John's Rambling Thoughts

Random Gun Thoughts!

2012-01-21T16:49:00.002-05:00

Why Grandpa carries a gun
PEOPLE ASK WHY?

Why Carry a Gun?

My old grandpa said to me 'Son, there comes a time in every man's life when he stops bustin' knuckles
and starts bustin' caps and usually it's when he becomes too old to take a-- whoopin.'

I don't carry a gun to kill people.
I carry a gun to keep from being killed.

I don't carry a gun to scare people.
I carry a gun because sometimes this world can be a scary place.

I don't carry a gun because I'm paranoid.
I carry a gun because there are real threats in the world.

I don't carry a gun because I'm evil.
I carry a gun because I have lived long enough to see the evil in the world.

I don't carry a gun because I hate the government.
I carry a gun because I understand the limitations of government.

I don't carry a gun because I'm angry.
I carry a gun so that I don't have to spend the rest of my life hating myself for failing to be prepared.

I don't carry a gun because I want to shoot someone.
I carry a gun because I want to die at a ripe old age in my bed, and not on a sidewalk somewhere tomorrow afternoon.

I don't carry a gun because I'm a cowboy.
I carry a gun because, when I die and go to heaven, I want to be a cowboy.

I don't carry a gun to make me feel like a man.
I carry a gun because men know how to take care of themselves and the ones they love.

I don't carry a gun because I feel inadequate.
I carry a gun because unarmed and facing three armed thugs, I am inadequate.

I don't carry a gun because I love it.
I carry a gun because I love life and the people who make it meaningful to me.

Police protection is an oxymoron. Free citizens must protect themselves. Police do not protect you from crime
they usually just investigate the crime after it happens and then call someone in to clean up the mess.

Personally, I carry a gun because I'm too young to die and too old to take a-- whoopin'.....author unknown (but obviously brilliant)

**********************************************
A LITTLE GUN HISTORY

In 1929, the Soviet Union established gun control. From 1929 to 1953, about 20 million dissidents,
unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
------------------------------

In 1911, Turkey established gun control. From 1915 to 1917, 1.5 million Armenians,
unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
------------------------------

Germany established gun control in 1938 and from 1939 to 1945, a total of 13 million Jews and others
who were unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
------------------------------

China established gun control in 1935. From 1948 to 1952, 20 million political dissidents,
unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
------------------------------

Guatemala established gun control in 1964. From 1964 to 1981, 100,000 Mayan Indians,
unable to defend themselves,were rounded up and exterminated.
---- ------------- -------------

Uganda established gun control in 1970. From 1971 to 1979, 300,000 Christians,
unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
------------------------------

Cambodia established gun control in 1956. From 1975 to 1977, one million educated people,
unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
-----------------------------

Defenseless people rounded up and exterminated in the 20th Century because of gun control: 56 million.
------------------------------

You won't see this data on the US evening news, or hear politicians disseminating this information.

Guns in the hands of honest citizens save lives and property and, yes, gun-control laws adversely affect only the law-abiding citizens.

Take note my fellow Americans, before it's too late!

The next time someone talks in favor of gun control, please remind them of this history lesson.

With guns, we are 'citizens'. Without them, we are 'subjects'.

During WW II the Japanese decided not to invade America because they knew most Americans were ARMED!

If you value your freedom, please spread this antigun-control message to all of your friends.

The purpose of fighting is to win.
There is no possible victory in defense.
The sword is more important than the shield, and skill is more important than either.
The final weapon is the brain.
All else is supplemental.

SWITZERLAND ISSUES EVERY HOUSEHOLD A GUN!
SWITZERLAND 'S GOVERNMENT TRAINS EVERY ADULT THEY ISSUE A RIFLE.
SWITZERLAND HAS THE LOWEST GUN RELATED CRIME RATE OF ANY CIVILIZED COUNTRY IN THE WORLD!!!

IT'S A NO BRAINER!
DON'T LET OUR GOVERNMENT WASTE MILLIONS OF OUR TAX DOLLARS IN AN EFFORT TO MAKE ALL LAW ABIDING CITIZENS AN EASY TARGET.

__________________
MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN 2012!

You know it is a bad economy when.....

2011-12-02T11:21:00.000-05:00

The recession has hit everybody really hard...

My neighbor got a pre-declined credit card in the mail.

Wives are having sex with their husbands because they can't afford
batteries.

CEO's are now playing miniature golf.

Exxon-Mobil laid off 25 Congressmen.

A stripper was killed when her audience showered her with rolls of
pennies while she danced.

I saw a Mormon with only one wife.

If the bank returns your check marked "Insufficient Funds," you call them and ask if they meant you or them.

McDonald's is selling the 1/4 ouncer.

Angelina Jolie adopted a child from America .

Parents in Beverly Hills fired their nannies and learned their children's names.

My cousin had an exorcism but couldn't afford to pay for it, and they
re-possessed her!

A truckload of Americans was caught sneaking into Mexico .

A picture is now only worth 200 words.

When Bill and Hillary travel together, they now have to share a room.

The Treasure Island casino in Las Vegas is now managed by Somali pirates.

And, finally....

I was so depressed last night thinking about the economy, wars, jobs, my savings, Social Security, retirement funds, etc., I called the Suicide Hotline. I got a call center in Pakistan , and when I told them I was suicidal, they got all excited, and asked if I could drive a truck.

A Very Scary Thanksgiving Story

2011-11-23T12:09:00.002-05:00

“Winston, come into the dining room, it’s time to eat,” Julia yelled to her husband.

“In a minute, honey, it’s a tie score,” he answered. Actually Winston wasn’t very interested in the traditional holiday football game between Detroit and Washington. Ever since the government passed the Civility in Sports Statute of 2017, outlawing tackle football for its “unseemly violence” and the “bad example it sets for the rest of the world,” Winston was far less of a football fan than he used to be. Two-hand touch wasn’t nearly as exciting.

Yet wasn’t the game that Winston was uninterested in. It was more the thought of eating another TofuTurkey.

Even though it was the best type of VeggieMeat available after the government revised the American Anti-Obesity Act of 2018, adding fowl to the list of federally-forbidden foods, (which already included potatoes, cranberry sauce and mince-meat pie), it wasn’t anything like real turkey. And ever since the government officially changed the name of “Thanksgiving Day” to “A National Day of Atonement” in 2020 to officially acknowledge the Pilgrims’ historically brutal treatment of Native Americans, the holiday had lost a lot of its luster.

Eating in the dining room was also a bit daunting. The unearthly gleam of government-mandated fluorescent light bulbs made the TofuTurkey look even weirder than it actually was, and the room was always cold. Ever since Congress passed the Power Conservation Act of 2016, mandating all thermostats—which were monitored and controlled by the electric company—be kept at 68 degrees, every room on the north side of the house was barely tolerable throughout the entire winter.

Still, it was good getting together with family. Or at least most of the family. Winston missed his mother, who passed on in October, when she had used up her legal allotment of live-saving medical treatment.
He had had many heated conversations with the Regional Health Consortium, spawned when the private insurance market finally went bankrupt, and everyone was forced into the government health care program. And though he demanded she be kept on her treatment, it was a futile effort. “The RHC’s resources are limited,” explained the government bureaucrat Winston spoke with on the phone. “Your mother received all the benefits to which she was entitled. I’m sorry for your loss.”

Ed couldn’t make it either. He had forgotten to plug in his electric car last night, the only kind available after the Anti-Fossil Fuel Bill of 2021 outlawed the use of the combustion engines—for everyone but government officials. The fifty mile round trip was about ten miles too far, and Ed didn’t want to spend a frosty night on the road somewhere between here and there.

Thankfully, Winston’s brother, John, and his wife were flying in.
Winston made sure that the dining room chairs had extra cushions for the occasion. No one complained more than John about the pain of sitting down so soon after the government-mandated cavity searches at airports, which severely aggravated his hemorrhoids. Ever since a terrorist successfully smuggled a cavity bomb onto a jetliner, the TSA told Americans the added “inconvenience” was an “absolute necessity” in order to stay “one step ahead of the terrorists.” Winston’s own body had grown accustomed to such probing ever since the government expanded their scope to just about anywhere a crowd gathered, via Anti-Profiling Act of 2022. That law made it a crime to single out any group or individual for “unequal scrutiny,” even when probable cause was involved. Thus, cavity searches at malls, train stations, bus depots, etc., etc., had become almost routine. Almost.

The Supreme Court is reviewing the statute, but most Americans expect a Court composed of six progressives and three conservatives to leave the law intact. “A living Constitution is extremely flexible,” said the Court’s eldest member, Elena Kagan. “Europe has had laws like this one for years. We should learn from their example,” she added.

Winston’s thoughts turned to his own children. He got along fairly well with his 12-year-old daughter, Brittany, mostly because she ignored him. Winston had long ago surrendered to the idea that she could text anyone at any time, even during Atonement Dinner. Their only real confrontation had occurred when he limited her to 50,000 texts a month, explaining that was all he could afford. She whined for a week, but got over it.

His 16-year-old son, Jason, was another matter altogether.. Perhaps it was the constant bombarding he got in public school that global warming, the bird flu, terrorism or any of a number of other calamities were “just around the corner,” but Jason had developed a kind of nihilistic attitude that ranged between simmering surliness and outright hostility. It didn’t help that Jason had reported his father to the police for smoking a cigarette in the house, an act made criminal by the Smoking Control Statute of 2018, which outlawed smoking anywhere within 500 feet of another human being. Winston paid the $5000 fine, which might have been considered excessive before the American dollar became virtually worthless as a result of QE13. The latest round of quantitative easing the federal government initiated was, once again, to “spur economic growth.” This time they promised to push unemployment below its years-long rate of 18%, but Winston was not particularly hopeful.

Yet the family had a lot for which to be thankful, Winston thought, before remembering it was a Day of Atonement. At least he had his memories. He felt a twinge of sadness when he realized his children would never know what life was like in the Good Old Days, long before government promises to make life “fair for everyone” realized their full potential. Winston, like so many of his fellow Americans, never realized how much things could change when they didn’t happen all at once, but little by little, so people could get used to them.

He wondered what might have happened if the public had stood up while there was still time, maybe back around 2010, when all the real nonsense began. “Maybe we wouldn’t be where we are today if we’d just said ‘enough is enough’ when we had the chance,” he thought.

Maybe so, Winston. Maybe so.

Thoughts about Southwestern Kansas

2010-05-02T11:59:00.006-04:00

Garden City, Kansas

Garden City Regional Airport AKA: Garden City Army Airfield

In 2004 we took a little ride on our motorcycles that ended up in Colorado Springs, CO. This would become the first of many summer vacations spent with close friends traveling throughout this great nation. With two wheels on the ground and the wind in our faces we have been to some fantastic places. I point out the 2004 trip not only since it was the first but also because it is the one we always say it was a great ride with the exception of Kansas. The trip report on this adventure can be seen on Stan's world-famous eurekaboy website here. I specifically point this out because in the 104 degree heat on US 50 we refueled in Garden City, KS. I remember a lot of the scenery through that part of Kansas as being black and white and being quite akin to what I imagine the Great Depression looking like.

In 2009 I had the chance to return to Garden City for business. I was on the ground in Garden City for 3 days. I had a great time in G.C. and the event I held was very successful. I met some good people. As I write this I am sitting in the Denver International Airport waiting on my flight back to Indiana after spending another two days in Garden City. Once again another fun and successful event in Garden City.

So I guess this a retraction and apology of my prior view of the area. I flew into Garden City this year on Great Lakes Airlines same as last year. When I got on the ground the police officer I spoke with last year recognized me immediately and greeted me by first name. WOW! The Kansas sky was as blue as any I have ever seen and the grass and fields were vividly green. I arrived in and was greeted by the Janice Olson and the staff of Nature's Way Health Foods like a member of the family returning home. We talked about what are respective families were doing and the overall general state of things.

Nature's Way Health Foods

On Saturday, 1 May we held the event at Janice's store. Although the event was supposed to start at 1 pm I went ahead over the the store and got an early start. Janice and her staff had already done most of the prep work I normally do prior to an event because they felt they had all week to get things set up and ready to roll out, whereas they thought that I would be all jet-lagged. What a crew! Storm Dennison showed up at around noon and we got on the radio with K95 for a few hours. I planned on going to the Crazy House to buy a genuine Kansas cowboy hat but as we talked on the radio I found out that Gallagher was in Dodge City that night. After we got off the air Storm gave me a ticket to the show, so I knew that the cowboy hat was out the window. As the event progressed it became apparent that this year's event was going to be better than last year's. One thing that really made an impression on me was the number of people who came into the store because of event we held there. But the largest impression that was made upon me was the number of people that came in and said, "Hi John". They remembered me from last year! These people are amazing!

Storm Dennison and I polluting Kansas airwaves!

So after spending the day at the store and closing an hour late, it was off to Dodge City to see Gallagher. While I was hanging around trying to figure out how to steal Storm's cowboy hat I sensed someone right behind me. I glanced over my shoulder out of habit (and old habits do die hard!) to see who was there. No problem, just a short guy in a black and white striped shirt. What! Turn around stupid! That's Gallagher! I managed to get a few minutes to talk with him and even get a picture! The show was spectacular! At 63 years old he is just as hilarious and limber as always. His videos are classics but in person he is PHENOMENAL! A 45 mile drive back to Garden City and a trip to Taco Bell for some long overdue food and it was time to pack up and get some sleep before flying home in the morning.

A comedy legend! Oh and Gallagher.

I arrived at the Garden City Regional Airport to fly to Denver early. I cannot help but notice that the airport is a thriving entity here with Great Lakes flying in and out, a healthy general aviation crowd, and several aviation-related businesses. They even have an on-site Italian restaurant! Hmmmm...Why can't Bedford, Indiana think this far past their noses?? Always a question have I. I think the Gallagher show took hold of me last night, I am questioning everything this morning.

My favorite way to fly. The Beech 1900 D

So, as I am waiting for the airport to wake up, I decide to read the local paper. Hmmm again, what's this, the local high school's broadcasting classes took 42 of 73 awards at the state level in competition. The Sheriff of Lane County is retiring after 35 years, the city council is looking at renovating and revitalizing another historic area? What no gossip or speculation? No outright character assassinations?? What kind of newspaper is this? Fair Reporting of the news? Man, what a concept! HMMMMMM... should our local newspaper take a clue?

Okay, so it is almost time to fly. TSA and the local PD have arrived. TSA greets all 8 of us going to Denver with a bright and chipper, "Good Morning folks, we'll start checking everyone through here in a few minutes." as opposed to, "line forms to the right, have your boarding pass and photo ID ready. :(".

Garden City from the air.

Well I am back home now and have time to finish this up. It is amazing how my opinion has changed about Kansas. The people there are solid, respectable folks and I have no doubt that if the lights went out tomorrow and all of the technology that we have came to depend upon fails these are the people that have the ability to survive. These are the folks that are truly the backbone of America and I am glad to have been able to spend some time with them.

Dissing the Fair City of Arcadia, Florida

2010-01-26T17:36:00.007-05:00

I am currently in Florida on business and today was one of those long drive days. i had to go from Tampa to Boca Raton. Basically all of the way across the state of Florida. I let Matilda, my Garmin Nuvi 660, GPS decide what route to take. She generally does a great job of getting me there in one piece. She decided that I should travel on FL70 which is 2 lane blacktop. Sounded like a good idea to me so off we go. it is nice to have a change from the interstate every so often so this was a nice change. The route was an interesting overview of central Florida from the west side of the state to the east. The route was reasonably straight, had decent road surfaces (I will omit the one road construction incident), and was fairly scenic. I noted quite a significant amount of cattle ranches, sod farms, and ,of course, the ever-present orange groves. It was a nice drive, albeit a long one, until I came to the fair city of Arcadia. As I approached the town I saw something that instantly piqued my interest from a distance, I could see an aircraft on static display just up the road. I knew I was really close to having an out-of-car experience. As I got closer though, anticipation turned rapidly to disdain. There in front of me was a Lockheed T-33 on a cradle. I could not believe the decrepitated condition of this once-glorious aircraft. This is the airplane that helped usher in the jet-age. With a service record that was second to none, this aircraft is one of my all-time favorite military aircraft. Yet here this marvelous aircraft sits rotting away, canopy completely gone, with holes in its skin. Not a very fitting tribute to this machine, nor a very patriotic display either. So to the City of Arcadia, Florida please either remove this aircraft from the shameful post you have it in or have some pride in your country and respect for the men and machines that served (and those that serve presently) and restore this aircraft so that all can be reminded of what a great country we live in and the sacrifices that have been made and will continue to be made to keep her free! I have posted some pics below so that you can see the shameful way in which this aircraft is displayed.

Here is a shot of the tail number. From what I can tell from the limited records I could find quickly, this aircraft was given to the City of Arcadia, FL on 7 Aug 1963 and is a 1952-purchased T-33A CN580-7921. I will do some more searching and see where this aircraft was prior to its "death sentence" in Florida.
As a sidebar comment if you are wondering how to read these older tail numbers and buzz numbers here is the quick and dirty tutorial:
The tail number actually breaks down like this: The first digit in the number is the fiscal year in which the plane was purchased and the next four are the last four of the A/C's serial number.
The "buzz" number has two letters to designate the purpose of the A/C, in this case TR=Trainer and the next three numerical digits are the last three of the serial number..
Not done this way anymore, but if you see older USAF planes out there you can now impress your friends with some quick history of the A/C..

Okay Stan, I hear your Complaint!

2009-12-28T15:36:00.005-05:00

So once again Stan reminds me that it has been almost 2 years since I last posted on my blog, so i will make a grand attempt at updating it more often.. (yeah right).

Okay, So let's catch everyone up on what is going on.

First off, I now work for Better Nutrition Magazine as the Director of Retail Sales and Custom Publications. It is a great job and keeps me hopping all the time. I get to work from my home office and travel around the country and meet some really great people when we do our annual Re-Do You and Summer Nutrition tours. I am also the tour director for these events! Here is a picture of the Harley Ultra Classic that a woman I met on the flight from Denver to Garden City, KS brought to the tour event and let me ride in May of 2009.

Shayne and his wife Oleta and family are now residing in Bedford after Shayne was disabled in and IED incident in Iraq. Shayne is medically retired from the Army and we are working to solve some physical problems as well as some PTSD issues. We have bought him a small house in Bedford and have been working to remodel it. they actually just got moved in right before the holidays!

Now that we have the minor issues taken care of we move to the motorcycle front! We took a trip to the Blue Ridge Parkway back in 2008 and I experienced a glitch with my Yamaha Tour Classic so i ended up at Freedom Motorsports in Princeton, WVA and ended up riding off on a 2008 Yamaha Royal Star Venture.

It is a great bike and more can be read about it here. (no since repeating work that Stan has done an excellent job of reporting on already!)

We also rode off into South Dakota in 2009 and had an excellent time after the cold and the rain stopped. once again I defer to Stan's website for the complete report on that trip. Not only is Stan the designated Road Captain but he is also the Official Scribe of our new Riding Club- "The East 50 Phelons" (yes it is pronounced Felons but it is actually an acronym for Perfectly Happy Ex-Law enforcement Officers Navigating Somewhere). I do not think we will actually make the FBI's VGTOF. I will blog more on this on later. Who knows maybe we will find some more members!

I am currently in phase 2 of my ManCave project. Right now the ManCave has all of the conveniences one would need; Liquor Cabinet, Poker Table, 57 inch TV with Playstation and Wii, and surround sound, but we can do better than that so I am installing a projector and removing the TV. I will publish more as we go along. Everything is ordered so it should be just a matter of a few days.

New Arrivals!!!!!!!!!!!!! Welcome Miley and Leland

2007-11-30T20:55:00.000-05:00

Well our family and extended family has got lots to brag about now. Our second granddaughter was born on the 28th of November. Johnny and Savannah are the proud parents of a brand new 2007 model baby girl. Miley Elizabeth weighed 7 pounds 1 ounce and was 20 inches long. As grandparents we were there to check and make sure all of the features and parts arrived intact. I am proud to say they did! It always amazes me at how small newborns actually are and try to remember all of our kids when they were that small, which I cannot. Birth, yes. Size, no. anyway here are a couple of pics of the grand new arrival.

As you can see everyone seems to be happy with the outcome and in the true spirit of grandparents, we can now spoil them and then send them home!!!! Ashton cannt wait to get home for the holidays to see her new niece.

Also our good friends, extended family members, motorcycle riding buddies, and all-around good guys had their first grandson as well a few days earlier on November 24th Mike and Lisa received a special package named Leland. Leland was, according to the proud grandparents 6 pounds 3 ounces and 18.5 inches long. Here are a couple of pictures of the soon to be spoiled grandchild with the newly annointed grandparents:

You can tell from the pics that neither is very happy at all!!!! It was fun talking to Mike on the phone last night grandpa to grandpa....... Just remember Mike I have seniority. I mean I do have five. Alexis,Tallin, Aiden,Brayden, and now Miley you need to catch up! HEHEHE!

Well that is the news for now and I will endeavor to keep the posts coming at a bit more reasonable and timely rate.

New Post- Stan can stop with the incessant nagging

2007-11-30T20:27:00.000-05:00

Ok, so I have not posted in quite awhile now and for that I apologize. Learning all the ropes at AT&T has been quite challenging yet fun. I am finally kinda settled into the new job and it is a lot more fun and less stressful than the previous life. I have also been working at the airport helping do annual inspections on a couple of aircraft. I have been doing that in the evenings, so it has cut into my blogging time. I still have one airplane left to do and am hoping that it will get back together over the weekend. AT&T is in Christmas hours now so that will also take a bit of time but I will try to post something on here more frequently than I was so my blog does not send me emails telling me how I have forgotten it and do not love it anymore. LOL!

Anyway here is a couple of pics of the Mooney Steve and I performed an annual on in its stages of disassembly:

The Mooney, a 1978 M201 is back together and flying around again. It was a straightforward project.
The other aircraft a 1973 Cessna P337 Skymaster is a lot more complicated aircraft and has posed several challenging tasks. Here are some pics of it:

So I guess that is it on the work front I am saving the important entry for next so it pops up on the top of the page!

Update on the NEW Job

2007-10-11T20:00:00.000-04:00

Well as you may have noted I have not been posting as often as I was. This is partially because I am in my training phase and have been looking at a computer screen for 6 hours a day. I did luck out though and do not have to go to Detroit on the weekends. I do however, have to go to Indianapolis every Friday for face to face training. I will try to put something up on Saturdays and Sundays for the next couple of weeks. More as it becomes available.

PS: Thanks Stan for the warning on the freudian slippage! ;)

Shayne and Oleta's Special Day

2007-10-07T21:46:00.000-04:00

Yesterday Shayne took the big plunge and got married to his fiancee', Oleta Nienhaus. They were married on post at Fort Hood. Ashton made the trip from Ellsworth AFB, S.D. to be present. Yet another happy addition to our ever-expanding family, a new daughter-in-law and a new grandson. There is a rumor that there may be another one on the way!
Ashton sent me some pictures while she was waiting on her flight from Denver home, so I thought I should post them quickly so that everyone can see.

Here is a picture of the lovely bride, Oleta.

Of course the traditional cake-cutting picture.

Ladies and Gentlemen: Mr. and Mrs. Shayne T. Horsting. (and neither looks shell-shocked! LOL)

And of course, Tallin. The wedding could not be complete without him!

Another one of Tallin and Ashton. I just received a call from Ashton and as of 10:11 p.m. she is in South Dakota and tired.

Congratulations Shayne and Oleta, you are at the beginning of a wonderful journey we are sure. It still amazes me at how fast all of the kids have grown up.

DIY Vehicle Laptop Mount

2007-10-07T01:00:00.001-04:00

I have installed several commercial mounts in vehicles and one day stumbled across this particular mount on Ebay. After I saw it I thought, "I cannot believe the price they want for this!" So off I set to the King of Hardware- Menard's and started buying materials. The finished mount is shown here on the left.

The pics posted will pretty much tell the tale of building the mount and I plan on installing it tomorrow in my van. Anyway, the cost of this Redneck Mounting device is about $17.00. You will even notice the "quick disconnect at the base for easy removal.

Above: The parts needed.
2- 1/2 inch galv. pipe flanges
1- 1/2 inch galv pipe union (aka quick disconnect)
1- 1/2 inch by 1" galv pipe nipple
1- 1/2 inch by 4" galv. pipe nipple
1- 1/2 inch by 6" galv. pipe nipple
1- 1/2 inch by 10" galv. pipe nipple
2- 1/2 inch 45 degree couplings
1 roll 1.5" flexible split-back pipe conduit
1 piece wire shelving 12" depth ( i cut mine to 13" in length to accommodate my laptop)
4- heavy duty zip ties ( to secure the shelf to the upper flange.)

Here is how the top flange mounts to the top. Heavy wire ties are very secure and do allow for a bit of adjustment forward and back. The adjustment is stiff but that is good because we would not want to launch our laptop.

Here is a picture of how everything threads together. Pretty simple so no explanation is needed. Note the union at the bottom. This allows the stand to be swiveled or disconnected from the car very easily and is a very sturdy connector complete with a rubber bushing.

Viola! The finished product. All that is left is to add the Velcro belt to secure the machine to the top. Note the lip on the bottom of the shelf. I used the wire shelf because it is light, sturdy, and should let the laptop remain cool.
Tomorrow I plan on installing it and will post pics of the finished product to this entry.

New Job

2007-10-05T20:08:00.001-04:00

I am going to be busy the next few weeks as I have taken a new job with AT&T. I will be working with AT&T Mobility (Cingular) and will be undergoing training. as I understand it I will be flying to Detroit Michigan for a couple of days each week to do some classroom training and will be at the local store the remainder of the time doing computer training. I am looking forward to working with AT&T as I will get to play with all of the latest technology in wireless communication. So if the blogging gets slow it is probably because I am traveling or tired of looking at a computer screen. I have not lost interest. Tomorrow I hope to post a piece on a homemade vehicle laptop mount I am concocting. I have the supplies and plan on fabricating it tomorrow. I will post pics in case anyone would like to copy it.

Brian Smoot CD "Reality" Now Available

2007-10-03T13:29:00.000-04:00

I meant to mention this much earlier but I forgot. Brian Smoot a friend of mine and Debby's has finally got his CD out and available. Brian has been working diligently on this project for a couple of years now. Brian, his dad, and his cousin Levi are very special friends of the family and helped us immensely with the Amanda Hut.

Brian has a wonderful voice and wrote the songs he sings. Brian has a dream to go professional with this project and I believe he just might. We hope he does anyway so that he can shut his pay-per-porn website down...(JOKE!) Anyway Brian is a stellar young man and we believe he go far with this endeavor. You can learn more about Brian and his music from his Myspace site by clicking on the banner below.

Brian also advises you can purchase his CD directly from him without a credit card by simply mailing him a check or money order for $12.99 to:

Brian Smoot

ATTN: CD Sales

723 St Rd 58 East

Bedford,In. 47421

Anyway, it is the least I can do for Brian to plug him here on my blog. He is a wonderful friend and always has a positive outlook even when things are looking pretty bleak.

Brian falls into that category of good friends. Now if he just had a motorcycle.....

Debby's Genealogy Project Online! (finally)

2007-10-03T12:22:00.000-04:00

Well after (groan) weeks of attempting to upload files to the Family Tree Maker site we were finally successful today. After several server failures at FMT we got it all uploaded. Debby would like to remind everyone that this is the beginning and there are a couple of glitches that need fixed. She has been researching this project for about five years now and has been painstakingly confirming all of her information through public record. All of her documentation and facts are confirmed though and she has file boxes full of records as well as a hard drive full of photos. Anyway she has been chomping at the bit (me as well) to get this information published on the internet. She still has a ton of info to enter so this will be changing constantly.

You can view our Family tree here.

In other news,no post last night because we went to Indiana University Medical Center for a memorial service for Amanda and all of the other patients that passed away in the last six months at IUMC. It was a good service and we got home late. I was a bit tired and weary and not much in the mood to play on the computer.

Military and Public Safety Parents and Damned Proud Of It !

2007-10-01T18:06:00.000-04:00

Having two kids serving our country is both a matter of great pride and also of great worry and stress.

Shayne our oldest son is serving in the United States Army with the Third Armored Cavalry Regiment. He is currently stationed at Fort Hood, Texas and is getting ready to deployed to Iraq for the second time. We are very very proud of Shayne and all of the soldiers that serve with him. When he is deployed though, life around here becomes very stressful worrying if he is alright and staying safe. It is amazing when I talk to Shayne on the phone. It seems that it was not very long ago that he was a kid playing little league and getting into trouble with his fast driving. Now when I talk to him I hear the voice of a brave young man, tactically-smart and battle-savvy. Here is a video tribute to the men of of the 3dACR I found on YouTube it says more than I can write.

And here is one that has music Shayne would probably like more:

Our daughter Ashton is currently serving in the United States Air Force with the 28th Medical Group. She is stationed at Ellsworth AFB in South Dakota. I got to take Ashton to Ellsworth a few weeks ago. I had a lot of fun driving out there with her and seeing the sights. Ashton is currently a Medic, but has her sights planned on finishing her degree in nursing. Ashton always has had a plan. Once again I will let a video do the talking. I bet FedEx only wishes they could deliver the goods like these guys! ;)

Our son Johnny works as a Correctional Officer at the Lawrence County Sheriff's Department. There is a lot to be said about this job when you consider that when you go to work you are always locked in with the bad guys and greatly outnumbered. It is a job that is almost always underrated as well as underpaid. It takes a special kind of person to be able to cope with the stress this type of job generates.

So yeah, we are proud of these kids. We are also proud of all of the other children who are serving their country be it in the military or the public service sector. Everyone is someone's child. Anyone's child who can take one of these type jobs is a special child indeed and worthy of mine and your respect. So I guess my message is this; If you are one of those people who like to run our troops and police down and think you could do a better job, stop and think for a minute. If you could do the job better, why aren't you doing it? And if you like to loudly voice your opinion of how bad things are and how our troops and police are all vicious, cruel, and heartless, do not be offended if someone introduces your face to their fist or worse. You may have angered a proud parent.

I am not going to become a constant video-poster but maybe this gentleman can explain why we are doing what we are in Iraq.

Tracking down lost cemeteries

2007-09-28T23:32:00.000-04:00

Over the course of the past few weeks Debby and I have been visiting old cemeteries and photographing headstones for Debby's genealogy project. Some of the cemeteries we have been looking for are old and long-forgotten. The locations are either not on the county maps or are put in the wrong position. Quite a few of the cemeteries end up being located in the Hoosier National Forest or in wooded areas on private property.

Locating these became quite an issue as you can probably imagine. Debby did find a website that had some of the cemeteries in question listed along with latitude and longitude. This proved to be a blessing in locating them. I downloaded a copy of Google Earth and went to work. I found that some of the Coordinates were slightly off but they got me to the area in question. It amazed me at how the headstones popped right out at me in the pictures. I had to maintain a pretty high altitude to keep the picture in focus, but it was impressive at how the cemetery showed up on the aerial map.

The next thing I did was convert the coordinates to GPS format and make way points for each location on my GPS. The GPS basically took us right to the location of each cemetery. Once we got to each cemetery I rechecked the Latitude and Longitude of it and made notes so that I could come home and remark them on Google Earth. Modern technology is a wonderful thing. While I was doing that, Debby would be searching for the stones and photographing them.

A lot of people will do a rubbing on the headstone if it is worn to make out names, dates, and etc. but Debby has a little trick that she uses that has made photographing worn stones possible. The process is relatively simple, takes little time, and does not harm the stone in any way other than possibly removing the lichen that so often builds up on our native limestone headstones. The trick involves shaving cream, a 4 inch drywall knife (putty knife), and a towel. You spray some shaving cream onto the monument and then take the putty knife and smooth the cream into the depressions where the carving is. You will see the letters and numbers, as well as any ornate carving, pop out at you. Take the towel and gently wipe the excess shaving cream off. The end result is all of the embellishments on the stone stand right out at you and make a highly photograph-able monument. One thing to remember is to take either some water and an extra towel along or some baby wipes for your hands because this can get a bit messy. You do not have to do anything else after photographing the stone since the shaving cream will just fade away.

Anyway, Today's topic was going to announce the publishing of the fruits of Debby's labors on the Family Tree Maker website but we ran into a glitch with their server and could not get it uploaded. Hence, today's blog comes quite late. A soon as we get it up, running, and accessible I will post the address on here. Debby and I have spent several quality hours together discovering old cemeteries in Lawrence, Jackson, Monroe, Daviess, and Brown counties. We have driven several miles and hiked quite a few in the woods as well. It has been fun discovering family history and documenting the locations of our predecessors.

Motorcycle Therapy and Friends

2007-09-27T11:14:00.000-04:00

I have owned a few motorcycles and I think that everyone should have one. Well, OK let me take that back. I do know a few people that are dangerous enough just driving a car let alone add balancing something on two wheels into the equation. Anyway among the motorcycles I have owned includes a 1985 Honda V30 Magna, a 1980 Honda CX 500, a 1978 Honda GL1000 Goldwing, and my current ride, a 1996 Yamaha XVZ13 Royal Star Tour Classic, which is pictured at the top of this page.

The Honda Goldwing was fully Vetter-equipped and a grand touring bike for a bike of its age. I added a nice touring saddle, driver's backrest, passenger armrests, floorboards, heel-toe shifter, driving lights, electronic ignition, and upgraded the carbs. The bike was made for the open road.

In 2004 Debby, my daughter Ashton, my buddy Stan, and I decided it was time for a road trip. We had been talking for what seemed like ever about doing this. So, we loaded up our stuff and took off westbound on US 50 towards Colorado. US 50 proved to be a challenging road and having never undertaken such a long trip we learned a lot about motorcycling long distances. Even though there are still complaints about why the state of Kansas even exists, the memories are good.

2005 brought the big Yamaha into the picture. It is an infinitely more comfortable bike to ride than the 'Wing. Using lessons learned from the Colorado trip I started looking at building a trailer to transport our luggage in. After looking at several options I decided to build my own using a car top carrier and a small trailer frame I bought at Menard's (my favorite place in the universe). The trailer was built and its maiden voyage was to Asheville, NC. This time our group was accompanied by my brother Mike and his wife Shannon and my cousin Kyle. We packed eight people's luggage in my small trailer. A real testament to Debby's organizational skills! It was a wonderful trip and enjoyed by all.

2006 was a shorter trip due to Amanda's illness. This time the trip was only four days in Bardstown,KY and surrounding areas. the trip had to be kept close in case we need to get back home. Stan rode solo but we were joined by Mike and Lisa Kurdziolek on their new Honda VTX 1300 Shadow. Stan also upgraded to a gargantuan Kawasaki Nomad for this trip. This trip was very relaxing and laid back.

2007 took Stan, Mike, Lisa, Debby, and I back to Asheville, NC for a week of exploring. We stayed outside of Asheville in a small place called Saluda. The log home we rented was like a paradise. The week was very pleasurable and was made better by the fact that such great friends were present. We rode some great motorcycle roads such as the Blue Ridge Parkway, Cherohala Skyway, and the legendary US129 (the Tail of the Dragon).
After returning from Asheville we decided a weekend trip might be in order- Just Because. Ashton rejoined the group as Stan's partner since she was home on leave. We loaded up on Friday night and headed to Frankfort,KY for the weekend. A no-schedule trip, just play it by ear when we got there affair. Once again a nice ride with close friends.

I am not detailing the rides too much here because Stan, official scribe if the tribe, has done an excellent job of posting all of the details on his website. I will provide links to his narrative and pics below:

Colorado 2004: http://shadow.eurekaboy.com/colorado2004/coloradobiketrip.htm

Asheville 2005: http://shadow.eurekaboy.com/asheville2005/asheville2005biketrip.htm

Bardstown 2006: http://nomad.eurekaboy.com/kentucky2006/

Asheville 2007: http://nomad.eurekaboy.com/asheville2007/asheville2007.htm

Frankfort 2007: http://nomad.eurekaboy.com/frankfort2007/frankfort2007.htm

Our trips are always fun and relaxing because we are out in the open with the wind in our face, being free and relaxed, and not constrained by time. Getting there is half of the fun! The best part of these outings is the fact that everyone is a lifelong friend and enjoying each other's company. We always get together and have a blast planning next year's ride(s). We have a couple of big ones planned for 2008 and 2009 so I am sure there will be lots of interesting stories and adventures to tell of.

Maybe the medical profession with all of its various specialities should take a look at the motorcycle as a valid therapeutic treatment. It obviously should be called Motorcycletherapy. If that ever happens and there is such a thing as a Motorcycletherapist, sign me up!

A tribute to Amanda

2007-09-26T12:32:00.001-04:00

Debby and I have seven kids. Shayne, Amanda, Johnny, Ashton, Dennis, Logan, and Kyle. Whew! Although most people's initial reaction is "Oh my God! How do you stand it?", life has been an adventure, a good one at that. Having all of these kids I have found out that each one has a different and unique personality. In general we are blessed to have so many different characters running around. They are all great kids.

Amanda was the oldest girl. Amanda was one of life's free spirits and a very creative thinker. One Thanksgiving Day 2005 her husband brought her to our house and told us that she was ill and they could not figure out exactly what was wrong. My wife and I took her to the Emergency Room and lab tests showed an abnormality. By the end of the weekend we were at Indiana University Medical Center in Indianapolis. The diagnosis was Myelodysplasia, a form of leukemia. A bone marrow transplant was the treatment of choice to solve the problem. Amanda's transplant physician was Dr. Robert Nelson. Dr. Nelson has to be one of the most compassionate and caring physicians God ever put on this earth. Amanda and Dr. Nelson had a very special relationship. Despite the bone marrow transplant and receiving arguably the best care in the world at IUMC, Amanda slipped from us on April 26th 2007.

Throughout the entire treatment process Amanda remained strong and very positive. Even when her mother and I both knew she was terribly ill or hurting, if someone would ask her how she was doing she would use her best chipper-sounding voice and reply, "Oh, I am OK." Amanda underwent some treatments that I question myself if I could do. Oh, and she did it with a smile. Despite her diminutive size (5' 1"/100lbs) she proved to be a Giant. I have dealt with some rather large foreboding people throughout my life and Amanda proved herself to be bigger, badder, and tougher than all of them put together. As far as I am concerned her courage and bravery will remain unequaled. Amanda was just 21 years old.

The loss of a child is a completely heartbreaking experience and the most tragic event of a parent's life.When my father passed away I saw a look on my Grandmother's face that I could not describe. It was a terrible lost and hollow look. I saw the same look on some friends of ours when they lost a child. I now know what is behind that look. I know how it feels. Time stops, the world is crashing down on you and there is nothing that can comfort you.

Amanda did give us a small gift, specifically her mother, that final Thursday night at IU Medical Center. A gift that I and hopefully everyone present in that room will remember. When the oxygen mask was removed from her face the last words she said were to her mom. She stated in her most pleasant voice, "Mom, don't fight it." Amanda left us just a few minutes later with dignity and grace. Her words that night still loom in my head. The words were meant to comfort her mother who had been doing double-duty as Nurse at home and Nurse as a profession. That night her mother was there at her side just being mom. The words comfort me because I know Amanda had fought a long hard battle . I knew she was exhausted and I knew she was ready for peace. I accepted the fact that the battle was over when I heard those words. I will not ever accept the fact that Amanda is gone.

So little Miss Moo-Moo you may be gone but your memories live on. You taught me and everyone around you how to fight the best possible fight, what dignity and grace are, and that size is not an issue if you have determination. You are in the truest sense of the word, a warrior. I will always miss you and be grateful for the lesson you taught me. Rest in Peace Amanda, you fought the good fight.

Welcome to my new page!

2007-09-25T18:35:00.000-04:00

Greetings from Bedford, Indiana. I am preparing this page to relay and express ideas and happenings that I feel are noteworthy. I will be adding more as time goes on and I get better at this.

Some of the things that I will discuss experiences on are:

Motorcycle trips

Motorcycle accessories and DIY projects that are easy to do.

Home Improvement Projects

Good Friends

Genealogy and locating lost relatives and cemeteries. (Debby's pet project)

The loss of a child.

And more rambling thoughts to come later...

In the meantime, Check back often and see what I have posted. Feel free to comment or request.