NASCAR Wrecks

Well, Junior didn't do as well as expected at Texas today. His car stuck well at the beginning of a run, and then faded badly. He ended up a lap down in twelfth, and still fourth in the points standings.

Maybe y'all heard about Micheal McDowell's spectacular crash in qualifying. He hit the wall a ton, then flipped at least ten times through turn one. He walked away. The "Car of Tomorrow" may be responsible for his life - the Safer Barriers on the walls certainly played a part.



Diandra at Stock Car Science has an excellent article up about the crash, and the history of the advancement of safer cars and tracks in NASCAR. I highly recommend reading the whole thing, as they say. Of course, I'm a NASCAR geek, so what do I know. One of the things she said really stuck with me:

You know what happened next, because even if you don’t follow NASCAR, McDowell’s crash made just about every newscast. From our vantage point, which was only about 60 yards away, we watched him hit the SAFER barrier hard in turn 1, roll over on the roof, spin a couple times, then barrel roll down turn 2. The crowd quieted and all you could hear was the stomach-crunching sound of sheet metal hitting pavement. My heart stopped. The car finally came to a stop at the bottom of the track. We couldn’t see anything but some flames and a plume of smoke.Watching the car as it tumbled down the 24-degree banking, it was hard to reconcile everything I know about the safety designed into the cars and the track with what I was seeing. It wasn’t until we heard a cheer rise from the crowd that we knew he was OK.

A man standing nearby said, "I like watching this on TV, but I don’t like seeing it in person." He looked down at his young son. "It makes it too real." Even with all the emphasis NASCAR has placed on safety in recent years, everyone knows that all it takes is for a car to hit at precisely the wrong angle, or for a fifty-cent bolt to fail and the result could be catastrophic.

It always pisses me off when people who don't "get" NASCAR say something along the lines of "It's just a bunch of rednecks going in a circle, with watching rednecks waiting for a crash." It is true that the wrecks are part and parcel of the entertainment value - but for me there is a tension that this is a dangerous sport where people get killed, and the hope that no one gets hurt. Yeah, it's fun to watch the application of "the chrome horn" at a short track to bump someone out of the way, and the paybacks and endless recriminations. The soap opera aspect is part of the entertainment. But to say fans watch hoping for blood, well, that's just ignorant.

I didn't watch NASCAR for much of my life because it just wasn't available. The only coverage on network television was The Wide World of Sports showing a delayed broadcast of the Daytona 500. It wasn't until ESPN became a market force and started covering races live that the nation had the opportunity to watch NASCAR races other than in person. Since I live where was nothing but the Big Three networks, and no cable, I was SOL. It wasn't until satellite television became somewhat affordable that The Poor Farm got ESPN. It was a ground mounted fixed dish that pointed at G5 only, and ESPN was one of the channels it carried. It was put up and most of the major cable channels were placed on it just for this reason. I ended up getting a bigger dish that tracked across the sky, and finally dropped it when so many channels were disappearing from C-Band. Nowadays, it's DirecTv.

But, that is getting away from my point. NASCAR races were fun to watch, there were bad guys and good guys, and you had to follow fairly religiously to keep track of who was what this week. There were teams with money that ran well, and underdogs who just scraped by, trying to make a living. One of these was J.D. McDuffie. Another was Dave Marcis. They were Davids fighting the Goliaths of the day. Well, one day J.D.'s luck ran out.



1991. Budweiser at the Glen. It's the road course at Watkins Glen New York. J.D. was most likely killed instantly. The owners of the track put a chicane before the turn to slow the cars down, put in gravel traps, and better energy absorbing barriers. Benny Parsons was pretty eloquent in explaining why the race and their coverage had to continue.

I knew intellectually that this sort of thing was possible in racing, but it just didn't hit home until I'd actually seen it happen. Of course Dale Earnhardt Sr.'s death spurred further safety developments - the Safer Barrier and the Car of Tomorrow are children of his tragic death.

Just know that when these people "strap on the car," they can die, and they know it. Us fans know it too.

Warriors - In Their Own Words

From the welcome page:

We have always had warriors, from as far back in history as one can go — warriors are timeless.

Warriors have a moral code and are not simply trained killers (as they are all too frequently portrayed).

If we did not have warriors, we would undoubtedly be speaking another language, German, Japanese, Chinese, or Russian.

Warriors are born, they are not created. Certainly they are trained, but to be a warrior is a calling.

We should be forever grateful to our warriors and to their families who are all so courageous.

We should honor our warriors. Warriors are NOT, as they are commonly portrayed, hapless idiots with nowhere else to go but the military.

This project will show people what intelligent, honorable, and brave people we have standing in the way of the free world’s demise.

Go here to watch the short film. If you don't get a lump in your throat, I don't know what's the matter with you.

Ten Years

Dad strikes a thoughtful pose at his wedding, before the Surgeon General's warnings


April 5 and the NASCAR visits to Texas Motor Speedway mark a memorable milestone for me.

I’ve mentioned before about how my friend the sports news editor and I had pit and media center access at the track, and how we enjoyed the races. The race in 1998 was no different. We attended and had a fine time.

My father had Parkinsons, which he let run for some time before he finally sought treatment. Arguing with him about it did no good. He bitterly regretted it later, so much that I got tired of hearing about it – and I finally snapped back at him once that he should have seen a doctor about it much sooner. His tremors wouldn’t have been as bad. Anyways, as I headed out the door, I hugged him goodbye with his admonishments to be careful echoing in my head. He was preparing to go fishing at a small pond stocked with trout at the local community college.

We had a love/hate relationship, my father and I. I really don’t want to get into that much now, but it’s enough to know I lived in fear of my father when I was young – but I knew he loved me and normally I was treated fairly well. As we both aged, I gained a measure of hard earned respect from him, and we were more equal in our relationship. It wasn’t easy.

Dad’s health had deteriorated as a side effect from Parkinsons. He wouldn’t quit smoking. He hid the cigarettes from me, but the butts dumped at our distant mailbox were a testament to his habit. He refused to do any exercising (something I inherited for sure) and he was quite incapable of getting up off the floor or ground if he fell. I saw him fall backwards through our front door one day. He had a grip on the door jamb and the knob of the screen door. Panicking, he was trying to pull himself up with arm strength he didn’t have. When I saw him, he started begging me for help. I asked him to think for a second – could he have pulled himself up from that position forty years ago, when he was in good shape? Was he strong enough then? Not likely. I made him sit on his butt and roll around so he could use his legs to get up. I guess I didn’t understand and don’t now – I’m weak and unable to do much, but I have the sense to realize I can’t levitate myself up the way he was trying.

So, I started to make him lie on his back on the floor, and get up. I made him do his exercises. He looked like crap, too. What we didn’t know was that he had pneumonia in one of his lungs. He fell trying to climb in his tractor, and was under the tractor for several hours. He lost his mind and was quite incapable of getting up. At first, the doctors concentrated on the pain he had in his side – he had his gall bladder removed. It wasn’t until later they figured out he had pneumonia – he just wasn’t improving. His right lung was nearly collapsed because the lung sac was full of infection, and taking up a lot of space. It was too thick to draw out with a syringe, so they spread some ribs and dug it out.

After the hospital let him out, he had to live in a nursing home for about a month for rehabilitation. This more than anything spurred him to take better care of himself. The lady continually crying for help down the hall, the one that would come into his room and start going through his clothing, and the loss of freedom seemed to drive home the need to just go ahead and do his exercises. His color was better, and he was in far better shape. He retired from farming, and sold his main tractor. He’d already sold his secondary tractor a few years earlier.

So, it was with some confidence that my father was going to be alright that allowed me to leave for my bit of vacation. We had a good time – that was the year they gave me garage access. One of my work buddies was down there, and my editor friend wasn’t going to make it Saturday, so we used his pass to get my coworker in during the Busch race. A good time was had by all. We didn’t try to get out of the track Sunday for some time because he had to file his stories. When we finally started leaving, the traffic was so bad we spent several hours getting free of it and getting home.

When we got home, the babysitter was acting strange – she did not want to talk to me. She and Todd went to another room, and Todd came back telling me I needed to call one of my neighbors. This was around midnight or later. I was to call no matter the time. My worst fears seemed to be coalescing around me.

I called her – she’s been a very sweet lady to our family for years. She told me my dad had been found dead in his chair. One of my friends, who was now Dad’s tenant farmer, dropped by to see him Sunday morning and found him there, looking like he was asleep in his chair. Unsettled, he called another neighbor (who now does the farming) and they both determined he had passed away. The ambulance came out and hauled him to the mortuary. I had to call my sister – she had been trying without any luck to get me all day. She had me paged at the track – but there was no way I could have heard it. Back then, my cell phone didn’t have follow me roam (remember that?) I could call out, but no one could call me. I had to call other relatives as well. I finally tried to get some sleep, but was largely unsuccessful.

I can remember driving home listening to a live tape of Fleetwood Mac. One song had Stevie Nicks dedicating “this one’s for you, Daddy.” Every time that one rolled around, I’d end up bawling. I couldn’t put it up. I got to the funeral home that evening. I was informed that Dad was in no shape to be viewed – they recommended that my last memory of him be more positive. The casket needed to be sealed as well – for the obvious reason. My cousin, a nurse, was the only family member available when it came time to do an autopsy, so she decided not to. It was assumed Dad had died from a heart attack in his sleep, and passed away quietly. They thought he had died either that Thursday or Friday. So, the fifth was decided to be the day.

One of my neighbors thought Dad had looked terrible in the days before he passed, and since I saw him every day I would tend to miss it. I still don’t agree – he was going fishing, and had been getting out and about. I’d heard it said that Dad’s big fear was dying alone at home. That’s pretty much how it happened, but I also know he knew I loved him. I’d told him that before. He also preferred to die at home, not in a hospital or rest home. Like most farmers, he’d have preferred to die on his tractor, working until the last second, but that option is rarely available to them.

I miss him, but I’m also glad he went without pain or a bunch of drama. He didn’t mind being the center of attention, but it had to be in a positive manner. He still speaks to me – in certain situations, I hear in my head what he would say were he beside me. It is a comfort at times.

Warp Drive Anniversary

April 5, 2063. Mankind's First Contact and the introduction of Warp Drive occur on this date. Zefram Cochrane is the inventor and "captain" of the first warp capable ship. His first contact with the Vulcans launching from Bozeman Montana, make interstellar history and influence Mankind's history from this day forward. In the centuries that follow, school children are required to memorize this important date in history, and the launch site becomes a shrine visited by many - a statue of Cochrane is one of the attractions.

Just so you know.

Last Season of BSG

I have to admit - I pretty well blew off Battlestar Galactica when the colonists moved to New Caprica. So, knowing that the show will be gone was a bit of a spur to get caught up during the Sci Fi Channel's marathon. I didn't know about the Final Five, nor about the identities of four of them. They didn't know that they were Cylons, until they started hearing snippets of "All Along the Watchtower." Plus, it's a kick ass cover, as far as I'm concerned.



So, as I write this, my butt is planted in front of the teevee watching the first episode of the last season. Lots of action so far, and lookin' good!

Response from a Legislator

I said I was going to contact my state representative and senator about the Greensburg Gun Confiscations. I have received a response from one of them - Senator Tim Huelskamp of Fowler, KS.

Dear Jeff,


Thank you for the e-mail. I wanted you to know that I led the Senate effort
to pass this legislation yesterday afternoon - and we were successful. By a
30-2 vote, we passed the bill to the Governor!


Sincerely,
Tim

He did not address my main request - which was an investigation into the illegal confiscations and evacuation. I expect this is as good as it's going to get. I got this email yesterday and have not heard from Melvin Neufeld, Ingalls KS, my state representative. I would not be surprised if I didn't hear from him, because HB2811 has passed the House. To be fair, he is the Speaker, and he is busy with the coal powered generating plant issue.

Now, it has to get past our hoplophobic Governor, Kathleen Sebelius - she of the Legislative override on concealed carry. Right now, she seems more focused on securing a job in Obama's possible presidency than governing Kansas. Except of course her concerns about CO2 production by coal powered power plants in Western Kansas. But, that is another issue for a different day.

Greensburg Gun Confiscations

We've all heard about the illegal gun confiscations in New Orleans. Apparently this happened in Greensburg, KS in the aftermath of the tornado. Greensburg is about sixty miles from where I live, so this hits home pretty hard. This is an excerpt from an update from Patricia Stoneking, who is reporting about HB2811 - a proposed law to prevent gun confiscations during a time of emergency. Source

Well, the hearing was an enlightening day. Jordan and I were able to spend a couple hours with a gentleman from Greensburg before the hearing and I was shocked by what we were told. As far as the hearing itself, it looks like out of the 17 committee members we have 12 in favor and 5 against but that is based soley on the 12 saying they will "probably" support the bill and they are "A" rated by NRA. We have not gotten the vote results yet. After we were done they had another bill to hold hearing on and they did not work the bill or vote at that time. They will probably work it and vote next week. I'll keep you posted on that.

As far as Greensburg, here is the shocking truth. I will simply state the facts. First of all, understand that it is not lawful to carry out a mandatory evacuation unless martial law has been declared. Martial law was NOT declared and folks in the town were told they had to leave and some were forced to leave at gun point because they didn't want to leave. The tornado happened at 9:46pm and they were forced to leave within a couple hours of it, being given no time to collect themselves or assess the damages or even try to pick up anything such as guns and valuables to take with them. Ed Klummp, Police Chiefs Association, testified against the bill and said the evacuations were so they could search for bodies and shut off gas and power. This town was locked down tight for 4 days and no one was allowed in or out. The only people in that town those 4 days were Sheriffs Officers, Kansas Highway Patrol Officers, ATF, FEMA, National Guard, Police Officers from surrounding areas and some volunteers from Ft. Riley. They claim no one else was there or could have gotten in and out. Many guns and other valuables such as jewelry have gone permanently missing and have never been recovered. There were some houses that were not destroyed and were in tact at one end of town. Those folks did not want to leave but were forced to leave. When they returned they found their front doors kicked in and all of their guns and jewelry missing. Guns and ammo that were collected were taken to a trailer (18 wheeler size) and an ATF agent manned the trailer. When people first came to collect their guns they had to fill out a 4473 and get a nics approval before they could claim their guns. No one had paperwork, receipts, or lists of serial numbers because it had all blown away. Later into the process they quit demanding these items. Apparantly many guns were claimed by not the rightful owner. One man had 75 guns that did not belong to him, which he was busted for trying to sell. In one of the houses they busted into they found 5 full auto guns, C-4 explosive, grenades and a rocket launcher. This gentleman claimed to be ex military and kept them from that time. He was not charged as it was determined to be an illegal search and seizure. The people in Greensburg are a close, tight knit community, everyone knows everyone kind of place. They were very resentful of government coming in and telling them what they had to do. They would have preferred to stay and help each other locate valuables and guns and not leave their property. In one case, in the collection trailer, a gun box was claimed by one man who had a very nice gun in it and when he opened the undamaged and closed box, not a mark on the box, he found an old rusted gun that was not his. Supposedly, 2 police officers from Wichita who were part of the task force during the 4 day evacuation were fired because they were found to have stolen guns and trying to sell them. The comment made to us was that none of the really nice guns were found. The main source of this information was a gentleman from Greensburg who is an FFL and has a gun shop outside of town and he is also a gunsmith. He sold a good portion of those guns to people in Greensburg and also has been working to repair many of their guns in the aftermath. When he went to claim his guns, from his home, not his shop as the shop was in tact, and they did not break in the shop and take anything, he said the ATF agent basically told him to take anything he wanted. There was no collection list and guns were NOT cataloged for location of discovery or anything like that.

Now just a quicky of what my opinion is. The folks in that town had their constitutional rights violated from the get go. I am appalled at what happened there and can tell you I would never leave my property under those circumstances. I guess those over zealous government agents would have to shoot me which was a close case almost scenario in Greensburg but the citizens gave in. I would not give in. The people in that town who were already traumatized by the tornado were further traumatized by government officials. If there were no civilians and no looters then where are all the missing guns. Funny how all the missing guns are the nicest, most expensive guns. Also funny how there was no media coverage of any of this and it was kept very hush, hush but then we all know the media and what cxxp they espouse to.

As this bill moves through the process the entire population of KS needs to raise it's voice in the loudest manner to see to it the bill gets passed. Once it passes out of the House committee it will go to the Senate committee. People need to educate themselves on what their rights are in times of disaster. The folks in Greensburg thought they didn't have a choice about leaving because that's what they were told and that was a lie.

PEOPLE NEED TO GET INVOLVED!!! Yes, I just shouted that. I was shocked by the fact that only 3 people turned out to attend the hearing to support our side, other than those of us who testified. The NRA sent an alert out to its members in KS, I sent an alert out to my 2000 member database urging them to come in support and 3 people show up. There is power in numbers. When a hearing room is full of proponents, legislators take notice.

I was terribly angered by what I found out Thursday and feel very bad for the people of Greensburg. It literally made me sick to hear all this and wish I had been told when it was happening. There had been a few rumors but the rumors were vague with no actual evidence or proof and were not first hand detailed accounts. The people of Greensburg will never be the same. Emergency Powers Legislation has been passed in 22 other states and is actively going through the process of being enacted in several other states. The NRA has made it a priority to see to it that it gets passed in all 50 states. We need to support the NRA in this effort.

If this doesn't give us all a wake up call, I don't know what will.
__________________

Patricia A. Stoneking
Target Master Shooting Academy, LLC
NRA Certified Training Counselor
Law Enforcement Certified Tactical Firearms Instructor
Northeast Quadrant Director, Board of Directors, Kansas State Rifle Association
Legislative Liaison, Board of Directors, Tri-County Rod and Gun Club
P. O. Box 117
Bonner Springs, KS 66012
(913) 667-3044
PAStoneking@kc.rr.com
www.targetmasteracademy.com

I'm contacting my State Senator and Representative on this issue tuit suit. Not only should the bill pass, there should be an investigation into why this occurred in the first place. I'm sure it's far more handy to evacuate everyone so it's easier on law enforcement, but the last I checked, we were not put on this earth for their convenience in ordering around. They are supposed to protect and serve us - they are public servants.

I wrote about my experience delivering some fuel trailers to Greensburg during the time the town was closed. I can tell you there was one gentleman who was not happy with "the feds" and how he and his bulk fuel business were treated. The last thing a victim of disaster needs is to be subject to the whims of overreaching bureaucrats.

Thanks to Xavier for the story.

If Only It Were True

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Would that this were true and translated into the real world. Oh well....

H/T Jed

Fifteen Years Ago Today

Fifteen years ago today, April 1, 1993, Alan Dennis Kulwicki, the 1992 NASCAR Winston Cup Champion, was killed in a light plane crash. He was in one of his sponsor's (Hooters) planes on a publicity trip before a race at Bristol. He also represented the last of an era - the owner driver. Yes, there have been owner drivers in NASCAR since his death, but none of them have won the Cup. His cup victory over Bill Elliot was one of the closest points race ever, and his victory wasn't decided until the end of the Atlanta race.

Alan was the first Cup champion with a college degree. He was the first champion from a Northern state. The Polish Victory Lap is a tradition he started. He would take the checkered flag and drive around the track backwards, in a humorous poke at his Polish heritage. Rusty Wallace insured the Polish Victory Lap wouldn't be forgotten when he won the Bristol race following Kulwicki's death, and ran one in memoriam for his friend. For the remainder of the season, when Rusty or Dale Earnhardt won a race, they ran a Polish Victory Lap for Alan. The entire field had stickers of Kulwicki's #7 on their cars. After Davey Allison's death on July 13, 1993 in a helicopter crash, all the teams had a #28 displayed as well. At the final race of the season, race winner Rusty Wallace and series champion Dale Earnhardt carried flags in memory of Kulwicki and Allison in a Polish Victory Lap.



Now Earnhardt is gone, and Rusty is retired to the broadcast booth. Sometimes, being a NASCAR fan is bittersweet.

MAD Fold Ins

I grew up on MAD magazine. I never subscribed, but a trip to the store usually meant stopping by the comics display to see if the new issue had arrived. Somewhere, I have a load of the paperback books.

The New York Times has an interactive display showing some of the old Jaffee fold-ins. By clicking on the right edge and dragging to the left with the mouse, you can relive those halcyon days. Of course, it is art nowadays.

H/T SondraK

Jealousy

I gotta say, I'm pretty jealous today. MoK of Six Degrees of Blondness is at Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville VA. The weather is cold, but oh well. I've only been to Texas Motor Speedway in the Ft. Worth area - but it was a sweet deal. One of my buds was the sports editor for one of the local papers, and I went along with him at first so I could help him cover the action. He became a fan, and probably was more knowledgeable after a couple years. One year, I actually got garage access. The rest of the time, I had pit lane and media center access, which meant I watched the races from pit lane, and ate my meals at the media center.

I got to meet quite a few Nascar personalities as well. Some memories are bittersweet - Adam Petty was a nice, polite kid who was extremely personable. Kenny Irwin, Jr. was very soft spoken and a pleasure to be around when we interviewed him. Of course, I really never even got close to Dale Sr. - even my buddy never got a chance to interview him. Chocolate Meyers and Richard Childress were accessible, though. But, I saw Dale up close several times. We interviewed Jeff Burton. Wow, what a class act. We hung out with Dave Marcis and his team one year. Benny Parsons and Ned Jarrett were also very great spokesmen for the sport - a pleasure to be around.

The media center is placed between the now Nationwide and now Sprint garages. So, the Claim Jumpers (once Busch Whackers) had to hustle across the road from one garage to another when one practice was over and another began. Yes, Micheal Waltrip is tall. He stood out like a sore thumb. I've got a picture of he and John Andretti, Jr. talking in the garage area - what a contrast. Dick Trickle was pretty concerned about getting a butt sucked down while he had a moment. He used to smoke in the cars, until the in car cameras caught him doing it during cautions and the powers that be decided that wasn't good publicity.

I was there the year that excessive rain caused "weepers" in the track, and drivers were wrecking when they hit the wet spots during qualifying runs. Pit security more or less broke down, and there were fans on pit road getting autographs, and drivers and crews (and me) sitting on the pit wall. I stood up on the wall to get a better picture and sitting down discovered Todd Bodine's car owner was next to me and Todd was beside him. During Busch practice, I sat with Tony Stewart's team spotting babes for them to watch as they walked by. Good times.

Texas has only recently gotten away from one groove racing. Whoever dominated the race at first generally didn't win, because track position was critical. A poor pit stop or some other normal incident would take the initial leaders out. But, I wouldn't trade it for the world. It is true you see the race far better sitting at home watching it on television, but the sights, sounds and smells are an experience I highly recommend. Qualifying is fun to watch, because you hear the single car the whole trip around the track. It's easy to tell when the driver lifts, feathers or hammers on it. Green flag starts are also very cool. There is a deep bass rumbling as all the cars work around the track, and the noise gradually builds as they enter turn four. It just keeps building slightly until the green flag drops, then the place explodes with honking, unmuffled American V8 power overcomes the senses. The smell of the fuel - like the old premium of days past, permeates the air, mingled with the smell of hot rubber from the tires. During the race, forget hearing anything unless you have some pretty good headphones on.

Texas is a cool place to be, but it isn't as distinctive as some. It is kinda reviled as a "cookie cutter" track because it is "D" shaped and 1.5 miles long, just like plenty of other tracks. There are no two exactly the same, but the races are a lot alike because the cars are set up very close to the same at each one. Martinsville is unique. It's shaped like a paper clip - long straights hooked to fairly "tight" corners. Drivers are on the gas very hard coming out of a corner, and on the brakes very hard going in. It's also considered to be more or less a "flat track" because it doesn't have steep banking (like Bristol). Stock Car Science has a far better explanation of racing at Martinsville (and racing in general - she explains the physics, mechanics and of course, the "science" far better than I). Brakes, and right side tires are critical here. Forty three cars makes for one big traffic jam all day. Combine lots of cars with mechanical failures likely, plus tempers flaring, uncomfortable racing conditions, and not much grip - well, it gets interesting.

That is why I'm really jealous. I'm jealous of anyone going to any Nascar race, but this one? Really jealous. Maureen - you have yourself a time there. It will be a lifetime experience, particularly since this is your first race in person. Enjoy!

UPDATE: It turns out Mo is going to the second race there this year. I'm still jealous, though. That hasn't changed.

UPDATE 2: I should learn to read - it's Richmond she will be attending. Oh well, it's another great short track that I'd give a left - well, maybe not.

Hazards of Cialis

Another health service I'm happy to provide. Beware.

Oh, and surgery went fine. Home and sore, with two pretty useless appendages, instead of just one.

Another Meme

Created by OnePlusYou - Free Online Dating

Heh. I haven't had anything to eat since midnight and nothing but clear liquids (water) since then, and shut that off at seven am. My caffeine content has to be residual.

I'm going in for outpatient surgery for carpal tunnel on my right hand today. If everything goes well, after a month I'll be cleared to go back to work. It's about farging time.

Meme H/T Tam

Frustrated, and the Air is Blue

Today is another Woot-Off. Woot is a geek oriented site that generally sells one item per day, and when they run out, too bad. No backorders. They have quite the selection of goodies sure to warm the heart of any geek - IPods (and other media players) and accessories, computers, recordable media, bluetooth accessories, R/C toys, LCD and plasma televisions,vacuum cleaners (generally Roombas or Dysons), printers, and well, you get the idea. Woot offers new and refurbished goodies, too. A Woot-Off is when they put up a variety of items one at a time, and when one sells out, another is put on the block. These occur about once a month to six weeks. It's a good way for them to clear out low inventory items. You literally have to be Johnny On the Spot, refreshing the page to see what is new. They do put up a flashing light icon and an inventory bar to give you an idea of how much stock is left. There are people out there that stay up all night and day until Woot is out of inventory and the Woot-Off is over. Some call in sick at work to do this.

So, this came up:



Polaroid DVD Recorder with 160GB Hard Drive and ATSC Tuner

For $99.99. $5 shipping and handling. Oh, did I mention everything is $5 shipping and handling, even if you order one, two or three? Kinda nice if you buy a big heavy plasma screen. This one was a refurb, with a 90 day factory warranty. If you've shopped for one similar, you'll see why I was interested. This one is about half price or less compared to a new one. I saw it had the ATSC tuner, which is digital (or the new high definition signal), but I wanted to check if it had NTSC (the current analog signal) built in. I've got an older HD "monitor" tv without a digital tuner installed. So, if I want to watch the local HD channels, I have to buy a tuner. Having the recorder and hard drive was icing on the cake. Instead of hitting the "I want one" button, I scrolled down the read the description. Well, you can probably see how this story is going.

It was sold out when I hit the confirm button after reviewing my card info, and entering in my security numbers. Turns out they had eleven units. Sales averaged one per 4.601 seconds. By the time I had read the description, I was SOL. I wasn't gonna drop a bill on something I wasn't sure had what I wanted. This is pretty typical of my experiences with a Woot-Off. Oh well, I'm not gonna go nuts - apparently the eleven who bought this item didn't waste any time seeing what they were getting.

Aaaarrrrggghhhhh!!!!!

Blog Cuss-O-Meter

Created by OnePlusYou - Free Online Dating

Which is a laugh if you're around me in meatspace. Plus considering the next post, even by myself the air was blue.

H/T Tam

I'm Screwed

Beer bellies may double the risk of dementia

Bad news for those with bulging bellies: fat that builds up around the waist during middle age may cause dementia decades later, say researchers who examined the health records of thousands of senior citizens.

Scientists already know that overweight adults risk developing diabetes, heart problems and other medical conditions. But over the last few years researchers have noticed that obesity in middle age is linked with cognitive problems in the aged.

Now it seems that overall body mass is not so important – it's the fat around the belly that appears to cause the problems.

Epidemiologist Rachel Whitmer and colleagues looked at the medical records of 6583 adults registered with the healthcare firm she works for – Kaiser Permanente of Oakland, California.

During the 1960s and 1970s, records were taken of the diameters of the adults' bellies, which gave Whitmer a rough idea of how much fat they were carrying around the waist.

Welp, it's just one thing after another. Technically, mine isn't a beer belly. It's more of a mashed tater with gravy and ice cream belly. But, as the article says, it's the excess fat around the belly that does ya in.

I was going to do something, but I forgot what it was. Hhrrmm.

H/T Ace of Spades

Parable of the Donut

I get religious chain emails all the time - if I love Jesus, I should forward this true story to at least 3742 people. If I don't, I'll surely burn in hell, particularly if I have the bad taste to actually delete the dern thing. What really irks me is when these stories are presented as true and factual, when they are no such thing. I got into a bit of a testy email exchange with one of my email buddies that sends this sort of thing regularly because I returned the story with proof that is was false. She said it didn't make any difference, the point was in the story. I maintain that trying to further your cause with lies, and pressure people to forward this lie under threat of hell is all kinds of wrong. Yes, the Bible uses parables, but it is clear these are stories with no rigidly identified characters, not Bessie the waitress at the I-70 truck stop in Outer Mongolia who received all the goodwill gifts from truckers. There is a difference, at least to me.

So, I get an inspirational email today. Except it really is more of a parable, and I found it somewhat inspiring:

There was a certain Professor of Religion named Dr. Christianson, a studious man who taught at a small college in the western United States .

Dr. Christianson taught the required survey course in Christianity at this particular institution. Every student was required to take this course his freshman year, regardless of his or her major.

Although Dr. Christianson tried hard to communicate the essence of the gospel in his class, he found that most of his students looked upon the course as nothing but required drudgery.

Despite his best efforts, most students refused to take Christianity seriously.

This year, Dr. Christianson had a special student named Steve. Steve was only a freshman, but was studying with the intent of going on to seminary for the ministry. Steve was popular, he was well liked, and he was an imposing physical specimen. He was now the starting center on the school football team, and was the best student in the professor's class.

One day, Dr. Christianson asked Steve to stay after class so he could talk with him. 'How many push-ups can you do?'

Steve said, 'I do about 200 every night.' '200?

That's pretty good, Steve, ' Dr. Christianson said. 'Do you think you could do 300?'

Steve replied, 'I don't know.... I've never done 300 at a time.'

'Do you think you could?' again asked Dr. Christianson.

'Well, I can try,' said Steve.

'Can you do 300 in sets of 10? I have a class project in mind and I need you to do about 300 push-ups in sets of ten for this to work. Can you do it? I need you to tell me you can do it,' said the professor.
Steve said, 'Well... I think I can...yeah, I can do it.'

Dr. Christianson said, 'Good! I need you to do this on Friday. Let me explain what I have in mind.'

Friday came and Steve got to class early and sat in the front of the room. When class started, the professor pulled out a big box of donuts. No, these weren't the normal kinds of donuts, they were the extra fancy BIG kind, with cream centers and frosting swirls. Everyone was pretty excited it was Friday, the last class of the day, and they were going to get an early start on the weekend with a party in Dr. Christianson's class.

Dr. Christianson went to the first girl in the first row and asked, 'Cynthia, do you want to have one of these donuts?'

Cynthia said, 'Yes.'

Dr. Christianson then turned to Steve and asked, 'Steve, would you do ten push-ups so that Cynthia can have a donut?'

'Sure!' Steve jumped down from his desk to do a quick ten. Then Steve again sat in his desk. Dr. Christianson put a donut on Cynthia's desk.

Dr. Christianson then went to Joe, the next person, and asked, 'Joe, do you want a donut?'

Joe said, 'Yes.'

Dr. Christianson asked, 'Steve would you do ten push-ups so Joe can have a donut?'

Steve did ten push-ups, Joe got a donut. And so it went, down the first aisle, Steve did ten push-ups for every person before they got their donut.


Walking down the second aisle, Dr. Christianson came to Scott. Scott was on the basketball team, and in as good condition as Steve. He was very popular and never lacking for female companionship.

When the professor asked, 'Scott do you want a donut?'

Scott's reply was, 'Well, can I do my own push-ups?'

Dr. Christianson said, 'No, Steve has to do them.'

Then Scott said, 'Well, I don't want one then."

Dr. Christianson shrugged and then turned to Steve and asked, 'Steve, would you do ten push-ups so Scott can have a donut he doesn't want?'

With perfect obedience Steve started to do ten push-ups.

Scott said, 'HEY! I said I didn't want one!'

Dr. Christianson said, 'Look!, this is my classroom, my class, my desks, and these are my donuts. Just leave it on the desk if you don't want it.' And he put a donut on Scott's desk.

Now by this time, Steve had begun to slow down a little. He just stayed on the floor between sets because it took too much effort to be getting up and down. You could start to see a little perspiration coming out around his brow.

Dr. Christianson started down the third row. Now the students were beginning to get a little angry.

Dr. Christianson asked Jenny, 'Jenny, do you want a donut?'

Sternly, Jenny said, 'No.'

Then Dr. Christianson asked Steve, 'Steve, would you do ten more push-ups so Jenny can have a donut that she doesn't want?'

Steve did ten....Jenny got a donut.

By now, a growing sense of uneasiness filled the room. The students were beginning to say, 'No!' and there were all these uneaten donuts on the desks.

Steve also had to really put forth a lot of extra effort to get these push-ups done for each donut. There began to be a small pool of sweat on the floor beneath his face, his arms and brow were beginning to get red because of the physical effort involved.

Dr. Christianson asked Robert, who was the most vocal unbeliever in the class, to watch Steve do each push up to make sure he did the full ten push-ups in a set because he couldn't bear to watch all of Steve's work for all of those uneaten donuts. He sent Robert over to where Steve was so Robert could count the set and watch Steve closely.

Dr. Christianson started down the fourth row. During his class, however, some students from other classes had wandered in and sat down on the steps along the radiators that ran down the sides of the room. When the professor realized this, he did a quick count and saw that now there were 34 students in the room. He started to worry if Steve would be able to make it.

Dr. Christianson went on to the next person and the next and the next. Near the end of that row, Steve was really having a rough time. He was taking a lot more time to complete each set.

Steve asked Dr. Christianson, 'Do I have to make my nose touch on each one?'

Dr. Christianson thought for a moment, 'Well, they're your pushups. You are in charge now. You can do them any way that you want.' And Dr. Christianson went on.

A few moments later, Jason, a recent transfer student, came to the room and was about to come in when all the students yelled in one voice, 'NO! Don't come in! Stay out!' Jason didn't know what was going on.

Steve picked up his head and said, 'No, let him come.'

Professor Christianson said, 'You realize that if Jason comes in you will have to do ten push-ups for him?'

Steve said, 'Yes, let him come in. Give him a donut.'

Dr. Christianson said, 'Okay, Steve, I'll let you get Jason's out of the way right now. Jason, do you want a donut?'

Jason, new to the room, hardly knew what was going on. 'Yes,' he said, 'give me a donut.' 'Steve, will you do ten push-ups so that Jason can have a
donut?'

Steve did ten push-ups very slowly and with great effort. Jason, bewildered, was handed a donut and sat down.

Dr. Christianson finished the fourth row, and then started on those visitors seated by the heaters.

Steve's arms were now shaking with each push-up in a struggle to lift himself against the force of gravity. By this time sweat was profusely dropping off of his face, there was no sound except his heavy breathing; there was not a dry eye in the room.

The very last two students in the room were two young women, both cheerleaders, and very popular.

Dr. Christianson went to Linda, the second to last, and asked, 'Linda, do you want a donut?'

Linda said, very sadly, 'No, thank you.'

Professor Christianson quietly asked, 'Steve, would you do ten push-ups so that Linda can have a donut she doesn't want?'

Grunting from the effort, Steve did ten very slow push-ups for Linda.

Then Dr. Christianson turned to the last girl, Susan. 'Susan, do you want a donut?'

Susan, with tears flowing down her face, began to cry. 'Dr. Christianson, why can't I help him?'

Dr. Christianson, with tears of his own, said, 'No, Steve has to do it alone; I have given him this task and he is in charge of seeing that everyone has an opportunity for a donut whether they want it or not. When I decided to have a party this last day of class, I looked at my grade book. Steve here is the only student with a perfect grade. Everyone else has failed a test, skipped class, or offered me inferior work. Steve told me that in football practice, when a player messes up he must do push-ups. I told Steve that none of you could come to my party unless he paid the price by doing your push ups. He and I made a deal for your sakes.'

'Steve, would you do ten push-ups so Susan can have a donut?'

As Steve very slowly finished his last push-up, with the understanding that he had accomplished all that was required of him, having done 350 push-ups, his arms buckled beneath him and he fell to the floor.

Dr. Christianson turned to the room and said, 'And so it was, that our Savior, Jesus Christ, on the cross, plead to the Father, 'Into thy hands I commend my spirit.' With the understanding that He had done everything that was required of Him, He yielded up His life. And like some of those in this room, many of us leave the gift on the desk, uneaten.'

Two students helped Steve up off the floor and to a seat, physically exhausted, but wearing a thin smile.

'Well done, good and faithful servant,' said the professor, adding, 'Not all sermons are preached in words.'

Turning to his class, the professor said, 'My wish is that you might understand and fully comprehend all the riches of grace and mercy that have been given to you through the sacrifice of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He spared not His only Begotten Son, but gave Him up for us all, for the whole Church, now and forever. Whether or not we choose to accept His gift to us, the price has been paid.'

'Wouldn't you be foolish and ungrateful to leave it lying on the desk?'

Dr. Christianson? Christian.....son? Yeah, I'd say this is a story that isn't pretending to be true, and it is more of a parable. Call me picky.

Oh, and let us not forget:

Share this with someone. It's bound to touch their heart and demonstrate Salvation in a very special way.

Okay, I can deal with that. I'm not gonna go to hell if I delete this one. But, I like it, so I am sharing it. So there.

Easter

Have a joyous Easter, everyone.

Spelling Test

Your Spelling is Perfect

You got 10/10 correct. Your spelling is excellent. You also have a great memory and eye for detail.

How's Your Spelling?

Heh. I was the Gray County Spelling Bee Champion in sixth and eighth grades, back when Moby Dick was a minnow.

H/T Wyatt

New Scam

I get some interesting emails. I don't seem to get much in the way of 419 Nigerian scams these days - oh, just damn. Steve H. blogged about his adventures leading these leaches on his blog, and ended up writing a book about it - The Good, The Spam, and the Ugly.

But I don't remember anything quite like this:

Ms.Dorothy Rifferty drthnr312@zebren.com

MY ADORABLE YORKIE FOR ADOPTION

CALVARY GREETINGS,

MY NAME IS MS. DOROTHY RIFFERTY. I AND MY HUSBAND ARE ON A CHRISTAIN MISSION TO AFRICA AND I CAME ALONG WITH MY PUPPY(YORKIE). AFTER A WHILE I NOTICED THAT THE AFRICAN WEATHER IS NOT GOOD FOR THE PUPPY AND I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO TAKE GOOD CARE OF HER THE WAY I ALWAYS DO BECAUSE OF MY JOB. I NEED SOMEONE TO ADOPT HER INSTEAD OF GIVING HER OUT TO ONE WHO CANNOT,I NEED ONE WHO CAN TAKE CARE OF HER THE WAY I ALWAYS DO. IF YOU CAN TAKE CARE OF HER DO SEND A REPLY AND I WILL EMAIL YOU HER PICTURES.
I HOPE TO READ FROM YOU.

REGARDS,
MS. DOROTHY RIFFERTY.

Geez, ya think maybe some funds might be required to send the little darling over here to the states? Perhaps access to my account? Rrreeeeealllyyyy?

Rock and Roll Cowboys with Six String Guns

This blows Tusk clean out of the water. This is a performance by the Leningrad Cowboys with the Soviet Red Army Choir at the 1994 MTV Music Awards. A cover of Sweet Home Alabama. In English. Back when The Evil Empire was recent history. We will bury you indeed.

Totally ripped off from McGehee.

Today's Cheap SeatShot

Raiding the ol' email inbox today...

John Adams

I've just seen the first two parts of the seven part miniseries John Adams on HBO. Starring Paul Giamatti as John Adams, Laura Linney as Abigail Adams, David Morse (one of my favorite character actors) as George Washington, and Tom Wilkinson (he played General Cornwallis in The Patriot). The production drips with authenticity, or enough to snow me under. The language, clothing and sets all appear spot on. I found myself drawn into the dialog and action. So much of the action appears almost incidentally, as if the characters really didn't expect it, nor do we.

I grew up worshiping on the altars of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Ben Franklin. Little of my history lessons told of the machinations of John Adams. It is a pleasure to actually learn something in an entertaining milieu. Seeing how the Continental Congress drug it's heels incessantly before finally being pushed into decisions rings true today. And it is John Adams pulling the strings. Jefferson is presented as an idealist - eschewing speeches for the purity of the written word, where his sentiments can be more exact. Washington is the honorable soldier, who feels it is his duty to lead, not his desire. Franklin has his smart aleck moments - when he tells Adams that Washington is the tallest man of the lot, so he would be bound to lead something. Abigail Adams is shown to be the wisdom and strength behind her husband. There is a touching scene where Washington takes some letters from her for her husband, since the mails are less than reliable.

I'm no historian. I have no idea how accurate all of this is. It is based on the biography John Adams by David McCullough. He based much of the book on the extensive letters written by John and Abigail. At any rate, HBO has me hooked. I'll be watching the next five episodes come hell or high water.

Bert Brady Person of the Week

Just wow. Sometimes heroes come in unexpected packages.

Twilight Zone Moments

PTG at the Plains Feeder has an interesting post up about a chance encounter with Buddy Holly. The main problem is that it occurred in 1966, decidedly after The Day The Music Died. After we've lived a certain amount of years, we get the idea that maybe, just maybe, we've seen it all. Until something unsettling like this happens.

I've never had any kind of supernatural experience. I think in order to perceive some of these occurrences, one's psyche must be somewhat in tune with other worlds, as it were. I think I've got all the psychic ability of a lump of coal, perhaps less.

It is no secret that I live on a farm. Western Kansas, windswept prairie, lonesome and desolate. Four miles from here is some virgin pasture that still holds the impressions of tepee circles. A mile from here a spring used to run, before irrigation killed the water table. I dug up a rusty old barrel of a gun in our garden as a kid - it was too far gone to tell what it was. The Santa Fe Trail is about four to five miles south of here.

As a child, the banshees in Darby O'Gill and the Little People certainly struck a chord with me. It was very easy to imagine the wind that was howling in the blackness of a thunderstorm in the middle of the night held the howl of a banshee or three. The chair that I'm writing in now held my father as he took his last breaths.

I'd think this location would be rich in psychic energy. Hell, even Coronado came through here. His "treasure" is supposedly buried in this area, despite the history that he never actually found any gold.

One of my friend's father died when he was a teenager. He says he saw his father in reflections in glass quite a bit after his death, and he was pretty unsettled about it. He felt his father was benevolent - just worried about his family after he had to "leave" far earlier than he wanted to.

As for shows like Ghost Hunters, well, I tend to be a Doubting Thomas. Too many people believe that We Couldn't Say It On TV If It Weren't True. Yeah, and there is no such thing as special effects - The Exorcist is all true, but on the other hand, the moon landings were faked, because that couldn't be true. Trick photography doncha know.

Let's just say I doubt that an hour long series can find enough material every week that is truly psychic in nature. Let's not forget that Houdini challenged all the prominent psychics of his day to reproduce their experiences in controlled situations. They failed. Even today, The Amazing Randi offers the same challenge, and he's never had to cough up a million bucks for definitive proof.

Does this mean I don't believe PTG or my buddy? Not at all - my considered opinion, for what it's worth, is that these sort of things can and do happen, and far from any sort of measuring instrument capable of trustworthy readings. Last night, about three a.m., a thunderstorm with fairly heavy hail woke me up. The wind was blowing and the nearly marble sized stones were rattling the windows and beating on the air conditioner. I wouldn't have been surprised to see a banshee or two twisting in the wind, howling at my soul.

This will be my St. Patrick's Day post - bringing up the subject of banshees. I've now done my Irish duty.

Prairie Dogs

Steve H. has been writing about his growing collection of guns, and what to do with them. He decided that prairie dogs were too cute to hunt.

They are cute, I'll give him that. This, more than anything, is the reason so many environmentalists are trying to "defend" the black tailed rodents. If they were ugly, mean little bastards with no redeeming characteristics, they wouldn't have the defenders in their corner.

The traditional arguments against them are mostly based on their destruction of their habitat. Ranchers claim the holes cause broken legs in livestock. The environmentalists claim this is all anecdotal. Personally, I've never seen it happen, but I sure could see a galloping horse or a spooked herd of cattle end up with broken legs from stepping in a hole. Generally, the prairie dogs have their holes in the middle of a mound of excavated dirt. However, they also have holes that are more hidden, without the mound. I've stumbled into those - and I was watching where I walked. Another argument that I support is that they destroy the natural cover and ruin cropland. Colonies usually are stripped pretty bare, which opens the ground for water and wind erosion. They also destroy crops - many bare acres taken out of production (but still are subject to property taxes - heh) do not endear the little rats to farmers. They are also a vector for diseases, such as plague, tularemia, Lyme disease, erlichia and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Rattlesnakes also live in the holes, preying on the 'dogs.



It should be no surprise that I just don't care for rattlesnakes. I used to have permission to hunt in a pasture that was infested, and my buddy The Young Doctor and I discovered a mating pair. We killed them, and removed our hearing protection - we hadn't heard any rattling. It seems good hearing protection masks the sounds of a buzzing rattler, because not only did we hear the dying rattles of the two we shot, but we hear another one close by. It was in a 'dog hole. We shot it, too. It was protecting a nest of baby snakes, which we also shot up. I don't care how this sounds - I'll go out of my way to kill a rattler. Don't waste time telling me I just need to understand them, or realize their position in the food chain, or whatever. Bullsnakes fulfill the same function, and they aren't poisonous. The old man who owned the ground decided he didn't want anyone else hunting his pasture. He's saving it for hunting with his grandchildren. Dog towns that have been hunted become more difficult to hunt, because for all their faults, they realize what sort of range a lot of rifles have, and hide when we appear. Most of the time I have to make shots over a hundred yards. He liked hunting with his .22, which doesn't have the range necessary for shooting at the 'dogs when they are used to hunters.

There has been controversy about whether or not prairie dogs should be considered a threatened species in Kansas. This issue doesn't exactly resonate well with landowners - who amazingly enough, don't care for outsiders telling them they cannot control a pest problem on their own ground. Most of the enviros arguments consist of dismissing landowner's arguments as specious - such as the broken legs on livestock, or that the little devils aren't that destructive. Wide eyed idealism just doesn't cut it for me. Several years ago, the city of Hutchinson, KS had a prairie dog problem where they wanted to use some ground for a couple ballparks. They decided to poison, but the public outcry made them reconsider. Some rescue types volunteered to relocate the 'dogs. The rescuers ran the critters out of their holes with soapy water, captured them, and relocated to Quivera National Wildlife refuge, where most of them were promptly eaten by predators. I still get the warm fuzzies when I think of this incident.

I really don't get many opportunities to hunt these creatures, because in this area, they are generally controlled by poisoning. The towns that do exist are generally on ground owned by people considered nuts by the rest of the population. The rest of us get rid of them as quickly as possible. I used to have a neighbor across the "valley" from me who had almost a half section of infested ground. He passed away, and the people who have the ground now seem to want it to produce, so the 'dogs are being poisoned. When I used to hunt the ground, he had it set up in adjoining strips of summer fallow and planted wheat ground. I could be almost a half mile in on one of his plots before I realized I was driving on planted ground. The rest of the wheat crop was utterly destroyed. Instead of wheat or grass growing, there would be plenty of fireweeds, if that. No grass or any sort of ground cover. Fireweeds are our term for several varieties of plants, mostly what y'all would call tumbleweeds when they are dead and uprooted in the fall winds.

They really might be cute, seemingly hugging and exhibiting highly developed social structures. However, recent studies have shown what goes on underground isn't exactly Walt Disney material. Given that prairie dogs spend more than half their lives underground, it is perhaps
not surprising that one researcher studied them for seven years before making a remarkable discovery: prairie dogs, cute as they may be, are stone-cold killers. Mother prairie dogs regularly practice infanticide and cannibalism in the privacy of their burrows. And contrary to many other species, they are not killing nonrelatives in hopes of ensuring the survival of those closest to them genetically, but are killing and consuming very close relatives: nieces, nephews and siblings. They are rodents, after all - what do we expect?

There are several methods of poisoning - which is the only effective way to eliminate them. Shooting them just thins them down a bit, and within a month or so, they're back. The best way (I've found, anyways) is to poison the hole in some fashion, and cover the hole. The usual method is a smoke bomb - the gas released is poison - and cover the hole. Any other holes that show smoke are then covered. Phostoxin pellets are also used - toss a few down a hole and cover it up. The pellets are highly toxic and best handled with rubber gloves, plus they are expensive. I prefer the smoke bombs. Some put out strychnine laced grain, but that wipes out any other animals that happen along and eat the grain. Dad and I dealt with an infestation in our pasture when I was still in high school. We'd wait until after a rain, so we could see any recent activity at the mounds. If the 'dogs had cleaned out a hole, we knew it was active and poisoning it would be effective. As I recall, I was in college when Dad finally eliminated the town. It was a several year process.

Even the game wardens I've talked to over the years are in favor of keeping control over the towns. Most of them are very ardent wildlife protectionists - they enforce the game laws with a passion. The wardens just can't generate much passion regarding protecting prairie dogs. They've seen the damage done, and they're sympathies lie with the landowners.

As far as I'm concerned, cuteness isn't a valid reason for allowing a pest to destroy my ground. Mice are cute, too, but I'm not going to let them ruin my house.

Another Update

Yesterday I had the delayed outpatient surgery I spoke of earlier. The procedure:

Left cubital tunnel release at elbow

Left endoscopic carpal tunnel release

So, I had carpal tunnel on the left wrist, and pressure on the ulnar nerve in my left elbow relieved. My arm is pretty well swathed in Ace wrap and Coban. I have to watch how I bend my arm, and placing any pressure on the palm kinda shocks me.

However, maybe this is just in my mind, but I think I can feel a difference in my two nearly dead fingers on my left hand. The little finger has a bad case of adduction, so it can't be opened or closed completely. However, now I can close it much further than before. It has to be stretched to open completely. I had been squeezing a foam ball and gaining strength before this procedure, and that seems to have helped a bunch. The two fingers just seem to have more control. I can't test the strength yet because it flexes the entry wound too much. But, it sure seems to be coming along. Typing has become far easier over time, and it sure seems better now than before.

It will be ten days before my follow up appointment, and the instructions were to not change the dressings, and don't let them get wet. Naturally, my hand and arm are coated with that yellow surgical crap that just about has to wear off. I've got news for them - I'm not gonna let those dressings go for ten days without at least peeking.

So, I see an end to this. I still have kidney stones that have to be tended to, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel for this particular ordeal. Thank you, God.

Public Service Announcement

Prostate Cancer is serious news for men. As we get older, regular checkups are in order. There apparently are some preventative measures one can take to reduce the chances of contracting this killer.



I give y'all this because I care.

Random Thought

You may realize your cat is totally spoiled when he begs for a handout when you are trimming your fingernails.

That is all.

Local News

Dang - I had to read about this at Ace of Spades. I'm sure it will be on the local news tonight:

Sheriff: Woman Sat on Toilet for 2 Years

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) - Deputies say a woman in western Kansas became stuck on her boyfriend's toilet after sitting on it for two years.

Ness County Sheriff Bryan Whipple said it appeared the 35-year-old Ness City woman's skin had grown around the seat. She initially refused emergency medical services but was finally convinced by responders and her boyfriend that she needed to be checked out at a hospital.

"We pried the toilet seat off with a pry bar and the seat went with her to the hospital," Whipple said. "The hospital removed it."

Whipple said investigators planned to present their report Wednesday to the county attorney, who will determine whether any charges should be filed against the woman's 36-year-old boyfriend.

"She was not glued. She was not tied. She was just physically stuck by her body," Whipple said. "It is hard to imagine. ... I still have a hard time imagining it myself."

He told investigators he brought his girlfriend food and water, and asked her every day to come out of the bathroom.

"And her reply would be, `Maybe tomorrow,'" Whipple said. "According to him, she did not want to leave the bathroom."

The boyfriend called police on Feb. 27 to report that "there was something wrong with his girlfriend," Whipple said, adding that he never explained why it took him two years to call.

More at the link....

Ness City is less than sixty miles from where I live - I've known a few people from there over the years. I assumed this woman was overly obese at first, but nothing in the article says she was. Generally, my state is known more for Fred Phelps than anything else - and you can believe I cringe when I hear about him or his brood in the news.

At any rate, this woman obviously has mental issues. What didn't help her was her enabling boyfriend. The eight or nine hundred pound behemoths we read about couldn't exist without someone helping them be that way, bringing food to them and hauling bodily waste and fluids away. This guy was spared that much, but it is still a team effort to successfully produce this level of self destruction. There are supposedly no secrets in a small town, but in this case, not so much.

Johnny and Jack

The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson put a lot of us to sleep over the years, and was always a welcome "guest" at my family's house. This clip is from 1968 with Jack Webb of Dragnet fame. Webb was famous for his expressionless delivery, and here he shows his comedic talents using his dry monotone. Both he and Carson perform admirably, not flubbing an obvious tongue twister.

This surely qualifies as a viral video - I've gotten it several times in my email inbox over the past couple years. Perhaps y'all have seen it plenty of times before now, but it still tickles my funny bone. This also represents a type of humor that isn't used much anymore - no cursing or sexual content. A lot of this type humor had plenty of double entendres, but the slow progression and buildup seems to be sacrificed for the quick laugh these days. Anyways, enjoy.

H/T Nunkle Kim

Email Netiquette

If there is one thing that sets my teeth on edge, it's cluttered emails. Nothing makes my day more than opening five .eml attachments to find if I forward this chain email, Bill Gates will pay me five bucks for each person I send this to. I know I'm preaching to the choir here, because most of you who regularly read me are far more 'net savvy than I. But, I'm gonna rant anyways.

First, when you (and I say this to those who forward emails just like they get them) forward an email without cleaning it up, you increase the data for no good reason. Some of the emails I open end up being a third as large when I finally get to the part that I'm supposed to read. This means you are cluttering up servers, using extra space and burning extra energy. Plus, if you aren't on a big pipe, downloading the email takes longer. I do realize that webmail displays a lot of this convoluted crap inline, so it may appear far different than what an email program sees. No excuse -clean the damn things up before sending it to me.
Then, when you forward all those email addresses, plus send "To:" rather than blind carbon copy, you are sending out valid email addresses to the rest of the world. This means spammers who might get hold of this will have that many more legitimate addys. Plus, while this isn't the problem it used to be - some viruses not only picked up addresses from the address book of an email program, but from emails as well.
Thanks to you, propagation of viruses and spam emails just got a boost.

Then there are the chain emails. Jesus H. Christ - if an email begs you to forward it - it is a chain email! Jeebus on a pogo stick, some people have been online for ten years or more and still can't figure this one out. "This virus is the most destructive ever, news just released on CNN and McAfee today." Really? Why the f**k isn't on their sites? "It destroys the zero sector of the hard drive, where all the important information is kept." Oh? So the other data isn't important? Zero sector? Been greasing your muffler bearings as well, lately? Then there are the "help little Tiffany who has cancer by forwarding this email, we have an email tracker" line of BS. Email tracker? Fly to the moon by flapping your arms much? Then there are the religious variety - "If you love Jesus, forward this to ten people. If you love the Devil, go ahead and delete this email." I really doubt that on my Judgment Day, I'm going to be called to task for not forwarding ridiculous emails. I'd rather demonstrate my love for Jesus by doing something a bit more useful to the world than just forwarding a stupid email. Just a thought - how many emails would you have to forward to get into heaven? Just asking.

So, I like to return the more idiotic ones with a link to Snopes or whoever debunks the BS that is being spread. I really like it when the sender has sent it openly to about fifty seven people, because I hit "Reply All" so everyone gets to see how I think they are ignorant. I've gotten the "Obama is a Muslim" one about three times, and I have refined my answer somewhat. Here is the last version I got:

Pleasae take note: I have stated before that "SNOPES" can and DOES lie....if you click on the link in here, you will immediately KNOW because he(obama) IS A RADICAL MUSLIM, he WAS SWORN IN ON THE QURAN, and other things SNOPES says is false....(is chavez bankrolling him???) SATAN IS ALIVE AND WELL IN SNOPES, OBAMA, OPRAH, AND OTHERS......


I have felt for sometime now that Obama is the one person that 'Frightens Me'. I believe the Bible has warned us that 'A man will come from the East that will be charismatic in nature and have proposed solutions for all our problems and his rhetoric will attract will many supporters!'

When will our pathetic Nation quit turning their back on God and understand that this man is 'A Muslim'....First, Last and always....and we are AT WAR with the Muslim Nation, whether our bleeding-heart, secular, Liberal friends believe it or not. This man fits every description from the Bible of the 'Anti-Christ'!

I'm just glad to know that there are others that are frightened by this man!

Semper Fidelis, Chuck

'Saepius Exertus, Semper Fidelis, Frater Infinitas' 'Often Tested, Always Faithful, Brothers Forever' - United States Marines -

Who is Barack Obama?

Very interesting and something that should be considered in your choice.

If you do not ever forward anything else, please forward this to all your contacts...this is very scary to think of what lies ahead of us here in our own United States...better heed this and pray about it and share it. http://www.snopes..com/politics/obama/obama.asp confirms this is factual. Check for yourself.

Who is Barack Obama?

Probable U. S. presidential candidate, Barack Hussein Obama was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, to Barack Hussein Obama, Sr., a black MUSLIM from Nyangoma-Kogel, Kenya and Ann Dunham, a white ATHEIST from Wichita , Kansas.

Obama's parents met at the University of Hawaii.

When Obama was two years old, his parents divorced. His father returned to Kenya. His mother then married Lolo Soetoro, a RADICAL Muslim from Indonesia.

When Obama was 6 years old, the family relocate to Indonesia. Obama attended a MUSLIM school in Jakarta. He also spent two years in a Catholic school.

Obama takes great care to conceal the fact that he is a Muslim.. He is quick to point out that, 'He was once a Muslim, but that he also attended Catholic school.'

Obama's political handlers are attempting to make it appear that he is not a radical.

Obama's introduction to Islam came via his father, and that this influence was temporary at best. In reality, the senior Obama returned to Kenya soon after the divorce, and never again had any direct influence over his son's education.

Lolo Soetoro, the second husband of Obama's mother, Ann Dunham, introduced his stepson to Islam. Obama was enrolled in a Wahabi school in Jakarta.

Wahabism is the RADICAL teaching that is followed by the Muslim terrorists who are now waging Jihad against the western world. Since it is politically expedient to be a CHRISTIAN when seeking major public office in the United States, Barack Hussein Obama has joined the United Church of Christ in an attempt to downplay his Muslim background. ALSO, keep in mind that when he was sworn into office he DID NOT use the Holy Bible, but instead the Koran.

Barack Hussein Obama will NOT recite the Pledge of Allegiance nor will he show any reverence for our flag. While others place their hands over their hearts, Obama turns his back to the flag and slouches. Do you want someone like this as your PRESIDENT?

Let us all remain alert concerning Obama's expected presidential candidacy.

The Muslims have said they plan on destroying the US from the inside out, what better way to start than at the highest level - through the President of the United States, one of their own!

Please forward to everyone you know. Would you want this man leading our country?...... NOT ME!!!

This is my current reply:

Not true. I'm no fan of his - I fear for our country if he is elected, but some of the charges simply are false. The leaders of the church he belongs to make Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton seem conservative as far as reparations, etc. are concerned. But, it is a Christian church. And while it is true that recently there was a politician in the news who refused to be sworn in with the Bible, and used the Koran, it wasn't Barack. It was Keith Ellison, D-Minn. Barack was sworn in with a Bible just like everyone else, claims that Snopes is lying notwithstanding. Snopes definitely has a liberal bias, but lying? Mmmmmkay. As far as his "refusing" to salute the flag - he was photographed once on a stage with other Democratic presidential aspirants, and he didn't have his hand over his heart. When questioned about it, he said he didn't feel that holding his hand over his heart made him a better patriot than anyone else. In other words, a lot of the people up there with him who did use their hand were hypocrites. He felt the same way about flag pins in his lapel. I kind of think he had a point. It's no different than Kerry's pictures dressed in blaze orange and holding a shotgun - that didn't make him a hunter. Barack was not slouching, either. For reference, I have included the widely shown picture of him "refusing" to salute. I question his patriotism over his political positions, not some nebulous claim that he is the Antichrist just because he didn't hold his hand over his heart.

Instead of being worked up over his supposed connections with Islam - which are tenuous at best, we should be more worried about his socialistic/communistic leanings in policy and practice. His policies are right out in the open and is something he campaigns about daily. Allowing the UN sovereignty over our laws, income redistribution on a huge scale, and reduction of armed forces everywhere should rattle our cages. The comments his wife has been making about being ashamed of our country also have me alarmed. Don't just take my word for it - do some research yourselves. Unless you really like having spurious email chain letters make your political decisions for you. If that is your preferred method of being informed, please don't bother to vote.

Jeffro

I keep hoping the dumbasses who keep sending me this crap will be offended and just stop it. A forlorn hope, for sure.

Isn't This Considered Poor Form?

I mean, after all, isn't bestiality against sharia law?

Movies That Bring a Tear to Your Eye

Okay, let's admit it. There are movies out there that "get" to us. Maybe you are a manly man and you would walk on broken glass barefoot before a movie would make ya bawl, but there has to be a scene or three that make ya think about it. I'll admit - there are several that make my eyes water. At home, no big deal. At the theater, well, I really hope I don't sniffle too much.

As you can see by the above video clip, I'm a sucker for the end scene in To Kill a Mockingbird. “He would be in Jem’s room all night, and he would be there when Jem waked up in the morning.” The scene in the courthouse as Atticus was leaving "Jean Louise. Jean Louise, stand up. Your father’s passing."

Okay, so I'm a geek: In Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan "I have been and always shall be your friend,” and: “Of my friend, I can only say this: of all the souls I have encountered in my travels, his was the most… human.”

Old Yeller: Need you ask?

Saving Private Ryan: on the bridge - “Earn this” and at the end at the cemetary: “Tell me I’ve led a good life.”

LOTR Return of the King: the end scene at the Grey Havens.

The Cowboys: When the Duke is dying and says he is proud of all the boys. John Wayne dying in a movie was just wrong, and hard to take.

Dances With Wolves: “Do you see that I am your friend? Can you see that you will always be my friend?”

Aaaannd, in Second Hand Lions when Hub hugs "the kid" and says "There, there" to the distraught boy.

Movies are supposed to elicit some sort of response from us. Some are sad and do a fine job of bringing on the waterworks. What are the ones that get you going?

I Don't Know My Socialists

Here is an interactive quiz: Guess Whose Quote It Is. It's an interactive quiz - if you pick the wrong answer, it lets you know in a snarky way. Correct answers also have humorous comments. I'd say I was lucky to get 25% on the first try, which since there are four choices for every question, shows how poorly I fared......