Wednesday - May 07, 2008
oh such fun
I live in a condo park. The place was built 30 or more years ago. The geniuses who designed the place sided the whole complex, all 33 buildings, with the cheapest rough milled wood lath they could find. Then they hung it vertically, so that the edges would catch all the wind and rain. Needless to say, many folks here have had water leakage problems. It wasn’t until two years ago that any of these units even had gutters. Because they aren’t pretty. A big bunch of brain surgeons, right? So we got gutters finally, but they fired the guy who ran that project because he put in industrial size gutters, which are nearly double the size of your standard homeowner size. But they do a great job, and should have lastest for decades.
Well, they’re mostly gone now. The condo association decided to reside the whole place in modern insulated vinyl, and replace the brand-new gutters with smaller ones that “are more aesthetic”. Fuck that, they worked. So now they’re being sold for scrap. So right now we have even more Nicaraguans running around here than usual, tearing the place apart with saws and hammers. Fun, fun, and more fun.
It’s just extra special that they started the time exactly when the carpenter bees swarm. As luck would have it, our building is the first one to get the treatment. We’re getting all the wood siding torn off, replacement plywood undersheathing where necessary, a fully taped Tyvek wrap, and Alcoa Structure EPS siding on top. Top of the line stuff. Cost per unit: $10,000. Youch. And we got a brand new roof last year. Gosh, if I could get the landlord to paint and put in new carpet, that would be awesome ... except the rent would shoot up so much we’d have to move. We might anyway ... I figure the rent is going up $100 per month to pay for this, and it’s a falling renters market around here.
Posted by Drew458
on 05/07/2008 at 06:41 PM
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Permalink • Friday - March 14, 2008
The Power of the Letter
So, another historical movie… or is it? I do not have cable TV, and therefore I don’t have HBO. I’m gonna rely on BMEWS regulars to apprise me. What I found interesting is that my employer, the U.S.Postal Service, has signed on to John Adams. The USPS is promoting ‘the Power of the Letter.’ That is also the website, poweroftheletter.com.
I thought that this was just a USPS marketing ploy, which indeed, it is. Upon further reflection, I think it’s more.
I’m a history buff. Much of our history comes from letters, diaries, etc. This is stuff the people at the time wrote to their loved ones, or to themselves in the case of diaries. They knew that their descendants would read them. They knew that their progeny would have ‘hard copy’ of their thoughts.
Fast forward to 2008. My journal is kept on my hard drive. I very rarely print it out. Most of my correspondence is via email. Or by phone. Either way, no hard copy. I’m thinking future historians may find our information-rich society a dark-age, if only because we do not put our thoughts on paper.
So, save your thoughts for posterity. Write them out and mail them.
Posted by Christopher
on 03/14/2008 at 07:23 PM
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Permalink • Homeward Bound
I’m a reader. I do not watch TV. I do not have cable. The wife and I have tried cable and we agree… it sucks. Books are much better, and cheaper.
Having said that, my favorite book series has been the ‘Deathlands’ series by ‘James Axler’.
‘Deathlands’ is what the USA is called after the nuclear war that started Jan 20, 2001. Remember that? I missed it too.
So, I’ve been reading this ‘Deathlands’ for several years now. Then, I found out that the SciFi Channel made a movie of the 5th book “Homeward Bound”. In it, Ryan (our ‘hero?’) goes home, kills his murderous brother, and sets his nephew on the throne. The movie stars Tracy Lords, of porn fame, as the wife of said murderous brother.
Gotta see that!
No. Can’t find it anywhere. Not available on DVD.
Finally, I searched YouTube for it. No luck either. But I did find this gem. Enjoy!
‘Preview is my friend’, as Macker would say. I neglected to mention that I searched YouTube for ‘Homeward Bound’. I got this, and several hits for the Simon & Garfunkel song. I’d completely forgotten Simon & Garfunkel.
Update alert: my webgallery has some new stuff.
http://gallery.mac.com/cruithnijohnson#gallery
Posted by Christopher
on 03/14/2008 at 09:04 AM
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Permalink • Thursday - March 13, 2008
Wish me luck!
In about an hour I’ll be off to my first ever Toastmasters meeting. I’ve been getting bi-weekly invites to the brand new United Republican Toastmasters group for over a year now.
I know what you are asking: Why did I get invites for over a year? Simple. I registered on my local GOP website so as to participate in the discussion forums. Said forums died quickly. I’m certain that the Donks spammed the forums. (Maybe I should volunteer as a webmaster? The local GOP certainly needs someone who at least knows some basic html.)
Anyway, I’ve been considering accepting the invite for some time. Now is as good a time as any. I googled ‘Toastmasters’ and found their website, so at least I know what the goal is.
If anyone is interested, I’ll write up my experience over the weekend. Let me know in the comments.
Posted by Christopher
on 03/13/2008 at 06:37 PM
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Permalink • Bob Dole…John McCain…coincidence?
I’m no fan of John McCain. This man has no integrity. While under oath to ‘support and defend the Constitution’ he co-authored a bill that curtailed free speech. See McCain-Feingold.
But, since John is the ‘nominee’ (I question that, he was heir-apparent before I even got to vote here in Ohio… the primary system needs work. I wanted Duncan Hunter, backup was Mitt Romney. Both had dropped out by the time I got to vote.) we are supposed to rally around him. Why?
Not me. He’s got some explaining to do. I will support McCain to the extent that McCain has supported conservatism. I know, you are asking ‘since when did McCain support conservatism?’. A good question. The answer is, of course, that he hasn’t. He’s on the wrong side of illegal aliens, ‘gorebal warming’, free speech, and prosecuting the war against Islamic terror. Frankly, I can’t find any difference between McCain and any Democrat candidate. At least domestically. And I’m not so sure that a man who was so inept as to be shot down by North Vietnam is qualified to direct a war. He wants to shut down Gitmo and give these terrorists legal standing.
I’ve ranted enough. I found this on McCain’s website. I’m thinking of starting a webpage just to undermine him. It would have to be subtle of course.
I’m certain that any McCainiacs will enjoy this.
Posted by Christopher
on 03/13/2008 at 06:10 AM
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Permalink • Sunday - December 30, 2007
END OF THE YEAR AND A FINAL SAD GOODBYE
END OF THE YEAR AND A FINAL SAD GOODBYE
I hope I’m doing the right thing here at the end of this year of ‘07.
I thought of doing it at Christmas but then, how do I say a Merry Christmas and then go on to remember Allan Kelly in the same breath.
But I believe I can wish the best for all of the regulars here and hope the new year will be good for us all and a damn sight happier.
But for tonight guys and girls, sorry but I am one sad, oh so slightly down at the mouth individual who can’t help but think of Allan Kelly.
The Skipper.
Some of you knew him better, longer and on a personal level. I didn’t have that privilege being fairly new here.
It was quite easy to like The Skipper and I sure did appreciate his writing and humor.
It isn’t being negative or critical to state the fact that the old saying whereby nobody is irreplaceable, is false. Allan was not replaceable.
I feel somewhat cheated that I didn’t know him better, but am very thankful that I knew him at all. No matter how slightly.
I’ve no idea how many may read this, but it’s my hope that a fair number of you will and you’ll simply remember him as the old year fades into the new.
His memory I hope will never fade, because Allan Kelly deserves better from us. I hope that somewhere down the road we might have some small icon or something in the BMEWS masthead that acknowledges Skipper.
As the year ends there’s someone else who I think deserves our year end good wishes and sincere thanks. And that is Mr. Christian.
His patience with a newbe, the questions answered and some of em not very bright questions and his help to a total stranger is well appreciated.
I am very grateful that he has kept this blog going, up to now at least. With a family and another life, running a blog can not be easy and it’s a job I would never want. Nor could I do it if I wanted to. I think it does take special and quite savvy people to do the job.
So, a public Thank You Mr. C. You as well are one of a kind.
And speaking of savvy people, the regulars I’ve seen posting comments on this blog site are some very sharp folks indeed. I have the greatest respect for
you all.
My personal Best Wishes and Regards to all with the hope that you will have a very Healthy New Year. If you have health, happy will follow.
Cheers
JayD (peiper)
Posted by peiper
on 12/30/2007 at 12:12 PM
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Permalink • Tuesday - December 25, 2007
Merry Christmas
I don’t have a profound message for today, that was taken care of 2,000 years ago. I just want to wish all of the BMEWS members a wonderful Christmas. I pray you can spend it with someone you love and enjoy this special season together.
CHRISTMAS
Posted by Mr. Christian
on 12/25/2007 at 09:07 AM
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Permalink • Monday - December 03, 2007
What a Week
I took last week off from work, mostly to hunt (Virginia’s whitetail rifle season was the week of Thanksgiving and last week), but also to get some things done around the house. My thought was that I could spend some time sprucing up the site here, catching up on some posts I have queed up and make some progress on the “bark store”, but that never happened. I always end up planning more than I can accomplish.
I took my son out one day and we had a great time together. We got out to the pop-up blind I had set up the week before and found it lying on the ground in a heap. It looked like a bear had taken an interest in it and decided to test its carrying capacity. It failed. but, we were able to get it back up before sun-up and had a great time watching the forest wake up. We didn’t see any deer, and he got cold and restless after a couple of hours, so we paked it in and headed to breakfast in town. I hunted Friday and Saturday as well, but with no results. The bear did make one more visit on Friday night because I had to repeat the process of setting it back up on Saturday morning. This time, he broke a pole and tore up one of the guy lines. Too bad I never got to see him up close.
I ended the week in a grand way. My wife and I have been taking a class studying Jimmy Evan’s book: Our Secret Paradise. You don’t think you can learn anything new after 24 years, but this book has been revolutionary for our marriage. For those who wanted, and we did, a renewal ceremony was held at our church yesterday. So I got to re-take the hand of my bride and commit once again to love, honor and cherish her for the rest of our lives. It’s interesting that when we get married, we say those words, but what they mean is purly theoretical. Saying them now, they have real meaning. We’ve been sick and well, poor and rich, better and worse. Committing to stay with each other, no matter the circumstances, was a great and awesome privledge. Especially having our four kids witness it and share in it with us.
So, now that my Monday morning, month-end, back from vacation pile has been mostly dealt with, on to the news for the day......
Posted by Mr. Christian
on 12/03/2007 at 01:12 PM
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Permalink • Tuesday - November 27, 2007
Heading out to the Woods
Taking my ten year old son out to the woods today for his first hunting experience. The weather looks good and he is excited. Wish us luck!
Posted by Mr. Christian
on 11/27/2007 at 05:38 AM
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Permalink • Thursday - November 22, 2007
Giving Thanks
Many essays will be written today giving thanks. We live in a great country which, even with the idiot laws, regulations and restrictions in place, is the freest nation in the history of the world. I have a devoted wife of 24 years and four wonderful children. I have a good career, a stable income, a roof over my head and food in the pantry.
But all of that pales in comparison to the one I am thankful to. I do not promote my faith much on these pages, but there are times when it is appropriate.
The few years I have on this earth are but a moment compared to the eternity we will all experience. That eternity will either be one filled with peace, tranquility, beauty, love and joy, or it will be one of pain, sorrow, anguish and despair. You may not believe in eternity, thinking that once you die there is nothing else, but that is simply not true.
Because of our sin (yes, a politically incorrect word in our day), we have chosen to separate ourselves from God. The pain, anguish and despair we experience in this world is simply a taste of what we’ve asked for in eternity. But there is another choice. That separation is not irreversible. Jesus came to take the punishment we deserve. When he died on that cross 2,000 years ago, he took the sentence for our crimes so we don’t have to.
His gift to us is life. We experience a shadow of life here on earth. True life is one where there is no pain or suffering. Where there is no anger and fear. No death. No heartache. Only peace and joy.
We’ll not experience that life here in our time on earth, but it is guaranteed that there is a second life we will all experience. Which will you choose?
I have chosen real life.
I want an existence of joy, peace and love, and on this Thanksgiving day, I give thanks to the one who made it possible for me to hope in that day.
Death holds no fear for me, because I know it is simply a transition to the real life I am destined to live…for eternity.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Posted by Mr. Christian
on 11/22/2007 at 12:01 AM
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Permalink • Tuesday - November 20, 2007
U.S. lawmakers urge Google-DoubleClick deal scrutiny
Two U.S. senators on the antitrust subcommittee urged the Federal Trade Commission’s chairman to submit Google’s purchase of advertising company DoubleClick to “serious scrutiny.”
In a letter to the FTC (PDF), Sens. Herb Kohl (D-Wis.) and Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) argued that Google has a dominant position in a form of Internet advertising called contextual ads while DoubleClick is a market leader in display advertising.
They said industry experts believe the deal could harm competition on the Web.
“While we have not reached any definitive conclusion regarding this issue, we urge that you only approve the merger if you determine that it will not cause any substantial lessening of competition with respect to Internet advertising,” they wrote.
Kohl and Hatch also raised questions about privacy implications because both Google and DoubleClick collect information about Web usage.
“We believe that this deal raises fundamental consumer privacy concerns worthy of serious scrutiny,” the letter said.
FTC spokeswoman Nancy Judy said Chairman Deborah Majoras had received the letter but that it would inappropriate for her to comment on it.
Google said in a statement it had already discussed the privacy and market share questions with the FTC.
“We remain confident that the FTC will conclude that this deal is good for consumers, advertisers, and Web site publishers,” Google said.
Posted by peiper
on 11/20/2007 at 05:16 AM
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Permalink • Monday - November 05, 2007
An Old Friend
Maureen was driving to her job at the vet’s office on that late February morning. The van in front of her weaved suddenly and she saw a golden mass hurled toward the grass. She knew right away what it was and stopped to pick up the barely 4-week old puppy. Being a puppy and having a light snow on the ground, she basically bounced and rolled with little harm done. Maureen took the little fluff to the office and had the doc work her up. She got her shots and a good check up and was right as rain the next day.
Maureen also knew we were looking for a puppy, so she called to see if we were interested. That’s how we came to be the proud owners of a golden/shepard/who-knows-what mix. The kids named her Amber.
She loved the snow, but hated riding in cars. (I never really understood this until recently, as I thought about how she came into the world). She loved our kids and anyone who came to visit. She took to hearding the sheep around the pasture, but I think it was more for fun than an instinct for hearding.
When my mother-in-law came to live with us toward the end of her life, she brought along her rescued lab mix, Lucky. The two of them were instant sisters and spent every waking (and sleeping) moment together. They both loved our cats and didn’t bother with any of the other animals except the chickens, but who could blame them really?
On Thursday evening when I came home from work, Amber was there in the grass to meet me, but didn’t get up from where she lay. She seemed a little weak and looked like she’d lost some weight. By Friday morning, she couldn’t get up from the porch chair she was laying in, so I picked her up and put her in the car for a vet visit. Dr. Parker did not like what he saw. After some blood tests, he said her kidneys were failing. He wanted to try some anti-biotics and fluids for 24 hours to see if she would respond.
On Saturday afternoon, I held her in my arms as we said goodbye. Dr. Parker slid the needle gently into her leg and she drited off to sleep.
It’s been a hard weekend.
Goodbye old girl. I’m really going to miss you.
Posted by Mr. Christian
on 11/05/2007 at 12:17 PM
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Permalink • Thursday - October 11, 2007
Heading to Knoxville
My brother, who lives in Atlanta, and I are going to get together this weekend for along-overdue reunion. Just the guys; wives and kids are not invited. It’s a good time for us to catch up, do a little work on his website and generally cut loose for a couple of days.
We plan on hitting Coal Creek Armory to do some shooting (with requisit browsing and drooling on the merchandise). I really want to shoot some new .45’s.
Any recommendations on a good place to get some grub while we’re in town?
What else should we not miss?
Posted by Mr. Christian
on 10/11/2007 at 02:32 PM
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Permalink • Monday - October 08, 2007
The Demon
Thursday morning at 3:30AM, I woke up with a searing pain in my ankle. I tried to get back to sleep, but it was no use. It actually felt like I had broken it. After searching for evidence of a spider bite or something else, but finding nothing, I realized it was that demon Gout re-visiting. I’ve had it a couple of times in the past, but always in my big toe (which is not pleasent either).
There are, apparently, three things that are major controbuters to this damnable disease:
1. Being Overweight
2. Alcohol Use
3. “Rich” Foods
I enjoy an adult beverage now and then but don’t drink regularly, but I do have some extra poundage and do love sausage biscuits.
So I spent most of Thursday and Friday with my leg propped up, drinking gallons of water and cherry juice (which is supposed to help dissolve the purin crystals that cause the pain). Worked pretty well and I was back to almost normal by Saturday.
Now I have to really watch what I eat. no more Sausage Egg Muffins at Mickey-D’s. Passed on the ice cream last night. I belong to a local gym, so will be doing my best ot get over there two to three times a week and get this excess weight off.
Damn, I hate getting old.
Posted by Mr. Christian
on 10/08/2007 at 09:53 AM
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DISCLAIMER
THE SERVICES AND MATERIALS ON THIS WEBSITE ARE PROVIDED "AS IS" AND THE HOSTS OF THIS SITE EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ANY AND ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF SATISFACTORY QUALITY, MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, WITH RESPECT TO THE SERVICE OR ANY MATERIALS.
Not that very many people ever read this far down, but this blog was the creation of Allan Kelly and his friend Vilmar. Vilmar moved on to his own blog some time ago, and Allan ran this place alone until his sudden and unexpected death partway through 2006. We all miss him. A lot. Even though he is gone this site will always still be more than a little bit his. We who are left to carry on the BMEWS tradition owe him a great debt of gratitude, and we hope to be able to pay that back by following his last advice to us all:
It's been a long strange trip without you Skipper, but thanks for pointing us in the right direction and giving us a swift kick in the behind to get us going. Keep lookin' down on us, will ya? Thanks.
- Keep a firm grasp of Right and Wrong
- Stay involved with government on every level and don't let those bastards get away with a thing
- Use every legal means to defend yourself in the event of real internal trouble, and, most importantly:
- Keep talking to each other, whether here or elsewhere
THE INFORMATION AND OTHER CONTENTS OF THIS WEBSITE ARE DESIGNED TO COMPLY WITH THE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. THIS WEBSITE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND ALL PARTIES IRREVOCABLY SUBMIT TO THE JURISDICTION OF THE AMERICAN COURTS. IF ANYTHING ON THIS WEBSITE IS CONSTRUED AS BEING CONTRARY TO THE LAWS APPLICABLE IN ANY OTHER COUNTRY, THEN THIS WEBSITE IS NOT INTENDED TO BE ACCESSED BY PERSONS FROM THAT COUNTRY AND ANY PERSONS WHO ARE SUBJECT TO SUCH LAWS SHALL NOT BE ENTITLED TO USE OUR SERVICES UNLESS THEY CAN SATISFY US THAT SUCH USE WOULD BE LAWFUL.
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