ThatsRacin.com | 10/24/2006 | Rookie David Ragan fails to get clearance needed to drive for Roush at Atlanta

ThatsRacin.com | 10/24/2006 | Rookie David Ragan fails to get clearance needed to drive for Roush at Atlanta:

"Rookie David Ragan, who is supposed to drive Roush Racing's No. 6 Ford in the Nextel Cup Series next season, has not received clearance to compete on NASCAR tracks more than 1-mile in length, NASCAR officials confirmed Tuesday.

'David Ragan's status has not changed. He is currently approved on NASCAR tracks 1-mile in length or less,' said NASCAR spokesman Kerry Tharp."

And all the NASCAR drivers said AMEN! That driver is an accident waiting to happen. You do not race a top 10 car like he did when he was 3 laps down. Tony Steward says he is a dart with no feathers. I do not know what Jack Rouch sees in that driver. Let us hope that he is gone soon. Oh the other hand the sponsor for his car may like the publicity. He is to drive the AAA car next year.

Ruben's Tube

Ruben's Tube

Momma always told me rock music was bad for you and not to play with fire. Here is a site that shows you what happens when you combine them both.

Speed Channel suspends analyst for on-air remarks about Hispanics - NASCAR - Yahoo! Sports

Speed Channel suspends analyst for on-air remarks about Hispanics - NASCAR - Yahoo! Sports:

"A pit reporter for Speed Channel's broadcasts of NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races has been suspended for this weekend's race at Martinsville after making on-air comments the network felt were racially insensitive.

'Ray Dunlap has been suspended for one race for making comments on-air that the company found inappropriate,' Speed vice president for media relations Erik Arneson said Thursday."

You know I watch the show regularly (ma and about 6 other people I am sure) and I watched the show in question. I wished I had taped it. I know that I am not Hispanic but I cannot for the life of me remember anything that anyone would take offense to other that he stated the obvious. I remember the most offensive thing that he said was that the only way you could get x% of the people at some track to be Hispanic was if you counted up all the workers at the track.
Let's face it. NASCAR is a rich man's sport if you go to the track. While they may have a 10% Hispanic fan base on TV, I am sure that there are not 10% fans at the track that are Hispanic.
Political correctness has run amok!
I am sure that the reason that he did not get a bigger suspension was not many people watch it and it was not his normal duties to be a guest on this show.

Government skeptical of threat against NFL stadiums - USATODAY.com

Government skeptical of threat against NFL stadiums - USATODAY.com:

"The Homeland Security Department alerted authorities and stadium owners in those cities, as well as the NFL, of the Web message but said the threat was being viewed 'with strong skepticism.' Homeland Security spokesman Russ Knocke said there was no intelligence that indicated such an attack was imminent, and that the alert was 'out of an abundance of caution.'

'The department strongly encourages the public to continue to go about their plans, including attending events that involve large public gatherings such as football games,' Knocke said."

On the other hand, should this occurrence actually have happened, they can always say "I told you and you did not listen!"

Either it is a threat or it is not. Take it seriously or leave it alone. I do not need the extra anxiety of thinking it will happen. Of course, I can not afford to go to these sporting events anyway.

Windows virus worms onto some Apple iPods | Tech News on ZDNet

Windows virus worms onto some Apple iPods Tech News on ZDNet:

"'As you might imagine, we are upset at Windows for not being more hardy against
such viruses, and even more upset with ourselves for not catching it,' Apple
said on its site. "

Like the old expression.. do you still beat your wife. Love the appology. Do not blame yourself for spreading a virus, blame the other guy.....

Earnhardt Jr. says no apology needed

Earnhardt Jr. says no apology needed:

"Dale Earnhardt Jr. says he's owed no apologies by Brian Vickers following their last-lap crash at Talladega Superspeedway last Sunday."

While Vickers has nothing to apologies about, Dale Jr.'s fans have a lot to apologies about. I do not care if you hate the person who wins, bottle throwing is never appropriate. Too much of a chance some one innocent can get hurt.

BBC NEWS | Technology | Geekspeak still baffles web users

BBC NEWS | Technology | Geekspeak still baffles web users:

"According to research from Nielsen/NetRatings, people are buying cutting-edge technology but often don't understand the terms that describe what their device actually does.

So while 40% of online Britons receive news feeds, 67% did not know that the official term for this service was Really Simple Syndication."

As a part time instructor in computer technology I have found that this is so true. Many of my students are familiar with what I teach but do not know the technical name for it. Of course another interesting thing is that many have heard the terms but do not know what they are. When I introduced Blogs in my class this semester, many had heard the term but did not know what it was. Seems the door goes both ways on this one.

Smiley Face: How an in-house campaign became a global icon | csmonitor.com

Smiley Face: How an in-house campaign became a global icon | csmonitor.com:

"When Harvey Ball took a black felt-tip pen to a piece of yellow paper in 1963, he never could have realized that he was drafting the face that would launch 50 million buttons and an eventual war over copyright."

I never knew that the Smiley was from my home state (or any other of its history). Back in 71 I used to have Smiley everything. Not any more...

Ohio car dealership blasted for jihad ad

Ohio car dealership blasted for jihad ad:

"Several stations rejected the Dennis Mitsubishi spot, which says sales representatives wearing 'burqas' -- head-to-toe traditional dress for Islamic women -- will sell vehicles that can 'comfortably seat 12 jihadists in the back.'

'Our prices are lower than the evildoers' every day. Just ask the pope!' the ad says. 'Friday is fatwa Friday, with free rubber swords for the kiddies.' A fatwa is a religious edict."

I am not one to agree with Muslim folk on very much but I have to say that this is the best example of poor tates that I have seen in a very long time.

News from Gabe

Eltolad in 3D: NCWC is over, Baby's coming soon, and tons of great things going on!
From my sons blog, enjoy his escapades in Indonesia.

Google Image Labs

Welcome to Google Image Labeler, a new feature of Google Image Search that allows you to label random images to help improve the quality of Google's image search results.

Google Image Labeler

Looks like an interesting way to spend some time that you would be doing nothing. You can sign in as guest or as your Google acount name.

No God in Veggie Tales - say it is not so!

Had he known how much he would have to change the show -- including Bob and Larry's tagline, "Remember kids, God made you special and he loves you very much," that concludes each episode -- Vischer said he would not have signed on for the network deal.

CNN.com - God references quashed; 'VeggieTales' creator steamed - Sep 22, 2006

Veggie Tales without a reference to God! This is just totaly insane!!!

CNN.com - Criticism doesn't crash ABC miniseries - Sep 10, 2006

CNN.com - Criticism doesn't crash ABC miniseries - Sep 10, 2006:

"'And if you don't like the hits to the Clinton administration, well, welcome to the club,' Lehman said. 'The Republicans have lived with Michael Moore and Oliver Stone and most of Hollywood as a fact of life.'"

No truer words were ever spoken. Why did ABC bend to pressure when pressure was not put on Michael Moore to change his lies. Sorry, what you sow, you shall reap.

T-Shirts and beliefs

Got this as part of an email from Integrity Music:

Hearts On Our Shirts

On a recent trip to the supermarket, I counted 17 people of all ages wearing T-shirts that proclaimed brand names, ideas, opinions and beliefs. And I wondered what, if anything, those words meant to the people wearing them. I was reminded of Deuteronomy 11:18-21: "So commit yourselves completely to these words of mine. Tie them to your hands as a reminder...Teach them to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are away on a journey, when you are lying down and when you are getting up again. Write them on the doorposts of your house...so that as long as the sky remains above the earth, you and your children may flourish...." Whether we wear it on a T-shirt or not, what a wonderful promise that, as we grow in our knowledge of God's Word, He will cause our lives to flourish and thrive in Him!

I had never really thought that the T-shirt that I wear was part of what Deut 11 was telling the Hebrew people to do. If you are a Christian, does wearing a t-shirt with a bar on it(Eskimo Joes, Planet Hollywood) sound like a good thing to do, or how those that come from Abercrombie and Finch.

To paraphrase a credit card comercial "What's on you shirt?"

Techworld.com - zCodec promises video, delivers nasties

Techworld.com - zCodec promises video, delivers nasties:

"Users looking for the latest and greatest video software may not just be in danger from media lawyers. Security firm Panda Software last week warned that zCodec, which claims to offer 'up to 40 percent better (video) quality,' is in fact an adware program that can install Trojans, rootkits and other malicious software."

If it sounds to good to be true.......

Kill a Smiley

Kill a Smiley

If it only was so simple in real life

CBS to use Bluetooth wireless to market new shows | Tech News on ZDNet

CBS to use Bluetooth wireless to market new shows | Tech News on ZDNet:

"Starting in September, people will be able to download short video clips of five CBS prime-time shows onto their cell phones or PDAs (personal digital assistants) from billboards in New York City's Grand Central Station, according to a Wall Street Journal article published Thursday."

While this is a little scary, it would appear that the people are going to have to request it rather than have it being forced on them. Otherwise we would have a bunch of people just saying receive it so that it will stop asking like the way some viruses spread.
What is it with CBS this year, first eggs, now this???

CNN.com - Morning-after pill to be available without prescription - Aug 24, 2006

CNN.com - Morning-after pill to be available without prescription - Aug 24, 2006:

"The compromise decision is a partial victory for women's advocacy and medical groups that say eliminating sales restrictions could cut in half the nation's 3 million annual unplanned pregnancies. Opponents have argued that wider access could increase promiscuity."

It is a fairly well established fact that the unplanned pregnancy birthrate increased after the pill was introduced. I cannot see how giving a person a chance to take a pill to make it all better will be any different.
Our society is in a 'take a pill' mode. Let's get to the real problem behind the situation, not a quick fix. I have no problem with rape victims using a pill like this, but over the counter is different.

Home Depot for August Project

For August, the Home Depot had a Pencil Box to take to school. We worked real hard on it, hamering, and sanding, maybe even some glue. Mom helped and we have some other pictures up at my picassa site. We had a lot of fun. Next month we make a Bird House.

Judge to lawyers: Play the game - Jun. 7, 2006

Judge to lawyers: Play the game - Jun. 7, 2006:

"NEW YORK (FORTUNE) - Faced with the inability of two bickering attorneys to resolve even the most innocuous scheduling questions without his intervention, a Florida federal judge yesterday ordered the two to meet on the steps of the federal courthouse and resolve their latest quarrel by playing 'one (1) game of 'rock, paper, scissors.' ' (Read the ruling.)"

Looks like my little ones favorite game has hit the big time!