GTK

Are you a Googleite? I am. They are miles ahead any other web portal. I really like the iGoogle home page. It's easily customized and the navigation is downright simple. Google offers many services, like Google mail (aka GMail), Picasa (we don't need no stinkin' Photoshop!), Google Maps (where u want to go today or any other time) Chrome Browser (surf the net at the speed o' light), Google Earth, Google Calendar, Google Translate, Google Docs, Google Talk etc. You can download these and more at Google Products. Not just great stuff, but also free! They now have another great service -> Good To Know. You don't really have to be Google crazy to see the value in this newer offering. Just click on the link and take a look. Bet you learn something.

Hope this helps!

"Life isn't fair. It's just fairer than death, that's all."
~William Goldman, The Princess Bride

Testing Internet Speed

Two good sites that measure speed:

Metrocast of Mississippi Speed Test

Ookla Speedtest.net

Metrocast's test is straightforward and a one button click produces results. Obviously, it's tuned towards the locale. Yes Comcast people, it works fine with your ISP. Ookla Speedtest.net is about as good as it gets. You can customize it to fit most any area. I highly recommend running a traceroute or contacting your ISP to find your real server info and using it. For instance, even though I live less than 100 miles from Memphis, TN most of my internet traffic is routed through Atlanta, GA. So using the Atlanta Speedtest server performs better and this will mean more accurate results. Make an account and save your info. This site has depth. Please be careful. Watch out for embedded ads that try to mimic the style of the site and look like they are part of Speedtest.net.

Use these links with caution. Cybersouth is not responsible for any problems you create. Hope this helps.

"But what we call our despair is often only the painful eagerness of unfed hope."
~George Eliot

Random Thursday - Another Song to Play at My Funeral (if somebody will bury me, lol)

After this enjoying this fantastic musical group live in concert earlier this year (TYVM MJ & Joe), it's a pleasure to see Celtic Woman more animated in this new DVD. Amazing. They seem to grow more gorgeous every time I see them. If you expect awesomeness and superior talent you won't be disappointed. If your bandwidth and PC can take it increase the resolution to 1080p and expand to full screen.



Lyrics

Of all the money that ere I had, I spent it in good company.
And of all the harm that ere I've done, alas was done to none but me.
And all I've done for want of wit, to memory now I cannot recall.
So fill me to the parting glass. Goodnight and joy be with you all.

Of all the comrades that ere I had, they're sorry for my going away,
And of all the sweethearts that ere I had , they wish me one more day to stay,
But since it falls unto my lot that I should rise while you should not,
I will gently rise and I'll softly call, "Goodnight and joy be with you all!"

Oh, if I had money enough to spend and leisure time to sit awhile
There is a fair maid in this town that sorely has my heart beguiled
Her rosey cheeks and ruby lips, she alone has my heart in thrall.
So fill me to the parting glass. Goodnight and joy be with you all

"Ah, music. A magic beyond all we do here!"
~J.K. Rowling

SOPA Sucks

Okay, our country is run by mad, rabid lunatics whose heads stay where the sun doesn't shine. If you are not familiar with SOPA you might want to check it out. A good place to start is User Talk: Jim Wales. Among other things, Mr. Wales is the founder of Wikipedia. Be sure and check out some of the comments. It came to mind that President Reagan saw the end of communism when he said, "Tear down that wall Mr. Gorbachev." Are the government goobers testing to see if this oppressive way of life can be implemented on many levels once again?!?!?

How did this slip by all of us? You can bet I will ask Senator Wicker! Everyone should contact their elected officials and protest mightily. With SOPA "protecting" we certainly don't have to worry about 'keeping our enemies close' since they will be right in the middle of our business. Thanks out to Slashdot for a very important link.

"There's no trick to being a humorist when you have the whole government working for you. I don't make jokes. I just watch the government and report the facts."
~Will Rogers

GW Info

Here's two videos concerning the GW2 Mesmer Profession. Ritualists and Assassins might find it interesting too. Awesome looking. Just hope they don't nerf or skill balance it out of existence.





Here's the link to the official announcement: GW2 Mesmer. Below are the official videos that show some of the skills:

Not a Mere Drip

Ever since Chrome rocked the internet crowd - interest in a new browser has been minimal. But a new variant of a well known browser is making a splash. So far I like it. Splash is an appropriate word since the new browser is Waterfox. As my bookmarks (favorites) are synced and speed comparisons begin to show up it''ll be easier to give an opinion. IE certainly has real competition, but is still the most popular.

Waterfox 8.0.1 is 64 bit and requires Microsoft's Visual C++ 2010 Redistributable Package (x64). It's a simple install and can be downloaded here. It's also linked at the Waterfox download page. You'll find links to Flash 11, Silverlight 5, and 64 bit Sun Java there too. Download at your risk. If you become TARFU don't complain here.

Hope this helps!

NOTE: Guild Wars participants: Mesmer will be confirmed as the 8th profession in GW2 tomorrow.

"Cyberspace. A consensual hallucination experienced daily by billions of legitimate operators, in every nation, by children being taught mathematical concepts."
~Gibson

Music Monday - My Heart and My Spirit

Just listen:



"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and it may be necessary from time to time to give a stupid or misinformed beholder a black eye."
~Miss Piggy

Modus Operandi

Thanks out to Maryke for a great pix!

In the long run the pessimist may be proved right, but the optimist has a better time on the trip.
~Reardon

Merry Christmas?

Interesting thing happened today. I had to cash a small check in a bank where I have no account. This is rare thing for me. I needed to buy cheap, non-nutritious food to keep my fat ass fat and also put fuel in the truck. Usually hats are not part of my wardrobe. I did have one on and the lady asked me to remove it and was very nice. She pointed to several signs posted in the bank. They supported her hat removal thing. She was courteous. She smiled and wished me a great holiday season. I said thank you.

Then, with the hat removal thing in mind which seemed like Regions Bank's wimpy parallel to an attempt at uber control, I made a decision. "Ma'am, I wish you a Merry Christmas. Certainly I hope the holiday season finds you well. I also wish you good tidings of comfort and joy if you are not celebrating the birth of Christ. But, I am a Christian and not shy about it. Take my Christmas wish however you like."

This is Regions Bank? Telling me how to dress? I'll not to be back. It was a convenience thing just to get cash to eat. Regions Bank charged me a few dollars to extend a transaction that consisted of them making good on a check written on THEM. Hmmmm, concept of legal tender no longer exists, huh? The man whose face is on that dollar bill handed to me would have wasted the place like Bunker Hill if he had faced such indignant treatment. Does un-American attitude come to mind?

As I walked towards the door I heard, "Merry Christmas Mr. West and thank you." I stopped and smiled with a nod. I knew Regions Bank was history. It felt good to keep walking and know my idiot ass attitude had a positive result.

Regions Bank sucks. Their teller did not.

"Hope is the thing with feathers, that perches in the soul, and sings the tune without words, and never stops at all."
~Emily Dickinson

Random Thursday - Africa Redux

Ashy asked about this version of Africa. It was used here some time ago. Fascinating alternative to the song posted this past Music Monday. Very creative, bordering on brilliant in my opinion. Turn it up or use a headset if possible. The audio quality is very good.



"Music hath the charm to soothe a savage beast, but I'd try a revolver first."
~Josh Billings

Windows Media Center Glitch

Is Windows Media Center opening at random? There is a trojan infection going around that can cause this behavior. It is also a known problem that the Windows people acknowledge. First run your updated anti-virus software. Then run your updated anti-spyware tools. Then run an updated CCleaner.

Not using CCleaner? Might be a good idea to start. Download it at Piriform. There are three columns in the center of the download page. Click the free column (the one on the left) and download from Piriform, it's a trusted sight. After the initial installation be sure and click the Options button towards the upper left on the opening page and then click the Cookies button. Save the cookies for sites you trust. Email me cybersouth@gmail.com if you have questions.

Windows Media Center still aggravating you? Here are 3 solutions provided by the folks at Microsoft. I implemented the first two solutions before reading the forum and finally used number 3 to resolve the problem:

1. Disable the Windows Media Center Services
Click Start, type services.msc and pressEnter
Find Windows Media Center Extender Service and double click it
On the General tab, change Startup Type to Disabled and click OK to close that window
Repeat steps 2 and 3 for Windows Media Center Receiver Service,Windows Media Center Scheduler Service andWindows Media Center Service Launcher
Close the Services window and reboot

2. Disable Windows Media Center via Group Policy (Note: This is not an option for Windows Vista Home Premium users)
Click Start, type gpedit.msc and press Enter
Under Computer Configuration, navigate to Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Media Center
In the right pane, double click the only policy (Do not allow Windows Media Center to run)
Select Enabled (sounds weird but this will indeed prevent WMC from running) and clickOKto close that Window
Close the Local Group Policy Editor and reboot

3. Disable Windows Media Center via the registry
Click Start, type regedit and press Enter
Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > SOFTWARE > Policies > Microsoft
Right click on Microsoft and choose New >Key
Name the key WindowsMediaCenter and press Enter
Right click on the key you just created and choose New > DWORD (32-bit) Value
Name the DWORD MediaCenter and press Enter twice
Change the Hexadecimal value to 1 and press OK
Close Registry Editor and reboot

You can go to the forum from which the 3 solutions were gleaned here: Microsoft Answers.

Hope this helps! Download and perform these tasks at your own risk. Cybersouth is in no way responsible if you FUBAR your machine. Besides, seeking legal action to get money from me is like drawing blood from a turnip. Since neither is there, can we say impossible? You might have more luck with that turnip thangy.

"Experts agree that the best type of computer for your individual needs is one that comes on the market about two days after you actually purchase some other computer."
~Dave Barry

God Bless the United States of America

Please, please take just a few minutes and listen to why this man WILL be the next President of the United States. Just play it in the background if you're busy and hear what is said. Better yet, grab a cup of coffee or your favorite beverage and spend some important quality time honoring our fallen Veterans and your fellow Americans by listening to a true God fearing American that can and will put our country back on the right track. It's concise, easy to understand, very much to the point, no holds barred and he even makes the crowd laugh. Yes, my hat is in his arena. There are some old problems that the Satan driven mega evil MSNBC stooges harp on continuously like rabid shrews. Newt has made mistakes. He's human, remember? Everyone in the race has some positives and negatives, but most anyone running will be better than the present office holder. Thanks out to my friend EdC for another tremendous link. I truly think that this video will be a part of history.



"To compel a man to subsidize with his taxes the propagation of ideas which he disbelieves and abhors is sinful and tyrannical."
~Thomas Jefferson

"The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government."
~Thomas Jefferson

"It is incumbent on every generation to pay its own debts as it goes. A principle which if acted on would save one-half the wars of the world."
~Thomas Jefferson

Music Monday - Africa

An awesome live performance. Toto really rocks. As a group they are very tight, engineering is spot on, and individual brief solos present their tremendous talents as musicians. This is what modern music is all about! The photos that are included are from a farm in South Africa that is the residence of a friend of mine. Can you imagine a giraffe wandering around the lower 40? How do you like the old Willys jeep? Is that kewl transportation or what? Thanks 'Crystal' for the great pixs. The last photo is a long shot down a dirt road either on or near Crystal's farm. You see three faint spots in the road ahead. When you zoom in you find three lions lounging in the road!

"God gave us memories that we might have roses in December."
~James Barrie (Neverland, on SyFy, concludes tonight. Great mini-series so far.)

Teamspeak Adjustment

Attention: TS3 clients. New addy -> 24.245.123.130. Same ports same pswds,etc. Just change your address in the Teamspeak Client software and leave other settings alone. You can also do a search in the Teamspeak Server list and it will load your settings. Be sure and do a save. There are multiple users online using the service at this time. Trust me, the service is running at optimum settings so if problems are encountered please check your settings. If all else fails please contact me via phone. Reason for change? Replaced a failed power supply and updated for security reasons. Sorry for the inconvenience. Always nice to have an extra server class PS in stock. BTW, UW, lol.

SideNote: The new Celtic Woman DVD, Believe, will be broadcast for the first time tonight on some PBS stations.

Letting Go of Anger Can be Tough

Being politically correct is a communist plot inspired by Satan and his terrorist henchmen to undermine the weak and ignorant. It's not politically correct to say such a thing??!?! OMG! What shall I ever do? Let's try again. How about, "Kiss my fat ass you bunch of wimpy jerks??!?!?!" Folks, get over it. Look up the word manners in the dictionary and if you can wrap your mind around the definition then seek to improve politeness (with reasonable measure - some people are idiots and good manners won't prevail, but if we all strive to be nice it'll help). This world has enough problems without gangsta rap, racist tirades, liberal boohoos and whines, elitist rhetoric and dumbasses that have no clue about anything yet think they know it all. That last group really makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck.

Last time there was a major check it was discovered that I too, am an individual human with rights, feelings, hope, desires and goals. This country is in a horrible mess. People are starving. Some will suffer at the hands of the "righteous" self appointed life-judges. They think those that are poor should freeze or die of heat stroke. Why? The goofball administration now in place has all but committed treason. After being elected they have continually attacked the American way of life. "Yep, just go right ahead and turn off their electricity. We could care less if they live or die," said the power company to the poor. So, it's time to quit being part of the problem and become an ingredient in the solution.

Before this current administration took office, I had never known real poverty. Fear was something that haunted my dreams of Vietnam, not the queasy feeling now sometimes felt upon first awakening. Poverty was something that I knew existed, but never experienced. Damn it! Being hungry sucks. Especially when one is a fat ass. Not knowing if your refrigerator will be running when you get home is terrifying. To think that precious pack of bologna and other cheap consumables may spoil is a real problem. Not a day goes by without people being thrown out of their dwellings. This is not because they are lazy, but because they worked hard all life long and then had the rug jerked from under them.

Even though I am a Republican and believe our great nation can turn around after the election, I am also a Republican with concerns about my fellow humans. Next time you enter that grocery store or supermarket and are able to purchase good, healthy food for your family take a minute to stop and think. There's a sister or brother out there that just might need YOUR helping hand. Find a way to contribute to the human race. Children, including yours, are watching...

"The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not."
~Thomas Jefferson

More cowbell!

Middle of the Night Post

I can't sleep. It's been a while since I've written anything about Guild Wars. Yes, I still play and try to check in daily. I've a farming system that's made to find consumables and virtual money. It involves a few minutes per day. I'll try to post a more detailed plan of attack if anyone is interested. Ahhh, if only my real world was as rich as the virtual world. Diligently fighting the current economic crisis and struggling to pay bills and money owed, I feel guilty about spending too much time in Guild Wars. But, it is the cheapest entertainment (besides reading - I am halfway through the second Game of Thrones book) around.

Guild Wars has no monthly fee. The complete game cycle of 4 chapters can be purchased for under 40 bucks today. Under 30 if you shop. You will need a substantial PC to play. Most any new PC class computer has high enough specifications. Sorry, Apple friends. Guild Wars, like many popular games, will run on only the PC platform. If you own an Apple and know how to WINE or run any of the other emulations then the problem is solved. WINE gives Apple users the capability to run Windows Operating Systems on their machines. It also works beautifully with Linux machines too.

Morgana & Zevon in the Kudzu Dragons Guild Hall

Guild Wars is an older multiple player online game that has been around for years. It is the second most popular game in this genre. World of Warcraft still reigns number one at this time. WoW is good game that has improved down through the years, but there is a substantial monthly fee. Start up, the initial purchase, is also rather expensive. For my money, Guild Wars is awesome. For years they had a goober named Izzy Cartwright that changed the skills around, but they've curbed that dog thank goodness. He is responsible for a large number of players leaving the game. The Kudzu Dragons Guild has had several players either leave or suspend play due to his shenanigans. As my friend Ashy always says, "Every village has an idiot." Izzy's main problem was catering to PvP (combat against other live players) and ignoring PvE (players solo or in groups against the ingame characters). Needless to say the PvE players are a vast majority in this virtual world.

Anyway, if you think you want to play let me know. I keep up with the best places to buy the game and am a member of a small, but active guild, the mighty Kudzu Dragons. We have several players, as mentioned above, that have suspended play and plan on returning as the advent of GW2 approaches, which may be soon. Several of our members have maxed out the game and still play. All our guild members are willing to help each other. Some clarification; we all will help if we have time. Sometimes we are just not online long enough to participate in long ventures. However, we have been known to plan ahead. Usually Tuesday and Thursday nights plus weekends are good. Let us know if you need a max group to aid and abet. We can plan a mission or quest.

Arcturus the Mesmer & direwolf "Big Bad"

One great advantage of being a Kudzu Dragon is that we own our own TeamSpeak server. We also have a great Server Admin. Ashy keeps this service running smoothly. It is in the throes of upgrade, but we expect no downtime due to this enhancement. This service provides Voice over Internet Protocol and is provided free to members. It's nice to use an inexpensive headset (20 bucks or less at the local Wal-Mart) and be able to talk to people halfway around the world. It's an easy install, setup and very user friendly. You'll think people are in the next room! It's a great tool for online gaming and sometimes gameplay is idle due to the hilarious conversations.

The K Dragons also have super LAN parties throughout the year. We usually convene on Saturday and play until whenever. This is a physical gathering that has a nice family atmosphere with great food and much laughter. We are children friendly so you can bring the younglings. Our foreign friends also check in online for gameplay and fun.

Contact me at cybersouth@gmail.com if interested. A good time will be had by all!

Transportation

I have friends in South Africa. Think I'll contact them and see if they will send me one of these for Christmas:



Thanks out to EdC for the great link!!

"Everything in life is somewhere else, and you get there in a car."
~White

Music Monday - Sara

Music from Daryl's House never ceases to amaze me. This is a classic with Mr. Hall playing in the band and Jimmy Wayne singing lead. So refreshing that real music is not forgotten. Take that, all trash mouth rap idiots!!



"Words make you think a thought. Music makes you feel a feeling. A song makes you feel a thought."
~Harburg

IMHO

Please check this article about Gun Control. I encourage everyone to vote in a united fashion to remove the current chief exec from office. I also encourage anyone that votes for him to seek help for your damaged brain problem. Anyone that disagrees is encouraged to leave here immediately and never return.

"Blessed are the people whose leaders can look destiny in the eye without flinching but also without attempting to play God."
~Henry Kissinger

Thanksgiving: I Miss You Dad, Love Ya Mom!

The following is a comment that shook my soul:

my dad passed away in april this year.. and i swear i hear and see his echo in my 3 year old daughter.. every time i feel robbed and cheated at his passing i stand and just look at Piper..just for a minute, then i pick her up and cuddle her like it's my last cuddle, kiss her on the forehead and tell her i love her. and think of my dad. i just hope Piper loves me as much as i loved dad.. i love to hate this song..
Training1700

This is for someone. No, not my daughters. Not their children. Sometimes you have to let go. We shall all pass. Rejoice and be glad we cannot see any further. God made it that way. Rejoice and be glad we can love after death. God let it be that way. Rejoice and be glad there is truly a thing called peace. Κύριε, ἐλέησον.



Is a quote necessary today?

Fellow Weyr Members

Long live Pern. Anne McCaffrey passed from this life at the age of 85. She was a constant source of imagination, entertainment and enthralled me over and over with her books. Of course the Dragonrider books were my favorites and probably influenced my fascination with dragons as much as did Merlin, the Arthurian mage. Yes I do realize that dragons and probably Merlin too are mythological. Anne was not. She was prolific and always great fun to read. I think there is a movie in the making based upon her dragon books. Read more about this great science fiction writer and pioneer at Wikipedia.

"Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever."
~Mahatma Gandhi

Music Monday - Let Me Be What's Underneath

Sometimes the music of mind overwhelms our narrow look at the big picture. It's then that courage has a chance to inspire greatness. How many times we get back up...



Have I said lately how VEVO is base, crass, intrusive and needs to learn lessons from Google?



Take all my vicious words
And turn them into something good
Take all my preconceptions
And let the truth be understood
Take all my prized possessions
Leave only what I need
Take all my pieces of doubt
And let me be what's underneath
Courage is when you're afraid,
But you keep on moving anyway
Courage is when you're in pain,
But you keep on living anyway
We all have excuses why
Living in fear something in us dies
Like a bird with broken wings
It's not how high he flies,
But the song he sings
Courage is when you're afraid,
But you keep on moving anyway
Courage is when you're in pain,
But you keep on living anyway
It's not how many times you've been
knocked down
It's how many times you get back up
Courage is when you've lost your way,
But you find your strength anyway
Courage is when you're afraid
Courage is when it all seems grey
Courage is when you make a change,
And you keep on living anyway
You keep on moving anyway
You keep on giving anyway
You keep on loving anyway
~Orianthi

Music Monday - Lord Have Mercy

Anyone that knows me realizes I have two daughters that are gorgeous, extremely intelligent, full of life, embracers of things familial, awesome people in general and both seem to rejoice in that which is geekified or nerdistic. Sorry, it's just not possible to be humble when the subject matter comes to them. So I often visit beagle's site and review her favorites in music. She recently posted Broken Wings, another Mr. Mister music video. The video posted here today has poor visuals, but awesome audio. Inspirational, to say the least:



Lyrics:

The wind blows hard against this mountain side,
across the sea into my soul
It reaches into where I cannot hide,
setting my feet upon the road

My heart is old, it holds my memories,
my body burns a gemlike flame
Somewhere between the soul and soft machine,
is where I find myself again

Chorus:
Kyrie eleison, down the road that I must travel
Kyrie eleison, through the darkness of the night
Kyrie eleison, where I'm going will you follow
Kyrie eleison, on a highway in the light

When I was young I thought of growing old, o
of what my life would mean to me
Would I have followed down my chosen road,
or only wished what I could be

"Music is the shorthand of emotion."
~J.R.R. Tolkien

Whiny Boy Reporting In

Thinking about changing my name to Malady Mike. First of the week a slight back altercation, not major. I did slow down and not stress it too much in order to recover and complete work that has to be done. I get over it, start moving stuff and working around the beach house. Within 30 minutes I managed to step on a nail. It hurt then and still does now. In the center of the arch in my right foot. Just writing this makes it hurt. I am such a wimp. Also managed to catch a stomach bug going around. Should have seen me hopping on one foot towards the 'throne' room and barfing. Wait, no, glad you didn't see it. So now I am out a pair of shoes and may just throw the stinking clothes away.

Yes, whining abounds at the beach house. People keep offering to help me do stuff, but I have to accomplish recovery from the mess I've created. Besides, I know what needs to go and stay. Don't want anyone suggesting I be on TV for hoarding, lol. Anyway, a huge TY to everyone, but I'll ask when the time comes. Right now the inability to walk hinders me so I am going to put in some hours on a network we are changing. That should take my mind off the silly stuff.

Thing's are tough and being broke really really sucks. Yet I have faith that the Good Lord has some mission for me. Still grateful for my life, even the sad times. Hopefully I can recover from the stabbing foot pain and be granted a few decent days. I am praying!

"Many people pray to be kept out of unexpected problems.Some people pray to be able to confront and overcome them."
~Toba Beta

Short note

When we talk on cell phones, Teamspeak, Google Talk, etc., please hang up afterwards...

Wednesday Notes and a Great Funny

The asteroid is leaving our area of space. Makes me happy. So please don't panic when the sirens go off at 1:00pm CST today. FEMA and several organizations will try to sync the warning signals throughout the country for a few minutes. TV and radio will be interrupted in conjunction with the sirens.

Firefox 8 is now available for download. It seems quicker and there's been no problems so far. Good browser. If anyone knows of a lightweight browser that works well on older XP PCs and has good security please let me know. Have a friend that is searching for such an application.

Want a good laugh? A really really good laugh? Take a look at Want to Be a free thinker but still a nice person. This is a blog written by a Mississippi native that now lives in Great Britain. I am not too happy that she seems to be an atheist, but she may not be happy with my United Methodist Church affiliation. Anyway the letter from Target to Mrs. Harris about her husband's conduct is one of the funniest things I've ever read! Thanks out to Richi Jennings, one of my Google+ friends, for a great link!

"Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is God's gift, that's why we call it the present."
~Joan Rivers

Music Monday - Thru the Grapevine

Classic treated properly.



"Music is the Voice that tells us that the human race is greater than it knows."
~Napoleon Bonaparte

About the Size of an American Aircraft Carrier - DON'T PANIC

YU-55 will pass between the moon and earth on Tuesday the 8th around 5:28pm CST. This particular asteroid has been tracked since 2005 and scientists say that it poses no danger. You will need a telescope with a diameter of 6" or greater to view it since our neighboring satellite will be in a gibbous moon phase. For those interested Leonid meteors will be visible at random times after midnight November 13th thru the 20th. Look towards the constellation of Leo for best viewing. This will be the shower's peak period.

"Keep looking up!"
~Jack Horkheimer

Repost

I deleted the original post. It was done in a fit of temper after watching pro Obama diatribe. While viewing, it suddenly dawned on me that Rachel Maddow is not on Fox News, but a regular among the halfwits that thrive over at the evil MSNBC. MSNBC is the worst channel on TV and I will delete it so I never have to feel that filthy again. Please excuse my rant and vulgar language. I really don't like liberals.

"I am not one of those who in expressing opinions confine themselves to facts"
~Mark Twain

Fly

Thought this had been pushed up before now. God knows watching without the huge tears is not an option. Know what? NEVER ask me. Just pray for the families. I miss my brothers...those fallen in every way.

POSTED Thursday, September 11, 2008
I am alone. And very very sad. Out of all my Vietnam friends that stayed in touch down through the years Myles K. Magnus was the next to last to survive. Now there is one - me. Myles and I spent an afternoon together a month or so ago and he was in tremendous spirits. He was laughing and we talked about the future. He was looking forward to a retirement consisting of a very well planned life of leisure. He was a hard worker all his life. He had recently retired from FedEx and counted Fred Smith as a personal friend. His is survived by his wonderful wife, Deb. Let me say something my friends; if every wife could be like Deb the world would be a far far better place. She has the right stuff.

Myles stayed in touch ever since our return from the land of purple haze and agent orange. Our conversations were upbeat most of the time and there was a lot of laughing. He was so in love with Deb. This I admired so much. Two wonderful people traveling through life and being a real couple. True love. Gosh it was a joy and a privilege to see them together. It breaks my heart that I cannot be in West Texas to at least offer aid and support. She never complained about Myles habit of reading constantly. His level of intelligence was off the scale. I have been influenced by his massive knowledge and strength of character. He had no enemies. This can go on and on.

Must go finish the shedding of tears and experience the inevitable grief. He will be missed by so many people. Thank the Good Lord he passed away in his sleep. I know he was at peace. Prayers out for Deb and everyone whose life he has touched. I loved him like a brother. Still do.

"The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time."
~Mark Twain

Music Monday - Mayer Hawthorne

This appearance was last Friday night. Very good video with great audio. Nice treatment musically. The horn section is part of Letterman's band conducted by Paul Shaffer. Nice easy uptempo tune!



"Life is one grand, sweet song, so start the music."
~Ronald Reagan

Strokes Can Be Different

I've tried facebook twice now. Just not my thing. Everyone encouraged me to try it again. I did. Once again it was simply unsocial. Whether you admit it or not it seems we are all egocentric to some degree. Also, how would you feel if the only way you could communicate with me is coming here and interacting? Pause, pause, think, think, pause, pause. Just doesn't work does it? I wouldn't do it and certainly don't expect anyone else to adhere to such a silly policy either. Facebook made me feel that way. (EDIT: After further reflection, some folks may want to communicate with me this way!)

No doubt Cybersouth FTSBH can resemble a barnyard. Manure of male cattle has been slung here quite often. It's all in fun and for some goofy reason my fingers find time to put a post here occasionally. Some folks don't even read the posts. They scan to make sure there is not an obit involved then leave. That's fine. Some come here, skim every other word, then whine and complain. Even tell lies. That's fine too. If a comment really pisses me off I delete it. Actually, it has crossed my mind to do away with comments completely. Few rarely say anything and there's not any fear that bandwidth will be a problem because of massive hit counts.

Anyway, I am glad to be gone from facebook. It was very depressing to see people posting there on a regular basis that are supposed to be friends yet I haven't had phone calls from a lot of them in months. Well, I am adjusting. There's comfort in solitude. Permits more time for local fauna entertainment. Time to take meds, lol. Later.

"If I cannot understand my friend's silence, I will never get to understand his words."
~Powell

Music Monday - Take Time to Laugh

This video may hold the record for guest appearances by celebrities. See how many you can name and enjoy a good laugh. BTW, Toby is one of my favorite conservative Democrats. If he'd run against Nobama...



Okay, I tried but couldn't resist. This video could also be titled, "Brang me anuther beer, Momma." Toby makes me laugh.



"In order to be a true music lover, you have to appreciate all kinds of music."
~Leigh Bursey (apparently, and fortunately, Leigh never heard rap)

Enter Sid, the Vicious

Last night I heard noises. There was stuff being moved on the veranda. Then I heard the most blood chilling howl and got up. Being startled awake and in a drug induced stupor, legal pain meds for back, it all seemed surreal and then I became more concerned with deciding if I had awoken or was in dream state. The next scream proved I was awake.

As I peeped out the window to my surprise there was an overgrown marsupial flailing the devil out of Hateful, the neighborhood cat. Now Hateful is a pretty good cat, he's just constantly mad as hell. Can't blame the cat, he's been hit twice by cars. Not very smart either. Still, poor thing has to eat. So people around here feed him. There's even been an occasional visit to Pet Smart to buy him food.

When I opened the door it startled all fauna and Hateful made a blurry retreat up the huge Magnolia. The huge possum looked around somewhat bewildered. Then he did something that made me realize he was definitely a descendant of Arnold's. He made a middle finger gesture at me with his possum paw and then waddled off and scurried up the Oak tree. I saw his ancestor do this many times.

Knowing Arnold all those years and watching his antics was great fun. Hopefully, Sid will be the same. Yes, that's his name, Sid. Since he made a lewd gesture I decided to name him after Craig Ferguson's cussing rabbit on late night TV. Now we've got to see if he despises all the other neighborhood animals and loves bar-b-que grill tipping. If I hear of any old Ford Escort station wagons being turned over then it's for sure the genes of Arnold strongly survived.

You have to be cautious around Possums. They'll bite and scratch like crazy if provoked. They have been known to be rabies carriers. So don't mess with them in the wild. Occasionally people do raise them and they can be docile. Needless to say Sid won't ever be qualified to enter the ranks of a petting zoo.

Now I have to put the broom back on the veranda and reattach the water hose. Hey, simple tools of the trade when doing late night possum watching. Well...you need these things if you want the other animals to survive. Now it'll be fun to see if he has a "mom" tattoo on his arm like Arnold. Ahhhh nature, always full of surprises.

"The assumption that animals are without rights and the illusion that our treatment of them has no moral significance is a positively outrageous example of Western crudity and barbarity. Universal compassion is the only guarantee of morality."
~Arthur Schopenhauer

One Ringy Dingy Two Ringy Dingy

Recently my phone battery discharged. It was inactive for an unknown period of time. After recharging I turned it on to find two garbled messages. One was something about an Apple Macbook possibly and the other did not come through at all unless it happened to be about Teamspeak. There was an entry of "TS" at one point, but this may have been coincidence. Anyway, folks I've asked everyone time and time again to pick up the phone and call me. If you are concerned about an involved conversation, yes I can be longwinded, then tell me that you are making a 'text' phone call. You won't even have to say goodbye. I will be brief as possible. It takes longer to type the text than say the words. Depresses me that people apparently don't like my voice and avoid verbal conversation. I am sorry about missing the messages. This has been a recurrent issue since we had a block put on my phone not to receive photos. The block may in some weird way be the source of the problem. Who knows? Probably not. First guess is the strange cell tower network in Saltillo. Phone phreaky!

If you receive a bill increase of say 30 or 40 bucks per month because people constantly send you pictures (that you've nicely requested not be sent) then what else can you do but block them? I don't have a digital plan. Can't afford it. I don't receive pictures. Can't afford it. I look at that 30 or 40 dollars a month as gasoline or cheap unhealthy food, both in short supply. So please don't blatantly attempt to muck up this situation because you have more income or just don't care. Hmmm, okay those that have forgotten the spoken language keep texting. Better than nothing. Back to the subject at hand: I loathe not having money. Thanks to Nobama and this rotten economy many of us are living well below our normal comfort level. Still, at least I am not in some God forsaken place like North Korea or Iran. Oh yeah, if you don't like my negative take on the current administration or gathering places of foreign idiots and fools please get the hell off my page.

Recently the beach house was blessed with a gift. "What," you ask? New cell phone, a sorely needed device. It's a Samsung Strive which is super nice. Thanks MJR for coming to my aid once again. I like it in spite of the fact the keypad was designed for a person of sub-Hobbit stature. The keys are about .25" square. The tips of my fingers are barely small enough to manipulate most elevator buttons and certainly can't use these keys. This reduction in size is pretty much the norm in all cell phones. Aside from the small keypad input device, this little non data plan phone is awesome. Looks good, feels good, easy to read, stores a ton of music, has pleasant tones and an extremely long battery life. It suits me after 7-8 years of using Motorola Razr phones. And another bit of info: If possible ALL texting n such on this phone would be shut down. If I can ever afford a nice data plan and phone to match where the touch screen actually can be used by my clumsy fingers then it's almost a sure thing my opinion will change. So please please call me or send an email to cybersouth@gmail.com.

This, sadly, is a necessary post. Somehow this will mean to some folks that they need to stop communication with me. Here's the proverbial nutshell - Look, I'm no spring chicken. Death has its eye on me and I've managed to skirt around it a few times in this life. Time and "luck" are running out. Feel guilty here? Then good. You should. I am looking out for others and myself. Here's the deal: You'll kick yourself in the ass once they've mixed my ashes with mule manure and sprinkled it out of an airplane over the left wing liberal section of the Democratic Party National Headquarters. Certainly no offense meant to my intelligent, conservative Democratic friends. Yes, the ones that didn't vote for Nobama. Anyway, you might want to talk to me just so you won't have to say stupid stuff like "I wish I'd told him so n so' or 'damn, he's gone and I can't bitch at him about that' or 'sorry devil died to keep from paying me.' The voice of experience is speaking. BTW, the mule manure thangy came from some creative thinking to avoid being dug up and bitched at some more or having to do some work after death. Let's face it, there's a chance of a bad lingering odor but once I am dead, hopefully there will be peace smelly as it may be...

In closing, just remember those famous words of Elvis the Pelvis aka Hound Dawgy, "We can all use a helping hand once in a while...so could you pass me another helpin' of those mashed potatoes n gravy? Thank you. Thank you vuurry much!"

Music Monday - Father and Daughter

For fans of Celtic Woman: Hulu now offers several full length concerts by CW including the Christmas Special. Presently the videos are listed under 'Clips', but click on one of the windows and you can watch the complete concert. Go to HULU - Celtic Woman. BTW Hulu Rocks!!!!

Three of my favorite musicians favored us with a wonderful ballad, Melissa, at the 2007 Farm Aid Concert. Warren Haynes is the lead guitarist. Surprise - he only plays and does not sing. Warren was front man for Gov't Mule and had great influence on Grace Potter's early career. What's to be said about Dave Matthews? Dude is extraordinarily talented. Of course that's Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Gregg Allman taking center stage. Folks, this is worth a few minutes of time. Really a super performance by all:



Thought I would give everyone a chance to listen to Gregg's daughter, Layla, sing an extremely tough song to cover. She does a good job. Too bad there's not a good live video. She sings really great in most YouTube offerings of live performances, but the video in all of them sucks...so far:



"We can all make music individually. But we are smart enough to know that the music we make together is far better."
~Peter Buck

Microsoft and Me? It's All Good and Loveydovey!

Friends can sometimes be awesome. In a recent discussion it was pointed out that my past few comments about Microsoft were rather harsh. Yes, they were. At the time I was frustrated and angry because of all the research that was poured into two problems concerning Windows and their update procedures. One problem is prevalent (487 million hits on Google) the other not so much (maybe 500,000 Google hits). The point of contention was that I was thrashing a company that actually brought us out of the dark ages of computers and saved us from the $3,000.00 to $5000.00 machines Apple had in mind and tried to market during the beginning. Can we say Apple Lisa? Remember those? Lisa was short for "Local Integrated Software Architecture" and also the name of Steve Jobs daughter. Yes yes, I remember the Apple I, II and IIe. I actually sold and repaired them. Another story another time in a galaxy far far away in the distant past

A decent PC will run well under a thousand bucks today. Don't expect a powerful gaming machine or one that handles heavy duty autocad. But, even such specialty machines can be purchased for under $2,000.00. Yes, I can take constructive criticism. I cannot abide BS which is usually someone talking just to hear their jaws flap. So, even though I won't edit out my thoughts from this past few weeks, I will acknowledge gratitude towards Microsoft for making Windows and Office available. An observation: If they want to sell Windows 7 it might behoove them to NOT make XP harder to network. Leave it alone. To move people to purchase Windows 7 cut the prices by 1/3. Just has to be a profit there! Everyone will upgrade as is desired in Redmond. Stop putting Home Premium on new linear architecture builds (Dell, HP, etc.) and start using Windows 7 Pro. It's the one in the blue box not the green one - that's Home Premium. Shucks, most of us have some type of network so why not show folks how this wonderful operating system really Rocks! Pro is outstanding. Actually Home Premium is too if you have only one computer and don't plan on expanding. I know very few ppl that have only one PC on a high speed internet connection.

Buy the blue one!

So smooches and kisses to Microsoft for making strides in the right direction down through the years. Thanks for making computers more affordable. Thank you Linux (the flavors that are still free) and FreeBSD for giving us open source possibilities. Heck, thank you Apple for finally crawling out of that cave and using Intel processors. Oh yeah, all the iStuff too. And thank you Google for the awesome Android platform with the ga-zillion free apps. K, enough. This list could go on and on and I am well aware that I have left out many others. I do endorse Microsoft and encourage everyone to update to Windows 7, especially the 64 bit Pro version.

BTW, during my recent extensive search several Microsoft techs informed me that if your machine can run Windows 7 upgrading to Windows 8 will be easy. Your present hardware configuration running Windows 7 will be fine for Windows 8. Sorta like Windows 2000 to XP.

"There's nothing wrong with anger provided you use it constructively."
~Wayne Dyer

Nice Video - Short Too!

This is absolutely enlightening, profound, poignant, refreshing...oh heck take a minute to watch, listen and come away a little better!



"If you thought that science was certain - well, that is just an error on your part."
~Richard Feynman

Two Problems Resolved

Last week I had two problems plaguing me. One was a problem networking a Windows XP Pro machine with two Windows 7 Home Premium PCs. The other was a constantly returning glyph or sign language possibly written by the wizard Saruman in the 3rd age of Middle Earth during his Uruk-Hai period. Well folks, Windows Updates were to blame for BOTH problems. "It's sad that the ppl at Microsoft won't admit their mistakes," said an MCSE tech while answering a question in a forum.

Apparently one of the Updates wipes out a critical IRPstack entry in the registry. Why? Windows wants you to ditch XP and go Windows 7 (not a bad idea) and sneaks around like a damned terrorist and sabotages XP. Well, they didn't get away with it. Several techs volunteered the 'fix' in the MSDN developers group forum. Yes, I am patiently waiting for this info to disappear when the snakes in Redmond find it. Sheesh! Misery heaped on other folks because the greedy bastards want to make a buck. That downright stinks. Shame on you Microsoft. If you are having trouble networking XP and 7 please send me an email. The address is in the last paragraph.

Another Update destroys the font structure in Windows 7 under the right circumstances. Word is a 'fix' is being put in place covertly to resolve this problem. Nothing is more frustrating than to do a restore and then a few days later all English language looks like gobbledegook. This becomes most prevalent when trying to install Microsoft Office 2010. Immediate fix is to restore and turn off Automatic Updates (really a bad idea but necessary in this case). Please get in touch with me if you want a step by step work around. Email address is below. This thing is a major pain. Of course you can format C: and load the OS only. Then do ALL Windows updates first. Next? Install everything else. Using this approach somehow avoids the Frodo Glyph problem.

Email? Addy is cybersouth@gmail.com. Spammers beware. My filters are awesome. I never see your garbage. It is forwarded directly to Google for their use. Heck, wasted words. The creeps will send it anyway, lol! Hope the above remedies will cure ailing PCs.

"Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest."
~Mark Twain

Deo adjuvante non timendum

Ann Barnhardt. <-- Take a look at an awesome perspective of today's world. Kudos Ann, kudos!

Big TYVM out to Rob for a super link!

"The cause of America is in a great measure the cause of all mankind. Where, say some, is the king of America? I'll tell you, friend, He reigns above." ~Thomas Paine

Music Monday - Song Got the Dude Fired!

RIP Steve

"Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life," he said. "Because almost everything -- all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure -- these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important."

Steve Jobs spoke these eloquent words while delivering the commencement address at Stanford University in 2005. He will be missed. As you look at your iPhone, Ipod, iPad or Mac today please say a prayer for his family.

Though not always supportive of many of Steve's decisions, during the past few years I've gained respect for this man and his many innovative gifts to the world of technology. I even have a Mac on my network. It's been with me for almost 5 years. Today the machine's name will be changed to JOBS.

"If we really think that home is elsewhere and that this life is a 'wandering to find home,'' why should we not look forward to the arrival?" ~C.S. Lewis

Music Monday - Hotty Toddy!

In 1962 the Billingsley, Litkenhous and Sagarin Polls were famous and football fans anticipated their results. All three declared Ole Miss the National Champions after they defeated Arkansas, the only non-Texan member of the SW conference at the time. The deciding final score was 17-13 in the Sugar Bowl. At that time there was no National Championship procedures. Oh yeah, Arkansas later rejoined the mighty SEC. The Rebels had a young quarterback name Jim Weatherly. Now you may ask yourself, why is college football being discussed on Music Monday? Well, that young quarterback from nearby Pontotoc Mississippi graduated from the Colonel's Campus and embarked on a career in the music industry. His songwriting career has produced many hits. Gladys Knight and the Pips had two mega hits with Jim's tunes. One is Midnight Train to Georgia. The other is this great hit beautifully covered by the talented folks that hang out at Daryl's House. Take a few minutes to listen please:

BTW, great music can be heard at Beagle's site. She inspired several to start posting 'Music Mondays'.

"To stop the flow of music would be like the stopping of time itself, incredible and inconceivable." ~Aaron Copeland

Another Day Wasted, Thanks Quick Books

Techs are a different breed of cat. The world changed somewhere and the bullied, misaligned dweebs, nerds, dorks, and geeks became the popular crowd. This actually happened quite some time ago. My recent debacle with the weird problem about a Microsoft update FUBARing the standard fonts brought out some of the best! Thanks out to everyone for all the help. Yes, it has been somewhat resolved, but Microsoft needs to 'man up" and issue an admission of their mistake. They also need to correct the problem. Actually this has probably happened covertly so as to avoid the guilt, lol!

Still desperately trying to make Windows 7 machines recognize XP Pro as a data server for Quick Books Pro. In a business scenario QB Pro is a necessary evil in my considered opinion. They are a horrible nasty company with little bitty support people. Their suppport techs are rude, crude and all in need of lessons in manners. QB experts spend mega bucks participating in annual seminars to help people use this software. They are certified independent contractors and all I've met are nice people. They don't even like the QB support techs. Anyway, anyone that has any advice, know-how, voodoo, or general knowledge about this problem please contact me.

"Software is usually accompanied by documentation in the form of big fat scary manuals that nobody ever reads. In fact, for the past five years most of the manuals shipped with software products have actually been copies of Stephen King's The Stand with new covers pasted on." ~Dave Barry

Two Puzzles Via Microsoft

Seems like I've been up all night researching how to create a peer to peer network with XP Pro playing the role of server and the workstations are Windows 7 Home Premium. Yes, I realize that 7 HP is not intended for the workplace. Last network I fused together were all 7 Pro 64 bit. Sweet! Anyway, I did not supply the workstations only the server. It was all set to go then we found out that Quickbooks Pro 2011 would not run on older Windows Server operating systems so the machine was reverted back to its original OS XP Pro. If your machine will be networked please spend a few dollars more and buy a machine with either Windows 7 Pro or Ultimate. You won't regret it. This has turned out to be a proverbial nightmare. Am a member of the MSDN group and finally found a detailed explanation of resolving this problem in one of their forums. Any input will be appreciated. Will keep you posted with the results.

And now for something completely different. On another network I am constantly plagued by a 'return of the glyph' syndrome. Have a Windows 7 machine and an XP machine that during reboot change all English language fonts to a unicode like set of glyphs, symbols, etc. After much research I think it's time to go back to a restore point one last time, save the data then 'format C:' plus a re-install of the operating systems. This has plagued me for several weeks and I am tired of reading a bunch of voodoo suggested that just doesn't work. Please don't start in about it being viral or malware. I have scanned extensively and deeply. Besides, most of the forums indicate a problem with a Windows update. BTW, Microsoft won't get their heads out of the sand and address this problem which leads me to believe that it may well have been their SNAFU. Looks like the update erases all fonts. It all started with an Office 2010 installation. Very puzzling and frustrating. Has anyone else experienced this problem? Please please please talk to me if you know anything concerning this matter.

Nerds Having Fun

We had an absolute blast at the LAN Party during Labor Day weekend. The group was small, 6-10 players, but the fellowship and food were awesome. Good to see everyone. Even better that people were smiling. Tina I am so glad you are doing better after a long bout of harrowing medical problems. Seeing you smile, laugh, cut up with the rest of us was a great joy. Chris, take care of her my brother. Why even say that, lol! We all know you will. It was good to see the young ones playing. Hey Brandon! You can use my laptop to LAN party anytime! Maddie, it was super to see you and watch you play the great game of Guild Wars.

Felecia graciously opened her home and we cooked burgers and dogs. Tina brought her famous LAN Dip and Felecia made the best cole slaw I've ever eaten! Em sent outstanding cookies and Fel's baked beans were just about too good. Thanks out to Charlie for all the great help and the loan of an awesome grill. Thanks to Jim too for all the assistance! And thanks to everyone for chipping in and bringing stuff. What a great time! It really helps to spend time with good people. Robert sure helped people in Guild Wars and everyone seemed happy. Welcome to the group Casey! BTW, he has a great site that is new and leans towards conservative politics and a positive attitude towards life. I highly recommend it -> Pieces of Mr. Dixon's Mind.

Everyone stay casual and enjoy Wednesday!

Music Monday - JB's Volcano

It's always fun to see this song performed live. Just a fun tune that puts smiles on faces.

The present format and banner are temporary. A new banner , very much like the old one, is hopefully on the way. The actual page structure will change as will the layout. Things like links and archives will have their own tabs. It's taking time due to pulling info off a very old drive that is close to its last spin. Easy to read and easy to navigate. That works, doesn't it?? Hope so, because it's a general direction for now...

Music Monday - Favorite Song by Favorite Singer

The Good Lord knows I've heard this song many times. And by different people. It was written many years ago (circa 1974) by a very famous songwriter named Jimmy Webb. Linda Ronstadt did it and so did Judy Collins. Then I heard it during a Celtic Woman broadcast.

Lisa Kelly sings like no other. So soulful, so beautiful, so moving. Earlier this year I had a chance to hear this classic ballad performed live by Lisa and there was not a dry eye in the house as the crowd thundered applause afterwards. The words are haunting, the melody mystical, and her voice must be admired by angels.

This thrills my soul all the way down to the depths of my heart.




"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us"
~Emerson

Continued Construction

As is apparent changes are still underway. Different elements are being implemented and the end result will certainly have a different look. Thanks to everyone for the supportive emails!

What Patti Davis Said...

Last night's Republican debate took place at the Ronald Reagan Library in Simi Valley, an expansive space containing a former Air Force One jet. If you walked out of the hangar-like building and turned left, went up a path past a wide grassy area with a canyon below and miles of sky above, you would reach my father's burial site. On the stone tomb you would read these words: "I know in my heart that man is good, that what is right will always eventually triumph, and there is purpose and worth to each and every life."

My father said that, and other memorable things, with an earnestness, a resonance, and a sincerity that came from a deep well within him. Note to Mitt Romney, Rick Perry and especially Newt Gingrich, you can invoke my father's name until your tongues fall out, but you will never be anywhere near his shadow. This isn't a political pronouncement on my part. I didn't agree with all of my father's positions and policies, and I would never consider myself a political commentator. I'm the daughter of a man with deep character, who left a huge imprint on this world. He lived a large and meaningful life and I learned over many years that I had to share him with America. But before that, before politics and the presidency, I listened to his stories about being a poor boy in the Midwest, about standing up to racism and learning from his parents that God has a purpose for everyone and everyone is precious in God's eyes.

That character is what drew people to my father, whether or not they agreed with his politics. That character is what we are starving for, that many of us had hoped we would find, but are now disappointed that we are not finding in President Obama. I think my father, if he were here, would also be disappointed in this administration. But here is the important part: he would never have expressed that with anger and vitriol and snarky soundbites. The Republican candidates tonight appeared to be auditioning for a reality show, not for the lofty position of leading America through and out of these terribly troubled times.

Ironically, the one man on stage who did comport himself with dignity, John Huntsman, is now being dismissed as having not made an impact. The moment he brought the discussion back from airport security to the sweeping poverty and economic panic that is gripping this country was, I thought, profound. It was something my father would have done. But that moment isn't making the news. The zingers like Perry's Ponzi scheme comment, in reference to Social Security, are getting more attention. Maybe the candidates should have wandered over to my father's gravesite before going on stage. Maybe they should have lingered over the words carved in stone there.
The moment that would have broken my father's heart was the moment when applause broke out at the mention of more than 200 executions ordered by Rick Perry in Texas. It was stunning and brought tears to my eyes. This is what we've come to? That we applaud at executions?

I remember the first time my father ordered an execution when he was Governor. He and a minister went into a room, got down on their knees and prayed. The real shame of our times is that there doesn't seem to be anyone on the political horizon with that compassion in his or her heart.




I'd like to say 'Rock On', but such a statement is a bit trite isn't it? Should we worry about Perry's policies or the simple fact that our great nation is being executed? Tell me...inquiring minds want to know. God bless the United States.

"The problem is not that people are taxed too little, the problem is that government spends too much."
~Ronald Reagan

Return of the Beach House Ramblings

After a much needed break for various reasons, plans are being formulated for a return with several changes. More will follow...