Roy Spencer on Global Warming

Learn the REAL science behind Earth's climate from Roy W. Spencer, Ph.D.:

We live in an invisible atmospheric sea of water vapor, Earth's primary greenhouse gas. Our atmosphere could hold much more water vapor than it does, which would then lead to a much warmer Earth -- but it doesn't. So, why is the greenhouse effect limited to its current value? We don't know; scientists simply "assume" that it magically stays that way.

Current computerized climate models that predict large amounts of global warming only do so after making very crude and uncertain assumptions about how the Earth's natural greenhouse effect is maintained. In the following article I will explain why I believe that modern science can not say with any level of confidence how much of our current global warmth is caused by mankind without knowing why the Earth's greenhouse effect is limited to its current value.

In the following article I will explain why the answer to this question must be through the operation of precipitation systems, for only they can remove water vapor from the atmosphere. Even though all climate models DO contain the "average effects" of precipitation systems -- this is NOT the same as knowing how precipitation systems interactively regulate the climate system.

WalMart Stores united under ONE web address

WalMart has a new site online which gives you plenty of info on local community, opportunities, and health. What an American success story WalMart has become. The recipe for success: Give people low prices and good quality. America responds. Go to their site to learn more about this terrific company.

iPhoto Can NOT Burn a Windows Compatible Disc?

Thats right, Apple has decided that iPhoto, their photo library and editing application that comes bundled with the Mac, can not burn a Windows compatible disc. Yeah, the Mac can itself. If you use Finder you can create a disc that Windows pals can see. But if you stay in iPhoto, which is what Apple encourages, you are out of luck. Just another short sighted decision from Apple. Windows computers only make up about 90% of the computer market. No wonder. I hear how brilliant these Apple programmers are, but I keep uncovering missing features and bone head design issues. What's up with that?

Red Skelton - What is the Pledge of Allegiance

Red Skelton, famed Comedic Clown had a serious point to make about what the Pledge stands for. Please listen to this whole thing, it is short, and well worth the time.

10 Proven Gas Saving Tips!

1. Use only the manufacturers recommended octane. High test is a huge waste of money in 95% of all cars and trucks made in the last 10 years.
2. Drive like you have an egg under your gas pedal. Drive smoothly, no quick take off's.
3. Gas mileage decreases rapidly at speeds above 60 mph. Each 5 mph you drive over 60 mph is like paying an additional $0.10 per gallon for gas. Observing the speed limit is also safer.
4. You can improve your gas mileage by around 3.3 percent by keeping your tires inflated to the proper pressure. Under-inflated tires can lower gas mileage by 0.4 percent for every 1 psi drop in pressure of all four tires. Properly inflated tires are safer and last longer.
5. Keep your vehicle as light as possible.Get rid of all that junk in your trunk!
6. You can improve your gas mileage by 1-2 percent by using the manufacturer's recommended grade of motor oil. For example, using 10W-30 motor oil in an engine designed to use 5W-30 can loweryour gas mileage by 1-2 percent. Using 5W-30 in an engine designed for 5W-20 can lower your gas mileage by 1-1.5 percent. Also, look for motor oil that says "Energy Conserving" on the API performance symbol to be sure it contains friction-reducing additives.
7. Fill up every other day when prices are spiking.
8. Combining errands into one trip saves you time and money. Several short trips taken from a cold start can use twice as much fuel as a longer multipurpose trip covering the same distance when the engine is warm. Trip planning ensures that traveling is done when the engine is warmed-up and efficient.
9. Replacing a clogged air filter can improve your car's gas mileage by as much as 10 percent. Your car's air filter keeps impurities from damaging the inside of your engine. Not only will replacing a dirty air filter save gas, it will protect your engine .
10. Don't drive 20 miles out of your way to gas up because you heard from a friend or website that gas is cheaper over there.

Can Apple Maintain Software Properly Anymore?

Apple released a Security Update for Mac OS X today. Seems that people are already experiencing problems! The command line SSH utility that allows one to login to a mac remotely, is aborting on an error. I now have to ask this question. We know Apple can design nice devices, from computers to ipods and all in between, but are they able to maintain support over a long period on those devices? My initial response is no, Apple is not capable of providing world class, top notch support over a long period for their software products. Apple only knows how to create new stuff, not maintain the old stuff. It is no surprise, software code grows by leaps and bounds when feature glut happens. Mac OS X 10.5 is laden with all kinds of new features, many of which do not immediately enhance anything for the end user. Eye candy is great, pretty little icons, woa, cool. But reliability, something the Mac was known for over the last 10 years, has diminished. Microsoft is usually the butt of jokes when it comes to flunky buggy software, but Apple has been sharing the limelight, much of it due to this new 10.5. I am not impressed. Matter of fact, I want 10.4 Tiger back! But Apple doesn't allow 10.4 to be loaded on newer hardware. It is a monopoly of sorts internal to the catacombs of Apple. A way to force you to upgrade to the new OS. If Microsoft did that they would be taken to court. Hmm, maybe a class action suit would do the trick here.

Indiana Jones Movie May 22nd

My favorite! Wow, Indiana Jones will be back on the BIG screen May 22nd, Memorial Day weekend. Many years ago, I recall dragging my mom to Raiders of the Lost Ark, a seemingly dirty dusty boys movie, which I was sure she would hate. Ended up that the movie was so very good with much action, great characters, mystical ancient curses, and just alot of fun! We both loved it. Indiana Jones has endured many generations and Harrison Ford deserves much of the credit. Harrison's Indian Jones persona touched with sarcasm and riveting musical score is simply a huge hit to all ages. Karen Allen even reprises her role as Indy's flame from the past. I can NOT wait until May when I will go see this movie, probably a few times. There are not many movies fans go to the theater to see over and over; Star Wars, Raiders, and hopefully this one, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.

Florida Fools In Yet Another Voting Fiasco!

I have had enough of Florida. They couldn't vote properly in the Bush vs. Gore election in 2000, they didn't know how to punch holes in cards making detached CHADS. Then in 2004 Florida residents claimed the election was stolen due to thrown out ballots, apparently surreptitiously taken from polling sites, by unnamed assailants. It matters not that representatives from each party were there, but wether they were alive is another question. NOW we have Florida residents who simply can not find their polling place wasting $2500 to keep open a ghost town of a polling place. Perhaps the 68 registered voters in the Prospect Bend neighborhood can not read. Maybe they are all disabled? Or maybe they simply forgot to change the calendar from February to March, thinking leap year actually takes a whole month versus a day every 4 years. I don't know, maybe they just didn't give a hoot. But whatever the issue Florida residents have, they very well deserve sorrow, our heads bowed, and our hearts heavy with the prospect that some of them reproduce. What an utter shame and disgrace Floridians exhibit to the rest of the United States and the World. What a mess everything else must be in Florida.

Severn Maryland WalMart Opens - Well Received!

A new Super WalMart just opened here in Severn, Maryland on March 6th. Of course, we had to go visit for the Grand Opening! The store was simply amazing! We were greeted by a person handing us a MAP of the store!



It housed 4 acres of merchandise and food. The layout was simple, well thought out and easy to navigate. The store had a familiarity to it. Many of the other local WalMart stores in the area seemed to be setup in similar fashion. But this store added the Market on the left side. It beat just about any normal super market in square footage and product variety. Add to that the comparable prices, and you have a win-win situation. Of course, it was clean. I mean really clean. This store lacked the tile floor, but seemed to have a coated cement floor for the aisle ways. It gave the air of warehouse, but with a department store flare. It has a drive through pharmacy pickup, huge amount of shopping carts - 2 for everyone easily - fresh cooked chicken and meals section, every single register was open - more than 22 lanes - 4 different associates asked me if I needed help with something. Friendly people behind each section/counter/department, selection-selection-selection! Even though it was busy and "crowded" the aisles were so large it didn't seem like it, but the parking lot proved against that theory, almost the whole lot was packed save for a few end spots way out there. Not one grouchy person could be found who works there. Some of the help in the lunch meat department were slower than I would expect, but simply because they were new, I think. This WalMart has a Lube and Tire section for auto maintenance, a very large lawn & garden section, and a large selection of HDTVs and exercise equipment. I was not as impressed with the Toy section, which seemed smaller than I would have expected. But I did find a nicely priced Roddy Piper action figure. Cheaper than eBay right now. So they still score points. (Shown below)



All in all this store was a pleasure to shop in, and a huge success. Right off of Interstate Route 97 at the Quarterfield Exit, it is easy to get in and out with a dedicated stop light and direct access to Route 97. Looking forward to many years of service there, and have to give a large hand of approval to the transition team who closed down the Crain Highway store the night before. Wow!

John Coleman, Weather Channel Founder, Advocates Lawsuit Against Al Gore.

And yes, so do I. The Weather Channel founder has proclaimed that TWC has lost its track by advocating a stance on Global Warming that is untrue.

“[I] have a feeling this is the opening,” Coleman said. “If the lawyers will take the case – sue the people who sell carbon credits. That includes Al Gore. That lawsuit would get so much publicity, so much media attention. And as the experts went to the media stand to testify, I feel like that could become the vehicle to finally put some light on the fraud of global warming.”

Amen Brotha!

Natural Gas ONLY Major Heat Source in World, Proclaims Will Wagner

Thats right crew, I myself have proclaimed that Natural Gas is the only major home heating source in the World? What makes me such an expert? The audacity! Well, I can look at current world events and the answer is simple. Take for instance the standoff between the Ukraine and Russia. Russia has been cutting the Ukraine natural gas flow in an attempt to stem the democratic tide. if there were alternatives like our Global Warming wackos believe, this tactic would not only fail outright, but wouldn't even be tried. Russia would be wasting time using this tactic if there were all kinds of "green" alternatives that the Ukraine could use. Since there are no alternatives, we must admit that Natural Gas is the ONLY Major Heat Source in the World. Take that Al Gore you pinhead.

True Intellectual - William F. Buckley Dies @ 83

William F. Buckley, a true intellectual of our time, has passed away. If you research his life and achievements, you can only be in awe at how dynamic an individual he was. How really brilliant his thought. As with all of the great people in our lives, he will be missed!

Compact Fluorescent Bulbs - Danger, Life Threatening!

Ok gang, the idiots in office in our US Congress have made the regular light bulb ILLEGAL after 2012. To many people this seems like no big deal, until you realize that the replacement Compact Fluorescent Bulbs are DEADLY! The Boston Globe has an article on what you will need to do to pickup after a breakage of one of these bulbs. The article notes small amounts of Mercury will be released into the air, and kids, pregnant women are at risk of death. So just what are small amounts? The amounts released could be 100 times the suggested limit by the same federal government. In the guise of saving the planet from Global Warming, we are being forced to bring toxic chemicals into our homes.

Apple Crashing Problem Revealed - Leopard Graphics Update

Well right here yesterday I accused iTunes of crashing my iMac. I may have been only partially correct, the underlying issue looks like it was the Leopard Graphics Update 1.0. I highly suggest that you pass on this update, and do not install it. It seems that the Graphics update, once removed, allows everything to operate as expected. It took me 1.5 hours to re-install, but I have to admit, it was very easy. Leopard saw my previous install and kept all information, then imported it into the fresh install. I was able to back up to the original 10.5, then I re-patched the system - leaving out the Leopard Graphics Update. Now all works as it should. Not sure what is in that Graphics Update, but it stinks. As I stated yesterday, this has happened a few time over the last year. I am opting out of taking updates right away. I will instead wait a few weeks, maybe then I will install new system wide updates. Application updates should be less difficult, but one never knows. Apple desperately needs a way to back up and remove previously installed updates, much like Microsoft has in Windows.

iTunes Crashes Again and Again

Well for the second time in a few months, iTunes has been upgraded, and along with that comes some kind of database or iTunes corruption problem. I don't use iTunes frequently, but I do use it to download podcasts. I have also imported some videos and such. So nothing major. BUT I wouldn't trust it to categorize all of my CD music, thats for sure. iTunes was just upgraded to version 7.6.1, and after that, I was unable to view my Podcasts. iTunes would crash and ask me if I wanted to reload or ignore. I reloaded it a few times and after that ignored. I can make iTunes crash at my will. Every time I touch the podcasts link on the left side under Library, it crashes. My only option is to move my iTunes library, and start new. A rebuild won't work. Anyway, I move the library, and it starts to work fine. But the hassle is anything I imported in the old library, now has to be moved or copied over to the new library. Not only that, but Coverflow is still causing it to crash. My custom artwork has to also be copied or imported new. This major problem happened before a few versions back, and a week later a new version was quickly thrown out to fix the problem. I am running Mac OS X 10.5.2, on an Intel iMac. This should not happen at all. Apple is supposed to be this great software company. I ask, do they even test their software upgrades? I have complained before, Apple needs to provide a method for removing patches and upgrades, a sort of rollback feature.

This is not the first time Apple has sent out buggy patches. My old Intel Mac got the audio noise bug from a software update in 10.4. I think I will no longer upgrade software as soon as patches become available. I may opt out for a few weeks to see what happens in the Mac community before accepting any future upgrades to Apple software.

Why Elections Are So Important - 2nd Amendment Ignored - Guns Confiscated

Many Americans wonder just why they need to vote, why they need to listen during political campaigns, and why people like me say the process is so important. This is a Video PROVING that the Government and Sworn Police Officers, can and will invade your home and personal property at any condition, and violate your rights. This can not be tolerated. Those rights must be fought for, and not simply taken for granted. If we are not vigilant, and support politicians who support personal liberty and freedom, we are in big do do.

HD-DVD Finished, Toshiba Pulls Plug

Seems that Toshiba has pulled the plug on any further development of HD-DVD Video formats. Those movie companies who placed stakes on this format are sure to take some kind of loss. One item that comes to mind is the Classic Star Trek re-release in HD-DVD. I opted to wait for it due to this continuing battle. Now I will have to wait for new versions supporting BluRay.

Save Windows XP Petition at InfoWorld

Windows XP is the operating system of choice for the majority of computer users out there. Indeed Mac OS X has taken some market share, as well as Microsoft's own Vista. But one sure fire way to force everyone to move to Vista is to make it mandatory. I have mixed feelings on this one. I would prefer to see Windows XP continue on. Mac OS X 10.4 was also forcibly closed and no longer available as a shipping option, in place 10.5 Leopard has been forced on us. I don't really see a difference between the two. Both XP and 10.4 were sound, reliable operating systems. But Vista and Leopard were the new alternative by their host companies. And both Vista and Leopard 10.5 had and still have some major problems. But Microsoft come under attack. Apple gets a free ride. I say if XP is allowed to continue, then we should push for 10.4 to be an option on new Mac Hardware. But that won't happen, and XP should be killed off, if Microsoft wants it to be killed off. They should instead fix Vista and customers would want it over XP, that that also won't happen. At least Apple has released 2 updates to Leopard since its release. Microsoft has issued one update. So what choice do we as consumers have? None.

Sad News - Phil Swisher Memorial

One of my best friends just passed away last Saturday. He was a loyal reader of my old bulletin board, some 15 years ago, as well as this webpage and especially my email newsletter. His contributions were endless, he would send me many links and story leads, as well as the usual jokes and adult humor. It was quite a shock, and I will miss his sense of humor, and all the pictures of his family, their events and grand children. He really made me feel like a family member. Please consider giving to his Memorial Page, the American Stroke Association. Phil suffered several strokes over the last few years, he was nursing his wife back from serious health problems, and always seemed to hang in there and bounce back. I thank him for all the great correspondence, and wish his wife and family my condolences. See you later my friend!

eBay Finally Lowers Fees!

February 20th marks a first for eBay. Fees for inserting an auction in the site will actually go down. No doubt due to online competition and slumping online sales. The rate fees schedule is as follows.

Starting Price Current Fee                    New Lower Fee
$0.01 - 0.99 (auction-style only)              $.20    $.10
$1.00 - 9.99 (auction-style & fixed price)     $.40    $.25
$10.00 - 24.99 (auction-style & fixed price)   $.60    $.35