Mars Flyover (nobody home)

Fly Over the Potential Landing Sites For Next Mars Rover (Video) | Universe Today

Hang on and take a bird’s eye look at the four different proposed landing sites for the Mars Science Lab! At a briefing yesterday, Dr. Richard Zurek presented a flyover video of the potential landing sites for the next Mars rover, set to launch in 2011. The video is now available, and Zurek narrates the excellent flyover footage of each site, created by images taken by the HiRISE camera on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. Enjoy the video, and find out a little more on each of the proposed sites below.

Ubuntu 9.04 Jaunty Jackalope and Lovin' It

The Ubuntu promise

* Ubuntu will always be free of charge, including enterprise releases and security updates.
* Ubuntu comes with full commercial support from Canonical and hundreds of companies around the world.
* Ubuntu includes the very best translations and accessibility infrastructure that the free software community has to offer.

* Ubuntu CDs contain only free software applications; we encourage you
to use free and open source software, improve it and pass it on.

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Enough of that touchy-feely stuff. You have to try the new Ubuntu. I have taken a few runs at Linux in the past and I've gotten it running but the clunky feel and driver issues always brought me back to good old Windows. Times have changed. I have just installed the new Ubuntu 9.04 on three machines and every one installed without a hitch. One machine was an old Dell. I did not have a cabled network so plugged in a cheap USB wifi and bingo ... connected. Linux relies on internet for updates and program/driver installs so without internet access your Linux experience is bleak. The other two installs I used Wubi which installs Ubuntu in a folder on the Windows machine in dual boot. Both installs are perfect. The interface is a pleasure (after some tweaking and addons). It still takes a little research to get Ubuntu as slick (in some ways slicker) than Windows but what a pleasue to use. Maybe I have taken enough runs at Linux so as to be more comfortable with it. But it is more than that. The new Ubuntu just works and works well.

If you have ever thought of trying Linux now is the time to jump. This baby is ready for prime time.

(Refer to this "Perfect Desktop" article for quick add on setup.)

Why bother?

1. Its is free (legitimately free for conscience easing).
2. Is is fun (if you are on the geeky side).
3. It works very well.
4. It is all most people need.

Problems so far?

1. Real Player files (not all work but who cares).
2. Can not mount Vista C: drive (this does matter - still working on it)
3. Network problems on one machine (this could be a killer for me) Internet works fine but even though I have a "windows network" icon, it will not receive server info. I have not found a fix that works. Something broke it because it did work.
   

Give 'um Hell in the People's Republic of Canada

How Were the Egyptian Pyramids Built

How Were the Egyptian Pyramids Built: "

Talking Pyramids

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6

"In the name of the King they will become indestructible through Him."


What? No Ancient Astronauts?

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7

Historical order of pyramid building.

V - Then They Will Believe

Who knows but it is curious, all these movie messages.

Kinda reminds me of a presidential election theme ... hope ... devotion ...
Some believe this is "the lie" predicted in the Bible (or at least part of it). The lie that deceives even the elect if that were possible. It would be convincing would it not? We seeded the planet and we are here to help you (like the government) blah, blah. I'm unsure of the theme of this production but no matter. We are all being conditioned if disclosure should come about. Of course we hard core Christians believe these "aliens" would be you know who (no he does not carry a pitch fork and wear red long johns).

Missing link found? Scientists unveil fossil of 47 million-year-old primate, Darwinius masillae

Missing link found? Scientists unveil fossil of 47 million-year-old primate, Darwinius masillae: "Missing link found? Scientists unveil fossil of 47 million-year-old primate, Darwinius masillae

BY Samantha Strong and Rich Schapiro
DAILY NEWS WRITERS

Updated Tuesday, May 19th 2009, 12:57 PM
Tama/Getty

The 47 million year old fossilized remains of a primate is seen at the American Museum of Natural History in New York."

Feast your eyes on what a group of scientists call the Holy Grail of human evolution.

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BHT thinks we should get a different perspective here:
http://podcasts.reasons.org/newsflash/20090520-fr.mp3

I admit it looks a little like Grandpa but still ...

Groupthink :: View topic - The Purpose of This Site

Groupthink :: View topic - The Purpose of This Site: "The purpose of our Progressive movement is to instill enormous guilt among wealth creators, causing them to give their money to us voluntarily. Think of guilt as secondary taxation. While the government extracts the first round of money by taxing a limited number of activities by wealth creators (with the help of a mind-numbing tax code), the imposition of guilt allows us to extract the remaining money in virtually unlimited amounts by associating guilt with the broadest range of activities - from what you eat to how big your toilet tank is. Most of you are guilty merely for breathing air, and the number of victims suffering from your noxious CO2 exhaust is unlimited - from the whole planet Earth to endangered microscopic communities of bacteria that thrive collectively on dead bodies and whose existence you are jeopardizing by selfishly staying alive."

BHT enjoys The People's Cube

Say what you want but this is one talented bunch of people - collectively.

Behold The Vast Right Wing Conspiracy!

Thanks to Comrade Joe for clearing this up. Behold The Vast Right Wing Conspiracy!

King Abdullah II Official Website - King Of The Hashemite Kingdom Of Jordan

King Abdullah II Official Website - King Of The Hashemite Kingdom Of Jordan: "His Majesty King Abdullah II Ibn Al Hussein is the 43rd generation direct descendant of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him). He assumed his constitutional powers as Monarch of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan on February 7th, 1999, the day his father, the late King Hussein, passed away."

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Do you find it interesting that King Abdullah is a decendant of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him)? I guess that would be a big deal in some circles.

TED is Heading the Right Direction

Remember to use any "recovery" to GET OUT OF DEBT! I believe any recovery will be false, a sucker recovery. Sitting on a pile of cash may not be the answer (however big or small the pile). But restructuring to reduce debt is always wise. Sell and pay down is my new slogan.

Milky Way Dwarf Galaxies Thwart Newtonian Gravity? | Universe Today

Milky Way Dwarf Galaxies Thwart Newtonian Gravity? | Universe Today: "“Maybe Newton was indeed wrong,” said Pavel Kroupa, an astronomer at Bonn University. “Although his theory does, in fact, describe the everyday effects of gravity on Earth, things we can see and measure, it is conceivable that we have completely failed to comprehend the actual physics underlying the force of gravity.”

It would not be the first time that Newton’s theory of gravitation had to be modified over the past hundred years. This became necessary in three special cases: when high velocities are involved (through the Special Theory of Relativity), in the proximity of large masses (through the theory of General Relativity), and on sub-atomic scales (through quantum mechanics)."

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Another "what we thought we knew for certain" post.

Suspect detained over 'extremist' bumper sticker

Suspect detained over 'extremist' bumper sticker: "A Louisiana driver was stopped and detained for having a 'Don't Tread on Me' bumper sticker on his vehicle and warned by a police officer about the 'subversive' message it sent, according to the driver's relative.

The situation developed in the small town of Ball, La., where a receptionist at the police department told WND she knew nothing about the traffic stop, during which the 'suspect' was investigated for 'extremist' activities, the relative said."

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I'm feeling big huge safer. Just like each time the TSA confiscates my tooth paste and shaving lotion, one can never be too safe. Don't even get me started on the dangers of finger nail clippers. Sure I stink and arrive unshaven at my destination ... but wouldn't you rather be safe than sorry? Who knows where these bumper stickers can lead. Today bumper stickers, tomorrow letters to congress. Next thing you know people will be thinking that government is NOT the answer but is the problem. We can't have that.

Dad accused of using dog shock collar on his kids

Dad accused of using dog shock collar on his kids: "SALEM, Ore. (AP) - A father was accused of using a dog shock collar on his four children. Salem Police Lt. Dave Okada said the 41-year-old man was jailed Tuesday on charges of criminal mistreatment. He said the father acknowledged putting the electronic dog collar on his four children and shocking all of them at least once.

According to Okada, the father didn't do it as a punishment. Rather, he thought it was funny."

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Admit it, we have all thought it may be a good idea. Yes, I'm kidding but can anyone else read between the lines in this story? The kids want to try it. One gets shocked and jumps around yelling. The next one begs, "I want to try it, I want to try it." They are having a great time. So the kids return to Mom's and excitedly relate the hilarity. Mom is horrified and calls the police in effort to "protect" the children. Getting even with her despicable, miserable X is completely secondary to the safety of the children. But how sweetly secondary it is!

Savages Banned In Polite Brit Society

On my last (actually first and only) visit to Britain we were treated to many delights. We saw the Queen, William, et. al. because we "lucked out" by being at Buckingham on Her Royal Highness' birthday celebration. I have always questioned the IQ of those who endure long hours of standing amidst crowds awaiting some celebrity. I still question and claim hostage status by virtue of being married and forced by my wife to under go such punishment.

We visited parliment. We observed the House of Commons in session, also the House of Lords (where the directional sign pronounced us "Strangers"). Admittedly we are not Lords but "strange" may be abusive.

Exiting a restaurant on Piccadilly we were greeted by a parade, a nude cyclist parade. Most of the nude cyclists should not have been. But I must say it was interesting for many reasons, none of which am I willing to discuss here. So I thought liberalism is evident in Britain and differing points of view are allowed, maybe even encouraged, almost to the "anything goes" point.

Imagine my surprise to hear that Michael Savage has been banned from Britain. None of this appears to be any big huge thing; it is quite funny, really. But does anyone else see a trend developing?

Home School vs Bomb Squad - A Patriotic Act

Mom says Patriot Act stripped son of due process :: WRAL.com: "Oxford, N.C. — Sixteen-year-old Ashton Lundeby's bedroom in his mother's Granville County home is nothing, if not patriotic. Images of American flags are everywhere – on the bed, on the floor, on the wall."

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Some time ago we were in an airport somewhere and I received a call from our local police department that a bomb threat had been made from our home. The entire family had been out of the house at the alleged time of the threat (lucky for us) and the only possibility would have been a lady who helps my wife clean off and on. The supposed threat had been against Radio Shack and the police had done some type of "trace" that led to our number. Tell me how that works.

Anyway, the idea of our cleaning lady (who is alarmed at quick movements and shadows) making a threat against anyone much less Radio Shack of all places was hysterical. I would venture our cleaning lady has never been in Radio Shack and has no earthly idea what they even sell. We all had a good laugh and it all blew over. Had this mistake been against some higher profile location and had someone higher than our local police been involved, it might not have been so entertaining. Living unnoticed is becoming more important.

I know, it can't happen to you ... right?

Jesus Christ - Did He view Himself as God?

Jesus Christ « Tough Questions Answered: "
1 Jesus Claimed to Be Yahweh.
2 Jesus Claimed to Be Equal with God.
3 Jesus Claimed to Be Messiah-God.
4 Jesus Claimed to Be God by Accepting Worship.
5 Jesus Claimed to Have Equal Authority with God.
6 Jesus Claimed to Be God by Requesting Prayer in His Name."

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I know, Christians are not confused about this (Jesus claiming to be God), at least evangelical types are not confused. I do occasionally see and hear mention by non Christians about Jesus being a "good teacher" and the like. Many seem to think Jesus being God is just something people made up later, probably by Pat Robertson or Jerry Falwell.

This little blog series does a good job of presenting why we believe that Jesus being God was a basic tenet of the New Testament. In truth, probably no one can really believe such an outrageous claim unless that truth is revealed to him by the Holy Spirit. This is how Jesus said Peter knew it.

This Bill Pratt guy has some interesting things to say. Spending a little time on his blog may be worthwhile.

Evangelicals: Nuclear weapons are 'direct affront' to God - USATODAY.com

Evangelicals: Nuclear weapons are 'direct affront' to God - USATODAY.com: "The destruction one nuclear bomb can wreak is more than horrifying, says megachurch pastor Rob Bell of Grandville, Mich. It's an insult to God.

'Nuclear weapons are a direct affront to God's dream of shalom for the world,' Bell said Tuesday. 'Life is beautiful, and nuclear weapons are ugly.'"

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My big huge question is where do we discern that God is under some delusion that peace will come to the planet? Has God become an Aquarian, is he looking to the age of Aquarius "and peace will rule the planet" la la la? I don't imagine that God so much has dreams but foreknowledge. No peace will come to this place until Jesus returns again and rule's with a rod of iron. Even then at the end of a thousand years of peace under God's rule, there will be another rebellion. I don't see poor God being flummuxed and having His dreams shattered. Things are going as God knew they would. Some of us will be on God's side and some will not.

I can see where one who believes the Bible is complicated by changes, errors, and edits through the years, whould be confused about what the Bible really says. But to completely miss what the Bible clearly says about the direction this world will take until the Day of the Lord is irresponsible. "Let's all just get along" is not going to work any time soon on a global level.