Another Raving MainyYak

Farewell 2011, Hello 2012! Now what do YOU have in store?

2011-12-31T10:43:00.002-05:00

For me, 2011 brought the worst and the best that life has to offer. To describe 2011 as a year of transition is to take understatement to an entirely new level. The month of August begins to take on new meaning other than simply "beach week". In 2010, August highlighted the final chapter of one story. August 2011 brought an emergency visit to the cardiac cath lab, and an entirely separate

Well, hello there.

2011-11-12T12:46:00.000-05:00

Turns out that sentence has become music to my ears. More on that at some future time. Which leads me to the point of this post. I'm giving the blog another go. First, there's some tidying up to be done with the blog interface, as well as with my little addled brain. Thanks to this blog for the inspiration.

One take

2011-06-03T08:58:00.000-04:00

That's the claim. This is awesome on so many levels.

We interupt the silence for an urgent plea

2010-01-16T16:47:00.006-05:00

The situation in Haiti is, well, nearly beyond words.Two living saints from Pittsburgh are doing what they can to save the lives of a group of orphans and they need our help.Ginny Montanez of That's Church is leading the effort to seek help for the BRESMA orphanage. Go visit and find out how you can help.

Sarah Palin

2009-07-06T10:10:00.003-04:00

A thick layer of dust enshrouds this blog.It's not that there's nothing to say. In fact quite the opposite. But others are saying it so much better than I.Here's a new blog offering up one perspective on the Alaska governor's decision to step aside. The MSM and the Beltway insiders are incapable of comprehending how somebody might wish to effect change without the trappings of insider power.It

Credit where credit is due

2009-03-20T08:19:00.003-04:00

Finally, I have an opportunity to say something nice about Obama.Not the President.First Lady Michelle Obama offered some good advice to students in one of D.C.'s under performing schools. The details here.(Huge h/t to Betsy Newmark)(Photo from the White House collection)

My new favorite blog

2009-03-19T17:30:00.004-04:00

Barack Obama's Teleprompter's BlogReflections from the hard drive of the machine that enables the voice of the Leader of the Free WorldAnd somehow, some will be offended.Too bad.(h/t Gina Cobb)

Is it really a jar of mayo?

2009-02-19T12:58:00.005-05:00

There are so many urgent matters taking our time these days. A nasty recession (but not the worst since the Depression - but keep talking it down,) the rise of socialism, the man made global warming myth, I could go on.However, today there are bigger fish to fry. And after frying, slathering them in tartar sauce. But tartar sauce made with mayonnaise or with a revolting substitute.Like me,

Windy and living right

2009-02-12T19:34:00.004-05:00

Lincoln Day 2009 brought a rather intense wind storm to western Pennsylvania -much of the eastern U.S., really - causing power outages and other mayhem.We had some odds and ends blown around our porch and the wind got under the the grill cover, all too briefly turning it into a light than air craft. It landed face down in the muddy back yard.The more interesting development was noticing a

Hello world. I'm here.

2009-01-05T13:03:00.003-05:00

I haven't had much to say; still trying to digest the reality of the election.Although, either way we would have a Democrat in the White House. So there's that.Also, I don't think BO would approve of my views: I'm an embarrassment to Barack! I only scored 15 on the Obama Test (h/t Cassy Fiano)

Sad day, PittGirl hangs it up

2008-11-19T10:09:00.004-05:00

How sad that I should break my silence with news that one of the brightest, most talented, and entertaining bloggers I've had the pleasure to read has abruptly closed her blog.The burghblog has been taken down.Here's a portion of PittGirl's final post:I don’t know what I want to say here, but I know I have to say something so I’ll just start writing and you guys read along, okay? I’ve got to say

Class act

2008-11-05T10:02:00.002-05:00

"Tonight — tonight, more than any night, I hold in my heart nothing but love for this country and for all its citizens, whether they supported me or Senator Obama — whether they supported me or Senator Obama.I wish Godspeed to the man who was my former opponent and will be my president. And I call on all Americans, as I have often in this campaign, to not despair of our present difficulties, but

Vote!

2008-11-04T06:08:00.003-05:00

Update: 10:30 PMSo much for my prognostication skills. The Obama Machine did a stellar job of getting out the urban and youth vote. Much higher turnout that I would have thought. Overall turnout seems extremely high - and despite the outcome, that is a good thing for our nation. We will survive four years of BO, but I suspect it is not going to be pretty.And John Murtha has no intention of

Autumn in Washington DC

2008-10-07T18:52:00.003-04:00

On the job at an event in DC. I snapped this picture with my phone. It was a Marine helicopter that had just unloaded members of the news media. Another chopper landed nearby and disgorged a party of men in dark suits. VIP of some sort. In the foreground is my work project - a tricked out Hummer filled to the gills with IT gear.

Palin versus Biden

2008-10-02T17:29:00.003-04:00

If only . . .Wouldn't it be great if they put away their rhetoric and decided the winner in ritual combat, like this:

Best Steeler Recap Ever

2008-09-15T18:06:00.002-04:00

Yes, I said the best ever. Now get thee over to the Burgh Blog and readeth.PittGirl, if I can't be one of your self united husbands, can I be your adopted crazy old uncle?

Down the memory hole

2008-09-15T17:51:00.003-04:00

The was geek cool chic back in the day. Anybody remember how to use a sliderule? Ingenious devices.Slip one of these babies into your plastic pocket protector!(Photo credit: The Slide Rule Museum.)

Sunny Florida

2008-09-15T14:27:00.002-04:00

I'm in Tampa, Florida for a conference for telemedicine. Tele-what?In brief, it is the use of telecommunications technologies to deliver health care remotely. This conference is focused on how to make use of various bio sensors in "smart homes" to better care for individuals who require regular access to the health care system. If you're so inclined, link here for more information.The hotel is

9/11 + seven years

2008-09-11T14:17:00.002-04:00

Each of us remembers where we were and what we were doing when the world as had had known it ceased to exist on that otherwise beautiful late summer morning. I've not talked much or written about that day, what one of my old psychology professors called a "flashbulb memory."I was in our television studio / distance learning classroom teaching a teacher how to interact with students who were

Cole Porter rocked

2008-09-09T10:20:00.003-04:00

If you can't say anything nice, play some music.Light pop harmonies from the mid 1960s such as this managed to expose a new generation to some of the Tin Pan Alley standards of the 1920s, 30s, and 40s.Living where I do, I've always found the Altoona reference amusing.

Sarahcuda

2008-09-04T09:11:00.002-04:00

There's plenty of reaction to Governor Palin's speech:Betsy's Page offers us not one, not two, not three, but four posts reflecting on the Sarah Palin speech, and reaction to it.Mr. William Teach at the Pirate's Cove is on top of all things Palin. I love this quote:"…this feels like when Plaxico caught the game winning catch in the Superbowl. It's like when Arnott scored the Stanley Cup Winner

GOP VP Surprise

2008-08-29T09:26:00.007-04:00

Or so it would appear.Update: 10:50 AM EDT 8/29/2008Confirmed!This is a game changer.2nd Update: 1:00 PM EDT 8/29/2008Just as she has been in the few earlier media appearances I've seen, Sarah Palin was poised, confident, and articulate during her remarks at the Dayton VP rally.This has now become a very interesting campaign.Governor Palin brings an odd quality to the campaign rhetoric: common

Im going to my room to think

2008-08-22T09:25:00.000-04:00

Another one of those bloggy poll things:Your Personality is Somewhat Rare (ISTP)Your personality type is reserved, methodical, spirited, and intense.Only about 6% of all people have your personality, including 3% of all women and 8% of all menYou are Introverted, Sensing, Thinking, and Perceiving.How Rare Is Your Personality?

Courage + Believe = Life

2008-08-20T08:07:00.002-04:00

"Courage + Believe = Life" was John Challis' motto. He joins Dr. Randy Pausch as another Pittsburgh area inspiration, not just for cancer patients, but for all. John Challis showed us how to live a full and rich life. His life ended Tuesday at the age of 18.KDKA-TV has this story and a slideshow.The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette offers this article.And Pittsburgh's best blogger, PittGirl sums it up