Good News, you can now brick your iPhone

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I did not know the extent of the powers of The Library of Congress until yesterday. Apparently, this government agency oversees the Copyright Office and can review and authorizes exemptions every three years to make sure laws haven't prevented certain non-infringing uses of copyright-protected works -- like modifying your iPhone operating system.

In rulings yesterday, you can now "jailbreak" your iPhone without worrying about the Apple police taking you to court. In doing so, you can then run whatever app you would like to run, such as Google Voice --- that wonderfully helpful application that Apple has tried to kill again and again.

Of course, even though you can now legally modify your phone, Apple is not obligated to honor its iphone warranty if you mess up your expensive piece of electronics.

Smoke and Mirrors

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My friend was a very heavy smoker. In fact, he was up to 2 cigarette lighters a day. However, last month, he become extremely horrified after reading about the long-term effects of smoking cigarettes. So he did three things: started smoking cao cigars, vowed to only smoke one cigar at a time, and he gave up reading. I told him not to worry. After all, we all know that smoking is the leading cause of statistics...

Almost Positive Post

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In general, these posts are supposed to avoid negative subjects. Yet, when I am given phrases such as "acne treatment", we are kind of beginning from a less-than-positive position. Unless, of course, your treatment is to get as bad a case of acne as possible. Why? Think of the benefits for having acne.

1) Never having to go to a weight watchers meeting. "Pizza face" suggests pizza which suggests big, floppy slices of cheese and sauce and chewy goodness. I'm pretty sure any reminders of food are strictly forbidden at weight watchers meetings.

2) Never having to be inconvenience by a "could you watch my sweet, innocent child for a few moments while I run to the store?". No one wants their "sweet, innocent child" traumatized ... or do they?

3) See #2. Getting to be the reason for good behavior on the part of children. "You better behave or I'll have Pizza Face baby-sit you!"

4) Paid modeling gigs as the 'before' photo for shady products.

5) Paid modeling gigs as the 'after' photo that dramatizes the results of competitors' products.

6) Guaranteed seat to yourself on the public transportation!

7) Well, do I have to all of your thinking for you? Send me your list of benefits for having acne.

Go, Lebron, Go!

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I don't have time to follow sports like I used to. But the only way I could have avoided the current cries of foul as Lebron James leaves for the sunshine soaked state of Florida is to live under a rock. I know. I tried. Even there, I found Jesse Jackson oozing up and making claims that Mr. James was just a runaway slave in the eyes of the Cavaliers owner. Interesting comment considering that Lebron is leaving Ohio for the same reasons that the Williams sisters of tennis and Tiger Wood of golf fame left California -- Florida has no state income tax. While The Cavaliers offered Mr. James $10,000 more each game, the state of Ohio was going to take $12,500 of that increase.

If you don't have ownership of the fruits of your labors, you are a slave. It would seem old Jesse should be rallying against the tax system which makes slaves of us as the governments go above and beyond funding necessary services. As for Ohio and California, apparently they don't know the difference between quick weight loss diet for bloated budgets and inviting starvation by running their money makers out of town.

What? We're not done?

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The dark circles under the eyes of my finance and myself are not from late nights of partying and frittering the hours away. We've spent the past month of planning and packing and paying and moving. This has been a great learning experience. For example, I now know why Love is blind. After this passed herculean effort to combine her household and children and animals with mine, you don't want to look at everything else that still needs to be done.

What's the 4th without a military band?

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Usually the military band of Fort Bragg plays the 1812 Overture during Fort Bragg's very dramatic fireworks display. Unfortunately, two days before this much-anticipated annual event, the warehouse that houses the band's instruments and uniforms caught fire. Everything was destroyed. One of the higher ranking officials commented how this was going to be a "royal pain in the butt" to replace the band's gear in time for the July 4th celebration. My suggested treatment for hemorrhoid inducing event? Kazoos and trash can lids! After all, the spirit of inventiveness during crisis is what makes us Americans! Happy 4th!

adding Facebook share link to your post

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I searched several posts and found this one to be the easist set of instructions and links for installing a 'Share' button into your blogger hosted blog. Let me know your results and, please, share my posts that you enjoy with your Facebook fans. Thanks!

too soon?

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Name three birds that had to die to make your life better:

Chicken, Turkey, Senator Robert Byrd ...

And so it begins

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After dating for almost 8 years, I've asked my girlfriend to join households. Sounds like we're marrying two houses. I don't know if the ring around my bathtub counts as an engagement ring but we going to spend the next couple of weeks getting everything together.

First her house. This weekend, I'm going to grab a pair of old work gloves and start throwing her stuff, I mean, gently distributing her fine belongings into a rental truck for a slow ride to the storage business. Next, she'll come to my house and begin happily tossing my treasures into the garbage bin. That's ok. My ex took the good stuff several years ago. By now, I've learned it's all replaceable ... just like me.

new blog design

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Blogger (actually Google) has brought out new template for blogger.com sites. I've changed mine accordingly. If you're a repeat visitor then you've noticed the change. What do you think? I need to find some time to play with the CSS display of this blog into something eye-catching. Unfortunately, Blogger.com doesn't have hooks that pop out and catch your eye ...

Moving means ..

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... getting rid of junk that you've spent years accumulating. Of course, to you none of it is junk. Every tarnished spoon and broken ceramic piece has an important memory attached to it. They are tokens of faded thoughts that recall the fun while forgetting the pain of those moments. They are trinkets that make you believe times weren't as unbearable as they seemed then.

But that was then. Today, you want to move on to bigger and, hopefully, better times. Today, you take those memories and put them on wabbly tables with paper tags for the world to see. Today, you deface several telephone poles in your neighborhood with a poster printing those car-screeching words "Yard Sale! Everything must go!" Today, you resist that overpowering urge to do a background check on every bargain seeker that stops in your yard. You have to trust that your memories will either end up in good homes or bring terrible nightmares to the new owners. Today, you move on ...

ah, vacation. what?! no vacation?

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I can't wait for tomorrow when I start my vacation. Time to catch up on household affairs, spend time with my son to learn his plans for his senior year and beyond, start some delayed personal projects. Wait, what?! Last Monday was the start of my vacation?!!! It can't be! I haven't made a dent in anything! Where did the time go? This isn't fair ... Am I to be doomed to a life of slavish devotion to everyone's elses projects? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Complicated Sells

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Sometimes we make things more complicated and expensive than they need to be. I don't know why. Maybe we just don't trust anything that seems to easy to do. This would explain why the "some installation required" instructions do an excellent job of frustrating us.

I mention this because I had to go to a site called dietsthatwork.net. The site covers all the famous diets except the granddaddy of them all, that simple "eat less, exercise more" one. Now I know why I'm not rich. I'm not selling complicated solutions.

Banking Crisis Cause..

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One of the best insurance quotes ever is when Jack Benny said, "I don't want to tell you how much insurance I carry with the Prudential, but all I can say is: when I go, they go too." Of course, when Mr. Benny died, Prudential didn't go out of business. Guess he didn't have that much life insurance. But maybe Jack's quote gives a clue about the real cause of banking crisis. I'm betting that Bill Gates made a 'small' withdrawal.

forward, always forward

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Here I am, three years and over 600 assignments later. A few days ago I received notification to be excited about a boat load of new assignments that were soon to be released. I would be excited yet the work has become a barge of off-the-wall product names (although some like "adipex p" sounds more like a drug test at a weight lifting competition), lotions for various body parts, and so many dieting terms that my blogs should be classifed anorexic. For now, the work is helping me as I struggle to care for myself and 3 other families. I don't mean to complain. But I'm looking forward to when things will be much better.

sometimes you've got to get up pretty oily in the morning

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Accidents happen. Someone has to pay the medical bills. Thanks to Workers Compensation laws, your boss gets to cover your injuries regardless of whose stupidity or greed cause those accidents in the first place. For a time this was great news as long as you weren't working on a ship at sea. Then, in the 1970's came the Jones act to cover maritime workers. Fortunate for the BP employees on "Deepwater Horizon", they'll be covered by the Louisiana Jones Act. Still, why were they digging a mile under water at all? Turns out, most of the 'safe' oil is outlawed from drilling. And the sweet, sweet crude that isn't protected is running out. What's an oil company to do but go with unproven technology and explore the riskier, deeper planetary resources.

The good news is that BP is an evil oil company which will be forced to pay for its mistakes. Had it been an evil bank, we taxpayers would be paying ...

certs in ... no retsyn

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You have to take Certs to keep your breath fresh. You have to have certs (certification) to get ahead in the job market. If you have both, you are that much better than me.

I got the results of my certs test a few days ago. I did well in 2 out of 3 areas. That same day, I had 2 out of 3 tell me my breath was fine. But it only takes one part to keep you from getting that good job ... or that great kiss.

I'm studying again. Next time, I'll even take some Certs with me!

Close the door! A bit of privacy please?!

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The uproar lately has been concerning Facebook's privacy or lack-thereof. Mashable.com has just published a list of 5 tips that everyone should set in their Facebook accounts. Here's that vital list.

gift for me?

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What can you get me for a Father's Day and/or as a wedding present? I'm about to combine my family with my fiancée's which means we are putting together a combined fifty years of accumulated ... stuff. There is a DuraMax DuraMate 8x8 Vinyl Storage Shed Kit 00314 which would be a good start for me. Not to store possessions in. I just think I'm going to need a man-cave for me to hide in ...

video games

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My fellow engineer looks a bit like Ralphie from "The Christmas Story" but is unlikely to shoot his eye out with a BB gun (with one of his new robotic design is another story). He is extremely hard-working, not one for fun and games during working hours. So he completely surprised me when he bounded in with his new toy, a Sony VAIO and proceeded to show this great gaming site, steampowered.com which has popular games for the PC and Mac, several around $10.

Though part of my professional career was spent repairing the early video games, I just haven't had time or the money to play this decade's gaming systems. But now, I don't have an excuse not to buy at least buy some of the good games that I've been wanting to play. Now if I could find a site that gives me free time ...