I’d love to visit and sail in New Zealand someday and I occasionally exchange emails back and forth with a couple friends living in that southern hemisphere country. One friend sent me a link on Friday after a strong storm hit Wellington with 140kmh (87mph) winds. They saw some damage throughout the city and it was no doubt a challenging time for those with boats moor in the area (photo above). As the weather forecaster comments, “it’s a mucky weekend however you want to slice it.”
I read a simple article reviewing where Apple ($AAPL) makes their money … product mix, not geographic location. Anyway, I thought it was interesting that they make over 70% of their total sales (trailing 12 months) on the iPhone and iPad … that in comparison to Macintosh computers, software and services and even their Music store!
A first for Volkswagen in the U.S. is coming this year as they bring in the remodel new diesel Beetle TDI convertible for 2013.
EDIT: I’m not sure what happened to the balance of this post, but will have to go back to my home PC later and see if it is still there … for now just ogle the photos.
🙂
This year at the 2012 Democratic National Convention, the liberal wing of the party hit a little resistance from within their own party as they continued to push “change” in a direction that was a bit “too far, too fast.” They have made gains in uniting around gay marriage and government healthcare with moderate Dems, but encountered resistant by excluding God and where Democrats stand on the capital of Israel.
The platform, in keeping with a “progressive” push, decided to exclude references to “God” as well as their written support that Jerusalem be recognized as the capital of the Jewish State of Israel.
Initial questioning as to why the Democrats excluded these words was brought to light by the media and in particular a heated exchange between Sen. Dick Durbin and Bret Baier of Fox News. Shortly after the hubbub the Democratic leaders (prompted by President Obama), decided to bring the issue to the floor and amend the platform – it did not go as planned(video below).
The entire fiasco spotlights how liberal Democrats are “changing” America and moving in a direction different from those who want to keep the traditional and biblical values as part of our culture. This most recent exclusion of words highlight the liberal agenda as well as many of those that have already been achieved. Most “change” is 180-degrees from ones many of Americans embrace and see as part of our heritage. Liberal Democrats are treading on values that are core for many Americans and it makes me wonder just “how far and how fast” they can push their version of “change?”
I’m on the road today day and adding this as a filler post for Wednesday … but I wanted to archive a few recent photos (maybe the last few with my Palm Pre?).
First, the drought across the country has had a serious impact on corn as well as other crops. Here in Ohio the yield is going to be low and most fields look like this one below — just west of Ashland, Ohio today.
Also this past Labor Day weekend we felt the remnants of Hurricane Isaac as the bands of clouds and rain fanned counter-clockwise overhead (below, looking west over the pool)
And finally the leave have already started to fall in our front yard making it the earliest I’ve ever seen this many leaves on the ground.
I do enjoy the hype and speculation surrounding a new gadget release in the tech world … and few do it better than Apple. Last year’s iPhone 4s announcement was expected by most of us to be the iPhone 5, but it was not to be. This year everyone again expects them to adopt the “5” moniker – will Apple play with naming nomenclature again?
A few more fully assembled photos appeared this past weekend showing the familiar 4 and 4s design with a thinner and as “expected” taller profile. I suspect those who are already comfortable with the existing virtual keyboard will be pleased with the width remaining close to the current iPhone and appreciate the extra height above the familiar pop up keyboard. Those considering a switch from the new wider Android phones or a physical Blackberry/Palm Pre keys may not see keeping the narrow-ish width as an important feature.
After getting familiar with my wife’s Samsung, I’m thinking I may be able to give up the physical keyboard of my Palm Pre … still challenging as I get grumpier and more set in my ways. Still, if the new iPhone offers an improved camera (it probably does – previous post) as well as a 4G LTE Sprint radio and full day battery life that resembles that of the impressive iOS iPad. Here are a few more comparison photos from BGR.com.
I missed the usual busy weekend with the TDIClub’s TDIFest and my EAA friends at our annual fly-in and pancake breakfast, but I was able to be at my mom’s bedside with several from my family. Mom had a rare smile and wasn’t in pain. Her voice was weak, but her mind was sharp and clear. We are thankful for the way hospice is managing her pain, caring for her comfort and giving her time to talk with her family with a clear head. Brenda and I visited with her at Dorothy Love in Sidney and also enjoyed spending some time with my brother and his family as well as my cousins Diane and Bert ;(thanks for coming down).
Sharing a story while trying out Google’s Current reader on the iPad to see how it re-posts to my blog … but it is an interesting story.
Andrew Leaper, a Scottish skipper, has discovered the world’s oldest message in a bottle. He found the bottle while on the same fishing vessel where another mate had set the previous record, for a bottle that had been floating in the ocean for 92 years and 229 days. Now, Leaper has broken his buddy’s Guinness World Record: his discovery turned out to be a 98-year old message in a bottle.
Leaper told the BBC, “It was an amazing coincidence. It’s like winning the lottery twice.”
Within the bottle, a postcard written in June 1914 by Captain CH Brown of the Glasgow School of Navigation promised the finder a reward of 6 pence. It had been part of a scientific experiment in which 1,890 such bottles were released, in a bid to chart currents around Scotland.
Leaper said his friend Mark Anderson, who set the previous record in 2006, was “very unhappy that I have topped his record.” Anderson “never stopped talking about it – and now I am the one who is immensely proud to be the finder of the world record message in a bottle.”
The Republican National Convention was held this past week in Tampa, Florida and besides being shortened due to Hurricane Isaac, it was … in my opinion … a big success for Gov Mitt Romney and the Republicans. I watch many of the speeches during each of the three evenings and caught a few of the lessor names on news snippets. About the only disappointment was the speech by “mystery speaker” Clint Eastwood. I wanted to like it, but found it a little too edgy and even a bit offensive considering the audience – let’s just say that “it was odd.”
Standout speeches came from Mitt Romney’s wife Ann and VP pick Paul Ryan. Both were excellent and helped us learn a bit more about the candidate. Ann Romney was able to fill in some missing family history which highlighted Gov. Romney’s work ethic, intelligence, humility and love for family. Although many portrayed Mr. Romney as a “rich guy out of touch guy,” we learned that he was much more down to earth than expected and that he was certainly a self-made and ambitious businessman. Paul Ryan also was able to elucidate his family values and his ability to do the hard hitting expected of VP picks. He delivered the best line when he mention “staring up at fading Obama posters.”
We are four years into this presidency. The issue is not the economy that Barack Obama inherited, not the economy as he envisions, but this economy that we are living. College graduates should not have to live out their 20s in their childhood bedrooms, staring up at fading Obama posters and wondering when they can move out and get going with life.
Governor Chris Christie was pretty good too, but like many pundits mentioned, he seemed focused on tooting his own horn rather than promoting Mitt Romney. On the other hand, Sen Marco Rubio was truly outstanding and surpassed my expectations … the Republican party definitely has some rising stars which has to make liberals squirm and conservatives ecstatic. Seeing the old guard step aside gave life back to the GOP and generated far more energy than when Senator John McCain ran in 2008 … except the juice generated by his lightening rod of a running mate, Gov Sarah Palin(noticeably absent this year I might add). Other stellar speeches were those given by Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Gov Susana Martinez, Gov Nikki Haley, former Sen Rick Santorum and Democrat turned Republican Artur Davis.
Romney’s speech was also “very good” … that’s on my scale of “poor to excellent” (my wife disagreed and said she’d rate it “excellent"). I thought he was able to show his human side, in part thanks to his wife’s speech and his many friends. Unfortunately he is not the gifted orator many would love to hear — not many can inspire like a Ronald Reagan or a Jack Kennedy. Frankly the “expectations” bar is pretty high. What he did say were many of the things traditional American wanted to hear. They want to believe things can and will be better and recognize the undelivered promises from President Obama who’s focus seems to be on everything except creating the milieu for private sector jobs. That message resonated when Romney personalized his “promise.”
President Obama promised to begin to slow the rise of the oceans, and heal our planet. My promise … is to help you and your family.
Romney concluded with a 5 point version of his much criticized 59 point plan … one that most of us might have the attention span to read or hear.
North America will be energy independent by 2020.
Parents will be able to choose the school they want their children to attend.
Establish new trade agreements with foreign nations, including enforceable provisions.
Cut the deficit and put America on track to a balanced budget.
Reducing taxes on businesses, simplifying and modernizing punitive business regulations, and both repealing, and finally, replacing, President Obama’s signature government health care program.
I know who I’ll be voting for this November as I don’t think we can survive 4 more years of President Obama’s big government policies and wasteful spending. I hope there are a few more like me who are growing tired of the dwindling “hope” and the wrong kind of “change.”
Do you ever say to yourself, “why didn’t I know this before now?” Well that what I though when a friend of mine ask if I’ve seen Jeff Dunham videos about him building and flying helicopters. “Helicopters?“(old posts 1 & 2)
Come to find out, he has built four of them and has been flying them since he was a kid … the first being models that were radio controlled. Very interesting … now why didn’t I know this before now? (earlier video below)
