Well, I'm out...

...for the rest of the week. I'll be back Tuesday.

Have a fun weekend and a great Labor Day!

Be safe.

A hole in space...

...or just a lot of nothing. At least that's what the scientists say. 5 to 10 billion light-years away, and a lot of emptiness inside that area.

It immediately reminded me of this Star Trek: Voyager episode where thay pass through just about the same thing.

And yes, I am a Star Trek geek.

The only thing I can think of...

...when I read this article, which talks about how fast dinosaurs were, is that scene in Jurassic Park where the T-rex is chasing the Jeep with Muldoon, Sattler and Ian Malcolm, with the 'Objects in mirror are closer than they appear' image.

"Must go faster..."

What I don't understand about this article is...

...why is anyone surprised that people are defaulting on loans now, when they couldn't afford the mortgage in the first place?

I blame the lenders, who didn't even see if a person had the capability to repay their loan before giving them the money. I also blame the people getting the loans in order to buy houses that they can't afford. I don't know what people think, that they can get large amounts of money to buy a ginormous estate, and then they aren't responsible to pay it back? Or did they over-estimate their earnings? Or did they over-estimate the appreciation of their "asset".

I put "asset", because a house is not an asset, because it earns you nothing. It may appreciate in value, and you may sell it for more than you bought it. But you still have to live somewhere, and the market is also appreciating along with your "asset". However, your house/mortgage is an asset to the institution that lent you the money to buy the house, since you pay it back along with interest.

I think almost all people try to buy things they can't afford, because they don't have the patience to buy a true asset that will make them be able to afford the things they want. They want it RIGHT NOW NOW NOW!!!!!!11111

Well, I'm not surprised by the market conditions. I feel sorry for those people who are gonna be foreclosed against, but that is the consequence of their actions.

I think everyone needs a real financial education, and don't just rely on someone who doesn't have your best interests at heart. Take responsibility for yourself...because no one else is gonna do it.

By the way, Val and I are gonna become educated in these things very soon. I challenge you to do the same.

Artificial life...

...made in a lab, and NOT by artificial insemination.

Scientists are trying to create a single cell by artificial means, starting with the cell membrane.

Am I too paranoid because I envision, based on this qoute at the end of the article; "Bedau said there are legitimate worries about creating life that could "run amok," but there are ways of addressing it, and it will be a very long time before that is a problem.
"When these things are created, they're going to be so weak, it'll be a huge achievement if you can keep them alive for an hour in the lab," he said. "But them getting out and taking over, never in our imagination could this happen."

Am I paranoid to think that this is the typical start to a lot of sci-fi novels where life is created, then gets away from the scientists?

Ah, I love the Internet, because it gives me things like this...

I know it's small, but you can see an enlarged version here (I think so, but the work PC won't let me go to it. Stupid Websense.)

Happy 25th birthday...

...to the CD.

Yes, today the CD is 25 years old.

I was only 4 years old when it started. I remember listening to 'Dark Side of the Moon' and Beethoven's 5'th Symphony on LP records, but I also remember buying my first CD player, and even my first CD set ( Pink Floyd's Delicate Sound of Thunder concerts, which I still have).

I wonder what the next big format will be after the CD dies out, and the the mp3.

Also, Joel's birthday is on Sunday. I think he's 22, so drop him a line and wish him a happy birthday.

Have a great weekend!

Your weekly update...

An interesting weekend. Val and I went and saw Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix on Friday. It was an OK movie. Nothing spectacular.

Saturday we went to a concert at Temple Square in the Tabernacle, but we arrived late and only caught Beethoven's 5th. Kind of sad, but it was still awesome to be able to watch the orchestra play one of my favorite selections of music. We also found out that Pres. Faust had died the day before, and that's why the flags at Temple Square were at half-staff.

Yesterday we went to a 24 stake YSA(Young single adult) fireside, even though we aren't 'S', because the speakers were Linda and Richard Eyre. Val was very excited. It was a great thing to be at.

Wokin' on a Saturday...

I'm here at work doing the weekly restart of the computers/AS400.

I don't have much to say, except that Val and I are going to a baptism and then a funeral today. I'm not too excited about the funeral part, but that is part of life, isn't it?

Oh well. Have a great weekend!