Sad

Today was a sad day. My friend Susan left town today to go to Dallas. She is going there to receive help in getting her back healthy after injuring it. I will miss her a lot

Her leaving and Kens death have made the opening of this year just awful.

Yet Another Day In The Life

XBox Live is still having problems despite all their claims they have solved the problems. The rumor is that XBox will give XBox Live Gold Members a free arcade game as an apology. There has been no titles mentioned and one has to wounder why Microsoft could not see this coming knowing the amount of consoles they sold over the holiday period.

One also wounder if XBox Live was attacked via the net.

Only time will tell if they can solve the problems and if they learn anything from what happened?

Bad Day

Today's is Kens funeral and I feel like hell. I keep thinking about Ken and the time we spent together and the things he taught me. I'm going to miss him a great deal.

My head hurts so much I am having a hard time seeing.

I'm also still sad that Susan will be leaving town. She gave me some free goodies from her job. I got a pen flash light and some screw drives. You can never have too many flash lights.

Yesterday marked the middle of winter. The weather guys are predicting a hard northerner late next week. I cant wait. I have a new jacket I got super cheap I want to wear.

Our cat Bill is still angry his bed has been put away. If we have guests the bed will return and he can sleep in his new bed.

My favorite mall has traded hands again and these guys are claiming they will spend millions of dollars upgrading it. It would be really nice if the mall had ONE automatic door for the handicapped. But I doubt that will happen.

I am still playing Halo 3 and getting better. I jumped onto an enemy aircraft and tossed the pilot off and to control of the fighter. My team had two aircraft including me and the opposing team had no chance. I am not that good a pilot but the ship is so easy to fly I became a one man terror. Halo keeps impressing me with how good it is.

Two Queens

The Queen of England is playing with a Wii. Apparently she likes Wii Bowling.

My friend Susan is leaving town. She hurt her back and can not find any help here in town. So she is moving away to a place that does have the therapy she is needing. I am really going to miss her.

Polishing My Halo

I'm still playing Halo 3 I am now a lieutenant 2nd class.
I am slowing getting better and I am enjoying the game a great deal.

Losing A Friend and Mentor

Today a very good friend died.
Ken was a friend, teacher, and Mentor.
He was someone I thought would never die. He was a explosion of energy , humor, and intellect.
He taught me a great deal about television. It's production and it's power.
In the past few years he has been very ill suffering a series of operations, hospital stays, and the betrayal of the company he gave over thirty years of his life.
Ken has been in a world of pain. I am happy he no longer has to suffer but I am sad at not having him around as a friend.
I feel even more saddened for his wife and child. I know they love him tremendously and are now heartbroken.
The are know number of words that can describe how much they will miss him. I will miss him as well as so will those who worked with him.

Craig Is Back

Due to a deal cut by David Letterman The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson on CBS is back live on tape.
Craig Ferguson is the best thing to hit late night television sense Johnny Carson retired.
He is fresh cleaver and energetic. Not the tired exhausted joke Letterman has been pitching for the last few years.
Welcome Back Craig.

More RIAA Bad Behavior

If you buy a CD and make a copy to your CD the RIAA claims you are a thief.

The RIAA or Recording Industry Association of America seems hell bent on suing everyone on planet earth who has ever heard any recorded music in any manor.

To quote Alyce Lomax " a good sign of a dying industry that investors might want to avoid is when it would rather litigate than innovate"

For more read his story at The Motley Fools

The story is here... http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2008/01/02/were-all-thieves-to-the-riaa.aspx

If you don't like the way the record industry is acting hit them where it hurts. In the wallet. Don't buy there products.

Baby It's Cold Outside

Here in deep south Texas we are under a freeze warning.
They are predicting a freeze starting at one am to about six am.
I'm gonna let the cat in and bundle up and enjoy the cold. It's better than sweating.

First Day of the Year

The first day of the year started out not to well as my heart palpitated for a little bit but it did get back to its normal rhythm.

The local area is under freeze warnings tonight.

I played a lot of Halo 3 New Years Eve. In one game some kid on my team kept singing "Red rover red rover please run me over" throughout the entire game.
I also got to play online with my new buddy Mike. We played a campaign mission and I showed him a few place in one map to use to let his shields recharge.

Tomorrow my father sister will leave and I'm sure my dad will miss having her around.

My father seemed to have had a great time this Christmas.

I am looking forward to the rest of the winter.

Dec 24th 2007

It is now Christmas Eve day. All in all not a bad year so far. We where spared any hurricanes. My health is still good. I have only been to the emergency room once this year. My father is doing well and the cat still rules the house with an iron paw.

Also add Halo 3 being as good as the hype.
Some excellent tasting pecans, and peanut butter chews.
My friend who was in such grave straits seems to be doing better.

May next year be just as good.

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.

Dallas Cowboys Win

Dallas Cowboys 20
Carolina Panthers 13

The Cowboys are still number one in the National Football Conference East Division.
The rest of their season will be played at home.

Idiots and Cell Phones

In a recent trip to a store I ran into a woman shouting into the air. She turn and I saw she was wearing one of those cell phone head sets. She was so enthralled with her phone call she had no idea of how rude she was being. She was ignoring everyone else in the store, blocking the way with her shopping cart carrying on a conversation so loud the dead could here her.

The sad part is she was trying to collect money for her church.
In her arrogance she has inconvenienced and annoyed everyone in the store but had served as a poor example of the people who attend her church.

Before you use your cell phone be aware of where you are and the people around you.

Cowboys Lose

Dallas Cowboys 6
Philadelphia Eagles 10

Cowboys Win, Time Warner Loses

Dallas Cowboys 38
Green Bay Packers 28

In a game that I didn't get to see due to the childish bickering between Time Warner Cable and The NFL. Like most juvenile arguments this one is over money. So basically it was to big rich spoiled kids arguing over who controls the toys. However Time Warner may have suffered more than they thought. Several apartments complexes changed cable providers to companies that had no part in the argument. Also there was a wave of personal subscribers doing the same.

It would serve both parties right if their greed cost them money.

Cowboys Win

Dallas Cowboys 28
Washington Redskins 23

The Cowboys are still in the lead in the National Football Conference east division.

Go Cowboys!

That Time Of The Year

Fall is here and while it has not gotten much cooler the local stores are finally selling nuts. My favorite Pecans are going for 6 dollars a pound! So much for that bit of happiness. Once again something one can enjoy has been priced so only the rich can enjoy it.

Christimas Tree

In an effort to clean out the garage the Christmas tree has made its earliest appearance ever. It is decorated and waiting for Santa. And of course Bill the cat has chosen it for his new napping spot.
We hope to have a garage sale and raise a little Christmas cash.

Cowboys win

Dallas Cowboys 38
Philadelphia Eagles 17

Halo 3 ranking

I have been playing Halo 3 and have achieved the rank of Master Sergent. I think I have reached the highest rank my skills will let me. The game is still enjoyable however.

Halloween has come and gone and we had 30 trick or treaters. Last year we had none.

A real cool front.

Last night our first real cold front of the year. It's currently 59 degrees. It should remain cool until Thursday.

Cowboys win

Dallas Cowboys 24
Minnesota Vikings 14

In a game that was at one point tied at 14 all, the Cowboys claimed the lead an stayed ahead for a win. Next week is a bye week and the cowboys still hold their place as division leader in NFC East Division.

Great entrance...

We had a new cold front come in last night. It lowered today's temperatures by a mere three degrees. However, what an entrance! It had a light show (lighting), music (thunder), and ever water works. The winds gusts piled a ton of chairs that where placed around a hotel swimming pool into a huge group blocking a door. The wind ripped a few trees out of the ground and the thunder was so loud the salt and pepper shakers in my house where dancing in place. The damage here was nothing compared to Michigan. Whole houses being shredded in moments. It looked like a hurricane hit.

Fighters Stronghold

The fine folks who made the X Box 360 game Oblivion have released a free expansion pack for it called "Fighters Stronghold."
I just finished downloading it and will tell you more later.

Dallas Cowboys Lose

Dallas Cowboys 27
New England Patriots 48

In a see saw game the Patriots fought the Cowboys then took a clear lead and stayed ahead.

200th Post

This is my two hundredth post. What should I say to mark such a event.
GO COWBOYS!

Cowboys Win

Dallas Cowboys 25
Buffalo Bills 24

In a skin of your teeth game the cowboys won by a single point in the last two seconds of the game.

Breath In

I had my respiratory test today. I did basically the same as last years test. No improvement but no lost ground. I'm happy with that.
My visiting family and friends road off today on there Harley's. Three guys traveling America all by themselves, excluding laptops, cellphones, digital cameras, GPS. All they need is a satellite dish and to mount lazy boys to the engines and it would be like driving the house around. Well there still the bathroom problem to figure out. Give them time.

Cowboys Wing Big

Dallas Cowboys 35
Saint Louis Rams 7

In a game that started with the Cowboys taking an early lead and was soon tied by the Rams, then the Cowboys pulled ahead and stayed there. The Cowboys are 4 - 0 for the first time since 1995. 1995 was the last year they went to the Superbowl.
That game was won by the Boys 27 to the Pittsburgh Steelers 17.

Go Cowboys!

Friends and Family

Two members of my family and an old friends are visiting us from way out of town. They all three have rode the motorcycle almost clean across the US to get here. They are not enjoying the record setting rainfall we are having this year but I am loving it.

The Master Chief is here!

The wold son will be rid of all illegal aliens.
Well the extraterrestrial kinds at least, for Master Chief Petty Officer SPARTAN-117 or simply know as John will be here at Midnight.
John is the star of the game series Halo. The tough as nails Master Chief stared in Halo and Halo2 and the upcoming sequel and closer of the Halo trilogy Halo 3.

The fictitious Master Chief or THE MASTER CHIEF as followers of the Halo series call him has a following any politician, rock star, or actor would envy.

Voiced by Steve Downes and created by Marcus Lehto, Rob McLees, and Shi Kai Wang is a mystery man as all good western and gun toting hero should be. Never shown without his helmet and soft spoken he rides into town, kicks ass, then rides off without a goodbye.

The Master Chief was voted eighth greatest video game hero ever.

Midnight tonight marks the release of Halo 3.

In the words of one of the games other characters..."Let's get freaky people!"

The Idiots of the Week Award.

I hereby announce that this weeks of the "Idiot Of The Week Award" is ABC News Overnights hosts Ron Corning and Taina Hernandez. Both of them displayed extreme lows in professionalism and commons sense while doing a segment on the recent death of Marcel Marceau. If their behavior reflect that of ABC News in general all parties involved should be ashamed of themselves.

Not Know When To Stop

I had blood work done Thursday. While sitting in the waiting room I was watch a specially made program done for the company who's office I was in. Everyone was watching the program with wrapped attention. The show descried what the company does and the steps they take to guaranty you privacy. During the show they showed a nurse or tech taking blood. They showed the needle breaking the skin. At this point every either held a magazine in front of their face, closed his eyes, or turned away. The producers of this video had everyone attention up till that point. They simple did not know when to stop so they lost their viewers. A little self control would have helped these people.

Dallas Cowboys Win

Dallas Cowboys 34
Chicago Bears 10

The Cowboys pulled a clear victory over the Bears.

Cowboys Win Second Game Of The Season

Dallas Cowboys 37
Miami Dolphins 20

In the second game of the season and an away game the Cowboys won by 17.

Doctor doctor...

On Tuesday I saw my doctor and he said my foot looked better and that I should come back in three months.
I saw my cardiologist Thursday and other than the usual blood work and a respiratory test he said he saw no reason to change my medications.

Let the terror comence

As of today there are 100 days until Christmas.

The week to come.

I have doctors appointments on Tuesday and Thursday of this week.
Tuesday I see my doctor so he can have a look at my foot.
Thursday I will see my Heart Doctor.
Friday a carpenter is going to be here to finish the jobs the other two men we hired failed to complete.

Cowboys win first regular season game.

Dallas Cowboys 45
New York Giants 35

In the first game of the season the Cowboys won. The game started with an early touchdown by the Giants. Then the Cowboys developed a large lead but the Giants quickly tightened the score. The Cowboys claimed the win in the final part of the last quarter.

Goodbye Felix

Hurricane Felix made landfall at 8 am at Punta Gorda, Nicaragua.
This is well south of us. Felix should blow himself out by late tomorrow afternoon.
There are 86 days left in hurricane season.

Felix

There is now another class four hurricane named Felix headed our way. It should make landfall around Wednesday morning and renter the Gulf of Mexico the following day if not sooner. If Felix follows the project path he will impact Mexico late next week. Again I hope the hurricane maintains its current projected path and misses us entirely. We in any case receive even more rain. Both of our major water sources are full and over flowing.

Cowboys Lose

Dallas Cowboys 14
Minnesota Vikings 23

The Cowboys lost after a promising start of the final preseason game. The Cowboys made a touchdown in under the one and a half minutes of the first quarter of the game.

Dallas Cowboys Lose

Dallas Cowboys 16
Houston Texans 28

In the third preseason game and first away game of the season the Cowboys lost to the Texans. The Texans to a very early lead in the game and the Cowboys never caught up.

The Cowboys will play another away game this Thursday.

Go Cowboys.

Goodbye Dean.

Dean came ashore well below us but we did get some rain. There is now a tropical wave beneath Florida and is headed into the Gulf of Mexico.

100 Days remaining.

Hurricane season ends November 30th which means there are a hundred days left.
There are no signs of any new activity forming.
If we can just get through the next three months safely we be clear.
September is always a bad month.

Dean and the media.

Some of the local media here have taken the stand that Dean is no longer a threat.
Dean will later today become even more of a threat than ever before. Dean will have crossed the land and headed back into The Gulf of Mexico.
Once in the gulf Dean can take and new course and regain strength.
Dean will be a viable threat until he is well inland.

Dallas Cowboys Win Second Preseason Game

Dallas Cowboys 31
Denver Broncos 20

In a game I slept through the Dallas Cowboys defeated the Denver Broncos by 11 points.
I hope they keep this winning streak alive for the rest of the season.

Go Cowboys!

Dean.

The maps showing the course that hurricane Dean may take indicate that he may make landfall near the US / Mexico boarder if not south of this. However hurricanes do as they wish and he can do any number of things.
I do hope the projections are correct.

May everyone come out of this OK.

Go Flash go.

Filmation Associates has released the animated series "Flash Gordon."
The series was created in 1979 and based on the Classic comic strip "Flash Gordon."
The DVD comes contains the first season of the two season series.

NOW they tell me.

Well it turns out that the end of hurricane season is November 3o not October 30 has I thought.

Now Hurricane Dean

At 5 am EDT Tropical Storm Dean developed winds over seventy five miles an hours making it a category one Hurricane.

If you don't like the weather...

The weather here has changed radically in the past few days.
Monday was the hottest day if the year and the hottest day in over twenty years.
Today we are under a tropical storm advisory. Tropical storm Erin currently sits at 26.5N, 95.1W. We are already receiving rain from the out arms of the storm and expect major rainfall for the next few days.
Add to this the fact there is a another tropical storm Dean is headed in our general direction. Dean is at 13.2 N, 51.3 W. Dean is expected to intensify into a hurricane by the end of the week and may move into the Gulf of Mexico and threaten the golf cost.
There are seventy six days left until the end of hurricane season.

Dallas Cowboy win first preseason game.

Dallas Cowboys 23
Indianapolis Colts 10

In the first preseason game of the year the Dallas Cowboys defeated the Indianapolis Colts by 13.
The game was the first for Cowboys new head coach, Wade Phillips.

The Colts placed Anthony McFarland on the injured reserve list. On Friday he tore his patella tendon. He under went surgery this Tuesday.

Go Cowboys!

H. R. 811

H.R. 811: Voter Confidence and Increased Accessibility Act of 2007

Introduced by U S Representative Rush Holt, Democrat from New Jersey District 12.
His official website is here.

To amend the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to require a voter-verified permanent paper ballot under title III of such Act, and for other purposes.

The bill was introduced on February 5 2007 and has been approved for debate.

For a full copy of the bills text you can look here.

Same Ol' Situation

Well it has finally stopped raining here and is getting hot. The less than a hundred days left in hurricane season and the gulf is quite. Hopefully we can make ti through the next few months without any alarms.

I also learned that Crazy Taxi is coming out for the portable game system Sony PSP. Crazy Taxi got it's start on the Sega Dreamcast system and was a truly fun game. You play a one of three or four cabdrivers that must pick up and drop off wares before time runs out. The game is also noted for it's original music by the band "The Offspring."

I can't wait to get my hands on this game.

Rain Rain...

It has been raining for the past week here. I have been enjoying it. Last night I turned all the lights and radio off and just laid there and listened to the rain.

It better than a hurricane.

It Can Happen To You...

Well I have a cold.
It poured a few days ago and I got caught out in the downpour. I was soaked to the skin. My cold is doing better, my throat is feeling much better and I am not as warm as I was.

I saw a video for a new game called Two Worlds. It looked really interesting. It seems to be a good deal like Elder Scrolls: Oblivion. I may have to pick this thing up whenever it is released.

Countdown To Dallas cowboy Football.

I have added a countdown courtesy of pYzam.
It shows the time remaining to the start of the first Dallas Cowboys football game.
I'm looking forward to the new season.

Life is a highway.

Some people claim life is a highway.
Frankly I think life is more like one of those moving sidewalk things you see at airports.
It only goes one way.
Someone else is controlling the speed and they keep changing their minds.
The repair guy take forever to show up.
You spend way to much time just standing around waiting.
And…
There is always some idiot in front of you with his head in the clouds.

Wet Fourth

My hometown had the wettest Fourth of July ever. We had over three and a half inches of rain. The fireworks show was rescheduled for the following night.

Chris Beniot Found Dead

Professional Wrestler Chris Beniot was found dead today. Also found where his wife and son.

Beniot will be missed by a pro wrestling fans.

Update 06 19 2007

I really messed up my foot a while back. I can stand on it now but it hurts like hell.
So far we have not had a hurricane.
Any day in South Texas without a hurricane is a good day.
104 day left until the end of hurricane season.

All the world's...

"All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players: they have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts, his acts being seven ages."

William Shakespeare

As You Like It

Act 2 Scene 7

My father brother Bob died at midnight. My dad says he is grateful for the fact that Bob was no longer suffering.

My mentor is still in the hospital but is doing better and sounded better when I talked to him on the phone. I am re leaved.

Bill the cat is being treated for hair balls so he spends the time after the medicine is giving to him stomping around very angry but this passes after an hour and he is back to his usual charming and demanding self.

Family Blues

My fathers brother Bob has had a heart attack. He is not doing well. He no longer recognizes anyone.

My foot is still messed up but doing better.

The work on my bathroom is going well. The ceiling has been cleaned and painted covering the water damage caused by the crappy job the roofer did a few years ago. The new roof is doing great and there are no leaks. The new roof did a fantastic job making up for the excrement the previous roofer did.

Learn a lesson from all this and check out your roofers.

Twisted Ankles and Old Friends

I twisted my left ankle real had a few weeks ago. The doctor has not found any signs of blood clots or broken bones. I can put a little weight on it and the swelling has gone way down except for the top of my foot. I will see my doctor next Monday if my foot doesn't start looking batter.

My good friend and mentor Ken had a stroke last month and was in a local hospital for a few weeks and then he was transferred to a hospital in San Antonio. He was there for two days before he was released and went home. The company he has worked for for thirty years was fired. Typical big business.

Crackdown and Cancer

My father had the cancer from his ear removed. They "surgery" took 20 minutes. The is no large scar it looks like he scraped his ear. He says the surgery didn't hurt and he now can sleep without his ear bothering him.

I bought Crackdown for the X Box 360. The game is very mature. You play the role of a cop who is actually a clone. You steal cars, shoot the bad guys, and collect guns.

The game plays like Grand Theft Auto meets Spider man. You collect "orbs" to increase your skills such as driving and shooting.

This not a game for the kids.

Star Trek TNG 2.0

The folks at G4 have played with Star Trek the original series and now have their mitts on Star Trek The Next Generation.
Basically the whole show is squeezed into the center of the screen and is surrounded by a collection of graphics.
One graphic show a count of the number of time something happens in the show. Like the number of times Data says fascinating, the number of red alerts, or even the number of "Picards Maneuvers" which is the casts habit of pulling the top half of there uniforms down after standing up.
Another portion of the screen is made up of a "Market" where certain "stocks" are traded.
The is a bottom graphic showing a transcript of the chater from the G4 chat room.
The top is made up of trivia and pointless facts about the show.

Now I don't mind the trivia so much as it is kind of fun but why the market and chat room transcript.
Why is there so much wasted space?
All in all G4 has once again pr oven they have no self control. They raped Tech TV, destroyed Call For Help, and The Screen Savers.
Boo G4.

Cowboys Lose Tight Game

Dallas Cowboys 31
Detroit Lions 39

In a tight back and forth the Cowboys could not finish an end game push to beat the Lions.

Dallas Cowboys Lose

Dallas Cowboys 7
Philadelphia Eagles 23

In a loop sided game that the Cowboys seem to have slept through the Eagles simply dominated the Cowboys for the whole game.

Cowboys Win A Record Setting Game.

Dallas Cowboys 38
Atlanta Flcons 28

In a back and forth record setting game The Boys won by ten.

Falcon kicker Morten Andersen #5 set a new record as the NFL's all-time leading scorer with 2,438 points.

Falcon quarterback Michael Vick #7 threw for four TDs, including three in a 35-point second quarter, and ran for 56 yards giving him 990 yards rushing this season, surpassing the record for quarterbacks previously held by Bobby Douglass, who gained 968 yards for Chicago in 1972.

Terrell Owens #81 admited to spitting in the face of Falcon DeAngelo Hall #21 Corner back. Mr. Owens you are a Dallas Cowboy. Americas team, the best of the best. Act like it!

Update 12 14 2006

Well I saw my heart doctor a few weeks back and had my breathing tested yesterday. The tech seemed surprised I did as well as I did. It surprised me to.
My father has cancer on his ear. He is not the least bit worried as they may just scrape or freeze it off. It so small you can barely see it.
I have given up on the Christmas tree so we bought a prelit 2 foot tree. Plug it in and it goes.
The are no house with Christmas lights up on my block this year. The local power company has announced they intend to raise the price of power Jan 1st.

Cowboys Win Very Tight Game.

Dallas Cowboys 23
New York Giants 20

In a very tight game that was decided by a kick The Dallas Cowboys won this game. This gives The Boys a lead in their confrence.

What I Am Thankful For.

Here a small list of what I am Thankful for.
The good report from my heart doctor Monday when I went in for my quarterly visit.
My laptop and my wireless system.
My fathers good health.
My flu shot and the fact I haven't been ill so far this winter.

Dallas Cowboys Win

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 10
Dallas Cowboys 38

This game started with a Buccaneer touchdown very early in the game. By the end of the first quarter the game was tied 7 to 7. In the second quarter Tampa Bay scored 3 points and the Cowboys 14 points. From there on the Cowboys gained control. They scored 14 points and in the final quarter they managed 3 points.

A good Thanksgiving Day game.

Cowboys Break Colts Winning Streak

Dallas Cowboys 21
Indianapolis Colts 14

Peyton Manning has still to win in the Texas Stadium. The Colts 13 consecutive wins streaks was ended today.
In a tight back and forth game the Cowboys beat the Colts by five points.

Cowboys Win & The Cardinal show their class.

Dallas Cowboys 27
Arizona Cardinals 10

In a lopsided game The Cowboys grabbed an early lead and never let go.
In excellent NFL moment the Cardinals saluted former safety, Pat Tillman, who left the Arizona Cardinals to join the Army Airborn Rangers and was killed in Afghanistan.
The Cardinals dedicated an area outside the stadium known as "Pat Tillman Freedom Plaza."
It includes a 500-pound, 8-foot tall bronze statue of Tillman including a 42-foot-long wall, symbolic of Tillman's number at Arizona State. There are 40 oak trees west of the memorial, symbolizing the number 40 he wore with the Cardinals, he also set the team record of 200 tackles.

Great game and class act by the Cardinals.

Cowboys Lose

Dallas Cowboys 22
Washington Redskins 19

In a very tight game the Cowboys lost to a last second 47 yard field goal by Nick Novak.

Boom Goes The Website

From Buzzzle.
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/114890.html

The American government has closed down a website it created this year after inadvertently uploading information that could be used for building a nuclear bomb. The site was set up in March as a showcase for reams of Iraqi documents captured during the war. The idea came from congressional Republicans who wanted to use the internet to highlight the threat posed by Saddam Hussein. But the plan appears to have backfired when the site posted documents that amounted to a basic guide to building a nuclear bomb. The Bush administration closed down the website last night after questions were raised by the New York Times.

And we can't take liquids on the airplane?
We can however take a laptop with us as long as you check it in as luggage and they can store it in the cargo hold.

Cowboys Win

Dallas Cowboys 25
Carolina Panthers 14

In a game who's first quarter gave the Panthers a 14 point lead, then the game changed directions in the Cowboys favor. The Boys scored 10 points in the second quarter. In the third quarter neither team made any scores. In the final quarter the Cowboys scored 25 points and broke the Panthers grip.
This was Tony Romos first game as a starting quarterback. He trow a 270 yards and a touchdown.

Good work Cowboys!!

Cowboys receive a Giant ass kicking.

Cowboys 22
New York Giants 36

In a very lopsided game the Giants took a very early lead and the Cowboys never caught up.
The Cowboys defense could not hold the Giants who attacked Bledsoe at will.
Tony Romo replaced Bledsoe in the second half but was intercepted early on.

Are you sitting down?

It is 65 degrees outside!!
We are expecting a high of 68 and a low a of 58.

Oh Crap Not Again.

Yesterday about noon I went to the Emergency room with a high heart rate. My heart was at 140 at noon and by the time I got to the ER it was at 95. They did a bunch of blood work and an xray. The ER doctor gave me a high blood pressure pill and sent all the info they had to my heart doctor. He said I didn't need to move up my appointment with the other doctor as the problem fixed itself for the most part and there was no long term damage. I see my cardiologist next month and my GP hopefully next week.
It my may be in the high 90s here today. I can't wait for winter.

Cowboy Win Again

Dallas Cowboys 36
Houston Texans 6

In a game that started with four calls against the Cowboys of face mask pulls the action once started was fast.
Terrel Owens caught to touchdown downs passes.
This game was fun to watch.

Cowboys Lose

Dallas 24
Philadelphia 38

In a wild back and fourth game the Cowboys lost.

Cowboys Wins and Titans Behave Like Criminals

Dallas Cowboys 45
Tennessee Titans 14

The 6-foot-6, 320-pound Albert Haynesworth's stomped on the head of Dallas Cowboys center Andre Gurode's.

Gurode needed 30 stitches to repair the cuts left by the tackle's cleats, and he plans to talk with his family about whether or not to press charges.

The league suspended Haynesworth for five games without pay.

During 2003 Titans training camp, Haynesworth kicked center Justin Hartwig

I hope Gurode press charges and sends Haynesworth to jail.
Hayneswoth actions where those of a criminal and he should be treated as such.

Cowboy Wins.

Dallas Cowboys 27
Washington Redskins 10

Here We Go Again.

Well the Dallas Cowboys are at it again. They had a good first half as usual then folded in the second half of the first game of the season.
They have a game tonight against the Washington Redskins.

Come on Boys kick some ass.
Please.

Dallas Cowboys Lose First Game

Dallas 17
Jacksonville 24

Well hopefully they will do better.

No Saints Here

I have been playing the X Box 360 game "Saints Row."

First of this is an adult game.

Much like the Grand Theft Auto series of games there is plenty of gun play, running over pedestrians, car stealing, drug dealing, and playing driver for some hooker and their Johns.

The graphics are nicely done and the audio is well done. The game play is easy to follow. The is not a very difficult game but does require you to try different solutions to missions.

You play a mute member of a gang called the Saints.

You help your fellow gang members drive off or flat out kill member of other gangs.

The bad news is this game is VERY buggy. There all several problems with the graphics of the game, the game is also infamous for freezing and items such as cars, cloths, and weapons disappearing.

In short the game was rush to released and the makers did not take their time testing the game.
This is sad.

Hopefully they will learn a lesson and take more care with the next game.

Honer Among Texans

The store I bought my X Box 360 from replaced it after much hand ringing and foot dragging. Much noise was made over how Microsoft frowned on such things as helping your customers.
However I have the replacement system.
The new system makes far less noise than the previous one.
All in all I am happy with the way my local vendor dealt with me, but thinks Microsoft needs a few million lessons in how to treat their customers.

Shame on Microsoft.

Microsoft "We have your money, screw you!"

My Xbox 360 stopped working today. I followed all the instructions on the page...http://support.microsoft.com/kb/907534 .

I followed the advice they give on their page.
Unplugging and replugging the unit entirely as stated in their page only resulted in tripping the circuit breakers in my house.
I then disconnected the hard rive and this did nothing to solve the problem.
I then called customer support only to be told after five minutes of a call I have no doubt I will be charged for even though it is an eight hundred number, that they claim it was never registered. I know I filled out the paperwork.

The 360 is now in the trash.
It will stay there.
Microsoft has once again found way to screw a customer.

NSA Wiretaps Found Unconstitutional

From Eweek.com:

http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1895,2005330,00.asp


Federal Court Finds NSA Wiretaps Unconstitutional
By Wayne Rash August 18, 2006

A federal judge in Detroit has rejected the Bush administration's argument that the National Security Agency's wiretap program, which has been conducted for nearly five years, is allowed by the U.S. Constitution.
In a sharply worded statement that cites precedents from as far back as the late 18th century, and quotes extensively from the Framers of the Constitution, Judge Anna Diggs Taylor of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, said: "We must note that the Office of the Chief Executive has itself been created, with its powers, by the Constitution. There are no hereditary Kings in America, and no powers not created by the Constitution."

The judge rejected the administration's claims that the defendants did not have the standing to sue the government, saying that they had each suffered in their ability to carry on communications protected by the First Amendment. She also rejected the administration's claims that the activity was protected because it was a state secret. She said that the information provided by the President of the United States in a series of public statements about the NSA surveillance program was itself sufficient for the plaintiffs to make their case.

More Pointless Grinding of Teeth

From: PC Magazine
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,1998079,00.asp

House Wants to Kick MySpace Out of Schools
By Errol Pierre-Louis
Social networking sites such as Myspace.com could soon be banned from schools and libraries, pending the passage of a new law aimed to protect kids. The Deleting Online Predators Act (DOPA) is intended to limit a pedophiles access to networking sites which have become immensely popular among kids and young teens. Critics believe the act is too broad and does not necessarily accomplish anything meaningful other then cutting off users from popular Web sites. The act already passed the House of Representatives on July 26th by a sweeping 410 to 15 margin.
Congressman Michael Fitzpatrick (R-Ohio) introduced the DOPA act. In his speech before the vote, he described social networking sites as "a happy hunting ground for child predators." The act covers all federal institutions receiving funding for computers and Web access via the US E-Rate scheme, which primarily means schools and libraries. The American Library Association (ALA) estimates that two-thirds of US libraries receive this funding.
The act would require these institutions to install filters to block social networking sites where children might be subject to "unlawful sexual advances." The act leaves the final definition of a social network up to the Federal Communications Commission, but suggests that any site that enables users to build personal profiles and converse with other users should be banned from libraries and schools. This definition would include many sites, like Amazon.com, Slashdot.org, blogging sites, and interactive news pages.Leslie Burger, president of the ALA, in a statement called the act "redundant and unnecessary legislation," pointing out that the Children's Internet Protection Act already requires libraries to block Web content that is harmful to children. Other critics believe the act only succeeds in limiting children and teen access to popular sites rather than actually "deleting" online predators.
Sites like "Save Your Space" have popped up with an online petition looking to rally support against the impending act. Their organization's goal is to collect 1 million signatures in a month.
In order for the act to become law it must pass the Senate in a vote likely to take place in early August.

Here my view.
This is just a grand bit of saber rattling. If Congress wanted to deter crimes against children they would make the punishment a great deal stronger.
This is a typical over reaction that will punish the innocent and have absolutely no effect on the perpetrators.

Welcome To The Row

I have been playing the demo to a new game called Saints Row.

This is being called the Grand Theft Auto killer.

This game is much like the most recent installment of the Grand Theft Auto series San Andreas.
You can customize your cars, listen to music on you car radio, steal cars, commit murders, and on and on.

No doubt there will be a great deal of hand wringing and teeth gnashing over this game as there was with San Andreas.

As for the demo itself it shows smooth control, nice graphics and audio.

If you like the GTA:SA game you may want to look into Saints Row.

Don't Drink and Vote

I found this fall over funny item on The Fox News website.

A Maryland candidate for Senate paid a Baltimore drug-treatment center to drive recovering addicts to a debate last week, where they held up signs supporting his campaign.
A consultant to Democrat Josh Rales campaign paid the I Can't, We Can drug counseling center to transport the 20 patients to the event... where they were supposed to help post signs. But the addicts — who pay about $350 a month for treatment, and some of whom have criminal records — ended up holding the signs themselves.
Rales campaign manager tells the Washington Times that the addicts were recruited without the campaign's knowledge, and the contractor called paying the center for volunteers, "a real error in judgment."

Chips Annoy

I have learned not to eat potato chips anymore.
I had half a bag of chips and felt horrible.
One more on my growing list of thing not to do.

Felling Better All The Time.

I saw my heart doctor recently (last week) and he said I was doing very well and does not need to see me until November.
(I can't wait for November 30th as it marks the end of hurricane season)

I'm still playing Oblivion and the more I play this game the more impressed I am.
I finally bought a house in the game called Arbor Watch. The house is big and lots of places to store stuff.
However I have a few complaints about the game.
Comparing Oblivion to Morrowind there are a few things missing.
First the spells.
The spells of Mark and Recall are gone. These spells let you set a point in the game called a Mark. You then used the spell Recall to be transported instantly (well almost) to that point.
This came in very handy when cleaning out tombs. You could set the Mark in front of a shop then go raid tomb. Once you had all you could carry you use Recall and ZAP you are in front of the store where you can sell your items.
This has been replaced by "Fats Travel" which requires you to be one the surface outside a tomb and ready to travel to where ever you want on the map. It does however take the same amount of game time that normal travel does.
Also you can no longer decorate you house with lights as you could in the old game. In the old game I had candles and lanterns placed on the outside of my house so it would be easy to find from a distance.
They have also removed the ability to place items where you want. In the old game you could place items more or less where you wanted.
In my house I had a shelf full of helmets of bad guys I had killed.
Now you may only drop and move object.
You can move the objects around using telekineses but it extremely difficult to have an item face a certain way.
This is very annoying.
Other than that I give Oblivion a five star review.

A Bridge To Nonsense

Senator Ted Stevens a Republican form Alaska gave his view on Net Neutrality.
Stevens is the man behind the $453 million dollar bridge to no where.
Stevens spoke for ten minutes before congress.
Frankly he should have just sat down and kept quite.
You can hear his speech here: http://www.publicknowledge.org/node/497 .
Steven in an unfocused and rambling diatribe he compared the internet to plumping.
The Senator dose not understand the workings of the net.
Stevens has no understanding of even how Netflicks works.
He also seems to need an explanation of how consumerism and capitalism works.
Stevens, like a lot of people, do not understand or does not care that services who use the Internet like Netflicks, Google, and Ebay do not get a free ride.
They pay their own Internet Service Providers, their pay for the own net security and the pay for server systems that keep them on the net.
The people pushing this are doing so as a money grab. They want to charge services like Google and Ebay extra to use their cable which the customers are already paid for.
They claim the these services will swallow the expenses. No, they will, as with all things pass the expense to the customers.
You will as a result see the prices at Ebay, Netflicks and others go up.
This bill should be watched with great care.

Flags of Ill Advice

Broadcast flag From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A broadcast flag is a set of status bits or "flags" sent in the data stream of a digital television program that indicates
whether or not it can be recorded, or if there are any restrictions on recorded content. Possible restrictions include
inability to save a digital program to a hard disk or other non-volatile storage, inability to make secondary copies of
recorded content in order to share or archive, forceful reduction of quality when recording such as reducing high-definition
video to the resolution of standard TVs, and inability to skip over commercials.

In the United States, new television receivers using the ATSC standard were supposed to incorporate this functionality by July 1, 2005, but a federal court struck
down the Federal Communications Commission's rule to this effect on May 6. The stated intention of the broadcast flag was to
prevent copyright infringement, but many have asserted that broadcast flags interfere with the fair use rights of the viewing
public.
The broad rewrite of US telecommunications laws makes it to the Senate floor, it will include the broadcast flag. Despite
objections voiced by Sen. John Sununu (R-NH), the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation has left both the
audio and video broadcast flags.
However, individual senators would still be able to offer amendments to the legislation that would remove the controversial
flags. Sen. Sununu has indicated he might do exactly that.
The Commerce Committee will continue reviewing the bill, amendment by amendment, with network neutrality next on the list.
Once they have finished marking up the bill, Chairman Ted Stevens (R-AK) still has to make the call on whether to send it to
the full Senate for a vote. Right now, he's undecided, as he believes it is doubtful the bill's proponents could muster the
60 votes necessary to stop a possible filibuster.
Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR), is opposing any telecom legislation that does not include a provision safeguarding network neutrality.
"I will do anything I can to block a major telecom rewrite that undermines what makes the Internet special. I will block it.
I will do anything I can to derail it," said Wyden. That may include placing a hold on the bill to further delay attempts at
passage.
The House of Representatives, the House Energy and Commerce Committee held hearings on the net neutrality issue. RIAA CEO Mitch Bainwol, EVP Fritz Attaway from the MPAA, and Gary Shapiro, the CEO of the Consumer Electronics Association all testified before the comity. They said the flags are essential to the survival of the music and movie industries. The CEA's Shapiro disputed that, telling the Committee that "we have to stop measuring creativity by the financial interests of ten companies."

Net Neutrality

The Senate Commerce Committee approved on Wednesday the telecommunications reform bill with a bi-partisan vote of 15-7.

The bill now named "The Advanced Telecommunications and Opportunity Reform" was initially introduced by Committee Chairman Ted Stevens (R-Alaska)
The bill addresses a wide range of communications-related issues, including municipal broadband services, video franchise reform and more.

Several senators, consumer advocate groups, and e-commerce corporations have stated they felt the bill did not address Internet Neutrality effectively.

"Internet Neutrality" has been described as being able to transmit any kind of content is important, to the well being of Internet as a whole and to eLearning in particular.

Jeanine Kenny of the Consumers Union said: "Right now under current law, there's nothing to stop the phone and cable companies from striking a deal to offer high-speed access to a company like Google and refusing to provide any deal at all to a different company like Yahoo. There's not even a rule on the books that would prevent them from blocking Web sites."

Senators Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) and Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.) proposed an amendment to the bill to "ensure fair treatment of all Internet content." The amendment incorporated the following non-discriminatory principle: "to promote broadband deployment, and presence and promote the open and interconnected nature of the Internet, a broadband service provider shall not discriminate Internet traffic based on source, ownership, or destination of such traffic as part of any publicly available Internet offering."

I recommend read THIS article by Cory Doctorow. Mr. Doctorow does a good job of explaining why we should support Internet Neutrality.
But that just my opinion.