David's Life

Book one of three, complete...

2012-01-29T17:07:00.001-05:00

Book one of three, complete..., a photo by FlickPics88 on Flickr.

Family bowling night!

2012-01-29T06:43:00.000-05:00

A close 2nd game for Diane and I

2012-01-28T20:28:00.001-05:00

A close 2nd game for Diane and I, a photo by FlickPics88 on Flickr.

A close 2nd game for Diane and I

2012-01-28T20:27:00.001-05:00

A close 2nd game for Diane and I, a photo by FlickPics88 on Flickr.

Family bowling with our friends Aaron and Abigail

2012-01-28T19:23:00.001-05:00

Family bowling with our friends Aaron and Abigail, a photo by FlickPics88 on Flickr.

A tiny Lego u-joint

2012-01-28T17:14:00.001-05:00

A tiny Lego u-joint, a photo by FlickPics88 on Flickr.

Starting on my Super Car

2012-01-28T16:38:00.001-05:00

Starting on my Super Car, a photo by FlickPics88 on Flickr.

There are 3 books and 129 steps...!

Now THAT's a Curley fry!

2012-01-28T14:42:00.001-05:00

Now THAT's a Curley fry!, a photo by FlickPics88 on Flickr.

Andy's sorting Jackson's turtles

2012-01-28T11:34:00.003-05:00

Andy's sorting Jackson's turtles, a photo by FlickPics88 on Flickr.

Yum!

2012-01-28T11:34:00.001-05:00

Yum!, a photo by FlickPics88 on Flickr.

Happy 3 Jackson!

2012-01-28T10:57:00.001-05:00

Happy 3 Jackson!, a photo by FlickPics88 on Flickr.

Johnny and Cody havin' fun at Jack's party

2012-01-28T10:37:00.001-05:00

Johnny and Cody havin' fun at Jack's party, a photo by FlickPics88 on Flickr.

Pickup 2 on 2 soccer

2012-01-25T20:24:00.001-05:00

Pickup 2 on 2 soccer, a photo by FlickPics88 on Flickr.

John 3:16 2/14

2012-01-25T19:51:00.001-05:00

John 3:16 2/14, a photo by FlickPics88 on Flickr.

The boys are quizzing each other on their Awana sections, in the backseat, all by themselves,of their own volition!

2012-01-25T18:46:00.001-05:00

The boys are quizzing each other on their Awana sections, in the backseat, all by themselves,of their own volition!, a photo by FlickPics88 on Flickr.

Turns out it only takes 5 stitches to put Humpty back together again :)

2012-01-24T21:05:00.001-05:00

Turns out it only takes 5 stitches to put Humpty back together again :), a photo by FlickPics88 on Flickr.

"I only said ow once!"

He did great! Even said thanks and no problem a few times. Haha

A bandage for the boy

2012-01-24T20:17:00.001-05:00

A bandage for the boy, a photo by FlickPics88 on Flickr.

"to hold the magic numbing gel on"

Now Andy gets his turn...

2012-01-24T20:15:00.001-05:00

Now Andy gets his turn..., a photo by FlickPics88 on Flickr.

We're at the ER. We both got our first stitches at the same age. He thought that was great.

John, my boss, said "Tell Andy that chicks dig guys with stitches". Andy says, "Really?! Maybe Madison will like me now!" haha.

He fell off the chair during school and cracked his head on the edge of the fan. He's fine. They said he just needs to be put back together again.

Happy 71 Mom!

2012-01-22T19:32:00.001-05:00

Happy 71 Mom!, a photo by FlickPics88 on Flickr.

It's a long way down from the 9th floor...

2012-01-22T14:51:00.001-05:00

It's a long way down from the 9th floor..., a photo by FlickPics88 on Flickr.

The boys wanted to explore.

MVH stained glass

2012-01-22T14:20:00.001-05:00

MVH stained glass, a photo by FlickPics88 on Flickr.

Glowing gift bag

2012-01-21T21:29:00.001-05:00

Glowing gift bag, a photo by FlickPics88 on Flickr.

Pinfire Fun. 2mm

2012-01-19T20:53:00.000-05:00

Fun with 2mm Pin Fire

2012-01-19T20:45:00.001-05:00

Fun with 2mm Pin Fire, a photo by FlickPics88 on Flickr.

Julie's last Birthday present finally got here. A little conversation piece straight from Germany!

The Original Pillow Pet!

2012-01-18T16:36:00.001-05:00

The Original Pillow Pet!, a photo by FlickPics88 on Flickr.

Of course, this one is more expensive and requires maintenance. ;o)

--posted by Julie

Dog dreaming

2012-01-15T11:17:00.000-05:00

Now he's even barking in his sleep...!

Little boy blue...

2012-01-14T22:22:00.001-05:00

Little boy blue..., a photo by FlickPics88 on Flickr.

A dog's dream

2012-01-12T06:22:00.000-05:00

I wonder what Brutus is dreaming?

Where are the years going?

2012-01-11T21:39:00.001-05:00

Where are the years going?, a photo by FlickPics88 on Flickr.

Johnny lost his booster seat tonight!

Are you a parking procrastinator?

2012-01-11T09:26:00.001-05:00

Start the New Year right... Backing Up

http://www.madeindaytonblog.com/2012/01/start-new-year-right-backing-up.html

Are you one of those people who always pulls head first into a parking space? You are? … I was afraid of that. I hate to say it but you may be guilty of procrastination parking.

Now, I don't mean to pick on you for the way you park. I'm actually more concerned with the way you start your day. Here’s what I mean. Backing into a parking spot is hard - at least harder than pulling straight in - but so is backing out. Whether it’s now or later, you will have to back up and it will be challenging.

Having spent many years as a highly successful procrastinator, I can attest to the fact that putting off a hard task brings only short term satisfaction. And that satisfaction quickly erodes into stress and worry about what still lies ahead. Those feelings of fear can render you unproductive in even the simple and easy tasks. A double whammy!

I had a teacher that used to say "swallow your biggest frog first". I have no idea why someone would ever want to swallow a frog, but I get the point - tackle your biggest challenge first. When you do, not only will you find that everything else is easy after that, but you will be encouraged by your accomplishment and that motivation can help carry you throughout the day.

So how do you break the procrastination cycle? You start by changing your behavior in the small things. Make a choice to put off the easy stuff till later and complete that one task you dread. You’ll be thrilled with the results!

Starting the New Year right is easy. You can begin right in the parking lot!

Submitted by Gary Weldon

My two cents: And you never know when you might be leaving in a rush or emergency. At that point, you’ll be really glad you only had to pull out forward.

Toothpicks too.

2012-01-10T21:41:00.001-05:00

Toothpicks too., a photo by FlickPics88 on Flickr.

Andy has been busy!

2012-01-10T21:38:00.001-05:00

Andy has been busy!, a photo by FlickPics88 on Flickr.

Fun with collages.

2012-01-09T13:12:00.001-05:00

Fun with collages., a photo by FlickPics88 on Flickr.

Now BOTH sets of the boy's grandparents are giving them dangerous knives

2012-01-08T21:05:00.001-05:00

Now BOTH sets of the boy's grandparents are giving them dangerous knives, a photo by FlickPics88 on Flickr.

My mom and dad gave me wooden sets to assemble our own model wooden knives. We figured out how all the springs work, etc. Fun stuff!

Workin' on building our model wooden knives

2012-01-08T21:03:00.001-05:00

Workin' on building our model wooden knives, a photo by FlickPics88 on Flickr.

Attack of Johnny's Kreons!

2012-01-08T19:20:00.001-05:00

Attack of Johnny's Kreons!, a photo by FlickPics88 on Flickr.

Cool silhouette.

2012-01-08T16:00:00.001-05:00

Cool silhouette., a photo by FlickPics88 on Flickr.

BIG fun!

2012-01-06T20:37:00.001-05:00

BIG fun!, a photo by FlickPics88 on Flickr.

Just another day at the office.

2012-01-06T18:35:00.001-05:00

Just another day at the office., a photo by FlickPics88 on Flickr.

Four separate discussions from today, plus a smiley from Julie.

A nice addition to my office wall.

2012-01-06T14:34:00.003-05:00

A nice addition to my office wall., a photo by FlickPics88 on Flickr.

That's a five point rack from my great uncle. Harvested in November 1942. My mom and dad gave it to "the hunter" for Christmas.

A nice addition to my office wall.

2012-01-06T14:34:00.001-05:00

A nice addition to my office wall., a photo by FlickPics88 on Flickr.

That's a five point rack from my great uncle. Harvested in November 1942. My mom and dad gave it to "the hunter" for Christmas.

Boys and their pups

2012-01-06T06:30:00.001-05:00

Boys and their pups, a photo by FlickPics88 on Flickr.

Science gone horribly wrong...

2012-01-05T21:57:00.001-05:00

Dad, "Johnny, what is the inclined plane part of a screw called?"

Johnny, "a road block?"

Dad, "haha, did you mean a block and tackle?"

Johnny, "yeah, that!"

Oops! We got a good laugh out of that one!! ;)

Still not sure what happened

2012-01-05T11:16:00.001-05:00

Still not sure what happened, a photo by FlickPics88 on Flickr.

But it was quite a mess. 3,000 pound rolls of paper on fire. I can't figure out what the big boom was. It shook our windows! The highway just now opened back up.

Large boom this morning...

2012-01-05T11:14:00.001-05:00

Large boom this morning..., a photo by FlickPics88 on Flickr.

Red squishy, you served us well. :)

2012-01-04T12:50:00.001-05:00

Red squishy, you served us well. :), a photo by FlickPics88 on Flickr.

Reality

2012-01-04T08:20:00.001-05:00

"I spent a long time trying to come to grips with my doubts, when suddenly I realized that I had better come to grips with what I believe. I have since moved from the agony of questions that I cannot answer to the reality of answers that I cannot escape . . . and it's a great relief!"

-Tom Skinner, Washington Redskins Team Chaplain

Andy made a micro scale coffee maker!

2012-01-03T14:13:00.001-05:00

Andy made a micro scale coffee maker!, a photo by FlickPics88 on Flickr.

R.I.P. Bill of Rights 1789 - 2011

2012-01-03T09:31:00.000-05:00

A lot of people looked at me like I was some kind of whacko conspiracy theorist for the last 3 years when I said the government was out to remove our liberties and destroy our country. Everyone is all up in arms that Obama signed this. What about the fact that congress (Senate AND House) passed it!?

At any rate if the government decides you are the threat, it is now possible that you just disappear, and are detained as long as they want. They don't need cause, you don't get a trial, or a lawyer, and they don't even have to present cause. This applies to you and I, American Citizens.

Wake up America!

http://www.naturalnews.com/034537_NDAA_Bill_of_Rights_Obama.html

R.I.P. Bill of Rights 1789 - 2011

(NaturalNews) One of the most extraordinary documents in human history -- the Bill of Rights -- has come to an end under President Barack Obama. Derived from sacred principles of natural law, the Bill of Rights has come to a sudden and catastrophic end with the President's signing of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), a law that grants the U.S. military the "legal" right to conduct secret kidnappings of U.S. citizens, followed by indefinite detention, interrogation, torture and even murder. This is all conducted completely outside the protection of law, with no jury, no trial, no legal representation and not even any requirement that the government produce evidence against the accused. It is a system of outright government tyranny against the American people, and it effectively nullifies the Bill of Rights.

In what will be remembered as the most traitorous executive signing ever committed against the American people, President Obama signed the bill on New Year's Eve, a time when most Americans were engaged in the consumption of alcohol. It seems appropriate, of course, since no intelligent American could accept the tyranny of this bill if they were sober.

This is the law that will cement Obama's legacy in the history books as the traitor who nullified the Bill of Rights and paved America's pathway down a road of tyranny that will make Nazi Germany's war crimes look like child's play. If Bush had signed a law like this, liberals would have been screaming "impeachment!"

Why the Bill of Rights matters

While the U.S. Constitution already limits the power of federal government, the Bill of Rights is the document that enumerates even more limits of federal government power. In its inception, many argued that a Bill of Rights was completely unnecessary because, they explained, the federal government only has the powers specifically enumerated to it under the U.S. Constitution. There was no need to have a "First Amendment" to protect Free Speech, for example, because there was no power granted to government to diminish Free Speech.

This seems silly today, of course, given the natural tendency of all governments to concentrate power in the hands of the few while destroying the rights and freedoms of their own people. But in the 1780's, whether government could ever become a threat to future freedoms was hotly debated. By 1789, enough revolutionary leaders had agreed on the fundamental principles of a Bill of Rights to sign it into law. Its purpose was to provide additional clarifications on the limitation of government power so that there could be absolutely no question that government could NEVER, under any circumstances, violate these key principles of freedom: Freedom of speech, the right to bear arms, freedom from illegal searches, the right to remain silent, the right to due process under law, and so on.

Of course, today's runaway federal government utterly ignores the limitations placed on it by the founding fathers. It aggressively and criminally seeks to expand its power at all costs, completely ignoring the Bill of Rights and openly violating the limitations of power placed upon it by the United States Constitution. The TSA's illegal searching of air travelers, for example, is a blatant violation of Fourth Amendment rights. The government's hijacking of websites it claims are linking to "copyright infringement" hubs is a blatant violation of First Amendment rights. The government's demand that all Americans be forced to buy private health insurance is a blatant violation of Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution -- the "commerce clause."

Now, with the passage of the NDAA, the federal government has torpedoed the entire Bill of Rights, dismissing it completely and effectively promising to violate those rights at will. As of January 1, 2012, we have all been designated enemies of the state. America is the new battleground, and your "right" to due process is null and void.

Remember, this was all done by the very President who promised to close Guantanamo Bay and end secret military prisons. Not only did Obama break that campaign promise (as he has done with nearly ALL his campaign promises), he did exactly the opposite and has now subjected all Americans to the possibility of government-sponsored kidnapping, detainment and torture, all under the very system of secret military prisons he claimed he would close!

"President Obama's action today is a blight on his legacy because he will forever be known as the president who signed indefinite detention without charge or trial into law," said Anthony D. Romero, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union.

Obama's signing statement means nothing

Even while committing an act of pure treason in signing the bill, the unindicted criminal President Obama issued a signing statement that reads, in part, "Moving forward, my administration will interpret and implement the provisions described below in a manner that best preserves the flexibility on which our safety depends and upholds the values on which this country was founded..."

Anyone who reads between the lines here realizes the "the flexibility on which our safety depends" means they can interpret the law in any way they want if there is a sufficient amount of fear being created through false flag terror attacks. Astute readers will also notice that Obama's signing statement has no legal binding whatsoever and only refers to Obama's momentary intentions on how he "wishes" to interpret the law. It does not place any limits whatsoever on how a future President might use the law as written.

"The statute is particularly dangerous because it has no temporal or geographic limitations, and can be used by this and future presidents to militarily detain people captured far from any battlefield," says the ACLU (http://www.aclu.org/blog/national-s...).

What this means is that the next President could use this law to engage in the most horrific holocaust-scale mass round-up of people the world has ever seen. The NDAA legalizes the crimes of Nazi Germany in America, setting the stage for the mass murder of citizens by a rogue government.

United States of America becomes a rogue nation, operating in violation of international law

Furthermore, the NDAA law as written and signed, is a violation of international law as it does not even adhere to the fundamental agreements of how nations treat prisoners of war:

"...the breadth of the NDAA's detention authority violates international law because it is not limited to people captured in the context of an actual armed conflict as required by the laws of war" says the ACLU (http://www.aclu.org/blog/national-s...).

In 1789, today's NDAA law would have been called "treasonous," and those who voted for it would have been shot dead as traitors. This is not a call for violence, but rather an attempt to provide historical context of just how destructive this law really is. Men and women fought and died for the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights. People sacrificed their lives, their safety and risked everything to achieve the freedoms that made America such a great nation. For one President to so callously throw away 222 years of liberty, betraying those great Americans who painstakingly created an extraordinary document limiting the power of government, is equivalent to driving a stake through the heart of the Republic.

In signing this, Obama has proven himself to be the most criminal of all U.S. Presidents, far worse than George W. Bush and a total traitor to the nation and its People. Remember, Obama swore upon a Bible that he would "protect and defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic," and yet he himself has become the enemy of the Constitution by signing a law that overtly and callously nullifies the Bill of Rights.

This is nothing less than an act of war declared on the American people by the executive and legislative branches of government. It remains to be seen whether the judicial branch will go along with it (US Supreme Court).

Origins of the Bill of Rights

The Bill of Rights, signed in 1789 by many of the founding fathers of our nation, was based on the Virginia Declaration of Rights, drafted in 1776 and authored largely by George Mason, one of the least-recognized revolutionaries who gave rise to a nation of freedom and liberty.

Mason was a strong advocate of not just states' rights, but of individual rights, and without his influence in 1789, we might not even have a Bill of Rights today (and our nation would have slipped into total government tyranny all the sooner). In fact, he openly opposed ratification of the U.S. Constitution unless it contained a series of amendments now known as the Bill of Rights (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George...)

SECTION ONE of this Virginia declaration of rights states:

"That all men are by nature equally free and independent and have certain inherent rights, of which, when they enter into a state of society, they cannot, by any compact, deprive or divest their posterity; namely, the enjoyment of life and liberty, with the means of acquiring and possessing property, and pursuing and obtaining happiness and safety." (http://www.constitution.org/bcp/vir...)

Section Three of the declaration speaks to the duty of the Citizens to abolish abusive government:

"That government is, or ought to be, instituted for the common benefit, protection, and security of the people, nation, or community; of all the various modes and forms of government, that is best which is capable of producing the greatest degree of happiness and safety and is most effectually secured against the danger of maladministration; and that, when any government shall be found inadequate or contrary to these purposes, a majority of the community hath an indubitable, inalienable, and indefeasible right to reform, alter, or abolish it, in such manner as shall be judged most conducive to the public weal."

By any honest measure, today's U.S. government, of course, has overstepped the bounds of its original intent. As Mason wrote over 200 years ago, the People of America now have not merely a right but a duty to "reform, alter or abolish it," to bring government back into alignment with its original purpose -- to protect the rights of the People.

Obama violates his Presidential Oath, sworn before God

Article II, Section I of the United States Constitution spells out the oath of office that every President must take during their swearing in:

"I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."

In signing the NDAA law into office, Obama has blatantly and unambiguously violated this sacred oath, meaning that his betrayal is not merely against the American people, but also against the Divine Creator.

Given that the Bill of Rights is an extension of Natural Law which establishes a direct heritage of sovereign power from the Creator to the People, a blatant attack upon the Bill of Rights is, by any account, an attack against the Creator and a violation of universal spiritual principles. Those who attempt to undermine the Bill of Rights are attempting to invalidate the relationship between God and Man, and in doing so, they are identifying themselves as enemies of God and agents of Evil.

Today, as 2012 begins, we are now a nation led by evil, and threatened with total destruction by those who would seek to rule as tyrants. This is America's final hour. We either defend the Republic starting right now, or we lose it forever.

Read the language analysis of WHY and HOW the NDAA applies to American citizens

Many people have been fooled by the obfuscated language of the bill, and they wrongfully believe the NDAA does not apply to American citizens. They have been hoodwinked!

In this follow-up article, I parse the language of the NDAA and explain, in plain language, how and why the NDAA does apply to American citizens:
http://www.naturalnews.com/034538_N...

Also, read this explanation by Rep. Justin Amash, who voted against the bill:
http://www.facebook.com/note.php?no...

Make no mistake, folks: The U.S. government has just declared all Americans to be "enemy combatants," and that the USA is now a "battleground" over which the military has total control. We are now a nation living under military dictatorship, whether you realize it or not.

About the author: Mike Adams is a natural health researcher, author and award-winning journalist with a mission to teach personal and planetary health to the public He is a prolific writer and has published thousands of articles, interviews, reports and consumer guides, reaching millions of readers with information that is saving lives and improving personal health around the world. Adams is an honest, independent journalist and accepts no money or commissions on the third-party products he writes about or the companies he promotes. In mid 2010, Adams produced NaturalNews.TV, a natural health video sharing website offering user-generated videos on nutrition, green living, fitness and more. He also founded an environmentally-friendly online retailer called BetterLifeGoods.com that uses retail profits to help support consumer advocacy programs. He's also the CEO of a highly successful email newsletter software company that develops software used to send permission email campaigns to subscribers. Adams also serves as the executive director of the Consumer Wellness Center, a non-profit consumer protection group, and enjoys outdoor activities, nature photography, Pilates and martial arts training. He's also author a large number of health books offered by Truth Publishing and is the creator of numerous reference website including NaturalPedia.com and the free downloadable Honest Food Guide. His websites also include the free reference sites HerbReference.com and HealingFoodReference.com. Adams believes in free speech, free access to nutritional supplements and the innate healing ability of the human body. Known on the 'net as 'the Health Ranger,' Adams shares his ethics, mission statements and personal health statistics at www.HealthRanger.org

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Andy's Robot Dragon is hanging on by barely one claw!

2012-01-02T21:22:00.001-05:00

Andy's Robot Dragon is hanging on by barely one claw!, a photo by FlickPics88 on Flickr.

"A perfect game day"

2012-01-02T15:13:00.001-05:00

"A perfect game day", a photo by FlickPics88 on Flickr.

According to Johnny.

Too bad about the score, though...

Julie and Andy have been busy working on his new calendar

2012-01-02T09:53:00.001-05:00

Julie and Andy have been busy working on his new calendar, a photo by FlickPics88 on Flickr.

Johnny demos "no controller" mode

2012-01-02T09:22:00.000-05:00

Xbox 360 with Kinect.

The game is Puss 'n Boots

Maybe no white Christmas?

2012-01-02T09:16:00.001-05:00

Maybe no white Christmas?, a photo by FlickPics88 on Flickr.

I guess we'll have to settle for white Christmas vacation ;)

24 hours really takes it out of a guy.

2011-12-31T08:26:00.001-05:00

24 hours really takes it out of a guy., a photo by FlickPics88 on Flickr.

Get with the times...

2011-12-31T07:00:00.001-05:00

Get with the times..., a photo by FlickPics88 on Flickr.

Waitress to Johnny, "Do you know how to go online?"

Johnny, "Duh!"

Haha

Gettin' an early start today...

2011-12-31T06:36:00.001-05:00

Gettin' an early start today..., a photo by FlickPics88 on Flickr.

The boys have been begging to go here for hours!

Late nights with my bud!

2011-12-31T03:09:00.001-05:00

Late nights with my bud!, a photo by FlickPics88 on Flickr.

Stormy evening

2011-12-31T03:08:00.001-05:00

Stormy evening, a photo by FlickPics88 on Flickr.

Hex Bug meets Bucky Cubes

2011-12-29T21:13:00.000-05:00

Jackson brought the entertainment!

2011-12-29T19:50:00.001-05:00

Jackson brought the entertainment!, a photo by FlickPics88 on Flickr.

Happy Birthday to Julie!

2011-12-29T19:27:00.001-05:00

Happy Birthday to Julie!, a photo by FlickPics88 on Flickr.

Marion's an old favorite!

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

2011-12-29T15:51:00.003-05:00

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, a photo by FlickPics88 on Flickr.

Guess where we went for Julie's birthday?!

2011-12-29T15:51:00.001-05:00

Guess where we went for Julie's birthday?!, a photo by FlickPics88 on Flickr.

Jungle Jim's. We're moving up from squid, now!

Tony's idea of a gag

2011-12-28T23:16:00.001-05:00

Tony's idea of a gag, a photo by FlickPics88 on Flickr.

It seems to be being enjoyed a little more than he expected...?

Now I owe Tony back!

2011-12-28T23:05:00.001-05:00

Now I owe Tony back!, a photo by FlickPics88 on Flickr.

Thanks to Tony...!

2011-12-28T23:02:00.001-05:00

Thanks to Tony...!, a photo by FlickPics88 on Flickr.

You got us all with your gag. The boys liked the flashlights too!

Tony got me too!

2011-12-28T23:00:00.001-05:00

Tony got me too!, a photo by FlickPics88 on Flickr.

Tony is at it again!

2011-12-28T22:56:00.001-05:00

Tony is at it again!, a photo by FlickPics88 on Flickr.

He sent the boys some gag gifts to get back at them for the silly string!

2011-12-24 Christmas

2011-12-28T22:30:00.000-05:00

Dangerous Grandpa sure lived up to his name, this year!

2011-12-28T19:41:00.001-05:00

Dangerous Grandpa sure lived up to his name, this year!, a photo by FlickPics88 on Flickr.

Christmas 2011

2011-12-27T22:47:00.001-05:00

40 year old candle holder, a photo by FlickPics88 on Flickr.

I have posted my pictures from the Christmas celebrtion with our family. They can be seen on the following link. I will upload a little movie, too.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dwbarton/sets/72157628588724251/

Enjoy, and Merry Christmas to all!

Dewey's Pizza anyone?

2011-12-27T22:16:00.001-05:00

Dewey's Pizza anyone?, a photo by FlickPics88 on Flickr.

Siri is cracking me up!

2011-12-27T22:15:00.001-05:00

Siri is cracking me up!, a photo by FlickPics88 on Flickr.

Andy's Mother Ship

2011-12-27T08:01:00.000-05:00

This just might be one of the coolest Lego sets!

2011-12-26T20:31:00.001-05:00

This just might be one of the coolest Lego sets!, a photo by FlickPics88 on Flickr.

Ian, "Wow, Cars 2 - Now we have the WHOLE collection!"

2011-12-26T12:21:00.001-05:00

Ian, "Wow, Cars 2 - Now we have the WHOLE collection!", a photo by FlickPics88 on Flickr.

All two of them... ;)

"OK Grandpa, this how is Facebook works!"

2011-12-25T20:42:00.001-05:00

"OK Grandpa, this how Facebook works!", a photo by FlickPics88 on Flickr.

Lytro: The Biggest Thing to Happen to Photography Since Digital

2011-12-23T22:07:00.000-05:00

Make sure you goto the link. They have a sample you can try showing how yo can refocus it...

http://mashable.com/2011/12/20/lytro-camera-design/

Lytro: The Biggest Thing to Happen to Photography Since Digital

The Designer Tech Series is supported by the exquisitely crafted, new 2013 Lincoln MKS with Lincoln Drive Control. Now it gets interesting.
The Lytro camera may be the most diminutive object to start a revolution. With its simple, rectangular form factor, the Lytro looks more ready to bestow the user with a half-dozen Oreo cookies than a totally new kind of photography. But that's exactly what it promises (and without any trans fat).
The Lytro is the world's first consumer light-field camera. Unlike conventional models, a light-field camera captures all the light information from all the rays in its field of view — not just color and intensity, but direction as well. The method has a number of novel applications, the most publicized being photos that the viewer can focus after the fact. Here's an example of one of Lytro's so-called "living pictures:"

The idea of using a camera to "shoot now, focus later" is what captured the world's attention when creator Ren Ng revealed his new company and its ambitions to the world earlier this year. Lytro said it hoped to have a camera for sale by the end of 2011, and although it's missed that deadline, the company unveiled the camera in October and customers can preorder it now. (One big caveat: it's only Mac-compatible.) It'll be in consumers' hands before spring 2012, according to the company.

How It Works

The Lytro requires a completely different approach to photography, but the device still needs to be fundamentally a camera — small and portable, not to mention easy to use. Lytro's engineers needed to achieve in a compact gadget what had previously been done with a room full of cameras and a supercomputer.
"We're capturing a different kind of image," says Charles Chi, executive chairman of Lytro. "Basic cameras capture a 2D slice of a scene. For us, we're capturing rays of light. It's important to capture the ray, but also the direction."
They started with the lens, which is an 8x optical-zoom lens with an constant f/2 aperture — and extremely large spec even by the standards of high-end DSLR cameras. A big aperture is necessary to capture as much light information as possible, and it gives the camera very good performance in low light, Chi says. The lens array is specially packaged with the sensor, and doing that properly with a mass-market product was a challenge.
"The lens array needs to be packaged with the sensor at a very precise distance," says Chi. "No one had ever done this before. Internally we had done it, but we had to refine it to ensure high quality and high yield. Perfection of the product took several months."
Once all the light-ray information is gathered and captured by the sensor, it's up to some sophisticated technology to process it. Enter the light-field engine. Proprietary software can take that data and, with a click of the mouse, repurpose the photo to change the focus or even create a 3D image.
The sheer amount of data and different way it's stored meant the designers needed to create an entirely new file format, called .lfp (light-field picture). Although that means light-field pics aren't compatible with services like Snapfish of Flickr, anyone who buys the camera will get unlimited storage on the Lytro site, and those pictures can be embedded on other sites with their full refocusing powers intact.

The Camera That's Not a Camera

All that novel technology needs a novel design, and Lytro didn't disappoint. The camera looks nothing like today's point-and-shoots and DSLRs, with an austere anodized aluminum exterior, a rubberized grip and just two buttons: a shutter button and on/off. A simple finger swipe along the casing controls the zoom.
Although Chi admits they company was definitely trying to stand out with a signature form factor, there were many practical considerations in the design. "It's very much about form following function," he says. "We put a lot of effort into minimizing the size of the electronics and creating a great user experience."
Chi explains that the shutter button is right on the camera's center of gravity. The designers made sure to ensure the two lined up so hand movement would be minimized, cutting down on any motion blur.
"We did a lot of ergonomic testing. When we were going through industrial design choices, we were looking at early adopters," he says. "We wanted to appeal to that kind of buyer, give them something they'd be proud to own."

The Future

The forthcoming camera only takes stills, but could we soon see a Lytro for video? Chi says that the company's looking into it.
"Video is possible with light fields. The issue isn't multiple exposures — video is typically 60 exposures per second. We can absolutely do that. The difference is the amount of data coming off of the image sensor. We capture images in full raw. If we have to do that 60 fps, that's a lot of data to process."
Besides video, light field photography could also lead to an inexpensive way to shoot in 3D, or further down the road, even holograms. In the here and now, though, Lytro is concentrating on bringing its first camera to market. The first Lytro camera should be here by April, and it'll be available in three colors and two capacities: The 8GB version comes in electric blue and graphite for $399, and the 16GB version only comes in "red hot" for $499.
Will you buy a Lytro? What's your favorite part of its design? Let us know in the comments.

Feeling blue?

2011-12-21T22:48:00.001-05:00

Feeling blue?, a photo by FlickPics88 on Flickr.

That's Johnny standing at the base of a huge tree at Fairhaven.

Cool light show house.

2011-12-21T22:36:00.001-05:00

Cool light show house., a photo by FlickPics88 on Flickr.

If National Debt was your household budget

2011-12-21T09:07:00.001-05:00

If only the government understood this...

If National Debt was your household budget

Dear Fellow Citizens and Taxpayers,

In case you'd forgotten - some perspective on the incredible size of the US financial problem and what Congress is doing to fix it.

. U.S. Tax revenue: $2,170,000,000,000
. Fed budget: $3,820,000,000,000
. New debt: $ 1,650,000,000,000
. National debt: $14,271,000,000,000
. Recent budget cuts: $ 38,500,000,000

Remove 8 ZEROS and pretend it's a household budget:

. Annual family income: $21,700
. Money the family spent: $38,200
. New debt on the credit card: $16,500
. Outstanding balance on the credit card: $142,710
. Total budget cuts: $385

Less than a half percent cut on spending makes no difference whatsoever, but Congress thinks they are actually doing something. It would be funny if it wasn't so sad.

Unless Congress starts looking to fix the areas that account for over 70% of the federal budget (Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, Defense Spending and payment on the National Debt) and begins fixing our monetary policy (stop printing trillions of dollars backed by nothing and manipulating interest rates which destroy a free market) - nothing is going to change.

If this isn't fixed very soon - we'll need to stop asking the question "will" an economic collapse occur?

And, start asking the question "when" will an economic collapse occur?

Obama has been detrimental to the United States, but he isn't the only enemy.

Big and expansive government along with those who support it are the enemies of freedom. Whether they be R's, D's or anything in between. Those who support central planning and collectivism as witnessed from the numbers above are killing the Republic and have been for years - well before Obama was ever in office.

Thanks to Linda Wilson from Warren County tea parties for providing this information. Great perspective.

Update on Issue 3, Healthcare Freedom Amendment Campaign, Need for Donations to Close Campaign

The campaign is just over $1,000 short of the $5,000 goal to close the campaign.

They need some help in getting money together to cover year-end expenses. The original goal was $5,000. Original message below.

I think we'd all agree this was an incredibly important issue for Ohio, so please donate if you can. Message below.

Thanks for everything you did to support healthcare freedom in Ohio.

Without your support and dedication, passage of the Ohio Healthcare Freedom Amendment would never have been possible.

Given your dedication to date, Ohioans for Healthcare Freedom has one final request - can you spare one final donation to help us shut down the organization and cover final expenses?

Donate Here

Ohioans for Healthcare Freedom incurred no debt during the campaign, but because the campaign spent every dollar in every possible area right down to the wire - we need about $5K to pay final expenses and shut down the campaign. Those expenses include:

- Final accounting and legal expenses

- Final office and overhead expenditures

I know $5K doesn't sound like a lot of money for a statewide campaign, but as you know - no special interests nor forced dues made funding for the Ohio Healthcare Freedom Amendment campaign possible.

We relied on the sacrifice of freedom loving people across Ohio, and continue to place our faith in those same people right now.

We ask for your help once again. Please help us reach that $5K goal and donate today.

You can also mail a check to:

Ohioans for Healthcare Freedom

145 East Rich Street, Suite 101

Columbus, OH, 43215

Thanks for everything you did to make healthcare freedom a reality in our great state of Ohio.

Do not give in to evil, but proceed ever more boldly against it.

Chris Littleton

Paid for by Ohio Tea Party PAC

PO Box 11241

Cincinnati, OH, 45211