(Hay) Fever Dreams

My allergies are acting up again, so last night I took a couple of Benadryl before hitting the hay. Most times it just clears up my sinuses, and helps me sleep, but last night.....Oh, Boy!
I kept having very strange dreams, where I was suckered into entering the "Amusement Park From Hell". The lines for the rides were very long, moved glacially slow, and all the people surrounding me smelled like they hadn't had a bath in months.
They all had this "1000 Yard Zombie Stare", and didn't speak coherently. There was loud carnival music blaring everywhere and the heat was oppressive. Barkers constantly screamed at you to enter the side-shows. The food was inedible and expensive. There were no water fountains anywhere, and you were forced to buy flat soda or stale bottled water, and both were almost too warm to drink.
The person letting you on the rides looked like Freddy Kruger, and talked like Hannibal Lecter, and when you got to the rides, they were either broke or didn't work right.
Roller coasters that went 5 mph, and ferris wheels that made one turn and stopped. Getting off the rides was just as bad as getting on. Freddy/Hannibal was in your face asking you how much you enjoyed the ride, and forcing you to fill out a survey as you got off. The survey only went from "Good" to "Excellent", with no place to write what you really thought of the rides. The paper it was printed on was cheap, and tore easily. The pens didn't write more than one or two characters before you had to shake the ink back down to the end.
It seemed like I wandered aimlessly in the park for days, and finally, towards sunset one day, I saw the exit. I made a break for it, and as I escaped the park into the cool night air, I turned around and looked back.
The sign said "Thank You For Visitng OBAMALAND!"
I woke up in a cold sweat.......

1911's RULE!!!!

Got my newest issue of "American Rifleman" a few days ago, and they have their "Top Ten Handguns of All Time" listed.
Of course, the Colt 1911 was number 1!
Read more here:
http://www.americanrifleman.org/ArticlePage.aspx?cid=24&id=1777

I Got "RIF'd" Today

Well, we all knew another "Reduction In Force" was coming. I survived the first two, but today was my turn. Out of the 41 of us left on-site, they released THIRTY-FOUR, an 83% staff reduction.
My employer, a very large American Aerospace company, is the Prime Contractor providing integration, management, and technical services at a local site that does Real Neat Stuff(tm). Yes, I'm not "naming names" because technically, I'm still employed by them for the next 75 days or so, and I don't want to violate any terms of my employment which might result in me being 'terminated' rather than 'laid off'. It will take 10 days~two weeks for the paperwork from our client to catch up with The Mothership, and then I'll get my official "60 Day Notice". During this time I use a special charge number, and keep getting paid with my regular benefits. If I fail to find another assignment within the company (not very likely) during this time, I'll be 'separated without prejudice', and get a severance package.
Our client went into Chapter 11 at the end of June, and has been shedding contracts and people every month like clockwork. They (my management, not the clients) tried to keep most of my team together, but it's a business decision out of their hands, and the time finally came to let us go, or in the correct parlance, "Returned" to my division of the parent company.
It was really sad; the guys were all 'stiff upper lip', the ladies were all teary-eyed, and the Head Engineer was visibly upset about having to release us. "We just decimated the best team on Earth" was his comment.
And I have to say, that out of all the jobs I've had in my career, and I've had some pretty amazing adventures, this one was hands-down the best. I had the honor of working with the absolute best group of people I've ever known, and got to do things I only dreamed about as a little kid growing up in the cornfields of Illinois.
So, as one of my co-workers put it, "Sometimes the sound of one door closing is the same as another one opening", and it's time to reflect on what I want to do with the rest of my working career, since I can "retire" in about 5 years.
I have several options open to me, one of which is going back to my previous employer. I left there on very good terms (you're going WHERE? WOW!), and one of the other Engineers I worked with has pretty much told me to contact them if I decide I'd like to go back.
I can also go to another local company that does pretty much what I was doing, but they're a start-up, and I got burned a couple of times working at start-ups during The Great Internet Bubble, so I'm a bit gun-shy about start-ups.
Anywhoo....I've now got the luxury of 60+ days to get myself and all my stuff moved in with my girlfriend, so I'm going to use the time to my advantage, and get regrouped and settled in.
Sure was a fun place to work, though!

The Coming American Dictatorship

Just read this on Backwoods Home Magazine, and it really gave me pause.
It's a good discussion about the Tenth Amendment Movement, and how they're trying to restore the balance of power between the States and the Feds. Excellent reading, and I highly recommend it.
Besides, Dear Old Dad always said FDR was a commie, and this gives good examples of why my father thought that way.

Teddy's Dead....YAWN

Nothing to see here....move along....

Birthday Musings

Ah, another year older, but NO deeper in debt!
Considering I'll probably be getting laid-off next week, I'm just glad I own my Jeep free-and-clear, my credit card balance is coming down at a pretty good clip, and I'll be moving in with my girlfriend in the next month or so. The rest of us left at the job site my employer sub-contracts to expect to be released and "sent back" to the Mothership next week. Since my employer doesn't have ANYTHING in this area that I can transfer into, I'll either be going back to my former employer (ALWAYS leave on good terms!) who's actually asked if I might like to come back, or go to a "competitor" of ours. I have a couple of other irons-in-the-fire, but I think I'll take some time off before I decide what to do. My current employer gives a "60 Day Notice" where you basically get paid to stay at home and find another job, while you collect your 40-hour paycheck, and keep your full benefits.
And I'm grateful for all the good friends I've made through the years, my reasonably good health, a son in College I'm extremely proud of, and the fact that I live in the greatest country on Earth!
Off with the girlfriend tonight for an early dinner at The Macaroni Grill, and then a quiet evening at home.

Heroes.......

In reflecting back on what I wrote about the Steve Canyon DVD's, I see that I looked up to these men as heroes.
I've always had heroes. Little boys need heroes so that when we grow up into men, we know how to act.
My list, in no particular order, except for number one!
My Dad
Ben Franklin
Winston Churchill
The Mercury Seven
The Crews of Apollo 11 and Apollo 13
Chuck Yeager
Bob Hoover
Scott Crossfield
Ronald Reagan
Curtis LeMay
Jeff Cooper
Jimmy Stewart
John Wayne
Dan Gurney
Mario Andretti
My high-school English teacher, Mr. Burke
My electronics mentors Pete Gavankar, Kent Earle, and Bob Pease
And many, many others who, just by their being and example, taught me important things that have stayed with me throughout my life.
Some of these men were flamboyant, some were simple. All lived their lives with strength, courage, commitment, and honor. I know they had their faults, because people do, but it's never stopped me froam admiring them.
Like RADM Tarrant said at the end of "The Bridges at Toko-Ri"
"Where do we find such men?"
God knows we sure could use a bunch of them now.......

Steve Canyon on DVD

Guess I'm showing my age, but this was one of my all-time favorite TV shows when I was just a little sprout. I also waited in anticipation for "Science Fiction Theater", and Col. McCauley's "Men Into Space", but I'll always remember certain Steve Canyon episodes, like "The Gift", and the all-time highest-rated episode "Operation Intercept".
Well, Volumes 1 and 2 arrived today, and I'm having fun reliving those nights of my childhood!
I think the appeal these shows had for me, other than the guys were doing Really Neat Stuff(tm), was that the actors portrayed my idea of how Real Men lived their lives. They were cool under pressure, had high morals and standards, always did the right thing, and won out over adversity and evil. In short, they were role models, and I aspired to be like them. My Dad was in the SeaBees during WWII, and taught me great respect for our men and women in the military. He didn't talk much about his time in the service, but he had a box full of ribbons and medals that my sister has now. When I was little, he bought me my own copy of The Bluejacket's Manual, as he thought it would serve me as well as it did him. I've long since mislaid my copy, but hopefully some of what I read at that early age has stayed with me. My Dad pretty much lead by example, just like the guys in the TV series did, and that's probably another reason I connected with them.
If you're interested, cruise on over to "Steve Canyon on DVD", and enjoy! These are fully-remastered DVD's, made from the original 35mm films, and are extremely good quality, and fully authorized by the Milton Caniff estate.
Hmmm....pass the popcorn, please?

As Seen In L.A.

Location unknown.
H/T to our good friends at "The Sipsey Street Irregulars".

South Bay Tea Party Update

We're having an event!

Dear Tea Party Patriot,

I am writing this letter to let you know we at a crossroads in South Bay and America. The time to stop this Socialism is before the bills are passed. Right now Government Health is stalled in the House because of the Blue Dog Democrats. Cap and Trade has not passed the Senate because of the Blue Dogs.

Our Jane Harman is the wealthiest person in Congress and one of the key leaders of the Blue Dog Democrat collation. We have a unique opportunity to influence all of America because of our influence in this Congressional District.

We need to build membership in the SouthBayTeaParty. We need to spread our vision to our neighbors and we need to restore hope to many who do not believe that this is a battle that can be won.

I need you to step up and buy 4 to 8 or even 10 tickets as soon as you read this email, for yourself and your friends and neighbors. The discount code for 25% off is “TeaParty0830-25”. Even if you are not able to attend, buy 4 and give them away to people you think would benefit from what will be a very uplifting experience.

Go to www.DontTellMeItCantBeDone.com to purchase your tickets.

Why did I choose to sponsor this event? Because I met with several of my friends that did not attend our Tea Party event on April 15^th and they were discouraged and hopeless when it came to the future of our country. So I scheduled this event for my friends and your friends to help them restore their hope for the future a vision for how to take back America. So Don’t Tell Me It Can’t Be Done, we can take back America, push back the tide of Socialism, and restore Liberty and Freedom to our country.

Steve Amerson’s inspiring live singing with, live grand piano and a 26 foot HD screen for the video back drop is only the beginning. I am still working on getting a well know personality to come, but no guarantees. Either way we will hear some dynamic and thought provoking presentations and some short speeches from candidates from next year’s election.

No matter what happens this is a time to decide to stand with us. I for one would rather be the man in the arena then stay seated in the stands… go today to www.DontTellMeItCantBeDone.com and act. We will not get a second chance.

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”
-Theodore Roosevelt April 23, 1910-

In the Arena for America,

Gary Aven
www.SouthBayTeaParty.com
www.DontTellMeItCantBeDone.com

ARRRRGH! Kernel Updates...BLECH!

I'm a Linux user. I have been since 1995, and although I keep a couple of Windoze boxen around because of hardware compatibility issues (Audio/Video capture and editing, and Ham Radio stuff), I greatly prefer Linux for my daily driver. No viruses, spyware, trojans, etc. Part of maintaining *ANY* computers system is to keep the system patched and updated. The latest updates for my OpenSUSE 11.1 installation included a kernel update. The "kernel" is the heart and soul of the Operating System, and as patches become available, I apply them. Well....this one BROKE the video subsystem, and I'm going bonkers trying to get it to run like it used to. It works well enough to be usable, but it's not quite "right" if you know what I mean, and if you run Linux, you know what I mean! Since I use an NVidia GeForce video card, and NVidia does NOT "Open Source" their drivers, I'm used to having to recompile the kernel module so everything interfaces properly, I can run my Dell 2405 flat screen at it's native resolution, 3D acceleration is enabled, etc. Somehow the NVidia driver and the compiled module aren't talking the same language as the new kernel is. I can't get the screen resolution back up to 1920x1200, 3D isn't working (more an annoyance, as I don't game on this box), and it doesn't automagically pick up what monitor I'm using from the EDID that the monitor outputs when it's gets queried. In short, I'm stuck in "Frame Buffer Graphics" which is NOT optimum.
Major Payne, here!
I could probably fix this by swapping out the GeForce 9400GT card I have in here for the GeForce 8800GTS I pulled out, which is a better supported card, but it draws a lot more power, generates a lot more heat, and is really overkill for what I use this machine for.
Or I can wait for the next kernel update, or NVidia driver update, which should hopefully fix this problem.
And on top of this minor annoyance, I'm trying to move all my "junque" over to the girlfriend's place, we just got a new puppy, and it's been too damn hot to work in her/our garage to clean it up so I'll be able to store my junque until we can get everything sorted out.
Not a fun weekend here.......