I Finally Found It!

I finally found this damn thing! I've been wanting to display a good-looking blog at the front of benrehberg.com for a long time now (because I am a horrible web designer and don't have the patience) and I got it!

It took the right Google search to find this, and setup was easy! Scott, you really should try this. It's called bBlog, and it does everything for you. It has everything, so far as I can tell, including trackbacks, commenting, and RSS feeds. Random Thoughts is no more from this point on, unless I really screw this thing up.

Update (9/5/2006) Looking back, it wasn't such a grand experience. Judging by the fact that you're now reading this same post powered by Blogger, I have failed in my endeavor to escape the masses, but succeeded in my goal to have my blog here at my site instead of rehberg.blogspot.com. Thank you very much.

Review: Brokeback Mountain

I finally saw Brokeback Mountain and I can see why the conservatives and other homophobes hated it or refused to see it at all. It was a slightly slow movie, but interesting throughout. I found it interesting that there wasn't even a kiss before the first (ahem) love scene. That struck me as just plain weird. Every love scene in every other movie has the two in question lip-locked as they tear each other apart.

One has to admit that it took a bit of acting ability to pull the two main roles off. I mean - I'm no homophobe (nor am I homosexual), but it would be tough for me to make it look genuine while kissing another man, caressing him as if he were my wife. That's probably because I'm a geek, not an actor. Props to them.

And I honestly forgot that Heath Ledger is Australian and has an obvious natural accent. He did a magnificent job with the speech for his part. Jake Gyllenhall didn't have to change too much to play Jack Twist (he looks funny with a mustache), but he did a great job. I always thought for some reason that he is older than I am, but he's actually younger than my wife is. For someone to pull off this type of role at age 25 is just fantastic.

Even though most of the filming took place in Alberta, I could still believe it was Wyoming. The scenery in this film was a catalyst for my desire to move back out to the West.

The story - I don't know what to say about the "love story" aspect of it. It has certainly attracted a lot of attention, hasn't it? The controversy is what made me want to watch it even more. It's the same reason I just had to read The Da Vinci Code. Minus the homosexuality, Brokeback Mountain was like any story and could have even been about two women, filled with unabashed emotion and tenacious love. I think there's more than one real story of a 20-year extramarital affair out there. Some things are just irresistible; it's part of being human.

All in all, I think the movie was good. However, I'm going to buy Anne Proulx's book that includes this short story so that I may read the actual

Tentacle

So I haven't been consistent with my blogging - so what? I have a life. It has now slowed to the point where I can write more often, but I don't necessarily do more thinking. Since there is no cognitive energy to spend, there is not much to write.

Seems lately that I'm writing a lot about not writing.

But here's something I didn't know - Ken Lay was on vacation in Aspen when he died. Aren't people supposed to have a bit worse time while awaiting sentence? Anyway, screw him. He was that successful and threw it all away to greed (or ignorance, if you believe him). Now thousands of people are out of their pensions and investments, and Ken just cuts out and dies. What a dick.

News on some people who need a break, though - astronauts. I wanted to be one once. Now I'm too tired.

Escape Plan

I must find a way to get out of South Georgia. I'm of the "If you can't beat them, leave" train of thought, and it's time I found a way to do that.

I want more choices.

I want more diverse people.

I want technology more readily available.

I want more money for what I do.

I want to hang around with more geeks.

I have only thought of one thing to do first: finish a four-year degree in a computer-related field. I have started just that and will be looking for more ways to get out while I'm pounding my brain away.

I'm also on track to take the CompTIA Network+ certification exam in a couple of months. It's not a fantastic credential, but it's a good start. For those of you who visit here often enough to read this post, leave some serious comments (Justin) giving me some ideas.

Bad Man, Good Warez

I did something the other day that I don't do very often; in fact, I haven't done it for years. My friends may think I'm crazy or stupid, but I'm my own man and I make my own decisions. This time I went against the grain to do the unthinkable. I dove in head-first...

...and actually paid for a piece of software.

I downloaded the trial version of TechSmith's SnagIt 8, used primarily to capture screenshots, but it is way more than a simple replacement for [alt+prtscrn]. This thing is awesome. It can take full screenshots or just a piece of a window, capture menus (even the right-click context menus!), and even capture a video of on-screen action. Isn't that just the best thing in the friggin' world? In addition, it comes with a simple editor that isn't so bland. It is easy to use and allows one to lay stuff over the image (arrows, text boxes, etc), and do shading, scaling, and perspective/shear changes. These things are instrumental in creating effective presentations and instructional documents.

So I chose to purchase it since the trial is only 30 days long. I thought I once found a crack for it, but the download turned out to be a virus. Oh, well. Now I don't have to worry. I got it at the Government rate ($30) because I will primarily use it to create instructional material for my job.

Before you close this blog, I'm not getting paid for loving this program, nor am I being compensated for writing this slight praise. I have merely found a program that I can use the hell out of and that works as prescribed, and thought you might be looking for such a tool.

Anika's New Bed

It's not a new bed, actually, but it's the first conversion it was designed for. It is now officially a "toddler bed" and we are slightly worried about Anika getting out of it. So we put up the camera to see how she does it without breaking her neck.

Launch in external player

A New Verb! Yay!!

From TechDirt:

Attention English Teachers: Google Is Officially A Verb: Every summer, it's always fun to see what new tech-related words make it into the Oxford English Dictionary as official 'words.' A few years ago, it was things like 'blog,' 'cyberslacker,' and 'egosurf.' This year, however, the Google lawyers probably won't be all that thrilled to discover that Google has now been included as a verb. Yes, that's right. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, it's now perfectly legitimate to say you 'Googled' something. From the standpoint of Google, however, this could take them a step closer to losing the trademark on their own name, as it starts to fall into more common usage. Can Google sue the Oxford English Dictionary?

I love this language sometimes. The company isn't ten years old yet and its name is officially a verb in the English language. Sergey and Larry must be thrilled, but Eric Schmidt is probably a bit concerned about the Google name. I'm not concerned; I never had to pay to use "Google" as a verb to begin with. I don't think this will affect their trademark.

Crappy Fan

I'm such a shithead. I can't believe I missed the launch of STS-121 yesterday.

I always wanted to be an astronaut, but I guess I can't pay attention long enough.

It doesn't help that I don't watch television.

Stay the Hell Inside

Georgia's 'shoot first' law, others take effect this weekend. - Gwinett Daily Post

Apparently it is now legal to protect yourself with a weapon if you or your family is in imminent danger. This is good.

Though it was legal already, I think more people might just start carrying rifles and handguns in their Chevrolets for "protection." Then the next black man who approaches them asking for bus fare will take a dirt nap. They'll claim he "looked threatening" and was unwanted in their presence. They will then drive to the next Wal-Mart and shoot another "suspicious" black person for free. This is not good.

I might mention that I am not a black person. I hate racism, and find that I would rather hang out with many more black folks down here than the white ones. Some of them are finally over the Civil War and don't hate me because I'm white. A lot of the white people still use the word "nigger" as it has always been used - in degradation of people of African descent. They are the ultra-conservative type who can't get out of the trailer they parked in their mama's backyard. Their ignorance makes me sick.

Sorry - I meant to stay on topic.

Hell, I might be in danger myself in any public place. I don't look like anyone I know who supports the NRA (a huge backer of this new law), so I might just get blasted by some bearded fella' with a barbecue-stained Dixie Outfitters shirt on.

"Zach Ragbourn, spokesman for the Brady Campaign, a Washington D.C.-based gun control advocacy group, said supporters of the measures have been unable to point to an instance where someone defending themselves in public was prosecuted. Therefore, opponents argue the law is unnecessary. " Good point.

Oh, and Georgia isn't the only state that makes an effort to tell you that it's legal to protect yourself. "Georgia is now one of eight to 12 other states to follow through with a law of their own this year," stated the article.

How to Annoy a Liberal

A couple of days ago I saw a bumper sticker that said "Annoy a Liberal: Live - Succeed - Be Happy." I couldn't agree more. Actually, it's the same thing liberals tend to do. Does that mean we annoy the shit out of ourselves? No. It means that this bumper sticker is incomplete. So I'll let you in on how to really annoy a liberal:

1. Be selfish. "God bless America, and no place else." What? They just blew up a power plant that will ultimately lead to the death of many innocent people? Oh, never mind. It wasn't here, so fuck 'em. I can still turn off the TV, climb into my 2-ton commuter, and stop by Starbucks on the way to work this morning.

2. Succeed by fucking other people out of what they earned. I'm not saying that liberals don't cheat, but when they do, I don't think so many people are affected. I'm not talking about sharing mp3 files and screwing the music industry - that doesn't heavily affect our quality of life. I'm talking about squeezing everything you can out of your customers when selling cars, movie tickets, oil, and even razors. Stop making so much money and keeping it. Oh, and did I mention easy credit?

3. Waste resources. See 2-ton commuter mentioned above.

4. Support any type of war. That speaks for itself. Apparently, war kills people and doesn't really solve anything. It creates more hate. I'm for the death of certain leaders, but not for the death of the innocent people under their rule.

Online Sickness

I'm trying to think of some pointers to mention, but I can't even think of a subject that I actually have some pointers on. I'm really just bored, and I've seen nearly everything on the Internet this week that I could think of looking up. I wanted to know more about Assembler, the most basic programming language for microprocessors. In my studies, I discovered that I need to know more about computer and processor architectures, and ended up winning a book on eBay for 99¢. While I'm waiting on this book, I'll research the best book for learning about computer architecture overall, and maybe pick one of those up. I'm kinda worried about starting college and stumbling through a Computer Science degree without learning anything. Studying ahead may help.

I also want to build my own controllers for different projects like home automation and robotics. I believe I can build a Linux system that can monitor things like the temperature and human presence in the house. I've found Single-Board Computers (SBCs) that can run Linux for about $100. However, those systems are far more advanced than what I'd like to have, so I may have to build one. I've seen this done before by Computer Engineering students, and I'm sure I can find what I need in a book at the university.

Shopping online has become very fun these days. With places like pricegrabber.com and resellerratings.com, one can complete a quick investigation on a store or a product very quickly. A lot of the early adopters to a new product (like the Bluetooth headphones I want) will post very helpful reviews of it. These are very helpful (one lady with a fat head didn't like the way the headphones fit). It's great. Price shopping is fun, too, because you can see what most retailers are charging for the item. Amazon.com lists these headphones at about $127 (a fair price if they sound good), and some other place is selling them for $189! The same thing! Ha!

If it isn't apparent in this post, I am very bored and really need something to passionately write about. Although it is raining, and I've been meaning to look for a rainsuit...

Summer Cleaning

Even though it's something of an Autumn theme, I decided it was time to change the layout again. To all the readers I lost whilst on furlough, welcome back, and I hope you like it.

I recently turned on the FM radio again and listened to NPR yesterday. They were talking about Warren Buffet's gargantuan gift to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Now if you haven't been following this, Bill Gates will step down as Chief Software Architect of Microsoft Corporation, supposedly in 2008. He will stay on as Chairman, but that's about all he'll have to do with the company he co-founded. Gates wants to concentrate his efforts toward his charity, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Good job, Bill.

Warren Buffett is the world's richest stock trader. He apparently knows his shit. From what I heard from a caller on Talk of the Nation, he had plans for his wife to distribute his wealth after he died. That didn't work out too well, because his wife died a couple of years ago. They say he did a lot of thinking and finally decided to give (at today's price) over 31 billion dollars to the Gates Foundation. I think it's so many billion every year for a number of years, but it's still a great gift. I haven't done all of my homework on the foundation, but I volunteered at a YMCA in Colorado Springs that had a computer lab worth $10,000+ all furnished by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. I think they're probably doing a lot for people who can't afford these things, and with Buffet's gift they'll have a lot more to do.

Another caller complained that if Microsoft hadn't overcharged us in the first place, their money wouldn't have to be put back into society. I've got an answer or two for that one:

1. If you got to keep your filthy money, sir, you would have spent it on gas or candy bars, and it wouldn't, sir, help society for you to have a fatter ass or go on vacation. Your money would have never left the country to help those in need.

2. You bought a product that you use every single day and now would have trouble living without. IM me on Windows Messenger and we'll talk about it. Switch to Linux, sir, and do without a tech support number and have fun configuring your printer and synching your PDA all by yourself.

That's all I really have. I'm certainly not a Windows fanatic, but many people would be completely lost without this OS. It's all they know due to its fantastic success with the PC over the years. I could get into that later, I guess. I love Linux as much as the next guy, but it's certainly not for the masses just yet. Whatever you think about Gates or Buffet, kudos to them anyway.

As I Stumble About my Imagination

I've been confronted with an issue that hasn't even come up yet, and I can't stop thinking about it. I've been asked how interested I am in a position in Atlanta. I really want to go up there because of the city life, but at the same time, Beth and I have become rather settled in South Georgia.

Given the perfect situation, I would jump at the chance. I love the city, though it is an expensive and sometimes dangerous place. I just don't think it would be a smart choice right now. Beth and I are already accepted in our academic programs, and are set to begin study this fall. On top of that, we've got day care lined up for Anika, and we are almost settled in our new house.

Having gone to Atlanta, I know nothing of the school systems there, day care facilities, or even where to live. A lot would have to be worked out in order to make it, and I would have to have a significant raise. All of this thought and bumbling and I haven't even been offered a position. All I know is that I'm favored to be offered it if it comes up.

I love the thought of it, though: the possibility of working from home, the visibility I may get as a result of working in the area and with certain people it's good to be seen by, and actually having something to do every day. The more actual consulting I can do, the better and more enjoyable my job will be. Don't get me wrong - the people in South Georgia definitely need help, but with the resources I could have in Atlanta, I could certainly get more done and inflict more positive change in how our infrastructure benefits the organization.

We (my coworkers and I) are approaching an entirely new way to do something that our organization holds paramount. A development team has been called in, many meetings have been held, and things are finally beginning to roll with the development process. I have asked the one in charge that my team be fully involved in the development process, from conception to back-end processes, all the way through to the interface design. This is very important to my team for many reasons. We need to be involved to understand the inner workings of this mountain of software, so we are able to test it thouroughly, train the workers effectively, and troubleshoot it with clear confidence.

So I would like to be there while all of this is happening, not down south where we are all left out of the loop as we were in the last roll-out. So I've got some thinking to do.

I Found my Word

and it is "choleric." It happens to be the word of the day today, and I saw it above my Gmail.

I am easily angered by many things, and my sensitivity to these triggers varies greatly depending on many different factors. I'm like a bomb sometimes, and Beth never really knows how short the fuse is.

I think I'm getting better, though. I'm starting to become more conscious of my patience and releasing my imaginary grip on things over which I have no control. Like this blog. I started the year off right, and blogged every day like a good little blogger, and then nothing. I became too busy and got quite upset with myself for not living up to what I had said.

But I have absolutely no control over how many hours exist in one day, or how much sleep I'm going to need on a regular basis. I also have no idea what to write about every day. Since I don't take the time to read the news, I don't have cable television, and the whole of me doesn't care about celebrity news, I have nothing left to say except that I'm tired and want to go to sleep at the end of a day.

"...and that's all I have to say about that."

Slight Change

As I've been in my car for several weeks, I have proven that it is hard to start a consulting business when you're on the road with your day job 90% of the time. So, I will start targeting small businesses where I can log in remotely and help them over the telephone when I'm away.

That's really all I have for you right now; I'm looking for experiments in hacking wireless networks and wireless equipment. Maybe I'll tell you about it, and maybe I'll just be too busy.

Soda and Mentos

Who would have thought? Some guys just have all the fun. I was going to make a video myself after I read the reports, but these guys are just way ahead of me.

Want Something to Do?

I just read this month's Mr. Modem's Desktop column in Smart Computing and learned a brand-new Windows XP keyboard shortcut. Press the Windows key and the Pause/Break key to bring up the system properties dialog box. That's all, but it's new to me.

Also, at the end of his article he points the reader to here, an interesting yet visually unappealing simple game. Hold the red square away from everything else for as long as you can. Enjoy.

It Certainly is Thursday.

My advertisement is supposed to hit the paper today. I think I'll carry my phone to listen for it.

I'm very excited about the possibility of building my own business and being the root of my own success. Actually, if I could just get one call to pay for the cost of the advertisement I'd say I was on top. It would be nice to not have to actually be anywhere if there is no work to do. I struggle with that every day.

I will make it.

I've Only Got 15 Minutes

I thought I'd drop in and say a few words before I continue my life without spare time. It will get even more hectic later this week, when my advertisement runs for the first time offering technology help to those who read the American Classifieds.

I remember Justin telling me that he just ran a small ad in the Thrifty Nickel offering car stereo equipment and service, and he got a few calls now and then. I think my market is somewhat bigger, but that won't guarantee ten calls a day. I ran the ad for two weeks and we'll see what kind of response I get. I may have to just post signs locally and maybe walk around passing out cards.

In case you don't know what I'm talking about, I am offering after-hours and weekend in-home technical help (mostly computers and A/V equipment) for people who can't get their TiVo to work, or Grandma who needs help with her new webcam.

When I installed cable modems for a local ISP, I noticed that many people have a lot of gear that they don't really put to use. They bought it because it was cool, but never figured out just how to get their money out of it. I also noticed that people had needs that could be fulfilled with devices they didn't know existed. Now I'm here to help.

In other news, I finally found a deal worth taking on an LCD monitor. So I bought two. This is so much better than the gargantuan displays I had before. I think I just freed up a square yard of desk space (which, of course, will become more space to put shit, not actually enhance productivity).

My 15 minutes is up now. I will try to visit more later.

Skipped

I didn't blog in April? Even with taxes and shit?

Oh yeah. I bought a house and moved into it April 1. Oh well.

eBay Item Not Sold: Ford : Mustang (4622911722)

Well, no one bought the car. Maybe next year I can get a motorcycle.

I should really take this car and do something with it. With just a little more work it'll be a great ride, and then I can start making it look good. I've just got to make a decision about it - I've been wishy-washy for the past year about it, deciding to sell, then to keep it, then to sell it, then I put it in the shop 'cause I'm gonna drive it all the time...

It's not exactly economical. The thing actually gulps gasoline. Then again, it wasn't designed to go "putt-putt" and sip fuel. It is a classic musclecar, designed and built several years before the gas crisis in the 1970s. It's my favorite automobile. I wanted a Mustang since I was about six years old, and for about fifteen years I shopped. Beth spent my money on it in 2000 when I was at NTC and I've been dumping money into it ever since.

I fell asleep at the wheel in June 2002 and spent until July 2004 getting it all back together. Overall I think I did a pretty good job. I just drove it about 110 miles yesterday without incident. There are a few more things to work out, but they're fairly trivial. The alternator needs some attention and I need just a couple more steering parts replaced. I am now trying to decide what the next big project is for it.

The power steering is still being a pain in the ass. The pump needs to be replaced and the hoses should be rerouted - they keep burning up because they're too close to the exhaust. After the steering is all done and the suspension is solid, I think it will be time for new tires. At that point I'll probably replace the rims too. That should drastically improve the ride.

I'll have to do a couple of things to the engine for maintenance, like the slight leak in the water outlet and the oil leak I think is coming from the distributor. There's also the wiring for the temperature and oil sensors - that's the only original wiring left in the engine compartment - it needs to be replaced as well.

After that it's probably off to the machine shop for the engine. With the engine out I can clean everything up front and get it ready for the new powerplant. The engine will go back in with new headers, so that should solve my power steering line problem. I'll probably go with an electric fuel pump, too.

Then I'll finish the interior and start sending it to the body shop every once in awhile to concentrate on a piece of whatever needs attention. Beth's been told to call Overhaulin' and tell them to steal my car, but I don't think she's had the time.

Like I said: I just need to decide that this is what I want. If I'm so damn emotional about it, I think I should keep it and finish my baby. All said and done I should have about $30K invested which will never be returned, but I'll have one damn sweet ride. And a daughter in college.

Happy St Patty's Day

From www.inograph.com:

If anyone wants to buy my car,

It's item number 4622911722 on eBay for the next seven days. With any luck, this will go better than that CD-ROM drive I tried to hock for $5.

I love this car, but it's time to prioritize. I've put so much into it, and still have so much left to do that it's overwhelming. Besides, I don't have a garage at the new place, and don't see having a good spot for it anytime soon. I want it protected, not rotting.

I think I'll get a new one sometime in the future, but right now I need to consolidate my vehicle usage. And get a motorcycle.

Dilemma Solved

I got this new computer and it's really great. It starts up in under a minute! I even dual-booted it last night with Fedora Core 4 64-bit edition, and the boot loader works like a charm. At startup, I can choose whether to boot Windows or Linux.

The only problem I see right now is the video. I have never been a fan of onboard video, but it made for a good affordable motherboard, and obviously works. I'm using it to view this editing session. The only thing is that it sucks. I can't even scroll down a webpage smoothly, or move windows about the screen without a delay and choppiness.

I'm surprised, though, that I can play a DVD and it looks just fine. But if I can't move my damn windows around, something's amiss. So I think I have solved that problem this morning. I ordered a new video card. It should be here next week, and I can install it at my leisure.

I'm telling you this because I really don't hang around people who care about this kind of stuff. I've got to tell someone, so it might as well be the common passers-by on my blog. That's what it's for, isn't it?

While I'm here, I might as well tell you about my recent upgrade. In 2001, I finally put together my first computer. I had done upgrades and teardowns and stuff like that before, but this was my first from-scratch build. I bought the cheapest shit I could find for this, too, since I was still in the Army and always short on cash. I bought the case locally ($40), ordered a cheap (and I'm talking cheap, $37!) motherboard, and found a 667MHz Celeron processor in Denver for about $50. I got the memory, network card, and video card from the same local place as the case. Later I got the sound card at Best Buy.

I got home and put it all together. It finally worked, and I enjoyed it for some time. I had actually built the thing to play my flight simulator, but I was silly in thinking that a 667MHz Celeron could do that. Anyway, there I was.

It finally went into retirement mode when I got my laptop two years later. It really became a file and print server and never got put to use after that. When my laptop started showing its age (and my wife started using it for school) I was seeing a need for a new desktop, but I didn't want to spend the $2K for the one I wanted. I decided to upgrade my existing system.

This was very easy with the exception of buying the parts. I don't ever want to spend money, but I found this sale at a shop in Valdosta and got a new motherboard with onboard video, sound, and firewire, an AMD Athlon 64 processor, and one Gigabyte of RAM for about $350. That was all I needed (until today). I got the upgrade done in about an hour, loaded Windows x64 Edition in about another hour, and I was set. I loaded Fedora Linux last night, and everything is working out.

I better get to work. Someone's got to pay for this.

I Just Voted for Al Gore

Something else I didn't know: Al Gore is on the board of directors at Apple Computer. I just voted my 1.2 shares to keep him there.

There's a new study going on sparked by the iPod's popularity on the use of earbuds and their relation to hearing loss. Most of us remember the stink Sony caused in the 80's with their Walkman, and I don't think that ever came to any conclusion. It really is all about personal usage. I don't use headphones all that often except for when I work out (that's actually closer to twice a month).

Some lady got killed last month when she was running while listening to music on an iPod. She got hit by a truck. The headline I read was something like "iPod Blamed in Death," while it really could have been caused by any device, or stupidity, or bad driving. Again, it's about how you choose to listen. I believe a rock concert or forgetting your earplugs on the firing range is more detrimental to your hearing than Busta Rhymes on an iPod.

Happy Birthday, Sir

Today is Albert Einstein's birthday. He would be 127. Also on this day Gorbachev was elected in 1990, and Jack Ruby was sentenced to death in 1964.

Time for Change

I intend to redo the sidebar soon. I'm not happy with the status of my reading list, so I think I'll take it off and just put it at benrehberg.com. Whoever wants to find the list can go there and look. I plan to make it easy to find, and easier to read. Ads will be placed in the sidebar as well, closer to the top. The only ads on this site are at the bottom of the page. Scroll down and tell me if you've ever seen them.

I don't know when I'll do this, but I've made the decision and will take action soon.

I say this as if it matters to the reader whether I change the sidebar. I think I've gained the readership of maybe ten people in the past two years, most of whom never comment. I know I never really write anything very compelling or deep in thought, but if I could get some kind of dialogue I'm sure I'd become more interesting.

I think if I kept a certain theme about my posts I could reach out to more people; people like me. But that wouldn't be me, now, would it? Sticking to one general topic? Doesn't sound right. Couldn't be Random Thoughts if they weren't random.

Separation

Being the guy who didn't keep up with the story, it sounds to me like this Dubai company's ports deal fell through because we're a bunch of racists.

"We will not settle for any solution that doesn't completely eliminate the role of the United Arab Emirates in our ports," Schumer said.

Doesn't this sound like we hate their country and "we don't like their kind 'round here?" We suck. It's like the whole United States is becoming South Georgian.

Not Trivial in the Slightest

We're going to place an offer on a house tomorrow. The last one we liked got away from us because we couldn't act soon enough.

It's a brand new house. The plastic protective sheet is still attached to the dishwasher.

It is a good size home with three bedrooms and two bathrooms, and it sits on a 20,000 (100' X 100') foot² lot. I'm not sure what that is - hang on - Google says "20 000 (sq feet) = 0.459136823 acres." The house doesn't cover much, so the yard will seem big enough. At least I don't have to buy a riding lawn mower.

I think I've made my mind up about my motorcycle. I have tentatively decided on the Yamaha ZF6. It is of nice size, but not too big; I can probably pick it up if I drop it. It's also not too small - there shouldn't be any trouble keeping up with my brother and my dad on their larger bikes on road trips to wherever. I will certainly be posting here the day I get it.

The house is listed on realtor.com right now. They may take it off as we get further in to the process. The MLS is 63300. Very excited, but very scared we are.

Don't Miss This

Please pass on my growing auction products. I always offer the good stuff to my friends a couple weeks before i put them on ebay. thanks

http://justinsmonthlydeals.blogspot.com

and check out my Z-site at
http://my300zbaby.blogspot.com

another invention by Justin

Music in a Bottle

Ok, so I am a weirdo! I was drinking my beer tonight…as I do every night, and realized I always hold my mp3 player and beer in the same hand. Now maybe most people don’t sit outside drinking beer and listen to music…but I bet a lot do. Now here me out, I remember as a kid that games to win something from the bottom of a soda can actually meant something. Mountain dew was great! At the bottom of the can it told you right away if you won something or not….not this bullshit code entering, thanks for entering our survey, you will never win shit stuff!
People want instant gradification, and I say…GIVE IT TO THEM! My idea is to build a small mp3 player into some/every can or bottle that has a 1/8” headphone jack receptical on it and it will play a tune or two for free. Of course it will have a commercial in there, but that’s the beauty of it. Everybody wins…the seller, buyer,marketer, and the promo people! I am telling you, this is the future. One thing I have learned in school is that advertising/promoting is getting so HARD now adays. Fuck, I bought Oakley ski glasses last week that have flip-down earpods in them that play music from a tiny mp3 player built into the nose piece!
Next month somebody will invent a beer label that transmits a shortwave signal to a buyers glasses…like mine, that will give a free song and a commercial….think about it!
Ben, you have to help me invent this. It is soooo simple, yet only month/years away! Well, at least I documented it here on the web tonight….Justin weis…father of commercial beer labels!lol. (L.F.M.A’S) LOW FREQUENCY MUSICAL ADVERTISEMENTS….see..i am a fuckin king! Check out my high tech prototype!…lol

I have a whole line of accessories too. Like a watch that decodes and plays the music when within 1 foot of the beer/pop bottle or can. It would be stylish yet functional. It would have a head phone jack on it, but also a small speaker to play at a moderate volume.

Moving Soon?

This is post 199 in almost two years. Horrible, I say. Horrible.

I'll admit I haven't been very dedicated to my blog (or reading other blogs) lately, but I swear I've been busy. The weeks are filled with traveling and working, preparing for and conducting training, and finding time to sleep. The weekends are full of house hunting and varied attempts at visiting family. I helped my brother move last weekend and was reminded of how I hated moving.

So here I might outline the things I'd do differently this time from the times I've moved in the past:

I will buy boxes. If I have to move myself, I'll use the hand truck I bought last time and move everything I possibly can in a box. Books, movies, clothes, gadgets, wires, everything. The stuff that's already in drawers? Take it out and put it in a box. If I can't put it on the hand truck, it better be one piece and as big as a box. I bought five small "book boxes" today when I had to move my office, and I'll get a feel for the number and type of boxes I'll need for the coming adventure when I pack my books in them.

I will save up the newspaper. Last time I moved I had to drive to town to get an Atlanta newspaper (the Sunday edition) to pack the dishes and other breakables and it proved to be not enough. I now have almost a month's worth of The Wall Street Journal packed into a container in the garage. I promise I'll have ample packing material this time, with some to spare for my parents' move later.

I will have plenty of money in preparation for the move. I felt very embarrassed that I couldn't afford the truck from Colorado. We were just about broke at the time, and my dad came to the rescue. Enough said.

I will begin preparation early, even if someone says I'm crazy. This I do not want to be caught in: It's the day of the move and we're going nuts trying to figure out where the oscillating fan will fit in the truck. The U-Haul is due back in three hours and we haven't even left yet. There are still the computers left to go, too, and there's been no mention of all the clothes still in the hamper. I will be ready to load the truck the moment it's backed up to the garage. That's the reason I'm buying boxes before we even deliver our 30-day move-out notice to the leasing agent.

I'll go now to prepare for training tomorrow.

Speaking of Reading Lists

I am failing miserably due to the complete lack of attention I have to this list and that pile of books.

Oh, well. Maybe I'll divert everyone's attention by buying a motorcycle this year.

Hey, Nice Rack!

I thought that might get your attention.

Another week begins tomorrow, filled with more disadvantaged users of advanced technology largely wasted on the stubborn. I'm not feeling very helpful. I am, however, staying in a Hampton Inn this evening, just outside Fort Stewart, Georgia, in Hinesville. Justin knows where that is. He was stationed here years ago.

I finished The Google Story on the way here (it was about a three-hour-drive) and found it very interesting. Most of the audiobooks I've listened to I've also vowed to buy in hard copy. I've done that with only one so far, and just shelved the book; it was the 9/11 Commission Report. I'm not about to read that again anytime soon.

The Google Story is an interesting one, and the perspective it provides makes me want to study math and go work for the search engine. I doubt that will ever happen. They're too big now, and with its large size comes all sorts of trouble to work for, like the government. That's all I have to say about that.

I'm now on to another audiobook, Linked: The New Science of Networks. It is very interesting in its sociological take on many things. I thought it would be more technologically-centered, but it takes a more social approach to networks and studies on them. I have been unable to listen to it at a faster speed; there is a lot of information that must be taken slowly. Looks like I'll be in this one for the entire eight hours and eight minutes. The link to the current audiobook is always at the end of my reading list.

Back for Today

"Headless Chicken" could be used to describe me lately. This blog has definitely taken a spot on the back burner. I have today, however, managed to start a small programming project and begin an article on it. I've been working on a layout for articles that I write to post at benrehberg.com. The project is just a simple program to find prime numbers, and discusses the different methods of efficiency in finding them with a computer. I think that this program is a good measure of processor and memory speed in terms of number-crunching.

The script finds and lists all prime numbers between five and one hundred million. This poor little AMD 350! It's been at least five hours and it has only searched just over nineteen million. It may not finish before I have to leave tomorrow afternoon. The tablet is almost done with it - they both started within a minute of each other and the tablet is almost at 73 million.

Anyway, I've started an article and am getting the layout down for it. See what I've done so far and tell me if you like the layout. It's simple. I used the same dimensions as the blog.

The Foldable Keyboard

Since I've been posting video lately of my daughter, I thought I'd create something on my own to show you. So I'll show you my new keyboard. The video is on my website, more specifically here.

If you want one, send me your name and address, $35, and wait two weeks. I accept PayPal. This keyboard is available with a PS/2 or USB interface.

The Quitter Speaks

"I quit every game that I play" -John Mayer

I've been pretty busy lately, and I must apologize for not continuing my saga this week. I'll be gone all through next week too, so don't expect a whole lot.

I need some ideas for what to do with techpickle.org. I have the site and plenty of space, and I can't really come up with a theme. I just thought of perhaps publishing some of my schoolwork there, and while that would be quite informational, it would not be something everyone could use.

Religion

Although I was raised Catholic, I think I make a much better Buddhist. I have never been big of guilt based religion and I don't really like being preached at. Talking to me and debating is fine. Maybe even making suggestions as to what some part of the Bible says. But, please don't tell me what it says.

That is why I think I make a good Buddhist. If you ignore the fact that I like a good drink now and then, have the patience of a person with irritable bowel syndrome, and am pretty arrogant, I am an excellent Buddhist. I am also not very good at the whole meditation thing, but I am trying. It is not my fault that someone yells outside and I get mad and want to strangle them for destroying my inner peace.

I will keep everyone updated and let you know when I have found enlightenment.

This One is Better

Scott Found This

And my name was not interesting enough, so I substituted a name to make it fun.

Google Pack

I am adding a new software recommendation to all my clients: the Google Pack. It is a package of free software and everything on it is on my list of recommended titles (this infamous list has never been published). Using the Google Pack, however, helps the user update the software as needed. The Google Pack includes:

• Adobe Reader
• GalleryPlayer HD Images
• Google Desktop
• Google Earth
• Google Toolbar for IE
• Mozilla Firefox
• Picasa
• Lavasoft Ad-Aware SE Personal
• Trillian
• RealPlayer
• Google Talk
• Norton AntiVirus 2005
• Google Pack Screensaver

Again, this is all free, and the Norton AV client comes with six months of virus definition updates. You can't beat that. This is a serious collection of useful software tools and applications.

Better yet, you can build your own pack. You can select from the list the software you want and the Google Updater will install what you have chosen. You can install or uninstall anything you want from the pack just by opening the Google Updater. You can't go wrong with these trusted titles. The software from Google is always awesome to use, especially Google Earth. I haven't really gotten into it, but the visual effects are astounding. Give it a try:
http://pack.google.com/pack

Update: It's only available for Windows XP.

Apple's Skin Flute

Apparently in Korea, scientists have come up with a way to replace your earphone cords with your own skin. I guess this could lead to implantable earbuds paired with a wristwatch-style iPod or similar device. Wouldn't that be cool? We wouldn't ever need car stereos or home theater sound systems! All we need is a bluetooth adapter installed in the big toe and we don't ever have to touch our cellphones again!

I may be joking, but I actually love this idea. I hate carrying anything in my hands, and I loathe holding a telephone up to my ear. I battle with headphone cords constantly as I listen to my iPod every day. I also favor the integration of our bodies into technology, or vice versa, within limits of course. I'm not sure I want a GPS transmitter in the top of my head or a government-mandated tracking device in the anus, but it would be nice to be able to communicate with an integrated phone.

I think it would be really cool if the chips could actually draw power from your body as well. Then we'd only need to eat right to keep a good charge.

Now there's an idea.

The new diet - eat right, get plenty of exercise, and rest peacefully or you can't use the telephone. It could be fashioned so that if the owner eats a jelly donut, he or she can't talk on the phone for two hours or until they've run a half-mile.

Of course this integrated system would have us running around seemingly talking to ourselves, looking like a bunch of crazies. The bluetooth headsets are already making people look like fools (no offense - I have small ears and can't wear one) as they walk around chatting to their imaginary friends, who probably wear the same Star Trek earpiece too.

In that case, forget I said anything.

good man

Thats what I like to see! A man who chases his dreams.I hope e-bay is as good to you as it has been to me. I must say this though...it takes work. Look at my account. I started it in 2002...i had a rating of (3) untill 2004. I moved up a whoppin 2 points between 03 and 05. Suddenly, last month, i decided that i was tired of hearing about it on the news, good or bad, and i wanted a piece myself.
I know all the bad stuff, and I know how to sell,...its business!
in one week I listed 6 items, in one week i sold 2.
in one week i listed 3 items, in one week i sold 1
in one week I listed 4 items, in one week i sold 2
in some weeks, i list and sell nothing!

*Total listed is MUCH higher than total sold.
*Most people get discouraged after a few 'non-sales' and give up!
*Most people think they know e-bay, but they really dont. (5-min classes are available for free)
*You can sell almost anything for a profit if you know what you are doing!(if you dont, it will cost you .35 every auction...and maybe more)

Power Seller

I'm trying to sell this drive on eBay. The bidding starts at $5. If you want to go for it, the item number is 8764218806. Enjoy.

This is really just an experiment. The drive, I assure you, is real, but I have never sold anything on eBay and been successful in making money. I really just want someone to use it.

The last thing (actually, the only other thing) I sold there was a psychology book, and I ended up paying more to ship the damn thing than I charged for it.

I Bought Google Yesterday

Maybe now they'll let me hang out with them. As of yesterday I am the proud owner of 0.3265 share in Google Inc.

That's over $100.

Someday I'll get up to one share, and maybe two, but then I'll wait it out until retirement.

Guess What Today Is

Enough said. It's been a good year, too.

Super Bowl Sunday

"Anika, this family really doesn't watch football. Why don't you go pick out a movie?"

Please stay Ben

ok, so i was quick to jump the fence this week....I am sorry. Ben, you cant just quit the site! We need your voice and wisdom. After all, you breathed life into this whole thing after all. You created us....now guide us!
I hate blogs that just whither and die.....such a bloody bore.
Stop flipping through books that dont interest you anayway, and yap with us crazy and wild yeldings that just want to know your outloook on life! C'mon fucker, i just got a bunch of people to add this link as 'favorites' and need to see some interesting talk.

lottery

ok, so here is a bit of fuckin wonderful and mind boggling news! Our 4-state lottery has hit an all time record high this month of 190 million dollars. I usually buy a ticket when it hits 90-100 million (which is every other month). I never win...lol. I was totally floored today though, when i asked what the "actual payout" was. If i won the 190 million tommoro and asked for a lump sum....ya..I WOULD GET 80 MILLION!!!!! 110 million goes to ...THE GOVERNMENT!!! WTF???? at that rate, we should not be in debt at all! Hell, we could have wars for the fun of it right?
we only have a 4 state lotto, and it reaches over 100 million all the time, and one lucky bastard wins like everyother month....so where the hell is all this "tax money" going from lotto? I our 4 state 'tax' winning of 110 million, added up with the other state 'tax' lotto winnings added up correctly, we should have no deficet at all!!! please explain this to me...please.

Labels Again

I had lunch the other day with my brother and the rest of the SWAT team. I was chastized for being a liberal. They didn't like my sideburns and told me the place didn't have tofu. I found it interesting that they were so nice to the staff at the Mandarin, a fairly nice Chinese restaurant.

I am reading The Brethren tonight, and on page 238 of the paperback there was a sentence that caught my interest:

"A liberal is a conservative who's been arrested."

In other news, I'm thinking of quitting this blog. However, I just downloaded the president's State of the Union Address from audible.com, so I may find new inspiration in it. I didn't even know he was speaking the other night; I'm not certain whether our television still works. I don't think it's been on in weeks. We're getting smarter by the minute.

black snowmen

I just want to "lighten" things up a bit here. So, in keeping with the theme I wore black, and all the surroundings are black...but my snowmans head is being a rebel!!!!!lol. See what your missing! the other side is powerful Luke...but the life of a TRUE JEDI.....is in Colorado!!!lol

I am sorry to take time away from all the readings pertaining to 'bush bashing' and 'political incorrectness'. Ben. I will try to "leave those alone" as well. (only trying to add a little light and inspiration here)

Equipment Issue

I'm really pleased with this Microsoft Streets & Trips. I would recommend it to any frequent traveler. I got to Peach County DFCS in this fog this morning without turning around or knowing a single thing about where I actually was.

If there isn't any software like this for the Mac, I may have to keep using the PC.

It's not a wonder that this is happening. I was never repaid for any of the field gear I bought, either. The article sounds like no one wants to let the servicemen know about a program that will pay them back for protecting themselves. They didn't want to spend the money protecting American soldiers before they went, and they aren't too happy about doing it now either. Do they not deserve it?

Do our soldiers not deserve to have good intelligence, proper training, and custom equipment? I would have been scared shitless to go to war with my Army unit due to the status of our mechanical equipment. The Pentagon, Congress, and the G-dub need to wake up and bury the hooker.

It's one thing to make a date, but it's something totally different to show up looking like an asshole because you weren't prepared. And it really sucks when it costs human lives in addition to your reputation.

The audiobook I'm on, The World is Flat, is talking about outsourcing a crapload of work to India and other places. Not just tech support, but restaurant reservations, executive assistance, baggage claims, software engineering, and even your income taxes. Do you think the grunt work of Congress could/should be outsourced as well? I think it just might. If an Indian graduate student can produce enough research to justify a multimillion-dollar deal for a businessman, I'm sure they can write American law. It's probably just a matter of time before we realize we have to consolidate our administrative tasks in order to save money to pay for the war.

He Acabado el Cuerpo de Secretos

I'm going to leave those preceding three posts alone.

It's 12:25 on a Sunday morning (we just finished a Saturday night) and I finally closed Body of Secrets without a bookmark in it. The last chapter, "Brain," was only 36 pages, but it turned out to be one of the longest. "Brain" was about the computer systems used by the NSA. The history of computers at the agency dates back to the very first calculating systems. They provided a lot of the motivation for computing research.

I learned that Semour Cray (creator of the famous Cray computer) lived in Wisconsin for a long time, then moved to Colorado Springs. He died in Colorado in 1996 as a result of an automobile accident in 1995. His ashes are spread about the mountains there. I moved to Colorado Springs two years after he died. So it's like, you know, we're related or something.

There wasn't any more about George H.W. Bush and industrial espionage. There was, however, some information about domestic spying and its legalities. I will quote the book now since this stuff is hot in the news:

Among the reforms to come out of the Church Committee investigation was the creation of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), which for the first time outlined what NSA was and was not permitted to do. The new statute outlawed wholesale, warrantless acquisition of raw telegrams such as had been provided under Shamrock. It also outlawed the arbitrary compilation of watch lists containing the names of Americans. Under FISA, a secret federal court was set up, the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court. In order for NSA to target an American citizen or a permanent resident alien - a 'green card' holder - within the United States, a secret warrant must be obtained from the court. To get the warrant, NSA officials must show that the person they wish to target is either an agent of a foreign power or involved in espionage or terrorism. (p. 440)

The book goes on to say that this only covers people inside the United States. "To target Americans outside the country, all that is needed is the approval of the U.S. Attorney General" (p. 441).

I haven't bothered to read much about the spying that the president is being hammered about, but I guess those would be some guidelines to start with.

In other news, we looked at four houses today. We will keep only one in mind. Also, I've changed the reading list again, but only subtly. The book currently being read is underlined, bolded, and in a slightly larger font. I will keep crossing out the listings of books I've read. Like that one at the top.

The title of this post was translated using Google Language Tools.

me

you wonder what i have streaming through my body for blood..musically? What could possibly describe this freak...you ask? This is the best i could do for you tonight!..lol
matchbox 20: unwell

All day Staring at the ceiling Making friends with shadows on my wall All night Hearing voices telling me That I should get some sleep Because tomorrow might be good for something Hold on I'm feeling like I'm headed for a Breakdown I don't know why I'm not crazy, I'm just a little unwell I know, right now you can't tell But stay awhile and maybe then you'll see A different side of me I'm not crazy, I'm just a little impaired I know, right now you don't care But soon enough you're gonna think of me And how I used to be Me Talking to myself in public Dodging glances on the train I know I know they've all been talking 'bout me I can hear them whisper And it makes me think there must be something wrong With me Out of all the hours thinking Somehow I've lost my mind I'm not crazy, I'm just a little unwell I know, right now you can't tell But stay awhile and maybe then you'll see A different side of me I'm not crazy, I'm just a little impaired I know right now you don't care But soon enough you're gonna think of me And how I used to be I been talking in my sleep Pretty soon they'll come to get me Yeah, they're taking me away I'm not crazy, I'm just a little unwell I know, right now you can't tell But stay awhile and maybe then you'll see A different side of me I'm not crazy I'm just a little impaired I know, right now you don't care But soon enough you're gonna think of me And how I used to be Hey, how I used to be How I used to be, yeah Well I'm just a little unwell How I used to be How I used to be

more

OK, so i have yet another musical rendition to my 'life theory'. No, i am not gay, i just see life in a musical and theatrical version that most people dont.

Artist: Staind Lyrics Song:
So Far Away Lyrics This is my life Its not what it was before All these feelings I’ve shared And these are my dreams That I’d never lived before Somebody shake me Cause I, I must be sleeping (chorus) Now that we're here, It's so far away All the struggle we thought was in vain All the mistakes, One life contained They all finally start to go away Now that we're here its so far away And I feel like I can face the day I can forgive and I’m not ashamed to be the person that I am today These are my words That I’ve never said before I think I’m doing ok And this is the smile That I’ve never shown before Somebody shake me Cause I, I must be sleeping (chorus) I'm so afraid of waking Please don't shake me Afraid of waking Please don't shake me (chorus)

sorry, you just have to get the music and listen for yourself. It is very powerful and can/will give a message that only you can desipher.

going skiing

Just wanted to thank Ben for correcting my post and being a good moderator of this kick ass blog site! I really thought it was goofy at first...but i have been drawn over to the 'Ben side'...lol. I have a bunch of diffrent blogs..but this one is actually meaningful. I admire Bens dedication and fortituide(sp).Good shit bro, i dig it! Me and Sarah both think you are insane though, trying to read that many books in a given time frame is just dumb...sorry. (and she is an english teacher)
ok, so on a diffrent subject...i am going skiing tommoro. I am going with my school (CSU), but i am taking my buddy matt with me. There is a no 'drinking' policy...but i think that will have to be altered drastically!!! I will take pictures and post them soon.
I dont know why, but tonight i have been very moved with the power of music and the feelings in which it can inspire. While reading Bens blog I have had two songs tugging at my 'soul strings'.
Oleander: (lyrics follow)

I can’t take this anymore and i’m almost pretty sure i’ve been here before i can’t take this any longer i won’t heal until i’m stronger strong enough to not be afraid of what anybody thinks of what anybody says about the way about the way i am so i’ll wait until the day when those feelings fade away then i’ll make my break i can’t take this any more and i’m almost pretty sure i’ve been here before i can’t take this any longer i won’t heal until i’m stronger strong enough to not be afraid so i leave it up to you yeah i leave it in your hands respect your wishes and your demands but if it was up to me honey we’d already be back at home and living out our dreams living out everbody and everything i’ve known never taught me how to stand up on my own had to learn it from the one who let me go now i walk alone, yeah i walk alone, yeah living blissfully i guess you had to step away to make me want to be a bigger man, a bigger man than that i need you by my side as i take it all in stride I put away, i put away my pride oh i leave it up to you yeah i leave it in your hands respect your wishes and your demands but if it was up to me honey we’d already be back at home and living out….everbody and everything i’ve known never taught me how to stand up on my own had to learn it from the one who let me go now i walk alone yeah I walk alone, yeah i walk alone i walk alone i walk alone i walk alone i walk, oh yeah

whata kick ass song!

guess ya have to hear it to appreciate it. this program is not cut-n-paste friendly either...sorry

I think i like this jam because it has so many diffrent avenues of meaning. Many people and many things have 'let us go' over the years....depending on how you look at life. It is all about interpretation and what we get out of it all...made me think of this site (and ben). also makes me think of my first really kisk ass car...my eclipse...and my new car, my 300z, and how ironic life ,me, and these cars are. Life is weird....fuck i DIG IT!

Anarchism is Here

Bush Sees No Need for Law to Approve Eavesdropping - New York Times

"The president added that if the effort to write a new law 'is likely to expose the nature of the program, I'll resist it.'"

I'm sorry, but as soon as this shit hit the fan, the nature of the program was exposed, you idiot. Your attepmts to justify this to the people of the United States clearly outlined it for the enemy and those whom you're really spying on, so forget it. We might as well draft some legislature and follow the fucking rules. There.

Does Osama not know we're spying on him just because there's no law that "exposes the nature of the program?"

There have been hints in the current chapter (Muscle) that George H.W. Bush's administration did a bit of industrial espionage, too. More on that later.

Ordinary Again

I don't know what to say today. I'm angry at a few people I work with, but that's nothing. I'm at home now.

I finished The Time Machine, but I think I read it so fast I can't tell what made the story so significant. The language wasn't really strong enough to make an impression, but that's probably due to the age of the writing. The copy I have was printed in 1980, but doesn't give a copyright to the text. It has to be from the 1940s or 1950s. Anyway, it's a creative story about time travel, but doesn't mention the possible consequences of changing the past or future via this method. I won't go into it either. Now to the movie.

Tell Justin I'm sorry for spilling his coffee and correcting his post.

I've come to a decision about a major part of my life, and I'm going to take the steps necessary to make those changes. Three of my machines are going into the garage, and the last one is coming off the network when we get more storage. Remember that stuff about simplification I mentioned earlier? This is a continuation.

Beth still says I should see a counselor.

I might could make do with a good friend.

Ben is a comedian!

As I was surfing the always-interesting blog of Ben's today, I got to the part about golfing and wanting to reward the ball for not sinking in the water.....I almost pissed myself laughing!!!! I had just taken a rather large drink of my coffee (a new hobby i recently took up) and when I read that caption promptly blew every 'good to the last drop' all over my keyboard and unsuspecting dog Ginger. Ben taught me a new vocabulary word a few years ago, personify, and he has always made me laugh with the extent to which he literally uses it on a daily basis.

Slight Change

I've changed my mind about the checkmark next to each book as I read this year. I have replaced this method with a simple line-through of the entry upon completion.

I feel really bad about not having finished a book yet this year (although I have finished three audiobooks so far) so tonight I picked up The Time Machine and expect to finish it before bed. I'm on schedule to finish Body of Secrets by Saturday. Not quite up to the month's five, but being done with this 613-page monster (I'm not reading the appendices or footnotes, which add another 100 pages) will be a feat. I actually started reading the book in the Spring of 2004.

In other news, there is none. I've driven nearly 500 miles since yesterday morning, and I listened to Bob Dole's book in its entirety just today. I did have my first therapy session of the year this afternoon, though, and I think it did some good. I still don't have a proper pair of shoes, and we did take a cart, but golfing today really brought my spirits up and helped me to relax. Listening to the breeze is a form of meditation in my opinion, and meditating helps the concentration level whilst swinging. I only lost four balls in the woods, including the one I skipped across a water hazard. I wanted to reward the ball for its courage and aqua-defiance, but I wasn't going to risk an alligator attack in order to do so.

The course today was very mushy and unkept. The tenant said the place was built in the 1930s, which is probably the last time someone did some major cleaning in the wooded areas. Filthy course. I'm sure my score would have been really bad, and not just because of my short game. At least three of the greens had some variant of leprosy. Other greens were pristine, but a few actually looked worse than the preceding sand trap. They putted as well, too.

All in all, though, I had fun today. I believe I'll have a chance to go several more times this year, especially during the summer. I would like to say I'll go, and maybe I just will.

Vietnam Kickoff

I've got something to share tonight. I'm at a part in my current book that I have wondered about for some time. I have been meaning to research the origin of the Vietnam conflict – I wanted to know how we got involved and what we wanted to get done over there. Part of my line of questions was answered this evening as I was reading. I don't care how long this gets or whether I violate copyrights; I want people to read this.

I might need to establish that Robert S. McNamara was the Secretary of Defense from 1961 to 1968, under Presidents Kennedy and Johnson.

Just before the U.S. got involved in the Vietnam bloodbath, we were spying on them, according to the book I'm reading. Apparently we had a destroyer (the USS Maddox) with a listening device on it in the Gulf of Tonkin that intercepted messages transmitted by the Vietnamese. They were chased away on August 2, 1964 by PT boats armed with torpedoes. They were fired upon at that time, but the Maddox was too fast for the chasers.

On August 4, “...an analyst at NSA received intercepts indicating that another attack on U.S. destroyers in the Gulf of Tonkin was imminent.” This message was sent to the Maddox. Later, there were “...reports of automatic weapons fire, torpedo attacks, and other hostile action” from three unidentified vessels. It was dark. “'Freak radar echoes,' McNamara was told, were misinterpreted by 'young fellows' manning the sonar, who are apt to say any noise is a torpedo.'” I could understand that. One sees what he wants to see, like Percival Lowell who “saw” canals on Mars and swore they were artificial, built by the inhabitants of the planet. His telescope was shitty. Back to the point: they thought they heard torpedoes. They really didn't. From page 299:

Nevertheless, regardless of the doubts raised by talk of 'radar ghosts' and 'nervousness,' in testimony before Congress McNamara spoke of 'unequivocal proof' of the new attack. That 'unequivocal proof' consisted of the highly secret NSA intercept reports sent to the Maddox on August 4 as a warning. Based largely on McNamara's claims of certainty, both houses of Congress passed the Tonkin Gulf Resolution, thus plunging the United States officially into the open-ended quagmire known as the Vietnam War.

But it turned out that that 'unequivocal proof' was the result of a major blunder by NSA, and the 'hard evidence' on which many people based their votes for the war never really existed. Years later Louis Tordella quietly admitted that the intercepts NSA used as the basis for its August 4 warning messages to the Maddox actually referred to the first attack, on August 2. There never were any intercepts indicating an impending second attack on August 4. The phony NSA warning led to McNamara's convincing testimony, which then led to the congressional vote authorizing the Vietnam War.

'What in effect happened,' said Ray S. Cline, who was CIA's deputy director for intelligence at the time, 'is that somebody from the Pentagon, I suppose it was McNamara, had taken over raw Sigint and [had] shown the President what they thought was evidence of a second attack on a [U.S.] naval vessel. And it was just what Johnson was looking for.' Cline added, 'Everybody was demanding the Sigint; they wanted it quick, they didn't want anybody to take any time to analyze it.' Finally , he said, 'I became very sure that that attack [on August 4] did not take place.'

According to this text, this is how and why we got involved in Vietnam. Does it sound vaguely familiar to anything related to the current situation and how we got there? After reading what they tried to get on in Cuba (mentioned in this post), I'm starting to believe that at any given time, at least one person in the President's cabinet is a crook, and the rest are full of shit.

It looks like every war is started by hatred. A hatred of some culture or belief brews in someone with power until that person finds a good reason to act upon it, even if they have to make shit up.

I take that back. Some wars have been sparked on greed. In that case, more garbage is made up and we all (soldiers, I mean, not politicians or their kids) go to fight for something, whatever it happens to be.

Sorry, I don't know where I was going with that. More from pages 299-300:

“A quarter of a century earlier, confusion in Washington over Sigint warning messages resulted in calm at Pearl Harbor when there should have been action. Now, confusion over Sigint warning messages in Washington led to action in the Gulf of Tonkin when there should have been calm. In both cases a long, difficult pass was successfully intercepted, only for the players in Washington to fumble a few feet from the goal line.

I'm only going off what this book says. Feel free to comment if you know more or can provide some context. This book is fairly narrow-minded since it only covers every event from the NSA perspective. The politics and history behind the Vietnam conflict are not discussed.

All is Well

I survived the training yesterday. I didn't leave any questions unanswered. All went well, and I found training to be a bit easier than I originally thought it would be. I don't have a very loud voice, so I will always hate large rooms, but yesterday, my first time, was thankfully in a small room with just a few people.

After I got all the old ladies logged into the workstations and into GroupWise (it actually took 45 minutes) class got started and I just flipped through the manual and told them all about what they can do with GroupWise 6.5 and how to do it. If you really want to know my opinion about the program, you can shove GroupWise right up your ass. I'll take Outlook/Exchange over Novell's mail system any day. I'm probably just being stubborn.

Reminiscing

Remember when...

...President Bush said he trusted the people more than the government to do what is right?

...a president was impeached for being a little sloppy and not making someone wear a bib?

...the Chicago Cubs were in the World Series? Yeah, me either.

...Texas was were it should have been? Part of Mexico.

...people supported the troops by making sacrifices because they knew that war affected all of us? When did a car magnet made in China begin to mean that you were patriotic?

...you could look for porn on Google and not worry about the feds coming after you?

...Ben's forehead was smaller?

...I talked about being fat, it was with a "pH?"

...The Greatest American Hero kept us safe?

Be Gentle, Please

I'm surprised that I am not nervous. It's my first time teaching a class today, and it happens to be on GroupWise 6.5, a program I'm comfortable with. It is also in front of only ten people at once, and so far my equipment is working. I do have to perform twice, like two church services, to get everyone covered.

I'll be here all day. Wish me luck!

Okay, Okay. I Get It.

I took this today. The guy parked right next to me.

For years I had the same sort of opinion. Then I joined the Army, got the hell out of small-town South Georgia and met very interesting people, some of whom changed my entire perspective on life and the world. Scott was the first.

I think I met Scott just a few days after I was assigned to 1/68 Armor at Fort Carson, CO in August 1998. He was crawling out from under a HMMWV (Humvee) and seemed to be working hard. He always did. Scott inspired me to always do the right thing and to do my best at most everything.

Then there was Dave, who not by many accounts inspired people, always gave me a positive outlook on my career. He was one of the biggest reasons I had looked so hard into Warrant Officer Candidate School. He was also a huge proponent of going to college.

I learned from Jeff that no matter how bad your life gets, you can always find something to enjoy. He loved Big Head Todd and the Monsters, and running.

Mike taught me that my tolerance for alcohol was all in my head.

Justin never lost his temper (around me, anyway). He always seemed to have control over his emotions, if it wasn't the beer. Justin showed me that not only can I think about things to build, I can build the things I think about. I owe him so much.

Beth still teaches me every day how to be patient, how to be myself, and how to love. She's also going to let me teach myself woodworking next month! Every day grows more and more doubt in my heart that I could ever live without her.

Had I not joined the Army with the intent of getting my life started, my life probably wouldn't have gotten started. I think that getting out a bit was good for me. Not that "go for a ride and come home later" kind of out, but that "several years in other states" kind of adventure. I'd very much like to get out more often, and meet so many new people who inadvertently shape my life. If I don't, I'll just end up on my front porch chewing tobacco and screaming "go home!!" to those damn yankees.

Whatever.

So I failed at one resolution - so what? I haven't blogged every day this year anymore, and I'm not sorry.

Truth is, I made a conscious effort to stay away from my computers over the weekend, watch some television (well, not really television - movies on DVD and Showtime), and generally get a grip on my life. It was good. I ate steak, chicken, and bratwurst from the grill, spent time with my parents, and got to know my wife again for a little bit. I'm going to try that more often.

Nevertheless, I'm still going to devote time here; I'm just not going to make it imperative that I blog every day. That would be silly. I will still try to read those 5+ books per month^*. I owe it to Beth to read all those I bought.

I do think I'll get a Mac after I find out just how compatible it will be with some Windows-based software. I don't want to have to live without my Streets & Trips 2006. I hate paper maps anymore.

And I still want a motorcycle. I may have decided on the Suzuki SV1000. We're still buying a house first.

Speaking of buying a house, we're likely going to buy in the next two months. Wish us luck.

^*I'm going for the average. I know I won't finish five books in January.

More to Read

I believe I've finished listing the 2006 reading cue on the sidebar. Today I added the paperbacks I've built up or saved, and it looks like I'm really in for it. I just counted and there are around 63 books on for this year. That's rough - over 5 books a month. I'd better get to it. Whenever I finish a book, there will appear a checkmark beside the title in the list.

Given what Justin had to say about my attitude, I think some good time reading could really help me relax. I always liked getting hooked on a story and understanding the characters in it. They're much better than television. Books can be much more vivid and in-depth than anything on the telly, but anything that could help me get away from myself is welcome.

We watched Wedding Crashers last night. While it was pretty funny, I probably won't watch it again. Anyone care to borrow it?

Ben's an idiot, but so am I

ok, so you have all gotten to listen to Ben rant on and on about his life, now lets talk shop about a really messed up dude who is living the good life. (not Bill Gates) Me. I have lived a life that some view as wreckless and other see as devine. The one true variable is that it is always fun! Ben and I have had many good times together, and traveled many of the same roads (ironically), the main diffrence is in perception. This may explain why we are such good friends and even why we are posting blogs on this site together. At the same time, however, we are so very diffrent in character. Ben is one of the most interesting people/persons i have ever met in my entire life...and that is saying ALOT! I come from a line of bi-polar/MPD blood and to think i am immune would be ludicrice. Thusfar I have been accepted in society as a good person with excentric values...I can deal with that. The truth of the matter is that i am a crazy man parading around in life as a stereotypical white male with a long goatee, unusually high tollorance to alcahole and opinions about life that actually make sense, but scare people too much to be viewed as reality at this point. Thats ok, I know how Mozart felt. (no, shut up, i am not comparing myself to a freak who was only later recognized because of his anticks!)
I will not ramble on about the everyday observations that create obsticles or adventures as so seen in this thread, rather i will make a point. My friend Ben and I come from a very unique blend of German blood that is both inspiring and detromental.
Blogs for Ben, Beer for me, that makes a nice headline. It does not take a scientist long to fiqure out that we are both manic in several versions of the word. Most artist's are. We are special because we have learned to deal with life and most of the speed bumps in strange and diffrent ways that have masked our symptoms for many many years! You could say that we...evolved.
I am a man who has accepted what life has, and will, throw my way.....everyday. It is all about proportioning. Poker has taught me the best lessons ever when it comes to dealing with life. Sometimes you get a great hand but you need to keep a straight face and take it in stride, and other times you just gotta bluff your way through it.....but with the same face. It all works out the same in the end.
YOU....MAKE YOUR OWN HAPPINESS! Good or bad, nobody else is at the controls...only you.
Like i said, it is all about perception. take a few moments sometime and ask yourself the age old question.....for real......what would i do if i were in his/her shoes?!

Dear Anika,

Thank you for your hour this morning. I don't get many of those dedicated times with you anymore. I enjoyed playing in my office chair and dancing with you to John Mayer songs instead of reading the news. I am so proud of you for growing so fast, but please don't get in too much of a hurry. I love you and I hate that I haven't spent more time with you. I cherish the moments when you laugh and play, and especially the times when you learn something new. You'll be walking soon and learning so much more, and there will then be no stopping you from doing anything you want (within reason). I'd love for you to be a doctor, an astronaut, or a scientist, but it will be okay if you are a store clerk, too. As long as you are my daughter and I can love you, it will all be just fine.

Please Pray for War

The prayer cards I mentioned last night are as follows:

Sunday: Pray for safety of soldiers and their families
Monday: Pray for confusion in the minds of the enemy and disharmony among their leaders
Tuesday: Pray for malfunction of enemy weapons
Wednesday: Pray for identities of insurgent forces to be revealed and brought to justice
Thursday: Pray for democratic government process to be successful
Friday: Pray for peace of Iraq
Saturday: Pray for the increase of faith of Iraqi Christians that they will stand up to procalim the Gospel of Jesus, even to the point of martyrdom

Seems a bit useless to pray for the success or failure of either side, given my global view. This looks to be a "Pray for us, not them. They're not God's people." Is that the message?

Are we not all human? Is this not just a civil war, fought on Earth? A globe only has one side.

Praying for Specifics

I saw a stack of cards today. They were business-card-style cards and there were seven of them, one for each day of the week. They had the conservative, all-american theme and they were prayer cards. These cards reminded the holder to pray for certain things to help the war effort. While I found it ridiculous, the owner probably did not. She also had a bobble-head figure of the "Govenator," spelled just that way, too.

In other news, I'm not reading much lately, so I don't have anything to say. Steve Jobs finally unveiled the Intel-based iMac, so I might just get one this year. Maybe two. It's about $2K for the MacBook Pro and roughly $1300 for the iMac. They're expected to ship in February.

Actually, you can order one now. Oh, and Scott - this might be a good time to get a good price on the PowerBook G4.

Better, But Only a Bit.

I still feel a bit under-the-weather, but I'm keeping up this blog resolution, even if it kills me. I'm also going to drive another hundred miles or so tomorrow to do my job.

Dinner was the only meal yesterday, and it looks as if lunch is the only meal of today. I don't feel like eating a whole lot. This wouldn't be so bad if I'd resolved to lose weight this year. Instead I'm hungry but don't find food attractive.

Just thought of something: Is this Pat Robertson's answer to me calling him a fucker? I'm really screwed now!

On a more serious note: I just passed up my annual opportunity to renew my student membership with the IEEE. I feel really bad, but I just don't get anything from it. I never did. Had I kept my focus on engineering in school, I might actually be more interested in a club of engineers. This sucks. I was really looking forward to collaborating with more people like me.

Oh, well. I can always join later.

Still Crappy

I did eat dinner tonight, but I couldn't finish it. I was starting to get really full and remembered in Band of Brothers when the soldiers had to stop feeding the people they found in the concentration camp so they wouldn't eat themselves to death.

I've still got a headache, and I paid a dollar for two Tylenol caplets.

Goodnight.

Popeyes is No Longer on the List

Right after I took the first bite of the first of my highly-esteemed Popeye's spicy chicken strips, I tried to fart and nearly shit myself.

Tonight has not been a fun night.

I held out as long as I could, but five miles short of my destination this evening I yarked all over the side of the road. Now I'm visiting the toilet every five minutes. My stomach is in knots. If I wasn't 200 miles away from home, I'd call in sick tomorrow.

I feel like poo.

...And My Back Hurts, Too.

I've decided that I'm never going to be exactly happy. The very fact that happiness cannot be defined is one of the reasons I'm unhappy. If there was such a distinction, I would just match it and find joy.

I have never been content with anything. I am never pleased with my current state of anything. I don't live in the right house. I don't have the car I want. I never like my job for more than two months. I haven't worked for anyone I actually like for two years.

Marriage isn't what I thought it would be. Fatherhood is the same, but more fun. My formal education lacks six more years. I hated Colorado when I was there, and now I despise Georgia. I never have enough money to do what I need to do.

My mind is always in a bind (I'm not trying to rhyme; Now is not the time). My eyes tire quickly when reading, and there is never enough time for that. Too many subjects interest me and I can't get to them all. Whenever I try to simplify and drop the unimportant, I end up collecting it again and slowing down.

I can't let go of the past. I was always happier where I was than where I went after. I'm missing the Army lately, but I keep telling myself that it wasn't fun and I don't need to go back. I need to go forward to nice new things. Things that are in line with me and what I want.

I guess the Army got me comfortable with the "institution." I enjoy being on a military base or large college campus. Even high schools look interesting and alive. I love to walk around Beth's campus and imagine myself there, surrounded by people like me (well, maybe not at ABAC, but you know what I mean.) I loved college. Mainly because I didn't have to work, but every day I went to that campus I talked to someone who was interested in the same things I was. Either that person learned something from me or I from that person. I was usually the recipient of the knowledge, and I was fascinated by some of the people I met there.

Having said all that, I think I just miss school. I miss learning and talking to people who don't treat me like a geek and never listen (hence the number of comments submitted to this blog). Maybe when I move farther south to that town with the bigger college, I'll just go and sit if I can't attend. I loved visiting the Georgia State University campus.

I don't have a cool ending for this one. I'm a geek, remember?

Paying twice for Network Access

Okay, so let me get this straight:

I pay for Internet Access. That is, I give money to a company for access to their network, through which I get all my online content.

I also pay for premium services on the Internet (i.e. Audible). I pay for the content that Audible.com provides.

Now the telephone company (BellSouth) wants to charge Audible for the data flowing over BellSouth's network from Audible? What the hell is that for?

It costs a network administrator no more time to administer his network whether e-mail is flowing over it, or video from Google.

I will cancel my telephone service with BellSouth shortly due to their being assholes.

Pat Robertson is a Fucker

Pat Robertson: Sharon's stroke is God's wrath - U.S. Life - MSNBC.com

And Pat's stroke will be my wrath.

Scott mentioned this article yesterday.

Isn't it all God's land, anyway? So why is it so hard to buy a fucking house now? Shouldn't God have given it to me?

Does my neighbor have to mow my lawn, because dividing God's land is not in Pat Robertson's agenda? In that case, Pat needs to climb aboard his private jet, land in Tifton, knock on my neighbor's door, and demand that he manicure my landscaping. Or Pat could do it himself while I go shopping in New York, courtesy of that private jet provided by God, or God's followers. Or just Pat's followers.

Remember in August when he called for the assassination of the Venezuelan president? How is this guy not in the asylum yet?

Oh, that's right. He's rich.

Whatever. As long as Pat drinks the Kool-Aid first.

Failure

If you actually place that word in Google's search box, you get this, and this is why.

You can help this kind of thing by placing a link like this one and mentioning the words

George W. Bush is a failure.

The actual failure I wish to mention:

I switched yesterday to burning my backup copy of a movie to DVD+R at a lower speed than I burned it to the DVD-R. The burn failed, and it may just be the backup files anyway. I'll try again later.

Business Cards

It's a good thing I live on the East Coast. If I'd waited this late in Colorado to blog, it'd be January 6 already.

I finally made a business card and printed it at home. These printer-friendly business cards have come a long way since 1995. I remember printing my first ones on a dot-matrix printer, and then putting one card on the refrigerator. I think I was marketing myself as some sort of jack-of-all-trades.

But now Avery is kickin' out a really professional product, albeit expensive. I paid just over $18 for 20 sheets of 10 cards, but the cards break away very cleanly and the stock is a very, very bright white. I'm using Avery #8871, by the way.

Now for the website. benrehberg.com isn't exactly ready for business. Neither is techpickle.org. There are, however, some pictures up in anikajade.com's photo album, but even parts of that are broken. All in good time.