Falling Sky

Hey, neighbors.

The latest news here in Tidewater is the late night boom and lights of fallen space debris. Plenty of speculation, no real answer.

Here's my theory......

Fallen
by mikropikol



Enjoy.

Hey, everybody.

I've got something new to promote.

In a previous post, I talked about the Ghent Bar Tour. This "mobile party" allows folks to get together for a great cause and have a blast in the process. The last party, held on February 28, raised over $20,000 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Greater Tidewater. Great job by all the participants and volunteers!

Well, it's time for a new one!

The Spring Crawl will be held at the oceanfront on April 18.

This will be the FIRST time for this event at the Beach.

Please take the time to go to the website (see poster), check out the event, and come out and join us.

It's a great time for a great cause.

And a great excuse to have fun!

Waterside OK Corral.

Hi, folks.

I'm a little lost and confused today. The recent shooting at the Waterside garage has me perplexed.

A man died, another was severely wounded over a fender-bender accident in the garage. Two cars hit, just some paint is scraped, but the first response is to whip out your weapon and face down the other driver?

I don't understand.

I'm not against guns. I was trained in the use of multiple weapons while in the service. I love to shoot and I think hunting is a great hobby. I have no qualms about gun ownership.

But what happened to RESPONSIBLE gun ownership? You know, the proper time and place to use a weapon.If your life is in danger, or if you have NO other option, I can see using deadly force. There are times when you have no choice.

But this was bullshit! There wasn't any reason to pull out the guns and start firing. It was just a damn car, people!

Now, three people's lives are damaged. One will never be repaired, one will carry wounds forever to remind him of that night, and the third will have to live with his actions.

Who won?


Photo courtesy:
www.cdrecyclingforfree.com/images/Smoking_Gun

Call 911. I've Got a Beer Emergency!

Hey, everybody.

Well, here we go again.

According to tbo.com, a Tampa Bay woman called 911 three times because her friend was trying to take away her beer.

I think I've said this before but....OMG!

Now my readers will know that this is about the third instance of 911 abuse I've written about. And if you've followed these stories, you will notice they all happened in FLORIDA.

What in the hell is going on in Florida?

Is it the heat?

The water?


Probably the Cuban coffee.

Too much caffeine.


Drawing courtesy:
www.rogerwhiting.com/.../911emergency.gif

To Protect and Serve

Morning.

Police have a extremely tough job.

They are expected to maintain the safety and security of the populous and do no harm to anyone in the process. Most times, that works. Traffic violations are handled with no issues, arrests are made with minimal distress. But sometimes, situations go haywire and force is required to fix the problem. Sometimes, it's deadly force. And always, there is a great hue and cry from the people that something else should have been done.

The police should have "talked" to the suspect more. "He only had a knife, why did they shoot him/her?" "He was just a kid" ( a 16yr old, 200lb kid).

Use pepper spray. Use your Tazer. No, don't use pepper spray, don't use your Tazer.

Damn, people, what do you want?

An article on delawareonline.com shows how difficult stopping a suspect can be.
A 35yr old man beat his girlfriend, breaking her nose and leaving her with a concussion. At a later traffic stop the suspect, who was naked, attacked the officer who stopped him. In the ensuing struggle, the suspect struck the officer with his fists, took the policeman's radio and beat him with it. In defense the officer used pepper spray to no effect. He drew his weapon and shot the suspect in the shoulder, still no effect. He drew his Tazer, tazed the suspect, STILL no effect. The suspect continued his attack. Another officer arrived, tazed the suspect again. No effect. A third officer arrived, again tazed the suspect, who finally gave in to the effects of three Tazers and was arrested.

Now I know there will be readers who say that this is an anomaly. This isn't the norm. And you're right. Most suspects don't require the amount of force used in this instance to realize it's time to give up.

But my point is each time an officer stops someone, each time they respond to a call, they have no idea what to expect. It could be the cat in the tree or a deranged person who refuses to stop fighting.

Stop second-guessing.

The police put their ass on the line for you.

Get the facts, then decide.

Hey, folks!

I had a doctors appointment yesterday. Nothing big, just a check. I arrived at 3, as requested by the office, to fill out paperwork. My appointment was for 3:30 and they wanted to insure we had all our ducks in order and fees paid.

I finally get in to see the doctor at 5:30.

WTF!

I asked the nurse, why the delay?
Overbooked was the reply.

Again, WTF?

I know doctors are a busy group.
The population is aging and aches and pains are growing. More people need to see the doctor.

But what happend to customer service? What happened to caring for the patient? Have we just become cash cows to support the doctors need for a new car or house.

If there had been an emergency, delay would be understandable. Stuff happens.

But to overbook appointments, to try and pack people in to optimize revenue, is BS. My time is as valuable to me as yours is to you.

Show me some respect.

Don't forget, you need me too.


Image courtesy:
www.doctors.com.sg/singapore-doctors-logo.jpg

D-truth. At Least Today.

Morning, everybody!

How's tricks?

An article in the Chicago Sun Times recently reported that Americans are suffering from low vitamin D in their systems brought on by a lack of exposure to the sun. People are staying inside more and using high SPF sun blocks when they go outside. Low levels of vitamin D can cause bone loss, heart disease, and infection.

Now, I understand the rational for avoiding the sun. Skin cancer fears and all. But this strikes me as another example of too much is too much.

Eggs are bad!
No, not really. You can have a few.

Meat is bad!
No, not really. Just don't eat it at every meal.

People have forgotten the concept of everything in moderation. Every scientific finding is treated as gospel and doctors and pseudo-scientists jump on the bandwagon and preach it as the truth. And the general public, overwhelmed by all the new and changing information, goes along with the latest thing.

I think it's time for us to say stop, slow down and relax. Take things with a grain of salt. Read, think, and decide is the cost worth the loss.

And remember, it'll all change tomorrow.



Photo courtesy:
(Richard A. Chapman/Sun-Times file)

What's with Facebook?

Hey, everybody.

What the hell is wrong with Facebook!

Who decided that the new layout was a good idea? Where was the Beta testing? Was anybody asked about the new design or was this a random change for the hell of it?


I know.
I'm old.
I don't accept change well.
I'm not adaptable.

Bulls**t!

I am more than willing to adapt to new design and change if it benefits the user. I am a firm believer in using new layouts to enhance the user's experience. I am, after all, a graphic designer.

But I have not heard a positive comment about this new design from anyone. Not my friends, not the media, no one, no how.

Why the change?

Is it for marketing? Enhanced revenue production? Reaction to competition?

What ever happened to the old adage "if it ain't broke, don't fix it"?

Stop change for changes sake. It's not necessary. People liked the comfort and usability of the old Facebook. It WORKED.

Don't panic because you have competition. Leaders always prosper, followers die off.

Sometimes a step back can be a step forward.

Don't remove us from your friends list.

Google, Save me from Myself!

Hi, guys and gals.

Happy FRIDAY!

Ok, here's my thought.

I have multiple e-mail accounts. I have one that I use for business related activities, one for general communication, one for personal talk, and I even have a leftover account from college. They seem to proliferate as time goes by.

And they are constantly evolving and changing. They all want to be your primary account so they add new features all the time. I can hardly keep up.

But Google has a new one for mobile and home that I think is amazing.

It's called Mail Goggles.
It's an application to help keep people from texting or e-mailing someone while drunk. It works by requiring the user to complete some simple math problems before sending. It's set up to work mostly on weekends and the user can set the hours of operation.

These guys at Google are geniuses!

This could save the dignity of more men than any other service in history.


And God knows, we need all the help we can get.

You're gonna put that where?

Hey, folks.

This ones for the early adopters and technological fiends out there.

According to telegraph.co.uk, a Finnish man replaced his lost finger with a prosthetic with a USB installed. The man, a computer programmer, lost the finger in a motorcycle accident and his surgeon jestingly suggested the idea.

Gotta be careful what you suggest.

It's probably a good thing it was his finger he lost.

The other options kinda scare me.

Good morning, gals and pals!

And we're off.

According to newsobserver.com, a Charlotte, NC family discovered that they owned, not only a loyal pet, but a combination bank and ATM.

Kelly Davis's family had been working hard to scrimp and save during these tough economic times. Using coupons and other tools, Kelly had managed to save $400 and was about to deposit the money when it turned up missing. She realized that she had placed the cash on a table and Augie, her greater Swiss mountain dog, had eaten it.

Checking with the vet, Kelly was told that the money wouldn't hurt Augie but that it was probably a loss.

During the next days walk, however, Augie showed his versatility. His first stool showed a couple of bills, some $20's and a couple of pieces of $100's. Grabbing a colander, Kelly went washing.

By Monday the family has recovered about $160 in pieces and parts.

On Tuesday, Augie delivered a $20.

Just like my ATM.

Except this bank has teeth.


Photo courtesy:
Charlotte News Observer

Erin Go Bragh

Happy Saint Patrick's Day.

Hope everyone is wearing green and not getting pinched.

For many, St. Patrick's Day is a time to celebrate the Irish culture. Or at least our perception of Irish culture. We drink green beer, eat corned beef and cabbage, and wear green shamrocks.

But the day is more than just a big party. It's also a religious holiday, held to show reverence toward the man who brought the Catholic religion to Ireland.

According to lore, St Patrick was a young British boy who was brought to Ireland as a slave. While in Ireland, he found God and prayed for his freedom and safe return home.

At age 20, he was freed and returned to England where he took to the study of his new found faith. He became a bishop and returned to Ireland in 433 to preach the gospel and spread his faith to the people. He began the construction of many churches and converted many thousands to Catholicism.

It's often said that St. Patrick drove all the snakes from Ireland, a metaphor for the introduction of Catholicism to replace the pagan rites and rituals that were prevalent at that time. Today St. Patrick is one of the worlds most popular saints and is respected both inside and outside of his religion.

So as you drink your Guinness and have your Scotch eggs, take a moment to raise your glass to the Saint of Ireland and say Sláinte ( Slaw-in-tche) and Go raibh maith agat (Guh-roh-moh-uhg'-uht ).

That's Gaelic for good health and thanks.

Beauty and Flight.

Hey, folks.

It's another rainy day and to top it off; It's MONDAY!

So enjoy the art.

And fly like the penguins in the rain.


Drawing by:
Heather R. Schumacher

Morning, everybody.

Two articles caught my eye this morning.

According to cinemablend.com: Fox media will remove all extras from it's rental videos. Only trailers will be on videos that are shipped to the rental stores (Blockbuster,Netflicks). Videos with extra features will only be for sale.
Then, according to eff.org: Warner Music is forcing the removal of any video from You Tube that contains music from it's artists. Two of the latest casualties are videos in which babies lip sync to old Foreigner and Prince tunes.

Now I understand the need to optimize profits and protect artists rights. The entertainment industry has been hit hard lately. DVD and CD sales are down and with the proliferation of file-sharing software, downloading media is very easy and widespread.

But is this the proper course for the industry to take? Is it a smart idea to punish your customer?

It's apparent that the suits that run the industry do not understand that prohibition does not work. People want what you tell them they can't have and they WILL get it. They have the technological power now.Punish the people who buy and use your product and they will go elsewhere.

The entertainment industry needs to adapt new technology for it's own use. They need to embrace the idea of fair-use( not for profit or gain) of their music, such as the You Tube videos.
They should offer more extras on DVD's; rental or sale. If you like a particular movie chances are, after rental, you will buy your own copy. Especially if you have kids. Extras increase your audience.

You can expand your market by offering more products and services to your customers. Use the new technology, embrace it. Restricting or limiting what's available only forces consumers away.

The industry has got to stop "biting the hand that feeds it" or it will starve itself to death.

Get me to the Court on Time!

Gooood Morning, everybody!

How's tricks?

According to UPI.com: a Cincinnati, OH man was arrested for stealing a car.

Not too unusual you say? Perhaps.

Except he stole the car in order to get to his court arraignment on burglary charges.

Here is man with deep respect for the courts. He wanted to be sure he didn't keep the judge waiting.

What a guy!

Now if we could only fix his little "what's yours is mine" issue.

Luck O' the Irish!

Hi, folks.

It's another rainy, dreary day here in the big city.
Ain't we got fun!

But it is a full weekend; tonight's the Greening of Ghent and tomorrow's the annual Norfolk Saint Paddy's Day parade. So, don't let the weather get ya down.
Get out, get wet, and have some fun!

But, PLEASE, do not drink green beer.

It's made from squished up leprechauns.

It's Electric!

Hey, everybody
It's hump day!

Now, we've all heard of service companies sending outrageous bills to customers. You know, the super high phone bill and such. But I think this one is wild.




According to 9news.com: an Aurora,CO restaurant owner received a bill from her power company for $1.28 million dollars. She didn't pay a lot of attention to the bill, incorrectly reading the amount as $1280. And since she had automatic bill pay with her bank, she assumed the bill(the $1280) would be paid.
When she checked later to see if her rent check had cleared, she was informed by her bank that she was $1 million dollars in the hole. It seem that the bank had paid the electric bill of $1.28 million dollars.

Now when this was brought to the attention of the proper officials, the power company corrected it's mistake, fixed the bill, and paid all incidental fees incurred by the restaurant owner.

Here's what I find fascinating.

The bank covered the overdraft!

I mean, I have a fairly good relationship with my bank. And I have some overdraft protection.
But I think they might draw the line at covering a million dollar check.


I'm pretty sure that sucker would have bounced like a super ball.

Damn Dirty Apes!

Hey, guys.

Recognize the title quote? It's from The Planet of the Apes, a scifi flick that some consider a classic (though some consider it crap). I use it because we seem to be becoming a planet of apes.

AP reports that Connecticut officials are cracking down on the New Haven owner of a siamang, a type of gibbon native to Malaysia and Indonesia . The owner apparently failed to acquire the proper permits for an exotic animal and was keeping him as a family pet/child, dressing him in diapers and taking him around town.

I'm sorry.
Did I not get the memo?
You know, the one about how apes, monkeys, and chimps are now the best pets to own?
What is wrong with these people!

These are WILD animals!
They EAT meat.
You ARE meat!

They don't know the difference. Sure they may be sweet sometimes, even cute, but they are wild animals. They don't mix well with other species. You can't treat them like kids or babies or even human. They're not wired that way.

Ask Charla Nash. She's the lady that was brutally attacked by another Connecticut ape (chimpanzee, actually) in February. I'm fairly sure her opinion about the intelligence of owning a primate as your pet/child has been changed.

By the way, what is it about Connecticut and wild animals? (Not good pr for your state).

Wild animals are beautiful, impressive beasts. They deserve to live their lives in their natural environments, with minimal impact from humans.

They don't need to be adopted by us.

They've got enough problems on their own.


Photo courtesy:
triy.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/siamang.jpg

Patience

Morning, folks.
Happy Monday and welcome to Daylight Savings Time!
I must say I enjoy the sun setting later in the evening but I hate getting up in the dark.

Now to my rant.

I titled this page patience.
I think it's a vanishing commodity.

I guess we've gotten used to instant gratification. Our world has been so productive and our businesses have grown so much that we forget there is always an opportunity cost.

Now, we're paying the piper.

I'm unemployed so I feel the downturn. I know this is going to hurt; not just me but scores of others. It's gonna get harder.

But we didn't get here overnight.
We're finding that the causes of this financial screw up started years ago. Limited regulation and unrestricted greed allowed individuals and corporations to run rampant. The fox WAS guarding the hen house.
And when stuff gets this screwed up, it takes time to fix it.

So, let's stop clock watching.
Everyday we check the the paper or the tv or the internet, looking for THE SIGN that's going to indicate the return of prosperity to the world.

It's not gonna happen that way!

It' gonna take time, people. We have to accept that or we'll drive ourselves crazy with worry.

Stop watching the DOW everyday. You knew (or should have know) that your stock investments, whether 401K, Roth, or other format were LONG TERM INVESTMENTS! The stock market has always been erratic.
Stop listening to the politicians. Each party had a hand in creating this crap so don't let them tell you it was the other guys fault and they don't know what's going on. Doomsaying is NOT helping fix things and it just creates more doubt.

Realize that we've been here before, and we survived.
We're a pretty resilient society.

We bounce well.

It just takes patience.


Image courtesy:
www.beawesomeinstead.com/.../01/patience.jpg

Dem Bones, Dem Bones!

Hey Everybody!

Here's news you can use:

According to livescience.com a glass of wine or a bottle or two of beer a day may be good for your bones. A study at Tufts University in Boston found that moderate alcohol intake was associated with greater bone density.

Finally, science I can get behind.

So, readers, get out there this weekend and build them bones!

DOCTOR'S ORDERS!


Photo courtesy;
blogs.psychologytoday.com/files/u8/hot_beer_g.

One More Chuckle and It's off to Jail with You, Buddy!

Hey, friends!

Happy Friday!

It's going to be a great weekend here in Norfolk; sunny, temps in the 60's and 70's. So get out and enjoy.

Don't be like the British police.

According to telegraph.co.uk; a man in Britain was stopped by police for laughing in his car while driving. He was detained and question by the officer, who told him "Laughing while driving a car can be an offense".

Don't let it happen here!

Fight back, people!

Put in your George Carlin CD and drive on!
Laugh at Mike and Mike or Tommy and Rumble!
Giggle at Wait,Wait, Don't Tell Me!

Show them driving in this crazy city, laughing, is the only thing that keeps us normal.

Well, kinda normal anyway.

Out of Touch

Hey, people.

An article at online.wsj.com says that the travel industry has begun to create attack ads against President Obama and Congress for their criticism of companies that use bailout funds for reward travel for their employees.

Are these people insane?

They argue that the pressure from Washington has had unexpected consequences. Companies that are not receiving government funds are canceling trips, worried about public perception. So, the travel industry is suffering.

Well, welcome to the real world.

EVERYBODY'S SUFFERING!

I have no animosity toward the people in the travel industry. I know that, unfortunately, some will lose their jobs in a market downturn. I am sympathetic to them.

But I also know that the American people are not going to subsidize extravagant behavior by companies that cannot afford to travel but are willing to do so on the taxpayer's dime.

If other companies choose to reduce travel due to public perception, so be it. Looking at their books, you would probably find they really can't afford the trips either. Most companies , right now, are suffering from a lack a free or disposable funds.

So the reduction helps everybody's bottom line.

It would appear to me that a smarter path for the travel industry to take would be to find better ways to promote local travel spots to satisfy the "needs" of their clients.
Show some creativity!

Quit whining.

We are all in this together and the sooner people realize that short-term sacrifice will pay off for everyone in the long run, the quicker we can move toward recovery.

Flying Fists Flayling at Our Fuzzy Friends!

Hey, everybody!

I know we've discussed this before but let me reiterate; times, they are tough. Peoples nerves are frayed and on edge and tempers flair.

But, come on!

Two stories got my attention today:

According to nbcwashington.com, McGruff the crime dog was beat down by a Metro bus driver in Fredericksburg, VA on Tuesday.
Then according to seacoastonline.com, a New Bedford, Mass. man beat up Chuck E. Cheese and tore his head off.

Really?

McGruff and Chuck E. Cheese?

As Vizzini might say; Inconceivable!

Look Out! She's Got A Scarf!

Mornin' folks!

Here we go!

According to the Vancouver Sun: "Yarn Bombers" are taking over the streets of this Canadian town.

"Yarn Bombers" are people who place knitted objects around street signs, trees in public parks, and other urban items.
It's a form of guerrilla knitting.

A way to express an opinion.

Like "tagging" with spray paint.

Except softer.

Don't ya just love peoples imagination and creativity?


Photo courtesy;
www.forumgarden.com/forums/attachments/arts-c..

The Death of Print, Again

Afternoon, everybody.

On Friday, February 27 2009, the oldest newspaper in Colorado died. It printed it's final edition after being in constant publication since 1859.

The Rocky Mountain News had an illustrious history, producing many Pulitzer Prize winning photos and stories. It was one of the first papers printed in Colorado and has served it's state and communities well.

I've spoken on this blog before about how people need the tactile nature of their entertainment to separate them from their day to day environments. We need time to withdraw from the noise of our work and world and establish an island of calm. Records, books and newspapers force us to slow down and breath.

I know it's inevitable that technology will change the way we get our information. And I know more papers will die as things change.

I just know; they will be missed.