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Doing the Right Thing
A guy with a pistol in his car is involved in an accident where he had to go to a hospital turns his gun over to police for safekeeping. Most of us agree it’s the right thing to do if your car is going to be towed, and sitting on a lot god knows where, likely with shattered windows. Guy goes back a few days later to get his gun, and he’s told he can’t have it until the police finish running ballistics test on it, to make sure it hasn’t been used in a crime.
What message does that send to the next guy? We’re constantly harped on by the anti-gun people about being responsible, and when we are, we get kicked in the teeth for it. No doubt the gun control groups would argue “the responsible thing is leaving your gun at home, neanderthal!” but they’ve lost that argument. The Fayetteville Police are insuring the next person to come along won’t do the right thing, and we’ll risk having a gun stolen and ending up on the streets.
from Snowflakes in Hell by Sebastian
Holy crap we WON ! ! ! !
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – Chad Ochocinco showed he can kick as well as catch. And Tom Brady showed he can take a hit — a very hard one.
With Shayne Graham nursing a tender groin, Ochocinco, Cincinnati's career leader in catches, yards receiving and name changes, booted an extra point late in the first half — a point that gave the Bengals a 7-6 win over the New England Patriots on Thursday night.
By that time, Brady was done for the night after being knocked down twice on his 13 snaps, one week after remaining upright on all 24 of his snaps in a 27-25 win at Philadelphia.
He got up quickly both times, his left knee passing the test after surgery that followed a season-ending knee injury in last year's opener.
Keith Rivers tossed Brady softly after the NFL's 2007 MVP threw incomplete on his third snap and landed on his back. On the first play of his second and last series, Brady was flattened by left end Robert Geathers, who easily got around right tackle Nick Kaczur and dumped Brady on his left side.
Cincinnati scored the only touchdown between field goals of 32 and 41 yards by New England's Stephen Gostkowski and led 7-6 at halftime.
Late in the game, the Patriots drove to a first down at the Bengals 12, but Cincinnati's Marvin White recovered BenJarvus Green-Ellis' fumble with 3:43 to play
The only touchdown came on J.T. O'Sullivan 24-yard pass to Chris Henry in the back left side of the end zone with 1:55 left in the half. Then the former Chad Johnson trotted onto the field and lined up behind holder Kevin Huber. The snap, hold and kick all worked as planned.
" 'Esteban' Ochocinco is back, the most interesting footballer in the world," Ochocinco said. "Everyone has to remember, I've always said that soccer is my No. 1 sport. I think Ronaldinho would be proud of me right now."
With Shayne Graham nursing a tender groin, Ochocinco, Cincinnati's career leader in catches, yards receiving and name changes, booted an extra point late in the first half — a point that gave the Bengals a 7-6 win over the New England Patriots on Thursday night.
By that time, Brady was done for the night after being knocked down twice on his 13 snaps, one week after remaining upright on all 24 of his snaps in a 27-25 win at Philadelphia.
He got up quickly both times, his left knee passing the test after surgery that followed a season-ending knee injury in last year's opener.
Keith Rivers tossed Brady softly after the NFL's 2007 MVP threw incomplete on his third snap and landed on his back. On the first play of his second and last series, Brady was flattened by left end Robert Geathers, who easily got around right tackle Nick Kaczur and dumped Brady on his left side.
Cincinnati scored the only touchdown between field goals of 32 and 41 yards by New England's Stephen Gostkowski and led 7-6 at halftime.
Late in the game, the Patriots drove to a first down at the Bengals 12, but Cincinnati's Marvin White recovered BenJarvus Green-Ellis' fumble with 3:43 to play
The only touchdown came on J.T. O'Sullivan 24-yard pass to Chris Henry in the back left side of the end zone with 1:55 left in the half. Then the former Chad Johnson trotted onto the field and lined up behind holder Kevin Huber. The snap, hold and kick all worked as planned.
" 'Esteban' Ochocinco is back, the most interesting footballer in the world," Ochocinco said. "Everyone has to remember, I've always said that soccer is my No. 1 sport. I think Ronaldinho would be proud of me right now."
How Does a Jedi Master Eat Noodles?
Yes, starting in November, the Japanese company Kotobukiya will be selling chopsticks that look like red, blue, or green lightsabers. I love that the hilts are different on each set, because of course they would be much less realistic if they all had matching hilts. At only $10 a pair, I may have to get several, because my kid will want them as soon as she sees them, too. That, and I figure if I get different colors I can mix them up so that when I eat with them, it’ll look like the chopsticks are fighting with each other.
Random Wikipedia
I stole this from The J-Walk Blog
How many times will you have to click the Random Article link at Wikipedia before you find an article that's interesting?
How many times will you have to click the Random Article link at Wikipedia before you find an article that's interesting?
The Story of Four Horse...
A man asked an American Indian what was his wife’s name.
He replied, “She called Four Horse”.
The man said, “That’s an unusual name for your wife.
What does it mean?”
The Old Indian answered, “It old Indian Name.
It mean….
NAG, NAG, NAG, NAG!”
from Bits & Pieces
He replied, “She called Four Horse”.
The man said, “That’s an unusual name for your wife.
What does it mean?”
The Old Indian answered, “It old Indian Name.
It mean….
NAG, NAG, NAG, NAG!”
from Bits & Pieces
Andrew Lopez has died...
A friend of mine has moved on. Andrew Lopez was a nice kid and fantastic artist. He was very close to my brother Matt and we will feel his loss deeply.
I will endeavor to gather some of his art and share it with you.
The man was 27 and too young.
I will endeavor to gather some of his art and share it with you.
The man was 27 and too young.
Project Mayhem - an open letter...
In Chuck Palahniuk's novel 'Fight Club' the men in Project Mayhem have no names. Only in death are their names returned.
It seems that graffiti has the same rules. You don't want to be identified with your work by the authorities or you may be held responsible for inflated monetary damages.
Andrew Lopez was an urban artist.
A "Graffitisti" with two names. Andrew Lopez and a "tag".
Andrew has died and I wish to name him but before I can I will need to be sure that his family will bear no hardship.
That may prove impossible as the law has long arms.
So, in the tradition of Project Mayhem:
His name was Andrew Lopez,
His name was Andrew Lopez,
His name was Andrew Lopez,
His name was Andrew Lopez,
His name was Andrew Lopez...
It seems that graffiti has the same rules. You don't want to be identified with your work by the authorities or you may be held responsible for inflated monetary damages.
Andrew Lopez was an urban artist.
A "Graffitisti" with two names. Andrew Lopez and a "tag".
Andrew has died and I wish to name him but before I can I will need to be sure that his family will bear no hardship.
That may prove impossible as the law has long arms.
So, in the tradition of Project Mayhem:
His name was Andrew Lopez,
His name was Andrew Lopez,
His name was Andrew Lopez,
His name was Andrew Lopez,
His name was Andrew Lopez...
Kids...
As you know I recently went on vacation and spent some time in Portland OR and Bremerton WA visiting family and friends. So, there were are sitting in a nice little diner in Bremerton, the Big Apple Diner to be exact. It's a lovely little place with a great menu and wonderful desserts.
I recommend it.
So, there are eight of us. Myself, my wife and kids- Ali 4 and Ari 16 mos as well as Melissa and her three heathens aged from 2 to 6. While we were enjoying breakfast and conversation a well put together gentleman of color walks in and sits at a table with three other folks.
So.
He's well dressed in a tie and slacks and well groomed.
Like I said, well put together. His mother is probably proud of him.
So.
So.
So.
So, my kid, Ali, four years old and as loud as a fog horn. Stands up and points.
STANDS UP AND POINTS ! ! ! !
Then yells for all to hear.
Yells.
LOOK DAD ! ! ! ! IT'S THE PRESIDENT ! ! ! !
Now I'm, of course, mortified. But at the same time rather proud of my little hellion.
Not only does she know that we have a President but she recognizes him as a man of color.
I explained patiently that he was not actually the President but just a man with a simple resemblance but that I am glad that she is interested.
I recommend it.
So, there are eight of us. Myself, my wife and kids- Ali 4 and Ari 16 mos as well as Melissa and her three heathens aged from 2 to 6. While we were enjoying breakfast and conversation a well put together gentleman of color walks in and sits at a table with three other folks.
So.
He's well dressed in a tie and slacks and well groomed.
Like I said, well put together. His mother is probably proud of him.
So.
So.
So.
So, my kid, Ali, four years old and as loud as a fog horn. Stands up and points.
STANDS UP AND POINTS ! ! ! !
Then yells for all to hear.
Yells.
LOOK DAD ! ! ! ! IT'S THE PRESIDENT ! ! ! !
Now I'm, of course, mortified. But at the same time rather proud of my little hellion.
Not only does she know that we have a President but she recognizes him as a man of color.
I explained patiently that he was not actually the President but just a man with a simple resemblance but that I am glad that she is interested.
JUST 62.5. How jaded are we? JUST 62.5...
The Chevrolet Volt, GM's electric car that's expected to go on sale in late 2010, is projected to get an estimated 230 miles per gallon, the automaker announced Tuesday.
That exceptionally high government mileage rating could give the Volt a major boost. For the first time, car buyers will easily be able to compare electric cars with ordinary gas-powered cars.
"Having a car that gets triple-digit fuel economy can and will be a game changer for us," said GM CEO Fritz Henderson.
Determining fuel economy for an electric car is a tricky matter. While General Motors (GM, Fortune 500) has been working with the Environmental Protection Agency for years on the issue, the agency says it has not tested a Chevy Volt and therefore cannot confirm the fuel economy values claimed by GM.
50 mpg? or 5,000?
Basically, you will be able to drive the Volt for about 40 miles using the lithium-ion batteries. For those driving less than that, gas mileage is essentially unlimited. It is only after 40 miles that the Volt will start using gas.
"Most Volt drivers will operate on a daily basis without having to use a single drop of gas," said Henderson, saying that three out of four drivers travel 40 miles or less a day.
Fuel economy for hybrid vehicles like the Toyota Prius is displayed in the same way as it is for any other gasoline-powered vehicle. It gets 46 mpg, for example, versus 19 mpg for a V-6 Ford Mustang.
That standard works because all the energy used by the Prius ultimately comes from burning gasoline. The Prius just uses that energy more efficiently than other cars do.
The Chevrolet Volt, on other hand, runs on electricity that comes from two sources -- a battery as well as a gasoline engine.
When gasoline is providing the power, the Volt might get as much as 50 mpg. But that mpg figure would not take into account that the car has already gone 40 miles with no gas at all.
So let's say the car is driven 50 miles in a day. For the first 40 miles, no gas is used and during the last 10 miles, 0.2 gallons are used. That's the equivalent of 250 miles per gallon. But, if the driver continues on to 80 miles, total fuel economy would drop to about 100 mpg. And if the driver goes 300 miles, the fuel economy would be just 62.5 mpg.
The Volt will need to be plugged in at night to recharge. The company said it estimates it will need 8 kilowatt hours for the recharge necessary to travel 40 miles. That should cost a total of about 40 cents at off-peak electricity rates in Detroit, Henderson said. National figures from the Department of Energy suggest most consumers would pay more than that, probably around 88 cents per recharge.
Even at those modest recharging costs, and limited use of gasoline, it will be difficult for the Volt to save money for their owners, according to auto sales service Edmunds.com.
"Even if the Volt's fuel savings could possibly be as dramatic as today's numbers suggest, the expected purchase price will be much higher than that of existing hybrids, and it will take years to pay off its price premium," notes Edmunds.com senior analyst Jessica Caldwell.
Making -- and selling -- the Volt
The fuel efficiency rating is based on the EPA's proposed methodology which GM used in its Volt tests and applies to city driving only. Henderson said GM is confident that when Volt's combined city/highway mileage average is calculated, it will be over 100 mpg.
But GM is obviously focused on the 230 mpg estimate as part of its early marketing campaign for the vehicle. It unveiled a logo with the number 230, with the zero looking like a cross between a smiley face and electrical plug.
Edmunds officials said they have doubts about the assumptions used to achieve the lofty fuel economy estimate.
"For most people, it is not realistic to expect that kind of mileage in real world driving," said Michelle Krebs, a senior analyst.
But Krebs said the Volt is likely to get achieve significantly better fuel economy than current offerings, such as the Toyota Prius that gets an estimated 50 mpg.
GM started pre-production of the car in June is making about 10 a month. "Volt is becoming very real, very fast," Henderson said.
Henderson conceded the cost of building a Volt will be expensive, about $40,000 per vehicle. But he said the vehicle will qualify for a $7,500 tax credit, which will reduce the vehicle cost by that amount for consumers.
He also stressed that GM has not set the pricing for the Volt, and conceded the company may have to subsidize the vehicle. The goal: Make enough sales to move the Volt from "first generation" to lower-cost future designs.
"The cost of the vehicle in the first generation is high," he said.
GM has not given sales targets for the first year, other than to say it will sell only thousands in the first year, and tens of thousands after that.
That exceptionally high government mileage rating could give the Volt a major boost. For the first time, car buyers will easily be able to compare electric cars with ordinary gas-powered cars.
"Having a car that gets triple-digit fuel economy can and will be a game changer for us," said GM CEO Fritz Henderson.
Determining fuel economy for an electric car is a tricky matter. While General Motors (GM, Fortune 500) has been working with the Environmental Protection Agency for years on the issue, the agency says it has not tested a Chevy Volt and therefore cannot confirm the fuel economy values claimed by GM.
50 mpg? or 5,000?
Basically, you will be able to drive the Volt for about 40 miles using the lithium-ion batteries. For those driving less than that, gas mileage is essentially unlimited. It is only after 40 miles that the Volt will start using gas.
"Most Volt drivers will operate on a daily basis without having to use a single drop of gas," said Henderson, saying that three out of four drivers travel 40 miles or less a day.
Fuel economy for hybrid vehicles like the Toyota Prius is displayed in the same way as it is for any other gasoline-powered vehicle. It gets 46 mpg, for example, versus 19 mpg for a V-6 Ford Mustang.
That standard works because all the energy used by the Prius ultimately comes from burning gasoline. The Prius just uses that energy more efficiently than other cars do.
The Chevrolet Volt, on other hand, runs on electricity that comes from two sources -- a battery as well as a gasoline engine.
When gasoline is providing the power, the Volt might get as much as 50 mpg. But that mpg figure would not take into account that the car has already gone 40 miles with no gas at all.
So let's say the car is driven 50 miles in a day. For the first 40 miles, no gas is used and during the last 10 miles, 0.2 gallons are used. That's the equivalent of 250 miles per gallon. But, if the driver continues on to 80 miles, total fuel economy would drop to about 100 mpg. And if the driver goes 300 miles, the fuel economy would be just 62.5 mpg.
The Volt will need to be plugged in at night to recharge. The company said it estimates it will need 8 kilowatt hours for the recharge necessary to travel 40 miles. That should cost a total of about 40 cents at off-peak electricity rates in Detroit, Henderson said. National figures from the Department of Energy suggest most consumers would pay more than that, probably around 88 cents per recharge.
Even at those modest recharging costs, and limited use of gasoline, it will be difficult for the Volt to save money for their owners, according to auto sales service Edmunds.com.
"Even if the Volt's fuel savings could possibly be as dramatic as today's numbers suggest, the expected purchase price will be much higher than that of existing hybrids, and it will take years to pay off its price premium," notes Edmunds.com senior analyst Jessica Caldwell.
Making -- and selling -- the Volt
The fuel efficiency rating is based on the EPA's proposed methodology which GM used in its Volt tests and applies to city driving only. Henderson said GM is confident that when Volt's combined city/highway mileage average is calculated, it will be over 100 mpg.
But GM is obviously focused on the 230 mpg estimate as part of its early marketing campaign for the vehicle. It unveiled a logo with the number 230, with the zero looking like a cross between a smiley face and electrical plug.
Edmunds officials said they have doubts about the assumptions used to achieve the lofty fuel economy estimate.
"For most people, it is not realistic to expect that kind of mileage in real world driving," said Michelle Krebs, a senior analyst.
But Krebs said the Volt is likely to get achieve significantly better fuel economy than current offerings, such as the Toyota Prius that gets an estimated 50 mpg.
GM started pre-production of the car in June is making about 10 a month. "Volt is becoming very real, very fast," Henderson said.
Henderson conceded the cost of building a Volt will be expensive, about $40,000 per vehicle. But he said the vehicle will qualify for a $7,500 tax credit, which will reduce the vehicle cost by that amount for consumers.
He also stressed that GM has not set the pricing for the Volt, and conceded the company may have to subsidize the vehicle. The goal: Make enough sales to move the Volt from "first generation" to lower-cost future designs.
"The cost of the vehicle in the first generation is high," he said.
GM has not given sales targets for the first year, other than to say it will sell only thousands in the first year, and tens of thousands after that.
Gotta get me one of these...
The uber minimimalist car ! ! !
The video is dubbed in "surrender-monkey" but the sounds and images speak for themselves. A V-12 you steer - and that's ALL ! ! ! !
Some of that is my money...
Banking news: Banks Rake In $39 Billion On Overdraft Fees.
Banks had to find some way to offset the tens of billions they lost on their idiotic mortgage bets, and the taxpayer bailouts weren't quite cutting it. So they raised their overdraft fees.
US banks stand to collect a record $38.5bn in fees for customer overdrafts this year, with the bulk of the revenue coming from the most financially stretched consumers amid the deepest recession since the 1930s, according to research. The fees are nearly double those reported in 2000...
The most cash-strapped customers are the hardest hit by such fees, with 90 per cent of overdraft revenues coming from 10 per cent of the 130m checking accounts in the US
That works out to $126.61 per year for every man, woman, and child in the country.
Banks had to find some way to offset the tens of billions they lost on their idiotic mortgage bets, and the taxpayer bailouts weren't quite cutting it. So they raised their overdraft fees.
US banks stand to collect a record $38.5bn in fees for customer overdrafts this year, with the bulk of the revenue coming from the most financially stretched consumers amid the deepest recession since the 1930s, according to research. The fees are nearly double those reported in 2000...
The most cash-strapped customers are the hardest hit by such fees, with 90 per cent of overdraft revenues coming from 10 per cent of the 130m checking accounts in the US
That works out to $126.61 per year for every man, woman, and child in the country.
Wow
(Photo: Dick Ireland / USGS)
California may be in the forefront in some environmental issues like alternative energy and recycling, but it is actually quite backwards when it comes to groundwater. Despite the long and severe drought, the state is bending to political pressure to allow farmers to withdraw groundwater to water their crops.
Felicity Barringer of The New York Times has the story:
Since 2006 the surface of the aquifer, in the Kaweah subbasin of the San Joaquin basin, has dropped 50 feet as farmers pumped deeper, Mr. Watte says. Some of his pumps no longer reach far enough to bringany water to the surface.
If he lived in almost any other state in the arid Southwest, Mr. Watte could be required to report his withdrawals of groundwater or even reduce them. But to California’s farmers and developers, that is anathema. “I don’t want the government to come in and dictate to us, ‘This is all the water you can use on your own land,’ ” said Mr. Watte, 57. “We would resist that to our dying day.”
Older Californians are quick to recall more severe droughts. Heavy groundwater pumping in the 1940s, ’50s and ’60s caused large overdrafts, meaning the groundwater pumped out exceeded the natural recharge of water percolating down from the surface. Some water tables dropped 400 feet; in some areas the ground itself sank as much as 50 feet.
The interesting photo above comes via the United States Geological Survey. It depicts USGS scientist Joe Poland showing subsidence (or sinking) of the land in the San Joaquin Valley from 1925 to 1977. The sign shows where the land level was at that year.
I'm Baaaaaack!!!
Vacation was fantastic. The blog has 1,985 posts so far. Let's see if we can break 2000 today ! ! ! !
Tonight, it's peas...
When you have a 16 month old you have to consider exactly what you want to clean up off of the floor after dinner. You have to consider splat capacity, stain longevity and doggie appeal.
Tonight, it's peas.
Splat factor is good - because of the outer shell of the pea containing the mushy goodness within on impact.
Stain longevity is good - but if you don't get them right away the mushy goodness can clot and you have to scrub.
Doggie appeal is bad - unless drowned in butter the mutt refuses them and butter throws all of the other factors in to disarray.
So tonight looks pretty good for simple clean up as long as I get them up before letting the evil out of the highchair. If not I run the risk of a 'Godzilla vs Tokyo' reenactment and all the planning is out the window.
Oh, and halfway through this post I had to get the crayola pencil from the evil as she was drawing on the kitchen wall.
16 months is an amazing time.
Tonight, it's peas.
Splat factor is good - because of the outer shell of the pea containing the mushy goodness within on impact.
Stain longevity is good - but if you don't get them right away the mushy goodness can clot and you have to scrub.
Doggie appeal is bad - unless drowned in butter the mutt refuses them and butter throws all of the other factors in to disarray.
So tonight looks pretty good for simple clean up as long as I get them up before letting the evil out of the highchair. If not I run the risk of a 'Godzilla vs Tokyo' reenactment and all the planning is out the window.
Oh, and halfway through this post I had to get the crayola pencil from the evil as she was drawing on the kitchen wall.
16 months is an amazing time.
Putting game
Give this a whirl. It's addictive and annoying.
http://www.matchpractice.com/game/
My record so far is 5 in a row...
http://www.matchpractice.com/game/
My record so far is 5 in a row...
Cris vs the ZX2
So the battery light came on in my little commuter car. A Ford Escort ZX 2.
So I figured the battery was about dead after 4 years and replaced it.
Nope, battery light still on. So we had the charging system checked and Les Schwab said it was bad. At that point it was either send it to Ford for $300+ or get the wrenches out in 103 degree heat.
We got the wrenches. After a bit of a tussle with the belt tensioner that scared the bejeebus out of me we started wrenching in earnest.
Well.
Well, you see.
Well, I'm on medication for an awful ear infection that put me out of work for over a week and in to the E.R. for two days. Now, remember I work for a software company (dig the wife's visor for a hint) and I tend to work at home (I have the best boss in the world) so when I work I ain't digging ditches so it isn't strenuous. I only point this out to illustrate how bad the ear infection had to be to keep ME from working.
So.
So.
I'm on medication.
The medication says plainly on the side of the bottle to keep out of direct Natural or Artificial Sunlight!!!
Remember? I live in Manteca? 103 degrees?
So.
Vomiting.
Vomiting in the front yard.
The back yard, the front bathroom, the back bathroom and on the new sofa.
I tried but it was too tough coach.
Luckily I married a Gadd woman (nee' Hogan). You people who know know what I mean.
So.
SO.
Cristophi fought and defeated the ZX2 in the driveway while I puked in the house.
I love that woman.
Holy shit!!! This is great ! ! !
http://www.ehow.com/video_2327320_removing-serpentine-belt.html
I need to replace the alternator again on my Escort ZX2 and remember that my buddy Rich and I had issues with the tensioner or something. I also remember Gary (Dude, I miss you so much) making short work of this in my old favorite car the Lumina.
I went searching for help on the porno-net and found this video.
It's absolutely freaking perfect.
I need to replace the alternator again on my Escort ZX2 and remember that my buddy Rich and I had issues with the tensioner or something. I also remember Gary (Dude, I miss you so much) making short work of this in my old favorite car the Lumina.
I went searching for help on the porno-net and found this video.
It's absolutely freaking perfect.
More places to visit on our trip to Oregon...
OMSI: The Oregon
Museum of Science and Industry is a really great example of the modern science museum. It is located on a former PGE property and incorporates the old power plant turbine hall. OMSI has the standard fare of OMNIMAX theater, planetarium and traveling shows as well as some really fun permanat installations. The real jewel from a geekdad perspective is the retired USS Blueback, the last active
Navy diesel submarine. Tours are available regularly and there is a monthly set of two hour technical tours as well.
Side trip: The
Portland bridges. From OMSI it is a quick walk to the downtown bridges and more than once I’ve been offered tours of the towers and inner workings just for showing interest.
Washington Park, including the Oregon Zoo, Portland Children’s Museum, World Forestry Center and hiking: This is one of those something for everyone, decide when you get there kind of outings. The zoo is great and has some wonderful new installations focusing on the Northwest.
It is also worth checking out the Elephants program. The zoo has the world’s most successful Asian elephant zoo breeding program.
Side trip: The MAX
(our light rail) station platform at Washington is 260 feet below ground and is the deepest transit station in North America. A core drill sample from the surface to the station level is displayed in the station with notes on the geologic and cultural history of the region.
Fort Vancouver
National Historic Site: The highlight is the reconstruction of the Hudson’s
Bay Company stockade. There is a tower redoubt, baking and blacksmithing demonstrations and occasional black powder cannon firings.
Willamette Locks at
Oregon City: River engineering is a big part of the economy in the region
(for good and ill) and the Willamette Locks are a great, close in, example of how the rivers are operated for commerce. My kids got to operate the locks under the supervision of the lock master – smiles from ear to ear. Make sure the locks are in operation before visiting. The Army Corps of Engineers operates the locks only when they have the budget to do so. If your kids like this trip consider a visit to Bonneville.
Arrival of the Jayhawks:
A few times a year the Coast Guard Jayhawk rescue helicopters come up from Air
Station Astoria to do a SAR demonstration. They always do a demonstration at the June Rose Festival Fleet Week but my favorite place to get up close and personal is the occasional open houses at Coast Guard Sector Portland. The demonstration is within about 100 feet of dock and you get a great view. At either of these events you can tour the USCGC Bluebell, our local buoy tender.
(I’m a Coast Guard Auxiliarist so I have a bias on this one). Photos here.
Top deck of the
Portland Airport parking structure: The terminal of the airport is between two of the main runways. On a clear day you can get a great view of the airport operations from the top deck of the airport parking structure. There are also great views of Mt. Hood and the Columbia River.
Out of town…
Columbia River
Maritime Museum: A newer facility and a great anchor for a trip to Astoria.
They have wonderful exhibits on the history, natural history and commerce of the Columbia River. As a Coastie I really enjoy the USCG lifesaving exhibits and the Lightship Columbia. Some weekends the Coast Guard cutters that dock at the adjacent dock are open for tours. Make sure to stop for fish and chips at the Bowpicker (an actual retired fishing boat) across the street from the museum.
Coast Beaches:
Go, just go…. But make sure to check the tips on beach safety.
Evergreen Aviation
Museum : Home of the Spruce Goose. If the kids are interested aviation this is trip you must take. They have wonderful collection of aircraft from the beginning of flight to WWII war birds to an SR-71 all under the longest wingspan of any aircraft ever built, Howard Hughes’ Spruce Goose.
Link
Museum of Science and Industry is a really great example of the modern science museum. It is located on a former PGE property and incorporates the old power plant turbine hall. OMSI has the standard fare of OMNIMAX theater, planetarium and traveling shows as well as some really fun permanat installations. The real jewel from a geekdad perspective is the retired USS Blueback, the last active
Navy diesel submarine. Tours are available regularly and there is a monthly set of two hour technical tours as well.
Side trip: The
Portland bridges. From OMSI it is a quick walk to the downtown bridges and more than once I’ve been offered tours of the towers and inner workings just for showing interest.
Washington Park, including the Oregon Zoo, Portland Children’s Museum, World Forestry Center and hiking: This is one of those something for everyone, decide when you get there kind of outings. The zoo is great and has some wonderful new installations focusing on the Northwest.
It is also worth checking out the Elephants program. The zoo has the world’s most successful Asian elephant zoo breeding program.
Side trip: The MAX
(our light rail) station platform at Washington is 260 feet below ground and is the deepest transit station in North America. A core drill sample from the surface to the station level is displayed in the station with notes on the geologic and cultural history of the region.
Fort Vancouver
National Historic Site: The highlight is the reconstruction of the Hudson’s
Bay Company stockade. There is a tower redoubt, baking and blacksmithing demonstrations and occasional black powder cannon firings.
Willamette Locks at
Oregon City: River engineering is a big part of the economy in the region
(for good and ill) and the Willamette Locks are a great, close in, example of how the rivers are operated for commerce. My kids got to operate the locks under the supervision of the lock master – smiles from ear to ear. Make sure the locks are in operation before visiting. The Army Corps of Engineers operates the locks only when they have the budget to do so. If your kids like this trip consider a visit to Bonneville.
Arrival of the Jayhawks:
A few times a year the Coast Guard Jayhawk rescue helicopters come up from Air
Station Astoria to do a SAR demonstration. They always do a demonstration at the June Rose Festival Fleet Week but my favorite place to get up close and personal is the occasional open houses at Coast Guard Sector Portland. The demonstration is within about 100 feet of dock and you get a great view. At either of these events you can tour the USCGC Bluebell, our local buoy tender.
(I’m a Coast Guard Auxiliarist so I have a bias on this one). Photos here.
Top deck of the
Portland Airport parking structure: The terminal of the airport is between two of the main runways. On a clear day you can get a great view of the airport operations from the top deck of the airport parking structure. There are also great views of Mt. Hood and the Columbia River.
Out of town…
Columbia River
Maritime Museum: A newer facility and a great anchor for a trip to Astoria.
They have wonderful exhibits on the history, natural history and commerce of the Columbia River. As a Coastie I really enjoy the USCG lifesaving exhibits and the Lightship Columbia. Some weekends the Coast Guard cutters that dock at the adjacent dock are open for tours. Make sure to stop for fish and chips at the Bowpicker (an actual retired fishing boat) across the street from the museum.
Coast Beaches:
Go, just go…. But make sure to check the tips on beach safety.
Evergreen Aviation
Museum : Home of the Spruce Goose. If the kids are interested aviation this is trip you must take. They have wonderful collection of aircraft from the beginning of flight to WWII war birds to an SR-71 all under the longest wingspan of any aircraft ever built, Howard Hughes’ Spruce Goose.
Link
An American hero dies… and hardly no one knows
Michael Jackson dies and it’s 24/7 news coverage. A real American hero dies and not a mention of it in the news.
You’re a 19-year-old kid. You’re critically wounded and dying in the jungle in the Ia Drang Valley , 11-14-1965, LZ X-ray, Vietnam . Your infantry unit is outnumbered 8-1 and the enemy fire is so intense, from 100 or 200 yards away, that your own Infantry Commander has ordered the MediVac helicopters to stop coming in. You’re lying there, listening to the enemy machine guns, and you know you’re not getting out. Your family is half way around the world, 12,000 miles away and you’ll never see them again. As the world starts to fade in and out, you know this is the day. Then, over the machine gun noise, you faintly hear that sound of a helicopter and you look up to see an unarmed Huey, but it doesn’t seem real because no Medi-Vac markings are on it. Ed Freeman is coming for you. He’s not Medi-Vac, so it’s not his job, but he’s flying his Huey down into the machine gun fire, after the Medi-Vacs were ordered not to come. He’s coming anyway. And he drops it in and sits there in the machine gun fire as they load 2 or 3 of you on board. Then he flies you up and out, through the gunfire to the doctors and nurses. And he kept coming back, 13 more times, and took about 30 of you and your buddies out, who would never have gotten out. Medal of Honor Recipient Ed Freeman died on Wednesday, June 25th, 2009, at the age of 80, in Boise , ID.
You’re a 19-year-old kid. You’re critically wounded and dying in the jungle in the Ia Drang Valley , 11-14-1965, LZ X-ray, Vietnam . Your infantry unit is outnumbered 8-1 and the enemy fire is so intense, from 100 or 200 yards away, that your own Infantry Commander has ordered the MediVac helicopters to stop coming in. You’re lying there, listening to the enemy machine guns, and you know you’re not getting out. Your family is half way around the world, 12,000 miles away and you’ll never see them again. As the world starts to fade in and out, you know this is the day. Then, over the machine gun noise, you faintly hear that sound of a helicopter and you look up to see an unarmed Huey, but it doesn’t seem real because no Medi-Vac markings are on it. Ed Freeman is coming for you. He’s not Medi-Vac, so it’s not his job, but he’s flying his Huey down into the machine gun fire, after the Medi-Vacs were ordered not to come. He’s coming anyway. And he drops it in and sits there in the machine gun fire as they load 2 or 3 of you on board. Then he flies you up and out, through the gunfire to the doctors and nurses. And he kept coming back, 13 more times, and took about 30 of you and your buddies out, who would never have gotten out. Medal of Honor Recipient Ed Freeman died on Wednesday, June 25th, 2009, at the age of 80, in Boise , ID.
from Bits & Pieces by Jonco
Walgreens...
Walgreen has announced that if you're willing to provide proof of unemployment and sign a form that says you lost your health benefits along with your job, you and your uninsured family members can receive free treatment at any of their 300+ in-store health clinics.
What's covered: "respiratory problems, allergies, infections and skin conditions, among other ailments."
What's not: checkups, vaccinations or other injections, and prescriptions.
The program will last through the end of 2009, and is offered every weekday between 11am and 3pm.
You can find the nearest clinic on this page.
If you need cheap meds, check out Walmart's $4 Prescriptions Program to see if your drug is on their cheap list.
"Walgreen giving free care to jobless and uninsured"
What's covered: "respiratory problems, allergies, infections and skin conditions, among other ailments."
What's not: checkups, vaccinations or other injections, and prescriptions.
The program will last through the end of 2009, and is offered every weekday between 11am and 3pm.
You can find the nearest clinic on this page.
If you need cheap meds, check out Walmart's $4 Prescriptions Program to see if your drug is on their cheap list.
"Walgreen giving free care to jobless and uninsured"
CycleKarting...
You can't buy a CycleKart and, even if you could, the racers wouldn't let you participate. You have to build your CycleKart. It's one of the many reasons this is a very cool hobby.
This coolest niche of karting we'd never heard of takes its inspiration from the bareknuckle Cycle Cars of the very early years of racing, which featured ultra-light construction and a goosed motorcycle engine. The hobby is sort of a revolt against high-dollar, huge horsepower racing, choosing to celebrate the camaraderie and creativity of the sport. CycleKarting clubs are invite-only, so they can keep ultra-competitive types out and make sure things stay light and fun. It's meant to be gritty and raw with the satisfaction coming not from winning, but rather tearing ass around a bumpy field in a cool little car you've built.
CycleKarts scale vintage race cars down to the minimum, with styling modeled after race cars through the late 1930's and maximum dimensions of 98" by 40" with weight no more than 200 lbs. Power comes from a 200 cc, 6.5 HP Honda motor and a CVT hanging over and driving the rear wheels. Total build price shouldn't be more than $1750. They're go-karts, but with miles of style. The specs aren't the important part of CycleKarting though, it's more in the building and good-natured fun. Add this to our ever-lengthening list of things we want to do some day.
This coolest niche of karting we'd never heard of takes its inspiration from the bareknuckle Cycle Cars of the very early years of racing, which featured ultra-light construction and a goosed motorcycle engine. The hobby is sort of a revolt against high-dollar, huge horsepower racing, choosing to celebrate the camaraderie and creativity of the sport. CycleKarting clubs are invite-only, so they can keep ultra-competitive types out and make sure things stay light and fun. It's meant to be gritty and raw with the satisfaction coming not from winning, but rather tearing ass around a bumpy field in a cool little car you've built.
CycleKarts scale vintage race cars down to the minimum, with styling modeled after race cars through the late 1930's and maximum dimensions of 98" by 40" with weight no more than 200 lbs. Power comes from a 200 cc, 6.5 HP Honda motor and a CVT hanging over and driving the rear wheels. Total build price shouldn't be more than $1750. They're go-karts, but with miles of style. The specs aren't the important part of CycleKarting though, it's more in the building and good-natured fun. Add this to our ever-lengthening list of things we want to do some day.
CycleKart
My M.I.L. is a pretty smart bird...
Another response to my post...
This Michael Jackson thing is no longer news. It is strictly profit generating media. So sad that there is rarely any legitimate news being broadcast these days and the American public has no clue what really important things are happening. I am personally really tired of all the sensationallism!!
---------
I completely agree with Grandma on this and have been saying it for a long time. The Media's job is to sell advertising NOT to give us timely and topical news.
This thing has grown to a product placement ad for the singers, speakers, venue, and labels involved.
I just read that the cars were provided free to the family:
----
The shameless commercialization of Michael Jackson's death continues as Land Rover Encino's providing Range Rovers and Rolls Royces to the Jackson family for the day's transport. Free product placement all day.
According to paparazzi machine TMZ, the cars have been provided to the Jackson family for the entire day, free of charge. It's a case of thinly veiled product placement as family and other celebrities will use the vehicles to travel to both Forest Lawn cemetery for his funeral service and LA's Staples Center for the much-hyped memorial service. Stay tuned to every single 24 hour news network for constant updates.
Link
This Michael Jackson thing is no longer news. It is strictly profit generating media. So sad that there is rarely any legitimate news being broadcast these days and the American public has no clue what really important things are happening. I am personally really tired of all the sensationallism!!
---------
I completely agree with Grandma on this and have been saying it for a long time. The Media's job is to sell advertising NOT to give us timely and topical news.
This thing has grown to a product placement ad for the singers, speakers, venue, and labels involved.
I just read that the cars were provided free to the family:
----
The shameless commercialization of Michael Jackson's death continues as Land Rover Encino's providing Range Rovers and Rolls Royces to the Jackson family for the day's transport. Free product placement all day.
According to paparazzi machine TMZ, the cars have been provided to the Jackson family for the entire day, free of charge. It's a case of thinly veiled product placement as family and other celebrities will use the vehicles to travel to both Forest Lawn cemetery for his funeral service and LA's Staples Center for the much-hyped memorial service. Stay tuned to every single 24 hour news network for constant updates.
Link
For Domo...
Passenger fixes faulty airliner
Holidaymakers avoided a long delay to their flight home when a passenger fixed a mechanical problem with their plane.Passengers on Thomas Cook flight TCX9641 from Menorca were told to expect an eight-hour wait while an engineer was flown out from the UK. One passenger then identified himself as a qualified aircraft engineer and offered to try to remedy the fault. He was successful, and the plane landed in Glasgow only 35 minutes late. A spokeswoman for Thomas Cook said the company followed strict procedures to ensure the man was qualified to work on the aircraft, a Boeing 757-200, during the incident on Saturday. "We checked his licence and verified he was who he said he was, and he was able to fix the problem to avoid the delay. We are very grateful that he was on the flight that day."
from Nothing To Do With Arbroath by arbroath
Holidaymakers avoided a long delay to their flight home when a passenger fixed a mechanical problem with their plane.Passengers on Thomas Cook flight TCX9641 from Menorca were told to expect an eight-hour wait while an engineer was flown out from the UK. One passenger then identified himself as a qualified aircraft engineer and offered to try to remedy the fault. He was successful, and the plane landed in Glasgow only 35 minutes late. A spokeswoman for Thomas Cook said the company followed strict procedures to ensure the man was qualified to work on the aircraft, a Boeing 757-200, during the incident on Saturday. "We checked his licence and verified he was who he said he was, and he was able to fix the problem to avoid the delay. We are very grateful that he was on the flight that day."
from Nothing To Do With Arbroath by arbroath
Tattoo Jim said...
Regarding my last post about the Dead Michael Jackson Phenomenon...
No kidding man!! It was a train wreck... we all have to look, it's only human nature, but it's over, we're past it, get on back to the real world people!! Seriously, if we gave just 1/1000th of this... whatever you want to call it... to our service people who have died FOR this country... they are the ones who deserve all the praise and respect that's being put on "the king of pop"... it is a sick, sad world out there...
Well said Jim.
No kidding man!! It was a train wreck... we all have to look, it's only human nature, but it's over, we're past it, get on back to the real world people!! Seriously, if we gave just 1/1000th of this... whatever you want to call it... to our service people who have died FOR this country... they are the ones who deserve all the praise and respect that's being put on "the king of pop"... it is a sick, sad world out there...
Well said Jim.
WTF, seriously, WTF!?
Michael Jackson was a singer. A perv. A pop star. Why on earth is the world freaking out?
Why in this poor economic time would LA pay for a memorial?
Is there revenue opportunity?
Did Elvis get this much coverage? John Lennon? The Pope?
I don't get it.
Can you-my reader-think of anyone else that would generate this kind of hype?
Maybe if someone shot the President.
Again, at least Abe Vigoda is hanging in there...
Why in this poor economic time would LA pay for a memorial?
Is there revenue opportunity?
Did Elvis get this much coverage? John Lennon? The Pope?
I don't get it.
Can you-my reader-think of anyone else that would generate this kind of hype?
Maybe if someone shot the President.
Again, at least Abe Vigoda is hanging in there...
From Drewby...
One day, the Pope is visiting America and driving around Washington in his limo when he gets an idea.
"Driver? Can I drive for a while?"
"Sure," says the driver. How can you say no to the Pope? So the Pope takes the wheel and starts driving like a maniac all around Washington -- dodging in and out of traffic, going eighty, cutting people off. Soon, a cop pulls him over. But when the Pope rolls down the window, the cop stops dead in his tracks, and goes back to the car.
"We got somebody really important here," he says to his partner.
"Who is it? Is it a senator?"
"No. More important."
"The president?"
"No. More important."
"An ambassador? Who?"
"I don't know. But the Pope is his driver."
"Driver? Can I drive for a while?"
"Sure," says the driver. How can you say no to the Pope? So the Pope takes the wheel and starts driving like a maniac all around Washington -- dodging in and out of traffic, going eighty, cutting people off. Soon, a cop pulls him over. But when the Pope rolls down the window, the cop stops dead in his tracks, and goes back to the car.
"We got somebody really important here," he says to his partner.
"Who is it? Is it a senator?"
"No. More important."
"The president?"
"No. More important."
"An ambassador? Who?"
"I don't know. But the Pope is his driver."
Gotta put this on the list to see on our trip!!!
This is across the river from Grandma's house ! ! !
The Oregon City Municipal Elevator is unique because it's the only outdoor municipal elevator in the United States. What's more, there are only four in the whole world. The elevator connects two neighborhoods in Oregon City; people used to rely on stairways built into the cliffs until the first elevator was made in 1915. That one was water-powered and it took three minutes for a one-way ride. The new (and current) elevator was dedicated in 1955. The observation deck at the top lets viewers check out views of Willamette Falls, the Oregon City Bridge and the Abernethy Bridge. (Source)
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