The new look for March...

Whadya think?

APB

ha ha

LaFonda

Jared, I found this girl? in the classifieds for you. She said she'd like to take you out sometime....and arm wrestle.

What a waste. 

Couple's final photos "an echo from the grave"

Images from a broken digital camera have washed up on a deserted beach in Thailand.

The camera contained last photos taken by a couple who lost their lives in the Dec. 26 tsunami!

Taken in sequence, the photographs tell a gripping story: John and Jackie Knill arriving at a Khao Lak resort, happily enjoying Christmas dinner with a large group of friends and then basking in a brilliant tropical sunset.

The next day, the couple is seen hugging, smiling — radiant on the beach. Then the story turns ominous: people stroll the beach under a clear blue sky, apparently oblivious to the large wave that has formed a line across the horizon.

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL STORY

Tourists stroll unaware of an ominous dark line — the tsunami — rolling toward them from the horizon 

The tsunami crashes onto the beach, dwarfing a person trying to run across the sand to safety. 

This photo of the onrushing tsunami is the final image recovered from the Knills' digital camera. 

India’s population ‘to outstrip China by 2030’

"The population of India will overtake that of China before 2030..."

Click here to read the article.

Jaundice

Baby Micah has jaundis. Don't worry, it's not too uncommon. It makes the skin look yellowish and affects body organs. But many infants, especially premature infants have this. He is being exposed to Bilirubin lights which causes a photochemical reaction which helps cleanse it from his system. He will be exposed to these lights probably for 2 or 3 days. I think it will be harder for us than for him. The pad he is laying on is soft, so it is actually not that unconfortable for him. Hopefully he will be completely over this is a few days.

Funniest "bad day story"

Click on the "drivetrain of thought" link in my sidebar, and go to Michael's site to read the "bad day story". It is the funniest one like it I have ever heard.

Me catching it all on tape. 

Mom and baby. 

Relief at last.  

Charlie and Mini-Charlie 

Micah is Born

Micah has arrived. He was born Saturday, February 19th at 4:53 P.M. He weighed 5 lbs. and 14 oz. He is 19 inches long. He can shoot lightning from his fingertips and has the ability to cause nearby objects to levitate.

He was born at 37 (out of 40) weeks. They decided to go ahead and induce Tori's labor, because she had developed high blood pressure in the last couple of days. Tori is now fine, and baby is great. He is completely healthy. Praise the Lord.

We just got back from the hospital today. We had been there since Thursday afternoon.

The reasons all the pictures seem to have my parents in them, is because some of our other pictures have not been developed or emailed to me, etc. I will post more later.

Micah says "hello", and also that he has serious problems with some of Einsteins theories regarding black anti-matter influx.

Micah. The baby. The legend. 

My mom and Micah. Look at those big blue eyes. 

My parents holding Micah. 

My mom holding Micah. 

Micah came into the world automatically praising God. 

An almost disastrous Charlie Moment

I am trying to get on at a new School. Yesterday I went up there to introduce myself and the principal my resume. She wasn't there so I left it on her desk. Last night I emailed her:

Hi Ms. Angler,

bla bla bla...........and so on.


I sent the email.

The problem. ...her name is Ms. Anglin.

Angler is a type of fish.

Not the first impression I was going for.

Luckily since I sent it to aangler@habersham.blablabal, instead of aanglin@habersham.blababla,
she actually didn't get it and I got to correct my mistake this morning.

Whew!

Today I punished one of my students for smarting off to me. 

Military robots....cool.

I thought this article was pretty cool. Did you know that there is actually a company called iRobot.

Charlie moment (2-15-05)

Well here's what happened to me today. I was at work, and I decided I needed to go make some copies in the office. The school office is right next to the church office. The church has been doing alot of remodeling lately. They've redone an entire portion of the church. One such place where they have remodeled is where this bathroom is. Look at the picture...Do you see where the closet is? That door used to be going to a bathroom.

Well, anyway, I'm wakling up to the office, and as usual I'm hoping to avoid all human contact. I experience this desire to avoid talking to school personnel, I think mostly because I'm afraid of getting in trouble for something I forgot to do, or some crazy parent is looking for me, etc. So anyway, I'm going up there, and I go up the stairwell, and into this long hallway. I wanted to stop by the bathroom. So when I get to the hallway, I see the lady who works at the church office coming down the hall towards me. Luckily for me, the bathroom was right in front of me, and she would not be able to reach me before I could dart into the bathroom. (Jared is considering me a big freak right now.) So I head to the bathroom as the lady is coming, already looking at me. I see the bathroom sign (as pictured above), and I dart into........the closet.

Ok. This lady just saw me.....dart......into a closet.

You can clearly see from the picture below, that it would normally be hard to mistake this for anything other than a closet...certainly not a bathroom. But when I went in, the light was off. So I flipped the light on, and realized what I had just gone into. So then of course, I had to pretend to laugh at myself, and then try to explain to the lady, that the room USED to be a bathroom and thats why I was going in there. She cordially laughed with me (or was it "at me?) And I went into the real bathroom. Feeling....like an idiot.

All in a day's work....all in a day's work..

Not a bathroom. 

Take Advantage of Free Credit Reports in 2005

Take Advantage of Free Credit Reports in 2005
By Andrew Pryor
© Sound Mind Investing February 2005

When purchasing my current home, I met with a mortgage lender who, as standard procedure, had pulled my credit report. To my dismay, there appeared on the list numerous credit accounts that I had closed years earlier. There were others that I forgot I even had (remember that time you were offered a 20% discount on your Macy's purchase if you would agree to charge it to your new Macy's credit card?).

In addition to the active and closed accounts, there was a list of everyone who had looked into my credit over the past two years (most of which were credit card companies who later sent me unsolicited "special" offers). The credit agencies had used my credit history to "pre-qualify" me to various companies (such as banks, car dealers, credit card companies, mortgage lenders) who are looking for new customers. So there were all these inquiries on my report that made it look as if I had been applying for credit with wild abandon!

Our credit report showed us in a very positive light. We haven't a mark against us. But there were accounts open that I didn't use, let alone need, and I was energized by the thought that they could, in any way, hinder my ability to close my home purchase on schedule (or get other credit I may need down the road). So that began my mission to tidy up my credit report. My research began with a few questions. First, how did the credit agency get my private information and what does a credit rating ultimately mean? It seems that periodically my creditors (banks, credit card company, etc.) provide this information to the leading credit reporting agencies — Equifax (800-685-1111), Experian (888-397-3742), and TransUnion (800-916-8800).

Over the years, as I travel the credit highway, taking out and then paying off car loans, student loans, credit cards, etc., my creditors report my activities to these agencies. This information is used to establish a "credit scoring" method which gives points based on the weights of various credit experiences such as bill-paying history, late payments, age of accounts, etc. (Interestingly, counter to what you might think, the shorter you keep credit accounts, the worse it affects your rating.) Each lender assigns "points" and "weights" according to its own criteria. You'll never know quite where you stand until the lender has obtained your credit report and gone though this process. This was very unnerving to me.

To remedy these kinds of problems, your first task is to get copies of your credit reports. A new law was passed by Congress in 2003 that requires each of the three major credit-rating agencies to provide consumers with one free copy of their credit report annually. Whether you can yet take advantage of this depends on where you live. The law is being phased in by geographic region — see the table below. In order to get your free credit reports, you'll need to visit AnnualCreditReport.com. (Even if your state is not yet covered by the new federal law, residents of Colorado, Georgia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Vermont can receive a free copy under state law.) If you're not yet entitled to your free copies, you can order them directly from the credit agencies — via the web or by phone — at a cost of $9 each.

The first thing I needed to decide was which of the three agencies to contact for my information. They all have credit data on me, and presumably, it's similar in each case. I could see from each of their websites that there are two kinds of reports available — a single report, or a 3-in-1 report which includes data from all three agencies. You can also add your credit score for an additional fee for reports that don't already include it. The 3-in-1 report costs $30, which is costly compared to "free" but does offer convenience and lets you wrap everything up at once.
On the other hand, if you're the type of person who doesn't mind this kind of chore, you might prefer to spread them out so as to keep more of a year-round eye on things. The new law entitles you to receive one free credit report from each agency every 12 months, but it's your choice whether you order all three at the same time or order one now and others later. The advantage of ordering all three at the same time is that you can compare them. However, you will not be eligible for another free batch for 12 months. The advantage of ordering one now and others later (for example, one every four months) is that you'll become aware of any inaccurate or potentially damaging information more quickly.

I opted for the 3-in-1 report. After entering all the information and credit card requirements, voilà!, my report was displayed on my computer monitor for my perusal. You can also order a report for mail delivery if you'd rather. After printing out my report, I began looking it over. My main area of concern had to do with what I found in the "revolving credit" section of my report. I only had one credit card . . . that I was aware of. But my credit report said I had three additional credit cards — two retail store cards and one Visa card. This was leftover debris from my earlier adventures in using credit. I called the two retail companies (using the telephone number provided on the credit report) and had the accounts closed effective that day. I also asked them to send me a confirmation letter as well as send a letter to the credit reporting bureau. Next, I called the Visa company. I thought I had closed this account over two years ago! Indeed, they told me my Visa account was "technically" closed (whatever that means), but promised to send the appropriate documentation to Experian to let them know the account was officially closed in 1997.

It's important to clean up these old accounts because they are considered to represent available credit. Even if you never use the cards, potential lenders get the impression that you have a large amount of credit at your disposal. In their eyes, this makes you a higher-risk borrower. I, for one, don't want to be refused a mortgage or car loan because of the Visa company's bad record keeping.

The reports are pretty easy to understand once you've read the instructions and picked up on what the many abbreviations and codes mean. Along with the credit report, the agencies provide information on how to report mistakes, handle disputes, or report fraudulent activity. As these things go, my experience in cleaning up my credit report was relatively hassle-free. Hopefully, yours will be also.

Andrew Pryor is SMI's Webmaster as well as our in-house technical guru who keeps us up to speed on important technical must-know stuff about computers, software, and the Internet. He's been at it since 1996.

Robotic ball that chases burglars

Click here to read the story.

McCowboy

I saw this guy in McDonalds today. Tori was sick, so before I headed off to church solo, I swung by McDonalds for a little breakfast. (Which was delicious by the way) (Right now Jared is laughing because once again my story involves food.) This picture wasn't the first time I saw him. I took this on the way out, while trying to stand far enough away so that he wouldn't hear the "shutter" sound my phone makes that gives me away when I try to take recon shots. I was just sitting at my table, which faces the restroom and this guys goes walking in his cowboy outfit toward the door. I just got a kick out of him because of the hat and this big long black cowboy coat. When he walked, the whole back of his black coat just swung from side to side. Kinda one of those real prideful, "cowboy" walks. It reminds me of how some rednecks I went to highschool with used to walk. I got a real kick out of him, but the best part was when he came out of the bathroom. Instead of using paper towels or a blowdryer to dry his hands...he was drying his hands (while walking through the resturaunt) with a red bandana. I thought that was hilarious. Drying his hands with a red bandana. ...not even in the bathroom...where normal people dry their hands, but like, purposefully walking out in his getup drying his hands walking through the resturaunt with his red bandana. I'm glad God put people like that on earth for my entertainment.

BTW, and with no real connection...remember that Superbowl commercial 2 years ago, where there were those guys who looked like cattle herders, but they were herding cats. ha ha...Yeah, he reminds me of them.

Nice paintjob. 

ATTORNEYS AT LAW NINJA TRAINING 

T-minus 10...9...8...7...

Well, I'm not sure exactly when it's going to happen, but I am getting the feeling that we are getting close to having a baby. Tori is starting to show some signs of getting near the end of her pregnancy. She has very, very bad back pain. Her ankles are starting to swell a little. She has always been small for a pregnant lady, but she is starting to get somewhat bigger (for her anyway). She is in her 36th (out of 40) week. Elijah (David's boy) was born during this week. Once she reaches 37 weeks, she is considered full-term. So technically in 6 days, she will be full-term and the baby wouldn't be considered pre-mature. So anyway... I think we're ready. Almost. What's funny is, next Friday we are going to Warner Robins for a 4 day weekend. You watch, that baby will end up being born down there.

I can't wait.

TECUMSEH, Mich. -- Morgan Ford poses at his home in Tecumseh, Mich. with his family's 125-year-old fruitcake, baked by Ford's great-grandmother Fidelia Bates. Ford, 83, is taking the fruitcake to Burbank, Calif., to share a piece with Jay Leno on "`The Tonight Show with Jay Leno." Ford is the caretaker of the fruitcake, which has been handed down through generations. 

Looked like a deer in the road...

Today, I was driving home from a trip to my alma mater to get a copy of my transcript for a job application. I was on the way home, and I looked ahead and I thouht I saw what looked like a dark colored deer walking on the side of the road. I got closer and realized it was a dog. A freakin' HUGE dog. You can't really tell from this smaller version of the picture, that I took with my camera phone, but that dog was a huge Great Dane. It helps to keep in mind, that I'm not taking that picture sitting in some lowered Honda, I'm sitting up in my truck. I hope nobody hit it. Poor, poor car.

(And yes, I did stop in the road in order to take the picture.)

Typoglycemia

Typoglycemia
I know the letters look messed up. But start reading and you'll understand.

I cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid Aoccdrnig to rscheearch taem at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Such a cdonition is arppoiately cllaed Typoglycemia :)-

Amzanig huh? Yaeh and yuo awlyas thought slpeling was ipmorantt.

AHMADABAD, India -- Devotees offer flowers to Tapawsiary Bapu, 37, an Indian Hindu holy man who has buried himself neck down in the ground for meditation for 10 days at Pathapur, 40 kilometers (25 miles) north of Ahmadabad. Bapu began his meditation on March 20 and will emerge from the hole on March 29. (03/26/04 AP photo)