I spent time this morning working on computer projects, like finding an image script I like. Before I knew it it was time to head up to visit my parents and get tickets for tonight’s N.C. State game against Washington.
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It’s been a good day today. I woke up with a freaky dream in my head, which you can read on mindblogging.com if you’re so inclined. The house was way too quiet as Kelly and Hallie are away.

I spent time writing up my dream, then conversing with Lonnie Sharp, an old shipmate I last spoke with fifteen years ago. It was great catching up with him. Glad to hear he’s doing well.

I found time to do some yard seeding before heading off to the Cary Senior Center for a Skywarn class on storm formation. I’ve been to two Skywarn classes before, but this was the first time things really clicked. I now feel confident I can see a thunderstorm and accurately determine if it poses a threat. It was fascinating stuff for a Saturday afternoon.

I shared the class with the Naylors, who invited me to join them at the boat show occuring at the State Fairgrounds. I tagged along with Ralph as we surveyed the merchandise, all of it way too far beyond my financial reach at this point. I hoped to learn some things about boats by going along, however, and that I got. I watched as Ralph and a salesman traded racing stories about sailboats. I found myself jealous of this guy who makes a living by sailing. While I like my job, you’ll never see me grin that big talking about some stupid demo.

The sailboats were in Dorton Arena, and for the first time I really appreciated just how beautiful this building really is. The blue sky was shining through the windows above the red seats, with the arches soaring in front of me. It truly is an architectural work of art. Made me sad that I’ll never see another Icecaps game there.

After that, I stopped home briefly to grab dinner before heading to Beer Club. The turnout was fantastic! Larry was there, in addition to regular club members Jeff and Scott. In addition, two new members were present: Jeff’s wife Suzie and Scott’s wife Dawn. It was nice to have some diversity in the Club meetings for a change. They certainly brought some laughter to the scene!

The Flying Saucer was a great place to meet, if just a bit noisy. Maybe for the next meeting we’ll pick some place a little more conducive to conversations. Of course, the beer will be top priority, as always.

Now its time to hit the sack. Tomorrow promises to be a busy day, with me seeding the rest of the yard, doing other honey-dos, attending the Pack game against Washington that afternoon, and finally packing for my trade show trip to Orlando Monday morning.

Awright, the results are in. Beer Club will be held Saturday night at Flying Saucer. Meeting time is the usual 8 PM. Meeting place will be as near to the pool table as possible.

See you there!

Blame Greg for planting this in my head today. It was the first record I ever owned.
—
LEGEND: spoken on CB Radio in background

Ah, breaker one-nine, this here’s the Rubber Duck. You got a copy on me. Pigpen? C’mon.
Ah, yeah, ten-four, Pigpen, for sure, for sure. By golly, it’s clean clear to Flagtown. C’mon.
Yeah, that’s a big ten-four there, Pigpen. Yeah, we definitely got the front door,
good buddy. Mercy’s sakes alive, looks like we got us a convoy

It was the dark of the moon on the sixth of June
And a Kenworth pullin’ logs
Cab-over Pete with a reefer on
And a Jimmy haulin’ hogs
We’s headin’ for bear on Eye-one-oh
’bout a mile outta Shakeytown
I says “Pigpen, this here’s Rubber Duck”
“And I’m about to put the hammer down”

CHORUS:
‘Cause we got a little ole convoy rockin’ thru the night
Yeah, we got a little ole convoy, ain’t she a beautiful sight?
Come on and join our convoy, ain’t nothin’ gonna get in our way
We gonna roll this truckin’ convoy ‘cross the USA
Convoy

Ah, breaker, Pigpen, this here’s Duck ‘n’ you wanna back off them hogs?
Ah, ten-four
About 5 mile or so
Ten roger
Them hogs is gettin’ INtense up here.

By the time we got into Tulsa-town we had 85 trucks in all
But they’s a roadblock up on the cloverleaf
And them bears ‘s wall-to-wall
Yeah, them smokeys ‘s thick as bugs on a bumper
They even had a bear in the air
I says “Callin’ all trucks, this here’s the Duck”
“We about to go a-huntin’ bear”

CHORUS

Ah, you wanna give me a ten-nine on that, Pigpen? Negatory, Pigpen, you’re still
too close. Yeah, them hogs is startin’ to close up my sinuses. Mercy’s sake, you
better back off another ten

Well, we rolled up Interstate Forty-Four
Like a rocket-sled on rails
We tore up all of our swindle sheets
And left ’em settin’ on the scales
By the time we hit that “Chi-town”
Them bears was a-gettin smart
They brought up some reinforcements
>From the “Illinoise” National Guard

There’s armored cars and tanks and jeeps
‘n’ rigs of ev’ry size
Yeah, them chicken coops was full of bears
And choppers filled the skies
Well, we shot the line, we went for broke
With a thousand screamin’ trucks
And eleven long-haired friends of Jesus
In a chartreuse microbus

Ah, Rubber Duck, this ‘s Sodbuster. C’mon here
Yeah, ten-four, Sodbuster. Listen, ya wanna put that microbus in behind that suicide-jockey?
Yeah, he’s haulin’ dynamite and he needs all the help he can get

Well, we laid a strip for the Jersey Shore
Prepared to cross the line
I could see the bridge was lined with bears
But I didn’t have a doggone dime
I says “Pigpen, this here’s the Rubber Duck”
“We just ain’t a-gonna pay no toll”
So we crashed the gate doin’ ninety-eight
I says “let them truckers roll, ten-four”

CHORUS

Ah, ten-four, Pigpen. What’s your twenty? OMAHA? Well, they oughta know
what to do with them hogs out there, for sure. Well, mercy’s sakes, good buddy,
we gonna back on outta here, so keep your thumbs off your glass and the bears
off your……..tail. We’ll catch you on the flip-flop. This here’s the Rubber Duck on
the side. We gone. ‘bye, ‘bye

—
-Artist:: C. W. McCall as sung on “Country Memories”: MCA MSD2-35429
-peak Billboard position # 1 for 1 week in 1975-76
-Words and Music by C. W. McCall, Bill Fries, and Chip Davis

I found the site for TheBroken.Org last night and was blown away by the concept. The show is about hacking topics, which is interesting to my geek point of view but might not be for general consumption. It’s like 2600 magazine but on television.

What really blew me away was the production quality. It was shot on DV, edited with Adobe Premiere, and distributed through BitTorrent. In 20 minutes, I had downloaded the entire show and was watching it in color and stereo. Amazing!

I am so jazzed by this that I want to do my own show and distribute it the same way (or through Konspire). My brother Jeff whines to me every now and then about wanting to do a show with me. Well, dammit! Let’s do it!

Check out the video at TheBroken.Org and see what you think.
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Yesterday, a new member of the InternetWorkers list showed up and threatened to leave since his political views didn’t seem represented on the list. The list is one of the most anything-goes lists I’ve ever been on, so I know his departure would be premature.

His comment got me thinking. Too often folks from one side of the fence or other (assuming there are just two sides. Work with me here.) will wrap themselves in the endless talk supporting their views. They are the choir, being preached to by whatever commentator espouses their views. Rarely is a dissenting opinion heard or discussed.

Ideas, opinions, and conversations are best when they’re brought out in the open and can be discussed by people with differing views. Never be afraid to have your ideas and opinions challenged. That kind of dialog makes society better.

People might adopt your ideas, or people may not. Either way, you’re likely to learn something just by playing. And so will everyone else.

It’s surprising how people spend so much time in their team huddle and never engage the opposing team. How can that gameplan ever win?

I’m calling for another Beer Club meeting this weekend. The spot will be the Flying Saucer in downtown Raleigh (unless you’ve got a better idea). Anyone reading is welcome to join us (Beer Club has free memberships).

The mt.net poll has been updated to reflect a choice of which night we should meet this weekend. Come on out and have a cold one.

(If its your first Beer Club meeting, look for the geeks and ask “is this beer club?” We’ll be the first group that doesn’t stare blankly at you. Or, on second thought…)

I suppose the North Carolina DMV is still reeling from the recent surge of driver license applicants hoping their Mexican ID card would still be accepted as ID. In today’s mail was a renewal notice for my car’s registration.

Problem is, I renewed it last month. In fact, the registration notice rightly shows my registration expiring in April 2005. Either the DMV is so desperate for cash that they’re hitting up citizens a year early, or they’ve been mashing too many buttons on their computers over there.

Oh, the joys of guvmint.

(P.S., Russell Capps, the wizard who cooked up the new DMV ID law, is an asshat.)