[LAPSE... brain dead]

The Dogs of Draaken (a short story)

noreply@blogger.com (Tony Moore) — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 01:14:00 +0000

Hello, dear reader (well, there may be more than one of you, but I'm assuming only one of you is reading at a time, so addressing to "reader," singular, is still probably appropriate). Thanks for visiting my blog. Today we're going in a new direction, fiction. Specifically, my own fiction, from ages ago. Well, many moons ago... 1993, specifically. Or 20 years. Wow, how time flies. Anyway, you see, my aunt, Peggy Jolly, is (was, I believe she's retired now) an English professor (at UAB), and she edited her own literature textbook, The Freshman Sampler (out of print, but you can still find some copies if you wish). The book is a collection of short stories used for literature classes, and she asked if I'd write a piece for it, which I did. In 1993. While I was in Naval Nuclear Power Prototype training. Instead of studying the nuclear chemistry, I wrote this story (I did pass the prototype training, if you care, before I joined the crew of the John C. Stennis, CVN-74; I was, in fact, on board the ship when they were filming "Executive Decision" using our carrier in place of the Eisenhower - and, no, I wasn't "seen" in the film - I was below decks, probably working in the #2 machinery room at the time, and no, I didn't meet Kurt Russell). So, with that intro, here we go...

The Dogs of Draaken

Anthony R. Moore

The dogs had been gathering for about three hours now. I would say there were a couple of dozen at least; it was hard to tell the way they were all pacing around. That is, all except the first one; he sat rooted in the same spot he had been all this time, rhythmically emitting an eerie thirty-six second howl every twelve minutes. It was the sort of sound that chills your blood and leaves you wondering if perhaps you are dead, wandering through someone's nightmare. It was a sound that seemed to pass right through your self and soul, as if you were a misty shadow with no substance or being. A sound that filled your mind with an unknown terror that you can neither explain nor escape. The sound, the howls, of the Dogs of Draaken.

Draaken was a well-known legend in these parts. I, having only recently taken up residence here, had not yet experienced the phenomenon that supposedly had driven the previous owner of my new home mad, first to lunacy, finally to suicide. I say home, but that is quite an understatement. The Fourth Century castle I had recently acquired was much more than a home: it was legend, history, grandeur, and most of all a dream come true. I have always loved castles, and the previous owner's recent misfortune left me in possession of this glorious work of art which was so well constructed it has stood for over fifteen hundred years. It has lasted through three national wars and numerous servant and townspeople rebellions. It also survived a fourteen-year occupation during which all the rightful tenants were beheaded. Today it is no less stout than when it was built so many centuries ago by a man with the name of Draaken.

Draaken of old, I am told, was a great and powerful magician who used his power for the good of his townspeople. His kindness was well-known throughout the land. Warriors from a neighboring territory, however, held only disdain for Draaken and his town. They thought the tariffs were too high and the quality of the wine produced here too low. One day these people came to visit, swords and daggers drawn, intent upon "improving" the village. The townspeople fled to the castle, begging Draaken to to save them; Draaken, his soul sworn to the forces who bestowed his power to use his magic only for good, could not force himself to cause anyone's harm. Thus, he refused the townspeople's plea. His bond signed his death warrant. By their own strength the townspeople gathered together and turned back the assaulting horde, but not without grave losses. The entire stock of wine was destroyed, and many men did not return home that evening. Draaken was hated by all the townspeople; blamed for their losses, he was forever vanquished from their hearts.

Although Draaken no longer had the fealty of his townspeople, he quietly continued to use his powers for their good and benefit. He aided their strength and endurance and doubled the next year's crop yield. Because of him, a local epidemic of deadly illness touched not one of the townspeople. Unaware of his constant concern and guidance, they never forgave Draaken's refusal nor forgot the war.

Some years later, Draaken's wife went on a journey to console her father and pay tribute to her mother as she lay dying. She had been gone three weeks when a messenger brought news: on the return from her journey, she had been assaulted in a nearby mountain passage, and a blow to her head had claimed her life. Draaken, taken by grief, wept for three days; once the tears had ceased, he built a shrine and planned her funeral. He planned a fitting spectacle to pay tribute to the woman he had loved with all his heart. He had a servant inform the townspeople of the tragedy and the memorial service. Not one person returned any kind words or consolation through the servant to Draaken.

The time came for the service. The music, the speech, and the burial were befitting of a queen. However, Draaken and his castle servants were the only mourners at the funeral. Not a single townsperson showed up to pay tribute to the great woman who had been Draaken's wife. Their hearts remained stony with unforgiveness for his refusing to use his powers to slay the invaders. This searing insult drove the great man mad. After burying his wife, Draaken vowed that when he died no townsperson would avoid his mourning. He then set to work on an enchantment that took most of the rest of his life to create.

This magic he made is what I am now seeing. His spell causes a mystic dog to appear every year on the day of his death. This dog sits at the top of the hill under which Draaken is buried and howls chillingly, rhythmically into the night, a mourning how that causes every dog in the town below to come to this spot and grieve over the body of Draaken. These village mourners wander about the hill for six hours, the length of the battle between the townspeople and their assailants. The howling can be heard in every inch of the town, can be felt in the very marrow of every bone, and pierces the souls of all the townspeople. And they observe, once again, the death of their beloved patron.

And there you have it - my first (and only, so far) published work (not counting anything you may read in this blog, which might be considered published?). I hope you have enjoyed the short story, written while I was supposed to be studying nuclear chemistry in the US Navy. This version is devoid of typos and misspellings in the originally published version (some mine, some my editor's, although I won't point that out... whoops!).

And, as mentioned previously, check out "A Slip Of the Clock" by a virtual friend of mine (I say "virtual" friend because we've never actually met in person, only online). The link goes to the Facebook page for her book, which includes links to Kobo and Lulu (where it's "self published" in electronic format), available for $2.99 or so (and worth more, probably worth $6.99 or $7.99 like your normal paperback novels would be). She can write "full length" stories, whereas I seem to peter out after much more than a chapter (or, say, a short story or blog entry). I have some ideas, but just can't seem to flesh them out like Jane Edwards.

Until next time... a topato!

Driving in Alabama... what you never knew (maybe).

noreply@blogger.com (Tony Moore) — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 01:04:00 +0000

So, just glancing through the Code of Alabama, there are some real gems in relation to driving statutes.

For instance, it's illegal to coast down a hill (that is, in neutral or with the clutch disengaged), even if you want to save a little fuel. This is, in fact, a 2-point offense in the Alabama driver license point system.

Also, you can't get out of your vehicle and leave it running - you have to turn it off, lock the ignition and remove the key, and effectively set your brake.

It's also illegal to back your vehicle on the shoulder of an interstate (such as when you pass a car with a pregnant lady attempting to change a flat and stop as closely as you can after passing it - it's technically illegal to back your car up to hers to assist; you'll just have to walk back to help out).

If you have tinted windows, you can't tint the front (windshield) and the rest must be no more than 32 percent light transmission reduction. That said, you also can't be charged under this provision unless the light transmission of the tinted windows has been checked with an appropriate device or instrument, and, in fact, an officer may not stop you for this violation unless he has such a device already in his equipment.

By the way, if your car normally operates in reverse, you don't have to wear safety belts. (I'd still recommend doing so.)

And you can't ride in a house trailer while it's being transported.

Yes, it is a legal requirement to signal your turn (not less than 100' prior to the turn).

Yes, it's illegal to drive too slowly, too. (But what defines "normal and reasonable" here?)

Finally, there's some apparent issues with the point system (for offenses) as well. Based on the points assigned for violations, here's a list of violations, from most to least dangerous:

6 points: Reckless driving or reckless endangerment involving operating a motor vehicle (granted - several of the following could probably be written as reckless driving...)
5 points: Speeding (26 or more mph over speed limit)
4 points: Driving on the wrong side of the road or illegal passing
3 points: Disregarding traffic control device (stop sign, traffic light, etc.)
2 points: Speeding (1 to 25mph over speed limit)
2 points: Drinking alcohol while operating a vehicle (note: I'm pretty sure there is separate legislation regarding driving under the influence, and there is a 6 point offense for "Any conviction which resulted from a charge that involved the drinking of alcoholic beverages and the driving of a motor vehicle but did not require mandatory revocation of the driver license")

So, there you go... enjoy!

And, speaking of enjoying, you should definitely check out "A Slip Of the Clock" (at Lulu or at Kobo), written by a virtual friend of mine (whom I've never met in person, only online; as a matter of fact, met through this very blog!). It's a very enjoyable read (I know, I've read it ... numerous times already!). And it's not expensive, either, so you can enjoy it while saving money!

Later, all...

Check out: Lydia's Thought Spot: My First Blog

noreply@blogger.com (Tony Moore) — Fri, 10 May 2013 19:17:00 +0000

Yes, this is a rip-off blog post, but enjoy Lydia's first blog post ever:

Lydia's Thought Spot: My First Blog: I am sitting at my computer, wrapped snugly in my super soft leopard print fleece blanket, attempting to write my very first blog post, ever...

Friends and kids and stuff...

noreply@blogger.com (Tony Moore) — Sun, 28 Apr 2013 01:26:00 +0000

So, shortly after dumping the first batch of clippings from the riding mower's grass catcher (which I currently dump in the adjoining, vacant, forested lot), I got back up on the mower and started it up. When what to my wondering eyes did appear, but this:

If you don't see it, zoom in, and look closely... yeah, that's a 3 to 4 foot long, inch-diameter snake, just a few feet from where I'd just been walking around. (No, I didn't panic; I pulled out the camera and took this pic, and a few more, slowly inching the mower closer and closer... which the snake didn't like, and eventually slithered its way off into the woods.) Oh, yeah, that's our fence in the picture (I'm on the outside of the fence here). Nearest I can tell (by my post-picture sleuthing) it's a grey rat snake (I'm not much on identifying critters, so I had to wait until the internet could help me figure out what it was). Non-venomous. And, based on the recent present one of our dogs left on our back porch (a dead, slightly disemboweled rat), probably a good friend to have around.

Speaking of friends, if you're a friend (or even if you're not), check out what some of my kids are doing this summer: my youngest two boys (Ronnie & Alex) are going to be working at summer camps sponsored by the Child Evangelism Fellowship, while our daughter Lydia (our oldest child) will be working at a summer arts camp... in Madrid, Spain! Both opportunities are very exciting (and we're very proud of our kids for volunteering in these ministries), albeit somewhat costly; each boy has to attend a training session (at a cost of $435 each), and Lydia's trip will require roughly $2500 in various expenses. If you'd like to contribute to the expenses, you can visit the info and donation page I set up to find out more (each kid has written a letter about the ministry which are available at the site) and donate to help with the expenses through PayPal (and thanks in advance for any donations, and even more for prayer - both for the kids, and the ones they'll be ministering to, and for mom to keep her cool while her baby girl is on another continent).

My other boy, Justin, has also been busy recently with his "daily" YouTube show, "The Daily Chicken" - even though it really only comes out weekly. I've also been helping out a little by getting a website set up for them: chickenforth.com. There's not much out there on the website yet (I'm working on a "Virtual Chicken Challenge Chest" - and if you wonder what that is, you'll have to watch the videos at The Daily Chicken YouTube Channel to find out!). Oh, and a concussion he suffered a few weeks back (at the hands of his younger brother, Ronnie).

Speaking of videos... do you remember Hee Haw or The Carol Burnett Show? Do you miss that kind of fun, mainly clean entertainment? Well, then, have I got a show for you: The Mythical Show. Featuring Rhett and Link (well, not just featuring them... it's their concept!), it's a half hour of entertainment that's safe for the family to watch along with you. And a real half hour, not twenty-two minutes and eight minutes of commercials (although the first episode was really only 29:03, not a full 30:00). I recommend putting it on your living room TV (via the Wii or PS3 or just hooking up your laptop's HDMI output to your TV) and watching with your family. A new episode will come out every Thursday (at least for a dozen weeks), although once out, it's available for instant streaming at any time, so you don't have to sit down and watch it exactly when it comes out. Try it, and hopefully you'll like it.

OK, that's enough for this edition of LBD... until next time...

...a topato!

Tree Saga, 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Tony Moore) — Sun, 17 Mar 2013 02:35:00 +0000

So, last week at this time we had a 40-50 foot split oak in our yard. Looked something like this:

This 50' split oak was about 2 feet from the fence, 20-30 feet from the above ground pool, and basically dead. Tonight, it looks more like this:

And all that happened with $10 worth of 2x4s, a hand saw (pretty awesome saw, this one - highly recommended!), $10 worth of 100' nylon braided rope, and risk loving teenage boys. We built a ladder onto the tree, then cut it down in pieces, with rope attached to the pieces we were cutting in order to guide the pieces down without hitting anything.

Guess what? We did it! Without breaking anything (or anyone) in the process. (OK, I did break a hammer attempting to remove one of the two-by-four steps - well, the nail from one of those, and there was a slight gouge on the fence post in that picture, but you can't really see it.) You can see the whole "tree saga" in photos here, but as a summary, here's a few from the album:

Cool, huh? But I'm worn out. Thanks to Justin, Ronnie, and Alex for the help taking down the tree (and splitting the resulting logs), and to Lydia and Ninfa for their assistance during and after the process (cleaning up the debris, for instance). And to God for making sure we didn't break anything or anyone in the process of saving a few bucks by not calling a tree service. Tomorrow (maybe) I'll write about the absolute silliness of our income taxes, but for now, this will have to do. Took a tree down in less than a week, from "just a tree" to a stack of firewood (too bad I don't have a wood-burning fireplace!).

OK, night, all!

Positives and Negatives

noreply@blogger.com (Tony Moore) — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 03:51:00 +0000

It was the best of days, it was the worst of days...

Positive: I got to play in Lydia's Junior Jury Recital today! I was very pleased to have this opportunity, that she shared it with me, and that she even asked. Of course, the real star today was Lydia (and her "full" accompanist, Bekah, whose piano skills are quite covetable; now, I'd say the same "covetable" thing about Lydia's voice, but people might consider it a bit odd if I was a powerful first soprano). The piece I got to play with her on was "All of Me" - like the one below (Billie Holiday), but up four half steps (or two whole steps, if you prefer). It was a lot of fun, and an experience that I imagine not a lot of dads get to enjoy, which I did! Thanks, Lydia! (Note: I'm not quite as good as the sax player in the Billie Holiday version - might could be, if it were my profession, but I'm just an amateur.) We'll be doing it again April 4th, if you're interested in the rest of the concert. Oh, and yes, she passed the jury!

Negative: car dealerships. Whether incompetent or unscrupulous, don't tell me "we're close; bring your car in for us to take a look" when we're not even close. I have a 2006 Kia Sedona (LX) that I asked if they'd be able to trade for a couple of vehicles on their lot, a 2002 Isuzu Rodeo (S, 2wd, V6) and a 91 Olds 88. "I think we're close" he says. I think we should be - the Isuzu has a trade value of 2350-2850 or so (NADA), and the Olds - well, you can't even get trade values for it from NADA or KBB online. My Sedona has a trade value, even with its "excessive" mileage (137k or so) of 3050-3800 (NADA). So, I figure, we're close, let's go see. (Why two? 'Cause Ronnie just turned 16, and a "big" minivan isn't quite a great teen vehicle, and it would be convenient to have something for him as well as something for me to run around in as well.) Of course, I can't get to the dealership before they sell the Olds, but the guy assures me, "I have a few more in mind that should work." So this evening, on the way back from a great day in Jackson, MS (where Lydia goes to school), I stop by. Long story short: they offer me $1,500 for the Sedona and want me to pay over $4k to trade the 06 Sedona for just the 02 Isuzu. Um, no. 1) My van is worth at least twice what you're offering (based on the fact that they were claiming the Isuzu was wholesale value at the price they were listing it - they were way off there); 2) that's not "close" - that's "way far apart"; 3) I'm not going to pay money to trade my "old" car - on which everything works - for your older car, on which not even everything works (the rear wiper doesn't work and the button on the rear door to open the glass portion is loose and falls out). And why are you wasting my time? I spent an hour or so at the dealer for "we're close" when you aren't even in the same ballpark - what you told me was either incompetent (you didn't know what you were talking about, or you failed to check on what you were saying prior to saying it) or unscrupulous (you flat out lied, or you failed to check on what you were saying prior to saying it). Either way, you're wasting my time. (If you want to know what dealer, it's Springhill Toyota in Mobile.)

So, anyway, positives and negatives today... but the positives definitely outweighed the negatives! And if you're interested in Lydia's recital (9 songs or so), let me know and I'll get you the details. And if you're interested in buying a well-cared-for 2006 Kia Sedona (so I can buy a couple of older, cheaper cars), let me know...

Why isn't my quarter worth $2.33?

noreply@blogger.com (Tony Moore) — Sun, 03 Feb 2013 05:14:00 +0000

I have a quarter. It's a 25-cent piece, but it's a 1965 quarter. It was minted in 1965, and it was worth 25 cents in 1965. It's now 2013 (yeah, the Mayan calendar apparently does go on). 25 cents bought a lot more in 1965 than it does today. For example (following are based on various internet sources; you should find similar values if you do your own internet search):

average new house cost:

1965: $21.500
2010: $272,900

a gallon of gas:

1965: 31 cents
2013: 3.40 (or so)

a loaf of bread:

1965: 21 cents
2010: $1.88

Let's take a specific example: in 1965, a brand new, base Ford Mustang was (depending on your source) around $2,372 (MSRP), while a 2013 base Ford Mustang carries an MSRP of $22,200. In other words (well, in other numbers, actually), the 2013 Mustang costs roughly 9.36 times as much as a 1965 Mustang. Applying that to our 1965 twenty five cents, the equivalent 2013 value of 25 cents in 1965 is $2.33 (and that's truncating instead of rounding! decimal place #3 is a 9).

So, if I have a quarter that was worth 25 cents in 1965, why isn't it worth $2.33 in 2013? I think it should be. There should be a formula for calculating the "current value" of prior-year coins for retail purchases. But I guess that would be too hard for most retail shops, huh?

Anyway, I sure could have used that extra value tonight as we took my oldest boy to the ER, where our BCBS/AL insurance requires a $250 copay. Would have been really nice to pay for that with about $26 worth of 1965 quarters! (Of course, I don't have that many 1965 quarters, but I have quite a few quarters of various years, many at least a decade old, and that surely would have added up!)

By the way, based on this site, that 1965 quarter is probably worth a buck or two to a numismatic (coin collector, although the term apparently includes tokens, paper money, and related objects). In excellent condition, it would be worth up to $8. That $8 is certainly more than the $2.33 in my mathematical formula. However, I'm referring not to collector value, but to actual, face value... the 25 cents is not based on the "equivalent value" of 25 cents of the minting era, but rather the face value of 25 cents. Seems quite a loss to the consumer, or a gain for a bank.

Acorn Recipes!

noreply@blogger.com (Tony Moore) — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 04:09:00 +0000

The following article may be invaluable to you, sooner or later:

Acorn Recipes and Acorn Preparation - Grandpappy's Basic Recipes - by Robert Wayne Atkins, P.E.

Acorns are all around us (there's about a billion of them on the ground next to where I park at church), and generally they're free. If you don't have any in your yard or neighborhood, check your local park; they probably have them all over the ground. And if you happen to have oak trees in your yard, even easier to collect: just set out some baskets underneath the tree(s), or perhaps some small opening net, such as fishnet or screen, on the ground, then all you have to do is collect the baskets or pick up the netting. Why, you ask? Since they're free, it will reduce your grocery bill. Just replace your use of flour with acorn meal, and other staples as well. I haven't read the whole article, but I do recall acorn pancakes.

This will be especially helpful once your paycheck starts to decrease due to the increased social security taxes this year. In fact, not only will you be able to reduce your grocery bill, you might be able to start offering the acorn meal to friends and family and/or start selling it from a roadside stand to supplement the diminished paychecks, a win-win!

Of course, if you're allergic to nuts, I wouldn't recommend trying this, as an acorn is still a nut. I'm allergic to nuts, I think, but of the human variety... I don't even have to touch them before I start to show symptoms, typically irritability and lack of listening.

(If you do happen to start making a ton of money off sales of acorn meal, please consider a donation to the author of this blog, so I can continue bringing you money saving and money making tips!)

Alabama cheats (and other stuff)

noreply@blogger.com (Tony Moore) — Sat, 12 Jan 2013 02:49:00 +0000

I promised more details later, and I guess it's now later, so here we go, run-on sentences and all.

First, attached (down below) is a pic of a nasty bug that was on my windshield as I started off for Upward Basketball this evening. It wasn't on there for long, once I started getting speed up to where it could no longer hold to the windshield, poor bug. I didn't go back to look for it though.

So, I guess you're wondering why I say Alabama cheats, huh? Well, I'll tell you. It has to do with a speeding ticket. No, not my ticket, and not one of my kids' tickets, but I won't tell you whose it was (even though I was in the act of paying it). So, in Alabama you essentially have two choices for paying a ticket: go to court, and pay the court cost on top of your ticket fine, or pay it online, with a "convenience fee" tacked on. There's no way to pay just the fine. To me, that's cheating, tacking on extra money beyond the fine, that there's no way around. And so, Alabama cheats, increasing revenue of fines without the legislation to increase said fines, and without increasing the fines themselves. Cheating.

The whole "online payment convenience fee" thing is really bogus, anyway. Instead of having to pay someone to take my payment info over the phone, or to pay someone to process the endorsing and depositing of a check, your website processes the payment automatically. In reality, you should get a convenience discount for paying online, since you're saving whoever you're paying quite a bit by paying online. But, as usual, common sense takes a back seat to common cents. (Ha ha, see what I did there?)

And we're all going to need discounts, what with our "no tax increase on the middle class" going on. As with most people, my paycheck was cut this first paycheck of 2013. Social security tax went up by 2%, which equates to 47% more SS tax per paycheck. The irony is that SS tax is only calculated on the first $113,700 of your paycheck. That is, those who make well north of middle class will only be additionally taxed as much as those who make the aforementioned 113k. Proportionately, the percentage will actually be lower, since the additional tax dollar amount is a much lower percentage of the overall pay.

Anyway, enough about that for now (ask if you want more info or specific examples). Unrelatedly, I'm typing this blog out on my new to me phone, an LG Lucid, with no physical keyboard (while watching "Sherlock" on Netflix). Hopefully I've caught and corrected all the typos in this post. If not feel free to berate me. I'm a big boy (but dieting!), so I can take it. I think.

Why your next car may cost more than it should.

noreply@blogger.com (Tony Moore) — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 22:19:00 +0000

Image from the FiatUSA website - go visit for more!

I like cars, especially European ones. And Italian cars are my favorite of the Euros. My first car was Italian (Alfa Romeo), my second car was French (Renault), and I've owned a BMW along the way as well. I've also owned plenty of American, Japanese, and Korean automobiles (including a "Suzuki Forenza" - the ultimate amalgam of a worldwide automobile: the car was built in Korea by GM-Daewoo; styled by the Italian design group Pininfarina, although the hatchback version was styled by another Italian, Giugiaro; used an engine made in Australia by Holden, which was based on an old, German Opel design; and sold in America as a Suzuki). I've driven other European cars as well, including Mercedes, Peugeot, Volvo, other BMWs, some Mini Coopers, and a Fiat 500. But I still like Italian cars the best. That little 500 (I test drove a Sport model in B'ham on my way back south from a business trip in Huntsville) was a neat car - certainly not overly powerful, but handled well, and actually rode well on the interstate, too. I'd really like to get my hands on an Abarth model (hey, Christmas is coming!), and/or perhaps the forthcoming 500L. But I want to talk about the 500e for a moment, the Fiat token "electric vehicle" for the states (well, for California, anyway), which will soon be available (Spring of 2013, although, as mentioned, only in California).

Based on this article (and this one backs it up), Fiat USA will not make any money selling the 500e. In fact, they will lose approximately $10,000 on each one sold (pricing has not yet been established, or at least published, but prior indications suggest a $35-40k sticker). Yes, lose money, 5 digits' worth, on every one sold. "So, why would they do this?" you ask. Doesn't really make sense, now, does it? Well, it's the government's fault. California regulations require any manufacturer of a certain size to sell a minimum number of zero-emission vehicles. And hybrids, plug-in or not, or any other "partial zero emission vehicle," do not apply towards this minimum requirement. So, the state of California is requiring limited-range, loss-inducing vehicles to be sold. "What's the big deal? Saves the earth!" you say. Does it? really? Those electric vehicles don't get their power from the sun (well, they could, if your house is on a solar array, but otherwise, it's coming from your local power plant). Some of which may be good ol' coal plants, which (due to carbon trading) typically are somehow exempted from emission regulation (no, I'm not posting any links to back up this claim; you can look it up yourself, and comment if I'm wrong). Alternatively, they're (relatively clean!) nuclear plants, or possibly aero or hydro plants. And they do have limited range, so you'll have to plan your trips accordingly.

But the biggest problem with this "strategy" is the fact that the vehicles are going to cost more than they're sold for. Fiat will have to make that money up somewhere... likely in the sticker prices for their vehicles going up across the board (including Chrysler vehicles, since Fiat owns Chrysler). So, your 5.7L, Hemi-powered, 4x4 Ram Pickup, with its 13/19 EPA rating, is going to cost a little bit more (which you're paying to help offset the price that someone else did not pay on their Fiat 500e).

That's just bad governing, in my opinion. Personally, I think auto manufacturers should just all boycott California and quit selling cars there. Then they won't have to meet these ridiculous regulations and can keep prices low, invest in research and technology, and eventually sell electric/hybrid vehicles at a profit. Perhaps the neighboring states could just open up extra dealerships just across the California borders where Californians could go to buy their cars. Just a thought.

Unicorns

noreply@blogger.com (Tony Moore) — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 06:50:00 +0000

Fancy title, eh? "Unicorns." I always did like them; I think they're probably my third favorite animal (after elephants and ants). "But they're not real," you say. "They're only a myth!" you reply. "I like corn, but unitards are weird," you somehow only semi-relatedly utter.

And to that, I say, "Have you checked out the Korean Central News Agency (of North Korea) recently?" Apparently, per this article, "Archaeologists of the History Institute of the DPRK Academy of Social Sciences have recently reconfirmed a lair of the unicorn rode by King Tongmyong." That jewel was hidden among such great headlines as "Mongolian Delegation Goes back Home" and "Chinese Party Delegation Here" and (a day later) "Chinese Party Delegation Leaves," "National Exhibition of Liquor, Condiments Held in Pyongyang," "New Korean Film Produced," "New Kinds of Saunas Appear in Pyongyang" ("Where'd that new kind of sauna come from?" "I don't know, it just appeared!"), and the particularly exciting "Model Plane Operators of DPRK's Textile Mill Sports Team." (The news articles and information linked here are courtesy of the Korean News Service (KNS) in Tokyo.)

This was originally brought to my attention by this article by Alexander Abad-Santos (published on the Atlantic Wire web site), where he notes (per a commenter) that the Western Unicorn and the Korean Unicorn are actually somewhat different in concept; the following image depicts the concept of the Korean Unicorn, known as a "Qilin":

Kind of cool, actually. Look at some other Qilin images, and it gets even neater. Maybe if they'd made it "My Little Qilin" instead of "My Little Pony"... wait, NO PONIES!

Anyway, there's a pretty good article on the Qilin here (which, incidentally, is the source of the image, above), related to its Korean Cultural Heritage, but the page is in Korean. Fortunately, if you happen to be browsing the web in Google's Chrome browser, when you go to that page it will offer to translate it from Korean to English for you (or, I assume, whatever language you happen to have as your default, but since you're reading this in English, I'm assuming English is your default; then again, maybe you're reading this translated by Google from English to your default language). Which is amusing in itself, attempting to read the automated translation (Asian to English translations rarely go well; I have enjoyed quite a few mistranslations over the years, and reading the instructions on most chopstick packs is quite amusing, especially the ones that end with, "Now you can pick up anything!"). So, it appears the Qilin is a "Chromatic brilliant divine splendor giraffe" with "Forehead, a long-horned giraffe Chromatic radiantly colorful multicolored hair-handed one-horned animal. In the body of a deer and the end of the tail, hooves and mane similar known for having imaginary animals. Example, from the dragon, phoenix, tortoise and forty Wed (四 spirit 兽) done, and has been recognized as a sacred animal." Cool.

So, in the west, "Unicorn" is typically a one-horned horse, while in Korea, "Unicorn" is a one-horned, brilliantly-multicolored "giraffe" (with the body of a deer). And apparently they were ridden by an ancient Korean king, who had a lair of them, which has been reconfirmed by DPRK archaeologists.

I guess this brings new life to the advice, "don't play leapfrog with a unicorn."

In other news, the Spanish Fort High School Toros defeated the St. Paul's Saints tonight in round four of the AHSAA state playoffs (5A division), and will be moving on to the 5A state championship game in Auburn next week (Thursday) against McAdory HS. Go, Toros! The first half was mainly a defensive battle, resulting in a 3-3 tie at the half, with several turnovers (often in or near the red zone) for each team. The second half opened with a scoring drive by St. Paul's, going ahead 10-3, which stood as the score until the fourth quarter, with more turnovers during the 3rd. Spanish Fort tied the game early in the 4th, and took the lead (17-10) with just under ten minutes to play. With St. Paul's failing to convert on 4th & four at midfield with under six minutes to play, Spanish Fort got their running game going and drove down the field to score again, making it a two point game, 24-10. St. Paul's did a good job moving the ball, but the drive stalled on the Toro side of the field, and on 4th & 9 the Toros intercepted St. Paul's QB, taking over on their own 2 yard line with 3:56 to play. Some good running plays (including a 67-yard breakaway which was unfortunately called back due to offsetting personal fouls during the run) allowed Spanish Fort to keep the ball out of the hands of the St. Paul's offense and run out the clock. St. Paul's QB made some phenomenal plays, avoiding would-be sacks (sometimes more than one on the same play) and scrambling to keep the play alive while his receivers somehow managed to find wide-open spots in the Toro defense. Unfortunately for St. Paul's, several players left the field injured, two of which were carried off the field by training staff (leg/ankle injuries). Prayers for their quick and full recovery are of course solicited! All-in-all, it was a good game by both teams, and now we just say "Go, Toros!" Bring home a second state 5A championship in three years! (SFHS was the 2010 5A State Champ.)

If you're interested in Alabama High School Football standings, rankings, and stats, as I think I've already mentioned, check out talsimanred's (note: link to the left goes to the base page, while link to the right goes to the AHS Football Ratings page) Alabama High School Football Ratings page.

And with that, I will bid you g'night (maybe it's day when you're reading this, but it's nearly 1 am while I'm writing it!).

Diets, websites, and football...

noreply@blogger.com (Tony Moore) — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 01:26:00 +0000

The diet hasn't fared well the past few days... fortunately, I haven't completely undone everything since starting about four months ago. At least I have a few weeks before Christmas comes in to further derail things. And I did eat a salad as my last "meal" Saturday (after too much breakfast full of things on the "avoid" list, chips and chili-cheese dip which I'm pretty sure are also on the "avoid" list, chili, and too many desserts). All-in-all, it wasn't nearly as bad as in years past (then again, I wasn't dieting then, so technically was it worse?). But the time with friends and family (including a visit with one of my wife's best friends from high school that we hadn't seen in 21 years) was well worth the diet breaking menus, I think.

On a different note, I finally got my wife's website/store up & running, to much fanfare and trumpeting. OK, to much fanfare. OK, we waved our hands around a little. In our minds. This has been a long process... it really shouldn't have been quite a difficult to get this up & running, but the "online store and shopping cart" software just isn't exactly straightforward when you start throwing sales taxes, reporting, and so forth in the mix. However, it's finally done, and hopefully it will be successful. If you are in the need for a bag or purse, for yourself or as a give, head over to Creations by Ninfa and see if there's something there that might fill your need. Don't see what you want? Keep checking back as new inventory is added. (Need something special? I'm not going to make any promises, but you can contact us through the store and we'll see what we can do; given that Christmas is coming, I'm not sure how much time we'll have for custom orders, and obviously the sooner the better.)

And lots of football over the past few days. Hooray for the Redskins win, and Alabama's Iron Bowl victory was nice (and almost painful to watch). In Alabama High School Athletic Association news, Spanish Fort has reached the semi-final round of the playoffs, playing at home ("on the hill") every game thus far. (If you're interested in AHSAA football ratings, check out Talsimanred - his web site is awesome! He's no longer even in Alabama, per his FAQ, but maintains this super-informational site, which is GREAT for Alabama high school football, regardless of your school's region.) Spanish Fort hosts St. Paul's this Friday (this will be the last game "On the Hill" as the following week will be the championship game in Auburn) - if you're in the area, come on out and join us for what should be a FUN game! St. Paul's defeated Spanish Fort earlier in the season (Oct 5), the Toros only loss of the season (but due to St. Paul's losing to Vigor, another 5A school, as well as to Fairhope, a 6A school, Spanish Fort ended up the 5A Region 1 champs, thus getting the home-field advantage for the playoffs). Spanish Fort has also knocked off some 6A teams this year, including Daphne (in the inaugural Spanish Fort/Daphne meeting) and Fairhope. Anyway, it should be a fun game, a challenge for both teams, with the winner going to Auburn to play for the 5A State Championship. Fun!

Facebook? Can I have another (social network), please?

noreply@blogger.com (Tony Moore) — Sun, 18 Nov 2012 22:01:00 +0000

Something about "Sponsored Stories" on Facebook just irks me. It's advertising that shows up in my news feed. That is, when I'm trying to scroll through to keep up with friends & family, I have to see these "stories" (which take up more room than the usual stories) which look like ordinary posts, where someone explicitly shares something, but instead, it's some company's ad. Granted, an ad for a company that one of the people who show up in my news feed "likes," but it's not something that person actually intentionally shared with me - the company has paid Facebook to "place" this story in my newsfeed, as if my friend shared it. Yeah, that really irks me.

"But you can turn it off, right from the ad!" Facebook would say. True... but I have to do that individually for every ad that shows up, and only after it shows up. I can't preemptively say "don't show feeds from x." If they had an option for that ("turn off all sponsored stories"), then I'd have already checked it (and if I just haven't found it yet, and you know where it is, please let me know!). It's not as if they don't already have tons of ads in the non-scrolling region on the right hand side of the page (and I have even clicked on some of those from time to time!). But using my friends, and the "familiar" look, to promote companies, and trick me into viewing an ad? This is is getting quite irksome.

So, I'm seriously considering just ditching Facebook altogether. Granted, I'll lose some of the friends I have there (which I don't have elsewhere), and I'll miss things like the E. B. Erwin High School Marching Band group (where I found someone to send me some old band VCR video tapes, which I've converted to DVD and posted on YouTube - thanks, new friends!).

Looking at Google Plus - does anyone use that much? Any other alternatives to Facebook that may be "nearly" as good, but perhaps without the "forced advertising in the midst of your newsfeed that masquerades as stories from your friends"? Maybe I should start my own social network... would anyone be interested in a fresh alternative to Facebook?

Technorati blog claim post!

noreply@blogger.com (Tony Moore) — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 23:06:00 +0000

If you're not Technorati (and I don't think this has anything to do with the Illuminati), you can skip this post if you wish. I'm just putting a claim token (FB593EGK6DE3) out there for Technorati to see and know that this is, in fact, my blog! That I am the owner of the blog, as much as I can be the owner (I guess it's really owned by Google?).

Anyway, dinner's ready shortly... just posting this for my blog claim!

Nothing much to say...

noreply@blogger.com (Tony Moore) — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 01:44:00 +0000

Saw Skyfall last night. I enjoyed the movie (unlike the initial Craig-as-Bond film, Casino Royale, and to a lesser unliking extent the follow-on Quantum of Solace). I guess I'm warming to Craig as Bond, although he still lacks the "suave" that characterizes Bond in my mind. Maybe he's getting better at the role. Or maybe the writing is getting better in the films involving Craig, perhaps catering to his abilities. (Interstingly, Craig is just 44 years old - makes me feel better about my near-41-year-old self! haha.) I'd say more about the movie, but maybe you haven't seen it yet, so I'll let it go. Suffice it to say, I enjoyed it (and seeing the ol' DB5 back in action again was nice!), although my wife was less enthusiastic about it.

In other news, my 15-year-old is learning to drive, which is scary for most of us. We came to a conclusion the other day, though: driving is a lot like coloring. Stay within the lines and you'll be fine. What could be simpler? If you have little kids, teach them to color well, as it may one day save you some insurance. :)

In yet other news, I'm converting some old marching band VHS tapes to digital (DVD and YouTube). These were provided by a then-not-yet-friend through a Facebook group for our marching band. (Yes, we've since become "friends" on Facebook.) Unfortunately, she and her sister did not quite exactly overlap the time that my wife and I spent in the E. B. Erwin High School Marching Band, but some of the videos were available of my time in the band (she was a runner during my last season or two of marching band). With that, I offer these two videos, a "regular" show and our "special" (Halloween) halftime show (you may still enjoy the special show even if you don't normally like marching band shows):

And, with those out of the way, I'll bid you adieu. There is another show I'd really like to get out here, with one of the coolest moves I've ever seen in a marching band, but unfortunately that's not in the collection I'm currently converting. Another band member says he has that show, and hopefully he'll send his collection of videos for conversion in the near future. Anyway, adieu! I mean, a topato!

Oh, wait, a PS: maybe I should go back and re-read all my old blog posts... found an interesting old strange dream post while searching for the topato link. PPS: if you haven't read it, check out A Brief History of Turquoise. And maybe the other stuff at Not-tional Geographic, my "other" blog (that I haven't written on since 2008 or so). And, finally, really, adieu!

Please don't misunderstand this post...

noreply@blogger.com (Tony Moore) — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 13:28:00 +0000

This is a little more serious than my usual posts, and may be a slightly long narrative; for that, I apologize. The slightly long bit, I mean. I am really interested in your response to the view that I am about to express, as this is a bit disconcerting to me at the moment.

Today, while mulling over a few things in my head, I think I've inadvertently come to a conclusion: America's political and judicial system is a crap shoot, a total farce. No, this is not in response to the results of the presidential election; I came to this conclusion much earlier in the day yesterday, well before any polls had closed or any votes tallied. Regardless of the outcome, this sentiment is the same.

Please, if you have something to day, let me know! I don't know that a democracy, or a democratic republic (as is our government), is necessarily a "good" form of government. (That being said, a monarch or a dictatorship isn't at all an improvement... I'm not sure there is any viable form of government, at least not with people involved.)

Here's why I've come to this conclusion.

Several years ago, I was privileged to be on a jury (if you consider that a privilege). It was really an absurd, ridiculous case, a car accident where both parties claimed to have had the green light. The plaintiff was suing the defendant for damages to his van, loss of supplies (paint cans in the van), and medical and time-off-job expenses. His case? He didn't recall the accident (memory loss from the accident), but he had his fellow employee in the passenger seat - who by his own admission in testimony was intoxicated and looking down when the accident happened. The defendant was on his way to work and had, as a witness, an unrelated fellow employee who was behind him at the time of the accident and attested to the fact that they had the green light and the plaintiff had violated the red light. (The plaintiff's girlfriend worked at the law firm that was representing him... I'm assuming he was getting his case tried for little or no charge because of that; otherwise, I can't believe he would have even taken it to court.)

During the trial, we had a lunch break. One of the jurors, an older lady who seemed as sweet as she could be, almost caused a mistrial by being late coming back from the lunch break. She got lost somewhere between the 1st and 3rd floor of the courthouse and couldn't find her way back into the courtroom. (And, no, I'm not making this up.) During the deliberation, which didn't take long, we were all in agreement to find for the defendant... all, except that one lady. After a while, she eventually asked, "Where did it happen?" When someone mentioned the intersection, she replied, "Oh, yeah, I've been there; sure, I agree."

That was justice? Granted, it was the right decision (as far as the evidence would reveal), but really, "I've been there, I agree"? Really sweet old lady, but she should not have been on a jury. What if there had been someone's life at stake? What if it would have been some major financial decision, with much less clarity?

Today, at the polling place, I overheard someone asking questions about the ballot, not realizing there was a second side, not understanding where things were located on the ballot, etc. And, looking at the ballot myself, there was this fantastic wording:

Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, effective January 1, 2014, to amend Section 247 relating to the authority of the Legislature concerning banks and banking, to repeal various other provisions of Article XIII concerning banks and banking; and to repeal Amendment 154 to the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, now appearing as Section 255.01 of the Official Recompilation of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, as amended, subject to the contingency that a new Article XII of the state constitution is adopted that repeals existing Section 232 of the state constitution, and subject to the contingency that Sections 10A-2-15.01 and 10A-2-15.02, Code of Alabama 1975, are repealed. (Proposed by Act No. 2012-276)

Um, yeah, what? "to repeal various other provisions"... and some numbers related to amendments or sections, none of which were included on the ballot. "Pick yes or no." Crap shoot.

There were also several items that were statewide constitutional amendments but which were actually very local in effect (for instance, Pritchard Water being consumed into the Mobile Water and Sewer System - that was a statewide item, such that Huntsvillians in north Alabama have a say into whether or not the water system in Mobile takes over the Pritchard water works). And another item that, as worded, made it seem one way, but (based on what I've learned about the item in question) actually it went the other way (regarding government employee salaries).

So, you have (among other things):

People who are, quite frankly, not capable of making the decisions to be made.
People who have no idea what's going on with the ballot.
People who do have some idea of what's going on with the ballot, but have not done research on the topics.
People who have done research, but are still not qualified for the decision being made.

I am not a CPA or accountant, nor do I have a background in finance or investments. How qualified am I to make decisions about banking legislation? And, on top of that, there's not even enough information on the ballot to make such a decision, if I even knew what they were talking about.

Yes, I know: do my research before voting. I get it, I do. But the point is: how many people do that? How many people are even capable of doing that for all the items on the ballot? And what does it matter, for instance, if it's a person on the other side of the state voting for my water works? (No, I don't live in Pritchard or Mobile, that was a semi-hypothetical scenario.)

Crap shoot. And it's the same with the judicial system; who knows who you're going to get on your jury? Maybe some sweet little old lady who'll say, "Where did it happen? Oh, I've been there, I agree!"

Voting - a right, a privilege, but should there be some additional requirements to vote? Some qualifications, both in terms of ability and in terms of having done the research? Similarly, should jurors be evaluated (besides just the series of questions they ask during the jury selection)?

I'm just no longer sure that a truly democratic process (even a democratic republic, like we have) is a "good" form of government. As previously mentioned, a monarchy or a dictatorship (even a benevolent one) isn't necessarily any better, as you have the same inherent problems in the lineage, whether the follow-on rulers are qualified to rule.

Maybe I'm wrong. Hopefully I'm wrong. Please, please... show me how I'm wrong.

A Day In the Life (of a Wild Rice Hunter)

noreply@blogger.com (Tony Moore) — Mon, 05 Nov 2012 00:36:00 +0000

I was eating lunch today at Baumhaur's Wings (not really on my list of diet-friendly places, but I had some grilled chiken skewers), and part of my not-quite-diet-friendly (but about as close as I could get on their menu) was wild rice. That got me thinking, as I started talking to the kids about wild rice, and the difficulties in harvesting the little critters.

Wild rice... much tougher to collect than your ordinary farm-raised rice. Too small for a net (they'll slip through the holes in the net, although some like to go after them with the fish nets you use to pull the fish that forget their sense of "up" from your tank), and obviously too small for a typical bow, they are frequently hunted with a toothpick bow. That's quite time consuming, however... in fact, my little plate of rice probably took a LONG time to hunt with a toothpick bow. In fact, it's becoming harder and harder for the average wild-rice hunter to have a sustainable business (compared to those who raise domesticated, farm-raised rice). It's one thing for the wild-rice hunter to hunt enough wild rice to feed his family, but quite another for a wild-rice hunter to hunt enough wild rice to turn a profit.

And what of government subsidies? Where is the help and assistance for the American wild rice hunting industry? This is a topic that you don't hear about in the media or from any political candidates. Why not? Too sensitive? Chinese rice farmers are flooding the US with "fake" wild rice; rice that is supposedly wild rice, but was, in actuality, farm-raised, often fed with artificial rice food, fattened up and unexercised and unhealthy (vs. the leaner wild rice), and sometimes painted or packaged with a tiny little bit of wild rice to give it that "wild rice look" when, in fact, it's farm-raised rice. American wild-rice hunters can't compete with the low cost, imported, fake wild rice that is flooding the US restaurant industry these days. (FYI, consumers have a legal right to know; if you're thinking of ordering "wild rice" from your favorite restaurant, be sure to ask the origin of the "wild" rice - if it's of Chinese origin, and not American, you may consider letting the restaurant know that your dollars have "United States of America" on them and should go to support Americans, not Chinese, and that you desire that they reconsider their wild rice supply - sure it may cost a little more on the menu, but you'll be guaranteed to be eating true wild rice and supporting the American wild-rice hunting industry.)

So, what does the life of a wild-rice hunter look like? Rough. Anymore, wild-rice hunters have very little time with their families, instead spending most of their lives doing the hunting in order to eke out whatever meager living they can. Up at 4 am, out on the trail, tracking down as many of the elusive wild rice as they can find and bag (and note: wild rice hunting is quite the fine art; have you ever tried shooting a wild rye with a toothpick bow?), hunting from before sunrise to well after sunset, breaking very little for a snack once or twice throughout the day, and getting back in bed around 5 am, meaning they're already an hour late on the next day's hunting. Poor guys!

You can make a difference. Do your research, and do your part: come Tuesday, GO VOTE! Yes, you're only one in a million (well, one in over 314 million, actually - although not all of those 314 million are of voting age or, even so, are registered voters), but what if the "score" was "half" to "half minus one"? Your vote would certainly be of importance then, wouldn't it? Do your part - VOTE!

Yes, this is obviously facetious... but, it's important that you fulfill your responsibility and take advantage of your right and privilege as a US Citizen to vote for the candidate(s) that support your views and desires for our nation.

Review of "How to Reach Your Full Potential for God" by Charles Stanley

noreply@blogger.com (Tony Moore) — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 15:16:00 +0000

I was very excited to read this book, based on the title of the book and the author. I've not read anything by Charles Stanley myself before, but have been in various settings where his works were used (for example, my Sunday School teacher uses some of his works at times for our class). However, I was very disappointed by the book. It seemed to me too forced and not naturally flowing, and did not provide the type of insights that I was expecting. Essentially, I found it to be a self-help style book with a spiritual slant, but not as well written as what I've heard in other works by Stanley.

The book itself was choppy and difficult to read, not a flowing work that grabbed my attention and encouraged me to read more. Some of the other books I've read in this vein are difficult to put down, making you want to get on to the next chapter before taking a break; not so with this one. I found little desire to continue reading, and had to force myself through the book (primarily for the sake of the review). I presume this is not typical of Stanley's work, as (previously mentioned) I've been impressed by what I've heard from other of his writings, but this one failed to impress. I'm sorry to say that I don't recommend this book, as I'm sure his other works are certainly worth reading.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Survivor recommendations

noreply@blogger.com (Tony Moore) — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 01:44:00 +0000

A couple of rule changes I think would have made #Survivor better this season, one related to the three-way tribes, and one related to challenges in general.

First, related to the three-way tribes, the combined reward/immunity challenges shouldn't have featured immunity/major reward, immunity/little reward, no immunity, it should have been immunity/reward, immunity (no reward), and no immunity. Thus, the "winning" tribe would have immunity and a reward, while the second place tribe would get only immunity (a reward in itself).

Second, related to tribes "down on numbers" in the challenges, I think the tribes that are ahead, number-wise, should be allowed to use all their tribe members instead of sitting out some to even up numbers in challenges. This way, winning challenges would pay dividends in the following challenges, as you'd have more members playing, which could reduce fatigue, give more options, etc.

Just some thoughts on thing that I think might make Survivor even more enjoyable.

What's in the cost of a tire?

noreply@blogger.com (Tony Moore) — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 02:46:00 +0000

I have no issue with trade policies that protect American jobs, unless the policies protect American jobs by protecting "gougism" (and thus hurting the consumer).

Take tires, for instance. Trade policies that impact Chinese import tires that were "flooding the market with cheap, Chinese tires" and saving thousands of American jobs.

What makes the tires cost so much? Consider this: a tire (a single tire) typically costs about as much as, say, a Nook Color. Which is more complex? Which cost more to design? Which is more complicated to manufacture?

Tires are a bunch of rubber and steel (and perhaps polyester), while the Nook Color is glass & metal & plastic & motherboards & CPUs and ... yes, the tires cost more to ship, while the Nook Color costs less to ship. But the tires are manufactured on assembly lines (that are probably paid for long ago).

Now, consider... the Chinese tires, they have to be shipped to the US. That's not cheap. And, yet, the Chinese tires are still cheaper. Yes, there are employment differences, and wage differences, but really, how many people are involved in the tire manufacturing process? Isn't a lot of it automated? And yet a set of tires costs more than a laptop computer you can buy from the same place you buy your tires (Sam's Club, WalMart, etc.).

If the Chinese tires are cheaper, instead of blanket "trade sanctions" to protect the potential American Gougism, shouldn't we let the market make the sanctions? If American tires have to be sold at a lower profit point to compete, isn't that good for the consumer? And doesn't that leave more money in the consumer's pocket to stimulate the economy by buying other goods, perhaps that other Americans have made (like my wife, who is starting a business to make and sell bags of various types, such as purses and tote bags)?

If it's an "unfair trade balance" that is truly unfair (due to employment practices in the trade nations), sure, sanctions. If it's "unfair" simply because the competition is selling at a lower profit point, should the gov't interfere to keep excess profits in the pockets of top executives (profits which the consumer ends up paying)?

Thoughts on recent Spanish Fort Notoriety

noreply@blogger.com (Tony Moore) — Sat, 08 Sep 2012 04:39:00 +0000

I recently sent the text below (mostly, it's been updated a little in this posting) to a friend regarding recent events in Spanish Fort, Alabama. Figured maybe I'd share it with you, my faithful three readers! WARNING: the word "sex" appears in the following, so stay out if that would offend you! :)

First, the sign. Great "article" by an NBC Sports writer. Some rebuttal:

"guy in crowd wearing sunglasses during a night game" - um, it was an AFTERNOON game
"your town being taken over by four different countries since 1712" - what the heck does that have to do with anything in your article, moron?
"Spanish Fort High's nickname is the Toros, which is associated with bullfighting, which is glorified animal torture" - must I even respond to this?
"All in all, Spanish Fort fails at being a high school" - thanks; that's really encouraging to all the students, parents, etc. Idiot.

How are you even writing for NBC Sports? As my wife noted on Facebook, his article is at least as bad as the sign the students had, and they're kids, while he's an adult (maybe?), and has had time to think through this "response" he wrote about it.

The guy starts the article with, "Stay classy, Spanish Fort High School." He failed to mention that 1) instead of a split-the-pot fundraiser like they usually do, the cheerleaders took up a collection for the Daphne coach who was recently seriously injured in a car accident and is undergoing physical therapy in Atlanta (they collected over $600 - from Spanish Fort parents & fans - to help with whatever needs the family has), or 2) the "moment of silence" at the end of the game to honor the aforementioned Daphne coach.

Another site mentioned "students laughing at the sign" - um, no, they were cheering for having just taken the lead. The frequently-used screen cap from ESPN shows the score at "18-14" with 1:30 to go - that is, the screen capture was taken from between the go-ahead touchdown (with aforementioned minute and a half to go) and the ensuing extra point attempt (two-point conversion, actually, leading to the 20-14 final score).

Unfortunately, of course, there's the arrest of the star player (Deon Johnson, wide receiver, #13 in the state of college prospects, and University of Alabama commit) for "2nd degree rape and 2nd degree sodomy." In Alabama, 2nd degree rape is defined as "having intercourse with someone younger than 16, but older than 12, as long at the defendant is at least two years older than the victim" - and then there's the sodomy addition as well. Of course, officials were notified by the parents of the alleged victim. What this sounds like to me is this: Johnson got with some girl, which eventually included something like oral sex, and she's probably 15. Her parents found out somehow, and are pressing charges. I could be wrong, of course, but very few of the media are pointing at the cause of arrest (and it's potential reasons), instead just saying, "Spanish Fort student charged with rape." Several articles are calling Alabama to immediately drop him immediately. For example, this article says, "This is not and should never be an instance where a second chance is allowed. Even to be accused of rape is a serious red flag about someone's character, and there's no room for that type of person on a college football team, especially for a program as prestigious as Alabama." Um, "being accused of something is a serious red flag about someone's character"? Really? If he's guilty, then by all means, let's destroy his life, but if it's a case of consensual sex that happens to be with a minor high school girl, is that worth destroying his life? And if he's not guilty of anything, then we shouldn't be pointing the fingers, now, should we? (He's 18 - technically an "adult" - but really, he's still a kid, just like the alleged victim; this post notes that "The basis of the charge is the age of the person. And that is less than the age of consent which is 16. And he [Johnson] exceeds the 24-month requirement meaning he is more than 24 months older".) Johnson turned himself in when the charges were filed (and is now out on $20k bond).

At any rate, life in Spanish Fort certainly isn't boring this week! I just hope that the kids at SFHS aren't too negatively affected from all this "great publicity." Already they're "disciplining the students" for the sign incident (really? for saying, "Man, that's gay!" as a "trash talk football banner"?)... hopefully it won't become a case of disciplining the whole student body and neighborhood for years to come.

Am I off base? Your thoughts?

Rain and Wind

noreply@blogger.com (Tony Moore) — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 22:28:00 +0000

Got a little rain today, some wind, too. Fortunately, nothing particularly bad. Credit Isaac with the windy wetness; originally it was thought it would come a lot closer to our neck of the woods (um, where did "neck of the woods" come from? silly saying! but at least we have some woods around here, in particular a section that's pretty narrow, that could be a "neck of the woods"), but it decided to head a bit more to the west, and then some more, and eventually left us without any major storminess (there was a "regular" thunderstorm a few months back that had higher winds and more torrential rain than what we've seen thus far from Isaac).

While poking around looking at some weather-related sites, I came across this one, which shows the "dangerous areas" that may be impacted by a hurricane, and tends to show that the death toll may actually be higher away from the coast. Per the article, "more than 60 percent of hurricane-related deaths occur inland and away from the ocean" (per University Corporation for Atmospheric Research). Not to belittle their research, but consider: when a hurricane comes ashore, many residents don't stick around. Thus, the population density is higher away from the shore than it was before. In other words, there are fewer people to die near the shore when a hurricane hits, and more available death counts further inland.

However, what really struck me was this quote:

"Another strange result is that areas with more men may be more vulnerable; for unclear reasons, 71 percent of hurricane-related flooding victims are male, according to the release."

Really? "Unclear reasons"? Think about it; I'll offer two reasons, off the top of my head:

Men are stupider than women about this sort of thing ("oh, no problem, I can make it across this flooded street...").
Men are more likely than women when it comes to, you know, doing stupid things ("hey, watch me - I'm going out in the hurricane to swim!").

Both reasons above would tend to lead to a higher percentage of male victims than female during storms. (There's also the chivalrous possibility, of men wanting to rescue and protect women, but I'm betting the two reasons listed above are plenty.)

Ah, rain, wind... hopefully we'll still at least have a yard when all this is over.

Something's Wrong with our Legal System

noreply@blogger.com (Tony Moore) — Mon, 30 Jul 2012 12:21:00 +0000

Today I got notification that I'm part of a class identified in a class action lawsuit against Netflix. Settlement of the suit is that Netflix will put $9 million into a fund (awesome!), to:

Make donations to Court-approved not-for-profit organizations, institutions, or programs.
Pay notice and settlement administration expenses.
Pay attorneys’ fees of up to 25% or $2.25 million of the Settlement Fund, plus up to $25,000 in expenses.
Pay a total incentive award of $30,000 to the Named Plaintiffs.

Wait, what? Let's look again:

First, the settlement fund will be used for "Court-approved not-for-profit" stuff. OK, that's nice. (Actually, that's not "first" - that's "last," after all the other settlement things have been paid.)

Second, it will pay for notice and settlement admin expenses (makes sense).

Third, the attorneys doing this will get $2.25 million (25% of the settlement amount), plus $25k in expenses. (Yeah, it says "up to" - but you know that receipt will be for $25,000.00.)

Fourth, the "Named Plaintiffs" will get an incentive award of $30k.

So, of the $9 million, the lawyers are getting 25% of it, or $2.25 million, and then get their expenses paid on top of that for up to another $25k. How'd you like to be part of that group, suing Netflix and splitting well over 2 million bucks? The "named plaintiffs" (according to the actual settlement agreement) are the six individuals who initially brought the suit. Again, not bad - they each get $5k for, essentially, hiring the lawyers. But, of the $9 million, the plaintiffs are receiving 1/3 of one percent.

And what about the class members? The ones allegedly harmed by Netflix? Zip. Nada. Nothing. That's right - of the $9 million settlement in a lawsuit claiming rights were infringed (privacy rights, no less), those whose rights were infringed get absolutely nothing.

In fact, I'd wager that the suit will actually cost those who were infringed, as the rates may end up increasing due to the extra cost associated with the settlement. How's that for fair?

Another controversial post

noreply@blogger.com (Tony Moore) — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 04:34:00 +0000

Have a look at "Something Evil This Way Comes" - an article I recently saw referenced on a friend's status on Facebook. Then come back for my own comments on the topic (if you're interested).

"After birth abortion" - how can this even be justifiable as "not murder"? Because the child "lacks a moral status that would" - what? - presume its right to life? From the article: “The moral status of an infant is equivalent to that of a fetus in the sense that both lack the properties that justify the attribution of a right to life to an individual.”

Hmm... how far are we going to go with this "argument"? What about those with Alzheimer's? Or general dementia? What about the mentally retarded, is it now an option to simply "terminate" them at any point that caring for the individual (oh, wait, they're not justifiably individuals, right?) becomes an "unbearable burden"? Perhaps the "unbearable" should outweigh the "right" anyway - maybe I should be able to just "off" my kids when I decide that it's unbearable (because, you know, I can't go buy a nice Porsche, since I have all these child care expenses).

I personally am anti-abortion in general, but I think the absolute limit should be the point where a fetus has some chance of surviving were a premature birth to occur. At that point, the fetus has some chance of developing into a viable individual, and that chance should be afforded, not snuffed.

So, what do you think? Should post-birth abortion be our "next step" in making a greater world? At what point does the individual's "right to life" trump the caretaker's "right to an easy life"? (Oh, sorry, was that a pointed jab?)

When clicking an ad isn't enough...

noreply@blogger.com (Tony Moore) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 04:28:00 +0000

As if it's not bad enough that certain Facebook pages require "liking" the page to see anything, now certain Facebook advertisers are not letting you view their web sites without first "joining" their e-mail list. For instance, the "bearded beanie" - I clicked the ad, and was greeted with a page that says something like, "Fab.com features daily specials... join today!" I was intrigued enough to want to click the ad, but now, in order to see anything on their web site, I have to provide an e-mail address (so they can spam me all day long and, I presume, sell my e-mail address to other spammers). Really? I click your ad and I can't see the stuff or buy from you unless I give you my e-mail address? (And this isn't the first "advertiser" I've seen that requires you "sign up" in order to even browse their site.)

Sort of like the various news sites that have news videos, but when you click the video, you can't actually watch it unless you sit through a 15-second ad video first. What? This is getting ridiculous. And say you take the time to watch the 15-second ad because you really want to see the video you clicked (which was on their home page, and they have on-page advertising all over the screen elsewhere, too, both on the original page with the video link and on the page you're on now), and then there's a "related video" shown on the page after your video concludes, and you click on that one... guess what? You have to watch another ad video before you can watch the next video on their web site.

And what about the internet pages that, when you go to visit them, display a full-page ad in place of whatever it is you wanted to see, with a "click to skip this ad" link somewhere on the page? Really? You want me to view someone else's ad instead of your page?

I'm sorry... internet "advertising" is getting ridiculous. Not only that, but your various ads are actually costing me... as well as the internet community. That "extra page" is a bunch of overhead (bandwidth) that is wasted, overhead that I have to pay for either in time or perhaps in money. For example, if I'm out & about and surfing the web on my phone, or with my MiFi from Verizon (I don't have a MiFi, but a lot of people I know do), I'm getting "charged" for every Megabyte. Yes, I have 5GB included with my monthly access fee (5GB is the basic MiFi package), but that correlates to a specific $/MB, and once I've used up the 5GB (or whatever my limit is) I get charged per MB. So now I'm paying for you to advertise to me. That just seems wrong somehow.

Now, go click my ads over on the right hand side of the page and make me some money! :)