tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28043196262584131272024-02-07T11:34:54.750-08:00Anything and EverythingRon Slocumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16189973148164602056noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2804319626258413127.post-89130923020140844102011-04-07T20:02:00.000-07:002011-04-07T20:11:44.736-07:00Top CoderSo I gave TopCoder a shot. I competed in a Single Round Match (SRM) tonight. I finished 9th out of 20 in my room (499th out of 758 overall) for Division II. There were around 1350 people competing. I really enjoyed the challenge and the excitement of this event. I will definitely continue competing.<div><br /></div><div>I took my time on the first problem and I didn't have my environment set up correctly. I didn't realize until after the event was over that completion time was used to calculate the score. So I lost a lot of easy points as a result of my inexperience with TopCoder. I will be ready next time!</div><div><br /></div><div>These SRMs are good practice for Google Code Jam (coming in May!). Hopefully I can post a respectable score at GCJ (maybe even secure a trip to the finals in Japan!)!</div>Ron Slocumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16189973148164602056noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2804319626258413127.post-34318852454201968692011-03-04T09:33:00.000-08:002011-03-04T15:03:47.894-08:00Heading to Austria - How I am staying connectedI'm leaving tomorrow (3/5/2011) for Austria. I am scheduled to return in 3 weeks. While there, I want to ensure that I am able to access US content (ESPN, Netflix, ABC.com, etc.). I spent last night and this morning setting up my home PC in various ways to provide me with options to stay up to date while across the pond.<div><br /></div><div>It just occurred to me this week that I am going to be in Austria for the majority of March Madness. The last time I was in Austria, I attempted to reach Netflix and ABC.com from my hotel room. I was saddened when each site informed me that I am unable to access their content while outside of the US. I can only assume, that the same restrictions exist for ESPN and CBS.com. These are two stations that I absolutely have to be able to access during March. I am still very optimistic that MSU is ready to make a deep deep run in the tournament. Unfortunately, because of a dismal basketball season, I am part of a minority with those beliefs. Regardless, I am now positioned to be able to watch every MSU game while across the pond.</div><div><br /></div><div>All of the tools that I used are free. The majority of the instructions were obtained from <a href="http://www.lifehacker.com/">LifeHacker.com</a>. I set up an SSH proxy server using <a href="http://www.cygwin.com/">Cygwin</a>, I created a VPN account with <a href="https://secure.logmein.com/products/hamachi2/">Hamachi </a>that utilizes an HTTP proxy server (<a href="http://www.privoxy.org/">Privoxy</a>), and finally, I set up a <a href="http://www.teamviewer.com/en/index.aspx">TeamViewer</a> account. I also had to use <a href="http://www.dyndns.com/">DynDNS </a>to get around Comcast changing my IP address.</div><div><br /></div><div>TeamViewer is awesome! It allows me to connect and take over the desktop of my home PC.</div><div><br /></div><div>Another advantage of having a Proxy server set up, is that I can now comfortably surf the web from any wifi hotspot without having to worry about anyone snooping my connection.</div><div><br /></div><div>While I'm in Austria, I'll be able to keep in contact with my family via Skype, and with March Madness via a proxy server.</div>Ron Slocumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16189973148164602056noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2804319626258413127.post-5671603892871367792011-02-26T08:40:00.000-08:002011-02-28T05:41:57.446-08:00Cut the cord with PlayOn!<div><div>I've felt pretty frustrated with the seeming monopoly that Comcast has on our city. Sure, we can switch to satellite, but then we have to deal with nasty weather (a Michigan staple) interrupting our Modern Family Wednesday nights. PlayOn and Netflix have given us access to all the content we could ever want (well...almost).</div><div><br /></div>We've all but cut the cord at my house. We essentially have a cable TV subscription because it slightly lowers the overall cost of having cable internet. It is the most basic (and cheapest) cable option offered by Comcast. It's not even digital, which means, we don't have to rent a cable box, thus lowering the monthly cost even further.<div><br /></div><div>I have a large collection of home videos and ripped DVDs (don't worry, I own all of them and don't condone piracy). I also love watching MSU (and other Big Ten teams) sports. If I don't upgrade my cable to the next tier (~90% increase), I can not access ESPN which airs most of the big games. What to do .... what to do? I could watch ESPN3 on the internet, but then I'm stuck in my home office or watching the game on a small laptop (note, this also doesn't address the content on my desktop).</div><div><br /></div><div>Along comes PlayOn... This is a really great tool. It allows me to stream ESPN3 in addition to Comedy Central, Spike, PBS, and many many other channels to several devices. I just equipped my wife's iPad and my DroidX with PlayOn. Not only is all of this content readily available when we're on our home wireless network, but it is also available from outside our network. Any place that we have an internet connection. If I'm flying on a wifi enabled plane, I can connect with my DroidX or my wife's iPad and access my home videos.</div><div><br /></div><div>Another cool feature of PlayOn, is the ability to stream Netflix. Most devices have their own Netflix app, so this isn't much of an advantage...however, most Android OS users know that a Netflix for Android app does not currently exist. Using PlayOn, I can stream Netflix to my DroidX!</div><div><br /></div><div>I'm sure there are other applications provide similar functionality, but I love how simple and intuitive PlayOn is. I can watch Netflix, see my home videos, access my DVDs, as well as keep up on ESPN content with PlayOn.</div><div><br /></div><div>Check it out: <a href="http://www.playon.tv/">http://www.playon.tv</a></div></div><div><br /></div><div>If anyone knows how to stream the Big Ten Network, please comment below (I used to subscribe to their streaming service, but it does not include games that anyone would care to watch - Exhibition games are about the only basketball games available).</div>Ron Slocumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16189973148164602056noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2804319626258413127.post-35636202869571496022010-07-31T20:58:00.000-07:002010-08-02T15:30:40.194-07:00Maker Faire Detroit<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcX6fn7be2x-kFQVYRhSSsSuNEhrt6TgwUEi8wMrVFjJRSS5LN5qxOKECpD6ytM76ovAqE8nYDC4S8TOSDAgKO-0HkblOBTrXEnEoXdmzCP20MxXUAsFVPgZRvxqcjG6GTwppJ7JZAOa3j/s1600/IMG00344-20100731-1323.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 310px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcX6fn7be2x-kFQVYRhSSsSuNEhrt6TgwUEi8wMrVFjJRSS5LN5qxOKECpD6ytM76ovAqE8nYDC4S8TOSDAgKO-0HkblOBTrXEnEoXdmzCP20MxXUAsFVPgZRvxqcjG6GTwppJ7JZAOa3j/s320/IMG00344-20100731-1323.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500287062395957602" /></a>Ashley and I arrived at the Henry Ford Museum complex shortly before noon today (2010 07 31) to enjoy a very interactive, inspirational, and entertaining event.<div><br /></div><div>My son turned 2 at the end of May this year. I gambled a bit on how much of this experience he would tolerate.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>I was shocked at how packed this place was. We manged to </div><div>squeeze into a lawn parking spot between two perpendicularly parked cars. We were forced to park over 3/4 of a mile from the</div><div> entrance. Luckily, I had a handy umbrella stroller with me. I doubt Ash's little legs could handle the walk. I know my back couldn't handle carrying him when he grew tired of walking.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><br /></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidLXRCosSoDTKR2_Rczbl_ZwQrYGkYmyODI4Rs41vqcLShh17dxSYTN9dsbwwl0Z_8fihto9plqkFrWfDSJe9quIbGUUchBttggmGqBvDEzPHVVe2By-A1Pivfpw6rwEtRYymVV8naSRXn/s1600/IMG00342-20100731-1321.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidLXRCosSoDTKR2_Rczbl_ZwQrYGkYmyODI4Rs41vqcLShh17dxSYTN9dsbwwl0Z_8fihto9plqkFrWfDSJe9quIbGUUchBttggmGqBvDEzPHVVe2By-A1Pivfpw6rwEtRYymVV8naSRXn/s320/IMG00342-20100731-1321.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500551832672930402" /></a><div>Right away I knew this was going to be great! I walked into the faire grounds behind a guy wearing a red revolving light hat. Unfortunately, the light was not on, but I suspect that he needed to only flip a switch to get that puppy flashing.</div><div><br /></div><div>Later I caught this guy at a vendor booth hawking some locally made LED light bulbs. He was entertaining quite a few people at his booth with his ultimate ice breaker atop his head.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKGNtljvniyt3eQwn07p_RIJdacFj-watOrc84h88x51qSXQnzUm1EMnlvtgeK7j99lDZ0sp3NLAsG8LOV2jdDyoQGNwnkId0dJqMAQLhDB6od6dfzAq1Fw1GjHy8dSAfwE8lIGtEs7mFU/s1600/IMG00346-20100731-1325.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKGNtljvniyt3eQwn07p_RIJdacFj-watOrc84h88x51qSXQnzUm1EMnlvtgeK7j99lDZ0sp3NLAsG8LOV2jdDyoQGNwnkId0dJqMAQLhDB6od6dfzAq1Fw1GjHy8dSAfwE8lIGtEs7mFU/s320/IMG00346-20100731-1325.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500552492040507666" /></a>The first thing that caught Ashley's eye was the plastic wading pool home to an autonomous robot swimming around. We didn't get close enough to understand why this robot was so cool because I didn't want to torture Ash any longer by not allowing him to swim with the robot.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div>There were so many interesting bikes and carts weaving in and out of the makers and maker wannabes (one of them could shoot a fire ball from the top of tube attached high above it's passengers):</div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6fuBKKHDFcQZNhxzFK-PtgODlmLjGbTmYYSDOId-Mnp-xcqgTcWtz6LhuR3YPNWGfHdqc-FDsrsrFuuOywPWs5zQe8scVZ5-l_WcqXN7uFAbkBJZrTT8yg67PG0OAYEHBHxlYE4j0NRZU/s1600/IMG00347-20100731-1332.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6fuBKKHDFcQZNhxzFK-PtgODlmLjGbTmYYSDOId-Mnp-xcqgTcWtz6LhuR3YPNWGfHdqc-FDsrsrFuuOywPWs5zQe8scVZ5-l_WcqXN7uFAbkBJZrTT8yg67PG0OAYEHBHxlYE4j0NRZU/s320/IMG00347-20100731-1332.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500553045541053138" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN0RJJMjoz_oTchWJ4l0Y-dCSQcDs9993owlNaj52pghNygNEOSza_YB1xnzZqXJHDkxLjPJMqLqgNF3HO-MYFhzHk9GlTPzTPf9sdHM_hkyE_s0anTCi8glf0KGqug_UqAroCNY1xcAnN/s1600/IMG00360-20100731-1345.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 231px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN0RJJMjoz_oTchWJ4l0Y-dCSQcDs9993owlNaj52pghNygNEOSza_YB1xnzZqXJHDkxLjPJMqLqgNF3HO-MYFhzHk9GlTPzTPf9sdHM_hkyE_s0anTCi8glf0KGqug_UqAroCNY1xcAnN/s320/IMG00360-20100731-1345.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500553482291365858" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUYjS30Ey9_3NMKM7xemScwvxdMQSkCCNXW3jeZHDxSXCw19x5tcHl1jOCJePKKfh2RjFGu3SmeOmNNzjZp-GU8ga0W3uPA4pGOrFm7vGwbK9Vwm_yd9bVEOjfwQsib1_FbTJ_pgaZjcS2/s1600/IMG00361-20100731-1350.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 238px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUYjS30Ey9_3NMKM7xemScwvxdMQSkCCNXW3jeZHDxSXCw19x5tcHl1jOCJePKKfh2RjFGu3SmeOmNNzjZp-GU8ga0W3uPA4pGOrFm7vGwbK9Vwm_yd9bVEOjfwQsib1_FbTJ_pgaZjcS2/s320/IMG00361-20100731-1350.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500554256222743890" /></a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">There were very interesting rides (with appropriate litig</div><div style="text-align: left;">ation proof warnings):</div><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEzeo2I4fE1wwy6HByoC0jIvKlmM0RsKIie1wDKIxR4ScARQsHwlDNQ3BMMdjGe9_6qC1i4wgVz3CwWvCrhwTy5GKN715-YjS8KrLE7wnhKWEMl_tEvmD825PhjJ_hcGtM5MKPuSXclmNj/s1600/IMG00351-20100731-1335.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEzeo2I4fE1wwy6HByoC0jIvKlmM0RsKIie1wDKIxR4ScARQsHwlDNQ3BMMdjGe9_6qC1i4wgVz3CwWvCrhwTy5GKN715-YjS8KrLE7wnhKWEMl_tEvmD825PhjJ_hcGtM5MKPuSXclmNj/s320/IMG00351-20100731-1335.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500554993944904354" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Crazy looking wire skull robots, complete with chomping metal teeth:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFEm484S_c8ApuxHsXczct1d3lX9sZdzkvNITIL7gOcfaCXpir_QdUKf0uGiw8YGCfQaHzD9B1j4-pmVwYc15eIOoAZNbJVY0_3bD7tbfo90zF9XW_JlQVJonZSHqDpMX_Ffi8qR42GFsf/s1600/IMG00353-20100731-1335.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 197px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFEm484S_c8ApuxHsXczct1d3lX9sZdzkvNITIL7gOcfaCXpir_QdUKf0uGiw8YGCfQaHzD9B1j4-pmVwYc15eIOoAZNbJVY0_3bD7tbfo90zF9XW_JlQVJonZSHqDpMX_Ffi8qR42GFsf/s320/IMG00353-20100731-1335.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500554655095487618" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">This looked really fun:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA5WTcIGHC70A6V7_5xVO1ZdBejOpj81mRaEF04UcSyivkBaktR93NZ7SHVLrndKri-hXJj5e1HlgrerdbvipGpooefz-xfLpWPNBKJDmcZ3SxD4vyvWHuLBaTPxgT0A-s-ZmEUlPpnEBG/s1600/IMG00355-20100731-1339.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA5WTcIGHC70A6V7_5xVO1ZdBejOpj81mRaEF04UcSyivkBaktR93NZ7SHVLrndKri-hXJj5e1HlgrerdbvipGpooefz-xfLpWPNBKJDmcZ3SxD4vyvWHuLBaTPxgT0A-s-ZmEUlPpnEBG/s320/IMG00355-20100731-1339.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500433781799281586" style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">They had a smaller, single rider, version available for test rides! I almost threw up watching this kid spin in circles.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA5WTcIGHC70A6V7_5xVO1ZdBejOpj81mRaEF04UcSyivkBaktR93NZ7SHVLrndKri-hXJj5e1HlgrerdbvipGpooefz-xfLpWPNBKJDmcZ3SxD4vyvWHuLBaTPxgT0A-s-ZmEUlPpnEBG/s1600/IMG00355-20100731-1339.jpg"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjPJK3-nNT8IpRIxqedXEMGk9wXUYDftTM2nk6mlwU2k8BeqDq6evBHJqM6d5-Rp9hlhjFGkUBdpM7uErobzB3oG5OVxY-UsQUNhTLeNu9g0ITHnABntmeICvqJ9MMD5IUSqGqwg_OWJOe/s1600/IMG00354-20100731-1339.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjPJK3-nNT8IpRIxqedXEMGk9wXUYDftTM2nk6mlwU2k8BeqDq6evBHJqM6d5-Rp9hlhjFGkUBdpM7uErobzB3oG5OVxY-UsQUNhTLeNu9g0ITHnABntmeICvqJ9MMD5IUSqGqwg_OWJOe/s320/IMG00354-20100731-1339.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500434236504269282" style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 168px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I found an awesome idea for a wagon for the kids (this was part of a booth of a local band):</div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIWhLJK8vTCA1jBjJ1G0zauMGrTnDmHti0LUQjDusg07Zy97TRgf-_tZvpdtLGs9JIxScIOjzQZY1u1U3xhIinNxwSGR-QQ4vb5vGbr9N3phYuMqCQ1hDxY7WoiH_f5QSMmQA7O1TaxuCp/s1600/IMG00356-20100731-1340.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIWhLJK8vTCA1jBjJ1G0zauMGrTnDmHti0LUQjDusg07Zy97TRgf-_tZvpdtLGs9JIxScIOjzQZY1u1U3xhIinNxwSGR-QQ4vb5vGbr9N3phYuMqCQ1hDxY7WoiH_f5QSMmQA7O1TaxuCp/s320/IMG00356-20100731-1340.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500434958921436482" style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Inside the DIY Center, there were instructional stations such as this one teaching guest how to use a sewing machine:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK2cu1eEQyWt7YbpFPHqXTIGuVNoonk4ann0iGEEkWaUeb2ZseFfma0asPzcmtjZEzRsstdZVBTJvxrep__Byfc0cLO3_S73Oc_Nli8dbPzt07a8EJbj47l8f3wqAU4_70UsZ0tS00TxRO/s1600/IMG00357-20100731-1342.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK2cu1eEQyWt7YbpFPHqXTIGuVNoonk4ann0iGEEkWaUeb2ZseFfma0asPzcmtjZEzRsstdZVBTJvxrep__Byfc0cLO3_S73Oc_Nli8dbPzt07a8EJbj47l8f3wqAU4_70UsZ0tS00TxRO/s320/IMG00357-20100731-1342.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500435435080533730" style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I'm not quite sure what this girl had going on with all the wires doo-dads strapped to her behind and arms:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk9zK5cFscOZpFVAT7Utea8U8irWTHgSEXyrmGRbg78i09owo79mf0Y1IOZPGLiBwQ-Tw_KvbpLMnMKvVc5B5qdDAjNl7g80cp25fXchHOkz84Rw3k3jwtTlRqzgBB2woAuCCggKZGWaHu/s1600/IMG00359-20100731-1344.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk9zK5cFscOZpFVAT7Utea8U8irWTHgSEXyrmGRbg78i09owo79mf0Y1IOZPGLiBwQ-Tw_KvbpLMnMKvVc5B5qdDAjNl7g80cp25fXchHOkz84Rw3k3jwtTlRqzgBB2woAuCCggKZGWaHu/s320/IMG00359-20100731-1344.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500435898367230114" style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">A US military supplier had a tent with some pretty cool high tech vehicles.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZK9aUxzcZPSEicOn82vvoCqGUte9XQ0bJW6YDBjwVN8BXtsfGPK5ynOTDwHzF8M73J0vwOB6JSA7RkTxofFQBcAXrWuIFD6PrimFSAhXZ6S9PwwcMcNvlMJWfMG8eHeKwrXvZDb2PrVp3/s1600/IMG00363-20100731-1354.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZK9aUxzcZPSEicOn82vvoCqGUte9XQ0bJW6YDBjwVN8BXtsfGPK5ynOTDwHzF8M73J0vwOB6JSA7RkTxofFQBcAXrWuIFD6PrimFSAhXZ6S9PwwcMcNvlMJWfMG8eHeKwrXvZDb2PrVp3/s320/IMG00363-20100731-1354.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500436416364567698" style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Tech Shop is coming to Detroit this year! Tech Shop is an organization that provides it's members with access to the resources necessary to build and assemble just about anything. They have welding equipment, CNC machines, tools, etc. Their website says it's like a fitness club, but with tools and equipment instead of exercise equipment. <a href="http://www.autoevolution.com/news/ford-to-open-diy-center-23017.html">Click Here for More Info</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTdRk8Djm5WoEs92kZeP9VfwxwEv9gBOcrIJVASj-4IGxtnXbh2RTlvQDOPLfdYsIiaFaM37lx9ZHAiwh4CmucWpPF_p5gSFR2Wq8HqiBxX-JBJ8aRCvNy8DKXA54JiS8zQxjm-wo7QOpm/s1600/IMG00364-20100731-1358.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTdRk8Djm5WoEs92kZeP9VfwxwEv9gBOcrIJVASj-4IGxtnXbh2RTlvQDOPLfdYsIiaFaM37lx9ZHAiwh4CmucWpPF_p5gSFR2Wq8HqiBxX-JBJ8aRCvNy8DKXA54JiS8zQxjm-wo7QOpm/s320/IMG00364-20100731-1358.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500437289429566898" style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 101px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">This was a very interesting idea for those annoying talking fish plaques:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV-NqVJ4Ee5rp3g8qTue3yLpyRuUX3EK1nF-bzT_rcJF4012iD_XQU18eefwduyljdaKzqaPGu9luhM22HPxkt-bFt8ILpIHF9dnf3sEM8kvwNPzCcHpx3O1_IttCxixtOiJ0sJBKYIxap/s1600/IMG00366-20100731-1400.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV-NqVJ4Ee5rp3g8qTue3yLpyRuUX3EK1nF-bzT_rcJF4012iD_XQU18eefwduyljdaKzqaPGu9luhM22HPxkt-bFt8ILpIHF9dnf3sEM8kvwNPzCcHpx3O1_IttCxixtOiJ0sJBKYIxap/s320/IMG00366-20100731-1400.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500440095588039602" style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoP3-b8z4fPePHwbOBlhcfT2Tc_OavXemUqgTW75O7WM_NrGTLuDZSHwR7V9kW9KuezXwHr899PXxpmN6thOb_uypxNSebkYWEsYPTqr0uw7Kd8fN0H9hKQmdrsdzF1eju6jzpmQoaiYOm/s1600/IMG00367-20100731-1401.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoP3-b8z4fPePHwbOBlhcfT2Tc_OavXemUqgTW75O7WM_NrGTLuDZSHwR7V9kW9KuezXwHr899PXxpmN6thOb_uypxNSebkYWEsYPTqr0uw7Kd8fN0H9hKQmdrsdzF1eju6jzpmQoaiYOm/s320/IMG00367-20100731-1401.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500440661407262930" style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 225px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzMsICcX_iGqLMMzxx1qBzCQ1M-NnDGELr4cg4aUnGEfMPEiRVB4eWfhOj9yVk_8KMiilDSbi6ZMG70Z2ii' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><div><br /><div>A continuous stream of water fell from the cross bar as two people swung under a modified swing. It wasn't quite hot enough for me to brave this shower swing (It did look like a lot of fun though):</div></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUfdVDg_sIyvTFtK1MQ4YjwOmlbbM2HmDNdR1aNoELVEAKiowEjLJ1QgM4_sciQo9gyzYi0jpAxquej756eBfde2zDQVJBP3GuHs2HRc9Lpe0XzHC7afI1EHBCO6i8lH8TLrZ_KQT0ri_S/s1600/IMG00370-20100731-1405.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUfdVDg_sIyvTFtK1MQ4YjwOmlbbM2HmDNdR1aNoELVEAKiowEjLJ1QgM4_sciQo9gyzYi0jpAxquej756eBfde2zDQVJBP3GuHs2HRc9Lpe0XzHC7afI1EHBCO6i8lH8TLrZ_KQT0ri_S/s320/IMG00370-20100731-1405.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500441872897495170" style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></a></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUfdVDg_sIyvTFtK1MQ4YjwOmlbbM2HmDNdR1aNoELVEAKiowEjLJ1QgM4_sciQo9gyzYi0jpAxquej756eBfde2zDQVJBP3GuHs2HRc9Lpe0XzHC7afI1EHBCO6i8lH8TLrZ_KQT0ri_S/s1600/IMG00370-20100731-1405.jpg"></a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Lots of kid created robots:</div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7nr_JTpwhRMuLqoLoNLYwyFwByv-QolplUJQn6KRGguwp7bV_5scyo575yqWFobN3cBFifFYPcb74pyspA6VwG8iLYSm3j5_r_1bVjT5ggQJbBkk2M4eZl5UU3fBlYXbIM1UntqTBI7mB/s1600/IMG00371-20100731-1408.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7nr_JTpwhRMuLqoLoNLYwyFwByv-QolplUJQn6KRGguwp7bV_5scyo575yqWFobN3cBFifFYPcb74pyspA6VwG8iLYSm3j5_r_1bVjT5ggQJbBkk2M4eZl5UU3fBlYXbIM1UntqTBI7mB/s320/IMG00371-20100731-1408.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500443180734706434" style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu0b_aY3rBiUwBwpcLAOl0iDsZLcsZ94fd5tV081IgXTDBperEtMdXlSREvQdanXVCiIsPbZyQPgxfRwUIklBUxpZtaobDhPhIV5tVuFzXteLyVv8c3Ph2S1xz0ySc4FlOQFWlErN9zQxd/s1600/IMG00372-20100731-1409.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu0b_aY3rBiUwBwpcLAOl0iDsZLcsZ94fd5tV081IgXTDBperEtMdXlSREvQdanXVCiIsPbZyQPgxfRwUIklBUxpZtaobDhPhIV5tVuFzXteLyVv8c3Ph2S1xz0ySc4FlOQFWlErN9zQxd/s320/IMG00372-20100731-1409.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500443405693667506" style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>This project was really interesting. They used proximity switches at both ends of this track to balance the ball in the center. The track would tilt back and forth to recenter the ball.</div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTz-WOorydTyL_L9qGR8e7X720QoAKOD9ATD73gBG7pYxhAOqvlqZ988YWiAIHYQxk4T1OK1mb8KWGuRqH5gU0o-5z4qIUlQTJJQILdLB_Fh4m__Xtn0C6_FyvCYPC7DeSfmIqDgqwFj7F/s1600/IMG00374-20100731-1410.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTz-WOorydTyL_L9qGR8e7X720QoAKOD9ATD73gBG7pYxhAOqvlqZ988YWiAIHYQxk4T1OK1mb8KWGuRqH5gU0o-5z4qIUlQTJJQILdLB_Fh4m__Xtn0C6_FyvCYPC7DeSfmIqDgqwFj7F/s320/IMG00374-20100731-1410.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500444379143266162" style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Tired of mowing your lawn? What if you could control it with a remote control?</div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIxZATVOhbGrbSofk-d87oCc30EYm3wGzOkNQ1TbVpxGyYdPJubXW1m-uGMWA41WuiWaQ8cU61M_hAFBjTvw1ax-GrmhNFndOPvSh1Y8tEsV3pt6A4rsh8mciw5Yxxry7ATPd3J8ql_7PF/s1600/IMG00373-20100731-1409.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIxZATVOhbGrbSofk-d87oCc30EYm3wGzOkNQ1TbVpxGyYdPJubXW1m-uGMWA41WuiWaQ8cU61M_hAFBjTvw1ax-GrmhNFndOPvSh1Y8tEsV3pt6A4rsh8mciw5Yxxry7ATPd3J8ql_7PF/s320/IMG00373-20100731-1409.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500445395088712930" style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Web Controlled Brewery?</div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZSEdf-BbFWf5teEqEnnohDIBpBITVmUm2qCnyrG4PYJl4PXZvWj6PF30tyBD4SAQ280Xfprxh5KLI7rumvgdwWO0MqLIvxL8qL86hrcrqsINswfFzn9zVpXGmMSPemqX4EwbMaiQ2hnUO/s1600/IMG00378-20100731-1419.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZSEdf-BbFWf5teEqEnnohDIBpBITVmUm2qCnyrG4PYJl4PXZvWj6PF30tyBD4SAQ280Xfprxh5KLI7rumvgdwWO0MqLIvxL8qL86hrcrqsINswfFzn9zVpXGmMSPemqX4EwbMaiQ2hnUO/s320/IMG00378-20100731-1419.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500445693893713170" style="cursor: pointer; width: 285px; height: 320px; " /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc84oYkaJ11ttLsq7xedgHBsqNPIlMsGHEsgjURfqWYLUmTVdJa66eCeGBdBtyEv7-vmbWnO93ZhjymuVlycrSFFhbs0d-YJ-sHERduc_oZSaORhHg-uMRK3Xq9JTjw54gk-ArGpLmasBG/s1600/IMG00377-20100731-1419.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc84oYkaJ11ttLsq7xedgHBsqNPIlMsGHEsgjURfqWYLUmTVdJa66eCeGBdBtyEv7-vmbWnO93ZhjymuVlycrSFFhbs0d-YJ-sHERduc_oZSaORhHg-uMRK3Xq9JTjw54gk-ArGpLmasBG/s320/IMG00377-20100731-1419.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500446152170153842" style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>For Ash and I, the best part of the Maker Faire was the creative stations for kids. There was a station for building cars out of ice cream boxes and foam wheels, one for building a marshmallow shooter, a rocket (which they launched for us), and many others.</div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg255_dVohHq_pFhMh52TEoNxdskZ0ZmFXuRiFAEnJvoCFK13SXT3ONCW4CfV8TixvB7297JR-SMLM5lErV_NJHGZs6p951RgS9YE_YUN38P7jCdJO-kwn-f2j78gD6hK41S834rRLJIsfg/s1600/IMG00380-20100731-1447.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg255_dVohHq_pFhMh52TEoNxdskZ0ZmFXuRiFAEnJvoCFK13SXT3ONCW4CfV8TixvB7297JR-SMLM5lErV_NJHGZs6p951RgS9YE_YUN38P7jCdJO-kwn-f2j78gD6hK41S834rRLJIsfg/s320/IMG00380-20100731-1447.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500447232160250610" style="cursor: pointer; width: 311px; height: 320px; " /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg255_dVohHq_pFhMh52TEoNxdskZ0ZmFXuRiFAEnJvoCFK13SXT3ONCW4CfV8TixvB7297JR-SMLM5lErV_NJHGZs6p951RgS9YE_YUN38P7jCdJO-kwn-f2j78gD6hK41S834rRLJIsfg/s1600/IMG00380-20100731-1447.jpg"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjarthQg6k9dQq81URWcDa1pPHYGlJyaPJt58xx99gQAZFlPEtlVkFkYPOzkT3jWY1a7y8yknnfTX2uGakaZFTd98fwLRKSXhjJKJbGeYUn89R8KrmWJGq09wg5_jzmoJ6UnYPVPsZUNYSG/s1600/IMG00407-20100731-1628.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjarthQg6k9dQq81URWcDa1pPHYGlJyaPJt58xx99gQAZFlPEtlVkFkYPOzkT3jWY1a7y8yknnfTX2uGakaZFTd98fwLRKSXhjJKJbGeYUn89R8KrmWJGq09wg5_jzmoJ6UnYPVPsZUNYSG/s320/IMG00407-20100731-1628.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500447540620302722" style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIydp7Kl12VXCxFVmEwaN7hxbKwxqViEXrF4tu_pLQtbTBtQ2m_WOiWsnFzsed3kvfo6LUVxcXXBardv7XIPiXIW1_5RUnKlANv69tAJyf-dgBkmvKhjNDUMOwcDj5yKqyfP_tUp0qY_Y9/s1600/IMG00408-20100731-1630.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIydp7Kl12VXCxFVmEwaN7hxbKwxqViEXrF4tu_pLQtbTBtQ2m_WOiWsnFzsed3kvfo6LUVxcXXBardv7XIPiXIW1_5RUnKlANv69tAJyf-dgBkmvKhjNDUMOwcDj5yKqyfP_tUp0qY_Y9/s320/IMG00408-20100731-1630.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500447841342252786" style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></a></div><div>After loading the rocket on the launcher (a very simple system using PVC tube, compressed air, and a DC solenoid valve wired to a button - I will be making this!), Ashley pushed the button and sent his rocket high into the Detroit sky!</div><div><br /></div><div>Have you ever put Mentos into a bottle of Coke?? There was an entire show dedicated to the reaction that takes place when these two items meet.</div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhebW1aWDOSkz3d4YBtzr3SjY2J2kPQrBEzFSNdHSkF-lUBqG-z1n8Y2mTF8Sg8mwmy243zpFRRTH7Bl8w-okG48u0uh5NaiBpcl5Gq_hFAoGnY00zu7qy_RlgBHCQ4Ir-awE3G9ML_yidq/s1600/IMG00369-20100731-1404.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhebW1aWDOSkz3d4YBtzr3SjY2J2kPQrBEzFSNdHSkF-lUBqG-z1n8Y2mTF8Sg8mwmy243zpFRRTH7Bl8w-okG48u0uh5NaiBpcl5Gq_hFAoGnY00zu7qy_RlgBHCQ4Ir-awE3G9ML_yidq/s320/IMG00369-20100731-1404.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500448624613909522" style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a></div><div><br /></div><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzXxld7vsgwrTw6Haz7lPoSix0qWSTIbKoiMnShua5PU8ZoCUGmYEeiKCGbRHfGA2PoYrYqO7XHHI3JDrZ9_Q' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><div><br /></div><div>Admission to the maker faire included admission to the Henry Ford Museum. After cruising the fair, Ash and I spent a few hours running around inside the museum. This may have been the highlight of the day for Ashley. He got to see and touch trains, planes, and automobiles. He even got to go inside an old Combine and play with the levers and steering wheel. This turned out to be a perfect venue for this event.</div><div><br /></div><div>The weather was great, the vendors had interesting products (even though I didn't buy any), the maker faire staff and volunteers were extremely kind and helpful, and inspiration was every where! This will definitely be an annual event for the Slocums if the fair comes back to Detroit.</div>Ron Slocumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16189973148164602056noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2804319626258413127.post-24120761510545306312010-06-23T19:21:00.000-07:002010-06-23T19:29:56.235-07:00I love twitter!Being a devoted Spartan, I follow many former Spartans on Twitter. Below is a series of tweets from Charlie Bell (member of the 2000 MSU National Championship basketball team):<div><br /></div><div>If I were single, this would be my go to move when traveling!</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://twitter.com/flintstone14">http://twitter.com/flintstone14</a></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 16px; "><span class="status-content" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; "><span class="entry-content" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; ">The guy in front of me so drunk and the flight has not even took off. He hasn't shut up since qlm</span></span><span class="meta entry-meta" data="{}" style="margin-top: 2px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: block; font-size: 11px; color: rgb(153, 153, 153); height: auto; "><a class="entry-date" rel="bookmark" href="http://twitter.com/flintstone14/status/16876849386" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(153, 153, 153); "><span class="published timestamp" data="{time:'Wed Jun 23 20:59:32 +0000 2010'}" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; ">about 5 hours ago</span></a> <span style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; ">via <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/app/twitter/id333903271?mt=8" rel="nofollow" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(153, 153, 153); ">Twitter for iPhone</a></span></span><span class="meta entry-meta" data="{}" style="margin-top: 2px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: block; font-size: 11px; color: rgb(153, 153, 153); height: auto; "><br /></span><span class="meta entry-meta" data="{}" style="margin-top: 2px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: block; font-size: 11px; color: rgb(153, 153, 153); height: auto; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: 14px; "><span class="status-content" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; "><span class="entry-content" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; ">We boarded. He told a guy walking on the plane "happy birthday" lol. The guy was like "what". My man said he going to send him a drink. Lol</span></span><span class="meta entry-meta" data="{}" style="margin-top: 2px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: block; font-size: 11px; color: rgb(153, 153, 153); height: auto; "><a class="entry-date" rel="bookmark" href="http://twitter.com/flintstone14/status/16876946996" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(153, 153, 153); "><span class="published timestamp" data="{time:'Wed Jun 23 21:01:10 +0000 2010'}" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; ">about 5 hours ago</span></a> <span style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; ">via <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/app/twitter/id333903271?mt=8" rel="nofollow" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(153, 153, 153); ">Twitter for iPhone</a></span></span><span class="meta entry-meta" data="{}" style="margin-top: 2px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: block; font-size: 11px; color: rgb(153, 153, 153); height: auto; "><br /></span><span class="meta entry-meta" data="{}" style="margin-top: 2px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: block; font-size: 11px; color: rgb(153, 153, 153); height: auto; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: 14px; "><span class="status-content" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; "><span class="entry-content" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; ">He turned back and told me "if your not having fun, your not having anything." dude is hilarious.</span></span><span class="meta entry-meta" data="{}" style="margin-top: 2px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: block; font-size: 11px; color: rgb(153, 153, 153); height: auto; "><a class="entry-date" rel="bookmark" href="http://twitter.com/flintstone14/status/16877171181" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(153, 153, 153); "><span class="published timestamp" data="{time:'Wed Jun 23 21:05:16 +0000 2010'}" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; ">about 5 hours ago</span></a> <span style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; ">via <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/app/twitter/id333903271?mt=8" rel="nofollow" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(153, 153, 153); ">Twitter for iPhone</a></span></span><span class="meta entry-meta" data="{}" style="margin-top: 2px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: block; font-size: 11px; color: rgb(153, 153, 153); height: auto; "><br /></span><span class="meta entry-meta" data="{}" style="margin-top: 2px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: block; font-size: 11px; color: rgb(153, 153, 153); height: auto; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: 14px; "><span class="status-content" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; "><span class="entry-content" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; ">Wow. Dude in front of asked the lady next to him to switch with his wife in coach class. The lady agreed. The new girl came up, and it's not</span></span><span class="meta entry-meta" data="{}" style="margin-top: 2px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: block; font-size: 11px; color: rgb(153, 153, 153); height: auto; "><a class="entry-date" rel="bookmark" href="http://twitter.com/flintstone14/status/16877632553" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(153, 153, 153); "><span class="published timestamp" data="{time:'Wed Jun 23 21:13:56 +0000 2010'}" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; ">about 5 hours ago</span></a> <span style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; ">via <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/app/twitter/id333903271?mt=8" rel="nofollow" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(153, 153, 153); ">Twitter for iPhone</a></span></span><span class="meta entry-meta" data="{}" style="margin-top: 2px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: block; font-size: 11px; color: rgb(153, 153, 153); height: auto; "><br /></span><span class="meta entry-meta" data="{}" style="margin-top: 2px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: block; font-size: 11px; color: rgb(153, 153, 153); height: auto; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: 14px; "><span class="status-content" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; "><span class="entry-content" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; ">Even his wife. Lmao. The girl sat down and he introduced himself to her. Now he trying to spit game. Lol. He is unreal</span></span><span class="meta entry-meta" data="{}" style="margin-top: 2px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: block; font-size: 11px; color: rgb(153, 153, 153); height: auto; "><a class="entry-date" rel="bookmark" href="http://twitter.com/flintstone14/status/16877735206" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(153, 153, 153); "><span class="published timestamp" data="{time:'Wed Jun 23 21:15:50 +0000 2010'}" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; ">about 5 hours ago</span></a> <span style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; ">via <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/app/twitter/id333903271?mt=8" rel="nofollow" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(153, 153, 153); ">Twitter for iPhone</a></span></span><span class="meta entry-meta" data="{}" style="margin-top: 2px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: block; font-size: 11px; color: rgb(153, 153, 153); height: auto; "><br /></span><span class="meta entry-meta" data="{}" style="margin-top: 2px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: block; font-size: 11px; color: rgb(153, 153, 153); height: auto; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: 14px; "><span class="status-content" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; "><span class="entry-content" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; ">Time to shut down the phone. Ttyl. About to listen to this guy talk to this chick.</span></span><span class="meta entry-meta" data="{}" style="margin-top: 2px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: block; font-size: 11px; color: rgb(153, 153, 153); height: auto; "><a class="entry-date" rel="bookmark" href="http://twitter.com/flintstone14/status/16877884529" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(153, 153, 153); "><span class="published timestamp" data="{time:'Wed Jun 23 21:18:36 +0000 2010'}" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; ">about 5 hours ago</span></a> <span style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; ">via <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/app/twitter/id333903271?mt=8" rel="nofollow" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(153, 153, 153); ">Twitter for iPhone</a></span></span><span class="meta entry-meta" data="{}" style="margin-top: 2px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: block; font-size: 11px; color: rgb(153, 153, 153); height: auto; "><br /></span><span class="meta entry-meta" data="{}" style="margin-top: 2px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: block; font-size: 11px; color: rgb(153, 153, 153); height: auto; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: 14px; "><span class="status-content" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; "><span class="entry-content" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; ">Just touched down in Vegas. My man couldn't pull it off. He told her to call him, his birthday Saturday, she said ok, I don't think she will.</span></span><span class="meta entry-meta" data="{}" style="margin-top: 2px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: block; font-size: 11px; color: rgb(153, 153, 153); height: auto; "><a class="entry-date" rel="bookmark" href="http://twitter.com/flintstone14/status/16877884529" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(153, 153, 153); "><span class="published timestamp" data="{time:'Wed Jun 23 21:18:36 +0000 2010'}" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; ">26 minutes ago</span></a> <span style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; ">via <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/app/twitter/id333903271?mt=8" rel="nofollow" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(153, 153, 153); ">Twitter for iPhone</a></span></span></span></span><span class="meta entry-meta" data="{}" style="margin-top: 2px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: block; font-size: 11px; color: rgb(153, 153, 153); height: auto; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, serif;font-size:130%;color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Lucida Grande', sans-serif;font-size:7;color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 25px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div>screenshot:</div><div><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiayZP4Z8xmOhQSt8fyvCNOeZNRUWdK_tmro0iKaQ34FhyphenhyphenKyz01PumJGyqXmdtkQ4-VhCZVD_XHXxfwu1jb9TQl3K5KE-3QIw1RWy4l6tw2w1i-x8D5W_F9WYgMUzrN-I_PZQ5FlOEQXk9a/s320/6-23-2010+10-20-48+PM.jpg" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 295px; height: 320px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486160199326730834" /></div>Ron Slocumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16189973148164602056noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2804319626258413127.post-84480511692467694532009-09-15T11:58:00.000-07:002009-09-15T14:00:18.386-07:00Blue Screen of Death....at McDonald'sWhile in the drive through at McDonald's, I was attempting to order a vanilla cone when I discovered that the fast food industry also suffers from the bane of today's world....the microsoft blue <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Screens_of_death">screen of death</a>.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3EoyA_CJWnhNP_wOlTDFqYqdKHYWCZiBNHvPKgvOVdjh8utKZm0pdrfOZqG4hzxwS_TENj61BNwVnMBXBtwlgSHtJScA6r0Obc_4IXMHQz4mpBA7H0AJdyU6GY94Q8B9raElXbNvd70NQ/s1600-h/IMG00059-20090617-2131.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3EoyA_CJWnhNP_wOlTDFqYqdKHYWCZiBNHvPKgvOVdjh8utKZm0pdrfOZqG4hzxwS_TENj61BNwVnMBXBtwlgSHtJScA6r0Obc_4IXMHQz4mpBA7H0AJdyU6GY94Q8B9raElXbNvd70NQ/s320/IMG00059-20090617-2131.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381772955718309218" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />It took me a few tries to capture an acceptable picture using my blackberry storm (not the easiest device for picture taking). There were a few cars piling up behind me as I continued to take the perfect shot. Fortunately, no one mashed their horn as my flash went off in front of the menu confirmation screen.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic5pC4GwZDfXTP9cEPvQBk4MIfmYaoO5WmT60Zz0wg1DmfcjFXhyphenhyphenyzaKUuIP6iqEd6vvGYdKr4xKee0tjHvTRfZ4r1U2AxYFfHVaZPOctVBT5zkzkiOky6DDte2q_ogv3Z7fsoWb5xY0dl/s1600-h/IMG00061-20090617-2132.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic5pC4GwZDfXTP9cEPvQBk4MIfmYaoO5WmT60Zz0wg1DmfcjFXhyphenhyphenyzaKUuIP6iqEd6vvGYdKr4xKee0tjHvTRfZ4r1U2AxYFfHVaZPOctVBT5zkzkiOky6DDte2q_ogv3Z7fsoWb5xY0dl/s320/IMG00061-20090617-2132.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381772961736420306" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />McDonalds <span style="visibility: visible;" id="main"><span style="visibility: visible;" id="search"><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=1246+Leonard+St+Ne,+Grand+Rapids,+MI+mcdonald%27s&fb=1&split=1&gl=us&cid=0,0,2732894153845332582&ei=DOWvSrq-OpDDlAfhotXABg&sa=X&oi=local_result&ct=image&resnum=1">1246 Leonard St NE Grand Rapids, MI 49505-5511</a></span></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic5pC4GwZDfXTP9cEPvQBk4MIfmYaoO5WmT60Zz0wg1DmfcjFXhyphenhyphenyzaKUuIP6iqEd6vvGYdKr4xKee0tjHvTRfZ4r1U2AxYFfHVaZPOctVBT5zkzkiOky6DDte2q_ogv3Z7fsoWb5xY0dl/s1600-h/IMG00061-20090617-2132.jpg"><br /></a>Ron Slocumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16189973148164602056noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2804319626258413127.post-63795277060148761262009-09-15T08:43:00.001-07:002009-09-15T10:45:09.773-07:00North Carolina South Mountain Park!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzMGEgwMEHQhuWsI2FuC0-mUagdXtAFf3y7S2hfx5HKuDRlIjwp0Og9h-dq5hLLAd6UNXPO3hHL0c4cSyzcYdmIWwVfzXztuz9eRYL9G0cvtP2EkgaTuIHfMF601YAsHQjsWgxA0AfTXMA/s1600-h/IMG00196-20090914-1900.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzMGEgwMEHQhuWsI2FuC0-mUagdXtAFf3y7S2hfx5HKuDRlIjwp0Og9h-dq5hLLAd6UNXPO3hHL0c4cSyzcYdmIWwVfzXztuz9eRYL9G0cvtP2EkgaTuIHfMF601YAsHQjsWgxA0AfTXMA/s320/IMG00196-20090914-1900.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381721206523837570" border="0" /></a><br />Check out the blog from Jason Perks on our hike up to High Shoals Falls in South Mountain State Park, North Carolina.<br /><br /><a href="http://traveling-jason.blogspot.com/2009/09/south-mountain-park-north-carolina.html">http://traveling-jason.blogspot.com/2009/09/south-mountain-park-north-carolina.html</a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dy8f82qn7YlkFp1RkHuKKQuDnazxbhTme2UEqQUwYTgByFAG2-nVGmcvoHXPpuYgsA-T1a5iEU0zDcwEbufmw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>Ron Slocumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16189973148164602056noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2804319626258413127.post-54182954071947783902009-08-13T05:37:00.000-07:002009-08-13T06:10:47.705-07:00Serie-X Web Site (English) is up!In working with my friend and colleague Martin Rommler, we translated the Serie-X web pages from German to English. I can't take too much credit for the translation as Martin did the bulk of the work. He is fluent in German and English, but he is not a native English speaker. He took the German web pages and translated them to English in a way that allowed me to understand the meaning of the text. I then reworded his translations.<div><br /></div><div>Here's the announcement of the english version of the website:</div><div><a href="http://serie-x.de/news/68/">http://serie-x.de/news/68/</a></div><div><br /></div><div>It's exciting to see my name in the credits :)</div><div><br /></div><div>What is Serie-X?</div><div>Serie-X is an organization that's primary focus is creating awareness of child sexual abuse. Here is an excerpt from the web site (<a href="http://serie-x.de/en/">http://serie-x.de/en/</a>):</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><h1 style="padding-top: 15px; padding-right: 20px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 20px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-size: 1.6em; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#666666;">Serie-X e.V.<br />Fathers creating symbols against child sexual abuse.</span></h1><p style="padding-top: 4px; padding-right: 25px; padding-bottom: 4px; padding-left: 25px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-size: 1.05em; font-style: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#666666;">In Germany, a child is sexually abused every 30 minutes!</span></p><p class="block" style="padding-top: 4px; padding-right: 25px; padding-bottom: 4px; padding-left: 25px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-size: 1.05em; font-style: normal; text-align: justify; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#666666;">Child sexual abuse often occurs in a close trusting loving environment. It happens regardless of income or social status. In most cases, the abuse is not an isolated event. It often lasts for many years. The official statistics are alarming enough, but the estimated number of unreported cases is probably 10 to 15 times higher than what is reported.</span></p><p class="block" style="padding-top: 4px; padding-right: 25px; padding-bottom: 4px; padding-left: 25px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-size: 1.05em; font-style: normal; text-align: justify; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#666666;">These facts are motivation enough for the people who together created the Serie-X Project to bring awareness to this horrible crime.</span></p><p class="block" style="padding-top: 4px; padding-right: 25px; padding-bottom: 4px; padding-left: 25px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-size: 1.05em; font-style: normal; text-align: justify; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#666666;">Children need love and the felling of security. When children are exposed to this type of abuse they are traumatized their entire life.</span></p><p class="block" style="padding-top: 4px; padding-right: 25px; padding-bottom: 4px; padding-left: 25px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-size: 1.05em; font-style: normal; text-align: justify; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#666666;">Too many men are using their bodies to destroy the souls of children. The models of the Serie-X Project are using their bodies to create a symbol against child sexual abuse.</span></p></span></div>Ron Slocumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16189973148164602056noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2804319626258413127.post-63152387275586043762009-08-12T05:46:00.000-07:002009-08-12T06:47:45.655-07:00The world's largest slip and slide!!My family and I were returning home from a nice stroll along the grand river in downtown Grand Rapids, when I almost swerved off the road at the sight of the largest slip and slide I have ever seen! We quickly made a left turn in order to circle the block and get another view of this massive slide. After circling the block I arrived at Lafayette and Leonard and took this pic:<div><br /></div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIrchy-WIgEzhWNLPptEg_-XSb-c0gCayTAHsTEaItkM3a1oj3CxDkRsMFUQj27yY7e01SaDk1lYX1yrO8VF6v9UJ0cHeom1wvUB8jQE6I0t3QzHKV0jW3G_70I741iy65tZFei0H57q8K/s320/SlipNSlide1.jpg" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369073389854078146" /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>It's kind of hard to see so I had to get a closer look:</div><div><br /></div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVb_MTagmFvH6o7Ek5OxdF8vt9qz0T6FX89aCbmNuHPcOGMkd7XrTInsz-iN86DVXOsh9Kb-kGzT1l3MAnTwHX5y7JP07ha9Kqt4wLK6biVNUL2iPhqmqOecRopXUzD1jwq4ImaHF1eW-N/s320/SlipNSlide2.jpg" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369060346949352642" /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>This hill is located next to (at the top of the hill) East Leonard Elementary School.</div><div>We took the next driveway on the left which belong to a local park (not affiliated with this hill). I parked the car and ran over and took a closer picture of the slide:</div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIZ3otBHRf3OhTGsaX1omhgfFsSu3DLEy0K1tpE8uwlnU3-hr1v8CpM_rgczXkwAludpzrMGyAG-m_GD2NQXcHP6XU9zEGHO3eqdhCwX0HPnHbx-ookj29Z61kaV-Y3IShhZixf_0KJ3TR/s320/SlipNSlide3.jpg" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369064838391904674" /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>This thing is massive! And there are so many people! I stopped a person that was walking back to their vehicle and asked who was responsible for this. He said "oh...Rick and Scott". I was confused by his response. His reference contained an assumption that I knew these two people on a personal level. I explained my confusion and he further defined who "Rick a</div><div>nd Scott" are. "They're two people that have crazy ideas and put together fun activities like this". They sound like good people. This person also eluded to an eve</div><div>nt that these guys are planning called the bazooka rally (<a href="http://www.bazookarally.com/">http://www.bazookarally.com/</a>).</div><div><br /></div><div>The distance between where we parked and where the people were gathering was quite a hike. If we didn't have my son with us, we certainly would have treked up the hill to where the action was. Alas, I climbed back into our car and we started driving home. We rounded the corner and headed up Leonard, with the slide on our right. I was unable to just let this go. I had to learn more. I asked for permission of my wife to investigate further. It was getting late and our son needed to be in bed soon. She granted permission and we turned into the school. We parked and walked as a family over to the area where the people were gathered at the top of the slide. He</div><div>re's the first picture I took from the top:</div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi33y8agIPh5Px6HgFZvL4LA-l1dsWjg0iyaeNDwFNv0Zice2eEpP6xMNiCcpJUNalAYhxyx-ADKrtLqOAseXoZRWg2ctNHrKSzEytK5XITld-h7wTdfHXmkX0stWhUoVjUNKQr3cQWa8Dc/s320/SlipNSlide4.jpg" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369067237730962674" /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>By the time we got here, the crowd had begun to disperse...there were still a LOT of people here but not as many as there were when we first drove past. The reason for this became apparent and at the same time added another exciting element. The water from this slide was brought by the community! Everyone that was here (except us) brought jugs of water from home (and dish soap) to lube the slide!</div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsVSiLXXECTLGmkI63kifHWI6wJG1-x0rBQDu7dSpNxEZBZJ2GQxOBWyCkdasiCOahhpyarj0wbZCfurTXMWY279RbLxrdd8W_tn6HUpxPFvAX1WKFXGjak3cjSnh0v1QqjVr0qTbG4Ftn/s320/SlipNSlide5.jpg" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369068274572203218" /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>By the time we arrived, all the water was gone. There were still people sliding and having a good time because of the residual soap and water.</div><div><br /></div><div>I asked a few people about the slide and received a similar story as the one I was given at the bottom of the hill. Only this time, Rick and Scott were pointed out. I wanted to shake the hands of the people putting this on so began walking toward the person identified as Rick. Rick shouted to the crowd "Ok everybody: LAST RUN". Then I heard from behind him, an obnoxious "Ok DAAAAD!". Well....it turns out that I knew the person shouting the clever remark. It was Matt DeGraff. I met Matt through my late father Mike Fires. I spoke to Matt for awhile as the organizers of this event finished a ceremonial Last Run.</div><div><br /></div><div>I ended up meeting Scott of "Rick and Scott". He explained a bit about what they were doing and said it's mostly just for fun but is primarily for promoting the bazooka run (see link above). He then explained what the bazooka run is all about. Sounds awesome (I won't go into details except that it is this saturday (8/15/09) and I'm disappointed that I won't be able to attend).</div><div><br /></div><div>This is the 3rd time they've put this event on. Last week the local news did an article on the slide:</div><div><a href="http://www.mlive.com/entertainment/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2009/08/don_your_swimsuit_couple_offer.html">http://www.mlive.com/entertainment/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2009/08/don_your_swimsuit_couple_offer.html</a></div><div><br /></div><div>The slide is made of large vinyl banners (if you flip them over you will find advertisements on the other side).</div><div><br /></div><div>I'm really glad we stopped. If only we would have gotten there earlier, I know my son Ashley would have loved to ride down it.</div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtp2qoIPqc_57fM7ZrFzi5lo0vtsKBdXnAl_sC44bn-w_7qF7XzO1ncAa_YouGWXobKK76VUAYAGaCCdqqxalCTY2kHBbcj0ZpGpqJWjFozetmgSwf32NtrxXulrhqZ_5zEBlaYSlXqZJh/s320/SlipNSlide6.jpg" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369072456315781378" /></div>Ron Slocumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16189973148164602056noreply@blogger.com0