I got something to show you... or say...

2009-06-21T21:36:00.001-07:00

Happy Father's Day

2009-06-21T16:33:00.000-07:00

2009-06-15T15:05:00.000-07:00

Getting the Network the World Needs by Lawrence Lessig

2009-05-01T04:22:00.001-07:00

This is a much longer video than I would usually post; however, I found it to be one of the most provocative, well thought out presentations I have heard in quite some time. It made me consider and understand the ideas of piracy and copyright law as it relates to culture in ways that I doubt I ever would have reached on my own. If you can find 50 minutes to listen to it in its entirety, I believe you will find it well worth the time.

Click To Play

2009-04-23T21:06:00.000-07:00

This has to be the most intense "sport" I have ever seen.

wingsuit base jumping from Ali on Vimeo.

2009-03-20T18:05:00.000-07:00

If you've not caught this alreeady..... I think it is well worth watching. I continue as most, I believe, to be very impressed.

Ann Coulter gets mopped up in 1:12

2009-03-08T18:06:00.000-07:00

Biscuit the Sleepwalking Dog

2009-03-06T07:52:00.000-08:00

Credit goes to Cnet's Molly Wood and the Buzz Report for this find.

2009-02-24T15:52:00.000-08:00

I took the footage and photos in Katmai National Park in Alaska a few years ago. I finally pulled them together, played around with them and ended up with this. Katmai is a beautiful place and the grizzlies are powerful to experience.

One Bad Apple

2009-02-21T22:02:00.000-08:00

For anyone considering buying an iphone or any other Apple product, here is a piece of news of which you might want to be aware. Apple just cannot be allowed to get away with this. This is an excerpt from CNET's Weekly Buzz Report (Feb 18, 2008) with Molly Wood. It can be found at CNet.com.

Daft Punk Harder Bodies

2009-02-18T20:58:00.001-08:00

Griffin House

2009-01-12T16:07:00.000-08:00

I have only heard 2 pieces of this guys work but wow.... the first (The Guy That Says Goodbye) I listen to often as it is just a great song and put together well.

I just heard and saw this video and for the same reason and much more was moved. the song and the video besides the straight fwd obvious touched a lot of thoughts and memories that lurk just below the surface.

2008-08-22T02:26:00.000-07:00

mebear aka mornings

2008-07-30T00:44:00.000-07:00

iluzii optice

2008-06-21T14:21:00.000-07:00

AND SO IT GOES, written by BILLY JOEL

2008-06-13T19:58:00.000-07:00

In every heart there is a room
A sanctuary safe and strong
To heal the wounds from lovers past
Until a new one comes along

I spoke to you in cautious tones
You answered me with no pretense
And still I feel I said too much
My silence is my self defense

And every time Ive held a rose
It seems I only felt the thorns
And so it goes, and so it goes
And so will you soon I suppose

But if my silence made you leave
Then that would be my worst mistake
So I will share this room with you
And you can have this heart to break

And this is why my eyes are closed
Its just as well for all I've seen
And so it goes, and so it goes
And you're the only one who knows

So I would choose to be with you
Thats if the choice were mine to make
But you can make decisions too
And you can have this heart to break

And so it goes, and so it goes
And you're the only one who knows

KEUKA LAKE: VIEW FROM POTTER COTTAGE, BRANCHPORT, NY

2008-06-13T04:29:00.000-07:00

DREAM

2008-05-24T14:42:00.001-07:00

2008-04-10T03:08:00.000-07:00

2008-03-31T15:15:00.001-07:00

2008-03-15T10:06:00.000-07:00

High Hopes

2008-03-10T18:25:00.000-07:00

2008-02-22T21:46:00.001-08:00

More than 450 mountains have been destroyed by mountaintop removal coal mining.

if you would like to add your name in support to stop the devastation caused by this practice, you can do so here.

fin d'ete

2008-02-21T21:53:00.000-08:00

i saw this recently on youtube and really liked...

In an abandoned city before a tropical storm, a woman decides to stay...
Through this film, our ambition was to portray a particular ambience and feeling more than a heavy storyline. We (Patrick Harboun, Ronan Le Fur and Joaquim Montserrat) worked on it for 6 months within our studies at Supinfocom, a French CG animation school.
The film's website www.findete.com features a lot of background information.
We hope you'll enjoy it.

QUALITY PROGRAMMING

2008-02-02T00:39:00.000-08:00

THIS IS FREAKIN' HYSTERICAL!! IF THERE WERE TV LIKE THIS IN THE STATES, I WOULD WATCH 24/7.

2008-01-31T19:34:00.000-08:00

$4275.00

2008-01-27T23:23:00.000-08:00

ColorQuiz.com - The free five minute personality test!

2008-01-20T01:46:00.000-08:00

mike took the free ColorQuiz.com personality test!

"Alert and keenly observant. Is seeking fresh avenu..."

Click here to read the rest of the results.

2008-01-10T18:12:00.001-08:00

drowning

2008-01-08T18:19:00.001-08:00

2007-12-30T23:48:00.000-08:00

2007-12-20T22:32:00.001-08:00

2007-12-11T20:16:00.000-08:00

2007-11-26T09:53:00.001-08:00

2007-11-12T16:06:00.000-08:00

For Brittany

2007-11-10T19:03:00.001-08:00

Brittany;

I have been working on this for quite a while now; and, although the plan was to have it completed some time ago, unexpected hurdles presented themselves slowing the already sluggish pace. Even though its timeliness is not quite there, it was (and still is) meant as a congratulation on both your graduation from High School and your matriculation into PSU. Although I am sure you do it with complete confidence, it's not at all easy to imagine you as a young undergraduate signing up for her courses, moving into her dorm room, and attending classes whose beginnings and endings are not marked by a loud obnoxious bell; the little girl with her head wrapped in gauze, helping her father to learn first aid comes much easier.

I hope you know how proud I and all of your family is of you. You are a young woman who has worked hard to make it to where she is today. Hopefully before you started classes this Fall you let yourself sit back, relax, and enjoy the accomplishment. I know that now the demands of school are probably not letting you sit, relax, or enjoy very much of anything. I wish you the best in school and in whatever comes along with it. It can be one of the most exciting and sometimes frightening times of life. Best of luck and all my love and support as you move into this new chapter.

I hope you enjoy the video.

Love,
Uncle Mike

Federal government

2007-11-06T18:54:00.000-08:00

Story Published: Oct 9, 2007 at 8:46 PM PST

By Associated Press

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) - The federal government said Tuesday that a petition to protect the giant Palouse earthworm as an endangered species does not contain enough scientific data to conclude that such protection is warranted.

The petition seeking threatened or endangered status for the rarely seen worm - which can grow as long as 3 feet and spit at attackers - was filed on August 30, 2006, by environmental groups.

"We share the petitioners' concern for the species," said Susan Martin, supervisor for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office in Spokane. "While we will not be initiating an in-depth status review at this time, we will continue to cooperate with others to monitor the species."

The decision upset conservationists, who blamed the Bush administration.

"Given that the earthworm has been seen only three times in the last 40 years despite considerable survey, the Fish and Wildlife Service's decision is utterly ridiculous and flies in the face of common sense," said Noah Greenwald, biologist with the Center for Biological Diversity.

"At the very least, the extreme rarity of the earthworm and substantial threats to its habitat warranted further study," he said.

The giant Palouse earthworm was first discovered in 1897 near Pullman, Wash. Although only a few specimens have been collected, it was thought to be abundant in the Palouse.

But the last confirmed sighting of the species was in 2005 by a University of Idaho researcher. Previously, the giant worm had not been seen since 1988.

There is little about the worm in the scientific record. Information regarding the range, distribution, population size and status of the worm is limited, preventing the assessment of population trends, the agency said.

The agency concluded that while the Palouse prairie has experienced a dramatic conversion of native habitat to agriculture, it was not clear if that hurt the worm.

The agency also found no information on predation or transmission of pathogens by other earthworms to the giant Palouse earthworm.

"The service could not determine if a lack of regulations may pose a threat to the species," the agency said.

The giant worm is the largest and longest-lived earthworm in North America. It is reported to have a peculiar flowery smell, and to be cream-colored or pinkish-white. It has been reported to spit at attackers and move quickly through the soil to escape predators.

The petition was filed by the Palouse Prairie Foundation, the Palouse Audubon Society, Friends of the Clearwater and three private citizens. ---

2007-11-02T00:10:00.000-07:00

2007-10-17T18:45:00.000-07:00

2007-10-04T13:11:00.001-07:00

2007-10-03T18:09:00.000-07:00

space

Microsoft quietly unveils Vista-to-XP downgrade

2007-10-01T02:39:00.000-07:00

Microsoft has reportedly begun offering a downgrade option to PC makers who want to allow their customers to have the option of using XP over the pre-installed Vista software.

Computer manufacturers including Fujitsu, Lenovo, and HP now mainly offer PCs exclusively with Vista pre-installed. Customers who would prefer to have XP can request a downgrade disc for computers that come with Vista Business and Vista Ultimate. These two versions allow downgrading as part of the software licensing, but the process is difficult without a specifically coded disc.

Several big PC makers never stopped offering XP as an option for custom-built computers. However, the standalone operating system software has nearly vanished from all retail outlets.

The new policy dates back to June, when Microsoft caved in to allow the manufacturers to include a special XP downgrade CD with systems that come pre-loaded with one of the two high-end Vista packages. Per Microsoft's licensing terms, it is not obligated to supply earlier versions of its operating system to consumers or manufacturers.

Alice Hill’s Real Tech News - Independent Tech

2007-10-01T02:20:00.000-07:00

Stealth Microsoft update breaks Windows Update on “repaired” XP Blog Archive Alice Hill’s Real Tech News - Independent Tech

While Microsoft said the “stealth install” of updated Windows update files — even when users had disabled automatic updating — which we wrote about earlier, was harmless, it turns out it wasn’t quite that simple. For XP users, if you happened to do a “repair” using a repair CD, you would no longer be able to use Windows update … period.

The basic reason for this was that the aforementioned stealth update replaced certain Windows update files. When a repair is done, that file is replaced, and Windows Update is no longer able to function. Nate Clinton, program manager for Windows Update, said on the Windows Update blog:

Here’s what we found: when an XP repair CD is used, it replaces all system files (including Windows Update) on your machine with older versions of those files and restores the registry. However, the latest version of Windows Update includes wups2.dll that was not originally present in Windows XP. Therefore, after the repair install of the OS, wups2.dll remains on the system but its registry entries are missing. This mismatch causes updates to fail installation.

I was confused at first, but what he means is the registry entries for the new wups2.dll are missing — I think. BTW, this is the same Nate Clinton who initially said the stealth update was harmless. I’m being a little harsh here; it’s really the combination of the update and the repair that cause the issue.

How do you fix it? There’s a Microsoft KB article on it, KB943144. Unfortunately, while people like you and I won’t have issues with the procedure, it’s certainly nothing most users would be comfortable with.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, register the Wups2.dll file in Windows. To do this, follow these steps:

Stop the Automatic Updates service. To do this, follow these steps:
Click Start, click Run, type cmd, and then click OK.
At the command prompt, type the following command, and then press ENTER:
net stop wuauserv

Register the Wups2.dll file. To do this, follow these steps
At the command prompt, type the following command, and then press ENTER:
regsvr32 %windir%\system32\wups2.dll
Note: For a computer that is running Windows XP Professional x64 Edition, type the following command, and then press ENTER:
regsvr32 %windir%\syswow64\wups2.dll
Click OK on each verification message that you receive.
Start the Automatic Updates service. To do this, type the following command at the command prompt, and then press ENTER:
net start wuauserv
Exit the command prompt. To do this type exit, and then press ENTER.

We Say: This just goes to show why why it is important that Microsoft shouldn’t force undocumented updates upon users — though I will admit that if a notification popped up with an update centered around Windows Update, I most likely would have downloaded and installed it anyway.

Hey There Delilah

2007-09-28T19:57:00.000-07:00

2007-09-28T04:58:00.000-07:00

i can never go home

2007-09-19T19:11:00.000-07:00

2007-09-17T15:04:00.000-07:00

Microsoft admits to stealth updates

Date: September 17th, 2007
Blogger: Paul Mah
Category: News, Security
Tags: Microsoft Windows Update, Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Corp., Paul Mah

+1

Worthwhile?

Over the last few weeks, and without user approval of any kind, Windows Update has updated nine executable files on both Windows XP as well as Windows Vista.

We first reported about this last week in Microsoft caught doing stealth updates, in which a user noticed files being modified by Windows Update despite automatic update being disabled. This has since been echoed by various users and reports around the web.

Well, it is now official. Microsoft has now came clean and admitted to the ’stealth’ updates.

To their credit, the updates in question were actually limited to updating Windows Update’s own files. Also, the only reason this update occurred is because the alternative would mean that Windows Update itself would stop functioning properly, according to Microsoft.

Wrote Nate Clinton, Windows Update program manager on the Windows Update team blog:

“That result would not only fail to meet customer expectations but even worse, would lead users to believe that they were secure even though there was no installation and/or notification of upgrades.”

However, Microsoft is adamant that there is no wrong here and that the entire issue is more a matter of Microsoft not being clearer. Microsoft Windows programmer Nick White wrote:

We do recognize that we should have been clearer in our explanation of this process earlier in the game…

Note that this issue only affects computers that use Windows Update. Most large businesses will probably be using Windows Server Update Services or a feature in Systems Management Server to perform their updates. They are not affected by this snafus.

Still, Microsoft seems to be missing the bigger picture here. As mentioned in my earlier post, if Microsoft is able to ‘push’ updates to a computer with automatic update disabled, what is there to stop a hacker from figuring out how to do the same.

Is this silent update ‘ability’ a major security vulnerability waiting to explode in our faces?

Happy Ending

2007-08-22T17:44:00.001-07:00

For the past few months i keep coming back to this song.... it at least sounds happy.

OutRiders - Taking Care of Their Own

2007-07-31T12:19:00.000-07:00

Some of the guys back in Philly taking care of their own. Wissahickon trails are among the top mountain biking trails in the northeast and only 5 minutes from center city Philly. Hiker/Equestrian/Biker relations could stand to be a little better but from what I experienced there are just a couple jerks in every camp and for the most part they are all pretty cool. I used to make a point of talking with the equstrians and never found one (ok, maybe one) who was rude or obnoxious. Close by in MD about 45 min from Philly is another beautiful spot to ride and user relations there are fair to strong. The bikers all around are awesome and some of the friendliest folks I've ever met. One day s/he is a stranger on the path, couple weeks later they're regulars on the ride! Can you tell I miss it?

the title links to more information about Outriders.

2007-07-15T18:48:00.000-07:00

INTENTIONS

2007-06-25T22:30:00.000-07:00

Peep holes have been in the front doors of most of the places I have lived. There is a peep hole in the front door of my current home. They are so common place yet so rarely used that I hardly ever take notice of them anymore. They exist for the sole purpose of protecting oneself from intruders and in 20 years of living on my own, I never considered the need to use one. A knock at the door, especially one that comes in the middle of the afternoon, has never been anything worse than a salesman who I would need to kindly but expeditiously dismiss. Yesterday I opened the door as I would for any afternoon knock. Yesterday I was left with memories that will not be easily dismissed. Yesterday four individuals forced their way into my apartment.

All I needed was a glance at the unlikely group staring back at me, and I knew the ill conceived plan that was likely to lie ahead. Long before arriving at my doorstep, these front door evangelists had been led by near-blind faith and unquestioned conviction to set in motion actions which no longer required thought or decision on their part. Like the evangelists who had knocked upon the door of my childhood home, the unexpected visitors did not have a plan that would allow for true dialogue. If words were to be exchanged at all, it would be a brief diatribe based upon rigid beliefs sealed in airtight systems. This collection of unlikelies was here for action, not talk. Regardless of this innate knowledge, my only shield was made of words. The first I said were nearly mechanical, "You are not welcome here. You do not have a right to be here. And you need to leave." Without pause and as if it were their very own home they told me that they had every right to be here and emphasized their belief by forcing their way through the door and into my living room. Immediately I had my cell phone in hand and dialed for help, but the recorded message I received had no way of knowing what was taking place or that I desperately needed aid. Now it was nearly certain my unwelcome guests would do as they pleased. With experiences like this, chronology is lost. Remembering "x event came before y event" is not seen as important by our minds. Sometimes the events are so severe that we wipe them out completely and remember only bits and pieces of the time. I believe I recall most of the events but they are not recalled by my mind as coming in any particular order.

While I was held back or held down, they rifled through my cabinets seeking any item that would satisfy their rabid desire. Dishes, glasses, and any number of items belonging in the cabinets were carelessly tossed aside as the frenetic shakedown continued. At another point during the insanity, they noticed my only set of car keys. Snatched from the bowl in which they lay, the keys were thrown through the open front door onto a neighboring roof. Clearly the plan called for me to stay and thoughts of flight would not be tolerated.

Numerous attempts to gain their attention and regain the safety of my once quiet home fell upon deaf ears. Throughout the entire ordeal they would hear nothing of what I had to say. As if a single mind, they continued on their self-appointed plan.

Having seen animals behave in this frenzied way, I knew that sometimes a loud, startling noise may shake them from the trance which holds them spellbound to their task. Attempting to gain any attention possible and hoping to end the invasion, I grabbed the only thing I could see - a small blue cereal bowl which had been removed from my cupboard.

With every move that had occurred in my life, this bowl had been carefully packed and personally carried to its new home. It was used by me on only a handful of occasions when I needed to connect with memories which could remind me I was not alone. Few people, maybe no one, would have seen it as a bowl different from any other, but this little blue bowl held more than morning breakfast or afternoon soup. Its difference was not visible on the outside but was carried within by the history it brought to the present. As a boy, I had often watched my grandfather use it for his breakfast. He used it every morning and for the same breakfast.... two Nabisco Shredded Wheat biscuits. To me, the biscuits were known only as "hot water, butter, milk, and sugar." It took years to realize this was in fact how the biscuits were prepared rather than their proper name. For years after his death they had remained "hot water, butter, milk, and sugar."

Even as the blue bowl burdened with history hurled through the air towards the wall, I realized how much of my life was being shattered into unrecognizable pieces. The bowl and the peace it offered were now unrecognizable debris on my living room carpet. The frenzied intruders hypnotized by the memories they were creating remained undeterred from their task.

The last sound I recall was the smashing of the bowl. After that, my space, my head, and my life filled with silence. Why speak when you are not heard? Why listen when to you no one talks?

The four intruders in my home continued their poorly planned campaign until the police arrived. After passing by the crowd of neighbors and through the still open front door, the officers took charge quickly. They found me with my father nearly sitting on me while Chuck choked me with an elbow lock around my throat. Because I was agitated and the situation was unclear, handcuffs quickly appeared and found a home on my wrists. The remaining intruders, my mother and a former supervisor, were escorted to just outside my front door and quickly joined by my father and Chuck. The plan apparently initiated by Chuck had not been completed as anyone had likely envisioned. The accomplices to the attack probably had only good intentions as they were falsely led down a path to my front door. They presumably had believed that their son and friend would be found ravaged by addiction and unable to care for himself. They were there to force acceptance of their help and support. They could not have known any of the events that led to Chuck's relegation as "past" or of his recent and unrequited attempts to move back into the present. In the short telephone calls or brief encounters which must have occurred, they could not have seen Chuck's well-hidden obsessive and cruel personality. Their fears would have allowed for the possibility of truth in the stories of this homeless, penniless, unemployed man. The fire kindled by fear is easily fed by even the slightest of whispers from any stranger coming into our lives. Unclear words and actions especially when translated over distance become tinder for the fire. Fear for the safety of someone we love can lead to actions that would rarely be considered logical or justifiable. But we do them anyway. And even after the dust settles, we need them to make sense to us. Then one day maybe we stop, we listen, and we consider that there are other possibilities to the truth we once blindly believed. And maybe our intentions and love do not allow us to justify any action we choose to take.

The useless shards of glass have been gathered and treated as simple garbage. They will never again hold memories and offer support from a previous generation. Given time, however, the shards of blue will be reclaimed by the earth allowing them to be useful and needed. Their place and their use may not be clear, but since long before the small blue bowl exploded into pieces against my living room wall, their potential has remained unchanged.

2007-03-17T18:57:00.000-07:00

These are a few of the pics from Africa that you might see if you check that blog out. Not sure which of these i actually put on. I am in the process of uploading a number of pics and albums at picture trail.... seems like an ok site so far.

Cool Slideshows

the beginning...

2007-03-12T11:35:00.000-07:00

It's not easy to get things started....boy, can I tell you that those first few lines are the freakin worst. But there! They're done.

Oh actually I have one other blog - from my volunteer work in Africa - but it's been well over a year since i wrote anything... I did add some music to it. If you wanna check it out... just click here.

I have been thinking about a website or something for a while now and here goes.. Not expecting it to make any sense in the beginning or to really know how i want to use it... That will just be decided as I use it (this) I guess.

First thing was this video I just watched (yes, I SHOULD be working) and wanted send it out to a few people but opted to stop talking about some kind of web space and actually do it...

So, check out the Tony Blair video.. pretty awesome.