This is what crack looks like

Tap Defense on the iPhone is my heroin. This addicting game has you build towers to try and stop the Devil and his evil minnions from travelling from Hell into Heaven.

I tried and tried and could only get to level 30 or 31, a common sticking point. Then I decided to upgrade my interest instead of researching new tower types and I beat the game on easy my first try with over $200,000 remaining at the end.

2008 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

Ever since I was a little kid, I always wanted to go to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. To be there in the crowd, see all those big balloons and the floats go by, hear the marching bands and see all the celebrities. This year as Thanksgiving neared I thought again about the parade, then I thought about my kids. My daughter is 11. She's maturing quickly and at the age where she thinks she's an adult and wants independence. This may be the last year for a while that she would enjoy the parade; the parade would be too "baby-ish" for her next year. My son is 7, old enough to remember the parade when he is an adult. I made the decision that we would attend the parade this year.

We left Baltimore at about 2am Thanksgiving morning and headed north. We arrived in New York City around 4:45 and were parked and putting on warm clothes in the van at 5:15. By 5:30 we were walking down Central Park West, looking for a good spot to watch the parade from. We found a spot at CPW and 63rd and camped out in the 37 degree morning.


Early Morning Crowd at Central Park West and 63rd

The parade officially started at 9am, and it was about 9:20 when the first color guard of the parade made it to us.


Start of the 2008 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade


Kermit the Frog!


A big Smurf


U.S. Twirling All-Stars


Miley Cyrus


Georgia Tech Marching Band


Snoopy!


Miss USA, Crystle Stewart


Mark Twain


Spongebob Squarepants


Shrek


Miranda Cosgrove (iCarly, Drake and Josh, School of Rock)


Hello Kitty


A litterbug


Andy Williams


The Energizer Bunny


WE GOT RICKROLLED!!!


The Real Santa Claus!


Looking down 63rd Street After the Parade


The Parade Aftermath

Georgia congressman warns of Obama dictatorship

Georgia congressman warns of Obama dictatorship

By BEN EVANS – 1 hour ago

WASHINGTON (AP) — A Republican congressman from Georgia said Monday he fears that President-elect Obama will establish a Gestapo-like security force to impose a Marxist or fascist dictatorship.

"It may sound a bit crazy and off base, but the thing is, he's the one who proposed this national security force," Rep. Paul Broun said of Obama in an interview Monday with The Associated Press. "I'm just trying to bring attention to the fact that we may — may not, I hope not — but we may have a problem with that type of philosophy of radical socialism or Marxism."

Broun cited a July speech by Obama that has circulated on the Internet in which the then-Democratic presidential candidate called for a civilian force to take some of the national security burden off the military.

"That's exactly what Hitler did in Nazi Germany and it's exactly what the Soviet Union did," Broun said. "When he's proposing to have a national security force that's answering to him, that is as strong as the U.S. military, he's showing me signs of being Marxist."

Obama's comments about a national security force came during a speech in Colorado about building a new civil service corps. Among other things, he called for expanding the nation's foreign service and doubling the size of the Peace Corps "to renew our diplomacy."

"We cannot continue to rely only on our military in order to achieve the national security objectives that we've set," Obama said in July. "We've got to have a civilian national security force that's just as powerful, just as strong, just as well-funded."

Broun said he also believes Obama likely will move to ban gun ownership if he does build a national police force.

Obama has said he respects the Second Amendment right to bear arms and favors "common sense" gun laws. Gun rights advocates interpret that as meaning he'll at least enact curbs on ownership of assault weapons and concealed weapons. As an Illinois state lawmaker, Obama supported a ban on semiautomatic weapons and tighter restrictions on firearms generally.

"We can't be lulled into complacency," Broun said. "You have to remember that Adolf Hitler was elected in a democratic Germany. I'm not comparing him to Adolf Hitler. What I'm saying is there is the potential."

Obama's transition office did not respond immediately to Broun's remarks.

Original Article

P.O.D. - Picture of the Day

What A View!

My son checks out the Shenandoah Valley from the summit of Stony Man Mountain (4010') in Shenandoah National Park. We visited the park during peak autumn color.

What does the world think about Obama?

The BBC website has an interesting section today where people around the world are commenting on the election of Obama to the position of President of the United States of America. Here are some of the comments I found interesting, in no particular order:



I heartily welcome the fact that with this election America will cease to be a nightmare to the world and will hopefully once again be able to live up to its potential for good.

Bernhard, Dublin


Test of Obama abilities, intellect and vision starts now, he won a historic election. He has to work a load to make it real history.

Asif Chaudhary, Lahore, Pakistan

Martin Luther King wanted people not to be judged by the colour of their skin. Yet this is exactly what has happened in America with Obama being supported by virtually all blacks purely because of the colour of his skin, whilst whites voted according to their politics.
What does that tell us about America? And what would Martin Luther King really think, or does equality only work one way?
I suspect when the infantile euphoria dies down from blacks & liberals, America will face internal strife.

Ken Cunningham, Newcastle, United Kingdom

With the popular vote split at 52% to 47% it shows what a divided country the USA really is. What this election really needed was a third choice to avoid this polarisation. And if the BBC's reporting last night is correct and McCain picked up a mere 3% of the black votes then racism still lives on, but not just with the whites.

dave h, camberley, United Kingdom

Now blacks will at last be helped from poverty and have the same rewards as whites. Black America will stand proud in partnership with Africa and Asia.
wasim khan, London, United Kingdom

Or... Maybe they could help themselves from poverty and reap the same rewards that have always been there whether you are white, black, green or purple.

[Coprolite], Vancouver, Canada


Whatever else this day has been about it will always be seen as the first major step towards healing the discrimination of the world

helen smith, Inhambane, Mozambique


A sad day for America. Not at all because an African-American won candidate won (the best candidate on the ballet was African-American but it wasn't Obama; it was Alan Keyes). It marks a significant step for people turning to the government to solve all of our problems rather than rolling up their sleeves and doing it themselves. It might even mark the beginning of the end of the great experiment of what made America unique.

Peter, Monterey Park

This election stands to be yet another example of how bipartisan politics in the U.S. will continue backed by misinformed and often oblivious voters. The election of Mr. Obama suggests that people are more moved by a simple campaign slogan and a few nice words than past judgment. Corporations will continue to rule policy within the new, strongly democratic leadership of the country. I dare anyone to find more than one in five voters who somewhat checked a single candidate's voting record.

Kyle B, Wilmington

America is the greatest democratic Country in the World and this election proves it to rest of the world. We made our mistakes before but now we are determine to fix it. We will gain our respect from the world; we will be friend to the world not enemy. As a same time we won't tolerant any bad doing by other nations. As John McCain said, “Nothing is in Inhabitable here, Americans never quit, we never surrender, we never hide from history we make history”

I am glad that Obama won the election

Dewan, Bronx


America is not ready for a socialist government. When taxes go up jobs go down. Why would anyone want to work when his earnings will go to support the drug habits of people who do not want to work because they figure it is easier to get a handout from the government.

James Flaggert, Boerne


Obama may be a very good man and yes, it is a difference that he is non-white. However, one day in the future we might look back and realise that to repeatedly emphasise his skin colour is merely to repeat colour prejudice. How else can you describe a whole cadre of people voting for him precisely because of his skin colour, other than prejudice? For now it's seen as a positive thing in the US, but it's selection (or discrimination) on the basis of skin colour all the same...

Ben Green, Poynton

Present.

Marty

Worst day for America as a whole, I could never imagine America would elect a novice Chicago politician over a veteran American hero, I would have rejoiced the election as a minority if this candidate had the stature in the likes of Collen Powell or Condoleezza Rice

Vin Raj, New York

It is a sad state when this country elects a euro-socialist promising empty platitudes of "change, hope". American exceptionalism is what makes this country the finest, most properous in the world. It has taken America a little over a quarter of a millennium to far surpass the socials country's of Europe while providing our citizen and out standing quality of life. Rehashing the failed redistributionist views that are decades old is going to be a huge setback for the worlds lone superpower.

Tyler, Columbia, Columbia

I see this result in a very positive light. Obama has inherited a dreadful legacy from Dubya and will require all the resources at his command to rectify the errors of the last eight years. Also - as one word of caution: remember the national mood when Blair won the UK General Election in 1997. He will go down in history as one of the worst prime ministers this country ever had. Please don't get carried away by the euphoria. There are tough challenges ahead for the USA and the rest of the world.

Peter, Pirot, Serbia

To a world that seeks peace and respect of human rights,
That oversees race and political boundaries,
That reaches out to those in need,
That strives for the good of every human soul,
To you, I give Barack Obama, the 44th President elect of the USA.
Congratulations to you son of the African soil.
Adhere to the values you were raised with till the end.

Keletso Setlhabi, Gaborone, Botswana

Imagine if a President was voted in because he was white, there would be uproar. Obama was voted in by hundreds of thousands of previously unregistered black voters who elected him solely because he was black, no other reason. This combined with a celebrity led liberal movement desperate to jump on the "I'm not racist you must be if you voted McCain" bandwagon.

Jock, Edinburgh

Am I happy for the result? I am happy that America has broken the glass ceiling of race-oriented leadership. The election might prove to be the beginnings of one-party rule in the U.S. for quite some time. Hard work, self-determination, and leadership by example have been placed on the endangered species list. Like it or not, Obama is a political creature of a very large machine, not unlike the one which drove Bush to the presidency. We'll soon find out the price of their support.

David, Arlington

During this campaign, Obama showed what the democrates are good at - SPENDING!!!

Plus he promised us more taxes.

Reagan was right ... tax and spend democrates

Terry Sides, Irving

To the Americans on this site - you did it. You drank the kool aid and voted for a person with no experience. You voted for higher taxes, bigger government, and a weaker military. After the honeymoon is over I suspect buyers remorse will set in fairly quickly.

To the non-Americans on this site - I wonder how long it will take before you begin your anti-American rants again. I have to be honest, I hope it's soon, because I kinda get a kick out of it :-)

Ron Wilson, Milwaukee


This is the worst thing that could possibly happen to America and the World. Say goodbye to Israel, Obama won't support it; and as Israel goes, so goes the West. So say goodbye to the free-loving Europe we all know, Sharia law is coming to town! Say goodbye to Canada and the US, because again, Sharia law is coming to town. Obama will be so complacent in securing our borders that radical terrorists will be able to hop on over. So, say goodnight now, soon it will be time for evening prayers.

[DanielS82], Chicago, United States

I evaluate Mr. Obama's election as celebrity over substance. There was a sense of entitlement among his voters -- a debt due by electing Mr. Obama. In addition, Mr. Obama promised entitlements to many, which will be at the expense of others. Mr. Obama's economic/social plans will penalize those who work and who are sccessful, and reward those who do not and are not. I advocate a level field, but do not subscribe to digging a hole so we are all at the same depth. God help the USA

D Mark Robertson


You know, having read the comments on here, it's obvious that this 'race' thing is still a big issue. What does it matter what coulour skin he has? Whether he's black, white, mixed race or whatever, or whether he came from planet Zog (well, he wouldn't have been able to run for the presidency then would he?) All I'm saying is, if he gets the job done that's all that matters. And who said that raceism is dead?? Just listen to yourselves. Shame on you!

lucieanne, Boston


People say things will be different; that he's different ... actually, he's American. How different can things ACTUALLY get? There pretty much isn't a single American that doesn't worship the Dollar. He, like every other American, knows which side his bread is buttered. He ain't no Ghandhi.

sud, Enfield


America will come of age only when black candidates are prepared to choose a white candidate over a black one as readily as whites are to choose a black candidate over a white one.
It seems racism is still overt in USA but only in black circles.
I wish Obama all the best but I see big trouble ahead. the man has no experience and cannot fulfill his rash "motherhood" promises.
The penny will drop when reality dawns !

Ken Cunningham, Newcastle, United Kingdom

Maryland Election Rule Changes for 2008

Here are some changes to Maryland Voting laws and policies from the last election. These are from a friend of mine who is an election judge in Frederick County, MD.

1) Maryland (like everywhere else) is expecting very high voter turnout and has a lot of new voters. This probably means that there will be long lines. I know Frederick County has greatly increased the number of voting machines (The number is almost doubled) but especially at popular times there will be lines

2) There has been a court ordered change in 'Provisional Voting'. In the Primary and in the 2006 election voters were allowed to cast a Provisional ballot if they showed up at a voting location outside their home precinct. This is no longer allowed. So if you were planning on going to a polling place near work instead of home and using a provisional ballot it will not be allowed

3) Although the deadline for requesting an Absentee ballot be mailed to you has passed you can fill out a 'Late Absentee Ballot Application' and TAKE IT IN PERSON to the Board of Elections and get an Absentee Ballot. You can the fill it out and turn it in or take it home and mail it in (Make sure it is postmarked by November 4)

http://www.elections.state.md.us/pdf/2008_Late_Absentee_Ballot_Application.pdf

4) If you are voting absentee the absentee ballot must be postmarked on or before November 4 or turned in at the Board of Elections by 8 PM on November 4. You can not turn it in at a polling place (I had someone try and do that last election) because the folks at the Polling place will not have it back to the central Board by 8 PM (when the polls close)

Please take the time to vote on Tuesday.

My Review of REI Monarch IV GTX Hiking Boots - Men's

Originally submitted at REI

Amazing performance, fit and durability for wet weather. These waterproof hikers handle mucky trails with ease and are a true value.

REI Monarch IV GTX Hiking Boots - Men's

I Can't Understand These Boots...

By CrazySanMan from Baltimore, MD on 9/8/2008

 

3out of 5

Pros: Waterproof, Comfortable, Breatheable

Cons: Poor Traction

Best Uses: Hiking

Describe Yourself: Avid Adventurer

These boots are very comfortable. They fit true to size and width. I once wore them on an 18 mile, single day hike on a rocky section of the AT along the VA/WV border and didn't have a single problem. My feet stayed comfortable in them during several overnight trips in Shenandoah National Park in 90+ temps this summer. I would estimate that I put 150 miles on them this summer.

What I don't understand is that while the waterproofing is excellent, the wet traction of the soles is abysmal. I was on the AT in a HEAVY downpour on the 4th of July and the boots repelled the rain and mud but my feet slipped almost every time I placed them on a rock or tree trunk. I was the only person slipping on the trail, and one other person was wearing a pair of trail running shoes without slipping.

Dry traction is what you'd expect from Vibram soles - close to approach-shoe level. But when there is even the slightest coating of water I might as well be walking on ice.

I have slipped and fell every time I have worn these boots when it is wet. I've slipped on dew and condensation, in rain, during stream crossings, in the splash area of waterfalls, you name it.

These boots are like a double-edged sword because they keep my feet bone dry when it is wet but they are so slick I cannot wear them when it's wet.

(legalese)