I'd like to recommend...

Wanting to spend some of those nifty gift cards that you get for Christmas...I decided to treat myself to some decent speakers for my PC. I like to listen to classic 70's music on Rhapsody when I'm puttering around the house, doing laundry and the like. I purchased what I believe are fantastic speakers from Wal-mart, Philips MMS321 Multimedia Speaker System for $59.95, pictured above. Set-up only took about five minutes (including unpacking them). These speakers stand about 10.75 inches in height and put out some of the richest, deepest tones I've ever heard from PC speakers.

Each speaker has a tweeter, regular speaker and a bass speaker which definitely makes my desk thump when I've got them turned up about a third of the way the volume knob goes. The volume knob is on the side of the left speaker, and has a ring of blue light around it when turned on. The bottom stands of the speakers have three rubber feet on them which keeps them securely in place. The speakers are quite stylish and their form factor makes them look nice sitting beside the monitor.

The only thing that could be considered a drawback with these speakers is the power-block. It is quite large, measuring about 7.5" x 4.5" and weighing in at about at least 2 lbs. It wasn't much of a problem for me though, I was able to place it beneath the shelf that holds my CPU, and of course it just had a two-prong plug with a more than long enough cord to reach an outlet.

Overall, I'd recommend these speakers to anyone who wants great sound in a stylish package!

Apocalypto review

Well, just got back from seeing Mel Gibson's "Apocalypto". I wasn't keen to see this movie, but my wife, who runs a blog called "lisaspassion4mel", here at blogspot took me to see it. I was pleasantly surprised to find this an enjoyable movie, if you don't get nauseous easily as a couple of women in the theater did! I'd rate this movie a 9 out of 10. Visually, it was stunning. Mel Gibson pulled out all the stops and made this movie an incredible action ride full of characters that you'll come to either love, or hate.

I'd recommend this movie to anyone that likes action, suspence and a movie that in the end, embodies our need for the closeness of family.

Merry Christmas!

Well, it's been awhile since I last posted. Just been busy is all. Here's a desktop wallpaper I made for the holiday's...download it and put it on YOUR desktop to feel some Holiday Cheer!

What are Democrats thinking??

Well, we voted in a Democratically controlled Congress and Senate, showing the nation that indeed the American people are unhappy with the direction of the country, and that we don't want our sons and daughters dying in the Middle-East. Our Democratic leaders aren't even in power yet though and what are we hearing from them, talk of bringing back a draft...a draft that would target men and women between the ages of 18 and 42! For GOD'S sake, what are these people thinking!!??

Do they really think that a country that has said in poll after poll that we DO NOT WANT A WAR, that we'll just sit still and calmly accept a draft...a draft that would not only tear children from their parents, but possibly parents from their children? While by the time this draft could be enacted, I would be outside the proposed age limits, my wife would not, and my son will be turning 17 in just six months. No power on GOD'S green earth will send either my wife, or my son to a foreign country to die for George Bush's folly!! The United States government can go to HELL before I'll let that happen. The leaders of this country had better start listening to the will of the people in this country, or we're going to have to resort to extreme measures to make sure that the government of this country is indeed representative of the peoples' will.

A first step in the right direction...

Well, Voters have spoken, and spoken loudly...Democrats have taken control of the House, and the Senate. The question now is, will Those we've given the power to in a fair and democratic election process, take the reins and use that power as they've been promising to for the past 18 months?

Let's hope so. This could be the beginning of repairing the holes that have been eaten into our democratic fabric after the post-9/11 hysteria. While I still don't see us getting out of Iraq immediately (we've created too big a mess there for that!) I do at least now see a light at the end of the tunnel, whereas before I saw little hope that we would ever dis-entangle ourselves from the chaotic mess that Iraq has become.

In the upcoming weeks, we'll have to keep a close eye on the out-going Republicans, making sure they don't sneak something in before the shift of power. Then, we'll have to keep an even closer eye on those we've put into power, to make sure they don't abuse it!

Science fiction has taught the world nothing

Check out this disturbing info. Apparently Samsung isn't content with making home electronics. They've built a robotic killing machine which they'll be putting on the DMZ between North and South Korea next year. Apparently when military leaders around the world saw the movie "Terminator", instead of thinking, "now there's something we need to avoid for the sake of the world," instead they must be thinking, "Wow! We've got to have one of those!"

My own editorial comment

Just had a little anger to work out today sitting at my desk!

GOP aiding terrorism!

CNN story here.

Now the GOP wants to help Al-Qeida. They must, they're advertising for them now aren't they? I find it reprehensible that the GOP would help broadcast Osama bin Laden's message in their campaign ads. As if the GOP hasn't already self-destructed, this should pull the pin on their grenade. Personally, I think they should be held responsible for helping terrorism by running these ads nation-wide...President Bush should have them all "detained" with his new powers!

Unfit troops in Iraq

I was just watching a segment on CBS news alleging that the U.S. military is sending "unfit" troops back onto active duty in Iraq. These are men that have been diagnosed with PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). Men who for one reason or another have been diagnosed as "unfit for combat duty", who are then sent back into Iraq on the front lines with weapons.

At the end of the feature, the reporter said that the only response they got from the Pentagon on this, was that they screen soldiers before being put back onto active duty, and that they have 200 mental health professionals evaluating the men on duty. By my calculations, with the present troop strength in Iraq at 130,000, with only 200 mental health professionals that means each one of these "mental health professionals" has to evalutate 650 men...how well do you think they're doing they're job with numbers like that?

Suspicious circumstances...

Here's a story at CNN that I find rather suspicious.

Eight Afghani men who work as laborers for a "remote U.S. military base", were stopped by gunmen on their way home from work, killed execution style, and $6,000 was taken from them. $6,000? Where did these eight afghani men get this kind of cash that they'd be carrying around on them? This seems quite suspicious to me, I know for a fact that law enforcement in the United States would certainly find that suspicious if it happened here in the U.S. even!

It just seems to me, that that's an awful lot of cash for eight men to have between them in Afghanistan. Is the U.S. military paying that well for laborers?

It's just a small nuclear warhead after all...

As even our 'allies' turn against us...

If you haven't heard, a british coroner has ruled that U.S. forces are responsible for the death of Terry Lloyd, a 50-year-old reporter for the British television network ITN who was killed on March 22, 2003. They are calling this a "war crime". You can read the entire story here.

I'm sorry, but it's my opinion that journalists who voluntarily venture into a known war zone to try and get a story, are doing so with the full and complete knowledge that they are putting themselves into an imminently dangerous situation. While I am definitely in the anti-Iraq war camp, this is nothing more than a blatant smear campaign. The driver of the mini-van in which the wounded Terry Lloyd was being driven, admits himself that he was "driving blindly through smoke" when the bullet that killed Mr. Lloyd hit him. If he was driving through thick, blinding smoke, how could anyone firing in the direction of the mini-van be expected to see the markings on the van and know that it was a vehicle belonging to a "non-combatant"?

This sounds like nothing more or less than the old axiom of "being in the wrong spot, at the wrong time." Obviously though, if our own allies are turning against us, it's time to get out of Iraq before even more fingerpointing begins to occur. It looks like soon it will not just be the U.S. against Iraq, it will soon be the U.S. against the world...and that is one fight that not even we could come out of on top.

Blech! I feel awful

Headcold...need I say more?

On the upside though, my Colts did squeak by a win against the Titans, 14-13

Family member down, but not out...

This is Yoshi, one of our two cats. She'd been acting funny for a couple of days, and yesterday I saw she was having trouble urinating and that her urine had blood in it. We were pretty worried, but after a visit with the vet, things are looking up. The doctor was 99% sure she has a bladder infection. After an examination, he gave her a shot, and a couple weeks worth of pills we need to give her, and she should be fine!

Considering this was the first time she's seen a vet in twelve years, she did really well and we were quite proud of her. Hopefully she'll be feeling better soon. Our two cats truly have become members of our family, and we couldn't imagine life without them.

One of Bush's "secret prisons" revealed?

President Bush has admitted recently, that the U.S. is running several "secret prisons" around the world. Has one of these prisons recently been revealed? In a CNN story today, an AP reporter caught sight of a man identified as Brent L. Bennett boarding a plane leaving Kabul, Afghanistan. An American lawyer filing papers on Bennett's behalf said he didn't know whether or not Bennett was in U.S. custody. He had boarded the plane without wearing any restraints.

The man had been convicted in Afghanistan for running a "private prison" in Kabul. When Afghan security forces had raided the house, they found eight afghan men who were being held there who had been abused.

Is this one of the "secret prisons" around the world that Bush has admitted to? If so, can anyone really call something like this a prison? A house, where a couple of "bone-breaker" thugs abuse men trying to get them to talk is not a prison, so much as a toture facility.

Free speech under fire?

Just more proof that our government and it's subsidiary agencies don't give a crap about our right to free speech! Free speech in this country gives me the right to call the President a BOOB, if that's what I want to do, and I do. Dissent, is the first and foremost weapon we have in this country to make our government, and our fellow citizens aware of our dissatisfaction with the way we are being governed. Our President, and those who serve under him are constantly asserting that to speak out against them, or their polocies is to endanger America. They have even gone so far as to say that dissenting against the U.S. government is akin to supporting terrorists!

The only terrorists in this country are the members of the Bush administration, who are constantly terrorizing the American public with threats of violence against us if we don't do what they say. I will not give up my right to free speech, Mr. Bush. You can count on that!

Do they protest too much?

A CNN story today, is reporting on U.S. and French officials denying any credibility to a report stating that Osama Bin Laden is dead. It almost seems to me that the ferociousness with which they are denying this seems out of all perspective. You'd think they would sound hopeful that this is actually true. But they don't. Could it be that they don't want the world at large to know Bin Laden is dead. Alive, he is a fear-stick they can wave at people and use as an excuse to continue the war on terror. Dead, he's a martyr, and everyone knows a martyr can often become more powerful than the living man he was.

There can be little doubt that Bin Laden was behind 9/11, he's admitted it himself in numerous broadcasts. Could it be that those benefitting from the hunt for Bin Laden would like to see it continue? Hopefully truly independent investigation will go into this issue so that we can all know what is really going on.

A great article from the Los Angeles Times

Here's a link to a great article at the Common Dreams Newscenter...a great resource for those Americans interested in protecting our civil liberties and way of life.

Well, it's starting...

Not sure if all this power we've been giving our President is going to bite us in the ass? Read this story at CNN, and then tell me this is still a free country! Now the Federal government is going to force every American between the ages of 13 and 64 to be tested for Aids. That's right, even children...since when did the government become our parent, to tell us what to do with our own bodies?

Sure, they're going to say, "we're not forcing this on anyone, it's a recommendation." But then again, according to the article they're planning to make this a standard procedure whenever you go into a healthcare provider for urgent care, and that basically it will be hidden in a consent form...you know, that form that you have to sign or else they can refuse to treat you!! So when you go into the emergency room needing life-saving surgery, if you don't want to be tested for AIDS and refuse to sign the form, well, they'll just wheel you out and you can take your chances!

And what I ask, is the government going to do with anyone who does submit to this voluntary testing and it comes up positive? According to the article, they'll have access to "life-extending treatments". According to the CDC, they want to "prevent the further spread of the disease and prompt needed care for an estimated 250,000 Americans who have the AIDS virus but don't know it." According to the CIA World Factbook, the United States population as of July of 2006 is an estimated 298,444,215. Now, I've tried to do the math, and I'm no good at math, but I'm figuring even only counting those aged 13 to 64 out of the U.S. population, they're wanting to test (and this is a rough guess) nearly 200,000,000 people to try and identify what would be about, what? 1/10th of a percent of our population that might be carrying the AIDS virus? Excessive? I think so.

I see this as an attempt by our government to try and segragate portions of our nation. What's next? You show up a positive on this test and they'll brand a large "A" on your forehead so everyone will know you're an AIDS carrier? And why stop at just AIDS? Why not start testing for genetic defects, or maybe just trying to weed out people with undesireable traits, like being left-handed, red-headed, or a free thinker? Here is where all this power we've been giving the Federal government is leading to folks, Big Brother isn't on his way, he's here and we've given him all our rights and freedoms. But don't worry, he'll make this country a safer, better place to live...you won't have to make any decisions anymore, he'll make them all for you!

Bush has no clue what an ASS he looks like...

When the government breaks down your door...

In a story on CNN.com today, I find the true motives behind the Bush administrations' view on illegal immigration. While George Bush talks about the value of immigrants in this country, and the positive impact they have on our economy and culture, the recent actions of Federal agents shows their true intent. CNN describes the town of Stillmore, GA as a ghost town after Federal agents began mass arrests of illegal immigrants there. Now, let's all remember that the term "illegal immigrants" simply means a person who still maintains citizenship in a country other than the U.S. and lives and works here. The term "illegal immigrant" doesn't necessarily mean someone who is here in this country with the intention of performing illegal acts. They are not terrorists or criminals.

The story goes on to describe how families are being broken up, the local poultry plant is scrambling to find employees to fill vacancies left and the local businesses have lost most of their customers. It goes on to describe how many mexicans have scattered into the local woods to hide from authorities. How many of these people will, because of our governments strong-arm tactics, turn in desperation to theft, and possibly worse to survive, now that we have made them fugitives?

About half-way through the article, was one quote by the Mayor of Stillmore who said this, which I find more telling about the Bush administrations tactics than anything else.

"This reminds me of what I read about Nazi Germany, the Gestapo
coming in and yanking people up," Slater stated.

I find this kind of fascist, strong-arm justice imcomprehensible in this day and age. George W. Bush has sent this country back in time at least 50 years if not more. Today, it's mexicans being rounded up and shipped out, will gays be next? How many more minorities and cultures will be purged before they'll just start breaking down the doors of any American citizens homes and rounding us up?

Why aren't we impeaching Bush?

In the news today, former Secretary of State, and four-star general, Colin Powell has sent a letter to Senator John McCain stating that he is against any changes to common article III of the Geneva Convention. Changes wanted by President Bush so that they can torture detainees without having to call it torture...and so that they can prosecute them without having to provide evidence to the defense, and so that coerced testimony can be used.

Do you get the feeling that President Bush doesn't feel he has a real case against the 400+ detainees we are now holding? Why else would he need to use torture, coerced testimony... and keep evidence against them, "secret"? The question I have to ask myself is...why aren't we impeaching Bush by this time? He has proven himself one of the most imcompetent, amoral presidents of our countries history. He has used fear and hatred as the basis for almost everything he's done in office since 9/11. Nearly 3,000 Americans have died in Iraq and Afghanistan, more than died in the 9/11 attacks, and those are just the American deaths...no one really knows how many innocent Iraqi's have died since the beginning of the war.

How can we stomach having a President in office who has lied time and time again, and yes, he has been proven to have lied multiple times. He neither apologizes for those lies, or gives any reason for them other than the fact that if he'd been truthful, the American public would never have gone along with what he's wanted to get his way. Former Presidnet Bill Clinton was nearly impeached for nothing more than an indiscretion with Monica Lewinsky...how can we allow Bush to get away with everything that he has over the past five years and we haven't even called him to account?

So far the "War on Terror", has cost this country $469 BILLION! And that figure is expected to bloat to at least $1 TRILLION before we could possibly get out of Iraq. President Bush is bankrupting this country, and we will be paying the price for this over the next several decades. It's time for the American people to stand up and say, "enough is enough Mr. Bush, we will take no more of this!"

All loyal Americans please watch this

Keith Olbermann has said it better than I ever could or will...

Fantastic, off-beat music

Awhile back, I discovered a semi-pro musician that releases his music (most of it, anyway) under a creative commons license. His music is so fresh and funny that I went ahead and purchased two of his albums. If you like off-beat, funny music then go to his website here, and listen to Skullcrusher Mountain if you don't listen to anything else! It'll make you want to hear more, it's what got me hooked.

Dropping gas prices....

I'm sure everyone has noticed how gas prices have been dropping the last few weeks...my question is, why? Now I hate to question a good thing, but I have to wonder what the motives are for gas prices dropping now.

We're still deeply embroiled in Iraq, which is one of the biggest reasons they've had for keeping gas prices so high. Tensions between Lebanon and Isreal are still no better than they were a couple of months ago....Tensions between Iran and anywhere are still high.

Sure, Shell found oil in the gulf of mexico, but they're saing it's only enough to supply the U.S.'s needs for 1-3 years and it'll take billions of dollars and years to get it out. So why have gas prices (at least here), dropped nearly 60 cents in the last three weeks? My theory is the Oil Barrons have dropped the price of unleaded gasoline to help out their Republican lackeys who have been helping to line their pockets for the last couple of years. We've got elections coming up in just a couple of months, and lower gas prices could help bring some Republicans and swing-voters back into the fold.

Well, people, don't be fooled...we're being manipulated just like the price of gas is. How can I tell that? Although the price of unleaded gas has dropped nearly 60 cents per gallon, diesel hasn't. It's still over $3.00 a gallon...and it's actually easier and cheaper to make diesel than it is to make unleaded gas. So why hasn't diesel dropped in price as well? Simple, most voters don't use diesel, that's usually what's being used by long-haul truckers and businesses. If the drop in gas prices was real, everything would have dropped across the board.

So don't think the Bush administration is making headway in improving our economy, they haven't, their buddies in the oil industry are just throwing them a bone!

Bush has no concept!

If you're sick of George W. Bush and his policies, you probably don't need to see this...if you think our President is doing a good job, you should definitely see this!

This just scares me!!

Here is a quote from a story at CNN which describes how George Bush is losing the support of southern women in the polls. At the end of the story, they have this comment from a southern woman which just plain scares the crap out of me!

Still, some Southern women remain stalwart supporters of the president and the Republican Party. At a watermelon festival in Chickamauga, in the mountains of northwest Georgia, substitute teacher Clydeen Tomanio said she remains committed to the party she's called home for 43 years.

"There are some people, and I'm one of them, that believe George Bush was placed where he is by the Lord," Tomanio said. "I don't care how he governs, I will support him. I'm a Republican through and through."

It's just that kind of thinking that got a man like George Bush into the Whitehouse in the first place!

True indicator of our economy

While our government is constantly trying to convince us that our economy is improving, that jobs are plentiful and that the dollar will soon be worth more than the change in our pockets, I've been seeing the real indicators of what kind of shape our country is in. This morning, after dropping my son off for school, I went to a local Krogers to get gas in my car. As I pulled up to one of the pumps, I saw a couple walking towards me carrying a gas can. I had a feeling I knew what was coming up. As I was operating the pump to get my gas, the man carrying the gas can called out to me, asking if I could spare some gas for them. I told them "no, I couldn't". Happily for me he just said "ok", and walked off with his spouse/girlfriend.
Now, it wasn't the price of gas, or my lack of money that kept me from helping them out. A couple of years ago when someone asked me something like that, I would have gladly helped them, but over the last couple of years, I've been seeing a trend in this country...what I call, the beggars' plea. It seems lately, that I can't go into any parking lot of a grocery store, gas station or shopping center without someone asking me for gas, money for gas, money for food, money for a bus ticket, or just money. Our economy has become so pitiful that we are turning into a nation of beggars. These people are white, black, mexican, young, middle-aged...and generally seem consigned to what they're doing. As if it's become normal to them and they don't feel bad that they're begging people for something that they supposedly can't provide for themselves.
There are a few times I've been in a tight bind where I've run out of gas, or didn't have money to do something that I really needed to do...but I've never asked a total stranger for something. I've never asked for money, gas or a ride even. I've walked several miles to get to where I needed to be, I've called a family member and asked for help even. I do not beg total strangers to help me out though. I've always made my own way, not depending on the kindness, or gullibility of others.
I remember an incident about a year ago, not long after I'd started to see this trend...a young black male came up to me in a local shopping center parking lot and asked me if I could spare a few dollars for him. He was wearing designer jeans, and sneakers that I know had to have cost more than $100. I told him I didn't have anything on me and walked on. Watching from the store window, I watched as he approached several other people in the parking lot. Some of them did give him some change or cash. He then walked across the parking lot, got into a car and drove off. I have a feeling he was just heading to another parking lot where he would ply his trade, begging.
If our economy is doing so well, why are there so many beggars in our country now? Why are people driving around in cars that are held together with duct tape and bunji-cords? Or driving cars that have been smashed in so badly in a wreck that the drivers side door doesn't even open anymore, and windows have platic taped over them? I don't think our economy is doing so well Mr. Bush, if it were, I'd have given that couple this morning a couple gallons of gas and felt that I'd done a good deed for them.

Vlog02, got a new webcam

Bush becomes Bin Ladens mouthpiece!

Story here

Apparently George W. Bush has been promoted to be Osama bin Ladens' mouthpiece. Does Mr. Bush really think that he's going to drum up support for his military ambitions by trying to scare american citizens by telling us in Bin Ladens' own words what their terrorist plans are for us? Every time his support crumbles a little more, Mr. Bush pulls out Al-Qeida to try and scare us all back into line. Frankly, it's getting old and tired...I think more and more of our countries citizens are waking up to the realization that the Bush administration has no clear plan for what we are doing in the Middle-East, other than spending literally billions of dollars that could be better spent right here in the U.S.

Another childhood movie updated

An animation I made back in my youth

Had a great day!

Just wanted to post what a great day I had today. I didn't try to do too much on my day off, instead, I concentrated on what I enjoy doing. Did laundry, cleaned and organized the bedroom, washed the dishes in the kitchen sink...yes, these things make me happy. I turned on comcast internet radio and blasted the 70's station, listening to classics from Elton John's "Rocket-man", to E.L.O.'s "It's magic".

I wanted to go ahead and try and have a nice day today since tomorrow I've got to go out to the grocery store, and that's always a trip to HELL anymore! It'll take me at least two hours just to wind down after that. I don't know what's happened to the world that makes going to the grocery store such a horrible experience anymore. I remember trips to the grocery store with my mom when I was growing up as a wonderful time. It just seems like these days you're just as likely to have someone run over you with their cart as to say hello to you.

Confessions of a gadget geek...

Well, I've posted before about my gadgets...problem is I'm afraid I'm a compulsive gadget buyer! I've always been attracted to buying gadgets, you know, those shiny, inventive little things that promise to make life easier, or more fun? I've been trying lately to curb my spending, unfortunately, all I've really done is demote myself to buying cheap gadgets!

Case in point...today I stopped into my local walgreens to buy a couple of necessities, when what did my wandering eyes lite upon, but a keychain digital camera for only $10. Now, the price alone should have been a warning sign to me...and normally it would have been, but since I'd been being good for a couple of weeks, I relented and purchased it. Needless to say, I was quite disappointed with the results! The packaging claimed it had 16mb internal memory and held up to 243 photos. Well, it actually only holds 20 photos at the impressive high quality setting of 320 x288! Talk about grainy little photos! And if the subject isn't sitting perfectly still for at least 2 seconds, it's nothing but a blur!

Have I learned my lesson? Probably not, if anything I now just have the desire to go out and buy something quality!! I'm taking that intense internal pressure and releasing it here in this blog...maybe that will keep me from going out and spending money I don't have! Although I spent the last hour watching YouTube videos of the Lego Mindstorms robotic kit in action...something I've been wanting for several years....I just haven't had an extra $200 to blow on something only the child in me needs :) Well, I'll keep my mini digital camera on my keychain and maybe someday that UFO I've been waiting for will happen by and I'll snap it's picture...small, blurry and grainy as it may be. But then most photos like that usually are!

Anyone else out there suffering from this same horrible affliction? If so let me know how you're coping with it, or how it's taking over your life if that's the way it is!

Stumbling...

Just wanted to advocate something I've just recently discovered which has transformed my internet experience. First of all, you've got to be using Mozilla's Firefox, (which you should be doing anyway, I might add ;) ), and I've discovered the most wonderful extension for it. It's called "Stumble upon".

After installing the extension, it takes you to the stumbleupon website where you have to register an account, which is totally free. You pick a username, upload an avatar and pick out of a large list of interests what it is you like to look at on the internet. Pretty simple and quick. You'll now notice an icon in your browser header with an "SU" on it. Simply click this icon and you'll be taken to a random website with content that other users of stumbleupon with like interests have flagged as being interesting. There are also icons along side the "SU" icon which allow you to mark a website as being interesting or not interesting yourself, which adds to the stumbleupon database for users with like interests.

I found myself stumbling from website to website that I'd have never known existed, and probably 90% of them were totally fascinating! This has re-invigorated my web-surfing experience. I'd gotten to the point where I was only visiting about ten websites over and over again and was getting jaded. Last night I sat in front of the computer and stumbled for probably three straight hours (hmmm, maybe that's not such a great thing! ), but then again, it was fun, which the internet hasn't been for months! So if you've got firefox check out stumbleupon...if you don't, then get it and try it out!

Technologically disadvantaged!

A nifty, cheap gotta have gadget!

Recently I found this at my local walgreens, and purchased it for a measely $4.99. What's great about a flashlight, you ask? Well, for one thing it uses no batteries! That's right, no batteries. Just shake it back and forth for 30 seconds and you get 20 minutes of bright light from it's L.E.D. bulb. It's only 7 inches long, so keep it anywhere...a drawer, your car's glove compartment, your purse...anywhere you might need an emergency light and you don't want to have to worry about whether or not the batteries are any good.

I know for a fact that it works great, the night after I bought it, we had a power outage that started at 9 pm, and lasted about three hours...I used this little baby to sit in the living room and read Stephen King's "Cell", which I'd just started reading. And believe me, sitting in the dark reading that book by flashlight is a real kick! The light it produces is surprisingly bright and easy on the eyes. Just make sure you don't shake it too hard like my son did with my first one and managed to break it! So make sure and pick up one of these, they're one of the best buys you'll find!

biazrre "monster" found in Maine...

Here is a story this morning on comcast, that shows why we rarely find out about strange things that exist in this world!

I'm hoping some intrepid reporter type will follow up on this and try and contact some of the people mentioned in the story that took pictures of the creature before vultures were allowed to pick it clean. How many times over the years have there been similar stories...something strange and unusual is found dead, people in authority never want to come and examine the body, it's then destroyed by nature or residents burn it fearing that it's somehow "evil".

I for one, whole-heartedly believe that there are still hundreds, if not thousands of creatures on this planet that we have yet to identify. As a race, we humans are insufferably smug in the belief that "we've seen it all, catalogued it all...there's nothing out there that we don't know about." Believe me, there's plenty out there we don't know about...and new creatures and plants are being born into this world every day. A little thing called evolution doesn't just come along when it's convenient you know!

leg troubles!

Well, working on my project, I found that there were several key pieces of my mechs legs that had mesh errors that were keeping me from being able to texture them properly, so I rebuilt them. Of course doing that screwed up the way I had everything glued together, so I had to unglue everything on the leg and start putting it back together from scratch. Each leg is made up of about a hundred seperate objects! Each one has to be glued to the other in certain groups, and each group has to be glued in a different way to each other. Needless to say it's a nightmare, so it may be a couple of days before I get this step "re-done", before I can move on to something else.

My newest project...

At the moment, I'm working on a mech for an alternate universe I've been working on for awhile. In this universe, it's the mid-1940's and W.W. II is still being waged. History has progressed a little differently in this world though, and technology is both more advanced, and stranger. The mech I'm working on pictured above is the first one that has been fielded by the Nazi's, who hold a technical advantage over the the Allies. It's not so much used on the battlefield at this point, as it is used to police and intimidate conquered urban areas. I'm still working on textures at this time, I'm pretty happy with what I've got done so far, I just need to finish the texturing of the legs. I'll post an update as soon as I've gotten some more done!

Comments turned back on!

I've turned comments back on...I learned that there was an option I could turn on to keep "bots" from putting random ads and links on my blog. Now, if you want to leave a comment on one of my blog posts, you'll just be asked to type in a "verification" word to make sure you're a real person. So go ahead and let me know if you've got something to say!

Re-living childhood....

Last night, I had nothing to do and started looking up at a set of shelves in my living room where I keep books that have had specail meaning to me. I started going through them, and pulled down one of my favorite Hardy Boys mysteries from my childhood. I started reading and find myself now on chapter 5. I think there were about 53 of the original Hardy Boys books written, I've got about twenty of them. I've always wanted to collect all the originals, and when I say "originals", I'm talking about the hardcover editions published in the mid-60's.

Every once in awhile I'll find some of them being sold, usually at flea markets. It's been awhile since I've actively looked for any. I think it's about time I get serious and try to get the rest of them. I'm even going to read them...they're actually very well written and I still find them enjoyable today.

And now for something completely different...

Back from the dead...sort of

Wow! I feel like I'm back from the dead. For the last 24 hours I've done practically nothing but sleep, and when I was awake, I might as well have been a zombie for all the life I showed. I don't know what I had, but it was awful, and didn't even seem to have any real symptoms that would tell me what was wrong with me. I'm hoping that when I wake up tomorrow morning, everything will still seem fine with me healthwise...I don't think I could stand to go through another day feeling like I did.

Too much for coincidence?

Have you heard about the power outage problem in Queens NY? It seems they want us to believe that some 80,000 people have been without power for a week, and will remain without power for another half a week at least, all due to a series of combined bad luck and unexplainable events.

I find that hard to believe. According to the latest news from CNN, "The problem began with failures on a series of feeder cables, circuits that carry 27,000 volts and power entire neighborhoods".

Now I don't know about you, but I find it hard to believe that that many seperate lines, that each had back-ups, by the way that failed also...all failed at once and for no apparent reason. I believe that Queens NY has been the victim of a terrorist attack. Not all terrorist attacks are going to be huge planes being slammed into high rise buildings. And I garauntee you that the government will never admit to us being victimized by new attacks. After all that would make it appear that our governments efforts to "protect us from terrorism", aren't working.

I've noticed alot of strange things that have appeared in the news over the last few years that are given a quick white-washing, or just simply disappear altogether. It makes you wonder what could be happening around the country that we'll never know about, simply because it would make for bad publicity for an administration that is struggling to keep it's head above water!

Ahh! Saturday!

Well, if you don't like the weather in (insert STATE here), wait five minutes and it will change!

Thankfully, the heat has subsided at least for awhile and today was blessedly wonderful, just the right amount of sunshine leaking down between big puffy cumulous clouds, and a cool breeze to boot. I enjoyed my lunch today at work as I often do sitting in my vehicle in the parking lot, windows down to enjoy the weather. That's probably why I'm in a much better mood today than I have been in awhile. Tomorrow promises to be the same as well, if the forecaster's aren't pulling our collective leg that is.

My moods have always been very affected by the weather...winter is always very tough for me especially. I'm one of those people who need sunshine to keep me going. I remember one winter a few years ago when we set a record of 45 consecutive days without seeing the sun...I remember feeling so bad I was beginning to wonder if I'd eventually become suicidal! Luckily I made it through to a sunrise. Which makes it all the more strange when you consider that my wife hates the sunshine and feels best on a foggy or rainy day. I guess us being opposites helps to make things work for us. So for now, I'll enjoy the beautiful weather and worry about cloudy days another time!

It's a sad world :(

Well, I've had to turn off comments...50% of the comments being left in this blog are nothing more than links to gambling sites and such. It would have been nice to have been able to get some feedback from anyone who visits my blog site and wished to say something...but frankly I won't allow people to keep using my site to spread spam!

It's a sad world when people have nothing better to do than surf around to peoples' sites and leave spam links. I guess I should have expected as much. Live and learn. Frankly I'm mostly doing this as a way to vent about the world anyway, and I can do that with or without comments being posted.

July 19,06

I don't know why, but I feel like 'crap' today! Which is a terrible thing seeing as how Thursday and Friday are my weekend. Today was the last day of the work-week for me, and I'd much rather be enjoying my time. I can't say the week was particularly rough either, just another five days down.
Above is an image I created recently for a contest at a 3-D modeling forum I'm a member of. The theme of the contest was to create a sci-fi container that could hold something of a dangerous or toxic nature. I didn't win, but just participating in the contest helped me to hone my skills. I was planning to make my posts much more interesting (don't we always!), but it's kind of hard to do that when you feel like somebody has flushed you down the toilet. I'll come back tomorrow with something a little more interesting...

Let's get the party started!

Ok, totally new to this blogging thing...yeah, I know, I'm waaay behind the times here. LOL! I had a regular website for several years (one I rarely updated) and recently got rid of it. It was one of those free geocities websites, don't bother with them anymore...it may be an ok hosting site if you're paying for it, but they're really cracking down on the free sites.

I decided it was time to try this blogging phenomenon, and found that I'd registered here about six months ago! Totally forgot about it, so here I am, trying this out to see what it's like. I'm a 42 year old environmental controls engineer with a strong interest in 3-D modeling. To the right there you can see a recent image I created using my app, Truespace 5.2 Truespace is a semi-professional 3-D modeling package I purchased a couple of years ago and have been slowly learning. If you'd like to see more of my work (until I get it posted here), here's a link to some of my work that I've uploaded to photobucket. Photobucket/Forcemaster2000

I work 40 hours a week at my boring, inane job. So I only get to do my modeling on the weekends and evenings that I'm not too burned out! If I were younger, I'd probably go back to school and get a degree in computer graphic modeling, but I'm sorry to say that boat has already left the dock! I was born just a little too much before the computer revolution really got into full swing. Hell, I remember being in college as a freshman and being all excited about messing around with a Texas Instruments TI-99 home computer at a retail store...if you don't remember that computer, it was little more than a up-jumped calculator!

Well, I guess that's enough for now...I'll try and get back here on a regular basis and update this thing with what's going on, and maybe post some more of my 3-D work. Everybody have a great day and I'll text at ya later!