Here Comes the Big Parade

Information Resources for Nov. 2 Voting

Mon, 01 Nov 2010 10:52:25 -0400

These are the seven amendments on the Florida ballot with links so you can make an INFORMED decision …

VOTING IS NOT A RIGHT, IT IS A PRIVLEDGE! Get out and VOTE!

Amendment 1 - Repeal of the public financing of statewide candidates who agree to spending limits

Amendment 2 - An additional homestead property tax exemption for members of the United States military or military reserves

Amendment 4 - Requires voter approval of all changes to local comprehensive land-use plans

Amendment 5 - Amends the current practice of drawing legislative district boundaries

Amendment 6 - Amends the current practice of drawing congressional district boundaries

Amendment 8 - Changes the current “maximum” class sizes to school-wide “average” class sizes

Federal Budget Question - Asks whether Congress should add an amendment to the U.S. Constitution requiring a balanced federal budget

—MY OPINION—

Here is how I am voting on the issues and why ..

Amendment 1 - YES - We the tax-payers should not subsidize a person seeking election to public office. It is their responsibility to go out an convince people to support them and to donate. It gives us choice.

Amendment 2 - YES - Soldiers perform a dangerous and vital function for America and we should reduce their tax burden as much as possible while they serve to protect us.

Amendment 4 - NO - At the core, this would INCREASE the size of government. In 2006 there were approximately 6,400 amendments to local comphrehensive use plans. Each one those would require to be voted on and the tax-payers would have to foot the bill. Plus, it is another example of people thinking you (and me) are supid and unable to make decisions for ourselves.

Amendment 5 - NO - This is a thinly-veiled attempt at gerrymandering. If passed attorneys will make a lot of cash.

Amendment 6 - NO - Same as Amendment 5. The same people are backing both Amendments.

Amendment 8 - YES - It is matter of not being able to meet class size limits given the current amount of cash. Schools can’t afford the number of teachers/logistics to support the number of classrooms required. Increase the number of kids per classroom and decrease the number of classrooms needed. It some to an additional 3 - 5 kids per classroom.

Federal Budget Question - NO - I voted against this, because it is crap. It is a NON-BINDING Resolution. In other words it doesn’t do anything. If they really wanted to do something they would pass a law that says Florida will not forward any tax revenue to the Federal Government until it has established a balanced budget law and is adhering to it. We need action not words from our elected officials.

These are just my opinions. I suggest everyone take the time to look at all sides of of every debate. My rule-of-thumb when voting … ask does the proposed law increase or decrease my liberty … if it increases liberty then vote for it … if it takes away more of your liberty vote against it!

Core Flux Causing Magnetic Pole Shift

Tue, 29 Dec 2009 07:56:58 -0500

Core Flux Causing Magnetic Pole Shift:

Earth’s north magnetic pole is racing toward Russia at almost 40 miles (64 kilometers) a year due to magnetic changes in the planet’s core, new research says.

How-to Install Zune 4 on Server 2008 x64

Mon, 28 Dec 2009 19:59:51 -0500

If you are like me and run Server 2008 as your main workstation, you may want to want the convenience of syncing your Zune without having to fire up the laptop.

If you do, then here’s how:

1) Download the Zune 4 software from here.

2) Holding the SHIFT key Right-Click the downloaded .exe and select Copy as Path

3) Open a command prompt and paste the path and add the /x switchto extract the software rather than launching the installer.

It should look like this c:\users\Robert\desktop\zunesetuppkg-x64.exe /x

4) Specify a folder to extract to, I used c:\zune4 as the directory

5) Go to c:\zune4\x64\packages

6) Right Click the ZUNE_X64.MSI and select Install

7) Answer the questions and it will install

Hope it helps!

It is time the High Priest Al Gore answer our inconvenient questions

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 21:04:37 -0500

It is time the High Priest Al Gore answer our inconvenient questions:

The Church of Climate Change has spent the last decade stomping on capitalism and shouting from the rooftops about how we are destroying the planet.

The oceans are rising, crops are failing and life as we know is ending … but wait, it hasn’t happened. In fact, some studies show just the opposite is occuring. Yet, Al Gore still demands we kneel at his altar and give our liberty as tribute.

An inconvenient truth is numerous holes have been poked in the theories advanced in Al Gores movies. An inconvenient truth is Al Gore refuses to debate any scientists that hold an opposing viewpoint. An inconvenient truth is Al Gore goes on television and proselytizes using glaring inaccuracies and no one bothers pointing out to him that the core of the earth is NOT “several million degrees”. An inconvenient truth is contained in the emails and programming code showing the IPCC scientists knowing manipulated data to falsely promote their agenda.

Mr. Gore, be a man for once and tell the truth, even if it is inconvenient.

Gov. Crist hopes you don't remember he LOVES to spend your money!

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 16:12:08 -0400

Gov. Crist hopes you don't remember he LOVES to spend your money!

Are people REALLY this stupid?

Mon, 03 Aug 2009 15:07:00 -0400

Are people REALLY this stupid?

Father of Ethernet, Bob Metcalfe, speaking at NASA Ames

Mon, 13 Jul 2009 16:50:00 -0400

Father of Ethernet, Bob Metcalfe, speaking at NASA Ames:

Robert Melancton Metcalfe (born April 7, 1946 in Brooklyn, New York) is an electrical engineer from the United States who co-invented Ethernet, founded 3Com and formulated Metcalfe’s Law. As of January 2006, he is a general partner of Polaris Venture Partners.

The Mike Church take on the Simon & Garfunkel classic,...

Thu, 09 Apr 2009 18:29:36 -0400

The Mike Church take on the Simon & Garfunkel classic, “Mrs. Robinson”. Mike Church can be heard on Sirius Patriot 144 and XM America Right 166.

To Download an MP3 go to: http://store.payloadz.com/str-asp-i.2…

Aircraft could be brought down by DIY 'E-bombs'

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 21:35:00 -0400

Aircraft could be brought down by DIY 'E-bombs' :

01 April 2009 by Paul Marks

New Scientist Magazine issue 2702.

ELECTROMAGNETIC pulse weapons capable of frying the electronics in civil airliners can be built using information and components available on the net, warn counterterrorism analysts.

All it would take to bring a plane down would be a single but highly energetic microwave radio pulse blasted from a device inside a plane, or on the ground and trained at an aircraft coming in to land.

Yael Shahar, director of the International Institute for Counter-Terrorism in Herzliya, Israel, and her colleagues have analysed electromagnetic weapons in development or used by military forces worldwide, and have discovered that there is low-cost equipment available online that can act in similar ways. “These will become more of a threat as the electromagnetic weapons technology matures,” she says.

For instance, the US and Russian military have developed electromagnetic pulse (EMP) warheads that create a radio-frequency shockwave. The radio pulse creates an electric field of many hundreds of thousands of volts per metre, which induces currents that burn out nearby electrical systems, such as microchips and car electronics.

Speculation persists that such “e-bombs” have been used in the Persian Gulf, and in Kosovo and Afghanistan - but this remains unconfirmed. But much of what the military is doing can be duplicated by others, Shahar says. “Once it is known that aircraft are vulnerable to particular types of disruption, it isn’t too much of a leap to build a device that can produce that sort of disruption. And much of this could be built from off-the-shelf components or dual-use technologies.”

For example, government labs use high-energy EMP devices to test what would happen to critical electronic systems if a nuclear weapon detonated, generating a vast electromagnetic pulse, says Robert Iannini, founder of Information Unlimited in Amherst, New Hampshire, which sells EMP test systems.

EMPs can be created in a number of ways. A machine called a Marx generator can quickly dump an extremely high charge stored in a bank of capacitors into an antenna, which then releases a highly energetic radio pulse. Devices like this are often used to test power lines for their resistance to lightning strikes. An alternative, known as a flux compression device, uses a small explosive to push an armature through a current-carrying coil that is generating a magnetic field. This compresses the magnetic field, again producing a devastating EMP.

Iannini says his company only sells such devices to legitimate buyers. “The only people that buy these things are qualified researchers at labs like Sandia. They never find their way into the labs of pseudo or amateur scientists,” he says. “If we get any unknown overseas purchaser we immediately alert the office of export enforcement at the US Department of Commerce.”

But Shahar told delegates at the annual Directed Energy Weapons conference in London last month that security at some labs can be lax, while basic EMP generators can be built from descriptions available online, using components found in devices such as digital cameras. “These are technologically unchallenging to build and most of the information necessary is available,” she says.

The increasing use of carbon-fibre reinforced composite in aircraft fuselages is also making them more vulnerable, she says, because composites provide poor shielding against electromagnetic radiation compared with metal. “What is needed is extensive shielding of electronic components and the vast amount of cables running down the length of the aircraft,” she says.

Jerome Bruel, an electrical systems expert at the European Aviation Safety Agency in Cologne, Germany, agrees that newer all-composite planes like the Airbus A350 will probably need some means of protecting their cabling from all radio energy sources, including TV transmitters. “They may need a metal mesh surrounding them to absorb interference,” he says.

Douglas Beason, a director at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico, says it may be straightforward to build a do-it-yourself EMP weapon, but more difficult to make one that can be stowed in an aircraft. “A lot of work would need to go into dramatically decreasing the weight, shrinking the power supply and antenna,” he says.

Nevertheless, governments are taking the threat seriously. A spokesperson at the UK Department of Transport said the government is well aware of this security issue and has close links with agencies “able to provide a balanced picture in regards to EMP weapons, and their potential to compromise civilian aircraft”.

Refuting Keynesian Economic Theory.

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 20:52:29 -0400

Refuting Keynesian Economic Theory.

New Government Motors (GM) Ecologically Friendly Military Urban Assault Vehicle

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 17:55:51 -0400

New Government Motors (GM) Ecologically Friendly Military Urban Assault Vehicle:

This is the latest grand idea from the liberal geniuses who are running the Department of Defense, the Environmental Protection Agency, and General Motors.

Named the PUSS-E, this gem solves about every problem the New Administration can envision.

Col. Steve Austin, Eat Your Heart Out!

Sat, 21 Mar 2009 12:11:54 -0400

Col. Steve Austin, Eat Your Heart Out!:

Flexing muscles made of carbon nanotubes

Scientists have created artificial muscles out of carbon nanotubes in aerogel sheets that are super elastic, harder than steel, and nearly as light as air.

By Yun Xie | Last updated March 19, 2009 1:00 PM CT

Artificial muscles are likely to be essential components of robotics, prosthetic limbs, and a variety of micro-machinery. Quite a few designs are out there, involving materials like carbon nanotubes and silicon elastomers but, to one degree or another, these usually fail to operate as well as natural human muscles. In today’s issue of Science, University of Texas at Dallas scientists led by Ray Baughman report on a new type of muscle that dramatically outperforms biological ones in nearly every way.

Baughman’s research group created carbon nanotube aerogel sheets by pulling nanotubes from a mass of disordered tubes into organized bundles of ribbons. These bundles formed an aerogel with a surprisingly low density (about 1.5 mg/cm³), making them nearly as light as air. Just one gram of this material can cover an area of over 30 m². Although these sheets can spread out, they are also compressible. Their thickness can be reduced 400-fold, decreasing their overall volume. Perhaps even more notable than their low density is their amazing elasticity, which is simultaneously combined with hardness.

The aerogel sheets can stretch both in thickness and width when electric current is pumped into them. The current causes adjacent bundles of nanotubes to repel each other, forcing the gel as a whole to expand.

Width-wise, it can elongate by 220 percent at a rate of 37,000 percent per second. That is superior to other carbon nanotube materials, which have a actuation rate of only 20 percent per second. To put that into perspective, natural muscles has a maximum rate of 50 percent per second, so the material outperforms muscle by a factor of over 700. The thickness of the sheets can also stretch to about 200 percent.

The hardness comes in because this material is inelastic along its length. Whenever the material stretches in width or thickness, it contracts in length, but only by a few percent. It can’t stretch in length because it’s extremely rigid in that axis and can generate an isometric stress (isometric means without changing shape) of 3.2 MPa, which is 32 times more than the sustainable maximum for skeletal muscles. An accompanying perspective describes this difference in behavior between the two axes as follows: “this apparently unprecedented degree of anisotropy is akin to having diamond-like behavior in one direction and rubber-like behavior in the others.”

The material can also operate in a large temperature range that would be impossible for biological materials. From 25°C to over 1200°C, the properties of the material remain relatively stable.

While Baughman’s artificial muscle is temperature-independent and superelastic and has high isometric stress-generation capability, biology isn’t obsolete just yet. The new material doesn’t measure up to natural muscles in at least one way: maximum work achieved for every cycle. It can do 30 J/kg, which is lower than the 40 J/kg for real muscles.

Given the positive properties of these artificial muscles, they have the potential to allow prosthetics and future robots to operate with superior muscle elasticity and isometric stress generation, even at extreme temperatures. But Baughman and his colleagues also envision a variety of other uses for them. The new material has interesting optical properties, as it can diffract light in a direction that is perpendicular to the nanotubes’ alignment and this can be modulated to different frequencies.

Finally, these muscles can be elongated and then immobilized in their stretched states at various densities. Combining that factor with the optical properties and voltage-dependent actuation, the authors propose using their material for “organic light-emitting displays, solar cells, charge stripping from ion beams, and cold electron field emission.”

Science, 2009. DOI: 10.1126/science.1168312

The Snuggy v2.0 Here is a fun piece of clothing. If it’s cold...

Sat, 21 Mar 2009 11:43:18 -0400

The Snuggy v2.0

Here is a fun piece of clothing. If it’s cold in your area how about a full body sweater to warm up with? There are a few items that need to be enhanced though. Instead of the front face port you need to have a 7 inch monitor tied to your AV system so that you can watch TV, play a video game or get some work done on the computer. It also needs to have a plug added to allow for heating strips to be added for those very cold days.

Via: TechEBlog

Quantum Computers, Here We Come!

Fri, 20 Mar 2009 06:30:00 -0400

Super-fast quantum computers are now a step closer to becoming a reality, thanks to a breakthrough by scientists. Edinburgh and Manchester University researchers have created a molecular device which could act as a building block for super-fast computers. They have created components that could be used to develop quantum computers, which can make intricate calculations faster than conventional machines. The academics used molecular scale technology instead of silicon chips. They achieved the breakthrough by combining tiny magnets with molecular machines that can shuttle between two locations without the use of external force. The manoeuvrable magnets could one day be used as the basic component in quantum computers. ‘Major challenges’ Conventional computers work by storing information in the form of bits, which can represent information in binary code - either as zero or one. Quantum computers will use quantum binary digits, or qubits, which are far more sophisticated as they are capable of representing not only zero and one, but a range of values simultaneously. Their complexity will enable quantum computers to perform more quickly than conventional machines. Professor David Leigh, of Edinburgh University’s school of chemistry, said: “This development brings super-fast, non-silicon based computing a step closer. “The major challenges we face now are to bring many of these qubits together to build a device that could perform calculations, and to discover how to communicate between them.” The study, by Edinburgh and Manchester university scientists and published in the journal Nature, was funded by the European Commission. Story from BBC NEWS: http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/7952524.stm Published: 2009/03/19 12:40:54 GMT © BBC MMIX

Ten Wise Statements Abraham Lincoln Did Not Say

Thu, 12 Feb 2009 23:46:00 -0500

On his 200th birthday, I though it would be cool to post a list of ten truism’s attributed to the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Licoln (1809-1865).

You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.
You cannot keep out of trouble by spending more than your income.
You cannot establish security on borrowed money.
You cannot help small men by tearing down big men.
You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.
You cannot lift the wage earner by pulling down the wage payer.
You cannot help the poor man by destroying the rich.
You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred.
You cannot build character and courage by taking away man’s initiative and independence.
You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they could and should do for themselves.

They sound very wise and very Presidential and I’ll bet Abe would have sang the praises of the list, but he didn’t actually say them.

In fact, they were written in 1916 by the Rev. William J. H. Boetcker, a Presbyterian clergyman and pamphlet writer.

In 1942, a group called the Committee for Constitutional Government gave out a great many leaflets entitled “Lincoln on Limitations” that contained on one side an actual Lincoln quote and on the other side the 10 statements by Rev. Boetcker.

Rev. Boetcker was credited with his statements on the leaflet, but because people don’t actually pay attention, throw in the title of the leaflet and people began think that Lincoln had said the ten listed statements.

They have been repeated in many printed sources, and are still regarded by many as authentic Lincoln quotes., but they aren’t.

Now you know.

Presidential Fact #2

Wed, 11 Feb 2009 00:00:00 -0500

Camp David

Camp David, known formally as the Naval Support Facility Thurmont, is the President’s country residence. Located in Catoctin Mountain Park in Frederick County, Maryland, Camp David has offered Presidents an opportunity for solitude and tranquility, as well as an ideal place to host foreign leaders.

Adapted from the federal employee retreat Hi-Catoctin, President Franklin Roosevelt established the residence as USS Shangri La, modeling the new main lodge after the Roosevelt winter vacation home in Warm Springs, Georgia. President Eisenhower subsequently renamed the institution in honor of his grandson David.

Camp David has been used extensively to host foreign dignitaries. Prime Minister Winston Churchill of Great Britain attended the first such meeting in May of 1943; the summit held at the residence in 1978 for Egyptian President Anwar al-Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin resulted in what are now known as the Camp David Accords.

When did it become bad to be good?

Fri, 23 Jan 2009 21:53:06 -0500

A Dallas high-school basketball team wants to forfeit because they played TOO well? What the hell?

Texas girls hoops team seeks forfeit of 100-0 win

This is another sign that we as a society are headed the way of the dinosaurs.

While, I understand the disparity between the teams, it is a bad idea to forfeit the game.

First, doing so completely devalues the effort the Dallas Academy players demonstrated. That is a nice slap in the face. How would this sound, ‘I know you tried your best, but you’re so pathetic of a challenger we don’t even want the win’. Real nice.

Secondly, the winning players broke no rules. Forfeiting this game, will introduce doubt in the players as to whether they should truly give 100%. Their unconcious mind will know there is a chance, if they do TOO well, they may be penalized. The losing team is being taught that they need not give 100%, because they will be compensated for their lack of skill.

We as adults should NEVER teach our children to accept mediocrity. If we do, they will not strive to attain those things that seem unattainable.

We should NEVER punish them for their success. If we do, we destroy their capacity to lead and their ability to hope.

This is a matter to be taken up with the coach’s and the committee who is responsible for scheduling games. The Covenant coach could have taken to opportunity to play some of the less skilled players. The committee could have not scheduled a contest between two team so unevenly matched.

The simple fact is a contest was entered between two teams and one team came out the victor. If one team lacks the skills to win, they deserve to lose. That is natural selection. The strong survive, the weak either get (stronger/faster/smarter) or they perish. At least in basketball, the coach and players have the ability to learn from their loss and practice those specific attributes so they can win the next season.

Nature (and real life) isn’t so accomodating.

Let’s think about this for a minute …

“Michelangleo, that Cistine Chapel is just a bit too nicely done. It is making the other artists in the area feel sort of inadequate. MMM .. the Pope has asked that you change the Creation of Adam part … he would like you to … well … make Adam ugly. That would be make the other artists feel better. Also, he has formally forfeited 1/2 of the chapel ceiling. He has other artists in right now painting over what you had done.”

“Gentlemen, Operation Overlord was a total success. We were able to push the German troops back and secure France. However, the President is embarrassed that we did so well against the German’s. He has sent them a note officially apologizing for our poor sportsmanship. The President has ordered that we retreat back to Omaha beach and prior to any invasion we must drop leaflets detailing our plans, so the enemy can prepare”

You laugh and say to yourself, that I am dumb, but seriously if you start in schools today, what will be the result in 50 years?

Politicians Really are DUMB!

Thu, 22 Jan 2009 20:32:42 -0500

I try to be pragmatic about politics. I believe most (not all) politicians enter politics because they are unable to find success in the private sectors. I am defining success as their ability to tell other people what to do.

As pragmatic as I am, I was taken aback by the bill introduced by Rep. Jose E. Serrano [NY-16], on January 6, 2009. In H.J.RES.5 he proposes repealing the twenty-second amendment to the Constitution of the United States, thereby removing the limitation on the number terms an individual may serve as President.

You can look at the information at the Library of Congress. Now, I am not a conspiracy theorist, but except for the overview page NONE of the links work. This is a FEDERAL WEBSITE, there should be nothing that fails to work. So why can’t we see the specifics of the bill?

Anyway, I suggest if this bothers you take the time to send an email to your elected representatives and tell them to NOT to support this bill.

Presidential Facts #1

Tue, 20 Jan 2009 18:28:45 -0500

Since we have seen a new President take office today, I’ve decided to post some things I find interesting about the Presidency.

AIR FORCE ONE

No matter where in the world the President travels, if he flies in an Air Force jet, the plane is called Air Force One. Technically, Air Force One is the call sign of any Air Force aircraft carrying the President. In practice, however, Air Force One is used to refer to one of two highly customized Boeing 747-200B series aircraft, which carry the tail codes 28000 and 29000. The Air Force designation for the aircraft is VC-25A.

Air Force One is one of the most recognizable symbols of the presidency, spawning countless references not just in American culture but across the world. Emblazoned with the words “United States of America,” the American flag, and the Seal of the President of the United States, it is an undeniable presence wherever it flies or docks.

Capable of refueling midair, Air Force One has unlimited range and can carry the President wherever he needs to travel. The onboard electronics are hardened to protect against an electromagnetic pulse, and Air Force One is equipped with advanced secure communications equipment, allowing the aircraft to function as a mobile command center in the event of an attack on the United States.

Inside, the President and his travel companions enjoy 4,000 square feet of floor space on three levels, including an extensive suite for the President that features a large office, lavatory, and conference room. Air Force One includes a medical suite that can function as an operating room, and a doctor is permanently on board. The plane’s two food preparation galleys can feed 100 people at a time.

Air Force One also has quarters for those who accompany the President, including senior advisors, Secret Service officers, traveling press, and other guests. Several cargo planes typically fly ahead of Air Force One to provide the President with services needed in remote locations.

Air Force One is maintained and operated by the Presidential Airlift Group, part of the White House Military Office. The Airlift Group was founded in 1944 as the Presidential Pilot Office at the direction of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. For the next 20 years, various propeller driven aircraft served the President. In 1962, President John F. Kennedy became the first President to fly in his own jet aircraft, a modified Boeing 707. Over the years, several other jet aircraft have been used, with the first of the current aircraft being delivered in 1990 during the administration of President George H. W. Bush.

I know how Kirk feels! My zune has the dreaded Y2K9 bug!!

Wed, 31 Dec 2008 16:20:36 -0500

I know how Kirk feels! My zune has the dreaded Y2K9 bug!!