Lets play Fetch now...

Well I heard about this story and didn't think much about it at the time. Mistakes are made and it just happened to be Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper's turn while working at NASA. See a tool bag worth $100,000 accidentally got away from her. Opps! Well her co-spacewalk partner Stephen Bowen at least takes some of the blame here, he was the one who packed the tool bags before leaving on the EVA. Just watch the clip to see how slow you can loose $100,000.

Now what caused me to think more about this was hearing that an Amateur Astronomer, Kevin Fetter of Brockville, Ontario has used his basic knowledge and skills to pin point and now track the tool bag as it moves around Earth. You can see the quick fly by in this clip with the bag streaking from the top right to bottom left.

So what I don't understand is why these things cost so much, but why don't the take that shuttle and rescue the thing. Seems we would have the ability to fire off the engines a bit, get in front of the bag, rotate a bit and open those big bay doors and let it float back inside. Or can we afford to just drop $100,000 like that? Sure seems like it would be a nice little exercise on recovering something from space.

Benediction at Obama's Inauguration

I think that Rev. Joseph Lowery's benediction was the perfect closing to the events for Obama's Inauguration. I watched a lot of the events through out the day while at work and sadly missed this portion of the event.

Thankfully my wife saw it and told me about it, I found this clip on the web to share with you all. It's not every day you see History in the making and today was one of those days. I'm glad I was able to see parts of it at least.

The Last Templar

NBC has a new mini series coming in a week and I'm looking forward to this one. Its actually from a book that I've thought about reading and well I don't think I'll have time to get the book read, but I can at least record the show an try an save it for later perhaps.

Here is a video preview of the upcoming mini series, in case anyone else is interested in this. I think I might see if my library has the book an pick it up. Might need to do some power reading.

Video Recaps | Full Episodes | Webisodes

Christmas Carols for all

Alright, today its a triple shot of Christmas Cheer for you all. I thought I'd fine a few fun songs about Christmas time and show them here today. The first one up comes from the Cheeky Girls, Have a Cheeky Christmas. I stumbled over this one while searching for a few songs and just had to share it. This duo is twin sisters Monica and Gabriela Irimia, from Cluj-Napoca in Transylvania, Romania, and they are currently based out of Britain.



One of my all time faves is the original from the Waitresses, but I had a bit of trouble finding one from them to share here and went with this clip from the Spice Girls. Here is Christmas Medley for you Live.



The last song comes from the movie Love Actually, if you remember this little tune from the movie. This one was a real treat to watch and reminded me of some of the old music videos I grew up watching. Here is Christmas is all Around.



Well I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas and at the very least a nice break for a few days. I'll see you all over the weekend now.

Look on the Bright Side

I think I've been stressed out a bit, its to be expected with the possible layoffs at work. Some of my co-workers have told me to just remain positive and not to worry, what happens will happen and roll with the punches so to speak. I know the support of my family is there as well and I'm doing the best I can to take everything to heart from their messages.

Here is another little clip from The Meaning of Life and the Monty Python players. With all the things going on these days, I think we just need a little chuckle from time to time. So even if it pushes things to the limits a bit here, I have to say that the simple words of this song could be very appropriate with all that has been going on recently. So if your feeling a bit down, then look to the Bright Side and give a whistle!

I'm going to try and come up with a few more clips to help express my thoughts of lately, so check back later this week.

Where's George when we need him?

I have to say this is my all time favorite Christmas film and one that I have to watch on Christmas Eve. Its a classic and as long as I can remember it would play that night and tomorrow we would free all of the presents from under the Tree.

I think it means more to me this year than any year to watch this film. I can't think of a time in my life that I've seen things as bad as they are. I remember the gas shortage on the news, but I've never seen so many people being laid off or heard of bail outs like we are seeing now.

I have my job for now, but the questions of how long I'll have it remain to be told. I've never planned on leaving it and I might not have a choice. What I can say is I'm thankful to have it and want to keep it. Tough times are ahead for us though and in the end, I know I have the support of family and friends.

Perhaps we all could use a George Bailey in our lives these days. I hope you'll enjoy this little clip and I have a few more to share over the next few days.

More cutbacks all around

Well more cuts were needed at work all around, in order to get the budget closer to Zero for the year. That meant a few more people were laid off at work as well as some programs being slashed as well.

Its a totally different working environment now these days. We lost about 10 people and some have gone to a contract position and working off site. It was also decided that our 2008 profit sharing would not be made, as well as 2009. They've also eliminated our 2009 401k matching benefits and last will be no salary raises for 2009.

Everyone wonders what will be next, will the the health insurance go away? Its a given that changes are coming over the next year, but how many more changes are we looking at ahead now? What will these changes do for everyone in 2009?

When my manager gave me an office memo and said, "Here is your salary reduction notice." I simply smiled and said, "I prefer to look at this paper and think, I still have a job now!" The truth is I can do what I can and handle these decisions for now. I'd rather have my job and these cuts than be laid off.

All of this has caused us to look at ways to slash spending on our home front. We've targeted a few areas and will continue to look at ways to save some money at home. I can feel some what safe at work now, but truth is it doesn't matter how loyal I am to my job, they might not be loyal to me anymore.

I might have to start looking at options for other jobs. I'm going to do what I can to help and make things better at work, but I have to keep in mind my family and future comes first and some changes might not be in line with those needs.

One thing is for sure, I don't see any bailout coming our way. It's up to all of us to bail ourselves out. I'm thankful to have my job and sad for all of those that lost theirs out there. Hopefully they'll bounce back soon and to better things.

Cutbacks have begun

So it was last Friday that everyone at my place of employments was asked to meet and informed that our times ahead did not look good.

So we headed into the weekend knowing that Cutbacks would be coming and it was even mentioned that some cuts could come before the Executive Committee comes into town to meet.

So yesterday Texas Workforce was asked to come out and speak to us and let us know what services were available if we found our self laid off. That brings us to today and my departments lost one team member.

By the time the day was over 7 people were let go from various departments and a lot of them I thought of as friends. Its been tough wondering what might happen and the fact is more could be coming still. Nobody knows what might happen during or after the EC meets.

It reminds me of an article I read over the weekend about being laid off. See in a lot of cases, its not just a job and we spend a lot of time with our co-workers and become close friends and in someways a family. That's what makes this hard to have to say goodbye to someone.

The fact is business is not as good as it was and change is needed to help the situation. Doesn't make it easier to tell someone your being let go. I can only hope the best for all of them and continue to hope that I will still have a job too.

Its just a bad time of year for something like this to happen. Really sucks to think its happening everywhere too. My mother lost her job a couple months back and I've heard of others loosing their jobs and now its hit close to home it seems.

For now I have to take it one day at a time, I know I have plenty to work on and look forward to working on my projects. I just hope to continue doing so.

The Girls Are Back Again!

Just hold out an empty hand

Where's my bailout now? Seems to be the trend if your in the USA and you mess up, just ask for your Bailout plan. I really don't get it, how things got so bad and all at once too.

So banks are hurting and they decide to give them money and make the pain go away. What did they do with the money? They put it in their banks like good bankers do.

Then comes the Auto makers and their pains. Throw some money at them and quick, its will solve everything. Don't make them sell those fancy jets they use to fly all over the place. Need to fix it quick though, if they fall then all the businesses that support them will fall next. I say we go back to riding on Horses.

Money can be hard for just about everyone. The price of gas was horible months back and now its back to and I hate to say this, normal again. Crazy when you pay almost $4 a gallon and then can go back to $2 a gallon, rocking good if you ask me. Time to start spending money I'm saving, yeah right!

So now the buzz is people feel the Government needs to give everyone this huge stimulus and allow us to pay off our homes. I say, here's my hand give it to me and I'll do that in a heart beat, after all everyone needs a Bailout right?

Helping others on Thanksgiving

Helping others on this Thanksgiving means so much to me and I'm truly thankful for everything that I have in life. Edith and I have tried from time to time to help others. Some years we give really big and other we just try to give if we can.

With the Father & Child program at our local YMCA, Freya and I have helped out at Mission Arlington with the sorting of can goods. We missed that this year, but we made it a point to help with the delivery of Turkey Baskets and Hot Meal plates this morning.

To see the families first hand and make sure they have something to eat on Thanksgiving touches my heart. Today volunteers came to assist 20,000 people with meals today in Arlington alone. Sadly that is only the people that know about the program and have asked for help as well.

Trucks, Vans, and all types of SUVs came out to volunteer at making food runs to various locations today. One family waiting to get registered said that they drove in from Lubbock to do this today.

I don't think I'll ever think of Thanksgiving the same way again. I'm so thankful to have my family and I think we might have started a new tradition for Thanksgiving mornings now and will look forward to helping others out for years to come.

There is a flaw in the Matrix

A co-worker sent this to me and I found it funny and well made. So I give you the problem with the Matrix for your entertainment.

Obama wins

The best way to describe last nights Election is simply Historical. Something I would hope could happen in my lifetime has finally happened. Barrack Obama was elected as the 44th President of United States and becomes the first African American to become President. Notice the usage of the word first and hopefully not the last. I'd like to think, provided the right man or woman that runs and wins the highest office in our Nation, anything is possible in the United States.

It seems that a lot of firsts have happened in this years election, for one this is my first time to actually vote for a Democrat. I'm glad I voted in the Caucus for Obama and then I voted for him in the Election. I truly like what he's said and what plans to try and do for America. I feel he really has America's interests at heart first and I feel that is a very important thing too.

He does have some real challenges ahead of him now, but I think he can face them and take care of them. He seems to be very smart and know enough, that its time for us to stand together and work at fixing our own problems together.

A Historical moment for sure and perhaps in my lifetime we'll see the right woman become the President of the United States someday.

Publishing my first Novel

In about six months I'll have my first Novel published. No I haven't been signed by anyone to have it marketed and published on a large scale.

Last year I wrote my first Novel as an exercise to see if I could come up with something and actually like doing this. It was a fun to create a world and story filled with characters. It was also nice to reach my goal in the end and more or less win NaNoWriMo 2007.

The only things you have to do in order to win is start on November 1st and finish by the end of the month. Oh and make sure you wrote 50,000 words too. Its not quality as much as quantity and its on the honor system. So if you want your story to say the same word over an over you can, but its not going to be as satisfying in the end.

What does all this have to do with getting published though, well it was announced that the winners of NaNoWriMo 2007 would have a free proof copy published by Createspace, a partner of Amazon.Com. So after I finish my 2008 NaNoWriMo, I'll move into some rewrites and polish up last years in order to send it off for a very limited printing of 1 copy for now at least.

Young writers

Well tonight I helped my daughter with her first creative writing assignment. Granted she is 7 and in 2nd grade here, but still was an assignment for her to use her mind and create a character and setting for that character.

It was fun to try and explain to her what is was to write something and work on a project like this. Even though it was very short an simple and perhaps will not have a sequel, it was fun and I can only hope she will continue to enjoy reading and perhaps find that writing is a lot of fun too.

I'm looking ahead at the 2008 NaNoWriMo now and looking forward to writing again myself. It's a lot to try and create a story and characters, but for me its rewarding as well and fun to see something, even in need of rewrites and more polish to it and to know I created that world and story, filled with the lives of characters and let actions take hold and bring them to some final ending or at least for this particular story.

A lot has happened to me in the time that has past since last years NaNoWriMo. Things never get easier and I'll always have something to do, the point is to make time and write daily and let the story come out. Its what I did last time and what I'll attempt to do again. The clock is ticking and my next book is calling me... November 1st will be here before I know it now.

May the Force Be With Them

This Friday night on the Cartoon Network is the Premiere of the Star Wars Clone Wars and I'm looking forward to this title and seeing what they will do with it. I saw the movie about a month ago and was entertained pretty much. Although I did feel some of the subject matter was a bit strong for some little ones.

Just the same, I liked it enough to plan on DVR'n the show and watching them at home at my leisure. I'm a big Star Wars fan and that is pretty much a given that I'd check it out. For the most part I think its been getting some pretty good reviews and feedback as well. Check out the Cartoon Network this Friday at 9pm est.

Heroes & Villains: the count down begins...

It's that time of year and this season I'll be watching in HD thanks to Uverse. My only issue will be the poor audio drops from time to time. I'll have to fight through all of that is all. This show has been a favorite of mine for awhile now.

I've really loved the first two seasons and I'm sure this will please me just the same. When I knew the switch to HD was coming for me, this was the first show to pop in my head as a must watch, but I like it so much I'll watch it in Standard definition if I have to.

Your freaking me out!

The Associated Press reports that Republican Vice Presidential nominee Sarah Palin has recently told ministry students at her former church that the United States sent troops to fight in the Iraq war on a "task that is from God."

Its statements like this that don't really sit well with me. For someone to firmly state that God is telling us to fight in a War sounds crazy to put it nicely. She also feels that God wants us to have a Natural Gas Line setup in Alaska and that we should pray for that as well.

"Our national leaders are sending them out on a task that is from God," she said. "That's what we have to make sure that we're praying for, that there is a plan and that plan is God's plan."

Another area that doesn't sit well was her ties with the Alaskan Independence Party, a group that wants to allow Alaska the right to vote on whether Alaska should have the right to leave the Union and become its own Nation.

It's been said that she use to be a member of the AkIP and the Wasilla Assembly of God, but she has recently recorded messages for the AkIP convention and spoke at her old church, so she still has some of these ties in place.

Then you have the Troopergate issues as its being called and her questionable use of power to have an ex-brother-in-law fired because of a messy divorce to her sister. I'm sorry it just seems like a closer look should take place on her being in the role of VP if you were to ask me.

Maybe I'm over reacting, I mean she's only going to be the VP right? Will she be in a position of that much power to worry? The President will have full control and its not like the VP really does anything, or at least she doesn't know what a VP does.

Still I can't help but think McCain really picked the wrong person to be his second. Now I think he has to stick with the one he's brought to the dance. We'll have to see how things go over the debates and next few weeks. For now, I'm not impressed at all with what is going on in the Republican Camp.

Thumbs up for Support so far

Well in most cases I have to say the Customer Service and Support has been really great. Top notch so far. I still have my audio problem to deal with, but they've gone ahead and given me a free month of the HD services and upgraded us to the U300 package for free over the next 6 months.

They were suppose to come out over the weekend and look at something and missed the window. I wasn't upset really though, I don't think they would have really fixed anything with that visit. The audio fix only will come from the new Cisco 330 or 430 boxes, to the best of my knowledge at least.

In the meantime, I so love VoD and the extra movies available at this point. We can select from Starz, Encore, Flix, Showtime, and the Movie Channel on demand libraries at this time and watch what ever they have on their regular broadcasts channels. I tell you Video on Demand is pretty cool to see and experience.

It's not super quality, but its not bad at all and it really works well from my experiences so far. So a lot of movies I've missed or thought about watching are showing up. Somethings really old and some fairly new. Was awesome last night when my brother came over and I could set the kids up in the bedroom to watch Underdog, something they haven't seen at home. Just a simple click of the remote and the movie began, just add popcorn and we were able to control the living room for our entertainment needs.

As for the audio issues, I have to remain on top of things and keep after them for the new boxes. I also need to keep checking in on Home DVR or at least I think that is what they call it. We should have the ability to watch recorded programs from the DVR back in the bedroom at some point. All in all, the Uverse service has been pretty good and I'm fairly happy about it all.

Can you hear me now... Uh, No!

Well my audio issues continue, but I seem to have found a small glimmer of hope or should I say I hear a slight peep of relief instead. I like Engadget and they have reported other Uverse users are having the same issues. They also report that Cisco set-top-boxes appear to be the answer to this problem.

The only thing is this article was back in June and I'm having the problem now. I spoke with a level 2 support and it sounds like testing in various areas is underway with the new boxes. Claims are it fixes the issue, but as to when they will be available in my area, its unknown.

Looks like I'll have to deal with what I got and I'm expecting the Support to call back after they speak with Sales on a possible credit for the current problems. I'm fine with that for now and hope that they'll get the new boxes in this area soon. I told them I would gladly test out the new boxes for them and new services in this area even. Rather nice of me to offer that, right?

A tech is expected to look at another little issue with the bedroom box locking up on us. Hopefully he'll have an easy fix for that. They did a few things outside and it seems to have crept up after that work took place.

I don't want to complain to much, a buddy of mine can't get the service at all and what really sucks is his house is the only house in his neighborhood with that problem, talk about a crazy situation.