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  • 3.6 ...

    No, that wasn't my GPA in college or in High School.  (Yeah I don't fit that intelligent Asian stereotype too well)  That was the magnitude earthquake that hit our area yesterday morning at 5:04am.  Highest magnitude earthquake ever (since they've been recording them that is) in this area.  It woke me up as it rattle us around in bed.  Which was sad because I was supposed to wake up early anyways for a business trip.  First I thought it was the alarm and it wasn't.  Then I asked Chewy if it was an earthquake and she said no car alarms were going off.  I thought it was truck or a low-flying jumbo jet flying by.  Then as I got ready for my trip Chewy found out it was an earthquake with the epicenter in the neighborhood I almost bought a house in!  A buddy of mine was telling me the epicenter was about 1,500 feet from their house.  Incredible and weird to say the least.

    As for now, I'm just throwing out my own conspiracy theory (this is what happens when it takes you 3+ hours one-way to drive to your business trip location) to at least say you heard it here first.  BP just put that new cap onto the well less than 24 hours before the earthquake.  They're currently monitoring the well to see if there will be an increase or decrease in pressure after the well was cap.  Well conservation of energy tells us that there has to be a change in energy somewhere.  The out flow of oil and gas (in this case outward pressure) was stopped at the well so it has to go somewhere.  That change in pressure is what caused the earthquake to happen.  And so you have it.  The earthquake was BP's fault. 

  • A Month Ago ...

    That was my last entry.  Then silence.  Not like 300 years of silence but a month.  It's not like interesting stuff didn't happen in my life in the world.  I was still trying to keep track of a few things that peaked my interested but transferring them to here, well, didn't happen.  Oh well.  The world kept on spinning and I found time for other things like going to Botcon in Orlando!!!  The wife accompanied me this year and helped stand in line for me.  I'll do a separate post about it once I pull the pictures off the camera (did I take pictures?)

  • We Have Become Irrelevant So Please Pay Attention To Us ...

    There were so many other by-lines I had come up with like "What do Pink and Green equal? ... RACISM!" or "Astronomy Now Declared Racist" or "Newsflash: Hoops is really Asian" - Really people, the NAACP hasn't been in the news lately so they have to draw up this race card that's been out in the market for 3+ years!  I listened to the clip and unless some Asian person is saying this there is no "r" sound.  People hear what they want to hear and unfortunately I fear it's just because they want a little attention they call "race" out.  So sad. 

    It was actually interesting reading these other incidents: Spar over "black hole" and offense over the word "niggardly"

  • Headlines, Headlines and More Headlines ...

  • The Greatest Gift That You Could Give ...

    A friend of ours at church today cheerfully presented to us an old 40th Anniversary church bulletin (CCC is currently celebrating it's 75th Anniversary if I remember correctly).  As he opened the bulletin up he wondered if I had remembered that we had joined the church on the same day - him though adult baptism and me through baby baptism.   Obviously, I didn't remember that and honestly, he said he didn't remember that day that well either seeing how it was many years ago.  It's also funny because with this particular friend I sometimes joke how he was my 5th grade Sunday School teacher and now he attends the Bible study group that I lead.  Now we have another connection with joining the church on the same day!

    What I also found interesting was that all but my mom, who was already a member of the church, was listed in that bulletin.  It would seem that we all joined the church on that day; my dad through adult baptism and my two older brothers through infant baptism (and later they confirmed their faith as young men).  As believers, they say one of the greatest gifts you can give your loved ones is the knowledge that you have accepted Christ as your Savior.  I thankfully know where my immediate family stand, though for some families they do not fully know.  It was just nice to see my dads name on that sheet just because he's typically quiet on these types of matters.

  • So Long Skipper ...

    Yesterday, my beloved Orioles released Dave Trembley as Manager of the team.  He seemed like a nice guy who wanted to play fundamental baseball.  Being a situational and statistical type manager didn't always work for him especially with a team of youngsters.  Oddly, his teams were always hurt; key players getting injuries, wrecked starting pitching or hurt relievers.  But as Chancellor Rhea said "Nice doesn't get the job done."  At some point I hope the team can turn it around.  I doubt it'll be this year or even next year.  Which will make going to see a game much easier as we'll be able to get cheap tickets the day of a game.

  • Yes, They Really Are Morons ...

    As somewhat quoted by James Cameron.  It's been close to two months and the oil is still coming out.  For every plan that BP comes up with it takes time for them to build or move equipment to that area.  Precious time wasted because of what?  No contingency plans.  Seemingly shoot from the hips mentality.  Sure I could see them and government denying Cameron initially but after the second top hat didn't work you think they would try and get outside help or at least minds to help come up with ideas.  People say BP initially was trying to minimize the damage of the equipment so they could continue to pump oil out at a later date.  Some would say that Cameron is playing an  armchair quarterback.  Either way like he said

    The government really needs to have its own independent ability to go down there and image the site, survey the site and do its own investigation and monitor it," Cameron said. "Because if you're not monitoring it independently, you're asking the perpetrator to give you the video of the crime scene.

    Then again we've seen how the government works whether it's a Democrat or Republican in office.  The real question is whether people are going to equate Katrina like government failures to Obama or give him a pass.  Honestly, I just hope this pipe cutting and shutting off works and the clean-up can be completed. 

    As my boss would say: I don't care about the excuses, just get it done.  I think we all want that to happen.

  • I Was Too Busy Creating the Internet ...

    I'd have to imagine one of the biggest stories to come out in awhile and Xanga seemed down.  Oh well.  But really are we surprised that Al and Tipper Gore are separating after 40 years of marriage?  I am and so are a lot of people.  Of the things I've read people are waiting for the "other" woman to show up and start declaring affairs this and affairs that.  Honestly, that doesn't fit Al or Tipper Gore at all.  I'd hope that wasn't the case and either way to see a couple who have been married for this long to have basically gone into separate paths seems sad.  We all saw Bill Clinton as the womanizer and marriage wrecker who would have thought the Gores would breakup before the Clintons?  Well, here's to hope that they'll be able to salvage things in the future.

    • There's a new Christian radio station in the D.C. area: WMET 1160 AM.  I saw an ad on the Metro for it and figured by the logo it was Catholic based.  We gave it a try on the ride home and they were playing some sermon or something like that.  The Pastor/Cleric/Speaker was talking about abortion and how it is a sin but what was more revealing at least to me was him talking about how some people dumpster dived to retrieve the aborted fetuses.  ACK!  That's really gross.  The reason they did it was so they could give a proper burial for the dead little ones.  I guess I never really thought what they did with the fetuses after they are aborted but that's just gross and yet people are still getting abortions since I guess they care more for the end result (not being preggers) and not the means to the end result.
    • First blame the internet for the demise of the Gore's and now cellphones for the disappearing honeybees.  Yep cellphones.
    • This would have been a dream job some 15 years ago.
    • Now I'm just stuck with this ...
    • I wonder if there's something similar to the Darwin awards for this lady.  Whatever happened to common sense?
    • I'm beginning to luv the state of Arizona!  Whether you agree with the law or not the State government realizes there is a problem and is not getting any help from the Federal government.  Do what you gotta do to combat the problem.  People talk about racial profiling but I bet most of them have never ever experienced it they only think they do because they're all up in their own backend.  I've experienced it and at this stage of my life don't really care if it happens because I know it can and will happen.  You can't always enlighten ignorance.  Some just choose to stay ignorant and well they just miss out on a fuller life.  Still if people are worried about it then enforce a penalty for law enforcers potentially wasting peoples time.  If their suspicions come up false then the cops own the person $50 or $100.  It's a small amount but when it all ads up it'll be pretty large and make it come out of the law enforcers own salary to make it more meaningful.
    • I need to read up on my tax laws.  But man, those info-videos are REALLY, REALLY boring.  I mean, REALLY, REALLY BORING.

  • Two Down, One More To Go ...

    The Celebrity Death Trifecta (CDT) is almost complete.  First it was Gary "What you talking about Willis?" Coleman passing yesterday.  Then Dennis "I Saved The First Season of 24" Hopper died today.  I also heard that the U.S. has lost 1,000 military personal in this Afghan conflict.  The "Top kill" failed in the Gulf of Mexico with seemingly no resolution in sight.  Does it seem like death and despair is all around us?  Maybe.  If anything there is still hope in Christ our Savior.  In our times of seemingless danger and dispear we must draw closer to God and seek His glory.

  • What A Week And It's Only Wednesday! ...

    Two major things happened this week.  First, the television series Lost ended after six years on the air.  Sure, it had it's really good seasons, decent seasons, why-am-I-still-watching seasons and oh-crap-they're-really-ending-the-show season.  For those who didn't get it I think this commentary sums it up the best.  I enjoyed the series finale.  It would have been nice for them to have answered some more questions but that's the beauty of the show - it makes you think and ponder what could be or what should have been.  The second major thing was that after eight seasons on the air, 24 ended the only way it could have without Jack being killed off.  Yes, President Taylor actions at the end were predictable but the show ended with some classic Chloe and Jack moments.  It was about time the show ended because it seemed like they were rehashing some old ideas.  You still can't beat the first 15 minutes from Season 5.