The Layover, The Write Stuff, -and- Don't Think About It

The Layover - Japanese man spends 3 months in Mexico City airport
The Write Stuff - man banned from carrying felt-tip pens
Don't Think About It - study says too much thinking can make you fat

On this day in history: January 2, 1939 - Time magazine named chancellor Adolf Hitler its "Man of the Year."

Born on this day in history: January 2, 1969 - Christy Turlington (1969-) Born in Walnut Creek, CA, model Christy Turlington got her start by chance when a photographer snapped a photo of her on horseback and it landed at a modeling agency. Today, she has appeared on more than 300 magazine covers and is best known for work for Calvin Klein and Georgio Armani. Turlington is married to actor-filmmaker Edward Burns and has two children.

Scripture of the Day: You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires... - Ephesians 4:22

Video of the Day: Macro Photography Tutorial - from Nikon, an excellent macro photography tutorial.

Tired of your digital photos coming out in all the wrong colors? The baLens lens cap's translucent plastic dome lets light through, allowing you to perfectly set the camera's white balance while the cap is still on.

I shall investigate this product and present my findings here when I have completed my research. Click to enlarge.

Recommended Site:
David Louis Harter Photography - a showcase for the photography of David Louis Harter

Top Things for 2008!
Top Mug Shots of 2008!
Sports Illustrated Photos of the Year
Best Quotes of 2008
Naughtiest and Nicest CEOs of 2008 Funniest Stories of 2008

Hello everyone! Welcome to 2009! Let us pray that this year will be significantly more prosperous and peaceful than was 2008!

Laura and I enjoyed a quiet evening at home on New Year's Eve. We enjoyed a wonderful meal of stuffed pork loin, with sautéed cabbage, white onion, and zucchini.

New Year's Day, we snacked on Jalapeño poppers, Triscuits, salami, cheeses, sliced Jalapeños and champagne, while playing Scrabble. Laura won the first game—starting nicely with her first word employing all seven of her letters. I won the second game.

That evening, we enjoyed a lovely meal of grilled giant prawns, filet mignon, and asparagus. I butterflied the giant prawns, removed the tails, and marinated them in La Conda Ranch extra-virgin olive oil from The Olive Hut, rice wine vinegar, ground ginger, ground black pepper, ground chile de arbol, and lime juice. I rubbed the filet mignons with a seasoning mix of my creation and ground black pepper. I poached the asparagus for three minutes prior to tossing upon the grill. It was a delightful meal. Clos du Bois Cabernet Sauvignon accompanied this feast. A goodly portion of our filet mignons remained, and it followed me to the office this morning—sliced and placed on Oroweat Health Nut bread, with mayonnaise, wasabi paste, and sliced cheddar cheese. It shall be an excellent luncheon treat for me, I warrant!

After dinner, we watched "Iron Man" in Blu-Ray. [After ultrarich inventor and weapons maker Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) escapes from kidnappers using makeshift power armor, he turns his invention to good by using it to fight crime. But when he must face the evil Iron Monger, his skills are stretched to the limit. Based on the Marvel comic, this captivating superhero tale from director Jon Favreau co-stars Gwyneth Paltrow, Jeff Bridges and Terrence Howard.] The special effects were incredible, the soundtrack was awesome (in spite of the disappointment of the absence of the vocal track in Black Sabbath's "Iron Man," which played during the titles), the acting was superb, and the action scenes were amazing. However, we both felt that the story droned laboriously through the majority of the movie. Hopefully, the sequel (and this movie begs for a sequel!) will feature a director who is considerably more focused on the action and less upon unnecessary, boring, minutiae.

Heat of the Moment, Cold Case File, -and- Inked

Heat of the Moment - Daytona Beach, Florida braces for snow
Cold Case File - FBI to re-examine D.B. Cooper skyjacking
Inked - men shoot themselves while tracing gun for tattoo design

On this day in history: January 2, 1995 - Marion Barry inaugurated as mayor of Washington, D.C., four years after leaving the office in disgrace to serve a six-month sentence for smoking crack.

Born on this day in history: January 2, 1969 - (1969-) Born in Walnut Creek, CA, model Christy Turlington got her start by chance when a photographer snapped a photo of her on horseback and it landed at a modeling agency. Today, she has appeared on more than 300 magazine covers and is best known for work for Calvin Klein and Georgio Armani. Turlington is married to actor-filmmaker Edward Burns and has two children.

Scripture of the Day: "Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom." (Psalm 90:12)

Video of the Day: Adaptability

Here is an available-light photograph taken with a Nikon D3 DSLR camera. I did not take this photograph. I wish I had taken this photograph! Click to enlarge.

Recommended Sites:
Nikon Photographer Forum - a free forum for photography enthusiasts
Corning California Message Board - a free message board for Corning
Olive Hut Blog - specials, olive news, recipes, and more

Well, good morning! Welcome to 2008! I hope this is a glorious year for everyone!

Cell Phone Distraction: I have long railed against people who talk on their cell phones while driving. I have seen several written reports and one television program which documented the findings regarding the distraction cell phones cause to those who use them while driving. I have personally experienced many instances of people using cell phones while driving and appearing to focus more on their conversations than their driving. I have had one near collision because of my proximity to a cell-phone-using driver.

I am pleased to see the new DMV regulations regarding cell-phone use while driving. I posted three threads in the Main forum today regarding this. HOWEVER, this afternoon I experienced a cell-phone user that easily out-distances all others I have encountered--IN THE MARKET! I use my cell phone perhaps once a month, and I turn it on only when I intend to make a call. It is difficult for me to imagine such a burning desire--let alone a NEED--to use a cell phone while driving, unless one is lost or late for an appointment, of course. I do not recall EVER using my cell phone in the market. I suppose it could prove helpful for asking a spouse's opinion regarding dinner plans, for example, but I have never used my cell phone in the market.

As I was shopping at Sav-Mor Foods shortly after 2 PM today, I rounded an aisle with my cart, saw a woman headed in my direction with her cart, and moved to the far right of the aisle so she would have room to pass. I saw that she was talking on her cell phone. She was absorbed in conversation and pushed her cart along, seemingly oblivious of the items shelved in that aisle. As she neared me, she suddenly began to fling her free hand about--gesticulating and cursing loudly into the cell phone. She reapplied her hand to the cart, pushed it ahead violently, swerved to her left, crashed solidly into my cart, and gave me a scowling glance! As if the collision were MY fault! She did not apologize. She simply swung her cart about, disentangling it from mine, and continued, still chatting on the cell phone.

"Excuse me," I said. She stared at me, obviously wondering why I was talking to her. She gave me a blank stare, and I continued, "What make, model, and color vehicle do you drive?" "Why?" she asked. "I wish to be ever-vigilant for this vehicle. I wish to ensure that I never occupy the same roadway as you. You have demonstrated your inability to successfully maneuver a shopping cart. I have no desire to fall victim to your lack of ability to maneuver a motor vehicle." She cursed at me. I continued, completing my shopping.

[While I slept] I drove to Harvest Christian Center at 8:15 AM. Laura had been there since 7:30 AM, rehearsing with the worship team. I sat in the seat adjacent to the seat where Laura had positioned her Bible and notebook. I took my HP iPAQ from my pocket and opened QuickVerse, in anticipation of using it during the service. I then opened Mah Jongg and played while listening to the worship rehearsal.

Suddenly, I was aware that it was no longer worship rehearsal. Worship had begun, and everyone was standing, except me. I returned my iPAQ to my pocket and stood. As worship was ending, a stranger to me appeared at the podium, placed a Bible on the podium, opened the Bible, and looked out into the audience. The stranger wore a dark, three-piece suit. The coat was much longer than that of a standard suit. It seemed in the tradition of coats favored by traditional evangelists of the early 1900s. The stranger gave a powerful sermon--the basis of which was the necessity for Christians to spread the Good News.

I awakened, thinking this to be an unusual dream. I forgot the dream, as I went about my morning. Laura left for her worship rehearsal. I showered and dressed and drove to the church.

I sat in the seat adjacent to where Laura had placed her Bible and notebook. I took my HP iPAQ from my pocket and opened QuickVerse. There was no time for game-playing. I placed the iPAQ back in my pocket. Pastor Nick opened the service. Worship followed. Pastor Rob came to the podium, without the wireless microphone he generally uses. Following an award to Matt, who is leaving to begin studies at a Christian college in Texas, a slide show of photographs of Matt began. During this slide show, I noticed a stranger in the front center row. He was wearing a wireless microphone. He was dressed in a dark, three-piece suit. The suit coat was long--like that worn by evangelists in the early 1900s.

Pastor Rob introduced the stranger as Rev. Bobby Nott and said that he had started Harvest Christian Center. Rev. Nott gave a very spirited sermon. He spoke of the necessity for Christians to disciple those who had not heard the Good News.