Sunday we picked up the new ginormous TV. Actually, it is fairly reasonable at 46", it just looks huge in the family room. A few hours of rewiring later, and I am enjoying it immensely. No TV and no beer make homer something something. Big TV make homer content.

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We are buisily preparing the house for the big July 4th party this Tuesday. If it doesn't rain us out, it should be a real blast. Today is the last of the major cleaning and a large shopping run. Tuesday is decoration and food prep.

I am a little fired up this morning thanks to my latest trash company (after AAA and American Disposal), Waste Management. On the immigration protest day May 1, WM announced that they would have no service and would pick up trash on or next service day. Sunday they left a message basically saying the same thing about Memorial Day. But no credit for affected customers. So, in essence, I am subsidising their labor issues and holiday schedule - simple because I have a Monday pick up. I called to complain about it and reached unsympathetic ears. I think instead, a lawyer may be interested in a class action lawsuit against WM. You don't get something for nothing.

Today is my last day of riding the SV650. Someone is coming to hand me cash for it tomorrow. Hopefully they have wide open fields where she can run and play with other motorcycles. It was a good bike, I just don't have time to ride and maintain two bikes right now. Down the road I will probably sell the VFR too, and buy a BMW R1150RT. Maybe a new one, I have never owned a new bike before.

In the news today, NYC mayor Bloomberg is an idiot. He advocates a national DNA database. People should listen to him because he ran a business for 20 years. As a fellow Republican, I want to distance myself from your statements Mr. B. A National DNA database is a ridiculous invasion of privacy.

Yesterday was our 4 year wedding anniversary. She received a necklace from Tiffanys and I received a courier bag for the motorcycle from Aerostich. We are both quite happy.

Tomorrow is our 4 year anniversary. I wonder if Rhonda will like her gifts? I know she reads this, so I can't say what those gifts are. Yet.

And then one day you find ten years have got behind you
No one told you when to run, you missed the starting gun
And you run and you run to catch up with the sun, but its sinking
And racing around to come up behind you again
The sun is the same in the relative way, but youre older
Shorter of breath and one day closer to death

As for the extreme non-believers that make jokes about anyone who believes in God worshiping an invisible and nonexistant deity, I offer the Aquinas proof of God; with the utter truth that only a fool can not believe in some sort of God. You don't have to be religious (I am not) but you also can't create something from nothing (pre-bang).

I answer that it can be proved in five ways that God exists.

The first and plainest is the method that proceeds from the point of view of motion. It is certain and in accord with experience, that things on earth undergo change. Now, everything that is moved is moved by something; nothing, indeed, is changed, except it is changed to something which it is in potentiality. Moreover, anything moves in accordance with something actually existing; change itself, is nothing else than to bring forth something from potentiality into actuality. Now, nothing can be brought from potentiality to actual existence except through something actually existing: thus heat in action, as fire, makes fire-wood, which is hot in potentiality, to be hot actually, and through this process, changes itself. The same thing cannot at the same time be actually and potentially the same thing, but only in regard to different things. What is actually hot cannot be at the same time potentially hot, but it is possible for it at the same time to be potentially cold. It is impossible, then, that anything should be both mover and the thing moved, in regard to the same thing and in the same way, or that it should move itself. Everything, therefore, is moved by something else. If, then, that by which it is moved, is also moved, this must be moved by something still different, and this, again, by something else. But this process cannot go on to infinity because there would not be any first mover, nor, because of this fact, anything else in motion, as the succeeding things would not move except because of what is moved by the first mover, just as a stick is not moved except through what is moved from the hand. Therefore it is necessary to go back to some first mover, which is itself moved by nothing---and this all men know as God.

The second proof is from the nature of the efficient cause. We find in our experience that there is a chain of causes: nor is it found possible for anything to be the efficient cause of itself, since it would have to exist before itself, which is impossible. Nor in the case of efficient causes can the chain go back indefinitely, because in all chains of efficient causes, the first is the cause of the middle, and these of the last, whether they be one or many. If the cause is removed, the effect is removed. Hence if there is not a first cause, there will not be a last, nor a middle. But if the chain were to go back infinitely, there would be no first cause, and thus no ultimate effect, nor middle causes, which is admittedly false. Hence we must presuppose some first efficient cause---which all call God.

The third proof is taken from the natures of the merely possible and necessary. We find that certain things either may or may not exist, since they are found to come into being and be destroyed, and in consequence potentially, either existent or non-existent. But it is impossible for all things that are of this character to exist eternally, because what may not exist, at length will not. If, then, all things were merely possible (mere accidents), eventually nothing among things would exist. If this is true, even now there would be nothing, because what does not exist, does not take its beginning except through something that does exist. If then nothing existed, it would be impossible for anything to begin, and there would now be nothing existing, which is admittedly false. Hence not all things are mere accidents, but there must be one necessarily existing being. Now every necessary thing either has a cause of its necessary existence, or has not. In the case of necessary things that have a cause for their necessary existence, the chain of causes cannot go back infinitely, just as not in the case of efficient causes, as proved. Hence there must be presupposed something necessarily existing through its own nature, not having a cause elsewhere but being itself the cause of the necessary existence of other things---which all call God.

The fourth proof arises from the degrees that are found in things. For there is found a greater and a less degree of goodness, truth, nobility, and the like. But more or less are terms spoken of various things as they approach in diverse ways toward something that is the greatest, just as in the case of hotter (more hot) which approaches nearer the greatest heat. There exists therefore something that is the truest, and best, and most noble, and in consequence, the greatest being. For what are the greatest truths are the greatest beings, as is said in the Metaphysics Bk. II. 2. What moreover is the greatest in its way, in another way is the cause of all things of its own kind (or genus); thus fire, which is the greatest heat, is the cause of all heat, as is said in the same book (cf. Plato and Aristotle). Therefore there exists something that is the cause of the existence of all things and of the goodness and of every perfection whatsoever---and this we call God.

The fifth proof arises from the ordering of things for we see that some things which lack reason, such as natural bodies, are operated in accordance with a plan. It appears from this that they are operated always or the more frequently in this same way the closer they follow what is the Highest; whence it is clear that they do not arrive at the result by chance but because of a purpose. The things, moreover, that do not have intelligence do not tend toward a result unless directed by some one knowing and intelligent; just as an arrow is sent by an archer. Therefore there is something intelligent by which all natural things are arranged in accordance with a plan---and this we call God.

In response to the first objection, then, I reply what Augustine says; that since God is entirely good, He would permit evil to exist in His works only if He were so good and omnipotent that He might bring forth good even from the evil. It therefore pertains to the infinite goodness of God that he permits evil to exist and from this brings forth good.

My reply to the second objection is that since nature is ordered in accordance with some defined purpose by the direction of some superior agent, those things that spring from nature must be dependent upon God, just as upon a first cause. Likewise, what springs from a proposition must be traceable to some higher cause which is not the human reason or will, because this is changeable and defective and everything changeable and liable to non-existence is dependent upon some unchangeable first principle that is necessarily self-existent as has been shown.

I headed over to sprintpimp.com today to get a new phone ringer, and it looks like they sold out and went to a pay site. Everything looks the same, but there are no ringer previews, no forums, and attempts to download put you into a pay site. So what happened to all of the content I developed and posted on their site? Did they sell my content? Rotten bastards.

This weekend I stayed pretty busy. I was outside for a BBQ, cutting grass, working the garden, shoveling mulch and dirt, and of course, fishing in the pond. Saturday night we planned to see the play Frozen but arrived late to the theater due to road work on 66 into DC. Late parking at the Whole Foods next to the theater would have worked out ok, but they close at 10pm and would have trapped our car in their garage. We bagged the show, rescheduled for next weekend and headed to dinner. Sunday I had a great ride around the Virginia countryside with a co-worker. We put in about 150 miles or so. I had an opportunity to ride his recently acquired GSXR1000. My legs were pretty cramped coming off of the VFR, but the seating felt comfortable in the curves. The bike was still being broken in, but even keeping it below 7k, it had more than enough power to handle me. I will be interested in riding it up to red line down the road. It kept begging me to ride it faster. Wild. Anyway, after the ride, we hit Scary Movie and I left disappointed. The others were funnier. I didn't expect much, and I was rewarded.

Not much else this weekend. The weather was awesome. Great time to catch some rays, work in the yard with a cool breeze, and take a nap in the hammock.

In reading about Iran's latest absurd statements to the International community, I came across this which I found interesting:

Zarif, who chaired the UN Disarmament Commission in 2000, noted that Iran is a party to the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, considered the cornerstone of nuclear disarmament efforts, while Israel is not. Israel, which is believed to possess nuclear weapons, has refused to sign the treaty along with nuclear rivals India and Pakistan.

Why do Israel, India and Pakistan get the special treatment then? Do our allies get to secretly possess nukes, or not sign the treaty?

Can we come back to the immigration issue again? On Monday a third of our Nation may not show up for work or the shops to show their displeasure with immigration reform measures. Of course, most of this third is here legally and documented, so the legislation they are protesting against doesn't affect them directly. They are protesting illegal immigration reform. Is there a language barrier here, or am I missing something vital? You can't be here illegally, that is what the word means. Get a work visa. People around the world wait for a long time to get their visas, why should some be able to wade the Rio Grande? After 9/11, we can't afford to leave the Southern border open as it is. You may not believe it, but there will be IEDs on our roadsides one day. And more buildings coming down. These things will happen sooner and more often if we don't close down these borders now. Don't stop immigration, expand legal immigration and make it easier for people to come here and work the poverty wage jobs most Americans are disinterested in. They can build up their historical wealth as every wave of immigrants has done since our Nation was founded. Just do it legally.

However the Duke lacrosse rape case turns out, one lesson that absolutely will not be learned is this: You can severely reduce your chances of having a false accusation of rape leveled against you if you don't hire strange women to come to your house and take their clothes off for money.

My neighbors are running a catering business out of their house. Two RV sized lunch trucks, one pickup sized truck, a big yellow van and their three or four household cars. Looking at this industrial complex across the street from me is bad enough, but they are producing gigantic loads of trash that they are not bagging; AAA doesn't pick up, and it ends up in our yard and pond. I know they see the taco, burrito and mango juice cans in our yard and think "wow, that looks like our load of crap we just put out to the street - wonder if I should pick it up?" - then do nothing. Now, when they wash out the trucks, you get the delicious murky skank water seeping on to the road and into the pond. Smells like seafood and beer, but not in a good way. Fortunately, it is illegal to run a catering business out of your home in PWC. Problem solved?

Happy Easter!

So, we arrived on a trip to Vancouver, and my bag wasn't in the luggage claim. But mysteriously, a bag that looks just like mine was rotating around the sled. On a hunch, I called the person on the tag, got his wife, then called his cell phone. Sure enough, he walked off with my bag. Fortunately, it all worked out - he brought the bag to my hotel and we exchanged. It could have been bad.

I want Congress to understand what is like to be an ordinary citizen, getting around these days. I believe Congress should be subjected to all of the same security screenings and associated lines as the rest of us. I realize their time is important - but no ones' time is more important to me than my own. At the airport, inept TSA officials force me to remove my laptop from its sleeve as well as its bag for screening. Of course, this is inconsistent - at Dulles, it is forced, in Detroit it is not. Same with shoe scanning. It seems EVERY shoe 'meets the requirement for x-ray' - at least at Dulles Airport. Of course, that varies from agent to agent. It certainly varies in other airports such as Las Vegas where my shoes never leave my feet. I'd like to send a big F&#K YOU to Richard Reid for bringing that aspect to our airline security. Perhaps if congress had to wait in the same lines I do, deal with the same traffic I do, and pay the same bills I have to, they might refocus themselves from ridiculous pork projects to DHS and DOJ technology grants that might speed up the lines and help the situation.

On a separate issue, I came back from lunch this afternoon and the mulch in front of my building was on fire. Apparently this happened last week as well. It is assumed that a careless smoker dropped their ash or butt in the dry mulch which caught fire in a light wind. I would say this is my biggest complaint about smokers and people in general. Putt your butts in an ash can, or crush them and put them in your pocket, or in your car ash tray. They last up to 5 years on the side of the road, and your mother doesn't work here. The same goes for litterbugs, which is a cute way of saying inconsiderate asshole. McDonald's bag stinking up your minivan? Chuck it out the window. A highway worker gets a job because of you, right? Wrong. Joe Homeowner gets to clean up the mess in front of his house, and the highway department only picks up trash a couple of times a year. Under the broken window theory, this invites vermin, disease and crime into the litter filled areas; not to mention just being plain lazy and stupid. Camp it in, camp it out and dsipose of it properly. Its not hard people.

I know we have nothing to fear from Hispanic workers coming over the border to find work. Really, we should be opening up our borders to more legal immigration. They are not taking jobs most people here want or need - although that will change in the near future. The simple fact of the matter is that a Nation that does not have total control of its borders becomes not a Nation, but an amorphous entity, which happens to exist between Mexico and Canada. This is not xenophobia. Cultural integration is a separate, and in its own way, more terrifying issue.

Besides watching basketball, I have had a busy week of it. A three day trip to New Mexico which ended with a planned 6 hour layover in Denver to meet my college roommate Jay for lunch. Unfortunately it meant getting up at 3:30am to make the 6:15am flight, but the long day of travel was worth it to get together. While I was gone my home machine started acting up, so Friday night was spent backing up the system fully and wiping it for a new XP install. All of the bugs have now been worked out. I had to stay up until 4am Saturday morning to get everything working just the way I like it, but the machine feels about 4x faster. Ahhhh.

Yesterday we started watching the Colonial House DVDs from PBS. We watched the series when it aired a couple of years ago, but it is worth going back and watching again. Thanks Netflix!

Today was a family day with the Endicotts, where I got to fix their computers in exchange for pizza :-). We came away with a photo album full of gems. The black and white pictured here is Rhonda at somewhere around 2 years old. Isn't she cute?

My mom had an allergic reaction to an antibiotic she has taken many times before. Fortunately my father was home and called 911 - she will be fine. It is scary to think that she has taken this medication before without a problem; but this time she took a pill and 15 minutes later her throat was closing up and she lost any readable blood pressure. Antibiotics don't generally make you lose consciousness. Generally. We did learn a valuable bit of wisdom - whenever you start a new medication, take the first pill at home and give yourself an hour to make sure there are no side effects. Had she been driving or out shopping, things could have been much, much worse.

I am having fun playing with my new Uniden BCD396T Radio Trunktracker scanner. Combined with ARC396 and a $10 donation to http://www.radioreference.com I have a fairly easy way to import local police, fire, air, bus and train operations frequencies into my scanner. I have been fairly surprised at the number of cars flipped over on local roads lately. Not completely surprised, just fairly surprised. Quite a few hit and runs too. And lots of 40 year old overweight male and female chest pain victims.

Last night Geisha was acting weird. She sat down on the bed and stared at us. Eventually, she laid lengthwise across Rhonda and wouldn't move. I got up and let her out again and though all was well. At around 3am I woke up and Rhonda had escaped to a guest room, since Geisha had laid across her again and wouldn't move. I found Geisha sitting on the floor staring at her dog bed, unable to lie down. Two years ago, she had both 'knees' replaced. She crawled up on to a guest bed later and wouldn't move. I fetched a pill for inflammation of the joints, and within 30 minutes or so she was able to jump down and act like nothing had happened. We hope she just slipped on the ice yesterday and strained a muscle. If not, we may be in for another high dollar operation to keep her working below the waist.

The irony, of course, is that idiot protesters seem to think that the Iraq war (I and II) are about oil. Oil may be the catalyst for our interest in middle east politics, with stability offering us stable oil prices as well as new markets to open; but human suffering at the hands of a dictator (we installed) is why we went back in. I can only hope that the Federal Government eventually learns from a long history of mistakes, covertly and overtly funding factions to fight oppressive governments, only to turn around and install their own harsh regime. I think Iraq is on the right path, with a locally selected government and free elections for her people. I can only hope the process does not need to be repeated in Iran, which has taken the Soviet Union's place as the great covert facilitator. They believe only in the action of the sword, and they may have to experience it first hand - should the U.N. ever do more than pass resolutions. I am all for a peaceful solution, should it take a decade, but the U.N. does have a habit of moving the line in the sand back a few feet with each action against a rogue nation.

To the Iranian people that visit this site regularly (haha - yeah, right) I would suggest that you are more than welcome to develop nuclear power plants for your energy requirements. If all countries were like the U.S. 80 years ago, or China today, we would all have black lung disease. No - invest in nuclear power, but don't shun the world community of inspectors, and dare them to take action against you. Don't develop enriched uranium that everyone knows will end up in warheads or dirty black market bombs. Don't kid the kidders.

So, my lockpick arrived for Christmas a bit late, and I have spent the night going after locks around the house. Within an hour of my first attempt, I picked a Master Lock padlock in under 10 seconds. I can now pick my house deadbolt schlage lock in about 20 seconds. That was a wake up call - when we replace our doors in the Spring, I'll have to get better locks. I am enjoying it enough that I just bought a few different kits online, and some accessories for autos. It is fascinating from a white hat perspective. I am hoping to go to a safe and lock class this Spring, we'll see if the employer will send me or not.

This weekend I spent downtown D.C. at ShmooCon 2006. Awesome. The speaker to audience ratio was excellent, and the quality of speaker (think Fyodor of nmap and Simple Nomad) can't be beaten. Many thanks to the organizers.

Thursday night we went to Bahama Breeze where I made a dining choice I would soon regret. Shrimp Linguini. Tasted fine, as did my Ultimate Pina Coloda. After dinner we gambled a bit at Treasure Island and the Wynn, then went to Tryst - a new nightclub. I wasn't feeling great, so I headed for the hotel about 1am. Shortly after I got there, all Hell broke loose with my body. For the next 12 hours, I vomited every 30 minutes like clockwork. I had my wife call Kaiser to speak with an advice nurse, and after 2 HOURS! on hold she diagnosed viral food poisoning. Let me tell you, food poisoning sucks. The guys brought me water and pedialite, but the pedialite tasted awful. They came back again with a couple of gallons of Gatorade (drank both immediately), some soda to settle things and a six pack of water. I haven't left my hotel room since late Thursday night, but I hope to get out today. I'm not sure I can handle walking the CES floor yet, but I would like to try.