Category Archives: Uncategorized

From The Jewel Box # 20

February 5, 2008 5:26 pm / Leave a Comment /

Here is a deep thought from our daughter from a couple of years ago.

12/29/06

“When I dream, I imaginate things that are pretend.”

Wow, man. That’s, like, philosophical….

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Important note: We will not reveal the names of our children on this blog. Any comment that mentions our children’s names will be deleted. It is nothing personal, we just feel that it is an important safety measure for our family. If you would like to read the other FTJB entries, click on the “From the Jewel Box” link in the side bar on the right or on the Jewel Box icon at the end of this paragraph. Come on parents! Feel free to share special jewels from your precious children. Just know that on this blog, our kids are the cutest!

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Webcam Pictures!

February 1, 2008 6:18 am / 2 Comments /

I have had a rough couple of days with Dell on tech support. We bought a new laptop months ago that came with a built in video camera and microphone. I have never used the webcam aside from a few phone calls when I used Skype while in Moldova last year. The webcam has its own Dell software, but I have never used it.

I have plans to use the webcam for some future projects on our Youtube channel so I need to know how to use the software. I started messing with it on Tuesday and have had a nightmare trying to figure it out. I can usually figure stuff out like this, but this was just not working. I really don’t like to have to call tech support because I know it is going to be a time commitment. I got tired of looking online for a solution so I called tech support.

If someone from Dell is reading this, I want you to know that I absolutely HATE trying to explain my computer problems to someone whose primary language is anything but English. It is difficult enough trying to understand someone on long distance, but if you add a thick, heavy accent, forget it. It is near impossible trying to communicate.

To make an extremely looooong story short, after two days and countless hours (<— no joke) on the phone, the webcam finally works. I decided to take a few minutes of well earned play time and mess with some of the features on the webcam. I'll let you decide whether or not the time was well spent.

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National Sex Offender Registry

January 29, 2008 5:45 pm / 11 Comments /

A couple of years ago we received a postcard in the mail informing us that a sex offender had moved into our neighborhood. There was a picture of the man and a list of the crimes he had committed. Our neighborhood was abuzz and parents made sure their children knew what he looked like and to stay away from his house.

I am sure that most of the families in the area have forgotten what he looks like if not the fact that he still lives in our neighborhood. The National Sex Offender Registry is a very useful web site that will show you where sex offenders live in your neighborhood. All you have to do is type in your zip code and a map will come up showing you the work and home locations of those convicted of offenses against children, rape, sexual battery and other offenses.

Not only that, but if you click on the work or home location, a picture of the criminal will pop up along with his/her description, address and a list of their offenses. I just re-checked our neighborhood and noticed another offender less than a mile from our home. We were never informed about this guy. At this time, there are three sex offenders less than two miles from our home.

We live in a nice neighborhood. You just might want to check yours too.

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Mormon Prophet Dies

January 28, 2008 7:36 pm / 1 Comment /

The very first e-mail I saw this morning was an announcement that Gordon B. Hinckley had died. I can honestly say that I was saddened by this news. Even though I am an most outspoken critic of Mormonism, I realize that there is more to Hinckley’s death than religious news. He was a man with family, friends and followers. I feel for them and pray that God will use Hinckley’s death to draw them to Jesus.

For those who look at this as an opportunity to kick Mormons while they are down, please just take the day off. There isn’t anything you can say with that attitude that will help them. Just offer your heartfelt condolences and let the Mormons heal. If you don’t have any heartfelt condolences, then at least wait to talk to them once they have grieved. If you love the Mormons, and you should, then that is the very least you can do.

You can read more about Hinckley here.

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Hey, Allah! Does This Count?

January 25, 2008 3:02 pm / 3 Comments /

I stumbled across an interesting article this morning. You can read the whole story here, but let me just quote one statement I found interesting.

A WOULD-be suicide bomber fell down a flight of stairs and blew himself up as he headed out for an attack in Afghanistan, police say.

Wow, this guy, with visions of glory, headed out to do Allah’s will and blew himself up because he tripped down the stairs. He didn’t get to his intended target and killed only himself. Three other people were wounded, but no one else died.

Suicide bombers are taught that if they die killing infidels in Jihad, then they will be granted the reward of living in paradise with 70 some odd virgins. I am not one to make light of the death of someone else. Truth be told, I even hesitated to write this entry at all, but I’ve got a few questions with how this situation fits into Islam. What are the repercussions and will this guy be rewarded? With this in mind, here are some of my questions;

1) Is the road to paradise paved with good intentions?
2) Was it the destiny of the terrorist to die a clumsy idiot?
3) Was it the will of Allah for this guy to trip and fail his mission?
and lastly,
4) Does it count?

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