Tag Archives: life

Computers Fix Everything

Posted in Christian values, Computers, Uncategorized by

Many moons ago, more than I care to admit, I used to subscribe to PC Magazine. It had interesting and useful articles. Additionally, I enjoyed the letters to the editor. I was reading through them one day when the letter writer included a picture from an ad in the previous edition. Unfortunately, I cannot recall the witty body of the letter, but the picture was of a person removing their new computer from a box. The unusual part was that the monitor displayed the standard Windows screen.

It is the sort of thing most of us wouldn’t even notice. As I looked up a while ago, I noticed another unlikely picture. The proverbial computer expert pressed the keyboard twice. Instantly, the screen started showing all sorts of pertinent information.

I spent decades in the computer industry. I have personally known dozens of people who could do some truly amazing things with computers.

Sorry, folks. It does not work that way. Most experts these days use a mouse or touch screen for the most part. Keyboards are still used extensively, but the idea of doing everything by pressing two keys is still a long way in the future. I suspect we are closer to new computers working while still in the box.

I understand. Television shows often have time restrictions that lead to representations rather than reality. For example, when a character knocks on a door in a TV show, it takes only two seconds for the door to open. In reality, it takes me longer than that just to get out of my chair. I hope that if the police ever come knocking on my door, they will wait more than the two seconds typically depicted on television.

The point is, computers are still a far cry from the omniscient, all-powerful overlords we’ve been led to believe. Let’s not get too carried away and start bowing down to our silicon-based overlords just yet. Even the most tech-savvy among us are still limited to the constraints of their creations, try as they might to convince us otherwise.

May I Share an Airport Safety Idea?

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I’ve been thinking again. I apologize. But actually, it’s a thought that I’ve been continually turning over in my mind. The thought keeps coming back to my forethoughts every time a large airplane runs off the end of a runway while landing. This is especially true when a lot of people die, as in the recent case of a plane running into a wall, killing all but two.

I saw the video many times, which was far too many times. I apologize. I keep thinking there must be an easy, inexpensive way to allow disabled planes to crash land relatively safely.

Unfortunately, I am not an engineer. I am limited to simple thoughts of common sense.

The miracle on the Hudson resulted in a safe water landing with few injuries, the greatest danger being the plane sinking before everyone exited.

The water was very cold but the rescue boats arrived quickly. Most passengers stepped from the plane to the wing and then onto the boats.

So, I looked at the video of the plane running into a wall and considered, wouldn’t it have been nice if there had been a pond nearby? Nothing very deep, perhaps four or five feet, possibly as much as ten. As I say, I’m not an engineer, so it would take some engineering and maybe some tests. They might even ask a test pilot to land a plane or two in the pond to gather some data to work with.

Ideally, the pond should be emptied or at least lowered after the plane stops. This would make it easier to rescue the passengers. If everything worked properly, there would be no need to hurry. The plane is not going to sink in one or two feet of water. A side benefit is that the risk of fire is greatly reduced. If there is a fire, water could be instantly sprayed from the sides of the pond.

I don’t think the plane would ever be reusable, but I believe that every passenger would be able to leisurely walk off the plane.

As for the expense, not all airports would need a pond. Besides, just how expensive is a pond that is about a thousand feet long and five hundred feet wide?

Who knows? It might actually add some looks to the airport.

Actually, it need not be right at the airport. Maybe as much as a mile away. It would be safer for regular air traffic. And, here’s the side benefit: It would draw the water birds away from the runways.

I suppose it could also be stocked with fish or even used as a fish farm. If it was never used in an emergency, it might still pay for itself.

it is just a thought. It wouldn’t hurt my feelings if anyone stole it. Especially if it saved a few lives. I mean, even if it is designed for big planes, it could be used for small planes as well. It’s better to ditch that little Cessna in that pond than in that apartment building.

(Or Beach Craft, or Piper or whatever.)

A Spin on Going Green

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While in the Marines, I was stationed in Japan for a while. It was the first place I saw an on demand water heater. I still think the one I had there was better than the one I have now. I don’t know, but I have suspicions it has to do with laws and lawyers. If wrong, please enlighten me.

Another thing I was exposed to was a compact washing machine. I loved it. It had two chambers. One side was the usual agitator. The other side was for spin.

Considering I was without dryer, this was really nifty. After 30 minutes of spinning, the clothes were almost dry. A couple of hours on the line and they were fine. In a pinch, an iron would do fine.

As I said, it was a compact washer, but it was far better than the one I have now. It was faster. It got the clothes cleaner and, as I said, it dried better.

I have been keeping my eye open for one here in the states. I even thought about having someone from my old unit buy one and send it to me.

The thing that puzzles me, why hasn’t some going green outfit decide to import them. Not only do the little things use less power, but, with that spinner, it would not take as much energy to dry the clothes.

Well, of course, they might not sell so well. Their appearance isn’t impressive. Then, too, it does take a few seconds to move the clothes from the agitator to the spinner. However, every time you do it, you can pat yourself on the back for saving all that energy.

Actually, I have a relatively new conventional washer that I am very disappointed with. It likes to walk during the spin cycle. If I could buy one of the little compact washers, I’d buy it in a minute. As for the one I have…. I would gladly give it back to the manufacturer, Whirlpool.

Who Cares?

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If I may, I would like to subtitle this Ignorance and Apathy.

Eons ago, a little exaggerated, I asked a programmer if he could teach me a little bit about Algol, a high level, structured programing language. He became thoughtful. He said that it would be difficult to do that. He said that in order to learn one part of the language, I would have to learn another part first. In order to understand that part, I would have to learn the other part first. It seems, in order to learn it, I would have to learn it all at once.

Since that day, I have been trained and I am very proficient at it. As I look back over what the programmer said, he was right. If I were to teach the language, I would have to teach it kind of all at once. I sort of guess that is why not too many people use Algol for programming. On the other hand, it is a very powerful language. I have heard that some people can almost write the whole body of the program in one line. Well, I must admit I am not that good but I can see how others could.

So. Here I am, I’ve written two big paragraphs and neither is about my subject matter. The reason is this. The subject is somewhat like Algol. I am having difficulty knowing where to start. There are 3 different places I need to start first. In order for me to start at point 1, I need to say some things about 2 and 3. In order to start at point 3, I need to say some things about 1 and 2. The word ‘conundrum’ does come to mind.

Let’s start with what you know, the little story where the old professor tells one of his students, “The problem with this world is that the youth is ignorant and apathetic.”

The young student shrugs and replies, “I don’t know and I don’t care.”

Okay. Ha, ha. Funny. I suspect you’ve heard it before. I’ve heard it a few times too. I do hope you liked it if it was the first time you heard it.

As with most of us conservatives, I have been trying to categorize democrats. I don’t know. It would seem that most fall into one of three categories. 1] The ignorant. 2] The Apathetic. 3] Both.

There are those that believed Old Joe was not feeble. There are those who didn’t care. Then there were those that didn’t know and didn’t care.

I suppose my categorizations might not be totally right. There might be those who might say, “Who cares?” There are those who do take that attitude, you know.

You look at the border. Some see the the rush of aliens across and don’t care. Some don’t believe there is a danger from the aliens. Some are completely oblivious to all the danger it causes.

This is of course, in spite of all the rapes and human trafficking that is going on. This in spite of the abuse of children that is happening. They turn their heads and pretend they know not of it.

When Old Joe gave the order begin the retreat in Afghanistan, some didn’t care about the deaths that resulted and the deserting of American citizens and friends left behind to fend for themselves.

We know that our women’s rights group care about women, but in this case, they pulled their heads in like the proverbial turtle and kept their noisy yaps zipped. This of course resulted in the torture and death of women that we liberated, befriended and educated. You can make up your mind. Were they unaware or were they apathetic. Or, on the other hand, could it be because the leadership of the dems told them to hold their complaints.

The dems complain, very loudly I might say, that Trump is apathetic to the poor aliens that are just seeking a better life. In truth, they were the ones apathetic to those that were killed or raped on the way to the US. Was it that they were ignorant to the criminal elements making their fortunes off of the pain and suffering of the aliens.

Could it be that the dems are completely ignorant to the death from the drugs made by the Chinese and distributed by the cartels. or is that they just don’t care.

When Obama pulled our forces out of Iraq, over a million were killed. Most if those tortured and killed called themselves Christian. Then when the dems were told, they said, “I don’t care!” Well, I guess some said, “I don’t believe it,” even though it was in the news for days. Now, that is apathy.

Before they start complaining about Trump being apathetic, I think it is about time to take a good look at the deaths and suffering in their own history. It’s time they look around and see what they are doing. It is time for them to stop being drastically apathetic.

It is time for them to stop saying, “I don’t care.”

Anonymous Source

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Any time someone quotes an anonymous source, it should not be believed. The tragedy is when someone bases a source on someone quoting an anonymous source. It is put forward as truth but it has no more validity than the original source.

So. Trump appoints Pete Hegseth as Secretary of Defense and immediately we hear quotes on anonymous sources. Soon after we hear quotes on the quotes and then more quotes based on those quotes. For all we know, they are all based on lies.

The fact is, we know not who originally said it or for that matter, if the quote was totally made up in the first place. I can’t say it’s all a lie. However, truth is, they can’t say it’s the truth.

It is the problem with trying a person in the court of public opinion. Nothing has any solid evidence and no one is giving evidence under oath. No one is obligated to tell the truth and no one will suffer a penalty should it all be proved a lie. No one will own up to the responsibility.

If you think it can’t happen, they said over and over that they had proof that Trump colluded with Russia for three years. in fact that impeached him over it. Not a word of it was ever proven. Not only was it eventually proved a lie, but no one ever paid for the lie. Moreover, there are people who still believe the lie, even now that it has been fully exposed.

The dems and the press tells lies on purpose without remorse or fear of retribution. Then the press quotes the lies, quoting the original lie as truth. Then the dem politicians quote the lies spread by the press. Then when the smoke clears, a man’s reputation is smeared forever and the original liar walks away unharmed.

It’s not right. For that reason, I suggest you don’t believe anonymous sources, no matter how much you want to. If you do believe the lies, then you are taking part in the lie.

Real Choices

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There isn’t a day goes by I don’t hear about the rights of women’s choices. To be sure, a person does need to be able to make choices that effect their lives. To be sure, people do make choices every day. Some are good. Some, not so good. Some inconsequential. The hitch, so many of our decisions are made without any idea how long term those decisions can be. We think that they will last for a while and then the consequences, good or bad, will last just a while.

Consider a person gets in a car and drives while under then influence. After a short time, they wake up in hospital room and the doctor tells you, you will never walk again… or see again. If you had planned on making a living using your eyes, you soon realize that isn’t going to happen.

Perhaps all you do is go swimming. You dive and then the only reason you’re still alive is because your friends came to your rescue. Then you get to try out all those experimental things, the robotic things that might allow you to walk again, but slowly. If that is successful, you’ll celebrate a ten foot walk across the room.

You might miss that off-ramp and you have to wait and get off at the next one. That one isn’t so bad. It cost, time, frustration, and, of course, fuel.

The thing is, of course, when a woman decides to go into a place to get an abortion, she should realize it is not as simple as she might think. She gets to make the decision but the baby gets no say in the matter. Of all people, the unborn is totally helpless. He can’t even cry out in pain. If the mother goes through with it, a child will suffer and then die. The child does not have a choice. What a horrible thing if the first choice you make concerning your child, is to kill it. What a horrible thing, you will never meet him or her. You will never see him take his first step or hear his first words.

Worst of all, choice might be made over nothing more than convenience, a means of birth control.

If you do make the choice to kill the baby, at least take a few precautions. What kind of clinic is it. What are the possibilities of infection. Will the doctor provide a follow-up exam? Every time I had a tooth pulled, the dentist had me back in the office a week later to make sure there were no complications. That’s right, complications are possible. Sometimes, odd as it might seem, the baby even might live. It has happened. On the other hand, the baby might have died but was not totally removed. This sort of thing is not common, but it does happen and the resulting infection can result in the death of the mother. A woman is rushed to the e-room with pain, temperature and infection, not realizing the source of the problem. Then, besides paying for the abortion, she has to dig deeper into that savings account to pay for the hospital visit.

Finally, one more caution. Before you make that choice, make sure it is one that you can live with. You will, you know. The rest of your life. Before you make that choice, you might check with a few who have made that choice. You might want to find out if they are having problems living with it. It is one of those permanent choices, you know. It has no backspace key. It has no undo function. Every morning for the rest of your life, you will be reminded. With some, I have heard, it never gets better. The memory only gets harder as you notice other women with children the same age as yours might have been.

You can, of course, just harden your heart. You can learn to live with it. However, is this something you want to force yourself to live with. Broken bones heal. I know. I have had a number of them. Contrary to the popular saying, time does not heal all wounds. Those emotional ones have a tendency to dig in and only grow worse over time.

Observation of Security Cameras

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About 2 or 3 times a year, someone will come by and try to sell me a security camera. Well, actually, they would love to sell me a complete thousand dollar security system. I don’t have the money for that. I have big car payments and a bigger insurance payments. A couple of thousand a year for my house, a couple of thousand for my car.

Maybe I should take my drill instructor’s advice and not buy things like that. Then, there would be no upkeep or insurance. Somehow, in the next few months, I will have to buy some real insurance. The tree at the corner of my house is starting to work on the foundation. It will likely cost me 2 K to bring that thing down and keep it from tearing up my home.

At any rate before you got me off subject, I tell them no. I can’t afford it. One guy got very indignant with me. I got the impression he thought I was lying to him. Like, what difference does it make. I don’t have to explain my decision to him. What in the world would make him think I owe him any kind of explanation.

At any rate, the latest salesman got me to thinking. Do the things work? I mean, if I put a bunch of cameras all over the place and someone steals something, will it help me recover my property?

That, in itself creates other questions. If the thief can find much worth steeling, I suppose I will have to tip my hat to him. I have an antitheft method that works good. I simply don’t don’t have enough to make someone want to break in.

At any rate, let’s say he breaks in and runs off with my old $100 dollar TV. Just what would be the chances of me ever seeing that particular TV again. Actually, my wife has a wedding ring he could steel. However, if he took it to a pawn shop, the guy would laugh it him. He might give him a ten dollar bill for it. It’s not gold and the stone is fake. The fake looks really nice but it’s fake. When we got married we couldn’t afford one. (That’s OK. I have a fifty year marriage instead)

So, here I am, still. Wondering how successful would I be in retrieving the TV. It makes me think about all those news reports on TV. They flash a picture up on the screen and they ask, “Have you seen this person?” “If you know this person, can you please call the police?”

Sometimes, I’ve thought about taking a copy of the photo around Memphis and see if I can find the culprit. Honest, it does make me want very badly to help. I know what it is like to have someone take things from me. It just is that most of the time, they guy has his face covered, usually with a hoody. (maybe we need to outlaw hoodies) The other half the time, if I passed the man on the street, I wouldn’t know it. I never was all that great at remembering faces, especially those I will likely never see again.

I would guess this world is full of folks as me, who isn’t good with faces.

And so, it makes me wonder, just how many people get phone calls when they put something like that on the TV. It makes me wonder, of all the times that a picture is taken of the thief, how many times is it that the thief is caught as a result?

If someone knows an instance or two when their security camera helped, maybe you could send me a comment. I don’t mean where the neighbor is caught but rather some stranger breaks in and you lose the family silver. Did you ever get it back because of the camera.

For quite a while, people steered clear of cameras. Not so much anymore. It would appear the crooks have come to the same conclusion as I have. I don’t think the things do much good.

I wish they did. Then I might buy one, just to keep people from breaking in, even if I have nothing.

Let’s Look at one of the Dem’s Biggest Problems

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Let’s see. Within months of Old Joe taking up his position behind the desk in the Oval Office, he assigned Kamala the problem of the southern border. I know. Some say she was giving the title of border tzar. Kamala and her cohorts are fighting with their last gasp of air to avoid the term. It doesn’t matter. And you know what that great philosopher, Murphy, said, “If it doesn’t matter, then it doesn’t matter.”

The fact of the matter is, that she was given the task and she failed at it. Well, actually, she was supposed to fail. Old Joe did not want the border fixed. Indeed, it was part of his campaign promise. Everyone remembers that, right? I mean most everyone, can remember back that far, right. I mean, I am almost 77 and I remember it. I’m the one who cannot remember why I went into a room and I can remember it all.

Supposedly, she went down south the fix it. The problem is that when she reached the border, she just kept going. She ended up in South America somewhere. You remember that, don’t you? You don’t need the news media to remember that.

Realizing her mistake she went to the southern border. This time she stopped a little short. I don’t know how many others noticed it, but the city in which she stopped, isn’t where the real problem was. You might say she was doing her best to avoid the problem. When confronted by the press, yeah, that’s when she said she hadn’t been to Europe either. Let me see. I think that was when she let out with one of those irritating cackles.

Now, when she is confronted with these facts, she says, that she was never appointed to border tsar. That would have required an act of Congress. Someone should point out to Kamala, responsibility doesn’t work that way. She was given the job and she didn’t do it. It matters not why. It matters not what her title is. She was assigned the job, she accepted responsibility for getting it done, and she didn’t do it. She never even tried.

That is called failure, regardless of the reason.

Indeed, it is one of the biggest problems of the dems. They just don’t know how to accept responsibility. When Obama withdrew from Iraq, millions died. Did you hear Obama accept fault. Did you hear any apologies. When Old Joe came up with that huge disaster in Afghanistan, did you hear him admit to failure. No, never. All you heard from him were efforts to put the blame on others. You remember him pointing fingers and saying it was his fault, never mine. When the bodies were brought back, he could barely take the time to meet them. I have not any idea what was so important to him, but obviously, he could not wait to get back to it.

When his foreign policies led to Russia attacking Ukraine, did you hear him accept responsibly? I didn’t. When Iran funded the attack on Israel by the Palestinians with American money supplied by Old Joe, did you hear anything close to an apology? Did you ever hear him say, “Oops.” You and I both know, it’s not going to happen. When illegal aliens enter the US and kill Americans, is there even the slight appearance of sorrow. Nope. Not anyone in and around the White House. They won’t even acknowledge they took part in the cause. Not going to happen either ever.

I would guess it is part of their plans – never say your sorry – even if you are at fault. Instead, deny, deny, deny. Eventually, of course, we will all forget. Right? I mean, how many even remember the disaster in Afghanistan? And it was just a few years ago. How many have already given Old Joe and his ilk a pass on the all the deaths.

One Word

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I should have been a comedian. With just one word, I can make them laugh, well sometimes two. Let me explain, please. The wife and I walked into the restaurant and the young lady behind the counter, asked, “How are you?” I know. For the most part it was rhetorical. It’s a greeting. Most of the time people say, “Fine,” or nothing at all. Some will reply to the question with another, “Fine, how are you?”

I like to do things a little different. I like to reply as if she means the question. I said, “Hungry.”

Not only did the girl behind the counter burst into laughter but also the three other folks behind me. As usual, my wife got angry with me and chastised me verbally and loudly. That got another laugh. That’s right. we’re a good team.

Actually, I guess my wife is right. One of these days, some one is going to hit me. To be truthful, not everyone likes my humor. Some have scowled at me. One or two have actually yelled at me. I guess, one day someone will actually hit me. I don’t know.

From time to time I get a little brave. The man says, “Excuse me.” I reply, “I’ll try.” Usually, he laughs and we go our separate ways. Then, of course, my wife yells at me. “One of these days, someone who is a little unbalanced is going to haul off and hit you.”

Well, in the meantime, I will bring smiles to many. Sometimes, I will get a little laugh or two. I can’t help it. It’s in my nature. I just like to see people smile, even when it’s because they are laughing at me rather than with me. I especially consider myself successful when it takes just one word.

On the other hand there are those who like to use one word… to make people cry. It makes me wonder why people want to do that.

I’m Retired

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So I’ll reply retroactively. Actually, unless my memory has deceived me again, I think I already said something about that. Well considering the number of posts I posted, it would stand to reason I did say something about it.

I used to have a really good job. I had checklist I had each night and I did what was on it. I started at 5:00 PM and left about 1:00 AM. Moreover, I worked alone. There was no one around to complain about what music I played or how loud. It was better than being at home where my wife complained about the sopranos and the volume. (singers, not the mob show) Also, sometimes I tried to sing along, which she would have really complained about.

I listened to show tunes, songs by John Gary, Ed Ames, Percy Faith, ABBA, Simon and Garfunkel, and kind of the whole pre-80’s things. I listened to some pre-1950’s things. I was constantly adding to my list of selections. It irritates me that I have lost a few of them.

Many of them were of special interest. Simon and Garfunkel produced the song, “Homeward Bound.” While I was in Vietnam, I was not the only one who liked that one. I know. It has nothing to do with those of us carrying around a rifle and wearing a helmet. Still, many of us did adopt the tune.

I listen mostly to same thing now. I have added a little. I listen when at home, sometimes while writing posts. I listen to them while walking. I listen to them while in the car. By the way, the car system has about the best sound, especially with it being electric. No engine noise to interfere.

There are two differences now that I’m no longer listening at work. I have to turn the volume down and I can’t sing along. My wife would complain and, maybe, the neighbors.

I wish I could listen while eating in restaurant, especially with some of what they play over their speakers. I suspect the management would complain. If they didn’t some of the customers would.

Daily writing prompt
What do you listen to while you work?
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