Hey kids: Let's go to the State Fair.... but watch out for that guy!

Remember all the stories you heard about carnival workers being pedophiles/criminals/predators...

Well I guess there was some hint of truth to them....

Fairgrounds worker arrested in Tallahassee on attempted murder, battery charges

I think I'll skip the fair this year, like I've done all the years before....

Congradulations President Elect Barack Obama

... I hope I have been wrong about you.

... and I will hold you to your words:

"And to those Americans whose support I have yet to earn, I may not have won your vote tonight, but I hear your voices. I need your help. And I will be your president, too. "

For those who didn't hear our President Elect's speech here is the raw text.


It is a great speech, worthy of the occasion of America's first African-America president. Now lets see what the future brings...

Politics and the fate of our nation

First off no mater who your vote for please vote!

I found an article that was a eye opening experience to read.

It was written by Walid Phares, who really knows his stuff when it comes to our national security.

I believe this article is not attacking any one candidate or party. The author brings up national and international items and then reviews each candidate's take on the situation. In the end the author does conclude with which candidate they are voting for and why.

As to why read an article about our Nation's Survival/Security instead of something on our Economy? I think the author says it best in one of this article's later sections but I think it would help if you read it first so here it is:

"Unlike many of my colleagues with whom I share counterterrorism views for the
future, my choice for the next President was not shaped by the most visible
components of the debate. It wasn't "Joe the plumber," "spreading the
wealth," the real estate crisis, the financial meltdown or the battle for taxes.
These are crucial issues but I believe the economic problems we're facing need
more than one presidency and a mixture of solutions to address them and solve
them. Pure Socialism or unleashed Capitalism aren't going to fix the economy or
satisfy the frustration of millions of Americans over the next decade. .... I am concerned for a state of affairs where we may not have a national homeland, let alone either high taxes or a solvent social security program."


Please take the time to read it, yes I know it is long but I believe it is very worth your time.

Here is the link to the article: Vote for National Survival

The following is the list of subjects that each candidate is weighed.

The national security experience
Choice on strategic direction
Economy is a hostage to National Security
Are we at war or not?
Defining the Threat
Iraq
Afghanistan and Pakistan
Lebanon and Syria
Israel and the Palestinians
Darfur
Alliances
America's image
Defeating Racism in America
The heart of the matter
Homeland Security First
Freedoms and Educating the public
The choice

Don't forget to vote!

Teacher beating leads to calls to address classroom violence - USATODAY.com

Teacher beating leads to calls to address classroom violence - USATODAY.com: "City schools officials say the student involved in the attack on Berry has been suspended."


Why wasn't this criminal arrested and charged as an adult?

Suspects in video beating could get life in prison - CNN.com

... AND THEY SHOULD!

Suspects in video beating could get life in prison - CNN.com

Why I ride?

In case you haven't read some of my older posts you may not know that I use a scooter as my main form of transportation. I have been doing so for the past year. (It helps that I live in Florida!) To be honest most scooterist would consider my Burgman 650 as more a motorcycle than scooter. This is based on it's size, engine displacement, and capabilities. (Full size bike, 650 cc, capable of reaching 110mph, etc)

Now why do I ride a scooter?

Am I trying to do my part to save the environment? Not the main reason, not even in a list of my top 5 reasons I ride, but I don't mind that I am helping.

So here are my reason's I ride:

1) 42 mpg city, 55 mpg highway, $$$

2) Ridding a scooter is FUN!

3) The ride to and from work relaxes me, it might take a few minutes but it does!

4) It Makes me appreciate the weather and where I live.

5) It REALLY IS FUN!

Guns don't kill people ....

Guns don't kill people, blunt force trauma and/or the loss of blood kills people!

Guns are just the best tool man has yet to create to deliver blunt force trauma and/or cause the loss of blood.

Before guns we used swords and clubs, before that sticks and stones, before that who knows?!?

Are stones and sticks bad? No!
Are swords and clubs evil? No!
Neither are guns.
All of these weapons are tools. They are inanimate objects. That means they can neither think or move for themselves. They have no special powers that gain control over people making them use them.

As long as a person doesn't pick up a rock and hit someone in the head with it the rock will never, ever kill someone.

As long as someone doesn't pick up a sword and run somebody through that sword will never, ever kill someone.

The same goes for a gun! As long as a person doesn't pick up a gun, doesn't point it at someone, and doesn't fire it, that gun will never, ever kill anyone.

Like any tool/object/weapon it can be used for good or evil. It all depends on who is using it. It all depends are if the person using the tool is good or bad.

Good stones don't kill people, bad stones kill people....
Good swords don't kill people, bad swords kill people....
Good guns don't kill people, bad guns kill people....

the truth of the matter is....

GOOD PEOPLE don't kill people, BAD PEOPLE kill people.

My latest ride...

Took a ride this morning and even though it was not the ride I had planned I still enjoyed myself. I had planned on attending the Poker-Ride being put on by the local National Guard post to support family members of local service men. My plan ran afoul of my lack of funds. This was probably best because no one else I knew was there and therefore I would have been riding alone the whole time. Instead I just took a ride taking me south of town. I ended heading over to where a Buddy of mine lives. No plans, just out for a ride and needed a place to turn around at. Total riding time was a little over and hour. Sure wish I had someone to share the ride with.... I do try.... Oh well.

What a ride...

This morning's ride was great. Nothing different than any other ride to work. I just really enjoyed being on the Burgman. Was a little warm in my armored jacket, even at 8:15 am. Started me thinking again about trying a ClearView windshield, one with the vent system so I could direct air at my chest. But at $232 (shield, tint, and vent) it is going to be a while before I can afford it.

Missed Ride

... missed going out on the Tallahassee Scooter Club's ride this weekend. Ended up under the weather most of the week. Enjoyed time with the family though!

Family Road Trip

My wife, son and I just finished a two week vacation where we visited family members in Arizona and Nevada. We rented a car and drove, yes drove, there and back. It was a great trip. We saw a lot of things you can never see from 30,000 feet. We took between 1,000 and 1,500 pictures.

Scott, a member of the Tallahassee Scooter Club, shot a short video at the end of our ride Saturday. This video starts and ends with my Scooter. (You even get a short sight of me at the very end.)

I know, I know... It's been a while.

I will try (again) to get back into the habit of posting more often.

New things.....

In may I bought a Suzuki Burgman 650 (Scooter/Motorcycle). This is now my means of daily transportation. My 2000 Dodge Intrepid is still dead in the driveway... I need to take a few pics of my new ride and post them... If you are at all interested in Suzuki Burgmans the absolute best place to go for information is the forums at www.burgmanusa.com.

In June I hooked up with a Scooter riding group in Tallahassee for group rides. I haven't posted on the blog yet but I have been posting in the Yahoo Group associated with the group. I plan on updating my blog to have links to these two locations in the future. Our rides have been very fun. My wife even rode on the back of my scooter for our ride today!

A few weeks ago I upgraded my phone from the aging PPC6601 to the brand new, not even in stores yet, Sprint Mogul (aka PPC6800). This was a big jump for me. PPC6601 was running PocketPC Phone Ed 2003. The Mogul is running the latest and greatest Windows Mobile 6. So far the new phone has been awesome and Sprint's EVDO fast!

My family and I are are renting a car and driving out west in a week. Arizona and Nevada to visit family more than to see sites. We are going to do this trip for two weeks. That reminds me I need to buy a larger memory card for my camera!!! I plan on taking a LOT of pictures!

Vista speech-recognition exploit...

Microsoft confirmed
the vulnerability on Wednesday -- a day after the consumer launch of the new
operating system -- when security researchers began offering details on how
pranksters could exploit the speech technology. A malicious Web site, for
example, could load an audio file that shouts commands to shut down the
operating system without the user's authorization.

According to the Microsoft Security Response Center (MSRC), a microphone would
have to be installed and the speakers turned on for malicious users to take
advantage of the weakness. "The exploit scenario would involve the
speech-recognition feature picking up commands [from the speaker] through the
microphone such as 'copy,' 'delete,' shutdown,' etc. and acting on them," Adrian
Stone, MSRC program manager, wrote in an MSRC blog post.

Ahh no problem its not like I have speakers and a microphone connected to.... EVERY PC I OWN AND/OR WORK ON!

My BF 2142 stats

As of last night I've played for 2 days, 15 hours and 5 minutes...

I've been playing almost 100% as a medic. I try very hard to heal teammates whenever I can.

Heals: 295
Revives: 603

I think I try to much, getting killed in the process. My K/D stats says it all!

K/D ratio: 0.71
Kills: 1,569
Kill Assists: 324
Deaths: 2,202

I guess I also need to work on my accuracy....

Total Rounds Fired: 45,094
Total Hits: 7,775
Overall Accuracy: 17.24%
:-(

What I'm playing these days when online...

BattleField 2142

There are many things about the game that I really like.

1. Team Play
2. Persistent player character
3. Points for almost ever action (Healing, giving ammo, repairing vehicles, etc)
4. Unlocks, the higher your points the more stuff you get to play with.
5. Awards
6. Rolls (Lone Wolf, Squad member, Squad Leader, Commander)
7. Oh yeah, the action!

I play under the name RaptorLegion. So if you play BF2142 and want to squad up just look for me in game.

I know, I know.. Almost a year!

Shame on me. Very bad.

Been very busy moving from VB6 to C# in VS 2005.
Also moved from being the programming manager to being a full time programmer!
Yeah!

Well it's about time!

I have got to get back into blogging. So look for new content comming soon.

Air marshal kills passenger in Miami

From everything I have heard and read regarding this event it appears to me to that the air marshals were justified.

Air marshal kills passenger in Miami

USATODAY.com - Experts say cruises vulnerable, but lines defend security plans

"The cruise lines are reluctant to talk about their specific security plans, fearing that the information could help those willing to pounce ships. Crye said cruise companies are permitted to arm their crews, but he wouldn't say if they did."

Hell I would not set foot on a cruise ship that DIDN'T arm their crews!

"Kenneth Bissonnette, staff manager for surveillance and security at Carnival Cruise Lines, told The Associated Press in March 2004 that security personnel for the world's largest cruise line didn't carry firearms, but had defenses like pepper spray. He said the company's security staff recruited heavily among Gurkhas, elite Nepalese soldiers renowned for their fearlessness. Bissonnette declined to comment Monday. Tim Gallagher, a spokesman for company parent Carnival Corp., declined to comment on specific security procedures."

How fearless can you be trying to hold attackers with machine guns and rocket propelled grenades at bay with a can of pepper spray?!?

"Cruise lines are reluctant to have armed guards onboard because that might hurt their image with some passengers, said William Callahan, president of maritime security consultant Unitel. He proposes that they should have armed speedboats as escorts when traveling in dangerous areas."

Well if I can't find a cruise line that does arm their crews then there goes my family ever doing the cruise vacation through the Panama Canal our our cruise vacation to Alaska!


USATODAY.com - Experts say cruises vulnerable, but lines defend security plans