Photo Credit Volkswagon
2012 Volkswagon Beetle
A newly designed VW Beetle will make it’s appearance as a 2012 model, kicking off VW’s attempt to increase it’s market share in the US.
The Beetle’s first design was approved by Adolph Hitler.
Beetle set to infest US – again?
April 18, 2011
commentary Adolf Hitler, New Beetle, People's Car, Volkswagon Beetle Leave a comment
He Came Back For A Short Visit
April 14, 2011
commentary, geek, Personal Jimmie Joe, space cadet, the future Leave a comment
Yep, Space Cadet Jimmie Joe popped up for a quick visit this morning. At 4:50 am, to be exact.
That’s when the International Space Station was visible gliding across the sky from my driveway again. Nothing more than a bright star, moving across the heavens. But I know what it is, and so does Space Cadet Jimmie Joe. When the ISS makes it’s appearance, you can be sure he will, too.
Science fiction novels, movies, the Jetsons, Star Trek, Johnny Quest. Isaac Assimov, Ray Bradbury, Robert Heinlein, Orson Scott Card, Carl Sagan. Jimmie Joe is from a certain time, the 60’s and 70’s. Things sometimes looked bleak back then, but they also held potential. The Moon. A Space Station. Mars.
In 50 years we’ve gone from the first human in outer space, six manned expeditions to the Moon, and now a permanent presence in an orbiting laboratory above the Earth. In 65 years we went from the first airplane to landing men on the Moon!
Space Cadet Jimmie Joe pops in from time to time to see how things are progressing. He’s excited about the internet, my iPhone, the laptop I’m writing this blog post on, and all the cool futuristic stuff he sees, but he’s really disappointed that the flying cars haven’t made their appearance yet. I am too. After all, promises were made. To both of us.
I hope Space Cadet Jimmie Joe never gets so disappointed that he stops making his visits.
I’d really miss him.
A Tale of Two Leaders
April 10, 2011
9-1-1, commentary, Personal 9-1-1 dispatcher awards banquet, Fresno County Sheriff, Fresno Police Chief, Jeryy Dyer, Margaret Mims, National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, PSCA 2 Comments
Last night I attended the annual Public Safety Communications Association Dispatcher Of The Year banquet in Fresno. The yearly event recognizes dispatchers from area agencies, and highlights the often unsung heroes who toil behind the scenes to support deputy sheriffs, police officers, firefighters, EMTs and paramedics.
Last night’s event was started off by opening remarks from two of Fresno County’s top law enforcement officers. Fresno Sheriff Margaret Mims, and Fresno Police Chief Jerry Dyer spoke to the assembled dispatchers, family, officers, deputies, paramedics, firefighters, friends and supporters. This blog is about the difference between those two presentations.
Margaret Mims, Fresno County Sheriff
Police Chief Jerry Dyer, Fresno PD
One speaker used the entire time at the podium to talk about dispatchers, the other started off talking about dispatchers, but veered off the night’s topic halfway through and instead turned to speaking about themselves and their religion. I’ve not seen the first speaker in person before, but I have had to sit through the “god talk” from the second at previous banquets. You can probably guess who’s talk I preferred.
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We’re here, we’re queer, and we’ve been here forever.
April 6, 2011
commentary, Gay, geek, News Czech Republic, gay caveman, historical gays Leave a comment
Five thousand years after he died, the first known gay caveman has emerged into the daylight.
According to archaeologists, the way he was buried suggests that he was of a different sexual persuasion.
The skeleton of the late Stone Age man, unearthed during excavations in the Czech Republic, is said to date back to between 2900 and 2500 BC.
His body was positioned in the grave like a woman, but his head was pointing in the direction reserved for men. Items buried with him have only been seen in the graves of females.
While still only speculation, the idea fits the evidence. Burial rituals were very important to the people of this era, and we have learned a lot about their culture from their remains, and what they chose to include in the graves. The position of the person in society influenced the burial, and items interred with the deceased spoke to the life they lived.
This man was buried in such a way as to suggest he might have been what we today would call homosexual, or transgender. He was buried with respect and honor, with concern for his journey to the afterlife. He clearly was not an outcast, and was treated with the respect anyone in his village would have received.
We’re here, we’re queer, and we’ve been here forever. It’s so simple, even the cavemen understood it. It’s a shame so many “modern” homo sapiens don’t.
UPDATE:
or, maybe not… here.
Shuttle Retires At 30
April 5, 2011
commentary, geek, Personal Brian Basset, Endeavour, Enterprise, NASA, Space Shuttle, What a ride it's been Leave a comment
From the first flights of the Enterprise, to the final voyage of Endeavour, it’s been a grand 30 years. Over a hundred missions, the construction of the International Space Station, the launching and servicing of the Hubble Space Telescope, and the tragic loss of two Orbiters and 14 astronauts, the Space Shuttle Program has always been a part of my adult life. It’s difficult to imagine it not being there any longer.
What’s Real, and what’s imaginary? The Internet might not help
April 2, 2011
commentary, geek, Humor, video Humor, imaginary numbers, video tricks Leave a comment
This is just too cool.
J.D. Reeves Snow & Lace The National Grid
March 31, 2011
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Second cousin J.D. Reeves of Oklahoma plays some original acoustic guitar.
Find his other released music at SnowandLace.com
Newt Gingrich: A New Idiot For The Ages
March 28, 2011
commentary, News Newt Gingrich, radical atheists, radical islamists Leave a comment
This man, Newt Gingrich, former Speaker of the House, and perennial non-candidate for President, is an idiot. Over the weekend he expressed fear that soon the United States will be an atheist country, dominated by Islamic radicals. He doesn’t appear to realize that you can’t have a country dominated by atheists if it’s also dominated by Muslims! (clue for Newt: Muslims believe in the same God you do! They just have a different name for him, and a different holey book) (holey is not a typo)
This man is an idiot. See the CNN report on his weekend nonsense.
Launch! From the SRB’s Perspective
March 28, 2011
commentary, geek, video Booster recovery, booster video, NASA, Shuttle launch, SRB Leave a comment
“… and the Shuttle has cleared the tower.” For the next two minutes, twin solid rocket boosters propel the Space Shuttle toward orbit. Cameras are mounted in several locations on each booster, and if you’ve ever wondered what happens to them, here’s your chance to find out. Two minutes of powered flight, separation from the Shuttle and main fuel tank, four minutes of fall, and then splashdown in the Atlantic Ocean.
Here’s what it looks like to a really tough fly on the wall… er, booster.
JimmieJoe / KC6YRU 
Friends Don’t Let Friends Jet Ski
April 22, 2011
Jim Reeves commentary, geek, Humor, Personal fun in the sun, jet ski 1 Comment
Plus
equals
The crazy thing?
Neither vessel touched the other!
And no alcohol was involved, either!
This occurred a long time ago, but the subject recently came up in a discussion with the prime suspect.
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