Maximumwords

Back Again, Baby!

2009-03-31T07:35:00.001-06:00

Lately, I've started to get more active in my net activities. So I'm starting this old boy back up.

Elephants!!!

2007-06-30T22:51:00.000-06:00

Click it... worth the bandwidth.

And You Think You Feel Old!!

2007-04-07T10:30:00.000-06:00

Great picture, and some interesting information about sealife around Alaska. But here is the best bit of the story...

Not only was the Fish just under or over 100 years old... it was pregnant!

LiveScience.com - Strange New Creatures Found in Antarctica

2007-02-26T12:21:00.000-07:00

An Antarctica octopus! He is a cute little fella, too!

The Wilhelm Scream

2007-02-12T19:55:00.000-07:00

The internet was created to pass information freely around the world. Though it, doctors can treat people thousands of miles away from their location. Grandmothers can say hi to their grandkids scattered across the globe. Someone in deepest Africa can watch a local TV show from Lake Charles, LA.

But this... THIS... is why the internet was created. Strange little stories you'd never hear otherwise, put in a place where everyone in the world can see it!

I've actually heard of this before. It's one of those strange things that make you think a bit. Some bit player in an old movie made a scream, and now that same scream is in hundreds of movies and TV shows.

It's an odd sort of fame... and I doubt they ever knew anything of it.

I gave a homeless kid a camera - The Something Awful Forums

2007-02-11T17:23:00.000-07:00

Let's consider art. If you listen to the fancy types, it's about so many mystical things like talent, or skill, or maybe some incredible something that us normal types couldn't possibly have.

Sometimes art is simple. Sometimes it's just view point. Sometimes it's just timing. Sometimes it's even in editing. In the link someone with no training other than the most basic few minute course took a few amazing pictures. Out of many pictures they got back from a homeless kid we got a filtered few.

Everybody can do art. Even untalented hacks can, in the right situation, and the right moment, create true art.

Ignore the labels.... look at the work. Ask yourself... does it say something to you? Did it move you? Did it inform your view?

I don't believe in magic. But I can't think of a better word for the wrong person, at the right time, with the right view point, creating art.

OK... done with the fancy stuff for now. I'll get back to the strange animal stuff and geeking out on tech soon. This is my art moment. Even as a hack, I can have one. You too.

Photoshopped Animals

2007-02-04T20:32:00.000-07:00

Nothing useful, educational or anything but just silly, unless you really need a lesson on how that phrase "But the picture looks so real, it must be!" is total bull.

But hey, it's fun!

List of gear for A-stan - Afghanistan Blog

2007-01-29T11:35:00.000-07:00

As any regular reader of this site knows (Hi, Mom!), I tend to stay away from political stories. But sometimes the best thing to do in order to get some perspective is in the minor details.

This person lists the things you want to have before going to Afghan. I'm sure much of the same could be said of Iraq.

This is a perfect picture of what our troops are dealing with. Whatever side of the war you are on, this is something you need to know. And if you have loved ones there, read this for stuff you can put in care packages.

I was in the military, and I was just on a ship, but I know that it's odd the things you find useful, or important, when you are cut off from your home culture.

Welcome to Mama's Fish House Restaurant and Inn - Maui, Hawaii

2007-01-28T20:02:00.000-07:00

I had a really good time when my pal Pat took me on his vacation to Hawaii. Many, many good memories. Watching Blue Man Group in Vagas, hitting the beach in many awesome places, going down the road to Hanna.

But one of the stand out events was eating at this place. The food was awesome, the help was incredibly nice, and the location was lovely.

If you are ever in the area, eat here. Really. If you don't, you've missed a true landmark.

The Long Tail

2007-01-21T14:51:00.000-07:00

I tend to worry when a new tech phrase starts being used, mainly because it's just a matter of time before the term gets misused by the mainstream media and also because most of them are names for things I've been dealing with for a very long time already.

But there is one that I think is very valid, and the name fits perfectly to what is going on. The Long Tail is the term. It's about how, counter to how you would normally think, Places like Amazon and other online retailers are making just as much, or more, money selling items that aren't popular as they are on their best sellers. In other words, even though Harry Potter might sell millions, they also make lots of money on books that just sell a few copies... but there are thousands of books that sell just a few copies, so that adds up to just as many sales as with the top sellers.

Of course, this isn't something regular stores could even see. There is only so much self space, so you have to put all good selling items up. But an online store doesn't have to worry about that. They have several ware houses of stuff, and infinite 'space' to display their items.

Soon, in a world where every book ever published, every TV show ever made, and every movie ever produced is all available to anyone with a net connection, the long tail will be a real money maker. And more importantly, when companies can see ways to make money off of items that don't make the top ten, I think we will see more of them making products that are just expected to fit there.

I look forward to this, because it seems to me during my life time so far, the trend has been moving the other way around. The movie business was more and more about the block buster. Wal-Marts would only have the best selling books and DVD's, and they more and more were becoming the place where people got them.

That bothered me, because in general, I can't stand most best sellers, be it movies or books. I like the odd ball stuff that mall movie houses don't show. I like funny little books by people even I've never heard of.

Refugees Find Hostility and Hope on Soccer Field - New York Times

2007-01-21T14:18:00.000-07:00

A wonderful story about refugees in a sports program, and the Coach that runs the team.

L0ts of little stories in this article make this a great read. There was the team they played against who ended up donating to them needed cleats and such, and others... but don't let me tell you. Just read the story.

Can a White Beetle Lead to Better Whites?

2007-01-19T18:37:00.000-07:00

This story is interesting on several levels. First of all, you have a bright white beetle. But then you have a bit on the science of color, and how thicker materials are easier to make a brighter while, due to how white needs to reflect all light, and a beetle's shell is very thin.

And then you even have some strange math, as one of the reasons for the brightness of the beetle is due to some randomness of the makeup of the shell.

That is what I love about science... check out a simple white bug, and you find incredible things.

Some Considerations...

2007-01-19T18:09:00.000-07:00

I've been slow in posting, and during a particularly boring task at work today, an idea stuck me. And idea I has before, really... I just hasn't acted on it as much as I should have.

This weekend I'm doing to do a post or two on some current tech topics, but aimed at people like my Mom. I think that I've not done so as much because the stuff I read go into such topics in depth, and after reading a writer better than myself plum the depths of a topic, it's hard to think you have anything to offer on the subject.

But I think I do. I grew up as a geek in a world where I was most often the only geek. Often, the only person that would even let me talk on such things as a typing machine that would check spelling and sending letters over phone lines was my Mom... even if she didn't really believe some of the wilder ones I told her.

So, in honor of the first person, or victim, of me babbling about tech, this weekend I'll hit a couple of topics and try to explain things that us big city geeks find everyday and normal to a degree that, say, a retired teacher and still active Mom from Merryville, LA could understand it.

That isn't in any way to belittle retired teachers in Merriville. I know for a fact that at least one of them still has a lot to teach me.

Burn The Spring Chicken!

2007-01-19T18:08:00.000-07:00

I've been in other countries and I've seen some ... rather odd... translations before. This menu takes it to a whole new level.

Check out the menu, and enjoy the Cowboy Leg! And don't worry if you are on a diet... there is always the Rurality Salad.

What is Worse Than Snow?

2007-01-14T09:46:00.000-07:00

THE COLD!!!!

It's been in the teens or single digits (sometimes NEGATIVE single digits) since Friday. Another weather related lock down for me!

Text to Speech... Amazing!

2007-01-03T20:02:00.000-07:00

I've listened to computer generated speech for years now, and it is always horrible. Yeah, if you pre-process (basically, know exactly what it needs to say before you start), or allow all sorts of accent coding, you are lucky if you can understand what is being said.

I just spent 20 minutes playing with this page. I know nothing about this... accept that it works. yeah, there is some delay between hitting the button and hearing the talk, but it ain't long.

Amy Plays in the Snow Again!

2006-12-29T12:39:00.000-07:00

Amy took some more snow pictures, along with some narrative on what you are seeing. The one right here isn't even the best one... just the one that looks like I feel right now.... too much snow!

But however it messed up my holiday, it does look lovely. Check out her pictures.

It's a Snow Day!!

2006-12-29T12:35:00.000-07:00

Me, in front of my apartment. Now you can see what sort of week I've been having. And for all you little boys and girls that prayed for a white Christmas... stop it already!

Blizzard of '06 II : It's Back!!!

2006-12-29T08:03:00.000-07:00

Boy, I just can't get a break, can I? Oh, well. I'm fine... me and the room mate will be braving the half block walk to the grocery store to restock the food stores. Other than that, we are in hunker down mode.

For anyone interested in some good Denver weather info, the above link is where I'm getting most of mine.

Merry Christmas!!!

2006-12-25T17:43:00.000-07:00

I spent most of last week preparing for a trip home I never got to take due to the blizzard. You'd think I'd be bummed out over it, but I'm not.

Many people spent the holiday trapped in an airport. Now THAT would have driven me crazy! I was home, nice and warm. I had my room mate to talk to, and friends and family to phone and email with. About the only WI-FI connections at the airport are the ones they change way too much for, so I wouldn't have even had that, not to mention a good bed and a stocked kitchen. Hey, I've been though two blizzards before, I know when to hit the grocery store! We did go once during the storm, but it was more of a "Wonder how bad it is out there... and we could use some milk" kind of thing.

I'm doing fine. I'll be going home soon. And I have the week off, so I still am enjoying some time away from work!

Denver Air Port in Snow

2006-12-25T07:44:00.000-07:00

A great picture o f the Denver Airport

Giant Squid... Pics and Vids!

2006-12-23T09:35:00.000-07:00

We have long known about the larger versions of the squid. But until now, we've only had dead ones and eye witness accounts. Now we have live pictures and some vid, too.

This is weird creature gold!

Aww... he looks so cute! I just want to get some Squid Chow and feed him!

Christmas Spirit

2006-12-23T08:47:00.001-07:00

It seems I'm not going home this year for Christmas. I really, really wanted to. My Mom had a very nice plan for meeting members of both sides of my family, as different as they are. And there was someone I really wanted to see this year, but I won't go into that.

I want to talk about Christmas.

Every year now, we start hearing about the "War On Christmas" and other such silliness. Look, guys... someone requesting their holiday items be displayed isn't a war on Christmas. Nor is some random clerk saying "Happy Holiday" instead of "Merry Christmas".

You may not like the commercialization. I really don't, either. But you know what... Christians acted to make Christmas a national holiday. Note that we originally took the date and many customs from pagans in order to convert them. And also note that the likely reason they made it national was to win more converts.

But whatever their motives, they gave the USA, Christians and non-Christians a holiday about family, giving to others and good will. Maybe those that aren't Christians don't do things exactly as some would want. But they gave a wonderful nation a day to celebrate wonderful things.

Can you really think of a more Christian act than that? Let them enjoy that good will. The best witness is living a good life. Don't worry about which holiday greeting they give you. See if they are extending good will in the spirit of the day you gave them.

If they are... that should be the best Christmas gift any Christian can get. That their faith in some way inspired good will even in non-believers.

And hey... toys aren't only commercial... they are fun. Just remember to let them play with the boxes AND the gift wrapping! Kids find the fun in almost anything. That itself is a gift that any adult can learn from.

8 ½ hours on bus, resigned to fate

2006-12-21T08:52:00.000-07:00

Just another local story about man trying to get to his job yesterday. Makes me feel good that I had a work friend go well out of his way to get me and one other co-worker home yesterday. I really don't know where I'd be today if he didn't. Thanks.

How To Kill Time When Snowed In...

2006-12-21T07:56:00.000-07:00

Just surfing around a bit. Thought I'd share some links about our local blizzard.

A poem for a blizzard...

Snow Totals....

Blizzard Slide Show...

More to come... maybe.

Snowed In

2006-12-21T06:49:00.000-07:00

I was to fly out today to visit with my family, but as of now Denver is in a blizzard lock down. I almost didn't get home from work yesterday.

But on the upside, it is lovely to look at. The link has some pictures my room mate took.

Getting Ready For the Holiday!

2006-12-10T13:41:00.000-07:00

The week after next I'll be flying home. So now I'm getting ready, which this weekend means planning more than anything else. Most of this I won't be able to to till next weekend after I get paid.

I always get nervous when I'm about to travel. Not about the trip itself... I love flying, even with the major pain they have made getting on the actual plane. But about preparing to go... always worried I'll miss something, or forget to bring something important... like my tickets!

Of course, for a geek like me, I have extra steps. This weekend and next I'll be preparing my handheld computer for the trip! I'll be uninstalling anything I don't think I'll need, and I'm already getting video and audio downloaded and converted to watch/listen to over the trip. I will also be looking for some free games to enjoy.

This is Why We Dive

2006-12-10T13:33:00.000-07:00

Wonderful collection of dive pictures showing wonderful and strange fish.

Hippo defends Antelope from the jaws of a crocodile? Video - FileCabi.net

2006-09-11T12:17:00.000-06:00

Hippo defends Antelope from the jaws of a crocodile? Video - FileCabi.net

Sadly, it don't end well. But I just love strange animal clips. And this one is amazing. The hippo, dangerous creatures all cartoon depictions of them aside, acts in a way I've never seen one do in all my wasted hours of Discovery Channel and Animal Planet viewing.

Warning... may be a bit much for dailup users, and it will show some 'meet these girls in your area' ads, but nothing too wild, at least in my viewing. I just don't think my Mom, my only dedicated fan of this site, would be interested.

Hummingbird Hawkmoth on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

2006-08-26T15:56:00.000-06:00

Hummingbird Hawkmoth on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

It sounds like such a silly name... just take three random animal names and push them together. But you see it, and it makes perfect sense.

The Bubba Keg!

2006-08-13T13:02:00.000-06:00

The Bubba Keg!

OK, I just got this yesterday, because I needed a better mug at work. So I fill it up with some water and ice last night, and refreshed it (not that it needed much) at about 10 last night. This morning I pretty much ignored it... till noon.

And the water was still cold, and the ice was still there!

THIS is a mug, my friends!

Why I hate Ronald McDonald

2006-08-09T17:56:00.000-06:00

Years ago, when I was in the Navy, I was involved in something called Project Whitehat. We Saliors got in our uniforms and played with kids stuck in the Chicago Children's Memorial Hospital. Wonderful program, and it really did more for me than I ever did for those kids.

But while involved in that, some people from a group of families with children with heart problems saw us and liked how we handled the kids. They asked us to work their award show. You see, for the kids, most of that is all boring adult stuff, but you can't really have it without the reason for the group. So I and some others jumpped right in.

I was reall worried that it would be very boring for the kids, but they knew what they were doing. The hall they were using was filled with clowns! And they were great... retired grand parents that loved kids, a guy with a parrot that told silly little kid jokes, a gross ton of people making baloon animals and hats! And magic and red noses and big feet! The kids loved it... and so did the clowns. They all just loved giving those kids smiles. We hardly had to do anything. I was starting to wonder why we were asked to be here, even.

I soon found out. I found out first, even. We had to get the clowns out. Every one of them. And quick.

You see, the special guest of the event was Ronald McDonald... and by contract, he has to be the one and only clown in the room. And we were the tools of this contract.

So we spent the next few minutes seperating kids from clowns. And yes, the kids were upset. And the clowns, though they understood, didn't like it either. Even the bird was upset... it flew to a kid's sholder twice before we got him and his owner out of the hall.

But the worst wasn't there yet. When Ronald finally showed up, most of those crying kids suddenly lit up and watched him do magic tricks that weren't as good or as fun as the ones they had just seen, and make jokes that weren't as funny.

But he was Ronald McDonald, so they loved it. And I hate Ronald McDonald.

One bright spot. One little girl I spotted was crying while Ronald was doing his dumb trick. I went over and asked her what was wrong. She missed the clown that painted a star on her cheek and told her she was a pretty girl. He was funny, she said. She liked him. And right then, I really liked the little girl that couldn't care less for Ronald McDonald.

Becuase I hate Ronald McDonald.

Now, I'm not dumb. I fully understand that Ronald is a living, breathing symbol of a multi-billion dollar company, and you don't want for very good reasons to confuse your best customers, little kids, and have them think he is just another clown. I even understand that better today, as I've had to work on company idenity projects, on of course a much, much smaller scale. And the McDonald's company was giving the organization some money, and was also building a McDonald's House for the hospital... or already had one, I don't recall. All very good things that I'm glad they did, and do for others.

But you see, Ronald McDonald made me kick out those wonderful clowns... and I hate Ronald McDonald.

Ughhh! What Have I Been Doing?

2006-07-24T19:59:00.000-06:00

Well, clearly... not blogging.

I did the vacation thing in Febuary... yep, that long ago. Had great fun, and will be sharing stories and pics from that as I go. After that... well, just work and such. Not much to blog, other than news and such, and I just couldn't get myself to talk about it.

Well, I got stuff to talk about now. Things are happening in the world of geek and tech, that normal folks are just now getting into it. And I see this blog, among other things, as a way to explain the world of geek to people like my Mom.

So here is what I'll be working on soon... lots of stuff about podcasting, the tech that allows anybody to have a radio/TV show about whatever they want, and lets you subscribe to it. Stuff about how PDA's (Personal Digital Assistants, or hand held computers that geeks use) can be useful for normal folks. How all that geek stuff about Web 2.o matters to Bob in Merryville, USA. And how to use all that geek stuff to your gain without becoming a (horrors!) a geek yourself.

Or not... hey, the world needs more geeks that didn't play D&D or read comics in high school. I want red neck geeks, and NASCAR loving geeks! Bring it on! Give me the Vacation Bible School teaching, fishing and hunting, quilt club going geeks!

Computers and the net are just tools... you don't have to have a pocket protector and glasses to use those tools. And that is a very interesting topic...

Vacation Delayed action!

2006-07-23T20:49:00.000-06:00

The first part of this year, I took a great vacation. I'll be posting my various experiences here now. That includes some pictures.

Hey.. I had fun. Join me in that fun....

I'm Back... Who Cares?

2006-07-23T20:43:00.000-06:00

I did some figuring... In the months I haven't posted here, I've spent about 20 bucks maintaining a web site here.

Why?

Good question. There is the issue of blog fading... simple minded bloggers that quit their blogs when they just can't do anything with it. It's pathetic, really.

Honestly, if I felt I fit that, however the current lack of posts suggest it, I'd quit.

but really, I got some crap to say. You may not want to read it... and that is fine. I'm just the speaker... you guys pick out what is worth reading. me... I'll just say it and see what it stirs up.

I'm just the messanger.. you are the one getting it. You get to filter out the crap.

let me know... either way, it's an interesting process...

Off And Away...

2006-02-15T21:11:00.000-07:00

I am at the hotel now. from now on I'll be posting on the road.

Site News

2006-01-29T17:13:00.000-07:00

On the 16th of next month, I'll be going on a week long vacation to Hawii, with a few days in Las Vagas as well.

Now, normally such a vacation would mean that my updates to this site would go to slow to nothing at all, but I'm going to try to post using my cell phone and my hand held computer, and also putting up some pictures as I go.

Moments in Time

2006-01-24T20:02:00.000-07:00

Timing is everything - Gallery you don't want to miss!

A collection of photographs taken in mid action. Popping baloons, glasses in mid-shatter and more.

Very, very geeky, but some are very lovely to look at.

Atomic History

2006-01-22T21:48:00.000-07:00

1958 WS Underwater explosion + cloud engulfs US Navy drone target ship / Eneweta - Google Video

Don't know about dail up, but on my connection it was very quick. I think even you phone line folks. This is the kind of thing I'm talking about. Bits of history, odd facts, fractions of reality... this is what IPTV will mean. Quilting contests in OH, The winning apple pie contestent in LA explaining her winning ways... or the results of an underwater atomic bomb test from 1958.

You'd never see this on CNN, or your local news. But really... would you consider yourself more informed on the issue of atomic power after seeing this secondary effect of an atomic bomb, whatever your views on how such power should be used?

Besides that... man, that is a cool video!

Cayman Net News: What kind of fish is this?

2006-01-16T19:11:00.000-07:00

Cayman Net News: What kind of fish is this?

Weird animals are fun...

Let's Give Credit to Even Crazy People...

2006-01-15T20:38:00.000-07:00

Treehugger: Tired of Living on Earth? Build Your Own Island!

Hey, I couldn't do it, or even recomend it. But hey, let's accept he is nuts, and just give him credit for hard work, imagination and a calling to his own true faith.

Don't like modern culture or devices, and want to not damage the envirment? Then create your own 'island'.

More IPTV Goodness...

2006-01-15T20:09:00.000-07:00

Crazy Shirt Folding - Google Video

Remember what I told you? Simple TV show, showing some simple thing you are good at, from some no name person from the middle of nowhere?

Learn to fold a tee shirt in seconds from a faceless woman in Japan. Not in english, but it doesn't need to be. Just watch the video. I don't fold any of my clothes, and even I'm impressed and moved to almost try this.

Might do so for my vacation. Folded Tee Shirts, here I come!!

Testing...

2006-01-15T14:42:00.000-07:00

Just testing blogging from my PDA. If this works, there will be no stopping me!

Umm... Did you say IPTV?

2006-01-14T22:39:00.000-07:00

Could This Woman Drive Broadband TV?

The story in the link above is about a very popular IPTV show. IPTV is just a term that we funny looking word loving geeks have for Internet protocol TV. Which means, basically, TV over the Internet.

It's slow starting, but don't be mistaken, this is a bigger change than when the normal 4 or 5 channel system switched towards a 300 channel pay model.

So, after a bold statement like that, I'm sure you want me to back it up. sigh... so annoying...

OK, here are a few examples. Your grand kids here yet another call out to Gilligan's Island. Tired of not getting it all (Ummm... why is saying "Little Buddy" funny?). So, one trip to their computer, and a small payment, and they have ten select episodes of the actual show. Then they can poke lots of fun at you for watching such a stupid show.

OK... I can here that sigh all the way over here. "Gee... so everyone can watch all those dumb TV shows on a computer... you are excited over this?"

Yeah, I am. But I'm looking at the bigger picture. You see, we are going to get all those broadcast/cable shows on demand first. But that is only because that is the only way big companies can think, really. And hey, that isn't a bad thing. Even shows that were good but never found a fan base can find fame and more later, even years later. Family Guy got a new season due to it's surprising DVD sales. Firefly got a whole movie based on the same.

But that is just a small part of it. A few months ago, my whole apartment was evacuated. They found strange looking chemicals in our dumpster. And because we are nuts and hung around watching the fun while others went to bars or friend's houses (it was kind of cold that night) we all ended up on TV. I was able to send a link to the new stories that showed us to all my family and friends. So people in other states could see it. If I knew of someone in some other country, that could have happened too.

I think I still here that sigh. I think that the only reason you aren't impressed with such a local news story getting seen around the world is that we are all getting used to such because of the multiple 24 hour news stations now. But think about it... it also means that we all have access to the local news stories of that Iraq news station on an event that effects us all... from their viewpoint. Or that we can see what Greek news channels are saying about other things.

And even with that, the viewpoint is still to small, too focused. The corporate broadcast side of this is important, but not everything. The real push will come from the ability of normal people, those not paid for by broadcast companies, will be able to post their own TV shows about what THEY think, or about what they do.

Your TV show about crafts that teach 5 year olds lessons might be very small... but if it's available all over the globe, then you don't need to drag in a huge percentage of a limited population. Ten people in this city, a hundred there... and hey, they seem to like us in Japan for some reason. It's much easier to find your people.

It's also a matter of device... you'll be able to see these shows on your cell phone, on your portable computer and ... and here is the key... even on your TV. This is the key, becuase when watching some odd show that some nobody in Merryville, LA made, but which is funny and well worth watching, on your normal TV, then it becomes normal. Then seeing some strange vid off the net isn't strange... it's like watching regular TV.

Just like most things, it isn't just a matter of technology. It also requires a change in culture. But I'm already seeing the first signs of this.

HDTV watching pets...

2006-01-14T21:31:00.000-07:00

My Cat Is Watching HDTV!

OK, this story works for me on two levles. First of all, it's an odd story about the effects of high tech in ordinary lives, and it points towards possible further changes. It makes one think about the good and ill of those changes, and consider what the future holds.

Oh.. and it's a totally cool weird animal story! Wheee!

wynkoop post office demolition

2006-01-08T11:29:00.000-07:00

wynkoop post office demolition - Google Video

This is for my local friends. A short vid clip of the Wynkoop post office being torn down. It's kind of weird seeing... there was a time I went to this office at least once a day when working for Bradford Publishing.

By the way, Google Video is a great service, offering up the strangest bits of video. I wasn't even looking for this, but I guess that is the wonder of the net.

Trinidad's Pitch Lake

2006-01-02T11:17:00.000-07:00

Trinidad's Pitch Lake

Some really amazing pictures of a lake of tar, and some interesting bits of information on how such a lake acts.

Very strange.

Perfect New Year's Picture!!!

2006-01-01T13:23:00.000-07:00

Unexplained Mysteries :: Paranormal Image Gallery - Manned Space Flight/Sonic Boom

Picture of space shuttle going super sonic! What a great image for the new year!

eHow.com - Clear Instructions on How To Do (just about) Everything

2005-12-31T12:18:00.000-07:00

eHow.com - Clear Instructions on How To Do (just about) Everything

Very helpful site. find help with complex tasks or even those so simple you were afraid to ask for. Easy search, and it's broken down by category very nicely as well.

And this is NOT just for computer tasks. Check it out.

Silly Link Post

2005-12-28T21:35:00.000-07:00

For my third post, I'll break the rules I set for myself. Not only is this a link post, but it's a silly, geeky one. One of my favorate sites is Digg, a site that lets geeks share links. Fun site, and one even the non-geeks can enjoy.

So, while walking home today, I saw this flyer.

Dumb, silly and unforgivable. Forgive me?

A Piece of Empty Space

2005-12-27T18:42:00.000-07:00

So, why 'own' your own domain name? After all, these days you can get almost any service from the net without one. You can even have your own web page without one. That is even more true today than before.

But there are some real, practical reasons why you might want to have one... and maybe some that aren't as practical. I'll go into a few of them tonight.

But before that, bear this in mind. It's easy, and it's cheap. I got the start of this one up done in a day, and that included fixing two issues. Usually it would take you just an hour or two. And it costs me, all told, about 20 dollars. So, no super geeks needed.

The most practical use for your own domain is email. Sure, these days free email services with tons of features are everywhere. But with your own domain, you gain some advantages. The first one you notice is control. You can pick any name you want. There will be no need to come up with johnsmith56846 or some other typographical nightmare. When you use a popular service, you are literally compeating for a good name with millions of other people. With your own, you can literally own your own name again. And you also have a stronger level of control on how your email operates. Hey, it's yours, right? This is great if you have a family. You'll feel better about your kids having email when you can access the control panel.

There is a less practial, though no less real advantage. Sometimes some people make judgments based on where you get your service. It's silly, but it happens. Having aol.com at the end of your address seems to trigger this more often than most, and back when google mail was still in beta and hard to get, my gmail.com had a slight positive one. With your own, you avoid this.

And let's admit the best advantage... it's cool. Who needs AOL or MSN, anyway?

Now, what good is a domain name if you don't have a page? When you have a page on some service, your site name always gets second billing, and this can lead to a very hard to type and remember URL, filled with periods, slashes and numbers. Who needs that? Can you even figure out how to say it? Me, I just say "Yeah, it's Maximumwords.com... check it out sometime. I've got two whole posts up so far!"

Oh, and then there are those practical things, like more control of what you have on your page and how it works, and stuff like that. The little things. Some services tend to limit stuff like this. It's much better to have control of your site, rather than just having limited access to someone else's.

And then there is what is likely the least practial, but I think the most important, reason. If you have been just a user of the net, getting news from cnn.com and search from google.com, I think you are missing a key part of what the net is. Certianly, the utility that the net offers is amazing. You can pay bills, get the local news from small town in a Pacific island and more. The power of the net is that anyone, not just big companies, can use it. Unlike TV, or newspapers, or book publishing, the net is open. I can spend 50 bucks and put up a site that looks just as good as one CNN has. Now, to do so, you still have to be creative and put some work in.

But the dividing line is that... not having a printing press, or owning a TV station. And better yet, after you put up your first web page, and load it up on your favorite browser, the next time you are at CNN.com, you can say "Ehh... not bad. But I could do that."

First Posts Are No Fun

2005-12-26T20:54:00.000-07:00

So, I've done the blogging thing before, crashed and burned, and lost the domain name. But now I'm back, and the only people that care are the 5 people that ever read my blog (Hi, Mom!). So... now what?

In that other non-fun first post, I made a point of saying that good blogs had a focus, and that I would break that rule. Lame joke, but it was on me... a focus is good, even if it's a broad one.

So, I do have one this time. Before, I ended up just link blogging, putting out interesting sites I found. My main idea was putting out sites that my less than obsessive friends and family haven't found but might like out there for them. Fun, but not real creative, and it didn't really do what I started the site for... to push my writting skills some.

So this time I'm going to do the link blogging... hey, it's fun, and it fits my focus. And I have to do something with all this stuff floating about my brain. Before, I was aiming things at newbies... but today there aren't that many new people when it comes to the net. When you run across someone without an email, it's like running across someone without a phone number.

But those using the web everyday miss out on useful, or fun, or even important, things that they could be doing. And there are complex issues out there that never get on that 4 minute internet story on the local news. But many will effect you... you just won't know it till it does.

But I do... or at least I know some of it. And I hit the feeds hard trying to learn more. And I'll try to distill that here.

The net isn't about geeks anymore... it's about grandmothers IMing their grand kids, Mom's downloading music to listen to when washing cloths, contruction workers checking sports scores on there cell phones, and more.