but seriously

It was the best of weekends, it was the worst of weekends...
Spent time with my dad, which is always a good thing. In watching him, he seems more relaxed. I think that's necessary to stop and look around, rather than rush through things.
My dog got out. He saw a chance and took it. As I chased him down, it occurred to me he was simply playing. It had been at least a week since I walked him, so this was his way of demanding attention. It came to a close when I tackled him and got a busted lip when he head butted me. Haven't had a sock to the jaw lately and this was a reminder of what it would feel like. Ouch.
Our Superbowl party was great. I hope you had a good time at yours. Lot of my friends are Broncos fans. By my reckoning, I know two Denver fans for every Seattle fan. To that I say: Did you see Lawrence Fishborne in that KIA commercial?
What I got out of Sunday evening was I got to spend time with my family. Dad watching the game live rather than on 15 hour delay. Thanks to my sister for hosting and cooking a fabulous dinner. As of this writing, I'm stuffed worse than at Thanksgiving. I don't think I'll need to eat for at least a day.
A new week is upon us, another month to tear into, although it will be a short one.
Our local board game convention will be the first weekend in April. Here's the website.
I'll be running the Robo Rally tournament. It seems that was such a popular event, I'll be bringing it back. Which reminds me... I'll need to sign up and register the event. I want to put out this call to my fellow geeks and game lovers in town to come on down and play. I'll do a full write up in the next post, I promise.  

Snow blind

The South experienced snowstorms last week, and our Northern relatives got a good laugh. Birmingham and Atlanta got a couple of inches of snow. 'Oh, my God,' you might say. 'Two inches of snow is normal for us!' Well, not to the residents of Atlanta.

When New York or Phili gets snow, the snow plows, sand and salt trucks are usually doing their job before people wake up.

Cities below the Mason-Dixon line don't own so much as a snow shovel.

A lot of these roads are not made to handle the cold and ice. 

Many of these cars are not equipped with 4 wheel drive. (Why would they need it?) Snow tires? Tire chains? Non-existent.

Add to the fact that citizens of the town are unaccustomed to driving in this kind of weather. When we can measure the last snowfall in decades, it's reasonable to assume not many people know how to handle the white stuff.

I've read the stories coming out of Atlanta as well as other major cities. I can only speak about what happened here in San Antonio.

I knew my truck was going to ice over, so I got up early. Not owning an ice scraper, I used a spatula that I normally use to repair drywall with. It worked pretty good actually. My wife, smart girl that she is, boiled some water to clear my windshield off quickly. The only people out on the road were people who had to be. A lot of San Antonio stayed home.

Think about it: There is no infrastructure in place to handle snow and ice. The city shuts down because it knows that. The schools close rather than risk the kids and buses. Approximately 4,000 kids spent the night in Birmingham schools with their teachers because the parents had no way to reach them.

As I drove to work early Friday morning, the police were closing I-35. If I had been two minutes later, I would of had no way to get to work. Procrastination would have worked in my favor then. One guy in front of me lost control and spun 360 degrees. Luckily, I was only going about 20 MPH and skidded around his ballet moves.

As it was, hardly anybody made it in to work. I would say about a third of the staff necessary to run the store couldn't come in. In a way, it worked out, almost no one braved the ice to shop. As it was, I pretty much had the back of the store to myself. The trouble was getting home. I-35 was still shut down, so I had to take the treacherous back roads. I actually managed to hit 30 on one stretch of road. Took me over an hour to get home. A few posts ago, I explained how the bridges super iced over. What I didn't cover was what would happen to you if you slid right off of one. You see, we here in Texas build bridges and there doesn't have to be water underneath them. So if you find yourself hurtling through a barrier over a bridge, there will be nothing to break your fall. All jokes aside, I have not heard of any deaths related to the big freeze we had here. Other places reported fatalities, which is no laughing matter.

Breaking

When is going too far, actually too far? Last week one of Quentin Tarantino's friends leaked a script he was thinking about making. In a fit of hissy, Tarantino stated that since it was leaked to the public, he wouldn't make a film from the screenplay, The Hateful Eight. I'd be miffed as well if someone I trusted did that. As far as that goes, he's right. I would make the same choice were I in his shoes. It was his screenplay, his work.
Today, the director filed a lawsuit alleges that the web site Gawker disseminated "Unauthorized downloadable copies of the leaked unreleased complete screenplay." and expressly refused to remove their directions to and URL links to get the infringing materials."
Now this may seem uncommon in Hollywood, but it seems to me he didn't have to make a big deal out of it. He could take the scenes and characters he liked and use them in the next screenplay he puts to paper. By all means, find out who did it and chew that person a new asshole.
If Gawker didn't take the link down like Tarantino's lawyers claim, then yes, they open themselves to lawsuits.
Let's break down the facts:
It's a gossip site. A quick scan down the page reveals eye candy and nothing actually substantial. I certainly didn't see anything that screamed, 'fact', let alone newsworthy. I don't care what age Lourdes is. (for that matter, I don't care who she is.) Tarantino could have kept this all behind the scenes and not put a spotlight on it. Less people would have found out about it.
But this brings up a point. We as a species are technologically advanced to do a lot of things, but should we? Let me put it this way: Our Intellectual development is far outpacing our moral development. 
There are people out there who will sell ill-gotten pictures of unsuspecting people changing in a dressing room. 
They do it because they have no decency. They may get a sexual kick out of it... Mostly I think they do it because it makes them feel above us normal people. The truth is they're scum.
I try and vote with my wallet. Watch the shows and visit the websites that have a socially positive aspect. I'd rather watch Mythbusters before I see an episode of Duck Dynasty. On a side note: if I was forced to watch Jersey Shore, I'd pluck my eyes out.

Leading by example

It is not enough that you are the first XXXX person to be doing a job in a field, you also bear responsibility toward those who will come after you.
That phrase has been weighing on my mind lately. Seems I'm at a crossroads in life and I have a choice: keep doing what I'm doing in the hope things will get better, or strike out for new lands and an uncertain future. Tomorrow I venture forth into untested waters. I can't tell people what I'm doing, but I'll have my best friend along as navigator and moral support.
This has been ten years in the making and it has challenged nearly every belief I've held about humans.
People frighten easily. They do stupid things when scared. That's why I've held off doing what I'm about to do for so long. It's carrot and stick time. Just a short time ago, I offered the carrot. The win-win scenario. The calm and rational approach.
They didn't take the offer.
Tomorrow, the stick. Now, I've never been afraid of the stick. I felt reluctant to use it because I knew the damage it would do. But when I wield it, and I will, the full might of ten years pent up frustration will be dealt out.
Do I know what will happen? Short answer: No. But it has to happen in order for me to get on with my life.
I'm not expecting people to understand. The actions I'm taking now will hopefully improve the situation for all those who follow in my footsteps.
 

Happenings

This is part of the winter we all wish we could fast forward through. Christmas is past. Family birthdays have been taken care of, for this month anyway. Memo to me: check February's list of events. Buy cards to send out.
What's going on, other than we're freezing our fannies off? 
The Rosetta spacecraft woke up from hibernation and is heading for comet 67P Churyumov-Gerasimenko. Boy that's a mouthful. Can somebody find a new name for that using the letters in the names of the people who discovered it? Chury-Gera? How about simply Chuy?
The Attorney General is giving indications he wants Edward Snowden to return from Russia. The temporary asylum is almost up. Snowden wants to come home. The AG still wants to throw him in jail. Notice the link is to the Guardian, a UK publication. Every day it's harder to get unbiased news, both in TV and the paper. Personally, I think he should be granted clemency as a whistle blower. The law he's being charged with breaking is almost a century old. I think a higher up in the NSA wants Snowden buried under a large rock. Edward Snowden is not a criminal in my opinion, he's a man with a conscience. It could be said that Snowdon's moral compass led him to the present situation. Certainly not worthy of a jail sentence.
  

Sweet 16

My daughter turned 16 today. We're on an even numbered year, so that means my kids will be 18, 16, and 14. Wow, where did the time go? Wasn't it just yesterday I was changing her diaper and teaching her how to tie her shoes? I'm not old enough to have teenagers, am I? It is entirely possible that the wife and I will be experiencing empty nest syndrome in a few years, I'm looking forward to it... and not in a walk to the kitchen in your underwear sort of way. On paper, that looks bad. Children never truly leave your life. They spread their wings and fly into the world. As smart as my daughters are, which is smarter than me, they will fly far and well. Of course they will return home. Of that there can be no doubt.
A long time ago, perhaps last week, daughter #2 and I were in a pool, teaching her how to swim. Now at this age, she can be quite head strong. She ordered me out of the pool so she could try and swim without any help. Humoring her was part of the fun. I was proud she wanted to try things on her own. Like all baby chicks learning to fly, my child pushed away into the water attempting to doggie paddle... and sank like a rock.
She may have thought she was soloing, but fear not, she was just an arm length away. Hoisting her out of the water, probably giving her a wedgie in the process, I lifted her back into the world of air breathers. After spitting out the water she'd nearly swallowed she uttered a famous one liner. 
"Not good."
For a moment I couldn't decide if I should take her out of the pool or throw her into the deep end.
Having just read this over my shoulder, she claims not to remember that incident. This might be a suppressed memory or teenage amnesia. In her defense she swims a lot better. Turns out throwing her in the deep end was a good decision after all.

Rule reminder

"Try those brownies," said the nice lady at my church before the service began.
One of my old rules emerged from the depths of my memory. "I Never refuse homemade brownies."
That got me thinking about all those other rules I like to live by. You may recognize some of them. I paraphrase a lot, but the meaning is the same as similar quotes you've heard before.
Treat people the way you want to be treated. This is one rule I need to remind myself of often. I hate it when people are condescending to me. A little sarcasm is okay and funny in the appropriate context, but I like to treat people with respect, it's often returned in kind.
Don't be jealous of other people's success. Instead, I like to be happy for my friends. When I rejoice in a friend landing a contract or overcoming an obstacle, I get a warm fuzzy feeling inside and it shows. I'm truly happy when there is a break through.
Do no evil. Other folks say Don't be a dick. If what I'm doing is hurting my fellow man, I try and find a way around the problem. Being selfish and rude is never a good thing. Thinking about the other guy is simply manners. Give hand ups, not hand outs.
Never refuse home made brownies. cookies and treats go into that category. The person put some effort into making that pie, give them a compliment to show you appreciate their efforts.
Beware of people who talk fast, there's a good chance they are trying to snow you, at the very least separate you from your hard earned cash.
Every con man I've met, from used car salesmen down to politicians, try and convince you of something or trick you into going along with them. I'm slow to trust, especially when you're talking faster than I can read your lips.
Watch out for the little guy who thinks he has nothing to lose. People who are having more than their share of bad luck. Often times those folks really don't know what it's like to lose everything. I've come close, but as long as I have my family, I'm good. The desperate loner, the constant loser who makes bad choices... They often don't see ways out of situations. That makes them explode and they tend to take as many people as they can with them. What helps that? How do you deal in that situation?
Talking to a friend. Write a letter, send an e-mail. Call and connect to your family. You might do the talking, but also do the listening. Yeah, it's that important.
Too much of anything is bad for you. Take everything in moderation. In nearly every situation, Americans overdo even the basics. This goes for Love as well as booze or smoking.
Be slow to trust, but steadfast in friendship.  People will tell you, I'm the first person you want to come to for help and the last person you want to piss off. I will move mountains and cross the desert for a friend. In fact, I have.
Let go of the negative feelings. Holding anger and frustration inside will eat you up. Don't keep it all bottled up. I still need to hear that.
Volunteer for things, at least once a year. Doesn't matter what it is, as long as you feel good about what you're doing. (See my rule about not being a dick.) While we're on the subject of volunteering...
Donate blood. Do this at least once every six months. Blood and plasma centers are in constant need and there is an unfortunate person who is literally hanging on for dear life. A blood donor often means the difference between life or death for them.
Vote. If you don't vote, you can't complain about the crummy politicians. On a side note: don't go throwing a temper tantrum when your candidate loses. I can verbally express my displeasure with a mayor or senator, but burning a mannequin in effigy is crossing the line. Yeah, I'm looking at you Tea Party. In a related item...
Speak your mind, but be prepared to back your view up. I can't tell you how many people I've met that are positively venomous against a politician, but have little to no reason why. Different skin color doesn't count as a reason.
Have a garage sale, reduce the clutter. I put this one off for as long as I could, but I felt better having gone through with it. It felt cathartic. A weight that I didn't know I was carrying was lifted off my chest.
Be honest. That way you don't have to remember what you told someone. Flattery, tact and diplomacy is all well and good. Telling tales to impress a pretty girl? never a good idea.
You're stronger than you think. Don't be wary of being the strong person. You may not feel that way, but to others, you are their rock foundation and inspiration. While we're on the subject, it's okay to be scared, don't be afraid of an object or person. If you can't do that, fake it. Others can't tell the difference.