Saturday, December 24, 2005
I. Question: How long will the last minute of 2005 be?
Leap second to be introduced as new year arrives:
The International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems Service (IERS) has announced the introduction of a "time step" at the end of December to add a "leap second" as 2006 arrives.
Leap seconds are needed to keep clocks in step with Earth's rotation, which varies by several thousandths of a second per day. Slowing down the clocks every year or two keeps them in sync.
As 2005 transitions to 2006, Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) will be retarded by 1.0 second. This essentially means that the last minute in 2005 will be 61 seconds long: December 31, 2005, 23:59:59; December 31, 2005, 23:59:60; January 1, 2006, 00:00:00.
This adjustment will affect UTC and all time scales based on UTC. Loran-C and GPS will not be adjusted physically, however. Times of Coincidence for LORAN-C are available on the Time Service Web Page.
For GPS, the leap second correction, contained within the UTC data of the navigation message transmitted by satellites, will change. After the leap second GPS will be ahead of UTC by 14 seconds.
http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/05/1223/
The ARRL Letter
Vol. 24, No. 50
December 23, 2005
II. My yesterday’s e-mail from Joke of the Day:
http://www.cleanjokeoftheday.com (you can subscribe)
A lady lost her handbag in the bustle of Christmas shopping. It was found by an honest little boy and returned to her. Looking in her purse, she commented, "Hmmm.... That's funny. When I lost my bag there was a $20 bill in it. Now there are twenty $1 bills."
The boy quickly replied, "That's right, lady. The last time I found a lady's purse, she didn't have any change for a reward."
. . . One Day 'Til Christmas . . .
. . . .That's Christmas Eve! . . . .
(We have to be ready now, remember Christmas will come anyway)
.
Directions for making Martha Stewart Quilt Stocking
T'was the night before Christmas,
When all through the house
Not a creature was stirring,
--not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung
by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas
soon would be there.
Friday, December 23, 2005
Is the World Going to the Dogs?
I have trouble this way. I tell Mrs. Jim that my I can't even keep up with my mind, as it is thinking all the time. I'm trying something new, I write things down. That way some can show up on these pages.
Anyway. . .
I. The dogs.
Tuesday's Houston Chronicle advertising had ten full-page columns of dogs for sale classified advertising. Yesterday there were still nine, today back to eleven with a couple not full length.
Are dogs popular as Christmas presents? I never knew anyone who got one for Christmas.
'They' say giving a dog to an elderly parent is not a very good thing to do. It could be mean, maybe. Sure pets are consoling and even help to lower blood pressure. I've got to take mine this morning. Adi is a therapy dog. She just pleases the older folk.
One downside aspect is that it hurts social life. For example, my mom and dad wouldn't even visit us in Texas because they were afraid to leave Tiger, their cat. There were plenty of volunteers but they just 'didn't want to impose' on their friends.
There is only one ad for puggle dogs, selling from $550 to $750. Had you heard about them? About the newest type of dog, a cross between a pug and a beagle. Maybe Mrs. Morrow has seen some? Supposedly they have the disposition of the beagle with the markings of a pug.
See http://www.puggleluv.com/ for pictures and a better description.
Jim's house rule 24:15: But as for me and my house we will keep our beagle dog, Adi.
Similar to Joshua 24:15, " . . . But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD," which is our house rule also.
II. Breakfast on Pluto
see http://movies.yahoo.com/shop?d=hv&cf=info&id=1808672944
This is a new movie being shown in only two theatres in the Houston area.
Why is it in this blog? The Houston Chronicle [http://www.chron.com] says it is "A cross-dressing farce that's a drag." They gave it a mere one half star rating. A dog of a movie?
The film is rated R for all the usual reasons. The biggest thing going for it is the starring actor, Cillian Murphy of Red Eye and Batman Begins fame. I haven't seen either of those, have never heard of Cillian, and WON'T be seeing this movie.
III. Mrs. Jim's other task. (I know I said 'two thoughts' but my mind is still working, all the time, remember?)(And this one doesn't relate to dogs, although Adi has had her share of pecans this morning.)
Mrs. Jim has delivered her first pie and is back. The second is in the oven and another in the waiting. It has turned out she is baking one a time for the first three.
Her task. Mrs. Jim has to spend $73 before she loses it. At our proshop. That is left over from her 2004 winnings. She doesn't need anything and the things I might get cost a lot more than that. She should come home with a pair of sandal golf shoes unless she changes her mind.
Another house rule 1:1: Mrs. Jim can always change her mind.
Spend it or lose it. That sounds like our U.S. government. When I was working at NASA we had to spend our federal budget before October. That was the beginning of a new fiscal year. So all kinds of office furniture, trips, etc. were sopping up the dollars. the leftover money just went into the general budget for the new year. Not for NASA.
Another down about not spending it all. If money was left over from the budget, Congress would cut it for the next.
This is the way federal budgets go. To the dogs. Some pretty hungry dogs lurking for their bones.
Not quite as pretty this morning as yesterday's morning, but it will do just fine. Yesterday a little earlier than this, about 8:45, the fog dissappeared. Ok. But yesterday we saw the fog's last few minutes of life being illuminating by the sun in a different way. It seemed we were there, not viewing it from a distance, but sitting inside a bright cloud with the whole world shining bightly from this light.
A busy day today. Getting the house and food ready for Christmas.
My jobs:
1. Stay out of Mrs. Jim's way.
2. Help Mrs. Jim where I can. Already this morning I have beaten four eggs, opened the vanilla bottle, measured a cup of pecans and oohed and awed about a place she had found to visit, far away.
3. Vacuum the house. When I do this I also dust a little. Ever since Mrs. Jim had her carpal wrist syndrome and its surgery vacuuming has been best done by me. That has been my job for over a couple of years. She did it a couple of times last fall when I was on crutches for three months and again when I had my knee surgery this September. I would rather do it though.
4. Wash Adi so she can travel to Katy with us after church Sunday. GC#4 loves Adi so much.
Mrs. Jim's jobs:
1. Make five pecan pies. Three are to be given away. One to a lady in our subdivision whose mother died last week. She lived in Nebraska after she married.
2. Tie a bow on the large clump of mistletoe I found the other day with Adi on our walk. Then hang it. I will help there some. It has been used just a little already.
3. Put up our Nativity scene. This will stay out until after New Years Day. The manger, Baby Jesus, Mary and Joseph, and a camel stay in the bookcase all year. We got the set at a store in Bethlehem in 1980. Supposedly handcarved and made from olive tree wood.
4. Wrap some presents.
5. A lot more I'm sure.
Tomorrow, Christmas Eve:
1.Go to Conroe to help Mrs.Jim's mother with her bath. I will vacuum her apartment then. Also read the paper and drink coffee.
2. Around eleven, get Christmas dinners from Krogers and deliver them. Our Sunday school class is buying about ten of these for people who wouldn't have a nice dinner otherwise. Our offering for that was $400.
3. 4:30, go to Christmas Eve service at church. We will take Mother there.
All for now. Jim
http://www.qkiz.com/critical-seeker/images/christmas-tree.gif
Found at: http://www.qkiz.com/critical-seeker/hot-xmastree.html
O Christmas Tree
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree!
How are thy leaves so verdant!
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
How are thy leaves so verdant!
Not only in the summertime,
But even in winter is thy prime.
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
How are thy leaves so verdant!
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
Much pleasure doth thou bring me!
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
Much pleasure doth thou bring me!
For every year the Christmas tree,
Brings to us all both joy and glee.
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
Much pleasure doth thou bring me!
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
Thy candles shine out brightly!
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
Thy candles shine out brightly!
Each bough doth hold its tiny light,
That makes each toy to sparkle bright.
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
Thy candles shine out brightly!
Click here to decorate a Christmas tree online
Thursday, December 22, 2005
This is sorta' what Adi looks like when she rides in the golf cart. Same goes for the car window. I only roll the window down half-way so she can't fall out.
It has been a busy day. Golf was really fun, a great sunny day for it. I did leave my green Pioneer vest on though. Even had to put on sunscreen.
Got home, let Adi out, we went for a cart ride to get the mail. She walks the curb, just like a gymnastics kid walking the beam. And she gets so excited, sticking her head out the side and letting her ears blow in the breeze. I have a short leash so she won't fall out.
Mrs. Jim had pizza ready when we got back. Then we both went into Conroe to do some last minute shopping for a couple of GCs. Then a roast some chips for Christmas dinner and home. Just now.
.
Mrs. Jim and I are going golfing in about a half hour. I will write more later, out tee-time is 10:48, its 10:10 now. I still have to check the air in the cart tires. And finish making our sandwiches. It's a nice day, especially for golfing.
This is where we are going. We live on this course, up the hill from the hole and that water in the picture . On the out side of the dog-leg of the Weiskopf par five No. 11.
Bentwater, according to the blurb on http://www.c4g.com/csharp/pc-17-3-bentwater.aspx
"This club has two beautiful courses. There are five sets of tees for each course, providing a variety of difficulty levels. The signature hole on the Weiskopf Course is #12, a 434-yard, par 4, featuring a split fairway and water guarding the back and left side of the green. The Miller Course was built on more rolling terrain than the Weiskopf Course and features very little rough.
Location:
100 Bentwater Drive
Montgomery, TX 77356
100 Bentwater Drive
Montgomery, TX 77356
866-866-8613"
Like our preacher said in his newsletter this week, if your aren't ready, "Christmas comes anyway."
Silver Bells
Silver Bells
Hear them ring
Silver Bells
City sidewalks
Busy sidewalks
Dressed in holiday style
In the air there's a feeling of Christmas
Children laughing
People passing
Meeting smile after smile
And on every street corner you hear
Silver BellsSilver Bells
It's Christmas time in the city
Ting-a-ling
Ting-a-ling
Hear them ring
Silver Bells,
Wednesday, December 21, 2005
THE SUN IS OUT TODAY
It didn't come out at all yesterday. It was cloudy and cool, but a nice day for a long walk with Adi getting the mail.
A couple of things are happening of so so importance.
First. Elton John and his friend have officially tied the knot. A 'civil union,' with most rights of marriage. England is trying to avoid the mess and fuss we have here over such things. Like riding the fence between marriage and contract.
It makes a contract that gives more legal rights than the ordinary living together contract does. With this union, the couple will have inheritance rights, survivor rights, health coverage--they have socialized medicine so maybe not a big deal there--and more .
Secondly. I learned earlier what a transgender person is. Do you know?
A lot of people will be knowing soon, as the movie, Transamerica, will be oppening in January. Staring is Felicity Huffman of Desperate Housewives, if that means some thing. I haven't ever watched it. She is the transgender star.
The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary gives this old definition: exhibiting the appearance and behavioral characteristics of the opposite sex. That probably isn't exactly right as the current usage dictates. Oh well.
THE SUN IS OUT TODAY
Five Days of Christmas Music
KHCB's Five Days of Christmas Begins TodayWednesday, December 21, 2005
Five Days of Christmas Begins Dec. 21From Dec. 21 through Dec. 26, we will preempt all regular programming for our annual presentation of continuous Christmas music that focuses on the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Click on your downlink speed on the top of the page at http://www.khcb.org
My computer uses RealPlayer for listening MP3 streaming audio. If you do not have RealPlayer their web sidte will help you download the free version.
KHCG is a Christian Radio Station originating in Houston, Texas.
The Houston area frequency is FM 105.7 and has satalite stations in Texas,Louisana, and Oklahoma. See http://www.khcb.org/network.htm for the other locations.
. . . . . . . . . Better Get Ready . . . . . . . . . . .
From: http://community.webshots.com/photo/222867229/521034724LtWRxA We Three Kings of Orient Are
We three kings of Orient are,
Bearing gifts we traverse afar,
Field and fountain, morr and mountain,
Following yonder Star.
Chorus
O, star of wonder, star of might,
Star with royal beauty bright,
Westward leading, still proceeding,
Guide us to the perfect light.
Born a babe on Bethlehem's plain;
Gold we bring to crown Him again;
King forever, ceasing never,
Over us all to reign.
Chorus
Frankincense to offer have I;
Incense owns a Deity nigh;
Prayer and praising, all men raising,
Worship Him, God on High.
Chorus
Myrrh is mine; its bitter perfume
Breathes a life of gathering gloom;
Sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying,
Seal'd in the stone-cold tomb.
Chorus
Glorious now behold Him arise,
King and God and sacrifice,
Heaven sings, "Hallelujah!
"Hallejujah!" Earth replies.
Chorus
Link to the lyrics
Reference: Matthew 2:1-12
Link to a colorable Wiseman picture
Tuesday, December 20, 2005
BEFORE AND AFTER
That will be after the fire.
We got a message from my cousin in Tekamah.
In part, it read:
I did want you to know that your dad‘s old house here in town burned last night. We didn‘t know about it until this morning. The street was full of ice from all the water that was used. There is a shell standing but looks awfully black at the attic window as well as down below and a lot of the windows are out on both sides. Will be interesting to see what the fire marshal finds.
Note in the bottom picture you can see through from the front attic window and through the back one. We think the hole in the roof was made by the firefighters for access to the atic.
It is too bad, it was a nice home for Mom and Dad for their retirement years. It was built in the late 20s or early 30s for Bernice Tobin .
. . . . . What's Going On Here? . . . . .
Hint: one of the most liked persons in Houston even if we did lose the World Series big time.
Why it's Astros pitcher, Roy Oswalt, of course, with his new bulldozer! It is a present from his boss.
Read all about it! Read all about it! [link ]
This week's Sunday school class had an interesting opening. Charlotte E. Geno came to read a couple of poems she had written. She has given my permission to reprint it here.
HOLY DAYS
The holy days are coming
There’s so much I need to do.
Gifts to buy, a tree to trim,
Wrapping, bowing, and bagging too!
Gee, I am so busy
Burning candles at both ends.
Candy to make, parties each night,
And Christmas cards to send.
Holy days are coming,
Angels and wise men say,
“Glory to God in the highest!”
Please get out of my way!
I’ll get holy soon, Lord
As soon as my chores are done.
The kids will sing tonight at church
And, they have to have their fun.
A sugar plum and gum drops
Grace the Christmas tree,
Along with untold goodies
A feast for the eyes to see.
Somewhere in all the hub-bub
A holy day is near.
Am I ever glad,
O Lord,It comes just once a year.
I’ll get holy soon, Lord.
I promise You, I will.
Are you talking to me, Lord?
“Yes, my child, be still.”
copyright,Charlotte E. Geno 9/30/04
http://www.genopoetryshoppe.net/
Charlotte said about the poem she read: "This is a state of mind I think we all know!"
Charlotte also has a Web site at the present where we/you can read some of her other poems and buy her book of poems. $13.00.
She is having a some problems with the site in that the developer has gone out of business and the current owner can't do updates. That is why her front page is 2003. She will change hosts soon when her contract is over.
Monday, December 19, 2005
. . . Are you still in the Christmas Spirit? . . .
From http://community.webshots.com/photo/27810004/27810358tKAtUpCyhT
The manger scene reviewed: [from the Bible, Book of Luke, Chapter 2, Verses 8-20, New King James Version]
8 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.
9 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid.
10 Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.
11 "For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
12 "And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger."
13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:
14 "Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!"
15 So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, "Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us."
16 And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger.
17 Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child.
18 And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds.
19 But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart.
20 Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.
.. BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND ..
. . . . . . Mrs. Jim and Jim . . . . . . . . .
[The demand in a comment to the previous, now blank, post:
Karen, Jr #5 said...
Hi Dad, great picture! Is that from your SS class party?]
Then she called when I took it off and requested it be back on so Billy could see. I will leave it on so anybody can see it.
It was from our friends' 50th wedding anniversary party at the April Sound C.C. and we just got via e-mail. I was trying to put in my profile but the URL here is too long.
. .that I ever shot a pistol
It was at school. We were doing a play. You know the kind where the butler was the suspect but the mistress really killed the poor guy.
The gun we used was a real 22 pistol, a revolver. One night of production my friend, Donny, brought some bullets. When neither of us was in a scene for a while, we took the gun outside and shot at least a full cylinder into the air. I'm glad we didn't get caught but our punishment wouldn't have been to severe. "Zero Tolerance" hadn't been invented yet.
People seem to remember the first time for many things.
The first taco I ever ate was at the Red Rooster Drive In in El Paso. I didn't even know what a taco was until then. Mom didn't make us any on the farm and we didn't eat out that much. I was married and about 22 that night at the Red Rooster.
The first corn dog I ever ate was in San Francisco at a pier. It was a famous one but I have forgotten the name. My buddy said this pier was famous for corn dogs and I should try one. This was in 1964 and I was 31.
The first time I ever saw a Nebraska hemp weed with the seeds and tops cut off was near Lincoln, Nebraska, in the late 50s. I was riding a motorcycle along a ditch out southwest of town and couldn't figure out what was going on. We smoked some other weeds on the farm but never hemp. And to this day I haven't done that. That was also the first motorcycle that I had ever ridden come to think of it.
There are other firsts that come to mind but wouldn't be very interesting here. Some might be interesting but I wouldn't want them in print here. You probably have some firsts you remember too.
The second and last time I ever shot a pistol was with my bother-in-law at a Churchyard in North Louisiana. It was a nice little gun and I could plink tin cans on the posts without much trouble. That was the only other pistol I ever shot.
I have never shot a rifle or a shotgun. I probably will remember when I shoot my rifle for the first time.
Labels: First Times, Guns.
He's watching you!
http://www.cincinnati.com/freetime/movies/other/11012002_wk01santa.html
http://www.jenny-scheffler.com/winter_santa_2003.html
Sunday, December 18, 2005
Dum, dum, dum, honey what have you done
Dum, dum, dum, it's the sound of my gun
Dum, dum, dum, honey what have you done
Dum, dum, dum, it's the sound, it's the sound...
Nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah....
Janie's Got A Gun
Janie's Got A Gun
Her whole world's come undone
From lookin' straight at the sun
What did her daddy do
What did he put you through
From Aerosmith - Janie's Got A Gun Lyrics (There's more. I interpret 'daddy' to be her old man in hippy terms and the 'little baby' meant that Janie was very young--way too young.)
Like the conductor, in Mark Twain's poem, Punch Brothers, Punch, I have trouble getting that song out of my mind. Maybe this post will help things.
I have two guns; at one time I had three.
The first I have had since the 1940s. It is a Red Ryder BB gun. Now on another blog there was talk about not killing things. But that BB gun has probably killed more blackbirds than any other BB gun. It took quit a bit of elevation and wind correction and I had it down good. They didn't suffer because I hit them in the right places too. I wouldn't let my kids do that but I am me and they are them [Now Jr.#3, I didn't want to say 'I am I and they are they'.] . I still have that gun and it still shoots. Not blackbirds anymore.
My second gun, and first real gun, is a Montgomery Ward (MW) 22 rifle. It was Dad's rifle and it may be older than I am--that would be over 104 according to my profile. That rifle has killed many a rabbit. Mom wouldn't cook the poor things, nor eat any part of them, so Dad would take his rabbits up to Grandma and she would cook them for him. I went hunting with him a few times but never shot his gun.
When Dad sold his house, after he had been in assisted living at Oakland, Nebraska, it was decided that I should have the rifle. It still is nice and has a polished wooden stock that doesn't come on inexpensive guns anymore.
I still haven't shot that rifle but I plan to. I can take it to a shooting range and shoot targets. I have been reading about hunting rabbits with beagle dogs. Most of them are natural at flushing out the rabbits and bringing them around for the hunter. The book I read said that all beagles know how to do this, but they must be disciplined so as to obey a command to stop or come back. If they won't do this there is no use trying to hunt with them.
There are places in Texas that are open to hunting. Arrangements have been made with landowners and the Texas Parks and Wildlife to open the property to hunters. The number and times of hunting are regulated. Mrs. Jim said she would cook the rabbits I would shoot. She also said she would clean and cook any fish I catch, but I haven't been fishing since 1964.
The third gun ownership was short lived. I didn't shoot it either. I got it from a friend who took it away from his son. It was a very small Beretta Tomcat 3032 32 caliber automatic. And the price was very right.
The father had the Montgomery police run it through the state to make sure it wasn't stolen. Wal-Mart had a box of 32 ammunition and I was in business. Before I could get it to the range the friend called me to buy it back. The police had called him and the gun was stolen. The theft had just been turned in as the owner added it to list of other property he had lost.
I would like to have a pistol. Just to have. I think it should be a one that is or will become a collector gun that might increase in value. A gun that could be taken to the firing ranges. It might be needed for something else some day.
Then I would again feel like Jimmie's Got a Gun.
