- I love my iphone(smart phone) more than ever.
- We have certain neighbors that we only meet and talk to when the electricity goes out. In-evidently we will go outside and walk the neighborhood when the power goes out and meet neighbors doing the same thing. Power goes on and we retreat back to home base.
- When driving, if you approach a broken traffic light you are to treat the intersection as a four way stop. Over 89% of the drivers either don't know this or care to oblige it.
- My wife is still my best friend.
- About 7:30 PM I begin to wonder what kind of dress Vanna is wearing tonight. This is odd because when I am watching Wheel of Fortune I am usually wondering what Vanna is wearing under her dress.
- About 7:35 PM I begin to wonder what Pat is wearing tonight. This is odd because usually I ............. umm, never mind.
- My name is Kirby and I am an addict. An electricity addict. I'm not proud of it, but I'm not going to do anything about it.
- Three people lose power in their separate houses. Let's call them A, B, and C. A is the first to get his power back on. A immediately calls B to tell them. B says they are happy for them, but really is pissed at them for having all the comforts of electricity while B plays his 514th game of solitaire. B then gets his electricity back and immediately calls C.
- Thank god indoor plumbing doesn't require electricity.
- Even if indoor plumbing doesn't require electricity, COLD SHOWERS SUCK!!!
- Why is it that when the power is out I look at the radio while listening to it. Do I really think it is going to all of a sudden flash an image at me?
- As bad as it has been without electricity after Hurricane Irene, it is so much better than after Hurricane Andrew in South Florida. Mid ninety degree temperatures with high humidity is pure misery.
- Long after the power has gone out I am going to the basement and as I start down the steps I put my hand out to turn on the light switch. This is a moment I do not want to forget. Whenever I start to feel I'm a pretty smart person, whenever I start to feel a little cocky, whenever I shake my head at how stupid people can be, I must remember this moment. The power was out and I tried to turn on the light switch! WHAT A DUMB ASS!
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Random Observations From Losing Electrical Power
My planned blog for the week has been delayed because of Hurricane Irene. We lost electricity at our house for two days and I want to share some random thoughts I have had because of this. The planned blog will be posted in a few days so please come back as I think it is a good one. Here are some things that ran into my head while coping without power.
Saturday, August 20, 2011
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
Beware! Enter with Caution! These were some of the warnings I heard about twenty years ago. Even the gatekeeper stated "Not responsible once you enter". Of course I ventured inside. The first time or two were quick visits, but soon I began to take more time and look around. It wasn't much to see. Sure it was vast, but it was drab looking and underdeveloped. Yet, I could see the potential. In twenty or thirty years this could be huge. Turns out my bold prediction was understated. If you haven't figured it out the gatekeeper was called Netscape(I think) and I'm talking about the Internet.
Back then, most people got to the internet via one of the on-line services like America On Line, or Prodigy. With the introduction of the personal home computers these services were available for a monthly fee. This was the start of social networking, even before the internet. Ironically these services introduced us to the internet which eventually offered everything the services had rendering them useless. These on-line services were an important first step in the development of the internet and I will blog about them at a later time.
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.
First the good. The information super highway. There is no denying the amount of useful and non useful information on the internet and some of it is actually truthful. Google has become our window to the world of anything we want to know or see. My smart phone has a Google ap that I simple talk into the phone my search words and it works remarkably well. In fact, I just say "The Reality Check Report" and there is my blog lasted in the top five! How cool is that. The internet is only limited to your imagination.
Unfortunately there is plenty of bad. Texting while driving comes to mind first. Then there is the invasion of privacy issue. We can't blame the internet entirely on this, but it certainly has helped promote it. Don't believe me? Check out youtube. If you are out of your home and something happens to you that you wouldn't want to be public notice, well that just won't happen. Cameras are everywhere and they see everything. Then there is the time people use on the internet. Time that a child should be using on school work(unless the internet is used for school work), socializing(and I don't mean text messaging), sports and exercise, or playing video games<G>. Time that a parent should be using parenting. Time that a spouse should be ... you get the point.
The good and the bad. The internet and mostly facebook has become a huge presence lately in the world. Without facebook Egyptian president Mubarak would still be president and not confined to a hospital bed behind bars. Libya's Moammar Gadhafi would still have a strong hold on his regime without the internet. No wonder China has tried to clamp down on Google to try to control the internet.
Then there is the just plain ugly. Child pornographers have used the internet to exploit and promote their sickness. I have heard of snuff films(actual killings of people) being distributed on the internet. Al quaeda has used the internet to promote their hate and violence. All kinds of fringe groups can use the internet to present lies to look like the truth. I haven't tried this but I'm sure if you Google "the world is flat" or "Obama is not a US citizen" you could find plenty of sites that will present truthful looking facts to support these beliefs.
The internet is here to stay with all the good, bad, and ugly. Pandora's box has been opened and there is no turning back now. I don't have a clue as to what the next twenty years are going to be like with the internet. I am curious about something though. I wonder how many FBI and CIA agents who walked the streets twenty years ago to get their information are now doing the same behind a desk(on the internet)? Or how many will be doing the same twenty years from now?
Back then, most people got to the internet via one of the on-line services like America On Line, or Prodigy. With the introduction of the personal home computers these services were available for a monthly fee. This was the start of social networking, even before the internet. Ironically these services introduced us to the internet which eventually offered everything the services had rendering them useless. These on-line services were an important first step in the development of the internet and I will blog about them at a later time.
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.
First the good. The information super highway. There is no denying the amount of useful and non useful information on the internet and some of it is actually truthful. Google has become our window to the world of anything we want to know or see. My smart phone has a Google ap that I simple talk into the phone my search words and it works remarkably well. In fact, I just say "The Reality Check Report" and there is my blog lasted in the top five! How cool is that. The internet is only limited to your imagination.
Unfortunately there is plenty of bad. Texting while driving comes to mind first. Then there is the invasion of privacy issue. We can't blame the internet entirely on this, but it certainly has helped promote it. Don't believe me? Check out youtube. If you are out of your home and something happens to you that you wouldn't want to be public notice, well that just won't happen. Cameras are everywhere and they see everything. Then there is the time people use on the internet. Time that a child should be using on school work(unless the internet is used for school work), socializing(and I don't mean text messaging), sports and exercise, or playing video games<G>. Time that a parent should be using parenting. Time that a spouse should be ... you get the point.
The good and the bad. The internet and mostly facebook has become a huge presence lately in the world. Without facebook Egyptian president Mubarak would still be president and not confined to a hospital bed behind bars. Libya's Moammar Gadhafi would still have a strong hold on his regime without the internet. No wonder China has tried to clamp down on Google to try to control the internet.
Then there is the just plain ugly. Child pornographers have used the internet to exploit and promote their sickness. I have heard of snuff films(actual killings of people) being distributed on the internet. Al quaeda has used the internet to promote their hate and violence. All kinds of fringe groups can use the internet to present lies to look like the truth. I haven't tried this but I'm sure if you Google "the world is flat" or "Obama is not a US citizen" you could find plenty of sites that will present truthful looking facts to support these beliefs.
The internet is here to stay with all the good, bad, and ugly. Pandora's box has been opened and there is no turning back now. I don't have a clue as to what the next twenty years are going to be like with the internet. I am curious about something though. I wonder how many FBI and CIA agents who walked the streets twenty years ago to get their information are now doing the same behind a desk(on the internet)? Or how many will be doing the same twenty years from now?
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Hell, I Don't even know where Micronesia is.
singing to the tune of Carly Simon's hit:
I'm so vain.
I probably think this blog is about me.
I'm soooo vain.
I probably think this blog is about me.
Don't I. Don't I. Don't I.
So far we have learned that I am an idiot, prejudice, and an elitist. Today I will declare myself VAIN. This is not an easy thing to admit. I've always have thought of myself as pretty down to earth guy. I realize that I am just a speck on this earth. I take pride that I have a "big picture" view on life. Besides, vanity is pretty subjective, isn't it? From the time I get up in the morning till I go to bed I probably comb my hair on average about five times. My wife thinks this is vain. I disagree. But trying to judge ones own vanity is difficult. I'm sure Oprah and Donald Trump have no idea how vain they sound.
I have my own blog! How could I not be vain? But I'm not vain because I have my own blog. I started this blog because I like to write about my slightly skewed views on life. It is therapeutic. Yes, there were a handful of people who seemed to enjoy my writings several years back. And yes I hope there may be few people who will enjoy my blog now. But I write because I like to write. It's a hobby. Vanity is not a part of this.
Then I discovered a little tab up on the top of my blog's page that said "stats". When I clicked on this button I was surprised. It told me how people got to my blog and even what type of browser they were using. More importantly it told me how many people have visited my blog and what time of day they were there. It even told me what country they are from. Pretty cool! But with a minimal amount of self promoting I was shocked that I have had over a thousand visits(I don't count my own) from fourteen different countries!!! All in less than two months, 800 of them in the last month. Hello Mr. Vanity! I have had visits from France, Russia, Peru, Australia, Ecuador, and Micronesia. Hell, I don't even know where Micronesia is. Some of you may not think all this is that impressive, but it sure is for little ol' humble me. My vanity level skyrocketed.
Reality Check Time:
I've had my five minutes of fame( actually about a month). My numbers are decreasing already. My visitor from Jamaica hasn't come back. I have not had even one comment on my blog. And all that is just fine. I will continue to write. Not to try to impress anyone, but because I enjoy it. If anyone stays around to visit from time to time then that is just fine too. Besides, a little vanity doesn't hurt.
I'm so vain.
I probably think this blog is about me.
I'm soooo vain.
I probably think this blog is about me.
Don't I. Don't I. Don't I.
So far we have learned that I am an idiot, prejudice, and an elitist. Today I will declare myself VAIN. This is not an easy thing to admit. I've always have thought of myself as pretty down to earth guy. I realize that I am just a speck on this earth. I take pride that I have a "big picture" view on life. Besides, vanity is pretty subjective, isn't it? From the time I get up in the morning till I go to bed I probably comb my hair on average about five times. My wife thinks this is vain. I disagree. But trying to judge ones own vanity is difficult. I'm sure Oprah and Donald Trump have no idea how vain they sound.
I have my own blog! How could I not be vain? But I'm not vain because I have my own blog. I started this blog because I like to write about my slightly skewed views on life. It is therapeutic. Yes, there were a handful of people who seemed to enjoy my writings several years back. And yes I hope there may be few people who will enjoy my blog now. But I write because I like to write. It's a hobby. Vanity is not a part of this.
Then I discovered a little tab up on the top of my blog's page that said "stats". When I clicked on this button I was surprised. It told me how people got to my blog and even what type of browser they were using. More importantly it told me how many people have visited my blog and what time of day they were there. It even told me what country they are from. Pretty cool! But with a minimal amount of self promoting I was shocked that I have had over a thousand visits(I don't count my own) from fourteen different countries!!! All in less than two months, 800 of them in the last month. Hello Mr. Vanity! I have had visits from France, Russia, Peru, Australia, Ecuador, and Micronesia. Hell, I don't even know where Micronesia is. Some of you may not think all this is that impressive, but it sure is for little ol' humble me. My vanity level skyrocketed.
Reality Check Time:
I've had my five minutes of fame( actually about a month). My numbers are decreasing already. My visitor from Jamaica hasn't come back. I have not had even one comment on my blog. And all that is just fine. I will continue to write. Not to try to impress anyone, but because I enjoy it. If anyone stays around to visit from time to time then that is just fine too. Besides, a little vanity doesn't hurt.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)