Friday, December 12, 2003

Richard's main page

Why oh why do they have to take perfectly good technology and throw it away just because there is something out there newer? I'm talking about cassettes! Yes, I know CDs are better for most things, but not all.

Here's my problem; I'm looking to buy a new car (well new to me) but it doesn't have a cassette player. Now I've never been big on CDs in cars, they skip, (Yes, they do. Oh they're fine when they're new but try driving on a bumpy road with one that's got a few years on it--it's horrible!) and cassettes are just easier to handle. If that were the only problem I could deal with it, but I commute almost three hours a day. For half of that commute I listen to recordings of a talk show that's on when I'm working. Since I can't listen when the show's on, I listen the next morning. My cassette recorder is low tech. It's on a timer and I just punch the record button down and the timer turns the whole thing on when it's time. Then I take the tape and play it in the car, simple. Well, you can't do that with CDs! At least not easily. Even if I went to the trouble to record my program on CDR every day, they're not reusable! I'd be recording and throwing away CDRs all the time. Don't even think to suggest CDRWs, they won't work in standard CD players.

Damn it! You don't throw away technology if there is no replacement for it yet! And believe me there is no replacement for cassettes if you plan to record on the same media over and over again. (The same goes for VHS tape. Although with TiVo and PVRs etc., the hard drive works at least as well as the tape.)

So, I need a cassette deck in the car, but you can't get them anymore! I'm faced with pulling out an expensive factory radio and putting in a cheap aftermarket just so I can have a simple casette player. That just stinks!

Sunday, December 07, 2003

Richard's main page

We went to St. George Saturday and shopped (and shopped, and shopped...) Then went to the bank party. Wells Fargo parties are--well kind of boring compared to the B of A parties we used to go to. We stayed at the hotel where we had the party so we could go to the blessing of my niece Lori and her husband's new baby the next day. We went over to her parent's, Mike and Retta's afterwards to eat.

They're working on the freeway in the gorge and it's down to a single, narrow lane, it took us forty-five minutes to get through going up but we hardly had a delay going back. Go figure.

My mother's renters are supposed to be moved out, but they still have junk left behind. My son Rick and his wife Jessie want to move in, so if they don't get their stuff out by Wednesday we're going to move it out ourselves.

Sunday, November 30, 2003

Richard's HTML Learning Site

Short but busy week!

We decided to eat our Thanksgiving here at the house and then go to the Valley of Fire to visit instead of eat there with extended family, like we usually do. After eating everyone took a nap instead! I fried the turkey, and it was so much better than the dry, baked bird.

We were going to get our Christmas tree the next day, but my oldest son and his wife went in to Las Vegas for the shopping madness with my truck and didn't get back in time, so we visited at at my Aunt's (and had another huge meal) and went for our tree the next day. It's not up yet because we really don't know where we're going to put it.

My wife and I did go to St. George Friday afternoon, to pick up some large presents. Sears had had a sale where they were selling a $200 barbeque for $100, but the sale ended at noon. Oh well, we'll wait for another deal.

We got a new air conditioner a week ago, but all the freon leaked out, good thing it's not that cold. The guy came and refilled it, but he's too fat to get up where it's leaking and fix it. He's going to send a younger, skinnier guy tomorrow.

Tuesday, November 25, 2003

Richard's main page

I'm going to try something new for Thanksgiving this year. I bought a turkey fryer.
This thing will cook a turkey in three and a half minutes per pound. That's less than an hour for any but the largest turkeys!

I've been putting off studying for a test. I finally finished one section of the study guide tonight. It took more than an hour and there are ten sections. Ain't procrastination wonderful?

It has been unseasonably warm, but it's suddenly gotten cold. I hate cold weather! Oh well, it was nice while it lasted.

Monday, November 10, 2003

Richard's main page

We had an interesting week. Our DC was given the new Dean's position, so we need a new Department Chairperson. Our DC asked me if I wanted to be the new DC. I said, "No way!" But after thinking about it for a while I started thinking about who might get the position, so like an idiot I put my name in for the position. I thought I was a shoo-in until I found out Richard Shmeising had also put in for it. Funny, I didn't want the position until I got some serious competition for it. Oh well, isn't that how it works?

My wife and I saw the last Matrix movie. If you haven't seen the second yet, that's good, since two and three are really one long movie. You can watch them all at once.

My wife's cousin got married again Saturday. My wife and I went to the reception and we had to take the grandkids. They were dancing and entertaining the others at the reception. I wasn't all that impressed with the brides family, I don't think they are members of the church, so I hope that he isn't repeating the mistake he made with the first wife.

We had a three day weekend last weekend, a four day weekend this weekend and another four day weekend the weekend after next. I'm not sure why we get two days off for Veteran's Day this year, but I'm not complaining.

We're getting the cats fixed tomorrow, it turned out to be very inexpensive compared to what I thought it was going to be, I hope that calms the ornery monsters down.
We shouldn't have to worry about two cats, but we got stuck with another one a couple of weeks ago. Oh well.

The cats are back, but are still very groggy. I'll leave them in the cages until tomorrow.

Thursday, October 30, 2003

Richard's main page

The smoke from the California fires blew into Nevada yesterday. I can't imagine what it must be like in California, since I haven't been able to breath properly since I first walked outside yesterday. It was so dark from smoke that my wife said she could see the sunspots on the sun!

Now, of course, we know that some of the fires were set.

After seeing the tape of Sadam's torture, can anyone really ask why we are in Iraq? Apparently some of the democrat Kool-Aid drinkers can.

WorldNetDaily: Many California fires believed to be arson

Sunday, October 26, 2003

We had a great Saturday. First we went to St. Thomas (now uncovered by the dropping level of Lake Mead). We'd gone before in the Sring but now it's so overgrown, you couldn't find any ruins without stumbling onto them. Since I knew where everything was, I was able to find the best stuff. Still, it was a bit disapointing.

Then we went to the UNLV/BYU game where BYU tied it up with seconds to go untill half time, then again with seconds to go at the end. A touchdown and the kicked point won it in overtime for BYU. We also saw a weird sign and some weird tee-shirts. The sign said, "Real Mormons are Rebels", yeah right. The tee-shirts said CTR, choose the Rebels. I of course amended that, "CTR, choose the right... team"

I guess one of my sister-in-law's girls has been winning some kicking and passing contest and is competing in California this next weekend, so they want to borrow my car. Since we're taking my daughter-in-law's car to work that Monday I guess it's possible to let them take it. Watch the poor old car break down on them...

Tuesday, October 21, 2003

All right! It took long enough, but Jeb Bush signed an executive order requiring the reinsertion of the feeding tube for Terri Schiavo.

WorldNetDaily: Terri lives!

Her "wonderful" husband immediately tried to get the judge to order it removed again. The judge showed a little honor, this time, and refused.

Sunday, October 19, 2003

The outrageous murder of Terri Schiavo continues. A priest was not even allowed to administer last rites.
WorldNetDaily: Terri Schiavo denied Last Rites

I am convinced that Ms. Schiavo's husband is responsible for her injuries, so his motivation in starving her to death is obvious, but why has the judge in the case completely ignored the evidence that she is responsive and could and should receive rehabilitative therapy?

Something stinks here. Follow the money I always say--what does the judge get out of starving a helpless woman to death? If we can figure that out then everything should become clear. Should, never underestimate the stupidity of a liberal judge.

Speaking of liberals: There have been four black senators in the history of this country, all but one were Republicans. The last Carol Mosley Brown is the only Democrat. My rule: whatever the left accuses the right of doing is what the left is actually doing themselves.

I'm still stiff and exhausted from a list of home improvement projects I was working on all day yesterday. One of the projects has to be redone because the light I installed has a faulty photo cell. If you listen closely you can here me swear...

One week away from the UNLV/BYU game! I managed to get tickets away from the BYU section for my son and son-in-law the UNLV fans.

Saturday, October 11, 2003

Oh my! My son talked me into going to what I thought would be a very boring movie. It was great! You have got to see it!

Here's the link to the website:
? Secondhand Lions Movie Trailer, Official Site: Haley Joel Osment Pictures, Pics

It really is a great movie. See it!

Friday, October 10, 2003

I've been ignoring a button to take me to the post page for my blogger software, because it puts a link on the blog and I don't really want to do that.

Well duh! I can erase the link and type my entry without having to navigate to the site.

I've had some fun. I put a video camera on the shelf in my classroom and every once in a while I turn it on. It's amazing what the students do when I'm not looking. It's amazing how stunned they look when I give them a detention the very next day after I've watched the video!

Well I now know that Rush has had two failed surgeries on his back and was taking pain medication for the pain. He checked himself into a clinic for the next thirty days, to get off the meds. Of course the liberals who pretend to care so much are gleeful. Again they accuse the conservatives of being filled with hate--because they are. Whatever the liberals accuse the conservatives of being is what they are. Believe it. Remember it. Know it!

Tuesday, October 07, 2003

It looks like the Dems are taking a beating in Kalifornia. Will they shape up? Probably not. They're already planning the recall of Arnold. Every thing on their agenda that they get done any more is through the courts. They can't win elections, they can't pass many new laws. They can't get rid of conservative talk radio, so they have liberal judges find ways for them to get their way. They should be careful, they might get what they wish for... And when they do, it is conservative blood that will save them from themselves--as always.

Monday, October 06, 2003

Just a test to try some new settings...
... and it worked
I almost wish I lived in California, just so I could vote for "Awnold". I find the LA Times "Thursday surprise" the most despicable piece of partisan journalism I have ever seen!

Especially when it turns out that "Gray Out" Davis is a worse abuser of women (and people in general) than Arnold is.

I don't understand how any person of principle can vote for any Democrat. Yes there are a few good ones, but why, why, why do they stay in the party?
The following posts are posts I did when I couldn't get Blogger to work, so I did them with 1st Page and ftp them by hand. It worked but now that Blogger is working I'm going to use that from now on.

Sunday, 5, October, 2003 at 9:04:16 PM
My son just asked me to fill out one of these surveys that ask about guns.
I went ahead and filled it out anonymously because it was worth a lot of points, but
it still irritates me.

This is a busy blog, but when I get over the "newness" I'm sure it will slow down.
Now to bed, it's a work day tomorrow...

Sunday, 5, October, 2003 at 4:50:25 PM
Twenty seconds--not bad.
Okay, now I have to do homework. Really! I do!

Sunday, 5, October, 2003 at 4:45:20 PM
After a Internet Explorer crash the slow problem has fixed itself. Hmmm! Still looking for blogger tools
I tried and rejected Moveabletype since it requires Perl scripts to be enabled on my host.
I don't think they want to do that. When the customer support people contact me, maybe we can try using Blogger again. That would be nice.

Okay stop watch on let's see how long this takes to post from right now!

Sunday, 5, October, 2003 at 11:01:26 AM
I've been searching the web for tools to make this easier. Since I'm cheap I don't want to pay for any of this stuff. If I had to pay for every piece of software I used I'd be broke. Yes, yes, I know, but I love free stuff!

My computer is so very slow on the web today. I'd suspect a virus if I didn't have the very latest updates on my virus software.

Sunday, 5, October, 2003 at 2:08:54 AM

I'm now editing in 1st page, there is no short cut for the paragraph tag in this program, damnit!

Sunday, 5, October, 2003 at 2:03:57 AM

This is a blog, duh! I've had this site up for quite a while and have a little information up here, but with all the blogs out there I decided I needed a way to update information quickly.

It's not actually going very well. I tried some web based software that would quickly update a blog, but it wouldn't ftp the site. It kept giving me errors. In other words it was crap!

I'm actually trying this with Word!. I set up a macro that will put the paragraph tag in. I had to put the bold tag, above, in manually. It works, I guess. Now I have to save this as a html file and ftp it. Let's try!

Well crap! If I save it as html, it displays everything tags and all. Well try again.

Nope, I'll save it as txt and rename it, I guess. What crap! Favorite word of the day: Crap.

Saturday, October 04, 2003

Well how nice! every damn thing I typed is gone. crap!
This is a test. This is a test of the new blogger software I am trying. Although I do like to get my hands dirty with HTML code. It can be a pain to change things by hand, so I'm going to try this.

I'm not going to write in this every single day, but I will keep it up more now that it's easier. (If it is easier, for that we'll have to see!)