ShowMeBlog

My Voice from out of the past - 1958!

I got a message from a friend and fellow ham from Kansas City MO.  I have not heard from him in many years.

“Jim, I bet you remember this recording - you gave me the disc! Restored with WaveMagic.

73,
Tom”

Tom and I go way back.  He was one of the first callers to  Howard’s Notebook back in 1982.  I was using BBS software that I wrote in BASIC.  It was not very powerful.  I was not very good at it.  He came over and I gave him a print out of my code and he wrote a real BBS program that did everything.  I then ran his BBS program.  Plus we got a lot more history.

I was in a documentary back a few years ago called “BBS: The Documentary” and the Director Jason Scott used a few short clips from his interview with me in Carrollton TX.
But he made almost 3 hours of video of me talking about Howard’s Notebook and BBSing.  I talked about Tom often and told some stories and that video will be on line one day for everyone to see.

Well back to the recording.  I did not remember it.  I had forgot all about it.  So it was a total shock to me.
The recording is me and two of my high school friends (Larry and Jerry Winship).  The date was 2/3/1958 one year before we got out of high school. 

It was recorded at Fairyland Park in 1958.  Fairyland opened in 1923 and closed in 1978.  It had a Ferris Wheel and rides like that and it had a booth were you could make a recording.

I put the audio on Stickam – check it out.

OldKC.Com – images and messages about old Kansas City

Check out the software (WaveMagic) that was used on this 60 year old recording at WageMagic.

Blockbuster Movies

I turned back on my Blockbuster movies account.  They were pretty smart to just put it on hold when I cancelled it.
I am not sure I can afford it…but what the hell.. I am a big spender.  I went for the four movies at a time this time.

I am sort of out of touch now.  I am not sure what I want to see. 

I am at 210 pounds now.  My weight just keeps moving up.  I had never been 200 pounds.  Then I hit that mark.  Then I hit 205 and now I am at 210.

Today is Saturday…starting Monday… I am going to have to do something about my weight.
One rule I am going to start today is not eating anything from midnight until noon.  I have been eating between those times.  Not just a breakfast but I will wake up at 0400 hours and get something to eat and go back to bed and wake at 0600 or 0700 and get something to eat.  I got to cut back on my food.

I also got to get out and start walking.  It is hard.  Starting Monday..just going to have to do it. 
I do not want to be about 200 pounds.  I would love to be 160 pounds but I may reach that goal on my death bed.

 

NRA opposes bill to stop gun sales to terror suspects

If you have not seen the news yourself your going to think that I made a typing error on the headline.  But I did not.
There is a bill in congress that would allow the attorney general to block sales of guns to terror suspects.  The National Rifle Association (NRA) does not want the bill to pass.  They say the law “would allow arbitrary denial of Second Amendment rights based on mere ‘suspicions’ of a terrorist threat.”

 I was a member for years of the NRA.  I enjoyed their publications.  It was a long time ago..but I noticed they started to get nuts in their publication.  Like I said it was a long time ago..they get more and more nuts each year.

You got to wonder what world do they live in…what is the color of the sky where they live? 

At a time when we are all giving up very basic rights and we are losing more and more of our rights…they object to the AG blocking sales of guns, gun licenses and gun permits to people that the government suspects are terrorist.

The NRA is out of control.  But your not going to find anyone running for president of the United States or congress saying that …because they have power.  They scare the hell out of people running for office and no one wants to cross them.. for fear of what will happen.

One of the big reasons for the NRA to take positions like they are taking now.. is that it makes their membership grow..it gets them more life members..more donations…
They tell their members that the left is going to take away their guns and their members give the NRA more and more money and more and more power.

CNN story. 

The People Who Shape Our World

“Time” magazine just put out their “The People Who Shape Our World” issue.  President Bush is not on the list!
President Bush is the leader of the free world so he should be on the list but it just goes to show how un-popular he is at this time and how history is going to judge him.

Black Hilocopters?

Last night when I walked to CVS to pick up some medication I saw a group of about 12 hilocopters flying North above US 1 higway. They were sort of in groups of three. Then I saw about six more. After I left the CVS store and was walking home I saw a few more. I then shot this short video.

My guess is that they were heading North to protect the Jamestown area. Queen Elizabeth II is here and maybe she wants her Colonial Williamsburg back after all these years!

McDonald's National Salute to American Heroes Air and Sea Show May 5-6 2007

Fleet Week USA     April 30 - May 6 2007
Air and Sea Show   May 5 - 6 2007

Junk Box to Computer

I am not sure what got Russell interested in doing it..but..He came into my room and took one of the old computer cases that was without parts and took it into his room.  Then he came back time and time and raided my boxes of stuff here.  He built a working computer from the junk in my room. 
It is working.  It will be interesting to see what he does with it.
It might make a good Linux computer.

Testing BlogJet

It is 0300 hours and I am still messing with Vista.  I just downloaded BlogJet.  I had used up my 30 day trial but what the heck new OS so I might as well use it.  I do plan to buy it when I can afford it.



You can see I got the QuickCam to work.  They have 64 bit drivers for it now.  Not like last time.

I downloaded the Palm desktop software for my Palm Treo 650.  I can not get it to sync yet.  That is not good.  I will keep trying.  I bet I can get it to sync via Bluetooth.  There is often more than one way to get a job done.

It looks like I got Skype to work OK.  But I think I found that the microphone on the QuickCam has not been detected.  But that is not a problem at this time.

Keep in mind that when I talk about problems with Windows Vista that I am using the 65 bit version.  I do not think you will have any of these problems with the 32 bit version.

Just How Dumb Am I?

I was messing with my computer and I decided to install Windows Vista RC1 64 bit on my computer.  The idea was that I would play with it for a month and then maybe buy the Vista software.  I was going to put it on the computer so I could boot up with it.  So I would have Window XP Home, Linux and I would have it.   
Yes.. I mess up the booting program and I installed it in the wrong area and I made a big mess of it all.  Just like I have done in the past.
When am I going to learn?
Sort of like the American people they keep voting for the Republicans.  You would think they would learn.
Well I now have Windows Vista RC1 64 bit running.  It is sweet.  I got the 64 bit drivers for my video card and for the monitor.  I just downloaded  the 64 bit drivers for my QuickCam and am installing them.
It is all working great.
Of course..  I can not upgrade this RC1.  If I want to buy Windows Vista I will have to do a new install.  So all the work I do now I will have to do over again in about 30 days.
Did I ask just how dumb is Jim Howard?

Photography is not a crime

I reported on Carlos Miller, reporter and photojournalist, who was arrested by Miami police.  I think I even made a video on it for YouTube.  He has a blog about Photography and the First Amendment. 
He had a run in on May 1st with a Weckenhut security officer at the Metromover station in downtown Miami.   It makes for some interesting reading.

Buddha Day

I read at AC that today, May 2nd, is Buddha Day.  I then read an article by Aly Adair a little of what they believe:
"...The ceremonies begin before dawn, by going to the temples and meditating. Monks chant sutras, and members take the Five Moral Precepts:

1. Refrain from harming living things
2. Refrain from taking what is not given
3. Refrain from sexual misconduct
4. Refrain from lying or gossip
5. Refrain from taking intoxicating substances (drugs and drink)..."

I think we need someone as President of the United States that follows the above rules.