Minutia - thoughts of duanekeys

Closed

2008-08-19T21:37:00.001-05:00

Well, it's obvious this place is falling apart... Visit my farm blog, Geek Acres, for further updates. Thanks for stopping by.

People

2008-01-07T20:28:00.000-06:00

I watched in disbelief as the family in this truck pitched their trash
on the ground before departing the auction we were attending.

Mobile blog test

2007-12-28T22:36:00.000-06:00

The predictive text seems to work pretty good.

Living Estate Auction of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Hunt

2007-11-16T07:05:00.000-06:00

I'm helping my dad with an auction this weekend, the living estate of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Hunt. If you've never been a live auction (ebay doesn't count) then come on out. It can be very entertaining, and you might find something to treasure. Their personal belongings will be offered starting at 10:00 AM and the real estate will be offered at noon. If anyone is looking for a nice home at auction prices, stop by!

Technorati tags: Springfield MO, auction

Intellectual Splatter

2007-11-09T07:04:00.000-06:00

Please welcome and take a gander over at Intellectual Splatter, another local blogger, techno-geek, political activist, and all around nice guy. Jeremy, a friend and co-worker of mine, is passionate about many things and enjoys a good debate. Jeremy's latest series of posts covers his invitation to be on the VDJ show. I'm excited to get to hear him on the radio and listen to the exchange of ideas (hopefully thats how it turns out).

Technorati tags: Springfield MO, local+blogger

Geek Humor

2007-10-23T11:51:00.000-05:00

Craigslist

2007-09-20T07:21:00.000-05:00

I'm becoming addicted to browsing the local craigslist. I haven't actually bought anything or sold anything there but I have a couple of free classifieds posted. I posted our neighbor's truck camper for them, and it's generating some calls.

I noticed the other day in the "best of craigslist" category a really funny posting.

You're not looking for them, but I found your two dogs.
Date: 2007-08-16, 10:19AM PDT

Sigh. No one is looking for these guys. And I see why. They hump everything in sight, try to dominate our old doggies, try to eat our cats and pee on everything and bark at everything. Neurotic, lick constantly. They know no commands, either in English or Spanish. They are aggressive and probably lived in a puppy mill. You dumped them, probably, and we picked them up before they were killed by traffic. Unneutered, no tags, under 1 year old small males. I hate you, person who dumped these dogs. There are no lost ads on phone poles, no lost ad on Craig's list, no lost ad in the paper. We put signs up all over, put a found notice in at the local pounds and if you were looking for these filthy little ragamuffins, you would have found them. We are afraid to take them to the pound because under stress, your dogs were snappy and horribly afraid and dogs are judged by temperment for adoption placement. They would not have passed that test. However.....

They are, under their filth, mats and horrible habits, adorable. They have learned "Quiet," "Come," "Sit." They have stopped being so neurotic and we have broken most of their bad habits in just a few days. They are smart and sweet and are looking for guidance and WANT to be good little dogs. One is a purebred little white and buff guy with an underbite, the other is a brown little dog that looks almost exactly like a miniture version of a larger breed dog. They know each other and were obviously (by the same bad habits) raised (poorly) together. We will get them neutered, train them and get them into a good, loving home with people who use the brains God gave them.

If these are your dogs, come on by, I'd like to kick your ass.

Technorati tags: Springfield MO, craigslist

Walgreens and policies

2007-08-29T12:53:00.000-05:00

I lost my insurance card a few weeks ago. While in Walgreens it occurred to me that the last place I had it was there so I asked if they had a lost and found for such things. To my surprise they had a stack 3 or 4 inches thick of insurance cards, driver's licenses (several out of state), social security checks and other valuable personal items at the pharmacy.

Unfortunately I didn't find my card in the stack (I've since gotten a replacement). I asked the person behind the pharmacy counter if they planned on returning all these things to their owners, considering all the personal information that is needed to do so is printed right on the face. She told me "no," they just usually keep them around until people come back for them. I pointed at one social security check and commented that someone might appreciate the effort in returning such a thing. She seemed oblivious to the impact that a lost check might have for someone.

I walked away and ran into an assistant store manager. I asked him if they had a policy to return lost items such as the stack in the pharmacy. He also said no, and tried to go on his way. I continued my query, noting that there were checks and out of state licenses there and they ought to try to return them if they can. He backed up his previous assertion and said "we don't really do that," and hurried off.

I e-mailed Walgreen's customer service via a form on their website. That was last week, I've yet to get any response other than the automated "thanks for your comments." Their TV commercials tout that "we don't live in a perfect world, that's why there's Walgreens." In this case it doesn't seem like Walgreens is doing much to make it better.

Technorati tags: Springfield MO, Walgreens, Customer Service

E-mail signatures

2007-08-29T12:10:00.000-05:00

Having an email signature is a fairly common practice. For business emails, your signature should include your name, title, department/company, and phone number. It should include nothing more.

The graphics and colors draw attention to the wrong part of the email.

The cute quote that describes your life philosophy or something you think is funny gets less cute each time someone reads it.

The funniest thing is when people include a closing comment as part of their email signature. This is typically a "Thanks," or a "Have a great day." What's funny is that doesn't always work as a closing for every email. It works fine if you're really thanking the reciepeint or you really do mean for them to have a good day. But if you send a nastygram, the "thanks" or "Have a great day" somehow comes across a little sarcastic.

For example, this works:

So and so,
Could you get me that report when you a get a chance?

Thanks,
My signature

This does not:

So and so,
You're way out of line. Come see me in my office.

Have a great day!
My Signature

Technorati tags: Springfield MO

1984, Ender's Game, and Obama's Audicty of Hope

2007-08-29T11:55:00.000-05:00

I've finished listening to several audio books since my last posting on the subject. I completed Orewell's 1984, and enjoyed it very much. The reader did an excellent job giving different characters voices. I was dissappointed in the ending, however (spoiler alert), as I like the "good guys" to win. Having now digested it I have a better understanding when the term "Orwellian" is thrown around.

I also picked up and listened to Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card. This was probably the best produced book I've listened to so far. It had basically a cast of readers. I also enjoyed the story immensley. It's a book you can easily enjoy as a child or as an adult. I found on wikipedia it's used in some courses at the Marine Core University at Quantico for it's study on leadership.

In my previous post on audio books I asked if any of my left-leaning friends would read/listen to Ayn Rand's Why Businessmen Need Philosophy. So far no takers. I did pick up Barack Obama's The Audacity of Hope (thanks to Sniderman for mentioning it). I figured I should take my own advice and read something from an opposing viewpoint.

I did enjoy listening to the book, especially since it's read by the author. I feel like I have a good sense for who the guy is. I agree with a lot of what he writes about, but I still have some fundamental differences in philosophy. All in all I can see why folks like him. If he were president, I'd support him. That's not to say I'm willing to cast my voite for him, but at this point I'm not ruling him out. That is actually saying a lot considering my past positions and political views.

Does anyone have any other recommeded readings?

Technorati tags: Springfield MO, 1984, Ender's Game, Obama

Memories of Vapor

2007-08-23T11:50:00.001-05:00

Dan's parents requested some written thoughts on their son, so here goes:

I met my friend Dan Feather through my cousins (Kevin and Dan Burtchett). They where all attending SMSU at the time, studying computer science. This of course translated into lots of LAN parties, to which I would lug my computer down from Rolla to participate in.

Quake was the game of choice at the time and Vapor (Dan's handle) was the undisputed champion. Our friendship grew quickly and easily, Dan was just a likable kind of guy. We shared a lot of views and enjoyed many geeky conversations on technology, daily observations, funny and embarrassing things we did, as well as some deeply philosophical discussions.

As fate would have it, Dan and I ended up working at O'Reilly Auto Parts together. There was a whole band of us that became close friends. At one point, Dan, Zac and Katie, my sister, and my cousins Kevin and Dan all lived in the same apartment complex, Sunchase. There was always a party or an outing or some sort of get-together going on. We shared many good laughs growing up into adulthood.

Dan and I had officicles next to each other at work. We called them officicles because they were just cubicles with taller walls and a door. Not quite an office and not quite a cubical. Eventually we acquired offices with real walls, again next to each other. Often we chatted, about work or about life. We collaborated on some projects, Dan usually taking the technical or design lead. He was a natural problem solver.

Kevin, Chris Polka, Dan and I all went to New York City one summer for an extended weekend. The whole trip is a blur. We walked our butts off on that trip taking in as many sites as we could. The World Trade Center was still a hole in the ground.

I remember we wanted to find a "cool" NYC bar to hang out in. Somehow we ended up in a gay bar, not exactly what we had intended. But we were tired and they were serving drinks.

It's the little silly things I remember most. Dan had an affinity for caffeinated products. From super-charged drinks to caffeinated breath mints he tried them all, and always shared.

I remember Dan had a running list on the board in his office: "things you can't breathe." It consisted of things Dan would accidentally choke himself with. I would hear him coughing through the wall, then get the instant message "OK, adding Mountain Dew to the list of things you can't breathe."

Dan liked to go fast, and did so often when he drove us around at lunch. His first new car out of college was a Honda Accord coupe. It was a nice car that came with some bad luck. First he was rear-ended it in and it ended up literally sitting on top of a Corvette. Then sometime later after it was fixed some punks stole his stereo then set it on fire. That was the end of the Accord.

During one lunch outing in the Accord Dan was entering 65 northbound from Battlefield. The car in front, to no surprise, was going too slow for Dan. He checked his mirror then gunned it and swung out of the exit ramp across both lanes of traffic to pass the slower vehicle. Unfortunately for all of us there was a pick-up in the far left lane in his blind spot.

The truck ended up in the median, at which point we all said some expletives. To our surprise the jacked up 4x4 passed us in the median and got back into our lane of traffic. Then he stopped with us directly behind him. Out of the truck came this huge, mulleted, redneck. He was wearing cut-off jean shorts, giant workboots, and a tank top. He was either a painter or a drywaller judging by the white stains all over him and he was pissed (understandably).

With this guy coming at us we looked behind to see that it was clear and Dan immediately backed up and took off. We snaked around town a bit to make sure we lost him. We were late coming back from lunch but we were still alive. We got lucky both that we didn't hurt anybody and that the giant redneck didn't pull Dan from the car! Dan felt pretty embarrassed about that for a long time.

Dan was a sensitive guy though he hid it from most though with his dry humor. We talked about his family sometimes. He loved them all very much. He was very protective of his little sister. He'd tell me about something she did that he didn't approve of, or how he was keeping a close eye on her latest boyfriend. Ultimately he was glad who Missy married, Dan told me he really was a good guy.

He loved his parents very much and I know was always looking to make them proud. He spoke of his father like he was superman. It was a realization for him when his Dad started having medical issues (back problems I think?). He told me realized then his Dad wasn't always going to be around and was making an effort to get to spend more time with him.

Dan and I had lunch together a few weeks before he died. We didn't see too much of each other after he started working at Jack Henry. I'd stop in occasionally and see him at Geekerz on Friday night or have a drink with him at a Springfield bloggers meeting. He was a regular at the downtown venues. All the waitresses and bartenders knew him by name and what his favorite meals or drinks where.

At lunch we talked about old times and of the future. He hadn't yet decided to buy the bike. At the time he was thinking of buying a house. To my surprise he was talking about getting a piece of land, big enough he could have a shop building with lots of tools to build things with, and of course room enough for his motorcycle.

The last time I talked to Dan was a couple weeks ago. I invited him out to the farm and we agreed to make some time to make it happen... I'll take a rain check on our visit.

Dan, you're going to be missed.

Technorati tags: Springfield MO

Goodbye my friend

2007-08-19T04:08:00.000-05:00

My friend, Dan Feather, died yesterday in a tragic motorcycle accident.

I'm going to miss him dearly. I'm sure I'll have more to say about this, just not right now.

Godspeed, Dan.

Summertime activities

2007-08-04T20:27:00.001-05:00

IMG_0409
Originally uploaded by duanekeys.

There's lots going on lately making it tough to find time to blog. Summertime activities are blowing by (except for the heat). I've added some new pictures, including some from Alex's 5th birthday party.

Eight Things

2007-07-12T11:47:00.000-05:00

Leave it to the local blogosphere to force me out of my blogging hiatus. The typists at thinkingthings and The Lost Chord have tagged me for the "eight things you don't know about me" meme. Some of my readers know me pretty well, others not. Either way, here goes nothing...

1. I attended kindergarten and first grade while we lived in the Philippines. I still have lots of family there and my parents just built a house there for some of our family with space for my parents to stay when they visit.

2. I'm a closet Star Trek (The Next Generation) fan. I knew/know so much useless info about the Star Trek universe that I once held the nickname of "Trek." Battlestar Galactica currently holds my sci-fi fancy, however.

3. Before decided to study computers I considered art as a career. I had lots of neat drawings of mine until recently when our basement flooded. Like photography, my art has always been a mechanical reproduction of what I see, rarely something created in my minds eye.

4. I hate bugs. I prefer to flush them to their deaths rather than feeling the squish.

5. The only thing I'm consistently good at is being inconsistent.

6. I was a 1996 Ernest Hemingway Writing Award finalist for News Writing.

7. In college I spent a week at the Walt Disney World resort, paid for by your tax dollars.

8. I nearly drowned as a toddler. My dad had to jump into a pool and save me. To this day I still have a fear of water and consider myself a poor swimmer.

And now to share the honors. I've been so out of the blogging routine lately that it seems like everyone has already been tagged. However, it appears that Meghann and Hal are left!

Technorati tags: Springfield MO

First Dance

2007-06-26T06:54:00.000-05:00

First Dance
Originally uploaded by duanekeys.

I shot another wedding this last weekend. My friend Andrew was married to Amanda in Eureka Springs. Check out the slideshow and let me know what you think!

Audio Books

2007-06-13T11:44:00.000-05:00

I've recently started taking advatnage of the hour I spend on the road each day by listening to some audio books. Instead of listening to the same old songs on the radio I can catch up on books I've always meant to read or others that just looked interesting.

The first one I picked up at random out of the books on CD at the Library Station was Why Businessmen Need Philosophy. It's a collection of essays on philosophical perspectives of capitalism by Ayn Rand and others. It was pretty deep stuff for me but still very interesting. I'd like for some of my left leaning friends to read/listen to this book and let me know what they think.

One of the topics that stood out for me in this book was the subject of selfishness. Selfishness is a virtue that has been demonized in today's society. Today, we are predominantly taught, it is better to be selfless, to sacrifice yourself for the greater good. Sucessfull business people, through the selfish motives of creating profitable enterprises, create opportunity for others. One of the reviewers on Amazon says it better:

Business people find themselves under continual assault from government regulations, threats of lawsuits and under-appreciation of their positive role. The media, activists, politicians and even many religious officials cling to the cliché of business people as greedy, selfish or operating at the expense of others. The positive virtues of business people-self-sufficiency, responsibility and investment in the future--often are ignored by those who see business people as exploiters, cash cows for the government, or guinea pigs for government social policies.

It was a refreshing look at the subject of capitalism.

At work I noticed a book on a colleagues desk that, at least from the cover, looked interesting. It was Malcolm Gladwell's Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking. The subject sounds ground-breaking but overall the book was better as a collection of facts from interesting experiments. One site, which I cannot find to reference, made mention of it as kind of a story of intellectual adventure. The most interesting section described a test that can tell you if you have a prejudice for one race over another. The IAT test measures your reaction time to assosciating words to faces. Try it but don't get too excited if the results aren't what you expect!

I'm currently "reading" (can I say I've actually "read" any of these books?) Orwell's 1984. I pretty well had a good idea of the book just being immersed in geek culture, but had never actually read it. So far I'm enjoying it and catching more references to it in popular culture.

Technorati tags: Springfield MO

New blogs

2007-05-22T11:45:00.000-05:00

A buddy from college has started a travel journal for his international excursions. He offers great insight into popular destinations like Vienna and Prauge plus some not so popular places like Kraków. In addition to descriptions of the destinations he includes very specific details regarding the planning and execution of a successful travelling light and cheap.

On his prevous choice of luggage he writes:

The other problem is that the frame itself kept the bag above airline regulations for carry-on, pictured here. Even if one were to squash and bungee it up in every dimension (something I've never done), the frame would take it several inches at least above the length limit. After Iberia Airlines lost the checked bag twice in 2006, I vowed to not let it happen again, if at all possible.

From international travel to another local blog, I'd like to point you to Chase Davis' View from the Country. Chase, a recent graduate of MSU, adds his two cents on local goings on, from the recent killing of a wolf to the ethanol plant debate.

Technorati tags: Springfield MO, travel

Michael Spyres

2007-05-19T20:26:00.000-05:00

My buddy Sean showed me some youtube videos of his brother and my friend Michael Spyres performing some opera.

I don't know much about opera, but if I remember from what Sean was saying, this is part of a comedic opera. Sean noted on how big his voice has gotten.

Here's another where Mike shows off how well he can impersonate... I understand this is a good impersonation, I always thought he had a good Homer Simpson voice.

Technorati tags: Springfield MO, Michael Spyres, tenor

Happy 50th Anniversary

2007-05-15T18:09:00.001-05:00

IMG_8785
Originally uploaded by duanekeys.

They got em good. The Cantrells had no idea their friends and family plotted behind their backs to get them at their surprise 50th Anniversary!

Another game down

2007-05-11T16:58:00.000-05:00

It seems the Ozarks Football site doesn't archive off (for public use) their game descriptions. So here's the most recent account of the Bulldogs and my cousin Aaron Creson:

Harrison Stadium
Red Division
Bulldogs vs Chiefs

On a warm spring evening, the Bulldogs continued to improve.

Quarterback Aaron Creason led the pack with 136 yards rushing on 9 carries, scoring 3 touchdowns. Creason continued his attack hitting Jake Gagliardo on passes 3 times for 58 yards. He also connected with Markus King for 2 yards, Jared Williams for 12 yards and Jacop Hurlich for 9 yards. Hurlich returned the favor by passing to Creason for 23 yards. Steven Cody churned out 36 rushing yards for 2 scores.

Jake Gagliardo was lead dog on defense counting 8 tackles and sacking the quarterback once. Dylan Deckard also posted a QB sack.

The Chiefs offensive stand out was Quarterback Luke Gibbs, credited with 95 rushing yards on 9 carries and a touchdown and connecting with Chandler Scott on 3 passes for 77 yards. Gibbs also hit Austen Beason on a 14 yard pass play.

Austen Beason and Darreon Johnson led the Chiefs in tackles with 6 and 5 respectively. Robert Schroff tallied a QB sack and Andrew Vaughn picked off a Bulldog pass.

This game had plenty of action, but the Chiefs couldn't outrun the dogs, 30-6.

Aaron was everywhere in this game from Quarterback, wide reciever, kicker, punter, and linebacker, and the stats show it. One of those rushes was a botched punt he ran from their own end-zone to around the 35 (when he ran out of steam and the other team caught him). It was a pretty funny site to see. I told one of his coaches they obviously need to work on conditioning as he couldn't sprint full speed for 100 yards!

Technorati tags: Springfield MO, Ozarks football

Best restaurant in Springfield

2007-05-10T12:53:00.000-05:00

Head over to Marmot-land and add to the list of best [insert your own category] restaurant in Springfield.

Technorati tags: Springfield MO, dining

Rip-off

2007-05-08T12:17:00.000-05:00

After years of doing commerce on-line I've finally been ripped-off. I ordered what I though to be a replacement remote control from remotecontrolwarehouse.com. This company also operates under the banner of New Remotes, Inc, electronicadventure.us. The image here shows the item I ordered and paid for on-line.

What I got was far from the image presented.

For nearly 40 bucks ($6.95 shipping and handling and the envelope had $1.35 in stamps on it) I got a cheap knock-off remote that didn't have the same features or controls as my original remote.

The first thing missing is the logo. I paid for a Mitsubishi remote to go with my Mitsubishi TV. It may seem silly, but I can buy a $10 universal from Wal-mart if that's what I wanted. I wanted OEM, and that's what I was led to believe I was getting.

Second, my original remote controlled 5 devices. What they sent me was a remote programmed for my TV and no instructions on how to program it for the one other device it can control.

Third, this "replacement" remote can't even change the aspect ratio of the TV. In truth, it's the only reason I need the brand-specific/OEM remote. I haven't seen a universal remote with that button on it, and since my old remote is destroyed, I have nothing to "teach" a learning remote with.

Fourth... well I don't need a fourth reason. But here's the kicker: they include a letter in the package that, in summary, says you'll be satisfied or your money back. That of course translates to we'll be operating on your 40 bucks for the two weeks it takes to deliver, find out we screwed you, then get the remote returned to us. But the part that got me was this line from the letter:

"...Your original remote is not available but no need to worry. Enclosed you will find a full function replacement remote... ...We have sent you the best replacement remote available so you can fully control your unit... ...Often customers are concered when they receive something different then what they ordered. Please try it for a few days. If for any reason you are not satisfied, ou can take advantage of our 30 day no questions asked refund policy."

If what I ordered wasn't available, they should have cancelled my transaction and notified me, plain and simple. I would bet serious money that their business model depends on people just taking what they get instead of going through the hassle of being without a remote control and having to go through the returns process.

So, in true geek fashion, I'll be linking the words "scam" and "rip-off" to their domain. Hopefully the next person looking to do business with that site will find this blog entry and avoid them at all costs.

In addition I'll be reporting this incident to the Better Busines Bureau.

Technorati tags: Springfield MO, remotecontrolwarehouse.com, scam, rip-off

Lunchtime Kart Action

2007-05-02T11:53:00.001-05:00

Lunchtime Kart Action
Originally uploaded by duanekeys.

I finally got a better picture of the gang of four mario kart players. This time, however it included our boss!

Does the addtion of a senior member of management make this a legitimate pass-time?

Jump Ball

2007-04-23T07:56:00.000-05:00

IMG_8605
Originally uploaded by duanekeys.

IMG_8622
Originally uploaded by duanekeys.

I enjoyed the beautiful weather on Saturday by taking some photos of my cousin Aaron in a flag football game. The Panthers won pretty easily. "Our team scored six touchdowns, but I only scored 5" Aaron reported with a sly grin.

Ozarks Football

2007-04-23T07:46:00.000-05:00

IMG_8469
Originally uploaded by duanekeys.

The Bulldogs lost to the Irish Friday night (24-6). My cousin Aaron, QB for the the Bulldogs scrambled for one TD. The official account from the OFL site:
Harrison Stadium April 20, 2007 - Red Division
Bulldogs vs Irish

On a beautiful evening made to order for football, the action doesn't get any better than this!

Trevor Vaughn led the Irish offense with a dazzling 128 rushing yards on 11 carries, scoring 3 touchdowns. Quarterback Chad McBride completed 4 passes for 42 yards, 3 incompletions and 1 interception. Irish receiver Thomas Halter led the team with 2 receptions for 20 yards. James Glover returned a Bulldog kickoff for 15 yards.

On the defensive side of the ball, Thomas Halter led the team in tackles with 7. Carlo Duaban and Timothy Gerwel each racked up 4 tackles. Dylan Beuhler and Timothy Gerwel each posted one quarterback sack. Nolan Bettlach and Chad McBride picked off 1 pass each.

The Bulldogs came out in the spread offense in their inaugural season. Aaron Creson rushed for 37 yards in 10 carries and a touchdown and completed 1 pass to Jacob Rowden for 13 yards. Jake Gagliardo returned a kickoff for 15 yards.

The Bulldogs star defensive player was Steven Cody posting 5 tackles, 1 quarterback sack and 1 interception. Jake Gagliardo racked up 5 tackles.

Both teams rewarded the crowd with plenty of action, but in the end, the Irish attack was too much for the Bulldogs to overcome. Irish 24, Bulldogs 6.

Zac of ZC Photography was on site to capture the action.

UMR becomes Missouri S&T

2007-04-07T11:43:00.000-05:00

My alma mater has gotten into the name changing fun. UMR becomes Missouri University of Science and Technology.

The University of Missouri-Rolla will become Missouri University of Science and Technology – or “Missouri S&T” – under a proposal approved today by the University of Missouri Board of Curators.

The curators approved a recommendation from UMR Chancellor John F. Carney III today (April 6, 2007) during their meeting on the Rolla campus. The name change takes effect on Jan. 1, 2008.

“Missouri S&T will better define the university as a leading technological research university,” Carney says. “We believe the new name will help to differentiate this university in a highly competitive university market and provide a national competitive advantage.”

The decision follows more than six months of research and discussion with numerous UMR constituents, including alumni, students, prospective students, faculty, staff, corporate recruiters and community leaders.

Carney says the name change will help the institution have a stronger identity while remaining a part of the four-campus University of Missouri.

Carney first raised the name change issue during his State of the University Address to the campus community last October. UMR’s current appellation does not distinguish the campus as one focused on engineering, technology and science, he said.

Soon after he joined UMR in September 2005, Carney set a goal of making UMR one of the nation’s top five technological research universities by 2010. While UMR’s marketing materials already carry the tagline of “Missouri’s premier technological research university,” the institution is not as well known as it deserves to be in other parts of the United States, Carney says.

“The University of Missouri-Rolla is unique among the four University of Missouri campuses because of our focus as a technological research university,” Carney says. “We believe a more distinctive name would afford UMR several advantages in recruiting students on a national level.”

The university was founded in 1870 as the University of Missouri School of Mines and Metallurgy. It was informally known as the Missouri School of Mines, or MSM, until 1964, when it was renamed the University of Missouri at Rolla. The campus became known as the University of Missouri-Rolla in 1968.

Alumni, students and others have been discussing the proposal on Name Change Conversations, a weblog the university created to foster communication about the proposal. The blog is online at http://namechange.umr.edu .

Technorati tags: Springfield MO, UMR

The Critic Passes

2007-04-05T07:27:00.000-05:00

The Critic
Originally uploaded by duanekeys.

I met John at the Springfield blogger's meeting. I thought, here's a guy that's off his rocker and he knows it and likes it. I spent very little "real-time" in John's company but I felt like I knew him better than others I interact with on a daily basis.

I'll miss his daily rants about polictics and religion on his blog. And I'll miss the random e-mail forwards and the updates to his flickr stream.

Here's some links to other folks that are going to miss him:
Atomic Babbon.net: Springfield Blogger John Stone Passed Away
Zach Is Here: John Stone Passes Away
Rhetorica: Goodbye John Stone
Chatter: John Stone, 62
Tony Messenger: A Tribute To Curby...
John Stone Tribute Podcast

Rest in peace, my friend.

Office decor

2007-04-02T12:16:00.000-05:00

I've been struggling with picking pictures to print and frame for my office. I've avoided hanging "art" so far because I wanted it to be something I created. Now a couple years after acquiring a digital camera and several thousand images later, I still have bare walls.

At one time I was thinking of a Springfield sites theme. I still like the idea though I no longer reside in Springfield proper. Here's some of what I would choose with that theme in mind.

I liked this of Kinetic Man against the Springfield skyline.

This was my favorite of my pictures from the fair last year.

While not of Springfield itself, this was my favorite of my ice-storm photos.

The clouds made this shot of Hammons field work for me.

I've also considered a farm-themed set of photos to decorate my office at work with. Most people find it surprising that I spend my non-work time at home on a farm, and it would be fun to share some of those photos.

I like this shot as well as several other from the farrier's visit. I'm afraid, however, that people might not get the right idea by having this picture on the wall.

This is a picture of Buddy, one of the neighbor's horses. I like the "artsy" feel of this shot. I don't proclaim to know very much about horses in general but I am learning.

I did print out this one and gave it as a gift to our neighbors. The shot features their windmill against the summer sunset.

All and all I need to pick something to complete the "atmosphere" of my office. If anyone has any suggestions from my flickr stream, let me know!

Technorati tags: Springfield MO

Grown men?

2007-04-02T12:10:00.000-05:00

Yes, this would be 4 grown men playing Nintendo DS on their lunch hour. Yes, they work with me. Yes, I use the term "men" loosely. :)

Sorry for the poor quality camera-phone image.

Technorati tags: Springfield MO, Nintendo DS

Ice storm book

2007-03-06T12:36:00.000-06:00

The News-Leader is selling a book of photos of the ice storm "taken by our photographers and our readers."

I wonder if my ice storm photo made it... Guess I'll have to shell out the bucks to find out.

Technorati tags: Springfield MO, ice storm

Together

2007-03-02T08:21:00.001-06:00

together
Originally uploaded by duanekeys.

Four years ago yesterday, Jennifer and I embarked on a journey.

To my wife, I love you!

Grimy Keyboard

2007-02-27T18:22:00.001-06:00

Grimy Keyboard
Originally uploaded by duanekeys.

The retail team at work has been in a long sprint to get a huge project installed. Many late nights have been spent and many more to come. Pictured here TJ is hacking away on a Grimy Keyboard typical of one of our store environments.

UMR was challenging

2007-02-27T13:11:00.000-06:00

UMR was challenging, but I don't ever remember wanting to blow it up. Well, at least not seriously.

A distraught graduate student claiming to have a bomb and anthrax sparked a scare early Tuesday that shut down the University of Missouri-Rolla for several hours, officials said.

Haley boo

2007-02-22T12:30:00.001-06:00

Haley boo
Originally uploaded by duanekeys.

I liked the lighting on this photo Haley I took some time ago. I wish I was able to control the spill of light better so that her shoulder and the floor were dark. Speaking of photography, be sure to check out Zach's new site, ZCPhotography.

I haven't had much time to post anything lately. I feel pretty bad for leaving OTC hanging with courses set up and without me holding up my end of the commitment. I ended up resigning from my instructor position at the Computer Institute due to time and energy constraints both personal and professional. There have been challenges all around.

Ben and Betsy, sitting in a tree

2007-02-17T12:40:00.001-06:00

IMG_7556
Originally uploaded by duanekeys.

I grabbed my camera in time to catch Ben being serenaded by these lovely women on valentines day. Ben's wife Betsy apparently owed her husband some payback in the form of embarrasment in front of all his co-workers!

Springfield Outtage Map

2007-01-24T12:24:00.000-06:00

Kudos to the News-Leader for doing what the local power companies should have done a while ago (provide a map of the outtages).

Technorati tags: Springfield MO, ice storm

Photo submission

2007-01-19T07:51:00.000-06:00

I submitted a photo I blogged on a previous post to the News-leader. Apparently they'll use about any shot in their gallery, but I'm pleased to see it used as one of the buttons to enter the site as well as on the banner advertising the gallery. Now I can tell all my friends I took that pitcher.

FEMA? We don't need no stinkin' FEMA!

2007-01-18T07:39:00.001-06:00

Fallen trees at our duplex
Originally uploaded by duanekeys.

Here's a poor quality camera-phone image of the damage at our rental property in Springfield. I'll be removing these Bradford Pears as soon as everything thaws and CU removes the trunk from the power lines. The Bradford Pear is a fast growing tree, but it's quite weak (not that any of the Oaks or Walnuts did any better).

We're somewhat back in business at the farm, check the Geek Acres blog for more updates.

There's been a lot of talk about how family, friends, and neighbors are pulling together. Despite the stress of the situation, it's nice to be a part of a loving network.

The damage is extensive as many are reporting. Sniderman, of The 2 Dollar Bill, said it best:

I'd argue, and have said on-air... that by far... by a long long shot... this is worse than tornadoes. This is hurricane damage in the midwest. This is our Ozark earthquake.

He also made a well deserved joke, saying things could be worse, "FEMA could be in town to help with recovery."

That being said... Who needs FEMA? I've not encountered a single person who EXPECTED the government to come rescue them. I don't know a single Ozarkian who thought they were ENTITLED to FEMA dropping off a generator on their doorstep.

Part of this is due to the seemingly well executed disaster recovery plan implemented by the leaders and citizens of our local area. There has been a constant stream of updates on warming centers, shelters, and locations of fuel and supplies on local radio stations. Repair crews are pulling 16 hour days to get power back on-line. But I think most of the successful recovery of the area is due to the previously mentioned domino-effect of neighbor helping neighbor. It's this attitude and state of mind that makes me glad to live in the Ozarks, even if there are inches of ice on the ground.

Welcome to Greene County

2007-01-15T11:58:00.001-06:00

Welcome to Greene County
Originally uploaded by duanekeys.

Hope everyone is ok and warm!

Blogaroni

2007-01-12T12:42:00.000-06:00

I've had the honor of being nominated for a Blogaroni award. Be sure to check Larry's list of nominees, there's some great local content out there!

Jay and Aubrey

2007-01-12T12:40:00.001-06:00

IMG_7228
Originally uploaded by duanekeys.

I recently had the opportunity to take some photos at a reception for a newly-wed couple. Jay and Aubrey were married in Utah where the bride's parents live. Jay's father and I work together and we struck up an agreement for me and my camera to join them at their local celebration. I had a great time and was pleased I had some decent shots! Getting good images is much easier when you've got such great subjects. Congrats to the newly-weds and thanks to John for the opportunity. Take a look at the set for on my flickr page to see more.

Seat 8

2006-12-19T12:25:00.000-06:00

I got a geeky request the other day (my favorite kind): a fellow O'er wanted to swap blog links. I proudly now invite you to take a gander at Seat 8 where I'm sure you'll find something interesting to ponder.

Technorati tags: Springfield MO, Seat 8

Holiday fun

2006-12-17T20:35:00.000-06:00

A co-worker and friend of mine sets up a Christmas train display each year in the office. Their department has recently moved allowing for an elaborate setup where the train travels the length of a long row of cubicals. Lee, the train's "engineer" and owner, even set up a timer to allow the train to run for a variable amount of time.

What's the annual holiday decoration of choice in your office?

Cedar-cicles

2006-12-03T14:41:00.000-06:00

Cedar-cicles
Originally uploaded by duanekeys.

I hope everyone has come through the Ozark's first big winter storm in three years ok. If anything I got a chance to take some neat pictures and use the 4 wheel drive.

I haven't been able to attend any of the recent Springfield Blogger's activities, the local camera club meetings, or many of the other extra-curricular activities I would usually attend. Things at work have been busy with new challenges and end of the year activities.

On the home-front winter only slows down how fast chores can get accomplished. I've also started teaching some classes at OTC. My first class was last week and went well, I think. I think we all learned a little. I know I came away from my first engagement as a teacher with some lessons learned and hopefully I can apply those lessons in future classes.

I've also had a few lessons to learn outside of the classroom. I'm committed to making sure I learn from mistakes on those fronts.

PS3 Today

2006-11-20T22:52:00.000-06:00

PS3 Today
Originally uploaded by duanekeys.

Seen in North Springfield.

Peace!

2006-11-01T07:59:00.000-06:00

Peace!
Originally uploaded by duanekeys.

He didn't even realize it was Halloween!

Supergirl

2006-11-01T07:58:00.001-06:00

Supergirl
Originally uploaded by duanekeys.

Mild mannered by day? ;)

Bossman Steve

2006-11-01T07:58:00.000-06:00

Bossman Steve
Originally uploaded by duanekeys.

This needs no explantation.

Appointment

2006-10-15T08:02:00.000-05:00

I didn't intend to leave such a cliffhanger. My appointment was with OTC, and it looks like I'll be doing some teaching on the side (evenings, weekends). I've got some paperwork to fill out then we'll see which computer related courses I need to fill in this fall and spring.

Technorati tags: Springfield MO

Goings on

2006-10-12T14:31:00.000-05:00

Life gets in the way of blogging, even if you're blogging about your life. Work has been quite busy and one my friends recently joked with me that "farm life slows down during winter..." ...riiiight! Now there's just less light by which things can be accomplished. I'm not looking forward to leaving before light and coming home in the dark, which is fast approaching. I do now see why we'll be falling back and hour in a few weekends.

I took a half day today to get a couple personal things done. Mostly I'll be hauling hay today, but I've also got an appointment I don't want to jinx, so I'll just leave it for another post. Don't worry bossman Steve, and fellow O folks, I'm not going anywhere!

On the technology front work has been very interesting lately. Our team got a rare glimpse into Google's inner workings. We had a webex with one of the Google for Enterprise people. We learned some neat things about the Google Search Appliance and got a neat glimpse at their intranet Moma (pronounced moh-ma, not ma ma). Intranets are something near and dear to my team as that where we spend most of our development time. Not to toot our own horn, but when I think about the things that our intranet has allowed or the things the business does better because of it, it's pretty amazing.

Technorati tags: Springfield MO

Season 3 Battlestar Galactica Preview

2006-10-04T22:02:00.000-05:00

Watch the first act of the Season 3 opener ofBattlestar Galactica, the best show on TV today. On Friday night at 8:00, several of my friends from work and I will gather together around a big screen for the start of the third season.

Good evening

2006-10-03T22:20:00.000-05:00

I met up with an old friend of mine for a dinner and attended the bloggers meeting at the Patton Alley Pub. I was short on time at the meeting though, I needed to get over to watch my cousin, Aaron, play in another football game. I missed his 70-some yard scramble for a touchdown, but I still got to see him lay some good hits and make more yards on the ground.

Posts have been few and far between on this blog. Life gets in the way of blogging sometimes. We've been very busy at work for quite some time. While I normally enjoy the pace I'm having a tough time keeping up with work demands and still being productive on the farm. I'm hoping to return to some semblance of a balance soon.

Google Calendar goodness

2006-09-27T12:00:00.000-05:00

Google has added weather to the Google calendar application. Now if they'd only add sunrise and sunset times I'd be pleased with it.

Come on Googlers, I know you read the links to your blog posts! Give me sunrise and sunset times on the calendar, and as a plugin on my Google homepage!

Code Monkey

2006-09-21T20:43:00.000-05:00

Stop what you're doing and go listen to the free mp3 Code Monkey.

Geeks around the world have their theme song.

Creson Throws 2 TD Passes In Win over Reed

2006-09-14T06:52:00.000-05:00

TD Pass 1
Originally uploaded by duanekeys.

My cousin, Aaron Creson, threw 2 touchdown passes Tuesday night in the Pipkin win over Reed (8th grade).

Aaron also ran for a 2-point conversion. I was able to catch both his TD passes in the camera!

Hamming it up

2006-09-05T12:42:00.000-05:00

Hamming it up
Originally uploaded by duanekeys.

Who better to practice my off-camera lighting techniques than my nephew. Kara takes her little girl to the same place that Ayden goes during the day, and describes him best as "a little ham."

I took several shots that day, here's one of my sister Bridget reading to her daughter Alex. I call this one "story time."

The Leader follows

2006-09-05T12:21:00.000-05:00

The News-Leader did a story on Lawson's Barber shop, just a few days after my post on the same. I'm sure it's just coincidence and the News-Leader did a much more in-depthy review of Terry's zoning problem.

Just another example of government getting in the way of things.

Technorati tags: Springfield MO, Lawson Barber

Flickr Explore

2006-08-30T12:48:00.000-05:00

Apparently on April 26, 2006 if you clicked the Flickr Explore page, and paged 16 pages in, you'd have seen my photo of sunset over Jordan Valley Park.

Ok, so that's not that exciting, but I didn't know about until today.

Be sure to check my stream for some of my latest photos, including shots of the farrier that I blogged about on my other blog, Geek Acres.

Technorati tags: Springfield MO, photography

A Real Barber

2006-08-20T22:23:00.000-05:00

I thought I needed a stylist when I got out of college. It was part of landing a new job, getting new clothes, driving a new car. I had "arrived" and I needed to look the part.

Well then I came to my senses (for the most part). Paying a stylist was silly, since my hair pretty much only does one thing anyway (grows straight out, fro-style). After an $18 haircut I'd be pressured into buying the latest hair gel, and I'd have to listen to lots of pretentious people go on and on about the "drama" in their lives.

So I decided to find a real barber. One where I could get a regular haircut for a few bucks and where they still used the shaving cream on your neck.

I found that place at Lawson's barber shop at the corner of Division and Glenstone. Terry Lawson cuts the hair of my father as well as some of my uncles so I already had an in with the barber. There's no pretentious conversation here, just a bunch of old codgers ranting about the latest local gossip. It's a place where I can pay $8 bucks (plus a tip, of course) for a good old-fashioned standard haircut.

You never know how long the wait is going to be, they don't take appointments at barber shops. But if you're looking for a good barber I can recommend this one.

Technorati tags: Springfield MO, Lawson Barber Shop

Google Tools

2006-08-12T13:06:00.000-05:00

google
Originally uploaded by duanekeys.

Meghann and I were discussing and comparing out Google Homepages recently; she beat me to the blog post but I thought I'd cover mine as well.

When you go to Google you'll notice an option to "personalize" the site in the upper right hand corner of the page. I highly suggest giving it a try, there are some very useful and time saving modules. What separates this from other portals like My Yahoo! is the open API (or application programming interface) Google has provided. This allows people from all over the world to write plug-ins for others to use.

When RSS (Really Simple Syndication) arrived I didn't really get the point. Now with all the blog reading I do and keeping up with different changing topics combined with the ease of use of the Google homepage RSS is my best friend.

On the left you'll see I have 3 RSS feeds of my different blog stats. Of course the obligatory Google Mail preview gets a top center position.

Below my mail preview I have the Google Reader, which I have all my favorite blogs added as subscriptions. This allows me to make one stop to find all of the updated blog entries for the blogs I care about. I also have RSS feeds subscribed to for different news topics (such as the company I work for), that way I keep up to date on any new news items. Another useful bit with the reader is you can make items you find interested available to others. You can see the items I find interesting in the in "Interesting Reads" widget on the left side of this blog.

I have two weather related modules, a Google Maps-based radar as well as a forecast on the right column. Google Maps is yet another invaluable tool. Try the hybrid or satellite views for some fun! I have a forecast on the right column.

Google Calendar is also another awesome tool that I'm very impressed with. In the lower right hand column is my Netflix feeds which shows me my queue, recommendations, and shipping status for the movies I rent.

Below the fold, so to speak is a number of different modules, mostly news feeds. I have a "word of the day" type module and a quote module among others.

The Google Personalized Homepage along with all the Google specific tools I mentioned requires an account with Google, which is free. I highly recommend checking out the personalized homepage to see if it can save some time for you on-line like it has me.

Fair pics featured on the Camera Club Blog

2006-08-12T12:22:00.000-05:00

My fair pictures are featured over on the Southwest Missouri Camera Club blog. Despite misspelling my last name, I'm still honored!

Vote for Change?

2006-08-08T12:38:00.000-05:00

Wow, I'm not sure what to say about the bio for Midge Potts, Republican candidate for US Representative for Missouri, District 7. Perhaps the day of the primary is a bit late for me to be doing investigation on candidates, but I have definitely learned something.

From her site:

Midge was born in Gainesville Missouri in 1969. Named "Mitchell" at birth, she has been transitioning to become a woman for nearly 3 years and has had her name legally changed to "Midgelle Regina". A 1987 graduate of Kickapoo High School, Midge attended SMSU before having served in the U.S. Navy deployed in 1991 to the Persian Gulf on the USS Yosemite. After an honorable discharge in 1993, a became a freelance writer working for publications including the Washington Peace Letter and the Tacenda Literary Journal.

"Vote for Change" is the page title. Change indeed!

Ozark Empire Fair Pictures

2006-08-07T13:54:00.000-05:00

tickets please
Originally uploaded by duanekeys.

I made another trip to the Ozark Empire Fair. Take a looksee at the photo set here.

Theme park calls off "Muslim Fun Day"

2006-08-02T17:39:00.000-05:00

Theme park calls off "Muslim Fun Day", where the plan included:

...halal food, a strict dress code and prayer areas.

Music, gambling and alcohol were to be banned for the day and theme park rides such as "Ripsaw," "Corkscrew" and "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" all segregated by sex...

The event was called off due to "insufficient ticket sales." What?! Who wouldn't jump at the chance to practice some sexual segregation, a little prayer, and a strict dress code at a theme park devoid of music, alcohol, and gambling?

Another Bloggers Meeting

2006-08-02T12:21:00.000-05:00

Another bloggers meeting is down. Take a listen to the podcast over at Rhetorica or check my previous posts or my flickr site for pictures of the festivities.

I took the chance to break out my off-camera lighting kit that I purchased to study techinques I've learned on the Strobist site.

We had some interesting discussion and something might even come of it. Ron recapps the topic of a blogger supported community forum (or forums) over at Chatter.

Technorati tags: Springfield MO, Bloggers Meeting

Bloggers Meeting pictures, the Erratic Ranter

2006-08-02T11:57:00.000-05:00

Erratic Ranter
Originally uploaded by duanekeys.

Another fun evening with the Springfield Bloggers. Pictured here is the Erratic Ranter himself, of Fat Jack's Erratic Rants. The podcast is available at Rhetorica.

Bloggers Meeting pictures, the Marmot

2006-08-02T11:54:00.000-05:00

Marmot
Originally uploaded by duanekeys.

Another fun evening with the Springfield Bloggers. Pictured here is Amy of the Snarling Marmot. The podcast is available at Rhetorica.

Bloggers Meeting pictures, the Critic

2006-08-02T11:52:00.000-05:00

The Critic
Originally uploaded by duanekeys.

Another fun evening with the Springfield Bloggers. Pictured here is John of the Curbstone Critic. The podcast is available at Rhetorica.

Bloggers Meeting pictures, the Journalism Guys

2006-08-02T11:48:00.000-05:00

Journalism Guys
Originally uploaded by duanekeys.

Another fun evening with the Springfield Bloggers. Pictured here is David of the KY3 Political Blog and Andy of Rhetorica. The podcast is available at Rhetorica.

Bloggers Meeting pictures, Gentle Ben and Granny Geek

2006-08-02T11:45:00.000-05:00

Gentle Ben and Granny Geek
Originally uploaded by duanekeys.

Another fun evening with the Springfield Bloggers. Pictured here is Gentle Ben and Granny Geek. The podcast is available at Rhetorica.

Bloggers Meeting, Tuesday August 1, 2006

2006-08-01T07:35:00.000-05:00

Tonight is another Southwest Missouri Bloggers Meeting. It's great fun with a diverse group of folks. We'll be enjoying the conversation and the spirits at the Patton Alley Pub at 7:00 PM.

In other news, Amy of the Snarling Marmot posted her interview of yours truly.

Technorati tags: Springfield MO, Bloggers Meeting

Local Blogger Activity

2006-07-25T17:55:00.000-05:00

There's a flurry of activity in the local blogosphere. Here's a quick and thoroughly incomplete run down:

Larry posts his thoughts on the minimum wage over at Simple Thoughts of a Complex Mind.

Amy is doing a series on local bloggers at the Snarling Marmot.

Zach, of zachishere, continues searching for that perfect blend of graphic design and blogging functionality.

I found another local blogger over at brandoncrainblog, who took recent honors as a photo blog of the week.

DocLarry over at Lost Chord comes to the defense of Granny Geek. Apparently Cones of Reasonable Privacy (TM, patent pending, copyright 2006) don't get in the way of chivalry. That's good to know.

Of course there's more of the usual news tidbits at Chatter and craaazy-evil-biologist ramblings at the Curbstone Critic.

Sadly there are only cobwebs collecting at 417pundit.

Technorati tags: Springfield MO, blogging

Free Wifi hotspot: Ziggie's on North Glenstone

2006-07-25T17:38:00.000-05:00

Another great spot in North Springfield to soak up some bandwidth for blogging activities while having some lunch can be found at Ziggie's on North Glenstone (just north of Chestnut Expressway). I had a grilled-chicken salad the other day and it was excellent. The service was attentive and friendly without being in my way.

Technorati tags: Springfield MO, wifi, Ziggies

Springfield, MO Radio

2006-07-21T11:59:00.000-05:00

Radio Tower, Sunset
Originally uploaded by longristra.

The state of Springfield radio is not good. I learned quite a bit about this ruthless industry from someone I know who used worked for Power 96.5 Jams. Power is owned by the Journal Broadcast group, and operates Power, KSGF, KTTS, and Z.

Admittedly my opinion of radio is changing, I've matured and I'm having a hard time finding "my music." I've never been one to seek out new music on my own (I leave that to guys like Vapor or Zach.), I've just been one of those sheep that listen to whatever was being played. Growing up I was pretty much a fan of the typical top 40 stuff, pop, contemporary, rock, and some alternative. These days I'm having a tough time finding a station I can keep on the dial for extended periods of time.

I obviously don't fit the demographic for Power 96.5 Jams. There's way to much hip-hop for my tastes. Occasionally I'll catch a top 40 song on that station but it's in between songs about bizzos and clubs. Nothing I can relate to. That being said, I feel too young for stations like Alice or even worse, KGBX or one of the oldies stations.

I don't listen to any of the Christian or gospel music stations as again, I don't really fit the demographic (though there aren't many bizzo and club songs).

I do find myself listening to KSMU on my daily commute. However, as I previously ranted, the afternoon guy's voice annoys the heck out of me.

I'm going to have to admit something a little embarrassing in order to proceed with this rant. Since moving to the country (see my blog Geek Acres) I've... well... I've started listening to country music. I don't know what it is, but the country life and the country music seem to go together. That being said, occasionally my radio will be tuned to KTTS. Other than not knowing some songs and not liking others (still can't handle too much twang), my biggest complaint with KTTS is with the morning show. I wonder if the co-hosts can go a single commercial break without using the EXACT SAME audience cheering track break after break, day after day.

Much to the chagrin of the local blogoshpere, I do listen to NewsTalk KSGF as well. As much crap the morning show host, Vincent David Jericho, gets from the local bloggers, he does have a good show put together. Compared to the other talk station, it's a well-produced and well-engineered sounding station. I can only take Vince for so long though, especially way he goes off the deep-end with some of his super-Christian or anti-science rants.

I used to enjoy listening at lunch time to the Bill O'Reilly show on KSGF, but that has been moved to 9 PM at night for some silly reason. I rarely listen to the radio at home. Again, I find Bill's show entertaining and informative, and while I may not always agree I thought it was a good show. It was replaced during the noon hour by Laura Ingram. I can't take listening to Laura Ingram or Sean Hannity waving the party flag no matter what. The Savage show can sometimes be entertaining but mostly it's maddening. My favorite show, of which I get to listen to very little, is the Neal Boortz show. I just finished his Fair Tax book, and I'm a supporter for sure now (more on that in another post).

None of the "alternative" rock stations get much time on my dial either. It seems like most of today's rock is about pent up anger or aggression. I don't like listening to music that makes me mad. It was good when I was a teen, but now I want a little more from my music.

What's your favorite station? Are you a satellite radio user, and if so do you think it's worth it? I'm thinking it might be worth investigating.

Technorati tags: Springfield MO, radio, ktts, ksgf, kgbx, ktoz, ksmu

Bush says "shit"; Journalism in a tizzy; Get over it fercrissakes!

2006-07-19T23:22:00.000-05:00

Thank you, Andy, for your recent post, Bush says "shit"; Journalism in a tizzy. Finally, some real perspective on the subject.

Intelligent Debate on Minimum Wage

2006-07-19T22:06:00.000-05:00

I missed the last bloggers meeting... I enjoy the meetings because it's such a diverse group that comes together to share ideas. We may not always agree with each other but we respect each other (well, except for maybe John!) and have a great time sharing our ideas.

Though I wasn't in attendance for the last meeting I can still participate in an intelligent discussion. Earlier I posted a little rant regarding my view on the minimum wage, and attempts to increase it. In summary, I said if people want to make more money they should earn it.

Ron, of Chatter, posted a reply, to which I also responded. I thought the discussion was interesting enough to recap. I truly would like to understand where the opposing view is coming from and solicit more input on the subject from the local blogging community (except for maybe John). Ron wrote:

Of course the best way to earn more money is to work harder, have an education and be an asset to your employer. But what does that have to do with a minimum wage?

Could you live on $206 a week? Could you support a family on $10,712 a year? Do you think that's a fair and adequate wage, especially with current gasoline prices?

To which I responded (edited for grammar, typos, and spelling, 417pundit):

No, Ron I couldn't live on $206 a week. I decided early on that I wouldn't be able to survive on my minimum wage job I had in high school.

So I decided to do something about it. I got an education and that allowed me to get a job that lets me live the lifestyle I want to live. I didn't do it alone, I had family and to help and Uncle Sam to subsidize me (and early on, Uncle Sam even gave me money to go to school).

Now I'm not saying others can't live on $206 a week. I know people who are, but that's the lifestyle they've chosen for themselves. It certainly doesn't include worrying about things like paying for gas (see you at the bus stop).

As far as raising a family on $206 a week, I'm not arguing the fact that no one can properly care for a family on that wage. However a family with two parents earning minimum wage probably can survive on $412 a week, though I wouldn't suggest it.

What I do suggest is that people take some personal responsibility and make decisions to get where they want to be under their own means instead of crying and complaining.

If you've decided you want to raise a family you better get a job that pays more than minimum wage. That way you can support your family and the lifestyle that you've chosen. I'd sure like to have a boat and some other toys but I'm not whining to my employer that they don't pay me enough to support the lifestyle I want.

The same people that will cry about not getting a minimum wage increase will be crying that they can't afford a big mac after the market adjusts to compensate for the increased cost of burger flippers.

I noticed I didn't answer Ron's last question, do I think it's a fair wage. Yes, for the jobs I know that pay minimum wage I do think it's a fair wage, in some cases more than fair. Take this job for example. Think he ought to find a better use of his time to support his family?

So Springfield Bloggers, what's your $0.02 on the subject? Better hurry and respond before the cost of creating the $0.02 thought goes up because of an increase in the minimum wage! ;)

Note: the church image and the open house image were taken from flickr. Credit belongs to their respective authors.

Technorati tags: Springfield MO, minimum wage

Happy Birthday, Alex!

2006-07-17T21:38:00.000-05:00

IMG_5197
Originally uploaded by duanekeys.

My niece's 4th birthday party was this weekend. I drug out the camera equipment for a little fun. See the slideshow for all the action.

Root! Root, root for the home team!

2006-07-15T12:39:00.000-05:00

high five
Originally uploaded by duanekeys.

I was able to catch a Springfield Cardinals game the other night. I spotted some family friends on the outfield big screen. I hustled over to get a shot of them celebrating! They won $75 in the Great Southern pick a teller/vault game.

Denying the poorest workers a raise

2006-07-15T09:43:00.000-05:00

I somehow followed some links to a press-release from Nancy Pelosi. Here's a line that really got me:

"For nearly nine years, the Republican Congress has denied American workers an increase in the federal minimum wage, freezing it at $5.15 per hour.

Now, it's true that the congress did not raise the minimum wage, but let's be sure to understand it's a MINIMUM wage.

You want a raise? Here's a few helpful tips. You're going to have to get an education, work harder, or become more valuable to your company. At least that's how I was taught to get an increase, by EARNING it.

A friend of mine told me an experience where some of his minimum wage employees were discussing their wish for a dollar raise to the minimum. He agreed that 4 out of 5 of them would be getting a raise, and one would be looking for another job.

Hell, why just a dollar, let's make it so the minimum wage is $40k a year. Everyone has a right to a big screen don't they? No, I'm sorry, everyone is ENTITLED to a big screen.

Technorati tags: Springfield MO, politics

417pundit

2006-07-10T17:05:00.000-05:00

There's a new blog in town, 417pundit, and so far it's author isn't making many new friends. The introductory post states the author will take local bloggers "to task for errors, illogical thinking, and contradictions."

The first ground-breaking post taking a local blogger to "task" is based soley on typos and grammatical errors.

Boooooring.

The Strobist

2006-06-30T07:51:00.000-05:00

Gelleon
Originally uploaded by duanekeys.

I've been reading a blog, strobist.blogspot.com for a few weeks now. It's a great site. The strobist explains how to use off-camera flash lighting, cheaply, and effectively. There's a flickr group devoted to the strobist effort. The author is conducting a "lighting bootcamp" where he assigns different learning tasks and the particpants share their efforts, tips, and experiences with the group. What a great use of the "Web 2.0" concept.

I didn't get in all my new toys before the first deadline, but I did manage to snap this shot of one of my dogs, Gelleon, using my new off-camera flash, light stand, umbrella, and wireless flash trigger system. More to come on how it all works out. If you read the how-to's and the recommended gear sections, beware the strobist effect on ebay. This site has single-handedly increased the demand for 20 year old Nikon flashes!

team photo

2006-06-30T07:44:00.000-05:00

team photo
Originally uploaded by duanekeys.

Some of our team at work went to lunch together. We ended up at the playground and was able to snap this shot. The faces are a little dark, I need to practice more!

rural sunset

2006-06-26T21:53:00.000-05:00

rural sunset
Originally uploaded by duanekeys.

I had been waiting for a nice sunset to take this shot.

Ford F-150 Mileage Improvements

2006-06-24T22:11:00.000-05:00

Coolidge Gas
Originally uploaded by duanekeys.

Sorry, this gas station has been out of commission for some time. I took this photo at the home of President Coolidge in Vermont. With recent high gas prices I took it upon myself to upgrade my Ford F-150 pickup truck with some horsepower and fuel saving products.

I added an Airraid Jr. intake, a K&N filter, and a Flo-pro muffler. Immediately after installing all the additions I was doing some trailer pulling or other load hauling, so I wasn't getting any accurate representation of my mile per gallon compared to my normal commuting routine.

I've been through two tanks of gas now that have allowed me to see the effects of the new accessories. I was able to achieve 18 mpg on one tank and 17.6 on another, a decent improvement over the 16.7 mpg high I had recorded before.

Note: Some people object to to people owning "gas guzzlers" such as my Triton V8 Powered F-150. I'm not a soccer dad with a need to show off and no need to haul things. My truck gets put to work either hauling things for our farm or our rental property.

Technorati tags: truck gas mileage

Free WiFi Hotspot: Frisco Crossing Restaurant

2006-06-21T07:53:00.000-05:00

Since moving to the farm and getting satellite internet I've done most of my blogging in my office building. The company bandwidth, is of course, for company use. So I usually use the free wireless internet in the Frisco Crossing Restaurant which is on the first floor of the Frisco Building. The restaurant has a daily special and the normal menu consists of sandwiches, soups, and salads.

If you're hard up for bandwidth like me (surfing on the satellite is ok, but uploading photos for blogs is painful), this is a nice quiet place to grab a bite and blog it up.

It's located at the intersection of Hwy 65 and Chestnut Expressway. Park in the west parking lot and enter the west side of the building. You can see the doors to the restaurant and conference rooms in the picture above. The sandwiches are a little expensive, but the salad's usually cheap (it's by the weight of the salad).

Technorati tags: Springfield MO, free wifi

June 06 Bloggers Meeting

2006-06-21T07:47:00.000-05:00

I was able to make another Springfield Bloggers meeting. They still let me attend even though I don't live in Springfield anymore!

It's quite a diverse group of folks from all walks of life. If you haven't had a chance to make it, or are intimidated by the podcasts over at Rhetorica (note: audio quality was too poor last night, Andy scrapped the link), don't be. As Mike of Numb Thumb, noted, some of the conversations are a little lighter than others!

I took the snap above on my way home after the meeting. I don't think the representative was there for *our* meeting anyway (read the plate).

Technorati tags: Springfield MO, bloggers meeting

All things considered

2006-06-14T07:49:00.000-05:00

One of the good things about having a little drive home is I get more time to listen to NPR's All Things Considered. I enjoy the show, however I'm getting increasingly more annoyed with the local KSMU DJ. It sounds like his "radio voice" is an attempt to sound like a robot, and it's driving me crazy. No one talks like that in reality. Take a listen on your drive home, tune in to 91.1 and listen to the local spots in the breaks of All Things Considered.

Am I the only one who is completley annoyed by this guy's voice?

New Guy to do list

2006-06-12T22:06:00.000-05:00

New Guy to do list
Originally uploaded by duanekeys.

A whole new crop of up and coming people have recently started work with us. I recommend they take note of this picture of Hal's board shortly into his career at the O.

Only in America

2006-06-12T21:30:00.000-05:00

The headline in my Google News Alert for Autozone said Robber Sues Victims After They Beat Him.

"In some respects, you wonder if a case like this even needs a defense. It speaks for itself," said lawyer Patrick B. Naylon, who represents AutoZone and the employees.

Only in America can this happen.

Google Picasa2

2006-06-12T07:40:00.000-05:00

I recently downloaded the Picasa2 photo organizing and editing software by Google. It so amazingly simple and elegant. All the usual photo editing options are their plus the power of Google indexing! Just as the Google search site's "I'm Feeling Lucky" button usually gives you good search results, Picasa has a "I'm Feeling Lucky" button that automatically adjusts brightness, contrast, color temperature, etc and it usually does an excellent job.

If you haven't already done so, download it now, you won't regret (they even have a Linux version!). Click the link on the left side nav to download it.

Vermont

2006-06-09T08:00:00.000-05:00

Classic Vermont
Originally uploaded by duanekeys.

Jennifer and I returned home from Vermont on Wednesday. Her brother Joe was married to Kim. We photographed the wedding, you can see the slideshow here. Or check out the rest of our Vermont pictures here.

minutia graph

2006-06-02T16:17:00.000-05:00

minutiagraph
Originally uploaded by duanekeys.

I stumbled on a cool site that makes a graph out of a website. The images are pleasing and so is the neat little applet that generates them.

On a side note, I'm blogging from the Kansas City airport awaiting my flight to Vermont. Jennifer's brother Joe is getting married this weekend. I've been looking forward to visiting with everyone, taking in the sites, and snapping some good pictures... Hopefully some of the pictures will be good enough to call "photographs."

front yard acrobatics

2006-05-28T07:05:00.000-05:00

front yard acrobatics
Originally uploaded by duanekeys.

My cousin Blakely wanted to show us he could do a back flip... He had to wait until I grabbed the camera!

Wilder Photography

2006-05-25T12:34:00.000-05:00

I created another blog for a friend of mine, Jim Wilder, the man behind Wilder Photography. Here I'm using all free stuff (blogger and flickr) to showcase some of the photos Jim and I took and are trying to sell at the High Plains Paso Fino Horse Show.

Whoops

2006-05-25T11:56:00.000-05:00

I hosed my layout, and my backup is at home. Let this be a lesson, don't make drastic changes to your blog while eating lunch.

Waterfront Skyline

2006-05-24T06:46:00.000-05:00

Waterfront Skyline
Originally uploaded by duanekeys.

This was also taken outside the convention center. You can see some famous landmarks such as the Sears Tower and Soldier Field.

flyby

2006-05-24T06:30:00.000-05:00

flyby
Originally uploaded by duanekeys.

Obligatory Chicago Seagull shot. I think it's a Seagull, I'm not sure if the great lakes count as the sea... Anyhow, during a break from sessions I wandered out of the McCormick center and down to the water front and this guy buzzed me.

city time

2006-05-24T06:20:00.000-05:00

city time
Originally uploaded by duanekeys.

We made sure to build in plenty of time to catch the shuttle from the hotel to the airport, almost a little too much. We stopped at a little park on the way back from lunch to kill some time and that's where I took this shot.

We ate at the Weber Grill Restaurant. Instead of another $10 ham and cheese sandwhich at the expo center we opted to find some local flavor and got $10 burgers instead. It honestly was one of the best burgers I've had in a while leading me to think I'm going to have to invest in a new charcoal grill this summer.

Hotel View

2006-05-24T06:11:00.000-05:00

Hotel View
Originally uploaded by duanekeys.

Here's the view from 42nd floor of the Marriott Downtown in Chicago, IL. The hotel was quite nice however our room was directly behind the elevator shafts. The high-speed elevators sound like a frieght train coming directly for you. They can make the beds as comfy as any but waking every 15 minutes to an elevator flying past your head kind of takes away from any rest you might get.

The Windy City and the Retail Systems Show

2006-05-23T22:15:00.000-05:00

I just got home from the Retail Systems Show in Chicago. More detailed blog posts to follow as soon as I get some good sleep and catch up on some things. In the mean time the following quick posts will show some of the photos I took while there.