Gary Stanley's Blog

GOTCHA!

2012-01-20T16:59:00.001-07:00

Internet scams are nothing new. Viruses, spyware, and malware have been around for years. The problem today is that some of these scams look very official and the average person is fooled into spending money only to make matters worse.

Let’s take a look at what typically happens. A window appears on your screen notifying you that you have x amount of corrupted files caused by a virus. It will offer you a button to click on to do a free scan of your system. You click on it and the program simulates a scan then tells you that you can rid your system of all this nasty stuff by clicking on another button. When you do it tells you that you can download a program to fix these problems. When you continue it says that it will cost you $56. You give them your credit card number, then download the program.

Now you have just made matters worse and you’ve been taken! This company, probably in Russia, has your credit card information and your computer is now trash until you call a technician.

Here is what the latest scam looks like. It’s called Win 7 Anti-Spyware 2012. If you see this on your screen turn your computer off, then reboot into safe mode with networking, update and run Malwarebytes.

If this is above your confidence level, then just turn off your machine and call a tech, or take your tower or laptop to a repair facility. If you did proceed and do the download you will want to call your bank, cancel that transaction and you probably will want a new credit card!

It’s sad to say, but we should constantly be aware of scams. Never give out any passwords and only credit card information if you are absolutely positive of whom you are dealing with.

A Time to Reflect

2011-12-07T13:14:00.001-07:00

December is a month when we mentally review the past year. What were the highlights? What did I accomplish? Am I just existing? Am I really happy? Take stock of these questions, evaluate, then decide that 2012 will be the best year of your life!

Don't be ordinary anymore, think "out of the box." Look for new adventures, new people to meet, new places to go. Start living with passion and purpose.

Visualize your new life and create the world you want to surround you. Wake up in the morning with only positive thoughts and thank God for your health and wealth! You might say "I'm not wealthy." Oh but you are! If you have 2 dollars in your pocket, something to eat in the refrigerator, and a roof over your head, you are wealthier than 95 percent of the world! Celebrate your life now, give yourself a pat on the back and move forward with conviction! Life is what YOU make it and no one can tarnish your vision unless you let them.

Most people think that more money will make them happy. But the question is how much money? There have been countless number of people who have won the lottery. They purchased the mansion, the fancy car, and all the toys, but most of them are totally broke today and living in misery. There are countless examples of people who have or had it all and they are not happy. A host of people idolize Hollywood, but look at the life these people lead. Adultery, divorce, alcohol, drugs, pornography, are the masters of their lives. When you can buy anything with the snap of a finger, what do you look forward to when you wake up in the morning?

So let's, you and I, make a deal right now. Let's be happy and grateful for what we have. Let not money be our God. Starting today we will "Live with passion, in a constant state of joy, and with an Attitude of Gratitude!" Watch this two minute video to celebrate you. After that if you're feeling pumped up, then watch this one to remind you to appreciate and be grateful for TODAY! Be sure to watch all videos in the highest resolution, full screen, and volume turned up. If the video is jerky, then lower the resolution.

An Unusual Experience

2011-11-29T10:43:00.001-07:00

Every once in a while you experience something that is unusual and memorable, and such was the case on a recent camping trip.

We spent a week over Thanksgiving with lots of friends and our RVs, camping in the mountainous wilderness north of the old western town of Wickenburg, Arizona.

During the day we rode our all terrain vehicles, exploring the unknown; old deserted gold, silver, and copper mines. We have even found graves out in the middle of nowhere.

So, let’s get to the unusual. We are riding along in a river bed and I see someone walking toward us in the distance. Now keep in mind that we are miles from any campsite and I’m wondering what this person is up to.

As we get closer we see that it’s a woman and she is hiking with three friends. A llama, a donkey, and her dog. What a site! So we pulled up and got acquainted. (Click on photos for larger view.)

The dog, a miniature collie, immediately treats us like long lost buddies, and the llama and donkey are equally as friendly. We had a great time getting to know all four of these characters.

Here, “Angel” is telling Diane that they have walked for miles and is ready to be back home as she is carrying all the supplies. This woman must have been in good shape because they had already gone 5 miles and had more than that to hike a circle route to get back to camp.

The donkey drank out of Diane’s hand and they also had a good talk. This guy was just too cute.

Well, after a while we mounted up and rode off, only to look back and see this group hiking off in the distance.

You just never know when you’ll have an unusual experience and this will go in the books as one of them!

iPhone Photography

2011-11-12T12:31:00.001-07:00

The world of photography has changed drastically since the advent of the digital age. Gone are the days of spending your cash on film and developing. You’ll also remember that picking up your order after processing you were often disappointed in the results of your photos.

Digital cameras did away with all this. You can see instant results and take as many shots as you wish without spending additional cash.

In the last few years even simple pocket cameras have become very sophisticated offering lots of cool features and producing wonderful photos.

With the release of the iPhone 4, iPhone photography gradually became popular. Some of your “top notch” professional photographers are taking photos with this camera with some amazing results. Now with the release of the iPhone 4s, sporting an 8MB camera, the fun is even better!

Recently I came across a telephoto lens for my 4s. Telephoto lens on an iPhone? Sounds ridiculous and that was my thought when I first saw it on the Internet.

In a local ad I saw this lens on sale for $24.99, and I thought why not try it, might be fun. I was pleasantly surprised by the results, especially at such an inexpensive price!

The lens comes with a special protective cover for the iPhone so that the lens can be attached. It’s a 2 second operation to do this. A small tri-pod is even included.

I took the lens out of the box, snapped on the cover, and walked outside to the front porch where I snapped this picture looking up the street.

Then I attached the telephoto lens, which you can do blindfolded, and took another shot standing in the same spot.

I was very pleasantly surprised by the results of this 8X zoom lens. (You may click on the photos for a larger view.)

Both photos were enhanced using Paint Shop Pro X4 and Topaz Filters, but that didn’t change the fact that this little lens did a very decent job.

The nice thing about this lens is that it is only 3” long and can be carried in your pocket. And, of course the beauty of your iPhone is that you always have a camera with you!

If you shoot photos with your iPhone, you’ll definitely want to add “Camera +” to your phone. This app will let you shoot with constant light, or flash, shoot with amazing burst rates, set the focus and exposure points, edit your photos, and send them to email, instant messages, Facebook, Twitter, and more.

Just more fun in the digital age of photography!

Have fun with your picture taking. Here’s my final word on this:

“Your birth certificate proves that you were born. Your death certificate proves that you died, and your photos prove that you LIVED!

Take Your Best Shot

2011-09-30T12:35:00.001-07:00

There are many types of photographers, casual, intermediate, advanced, and professional. There are many types of cameras from inexpensive point & shoot to very expensive pro DSLRs. Just because the person standing next to you has a pro model and you’re using a point & shoot doesn’t necessarily mean that he or she will take a better photo.

Some of the advantages of a DSLR are the ability to change lenses, much faster start up time and writing time to the card. Other advantages include more menu choices, faster burst rates, the ability to use lens filters, and higher ISO settings.

Whether your camera is a 5 megapixel or an 18 megapixel you won’t tell the difference on your computer screen. They both will produce a very nice 11x14 print. The rule here is simple: the benefit of more pixels is the ability to render larger prints. Another advantage of more pixels is when cropping a photo you will still have enough pixels left for an 8x10 or an 11x14 print.

Most people don’t like to read manuals but it is a great advantage to learn as much as you can about your camera. An important part of your knowledge should include white balance. Sometimes auto WB will do a decent job, but most of the time a custom WB setting will create a better photograph. After studying your manual…then practice, practice, practice!

Before shooting be sure all your camera settings are correct. Now study the light. Often the best shots are achieved 90 degrees from the sun. Take horizontal and vertical shots and lots of them. Be creative and use different angles. When shooting children or pets, get down on their level.

Very few photos come out of the camera looking perfect. Learn the art of post editing to make your photos “pop.” For example this photo taken in Sedona, Arizona, is right out of the camera.

After a few minutes of editing, that photo looks like this! (Click on photos for larger view.)

After editing save your photo using the “Save As” command, thus saving the original.

Now that you’re proud of your photos, you will want to share them. You can email them to friends, print them, frame them, post them to the Internet or even make a photo book.

Lastly you’ll want to protect your photos. Be safe, not sorry, by copying them to an external hard drive!

Attitude is Everything!

2011-08-23T15:48:00.001-07:00

I wish it possible that every person, at a young age, could realize how “Attitude” is so important in our lives. Every situation that presents itself is perceived by a person’s attitude.

It’s as simple as this: Good attitude, good results, bad attitude, bad results. I admit that it’s tough sometimes. Negative situations will arise because we don’t live in a perfect world, but it’s up to us to take the positive away from any negative situation by changing our attitude.

It’s easy to be judgmental. You can always find fault in other people but rather than dwell on the negative, think about what you like about that person. Doing this will automatically change your attitude.

Life is built on continuous choices. We have a choice the first thing when we wake up in the morning; to be positive or to be negative. We have the ability to choose our thoughts. It’s impossible to be in a bad mood if you’re thinking a happy thought!

Having an “Attitude of Gratitude” will change your life! Most people are always wanting more and never stop long enough to realize how blessed they really are. When we are grateful life will give us more.

Imagine good things appearing in your life. Albert Einstein said: Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life’s coming attractions.”

Use your imagination to build an image of the world you want to live in.

“Live life with passion, in a constant state of joy, and with an attitude of gratitude!”

“We are what we think about.” ATTITUDE IS EVERYTHING!

Watch this amazing video from the producers of “The Secret.” Turn up the sound and click the arrows on the bottom right of the video to view in full screen.

America Today.

2011-07-26T16:07:00.001-07:00

It is my opinion that America is in deep trouble and those indicators are totally surrounding us today.

I’m stating this, not as a Republican, Democrat, Independent, or any other political affiliation, but as a person who loves his Country and wants America to be what is has always been, a strong free Nation, based on the laws of our founding fathers.

You don’t have to look far and wide for the indicators that we are falling apart. Our Constitution is being ignored and abused, we are in debt up to our ears, our borders are not secured, and we are passing laws that no one has read or understands. Common sense, logic, and ethics have gone down the drain.

One example of common sense is the fact that we can’t spend more than we make. That is very basic, but some Americans have lost that logic and and have purchased the big house, car, and all the toys, only to find out that they can’t pay for them, so they just walk away. Now the lenders are left holding the bag and big government has to bail them out. This becomes a vicious circle and our government is way over its head in debt.

Now our Congress and the President are fighting tooth and nail over regulating this debt and our leader wants to spend even more. This is insanity! All you Washington fat cats in your ivory tower with your big salaries and all your benefits should adhere to the same laws that the rest of us do. That’s one change we want to see!

I, for one, am sick and tired of hearing some people still blaming George W. Bush for all of our problems. Sure we had debt during his administration, but our present leader has added another 4 trillion dollars to the pile, more than any President in our history. This wild spending has to stop.

I have worked every day of my life since the age of 12 when I had a paper route. I worked during high school and college and every day henceforth. At the age of 72 I’m still working to provide for the well being of my family and now our leader is threatening taking away my social security. If this happens it would be fraud. There is no other word for it. You took my money all those years under the guise of taking care of me. You spent my money and are now crying that you’re broke! That is stealing and if I practiced this you would put me in prison.

I would also be in prison by entering any other country illegally! Just see how far you would get sneaking into another country, demanding your so called rights, demanding they speak your language and flying your flag over theirs. Go ahead, just try it! If you want to live in America then do it legally. Obey our laws and speak our language.

Why are we relying on enemy countries to supply us with oil? Why are we paying $4 a gallon for gasoline? Why are we not drilling in America where there is almost an unlimited supply? Please tell me.

Why do we have to talk to a person in a foreign country for technical support on almost any product? Why aren’t these jobs in America?

Why can’t we use the powerful media called Television to entertain and educate our people? 95% of TV programs are trash and are contributing to the moral decay of our society. Let’s not even talk about Hollywood and the movies. It’s all about sex, drugs, and violence including most of today’s video games.

The kids of today see all this as common place; they don’t know any different. Gone are the days of good clean fun programs and movies. Some of today’s wonderful programs include Housewives of New York City, 16 & Pregnant, Teen Mom, How to look good naked, Roseanne’s Nuts, Cheating Housewives, Jerry Springer, and the list goes on & on.

I am not a purist and am certainly not perfect, but I do believe in free enterprise, my freedom to believe in God and believe that it’s time for America to get back on its feet. There is no free lunch! My motto is “You don’t work, you don’t eat.”

May I interject a couple of other opinions? I served in the Armed Forces in the early sixties. I have the highest respect for any soldier or sailor who attained the rank of General or Admiral. In most instances their character qualities, moral & ethical standards were of the highest degree. Please listen to this Retired General who also was a green beret and member of the special forces.

Lastly please listen to one of our pastors, Trent Renner, who gave this message the weekend of July 23rd to five services of 15,000 people. If you don’t go to church, that’s okay, just give him a chance to tell his story.

Each one of us must pitch in to build a better America, and discard the philosophy of “let the other guy do it.”

The words above are not about me, they are about us!

What are your goals?

2011-07-09T10:08:00.001-07:00

I try to be a better person each day of my life. Not saying that I'm always successful but at least it's on my mind. We all have wishes and wants, but often times miss the boat. Why? Maybe it's because there was no road map, no strategic plan.

We set goals such as "I will lose weight" but that's too general, we need to be more specific. I will lose 10 pounds in the next 10 months and I will do that by not snacking while sitting on the couch. Now that's a plan.

I like to associate life with the game of football. There's a goal at the end of the field and you get there with a game plan. On each down the quarterback calls a play and that play has a specific plan. No plan, no goal! You can do anything in this world, the only thing that will stop you will be you!

I found a web site that is chocked full of good stuff to help us travel down the highway of life in the happy lane. Lots of good articles such as "7 questions to find passion" or "A better person in 7 days." This is a site where you could spend all day reading and getting motivated!

Star Tracking

2011-06-07T08:56:00.001-07:00

I know next to nothing about the heavens above us but there have been many a night, when we have been camping in the Arizona wilderness, when we have studied the stars and watched for satellites. This has aroused my curiosity on how to photograph the stars.

With the purchase of my new Nikon DSLR and thought I’d give “star tracking” a try on a recent camping adventure. We spent 10 days camped at an altitude of 7,200 feet and it was clear each night with no moon, so the conditions were just perfect.

I understood that the North Star is stationary and that the rest of the stars in our galaxy revolve around it. So late at night I set up the camera on a tri-pod and found my way to a clearing in the middle of 90 foot trees about 100 yards from our campsite.

I was very excited with this first attempt, but as you can tell the North Star was out of the picture. (Upper left) I thought it was located off the handle of the big dipper. Over the period of three nights I shot several photos trying to get that full circle.
For you camera nuts the stats are: Manual mode, 801 seconds, 18mm, F3.5, ISO 400, Tungsten WB, EV 0.

The outside temperature was 34 degrees so I only took two or three shots per night as my hands and feet were cold, and to tell you the truth, it was a little spooky in the pitch black. In this shot I was lucky enough to get a shooting star. You can see the streak in the lower right 1/3 of the photo. (Click on images for larger view.) I am very pleased with the results, but so far I’m not finding the North Star and the above photo is even further away. You can see the type of picture that I was striving for here.

I'll call it beginners luck that these shots turned out because there are so many variables with camera settings.

When we got back to Phoenix I could hardly wait to do some research on this and found out that the North Star is actually off the handle of the little dipper. So, the next time we get out in the middle of no where, far away from city lights on a moonless night, maybe I can get that circular shot. In the meantime I have found a new sideline to tie in with my love for photography! See more shots on my Photo Site.

For an in depth look into the heavens, you might enjoy watching this video taken with the Hubble Telescope. It’s mind boggling!

Adventure Trip to Utah

2011-05-06T11:52:00.001-07:00

Last week we and another couple took our RVs and quads and travelled to Southern Utah. We spent four days camped in Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park. This is quite a unique and beautiful place and we had fun riding and taking photos.

During one of those days we took a side trip to Zion National Park. It was only about a 30 minute drive from where we were camped and the weather was perfect. Zion has many unusual features and provides a casual adventure, especially if you are into hiking.

We had an enjoyable lunch just outside of the South entrance and after spending the better part of the day, we headed an hour North to Bryce Canyon N.P.

This place is breathtaking!
There are lots of observa-
tion points from which you can take photos and enjoy the splendor that this place has to offer. The altitude is over 8,000 feet so take your time walking from the parking lots.

We left the Coral Sand Dunes Friday and spent the weekend at the Lake Powell RV Resort. We used this as a base while we explored Glen Canyon Dam, Horseshoe Bend, and Lower Antelope Canyon.
The lower & upper slot canyons are located just 5 miles east of Page, Arizona on a Navaho Indian Reservation and as a photographer there is no greater thrill.

After parking your vehicle, you’ll transported by an Indian guide a couple of miles to the Upper Canyon. It can be explored casually and is an easy walk through its beauty.

The Lower Canyon is a different story. After paying a fee, you can walk a short distance to a slit in the ground. You turn your shoulders sideways as you make your way into the bowls of the earth. You’ll descent down many steep ladders, and on the canyon floor you will stop every few steps and take photos in all directions. You will be in total awe of what your mind is trying to absorb. This is a spectacle like no other, carved out over thousands of years by Mother Nature.

I have visited these canyons 4 times and have probably taken a thousand pictures. It is hard to pick out one that describes the breathtaking beauty of this experience!

The canyon twists and turns and around every corner is another indescribable view.
At times the floor is so narrow that you have to put one foot in front of the other. Each movement of your eyes captures beauty in your memory and then in your camera.

This was a week jam packed full of fun and adventure. You can see a whole gallery of these canyons (more to be added soon) on my Photo Site. Click on photos for larger view.

Life is good!

Sedona, Arizona

2011-04-15T11:51:00.001-07:00

Having an aviation career and flying to cities all over North America, I have to say that Sedona is maybe the most beautiful place of them all!

Since moving to Phoenix 16 years ago I bet we have driven there close to 50 times. It’s only an hour and a half north and we love to take visitors, or just go there to spend the day taking photos.

Two of the early settlers to this area where Theodore Schnebly and his wife. When trying to establish a post office he submitted the name “Red Rock Crossing” but the Government said it was too long, so he tried his wife’s name, Sedona, and it was accepted.

A must stop on your visit to Sedona is the “Chapel of the Holy Cross.” It was completed in 1956 and has attracted millions of people from all over the world.

This is a Catholic church but no matter what your religion, this is a very special place. You will find spending a few minutes inside to be inspiring as you take in all the beauty that surrounds you.

You probably would enjoy the Sedona airport which is situated high above the city. All kinds of airplanes land here and the view from up there is incredible!

Don’t even think about being in Sedona without your camera and if you really like taking photos, you will want to visit a place off the beaten path, Red Rock State Park which is located a few miles south of town.

The secret here is to park your car and hike the trail along the creek. It’s easy walking and this is nature and beauty at its best!

You can click on these pictures for a larger view, and see more photos I’ve taken in Sedona here.

American Idol

2011-04-08T15:36:00.001-07:00

Back in January I wrote about American Idol and that I thought this was the best season of the past 10 years.

It was until last night! The talent is better than ever but the producers of the show have to change the voting procedures. With unlimited votes the tweens have taken over and the whole thing turns into a bust!

Pia Toscano has been a huge favorite since day one and most, including the judges, predicted her to be one of the last ones standing.

In my opinion if they are going to let the public vote then it should be limited to one vote per telephone number. That’s the only fair way.

I am a music lover and consequently have enjoyed watching this show, but Thursday’s ending really made me mad and it took all the fun away from the season. (Photo from www.Americanidol.com)

Our recent visit to Vegas

2011-03-07T18:03:00.000-07:00

The world’s most exciting city, Las Vegas, is a fun place to visit and we like to do it at least once a year. A lot can happen in that city in 12 months as it is constantly re-inventing itself. One of the latest additions is “City Center,” and it is simply awesome! The Aria Hotel is part of this complex and was featured on a recent episode of “The Bachelor.” We spent the good part of a day exploring, shopping, having lunch, and taking photos. When I took this photo it seemed like I was standing in the middle of Disney World!

To Vegas and back home to Phoenix we drove across the new 240 million dollar Hoover Dam Bridge. I was a little apprehensive the first time (because of my fear of heights) as the bridge is almost 1,000 above the Colorado River, but they put 4 foot walls on both sides so unless you are driving an 18 wheeler you don’t even realize you are on it.

You do have the option of going just a little out of your way, parking, and hiking to the new bridge for a spectacular view of one of our National Treasures. The hike was easy and wheel chair accessible.

The dam is located on the Arizona – Nevada border and you will experience a time change when crossing the bridge.

We thoroughly enjoyed our 3 day adventure! Now I have to sift through over 500 photos and post a few of them on my Photo Site.
(You may click on the photos for a larger view.)

HP Shafted Me!

2011-02-23T12:48:00.001-07:00

I have been involved in the world of technology most of my life and have experienced the magnificence of this ever changing industry. Things are moving fast and I am one who tries to keep up with the latest computer, cell phone, etc.

The downfall in our society today is customer service for these products. Manufacturers don’t seem to care whether you are happy or not. I am in a position of recommending products, especially laptop and desktop computers and always steer customers toward HP. I have a studio full of HP products and especially love the three HP monitors that I use. My main monitor is a large 27” and in less than a year it failed. I called HP and they sent me a new one. That part of the story is good. Then within 90 days the second one failed with the exact same problem, and HP refuses to do anything about it.

The first frustration was that I had to talk to several people with very broken English who were in India. I was informed that the replacement has no warranty. When I asked to speak to a supervisor I was put on hold for 30 minutes and just left hanging. I’ve heard of that trick from other people. Two different HP representatives said that someone would call me, but I’ve never heard a word.

The second frustration is that you’ll never get past that level one technician in India. Talking to someone “higher up” is impossible. I even tried to leave a comment on HP’s web site as to this situation, but couldn’t. You can leave a positive comment about one of their products, but you can’t leave a negative comment. I wonder what would happen if I drove to their corporate office in California and asked to speak to the CEO? How about maybe I take a film crew with me?

So, Hewlett Packard you have cost me $350 to replace your monitor that worked for less than 3 months. Thanks so much, as I have certainly lost all my enthusiasm for your company!

What I’d really like to do is to take that 27 inch monitor and bust it into a million pieces with a sledge hammer, then put the video on YouTube, for the world to see, but that would be wasting my time! I’ve already wasted several hours on this project especially talking to people in India that can’t speak English and are computer illiterate!

The Possibilities of a Photograph

2011-02-07T20:28:00.001-07:00

I just attended a two day Nikon Photography School
and thoroughly enjoyed it. No matter how much you think you know about a subject you never stop learning and after attending a seminar you are usually fired up. (Click on Photos to enlarge.)

So today, I was taking pictures of just about anything around the house. I took this shot sitting in my studio at an overhead spotlight. I started playing with it in my photo editor and came up with the ones below.

Once you start fiddling with a photo the possibilities are endless and this could have gone on all day.

It’s amazing what you can come up with if you do some creative thinking when you’re taking the shot and again in post editing.

These effects were achieved in Paint Shop Pro X3 with their built in special effects. At other times I use filters from Topaz Labs. They are very professional and a welcome addition to any photo buffs toolbox! The “Photo Art” Gallery contains these pictures on my Photo Web Site.

American Idol

2011-01-27T10:48:00.001-07:00

Back in March l wrote that I have always been a music lover and in my early years played the drums. I was lucky enough to spend 12 years on the radio spinning records, so American Idol has always been a program that I have enjoyed.

I mentioned how boring the 2010 season was with four blabbering judges and the lack of talent from the contestants. In order to keep a show like this on top, you have to keep it fresh and I think they have done that this year with two new judges

Steven Tyler of Aerosmith has added flavor, and I like him. His group has sold over 20 million albums, so he certainly has the credentials for this position. Of course Jennifer Lopez is no slouch, and you know what? I don’t miss Simon in the least bit. His nasty comments and just the way he treated people was way over the top.

So far the pre-season auditions have been much more entertaining than in previous years. More raw talent is being featured and not so much of the ridiculous stuff. Some very heartwarming stories have been featured, such as this one from contestant Chris Medina.

In my opinion the glue that has held American Idol together for 10 years is Ryan Seacrest. He has done a masterful job of being the MC.

I think this season of American Idol will be a good one!

What are your goals?

2010-12-29T13:23:00.008-07:00

I try to be a better person each day of my life. Not saying that I'm always successful but at least it's on my mind. Each year at this time people talk about New Year's resolutions, but few follow through. Why? Maybe it's because there was no road map, no strategic plan.

We set goals such as "I will lose weight" but that's too general, we need to be more specific. I will lose 10 pounds in the next 10 months and I will do that by not snacking while sitting on the couch. Now that's a plan.

I like to associate life with the game of football. There's a goal at the end of the field and you get there with a game plan. On each down the quarterback calls a play and that play has a specific plan. No plan, no goal! You can do anything in this world, the only thing that will stop you will be you!

I found a web site that is chocked full of good stuff to help us travel down the highway of life in the happy lane. Lots of good articles such as "7 questions to find passion" or "A better person in 7 days." This is a site where you could spend all day reading and getting motivated!

It’s that time of year!

2010-12-24T11:10:00.001-07:00

Snow seems to be capturing the headlines this week, in Europe and the U.S. I spent most of my life living in the Midwest and it was usually a white Christmas. There is something special about the snow flakes falling outside the window as you sip some hot chocolate and enjoy the fireplace.

Now that we live in Phoenix we don’t see the white stuff unless we drive a couple of hours north which we will do this weekend just to take pictures.

I took this photo with my iPhone yesterday at Westgate which is right next to the University of Phoenix Stadium, home of the 2008 Super Bowl. That is certainly a different scene than most of the country right now.

I kind of miss the snow at Christmas time, but I don’t miss the shoveling and bitter cold temperatures. After blue skies, warm temps, and sunshine for the past 16 years it would be hard for me to endure the harshness of a cold winter.

Wherever you are and whatever the weather, I hope you have a very Merry Christmas, and that 2011 will be the best year of your life!

Have you heard of “Wordle?”

2010-12-13T10:26:00.001-07:00

I recently found a site on the Internet where you can use your imagination to create some cool graphics.

I created this one to use as the opening page in Power Point for my Photo Seminars.

First thing to do is to open Word or Word Pad and type in some words that go along with the theme you want to use. If you repeat words they will have stronger emphasis. Copy those words that you created and paste them into the space provided in Wordle. The reason for creating your words externally is so you have a back-up and don’t have to start all over again if you make a mistake in Wordle.

Click the “Randomize Button” until you find an arrangement that you like. You will find provisions to change the font, layout, and color, at the top of the page. When finished I do a “Print Screen” and paste it into my photo editor for any further enhancement such as adding the camera in the corner.

This is a free service and the site is http://www.wordle.net/

The iPad

2010-12-01T17:42:00.001-07:00

This person is Steve Jobs, the founder of Apple Computers. The object that he is holding is an iPad that was released in April, 2010. Since then the company has sold over 1.5 million a month! This man, in my opinion, is a marketing genius.

People stood in line at stores for days to be one of the first to purchase the iPhone, and the same thing happened with the iPad.

I was a hold off on the iPhone but soon joined the ranks of proud owners. It is just a marvelous piece of technology and I have really enjoyed all it has to offer. I will upgrade soon to the iPhone 4G.

I have been holding off on the iPad, but finally gave into the temptation today. This too is a wonderful invention and I will use it, among other things, to enhance my passion for photography.

I’m still a PC man, and probably will always be, but never say never….

America Has Spoken!

2010-11-03T12:21:00.001-07:00

The day after the election and America has spoken! The majority of our Nation is disgusted with big government and the direction the current administration has taken us over the past two years. We are faced with no jobs, huge national debt, an unhealthy housing market, continued wild spending, a nonchalant attitude toward securing our borders, and a health care bill that Nancy Pelosi said “We have to pass the bill so you can find out what’s in it!” No matter who you are or your party affiliation I think you’ll agree that was a not an intelligent statement! What she said was “we are cramming something down your throat whether you like it or not!”

Our President ran on a platform of “Hope and Change for America.” The problem is that his agenda is not the change we had hoped for. This election strongly voiced that we need to get back on track of common sense and responsibility.

Elected politicians need to represent the people and not their own selfish interests. Now, with a lot of fresh faces, we will see change, change in another direction.

Black, White, Hispanic, Indian, Republican, Democrat, Tea Party, or Independent, we need to find common ground for making America the Country that we have always been proud of!

Fake Security Alert

2010-10-29T12:42:00.005-07:00

This is a picture of a fake security alert. If it appears on your screen do nothing. Don’t click on any of the buttons as it will only get you into deeper trouble.

If you have Malwarebytes installed, run it immediately to rid your computer of this scam. If you don’t have Malwarebytes installed you probably won’t be able to get on the Internet because this infection changes browser settings. You can download Malwarebytes from a clean computer to a flash drive, then install and run it to clear the problem on your infected machine.

If this is all too confusing then you can consult a computer expert.

Fall Colors

2010-10-27T18:24:00.001-07:00

It’s fall again, and the colors of earth are changing! It’s time to grab your camera and take some shots of all this beauty.

We recently spent some time travelling and took this shot in Waukesha, Wi.

It’s a private driveway and I would have loved to have seen the home at the end.

The only problem with such a beautiful property is that somebody has to do a lot of yard work!

Photo Editing Software

2010-09-08T18:06:00.001-07:00

Since I give Photo Seminars I like to acquaint myself with different photo editing programs. There are lots of free editors on the market. Some are packaged with your camera or printer. Some are good and some are bad. Google’s Picasa seems to be a popular application and it’s free, so I gave it a try just so I could broaden my knowledge.

I downloaded the program, and installed it which went smoothly. The problem started immediately after install when it scanned my computer for pictures. Since I have over 50,000 this took a very long time. I noticed that the photo folders were being duplicated and the reason was that it also scanned my external hard drive, without my permission I might add. After that it started rescanning all the imported photos for face recognition which took forever. This was also done without my permission.

The nightmare was, that in the process of all this, some of my most valuable photo folders completely disappeared from my hard drive! They had also been moved on my external hard drive. This little experiment took me about a week to correct and get everything back to normal.

Long story short, I won’t recommend Picasa to any of my friends, customers or in my seminars. There is no reason why any program has to be that invasive and do things without asking you first!

If you have upgraded to Windows 7 there is a program included called “Windows Live Photo Gallery” which is easy to use and gives you all the basic tools to edit your pictures. Click the Start button, then All Programs and open the Windows Live Folder.

The most talked about photo program in the world is Adobe’s Photo Shop but it costs $700. The learning curve is steep and so is the price. There are two other alternatives for those who are more advanced with photography. Adobe’s Photo Shop Elements which costs $80 to $100 and Corel’s Paint Shop Photo Pro, priced the same.

I have used this program to edit my photos since the day it was born, some 14 years ago, and believe it just can’t be beat.

No camera produces a perfect photo, no matter how expensive it is. If you really want your photos to look the best they can look, then I highly recommend Paint Shop Photo Pro. You can download a fully functional 30 day trial Here.

There are those purists who claim that fixing a photo is cheating and to that I say “hog wash!” Post editing is half the fun of photography. There’s a difference between taking a photo and making a photo.

California Adventure

2010-07-20T11:16:00.076-07:00

We just returned to the heat of Phoenix from the cool temps of California. I have always wanted to travel up the coast on Route 1 and be a part of the magnificent beauty that the coastline has to offer.

We started in San Marcos where we stayed with friends for three days, spent a night in Hermosa Beach and a day a night with our niece and family in Santa Barbara.

Further up the road near San Simeon we made the discovery of Piedras Blancas Beach where the elephant seals hang out. This was incredible! In July the males swim from Alaska and stay here for over a month to shed their skin. Some of them can weigh over 5,000 pounds! You can read all about it Here.
We spent a night in Pismo Beach where the motels offer exceptional views. This was sunset viewed from our room!

I love seagulls and they were plentiful along with pelicans. It was offspring time so we saw lots of seagull babies. When I see these beautiful birds it always brings back the memory of the movie "Johnathan Livingston Seagull. There wasn't a human being in the entire show and all the music was provided by Neil Diamond.

We spent all morning taking photos of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco from different sites. It was foggy, cold, and windy, but we loved the time spent there. The afternoon was an enjoyable experience at the Fisherman's Wharf. I don't think I ever saw so many people in one place in my life. Visitors from all over the world!

The day before we visited Monterrey Bay and had lunch at the Pebble Beach Country Club. That was unique as only a couple of weeks previous it was the sight of the U.S. Open Golf Tournament. We spent a day in Napa Valley visiting wineries and enjoying the the sights of all the vineyards.

Next stop was Lake Tahoe where we took the time to drive around the entire lake, which took over 5 hours. Wonderful small villages along the way and beautiful sights! We also spent the night there.

Our last major stop was Yosemite National Park. We were lucky enough to get this morning shot before the wind rippled the water and spoiled the reflection. This may have been my favorite photo from the entire trip.

On our way back home we stopped for gas in Needles, California where the temperature was 122. Now that's hot! It was a cool 114 when we arrived back in Phoenix. Being semi-retired is nice because we can take off a lot in this terrifically hot weather.

This two week vacation was fantastic and consider ourselves very blessed for the experience. I hope this summer is special for you!

You may click on the photos above for a larger view and I will be posting more pictures on my Photo Site, mostly in the "Misc Outdoor Shots" Gallery.

A City Unlike Any Other City in the World.

2010-06-14T17:59:00.007-07:00

Las Vegas, in many ways, is one of the most intriguing cities in the world. So much to see, the best entertainers, and just a fun place to visit.

We spent last weekend there and it's incredible how this city re-invents itself every year. Buildings are constantly being torn down and bigger, taller, more beautiful ones are climbing to the sky.

Everyone's spirits are high when visiting this city because it's another world and far from everyday reality. In one way it is very glamorous, and in another very sinful.

Gambling is fun as long as a person uses some common sense and thinks of it as entertainment. What's shameful are the thousands who are pouring their money into the games and going home broke. It can be very addicting waiting for that big jackpot. They didn't erect all those buildings with their money!

The part of our trip that I found disgusting was walking along Las Vegas Boulevard and being hustled by hundreds of people handing out baseball cards. The problem was that the cards weren't about baseball. They had pictures of girls who were for hire. The good part is that 99.9% of people discarded them but the bad part is that they ended up on the sidewalks and in the streets. Not a pretty site. I think the City Council would pass a law forbidding this. All in all we had a great time and two days there was plenty for us.

The photo above was taken with my Iphone, believe it or not, as we were were waiting for the fountains to erupt in front of the Bellagio. You may click on it for a larger view. See my Las Vegas photos here.

What's going on in Arizona?

2010-05-24T14:36:00.023-07:00

Arizona is one of the most beautiful states in America. From the deserts of the South to the Grand Canyon in the North; it's a wonderful place to live and people move here by the thousands each year to enjoy their retirement.

Arizona is now being spoiled by thousands upon thousands of people entering our Country illegally. This is happening because our southern border is not secured and the situation worsens by the day because our federal government will not take proper steps to alleviate the problem.

Recently our Governor signed a law that would enforce immigration guidelines, and all hell broke loose politically. The Mexican President recently visited Washington, talked badly about Arizona, and spoke harshly against the law in front of Congress claiming it to be discriminatory.

Since when does the United States of America allow a foreign president to dictate to us what kind of laws we should implement? And furthermore why did the Speaker of the House, the Vice President, the Director of Homeland Security and other members of Congress stand and applaud his derogatory statements? I personally am appalled by these actions and ask our President to start standing up for America!

This Country of ours is filled with people from all nations and have been welcomed by the Statue of Liberty for decades. People come to America because it is "The Land of Free" and offers unlimited opportunities for those who seek them. If you want to live here you should become a legal resident, speak our language, fly the American flag, and abide by our laws. If you don't want to comply with this, then you are not welcome. Why do you come here illegally and expect the world to be handed to you? Why do you demand that we pay for your health care, your education, and teach YOUR language in our schools? This is insanity! Don't stand outside of our State Capitol and demonstrate for your rights. You don't have rights in this Country unless you are a legal citizen!

If you cross the border of any other Country in the World, illegally, you are in deep trouble. You could spend years in prison or even be shot on the spot. But enter the U.S. illegally and we give you a job, a driver's license, social security card, welfare, food stamps, subsidized rent, free education, free health care, a lobbyist in Washington, billions of dollars worth of public documents printed in your language, and the right to carry your countries flag while you protest that you're not getting enough respect!

Actually, it's not your fault, it's us who have lost our minds. It's the bleeding heart liberals and extreme left wingers who are at fault, and come this November, they will be fired!

Here in Maricopa County, we have the best Sheriff in the world. His name is Joe and he has done an outstanding job of protecting law abiding Arizona citizens for all the years he has been in office. His job now has become very difficult because he is constantly accused of racial profiling. Give me a break! We have a great Governor who wants to "Build a Better Arizona" and uphold the laws of the land, but is now being severely criticized by certain "off the wall" jug heads in Congress. Give me a break!

There are now three types of southern border infiltrators. First there are hard working, honest, Mexicans who want a better life, and they are welcome to it if they go about it legally. Secondly there is the fierce battle of the Mexican drug lords who are bringing drugs and terror into America. Thirdly are the middle east extremists who are out to destroy our Nation. Do we remember 911?

Phoenix is full of crime and is the number one city in America for kidnapping and it's all because of the Mexican drug lords.

If you think that only Arizona is effected by this problem, then you have a rude awakening! It is effecting our whole Country. Here's a news report, not from Phoenix, Arizona but from Atlanta, Georgia, and it is a must watch!

This is what's going on in Arizona, but it's just the tip of the iceberg as to "What's going on in America!"

If you are reading this and feel as I do, then stand up and be bold! Tell your Congressmen and Senators that we want our borders secured NOW, before it's too late!

Arizona Adventure

2010-04-21T17:59:00.009-07:00

A Phoenix newspaper, last weekend, featured an article about Grand Falls. Turns out that practically nobody has ever heard of it. Located Northeast of Flagstaff on a Navajo Indian Reservation, this beautiful setting is out in the middle of nowhere! The falls is actually taller than Niagara Falls and is sometimes referred to as "Chocolate Falls" because it's so muddy. It only flows in March and April and gets its water from melting snow in the mountains.

Since we are always looking for adventure we loaded the cameras, made a picnic lunch, and headed out on Tuesday. This was about a 3 hour trip with the last 10 miles on a rough and dusty dirt road. We got there plenty early as to take advantage of the morning light. We had the whole place to ourselves except for a father and son who were enjoying an outdoor breakfast. This place is so unbelievable that you just don't show up, take a couple of pictures and leave. We spent three and a half hours exploring this site from all angles and took hundreds of photos. You can click on these pictures for a larger view and see more in my Arizona Photo Gallery.

Next, we headed for Sunset Crater which is just north of Flagstaff. This is a place that we have passed many times but have never taken the time to visit. 1,000 years ago volcanoes erupted here leaving massive lava fields and a large crater. Photos from this place can also be seen in the Arizona Photo Gallery.

The last stop of the day was Grand Canyon, which was an hours drive from Sunset Crater. We have been here many times but never get tired of the breathtaking views of what has transpired over millions of years. This is truly one of the most beautiful places on earth, and first time visitors are in total awe of their experience!

After 16 hours and 534 miles we were both tired out when we got home, but had much fun "making a memory."

To see my tribute to the "Great American Southwest" click here.

Moab, Utah

2010-03-21T15:07:00.003-07:00

We have been to Moab, Utah many times and I can't think of anywhere else where the word "Adventure" is more prevalent. We just returned from another trip there and in a few days I took 600 photos! This area of America's Southwest is truly amazing with all it has to offer. We camped with our RV at Canyon Lands RV resort in the heart of town and were treated like a million dollars. Our next door neighbors were Dennis and Carol from Alberta, Canada. They are spending three months "on the road" seeing the sights of the U.S.A. They were pulling a new Jeep behind their motor coach and believe me, that's the way to truly explore what this area has to offer.

We visited Dead Horse Point State Park and were greeted at the gift shop by the young lady featured in the video on the web site. After that stop and many pictures later, we drove a short distance to Canyonlands National Park where again we experienced breathtaking views.

Our most exciting adventure of the week though was our visit to nearby Arches National Park. We have been there many times before, but this time we decided to hike to the famous "Delicate Arch" which is the symbol of Utah. We had never accepted this challenge before because of the 3 mile heart pounding trek. Once there however, every step was worth it. At my age it was like a younger person climbing Mt. Everest! This was the view of the last 200 yard hike. Right around the corner we were greeted to the magnificent view of the Arch!

The next day we decided to hike to the back side of the arch. It's a distant view and only a mile hike but got some good shots using my 200mm lens. Along the way we met a young man who was demonstrating his level of testosterone. That wasn't for me, but they were having fun, and that's the name of the game. If you visit Utah, a trip to Moab is a must! Click on photos for a larger view.

More pictures from our recent trip can be found in the "National Parks" gallery on my Photo Site.

American Idol

2010-03-05T09:35:00.002-07:00

I have always been a music lover and in my early years played the drums. I was lucky enough to spend 12 years on the radio spinning records, so American Idol has always been a program that I have enjoyed.

This season however, in my opinion, just doesn't have the pizazz as in previous years. The talent is weak, people are tired of Randy Jackson's jive talk, and Simon's "over the top" criticisms. Kara talks way too much and her flirtations with Simon are sickening. Four judges are too many as it becomes very boring listening to all their comments after each song.

Simon is leaving the show after this season and the producers better think long and hard on getting the production back on track or the show will certainly lose its ratings.

Motivation

2010-02-26T15:02:00.001-07:00

What motivates you? What is your challenge, your goals, your dream? I have studied the philosophy of PMA (Positive Mental Attitude) since the 1970s. One of the ways in reaching goals, realizing your gifts, and fulfilling your dreams is to think positive. You are and you become what you think about!

One of today's great motivational writers is Ralph Marston and I receive a daily email from him with innovative ideas on how to lead a better life. Let me quote him from one of those emails:

Dare to say what you truly think. Dare to express what you really feel.

Preventing yourself from being yourself causes stress, anxiety, frustration and resentment. Give yourself
permission to be uniquely beautiful and uninhibited in your living of life.

Dare to attempt things you've never done before. Every well-honed skill you have, was once a new experience.

Dare to question your beliefs. For that is how you make them strong.

Open yourself to the possibility of failure. The fact that success is never a sure thing is what makes it so worth
having.

Dare to imagine, and then to intently build that which you've imagined. Dare to dream, and to live that dream with passion and purpose in every moment.

See these words with photos and music.

Ralph's website is: www.greatday.com

Hope and Change

2010-01-21T10:09:00.009-07:00

Even people who voted for Obama are finally sitting up and taking notice of all the horrific things that are taking place in our Government. It didn't take long for America to realize that the "Hope and Change" that Obama kept talking about in his campaign was change in a totally wrong direction!

This whole mess is not about Democrats, Republicans, black or white. It's about America, "The Land of the Free, and the Home of the Brave."

We the people are fed up with secret closed door meetings, crazy deficit spending, structured press conferences, pay-offs, bail-outs, high unemployment, and the list goes on and on.

Certain people in Congress and in the White House act like they are above the law. They have been trying to pass a phony health care bill for a year now and we keep saying no.

Listen up Washington, you seem to forget that we elected you to represent us. If you don't want to represent us then we will send you home. We did it in Virginia, we did it in New Jersey, and we did it in Massachusetts. I personally am so disgusted with the political scene that I'm changing my affiliation to Independent.

You want change? You are going to see a big change November 2nd! This video represent my views.

The Power of Prayer

2010-01-18T18:39:00.006-07:00

Most people just don't understand the power of prayer!

Did you know that during WWII there was an advisor to Winston Churchill who organized a group of people who prayed every day at a prescribed time for the safety of England, its people and peace?

The same thing is now happening in America. You may participate every evening at 9:00 PM Eastern Time (8:00 PM Central) (7:00 PM Mountain) (6:00 PM Pacific). Stop whatever you are doing and spend one minute praying for the safety of the United States, our troops, our citizens, and for the return to a Godly nation.

2010 HANDBOOK

2010-01-14T15:07:00.004-07:00

Health :

Drink plenty of water.
Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar.
Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants.
Live with the 3 E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy
Make time to pray.
Play more games
Read more books than you did in 2009 .
Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day
Sleep for 7 hours.
Take a 10-30 minutes walk daily, and while you walk, smile.

Personality :

Don't compare your life to others.
Don't have negative thoughts or things you cannot control.
Don't over do. Keep your limits.
Don't take yourself so seriously.. No one else does.
Don't waste your precious energy on gossip.
Dream more while you are awake
Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need..
Forget issues of the past.
Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don't hate others.
Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.
No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn.
Smile and laugh more.
You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

Society :

Call your family often.
Each day give something good to others.
Forgive everyone for everything..
Spend time w/ people over the age of 70 & under the age of 6.
Try to make at least three people smile each day.
What other people think of you is none of your business.
Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will.

Life:

Do the right thing!
Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
GOD heals everything.
However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
The best is yet to come.
When you awake alive in the morning, thank GOD for it.
Your Inner most is always happy. So, be happy.

I did not write this. The author is unknown, but I thought it was a good blog entry!

My Electric Bill

2009-12-10T15:26:00.048-07:00

Electricity is something that we can't live without, at least in the modern world. Our electric bill each month is predicated on the amount we use.

To be honest, I have really never taken a close look at my bill. I receive it in the mail and pay it. This month, for some reason, I studied it and just couldn't believe all the extra charges! It's disgusting and hilarious at the same time!

Take a look at my November invoice, exactly as it appeared.

Basic service charge..............................................................$6.96
Delivery service charge.........................................................$22.24
Environmental benefits surcharge............................................$3.71
Federal environmental improvement surcharge..........................$0.14
Competition rules compliance charge.......................................$0.30
System benefits charge..........................................................$1.66
Power supply adjustment........................................................$4.80
Metering................................................................................$5.45
Meter reading.........................................................................$1.82
Billing....................................................................................$2.05
Generation of electricity on peak............................................$39.73
Generation of electricity off peak..............................................$8.52
Transmission and ancillary services.........................................$4.67
Transmission cost adjustment.................................................$2.03
Interim rate surcharge.............................................................$2.03
Regulatory assessment..........................................................$0.28
State sales tax......................................................................$6.08
County sales tax....................................................................$0.76
City sales tax.........................................................................$3.58
Franchise fee.........................................................................$2.13
Total charges for electricity services................................$118.94

It looks to me as the actual charge for electricity was $48.25, but let everybody get their fingers in it and the total is increased by 2.5 times!

At the rate things are moving along in Congress, it's bound to get worse. The funny thing is that in November neither the air conditioner nor the furnace ran.

I am happy about one thing though, that we are able to afford to pay the bill, at least for now!

The Joy of Camping

2009-11-25T10:57:00.009-07:00

There were years when we said "Why would anyone buy an RV, pull it somewhere and sit around?" Now we laugh at those thoughts because our camper has opened a whole new world for us. There are two ways to camp.

One is to park in an RV resort with full hookups. You have city water, electricity, cable TV, and sewer hookup. The other is to camp in the wilderness where you are self contained. We carry 120 gallons of water which is plenty for two people for about 10 days. A 5,500 watt generator furnishes electricity when needed for the microwave or TV, otherwise two 12 volt batteries carry the load for normal use.

We dry camp a lot. In the summer we travel to Northern Arizona where the temps are cooler and in the winter wilderness camping is only an hour away. The photo above was from a recent stay north of Wickenburg. We are always with friends. We spend the day riding our all terrain vehicle in the mountains and the evenings sitting around the campfire. Whether it's only for the weekend or for a longer time, we always have a great time! You might say, "That's not camping because you have all the comforts of home," and that's true. But we didn't start with this rig, we started with a tent, then a smaller camper, and now this one. Compared to the tent, I'll take this any day! We really look forward to each trip and love our RV!

October Adventure

2009-10-30T16:15:00.004-07:00

I spent most of my life in the Quad Cities which is located on the Mississippi River about 150 miles West of Chicago. We moved to Phoenix in 1996 to enjoy the last years of our parents and to live in the year round sunshine. It's always fun to visit your home town, and that's what we did for the entire month of October. I have family there and in Milwaukee so it was fun being with them and seeing tons of old friends.

One of the trip's highlights was appearing on the local NBC station. As a guest on the Paula Sands Live show we talked about technology and promoted a computer seminar that I gave to the Quad Cities Computer Society. You can watch that TV interview here and see the QCS write-up here. If you watch the TV interview, promise that you won't call me the Goodyear Blimp! I'm really not that plump.

One thing I don't miss about the Midwest is the nasty weather. It rained almost the entire time we were there and only experienced a few nice days. But of course we remember the fun more than the weather.

Facebook

2009-09-30T19:53:00.008-07:00

A few months ago I signed up for a Facebook account and gave it a try. That try lasted only 24 hours because what I experienced with limited friends was very trivial.

After reading on the net how popular Facebook is and that possibly it could replace email in the near future, I thought maybe I missed something.
So, I reactivated my account, added more friends, and gave it another try. After a couple of weeks I still was amazed at the trivialality of the whole experience. People making comments like "I just finished a bowl of potato soup," or "I just fed my cat." Maybe it's my age, but I'm just not enthused about the whole thing. It's like everyone is back in the third grade again.

I do enjoy the photos that friends post or something important that they might say, but "I just fed my cat?"

I don't find the interface to be that user friendly, and I don't like people pestering you to "be your friend" when maybe you don't want their chatter on your page.

I'll stick with it longer this time though, but I just won't check in every minute like some people do.

Tantrums, and Apologies......

2009-09-18T11:21:00.013-07:00

Have you noticed lately all the outbursts, temper tantrums, and hostility in our society? Political name calling and fist shaking, celebrity fiascoes, sporting event fighting, and of course violent crime. The funny thing about a lot of these outbursts is that we are getting almost instant apologies. So what's triggering all this?

In my opinion I think it's the unrest of our Country. The average American is feeling frustrated. As much as I love technology I believe that it is partly to blame because information dissemination happens instantly and sometimes it manifests itself into overload.

I have found that shutting off the TV for a day or two helps. We do a lot of camping in our RV, and that helps to get away and just relax and I find that having faith in God is very soothing.

What's your opinion? I have recently added the ability for you to comment on postings.

An Illinois Reader Answers my last Post.

2009-09-15T17:18:00.011-07:00

I found your pruning analogy very interesting, but honestly feel it's too late. I believe the reason for all the dead branches is an infestation that is so pervasive that it will eventually kill all the trees.

If we don't do something now we will loose the whole forest. My feeling is that we set the the whole forest on fire; burn them all down without discrimination, Oak, Maple, Elm or Pine. They have been there too long and many are so rotten to the core they have no chance of growth.

Now all we have to do is replant to our specifications, only planting trees that are able to flourish in the light of day!

*********************************
Good point of view, and a forest fire is just what might happen if things don't shape up!

Pruning the Waste.....

2009-09-14T23:36:00.008-07:00

Last week we camped in the beautiful Coconino National Forest in the incredible state of Arizona. This forest consists of almost 2 million acres of wilderness, mountains, lakes, and streams. Our campsite was "out of the way," rather private, and not known by many who frequent that particular area.

On our first day there, while sipping a cup of coffee, I noticed that all the pine trees had lots of dead limbs. (First photo) Since we were there a couple days ahead of our friends, I decided to start trimming. Before I knew it I had cleaned up 43 trees in the immediate area. Suddenly our campsite had a new clean look (Second photo) and it felt good.

The next day I decided to trim the trees up the narrow dirt road that led to our campsite, and in the end the count was 152 clean looking pine trees. I was exhausted with sore muscles, but proud of the accomplishment. It was a small achievement, but it made a difference.

Now, and I mean now, the same thing must be done to our Country. We must prune the dead branches! We must prune mad spending; we must prune mad people in Congress who are advocating mad spending! America is waking up and it's not about politics anymore. It's not about Democrats or Republicans. It's not about race or religion, it's about you and me, the people of America who want our Country back, and YOU can make a difference.

Speak up and be bold. Ask your elected Senators and Congressmen "Are you doing the right thing?

There is going to be big changes in the coming weeks; you just watch the branches fall! America needs a clean look again because we are a proud people and if you don't want to do it NOW Congress, then you'll get pruned in the 2010 election. Don't let the current situation snowball any further.

I'm not saying these things in hatred, I'm just standing up with millions of others who are thinking the same thing. I've never in my life been so concerned about our future as I am today.

Will you stand up? Will you help prune the waste? Will you pray for America?

Is a Computer Masculine or Feminine?

2009-08-31T09:50:00.008-07:00

A Spanish teacher was explaining to her class that in Spanish, unlike English, nouns are designated as either masculine or feminine.

'House' for instance, is feminine: 'la casa.'

'Pencil,' however, is masculine: 'el lapiz.'

A student asked, 'What gender is 'computer'?'

Instead of giving the answer, the teacher split the class into two groups, male and female, and asked them to decide for themselves whether 'computer' should be a masculine or a feminine noun. Each group was asked to give four reasons for its recommendation.

The men's group decided that 'computer' should definitely be of the feminine gender ('la computadora'), because:

1. No one but their creator understands their internal logic;
2. The native language they use to communicate with other computers is incomprehensible to everyone else;
3. Even the smallest mistakes are stored in long term memory for possible later retrieval; and
4. As soon as you make a commitment to one, you find yourself spending half your paycheck on accessories for it.

The women's group, however, concluded that computers should be masculine ('el computador'), because:

1. In order to do anything with them, you have to turn them on;
2. They have a lot of data but still can't think for themselves;
3. They are supposed to help you solve problems, but half the time they ARE the problem; and
4. As soon as you commit to one, you realize that if you had waited a little longer, you could have gotten a better model.

The women won.

America IS Standing Up!

2009-08-10T09:20:00.020-07:00

Sunday afternoon, with camera in hand, Diane and I decided to drive a few miles from our home to Westgate. That's the location of the 2008 Super Bowl and the Glendale Arena which last night featured Sean Hannity's 2009 Freedom Concert. Since it was sold out we decided to go there and just hang around outside to be a part of the occasion. I shot a few pictures, especially of people with patriotic shirts. The photo here is 3 pictures combined into the one.

I thought, by chance, could there be tickets still available, so I wandered to the a ticket window and inquired. It pays to ask and we ended up being a part of this wonderful event that lasted almost four hours! Hannity played host and his talented line-up included Lee Greenwood, Rich Little, Charlie Daniels, John Voight, Michael W. Smith, Oliver North, and Billy Ray Cyrus.

This was an extremely refreshing experience as thousands of people were polite, well mannered, and enthusiastic! Of course the main stream media wasn't there because there were no fist fights or angry mobs, just good people who wish President Reagan was back in office!

The tour started August 1st in Houston, then Dallas, San Diego, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Jackson, New Jersey, Cincinnati, and Atlanta. If you live near the last 3 cities you may still have a chance to be a part of this most patriotic event.

Here is a photo I took of Sean singing with the Charlie Daniels band. (Click for large view)

Town Hall meetings are taking place this month, while Congress is in recess, and people are speaking out against the current direction of our Nation. We will not stand for socialism!

Will someone explain to me why is it that liberals can say anything, but if an opposing view is expressed, Palosi says it is "Un-American" and the President tells us to "shut-up?" Wow!

America IS Standing Up and bringing pride of Country back into reality! Thank you American's who want your Country back and thank-you Sean Hannity!

Stand up America - Epilog

2009-07-31T09:57:00.017-07:00

Politics and the direction of our Country is a hot button today. Never in my lifetime do I remember family break-ups because of politics. In America's history we have had good and bad Presidents but the political discussions have never been this deep. I personally know people who have lost all communication with friends and family members because they so violently disagreed on the last election, and that is sad.

The majority of comments I received from the posting below were very positive. A couple of people wrote to me and said "Take me off your email list!" Gordon from California wrote "Don't send me anymore of that right wing Fox News Crap." A fellow named Ron writes, "You need to get your head out of your a_ _. Be informed not opinionated." Another person who calls himself "Space Cadet" wrote, "Sounds like the RNC (Republican National Committee) talking paper issued two days ago, I read facts not fiction." Bill from Phoenix, writes in part, "Your bully pulpit cannot stand up to the bright lights of rational thought and discourse." What?

As I mentioned, positive reactions to the last blog entry far outweighed the negatives. Carolyn from Tucson, Arizona wrote, "We need you in Washington, DC! Thanks for your insight" Jim from Florida wrote, "I have forwarded your email to many friends. Wake-up America!" Beth Ann also from Florida wrote, "I couldn't agree with you more! Can I place a link on my Facebook page?" Teri writes, "As Bill O'Reilly would say, You Sir, are a Patriot!" Bob from Atlanta (a former ABC TV news person) said, "I am very concerned. Not even in the 60's have I heard so much open talk about rebellion on the Internet, talk radio and everywhere. I am very concerned about the condition of our Country, and both sides are to blame."

Perhaps one of the more interesting comments came from a couple who lived in communist Hungary and escaped to the United States. They state, "We made it to this wonderful country, where we are enjoying freedom and a good life." Their message was long, but in short stated that they don't want to see the good life and freedom taken away.

My last blog post may have seemed harsh, and it was. I meant it as a wake up call. As Bob mentioned "both sides are to blame." I replied to some of the negative emails and asked them if they could point out one statement that they disagreed with, but I have had no answers. They don't want to listen because they are ill informed and don't want to hear the truth. Intelligent people don't call you a nasty name just because you don't agree with their philosophy. Kate from Mountain Center, California stated that "California has not declared bankruptcy. Wherever did you get that idea?" Alright Kate I will retract the word "declared" but we all know your state is floundering financially and writing IOU's. The fact is that a lot of us think our Nation will follow, simply because you can't spend more than you make! That's what America is doing right now to the tune of Trillions! You can't fix the economy by spending money you don't have; that's just plain common sense.

I have one more retraction and that was the word "suicide" in my reference to page 425 of the currently proposed health care bill. I quoted the former New York Lieutenant Governor, Betsy McCaughey who recently was a guest on former Senator Fred Thompson's radio show. I wrote the blog entry two days before I actually got my hands on the bill and was able to read it myself. Stating facts takes a lot of research and the bottom line is that I'm asking Congress to read every page of any proposed bill before acting on it. It simply is not fair for President Obama to expect the health reform bill to be passed in 10 days when most of Congress don't even know what it says! We elected Senators and Congressmen to represent us, and we expect them to do just that! If you would like to study the bill you can do it here. (Thanks to a Cyber News reader from Illinois who forwarded the link, and wrote to both Ill senators.) I also wrote to my Arizona Senator, John McCain, asking him and his constituents to vote no on this bill.

So, what's the application? I am not a right wing extremist. I'm just a guy like most of you who wants to preserve our freedom and the basic principles of which our Country was founded. I don't believe in a Government who wants to own and manage everything. I don't care whether you are a Democrat, Republican, Independent, Black, White, Indian, Asian, Hispanic, Christian, or atheist, we are all in this together.

Bin Laden said years ago that "America will destroy itself from within." In order for America to prosper we must all do our part and be responsible for our own actions. We must be willing to study what's going on around us and determine if it's the right course for all of us. We must remember that there ain't no free lunch. Someone has to pay. If we go out for dinner I might be inclined to pay for yours, but I sure don't want the Government telling me that I have to!

As I mentioned below, I have worked everyday of my life since the age of 12 to provide for me and my family and I don't believe I should pay for the support of someone who is too lazy to get a job. If we help someone in need it should be on a voluntary basis, not because the Government demands it. That is socialism and is a system that has never worked.

I also mentioned below "What happened to majority rules?" Why do we cater to one person who wants to take God from the equation, when 90% of our Nation believes in God?

It's time to "Stand up America!"

Thanks to everyone who took the time to respond whether you agreed with me or not!

Stand up America!

2009-07-22T16:56:00.001-07:00

When Obama was elected President I said I would give him a chance and study his proposals to change America.

Obama is our President, and I respect the office that he holds, but I don't respect him now after only a short time. There are too many bad things happening, and I am afraid for our Country!

America is steering away from capitalism and is headed down the wrong path. Most of Obama's proposals are socialistic; he wants the government to run everything. After only 6 months in office America is "on the hook" for 24 TRILLION Dollars! He has spent more money than all Presidents combined!

California has declared bankruptcy and there are those who say if this craziness continues that America will be bankrupt by the end of this year!

You can't spend more than you make! If you can't afford the house you live in, would you expect me to pay for it? That's what happened! People over-extended themselves by purchasing homes that they couldn't afford and we are bailing them out! Talk about bail-out, the Government now owns General Motors!

Obama initiated our great stimulus to the tune of almost a TRILLION dollars, and today no one knows where the money is being spent. The state of Florida spent 3.4 million dollars to build a 13 foot tunnel under Highway 27 so turtles could cross the road! Yes, you heard me right...A TURTLE TUNNEL! That was our stimulus package in action! Have we gone crazy?

Almost every Obama appointee has a jaded background. The newly appointed IRS director cheated on his income tax!

Right now America is more absorbed in the life of Michael Jackson than what’s going on in Washington!

Social Security is going broke, but the office of social security last week had almost a million dollar staff party at the Biltmore here in Phoenix! Hello testing, is anybody home?

Obama is traveling abroad and telling our enemies that America is arrogant! Obama closed down Gitmo and freed the terrorists that were responsible for September 11, 2001.

Obama is letting Mexicans flood our country and we are paying their bills! Obama believes we shouldn't exploit our own energy sources and stay under the big hands of the Arabs.

This great Nation of ours was founded on free enterprise and "In God We Trust." Do you know that Obama has stated that "We are no longer a Christian Nation?"

I love my Country and I love God and don't want either one of them taken away from me. In plain words.....Obama scares the hell out of me! If we don't put more conservative common sense people in Congress in the 2010 election, I think we are done! What has happened to the characteristics of integrity, discipline, responsibility and honesty?

Socialism, communism, fascism, whatever you want to call it, that's where we are headed, AND IT HAS TO STOP.

Today even liberal CNN is saying we are in trouble. Everything that Obama said on the campaign trail he has reversed; he talks out of both sides of his mouth. And, both sides of his mouth don't work unless he has teleprompters.

Right now Congress is faced with a health reform bill that Obama wants passed in the next 10 days before the recess. It's 1,200 pages long and no one has read it! The Cap and Trade bill before Congress is over 1,500 pages long with amendments being added in the middle of the night. Again no one has read this bill and it's full of pork barrel spending! Obama has admitted that he doesn't even know what's in these bills.

Through former Senator Fred Thompson’s radio show I do know what’s on page 425 of the health bill. Now you’re not going to believe this because it’s so absurd, but here is what it says. “The Federal Government will require everyone who is on Social Security to undergo a counseling session every 5 years with the objective being that they will explain to them how to end their own life earlier.” THEY ARE GOING TO PUSH SUICIDE to cut medicare spending! Don’t believe me? Listen for yourself!

I am a recipient of Social Security. I worked hard my whole life and have been gainfully employed since I was 12 years old. You took that money out of every paycheck I ever received and now in my senior years I want it back. You’re saying the Government is broke and can’t afford Social Security anymore, so you want me to commit suicide? This, quite frankly, sounds like Nazi occupied Germany!

If you haven't watched Fox News, you should, so you get both sides. Bill O'Reilly, Glenn Beck, and Sean Hannity report the facts and the truth, but it seems that lots of Americans don’t want to hear the truth, they just want a free hand out, and there ain't no free lunch!

Many Americans feel frustrated because they don't know what to do. What has happened to "majority rules?" It's time for the majority to stand up and be counted! You want change Mr. President? You're going to see it in next year's election because some of those who voted for you are changing their minds!

God Bless America…..I want my Country back!

Comments? If you would like to comment on the above drop me an email at gary@stanley.net and I will publish them in the August edition of Cyber News.

Windows 7 - Buy before July 11th at big discount!

2009-06-25T12:03:00.004-07:00

Microsoft announced today that you can pre-order the new Windows 7 Operating System at a greatly reduced price. This offer will expire on July 11th so you must act soon. The Premium Edition for this offer is priced at only $49 and the Professional Edition will be $99. On the official release date of October 22nd the prices will be $119 and $199. Details from CNET News.

You may pre-order at Microsoft or one of your favorite stores including Best Buy, Office Depot, Office Max, Costco, Staples, Wal-Mart and other retailers. You can upgrade directly from Vista, but you will have to do a clean install if you still are using Windows XP. You can explore the features, compare editions, and watch videos at the Microsoft link above.

Ed McMahon

2009-06-23T11:21:00.012-07:00

Ed was known as Johnny Carson's sidekick on the Tonight Show and he passed away last night. I was lucky enough to have known Ed during my days as "Celebrity Director" for the Quad Cities Open and we even shared the same birthday. For a few years the open was called the "Ed McMahon Quad Cities Open." Ed would fly in from Hollywood and be with us for the week of the tournament. I remember one time flying to O'hare to pick up Ed and his wife. He sat up in the cockpit with me, and being an old air force pilot, I asked him if he wanted to talk to the tower which he did. The controllers got a big kick out of that.

In the photo Ed and I are talking to Tom Sullivan at the first tee. You may remember Tom from a couple of movies he was in. His book "If you could see what I hear" was made into a movie. Blind from birth Tom excelled in many sports including skydiving, and golf. As a celebrity appearing at our tournament in 1976 he also sang the National Anthem at that year's Super Bowl. Here you can watch a tribute to Tom narrated by Betty White.

So here's a toast to Ed who lived life, and to my friend Tom who is still living life to the fullest!

Being on the Board of Directors for the QCO for 10 years was one of the greatest thrills of my life, and now it's all a memory. Life is made of memories. What memory will you make this week?

A Recent Trip.

2009-06-15T11:29:00.007-07:00

We just returned from a short trip to Provo, Utah where we visited friends. We were most impressed by the beauty of this town. It's about an 11 hour drive from Phoenix with constant changing scenery along the entire route. Out of Phoenix, along I-17, you travel through mountains and arriving in Flagstaff you're greeted by beautiful tall pine trees. Portions north of Flag look like the surface of the moon and a couple of hours later you're in Page, Az, where I have taken photos of the famous Antelope Slot Canyons. A couple of hours after Page there is Zion and Bryce National Parks. Beautiful country! We stopped at Bryce on the way home, which was our third visit, but there's always something you haven't seen before. (Photo above - Click for larger View.) Bryce is a must visit if you're traveling this part of the U.S. On our first visit we took a helicopter ride over the canyon and it was breathtaking!

Also on the way home we discovered Utah's Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park . We drove through, took a few photos, and checked out the RV campground which was very nice. There have been six movies shot at this location. We're looking forward to returning soon with our RV, ATV, and cameras. Life is good.

Air Force One

2009-05-30T23:48:00.007-07:00

Being a retired jet pilot, I love to talk about airplanes. But let's narrow this conversation down to just one airplane in particular, Air Force One. Today our Nation is deeper in dept than at any time in our history. People are loosing their jobs, their pensions, their 401ks, and their homes.

I'm very interested in learning how our President is using Air Force One for all his little adventures, like flying to Las Vegas and Los Angeles to party with Democrats, flying to Hollywood to be on the Tonight Show, and using this giant aircraft for a low level photo shoot over New York! AF1 costs approximately $100,000 per hour and that photo session cost the taxpayers a whopping $330,000! If you want a picture of your Presidential Aircraft flying over New York Mr. President, give me the assignment and I'll do it without ever leaving my studio, and I'll give it to you for free!

How in good conscience, can you and your wife fly to New York on Friday May 29th for dinner and a play, at tax payers expense, when our country is going down the tubes? You promised we were in for change, and now I believe it.

Memorial Day Weekend

2009-05-26T11:43:00.000-07:00

We pulled our RV to Northern Arizona and camped in the wilderness with friends over the holiday. Where we camp is in the Coconino National Forest and it's beautiful with its tall pine trees and beautiful blue skies.

I took this picture as we rode our ATV along Rim Road which is a few thousand feet over the lower terrain. The only problem with this six day outing is that it rained everyday. The weather is totally different than it is in Phoenix. Despite the rain, it took us away from triple digit temperatures in the valley.

I hope you had a good holiday weekend.

Desert Botanical Gardens - Phoenix

2009-05-06T19:34:00.004-07:00

Early Monday morning Diane and I went to the Desert Botanical Gardens in Phoenix. We had been there before, but this time they were featuring Dale Chihuly's Glass Exhibition that has been featured around the world. I took over 200 pictures and you can see a few of them on my Photo Site.

It takes 5 semi trucks and weeks of work to set up the exhibit. Displays in a couple of pictures you will see are huge and have to be put together and taken apart piece by piece, and then packed up. Very interesting to say the least.

You can learn more about Dale Chihuly at www.chihuly.com,

Fireproof

2009-04-28T09:28:00.003-07:00

Fireproof is a movie that came out in September of 2008. If you are married it's a must see, no matter what your age. Hollywood has always tried to make us believe that marriage is a fairytale and that couples live in utopia. Of course we know that's not true and that marriage takes work to stay healthy and happy.

You can visit the movie website to read all about it, then go to your favorite movie store and rent the DVD.

This movie is so powerful that it is being used as a study guide in churches across America including ours. You will enjoy it!

My Passion for Studios

2009-04-16T13:52:00.009-07:00

All of my adult life I have wanted a technology studio in my home. In my first house in Davenport, Iowa I built one in the basement and it was pretty primitive. That was before personal computers so it consisted of music. In my second home in Davenport I built a recording studio. During the time we spent there I was on the radio and loved music. This is a photo of my third studio which consisted of music, video editing, and computers which was in Moline, Illiniois. I was very proud of that room. We had some great memories of karaoke parties where I would pass out several microphones and everyone would sing. (We sounded like real stars after a couple of drinks!)

I've actually had six tech rooms and this is a photo of one in our second house in Phoenix. We loved this home as it was beautiful and on the golf course, but we were only there a couple of years because we had more golf balls in the back yard than a driving range. Everyday was like an Easter egg hunt so we moved, but I loved that room!

This is my "Man Cave" in our present residence. It's not as complicated as the first photo, but you can do everything now with computers. Everyone who visits the studio asks "Why so many monitors?" Actually I use three in my everyday computing. The one on the left is Diane's, the 5th one is a TV and the 6th one is used to work on client's computers. Spending as much time as I do computing, I've often thought how I ever got along with just one screen. (Click on photos for larger view.)

In God We Trust

2009-04-05T13:10:00.005-07:00

In God We Trust.

Write it on the back, front, or both, of your envelopes even your bills and emails. Some people are even having rubber stamps made.

You may have heard in the news that a couple of post offices in Texas have been forced to take down posters that say "In God We Trust," the law, they say, is being violated.

We must take back our nation from all the people who think that anything that offends them should be removed.

It's been reported that 86% of Americans believe in God. Therefore, we have a very hard time understanding why there's such a commotion about using the term "In God We Trust." Could it be that we just need to take action and tell the 14% to sit down and shut up?

Be bold and stand up for what you think. The reason bad things are happening in our society is that the majority of good people are sitting back and letting it happen. Stand up America! Watch this video.

Playing with Graphics.

2009-04-03T15:53:00.020-07:00

This is what you do if you have some idol time and you're a computer nerd.

This started as a picture that I took of a sliced strawberry on a plate. You would think that this wouldn't be time consuming, but it was as many layers were added with different objects and some special effects. Now I must get back to some serious stuff!

I don't like Heights!

2009-03-25T19:43:00.008-07:00

Tuesday we had a day of fun exploring a mountainous area called "Bull Dog Canyon" north of Apache Junction, Arizona. We trailered our ATV a couple of hours from our home and set out to explore the area with another couple.

Our first experience was to drive up the side of a mountain, park near the top, then hike the rest of the way. In this photo we are enjoying the fabulous view, but not thrilled with the feeling in my stomach! There's two things in this world that give me that queasy feeling; heights, and the dentist sticking a needle into my gums!

After almost crawling on my hands and knees back to the Quad, we descended and then had a great time the rest of the day riding on pretty safe trails and enjoying mother nature.

A Great Photo is Sometimes Unexpected!

2009-03-18T10:15:00.002-07:00

Occasionally a very nice photo comes when least expected. We were invited to a friend's house for dinner and during desert this adorable little girl climbed up in grandma's lap. I was sitting across the table and pulled my compact camera from my pocket to capture this moment in time.

Sometimes the conditions are just right, the lighting, the pose, and the emotions of the subjects.

It's those times when you take a lucky shot with a camera that are memorable, just like remembering that great shot on the golf course.

A Fun Week!

2009-03-13T15:05:00.007-07:00

A week ago today was my birthday and Diane hosted a surprise party for me at a local restaurant, and that was fun!

The next day we left for 5 days with our RV and friends to camp in the mountains north of Wickenburg, Arizona.

We saw this Diamondback Rattlesnake on the trail while riding our ATV, but he was not very happy to see us. They can be anywhere from 3 to 7 feet long, are very defensive, will stand their ground, are lightening fast and their bite can kill you! This bad boy is ready to strike, but I'm not as close to him as it looks because that's what a zoom lens is for! (Click the photo for larger view.)

I've Been Scammed!

2009-03-04T14:57:00.005-07:00

This is a photo of my famous bottle of Acai Berry Tablets that I ordered on the Internet. Acai berry has been touted by Oprah and other TV stars as the miracle food. Consequently, companies have sprouted up selling Acai berry tablets that are supposed to help you loose weight and detox your system. I understand that this is a good product, BUT BUYER BEWARE! There are ads all over the Internet that will send you a free bottle of 60 tablets if you just pay the shipping charges which in my case was $3.95. I gave them my credit card number and I received my bottle of tablets. That was about 30 days ago, and since then my credit card has been billed several times for a total of $184! I called my bank and they gave me the number for this company which is FWM Laboratories in Hollywood, Florida. They claimed that I had signed up for a subscription for these pills which I informed them that I never did any such thing and that I wanted a total refund on all monies except for the $3.95. They said I would hear from them via email within the next 3 or 4 business days so we'll see what happens.
In the meantime I want you to know about this. If you type "Acai Berry Scams" into Google you will immediately see what I'm talking about. So shame on me as I preach and preach about personal security and scams in Cyber News and then get caught myself!

2009-03-02T20:33:00.003-07:00

A couple of months ago my friend Spike O'Dell retired from WGN Radio in Chicago where he was the morning personality. He was an institution before that in the Quad Cities where he sparkled on WQUA, KSTT, and KIIK radio.

Another Chicago radio personality who was known throughout the world was the late Paul Harvey who passed away just a few days ago. He was truly an American icon and I remember listening to him way back in the 50s.
After Paul's death the new WGN morning man called Spike at his retirement home in Nashville and they had the following conversation which I thought you would enjoy.

Back from a fun trip!

2009-02-22T19:45:00.017-07:00

We just returned from a jam packed fun trip. We took our RV and another couple to San Diego and parked at an RV resort. The next day we boarded a cruise ship for 4 days of heavy eating with a stop at Catalina Island and Ensenada, Mexico. I say "heavy eating" because they serve food all hours of the day and night, it's included in the price, and it's hard not to sample everything!

I took this photo of Jonathan Livingston Seagull from the top deck of the ship. I haven't had a lot of experience photographing birds in flight and it takes some practice. You have to follow it and shoot a little ahead to keep it in the frame.

After the cruise we spent a day at the San Diego Zoo where I got some good shots of its residents, including this big boy. The gorillas were really fun to watch, especially the young ones who liked to play like kids. Two of them spent some time boxing which was really funny.

After the zoo, we drove to Imperial Beach where we enjoyed a walk along the water's edge. There's something about the feeling of sand on your bare feet, the sound of the waves and the beauty of a sunset to put you in another world. I must have taken 50 sunset shots, but I liked this one because of the bird walking in the foreground.

Dinner with a glass of wine at a Greek restaurant next to the ocean rounded out our day. (Click photos for larger view.)

Now it's back to reality, but that's not all that bad because my week consists of 6 Saturdays and one Sunday!

Your Role in our new Government

2009-02-03T15:12:00.012-07:00

In February's edition of Cyber News I talked about becoming engaged with the policies of our new government. I referenced the White House web site and quoted President Obama's wish for a "Transparent Administration."

I have stated openly that I did not vote for Obama but since he is in office my idea is to stay positive for America. We must strive to become one people, one voice, one Nation.

If you don't like his policies, directives or appointments then let it be known and go direct to the source. Don't hide behind an endless thread of nasty emails and conversations which are valueless, only spread negativism, and help to divide America.

Instead, use your energy to direct your opinions to your Congressman or Senator. They were elected to represent YOU. Here's a web site where you can click on your state and it will give you phone numbers and email addresses.

Go to the White House Web Site and send an email, or better yet if you have the nerve, give them a call on their published number, 202-456-1414.

Today I received an email from a Cyber News reader who did just that and here is what he wrote to me:

A few days ago I visited whitehouse.gov and did two things. I wanted to make some observations and suggestions regarding the stimulus bill, now in the senate. First I sent my comments via the website email address. Second, I saw a phone number for the White House, so I thought what the heck and called it. A very nice young man answered it and I told him I’d like to make sure that Barack had my comments re the stimulus bill. He told me to please make my comments; he would make notes and then make sure he had my thoughts down correctly.

So, away I went; my comments had five parts to them. He correctly summarized them and then promised that he would make sure that my comments were available to President Obama the following day. I thanked him and after hanging up decided I had two choices. First I could be cynical and figure that my comments would be round-filed. Or second, I could trust that this fine man would actually make sure that my comments were a part of the national dialogue. I made the latter choice. It’s made me even more determined to be a part of what happens to our country and to contribute to it’s future. It was a refreshing experience.

Super Bowl Sunday

2009-02-02T12:40:00.002-07:00

To say that we were pumped up for Super Bowl Sunday would be an understatement! Guests at our party were greeted by monitors in my studio filled with Cardinal logos.

People visiting always ask "Why so many monitors?" Well, I actually only use three. The one to the extreme left is Diane's computer, then my laptop, the 3 that I use on my computer, a TV, and the last one is a spare computer which rarely gets turned on.

If I'm not at a customer location, traveling, or taking photos, I'm spending the good part of my day at the computer and once you have multiple monitors you wonder how you ever got along with just one.

Anyway, the Super Bowl game was fantastic, as you know, and even though we lost in the last seconds, we are very proud of what the Cardinals accomplished this season!

Also I salute Jennifer Hudson for a phenomenal job in singing the National Anthem!

Photo Contest Results

2009-01-31T10:41:00.002-07:00

The MSNBC photo contest was over Friday and the picture of the baby sea lion took first place. I took 3rd with my Grand Canyon photo. Thanks to all who voted. That was fun.

MSNBC Photo Contest

2009-01-28T18:26:00.014-07:00

Last week MSNBC announced that they were going to have a travel photo contest, so I entered one of my favorite photos of the Grand Canyon.

I sent out an email to lots of friends today asking them that if they thought it had merit, would they consider voting for it.
There are some beautiful pictures posted there so it would be an honor just to be in the top ten.

This is the web site where you can click on the photo to vote or to see how we stand. The contest has been narrowed down to 40 entries.

The photo was taken last year. Diane and I camped out at the Canyon, got up at 4 am and made our way to this spot, which is called "Moran Point." We sat on the rock in the foreground in darkness, then watched as the sun came up behind us. What a breathtaking site it was at 6 am when it was shot. Thanks for your vote!

Windows 7

2009-01-27T10:27:00.004-07:00

Version 1 of Windows was released in November of 1985. Since then there have been versions 2, 2.1, 3, 3.1, NT, Windows 95, 98, 2000, ME, XP, and Vista, along with a few others thrown in.

This month Microsoft released Windows 7 beta which is a testing version of the next operating system which we'll see in final form later this year. I have downloaded it to my HP laptop and now dual boot to Windows XP or Windows 7 beta.

I did not like Vista, along with most of the world, and Windows 7 looks and acts very much like Vista but with some nice new features. I'm keeping an open mind while testing it and will keep you posted on my opinions. It will be discussed at greater length in Cyber News.

Captain "Sully" Sullenberger

2009-01-24T21:34:00.007-07:00

Captain "Sully" Sullenberger is now a household name, and he deserves to be. He made a one of a kind emergency landing last week in New York's Hudson River. Remarkable and miraculous were the results as all 155 people lived through it.

Being a retired pilot I have even more of an appreciation for the skills and focus of this man than the average person.

I received the above picture in email and can't give appropriate credit to the person who authored it, but it is thought provoking. Thank you Lord for Captain Sully and his dedicated crew. We salute you!

Look for his first interview on CBS's 60 minutes on February 8th.

Super Bowl & God

2009-01-19T14:55:00.005-07:00

Tampa Bay here we come! Wow, what an exciting play-off game. Kurt Warner is an outstanding athlete and a leader. He has to be admired for that and the fact that he does not hide his faith in God. 89% of Americans believe in God, so why is the majority letting a small number of unbelievers take God out of our society?

There are many references to the following if you type "Atheist Holy Day" in Google and it's also floating around as an email. I don't know if this is truth or fiction, but I find it to be most interesting.

FLORIDA COURT SETS ATHEIST HOLY DAY

In Florida , an atheist created a case against the upcoming Easter and Passover holy days. He hired an attorney to bring a discrimination case against Christians, Jews and observances of their holy days. The argument was that it was unfair that atheists had no such recognized days.

The case was brought before a judge. After listening to the passionate presentation by the lawyer, the judge banged his gavel declaring, "Case dismissed!"

The lawyer immediately stood objecting to the ruling saying, "Your honor, how can you possibly dismiss this case? The Christians have Christmas, Easter and others. The Jews have Passover, Yom Kippur and Hanukkah, yet my client and all other atheists have no such holidays." The judge leaned forward in his chair saying, "But you do. Your client, counsel, is woefully ignorant." The lawyer said, "Your Honor, we are unaware of any special observance or holiday for atheists."

The judge said, "The calendar says April 1st is April Fools Day. Psalm 14:1 states, 'The fool says in his heart, there is no God.' Thus, it is the opinion of this court, that if your client says there is no God, then he is a fool. Therefore, April 1st is his day. Court is adjourned."

Arizona Cardinals

2009-01-12T16:26:00.007-07:00

There's plenty of excitement in the air here in Phoenix for the possibility of the Cardinals playing in the Super Bowl! The win over the Panthers was exciting enough, then the Eagles beating the Giants meant that we would fight the play-off game on home turf instead of in New York.

I mentioned (with tongue in cheek) to my friends a month ago that "Wouldn't it be something if the big game was between the Cardinals and the Steelers," and now that just may come true.

So, two big games next Sunday. The Cards and the Eagles, and the Steelers and the Ravens. Of course the two winning teams will match up in Tampa Bay on February 1st for Super Bowl 43. GO ARIZONA!

3 Things Today

2009-01-06T15:25:00.002-07:00

To start off your new year why not sit back, relax, and watch this powerful presentation.

Have you heard about Google's new service? It's information for your telephone or your cell phone. Just dial 1-800-goog-411. Say the city, the business or type of service you are looking for and they will connect you, for FREE! Here's a short video from Google that explains it all.

For you football lovers here's the play-off schedule for this weekend. We will certainly be watching the Cardinal-Panther game Saturday night!

Christmas Week

2008-12-29T12:54:00.003-07:00

Well, Christmas 2008 has come and gone. Sure hope you had a nice one. We traveled to Houston for the holidays to be with part of our family and had a great time.

One of the interesting things about about our trip were signs along the way. I combined three photos that I took and as you can see the price of fuel continues to fall. The lowest for regular was $1.16 in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Diesel was $1.97 and at a station in Arizona it was $1.91. What a difference from July when we paid $5.20 when pulling our RV to Colorado!

I just had to shoot the exit sign to Gary, New Mexico, and can you believe that across the State of Texas they raised the speed limit to 80 mph! You know that most people always drive above the limit so that means you'll see a lot of folks becoming NASCAR drivers! I don't know who was responsible for passing that law, but for me that's too fast to be safe. Hit something at 90 mph and you don't stand much of a chance of living!

On a better note, I hope that 2009 will be the best year of your life. Happy New Year!

Spike O'Dell

2008-12-13T10:32:00.011-07:00

My friend Spike O'Dell spent most of his life on the radio. It all started in 1977 at a small station in East Moline, Illinois, and within a few years he ended up at Chicago's WGN. Yesterday he made his last broadcast as morning personality and I had the privilege of being there.

The show originated from the Metropolis Performing Arts Center in Arlington Heights and the theater was packed. I flew in Thursday and flew back home Friday afternoon. It was two days of action packed fun, and the weather was beautiful on both flights. Beautiful except for 15 degrees in the "windy city" so it was awesome coming back to sunny Arizona where the temperature was over 70.

While doing research for an article in the Quad City Times the editor found this picture of Spike on my Photo Site and asked permission to use it. It was used, along with a couple of other shots that I took at various stations, in the article that was published Friday.

I took the above photo during the show and also shot a few minutes of Video with my little Sony camera. You can click on the picture for a larger view.

When the broadcast concluded at 9 am Spike threw his earphones into the audience, signed autographs for hundreds of people, then jumped into his car and drove to his new home in Nashville where he is retiring.

So many memories with my friend over all these years, especially when we were both in the Quad Cities.

Here's a toast to you Spike!

Certainly you are joking!

2008-12-08T16:55:00.015-07:00

Do you know this man? His name is John Thain and he is the CEO of Merrill Lynch. He has my vote for the biggest _ _ _ _ on earth! What this character has done is beyond my conception of reality.

The taxpayers bailed out the company that John heads, to the tune of $10 billion dollars, and that's spelled with a capitol B. Now Mr. Thain has asked the Board of Directors for a $10 million dollar bonus!

Run the company into the ground, ask for a bailout, then ask to be rewarded? Personally, I don't know whether to laugh, cry, or vomit! I can't find words of how ridiculous, absurd, outrageous, and utterly insane this is! Details from Fox News.

Arizona Sunsets

2008-12-04T19:04:00.011-07:00

Some of the most beautiful sunsets in the world are in Arizona. It was almost dark when I took this shot a mile from our house. Was it through someone's window? No, I added that, but who wouldn't want this view every evening.

After taking this photo we stopped and filled our stomachs with oriental food. Now you'll have to pardon me as I have to check some data.

The Love of Photography

2008-12-01T18:23:00.006-07:00

The more you have a passion for something, the more you are constantly aware of it. And so it is with me and photography. Every where I go I see places and things as a picture.

While walking through our living room today, the late afternoon sunlight was streaming though a window accentuating the beauty of an arrangement.

I grabbed my camera, captured the sight then added a few effects using different programs on my computer. You can click on the photo for a larger view and I also posted it on my Photo Site.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2008-11-25T15:30:00.000-07:00

I have discovered a new drink and thought I'd pass it along to you. It's Lipton's Diet Citrus Green Tea. I'm not a lover of water which you should drink plenty of each day, but I'll drink this and I love it, besides it's good for you. That's got nothing to do with nothing but what the heck.....

From our house to your house, may Diane and I wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving! We all have so much to be thankful for and our lives are greatly enhanced when we are grateful.

Click on the Photo for your piece of pumpkin pie!

Digital Cameras

2008-11-24T17:51:00.007-07:00

I recently purchased a Canon SX110-IS point & shoot digital camera for day to day use. I have an expensive Nikon D80 with a lens that cost as much as the camera. It is a sophisticated piece of equipment with advantages over this one, but the Canon costs 1/10th as much. On most occasions this camera will do the job and probably take as good a picture as the Nikon, or any other expensive DSLR for that matter. For comparison, I walked outside and took the same picture with each camera using the same settings. You will read a full explanation in the upcoming December edition of Cyber News. You can also click on the photo of the Canon for a larger view of the back and the beauty on the LCD.

Take a look at the two photos and you decide if one is better or if they are equal, then come back here for the answer. Don't read any further.......

Did you pick Test A or Test B? Both pictures are almost identical in content, and both were hand held. I had Diane sit down in front of my monitor and asked her opinion. After quite a few minutes of deliberation she picked Test B. Test A was taken with the Nikon which cost over $2,000. Test B was taken with the Canon which was $249. Believe me after that little test I'll use my new friend with confidence!

Bill O'Reilly, Christmas, & Spam Calls

2008-11-19T11:52:00.012-07:00

I was shopping at COSTCO yesterday and picked up a copy of Bill O'Reilly's new book "A Bold Fresh Piece of Humanity." It didn't break the bank as it was only $14.00, and when I got home I couldn't put it down until I had read the whole thing. Interesting, informative, and entertaining. I enjoyed it because I could see a lot of my life in his. If you like Bill you'll love his new book!

On another note, I think it's time for us to seriously consider how much money we should spend on Christmas. This can be a very stressful time of the year because we feel compelled to fulfill the thousand wishes of our children and grand kids. They don't need every item that they see on TV and we don't need more debt on our credit cards! Be honest and explain that there isn't enough money for their entire wish list. Scale down, spend less, enjoy family, and everyone will be happier!

While writing this my cell phone rang. I didn't recognize the number but answered it anyway and it was a recording about having my carpets cleaned. It's one thing getting these calls at home but I detest this on my cell phone and I'm steamed! Pardon the pun.

There is a way to hopefully put this to a stop and here's how to do it. You can call 1-888-382-1222 from your cell phone, or go to this web site to register all your phones, which is exactly what I did.

Email Virus

2008-11-17T12:41:00.005-07:00

As mentioned in Cyber News, one of the purposes of this blog would be to keep you up to date on computer stuff during the month.

Here is an example: There is an email virus floating around and I have actually received it myself. It makes you think it's from UPS and asks you to fill out information so you can retrieve a package at your local UPS office. If you fall for it you get bit with a virus! Keep alert for these kinds of emails and don't be gullible.

Details from Snopes.

Magazine Cover Shot

2008-11-12T20:41:00.006-07:00

I took this photo last Saturday evening while attending a Hot Air Balloon Festival west of Phoenix. It was a beautiful day and we had a fun afternoon shooting the colorful balloons. See the last 6 shots in my Balloon Gallery.

We were munching on a cheeseburger and fries when we noticed the beauty of the sunset. I grabbed my Nikon, walked about 100 yards from where we were sitting and snapped some frames.

Using Paint Shop Pro X2 for a little post editing fun, I created a magazine cover in which I escalated my photo talents. I only wish I was a Master Photographer, but I'm learning and it wouldn't be much of a challenge if you started off knowing it all. Arizona sunsets are breath taking and I always look forward to the next one. I also look forward to the next pleasing photograph that comes from my camera.

Find Happiness Today

2008-11-11T11:55:00.003-07:00

I receive a motivational email each day from a man named Ralph Marston. Most of them are inspiring and "food for thought." Here is today's message:

What is the path to true happiness? How far must you go to
find happiness?

You need not go very far at all. For happiness is always
inside you, ready whenever you are.

No object, no person, no circumstance will make you happy.
You are always happy when you decide to be.

The good things in life do not cause happiness. It is
precisely the other way around.

Allow happiness to flow out from you, and the good things in
life will surround you and fill your world. Choose to be
happy, with no conditions imposed upon that happiness, and
you'll create the ideal conditions for your life.

Happiness is a beautiful gift you can give yourself no
matter what. Give it freely and it will change your world.

You can visit his website at http://greatday.com/

I hope you find happiness today!

French Fried Green Beans

2008-11-08T10:56:00.006-07:00

Now I'm a few years older than the average guy, but never in my life have I had french fried green beans....until last night. I've had them in a casserole, but never made like french fries.

We met some friends at TGIF for happy hour. We do this every Friday night at a different place here in Phoenix, and believe me there's lots of places to choose from. In a two mile stretch near our home there are more restaurants than anywhere in the world.

So this was our first visit to Friday's and the hostess recommended that we try their french fried green beans. We did and we couldn't get enough of them. Umm good....give them a try sometime!

This morning I was playing around with some photos that I took last month in the Smoky Mountains. I came across one that was really a "throw away." It was way over exposed and I almost hit the delete button, but that's the nice thing about a good photo editor is that you can take a bad picture and turn it into something that looks pretty good. So I darkened it, tweaked here and there, gave it a paint effect and put a frame on it. Not bad....

Click on it for a larger view.

The Weather & Internet Scam Alert

2008-11-07T10:47:00.014-07:00

The biggest reason why we live in Phoenix is the weather. Today's forecast is for plenty of sunshine with a high of 76. That's my definition of joy.

South Dakota today had 4 feet of snow with 50 mph winds. Now that's my definition of miserable!

There's no doubt about it, sunshine just puts you in a better mood.

This morning I walked around the house with my camera shooting this and that. One of my shots was a painting hanging on the living room wall. I imported it into my computer, modified it somewhat, gave it a painted effect, added borders and a frame and here's the final product.
You can click on it for a larger view.

OK, so much for the weather and fun stuff, but now I have to warn you about new email scams since the election of Senator Obama. Details from PC World.

Have a nice weekend!

A New Future for America

2008-11-04T21:35:00.005-07:00

November 4, 2008 is an historic day for our Country. America has spoken and elected Senator Obama as its 44th President.

John McCain gave an elegant concession speech saying that America now needs to be strong and work together for common goals. Senator Obama gave an outstanding acceptance speech in which his words were the same.

We have come a long way and each of us must have a positive outlook for our Country. We must become one people, one voice, one nation.

We are all glad the campaigning is over. Now let's get on with our lives, and build an image of the world we want to live in!

Welcome Cyber News Readers

2008-11-01T18:44:00.007-07:00

People on the Internet have been blogging for years and I'm just getting on the band wagon. The word Blog is a derivative of Weblog, kind of like a Captain's log on a ship. It's essentially a diary and you can write about anything you like.

I originally started this for a few family members and some friends so they could see the progress of a recent trip we took with our RV.

After the trip I thought maybe this would be a good way to supplement Cyber News with timely comments about things we write about. Whether this is a good idea or not only time will tell.

Thanks for dropping by. Stop back again and I'll keep an eye out for you. If you're reading this and haven't seen Cyber News, here's the link.

Mystery Solved

2008-10-29T18:09:00.003-07:00

A few blogs ago I mentioned that mysteriously a Stanley Engineering sign appeared at our door step while camped in the Quad Cities.

Well we have the mystery person. He was a former neighbor and when I got divorced in 1984 he bought it in a garage sale that my former wife had. So for 24 years he has had this sign that was formerly on a business that I owned in Davenport, Iowa.

I can't tell you how surprised I was to receive this momento from the past, but for a few days was mystified on how it got to our RV! If you know Pete Lau, you would understand how wild this was. He was, is, and always will be one of my fondest friends!

Thanks Pete.....

A Great Vacation!

2008-10-28T09:40:00.009-07:00

Let's see, from the 14th until the 28th. I think I've skipped a few days. We're back in Phoenix now, but really had a wonderful time for the 32 days we spent "On the Road."

The last two weeks of our trip we were camped at Scott County Park, just north of Davenport, Iowa. One morning we woke up early to find the area covered with fog, so off we went to take some pictures. This is a small lake in the park and it was most beautiful at sunrise.

Outside of a couple of rainy days here, the whole trip presented itself with sunshine. It was a great time of the year to travel as most people were finished with their vacations and the kids were all in school.

Another benefit was that fuel prices were down considerably since the summer months. We must have stopped at 20 to 30 Love's stations across the country. They were much easier to navigate with the RV than other stations and their prices were usually lower.

I have added some pictures to my Photo Galleries from the vacation and will be adding more as time permits for editing.

Thanks for your visit....Blessings.

A Fun Monday (Oct 14th)

2008-10-15T13:45:00.014-07:00

Yesterday we spent the day cruising around looking for photo opportunities. Started in the morning spending time at Pioneer Village here in the park where we are camped. Very interesting place. If you live in the Quad Cities this would be a great way to spend some Saturday morning.

We had lunch with David and Paul in Davenport. They went back to work, and then we visited the John Deere museum in Moline.

I took this photo of an etching on the front window which I thought made a great shot! That's the Radisson Hotel across the street which is right on the Mississippi River. (Click it to see larger.)

Of course what kind of a day would it be if a girl couldn't do a little shopping? When you are the world's largest farm implement company, there's a lot of goodies to choose from in their gift shop.

After the Deere Museum we cruised the Illinois side of the river and spent some time walking around Prospect Park in Moline. It was an absolutely beautiful afternoon and this was a great place to reflect and relax.

When I was on the radio, I remember one of our DJs got married here.

Hope all is well at your house.

Life is good!

The Weekend of Oct 10th

2008-10-12T15:18:00.020-07:00

I can't believe how many people we have seen and how much fun we are having! Saturday it was up at the crack of dawn, headed into Davenport, picked up our friends Pete and Ronelle who had VIP tickets for us to attend the McCain Rally. It's one thing to see one of those shindigs on TV but another to be there in person. A very enthusiastic crowd was on hand to meet John. I can call him John now, but not long from now it will be "Mr. President."

It was neat to see him in person and to see how well the advance people can organize a rally. We waited around for a while to see his bus leave.

From there we had a large pizza for lunch and then Di and I went to my cousin's house for a relaxing afternoon. Then to church with David and Paula and out for a fantastic dinner.

If you are live in the Quad Cities and are reading this and haven't been to Graze you need to make a visit! Outstanding food. I'm now wondering if we will ever get back to Phoenix as we will be overloaded because I'm now 500 pounds!

Today it was church again this morning with my daughter Lisa, husband David, Hannah, and Emma. I took a picture of Lisa and kids during breakfast and they are the last three in my portrait gallery.

Kenny and Sharon just pulled up in their motor home and will park next to us for the next four nights. We will head back to Phoenix on Monday the 20th. Meeting more friends this week, and might even find time just to relax.

Life is good....

Good Times in the Quad Cities

2008-10-09T12:43:00.006-07:00

We are seeing lots of friends, some of them that we haven't seen in years. The weather is great with temps in the 70s and cool enough at night to have the heat on in the RV.

We had delightful lunch yesterday at a winery in Colona, Illinois, a short drive from our campsite across the Mississippi river in Iowa.

Years ago, before my flying career, I owned a business in Davenport, Stanley Engineering Co. Somehow someone got a brass sign off of the building, kept it all these years and delivered it to our campsite yesterday while we were gone. When we arrived it was sitting on the table outside the RV, and it was quite a thrill! We have yet to find out who the mystery person is.

Today we were visited by my cousin, Lance Frye and he brought his son Keaton with him who is attending Augustana College in Rock Island. He's a tall good looking basketball player who is currently up for Cosmopolitan Magazine's "Bachelor of the Year." They flew him to New York for a photo shoot and you can see him and vote for him here. He is Mr. Iowa. I posted this picture that I took of him today in my "Friends & Family" gallery.

David and Paula were out the other night and presented us with a video production that he made of our European vacation last October. We watched it in full stereo in the RV. Very cool and a very nice gift! Sure nice to have talented friends.

We sure are enjoying this gypsy life and our new rig. Who knows, the way we are losing money in the stock market, this may be our new home!

Life is good.

Travel to the Quad Cities

2008-10-05T18:37:00.003-07:00

We left Pigeon Forge, Tn Friday morning and camped in Crawfordsville, Indiana that night. Arrived at Scott County Park in Davenport, Iowa Saturday at 2pm. We traveled through the states of Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Iowa. This park is absolutely beautiful! 1,280 acres located 9 miles north of Davenport, where I was born and grew up.

This morning it rained hard for a couple of hours, the first precipitation on the whole trip. It will be fun to be able to see so many old friends while we are here. We spent the afternoon with my cousin and his wife touring and bringing back memories.

My daughter, her husband, and my granddaughter live here and have spent the last two evenings with us. After dinner tonight we had a fire and roasted marshmallows.

As of today, I finally got out Cyber News as I could only mail a few hundred per day.

Haven't had time to work on photos but I did post the last four pictures on this gallery and this one.

Hope things are good with you. Drop us a line.

Life is good.

Pigeon Forge, Tenn.

2008-10-01T15:57:00.003-07:00

Wow, haven't posted since Friday. Time flies. The wedding Saturday was superb. Outdoors, great couple, good wine, outstanding food. Congrats Chris and Caroline.

Sunday we attended church in Franklin, Tn with David, Paula, Scott, and Leslie. The church was so much like ours in Phoenix and we really enjoyed it. I can't tell you how fascinated we were with this town. I would seriously consider moving there. After church we had lunch, then headed for Pigeon Forge, some 4 hours to the East. Staying in a KOA.

Monday we drove through part of the Smoky Mountain National Park, namely Cade's Cove and along the way saw old cabins, churches and other buildings built in the early 1800s. At one cabin, while I was taking a photo, we met a woman and her daughter. The mother's great grandmother lived in the cabin! At another stop while walking through an old barn a five foot black snake slithered in front of us. My skin crawled but I still got some pictures of him.

Tuesday we drove to Gatlinburg and were very surprised at what a quaint town it was. We rode a tram to the top of a mountain, and that was fun.

Today we spent the day at Dollywood, just a short distance from our RV resort. A fun day, and it seems like all we did is eat!

Tomorrow we will explore more of the mountains and looking forward to some good pictures, although it's still a little early for turning of the leaves.

The first thing this morning I posted Cyber News on the net, but this ISP won't let me mass email anyone, so that's got me frustrated. Oh well, not the end of the world. I'll try from the Quad Cities.

The day before the Wedding

2008-09-26T20:44:00.006-07:00

This was a fun day. We met David and Paula in downtown Nashville and visited a thousand gift shops. Had to have a t-shirt you know, and of course a visit to Starbucks. We drove to Franklin, 20 minutes south and had lunch with our friends Scott and Leslie Lehman. They moved here from the Quad Cities and he has a most interesting occupation. What a great couple!

Then we went to the wedding sight for the rehearsal and so David could do interviews with the bride and groom for a video production. After that the four of us had a very relaxing dinner.

Franklin is a fabulous town, very quaint, and very nice people. It would be a great place to live!

We've done lots of driving in this large metropolis and I don't know how we would have found anything without the GPS. That, along with the cell phone adds a lot of convenience to life.

Incidentally, I used the GPS to find an Apple store yesterday. Long drive. After not being able to use my phone for two days, I was anxious to hear the verdict. We were met at the door by a friendly young lady who asked if she could help us. I told her that my IPhone was dead. She took it from me, pushed two buttons to reset and it was fixed in 3 seconds. Boy, did I have egg on my face. Don't we all have to be humbled from time to time?

MEM to BNA

2008-09-24T15:43:00.003-07:00

Got to sleep in a little longer today because we only had a 4 hour drive to Nashville. Arrived at the RV Resort at 2pm. This place is really nice and only a half mile from The Grand Ole Oprey. It's where the stars stay that have those deluxe motor coaches. Now for the punch line....We are parked right next to "Larry the Cable Guy!" He was thrilled to meet me....just kidding. I said hi but that was about all the conversation we had. We'll see if he gets any friendlier in the next few days. What went wrong today you ask? Well, my fancy dancy Iphone quit working! How did we live without them? So my project the first thing in the morning is to find an Iphone store.

Going to sit outside now that the sun has gone down and have a drink. Life is good.

OKC to MEM

2008-09-23T18:25:00.013-07:00

You gotta love life! You know why? Because everyday is an adventure, and that's what we had today. We left the Oklahoma City KOA, which by the way was very nice, and headed for Memphis.

East of Little Rock, Arkansas we stopped for fuel. In some stations it can get awkward with a big rig. There were semi trucks all over the place and to get to the pump I had to make a tight turn. Too tight, as in the turn we heard an explosion. The corner of the RV hit the back window of the truck and we had glass all over the place. We filled up and since we were an hour from Little Rock we had little choice but to make the trip with a lot of noise.

Now you can imagine this gave a whole new meaning to moving down the highway. We had the feeling the RV was coming through the big hole at our back. My co-pilot plugged in "Auto Glass" in the GPS and it took us to Safelite. I had visions of being hostage in Bill Clinton's home town for a week while they ordered the window.

After maneuvering the rig into their small parking lot I walked in the office and told my story to the receptionist. She said "Would you like the plain, the heated version, or the tinted one?" I couldn't believe my ears. I said "Well, the one that I did have was heated and tinted. She said, "You got it." I thought this is going to cost a fortune. The bill was only $174 installed, and we were out of there in an hour. Thank you to the Safelite team! (The are all over the U.S.)

When we arrived in Memphis we again stopped for fuel and would you believe I had to back up and pull forward about 100 times to get out of the spot I was in. By now I'm frustrated and tired after another 9 hours of driving. I'm really looking forward to the Memphis KOA and a glass of wine.

I missed the exit, went 10 miles out of the way to get to our RV Resort arriving 4 minutes before the office closed. Plugged in the water and electricity, went inside and poured that glass of wine. Setting up my computer and monitor I moved the table slightly to plug in a USB cable and spilled the wine all over the place.

We are safe and sound, no one got hurt, we made a memory, and I'll sleep like a baby tonight.

Short drive to Nashville tomorrow.

ABQ to OKC

2008-09-22T17:47:00.003-07:00

Nine hours on I40 today. At one fuel stop in Texas I was parked next to a burly man driving a flat bed truck. The bed was loaded with salt blocks for the farm animals and sitting on top of the blocks were his two dogs. We talked about diesel prices and he said in his Texas drawl, "I was very happy the other day drivin' down the highway after just payin' $3.82 a gallon, and then I had to laugh at myself!" Isn't it funny how we are now thrilled to have prices under $4.oo. The further East we drove the better the prices and at our last stop in Oklahoma City it was $3.73. The KOA here is very nice with lots of trees and a mile off the Interstate, much quieter than last night. Interstate 40 paralells old Route 66 so the big gas stops have plenty of stuff related to that era. "Get your kicks on Route 66!"

You know, when you sit driving for that long, there's plenty of time to think and most people will bring back memories. Good memories are fun to relive, but so is living for today. We have a saying on the back of our RV which states: "Heal the Past, Live the Present, Dream the Future."

Tomorrow morning it's off to Elvis' home town.

PHX to ABQ

2008-09-21T20:08:00.002-07:00

Wonderful trip today with a light sprinkle in New Mexico, just enough to ruin the wash job on the truck and the RV. Not complaining. At a fuel stop in Winslow Arizona a rig pulled up next to us at the diesel pumps and I struck up a conversation with the driver. Said they were headed for Pigeon Forge, Tennessee and that's our second stop after the wedding in Nashville. We'll be there at the same time. Small world.

Tonight we are in an RV resort in Albuquerque with much milder temps than Phoenix which is a delight. In two weeks this town will again host the annual hot air balloon festival, the most photographed event in the world. Maybe next year we'll be here for that.

Monday it's Interstate 40 all the way to Oklahoma City.

Be Kind to Your Computer

2008-09-19T10:26:00.012-07:00

We pick up our RV today and will be spending tonight and Saturday loading her up for the trip. Church Saturday evening and hit the road Sunday morning.

I'm working on October's Cyber News and included a paragraph about getting mad at your computer, so I thought I'd give you a sneak peak. I remember a few years ago, here in Phoenix, police were called to a residence with a report of gun shots. You guessed it. The guy was so mad at his computer that he shot up the monitor! True story. I took this photo last summer out in the desert while riding our ATV. I guess that person lost his temper too, or just maybe it's the same guy that was in the news!

Look for a video in next month's Cyber News that will really make you think twice before you get mad at your computer!

Enjoy your weekend.

Our Septembr Trip

2008-09-17T13:43:00.004-07:00

This week we're busy preparing for our month long trip. So much to think about, like paying bills ahead, cleaners, food, clothes, etc. The great part about this is we are not limited as if we were going to fly. The RV holds tons of stuff!

We'll depart PHX on Sunday 9/21 and spend the first night in Albuquerque. The next night in Oklahoma City, third in Memphis, and arrive in Nashville on Wed. We'll meet our friends David and Paula there and we'll attend my friend Spike's daughter's wedding.

Will leave Nashville on Sun 9/28 and the four of us will travel to Smoky Mountain National Park and stay there for a week, then north to the Quad Cities. We'll stay there about 10 days, time enough to visit family and lots of friends. Life is good!

Lisa & Jason

2008-09-17T10:23:00.001-07:00

We received good news today that Lisa and the kids will be able to return to Houston on Thursday, 9/18. They have been in a motel in San Antonio for the past week, escaping the rampage of Hurricane Ike. Jason stayed behind to guard the house and has had no electricity since Ike hit. Limited food in the stores and no gas in most stations. Over 2 million people without power. They still don't have power at their home, but utilities, gas, food, etc are slowly returning. We are just glad that they are safe!