BOG IT BLOG

Geekdom Arise!

I'm gonna get my 'Geek' shoes on this morning. Okay, there are some of my family reading this saying that those shoes are permanent appendages that will never come off... Hey I'm writing here... don't mess with the author... you've heard the adage about putting a monkey on a typewriter, eventually he'll write Shakespeare (couple of million years) so don't mess with me.. it is tough being a monkey!

Anyways, with the ole 'Geek' shoes on I want to talk a little (gasp) computer this morning. Mainly about the nemesis of modern society, MICROSOFT. It is interesting how I've lived with a love/hate relationship with the company over the years. It has been mostly hate, but a little love, I'm sad to report.

I enjoy Windows XP. Of all the products that Bill (Demon) Gates has made, XP is the pinnacle of perfection, in relative terms. Sure there are still some things I detest, and other things that are outdated, but those warts are insignificant to the pleasure of working on computers with this operating system. If it wasn't for XP, I probably would of jumped to LINUX a long time ago.

Now these days, Microsoft is wondering why the computer world has not accepted their VISTA operating system's view of the future. I will say that any operating system that only works with less than 30% of the existing computers out there is a bad idea. I would never jump to VISTA if I can help it. A new laptop is probably the only way I'd get it. I usually make my own desktops and XP is always selected. But laptops are a different matter. HP (Hewlett-Packard) has been shipping them lately with the option of having XP installed instead. But that is all about to change.

Microsoft has announced that it will stop selling XP altogether in June of this year. It is their way of making us reluctant users jump to VISTA. It sucks, I know. And their ploy will probably push a lot of corporate customers to other alternatives. Many in 'Geekdom' is calling the move possibly the beginning of the end of dominance of MS on the computer world. As for you non-geeks out there. the other alternative is LINUX. It is an operating system that is (in most cases) public domain, and has software that pretty much does everything a Microsoft (or Apple) computer can do. About the only thing you would have to do without is the gaming software. There is little name-brand games (and on-line playing games) that support LINUX. But if the business community keeps abandoning MS, games should come around.

A nightmare for any business, but especially ones with a large computer infrastructure, is having a new version of your operating software, and find that you will have to replace most of your equipment just to get it all to work again. That is why many of these companies are expected to go to LINUX for their operating system, while the stupidity at MS reigns supreme. LINUX is pretty much modular. Updates and changes would come as service packs. But changing the whole program would happen only rarely. I expect many in the corporate world to embrace such a system, it is amazes me that Microsoft can't see what they are doing to themselves.

However, Microsoft is aware of the threat of this operating system. They have done about everything they can to stop or at least slow down the progress of LINUX. SCO, a software company (formerly Caldera Systems) sued various LINUX vendors in an effort claiming copyrights on much of the LINUX operating system. It is interesting to know that the bankrolling of this attack was, you guessed it, Microsoft. The judge ruled in August that SCO had little ownership of LINUX and they forfeit any money they had collected from companies they managed to get licensing fees from. That ruling has made many individual lawsuits null & void and has helped clear a considerable chunk of the federal legal docket.

Before I get too far, and bore you to death, there is a grass-roots campaign to help SAVE XP. I doubt they have a chance in Hell, but who knows maybe Mr. Gates will come to his senses, give the system a reprieve from death. What he needs to do, is repeat what happened with Windows ME.

Windows ME has been called by Dan Tynan of PC World the 'Mistake Edition'. He claims it to be the "Fourth Worst Tech Product Of All Time". The history of ME sounds like Dejavu when compared to VISTA. People had problems getting it to work on older computers and various other fau-pauxs. Finally, Microsoft came out with XP, which corrected all the problems.

(Note to all morally restricted individuals: The following video contains a couple of words that we Geeks use a lot. My Apologies!)

I just wonder if Microsoft has anything waiting in the wings that will save us this time? I'm not gonna hold my breath!

Nightmares for Adults

You know, as a little toe-head I was very susceptible to nightmares. I sometimes would watch Shock Theatre on Friday nights and every so often catch the Saturday afternoon Monster movie. It used to give my mom fits. I would usually wake up with a cold sweat and wind up staying awake the rest of the night. It was something I grew out of, about the same time my taste in movies improved. But it seems that the nightmares have returned. The feelings are the same, just the cause has changed.

I read an article on cbsnews.com the other day (it was a transcript of a 60 minutes re-broadcast last November), that I can't get it out of my head. It described what scientists are calling 'Colony Collapse Disorder' (CCD).

As you probably heard, the last couple of years, honey bees have been dying off. Most of us have shrugged it off as an adjustment of the population, something most species go through at one time or another. However, the article points to a more frightening scenario. In the future, we just might have to accept the loss of pollinating bees altogether.

Here is a list of fruit and vegetables that would be impacted by such a loss:

(Note: Some of these can be pollinated by flies, bats and butterflies, and others could survive without pollination. But some in this list, such as the melons, would almost cease to exist without cross-pollination by bees. One way or another, production would drop drastically for all.)

• Apple, Peach, Pear, Plum, Tangerine, Tangelo, Strawberry, Blueberry, Grape, Cranberry, Raspberry, Blackberry, Elderberry, Rowanberry, Sweet Cherry, Sour Cherry, Boysenberry
• Kiwifruit, Guava, Mango, Coconut, Cola Nut, Cocoa, Clover, Vanilla, Fig, Persimmon, Passion Fruit, Starfruit, Papaya, Passion Fruit
• Broccoli, Cauliflower, Carrot, Cabbage, Brussel Sprouts, Turnip, Peppers, Onion, Celery, Eggplant, Okra, Beet, Lima Bean, Green Bean, Black-eye Peas, String Bean
• Soybean, Alfalfa, Coriander, Caraway, Cactus, Allspice, Pumpkin, Watermelon, Squash, Zuchini, Gourd, Cucumber, Cantilope, Mustard, Avocado
• Chestnut, Almond, Walnut, Macadamia Nut, Sesame, Buckwheat, Fennel, Cotton, Sunflower, Cashew, Palm Oil, Safflower, Brazil Nut

There are others, but that is most of the major plants impacted.

You know, it is like the first step in a 'Soylent Green' scenario. Are we heading towards a limited food selection? Some claim that enviromentalists are just being alarmists. And true, it might wind up not as bad as it looks in the long run. But considering what is at stake, can we afford to be wrong and ignore this problem? I guess the major nightmare of this article (video), is the final post commentary, that the beekeeper was contacted a couple of weeks ago, and he has now lost half of his remaining bees this winter. Do we have the time to fix the problem?
You know, it might already be too late.

It is enough to make any adult wake up in a cold sweat!

YouTube, No, Pakistan!

You might of noticed, yesterday, it was real tough going getting into YouTube. For awhile, none of the embedded clips in my blogs were working. Considering it was a weekend, I figured somewhere in the YouTube Server Network, someone messed up the weekly maintenance routines they usually do on weekends. But the reason it was down was interesting to say the least.

The Pakistani government decided to shut down YouTube's access to their country. The reason was a video online that criticises the religion of Islam. It was created by Dutch activist Geert Wilders. The Man has previously made videos that have upset Muslims and the government was worried that he might incite riots similar to the ones created by the Danish newspaper cartoon in 2006. It created riots throughout the Muslim world. That cartoonist is still in danger. A couple of people were recently arrested in Denmark for plotting an assasination of him.

Okay, before I get deeper into the politics of this thing. Here is what happened. The Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA) orders the country's Internet Providers to restrict access to YouTube from inside the country. PTCL, the largest provider and also responsible for the nation's net backbone infrastructure programmed their servers to reject YouTube traffic. Due to an error with their international connection in Hong Kong, the instruction was sent to all servers world wide instead of just Pakistan. Before you know it, most of the YouTube requests were being re-routed to Pakistan. Then the requests would cancel out. YouTube servers went silent for over 2 hours.

Now back to politics. The anti-government critics in Pakistan were quick to claim foul on President Pervez Musharraf. It seems that there are quite of few critical videos on YouTube denouncing the dictator, and Wilders video was just an excuse. But anyways, it doesn't matter too much. Only 5% of the country has Internet access. Only a small minority was even aware of the dust-up.

In the meantime, the rest of the world suffered (or enjoyed, according to your perspective) a brief respite from the onslaught of electronic voyeurism known as YouTube.

A Convert(er) for the Future

As you probably have heard, you have one year (2-17-2009) to buy your converter for the digital switch of Broadcast Television. Yes, I know most of us get our video fix from cable (or sat) and shouldn't worry about getting a converter. However, consider we expect to have some power outages in the next couple of years (e.g. hurricanes etc). It is still a good idea to get converters or buy a new digital tv this year. Now of course, if there is a power drop, chances are the cable grid will go down too. With your power generator (you do have one?) and a tv of your choice, the converter will help you keep up with your favorite sitcom. Oh, yeah, weather alerts are not a bad idea too. Of, course you still have to miss ESPN, and HBO. But you know you gotta suffer a little to really call it an emergency.

Here are the details you need to know. Analog signals (sound modulation) are to be replaced completely with Digital signals(binary computer code.... zeros and ones). All TV stations are expected to switch over completely next February. However, there is a petition to the FCC by some Texas stations, asking for more time. The complaint is that they will lose listeners because many will probably switch to Mexican stations instead of buying a converter.

The converters are (will be) available at your local neighborhood electronics shop (or big-box retail). They will run around $60 to $75. The government is offering $40.00 coupons (2 per family) to help off-set the price. If you haven't reserved your coupons yet, go to www.dtv.gov to request them. The first coupons will be mailed out starting this week.

If you plan on buying a new tv, look for a notice that the FCC requires to be posted near analog tvs:

This television receiver has only an analog broadcast tuner and will require a converter box after February 17, 2009, to receive over-the-air broadcasts with an antenna because of the Nation’s transition to digital broadcasting. Analog-only TVs should continue to work as before with cable and satellite TV services, gaming consoles, VCRs, DVD players, and similar products.

Of course, the merchants will be frantic to get rid of the analogs. The closer to the date, more the desperation. Just remember that if you buy an analog tv, you will still have to buy a converter. So looking at any sale price, consider the extra money. Some of the smarter companies will probably bundle the converters with leftover analogs. And you can always expect a little skulduggery from some too. So beware!

The sellers probably hate to hear this, but it would be real stupid to buy a tv today that isn't digital. Its about as smart as buying a big SUV drinking fuel at 11 miles a gallon, when the price of gas is teetering at $3.20 and heading towards $5.00. But then I guess if you have the extra money to burn.... go for it - Its only money.

Oh, by the way, I don't have one of those generators.

Flashlight Weapon

If you believe what you read on the Net, you should take comfort in knowing that the Taser is on its way out. According to reports out of California, there is a company, Intelligent Optical Solutions, that has created a flashlight that is as effective as a Taser. Homeland Security Administration has bankrolled this research at a price of $800,000.

Ok, as usual, a little background. The Taser was invented by a NASA scientist back in 1974. Originally it was classified as a firearm, since it used gunpowder to propell electrical darts to the opponent. In 1994, a non-firearm version was developed, and has been improved since to what is used today. Its operation is rather simple. Two electrode darts attaches to an attacker, then a large electric charge incapacitates the victim. It will stop most people in their tracks. However, recently studies have shown that some people with pre-existing medical conditions could be injured or killed by the devices. Law enforcement authorities are always pointing out that a bullet would be far more devastating to an alleged attacker. Even with the slight chance of death, it is still a improvement from any form of deadly force.

Now here comes the 'LED Incapacitator'. This flashlight can stop an attacker by disorienting them. It shoots out a focused light created by a series of Light emitting Diodes, producing a fast flashing light at multiple frequencies and different colors. It kind of overloads the brains receptors making you want to close your eyes or turn away. The company is calling it a success and is planning on having it available for the streets by 2010. If it turns out as good as the company is boasting, it will be a welcomed addition to the non-lethal arsenal.

However, I am just wondering if there is any chance of a person going into an epileptic seizure? Back in 1999, an Anime cartoon called Pokemon caused 'Photosensitive Epilepsy' in a handful of children. It happened when the animation flashed a blue and red pattern at a high rate of speed and frequency. Subsequently, the episode was altered to prevent any future recurrences. It was the first time I had ever heard of light causing such problems in a person. I just wonder if there is any possibility the 'LED Incapacitator' could cause seizures? Also they say after being stopped by the light, for some, the effect can cause nausea and headaches for as much as an hour afterwards. It seems no matter what technology we create, there usually is some sort of downside. Its kinda like two steps forward and one step back. Hey, I'd agree with it, sure sounds better than being electrocuted.

Hydrazine by any other Name

Maybe I am being paranoid, or maybe there is some truth in my misgivings. As you probably heard today, that the Navy was successful in destroying an errant spy satellite in orbit. I always thought that the government was being unduly paranoid on their part when it comes to this mini-bus size satellite. Chances of hydrazine fuel on the Sat falling on a populous area is just about nill. And more than likely the fuel would burn up in the fiery re-entry anyways. No, it seems to me, that there was something else to this story, that was left unsaid. Considering the spy satellite was totally classified, I even doubt the validity of the image passed around to the media. How are we sure it was really Hydrazine Fuel that powered the beast?

There has been rumblings in the media for years that some of our spy satellites are powered by nuclear power-plants instead of chemical fuels. According to reports, our government put a nuclear reactor in space in 1965. Far as I know, it is still up there. If this all sounds too far-fetched, take into consideration, in the 60s the Soviet Union had as many as 18 nuclear powered sats in orbit.

Another consideration maybe that this whole exercise was just an excuse to shoot down a sat as an experiment in the ongoing development of a missile defense system. That makes more sense than spending 30 million dollars to eliminate the threat of a falling tank of fuel. When the huge Skylab came down in the Indian Ocean (and parts of west Australia), there was less concern than this rather small (relatively speaking) satellite.

Oh, by the way, I am not the only one that has considered this possibility...

'MOSCOW, February 15 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's Defense Ministry is closely monitoring a U.S. spy satellite that has gone out of control and may have nuclear material on board, a high-ranking defense source said on Friday. "The Defense Ministry is using its space surveillance systems to track the satellite's movement in orbit," he said. Russian military experts suggest the satellite could have an on board nuclear power source, a senior parliament member said.'

Of course, the western media didn't even bring up the subject of a possible nuclear threat. I wonder why. Do we accept what our military says without question these days? I'd say if this were the late 60s, you would of heard these questions placed to officials, at least to get a little reaction.

Are we so trusting these days? Or maybe most feel that questioning our leaders is just not worth the trouble anymore!

Embargo Be Gone

With the news of the resignation of Fidel Castro, we are being inundated with opinions and political posturing. Not wanting to be left out of the fun, I am going to voice my rather insignificant opinion on the subject. Hey, I don't have anything else to do this morning.

My opinion is that Cuba would probably be a democracy by this time if we had not initiated a trade embargo. The embargo was a knee-jerk reaction to the ills of the communist country. And we hurt our cause more by limiting our success and lifestyle to the island nation. We have to put our hopes onto the new generation in Cuba. More access to success would make the people's discontent more prevalent. A trade embargo never hurts the government, it hurts the common folk. And with less contact, comes less knowledge of how the rest of the world lives.

I believe Cuba will turn democratic one day. There are just too many ties to our country to think that Cuba's populace will continue to suffer forever. How long and how messy is the question. And you'll hear everyone's opinion before too long. I believe it won't happen till there is a moderate change in the military leadership. Just as it is taking place in China, you should see a moderation in the Communist beliefs when the next generation starts taking over. Castro himself had moderated a little in the past few years. I expect the trend to continue with his brother, and then with whoever takes his place.

Cattle treated like Cattle!

I, along with most of you, am distressed by the undercover video of the California slaughterhouse. I have personally seen such treatment to cattle. No matter what industry people say, I believe it is more the norm than anyone wants to admit. My own personal experience points toward it happening. And the larger the herd, I expect the incident level increases.

My personal slant is that my uncle was a cattleman. He usually had a herd of no more than 50 head. I spent many weekends at their house, since their oldest son was of my age. Subsequently, my childhood was sprinkled with moments of cruelty to cattle. Sometimes handling the beasts is difficult, especially in corrals and loading chutes. When I was 8 years old I watched them try to get a cow in a truck through a loading chute. The beast did not want to go... and using prodding sticks (electrified poles) just made the cow that more stubborn. They finally tied a rope on the horns and then looped it across the front bars of the truck. Then they pulled the rope with a tractor to leverage the cow towards the opening. The cow still resisted and then the worst happened. The cows's back legs got caught between the chute and the truck. Needless to say, its back legs were broken at the hip. So they killed the beast, and then disposed of the body. It was a horrible thing for an 8 year old to see. But I grew to understand that this was just one of those things that happens rarely when working with cattle. Now rachet that up to a herd of a couple of thousand, and you can see how such problems can happen.

Now I am not defending the slaughterhouse. They went wrong by slaughtering sick and injured cattle and adding them to the food supply. That is reprehensible. Cattle that is on the ground for any amount of time is subject to infection, sickness and could pass along contamination to the beef you consume. Of course, considering the price of beef, the reasoning for their actions is easy enough to understand. One word, Greed. The price of a cow on the hoof would definitely cut into their profit margin. I do not believe this company should continue in business. Lawmakers should pass a law giving federal authorities the right to permanently shut down an offending business. Then maybe we can get a handle on these food contaminations. It is kind of frightening to think what contamination might we will hear of next.

Now some of you may think of me as being insensitive to the cruelty we inflict on cattle. I say that there is a difference between cruelty and necessity. Remember, each hamburger you buy at McDonalds is the result of a little bit of death and destruction. It is the law of the carnivore. If we expect to eat meat, we must expect some form of death and destruction. Only thing we can hope for is that it is expedient, and quick, with as little suffering as possible. That is the reason that video was so reprehensible. Those cows suffered horribly, and should never have lived to that point. Considering that we probably ate those cows, it kinda makes one think about being a vegetarian.

Blood In The Water!

I don't know about you, but don't you get tired of the sensationalism in the broadcast media. It is most infuriating to me this Blood in the Water mentality that is rampant in broadcasting these days. An industry standard should be adopted that would make reporting of a tragedy limited to only 48 hours. If people want more details, pick up a paper, or go online. It has been three days since the killing at Northern Illinois University. And the news media, (even the local stations) are reporting ad nauseum everything they can find out about anyone involved and many that aren't.

And if there is a local slant, heaven help your neighbors and friends. The local stations should hang their heads in shame broadcasting (and disseminating) images of the broken father begging these people to leave him alone. He finally breaks down and cries at the end of his plea. The plea and breakdown was the top video at all the local stations. Talk about smelling blood. This man was innocent! He lost his wife less than a year ago, and now his son leaves this world in the most shameful way.

The national media showed the same clip. Some showed it, removing the emotional end. Then on the Today Show (Saturday) they showed the clip, but only him breaking down to tears. Where does the need for the public to know, give our media the right to destroy a person's dignity? For Shame...

It is amazing that the locals showed their clip with the anchors claiming heartfelt sadness for the man... but lets go to the tape.... you could almost hear them panting with joy in the background. I get the feeling the editors were in a euphoric state of glee that this national story had such a local angle. I tend to think of people of being basically good. As for the local media, It might be time for me to re-analyze that presumption. I'll say it once again... FOR SHAME!

Chinese Panda-monium!

You know it amazes me how the Giant Pandas of China are rented out to the rest of the world. Of all the world's captive Giant Pandas, there are only 27 outside of the country. China has another 239 captive bears at two facilities. The animals are 'leased' out to the world's zoos for a fee of $1,000,000 a year each. Man oh Man, think of how may Lexus you can lease for that price! But it seems that many of the world's zookeepers would swim the Pacific for a chance to have a mating pair on the premises. Now mind you, if there is a black and white bundle of joy, under the lease, the ownership of said fur-ball is the property of the People's Republic of China.

I just don't get it. You'd think that someone would of smuggled a couple of 'em out by now. But then, you'd have to bring with you 20 to 30 pounds of bamboo each day for each bear. These animals get very little nutrition from bamboo, even though it is almost the only thing they eat. So they have to be continually full to survive. These black and white beasts are weird. They are classified as a carnivore, but almost exclusively eats plants. Also it is the only bear in the world that doesn't hibernate.

I am truly floored by this situation. It kinda sounds like the DeBeers Diamond market monopoly. And just about as lucrative. Anyways, there was an article on-line telling how expensive it is to keep two of these beasts. $2,000,000 for a couple, and then if a cub is born, an additional $600,000 a year. These contracts are usually 10 years long. The exhibits tend to be lucrative the first few years, but then attendance wanes, and the yearly losses mount. The birth of a cub usually brings a spike in attendance, but the additional fee makes it painful to the bottom line. As the article stated, some of the zoos are renegotiating with China for a little relief on the fees. If they refuse, It might be a reality that eventually you would have to travel to China to see one of these creatures in the future.

Oh, by the way, China offered to give a pair of Pandas to Taiwan recently. Needless to say, they refused to accept them. You know, come to think of it, Polar Bears are cute... we're destroying their habitat, so they'll be in the market for a new home, and did I say they like fish!

Blu-Ray Gets The Green!

Yes folks, the modern day 'betamax' is losing the fight. If you have been planning to buy an High Definition DVD player to go with that big new screen , that decision should be a lot easier . It seems that the battle between the two DVD formats is all but over. Wal-Mart just announced the phasing out of all HD-DVD sales in their stores.

For you technologically-impaired: The battle pits two factions centered around two multi-national Japanese Companies. The picking of sides by other corporations is kinda like the ole sandlot pickup game. Even though there are a couple of Chinese formats, chiefly the war has been between Sony's Blu-Ray format and Toshiba Corporation's Creation, HD-DVD. Each vying for the gold pot at the end of the rainbow. These companies will get residuals for each DVD, and then licensing money for each player. Losing this battle, would probably be a good reason than any to commit 'Hari-Kari'.

What are the differences between these two systems? The statistics are as follows:
(source: CNET.Com)

Total Data: HD-DVD=(quad)52 gigs Blu-Ray=(quad)100 gigs
Total Playing Time: HD-DVD=13 Hours Blu-Ray=23 Hours
Total DVD Releases: (by end 2007) HD-DVD=330 Blu-Ray=360
Video Game Support: HD-DVD=Xbox 360 Blu-Ray=Playstaton 3

Back in the 70's, the introduction of the video tape player created a battle-royale between VHS and Betamax. It lasted longer than it should have, with many buying the losing equipment. VHS was the winner by the end of the 1980s. For quite a few years later, video rental stores would still have Beta tapes just for those unlucky consumers.

Looking at these statistics, it seems that Blu-Ray is the best of them. That is a sharp contrast compared with the VHS/Betamax conflict. Betamax was the better of the two formats for video tape. But it still succumbed to VHS. A clear-cut victim of a rather effective marketing campaign. Today's consumer shouldn't suffer as much, considering in relative terms, this battle had just started.

In the last few days, Netflix decided in only renting Blu-Ray. And most studios and media conglomerates have decided on the format as well. Only Paramount and Universal sided with HD-DVD. Microsoft and Intel sided with HD-DVD, while Apple and Hewlett-Packard stood up for Blu-Ray.

You'll probably hear from the industry experts that it is time for the fat-lady to sing. Of course, you can expect the losing side to do a little spin too. But, no matter what you hear, trust me, the game is over. I can just see all those tantō short swords coming out now!

Saint Valentine is Alive on the Net!

If you have been reading my blogs, you probably remember a couple of days ago a story about Saint Valentine of Rome in the time of Emperor Claudius II. Nothing substantiates this story other than it has been repeated over the years by many sources. Today, I've come up with another version, and it is ALL over the Internet. No one knows who wrote this narrative, and like I said, there seems to be little to corroborate the accuracy of this tale. But to give you an idea how a legend can have a new life on the Net.. here is the new version:

Let me introduce myself. My name is Valentine. I lived in Rome during the third century. That was long, long ago! At that time, Rome was ruled by an emperor named Claudius. I didn't like Emperor Claudius, and I wasn't the only one! A lot of people shared my feelings. Claudius wanted to have a big army. He expected men to volunteer to join. Many men just did not want to fight in wars. They did not want to leave their wives and families. As you might have guessed, not many men signed up. This made Claudius furious. So what happened? He had a crazy idea. He thought that if men were not married, they would not mind joining the army. So Claudius decided not to allow any more marriages. Young people thought his new law was cruel. I thought it was preposterous! I certainly wasn't going to support that law!

Did I mention that I was a priest? One of my favorite activities was to marry couples. Even after Emperor Claudius passed his law, I kept on performing marriage ceremonies -- secretly, of course. It was really quite exciting. Imagine a small candlelit room with only the bride and groom and myself. We would whisper the words of the ceremony, listening all the while for the steps of soldiers.

One night, we did hear footsteps. It was scary! Thank goodness the couple I was marrying escaped in time. I was caught. (Not quite as light on my feet as I used to be, I guess.) I was thrown in jail and told that my punishment was death.

I tried to stay cheerful. And do you know what? Wonderful things happened. Many young people came to the jail to visit me. They threw flowers and notes up to my window. They wanted me to know that they, too, believed in love.

One of these young people was the daughter of the prison guard. Her father allowed her to visit me in the cell. Sometimes we would sit and talk for hours. She helped me to keep my spirits up. She agreed that I did the right thing by ignoring the Emperor and going ahead with the secret marriages. On the day I was to die, I left my friend a little note thanking her for her friendship and loyalty. I signed it, "Love from your Valentine."

I believe that note started the custom of exchanging love messages on Valentine's Day. It was written on the day I died, February 14, 269 A.D. Now, every year on this day, people remember. But most importantly, they think about love and friendship. And when they think of Emperor Claudius, they remember how he tried to stand in the way of love, and they laugh -- because they know that love can't be beaten!

Yes, it is true that a few 'bloggers' do tend to elaborate with the facts. And many never confirm the accuracy of their stories. With the mixture of rumor and fact, the actual 'Truth' is becoming blurred. Who knows, a hundred years from now, this tale will be the basis for what the history books will say of Saint Valentine of Rome.

Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Surveillance!

Yes, girls and boys, it is time to pull the ole' soap box out again. I try not to pull it out that often, because with people's opinions being so polarizing you always seem to offend someone of a different point of view. Remember, I'm an old guy (or relatively so) and go by the old rules and regulations. If you don't believe in my opinions, don't take them to heart... hey, I love ya!

Today's soap box excursion concerns terrorism and our form of government. Since the 911 attack, we have been in what I call 'Knee-Jerk' mode. Don't get me wrong, we needed to strengthen our defense, both military and civil. However, I feel we have went too far when it comes to the ideals this country was founded upon. The Senate yesterday voted to expand the phone/email surveillance ability of the Executive branch of government.

I know that the situation is different than what it was before 911. The threat of terrorism is real, and should not be ignored. However, giving a governmental body such powers, without checks and balances, is flirting with disaster. I see the reason behind the push, however, this proposal, and the laws that preceded it calls for honesty in government. Do you actually believe that all subsequent Presidents will be honest and have the best interests of the country at heart? It is safe to say we will have a dishonest president in power one day. When that day comes to pass, we may regret this increase in the governments spying capability. One day, in possibly the near future, our expansion of such policies may come back to 'Bite Us In The Ass' (pardon my french).

As for foreign call/email surveillance. Many say, as long as someone is not American, our ideals do not apply to them. That the Bill of Rights is a wholly American institution and others are not covered by those ideals.

Remember what Thomas Jefferson stated:

'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.'

- Declaration of Independence

It doesn't say that these truths are just for us and not for the rest of the world. We should be promoting those ideals for all people. Maybe in so doing, we would have more allies and less terrorists. God-Given rights is a universal ideal, given to all the people of the world, the good and the bad. Our success in this world has made us a target. But that is nothing new, we've been a target for much of our government's existence. Barbary Pirates, Submarine Warfare, Pearl Harbor. Our ancestors fought and won other threats. They didn't ransack our rights so they could sleep better at night. They fought for the continuation of our ideals.

Today, we are just too paranoid and self-centered. We don't want anything to disturb our wanton consumerism and video game playing. The majority feels that a battle of any kind is just so 'damned' inconvenient. Think of the terrorists' motives. Attacking New York like they did made us 'knee-jerk' just like they wanted us to do. They wanted us to cringe, and we did. And we are still cringing, and bringing down what makes our country special in the eyes of the world.

It is an interesting exercise to think of what Thomas Jefferson, or even George Washington would say of what we are doing to our civil liberties. Considering accounts I've read of both, I believe that they would not be pleased with these events. Remember, politics in those days were just as cut-throat as it is today. There were factions and different opinions across the spectrum. But one thing they were united upon was the need for a balanced government. They were very wary of one individual having too much power. They were afraid of their leader becoming a 'King'. Today, It seems that we have forgotten to be cautious. We too should be afraid. Lest we legislate us a 'Dictator' in everything but name.

To remind you of their concerns, I'll finish this commentary with the words of Benjamin Franklin:

'They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.'

-- Historical Review of Pennsylvania, 1759

To Thine Own Heart Be True!

Yes, sweeties. it is time for the mid-winter festival of the heart. Time to get into the spirit of the holiday. To show you the insanity of this occasion, I have collected a little trivia about SV day. So here are da facts of Valentine Day Mania. (note: data taken from University of Maryland, US Census Data, Greeting Card Industry and various other scholarly sources)

• Approximately 110 million roses, the majority red, will be sold and delivered within a three-day period.
• Verona Italy, where Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet lived, receives each year about 1,000 letters addressed to Juliet.
• 3% of pet owners will give Valentine's Day gifts to their pets.
• 40 percent of the world's almonds and 20 percent of peanuts will be used by the candy companies this year.
• According to one of the condom companies, condom sales are highest around Valentine's Day. We're talking about a 20 to 30% increase.
• In the United States, 64 percent of men do not make plans in advance for a romantic Valentine's Day with their sweethearts.
• Over 1 billion Valentine's Day cards are exchanged each year. It is second only to Christmas.
• Teachers recieve the most Valentine Cards. Followed by Children, Mothers, Wives and last but not least, Sweethearts.
• In 2005, each American consumed an average of 26 pounds of candy. The total will probably be larger this year.

The origins of Saint Valentine is a rather obscure tale. There were two or three St. Valentines in Catholic records. There is one story concerning St. Valentine of Rome. It took place in the time of Emperor Claudius II. He sent out an order forbidding all of his troops from getting married. He believed a un-attached soldier would be more willing to die for his emperor. St. Valentine thought it was an injustice, and continued to marry young lovers in secret. The story goes that Claudius found out and had him crucified. There is little to substantiate the story in official records. However, the legend has been repeated as fact by many over the centuries.

Anyways, remember, Thursday is the day to get your sweetheart a nice heart-filled box of candies, a teddy-bear, a six-pack of bud, a digital camera (alas, no Polaroids), and one night at the honeymoon suite at your favorite gulf-side hotel. Too much guys? Okay, how about settle for a bottle of Mike's Hard Lemonade, and one of those silk roses from Wal-mart. They say that it is the sentiment, not the money that matters. Uh huh, yeah, right!

A Tale of Two Quarterbacks!

You know, it is really weird how life tends to work in circles. Evolution may or may not be true... but there seems to be some kind of intelligence behind luck. Man, it is just too weird to think it is just happenstance. Take in point, the 1976 NFL expansion teams and their original quarterbacks. I know I'm not making any sense, but bare with me, and lets rewind a few years:

In 1976, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Seattle Seahawks joined the National Football League. The two starting quarterbacks were Steve Spurrier at Tampa, and Jim Zorn at Seattle. Among the pundits, it was a common pastime to compare the two teams, and their quarterbacks. Of course, the Bucs were the epitomy of the word 'SUCK'. While the Zorn' led Hawks were effectively a middle ranked team in the NFL. Each were built on two different philosophies. The Seahawks mostly enlisted veterans of the league. While the Bucs went mostly with draft picks. With the lack of experience on the Bucs side, they went on to 'winless infamy'. On the other side, the Seahawks faded after a few years, when it's veterans were slowly replaced by draftees. The Buccaneers did make it to the playoffs first, thanks to a new quarterback named Doug Williams. In 1979, with Williams, running back Ricky Bell and Lee Roy Selmon on defense, they were only one game away from the Superbowl. Alas, they lost that game 9-0 to the Los Angeles Rams. Meanwhile, Seattle had some success in the early years, and lost in the AFC championship game to a Los Angeles team. This time it was the Los Angeles Raiders 30 to 14 in 1983. In the next few decades, the Seahawks were relatively successful, while the Bucs mucked it around suffering from owner Hugh Culverhouse's penny pinching.

As for the quarterbacks, Steve Spurrier signed with the Bucs after a 9 year career with the San Francisco 49'ers. He played only one year with the Bucs. However, he was the 'Quarterback of Record' for Tampa's legendary winless season. After being an assistant coach in the college ranks, he came back to Tampa to coach the Tampa Bay Bandits in 1983. Later on, he became the most popular head coach ever at the University of Florida. He abruptly resigned in January 2002, to become the head coach of the Washington Redskins. His tenure would only last two years. With continual run-ins with owner Dan Snyder, and a dismal record, Spurrier made the switch back to college football. In 2005, he finally found himself coaching his alma-mater, South Carolina.

Jim Zorn, played 12 years for Seattle. Later he played for the Green Bay Packers in 1985, the CFL in 1986, and then ended his career as a Buccaneer in 1987.With his playing career over, he spent the next 20 years working as an assistant coach in college and pro football. His career has culminated in the announcement made yesterday in Washington DC. Jim Zorn is now the newest head coach of the Washington Redskins.

Now here is the rub... the coincidences between the teams and their original quarterbacks are just short of amazing:

• Both men were the original quarterbacks for an expansion NFL team, in the same year!
• Each played for the Buccaneers for only one season.
• Each ended their playing career at Tampa Bay.
• Both teams lost a championship game in the early days to a Los Angeles NFL Team (Rams and Raiders).
• Buccaneers' championship game quarterback, Doug Williams, later is MVP in Superbowl XXII for the Redskins
• Both quarterbacks now have been named (only once) to the head coach position of an NFL team.
• And both were named to that position on the same team (Washington Redskins)!

Like I said, these two guys and their teams were micro-examined that first expansion year. Who would of thunk it in those days how almost supernatural the combined paths would turn.

A Cruise Conumdrum

A new proposal by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection service will hamper and possibly eliminate many destinations currently scheduled by cruise ships going out of Florida. And some of the smaller stops, like Key West, will be eliminated all together.

The proposed regulations requires 'foreign flagged' ships to stay 48 hours in a foreign destination, when it is scheduled to stop at two American ports. These new rules have been proposed to help US ships in Hawaiian waters stave off the competition from California based cruise lines. But in so doing, the proposal will hurt even American cruise lines that have 'foreign flagged' ships.

Its common sense, that very few tourists would want to stay 48 hours at just one port. And small stop-overs like Key West will probably be eliminated all together making the departure port the only American stop. Governor Charlie Crist was quoted in Gannett newspapers recently; "Florida would lose cruise ports of call at Fort Lauderdale, Miami and would eliminate all the calls at Key West,". He, along with other state officials on both coasts are protesting this 'rather short-sighted' policy proposal.

There are only two 'US Flagged' cruise vessels left in home waters. Norweigan Cruise Line operates two ships out of Hawaii that still fly the American ensign. However, due to competition, Norwegian is threatening to remove the last two from the American Registry, if this policy change doesn't take place. The cruise line recently removed a third vessel from the American rolls.

But these rules will hurt cruise business on both coasts, and will cost more American jobs than what would be lost at Norwegian. One of the remedies being talked about this weekend, is to make the proposal only for Hawaiian waters, not affecting operations in other American ports. Only time will tell whether these bureaucrats will come to their senses.

Instant Moments, Lost to the Ages!

Another milestone in the continuous march of technology is happening this year. Polaroid reported recently that it is stopping all production of Instant (Land) Camera film. The company stopped producing the cameras last year. With the invention of digital/computer technology, the Instamatic Camera has become redundant.

Polaroid, in its time, was a marvel in the business world. It was the little company that took on the Kodak behemoth and beat them at their own game. With the Polarizing Technology invented by it's founder, Edwin Land, the camera company produced a technological breakthrough that Kodak could not counter. And now done in by another technological breakthrough, it is safe to say the greatness of Polaroid lived and died by the technology. In the approaching digital era, change was slow in coming, and the once touted corporation filed bankruptcy in 2001. After being acquired by an investment group, the company's movements are continuing into the digital camera market, just as their once competitor Kodak is struggling to do.

Don't get me wrong, both companies are still multi-national in nature, and will probably survive with as yet unknown percentage of the camera market. But their dominance is forever broken, with many companies competing on the world stage. But it is kinda nice remembering the many memorable moments we captured using Land's invention.

My demented mind (it works independently sometimes) reminded me while working on this story, that people that got the most out of Land Cameras were 'amorous' couples too scared to send conventional film to the photo-mat. With the 'instant' nature of the beast, you could change angles for better pictures.. Kinda like 'Kama-Sutra' at the 'Drive-In'. ahem... well you get the picture.

I remember having one of the early models. You had to pull the picture out yourself, and then rub a wet (chemical) sponge across the surface to seal the image. You couldn't sell that model these days, since the wet sponge had a smell like model glue... and today's kids probably would take advantage of it. My family photo chest is full of Polaroid images. I would say that I wouldn't of collected as many if it wasn't for those cameras. Being one of the world's (ranked in the top ten) greatest procrastinators, very few film rolls would've ever gotten to the processor. At least Edwin Land's invention gave me recorded memories for me to look back at.

And no, I don't have any of those pictures!

It Just Isn't Cricket

With China hosting the Olympics in August of this year, it is a sure bet that an athletic pursuit thousands of years old will NOT be part of the celebration. It started around 900 AD and still survives, even through the 'Cultural Revolution'. What I am talking about is 'Cricket Fighting'. Yes we are talking about those little genus Orthoptera insects that you can't help but hear on a wet night in Florida.

It all started during the 'Song' dynasty (960 - 1278 AD), with ample archeological evidence unearthed in tombs. Many digs in China have resulted in 'Cricket' paraphenalia. Later, the 'Cricket Emperor', Ming Xuan-Zhong (1427-1464) brought Cricket Fighting to prominence to where offering a fighting cricket for court favors was common. Even popular legends often involved fighting crickets. One story written by Ming Chao Xiao Shi told of an officer of the local rice-granaries who exchanged his best horse for a 'good' cricket. While away, his wife opened the cricket pot, accidently releasing it. The cricket was instantly eaten by a chicken. The wife was so scared what the officer would do, she committed suicide. When the officer returned home, seeing his cricket gone, his wife dead, he took his life also.

As you would expect, lower economic people used the fights for gambling. However, most of the upper classes pursued glory among their peers instead of monetary gain. The gambling got so out of hand, after the Qing dynasty the sport was outlawed. Just as Cock and Dog fighting in this day, the fighting went underground and still thrived. Many touted the valiant and fighting spirit of the insects.

Fast forward to the Communist era, the practice was again outlawed. However, the 'Cricket Culture' is still thriving to this day in China. Most major cities have clubs and societies devoted to raising and fighting crickets. The crickets were (and still) kept and transported in Gourd containers, Cricket Pots, and Cricket Tubes. These items can be purchased at special vendors in most markets throughout China.

My own personal opinion is the same for any animal fights. It is reprehensible, and should not exist. My great uncle, who loved Cock Fighting, took me to one when I was 7 years old. I didn't like it, and to this day, I still remember it vividly. But then, there is a fascination in 'Cricket Fighting'. It isn't bloody as other competitions. And death doesn't always happen. Believe it or not, there is Cricket Fighting here in North America. Reports state that the large Chinese populations in California and New York have continued this cutural odditiy in the New World.

If you check on the video sites, you will find many entries on the subject:

Box Retailers Got Coal in Their Stockings!

It seems that Santa Claus always came in January for the national retailers. Well, except for this year.
The people at Walmart, along with J.C. Penney and Target are moaning the woes of the economy. It seems that people who got gift cards for christmas didn't use them to buy big (or medium) ticket items, but instead overall, used them for everyday staples.

This was news to me, like most of us, I didn't realize it until I read a news report about how the big box retailers really really love gift cards. First, not all gift cards get redeemed... so that is a real gravy train for the corporations. But what was surprising is that these corporate entities have gotten used to having Mr. & Mrs. Joe Normal use the cards (along with extra cash) to buy large ticket items like HD Tvs, I-Pods, and kitchen appliances.

But this year, with the R******** (financial condition that must not be named), most people are using the cards to purchase (shock) baby diapers, country-fried steak patties, milk, 'Helluva-Good' Bodacious Onion Dip (my favorite), and other day-to-day necessities. It is the first time in 40 years that the major retailers saw a decline in sales in the month of January. Actually Wal-Mart, according to reports, posted a 1/2 percent increase. That was well below industry expectations. So are we in a R*********? Who knows, and who cares...

A rose by any other name would smell as sweet! or sour, if you take the metaphor to its logical conclusion. I guess if things continue to deteriorate, we all better get in the habit of buying 'staples' from the Farmers (or Downtown) Market, instead of the high-priced packaged junk at the mega-lo-mart we all tend to rely on.

And Now there is Only One!

Harry Landis of Sun City Center has died. He was one of only two American WWI veterans still alive. The last veteran is Frank Buckles, age 107 of Charles Town, West Virginia. Landis died at the age of 108. Our heart goes out to his surviving family.

For more information, check my previous blog of January 26.

104th Florida State Fair

Tomorrow, the 104th edition of the Florida State Fair opens at the Fairground complex at Highway 301 and Interstate 4. It has been at its present location since 1976. Before that, it was at the University of Tampa in downtown. It was orginally called the 'Mid-winter Festival', but around 1915, people started calling it the 'State Fair'. but it took until 1975 for the Florida State Legislature to finally make it official.

But as I have blogged before.. the current site is just not the same as the old fairgrounds. The 'six-mile creek' site is nice, but with all the space and fairly new buildings, it feels more like a convention site than a fair. Like I said, the old fairgrounds, looked, smelled and feeled like a fair. It was always crowded... old buildings, noise, a very un-sanitary place. But it had an ambiance that made you feel like you were at some place special. If we knew that in time, all would be just memories.. maybe we would of appreciated it a little bit more. To be modern was the push in those days, and when it was gone.. it was years before we really missed it. Of course each year it was something to look forward to. I spent all my childhood going to the Tampa fairgrounds. They moved it to 'Six-Mile Creek' when I was a new father with a child of my own.

'Six Mile Creek' is the name for the area at Hiway 301, on the southern end of the fairgrounds. The old creek is now a flood control channel. I don't know how many people really call it by that name anymore, probably only a few. In the horse and buggy days, it was a place of Inns. People from Plant City would travel down what is now Hiway 574, making it to Six Mile Creek by nightfall. Spend the night, then go into Tampa (six miles away), to do their business. then back to Plant City. It was at least a two day trip. If you ever go down Highway 574 near Parsons Rd. in Brandon, there is an old wood building that says '12 mile Tavern'. That was where people would stop in their wagons, to eat some lunch. Well, anyways, thought some of you transplants might be interested in why that area is called 'Six Mile Creek'.

Don't get me wrong, I love the Fair where it is now. And I doubt the old grounds could handle the traffic it now generates. But nostalgia always takes over a little bit every year when the place opens up. To give you some idea how it was, here is an old clip that I dug up... by the way, I'm the little toe-head in the striped jacket:

Florida State Fair - 1961

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Well, that is about it. Hope you enjoyed it... Oh by the way, that first image, that is the Tampa skyline in the distance. See You at the Fair.

A Bovine Battle

I am going to get up on my soapbox this morning to point you towards a corporate battle taking place. Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream is battling Monsanto Corporation over labeling of milk products. It sounds like a non-interesting corporate squabble that has little to do with us. But if you feel that way, you could not be more wrong. But first, a lttle background.

As you are probably aware, Ben & Jerry's has been from the beginning, mavericks in their business profile and operation. They have done things that their competitors would not. Yes, they are more expensive than most other ice cream products. But there is a difference in what they make. Myself, personally, I rarely eat ice cream, but if I had a choice it would be B & J.

Ben Cohen, co-founder of the ice cream brand is an anosmic. He has no sense of smell. I, myself, lost my sense of smell about 10 years ago. Doctors never figured out why I lost it. So, it is something I've just had to live with. Your ability to smell is interlinked with your sense of taste. Things tend to be less flavorable to an anosmic. As expected, we also have a penchant for spicy food. Mr. Cohen was the chief taste-tester for their ice cream. That is why you find their flavors deeper and more expressive than most other ice creams. Ben Cohen and his partner Jerry Greenfield sold their company to the Dutch' Unilever in 2000. However, they are still involved on a corporate level. Sorry, I digress.

This conflict between these two corporate entities involves a growth hormone used to increase cow production of milk. Recombinant bovine somatotropin (rBST), or recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH) was approved by the Food and Drug administration in 1993. It's approval was denied by Japan, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The European Union approved it in 1990, but in 1993 put a moratorium on it to its member countries when health concerns were brought up by consumer groups. The major concern is the passing of two hormones IGF and BGH into the milk. Monsanto claims that the levels are too low to be dangerous. And they are canceled out with pasteurization. But so far, there is not enough long term studies on the effect of the hormones to call it safe.

There is a local angle to this story. I came across it on a wiki describing rBST. Here it is verbatim:

"Lawsuit against Fox television

Fox television station WTVT/Fox13 in Tampa, Florida was sued by Steve Wilson and Jane Akre, two former anchors over the issue of reporting the harmful effects of BGH on humans. The journalists--originally, with station approval--wrote a story in 1996 that stated the human health risks of rBGH. However, the station rejected it and insisted they report a different story on rBGH with statistics supplied by Monsanto. They rewrote the story over 70 times but were eventually fired by Fox.

After a five-week trial which ended August 18, 2000, a Florida state court jury unanimously determined that Fox "acted intentionally and deliberately to falsify or distort the plaintiffs' news reporting on BGH." In that decision, the jury also found that Akre's threat to blow the whistle on Fox's misconduct to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) was the sole reason for the termination and awarded $425,000 in damages.

Fox appealed and prevailed February 14, 2003, when an appeals court issued a ruling reversing the jury, accepting a defense argument that had been rejected by three other judges on at least six separate occasions. The appeals court's decision on the verdict was on the basis that FCC policies on news agencies reporting the truth did not legally require the station to report the truth in a news story, as FCC policies are not law. The story that was subsequently reported on BGH contained no statistics that may have indicated a human health risk, as these statistics (the ones found by Akre and Wilson and mentioned in their original story) were ignored.

In 2004, Fox filed a $1.7 million counter-suit against Akre and Wilson for trial fees and costs."

As for Ben & Jerrys, they are fighting a campaign to keep the following on their ice cream's labels:

'We oppose Recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone.
The family farmers who supply our milk and cream
pledge not to treat their cows with rBGH'

The Monsanto Corporation, along with an organization it heavily funds called 'American Farmers for the Advancement and Conservation of Technology' are pressuring various government entities to outlaw this declaration on all products. Monsanto claims that the concerns are not founded and is not fair to the corporation and the dairy farmer. They claim to be an advocate for accuracy in dairy labels. But on the other hand, cannot produce any scientific study showing long-term safety. A commenter on one of the sites put it better than I could ever do.

"What ever the science says really doesn''t matter...better or the same for me, I would rather have regular old healthy cow milk than some hormone injected milk from a scientifically cloned cow. I think as a consumer I have a right to choose and the corporations should NOT be able to supress information, good or bad, to promote higher sales!! I thought this was AMERICA?!?!" Posted by suzieh2308.

Finally, according to reports, Safeway and Kroger grocery chains stopped selling rBGH tainted products in February 2007. Also local based Publix Supermarkets,claims that their products are all free from rBGH (rBST) as of May of last year.

A Giant Victory

Yes, I was wrong. I was pleasantly wrong. Like I said on an earlier blog.. I said that the Giants had less chance of ta