VIPersons

2011-09-01T02:12:00.001-07:00

03:10: Combed the desert. Didn't find a thing, but it has a nice pattern now.

2011-08-31T05:25:00.001-07:00

06:24: Can you hear me, Exalted One? I'm never gonna give you up, never gonna let you down.

2011-08-31T03:17:00.001-07:00

04:10: Remembered to expect the unexpected, but forgot to expect the expected.

Godville

2011-08-30T15:33:00.001-07:00

Praying to you and praising you, my Lord...
http://godvillegame.com

08:00: Threw a fit. Couldn't

2011-08-30T07:03:00.001-07:00

08:00: Threw a fit. Couldn't see where it landed though...
http://godvillegame.com

Boss Level Achieved!

2009-10-02T11:37:00.001-07:00

It took some time, dedication and lots of help from a lot of friends and family. But I was able to finally finish off New York Mafia Wars on Facebook.

And here's the proof of that accomplishment.

(click to enlarge photo)

Now my list of job mastery items are:

Now its time to tackle CUBA or should I just go straight for MOSCOW?

Decisions, Decisions!

Mafia Wars: Moscow

2009-09-10T19:48:00.001-07:00

Hotmail Beta Tester Badges

2009-08-20T12:53:00.001-07:00

For those who were Beta Testers for the New Hotmail, here's your badges. Or even if you weren't here are the badges so you can pretend that you were!

Adding your new beta badge into your Windows Live Hotmail signature is easy! Just follow these simple steps:

In your Windows Live Hotmail Inbox, select Options on the top right under your name and then select More Options at the bottom of the menu.
On the Options page under the Customize Your Mail section, click on Personal E-mail Signature.
Now right-click on the signature badge you'd like to use from the choices below, and select "copy".
Return to the e-mail signature page, click in the signature field and either click on the Edit menu in your brower and select Paste, or do CTRL+V.
Then click "Save", and your new signature badge will appear at the bottom of your e-mails!

Ving Rhames is everywhere!

2009-08-19T14:18:00.000-07:00

(click photo to see Ving Rhames in High Definition!)

Looking up Ving Rhames on IMDB, I was surprised to see just how much work this guy has been getting in just the last two years. He may be one of those quiet, under the radar kind of guys. But I think he has a look that the people really want to see.

And he's certainly been putting in the work. From 2008-2010, he has been quite busy. Going even further back, you will be hard pressed to find a break in the action.

So here is just a snippet of what he's put out in 2008/2009 and a list of things to look forward to for the remainder of 2009 and into 2010.

The Van Zandt Shakedown (2010) (pre-production) (rumored) .... Vincent
Silver Cord (2009) (pre-production) .... Detective Donovan
Unshakable (2009) (pre-production) .... Metzger
The Spanish Harlem Project (2009) (pre-production) .... Nino
Piranha 3-D (2010) (filming)
The Wrath of Cain (2010) (post-production) .... Cain
Master Harold... and the Boys (2010) (post-production) .... Sam
Surrogates (2009) (post-production) .... The Prophet
Rogue's Gallery (2009) (post-production) .... Judgement
King of the Avenue (2009) (post-production) .... Norman De'Sha
The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard (2009) .... Jibby Newsome
Give 'em Hell, Malone (2009) .... Boulder
The Tournament (2009) .... Joshua Harlow
Echelon Conspiracy (2009) .... Agent Dave Grant
... aka The Conspiracy (Singapore: English title)
Evil Angel (2009) .... Carruthers
The Bridge to Nowhere (2009)
Phantom Punch (2009) .... Sonny Liston
Saving God (2008) .... Armstrong Cane
Day of the Dead (2008) .... Captain Rhodes
... aka Day of the Dead: The Need to Feed (USA: DVD title)
A Broken Life (2008) .... Vet

Favre and the Vikings

2009-08-18T13:39:00.001-07:00

In case you haven't heard: Brett Favre is officially a Minnesota Viking!

(click to enlarge picture)

A picture is worth a thousand words. No more needs to be said... at this time.

Oh, here a little commenting on my facebook account
Robert Moore
In case you haven't heard: Brett Favre is officially a Minnesota Viking!
about an hour ago

Joanna Robisch-Mosby
Nobody cares!!! Go Cowboys!!! lol
2 hours ago

Robert Moore
Ppl don't care... yet! In a few weeks "Vikings" ppl will be naming unborn kids "Vikings". Just wait.
about an hour ago

Joanna Robisch-Mosby
LMAO, LMAO, LMAO. That is the funniest thing I have ever heard.
about an hour ago

Evelyn Hicks
You are so out of control! Glad your babies have names already. That was too funny!
about an hour ago

Robert Moore
My oldest did have a pair of viking's booties. But i never put them on her feet to preserve them.
about an hour ago

Evelyn Hicks
I am so laughing at you...you could've totally pulled it off too with the purple and gold. No one would have even questioned it. LOL at the picture on the web site.
http://www.vikings.com/
about an hour ago

Robert Moore
I took a screen shot of it and posted it on my blog.
about a minute ago

Evelyn Hicks
You are too funny...happy to be a good muse for you. LOL.....rolling on the floor lol!
5 seconds ago

Gospel Music in Korean

2009-08-17T13:41:00.000-07:00

Taking their inspiration from the Heritage Mass Choir, this awesome group presents an original style of Korean Gospel music.

Enjoy! I know I did.

Fat Burning Furnace Secrets Revealed

2009-08-13T22:04:00.000-07:00

I usually don't click on advertisement links I see. But this one really caught my eye. It was for the Fat Burning Furnace. The website gives you quite a bit of information of what does not work. But to find out what does work, you have to buy into the system.

I wasn't going to shell out money for something I really don't need. So I simply hit up a few internet searches and found some reviews. The first review sounded promising. It started out: "Fat Burning Furnace is a one of a kind fat loss routine written by Rob Poulos, a former overweight himself."

The review goes on to the conlussion: "Verdict: I recommend Fat Burning Furnace program to anyone who has a good motive to lose fat and build lean muscle to get that ripped look in the least amount of time."

Well in between you may wonder, what is this system that works? In summary the review states:
That is just part of what makes this workout so great. The specialty of this workout routine is that unlike other training programs that ask you to perform 3-4 sets of each exercise, Rob only asks to perform one set. That's it!

But there is more to that one set than one could manage in 3-4 sets. It is the rep speed. In the Fat Burning Furnace, you have to perform each exercise at a specified tempo. For example; 3 seconds to lower the weight and 4 seconds to lift the weight. I believe you've got the picture of what I am trying to explain here.

I decided to do a little more research and find a similar routine that relied on doing slower reps, not a huge emphasis on a lot of reps. You can find the article over at the Men's Health website.

Facebook Apps...Pass The Buck

2009-08-12T16:48:00.001-07:00

I was thinking about making a new application for Facebook. It seems as if everybody has their own send a heart, card, fig newton, lollipop, etc. that I might as well make one too.

But mine is Pass The Buck. The idea is simple, people pass the buck to their friends and see who ends up with the most. Like the pillow fight.

The more I think about it the cooler it seems. People can unlock various symbols of currency the more they pass the buck to friends.

Send me a message and let me know what you think about the idea. I've already begun the creation process (logo, icon, name, and a few other things) and have even installed it on my ownself! Check out this picture as proof!

Slow and Steady (Mafia Wars: Myspace)

2009-08-10T22:59:00.000-07:00

Yes, it has taken time, but I completed yet another job tier in Cuba. This time in Cuba (on Mafia Wars Myspace). And here is the proof.

Oh and the coolest part is I got a Che Beret! 46 Attack, 34 Defense

I just have one more tier to conquer and then it's back to NY to conquer those as well.

Mafia Wars Help... User discretion is advised!

2009-08-09T09:12:00.000-07:00

I cannot condone the use of an autoplayer for Zynga games. However, if you do choose to leverage the power of Greasemonkey and whatever script you find, that is truly up to you. But be familiar with the Terms of Service of whatever game you are going to play by this method before you try it.

Below is a screenshot of a particular script that I find quite interesting. I was concerned at first about it's proclaimed ability to "auto mission mastery + (will get required loot/inventory)"

Below is a screen clip of it in action, and it works like a charm.

If you don't understand what is going on in the screen clip, I will explain. To Master certain jobs, you need consumables. These consumables are acquired from jobs in other tiers. The script (when set up to run) will see what item you are in need of, perform that job, get that consumable and then return to the original job to complete it!

Wow! Works as good as advertised!

Train Your Eyes to See Color, Again

2009-08-07T09:10:00.001-07:00

The thought behind the website I found is simple. Profoundly deep and oddly enough very relevant to our every day lives.

There are many reasons why we don't always get what we want. One of these reasons is because we focus on the opposite of what we want. Sometimes, we just can't help it. But, if we are conscious of our thoughts, we can intercept these thoughts and shift our frame of mind towards our desired goals.

Have you ever been particularly annoyed by a person or situation? The more we complain about it, the more we notice it. The more we notice it, the worse it becomes. The next time we interact with that person or situation, we almost expect to be annoyed and thus subconsciously look for those small triggers that'll make us annoyed.

If this has caught your attention, follow the link on Training Your Eyes to See Color, Again:

http://thinksimplenow.com/clarity/train-your-eyes-to-see-color-again/

Comodo Firewall & AntiVirus to the rescue

2009-08-05T12:59:00.001-07:00

Awhile ago I made a post about the Comodo Backup program that I use on my home computer. The program is working out really well. It does backups according to the schedule I set several months ago, and is still going strong.

More recently I had several issues with my computer and viruses. I routinely have relied on Grisoft's AVG. It worked as well as any other program out there. But it did very little to keep me from getting this recurring virus that had infiltrated my computer. It got rid of the symptoms, while not coming close to eradicating the true source of the problem.

Then, Comodo came to my rescue with a "Free Firewall and AntiVirus software" program that works "together to keep your PC safe from malicious software and Hackers"

Please check them out at www.personalfirewall.comodo.com

I have nothing but good things to say about this program. It is so worth it. And it is free!

Of course being a firewall program, it takes time to train it allow your regular programs access the internet. But after a few hours the bulk of your items will be on the safe list. Work with it for a week, and you will have very few pop ups.

Wii Bowling

2009-05-19T06:41:00.001-07:00

If only I could bowl in real life as well as I can bowl on the Wii. That would be fantastic! Yes, a total of 6 strikes in this game.

Or better yet, check out this amazing new, high record! You counted it right, a string of 8 strikes in a row. And no open frames. Not only did I get the turkey, but I also got the infamous SIX PACK!!

Now you all know what I've been practicing on in my spare time when I am not at work. The secret is out of the bag.

Remembering... HBO

2009-05-17T09:07:00.001-07:00

Just as one thought leads to another, I began a journey the other day that some how led me back to remembering when my family first began watching Home Box Office. I began to think back to how we use to scramble to get in place with our dinner to sit in front of the television to watch a movie. Sitting in the living room alone was a very special treat since my sister and I were usually confined to sitting at the dull, boring kitchen table. We could not talk while we ate dinner. We could not get up from the table until all of our food was gone. So it was certainly a very special treat to be allowed in the living room. It was a priviledge to watch tv while we ate. And to top it all off, it was a slice of heaven on earth to get to watch a movie on HBO while eating in the living room in front of the tv.

But the thing I remember the most of all of this was the opening for HBO's movies. Their logo and the way they presented the feature presentation got my so excited and pumped before the movie. It really didn't matter if the movie sucked big time. The opening was thrill maker..

In a side blurb about HBO, when I did a little bit of wikipedia surfing, I came across this interesting bit o' info:
In 1983 The Terry Fox Story premiered: HBO's first original movie and the first made-for-pay-TV movie. That year was also the premiere of the first kids' show to be broadcast on the channel—Fraggle Rock.

Not that it really means much to anyone, but in my family, we were (and still are) big Fraggle Rock fans. So wihtout further ado, this is a video for my sister, dedicated to my mom and hopefully will be enjoyed by my good friends and blog visitors.

Oldest Email Account?

2009-04-09T05:31:00.000-07:00

What is your oldest email account still in use?

This is a question I asked myself recently. I downloaded the Yahoo! Messenger to keep in touch with a co-worker who lives in the same dorm as me, but up on the 4th floor. I am certainly not one who will climb 66 steps (yes, I have counted them) just to see if they are ready to go eat chow. So, hence the need for an IM. I normally use the wonderful IM program from Google. But they use the Yahoo one. I figured it wouldn't be a problem since I still have my Yahoo account. In fact, just the other day I cleaned out about 600+ messages, and sent out an email using the program. So, I know it still works.

But that brought up a really good question for me. I also have a Hotmail account that I use periodically. I began to wonder, which was older, my Hotmail or Yahoo account. I know Google isn't even in the running, since they are the "new" kid on the block compared to the other two.

So, here's my results.

Hotmail: Registered December 1998

Yahoo: Member since January 1999

Google: February 2005

If I still had AOL, I am sure I would be among the oldest accounts on that one. Why? Because I still remember when it was upgraded to AOL 1.1!

And to let you know just how old I am to the internet, I still remember using Prodigy and Compuserve back in the day. I still remember using WoW! And no, I am not talking about World of Warcraft. The WOW I am talking about was a subsidiary of Compuserve. It was the first internet service to be offered with a monthly "unlimited" rate ($17.95). It was born in 1996, died Jan 31, 1997.

To go back even further, I remember our family's very first computer. It was a NEC that came bundled with Geoworks. Do you want to guess the year? If you guessed 1992, then you are absolutely correct. It was the platform of choice for America Online until the mid 1990s when America Online decided to go with Microsoft Windows. Yes, Geoworks predates Windows 3.1. Leaving Geoworks for Windows 3.1 was a big step for our family.

A Dedication...

2009-03-16T08:40:00.001-07:00

This entry is dedicated to the people in my life who really mean so very much to me. Of course there are many friends and family who have contributed to my well being and becoming the man I am today. But for my first dedication of this type, I would like to highlight my immediate family.

If this video (my very first endeavor of this type) proves enjoyable, then I may try my hand at others... further down the road.

If you choose to leave a comment, please be gentle. This video is a labor of my love. It comes from my heart. Exposing myself to whatever the world has to say isn't something I do routinely, especially when it comes to matters of the heart.

So, it is through blood-shot, tear-hazy eyes I welcome you to enjoy my dedication to the people who've given my life true color.

Pink Dolphin?!

2009-03-05T21:33:00.001-08:00

The news articles simply state

It was absolutely stunningly pink.

I had never seen anything like it. It's the same color throughout the whole body and it looks like it just came out of a paint booth.

The dolphin appears to be healthy and normal other than its coloration, which is quite beautiful and stunningly pink.

The mammal is entirely pink from tip to tail and has reddish eyes indicating its albinism. The skin appears smooth, glossy pink and without flaws.

Where in the world were you born?

2009-02-22T13:22:00.001-08:00

Recently my sister, author of her own blog was my Las Vegas tour guide. During this visit we went to a wonderful, interactive wax museum. It was Madame Tussauds-Las Vegas. One of the many celebrities they had was Angelina Jolie. Her figure was exact down to the tattoos on her body. This was really cool.

One thing that caught my eye was the tattoo of coordinates on her left arm. I had to do a little bit of research to find out what these coordinates were of. Come to find out that Angelina Jolie has the latitude and longitude of where each of her four babies was born. This is amazing. See them for yourself.

This brought up an interesting question in my mind. If I were to plot the coordinates of where I was born, what would they be? Where in the world were you born? Please feel free to leave comments with your birth coordinates.

As for me, my coordinates are N35° 8' 19.81", W79° 0' 3.60"

Free TV?

2009-02-15T23:36:00.001-08:00

There is a new culture of people. They are those who have a good, strong internet connection, but do not have a satellite or cable subscription. Very odd, peculiar people indeed. You can talk to them about the latest television shows and they will be able to keep up with you. Unless you have TiVO or a DVR, they may actually be more up-to date on the latest episodes of the most current shows.

"How is this possible?" you may ask. Simple, streaming tv shows. I am not talking about anything illegal. I am talking about down home freebies. Which websites are providing free streaming? Lots. You can begin with the major networks:

Or you can head over to some other website collections if there's nothing at these (as if that's possible) that tickle your fancy. Some of these other websites aren't just limited to the ever popular YouTube. But check out these others as well.

You are probably wondering why I am posting this. Well, I happen to love streaming TV. And I know my sister, authtor of her own blog really loves to watch her shows.

IMVU Free Spin...

2009-02-14T13:16:00.001-08:00

For those of us who've tried daily to win the IMVU Free Spin, take hope. It can be won!

This picture prooves it! My darling wifey (in RL that is) was a winner. I know I have a chance.

And a few hours after she won, guess what?! I won tooooo!!! Yippy! It really is a good day.

So, keep plugging away daily @ http://www.imvu.com/catalog/web_spinfree.php
Maybe you can win some predits (promotional credits) too.

Oh, if you are looking for other credit opps, don't forget to check out the IMVU New Products Page

Newest Beauty Treatment

2009-02-10T17:13:00.001-08:00

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Well, looking at this
picture actually brings to mind even more questions than it answers.
Check out the video below to shed some light on the newest beauty
treatment to hit America.

Yes, if you guessed that this is a picture and video (below) of a fish
pedicure, then you are absolutely correct.

"A fish pedicure?" you may ask. Of course! And why not?! It is a
wonderful alternative to using razors to hack away and cut off dead
skin. Razors, afterall, can be very unhealthy, nasty and downright
unsanitary.

Here come "doctor fish" to the rescue. First used in Turkey and widely
popular in Asian countries, they are making a great start in the US.

Check out this video and see if you may be interested in this special
spa service for yourself.

Baby Lotion? Yep!

2009-02-10T08:47:00.001-08:00

You never know when and where new talent will spring up. I saw this awesome video about baby lotion. It comes with a nice beat (home made compliments of a metal pole) and a cool little dance. I think this will really catch on! I am gonna go practice this moves at my own place. Then when I go clubbin' (if I ever decide to), then I can pull this outta my back pocket and just wow the people!!

Jesus Saves, But you can do Backups!

2009-01-30T21:09:00.001-08:00

We've all probably heard this joke:

Jesus and Satan were having an ongoing argument about who managed to get the most out of his computer. This had been going on for days and God, was tired of hearing all of the bickering.

God said, "Cool it. I am going to set up a test that will run two hours and I will judge who does the better job."

So down they sat at the keyboards and typed away. They moused away. They did spreadsheets, they wrote reports, they sent faxes, they sent out e-mail, they sent out e-mail with attachments, they downloaded, they did some genealogy reports, they made cards, they did every known job. But just a few minutes before the two hours were up, a lightening flashed across the sky. The thunder rolled and the rains came down hard. And of course the electricity went off.

Satan was upset. He fumed and fussed and he ranted and raved, all to no avail.

The electricitystayed off. But after a bit, the rains stopped and the electricity came back on. Satan screamed, "I lost it all when the power went off. What am I going to do? What happened to Jesus' work?"

Jesus just sat and smiled.

Again Satan asked about the work that Jesus had done. As Jesus turned his computer back on the screen glowed and when he pushed "print it", it was all there. "How did he do it." Satan asked? God smiled and said, "Jesus Saves."

-----------------------

Yes, although it is only a joke, it proves how important it is to have periodic backups of our data/files from our computers. Well I recently downloaded a free piece of software from http://backup.comodo.com/. The Software is called Comodo BackUp.

I haven't had a chance to try it out yet, but here are a few of the selling points touted by the website, other than being FREE!

Easily backup files or folders anywhere on your computer, network, DVD-RW, CD-RW or FTP server
Protect yourself against ever losing those critical files that took hours to create
Quickly recover your data in the event of data loss
Schedule backups to run automatically at a time that suits you
Synchronized backup feature - save a file and it gets copied instantly
Send E-mail notifications to team members about the status of a backup job
Configure in minutes with our intuitive interface

Give it a try for yourself and see if it is worth looking into.

Tire Repair

2009-01-24T19:56:00.001-08:00

This was a very cool video on tire repair. I don't think this would really work for me because it involves fire! Me and fire don't get along too well.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Peanut Butter Recall Information

2009-01-23T17:23:00.001-08:00

The list of Peanut Butter recalls is pretty scary! This info is more so here to document this event and give a reference for me to look back at. I hope this is also helpful for you as well.

Company
Ready Pac Foods	Eating Right Celery Sticks with Peanut Butter
Ready Pac Foods	Eating Right Apples with Peanut Butter
Ready Pac Foods	Eating Right with Celery with Peanut Butter
Cliff and Luna Bars	Chocolate chip Peanut Crunch Protein/snack bars
Cliff and Luna Bars	Peanut Butter Toffee Buzz
Cliff and Luna Bars	Z Bar Peanut Butter
Cliff and Luda Bars	Cliff Builders Peanut Butter

	Luna Peanut Butter Cookie
	All Cliff Mojo Bars
Abbott Nutrition	Zone Perfect Peanut Butter and Toffee bars
Abbott Nutrition	Nutribars
Little Debbie	Peanut butter Toasty and Cheesy crackers
Kellogg	Austin Mega Crackers and PB & J sandwiches
	Keebler Cookies
Famous Amos	Cookies
Perry	Perry’s Ice Cream

Cold vs Flu?

2009-01-22T11:16:00.001-08:00

The flu is no joke! Did you know that:

- 5 to 20% of the population gets the flu

- More than 200,000 people are hospitalized from flu complications

- Approximately 36,000 people die from the flu

But what is the difference between the flu and a cold? I found this cute little chart that serves to explain just that!

But how can you work towards not getting either one? You can prevent or stave off the onset of a cold by washing your hands often and avoiding close contact with anyone with a cold. But please consult your real doctor in real life for real issues related to your health.

Click image to Enlarge for clearer detail

Limo One (The Beast)

2009-01-20T20:11:00.001-08:00

What do you think of President Obama's new ride? Check it out!

Various websites have given descriptions and pictures of the newest presidential transportation device. Check them out for yourself for more info:
http://jalopnik.com/5131380/obamas-new-cadillac-limo-officially-unveiled?skyline=true&s=x

http://blog.wired.com/cars/2009/01/obama-rolls-a-s.html

But what I found the most interesting was this blurb and clip from http://blog.wired.com/gadgets/2009/01/obamas-presiden.html

Of course there's tons of speculation surrounding his new limo. But here are educated and informed guesses from security experts that I believe are exactly right or probably under-estimat

ed.

GM says the car occupies the "same footprint " as the current presidential ride, but it is a little taller and the windows a little bigger to improve visibility. Limo One is believed to weigh between seven and eight tons, and spy shots suggest it rides on a GM medium-duty truck chassis propelled by a diesel engine. The body is sheathed in military-grade armor as much as 8 inches thick on the doors (each of which weighs as much as the cabin door on a Boeing 747, Motor Authority says). The armor reportedly is a mix of dual-hardness steel, aluminum, titanium and ceramic. The windows are ballistic glass said to be 5 inches thick, and Dan Neil of the Los Angeles Times says there's probably a woven Kevlar mat covering the floorboard to protect the car from blasts. The cabin is believed to feature a sealed air recirculation system to protect its occupants from chemical attacks. Oh and the tires are also 5 inches thick as well.

Uncertain prospects for Blu-ray format

2009-01-04T19:39:00.001-08:00

Now that Blu-ray has a major victory under it's belt, defeating HD movies, is its own future uncertain? Recently I read an article from the Denver Post about the uncertainty of the future of Blu-ray. One thing that the article cited (and I quote) is

One reason is that discs of all kinds may become obsolete as a new wave of digital media services starts to flow into the living room. On Monday, for example, the Korean television maker LG Electronics plans to announce a new line of high-definition televisions that connect directly to the Internet with no set-top box required. The televisions will be able to play movies and television shows from online video-on-demand services, including Netflix.

I believe that the future of any video format is in jeopardy on one side of the coin thanks to websites (legality issues aside) that stream movies. I have a brief list of such sites to offer up in a hodge-podge collection. Some sites may still work at the time you read this, others may not. Also I cannot vouch for the validity of streaming movies. I personally prefer Netflix for all my DVD and Blu-ray needs. But to each his own.

www.alluc.org

www.bangvideobang.com

www.cinemaspot.com/watchonline

www.dailymotion.com

www.episodenetwork.com

www.flickpeek.com

www.free-tv-video-online.info/internet/movies

www.hulu.com

www.internetmovies.com

www.momomesh.com

www.movies.nabolister.com

www.onlinecinema.org

www.quicksilverscreen.com

How fast is Windows 7?

2009-01-03T20:02:00.001-08:00

"Okay, here we go. Focus. Speed. I am speed. One winner, forty-two losers. I eat losers for breakfast. Breakfast? Maybe I should have had breakfast? Brekkie could be good for me. No, no, no, focus. Speed. Faster than fast, quicker than quick. I am Lightning."

The immortal words of Lightning McQueen, the famous race car. But is the new Windows 7 also going to be able to tout the same clout? Preliminary word on the street, based on demos, is that you will not be disappointed with the results.

I will simply let a simple chart speak volumes for your determination. Enjoy!

Click picture to enlarge and view more clearly.

Inaugural Goodies

2008-12-30T08:07:00.001-08:00

Obama commemorative items are everywhere!

Over at Rand McNally you can get a commemorative inaugural map. Their description of this map states:

"Our NEW, limited edition President Barack Obama commemorative Inaugural fabMap® portrays on one side a full-colo r portrait of President-elect Barack Obama against the Capitol building where he will be sworn in as the 44th President of the United States. The reverse shows a map in stunning detail of the Mall area of our Nation's capital with its rich tapestry of historic sites, museums, and tourist services. Even better, this beautifully rendered inauguration souvenir map highlights the January 20, 2009, Presidential Inauguration site and parade route, from the Capitol to the White House."

What is a fabMap? The Rand McNally website describe it as:

"The fabMap is the most convenient and stylish way to find your way around town. Made of microfiber, this map requires no folding, doesn't tear or wrinkle and is even water-resistant. And what's more, it's safe to use for cleaning eyeglasses, phones and computer screens. With the fabMap, navigating your world just got a little more fabulous!"

Safety First!

2008-12-28T18:51:00.001-08:00

This incident occurred to the father of the environmental manager of one of our ADM facilities. He was working in his shop on their farm in upstate Iowa on Thursday, September 4th. He was using a grinder with a wire wheel and he was using his safety glasses as well. When he stopped grinding, he took his glasses off. He saw a spot he missed and picked up the wire wheel and turned it on but failed to put his safety glasses back on. A loose strand flew up and landed squarely in his eye. He was taken to his local medical center where they gave him some sedatives and sent him on to the Mayo clinic. Four hours later they performed surgery on him to remove the wire. During his recovery from surgery, he aspirated vomitus into his lungs and was placed into intensive care for a day. He was released from the hospital after 3 days and is expec ted to make a full recovery but with some vision impairment that will be correctible by glasses or contact lenses (he did not need these before the incident). The wire strand punctured his eye to a depth of ½ inch. They tell us this picture will make the ophthalmology text books!

LESSON LEARNED

If this incident does not convince you to A

LWAYS use your PPE, then maybe nothing will. This is an extreme case where failure to use eye protection could have been life threatening. I am sure this person feels very fortunate that this incident did not result in the complete loss of an eye.

This Christmas

2008-12-24T12:08:00.001-08:00

Steve Harvey had a stand up routine entitled "Don't Trip, He Ain't Through With Me Yet". At the end, he introduces Jesus. This is pretty fitting since this is when we celebrate Jesus' birthday. The fact that he was not born this time of year is a different story all together. But hey, at least we celebrate it!

Escape!

2008-12-15T17:58:00.001-08:00

Not much to this picture. But for some reason, it really made me laugh uncontrollably... at least for awhile.

Jolly Fats Wee Hawkins Airline

2008-10-28T19:50:00.000-07:00

Today I was talking to my sister on the telephone. Somewhere out of my subconscious, a reference to a movie sprung to my mind. I used it in conversation, the title of today's blog Wee Hawkins Airline, but I could not remember what the reference came from. After tons and tons of google searching, I finally found it!

The reference was from a 1983 Jerry Lewis film called Cracking Up: Smorgasbord. There's a 1985 movie review of the movie in the New York Times. In essence, the movie review pointed out that this film "has two sequences that are tolerable. In one, the great Milton Berle makes a brief appearance in drag. The other takes place aboard Jolly Fats Weehawken's Airline, a carrier designed for the economy-minded"

I now bring to you, from our wonderful friends at YouTube, the Jolly Fats Wee Hawkins Airline skit from the movie, broken into 3 bite sized chunks.

Cracking Up Movie - Airport Scene 1

Cracking Up Movie - Airport Scene 2

Cracking Up Movie - Airport Scene 3

Dr. Detroit!

2008-10-13T02:18:00.001-07:00

My sister, author of the Salt n Light blog, sent me an email. I was so amused that I had to hop over to where else but Youtube.

Growing up, I remember watching the movie Doctor Detroit, a 1983 classic starring Dan Aykroyd and Howard Hesseman. Also guest appearance by none other than the hardest working man in show business, Mr. Dynamite, Soul Brother #1, the Godfather of Soul, the late great Jaaaaammmmeeeessss Brownnnnnnn!

Inspired by my sister, I will introduce to some and present to others the party scene of all party scenes from Dr. Detroit.

Hiatus over - Solidarity Begins

2008-10-10T13:54:00.000-07:00

If you haven't taken a look around lately, here is what you've been missing. The world in turmoil, financial systems on the verge of collapse, wars and rumors of wars abounding on every hand.

It is time for solidarity. People are no longer collectively voicing the profound words of Rodney King (1992 L.A. Riots), "Can we all just get along?"

So, in a spirit of unity, I am going to bring back memories of a better time. Remember USA for Africa? Well I do. And thanks for our friends at Youtube, you can also with this commemorative video, We Are the World.

Remember We really Are the World.

A New Skittle!

2008-10-10T13:51:00.001-07:00

If any of you recall, I am in class at University of Phoenix. This has been an interesting, fun ride so far. Still carrying a 4.0 cumulative with 3 classes under my belt so far.

In my current class, Organizational Leadership, I had gotten a green skittle in the first week. I was excited because of my 13 out of 13 skittle spree in my Human Capital Management class. I was giddy with excitement to know that this instructor gave out skittles. Be advised that Julie Gibbons (Business Law) does not reward substantive comments.

So, I got a skittle in my first week. Then BAM-MO-O !! UoP begins experiencing technical difficulties. Everything from week 1 was lost. I was sad. I had forgotten that our instructor gave out skittles.

Now we are into week 3. A stem off from the discussion questions prompted our instructor to pose this question. My response to this question netted me a green skittle! The skittles are back and I have received 2 out of 2 that she has given out... so far.

Instructor Question:
William hit on a great topic in the discussion on communication - listening. The American culture is not really good at this skill. Asian cultures seem to be very good at it. I very much enjoy this Chinese symbol for 'to listen.' If you look at it, and I know it is small, it has actually 4 symbols in 1 - Ear (left), Heart (bottom right), Eyes (top right), and Undivided Attention (center right).

What portion of the communication channel do you think listening is? How do you think we can learn to take the time to listen and what would be the impact on our team members, supervisors, direct reports, family members, etc?

My response that netted me a Green Skittle:

Listening is certainly an all inclusive "sport". I say sport because when done correctly and fully, it is an endeavor, not just a past time. It requires interaction. It requires effort. But of the symbols given, ear, heart eyes and undivided attention, I have to say that listening for me involves the eyes. I am a visual person. I am a people watcher when I go to the mall. I use my eyes to look into the faces of people at work or at church and can "listen" to the pain they are going through from seeing the brokenness and hurt in their eyes. I use my eyes to listen to the joy and excitement of my 5 year old who has discovered the joy of reading. I use my eyes to listen attentively to the non-verbal language everyone uses to convey how they feel, what they mean, what they want and if they understand what I am saying.

On Hiatus

2008-09-29T02:33:00.001-07:00

I will be on Hiatus for a little while as I battle the rulers, authorities, powers of this dark world and the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

This will be a battle unlike any other you can imagine. For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh. The weapons of my warfare are not carnal. But they are made mighty through God. These weapons are used to pull down strong holds. These weapons are used to cast down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God. These weapons are used to bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.

So as I prepare each day I am mindful to put on the whole armor of God. I must do this so that when the day of evil comes, I may be able to stand my ground. And having done everything I can, to stand.

Why me? Because many are called, but the chosen are few. So I will be on hiatus for a little while.

The Price is Right

2008-09-27T02:37:00.001-07:00

There is a name for people who are not hardcore gamers, but still enjoy playing a game here and there. The name for these people are casual gamers. I am one of those types of people. I enjoy playing a game every now and then, but nothing that really is going to take up a lot of time from school, work, family life or my Christian walk. I am very selective about what I play not just around the kids, but even when the kids are not watching.

I have a Nintendo Wii and a PC that are fun to play games on. And I was surprised when a specific game came out. It is an old one, and as you can see from the title of this blog, you more than likely have seen countless episodes of the game. It is The Price is Right video game.

(screenshots)

The game is available on the following platforms.

Why is this exciting? Well for the PC version I came across the following statement that made me say, in an audible voice, "That's pretty cool !"

The Price is Right has fairly high system requirements. To ensure it will run on your computer, please take advantage of the free 60 minute trial before purchasing.

So find out more about the game at the following websites and decide if you want to give it a try!
Main website
IGN Entertainment Games Review
Gamespot Games Review

iWin is just one site that has the 60 minute trial. If you look around, you may find others. Or just click here and not look anywhere else at all. It is up to you.

That's my J-A-M !!

2008-09-26T05:08:00.001-07:00

No matter where you are, in the supermarket, mall or even Best Buy. When your jam comes on the radio, you just gotta do your dance and rep for your hood.

Just try, try, try not to get tooo carried away in the dance off!

Introducing Amazon Video On Demand

2008-09-23T16:07:00.001-07:00

I received an email from Amazon.com... nothing new there. They love me so much that they send me emails very frequently.

However, in this email, the top line was:

"You can now choose from thousands of movies and commercial-free
TV shows to watch from your PC or Mac, no downloading required."

Well, after having found legally free Microsoft Software earlier in the day, I was all up for another freebie.

I had to check it out. The selection of FREE TV shows was very, very limited. In fact, it was just a cover up for their Video On Demand Pay To View TV & Movies.

The banner does look cool, however. So I may check it out at work. If it works there, then I may be interested. If not... oh well. I will still be on the look out for more legally free stuffs.

OOpps!! I almost forgot to give you the link to try it out. So, Click here to check out the limited FREE section of TV shows.

Be prepared to update your flash to Version 9, if you haven't already done so.

Office Accounting Express - F-R-E-E Software !!

2008-09-23T07:44:00.001-07:00

Do you like free software?
How about legally free software?
How about legally free Microsoft software?

Well, here's a product I am about to try out. It is Microsoft Office Accounting Express 2008. The professional version costs money, but this Express version is FREE !

How cool is that?! Way cool!

Here's what you get with the software. This information is taken directly from the product website. You can also go here to begin your download. No, I am not being paid by Microsoft to hype this product. I just like sharing FREE LEGAL Software with all my friends, family and blog visitors.

The following information taken directly from the Microsoft website.

Microsoft® Office Accounting Express is an easy to use accounting package that works with other Office applications you already know.

Save time on everyday tasks
- Get started in minutes with a step by step interview wizard
- Create invoices, track time and expenses and bank online
- Enter data once and share it seamlessly with other Microsoft Office system programs
- Manage payroll and accept credit cards with affordable add-on services that save you time and money
Get a complete view of your business
- See customer, vendor, employee and financial data in one place
- Get business insights with customizable reports
- Easily share your books with your accountant through Office Live
Grow your business online
- List items on eBay, manage sales and download transactions
- Email invoices and get paid faster with PayPal
- Process credit card payments directly in Office Accounting

With all of this available, how come you haven't already downloaded the program yet? Here's the link to download.

Not convinced? Check out this medium-length video to really get the scoop and see how it may benefit you!

Online Videos by Veoh.com

Christian the Lion

2008-09-21T00:52:00.001-07:00

Two friends living in London in 1969 bought a 35-pound lion cub, who they named Christian, and raised him in a flat under the furniture store where they worked. But after a year, he had grown to 185 pounds and had become very expensive to feed. The men met wild life naturalist George Adamson, who helped them reintroduce Christian to his natural habitat in Kenya.

Here is the video on YouTube. It is a very heartfelt, telling story of true friendship... even in the animal kingdom. Here is a link to the article on Wikipedia - Christian the Lion

And something certainly worth blogging on.

FIREPROOF - The Movie

2008-09-12T20:12:00.001-07:00

Only 14 Days until you can say "I Do" to Fireproof.

Fireproof - the Movie is on Blogspot with their own Blog. It will be in theaters 26 September 2008.

For those who didn't know, Fireproof looks to be an awesome movie. Check out the following links for trailers and more info:

Apple.Com - Movie Trailers - Fireproof

IMDB.Com - Fireproof (2008)

ChristianAnswers.Net - Fireproof

Hollywood Jesus.Com - Fireproof

This is certainly a must see movie of the year. After watching the trailer, how can anyone say differently??

A Blast From the Past

2008-09-12T13:21:00.001-07:00

I remember not long ago when my oldest daughter was learning the alphabet song. Only to be upstaged by her younger sister. Anyone else remember those days?

Put Your Car Keys Beside Your Bed At Night

2008-09-12T13:14:00.001-07:00

I had never really heard of this before, but when you really stop to think about it, it does make sense.

The advice to have a set of car keys by your bed at night is a wonderful idea.

The advice circulating in blogs and other websites goes like this.

If you hear a noise outside your home or someone trying to get in your house, just press the panic button for your car. The alarm will be set off, and the horn will continue to sound until either you turn it off or the car battery dies.

It's a security alarm system that you probably already have and requires no installation. Test it. It will go off from most everywhere inside your house and will keep honking until your battery runs down or until you reset it with the button on the remote. It works if you park in your driveway or garage. If your car alarm goes off when someone is trying to break in your house, odds are the burglar/rapist won't stick around... after a few seconds all the neighbors will be looking out their windows to see who is out there and sure enough the criminal won't want that.

A few disclaimers

If you live in an apartment this will probably not work for you.
If you don't have an alarm/panic mode for your car, this will certainly not work for you.
This assumes you have neighbors who really look out the windows when they hear car alarms going off. Actually, I don't think anyone even looks around any more when the sound of a car alarm goes off.

Google Chrome Update

2008-09-09T20:33:00.000-07:00

I tried out the program. I kicked the tires. I peeked under the hood.

And then…

I went back to Firefox.

Drink NOS?

2008-09-09T14:54:00.001-07:00

Can you really drink NOS? Yes you can! I am not talking about the product known as Nitrous Oxide Systems, a manufacturer of Nitrous oxide systems, a gas used as an automobile fuel oxidizer for high-performance automobiles.

Rather I am talking about an energy drink (soft drink) that can be found at Drink Nos.com.

The bottle that I guzzled last night really did not get me super wired or hyper, but it did keep me from falling asleep on the night shift.

Was it as exciting as as getting some relaxation from a yogurt? Maybe not. But it did taste like real fruit punch.

Installed Google Chrome

2008-09-06T10:23:00.001-07:00

I installed Google Chrome Browser today. Remember when I mentioned it in this post on my blog?

Well, I will let everyone know my findings after the weekend testing. If you are interested in trying it out for yourself, kick the tires around, see if you like it, you can download it from their website: www.google.com/chrome

The Choice Was Not Hard (T-Shirt Woot)

2008-09-05T00:34:00.001-07:00

A little while ago, my sister posted a picture of the then current T-Shirt Woot item. The title of her blog and the T-Shirt offer were New Kid in Town.

In the spirit of that post, which can be found on her Salt and Light blog, I too have found a picture I have truly fallen in love with.

Yes, that is about it. Just a quick little note to share this with everyone!

Joy is a Sling?

2008-09-03T11:22:00.001-07:00

Most recently I began to wonder, question, ponder, inquire, seek the answer to the query What is joy?

Well if you talk to enough in your daily walk of life and ask this question, one plausible answer you will get is,

"You will know it when you see it"

I was in a pharmacy yesterday, and based on these pictures of products I saw, I think I know what joy looks like. And I even know how you can get joy. You can buy it. It is called a sling.

Now that you've probably stopped laughing, I will take it a little too deep. The ladies of course are just ad figures for a product. But when you really think about it, a sling is joy.

a support in your time of need
helps you when you cannot help yourself
is not designed to be permanent
when you are well on your way to your healing, it can be removed
is not free, it will cost you something
comes when you need it the most, after you've probably been hurt
will probably be forgotten after the painful season in your life is over
will be there for you in the future should the need arise

Google Chrome

2008-09-02T08:34:00.001-07:00

Have you heard about a new browser by Google? I certainly thought my ear was to the ground on things of this nature. But I admit I was caught completely unawares!

I know that Firefox (my most favorite web browser) was on version 3.01 with a 3.02 slated to come out very soon. But I had not known, until today, that Google was making a launch into their own browser. The following text is taken from an article on rlslog, with my highlights in RED.

Google managed to steal the march on the IT news press by announcing its forthcoming new browser whilst the US was busy celebrating Labour Day. As the rest of the world was scratching around for news because the US was shut, Google could be guaranteed to get lots of attention worldwide for its announcement. The free browser, called Chrome, is supposed to be available for downloading today in more than 100 countries for computers running on Windows. Versions for OSX and Linux are still being worked on.
Chrome has more tools for Web surfers to cloak their online preferences, creating a shield that could make it more difficult for Google and other marketing networks to figure out which ads are most likely to appeal to which individuals. Having had a look at it there is not much difference between Chrome and all the other browsers out there and time will tell where its security holes are. Quite where this will leave Firefox – which ranks as the second most popular browser, and which has been dependent on Google support – is anyone's guess. Google recently extended its advertising alliance with Firefox through 2011.

I really wonder how well this browser by Google will protect you from Google? A comic book style explanation of the browser is available online through Google if you are interested in learning more.

More blog plz

2008-08-31T20:36:00.000-07:00

I have been remiss these past few days in making posts. I have been away on vacation. I went down to San Diego for a working group meeting.

There's been so much going on the past few days I cannot begin to start at the beginning. So, before I begin talking about Sara Palin and Barack Obama, I will share with everyone a few pictures from my trip to San Diego.

Beautiful scenery taken with my 3.0 megapixel camera phone.

A little night life action. This band did a tribute to Parliament that was not half bad at all. They actually performed the song Maggot Brain (after receiving a $50 tip from a drunk acquaintance of mine) and did a really good job. This song has incredible guitar sections that you would not believe. Here's a link to Maggot Brain @ YouTube to view it there. Not this group performing the song, just the original song being performed.

That's My Car!!!

Have you ever played the game "That's My Car"? Well, here are the rules,

Take turns. Choose one of the next 5 vehicles that you pass (or that pass you) to be "your car" as if it were your very own. All players mutually decide if you are a "winner" or a "loser" based on how nice a car you "own" compared to the other players current cars.

From what I saw in San Diego, I think I was the winner of this game.

Praise and Thanksgiving

2008-08-24T18:03:00.001-07:00

Ok, I admit this is filler. I wanted to post something. But I really don't have much to go along with what I want to say.

But then again, the word of the Lord is more powerful than any two edged sword. It can stand all by itself. So without much further to say, introducing to some and presenting to others... Psalms 100:4.

NIV
Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.

AMP
Enter into His gates with thanksgiving and a thank offering and into His courts with praise! Be thankful and say so to Him, bless and affectionately praise His name!

KJV
Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

Creative Marketing

2008-08-23T15:42:00.000-07:00

While watching today's olympics, I was not excited about anything I saw. That is until I saw a commercial for Round Table Pizza.
The commerical is a good play on words, comparing their slogan "More for Less" to the "Les", the name of the guy depicted in the commercial.

At first I didn't understand the commercial when I saw it. But at second, when the tag line was spoken, not only did it make sense, it was inspirational. I had to blog on it. But it took me a little bit of hunting through Google and Youtube to find what I was looking for.

So, here is the commercial found on Youtube.

Enjoy!

Way to go Woot!

2008-08-21T23:41:00.001-07:00

The 2008 edition of Inc Magazine's annual list of fastest growing companies in America.

I recently received an email that Woot! has garnered some really nice kudos.

In part the email says that Woot.com :

Woot was acknowledged as the #1 fastest-growing retailer in the United States
The fastest-growing North Texas-based company
25th fastest-growing company in the nation

The rest of this entry can be found at Woot Named Fastest-Growing Retailer In The Inc. 5000 on the Woot website.

Congratulations Woot!

Now get rid of the Smart Post method of shipping, I bed of you.

A belated tribute

2008-08-19T00:57:00.001-07:00

(click photo to enlarge)

I am really going to miss the late, great Bernie Mac. The Mac Man left a rich legacy. So many facets of my life will be forever changed because of the man he was.

I recently came across a video of DL Hughley speaking at Bernie Mac's memorial service. It was originally taken from the SmokingSection website. The video is hosted at Youtube.

Please enjoy this clip while I have a few moments of deep, contemplative time to remember the late, great Bernie Mac. May you rest in peace Mac Man.

How Fast is Fast?

2008-08-18T06:08:00.001-07:00

(image courtesy of http://www.sportsnet.ca)
(click all photos to enlarge)

There are two other countries that I enjoy cheering for in this 2008 Olympics. I am pulling for

BRAZIL and
JAMAICA

Not because I have ever been to those countries. Not even because of the similar colors in their flags or that they are dark skinned people like myself (but it does weigh heavy in my mind).

But rather, I believe in the sportsmanship that the country's program sponsors and supports. Yesterday I was privileged to watch an awe inspiring event unfold before my very eyes, and it was beautiful.

The headlines read:

Jamaica sweeps women's 100m

I believe the true star of the hour last night was 21 year old Shelly-Ann Fraser. She was the winner of the women's 100m dash last night (Sunday). Her teammates Sherone Simpson and Kerron Stewart came in for the silver and the bronze in a "dead heat tie" according to the commentary on NBCOlympics.

A question boggled my mind. It rattled around in my mind so fiercely that I could not sleep until I found out. I just had to know. Shelly-Ann was clocked in 10.78 seconds in the 100m. How fast is this in miles per hour?

Well, I am no scholar of the metric system thing thanks to the education I received (or did not receive) at schools such as Pine Forest Sr. High. So I simply consulted the oracle, or rather the internet.

The website Machine Head Software has a Speed Distance Time Calculator that made the task of converting her numbers so easy. Unfortunately I had to round her 10.78 seconds up a little bit to the 10.8 mark, but in this instance it is surely forgiveable.

And the results from the calculation is that Shelly-Ann ran at an amazing, alarming, exciting speed of 20.7 miles per hour!

Here's proof of the calculations.

Getting High to say Hi to my High School.

2008-08-17T14:24:00.001-07:00

Recently I was comparing the quality of aerial photos between Google Maps and Microsoft Live Maps. As I traversed the world from South Korea to Beijing to Seattle, I began to think about the places I've been that I would like to visit one more time.

Then I flew to Pine Forest Sr. High. This is the school my sister and I graduated from. I really did a lot of learning and maturing at this school. I had more bad days than I had good days. But that is a topic for another time.

Enjoy the pictures compliments of Google Maps and Microsoft Live Maps.

(Click pictures to view larger size)

Seven Golds for Phelps

2008-08-15T22:21:00.001-07:00

In a remarkable showing, I just watched Michael Phelps win his 7th Gold medal. It came down to just 0.01 of a second. It was amazing. Cavic, the guy that lost did so because he took his last stroke and tried to coast in with his arms stretched out.

It really looked like Phelps was not going to win even fresh out of the blocks. At no point did Phelps lead in the race. In the final closing second Phelps took two strokes to the Cavic's one stroke and that is what propelled him to the win.

7 Gold Medals for Phelps!!!

To taint this win, however there was a petition that has been filed on behalf of Cavic. The Serbian swimming officials filed this protest. To the naked eye, it appeared that Cavic was gonna win...but digital electronics and slo motion replay does not lie.

He is doing it BIG!

2008-08-15T21:22:00.001-07:00

(Photo courtesy of http://www.timalanstudios.com)

He is on a quest for an unprecedented 8 gold medals. As of when I am writing this he has gotten 6 of them. I recently watched him win the 200 meter.

I haven't been this excited about watching the Olympics since watching Mary Lou Retton.

This kind of reminds me of how baseball was in a major slump following the 1994 Strikes. Thanks to the home run hitters stepping up (whether juiced or not) they really helped to turn the sport around in the public's eye.

Well Mike Phelps is doing just that very same thing for me. I am trying to keep up with the Olympics and show my kids how "awesome" the games really can be. We try to watch some highlights from the NBC Olympics website. As often as we can.

For the good...

2008-08-12T00:20:00.001-07:00

Biblical scripture reassures us in Romans 8:28 that God has the ability to work things out for our good. There are two things I am reminded of in reading this.

1) This statement does not mean that everything bad that happens in our lives was caused or allowed to happen by God. Often times people lose the life of a loved one or friend and question "Where was God in all of this?" Let me assure you that God was there. God is still there. God is in the midst of everything that is going on. But so is our adversary the devil. Scripture tells us in 1 Peter 5:8 that the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. Even though he is going back and forth, to and fro, he cannot be everyone at the same time. But God is everywhere.

2) The second thing I am reminded of is that God is working on behalf of those who satisfy two requirements. He is working on behalf of those who love him and have been called according to his purpose.

I am still working on the second part myself. So often I say "I love you Lord", but then turn around some time later and do something that makes my heavenly Father sad. But through it all, I know I am a work in progress.

Dottie Peoples has a song entitled God Meant It For My Good. A portion of the lyrics and chorus are:

I've had trials and tribulations
Unexpected situations
Living here below
I've had friends to turn their backs on me and
leave me standing in the
cold
...
Chorus

He meant it for my good
God meant it for my good
He brought me out without a doubt
I knew that he would
Now I know no defeat, I'm strong when I'm weak God gave me a song, now I
must sing on The devil meant it for bad, but I'm so glad God meant it
for my good

Please stay strong and encouraged. This message is not over.

Fleeting Life

2008-08-09T20:29:00.001-07:00

I read today in one of my most favorite blogs about the untimely demise of a great comedian, Bernie Mac. This is a sad day in the lives of all whom his comedy has touched and moved.

Reading the words of Salt and Light (the world's greatest up and coming blogger) reminds me of the scripture James 4:14 illustrated in the picture above.

Our lives are but a fleeting moment in time. Many people will say its not about the years you have in your life, but the life you have in your years. Life is for the living. Because tomorrow is not promised to any man or woman, we must... we have to... we gotta gotta gotta treat every moment as a fine jewel or a delicate gift. After all, it is the "present".

Iron Sharpens Iron

2008-08-09T10:06:00.001-07:00

My sister raises a very valuable concept in her blog entry titled More to say already.

The bible tells us the scripture in the picture above.

It is in our conversations with fellow believers that we grow stronger in our convictions, thoughts and are focused on a singular purpose of life. Profound words? Not really. Just think about the people you hang around. The people in your circle of friends strengthen the desires and goals you have in your heart.

The people close to me encourage me. They build me up. They sharpen me. And I sharpen them in return. My sister encourages and inspires me (what a wonderful MUSE she is) in ways that I only hope to encourage and inspire her in return.

I must return to my school work. I am currently attending University of Phoenix Online. Believe me when I say the course work is for real. The MBA program is not just a degree that will be handed out.

Renewed Vigor

2008-08-09T00:58:00.001-07:00

I have a renewed vigor for blogging. I am excited. I am elated. I am overjoyed.

Please don't look at the date stamp between now and the last time I made an entry here. Ok, I know you are going to look, so go ahead. I will wait....

Now you are probably wondering why am I writing again. Well, my sister has began to blog. I am so very happy for her. This has given me a new, happy, warm feeling. I now have the desire to add to my own blog just to tell others of hers.

So make your way over to http://saltandlight888.blogspot.com and check out her spot on the web.

I really like the name she has chosen for her blog. The 888 portion is because today (8/8/2008) is the day that she began. The name, Salt and Light has a more deeper meaning.

Matthew 5: 13-16 (The Message Translation) says:

Salt and Light
13 "Let me tell you why you are here. You're here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You've lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage.
14-16 "Here's another way to put it: You're here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We're going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don't think I'm going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I'm putting you on a light stand. Now that I've put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you'll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.

Visit her sight and enjoy her musings, http://saltandlight888.blogspot.com.

See ya next time.

Wearing the Right Equipment

2006-03-23T21:48:00.000-08:00

Surprisingly, this isn’t a warning about the dangers of nail guns, although that is a likely topic. No, it is an advertisement for goggles. The perforated firefighter was at a drill on a roof, working with a chain saw. He hit a nail that had missed the rafter. The chainsaw shot the nail upward, hitting the firefighter’s eye protection and deflecting into the nearest soft tissue, where it embedded itself a half-inch.

He’s smiling in the first photo, but don’t let that fool you—this has gotta hurt. He has every reason to be happy—he was one precaution away from wearing an eye patch and seeing things in one dimension for the rest of his life.

Doctors treated a fractured bone, and he was back at work the next day. It pays to wear your goggles!!

DUAL core MP3 & Video player! (pics)

2006-03-20T17:41:00.000-08:00

TCLAST introduces one of the first digital media players to offer a Dual Core chip which improves audio quality and signal-to-noise ratio (100db). It sports a 65k color 1.5-inch LCD display, 512MB memory, 8 equalizer modes, FM tuner, and line-in recording. MPEG-1 video playback is also supported!

read more digg story

OpenEEG project - Improve your mental abilities!

2006-03-19T01:43:00.000-08:00

If you are curious about tapping into the inner recesses of your mind, but are unwilling to fork over the thousands of dollars to buy a commercial product, then this open source solution is right up your ally!

Now you can build your own EEG (electroencephalograph) and begin your own personal study into neurofeedback & biofeedback training.

read more | digg story

Video Review: Cingular 8125 (HTC Wizard)

2006-03-18T18:26:00.000-08:00

I need to get a new phone. My current phone has fallen so many times, and has been overcharged so much.. it maybe has enough ummmph to last for a 30 minute phone call at best. Currently my carrier is T-Mobile, but I really, really need to switch over to Cingular for their wonderful Roll Over Minutes. Here is a review for the Cingular 8125 that is on YouTube. I came across it from trolling Digg. So, here it is, wihout futher ado
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
BEST PHONE EVER SO FAR!!!
Here is finally my 5 day video review of the cingular 8125. I gave it a 4.6 out of 5 stars. Watch the video to see why.
Let me know if you like any of my music that I added to the background of it as well..

read more | digg story

back again?

2006-01-03T13:50:00.000-08:00

I got a message from Juicy_Fruit, a Park Ranger from Virginina who stumbled upon my blog. The comment was sent to me via email. I read it and was stumped at first. I had totally forgotten about my blog. As you can see, the last time I made a post was back in April of ’05.

Well, a lot has changed since then. My children are getting older/bigger and much more of a hand full.

But today’s topic is not to dwell on my family (I could go on for days with little anecdotes on their daily adventures – and yes I do include my wife in this as well) or my work (still in the military in case you are wondering). I will talk, very briefly about a program my group will be sponsering very soon.

February is Black History month and we are going to be hosting a gospel fest. I was responsible for coming up with a very brief history of gospel music, so I will put that here for everyone to read, critique or maybe even learn from.

Its kinda long, but well worth the read IMO.

---------------------------------------

Today we will celebrate Gospel music. We have several groups of wonderful entertainers here with us today to celebrate this form of American music.

But before we jump into a performance, let us take a moment of reflection. Let’s take a gaze into the past and look at the roots of gospel music.

According to some researchers Gospel music is considered to have begun in the United States, during the 19th century, first appearing in print in 1874 with the publication of Gospel Songs by Philip Bliss. Since that time, the African-American community has literally transformed traditional gospel songs into a modern day phenomenon. Phil Petrie, a journalist, spoke of today’s gospel in these words.

“From the smooth sounds of Sam Cooke to the dancing, acrobatic vocals of Kirk Franklin, gospel music does more than just sound sweet--it literally moves its listeners. Whether it's swaying with the choirs or tappin' along with the quartets or simply raising hands to the rhythm of soul-stirring crooners, gospel is one genre of music that needs to be both seen and heard. Once narrowly defined as religious, gospel has transcended those limits to become a profound force in American music and popular culture.”

A long-established tradition among African-American worshippers helped to define the path gospel music was to eventually travel. In the early churches dating as far back as the 19^th century, there was a continual dialogue between the pastor and the flock. This was an improvisation seen in the sermon and the music through musical patterns of call-and-response. But this did not lead to wide-spread recognition and accpetance because it was highly informal in nature. No written music or tangible commodity came of these early stylings.

In 1871 the first formal choir came on the stage. A group of black students who attended Fisk University in Tennessee got together for a fund raising tour, singing pre-abolition plantation songs across the US and even into Europe. However the music was sanitized by Eupopean-background choir directors to achieve and maintain an appeal to a wider Caucasian audience.

It wasn’t until the early ‘20s that gospel music as we know it today got the kick start it needed to develop and mature. As one pastor of a pentecostal church of that day put it

"The watch word is revelance. The congregation want to hear things relating to real-life situations. They want worship which is vibrant and exciting. If a church can get its message, its music, its good methods right, people will respond."

In walks Thomas Dorsey. With a successful background in publishing blues music, he was a pioneer for modern day gospel music as we know it now. All told, he printed about 500 of his songs under the banner of Gospel music, made recordings and also formed the first female gospel quartet. He discovered and promoted a new generation of singers to include the great Mahalia Jackson.

Today’s Gospel Music has come a long way. To illustrate the look and feel of today’s gospel music, we have…..

And that’s all I have so far. The program isn’t until the first week in February. So I have plenty of time to add more info.

The Unwilling to Educate

2005-04-01T14:36:00.000-08:00

This may sound cynical or to an extent degrading. Today I pay respect and give a tribute to... The Consumer!

Without the Consumer, a lot of businesses would not exist. This is true. There is one special type of Consumer I have in mind. He/She is the one who is educated enough to find the help they need, but are not willing or educated enough to learn to help themselves.

This is tax season and so many countless people are needlessly relying on a paid tax preparer. It's not just the "fat cat" firms making out like bandits on this one either.

In time to come soon Americans will have the ability to dictate how their social security money is being invested. The uneducated or unwilling to educate themselves Consumer will undoubtedly begin flocking to the investment firms and any other source who can invest their for them with little to no oversight.

Original purpose

2005-03-16T11:10:00.000-08:00

Just not today. We are going to the store to look around. I plan to price the DVD players and see if World of Warcraft is available. My wife, one of the VIPersons in my life, is going to look for stuff for our babies, 3 precious VIPersons in my life. I have a full exciting day ahead of me.

See ya later!

Aw Schucks

2005-03-15T09:15:00.000-08:00

Who is today VIPerson? Give me a few seconds to think about this one.

There are so many possibilities that come to mind. I am not ready to talk about the most important people in my life just yet, my wife and kids. I want to hold off on extoling their virtues for as long as possible.

I have a desire to spotlight other people I've come in contact with who are worthy of my recognition.

This past weekend I realized the headlight on my wife's car was blown out. This would be my second time changing out a headlamp bulb. The first time was on my '95 Geo Tracker. After 30 minutes and 2 bulbs I got it done. I was hoping this job would be easier.

I went down to our local Schuck's aoto parts store. I always feel like a fish out of water in these places because I know very little about cars, car parts and car accessories. I know as a guy I should know more... but I dont.

I had looked through the car headlight book cover to cover for about 5 minutes. I. Had an idea what I was looking for but just could not find it. A young lady, an employee, saw my confusion from across the room. She quickly came to my aid. Within a matter of seconds she had a firm grasp of my delimma.

why is she a VIPerson? For a couple of reasons. She is a woman in a male dominant career, not an easy feat. Her customer service was above par. And most importantly, She did not make me feel any less of a man just because I am not automotily inclined.

By the way, it took me 6 minutes to replace the bulb.

Seattle Citysearch

2005-03-12T17:41:00.000-08:00

Seattle Citysearch

A good site to find out some "touristy style info" for the Seattle Area. You can find a lot of Very Important Persons living in Seattle.

The Airman

2005-03-11T17:55:00.000-08:00

What does it take to be a VIP - Very Important Person? First one must realize that on an individual basis, we are more that just people. Each person is a unique individual. There are common threads that unite us as one, such as a common purpose or a unified calling. At the core of it all, after weeding through the mass of people, there is the person.

The first person I pay homage and tribute to is the United States Airman. The Airman is not just any joe-blow, happy-go-lucky, run-of-the-mill, johnny-come-lately member of the United States Air Force.

Oh No!

The true Airman is the one who takes the Airman's Creed to heart. If you think you are an Airman, recite the Airman's Creed. If you haven't lost that "loving feeling" when you recite it, then I salute you...Airman!

I am an Airman in the United States Air Force, a future leader. I am proud to serve my country and will conduct myself at all times so as to bring credit upon it. As an Airman, I am an important part of the Air Force team and I can achieve any goal I set for myself.

I will make every effort to learn the Air Force way of life. I will learn from my superiors and will carry out their orders to the best of my ability. I will fulfill my responsibilities and display professionalism at all times. I will strive to perform beyond all expectations by using my skills and Air Force education to the maximum degree possible.

I am an Airman in the United States Air Force who shares the great responsibility of preserving the freedom of every man, woman, and child in this nation. An Airman whose loyalty and integrity lies in my faith and devotion to the United States of America. I will set an example for all to follow.

Original Purpose

2005-03-08T15:09:00.000-08:00

Lets see if I can get back to the origin of this blog. The name is VIPersons. The very important people in my life was meant to be the focal point of my blog. It appears as though I've gotten sidetracked or derailed. But I will regain my focus.

Just not today. We are going to the store to look around. I plan to price the DVD players and see if World of Warcraft is available. My wife, one of the VIPersons in my life, is going to look for stuff for our babies, 3 precious VIPersons in my life. I have a full exciting day ahead of me.

See ya later!

The morning after

2005-03-07T14:03:00.000-08:00

What have I done? My boss was not very happy to know that I am now one of those... bloggers. She took a look at what I've written So far and totally grew... Silent!

OMG! What did I do? Should I still do it? Should I edit out all of the personally identifiable stuff?

Should I give it all up? I really don't want to. Now, with opposition to my blogging.. I am not really sure.

They say its like an addiction. I am going to give it a try for awhile without giving personal information that can be tracked back to me. No identity theft here!

the beat goes on

2005-02-27T15:30:00.000-08:00

The last time we saw our hero he was wondering what the point of blogging really was about. This was also being contemplated while downloading Open Office. Let us look in on him now.

Where are you? l am installing Windows XP Pro on a very old Pc, while trying to stay awake. There is approx. 71 minutes left lo go and I am hurting for sleep. This is the part time job I have. I really enjoy the client and hope we can work together for quite some time. But, for the amount they are paying me, my skills as a consultant are being under utilized.

Gotta put a stop to the blogging for now. I am having technical difficulties. The computer locked up at 61 minutes remaining.

Where was I? Oh, never mind. I think I am done for today. I've lost the wind in my sails and don't feel like talking to you. Windows XP has kicked my behind.

Bye.

What is the Point?

2005-02-25T12:52:00.000-08:00

What is the point of being a blogger? Is my life really an open book where I can reveal certain facets of my character online?

Will anyone really actually ever read this? Or even stumble upon it? Maybe my sister. Anyone else? I truly doubt it. And if she (or anyone else) is bored enough to read what I have to say, please help yourself.

In fact, post comments as much as you want. I will neither edit them, nor delete them!

So, what is the point of being a blogger? Why am I now self-proclaimed blogger? Probably because I find myself at the current moment with time on my hands and something to say. I am downloading a really huge program called OpenOffice. It is a suite of "M$ Office"-like programs. The only difference is that it is open source. The bottom line to me is that this means it is free! Don't get me wrong, I still use "M$ Office" every chance I get (at work, on my other computer, on my pocket pc when I am on the go, etc). But on this computer that is hosting my own website, I've chosen to not purchase an additional license for the software and opted for a free alternative solution.

Will I continue to blog? Who knows! For now, I have a poopy diaper to change.

2005-02-22T16:12:00.000-08:00

She is truly a most wanted woman!