It's Stuck In My Head, Make It Go Away!

Ever have a catchy song stick in your head for what seems like days? Even worse, a song that you hate, but just the beat or only the chorus from it do you seem to remember? You can't recall any of the lyrics and you hum thru those unknown sections in your mind until you get to the 2 sentences you do remember. Or perhaps you decided to fill-in your own words to it in hopes if your brain can finish the song that it will finally leave you alone. No luck, it lingers and lingers. Well I'm having that problem too lately. The only difference is mine is with a book - a children's book at that. It's called "The Nose Book" and no I don't hate it, but after reading it literally 100 times to my niece, I am beginning to build up some hostile feelings at just seeing the cover.

Ok maybe hostile isn't the right word, but it is getting to me a little. It's not like she doesn't have 50 other books to choose from, but this is her favorite...or at least her favorite one for me to read. I'm thinking I shouldn't of made it so catchy - I do this little sing/song type of voice to her when I read it emphasizing some of the words and putting energy into it. Well all I can say is she better appreciate it because her happiness came at the price of me having "The Nose Book" stuck in my head for 2 days straight now! So I thought maybe if I write the words down (and yes I have ALL of them memorized at this point), then maybe that will help get it out of my head. So here goes...

I see a nose on every face.

I see noses every place.
A nose between each pair of eyes.

Noses, noses every size.
They come on every kind of head.

They come in pink and blue and red.
Some noses are very, very long.

Some noses are very, very strong.
Everywhere a fellow goes, he sees some new, new kind of nose.
Noses are useful after all.

Some play horns and some play ball.
Sometimes noses aren't much fun.

They sniffle, they get burned by the sun.
But just suppose you had no nose,

then you could never smell a rose...
or pie or chicken la king, you could never smell a single thing.
And one more thing, suppose no nose,

where would all your glasses sit?
They would all fall off, just think of it!

There! Let's see if that works. I know next time I see her it will be the same thing - she will quickly locate me in the room, give me a loud "D" as she likes to call me (remember she's only 1) and hand me "The Nose Book". I'll have to cave and give in to her chubby little face like I always do. I'll sit down on the floor and she will waste no time crawling into my lap and leaning back with her patent "sigh" to let me know she is comfy and it's time to begin the story. She doesn't need reminded when it's time to turn the pages and God forbid I get distracted during the story, she makes sure I stay focused and that I keep a proper reading speed up at all times. If I don't, my reading gets rushed by her turning the pages faster and faster as if to tell me to "speed it up buddy"!

Yes woman can be demanding even at 1. It also amazes me that like all women, she already knows what works on guys, well at least on me. To get her way, she will try the sweet route first - give me hugs and kisses, maybe even pet my shoulder, back or head. Anything to show a little affection. If that doesn't work for her, it's the sad face with the big eyes and pouty lip trick. She knows how to get the eyes all glossy just before a tear drops and is probably thinking "sucker" to herself as she watches me cave in. I know, you need tough love sometimes...I'll work on it, but just not today. Of course I must say she never forgets to reward me with that adorable little girly giggle after we reach the last page - her way of telling me she enjoyed ever minute of my story time.

Satan's Guide To "Taking One For The Team"

This is a local news story, but it's been making worldwide news lately because it's just too shocking and disgusting to believe. A t-ball coach is being accused of teaching his players something that goes beyond the fundamentals of baseball and sportsmanship. You would hope he would be role modeling some good things for these 7-year-olds, but no this coach has decided to show his players the ultimate dirty/no mercy side of winning at all costs no matter what. Don't get me wrong, I'm the most competitive guy you will ever meet when it comes to sports, but even I know the difference between an inner drive to win and being just plain cruel and evil in order to achieve your goal. To say that this guy makes me sick is an understatement.

Many area t-ball leagues have a simple plan: let the kids play, have some fun and at the same time, learn the fundamentals of baseball. In most cases, nobody even keeps score. It's to be a social experience. It's a child's first introduction into organized sports. You want them to have a good experience. For many, the most important part for them is the trip to the ice-cream stand after the game is over whether they won or lost. Although t-ball coach Mark Reed Downs Jr (age 27) has a different t-ball experience in mind for his team.

Downs was arraigned on felony charges that he bribed a 7-year-old player to throw a baseball at a mentally disabled teammate's face to keep the boy out of a game. Just when you thought you had seen everything, Downs offered his star player $25 on June 27 to hit an 8-year-old autistic child with a baseball because he wanted to win the game. Downs' lawyer said his client denies the charges. Police said Downs asked player Keith Reese to hurt Harry Bowers, who is autistic. Reese threw a ball that hit Bowers in the left ear while they were warming up before a game. After Bowers didn't go down, Reese hit the child in the groin with the ball!

When Bowers ran to tell the coach about the attack, Downs suggested that he sit out the game. When Jennifer Bowers, the boy's mother, confronted Reese about the deliberate throws, Reese told her the coach had asked him to hurt Bowers. The boy was taken to an emergency room, where he was treated for swollen red marks on his ear and groin.

State police said she signed up her son for t-ball hoping it would help him overcome some of the social stigma he might face in the future. Downs was charged with criminal solicitation to commit aggravated assault, corruption of minors, conspiracy to commit simple assault and recklessly endangering another person.

Sysadmin Appreciation Day

Hard work deserves a reward. Show your local sysadmin, webmaster, helpdesk guru or PC expert that you care this "Sysadmin Appreciation Day" with a lavish gift, free lunch or a well deserved pat on the back. For the sysadmin that goes above and beyond the call of duty, nothing says that you're "one hell of a special guy" like a good old fashioned blowjob....even better, make it the gift that keeps on giving! They'll not only thank you for it, but they may just decide not to pipe your home directory to /dev/null (tech geek joke, don't ask).

Don't forget your sysadmin can be your company's computer administrator, network administrator, helpdesk staff, webmaster, email system manager or even the girl that helps you fix and install software on your PC. Show how much you care by doing your part and RTFM (Read The F*cking Manual) so they don't have to teach you everything for a change. Give 'em a break today and let them relax. If you don't, remember they have ULTIMATE POWER!

Micorsoft Frowned At For Smiley Patent

We all use them. The little :) ;) and :( faces. There are literally hundreds of variations of these and they are called "emoticons". Emoticons are a form of communicating emotion thru text online. They are never meant to substitute for real human feelings, but to be used as an aid in helping one express what they are saying. They come in handy when face-to-face meetings aren't always possible, or in the case of many offices co-workers, they rather e-mail or IM their message than actually go and speak to their bastard of a boss. We use emotioncons so much that it's become second nature, myself included.

Art that's a little disturbing, but clever.

In the past even when I would hand my secretary some papers that needed to be done, I would attach a handwritten sticky note on top that would include an emoticon. The message would have some brief instructions that I wanted her to do along with a "thanks :)". So what if you could no longer use the smiley face we have all grown to love? Even worse, what if you could actually be sued for typing :) ? Well that day may be here sooner than you think!

A software patent filed by Microsoft has been described as "very dangerous". Various organizations have criticized Microsoft for attempting to patent the creation of custom emoticons. The patent application, which was published by the US Patent Office last week, covers selecting pixels to create an emoticon image, assigning a character sequence to these pixels and reconstructing the emoticon after transmission. This is such a basic concept that many would not have been surprised to see it posted as a fictional patent on a technology site. You would expect to see something like this suggested by some kid as a joke on Slashdot and probably would have chuckled at the absurdity of the notion. Although we now appear to be living in a world where even the most laughable patents are being defended by well-funded armies of lawyers on behalf of some of the most powerful companies on the planet - in walks no other than Microsoft.

Patents were ultimately designed to benefit society - to have companies disclose things that benefit society which they wouldn't otherwise disclose. Who does this patent benefit? Well according to a Microsoft spokesperson, the comments on its patent applications can be submitted to the US patent office (great job BSing to avoid really answering the question). The spokesperson goes on to state that Microsoft receives dozens of patents every week and they support the ability of anyone to submit prior art or input on a patent application with relevant authorities before a patent is issued. Rrrrright. So to put it in simple terms - Microsoft is just giving everyone more ammo against them as to why they are one HUGE monopoly.

Top 10 Internet Fads

They are known to the world as Internet fads, the overnight phenomena of digitally famous websites and online people. They consumed the bulk of our e-mail forwarding for nearly a decade. Whatever you call them, web fads are entertaining, unintended consequences of life on the World Wide Web. Once the masses could put anything online easily, they turned up weird fetishes, hilarious parody, jaw-dropping narcissism and moments of brilliance. Over the past 10 years, some of these ideas broke through to the mainstream. Whether it was dancing hamsters, a kid enjoying his day as a Jedi Knight or the sudden ability to publish your thoughts online with just a few simple clicks, the following 10 Internet fads still make us laugh, make us wonder or make us feel guilty enough to update our blogs (cough). Let's count backward from 10-1 at the top 10 fads during roughly the last 10 years.


10. JibJab (2004) - It had been a long time since a genuine Internet phenomenon hit the e-waves, but the 2004 election was a fat target and JibJab hit the bull's-eye. The site actually started in 1999, but it didn't reach phenom status until its parody of Woody Guthrie's song, "This Land Is Your Land," as performed by fantastically funny George W. Bush and John Kerry caricatures. One lawsuit (won by JibJab), millions of crosslinks, multiple news appearances and at least two successful follow-ups later, it was clear that Internt fads won't be going away, as long as we still have the net.

9. Blogger (1999) - Maybe Blogger's popularity (and cultlike adoration) came from the fact that it was one of the earliest and easiest blogging tools. Althoug some like to think it was all about that cute logo. Either way, Blogger played a huge role in propelling personal publishing into the mainstream, pushing out a passel of hipster T-shirts, spawning endless imitators and happily paying off for creator Evan Williams when Google came along and swooped up the service. (Of course without Blogger, this site wouldn't exist.)

8. Star Wars Kid (2002) - Think of the Star Wars Kid as a cautionary tale. Don't make videotapes of yourself pretending to be Darth Maul using a golf ball retriever as your lightsaber - they'll only end up on the Internet. Or maybe do make said videotapes, as they lead to the amusement of hundreds of thousands of delighted web users. Thus goes the sad tale of Ghyslain Raza, the well-meaning geek who launched a thousand chuckles.

7. Ellen Feiss (2002) - It's possible that Apple's "switcher" campaign would have become a cult hit (or at least a target of parody) all on its own. Although many think that Ellen Feiss pretty much made the whole thing. In a short-lived commercial (Apple yanked it after too much attention and speculation), 15-year-old Feiss told a sad tale of stoner-sounding woe about a PC eating her paper and having to rewrite it. "It was kind of," she declared in red-eyed dismay, "a bummer." Oh, how we laughed. Oh, how we still do.

6. Friendster (2003) - Speaking of making friends on the Internet, along came Friendster. Yes, it's weird to call an existing service a web fad, but Friendster qualifies. Within two years of launch, Friendster was logging 60 million page views per day. In fact, it got so slow it was nearly unusable. Although the idea of being somehow connected to everyone else online proved irresistible and social networking remains, arguably, still a fad (if an "unproven but wildly popular business model" counts as a fad).

5. Hot Or Not (2000) - The year was 2000 and one question was burning in all our minds. "Am I hot? Or (horrors!) not?" This crisis of confidence was precipitated not by winter weight gain, but by the website everyone was talking about AmIHotOrNot.com The premise was brutally simple. Let people send in a photo, then let users vote on their hotness...or uh, notness. (The site later added personals features and changed its name to HotOrNot.com.) We wonder now what we wonder then. Do they think they're hot when they send in the pictures?

4. Dancing Baby (1997) - The Dancing Baby (trivia: it was originally known as "Baby Cha Cha") may have been one of the earliest web fads to suffer an antifad backlash. The hip-shaking baby was born in 1997 as an animation software demo set to "Hooked on a Feeling" by Blue Swede. Something about the baby struck a mass-media nerve. It hit the Internet like lightning and then hit TV, with a guest appearance as a hallucination on Ally McBeal. Though true hipsters disavowed it when it got too popular, variations on the baby crawl the net to this day.

3. All Your Base Are Belong To Us (1998-2001) - As many have said, every time you think AYBABTU is dead, it crops up again. Whether as a clever quote from a hipster writer, a gamer's war cry or someone discovering it for the first time. The phrase comes from a poor translation in the European version of the Japanese video game Zero Wing. What followed were e-mail signatures, forum postings, still images and finally a flash animation set to music that showed the true takeover potential of the fad.

2. Mahir (1999) - Was there ever a friendlier website salutation than, "WELCOME TO MY HOME PAGE !!!!!!!!!I KISS YOU !!!!!"? That ladies and gentlemen is how Mahir Cagri became a part of history. His personal website rocketed around the Internet in 1999 (and 2000, and 2001, and whenever someone stumbles across it anew), thanks to its hilariously enthusiastic greeting, endearingly broken English, Speedo snapshots and sweet desperation ("I live alone !!!!!!!!!").

1. Hampsterdance (1998) - Sometimes a fad is so popular it doesn't have to be spelled right. Such is the case with Hampsterdance, created in 1998 by Deidre LaCarte as an homage to her pet hamster, Hampton (rumor has it, a traffic-getting contest with a friend). The music? "Whistle Stop" by Roger Miller. The result? A CD-spawning, still-kicking web fad that transcended geekiness.

So there you go, a little slice of Internet nostalgia! What is funny is that I remember each and every one of these fads.

Let Your Blog Expose Your Talents And Cash-In

The other day I was happy to hear some good news from someone who has become a somewhat regular reader and contributor here on my blog. Her name is Anisa and although I hardly know her, I can honestly say I'm proud of her recent accomplishment of becoming a columnist for a newspaper. What makes this special and "blog post worthy" is that her blog landed her the job! Keep in mind this type of thing doesn't happen everyday. It's rare to turn your love of blogging into getting paid to blog. Her everyday posts at Access-Anisa have helped make her dream of becoming a paid columnist come true. She's a great writer and has some pretty funny stuff on her site, so go check it out if you haven't already. And no, I did not get paid to plug her blog. I am just doing it because I feel a congratulations is due and I wanted to give everyone a real life story of how one blogger turned her passion for writing into a career. Well done Anisa!

In other related news. I've been reading that some bloggers are making MILLIONS of dollars from using AdSense on their sites. Millions? I have a hard time believing they made that much off of it. Perhaps they had some type of a "trick" to get people to click. Some sites tell you that you must "click here or vote here or visit here" in order to continue, view their site or download a file. I never do that stuff. It bothers me if a site MAKES me click something in order to visit or download from there. I think it's a scam. Legit bloggers that do use AdSense or another ad revenue service, I hope you make a little something off your blog. Many bloggers deserve to get a nice kickback after all the time they put into it. So those of you out there trying to make some side money off your blog or turn it into a full time paying gig, I wish you luck because it's not easy to do that. Although stories like Anisa's make us all believers that it can be done.

Related Post: 06/08/05 Turn Your Blog Into Cold Hard Cash

When A Doodle Attacks

Here is what happens when a harmless doodle comes to life and attacks. It's not pretty. The following animation contains a violent life-like re-enactment. Viewer discretion is advised.

Is it just me, or does he look like a penis to anyone else by the end of the cartoon? Maybe Freud has got the best of me on this.

Yet Another Sex Tape, This Time Staring Collin Farrell

As if Pam and Tommy's video wasn't enough, then came Paris Hilton's, next Fred Durst's, mix in about 100 other celeb "secret" sex tapes that "mysteriously" get passed around the net and it's enough for anyone to roll their eyes when news breaks that yet another celeb sex tape is floating around. Well it was only a matter of time before Hollywood's biggest male whore got in on all the action. As you know Collin Farrell makes it no secret that he has been with just about every female on planet Earth. You may of also noticed that his star career has been a rather dim light as of late. His last movie "Alexander" was a bust and his once steamy on shoot sex life with co-star Angelina Jolie has fizzled out. Now what is horny Collin to do? I suppose he will have to settle for a Playboy playmate. Rough.

Shoot Me Up With Fame, Keep Me Alive

The self proclaimed stud considers himself "the luckiest f*cker in the world". Well my man, you got that right because if it hadn't been for this sex tape of you fumbling around in the bedroom, then you would of been kissing your short-lived fame goodbye. I haven't seen the tape myself, but I hear that it's less than impressive. Rumor has it that Collin appears to resemble the actions of a teenage boy on prom night who is about to lose his virginity - the deer caught in headlights routine. While trying to get off his own pants, he is seen repeatedly tripping over them in most of it. Sounds smooth, right ladies?

It's a bit of a last saving step for celebs to resort to a sex scandal to save their career. They pretend to be caught up in this terribly stressful and embarrassing scandal, but really they are cheering inside. For a celeb, being noticed and seen is their drug. They simply won't survive without the limelight. If you don't believe me, look at all the old/failed actors and actress who were once big names and now they are only known to Crack Head Joe on the corner. The light was all but burnt completely out on Collin, so now he is getting his much needed attention by going on countless shows and doing countless magazine interviews about how he is "trying" to stop a sex tape of him and playmate Nicole Narain from being circulated to the public. The only thing Collin is really trying to do is get back into the limelight with this. Now unfortunately I don't have a link to the tape for you to download and watch. I use the term "unfortunately" lightly. If/when I do find a link to it, I'll post it.

Calgon Take Me Away!

The weekend is here and my motivation and inspiration to turn out 2 blog posts for Saturday and Sunday seem like a excruciating task that I don't want to do. Although for the sake of my good readers, I feel somewhat obligated to upload at least a little something, even if it's not my best work. So I hope you find some interest in this tale of mine and perhaps a chuckle out of it as well. A series of e-mails and then phones calls from my Mother on Thursday has given me new material for the blog, at her expense. It's all in good fun though and I doubt she will even read this, but if she does...Mom I love you and I couldn't resist poking fun at you. I couldn't help but laugh to myself. My Mom means well and can also be so irritating at the same time...but in that loving, overprotective, worrisome way of course. (Hope I won't go to hell for this.)

To keep this tale somewhat brief, let me say that on Thursday news broke that a manhunt was going on in the area. Apparently a 19 year-old kid had stolen a car from another county and was fleeing from the cops on a rather long and high speed chase. The armed and dangerous teen eventually lost control of his car on I-79, striking a police cruiser before flipping the stolen car twice. Paramedics where called to the scene of the accident, but before they could arrive, the kid decided to continue his escape on foot. The manhunt went on for 7 hours and it called for roughly 50 state troopers in cars, on foot and in helicopters. They even had swat join in on the action! The pursuit had made it's way into my neighborhood now and maybe that would be a tiny bit scary if I had been home, but I wasn't so I didn't really care. I mean it's exciting and all, but it isn't really affecting my life. Although to my Mom, it was affecting her life and she was freaking out!

Throughout the day my Mom was sending me e-mail after e-mail with updates on the manhunt progress. Why? I have no clue, but I think she was bored and was all excited over the breaking news figuring I should be too. If that wasn't enough, she was still on her research kick about my backyard bear and I had already been flooded with messages from her on that topic - links to websites, photos, endless black bear info...ugh, enough all ready Mom. I should also mention she had talked to me on the phone about the manhunt and several times had called me before about the bear. As you can tell, she lives for this type of excitement. Unfortunately, I am at work and have to work, even if she doesn't. So seriously Mom, I get the point already. I'll keep out of the way of bears and crazy criminals. Talk about beating a dead horse, the phrase fits too well here. Anyways, I thought I would share a portion of how our e-mail conversation went down...

Subject: UPDATE ON THE MANHUNT
Mom: He’s still at large in your area – armed and dangerous – wanted for burglary – stealing guns and ammo in Warren County. Don’t open your door to bears or people!
Me: What if a cat knocks on my door, can I open it for him?
Mom: Cats are always on the admission list (just like those la-dee-da clubs in NY where they only allow “certain” people in.) I'm not kidding here. This is serious business.
Me: Like the Cat In The Hat? He’s always dressed to the nines in that top hat and cane. Mom, I'm at work. So how is this anything I need to be concerned with? You get all worked up over nothing.
Mom: Yeah, I hear he can get in anywhere! Aren't you just the comedian today. And I know you are at work. Is that why I keep getting your voicemail? Are you screening your old Mother? You better not if you know what is good for you.

Umm, guilty as charged. I always wonder what Moms mean when they tell you "you better not if you know what is good for you". Someone needs to explain that to me. Come on though, how much more of manhunt and bear talk do I need to go over with her? Moral of the story, my Mom is cool, but Caller ID is cooler! ;)

This post was done in loving memory

of a friend's Mother who recently passed away.

Love your Mom for her good, bad and quirky sides.

DefCon 13 & BlackHat 2005 Conventions

It's that time of year again where the pasty geeks come out from behind the warm glow of their computer screens and gather together in the hot Vegas sun for the annual DefCon convention. For those that don't know, DefCon is where underground hackers meet to share info. Basically it's the shady side of all things digital from computers, the Internet, cell phones, you name it - they hack it. Around there, what is referred to as "script kiddies" (a derogatory term for inexperienced crackers who use scripts and programs developed by others for the purpose of compromising computer accounts, files and for launching attacks), will quickly be eaten up and spit out faster than they can boot their laptop. So be warned if you plan to attend. Only the best of the best will remain unharmed and even then guys like Kevin Mitnick could only laugh as he too had fallen victim to being hacked at a previous DefCon.

As always, this years DefCon 13 will be held at the Alexis Park in Las Vegas, Nevada from July 29-31. Admission is $80 cash only at the door (because you are dealing with hackers, so no credit cards are trusted obviously). Not to be outdone, the computer security experts also have their own little convention and it's called Black Hat 2005. Black Hat is a think tank of security experts providing consulting, training and briefings to corporations and government agencies around the world. The Black Hat team has experience working with organizations such as Amazon, DARPA, Microsoft and the NSA. Here is where they specialize in what is called "digital self defense". It differs from DefCon mostly based on the fact that it is geared to the more advanced IT professional, where as DefCon consists of a less professional (and usually unemployed) tech savvy crowd. Also unlike DefCon, BlackHat is held worldwide. So if you are in the US, the convention is also being held in Las Vegas, but at Caesars Palace from July 23-28. Their online registration is now closed so you must register onsite. The cost is $2,200 to signup and attend.

I suggest you head out to Vegas and go to both since BlackHat will end on the 28th and DefCon will begin the next day on the 29th. For both conventions, you can find more information along with the schedule of events on their official websites at DefCon.org and BlackHat.com Perhaps I'll see you there! (Just for the record, I too laugh at some of the super geeks that go to these conventions. I guess I don't fit the stereotypical tech profile because unlike most of the nerds that go, I like to see the sun on a daily basis as compared to letting a monitor be my only source of light/heat.)

Grounds For A First Date "Dumpage"

Everyone has been on a bad first date before, right? Well what if your date took you to a toilet-themed restaurant? You heard that right. A restaurant that not only has it's decor replicating the atmosphere of a bathroom, but it goes as far as to having their guests sit on actual toilets and eat out of toilet shaped dishes! Gross or genius? Only you can decide. In Taiwan "The Martun", or toilet in Chinese, is the place you need to go. Just expect to "wait in line" to eat/use the restaurant/bathroom there. Personally, I feel this idea would be best suited in a Mexican style restaurant because of the spicy food. We all know what a bean burrito can do to your insides. Mix that with first date jitters along with some questionable Jose Cuervo tequila and you will be paying many visits to the porcelain throne.

I'm also thinking the morbidly obsess would enjoy frequenting this type of establishment. It just makes sense to them. Sit down stuffing your face and never have to burn a calorie by getting off you ass to go the bathroom - just eat and release right at the table. It's the way Mother Nature intended it to be and the way a baby does it. So why is everyone feeling so squeamish about this idea? Ahh, lack of manners. That's a surprising argument since it sounds like such a classy place on paper - TP that is. Another benefit is that it would save your bulimic date from having to excuse herself to go to the bathroom and barf up the $50 dish you just bought her.

So it is safe to say that if a guy took his date to eat/poop there, that he most likely won't be getting a second date with her. Hmm, I wonder how they wash the dishes, Clorox drop-ins perhaps? My biggest question is...if the food tastes like shit, then what - send it back, flush it away or assume it is shit you are eating and just enjoy?

I'm In Love

Nothing is sexier than a Ferrari! Well, almost nothing. ;)

***UPDATE ***
The Michael Jackson poll is over. It was pretty much a split between those who agreed with the verdict and those that disagreed with the verdict. I've put up a new poll. So go check it out and vote!

My Backyard Bear

Grab a clean pair of drawers because you may end up soiling yourself after you read this true tale of mine. Let me start off by saying that behind my house there is a nature trail that runs thru the woods. This is where I take my dog for walks. If you remember awhile back I posted about my little doggie and how she is old/sick. So the other day since she was feeling well, I decided to take her for a walk, despite the fact that it had rained earlier and the trail was somewhat muddy. As we go walking along we came to one section that was even too muddy for her to cross. As I was thinking that we should turn around and head back, I notice my dog had sat down. Now being that it was about 90 degrees out I figured she just wanted to rest a minute, but as I looked down at her, I noticed she was sitting in what appeared to be a large paw print - a bear print at that! Needless to say we high tailed it out of there in a hurry.

Actual photo of the bear paw print, roughly 6 inches in diameter.

For those that don't know, there are approximately 14,000 bears in the state of Pennsylvania and it looks like one has decided to go camping at my house! Lucky me (sarcasm). The most common type of bear in the north east are black bears. So I did some research on black bears. I wanted to mostly find out how many are in Pittsburgh area, what the latest tips are in terms of what to do if you encounter one and of course...the game commissioner's phone number so he can deal with this instead of me. As I waded thru the information I came across some bear cooking recipes. Yuck. Even if I could cook, which as many of you know I am a "cooking challenged" bachelor, I wouldn't make nasty old bear stew. Besides that useless info, I did find this bit of knowledge...

The PA Game Commission offers this advice in terms of a safety precaution to take if you should see a bear near you. The say to keep your distance - ah, duh. If a bear shows up in your backyard, stay calm - rrright. From a safe distance, shout at it like you would to chase an unwanted dog - are you kidding me? If the bear won't leave, call the nearest Game Commission regional office or local police department for assistance - no sh*t. Like I am really going to stand around and yell profanities at something that weighs up to 500lbs, has teeth as big as my fingers and claws that can slice down to my bones! I'm not a wimp and I do have balls, but I'm not crazy/dumb enough to take that advice. If only I was a real life Tristan (Brad Pitt's character in "Legends Of The Fall") who fought a grizzly bear off with a little Swiss army knife, but that only happens in the Hollywood movies. In real life, people shit themselves when they see a bear.

For now my dog and I are staying off that trail. I'm going to let the game commissioner know about this so he can come out and inspect. I'm not positive it's a black bear print, but it sure as hell looks like one to me. Do you agree? They say it's better to be safe than sorry. So if I am wrong on this and I have the game commissioner come out and it turns out to be something else, I am going to feel lame. Oh well, it's not like I didn't noticed my manhood getting sucked out of me when I spotted it to begin with. What's another blow to my pride?

***UPDATE***
I sent the photo to the game commission and he confirmed it to be a bear print. He will be paying my house a visit to see what we can do about it and to investigate a little more - follow the trail, inform the neighbors, ect.

Hate Traffic? Then Love This Hack

We all have to sit in traffic at times, some of us more often and longer than others. The morning commute to work seems bad enough, but many times the rush hour home in the evening can be worse - especially on a Friday night or holiday weekend. So what can you do? Sit there with the A/C cranked, tunes playing and do your best to keep your patience as time drags on. You are wasting precious minutes of your life that could be spent doing things you love, but unless you are in an emergency vehicle such as an ambulance or fire truck, then you are stuck sitting in line with the rest of us....or are you?

What if you had the power to turn all those red lights to green? What if you never had to try and beat the light? No more rushing thru on yellow turning to hot pink, ok it's red admit it. The cop doesn't believe your tale of how the light was morphing from this color to that color while you were right under it and you still had time to cross safely. So what if you could forget the red lights, forget the tickets and forget the waiting? Well now you can with this hack!

Some of you may of hear about a hacker who has managed to take control of the traffic lights in a Silicon Valley town for the last three months. Sunnyvale council is so worried about the antics of the hacker it has gone public in the hope that someone will turn him or her in. So far she or he has turned traffic lights to face the wrong way, mixed up the audible crosswalk signals that help guide the blind and thrown off the timing of lights to delay drivers. More recently the hacker used a cherry-picker truck to turn an overhead signal across a busy intersection. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, luckily no one has been hurt because of the pranks and the council has ruled out an insider.

Sounds like it could be a little dangerous to drive there right now, correct? Well I'm not going to show you how to confuse the blind anymore than they already may be at a crosswalk. I'm also not going to encourage you to create a massive car wreck, but I am going to tell you how this hacker has done this trick. Then I'm going to leave it up to you whether or not you want to follow in his footsteps or use your head and realize that you could get yourself into some big trouble for imitating this stunt. What I am supplying here is for "information purposes only". That means I'm not liable for your dumbass. So please, think. I'll educate you, but that doesn't mean you have to use the knowledge for "evil". Use it to better understand how a hacker thinks, what motivates him and how the majority of hackers perform hacks not always to just please themselves, but so society can get a kick out of it too. So now the naughty link you've all been waiting for. It's called the Dirty MIRT (Do It Yourself Mobile Infra Red Transmitter).

***UPDATE***
Speaking of traffic...did you know that last week here on the blog, I average 55 hits a day and nearly 400 total visitors for the week? It's been one of my more heavily trafficked weeks on the net. Not too bad for a little blog.

Serial Killer Or Computer Programmer

Before anyone freaks out, let me say you don't need to be scared of me even though I fit perfectly into the typical profile for a serial killer - young, single, white male in his 20s. Also don't be frightened to the fact that serial killers of all kinds have always fascinated me. Not that I want to be one, but it just amazes me how a brain can be so different from everyone else's. I always loved psychology and abnormal psych was by far my favorite course that I ever took in college. Who can forget guys like Jeffrey Dahmer, a real life Hannibal Lecture!

His apartment reeked of decomposing meat. They found chloroform and formaldehyde, dozens of Polaroids he had taken of the victims while they were tied up and butchered, 55-gallon drums of muriatic acid and dissolving body parts, plus the freezer full of heads all neatly packaged in plastic bags (to prevent freezer burn?). The infamous photo shown above, of the men in chem suits carrying out the remains from inside Dahmer's apartment, made everyone's eyes bulge in horror and disbelief. Admit it, it fascinated you also.

Now I don't think anyone will argue with me when I say serial killers are some freaky people. I also think alot of people will agree in saying computer programmers can be "freaky people" too. Like serial killers, many are outcasts/loners and just plain strange. The big question is, can you tell the difference between a serial killer and a computer programmer? Sounds easy, right? Well let's see how well you do on "Serial Killer Or Computer Programmer" which is a 10 question game. Post your scores in the comment section and try to beat my score of 9/10 correct. Thanks to my Mom, of all people, for the link.

Legal Guide For Bloggers, Fight For Your Rights

Whether you're a newly minted blogger or a relative old-timer, you've been seeing more and more stories pop up every day about bloggers getting in trouble for what they post. Like all journalists and publishers, bloggers sometimes publish information that other people don't want published. You might, for example, publish something that someone considers defamatory, republish an AP news story that's under copyright or write a lengthy piece detailing the alleged crimes of a candidate for public office. The difference between you and the reporter at your local newspaper is that in many cases, you may not have the benefit of training or resources to help you determine whether what you're doing is legal. On top of that, sometimes knowing the law doesn't help - in many cases it was written for traditional journalists and the courts haven't yet decided how it applies to bloggers. Now here's the important part...

None of this should stop you from blogging. Freedom of speech is the foundation of a functioning democracy and Internet bullies shouldn't use the law to stifle legitimate free expression. If you're a blogger, the EFF.org website is for you. EFF's goal is to give you a basic roadmap to the legal issues you may confront as a blogger, to let you know you have rights and to encourage you to blog freely with the knowledge that your legitimate speech is protected. Check out the Legal Guide for Bloggers. It's a collection of blogger-specific FAQs addressing everything from fair use to defamation law to workplace whistle-blowing. EFF created this guide, compiling a number of FAQs designed to help you understand your rights, and if necessary, defend your freedom.

To be clear, this guide isn't a substitute for, nor does it constitute, legal advice. Only an attorney who knows the details of your particular situation can provide the kind of advice you need if you're being threatened with a lawsuit. The goal here is to give you a basic roadmap to the legal issues you may confront as a blogger, to let you know you have rights and to encourage you to blog freely with the knowledge that your legitimate speech is protected. Please note that this guide applies to people living in the US. EFF.org does not have the expertise or resources to speak to other countries' legal traditions, but they would like to work with those who do. If you know of a similar guide for your own jurisdiction or feel inspired to research and write one, please let EFF.og know so they can link to it.

She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not

Now that is silly, of course EXSENO loves me. The proof is on her blog where she rates my blog as her favorite, even above her own kid's and grandkid's...and they are blood! Yes, now that is true love. So if you want to see what my favorite "boxing granny" is up to, go check out her site. Everyone bow down and pay respect to the wise - wise being the fact that she enjoys my blog so you know the woman is S-M-A-R-T. Plus she always has something kind and encouraging to say to me when I'm having a particular bad time or rough day. I truly appreciate that. Thanks for the props EXSENO and this post is one plug back at ya. Blog on!

ALWAYS SAVE THE BEST FOR LAST

http://diamondkt.blogspot.com
"My favorite site, a true computer brainiac (I should be so lucky), if you have a computer problem you can bet you will find the answers in his archives and if you can't he is always willing to give you the answer. A very kind and helpful person with a giant size heart. If I had 1/16 of his brain I would be so happy. Not to mention he never fails to have a really good post." - EXSENO

***UPDATE***
For those of you not up on your slang, here is the definition of the word "props" that I used above. Props: giving proper respect/recognition to an individual or group. Now there, don't all of you 30+ year olds feel young and hip again? ;)

Password Protected Blog

As most of my more loyal readers are aware, since I started this blog back on January 1st, things were rather quiet and peaceful. After some time went by, the blog started to gain a little attention. With that attention, the visitors and comments began adding up. Of course at first I thought that was a good thing. I thought wow, look at this - I'm actually writing about stuff other people are interested in other than myself. I've always stated that my #1 reason why I even began this blog was for my own selfish reasons. Meaning, I thought it would be a fun little activity to do on the side when I was bored. It was a good way to kill time at work when things got slow. To be honest, I would of kept the blog going even if a single soul didn't know it existed. Basically, it was something for myself and if others also enjoyed it, then I was fine with that and welcomed them along for the ride as long as they could abide by some simple rules.

Now with any website where there is a good size group of people who gather in one space to share their opinions, it's only a matter of time when those views and personalities conflict - some more often and more abrasive than others. Many times these "feuds" or problems pass and things return to normal. Other times, it is an ongoing issue. Anyone with a half of brain is well aware of this going into opening any type of website, blog or message board. Although what I wasn't prepared for or expected is that the very people that claim they "enjoy" coming here and do visit/comment, wouldn't take an active part in destroying things. To me that just doesn't make sense. If I enjoyed a site and wanted it to stay around, I wouldn't be a complete asshole on a daily basis to cause problems and push whoever runs that site that much closer to saying f-it and having it disappear into cyberspace.

I feel like a broken record having to repeat these rules all the time, like I am a kindergarten teacher. Since there are alot of people that act like they are five, I guess I'll treat them like that and repeat the list one more time. The 3 rules are super simple and basic. I'm shocked they are so hard to grasp and follow for some.

• Rule #1 - If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all.
• Rule #2 - Do your best to stick to the post topic when commenting.
• Rule #3 - My personal life is not your concern. What I don't share is private and my business alone, so I don't need to answer or explain myself to you. If I ignore your comments or questions it may be because it simply doesn't deserve a reply (see, none of your business remark above). No reason to go off assuming things wrongly, just accept it.

Those are all pretty clear, right? If for whatever reason YOU are unable to follow those or YOU simply don't like those rules, then please by all means, don't come here. Nobody is putting a gun to your head and making you visit my blog. Personally I don't even want you here and I bet nobody else does if you are bothered by what I've just said. Go somewhere else online and cause problems if that is what you like to do with your life. If you have some type of personal problem with me, then chances are I don't really care for you that much either. So how about you leave me alone and I'll leave you alone? How hard is that? It's not. I'm sick of everyone's bullshit drama 24/7. It's giving me such a headache and you've taken something that was once really fun and enjoyable for me and turned it into a massive chore that is just plain irritating. It really makes running this blog so not worth it in my eyes. So now that it has happened and continues to happen over and over again, it needs to be handled once and for all...for my own sanity. Since I'm the admin here, the problem is then left up to me to do 1 of 5 things. Here are my 5 choices...

• Choice #1 - Add fuel to the fire and watch it continue/increase.
• Choice #2 - Try to find some peace to end it getting the site back on track.
• Choice #3 - Ignore it/allow it to take place and let them overrun the site.
• Choice #4 - Implement some type of method to deal with the problem.
• Choice #5 - Acknowledge that a few can ruin it for all and close the site for good.

Choice #1, I'm not going to be an active participant in this crap so that's out. Choice #2, I've tried and obviously failed many times in the past trying to make things peaceful by giving a lecture/scolding to certain people. As you can see that doesn't last or work for long. Choice #3, I did ignore it for as long as I could yesterday and on other occasions, but why should I have to let shit slide? Why do I have to work at making a good site and then sit and watch you destroy it? That isn't right or fair. Choice #4, I've already begun looking into my options here. In the past I've closed posts, deleted problem comments or just blocked everyone from putting in their two-cents. That is too time consuming for me to monitor this blog that much and do constant damage control. I have other things more important in life to take care of than to baby-sit a blog. Choice #5, I'm aware that there are a group of people that feel like they are powerful by shitting on things. For whatever reason, my blog, and at times even myself, have been the target for them. I really don't know why, but it just sucks and I have little hope that any solution I pick will have the outcome I am hoping for. I'm willing to bet that probably sooner, rather than later, I won't be running this blog anymore. I will simply delete it for good and leave a nice "FUCK YOU" message as my good-bye post. Don't get me wrong, I do have some good/decent people that come here and are great. People that make me laugh, are helpful, kind and I really enjoy their input on a variety of topics. So the "fuck you" won't be directed towards them. I think the people who it is directed to will know it's for them, doubt they will care, but then I don't care either anymore.

In closing to this long post, I've decided to password protect my blog as a last resort to keeping the site up while still maintaining control over the chaos. That means that only certain people I've selected will be given a login (username and password) to access my blog. Everyone else who does not have a login from me, will NOT be able to view or comment here. The web address will work, but you will not be able to get past the login screen. I'll collect a group of names and post those later. If your name is not on the list, there is probably a reason, but you are free to ask me why I didn't include you. My reasoning may be I forgot, didn't know you wanted in or simply you've been a problem before so I've excluded you. If you're mad, you're mad. I'm not going to bend on that. Tired of bending for people. Not my fault you caused a problem on here before so in a sense I'm "banning" you from returning. Oh well.

According to the Blogger Help Guide, when asked..."How can I password protect my blog?" The reply is this..."We do not currently offer a password protection service for Blog*Spot blogs. However, if you host your blog on your own server you may be able to do this, since many hosting providers include this service. Check with your system administrator for information on how to set it up." No problem there, I actually expected that answer, but it doesn't mean I have to accept the answer. Of course I will find another workaround. I may be able to get a PHP script to run on here that would allow me to customize a nice password protected blog login. I'll work on that and keep everyone updated.

Victoria's Secret Is To "Think Pink"

Ahhh, yeah. My jaw dropped too when I got this flyer in the mail with a sexy model sprawling, nearly nude, to showcase her tiny sheer pink panties. Above her head were big bold letters saying "THINK PINK". It appears the secret is out! It also appears that Victoria is messing with all of our heads. I believe their new slogan is a play on words, has 2 different meanings. If you can't figure it out, well then I'm sorry but I'm not going to spell it out for you. I can however guide you to a "Need To Get Laid This Decade Clinic" if you are that rusty when it comes to sexual connotations. I am going to give the #1 lingerie store (and one of personal favorite places to shop and browse) the benefit of the doubt here. Let's say the slogan means this...

Think Pink is what VS wants women to have on their mind when shopping for underwear. They want women to associate the color pink with the store Victoria's Secret. Harmless enough right? Ok now turn the estrogen switch off now and flip on the testosterone switch. Then let me tell you what a guy thinks when we hears this slogan. To us "think pink" means, well you know. What else do you expect us to think? We think about it all the time as it is already, do we really need a slogan to remind us? I know, we are sickos with sex on the brain 24/7, so what's your point? That is just stating the obvious. Perhaps VS goal is to get men to somehow associate pink with the store. Is it possible? Sure anything is possible, but not likely we will make that connection in our cave-like minds. We will just associate pink with something else and head to VS. Either way we remember it, it's still getting us in there to shop so mission accomplished. Brilliant advertising scheme there on the part of Victoria's Secret.

No matter what, I just love the fact that I have been on the VS mailing list for years now, ha-ha. You gotta love getting that softcore complementary/free porn in the mail. Well it's not porn, but it is defiantly easy on the eyes. Only tip guys, you must keep your credit card at Victoria's Secret semi-active on a regular basis to stay on their mailing list. A few years back the running joke got out and the store caught onto the fact that more men where signing up to get the catalog than women. Most of these guys didn't have any intention of actually buying anything. They just liked (cough) "reading" it. Sad I know. So the store decided to drop the non-buyers off their mailing list. Boo-hoo for those that got dumped, but then come on, how can you just look and not want to buy and enjoy it on someone? That's the best part!

Personally the only thing I find sexier than their lingerie is a girl who pairs her panties up with one of my dress shirts half buttoned. Wow! Yes, I graduated from the college days where the sexiest thing to me was seeing my girlfriend sleeping in my boxer shorts or just wearing my frat tee and that's it. Don't get me wrong, that is still a sexy image for a woman. And tight tanks, baby t-shirts, thongs? Yum, don't get me started on those. ;)

Post A Secret, An Outlet For Anonymous Voices

Yesterday I came across a blog with a very interesting and unique idea. They ask for people to anonymously send in postcards with their deepest, darkest secret on them. The postcards are then scanned into a computer and uploaded on the blog. The secrets vary from funny little things like a woman who masturbated so much that she pulled a neck muscle (but told her husband she got injured from moving furniture), to secrets of people who are now in their 40s and for the first time are admitting they have hid the fact they were molested as a child. So it can be depressing to read at times, but it also makes you feel better knowing that you are not alone in being the only one that may hold a similar secret.

Among the countless postcards that are on the blog, there is also a section of reader's comments. The comments come from around the world from people who have visited the site and those who have actually submitted a postcard of their own. One comment in particular caught my eye and I think sums up the blog very well...

"On Monday night a boy jumped out of his dorm room window on the 8th floor of a dorm at my school. No one knows why he did it, one of my very closest friends was good friends with him and he didn't really see it coming. I wish Morgan had known about this site because I think maybe he would have realized that there are a lot of people who don't feel like they fit in anywhere, and some people believe that's why he decided to end it. Seeing some of these secrets is really shocking and heart breaking but in the end it just draws everyone closer together as a people. And who knows, someone's secret might reach out and save someone's life." - New York

For many people, keeping a secret is very stressful emotionally and physically. You feel like you can't open up and share with anyone. If you can take the first step in finding the courage to speak out, sometimes just telling the secret will lift alot of pain and help ease your mind. The sheer weight of carrying this burden on your shoulders and holding it within yourself can be enough to make anyone crumble. It's ok to feel weak at times and it's ok to let it out. After all, we are only human and it's perfectly normal to feel trapped by a secret. So if you have a secret that is eating at you, why not share it in an anonymous voice. You will feel like you have finally been heard for the first time, while still holding onto your privacy and protecting your true identity. Don't be afraid. Go grab a postcard, get creative and release yourself to be heard on www.postsecret.blogspot.com

1-Year-Old Teaches Me To Stop And Smell The Roses

Life's greatest lessons are usually taught by your parents and grandparents. They are also learned unconsciously growing up from your own personal experiences. It can happen on any average, ordinary day. Even if much of what we learn occurs early in life, we never really stop learning even as we grow older. I found that to be true the other day when my 1-year-old niece taught me, or should I say reminded me, of one of life's greatest lessons. The lesson is simple, beautiful and very true...stop and smell the roses.

Everyone has heard of the phrase "stop and smell the roses", but if for some odd reason you haven't, let me explain. It means you shouldn't rush thru life and not take a moment to actually stop, look around and enjoy the simple things that the world has to offer. Take a moment to pause, reflect and be grateful for the beauty that surrounds you. Working your ass off setting goal after goal and creating numerous to-do lists is not always the most important and pressing thing you should be focusing on. Sometimes you need to just stop and smell the roses for a change. If you don't, you may wakeup one day an old man or woman, regretting all the time that flew by while you rushed around so much instead of actually enjoying your youth. Time is precious and as you get older I think you tend to realize that more. Right now I know that is true, but I don't feel I can really understand it like someone say my Grandmother's age can. What is funny is that my Grandmother could preach that saying to me and I could nod and agree, but it doesn't sink in until I see someone so much YOUNGER than myself actually showing me.

I had my niece over at my house last weekend and in my backyard I have a rose bush. We are playing outside, I'm kicking a ball to her and helping her ride a mini-bike, when all of the sudden she spots the roses. Her attention is immediately drawn to the flowers and away from me and the toys. She walked/wobbled over to one of the lower hanging vines and stopped to reach for a single rose to pull towards her face. Of course I panicked for a second when I saw her reach for the roses because they are covered in thorns, but for whatever reason she managed not to get even the smallest of scrapes. I watched her close her eyes and sniff in the sweet scent. After breathing in her first smell of roses, she turned around and smiled at me.

I think that is all I need to say to make my point. So as you are rushing thru yet another Monday morning of pure madness, perhaps you will keep this story in mind. More importantly, may you be reminded of one of life's greatest lessons that even a baby is aware of and can teach us all.

The Official "Goodbye" To AOL

Remember back when everyone you knew, including yourself, was on AOL? Remember the "Goodbye" voice that chimed when you signed off of AOL? Well for those still holding onto their AOL account, those who refuse to make a change for the better and have yet to move to the modern days of broadband, you may of heard that old familiar "Goodbye" voice for the last time. It looks as if America Online is finally tumbling down. AOL became a cyber-powerhouse in the era when most people connected to the Internet with a modem and a telephone line. Ultimately, the company signed up more than 25 million subscribers who paid up to $23.50 a month for unlimited dial-up access to the Internet and AOL's proprietary content and services. Although more recently, as millions have migrated to broadband connections offered by cable and DSL providers, AOL has struggled to craft a new business strategy. Therefore AOL has decided to do away with their subscription service.

Yes, that is a chair constructed entirely out of AOL CDs.

Even though AOL has been de-throned as the once ISP king...

the chair will live on.

AOL held onto the idea that they would have so many good things to offer (such as shopping, chat, news, music, videos, etc.) that subscribers would spend their time within the online service instead of venturing out on the Internet. Another effort by AOL involved trying to hang onto broadband subscribers with discounts on bring-your-own-Internet-access packages and new features that took advantage of broadband links. These strategies helped for a time, but defections by AOL subscribers to broadband alternatives have accelerated at an alarming rate. What's more, it's not just broadband that AOL has to compete with. The growing services offered by Yahoo!, Google and Microsoft Network, not to mention the rest of the Internet. This must have many AOL customers asking themselves...what are we paying for that they can't get elsewhere for free?

Now comes word that America Online is planning a radical shift in strategy that may hold benefits for all Internet users. According to news reports, AOL will begin moving much of its content outside the "AOL Keyword area" and onto the Internet where anyone, AOL subscriber or not, can access it. The idea is that by reaching the larger segment of the Internet, America Online will be able to generate more money from advertising than it loses in subscriptions. AOL is calling this its "audience strategy." It's a big gamble because subscriptions that regularly bring in up to $23.50 a month are a hard asset to give up and an even harder one to replace, but AOL must do something or risk losing subscribers steadily for years to come.

For non-subscribers, the benefits will be enormous. AOL's vast holdings of news, sports, music and more will add variety and quality to the programming available free online. It's possible that AOL could have avoided this. If AOL had aggressively moved to provide broadband access, perhaps through its own Time Warner cable and partnerships with other providers, it might have brought its online service intact into the broadband age. It's too late to worry about that now because AOL is crumbling. If you have any of those AOL floppy discs and CDs that the company used to spread around, you might consider hanging onto them as a souvenir of a bygone era. Better yet, just use them as coasters like everyone else does.

London Bombing Images/Videos Captured On Cell Phones

Mobile phones transformed victims into journalists after the transport attacks in London as amateur photographs and video footage played a key role in newspaper, television and Internet coverage. A grainy image of commuters trudging along darkened Underground tracks filled the entire back page of Britain's Times newspaper Friday. A cell phone video taken by a survivor gave viewers worldwide their first look at the London Underground bombing. That haunting image of people escaping through the smoke-filled, claustrophobic gloom was taken with a mobile phone camera (as shown below) by Adam Stacey and was used by many news media, often without giving him credit.

I'll give Adam the credit he deserves.
His blog is www.moblog.co.uk/blog/misteralfie

Sky News TV frequently replayed homemade video footage shot in the aftermath of the blasts. Independent Television (ITV) sent out a mobile phone text message request to hundreds of subscribers to its service seeking any video footage of the events, some of which wound up broadcast, but most of which was of too poor a quality or too graphic to be shown. Amateur photographers played an even more critical role documenting Thursday's wreckage because tight security blocked news agencies from accessing the explosion sites. Another reason news organizations are using more home footage is that the quality has improved dramatically in recent years. Blogs, or personal online journals, supplied some of the earliest on-scene photographs and first-person accounts.

Much as the blog phenomenon has given citizens power over the news, cell phone videos have allowed people in the right place at the right time the ability to capture crucial events when there's no TV cameras in sight. These videos have shown up in network news coverage of the second Bush inauguration, Pope John Paul II's funeral and coverage of damage from tropical storms. ABC and NBC have given space to cell phone videos well before Thursday morning. It gave a look at a place where journalists' cameras weren't able to go. It's all about experiencing things live online, as they're happening, along with the people who are there. It's changed the way news is done.

Thou Shall Not Steal Wi-Fi Access

As a follow-up post to yesterday's blog entry, I have to update everyone on my current "net status". I'm happy to say I'm back online! After 3 days of my home DSL being out, I'm finally back up and functioning with no help from all the dumb asses at the phone company and ISP. I fixed it myself as I figured I would have to do considering there are alot of morons in the tech field that should be off bagging groceries instead of trying to troubleshot computers. Anyways, it turned out to be an easy fix. I had a blown Ethernet card. So I replaced that, put back up my firewall and updated my router = good to go now. During my "net outage", as I stated the other day, I choose to piggyback on someone else's Wi-Fi in order to get myself online and get some work done. Well alot of people "steal" Internet access that way and it doesn't mean it's right, but it's easy and yeah I did it too. Of course now everyone may want to think twice before doing it since wireless trespassers are being arrested!

(Note: My comments will be in red.)
Case in point, meet 41-year-old Benjamin Smith III from Florida. CNN is reporting that Smith is facing 3rd-degree felony charges after using his laptop to access a St. Petersburg resident's wireless Internet network without permission. According to the police, Smith was seen by Richard Dinon outside Dinon's home on the night of April 20, 2005, sitting in a parked SUV and using a laptop computer. When Dinon went outside to deposit his trash, Smith quickly closed the laptop and tried to hide it (too suspicious acting). Dinon also stated that he later observed foreign icons on his home computer screen (sloppy rookie mistake by Smith) and suspected that Smith may have been using his network. He called police and an officer confronted Smith at 11:30PM, two hours after the initial sighting.

The arresting officer wasn't initially sure a violation took place (I can believe that). He had to consul legal staff and they looked up the relevant statute. The charge, unauthorized access to a computer network, applies to all varieties of computer network breaches and gives prosecutors considerable leeway depending on the severity. It carries a potential sentence ranging from probation to 5 years in prison (a little stiff I think when you compare it to more serious crimes)! Smith faces a pretrial hearing on Monday, July 11. The sentence will depend on whether he was accessing the Internet for basic personal use or using it for pecuniary gain - like identity theft or other illicit reasons (music/movie/software piracy, hacking etc). Smith's motives in using the network are unclear, but the laptop was confiscated from him (no net for him now either :P ) at the time of arrest and will be analyzed by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE).

The article went on to talk about how Florida believes it's only the 3rd case of unauthorized wireless access in the state (wake up, I can assure you it's not only the 3rd case, it's only the 3rd case that YOU have caught). Wireless networks are becoming more prevalent with the spread of broadband Internet access and many consumers are not aware of how to configure their networks to avoid unauthorized access. Law enforcement is behind the curve in confronting computer crime. Wireless networks are only just starting to be recognized. More and more people are buying wireless routers and not educating themselves about the consequences. People are very haphazard about security and the stakes are high.

In short, don't expect this problem to go away anytime soon. People in general are lazy and too over confident in thinking they are safe (can you say 9-11?). They don't want to take a few minutes to educate themselves on the technology they are using and they leave all the settings to default which is the equivalent of leaving your house key sticking out of your front door knob. Hackers know these default logins by heart. Hell, I can even recite the top ones for you. The whole idea of a router and going wi-fi is not only for connivance, but also for SECURITY. It you fail to make it secure by locking it down properly, then you are defeating one of the main purposes of the equipment to being with. You are now actually LESS SECURE and more open to attacks. So in a way I don't feel bad for this Dinon guy. He was stupid and in over his head when it came to tech gadgets, but lucky for him he was in the right place at the right time to catch the intruder. Then again Smith was a true rookie by leaving icons laying around on the target system. He was sloppy and suspicious, bound to get caught sooner or later. I feel if you don't want to learn how to use something properly, then don't use it at all. If you can't follow that rule, then don't be surprised or shocked when something bad happens to you.

Hurricane Cindy Washed My Net Away

It's only early July but already it seems we have our first hurricane of the season and her name is Hurricane Cindy. Normally hurricane season isn't until September, but Cindy decided to pay a visit early and a rotten visitor she is. She is one cruel heartless b*tch. Cindy has begun ripping up the east coast, mostly in the Caribbean, and the affects can be felt all the way up to where I live and even into NY (or so I hear). In short, Hurricane Cindy is now mixing in with Hurricane Dennis and bringing lots of tropical rain and high wind storms. Nearby tree limbs falling on power lines have caused outages, including taking out my DSL line - bastards!

Now my house hasn't been washed away or anything like that, but just as bad my Internet access has! I know, you are either gasping or laughing depending on if you're a tech head or not. To a tech guy, the net is important. Well it's more than important, it helps pay my bills. I need to get online for work and other things and not having the ability to do that at home is beyond annoying and frustrating. So for 2 days now it has been off.

Am I having withdrawal? Yeah a little, but only because I need it for work. Otherwise I am kind of enjoying doing other things non-computer related. Although the past few days it has made me realize how dependent I am on technology in my everyday life. It's like when I'm out and my cell phone battery dies and I don't have a charger or an extra battery on me. It drives me nuts! I feel like a part of me is missing and I'm not even that addicted to my cell phone like some people are. You won't see it glued to my ear every minute of the day and I'll be the first to vote in favor of banning cell phones while driving. (Sorry to those that disagree, but 99% of people CAN NOT drive well while BSing on the phone. Accident statistics will prove that if you don't believe me.) I'm sure you can name a few pieces of modern day technology that you couldn't live without. In the meantime until it's back up, I am "forced to steal my access". It's a harmless piggyback ride on someone else's Wi-Fi. Shh, don't tell.

You don't realize what you have until it's gone and it's so easy to take life's little connivances for granted. Remember I was born at a time where I don't even know life before MTV existed. Video games have always been around and I wouldn't of made it thru college without the Internet as my main source for research...the old fashion library still existed, but who uses that these days? Ok so now I know how good I have it/had it and I'll be more appreciative and all that other crap, blah blah blah. Now just give me back my net Cindy!

Jessica Simpson, You Make Me Very "Happy"

If you haven't heard already, guys can't seem to get enough of seeing the photos and video from Paris Hilton's burger commercial. In it Paris is provocatively washing a car while somehow selling you on a fast food restaurant. What does a scantly dressed blonde in a bikini and heals rubbing herself on a car full of wet suds have to do with hamburgers? Well nothing of course and who cares? It's still great eye candy and caught alot of guy's "attention". It's hot and it sold me...even if I have no clue in remembering what the name of the burger joint was. That part is not important. What's important is that sexism is still alive and well! Ha-ha. Anyway, it's bravo advertising in my book. Not to be outdone, Jessica Simpson is staring in her own little video letting everyone know why she is "The Sweetest Sin". Here is a arousing peak at it...

Watch The Full Video Here

Jessica's is a little more tasteful and in my opinion way sexier! It's a music video for her latest song titled "These Boots Are Made For Walking". It comes from the movie "The Dukes Of Hazard" where she plays no other than Miss Daisy Duke - very fitting role. I understand she had to workout for months to get into shape for the part and wow does it show! Whether her IQ is lower than Paris Hilton's or not, she looks incredible and this video is one of her best. As long as she doesn't ask if "Chicken By The Sea" is chicken or tuna, then she is a 10! (Just for the record, yes I know who she looks like and reminds you of, so let's not go there.) Jessica, anytime you are ready to leave Nick, you are more than welcome to come walking my way. I love J Lo, but I certainly wouldn't kick Jessica out of my bed. Hell, there is enough room for BOTH of you!In the famous words of Paris Hilton...that's hot!

Pittsburgh Beer

Iron City Beer is sick, but Rolling Rock isn't too bad and it's made local. Can't beat that.

Happy 4th Of July!

It's an America tradition to celebrate July 4th. It's all about weenie roasting and beer toasting. Get out there to take advantage of this long holiday weekend. Enjoy a backyard BBQ and then take a dip in the pool (wait 1 hour after eating of course). Don't forget to throw a couple cold ones down before heading out to watch the fireworks light up the sky! Whatever you do, just don't be like me a few years ago. I nearly blew off my arm while putting on our own elaborate grand finale display of every whistle, bomb and bang known to man. It was suppose to be a private little show, but had "disaster and "ER visit" written all over it. So play it safe and stick with the sparklers. Good advice even for big kids like me. Below is a photo of the Zambellie Brothers fireworks at The Point in Pittsburgh. I should note they are professionals which is why the brothers have all their limbs still attached.

PlayStation Thumb

Play alot of video games? If you have Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) or early signs of RSI in your fingers, hands and forearms, then you may need to put down the controller. Some kids play video games so much that the skin on their fingers and thumbs is actually turning red, blistering, peeling and even callusing! It's become somewhat of an epidemic. A 13-year-old girl conducted a study on this very problem, which is now referred to as "PlayStation Thumb". The PlayStation Thumb study has now gained worldwide attention since being published in a medical journal.

The South African teen, Safura Abdool Karim, has become the youngest person ever to be published in the country’s main medical publication. Karim conducted a study into a condition she has called “PlayStation Thumb”. Initially, the study was for a school science project. Karim question 120 of her schoolmates, 60 boys and 60 girls, on whether they suffered problems after playing games. 8 boys and 7 girls reported redness, blisters and tingling of the thumb. Karim writes in her report that it is similar to RSI: “Although RSI is not new, in the past it occurred mainly among adults. Computer games are creating new medical problems, such as PlayStation thumb, which are becoming common in children."

Basically these days instead of kids getting normal things like skinned knees from falling on the playground outside, they will be getting skinned thumbs from rapidly pressing on their PS2 controlers indoors. Sad day indeed. America wonders why we have so many overweight kids, not to mention it's also a FACT that America kids are getting dumber! Yes, you heard that right - dumber and test scores around the US prove that. For the love of god, pick up a book and a football and go outside. Make America proud, or at least attempt to.

Best Vacation Spot?

I'm thinking about taking a much needed vacation and I thought I would ask for a little input on helping me decide where to go. The only criteria I have is that it needs to be a beach (anywhere other than CA), be fun, relaxing and romantic. So let me hear your favorite vacation spots, dreams places to visit, what you recommend and why. Money isn't a factor so I'm open to any ideas from private islands to just about anything. Thanks!

11,000+ Visitors To The Blog Can't Be Wrong

Another month has come and gone and now I have 6 months of blogging complete, whew! That's alot of posting and it's now summer. That could only mean one thing - vacation time! Yeah I need one and so does "someone else" I know, but I'll touch on that topic another day. If you didn't happen to notice, let me brag for a minute and say I have over 11,000 hits on the blog as of today. Not too bad huh? I might get more into that and break down some other stats in a post later this week. For now, as always, here are some of the highlights and a quick recap of the past month on the blog...

Sex sells and even Carry is checking out

www.diamondkt.blogspot.com ;)

Around the WWW an increasing number of people are selling their foreheads and other various body parts off on eBay to be used as billboard space. Later I announced that the 2nd round of the dot-com boom may be upon us - cha ching! Evil is lurking online and in the tech world with a PC crashing exploit/trick. I choose to share that with all so you could cause havoc with it - fun wasn't it? Not to be outdone, evil struck AOL extra hard with an increase in spam and virus spreading galore on their systems. Bluetooth sniper rifles caught the attention and opened the eyes of many of my readers, being that for some it was the first time ever hearing of such an activity. Lastly, yet another fellow hacker was handed his jail sentence.

It's no secret that sex sells and it was a "hot topic" this month on my blog! From the birth of .xxx porn domain extensions, to virtual strippers, to how to give the slip to annoying guys and girls at a bar. Even video games are simulating sex these days and allowing you to "play" along. Then there are fat children running around wearing t-shirts with sexual offensive slogans plastered on them. If that wasn't enough, the best is that there are chicks getting naked and using their body to display their love and support for me and my blog. Ah, it just keeps getting better.

Current events included the Jacko trial ending with a not guilty verdict. It left many with mixed emotions. There were lots of comments from readers on the outcome and it drew enough attention that I even opened a new voting poll on it. The once "Iron" Mike Tyson ended his career with a fizzle which then was followed with the Spurs clutching the NBA Championship, but even that couldn't light a fire and make the NBA exciting again - another sports fizzle.

In blogging news I showed you how to make cash from your blog and how to let a machine do automated blogging for you so you could detach yourself from your keyboard. I even included 2 fake sign generator posts and had alot of people fooled. The Blogger.com staff added a better image hosting system and I started compiling a small list of links to celeb blogs that some may find interesting reading.

On a more personal "note", I discovered a new hidden talent in myself that I could play the piano note for note without ever laying hands on one before. I also discovered that I had a month full of disappointments in my career and personal life. All of which I am still trying to overcome and make better by taking it one day at a time. I had some new moblog photos to share along with some girly styled posts that let everyone see a more intimate side of who I am. Finally to let everyone peer into my life a little closer, I decided to share a photo of myself and add it to my blog profile. Just don't claim it as yours like some other weirdo did on CraigsList - long story, don't ask.

So there you have it. It's July 1st now and it's officially summer time. Here's to another month of blogging (as long as I feel the inspiration and have the time to continue). I hope all of you will come back to see what I have in store for this month.

Hottie Tagging

Ever see those net cam photos where there is a girl (usually half naked) holding up some little sign promoting a website or person they love? The idea is sort of "overdone" in my opinion, but it's still kind of cool and I always thought it would be funny if I had some girl do that for me. I know strange, but humor me. So it seems a blog buddy of mine did just that. While visiting his blog, "To Talk In Sudden Outburst", I saw "TTiSoB" had posted his own Hottie Tagging. I had commented on it and mentioned that I wish I had that. Then the next day, wish granted! Warning: there are a couple nude shots too, but since alot of people read my blog at work, I opted not to upload those here. Don't worry though, you can still view them at the links I listed below. Without further ado, here it is...

Small Boobs Tagging Photo

Big Boobs Tagging Photo

Full Body Tagging Photo

I know what you will say, these girls are degrading themselves and aren't that "hot". Still they are showing a little love and it's all in good fun, so relax. Again thanks to TTiSoB for the pics. Here are the original links to TTiSoB's Hottie Tagging and also on his blog is DIAMONDKT's Hottie Tagging.

Now this post is just a little something to tide everyone over until I get some time to write up a proper 1st of the new month blog entry. While you are waiting, you might also want to surf over to EXSENO's Brazilian bikini post. She's the coolest Grandma blogger ever! Enjoy and check back later for my other July 1st post.