yaah bounce house!

we got a bounce house for my boy's 4th. it was awesome!

This is where you hide your booty shorts.

Dead men stuffed in dressers won't be tellin much either, arrrr. Gotta admire the breadth of marketing applied to that movie. It's like we are in a golden age of tie-ins. I've got some Jar-Jar toothpaste to share with you soon.

The mystery van in Castle Rock

Wha? I can't get around the fence to see the name on the back. It sits just out of reach defying identification.
Any clues internet?
I love that stripe. I can just imagine the various sets of characters that would fit in there.

I've caught the google driver.

While streetviewing a gas station meetup place, I noticed how pretty the Flatirons of Boulder, CO looked in the morning light. How everything is still in shadow, but the mountains are lit up first. Then went looking for a clear view without all the power lines, and noticed all the surrounding area's street view are from a different time. Then I found this guy. It's the google driver getting in his car one early morning. The car is invisible, of course. Take a look to the west, spin the view to the left to see the flatirons.



View Larger Map

Look for my other post of the section of street view at night. It's dark.

I almost made a new blog entry last week

but I didn't.

Welcome to my world, little figurine.

Again, the best junk store in Denver was waiting for me. It called out to me 'russ .... ruussss... I have something for you...'. So this time, I bought a Devo Figure for $12, about how much it costs on the Devo website. But this one is signed by Devo. He has now made residence on my bookshelf.

Daily Drivers

I drive I-25 from downtown Denver to the cozy bedroom suburb of Castle Rock avery afternoon. I frequently see super cars as daily drivers. Here's a vintage Countach:














Here's an Audi R8 (The Iron Man car):














Here's a pewter hottie spotted at a truckstop:

MayFlowers bring Pilgrims.

I've been taking a personal break each afternoon to stroll across the office and grab a Laffy Taffy from the bottomless basket of sweets. Then, I stop and read both jokes. Really. My co-workers look at my daffy grin and wonder. My 3.5 yr. old son thinks I'm the funniest person on the earth.
Oh, and here a picture of a hybrid stuffed animal I found at a thrift store back in Mississippi.
It's the head of Elsie the cow with the body of Curious George. Made, Found, Mine. My wife wants me to throw it out, but I secretly stash it away.

Google Street View delivers

The Denver area is getting quite filled out when it comes to the Google Street View images. I was rather suprised to see the volume of suburban and semi-rural areas logged. So, I looked at my house, and I spotted my neighbor being industrious. I'm sure I was working in the backyard. It was a Sunday.
Also, most of the stretch of Hwy 85, Santa Fe Dr, from Castle Rock to Littleton was driven in the dark. Why Google decided to give credit for these pics, and then post them who knows.

Neat-o.

Best junk store in Denver

I have found a super junk store. Not a regular thrift store, this place has stuff hanging everywhere, and lots of stuff that you can't get to. A to Z second hand store on Colfax near Kipling.
The Indian food smell may get you at first, but you get used to it. The smell reminds me of my old college programming lab. Anyway, they've got tons of junk. Whole collections of stuff.
Where else can I get my velvet-blacklight-skeleton-riding-a-motorcycle posters?

Wanted: Copy of Taoism Drunkard

World Video in Hattiesburg MS was the best place for movies. Even when the DVD format was well established, this place was still dominated by vintage VHS tapes. Every cool movie you've never seen that has not been re-released was there. And it had a sex toy shop next door.
It was always a fun trip to World Video.
So, this is the WaterMelon Monster from that movie: A true badass.

Must Hulk More.

If you didn't know already, The Hulk had a dropped acid in a recording studio, went to a rock concert and had a spiritual Metamorphosis. Oh, really McKenzie Phillips? Really? You thought metamorphosis was about a hard druggin rocker seeing the light and getting sober? Really? Methinks you've been bamboozled. Necktie Nightmare leave me alone.

Yarrr! Hulk says drink my steroid juice!

Now you too can get pahmped like The Hulkster on his steroid juice. Energy. Feel It. Juice. Absorb It. Arrrrggggh! (insert shirt ripping here).
Look at him! The idealized Hulkster scares me.
Of course I love the vintage Macho Man the most.
At least he never made a sappy paeon to his dead wrestling buddies like the Hulkster.

Hulkster in Heaven. yup.

Denver traffic cameras catch criminals good.

I've noticed over the last few years living in Denver, that the cops catch a good percentage of criminals on the run here. Many times I watch the news and hear about a hit and run with no witnesses, but they have a vehicle description. Many times I have been surprised with the accuracy of the vehicle description they are looking for. I know whats going on.
I have some experience with aggregating and monitoring video signals (DirecTV's HD NOC), and some experience with traffic cameras and systems (Maptuit). These observations, my experience and the fact that EVERY intersection in Denver has at least 4 cameras tells me two things: 1. All traffic cameras are being monitored and recorded (only a few are available to the public) and 2. The Denver police have access to these cameras and recordings and use them to catch bad guys.

I have found one explanation for the cameras as such:
"What is the function of the cameras on the traffic signals?
The video cameras are state-of-the-art vehicle detecting devices that tell the signal controller when vehicles are present at the intersection. These cameras replace the old loop detection devices previously located in the pavement."

Yes, they can be used for that, but the greater use of solving crimes is unacknowledged here.
The general public doesn't know the full extent of the DPD's surveillance capabilities.
It's something that has been happening in London for years. The cops can go back in time and track the bad guys back to their lair with these camera logs.

This is the only conclusion I can come to, given how many times I have seen a crime on the news that has an accompanying vehicle description.

Things I like and approve of #1

I'm gonna give you something. It's something that has a intangible value of time invested. I'm going to share some things I like. Many of these things I have chosen after much research and extensive testing. So, here's a gift of time.

1. The BrookStone USB MP3 shower radio.

I know, it's Brookstone, you know, that store in the mall that sells every little gadget for everything.
This unit has a watertight USB port for a flash drive, AM/FM and clock. It sounds good, too. The only features it doesn't have is shuffle and folder navigation, but for a waterproof USB player, its very good. Portable too, take it to the beach et al. I like it.
For some reason, this unit is almost impossible to find.

Panasonic RP-HC500 Noise-Canceling Headphones

I travel alot these days. I wanted a decent set of cans without the cost of the Bose set. I went through every off the shelf noise cancelling set I could find, and a few in ear solutions as well. They all suck. I finally settled on this set. I love them. Serious noise cancellation, super comfort, decent sound. Removable 1/8 cord, harshell case. I like it.





Sansa E200 series w/ Rockbox


Ipod? No Thanks. $29 refurb Sansa 2GB E250. $12 4GB microSD. Rockbox installed. Whatever MP3 player you may have, see if you can put Rockbox on it. Way better. I've got a 6gb audio/video FM/voice recorder/player for $41. It plays DOOM. It has realtime audio plugins.
I like it.

Who needs an expensive music video?

Well, I was treated to the original MTV videos from Dino and Seal today. I must say, the Dino video made me say , WTF. Then I saw the video for 'crazy' from Seal . well, let me say I long for the days of simple video edits. I can accept poor cinematagrapy, or poor design or 'bold' fashion direction, but the dead simple video edits are the clincher for me. It's like watching an old film and commenting, 'they couldn't make this film today'. Because when someone reinterprets something, the original is lost without full representation and recogonintion of the original. So, FU hollywood, I don't want yer stinkin remakes. Anyway, I just want to make note that it only took ass-poor videos to make a song a hit. Not today.....

Cambrian reclaimation

Well, I've been on an ext-ended trip (more like a fall) into west TEXAS this week. See what I did there, with the word TEXAS, it's cuz, well, I can't say it. Anyway, Midland, Odessa, San Angelo, Abilene, you are my destiny (this week). Due to departing weather , I was treated to several hours of layover in Dallas-Fort-Worth airport. I had previously read online about the 'd' concourse at DFW, and a short skytram later, the D concourse at DFW is indeed a fancy fancy place. Go ahead, book your flights with the strong layover at DFW, go enjoy the D concourse. It's the 'International' conrcourse, so you will have some ppl watching available. Oh, and it really does have a Proactiv vending machine.

Well paid stooges.

Would you get paid good monay evry night to be made fun of? how much would it take?
Would you take it evry night on national TV? I want to make a cry of 'soft shell sellout' to La Bamba. You know, the go-to guy for Conan to throw his cheap deprecating jokes at. Gheesh, I still watch Conan only to pray for the return of his first two seasons' humor. He may have gotten some mixed reviews then , but it was comedy gold. Dippy the Hippy, please. Still, tho, props for a the band and his embracing absurdity.

I have been there, it was very high.

I had no idea that that Hot Springs, AR has an obervation tower.
I have been thru Ft. Smith, Texarkana, Little Rock, and Hot Springs today. Arkansas is ok, but Texarkana stinks and the water is stinky. Its near Texas, so I would expect that. Hot Springs was having a horse race today, and Bill Clinton was there, we didn't see either. We did see steaming fountains and falls, and Lo! the Tower. If you want to avoid the locals, go here. Tourists only. It's funny seeing what's called mountains here in AR, coming from CO... but then again, I've lived in south mississippi for 12 years, so I used to not know what a mountain was at all....

Didnt need no welfare state, those were the days.

I'm almost back in the south. Riding past the nucleer plant on I-40 near Russellville, Arkansas makes me think of GWB and his 'Orange Alert'. It's so 'Prisoner' esqe. You are here because you know too much, it's like we are being retro-actively pressed into subservient know-how. Ya, there's something dangerous there, and we want to look around it, not at it. Wow, Archie Bunker was soo racist. It's cool to see a guy with union steel balls actually stand firm on his beliefs, unlike any show since that tries to match Archie Bunker. If that show was made today, I'm certain Edith would be a hot broad, and not the realistic whiny sounding homely wife.

It's like ZZ Top, I like the old television good, the new television, not so much. Velcro Fly, no thank you. Legs, nope. Eliminator, WTF. Tres Amigos, yes, more please.

I approve, yes, keep them coming.

My son asked me why I'm always fixing everything. I've had a difficult time resting since we bought a house a few years ago. Homeownership is a full time hobby one old-timer told me. It never ends. My recent excursions into the uppper attic have dispelled some of the last bits of mystery about my house. My cat, Gibby, she wanted desperately to get up the ladder to explore one of the last areas unseen by feline eyes. Now that I have closet lights, cable and ethernet upstairs, I'm ready for clobberin time. Like Star Trek where something can't be seen until something is phase shifted, we realized that we are losing about 100 sq. feet of space due to poor door layout and closet door choices. So, hack and wack, that's what's next. I'm going to see if I can get a $20 Sawzall at a pawn shop and make a mess, or inspire another 'Dad broke the house' comment from my 3 yr old.

My McGyverness

Q: Does anyone have any string?
A: Would a network cable work? I have a shoestring in my car too.
R: Hmmm, I'm not sure, but I will note your McGyverness.

The new phone solution.

So, if the communication companies are splicing our lines and providing the NSA with open access on all lines, then shouldn't those lines be free? Really, I don't give a flip about how easy or hard it is for someone to snoop on me, I don't give a care if I am being watched. Normally, when my opinion on something is needed, I get paid for it. (surveysavvy, prognostics, et al.) So, AT&T, Qwest, you can split my data lines off to the NSA, but you better not charge me full price for my service. I forget the sci-fi author (probably P.K.Dick) who put it in writing first, but in the future, communications are all free, just subsidised by a short advert at the top of each call. So, instead, imagine, free service that is up front about the monitoring of that service. The way I figure it, in this day and age, if you have something to hide, you had better communicate with pencil, paper, and homing pigeon, and even then, you are going to be on dozens of security camera logs.

Oh yea, another new job.

So, the office I was working in for Maptuit is closing, I'm not interested in relocating, so I started looking for new jobby job. I am now a Deployment Consultant for Gambro BCT. I travel around the country and install data collection appliances in blood centers. It's a wonderful place to work, the best crowd of co-workers ever. My commute to the office is a little long, but I don't mind at all.

Geocaching discovery

I've been on a determined Geocaching mission. I've been using my Moto i850 Nextel/Boost phone with Geocache Navigator. It's great having one device that has instant geocache searching in it. Yesterday, I found myself at a famous grave:

The Adolph Coors grave. Crisp coors banquet beer, yum. I havent had a beer in many months. Anyway, I've been aiming at one or two caches a day for lunch.

I'm alive and I approve this message.

Empty blogs, dead blogs, yup, this is another one.
So, I'm going to start blogging things I like and approve of.
Maybe share a few shortcuts.