Monday, August 15, 2011

How I see life.

Now that I am over 50 I see life a little differently.

First and foremost, I think that life is a big con. Most of things we are told or think that we know are either outright lies or spin. It is in human nature to present things in a way that works to our advantage, and we create complex realities that when broken down to the essence don't mean very much.

Our entertainment is remarkably hedonistic and/or narcissistic. It has no real value except for the fact that entertains us, which I suppose does give it some value. We make heroes out of entertainers, when real heroes are largely ignored. I am concerned about the "garbage" entertainment that has a corrupting influence on society and youth.

We waste time on trivial things for the sake of wasting time.

Our politics are mostly about benefiting ourselves at the expense of others.

In my mind, the difference between adults and children is not a matter of age, but a willingness and ability to do things that we don't want to do. The World War II generation understood this. Later generations less so.

However, I see hope in hard times because it forces people to be more efficient and moves them back to some sense of "values." Oddly enough, I think that the country is moving in the right direction. I just don't know where we will be a couple of decades from now.

Best wishes,

John Coffey

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Hills

<<hills.JPG>> One thing interesting about this picture is that life
will exist anywhere it can get a foothold.

Monday, July 25, 2011

Solar Roads - great idea

I don't think that this will ever be practical but I could always be wrong.    For one thing, the cost of solar materials alone is more expensive to generate electricity and only have a 10 year useful life.  Someone needs to invent better solar materials.  

Actual I had the same idea to power electric cars but never dreamed of making the roads out of glass.  I assumed that new materials would have to be invented. 


Sent from my iPhone



From: al 


 
This incredible technology! Something that really helps bring hope for the future! 
 
Al 
 
 

 

 

 

Solar Roads:
 
Maybe this is something we all should be working on in industry.  Makes the current technology for road building look antique. 
Certainly beats the national broadband network and would be incorporated into the road's surface.

  
What a great idea!  
    
       
Link:     http://www.wimp.com/solarhighways/  
 
 
 
 
 
    
 
 
    
 
    
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 
 
 
   
   
   
 
    
 
    

 

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Friday, May 13, 2011

Winston Churchill :-)


When Hitler invaded the Soviet Union, Winston Churchill, a vehement anti-Communist, famously stated "If Hitler invaded Hell, I would at least make a favourable reference to the Devil in the House of Commons," 




"The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of the blessings.  The inherent blessing of socialism is the equal sharing of misery."


Saturday, May 7, 2011

A young writer


I finally realized that I must do my schoolwork to keep from being ignorant, to get on in life, to become a journalist, because that's what I want! I know I can write ..., but it remains to be seen whether I really have talent ...

And if I don't have the talent to write books or newspaper articles, I can always write for myself. But I want to achieve more than that. I can't imagine living like Mother, Mrs. van Daan and all the women who go about their work and are then forgotten. I need to have something besides a husband and children to devote myself to! ...

I want to be useful or bring enjoyment to all people, even those I've never met. I want to go on living even after my death! And that's why I'm so grateful to God for having given me this gift, which I can use to develop myself and to express all that's inside me!

When I write I can shake off all my cares. My sorrow disappears, my spirits are revived! But, and that's a big question, will I ever be able to write something great, will I ever become a journalist or a writer?

"

—Anne Frank


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne_Frank


Tuesday, March 15, 2011

books

Electronic books can’t be given away.  The ideal book is one that you can give to a friend when you are done.  Even better if they pass it on.

 

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Re: 111

Well, essentially it is saying that if you take the year of your birth and add your age then you get the equivalent of 2011.  Not very magical.   It only looks like 111 because it doesn't include the 19__ portion of your birthdate.  

Interesting though.  




On Jan 20, 2011, at 2:10 PM, Geneva  wrote:



--- On Tue, 1/18/11, Carolyn wrote:


 

 

 

WEll...figure this one out...and let me know how it works...Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm....

 


 

Ok look at this.. Its 2011 so we will have 1/1/11.....1/11/11.....11/1/11....11/11/11...

Now take last two digets of the year you were born and the age you will be in 2011 add them together and you will have 111

Example:  If you were born in 62, you will be 49.. 62 + 49 = 111

Try it.

 


Wednesday, December 1, 2010

In defense of eating meat.

When it comes to eating animals, I feel that we should not make animals suffer, and we should provide for their needs.  As for the sin of killing them, I feel that domesticated animals are only alive because we provided a way for them to live.  They would not have a life were it not for our efforts.  So what little life we give them is more than what they would have had.

 

More than 90% of the animals in the wild die at the hands of predators.

 

I am sure that there are health issues with eating too much of the wrong kind of meat, so we should avoid that.

Monday, November 22, 2010

Saturday, October 23, 2010

Tweels

From: "adbrananan"





CHECK OUT THESE TIRES !



These tires are made in South Carolina, USA .





SEE THROUGH TIRES


Radical new tire design by Michelin.


The next generation of tires.


They had a pair at the Philadelphia car show.





Yes, those are 'spoke' like connections to the inner part of the tire from the outside tread 'wrap!' The next picture shows how odd it looks in motion....



Makes you wonder how the ride feels doesn't it?




These tires are airless and are scheduled to be out on the market very soon.


The bad news for law enforcement is that spike strips will not work on these.


Just think of the impact on existing technology:



no more air valves...

no more air compressors at gas stations...

no more repair kits...

no more flats...

These are actual pictures taken in the South Carolina plant of Michelin.



By the way, these tires are called "tweels."

ATM Theft

The attached file shows how a thief can steal your ATM card and obtain your PIN number.



ATM Theft

Monday, September 20, 2010

Halloween Candy

Wanting to give full size candy bars out at Halloween time, and not wanting to spend 50 cents per candy bar, I bought 12 packages of 6 Wal-Mart “Great Value” chocolate candy bars at $2 per package.   I should have plenty.   If I find candy on sale for a cheaper price, then I will get that as well.

 

Now I have to avoid the temptation to eat them.

Thursday, September 9, 2010

Re: History.com Trivia

Wow.  I wasn't fast but I got them all...



Best wishes,

John Coffey

Sent from my iPhone

On Sep 9, 2010, at 10:40 PM, "Allan D. Branaman" <> wrote:

If you like history,this is an interesting site. Kinda fun.
http://quiz.history.com/game_complete

Saturday, September 4, 2010

Flight from Salt Lake City to Cincinnati

While waiting in the short but slow security line I got talking to the
thin young man ahead of me. He looked like a young Kurt Russell. He
was on his way to see his new nephew in Cleveland. He forgot that he
had a pocket knife in his backpack. TSA security spotted it during
the x-ray. I have heard stories of people being arrested for
accidentally trying to bring a knife on a plane, but maybe they don't
really do that. He agreed to let them dispose of the knife. Anyhow,
'Kurt Russell' and I had nothing better to do than chat for an hour at
the terminal while we waited to board the same plane.

Oddly enough, all this made me think about LOST. I knew that for the
next 3.6 hours, my fate would be would be tied to the fate of 200
complete strangers. If something were to go wrong with the plane then
it would go wrong for all of us. Usually I get to know a little bit
the people sitting next to me on the plane; there is a certain
intimacy to being crammed into coach. Then after the flight I will
never see any of these people ever again.

Why the connection to LOST? It is a story about 54 strangers who
survive on an island together for about 90 days. In the last ten
minutes of the series, it makes the point that these strangers end up
being the most important people in each others lives. (I think that
combat soldiers probably experience the same thing.)

On the plane I was disappointed to see that I would be sitting next to
two big guys, being a big guy myself. The other two big guys decided
to change seats. I guess that they were thinking the same thing I was
thinking. Good for them, but even better for me. I get 3 seats to
myself.

Flying out of Salt Lake International Airport I could see from above
many roads and trails leading up into the mountains. In the 17.7
years that I lived in Salt Lake City, I have only explored about 4 of
these, but there are many that I didn't know existed. I am not much
of an outdoors person, but maybe I need to get out more.

You can certainly tell when you are flying over Nebraska. Nothing but
patchwork farmland as far as far as my nearsighted eyes can see. I
have driven through it before; it is a real bore. The most
interesting part is a giant wood covered bridge over the interstate
highway that seems to connect to nothing at all. Nevertheless, I do
find it fun to drive across the country. Everyone should do it once
in awhile.

I realized mid flight that I had only gotten one boarding pass from
the automated checkin kiosk. I have a connecting flight to
Louisville. On the plane I talked to a stewardess who told me that I
should be able to get my second boarding pass in Cincinnati.

Best wishes,

John Coffey
http://www.entertainmentjourney.com

Sent from my iPhone