Category: Male

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I woke up wet…

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No! Nothing like Homer Simpsons recent urinary problems due to guilt.

I’ve picked up another nasty cold. This is the second one in 8 weeks. On the up side… Supposedly you can only catch 600 colds in your life so I guess I’ve only got 598 to go. On the down side I’M Fucking miserable and easily go from mostly OK to being a bastard in a matter of minutes.

This one started on Friday morning as a slight tickle in the back of my throat. Within hours it was a constant burning then came the coughing and sniffles.

A particularly fun torture of this cold is that if I”m sitting or standing I’m coughing violently. If I’m laying down I’m not coughing but I can’t breath because my sinuses wad up.

To add a special Joy it’s been snowing which means that I’ve been outside clearing decks, stairs & such.

So when I woke up this morning soaking wet I was CRANKY!

Obviously I’d been running a fever and it must have broken. There is nothing quite so disconcerting as rolling over and having a soggy wet spot that starts at the back of your neck and goes down your spine to your ass.

There are other “wet spots” that all men have encountered. Usually we try to make our partner sleep in THOSE. There’s a BIG difference between the two. How the wet spot came to be is usually a lot more enjoyable for instance.

The bedding will be in the wash for another hour or so. Then perhaps I’ll crawl back into bed and sleep the rest of this crappy cold off.

I did get to watch the sun come up. That was neat.

2012 03 18 06 44 21

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When it rains it pours… And speaking of rain…

This week has flown by and not in a good way. It’s not been a bad week either just full.

The original plan was to edit and write.

I’d planned to have my car serviced.

While the car was having it’s fluids changed I was going to go to a friends place and see about getting my fluids drained. Both of us could use a nice long session of sweaty naked ugly bumping. Me and my friend, not me and the car… although i suppose we could bump uglies IN the car hummmm sounds kind of fun. I’ve got a squeegee and the leather seats would clean just fine.

That’s not happening this week.

Soldier generic pic getty images 148013242 SM

My Godson is home from the military and I wanted to spend some time with him. He’s a different young man now. The changes I’ve seen, are good ones. I’m absolutely sure that he’s going to continue growing into a fantastic man.

Surveillance cameras

One of my best friends had a little incident at his business. The incident was captured on the surveillance system and you’d think that getting the video off said surveilance systems would have been cake… So I opened my mouth and said yeah sure when I got asked to pull the video.

I found out quite by surprise that my friend was in the hospital when I got to his business. Needless to say I was worried but my Godson was at the hospital with him so I figured the best thing I can do is get the video so it’s one less thing for them as a family to worry about.

This is an example of the typical story of my life. Getting the video was anything but easy. It took two computers. The one that I was able to successfully use to get the video was my netbook.  I’m not complaining because it worked.

It was a lot like pulling teeth with a pair of rusty pliers in a barn, with the zombie apocalypse happening while you have explosive diarrhea.

The netbook has a processor that is about half as fast at the processor in my smartphone. And my netbook only has 2Gig of memory… Can you say SLOW? “Good children, I knew you could.”

Techie digression… Non Techies, well I’d suggest you skip ahead a bit.

Don’t get me wrong, My Netbook is more than enough for email, the occasional word processing document and surfing the web. But this application was pushing at the fringes of it’s ability.

The single most annoying thing was that the manufacturer of the surveilance unit goes to great lengths to tell you ON thier web site and in their manual that they write the video in H264 format. This is pretty much an industry standard and my Mac has all the stuff necessary to read this format directly.

What they don’t tell you is that you can’t do something as simple as plugging a drive into the USB port on the side of the surveillance base station and say Copy this file, or copy from this time index to that time index. Nope they make you view the event through their web interface or through their application. BOTH of which require Windows and that you either BUY a 3rd partys software or that you find a time limited freebie to actually COPY the video that you see.

Personally I HATE with a passion a vendor that says here’s our software… Then when you load it they tell you it’s necessary to load something else from another vendor.  If you’re like me and your goal is to keep the amount of changes to your operating system to a minimum then that kind of makes their software useless doesn’t it? Unfortunately there was no other alternative.

Now I have to clean up two machines instead of one. My windows XP machine and my Netbook both have this vendors crap software and the 3rd and 4th party software on them. Grrrrrrr!

The Win XP machine kinda worked but the image was doubled and the color was all wrong. There was no error per se… The system thought it was doing everything correctly and If I hadn’t checked the file I’d have said “Done” then delivered something completely useless. Which led me to using the Netbook and Windows 7.

The added frustration was that the surveillance unit isn’t on a network. It will be! I guarantee that! I had to create a private network with fixed IP addresses and  a small switch. Not a big deal unless you have to keep switching IP addresses in Windows so that you can talk to the Internet and then talk to the private network and then back again because the 3rd party software you’ve had to download doesn’t actually download everything you need until you’re actually installing it.

Techie Comment… Non Techies skip this or you’ll start bleeding from your eyes.

Windows can become a stone bitch when you’re messing with IP addresses. XP practically demands that you reboot every freakin time you change an IP. (Yeah, I know it’s not every time but it’s inconsistent enough that you might as well reboot. All us techies just love ipconfig telling us the ethernet adapter can’t obtain an ipaddress.)

After battling with getting the files onto my computer I figure I’m home free. The files are converted to AVI in the process of saving them to a hard disk. WRONG Wouldn’t you know it, the CODEC for AVI playback is either not installed on my friends machine or the files are in an almost but not quite AVI format. (Hair Pulling, grumbling, Grrrr.)

So I play the video on my Mac, it’s grainy but it’s the same quality that you get watching the surveillance monitor live. The problem is that I’m playing it for My friends wife and she’s noticing things that I thought nothing about. Suffice it to say these are things that she’s going to have a discussion with him about. Folks… You really need to tell me if I’m supposed to edit your video content!

It’s a classic reminder that stepping into an office to scratch your balls, rearrange your tackle, or flat rub one out…. DON’T forget to check for nasty little cameras.

220px DVD Video bottom side

As I’m writing this, my Mac is humming away writing all the video to an industry standard DVD. And before I deliver the DVD I’m going to test it in every player I have here at the house. I’m really wanting to get this project off my plate.

I guess I need to make sure that none of my porn collection got built into the DVD too… Hummmm.

I’m about a week behind in the hard copy editing of the book. So I really need to focus on that.

We’ve got a storm coming in over the weekend that is supposed to drop a foot of snow or more on us but the weather reports are confllicting. I’ve gotta batten down the hatches just in case.

Then last night… I’m getting ready for bed and my Muse scratches his fingernails across my brain. It’s essentially the same sound as fingernails on an old style blackboard but LOUDER!

So at 12:30 am I’m at my computer writing a short story. I finally got to bed at 3 am, I’m having a slow start to my day but I like the short story. It needs a couple of tweaks but i was pleased overall with the result.

So today, I’m going to be busy with laundry, poo patrol cause it needs to get done before the rain, snow or what ever. Maybe if I’m really lucky… I can tend to draining my own fluids.

Nahhh I won’t be that lucky!

Off to get the rest of the day started.

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Been following the Hubub over the “Marine Kiss”

BrandonMorgan

I think it’s freaking neat!

By now most everyone has seen the photos of the Marine arriving home from Camp Leatherneck and kissing his boyfriend. For those of you that haven’t seen what all the hubub is about I’m including the

That the photos went viral is surprising but then again it’s “new” in the public eye.

I’ve been cruising through the various blogs and news reports and smiling that the majority of comments are pretty positive. After all who wouldn’t want to be greeted with passion, love, and joy by their loved one after 6 months apart?

The negative comments are surprisingly venomous but thankfully few.

What is astounding is that some people have a tough time differentiating between religious dogma and the law.

In a few instances I’ve been unable to keep my mouth shut and have added to the comment stream.

One of my comments is as follows.

To those of you who’ve described this homecoming as “nauseating, sick, degrading, they should be arrested, he should be thrown out of the Marines” etc.

You do realize you’re essentially coming down on the side of oppression don’t you?

Why would you deny two consenting adults their personal “pursuit of life, liberty, and happiness” as described in the Declaration of Independence?

Have these two adults done anything to deny you your own pursuit of the same? I think not. One of them is willingly and actively working to protect those very rights for you.

Perhaps you should think about that before you seek to deny freedoms from your fellow citizens.

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Here is a link to one of the news reports from The Miami Herald. This one has an active comments thread, I’ve been checking on during the day.

Joe My god has a similar story. As does Rex Wockner.

I’m sure that in a fairly short time this will be as commonplace as any other homecoming scene.

For the moment… It’s generating a heck of a media tempest.

To Dalan Wells and Brandon Morgan, if they ever stumble upon my little patch of the web…

Well Done guys. Welcome home Brandon. I hope you both have all the happiness you deserve.

Thank you Brandon for defending me and thank you Dalan for giving Brandon the homecoming he deserved.

Now both of you… GO PLAY!

 

 

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More on Sheriff Paul Babeu

When this story first broke, there was a picture of a text message Jose Orozco claimed supported his allegations of threats of deportation.

I haven’t been able to find the original picture. I did find a transcript of the text.

“You can never have business after this and you will harm my and many others in the process…including yourself & your family.” (11 a.m.) And, two minutes later, Babeu wrote: “And you say you have loved me? Papi…this is no good.“

Orozco claims this is proof that he was being threatened.

I have a slightly different take on the situation.

Let’s look at why Babeu engaged an attorney in the first place.

Orozco was sent a cease & desist letter demanding that he stop posting inflamatory messages on twitter and an alternate web site paulbabeu.co. This web site was mirroring the real sheriffpaul.com campaign site but presenting derogatory information as though it was the official campaign website.

Orozco is also accused of using his control of the campaign web site, twitter feeds, and financial access to essentially hijack those systems. If he did change the passwords without notifying the Sheriff or the campaign staff, then he was in effect denying access to those systems. To my way of thinking volunteer or not that is breach of implied contract and certainly trust.

I’ve been working in the computer industry for about 30 years. In that time I’ve always operated under an assumed contract that essentially says I’ll never compromise a clients system under any circumstances. The only exception to that rule would be if I found illegal activity such as child porn or evidence of criminal activity. In that case I’m duty bound to report such activity to proper authorities.

I look at the message from Babeu to Orozco not as a threat, but as a statement of fact.

Babeu must have known that when all of this went public, Orozco’s business would be toast. The fact that Orozco was here on a tourist visa and running a business is odd in the first place. Why would a tourist need to, or be allowed to run a business in the country they were a tourist in?

That question aside… There is the matter of dishonorable, and to my mind unethical conduct on the part of Orozco where the web sites were concerned.

Knowing that it took a cease and desist order from an attorney to stop Orozco from posting messages and mirroring the real campaign site would be more than enough to cause any potential clients to look for another web developer.

There goes Orozco’s business… at least in the local area. If Orozco was sending money back to Mexico supporting his family then clearly they will and have been hurt by the loss of business.

The fact that the whole Sheriffs department has been dragged into investigations of wrong doing certainly proves the assertion that Babeu and many others will be hurt.

The saddest part of all of this is that this story got any traction at all.

I ran across these photos of text messages allegedly from Orozco’s phone. [Thanks to www.boxturtlebulletin.com]

Babeuconversation

This series of messages reads like a soap opera… Or perhaps like a scene from  Fatal Attraction … Boiled bunnies anyone?

Orozco is clearly insecure, and frankly Babeu is a hell of a lot nicer than I would be at 12:30 am.

The distance from Florence to Tucson according to Google maps is minimum 70.3 miles. Which means that if Babeu left at 1 am (the last message shown) he’s not going to get home until at least 2:30am. I don’t know about you… But I’d stay at a friends house especially if I’d had a drink or two.

The interesting thing is that these messages are from April. The litigation didn’t happen until September. Who keeps text messages 11 months?

My opinion of this whole mess is that we’re looking at nothing more than a bad end to a relationship.

Orozco is engaging in one of the time honored roles among some gay men… BITCHY QUEEN…

Orozco for his part, in my opinion, is an idiot who was only seeking revenge like woman in a soap opera.

In this particular case Orozco went to a hispanic reporter in who saw an opportunity to further her career by bringing down a Sheriff that was known as tough on illegal immigration. Orozco never thought about the broader consequences of his actions, he was too wrapped up in getting his pound of flesh. In the process he got used by the media and he’s continuing to be used because he’s not smart enough to shut up.

I think we’ve all experienced the singular thrill of breaking up with insecure, petty, nasty bitches (female or male) like this. The difference is, what should have ended as a bitter BUT private breakup has spiraled out of control into the national spotlight.

Sadly, I think Babeu is done. I don’t think he’s going to win the congressional seat.

I’m betting that he’s going to abandon his campaign so that he can focus on making sure that the Deputies who work for him don’t have their careers ruined by the allegations of improper use of authority.

I suspect that Orozco will disappear into the woodwork and turn up in Mexico leaving a trail of destroyed careers behind him.

I feel really sorry for Sheriff Babeu. This must be very humiliating for him, not because he was outed or that his private life became public…

Humiliating because of the betrayal of trust…

 

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Thoughts regarding Sheriff Paul Babeu

When this first broke, I thought that I wasn’t going to comment on it. I changed my mind after watching this news conference.

On several of the blogs that I read, there have been really shocking and horrific comments made about the sheriff. The most venomous and unfair remarks I’ve read were from blogs that cater to the gay world. Even the comments in blogs of the religious right weren’t as hostile.

This left me wondering what about this man had generated such venom. So when I saw a link to this news conference if figured I’d have my morning coffee and see what this guy could possibly say that would generate so much anger from the gay community.

This is a long video. I like a lot of what this man says. Those items we disagree on… well nobody’s perfect!

Sheriff Paul Babeu Press Conference from Paul Babeu on Vimeo.

Several things struck me about this guy.

He strikes me as genuine.

He’s doing his best to hold it together during a very public exposure of his sexuality. He comes across as a very private person and having something as personal as your sexual behavior splattered across the world wide news machine has to be difficult. I give him credit for hanging in there.

Sheriff Babeu explains his life philosophy pretty well. He says he’s a man of duty, and that duty and honor are both at the top of his priorities even when duty and honor may result in personal difficulties. He points out that he’s never lied about being gay. From another published comment attributed to Sheriff Babeu, He’s also never worn being gay on his sleeve.

Sheriff Babeu explains why he contacted an attorney to represent him in a disagreement with Jose. One of the things that caught my attention later in the news conference is that Sheriff Babeu refused to discuss the particulars of the relationship. It’s hard to make out but I think one of the reporters off camera asks something about the length of time the relationship lasted and when it ended. Sheriff Babeu only responds, “prior to September” and goes no further.

The Sheriff states a couple of times that he’s a single man, and that he’s done nothing wrong or illegal in dating other adults. At one point the Sheriff tells someone in the crowd that the minute details of his personal life aren’t anyones business. The person in the crowd doesn’t like that answer but quiets down pretty quickly.

During the whole interview I saw nothing but a guy dealing with a tough situation with a commendable amount of grace under pressure. Hell, I’d vote for him.

Sheriff Babeu didn’t come across as a racist,  hatemonger, liar, or abuser of power. So I was still at a loss to understand why the gay community as represented on the mainstream gay blogs were so hateful in their comments about this guy.

Then the Sheriff addresses the allegation that he threatened to have Jose deported.

AH HA! Here we go, THE HOT BUTTON ISSUE! Immigration…

Because every gay person should be completely happy with, and supportive of illegal immigrants. (Even though a large percentage of them are devoutly Catholic and by church doctrine are opposed to gay rights)

Sheriff Babeu says that he didn’t threaten Jose with deportation, and goes on to say that to his knowledge Jose’s immigration status was the same as anyones.

The commenters on the gay blogs and some of the blog sites themselves have locked onto this single allegation and in one of the most  hypocritical twists of logic have tried, convicted, and condemned Sheriff Babeu without any evidence whatsoever.

How can the gay community demand justice, freedom, and equality while at the same time stomping all over those very principals?

Sheriff Babeu, is an example of both what is right … and wrong in this country.

Here’s a guy that just lives his life. He works, contributes, serves his country, serves, his community, dates, and has bad breakups. He’s no different than any of the rest of the people in this country. In fact he’s the ultimate guy next door.

Here’s whats wrong in this country.

By saying “I’m Gay”, somehow all the contributions this man has made are thrown into question. Many people, in politics, the media, and some in the communities he serves will now look at Sheriff Babeu differently and few, will even seek to limit his freedoms.

Is it any wonder at all that folks like the Sheriff work so hard to keep their private lives private?

Our society creates and reinforces an environment where your choices are;

Be gay, open, honest…. And stigmatized… In corporate America, You’ll never gain promotions, achieve anything of note, or move up the corporate ladder to success. In the political arena, with few exceptions you’ll have to be a Democrat, can’t be conservative, and will probably not be taken seriously and therefore your career will always be limited. OR Hide.

Given those options which would you choose?

I hope that Sheriff Babeu is a tough as nails. I think the next few weeks are going to be very hard on him.

I sincerely hope that his friends continue to rally around him and that he’s never lacking for support.