The last few days have felt pretty good for those of us who questioned this stuff. Normally, I think "hackers" are the pretty lowly, but in this case, I will make an exception.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Vindication
The last few days have felt pretty good for those of us who questioned this stuff. Normally, I think "hackers" are the pretty lowly, but in this case, I will make an exception.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Bonfire Remembered
You may remember the collapse in the news, but you may not remember that 11 students and 1 former student died when the stack collapsed 10 years ago today. It was one of the saddest moments in the history of Texas A&M. The entire campus felt different for the rest of that 1999 fall semester, and to some extent, every fall semester has had a different feel since then.
For us, the Bonfire collapse was very personal even though we didn't know any of the 12 victims. The Bonfire construction always began in early September as students would go to the cut site and start clearing the land. About a MONTH or more before the game against the Longhorns, the students would begin stacking the logs. Some Aggie bonfires reached heights over a 100 feet before the administration started putting limits on them. As peripheral participants (that is, we watched the construction closely and looked forward to Thanksgiving night when it was lit), we both felt just a little excitement every time we would see the stack. The site was located adjacent to the Zachry Engineering building parking lot, so each morning I would look out in amazement at the progress. The STUDENTS were building this monstrous thing with very little mechanization.
We received a phone call from our friends at about 4 in the morning to tell us of the tragedy. Then, Mom called shortly after because she wanted to make sure I wasn't trapped under 1,000 logs at the bonfire site. In the days that followed, we made our way to the site and the makeshift memorial. We cried a LOT. We couldn't believe that it had happened.
On November 26, 1999, I attended the Texas-Texas A&M game for the only time that we lived in College Station. I felt like one of our best friends (Jen -- she cried/cries at every game) because I cried when the jets flew over in missing man formation before the game. The game ended like it should have, the Aggies prevailed 20-16 in front of over 86,000 Texans.
This is Brian Gamble after he recovered the Major Applewhite fumble to seal the win:
It is really hard to believe that it has been 10 years since that event and this picture (with many others from that day) will still start my eyes watering. My prayers are with the families of the victims and all Aggies that stop to reflect back today.
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Here is the link to the Bonfire Memorial video. It is about five minutes long, but it is worth it. Here is another good site on the aftermath.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Online Garage Sale
- "The Copper Scroll" by Joel C. Rosenberg. Currently listed as $9.50 + $3.99 shipping (NEW) and $5.00 + $3.99 (USED) on Amazon. The 4 CDs have each had 1 use and the packaging is in excellent condition.
- "The Prometheus Deception" by Robert Ludlum. Currently listed as $7.66 + $3.99 shipping (NEW) and $4.98 + $3.99 (USED) on Amazon. The 6 CDs have each had 1 use and the packaging is in excellent condition.
- "The Templar Legacy" by Steve Berry. Currently listed as $9.00 + $3.99 shipping (NEW) and $3.98 + $3.99 (USED) on Amazon. The 6 CDs have each had 1 use and the packaging is in excellent condition.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Distracted Driving? You Make the Call!
We had slowed down to ~60 MPH because 2 semi-trucks had decided to block the interstate by going about the same speed in both lanes. There was a guy zooming by us to get right behind these 18-wheelers. It's bad enough because he had to slam on his brakes to keep from hitting them. That's when I realized that this dude was reading his mail. No, I am not talking about his email. He was actually taking papers out of envelopes and holding the papers in front of his face to read.
So, I thought, "That's a pretty bad idea to be reading while driving" when he switched the cell phone from the left shoulder slump hold to the right hand/left ear across the face talking formation. Of course, he had to do that in order to reach across the steering wheel (after letting go of it) with his left hand and take a drink of what I HOPE was a soda. This was one big accident waiting to happen cruising along at ~75 MPH.
The real question for me is now "where did he cross the line?" Was it the reading or the reading plus phone? Just the phone? I am pretty positive that this is a distracted driving case. Actually, the most blatant that I have seen after 50 miles/day on the interstate for 6 years. SOOOO, anyone that has a story like this please share.
Friday, September 18, 2009
Reversals
- “I think it’s time to find a new editor.” -- ACS member Thomas E. D’Ambra
- “Your editorial was a disgrace. It was filled with misinformation, half-truths, and ad hominem attacks on those who dare disagree with you. Shameful!” -- ACS member Dennis Malpass
- “Baum’s remarks are particularly disquieting because of his hostility toward skepticism, which is part of every scientist’s soul. Let’s cut to the chase with some questions for Baum: Which of the 20-odd major climate models has settled the science, such that all of the rest are now discarded? [...] Do you refer to ‘climate change’ instead of ‘global warming’ because the claim of anthropogenic global warming has become increasingly contrary to fact?” -- ACS member Dr. Howard Hayden
BTW, Greenpeace is now admitting that the Arctic will NOT be ice-free by 2030. However, they justify the LIE by saying that they were "emotionalizing" the issue.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
2-10 Home Warranty Post #2
Here is the list of prices on the postcard that reminded me how much I dislike this company:
- Basic Coverage -- $460
- Enhance HVAC -- $75
- Additional Pool/Spa -- $150
- Swimming Pool/Spa -- $150
- $60 Trade Fee -- $20 (I don't know what this is)
- Water Softener -- $40
- $45 Trade Fee -- $40 (I don't know what this is either)
- "Replacing your home heating system could cost $3,100."
- "A major plumbing repair could cost $1,900."
- "Replacing a water heater could cost $700."
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For a second time, I apologize for this rant after the fact. When we finally got rid of the coverage from 2-10 Home Warranty about 18 months ago (it was purchased by the seller of our home), I promised myself I would write a "2-10 Home Warranty Sucks" post every time I got an email, mass mailing, or "personal" note from the company. Hopefully, there will not be a "2-10 Home Warranty Post #3," but I am pretty sure that 2-10 Home Warranty will send me some more direct marketing materials. I can only hope that someone will stumble on this post about 2-10 Home Warranty from Google and back out of buying a new or renewal policy from 2-10 Home Warranty because 2-10 Home Warranty sucks.
For those that don't know, I am trying to increase the number of times I write 2-10 Home Warranty in this post so that it will increase the odds that this post will be found when someone searches for 2-10 Home Warranty.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Inflation? What's Inflation?
- Imagine that you are at an auction buying items from all over the world. You have a certain amount of money, someone else has half that amount, and someone else has three times your amount. The auction is going along, and the people bidding on things have some idea of what they are willing to pay for the items being sold. Now, let's say that someone calls timeout on the bidding and brings in a few stacks of hundred dollar bills. He sets them on the table and walks away saying, "Have at it, boys!" After the orderly scramble to get your share of the piles of money is over, the auction resumes. Now, think about what will happen to the bidding after everyone has more dollars to bid. The prices "sure as hell" aren't going down.
Now, our government has decided to put 10,000,000,000 hundred dollar bills (that's $1,000,000,000,000 for the Tceh graduates out there) into the U.S./world economy. Does anybody want to take a guess about what is going to happen to the price of EVERYTHING in the next couple of years? My bet is that we will look back on the Carter years with fondness after this stagflation hits us in the face.
Here's some free advice (I am sure it's worth what you paid for it): If you have credit card debt, pay it off. If you have adjustable rate loans tied to the FED rate, find a way to get out of it to something fixed. Basically, get out of debt as fast as you can. Interest rates are going to skyrocket once this inflation train starts rolling. With that cheerful thought, have a good evening.
Friday, March 27, 2009
Return to Illumination Hour
As a side note, Rush Limbaugh jumped on this Thursday afternoon during his show. I am wondering if he was an early adopter of MPU as a daily read. Also, the "on the hour" radio news this morning has noted that there several businesses around the country doing Illumination Hour rather than Earth Hour.
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"Who Doesn't Want to Wear the Ribbon"
Originally posted March 26, 2008
Over the years I have been amazed at the absolutely meaningless gestures that people will go through to prove that they care about something. Many of you will recognize the post title from Kramer's run-in with some "street toughs" over his refusal to wear an AIDS awareness ribbon.
I guess everyone on the planet except me knows that having more ribbons on your lapel than Patton means that you care more about the rain forest, AIDS research, breast cancer, etc. than someone who doesn't wear them. Somehow this makes sense. Which brings me to what has many jazzed today, Earth Hour.
In case you don't know (I didn't until this morning), Earth Hour is a ritual that the inventors of Earth Day have brought us this year. Next Saturday (March 29) between 8 and 9 pm, we are supposed to power down "non-essential" electrical appliance and turn off all of our lights to show that we care about energy conservation and reducing our carbon footprint. Basically, the idea is to produce a voluntary blackout for an hour to reflect on the evilness of our comfortable but very energy intensive lifestyle. Jay Currie has a very different idea.
I have never read his blog before today, but from this post I get the idea that he is just about as tired of empty gestures as I am. He has decided to "Just Say No!" by keeping his lights on (ALL of them) during Earth Hour. I get confused on the inspiration for the idea but Tim Blair has planned an Illumination Hour on March 29 between 8 and 9 pm. As my buddy Chip would say, "What are the odds?" A couple of Tim's dedicated readers have decided to take it a step further and have a Carbon Party.
That is my kind of activism. During their HOUR OF POWER, it sounds like they plan on some sort of steel cage death match between the AC unit and the furnace with the winner getting to dominate the household environment for an hour. They also plan to run their vehicles, all electronic equipment, oven, and the washer and dryer. The hope is that they will consume enough electricity during the hour to more than offset any conservation accomplished during the Earth Hour.
If you're interested in becoming part of Illumination Hour to make a mockery of according to Samantha Burns, "Earth Hour stupidity, and all it represents," then visit her web page and sign the official online petition. If you don't have the activist, petition-signing bent, just forget what your Dad always told you for an hour and leave the light on when you leave a room this Saturday night.
Or better yet, you could call Motel 6 and ask them to keep several lights on for you.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Where Does My AGW Skepticism Originate?
- 11% of the sites have errors less than 1 degree C
- 20% of the sites have errors between 1 and 2 degrees C
- 58% of the sites have errors between 2 and 5 degrees C
- 11% of the sites haves errors greater than 5 degrees C
- Do I think that the earth warmed in the 20th century? Yes.
- Do I think that the warming was the result of man's emission of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases? No.
- Will the earth be cooler or warmer 50 years from now? Yes.
- If it's brutally hot in the summer where you live, move or live in a house with AC.
- If it's brutally cold in the winter, move or live in a house with a good heating system.
Friday, March 20, 2009
TOTUS Has A Brand New Blog
As the White House St. Patrick's Day party was winding down, President Obama, in a speech to those in attendance,
PAUSE
He can't even talk to those handpicked people at the White House without the teleprompter....
THINK ABOUT THAT FOR A SECOND
END PAUSE
thanked President Obama for inviting everyone over.
Here is a link to the story. That's funny! I don't care who you are (Sorry, Larry). So, yesterday I found out that the Teleprompter of the United States (TOTUS) has his own blog. Here is the link for this piece of brilliance. That was a million dollar (or more) idea right there. I truly wish I had thought of it. Enjoy and let me know if you think this is as funny and sad as I do.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
2-10 Home Warranty Post #1
Here is the list of prices on the postcard that reminded me how much I dislike this company:
- Basic Coverage -- $460
- Enhance HVAC -- $75
- Additional Pool/Spa -- $150
- Swimming Pool/Spa -- $150
- $60 Trade Fee -- $20 (I don't know what this is)
- Water Softener -- $40
- $45 Trade Fee -- $40 (I don't know what this is either)
- "Replacing your home heating system could cost $3,100."
- "A major plumbing repair could cost $1,900."
- "Replacing a water heater could cost $700."
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I apologize for this rant after the fact. When we finally got rid of the coverage from 2-10 Home Warranty about 6 months ago (it was purchased by the seller of our home), I promised myself I would write a "2-10 Home Warranty Sucks" post every time I got an email, mass mailing, or "personal" note from the company. Hopefully, there will not be a "2-10 Home Warranty Post #2," but I am pretty sure that 2-10 Home Warranty will send me some more direct marketing materials. I can only hope that someone will stumble on this post about 2-10 Home Warranty from Google and back out of buying a new or renewal policy from 2-10 Home Warranty because 2-10 Home Warranty sucks.
For those that don't know, I am trying to increase the number of times I write 2-10 Home Warranty in this post so that it will increase the odds that this post will be found when someone searches for 2-10 Home Warranty.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Anyone Else Embarrassed?
Last week, as PM Gordon Brown made his trip over here to meet the President, he brought a gift with him: Ornamental pen holder made from the timbers of the Victorian anti-slave ship HMS Gannet - once called HMS President.
By the way, these sorts of gifts are traditionally exchanged when new US/UK leaders meet for the first time. Bear in mind that these gifts belong to the American and British people, and the President and Prime Minister are just stewards while in office. What did Mr. Obama give the British people? I am sure you are thinking that it has some real historical significance and meaning, and you would be WRONG.
Here is the gift that we gave them. Can I have a drumroll, please? ... ... ... We gave them 25 classic American films on DVD.
I will admit that, when I heard this on the Rush Limbaugh Show, I thought that Rush was having a little fun as he often does. I. Then, I realized that this is the sort of thing that Rush CANNOT spoof or parody, AND I felt really sick to my stomach. SOOO, I did a search and found this article in the UK Mail Online.
It appears that PM Brown tried to hide the gift from the British people and their press, and I don't blame him. I wish we hadn't given this gift either. What an embarassment!
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Millenials To Meet Real Life?
- "When Gretchen Neels, a Boston-based consultant, was coaching a group of college students for job interviews, she asked them how they believe employers view them. She gave them a clue, telling them that the word she was looking for begins with the letter 'e.' One young man shouted out, 'excellent.' Other students chimed in with 'enthusiastic' and 'energetic.' Not even close. The correct answer, she said, is 'entitled.' 'Huh?' the students responded, surprised and even hurt to think that managers are offended by their highfalutin opinions of themselves."
These students believed that someone who was meeting them for the first time had as high of opinion of them as their parents. To me, the real issue is that these young people entering the workplace expected (think they were entitled, maybe?) to have their jobs shaped to fit into a convenient box in their lives.
I think that the school of hard knocks is in store now that we are facing the worst economic conditions since the recession of the early 1980's (Don't be fooled by the "since the Great Depression" talk. We have seen this cycle in my lifetime.). I have a feeling that employers may use these lean times to rid their workplaces of the millenials who don't complete assignments because the manager or co-workers "didn't remind me." Here is a true recipe for disaster:
- "Millennials also want things spelled out clearly. Many flounder without precise guidelines but thrive in structured situations that provide clearly defined rules and the order that they crave. Managers will need to give step-by-step directions for handling everything from projects to voice-mail messages to client meetings. It may seem obvious that employees should show up on time, limit lunchtime to an hour and turn off cellphones during meetings. But those basics aren't necessarily apparent to many millennials."
Until these basics become apparent, I predict that many will be living in their basements with their parents. As the article points out, the managers of these unmanageables are the results of the managers' own style of parenting. These indulgent parents are dealing with those indulged children in the workplace.
Ahh, the irony of baby boomers paying the piper for some of the problems they have caused. I guess there are good things that come out of hard economic times.
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Good News and Stuff
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For those that don't already know, I had a no-holds barred battle with 4 (that's right, FOUR!) corneal ulcers during our trip to Minnesota. Thanks to those ulcers, both of the adults in our DePriest clan now have Mayo Clinic patient numbers. If you want to hear about a awful course of treatment, try this one on for size: Place one drop of Vigamox (ophthalmic solution) in left eye every hour for 7 days. That was the description on the prescription bottle. It included the hours during the night while sane people are sleeping. So, for two days, I woke up every hour and put a drop of magic eye potion in my left eye. After those first couple of days, I was able to reduce the frequency to just before bed and right as I woke up. So, that was a really restful few days of the holiday season.
Things are essentially back to normal now with the exception of maintenance drops every few hours and an oral antibiotic. I am just glad that I am not being fitted with a "glass" eye as my Christmas miracle. I had decided that if I lost the eye, then I would go with a glass eye with a laser beam that shoots out (sort of like the Terminator).
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In a previous post, I let you know about nominating Kristy for a 2008 Weblog award. It turns out that she is a finalist for the "Best Parenting Blog." Voting begins on January 5 and ends on January 12. Please be sure to stop by the Weblog Award Voting Site and vote for "Life on the Reflux Rollercoaster".
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I hope that I will get back to writing about the stuff that started this blog early in 2009. Life, politics, and economics have taken a priority over bad science for a few months. Maybe as Kristy begins to feel better, I will have the time to out the bad science that I see regularly in the media and scientific journals.
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Happy New Year!