I want to be here!!!

Originally uploaded by Michael Salomon

Isn't this absolutely gorgeous? I remember trying to take photos like this when we took our family trip to the mountains.

Accident?

Originally uploaded by PorschePunk

Is this something that was done on purpose or by accident? Either way, it looks REALLY cool!

How To Photograph Christmas Lights

Comparing the boys...

Boys_20071201_4
Originally uploaded by bensdad03

Ben on the left - 2003
Haydn on the right - 2007

They are precious!!!

Mark Lowry and GeekBrief.TV Viewers

Mark Lowry and GeekBrief.TV Viewers
Originally uploaded by Cali Lewis

This is so wild - not surprised that Mark Lowry is hamming it up, but just that he was there!!!

How did this happen?

Read the article here: Secretary Accused Of Using School Money To Shop

I am completely confused as to how a school credit card would not be watched by the company issuing for purchases like this? I mean, maybe the furniture could get by, but not the Victoria's Secret stuff. Shouldn't there be some sort of special flags placed on cards that go out to entities like this? In my opinion the same thing should have happened with the Katrina stuff, but obviously nobody thought that one through either.

I am getting the LapBand!

I finally got to meet with the Doctor. I am really excited about the opportunity to get this surgery done. For someone who has issues with weight and is really looking for a total life change, this process is an excellent beginning. The one thing that I have learned through the time I have been on this journey isnthat the people in Bariatrics really do want to help. Like my Dr. said, this surgery is not the "silver bullet." It is a process of healthy eating, portion control, exercise and positive support.

If you have been going through the same thing I have - fatigue, aching joints, depression and just right out not feeling healthy - why don't you give the lap-band a little research. Journey Lite is a great start, and I am sure that you will be pleasantly surprised at the testimonials and how close they are to your own situation. I want to be around for a while, for my wife, for my boys and even to see grandchildren! I believe that I am on the right path, and this journey will be a positive one!



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Online library

Online library gives readers access to 1.5 million books from PhysOrg.com

The Million Book Project, an international venture led by Carnegie Mellon University in the United States, Zhejiang University in China, the Indian Institute of Science in India and the Library at Alexandria in Egypt, has completed the digitization of more than 1.5 million books, which are now available online.

[...]

I want magic for Christmas!!!

I saw a new video on you tube from this Brad guy at ellusionist.com - I like his teaching style as far as being in depth and very mater-of-fact, but I am not sure I can sit and listen to him talk very long. He also looks like he is wearing some weird eye shadow or something - kinda hard to watch. I think I will stick to my buddy Jay Sankey!!!

For those of you who are planning on getting gifts for me - you can't go wrong with magic tricks!!! A couple of tricks I would really like to have are Mercuring (Large version, though), Paperclipped, Astral Projection and/or Snowstorm. I already have a few things from Penguin Magic (DO NOT BUY FROM THEM!!!) and haven't been able to buy anything new for a while.

Best Pranks on "The Office"

This is the best show EVER!!!

Camera Woes...

I am really unhappy with the way a seller handled an eBay issue today. I bid on a camera for my wife, and the seller did not meet their reserve price. A second chance offer was given for the camera to my highest bid. I purchased the item by paying for it with PayPal. I received a mssage today from the seller that they did the second chance offer incorrectly and it was supposed to be nearly 2 times what I paid for the item. You better believe I am giving extremely negative feedback for this person!!!

A Christmas Wish

Ok, there is one thing and only one thing that my wife would like to have for Christmas this year. That is why I have been frantically shopping online for digital cameras like the one she wants. Unfortunately, I have been having a tough time finding one in our financial grasp. If anyone would like to contribute to the cause, I would be more than humble to accept your generous donation.

Since our other camera broke, I have been researching them online like a crazy man, and for the price, quality and reputation, we have decided to go with the Silver Canon EOS Rebel XTi kit. The kit includes the 18-55mm lens, the rechargeable battery with the charger as well as some cables, books and a cd with the software on it.

I think that the most impressive thing about this particular camera is the rapid speed that it can take photos. It can take 3 shots in 1 second. The good thing about this is that, with having two boys on the move all the time, it will guarantee that we won't miss that precious moment or the batted ball. Since this comes with the one lens, I think the future will definitely hold a telephoto lens of some sort to compliment the default one that comes with it.

The other thing that sold me on this particular model is the granularity of the settings of the focus, shutter speed, aperture and ISO. Having the ability to manipulate all of these individual settings in a digital mode, you are truly able to bracket those settings to get the best quality photo in any situation. And I have noticed that the photos online of others who have this model seem to do extremely well in low light situations.

With a couple of memory cards, a UV filter, a case and maybe a backup battery, we should be set for a good while with this one. I just hope we are able to get it - I don't want my bride to be disappointed!

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Cheesy, but cute magic trick for kids

This would make a great object lesson for children!!!

Coin Magic - Half Dollar

I am looking for a good place to purchase Half-Dollars for my magic routines that don't cost $5.00 and up - I think some of these places are ridiculous charging that. Please comment in the section below if you know of a good website or even a local place to find these coins.

LEGO mania

There is no doubt that I was a LEGO freak when I was a boy. I still walk down the toy aisles marveling at what children today have to play with, especially in the area of blocks. Thank goodness that they still think of those of us with that little kid wish as an adult.

Tell me that this isn't cool as all get out!!

Verizon's Answer to the iPhone?

This article discusses Verizon Wireless and their effort to compete with the iPhone in the touch screen arena.

The Office Gear

If you are a fan of the NBC TV Show The Office, then you will definitely get a kick out of this shirt and the other items available that refer to the season opener.

Back to Blueland

They are back and it is time to get the party started!!!

New Thrashers Uniforms!!!

Read all about it here - http://thrashers.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&page=NewsPage&articleid=337216

Huckabee Stars as GOP Stumbles

What a great post I have just read about Mike Huckabee. I especially like what I read in the last paragraph about the fresh ideas. I hope you will consider Mike Huckabee as the Republican Nominee.

Huckabee Stars as GOP Stumbles

After Thanksgiving Sales

No matter how much my wife begs and pleads, I absolutely REFUSE to get out on the day after Thanksgiving to deal with the crowds. I don't care how good a deal it is, you are not guaranteed to get an item - so what is the point? I remember my sister talking about going to Wal-Mart last year and missing out on a TV that was supposed to be available. They waited in line for over an hour!

This is why I am excited about this black friday website. Not only are you able to get the information about deals way before they hit the newspapers, but you can get them online without having to deal with the public. How cool is that! Now I can eat my Turkey at the in-law's house and not worry about missing out on the deals. If I am forced to get up early the next day, I can just go right to Wal-Mart's site, buy whatever I want, and then go back to bed! No driving to many different stores either - Best Buy, Circuit City, Toys R Us and CompUSA are all at my fingertips.

The neat thing is that they offer an option for you to sign up for e-mail alerts that will send you notifications right to your inbox of updates and new deals. These friendly little reminders will help me to get out there and take a look at what is available fairly easily, especially as busy as I have become.

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Windows Vista Remote Desktop

This blog is a great tool for understanding problems with Remote Desktop in Windows Vista. I am sure that this will be extremely helpful for those who RDP into servers....

Happy 4th

At my parent's for the 4th. Had a really nice lunch - T-Bones, Baked Potato, hot wings, steamed veggies, rolls and for dessert - brownie with ice cream and hot fudge!!!!

Sitting around playing with the internet today, I did a couple of speed tests on my parent's computer. They are on the same ISP as me, and look at these results:





I'm dealing with MUCH slower speeds than that!!!

New Toy

My wife got a cool little figurine for me this weekend - it is a Marian Hossa Thrashers "Sculptured" Action Figure. It is extremely realistic looking. I brought it in to work today and everybody thought it looked really cool! I know it is kind of geeky to have stuff like this at work, but that's what I am. I have him right beside my Darth Tater. I am sure my little office collection will grow - but it makes me feel at home and the cube is my personal space...

Build A Sandcastle

I had the absolute best time building this virtual sandcastle online. I was really disappointed this year to find out that we would not be able to go on vacation. All the time that we had was used up with my wife being out on maternity leave with our newest son. I used up all my leave staying out to take care of her and spend time with my boys.

No worries, though, because I was able to Build A Sandcastle online with my 4 year old! This has got to be one of the neatest things to do. Not only can you choose from a variety of walls, towers and entrances, but they give you the option to add water, colorize each piece and move the items in front or behind each other. If you don't like something you did, it allows you to revert that particular shape to its original settings. You can also re size the item or completely remove it.

If that wasn't enough, you can add accessories to it like starfish, shells and flags. Once you are finished with the sandcastle, you can e-mail it to anyone you want or you can save it to your computer to make into a desktop. As you can see from our creation, it is extremely realistic looking. I think my son and I are going to make a couple more and experiment with all the options we can!

Practical Steps: Solving Immigration, American Identity and Border Security

For national security reasons, it is vital we regain control of our border. Congress should pass a narrowly written emergency border bill to finish the necessary fence in less than a year and to have complete border control within two years.

I think we need to go a little further and allow anyone that discovers an illegal to report them. For instance, school districts don't have the right or authority to report someone if they are here illegally. This is a criminal we are talking about - someone who does not respect the law - to me it is no different than someone walking into our childrens' schools and taking whatever they want. You would report that, wouldn't you? Then why should we not have the right to report this type of crime...

I downloaded and read this article from Newt.org about these "deja vu" comments made during the first Ammnisty mess back in 1986 as comapred to comments being made today concerning the current bill.

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Irritating Commercials

I have some commercials that I hate so much I actually refuse to listen or be a patron. For example - those stupid D.Geller & Son commercials. This last one with the helium has to be the most moronic I've ever heard! What about this British guy from Simply Direct Mortgage that turns southern when he says words like "five", "line" and "fight". Unless you've heard it, it will not make sense to you. How about the stupid money lover guy from Burger King that does nothing but whisper. I just have to turn the radio down or switch stations when this fool comes on. Finally, this guy talking about Lance Crackers draws out the word "cracker" with a northern accent about as bad as Jessie Ventura drawing out "Minnesota". It's like he says Minesoooooooooooooooota. This guy says craaaaaaaaacker. I just realized I spend way to much time on the road!!!

The Police are back!

Win a New York fly-away to see The Police live.

I was so excited to find out that The Police were going on tour again. I am certain that it will be a great show. They have so many songs that I enjoy listening to. The cool thing is that the new "Best of" police cd has ALL good songs on it.

I think out of all the songs on the album, I can say that "Wrapped Around Your Finger" is probably my top pick. The style of this song is a little bit of a departure of their normal Reggae inspired sound. It is more of a Reggae Ballad, which is extremely unique. I am certain that Sting's powerful vocals are still as strong today as they were when these songs were written. I don't know anyone who can match his vocal style! Stewart Copeland and Andy Summers are truly talented as well to be a part of a 3 piece and produce as much sound as they do.

The Police have definitely influenced others to think outside the box when it comes to music. They took a style of music, put their own artistic freedom and made it into a beloved classic. I think bands like The English Beat and the Mighty Mighty Bosstones owe a debt of gratitude to the The Police for giving this brand of music a voice in contemporary art. I can't wait to get my hands on a copy of this police cd!

New Chair

I got into work this morning and was happy to find that I had a new chair waiting for me. I have been having bad back problems lately. It could be carrying around this 14 pound child in a 15 pound carrier...

Anyway, this thing has just about everything adjustable. The one thing I really like is the fact that the seat bottom is adjustable making it easier for me to sit back all the way and have the chair actually keep me sitting up straight. It also has arm rests that are more for your elbows which is perfect for a computer geek like myself.

Finally, I am really pleased because, as we were looking for chairs, I made sure that I got one that had a 5+ hour work time logo next to the photo. This means that the chair is comfortable all day at work. The other one that I had, I was usually hurting by lunch time.

Meade MySKY

With Father's Day right around the corner, I hear women complaining constantly about finding a gift for their husbands. One of the local radio stations had a segment yesterday with all kinds of cool gadgets. Everything that they had on there had some sort of link back to what the dad loved.

Although I am not super knowledgeable in the area of Astronomy, I am extremely fascinated with the thought that some of the light we see in the night sky has been traveling for thousand of years. Also, it is interesting to me that sailors would use the stars to guide their way.

Like most dads, I enjoy spending time with my son, and it is a lot of fun when I can educate him on things he is genuinely interested in. We talk about the starts and the moon a lot. Although he is only 4, I always encourage him to learn as much as he can about anything he show an interest in.

So that is why I think that the Meade MySKY would be a perfect gift for any dad who may be interested in Astronomy or want to share knowledge of the night sky with their children. Since Meade makes some of the best telescopes, this addition will guide you with everything you could need to help you understand what you are looking at. The bright LCD gives you a great, rich multimedia experience. How cool would it me just to point the viewfinder into the night sky and get a quick lesson on the celestial object? This is something I know I would enjoy - I am sure the sailors back in the day had no clue something like this would ever be available!

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Beach Ball Day

The boy is always doing things that make me laugh. I had to share this one from earlier today:

After finishing my shower this morning, I walked into the hall to get my clothes out of the dryer. As I looked into his room, he is standing there watching television with his t-shirt on and nothing else. I asked him why he didn't have his underwear on to which he replied, "It's Beach Ball day at school - I don't have to wear any underwear." he then proceeded to put on his swim trunks. I supposed that anything with the word beach in it is an automatic clue to beach-wear! He is so funny!

Sankey-Skutt Sessions DVD

OK - I have been playing around with magic for a little over a year now. I really ant to get into doing what I call "hoakey" trciks like the rings and the balls and cups routines. I want to get into doing some illusions that have some meat to them and can really grab the attention of the spectator. I want to do something for a crowd that can be examined, where they can be fairly close to me or I don't have to be sitting at a specific table or performing far away on stage. The magic that they call "in your face" magic.

I don't know how I was out of the loop on this guy, but a friend of mine told me about a magician named Mike Skutt that has produced a DVD with one of my favorite magicians, Jay Sankey. This DVD called "The Sankey/Scutt" sessions is available on a lot of sites - just google the name and you should have your choice of your favorite online magic retailers. After reading a couple of reviews and looking at the types of illusions included on this DVD, I think it is exactly what I am looking for. I just hope it is not too advanced for me - but I am ordering it today!!!

Already 4 weeks!

I can't believe that in 2 days my 2nd child will be 4 weeks old, and Saturday he'll be exactly one month old. It seems like we waited forever for him to get here. Now that he's here, it seems to be flying by.

It was extremely hard for me to go back to work last week. Not necessarily because of the work, but because I was able to spend so much time with my family. There's just something about that bonding time with your child that means so much. I know that any parent will agree that holding your newborn and watching them sleep gives you so much joy!

We went out Saturday night to the Lighthouse restaurant for my mom's birthday. After church yesterday, we left to go to LaGrange and had a get together at my mother-in-law's home for my wife's grandfather. We spent the night and this morning the wife and her grandmother are off shopping with the baby. I am here now with big brother and we are going to have lunch soon. I think we are going to meet up with my wife's dad sometime today.

Boy 2 is here!

My precious child is here! He weighed 12lbs 3 oz, 20.5 inches long. He arrived at 11:55 AM on Wednesday, May 2nd. Mother and baby are both doing great! Here is a photo of him:

Only 7 days left!

Unless the wife goes into labor before, boy 2 will be here on May 2nd @ 11:30 AM. I have been watching videos of boy 1 that we put together as he was growing up. I think my favorite is one of him eating green beans in his bouncy seat. It is so precious to hear that laugh!

Stick a Fork in her - ROSIE's DONE!

Funny thing is Dennis Miller has been predicting this for the last month due to the fact that she wanted a bigger piece of the View Pie....

Hallelujah - Praise the Lord! Maybe Elisabeth Hasselbach can speak her mind now without having porky the pig stomping all over her. Good riddance to BAD RUBBISH!!!


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Numbers Down

Not sure what is going on at church, but I only counted about 75 people at church this morning in the main service. Numbers have dropped drastically, and I am truly clueless as to why.

The baby should be here soon. I am so ready! If everything goes to proper timing, the boy will go down the weekend before to his Great-Grandparents, we'll go in the hospital early that Wednesday and by lunch time we'll have our new boy!

Just saw a tag

Just saw a tag - RSNHALE - this is what we told the wife's friend (who happens to have a last name of HALE) to name her kid - Raisin Hale!

Atlanta Thrashers - 2007 Southeast Division Champs

They did it! Not only are we going to the playoffs, but the boys from Blueland clinched the Southeast Division last night. I am SO ready for the game tonight!!! It was so good to see Jon Sim back out on the ice. I hope he gets some time on the ice tonight.

I've got to go back on TiVo and figure out what happend with Kovi last night for the 4 minute penalty. No matter, though, they still stomped Carolina!!! And if last night's game with Florida creaming Tampa, I think tonight will be a repeat of the suberp playing we saw last night.

The Worst Goal Ever

This would SOOOO happen to me....