Had a better view from my office today.

My badge of honor finally arrived today. (I still grandfathered in with unlimited data)

The view from my office today.

Thought I would try somewhere different for dinner.

This is what I’m traveling this week. (mostly by air) Maybe I should consult a map more often.

Always useful when flying through the Midwest.

Took forever to get through customs but it’s finally here! #DoctorWho

Where I’m moving to I’ll definitely see more snow but I don’t think it will be this pretty.

Apparently while I was out of town the Christmas presents started arriving.

The mothership at night

Sunrise in Nebraska on the first day of my new position.

Booooo. Just found it as I was driving around Lincoln.

All weekend long every time I sit down I’ve ended up with this on my lap.

Been extremely happy with every one.

Still working on the hakintosh but I think I’m close.

After 7 months and many failed EBay auctions success!

As always my trusty helper is on hand to assist with my Hackintosh build.

Call me what you will but I think this “list price” is just slightly inaccurate.

From an old friend of mine on Facebook and too priceless not to share with the world.

This was not how I wanted to spend the rest of the day after church and golf.

Look what the FedEx man just dropped off. I know what I’m doing tomorrow afternoon.

View from my 10th floor room. In case you had any doubt the mid west is a little flat.

Looks like someone is depressed that Jess went back to work today.

Jess’s annual first day of school pic (she still won’t go to a bus stop for me).

Who needs yfrog I can do this myself!

So I took the opportunity to drive out to Palo Duro Canyon state park.  This canyon is the second largest in the world, the only one bigger is of course the Grand Canyon (now I’ve seen them both).  Palo Duro is much different because you can drive down into and a long way through the canyon.  It is however equally beautiful in its own way.

Hope you enjoy the photos.

If you are using a device that does not support flash (my iPhone) you can see the pictures here.

Just wanted to publish a quick post and let you know that the Jake Stapleton web dynasty has split again.

As of today all the “Family postings” have been exported out of Jakestapleton.com and imported into Stapletonfamily.us, this site will now become the central repository of all the Stapleton family updates.  Jakestapleton.com will now revert back to content that he deems worthy to publish, however Jake’s political opinions will still reside at Jakesopinion.com

So please make note in the browser of your choice and happy reading!

“Do not be afraid to see who you are” – Ronald Reagan

After everyone hearing about my enthusiasm for the AppleTV.  I’ve had a lot of people ask me if I think they should buy the 2nd gen AppleTV that just came out for $99.  This not an easy question considering all the variables involved so I thought I would write a short post.

First of all let me say that I am not a typical user (What you Jake, not the typical user I find that shocking!)   I watch a lot of HD video podcasts and I have converted all the media in my household and imported it into iTunes.  This does not make me the typical user.

Second I have purchased some TV seasons/shows from iTunes.  There are some TV shows that are not being released on Blu-Ray but I wanted an HD copy.  Currently iTunes is the only way to purchase them in a download offline format.  This is getting me a little closer to the typical user.

Now we have to conduct a sidebar on purchasing video from iTunes.  Unlike the iTunes music store all the of the video still has DRM.  As you may know I am not a real fan of DRM but I can live with Apple’s version for video.  Content providers are not going to allow their video to be sold in a download format without some sort of DRM.  This is just something we are going to have to accept until the delivery and business models change for TV and movies.

Let me explain to you how this works:

You purchase a video title from Apple via your iTunes account.  This video is now authorized to play when it detects your account is being used in iTunes.   5 PC’s can be authorized to play your legally purchased content.  Your AppleTV, iPhone, or iPod does not count in the 5 devices because they have to be synced or connected to one of these PC’s to work.

So for example lets say that you have 1 PC, 2 laptops, 2 AppleTV’s, 1 iPhone, & 1 iPod you would only be using 3 of your 5 authorizations.  Using this model I am perfectly ok with the DRM because it fulfills my overriding goal of

I want what I want, when I want, and where I want it.

Then you add in the bonus that for every HD purchase you make from iTunes they give you an SD version as well for your iPhone and iPod to play.  This requires no thought when you are syncing to iTunes it just knows if the device is HD capable or not and moves the correct file for you.

mini-rant

Content providers have got to get on board and realize this is the way that people are moving.  They expect their content to delivered at their convenience.  Lets be honest, when was the last time you watched a TV show live?  I don’t care if you are using a DVR or a VCR, I bet there aren’t too many of you that settle down at a set time to watch anything on TV besides a sporting event.

With all this being said lets move on to the review portion of the post.

The AppleTV 2nd gen rocks!  It has a much faster processor then it’s predecessor and none of the heat problems. I am also taken aback by how well it streams HD from my home computer over the wifi network.  I’m running a wireless N network in the house and even though I have a hardwired option available where the AppleTV is located the N is just so much faster.  With the faster processor and the N streaming it works just about as well as having the file locally available on the 1st gen AppleTV hard drive.  There a few annoyances with the sorting of the TV shows on the menu but I am sure that will be addressed soon.  The Netflix streaming on the AppleTV is also far superior to what I have on my Blu-Ray player.  It’s snappy and adds several functions from Netflix you used to only be able to get through their website. So overall I am very pleased with the update and I am sure Jess will love it.  The first gen AppleTV I will continue to use until it gives up the ghost.  (Oops forgot to mention that it also brings all your music from iTunes to your TV as well.)

(The paragraph above did not mention how easy it is to use and navigate the AppleTV.  If you have ever bought anything from Apple you know that you can train your grandmother or spouse to use it.  That’s just how well Apple does interfaces.)

I am sure that you have all heard me say before that if I did not have Jess I would not have DirectTV.  Now I have nothing against DirectTV (or Jess) but there are just so many legitimate ways to get your content legally over the web nowadays that a cable or satellite service is rapidly becoming obsolete in my opinion.  This is especially true considering what little bit of TV I watch.  Between iTunes rentals, iTunes season purchases, Hulu, & a Netflix subscription I can get my content other ways a lot cheaper.  Once again fulfilling the my goal of  what I want, when I want, and where I want it.

If you just read a list of 4 services to get everything you can find in one place by TV subscription and think “I get all that from cable or satellite in one place, Jake you bonehead” you would be correct.  There lies the problem with all the set-top TV boxes coming out this Christmas season.  In the next few weeks you will see a new Roku Player with Hulu, Boxee Box, and Google TV enabled devices.  Many of the devices listed have no storage and rely on an internet connection to be useful.  You also need to keep in mind to stream that you will need pretty decent internet speed to stream (let’s say 1.5 mbps or better) to these boxes.  You standard crappy hotel internet speed will not meet the needs of video. Not one of these devices have everything and thats because the content providers won’t let their media free from the old business model.  Each box has content available that is just a little bit different, this new space is still shaking out so we will have to be patient.

For now I am pleased with iTunes and a Netflix subscription.  Netflix is getting more and more streaming rights all the time, and if they can’t stream it you can just get the DVD sent to your house.  iTunes has the industry leading relationships with media companies and with its stability will be around when many solutions have come and gone.

Since a lot of you come to me for advice on technology and media matters, I hope you have found this explanation to be useful in considering your choices.  If after reading all the disclosures and explanations above you still feel that an AppleTV will meet your needs, then you can not go wrong with the purchase.  Enjoy!

Here is a link to another review of the AppleTV you might find useful that touches on game consoles as well.

11-22-10 Update 1:

The AppleTV software version 4.1 was released today.  It took care of all the minor issues I had with the device.

12-18-11

What a difference a year makes.  Now the AppleTV is useful as a stand alone box not connected to iTunes.  If you are a iTunes Match customer all your music is available as long as you have any internet connection.  The AppleTV has also added a “purchased” category that will let you stream all your iTunes purchased video content straight to the device with just an internet connection.  If you live in an all Apple household this small inexpensive media box will serve you well.  If you have ripped every piece of media in your household and use iTunes as an enormous Video On Demand system it will serve  you double well!

The card has further bolstered the notion that I should pursue one of my dreams to be a male model.  I can just see the ad campaign now, a picture of me, a little Barry White in the back ground, and underwear with a cape.

The Birthday Card

And a picture of me and Dad circa 1979 or 1980

Read the full post here.

If you would still like to read the post please visit my other site here.

Just some random dogs quotes that I have saved to post.

If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went.

-Will Rogers

There is no psychiatrist in the world like a puppy licking your face.

-Ben Williams

A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself.

-Josh Billings

The average dog is a nicer person than the average person.

-Andy Rooney

We give dogs time we can spare, space we can spare and love we can spare. And in return, dogs give us their all. It’s the best deal man has ever made.

-M. Acklam

Dogs love their friends and bite their enemies, quite unlike people, who are incapable of pure love and always have to mix love and hate.

-Sigmund Freud

A dog teaches a boy fidelity, perseverance, and to turn around three times before lying down.

-Robert Benchley

If I have any beliefs about immortality, it is that certain dogs I have known will go to heaven, and very, very few persons.

-James Thurber

If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you; that is the principal difference between a dog and a man.

-Mark Twain

You can say any foolish thing to a dog, and the dog will give you a look that says, ‘Wow, you’re right! I never would’ve thought of that!’

- Dave Barry

Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole.

-Roger Caras

If you think dogs can’t count, try putting three dog biscuits in your pocket and then give him only two of them.

-Phil Pastoret

E.F. Schumacker

The birth of Christ our savior I am good with.
The spirit of giving this time of year I am good with.
Everything else large and small in between I am just kind of blahhhh.

I can’t really explain why I have been blah this Christmas.  The blessings that my family and I have received this year are truly too numerous to count.  Maybe I am just tired and really need the next 13 days that I have planned off we’ll see.  (but back to the point of the post)

Then we get to today, when I received the video below in an email today from a friend.  It just made me smile and just kicked me out of my Christmas Blah.

So if you are experiencing the Christmas Blah this year I hope it does the same for you.

Thanks Kathy Smith for yanking me out of the Christmas Blah.

From Drop Box

I can not tell you the last time that I thought about Trigger the horse in the picture. He was kept on my grandfather’s Farm in Jackson County.

Thanks for the old memories and bringing a random smile to my face today.

“In God we Trust; all others must bring data”  W. Edwards Deming

“Sometimes you just have to shut your cake hole and know your blessed”

Jake Stapleton November 11th, 2009

and no the context will not be shared

Enough math now the important bit.  Like any good homeowner I have before and after pictures showing all the work.  Sure I could just post the pics but a movie is always better enjoy!

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My personal web page can be found as always at www.jakestapleton.com with my personal twitter account being backed up there once a week in the form of a post.

My more opinionated content can be found at www.jakesopinion.com a more recently launched site so that JakeStapleton.com can remain for personal use and updates only.  (There is also a link to the Jake’s opinion content in the sidebar of jakestapleton.com)

I also have a twitter account just for my more opinionated web content it can be found at http://twitter.com/jakesopinion this twitter account will be backed up daily in the form of a post at www.jakesopinion.com and will replace the recent “things you outta know” postings. (Really enjoyed doing them just too many time constraints) This should enable me to get more content out in a timely fashion with my busy schedule.

Many of you may think that this is just silly to do all this.  However I also know that many of you read my links and articles and use them as a source of news and maybe on some rare occasions insights and I would like to keep that up.  Plus with the things going on today the more informed you are the better off you will be.

I am still debating on continuing to use twitter to update my facebook status but time will tell on that one.  Some much information to share and so little time to do it in.

Yes I know I really should be working on other things like stuff that actually earns me a living but I do find this relaxing.  Everyone have a great week.

You can see everywhere I am on the web here.

George Graham Vest (1830-1904) served as U.S. Senator from Missouri from 1879 to 1903 and became one of the leading orators and debaters of his time. This delightful speech is from an earlier period in his life when he practiced law in a small Missouri town. It was given in court while representing a man who sued another for the killing of his dog. During the trial, Vest ignored the testimony, but when his turn came to present a summation to the jury, he made the following speech and won the case.

Gentlemen of the Jury: The best friend a man has in the world may turn against him and become his enemy. His son or daughter that he has reared with loving care may prove ungrateful. Those who are nearest and dearest to us, those whom we trust with our happiness and our good name may become traitors to their faith. The money that a man has, he may lose. It flies away from him, perhaps when he needs it most. A man’s reputation may be sacrificed in a moment of ill-considered action. The people who are prone to fall on their knees to do us honor when success is with us, may be the first to throw the stone of malice when failure settles its cloud upon our heads.

The one absolutely unselfish friend that man can have in this selfish world, the one that never deserts him, the one that never proves ungrateful or treacherous is his dog. A man’s dog stands by him in prosperity and in poverty, in health and in sickness. He will sleep on the cold ground, where the wintry winds blow and the snow drives fiercely, if only he may be near his master’s side. He will kiss the hand that has no food to offer. He will lick the wounds and sores that come in encounters with the roughness of the world. He guards the sleep of his pauper master as if he were a prince. When all other friends desert, he remains. When riches take wings, and reputation falls to pieces, he is as constant in his love as the sun in its journey through the heavens.

If fortune drives the master forth, an outcast in the world, friendless and homeless, the faithful dog asks no higher privilege than that of accompanying him, to guard him against danger, to fight against his enemies. And when the last scene of all comes, and death takes his master in its embrace and his body is laid away in the cold ground, no matter if all other friends pursue their way, there by the graveside will the noble dog be found, his head between his paws, his eyes sad, but open in alert watchfulness, faithful and true even in death.

George Graham Vest – c. 1855

Below is a link to the photo saved off as a panoramic shot using Windows Live Photo Gallery.  This is after all 6 pictures were stitched together.  (Tip to anyone trying this again us a tripod to keep all your shots level)

Click on this link to see the full size picture be patient while it is loading its a large file.

Ronald Reagan 5/18/88

Just needed a little good Reagan today.

Don’t take life too seriously – no one gets out alive anyway

Ms. Emily Mink, Facebook May 12th, 2009

Made this draft sometime ago and forgot to post it.

"Thank You"

Thank You Mr. Tweel for being a mentor to me and so many hundreds of students over your teaching career.

Thank You for being the "fun" teacher but also for jerking a knot in my tail when needed.

Thank You for providing an atmosphere of comradery and trust that fostered so many friendships that still exist today.

Thank You for your patriotism and love of this country that poured out of you and rubbed off on your students.

Thank You for being refreshingly honest no matter who was around to hear it.

Thank You for taking us on bands trips during your "week off" every spring.

Thank You for the support and kindness you showed my family when we lost my father.

Thank You for not pressing charges or otherwise harming me & an unnamed accomplice when you found out about that whole joy riding in your Blazer thing.  (Although you were more than slightly irritated I would have to say.)

Thank You for pushing me to do better no matter what I was attempting.

Thank You for being there all those years ago.

Even though it has been 17 years since I left your Band Room and many days I feel like I have lived another life since then.  Those years will hold some of the fondest, warmest, and meaningful memories that I will always cherish

Bob when I think of you I cannot picture you any other way than with that mischievous smile that often graced your face and I am sure that’s the way you will look when I see you again someday.

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http://www.teamhoyt.com/

What started out as a simple idea became a great way to hide wires and other devices.

(I do miss seeing my blinking lights however)

As you can see the foot locker easily holds a router, DSL modem, VOIP adapter, external hard drive, and USB hub.

Then when you close it all up it becomes a handy printer stand for your home office.

This is all made possible by the fact that before carpet was laid I drilled 3 very large holes in the floor for routing wires.  All I have to do is pop up the drop ceiling downstairs and I have a fairly free reign to run wiring where I would like.  I will not go completely wireless until the “N” products come down in price a little.  Plus there are several things that will always have to be wired because of work laptop and VPN.

This concludes my handy somewhat feminine tip for the day now off to the appletini’s.  (I mean beer yeah that’s right beer, oh and watch a sports something too.)

“Never Give In”

“This is the lesson: never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never-in nothing, great or small, large or petty-never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense. Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.”

Sir Winston Churchill – Harrow School, 29 October 1941.

Why? Just because I needed some good Churchill today . . .

Opinions by Jake will consist of two major components.

1. Blogs posts on certain topics that I would like to discuss in depth from time to time.
2. Commentary by Jake located on the right hand side of the blog. (This area contains both a link and content snippets.) This content will be updated the most frequently. I generate this content using a bookmarklet and publish it via friendfeed as I review articles from various sources throughout the day as I browse the web.

I hope you all will enjoy Opinions by Jake and that you find it educational and informative. Now that jakestapleton.com is being returned to a fully fledged family website and Opinions by Jake has been launched you can now choose your content from me "The Jake Stapleton".

Good Night and God Bless

Jess’s surgery today went pretty well.  Her only complication was that some of the Gallstones escaped into the Bile Duct to elude capture.  We believe that they will pass without incident but I will be keeping a close eye out for problems.  Overall she is doing very well, but the soreness has just begun to set in.  Most importantly she is now resting comfortably for the night.

I would like to take this time to thank you all for your Prayers and thoughts during this time and throughout this year.  My girl has had a rough 11 months, but every time she keeps getting knocked over she gets back up again.  I won’t lie and say that this year has been a cake walk.  To be honest it has probably been our roughest since we have been married.  Jess’s injuries, my heavy travel year, loss of a second income with no prior planning, etc etc have made this year challenging at best.  We feel like we have been piled on all year then came the Gall Bladder.  Yet when we take stock we see that we are so very blessed. 

Do you what the best parts of the last year were?  It was when we got to our whit’s end and  laid things in the Hand of God.  Jess and I are about as OCD as you can be without a diagnosis.  We want to do things our way because we know they are always right.  It is very difficult for a couple like us individually or together to give things up to the Lord; it is a constant struggle.   

However something struck me today about her surgery.  It was a far different from our experience 5 1/2 years ago.  Jess described herself as eerily calm and not worried and she wasn’t, I was equally calm as well.  (Sure a Cholecystectomy is a pretty common surgery but you are still coming back with less parts then you went in the room with.)  Was it because she was in so much pain she was ready for it to be over, was it because we are both a little older?  I would have to say that it was neither. 

It was the fact that we placed her in the Hand of God without really knowing it.  Sure we prayed together this morning.  Pastor Greg even came down and visited with us early this morning and said a prayer for us.  But to be honest do you know when we both realized why we were at peace?  If was when one of the Nurses came into the room to check on Jess.  The nurse just happened to be one of our choir directors at church and when we were telling how Jess felt and how the surgery went she just simply replied

“That is the Hand of God over you”.

The Hand of God is always over you, you just have to surrender so that you can recognize it. 

When I did, I felt awe that such men and women exist, and gratitude that they put themselves in harm’s way for our nation. I hope America continues to be worthy of such staggering service and sacrifice.

May the New Year bring safety to all who wear our country’s uniform, success in the missions they so passionately believe in, peace and comfort to their families, and reunion with all whom they love.

Please take time to read the full piece the courage and self sacrifice of the men and women of the armed forces should be on our minds everyday as we exercise the freedom that they guarantee.

Link to the full article.

With everything going on this month it appears that my domestic engineer failed to send out any Christmas Cards.  (She had some surgery excuse or something like that.)

That being said we would like to wish all of you a Very Merry Christmas and thank you for the prayers and support that you have sent our way.  Although this has been a turbulent year we never fail to ultimately appreciate the many blessings that have been bestowed upon us.  As you go forth to celebrate Christmas today and the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ may safety, love, and peace be your company.

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I completely understand why you may want to purchase an electric hybrid Toyota Prius to prove your tree hugger street cred.  But isn’t taking a tree for a ride a bit much? 

Jake’s Favorite Thanksgiving Story

Ray Stedman

I would liked to take this time to thank the cast of thousands that assisted on the project.

All in all I could have found a better way to spend my vacation but I do have some joy in that nothing in the house is the color of primer anymore.  I am currently working on a movie about the remodel and will post it later.

Thank you for your attention and God Bless. 

Where are the people today that feel this way?  Where are the people that should be thanking God everyday that they were born into this the greatest nation on Earth!  Where are the people who are not only thinking of themselves?

I am sure there are still plenty of people out there who feel the way I do about this great nation.  It is time for us to step up, be more vocal, and to take back our country!  You can do this by exercising your right to vote this November.  We need to get back to the 3 C’s in this country.

Capitalism, Conservatism, and the Christian Principles this nation was founded upon.

There is no security on this earth, only opportunity.

General Douglas MacArthur

What a great quote!

This applies to so many things my love of capitalism, my belief in American Exceptionalism, but most importantly my belief in God and the fact that he is the only security that anyone can ever have.

Science will fail you, people will fail you, but God is without fail.

Ok now I am really excited.  This is not a bad way to end a day.

Lord thy ocean is so large and thy boat is so small.  Lord please have mercy on my soul.

So sorry for all the email tonight but the video does now work with all the major browsers at this time.

Enjoy

Re-posted Shameless Self Promotion Entry

Shameless Self Promotion

Well that’s all this is but I am just proud & excited about the intro that I
built for the church’s website videos.   It’s the first time that I have
tried something like this, sure I edit video to chop it up for time but this is
my first time blending several elements into one.  I am thinking about starting a new ministry “Nerds for the Lord”.  I think its catchy.

[There is a video that cannot be displayed in this feed. Visit the blog entry to see the video.]

I find the logic and reasoning to be absolutely sound and without fault.

Hope is all you have when you have no faith.

Hope is what you have when you deliberately turn away from your faith and try to do things on your own.

Hope is what you have when you have not given enough over to the Lord.

Jake Stapleton

Bible School This Morning

Context: We were having a conversation about the difference between Hope and Faith.  This came to mind and I shared with the group.

As I enter the 34th year of my earthly existence I find myself very tired.  This is the most overworked, burned out, and over burdened I have been at any given point in my life (thus far).  This is due to multiple factors at work, Jess’s Wreck, financial situations, no real vacation for 2 going on 3 years, and the list could go on and on.  If I was doing one or even two things wrong I could correct it but when all the factors start out as a little tiny snow ball at the top of Mount Everest no matter who you are when the snow ball gets to the bottom you are going to get smashed.

Don’t take me wrong I still love my job it has just been a very demanding year.  You combine that with doing everything possible to assist Jess with her recovery and all the issues resulting from her wreck; it has made for a very long 2008 to this point.  As Jess alluded to in her recent witness on the church website it has been very rough for us this year.  I am not depressed, I am not ungrateful for all the Lord has blessed me with, I am just drained.  The reason was put very plainly to me in the sermon this week at church when I put this passage up on the screen.

Matthew 11:28-29 (Mes)
"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on
religion? Come to Me. Get away with Me
and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you
how to take a real rest… Learn the
unforced rhythms of grace."

This awesome passage can not only be used for religion but also for all areas of your life. 

So as I set back once a year to reflect and take an inventory as I often do for personal goal planning (just never published it), I have decided one very important thing. 

I suck at giving my burdens to the Lord. 

(Don’t really know if you can use those two words in the same sentence, but it gets my point across)  Sure we all surrender some things to the Lord and some of us surrender nothing but the ones of us who are weighed down with matters of this world are not surrendering enough.  As a very type A+++++ personality with a dash of OCD this is very difficult for me to do.  I generally end up being harder on myself then other people, I always expect more from myself then I do anyone else. 

So what is the answer?

• A 12 step recovery plan?
• A self help book?   
• Run away from all my troubles?
• Quit my job and begin following my favorite 80′s band’s around to all the state fairs?

I say none of the above.

• How about spending more time in God’s inerrant word The Holy Bible.
• How about deepening my faith beyond my daily routine.
• How about stepping outside of my Christian "Comfort Zone"
• How about surrendering more to the Lord
• How about working on my Prayer Life (Needs a lot of work)
• How about taking time in my life to allow God’s never ending Grace to wash over me enough to slow me down a little.

Once you get this eternity thing worked everything else has got to be gravy. 

To some this may seem a little too personal to be posted on the Internet, but hey I don’t care.  I cannot be the only one in this world who has let everyday life that has nothing to do with eternity wear them down to a pulp.  This life is not all that there is so why live everyday like it is?

I am still young, and there are still many more years ahead then there are behind.  (The prior statement is both to the best of my knowledge and statistically speaking)  These are things that I need to change now so that I can really live my life.  So as I tried to develop a personal mission statement for this year, this one immediately came to mind and says it all to me.

Refocus, Re-Prioritize, and Balance. 

You are only as old as you feel and right now for me that is not 34.  It’s time to take care of this issue before it takes care of me.

“When you get tired you are setting yourself up for temptation.”

Pastor Greg Creasy Pea Ridge Baptist Church

For the context you can follow this link to the archive of this weeks service.

For example I can remember riding home with him one night from a Boy Scout meeting.  It was about 8:30 on a summer evening and Dad was listening to the 8-track player in his Black Chrysler New Yorker.  “My Way” by Frank Sinatra was playing and we were passing the corner of 5th Ave & 11st St at what was then the “First National Bank of Huntington” building.  We had the windows down and I was enjoying the cruise through town.

Why do I remember that so vividly?  What was so special about that moment that it was seared in my memory?  It was when Dad introduced me yet again to the music of Frank Sinatra but I actually paid attention that time.  I remember thinking that this is not too bad, maybe all Dad’s music is not awful.  Today when I listen to my Frank Sinatra music I think of Dad every time.

It is not always huge events, Holidays, or all the times that you think you should remember that end up being important to you when a parent passes.  It is all the little times that you spent with them that mean nothing right then but yet live with you so vividly forever for one reason or another.

Happy Father’s Day Dad

http://revision3.com/?p=153

Think about it.  This could have been a hospital, air traffic control, or in the case of my business the Federal Reserve. All this company had was a server farm.  No standing army, no diplomatic credentials, and no flag.  Instead of a media company this could very easily have been a bank of critical servers of some organization.

The more computers liberate us the more control they have over every aspect of our lives. This is the future of terrorism, such as the cyber attack unleashed on Estonia; but you do not have to be a major power to do this.  Legions of zombie computers are all that is needed.  With the mass penetration of high speed internet worldwide and the general lack of understanding of basic computer security by the public; the means to do this are very easy to come by.

Remember keep your firewalls up, your antivirus and spyware updated, and trust no one!

Thank you American Solider that has laid their life down to keep this great nation free.

Thank you American Solider that has been spat upon, wrongly accused, and disrespected by people that are free only because of your sacrifice.

Thank you American Solider for standing sentinel around this planet to ensure my freedom.

American Solider I owe you a debt that I can never repay.  This memorial day I say thank you for all of your sacrifices on my behalf.

“Here’s my strategy on the Cold War: We win, they lose.”

“The most terrifying words in the English language are: I’m from the government and I’m here to help.”

“The trouble with our liberal friends is not that they’re ignorant; it’s just that they know so much that isn’t so.”

“Of the four wars in my lifetime, none came about because the U.S. was too strong.”

“I have wondered at times about what the Ten Commandments would have looked like if Moses had run them through the U.S. Congress.”

“The taxpayer: That’s someone who works for the federal government but doesn’t have to take the civil service examination.”

“Government is like a baby: An alimentary canal with a big appetite at one end and no sense of responsibility at the other.”

“The nearest thing to eternal life we will ever see on this earth is a government program.”

“It has been said that politics is the second oldest profession. I have learned  that it bears a striking resemblance to the first.”

“Government’s view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.”

“Politics is not a bad profession. If you succeed, there are many rewards; if you disgrace yourself, you can always write a book.

“No arsenal, or no weapon in the arsenals of the world, is as formidable as the will and moral courage of free men and women.”

“If we ever forget that we’re one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under.’

While in the simulator I performed a Split S, Scissors, L4, and a few others. I must have had that simulator all over the place because there was a crowd looking at me when I exited the simulator. But hey I had a hell of a time!

Now onto the pictures!

“To say you don’t believe in miracles is also a leap of faith”

Rob Bell

“Every denial is its own form of believe it is just trust in something else.”

Rob Bell

Context for the quote above: Rob is speaking of times when someone denies your faith and espouses their own.  It could be another religion, atheism, science, etc.

Ray Stedman

It is unbelievable to me that so many people today do not believe in American Exceptionalism. This is the greatest country on the face of the earth! Sure sometimes we can get a little too involved with ourselves but that’s just being human. However when are mobilized for greatness and with purpose there is no stopping the juggernaut that is the USA.

We owe so much to the American solider that stands sentinel around this planet. We owe so much to the factory worker that keeps the economy moving. We owe so much to the miner that helps to power our country. We owe so much to every American that has said “I will work and do my best everyday to carry out and live the American Dream”. Finally we owe so much to our Lord the one and only God who has bestowed so many blessing upon these United States of America.

(Hat tip to Nancy for sending me the link.)

It is my plan to turn on every light, appliance, & power tool in the house.  With any luck I can increase my carbon foot print to that of an Al Gore type mansion.

 Earth Hour

Tomorrow we celebrate the raising of our savior Jesus Christ from the dead.  This perfect man died a gruesome horrible death for the imperfect people that he loves.  We are and were not worthy of this gift.  Please do not waste it. 

He is risen indeed!

If I get all this done the Stapleton Mansion Phase 1 will be completed

You may ask why I am posting this on my blog?  Well it may keep me honest and see that I actually get it all done!

It’s just my way of doing public accountability.

I couldn’t even enjoy a good Holmes on Homes (a truly manly man’s show where you can wear overalls with no shirt) without every other commercial on Discovery Home telling me to fight global warming (which I don’t believe in). 

I now suddenly have the urge to trade in the new Camry for a Hummer, stock pile incandescent light bulbs, and run electric cars off of the road.   

I think my work is done here, now to try this non-snot controlling medicine and go to bed.

Just thought they were kind of neat I had never seen a windmill farm before.

Move forward to today, I am sick and almost out of Zyrtec-D which is the only thing that has been drying me up.  So I get dressed, risk life and limb (up hill both directions; against the earth’s rotation), and head out this evening to get some along with other essentials at Wal-Mart.  I go up to the pharmacy counter (license in hand because I now know the criminal routine) and try to make my purchase.  At this point I am informed that I may not make another Zyrtec-D Purchase until March 11th.  Apparently I have reached my quota!  This really really made me mad!  I was nice and did not take it out on the poor pharmacy tech, but I am still stewing! 

So Monday I am going to call my family doc and see if I can start trying other allergy/sinus medication.  Something that is not OTC!  Sure I could run around to 15 different stores and try to beat the system but I just do not have time to do that.  All I want is my snot to be controlled.

So to all those people out there who have found an illicit use for pseudoephedrine may I say congratulations.  Your misuse of a legal medical compound has now inconvenienced yet another person who just really wanted to have their snot managed.  May I suggest that you get a job and find other highs in life that may be just as rewarding as your illicit uses for pseudoephedrine. 

You could seek the Lord, Church doors are always open.  You could seek help from friends or family members who could help you beat your addiction.  Or in some cases you could just get a job and stop stealing to support your habits.  So before you continue down this path of death, destruction, and loose snot everywhere, I say change your ways.

You may say, "Jake that’s a little harsh", and I say my head is full of snot, I have a fever of 101, and one of those situations could be under control right now if some people could have found better things to do with their time!

Thomas Jefferson

http://www.statejournal.com/story.cfm?func=viewstory&storyid=34752

Ray Steadman

Merlin Mann

https://www.optoutprescreen.com

“A successful life does not result from chance, nor is it determined by fate or good fortune-but rather, through a succession of successful days.”
-Ari Kiev

Well you may not be able to notice it but my webpage is now done completely in WordPress. This is the software that I use to run my blog and now it handles my entire website (my old website was a knock off of my WordPress theme created in MS publisher to match my blog). It really is a powerful piece of software as I have come to find out and it is a lot easier to maintain. Not to mention that now I have 10’s of thousands of themes to choose from (saves me a little R&D work). Sure I made a few very minor concessions to do this and I am still working on a few legacy content issues (should be solved by the weekend) but this is really the way to go. It is also my hope that by making the site easier to maintain and update that it will not be so static. Please feel free to leave your comments and thoughts about the site (that is all 6 of you that read it.) 8)

If you are interested in starting your own WordPress blog/website the company will host you for free here.

Oh and by the way if you all are wondering how sick in the head I really am this little project was to relax me during some time off.

Have a good one!

I would like to take this time on my little blog and just say thank you, to all the men and women that currently serve or who have served in the United States armed forces. Without your sacrifices the Christmas day that I enjoyed is this the most exceptional and free country on Earth would not have been possible.

Thank You and God Bless

A little slide show to remind us all to put the season in perspective.

I wanted to take a moment and do some shameless self promotion.  If you get the chance check out my new news and articles page Things I Find Interesting.  You can get to its permanent link from the navigation bar on the right hand side of every page on my website except for this blog page (sorry hosted by third party software).  Drop me some comments and let me know what you think.

Jake

P.S. If you would like a invitation to try Google Reader or Gmail let me know I have plenty.

Just wanted to drop a quick note and let everyone know that Jess & I went to go see Casino Royale when it opened on the 17th. Being the picky Bond fan that I am I thoroughly enjoyed it, Jess loved it too! Neither one of us were too thrilled with Daniel Craig as Bond but his performance won us over. The theatre at Pullman Square was packed by people of all ages and I think it would have been #1 at the weekend box office but due to a 144 minute run time the movie could not have been shown as many times as Happy Feet over the weekend. Casino Royale was only #2 by $700,000 but all in all plenty successful and enjoyable. I am not going to do a review there are plenty of those out there just know it was awesome!

Well, I normally do not do little posts like this but I thought I would share my morning exercise with you. The morning started out like any other I took Petey out so he could go to the bathroom. Then I hear hooves and turn around. In the middle of my road about 3 feet from me a fawn skids to a stop. The fawn and I look at each other, both a little startled. Then Petey sees the fawn. There they stand face to face, about 6 feet apart (all of a sudden I started hearing The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly Theme in my head). Petey and the fawn lock eyes (I would imagine that Petey is thinking “big brown dog”! The fawn is probably thinking “too small to be a hunter”!). Petey starts to run toward the fawn (Jack Russell’s are hunting dogs ya know.) as it loops around me and around Petey and starts running down the road toward the Jehovah’s Witness Temple at the end of our road.

Now this is the funny part if you were looking out the living room window of the town house 2 units down from us this is what you saw. Please keep in mind that the town house in question is recessed and has a very narrow field of view, like a set of horse blinders. So, if they were observing the morning sunrise, they saw a 4 foot tall fawn running down the middle of the road, running from a 18 inch high dog, both being chased by an overweight mouse jockey in Birkenstocks. I know I would have been laughing my head off. Have a good one Jake.

I am writing today to let you all know that Uncle Sam has passed away. He went home to be with Aunt Nancy on Fathers Day Morning about 7:00.

As I sit back and think about this I have some mixed emotions. I am of course sad that I won’t get to see or talk with him again in this life time, but I am more happy than anything. Uncle Sam always wanted to do for himself, he never wanted to be old and in need of help. As his breathing problems became worse he increasingly had to rely on his son Andy & his wife Laura who were always at his side ready to help. But I really think there has been such a weight on his heart since Aunt Nancy died that he really has just longed to be reunited with her again.

You see Uncle Sam & Aunt Nancy were more grandparents to me than anything else. Bobba (that’s what we called my dad’s mom) was 75 years older than me. Although we could talk and I visited with her regularly, I never spent a lot of time with her like my other siblings. I came along so late in life that my other siblings were there to babysit me. My Grandfather on dad’s side of the family died back in the 1940′s way before I came along. On my mom’s side I never knew my grandmother she died in the 60′s. Pawpaw (mom’s dad) lived about an 1 1/2 hours away and although we went to visit I never really spent a lot of time with him I was young and had cousins to play with. Since I had siblings to watch me I never went up and stayed with him like my brother and sisters. Pawpaw died when I was in the 8th grade.

So that brings us back to Uncle Sam & Aunt Nancy they were just right. Just old enough to be grandparents and up on current events enough to be fun! When I think about it that is what they really were to me. Going to their house was always free entertainment if you came out of the house not knowing where you stood with them or where they stood that was your own fault. If you did not know what they were thinking it was your own fault! If you ever left the house hungry that was most definitely your own fault! It was a house of hospitality that was always open, honest, & generally hysterical. Uncle Sam was always tinkering with something that was fun to help out with or just to watch. The man had more tools than most small governments.

I will always have fond memories of spending time up there. But I am happiest that Uncle Sam & Aunt Nancy are together again. I am glad they are both at rest and I am looking forward to seeing them again one day.

Well I have finally got around to posting a report on my mission trip to Gulfport Mississippi. First of all I feel the need to give some background information on how we found our way down to the Gulfport area. Last year about a week after Hurricane Katrina struck our Church which is packed with engineers and medical personnel (so if you need to build something we are there and if we get hurt doing it we have staff on hand) felt compelled to do something to help in the aftermath of Katrina. So our church got in contact with a medical group that was working in the Hurricane area just inside Mississippi. So the Church through generous donations and offerings were able to pack a few trucks and trailers with medical and other supplies. The first group left a little under 2 weeks after Katrina hit. Once our first group got to their destination they were told that no one knew they were coming and that their help was not needed but they knew where they were needed. So the group headed further south into Gulfport, Mississippi not knowing what to expect or what they would find. While the team was driving through Gulfport they came upon St. James Baptist church located just about 4 blocks from the gulf. This church is lead by Pastor Eddie Hartwell and had fashioned itself as a disaster recovery & supply distribution center. So our team stopped there they set up a clinic and those who were not medical personnel started taking care of other needs in the community. Our first team stayed about a week and the following week we sent in another team that did pretty much the same work. We have stayed in contact with Pastor Hartwell since then and learned he had setup a non-profit corporation and had started through donations to rebuild housing in the area. Our Pastor Greg Creasy wrote a grant to the National Baptist Convention to aid in the Disaster Recovery Ministry. So our church and several other churches in West Virginia are sending down several teams this year to aid in the reconstruction, that’s how I ended up in Gulfport Mississippi for a week in May.

So here’s my part of the story I cannot begin to tell you the destruction and devastation that still exists in the areas where Katrina struck. Things are just now getting to the point where people can begin to rebuild. Communities are still in recovery mode, there was a 38 foot storm surge in the Gulfport area. Houses were literally washed off of their foundation and moved inland. One person, one organization, or one government agency is not going to be enough to help this area recover we all must do our part to take help others make this area livable again. We are better together and can accomplish anything if we all just do a small part to help out. If you are a Christian I ask you to please help in Christian love if you are not a believer in Christ I would ask you to help out of shear human decency. There are still people hurting everyday where Katrina struck. In fact there is one facility called Katrina’s Kitchen that is still serving 1000’s of meal daily, just because this is no longer front page news does not mean the problem has passed. People are trying to help themselves but in many cases they are unable to. Most of the employment centers for the area were along the ocean front and were obliterated. Just a little bit further west of Gulfport there were 2 towns called Wayland & Past Christian. These towns were in the path of the eye wall of the Hurricane and were literally wiped of the face of the earth. They have merged in an attempt to draw people back in and generate enough of a tax base to start rebuilding.

With all this destruction what did I do to help? First all of I did not go alone I was joined by Pastor Greg Creasy & Lynn Hudson from my church, Ron Alyestock, Pastor Mark Jarrell, & Becky Vandergriff from Genesis Fellowship Church, & Daniel Beiling from Fist Baptist Church of Ravenswood. We went down for a week to work with the St. James Baptist Church Disaster Recovery Ministry. While we were there we helped in finishing out a house and did some other odd and ends. Like I said in an earlier post “Using power tools for the Lord it doesn’t get any better”! We had a good week of fellowship and very tiring work. When I set back and think about all that we did in the grand scheme of things it really did not amount to a hill of beans for what needs to be accomplished in the area. I believe that Mrs. Adkins will love her new home and she will likely not know that I had anything to do with it and that’s ok. This is all about living for the lord and helping his children, hopefully the work that we did that week brought the lord some small amount of glory. One of the hardest things that I had to get over when I became a Christian is that “it’s not about me”. That’s still a hard one that I must work at every day and frankly sometimes I fail miserably. But I get up the next day and try it again. There is one thing that I can be absolutely positive of however. A small group doing their part to aid in the recovery of Katrina made a small difference in a life and if we all try to do that just some of the time, the world could be a much better place.

Thanks for stopping by to read, that’s the news and I am outta here.

Link to a write up on the trip.

Link to the slideshow.

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