Balloonapalooza!

We missed the mass balloon lift-off this morning but did manage to catch this tethered balloon ride. Donovan was excited until he got up close. The gigantic size and flames got him scared and he didn't want to ride.
We went on to the carnival side of events and Donovan began to tantrum because he didn't understand he had to wait in line to go. As soon as he got to the bottom he was ready to go right back up again. He went through the wacky-house that ended in a spiral slide about 5 times before we could take him to the bumper cars for a ride with Vanessa.






Donovan then got to admire the ducks and pond since the event was being held at a golf course.

Last night while I was re-arranging my garage to accomodate a play area for donovan he got interested in "daddy's chopper" He was afraid to touch it and backed off when I told him he could touch it. So I put him on it and he was quite happy.

My workplace

just thought I would share the place where I'm spending my workday at. I sit in an uncomfortable chair infront of these two monitors. I do have a window behind me.

Bathroom Completed

Vanessa and I took on painting stripes in our downstairs bathroom. This is the first time I've tried painting a pattern on a wall. Turned out pretty well but was a lot more laborous than just painting one solid color.

Donovan the Jumper

Donovan started jumping from this cardboard box when we brought it home. He did end up scuffing his knee on the carpet and got his frist scab.

red rock stay

stayed at the red rock again last thursday. the rooms seem bigger this time. probably because of all the crappy hotels weve stayed at since our last stay at red rock. they should have their pool open past 7pm. that was bogus.

Donovans Donuts

Pics explain it all.

New Phone

Finally got myself a phone that will ring. Replaced my Treo 650 with a Cingular 8125. Besides being able to ring this phone runs windows mobile 5.0 and has Wifi. Hopfully ill be able to dial up network with my laptop using bluetooth.

Channel 8 news, las vegas

In case you missed it here's the interview from channel 8 at my suprise birthday party. Thanks for the press Claudia!

Hello computer... Shut up computer!

Over the weekend I got a giant copper ZALMAN cooler for the CPU on my desktop. Wow, that sucker keeps my CPU 20 degrees cooler and makes no sound. Now I run my machine 10% faster (3.3gHz). My brother told me how much better it is to have a quiet computer. Now I realize how unpleasant my old noisy fan was. Peace at last!

Car Stereo work

Finally got enough courage to crack open my titan now that it's a couple years old. My college friend James came over and helped me install a subwoofer box under the rear seat with two 10" speakers. Also put an amp under my drivers seat. Im also *Almost* done hardwiring in my GPS/MP3 player to the center dash.

24th International System Safety Conference

I spent last week in Albuquerque attending the conference. I presented a paper on the safety change control for the Krakatau sub-critical experiment. The photograph is of Jeff, Martin, chuck, and myself just after Chuck and Martin accepted the award for Krakatau which won the group scientific achievement award.

I asked Martin (who lives just outside London) if they had casinos in england. He said they are almost non-existant there and nothing like the ones we have in the US. Seemed the discussion went to the value or damage to the economy that casinos cause. I thought that although gambling is a zero sum game, it does serve as an economic engine pushing people to work more. Casino patrons get some playtime enjoyment and in the course lose their money and need to work again (and end up gambling some more). Ends up being a perpetual work cycle for the poor laborer. I know of a few people who were in retirement who took a trip to vegas and had to come out of retirement after gambling away all their savings. Sucks for them, good for getting them back to work.

So what do you think? Casinos good, casinos bad? and for who?

Dirt Avalanch in Albuquerque

This was some video I caught while we had some record rains here in Albuquerque New Mexico. Just to give some reference that dirt wall is about 40 feet tall. Some people had come up and walked up to the edge. Lucky they didn't fall to their death.

Red rock

Stayed at the redrock sunday night. The pool was a litttle warm but otherwise a real nice place. I was impressed with the rooms

Meteor Crater

anyone been to meteor crater in arizona? its bigger than sedan crater at NTS (at least wider I think)

Sweet New Tires!

Just hooked up my ride with some sweet new tires. Now I can hit 120Mph really fast. Awesome!

AK-47 bullet deploys airbag of Saturn car

I've now set up Youtube to share videos. Thought I'd post up the last time I went shooting and my brother caught me popping an airbag with my AK.

Two fork'n it!

D-man likes double forking his cake.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA!

It seems we might have a tradition of going out to Moapa for a treat of illegal fireworks on July 3rd. For the past two years it's been a fantastic display of mortars and missiles. This year Donovan grew to enjoying the fireworks beyond the booms that initially scared him.

The place is non-stop fireworks from over a dozen of groups setting them off. I can just imagine the aftermath in the morning.

V & D

I like the way they look in this pic. Very happy.