Month: May 2013

Glad I could help

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I note my posts on my Element ELCHW402 repair are getting hit quite a bit. This seems to be a flaw common in the Element TV’s. But as I said, all you need to fix them is the barest of mechanical ability. If you can extract screws and open things up, disconnect connectors and then re-connect them in the proper spots you’re good to go with most televisions.

If you’re more adventurous and have the time, you can fix the power supply. Probably cost as much to replace all the capacitors as a new board. Plus you have to factor in your time too.

But you can extend the life of consumer electronics.

What the hell is going on in Florida

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The reason I write this is because not only have these incidents been making the rounds on the web, but I have relatives in Florida. Perhaps they had better get active with putting the clamps on the pigs.

First we have a 14 year old holding a puppy being accosted and being put on the ground and in a choke hold by Miami-Dade police. The cops say they did it because the young man was giving them dehumanizing stares. I believe that’s scumbag cop speak for he looked at them the wrong way in their ever so sensitive view.

Then we have the two twelve year old kids whose school administrator is a brain dead dolt. The administrator called the cops on the kids. The cops of course determined there was nothing wrong and told the administrator so. But if I were the commissioner of police I’d make sure to bill the school for the wasted time. But the link I provided is from a law firm – I can imagine the civil suit against the school is going to smart.

And last but certainly not least is the trial of George Zimmerman, the man who MURDERED Trayvon Martin in cold blood. His attorneys are trying to portray Martin as a thug, not realizing of course that their client MURDERED an unarmed teenager.

 

Then w

Fascinating: First evidence of other universes found

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This is amazing. The Cosmic Background Radiation (CBR) was first truly mapped back in 1964 by Bell Labs Penzias and Wilson gave us our first proof of the Big Bang.

And now further examination of the CBR has found evidence of where other universes touch ours.

This is fascinating for a few reasons. I know String Theory posits there are multiple dimensions and d-branes, but other universes is quite the surprise.

You have to ask yourself, is life in those other universes similar to ours? Are the conditions for life the same? And digging deeper are there societies in those other universes that are more advanced than we are? Or how about further behind our level of advancement?

Will we find a way to traverse those universes?

 

Why I believe organized religion is dying out

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So I just read this on HuffPo. It posits that the enemies of gay people are the Church, Patriarchy, and Heterosexism.

The piece that really grabbed me is how the Roman Catholic Church has embraced the National Organization for Marriage. It’s a sure sign that they’re sliding down the hill. The church will grasp out at anything to stave off what they surely by now see as their decline.

They could have stopped it. They could have embraced the reforms of Vatican II, could have come clean about the molesting priests. But they decided that the mother church was to be protected and so lost all credibility as a result.

Then of course there is the fact that their congregations are singing a different tune than their hierarchy. A lot of Catholics support equality, support abortion rights, birth control rights, etc. The Church hierarchy – comprised of what is essentially a bunch of old, white men holds a different view.

And it isn’t just the Catholic church, even the Episcopal, and other churches are feeling the loss.

Makes me happy because not having to waste time being a god botherer has it’s issues. And maybe, just maybe those thought cycles wasted on religion might push society ahead!

 

 

So even atheists can go to heaven according to Pope Francis?

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When they elected him pope, I knew we were going to hear some interesting things. Pope Francis is a Jesuit after all.

What I know about Jesuits is that they tend more likely than not to be HIGHLY educated. To the point where they’ll even hedge on belief.

E.g.

Yeah and here’s the thing. As an atheist mine includes no belief in a supreme being, and no belief in heaven or hell. So how is it that if I do good deeds, which I have, I get a free pass according to the Pope?

Something is seriously amiss here.

TMI Thursday: Hot Fun in the Summer Time

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HOT FUN IN THE SUMMER TIME

  • Memorial Day is a day of remembrance but it also signifies the “Official” start of summer. What are your plans this weekend?
    • No plans as yet. But here’s the interesting part – it’s not summer yet. Won’t be until around the 21st of June.
  • What is your most and least favorite thing about summer?
    • MOST – Seriously dig the warm weather. I like it optimally about 80-85F with relatively low humidity. Not too oppressive. And I love the availability different fruits and vegetables. 
    • LEAST – The fact that a five minute walk works up a heavy sweat.
  • What is your favorite summer food?
    • Gotta be black cherries. One of my favorite fruits.
  • Are you is swim suit shape yet?
    • Round is a shape, right? Haven’t been swimming in 20+ years. Don’t know anyone with a pool, well I do but I wouldn’t put upon that person to use it.
  • Vacation Plans? If you can’t, what would you do if you could?
    • Oh the grand European tour. Start out in Italy, Firenze, Napoli, Roma, Milan, Venizia and then on to Paris and southern France. Then maybe Madrid, Sevilla, etc.
  • Did you ever have to go to summer school?
    • Never had to do so.
  • Given the choice, which do you prefer: ocean, lake or pool?975306_10151695788578833_1366252537_n
    • I like lakes. Sadly there aren’t many of those around here. But I also dig a pool too. Best one we had a stream up in the Kangamangus mountains in New Hampshire. The stream fed into a set of bolder arranges like a small pool. That water by about 10AM was like bath water. Nice and warm.

BONUS

  • Sex on the beach?
    • You haven’t experience discomfort until you’ve had sand in the crack of your ass.

Currently Reading: Lies My Teacher Told Me

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So someone on Facebook had recommended the book. I got the kindle version on amazon.

I’m only 55 pages in and in the section where they’re talking about what Columbus actually did.

I’ll spoil it for you. First of all Columbus was not the first to reach North America. There are Vikings and even peoples of Phoenicia and other places around Africa who made it here too. In fact New England, where I live, was originally called Vineland.

In fact it’s posited that there were African visitors in Mexico that re-date Columbus by over a hundred years.

The book also goes into how Columbus and the Spanish wiped out entire indigenous populations on Haiti.

So why do we still celebrate him? There’s even some question as to his Italian ancestry – and some data to indicate he was Jewish.

Go get the book – our history is much richer than they’d ever have us believe.

Chicken and Cannellini for dinner

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So I was wondering what to make for dinner. I had some boneless, skinless chicken breast along with a few pounds of Cannellini beans, oninon, garlic, parsley, chicken stock and some white wine.

Cut up a medium onion. Melted 3tbsp of butter in a pan over medium-low heat. Add chopped onion to the mix. Mince 3 garlic gloves and add to the onions when onions are translucent.

Cut chicken breast into chunks – about 1.5-2.0 inches. Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder and tarragon.

Add a little bit of olive oil to the onion/garlic mixture just so the chicken has enough fat to cook in. Then add the chicken to the pan, increase heat to medium. Turn chicken about 3 to 4 minutes in and then wait about 5 or so minutes to start forming the sauce.

I added 3tbsp of flour to the pan and stirred it into the fat. Then added about a half cup of white wine of your choosing, along with a cup to 1.5 cup of chicken stock to thin the sauce a bit.

I had soaked the cannellini’s earlier and cooked them to just about the point before they turn to mush. I did this over low-med heat for about an hour and fifteen minutes. Then when they were done I drained them, reserving the liquid, and put them in the pan with the chicken and sauce.

Tossed in some fresh chopped parsley and stirred to combine.

It tastes awesome and is VERY filling.

Gay Rights march in Georgian Republic turns ugly

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This is awful. It’s awful for more reason than just the blatant animus against the LGBT community.

Here’s the first sentence from the article:

“A throng of thousands led by priests in black robes surged through police cordons in downtown Tbilisi, Georgia, on Friday and attacked a group of about 50 gay rights demonstrators.”

And the Catholic church raises it’s ugly head once again. Really – by this point in time the priests have to know it’s a losing proposition. And some of the things they say about gay people are horrid.

For example: “No to mental genocide”

What? Mental genocide, so wait a minute. Is that me thinking that if there were a god I’d like to think she’d smote all the bigots with a huge bolt of lightning.

But I know what they’re really saying – no learning that gay people are normal. No learning about the outside world when religious belief is at risk.

In fact one woman who protested the parade said this:

“We are trying to protect our orthodoxy, not to let anyone to wipe their feet on our faith,” said Manana Okhanashvili, in a head scarf and long skirt. “We must not allow them to have a gay demonstration here.”

So Ms. Okhanashvili in essence proves my point.  The bigots are saying they’d prefer to bury their heads in the sand than acknowledge that the LGBT community exists.

But the game is over and the priests know it.

And France makes 14 countries with marriage equality

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The bigots must really be smarting right now. The current tally for equality including France is now at 14 countries, 12 states and the District of Columbia.

But I looked it up, here’s the list of countries:

And the states:

  • Massachusetts
  • Connecticut
  • Rhode Island
  • Maine
  • Vermont
  • New Hampshire
  • New York
  • Maryland
  • Delaware
  • Minnesota
  • Iowa
  • Washington State
  • D.C.

It really is the juggernaut now. Granted there are still areas of the world where extreme Christianity or Islam will never embrace it, or at least not in my lifetime. But the civilized world will.