http://cheerfulcurmudgeon.com A complete lack of ideas and the power to express them. Wed, 24 Jun 2009 02:41:20 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en This just in from the Alliance for Aviation Across America: The Inspector General of the Department of Homeland Security recently released a report that dispels many of the myths about the security of general aviation. In the report, DHS Inspector General Richard Skinner stated that "Although [TSA's Office of Intelligence] has identified ... http://cheerfulcurmudgeon.com/2009/06/23/dhs-inspector-general-concludes-general-aviation-not-a-serious-threat/ I am not surprised, but I am still dismayed, by the continued erosion of our personal privacy in the shadow of George W. Bush's administration. The New York Times reports in E-Mail Surveillance Renews Concerns in Congress that the National Security Agency (NSA), as recently as early this year, is ... http://cheerfulcurmudgeon.com/2009/06/19/nsa-illegally-collecting-us-citizens-email/ My good friend Bert just purchased a farm in Enville, TN and opened his blog, Farmer Bert. I have always been a bit concerned about Bert's, er, stability (he is my friend, after all) and his first blog posting, Twisted Reason I want to be a Farmer has certainly done ... http://cheerfulcurmudgeon.com/2009/06/03/farmer-bert-loves-sheep-led-art/ Cindy and Geoff did a great job and produced Caedmon Geoffrey, a wonderful, healthy baby boy at 7:12pm on May 20. He's 9 lbs 1 oz, 21 inches tall. His plumbing works so well that he peed on the doctor during delivery. I take that as a great omen! http://cheerfulcurmudgeon.com/2009/05/20/its-a-boy/ On a gorgeous spring afternoon, Becky and Derek and Cindy and Geoff came over for dinner and entertainment. Unbeknownst to them, the entertainment was a new copy of BUZZ! Quiz TV for our PS3. The preview video looks hokey but the game is amazingly fun and goofy. Sony hit a ... http://cheerfulcurmudgeon.com/2009/05/17/we-got-buzz/ Some videos just should not be made. But once they are, you just cannot get that darned theme music out of your head. Do you remember the MacGyver TV show? Watch this if you dare: http://cheerfulcurmudgeon.com/2009/05/06/macgyver-goes-into-space/ I have been writing a new program, having a ball doing it, and it has brought to consciousness something which I have not thought about for years: There is a bit of Dr. Henry Frankenstein in me. I love to create things which do stuff autonomously and, when I ... http://cheerfulcurmudgeon.com/2009/05/04/programming-feeds-the-mad-scientist/ My friend, Dan Suffian, wrote Swimming with Cripples and it's absolutely beautiful. It's just a long paragraph, too short for me to paraphrase it here, and anyway, if I were to try all I'd do is rob you of the joy of discovering Dan's story through his own words. Go ... http://cheerfulcurmudgeon.com/2009/04/26/swimming-with-cripples/ Scorpio (Oct. 24 - Nov. 21) You will receive word today that you are eligible to win a million dollars in prizes. It will be from a magazine trying to get you to subscribe, and you're just dumb enough to think you've got a chance to win. ... http://cheerfulcurmudgeon.com/2009/04/25/paper-or-plastic/ My stepfather is clearing out things he does not want any longer so about 25 of my old friends moved in last week, including these vintage Peanuts books: My Library at LibraryThing http://cheerfulcurmudgeon.com/2009/04/13/peanuts-books-old-friends-move-in/