I can't set her down or sit down with her unless she is totally asleep. Go figure. But I'm just glad that she is getting better.

Hurry Up and Wait

Had to visit the hospital emergency room late last night with Baby. We arrived at 12:05 AM and left at 3:15 AM. The interview with the nurse upon arrival, then the attending physician checking Baby, then the injection of medication, and finally checking out, all took about 2o minutes. The rest of the time was spent waiting, and waiting, and waiting. Oh, and getting sleepy, too. Baby has a viral intestinal infection and seems to be doing fine now. We have to go see her pediatrician this afternoon as a follow-up, though. I only got about 1 hour of sleep last night so I'm buzzing right now on lots of caffeine, but I know I'll start to crash in a couple of hours. I don't think I'll be coming back to work today. ;-)

Dark Water

I just saw the Japanese original version (titled Honogurai Mizu No Soko Kara) of the movie on cable and was much more impressed by it than the American remake. The original version was a little creepier and I thought the characters were more emotive and believable. Directed by Hideo Nakata, who also brought us Ringu, I think he did a much better job at bringing out the story and the underlying fear and terror than the American version. Watch it with the lights out.

When in Florida...

Don't cool off by dipping your feet in the river.

SUNRISE, Fla. -- They think they've got the right alligator -- the one that attacked and killed a woman who was out jogging in Florida this week. Wildlife officers on Saturday captured a 9 feet 6 inches long alligator under a bridge where the woman, Yovy Suarez Jimenez, was last seen. A spokeswoman for the state Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said two human arms were found inside the alligator's belly. Authorities still aren't sure how the attack took place. Witnesses had reported seeing a woman dangling her feet over the water's edge Tuesday, but no one saw an attack.

So True

Avoid Extreme G-Forces After a Big Breakfast

So Grammy winning Kelly Clarkson got to take a ride with the Navy's Blue Angels. I would love to have the opportunity to fly in a F/A-18 Hornet. That would be so cool. Way back when I was a kid, the Blue Angels were in town and I had an opportunity to take a flight but I ended up with the flu or something that weekend. I have never seen the Blue Angels in person but if I could get to Fort Worth, Texas this weekend I would make it a priority to see them. I have seen the Air Force's Thunderbirds in action and they put on an outstanding show, but I have always liked the Navy team better. I guess I'll just have to wait for them to come to my area of the world. Anyway, after Kelly's flight, she was proudly waving her air sickness bag in the air as she was disembarking. Still, I envy her for that opportunity.

I'm Done

With watching American Idol. Sure, everybody has their own tastes in music and singing but I thought Katharine would be the one to leave last night and not Chris. She was off key during both songs and even forgot some lyrics to one. She has a voice but she flubbed both of her performances. That's why my vote didn't go to her. Well, I'm guessing recording companies are definitely interested in Chris and he will have a rocking CD out soon. Which I bet will do better on the charts than this season's winner.

A Night At The Opera

Nothing really matters
Anyone can see
Nothing really matters
Nothing really matters to me
Any way the wind blows

Even after almost 31 years, Bohemian Rhapsody by Freddie Mercury and Queen still rocks.

31 years? Boy, I feel oooold.

Posting Problems

Stupid Blogger. Stupid servers. Stupid MS IE 6.

Grilling

I was grilling hamburgers and hot dogs this evening. Everything was fine until I tried to be a showman and flipped a burger off the grill. Damn. But being the perfectionist that I am, I tried again and Shazam! I flipped another off the grill. Damn. My wife put a stop to that even though we had plenty to go around. I'm going to have to keep working on that when no one else is around.

Larson Come Back

I miss seeing new panels of the whacky humor of The Far Side comics.

Camel Spider

The local news had a story about a family discovering a camel spider in their home last night. Ugh! I had no idea that these things can be found in this area. Although they don't get as big as the ones in the Iraqi desert, those can get as big as a dinner plate, ours only grow to about the size of an adult's hand. But they still run fast, can jump, and they make a whistling sound. Although they are not poisonous or dangerous to humans, I still would not want to find one hiding in my closet. Or worse yet, one of them jumping and whistling or chasing me out of my closet!

Desperation : The Movie

Mark your calendars for Tuesday May 23. That's the day when ABC will broadcast the movie Desperation, based upon the Stephen King book. Apparently it started filming in 2004 and completed post production in 2005 but ABC held it for airing during the sweeps. I think the cast is pretty outstanding and I can already picture Ron Perlman as Sheriff Collie Entragian. Steven Weber who also stars in this movie was also in The Shining mini-series as Jack Torrance. Hey, it's even got the kid from E.T. and Annabeth Gish from "The X-Files". The movie was originally planned as a mini-series but ABC decided to make it a one night movie event. I hope they did justice to it because the book was pretty creepy and I have high hopes. But I've got 19 more days to wait it out.

Caught Red-Handed

EL PASO, Texas (AP) -- Border authorities inspecting a car crossing into the United States from Mexico uncovered an ordinary, but banned food item hiding in a strange place. Customs and Border Protection officers and agriculture agents searching a man's car Sunday found 2 pounds of raw pork sausage. The meat was wrapped in foil inside two disposable baby diapers. Bringing in pork is prohibited because the meat can harbor hog cholera. The 27-year-old Colorado man had told the Zaragoza Bridge inspectors he had no fruits, meat or plants to declare. Inspectors also found seven stalks of raw sugar cane, which is banned because it can carry a pest in its peel. Authorities seized the items and the man was fined $250, officials said.

Protests

I am all for immigration reform. I don't necessarily agree with all the points Congress is considering but it's a start. What bothers me is seeing some of these immigration protestors, both for and against, on the television and hearing some of their views. To me, some were right on the button and others were so far out in left field that it seemed they were uninformed or did not really understand the facts. Some comments even had the undertone of racism. And I guess that's what really bothers me in the end.

Tofu

I bought a case of tofu today. I make a soup using bonito and soy sauce and add cubed tofu and chopped green onions. Sometimes I'll add spinach or sliced mushrooms to the soup to make it more interesting. I buy the tofu at a little Japanese grocery store because they sell it for less than Walmart. Plus they have a lot of stuff that I like there that you can't find at other stores.

I saw a program last week on one of the Discovery channels that showed how tofu was made. I had no idea. Here's a FAQ on tofu that may or may not interest you.

Collaborators

Went to a birthday party today at a hall that specializes in parties for kids. Had to pay the attendant for parking but it was only a dollar. I always put my anti-theft device (The Club) on my vehicle because you just never know. My thinking (right or wrong) is that a thief would go after a car that he could steal quickly over one that he would have to work at a little. Anyway, to make a long story short, after the party the aunt and uncle of the birthday girl went out to the parking lot and found that their car had been stolen. Of course the attendant didn't see anything suspicious. I think the attendant was in cahoots with whoever stole the car. Then again, he might have just been sleeping on the job.

MI 4?

ALLENTOWN, Pa. -- A Pennsylvania animal hospital has been sued by a couple who had brought their dog in to be euthanized but later found out it had been given away. Dana and Gary Ganyer said they had decided to have their 2-year-old German shepherd Annie put to sleep on 2005 because of an ailment that caused frequent and debilitating seizures. But instead, they claimed, the Mill Pond Veterinary Clinic in Milford, Pa., gave her a sedative that made her appear dead and later gave her to a new owner. The lawsuit, which was recently filed in Bucks County, alleges a former clinic employee told them they were considered heartless and that the clinic had devised a plan to "rescue" the dog. Dana Gayner said she's "totally torn up" that a vet could do such a thing. The new owner later had Annie euthanized after she lapsed into a coma-like state.

Panhandlers

The city I live in recently created a law that makes it illegal for a driver of a vehicle to give money to a person standing in a median or roadway who may be asking for loose change. The city believes this law will get these individuals off the roadways because they create a traffic hazard and are endangering themselves. The city already had a law that made panhandling illegal but I guess that didn't solve the problem. So now they are going after the people who give them money. Like this is really going to solve the problem now.

Mercy

DALLAS -- A 21-year-old is in jail Thursday morning charged in the torture death of the 10-month-old puppy, Mercy, who was stabbed, doused with gasoline and set on fire and died Sunday after several surgeries. DeShawn Brown was arrested shortly after midnight in Corinth, nearly two weeks after Mercy's tortured body was found in a wooded area April 14. Brown is accused of stabbing the 10-month-old pit bull mix, dousing her with gasoline and setting her body on fire. He is accused of animal cruelty, a felony that could carry a sentence of up to 10 years.

Mercy was taken to Carrollton animal shelter Operation Kindness for emergency surgery. Despite numerous emergency surgeries, she died days later. "I think all personnel in this are quite relieved to have a man in custody due to the cruelty of this crime," Sgt. Roger Patterson said. "It's cruel and it's evil, and it takes an evil person to do that ... and there's no reason for them to do that," Rock Creek pet owner Lachelle Duvall said.

There is a public memorial service to remember Mercy this Saturday at 10 a.m. at Operation Kindness. It was originally a private memorial, but so many viewers have asked about a service that the shelter has decided to make it public so everyone could attend.

But we all know he will never get incarcerated for 10 years no matter how heinous the crime was. Mercy was only a dog and no jury in their right mind would assess such a penalty in defense of an animal. I don't necessarily think that is fair but I think it is true.

American Idol for April 26, 2006

I'm thinking...Adios Kellie Pickler. Actually, I think she should have been booted off the show last week instead of Ace.

24 Day 5 : 1:00AM - 2:00AM

Is it just me or did they handle Aaron Pierce's sudden disappearance badly. It almost seemed like they forgot about that plot line and made something up at the last minute. If he's gone for good, I would have liked to have seen him take out a few bad guys beforehand. Or maybe he's just tied up in a store room and will return to save Martha later. Again. (I hope)

Guess Who's Coming To Dinner

Cassette Tapes

When I was (a lot) younger, I remember when I liked a song on the radio and wanted it, I would load a cassette in my tape recorder and patiently wait for it to come on. When it finally did, I would push record and most of the time, the DJ was always talking at the beginning, and almost always I missed the first few seconds of the song. Now, all you have to do is search the internet for your favorite song and download the MP3 or subscribe to iTunes or something similar. Now, the complaint isn't "when are they going to play the song" but instead deals with the cost of the MP3 and bandwidth issues.

Baby and Her Electric Car

Baby got a Dora The Explorer battery powered 4 Wheeler for her birthday which she loves to ride around on. We were at a park this afternoon and she was cruising along the bike path. Her only problem is getting the thing to go in a straight line. She likes to look at things around her so she could be staring at a squirrel off to the left and her finger is still on the power button causing her to run off the path. She will make a perfect woman driver some day. ; )

Gas Pump Shock

And I thought I had it bad when I paid $57.00 to fill up my tank with gasoline.

Burger King Commercials

Is it just me, or is anyone else creeped out by the King in the Burger King commercials? It's not the size of his head that bothers me because I don't have a problem with Mr. Box. I guess it's the face or the constant smile on it. I would not want to meet up with him in a dark alley. Mr. Box would be ok and so would Dave from the Wendy's commercials. Oh wait, as long as Dave isn't some gory looking, walking dead, zombie. And the talking oven mitt from Arby's wouldn't be scary in a dark alley but forget about Ronald McDonald. I'm not too fond of clowns.

Shaking Things Up

Will the restructuring effort of new Chief of Staff Bolten really help Bush's sagging approval ratings? I actually liked Scott McClellan who served as White House spokesman but he resigned today. On the other hand, I don't care much for Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld but it seems he gets to keep his job for the time being. I don't know...I don't feel my confidence rising yet.

Nuclear Technology

President Bush refused on Tuesday to rule out nuclear strikes against Iran if diplomacy fails to curb the Islamic Republic's atomic ambitions. He wants to keep all options on the table. If the United States decides to use their nuclear arsenal on Iran, they would surely get a crash course in nuclear technology. Seeing that the U.S. is the only country that has ever used nuclear weapons against a civilian population, it surprises me that reporters keep asking the same question: Are you prepared to use nuclear strikes to blah, blah, blah. Of course the U.S. is ready to use nuclear weapons. The military has spent billions of dollars on atomic technology and creating and stock piling weapons of mass destruction. They are just itching to push the button and get something out of their dollar. Looking for the right candidate to vaporize. But any conflict will start out conventionally. When diplomacy fails, then the military wheels start turning. And when the aggressor is stretched to its limits and cannot sustain the conflict any longer, then nuclear weapons will be deployed and unleashing the horrors of offensive nuclear technology. I don't want to be witness to that. So, which is really the sharpest: the pen or the sword?

Tied Up

When I was in the first grade, I remember my teacher tying me to my chair with jump ropes because I was being too fidgety. Boy, times have changed.

NEW YORK -- A school bus driver is being charged with using electrical tape and seat belts to tie down a 7-year-old girl he claimed was acting up. Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said Edwidge Jean picked up the girl from school on the afternoon of April 4. During the ride to the girl's home, Jean allegedly used two seat belts to strap her to her seat and tape to tie her crossed wrists. The 52-year-old bus driver said the girl was being unruly. Prosecutors didn't say if anyone else was on the bus or if the girl was hurt. Jean was arraigned Tuesday night and released on his own recognizance. He's charged with unlawful imprisonment, harassment and endangering the welfare of a child. He could face up to a year in jail if convicted.

What Baby Is Thinking

Oooo. Look at that. I think that's a quarter. So shiny and smooth. I'm going to stick it in my mouth. Wait. Look at that thing. I think that's a hair brush. Look! I'm brushing my hair. Now I'm going to stick this in my mouth. Wow. I got Dad's remote control. I'm going to push the buttons and drive him crazy. Then I'm going to stick it in my mouth.

Making Change

I went into a convenience store and bought a soda. It cost me $1.07. I gave the lady $20.02. She gave me $19.00 in change. I was a nice guy so I looked at her with my hand still held out with the bills in it. She noticed my look and with a defensive tone she said "you gave me 3 pennies and I entered $20.03". I told her I only gave her 2 pennies and that she needs to take a dollar back and give me .95 cents. She repeated that I gave her 3 pennies while taking the dollar back and giving me my change. I left and wondered how people can work for a business and not know basic math to make change. This happens to me a lot at fast food joints where there are mainly high school students working. It still amazes me that they make wrong change but now I keep the extra money instead of correcting them because I've been f***** too many times in the drive through. So there.

May I Suggest A New (insert part here)...

I took my vehicle into the dealership this morning to get some required maintenance done. Today, it only required an oil change and a thorough inspection of some key components. It wouldn't take too long so I waited and passed the time away by browsing the new cars. That's when the service advisor found me and said I needed a new air filter. This is my point: I cannot remember a time when I have brought my vehicle in for some minor service and *NOT* be told that I needed something else. Today it was an air filter and I did have it replaced because the last time I was there, they told me I needed a new filter and I declined seeing that I had replaced it a short time before. I paid $20 for the replacement.

I call this nickel-and-diming by the dealership. They get you there with these scheduled maintenance hassles and then try to sell you extras to increase their sales numbers. Additives and filters and such have a high profit margin for them, I am guessing. You know, they have never told me that I needed to replace my wipers even though I know I need to get new ones. I went to the parts department and picked up two wiper blades for $8. Must be a low profit margin item.

Yikes!

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Florida's newest problem is a creepy one, and it is roughly the circumference of a telephone pole. It has no toes. It snacks on rabbits. And it's growing in number and in feet: the Burmese python. Florida Everglades National Park biologist Skip Snow said last year they caught 95 pythons. That's not counting the 13-footer that exploded after trying to eat an alligator, or two others that got loose and ate a Siamese cat and a turkey. To keep the problem from sliding further out of control, state Rep. Ralph Poppell wants to add Burmese pythons to Florida's list of regulated reptiles. His bill could force python buyers to complete state training, buy a license and face jail time if they let their snakes loose. Overwhelmed with pets that eat more than they do, python owners decide to release their snakes into the wild. It's so common in the Everglades that there's even a python hot line. And there the Asian natives breed and find a comfortable home in the Everglades' water, heat and vegetation. They have no predators. The bill is being heard in committees on both sides.

Hump Day

Well, the week so far has not been as bad as I thought it would be. Monday started out hectic but once I put out all the fires it was alright. Yesterday was pretty much normal and today is normal as normal can be. Since I have Friday off I just have to get through tomorrow and then I can look forward to a long weekend. Woo Hoo! Hump Day...I wish they would bring back Beavis and Butt Head. Sigh.

Driving

I don't understand why it is so difficult for some drivers to comprehend what a center turn lane is and how to use it. Sometimes when I see a car with their left turn blinker on, stopped in my lane waiting to turn, I get this urge to pass them on their left in the center turn lane because I can't get around them on the right because of parked cars. But I don't do that. I just wait behind them and stew.

2005 Taxes

I have got to review my return today and fax to Deloitte my signed Form 8453. This year they are cutting it close. I have never sent my taxes this late. Never. Hope 24 is exciting tonight. Oh, and what are the odds of having two "weeks from Hell" back to back?

Another Sunday at Wal-mart

I only had 11 items to buy so I went to the Express Checkout. Limit of 20 items. The lady in front of me easily had double that amount. Why didn't the Checker say something? Why didn't I say something?

Saturdays

I like Saturdays. Get to sleep in a little if Baby doesn't want to play. Get to relax and not think about work. Now if my allergies would just calm down it would be even better. I still like Saturdays.

Razor Cut

Eggs

How does an egg company make their hens lay more nutritious and flavorful eggs? I always thought that one egg was pretty much the same to another egg. While I'm pondering this, I ask another question: what makes an egg shell brown?

Billboard Ads

Why do marketing people still insist on printing an ad for a roadway billboard in reverse? Way back in the dark ages it was an eye catcher, and it still is in a negative sort of way for me, and people would think 'boy that's clever' and go out and buy the car that's advertised. Nowadays it just irritates me. I think 'boy that's dumb' and don't even give the billboard a second thought. Except to stew over some marketing guru's brain fart.

Post Office

I waited in line at the post office yesterday for 28 minutes. This was at 5:30 PM and I would think it's the "people getting off of work" rush and that management would plan for that. There were only two windows open to serve these customers. Oh, there were a couple of windows where a postal worker was sitting at but they were doing more important things like counting money or restocking their stamp drawer. A couple of times workers came out from the warehouse area to see the long line of people waiting.

But what burns me the most are the people who get to the window and they have nothing ready. They don't know what service they want to use. They don't know if they have to have a return address on their package. They don't know if they should insure their package. The list goes on and on but all these things take up time. And let's say someone chooses to insure their package and they need to fill out a form. Those inDUHviduals get to stand there and fill out whatever needs filling out while the rest of us are waiting patiently. I think they should have to go to the end of the line and wait their turn again. Maybe this is why there are so many signs stating that guns are not allowed on the premises? Heavens forbid if a customer should go "postal".

Excellent

Woo Hoo!! Homer you're the man! Even if you forget your lines sometimes. The "BIG" announcement on The Simpsons last night was for The Simpsons Movie due in theaters July 27, 2007. I'm there and I can't wait although I'll probably be seeing the movie alone since my wife cannot stand the show. And if the buzz is right, maybe Milhouse will win an Oscar.

Beer and Identification

So my wife and I are in Walmart this afternoon and I was purchasing a twelve pack of beer among other things. My wife was waiting at the end of the checkout counter where the plastic bag carousel is to put the bagged items into our cart. The lady at the checkout notices her when she scans the beer and asks for my wife's identification. I say that's unusual since I'm the one buying the beer. She says she still needs to check my wife's ID. WTF is up with that? If my kids or friends were with us would they ask for their IDs also? If I had also decided to buy cigarettes would they do the same thing? I felt like arguing the point with her but as usual there was a long line and I didn't want to upset the nice folks behind me. But again I ask WTF??

Tamagotchi

Do you remember those? A little hand held device shaped like an egg with an LCD display? An alien or something hatches and your job is to feed it and play with it so it can grow up. I had one of the originals and was amused with it. The reason I bring it up is because my daughter asked for one last week. I didn't even realize they were still around. It seems that the Tamagotchi has evolved a little since the one I purchased many years ago.

So, being the frugal person that I am, I dug up my old Tamagotchi and gave it to my daughter. The first thing she asked me was where is the antennae for the wireless connection? Wireless connection? Just feed the thing and play with it until it grows up and goes away, I tell her. Even though it is not one of the newer high-tech versions, she really enjoys playing with it. I guess I'll break down and buy her a new one for her birthday. That way, I can play with my old one. ;)