Looking through a tech magazine based in the UK, there was a small sidebar on new tech ideas that people were trying to get funding for. The one that caught my eye was a smartphone that you build with lego-like components. Each component that you wanted to add, say the camera, would be snapped in like a Lego block would. The phone itself, when completed looked like a big grey slab of parts.
Now I get the idea behind it and I applause the guy/gal for getting the idea published in the first place. But common, there wasn't five more ideas more deserving a spot in the publication than the "lego-phone"?
Sometimes you have to wonder what people are thinking when they do the things they do.
"Moving on, is a simple thing. What it leaves behind is hard..."
Monday, November 25, 2013
Saturday, November 23, 2013
New Submission of My Older Work
I am posting a new piece of my writing on the "My Writing" page. Something that I wrote a while back. I have decided that maybe it is time to start posting much of my older pieces here and there. At the very least it will keep more new content on the board.
Here is a copy of what can be found on that page. Enjoy.
Here is a copy of what can be found on that page. Enjoy.
How can any person put their ideas down in their chosen medium? He must first clear his head of his daily haunts. Everyone has internalized many of the issues that plague their lives, and for everyone it is very different. People struggle with money, with love, with relationships, and with the world around them. Everyone has a varied perception of the environment that surrounds them and how much they can interact with that environment.
"On and Off"
People look for a sanctuary. I myself find a quiet corner hidden away in my basement. Hiding from not only my wife and children but from the issues and problems that I myself struggle with. Eventually however they will find me. They will come searching because of something they are struggling with and I am their answer. I am their solution to their problem of the day or of the minute. The world is looking for me and the longer that I can stay hidden the more I can get done. It is a viscous cycle of on and off. Of left and right, and of broken and fixed.
Day after day the same thing takes place. Eventually there is a break in the routine but it does not last for long and it always returns to the original cycle. When they are looking for me I will hide until I am found. Once I am I will be forced to deal with the world. But then, when they are not looking or paying close enough attention I will sneak off again. Back to my hiding place in the basement.
They will soon find ways to draw me out. They will discover a way to make me come out so they no longer have to come and find me. I will come to them. Dinner. Food. A bathroom. All things that I will need and they know it. So they sit in ambush just waiting for me to arise into sight. Once there I am bombarded with questions and requests. I can only do so much. I am only one man. I only have 2 arms.
In time it will end. In time it will all go away because I have gone away. We all do it and we have all seen it. Eventually we will go the way that our parents have. It is the natural order. It cannot be helped or stopped. We must prepare and prepare those around us for the inevitable. When it happens you should not be afraid. We all knew it was coming and it was just a matter of time. You can take solace in one thing however. You have finally found peace and quiet.
Friday, November 15, 2013
Family Bonds
The new and long awaited PlayStation 4 is being released today and there are people lined up around the block waiting to get theirs. If I had the funds for such a purchase I would be in line with them, but alas I am broke. In time I too will have one. But as of right now I will just have to wait. That is ok. I have learned to have patience over the years and I should be able to hang on for a few months until I have the ability to spend the money on one.
That is not however the reason for this posting. The subject of this article is family. Why the PS4 introduction? Because I come from a family of gamers. I started out with computers back when I was 12 and ever since then I have had an interest in gaming and so did my entire family. I remember by mother playing Crystalis on the SNES along with a variety of Final Fantasy games also. My father loved to be able to have the newest systems when they came out. So even though most people had no idea what it was, we had a Turbo Grafix 16 on it's release day. To be honest, we have owned every single system that was released stateside from 1980 on.
That was a great family for someone like me to grow up in. I remember those things and I probably will for the rest of my days. My parents always did what they could to make me and my siblings happy. My mother especially would go without just so one of us could have what we wanted. Were we spoiled? Not really. She just wanted to do what she could to make us as happy as possible. Don't misunderstand me though and get the impression that she tried to buy our love. NO, there was plenty of love to go around. Plenty of hugs. Help with homework, and hours spent talking about thing. I especially had a close relationship with my mother considering I was the first born. But she spent time with everyone equally.
We have always considered family one of the most important things in life and have passed that on to our children as well. I always remember my mother and father telling my brother and sister and I that we must make sure we all get along, because when they are gone we are all that we will have left. At the time what she said made sense and I knew that she was right. But I never thought that it would be made so blatantly clear to me as it has been lately.
Growing up I always spent time with cousins and my Aunts and Uncles. I enjoyed their company and I actually thought that my relationship with a couple of them was pretty tight. Of course, just like any family we have a couple people who are just different. People who stay away from us as a group. But still, they are family no matter what. I always thought that the rest of the family would feel the same way that I did. I should have no reason to think otherwise.
I always hear or read stories about family members who betray each other. Families that cheat others out of money or property because they are greedy. When I hear about these things I cannot for the life of me understand why people would do things like this to family. I mean, money and possessions are things. They come and they go. They will not be around to help you or to give you a shoulder to cry on, but family will. When people betray family for money it is really sad. To think that someone out there values money more than a family member is just wrong.
Unfortunately it happens all the time. Our society is full of people who things like that. Just like in my own family. When my mother died it seemed like we were finally all alone. All that was left was my brother, my sister, and myself. The rest of my family (aunts, uncles, cousins) all disappeared. As if we never existed. Going to weddings and gloating about how much fun they are having. "A family night out on the town". Funny how just a few months go by and all of a sudden you are forgotten.
Families need to stick together. You never know when you might need them. Not only that, but you do not know when they need you. It is the family bond that is stronger than all others. It is the family bond that can withstand anything. When you stand behind family you can do anything. When your family stands behind you, you are never alone, no matter where you are. Do what you can to keep your family intact. Above all else, it is the most important thing that you can do.
That is not however the reason for this posting. The subject of this article is family. Why the PS4 introduction? Because I come from a family of gamers. I started out with computers back when I was 12 and ever since then I have had an interest in gaming and so did my entire family. I remember by mother playing Crystalis on the SNES along with a variety of Final Fantasy games also. My father loved to be able to have the newest systems when they came out. So even though most people had no idea what it was, we had a Turbo Grafix 16 on it's release day. To be honest, we have owned every single system that was released stateside from 1980 on.
That was a great family for someone like me to grow up in. I remember those things and I probably will for the rest of my days. My parents always did what they could to make me and my siblings happy. My mother especially would go without just so one of us could have what we wanted. Were we spoiled? Not really. She just wanted to do what she could to make us as happy as possible. Don't misunderstand me though and get the impression that she tried to buy our love. NO, there was plenty of love to go around. Plenty of hugs. Help with homework, and hours spent talking about thing. I especially had a close relationship with my mother considering I was the first born. But she spent time with everyone equally.
We have always considered family one of the most important things in life and have passed that on to our children as well. I always remember my mother and father telling my brother and sister and I that we must make sure we all get along, because when they are gone we are all that we will have left. At the time what she said made sense and I knew that she was right. But I never thought that it would be made so blatantly clear to me as it has been lately.
Growing up I always spent time with cousins and my Aunts and Uncles. I enjoyed their company and I actually thought that my relationship with a couple of them was pretty tight. Of course, just like any family we have a couple people who are just different. People who stay away from us as a group. But still, they are family no matter what. I always thought that the rest of the family would feel the same way that I did. I should have no reason to think otherwise.
I always hear or read stories about family members who betray each other. Families that cheat others out of money or property because they are greedy. When I hear about these things I cannot for the life of me understand why people would do things like this to family. I mean, money and possessions are things. They come and they go. They will not be around to help you or to give you a shoulder to cry on, but family will. When people betray family for money it is really sad. To think that someone out there values money more than a family member is just wrong.
Unfortunately it happens all the time. Our society is full of people who things like that. Just like in my own family. When my mother died it seemed like we were finally all alone. All that was left was my brother, my sister, and myself. The rest of my family (aunts, uncles, cousins) all disappeared. As if we never existed. Going to weddings and gloating about how much fun they are having. "A family night out on the town". Funny how just a few months go by and all of a sudden you are forgotten.
Families need to stick together. You never know when you might need them. Not only that, but you do not know when they need you. It is the family bond that is stronger than all others. It is the family bond that can withstand anything. When you stand behind family you can do anything. When your family stands behind you, you are never alone, no matter where you are. Do what you can to keep your family intact. Above all else, it is the most important thing that you can do.
Tuesday, November 12, 2013
Did I Misunderstand the Dog Whisperer?
I have always tried my best to be an honest person. As a person who would give credit where credit is due, and someone who would admit to being wrong. Well, I have to admit that I have been wrong. Even though what I am about to explain might not be a big deal to most, it is still something that I have to at least get out there and say.
For the longest time I have considered the Dog Whisperer a fake. Not only that, but I have also called him a jerk as well as some other "choice" words. The reason for this was always because whenever I watched his show (which was not all that often because of how I felt) I thought he was being mean to the dogs that he was training or working with. I saw his little "jabs" to the dog's neck or side as abusive. I thought that he was just beating the dog into submission. Of course I know he was not literally "beating" dogs, so don't freak out and think I am being too harsh.
I watched the last half of a show last night in which he explained his actions as he was doing it and I finally understood what he was doing and why. He description, and mind you that my explanation of his words will probably do his no justice, but his explanation of his actions were this. He basically said that his little "jabs" essentially simulate a small nip or bite by another dog in the pack. He does this because in the dogs understanding of their world and environment they are either submissive of the one who is dominant. This is often shown by barks and short little bites or nips. So by doing that action with his hand he is doing what another dog would be doing.
Bear in mind that even with the human-dog relationship there has to be a dominant figure in order for the relationship to work and for the dog and dog owner to be happy. No one enjoys a mean or obstructive dog. Nobody wants a dog who does not listen and does nothing but cause problems. So creating that dominance is what every loving dog owner needs to do. This is done so that the dog will follow instructions and commands given by the "master". If the dog does not listen it becomes outcast and a dog that the family cannot love. We all know what happens when that is the case.
So I learned something yesterday. I learned that some of the things that I was doing in the training of my dog have been wrong. Not necessarily to the point where things cannot be fixed, but just wrong in how I understood things. I knew that there needed to be that dominant/submissive relationship but I viewed much of that as being too mean. I did not realize that when done properly it makes all the difference. My dog has always listened to me.. to an extent. I was always too scared to be too harsh.
This realization does not mean to say that I will now start being more aggressive with my dog, just more understanding. I will now be more of a "rock" when it comes to that discipline. Instead of giving in so-to-speak I know now that I just need to be stern when it comes to training and teaching rules and things. I think with this new understanding it will make for a better relationship as well as a better environment for all of us.
Oh.. and Cesar Milan... I'm sorry.
For the longest time I have considered the Dog Whisperer a fake. Not only that, but I have also called him a jerk as well as some other "choice" words. The reason for this was always because whenever I watched his show (which was not all that often because of how I felt) I thought he was being mean to the dogs that he was training or working with. I saw his little "jabs" to the dog's neck or side as abusive. I thought that he was just beating the dog into submission. Of course I know he was not literally "beating" dogs, so don't freak out and think I am being too harsh.
I watched the last half of a show last night in which he explained his actions as he was doing it and I finally understood what he was doing and why. He description, and mind you that my explanation of his words will probably do his no justice, but his explanation of his actions were this. He basically said that his little "jabs" essentially simulate a small nip or bite by another dog in the pack. He does this because in the dogs understanding of their world and environment they are either submissive of the one who is dominant. This is often shown by barks and short little bites or nips. So by doing that action with his hand he is doing what another dog would be doing.
Bear in mind that even with the human-dog relationship there has to be a dominant figure in order for the relationship to work and for the dog and dog owner to be happy. No one enjoys a mean or obstructive dog. Nobody wants a dog who does not listen and does nothing but cause problems. So creating that dominance is what every loving dog owner needs to do. This is done so that the dog will follow instructions and commands given by the "master". If the dog does not listen it becomes outcast and a dog that the family cannot love. We all know what happens when that is the case.
So I learned something yesterday. I learned that some of the things that I was doing in the training of my dog have been wrong. Not necessarily to the point where things cannot be fixed, but just wrong in how I understood things. I knew that there needed to be that dominant/submissive relationship but I viewed much of that as being too mean. I did not realize that when done properly it makes all the difference. My dog has always listened to me.. to an extent. I was always too scared to be too harsh.
This realization does not mean to say that I will now start being more aggressive with my dog, just more understanding. I will now be more of a "rock" when it comes to that discipline. Instead of giving in so-to-speak I know now that I just need to be stern when it comes to training and teaching rules and things. I think with this new understanding it will make for a better relationship as well as a better environment for all of us.
Oh.. and Cesar Milan... I'm sorry.
Monday, November 11, 2013
A Crashing Bohemoth!
Since late 2009 the ESA satellite GOCE (Gravity-field and steady state Ocean Circulation Explorer) has been operating on zero-fuel. This means that since it ran out of gas the thing has only its current momentum and speed to keep it going. So as a result, the spacecraft has been slowly losing its orbit and falling back to Earth. So this brings about the obvious question; if this thing is falling back to Earth, when and where will it crash?
That is a good question and one that I have asked myself since I heard about this a while back. The problem is that no one knows. Or so they say. Here are the details.
First of all this spacecraft is traveling at about 17,000 mph (that's pretty damn fast!). The craft weighs about a little over a ton. As of October 24th the spacecraft's orbit had already degraded by about 3.5 miles from where it normally operated. Funny that it took a little over three years for the thing to fall out of its orbit by 3.5 miles. Anyway, so to recap we have a 2,000 plus pound spacecraft traveling at about 17,000 mph about to come through the planet's atmosphere and then burst into flames and whatever is left will fall to the ground. BUT! Where it lands is anybody's guess!
See, this is what I sorta have a problem with. I pay a lot of attention to science and space related happenings. So I hear about and find it fascinating that we can do the things we do. For example, we can send a probe to an asteroid thousands of miles away from Earth. We can communicate with that probe and send it instructions to adjust its flight path. We can tell it to change its speed (somewhat). Most of all, we can get a probe the size of a washing machine to land on a rock speeding through space at about 25,000 mph that is about as big as a house. We can do all with the precision that is similar to having a remote control helicopter the size of a flea land on a penny on the top of a skyscraper that is located in London while controlling it from Texas. But, somehow, we cannot determine where ANY of the pieces of the GOCE spacecraft will re-enter the atmosphere?
See, i find this a little hard to believe and I think that there are a lot of things that we would not expect someone else to know about or how to do. But the fact of the matter is, they can and they do! We have gotten use to certain things being the case and there is even more that we just accept. However, how many things take place that we are told one thing but it is suspected something else actually took place? There are probably quite a few. The scary thing is that if you were to put yourself in their shoes, the people in charge of these certain things, you would probably agree that the best course of action is to NOT tell people the truth.
That is a good question and one that I have asked myself since I heard about this a while back. The problem is that no one knows. Or so they say. Here are the details.
First of all this spacecraft is traveling at about 17,000 mph (that's pretty damn fast!). The craft weighs about a little over a ton. As of October 24th the spacecraft's orbit had already degraded by about 3.5 miles from where it normally operated. Funny that it took a little over three years for the thing to fall out of its orbit by 3.5 miles. Anyway, so to recap we have a 2,000 plus pound spacecraft traveling at about 17,000 mph about to come through the planet's atmosphere and then burst into flames and whatever is left will fall to the ground. BUT! Where it lands is anybody's guess!
See, this is what I sorta have a problem with. I pay a lot of attention to science and space related happenings. So I hear about and find it fascinating that we can do the things we do. For example, we can send a probe to an asteroid thousands of miles away from Earth. We can communicate with that probe and send it instructions to adjust its flight path. We can tell it to change its speed (somewhat). Most of all, we can get a probe the size of a washing machine to land on a rock speeding through space at about 25,000 mph that is about as big as a house. We can do all with the precision that is similar to having a remote control helicopter the size of a flea land on a penny on the top of a skyscraper that is located in London while controlling it from Texas. But, somehow, we cannot determine where ANY of the pieces of the GOCE spacecraft will re-enter the atmosphere?
See, i find this a little hard to believe and I think that there are a lot of things that we would not expect someone else to know about or how to do. But the fact of the matter is, they can and they do! We have gotten use to certain things being the case and there is even more that we just accept. However, how many things take place that we are told one thing but it is suspected something else actually took place? There are probably quite a few. The scary thing is that if you were to put yourself in their shoes, the people in charge of these certain things, you would probably agree that the best course of action is to NOT tell people the truth.
Thank A Soldier Today!!
Considering today is Veteran's Day I would not be me if I did not pay some sort of tribute to our nations soldiers past and present. So that being the case, let me say this:
It seems like no matter what the reason, when soldiers or the military comes up in conversation people are bursting with thanks and support. Not that it is a bad thing. No, I am happy that the general public has finally realized the amount that these people give up for us. But it just seems strange that before September 11th news anchors, public figures, and politicians alike did not give soldiers a second thought. But since then, since the war in Iraq, people regard soldiers as a higher class of citizen.
Now I don't know what caused this change, but I like it. I will admit thought that when some people give praise and thanks to the nations soldiers it sounds fake and it sounds forced. But at least they are praising those who deserve praise. I hope that soldiers truly get all the support and benefits that they deserve. They are struggling still to get the proper health benefits that they deserve and some of them are still struggling financially and even mentally. We should give them all the help that we can. If you know a soldier, shake their hand. If you see one that needs help, give it to them because without them, you would not enjoy the life that you have right now.
Thank You to America's Men and Women of the Armed Forces!
It is because of our soldiers that we have the country that we do. It is because of our soldiers that we have the freedoms that we do. They have paid the ultimate sacrifice for people they do not know and will never meet. From the moment they sign their name on that form they are preparing to sacrifice everything for us. With all of my heart and everything that I am, I thank you. I thank you for what you have pledged to sacrifice and I thank you for all that you have sacrificed. Soldiers of the present and of the past. Those that have given their lives since before the beginning of this great country, for me and my family, I thank you!
Okay. Now that has been said I fee better. But this does bring up a question and therefore a reason for a short article/post. Have any of you noticed how the country's attitude towards soldiers has changed since the 9-11 tragedy? Think about it. Before that happened people just thought about soldiers as another person doing a job. Sure, they recognized that they are sacrificing everything, but there wasn't such a public outpouring of support and thanks. Things have changed.It seems like no matter what the reason, when soldiers or the military comes up in conversation people are bursting with thanks and support. Not that it is a bad thing. No, I am happy that the general public has finally realized the amount that these people give up for us. But it just seems strange that before September 11th news anchors, public figures, and politicians alike did not give soldiers a second thought. But since then, since the war in Iraq, people regard soldiers as a higher class of citizen.
Now I don't know what caused this change, but I like it. I will admit thought that when some people give praise and thanks to the nations soldiers it sounds fake and it sounds forced. But at least they are praising those who deserve praise. I hope that soldiers truly get all the support and benefits that they deserve. They are struggling still to get the proper health benefits that they deserve and some of them are still struggling financially and even mentally. We should give them all the help that we can. If you know a soldier, shake their hand. If you see one that needs help, give it to them because without them, you would not enjoy the life that you have right now.
Thank You to America's Men and Women of the Armed Forces!
Sunday, November 10, 2013
Putting Things Aside for Family
It is pretty common around here for me to end up passing on a project or task in order to accomplish something for one of my kids. I have a hard time telling one of them "NO" if I know that what they are asking is sincere and that it is something they need or really want to get done. I feel like if I do not help them at that point, they will have no other options.
In on way you could say this is akin to spoiling them. I have been acting in this manner for their entire lives. So if this is indeed spoiling them, then I suppose I am guilty. I know that is probably the case with my youngest daughter. Although people say that she is just a big "Daddy's Girl", I have a feeling that I just spoiled the crap out of her.
There have always been people who will preach the downfalls of doing this to your kids, but I don't see it. At least, not to the extent that they talk about. Many of these people will bring up kids who grow into adults that do not know how to get anything on their own. Or people who do not know how to deal with society as an individual because they are so used to having someone there to do things for them. I can see this and I have seen this. But in order for my kids to get like that I would have to do a lot more "spoiling" than I currently do.
Today I picked up a second gerbil for my youngest daughter. I had promised her this animal a few weeks ago and it was based on her accomplishing a few things as well as then completing a couple more. So in a way it was a reward for her doing something good. I always try to give them something to strive for and something to possibly gain if they complete their "mission". In this case it was keeping the room clean, working on maturity, and working on "how we talk to our parents" (she had an issue with a screaming match with mom). So yes, I might have went a bit overboard when we brought the little bugger home, but it is not like I just went out and bought it for her as some parents do.
When we brought the little gerbil home I had to clean out an aquarium that we had in the garage. Then I had to design and build a screened top for it that she would be able to lift and open and close. This took some time of course. The problem with this was, and the reason why I started writing about this in the first place, is that I had a full schedule for this evening. I ended up passing on the things that I had planned on doing just so I could handle the gerbil house construction.
While I just succeeded in making my tomorrow much busier than I wanted it to be, I also succeeded in making my little girl happy. So I think it is a win. And if I am super busy tomorrow I will survive. We all sacrifice for our kids and I am no different. This is just the most recent example of me putting myself out to make my kids happy, and I can tell you that it will not be the last.
Until next time...
In on way you could say this is akin to spoiling them. I have been acting in this manner for their entire lives. So if this is indeed spoiling them, then I suppose I am guilty. I know that is probably the case with my youngest daughter. Although people say that she is just a big "Daddy's Girl", I have a feeling that I just spoiled the crap out of her.
There have always been people who will preach the downfalls of doing this to your kids, but I don't see it. At least, not to the extent that they talk about. Many of these people will bring up kids who grow into adults that do not know how to get anything on their own. Or people who do not know how to deal with society as an individual because they are so used to having someone there to do things for them. I can see this and I have seen this. But in order for my kids to get like that I would have to do a lot more "spoiling" than I currently do.
Today I picked up a second gerbil for my youngest daughter. I had promised her this animal a few weeks ago and it was based on her accomplishing a few things as well as then completing a couple more. So in a way it was a reward for her doing something good. I always try to give them something to strive for and something to possibly gain if they complete their "mission". In this case it was keeping the room clean, working on maturity, and working on "how we talk to our parents" (she had an issue with a screaming match with mom). So yes, I might have went a bit overboard when we brought the little bugger home, but it is not like I just went out and bought it for her as some parents do.
When we brought the little gerbil home I had to clean out an aquarium that we had in the garage. Then I had to design and build a screened top for it that she would be able to lift and open and close. This took some time of course. The problem with this was, and the reason why I started writing about this in the first place, is that I had a full schedule for this evening. I ended up passing on the things that I had planned on doing just so I could handle the gerbil house construction.
While I just succeeded in making my tomorrow much busier than I wanted it to be, I also succeeded in making my little girl happy. So I think it is a win. And if I am super busy tomorrow I will survive. We all sacrifice for our kids and I am no different. This is just the most recent example of me putting myself out to make my kids happy, and I can tell you that it will not be the last.
Until next time...
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